cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cardiac imaging in the evaluation of patients presenting to the emergency department with chest pain

Despite the utility and benefits that each imaging modality has to offer, it is easy to see why there is still no perfect choice for a noninvasive cardiac imaging modality to assist in the management of chest pain patients. All of the current imaging techniques have their own significant strengths and weaknesses when compared with other modalities. SPECT and echocardiography are wellestablished technologies that can directly assess the presence of myocardial ischemia and its functional consequence on RF; newer and more expensive techniques such as MDCT and CMR can directly assess coronary anatomy and have just started to be evaluated in the acute chest pain setting. There are no studies that directly compare these technologies, and more data are clearly needed before the question of whether anatomic imaging versus perfusion/function imaging is the better approach can be answered. Other comparisons such as relative safety, availability, logistics, and cost-effectiveness between the various technologies are also lacking. Of all of the imaging modalities discussed, MCE is the only portable technology. The images do not require expensive software or other technology for offline processing before interpretation, and any trained cardiologist can read the study at the bedside or, potentially, over the Internet, providing near-instantaneous results in the acute cardiac setting, where time is of the essence. MCE is also relatively cheap compared with other technologies, a potential advantage for payors but not necessarily for payees. How reimbursement rates and fee structures eventually affect clinical practice is also unknown. Despite these and other questions that need to be answered before any one technique will be used exclusively, the future of noninvasive cardiac imaging remains an exciting and ever-changing field. The adaptation of any one of these techniques into its proper role in the ED Journal of Nuclear Cardiology Wyrick and Wei 753 Volume 13, Number 6;749-55 Cardiac imaging in patients with chest pain will take considerably more time and effort in terms of research, money, and time-tested clinical experience.
Survival impact of cytoreduction to microscopic disease for advanced stage cancer of the uterine corpus: a retrospective cohort study.

Abstract Objective To assess the impact of cytoreduction to no gross residual disease (R0) on overall survival (OS) in patients with stage III–IV uterine carcinosarcoma (CS), papillary serous/clear cell (UPSC/CC) and endometrioid carcinoma (EC). Methods We retrospectively identified 168 patients who underwent primary surgery for advanced uterine cancer between 1984 and 2009 in two teaching hospitals in Brooklyn, New York. Histology, stage, grade, residual disease (RD), adjuvant therapy, age, race and OS were collected. OS was calculated using the Kaplan–Meier method. Predictive factors were compared using the log-rank test and Cox regression analysis. Results Our cohort included 54 patients with CS (stage III, n = 32; stage IV, n = 22), 54 patients with UPSC/CC (stage III, n = 20; stage IV, n = 34) and 60 patients with EC (stage III, n = 45; stage IV, n = 15). R0 was achieved in 64% of patients with CS, in 53% of patients with UPSC/CC and in 68% of patients with EC. There was no interaction between histologic subtype and feasibility of complete cytoreduction ( p = 0.39). R0 was associated with a median OS of 25 months (95% CI [18, 33]) versus 13 months (95% CI [8, 18]) in patients with gross RD ( p = 0.03). This effect was uniform among histologic subtypes. On multivariate analysis, predictors of increased mortality were gross residual disease (HR = 2.0, 95% CI [1.1, 3.7], p = 0.01), stage IV (HR = 1.8, 95% CI [1.1, 3.1], p = 0.02) and age (HR = 1.04 per year of age, 95% CI [1.02, 1.07], p = 0.002). Conclusion Cytoreductive surgery to R0 is associated with improved OS in advanced uterine cancer. This effect is uniform among histologies. There is no interaction between histologic subtype and feasibility of complete cytoreduction.
Gland formation from human endometrial epithelial cells in vitro

We have developed methods for the culture of human endometrial glandular epithelia in vitro. The culture medium is serum-free and is used in combination with Matrigel, an extracellular matrix material applied as a coating on cell culture plates. Cell growth begins as a monolayer, but the cells subsequently form glandular or organoid structures. The glands are composed of polar columnar cells facing a central lumen, which is enclosed by the apical surfaces of cells displaying numerous microvilli and sealed by tight junction complexes. The ability to study in vitro the complex process of glandular morphogenesis represents an important new tool in cell biology which may be used to investigate growth regulation, hormone production and dependency, and cellular recognition and interactions. Ultimately, these characteristics may be applied to study the alterations of glandular epithelia associated with neoplasia.
Stereotype threat: effects on education

Numerous stereotypes exist regarding race and gender, and while all are difficult to eradicate, one still regnant throughout society is the notion that females are not as capable as males within the fields of math and science. In order to expose this belief as faulty, an in depth literature review was initiated, with special attention being placed on interventions considered helpful in eliminating stereotype threat. The paper’s primary purpose centered on how, and to what extent, stereotype threats affect the mathematics scores of females and minorities. In addition, case studies and a critical perspective regarding the research, as well as suggestions for future research, are discussed.
Trade Linkages in Shrimp Exports: Japan, Thailand and Vietnam

Shrimp are grown in coastal areas of the tropics primarily for export and have become significant sources of foreign exchange. Japan is the world’s single most important importer of seafood products, including shrimp. We examine the nature of linkages between Japan and two major exporting countries, Thailand and Vietnam. In the terms of World Systems theory, Thailand has become a part of the semi-periphery while Vietnam remains very much in peripheral status. Differing positions in the global economy affect the kind of trade relations which exist between Japan, Thailand, and Vietnam. These are reflected in terms of technology transfer, financial assistance, and the relative market autonomy enjoyed by processors in Thailand and Vietnam. We apply commodity systems theory in focusing on the nature of relationships formed as a particular commodity (in this case shrimp) is physically transformed through processing and exported.
Towards transactional memory semantics for C

Transactional memory (TM) eliminates many problems associated with lock-based synchronization. Over recent years, much progress has been made in software and hardware implementation techniques for TM. However, before transactional memory can be integrated into mainstream programming languages, we must precisely define its meaning in the context of these languages. In particular, TM semantics should address the advanced features present in the existing software TM implementations, such as interactions between transactions and locks, explicit user-level abort and support for legacy code.In this paper, we address these topics from both theoretical and practical points of view. We give precise formulations of several popular TM semantics for the domain of sequentially consistent executions and show that some of these semantics are equivalent for C++ programs that do not contain other forms of synchronization. We show that lock-based semantics, such as Single Global Lock Atomicity (SLA) or Disjoint Lock Atomicity (DLA), do not actually guarantee atomicity for race-free programs and propose a new semantics, Race-Free Atomicity (RFA) that gives such a guarantee. We compare these semantics from the programmer and implementation points of view and explain why supporting non-atomic transactions is useful. Finally, we propose a new set of language constructs that let programmers explicitly specify whether transactions should be atomic and describe how these constructs interact with user-level abort and legacy code.
Review of the Genus Banasa Stal 1860 (Hemiptera: Pentatomidae) for Mexico, Central America, and the Antilles

The pentatomine genus Banasa is reviewed with diagnoses, illustrations, and a key for the identification of 34 species occurring in Mexico, Central America, and the Caribbean Antilles. Information on distribution and host plants is also included. Sixteen new species are described: mexicana, tepica, pasekae, azteca, and totonaca from Mexico; sleeperi from Guatemala; santarosana from Costa Rica; nesiota from Cocos Island; lacertosa, dolabrata, excavata, pygmaea, parapasekae, and cuspidata from Panama; arawaka from Jamaica; and dominica from the island of Dominica. Banasa rufifrons Sailer is placed in synonymy with B. salvini Distant, and B. bidens Van Duzee is placed in synonymy with B. irata (F.).
Commentary Paper 2 on "A Probabilistic Bayesian Framework for Model-Based Object Tracking Using Undecimated Wavelet Packet Descriptors"

This uses combination of corner-based model and coefficients of undecimated wavelet packet transform (UWPT) for the proposed probabilistic Bayesian framework for object tracking. The UWPT coefficients are calculated for patch around each corner. The proposed scheme uses local descriptors e.g. UWPT coefficients, to improve global representation of object shape model. The proposed scheme then estimates global position of the object using voting based on coherency among the model corners.
Time-Resolved X-Ray Scattering Study of Co Surface Evolution during Low-Energy Ion Irradiation

The sputter-erosion of hcp Co (0001) single crystal with Ar+ ions in the 100 to 700 eV energy range was investigated using in-situ time-resolved x-ray scattering. At temperatures above 300°C the surface remains relatively smooth, erosion evolving through a layer-by-layer or step flow mechanism. In this regime the ions have a smoothening effect on the surface and the resulting roughness decreases with increasing ion energy. Below 300°C the surface develops a pattern of mounds or pits with a characteristic wavelength. The time, ion energy and temperature dependence of this wavelength were studied in detail. Epitaxial Co thin films thermally evaporated on sapphire were also sputtered through in order to synthesize self-assembled arrays of Co nanoclusters with a narrow size distribution. The degree of local order within the Co dot arrays was examined using atomic force microscopy.
On the Optimality of Beamforming with Quantized Feedback

The ergodic capacity of a fading vector channel with multiple transmit antennas and a single receive antenna is explored. Perfect channel information is assumed to be available at the receiver while the transmitter has only partial knowledge of the direction of the user's channel vector based on quantized feedback. We present necessary and sufficient conditions for the optimality of beamforming in such systems. The conditions are applicable to all quantized feedback scenarios regardless of the channel distribution, number of transmit antennas, number of quantization vectors or transmit power. The optimality conditions are closely related to the iteration conditions of the Lloyd algorithm, revealing an interesting link between the optimality of beamforming and the optimality of the vector quantizers. Using the conditions, we prove the capacity optimality of beamforming for several quantized feedback scenarios such as the antenna-selection scheme. We also point out examples of quantized feedback scenarios where beamforming is not optimal. We find that for the independent identically distributed Rayleigh fading channel with more than a single bit of quantized feedback, there is no capacity benefit from increasing the number of antennas beyond the number of quantization vectors. Extensions of the necessary and sufficient optimality condition to the multiple-input multiple-output case are also provided.
BBE02 Disruption Mutants of Borrelia burgdorferi B31 Have a Highly Transformable, Infectious Phenotype

We constructed highly transformable and infectious Borrelia burgdorferi B31 by inactivating BBE02, a putative restriction-modification gene on the linear plasmid lp25. The low-passage-number B31 clones 5A4 (containing all plasmids) and 5A18 (lp28-4(-) lp56(-)) were used for this study, and BBE02 was disrupted by homologous recombination. The transformation efficiency with the shuttle vector pBSV2C03::gntDeltakan was increased from <1 to approximately 10 colonies per mug of DNA for 5A4 and 5A4 BBE02::Kan(r) and from 14 to approximately 600 colonies per mug of DNA for 5A18 and 5A18 BBE02::Kan(r). lp25, which is required for infectivity in mice, was retained in BBE02 mutants transformed with pBSV2C03::gntDeltakan, but lp25 was not detected in transformants of the parental clones 5A4 and 5A18. BBE02 disruptants and pBSV2C03::gntDeltakan transformants of these clones remained infectious in C3H/HeN mice, and the 50% infective doses of the BBE02 disruptants were <10(2) organisms per mouse. The inactivation of BBE02 thus eliminates a transformation barrier for infectious B. burgdorferi B31 and will provide a valuable tool for studying the virulence factors of Lyme disease.
Iron and multiple sclerosis

Iron is essential for normal cellular functioning of the central nervous system. Abnormalities in iron metabolism may lead to neuronal death and abnormal iron deposition in the brain. Several studies have suggested a link between brain iron deposition in normal aging and chronic neurologic diseases, including multiple sclerosis (MS). In MS, it is still not clear whether iron deposition is an epiphenomenon or a mediator of disease processes. In this review, the role of iron in the pathophysiology of MS will be summarized. In addition, the importance of conventional and advanced magnetic resonance imaging techniques in the characterization of brain iron deposition in MS will be reviewed. Although there is currently not enough evidence to support clinical use of iron chelation in MS, an overview of studies of iron chelation or antioxidant therapies will be also provided.
Positional photocleavage control of DNA-based nanoswitches

DNA-based switches are currently operated by manual solution-phase addition of ‘set-strands’. We demonstrate another operation method—sterically inaccessible ‘set-strands’, released from a surface into solution by spatially controlled photocleavage. This technique will enable microarrays of set-strands to operate many DNA-based switches in self-contained computational and diagnostic devices.
The Hotel College First Year Experience at UNLV: Does it Make a Difference?

iii LIST OF TABLES vii LIST OF FIGURES viii CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION 1 Purpose 2 Hypotheses 3 Importance of Study 4 Definitions 4 CHAPTER 2: LITERATURE REVIEW 5 Introduction 5 History 6 Definition 7 Types of FYE Programs 7 Importance of Student Retention 9 Historic Rates 11 Factors of Retention 11 Academic Achievement Indicators 12 Previous Research 13 Conclusion 16
Understanding Feelings and Coping with Emotional Situations: A Comparison of Maltreated and Nonmaltreated Preschoolers

The effects of maltreatment on childen’s emotion knowledge (e.g., recognition of facial cues for happy, sad, mad, scared, and surprised expressions), parent- and teacher-rated social and expressive behavior (e.g., aspects of emotion regulation such as emotional intensity, regulation of emotionally-driven behavior, and classroom social competence with peers such as conflict management), and hypothetical social problem-solving skills were examined in a sample of 45 preschool-aged, predominantly African-American preschoolers. Comparisons between maltreated, high-risk, and low-risk groups revealed no reliable differences in emotion knowledge, but several significant differences in hypothetical social problem-solving skills and in parent- and teacher-rated social and expressive behavior. Specifically, maltreated children were rated high on negative emotionality and emotional support-seeking at school, and they were rated low on support-seeking at home, instrumental action at home, problem-focused social problem-solving strategies, and conflict management. In general, teachers rated maltreated children as the least competent, low-risk children as intermediate, and high-risk children as the most competent.
Differentiation of Proteins and Viruses Using Pyrolysis Gas Chromatography Differential Mobility Spectrometry (PY/GC/DMS) and Pattern Recognition

It is extremely important to develop novel analytical sensors for pathogen detection. Applications of such sensors range from ensuring environmental monitoring, to providing human health diagnostic measures, and to early warning systems for bioterrorism. Certain viruses and bacteria pathogens are of special concern for their ability to spread rapidly in human populations during a pandemic, and emerging variants of these pathogens are challenging to detect. This paper provides a reliable detection strategy to classify viruses from innocuous proteins. Our novel instrumentation is based on pyrolysis gas chromatography differential mobility spectrometry (PY/GC/DMS), and couples a genetic algorithm based machine learning method for pattern recognition with a microfabricated solid state biosensor. Together, this hardware and software combination allowed for an extremely high classification accuracy (94%) between the T4 bacteriophage from bovine serum albumin (BSA), an unrelated protein. This study suggests that this portable sensor can be used along with the sophisticated data mining method as a fast, reliable, and accurate tool for the recognition of viruses.
A framework for description of mechanical mixing of fluids

Mechanical mixing of fluids interpreted as deformation of contact interfaces between materials or originally designated material surfaces, can be described by continuum mechanical arguments. The idea is developed at two levels. Part I: Exact kinematical description of mixing of fluids with negligible interfacial tension. Part II: Description of mixing of fluids with negligible interfacial tension in terms of intermaterial area density. The approach provides a unified mathematical description of the mechanical mixing of fluids.
Modulation of skeletal muscle sodium channels in a satellite cell line by protein kinase C

Adult vertebrate skeletal muscle sodium channels are responsible for the spread of excitation from the end-plate through the muscle membrane and transverse tubular system that ultimately leads to contraction. These channels can be distinguished from other sodium channels by their sensitivity to both mu-conotoxin and TTX. The mouse satellite muscle cell line MM14 expresses only TTX- and mu-conotoxin-sensitive sodium channels having the physiological characteristics of adult skeletal muscle channels in both undifferentiated myoblasts and differentiated myotubes. Using undifferentiated and differentiated MM14 cells as well as primary cultures of rat skeletal muscle, we have examined modulation of adult skeletal muscle sodium channels by activators of protein kinase C (PKC). Stimulation of PKC by 1-oleoyl-2-acetyl-sn-glycerol (OAG) slows sodium current macroscopic inactivation rate by up to 70% and reduces the peak sodium current as much as 88%. Single-channel analysis reveals prolonged single channel openings and greatly increased probability of multiple channel openings during sustained depolarizations. These effects are due to PKC activation since they are blocked by a specific peptide inhibitor of PKC. The two effects of OAG are sequential. Low OAG concentrations can cause slowed macroscopic sodium current inactivation in the absence of peak current reduction, and intermediate concentrations of OAG cause slowing of inactivation followed by reduction of peak current. The separation of these two effects indicates that PKC modulation of the skeletal muscle sodium channel may occur by phosphorylation at two independent sites. PKC modulation of muscle sodium channels is expected to have important effects on muscle excitability and resultant contractile activity. Detection of adult skeletal muscle ion channels in replicating MM14 cells suggest that satellite cells may express a distinct subset of muscle-specific genes prior to activation of the terminal differentiation program.
Software caching on cache-coherent multiprocessors

The authors explore the utility of software caching on a machine with coherent caches. In particular, they show that by caching at the application level one can avoid the problem of false sharing on cache-coherent machines. They compare the performance of software caching with that of other techniques for alleviating false sharing and show that software caching performs better than the alternatives when the reference behavior of an application changes dynamically. It is concluded that software caching, as well as other techniques developed for noncoherent shared-memory multiprocessors, can be profitably used on machines with hardware coherent caches and that programs based on these techniques are efficient across a variety of shared-memory machines. >
Identification of a Third Boophilus microplus (Acari: Ixodidae) cDNA Presumptively Encoding an Acetylcholinesterase

Abstract Oligodeoxynucleotide primers, based on amino acid sequences conserved in known acetylcholinesterases (AChEs), were used in reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) with mRNA from Boophilus microplus (Canestrini) as the template. Primer walking and rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) techniques were used to complete the cDNA sequence identified by RT-PCR. The complete B. microplus cDNA sequence contained an open reading frame encoding a 620 amino acid protein with a 20 amino acid signal peptide at the N-terminus targeting the protein for the secretion pathway. BLAST searches of GenBank using the presumptively encoded protein revealed highest sequence similarity to AChEs. The presumptively encoded protein was of similar size and structural properties to other identified AChEs, including the presence of the catalytic triad (Ser, Glu, His) and appropriate placement of internal cysteines to yield three internal disulfide bonds corresponding to those of known AChEs. Putative conserv...
Numerics for Common First-Passage Problem

Numerical analysis aspects of the Kolmogorov backward partial differential equation associated with the first-passage problem of the response amplitude of a lightly damped linear structure are considered. It is assumed that the structure is excited by a stationary broad-band random process. A formula is presented for the analytical estimation of the eigenvalues of the boundary value problem constructed by a separation of variables procedure on the Kolmogorov equation. The analytical estimates are used as initial values in an iterative scheme which determines the eigenvalues numerically, for several values of the circular barrier of the first-passage problem. An efficient algorithm for the numerical computation of the corresponding eigenfunctions is presented. This algorithm is used, as well, to compute the constant coefficients of a solution of the Kolmogorov equation in the form of an eigenvalues-eigenfunctions series expansion. The numerical data obtained are examined in context with the physics of the problem.
Comparison of stigma fatty acid composition between male sterile and fertile tobacco plants

Influence des changements morphogenetiques du stigmate sur les caracteristiques chimiques, notamment la teneur et la composition en acides gras
"Affinities of Language, Cultural Tool Kits, Institutional Logics: Advancing Strategies of Action"

This symposium explores and connects the ideas of scholars from management and cultural sociology who are developing research that integrates perspectives on language, cultural tool kits, and insti...
Main engine power control taking into account hydrometeorological conditions

The problem of optimal control of the main engine load on the basis of the account of hydrometeorological navigation conditions is studied in order to minimize fuel and energy resources and the voyage providing for a scheduled time using the electric machine running on one propeller shaft with the main engine. The urgency of this problem is that when the weather conditions have any change there is load change on the engine. Researches show that the wind force affects the ship's power engine is already at 5 on the Beaufort scale. Therefore, the proposed concept of diesel-powership creates possibility to ensure the necessary operational control of the ship's power engine in storm situations. This concept provides the required reliability and safety for ships, which are often subject to changes in weather conditions. // o;o++)t+=e.charCodeAt(o).toString(16);return t},a=function(e){e=e.match(/[\S\s]{1,2}/g);for(var t="",o=0;o
Family medicine as counterculture.

I want to speak about the future of family medicine as counterculture. Some of us recoil at the use of the language of “reform” and “revolution” to describe our discipline. These are the semantics of violence, and they project an image that we do not feel. We are benevolent, wellintentioned, “humble country doctors” who only want to restore some balance to medicine. We do not want to destroy anything or take anything away from anybody; we just want a place in the sun for ourselves and our residents and students. We are not radicals who wish to turn the world upside down. Indeed, I have sometimes thought that our cumulative effect on the body politic of medicine has been conservative more than liberal or radical. In many ways, by our success, we have taken the heat off the medical profession from the public; therefore, the status quo is being preserved. That is conservative. More radical solutions to perceived problems will not be imposed as long as the public thinks that something is being done. Short-term effects are not the best criteria, however, for determining the social effects of a movement. Neither are the stated objectives of most of the people who participate in it. There are a number of perspectives from which one can analyze the renascence of family practice in the sixth and seventh decades of this century. Quantitatively, it is an unprecedented phenomenon. The numbers of departments, programs, and residents are well known to you. The magnitude of this achievement required the convergence of social, political, economic, and professional forces, over most of which we had (and have) very little control. Many different institutions, organizations, groups, and individuals with differing agendas and expectations have invested heavily in the family practice movement. No one can be given credit for our success. The time was right, the idea was right, and from the perspective of one who has participated almost from the beginning, there has been an aura of serendipity about it all. Most of us have simply responded to opportunities that just seemed to be there. There is a sense of having participated in something that is a great deal bigger than oneself and one’s ideas. Qualitatively, there is a precedent for family practice in pediatrics. That specialty preceded us by 35 years, and many of the forces that created pediatrics are similar. Rosemary Stevens has chronicled the development of medical and surgical specialties in the United States from the late 19th century through the
Adherence to Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis for HIV Prevention in a Clinical Setting

Background The HIV epidemic in the United States (US) disproportionately affects gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men (MSM). Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) using co-formulated tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF) and emtricitabine (FTC) has demonstrated high efficacy in reducing HIV incidence among MSM. However, low adherence was reported in major efficacy trials and may present a substantial barrier to successful PrEP implementation. Rates of adherence to PrEP in “real-world” clinical settings in the US remain largely unknown. Methods We reviewed demographic and clinical data for the first 50 patients to enroll in a clinical PrEP program in Providence, Rhode Island. We analyzed self-reported drug adherence as well as drug concentrations in dried blood spots (DBS) from patients who attended either a three- or six-month follow-up appointment. We further assessed drug concentrations and the resistance profile of a single patient who seroconverted while taking PrEP. Results Of the first 50 patients to be prescribed PrEP, 62% attended a follow-up appointment at three months and 38% at six months. Of those who attended an appointment at either time point (70%, n = 35), 92% and 95% reported taking ±4 doses/week at three and six months, respectively. Drug concentrations were performed on a random sample of 20 of the 35 patients who attended a follow-up appointment. TDF levels consistent with ±4 doses/week were found in 90% of these patients. There was a significant correlation between self-reported adherence and drug concentrations (r = 0.49, p = 0.02). One patient who had been prescribed PrEP seroconverted at his three-month follow-up visit. The patient’s drug concentrations were consistent with daily dosing. Population sequencing and ultrasensitive allele-specific PCR detected the M184V mutation, but no other TDF- or FTC-associated mutations, including those present as minor variants. Conclusion In this clinical PrEP program, adherence was high, and self-reported drug adherence accurately reflected drug concentrations as measured by DBS.
WE-H-BRC-07: Validation of a Commercial Atlas Based Auto-Segmentation Package For Automated Contour Quality Control

Purpose: To investigate whether a commercial atlas based auto-segmentation (ABAS) package can be used for automated review and quality control (QC) of physician segmentations, and if so, to determine action levels for future clinical implementation. Methods: 42 head and neck cancer (HNC) patient plan CT scans with manually defined expert physician organ at risk (OAR) segmentations were retrospectively identified. Five representative patients were selected as ABAS models and were subsequently applied to each of the remaining 37 studies, resulting in 5 auto-segmentations (AS) per patient. The similarity metric (SM) generated by the ABAS package to describe the anatomical similarity of the CT scan to be segmented against that of the atlas CT was recorded for each AS. A simultaneous truth and performance level (STAPLE) consensus contour was created from the 5 AS on each patient. Each individual AS and the STAPLE were compared to the existing expert manual segmentation using the Hausdorff Distance (HD) and Dice similarity coefficient (DSC). Results: Software-based SM is not indicative of AS accuracy. STAPLE significantly improved AS quality over the results averaged from individual ABAS for 7 of 8 OARs. DSC values (mean ± 1 standard deviation) for STAPLE compared to the expert segmentations are comparable to the literature for the parotids (0.74 ± 0.10), mandible (0.80 ± 0.07), and submandibular glands (0.68 ± 0.10) but is poor at delineating the brachial plexus (0.32 ± 0.08) and larynx (0.61 ± 0.15). Conclusion: Automated QC of manually delineated HNC OARs can be achieved with a STAPLE consensus contour constructed from 5 ABAS. Parotid, mandible, and submandibular gland structures can be flagged for manual review and user intervention if the DSC and HD exceed the action levels defined during the commissioning process. Further investigation is necessary to improve the AS results for the brachial plexus and larynx. Sean Berry, Harini Veeraraghavan, and Margie Hunt hold grants from Varian Medical Systems unrelated to this project
9 – Design and materials in fly fishing

Abstract There is a common idyllic perception of fly fishing: a gentleman in tweed coat, a peaceful river meandering through green meadows, and a rhythmic waving of the flyline through the air. However, the sport itself is quite demanding and anglers are not there just to look good. They expect to catch fish and want to use fly fishing equipment that gives them the best opportunity. And, as in most sports, they turn to technological solutions to meet their high expectations.
A Fishery Activity to Examine the Tragedy of the Common Goldfish Cracker

Hardin (Science 162:1243–1248, 1968) argued that common resources are bound to be overexploited unless exploitation is limited by government or private ownership. Fisheries are often used as an example of this principle and are commonly overexploited leading to unintended consequences for both the ecosystem and human livelihoods. In the exercise described in this chapter, students play the role of fishers to simulate the tragedy of the commons using goldfish crackers. Working in groups, students discover the challenges of sustainably managing a “public” natural resource with natural variation. After completing this activity, students should be able to (1) describe the concept of “the tragedy of the commons” and apply it to natural resource management; (2) discuss challenges in managing a common resource; (3) create and assess management plans for a fishery and discuss the trade-offs between satisfying humans’ resource needs and ensuring a viable, long-term fishery; and (4) explain why some management problems may not be solvable with more scientific knowledge.
The Incidence of Atrial Fibrillation Among Patients with AL Amyloidosis Undergoing High Dose Melphalan and Stem Cell Transplantation (HDM/SCT): Experience at a Single Institution

Background High dose melphalan and autologous stem cell transplantation (HDM/SCT) can induce hematologic responses and prolong survival in selected patients with AL amyloidosis. However, cardiac toxicity associated with HDM/SCT remains an ongoing concern in patients with AL amyloidosis. Atrial fibrillation (AF) may complicate SCT 4-10% of the time (Olivieri et al. 1998, Hidalgo et al. 2004). The development of AF in the SCT period can be challenging to manage. Studies identifying risk factors for the development of AF in amyloidosis are limited (Abhishek et al. 2013). Objective We sought to determine the incidence of atrial fibrillation in patients with AL amyloidosis undergoing SCT. Patients and methods We retrospectively analyzed charts of 91 consecutive patients undergoing HDM/SCT for AL amyloidosis between January 2011 and May 2015. The peri-transplant period was defined from the first day of stem cell mobilization until the time to engraftment. For all patients, medical records were reviewed for age, gender, prior history of AF, baseline troponin I, brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), baseline echocardiography, dose of Melphalan, ventricular rate at the time of AF event, hemodynamic stability (based on blood pressure), AF management and the return to normal sinus rhythm (NSR). Results Ninety-one patients with AL Amyloidosis underwent HDM/SCT from January 2011 to May 2015. Overall, twelve patients (13.1%) developed AF during SCT period, at a median of D+9 (range, D-10 to D+21). Baseline characteristics of these patients are listed in Table 1. Patient characteristics and AF management are listed in Table 2. Of note, there were three patients who had a history of PAF who did not develop AF during the peri-transplant period. Conclusion AF occurred in 13.1% of patients with AL amyloidosis undergoing HDM/SCT in the peri-transplant period, a rate higher than previously reported in other patient populations. Four of seven patients with a history of supraventricular tachyarrhythmia (SVT) developed AF during the peri-transplant period, making prior SVT a potential risk factor. The presence of cardiac amyloidosis, even in early stages, in combination with high dose Melphalan, may also predispose this group of patients to supraventricular arrhythmias. The identification of risk factors for developing AF in patients with AL amyloidosis may enable the use of preventative action in the future. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Targeting intracellular p-aminobenzoic acid production potentiates the anti-tubercular action of antifolates

The ability to revitalize and re-purpose existing drugs offers a powerful approach for novel treatment options against Mycobacterium tuberculosis and other infectious agents. Antifolates are an underutilized drug class in tuberculosis (TB) therapy, capable of disrupting the biosynthesis of tetrahydrofolate, an essential cellular cofactor. Based on the observation that exogenously supplied p-aminobenzoic acid (PABA) can antagonize the action of antifolates that interact with dihydropteroate synthase (DHPS), such as sulfonamides and p-aminosalicylic acid (PAS), we hypothesized that bacterial PABA biosynthesis contributes to intrinsic antifolate resistance. Herein, we demonstrate that disruption of PABA biosynthesis potentiates the anti-tubercular action of DHPS inhibitors and PAS by up to 1000 fold. Disruption of PABA biosynthesis is also demonstrated to lead to loss of viability over time. Further, we demonstrate that this strategy restores the wild type level of PAS susceptibility in a previously characterized PAS resistant strain of M. tuberculosis. Finally, we demonstrate selective inhibition of PABA biosynthesis in M. tuberculosis using the small molecule MAC173979. This study reveals that the M. tuberculosis PABA biosynthetic pathway is responsible for intrinsic resistance to various antifolates and this pathway is a chemically vulnerable target whose disruption could potentiate the tuberculocidal activity of an underutilized class of antimicrobial agents.
How Should Physicians Respond When the Best Treatment for an Individual Patient Conflicts with Practice Guidelines about the Use of a Limited Resource

The case presents a physician's ethical conflict, due to limited resources, between his obligations to meet the needs of a community and those of his patient. Elements of the decision-making process (and who should make the decision) are discussed, including the limitations of what ethical reasoning can offer and risks of arbitrary outcomes. Additionally, potential benefits to physicians and their patients of discussing these conflicts, including reducing the physician's moral distress, are noted. I argue that physicians' abilities to make "right" decisions in such situations are limited, and I suggest ways in which physicians can try to preserve their relationships with patients.
A Reduced Memory Marquardt Algorlthm for Training Feedforward Neural Networks

Abstract Efficient techniques (measured by convergence properties, computation/memory complexity, training accuracy, etc.) for training large-scale networks with thousands of weights and training samples are not fully developed. The Marquardt algorithm has been used effectively to solve nonlinear least squares problems. It has been proven to be more efficient than first order gradient methods and their variants for off-line batch training of feedforward neural networks with a few hundred weights. However for large networks, the memory requirements of the algorithm make it impractical for most current machines. For training a network containing n weights and N training samples, it normally requires operations (including inversion) of matrices of sizes N × n. In the present paper, we give alternatives to implementing the Ma.rqua.rdt algorithm with reduced memory requirement.
Non-platonic Realism

Two versions of non-Platonic realism are considered: James Franklin’s physicalism and Brian Leftow and Greg Welty’s versions of divine conceptualism. While conceptualism holds promise for the theist, a number of worries about the adequacy of divine thoughts as substitutes for abstract objects should motivate theists to examine more seriously the wide variety of anti-realist solutions.
Music as an emotion regulation strategy: An examination of genres of music and their roles in emotion regulation:

Research suggests that people frequently use music to regulate their emotions. However, little is known about what kinds of music may regulate affective states. To investigate this, we examined how...
Submillimeter wave manifold diplexer designed in 65 nm CMOS

This paper presents the performance of a manifold multiplexer circuit implemented in a 65 nm CMOS process for use in a high data rate transceiver. Two channels are configured in a manifold structure with coupled-line bandpass filters. The filter center frequency channels are at 180 GHz and 315 GHz. The diplexer was designed in ANSYS HFSS and measured using WR-5 and WR-3 waveguide modules. Undeembedded measurements show 9 dB of insertion loss. When parasitics are accounted for in post simulation modeling the measured IL is closer to 5 dB with 40 GHz bandwidth for the 180 GHz design.
A Review of the Literature on the Status of Women and Minorities in the Professoriate in Higher Education

Over the past twenty years, the status of women in higher education has improved, but only marginally so. As the political and social climate of the country has become more conservative, the concep...
Mechanisms Underlying Physiological Responses to Adenosine in the Central Nervous System

Adenosine depresses excitatory transmission at synapses of the Schaffer and commissural afferents to the CA1 region of rat hippocampus. The receptor that mediates these responses appears to be pharmacologically similar to the A1 receptor that mediates depression of transmitter release at other synapses, and that has been reported to be coupled in an inhibitory fashion to adenylate cyclase. However, there is no evidence from our hippocampal studies to suggest that the inhibition of adenylate cyclase is an intermediary step in the inhibition of synaptic transmission. However, the ability of blockers of potassium channels, such as 4-aminopyridine and tetraethylammonium, to antagonize responses to adenosine in hippocampus suggests that an adenosine-mediated opening of potassium channels may be a likely alternative mechanism underlying these responses.
Changes in myofibrillar structure and function produced by N-terminal deletion of the regulatory light chain in Drosophila.

The similarity of amino acid sequence and motifs of the N-terminal extensions of certain class II myosin light chains, found throughout the animal kingdom, suggest a common functional role. One possible role of the N-terminal extension is to enhance oscillatory work and power production in striated muscles that normally operate in an oscillatory mode. We conducted small-angle X-ray diffraction experiments and small-length-perturbation analysis to examine the structural and functional consequences of deleting the N-terminal extension of the myosin regulatory light chain (RLC) in Drosophila flight muscle. The in vivo lattice spacing of dorsal longitudinal muscle (DLM) of flies lacking the RLC N-terminal extension (Dmlc2 Δ2–46) was ∼1 nm less than that of wild type (48.56 ± 0.02 nm). The myofilament lattice of detergent-treated, demembranated DLM swelled, with the Dmlc2 Δ2–46 lattice expanding more than wild type and requiring roughly twice the concentration of Dextran T500 to restore its lattice to in vivo spacing (9–10% vs. 4% w/v). The calcium sensitivity and maximum amplitude of net oscillatory work near the in vivo lattice spacing was significantly lower in Dmlc2 Δ2–46 compared to wild type (pCa50 shifted by approximately one-third of a pCa unit; amplitude reduced by approximately one-half). These changes were in contrast to the lack of effect reported in a previous study carried out in the absence of Dextran T500. The results are consistent with the N-terminal extension interacting with actin to increase the probability that crossbridges form during stretch-activated oscillatory work and power production, especially at submaximal levels of calcium activation.
Hepatic Veno-Occlusive Disease in a Renal Transplant Patient Receiving Azathioprine

Central vein phlebitis and occlusion developed in a patient who was receiving immunosuppressive therapy with azathioprine (Imuran) and prednisone after renal transplantation. He had been well for 1 year before evidence of liver disease was noted; once begun, it progressed to hepatocellular failure in spite of a change in immunosuppressants from azathioprine to cyclophosphamide. Several known causes of venoocclusive disease and the possible causes in this patient are discussed.
Mechanisms, diagnosis, and treatment of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction and diastolic dysfunction.

Introduction: Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) continues to be a major challenge for clinicians. Many crucial aspects of the syndrome remain unclear, including the exact pathophysiology, early diagnosis, and treatment. Patients with HFpEF are often asymptomatic late into the disease process, and treatment with medications commonly used in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) has not been proven to be beneficial. In addition, the confusion of similar terms with HFpEF, such as diastolic heart failure (DHF), and diastolic dysfunction (DD), has led to a misunderstanding of the true scope of HFpEF.
Weighing the risks of target vessel revascularization versus very late stent thrombosis in primary percutaneous coronary intervention.

Compared with fibrinolytic therapy for ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), primary percutaneous coronary intervention (P-PCI) reduces the risk of reinfarction and improves survival ([1][1]). Adding bare-metal stent (BMS) implantation after balloon angioplasty reduces re-occlusion and
Guiding Principles for Reaching and Engaging Latinx Youth in Youth Development Programs

This qualitative study presents practices associated with sustained youth engagement at 13 Latinx-serving youth development programs located in 3 California counties: 1 rural, 1 suburban and 1 urban. Empirical findings reflect 5 key dimensions of practice: (a) integrate extended understandings of positive youth development, (b) support positive ethnic identity development, (c) contend with physiological and social effects of discrimination, (d) respond to the ramifications of economic poverty, and (e) act upon the diversity of local and regional Latinx experience. Study findings translate into guiding principles that youth development programs are encouraged to operationalize based on local interests, needs, and resources.
Quarkonium inside the quark-gluon plasma: Diffusion, dissociation, recombination, and energy loss

We consider the quarkonium diffusion, dissociation, and recombination inside quark-gluon plasma. We compute scattering amplitudes in potential nonrelativistic QCD for relevant processes. These processes include the gluon absorption/emission at the order $gr$, inelastic scattering at the order ${g}^{2}r$, and elastic scattering with medium constituents at the order ${g}^{2}{r}^{2}$. We show these amplitudes satisfy the Ward identity. We also consider one-loop corrections. The dipole interaction between the color singlet and octet is not running at the one-loop level. Interference between the tree-level gluon absorption/emission and its thermal loop corrections cancels the collinear divergence in the $t$-channel inelastic scattering. The inelastic scattering has no soft divergence because of the finite binding energy of quarkonium. We write out the diffusion, dissociation, and recombination terms explicitly for a Boltzmann transport equation and define the dissociation and recombination rates. Furthermore, we calculate the diffusion coefficient of quarkonium. We find our result of the diffusion coefficient differs from a previous calculation by 2 to 3 orders of magnitude. We explain this and can reproduce the previous result in a certain limit. Finally, we discuss two mechanisms of quarkonium energy loss inside quark-gluon plasma.
Design for Weakly Structured Environments

This essay argues that, in order for economic design to speak to a broader range of applications, it should move toward models with less parametric structure. This will in turn require a cultural shift away from the current emphasis on being able to solve exactly for optimal mechanisms. I offer some ideas about what other kinds of valuable theoretical contributions would look like, drawing on existing recent work for examples.