cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Recent Advances in Flame Diagnostics Using Fluorescence and Ionization Techniques

Laser-based spectroscopic techniques are proving to be powerful methods for studying combustion environments. The needs for non-intrusive measurements of physical parameters (e.g., temperature and species concentrations) with high spatial and temporal resolution are well matched by the capabilities of laser spectroscopy. The techniques that have received the most attention to date are coherent anti-Stokes Raman spectroscopy (CARS), laser-induced fluorescence (LIF), and ionization detection. A recent review of applications of LIF can be found in [1]. An accompanying paper in this volume describes recent developments in CARS, a powerful technique that has proven especially useful for measuring temperature and the concentration of the major flame species (e.g., fuel, oxidant, and end gases, typically present in concentrations >1% mole fraction). This paper will highlight a few of the recent advances in flame diagnostics based on LIF and ionization techniques. These methods provide capabilities for studying the chemically reactive radical or minor species that are present in lower concentrations (typically <1%), but that play a dominant role in controlling the flame chemistry.
Grounded Action and Making Space in Richard II

In the previous chapter, I concentrated on the repeated use of “eyes” and sight in A Midsummer Night’s Dream as a way of understanding how playgoers are exposed to a variety of notions of how sight functions, both within the frame of the play and for the playgoers themselves. While Richard II is not so obviously dependent on the motif of vision, the visual has important reverberations in the moments when characters are left alone on stage. The noticeable dearth of soliloquies in A Midsummer Night’s Dream is also the case in Richard II. In Richard II, only two characters have soliloquies: Salisbury in 2.4 and Richard in 5.6.1 I think it worthwhile in the first of these to tease out some of the connections to vision in order to pave the way for some of the larger concerns of this chapter.2 Salisbury remains on stage after the departure of a Welsh Captain in the very short 2.4. Salisbury’s soliloquy before departure is a brief seven lines, but effectively connects the truth-telling aspects of a soliloquy to many of the recurrent images in the play. Noticeably, Salisbury draws attention to his vision of Richard through the “eyes of heavy mind” (2.4.18). He even more emphatically notes the metaphoric nature of his vision by providing the linking “like” when he says, “I see thy glory like a shooting star / Fall to the base earth from the firmament” (2.4.19–20).
Antimicrobial Resistance in Listeria spp.

Listeria monocytogenes causes a disease which particularly afflicts immune-compromised people and can result in death rates of over 30%. Most difficulty in prescribing antimicrobials for listeriosis is due to difficulty in diagnosis the illness; once properly and timely diagnosed, combinations of antimicrobials are easily provided to eliminate the infection. L. monocytogenes possesses numerous genes which confer innate resistance to some antimicrobials, particularly cephalosporins. In addition, some cell wall acting gene products increase resistance to some β-lactams and lantibiotics. Acquired resistance to some antimicrobials via transposons and plasmids is possible, but rarely to those important for treating listeriosis.
Benign Anovaginal and Rectovaginal Fistulas

Although not life threatening, passing stool and flatus through the vagina is distressing for the patient. The lack of a uniformly successful surgical repair for rectovaginal fistula (RVF) is frustrating for the surgeon.
Impact of physical activity and mechanical loading on biomarkers typically used in osteoarthritis assessment: current concepts and knowledge gaps.

There is an ongoing need to develop prognostic and diagnostic biomarkers for osteoarthritis (OA). Understanding how biomarkers change in response to physical activity may be vital for understanding...
Measuring the scintillation decay time for different energy deposited by γ-rays and neutrons in a Cs 2 LiYCl 6 :Ce 3+ detector

Abstract In nuclear safeguards and homeland security applications, it is greatly beneficial to simultaneously detect γ-rays, thermal neutrons, and fast neutrons using a single detector with reasonable pulse shape discrimination capability, energy resolution comparable with or even better than NaI(Tl) detectors, and high detection efficiency. Cs 2 LiYCl 6 :Ce 3+ (CLYC) scintillation detectors have been proven to be one promising candidate to meet these requirements. In this work, the decay time and fraction of each scintillation component for different energy deposition and incident particle type (γ-ray, thermal neutron, and fast neutron) were investigated based on fitting the PMT anode output with exponential functions. For γ-rays, four components were determined with ultrafast decay time of less than one nanosecond and slow time in the order of magnitude of microsecond. It was found that the dependence on the energy deposited by γ-rays of the fraction as well as the decay time of the three slow components was small. However, significant dependence was observed for the ultrafast component. Two or three components were determined for thermal neutrons and fast neutrons without observing a component with fast decay time. To verify the approach used it was first applied to scintillation pulses induced by γ-rays in a NaI(Tl) detector. The results were consistent with well-known data already published in the literature.
Summaries of Safety Labeling Changes Approved by the FDA: Boxed Warnings Highlights October - December 2016

The FDA's MedWatch program safety labeling changes for boxed warnings are compiled quarterly for drugs and therapeutic biologics where important changes have been made to the safety information. Search of Drug Safety Labeling Changes (SLC) database was conducted on December 31, 2016 for date range "10/1/2016-12/31/2016", labeling section "Boxed Warning". These and other label changes are searchable in the Drug Safety Labeling Changes (SLC) database, where data are available to the public in downloadable and searchable formats. (Drug Safety Labeling Changes are available at: http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/cder/safetylabelingchanges/?source=govdeliveryu OR serious adverse reactions that can be prevented/reduced in frequency or severity by appropriate use of the drug; OR FDA approved the drug with restrictions to ensure safe use because FDA concluded that the drug can be safely used only if distribution or use is restricted.
Pelvic artery calcification detection on CT scans using convolutional neural networks

Artery calcification is observed commonly in elderly patients, especially in patients with chronic kidney disease, and may affect coronary, carotid and peripheral arteries. Vascular calcification has been associated with many clinical outcomes. Manual identification of calcification in CT scans requires substantial expert interaction, which makes it time-consuming and infeasible for large-scale studies. Many works have been proposed for coronary artery calcification detection in cardiac CT scans. In these works, coronary artery extraction is commonly required for calcification detection. However, there are few works about abdominal or pelvic artery calcification detection. In this work, we present a method for automatic pelvic artery calcification detection on CT scan. This method uses the recent advanced faster region-based convolutional neural network (R-CNN) to directly identify artery calcification without a need for artery extraction since pelvic artery extraction itself is challenging. Our method first generates category-independent region proposals for each slice of the input CT scan using region proposal networks (RPN). Then, each region proposal is jointly classified and refined by softmax classifier and bounding box regressor. We applied the detection method to 500 images from 20 CT scans of patients for evaluation. The detection system achieved a 77.4% average precision and a 85% sensitivity at 1 false positive per image.
Still the century of bureaucracy?: the roles of public servants

The civil service, and public employment more generally, is often seen as stable, predictable, and frankly rather boring. The public bureaucrat has been, and continues to be, an object of scorn as well as an easy target for humorists, and the task of implementing public policy continues to be seen as largely the same as it has been for decades or even centuries. Despite that apparent predictability, the job of the civil servant, as well as much of the environment within which he or she functions, has been transforming rapidly and the public sector is nothing like it was several decades ago. Intellectually, the consideration of public administration has also remained rather stable. Despite numerous changes in the public sector Max Weber’s conceptions of bureaucracy still constitute the starting point for most discussions (Derlien, 1999).
Utility Proportional Fairness Resource Block Scheduling with Carrier Aggregation

In this chapter, we focus on solving the problem of utility PF resource block scheduling with CA for multi-carrier cellular networks. The resource scheduling approach presented in (Erpek et al., IEEE International Conference on Computing, Networking and Communications (ICNC) Workshop CCS, 2015; Hou and Chen, 2012 IEEE International Conference on Communications (ICC), 2012, pp. 53485353) does not consider the case of multi-carrier resources available at the eNodeB. It only solves the problem of RB scheduling in the case of single carrier. We introduce an approach for resource block scheduling with carrier aggregation in LTE-Advanced cellular networks. In our model, users are running elastic or inelastic traffic. We use logarithmic and sigmoidal-like utility functions to represent the applications running on the user equipment. Our objective is to assign resource blocks from multiple carriers based on a proportional fairness scheduling policy. In our approach, users are partitioned into different groups based on the carriers coverage area. In each group of users, the UEs are assigned RBs from all in band carriers. We use a utility proportional fairness approach in the utility percentage of the application running on the UE. Each user is guaranteed a minimum quality of service with a priority criterion that is based on the type of application running on the UE.
InP-based multiple type-II quantum-well integrated waveguide p-i-n photodiodes for mid-infrared detection

We present an InP-based p-i-n photodiode with multiple InGaAs/GaAsSb type-II quantum wells for 2μm detection. The fabricated photodiode shows a responsivity of 0.24 A/W at 2μm, with dark current as low as 1μA at −2V, and 3dB-bandwidth of 2 GHz under 1.55μm optical illumination.
Adapting Secretory Proteostasis and Function Through the Unfolded Protein Response.

Cells address challenges to protein folding in the secretory pathway by engaging endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-localized protective mechanisms that are collectively termed the unfolded protein response (UPR). By the action of the transmembrane signal transducers IRE1, PERK, and ATF6, the UPR induces networks of genes whose products alleviate the burden of protein misfolding. The UPR also plays instructive roles in cell differentiation and development, aids in the response to pathogens, and coordinates the output of professional secretory cells. These functions add to and move beyond the UPR’s classical role in addressing proteotoxic stress. Thus, the UPR is not just a reaction to protein misfolding, but also a fundamental driving force in physiology and pathology. Recent efforts have yielded a suite of chemical genetic methods and small molecule modulators that now provide researchers with both stress-dependent and -independent control of UPR activity. Such tools provide new opportunities to perturb the UPR and thereby study mechanisms for maintaining proteostasis in the secretory pathway. Numerous observations now hint at the therapeutic potential of UPR modulation for diseases related to the misfolding and aggregation of ER client proteins. Growing evidence also indicates the promise of targeting ER proteostasis nodes downstream of the UPR. Here, we review selected advances in these areas, providing a resource to inform ongoing studies of secretory proteostasis and function as they relate to the UPR.
Chapter 24 – Ethical Issues in Translational Research and Clinical Investigation

Ethics is the branch of philosophy that deals with moral issues, including questions about what is right (or wrong) to do and other intangibles, such as whether the intentions behind an action determine its goodness, or whether the actual outcome is what is important. The objective of this chapter is to provide a framework for ethical thinking and conduct in science, especially as applied to translational research and clinical investigation. Science, as a discipline of inquiry, endeavors to understand, or to better understand, how the natural world works. The tools of science generate evidence as the basis for that understanding. These tools include observation of the natural world and/or behavior of living creatures, and experimentation, a method of studying events under controlled conditions that can reduce variability and ambiguity of interpretation. Among scientists, certain attitudes, beliefs, and values have traditionally fostered virtuous behavior—hard work, perseverance, respect for others, collegiality, objectivity, and honesty, to name but a few. All of these contribute to the ethical dimensions of science. Today's scientist is a highly trained professional who acquires not only the necessary knowledge and skills to pursue the complex questions that arise, but also who understands and accepts the responsibility to ensure the validity and integrity of one's work, to ensure proper design and conduct of the research, and to ensure that the data are properly recorded, analyzed, and reported.
Variation in reward- and error-related neural measures attributable to age, gender, race, and ethnicity

Event-related potentials (ERPs) have been widely applied to the study of individual differences in reward and error processing, including recent proposals of several ERPs as possible biomarkers of mental illness. A criterion for all biomarkers, however, is that they be generalizable across the relevant populations, something which has yet to be demonstrated for many commonly studied reward- and error-related ERPs. The aim of this study was to examine variation in reward and error-related ERPs across core demographic variables: age, gender, race, and ethnicity. Data was drawn from three studies with relatively large samples (N range 207-527). Results demonstrated that ERPs varied across the demographic variables of interest. Several examples include attenuated reward-related ERPs with increasing age, larger error-related ERPs for men than women, and larger ERPs to feedback after losses for individuals who identified as Hispanic/Latino. Overall, these analyses suggest systematic variation in ERPs that is attributable to core demographic variables, which could give rise to seemingly inconsistent results across studies to the extent that these sample characteristics differ. Future psychophysiological studies should include these analyses as standard practice and assess how these differences might exacerbate, mask, or confound relationships of interest.
Ambulatory Antibiotic Stewardship through a Human Factors Engineering Approach: A Systematic Review

Introduction: In the United States, most antibiotics are prescribed in ambulatory settings. Human factors engineering, which explores interactions between people and the place where they work, has successfully improved quality of care. However, human factors engineering models have not been explored to frame what is known about ambulatory antibiotic stewardship (AS) interventions and barriers and facilitators to their implementation. Methods: We conducted a systematic review and searched OVID MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, and CINAHL to identify controlled interventions and qualitative studies of ambulatory AS and determine whether and how they incorporated principles from a human factors engineering model, the Systems Engineering Initiative for Patient Safety 2.0 model. This model describes how a work system (ambulatory clinic) contributes to a process (antibiotic prescribing) that leads to outcomes. The work system consists of 5 components, tools and technology, organization, person, tasks, and environment, within an external environment. Results: Of 1,288 abstracts initially identified, 42 quantitative studies and 17 qualitative studies met inclusion criteria. Effective interventions focused on tools and technology (eg, clinical decision support and point-of-care testing), the person (eg, clinician education), organization (eg, audit and feedback and academic detailing), tasks (eg, delayed antibiotic prescribing), the environment (eg, commitment posters), and the external environment (media campaigns). Studies have not focused on clinic-wide approaches to AS. Conclusions: A human factors engineering approach suggests that investigating the role of the clinic9s processes or physical layout or external pressures9 role in antibiotic prescribing may be a promising way to improve ambulatory AS.
Abstract 3269A: 2-Hydroxyflavanone: A novel estrogen receptor alpha downregulator with potent antitumor effect in breast cancer

Breast cancer (BC) remains one of the major causes of cancer deaths in women. 2Hydroxyflavanone (2HF), a constituent of citrus fruits, inhibits growth of human breast cancer cell lines in culture. The present study was undertaken to determine in vivo efficacy of 2HF against MDAMB231 human breast cancer xenografts. The 2HF administration retarded growth of MDAMB231 cells subcutaneously implanted in female nude mice without causing weight loss or any other side effects. The 2HF mediated suppression of MDAMB231 xenograft growth correlated with reduced cell proliferation as revealed by immunohistochemical analysis for Ki67 expression. Analysis of the vasculature in the tumors from 2HF treated mice indicated smaller vessel area compared with control tumors based on immunohistochemistry for angiogenesis marker CD31. The 2HF mediated inhibition of angiogenesis in vivo correlated with downregulation of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) level in the tumor. Consistent with these results, 2HF treatment suppressed cell cycle regulators levels in cultured MDAMB231 cells. Moreover, the 2HF treated MDAMB231 cells exhibited reduced capacity for migration compared with vehicle-treated control cells. In addition, 2HF administration elicits apoptotic response as judged by annexin V and PI staining and TUNEL assay. 2HF treatment reduced the levels of ER alpha in ER positive MCF7 breast cancer cells. In conclusion, the present study demonstrates in vivo anticancer efficacy of 2HF against MDAMB231 xenografts in association with reduced cell proliferation and suppression of neovascularization. Our results indicate that 2HF is a promising anticancer agent for breast cancer due to its ability to collectively inhibit major regulators of breast cancer including RLIP76, ER alpha, and HER2. Interestingly, a spontaneously immortalized non-tumorigenic normal human mammary epithelial cell line (MCF10A) is significantly more resistant to 2HF mediated apoptosis compared with breast cancer cells, demonstrating selectivity of 2HF towards malignant breast cells. These preclinical observations merit clinical investigation to determine efficacy of 2HF against human breast cancers. (This work was supported in part by the Department of Defense grant W81XWH 16 1 0641. Funding from the Beckman Research Institute of City of Hope is also acknowledged). Citation Format: Sharad S. Singhal, Shireen Chikara, Lokesh Nagaprashantha, Jyotsana Singhal, David Horne, Sanjay Awasthi. 2-Hydroxyflavanone: A novel estrogen receptor alpha downregulator with potent antitumor effect in breast cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 3269A.
Teratogenic Effects of Copper Deficiency and Excess

The presence of Cu in animal tissues was recognized during the 19th century, but its essentiality as a nutrient in the diet of mammals was not reported until 1928 by Hart and his associates1. The importance of Cu in prenatal development was recognized from studies on the disease “enzootic ataxia” in newborn lambs. This disorder is characterized by spastic paralysis, incoordination of movement, probably due to reduced myelination of the CNS, and anemia. Affected animals usually die within a short time after birth2. Copper supplementation of the ewe during pregnancy prevented the disorder.
Self-efficacy: Educational Aspects

Self-efficacy refers to perceived capabilities for learning or performing behaviors at designated levels. Self-efficacy can influence choice of activities, effort, persistence, and achievement. People acquire information about their self-efficacy for a given activity from their actual performances, vicarious experiences, forms of persuasion, and physiological symptoms. In educational settings, students have goals and varying levels of self-efficacy for learning. As they engage in a task they acquire skills and evaluate their learning progress. Perceptions of progress sustain self-efficacy and motivation and promote learning. Students' self-efficacy is influenced by such contextual variables as goals, social models, rewards, social comparisons, and forms of feedback. Self-efficacy has been shown to predict student motivation and achievement across a variety of content areas. Teachers' self-efficacy affects classroom planning, instruction, and student interactions. Future research should address assessment issues, longitudinal changes in self-efficacy, and the role of self-efficacy during self-regulation.
Lack of evidence for substrate channeling or flux between wildtype and mutant isocitrate dehydrogenase to produce the oncometabolite 2-hydroxyglutarate.

Monoallelic point mutations in the gene encoding the cytosolic, NADP+-dependent enzyme isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 (IDH1) cause increased production of the oncometabolite 2-hydroxyglutarate (2-HG) in multiple cancers. Most IDH1 mutant tumors retain one wildtype (WT) IDH1 allele. Several studies have proposed that retention of this WT allele is protumorigenic by facilitating substrate channeling through a WT–mutant IDH1 heterodimer, with the WT subunit generating a local supply of α-ketoglutarate and NADPH that is then consumed by the mutant subunit to produce 2-HG. Here, we confirmed that coexpression of WT and mutant IDH1 subunits leads to formation of WT–mutant hetero-oligomers and increases 2-HG production. An analysis of a recently reported crystal structure of the WT–R132H IDH1 heterodimer and of in vitro kinetic parameters for 2-HG production, however, indicated that substrate channeling between the subunits is biophysically implausible. We also found that putative carbon-substrate flux between WT and mutant IDH1 subunits is inconsistent with the results of isotope tracing experiments in cancer cells harboring an endogenous monoallelic IDH1 mutation. Finally, using a mathematical model of WT–mutant IDH1 heterodimers, we estimated that the NADPH:NADP+ ratio is higher in the cytosol than in the mitochondria, suggesting that NADPH is unlikely to be limiting for 2-HG production in the cytosol. These findings argue against supply of either substrate being limiting for 2-HG production by a cytosolic IDH1 mutant and suggest that the retention of a WT allele in IDH1 mutant tumors is not due to a requirement for carbon or cofactor flux between WT and mutant IDH1.
Collective Trauma and the Psychology of Secrets in Transnational Film

Collective Trauma and the Psychology of Secrets in Transnational Film advances a methodological line of inquiry based on a fresh insight into the ways in which cinematic meaning is generated and can be ascertained. Premised on a critical reading strategy informed by a metapsychology of secrets, the book features analyses of internationally acclaimed films—Guillermo del Torro’s Pan’s Labyrinth, Andrey Zvyagintsev’s The Return, Jee-woon Kim’s A Tale of Two Sisters, and Alejandro Amenabar’s The Others. It demonstrates how a rethinking of the figure of the secret in national film yields a new vantage point for examining heretofore unrecognized connections between collective historical experience, cinematic production and a transnational aesthetic of concealment and hiding.
Hospital palliative care consult improves value-based purchasing outcomes in a propensity score-matched cohort.

Background:Hospital-based palliative care consultation is consistently associated with reduced hospitalization costs and more importantly with improved patient quality of life. As healthcare system...
Recent Advances on Electrochemical Biosensing Strategies toward Universal Point‐of‐Care Systems

A number of very recently developed electrochemical biosensing strategies are promoting electrochemical biosensing systems into practical point-of-care applications. The focus of research endeavors has transferred from detection of a specific analyte to the development of general biosensing strategies that can be applied for a single category of analytes, such as nucleic acids, proteins, and cells. In this Minireview, recent cutting-edge research on electrochemical biosensing strategies are described. These developments resolved critical challenges regarding the application of electrochemical biosensors to practical point-of-care systems, such as rapid readout, simple biosensor fabrication method, ultra-high detection sensitivity, direct analysis in a complex biological matrix, and multiplexed target analysis. This Minireview provides general guidelines both for scientists in the biosensing research community and for the biosensor industry on development of point-of-care system, benefiting global healthcare.
Five years in the rise of the modern cruise industry.

The years from 1969-74 were critical in the evolution of the passenger shipping industry from crossing to cruising. Faced with a decline in demand for point-to-point passenger transportation and an increase in the demand for cruises, steamship lines were also faced with a number of internal and external challenges. The writer discusses some companies that met these challenges, some that did not, and some new, cruise-oriented companies now leading the industry today
Initial disease severity, cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality among patients with systemic lupus erythematosus

Objective SLE is associated with high risks of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mortality, and has a wide spectrum of presentations. We investigated whether SLE severity at diagnosis was associated with CVD or mortality risk. Methods Within Medicaid (2000-10), we identified patients 18-65 years of age with incident SLE. Initial SLE severity was classified-mild, moderate, or severe-during the baseline year prior to the start of follow-up (incident index date) using a published algorithm based on SLE-related medications and diagnoses. Patients were followed from the index date to the first CVD event or death, disenrollment, loss to follow-up or end of follow-up period. Cox and Fine-Gray regression models, adjusted for demographics and comorbidities accounting for the competing risk of death (for CVD), estimated CVD and mortality risks by baseline SLE severity. Results Of 15 120 incident SLE patients, 48.7% had mild initial SLE severity, 33.9% moderate and 17.4% severe. Mean (s.d.) follow-up was 3.3 (2.4) years. After multivariable adjustment, CVD subdistribution hazard ratios (HRSD) were higher for initially severe [HRSD 1.64 (95% CI 1.32, 2.04)] and moderate [HRSD 1.19 (95% CI 1.00, 1.41)] SLE vs mild SLE. Mortality HRs were also higher for initially severe [HR 3.11 (95% CI 2.49, 3.89)] and moderate [HR 1.61 (95% CI 1.29, 2.01)] SLE vs mild SLE. Conclusion SLE patients with high initial severity had elevated mortality and CVD events risks compared with those who presented with milder disease. This has implications for clinical care and risk stratification of newly diagnosed SLE patients.
Analysis and Modeling of Conducted EMI from an AC–DC Power Supply in LED TV up to 1 MHz

Critical conduction mode (CRM) boost power factor correction (PFC) converter is widely used in ac–dc power supplies to achieve high power factor. The switching frequency varies in a half-line cycle. In this article, both the differential-mode (DM) and common-mode (CM) electromagnetic interference (EMI) noises below 1 MHz from the ac–dc power supply in a LED TV are analyzed and modeled. The power supply consists of two parts: CRM boost PFC converter and LLC resonant converter. The conducted EMI noise and noise source voltages are measured in the time domain and then converted to the frequency domain via short-time fast Fourier transform (STFFT). Through the joint time-frequency analysis using STFFT, the drain-to-source voltage of the power MOSFET in the PFC converter is identified as the dominant noise source of both CM and DM EMI noises below 1 MHz from the power supply. The EMI current path is different during different periods of a cycle of the line voltage. During most time of a cycle, two diodes of the bridge rectifier are forward biased, and the bridge rectifier can be treated as short circuit. The current paths of DM and CM EMI noises are explained and modeled by a linear equivalent circuit model. Three parasitic capacitances need to be considered to model the CM EMI noise in this device under test. From the circuit model, transfer functions relating DM and CM EMI spectra to noise source voltage spectrum are obtained. The conducted EMI spectra are predicted by multiplying the spectrum of noise source voltage by the transfer functions. The prediction matches with measurement. The effects of parasitic capacitances on CM EMI noise are analyzed by simulation and then validated by measurement. The analysis results can help with EMI design to reduce the CM EMI.
Cost-effectiveness microsimulation of catheter-directed thrombolysis in submassive pulmonary embolism using a right ventricular function model.

Approximately 30–50% of hemodynamically stable patients presenting with acute pulmonary embolism (PE) have evidence of right ventricular (RV) dysfunction. These patients are classified as submassive PE and the role of reperfusion therapy remains unclear. We sought to identify the circumstances under which catheter-directed thrombolysis (CDT) would represent high-value care for submassive PE. We used a computer-based, individual-level, state-transition model with one million simulated patients to perform a cost-effectiveness analysis comparing the treatment of submassive PE with CDT followed by anticoagulation to treatment with anticoagulation alone. Because RV function impacts prognosis and is commonly used in PE outcomes research, our model used RV dysfunction to differentiate health states. One-way, two-way, and probabilistic sensitivity analyses were used to quantify model uncertainty. Our base case analysis generated an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of $119,326 per quality adjusted life year. Sensitivity analyses resulted in ICERs consistent with high-value care when CDT conferred a reduction in the absolute probability of RV dysfunction of 3.5% or more. CDT yielded low-value ICERs if the absolute reduction was less than 1.56%. Our model suggests that catheter-directed thrombolytics represents high-value care compared to anticoagulation alone when CDT offers an absolute improvement in RV dysfunction of 3.5% or more, but there is substantial uncertainly around these results. We estimated the monetary value of clarifying the costs and consequences surrounding RV dysfunction after submassive PE to be approximately $268 million annually, suggesting further research in this area could be highly valuable.
TransDigm in 2017: The Beginning of the End or the End of the Beginning?

TransDigm is a highly acquisitive company that manufactures a wide range of highly engineered aerospace parts with highly successful, but controversial strategy. On the one hand, its stock price had increased by over ten times in ten years since its IPO in March 2006, and both its revenues and non-GAAP EBITDA had grown at compound annual rates in excess of 20% since the company’s founding in 1993. But in early 2017, government officials, a major investor, and even some customers had begun to question the implementation, sustainability, and ethics of the firm’s strategy. That strategy consisted of acquisition-driven growth (i.e., a “roll-up”) and value-focused operations emphasizing three value drivers: value-based pricing, cost reductions, and new product development. With the firm’s stock price down 30% off its recent high, TransDigm CEO Nick Howley must decide whether to respond to the rising level of criticism and, if so, how. In the longer term, he has to decide whether to change the firm’s “value-focused strategy.” If he were going to change the firm's proven operating strategy, what aspects should he change and how should he justify the changes to his loyal shareholder base? The case has three pedagogical objectives: First, it allows students to analyze an extremely effective strategy that has generated stellar financial returns for more than two decades and to assess the criticisms leveled against it. Second, it challenges students to define value creation and distinguish it from value capture. Who along the value chain is "winning" and who, if anyone, is losing? And third, it provides an opportunity to understand bargaining power as a key determinant of market attractiveness (buyer and supplier power are two of Porter's Five Forces) and an important kind of competitive advantage (a "bargaining advantage" in Van den Steen's framework). The chosen setting, spring 2017 when the company's stock price was down ~30% and investors, customers, and government officials were questioning the firm's "value creation" strategy, naturally raises the question of whether the firm's advantage will last for another five to ten years?
Multivariate Convex Regression at Scale

We present new large-scale algorithms for fitting a subgradient regularized multivariate convex regression function to $n$ samples in $d$ dimensions -- a key problem in shape constrained nonparametric regression with widespread applications in statistics, engineering and the applied sciences. The infinite-dimensional learning task can be expressed via a convex quadratic program (QP) with $O(nd)$ decision variables and $O(n^2)$ constraints. While instances with $n$ in the lower thousands can be addressed with current algorithms within reasonable runtimes, solving larger problems (e.g., $n\approx 10^4$ or $10^5$) is computationally challenging. To this end, we present an active set type algorithm on the dual QP. For computational scalability, we perform approximate optimization of the reduced sub-problems; and propose randomized augmentation rules for expanding the active set. Although the dual is not strongly convex, we present a novel linear convergence rate of our algorithm on the dual. We demonstrate that our framework can approximately solve instances of the convex regression problem with $n=10^5$ and $d=10$ within minutes; and offers significant computational gains compared to earlier approaches.
Pharmacist-Driven Oral Oncolytic Medication Education and Consent.

PURPOSE:The numbers and types of oral oncolytics in oncology are expanding rapidly. Oral oncolytics have serious adverse effects, and pharmacist-driven patient education has the potential to reduce...
Lévy-Bruhl, Lucien (1857–1939)

Lucien Levy-Bruhl was born in Paris, France, on April 10, 1857. He is best known for his bold speculations on cognition in preliterate societies, something he initially characterized as “primitive mentality” or even “prelogical thought,” before uncovering similar trends in Western societies.
The Motion of Particles

This chapter deals with the motion of particles, their energy and momentum and acceleration, and emphasizes the geometric view of motion in spacetime. In particular it demonstrates that special relativity is not limited to motion at constant velocity.
An in vitro Study of Constituents Released From Smokeless Tobacco Products Into Human Saliva.

Smokeless tobacco (ST) products are used worldwide, and consumption is increasing in the United States. Although ST products are considered to occupy a different position on the tobacco product continuum of risk compared to combusted tobacco products, they can still lead to health problems, including cancer, dental problems, and changes in heart rate and blood pressure. Therefore, the determination of harmful and potentially harmful constituents (HPHCs) released from ST products into human saliva is important. Four certified reference ST products were tested in this study: loose leaf chewing tobacco (3S1), Swedish-style snus (1S4), snus (1S5), and moist snuff (3S3). These certified reference ST products are manufactured for research purposes, not for human consumption. The reference ST products were used in this study because they have been well characterized and are intended and designed to represent commercial ST products. The reference ST products were incubated in human saliva at 37 °C with a range of incubation times for the evaluation of constituents released from these products into human saliva. In this study, alkaloids (nicotine and cotinine), tobacco-specific N-nitrosamines (TSNAs) (NNN and NNK), and benzo[α]pyrene (B[α]P) in the reference ST products and saliva samples were determined by GC-MS, GC-FID, or UPLC-MS-MS. Our results indicate that the amounts of each constituent released from the reference ST products were altered by the tobacco cut size and product format (pouched or unpouched). The constituents (TSNAs and alkaloids) in moist snuff and loose leaf chewing tobacco were released faster compared to those in Swedish-style snus and snus. B[α]P was only detected in reference moist snuff samples, and only 3.4% of the total B[α]P was released into human saliva after incubation for 60 min, whereas higher percentages of total TSNAs and alkaloids were released at different rates from the four reference ST products.
Impact of introducing a farm to school program on the number of school lunches served.

Abstract Farm to school (FTS) programs are becoming more prevalent throughout the United States. Yet, their impacts on students' behaviors are still not well understood. This study analyzes the impacts of introducing the local procurement aspect of a FTS program in a Florida school district on the number of National School Lunch Program (NSLP) meals served and the selection of salad meals prepared with FTS products using daily school-level point of sale (POS) data, product procurement records, NSLP menu data and linear panel regression analyses. The study district implemented the FTS program in 15 of its 22 elementary schools between mid-October of 2015 and mid-January of 2016. Weighted difference in differences regressions that account for the non-random assignment of the district's elementary schools into the FTS program and variation in the timing of implementation across schools indicate that the introduction of the FTS program did not affect the number of NSLP meals served or type of meals served at schools with FTS programs. We find some evidence that students selected more NSLP salad offerings on days when these meals were prepared with FTS products; however, these findings were no longer significant when school-level fixed effects were included in the model.
Dielectrophoresis-Mediated Electrodeformation as a Means of Determining Individual Platelet Stiffness

Platelets, essential for hemostasis, are easily activated via biochemical and mechanical stimuli. Cell stiffness is a vital parameter modulating the mechano-transduction of exogenous mechanical stimuli. While methods exist to measure cell stiffness, no ready method exists for measuring platelet stiffness that is both minimally-contacting, imparting minimal exogenous force and non-activating. We developed a minimal-contact methodology capable of trapping and measuring the stiffness of individual platelets utilizing dielectrophoresis (DEP)-mediated electrodeformation. Parametric studies demonstrate a non-uniform electric field in the MHz frequency range (0.2-20 MHz) is required for generating effective DEP forces on platelets, suspended in isotonic buffer with conductivity ~100-200 μS/cm. A nano-Newton DEP force (0.125-4.5 nN) was demonstrated to be essential for platelet electrodeformation, which could be generated with an electric field with strength of 1.5-9 V/μm. Young's moduli of platelets were calculated using a Maxwell stress tensor model and stress-deformation relationship. Platelet stiffness was determined to be in the range of 3.5 ± 1.4 and 8.5 ± 1.5 kPa for resting and 0.4% paraformaldehyde-treated cells, respectively. The developed methodology fills a gap in approaches of measuring individual platelet stiffness, free of inadvertent platelet activation, which will facilitate further studies of mechanisms involved in mechanically-mediated platelet activation.
Haplotype preference in lymphocyte differentiation. II. F1 hybrid helper T cells generated with antigen-bearing parental macrophages can cooperate with B lymphocytes of either parent.

Abstract Carrier-specific helper T cells were generated in F 1 hybrid mice by either conventional immunization procedures or by repeated immunizations with antigen-bearing macrophages derived from either F 1 or parental donors. The F 1 helper T cells generated in these various ways were then analyzed for their capacities to help hapten-primed B lymphocytes derived from each of the two parental strains as well as from F 1 donors in the development of secondary anti-hapten antibody responses. These analyses were conducted using two different types of in vivo assay systems as well as a totally in vitro system. Under all circumstances, helper T cells from F 1 mice, primed either in conventional fashion or with antigen bearing parental or F 1 macrophages, were capable of interacting effectively with B lymphocytes of each parent and of F 1 origin. Moreover, in the case of F 1 helper cells primed with antigen-bearing parental macrophages, there was no evidence of preferential helper activity for parental B lymphocytes corresponding to the type of macrophage used for sensitization; this was true irrespective of whether in vivo or in vitro assay systems were employed. The relevance of these findings and others which are either similar to, or discordant with, them to the general question of genetic restrictions in macrophage-T lymphocyte interactions is discussed.
E-Learning in Undergraduate Humanities Classes: Unpacking the Variables

this study describes the design, implementation, and analysis of three related surveys launched to investigate e-learning in undergraduate humanities classes at a public technological research university. examined are the independent variables of learning style, general expectation, and interaction. the surveys were administered in the summer of 2006 (Survey 1, n = 108 [41.53% return], Survey 2, n = 89 [34.23% return], Survey 3, n = 62 [23.85% return] and fall of 2006 (Survey 1, n = 68 [50.75% return], Survey 2, n = 58 [43.28% return], Survey 3, n = 58 [52.25% return]. modest to high correlations and statistically significant relationships identified among survey questions designed to explore the three independent variables led the researchers to create constructed scales based on those variables. When the dependent variable of expected course grade was used to hypothesize a relationship based on performance, the model was weak (R
Continental Growth and the Archean Paradox

Proposed continental growth curves, based on geochemical and/or petrologic data, have fallen into two broad camps, instantaneous versus progressive growth. Archean thermal constraints can potentially help to elucidate which end-member is more viable as the scenarios show greatest divergence in the Archean. Toward this end, we review a heat flow scaling theory for mantle convection with continents and use the theory to explore the thermal implications of different end-member models of continental growth. Both instantaneous and progressive growth models predict that the ratio of oceanic to subcontinental mantle heat flux should have increased in the Earth's past, when the planet had more heat to lose. This allows both scenarios to match the observation-based constraint that heat flow through continents was not much greater in the Archean than it is at present. A progressive growth scenario is mildly more effective at matching this constraint under a wider range of parameter conditions and is, thus, somewhat more robust than the instantaneous growth end-member. An added separation between the end-members comes from the fact that a progressive continental growth scenario predicts a buffering of mantle temperature over time. This buffering has the potential to limit wide-scale mantle melting in the Archean. The lack of evidence of any such melting favors a progressive growth scenario although the constraint is not strong as several other physical mechanisms, not associated with continental growth, can also limit Archean melting. Collectively, the thermal constraints discussed cannot rule out either end-member. A progressive continental growth model is more robust in terms of parameter uncertainties which provides mild support for a continental growth curve nearer to this end-member.
Succinct and informative cluster descriptions for document repositories

Large document repositories need to be organized, summarized and labeled in order to be used effectively. Previous clustering studies focused on organizing, and paid little attention to producing cluster labels. Without informative labels, users need to browse many documents to get a sense of what the clusters contain. Human labeling of clusters is not viable when clustering is performed on demand or for very few users. It is desirable to automatically generate informative cluster descriptions (CDs), in order to give users a high-level sense about the clusters, and to help repository managers to produce the final cluster labels. This paper studies CDs in the form of small term sets for document clusters, and investigates how to measure the quality or fidelity of CDs and how to construct high quality CDs. We propose to use a CD-based classification for simulating how to interpret CDs, and to use the F-score of the classification to measure CD quality. Since directly searching good CDs using F-score is too expensive, we consider a surrogate quality measure, the CDD measure, which combines three factors: coverage, disjointness, and diversity. We give a search strategy for constructing CDs, namely a layer-based replacement method called PagodaCD. Experimental results show that the algorithm is efficient and can produce high quality CDs. CDs produced by PagodaCD also exhibit a monotone quality behavior.
Global trends in extremal microseism intensity

[1] Globally ubiquitous seismic background noise peaks near 7 and 14 s period are generated via distinct mechanisms that transfer storm-generated gravity wave energy to the seismic wave field. We utilize continuous digital ground motion data recorded by the Global Seismographic Network and precursor instrumentation to chronicle microseism power extreme events for 1972–2009. Because most land-observed microseism surface-wave energy is generated at or near coasts, microseism metrics are particularly relevant to assessing changes in coastal ocean wave energy. Extreme microseism winter storm season event counts reveal the widespread influence of the El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO). Individual station and ensemble slopes trend positive for this study period for Northern Hemisphere stations. The double-frequency microseism is particularly volatile, suggesting that the weaker single-frequency microseism directly generated by ocean swell at coasts is likely a more representative seismic proxy for broad-scale ocean wave energy estimation.