cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Correlation of SF-36 and SF-12 Component Scores in Patients With Diabetic Foot Disease.

The assessment of patient outcomes is becoming increasingly important in all areas of medicine, including foot and ankle surgery. The Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36-item (SF-36) is widely used as a generic measure of quality of life; however, patients often find answering 36 questions cumbersome. Consequently, the Short Form 12 (SF-12) was developed. We hypothesized that the agreement between the SF-12 and SF-36 component scores would be substantial in patients with diabetic foot disease. We retrospectively reviewed the data from 300 patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) and foot and ankle pathology who completed the SF-36 questionnaire. Of the 300 patients, 155 (51.7%) had problems directly related to complications of DM and 145 (48.3%) had routine foot complaints that were unrelated to complications of DM. The 12 questions of the SF-12 were abstracted from the SF-36. The overall median score for the SF-36 physical component summary was 34.70 compared with the overall SF-12 physical component summary of 36.75 (p = .04). The intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.93688. The overall median score for the SF-36 mental component summary was 52.40 compared with the overall SF-12 mental component summary of 51.25 (p = .34). The intraclass correlation coefficient was 0.95449. Substantial agreement was observed when comparing the component scores of the SF-12 and the SF-36. From our study results of 300 patients with DM, it appears that the SF-36 and SF-12 are comparable outcome instruments for use with patients with diabetic foot disease.
Partial skeleton of the primitive carnivoran Miacis petilus from the Early Eocene of Wyoming

A partial skeleton of Miacis petilus , a primitive carnivoran from the early Eocene (Was-atchian) Willwood Formation of the Bighorn Basin, Wyoming, is described. This is the oldest skeleton reported for Miacis , a genus that lies at or near the base of the family Miacidae, from which all caniform Carnivora (and possibly all living Carnivora) are derived. Anatomical comparisons to modern carnivorans suggest that M. petilus was as well adapted for exploiting arboreal habitats as almost any extant member of the order. A weight estimate of 1.3 kg is calculated for this individual based on regressions of body mass against humeral and femoral cross-sectional properties derived for small-bodied arboreal and scan-sorial carnivorans. Differences in estimates of body mass for two individuals of the middle Eocene Miacis parvivorus imply that this species was dimorphic in size.
Electronic structure and biaxial strain in RbHgF 3 perovskite and hybrid improper ferroelectricity in (Na,Rb)Hg 2 F 6 and (K,Rb)Hg 2 F 6 superlattices

Here we study geometry, electronic structure, and effects of biaxial strain on ${\mathrm{RbHgF}}_{3}$ fluoro-perovskite from first-principles based density-functional theory computations. It has been shown that while an epitaxial strain of $\ensuremath{\sim}\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}2%$ is sufficient to produce a significant ferroelectric polarization in the prototypical cubic $Pm\overline{3}m$ structure, the ground state orthorhombic $Pnma$ structure remains effectively immune to the strain induced ferroelectricity even at biaxial strains as high as $\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}5%$. We further show that ${\mathrm{RbHgF}}_{3}$ in the $Pnma$ structure can accommodate compressive and tensile strains, respectively, by ${a}^{\ensuremath{-}}{a}^{\ensuremath{-}}{b}^{0}$ tilting (out-of-phase tilts along $a$ and $b$ axes) and ${a}^{0}{a}^{0}{b}^{+}$ rotations (in-phase rotations along $c$ axis) of ${\mathrm{HgF}}_{2}$ octahedra. Similar to many perovskite oxides, ${\mathrm{HgF}}_{2}$ octahedral rotations in ${\mathrm{RbHgF}}_{3}$ are found to be accompanied by large Rb-site antipolar displacements along the [001] direction. We demonstrate that this coupling between the octahedral rotations and Rb-site antipolar modes can be harnessed in ${\mathrm{RbHgF}}_{3}/{\mathrm{NaHgF}}_{3}$ and ${\mathrm{RbHgF}}_{3}/{\mathrm{KHgF}}_{3}$ superlattices to produce significant net polarizations of 4.93 $\ensuremath{\mu}\text{C}/{\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$ and 1.70 $\ensuremath{\mu}\text{C}/{\mathrm{cm}}^{2}$, respectively.
Pros, Cons, and Changing Behavior: An Application in the Use of the Keyboard to Issue Commands:

Despite the fact that keyboard issued commands (KICs) are more efficient than other command methods, experienced users often do not adopt them. In order to examine the factors underlying this pheno...
Warehousing the Dental Materials Data: A Prototype

This paper presents a preliminary investigation on the effectiveness of the new data management technique of data warehousing in organizing dental materials data in order to provide the efficient information services such as data retrieval and materials selection. A scaled-down version of the data warehouse for dental materials is constructed and an English Query application, which allows the end users to formulate their queries in natural English language, is developed on top of the data warehouse. The data warehouse supports five types of queries from basic practice of data retrieval to more advanced information service of materials selection. The results have demonstrated that the data warehousing technique is of a great potential in storing, processing and managing dental materials data.
Methodology for Estimating Thermal and Neutron Embrittlement of Cast Austenitic Stainless Steels During Service in Light Water Reactors

The effect of thermal aging on the degradation of fracture toughness and Charpy-impact properties of austenitic stainless steel (SS) welds has been characterized at reactor temperatures. The solidification behavior and the distribution and morphology of the ferrite phase in SS welds are described. Thermal aging of the welds results in moderate decreases in Charpy-impact strength and fracture toughness. The upper-shelf Charpy-impact energy of aged welds decreases by 50–80 J/cm2. The decrease in fracture toughness J-R curve, or JIc is relatively small. Thermal aging has minimal effect on the tensile strength. The fracture properties of SS welds are insensitive to filler metal; the welding process has a significant effect. The large variability in the data makes it difficult to establish the effect of the welding process on fracture properties of SS welds. Consequently, the approach used for evaluating thermal and neutron embrittlement of austenitic SS welds relies on establishing a lower-bound fracture toughness J-R curve for unaged and aged, and non-irradiated and irradiated, SS welds. The existing fracture toughness J-R curve data for SS welds have been reviewed and evaluated to define lower-bound J-R curve for submerged arc (SA)/shielded metal arc (SMA)/manual metal arc (MMA) welds and gas tungsten arc (GTA)/tungsten inert gas (TIG) welds in the unaged and aged conditions. At reactor temperatures, the fracture toughness of GTA/TIG welds is a factor of about 2.3 higher than that of SA/SMA/MMA welds. Thermal aging decreases the fracture toughness by about 20%. The potential combined effects of thermal and neutron embrittlement of austenitic SS welds are also described. Lower-bound curves are presented that define the change in coefficient C and exponent n of the power-law J-R curve and the JIc value for SS welds as a function of neutron dose. The potential effects of reactor coolant environment on the fracture toughness of austenitic SS welds are also discussed.
Gene expression of Insulin/FoxO1/Pdx1/MafA during pancreatic development in intrauterine growth retardation rats

Objective:To investigate the expression of Insulin/FoxO1/Pdx1/MafA genes during pancreatic development in the intrauterine growth retardation(IUGR)rats.Methods:①The establishment of rat model:female and male SD rats were copulated by 1:3,and then were divided into the following two groups:IUGR group and normal group.The former were treated by 50% calorie compared with normal from gestational day 1 until term.②The collection of samples:pancreas of rat embryonic day14.5(E14.5),19.5(E19.5)and new born were dissected under microscope respectively.③The detection of pancreatic morphological changes:HE staining and light microscope were used.④The expression of Insulin/FoxO1/Pdx1/MafA genes:after abstraction of total RNA,the technique of RT-PCR was used to detect the expression of Insulin/FoxO1/Pdx1/MafA genes.Results:①Compared with normal,the pancreatic construction,islet area and quantities had abnormal morphological changes during pancreatic development.②The genes of Insulin/FoxO1/Pdx1/MafA began to be expressed from E14.5,and the expressions of Insulin and MafA were increased as the fetus grew while FoxO1 and Pdx1 were decreased.③Compared with the normal,the expressions of FoxO1 and MafA were lower in IUGR rats(P0.05),while Insulin and Pdx1 had no evident change.Conclusion:The expressions of Insulin/FoxO1/Pdx1/MafA genes were affected by intrauterine growth retardation.
Epithelioid malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor:a clinicopathologic study and review of literature

Purpose To study the clinicopathologic feature and differential diagnosis of epithelioid malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumor(EMPNST).Methods 9 cases of EMPNST were collected.All the tumors were examined by microscopy and immunohistochemistry.Results Among 9 cases of EMPNST,there were 5 males and 4 females with an age range from 20 to 67 years old(median 37.5 yrs).There were 3 cases discovered in upper limbs and 4 in lower limbs,and 1 case in right hypochondrium and 1 in pharyngeal recess.7 cases larger than 5 cm,1 of which larger than 10 cm;2 cases less than 5 cm,the average size of tumor were 6.2 cm,without capsule.Histologically,there were two patterns:purely epithelioid types(5 cases),among there were 2 cases consist of anglion cell or rhabdoid phenothype,mixed types with areas of spindle cells(4 cases).Immunohistochemistry study showed that 9 cases positive for S-100 protein and NSE,8 for PGP9.5,7 for MBP and 4 for vimentin positive,5 for focal or weak positive for EMA,3 for focal positive for CD57,there was no expression for CK,desmin,CD34 and HMB-45.Conclusions EMPNST is a subtype of malignant schwannoma and needs to be differentiated from a variety of benign or malignant tumors exhibiting epithelioid features.Immunophenotypes S-100 protein and PGP9.5 staining is a useful diagnostic indexes but is not a specific marker for EMPNST.We consider that clinic materials,morphology feature and immunothenotype are helpful to avoid confusion with other similar lesions.
Organization of a major ambulatory surgery program.

Ambulatory surgery is a successful venture for the health care system and the consumer. It provides many challenges and opportunities to keep our health care costs down while providing the patient with education and a concentration of care. This article describes the organization of a freestanding hospital-owned program and the basic policies and procedures that are required to ensure its quality.
A 0.58mm 2 2.76Gb/s 79.8pJ/b 256-QAM massive MIMO message-passing detector

A 0.58mm2 40nm CMOS message-passing detector (MPD) is designed for a 256-QAM massive MIMO system supporting 32 concurrent mobile users in each time-frequency resource. Leveraging channel hardening in massive MIMO, a symbol hardening technique is proposed to reduce MPD's complexity by more than 60% with minimal SNR loss. The MPD is implemented in a 4-layer 2-way interleaved architecture to enable a 2.76Gb/s throughput (average 4.9 iterations at 27dB SNR with early termination) using 76% smaller area than a fully parallel architecture. With dynamic precision control and clock gating to exploit algorithmic properties, the energy is reduced to 79.8pJ/b (or 2.49pJ/b per TX antenna).
Automated Robot Behavior Recognition

Automated recognition of the behavior of robots is increasingly needed in a variety of tasks, as we develop more autonomous robots and general information processing agents. For example, in environments with multiple autonomous robots, a robot may need to make decisions based on the behavior of the other robots. As another interesting example, an intelligent narrator agent observing a robot will need to automatically identify the robot’s behaviors. In this paper, we introduce a novel framework for using Hidden Markov Models (HMMs) to represent and recognize strategic behaviors of robotic agents. We first introduce and characterize the perceived signal in terms of behavioral-relevant state features. We then show how several HMMs capture different defined robot behaviors Finally we present the HMM-based recognition algorithm which orchestrates and selects the appropriate HMMs in real time. We use the multi-robot robotic soccer domain as the substrate of our empirical validation, both in simulation and using real robots. Robots will then adapt their behaviors as a function of the autonomously recognized behavior of the other agents, either teammates or opponents.
Dual language teachers’ stated barriers to implementation of culturally relevant pedagogy

ABSTRACTCulturally relevant pedagogy receives limited attention in many U.S. dual language classrooms. This article focuses on understanding the barriers eight elementary Spanish-English dual language teachers saw as preventing the implementation of culturally relevant pedagogy in their urban classrooms. Employing critical sociocultural theory and drawing on platicas as a method, four primary barriers were identified: lack of time, lack of culturally relevant materials, lack of knowledge, and the belief that social justice topics were inappropriate for young children. The individual and contextual issues surrounding these barriers and their implications are discussed for teacher educators and those involved in dual language education.
System developers' judgements of system development, use, and failure

Little is known about how system developers view systems problems and failures because prior studies have either focused on end–users' or managers' views. The present questionnaire study of 244 system developers, examines how system developers evaluate system development issues, system use issues, and reasons for system failures. It finds substantial agreement among system developers on the most and least important system development and system use issues, and on the reasons for system failures in spite of differences in background and personal characteristics.
The Spanish American War’s ‘Most Durable Hero’: Admiral Pasquale Cervera and Popular Heroic Values in the United States, 1898–1909

The United States honored a host of military heroes during the Spanish American War including Pasqual Cervera y Topete, the enemy admiral who had experienced a humiliating defeat at the Battle of Santiago Bay, Cuba (3 June 1898) at the hands of US naval forces. Over the course of the war and in the year that followed, American public opinion of the admiral became positive and increasingly laudatory. By late 1899, Life Magazine, followed by other popular publications, claimed that Cervera was a better war hero then Admiral George Dewey and other American officers who had been wildly celebrated for their wartime heroics. The enemy admiral’s heroic rise was possible because of a fundamental change in the relationship between the press and the nation’s war heroes that sped up each champion’s ultimate decline. In the late nineteenth century Americans sought chivalrous, selfless men of action for their heroes. As journalists began covering each war hero’s daily life as they did other celebrities, however, they ...
An Agent-Based Hierarchical Bargaining Framework for Power Management of Multiple Cooperative Microgrids

In this paper, we propose an agent-based hierarchical power management model in a power distribution system composed of several microgrids (MGs). At the lower level of the model, multiple MGs bargain with each other to cooperatively obtain a fair, and Pareto-optimal solution to their power management problem, employing the concept of Nash bargaining solution and using a distributed optimization framework. At the highest level of the model, a distribution system power supplier, e.g., a utility company, interacts with both the cluster of the MGs and the wholesale market. The goal of the utility company is to facilitate power exchange between the regional distribution network consisting of multiple MGs and the wholesale market to achieve its own private goals. The power exchange is controlled through dynamic energy pricing at the distribution level, at the day-ahead and real-time stages. To implement energy pricing at the utility company level, an iterative machine learning mechanism is employed, where the utility company develops a price-sensitivity model of the aggregate response of the MGs to the retail price signal through a learning process. This learned model is then used to perform optimal energy pricing. To verify its applicability, the proposed decision model is tested on a system with multiple MGs, with each MG having different load/generation data.
The Double-Drift Illusion Affects Both the Perception of Where the Target IS and the Memory of Where it WAS

35 pages. A thesis presented to the Department of Psychology and the Clark Honors College of the University of Oregon in partial fulfillment of the requirements for degree of Bachelor of Arts, Winter 2017
A Unique Approach to Teaching Co‐Listed Science Courses: “Forty Chances” for Improved Graduate Student Education

The trade book Forty Chances: Finding Hope in a Hungry World was used as a requirement for graduate students enrolled in an undergraduate–graduate co-listed course. Forty Chances describes the complexities of food insecurity with specific linkages to soil health. Students were required to read, reflect, participate in group discussions, and, at the end of the course, answer a feedback form. The use of andragogy and self-directed learning methods allowed students to connect the factual and theory-based information from the course to a human issue. Although trade books may not be a substitute for studying the sub-disciplines of soil science (chemistry, physics, biology), the first author found that inclusion of a trade book may support the next generation of agricultural scientists to understand how soil health and human health are related. Impact Statement Using trade books, group discussions, and reflective writing can be a teaching method to link students’ research to a human experience. As an example, Forty Chances was used to help students understand the importance that soil health has on food insecurity. After reading, discussing, and exploring the professional literature, more than 90% of students indicated an improved awareness of food insecurity and understood the importance that soil health has in helping combat food insecurity.
Modeling Competitive Imbalance and Self-Regulation in College Sports

The principal-agent relationship between athletic directors and their university administration suggests a conference equilibrium of revenue-maximizing athletic directors. With smaller- and larger-revenue departments, revenue maximization predicts conference competitive imbalance. The larger the revenue dispersion, the greater the imbalance. Pooled revenue sharing increases the absolute level of talent and reduces competitive imbalance. That national championships are determined across conferences may explain the widespread adoption of nearly complete revenue sharing. The model also explains the form of the amateur requirement and predicts that competitive imbalance is invariant with respect to that amateur specification. This has obvious implications for balance-based arguments for or against increasing compensation to athletes.
Retroprosthetic Membrane Formation in Boston Keratoprosthesis: A Case-Control-Matched Comparison of Titanium Versus PMMA Backplate.

Purpose Retroprosthetic membrane (RPM) formation is the most common complication after Boston type 1 keratoprosthesis (KPro) implantation. It affects visual acuity and can predispose to corneal melt. Two KPro backplate materials are available: titanium and polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA). This study investigates the influence of the KPro backplate material on visually significant RPM formation. Methods A retrospective case-control-matched study involving 40 patients; 20 eyes implanted with a titanium backplate KPro were case-matched with 20 eyes implanted with a PMMA backplate KPro between 2007 and 2015 with 1-year minimum follow-up. Results The mean follow-up duration was 28.1 ± 8.9 and 53.6 ± 24.3 months in the titanium and PMMA groups, respectively. At 12 months postoperatively, 7 eyes with titanium and 6 eyes with PMMA backplates developed a visually significant RPM. By the end of the study, a total of 11 eyes with titanium and 9 eyes with PMMA KPros developed a visually significant RPM. There was no statistically significant difference between both groups. Three of 11 eyes with titanium KPros that had a visually significant RPM required surgical membranectomy, whereas all eyes with PMMA KPros were successfully treated with the yttrium-aluminum-garnet laser. Recurrence of RPMs was found in 7/11 eyes in the titanium group and 2/9 eyes in the PMMA group with no statistical significance. Conclusions Titanium backplate KPros do not significantly reduce RPM formation compared with PMMA backplate KPros in a case-control-matched setting. A larger prospective study is warranted to evaluate comparative long-term performance and guide newer designs.
Detection of Arytenoid Dislocation Using Pixel-valued Cuneiform Movement

Summary Objectives This study aims to assess utility of pixel-valued movement software in detecting arytenoid dislocation preoperatively. Study Design This is a retrospective analysis. Methods Twenty-seven patients diagnosed with unilateral arytenoid dislocation were included. Diagnosis of arytenoid dislocation was confirmed by lack of vocal fold paralysis on preoperative laryngeal electromyography and by intraoperative findings of cricoarytenoid dislocation. A region-tracking software algorithm developed by Zhuang et al was used to analyze 27 preoperative endoscopic videos of patients diagnosed with arytenoid dislocation. Vector analysis measuring cuneiform movement during inspiration was used as an indirect measure of arytenoid movement. Values were normalized using vocal fold length. Two raters blinded to diagnosis of arytenoid dislocation measured vocal fold length and cuneiform movement on both the dislocated and the nondislocated sides. Results A Wilcoxon signed-rank test indicated that the mean pixel-valued cuneiform movement and standard deviation (SD) were greater for nondislocated (159.24, SD = 73.35) than for dislocated (92.49, SD = 72.11) arytenoids (Z = 3.29, P = 0.001). The interrater correlation coefficient was 0.87 for the dislocated side and 0.75 for the nondislocated side. The intrarater correlation coefficient was 0.87 for the dislocated side and 0.91 for the nondislocated side. The receiver operating characteristic curve revealed an area under the curve between 0.76 and 0.83 (95% confidence interval 0.63–0.90). Analysis by the first and second raters revealed misdiagnosis of laterality of arytenoid dislocation in four and six patients, respectively. Conclusions The software program developed by Zhuang et al provides a high-degree of precision, with good interrater and intrarater correlation coefficients. However, high rates of misdiagnosis of arytenoid dislocation and the laborious analysis process using this software program make it of limited utility as a clinical diagnostic tool in its present state.
Impact of point defects on electrochromism in WO3

Using hybrid density functional theory, we investigate the influence on electronic structure of common defects and impurities in tungsten oxide (WO 3 ). As an easily reducible perovskite with the A-site atom missing, high concentrations of foreign dopants and oxygen deficiencies are possible. Our calculations show that both oxygen vacancies and alkali dopants are shallow donors, and we explore the physical origins for this behavior. In particular, we examine whether oxygen vacancies can give rise to localized states or small polarons. Our results show that in crystalline material no such charge localization occurs. We discuss how these results impact electrical conductivity and optical properties.
Linguistic labor and its division

This paper exposes a common mistake concerning the division of linguistic labor. I characterize the mistake as an overgeneralization from natural kind terms; this misleads philosophers about (1) which terms are subject to the division of linguistic labor, (2) what linguistic labor is, (3) how linguistic labor is divided, and (4) how the extensions of non-natural kind terms subject to the division of linguistic labor are determined. I illustrate these points by considering Sally Haslanger’s account of the division of linguistic labor for social kind terms and raising an objection to it. Then, I draw on Tyler Burge’s work to characterize a conception of the division of linguistic labor that (a) avoids the mistaken overgeneralization and (b) grounds 1–4 above in social norms and practices.
Role of Hygroscopic Low Molecular Mass Compounds in Humidity Responsive Adhesion of Spider's Capture Silk.

The aggregate glue in spider webs is composed of hygroscopic low molecular mass compounds (LMMCs), glycoproteins and water. The LMMCs absorb atmospheric water and solvate the glycoproteins to spread and adhere to flying insects upon contact. The glue viscosity varies with humidity and there is an optimum range of viscosity where the adhesion is maximum. LMMCs composition and the humidity at which glue viscosity is optimized vary greatly among spider species. These findings suggest that spiders adapt to forage in diverse habitats by “tuning” LMMCs composition or how LMMCs interact with glycoproteins to control water uptake and adhesion. To test these hypotheses, we analyzed the LMMCs for spiders from diverse habitats and performed water uptake studies on intact glue droplets, isolated glue constituents, and synthetic LMMCs. Even though glue droplets showed differences in water uptake among spider species, we found no differences among species in hygroscopicity of natural or synthetic LMMCs mixtures. This d...
Cross-cultural Factors that Affect Age of Menopause

Studies of factors that affect the age of menopause are nowhere nearly as clearly defined as are those factors thought to influence the age of menarche. Moreover, menopausal age, specifically, and how it is affected by specific factors have been studied by few researchers, although there have been many references to the believed effects of these factors on delayed or early menopause. In this paper I will review some aspects of reproductive history, genetic factors, pathological, geographical and socio-economic factors, and a secular trend as they may influence age of menopause cross-culturally.
Behavioral Economics: Merging Psychology and Economics for Lifestyle Interventions

The field of behavioral economics combines psychology and economics to investigate how individuals actually behave as opposed to how they would behave if they were being perfectly rational (as in the sense of maximizing their utility). Although initial applications focused on consumer behavior, such as explaining why people failed to save adequately for retirement, the field has moved increasingly into the area of explaining health behaviors as well as the design of lifestyle interventions, such as weight loss and smoking-cessation programs. This article provides an overview of several important behavioral economics concepts of relevance to public health and health behavior change.
I study features; believe me, I should know!: the mediational role of distributed expertise in the development of student authority

This paper examines the development of student authority in a case of one student assigned the role of topic expert in a classroom that utilized distributed expertise as a participation structure during collaborative projects. Using video data of a heated student-led debate, we show how this student successfully positioned himself with greater authority than recognized adult experts, despite the fact that his evidence was often weak given classroom norms. He was able to do so for two reasons. First, he utilized his role as topic expert to position himself with authority and discredit others, including the recognized adult experts. Second, he drew on student allies that supported his position. We conclude with implications of this paper for how participation structures may mediate the development of powerful student identities, and function in concert with other interactional factors in he classroom.
Quantifications of SIMS

The title of this paper refers to the quantification of SIMS or secondary ion mass spectrometry. More specifically we will be discussing the ion microprobe, a form of SIMS. The ion microprobe is presently one of the most sensitive methods for the in-situ characterization of elemental distributions in samples of limited dimensionality, often with detection limits in the parts per million range. The capabilities of lateral elemental imaging for defining microfeatures of interest(1 µm spatial resolution), and of elemental depth profiling with resolution of less than 100 A make the ion microprobe unsurpassed in the field of three-dimensional trace element localization.
Targeted Suppression and Knockout of ASCT2 or LAT1 in Epithelial and Mesenchymal Human Liver Cancer Cells Fail to Inhibit Growth

Amino acid transporters alanine-serine-cysteine transporter 2 (ASCT2) and L-Type Amino Acid Transporter 1 (LAT1) are coordinately enhanced in human cancers where among other roles, they are thought to drive mechanistic target-of-rapamycin (mTOR) growth signaling. To assess ASCT2 and LAT1 as therapeutic targets, nine unique short hairpin RNA (shRNA) vectors were used to stably suppress transporter expression in human epithelial (Hep3B) and mesenchymal (SK-Hep1) hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell lines. In addition, six unique CRISPR-Cas9 vectors were used to edit the ASCT2 (SLC1A5) and LAT1 (SLC7A5) genes in epithelial (HUH7) and mesenchymal (SK-Hep1) HCC cells. Both approaches successfully diminished glutamine (ASCT2) and leucine (LAT1) initial-rate transport proportional to transporter protein suppression. In spite of profoundly reduced glutamine or leucine transport (up to 90%), transporter suppression or knockout failed to substantially affect cellular proliferation or basal and amino acid-stimulated mTORC1 growth signaling in either HCC cell type. Only LAT1 knockout in HUH7 slightly reduced growth rate. However, intracellular accumulation of radiolabeled glutamine and leucine over longer time periods largely recovered to control levels in ASCT2 and LAT1 knockout cells, respectively, which partially explains the lack of an impaired growth phenotype. These data collectively establish that in an in vitro context, human epithelial and mesenchymal HCC cell lines adapt to ASCT2 or LAT1 knockout. These results comport with an emerging model of amino acid exchangers like ASCT2 and LAT1 as "harmonizers", not drivers, of amino acid accumulation and signaling, despite their long-established dominant role in initial-rate amino acid transport.
Essential nucleotide- and protein-dependent functions of Actb/β-actin

The highly similar cytoplasmic β- and γ-actins differ by only four functionally similar amino acids, yet previous in vitro and in vivo data suggest that they support unique functions due to striking phenotypic differences between Actb and Actg1 null mouse and cell models. To determine whether the four amino acid variances were responsible for the functional differences between cytoplasmic actins, we gene edited the endogenous mouse Actb locus to translate γ-actin protein. The resulting mice and primary embryonic fibroblasts completely lacked β-actin protein, but were viable and did not present with the most overt and severe cell and organismal phenotypes observed with gene knockout. Nonetheless, the edited mice exhibited progressive high-frequency hearing loss and degeneration of actin-based stereocilia as previously reported for hair cell-specific Actb knockout mice. Thus, β-actin protein is not required for general cellular functions, but is necessary to maintain auditory stereocilia.
Abstract WMP35: Endothelialized 3D Cerebrovascular Modeling: A Novel in vitro Approach to Study Gene Expression in Realistic Vascular Geometry

Aberrant flow conditions are implicated in aneurysmal growth or rupture. Current approaches that analyze the effects of flow stress on vascular cells are limited by their simplistic design, lacking...
Polymorphic compression

Compression is an economical and efficient way of data handling in not only communication, but also storage purposes. We aimed to implement a compression application based on frequent use of English letters, digraphs, trigraphs and tetragraphs without sacrificing memory and/or the other resources. Despite its conceptual simplicity, the approach achieves promising results. The system is tested for several data and the result was compared with LZW, Huffman Coding, and arithmetic coding. The system can be applied to either small or large files, and it can be seen that the result is still stable.
Exploring the role of social support and adjuvant endocrine therapy use among breast cancer survivors.

Adjuvant endocrine therapy (AET) significantly reduces recurrence and mortality in women with estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer. Adherence to AET is about 50–60% for 5 years, and while numerous studies have identified barriers to AET adherence, few have identified the role of social support as a facilitator. Therefore, the objective of this study is to explore the role of social support during the ongoing management of AET. We conducted semi-structured in-depth interviews with breast cancer survivors (n = 22) who filled a prescription for AET in the previous 12 months. Women were recruited from Los Angeles, California, and Houston, Texas, between 2014 and 2015. Interview questions prompted discussion about AET and how social support affects AET adherence. We analyzed interview transcripts with a grounded theory approach and grouped social support into four categories (emotional, informational, instrumental, and appraisal), then used a thematic content analysis to identify the sources and delivery of support. Women described that informational support was provided by medical providers who explained the purpose, benefits, and management of AET. Emotional support in the form of reassurance, communication, and empathy was provided by family, survivorship groups, medical providers, and spirituality/religiosity. Women identified several organizations and exercises that provided them with instrumental and appraisal support in the form of physical and emotional benefits, which was also provided by family, friends, and medical providers. We identified that social support delivered to breast cancer survivors provided women with educational, physical, and emotional benefits that may play an important role in their continuation of AET.
Second Persons and the Constitution of the First Person

Philosophers and Cognitive Scientists have become accustomed to distinguishing the first person perspective from the third person perspective on reality or experience. This is sometimes meant to mark the distinction between the “objective” or “intersubjective” attitude towards things and the “subjective” or “personal” attitude. Sometimes, it is meant to mark the distinction between knowledge and mere opinion. Sometimes it is meant to mark the distinction between an essentially private and privileged access to an inner world and a merely inferential or speculative access to that world. No doubt there are other uses as well. But I don't care about this dichotomy here, or indeed any of these putative distinctions it is alleged to mark. Instead, I want to call attention to the central role of the less often acknowledged grammatical and phenomenological category, that of the second person. This category is essential not only for understanding the development of self-understanding, but also for the development of the moral sense that allows us to participate in the societies that constitute us as persons. The task of moral education is the cultivation of care for second persons. But we do so by extending not self-regard (for that is inextensible—others are not oneself), but by extending the spontaneous caring response we have for those with whom we immediately interact—second persons. Our moral lives, I will argue, like our cognitive lives, cannot be understood without understanding the special nature of second person relationships. In short, I will argue that the second person perspective is in fact essential to the constitution of human subjectivity, and that it permeates all forms of interpersonal consciousness and even self-consciousness.
On the Nonlinear Standard H∞ Problem

In this note, using a power series approach [15, 16, 19] we describe a design procedure applicable to analytic nonlinear plants. Our technique is a generalization of the linear H ∞ theory. We can now use this theory to solve the full standard problem in robust control theory in the nonlinear framework.
The Relevance of Land Use Law to Climate Change Preparedness: The Case of Sustainable Water Practices

In confronting the challenges of global climate change, land use law frequently takes on the status of a fallback position. Through the example of water conservation, this brief essay argues that the trivialization of land use law is a missed opportunity. Because water use is ultimately determined by the manner in which local regulations direct land use choices, local governments are well equipped to curtail wasteful consumptive practices and address resource shortages through their complementary tools in zoning, resource planning, and resource regulation. his essay surveys the variety of ways in which local water conservation practices effect noticeable change in water use and concludes that local governments are essential in reconnecting the use of land with water conservation.
47 – Cyclic Nucleotide-Gated Ion Channels

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses cyclic nucleotide-gated ion channels, which are sensitively and directly activated by the binding of cGMP and/or cAMP. The chapter discusses several concepts related to cyclic nucleotides, including control by cyclic nucleotide enzyme cascades, molecular structure, and functional modulation. The discussion on functional properties includes channel gating and permeation, selectivity, and block. Similar to other cyclic nucleotide-regulated proteins, CNG channels are powerful modifiers of cell function. They are found in photoreceptors and olfactory cells, where their role in sensory transduction is well established. CNG channels are mostly, nonselective cation channels, whose opening produces membrane depolarization and Ca2+ entry. In an olfactory cell, an odorant receptor with bound odorant activates a G protein, which stimulates adenylate cyclase to synthesize cAMP from ATP. The molecular mechanisms of modulation, and aspects of channel function modulated are currently under study. CNG channels have striking gating and permeation properties. CNG channel gating is very fast, typically giving very rapid flickers in single-channel currents. Amino acid sequences of cloned CNG channels suggest that they belong to the same channel superfamily as the voltage-gated Na+, K+, and Ca2+ channels. CNG channels were initially thought to be homo-oligomers, but it is now clear that they have at least two distinct types of subunits. The correlation of CNG channel structure and function is an exciting, fast-moving area of current research, which is leading to substantial insights into the mechanisms of channel gating and ion permeation.
Psychotherapy Utilization, Preferences, and Retention among Women Veterans with Post-traumatic Stress Disorder.

Abstract Background Psychotherapy is the gold standard treatment for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), yet psychotherapy use and retention among veterans is low. Little is known about the barriers to care and factors associated with women veterans' PTSD psychotherapy use and retention. Using a nationally representative sample of 986 women Veterans Health Administration primary care users with PTSD and a perceived need for mental health care, we examined 1) the proportion of women who used psychotherapy, 2) retention in psychotherapy among women who used any psychotherapy, and 3) individual factors related to psychotherapy use and retention. Methods Women completed a survey on their mental health care experiences. Outpatient mental health care use in the year before the survey was obtained from Veterans Health Administration administrative data. Results Most women (79.1%) used psychotherapy, and 41.7% of those women had a minimal therapeutic dose of psychotherapy (≥8 visits). Mental health diagnostic comorbidity and being African American/Black or identifying as neither African American/Black nor White were significantly associated with higher psychotherapy use. Mental health diagnostic comorbidity, exposure to military sexual trauma, and receiving treatment aligned with gender-related and group-related preferences were associated with higher psychotherapy retention. Being a parent was associated with lower retention. Conclusions Although a significant proportion of women veterans with PTSD are using psychotherapy, retention is enhanced when women are able to obtain treatment aligned with their preferences. Thus, efforts to promote patient-centered, shared decisions regarding mental health treatment options could increase the efficacy and efficiency of treatment for PTSD among women.
Steiner: Cross-Ratio, Projective Forms, and Conics

The most important works in projective geometry following closely on Poncelet’s 1822 work were A. Moebius’s Der Barycentrische Calcul (1827) and Jacob Steiner’s Systematische Entwickelungder Abhangikeit geometrischer Gestalten von einander (1832). Moebius introduced the term collineation and studied collineations of the plane by means of barycentric coordinates, a type of homogeneous coordinates that we will examine in Chap. 13.
A pilot study of bladder voiding with real-time MRI and computational fluid dynamics

Lower urinary track symptoms (LUTS) affect many older adults. Multi-channel urodynamic studies provide information about bladder pressure and urinary flow but offer little insight into changes in bladder anatomy and detrusor muscle function. Here we present a novel method for real time MRI during bladder voiding. This was performed in a small cohort of healthy men and men with benign prostatic hyperplasia and lower urinary tract symptoms (BPH/LUTS) to demonstrate proof of principle; The MRI urodynamic protocol was successfully implemented, and bladder wall displacement and urine flow dynamics were calculated. Displacement analysis on healthy controls showed the greatest bladder wall displacement in the dome of the bladder while men with BPH/LUTS exhibited decreased and asymmetric bladder wall motion. Computational fluid dynamics of voiding showed men with BPH/LUTS had larger recirculation regions in the bladder. This study demonstrates the feasibility of performing MRI voiding studies and their potential to provide new insight into lower urinary tract function in health and disease.
Corticosteroids in Community-Acquired Pneumonia: A Review of Current Literature:

Objective: To review the evidence and recommendations for the use of adjunctive corticosteroid therapy in community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). Data Sources: A literature search was conducted using PubMed (1993 to November 2020) using the search terms corticosteroids AND community-acquired pneumonia. Study Selection and Data Extraction: Pertinent randomized controlled trials, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses assessing the efficacy and safety of adjunctive corticosteroids in patients with pneumonia were evaluated for inclusion. Data Synthesis: Studies suggest that corticosteroids reduce time to clinical stability and length of hospital stay, but data regarding other important clinical outcomes, such as mortality, are limited. The greatest margin of benefit appears to be in patients with severe CAP. Evidence consistently demonstrates hyperglycemia as the most common adverse effect of corticosteroid therapy in CAP. Safety concerns regarding the potential impact of corticosteroids on the rate of CAP-related rehospitalizations require further investigation. Relevance to Patient Care and Clinical Practice: This review summarizes literature evaluating the efficacy and safety of adjunctive corticosteroids in patients with CAP. It also includes a discussion on current guideline recommendations, patient selection, corticosteroid regimens, adverse effect considerations, limitations, and future directions in this area of research. Conclusions: Studies reviewed suggest that corticosteroids are relatively beneficial and safe in patients with CAP, with the greatest benefit in severe CAP. Currently, the routine use of corticosteroids is not recommended by clinical practice guidelines with the exception of CAP and refractory septic shock. Further research is needed to better define the ideal role of corticosteroids in CAP.
The Digestive System

Abstract The digestive system is well adapted for ingesting food, breaking it down, both mechanically and enzymatically, and then absorbing the breakdown products and transporting them to the liver. Separate processes are involved in digesting carbohydrates, proteins, and lipids. Many aspects of the digestive process are regulated by neural (autonomic) and local hormonal influences. The structure of the gastric mucosa is well designed to both produce and protect itself from the low pH generated by the secreted hydrochloric acid. The exocrine pancreas produces many digestive enzymes in an inactive form. Activation usually occurs within the lumen of the small intestine. The liver receives the bulk of the absorbed nutrients via the portal vein and then uses them for the synthesis of many larger molecules. The intestinal microbiome includes many more cells than the number present in the human body. These microbes have evolved symbiotically along with the digestive system.
Retrograde Intramedullary Nail for Distal Femur Fracture, Through a Total Knee Arthroplasty.

SUMMARY Distal femur fractures are common in the elderly population. The risk of sustaining a distal femur fracture is increased with the presence of total knee arthroplasty components. Fixation with a retrograde intramedullary nail is a viable option for treatment of these injuries. This case-based video demonstrates the preoperative planning, techniques, and potential technical pitfalls to performing a retrograde intramedullary nail through a total knee arthroplasty in patients with a distal femur fracture.
Medical Students’ Ability to Self Assess Knowledge and Skill Levels: Findings from One Class of Seniors

This study examines the relationship between knowledge/skill level and self-assessment by correlating medical students’ performance on a comprehensive clinical assessment with their self-assessment of their performance. In July 1995 165 medical students were given a clinical assessment examination after finishing their required clerkships. After completing the exam, each student was asked to rate their performance ranging from “extremely well” (5) to “extremely poorly” (1) in each station. The correlation of 10 station scores and 10 self-ratings was determined for each student. The correlations were computed within student rather than across students to retain individual information that could identify accurate and inaccurate self-assessors. The individual correlations varied tremendously among the medical students, ranging from -.49 to.94. For the class, there was poor correlation (r=.34) between actual performance and self-assessments of performance. There was no difference in the average correlations between men and women, nor between high scorers and low scorers. Third-year medical students are poor self-assessors of performance.