cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Lipoteichoic Acid from Viridans Streptococci Induces the Production of Tumor Necrosis Factor and Nitric Oxide by Murine Macrophages

Bacterial endotoxin or lipopolysaccharide is the major proinflammatory component of gram-negative bacteria, but the components of gram-positive bacteria that trigger the inflammatory cascade are poorly understood. Lipoteichoic acid (LTA) purified from 2 strains of viridans streptococci induced the accumulation of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) mRNA and protein by the murine macrophage cell line RAW 264.7 in a dose- and time-dependent manner. Furthermore, in the presence of recombinant interferon-gamma, LTA from both strains of viridans streptococci provoked the accumulation of inducible nitric oxide (NO) synthase mRNA and the production of NO. Together these observations indicate that LTA can trigger macrophage activation and the production of TNF and NO and suggest that LTA may be an important determinant of the host inflammatory response to gram-positive infection.
Abstract A100: Cooperative defense against acuteClostridium difficileinfection is mediated by two innate lymphoid cell subsets

Clostridium difficile, an opportunistic pathogen that infects the gastrointestinal tract following perturbation of the microbiota, damages the intestinal epithelium and can cause debilitating and potentially fatal colitis. Antibiotic treatment of C. difficile is often ineffective and whether innate immune defenses can be exploited to promote C. difficile clearance is unknown. Innate lymphoid cells (ILCs) are early responders to enteric infection, however, their role during C. difficile infection is undefined. To identify immune pathways that mediate recovery from C. difficile infection, we compared C57BL/6, Rag1-/-, and Rag2-/-Il2rg-/- (Ragγc-/-) mice challenged with C. difficile. In contrast to C57BL/6 and Rag1-/- mice, ILC-deficient Ragγc-/- mice rapidly succumbed to infection. Protection against infection was restored by transferring ILCs into Ragγc-/- mice. While ILC3s made a minor contribution to resistance, loss of T-bet-expressing ILC1s or IFN-γ in Rag1-/- mice increased susceptibility to C. difficile. These data demonstrate a critical role for ILC1s in defense against C. difficile. Citation Format: Michael C. Abt, Brittany B. Lewis, Lilan Ling, Rebecca A. Carter, Boj Susac, Eric G. Pamer. Cooperative defense against acute Clostridium difficile infection is mediated by two innate lymphoid cell subsets. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the CRI-CIMT-EATI-AACR Inaugural International Cancer Immunotherapy Conference: Translating Science into Survival; September 16-19, 2015; New York, NY. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Immunol Res 2016;4(1 Suppl):Abstract nr A100.
EXTENDING A SMOOTH PARAMETER MODEL TO FIRM LOCATION ANALYSES: THE CASE OF NATURAL GAS ESTABLISHMENTS IN THE UNITED STATES†

This paper extends recent developments in regional growth modeling that use spatial regime switching functions to a count regression model of firm location events. The smooth parameter count model (SPCM) allows for a parsimonious parameterization of locally varying coefficients while simultaneously attending to excess-zero count events. An empirical application examines natural gas establishment growth between 2005 and 2010. The smooth parameter model appears to outperform a standard zero-inflated count model. The SPCM may be extended to the location analysis of other industries with the identification of transition variables related to the supply or demand oriented cost structure of the sector.
Cases 1, 2, and 3.

Self-assessment case studies illustrating prudent selection of antimicrobial agents in pneumococcal pneumonia, sinusitis, and atypical pneumonia
Mechanisms of centrally administered ET-1-induced increases in systemic arterial pressure and AVP secretion

Endothelins (ET) within the central nervous system (CNS) alter systemic cardiovascular responses and arginine vasopressin (AVP) secretion. These experiments were designed to ascertain whether the rise in systemic arterial pressure after central administration of ET-1 is mediated by enhancing sympathetic outflow and/or circulating AVP. In Long-Evans (LE/LE) rats, intracerebroventricular injection of 1-10 pmol ET-1 dose dependently increased mean arterial pressure (MAP). Peak response occurred 7-12 min after ET-1 and was inhibited by ETA receptor antagonism. Systemic vasopressin (V1) receptor blockade did not inhibit the pressor response, and rats with central diabetes insipidus (DI/DI) displayed an identical rise in MAP. Ganglionic blockade prevented ET-1-induced hemodynamic effects. Peak plasma AVP levels occurred 60 min after ET-1, as the pressor response began to wane. In sinoaortic-denervated LE/LE rats, ET-1 elicited a 10-fold increase in AVP secretion that coincided with the hemodynamic changes and was blocked by BQ-123. Thus ET-1 via ETA receptors within the CNS induced a concentration-dependent increase in systemic arterial pressure mediated by enhanced sympathetic outflow but not by circulating AVP. Reflex baroreceptor activation attenuated AVP release.
Body mass index, falls, and injurious falls among U.S. adults: Findings from the 2014 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System

Falls are an important health concern because they are associated with loss of independence and disability, particularly among women. We determined the age- and sex-specific prevalence of injurious falls among adults in the United States and examined the impact of obesity on fall risk. Self-reported falls, injurious falls, and health histories were obtained from 280,035 adults aged 45-79years in the 2014 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System. Body mass index was categorized as underweight (<18.5kg/m2), normal weight (18.5-24.9kg/m2), overweight 25-29.9kg/m2), class I obesity (30.0-34.9kg/m2), or class II/III obesity (≥35.0kg/m2) based on self-reported height and weight. Data were analyzed using weighted age- and sex-specific prevalence rates and Poisson regression. Overall, 11.0% reported ≥1 injurious fall in the previous 12months. Mid-life women 55-59years reported the highest prevalence of injurious falls (15.4%). Among mid-life women, overweight was associated with injurious falls (RR=1.17; 95% CI: 1.08, 1.28), but overweight was not associated with falling among other age-sex groups. Class II/III obesity was associated with injurious falls among all age-sex groups. After considering the mediators like health conditions (depression, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, arthritis) and behaviors (physical activity, sleep), the association of class II/III obesity and injurious fall risk persisted only among mid-life women (RR=1.23; 95% CI: 1.12, 1.36). Not only are mid-life women at high risk for falls, but the class II/III obesity is a risk factor for injurious falls. Targeting mid-life women for fall and injury prevention is an important aim for practitioners, particularly given unique correlates of falling for this group.
Experiential Learning at the Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky.

This article describes the model for The Gatton Academy of Mathematics and Science in Kentucky where Kentucky’s young people can extend their learning through university classes, global experiences...
Established cell surface markers efficiently isolate highly overlapping populations of skeletal muscle satellite cells by fluorescence-activated cell sorting.

Fluorescent-activated cell sorting (FACS) has enabled the direct isolation of highly enriched skeletal muscle stem cell, or satellite cell, populations from postnatal tissue. Several distinct surface marker panels containing different positively selecting surface antigens have been used to distinguish muscle satellite cells from other non-myogenic cell types. Because functional and transcriptional heterogeneity is known to exist within the satellite cell population, a direct comparison of results obtained in different laboratories has been complicated by a lack of clarity as to whether commonly utilized surface marker combinations select for distinct or overlapping subsets of the satellite cell pool. This study therefore sought to evaluate phenotypic and functional overlap among popular satellite cell sorting paradigms. Utilizing a transgenic Pax7-zsGreen reporter mouse, we compared the overlap between the fluorescent signal of canonical paired homeobox protein 7 (Pax7) expressing satellite cells to cells identified by combinations of surface markers previously published for satellite cells isolation. We designed two panels for mouse skeletal muscle analysis, each composed of markers that exclude hematopoietic and stromal cells (CD45, CD11b, Ter119, CD31, and Sca1), combined with previously published antibody clones recognizing surface markers present on satellite cells (β1-integrin/CXCR4, α7-integrin/CD34, and Vcam1). Cell populations were comparatively analyzed by flow cytometry and FACS sorted for functional assessment of myogenic activity. Consistent with prior reports, each of the commonly used surface marker schemes evaluated here identified a highly enriched satellite cell population, with 89–90 % positivity for Pax7 expression based on zsGreen fluorescence. Distinct surface marker panels were also equivalent in their ability to identify the majority of the satellite cell pool, with 90–93 % of all Pax7-zsGreen positive cells marked by each of the surface marker schemes. The direct comparison among surface marker schemes validated their selection for highly overlapping subsets of cells. Functional analysis in vitro showed no differences in the abilities of cells sorted by these different methods to grow in culture and differentiate. This study demonstrates the equivalency of several previously published and widely utilized surface marker schemes for isolating a highly purified and myogenically active population of satellite cells from the mouse skeletal muscle, which should facilitate cross-comparison of data across laboratories.
Developing Leadership Capacity in Indonesian Higher Education

Expanding the capacity of higher education has been a public policy mandate in Indonesia for the past decade. The development imperative to move to a knowledge economy requires far-reaching reform of tertiary education in terms of governance and administrative leadership; quality of research, teaching, and service; and expansion to accommodate increased demand. This chapter describes a project supported by the United States Agency for International Development and carried out by a consortium of three research universities in the Midwest with the goal of strengthening leadership and management capacity for senior higher education leaders, such as heads of department, deans, rectors, and presidents. Initiatives at the national, consortium, and institutional level over a five-year period as well as results and remaining challenges are described.
Analyzing deviant behaviors on social media using cyber forensics-based methodologies

Today human behaviors are easily influenced by mobile technologies. With the widespread availability of inexpensive mass communication tools deviant actors and groups are able to carry out information warfare online. By utilizing cyber forensic based techniques one is able to gain insight into the “who, what, when, where, and why” of these actors, blogs, and groups. The terrorist organization ISIL for example, is able to effectively militarize social media in order to coordinate cyber campaigns and steer public behavior and perspectives through the use of propaganda. Through the utilization cyber forensic based tools on information put out by these actors; one is able to obtain a great deal of Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) about these groups and their activities, such as, influential bloggers, websites, blogs, locations, and social media accounts. However, utilizing cyber forensic tools of this kind manually on large datasets is both time consuming and error prone; this paper will present a JavaFX application which automates the cyber forensics process for this reason. Both the Center of Social Media and Online Behavioral Studies (COSMOS) and Blogtrackers researchers headed by Dr. Nitin Agarwal at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock (UALR) have been investigating and analyzing these blogs to gain situational awareness from the internet and across social media. This tool will allow the Blogtrackers team to effectively collect, analyze, and visualize the gathered data which is then, in some cases, presented to NATO and the Office of Naval Research (ONR).
Measures of Disease Frequency

1. Measures of disease frequency: a. Clarify the significance of a particular health problem b. Help guide resource allocation c. Provide basic insight into the pathogenesis of disease 2. Point prevalence describes the amount of disease at a particular point in time. 3. Incidence describes the number of new cases of disease that develop over time. 4. Incidence may be expressed as incidence proportion or incidence rate. 5. Incidence rate accounts for follow-up time 6. Measures of disease frequency can be stratified, or broken up, by person, place, or time characteristics to gain insight into a disease process.
CREMOR: CREdibility Model on Online Reviews-How people Consider Online Reviews Believable

The Internet is deeply changing how buyers and sellers interact in the marketplace. The Web enables consumers to be informed on their purchases both online and offline thanks to crowdsourced reviews. However, recent studies have found evidence that online consumers review could be not truthful as some users such as owners, competitors, paid users, sometimes post fake reviews. In this context the question of credibility is becoming more and more relevant in the Web 2.0 environment in which the concepts of social influence and electronic word of mouth are acquiring a great importance. The user’s perception of online reviews can influence source credibility and the perception of the quality of a product/service, as well as the likelihood that someone will purchase the product/service. This study proposes a model that analyses elements that influence online information credibility and the impact of the perceived credibility on purchase intention.
Plane-Wave DFT Methods for Chemistry

Abstract A detailed description of modern plane-wave density functional theory (DFT) methods and software (contained in the NWChem package) is described that allows for both geometry optimization and ab initio molecular dynamics simulations. Significant emphasis is placed on aspects of these methods that are of interest to computational chemists and useful for simulating chemistry, including techniques for calculating charged systems, exact exchange (i.e., hybrid DFT methods), and highly efficient AIMD/MM methods. Sample applications on the structure of the goethite + water interface and the hydrolysis of nitroaromatic molecules are described.
Monetary Policy Slope and the Stock Market

We construct a slope factor from changes in federal funds futures of different horizons. Slope predicts stock returns at the weekly frequency: faster monetary policy easing positively predicts excess returns. Investors can achieve increases in weekly Sharpe ratios of 20% conditioning on the slope factor. The tone of speeches by the FOMC chair correlates with the slope factor. Slope predicts changes in future interest rates and forecast revisions of professional forecasters. Our findings show that the path of future interest rates matters for asset prices, and monetary policy affects asset prices throughout the year and not only at FOMC meetings.
The Delegates Speak

While the Evian Conference was dominated by the Big Three, it was always intended that it would be a meeting in which the widest range of views would be canvassed. This chapter examines the statements of the remaining delegates making presentations. It divides them into three groups; the Europeans, the Latin Americans, and the British Dominions, showing that a remarkable conformity ran through all the presentations. While the statements for the most part projected a tolerant and welcoming attitude when and if it suited their countries’ interests, when it came to actually demonstrating how far their commitment would extend they all found reasons not to proceed with any firm proposals for opening their doors to refugees. The chapter thus also exposes a number of myths that have since come to characterize popular understandings of the conference.
Inserting Porphyrin Quantum Dots in Bottom‐Up Synthesized Graphene Nanoribbons

Diels-Alder copolymerization of tetraphenylcyclopentadienone, a precursor for cove graphene nanoribbons (cGNRs), with bifunctional porphyrins yields defined nanostructures comprised of a single cGNR-porphyrin-cGNR heterojunction within each ribbon. 13 C NMR labeling and high-resolution mass spectrometry of solubilized polymer intermediates indicates that every porphyrin is covalently linked to two extended segments of cGNRs. UV/Vis absorption and fluorescence emission spectroscopy reveal a strong electronic correlation between the porphyrin and the adjacent cGNR segments that can be attenuated through reversible metalation of the porphyrin core. This versatile bottom-up synthetic strategy provides access to structurally well-defined, functional GNR-quantum dot-GNR heterostructures within a single graphene nanoribbon.
Longitudinal evaluation of student professionalism throughout the professional didactic curriculum of a pharmacy program

Abstract Introduction The purpose of this study is to evaluate longitudinal changes in professionalism of pharmacy students across the curriculum using a validated instrument that minimizes ceiling effect. Methods The Professionalism Assessment Tool (PAT) was administered to first, second, and third year PharmD students twice throughout the first and second professional year (P1 and P2) and three times throughout the third professional year (P3). Results Longitudinal increases in all five domains of professionalism of the PAT were noted as students progressed through each year of the didactic curriculum. Most demographic categories (sex, age, employment in a pharmacy, and number of other degrees held) of respondents did not affect self-assessment results. Two demographic categories, the number of student organizations and age group, had statistically significant impact on self-reported professionalism. Conclusions This pilot study showed longitudinal improvement in student self-assessment of professionalism over the course of the didactic curriculum at one school. Self-assessment of pharmacy student professionalism increased over the course of the didactic curriculum and was not affected by most demographics.
Field measurement of the reduction in local pressure from ice management

Abstract Local ice pressures are an important design consideration for vessels performing offshore stationkeeping operations, particularly in the late spring and early fall shoulder seasons when they tend to govern over global loading in the development of operating limits. This paper presents analysis of full-scale data that demonstrates the reduction in local pressures provided by ice management. The data was collected during the Oden Arctic Technology Research Cruise in 2015. The distinguishing aspect of this program was the use of two icebreakers, Oden and Frej, which provided the unique opportunity to conduct a full-scale stationkeeping trial in realistic managed ice conditions. Previous local ice pressure data collection programs have occurred during transit in unmanaged ice, ramming of multi-year ice and bergy bit impacts. These have been used to establish recommendations for local design pressures, however they are not completely representative of conditions while stationkeeping in managed ice. In this study the up-crossing rate method was used to analyze local pressure data collected from strain gaged load panels on the Frej's hull. The results indicate that local pressures from stationkeeping in managed ice are two to four times lower than the transiting cases most analogous to previous data. This provides a sound basis for advocating local design pressures that are lower than current recommendations, and also more representative of actual operating conditions. This can potentially extend the operating envelope of offshore vessels leading to significant savings, while still maintaining limits consistent with accepted risk profiles.
Toward Better-Quality Compounded Drugs — An Update from the FDA

Since the 2012 fungal meningitis outbreak caused by a compounded drug that had been prepared under inappropriate conditions, the FDA’s experience in monitoring pharmacy compounding has demonstrated the need for further improvement in compounding practices.
Profitability Analysis of Fresh Tomato Retail Marketing In Some Major Markets Of Kano State, Nigeria

Small scale farmers in Nigeria can’t do without tomato production because of its special attributes and quick cash generation as tomato is being viewed as cash crop, despites it perishable and none storable nature. The study examined the profitability of fresh tomato retail marketing in major markets of Kano State. A total of 149 respondents were randomly selected from the four market sites selected purposively due to the high concentration of continuous retail marketing throughout the year, the market sites are; Tarauni, ‘Yan Kaba, Garin Dau and Wudil Market. Information was collected using structured questionnaire. Deconstructed marketing margin was used for the analysis, the results revealed the marketing margin to be N452.6 and –N374.5 per basket at the peak and the off season respectively. Transportation cost accounts for about 35% and 40% of the total marketing cost for on and off season respectively. The study concluded that the retail marketing of fresh tomato is generally profitable and recommends that fresh tomato retail marketers should imbibe the idea of collective purchase in order to minimize transportation cost for maximum profit, it further recommends agricultural scientists to find ways of reducing postharvest losses at all levels of marketing so as to make the price of the commodity relatively stable throughout the year to ensure sustainability in the business.
The NCI-MATCH trial and precision medicine in gynecologic cancers.

Abstract The Precision Medicine Initiative is a National Cancer Institute (NCI) driven interdisciplinary collaborative effort to test the feasibility of trials incorporating genomic profiling when choosing patient therapies. The goal of the initiative is to generate the scientific evidence needed to move the concept of precision medicine, or targeted therapy, into clinical practice. The rapid development and widespread availability of next generation sequencing provides access to information regarding an individual's tumor at various times during the course of their disease. Translating the aberrations specific to a patient's tumor into personalized treatment is the concept behind "basket" trials, and thus categorize patients' cancers based on the sequencing of the tumor, rather than the organ of origin. The NCI Molecular Analysis for Therapy Choice (MATCH) trial [NCT02465060] is a multi-site, collaborative effort between the NCI and several pharmaceutical companies that is beginning to clarify the significance of molecular alterations in tumors. This trial was designed to assign targeted treatment based on molecular alterations identified from a tumor biopsy obtained after study enrollment and determine the efficacy of this treatment. This review article will briefly discuss known genomic aberrations in gynecologic cancers, and then provide an overview of the NCI-MATCH trial with an update on accrual and recent interim analysis. We will also review current FDA-approved precision therapies for gynecologic malignancies, such as poly (ADP ribose) polymerase (PARP) inhibitors.
Role of Thioredoxin in Age-Related Hypertension

Although the roles of oxidant stress and redox perturbations in hypertension have been the subject of several reviews, role of thioredoxin (Trx), a major cellular redox protein in age-related hypertension remains inadequately reviewed. The purpose of this review is to bring readers up-to-date with current understanding of the role of thioredoxin in age-related hypertension. Age-related hypertension is a major underlying cause of several cardiovascular disorders, and therefore, intensive management of blood pressure is indicated in most patients with cardiovascular complications. Recent studies have shown that age-related hypertension was reversed and remained lowered for a prolonged period in mice with higher levels of human Trx (Trx-Tg). Additionally, injection of human recombinant Trx (rhTrx) decreased hypertension in aged wild-type mice that lasted for several days. Both Trx-Tg and aged wild-type mice injected with rhTrx were normotensive, showed increased NO production, decreased arterial stiffness, and increased vascular relaxation. These studies suggest that rhTrx could potentially be a therapeutic molecule to reverse age-related hypertension in humans. The reversal of age-related hypertension by restoring proteins that have undergone age-related modification is conceptually novel in the treatment of hypertension. Trx reverses age-related hypertension via maintaining vascular redox homeostasis, regenerating critical vasoregulatory proteins oxidized due to advancing age, and restoring native function of proteins that have undergone age-related modifications with loss-of function. Recent studies demonstrate that Trx is a promising molecule that may ameliorate or reverse age-related hypertension in older adults.
The relative importance of social anxiety facets on disordered eating in pediatric obesity.

Children with obesity demonstrate increased risk for eating disorders and internalizing psychopathology. Research in adults indicates unique facets of social anxiety differentially relate to eating pathology. These associations remain understudied in pediatric samples. The current study evaluated associations between social anxiety and disordered eating, and tested the relative importance of distinct social anxiety constructs—fear of negative evaluation, social anxiety in general situations, and social anxiety in new situations—for disordered eating in weight-loss treatment-seeking youth with obesity. One-hundred and thirty-five youth (Mage 12.6 years; Range 8–17 years; MBMIz = 2.6) from a multidisciplinary outpatient pediatric obesity clinic completed questionnaires assessing dimensions of social anxiety and the Children’s Eating Attitudes Test (ChEAT). Dominance analyses were used to evaluate the relative importance of social anxiety facets associated with ChEAT subscales. Social anxiety subscales did not correlate with Dieting scores. Dominance analyses indicated Fear of Negative Evaluation (FNE) evinced complete dominance, thus, emerging as the most important predictor relative to other social anxiety components for Body/Weight Concern and Food Preoccupation. General dominance weights for FNE accounted for more than twice the shared and unique variance, relative to other independent variables within the Body/Weight Concern and Food Preoccupation models, respectively. Unique facets of social anxiety differentially relate to disordered eating in youth with obesity. Findings suggest nuanced assessment of anxiety constructs, such as FNE, in pediatric obesity treatment settings may aid in identifying youth at risk for disordered eating attitudes and behaviors. Level V, cross-sectional descriptive study.
THE CANADIAN VERTICAL AXIS HYDRO TURBINE PROGRAM “TIDAL APPLICATION”

ABSTRACT A description is given of the vertical axis hydro turbine (VAHT) and how it may be applied to tidal applications. Work on a large scale VAHT in the Minas Passage of the Bay of Fundy, Nova Scotia, Canada is discussed. Performance and tidal dynamics are presented along with a description of what the large scale VAHT might look like. Further work is necessary to determine technical and cost feasibility.
Updates are Not Available: FDA Regulations Deter Manufacturers from Quickly and Effectively Responding to Software Problems Rendering Medical Devices Vulnerable to Malware and Cybersecurity Threats

Many medical devices contain proprietary or off-the-shelf software, which the device relies on for its operation. Like most software, this software often contains errors and vulnerabilities that may lead to malfunction or failures either as a result of the error itself or due to malware infection, or cybersecurity threats. Software errors and vulnerabilities are commonly addressed through software updates, however, manufacturer approval and issuance of updates for software on medical devices is often hindered by the confusion over regulatory requirements. This Article analyzes the regulations applying to software updates on medical devices that have been approved through premarket application, 510(k) clearance, or alternatively as a combination product. There are three obligations when issuing a software update for a medical device: (1) reporting obligation, (2) whether to resubmit for 510(k) clearance or file a PMA supplement, and (3) quality system obligation to verify and validate the update. Not all software updates will engage the first two types of obligations and require FDA approval or clearance, such as anti-virus security patches. However, due to the expense to manufacturers to even fulfill the quality system obligations, there is an imminent need to clarify the process for issuing updates and also when updates must be made. This Article describes detailed recommendations for clarifications to the current regulations to assist manufacturers in determining their specific obligations. Additionally, this Article explores the difficult problem of determining what level of software vulnerability is acceptable in a medical device, particularly when dealing with malware and cybersecurity threats. This Article further explores the software update issues that arise in the context of mobile medical applications (ex. smartphone or tablet apps) that are regulated as medical devices. In general, mobile medical applications run on restrictive platforms which device manufacturers have relatively little control over. This Article highlights the difficulties that will arise in regulating such mobile medical applications in the same manner as other medical devices and stresses the need to clarify the device manufacturers obligations for preventing users from using the application on unapproved hardware models or operating system versions.
Long-Term (15 Years) Results After Radical Prostatectomy For Clinically Localized (Stage T2c Or Lower) Prostate Cancer

AbstractTo provide information about long-term outcome after radical prostatectomy for clinically localized prostatic cancer (stage T2c or lower), we undertook a retrospective analysis of 3,170 consecutive patients (mean age 65.3 ± 6.4 years, range 31 to 81) with a mean followup of 5 years. Complication rates for patients who underwent prostatectomy before 1988 were compared with those who underwent radical prostatectomy more recently. Of the patients 49 (1.5%), 178 (5.6%), 897 (28%) and 2,047 (65%) had clinical stages T1a, T1b, T2a and T2b,c disease, respectively. The Gleason score was 3 or less in 292 patients (9%) and 7 or greater in 782 (25%). Overall, 438 patients (14%) died, 159 (5%) of cancer. The crude 10 and 15-year survival rates for all patients were 75% and 60%, respectively, which is comparable to the expected survival of a control group (67% and 46%). The cause specific survival rates were 90% and 82%, respectively, metastasis-free survival rates 82% and 76%, local recurrence-free survival r...
A 67-Year-Old Man With Palpitations During Sleep.

Case Presentation A 67-year-old man with a history of atrial fibrillation (AF) presented to his physician with symptoms of episodic, nighttime palpitations and excessive daytime sleepiness. Four years prior he underwent radiofrequency ablation after a confirmed diagnosis of AF with subsequent resolution of his palpitations. His palpitations returned approximately 1 year following the ablation. These events would occur only at night and awake him from sleep. Holter monitoring showed baseline sinus rhythm with multiple episodes of AF with rates of 75 to 169 beats/min. These events were all nocturnal and correlated with the symptom diary; episodes ranged from 45 min to 2 h. An echocardiogram showed normal left ventricular size and ejection fraction with a mildly enlarged right atrium (4.38 cm) and no evidence of pulmonary hypertension.
Stable invitations

We consider the situation in which an organizer is trying to convene an event, and needs to choose whom out of a given set of agents to invite. Agents have preferences over how many attendees should be at the event and possibly also who the attendees should be. This induces a stability requirement: All invited agents should prefer attending to not attending, and all the other agents should not regret being not invited. The organizer's objective is to find an invitation of maximum size, subject to the stability requirement. We investigate the computational complexity of finding such an invitation when agents are truthful, as well as the mechanism design problem when agents act strategically.
Evaluation of Intense Androgen Deprivation Before Prostatectomy: A Randomized Phase II Trial of Enzalutamide and Leuprolide With or Without Abiraterone

PURPOSEPatients with locally advanced prostate cancer have an increased risk of cancer recurrence and mortality. In this phase II trial, we evaluate neoadjuvant enzalutamide and leuprolide (EL) wit...
Using crowdsourced fitness tracker data to model the relationship between slope and travel rates

Abstract One of the critical factors affecting travel rates while hiking, jogging, or running along a trail is the slope of the underlying terrain. Models for predicting this effect have been used in a wide variety of scientific and applied contexts, including recreation planning, search and rescue, wildland firefighter safety, social network analysis, and recreating historical human movement patterns. Despite their wide use, these models are based on datasets with very small sample sizes that were collected without using instantaneous measures of travel rate and assume symmetrical effects about the slope of maximum travel rate. These models also typically resulted in a single mathematical function, ignoring the significant variability that can occur between a fast and a slow individual, or between walking and running travel rates. In this study we modeled travel rates using a database of GPS tracks from 29,928 individuals representing 421,247 individual hikes, jogs, and runs on trails in and around Salt Lake City, Utah for an entire year between July 1, 2016 and June 30, 2017. Three widely-used probability distribution functions (Laplace, Gauss, and Lorentz) were used to predict travel rates based on terrain slope along segments of trails with uniform slopes. To account for the variability in travel rates between fast and slow movement, a series of travel rate models were generated to predict travel rate percentiles, ranging from the 1st to the 99th, thus providing a flexible basis for predicting travel rates as a function of slope. The large number of samples allowed us to introduce a novel term that accounts for asymmetry in travel rates on uphill and downhill slopes. All three functions performed well, with Lorentz percentile models averaging an R2 of 0.958 and a mean absolute error (MAE) of 0.078 m/s, Laplace with R2 of 0.953 and MAE of 0.088 m/s, and Gauss with R2 of 0.949 and MAE of 0.090 m/s. All three functions performed notably better at estimating lower travel rate percentiles (e.g. 5th: R2Lorentz = 0.941; R2Laplace = 0.940; R2Gauss = 0.934) as compared to higher (e.g. 95th: R2Lorentz = 0.914; R2Laplace = 0.913; R2Gauss = 0.908), indicating greater consistency in walking rates than the fastest running rates. Lorentz outperformed the other functions for the widest range of percentiles (5th, 30th-90th), and thus is recommended for use as a flexible travel rate prediction function. However, Laplace tended to produce the best results at moderately-low travel rate percentiles (10th-25th), suggesting a combination of the two models could produce the highest accuracies. The results of this research provide a sound basis for future studies aiming to estimate travel rates while hiking or running along slopes.
Will my cat eat my eyeballs? Big questions from tiny mortals about death

While sometimes shelved under humour, Doughty’s book is so much more than a list of funny one-liners (although those certainly exist here). Doughty has brought her Order of the Good Death mission t...
Diversity and Function of the Eastern Oyster (Crassostrea virginica) Microbiome

ABSTRACT Marine invertebrate microbiomes play important roles in various host and ecological processes. However, a mechanistic understanding of host-microbe interactions is so far only available for a handful of model organisms. Here, an integrated taxonomic and functional analysis of the microbiome of the eastern oyster, Crassostrea virginica, was performed using 16S rRNA gene amplicon profiling, shotgun metagenomics, and genome-scale metabolic reconstruction. A relatively low number of amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) were observed in oyster tissues compared to water samples, while high variability was observed across individual oysters and among different tissue types. Targeted metagenomic sequencing of the gut microbiota led to further characterization of a dominant bacterial taxon, the class Mollicutes, which was captured by the reconstruction of a metagenome-assembled genome (MAG). Genome-scale metabolic reconstruction of the oyster Mollicutes MAG revealed a reduced set of metabolic functions and a high reliance on the uptake of host-derived nutrients. A chitin degradation and an arginine deiminase pathway were unique to the MAG as compared to other closely related Mycoplasma genomes, indicating a distinct mechanism of carbon and energy acquisition by the oyster- associated Mollicutes. A systematic reanalysis of public eastern oyster-derived microbiome data revealed the Mollicutes as a ubiquitous taxon among adult oysters despite their general absence in larvae and biodeposit samples, suggesting potential horizontal transmission via an unknown mechanism. IMPORTANCE Despite well-documented biological significance of invertebrate microbiomes, a detailed taxonomic and functional characterization is frequently missing from many non-model marine invertebrates. By using 16S rRNA gene-based community profiling, shotgun metagenomics, and genome-scale metabolic reconstruction, this study provides an integrated taxonomic and functional analysis of the microbiome of the eastern oyster, Crassostrea virginica. Community profiling revealed a surprisingly low richness, as compared to surrounding seawater, and high variability among different tissue types and individuals. Reconstruction of a Mollicutes MAG enabled the phylogenomic positioning and functional characterization of the oyster-associated Mollicutes. Comparative analysis of the adult oyster gut, biodeposits, and oyster larvae samples indicated the potentially ubiquitous associations of the Mollicutes taxon with adult oysters. To the best of our knowledge, this study represented the first metagenomics derived functional inference of the eastern oyster microbiome. An integrated analytical procedure was developed for the functional characterization of microbiomes in other non-model host species.
Collaborative Robotics Toolkit (CRTK): Open Software Framework for Surgical Robotics Research

Robot-assisted minimally invasive surgery has made a substantial impact in operating rooms over the past few decades with their high dexterity, small tool size, and impact on adoption of minimally invasive techniques. In recent years, intelligence and different levels of surgical robot autonomy have emerged thanks to the medical robotics endeavors at numerous academic institutions and leading surgical robot companies. To accelerate interaction within the research community and prevent repeated development, we propose the Collaborative Robotics Toolkit (CRTK), a common API for the RAVEN-II and da Vinci Research Kit (dVRK) - two open surgical robot platforms installed at more than 40 institutions worldwide. CRTK has broadened to include other robots and devices, including simulated robotic systems and industrial robots. This common API is a community software infrastructure for research and education in cutting edge human-robot collaborative areas such as semi-autonomous teleoperation and medical robotics. This paper presents the concepts, design details and the integration of CRTK with physical robot systems and simulation platforms.
Nanoliposomal irinotecan-based chemotherapy after regular irinotecan-based chemotherapy in patients with pancreas cancer.

402Background: Pancreas cancer is an aggressive malignancy with limited therapeutic options. Nanoliposomal irinotecan (Nal-IRI) is a preferred second-line treatment, and current guidelines recommen...
Morphogenesis and Properties of the Bacterial Spore

This chapter focuses on the spore nucleoid, concentrating on the small acid-soluble spore proteins (SASP), which saturate the spore chromosome and play an important role in protecting spore DNA from damage. It also discusses spore cortex and germ cell wall, which concentrates on the precise structure of the peptidoglycan (PG) in these two layers, as well as the synthesis and function of these two structures. The spore coat is also discussed in the chapter, which covers the properties and functions of indi­vidual coat proteins, as well as the function and assembly of the coat structure itself. The spore cortex surrounds the spore core, between the inner and outer forespore membranes, and is composed predominantly of PG, although there may also be some proteins present. While the identities of such cortical proteins have not been established, good candidates are enzymes involved in cortex lysis during spore germination. The outermost structure common to spores of all species is called the coat. This complex shell consists of a series of one or more morphologically distinct layers (depending on the species) that protect the spore from a variety of noxious molecules and from mechanical damage. The primary role of the coat is to protect the spore. It does this, at the very least, by acting as a sieve that excludes all but the smallest molecules from the spore interior and by providing mechanical strength.
An Experimental Study on Film Cooling Performance Behind Barchan Dune-Shaped Ramps Using PSP and PIV Techniques

A novel Barchan-dune-assisted film cooling configuration was proposed and examined in present study. The effects of mass flux ratio, location, and height of Barchan dunes on film cooling effectiveness were investigated in great detail using the Pressure Sensitive Paint (PSP) and Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) techniques. The PSP measurement results showed that the Barchan-dune-assisted film cooling configuration (H=0.5D, DB=−0.9D) can greatly enhance the film cooling effectiveness for flow from a cylindrical hole in relatively high mass flux ratio (M>0.85), which was explained by the PIV results in this study. Meanwhile the effects of Barchan dune location and height indicated that the film cooling performance of the Barchan-dune-assisted configuration is closely related to the height and location of the dune. It is wiser to choose Barchan dune of H=0.5D when it is placed upstream of the coolant hole, however the H=0.3D configuration is a better choice for placing the dune downstream.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
WHICH ADOLESCENT EXPERIMENTERS PROGRESS TO ESTABLISHED SMOKING IN THE UNITED STATES

Introduction This study examined the adolescent smoking uptake process, specifically, the progression from experimentation to established smoking. Although adolescent smoking uptake has been described as consisting of five stages (preparation, initial trying, experimentation, regular smoking, and addiction), there is no accepted method of identifying which experimenters will proceed to become addicted. Methods Using a nationally representative sample of adolescents between the ages of 12 and 18 at baseline, we examined their transition from experimentation (had at least a puff but has not smoked 100 cigarettes) to established smoking (smoked at least 100 cigarettes in lifetime) four years later. Results At follow-up, 31% of the experimenters at baseline had progressed to established smoking. Baseline level of smoking experience was the strongest independent predictor of established smoking, with current experimenters (smoked in the past 30 days but less than 100 cigarettes in lifetime) having the greatest risk of progressing to established smoking compared to puffers (puffed but have not smoked a whole cigarette). Furthermore, this effect was modified by age; older current experimenters at baseline had more than double the risk of younger current experimenters of progressing to established smoking at follow-up. Absence of a firm commitment not to smoke was a significant predictor among older experimenters but not in younger experimenters. Other important predictors of the transition from experimentation to established smoking were exposure to other smokers and perceived school performance. Conclusions We found that, even among experimenters, there is an identifiable group of adolescents who are at higher risk of progressing to established smoking that can be targeted for intervention.
Ultraviolet Si IV/C IV Ratios for Be Stars

The intensities of the very strong lines of C iv λ 1549 A and Si iv λλ 1394, 1403 A observed in spectra obtained with Skylab experiment S019 provide a sensitive discrimination of spectral type between B0 and B2. Eye estimates of the Si iv/C iv ratio are tabulated for 33 B0–B2, class III—V stars of which 11 are emission-line stars. Seven of the emission-line stars show significantly smaller ratios than normal stars of the same MK class. The most outstanding examples are 60 Cyg, ο Pup, η Cen, and ι Ara.
Practical model-checking method for verifying correctness of MPI programs

Formal program verification often requires creating a model of the program and running it through a model-checking tool. However, this model-creation step is itself error prone, tedious, and difficult for someone not familiar with formal verification. In this paper, we describe a tool for verifying correctness of MPI programs that does not require the creation of a model and instead works directly on the MPI program. Our tool uses the MPI profiling interface, PMPI, to trap MPI calls and hand over control of the MPI function execution to a scheduler. The scheduler verifies correctness of the program by executing all "relevant" interleavings of the program. The scheduler records an initial trace and replays its interleaving variants by using dynamic partial-order reduction. We describe the design and implementation of the tool and compare it with our previous work based on model checking.
Treatment of syndesmoses disruptions: A prospective, randomized study comparing conventional screw fixation vs TightRope® fiber wire fixation - medium term results

Background: Open reduction and screw fixation is the current standard treatment for displaced injuries of the ankle syndesmosis. Despite reduction and stable internal fixation, however, these injuries do not uniformly have excellent outcomes. In addition, screw fixation has potential disadvantages. Materials and methods: An ongoing prospective, randomized clinical trial comparing conventional screw fixation with TightRope ® fiber wire fixation for syndesmosis injuries. The objective of this paper is also to provide an overview of the important anatomical and biomechanical issues relating to syndesmosis injuries. Results: At medium term follow-up the TightRope ® fiber wire fixation group had a statistically significant better range of motion compared to conventional screw fixation. The AOFAS ankle and hindfoot score did not show a significant difference between the two groups.