cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Rectal endoscopy findings following stereotactic body radiation therapy for clinically localized prostate cancer

Treating prostate cancer with SBRT could potentially minimize radiation proctitis by reducing high-dose rectal irradiation. In addition, it offers the potential radiobiologic benefits of hypofractionation. This study reports the endoscopic changes and the associated clinical rectal toxicity in these patients. We reviewed the records of patients treated from 2008–2011 for localized prostate cancer who had rectal endoscopy following SBRT. SBRT was delivered either as primary treatment in 5 fractions of 7–7.25 Gy, or as an initial boost in 3 fractions of 6.5 Gy followed by conventionally fractionated radiotherapy to 45–50.4 Gy. Endoscopic changes were graded using the Vienna Rectoscopy Score (VRS). Rectal toxicity was graded via CTCAEv.4. Rectal quality of life (QOL) was assessed via the bowel domain of the EPIC-26 questionnaire. Fifty-one patients with a median 23 months follow-up were analyzed. Thirty-five patients completed SBRT monotherapy and 16 patients received SBRT as a boost to conventionally fractionated IMRT. The median interval from SBRT to rectal endoscopy was 13 months. Endoscopy revealed VRS Grade 1–2 telangiectasias for 10 patients and VRS Grade 1–2 mucosal edema for 12 patients. No rectal ulcerations, strictures or necrosis were observed. Grade 1–2 late rectal bleeding occurred in 10 patients. There were no CTCAEv.4 Grade ≥3 toxicities. Mean EPIC bowel scores decreased from a baseline value of 96.9 to 82.3 at 1-month, but subsequently increased to 91.0 at 24 months. In this cohort that is skewed towards patients with rectal complaints, the rate and severity of endoscopic changes following SBRT is low. Rectal toxicity and QOL were comparable to patients treated with other radiation modalities. Prospective trials examining the endoscopic outcomes following SBRT for prostate cancer are needed for confirmation of the findings of this study. The Georgetown Institutional Review Board has approved this retrospective study (IRB 2009–510).
Estimation of design effects in cluster surveys

Cluster sampling can produce estimates of disease prevalence that are more variable than those from simple random sampling. This variance inflation or "design effect" depends on the prevalence of disease, the cluster sizes, and the magnitude of disease association within clusters. Design effects from prior surveys may not be appropriate for a planned survey if these components differ. We estimated within-cluster associations using pairwise odds ratios, which are more portable than design effects because they do not depend on the cluster sizes. Within-village pairwise odds ratios and design effects were estimated for fever and cough from four studies in Africa and Asia. Odds ratio ranged from 1.04 to 1.34 and 1.03 to 1.24, respectively. Design effects ranged from 2.35 to 6.80 for fever and 1.99 to 7.39 for cough. The design effect was more affected by cluster size and odds ratio than by variation in cluster size for a given sample size.
Physiological response of wild rainbow trout to angling: Impact of angling duration, fish size, body condition, and temperature

This study evaluated the immediate physiological response of wild rainbow trout to catch-and-release angling in the Alagnak River, southwest Alaska. Information was recorded on individual rainbow trout (n = 415) captured by angling including landing time and the time required to remove hooks (angling duration), the time to anesthetize fish in clove oil and withdraw blood, fish length and weight, and water temperature at capture locations. Plasma cortisol, glucose, ions (sodium, potassium, chloride), and lactate were analyzed to determine the effects of angling duration, fish size, body condition, and temperature. Levels of plasma ions did not change significantly during the observed physiological response and levels of plasma glucose were sometimes influenced by length (2000, 2001), body condition (2001), or temperature (2001). Levels of plasma cortisol and lactate in extended capture fish (angling duration greater than 2 min) were significantly higher than levels in rapid capture fish (angling duration less than 2 min). Rapid capture fish were significantly smaller than extended capture fish, reflecting that fish size influenced landing and handling times. Fish size was related to cortisol and lactate in 2002, which corresponded to the year when larger fish were captured and there were longer landing times. Body condition (i.e., weight/length regression residuals index), was significantly related to lactate in 2000 and 2001. Water temperatures were higher in 2001 (mean temperature ± S.E., 13 ± 2 ◦ C) than in 2002 (10 ± 2 ◦ C), and fish captured in 2001 had significantly higher cortisol and lactate concentrations than fish captured in 2002. The pattern of increase in plasma cortisol and lactate was due to the amount of time fish were angled, and the upper limit of the response was due to water temperature. The results of this study indicate the importance of minimizing the duration of angling in order to reduce the sublethal physiological disturbances in wild fish subjected to catch-and-release angling, particularly during warmer water temperatures. It is also important to note that factors such as fish size may influence both the duration of angling and subsequent physiological response. © 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Characterization of Etching Processes on CU Surfaces

The etching of single crystal and polycrystalline Cu surfaces by halogens was studied using temperature programmed desorption (TPD), low energy electron diffraction (LEED), and scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). For Br2 and Cl2 on Cu(100) and polycrystalline Cu, the etching mechanism could be characterized as a two step process: 1) formation of a bulk Cu(I) halide, and 2) removal of the halide by sublimation. In all cases the first step was found to be adsorption rate limited. Halide formation was observed to consume Cu atoms from the step edge and thus etching can be considered the reverse of step flow growth. While STM showed that Cl2 reacts isotropically with steps on Cu(100), the rate of CuBr formation was observed to be sensitive to the local adsorbate structure at the step edge. For Cl2, it was found that halide removal could be characterized as a simple bulk sublimation process independent of the structure of the underlying Cu. In contrast, a CuBr desorption peak at temperatures lower than anticipated from bulk vapor pressure data was observed. The presence of narrowly spaced steps on the Cu surface was observed to stabilize this low-temperature desorption peak.
From PVD to CVD to ALD for interconnects and related applications

As interconnect features migrate towards sub-100 nm structures, BEOL thin film technologies are forced to change. PVD, followed by collimated and I-PVD, is limited by directionality as well as bias-sputter-induced bevel formation. CVD fixes some problems but is challenging for high purity, ultra-thin high aspect ratio films. Atomic Layer Deposition (ALD) replaces both of these technologies in the sub-100 nm BEOL (but not until that point), with the promise of high purity, conformal, low temperature deposition controlled at the atomic scale. ALD initiation steps are critical and substrate-material dependant. The Ti (TiN) and Ta (TaN) ALD systems have been explored at 25 C and 150 C for a variety of interconnect materials and the results suggest some substrate interactions which may enhance the usage of ALD.
Local adaptation and range boundary formation in response to complex environmental gradients across the geographical range of Clarkia xantiana ssp. xantiana

Summary Theory predicts that lack of heritable trait variation and/or maladaptive gene flow can promote the formation of species geographical range boundaries even in the absence of barriers to dispersal. Little is known, however, about the patterns and drivers of differentiation across species' ranges and whether they influence boundary formation in the field. Using field measurements, two common garden studies, and QST–FST analyses, we examined environmental and genetic influences on plant phenotype across the geographical range of Clarkia xantiana ssp. xantiana. This annual plant endemic to California has an eastern range border that lacks obvious physical barriers to dispersal. We find that across opposing environmental gradients that span the species core range, populations are likely to be locally adapted. Populations are phenotypically differentiated from each other in the field as well as common gardens. Traits are correlated with field environmental variables in both settings, and QST–FST comparisons indicate variation in flowering time, degree of branching, and herkogamy may be adaptive. The strength and direction of environment-trait correlations at the range edge are similar to the range centre, and quantitative genetic variation is not reduced. Genetic correlations between traits are generally weak, also suggesting little constraint on trait evolution at the range edge. Synthesis. For traits measured here, it is unlikely that either low heritable variation at the range edge or maladaptive gene flow strongly inhibits eastward range expansion. Our results suggest that across environmentally complex landscapes, patterns of diversity generated by locally adaptive selection do not necessarily contribute broadly to the formation of range boundaries as predicted.
EFFECT OF REPEATED FREEZING (–185°C.) AND THAWING ON COLON BACILLI, VIRUS III, VACCINE VIRUS, HERPES VIRUS, BACTERIOPHAGE, COMPLEMENT, AND TRYPSIN

Colon bacilli, Virus III, vaccine virus, herpes virus, bacteriophage, complement, and trypsin are either killed or inactivated by repeated freezing (–185°C.) and thawing. As might be expected, some of the agents are more resistant than others. Hence it may be concluded that destruction or inactivation of an active agent by repeated freezing (–185°C.) and thawing is not proof that it was possessed of life.
Chloro[N,N′‐o‐phenylenebis(pyridine‐2‐carbox­amido)]­cobalt(III) chloro­form disolvate

The title compound, [C(bpb)(Cl)(pyridine)]·2CHCl3 [bpbH2 is N,N′-o-phenylenebis(pyridine-2-carbox­amide), C18H12N4O2], was obtained directly from [Co(bpb)(OOtBu)(pyridine)] upon storage in freshly distilled CHCl3. The structure of this octahedral cobalt(III) complex reveals two chloro­form mol­ecules of solvation that form hydrogen bonds to the O atoms of the carbox­amide group of the bpb2− ligand.
The impact of gasoline price fluctuations on lodging demand for US brand hotels

Abstract Analyzing US brand hotels, over a 13-year period, this study provides empirical evidence of a significant negative relationship between gasoline prices and demand for certain lodging products, controlling for economic factors (i.e. gross domestic product and population density). Applying principles from microeconomic demand theory to the literatures on gasoline price elasticities, consumer demographics and lodging demand, a set of hypotheses were devised to test the relationship between gasoline prices and lodging demand for specific hotel locations and price segments. Using fixed effects models, the results reveal that lodging demand decreases as gasoline prices rise in all segments except upper-upscale and all locations except urban areas. Hotels in midscale without food and beverage and economy market segments, in resort, suburban and highway locations, exhibit the greatest association between gasoline price shifts and demand. Implications of these findings are discussed for both hospitality research and practice.
Atypical Protein Kinase C-ζ Stimulates Thyrotropin-Independent Proliferation in Rat Thyroid Cells1

Several reports have indicated that protein kinase C (PKC) is an important regulator of proliferation in thyroid cells. Unlike TSH, the mitogenic effects of phorbol esters are accompanied by de-differentiation. The role of individual PKC isoforms in thyroid cell proliferation and differentiation has not been examined. Recent studies have implicated the atypical PKCζ, a phorbol ester-unresponsive isozyme, in cell proliferation, death, and survival. We overexpressed PKCζ in Wistar rat thyroid (WRT) cells and determined that PKCζ conferred TSH-independent DNA synthesis and cell proliferation. Cells overexpressing PKCζ show higher levels of phosphorylated p42/p44 MAPK compared with vector-transfected cells. Experiments using a luciferase reporter for Elk-1 revealed that PKCζ overexpressing cells exhibit higher basal Elk-1 transcriptional activity than vector-transfected control cells. Interestingly, stimulation of Elk-1 transcriptional activity by MEK1, a p42/p44 MAPK kinase, was significantly enhanced in cel...
Alternating Layer Chemical Vapor Deposition (ALD) of Metal Silicates and Oxides for Gate Insulators

A new process was developed for deposition of the silicates and oxides of metals such as zirconium and hafnium at low substrate temperatures (100-300 o C). The silicon and oxygen source is tris(tert-butoxy)silanol, ( t BuO)3SiOH, and the metal precursors are metal amides. A typical reaction is ZrL4 +2 ( t BuO)3SiOH ZrSi2O6 +4 HL +6 H 2C=C(CH3)2 +2 H 2O in which the ligand L is ethylmethylamide, -NEtMe. The precursor vapors were alternately pulsed into a heated reactor, yielding about 0.3 to 0.7 nm of metal silicate film for each cycle. Replacing the silanol pulses with water pulses yields pure metal oxides with a thickness of about 0.1 to 0.15 nm per cycle. The silicon content of the films can be adjusted to any desired value by replacing some of the silanol pulses by water pulses. This new process has a number of advantages over previous methods for depositing metal silicates. Uniformity of thickness and stoichiometry are readily achieved. The deposition atmosphere is non-oxidizing, so that formation of low-k interfacial oxides between the deposited layer and a silicon substrate is minimized. The new halogen-free precursors avoid halogen contamination of films and corrosion of deposition systems. This process is a promising method for forming the next generation of ultra-thin high-k gate dielectrics in silicon-based microelectronics.
Nonlinear saturation of mirror instability

[1] Mechanism of the nonlinear saturation of compressible electromagnetic mirror instability is studied using the gyrokinetic particle simulation. Phase-space particle trapping due to the mirror force is found to be the dominant saturation mechanism in the simulation of a single mirror mode with relatively weak drive. At the nonlinear saturation, the phase-space island of the distribution function is formed. The oscillation frequency of the saturated perturbation amplitude is close to the bounce frequency of the trapped particles, which is comparable to the linear growth rate of the mirror mode. Scaling of the saturation amplitude is consistent with the onset of the particle trapping. With strong instability drive, relaxation toward marginal stability dominates the nonlinear saturation of the mirror instability. Phase-space trapping, however, persists after the saturation and continues to regulate the nonlinear evolution of the mirror mode.
Case Study: Design for Liquidity Stress Testing

This short working paper brings up a case study pertaining to design and implementation of liquidity stress testing solution. Liquidity risk has been at the forefront of regulatory attention ever since the 2009-09 financial crisis stuck. Banks are required to arrive at a thorough understanding of liquidity profile by subjecting the balance sheets to liquidity stress. Implementation requires identification of liquidity risk drivers and testing the sensitivity of portfolios to them. Arriving at the list of most critical risk drivers helps a bank to focus on them. Scenarios to stress test are created in a subsequent step by subjecting pertinent risk drivers to varying degrees of shocks to understand the liquidity mismatches.
Review of Various Herbal Supplements as Complementary Treatments for Oral Cancer

In the United States, nearly 44,000 people are diagnosed with oral or pharyngeal cancer annually. The life expectancy for those who are diagnosed have a survival rate of 57% after five years. Among them, oral cancer can be classified as benign or malignant tumors and is diagnosed at several stages in the development: premalignant conditions, premalignant lesions, and malignant cancer. The early signs of oral cancer often go unnoticed by the individual and are often discovered during routine dental examinations. Early detection and treatment may help to increase patient survival rates. The most widely used treatments for oral cancer include surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy-alone or in combination. Preclinical and clinical evidence for the use of green tea, raspberry, asparagus, and cannabis extracts is discussed in this review. Diet changes, supplementation with antioxidants, high-dose vitamin C therapy, and cannabinoid use have been suggested to decrease cancer cell replication and increase chance of remission. Early detection and lifestyle changes, including the use of dietary supplements in at-risk populations, are critical steps in preventing and successfully treating oral cancer. The main evidence for supplement use is currently in cancer prevention rather than treatment. Further research, determination, and mechanism of action for bioactive compounds such as epigallocatechin, epicatechin-3-gallate, and Bowman-Birk inhibitor concentrate, through in vitro, in vivo, and clinical trials need to be completed to support the use of natural products and their effectiveness in preventative care and supporting therapeutic approaches.
Commentary on “Judgment Based Marketing Decision Models”:

Chakravarti, Mitchell, and Staelin (CMS) draw a number of conclusions about judgment based models that agree with our field experience. However, we question whether their experiments form an adequate basis for ascribing negative effects to decision calculus models. A key part of the laboratory task is to estimate five model parameters, given between six and 18 observations of a share-advertising time series and no further market information. By contrast, in our field experience a major advantage of decision calculus models is that managers base their calibrations on multiple information sources and detailed knowledge of market and consumer behavior.
Neurologists are from Mars. Rheumatologists are from Venus: differences in approach to classifying the idiopathic inflammatory myopathies.

Purpose of reviewInflammatory myopathy (IIM) classification criteria have been the source of considerable debate. In the three decades since Bohan and Peter published their criteria which have long stood as the gold standard for diagnosis in clinical practice as well as inclusion into clinical trial
Deregulation of S -adenosylmethionine biosynthesis and regeneration improves methylation in the E. coli de novo vanillin biosynthesis pathway

Vanillin is an industrially valuable molecule that can be produced from simple carbon sources in engineered microorganisms such as Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Escherichia coli. In E. coli, de novo production of vanillin was demonstrated previously as a proof of concept. In this study, a series of data-driven experiments were performed in order to better understand limitations associated with biosynthesis of vanillate, which is the immediate precursor to vanillin. Time-course experiments monitoring production of heterologous metabolites in the E. coli de novo vanillin pathway revealed a bottleneck in conversion of protocatechuate to vanillate. Perturbations in central metabolism intended to increase flux into the heterologous pathway increased average vanillate titers from 132 to 205 mg/L, but protocatechuate remained the dominant heterologous product on a molar basis. SDS-PAGE, in vitro activity measurements, and l-methionine supplementation experiments suggested that the decline in conversion rate was influenced more by limited availability of the co-substrate S-adenosyl-l-methionine (AdoMet or SAM) than by loss of activity of the heterologous O-methyltransferase. The combination of metJ deletion and overexpression of feedback-resistant variants of metA and cysE, which encode enzymes involved in SAM biosynthesis, increased average de novo vanillate titers by an additional 33 % (from 205 to 272 mg/L). An orthogonal strategy intended to improve SAM regeneration through overexpression of native mtn and luxS genes resulted in a 25 % increase in average de novo vanillate titers (from 205 to 256 mg/L). Vanillate production improved further upon supplementation with methionine (as high as 419 ± 58 mg/L), suggesting potential for additional enhancement by increasing SAM availability. Results from this study demonstrate context dependency of engineered pathways and highlight the limited methylation capacity of E. coli. Unlike in previous efforts to improve SAM or methionine biosynthesis, we pursued two orthogonal strategies that are each aimed at deregulating multiple reactions. Our results increase the working knowledge of SAM biosynthesis engineering and provide a framework for improving titers of metabolic products dependent upon methylation reactions.
Smooth Muscle Cell Ion Channels in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: Pathogenic Role in Pulmonary Vasoconstriction and Vascular Remodeling

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a progressive hemodynamic disease that impacts right heart function ultimately resulting in mortality due to right heart failure. Increased pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR) and pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP) observed in PAH patients can be attributed in part to sustained vasoconstriction and excessive remodeling of the distal pulmonary arteries. Pulmonary vasoconstriction is a result of pulmonary artery smooth muscle cell (PASMC) contraction while pulmonary vascular remodeling is associated with increased cell proliferation and decreased apoptosis. Spanning the plasma membrane of PASMC are macromolecular pore-forming proteins known as ion channels that allow for passive distribution of ion across the membrane when open. Ion channel activity is crucial for driving critical physiological functions. Posttranscriptional regulation of ion channel expression and ion channel dysfunction in PASMCs have been linked to changes in vascular tone and the initiation of vascular remodeling. This chapter will introduce smooth muscle cell ion channels that regulate physiological function in the pulmonary vasculature and summarize their potential pathogenic contribution to the development of pulmonary vascular diseases such as PAH.
Adjunctive Use of Noninvasive Ventilation During Exercise in Patients With Decompensated Heart Failure.

Noninvasive ventilation (NIV) as an adjunct strategy for increasing exercise tolerance has been widely investigated in patients with pulmonary diseases. To our knowledge, there are no studies that have used NIV during exercise in patients with decompensated heart failure (HF). The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of NIV on exercise tolerance in hospitalized patients with decompensated HF. Thirteen patients (77 ± 15 years) with a mean left ventricular ejection fraction of 35 ± 15% were included. Patients underwent 2 submaximal exercise tests with constant load for lower limbs using a portable cycle ergometer. Tests were performed on the same day with a 60-minute interval between each one, using a randomized crossover design: sham ventilation (continuous positive airway pressure mode, 4 cm H 2 O) and intervention situation (NIV in bilevel mode). Primary outcome was the endurance time performed during exercise tests with constant load. Submaximal exercise with NIV in bilevel mode improved endurance time (7.2 ± 2.7 minutes) compared to the tests performed with continuous positive airway pressure (5.1 ± 1.5 minutes; p = 0.008). Increase in endurance time (Δ time) with bilevel test showed a significant correlation with reduction in the slope of dyspnea (Δ Borg) over time ( r = −0.73; p = 0.004). There was a significant correlation between endurance time in bilevel tests and maximum inspiratory pressure % predicted ( r = 0.68; p = 0.02). In conclusion, NIV was effective in increasing exercise tolerance in hospitalized patients with decompensated HF. (ClinicalTrials.gov registration NCT02122848).
Novel Combination of Gallium Nitrate, Rituximab and Dexamethasone for the Treatment of Relapsed or Refractory Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma, Mantle Cell Lymphoma or Transformed Follicular Lymphoma.

More than 56,000 new cases of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL) will be diagnosed this year in the United States. Despite advances in treatment modalities such as radiation, biologic agents, and cytotoxic chemotherapeutic regimens, only 25–30% of these patients will be cured of their disease. Standard salvage regimens such as DHAP, ESHAP, ICE and EPOCH have proven efficacy at the cost of increasing toxicity and hospitalization costs. The reported response rates for these are on the order of 50–75% as first-line salvage regimens. However, as our aging patient population develops worsening performance status and co-morbidities, it seems appropriate to develop effective lymphoma treatments, which have fewer toxicities and lower costs for administration. One approach is to combine non-myelosuppressive therapies. One non-myelosuppressive agent, which has efficacy in lymphoma, is gallium nitrate. Investigation of gallium nitrate for cancer treatment dates back to the 1970’s. While it is currently approved for the treatment of bisphosphonate resistant hypercalcemia of malignancy, it has also been shown to inhibit ribonucleotide reductase and bind transferrin and potentially complex with the transferrin receptor, which is highly expressed in intermediate and aggressive histology lymphomas. It appears that the binding of the transferrin receptor on the lymphocyte as well as its inhibition of ribonucleotide reductase, eventually impairs iron metabolism, which is a necessary component of the intracellular cytochrome systems/mitochondrial function and ultimately oxidative phosphorylation. The current study is a phase II clinical trial investigating the combination of gallium nitrate, rituximab and dexamethasone (GaRD) for relapsed or refractory DLBCL, MCL or transformed follicular lymphomas. The gallium nitrate is given at 200mg/m2 CIV days 1–7, rituximab 375mg/m2 IVPB day 1 and dexamethasone 40 mg po days 1–4. Eligible patients must have proven relapsed or refractory disease and have a SWOG PS <3. Patients may have failed prior ASCT or allogeneic SCT. The accrual goal is 37 patients. We have enrolled 14 patients on study to date and have 12 evaluable patients; as part of the ongoing safety evaluation for this study, we have the following results: ORR 9/12 (75%); CR 2/12 (17%); PR 7/12 (58%); SD 2/12 (17%); and PD 1/12 (8%). Most of these patients were refractory to prior salvage regimens 8/12 (67%), including ESHAP, DHAP or high-dose cyclophosphamide. No patients developed grade 3 or 4 toxicities, with the exception of grade 4 lymphopenia and grade 3 anemia (most likely due to transferrin receptor binding). Conclusions: gallium nitrate, rituximab and dexamethasone (GaRD) appears to be an effective and relatively non-toxic salvage regimen for patients with relapsed DLBCL, MCL or transformed FL.
A phase I study of buparlisib (BKM120) with bevacizumab (BEV) in patients (pts) with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) progressing on prior vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) therapies.

4559 Background: BKM120 is a pan-PI3K inhibitor with demonstrated activity in advanced solid tumors. The primary aim of this study was to determine the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) and dose limitin...
Philosophy of Language, Medieval

Early medieval philosophy of language (fourth to late 11th centuries) was focused on ‘grammatical platonism’ and language's relationship to reality and universals. During the Carolingian era, some grammarians and philosophers incorporated dialectic into their discussions of language as a signifying system. By the 12th century, philosophers and grammarians combined grammatical questions and Aristotelian logic to produce a moderate realist theory of language, in which words signify concepts directly and external reality indirectly. Speculative grammarians located universal grammar in the mind as a representation of the properties of things, but nominalists critiqued ultrarealist language theories by arguing that words referred only to mental concepts and meaning was determined by speech contexts.
Preschoolers' moral judgments of environmental harm and the influence of perspective taking

Abstract We asked whether preschoolers view the environment as a moral concern. In Study 1, preschoolers rated the morality of actions that harmed either the environment or another person, as well as non-harmful behaviors. 3-year-olds equated behaviors that harmed the environment with those that targeted people. Older preschoolers, however, rated behaviors that harmed people as being worse than those that damaged the environment. In the second study, we experimentally tested whether preschoolers’ moral evaluations could be influenced using a perspective-taking task. Children who took the perspective of a book character who was the victim of environmental harm rated environmentally irresponsible behaviors more severely than children who took the perspective of a character who caused environmental damage. Together, the studies provide preliminary evidence that children as young as 3 years view environmental behaviors in moral terms and that these early judgments are malleable. The research has implications for environmental education.
On AI, Markets and Machine Learning

What is fun about artificial intelligence (AI) is that it is fundamentally constructive! Rather than theorizing about the behavior of an existing, say social system, or understanding the way in which decisions are currently being made, one gets to ask a profound question: how should a system for making intelligent decisions be designed? In multi-agent systems we're often interested, in particular, in what happens when multiple participants, each with autonomy, selfinterest and potentially misaligned incentives come together. These systems involve people (frequently people and firms), as well as the use of AI to automate some parts of decision making. How should such a system be designed? In adopting this normative viewpoint, we follow a successful branch of economic theory that includes mechanism design, social choice and matching. But in pursuit of success, we must grapple with problems that are more complex than has been typical in economic theory, and solve these problems at scale. We want to attack diffcult problems by using the methods of AI together with the methods of economic theory
Lessons From the Lives of Celebrated Musicians: What Armstrong, Cash, Dylan, Ellington, Fitzgerald, and Sinatra Can Teach Us About Creative Resilience and Aging

For a decade the author has delivered presentations using techniques from the humanities, principally biography, to elucidate themes of creative resilience and aging in the lives of well-known musicians, illustrated with excerpted images, audio clips, and videos. The goal has been to stimulate discussions about the potential for creative growth in later years, even in the face of the professional and personal setbacks inevitable in the course of life, with implications for clinical work with older adults and for ourselves as we age. This summary describes key take-home points that have recurred across these varied artists' stories and the interactions they have sparked with audiences and colleagues.
The Macroeconomic Implications of Wage Retaliation against Higher Taxation (Les implications macro-economiques des revendications salariales consequentes a une augmentation de l'imposition) (Repercusiones macroeconomicas de la reaccion de los salarios ante un aumento de los impuestos)

An essential element in this result is that the money wage rate remains constant in the short run. Classical theory assumes that there will be competitive labor markets, homogeneity in labor supply, and continuation of adjustment until all markets are cleared. Under these conditions, a rise in personal taxes lowers the level of prices and causes the money wage rate to fall in the same proportion. Since the real wage does not change, the equilibrium levels of output and employment remain unaffected. The fall in real consumption expenditure caused by the tax is then exactly offset by a rise in planned investment, which occurs in response to the fall in the price level, since lower prices increase the real value of the money supply and lower the rate of interest.
Carbon dioxide emissions effects of grid-scale electricity storage in a decarbonizing power system

While grid-scale electricity storage (hereafter 'storage') could be crucial for deeply decarbonizing the electric power system, it would increase carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in current systems across the United States. To better understand how storage transitions from increasing to decreasing system CO2 emissions, we quantify the effect of storage on operational CO2 emissions as a power system decarbonizes under a moderate and strong CO2 emission reduction target through 2045. Under each target, we compare the effect of storage on CO2 emissions when storage participates in only energy, only reserve, and energy and reserve markets. We conduct our study in the Electricity Reliability Council of Texas (ERCOT) system and use a capacity expansion model to forecast generator fleet changes and a unit commitment and economic dispatch model to quantify system CO2 emissions with and without storage. We find that storage would increase CO2 emissions in the current ERCOT system, but would decrease CO2 emissions in 2025 through 2045 under both decarbonization targets. Storage reduces CO2 emissions primarily by enabling gas-fired generation to displace coal-fired generation, but also by reducing wind and solar curtailment. We further find that the market in which storage participates drives large differences in the magnitude, but not the direction, of the effect of storage on CO2 emissions.
A framework to enhance assistive technology based mobility tracking in individuals with spinal cord injury

Assistive technologies such as wheelchairs, canes, and walkers have significantly improved the mobility, function, and quality of life for individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI). In this article, we propose a framework which combines machine learning algorithms with wearable sensors to capture and track mobility in individuals with SCI. Pilot testing in two individuals without SCI indicated that four to seven features obtained from sensors worn on the body or placed on the assistive technology could successfully detect mobility and mobility modes. The classification accuracy for Naive Bayes and Decision Tree algorithms to detect mobility from non-mobility activity varied from 87.4% to 97.6%. The classification accuracy for detecting six mobility modes within mobility ranged from 88.5% to 90.6%. The proposed framework has the potential to assist researchers and clinicians to study complex mobility patterns of individuals with SCI and provide adaptive rehabilitation and physical activity interventions in the community.
Dacryoadenoma: A Unique Tumor of the Conjunctival Epithelium

Abstract For 15 years, a 48-year-old woman had been aware of a pinkish translucent inferior epibulbar mass toward the fornix that was stationary in size. Light microscopic evaluation of the excised specimen showed that it was a gland-forming benign tumor. It originated from the surface epithelium by the downward invagination of tubular formations that underwent secondary and tertiary ramifications. The surface epithelium overlying the mass was not normal conjunctival squamous epithelium, but it was a modification in the form of a superficial layer of columnar to cuboidal cells surmounting several nuclei similar to the cells lining the subepithelial lumen-forming units. Electron microscopy showed that both the surface and tumor epithelium contained apical lacrimaltype zymogen granules and basilar whorls of rough-surfaced endoplasmic reticulum. Scattered myoepithelial cells were associated with the acinar-type epithelium of the tumor, and there were goblet cells intermixed. Neither light nor electron microscopy disclosed the presence of true ducts. The authors conclude that the lesion was a benign proliferation of lacrimal secretory-type cells and suggest the term "dacryoadenoma" for this previously undescribed entity.
Coffee Consumption and Incident Kidney Disease: Results From the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study.

Background Moderate coffee consumption has been suggested to be associated with lower risk for chronic conditions such as diabetes, a major precursor to chronic kidney disease (CKD). However, the association between coffee and CKD has not been fully established. Study Design Prospective cohort study. Setting & Participants 14,209 participants aged 45 to 64 years from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study. Predictors Coffee consumption (cups per day) was assessed at visits 1 (1987-1989) and 3 (1993-1995) using food frequency questionnaires. Outcomes Incident CKD defined as estimated glomerular filtration rate Results There were 3,845 cases of incident CKD over a median of 24 years of follow-up. Men, whites, current smokers, and participants without comorbid conditions were more likely to consume higher amounts of coffee per day. After adjustment for demographic, clinical, and dietary factors, higher categories of coffee consumption were associated with lower risk for incident CKD compared with those who never consumed coffee (HR for Limitations Self-reported coffee consumption and observational design. Conclusions Participants who drank higher amounts of coffee had lower risk for incident CKD after adjusting for covariates. Coffee consumers may not be at adverse risk for kidney disease.
Generalized boosted modeling to identify subgroups where effect of dabigatran versus warfarin may differ: An observational cohort study of patients with atrial fibrillation.

Purpose To explore generalized boosted modeling (GBM) as a method for identifying subgroups with greater benefit or harm with dabigatran versus warfarin for treatment of atrial fibrillation. Methods We identified new initiators of warfarin or dabigatran with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation in 2 healthcare claims databases (2009-2013) and used GBM within 1 data source (development cohort) to explore subgroups where their effect on thromboembolism and major bleeding may differ. Identified subgroups were evaluated in the second data source (validation cohort) with stabilized-inverse-probability-of-treatment weights to adjust for confounding. Results Development and validation cohorts included 13 624 (28% dabigatran) and 62 596 (29% dabigatran) initiators, respectively. In development data, the strongest exposure interactions were prior thromboembolism and renal disease. In validation data, reduction in thromboembolism with dabigatran was greater for patients with versus without a history of thromboembolism by 2.8 (95% CI, -0.5 to 5.4) events per 100 patient-years. Major bleeding was reduced by 1.6/100 patient-years for dabigatran compared to warfarin initiators, without evidence of variation by renal disease. Conclusions We explored use of GBM to identify potential subgroups with different treatment effect. Dabigatran's superiority to warfarin at prevention of thromboembolism may be greater in secondary than primary prevention. In practice, secondary prevention patients are more often treated with warfarin.
GAD: General Activity Detection for Fast Clustering on Large Data.

In this paper, we propose GAD (General Activity Detection) for fast clustering on large scale data. Within this framework we design a set of algorithms for different scenarios: (1) Exact GAD algorithm E-GAD, which is much faster than K-Means and gets the same clustering result. (2) Approximate GAD algorithms with different assumptions, which are faster than E-GAD while achieving different degrees of approximation. (3) GAD based algorithms to handle the ”large clusters” problem which appears in many large scale clustering applications. Two existing activity detection algorithms GT and CGAUTC are special cases under the framework. The most important contribution of our work is that the framework is the general solution to exploit activity detection for fast clustering in both exact and approximate senarios, and our proposed algorithms within the framework can achieve very high speed. Extensive experiments have been conducted on several large datasets from various real world applications; the results show that our proposed algorithms are effective and efficient.
Cardiopulmonary Bypass and Cardiac Surgery in TAVR

Despite being minimally invasive, TAVR procedures come with significant procedural risk. In the high-risk TAVR patient, brief moments of instability can lead to cardiac arrest. Preparedness for procedural complications requires clear planning ahead of time. Below are tips to consider prior to an emergency.
Autophagy and prostate cancer therapeutics

Autophagy or self-eating is an evolutionarily conserved process whereby cells, in response to stress conditions, use lysosomal-mediated degradation of long-­lived proteins and retired organelles to regenerate energy. It protects cells from harsh conditions and prolongs cell survival. Cancer therapeutics induce a variety of stresses in tumor cells including nutritional starvation, DNA damage, ER stress, and ROS generation. Not surprisingly, the great majority of cancer therapeutics also induce autophagy. As such, autophagy becomes an inseparable part of cancer therapy and its modulation, and thus deserve attention. In this review, we discuss the current prostate cancer therapies, the cell biology and detection method of autophagy, the relationship of autophagy to apoptosis and necroptosis, and autophagy modulation in experimental prostate cancer therapies. Finally, we provide a comprehensive summary of the autophagy characteristics (induction and function) of experimental and clinically tested prostate cancer treatments, as well as current clinical trials involving autophagy modulators.
Neuropsychiatric Complications of Cerebrovascular Disease

This rendition delves into several of the neuropsychiatric manifestations of cerebrovascular events, including mania, anxiety, apathy, disturbance of the sleep wake cycle, fatigue, sexual dysfunction, cognitive impairment, empathic impairment, theory of mind, social-emotional dysfunction, involuntary emotional expression disorder, irritability, psychosis, agitation, and depression. The focus is on the manifestations of these presentations for proper diagnosis, as well as the lesion localization particular to the respective symptomatology. Furthermore, the hope is that this contribution allows for a greater awareness regarding the complications of stroke and brings attention to the sequelae from which its victims suffer.
Electromyography: Doctors’ Questions Answered

This article presents an overview of the tests used in electrodiagnostic medicine: what they are, what they can reveal, and who does them. Questions commonly asked by referring physicians are answered. This article is an introduction to electrodiagnostic testing for physicians unfamiliar with these techniques.
Paths to recognition: explaining indigenous peoples’ rights in Southeast Asia through qualitative comparative analysis (QCA)

ABSTRACTThis paper attempts to find paths to the recognition of indigenous peoples’ rights (IPR) and to identify the conditions that are necessary and/or sufficient for the recognition of these rig...
Estimating resilient modulus of base aggregates for mechanistic-empirical pavement design and performance evaluation

Abstract This paper presents an evaluation of the performance of existing materials models in predicting the resilient modulus of base layer aggregates using a repeated load triaxial test database from Wisconsin and Kentucky and involving gravel/crushed gravel and crushed stone. In addition, three new materials models were developed, based on the database, and evaluated, based on their performance in estimating the results of the repeated load triaxial test in the database. The new developed models were validated by predicting the resilient modulus of 15 aggregate samples, based on particle size analysis and compaction tests. Thereafter, the repeated load triaxial test was performed on these 15 samples and the results were compared with the models’ predictions. Two of the developed models performed reasonably compared with the third model.
Long-Term Outcomes are Worse in Patients Hospitalized Prior to Lung Transplantation

Purpose While recipients who are critically ill at the time of lung transplantation are at increased risk of post-transplant mortality and complications, it is unclear whether outcomes for inpatient recipients without critical care needs are any worse than those of patients who are admitted from home prior to transplant. Methods The United Network for Organ Sharing database was queried for adult lung transplants between 2005 and 2017. Patients were classified as either inpatient or outpatient at the time of transplant. Patients requiring life support or critical care were excluded. Patients were stratified by Lung Allocation Score (LAS) and functional status, and propensity score matching was performed on demographics and risk factors. Post-transplant survival, graft function, forced expiratory volume (FEV1), and functional status were analyzed with the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazard, linear, and logistic regression. Results Of the 12,198 patients included in the study, 6140 were inpatient at the time of transplant (50.3%). Stratification and propensity score matching yielded 4760 well-matched pairs. Post-transplant survival was 85.6% at 1 year and 68.5% at 3 years for outpatients and 85.8% at 1 year and 67.3% at 3 years for inpatients (p = 0.700 by log-rank test). Graft function was 73.1% at 1 year and 39.0% at 3 years for outpatients and 72.0% at 1 year and 31.5% at 3 years for inpatients (p = 0.001). In Cox regression, inpatient status was not associated with post-transplant mortality (hazard ratio: 1.00, p = 0.892), but was associated with increased risk of graft failure (HR = 1.16, p = 0.005). In logistic regression, inpatient status was associated with increased risk of graft failure at 3 years (odds ratio: 1.39, p = 0.003) and worse FEV1 (p Conclusion When controlling for LAS score, functional status, and risk factors, patients who required hospitalization prior to lung transplant had similar survival, but worse long-term outcomes.
The Role of CSFP in Glaucoma: A View in Retrospect

Glaucoma is well-recognized as a pressure-related disease. Intraocular pressure has been known as a major contributor to glaucomatous pathogenesis for over a century. Blood pressure and glaucoma have been investigated closely over several decades. More recent studies have reignited an interest in cerebrospinal fluid pressure as an important contributor.
Structural and Biological Investigations for a Series of N-5 Substituted Pyrrolo[3,2-d]pyrimidines as Potential Anti-Cancer Therapeutics

Pyrrolo[3,2-d]pyrimidines have been studied for many years as potential lead compounds for the development of antiproliferative agents. Much of the focus has been on modifications to the pyrimidine ring, with enzymatic recognition often modulated by C2 and C4 substituents. In contrast, this work focuses on the N5 of the pyrrole ring by means of a series of novel N5-substituted pyrrolo[3,2-d]pyrimidines. The compounds were screened against the NCI-60 Human Tumor Cell Line panel, and the results were analyzed using the COMPARE algorithm to elucidate potential mechanisms of action. COMPARE analysis returned strong correlation to known DNA alkylators and groove binders, corroborating the hypothesis that these pyrrolo[3,2-d]pyrimidines act as DNA or RNA alkylators. In addition, N5 substitution reduced the EC50 against CCRF-CEM leukemia cells by up to 7-fold, indicating that this position is of interest in the development of antiproliferative lead compounds based on the pyrrolo[3,2-d]pyrimidine scaffold.