cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Multi-Gbps wireless systems over 60-GHz SiGe radio link with BW-efficient noncoherent detections

This paper describes a demonstration of multi-Gbps wireless systems using 60-GHz SiGe radio chipsets with noncoherent detection techniques. The modulation and demodulation are performed with BW-efficient frequency-shift keying schemes, such as MSK, by partitioning the function into the radio chip and baseband FPGA. With integrated mixer/sign modulator and appropriate precoder, an IQ-based radio interface is used in TX, while the noncoherent detections are achieved by using FM discriminator and CDR (Clock Data Recovery) in RX. As a result, multi-Gbps data rate systems can be built without using high sampling rate ADC/DAC, and the efficiency better than ASK or FSK modulation schemes is achieved.
World’s Poultry Congress

Abstract In the early part of September, 1921, there will assemble at The Hague, Holland, the First World's Poultry Congress, on the invitation of the Netherlands Government. Arrangements had previously been made for the holding of this Congress in 1916. Owing, however, to the outbreak of the European War it had necessarily to be postponed. With a renewal of the invitation from the Dutch Government the project is now going forward. An Executive Committee has been formed, consisting of representatives nominated by the Dutch Minister of Agriculture and the International Association of Poultry Instructors and Investigators, the latter society having been responsible for the steps leading to this invitation. A meeting of this Committee was held recently at The Hague, under the presidency of Dr. J. H. Louvink, Food Controller to the Netherlands Government, at which there was a full attendance. Proposals were considered as to the arrangements, Programme, etc. Dr….
Preconditioning methods for discontinuous Galerkin solutions of the Navier-Stokes equations

A Newton-Krylov method is developed for the solution of the steady compressible Navier-Stokes equations using a discontinuous Galerkin (DG) discretization on unstructured meshes. Steady-state solutions are obtained using a Newton-Krylov approach where the linear system at each iteration is solved using a restarted GMRES algorithm. Several different preconditioners are examined to achieve fast convergence of the GMRES algorithm. An element Line-Jacobi preconditioner is presented which solves a block-tridiagonal system along lines of maximum coupling in the flow. An incomplete block-LU factorization (Block-ILU(0)) is also presented as a preconditioner, where the factorization is performed using a reordering of elements based upon the lines of maximum coupling. This reordering is shown to be superior to standard reordering techniques (Nested Dissection, One-way Dissection, Quotient Minimum Degree, Reverse Cuthill-Mckee) especially for viscous test cases. The Block-ILU(0) factorization is performed in-place and an algorithm is presented for the application of the linearization which reduces both the memory and CPU time over the traditional dual matrix storage format. Additionally, a linear p-multigrid preconditioner is also considered, where Block-Jacobi, Line-Jacobi and Block-ILU(0) are used as smoothers. The linear multigrid preconditioner is shown to significantly improve convergence in term of number of iterations and CPU time compared to a single-level Block-Jacobi or Line-Jacobi preconditioner. Similarly the linear multigrid preconditioner with Block-ILU smoothing is shown to reduce the number of linear iterations to achieve convergence over a single-level Block-ILU(0) preconditioner, though no appreciable improvement in CPU time is shown.
King's Theory of Goal Attainment as a Framework for Managed Care Implementation in a Hospital Setting

Implementation of nursing conceptual frameworks and theories in practice settings is essential to foster the growth and advancement of the discipline of nursing. Over the past several decades nurse educators, administrators, and clinicians have often seemed to function in isolation. Educators developed conceptual models and theories, but these frameworks were infrequently applied in practice settings. In addition, administrators used management theories as a framework for nursing practice in institutional settings, while clinicians were left to utilize the medical model and theories from other disciplines as a base to guide practice. This article focuses on how King's theory of goal attainment can serve as a nursing framework for managed care.
The Financial Accelerator: Evidence from International Housing Markets

This paper shows novel evidence on the mechanism through which financial constraints amplify fluctuations in asset prices and credit. It does so using contractual features of housing finance. Among agents whose housing demand is constrained by the availability of collateral, those who can borrow against a larger fraction of their housing value (achieve a higher loan-to-value, or LTV, ratio) have more procyclical debt capacity. This procyclicality underlies the financial accelerator mechanism described by Stein (1995) and Bernanke et al. (1996). Our study uses international variation in maximum LTV ratios over three decades to test whether (a) housing prices and (b) demand for new mortgage borrowings are more sensitive to income shocks in countries where households can achieve higher LTV ratios. The results we obtain are consistent with the dynamics of a collateral-based financial accelerator in housing markets.
Fabrication and Characterization of 2D and 3D Ordered Arrays of Nanoparticles

Two methods are presented which have been successfully used to fabricate highly ordered 2D and 3D arrays of nano-scale particles. The first method uses a combination of microcontact printing (μCP) and surface-templated reactions to form 2D patterned arrays of nanoparticles on silicon substrates. The second method uses confined self-assembly to crystallize colloidal particles into 3D cubic-close-packed (ccp) arrays (or opaline structures).
Effectiveness of Two Different Approaches to Accent Modification Services for Non-Native English Speakers of Korean Background

This study evaluated effectiveness of two different approaches to accent modification for non-native English speakers. Eight native Korean speakers of English participated. English labio-dental fricatives, liquids, and front vowels were targeted. Half of the participants received accent modification services with a focus on individual sound drills (segmental approach) while the other half received services using minimal pairs (contrastive approach). The percentage of correct pronunciation was measured for each consonant and vowel category during each session. The results of this study revealed that both groups of Korean speakers showed a similar percentage of correct pronunciation for consonant production. However, those who received the contrastive approach demonstrated higher accuracy in vowel production than those who received the segmental approach. The results of this study suggest that contrastive approaches may be useful for non-native English speakers of Korean background, especially for vowel pro...
Dacochile microsoma Poinar & Brown, not a tanyderid but a bruchomyiine psychodid (Diptera: Psychodidae, Tanyderidae)

A review of the characters used by Poinar & Brown (2004) to place their new fossil fly from Burmese amber, Dacochile microsoma, in the family Tanyderidae conclusively demonstrates that the fly actually belongs to the subfamily Bruchomyiinae in the family Psychodidae.
Normal vitamin D levels and bone mineral density among children with inborn errors of metabolism consuming medical food–based diets

A higher incidence of osteopenia is observed among children with inherited metabolic disorders (inborn errors of metabolism, or IEMs) who consume medical food-based diets that restrict natural vitamin D-containing food sources. We evaluated the vitamin D status of children with IEMs who live in the Pacific Northwest with limited sun exposure and determined whether bone mineral density (BMD) in children with phenylketonuria (PKU), the most common IEM, correlated with diet or biochemical markers of bone metabolism. We hypothesized that children with IEMs would have lower serum vitamin D concentrations than controls and that some children with PKU would have reduced bone mineralization. A retrospective record review of 88 patients with IEMs, and 445 children on unrestricted diets (controls) found the 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations were normal and not significantly different between groups (IEM patients, 27.1 ± 10.9; controls, 27.6 ± 11.2). Normal BMD at the hip or spine (-2 <z score < 2) was measured in 20 patients with PKU. There was a correlation between lumbar spine BMD and dietary calcium intake. We saw no evidence of low serum vitamin D in our population of children with IEMs compared with control children. We also found no evidence for reduced BMD in children with PKU on specialized diets, but BMD was associated with calcium intake. Dietary intake of essential nutrients in medical food-based diets supports normal 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels and BMD in children with IEMs, including PKU. The risk of vitamin D deficiency among patients consuming a medical food-based diet is similar to the general population.
Weighted heuristic anytime search: new schemes for optimization over graphical models

Weighted heuristic search (best-first or depth-first) refers to search with a heuristic function multiplied by a constant w [31]. The paper shows, for the first time, that for optimization queries in graphical models the weighted heuristic best-first and weighted heuristic depth-first branch and bound search schemes are competitive energy-minimization anytime optimization algorithms. Weighted heuristic best-first schemes were investigated for path-finding tasks. However, their potential for graphical models was ignored, possibly because of their memory costs and because the alternative depth-first branch and bound seemed very appropriate for bounded depth. The weighted heuristic depth-first search has not been studied for graphical models. We report on a significant empirical evaluation, demonstrating the potential of both weighted heuristic best-first search and weighted heuristic depth-first branch and bound algorithms as approximation anytime schemes (that have sub-optimality bounds) and compare against one of the best depth-first branch and bound solvers to date.
When Your Client Donates S Corporation Stock to Charity: Additional Issues

Only since 1998 have charities been permitted to hold S corporation stock ("S stock") as eligible shareholders. For many clients with charitable intentions, the stock of their S corporation is their most valuable asset, and they are interested in taking advantage of the relaxed rules to make charitable contributions with S stock, or to make bequests of S stock to charities. However, clients (and smaller charities) are often not aware that the charity must pay tax both on the passthrough income and also on the gain upon the redemption or sale of the stock. Commentators have identified the problem and have suggested ways to mitigate the charity's tax burden. This article briefly summarizes the issues identified to date and raises some additional practical issues that may need to be considered if interested in donating S stock to charity. The article identifies unresolved questions regarding the valuation of charitable contributions for purposes of computing the donor's deduction and describes a strategy for avoiding reduction of the deduction. The author then looks at the taxation of charities and examines the impact of the foreign tax credit, passive income problem and state taxation on charitable contributions of S corporation stock.
Measurement of plasma protein synthesis rate in infant pig: an investigation of alternative tracer approaches.

To devise a new method to measure plasma protein synthesis, we tested the hypothesis that, when [U-13C]glucose is used to produce [U-13C]alanine, plasma pyruvate and alanine will be in isotopic equ...
A comparison of different methods of instruction in cryptography

Cryptography is the foundation on which information and cyber security is built. As Mark Stamp has written, "cryptography or 'secret codes' are a fundamental information security tool." [6] Without the ability to encrypt and decrypt messages or data, the fundamental characteristic of confidentiality, which is the prevention of "unauthorized reading of information," [6] is lost. This could cause the potential exposure of trusted information. Given the importance of this discipline, teaching students the basics of cryptography should be an integral part of any curriculum in information and cyber security. For years students have been taught to perform cryptographic exercises by hand performing paper-and-pencil exercises, or by writing programs in a computer language to perform the cryptographic methods. Today, open-source GUI software exists that can teach students the methods of encrypting and decrypting messages. Consequently, it is of value to measure the effectiveness of teaching cryptography using paper-and-pencil exercises versus using software with a GUI interface.
Effective-potential model for high- L Rydberg atoms

A description of fine-structure patterns in nonpenetrating high-$L$ Rydberg atoms and ions is derived in a perturbative model in which the energy denominators occurring in the second-order perturbation theory are evaluated using the adiabatic expansion. The patterns of Rydberg energies that result are dominated by the expectation value of an effective potential containing a range of tensor orders and increasing negative powers of the Rydberg electron's radial coordinate. The coefficients of each term in the effective potential are expressed in terms of matrix elements and energies of the free ion at the core of the Rydberg system. Smaller corrections to these patterns due to application of the effective potential in second order and due to relativistic and spin contributions are also described. The effective potential provides a framework for extracting ion properties from measurements of high-$L$ fine-structure patterns.
Multifunctional Landscapes as a Basis for Sustainable Landscape Development

In this article it is argued that creating multifunctional landscapes or allowing a landscape to serve multiple purposes is the key to sustainable landscape development. For a landscape to be sustainable, it needs to be well cared for and maintained. It also needs to have a built-in mechanism to absorb changes (disturbances and developments) toward increasing resiliency. Landscape ecological planning such as greenways, ecological networks, and ecological infrastructure is suited to address multifunctional landscapes. The strength of multifunctional landscapes is their ability to afford the needs of diverse users, thus appealing to diverse constituents with various recreational, cultural, and ecological needs/objectives. This leads to a lasting support from these user groups and this support is crucial for landscape sustainability. Multiple uses also facilitate efficient use of time and space, which is an especially attractive feature in urban landscapes where space is limited and a land mosaic is fine and heterogeneous. Time, space, and use conflicts necessarily arise when trying to accommodate multiple competing/conflicting uses. These conflicts can be dealt with strategies such as spatial and temporal separation of uses, stacking, limiting access, and the use of permit to control use.
Film Type Effects on Meat-to-Film Adhesion Examined by Scanning Electron Microscopy

Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine the meat binding interface of different film types under scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Chopped breast meat was cooked in four film types with chemically different sealant layers (three binding and one nonbinding). Replicate 2.5-cm2 (1-in2) sections were cut from each bag then peeled and mounted on glass slides. Samples were then frozen, freeze dried, and gold sputter-coated or stained with osmium tetroxide for examination using SEM. Observations of micrographs indicate visible meat adhesion in the three binding films and insignificant amounts of meat present on the nonbinding film. Purge was observed in all treatments; however, increased amounts were seen in nonbinding films and associated with areas of reduced meat-to-film adhesion.
THE ECONOMIC PAMPHLETEER: Essential Principles of Sustainable Food Value Chains

First paragraph: Values-based food chains include alliances of various types among farmers, processors, distributors, and other participants in food production and distribution. "Food value chains" are distinguished from conventional "food supply chains" in that relationships among participants are not solely, or even primarily, economic. Ironically, the formation of value chains is typically motivated by a quest for greater economic efficiency in the production and distribution of sustainably produced foods. However, economic efficiency cannot be allowed to take priority over the essential ecological, social, and economic principles of sustainability....
Research on vibration and acoustic joint mechanical fault diagnosis method of high voltage circuit breaker based on improved EEMD

High voltage circuit breaker is the key of control and protection equipment in power system, in allusion to the deficiency of the fault diagnosis methods, this paper boosts the vibration and acoustic data level fusion and feature level fusion method used in high voltage circuit breaker fault diagnosis. The vibration and acoustic feature level fusion diagnosis method firstly makes acoustic signals collected achieve blind source separation processing through fast kernel independent component analysis(Fast KICA), and extracts the vibration signal and acoustic signal feature vector by the improved ensemble empirical mode decomposition(EEMD). The vibration and acoustic data level fusion diagnosis method firstly builds vibration acoustic joint image, and extracts feature vector by the improved BEEMD. Finally, the feature vector extracted by the two methods are input into support vector machine(SVM) for fault diagnosis. The experiment shows that the proposed method is effective to diagnose the faults of high voltage circuit breakers.
Towards semantically rich and recursive word learning models.

Current models of word learning focus on the mapping between words and their referents and remain mute with regard to conceptual representation. We develop a cross-situational model of word learning that captures word-concept mapping by jointly inferring the referents and underlying concepts for each word. We also develop a variant of our model that incorporates recursion, which entertains the idea that children can use learned words to aid future learning. We demonstrate both models’ ability to learn kinship terms and show that adding recursion into the model speeds acquisition.
Cardiac output determination after cardiac operation. Lack of correlation between direct measurements and indirect estimates.

Ninety-two mean thermodilution cardiac indices were determined in 25 patients following cardiac operations. Arterial and venous blood gases, hematocrit, body temperature, central venous pressure, left atrial pressures, urine output, heart rate, and mean arterial pressure were simultaneously recorded. Six variables, arterial and venous pH, arterial and venous P co 2, venous P o 2, and temperature, showed significant simple correlations with cardiac index, but the degree of correlation was inadequate for use of these variables as reliable indices of cardiac function. When stepwise multiple regression analysis was performed, two variables, venous P o 2 and left atrial pressure were associated with the best correlation with cardiac index, such that CI = 0.073 P o 2v - 0.060 LAP + 1.39 (r = 0.60, p o 2 and left atrial pressure were substituted into this equation, a “predicted” value for cardiac index could be obtained with only slightly improved reliability. The data indicate that indirect estimation of cardiac output by measurement of the various laboratory parameters described above is not sufficiently reliable for clinical use. The importance of obtaining direct measurements of cardiac output by thermodilution or other means in order to properly evaluate postoperative cardiac function is stressed.
Review of Research on Human Speech Perception

In this first chapter, I provide an overview of the kind of research that has been done on speech perception in the Information-Processing (IP) framework, to be used as a basis for the discussion of the rest of the book. Later, I will give detailed comments in appraisal of the IP framework. In this review, however, I am concerned to provide a comprehensive and sympathetic description of human speech perception research as seen by IP; so the facts, questions and problems discussed here are facts, questions and problems within IP, rather than about IP.
Who's in Control?: Categorizing Nuanced Patterns of Behaviors within a Game-Based Intelligent Tutoring System.

The authors use dynamical analyses to investigate the relation between students’ patterns of interactions with various types of game-based features and their daily performance. High school students (n=40) interacted with a game-based intelligent tutoring system across eight sessions. Hurst exponents were calculated based on students’ choice of interactions with four types of gamebased features: generative practice, identification mini-games, personalizable features, and achievement screens. These exponents indicate the extent to which students’ interaction patterns with game-based features are random or deterministic (i.e., controlled). Results revealed a positive relation between deterministic behavior patterns and daily performance measures. Further analyses indicated that students’ propensity to interact in a controlled manner varied as a function of their commitment to learning. Overall, these results provide insight into the potential relations between students’ pattern of choices, individual differences in learning commitment, and daily performance in a learning environment.
The Strategies of Heterosexuals from Large Metropolitan Areas for Assessing the Risks of Exposure to HIV or Other Sexually Transmitted Infections from Partners Met Online

Heterosexuals' use of the Internet for meeting romantic or sexual partners is rapidly increasing, raising concerns about the Internet's potential to facilitate encounters that place individuals at risk for acquiring HIV or other sexually transmitted infections (STIs). For example, online sharing of personal information and self-revelations can foster virtual intimacy, promoting a false sense of familiarity that might accelerate progression to unprotected sex. Therefore, it is critical to understand how those who meet sexual partners online attempt to assess the possible risk of acquiring HIV or STIs posed by having unprotected sex with a new partner and decide whether to use a condom. To investigate this issue, in-depth interviews were conducted with a diverse sample of heterosexual male and female participants from large metropolitan cities who had had unprotected vaginal or anal sex with at least two partners met online in the past 3 months. With few exceptions, participants relied on faulty strategies and heuristics to estimate these risks; yet, most engaged in unprotected sex at their first meeting or very soon afterward. While some seemed to try to make a genuine effort to arrive at a reliable assessment of the HIV risk posed, most appeared to be looking for a way to justify their desire and intention to have unprotected sex. The findings suggest the need for more HIV and sexual health education targeted at heterosexuals, especially for those who go online to meet partners.
Decrease in stathmin expression by arsenic trioxide inhibits the proliferation and invasion of osteosarcoma cells via the MAPK signal pathway

Osteosarcoma (OS) is the most common type of malignant bone tumor in children and adolescents. In total, 40-50% of patients with OS experience metastasis, and thus have a poor prognosis. Our previous study demonstrated that arsenic trioxide (As2O3) combined with doxorubicin [also known as Adriamycin (ADM)] significantly inhibited OS cell proliferation by downregulating stathmin expression. The present study investigated the effect and mechanism of stathmin expression on OS cell invasion. It was identified that the expression of stathmin was increased in human ADM-resistant OS MG63 (MG63/dox) cells compared with the level in the normal osteoblast hFoB1.19cell line using western blot analysis. Lentiviral-mediated small hairpin RNA (shRNA) was constructed to silence stathmin expression of MG63/dox cells. In transwell assay, stathmin-knockdown significantly suppressed migration and invasion in MG63/dox cells. As2O3 combined with ADM inhibited the migration and invasion of MG63/dox cells, and was associated with the downregulation of phosphorylated-mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) 1 and β-catenin, and upregulation of phosphorylated-MAPK8 and E-cadherin. In addition, stathmin-knockdown significantly suppressed tumor growth and increased E-cadherin expression in a xenograft nude mouse model. Taken together, these data suggested that As2O3 combined with ADM inhibited stathmin-mediated invasion via the MAPK pathway. Elucidation of the mechanism for stathmin downregulation by As2O3 may provide novel insights into the mechanism of OS metastasis.
Connecting Gaucher and Parkinson Disease: Considerations for Clinical and Research Genetic Counseling Settings.

There are multiple autosomal recessive disorders in which carriers may be at risk for other diseases. This observation calls into question the previous understanding that carriers of autosomal recessive disorders escape clinical consequences. We also know that childhood genetic conditions may have adult disease counterparts (Zimran et al., The Israel Medical Association Journal: IMAJ, 16(11), 723–724, 2014). Individuals who have Gaucher disease and carriers of the disorder are at increased risk for a seemingly unrelated and complex neurological condition, Parkinson disease. Parkinson disease is, in part, caused by the same mutations in the GBA gene that lead to Gaucher disease, and the two conditions are thought to have shared pathophysiology. Briefly reviewed are how these two diseases historically became linked, where their paths cross, potential problems and considerations in disclosure of the link, and current guidelines and research in this area. Genetic counseling experience with a large Parkinson disease cohort is used as a starting point to question the state of clinical and nonclinical practice in disclosing this unusual connection We conclude that more research and discussion are needed to inform practice regarding the crossroads of Gaucher and Parkinson disease.
Management of Malignant Hyperthermia

AbstractA case of malignant hyperthermia in a young girl with vesicoureteral reflux and multiple congenital abnormalities is discussed. Malignant hyperthermia is a relatively newly defined problem that is associated with anesthesia. It is being recognized with increasing frequency, particularly in children with multiple musculoskeletal anomalies. The term itself is a misnomer. It is a drug-induced syndrome of hypermetabolism that may represent an inborn error of metabolism. Recognition, prophylaxis and crisis management are reviewed, and the use of dantrolene sodium in the care of patients with malignant hyperthermia is discussed. Because recognition of malignant hyperthermia is an important concern for the practicing urologist, the principles of identifying the patient at risk, as well as managing the crisis, should be familiar to the clinician.
Comparative Genomics of Soybean and Other Legumes

Comparative genomics is the leveraging of genomic data between species to understand the evolution of genomes and species. With the increasing availability of genomics resources (genomes, transcriptomes, epigenomes, proteomes, etc.), opportunities exist﻿ to explore species relationships using comparative genomics. Comparative genomics is most commonly used to determine structural and functional variation between genomes. Traditional approaches that study genomes in isolation are limiting in both the kind of questions that can be answered, as well as the transferability of knowledge between species. Herein, we will address the recent advances in comparative genomics research, specifically in legumes, and how this wealth of knowledge can further expand our understanding of biological diversity. Comparative genomics can be performed at the genic or at genomic level, for which there are numerous workflows to exploit, including gene prediction and annotation, orthologous gene relationships, building gene and species phylogenetic trees, synteny, finding lineage specific genes, and﻿ pan-genomic analyses.
Emotions and Political Intolerance

This chapter studies the influence of emotions on levels of tolerance toward least-liked groups in Turkey. In line with current literature on tolerance and emotions, Erisen tests whether anxiety, anger, and enthusiasm promote distinct behavioral tendencies regarding tolerance for the least-liked groups. While taking emotions as the main cause of intolerance, Erisen also examines the effects of primary indicators such as threat perception from and prejudice toward least-liked groups on changing levels of tolerance. By using a nationally representative sample, this chapter shows that emotional reactions directly influence levels of tolerance toward least-liked groups in Turkey.
Enhancing Metadata though Standardization and Validation: Practical Application at the University of Kansas Libraries

The Digital Initiatives department at the University of Kansas Libraries is in the process of migrating digital collections and assets to a locally hosted instance of Islandora to serve as our primary digital repository. As a key part of this process, we are taking the opportunity to clean up, standardize, enhance through linked data, and validate our metadata records prior to ingest in this new system. Using a variety of open tools, we have developed a systematic and replicable method to create uniform metadata records that conform to our in-house guidelines and requirements.
Epilogue: Hammers and Walls

In this chapter, Daily takes a walk through the terrain already covered within Rejection and Disaffiliation before briefly surveying the heightened attention to immigration that has occurred in America since the beginning of the last presidential campaign. Daily suggests that the shifts in immigration narratives that she deftly traces through the body of her book are all the more critical to consider in our contemporary moment. With policies seeking to end family reunification programs, build a wall along America’s southern border, and ban travel from primarily Muslim countries, “Hammers and Walls” encourages all Americans to be critical close readers. To consider conditions of possibility rather than seeking to foreclose the richness of polyvocal American immigration stories.
Wayfair: Marketplaces and Foreign Vendors

This is the third of a series of essays wherein we analyze the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in South Dakota v. Wayfair. In this essay, we address issues related to state taxation of internet marketplaces and of foreign vendors.
HLA Class I Components Increase Pancreatic Cancer Proliferation and Migration

Recent studies in transplantation models have implicated HLA class I molecules as important factors in activating downstream pathways that lead to cell proliferation and migration. In a few cancers, β 2 m alone has been proposed to be high in expression and to increase proliferation and migration. No research to date has reported if β 2 m and/or the HLA class I heavy chain promote the migration and proliferation of pancreatic cancer cells and, if so, whether β 2 m and the HLA class I heavy chain work together or as separate entities within the signaling pathways to promote these processes. Using pancreatic cancer cells, we demonstrate that siRNA knockdown of β 2 m causes a decrease in cell migration and proliferation without altering viability. This decrease of β 2 m also leads to a reduction in the expression of the HLA class I heavy chain as well as downstream signaling molecules, pCREB and pFAK. Downregulation of HLA-A leads to decreased pCREB while HLA-B knockdown does not and neither heavy chain isotype has an effect on pFAK expression. Overall, this study demonstrates the importance of β 2 m in cancer cell migration and proliferation through signaling pathways involving pCREB and pFAK. We show that HLA class I heavy chains are expressed by pancreatic cancer cells and that HLA-A heavy chains may be more influential in cell migration and proliferation than HLA-B heavy chains. Loss of β 2 m expression causes a decrease in HLA class I heavy chains, suggesting that β 2 m may exert some of its effects on growth and migration via the heavy chain. However, the fact that some downstream molecules are altered in cells with β 2 m reduction, yet no change is observed with the downregulation of either HLA heavy chain isoform, indicates that each may also work in divergent pathways.
Impact of Self-Acupressure on Co-Occurring Symptoms in Cancer Survivors.

Background Cancer survivors with fatigue often experience depressive symptoms, anxiety, and pain. Previously, we reported that self-acupressure improved fatigue; however, its impact on other co-occurring symptoms and their involvement in treatment action has not been explored. Methods Changes in depressive symptoms, anxiety, and pain were examined prior to and following two formulas of self-acupressure and usual care using linear mixed models in 288 women from a previously reported clinical trial. Participants were categorized by random assignment into one of three groups: 1) relaxing acupressure, 2) stimulating acupressure, or 3) usual care. Moderators investigated were body mass index, age, depressive symptoms, anxiety, sleep and pain, and mediators were change in these symptoms. Results Following treatment, depressive symptoms improved statistically significantly for the relaxing acupressure group (41.5%) compared with stimulating acupressure (25%) and usual care (7.7%). Both acupressure groups were associated with greater improvements in anxiety than usual care, but only relaxing acupressure was associated with greater reductions in pain severity, and only stimulating acupressure was associated with greater reductions in pain interference. There were no statistically significant moderators of sleep quality, anxiety, or depressive symptoms. Fatigue statistically significantly moderated pain, and age statistically significantly modified fatigue. Changes in depressive symptoms and sleep quality statistically significantly mediated the relationship between relaxing acupressure and usual care on fatigue; however, the effect was small. Conclusions Acupressure was associated with greater improvements than usual care in anxiety, pain, and symptoms of depression in breast cancer survivors with troublesome fatigue. These findings warrant further evaluation in suitably controlled randomized trials.
Current applications for DNA methylation using Infinium – challenges and rewards

Background: In environmental epidemiology, the question of whether epigenetic processes might mediate environmental health effects is an intriguing one. The advent of the Illumina Infinium HumanMet...
Quantitative Research in Healthcare Simulation: An Introduction and Discussion of Common Pitfalls

In contrast to qualitative research, quantitative research focuses primarily on the testing of hypotheses using variables that are measured numerically and analyzed using statistical procedures. If appropriately designed, quantitative approaches provide the ability to establish causal relationships between variables. Hypothesis testing is a critical component of quantitative methods, and requires appropriately framed research questions, knowledge of the appropriate literature, and guidance from relevant theoretical frameworks. Within the field of simulation, two broad categories of quantitative research exist: studies that investigate the use of simulation as a variable and studies using simulation to investigate other questions and issues. In this chapter we review common study designs and introduce some key concepts pertaining to measurement and statistical analysis. We conclude the chapter with a survey of common errors in quantitative study design and implementation.
Markets of Islam: performative charity and the Muslim middle classes in Turkey

This article examines the ways in which middle class Muslims in Turkey talk about Islamic ‘community’ and analyses these discourses in relation to the phenomenon of market Islam. The evidence is dr...
Comparison of rates of adherence to oral chemotherapy medications filled through an internal health-system specialty pharmacy vs external specialty pharmacies.

PURPOSE The primary objective of the study described here was to compare rates of patient adherence to anticancer medications filled at an internal health system specialty pharmacy (HSSP) vs external specialty pharmacies. The primary outcome was the medication possession ratio (MPR), and the secondary outcomes included proportion of days covered (PDC), and time to treatment (TTT). METHODS A retrospective chart review was conducted to compare the MPR, PDC, and TTT for patients who received oral anticancer therapy using prescriptions claim data. A t test or Wilcoxon test was used to explore the effect of demographic and other factors on adherence and TTT. A multiple regression model with backward elimination was used to analyze significant factors to identify covariates significantly associated with the outcomes. RESULTS Of the 300 patients screened for study inclusion, 204 patients whose records had complete MPR and PDC data and 164 whose records had TTT data were included in the analysis. There were significant between-group differences in mean MPR and mean PDC with patient use of the HSSP vs external pharmacies (1.00 vs 0.75 [P < 0.001] and 0.95 vs 0.7 [P < 0.001], respectively). Pharmacy type (P = 0.024) and tumor type (P = 0.048) were significantly associated with TTT. CONCLUSION The multiple regression analysis indicated that oncology patients who filled their anticancer medication precriptions at an internal HSSP at an academic medical center had significantly higher adherence, as measured by MPR and PDC, and quicker TTT than those who filled their prescriptions at an external specialty pharmacy.
Improved Exposure in Minimally Invasive Excision of Endometriosis with Temporary Ovarian Suspension Using Carter-Thomason CloseSure System, a Novel Technique.

ABSTRACT Study Objective To describe a novel technique for temporary ovarian suspension using the Carter-Thomason CloseSure system (CooperSurgical, Inc., Trumbull, CT). Design A narrated, stepwise in vivo demonstration of surgical technique. Setting Academic tertiary care hospital (University of Louisville Hospital, Louisville, KY). Interventions Laparoscopic temporary ovarian suspension using the Carter-Thomason CloseSure system for improved exposure of deep pelvis during a laparoscopic excision of deep pelvic endometriosis (including demonstration of previously used techniques at this institution). Conclusion We have developed and used this technique at our institution for the last several years, reviewing 20 cases between August 2018 and September 2019, with improved intraoperative visualization and no observed intraoperative or postoperative complications. This technique has replaced the use of other forms of ovarian suspension at our institution owing to the accessibility of the device, stability of the suspension, and ease of the procedure. The Carter-Thomason technique of ovarian suspension provides excellent retraction of ovarian tissue to provide improved views of the deep pelvis, with ease of use and low cost.
Molecular mechanisms underlying microtubule growth dynamics

Microtubules are dynamic cytoskeletal filaments composed of αβ-tubulin heterodimers. Historically, the dynamics of single tubulin interactions at the growing microtubule tip have been inferred from steady-state growth kinetics. However, recent advances in the production of recombinant tubulin and in high-resolution optical and cryo-electron microscopies have opened new windows into understanding the impacts of specific intermolecular interactions during growth. The microtubule lattice is held together by lateral and longitudinal tubulin-tubulin interactions, and these interactions are in turn regulated by the GTP hydrolysis state of the tubulin heterodimer. Furthermore, tubulin can exist in either an extended or a compacted state in the lattice. Growing evidence has led to the suggestion that binding of microtubule-associated proteins (MAPs) or motors can induce changes in tubulin conformation and that this information can be communicated through the microtubule lattice. Progress in understanding how dynamic tubulin-tubulin interactions control dynamic instability has benefitted from visualizing structures of growing microtubule plus ends and through stochastic biochemical models constrained by experimental data. Here, we review recent insights into the molecular basis of microtubule growth and discuss how MAPs and regulatory proteins alter tubulin-tubulin interactions to exert their effects on microtubule growth and stability.
An exploratory study of indicators of recent nonmedical prescription stimulant use among college students.

To explore the relationship between past 30-day nonmedical prescription stimulant use (NPSU) and past 30-day marijuana and/or alcohol use, past 30-day risky marijuana and/or alcohol use, student de...
Haemichorea-haemiballism secondary to brain metastasis from undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma.

A 72-year-old man presented with a 4-week history of uncontrolled flowing movements of the right upper extremity (RUE) and right lower extremity (RLE). Examination was significant for right haemichorea–haemiballism with RUE more pronounced than RLE ([video 1][1]). Initially, he was able to
Swing Option Pricing by Dynamic Programming with B-spline Density Projection

Swing options are a type of exotic financial derivative which generalize American options to allow for multiple early-exercise actions during the contract period. These contracts are widely traded in commodity and energy markets, but are often difficult to value using standard techniques due to their complexity and strong path-dependency. There are numerous interesting varieties of swing options, which differ in terms of their intermediate cash flows, and the constraints (both local and global) which they impose on early-exercise (swing) decisions. We introduce an efficient and general purpose transform-based method for pricing discrete and continuously monitored swing options under exponential L\'evy models, which applies to contracts with fixed rights clauses, as well as recovery time delays between exercise. The approach combines dynamic programming with an efficient method for calculating the continuation value between monitoring dates, and applies generally to multiple early-exercise contracts, providing a unified framework for pricing a large class of exotic derivatives. Efficiency and accuracy of the method is supported by a series of numerical experiments which further provide benchmark prices for future research.
Neuropsychology of dementia with Lewy bodies.

Publisher Summary This chapter reviews neuropsychological aspects of dementia with Lewy bodies (DLB) emphasizing comparative features to Parkinson's disease (PD) and Alzheimer's disease (AD), and underlying pathological substrates. Over the last decade substantial progress has been made in defining and characterizing clinical syndromes lying at the intersection of dementia and Parkinsonism. Whereas DLB as initially cast had more in common with AD vis-a-vis the term Lewy body variant of AD, DLB is now more directly linked to PD and PDD by the common thread of alphasynuclein pathology. Recently revised diagnostic criteria for DLB detail specific signs and symptoms (visual hallucinations, RBD, etc.) although specific cognitive profiling is remarkably absent from the diagnostic criteria. Treatments that increase cholinergic transmission are developed based on the role of acetylcholine in learning and memory, but have proven to be useful in treating attentional and other noncognitive symptoms associated with DLB and PDD. These findings are consistent with recent evidence that both disorders have greater central cholinergic deficits than AD, and that attentional and executive cognitive disturbances have been directly linked to decreased cortical cholinergic activity with in vivo PET imaging.
De novo Thrombotic Microangiopathy in Renal Allograft Biopsies—Role of Antibody-Mediated Rejection

The most common cause of thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) in renal allografts is thought to be calcineurin inhibitor toxicity. Antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) can also cause TMA, but its true impact on de novo TMA is unknown. In a retrospective review of renal allograft biopsies from January 2003 to December 2008 at our institution, we determined the prevalence of TMA in patients with C4d positive (n = 243) and C4d negative (n = 715) biopsies. Over 90% of patients received cyclosporine in both groups. De novo TMA was seen in 59 (6.1%) patients; most of them (55%) with C4d positive biopsy. Among patients with C4d positive biopsies, 13.6% had TMA, as compared to only 3.6% patients with C4d negative biopsies (p < 0.0001). Incidence of graft loss between C4d positive and C4d negative TMA groups was not significantly different, but 70% of patients with C4d positive TMA who received plasmapheresis had slightly lower graft loss rate. In biopsies with AMR-associated TMA, glomerulitis and peritubular capillaritis were significantly more prominent. AMR is the most common cause of TMA in renal allografts in our patient population. It is important to recognize AMR-related TMA because plasmapheresis treatment may be beneficial.
Critical reflections from a community-based participatory research course.

Introduction: Training for new and existing researchers in community-based participatory research (CBPR) approaches requires flexibility and a departure from traditional research methods courses. The literature has not fully reported how universities teach CBPR or the impact of CBPR courses on students and researchers. Method: In this paper, I use a reflective, inquiry-based methodology to find meaning from my experience in a doctoral level CBPR course offered by a southeastern university. Results: Five recommendations, complementary to guiding CBPR principles emerge. These include: Know the inherent challenges, find meaning and purpose, seek to understand complexities, recognize the implications, and use CBPR as a means to redress power. Discussion: The reflection process and recommendations may be useful for institutions, funding agencies, policy makers, and community-engaged researchers.