cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Sol-Gel Synthesis of Palladium-Doped Silica Nanocomposite Fiber Using Triton X-100 Micelle Template and the Application for Hydrogen Gas Sensing

Palladium-doped silica nanocomposites were synthesized via a sol-gel technique combined with a template of Triton X-100 micelle. The freshly prepared sol sample of Pd-doped silica nanocomposites was investigated by TEM. Determined from the TEM image, the sizes of the Pd nanoparticles are narrowly distributed, which are around 30 nm in diameter. The prepared sol solution of the sample was injected into a Tygon Microbore Autoanalysis tubing. After 14 days gelatinization, a transparent porous optical fiber was obtained. The response of the fiber to hydrogen gas was tested by using a fiber-optic spectrometric method. The palladium-doped silica nanocomposite fiber is sensitive upon exposure to hydrogen gas and the response is reversible. This palladium-doped silica nanocomposite fiber can be applied as a new kind of hydrogen gas sensor
Improving Dementia Health Literacy Using the FLOW Mnemonic Pilot Findings From the Old SCHOOL Hip-Hop Program

Background. Dementia health literacy is low among the public and likely poses a significant barrier to Alzheimer’s disease (AD) symptom recognition and treatment, particularly among minority populations already facing higher AD burden. We evaluated the pilot phase of a novel AD health education program, Old SCHOOL (Seniors Can Have Optimal Aging and Ongoing Longevity) Hip-Hop (OSHH), which is designed to enable children to be AD health educational conduits in the home (“child-mediated health communication”). Method. OSHH applied our stroke-validated model of engaging, dynamic, and age- and culturally appropriate curriculum delivered to elementary school-age children (fourth/fifth grades, ages 9-11 years). We assessed AD knowledge among the children at baseline, immediately following the intervention (1-hour program delivered daily over 3 consecutive days), and 3 months later. For key AD symptoms, we developed the FLOW mnemonic (forget, lose, overlook, write/wander); students were additionally taught actio...
Minority Group Size, Unemployment, and the Extreme Right Vote: The Crucial Case of Latvia

Objectives I test the importance of demographic and economic contextual variables for the success of extreme right parties. Methods I employ subnational data from the crucial case of Latvia to capture the effects of minority group size and economic change on the extreme right vote. Ethnic Latvians constitute a bare majority of the Latvian population and GDP dropped by 18 percent in 2009. Results I find that localities with high or rising unemployment were less likely to support extreme right parties. The dampening effect of unemployment on the extreme right was greater in localities with large minority populations. Conclusions These counterintuitive findings raise questions about the logic and generalizability of existing explanations of extreme right voting. The study of the extreme right is hampered not only by ill-suited measures of group size and economic conditions, but also by overarching theories that predict group-based outcomes.
Fulbright's Middle East: A Senator's Influence on American Foreign Policy

This article examines Sen. J. William Fulbright’s views of and impact on U.S. policy toward the Middle East, particularly the Arab-Israeli conflict. It contributes to the literature on the history of U.S.-Middle East relations and the role of Congress in foreign policy. While Fulbright was not always (or even most of the time) successful in shaping debate and policy along the lines that he advocated, at several crucial junctures, he did have an important influence on U.S. policy toward the region.
Penicillin tolerance genes of Streptococcus pneumoniae: the ABC-type manganese permease complex Psa

Downregulation of the major autolysin in Streptococcus pneumoniae leads to penicillin tolerance, a feature that is characterized by the ability to survive but not grow in the presence of antibiotic. Screening a library of mutants in pneumococcal surface proteins for the ability to survive 10x minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of penicillin revealed over 10 candidate tolerance genes. One such mutant contained an insertion in the known gene psaA, which is part of the psa locus. This locus encodes an ABC-type Mn permease complex. Sequence analysis of adjacent DNA extended the known genetic organization of the locus to include two new open reading frames (ORFs), psaB, which encodes an ATP-binding protein, and psaC, which encodes a hydrophobic transmembrane protein. Mutagenesis of psaB, psaC, psaA and downstream psaD resulted in penicillin tolerance. Defective adhesion and reduced transformation efficiency, as reported previously for a psaA- mutant, were phenotypes shared by psaB-, psaC- and psaD- knockout mutants. Western blot analysis demonstrated that the set of mutants expressed RecA, but none of them showed translation of the autolysin gene, which is located downstream of recA. The addition of manganese (Mn) failed to correct the abnormal physiology. These results suggest that this ABC-type Mn permease complex has a pleiotropic effect on pneumococcal physiology including adherence and autolysis. These are the first genes suggested as being involved in triggering autolysin. The results raise the possibility that loss of function of PsaA, by vaccine-induced antibody for instance, may promote penicillin tolerance.
Binding of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs to Abeta fibril.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are considered as potential therapeutic agents against Alzheimer’s disease. Using REMD and atomistic implicit solvent model we studied the mechanisms of binding of naproxen and ibuprofen to the Aβ fibril derived from solid-state NMR measurements. The binding temperature of naproxen is found to be almost 40K higher than of ibuprofen implicating higher binding affinity of naproxen. The key factor, which enhances naproxen binding, is strong interactions between ligands bound to the surface of the fibril. The naphthalene ring in naproxen appears to provide a dominant contribution to ligand-ligand interactions. In contrast, ligand-fibril interactions cannot explain differences in the binding affinities of naproxen and ibuprofen. The concave fibril edge with the groove is identified as the primary binding location for both ligands. We show that confinement of the ligands to the groove facilitates ligand-ligand interactions that lowers the energy of the ligands bound to the concave edge compared to those bound to the convex edge. Our simulations appear to provide microscopic rationale for the differing binding affinities of naproxen and ibuprofen observed experimentally.
The Penology of Racial Innocence: The Erasure of Racism in the Study and Practice of Punishment

In post–civil rights America, the ascendance of “law-and-order” politics and “postracial” ideology have given rise to what we call the penology of racial innocence. The penology of racial innocence is a framework for assessing the role of race in penal policies and institutions, one that begins with the presumption that criminal justice is innocent of racial power until proven otherwise. Countervailing sociolegal changes render this framework particularly problematic. On the one hand, the definition of racism has contracted in antidiscrimination law and in many social scientific studies of criminal justice, so that racism is defined narrowly as intentional and causally discrete harm. On the other hand, criminal justice institutions have expanded to affect historically unprecedented numbers of people of color, with penal policies broadening in ways that render the identification of racial intent and causation especially difficult. Analyses employing the penology of racial innocence examine the ever-expanding criminal justice system with limited definitions of racism, ultimately contributing to the erasure of racial power. Both racism and criminal justice operate in systemic and serpentine ways; our conceptual tools and methods, therefore, need to be equally systemic and capacious.
ALKYLATION OF LITHIUM ALUMINUM HYDRIDE REDUCTION PRODUCTS OF AMIDES

(1973). ALKYLATION OF LITHIUM ALUMINUM HYDRIDE REDUCTION PRODUCTS OF AMIDES. Organic Preparations and Procedures International: Vol. 5, No. 1, pp. 9-12.
Plasmonic Nanowire Metamaterials

The prelims comprise: Introduction Electrodynamics of a Single Metal Nanowire Conducting Stick Composites: Effective Medium Approach Conducting Stick Composites: Giant Enhancement of Local Fields Magnetic Response of Conducting Stick Composites Planar Nanowire Composites Conclusions References ]]>
The Relation between Market Discipline of Banks and Bond Market Transparency: Evidence from the Risk Sensitivity of Subordinated Notes and Debenture Yield Spreads

We investigate the effects of increased bond market transparency on the risk sensitivity of yield spreads for bank-issued subordinated notes and debentures after bond markets became more transparent in 2002. Models of yield spread levels and yield spread changes show improvement in normal economic times after markets became more transparent. Risk-sensitivity of yield spreads increases strongly prior to crises. We show that firm-specific default risk variables are significant determinants of yield spread changes around earnings announcements and we observe a stronger effect for lower rated bonds. Our results imply that market discipline poorly complements regulatory discipline during good economic times. In general, increased transparency improves risk sensitivity in all cases.
Unsteady Free Surface Ground Water Seepage

Seepage in a two-dimensional unconfined aquifer of rectangular cross-section is analyzed to allow prediction of the fall of the free surface and the rate of outflow into an adjoining water body which fully penetrates the aquifer. Use is made of saturated Darcy flow theory with and without the Dupuit assumptions. It was found that if the length of the aquifer is larger than four times its depth, the Dupuit assumptions can be applied to predict positions of the water table with adequate precision. The present numerical results obtained by the two-dimensional flow model are in agreement with those obtainable experimentally by means of the Hele-Shaw model.
Dynamic Channel Switching for high-definition peer-to-peer 802.11-based video streaming

Peer-to-peer streaming of HD video over ad-hoc 802.11 wireless networks is a popular application, but the received video quality, and therefore the user's Quality of Experience (QoE), depends heavily on the condition of the wireless channel used. This paper presents Active Scanning-based Dynamic Channel Switching (ASDCS), which ensures wireless video streaming takes place over the channel whose condition is most likely to provide good received video quality. ASDCS selects an initial channel before video streaming begins, assesses the performance of the current channel during streaming, and dynamically searches for a better channel if the current one is insufficient. Our simulation results show that ASDCS outperforms existing static queue-threshold and SINR-based methods.
Crankshaft bearings for engines with start-stop systems

The challenges placed on engine bearings are growing along with the improving efficiency of modern combustion engines. Depending on the driving situation, fuel-efficient start-stop systems for instance increase the number of cycles that take the crankshaft and the bearing half shells through a phase of mixed film lubrication. A new overlay from Federal-Mogul based on reinforced polyamide-imide prevents wear which metallic sliding surfaces tend to show during such punishing use.
The legality of delaying key elements of the ACA.

The recent delays of ACA provisions appear to exceed the scope of the executive's traditional enforcement discretion. A future administration less sympathetic to the ACA could invoke them as precedent for declining to enforce other provisions that it dislikes.
Sleep hygiene and sleep quality as predictors of positive and negative dimensions of mental health in college students

AbstractCollege students are one of the top at-risk groups for chronic sleep loss and poor sleep quality, which can yield deleterious effects on health. The college population is also notorious for poor sleep hygiene, or modifiable behaviors that promote sufficient sleep quantity and quality. Research suggests sleep can impact both positive and negative aspects of college mental health, but few studies have examined the effects of sleep on both subjective well-being and depression within one model. Further, little research has tested sleep hygiene as a modifiable risk factor for positive and mental aspects of health. The present study tested structural equation models in which sleep quality either partially or fully mediated the effects of sleep hygiene behaviors on depression and poor subjective well-being. A partial mediation model (CFI = .98, TLI = .94, RMSEA = .08) suggested a very good-fitting model, and sleep hygiene yielded significant direct and indirect effects on both depression and subjective w...
KINSHIP THEORY IN ARCHAEOLOGY: FROM CRITIQUES TO THE STUDY OF TRANSFORMATIONS

Kinship theory is argued to be an important aspect of social dynamics in past societies. However, archaeological critiques of kinship have suggested that descent and residence models are ideological constructs not associated with socioeconomic behavior, that social anthropologists believe normative kinship rules are rarely practiced, and that the models are biased by Western assumptions of biological relatedness. These critiques ignore the past several decades of kinship research. A review of kinship theory demonstrates sophisticated holistic approaches to socioeconomic behavior and ideology that are not based on biological assumptions, and that historic and ongoing social disruptions and political economic transformations have significantly altered kinship behavior. Furthermore, empirical data demonstrate adherence to kinship rules prior to historic transformations. The fact that kinship changes is argued to be the source of confusion leading to the critiques in archaeological literature but is also argued to present an opportunity for archaeologists to explain social transformations in the deep past.
KILLING TWO BIRDS WITH ONE STONE: MANAGEMENT OF CHRONIC RELAPSING CONSTRICTIVE PERICARDITIS IN THE SETTING OF RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS

The most common complication of acute pericarditis is relapsing pericarditis which can present management challenges and can have detrimental effects on quality of life. Evidence suggests the benefit of colchicine in the prevention of relapsing pericarditis. A 47-year-old man presented with a 4-
Optimal Maneuver Strategies for Weapon Systems in Duel

On the basis of the survival probability models of weapon systems in duel, this paper studies the optimization model of the weapon maneuver strategies under the consideration of the fixed-time firing intervals and the stochastic-time firing intervals. By defining the priority of these strategies, this paper concludes three optimal opportunities for weapon maneuver which can obviously improve the survival probability of the weapons in duel.
Neurological complications in pheochromocytoma of pregnancy: Report of a case and review of the literature

Abstract The presence of pheochromocytoma in association with pregnancy is a lethal combination unless diagnosed and treated early. Since these tumors have become the great imitators of clinical medicine, one is confronted with numerous signs and symptoms which are not unique to this condition. However, as demonstrated by the present case report and review of the literature, the frequency of unexpected neurological signs and symptoms arising from a normal pregnancy may serve as a useful indicator of the presence of this combination. This case report is also of interest as it represents the highest recorded temperature (110° F.) noted in a patient harboring such a tumor. Because of the severity of this tumor in association with pregnancy, this combination remains an ever-present challenge to the practicing obstetrician for early diagnosis and treatment.
Design of Drip Irrigation Main Lines

The main lines of a drip irrigation system can be designed using a straight energy gradient line. This provides a very simple technique for selecting main line sizes that can be applied especially to evaluate alternative field layouts. An optimal shape of the energy gradient curve is determined as a curve a little bit below the straight energy gradient line; a curve has a sag of about l5% ΔH at the middle section of the main line. The cost difference between using the straight energy gradient line and the optimal energy gradient line is small, and only around 2%. The developed technique can be used for any kind of topographic condition, uniform or nonuniform, up and down slopes. A straight line energy gradient line can be established when a main line profile is drawn and the available water pressure are determined. The concept can be applied for different types of pipes for sprinkler system design, for water supply pipe system, or transporting system for other fluids.
Electrocardiographic Screening in National Collegiate Athletic Association Athletes

The most effective protocol for cardiovascular screening of competitive athletes remains highly controversial. This study was a prospective, multicenter trial of cardiovascular screening at 35 National Collegiate Athletic Association institutions. Screening included a standardized history and physical examination (PE) as recommended by the American Heart Association and a 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) at rest. Centralized electrocardiographic interpretation was provided using the Seattle criteria. Athletes with screening abnormalities underwent additional evaluation directed by the host institution medical team. Primary outcomes included the proportion of total and false-positive screens; the sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive value of history, PE, and ECG; and the prevalence of serious cardiovascular disorders associated with severe morbidity or sudden cardiac death. From August 2012 to June 2014, 5,258 athletes from 17 intercollegiate sports were screened: 55% men (mean age 20.1 years), 73% Caucasian, 16% African-American, and 11% other/mixed race. At least 1 positive cardiac symptom or family history response was reported by 1,750 athletes (33.3%). PE was abnormal in 108 athletes (2.1%), and electrocardiographic abnormalities were present in 192 athletes (3.7%). Thirteen athletes (0.25%) were identified with serious cardiac conditions including hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (1), large atrial septal defect with right ventricular dilation (1), and ventricular pre-excitation (11). The false-positive rate for history was 33.3%, PE 2.0%, and ECG 3.4%. The sensitivity/specificity/positive predictive value for history was 15.4%/66.9%/0.1%, PE 7.7%/98.2%/0.9%, and ECG 100%/96.6%/6.8%. In conclusion, electrocardiographic screening in National Collegiate Athletic Association athletes has a low false-positive rate and provides superior accuracy compared with a standardized history and PE to detect athletes with potentially dangerous cardiovascular conditions.
Epitaxial Growth and Properties of Magnetically Doped TiO2

Spin electronics and photonics represent exciting frontiers in which new paradigms are envisioned for signal processing and computing.1-4 Using quantum mechanical spin states associated with charged particles to propagate information offers potential advantages over the use of charge alone, as in present-day technology. These advantages include the ability to combine logic and memory on the same chip, lower power consumption, decrease switching times in device architectures similar to those used today, and incorporate entirely new functionalities.
Putting Theory into Practice

Contemporary biomedicine is wrought with increasing amounts of data coming from a multitude of sources, termed “Big Data”. This concluding chapter offers a perspective on how the theories associated with the biomedical informatics methodologies described in the preceding chapters are still relevant in a Big Data context. As with the Introduction (Chapter 1), the discussion is grounded in the Data, Information, Knowledge, Wisdom (DIKW) framework. Additionally, this concluding chapter introduces the concept of the “BigDIKW framework” and describes how biomedical informatics methodologies are built on and interplay between the Scientific Method and the Baconian Method. The reader is thus challenged to contemplate how the biomedical informatics methodologies described in this book can be used for hypothesis generation as well as for hypothesis testing.
Generation of Femtosecond Optical Pulse Sequences from a Direct Space-to-Time Pulse Shaper

We demonstrate femtosecond operation of a direct space-to-time pulse shaper where there is a direct mapping (no Fourier transform) between spatial position of the masking function and temporal position in the output waveform. We use this apparatus to generate trains of 20 pulses as an ultrafast ‘optical data packet’ over approximately a 40 ps temporal window.
Characterization of the Enterococcus faecalis Alpha C Protein Homolog

Enterococci have emerged as leading nosocomial pathogens3. Clinical isolates of enterococci are usually resistant to multiple antibiotics. Despite the threat posed by highly resistant strains of E. faecalis, little is known about the properties of this organism that mediate pathogenesis. Gram-positive bacteria express on their cell surface a variety of proteins that are involved in pathogenesis. Randomly obtained nucleotide sequences from the genome of an outbreak strain (MMH594)2 were screened for the hallmarks of cell surface proteins. One sequence was identified that exhibited sequence similarities with Streptococcus agalactiae Cα protein antigen1.
Analysis of coplanar waveguide feedline effect on Fabry-Perot Cavity antenna system performance

The effect of a coplanar waveguide (CPW) feedline on a Fabry-Perot Cavity (FPC) antenna system is investigated and the technique of mitigating feedline behavior in the FPC system is proposed. The FPC antenna system consists of a lumped-port excitation or coplanar waveguide (CPW)-fed slot antenna and frequency selective surface (FSS). The near-field distribution and far-field radiation patterns are assessed and discussed.
A novel 3D in vitro metastasis model elucidates differential invasive strategies during and after breaching basement membrane.

Invasive breast cancer and other tumors of epithelial origin must breach a layer of basement membrane (BM) that surrounds the primary tumor before invading into the adjacent extracellular matrix. To analyze invasive strategies of breast cancer cells during BM breaching and subsequent invasion into a collagen I-rich extracellular matrix (ECM), we developed a physiologically relevant 3D in vitro model that recreates the architecture of a solid tumor with an intact, degradable, cell-assembled BM layer embedded in a collagen I environment. Using this model we demonstrate that while the BM layer fully prevents dissemination of non-malignant cells, cancer cells are capable of breaching it and invading into the surrounding collagen, indicating that the developed system recreates a hallmark of invasive disease. We demonstrate that cancer cells exhibiting individual invasion in collagen matrices preferentially adopt a specific mode of collective invasion when transmigrating a cell-assembled BM that is not observed in any other tested fibrillar, non-fibrillar, or composite ECM. Matrix-degrading enzymes are found to be crucial during BM breaching but not during subsequent invasion in the collagen matrix. It is further shown that multicellular transmigration of the BM is less susceptible to pharmacological MMP inhibition than multicellular invasion in composite collagen/basement membrane extract matrices. The newly developed in vitro model of metastasis allows 3D cancer cell invasion to be studied not only as a function of a particular tumor's genetics but also as a function of its heterogeneous environment and the different stages of invasion. As such, this model is a valuable new tool with which to dissect basic mechanisms of invasion and metastasis and develop new therapeutic approaches in a physiologically relevant, yet inexpensive and highly tunable, in vitro setting.
Using frame-of-reference training to improve the dispersion of peer ratings in teams

An engineer's ability to work in teams is critical to their engineering career and often a significant factor in a corporate hiring process. Recognizing this need, and motivated to demonstrate outcomes required for accreditation by ABET, most U.S. undergraduate engineering programs include team-based courses in their curricula. Hundreds of these engineering programs use the CATME application (the Comprehensive Assessment of Team-Member Effectiveness), which asks students to assess the teamwork behaviors of their peers. Our goal was to determine how effectively engineering students rated their peers and whether a proven method for improving the use of a rating schema, Frame of Reference training, would improve engineering students' peer rating behavior. We discovered that engineering students do not materially change their peer ratings based on their teaming experiences and we verified that repeated Frame of Reference trainings have a significant impact on peer rating dispersion and potentially the quality of engineering students' peer ratings.
Broad-Spectrum Kinase Profiling in Live Cells with Lysine-Targeted Sulfonyl Fluoride Probes

Protein kinases comprise a large family of structurally related enzymes. A major goal in kinase-inhibitor development is to selectively engage the desired kinase while avoiding myriad off-target kinases. However, quantifying inhibitor interactions with multiple endogenous kinases in live cells remains an unmet challenge. Here, we report the design of sulfonyl fluoride probes that covalently label a broad swath of the intracellular kinome with high efficiency. Protein crystallography and mass spectrometry confirmed a chemoselective reaction between the sulfonyl fluoride and a conserved lysine in the ATP binding site. Optimized probe 2 (XO44) covalently modified up to 133 endogenous kinases, efficiently competing with high intracellular concentrations of ATP. We employed probe 2 and label-free mass spectrometry to quantify intracellular kinase engagement by the approved drug, dasatinib. The data revealed saturable dasatinib binding to a small subset of kinase targets at clinically relevant concentrations, h...
Therapeutic efficacy of combined vaccination against tumor pericyte-associated antigens DLK1 and DLK2 in mice

When compared with vascular cells in normal tissues, pericytes and vascular endothelial cells (VEC) in tumor blood vessels exhibit altered morphology and epigenetic programming that leads to the expression of unique antigens that allow for differential recognition by CD8+ T cells. We have previously shown that the Notch antagonist delta-like homolog 1 (DLK1) is a tumor pericyte-associated antigen expressed in setting of melanoma and a range of carcinomas. In this report, we show that therapeutic vaccination against DLK1 in murine models results in slowed tumor growth, but also to the compensatory expression of the DLK1 homolog, DLK2, by tumor-associated pericytes. Vaccines targeting both DLK1 and DLK2 resulted in superior antitumor benefits in association with improved activation and recruitment of antigen-specific Type 1 CD8+ T cells, reduced presence of myeloid-derived suppressive cells, T regulatory cell and tumor vascular normalization. The antitumor efficacy of vaccines coordinately targeting DLK1 and DLK2 was further improved by inclusion of PD-L1 blockade, thus defining a combination immunotherapy theoretically suitable for the treatment of a broad range of solid (vascularized) cancers.
Sporobolus stapfianus: Insights into desiccation tolerance in the resurrection grasses from linking transcriptomics to metabolomics

Understanding the response of resurrection angiosperms to dehydration and rehydration is critical for deciphering the mechanisms of how plants cope with the rigors of water loss from their vegetative tissues. We have focused our studies on the C4 resurrection grass, Sporobolus stapfianus Gandoger, as a member of a group of important forage grasses. We have combined non-targeted metabolomics with transcriptomics, via a NimbleGen array platform, to develop an understanding of how gene expression and metabolite profiles can be linked to generate a more detailed mechanistic appreciation of the cellular response to both desiccation and rehydration. The rehydration transcriptome and metabolome are primarily geared towards the rapid return of photosynthesis, energy metabolism, protein turnover, and protein synthesis during the rehydration phase. However, there are some metabolites associated with ROS protection that remain elevated during rehydration, most notably the tocopherols. The analysis of the dehydration transcriptome reveals a strong concordance between transcript abundance and the associated metabolite abundance reported earlier, but only in responses that are directly related to cellular protection during dehydration: carbohydrate metabolism and redox homeostasis. The transcriptome response also provides strong support for the involvement of cellular protection processes as exemplified by the increases in the abundance of transcripts encoding late embryogenesis abundant (LEA) proteins, anti-oxidant enzymes, early light-induced proteins (ELIP) proteins, and cell-wall modification enzymes. There is little concordance between transcript and metabolite abundance for processes such as amino acid metabolism that do not appear to contribute directly to cellular protection, but are nonetheless important for the desiccation tolerant phenotype of S. stapfianus. The transcriptomes of both dehydration and rehydration offer insight into the complexity of the regulation of responses to these processes that involve complex signaling pathways and associated transcription factors. ABA appears to be important in the control of gene expression in both the latter stages of the dehydration and the early stages of rehydration. These findings add to the growing body of information detailing how plants tolerate and survive the severe cellular perturbations of dehydration, desiccation, and rehydration.
Results of randomized phase II trial of dabrafenib versus dabrafenib plus trametinib in BRAF-mutated papillary thyroid carcinoma.

6022Background: BRAF mutations are present in ~44% of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) and its role in development of PTC is well established. We hypothesized that dabrafenib (BRAF inhibitor) would have efficacy in BRAF mutated PTC and that combining it with trametinib (MEK inhibitor) would result in greater clinical efficacy than dabrafenib alone, through vertical inhibition of the RAF/MAP/ERK pathway and mitigation of potential mechanisms of resistance. Methods: Patients (pts) with BRAF mutated radioiodine refractory PTC who had evidence of disease progression within 13 months prior were randomized to Arm A (dabrafenib 150 mg PO BID) or Arm B (dabrafenib 150 mg PO BID + trametinib 2 mg PO qd). Cross-over to Arm B was allowed at time of progression. Responses were assessed by modified RECISTv1.1 every 2 months. Primary endpoint was objective response rate (ORR) (complete-, partial- and minor-response). With assumed true ORR of 15% vs 35%; and 90% power to identify the correct regimen as most promising, ...
Comparison of multiple methods of assessing parental emotion language discourse and their effects on Preschooler’s emotion understanding

ABSTRACTThe current study explored the influence of three methods of parental emotion discourse (structured story-telling, reminiscing, and picture book) and their relation to preschoolers’ emotion understanding. Thirty-seven families participated in the study. Analyses showed that the structured story-telling method produced more emotion words, was high in unique emotion words, and was high for both emotion labelling and explanations. All three methods showed some potential to predict preschooler’s emotion understanding. Structured story-telling was best at predicting role-taking, while reminiscing and the picture book both were better at predicting situation knowledge. Additional studies are needed to further explore the influence of different methods of assessing emotion discourse to enhance validity and reliability of research in this field.
Structural Reliabilism and the Problems of Bayesian Epistemology

The Bayesian reading of the Carnap-Hintikka style systems of inductive logic discussed in section 4 of the first chapter purportedly gives reason to claim that Carnap and Hintikka advance their own peculiar Bayesianism (Plantinga 1993, 114). As it appears, however, both the critics and the proponents of inductive probability apparently fail to appreciate Carnap’s and Hintikka’sowngrasp of Bayesianism I claim that the appropriate way to elucidate the specific version of Bayesianism propounded by Carnap and Hintikka is via the epistemology underlying the systems of inductive logic and in particular, via the structural reliabilist theory of justification. I claim that it is structural reliabilism that grounds a better comprehension of Carnap’s and Hintikka’s place in the central division of Bayesians into objective and subjective. It is not my purpose, however, to give more credit to Carnap’s Bayesianism than it actually deserves, and to defend it against all criticism; rather I develop a reading of Carnap’s and Hintikka’s Bayesianism that could be shared by both the pros and the cons.
The Use of Speckle for Determining the Response Characteristics of Doppler Imaging Radars

The synthetic aperture radar (SAR) aboard Seasat in 1978 demonstrated a unique sensitivity to oceanic and geologic features imaged over a 100-kilometer swath with 25-meter resolution. The ability of the remote sensor to resolve the fine details of large environmental systems has resulted in the orbiting of a similar system, the shuttle imaging radar (SIR-B), aboard the space shuttle Challenger during October 1984. Coherent speckle noise observed for these Doppler imaging-radar systems is caused by random correlations of the illuminating radar chirp with the surface reflectance down range. Radar speckle is similar to optical speckle in that respect, but it is also influenced by along-track sampling statistics. The Ray-leigh statistics of coherent scattering and the Poisson statistics of radar pulse detection are employed to model the speckle observed in spatially random data samples. Speckle degradation of a radar scene may obstruct interpretations of scene detail, but it can also be useful in determining the spatial response of the remote sensor and scene correlator. Randomly speckled scenes that are otherwise featureless provide a white-noise input to the Doppler imaging process. Several such scenes have been processed with fast Fourier trans-form (FFT) methods to estimate the point-spread function and its Fourier-domain equivalent, the wavenumber response function. These measurements of spatial resolution are used to compare the Seasat SAR and the Challenger SIR-B remote sensors. In addition, two ground-scene correlators are compared in terms of the point-spread estimate of spatial resolution for common input data from the SIR-B sensor.
Slick (Kcnt2) Sodium-Activated Potassium Channels Limit Peptidergic Nociceptor Excitability and Hyperalgesia

The Slick (Kcnt2) sodium-activated potassium (KNa) channel is a rapidly gating and weakly voltage-dependent and sodium-dependent potassium channel with no clearly defined physiological function. Within the dorsal root ganglia (DRGs), we show Slick channels are exclusively expressed in small-sized and medium-sized calcitonin gene–related peptide (CGRP)-containing DRG neurons, and a pool of channels are localized to large dense-core vesicles (LDCV)-containing CGRP. We stimulated DRG neurons for CGRP release and found Slick channels contained within CGRP-positive LDCV translocated to the neuronal membrane. Behavioral studies in Slick knockout (KO) mice indicated increased basal heat detection and exacerbated thermal hyperalgesia compared with wild-type littermate controls during neuropathic and chronic inflammatory pain. Electrophysiologic recordings of DRG neurons from Slick KO mice revealed that Slick channels contribute to outward current, propensity to fire action potentials (APs), and to AP properties. Our data suggest that Slick channels restrain the excitability of CGRP-containing neurons, diminishing pain behavior after inflammation and injury.
The haemostatic efficacy and foreign body reaction of epinephrine–Impregnated polyurethane foam in osseous defects

The objective of this study was to compare the haemostatic efficacy and foreign body reaction of epinephrine–impregnated cotton pellets with those of epinephrine-impregnated polyurethane (PU) foam cubes in osseous defects created in guinea pigs. Initially, these substances were randomly applied to the osseous defects in guinea pigs for 2 min and blood loss was measured. The animals were then sacrificed 7 weeks later and the degree of foreign body reaction was scored. The data were analysed by the independent-samples Kruskal-Wallis test. Epinephrine-impregnated PU foam cubes showed significantly better haemostatic effect compared to epinephrine–impregnated cotton pellets. The PU foam containing epinephrine specimens elicited significantly less foreign body reaction compared to epinephrine cotton pellets (P < 0.05). Based on the results of this study, it is concluded that epinephrine-impregnated PU foam cubes are a good alternative to epinephrine-impregnated cotton pellets as a local haemostatic agent in endodontic surgery.
Application of stable isotopes in analysis and metabolism

Many of the elements in the periodic table consist of more than one isotope, i.e., chemically identical species with differing atomic masses. Most of these isotopes are not radioactive in their natural state and are referred to as stable isotopes. The element copper, for example, has an atomic number of 29 and an atomic weight of 63.5, and consists of two stable isotopes: 63Cu and 65Cu. The atomic nucleus of each contains 29 protons, but 65Cu contains 2 more neutrons than 63Cu in its nucleus. The 2 stable isotopes of copper have “atomic weights” of 63 and 65 and thus differ in mass while being chemically identical. Naturally occurring copper is about 69% 63Cu and about 31% 65Cu, resulting in the overall elemental atomic weight of 63.5.
Das Six-Pack-Plus-Modell: Instrument zur zielorientierten Gestaltung von Unternehmenskultur von innen heraus

Welche Moglichkeiten haben Fuhrungskrafte uberhaupt, die Charakteristika ihrer eigenen Unternehmenskultur bewusst zu erfassen und ihre Auswirkungen zu verstehen? Bedarf es dazu in jedem Fall eines Expertenblicks von ausen? Gibt es auch Moglichkeiten, wie sich die Kulturtrager selbst wohl fundierte Antworten auf ihre relevanten Fragen zu den „weichen Faktoren“ des eigenen Unternehmens geben konnen? Wie musste dann ein Selbstdiagnoseinstrument beschaffen sein, das eine strukturierte Bewusstseinsbildung der verschiedenen Dimensionen ermoglicht? Und wenn ein kultureller Wandel dabei wunschenswert erscheint, wie kommt man dann von einer blosen Analyse zu konkret umsetzbaren Veranderungsschritten basierend auf den intern gefundenen Erkenntnissen? Dieser Beitrag geht auf die (ungewohnliche) Entstehungsgeschichte sowie auf die Methodik und Funktionsweise des Six-Pack-Plus-Modells ein. Zielsetzung dieses flexibel einsetzbaren Instruments ist es, den Kulturtragern selbst einen umfassenden und fundierten Blick auf das eigene Kultursystem zu ermoglichen. Es wird auch die subtile Mehrfachrolle einer externen Prozessbegleitung beleuchtet, die sinnvollerweise in diesem strukturierten und moderierten Reflexions- und Diskursprozess zum Einsatz kommt. Die praktische Umsetzbarkeit der gewonnenen Erkenntnisse steht beim Six-Pack-Plus-Modell im Vordergrund. Damit wird die Voraussetzung geschaffen, dass Unternehmenskultur in eine gewunschte Richtung wachsen kann.
Yes, we can (do GIS): a review of new lines: critical GIS and the trouble of the map

From its first page to its concluding sentence, Matt Wilson’s New Lines attempts to ‘walk the path between practice and theory’ in order to answer the question of what constitutes ‘doing’ GIS (vii;...
A Review and Update of Phototherapy Treatment Options for Psoriasis

Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin condition affecting greater than 7 million adults in the USA. There are a multitude of treatment options available for psoriasis management. This review provides an overview of the current use of phototherapy in the treatment of psoriasis, and an update on recent phototherapy advances, either as a single modality or in conjunction with other agents. Advances in pharmacotherapy and an increased understanding of the pathogenesis of psoriasis have led to the development of new systemic treatments for psoriasis. A small number of recent studies have evaluated the use of phototherapy in comparison to or in combination with emerging and traditional treatment modalities. Psoriasis is a chronic skin condition with a high disease burden among patients. More than half of patients are dissatisfied with their therapy, and many are not receiving adequate levels of treatment. Phototherapy remains an effective modality for the treatment of psoriasis with minimal risk. While some studies have evaluated the use of phototherapy with systemic options, more studies are needed to make definitive conclusions.
Can imaging studies be omitted in patients with sporadic primary hyperparathyroidism

Abstract Background The cost-effectiveness of routine preoperative imaging for patients undergoing parathyroidectomy is controversial. The purpose of this study is to evaluate whether omission of routine preoperative imaging would affect efficiency or safety of parathyroidectomy. Methods We implemented a no-imaging protocol for patients with primary hyperparathyroidism and no prior neck surgery. If the patient did not have preoperative parathyroid imaging before evaluation by a surgeon, no radiologic studies were ordered, and the patient was scheduled for parathyroidectomy. We used propensity matching to address differences between the imaging and no-imaging groups. Results From 2000 to 2015, 83 patients underwent parathyroidectomy without imaging compared to 1245 patients with preoperative imaging. We successfully matched 64 patients with no preoperative imaging to equivalent patients who had imaging prior to surgery. Median age was 60 y, and 84% were women. There was no significant difference in operative time between patients with and without preoperative imaging (84 min for both groups, P Conclusions Parathyroid surgery without preoperative imaging is safe, effective, and offers equivalent outcomes compared to an approach based on routine preoperative imaging. Experienced surgeons can consider omitting preoperative imaging in patients without a history of neck surgery as this may reduce overall treatment costs.
Economic Development and Management Education in India

The problem of economic development varies in relation to the stage of economic development in which a country finds itself at a given time. For example, there were countries which had attained a fairly high level of development but which suffered severely during the Second World War and their economies had to be reconstructed. Illustrations of such nations are Germany and Japan. The underdeveloped countries of Asia, Africa, and Latin America manifest development problems of a different character, and even among these countries there is considerable variation in the stage of development at which each country has been. Nevertheless there are certain common problems which are similar in nature but different in degree. One of these, which is slowly being recognized, is that of the “managerial input” in the economic development model.
Dynamic response of closed cell PVC foams subjected to underwater shock loading

Abstract A dynamic loading facility is developed to investigate the underwater shock response of poly vinyl chloride foams of varying densities. The shock loading facility consists of a water filled hollow cylindrical structure, with one end fully closed and the other end fitted with a nylon piston. A rigid striker is used to impact the piston, which creates an underwater shockwave. The facility is comprised of four separate sections, where the middle section is an optically clear acrylic window, and the other three sections are aluminum. The optically clear acrylic window is utilized for the employment of three-dimensional Digital Image Correlation in conjunction with high-speed photography (90,000–100,000 frames per second) to obtain full-field deformation data of the foams during shock loading. Pressure data is recorded using piezoelectric pressure sensors at different locations along the underwater shock tube. Peak pressures in the range of 1–10 MPa with exponential decays are generated by changing the striker velocity. Furthermore, quasi-static hydrostatic response of pre shocked foams is evaluated using a previously developed underwater loading facility. Strain rate of 103 s − 1 is obtained in foam specimens during the experiments. Findings showed substantial delay between the underwater shock loading and material response. Polyvinyl chloride foams recovered 80–90% of their original shape after underwater shock loading and also retained much of their energy absorption capacity.
Making the Lifelike Corpse

With the rise of medical authority, death became something to be managed and (ideally) postponed indefinitely. This chapter demonstrates how this management occurred through a dizzying array of technologies: from hospitalization, artificial respiration, and monitoring of vital signs to new funeral practices like embalming and death photography. These technologies created new concepts of the “lifelike” corpse and the “natural” death, both achieved, rather than precluded, by technological intervention. Although seemingly distant, these practices provide a key conceptual pathway toward our now-mundane understanding of transplantation as “the gift of life.” In other words, we must have existing traditions of finding life in death and in the technological management of the dead and dying in order to accept that “life” can be preserved through surgery on a dead body.
Sodium-Sulfur Batteries with a Polymer-Coated NASICON-type Sodium-Ion Solid Electrolyte

Summary The shuttling of dissolved sodium polysulfides through conventional porous separators has been a challenging issue with the development of room temperature sodium-sulfur (RT Na-S) batteries. In this study, a NASICON-type Na+-ion solid-electrolyte membrane, Na3Zr2Si2PO12, is used as a polysulfide-shield separator. However, as a general issue with solid-electrolyte batteries, the ionic interface between the Na-metal anode and the Na-ion conduction Na3Zr2Si2PO12 membrane is fairly poor. To address this problem, a critical approach by coating a layer of a polymer that exhibits intrinsic nanoporosity (PIN) onto the Na3Zr2Si2PO12 membrane has been developed. The PIN coating greatly improves the ionic interfacial properties between the Na anode and the Na3Zr2Si2PO12 membrane. RT Na-S batteries with a PIN-coated Na3Zr2Si2PO12 solid-electrolyte separator show enhanced cycle life.
Synthesis and reactivity of phosphine-arenesulfonate palladium(II) alkyl complexes that contain methoxy substituents

Abstract Phosphine-arenesulfonate ligands that contain 1-3 methoxy substituents on the benzo linker, P(2-OMe-Ph)2(2-SO3Na-5-OMe-Ph) (Na[1a]), P(2-MeO-Ph)2(2-SO3Na-4,5-(OMe)2-Ph) (Na[1b]) and P(2-MeO-Ph)2(2-SO3Li-3,4,5-(OMe)3-Ph) (Li[1c]) were synthesized and isolated in 52–85% yield. Reaction of Na[1a,b] and Li[1c] with (COD)PdMeCl and pyridine generates the corresponding (PO)PdMe(pyridine) complexes 2a-c. 2a and 2b were isolated in crystalline form in 59% and 86% yield, respectively, while 2c decomposed during attempted isolation. 2a,b polymerize ethylene to linear polyethylene and copolymerize ethylene with vinyl fluoride (VF) to linear copolymer with ca. 0.5 mol % VF incorporation.