cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Association of carotenoids with risk of gastric cancer: A meta-analysis

Summary Background & aims Prior studies on carotenoids and gastric cancer risk have generated inconsistent results. We performed a meta-analysis of observational studies to summarize the evidence regarding the relation of carotenoids and gastric cancer risk. Methods A comprehensive search was performed to identify all observational studies providing quantitative estimates between gastric cancer risk and carotenoids. The fixed or random effect model was selected based on the homogeneity test among studies in the highest vs. lowest categorical analyses. Results 13 published case–control studies with 14 results including 3919 cases and 7400 controls, and 8 cohort studies involving 1972 cases of gastric cancer and 96,691participants, met the inclusion criteria. For case–control studies, only intake of β-carotene and α-carotene were significantly associated with a reduced gastric cancer risk. The summary OR(95%CI) for β-carotene, α-carotene, lycopene and lutein were 0.52(0.46–0.59), 0.59(0.37–0.92), 0.88(0.55–1.41) and 0.85(0.56–1.30) respectively. In contrast, the summary RR(95%CI) for β-carotene, α-carotene, lycopene and lutein were 0.72(0.50–1.03), 0.79(0.58–1.07), 0.80(0.60–1.07) and 0.95(0.77–1.18), respectively. Conclusion Although data from case–control studies suggested that β-carotene, α-carotene were inversely associated with risk of gastric cancer, there was no conclusive evidence on this association because of inconsistencies between case–control and cohort studies.
Fluoroscopic Radiation Burn After Embolization of a Spinal Arteriovenous Malformation

Fluoroscopic radiation burns are being reported with increasing frequency because of the rise in number and duration of procedures performed under fluoroscopic guidance. We report a fluoroscopic radiation burn to a patient's back after three separate attempts to embolize a symptomatic spinal arteriovenous malformation, requiring fasciocutaneous flaps to ultimately close the wound. Risk factors, physiology, and modifications to decrease fluoroscopic radiation burns are discussed.
Molecular asymmetry in extraterrestrial organic chemistry: An analytical perspective

Abstract The enantiomeric excesses determined for eight amino acids and one hydroxy acid of carbonaceous chondrite meteorites represent to date the only case of molecular asymmetry measured outside the biosphere. Because of the chiral homogeneity of life’s structures and functions, the findings have been debated for the possible relevance that a-biotic chiral symmetry-breaking might have had in the origin of terrestrial homochirality. While the many unknowns surrounding the origin of life have inevitably hindered the inquiries raised in this discourse, the hypotheses put forward in regard to the origin of extraterrestrial chiral asymmetry, which is a defined physico-chemical phenomenon, have been approached analytically and their scrutiny has aided the understanding of pre-biotic chemical evolution. We report here on our current knowledge of the asymmetric effects that could have influenced the chiral symmetry breaking of molecules in cosmochemical environments and how they correlate with the data obtained from meteorite analyses. We also address recent proposals that aqueous processes might have influenced the chirality of amino acids in meteorites and show that the crystallization behavior of isovaline, the most abundant non-racemic amino acid in the Murchison meteorite, excludes its attainment of enantiomeric excesses via phase changes such as crystallization or sublimation.
Results of Daily Intravenous Injections of Lanatoside C Upon the Heart Muscles of Dogs

Discussion And ConclusionsMyocardial damage can be produced in the dog heart by daily intravenous injections of lanatoside C in doses greater than 0.20 cat unit per kilo of body weight. There may be subendocardial hemorrhage in animals dying after such injections, but the coronary vessels are entirely free of any gross or microscopic abnormalities. These changes probably result from spasm with local lumen attenuation of the coronary vessels supplying the involved areas. Lanatoside C in large doses probably reduces the blood supply of the heart muscle by a powerful vasoconstrictor action on the coronary arteries. Essex and Visscher2 have shown that lanatoside C in therapeutic doses does not restrict the coronary flow as measured by the thermostromuhr.The myocardial damage which we produced in our experiments is probably not clinically significant, since daily doses approaching the level needed to produce these changes are never given.‡ The importance of producing myocardial infarction without grossly chang...
The Western Aeronautical Test Range of NASA Ames Research Center

An overview of the Western Aeronautical Test Range (WATR) of NASA Ames Research Center (ARC) is presented in this paper. The three WATR facilities are discussed, and three WATR elements - mission control centerns, communications systems, real-time processing and display systems, and tracking systems -are reviewed. The relationships within the NASA WATR, with respect to the NASA aeronautics program, are also discussed.
Introduction of `` true observables '' into the quantum field equations

In connection with our work on the quantization of general relativity, we have investigated the equations of quantum electrodynamics, with the unrestricted gauge group, that is without specializing to Lorentz or Coulomb gauge. Even before quantization, we formulate the theory in terms of « true observables » only. We define these as dynamical variables generating canonical transformations leading from one permissible state to another; a permissible state, in turn, is a set of values of all canonical variables that obeys the gauge constraints. Similarly an observable in the quantized theory must be a Hermitian operator within the Hubert space of permissible states; the latter are those obeying the gauge constraints. Transition to the true observables not only eliminates the longitudinal parts, of the vector potential and the scalar potential from the theory, but also the longitudinal components of the electric field strength. Likewise, the operators that create and annihilate charged particles are not themselves observables, but one can construct product combinations that are. Such (gauge-invariant) products involve the product of a creator by an annihilator at different space points, multiplied by a functional that depends on a line integral of the vector potential, the path of integration being any curve connecting the two space points. It turns out that the Hamiltonian can in fact be written in terms of these observables only, and that the infinite self-energy caused by non-transverse photons is eliminated automatically.
On higher-order corrections for propagating uncertainties

The Guide to the Expression of Uncertainty in Measurement (GUM) recommends the use of a first-order Taylor series expansion for propagating errors and uncertainties. The GUM also requires the use of a second-order Taylor series approximation for calculating uncertainties when the first-order approximation alone is not adequate. When only first-order Taylor expansions are used as a basis for propagating uncertainties, the first-order approximation to the standard deviation coincides with the first-order approximation to the root mean square error of an estimate. However, this is generally not true when using higher-order approximations. In this paper, we derive the second-order approximation of the standard deviation and the root mean square error of an estimate. We compare them with the correction terms given in the GUM and demonstrate their use via examples. We also provide a computer program that uses symbolic derivatives to calculate the second-order approximations of the uncertainty in measurement results.
Patients with diabetes respond well to contingency management treatment targeting alcohol and substance use

Alcohol and drug use contribute to the pathogenesis of diabetes and are associated with adverse health outcomes, but little research exists on treatments for substance use disorders (SUDs) in patients with diabetes. The aim of this study was to evaluate contingency management (CM) treatments targeting substance use in patients with diabetes. A secondary analysis evaluated the main and interactive effects of diabetes status and treatment condition on outcomes of 681 substance abusers. All participants were enrolled in randomized clinical trials comparing CM to standard care (SC). Overall, CM treatment improved outcomes. There was also a significant treatment condition X diabetes status interaction effect in terms of duration of abstinence achieved and proportion of negative samples submitted; patients with diabetes responded even more favorably than their counterparts without diabetes when receiving CM. Analyses of post-treatment effects revealed that patients with diabetes, regardless of the type of SUD treatment to which they were earlier assigned, were more likely than those without diabetes to be abstinent at the nine-month follow-up. The findings suggest CM may be an effective treatment for this vulnerable subgroup of substance-abusing patients.
Measuring health-related quality of life after pediatric cochlear implantation: a systematic review

Summary Objective The measurement of health-related quality of life (HRQL) in children presents conceptual and methodological challenges owing to the multidimensionality of the required information and limitations in patient self-report. HRQL results provide a broad measure of treatment impact from the patient and family perspective and are crucial to guiding clinical and policy decisions. The objective of this study was to evaluate how HRQL in children with cochlear implants has been measured in published studies in order to draw conclusions that could inform future investigations of this area of clinical research. Methods We searched PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, PsychoInfo, and Web of Science databases using a defined search string and hand-searched reference lists of relevant articles and personal files. Retrieved citations were reviewed in two stages, a title and abstract screen followed by review of the full-length article. Inclusion criteria for studies were: (1) original peer-reviewed research article; (2) enrolled subjects Results We retrieved 671 citations with our search strategy, and 10 citations were found to be eligible for inclusion. All studies used a cross-sectional design, and three types of HRQL instruments were used: generic questionnaires, ad hoc instruments designed specifically for the purposes of the study, and the parents views and experiences with pediatric CI questionnaire. Heterogeneity in study design and instruments prevented a quantitative, meta-analysis of the data. Conclusions Studies that used well-validated, generic HRQL instruments supported conclusions that were less subject to potential bias from the perspective of the clinician investigator. Most studies did not use well-defined cohorts with respect to age at implantation and duration of implant use, and conclusions in these studies were also subject to potential bias. No well-validated, deafness-specific HRQL instruments are currently available. Future research should be done with existing, generic HRQL instruments and with strict study inclusion criteria. Suggested generic HRQL instruments are discussed.
Mycobacteriophages: windows into tuberculosis.

Mycobacteriophages are viruses that infect mycobacterial hosts, such as Mycobacterium tuberculosis and Mycobacterium smegmatis [1]. Because the discovery and genomic characterization of mycobacteriophages has been the focus of integrated research and education programs, including the Phage Hunters Integrating Research and Education (PHIRE) and the Howard Hughes Medical Institute Science Education Alliance Phage Hunters Advancing Genomics and Evolutionary Science (HHMI SEAPHAGES), thousands of phages have been isolated using a single host strain, M. smegmatis mc155, over 500 of which have been completely sequenced [2–5]. These are mostly from environmental samples, but mycobacteriophages have also been isolated from stool samples of tuberculosis patients [6], although these have yet to be genomically analyzed. Clearly, these mycobacteriophages represent only a tiny piece of the overall phage population, which is predicted to include 10 particles, making them the majority of all life-forms in the biosphere [7]. Mycobacteriophages display a remarkable genetic diversity (Figure 1). About 30 distinct types (called clusters, or singletons if they have no relatives) that share little or no nucleotide sequence similarity have been identified. Many of the clusters span sufficient diversity that the genomes warrant division into subclusters (Figure 1). However, the genomes are characteristically mosaic in their architecture [8], which is readily evident from the shared genes revealed by amino acid sequence comparisons [9]. There is also considerable range in overall guanine plus cytosine content (GC%), from 50.3% to 70%, with an average of 64% (M. smegmatis is 67.3%). Thus, phage GC% does not necessarily match that of its host, and the consequent mismatch of codon usage profiles does not appear to be detrimental. Because new mycobacteriophages lacking extensive DNA similarity with the extant collection are still being discovered, and as there are at least seven singletons for which no relatives have been isolated, we clearly have yet to saturate the diversity of this particular population. The pace of discovery is rapid, so the profile of diversity is constantly changing. The collection of .50,000 genes can be sorted into .3,900 groups (phamilies) according to their shared amino acid sequences. Most of these phamilies (,75%) do not have homologues outside of the mycobacteriophages and are of unknown function. Extrapolation to the broader population suggests that phages have the largest repertoire of unexplored sequences in nature. Genetic studies with mycobacteriophage Giles show that 45% of the genes are nonessential for lytic growth, raising questions as to how and why they were acquired [10].
PINK1 Defect Causes Mitochondrial Dysfunction, Proteasomal Deficit and α-Synuclein Aggregation in Cell Culture Models of Parkinson's Disease

Mutations in PTEN induced kinase 1 (PINK1), a mitochondrial Ser/Thr kinase, cause an autosomal recessive form of Parkinson's disease (PD), PARK6. Here, we report that PINK1 exists as a dimer in mitochondrial protein complexes that co-migrate with respiratory chain complexes in sucrose gradients. PARK6 related mutations do not affect this dimerization and its associated complexes. Using in vitro cell culture systems, we found that mutant PINK1 or PINK1 knock-down caused deficits in mitochondrial respiration and ATP synthesis. Furthermore, proteasome function is impaired with a loss of PINK1. Importantly, these deficits are accompanied by increased α-synclein aggregation. Our results indicate that it will be important to delineate the relationship between mitochondrial functional deficits, proteasome dysfunction and α-synclein aggregation.
Fluid restriction during exercise in the heat reduces tolerance to progressive central hypovolaemia

New Findings What is the central question of this study? Interactions between dehydration, as occurs during exercise in the heat without fluid replacement, and hyperthermia on the ability to tolerate central hypovolaemia are unknown. What is the main finding and its importance? We show that inadequate fluid intake during exercise in the heat can impair tolerance to central hypovolaemia even when it elicits only mild dehydration. These findings suggest that hydration during physical work in the heat has important military and occupational relevance for protection against the adverse effects of a subsequent haemorrhagic injury. This study tested the hypothesis that dehydration induced via exercise in the heat impairs tolerance to central hypovolaemia. Eleven male subjects (32 ± 7 years old, 81.5 ± 11.1 kg) walked (O2 uptake 1.7 ± 0.4 l min−1) in a 40°C, 30% relative humidity environment on three occasions, as follows: (i) subjects walked for 90 min, drinking water to offset sweat loss (Hydrated, n = 11); (ii) water intake was restricted, and exercise was terminated when intestinal temperature increased to the same level as in the Hydrated trial (Isothermic Dehydrated, n = 11); and (iii) water intake was restricted, and exercise duration was 90 min (Time Match Dehydrated, n = 9). For each trial, tolerance to central hypovolaemia was determined following exercise via progressive lower body negative pressure and quantified as time to presyncope. Increases in intestinal temperature prior to lower body negative pressure were not different (P = 0.91) between Hydrated (1.1 ± 0.4°C) and Isothermic Dehydrated trials (1.1 ± 0.4°C), but both were lower than in the Time Match Dehydrated trial (1.7 ± 0.5°C, P < 0.01). Prior to lower body negative pressure, body weight was unchanged in the Hydrated trial (−0.1 ± 0.2%), but was reduced in Isothermic Dehydrated (−0.9 ± 0.4%) and further so in Time Match Dehydrated trial (−1.9 ± 0.6%, all P < 0.01). Time to presyncope was greater in Hydrated (14.7 ± 3.2 min) compared with Isothermic Dehydrated (11.9 ± 3.3 min, P < 0.01) and Time Match Dehydrated trials (10.2 ± 1.6 min, P = 0.03), which were not different (P = 0.19). These data indicate that inadequate fluid intake during exercise in the heat reduces tolerance to central hypovolaemia independent of increases in body temperature.
ON STATELESS AUTOMATA AND P SYSTEMS

We introduce the notion of stateless multihead two-way (respectively, one-way) NFAs and stateless multicounter systems and relate them to P systems and vector addition systems. In particular, we investigate the decidability of the emptiness and reachability problems for these stateless automata and show that the results are applicable to similar questions concerning certain variants of P systems, namely, token systems and sequential tissue-like P systems.
Uniform Modeling of Resources and Business Processes Using Business Entities

Most approaches for resource management employ simplistic behavioral models of heterogeneous resources. To fully support the rich interaction between resources and business processes in a real business environment, in this paper we introduce a novel approach where resources are modeled in much the same way that we model business processes. Resources are systematically modeled as full-fledged business entities to capture resource behavior and also the interactions between resources and business processes. A service-oriented resource management architecture is developed to manage resources and support a range of resource allocation patterns and policies. This architecture can be flexibly integrated with BPM applications to enable monitoring resource utilization and optimizing resource allocation. This new approach to modeling resources sheds light on the interplay between business processes and resources.
Abstract 13961: A Single Cognitive Behavior Therapy Session Improves Short-Term Depressive Symptoms in Hospitalized Patients with Heart Failure

Background: Hospitalized patients with heart failure (HF) are at high risk for depressive symptoms which contribute to poorer outcomes. Interventions are needed to manage depressive symptoms in these patients. Purpose: To test the effects of a single cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) session on depressive symptoms one week post-hospital discharge. Methods: This was a combined data analysis of two sequential randomized, controlled pilot studies testing a brief CBT intervention for the treatment of depressive symptoms. Similar inclusion and exclusion criteria were used in both studies. Patients were randomly assigned to usual care or a 30-minute CBT session, delivered by the same cardiac nurse prior to hospital discharge. A total of 24 patients with HF and depressive symptoms were included (57 ± 9 years, 44% female, 48% NYHA Class III). Depressive symptoms were measured with the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9). Repeated measures analysis of variance was used to describe changes in depressive symptoms between groups, and chi square analysis was used to compare the proportion of patients in each group with moderate to severe depressive symptoms (PHQ-9 score ≥ 10) one week after discharge. Results: Both groups had similar clinical characteristics and depressive symptom levels at baseline. There was a significant interaction effect between group and time with depressive symptoms (see Figure). At one week, the average PHQ-9 score in the usual care group remained above the cut point for major depression, while the average score for the intervention group fell below the cut-point. Furthermore, only 23% of the intervention group had moderate to severe depressive symptoms, compared to 77% in the usual care group (p = .015). Conclusion: These results suggest nurses caring for hospitalized patients with HF can deliver a brief intervention that improves short-term depressive symptoms. Future research is needed to determine the long-term effects of the intervention. ![][1] [1]: /embed/graphic-1.gif
A review of traditional and emerging methods to characterize lipid–protein interactions in biological membranes

Current understanding of the cell membrane suggests that it is a patchwork structure composed of many proteins and lipids that are not all freely diffusing, but rather can take part in dynamic microdomains within the plane of the membrane. These domains can form or be maintained in several ways, such as “lipid shells” around proteins and/or cytoskeletal compartmentalization. Interactions within a micro-environment not only co-localize multiple components of some functional unit, but also may be involved in the regulation of that unit's activity. However, studies of protein–lipid associations and their impacts on protein activity are challenging for a number of reasons. In this review we describe the salient features of classical and emerging methodologies for studying protein–lipid interactions and their limitations.
Growth of the Maritime Continent and its possible contribution to recurring Ice Ages

The areal extent of the Maritime Continent (the islands of Indonesia and surrounding region) has grown larger by ~60% since 5 Ma. We argue that this growth might have altered global climate in two ways that would have contributed to making recurring Ice Ages possible. First, because rainfall over the islands of the Maritime Continent not only is heavier than that over the adjacent ocean but also correlates with the strength of the Walker Circulation, the growth of the Maritime Continent since 5 Ma may have contributed to the cooling of the eastern tropical Pacific since that time. Scaling relationships between the strength of the Walker Circulation and rainfall over the islands of the Maritime Continent and between sea surface temperature (SST) of the eastern tropical Pacific and the strength of easterly wind stress suggest that the increase in areal extent of islands would lead to a drop in that SST of 0.75°C. Although only a fraction of the 3–4°C decrease in SSTs between the eastern and western tropical Pacific, the growth of the Maritime Continent may have strengthened the Walker Circulation, increased the east-west temperature gradient across the Pacific and thereby enabled ice sheets to wax and wane over Canada since 3 Ma. Second, because the weathering of basaltic rock under warm, moist conditions extracts CO2 from the atmosphere more rapidly than weathering of other rock or of basalt under cooler or drier conditions, the increase in weathering due to increasing area of basalt in the Maritime Continent may have drawn down enough CO2 from the atmosphere to affect global temperatures. Simple calculations suggest that increased weathering of basalt might have lowered global temperatures by 0.25°C, possibly important for the overall cooling.
Structure Prediction in Temporal Networks using Frequent Subgraphs

There are several types of processes which can be modeled explicitly by recording the interactions between a set of actors over time. In such applications, a common objective is, given a series of observations, to predict exactly when certain interactions will occur in the future. We propose a representation for this type of temporal data and a generic, streaming, adaptive algorithm to predict the pattern of interactions at any arbitrary point in the future. We test our algorithm on predicting patterns in e-mail logs, correlations between stock closing prices, and social grouping in herds of Plains zebras. Our algorithm averages over 85% accuracy in predicting a set of interactions at any unseen timestep. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first algorithm that predicts interactions at the finest possible time grain
Synthesis of oxide-coated metal clusters

“Fish-eye” particles consisting of metal clusters (Ag, Cu) a few nanometers in diameter encapsulated within a thin layer (-1 nm) of silica are produced using aerosol synthesis procedures. We present a method for predicting stable “fish-eye” nanostructures and describe synthesis techniques for producing significant quantities of silica-encapsulated metal nanoparticles. For many metal/oxide pairs, gas phase formation of oxide encapsulated metal particles is thermodynamically favorable. Using known surface free energies and binary phase diagrams, it is possible to predict whether SiO2-encapsulated metal clusters will form in the gas phase. Two conditions which must be satisfied are: 1) that the surface free energy of the metal is higher than that of Si; and 2) that the metal composition in the particle is greater than the eutectic composition in the metal/Si phase diagram. Ag-SiO2 and Cu-SiO2 are two examples of systems which readily form “fish-eye” structures. Two types of gas phase cluster sources are used at Purdue for producing encapsulated metal nanoparticles. The Multiple Expansion Cluster Source (MECS) is a well established apparatus which produces small quantities (- 50 mg/hr) of very uniform materials using resistive heating for evaporation. The new Arc Cluster Evaporation Source (ACES) offers much higher production rates (>1 g/hr) using DC arc evaporation. These two cluster sources make possible the study of a unique class of materials.
Capstone Design Project Course Pathways

Capstones are open-ended undertakings where students are expected to creatively analyze, synthesize, and apply a wide-variety of learning outcomes from prior coursework. This paper discusses the structure, approach and evolution of the capstone project pathways within our College. Specifically two programs, MET and EET, have adopted different solutions towards the planning, organizing and execution. The areas of contrast among projects are: 1) sourcing, 2) type, 3) feedback and evaluation, 4) assessment methodology, 5) supplemental resources and 6) curricular strategy. For the first five, the advantages and disadvantages of different approaches are discussed along with the issues and benefits experienced by students, faculty and industry sponsors. In the sixth, a means to improve capstone readiness and performance is presented in which experiential courses within a topical area sequentially introduce challenging and open-ended assignments that foster cognitive learning.
A Ubiquitin-Conjugating Enzyme Is Essential for Developmental Transitions in Dictyostelium

We have identified a developmentally essential gene, UbcB, by insertional mutagenesis. The encoded protein (UBC1) shows very high amino acid sequence identity to ubiquitin-conjugating enzymes from other organisms, suggesting that UBC1 is involved in protein ubiquitination and possibly degradation during Dictyostelium development. Consistent with the homology of the UBC1 protein to UBCs, the developmental pattern of protein ubiquitination is altered in ubcB-null cells. ubcB-null cells are blocked in the ability to properly execute the developmental transition that occurs between the induction of postaggregative gene expression during mound formation and the induction of cell-type differentiation and subsequent morphogenesis. ubcB-null cells plated on agar form mounds with normal kinetics; however, they remain at this stage for approximately 10 h before forming multiple tips and fingers that then arrest. Under other conditions, some of the fingers form migrating slugs, but no culmination is observed. In ubcB-null cells, postaggregative gene transcripts accumulate to very high levels and do not decrease significantly with time as they do in wild-type cells. Expression of cell-type-specific genes is very delayed, with the level of prespore-specific gene expression being significantly reduced compared with that in wild-type cells. lacZ reporter studies using developmentally regulated and cell-type-specific promoters suggest that ubcB-null cells show an unusually elevated level of staining of lacZ reporters expressed in anterior-like cells, a regulatory cell population found scattered throughout the aggregate, and reduced staining of a prespore reporter. ubcB-null cells in a chimeric organism containing predominantly wild-type cells are able to undergo terminal differentiation but show altered spatial localization. In contrast, in chimeras containing only a small fraction of wild-type cells, the mature fruiting body is very small and composed almost exclusively of wild-type cells, with the ubcB-null cells being present as a mass of cells located in extreme posterior of the developing organism. The amino acid sequence analysis of the UbcB open reading frame (ORF) and the analysis of the developmental phenotypes suggest that tip formation and subsequent development requires specific protein ubiquitination, and possibly degradation.
Socialization To The Internet: Who Is Teaching Our Children?

The introduction of technology into 21st century life has been fast and ubiquitous. The 2000 United States Census is filled with examples of increasing proportions of the American family who have access to computers and the internet. The issue of changes in our culture and the socialization of all parts of society bring logical questions about our children and technology. Where are they learning about the internet? Is the popular press correct in stating that there is a generational gap between parents and their children in socialization of technology? Where are they learning about the various uses of the Internet? This paper attempts to answer the question concerning who is teaching our children (about technology). Who is actually doing the socializing to technology?
Counting Beans and Time: A Temporal Contract Accounting Model for Flexible Financial Reporting and Continuous Auditing

There have been calls in the accounting literature for the co-existence of multiple accounting standards and multidimensional financial reporting that can meet the requirements of different financial information users and continuous auditing. Despite some initial effort of decades ago, little progress has been made to improve the conventional double-entry accounting to meet those financial reporting challenges. To address this research gap, in this conceptual modeling paper I propose a theory-based temporal contract accounting (TCA) model by building on prior research in the accounting literature. The TCA model takes a contract view of the firm and count for not only spatial resources but also spatial-temporal resources. While much future research work remains to be done, the conceptual model has the potential to offer important benefits for flexible financial reporting and continuous auditing.
Image-guided percutaneous drainage: a review

Percutaneous abscess drainage (PAD) has been proven to be a safe, effective, and widely used technique for treatment of patients with intra-abdominal fluid collections. Indications for PAD are ever expanding, and most abscesses are amenable to PAD. PAD is routinely used for treatment of simple unilocular abscesses however more complex collections require a collaborative strategy with surgical services for patient management. PAD is also used as a temporizing procedure for patients who will ultimately require operative intervention. A variety of imaging modalities are used for PAD including ultrasound and CT. Several catheter insertion techniques have proven effective. Complications from PAD are relatively uncommon.
Rural and Urban Differences: One More Time

The article presents a study which assessed the influence of an employee's rural-urban background on attitudinal and behavioral response. The research was set in a single industrial plant. All data...
Revisiting decidual vasculopathy.

Abstract Introduction In the setting of preeclampsia (PE), decidual vasculopathy (DV) can be seen along the free membranes. Methods We describe DV using stains for CD31, CD34, Cd42b, CD68, desmin, fibrin and Masson's trichrome in patients with preeclampsia and fetal growth restriction. Results We first examined the “membrane roll” sections from the placentas of six patients with preeclampsia. Affected vessels showed endothelial proliferation with detachment. Remodeling of the media was characterized by smooth muscle loss with variable degrees of fibrin deposition. CD31 and CD34 highlighted the prominent endothelium and showed striking particulate staining throughout the media. All of these findings infer a sequence of endothelial injury, fragmentation and repair with incorporation of endothelial components into the vascular wall. We evaluated the frequency of DV by clinical presentation; in cases with PE with and without small for gestational age (SGA) (N = 15), and SGA with and without Doppler flow abnormalities (N = 15). All groups except the SGA without Doppler abnormalities showed DV. Among placentas with DV, the most severely affected group was PE with SGA; the least affected was PE without SGA. Discussion The association with SGA suggests that the DV is a subacute process of vascular injury that accelerates in the setting of PE. The majority of DV cases were not initially recognized suggesting a role for endothelial markers for DV detection. We also propose that the rampant endothelial injury seems to be a prominent finding in the decidual vessels of subjects with PE complicated by SGA and a similar process in the systemic vasculature may be responsible for the circulating endothelial microparticles reported in such patients.
ETHOLOGICAL ISOLATION AND PHYLOGENY IN THE PLANITIBIA SUBGROUP OF HAWAIIAN DROSOPHILA.

Spieth (1966, 1968a, 1968b) reported laboratory and field observations of the bizarre courtship behavior patterns displayed by Hawaiian drosophilids and suggested the role of ethological isolation as one of the major reproductive isolating mechanisms in the endemic fauna. Additionally, Spieth (1966) showed that qualitative analyses of these courtship patterns permit one to infer the phylogenetic relationships of species sharing elements of these patterns. Although preliminary observations of courtship patterns of the four species studied in this paper have been recorded by Spieth (pers. comm.), detailed analyses of these patterns have not been reported. Nevertheless, the data presented in this paper, measuring the amount of premating reproductive isolation among the four species in "malechoice" experiments, provide basis for the interpretation of phylogenetic relationships of these species. The subjects of this study are four closely related picture-winged species of Hawaiian Drosophila. Drosophila differens and planitibia inhabit the rain forests of Molokai and Maui respectively, while heteroneura and silvestris are sympatric over a wide range on the Big Island of Hawaii. The chromosomal relationships of all four species have been reported by Carson and Stalker (1968) and Craddock (1974). D. differens and planitibia are monomorphic and homosequential in banding patterns of polytene chromosomes while heteroneura and silvestris share a
Long-Range Network Monitor System Based on ARM

This paper designs a practical remote network monitor system based on ARM7TDMI.The system samples and processes the real-time parameters that the network works and the spot running parameters can be displayed on LCD after they are analyzed and processed. It can be connected to the Ethernet and be used to control the long-range network of the network parameter. The system has a high sensitivity and good reliability.
Molecular Basis of Lamina-Specific Synaptic Connections in the Retina: Sidekick Immunoglobulin Superfamily Molecules

During the development of the nervous system, neurons must assemble a vast network of synaptic connections to form functional neuronal circuits. Each neuron sends axons to reach the general target region and then must choose the appropriate target from a multitude of neurons to make proper connections and to form synapses. How are such specific neuronal connections established? Sidekick proteins (Sdks) are synaptic adhesion molecules of the immunoglobulin (Ig) superfamily that have been suggested to mediate targeting specificity in the synaptic layers in the retina. These cell adhesion molecules, along with their close homologs, Down’s syndrome cell adhesion molecules (DSCAMs), provide a molecular code for lamina-specific synaptic connections that is governed by homophilic molecular interactions.
A road towards 25% efficiency and beyond: perovskite tandem solar cells

For decades, the appealing potential of tandem solar cells for efficiencies beyond the single-junction Shockley–Queisser limit has led researchers to develop thin film tandem solutions for high performance low cost solar cells. Perovskite solar cells have recently emerged as a promising candidate for photovoltaics. In addition to ease of fabrication and good efficiencies, a particularly attractive feature is their tunable band gap between 1.48 and 2.3 eV that enables symbiosis with other solar cells in tandem device configurations. The low-temperature processing conditions of perovskites make it possible to monolithically integrate them as the top component of tandem structures without damaging the bottom cell. Early experimental results and modelling indicate that efficiencies beyond 25% are within reach. Optimization and solving perovskite stability limitations could result in a commercially viable technology. We review recent developments and insights in the field.
Natural History of Pediatric Ulcerative Colitis

Defining the natural history of a chronic disease is made difficult by the continuously changing landscape of available therapies, earlier recognition of disease by more sensitive diagnostic techniques, and changes in intrinsic biological behavior. The natural history of ulcerative colitis following therapy with aminosalicylates and corticosteroids as were used in the 1960s and 1970s would be expected to differ from that following the current widespread use of immunomodulators and biological therapy. The data presented in this chapter reflect what we know of natural history now, and will likely be different than what we might describe in 10 years. Discussion of drugs will mostly focus on maintenance of remission. Whether course of disease in children is different than in adults is not clear, but will also be examined in this discussion. Lastly, possible methodology to predict response to therapy and alter natural history will be addressed.
Elastic ribbon-like piezoelectric energy harvester for wearable devices with stretchable surfaces

This paper presents an elastic ribbon-like piezoelectric energy harvester which is targeted for skin-wearable devices by harnessing the movements of stretchable surfaces. The device aims to power up smart thin stick-on devices for healthcare monitoring. By embedding a ribbon-like PVDF film in a flexible elastomer, Ecoflex, the device is potentially able to stretch 34%, while maintaining internal strain of the film below its plastic deformation limit. Alternate electrode layout and bimorph configuration help to reduce charge cancellation, while increasing overall effectiveness. The harvester prototype with 225 mm3 active volume is able to output 15.6 V at open-circuit upon stretching 26% and is capable of generating at least 121 nJ per cycle.
1.23 Load-Bearing Medical Polymers (Non-Degradable)

This work provides an historic overview of the use of non-degradable polymers as load-bearing implants and medical devices over the past several decades. Early challenges and failures are described. The polymer selection evolution for structural applications in cardiovascular devices, orthopedic implants, dentistry, soft tissue reconstruction along with sutures and suture anchors is presented. Several polymer classes used in medical implants are highlighted and include polyethylene (ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE), high density polyethylene (HDPE), and low density polyethylene (LDPE)); polypropylene (PP); polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA); polyester; nylon; silicone; fluoroploymers (expanded forms); polyetheretherketone (PEEK); and polyurethane (PU). The physical requirements of polymers in various structural applications are presented. Finally, the key factors for designing with polymers for load-bearing implants are presented.
The mediating role of child self-regulation of eating in the relationship between parental use of food as a reward and child emotional overeating.

Emotional eating, or eating in response to negative emotions rather than internal hunger cues, has been related to many maladaptive eating patterns that contribute to weight gain and obesity. The parent feeding practice of use of food as a reward is positively associated with children emotionally overeating, yet, little is known as to the potential behavioral mechanism linking these behaviors. The current study examined the mediating role of child self-regulation of eating in the relationship between parental use of food as a reward and child emotional overeating. Parents of preschool aged children (n = 254) completed online questionnaires targeting parent feeding practices, child eating behaviors, and child self-regulation in eating. Mediation was assessed with Hayes' PROCESS macros in SPSS. Results demonstrated that the relationship between parental use of food as a reward and child emotional overeating was partially mediated by child self-regulation in eating, even after controlling for parent and child gender, household income, and race/ethnicity. In summary, parental use of food as a reward leads to children's diminished ability to regulate intake, which then leads to increased emotional over eating. Results of this study have implications for both the prevention of disordered eating behaviors and childhood obesity prevention programs, suggesting the need to assist children in learning how to self-regulate in the presence of food.
A Dynamically Consistent Reconstruction of Ocean Temperature

AbstractThis paper provides a spectral optimal gridding (SOG) method to make a dynamically consistent reconstruction of water temperature for the global ocean at different depth levels. The dynamical consistency is achieved by using the basis of empirical orthogonal functions (EOFs) derived from NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) non-Boussinesq ocean general circulation model (OGCM) output at ¼° resolution from 1958 to 2013. A convenient singular value decomposition (SVD) method is used to calculate the EOFs, in order to enable efficient computing for a fine spatial grid globally. These EOFs are used as explainable variables and are regressed against the sparsely distributed in situ ocean temperature data at 33 standard depth levels. The observed data are aggregated onto a 1° latitude–longitude grid at each level from the surface to the 5500-m layer for the period 1950–2014. Three representative temperature reconstruction examples are presented and validated: two 10-m-layer (i.e., the second layer from ...
Collapse of elongated voids in porous energetic materials: Effects of void orientation and aspect ratio on initiation

The sensitivity of elongated voids in pressed explosives is analyzed with reactive mesoscale simulations. A strong dependence of the sensitivity on void aspect ratio and elongation is found. Ranges that enhance or inhibit initiation are identified.
A MODIS-Based Automated Flood Monitoring System for Southeast Asia

Abstract Flood disasters in Southeast Asia result in significant loss of life and economic damage. Remote sensing information systems designed to spatially and temporally monitor floods can help governments and international agencies formulate effective disaster response strategies during a flood and ultimately alleviate impacts to population, infrastructure, and agriculture. Recent destructive flood events in the Lower Mekong River Basin occurred in 2000, 2011, 2013, and 2016 ( http://ffw.mrcmekong.org/historical_rec.htm , April 24, 2017). The large spatial distribution of flooded areas and lack of proper gauge data in the region makes accurate monitoring and assessment of impacts of floods difficult. Here, we discuss the utility of applying satellite-based Earth observations for improving flood inundation monitoring over the flood-prone Lower Mekong River Basin. We present a methodology for determining near real-time surface water extent associated with current and historic flood events by training surface water classifiers from 8-day, 250-m Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data spanning the length of the MODIS satellite record. The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) signature of permanent water bodies (MOD44W; Carroll et al., 2009 ) is used to train surface water classifiers which are applied to a time period of interest. From this, an operational nowcast flood detection component is produced using twice daily imagery acquired at 3-h latency which performs image compositing routines to minimize cloud cover. Case studies and accuracy assessments against radar-based observations for historic flood events are presented. The customizable system has been transferred to regional organizations and near real-time derived surface water products are made available through a web interface platform. Results highlight the potential of near real-time observation and impact assessment systems to serve as effective decision support tools for governments, international agencies, and disaster responders.
Can Bundled Payments Be Successful in the Medicaid Population for Primary Joint Arthroplasty

Abstract Background Although some bundled payment models have had success in total joint arthroplasty, concerns exist about access to care for higher cost patients who use more resources. The purpose of this study is to determine whether Medicaid patients have increased hospital costs and more resource utilization in a 90-day episode of care than Medicare or privately insured patients. Methods We retrospectively reviewed a consecutive series of 7268 primary hip and knee arthroplasty patients at a single institution. Using a propensity score-matching algorithm for demographic variables, we matched the 92 consecutive Medicaid patients with 184 privately insured and 184 Medicare patients. Hospital-specific costs, discharge disposition, complications, and 90-day readmissions were analyzed. Results Medicaid patients had higher mean inpatient hospital costs than both of the matched Medicare and privately insured groups ($15,396 vs $12,165 vs $13,864, P Conclusion Because of increased hospital costs, current bundled payment models should not include Medicaid patients because of concerns about patient selection and access to care. Further study is needed to determine whether bundling Medicaid arthroplasty costs in a stand-alone program with a separate target price will result in improved outcomes and decreased costs.
KCa1.1 channels as therapeutic targets for rheumatoid arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic and systemic autoimmune disease. It preferentially targets diarthrodial joints but displays comorbidities in other organs, such as the respiratory and cardiov...