cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effects of insulin-like growth factor-I on in vitro final oocyte maturation and ovarian steroidogenesis in striped bass, Morone saxatilis.

Recombinant human (rh) insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) was more potent than rhIGF-II at inducing in vitro germinal vesicle breakdown (GVBD), a marker for resumption of meiosis, in oocytes of striped bass. Treatment of ovarian fragments containing oocytes in intact follicles with rhIGF-I increased concentrations of estradiol-17b and maturation-inducing steroid (MIS) 17,20b,21-trihydoxy-4-pregnen-3-one (20b-S) in the culture medium and decreased testosterone levels. The follicles were too immature for oocytes to complete GVBD in response to 20b-S (MIS incompetent) or hCG. Addition of 20b-S to cultures did not increase the percentage of oocytes completing GVBD in response to rhIGF-I or rhIGF-II. Bovine insulin was without effect on GVBD or steroid production. Incubation of MIS-competent follicles with actinomycin D, cyanoketone, trilostane, 1-heptanol, or 1-octanol had no effect on rhIGF-I-induced GVBD, but attenuated hCG-induced GVBD and 20b-S production. Cycloheximide inhibited rhIGF-I-induced GVBD. Collectively, these observations indicate that IGF-I can induce GVBD via MIS- and transcription-independent pathways without coupled gap junctions between oocytes and granulosa cells or among granulosa cells, but requires protein synthesis to do so. An rhIGF-I analogue that does not bind IGF-binding proteins, des(1,3)IGF-I, was more potent than rhIGF-I in inducing GVBD, suggesting ovarian IGF-binding proteins may inhibit IGF-I action. follicle, growth factors, hCG, meiosis, oocyte development, ovary
Determination of Co-Q10 in plasma samples by dual-electrode amperometric detection and liquid chromatography

Co-Q10 is a lipid-soluble benzoquinone that is an important factor in free radical scavenging, mitochondrial membrane stability and ATP synthesis. Dietary Co-Q10 is a powerful antioxidant that has been useful in lessening the damage associated with ischemia-reperfusion injuries and aiding in the recovery of myocardial function after myocardial infarction. However, the role of dietary Co-Q10 in oxidative damage and repair is not well understood. Previous LC-EC methods have used packed carbon bed electrodes with high overpotentials that were sufficient to oxidize and reduce several biological compounds, thereby decreasing the selectivity that can be achieved with EC detection. Thin-layer cell dual electrode detection enables monitoring of reduced and oxidized forms of Co-Q10 simultaneously and selectively. The oxidation (+0.45 V vs.Ag/AgCl) and reduction (−0.4 V vs.Ag/AgCl) electrode potentials were optimized to oxidize and reduce the electroactive quinone moiety. The reduced form of Co-Q10 was prepared from the commercially available oxidized form using a Jones reductor. Confirmation of its formation was determined using the current ratios of the peak and half wave potentials from previously generated hydrodynamic voltammograms, using the oxidized form with electrodes in a series configuration. This analytical system was successfully applied to determine basal concentrations of oxidized (510 nM) and reduced (500 nM) Co-Q10 in human plasma. Peak identity of oxidized and reduced Co-Q10 was confirmed by two orthogonal methods: by the current ratios at +0.45 V and +0.25 V and −0.4 V and −0.2 V (vs.Ag/AgCl) as well as by retention time. Detection limits were determined to be 5 nM, with a linear range of three orders of magnitude.
A Better Understanding of Factors That Affect the Hardness and Stickiness of Long-Grain Rice

ABSTRACT Eight U.S. long-grain rice cultivars were studied for chemical compositions, physicochemical properties, and leaching characteristics in relation to hardness and stickiness of rice flour paste and cooked rice. There were differences in the chemical composition of rice kernels among the eight rice cultivars, including crude protein (6.6–9.3%), crude fat (0.18–0.51%), and apparent amylose content by iodine colorimetry (19.6–27.0%). Differences were also observed in gelatinization temperatures and enthalpies, pasting temperatures and viscosities, leached/insoluble amylose, soluble solids, and hardness and stickiness of rice flour pastes and cooked rice kernels. The quantity and molecular size distribution of the leached starch molecules varied greatly among the samples. Protein and crude lipid contents negatively correlated with hardness of rice flour paste and cooked rice, but positively correlated with stickiness. Apparent amylose content correlated with gel properties but not cooked rice texture,...
Compassion Fatigue, the Wellness of Care Providers, and the Quality of Patient Care

Working with traumatized patients in the Emergency Department can compromise the well-being of the provider and the quality of patient care. Compassion Fatigue and burnout are two terms used to describe provider inability to cope with stress at work. However, compassion fatigue is a term specific to care providers and describes the emotional and psychological effects consequent to caring for traumatized patients, which leads to a reduced capacity to show compassionate care. Burnout, on the other hand, is consequent to cumulative stress and lack of accomplishment at work. This thesis seeks to focus on compassion fatigue and considers burnout to be a conceptual link that ties the root causes behind compassion fatigue to the work environment. I write this literature review with three aims in mind: The first is to attain a better understanding of the factors contributing to compassion fatigue, its symptoms, and the consequences of experiencing of compassion fatigue with emphasis on the need for more research. The second goal is to assess the most common instruments used to measure compassion fatigue in the work place. Lastly, my thesis concludes with interventions that had
Obituary: A Remembrance of Franklin Theodore Hoaglund MD (1930–2014)

F ranklin T. Hoaglund MD (‘‘Hoag’’) will be missed on more levels than this short remembrance can hope to capture. He personified all that was good about orthopaedic surgery and medicine. There was a purity in his person and work that we will be hard pressed to witness again. He showed leadership in thought, word, and deed. Franklin Theodore Hoagland was born May 17, 1930 and passed away on September 27, 2014 at the age of 84. After graduating from the University of California, Berkeley, he was first exposed to orthopaedic surgery while earning his medical degree at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. After a 2year stint in the United States Air Force, he completed his residency in orthopaedics at the University of Rochester in New York. After joining the University of Vermont, Hoaglund quickly ascended to the chairmanship of the Orthopaedic Department and established its residency program in orthopaedic surgery (Fig. 1). During his tenure, the size of the medical school student body nearly doubled, and the Department of Orthopaedic Surgery rose in national recognition. In 1978, Hoaglund returned to the Bay Area to work at the University of California, San Francisco Medical Center, where he remained until he retired. Although known as an accomplished hip replacement surgeon, he was also extraordinary at spine and other orthopaedic procedures. As a fledgling student, I was amazed by the confidence and control he showed when performing spinal osteotomies to correct deformity, as well as his skill and precision in arthroplasty. Although he amassed an impressive list of surgical accomplishments during his career, it was integrity and humanity that distinguished Frank. Medical students, residents, and faculty all witnessed his warm and gracious personality at the departmental barbecues that he and his wife, Jean, hosted at their home. There was always a hotly contested game of horseshoes, and a friendly, supportive atmosphere, which the trainees appreciated. Frank held a high standard for himself and the department, encouraging randomized trials and insisting on strict application of informed consent in an era when both were rare in Obituary Published online: 16 June 2015 The Association of Bone and Joint Surgeons1 2015
Chinese Corporate Capitalism in Comparative Context

Capitalism will be much more robust if it's not a monopoly of the West, but flourishes in societies with different cultures, religions, histories, and political systems. Introduction The “Beijing Consensus” is a broad label applied to China's approach to economic governance, one in which the state plays a pervasive role and (at least in theory) markets serve the higher interests of national development. As such, the Beijing Consensus may be an alternative term for “state capitalism,” a concept that has attracted considerable attention due to China's spectacular economic growth. These labels suggest something unique about China's developmental path. However, the Chinese economy shares with all other developed and developing economies a key feature: corporate capitalism. That is, the central actors in the Chinese economy are legal entities enjoying separate and perpetual existence, governed ostensibly by a board of directors and appointed managers, with ownership interests represented by shares held by the providers of capital. Using this fundamental commonality as a starting point, this chapter looks behind the “Beijing Consensus” or “state capitalism” by briefly examining Chinese corporate capitalism in comparative context, with particular reference to other countries that have influenced China's approach to economic organization: Japan, South Korea, and Singapore. It seeks to distill the common and distinctive features of China's approach to corporate capitalism, explain their existence in the context of the Chinese political economy, and examine the feasibility and normative appeal of replicating Chinese corporate capitalism in other developing countries. Simply put, the chapter asks what is unique about Chinese corporate capitalism and whether those unique elements can or should be transplanted elsewhere. To briefly state the conclusions, the chapter argues that the organizational foundation of Chinese state capitalism is not particularly unique, because state capitalism is a species of corporate capitalism. The corporate form – with its inherent characteristics – lends a familiar structure even to a form of economic organization that looks novel (or sinister) to outside observers. Yet the chapter argues that Chinese corporate capitalism does have some distinctive features, namely “party centrality” and “institutional bridging” (concepts elaborated below), although they have rough functional parallels in the comparison countries. These distinctive features are mostly a matter of degree, yet they suggest shifting emphasis in the Chinese case from “state” capitalism to “party-state” capitalism.
Twelve-month discontinuation of etonogestrel implant in an outpatient pediatric setting.

Abstract Objective The etonogestrel (ENG) contraceptive implant is the most effective reversible contraceptive method. Uptake remains limited in adolescents, a population at high risk for unintended pregnancy. The objectives of this study were to determine the 12-month discontinuation rate of the ENG implant among adolescents in an outpatient setting and to characterize risk factors for discontinuation. Study design A retrospective chart review identified adolescent females aged 12 to 22years who received the ENG implant in one pediatric institution between January 1, 2011, and April 15, 2014. Patients were categorized into ENG discontinuers (removed prior to 12months) and ENG continuers (continued for ≥12months). Associations between demographic, clinical and postplacement characteristics with ENG discontinuation category were assessed with t tests, χ 2 /Fisher's Exact Tests and backwards stepwise logistic regression. Results Of the 750 patients who had an ENG implant inserted, 77 (10.3%) had the device removed prior to 12months of use. The mean length of implant use for those who discontinued was 7.5months. Problematic bleeding was the most commonly cited reason for discontinuation. Older age at time of insertion, history of pregnancy and ≥1 medical visit for implant concerns (not including removal) were independently predictive (p Conclusion The vast majority of adolescents continued the ENG implant at 12months, making it an excellent contraceptive choice for adolescents within the outpatient pediatric setting. Greater efforts should be made to increase its use by pediatric providers. Implications The ENG implant is an excellent contraceptive option for adolescents in the outpatient pediatric setting.
High-resolution wind retrieval in the lower troposphere with CASA DFW urban radar network

With the current S-band National Weather Service (NWS) Weather Surveillance Radar — 1988 Doppler (WSR-88DP) network, we can not observe the lower troposphere, where many hazardous weather events occur, due to the effect of Earth's curvature. In order to overcome the fundamental coverage limitations of WSR-88DP network, the National Science Foundation Engineering Research Center (NSF-ERC) for Collaborative Adaptive Sensing of the Atmosphere (CASA) has proposed a new weather sensing paradigm by deploying dense network of shorter-range, low-power X-band dual-polarization radars. The topology of CASA network allows for high-resolution observations of the first 2 km of the troposphere and also provides large areas of overlapping coverage, which is ideal for dual- and multi-Doppler retrievals. The high spatial-temporal-resolution observations and multi-disciplinary research during the Integrative Project 1 (IP1) test bed has demonstrated the viability of CASA concept.
Isotope effects in electron impact desorption of CO and O 2 adsorbed on the (110) plane of tungsten

Results on the isotope effect for total and ionic desorption cross sections in the electron impact desorption of various binding states of CO on the (110) plane of tungsten, and of oxygen on this plane are presented and discussed. It is shown that the observations allow a dissection of cross sections into excitation cross sections and escape probabilities, and that the latter can be used to estimate lifetimes of excited or ionic states. It is found that excitation cross sections for total desorption are of the order of 10−16–10−17 cm2, but seem to be significantly smaller in some cases for excitation to ionic states, suggesting that different excitations are involved. In all cases examined here the isotope effect for total desorption is much smaller than for ion production. This can be explained by the fact that ion lifetimes are somewhat shorter than those of excited neutrals. Lifetimes are estimated, in the cases examined, to be of the order of 10−14s.
Relationships between Anti-Semitism and Authoritarian Attitudes in a National Survey

A measure of anti-Semitism had consistently low correlations with authoritarian attitude items among 1203 white non-Jews in the 1988 General Social Survey.
Clearing-factor lipase in muscle and adipose tissue of pigs.

1. Clearing-factor lipase was assayed in acetone–ether-dried powders of heart and adipose tissue of pigs. The enzyme activity in heart was higher than that in adipose tissue. The activity in the outer layer of subcutaneous fat was greater than that in the inner subcutaneous fat and the perirenal fat, which had similar activities. 2. Starvation for 48h, but not for 24h, decreased the activity of the heart enzyme. 3. Starvation for 24h caused a rapid decrease in the activity in all three adipose tissues, but even after 72h of starvation the activity was still highest in the outer subcutaneous fat. 4. Plasma fatty acid, glucose and insulin concentrations were determined in fed and starved pigs. Starvation decreased the plasma insulin concentration and increased the non-esterified fatty acid concentration.
Fatima Gabitova: repression, subjectivity and historical memory in Soviet Kazakhstan

ABSTRACTThis article examines the personal papers of Fatima Gabitova, a writer and pedagogue who fell victim to Stalinist repression as a ‘wife of an enemy of the people’ in the Kazakh SSR. Gabitova’s life was in many ways extraordinary, and many of her experiences were hardly typical. Nevertheless, her exposure to Kazakhstan’s cultural and political elites and the rich textual archive she left behind provide a highly nuanced window into the lived experience of Stalinism in Kazakhstan. Her writings, which include journals, poetry, letters and memoiristic essays, reveal a highly articulated sense of self that was informed and influenced by the realities of life under Stalinism, but was not ultimately determined by the parameters of the Soviet system. Throughout her personal writings, Gabitova exhibits a complicated ambivalence towards the reality of Soviet rule that demonstrates the broader contradictions of Stalinism as a system that was at once repressive and participatory.
Google Versus Death; To Be, Or Not to Be?

“Can Google Solve Death?” graced the cover of the TIME Magazine on September 30, 2013. “We’re going to gradually enhance ourselves,” said Ray Kurzweil, futurist and engineering director at Google. “That’s the nature of being human—we transcend our limitations.” Pacemakers, prosthesis, stentrode, optogenetics, antibiotics, and other medical advancements exemplify the use of technology to prolong life and to improve quality of life. Even Pope Francis gave his blessing to human-animal chimera research for organ transplants. We are all transhumanists in varying degrees.
Evaluation of water-limited cropping systems in a semi-arid climate using DSSAT-CSM

Abstract Water is the major factor limiting crop production in western Kansas due to declining groundwater levels in the Ogallala aquifer resulting from withdrawals for irrigation exceeding recharge rates coupled with erratic semi-arid rainfall. Study objectives were to assess yield and water productivity of water limited cropping systems in western Kansas using DSSAT-CSM (Decision Support System for Agrotechnology Transfer Cropping Systems Model). The cropping systems evaluated included continuous (corn, wheat, and grain sorghum) and rotation (corn-wheat, corn-wheat-grain sorghum, and corn-wheat-grain sorghum-corn). Results showed that the model adequately reproduced measured days to flowering and maturity as well as yield and aboveground biomass of all three crops. Crop rotation improved water productivity of corn. Under deficit irrigation, corn in rotation produced higher yields, crop water productivity, and irrigation water use efficiency compared to continuous corn, implying that crop rotation is a better option under limited well capacities. Under full irrigation, yield and water productivity of continuous wheat were lower than wheat in rotation. In contrast, continuous wheat yields under deficit irrigation were better than under crop rotation. Deficit irrigation substantially improved irrigation water use efficiency of grain sorghum under both continuous and crop rotations. Long–term average grain sorghum yields under rotation were higher than those of continuous grain sorghum. Indicating grain sorghum should be grown in rotation under deficit irrigation. This research did not simulate the impacts of pests, weeds and diseases, hail and freeze damage on crop yield. However, the study identifies cropping systems that are more likely to produce highest water productivity under semi-arid climate similar to that in western Kansas.
Hypothermia-treated neonates with hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy: Optimal timing of quantitative ADC measurement to predict disease severity.

To determine the optimal time window for MR imaging with quantitative ADC measurement in neonatal HIE after hypothermia treatment, a retrospective review was performed on consecutive hypothermia-tr...
Nuclear power: Deployment speed.

In their Policy Forum “China-U.S. cooperation to advance nuclear power” (5 August, p. [547][1]), Cao et al. parse data in a way that makes nuclear energy seem faster to deploy than renewable energy. A closer look at those data suggests the opposite. ![Figure][2] Nuclear energy remains a
Partnered sexual activity moderates menstrual cycle-related changes in inflammation markers in healthy women: an exploratory observational study.

Objective To examine differences in inflammation markers in sexually active versus abstinent women and observe changes in inflammation markers across the menstrual cycle. Cycle-related immune fluctuations may have evolved to reduce interference with conception. If so, reproductively active (i.e., sexually active) women should show the most variability in cytokine expression. Design Participants provided serum samples at menses and ovulation (from which cytokines were assayed) and saliva samples at menses and during follicular, ovulation, and luteal phases (from which C-reactive protein [CRP] was assayed). Participants self-reported intercourse frequency during the study. Setting Academic research laboratory. Patient(s) Thirty-two healthy, naturally cycling premenopausal women (sexually active, n=15; abstinent, n=17). Intervention(s) Observational study. Main Outcome Measure(s) Levels of proinflammatory cytokines (interleukin-6 [IL-6], interferon γ [IFN-γ], tumor necrosis factor-α [TNF-α]), an anti-inflammatory cytokine (interleukin-4 [IL-4]), and a marker of total inflammation (CRP). Result(s) Sexually active women had higher levels of all of the immune markers measured, including both pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines, than abstinent women. Relative to sexually active women, abstinent women had less change across the menstrual cycle in levels of CRP. Among sexually active women, higher intercourse frequency predicted greater midcycle decreases in CRP, IL-6, and IFN-γ and midcycle increases in IL-4. Conclusion(s) Sexual activity may stimulate a complex interaction between pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines that subsequently drives midcycle declines in inflammation.
Electronic Scan Strategy for Phased Array Weather Radar Using a Space–Time Characterization Model

AbstractThis paper presents an adaptive scan strategy concept for phased array weather radars (PAWR) with the objective of increasing the scan speed and capturing features of the storm system while maintaining the measurement accuracy. The adaptive scan strategy is developed based on the space–time variability of the storm under observation. Quickly evolving regions are scanned more often and the spatial sampling resolution is matched to the spatial scale. A model that includes the interaction between space and time is used to extract spatial and temporal scales of the medium and to define scanning regions. The temporal scale constrains the radar revisit time, while the measurement accuracy controls the radar’s dwell time. These conditions are employed in a task scheduler that works on a ray-by-ray basis and is designed to balance task priority and radar resources. The scheduler algorithm also includes an optimization procedure for minimizing radar scan time. The model and the scan strategy are demonstrat...
Wnt Signaling and Colorectal Cancer

The WNT signaling pathway is a critical mediator of tissue homeostasis and repair, and frequently co-opted during tumor development. Almost all colorectal cancers (CRC) demonstrate hyperactivation of the WNT pathway, which in many cases is believed to be the initiating and driving event. In this short review, we provide a focused overview of recent developments in our understanding of the WNT pathway in CRC, describe new research tools that are enabling a deeper understanding of WNT biology, and outline ongoing efforts to target this pathway therapeutically.
Microstructure and Size Distribution of Compound Semiconductor Nanocrystals Synthesized by Ion Implantation

Ion implantation is a versatile technique by which compound semiconductor nanocrystals may be synthesized in a wide variety of host materials. The component elements that form the compound of interest are implanted sequentially into the host, and nanocrystalline precipitates then form during thermal annealing. Using this technique, we have synthesized compound semiconductor nanocrystal precipitates of ZnS, CdS, PbS, and CdSe in a fused silica matrix. The resulting microstructures and size distributions were investigated by cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy. Several unusual microstructures were observed, including a band of relatively large nanocrystals at the end of the implant profile for ZnS and CdSe, polycrystalline agglomerates of a new phase such as γ-Zn 2SiO4, and the formation of central voids inside CdS nanocrystals. While each of these microstructures is of fundamental interest, such structures are generally not desirable for potential device applications for which a uniform, monodispersed array of nanocrystals is required. Methods were investigated by which these unusual microstructures could be eliminated.
Business Strategies of Korean TV Players in the Age of Over-The-Top (OTT) Video Service

This article is a comparative analysis of business models and strategies employed by firms in the South Korean digital video marketplace facing competition from over-the-top (OTT) content services. It analyzes the strategies of South Korean firms, including traditional access providers (e.g., telecom companies) deploying content, traditional content providers (cable networks) seeking new delivery channels, and terrestrial content and access providers (terrestrial broadcasters). Unlike third-party services, such as Netflix, that came up in competition with existing broadcasters and upended traditional paradigms of pay TV markets, South Korean OTT has emerged as extensions of established pay TV services. Thus, OTT services in Korea became an extension of established players’ offerings and part of their N-screen strategy, further entrenching their market position.
Use of raloxifene and tamoxifen by breast cancer risk level in a Medicare-eligible cohort.

Background Raloxifene and tamoxifen are Food and Drug Administration–approved for breast cancer risk reduction; in 2013, the US Preventive Services Task Force recommended these drugs for breast cancer risk reduction in high-risk women. Information on the use of raloxifene and tamoxifen for breast cancer risk reduction in the general population indicates that the risk is believed to be low; however, there is little literature. Objective The purpose of this study was to assess the use of breast cancer risk reduction medications by breast cancer risk level in an older cohort of women. Study Design Women who were enrolled in the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal, and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial were assessed for the use of raloxifene, tamoxifen, and other medications. The data sources for use of the drugs were a mailed medication use questionnaire in 2013 and linked Medicare Part D claims files from 2010–2014. Estimated breast cancer risk within 5 years was assessed with the use of the modified Gail model and self-reported breast cancer risk factors; comorbidities were assessed through a questionnaire. Results A total of 22,235 women completed the medication use questionnaire; of these, 13,640 women (61%) had linked Part D data. In 2013, 45% of the women were 65–74 years old, and 55% of the women were 75–84 years old. From the medication use questionnaire, raloxifene use (past month) was 1.8%, 2.5%, and 4.0% for women with breast cancer risk within 5 years of Conclusion Raloxifene use was low overall but increased modestly with breast cancer risk, and usage decreased from 2010–2014. Tamoxifen use was very low.
Sport, Thatcher and Apartheid Politics: The Zola Budd Affair

On 23 March 1984, Afrikaner teenage running sensation Zola Budd boarded a KLM flight at the Jan Smuts airport in Johannesburg bound for Britain. Through the manoeuvrings of the London-based Daily M...
Predicting Surface Energies and Particle Morphologies of Boehmite (γ-AlOOH) from Density Functional Theory

Particle morphology is an important property affecting the reactivity of solid phases. The aluminum oxyhydroxide boehmite (γ-AlOOH) is one example for which particle morphology has relevance to geochemistry, environmental management, and catalysis. Accurate predictions of the morphology of boehmite particles are currently missing, and the dependence of these predictions on the level of theory and complexity of the physics involved is not known. Density functional theory calculations were therefore performed for a wide range of exchange-correlation (XC) functionals, including a hybrid functional, to calculate the energetics of the four main low-index surfaces of boehmite ((100), (010), (001), and (101)) in aqueous conditions and predict equilibrium and growth morphologies. The results highlight the critical need for converged plane-wave basis sets to obtain accurate surface energies as well as the strong influence the XC functional can have on surface energies and water adsorption energies. The predicted m...
The State of the Literature on Audit Committee Compensation and Its Implications for Practice and Research

SUMMARY The compensation structure of audit committee members has shifted over time to comprise greater proportions of equity and less cash. Practitioners and researchers debate what mixture of cas...
Photosynthesis and Oxygen Consumption in the Water Column

As described in Chapter 3, primary production measurements were made on Lake Dillon by the C-14 method. These data can be combined in several ways with information on chlorophyll and phytoplankton composition on the same dates. Four indexes related to primary production will be of interest here: primary production per unit area, column efficiency of photosynthesis, depth of the photosynthesis maximum, and maximum photosynthesis per unit chlorophyll.
Image-Guided Prostate Brachytherapy

Brachytherapy of the prostate has a history extending back to the early twentieth century. Brachytherapy is a branch of radiation oncology that uses implanted radioactive material, rather than beams, as a source of ionizing radiation to irradiate target tissues. Early sources consisted of metal needles enclosing radium. Radiation was delivered to a tumor by placing the needle in or near the tumor for an extended period of time. The radiation dose was determined by the amount of radium in the needle and the time the source remained positioned in the tumor. One of the earliest approaches to prostate brachytherapy involved multiple placements of a radium source in the vicinity of the prostate over many days. On successive days, the source would be placed in different locations cycling through the urethra, bladder, and rectum. The change in location from day to day was an attempt to spare normal tissues surrounding the prostate. Prostate brachytherapy evolved through a number of different approaches until the 1980s.
Combining left and right unlinking for matching a large number of learned rules

In systems which learn a large number of rules (productions), it is important to match the rules efficiently, in order to avoid the machine learning utility problem. So we need match algorithms that scale well with the number of productions in the system. (Doorenbos 1993) introduced right unlinking as a way to improve the scalability of the Rete match algorithm. This paper introduces a symmetric optimization, left unlinking, and demonstrates that it makes Rete scale well on an even larger class of systems. Unfortunately, when left and right unlinking are combined in the same system, they can interfere with each other. We give a particular way to combine them which we prove minimizes this interference, and analyze the worst-case remaining interference. Finally, we present empirical results showing that the interference is very small in practice, and that the combination of left and right unlinking allows five of our seven testbed systems to learn over 100,000 rules without incurring a significant increase in match cost.
Reconceptualizing Defense, Unconscious Processes, and Self-Knowledge: David Shapiro’s Contribution

David Shapiro is an original, lucid, and independent thinker. Although obviously strongly influenced by psychoanalytic theory and practice, Shapiro does not easily fit into this or that psychoanalytic “school.” If one had to place him somewhere in the world of psychoanalytic theory, one would locate him in the broad category of ego psychology, a placement partly dictated by the obvious influence on his work of Reich’s character analysis and the writings and thoughts of his teacher, Helmuth Kaiser. However, as we will see, Shapiro’s thinking defies any straightforward assignment to a particular “school.”
Postponing the 2007 'Restyling' Amendments to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure

I write to urge the Members of the House and the Senate to enact legislation postponing the effectiveness of pending amendments to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure. Without intervening Congressional action, these amendments will take effect on December 1 of this year pursuant to 28 U.S.C. § 2074(a). I recognize that this is an extraordinary request, but this year's pending amendments also are extraordinary, as they will completely re-write each and every provision of the Civil Rules for the first time in their 70-year history. More fundamentally, they adopt a novel concept of rule interpretation - what one of the proponents calls "clarity without change" - that is antithetical to our jurisprudence and likely to produce disarray in the procedural system. There is a substantial body of opinion, in which I join, that the proposed amendments are likely to produce a material degradation of civil justice in our federal courts by imposing enormous burdens of transitional cost, in exchange for little or no benefit. Perhaps more importantly, there is no indication that the judicial rulemaking committees have fully considered the potential consequences of these sweeping changes. For these reasons, the Congress should provide itself the opportunity to study these proposed rules - and the process and concepts that produced them - before they take effect.
Modeling and estimation of distributed systems with uncertain parameters

Patterns of impreciseness in mathematical modeling and the nature of fuzziness that prevails in the real world indicate the need for an effective and systematic approach to the design and management of imprecise or fuzzy systems. The impreciseness of fuzziness of a system can be represented by including uncertain parameters in its mathematical model. For distributed systems, the efforts devoted to developing a systematic way of handling the impreciseness is minimal in comparison to the extensive works reported on lumped systems for control and estimation.
Avoiding Drama: Student and Teacher Positioning within a School's Social Media Ecosystem

This paper presents findings from a study of high school student and teacher use of social media within the school context, focusing on the role that drama plays in their descriptions of personal and peer social media use. Findings suggest that most individuals feel social media drama has a constant presence in the high school context, but they also carefully position drama as an act that others engage in, rejecting the notion that they might be perpetrators of drama themselves.
Postoperative cognitive dysfunction in noncardiac surgery: A review

Abstract Postoperative Cognitive Dysfunction (POCD) following noncardiac surgery is an underappreciated phenomenon. Researchers consistently find incidence rates around 25% in the first several weeks following noncardiac surgery in elderly patients, and the condition is associated with decreased quality of life, higher healthcare costs, and increased mortality. Despite the frequency and magnitude of its complications, POCD is seldom diagnosed outside of research settings. POCD is loosely defined as a decline in cognitive function following surgery, however, there is currently no consensus on diagnostic criteria for POCD. Proposed etiologies to explain POCD in noncardiac surgery have included the effects of centrally acting anesthetics, Alzheimer's pathology exacerbated perioperatively, changes in neuroreceptor function, and the effects of surgical trauma on cerebral endothelium. However, no single entity has garnered universal support as a single causative factor and the development of POCD likely involves a complicated interaction between patient- and procedure-related variables. Although inhaled anesthetics have been implicated in the development of POCD, any benefits seen with total intravenous anesthesia and regional techniques fade within the first postoperative week, regional cerebral oxygen saturation and processed encephalogram monitoring have produced contradictory findings, and no pharmaceutical adjunct or anesthetic technique has consistently decreased POCD rates. Therefore, the best evidence-based recommendations for preventing POCD are to reduce the inflammatory response to surgery through less invasive surgical approaches when possible and providing adequate analgesia to minimize the stress response. Those at risk for POCD should be provided candid counselling preoperatively so that cognitively demanding tasks can be accomplished before surgery and postoperative assistance arranged. Fortunately, POCD is usually self-limiting and cognitive performance improves during the first several months postoperatively, but there are no evidence-based treatment strategies to hasten recovery. The time has come for the perisurgical community to transition POCD from an entity confined to research settings with updated informed consents that note the possibility of post-operative cognitive decline, pre and post-operative cognitive testing for at-risk individuals, and routine referral for continuing care when post-operative deficits are identified.
Development of a Congenital Heart Surgery Composite Quality Metric: Part 1-Conceptual Framework

Background Current pediatric and congenital heart surgery quality measures focus on operative mortality, and numerous stakeholders are interested in more comprehensive measures. This report describes the background, rationale, and conceptual framework related to the development of the first composite quality metric in the field. Methods A multidisciplinary panel reviewed methodology and framework related to quality measurement and several composite quality measures across adult cardiac surgery and other fields. The panel subsequently developed methodology and selected measures for a congenital heart surgery composite measure and reviewed potential advantages and limitations. Individual measures considered for potential inclusion in the composite were reviewed within the context of Donabedian's triad and the Institute of Medicine quality domains. Decisions were made through group consensus. Results The final composite measure selected is comprised of two domains: (1) a mortality domain (operative mortality) and (2) a morbidity domain (the 6 major complications endorsed by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons and Congenital Heart Surgeons Society plus cardiac arrest, and postoperative length of stay). Potential advantages include the more comprehensive view of quality compared with mortality alone and improvements in discrimination of hospital performance through increasing the number of end points. Potential limitations include the lack of longer term outcomes and challenges related to case-mix adjustment. Conclusions We have applied and adapted conceptual framework and methodology related to composite quality measures across other fields to congenital heart surgery. The composite quality metric created is inclusive of both morbidity and mortality, and expands our view of quality in this patient population.
The surgeon as endoscopist: A look back with a view to the future

Abstract Endoscopy emerged as a field of study as early as the 1800s with surgeons as significant innovators and visionaries from the beginning. Seminal work by surgeons has been instrumental in expanding both understanding and therapy of gastrointestinal diseases enhancing the care of patients. This review will explore the history of endoscopy in surgical practice, discuss the interfusion of endoscopic and intraperitoneal procedures, and advocate for the routine use of endoscopy in modern surgical practice.
Lipophilic statins inhibit growth and reduce invasiveness of human endometrial stromal cells

To compare effects of lipid-soluble statins (simvastatin, lovastatin, atorvastatin) and water-soluble statin (pravastatin) on growth and invasiveness of human endometrial stromal (HES) cells. Endometrial biopsies were collected during the proliferative phase from five volunteers. HES cells were isolated and cultured in the absence or in the presence of simvastatin, lovastatin, atorvastatin, and pravastatin. Effects of statins on DNA synthesis, cell viability, activity of caspases 3/7 and invasiveness were evaluated. The proliferation of HES cells was significantly decreased by simvastatin (by 47–89%), lovastatin (by 46–78%), and atorvastatin (by 21–48%) in a concentration-dependent manner. Activity of executioner caspases 3/7 was significantly increased by simvastatin (by 10–25%), lovastatin (by 19%) and atorvastatin (by 7–10%) in a concentration-dependent manner. The greatest effects were observed in response to simvastatin. Accounting for the effects of statins on cell number, the invasiveness of HES cells was significantly decreased in cells treated with simvastatin (by 49%), lovastatin (by 54%), and atorvastatin (by 53%). Pravastatin had little or no effects on any of the tested endpoints. Present findings demonstrate that only lipid-soluble among tested statins were effective in inhibition of growth and invasiveness of HES cells. These findings may have clinical relevance in treatment of endometriosis.
A study of early career teachers’ practices related to language and language diversity during mathematics instruction

ABSTRACTThe role of language in mathematics teaching and learning is increasingly highlighted by standards and reform movements in the US. However, little is known about teachers’, and especially e...
I want to appear like a virtuous teacher: Carnivalesque reflection as an examination of practice

Abstract This nine-month interpretive case study focused on the use of collaborative reflection meetings to support two third-grade teachers during their transition from a traditional, acquisition model of literacy curriculum to a workshop model. The changes in the teachers' pedagogical and philosophical approaches to teaching and learning that needed to accompany the shift were significant. Drawing from Bakhtin's concept of a carnival sense of the world, the collaborative reflection meetings acted as a carnival square in which the teachers could fully participate in understanding their practice through freely and familiarly dialoguing about their practice. In their use of carnivalistic mesalliances and profanation, their ideological becoming was developed as the teachers reframed the authoritative discourses that previously guided their teaching. The struggle of authoring themselves was articulated in the collaborative reflection meetings which provided the opportunity to develop internally persuasive discourses about the workshop approach.
Variational implicit point set surfaces

We propose a new method for reconstructing an implicit surface from an un-oriented point set. While existing methods often involve non-trivial heuristics and require additional constraints, such as normals or labelled points, we introduce a direct definition of the function from the points as the solution to a constrained quadratic optimization problem. The definition has a number of appealing features: it uses a single parameter (parameter-free for exact interpolation), applies to any dimensions, commutes with similarity transformations, and can be easily implemented without discretizing the space. More importantly, the use of a global smoothness energy allows our definition to be much more resilient to sampling imperfections than existing methods, making it particularly suited for sparse and non-uniform inputs.
SIAN: a tool for assessing structural identifiability of parametric ODEs

Many important real-world processes are modeled using systems of ordinary differential equations (ODEs) involving unknown parameters. The values of these parameters are usually inferred from experimental data. However, due to the structure of the model, there might be multiple parameter values that yield the same observed behavior even in the case of continuous noise-free data. It is important to detect such situations a priori, before collecting actual data. In this case, the only input is the model itself, so it is natural to tackle this question by methods of symbolic computation.We present new software SIAN (Structural Identifiability ANalyser) that solves this problem. Our software allows to tackle problems that could not be tackled before. It is written in Maple and available at https://github.com/pogudingleb/SIAN.
Multi-Material Magneto-Structural Topological Optimization of Wound Field Synchronous Machines

A combined magneto-structural topology optimization approach based on the Solid Isotropic with Material Penalization method is proposed for wound field synchronous machines (WFSMs) to optimally distribute multiple materials including electrical steel, copper, and air in a rotor design domain. Magnetic topology optimization is simultaneously combined with structural topology optimization to ensure rotors which are mechanically feasible. A topology optimization approach does not require the use of a geometric template where dimensions are controlled by parameters. Example designs of salient pole WFSM rotors are used to demonstrate the proposed technique.
Physical and Mental Health-Related Quality of Life Changes Among Insurer Subgroups Following Bariatric Surgery.

OBJECTIVE This study sought to determine improvements in mental and physical health-related quality of life (HRQOL) following bariatric surgery in Medicaid and commercially insured patients. METHODS Using data from the Longitudinal Assessment of Bariatric Surgery, an observational cohort study of adults undergoing bariatric surgery (2006-2009), changes in Short Form 36 mental component summary (MCS) and physical component summary (PCS) scores were examined in 1,529 patients who underwent Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, laparoscopic adjustable band, or sleeve gastrectomy and were followed for 5 years. Piecewise linear mixed-effects models estimated MCS and PCS scores as a function of insurance group (Medicaid, N = 177; commercial, N = 1,352) from 0 to 1 year and from 1 to 5 years after surgery, with interactions between insurance group and surgery type. RESULTS Patients with Medicaid had lower PCS and MCS scores at baseline. At 1 year after surgery, patients with Medicaid and commercial insurance experienced similar improvement in PCS scores (commercial-Medicaid difference in PCS change [95% CI]: Roux-en-Y gastric bypass, 1.5 [-0.2, 3.3]; laparoscopic adjustable band, 1.9 [-2.2, 6.0]; sleeve gastrectomy, 6.4 [0.0, 12.8]). One-year MCS score improvement was minimal and similar between insurance groups. In years 1 to 5, PCS and MCS scores were stable in all groups. CONCLUSIONS Both insurance groups experienced improvements in physical HRQOL and minimal changes in mental HRQOL.
Nature in Built Space in the MENA Region

The Middle-East and North Africa (MENA) region is unique in many ways. For one thing, built space in the region assumes an unconventional meaning. It is not comprised exclusively of concrete buildings and paved streets. Rather, it includes the modern urban centres as well as hamlets of makeshift shelters, ancillary facilities and the foot tracks connecting the hamlets to the communal fields that serve as the food source for livestock. For another thing, the region is characterized by natural features such as abundant oil reserves that constitute a boon to its economy; at the same time, it contains vast arid and desert areas that present enormous challenges to efforts to promote nature in built space. By analyzing the region, this chapter accentuates the need to contextualize discussions of nature in built space.