cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Reversing Time: Origin of Telomerase

Although a number of alternative solutions to the chromosome end-replication problem are used in nature, the telomerase solution is the most widespread and perhaps the oldest among eukaryotes. The finding of clear RT motifs in the catalytic subunit of telomerase means we no longer need to qualify it as a “specialized” RT. Indeed, expression of the telomerase RNA and the catalytic subunit (along with whatever components might be provided by a reticulocyte lysate) reconstitutes human telomerase activity in vitro (Weinrich et al. 1997xWeinrich, S.L, Pruzan, R, Ma, L, Ouellette, M, Tesmer, V.M, Holt, S.E, Bodnar, A.G, Lichtsteiner, S, Kim, N.W, Trager, J.B et al. Nat. Genet. 1997; 17: 498–502Crossref | PubMedSee all ReferencesWeinrich et al. 1997). This suggests that underneath the massive telomerase RNP complex (based on glycerol gradient and sizing column estimates), telomerase may have a simple two-component RNP enzyme at its core, much like simpler RTs encoded by group II introns and non-LTR retrotransposons. Since RTs are thought to have been with us since the transition from RNA- and protein-based systems to the present-day DNA-, RNA-, and protein-based systems (see Figure 2Figure 2), we now have a satisfying explanation for near universality of telomerase among eukaryotes. While it is still far from clear exactly how telomerase evolved to its present-day form, it is likely to be with us for a long time.
Physical abuse of the elderly: the medical director's response.

Many people think of physical abuse when the term “elder abuse” is used. Although it ranks behind neglect and emotional abuse as the third most common form of abuse, physical abuse cases are some of the most heinous. It is also the most common form of abuse that comes to medical attention. Physical abuse may include pushing, striking, force feeding, improper use of physical restraints, and infliction of pain or the withholding of pain relief. It is not uncommon for a person to be a victim of multiple types of abuse; thus, physical abuse should alert us to look for other types of abuse as well. Medical directors therefore must become proficient in identifying physical abuse in older adults, know the markers that raise suspicion for abuse, and lead their multidisciplinary team and/or agency in an effective approach to this problem. As the leader of a multidisciplinary team, the medical director is well positioned to prevent and identify possible mistreatment. The medical director can make sure that the issue of abuse is openly discussed in team meetings. For example, if a home health nurse notices that a patient is having unusual and/or unexpected wounds the possibility of abuse may be raised by the medical director during a multidisciplinary team meeting. Other members of the team might then add their observations that serve to either increase or decrease the level of concern. In working toward recognition and prevention of abuse, the medical director has the authority to insist that more training and education on the topic of elder abuse is available for members of the interdisciplinary team. In this article we will emphasize the role of the medical director in the home health care setting and focus on the issue of physical abuse in a board and care. The following discussion will be case-based to highlight the challenges as well as potential solutions when physical abuse is suspected.
Quantitation of Phencyclidine in Serum by Enzyme Immunoassay: Results in 405 Patients

Phencyclidine (PCP) in serum (5 ng/mL and higher) was quantitated by a homogeneous enzyme immunoassay procedure. Precision and accuracy data indicate that the procedure meets the requirements for a clinical assay. The short turnaround time for the assay makes it superior to other available methods for the emergency determination of PCP in serum. The analytical results were comparable to those by GC/MS on 70 samples tested. The serum concentration of PCP was determined in 500 specimens from 405 patients. In 216 patients with "pure" PCP intoxication, the serum concentration did not show a direct relationship to either the clinical pattern of intoxication or to the history of the route of PCP use.
Boiling in a porous layer heated from below: effects of natural convection and a moving liquid/two-phase interface

Boiling and natural-convection processes in a horizontal, fluid-saturated porous layer are investigated. The layer is heated uniformly from below and is cooled from above. Volumetric cooling is also allowed. The thermodynamic structure consists of a liquid region overlying a two-phase region. Numerical techniques are used to solve the transient, two-dimensional equations in the liquid and two-phase regions, and at the phase-change interface. A parametric study is carried out in terms of the liquid-phase Rayleigh number (Ra) and the non-dimensional bottom heat flux (Qb). Three solution regimes are observed: conduction-dominated at low Ra, convection-dominated at intermediate Ra, and oscillatory convection at high Ra. In the convection-dominated regime, transitions to multiple cell patterns are observed as Qb is increased. Oscillatory convection appears to be triggered by asymmetric disturbances in the system. The effects of initial conditions and the stability of the solutions to perturbations are also investigated. The heat transfer correlations and qualitative flow patterns are in agreement with experiments.
Structural analysis of mylonitic rocks in the Cougar Creek Complex, Oregon–Idaho using the porphyroclast hyperbolic distribution method, and potential use of SC′-type extensional shear bands as quantitative vorticity indicators

Abstract Mylonitic rocks of the Cougar Creek Complex of northeastern Oregon and west-central Idaho provide an opportunity to document the deformational structures produced during general non-coaxial shear within quartz-feldspar mylonites and to explore the potential role of SC′-type extensional shear bands in vorticity analysis. Well-developed feldspar porphyroclasts within six mylonite zones were utilized to estimate bulk kinematic vorticity ( W k ) using the porphyroclast hyperbolic distribution (PHD) method. W k values for the Cougar Creek mylonites range from W k = 0.26 to W k = 0.37. Synthetic and antithetic shear band inclinations were measured relative to observed shear zone boundaries within five mylonite zones with estimated W k values and compared to the non-coaxial flow field geometries and eigenvector orientations. In each mylonite zone, synthetic SC′-type shear band populations exhibit a range of inclination with maximum inclination lying approximately parallel to the acute bisector (AB) of the eigenvectors. Similarly, antithetic shear band populations show a range of inclination near the obtuse bisector (OB) of the eigenvectors. We infer that SC′-type extensional shear bands form initially parallel to AB and OB and rotate towards the flow plane with progressive deformation, decreasing their inclination relative to the shear zone boundary. AB and OB have significance in the strain field in that they represent orientations of maximum angular strain rate. Thus, planes perpendicular to AB and OB are mechanically favorable for small zones of localized simple shear (shear bands) within the heterogeneous bulk strain of the mylonite. Orientation analysis of populations of SC′-type shear bands may provide a direct, quantitative means of estimating W k .
Breaking tolerance in transgenic mice expressing the human TSH receptor A-subunit: thyroiditis, epitope spreading and adjuvant as a 'double edged sword'.

Transgenic mice with the human thyrotropin-receptor (TSHR) A-subunit targeted to the thyroid are tolerant of the transgene. In transgenics that express low A-subunit levels (Lo-expressors), regulatory T cell (Treg) depletion using anti-CD25 before immunization with adenovirus encoding the A-subunit (A-sub-Ad) breaks tolerance, inducing extensive thyroid lymphocytic infiltration, thyroid damage and antibody spreading to other thyroid proteins. In contrast, no thyroiditis develops in Hi-expressor transgenics or wild-type mice. Our present goal was to determine if thyroiditis could be induced in Hi-expressor transgenics using a more potent immunization protocol: Treg depletion, priming with Complete Freund's Adjuvant (CFA) + A-subunit protein and further Treg depletions before two boosts with A-sub-Ad. As controls, anti-CD25 treated Hi- and Lo-expressors and wild-type mice were primed with CFA+ mouse thyroglobulin (Tg) or CFA alone before A-sub-Ad boosting. Thyroiditis developed after CFA+A-subunit protein or Tg and A-sub-Ad boosting in Lo-expressor transgenics but Hi- expressors (and wild-type mice) were resistant to thyroiditis induction. Importantly, in Lo-expressors, thyroiditis was associated with the development of antibodies to the mouse TSHR downstream of the A-subunit. Unexpectedly, we observed that the effect of bacterial products on the immune system is a “double-edged sword”. On the one hand, priming with CFA (mycobacteria emulsified in oil) plus A-subunit protein broke tolerance to the A-subunit in Hi-expressor transgenics leading to high TSHR antibody levels. On the other hand, prior treatment with CFA in the absence of A-subunit protein inhibited responses to subsequent immunization with A-sub-Ad. Consequently, adjuvant activity arising in vivo after bacterial infections combined with a protein autoantigen can break self-tolerance but in the absence of the autoantigen, adjuvant activity can inhibit the induction of immunity to autoantigens (like the TSHR) displaying strong self-tolerance.
Variability Impact of Random Dopant Fluctuation on Nanoscale Junctionless FinFETs

Junctionless fin held-effect transistor (FinFET) variability due to random dopant fluctuation (RDF) was investigated for sub-32-nm technology generations using technology computer-aided design (TCAD) simulations. Results indicate that variations in threshold voltage, drive current, leakage current, and drain-induced barrier lowering are heavily impacted by RDF for junctionless FinFETs with sufficiently high channel doping (greater than 1019 cm-3). Unexpectedly, the RDF impact is found to be less severe for finer technology generations, although the overall magnitude is still significant compared to line-edge-roughness-induced variability.
COMT Val158Met Genotype and Individual Differences in Executive Function in Healthy Adults.

The Val158Met polymorphism of the catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene may be related to individual differences in cognition, likely via modulation of prefrontal dopamine catabolism. However, the available studies have yielded mixed results, possibly in part because they do not consistently account for other genes that affect cognition. We hypothesized that COMT Met allele homozygosity, which is associated with higher levels of prefrontal dopamine, would predict better executive function as measured using standard neuropsychological testing, and that other candidate genes might interact with COMT to modulate this effect. Participants were 95 healthy, right-handed adults who underwent genotyping and cognitive testing. COMT genotype predicted executive ability as measured by the Trail-Making Test, even after covarying for demographics and Apolipoprotein E (APOE), brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and ankyrin repeat and kinase domain containing 1 (ANKK1) genotype. There was a COMT-ANKK1 interaction in which individuals having both the COMT Val allele and the ANKK1 T allele showed the poorest performance. This study suggests the heterogeneity in COMT effects reported in the literature may be due in part to gene–gene interactions that influence central dopaminergic systems. (JINS, 2011, 17, 1–7)
A Parametric Copula-Based Framework for Hypothesis Testing Using Heterogeneous Data

We present a parametric framework for the joint processing of heterogeneous data, specifically for a binary classification problem. Processing such a data set is not straightforward as heterogeneous data may not be commensurate. In addition, the signals may also exhibit statistical dependence due to overlapping fields of view. We propose a copula-based solution to incorporate statistical dependence between disparate sources of information. The important problem of identifying the best copula for binary classification problems is also addressed. Computer simulation results are presented to demonstrate the feasibility of our approach. The method is also tested on real-data provided by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) for a multibiometric face recognition application. Finally, performance limits are derived to study the influence of statistical dependence on classification performance.
Changing concep in treatment of severe symptomatic hyponatremia. Rapid correction and possible relation to central pontine myelinolysis

Severe symptomatic hyponatremia (serum sodium level below 120 meq/liter) is often a life-threatening emergency that can result in permanent neurologic damage or death if left untreated. Early recognition and rapid correction to mildly hyponatremic levels by the administration of hypertonic saline are important in order to reduce the potential mortality and morbidity. If the serum sodium level is more than 105 meq/liter, it can be corrected to a value of 125 to 130 meq/liter. However, if the serum sodium level is less than 105 meq/liter, it may be safe to raise the value by only 20 meq/liter. Care should be taken to avoid acute correction to normonatremia or hypernatremia. Moreover, it is also of equal importance to avoid development of hypernatremia in the subsequent days following the correction to mild hyponatremia.
Intelligent optimization of grinding processes using fuzzy logic

AbstractThis paper presents a generalized intelligent grinding advisory system (GIGAS) for the optimization of the following three grinding processes: straight-cut surface grinding, internal and external cylindrical plunge grinding. The framework of GIGAS is based on model-based fuzzy logic. The main feature of GIGAS is that it can interactively accept several different process models pertaining to a specific grinding process, as well as heuristic rules. To this end, it uses generalized process models for the grinding force, the grinding power, the maximum chip thickness, the surface roughness, the grinding ratio, the effective dullness of the wheel and the grinding temperature. The scheme allows the user to change interactively the process models used by GIGAS for optimization and hence can accommodate a large number of grinding conditions. It is also demonstrated that accurate solutions can be obtained in the order of several seconds using fuzzy inferencing, thereby showing the possibility of real-time ...
Identifying Struggling Readers in Middle School with ORF, Maze and Prior Year Assessment Data

Response to Intervention (RTI) is a framework with the primary purpose of early identification and prevention of learning problems. Screening procedures identify students in need of targeted intervention, but current screening research is limited to the elementary grades. This study explored the use of screening measures: prior year assessment data, oral reading fluency (ORF), and maze, to predict performance on Georgia’s Criterion-Referenced Competency Test (CRCT-8) for 236 eighth grade students from one district in Georgia. Logistic regression analyses compared the accuracy of the predictor variables. Overall classification accuracy was 96.6% for ORF and maze and 97.1% for CRCT-7; however, this was primarily due to the low base rate of poor performance on the CRCT-8 in the sample. A combination of screens did not significantly improve classification accuracy. A screening process that used CRCT-7 data followed by fall ORF resulted in 100% sensitivity and 90% specificity. Implications for practice are discussed.
Optically stimulated luminescence dating of Southern High Plains archaeological sites

The Southern High Plains of North America is rich in archaeological sites, but many are not well constrained chronologically, owing to a lack of material for radiocarbon dating. A program of optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating, applying mainly single-grain analyses, was therefore initiated. Many samples have independent age estimates from radiocarbon to check the OSL results, but OSL age estimates are also provided for those sites that otherwise lack secure chronological control. Sediment samples for OSL were obtained primarily from Paleoindian and Archaic localities, though include deposits of more recent age. Through the analysis of single grains, equivalent dosedthe numerator of the age equationdis evaluated independently on numerous grains. The distribution of these values is relatively broad for some samples, and this is attributed to post-depositional mixing. Mixing is also evident in some samples with more narrow distributions. Selecting portions of the mixed distributions for age determination allows more accurate dating for some samples, but the nature of the distributions limits the resolution on others, conclusions that cannot be as easily drawn from multi-grain analysis. Where independent age control is available, most OSL results broadly conform; however, some samples show discrepancies that are not readily explained, but may relate to association or dose rate problems. This underscores the desirability of obtaining where possible suites of chronological evidence. 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
A retrograde-viewing device improves detection of adenomas in the colon: a prospective efficacy evaluation (with videos)

Background Colonoscopy may fail to detect neoplasia located on the proximal sides of haustral folds and flexures. The Third Eye Retroscope (TER) provides a simultaneous retrograde view that complements the forward view of a standard colonoscope. Objective To evaluate the added benefit for polyp detection during colonoscopy of a retrograde-viewing device. Design Open-label, prospective, multicenter study evaluating colonoscopy by using a TER in combination with a standard colonoscope. Setting Eight U.S. sites, including university medical centers, ambulatory surgery centers, a community hospital, and a physician's office. Patients A total of 249 patients (age range 55-80 years) presenting for screening or surveillance colonoscopy. Interventions After cecal intubation, the disposable TER was inserted through the instrument channel of the colonoscope. During withdrawal, the forward and retrograde video images were observed simultaneously on a wide-screen monitor. Main Outcome Measurements The number and sizes of lesions (adenomas and all polyps) detected with the standard colonoscope and the number and sizes of lesions found only because they were first detected with the TER. Results In the 249 subjects, 257 polyps (including 136 adenomas) were identified with the colonoscope alone. The TER allowed detection of 34 additional polyps (a 13.2% increase; P P Limitations There was no randomization or comparison with a separate control group. Conclusions A retrograde-viewing device revealed areas that were hidden from the forward-viewing colonoscope and allowed detection of 13.2% additional polyps, including 11.0% additional adenomas. Additional detection rates with the TER for adenomas 6 mm or larger and 10 mm or larger were 25.0% and 33.3%, respectively. (Clinical trial registration number: NCT00657371.)
The age of the Arctic : hot conflicts and cold realities

List of figures Dedication Preface Acknowledgements Part I. The Setting: 1. Arctic dreams, Arctic realities Part II. Players and Interests: 2. The Arctic strategic arena: security interests 3. The Arctic economic frontier: industrial interests 4. Arctic homelands: native interests 5. Arctic ecosystems: environmental interests Part III. Handling Arctic Conflicts: 6. Arctic issues, Arctic conflicts 7. Private initiatives: Arctic problem solving 8. Public initiatives: the United States in the age of the Arctic 9. International initiatives: building Arctic regimes Notes to Part 3 Epilogue Index.
A RANDOMIZED STUDY COMPARING VISUAL LASER ABLATION AND TRANSURETHRAL EVAPORATION OF PROSTATE IN THE MANAGEMENT OF BENIGN PROSTATIC HYPERPLASIA

AbstractPurpose: We evaluated the safety, efficacy, failure and complications of 2 techniques of laser prostatectomy for benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH): transurethral evaporation of the prostate (evaporation) versus visual laser ablation of the prostate (coagulation) in a randomized trial.Materials and Methods: A total of 64 consecutive patients with symptomatic BPH was randomized to undergo evaporation (32) or coagulation (32). American Urological Association symptom score, peak urinary flow rate and post-void residual urine volume were measured at baseline, and at 1, 3, 6 and 12 months. Other parameters evaluated included prostate volume by transrectal ultrasound, total laser energy per patient and per cc volume of the prostate, number of laser fibers per prostate, duration of catheterization and hospitalization, need for re-catheterization, and failure and complication rates.Results: Our main findings were that patients undergoing laser prostatectomy using the coagulation technique (visual laser ab...
Scheduling of crude oil operations under demand uncertainty: A robust optimization framework coupled with global optimization

Scheduling of crude oil operations is an important component of overall refinery operations, because crude oil costs account for about 80% of the refinery turnover. The mathematical modeling of blending different crudes in storage tanks results in many bilinear terms, which transform the problem into a challenging, nonconvex, mixed-integer nonlinear programming (MINLP) optimization model. In practice, uncertainties are unavoidable and include demand fluctuations, ship arrival delays, equipment malfunction, and tank unavailability. In the presence of these uncertainties, an optimal schedule generated using nominal parameter values may often be suboptimal or even become infeasible. In this article, the robust optimization framework proposed by Lin et al. and Janak et al. is extended to develop a deterministic robust counterpart optimization model for demand uncertainty. The recently proposed branch and bound global optimization algorithm with piecewise-linear underestimation of bilinear terms by Li et al. is also extended to solve the nonconvex MINLP deterministic robust counterpart optimization model and generate robust schedules. Two examples are used to illustrate the capability of the proposed robust optimization approach, and the extended branch and bound global optimization algorithm for demand uncertainty. The computational results demonstrate that the obtained schedules are robust in the presence of demand uncertainty. © 2011 American Institute of Chemical Engineers AIChE J, 58: 2373–2396, 2012
Retrieving Handwriting Styles: A Content Based Approach to Handwritten Document Retrieval

Large scale retrieval of handwritten documents has primarily been focused around searching a query text in the OCR’ed transcription of the document images, which provides a limited view of the complete search process. Recent research advances have led to a number of content based retrieval techniques which expand the search scope to document content level (i.e. image features, meta-information). Based on similar motivations, we propose a new approach to content based retrieval of handwritten document images by retrieving similar handwriting styles corresponding to a handwritten query image. At the core, we formulate this problem as the task of unsupervised writer style classification without the need of any style definitions or grammar. We build upon our previous work in writer style modeling and apply it to learn a style distribution for every handwriting sample in the corpus. Given a query image, all documents are ranked in order of their style distribution similarity. Experimental results conducted on publicly available IAM dataset demonstrate the efficacy of our proposed method over baseline feature based systems.
Performance evaluation of wormhole routed network processor-memory interconnects

Network line cards are experiencing ever increasing line rates, random data bursts, and limited space. Hence, they are more vulnerable than other processormemory environments, to create data transfer bottlenecks and hot-spots. Solutions to the memory bandwidth bottleneck are limited by the area available on the line card and network processor I/O pins. As a result, we propose to explore more suitable off-chip interconnect and communication mechanisms that will replace the existing systems and that will provide extraordinary high throughput. We utilize our custom-designed, event-driven, interconnect simulator to evaluate the performance of wormhole routed packet-based off-chip k-ary n-cube interconnect architectures for line cards. Our performance results show that wormhole routed k-ary n-cube based interconnect topologies significantly outperform the existing line card interconnects and they are able to sustain higher traffic loads.
Reform Efforts in American Schools: Will Faddism Continue to Impede Meaningful Change?

Policy direction in American education is like the weather in the Midwest: constantly changing. However, unlike the weather which is driven by nature, people are responsible for fads in education. Education moves from problem to problem and typically defines problems too simply. Thus, the exaggerated answer to today’s problem usually becomes tomorrow’s problem. This ‘disease orientation’ in American education (identify a problem and devise a simple, quick solution) has drawn criticism from numerous educators, scholars and researchers (e.g., Cuban, 1993; Good, 1983; Good & Biddle, 1988; Slavin, 1989). The likelihood that any reform will be implemented is remote. Still, despite the fact that policy has resulted in few long-term solutions, the winds of change in the educational literature blow constantly.
On-line Length Measuring System for Continuous Oil Tubes by Laser Doppler Technology

According to the practical requirement,it is designed that an on-line length measuring system for continuous oil tubes based on the principle of Laser Doppler Velocimetry.This system takes dual-beam optical structure.It takes semiconductor laser as light source,and takes photomultiplier tube to receive the scattered lights from the surface of the moving oil tubes.Based on data acquisition and signal processing system,the Doppler shift can be measure,and then the length of the continuous oil tubes is calculate.The measuring system has some characteristics such as high precision,simple structure,stable performance,suitable for the requirements of field operations,and so on.So it has broad application prospects.
The Decision to Trust

Surveys have shown that 80% of Americans don't trust corporate executives and--worse--that roughly half of all managers don't trust their own leaders. Mergers, downsizing, and globalization have accelerated the pace of change in organizations, creating a crisis of trust that didn't exist a generation ago. Leaders who understand how trust is built can actively influence its development, resulting in a more supportive and productive work environment and, not incidentally, a competitive advantage in the war for talent. Building on research in social psychology, and on his 15 years of experience consulting on trust, the author has developed a model for predicting whether trust or distrust will be chosen in a given situation. It helps managers analyze ten factors at play in the decision-making process. Hundreds of top executives have used it to diagnose and address the root causes of distrust in their work relationships. Some of the factors in the model relate to the decision maker: How tolerant of risk, how well-adjusted, and how relatively powerful is he or she? Others relate to the specific situation: How closely aligned are the interests of the parties concerned? Does the person who is asking to be trusted demonstrate competence? Predictability and integrity? Frequent and honest communication? Sue, a relatively new VP of sales, used the trust model to manage her relationship with Joe, an employee nearing retirement who was not performing well in a new sales role. Fearing for his job, Joe wasn't initially inclined to trust her. Sue took concrete steps to communicate openly with Joe, explore other options for him, and show concern for his well-being. When joe was transferred, he let his former colleagues know how pleased he was with Sue's handling of the situation. As a result, the level of trust increased in Sue's department, even though it was experiencing major change.
Elucidating the Role of Structural Dynamics in Ligand Selection of Human Adipocyte Fatty Acid Binding Protein By NMR Spectroscopy

AFABP is a 132-aa intracellular lipid binding protein involved in the transport of fatty acids between cell membranes and organelles. AFABP participates in several pathways including lipolysis and lipogenesis, and strongly impacts lipid and energy metabolism related diseases such as diabetes. Although the structure of AFABP has been determined using x-ray crystallography and binding to several of its hydrophobic ligands have been characterized, the transitions in the structural dynamics upon ligand binding to leukotrienes have yet to be investigated. Disruption of AFABP reduces inflammation and protects against obesity-induced insulin resistance in animal models, however the exact mechanism of this protective effect is unknown. It is known that FABPs increase the half-life of unstable epoxide-containing LTA4 (the precursor to LTB4 and LTC4), and suggests that this stability in LTA4 against hydrolysis may result in increased inflammatory signaling. It is possible that there may be a subsequent stabilizing interaction between AFABP and LTB4. Elucidating the structural mechanism by which AFABP binds to these eicosanoids is critical to understanding the relationship between AFABP and inflammatory response in macrophages and adipocytes. In this study, apo-AFABP and holo-AFABP bound with LTB4 are studied using solution-state NMR techniques to see how conformational changes in the barrel contribute to the ligand selection mechanism of AFABP. The project is a working collaboration between St. Catherine University, the University of Minnesota, and the Minnesota NMR Center, and provides a model of conducting collaborative undergraduate research in partnership between a PUI, a major research institution, and an instrument center.
A Biographical Sketch, 1707–50

Henry Fielding was a man whose vital presence one can sense in his works but whose complex nature it is hard to synthesize. Tall and well built, strong-featured rather than conventionally handsome, he was sometimes a bully but more often an entertaining friend, whether in a grave or happy mood. He indulged his strong appetites for love, gaming, food, wine and snuff. He enjoyed success as a playwright of comedy, a theatre manager, a lawyer, a magistrate and a novelist; and he wrote extensively in several genres besides drama and prose fiction. He was passionate and gentle, conventionally ‘masculine’ and yet complex in his attitudes towards sex and gender, learned and down-to-earth, often in need of money and a spendthrift, highly sensitive to criticism from others and firm in his convictions, proud of his aristocratic ancestry and protective of the poor, in religion latitudinarian and intolerant of Catholics and Jews, sexually self-indulgent in his youth and a doting husband, brilliant both in rational discourse and in the dramatic art of burlesque, severe in his recommendations for criminal punishment and charitable as a magistrate. Fielding was above all deeply moral, believing that a compassionate human community, centred on loving marriage, was an ideal that should guide our actions. By and large, he lived according to his beliefs. But at times his own strong passions and appetites, which typically energized his principles, might undercut them, if only briefly.
The edit distance in graphs: Methods, results, and generalizations

The edit distance is a very simple and natural metric on the space of graphs. In the edit distance problem, we fix a hereditary property of graphs and compute the asymptotically largest edit distance of a graph from the property. This quantity is very difficult to compute directly but in many cases, it can be derived as the maximum of the edit distance function. Szemeredi’s regularity lemma, strongly regular graphs, constructions related to the Zarankiewicz problem – all these play a role in the computing of edit distance functions. The most powerful tool is derived from symmetrization, which we use to optimize quadratic programs that define the edit distance function. In this paper, we describe some of the most common tools used for computing the edit distance function, summarize the major current results, outline generalizations to other combinatorial structures, and pose some open problems.
Social Media and Global Internet Governance: Innovations and Limitations

The article explores and assesses the potential for democratic participation in Internet governance using social media sites and services. A framing question asks, “How can social media better serve coalition building and deliberative governance platforms on an international level?” This paper considers present-day challenges and opportunities to help arrive at best practices and future recommendations.
Elucidating the Structure–Function Relationship of Poly(3,4-theylenedioxythiophene) Films to Advance Electrochemical Measurements

Previous work has demonstrated the utility of poly(3,4-theylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) electrodes for electrochemical detection of neurochemicals. Although these electrodes have been implemented successfully, there is minimal data linking redox mechanisms, electron-transfer characteristics, and sensor lifetime to the electrode molecular composition. Common polymer electrodes are made from commercially available PEDOT:polystyrenesulfonate (PEDOT:PSS), which is easily processed but has slow electron-transfer kinetics and short electrochemical lifetimes. Here, we describe vapor-phase synthesized PEDOT:tosylate films that have a higher conductance and a much lower apparent capacitance than PEDOT:PSS (99 ± 8 versus 2390 ± 130 μF/cm2). Additionally, we show that the electron-transfer kinetics and electrochemical lifetime are both improved. To investigate the chemical causes of these improvements we used ultraviolet–visible absorbance and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). We discovered that the high densit...
Gaussian and linear deconvolution of LC-MS/MS chromatograms of the eight aminobutyric acid isomers.

Isomeric molecules present a challenge for analytical resolution and quantification, even with MS-based detection. The eight aminobutyric acid (ABA) isomers are of interest for their various biological activities, particularly γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) and the d- and l-isomers of β-aminoisobutyric acid (β-AIBA; BAIBA). This study aimed to investigate LC-MS/MS-based resolution of these ABA isomers as their Marfey's (Mar) reagent derivatives. HPLC was able to separate three Mar-ABA isomers l-β-ABA (l-BABA), and l- and d-α-ABA (AABA) completely, with three isomers (GABA, and d/l-BAIBA) in one chromatographic cluster, and two isomers (α-AIBA (AAIBA) and d-BABA) in a second cluster. Partially separated cluster components were deconvoluted using Gaussian peak fitting except for GABA and d-BAIBA. MS/MS detection of Marfey's derivatized ABA isomers provided six MS/MS fragments, with substantially different intensity profiles between structural isomers. This allowed linear deconvolution of ABA isomer peaks. Combining HPLC separation with linear and Gaussian deconvolution allowed resolution of all eight ABA isomers. Application to human serum found a substantial level of l-AABA (13 μM), an intermediate level of l-BAIBA (0.8 μM), and low but detectable levels (<0.2 μM) of GABA, l-BABA, AAIBA, d-BAIBA, and d-AABA. This approach should be useful for LC-MS/MS deconvolution of other challenging groups of isomeric molecules.
Presence of early stage cancer does not impair the early protein metabolic response to major surgery

Background Combined bilateral mastectomy and reconstruction is a common major surgical procedure in women with breast cancer and in those with a family history of breast cancer. As this large surgical procedure induces muscle protein loss, a preserved anabolic response to nutrition is warranted for optimal recovery. It is unclear whether the presence of early stage cancer negatively affects the protein metabolic response to major surgery as this would mandate perioperative nutritional support. Methods In nine women with early stage (Stage II) breast malignancy and nine healthy women with a genetic predisposition to breast cancer undergoing the same large surgical procedure, we examined whether surgery influences the catabolic response to overnight fasting and the anabolic response to nutrition differently. Prior to and within 24 h after combined bilateral mastectomy and reconstruction surgery, whole body protein synthesis and breakdown rates were assessed after overnight fasting and after meal intake by stable isotope methodology to enable the calculation of net protein catabolism in the post-absorptive state and net protein anabolic response to a meal. Results Major surgery resulted in an up-regulation of post-absorptive protein synthesis and breakdown rates (P < 0.001) and lower net protein catabolism (P < 0.05) and was associated with insulin resistance and increased systemic inflammation (P < 0.01). Net anabolic response to the meal was reduced after surgery (P < 0.05) but higher in cancer (P < 0.05) indicative of a more preserved meal efficiency. The significant relationship between net protein anabolism and the amount of amino acids available in the circulation (R2 = 0.85, P < 0.001) was independent of the presence of non-cachectic early stage breast cancer or surgery. Conclusions The presence of early stage breast cancer does not enhance the normal catabolic response to major surgery or further attenuates the anabolic response to meal intake within 24 h after major surgery in patients with non-cachectic breast cancer. This indicates that the acute anabolic potential to conventional feeding is maintained in non-cachectic early stage breast cancer after major surgery.
Wavelength diversity in optically pumped alkali vapor lasers

Alternative wavelengths for optically pumped alkali vapor lasers have been developed using single photon excitation of higher lying P-states, stimulated Raman processes, two-photon excitation of S and D states, and electric quadruple excitation on S-D transitions. Two photon excitation of Cs 7 2 D leads to competing and cascade lasing producing red and infrared lasers operating on the D-P transitions, followed by ultraviolet, blue, the standard near infrared DPAL transitions operating on P-S transitions. The S-D pump transitions are fully bleached at pump intensities exceeding 1 MW/cm 2 , allowing for lasing transitions that terminate on the ground state. The kinetics of these systems are complex due to competition for population inversion among the many optical transitions. An optically pumped mid-infrared rubidium pulsed, mirrorless laser has also been demonstrated in a heat pipe along both the 6 2 P 3/2 - 6 2 S 1/2 transition at 2.73 μm and the 6 2 P 1/2 - 6 2 S 1/2 transition at 2.79 μm with a maximum energy of ~100 nJ. Performance improves dramatically as the rubidium vapor density is increased, in direct contradiction with the prior work. No scaling limitations associated with energy pooling or ionization kinetics have been observed. Practical application for infrared counter measures depends on the further development of blue diode pump sources. Finally, stimulated electronic Raman scattering and hyper-Raman processes in potassium vapor near the D 1 and D 2 lines have been observed using a stable resonator and pulsed laser excitation. First and second order Stokes and anti-Stokes lines were observed simultaneously and independently for a pump laser tuning range exceeding 70 cm -1 . When the pump is tuned between the K D 1 and D 2 lines, an efficient hyper-Raman process dominates with a slope efficiency that exceeds 10%. Raman shifted laser may be useful as a target illuminator or atmospheric compensation beacon for a high power diode pumped alkali laser.
The example we set for our trainees: Inversely correlated neurology faculty evaluations by residents and patients (P2.379)

Objective We hypothesized that the same attending neurologist behaviors and values that would result in high patient satisfaction would result in high ratings by residents and that patient satisfaction scores would correlate with resident evaluation scores. Background Based on a limited body of literature, gender, race, and academic rank may bias trainee ratings of faculty in a graduate medical education settings. However, this association has neither been replicated nor evaluated from the patient satisfaction perspective. Design/methods In a university neurology department, we collected individual Clinician and Group Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CGCAHPS) patient satisfaction survey scores as well as standardized resident evaluation scores (n=22 faculty members). We performed a bivariate analysis of overall doctor patient satisfaction rating versus composite resident evaluation scores. Results Attending neurologists who scored higher on overall doctor rating scored lower on resident evaluation composite scores (p<0.05). When clinical productivity is overlaid, it appears that there is a disproportionate number of neurologists with low resident and patient scores who did not meet productivity targets. Conclusions Finding a significant inverse correlation was surprising. An obvious conclusion is that what is valued by patients in their physician is not what residents value in their attending teachers. That deserves further study. It is possible that attending physicians who focus their energy on the patient experience do not have sufficient time to devote to resident education, and vice versa. That the subgroup of neurologists with low resident and patient scores appears more likely to not meet productivity targets further supports this idea. Disclosure: Dr. Dobbs has nothing to disclose. Dr. Smith has nothing to disclose.
Areas of Control Desired by Patients and Families Referred to Hospice Care: Perspectives of Hospice Admissions Staff.

Sense of control in end-of-life (EOL) care plays a critical role in the patient’s well-being. However, little is known about the areas of control essential to patients and families at a specific ti...
Response by Cook to “Beyond Counting Climate Consensus”

Pearce et al. (2017) present an either/or choice for climate communicators: communicating consensus by quantifying the level of scientific agreement on human-caused global warming or facilitating p...
Isolable iodosylarene and iodoxyarene adducts of Co and their O-atom transfer and C-H activation reactivity.

We report an unusual series of discrete iodosyl- and iodoxyarene adducts of Co. The formation of these adducts was confirmed by a suite of techniques including single crystal X-ray diffraction. The reactivity of these adducts with O-atom acceptors and an H-atom donor has been investigated with particular focus on elucidating mechanistic details. Detailed kinetic analysis allows for discrimination between proposed oxo and adduct mediated mechanisms. In particular, these reactions have been interrogated by competition experiments with isotopically labelled mixtures which shows that all of the studied adducts display a large KIE. These studies suggest different mechanisms may be relevant depending on subtle substituent changes in the adduct complexes. Reactivity data are consistent with the involvement of a transient oxo complex in one case, while the two other systems appear to react with substrates directly as iodosyl- or iodoxyarene adducts. These results support that reactivity typically ascribed to metal-oxo complexes, such as O-atom transfer and C–H activation, can also be mediated by discrete transition metal iodosyl- or iodoxyarene adducts that are frequent intermediates in the generation of oxo complexes. The influence of additional Lewis acids such as Sc3+ on the reactivity of these systems has also been investigated.
Predicting Oncotype DX scores using clinicopathologic features: A report from the National Cancer Database.

551Background: The Oncotype DX recurrence score is used to predict the benefits of chemotherapy added to adjuvant hormone therapy in ER positive early-stage breast cancer. While its use has been va...
Spatial Resolution of Subsurface Structure in Photothermal Imaging

Photothermal imaging has been shown to be a useful means of imaging subsurface structure in opaque solids.1-8 Localized heating of a solid sample, produced by absorption of a modulated (pump) laser beam, causes a periodic temperature field in and near the sample, which may be characterized as a thermal-wave field. In photothermal-optical-beam-deflection (PTOBD) imaging a (probe) laser beam is deflected by the thermally induced refractive-index gradient in the gas (air) near the sample surface. Scanning of an optically-homogeneous sample produces a thermal-inhomogeneity image of the sample. This method has the advantages of being noncontact and of having both localized excitation and localized detection.
Search Models in Fisheries and Agriculture

Various stochastic models associated with search problems in fisheries and agriculture are developed. This includes a discussion of binomial, Poisson, and negative binomial distributions and an introduction to diffusion processes. Random search models are discussed, followed by discussion of exhaustive search models. Two applications are presented. The first is a study of the relationship between catch per unit effort and stock abundance in fisheries. The second is a problem in trap spacing for the detection of an invading agricultural pest.
Noncoding RNAs: Identification of Cancer-Associated MicroRNAs

Naturally occurring microRNAs (miRNAs) are small noncoding RNAs 19–24 nucleotides (nt) long, typically cleaved from 60- to 110-nt hairpin precursors (pre-miRNAs) that are produced from large precursors (pri-miRNAs) and are encoded in the genomes of invertebrates, vertebrates, and plants. miRNAs act as regulators of gene expression during development and differentiation at the transcriptional, posttranscriptional, and/or translational level, although most target genes have yet to be identified. Many miRNAs are conserved in sequence between distantly related organisms, suggesting that these molecules participate in essential processes. In this chapter, we present principles related to the basic and translational research that has emerged in the last decade, a period that can be truly considered the “miRNA revolution” in molecular oncology. Furthermore, we present a compendium of information about the main miRNAs that have been identified in the last several years as playing important roles in cancer. Also, we alert the reader to several additional reviews that may provide a deeper understanding of this new and exciting field of research.