cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Genetic Algorithm-based Service Module Configuration Design of CNC Machine Tools

To realize the optimal design of the overall configuration of CNC machine tools,we use genetic algorithm to realize the configuration design of service module of CNC machine tools.According to the service type in product life cycle process,the service modules of CNC machine tools are classified into the product related service modules and the product unrelated service modules. We study the product unrelated service modules,using genetic algorithm to encode each service modules and using the service value coefficient,the service quality level and the customer satisfaction as the optimal object to establish the fitness function and set up the service modular multi-objective model of CNC machine tools. This algorithm can ensure the validity of the model through mutual constraint relationship between various service modules and submodules. Finally,the service module configuration scheme is solved by MATLAB.
Promoting correct site surgery: a national approach.

Surgical procedures undertaken at the wrong site represent a potentially devastating event for everyone involved. Wrong site surgery is defined as surgery performed at the incorrect anatomical site...
The Origin of Protein and Fatty Yolk in Rana Pipiens III. Intramitochondrial and Primary Vesicular Yolk Formation in Frog Oocytes

The precise origin of the primary yolk precursor complex or primary vesicular yolk is obscure but in its earliest recognizable stage it is a typical multivesicular body which first acquires a moderately electron-dark matrix. Following this, an extremely electron-dark amorphous material, the yolk protein, appears within the precursor. This yolk protein increases in amount as the yolk vesicle grows and by the time the precursors are about 1 micrometer in diameter this protein is partly to almost completely crystalline. Yolk originating within mitochondrial cristae unlike that in the yolk precursor complexes is crystalline from its earliest appearance. Intracristae mitochondrial yolk crystals have a spacing of 70--85 A. Their molecular organization appears in some sections as electron-dark lamellae and in others as light cylinders surrounded by an electron-dark matrix.
Designing User-Centric Patient Portals: Clinician and Patients' Uses and Gratifications.

Abstract Background: Legislation mandates that clinicians make patients' medical information available digitally. This has resulted in hurriedly installing patient portals that do not fully meet the needs of patients or clinicians. This study examined a specific portal, MyPreventiveCare (MPC), a patient-centered portal designed to promote preventive care to consumers, to elicit recommendations from patients and clinicians about how it could be more beneficial by uncovering their uses and gratifications (U&G). Materials and Methods: In-depth interviews with 31 patients and two clinician focus groups were conducted. Multiple methods were utilized, such as grounded theory coding to develop themes and content analysis to classify responses according to the U&G framework. Results: Four main categories emerged that users desire to be included in health portals: integration with technology (27%), coordination of care (27%), incorporation of lifestyle (26%), and increased control (20%). Additional analysis reveal...
Pareto Inspired Multi-objective Rule Fitness for Adaptive Rule-based Machine Learning

Learning classifier systems (LCSs) are rule-based evolutionary algorithms uniquely suited to classification and data mining in complex, multi-factorial, and heterogeneous problems. LCS rule fitness is commonly based on accuracy, but this metric alone is not ideal for assessing global rule `value' in noisy problem domains, and thus impedes effective knowledge extraction. Multi-objective fitness functions are promising but rely on knowledge of how to weigh objective importance. Prior knowledge would be unavailable in most real-world problems. The Pareto-front concept offers a strategy for multi-objective machine learning that is agnostic to objective importance. We propose a Pareto-inspired multi-objective rule fitness (PIMORF) for LCS, and combine it with a complimentary rule-compaction approach (SRC). We implemented these strategies in ExSTraCS, a successful supervised LCS and evaluated performance over an array of complex simulated noisy and clean problems (i.e. genetic and multiplexer) that each concurrently model pure interaction effects and heterogeneity. While evaluation over multiple performance metrics yielded mixed results, this work represents an important first step towards efficiently learning complex problem spaces without the advantage of prior problem knowledge. Overall the results suggest that PIMORF paired with SRC improved rule set interpretability, particularly with regard to heterogeneous patterns.
The Age of OrthoInfo: A Randomized Controlled Trial Evaluating Patient Comprehension of Informed Consent

Background: Integral to an orthopaedic surgeon-patient informed consent discussion is the assessment of patient comprehension of their medical care. However, little is known about how to optimize patient comprehension of an informed consent discussion. The purpose of our study was to evaluate three time-controlled informed consent discussion methods to determine which optimized patient comprehension immediately after the discussion. Methods: Sixty-seven consecutive patients with knee osteoarthritis who were considered medically appropriate for a knee corticosteroid injection were enrolled in our trial. Participants were randomized and were allocated into one of three groups in a parallel fashion and 1:1:1 ratio. Our three groups varied by sensory input and included verbal (hearing), verbal and video (hearing and sight), and verbal and model (hearing, sight, and touch). Each participant listened to a 10-minute scripted lecture given by a researcher; this lecture was based on content from the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons patient education web site OrthoInfo. Patient comprehension was assessed after the lecture using a validated questionnaire called the Nkem test. Our primary outcome evaluated patient comprehension utilizing a pairwise comparison of mean comprehension scores between the groups. The primary outcome was analyzed using a one-way analysis of variance with the least significant difference calculated post hoc and a 95% confidence interval (95% CI). The health-care staff, study participants, and outcome assessor were each blinded to group assignments. Results: The mean comprehension scores were 84% (95% CI, 79% to 88%) for the verbal and model group, 74% (95% CI, 63% to 80%) for the verbal and video group, and 71% (95% CI, 61% to 80%) for the verbal group. The omnibus analysis of variance was significant and showed a difference among the groups (p = 0.019). The pairwise comparison of the groups using the least significant difference calculated post hoc showed that the verbal and model group outperformed the verbal group (p = 0.01) and the verbal and video group (p = 0.023). Conclusions: Multisensory patient education incorporating OrthoInfo and an anatomic model optimized patient comprehension immediately after a time-controlled informed consent discussion. This finding could play an important role in improving surgeon-patient communication in the field of orthopaedic surgery.
Hypervascular Lesions of the Cerebellopontine Angle: The Relevance of Angiography as a Diagnostic and Therapeutic Tool and the Role of Stereotactic Radiosurgery in Management. A Comprehensive Review

Background The cerebellopontine angle (CPA) is a narrowed skull base area containing important cranial nerves and vessels and bordering with eloquent areas of the posterior fossa. Tumors of the CPA are a heterogeneous group and can have extradural, intradural/extra-axial, or intra-axial origins. Their vascular supply changes depending on their anatomic origin. Symptomatic, large CPA tumors require surgical resection in order to prevent irreversible, severe neurological damages. However, its tight and strategical location make surgery in the CPA very challenging and require appropriate pre-surgical planning. Pre-surgical diagnosis is of great importance as it allows us to choose the optimal management for the particular patient. This is of further significance when encountering high-risk lesions such as hypervascular tumors. Neurosurgeons should utilize every available pre-surgical diagnostic modalities as well as neo-adjuvant treatments in order to reduce such risks. Methods We review all reported cases of hypervascular lesions of the CPA and discuss the roles of angiography and stereotactic radiosurgery in their management. Results Three lesions of the CPA can be considered as truly hypervascular: hemangioblastomas, hemangiopericytomas and paragangliomas. All lesions share many radiological features. However, each lesion has a different anatomical origin and hence, has a characteristic vascular supply. Pre-surgical angiography can be utilized as a diagnostic tool to narrow down the differential diagnosis of a vascular CPA lesion, based on the predominant supplying vessel. In addition, pre-surgical embolization at time of angiography will narrow the associated surgical risks. Conclusions Angiography is a crucial diagnostic and therapeutic tool, helping both in narrowing the presurgical differential diagnosis and in controlling intraoperative bleeding. Because of the high surgical risks associated with resection of vascular tumors in the CPA, noninvasive treatments, such as stereotactic radiosurgery, also may have a crucial role.
Punishing the Wicked: Examining the Correlates of Sentence Severity for Convicted Sex Offenders

To examine the correlates of sentence severity for convicted sex offenders under sentencing guidelines, contrasted with individuals convicted of non-sexual, violent offenses. Drawing on 7 years of data from the Pennsylvania Commission on Sentencing, we utilize a logit-negative binomial hurdle model to examine the predictors of incarceration and sentence length, and an accompanying Oaxaca–Blinder decomposition of the gap in sentencing outcomes between the groups. We then implement a quantile regression framework to examine variation in effects across the distribution of sentence lengths. All analyses are contrasted with a matched sample of violent offenders to consider the extent to which estimated associations are unique to sex offenders. The analyses suggest several predictors of sentence severity for sex offenders, and that these predictors vary between the incarceration and sentence length decisions. In comparing effects for sex and matched violent offenders, divergent effects were observed for both case and offender characteristics. An Oaxaca–Blinder decomposition suggests that differences in the coefficient estimates account for less than one-fifth of the gap in average sentencing outcomes between sex and violent offenders. Subsequent quantile regressions indicate that these effects vary considerably over the sentence length distribution in ways that are not captured or obscured by the hurdle models. The predictors of sentence severity for sex offenders, and points of divergence from violent offenders, are congruent with the notion that judges utilize crime-specific stereotypes in arriving at sentencing decisions. Further, the application of quantile regression following point-based estimation can reveal meaningful patterns in sentencing disparities.
Vaccines and the Trump Administration-Reasons for Optimism Amid Uncertainty.

The article discusses the author's views about optimism in relation to America's vaccine policy under the leadership of U.S. President Donald Trump's administration, and it mentions how Trump has spoken about a potential connection between childhood vaccinations and autism. The relationship between science and politics is examined, along with the attitudes of the employees at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the nation's Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Effects of Hurricane Katrina on Land Cover Within the Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve in Mississippi, USA

Hurricane Katrina hit the Mississippi Gulf Coast on August 29, 2005 as a Category 3 hurricane at the mouth of the Pearl River, on the Mississippi/Louisiana border. Katrina is considered one of the costliest natural disasters in United States history. Grand Bay National Wildlife Refuge (GBNWR) is located in the coastal zone of Jackson County in Mississippi, and Mobile County in Alabama. The Mississippi portion of GBNWR is part of the 18,400-acre Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve (NERR), which was designated in 1999. The objectives of this study were to map changes to wetland and forest habitats resulting from hurricane Katrina and to discuss the implications of changes in these habitats on biodiversity within the Grand Bay NERR. Pre- and post-Katrina subsets of the Grand Bay NERR were derived from Landsat images downloaded from The Coastal Change Analysis Program’s (C-CAP) website. Unsupervised classification and change detection analysis were applied to each Landsat-derived, 3-band datasets. The land cover change analysis revealed that hurricane Katrina caused a decrease in evergreen forest, and the conversion of evergreen forest into grassland. The major land cover changes were due to the expansion of open water. The increase in open water caused the decrease in estuarine emergent wetlands (salt marsh habitats) and the conversion of one type of land cover into another. These land cover changes could have a profound effect on the flora and fauna located within the reserve. Remote sensing technology appears to be a valuable tool for monitoring and implementing restoration and conservation strategies by the Grand Bay NERR managers.
Factored Performance Functions with Structural Representation in Continuous Time Bayesian Networks

The continuous time Bayesian network (CTBN) is a probabilistic graphical model that enables reasoning about complex, interdependent, and continuous-time subsystems. The model uses nodes to denote subsystems and arcs to denote conditional dependence. This dependence manifests in how the dynamics of a subsystem change based on the current states of its parents in the network. While the original CTBN definition allows users to specify the dynamics of how the system evolves, users might also want to place value expressions over the dynamics of the model in the form of performance functions. We formalize these performance functions for the CTBN and show how they can be factored in the same way as the network, allowing what we argue is a more intuitive and explicit representation. For cases in which a performance function must involve multiple nodes, we show how to augment the structure of the CTBN to account for the performance interaction while maintaining the factorization of a single performance function for each node.
The Experimental Search for Supersymmetry

Various ways that experimental evidence for supersymmetry1 might appear are considered. Possible signatures are discussed in detail. Recent events reported at the CERN collider are examined as possible evidence for supersymmetry.
Brain tissue water content in patients with idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus.

Relatively little is known regarding the water content of brain tissue in idiopathic normal-pressure hydrocephalus (NPH) patients. The objective of our study was to determine absolute water content non-invasively in hydrocephalic patients, particularly in the anterior and posterior ventricular horns and in the periventricular white matter.
Measures of Specificity

Specificity is introduced and shown to be a measure of the information contained in a fuzzy subset. A characterization of this measure is provided as well as a number of manifestations of the measure.
Challenges and Opportunities in Instrumentation and Use of High-Density EEG for Underserved Regions

Electroencephalography (EEG) is a non-invasive method of measuring electrical signals from the brain. However, traditional clinical EEG uses only 10–40 electrodes for diagnosis which limits its potential as an imaging modality. High-density (HD) EEG, as well as the more recent Ultra-High-Density (UHD) EEG, are imaging platforms that can be used to image the brain using various techniques to solve inverse problems. These platforms comprise a measurement device and algorithms for data analysis. Recent studies have provided promising evidence that increasing the density of electrodes can improve resolution up to at least approximately 1,000 electrodes for whole-scalp coverage. Both HD and UHD-EEG can be made inexpensive and portable; therefore, perhaps most importantly, accessible to many parts of the world. However, there are remaining challenges that can hinder HD- and UHD-EEG development and use. Here, we discuss these challenges and present the approaches our research program has developed to overcome them.
Cancer risk in microscopic colitis: a retrospective cohort study.

The long-term natural history of microscopic colitis (MC) (collagenous colitis (CC), lymphocytic colitis (LC)), traditionally considered relapsing but non-progressive diseases, is poorly defined. Whether persistent histologic inflammation in such diseases is associated with an increased risk of colorectal neoplasia (CRN) or extracolonic cancers has not been robustly established. This retrospective cohort included diagnosed with MC at a referral center. Rates of CRN and extracolonic cancer were compared to patients undergoing screening colonoscopy (n = 306) and to the United States population using data from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End-Results (SEER) program. Standardized incidence ratios (SIR) and 95% confidence intervals were calculated and multivariable regression models used to identify the effect of MC diagnosis and severity on cancer risk. Our study included 221 patients with microscopic colitis (112 CC, 109 LC) among whom 77% were women. Compared to the colonoscopy control population, MC was associated with similar odds of tubular adenoma (Odds ratio (OR) 1.07, 95% CI 0.69–1.66) or villous adenoma (OR 1.26, 95% CI 0.17–9.42). Compared to patients with a single episode of MC, those with 2 or more episodes had similar risk of colon cancer (OR 0.83, 95% CI 0.20–3.39) or tubular adenoma (OR 1.49 95% CI 0.83–2.67). We also identified no statistical increase in the rates of cancer in the MC population compared to US-SEER data. Microscopic colitis was not associated with increased risk of CRN and extracolonic cancers when compared to controls undergoing colonoscopy or the US SEER population.
112) Childhood Adversity Linked to Heightened Pain Sensitivity in Adults

Childhood experiences of adverse social conditions have demonstrated lifelong downstream health-related consequences. Since more exposure to adverse childhood events (ACEs) are associated with poorer outcomes, their exposure can be considered a social determinant of health and wellness. The mechanism of ACEs contributing to adverse health consequences may lie in chronic activation of the stress pathway, leading to dysregulation of the neuroendocrine, immune, and autonomic systems. Chronic stress, experienced in childhood, appears to change the physiologic response to subsequent stress, perhaps though HPA and immune axes. A link appears to exist between retrospective reports of ACEs and adult pain-related medical conditions like arthritis, neck and back pain and headaches. The “sensitization” hypothesis posits that prior exposure to distress sensitizes individuals to respond more robustly to subsequent stressors. Those with more ACEs generally experience more chronic inflammation and heightened pro-inflammatory mediators may be a common pathway of increased risk for facilitating pain. The current study sought to evaluate pain facilitation, hyper-responsiveness of nociceptive pathways. Pain facilitation can be measured in healthy participants using quantitative sensory testing (QST). We conducted secondary data analyses of QST data from 130 healthy participants to examine the effect of childhood adversity on psychosocial factors and pain facilitation. Participants completed several questionnaires and underwent a QST battery with multiple pain facilitatory indices, including thermal and mechanical temporal summation, and assessment of aftersensations (Z-scored and combined into one composite score). Correlations revealed significant associations between ACEs and psychosocial factors, including the traumatic life events, catastrophizing, fear of pain, depression, insomnia and sleep quality, aches and pains (r's=0.2-0.5; p's
The Relationship of Emotions and Burnout to Medical Students' Academic Performance.

Phenomenon: Medical school curricula challenge even the most adept learner, potentially leading to feelings of burnout. When faced with uncertainties in a new curriculum, confidence in achi...
Investigating Student Understanding of Rate Constants: When is a Constant “Constant”?

The themes discussed in this study relate to how students reason about the information encoded in rate constants, which is important for developing a deep understanding of chemical kinetics at the molecular level. This study is part of a larger project centered more generally on students’ understanding and use of mathematics in chemical kinetics. During semistructured interviews, students—36 general chemistry students, five physical chemistry students, and three chemical engineering students—worked through chemical kinetics problems and were asked to discuss equations used in chemical kinetics, yielding rich data that provided insight regarding students’ understanding of rate constants. Analysis revealed that students often conflated ideas from chemical kinetics and equilibrium, such as rate constants and equilibrium constants. Furthermore, students demonstrated varying levels of sophistication regarding the distinction and relationship between rate and rate constants. Finally, students conveyed different ideas about the mathematical nature of the rate constant quantity. These findings suggest students need more support in order to develop a more sophisticated understanding of rate constants.
Comparative omics of CCM signaling complex (CSC).

Cerebral cavernous malformations (CCMs), a major neurosurgical condition, characterized by abnormally dilated intracranial capillaries, result in increased susceptibility to stroke. KRIT1 (CCM1), MGC4607 (CCM2), and PDCD10 (CCM3) have been identified as causes of CCMs in which at least one of them is disrupted in most familial cases. Our goal is to identify potential biomarkers and genetic modifiers of CCMs, using a global comparative omics approach across several in vitro studies and multiple in vivo animal models. We hypothesize that through analysis of the CSC utilizing various omics, we can identify potential biomarkers and genetic modifiers, by systemically evaluating effectors and binding partners of the CSC as well as second layer interactors. We utilize a comparative omics approach analyzing multiple CCMs deficient animal models across nine independent studies at the genomic, transcriptomic, and proteomic levels to dissect alterations in various signaling cascades. Our analysis revealed a large set of genes that were validated across multiple independent studies, suggesting an important role for these identified genes in CCM pathogenesis. This is currently one of the largest comparative omics analysis of CCM deficiencies across multiple models, allowing us to investigate global alterations among multiple signaling cascades involved in both angiogenic and non-angiogenic events and to also identify potential biomarker candidates of CCMs, which can be used for new therapeutic strategies.
Effect of Mental Fatigue on Postural Sway in Healthy Older Adults and Stroke Populations.

The aim of this study was to examine the effect of mental fatigue on postural sway under different sensory conditions in healthy older adults and in persons with chronic stroke (PwCS). Thirty healthy older adults (> 60 years old), randomly separated into experimental and control groups, as well as 15 PwCS participated in this study. Experimental groups were asked to stand on a force platform wearing seven inertial sensors while performing the Sensory Organization Test (SOT) under two cognitive conditions (single- and dual-task) before and after a mental fatigue task (stop-signal task for 60 min). The control group performed the same protocol before and after watching a movie for 60 min. Changes in subjective fatigue was assessed by the NASA Task Load Index and psychophysiological workload was assessed by heart rate variability (HRV). Postural sway was assessed by calculating the Jerk and root mean square (RMS) of center of mass (COM). Higher Jerk and RMS of COM (p 0.05). Additionally, postural sway increased in the three groups as the SOT conditions became more challenging. Our results indicate that mental fatigue, induced by sustained cognitive activity, can impair balance during SOT in older adult and stroke populations.
The impact of the 2011 US Food and Drug Administration transvaginal mesh communication on utilization of synthetic mid-urethral sling procedures.

We sought to examine the change in utilization of the midurethral sling (MUS) for the treatment of stress urinary incontinence (SUI) after the 2011 US FDA communication regarding transvaginal mesh. This is a retrospective cohort study evaluating surgical utilization of MUS at a managed care organization of 4.5 million patients from 2008 to 2016. The primary outcome was the change in utilization of synthetic mesh MUS before and after the July 2011 FDA communication. Secondary outcomes were the changes in surgeon level MUS utilization. MUS procedures decreased from 131 to 116 per 100,000 adult women with a decrease of 11.5% from 2010 to 2012. Year over year utilization of MUS was rapidly increasing (p < 0.01) prior the FDA communication from 116 (in 2008) to 131 (in 2010) per 100,000 women and then significantly declined (p < 0.01) after its release from 135 (in 2011) to 75 (in 2016) per 100,000 women (13% increase vs 44% decrease). The number of surgeons performing MUS increased (p < 0.01) from 172/year to 186/year from 2008 to 2010 (Table 1). This decreased (p < 0.01) from 183/year to 121/year from 2011 to 2016. MUS for SUI drastically declined after the FDA communication. Despite the 2011 FDA communication concerning only transvaginal mesh for pelvic organ prolapse, there was a significant decrease in MUS with synthetic mesh utilization. Our findings support the importance of continued long-term outcome data regarding the safety and efficacy of MUS and highlight the impact of the FDA warning on MUS utilization.
Human Calicivirus Typing tool: A web-based tool for genotyping human norovirus and sapovirus sequences.

Abstract Background The family Caliciviridae consists of a genetically diverse group of RNA viruses that infect a wide range of host species including noroviruses and sapoviruses which cause acute gastroenteritis in humans. Typing of these viruses relies on sequence-based approaches, and therefore there is a need for rapid and accurate web-based typing tools. Objective To develop and evaluate a web-based tool for rapid and accurate genotyping of noroviruses and sapoviruses. Methods The Human Calicivirus Typing (HuCaT) tool uses a set of curated reference sequences that are compared to query sequences using a k-mer (DNA substring) based algorithm. Outputs include alignments and phylogenetic trees of the 12 top matching reference sequences for each query. Results The HuCaT tool was validated with a set of 1310 norovirus and 239 sapovirus sequences covering all known human norovirus and sapovirus genotypes. HuCaT tool assigned genotypes to all queries with 100 % accuracy and was much faster (17 s) than BLAST (150 s) or phylogenetic analyses approaches. Conclusions The web-based HuCaT tool supports rapid and accurate genotyping of human noroviruses and sapoviruses.
Synchronous breast carcinoma and peritoneal mesothelioma

Breast cancer may be associated with other primary cancers via germline mutations; however, sporadic occurrences of other malignancies are rare. With increased use of advanced breast cancer imaging, including MRI and PET/CT, other incidental synchronous cancers are increasingly identified. Such cases can represent unique diagnostic and treatment challenges. Here, we present a case of a young woman diagnosed with primary breast cancer who underwent imaging studies identifying an incidental primary peritoneal mesothelioma.
Recognizing Isolated Ulnar Fracture as a Potential Marker for Intimate Partner Violence.

Abstract Purpose This study aimed to assess the incidence of intimate partner violence (IPV) in women with isolated ulnar fractures and compare the injury characteristics in victims of IPV with those who sustained the same fractures due to other causes. Methods Electronic health records from three level I trauma centers were queried to identify a cohort of women, aged 18 to 50, sustaining isolated ulnar fractures from 2005 to 2019. Radiographs were reviewed for fracture location, comminution, and displacement. Demographic data, number of visits to the emergency department, and documentation of IPV were also collected. Patients were stratified into four groups based on clinical chart review: confirmed IPV, possible IPV, not suspected for IPV, and not IPV. Historical imaging analysis for IPV prediction was also performed. Results There were 62 patients, with a mean age of 31 years (IPV: 12 confirmed, 8 possible, 8 suspected not IPV, 34 confirmed not IPV). Comparative analysis with and without suspected cases demonstrated IPV to be associated with nondisplaced fractures (95% versus 43%; P Conclusion Up to one-third of adult women sustaining isolated ulnar fractures may be the victims of IPV. Lack of displacement on radiographs, frequent emergency department visits, and homelessness would favor IPV etiology.
Cucurbitacin E inhibits the proliferation of hepatoma cells in vitro and in vivo through induction of G2/M phase arrest

Objective Cucurbitacins are the highly oxygenated tetracyclic triterpenes,which are predominantly found in the Cucurbitaceae family but are also present in several other families of the plant kingdom.A number of compounds of this group have been investigated for their cytotoxic,hepatoprotective,anti-inflammatory,cardiovascular and anti-diabetic activities.In China,the cucurbitacin preparation,which contains mostly cucurbitacin B and cucurbitacin E,has been clinically used for the treatment of the primary liver carcinoma.It has been previously reported that cucurbitacin E could produce cytotoxicity against a variety of cancer cells,and various mechanisms were implicated in its cytotoxic effect.The present study is to investigate the effect of cucurbitacin E on hepatoma cells in vitro and in vivo and to study their potential mechanisms of action.Methods The MTT assay was used to assess the viability of human HepG2 and BEL7402 hepatoma cells in vitro after treatment with different concentrations of cucurbitacin E.The cell cycle distribution was determined by flowcytometric analysis after propidium iodide(PI)staining.The cell cycle-related proteins were detected using western blotting analysis.Implanted mouse hepatoma H22 model was built to evaluate the growth inhibitory effect of cucurbitacin E in vivo in mice.Results Our studies found that cucurbitacin E(10-300 nM)produced anti-proliferative effect on human HepG2 and BEL7402 hepatoma cells in vitro without cytotoxicity.According to flowcytometric analysis,cucurbitacin E arrested the cell cycle at G2/M phase in both HepG2 and BEL7402 hepatoma cells after 24 h treatment.Cucurbitacin E induced the decrease in the level of CDK1 protein and the increase in the level of p21 protein,but had no effect on the levels of cyclin A,cyclin B1 and Cdc25C protein.In in vivo anti-tumor experiment,cucurbitacin E had significant inhibitory effects on the growth of mouse H22 hepatoma cells.Conclusions Cucurbitacin E inhibited the proliferation of hepatoma cells in vitro and in vivo,at least in part,through induction of cell cycle arrest at G2/M phase,which was mediated by concomitant upregulation of p21 and downregulation of CDK1.We consider that cucurbitacin E may be useful in the treatment of liver cancer.
Where Are We? Syntheses and Synergies in Science Education Research and Practice

This paper provides an introduction to broad themes in research on conceptual change. The first part of the paper is an illustrated tour of this research organized around three questions: (1) What is the nature of students’ pre-instructional knowledge of the natural world; (2) How does this knowledge change as learners develop and scientific expertise is acquired?, and (3) What is difficult about this change? In the second part, I describe impediments to progress, that is, why we have not achieved consensus on answers to the questions. Then, in the last section I discuss how we might make further progress.
Effect of residual H2O2 on the removal of advanced oxidation byproducts by two types of granular activated carbon

Abstract Advanced oxidation processes (AOPs) such as UV/hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) systems are typically paired with a polishing granular activated carbon (GAC) filter to remove degradation byproducts from AOP effluent. In this study, the impact of residual H2O2 on the removal of five frequently detected AOP byproducts (formic acid: FA, acetic acid: AA, oxalic acid: OA, formaldehyde, and glyoxal) by two types of GACs (Filtrasorb-600/F-600 and Centaur) was investigated in batch experiments. The presence of byproducts significantly inhibited the decomposition of H2O2 on Centaur, but no inhibition was observed on F-600. In multi-component systems, byproduct removal kinetics and capacity of both GACs decreased due to competition. Centaur showed a sequential removal of byproducts following OA >FA/AA >aldehydes in mixtures. The presence of 10 mg/L H2O2 showed a temporary inhibition (0-72 h) on the removal efficiency of FA and AA by F-600, respectively. However, in multicomponent tests the presence of H2O2 had little impact on the removal efficiency of byproducts. Abiotic control experiments suggested the mechanism of byproduct removal by GACs was likely a combination of adsorption, biodegradation, and catalytical decomposition.
Relationship of TQM Implementation and Employee Opinion Survey: A Study of Three Manufacturers

Three North Carolinian apparel/textile manufacturers and their employees' opinions on organization TQM (total quality management) change were studied. The following premise was tested: employees must be happy with base issues before an organizatio..
Postural illusions experienced during Z-axis recumbent rotation and their dependence upon somatosensory stimulation of the body surface

A blindfolded recumbent subject experiences a variety of postural illusions when rotated about his Z axis. Initially, during the acceleratory phase of rotation, turning about his Z axis is experienced; but, as rotary velocity increases, a spiraling of the body outward in the direction opposite to true rotation is experienced as well. Above 15-20 rpm, only orbital motion of the body is experienced, with the subject feeling that he is always facing in the same direction. One cycle of the apparent orbit is completed each time the subject actually rotates 360 deg. The reverse sequence of illusory motion is experienced during deceleration. The illusory motion all subjects experience during Z-axis recumbent rotation is shown to depend upon the touch and pressure stimulation of the body surface generated by contact forces of support.
"I will become Him": Homology and deification in the Gospel of Thomas

This article argues that many of the disparate soteriological themes in the Gospel of Thomas can be united under the category of deification. Strikingly, the Gospel of Thomas presents an early Christian form of deification parallel to the deification of Jesus in the Gospel of John. Like John’s Gospel, the Gospel of Thomas presents a Jesus who is fully divine. Unlike in John, however, Jesus’s distinctively divine traits and predicates are applied also to the elect in the Gospel of Thomas. The homology of Jesus and the Thomasine Christian indicates a soteriology of gemination—a scenario in which the elect realize their identity with Jesus and thus their status as spiritual “twins.” Since Jesus is presented as a divine figure in the Gospel of Thomas, Thomasine gemination is simultaneously a form of deification.
Thinking about Medicine

The acceptance of many new medical procedures is fueled by their being promoted as ‘treatments’ promising to correct or ameliorate some ‘condition,’ rendered as both awful and ‘medical.’ In vitro fertilization is a clear instance.
Envilex: An Integrated Environmental Law Expert System

This paper illustrates an initial implementation of an integrated expert system on environmental law. It is a system that, apart from having the performance of a typical expert system, offers the user the possibility of using additional non formalised knowledge through an advanced information retrieval system. The system, based on Italian regulations relating to air pollution, uses the FLEX LPA shell implemented in Prolog, a hybrid expert system toolkit, providing features and functionality normally associated with high cost expert systems. It represents a natural evolution after lengthy experimentation of expert systems in the legislative domain. This implementation is also not aimed merely at lawyers who are the user group our research is usually addressed to, but, given the domain here, at large sectors of the community.
Rotating an interval and a circle

We compare periodic orbits of circle rotations with their counterparts for interval maps. We prove that they are conjugate via a map of modality larger by at most 2 than the modality of the interval map. The proof is based on observation of trips of inhabitants of the Green Islands in the Black
Falling satellites, rising temperatures?

Satellite-based estimates of trends in atmospheric temperature have disagreed with estimates derived from other measurements. By taking into account declines in the orbital height of satellites, re-examination of those satellite data yields results that are in better accord with independent evidence of global warming.
All roads lead to PP2A: exploiting the therapeutic potential of this phosphatase

Protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) is a serine/threonine phosphatase involved in the regulation of many cellular processes. A confirmed tumor suppressor protein, PP2A is genetically altered or functionally inactivated in many cancers highlighting a need for its therapeutic reactivation. In this review we discuss recent literature on PP2A: the elucidation of its structure and the functions of its subunits, and the identification of molecular lesions and post-translational modifications leading to its dysregulation in cancer. A final section will discuss the proteins and small molecules that modulate PP2A and how these might be used to target dysregulated forms of PP2A to treat cancers and other diseases.
Ultrasound-Guided Percutaneous Central Venous Access in Low Birth Weight Infants: Feasibility in the Smallest of Patients

Abstract Purpose: The insertion of tunneled central venous access catheters (CVCs) in infants can be challenging. The use of the ultrasound-guided (UG) approach to CVC placement has been reported in adults and children, but the technique is not well studied in infants. Subjects and Methods: A retrospective review was performed of infants under 3.5 kg who underwent attempted UG CVC placement between August 2012 and November 2013. All infants underwent UG CVC placement using a standard 4.2-French or 3.0-French CVC system (Bard Access Systems, Inc., Salt Lake City, UT). The UG approach was performed on all infants with the M-Turbo® ultrasound system (SonoSite, Inc., Bothell, WA). The prepackaged 0.025-inch-diameter J wire within the set was used in all infants weighing greater than 2.5 kg. A 0.018-inch-diameter angled glidewire (Radiofocus® GLIDEWIRE®; Boston Scientific Inc., Natick, MA) was used in infants less than 2.5 kg. Data collected included infant weight, vascular access site, diameter of cannulated ...
A study of the electron-exchange reaction between thallium(I) and thallium(III) in sulphuric acid solutions

Abstract Exchange between thallium(I) and (III) in 2·19 M sulphuric acid is about two-hundred times as fast as in perchloric acid solutions of the same ionic strength and hydrogen ion concentration. We have examined the rate of exchange in perchloric-sulphuric acid mixtures and in sulphuric acid-lithium sulphate mixtures. The experimental evidence shows that the rate can be predicted by several empirical rate equations. Some mechanisms, which lead to the rate equations, are discussed. We have also measured the rate of exchange as a function of sulphuric acid concentration and ionic strength, and as a function of temperature.
Benign superior vena cava syndrome: Stenting is now the first line of treatment

Background Endovascular repair (EVR) is emerging as first-line treatment for patients with superior vena cava (SVC) syndrome of benign etiology, but data on its durability remain scarce. The aims of this study were to assess the efficacy and durability of EVR and compare results of EVR with open surgical reconstruction (OSR). Methods Data from 70 consecutive patients undergoing treatment for benign SVC syndrome between November 1983 and November 2006 were retrospectively reviewed. Results There were 30 males and 40 females (mean age, 41 years; range, 5-75 years). Etiology included indwelling catheters or pacemaker wires in 35 patients, mediastinal fibrosis in 31, idiopathic thrombosis in 2, hypercoagulable disorder in 1, and postsurgical thrombosis in 1. In 42 patients, OSR was done through a median sternotomy: repair was with spiral saphenous vein in 22, expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (ePTFE) in 13, femoral vein grafts in 6, and human allograft in 1. Fifteen OSRs followed failed EVR interventions. EVR was attempted in 32 patients and was successful in 28 (88%): 19 had stenting, 14 had percutaneous transluminal balloon angioplasty (PTA), 2 had thrombolytic therapy with PTA, and 3 had stenting. All four technical failures subsequently underwent OSR. There were no early deaths in either group. Periprocedural morbidity was 19% after OSR and 4% in the EVR group. Six early surgical graft failures were successfully treated with surgical revision; one restenosis after EVR was restented. During a mean follow-up of 4.1 years (range, 0.1-17.5 years) after OSR, 11 patients underwent 18 secondary interventions. Mean follow-up after EVR was 2.2 years (range, 0.2-6.4 years), and nine patients underwent 21 secondary EVR interventions. Primary, assisted primary, and secondary patency rates of surgical bypass grafts were, respectively, 45%, 68%, and 75% at 3 and 5 years. Primary, assisted primary and secondary patency rates after EVR were 44%, 96%, and 96% at 3 years. Assisted primary patency was significantly higher in vein grafts than in ePTFE grafts (P = .05). Assisted primary and secondary patency was significantly higher in patients undergoing stenting compared with PTA (P = .02). At last follow-up, 93% of patients in both OSR and EVR groups had significant relief from symptoms. Conclusions OSR of benign SVC syndrome is effective, with durable long-term relief from symptoms. EVR is less invasive but equally effective in the mid-term, albeit at the cost of multiple secondary interventions, and is an appropriate primary treatment for benign SVC syndrome. OSR remains an excellent choice for patients who are not suitable for EVR or in whom the EVR fails.
Excess Gibbs functions of 2,3-dimethyl-2-butene + carbon tetrachloride and 2,3-dimethyl-2-butene + tetrachloroethylene

Abstract Isothermal vapor-liquid equilibrium results are presented for the binary mixtures 2,3-dimethyl-2-butene + carbon tetrachloride and 2,3-dimethyl-2-butene + tetrachloroethylene at 343.15 K. The carbon tetrachloride mixtures show negative deviations from ideality while the tetrachloroethylene mixtures show positive deviations. An attempt is made to interpret qualitatively the behavior of the two mixtures in terms of the abilities of the constituents to form charge-transfer complexes.
Late death in tricyclic antidepressant overdose revisited.

We report a late death follwoing the ingestion of amitriptyline. A 46-year-old woman presented to the emergency department with coma, hypotension, tachycardia, and a prolonged QRS interval after the ingestion of a large quality of Elavil®. She was managed with aggressive supportive care, multiple doses of oral charcoal, and charcoal hemoperfusion. The patient's ECG and hemodynamic status returned to normal within 24 hours. Despite an apparent total recovery, she suddenly sustained a cardiorespiratory arrest and died 33 hours after ECG normalization (at 57 hours after admission). This case brings into question the feasibility of ceasing ECG monitoring in tricyclic antidepressant overdoses once the ECG has stabilized, especially in patients with a history of chronic usage. A possible explanation for late sequelae is the myocardial cell binding and depressant effect of preexisting therapeutic TCA medication.
Effect of load force feedback on grip force control during teleoperation: A preliminary study

During robot-assisted minimally invasive surgery, teleoperation systems allow surgeons to perform operations at a distance via instruments inserted through small incisions in the body, thereby minimizing patient pain and recovery time. While the patient-side manipulator allows precise, dexterous gripping and manipulation by the surgical tools, current clinical systems provide the surgeon with limited haptic feedback about tool-environment interactions. This differs from direct grasp and manipulation of hand-held objects, during which we receive feedback that provides cues regarding object surface properties, slip, and load force. We use a custom research version of the da Vinci Surgical System to study the control of grip force during teleoperated manipulation of an elastic environment. We tested a placement task that involved stretching of a rubber band, with and without feedback of the patient-side load forces to the user. We hypothesized that there is greater coupling between the applied grip force and the patient-side load force when force feedback is provided, as is observed during direct manipulation of hand-held objects. With an experienced surgeon user, coupling between the applied grip force and the load force was greater with force feedback than without.