cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Conceptual issues in the measurement of participation among wheeled mobility device users.

Purpose. To review current measurement approaches to activity and participation among wheeled mobility users and suggest key factors researchers should consider as they continue to develop and refine both the concept of participation and its measurement.Methods. Literature review and expert opinion.Results. Four issues are reviewed: Participation as a concept and as a key domain of the revised International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health (ICF).The ‘perspective’ of current participation self-reports as they reflect the underlying cultural values of autonomy and independence.The lack of sensitivity in current participation measures to assistive technology.The significance of the ICF qualifiers ‘capacity’ and ‘performance’ to the accurate assessment of activity and participation among wheeled mobility users.Conclusions. The following suggestions are offered as researchers continue to develop increasingly sophisticated instruments and methods: (1) participation measures need to be device...
Development of speechreading supplements based on automatic speech recognition

In manual-cued speech (MCS) a speaker produces hand gestures to resolve ambiguities among speech elements that are often confused by speechreaders. The shape of the hand distinguishes among consonants; the position of the hand relative to the face distinguishes among vowels. Experienced receivers of MCS achieve nearly perfect reception of everyday connected speech. MCS has been taught to very young deaf children and greatly facilitates language learning, communication, and general education. This manuscript describes a system that can produce a form of cued speech automatically in real time and reports on its evaluation by trained receivers of MCS. Cues are derived by a hidden markov models (HMM)-based speaker-dependent phonetic speech recognizer that uses context-dependent phone models and are presented visually by superimposing animated handshapes on the face of the talker. The benefit provided by these cues strongly depends on articulation of hand movements and on precise synchronization of the actions of the hands and the face, Using the system reported here, experienced cue receivers can recognize roughly two-thirds of the keywords in cued low-context sentences correctly, compared to roughly one-third by speechreading alone (SA). The practical significance of these improvements is to support fairly normal rates of reception of conversational speech, a task that is often difficult via SA.
Neutropenia impairs venous thrombosis resolution in the rat.

Abstract Objectives Neutrophil influx is one of the first events in a formed deep venous thrombosis (DVT), but whether these cells are active participants in the resolution process is not clear. This study tests the hypothesis that neutrophils (PMN) are active participants in DVT resolution. Methods Thrombosis was induced by inferior vena caval (IVC) ligation in male Sprague-Dawley rats, and rats were sacrificed at 2, 4, or 7 days for evaluation of the thrombus. Neutropenia was induced by rabbit anti-rat PMN serum, and controls received rabbit serum. Venography was performed at the 7-day time point. Immunohistochemical staining was performed to quantify intrathrombus PMNs and monocytes, and the myeloperoxidase (MPO) assay was performed to assess intrathrombus neutrophil activity. Intrathrombus concentrations of kerotinocyte cytokine (KC), macrophage inflammatory protein-2 (MIP-2), γ interferon inducible protein-10 (IP-10), macrophage inflammatory protein-1 α (MIP-1α), monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1), and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)–α were quantified by enzyme immunoassay at each time point and normalized to total protein. Total collagen was determined at day 7. Results Peripheral blood smears showed a 94% PMN reduction at 2 days ( P Conclusion Neutropenia impairs DVT resolution by several measures, most likely by altering normal fibrinolytic activity and thrombus collagen turnover.
Impact of team approach on reducing drug costs

After partial success of traditional methods (closed formulary, use of generic drugs, retrospective drug usage review and continuing education) to reduce drug costs, a new-approach ‘team approach’ was tried. This involved a clinical pharmacist and psychiatrists jointly reviewing patient drug therapies in view of a previously agreed set of guidelines. These guidelines were formulated to optimize patient therapy after a thorough review of clinical pharmacology and pharmacokinetics of drugs and pathophysiology of different psychiatric disorders. Drug cost savings of 49% and 16% were achieved in two different wards. The clinical pharmacist's active involvement accounted for a difference of 33% between the two wards.
Effect of high dose spironolactone and chlorthalidone in essential hypertension: relation to plasma renin activity and plasma volume.

Summary: The effect on blood pressure of high (400 mg/day-S400) and moderate dose (200 mg/day-S200) spironolactone and chlorthalidone (100 mg/day—C100), given in a random double-blind manner was related to plasma renin activity and plasma volume in 38 essential hypertensives. The fall in pressure from a control of 154/103 mm Hg was essentially the same after four weeks of each drug—S400 ABP 24/13 mm, S200 18/9 mm, C100 17/12 mm (all P < 0–001). Twelve of 37 patients (32%) had low initial renin, but this appeared as responsive to the chlorthalidone stimulus as that of the normal renin group. The anti-hypertensive effect of all regimens was unrelated to plasma renin activity. Plasma volume was significantly lowered at the end of each treatment period, but the decline could not be correlated with blood pressure effects. Patients with initially low plasma volume were more likely to respond to S400 (r= 0.545, P < 0.01), whereas the anti-hypertensive effect of the S200 and C100 regimens was independent of this variable.
Human Topoisomerase I Promotes Initiation of Simian Virus 40 DNA Replication In Vitro

Addition of purified human topoisomerase I (topo I) to simian virus 40 T antigen-driven in vitro DNA replication reactions performed with topo I-deficient extracts results in a greater than 10-fold stimulation of completed molecules as well as a more than 3-fold enhancement of overall DNA replication. To further characterize this stimulation, we first demonstrate that bovine topo I but not Escherichia coli topo I can also enhance DNA replication. By using several human topo I mutants, we show that a catalytically active form of topo I is required. To delineate whether topo I influences the initiation or the elongation step of replication, we performed delayed pulse, pulse-chase, and delayed pulse-chase experiments. The results illustrate that topo I cannot promote the completion of partially replicated molecules but is needed from the beginning of the reaction to initiate replication. Competitive inhibition experiments with the topo I binding T antigen fragment 1-246T and a catalytically inactive topo I mutant suggest that part of topo I’s stimulation of replication is mediated through a direct interaction with T antigen. Collectively, our data indicate that topo I enhances the synthesis of fully replicated DNA molecules by forming essential interactions with T antigen and stimulating initiation.
Preparation and properties of Fe-B-Si-C amorphous alloys

The crystallization temperatures, magnetic properties, and density of amorphous alloys of Fe x B y Si z C z are reported for 72 , and 0 . The peak value of 4 ± M s is 17 kG in the as-cast state and occurs in the region of Fe 82 B 13 Si 2.5 C 2.5 . The crystallization temperatures, Curie temperatures, saturation magnetization, and density all appear to be average values of the ternary Fe-B-Si and Fe-B-C properties.
Sputter deposition of nanocones for field emission

Deposition into micron-sized holes is known to produce cone shapes as supported on substrates. Potential uses for the cones include field-forming devices as field ionizers and field emission cathodes. The application of such devices include flat panel displays and flash x-ray tubes. Process iterations to closely space arrays of sharp cones have been extensively documented during the past two decades using the physical vapor deposition method of evaporation. Sputter deposition is well known as a method to fill holes and trenches but has only recently been demonstrated as an alternative method to produce field emission cathodes. In a further reduction in size, we have been successful in demonstrating the ability to deposit a cone shape into a cavity with a 300nm diameter hole. Through comparison to the results of electron-beam evaporative deposition, a sputter deposited nanocone appears to be suitable for use as a field emission cathode.
Adult Costume in Iowa Towns, 1870–1880

The purpose of the research was to describe the outer clothing and hairstyles worn by men and women living in Iowa towns between 1870 and 1880. The clothing studied came from the collections of nineteen museums in Iowa, Iowa State University, and 6 private collectors. Data were also found in newspapers, magazines, photographs, tintypes, census figures, court records, city directories, and personal diaries. Surviving women's and men's clothing was described on charts prepared for this research. Photographs and line drawings of the clothes were also made. Clothing for both men and women was similar in style to fashions advertised in national magazines and newspapers of the 1870's. However, women's dresses had high necklines and full-length sleeves, unlike some contemporary fashion illustrations. Men's suits were subdued in color and loose in fit, much like the suits advertised nationally. Cotton, wool, and silk fabrics appeared in extant garments. Surviving work clothing was limited to housedresses; patterns for a man's working blouse and overalls were illustrated in an 1876 periodical.
Structural Basis for Evolution of Product Diversity in Soybean Glutathione Biosynthesis

The redox active peptide glutathione is ubiquitous in nature, but some plants also synthesize glutathione analogs in response to environmental stresses. To understand the evolution of chemical diversity in the closely related enzymes homoglutathione synthetase (hGS) and glutathione synthetase (GS), we determined the structures of soybean (Glycine max) hGS in three states: apoenzyme, bound to γ-glutamylcysteine (γEC), and with hGSH, ADP, and a sulfate ion bound in the active site. Domain movements and rearrangement of active site loops change the structure from an open active site form (apoenzyme and γEC complex) to a closed active site form (hGSH•ADP•SO42− complex). The structure of hGS shows that two amino acid differences in an active site loop provide extra space to accommodate the longer β-Ala moiety of hGSH in comparison to the glycinyl group of glutathione. Mutation of either Leu-487 or Pro-488 to an Ala improves catalytic efficiency using Gly, but a double mutation (L487A/P488A) is required to convert the substrate preference of hGS from β-Ala to Gly. These structures, combined with site-directed mutagenesis, reveal the molecular changes that define the substrate preference of hGS, explain the product diversity within evolutionarily related GS-like enzymes, and reinforce the critical role of active site loops in the adaptation and diversification of enzyme function.
Economical selection of syncope patients for permanent cardiac pacing: a tilted view

Syncope is a common clinical problem, which raises a high degree of anxiety among both patients and physicians alike. Even when the cause of syncope is benign, recurrent syncopes (and the subsequent falls they produce) can result not only in injury but also in a similar amount of functional impairment that is seen in chronic disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis. One of the most frequent types of syncope is vasovagal syncope (VVS) or neurocardiogenic syncope. Investigations into the nature of the disorder were hampered by the lack of an effective modality for reproducing the syncopal event, as well as a relative inability to observe and make recording during spontaneous events.1 In the mid-1980s, investigators in London explored the concept that an individual's predisposition to VVS could be uncovered through the employment of a strong orthostatic stimulus such as gravitational one produced by prolonged upright posture. Since the publication of the landmark paper by Kenny et al 2 in 1986, subsequent investigations found that head-upright tilt-table testing (HUTT) is an effective and safe means of assessing a patient's predisposition to VVS. At the same time, the ability to reproduce syncopal episodes in the controlled laboratory settings provided a unique opportunity to make a variety of physiological measurements that greatly increased the knowledge of not only VVS but also the related disorders.3 In some individuals, these HUTT-induced episodes of VVS were accompanied by profound bradycardia and sometimes asystole. It seemed logical …
An evaluation of the UK's use of SFM standards to procure solid woody biomass for electricity generation using sustainable bioenergy criteria

AbstractThe threat of climate change and depletion of its fossil fuels has pushed the UK to aggressively pursue renewable energy sources for power production. According to its National Renewable Energy Action Plan, the UK hopes to generate 30% of its electricity demand by 2020 from renewable sources, with energy from biogenic sources accounting for approximately 22.3% of renewable generation. The UK requires that all woody biomass imported to help meet these renewable electricity goals provide evidence of legal and sustainable sourcing and, at a minimum, save 60% in GHG emissions compared to fossil fuels. Under its Timber Standard for Heat & Electricity, the UK recognizes woodfuel imported from US forests certified by Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) and Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) as meeting this requirement. This study evaluates SFI and FSC sustainable forest management certification programs using criteria found in the scholarly literature for sustainable bioenergy feedstock production. The a...
Likely Impact of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act on Future Government Sponsored Enterprise Activity in the Secondary Residential Mortgage Market

In the 2008 financial crisis, two financial institutions known as Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac were at the brink of insolvency before being seized by the federal government. The institutions were deemed “too big to fail” due to their multi-trillion dollar balance sheets and the degree of their interconnectedness with the economy. The Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act became law in 2010, in part, to prevent financial institutions from becoming too big to fail and in need of a government rescue on such a large scale.This paper examines the causes of Fannie and Freddie becoming too big to fail and discusses how the Act addresses, or fails to address, those causes. The examination begins by tracing the rapid growth of the institutions and identifying the corporate governance issues, regulatory failures, and skewed perceptions of risk projected by Fannie and Freddie. Discussion of the impact of the Act begins with provisions that are likely to address shortcomings that led to the insolvency of the Fannie and Freddie. Discussion then shifts to how the Act inadequately addresses other shortcomings.The discussion is, by necessity, speculative. Significant rulemaking lies ahead in order for the Act to be fully implemented. But, this paper attempts to use history as a tool to learn from the institutions’ pasts in order to make informed speculations about the likelihood of the Act preventing the institutions from again becoming too big to fail and at risk of insolvency.
Diagnosing Multivariate Continuous-Time Models with Application to Affine Term Structure Models

Multivariate continuous-time models have been playing important roles in finance and economics. We develop an omnibus specification test for multivariate continuous-time models using the conditional characteristic function, which often has a convenient closed form or can be accurately approximated for many multivariate continuous-time models in finance and economics. Unlike the existing methods in the literature, the proposed omnibus test fully exploits the information in the joint conditional distribution of underlying economic processes and hence is expected to have good power in a multivariate context. A class of easy-to-interpret diagnostic procedures is supplemented to gauge possible sources of model misspecification. Simulation studies show that the tests provide reliable inference for sample sizes often encountered in finance and economics. The omnibus test has all-round power against various model misspecifications and the diagnostic tests can reveal useful information about the nature and type of model misspecification. In an application, we find that there is room for further improving upon a popular class of multivariate affine term structure models for monthly U.S. Treasury bond yields. It is documented that while there exists little dynamic structure in conditional means, there exist neglected dynamic structures in conditional variances and conditional correlations of yields with different maturities.
Constipation in the Elderly

Management is not as straightforward as it appears. Patients often have associated conditions that predispose to or result from constipation. An OTC laxative habit may confound the workup and frustrate treatment. Overall evaluation is required, lest constipation progress to a medical crisis that requires hospital admission.
Outbreaks and the management of ‘second-order friction’: Repurposing materials and data from the health care and food systems for public health surveillance

In the US, the public health system plays a key role in identifying unsafe food in the food supply. This identification work (public health surveillance) entails piecing together and reworking materials and data from the health care and food sectors to identify the ultimate cause of the problem. As such, the public health system depends heavily on infrastructures built for other purposes to achieve its goals. Using the case of foodborne outbreak detection, this article enhances the ethnographic analysis of second-order systems by incorporating the concepts of ‘repurposing’ and ‘friction’ to analyze this dependent relationship, the challenges it entails, and the broader sociopolitical and ethical consequences of connecting heterogeneous infrastructures. I examine how actors within the second order system of public health conduct the practical work of repurposing materials and data from other sectors, and grapple with the inescapable presence of ‘second-order friction’ between their system and infrastructures built to achieve other goals.
Bounds on the information capacity of a broadcast channel with quantizing receivers

A base node seeks to receive to a broadcast. The base is too far away to observe the broadcast itself, and instead listens through a LAN to several helper nodes which can hear the broadcast. The helpers want to convey exactly what they hear back to base, but the LAN constrains the sum of the data rates from helper to base so the helpers must quantize. A capacity for the system exists but is very difficult to reach. Bounds are found on the capacity of such a system with channel state information available at the helpers and in interference environments where the receivers experience correlated noise. The bounds are tight when the LANs constraint is very high or low. Trials of the bounds reveal that while the systems capacity is stable varying the ratio of scattered-path to line-of-sight signal power seen at the helpers, strategies for achieving the capacity must change.
A Comparison of Blood Metal Ions in Total Hip Arthroplasty Using Metal and Ceramic Heads.

Abstract Background In recent time, metal ion debris and adverse local tissue reaction have reemerged as an area of clinical concern with the use of large femoral heads after total hip arthroplasty (THA). Methods Between June 2014 and January 2015, 60 patients with a noncemented THA using a titanium (titanium, molybdenum, zirconium, and iron alloy) femoral stem and a V40 trunnion were identified with a minimum 5-year follow-up. All THAs had a 32- or 36-mm metal (n = 30) or ceramic (n = 30) femoral head coupled with highly cross-linked polyethylene. Cobalt, chromium, and nickel ions were measured. Results Patients with metal heads had detectable cobalt and chromium levels. Cobalt levels were detectable in 17 (56.7%) patients with a mean of 2.0 μg/L (range: P P Conclusion The incidence and magnitude of cobalt and chromium levels is higher in metal heads compared to ceramic heads with this implant system ( P
Focusing of tandem bistatic SAR data using range Doppler algorithm

In this paper, we develop a range Doppler algorithm (RDA) for the tandem bistatic synthetic aperture radar (BiSAR) configuration. The key step is to use an analytical tandem bistatic spectrum. The proposed algorithm is able to handle reasonably high squint by compensating secondary range compression in the two-dimensional wavenumber domain, and is more robust to focus bistatic data compared with Neo's RDA based on the spectrum of method of series reversion (MSR) in the tandem configuration particularly when the baseline-range ratio is large. The effectiveness of the proposed algorithm is verified by simulations.
La revisión judicial de los procedimientos “notice-and-comment”: el caso de las normas ambientales

Until 2014, the judicial review of the environmental rules was highly deferential, remarking the discretionary nature of the rulemaking authority of the President. However, this deferential trend was halted by a decision delivered by the Second Environmental Court in December 2014, invalidating the new Primary Standard of Environmental Quality for Particulate Matter MP10, which later was upheld by the Chilean Supreme Court. As we will explore below, these decisions closely resemble the “hard look” review currently employed by the American courts to scrutiny notice-and-comment rulemaking in the United States.
Effect of Impulse on Momentum in Performing on the Trampoline

Abstract The effect of impulse on the performance of a simple bounce and a layout somersault on the trampoline was investigated using a motion picture camera and a dichroic mirror to eliminate the parallax problem. The results showed that a given impulse resulted in proportional time in flight regardless of the stunt done. The results also indicated that the recoil distance of the impulse was the determining factor in time of flight, the time aspect of the impulse being insignificant.
Wild-type opsin does not aggregate with a misfolded opsin mutant.

Rhodopsin is the light receptor in photoreceptor cells that plays a central role in phototransduction and photoreceptor cell health. Mutations in rhodopsin are the leading cause of autosomal dominant retinitis pigmentosa (adRP), a retinal degenerative disease. A majority of mutations in rhodopsin cause misfolding and aggregation of the apoprotein opsin. The pathogenesis of adRP caused by misfolded opsin is unclear. It has been proposed that physical interactions between wild-type opsin and misfolded opsin mutants may underlie the autosomal dominant phenotype. To test whether or not wild-type opsin can form a complex with misfolded opsin mutants, we examined the interactions between wild-type opsin and opsin with a G188R mutation, a clinically identified mutation causing adRP. Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET) was utilized to monitor the interactions between fluorescently tagged opsins expressed in live cells. The FRET assay employed was able to discriminate between properly folded opsin oligomers and misfolded opsin aggregates. Wild-type opsin predominantly formed oligomers and only a minor population formed aggregates. Conversely, the G188R opsin mutant predominantly formed aggregates. When wild-type opsin and G188R opsin were coexpressed in cells, properly folded wild-type opsin did not aggregate with G188R opsin and was trafficked normally to the plasma membrane. Thus, the autosomal dominant phenotype in adRP caused by misfolded opsin mutants is not predicted to arise from physical interactions between wild-type opsin and misfolded opsin mutants.
Translating Perceptual Learning from the Laboratory to Applications

Human training studies in the laboratory have demonstrated plasticity in brain systems and, in some cases, large improvements in perceptual performance, inspiring a quest to develop training apps and systems. We consider the next steps in the translation from the laboratory to the clinic and commerce.
Comparison of internal cardioverter defibrillator implantation techniques: subpectoral position.

BACKGROUND To compare surgical techniques for subpectoral implantation of internal cardioverter defibrillator (ICD). METHODS Sequential comparison with review of the literature. SETTING University Hospital. PARTICIPANTS the patients requiring ICD. INTERVENTIONS ICD insertions and device testing. MEASUREMENTS defibrillation and pacing thresholds, defibrillator lead impedance, operative time, and proximity of generator site to midline, clinical outcomes. RESULTS Comparable efficacy in defibrillation, surgical time and medial placement. No wound infections, seromas or lead dislodgments. Preservation of pectoral muscle integrity. CONCLUSIONS Lateral single incision subpectoral ICD generator placement can be applied consistently with good RESULTS.
Source Parameter Scaling and the Cascadia Paleoseismic Record

Several approaches to interpreting the Cascadia paleoseismic record are used to derive relationships between fault area, slip, and moment and to compare the results with the scaling relationships determined by Somerville et al. (2015) for recent subduction‐zone events. In two models (CA12a and CA12b), taken from Goldfinger et al. (2012), paleoevents are classified into five characteristic areas (CA), with the slip during each event estimated based on the time between the event and either the following or the previous event. In model CA14, taken from Scholz (2014), slip on four characteristic segments is determined from the plate tectonic convergence rate, assuming a constant stress drop. In model CL, introduced in this article, the fault length for paleoevents is defined by the along‐strike length over which the observations have been correlated; width and slip are interpolated from model CA14. CA12a and CA12b show large scatter compared with the global compilation because of large variations in slip for a given area. Models CA14 and CL reproduce the relationship derived for asperities (defined as patches in finite‐fault models with slip >1.5 times the average slip). These models can be reconciled with the total area and average slip from Somerville et al. (2015) by increasing the fault area and decreasing the slip using scaling factors derived from the analysis of recent earthquakes (CLmod1) or by reducing the slip by a factor of ∼8 (CLmod2). CLmod1 implies that the paleoearthquake observations are controlled by high‐slip patches, whereas CLmod2 implies that much of the plate tectonic convergence is accommodated aseismically. A scenario intermediate between CLmod1 and CLmod2 is considered most likely. This study demonstrates the value of using scaling relationships based on modern earthquakes as a tool for evaluating earthquake histories derived from paleoseismic data. Online Material: A table summarizing the source parameters for the different models presented in this article to enable figure reproduction. Figures that summarize the data points used by Somerville et al. (2015), data points from a new analysis that became available after preparation of the main article (Ye et al. , 2016), and results for the turbidite mass model (Goldfinger et al. , 2012) for estimating seismic moment.
AN INITIAL EVALUATION OF THE BTRACKS BALANCE PLATE AND SPORTS BALANCE SOFTWARE FOR CONCUSSION DIAGNOSIS

Background As recently dictated by the American Medical Society, balance testing is an important component in the clinical evaluation of concussion. Despite this, previous research on the efficacy of balance testing for concussion diagnosis suggests low sensitivity (∼30%), based primarily on the popular Balance Error Scoring System (BESS). The Balance Tracking System (BTrackS, Balance Tracking Systems Inc., San Diego, CA, USA) consists of a force plate (BTrackS Balance Plate) and software (BTrackS Sport Balance) which can quickly (<2 min) perform concussion balance testing with gold standard accuracy.
A competency-based educational approach to reproductive biology.

Because of the advancement in general system theory applied to educational programs, it is possible to approach curricula with the use of more rigorous planning techniques and to design and implement teaching programs from an interdisciplinary approach. The competency-based educational model presented and conceptualized will be implemented at the University of Utah during the 1973 to 1974 academic year. Methods used to assess needs, derive competency statements, and establish performance expectations are reported, based on data obtained from the interdisciplinary faculty committee responsible for the reproductive biology program for sophomore medical students. Additionally, specification of attainment procedures, assessment of competence attainment, and means of validating the consequence of the approach are detailed. The need to base curricula change upon sound information should result in enhancing faculty and students' capability to distinguish fads and "tail chasing" from real progress.
Notes on the weasel in historic plains indian culture

One of the smaller mammals of the Creat Plains is the short-legged, slender-bodied, agile and aggressive weasel. The historic Indian tribes of this region did not eat the weasel, but the northern t...
Microcracking and Electric Fatigue of Ferroelectric Ceramics

Materials capable of exhibiting memory (or active) behavior through microstructural transformations have been generally termed as smart materials. Investigations of applications of smart materials in design of structures/systems, which can monitor their own condition, detect impending failure, control damage, and adapt to changing environments, represent a cutting-edge research area. A special class of these materials which can exhibit memory behavior through electrically-induced microstructural transformations, such as ferroelectric crystals, are called electronic smart materials.This project is currently focused upon improvement of the mechanical and electrical strength of ferroelectric crystals.
Survival after pelvic exenteration for uterine malignancy: A National Cancer Data Base study

Abstract Objective To determine overall survival (OS) and factors associated with OS after pelvic exenteration for uterine cancer. Methods Women with uterine cancer who underwent exenteration (n=1160) were identified from the 1998–2011 National Cancer Data Base. Kaplan-Meier and multivariate Cox proportional-hazards survival analyses were performed to test for associations of potential explanatory variables with OS. Analyzed confounders included age, comorbidity score, insurance status, income, distance from home to treatment center, stage, distant and nodal metastasis, tumor size, surgical margin status, exenteration type, and treatment with radiation and/or chemotherapy. Results Among women with follow-up data (n=652), median (IQR) OS was 63.1 (42.2–107.2) and 17.6 (14.7–23.9) months for women with node-negative versus node-positive disease, respectively. Histology (p=1.5×10 −4 ), grade (p=7.9×10 −14 ), race (p=0.0002), lymph node status (p=1.0×10 −14 ), surgical node evaluation (p=2.8×10 −8 ), surgery for distant metastasis (p=0.004), distant metastasis at diagnosis (p=1.3×10 −10 ), positive surgical margins (p=1.6×10 −9 ), radiotherapy (p=0.004), and insurance status (p=6.5×10 −6 ) were significantly associated with differential, unadjusted Kaplan-Meier OS estimates. Exenteration type was not associated with OS (p=0.357). By multivariate regression, increased age, positive surgical margins, nodal metastasis or unknown nodal status, higher histologic grade, and black race were associated with increased hazards for death. Conclusion Exenteration may be curative for well-selected women with uterine cancer, particularly among women with pathologically negative lymph nodes.
The anti-melanoma activity and oncogenic targets of hsa-miR-15a-5p.

MiRNAs regulate gene expression post-transcriptionally and pre-translationally. Through gene regulation, several miRNAs have been found to play a significant role in various diseases. Each miRNA has multiple targets and is able to have a potent, albeit complex, effect on the cells. Specifically, miRNA-15a has been found to significantly reduce cancer cell survival and aggressiveness through multiple mechanisms across several cancer types. Our research found that miRNA-15a was able to decrease melanoma cell viability in-vitro and in-vivo. We have also found that miRNA-15a caused cell cycle arrest at the G 0 /G 1 phase. Moreover, miRNA-15a was found to decrease the invasiveness of melanoma cells. CDCA4 was also discovered as a novel bona-fide target of miRNA-15a. The following oncogenic mRNAs are verified targets of miRNA-15a: CDCA4, BCL2L2, YAP1, AKT-3, Cyclin E1, and γ-Synuclein. In the future we hope to better understand which miRNAs will be effective in different transcriptome and genome environments. Efforts such as the NIH Center for Cancer Genomics’ ‘The Cancer Genome Atlas,’ ‘Cancer Target and Driver Discovery Network,’ and the ‘Human Cancer Models Initiatives’ among others, will help us characterize the specific tumor environments in which different miRNAs are able to reduce cancer proliferation and aggression. This information will be enhanced by improving the delivery of miRNA by inducing its expression in-situ with dCas9 conjugated to activation domains.
The Polar Hero’s Progress: Fridtjof Nansen, Spirituality, and Environmental History

This chapter examines the autobiographical writings of Norwegian national hero Fridtjof Nansen, arguing that Fram over polhavet (Farthest North, 1897) combines tropes of polar expedition rhetoric characterized by rationality, athleticism, and male agency with medieval religious ascetic traditions. The author argues that Nansen offers a complementary model for writing Arctic environmental history in the age of nationalism, colonialism, and the growth of industrial modernity by bringing to the fore spiritual components as constitutive of exploration. These components of Western religiosity emphasize the feminine, passive, and mythical. The author juxtaposes Nansen’s perspectives with Arne Naess’s twentieth-century eco-philosophy. Naess’s “deep ecology” emphasizes a persistent anthropocentrism that continues to influence environmental historiography about the Arctic and the Anthropocene. By bringing these perspectives together, the author offers a new model for understanding polar exploration.
Cherchez ... le bruit! Marcel Proust al servicio de la comunicación moderna

My assumption is that the chasm between inner and outer self is rendered acute in Proust’s notations about domestic and public existence in the modern age, featuring noise as the main intrusive “benefit.” Therefore, two main questions inform this essay: first, what is the relationship between modernization and writerly aesthetic perception? Second, how can this communicative relationship be conceptualized?
Involvement in Bullying among Children with Autism Spectrum Disorders: Parents' Perspectives on the Influence of School Factors.

Children with developmental disabilities are at an increased risk for involvement in bullying, and children with autism spectrum disorders (ASDs) may be at particular risk because of challenges wit...
A Comparative Critique of Cash-Out Mergers in Japan and the US

This article first concisely illustrates the contemporary boom of cash-out mergers and the latest rapid evolution of cash-out takeover experimental legislation in Japan. Japanese lawmakers are curr...
Impact of adherence to antidepressants on long-term prescription opioid use cessation

BackgroundDepression contributes to persistent opioid analgesic use (OAU). Treating depression may increase opioid cessation.AimsTo determine if adherence to antidepressant medications (ADMs) v. non-adherence was associated with opioid cessation in patients with a new depression episode after >90 days of OAU.MethodPatients with non-cancer, non-HIV pain (n = 2821), with a new episode of depression following >90 days of OAU, were eligible if they received ≥1 ADM prescription from 2002 to 2012. ADM adherence was defined as >80% of days covered. Opioid cessation was defined as ≥182 days without a prescription refill. Confounding was controlled by inverse probability of treatment weighting.ResultsIn weighted data, the incidence rate of opioid cessation was significantly (P = 0.007) greater in patients who adhered v. did not adhered to taking antidepressants (57.2/1000 v. 45.0/1000 person-years). ADM adherence was significantly associated with opioid cessation (odds ratio (OR) = 1.24, 95% CI 1.05–1.46).ConclusionsADM adherence, compared with non-adherence, is associated with opioid cessation in non-cancer pain. Opioid taper and cessation may be more successful when depression is treated to remission.Declaration of interestNone.
Initial Single-Site Surgical Experience with SMILE: A Comparison of Results to FDA SMILE, and the Earliest and Latest Generation of LASIK.

The primary objective was to show our initial surgical single-site experience with small incision lenticule extraction (SMILE) after the official enrollment in March 2017 following Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval for simple myopia in late 2016 in the United States and, subsequently, compare our results to the earliest and most advanced generation of excimer platforms for laser-assisted in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) surgery. This was a retrospective single-site study of 68 eyes from 35 patients who had SMILE surgery. The patients’ preoperative and postoperative uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA), corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA), manifest sphere, manifest cylinder, intraoperative complications, and preoperative and postoperative visual symptoms were collected. We compared our findings to the results from the FDA SMILE study, and to the three earliest (1999–2000) and three of the most updated (2013–2016) platforms for LASIK. The cumulative UDVA was 20/20 and 20/40 or better in 74% and 100% of patients, respectively. The intended target refraction was within ± 0.5 and ± 1.00 D in 80% and 93% of cases, respectively. The prevalence of dry eyes decreased by nearly half from 1-week to the 6-month postoperative interval. Patients noted improvement in glare (17%), halos (17%), fluctuation (25%), and depth perception (8%) at the 6-month interval compared to preoperative levels. This study’s findings are consistent with current SMILE reports. Notably, the results are superior to the earliest generation of LASIK, however inferior to the latest excimer platforms. SMILE does meet the efficacy and safety criteria met by FDA; however, there is a definite need for further improvement to reach the superior refractive outcomes produced by the latest generation of LASIK platforms.
Dicarbon­yl{[(E,E)-(2,3,4,5-η)-6-meth­oxy-6-oxo-2,4-hexa­dien­yl]tri­phenyl­phospho­nium}(tri­phenyl­phosphane-κP)iron(1+) hexa­fluorido­phosphate

In the title compound, [Fe(C25H24O2P)(C18H15P)(CO)2]PF6, the Fe atom adopts a square-based pyramidal coordination geometry with the carbonyl groups and the two C=C bonds of the diene defining the basal sites and the phosphane ligand the apical position. The diene ligand has an E,E geometry, with the phospho­nium fragment pointed away from the Fe atom. The crystal structure displays C—H⋯F and C—H⋯O hydrogen bonding. The PF6− anion is rotationally disordered over four orientations.
X-ray diffraction properties and applications of layered synthetic microstructures in the 1 to 10 angstrom region

Layered synthetic microstructures have been built and tested for use as medium-resolution x-ray diffraction monochromators, in the 1 to 10 angstrom wavelength region. They can be employed to good advantage in spectrometry and imaging instruments that are used to determine the nature of the x-ray emission of high-temperature plasmas. When the micro-structures are used in spectrometers, we find that they gather much more light than natural crystals and are not troubled by high order diffraction response, yet have better spectral resolution than that provided by spectrometer channels formed by Ross filter or filter/fluorescer techniques. For use in imaging instruments such as the grazing-incidence reflection Kirkpartick-Baez microscope, the micro-structures provide high reflectivity at wavelengths shorter than the practical limit of total external reflection. We present calibration data that describes the diffraction properties and piece-to-piece uniformity of microstructures built especially for use in the 1 to 10 angstrom region. We also describe in detail two instruments that are to be used at the Shiva laser system to determine the spectral and spatial distributions of x-rays radiated by inertial confinement fusion targets.
PET/MRI for Gastrointestinal Imaging: Current Clinical Status and Future Prospects

Positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) with 2-deoxy-2-[18F]fluoro-d-glucose (FDG) has become the standard of care for the initial staging and subsequent treatment response assessment for numerous gastrointestinal malignancies. However, it is often supplemented by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for local tumor staging. Hybrid PET/MRI scanners, which acquire PET data and MRI data simultaneously, have the potential to provide accurate whole-body staging in a single examination. Furthermore, to address certain limitations of FDG, many new PET tracers have been developed to probe distinctive aspects of tumor biology.
Expiating Apostasy: Baal Peor, Moses, and Intermarriage with a Midianite Woman:

Numbers 25.1–18 tells the story of Baal Peor, a moment lifted up as an example of apostasy and warning for life in the land in Psalm 106, Joshua 22, and Hos. 9.10. The violation central to the story of Baal Peor is intermarriage, for intermarriage is more than sexual relations or idolatry. Intermarriage affirms or forms kinship bonds. Numbers 25.1–18 joins the account of Baal Peor with the story of intermarriage with a Midianite (25.6–18). In this event Moses is confronted for his role in permitting the apostasy and his failure to oversee the people. Furthermore, he is implicated for his own marriage with a Midianite, Zipporah. This article argues that Moses too had yoked himself to the people of Midian. Moses's hybrid and intermarried past is reinterpreted in a new light where Moses's past, synecdochic of Israel's, must be confronted and atoned for, so that a sense of cultural identity can be (re)claimed.
Membrane insertion function for SUN-KASH complex revealed by high resolution analysis of yeast centrosomes

Bipolar spindle formation in yeast requires insertion of centrosomes (known as spindle pole bodies (SPBs)) into fenestrated regions of the nuclear envelope (NE). Using structured-illumination microscopy and bimolecular fluorescence complementation, we map protein distribution at SPB fenestra and interrogate protein-protein interactions with high spatial resolution. We find that the Sad1-UNC-84 (SUN) protein Mps3 forms a ring-like structure around the SPB, similar to toroids seen for components of the SPB insertion network (SPIN). Mps3 and the SPIN component Mps2 (a Klarsicht-ANC-1-Syne-1 domain (KASH)-like protein) form a novel non-canonical linker of nucleoskeleton and cytoskeleton (LINC) complex that is connected in both luminal and extraluminal domains. This hairpin-like LINC complex forms during SPB insertion, suggesting it functions in NE reorganization at the pore membrane. The LINC complex also controls the distribution of a soluble SPIN component Bbp1. Taken together our work shows that Mps3 is a fifth SPIN component and suggests both direct and indirect roles for the LINC complex in NE remodeling.
Interpretable Word Embeddings for Medical Domain

Word embeddings are finding their increasing application in a variety of biomedical Natural Language Processing (bioNLP) tasks, ranging from drug discovery to automated disease diagnosis. While these word embeddings in their entirety have shown meaningful syntactic and semantic regularities, however, the meaning of individual dimensions remains elusive. This becomes problematic both in general and particularly in sensitive domains such as bio-medicine, wherein, the interpretability of results is crucial to its widespread adoption. To address this issue, in this study, we aim to improve the interpretability of pre-trained word embeddings generated from a text corpora, and in doing so provide a systematic approach to formalize the problem. More specifically, we exploit the rich categorical knowledge present in the biomedical domain, and propose to learn a transformation matrix that transforms the input embeddings to a new space where they are both interpretable and retain their original expressive features. Experiments conducted on the largest available biomedical corpus suggests that the model is capable of performing interpretability that resembles closely to the human-level intuition.
The Trouble With Terms

Thousands of new words have been invented in the past decade to help us talk about technology. An analysis of the NIST computer security glossary database shows insights into how we invent and define these words and the impact of those definitions.
Effect of Waste on Ecosystems

Abstract Waste systems produce physical, chemical, and biological stressors that may harm ecosystems. The harm can be manifested in many ways, including loss or diminished quality of habitats, reduced integrity, decreased biodiversity, and changes in resilience. This chapter discusses processes and mechanisms that may be affected by waste management actions, along with recommendations on ways to assess and address problems that can result from these actions.
Modeling of Silicon Photomultiplier Based on Perimeter Gated Single Photon Avalanche Diode

In this paper, we present a new electrical model for perimeter gated single photon avalanche diode (PGSPAD) based silicon photomultiplier (SiPM) detector. A PGSPAD is a SPAD with an added polysilicon gate. The extra gate terminal of the PGSPAD device mitigates premature edge breakdown and tunes the operating range, noise performance, efficacy. The proposed PGSPAD SiPM model accurately simulates the static, dynamic, and stochastic noise behavior of the SiPM detector and includes the effect of the additional gate terminal. Simulation results are validated with experimental measurements of the PGSPAD SiPM fabricated in 0.5 µm CMOS process. The proposed model is a helpful simulation tool for the PGSPAD SiPM designer to evaluate the effect of parameters, optimize the performance with additional gate terminal, and design the optimum readout electronics.
A rare case of hepatocellular carcinoma arising from gadoxetate-retaining hepatic adenoma

Abstract Hepatocellular adenomas (HCAs) are benign lesions of the liver which can rarely undergo malignant transformation. We report a 26-year-old woman with no underlying liver disease found to have an incidental liver lesion on noncontrast CT during workup for gastric reflux. Follow up MRI revealed a 10 cm gadoxetate-retaining lesion within the right hepatic lobe with imaging features suggestive of HCA vs focal nodular hyperplasia . Within this lesion was a focus of arterial enhancement with venous washout suggestive of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) within HCA, later confirmed at surgical resection. Understanding the imaging characteristics of HCAs as well as their rare ability to undergo malignant transformation is useful in differentiating HCAs from focal nodular hyperplasia.