cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Venous Ulcer: Late Complication of a Traumatic Arteriovenous Fistula

Arteriovenous fistula (AVF) formation after penetrating trauma is a well-described phenomenon. However, diagnosis of traumatic AVF is frequently delayed as patients often do not have hard signs of vascular injury at the initial presentation. Late complications of traumatic AVF include arterial and venous dilatation, distal ischemia, venous congestion, and congestive heart failure. This case report describes a traumatic femoral AVF causing distal venous ulceration 3 years after the injury. The AVF was treated with open repair. In the operating room, the Nicoladoni-Branham sign was elicited. The ulcer healed at 1 month and has not recurred at 1-year follow-up.
Optimized Nile Red Efflux Assay of AcrAB-TolC Multidrug Efflux System Shows Competition between Substrates

AcrAB-TolC is the major constitutively expressed efflux pump system that provides resistance to a variety of antimicrobial agents and dyes in Escherichia coli. However, no systematically optimized real-time dye efflux assay has been published for the measurement of its activity and for detection of possible competition between substrates. Here, we report on the development of such an assay using a lipophilic dye, Nile Red. Energy-depleted cells were loaded with the dye in the presence of low (10 microM or less) concentrations of the proton conductor carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone (CCCP). The CCCP was then removed, and efflux was triggered by energization with glucose. Various known efflux pump inhibitors and antimicrobials were checked for the ability to slow down Nile Red efflux, presumably through competition. Besides the known inhibitors Phe-Arg-beta-naphthylamide and 1-naphthyl-methylpiperazine, several tetracyclic compounds (doxorubicin, minocycline, chlortetracycline, doxycycline, and tetracycline) and tetraphenylphosphonium chloride were found to interfere with dye efflux. This inhibition could not be explained by the depletion of proton motive force. None of the other tested antimicrobials, including macrolides, fluoroquinolones, and beta-lactams, had any impact on Nile Red efflux, even at concentrations of up to 1 mM.
CAR-1 and Trailer hitch: driving mRNP granule function at the ER?

The targeting of messenger RNAs (mRNAs) to specific subcellular sites for local translation plays an important role in diverse cellular and developmental processes in eukaryotes, including axis formation, cell fate determination, spindle pole regulation, cell motility, and neuronal synaptic plasticity. Recently, a new conserved class of Lsm proteins, the Scd6 family, has been implicated in controlling mRNA function. Depletion or mutation of members of the Scd6 family, Caenorhabditis elegans CAR-1 and Drosophila melanogaster trailer hitch, lead to a variety of developmental phenotypes, which in some cases can be linked to alterations in the endoplasmic reticulum (ER). Scd6/Lsm proteins are RNA binding proteins and are found in RNP complexes associated with translational control of mRNAs, and these complexes can colocalize with the ER. These findings raise the possibility that localization and translational regulation of mRNAs at the ER plays a role in controlling the organization of this organelle.
A New Look at the Dealings of the Bardi and Peruzzi with Edward III

The Bardi and Peruzzi of Florence became in the early fourteenth century the largest merchant-bankers ever seen in medieval Europe. Their collapse in the 1340s has been attributed by most historians to huge losses on loans to Edward III of England. This article explores some flaws in the conventional explanation and shows that the firms lacked the resources to have made loans on the generally accepted scale. It also suggests means by which the companies could have recovered at least part of their advances to the king without the results appearing in government ledgers.
Compound Structure-Independent Activity Prediction in High-Dimensional Target Space.

Profiling of compound libraries against arrays of targets has become an important approach in pharmaceutical research. The prediction of multi-target compound activities also represents an attractive task for machine learning with potential for drug discovery applications. Herein, we have explored activity prediction in high-dimensional target space. Different types of models were derived to predict multi-target activities. The models included naive Bayesian (NB) and support vector machine (SVM) classifiers based upon compound structure information and NB models derived on the basis of activity profiles, without considering compound structure. Because the latter approach can be applied to incomplete training data and principally depends on the feature independence assumption, SVM modeling was not applicable in this case. Furthermore, iterative hybrid NB models making use of both activity profiles and compound structure information were built. In high-dimensional target space, NB models utilizing activity profile data were found to yield more accurate activity predictions than structure-based NB and SVM models or hybrid models. An in-depth analysis of activity profile-based models revealed the presence of correlation effects across different targets and rationalized prediction accuracy. Taken together, the results indicate that activity profile information can be effectively used to predict the activity of test compounds against novel targets.
Spatial segregation of the sexes and nutrients affect reproductive success in a dioecious wind-pollinated grass

In many dioecious plant species in which spatial distributions of males and females have been examined, the sexes are spatially segregated – usually along an environmental gradient. Unless pollen is uniformly distributed in a population, spatial segregation of the sexes should reduce the average mating success of individuals. In three Californian populations of Distichlis spicata – a wind-pollinated grass species that exhibits spatial segregation of the sexes – I examined patterns of pollen movement and the effects of pollen load and nutrient availability on seed set to determine whether spatial segregation of the sexes actually reduces mating success for both males and females. In two of the populations, pollen dispersal was restricted, and pollen augmentation consistently, significantly increased seed set. However, in the third population – which had the lowest seed set – I found that although there were some indications of pollen limitation, pollen dispersal was not restricted, and seed production was limited primarily by nutrient availability. These results imply that in some populations of D. spicata nutrient limitation on the production of seeds by females may be sufficiently strong that spatial segregation of the sexes causes a fairly low cost to reproductive success compared with a more random distribution of the sexes. However, in other populations, pollen does limit mating success, and the spatial segregation of males and females in these populations is reducing the fecundity of both males and females.
A QoS-Oriented Distributed Routing Protocol for Hybrid Wireless Networks

As wireless communication gains popularity, significant research has been devoted to supporting real-time transmission with stringent Quality of Service (QoS) requirements for wireless applications. At the same time, a wireless hybrid network that integrates a mobile wireless ad hoc network (MANET) and a wireless infrastructure network has been proven to be a better alternative for the next generation wireless networks. By directly adopting resource reservation-based QoS routing for MANETs, hybrids networks inherit invalid reservation and race condition problems in MANETs. How to guarantee the QoS in hybrid networks remains an open problem. In this paper, we propose a QoS-Oriented Distributed routing protocol (QOD) to enhance the QoS support capability of hybrid networks. Taking advantage of fewer transmission hops and anycast transmission features of the hybrid networks, QOD transforms the packet routing problem to a resource scheduling problem. QOD incorporates five algorithms: 1) a QoS-guaranteed neighbor selection algorithm to meet the transmission delay requirement, 2) a distributed packet scheduling algorithm to further reduce transmission delay, 3) a mobility-based segment resizing algorithm that adaptively adjusts segment size according to node mobility in order to reduce transmission time, 4) a traffic redundant elimination algorithm to increase the transmission throughput, and 5) a data redundancy elimination-based transmission algorithm to eliminate the redundant data to further improve the transmission QoS. Analytical and simulation results based on the random way-point model and the real human mobility model show that QOD can provide high QoS performance in terms of overhead, transmission delay, mobility-resilience, and scalability.
Numerical-Based Comparison Among Critical Flow Properties of HFC-134a and its New Alternatives HFO-1234yf and HFO-1234ze Through Short-Tube Orifices

Although HFC-134a is a common refrigerant for residential and mobile refrigeration systems, investigators are dealing with replacing it with new alternatives because of its harmful environmental and global warming effects. Recently HFO-1234yf and HFO-1234ze have been introduced as suitable alternative refrigerants because they have zero ozone depletion potential (ODP) and low global warming potential (GWP) and possess thermophysical properties similar to those of HFC-134a. Because there is no experimental data on the performance of these new refrigerants in capillary tubes and short-tube orifices, a recently developed numerical model for analysis of critical two-phase flow through these tubes is used to predict the critical mass flow rate and pressure distribution of HFO-1234yf and HFO-1234ze under various operating conditions. The applied numerical model is based on a comprehensive two-fluid model including the effects of two-phase flow patterns and liquid-phase metastability. The numerical method has been validated by comparing numerical results of the critical flows of HFC-134a, R-410A, and HCFC-22 with available experimental data. The developed numerical simulation is applied in order to develop comparison and selection charts for short-tube orifices based on the common refrigerant HFC-134a and the alternative new refrigerants HFO-1234yf and HFO-1234ze.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Couple and Family Relationship Assessments

Couple and family relationships add another dimension to the research and practice conducted in the financial planning and counseling fields. This chapter is dedicated to couple and family relationship assessments that have been commonly used or could be used within the personal financial planning and counseling field. Well known scales such as the Kansas Marital Satisfaction scale and the Revised Dyadic Adjustment Scale can be found in this chapter. Examples of other scales found in this chapter are Attitude towards Divorce Item, Farm Family Decision Making Scale, Managerial Behavior Index, and Family Daily Hassles Inventory, Acquisition of Family Financial Roles and Responsibilities, Shared Goals and Values Scale, and Trust Scale. These instruments are intended for both practice and research.
Assessment of Effects of UV Radiation on Marine Fish Larvae

Uncertainties in estimating the biologically effective UV dose for northern anchovy larvae, Engraulis mordax are discussed including action spectrum used to weight UV dose, dose reciprocity, photorepair, relative sensitivity of life stages, and biological criteria for measuring UV effects. A preliminary estimate of UV induced losses to larval anchovy standing stock is presented. This calculation takes into account seasonal changes in larval abundance, UV radiation and average cloud cover, vertical distribution, and penetration of UV radiation into the habitat. The possible effects of ozone diminution on other populations of larval fish and the uncertainties in making an impact assessment on natural marine populations are discussed. Present evidence indicates that anchovy and other larval fish populations may be under some UV stress today but predicted levels of ozone diminution will probably not have a major effect on larval populations. Imprecisely defined habitat characteristics and the unknown effect of a small augmentation on high natural mortality rates are major barriers to accurate assessment of ozone decline on marine fish populations.
The interaction of psychogenic polydipsia with wheel running in rats

Rats on a free-food schedule had access both to a water bottle and to a running wheel. As schedule-induced polydipsia developed, amount of running also increased, but drinking held primacy in three of four rats. When drinking was prevented, running assumed a temporal pattern similar to that characteristic of schedule-induced polydipsia.
A novel method to measure femoral component migration by computed tomography: a cadaver study.

Radiostereometric analysis (RSA) is the most accurate technique to measure implant migration. However, it requires special equipment, technical expertise and analysis software and has not gained wide acceptance. The current paper analyzes a novel method to measure implant migration utilizing widely available computer tomography (CT). Three uncemented total hip replacements were performed in three human cadavers and six tantalum beads were inserted into the femoral bone similar to RSA. Six different 28 mm heads (−3, 0, 2.5, 5.0, 7.5 and 10 mm) were added to simulate five reproducible translations (maximum total point migration) of the center of the head. Implant migration was measured in a 3-D analysis software (Geomagic Studio 7). Repeat manual reconstructions of the center of the head were performed by two investigators to determine repeatability and accuracy. The accuracy of measurements between the centers of two head sizes was 0.11 mm with a CI 95 % of 0.22 mm. The intra-observer repeatability was 0.13 mm (CI 95 % 0.25 mm). The interrater-reliability was 0.943. CT based measurement of head displacement in a cadaver model were highly accurate and reproducible.
Origin and paleoecology of free-rolling oyster accumulations (ostreoliths) in the Middle Jurassic of southwestern Utah, USA

Ostreoliths are abundant in the limestones, siltstones, and shales of the upper Carmel Formation (Middle Jurassic) in southwestern Utah. These are circumrotatory accumulations of the oyster Liostrea strigilecula, along with Plicatula bivalves, the bereniciform bryozoan Eurystrotos, the boring Gastrochaenolites, the nestling bivalve Modiolus, and the encrusting inarticulate brachiopod Discinisca. The ostreoliths are mostly spherical to discoidal and range in diameter from less than two centimeters to more than half a meter. They are found in two laterally-extensive horizons, one directly on a hardground and the other passing through ooid shoal and lagoonal facies. The ostreoliths formed in two ways. One group started as Liostrea-encrusted hardgrounds that were eroded and fragmented on the seafloor. These oyster accumulations collected additional oyster recruits on their sides and undersides until final burial. The second group of ostreoliths developed on soft substrates in oolitic shoals where Liostrea encrusts mollusk valves. The oysters grew on the upward-facing convex surfaces; the downward-facing concave sides were encrusted by bryozoans and Plicatula. After the ostreolith rotated, Liostrea again colonized the upper surfaces but died on the new undersides. The dead Liostrea valves on the undersides were encrusted by Plicatula and the bryozoans. Lithophagid bivalves bored the dead valves as well, and Modiolus nestled in vacant borings and between oyster valves. This accumulation process continued until the ostreoliths were buried in tempestites. These ostreoliths represent a mobile community in which faunal composition and diversity was controlled by the rate of overturning and the consistency of the substrate. Morphological features of Liostrea, such as a deep left valve, rapid growth and calcitic composition, were essential for ostreolith development. One laterally-extensive ostreolith horizon was formed when storm currents distributed them across facies boundaries.
Hürthle Cell Carcinoma: Total thyroidectomy with central neck lymph node dissection is the therapy of choice for patients with Hürthle cell carcinoma.

Patients with Hurthle cell carcinoma (HCC) of the thyroid often have aggressive tumors and generally have a worse prognosis than those with papillary or follicular thyroid carcinomas [1,2]. A total thyroidectomy with ipsilateral central neck lymphadenectomy and a modified radical neck dissection, if central or lateral nodes are positive, are indicated for HCC. The completeness of this procedure should be assessed by radioiodine scan 3 to 4 months after surgery. Any thyroid remnant should be ablated with radiolabeled iodine 131 to eliminate all tissue at risk and to facilitate the use of serum thyroglobulin in surveillance for tumor recurrence. Fewer than 10% of these cancers take up radioiodine. Recurrent disease is treated surgically with good palliation and appreciable prolongation of life. Local excision and neck dissection for recurrent neck disease or pulmonary wedge resection for lung metastasis has been shown to be effective [3]. All patients with HCC should be given thyroid hormone because most of these tumors have thyrotropin receptors. External beam radiation may be considered for patients with unresectable disease, but this is considered palliative.
Getting the most out of PubChem for virtual screening.

ABSTRACTIntroduction: With the emergence of the ‘big data’ era, the biomedical research community has great interest in exploiting publicly available chemical information for drug discovery. PubChem is an example of public databases that provide a large amount of chemical information free of charge.Areas covered: This article provides an overview of how PubChem’s data, tools, and services can be used for virtual screening and reviews recent publications that discuss important aspects of exploiting PubChem for drug discovery.Expert opinion: PubChem offers comprehensive chemical information useful for drug discovery. It also provides multiple programmatic access routes, which are essential to build automated virtual screening pipelines that exploit PubChem data. In addition, PubChemRDF allows users to download PubChem data and load them into a local computing facility, facilitating data integration between PubChem and other resources. PubChem resources have been used in many studies for developing bioactivi...
Uncover cooperative gene regulations by microRNAs and transcription factors in glioblastoma using a nonnegative hybrid factor model

Transcriptional regulation by transcription factors (TFs) and microRNAs controls when and how much RNA is created. Due to technical limitations, the protein level expressions of TFs are usually unknown, making computational reconstruction of transcriptional network a difficult task. We proposed here a novel Bayesian nonnegative hybrid factor model for transcriptional network modeling, which is capable to estimate both the non-negative abundances of the transcription factors, the regulatory effects of TFs and microRNAs, and the sample clustering information by integrating microarray data and existing knowledge regarding TFs and microRNAs regulated target genes. The results demonstrated its validity and effectiveness to reconstructing transcriptional networks through simulated systems and real data.
The effect of inhibition of PP1 and TNFα signaling on pathogenesis of SARS coronavirus

The complex interplay between viral replication and host immune response during infection remains poorly understood. While many viruses are known to employ anti-immune strategies to facilitate their replication, highly pathogenic virus infections can also cause an excessive immune response that exacerbates, rather than reduces pathogenicity. To investigate this dichotomy in severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV), we developed a transcriptional network model of SARS-CoV infection in mice and used the model to prioritize candidate regulatory targets for further investigation. We validated our predictions in 18 different knockout (KO) mouse strains, showing that network topology provides significant predictive power to identify genes that are important for viral infection. We identified a novel player in the immune response to virus infection, Kepi, an inhibitory subunit of the protein phosphatase 1 (PP1) complex, which protects against SARS-CoV pathogenesis. We also found that receptors for the proinflammatory cytokine tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) promote pathogenesis, presumably through excessive inflammation. The current study provides validation of network modeling approaches for identifying important players in virus infection pathogenesis, and a step forward in understanding the host response to an important infectious disease. The results presented here suggest the role of Kepi in the host response to SARS-CoV, as well as inflammatory activity driving pathogenesis through TNFα signaling in SARS-CoV infections. Though we have reported the utility of this approach in bacterial and cell culture studies previously, this is the first comprehensive study to confirm that network topology can be used to predict phenotypes in mice with experimental validation.
The Development and Validation of the Mood-based Indoor Tanning Scale.

OBJECTIVES Research indicates that mood-based motivations may be an important predictor of indoor tanning bed use and may be related to indoor tanning dependence. Problematically, little research has been conducted to develop a psychometric measure of mood-based tanning motivations. The current study seeks to develop and validate the moodbased indoor tanning scale (MITS). METHODS Two studies were conducted to identify and verify the MITS factor structure as well as assess construct validity. Study 1 was conducted at 5 geographically diverse universities in the United States. Study 2 was conducted by using a national online sample in the United States. RESULTS Results from study 1 specified the factor structure of the MITS. Results from study 2 suggest that a one-point increase in the MITS measure corresponds with using indoor tanning beds 11 more times in the past year. CONCLUSIONS These findings demonstrate that moodbased tanning motivations are a strong predictor of indoor tanning intentions and behavior. Further, they suggest that health behavior researchers and healthcare practitioners can use the MITS to assess the extent to which mood-based motivations impact indoor tanning bed use.
IMM Approach for Managing Counterparty Credit Risk

In this chapter, we describe the methodologies for measuring and mitigating counterparty risk that are commonly practiced in major commercial banks. These methodologies have been recognized as industry standard approaches for internal model methods (IMM).
Assessing Hydrogeologic Controls on Dynamic Groundwater Storage Using Long-Term Instrumental Records of Water Table Levels

This study analyzes a long-term regional compilation of water table response to climate variability based on 124 long-term groundwater wells distributed across New England, USA screened in a variety of geologic materials. The New England region of the USA is located in a humid-temperature climate underlain by low storage fractured metamorphic and crystalline bedrock dissected by north-south trending valleys filled with glacial and post-glacial valley fill sediments. Uplands are covered by thin glacial till that comprises more than 60% of the total area. Annual and multi-annual responses of the water table to climate variability is assessed to understand how local hydraulic properties and hydrogeologic setting (located in recharge/discharge region) of the aquifer influence the hydrologic sensitivity of the aquifer system to climate variability. This study documents that upland aquifer systems dominated by thin deposits of surface till comprise ~70% of the active and dynamic storage of the region. Total aquifer storage changes of + 5 km3 to -7 km3 occur over the region during the study interval. The storage response is dominated by thin and low permeability surficial till aquifer which fills and drains on a multi-annual basis and serves as the main mechanism to deliver water to valley fill aquifers and underlying bedrock aquifers. While the till aquifer system is traditionally neglected as an important storage reservoir, this study highlights the importance of a process based understanding of how different landscape hydrogeologic units contribute to the overall hydrologic response of a region.
Nanoscale subsurface imaging

The ability to probe structures and functional properties of complex systems at the nanoscale, both at their surface and in their volume, has drawn substantial attention in recent years. Besides detecting heterogeneities, cracks and defects below the surface, more advanced explorations of chemical or electrical properties are of great interest. In this article, we review some approaches developed to explore heterogeneities below the surface, including recent progress in the different aspects of metrology in optics, electron microscopy, and scanning probe microscopy. We discuss the principle and mechanisms of image formation associated with each technique, including data acquisition, data analysis and modeling for nanoscale structural and functional imaging. We highlight the advances based on atomic force microscopy (AFM). Our discussion first introduces methods providing structural information of the buried structures, such as position in the volume and geometry. Next we present how functional properties including conductivity, capacitance, and composition can be extracted from the modalities available to date and how they could eventually enable tomography reconstructions of systems such as overlay structures in transistors or living systems. Finally we propose a perspective regarding the outstanding challenges and needs to push the field forward.
Open vs. endoscopic cricopharyngeal myotomy; Is there a difference?

Abstract Introduction The upper esophageal sphincter (UES) is composed largely of the cricopharyngeus muscle (CP) and acts as the gatekeeper to the esophagus. There are multiple methods of treating UES dysfunction, but myotomy has been shown to be the most definitive means. We aim to evaluate the difference between open and endoscopic CP myotomy (CPM). Methods A retrospective review of all patients undergoing endoscopic and open CPM was undertaken. We recorded demographic, clinical, operative, hospital, and postoperative data for both groups from January 2010–March 2015. The endoscopic and open CPM groups were directly compared. Results Our cohort consisted of 38 open and 41 endoscopic CPM patients. There were 22 males and 16 females in the open group and 9 males and 32 females in the endoscopic group. The primary diagnosis for both groups was cricopharyngeal hyperfunction. We found a significant improvement in surgical time and symptomatic outcomes in the endoscopic group (p = 0.008 and p = 0.010). There was no difference in UES preop pressure, hospital stay, complication rate, time to oral intake, or length of follow-up between cohorts. Conclusion Endoscopic CPM is a safe and effective alternative to the open approach. Patients undergoing endoscopic CPM have shorter operative times and improved outcomes when compared to the open approach.
Interactive Effects of Traumatic Brain Injury and Anxiety Sensitivity Cognitive Concerns on Post-traumatic Stress Among Active Duty Soldiers

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) history has been repeatedly linked with heightened risk for post-traumatic stress (PTS) among active duty soldiers. Yet, no research to date has examined the relationship between TBI and PTS in the context of anxiety sensitivity cognitive concerns (ASCC), a well-established cognitive-affective risk factor for PTS that may intensify the effects of TBI on PTS via the amplification of TBI-related symptoms of cognitive dyscontrol. The present study tested the moderating effects of ASCC on the relationship between the number of lifetime probable TBIs and PTS among a sample of 89 trauma-exposed active duty soldiers. Results demonstrated that high ASCC potentiated the relationship between number of probable TBIs and PTS while low ASCC muted this association. Interestingly, ASCC was more closely related to PTS among those with a greater number of probable TBIs compared to those with zero past TBIs. These results underscore the importance of ASCC in the association of TBI and PTS.
The challenges of ideal theory and appeal of secular apocalyptic thought

Why do thinkers hostile or agnostic toward Christianity find in its apocalyptic doctrines—often seen as bizarre—appealing tools for interpreting politics? This article tackles that puzzle. First, i...
A Novel Approach to Synthesize the Evidence on Analgesic Adjuvants for Postoperative Pain.

Based on the best available evidence, which analgesic adjuvant is best for a particular patient to optimize postoperative pain control? For example, how much opioid sparing will the administration of intraoperative intravenous acetaminophen afford for a typical bariatric patient at Penn State Hershe
Mammillary body changes and seizure outcome after laser interstitial thermal therapy of the mesial temporal lobe

Abstract Objective The mammillary bodies have long been known as the primary relay center for the hippocampus. The fornix is the primary efferent pathway of the hippocampus, with its postcommissural fibers terminating in the mammillary bodies. In this study, we describe change in mammillary body volume after laser interstitial thermal therapy (LiTT) for mesial temporal lobe epilepsy and correlate it with seizure outcome. Methods Pre- and post-LiTT ablation magnetic resonance imaging was reviewed in axial and coronal planes to determine mammillary body volume as calculated by the ellipsoid method. Patient demographics, clinical semiology, and seizure localization were analyzed. The primary end-point was seizure freedom at 1 year after LiTT. The change in the size of the mammillary body were correlated with the postoperative seizure freedom at 1 year using the Wilcoxon/Kruskal-Wallis test for statistical significance. Results Between December 1, 2012 and June 1, 2015, 22 patients underwent LiTT for mesial temporal lobe epilepsy. Two patients were excluded due to lack of follow-up. Of the remaining 20 patients, 13 were seizure free at 1 year. In the seizure free group, there was an average 34.6% (± 13%) decline in ipsilateral mammillary body volume, as opposed to an average decline of 8.4% (± 10.9%) in patients with continued seizures (P = 0.0026). Conclusions Our findings show a statistically significant correlation between postoperative volume reduction in ipsilateral mammillary body and seizure outcomes after LiTT. With further validation, this finding could be a useful marker of adequacy of ablation independent of ablation volumes and determinant of potential benefit of additional surgical intervention in patients with poor outcomes after LiTT.
Integrated skin flash planning technique for intensity-modulated radiation therapy for vulvar cancer prevents marginal misses and improves superficial dose coverage.

Abstract Introduction Radiation therapy (RT) plays a definitive role in locally advanced vulvar cancer, and in the adjuvant setting with high risk postoperative features after wide local excision. There is significant morbidity associated with traditional, large RT fields using 2D or 3D techniques, and the use of intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) in vulvar cancer is increasing. However, there remains a paucity of technical information regarding the prevention of a marginal miss during the treatment planning process. The use of an integrated skin flash (ISF) during RT planning can be used to account for anatomic variation, and intra- and interfraction motion seen during treatment. Case Description Herein we present the case of a patient with a T1aN0M0, Stage IA vulva cancer to illustrate the progressive vulvar swelling and lymph edema seen during treatment and retrospectively evaluate the dosimetric effects of using an ISF RT plan vs standard RT planning techniques. Conclusions Standard planning techniques to treat vulvar cancer patients with IMRT do not sufficiently account for the change in patient anatomy and can lead to a marginal miss. ISF is an RT planning technique that can decrease the risk of a marginal miss and the technique is easily implemented during the planning stages of RT treatment. Furthermore, use of an ISF technique can improve vulvar clinical target volume coverage and plan homogeneity. Based on our experience, and this study, a 2-cm ISF is suggested to account for variations in daily clinical setup and changes in patient anatomy during treatment.
A psychological perspective on punishing corporate entities

This chapter takes a psychological perspective to examine how individuals make decisions about culpability and punishment of corporations versus people. Drawing on relevant empirical research we make the argument that while corporate crime raises the social need and public demand for retribution and deterrence, it is principally difficult to attribute mental life, character, intention, and hence, culpability to corporate entities. Since the psychology of punishment is more fitting to assess the culpability of individuals, corporations as collective entities are deemed as less responsible and less culpable compared with individuals when conducting equivalent wrongdoings, particularly those that demand intent. At the same time, corporate entities are also seen as less deserving of constitutional rights. These findings carry implications for criminal law and legal design.
Insect cyborgs: Biological feature generators improve machine learning accuracy on limited data.

Machine learning (ML) classifiers always benefit from more informative input features. We seek to auto-generate stronger feature sets in order to address the difficulty that ML methods often experience given limited training data. A wide range of biological neural nets (BNNs) excel at fast learning, implying that they are adept at extracting informative features. We can thus look to BNNs for tools to improve ML performance in this low-data regime. The insect olfactory network learns new odors very rapidly, by means of three key elements: A competitive inhibition layer; a high-dimensional sparse plastic layer; and Hebbian updates of synaptic weights. In this work, we deployed MothNet, a computational model of the insect olfactory network, as an automatic feature generator: Attached as a front-end pre-processor, its Readout Neurons provided new features, derived from the original features, for use by standard ML classifiers. We found that these "insect cyborgs", i.e. classifiers that are part-insect model and part-ML method, had significantly better performance than baseline ML methods alone on a vectorized MNIST dataset. The MothNet feature generator also substantially out-performed other feature generating methods such as PCA, PLS, and NNs, as well as pre-training to initialize NN weights. Cyborgs improved relative test set accuracy by an average of 6% to 33% depending on baseline ML accuracy, while relative reduction in test set error exceeded 50% for higher baseline accuracy ML models. These results indicate the potential value of BNN-inspired feature generators in the ML context.
Disparities in Emergency Department Visits Among Collocated Racial/Ethnic Medicare Enrollees.

Study objective We estimate emergency department (ED) use differences across Medicare enrollees of different race/ethnicity who are residing in the same zip codes. Methods In this retrospective cohort study, we stratified all Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries aged 66 years and older (2006 to 2012) by residence zip code and identified zip codes with racial/ethnic diversity, defined as containing at least 1 enrollee from each of 3 racial/ethnic groups: Hispanics, (non-Hispanic) blacks, and (non-Hispanic) whites. Our primary study population consisted of a stratified random sample of approximately equal number of each racial/ethnic group from each zip code with racial/ethnic diversity (N=1,563,631). We identified ED visits, comorbidities, primary-care-treatable status, and patient disposition. We characterized socioeconomic status by zip code poverty rate. The main outcome measure was the ratio of ED visit rate (number of visits/100 person-years) between each minority group and whites. Results Of 38,423 zip codes nationally, 41% met the racial/ethnic diversity criterion; these zip codes contained 85% of the Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries. Among enrollees from zip codes with racial/ethnic diversity, the ED visit rate among whites was 45.4 (95% confidence interval 45.1 to 45.6), and the ED visit rate ratio was 1.34 (95% confidence interval 1.33 to 1.36) among blacks and 1.23 (95% confidence interval 1.22 to 1.24) among Hispanics. ED visit rate ratios for both minority groups were greater than 1.00 among all subgroups by age, comorbidity, zip code poverty rate, urban/rural area, and primary-care-treatable and disposition status. Conclusion Among Medicare enrollees, blacks and Hispanics had higher ED use rates than whites overall and among subgroups by demographics and socioeconomic status.
Concerted Cultivation Among Low-Income Black and Latino Families

This chapter examines low-income Black and Latino parents’ beliefs and practices about providing an educationally rich environment for their children. More specifically, it focuses on what parents believe about how their preschool children learn, their role in such learning, and the reading and math activities they make available to their children. Using a mixed-methods approach, we found that both Black and Latino parents expressed beliefs consistent with Lareau’s (unequal childhoods: class, race, and family life. University of California Press, CA, 2003) notion of concerted cultivation by engaging in educational activities with their children and purposefully providing educational materials for them. In addition, there were no significant differences between Black and Latino parents in the approaches they chose to foster their children’s reading and math skills. Future research can utilize the findings from this study to help promote the academic success of low-income children by building upon the beliefs of Black and Latino parents and the activities that they endorse.
Proceedings of the 15th International Conference on Information Processing in Sensor Networks

It is my great pleasure to welcome you to the 15th IEEE/ACM International Conference on Information Processing in Sensor Networks (IPSN), held as part of the Cyber-Physical Systems Week (CPSWEEK) from April 11-14th, 2016. Since its inception 15 years ago, IPSN has grown to become one of the premium forums, bringing together researchers from academia, industry, and government to present and discuss recent advances in both theoretical and experimental research on networked sensing systems. This year we are excited to present a strong and diverse technical program. I would like to thank the dedicated effort of Program Chairs, David Culler, Suman Nath, and Niki Trigoni, who did an excellent job in coordinating the review process and producing this program. I would also like to thank each member of the Technical Program Committee who worked very hard to review the submissions. In addition I would like to draw your attention to a new focus area of the Internet of Things (IoT), which reflects the increasing interest in IoT from both industry and academia, and complements IPSN's traditional focus areas of information processing and sensor platforms, tools & design methods.
A novel fluid-feeding mechanism for microbivory in the Acariformes (Arachnida: Acari)

Low temperature scanning electron microscopy (LT-SEM) has revealed anatomical details suggesting that Osperalycus and Gordialycus (Acariformes: Nematalycidae) have an unusual feeding apparatus that is hypothesized to be specialized for feeding on the fluid contents of small microorganisms (diameter<5 μm). Both mite genera have a feeding strategy that appears to involve picking up small microorganisms and placing them onto the subcapitulum for puncturing. However, they have slightly different variants of the same basic rupturing mechanism. Whereas Gordialycus has evolved expansive and convergent rutella to hold the microorganisms in place while pushing chelicerae into them, Osperalycus has evolved a pouch into which a microorganism is inserted. The rutella reinforce this pouch while the chelicerae break up the microorganism. Both types of mouthpart apparatus seem to be adapted to minimize waste, an appropriate specialization given the organically impoverished habitats in which these mites live.
Perioperative Complications in Minimally Invasive Sacrocolpopexy Versus Transvaginal Mesh in the Management of Pelvic Organ Prolapse: Analysis of a National Multi-institutional Dataset.

ObjectivesThe objective of this study was to evaluate perioperative complications in women who underwent minimally invasive sacrocolpopexy (MISC) versus mesh-augmented vaginal repair (vaginal mesh) for pelvic organ prolapse.MethodsWe identified patients undergoing MISC and vaginal mesh via Current P
Detecting fake news for reducing misinformation risks using analytics approaches

Abstract Fake news is playing an increasingly dominant role in spreading misinformation by influencing people’s perceptions or knowledge to distort their awareness and decision-making. The growth of social media and online forums has spurred the spread of fake news causing it to easily blend with truthful information. This study provides a novel text analytics–driven approach to fake news detection for reducing the risks posed by fake news consumption. We first describe the framework for the proposed approach and the underlying analytical model including the implementation details and validation based on a corpus of news data. We collect legitimate and fake news, which is transformed from a document based corpus into a topic and event–based representation. Fake news detection is performed using a two-layered approach, which is comprised of detecting fake topics and fake events. The efficacy of the proposed approach is demonstrated through the implementation and validation of a novel FakE News Detection (FEND) system. The proposed approach achieves 92.49% classification accuracy and 94.16% recall based on the specified threshold value of 0.6.
Ecosystem Functioning of Great Salt Lake Wetlands

Like many wetlands worldwide, Great Salt Lake (GSL) wetlands have been declining. Yet, little is known about the ecosystem functions provided by the different GSL wetland plant species. This knowledge gap hinders predictions of the effects of species loss and restoration practices on ecosystem functioning. To better understand how the loss of different habitat types affects the provisioning of ecosystem functions, we quantified eight functions and multifunctionality (the support of multiple functions simultaneously) across seven dominant GSL wetland habitat types. Habitats varied greatly in their capacity to perform functions. However, no single habitat type supported all eight functions even at 20% of the maximum value for each individual function. We found that native plants Typha latifolia and Schoenoplectus acutus and invasive Phragmites australis had the highest levels of multifunctionality. Although these three species were able to support more functions, we found that a diversity of habitats are required to maintain the breadth of ecosystem functions examined. This study supports the idea that habitat heterogeneity is critical in supporting a multifunctional environment, and that habitat homogenization may cause a reduction in functioning provided by GSL wetlands.
Holocene climate recorded by magnetic properties of lake sediments in the Northern Rocky Mountains, USA

We present two hypotheses regarding the evolution of Holocene climate in the Northern Rocky Mountains that stem from a previously unpublished environmental magnetic record from Jones Lake, Montana....
The infected hematometra in a rudimentary noncommunicating horn misdiagnosed as pelvic mass: A case report.

Abstract Introduction The rudimentary noncommunicating horn with a functional endometrial cavity is rare and often challenging to diagnose because of the variety in clinical features. We present a case of a patient for whom the diagnosis of a uterine horn was missed during the prior cesarean section, which later successfully treated with robotic-assisted laparoscopic removal of a rudimentary noncommunicating horn of uterus and ipsilateral tube. Presentation of case A 20-year old woman, gravida 3 para 2, presented with a complaint of acute and severe pelvic pain with fever. Multiple imaging modalities of pelvis and abdomen showed an 8 cm right-sided pelvic mass with a tubular structure adjacent to the uterus. The pelvic inflammatory disease was diagnosed and treated with intravenous antibiotics. After reviewing multiple radiology images, Mullerian anomaly was suspected, and the rudimentary horn with the fallopian tube was confirmed via diagnostic hysteroscopy and laparoscopy. Subsequently, robotic-assisted laparoscopic removal of the right horn with the fallopian tube was performed. Discussion Assessment of a rudimentary noncommunicating horn with unicornuate uterus can be achieved by several radiology methods, including computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, two and 3-dimensional ultrasonography, hysterosalpingogram, and sonohysterography. In addition, evaluation of concomitant skeletal and renal anomalies is essential in enhancing diagnostic accuracy. In our case, the Mullerian anomaly with delayed onset complications was diagnosed by multiple imaging studies and treated successfully. Conclusion The early and correct diagnosis of the Mullerian anomaly remains difficult but essential as misdiagnosis can be associated with serious complications in patients.
A simulation framework for the rebalancing and maintenance of bicycle-sharing systems

Bicycle-sharing system (BSS) has attracted much attention due to its great success in providing a low-cost and environment-friendly alternative to traditional public transportation systems. In some BSSs comprised of stations with fixed docks, customer satisfaction can be measured by the availability of bikes for pick-ups and/or open docks for returns. However, it is quite common that the spatial balance of bike inventories will be broken due to customers' behavior or frequent failures of bikes and docks. As a result, constant rebalancing and maintenance services are required to sustain adequate levels of customer satisfaction. In this research, a simulation framework is developed to optimize the rebalancing and maintenance activities while satisfying customers' needs over a service area. An optimization model solved by Ant Colony Optimization is applied on the Citibike in New York City, which is considered as an example to validate the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed simulation framework.
Liquid biopsies for early cancer detection

Abstract A wide variety of methods for liquid biopsies for cancer detection currently under development are discussed and compared. Special emphasis is given to approaches that are able, or will be able, in the near future, to detect cancer stages 0 and 1. The clinically established methods, which are based on circulating tumor cells and circulating DNA/RNA, provide good insight into potential clinical targets, but they are not capable of detecting the onset of cancer. Alternative methods, such as exosome-, cytokine-, and protease-based liquid biopsies, are much more suited to detect cancer in its earliest stages. Furthermore, the latter methods, especially enzymatic assays, will be able to operate much more cost efficiently than methods that are based on the cancer genome or epigenome. It should also be pointed out that a lot of synergy exists between genomic methods and enzyme-based assays. Whereas the former can identify risk groups of patients, the latter will be able to detect the onset of cancer in the clinic or during routine health screenings.