cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
TISS-loc: Towards User Control of Privacy in Location Disclosure

The rise in popularity of location disclosure brings privacy concerns to the forefront. Mechanisms are needed that empower users to personalize the balance between the benefits of location awareness and privacy. This paper presents TISS-loc, which leverages trust management foundations to enhance control of location disclosure. TISS-loc supports location obfuscation to balance privacy and the benefits of disclosure, it uses stereotyping to promote openness and scalability on the number of requestors, it supports automatic update of disclosure policies based on requestor behavior, and it supports multilateral and multi-level decision making. The paper also describes an Android-based implementation of TISS-loc and a user study that investigates whether end users can understand and use TISS-loc.
Towards the Massless Spectrum of Non-Kähler Heterotic Compactifications

Fu and Yau constructed the first smooth family of gauge bundles over a class of non-Kahler, complex 3-folds that are solutions to Strominger's system, the heterotic supersymmetry constraints with nonzero H -flux. We began the study of the massless spectrum arising from compactification using this construction by counting zero modes of the linearized equations of motion for the gaugino in the supergravity approximation.
Foreword: Patients With HIV in the Emergency Department

Since the beginning of mankind, those involved in health care have waged a constant battle against infectious diseases. Early ‘‘healers’’ as well as modern day physicians have struggled to find new therapies to combat deadly microorganisms. Despite many successes, certain infections seem to have thrived, producing pandemics and tremendous international morbidity and mortality. Human immunodeficiency virus, well known simply as HIV, is one such example. When HIV was first being identified in the 1980s, nobody could have known that this virus would have such a profound influence on so many cultures and societies. The virus has truly proven to have no limits on its victims: men and women as well as adults and children; every nationality has been involved in the virus’ rampage. Although a cure has not yet been identified, research has fortunately been able to identify treatments that have controlled the morbidity and mortality rates. Although HIV was once considered a rapid death sentence, it has now become a more chronic disease for many patients through the use of various medication regimens. Because HIV-infected patients are now living longer, the number of these patients presenting to emergency departments is increasing dramatically. More than ever before, it is incumbent on emergency health care providers to be well-versed in managing patients presenting with complications related to HIV as well as in managing patients presenting with a non-HIV–related problem but in whom HIV is a comorbidity. In this issue of Emergency Medicine Clinics of North America, Guest Editors Drs Torres and Chin have assembled an outstanding group of authors to address the challenges we face in caring for patients with HIV in the emergency department. They address HIV-related complications that affect all of the major organ systems, from the skin to the brain. In addition, they address postexposure prophylaxis as well as
Lorcaserin plus lifestyle modification for weight loss maintenance: Rationale and design for a randomized controlled trial.

Abstract Background/aims Few studies have examined the efficacy of recently approved medications for chronic weight management in facilitating the maintenance of lost weight. This paper provides an overview of the design and rationale for a trial investigating whether lorcaserin, when combined with behavioral weight loss maintenance sessions (WLM), will facilitate the maintenance of losses of ≥ 5% of initial weight. Methods In this two-phase trial, participants with obesity will enroll in a 14-week run-in diet program consisting of weekly group lifestyle modification sessions and a 1000–1200 kcal/d meal replacement diet. Participants who complete this weight induction phase and lose at least 5% of initial weight will then be randomized to 52 weeks of WLM plus lorcaserin or WLM plus placebo. We hypothesize that at 52 weeks post randomization, participants assigned to WLM plus lorcaserin will achieve significantly better maintenance of the prior 5% weight loss. Results We will recruit 182 adults with obesity to participate in the diet run-in, 136 of whom (75%) are expected to become eligible for the randomized controlled trial. Co-primary outcomes include the percentage of participants who maintain a loss of at least 5% of initial weight at week 52 and change in weight (kg) from randomization to week 52. Conclusions This two-phase design will allow us to determine the potential efficacy of chronic weight management using lorcaserin for maintaining initial losses of at least 5% body weight, induced by the use of a structured meal-replacement diet. This combined approach holds promise of achieving larger long-term weight losses. Clinical Trial Registration: NCT02388568 on ClinicalTrials.gov
The Trouble with Dignity (Invited Chapter)

This chapter from the book Comparative Defamation and Privacy Law explores the broad rights that newspapers in the United States enjoy regarding the publication of truthful information about public officials, public figures, and others. It examines the law that has for many years encouraged such expansive coverage, including privacy provisions from the highly influential Restatement of Torts. It also explores journalism ethics standards that, in turn, have kept some inflammatory information out of print despite press-accommodating law. It suggests that some newer media organizations, believing themselves protected by the First Amendment but unwilling to follow traditional ethics provisions, have the potential to change the course of First Amendment protections. It argues that the law must change in the United States to be more respectful of privacy, but must avoid a single-minded focus on human dignity that would unconstitutionally impact press freedoms.
Upper esophageal sphincter (UES) metrics on high-resolution manometry (HRM) differentiate achalasia subtypes.

Background The upper esophageal sphincter (UES) reflexively responds to bolus presence within the esophageal lumen, therefore UES metrics can vary in achalasia. Methods Within consecutive patients undergoing esophageal high-resolution manometry (HRM), 302 patients (58.2±1.0 year, 57% F) with esophageal outflow obstruction were identified, and compared to 16 asymptomatic controls (27.7±0.7 year, 56% F). Esophageal outflow obstruction was segregated into achalasia subtypes 1, 2, and 3, and esophagogastric junction outflow obstruction (EGJOO with intact peristalsis) using Chicago Classification v3.0. UES and lower esophageal sphincter (LES) metrics were compared between esophageal outflow obstruction and normal controls using univariate and multivariate analysis. Linear regression excluded multicollinearity of pressure metrics that demonstrated significant differences across individual subtype comparisons. Key Results LES integrated relaxation pressure (IRP) had utility in differentiating achalasia from controls (P<.0001), but no utility in segregating between subtypes (P=.27). In comparison to controls, patients collectively demonstrated univariate differences in UES mean basal pressure, relaxation time to nadir, recovery time, and residual pressure (UES-RP) (P≤.049). UES-RP was highest in type 2 achalasia (P<.0001 compared to other subtypes and controls). In multivariate analysis, only UES-RP retained significance in comparison between each of the subgroups (P≤.02 for each comparison). Intrabolus pressure was highest in type 3 achalasia; this demonstrated significant differences across some but not all subtype comparisons. Conclusions and Inferences Nadir UES-RP can differentiate achalasia subtypes within the esophageal outflow obstruction spectrum, with highest values in type 2 achalasia. This metric likely represents a surrogate marker for esophageal pressurization.
Implementation of Exome Sequencing Assay

Next-generation sequencing (NGS) is driving our current approaches to molecular diagnosis and characterization of inherited genetic disorders and is also enabling the discovery of genetic variants that induce susceptibility to non-inherited disorders. Advancements in NGS platforms and bioinformatics pipelines have allowed high-throughput, cost-effective, and efficient coverage of all coding regions of the genome, making whole-exome sequencing (WES) highly feasible in a clinical setting. Consequentially, the specificity and sensitivity for detecting all coding changes have tremendously improved, and the efforts and duration required to narrow down to the precise disease-associated variant(s) have significantly reduced. Rightly so, WES and whole-genome sequencing (WGS) are fast becoming the one-for-all clinical genetic tests, leading our way to precision medicine. In this chapter, we summarize the evolving roles of WES, which range from its use as a disease diagnostic tool for rare single-gene Mendelian disorders to a routine screening tool for monitoring disease progression and treatment response in cancer patients, as well as a tool for novel gene discovery in a research setting. This chapter highlights the achievements and limitations of the technology and emphasizes the challenges involved in the implementation of WES assays for clinical care.
October before October

Rachel Churner introduces essays by Annette Michelson and Rosalind Krauss on Soviet cinema, reprinted in conjunction with the centennial of the October revolution. Published in the early 1970s, these essays provide a glimpse into how the founders of October thought about the revolution—and, in particular, Sergei Eisenstein's film October, which commemorated the tenth anniversary of the revolution—in the years before they started their publication.
Communication-efficient algorithms for distributed optimization

This thesis is concerned with the design of distributed algorithms for solving optimization problems. The particular scenario we consider is a network with P compute nodes, where each node p has exclusive access to a cost function fp. We design algorithms in which all the nodes cooperate to find the minimum of the sum of all the cost functions, f1 + ··· + fP. Several problems in signal processing, control, and machine learning can be posed as such optimization problems. Given that communication is often the most energy-consuming operation in networks and, many times, also the slowest one, it is important to design distributed algorithms with low communication requirements, that is, communication-efficient algorithms. The two main contributions of this thesis are a classification scheme for distributed optimization problems of the kind explained above and a set of corresponding communication-efficient algorithms. The class of optimization problems we consider is quite general, since we allow that each function may depend on arbitrary components of the optimization variable, and not necessarily on all of them. In doing so, we go beyond the commonly used assumption in distributed optimization and create additional structure that can be explored to reduce the total number of communications. This structure is captured by our classification scheme, which identifies particular instances of the problem that are easier to solve. One example is the standard distributed optimization problem, in which all the functions depend on all the components of the variable. All our algorithms are distributed in the sense that no central node coordinates the network, all the communications occur exclusively between neighboring nodes, and the data associated with each node is always processed locally. We show several applications of our algorithms, including average consensus, support vector machines, network flows, and several distributed scenarios for compressed sensing. We also propose a new framework for distributed model predictive control, which can be solved with our algorithms. Through extensive numerical experiments, we show that our algorithms outperform prior distributed algorithms in terms of communication-efficiency, even some that were specifically designed for a particular application.
Men hate it, women love it: Guilty pleasure advertising messages

Abstract The concept of a guilty pleasure has become a cultural touchstone, and messaging employing the concept has been increasingly used in advertising to gain consumers' attention and enhance the perceived value of the product. However, the present research finds guilty pleasure messages have strikingly different effects in men vs. women, for both physical and service products. Such messages result in more negative attitudes and lowered likelihood of purchase in men, yet higher attitudes and purchase likelihood in women. Using a mediated moderation model, this research shows these differential gender effects are driven by imagery generation via the experience of low agency emotions.
Foliar nutrient applications to 'Wonderful' pomegranate (Punica granatum L.). I. Effects on fruit mineral nutrient concentrations and internal quality

Abstract Investigations into putative health benefits of pomegranate fruit have increased interest in its consumption and production but limited evidence exists regarding fruit mineral nutrient concentrations and other internal fruit quality characteristics, especially for Wonderful, an industry standard cultivar, and even less is known about the effects of agricultural practices such as foliar fertilizer applications on these variables. Mature ‘Wonderful’ pomegranate trees were treated during fruit set with zinc sulfate (ZnSO4), magnesium sulfate (MgSO4), potassium nitrate (KNO3), and with deionized water. Mature fruit were analyzed for mineral nutrient concentrations, antioxidant activity (AA), total phenolics (TP), total soluble solids (TSS), and titratable acidity (TA). Fruit mineral nutrient concentrations were characterized. Zinc-treated trees had greater fruit Zn concentrations. No other significant differences in fruit mineral nutrient concentrations were detected. Antioxidant activity ranged from 67.1 to 87.1 percent inhibition of 2,2′-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl with no treatments resulting in AA that was significantly different from the control. Total phenolics ranged from 2091 to 3735 mg·L−1 gallic acid equivalents, with 2% KNO3 resulting in a statistically significant increase in TP at one site. Fruit TSS and TA were not affected significantly by the treatments. The results suggest that foliar ZnSO4, MgSO4, and KNO3 could be used as part of an efficient, sustainable fertilizer program for ‘Wonderful’ pomegranate while maintaining or improving fruit mineral nutrient concentrations, bioactivity, and internal quality.
Finding the Right Distribution for Highly Skewed Zero-inflated Clinical Data

Discrete, highly skewed distributions with excess numbers of zeros often result in biased estimates and misleading inferences if the zeros are not properly addressed. A clinical example of children with electrophysiologic disorders in which many of the children are treated without surgery is provided. The purpose of the current study was to identify the optimal modeling strategy for highly skewed, zeroinflated data often observed in the clinical setting by: (a) simulating skewed, zero-inflated count data; (b) fitting simulated data with Poisson, Negative Binomial, Zero-Inflated Poisson (ZIP) and Zero-inflated Negative Binomial (ZINB) models; and, (c) applying the aforementioned models to actual, highly skewed, clinical data of children with an EP disorder. The ZIP model was observed to be the optimal model based on traditional fit statistics as well as estimates of bias, mean-squared error, and coverage.
Nutrition in Severe Acute Pancreatitis

Acute pancreatitis (AP) is a debilitating disease caused by proteolytic auto-injury from inappropriate intra-acinar activation of the proenzymes. The majority of patients have a mild disease that resolves with supportive care, but ~20 % have a severe disease marked by intense systemic inflammation and organ failure associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Bowel rest allows the inflamed pancreas to rest, but prolonged fasting deprives the body of the essential nutrients necessary to withstand the hypercatabolic state associated with severe AP. In addition, the disturbed gut mucosal integrity and splanchnic metabolism from starvation allow bacterial and endotoxin translocation that amplifies systemic inflammation. Enteral nutrition (EN) has been shown to play a pivotal role in minimizing the infectious complications, need for surgical interventions, length of hospitalization, and mortality by preserving gut function, modulating systemic inflammation, and organ failure. EN can be delivered by nasogastric or nasojejunal feeding and appears to be more beneficial when delivered early in the course of severe disease. Jejunal feeding has the advantage of causing less pancreatic stimulation than gastric feeding and making EN feasible in patients with gastric outlet obstruction due to the pancreatic inflammatory mass or fluid collections. Parenteral nutrition (PN) allows pancreatic rest but exacerbates the gut mucosal atrophy and is associated with increased risk of septicemia and metabolic complications. Consequently, PN should be reserved for those who cannot tolerate EN.
Biochemsistry of DNA Repair Patch Synthesis in UV-Irradiated Permeable Diploid Human Fibroblasts

Using a well-characterized permeable cell technique and several inhibitors of mammalian DNA polymerases, we have identified polymerase delta as the enzyme responsible for repair patch synthesis in UV-irradiated human fibroblasts. UV-induced repair synthesis appears to be mediated by polymerase delta regardless of (i) the dose of UV administered, (ii) whether the damaged cells are growing or growth-arrested, or (iii) whether repair synthesis is studied immediately or at late times (14 hours or more) after irradiation. The permeable cell technique has also been used to study deoxyribonucleoside triphosphate dNTP) concentration dependences of UV-induced repair synthesis. Apparent Km values for dCTP, dGTP, and dTTP for repair synthesis are 0.11 µM, 0.11 µM, and 0.44 µM, respectively, for AG1518 fibroblasts, and 0.06 µM, 0.07µM, and 0.24 µM, respectively, for IMR-90 fibroblasts. These values are an order of magnitude lower than the Km values for DNA replication. They are also much lower than the Km values for isolated polymerase delta (2.0 µM for dGTP and 3.5 µM for dTTP, suggesting that when the polymerase functions in DNA repair, its characteristics are altered either by association with accessory proteins or by post-translational modification. Also, the Km values for repair synthesis are 5 to 80-fold lower than dNTP concentrations found in intact human fibroblasts, indicating that the “free” dNTP pools of the cell are probably adequate to support high rates of DNA repair in vivo.
Bekker, the Sabbath, and Dutch Reformed Confessionalism

Balthasar Bekker’s participation in the spirit controversy was the culmination of a life of intellectual and spiritual development that led him away from traditional norms in philosophy and theology and ultimately set him in opposition to the confessional hierarchy of the Dutch Reformed church. The two intellectual pillars upon which The World Bewitched would be built, Cartesianism and anti-confessional theology, were set in place early in Bekker’s career. His interest in Cartesian philosophy started to develop after his first exposure to this philosophy when he entered the University of Groningen. The theological position that placed Bekker in opposition to Calvinist confessionalism and thus involved him in a religious controversy that would envelop his entire adult life also began to develop during his university days in Groningen and Franeker. His early theological views were nourished by an enduring friendship with Jacobus Alting, his Groningen professor of Hebrew, and were first highlighted in an unfortunate clash with the church hierarchy occasioned by the death of his first wife.
The limited capacity model of motivated mediated message processing: looking to the future

In a companion piece (Fisher, Keene, Huskey, & Weber, 2018), we reviewed the foundations and current state of the Limited Capacity Model of Motivated Mediated Message Processing (LC4MP). In this ma...
Effects of Removing Responses with Likely Random Guessing under Rasch Measurement on a Multiple-Choice Language Proficiency Test.

With multiple options to choose from, there is always a chance of lucky guessing by examinees on multiple-choice (MC) items, thereby potentially introducing bias in item difficulty estimates. Correct responses by random guessing thus pose threats to the validity of claims made from test performance on an MC test. Under the Rasch framework, the current study investigates the effects of removing responses with likely guessing on item difficulty estimates, person ability measures, and test information function (i.e., a function of measurement precision for person ability) on an MC language proficiency test. Results show that removing responses with likely guessing leads to difficult items becoming more difficult and high-performing examinees receiving higher ability measures, because lucky guesses are more likely to appear in responses to difficult items than to easy items; therefore, removing responses with likely guessing results in lower proportion correct (i.e., higher item difficulty) for diffic...
Psychological Treatments for Chinese Disordered Gamblers

Psychological treatments for disordered gambling have been a major concern in clinical psychology (Chan 2014; Chan et al. 2016). In terms of clinical efficacy, reported successful treatments include psychoanalytic intervention (Bergler 1957; Clarkson 2015; Rosenthal and Rugle 1994), behavioral therapy (Kraft 1970; Gurney 1968; Seager et al. 1966), aversion therapy (Barker and Miller 1966), imaginal desensitization (ID) (Blaszczynski and Nower 2014), self-exclusion program (Huang 2011), cognitive restructuring (Korn and Shaffer 2004), mindfulness therapy (Chen et al. 2014), and participation in meetings in Gamblers Anonymous (GA) (Ferentzy et al. 2006, 2009, 2010, and 2014). Some researchers have combined different treatment modalities into their therapeutic programs. For instance, Sharpe and Tarrier (1992) designed a treatment package that included relaxation, imaginal and in vivo exposure, and cognitive restructuring. In a similar vein, Grant et al. (2009) carried out a randomized trial study to compare groups that received ID plus motivational interviewing (MI) and Gamblers Anonymous (GA) among 68 pathological gamblers (25 males, 43 females). Both groups of investigators found the combined packages to be more effective than programs that were designed based on a single treatment modality. In reviewing the literature on the psychological treatments of disordered gambling, international gambling experts Professor Blaszczynski and Professor Nower concluded:
Creating Synergy between Academia and Practice: The Arizona State University and Mayo Clinic Arizona Model

Abstract Background The academic-practice partnership began in 2005 with a collaborative Pre-licensure Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program. Since that time the partnership has broadened to include faculty development, evidence-based practice, interprofessional education, and research initiatives. Purpose The purpose is to share the outcomes of this academic-practice partnership and to provide a model for other institutions. Methods This successful partnership is grounded in the American Association of Colleges of Nursing and the American Organization of Nurse Executives' eight guiding principles for academic-practice partnerships. The cornerstones to the partnership are communication, collaboration, and mutual respect. Results The initial outcomes of this collaboration increased enrollment, thereby increasing the number of BSN prepared registered nurses; created opportunities for clinical nurses to teach; increased the number of nursing faculty; and capitalized on the strengths of each partner. Conclusion The most exciting aspect of this partnership is the shared commitment to decrease the gap between nursing education and practice; thus, improving the quality of nursing education, advancing the practice of nursing and healthcare delivery, and enhancing the health of our community. Consistent with the AACN-AONE recommendations, this academic-practice partnership prepares nurses of the future to be evidence-based practitioners and creates opportunities for nurses to achieve educational and career advancements.
Nontuberculous mycobacterium M. avium infection predisposes aged mice to cardiac abnormalities and inflammation.

Biological aging dynamically alters normal immune and cardiac function, favoring the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α) and increased instances of cardiac distress. Cardiac failure is the primary reason for hospitalization of the elderly (65+ years). The elderly are also increasingly susceptible to developing chronic bacterial infections due to aging associated immune abnormalities. Since bacterial infections compound the rates of cardiac failure in the elderly, and this phenomenon is not entirely understood, the interplay between the immune system and cardiovascular function in the elderly is of great interest. Using Mycobacterium avium, an opportunistic pathogen, we investigated the effect of mycobacteria on cardiac function in aged mice. Young (2-3 months) and old (18-20 months) C57BL/6 mice were intranasally infected with M. avium strain 104, and we compared the bacterial burden, immune status, cardiac electrical activity, pathology, and function of infected mice against uninfected age-matched controls. Herein, we show that biological aging may predispose old mice infected with M. avium to mycobacterial dissemination into the heart tissue and this leads to cardiac dysfunction. M. avium infected old mice had significant dysrhythmia, cardiac hypertrophy, increased recruitment of CD45+ leukocytes, cardiac fibrosis, and increased expression of inflammatory genes in isolated heart tissue. This is the first study to report the effect of mycobacteria on cardiac function in an aged model. Our findings are critical to understanding how nontuberculous mycobacterium (NTM) and other mycobacterial infections contribute to cardiac dysfunction in the elderly population.
Development and characterization of a stable bovine intestinal sub-epithelial myofibroblast cell line from ileum of a young calf

Intestinal sub-epithelial myofibroblasts (ISEMFs) are mesenchymal cells that do not express cytokeratin but express α-smooth muscle actin and vimentin. Despite being cells with diverse functions, there is a paucity of knowledge about their origin and functions primarily due to the absence of a stable cell line. Although myofibroblast in vitro models for human, mouse, and pig are available, there is no ISEMF cell line available from young calves. We isolated and developed an ileal ISEMF cell line from a 2-d-old calf that expressed α-smooth muscle actin and vimentin but no cytokeratin indicating true myofibroblast cells. To overcome replicative senescence, we immortalized primary cells with SV40 large T antigen. We characterized and compared both primary and immortalized ileal ISEMF cells for surface glycan and Toll-like-receptor (TLR) expression by lectin-binding assay and real-time quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) assay respectively. SV40 immortalization significantly decreased surface lectin binding for lectins GSL-I, PHA-L, ECL, Jacalin, Con-A, LCA, and LEL. Both cell types expressed TLRs 1–9 and showed no significant differences in TLR expression. Thus, these cells can be useful in vitro model to study ISEMF’s origin, physiology, and functions.
Effect of Centruroides antivenom on reversal of methamphetamine-induced hyperkinesis and hyperthermia in rats.

Context Methamphetamine (MA) toxicity is a major health concern causing agitation, hyperkinesia, hyperthermia, and even death, affecting 24.7 million people worldwide. It has been observed that MA generates movement disorders in children similar to that of scorpion envenomation. Four cases have been reported where MA intoxication in children were both subjectively and objectively improved as indicated by the reversal of nystagmus and movement disorders following administration of Centruroides antivenom (AV) therapy. Objective Here, we aimed to demonstrate the reversal of MA induced movement disorders and hyperthermia by scorpion AV equine immune F(ab')2 in rats. Materials and methods Baseline core temperature and locomotor activity in adult male Sprague-Dawley rats (200-220 g) were evaluated prior to acute administration of AV (20 mg/kg, intraperitoneally, i.p.) + MA (10 mg/kg, i.p.) or control. Core body temperature was reassessed 10, 50, and 80 min post injection while locomotor activity was reassessed 20-35 and 60-75 min post injection. Results At 20-35 min, Saline + MA and BSA + MA groups showed a significant increase in the number of fine events compared to their respective control groups Saline + Saline and BSA + Saline, which indicates an increase in paw movements of animals in situ (p = 0.008, p = 0.006, respectively). In contrast, AV + MA demonstrated a non-significant increase in fine activity compared to the control group AV + Saline). At 60-75 min, the AV + MA treatment group were less likely to engage in locomotor activity indicated by the significant decrease in exploratory events compared to BSA + MA control group (p = 0.041). No significant percent change in core body temperature was observed in the AV + MA treatment group compared to the control groups, AV + Saline and BSA + MA. Discussion Here, we provide evidence for some aspects of MA-induced hyperkinesia but not hyperthermia reversed by scorpion AV. Further preclinical studies involving adolescent rodents may be necessary to completely mimic the reversal of MA toxicity seen in children in the clinic.
An Analysis of Alternatives for the COSMIC-2 Constellation in the Context of Global Observing System Simulation Experiments

AbstractObserving system simulation experiments (OSSEs) were conducted to evaluate the potential impact of the six Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) radio occultation (RO) receiver satellit...
Standardized measures of frailty predict hospital length of stay following orthotopic liver transplantation for hepatocellular carcinoma.

Frailty in liver transplant (LT) waitlisted patients has been shown to predict waitlist mortality. While not currently used to allocate organs, the relationship between preoperative frailty and postoperative outcomes following orthotopic LT needs further elucidation. We determined the frailty status of 50 OLT candidates listed for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and examined relationships between frailty and outcomes on the waitlist and, if transplanted, 30-day mortality, hospital length of stay (LOS), ICU LOS, and several other secondary outcomes. The overall prevalence of frailty was 30%, and the median natural MELD score for patients was 13. The overall hospital LOS for the frail group was longer (14.5 days [IQR 12-19]) as compared to the non-frail group (8 days [IQR 7-13]); P = .015. Groups also differed in the time to their first PT session (6 days [IQR 4-15] for the frail vs 4 days [IQR 3-7] for the non-frail patients; P = .042). There was no statistically significant difference in other outcomes measures, including ICU LOS and 30-day mortality. Frailty in OLT patients with diagnosed HCC is a predictor of longer hospital stay and longer time to the first completed PT session independent of preoperative MELD scores.
3 – Variational Formulations

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses variational formulations. It presents the principle of minimum potential energy that states that the solution to the boundary value problem minimizes the total potential energy. The energy norm and the corresponding total potential energy associated with a boundary value problem depend on both the differential equation and the boundary conditions. The calculus of variations technique of Euler–Lagrange equations enable one to construct and verify functionals whose Euler–Lagrange equations are the differential equations that needs to be solved, even in case these functionals do not possess a true minimum but merely a more general extremum point.
Stress and hormonal intervention in the graft-versus-host response.

That stress affects immune responses, generally by exerting a suppressive effect, has been well documented (1). We have shown such suppressive effects on antibody formation (2), and have also reported stress-induced increases in tumor size, which are probably a consequence of immunosuppression (3).
Nanotechnology Based Repositioning of an Anti-Viral Drug for Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC)

Nelfinavir (NFV), a FDA approved antiretroviral drug, has been reported to exhibit cancer cells growth inhibition and increased apoptosis. However, it requires a higher dose leading to toxicity, thus limiting its potential clinical translation. We aim to develop biodegradable (poly (lactic-co-glycolic acid)) PLGA nanoparticles of nelfinavir and determine their efficacy to treat non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). HIV protease inhibitor, NFV, was loaded into PLGA nanoparticles by double emulsion/solvent evaporation method; and nanoparticles were characterized for physicochemical characteristics including morphology and intracellular uptake. Their anti-cancer efficacy in NSCLC was assessed by in vitro assays including cytotoxicity, cellular migration, colony formation; and 3D spheroid culture mimicking in-vivo tumor microenvironment. Studies were also conducted to elucidate effects on molecular pathways including apoptosis, autophagy, and endoplasmic stress. NFV loaded PLGA nanoparticles (NPs) were found to have particle size: 191.1 ± 10.0 nm, zeta potential: −24.3 ± 0.9 mV, % drug loading: 2.5 ± 0.0%; and entrapment efficiency (EE): 30.1 ± 0.5%. NFV NP inhibited proliferation of NSCLC cells compared to NFV and exhibited significant IC50 reduction. From the caspase-dependent apoptosis assays and western blot studies (upregulation of ATF3), it was revealed that NFV NP significantly induced ER stress marker ATF3, cleaved PARP and further caused autophagy inhibition (LC3BII upregulation) leading to increased cellular death. In addition, NFV NP were found to be more efficacious in penetrating solid tumors in ex-vivo studies compared to plain NFV. Nelfinavir, a lead HIV protease inhibitor can be repositioned as a NSCLC therapeutic through nanoparticulate delivery. Given its ability to induce apoptosis and efficient tumor penetration capability, NFV loaded PLGA nanoparticulate systems provide a promising delivery system in NSCLC treatment.
A national macroinvertebrate dataset collected for the biomonitoring of Ireland's river network, 2007-2018.

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) in Ireland is responsible for the ecological monitoring and assessment of 37 hydrometric areas covering 46 river catchments and over 13,000 km of river channel nationwide. The national river monitoring program commenced in 1971 and has developed further since 2007 into the National Rivers Water Framework Directive (WFD) Monitoring Program following the implementation of the WFD across the European Union. The monitoring program is designed to obtain sufficiently representative information to assess ecological quality for each water body assessed. Consequently, macroinvertebrate data have been collected at over 2,900 river survey stations on a minimum 3-year cycle to fulfil these requirements. While the EPA has collected these data for water quality assessments we recognize that the data have value beyond this one purpose. We provide a summary of how these 10,987 data records, covering the years 2007 to 2018, have been collected and used to deepen understanding of water quality, biodiversity and general ecological health of Ireland’s river network. Machine-accessible metadata file describing the reported data: https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.12727631
Charles Peirce and Bertrand Russell on Euclid

Both Charles Sanders Peirce (1839–1914) and Bertrand Russell (1872–1970) held that Euclid’s proofs in geometry were fundamentally flawed, and based largely on mathematical intuition rather than on sound deductive reasoning. They differed, however, as to the role which diagramming played in Euclid’s emonstrations. Specifically, whereas Russell attributed the failures on Euclid’s proofs to his reasoning from diagrams, Peirce held that diagrammatic reasoning could be rendered as logically rigorous and formal. In 1906, in his manuscript “Phaneroscopy” of 1906, he described his existential graphs, his highly iconic, graphical system of logic, as a moving picture of thought, “rendering literally visible before one’s very eyes the operation of thinking in actu”, and as a “generalized diagram of the Mind” (Peirce 1906; 1933, 4.582). More generally, Peirce personally found it more natural for him to reason diagrammatically, rather than algebraically. Rather, his concern with Euclid’s demonstrations was with its absence of explicit explanations, based upon the laws of logic, of how to proceed from one line of the “proof” to the next. This is the aspect of his criticism of Euclid that he shared with Russell; that Euclid’s demonstrations drew from mathematical intuition, rather than from strict formal deduction.
Drying Climates and Gendered Suffering: Links Between Drought, Food Insecurity, and Women’s HIV in Less-Developed Countries

HIV/AIDS represents the leading cause of death among women of reproductive age globally, and gender inequalities in the burden of HIV/AIDS are most pronounced in poorer countries. Drawing on ideas from feminist political ecology, we explore linkages between suffering from drought, food insecurity, and women’s vulnerability to HIV. Using data from 91 less-developed countries, we construct a structural equation model to analyze the direct and indirect influence of these factors, alongside other socio-economic indicators, on the percentage of the adult population living with HIV that are women. We find that droughts are significant in shaping gender inequalities in the HIV burden indirectly through increased food insecurity. We draw on prior research to argue that due to gendered inequalities, food insecurity increases women’s vulnerability to HIV by intensifying biological susceptibilities to the disease, reducing access to social and health resources, and motivating women to engage in risky sexual behaviors, such as transactional sex. Overall, our findings demonstrate that droughts serve as an important underlying factor in promoting HIV transmission among vulnerable women in poor countries, and that food insecurity is a key mechanism in driving this relationship.
Radioactive iodine-125 seed localization as an aid in reoperative neck surgery

Abstract Background Scarring and disrupted tissue planes add to already-complex neck anatomy and make localization of nonpalpable pathology difficult in cervical endocrine reoperations. We describe the use of radioactive iodine-125 seed localization (RSL) in 6 patients with metastatic papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) and 2 with recurrent hyperparathyroidism. Methods Eight patients had 2-D ultrasound-guided RSL of the target lesion, 0–3 days preoperatively. Intraoperative gamma probe (Neoprobe) was used to plan incision placement and localize the implanted seed. Recorded operative variables included: number of lymph nodes (LNs) harvested, estimated blood loss (EBL), operative time, length of stay (LOS) and RSL and operative complications. Results All patients had successful resection of the targeted area and removal of the radioactive seed. There was no seed migration. Two complications occurred in the thyroid group. Conclusion Radioactive iodine 125 seeds facilitate successful localization of endocrine pathology during reoperative cervical procedures.
Corporate Responses to the Repatriation Incentive and Domestic Production Activities Deduction of the American Jobs Creation Act of 2004

The 2004 American Jobs Creation Act (AJCA or the Act) was intended to encourage U.S. companies to repatriate foreign earnings and invest them domestically to increase capital spending and employment. We investigate combined effects of two tax provisions, i.e., the repatriation tax holiday and the domestic production activities deduction (DPAD) on domestic investment and payout behaviors. In doing so, we sort repatriating firms based on tightness of capital constraints. We find that the two tax incentives fail to induce non-constrained, repatriating firms benefiting from DPAD to reinvest the capital domestically. Only capital-constrained, repatriating firms benefiting from DPAD increase domestic investment and reduce share repurchases; however, these firms increase cash dividends. Our findings should be useful to policy makers in their considerations to modify the corporate tax structure to increase domestic investment by encouraging U.S. firms to repatriate foreign earnings and reinvest them domestically.
Nonlinear dynamics of coupled light and particle beam propagation

Propagation of a light beam through a collisional and inhomogeneous beam of neutral particles is investigated. The light beam can be manipulated through the refractive index that is affected by the gaseous medium. Simultaneously, neutral particles experience optical dipole force and scattering force due to atomic polarizability, leading to particle trapping. The simulation results of fully coupled light-particle propagation show agreement with experimental data from the literature. The effects of particle density, detuning frequency with respect to the resonance frequency, and light intensity on the mutual guiding of light and particle beams is studied for particle beam densities below the critical density that results in single-mode operation of optical waveguides.
Machine-Perception Nanosensor Platform to Detect Cancer Biomarkers

Abstract Conventional molecular recognition elements, such as antibodies, present issues for the development of biomolecular assays for use in point-of-care devices, implantable/wearables, and under-resourced settings. Additionally, antibody development and use, especially for highly multiplexed applications, can be slow and costly. We developed a perception-based platform based on an optical nanosensor array that leverages machine learning algorithms to detect multiple protein biomarkers in biofluids. We demonstrated this platform in gynecologic cancers, which are often diagnosed at advanced stages, leading to low survival rates. We investigated the platform for detection in uterine lavage samples, which are enriched with cancer biomarkers compared to blood. We found that the method enables the simultaneous detection of multiple biomarkers in patient samples, with F1-scores of ~0.95 in uterine lavage samples from cancer patients. This work demonstrates the potential of perception-based systems for the development of multiplexed sensors of disease biomarkers without the need for specific molecular recognition elements.
Evolving role of FDG-PET imaging in the management of patients with gastric cancer

1722 Objectives: FDG-PET has been used for the management of gastric cancer patients. However, there is limited number of reports in literature describing its role in the detection of the primary cancer and in the follow-up of these patients. The aim of this study was to assess the role of PET in patients with gastric cancer. Methods: Forty-three FDG-PET scans of 38 patients (mean age: 60.8 ±14.0; 13 F, 25 M) with a variety of lesions in stomach (29 Adenoca, 3 Signet ring cell ca, 4 gastric lymphoma and 2 benign lesions) were retrospectively analyzed. Of the 43 studies, 12 were performed on the newly diagnosed gastric cancers and were requested to stage the patients for metastasis while in 31 there was a suspicion of recurrence and/or distant metastases based on CT or MRI after the initial surgery and during the follow-up period. The remaining 2 were diagnosed with benign disease by histopathology after PET. Whole body FDG-PET images were obtained approximately 60 minutes after the intravenous administration of FGD (5.2 Mbq / kg of body weight). The degree of FDG uptake of the lesion was assessed by calculating the maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax). The results were compared with the clinical follow-up and surgical results. Results: Of the 12 gastric cancer lesions at the initial presentation, 9 were positive on PET while CT visualized these entirely. PET was false negative in 3 signet ring cell cancers. The average SUVmax of the primary lesions detected was 8.1±5.2. In 11 patients, surgery showed locoregional nodal metastasis. Similar findings were seen in 7 patients with CT and in 5 with PET. The average SUVmax of the nodal metastatic lesions was 6.5±4.8. On PET, 2 patients had distant metastasis (1 liver, 1 hilar) and CT showed the liver lesion only. In 2 benign lesions PET were negative while CT was read suspicious findings for malignancy. The results of the follow up examinations are summarized in the table below. Conclusions: These data demonstrate that PET is more specific but less sensitive than CT for detecting primary gastric cancers but PET may be of value for visualizing distant metastatic lesions. However, in follow-up period, PET is much more sensitive and specific than CT/MR for the detection of recurrence and distant metastatic disease and complements the latter modalities in the management of these patients.
KNOWING HOW as a philosophical hybrid

Our view is that the folk concept of knowing how is more complicated than many epistemologists assume. We present four studies that go some way towards supporting our view—that the folk concept of knowledge-how is a philosophical hybrid, comprising both intellectualist and anti-intellectualist features. One upshot is, if we are going to award a presumptive status to philosophical theories of know-how that best accord with the folk concept, it ought to go to those that combine intellectualist and anti-intellectualist elements.
Stellate ganglion blockade for treating refractory electrical storm: a historical cohort study.

Stellate ganglion blockade (SGB) has been used to treat electrical storm (ES) refractory to antiarrhythmic therapy or to stabilize patients before more definitive intervention. Nevertheless, its efficacy is not well understood, with only a few case reports and retrospective case series in the literature. We conducted a historical cohort study on patients with drug-refractory ES who underwent ultrasound-guided unilateral SGB from 1 January 2010 until 19 July 2019 at two hospital sites. Stellate ganglion blockade was performed with variable combinations of bupivacaine, lidocaine, ropivacaine, and dexamethasone. We collected data on demographic and procedural characteristics, the number of arrhythmias and defibrillation episodes, antiarrhythmic and anticoagulant medication, left ventricular ejection fraction (EF), and respiratory support requirement. We identified N = 13 patients; their mean (standard deviation [SD]) age was 64 (13) yr, and 10 (77%) were male. The baseline mean (SD) number of overall arrhythmia and defibrillation episodes per day were 9 (6) and 4 (3), respectively; the mean (SD) pre-SGB EF was 23 (7)%. Seven patients (54%) received dexamethasone in addition to local anesthetic for SGB. One patient experienced hypotension after SGB. Arrhythmias and defibrillation episodes significantly decreased at 24, 48, 72, and 96 hr after SGB; at 96 hr, 62% and 92% of patients had no VA and defibrillation episodes, respectively (P < 0.001 for all time points). Ejection fraction and the number of patients receiving antiarrhythmic medications or requiring respiratory support were unchanged. Unilateral SGB was associated with a reduction in arrhythmias and defibrillation episodes, but did not affect antiarrhythmic medication, respiratory support, or EF. Randomized controlled trials on larger cohorts are needed to confirm these findings.