cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Government as Shareholder and Political Risk: Procedural Protections in the Bailout

In the wake of the fall of Lehman Brothers and the surrounding financial instability, Congress passed the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008, giving the Treasury Department unprecedented power to intervene directly in the financial markets and the economy at large. Though the original intention of the bill was for Treasury to purchase “toxic” assets from financial institutions in order to bring immediate relief to the financial sector, the Treasury Department instead purchased equity from such institutions and became the largest shareholder of corporations like Citigroup, A.I.G., and Bank of America. As a shareholder, the government possessed great informal influence over corporate policy - influence that it did not hesitate to exercise. This influence, paired with the lack of judicial review in the bailout bill, created a new kind of political risk for investors uncertain of whether the government would use its shareholder position to advance its own political goals. This Note analyzes and evaluates this political risk created by government control and explains why neither administrative law nor corporate law constrained the government as shareholder in the financial crisis following Lehman’s failure. Given that the recently enacted Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act fails to address what the government should do in the event of a future financial crisis, this Note suggests a clearer outline for the government’s role in corporate management when it acts as a shareholder and argues for judicial review to provide procedural protections to shareholders, thereby reducing political risk.of principles guiding government management of public corporations and effective judicial review.
A method for producing experimental venous thrombosis.

ConclusionsAn easily controlled, readly avaiable method of experimental clot production is described. It has been uniformly succesful in our hands
Three-dimensional flow field in a turbine nozzle passage

Detailed measurements were taken in the nozzle of a low speed single stage axial flow turbine at two axial planes inside the nozzle and on the nozzle and endwall surfaces. Velocity, turbulence and angle measurements were taken at midchord with an LDV while a five hole probe was used to measure the pressure, velocities and angles just upstream of the trailing edge. Nozzle surface and endwall static pressures were also measured. These measurements were compared to measurements previously completed at two axial planes downstream of the nozzle. The results show that at midchord, the secondary flow seems to be weak and it is in the early stages of development. Just upstream of the trailing edge, the secondary flow is clearly visible. The radially inward flow near the suction surface augments the casing passage vortex, while counteracting the hub passage vortex. Traveling downstream, the casing passage vortex remains strong while at the hub, the radially inward flow of the suction surface boundary layer has reversed direction due to the rotating hub. The blade static pressures and the passage averaged velocities compare well with Katsanis' quasi-three-dimensional code. These and other data are presented, interpreted and synthesized to understand the nozzle flow field.
Analysis on individual dose monitoring of occupational external radiation exposure in Wuhan(2009-2013)

Objective To assess the occupational external dose levels and dynamic changes,evaluate the ionizing radiation harmful levels among different radiation workers and hospitals,and the protective effect in Wuhan during 2009-2013. Methods Using TLD method for monitoring. Results In the five years,the average annual effective dosage was 0.76 mSv·a-1,and declining year by year; The average annual individual effective dosage was higher in the nuclear medicine and interventional section,they were 1. 77 mSv·a-1、1.30 mSv·a-1,respectively; it was 1.12 mSv·a-1in township hospitals. Conclusions The majority of radiation workers in Wuhan were affected by a lower dose,and decreased year by year,radiation protection conditions were gradually improved,the workplace radiation could meet the basic requirements of the national occupational exposure limits. However,supervision and management of radiological protection remains to be further strengthened.
Development of Trainable Deoxyribozyme-Based Game Playing Automaton

Molecular automata are self-operating machines serially exchanging information with their environment while changing their configurations. Molecular protoautomata are devices trained in a series of sessions with an operator to become molecular automata. Reconfigurable deoxyribozyme-based logic gates can be used to build multipurpose protoautomata, reprogrammable devices that go beyond single-purpose "hard-wired" molecular automata. Molecular array of YES and AND gates (MAYA)-III is such a protoautomaton that can be taught by example to play a game. Training of MAYA-III is a process that does not require the operator to be familiar with the underlying molecular programming. Herein we provide the instructions to construct this protoautomaton, with particular focus on the optimization of computing components.
Advanced information support. Abstracting evidence from clinical practice research.

Suzanne M. Austin, M.H.A., and E. Andrew Balas, M.D., Ph.D., of the Health Services Management Program at the University of Missouri-Columbia, present research on exchange of information in clinical practices. Their findings have led them to develop an integrated knowledge base aimed at enhancing cognition and supporting action rather than increasing confusion and indecision.
Green fluorescent protein imaging of tumor cells in mice.

The use of green fluorescent protein-expressing cancer cells allows real-time, high-resolution imaging of tumor growth, metastasis, and angiogenesis, both in situ and externally. The author reviews the use of GFP technology for studying human cancers in mouse models.
Identification methods of mineral drugs

This paper recommends thirteen methods for identifying mineral drugs on the basis of their physical characteristics and chemical properties. An identification table of popular mineral drugs is given.
Trunk Posture Influences Neck Angle When Reading A Tablet Computer

In 2013, 64% of American households owned a handheld computer device (e-reader, tablet, smartphones, etc.). The presence of these devices has grown more quickly than our understanding of their effe...
Nanocrystalline diamond micro-anvil grown on single crystal diamond as a generator of ultra-high pressures

By combining mask-less lithography and chemical vapor deposition (CVD) techniques, a novel two-stage diamond anvil has been fabricated. A nanocrystalline diamond (NCD) micro-anvil 30 μm in diameter was grown at the center of a [100]-oriented, diamond anvil by utilizing microwave plasma CVD method. The NCD micro-anvil has a diamond grain size of 115 nm and micro-focused Raman and X-ray Photoelectron spectroscopy analysis indicate sp3-bonded diamond content of 72%. These CVD grown NCD micro-anvils were tested in an opposed anvil configuration and the transition metals osmium and tungsten were compressed to high pressures of 264 GPa in a diamond anvil cell.
30-day readmission following weight loss surgery: can psychological factors predict nonspecific indications for readmission?

Abstract Background Thirty-day readmissions occur in 5% or more of bariatric surgery patients. Some readmissions relate directly to surgical risks, whereas others relate to more nonspecific complaints or nonadherence and may reflect risks outside of the surgical procedure. Objective To investigate whether presurgical psychosocial factors are related to readmission. Setting Tertiary/quaternary academic referral center. Methods Bariatric surgery patients readmitted within 30 days of surgery during 2012–2015 were identified (n = 102). Patients were matched (2:1) on body mass index, age, sex, and race to 204 nonreadmitted patients. Psychiatric variables and psychological testing (Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2-Restructured Form) at intake were compared between the 2 groups. Among those readmitted, the indication for readmission was investigated. Those with specific complications (n = 61) were delineated from those with nonspecific indications (n = 33). Results Those with nonspecific readmissions were younger and more likely to be female. These patients were also less likely to be in outpatient psychiatric care than nonreadmitted patients. Significant differences were found on the Uncommon Virtues scale of the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory-2-Restructured Form, which reflects a tendency to underreport disinhibited behaviors. Those with nonspecific readmissions had significantly higher underreporting scores compared to those with specific indications or those not readmitted. Conclusions Readmitted patients, particularly those with nonspecific indications, were more likely to presurgically present themselves in an overly positive manner. The tendency to underreport may affect the team's ability to identify risk factors that could be ameliorated before surgery. Readmitted patients were also less likely to be receiving mental health care. Such ongoing treatment may increase monitoring and/or adherence after surgery.
Ticagrelor Versus Clopidogrel in Elderly Patients With Acute Coronary Syndromes A Substudy From the Prospective Randomized PLATelet Inhibition and Patient Outcomes (PLATO) Trial

Background—Elderly patients with acute coronary syndrome are at high risk of recurrent ischemic events and death, and for both antithrombotic therapy and catheter-based complications. This prespecified analysis investigates the effect and treatment-related complications of ticagrelor versus clopidogrel in elderly patients (≥75 years of age) with acute coronary syndrome compared with those <75 years of age. Methods and Results—The association between age and the primary composite outcome, as well as major bleeding were evaluated in the PLATelet inhibition and patient Outcomes (PLATO) trial using Cox proportional hazards. Similar models were used to evaluate the interaction of age with treatment effects. Hazard ratios were adjusted for baseline characteristics. The clinical benefit of ticagrelor over clopidogrel was not significantly different between patients aged ≥75 years of age (n=2878) and those <75 years of age (n=15 744) with respect to the composite of cardiovascular death, myocardial infarction, or...
Expanding Selection for Information Visualization Systems on Tablet Devices

Selection is a fundamental operation in interactive visualization applications. Although techniques such as clicking and lassoing items of interest are sufficient for basic selections, a more sophisticated interaction mechanism is required for expressing complex queries to modify or generalize existing selections. The ability to perform these advanced selections is critical for effective analysis within visualization systems. On touch-based devices such as tablets, however, expressing advanced selections is difficult due to the absence of a cursor and modifier keys. In this work, we address this limitation by presenting new interaction techniques that leverage a person's non-dominant hand. We use these techniques for advanced selection operations such as expanding, modifying, and replicating existing selections. Further, we introduce a method for performing generalized selection on tablet devices that provides a fluid mechanism to control the attributes and parameters of selection.
Formation of Alternating trans-A-alt-B Copolymers through Ring-Opening Metathesis Polymerization Initiated by Molybdenum Imido Alkylidene Complexes

Ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) is used to prepare trans-poly(A-alt-B) polymers from a 1:1 mixture of A and B where A is a cyclic olefin such as cyclooctene (A1) or cycloheptene (A2) and B is a large norbornadiene or norbornene derivative such as 2,3-dicarbomethoxy-7-isopropylidenenorbornadiene (B1) or dimethylspirobicyclo[2.2.1]hepta-2,5-diene-2,3-dicarboxylate-7,1′-cyclopropane (B2). The most successful initiators that were examined are of the type Mo(NR)(CHCMe2Ph)[OCMe(CF3)2]2 (R = 2,6-Me2C6H3 (1) or 2,6-i-Pr2C6H3 (2)). The trans configuration of the AB linkages is proposed to result from the steric demand of B. Both anti-MB and syn-MB alkylidenes are observed during the copolymerization, where B was last inserted into a Mo═C bond, although anti-MB dominates as the reaction proceeds. anti-MB is lower in energy than syn-MB, does not react readily with either A or B, and interconverts slowly with syn-MB through rotation about the Mo═C bond. Syn-MB does not readily react with B, but it does ...
Trabeculectomy bleb-associated infections

Trabeculectomy with antimetabolites is the most commonly performed surgery worldwide for glaucoma patients with progressive optic nerve head injury and visual field loss despite maximum pharmacologic intraocular pressure-lowering therapy. Trabeculectomy bleb-associated infections remain one of the most feared early and long-term complications of trabeculectomy surgery because of their poor prognosis and variable response to antimicrobial therapy. Several studies have evaluated how surgical technique, conjunctival incision location, comorbid ocular pathology, concurrent medication use, and bleb morphology affect the risk of bleb-associated infection. New surgical techniques and devices aim to achieve a similar intraocular pressure reduction profile to trabeculectomy while avoiding the presence of a conjunctival bleb. We provide a comprehensive review of studies evaluating risk factors for bleb-associated infection after trabeculectomy and propose a diagnostic and therapeutic approach to bleb-associated infection.
Remarks on Research

To the Editor: Eugene Michel's article “Evaluation and Research in Physical Therapy” (Phys Ther, June 1982) was excellent. Particularly noteworthy was his criticism of the “before and after” model that is so often used to justify treatments. Regarding the ethics of withholding from patients treatments held by individuals or in general to be effective, I concur with Mr. Michels' position that applying some treatments may be as worthy of question as withholding treatments that have not yet been established as effective by research evidence. Only as we question the validity of what we are doing and in some instances even cease doing it do we open ourselves to the possibilities of what might be done for those we serve. I hope that Mr. Michels' article will serve as an impetus for questions and for the search for and provision of more appropriate patient care. [ ARTICLE][1] [1]: /lookup/volpage/62/828?iss=6
A Study of the Output Error “Sign-Sign” Algorithm in ADPCM

Abstract This paper presents a stability theory formulation for initiating analysis of the recently developed international standard for the adaptive IIR predictor algorithm for 32 kbit/s telephony ADPCM. Several issues for immediate investigation are sharply defined.
Recurrent Patellar Instability: Implications of Preoperative Patellar Crepitation on the Status of the Patellofemoral Articular Cartilage.

Background:The purpose of the study was to quantify the frequency, severity, and location of patellofemoral (PF) articular cartilage changes recurrent patellar instability treated surgically in patients with preoperative clinical patellar crepitation.Methods:A single-surgeon database was queried for
MRI imaging in pediatric appendicitis

Abstract An 8-year-old male presents with two days of abdominal pain and emesis. Computed tomography was concerning for obstruction or reactive ileus with an apparent transition point in the right lower quadrant, possibly due to Crohn's. Magnetic resonance imaging was concerning for perforated appendicitis. As demonstrated by this case MRI can be as sensitive as CT in detecting pediatric appendicitis [2]. We recommend using MRI instead of CT to diagnose appendicitis to avoid ionizing radiation and increased cancer risk in the pediatric population.
Biology of the Major Facilitative Folate Transporters SLC19A1 and SLC46A1

This chapter focuses on the biology of the major facilitative membrane folate transporters, the reduced folate carrier (RFC), and the proton-coupled folate transporter (PCFT). Folates are essential vitamins, and folate deficiency contributes to a variety of heath disorders. RFC is ubiquitously expressed and is the major folate transporter in mammalian cells and tissues. PCFT mediates intestinal absorption of dietary folates. Clinically relevant antifolates such as methotrexate (MTX) are transported by RFC, and the loss of RFC transport is an important mechanism of MTX resistance. PCFT is abundantly expressed in human tumors and is active under pH conditions associated with the tumor microenvironment. Pemetrexed (PMX) is an excellent substrate for PCFT as well as for RFC. Novel tumor-targeted antifolates related to PMX with selective membrane transport by PCFT over RFC are being developed. The molecular picture of RFC and PCFT continues to evolve relating to membrane topology, N-glycosylation, energetics, and identification of structurally and functionally important domains and amino acids. The molecular bases for MTX resistance associated with loss of RFC function, and for the rare autosomal recessive condition, hereditary folate malabsorption (HFM), attributable to mutant PCFT, have been established. From structural homologies to the bacterial transporters GlpT and LacY, homology models were developed for RFC and PCFT, enabling new mechanistic insights and experimentally testable hypotheses. RFC and PCFT exist as homo-oligomers, and evidence suggests that homo-oligomerization of RFC and PCFT monomeric proteins may be important for intracellular trafficking and/or transport function. Better understanding of the structure and function of RFC and PCFT should facilitate the rational development of new therapeutic strategies for cancer as well as for HFM.
Vier Anregungen für die Zusammenarbeit der Ärzte mit Krebskranken in Selbsthilfegruppen

Diese Anregungen basieren auf 10jahrigen personlichen Erfahrungen als Selbstbetroffener bei den Anonymen Alkoholikern und als Berater uber und mit Selbsthilfegruppen fur Krebskranke, besonders der Frauenselbsthilfe nach Krebs. Sie konnen als Beispiele fur die praktische Zusammenarbeit mit anderen gesundheitsfordernden und krankheitsbezogenen Selbsthilfegruppen, Selbsthilfegemeinschaften und -Organisationen dienen.
Thermodynamic and Geometric Factors in Sintering

A geometric interpretation of the densification of powder compacts, with simple to complex packings, is presented which identifies the stages of sintering: Preliminary, Initial, Intermediate and Final. Subsequent to maximum densification, an annealing stage can be used to modify the microstructure. Thermodynamic factors that play a significant role in sintering are the relative values of the grain boundary and surface energies, and their potential isotropic behavior. The design characteristics and processing of the starting powder control the uniformity, reproducibility and reliability of the material product.
Abstract C40: Employment participation after early-stage breast cancer: Patterns and determinants

Background: Employment is a social determinant of health. However, few longitudinal studies have examined employment outcomes in women with early-stage breast cancer. The purpose of this study was to examine employment trajectories in a cohort of early-stage breast cancer patients from treatment to 2-year follow-up, and evaluate relationships between sociodemographic, clinical/treatment, and psychosocial factors and employment outcomes. Methods: Data from a cohort study of newly diagnosed early-stage breast cancer patients were used to examine employment outcomes among 347 working-age patients, 40-64 years old. We examined patients9 employment trajectories after definitive surgical treatment, using a multivariable logistic regression model to identify factors associated with diminished (versus sustained) employment at 2-year follow-up. Results: A total of 245 patients (71%) were employed at least part-time at the time of definitive surgical treatment. 50 patients (20%) reported diminished employment over the 2-year follow-up period. After adjusting for covariates (age, marital status, education, household income, insurance status, depression history, social support, comorbidity, and surgery alone or surgery with chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or both), we observed that fatigue, assessed as SF-36 vitality subscale score below the median (OR=5.50, 95%CI=2.41, 12.56), and African-American race (versus white race, OR=4.23, 95%CI=1.66, 10.76) were associated with diminished employment. Conclusions: Patients with elevated fatigue and African Americans patients were more likely to experience diminished employment participation after definitive surgical treatment. Further research is warranted to identify factors associated with these disparities and strategies to improve workforce participation after breast cancer. Citation Format: Christine C. Ekenga, Maria Perez, Julie A. Margenthaler, Donna B. Jeffe. Employment participation after early-stage breast cancer: Patterns and determinants [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Tenth AACR Conference on the Science of Cancer Health Disparities in Racial/Ethnic Minorities and the Medically Underserved; 2017 Sep 25-28; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2018;27(7 Suppl):Abstract nr C40.
Validation of PROMIS emotional distress short form scales for cervical cancer.

Abstract Objectives Cervical cancer patients are at high risk for emotional distress. In this study we evaluate the PROMIS emotional distress-Depression and -Anxiety Short Forms for assessing depression and anxiety in a cervical cancer population. Methods A 15-item questionnaire was used in a cervical cancer biobehavioral randomized clinical trial, testing psychosocial telephone counseling (PTC) against usual care (UC). It was administered to 204 patients prior to randomization, four months post-enrollment, and nine months post-enrollment, together with legacy measures of depression. The short forms were evaluated in patients participating in this study over three time points for internal consistency, convergent validity, and responsiveness to change over time. Results Overall, 45% and 47% of patients scored in the moderate to severe range for anxiety and depression, respectively. Internal consistency coefficients were ≥ 0.95 at baseline, 4 months, and 9 months for depression and anxiety. The average inter-item correlation was 0.65 and 0.73 at baseline assessment for depression and anxiety, respectively. The depression short form T-score was correlated with legacy distress scales ranging from 0.44–0.76, and the anxiety short form ranging from 0.45–0.78. The depression short form demonstrated sensitivity to change as patients randomized to the counseling intervention reported greater improvement over time in depression (p = 0.014), and a nonsignificant improvement in anxiety, compared to the patients receiving usual care. Conclusions The PROMIS depression and anxiety short forms reliably and validly assess cervical cancer-specific emotional distress, capture salient features of distress in this population, and perform as well or better than legacy measures.
Amenorrhea after lung cancer treatment.

AbstractObjective:More than 5,000 premenopausal women are diagnosed with lung cancer annually in the United States. Limited data exist regarding the risk of treatment-related amenorrhea, a surrogate for infertility and early menopause, after systemic therapies for lung cancer.Methods:Premenopausal w
The spectrum of kidney biopsy findings in patients with morbid obesity.

Morbid obesity, defined as body mass index (BMI) ≥40 kg/m2, affects approximately 8% of United States adults and is a recognized risk factor for chronic kidney disease (CKD). We present the first focused biopsy-based study exploring the range of kidney diseases in this population. Among 3263 native kidney biopsies interpreted at Columbia University in 2017, we identified 248 biopsies from morbidly obese patients. In this cohort with median age of 53.5 years, 56% were female and median BMI was 44.0 kg/m2. Diabetes and hypertension were present in 47% and 81% of patients, respectively. Median estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was 30 ml/min/1.73 m2, and most patients had nephrotic range proteinuria. Obesity related glomerulopathy (ORG), defined as focal segmental glomerulosclerosis with glomerulomegaly or glomerulomegaly alone, was detected in 73 patients, including 29 with ORG alone and 44 with ORG plus another kidney disease. In contrast, 167 patients had other kidney diseases alone, without ORG, most commonly (in descending order) diabetic nephropathy, acute tubular necrosis, hypertensive nephrosclerosis, IgA nephropathy, membranous nephropathy, and lupus nephritis. In 49% of patients, kidney biopsy yielded a diagnosis predicted to change patient management. The strongest predictor of non-ORG lesions was eGFR
Pharmacokinetic-Guided Therapeutic Dose Monitoring (TDM) of Busulfan Reduces Relapse of Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL) Patients Undergoing Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation (ASCT)

Introduction Busulfan (Bu) is integral to many preparative regimens for hematopoietic stem cell transplantation but its metabolism is variable and unpredictable. At our institution, Bu was administered with fixed weight-based dosing (WBD) for NHL patients (pts) undergoing ASCT until 2014 when we initiated a prospective clinical trial (NCT01959477) with pharmacokinetic (PK)-guided therapeutic dose monitoring (TDM) of Bu with cyclophosphamide (Cy) and etoposide (VP16). We subsequently adopted this practice as a standard for all NHL pts. Here, we compare outcomes of NHL pts who received ASCT with WBD vs. PK-directed TDM. Methods We collected clinical features and outcomes of 336 adult NHL pts who underwent ASCT with Bu/Cy/VP16 using WBD (n=258) from 1/2007-12/2013 or TDM from 5/2014-12/2017 (n=78) excluding mantle cell lymphoma. For WBD, Bu was given at 2.8 mg/kg q24 hours on day -9 to -6. For TDM, plasma Bu concentration was serially determined via an in-house liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) assay as previously described and externally validated. Bu area under the curve (AUC) after first dose was calculated for each pt and used to adjust subsequent doses to target a daily AUC of 4500 μM-minute. Results Baseline features of WBD and TDM pts were similar, although more TDM pts received plerixafor for stem cell mobilization and TDM pts were more often categorized as having a complete remission (CR) prior to ASCT (Table), likely due to more use of PET scan. To adjust for differences, propensity-matched cohorts of WBD and TDM pts were also studied (Table). 36% of TDM pts had increases and 41% had decreases in Bu dose. As shown in the Figure, 24 months after ASCT, relapse was significantly lower with TDM vs. WBD (19% vs. 38%, P = 0.004) and relapse-free survival (RFS) was also improved (69% vs. 55%, P = 0.038). Overall survival (OS) did not differ between WBD and TDM cohorts, likely due to subsequent therapy at the time of relapse. Propensity matched cohorts displayed similar patterns of outcomes. For pts in CR at time of ASCT, RFS did not differ between WBD and TDM (P = 0.79) whereas RFS was improved for pts in Conclusion Compared to WBD, PK-directed TDM of Bu safely reduces relapse when used in combination with Cy + VP16 for NHL pts undergoing ASCT, particularly for pts in
Thawing the frozen-in approximation: implications for self-gravity in deeply plunging tidal disruption events

The tidal destruction of a star by a massive black hole, known as a tidal disruption event (TDE), is commonly modeled using the "frozen-in" approximation. Under this approximation, the star maintains exact hydrostatic balance prior to entering the tidal sphere (radius $r_{\rm t}$), after which point its internal pressure and self-gravity become instantaneously negligible and the debris undergoes ballistic free fall. We present a suite of hydrodynamical simulations of TDEs with high penetration factors $\beta \equiv r_{\rm t}/r_{\rm p} = 5-7$, where $r_{\rm p}$ is the pericenter of the stellar center of mass, calculated using a Voronoi-based moving-mesh technique. We show that basic assumptions of the frozen-in model, such as the neglect of self-gravity inside $r_{\rm t}$, are violated. Indeed, roughly equal fractions of the final energy spread accumulate exiting and entering the tidal sphere, though the frozen-in prediction is correct at the order-of-magnitude level. We also show that an $\mathcal{O}(1)$ fraction of the debris mass remains transversely confined by self-gravity even for large $\beta$ which has implications for the radio emission from the unbound debris and, potentially, for the circularization efficiency of the bound streams.
Effects and Complications of Intravesical Instillation of Bacillus Calmette-Guerin Therapy

This review will address the current literature available regarding complications after intravesical Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) therapy for bladder cancer. Topics include intravesical BCG therapy–related complications, role of BCG therapy in immunosuppression, and future directions in the context of BCG-related complications. There are several new reviews and case reports discussing unique complications following intravesical BCG therapy that should raise awareness of possible short-term and long-term effects after using this common treatment modality in bladder cancer patients. Since intravesical BCG is a common treatment option for non-muscle invasive bladder cancer and can cause a variety of complications, it is important to recognize this aspect of the patient’s history when evaluating patients who present with symptoms similar to the ones discussed in this review. This will allow for prompt delivery of treatment as well as preventing unnecessary morbidity and mortality.
Characterizing Homelessness Discourse on Social Media

Social media allows us to connect and maintain relationships in spite of physical distance and barriers; as computers and the internet become more accessible, hard-to-reach populations are finding a voice on these platforms. One such group is those who are or have been homeless. Through a computational linguistic analysis of a large corpus of Tumblr blog posts, this paper provides preliminary insights to understand the unique ways homeless bloggers express their needs, frustrations and financial/social distress, connect with others, and seek emotional and practical support from others. We highlight future investigations, building upon this research, that can be pursued in HCI to assist an underserved population with the difficult life experience of homelessness.
Disparities in complementary alternative medicine use and asthma exacerbation in the United States.

Background: Complementary and alternative medicines (CAM) are associated with poor asthma medication adherence, a major risk factor for asthma exacerbation. However, previous studies showed inconsi...
Probing the National Geoscience Faculty Survey for reported use of practices that support inclusive learning environments in undergraduate courses

What is the extent to which college and university geoscience faculty report using education practices that contribute to more inclusive learning environments and engage a diverse population of stu...
Israel and Morocco: The Political Calculus of a “Moderate” Arab State (1990)

King Hassan’s rule of Morocco began in 1961, ran through the period of the research reported in this volume, in the early and mid-1970s, and lasted until the king’s death at the age of 70 in 1999. Hassan faced many challenges during his long reign. These included large-scale and sustained public protests and two unsuccessful military coups, both of which occurred in the early 1970s. But Hassan was clever and resourceful, surviving challenges and maintaining popular support through a variety of strategies and actions. These included the projection of religious authority, the use of patronage, repression when it was deemed necessary, and the skillful use of domestic and international policy initiatives. Receptivity to contact with Israel was in the latter category, as was Hassan’s self-proclaimed leadership in protecting Morocco’s Jewish community. Hassan’s relative openness to connections with Israel and his concern for Morocco’s Jews were not necessarily insincere or solely strategic, but the benefits of these positions, particularly with regard to relations with the United States, were nonetheless part of the king’s political calculus. Against this background, the chapter describes the many meetings that Hassan and Moroccan officials had with Israelis, sometimes in very public settings; considers connections between the situation of Morocco’s Jewish community and Hassan’s attitude toward Israel; and assesses the significance of Moroccan-Israeli contacts for the Arab-Israeli conflict. Finally, the chapter looks in detail at the nature and implications of Moroccan-American relations, as these varied and evolved over the course of Hassan’s 38-year reign.
The Essence of Pan-Africanism

This chapter reviews the scholarship, the context, and the history of Pan-Africanism, in an attempt to shed more light on the concept. One of the major reasons for this misunderstanding rests with the fact that in their attempt to broaden the meaning of such a complex idea, scholars and policymakers have thrown everything African into the basket of Pan-Africanism. This explains, in part, why to date there is still no universally accepted definition of Pan-Africanism. This chapter attempts to integrate the various perspectives on Pan-Africanism.
Hormonal modulation of reproduction in Polistes fuscatus social wasps: Dual functions in both ovary development and sexual receptivity

Hormones are often major regulators of complex behaviors, such as mating and reproduction. In insects, juvenile hormone (JH) is integral to many components of reproductive physiology and behavior, but its role in female sexual receptivity is not well understood. To investigate the influence of JH on receptivity, we utilized the social wasp Polistes fuscatus. In Polistes, mating behavior is temporally separated from other components of reproduction, which allows for examination of the physiology and behavior of mating, disentangled from fertilization and egg-laying. We reared virgin gynes (reproductive females) in the lab and divided them into four groups, in which gynes received multiple topical treatments of either 20 μg, 10 μg, 5 μg, or 0 μg of the JH analog methoprene. Gynes were then placed in petri dishes with 2 unrelated males and we recorded attempted and successful mating. Additionally, we measured gyne ovarian development and survival in each group. We found that methoprene increased both sexual receptivity and ovarian development, but was associated with a decrease in long-term survival. Receptivity increased linearly as methoprene treatment increased, but the effect of methoprene on ovarian development was independent of dose. These results demonstrate the importance of JH in sexual receptivity and mating behavior. We argue that the relatively understudied Polistes gyne has potential as a model for mating and reproduction, and for the internal and external regulation of this complex behavior.
Mitigating Algorithmic Bias: Evolving an Augmentation Policy that is Non-Biasing

Artificial Intelligence promises to make the world a safer place through automation. Automobiles can be steered between traffic lines, spoken words can be translated into textual commands, and wanted persons can be identified by law enforcement. These tasks, once only surmountable by humans, can now be performed by AIs with great speed and precision. If these algorithms are negatively biased against certain groups, what unforeseen harm may come to society?This work focuses on the classification of gender and age, a problem known to have systemic negative bias for certain subgroups, to investigate the role of data augmentation in the mitigation of such bias. A novel approach is proposed for mitigating bias in a deep learning algorithm that estimates age and gender. Settings for numerous data augmentation techniques are learned through an evolutionary process that optimizes data augmentation for specific subgroups. This approach proves to reduce systemic bias while also generalizing models and obtaining results that are state-of-the-art. The tools we use for determining human biometrics must be fair and non-discriminatory. This work examines not only bias, but also the insights gleaned from successful and unsuccessful policies in certain scenarios.
Preparing Nursing Students for Enhanced Communication With Minority Populations Via Simulation

Abstract Background Health disparities among minority women are in the spotlight. Locally, in the Southwestern United States, almost 30% of the population speaks Spanish at home rather than English. Since clear communication is essential to safe, quality nursing care, this is a call to action on behalf of our patient population and our nurses in training. Method Our university recently debuted an interdisciplinary simulation between the college of nursing and the language department. We inserted language students into the simulation in pairs: one as a Spanish-speaking family member of the patient and the other as an on-call language interpreter. We instructed the nursing students to call the “Language Line” as needed during the simulation. Results Both language and nursing students gave positive feedback about the realism and utility of the enhanced scenarios. After the simulation, we identified several areas for improvement that could enhance the communication between the nursing and language students. Conclusion The safety and quality of nursing care is sure to improve when teamwork, collaboration, and patient-centered care improve communication for all patient populations.
Association of uterine fibroids with birthweight and gestational age

Abstract Purpose To determine if fibroids or their characteristics are associated with birthweight and/or gestational age, and to assess the impact of race or ethnicity. Methods Right from the Start (2000–2012) is a prospective cohort that enrolled women from the southern US in early pregnancy. Transvaginal ultrasounds were used to measure fibroid characteristics and confirm gestational age. Date of birth and birthweight were obtained from vital or medical records. We assessed whether fibroid presence, number, type, and volume were associated with birthweight and/or gestational age using multivariate analysis of covariance, accounting for a priori confounders. Results Among 3926 women, 416 had one or more fibroids. Mean infant birthweight and gestational age were similar among women with and without fibroids. When adjusting for race or ethnicity, all associations were attenuated. Overall, women with and without fibroids had infants of similar birthweight (−20 grams, 95% confidence interval [CI] −77, 36) and gestational age (0.4 days, 95% CI −0.9, 1.8). Women with three or more fibroids were more likely to have lighter infants (−201 grams, 95% CI −345, −58). Conclusions Race or ethnicity substantially confounds the associations. The clinical belief that uterine fibroids impair fetal growth is supported only by a significant decrease in birthweight for women with multiple fibroids.
A Lower Bound for Sampling Disjoint Sets

Suppose Alice and Bob each start with private randomness and no other input, and they wish to engage in a protocol in which Alice ends up with a set x⊆ [n] and Bob ends up with a set y⊆ [n], such that (x,y) is uniformly distributed over all pairs of disjoint sets. We prove that for some constant β 0 of the uniform distribution over all pairs of disjoint sets of size √n.
Gender Differences in the Intended Use of Parental Leave: Implications for Human Capital Development

This study examined gender differences in the intended use of parental leave benefits. In a targeted sample of relevant adult respondents (i.e., adults aged 25–45 who work full-time, plan to have children, and are in a financially stable marriage or domestic partnership; N = 82), large gender differences were observed in work-related attitudes, intended leave, desired leave for spouse/partner, and intended use of time during mandatory parental leave. Despite men and women reporting similar attitudes towards caring for children and sharing equally in caregiving responsibilities, men consistently reported planning to take less time away from work for parental leave than women, and both men and women reported a desire for their partners to take leave periods differing in ways consistent with traditional gender roles. The structure of leave benefits was found to influence gender leave gaps, with paid leave tending to decrease the gap and longer leave availability tending to increase the gap. In mandatory leave scenarios, men were significantly more likely than women to report intentions to use mandatory leave for human capital development, such as taking on additional work, searching for new employment, catching up on projects for a current employer, learning new job-relevant skills, and exploring new business ideas. Implications regarding human capital development are discussed.
Development of Highly Optimized Antibody-Drug Conjugates against CD33 and CD123 for Acute Myeloid Leukemia.

Purpose: Mortality due to acute myeloid leukemia (AML) remains high, and the management of relapsed or refractory AML continues to be therapeutically challenging. The reapproval of MYLOTARG, an anti-CD33-calicheamicin antibody-drug conjugate (ADC), has provided a proof-of-concept for an ADC-based therapeutic for AML. Several other ADCs have since entered clinical development of AML but have met with limited success. We sought to develop a next-generation ADC for AML with a wide therapeutic index that overcomes the shortcomings of previous generations of ADCs. Experimental Design: We compared the therapeutic index of our novel CD33-targeted ADC platform to other currently available CD33-targeted ADCs in preclinical models of AML. Next, using this next-generation ADC platform, we performed a head-to-head comparison of two attractive AML antigens: CD33 and CD123. Results: Our novel ADC platform offered improved safety and therapeutic index when compared to certain currently available ADC platforms in preclinical models of AML. Differentiation between the CD33- and CD123- targeted ADC was observed in safety studies conducted in cynomolgus monkeys. The CD33-targeted ADC produced severe hematological toxicity, whereas minimal hematological toxicity was observed with the CD123-targeted ADC at the same doses and exposures. The improved toxicity profile of an ADC targeting CD123 over CD33 was consistent with the more restricted expression of CD123 in normal tissues. Conclusions: We optimized all components of ADC design (i.e., leukemia antigen, antibody, and linker-payload) to develop an ADC that has the potential to translate into an effective new therapy against AML.
Interfacial Materials for Efficient Solution Processable Organic Photovoltaic Devices

The introduction of proper interfacial materials to optimize properties between organic/metal and organic/organic interfaces has become an important criterion to improve the performance and stability of polymer solar cells. This chapter presents an overview on the recent development of effective interfacial materials (including organic, inorganic and hybrid materials) used for both organic/metal and organic donor/acceptor interface engineering, and the integration of these materials in different device architectures to enhance efficiency and stability are also discussed.
Abstract 14738: Classification of Atrial Fibrillation by Deep Learning of Electrogram Shapes versus Rate and Regularity

Introduction: It is unclear whether atrial fibrillation (AF) is best identified on intracardiac recordings by varying shape, rapid rate or extent of irregularity. Prioritizing these features may im...
Forgetting to Remember: The Impact of Post-traumatic Stress Disorder on Prospective and Retrospective Memory Performance.

Objective We examined the impact of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) on both prospective (PM) and retrospective (RM) memory performance among a cross-sectional veteran sample. Method Data from tests of PM/RM memory and PTSD, anxiety, depression and sleep disturbance symptoms were examined among a prospectively recruited sample of 26 veterans with confirmed PTSD (PTSD+) and 26 well-matched, combat-exposed controls who did not meet criteria for PTSD (PTSD-). Results Small-to-moderate negative correlations emerged between PTSD symptom severity, visuospatial RM and some aspects of PM; general anxiety correlated more strongly with memory. The PTSD+ group demonstrated significantly worse, but still average visuospatial RM; differences in PM were nonsignificant between groups. Regression analyses implicated generalized anxiety, but not other psychiatric symptomology, as significant contributors to all memory performances. Conclusions Minimal memory differences were found between veterans with and without PTSD. PM/RM memory performance was better explained by generalized anxiety rather that PTSD-specific symptoms.
A Cross-Level Information Transmission Network for Hierarchical Omics Data Integration and Phenotype Prediction from a New Genotype.

MOTIVATION An unsolved fundamental problem in biology is to predict phenotypes from a new genotype under environmental perturbations. The emergence of multiple omics data provides new opportunities but imposes great challenges in the predictive modeling of genotype-phenotype associations. Firstly, the high-dimensionality of genomics data and the lack of coherent labeled data often make the existing supervised learning techniques less successful. Secondly, it is challenging to integrate heterogeneous omics data from different resources. Finally, few works have explicitly modeled the information transmission from DNA to phenotype, which involves multiple intermediate molecular types. Higher-level features (e.g., gene expression) usually have stronger discriminative and interpretable power than lower-level features (e.g., somatic mutation). RESULTS We propose a novel Cross-LEvel Information Transmission network (CLEIT) framework to address the above issues. CLEIT aims to represent the asymmetrical multi-level organization of the biological system by integrating multiple incoherent omics data and to improve the prediction power of low-level features. CLEIT first learns the latent representation of the high-level domain then uses it as ground-truth embedding to improve the representation learning of the low-level domain in the form of contrastive loss. Besides, CLEIT can leverage the unlabeled heterogeneous omics data to improve the generalizability of the predictive model. We demonstrate the effectiveness and significant performance boost of CLEIT in predicting anti-cancer drug sensitivity from somatic mutations via the assistance of gene expressions when compared with state-of-the-art methods. CLEIT provides a general framework to model information transmissions and integrate multi-modal data in a multi-level system. AVAILABILITY The source code is freely available at https://github.com/XieResearchGroup/CLEIT. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.