cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Are Biochemical Recurrence Outcomes Similar After Radical Prostatectomy and Radiation Therapy? Analysis of Prostate Cancer–Specific Mortality by Nomogram-predicted Risks of Biochemical Recurrence

Abstract Background Due to the protracted natural history of the clinical progression of prostate cancer, biochemical recurrence (BCR) is often used to compare treatment modalities. However, BCR definitions and posttreatment prostate-specific antigen kinetics vary considerably among treatments, calling into the question the validity of such comparisons. Objective To analyze prostate cancer–specific mortality (PCSM) according to treatment-specific nomogram-predicted risk of BCR for men treated by radical prostatectomy (RP), external-beam radiation therapy (EBRT), and brachytherapy. Design, setting, and participants A total of 13 803 men who underwent RP, EBRT, or brachytherapy at two US high-volume hospitals between 1995 and 2008. Intervention RP, EBRT, and brachytherapy. Outcome measurements and statistical analysis The 5-yr progression-free probability (5Y-PFP) was calculated for each patient based on the treatment received using a validated treatment-specific nomogram. Fine and Gray competing risk analysis was then used to estimate PCSM by a patient's predicted 5Y-PFP. Multivariable competing risk regression analysis was used to determine the association of treatment with PCSM after adjusting for nomogram-predicted 5Y-PFP. Results and limitations Men receiving EBRT had higher 10-yr PCSM compared with those treated by RP across the range of nomogram-predicted risks of BCR: 5Y-PFP >75%, 3% versus 0.9%; 5Y-PFP 51–75%, 6.8% versus 5.9%; 5Y-PFP 26–50%, 12.2% versus 10.6%; and 5Y-PFP ≤25%, 26.6% versus 21.2%. After adjusting for nomogram-predicted 5Y-PFP, EBRT was associated with a significantly increased PCSM risk compared with RP (hazard ratio: 1.5; 95% confidence interval, 1.1–2.0; p = 0.006). No statistically significant difference in PCSM was observed between patients treated by brachytherapy and RP, although patient selection factors and lack of statistical power limited this analysis. Conclusions EBRT patients with similar nomogram-predicted 5Y-PFP appear to have a significantly increased risk of PCSM compared with those treated by RP. Comparison of treatments using nomogram-predicted BCR end points may not be valid. Patient summary Biochemical recurrence (BCR) outcomes after external-beam radiation therapy and radical prostatectomy are associated with different risks of subsequent prostate cancer–specific mortality. Physicians and patients should cautiously interpret BCR end points when comparing treatments to make treatment decisions.
Tracking, predicting and assessing software reuse costs: an automated tool

In a companion paper (Mili et al., 2000), we propose an ROI-based cost model for software reuse, and discuss in what sense and to what extent this model encompasses many relevant aspects of existing software reuse cost models. In this paper, we present an automated tool that supports the model, and we briefly illustrate its operation. The tool which supports the proposed model has two main functions, which we review; we call this tool RCA, for Reuse Cost Analyzer.
Isavuconazole Pharmacodynamic Target Determination for Candida Species in an In Vivo Murine Disseminated Candidiasis Model

Pharmacodynamic (PD) studies with triazoles in the neutropenic murine disseminated candidiasis model have been performed extensively for Candida albicans. They have consistently shown that the pharmacodynamic index most closely correlated with efficacy is the ratio of the 24-h area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) to the MIC, and a target 24-h free-drug AUC/MIC ratio near 25 is associated with 50% of maximal microbiologic efficacy. We utilized this model to investigate the pharmacodynamics of isavuconazole. Isavuconazole pharmacokinetics were linear over the dose range studied. Oral-gastric doses of 640, 160, 40, and 10 mg of prodrug/kg of body weight produced peak levels of 0.51 to 25.4 mg/liter, an elimination half-life of 1 to 5 h, and an AUC from 0 h to infinity (AUC0-∞) of 0.9 to 287 mg · h/liter. The AUC/MIC ratio was the pharmacodynamic index that correlated best with efficacy (R(2), 0.84). Pharmacodynamic target studies were performed using 4 C. albicans isolates with both a 24-h and a 96-h treatment duration. The strains were chosen to include previously characterized fluconazole-resistant strains. The mean 50% effective doses (ED50) (expressed in mg/kg of body weight/12 h) and associated 24-h free-drug AUC/MIC ratios were 89.3 ± 46.7 and 67.7 ± 35 for the 24-h treatment and 59.6 ± 22 and 33.3 ± 25.5 for the 96-h treatment. These differences were not statistically significant. Pharmacodynamic targets for two non-albicans Candida species were also explored. The mean ED50 (expressed in mg/kg/12 h) and associated 24-h free-drug AUC/MIC ratios were 31.2 and 6.2 for Candida tropicalis (n = 1) and 50.5 and 1.6 for Candida glabrata (n = 2). These PD targets were significantly different from C. albicans targets (P, 0.04). Isavuconazole PD targets for C. albicans are similar to those observed in this model with other triazoles. However, the PD targets for non-albicans Candida species were more than 10-fold lower than those for C. albicans (P, 0.04). This difference is similar to the species-specific PD relationships for the echinocandins. The lower PD targets for these species in this model will be important to consider in the analysis of clinical trial data and during the development of susceptibility breakpoints.
Interaction of naturally occurring neurotoxins and the pyrethroid insecticide deltamethrin with rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus Mykiss) brain sodium channels

A radiosodium flux assay was employed to characterize the pharmacological properties of trout brain voltage-sensitive sodium channels and to define the response of those channels to the synthetic pyrethroid insecticide deltamethrin The uptake of 22Na+ into trout brain synaptoneurosomes was measured in the presence of a number of sodium channel-directed ligands The sodium channel activators aconitine, veratridine, and batrachotoxin stimulated 22Na+ uptake into trout brain synaptoneurosomes in a dose-dependent manner Batrachotoxin was the most efficacious and potent activator having a maximal sodium uptake at saturating concentrations (Emax) of 6 2 nmol/mg protein and a concentration producing a half maximal response (K0 5) of 3 5 μM Veratridine and aconitine produced Emax values of 3 3 and 3 8 nmol/mg protein and K0 5 values of 16 2 and 11 9 μM, respectively Scorpion (Leiurus quinquestriatus) venom (10 μg per incubation) lowered the K0 5 of batrachotoxin, aconitine, and veratridine and increased Emax for aconitine and veratridine Concentrations of tetrodotoxin above 1 μM completely inhibited 22Na+ uptake The effects of the pyrethroid insecticide deltamethrin on activator-dependent 22Na+ flux were measured to determine if the hypersensitivity of fish to pyrethroid intoxication was related to intrinsic properties of the piscine sodium channel Deltamethrin (20 μM) enhanced veratridine- but not aconitine-dependent 22Na+ flux Deltamethrin also caused a three-fold shift in the potency of batrachotoxin with no effect on Emax Our results demonstrate the presence of functional sodium channels in trout brain synaptoneurosomes that share many of the pharmacological properties of mammalian voltage-sensitive sodium channels However, the sodium uptake assay employed in this study has limitations for assessing pyrethroid potencies in piscine brain preparations
Parallelizing XML data-streaming workflows via MapReduce

In prior work it has been shown that the design of scientific workflows can benefit from a collection-oriented modeling paradigm which views scientific workflows as pipelines of XML stream processors. In this paper, we present approaches for exploiting data parallelism in XML processing pipelines through novel compilation strategies to the MapReduce framework. Pipelines in our approach consist of sequences of processing steps that receive XML-structured data and produce, often through calls to ''black-box'' (scientific) functions, modified (i.e., updated) XML structures. Our main contributions are (i) the development of a set of strategies for compiling scientific workflows, modeled as XML processing pipelines, into parallel MapReduce networks, and (ii) a discussion of their advantages and trade-offs, based on a thorough experimental evaluation of the various translation strategies. Our evaluation uses the Hadoop MapReduce system as an implementation platform. Our results show that execution times of XML workflow pipelines can be significantly reduced using our compilation strategies. These efficiency gains, together with the benefits of MapReduce (e.g., fault tolerance) make our approach ideal for executing large-scale, compute-intensive XML-based scientific workflows.
A volumetric stereo matching method: application to image-based modeling

We formulate stereo matching as an extremal surface extraction problem. This is made possible by embedding the disparity surface inside a volume where the surface is composed of voxels with locally maximal similarity values. This formulation naturally implements the coherence principle, and allows us to incorporate most known global constraints. Time efficiency is achieved by executing the algorithm in a coarse-to-fine fashion, and only populating the full volume at the coarsest level. To make the system more practical, we present a rectification algorithm based on the fundamental matrix, avoiding full camera calibration. We present results on standard stereo pairs, and on our own data set. The results are qualitatively evaluated in terms of both the generated disparity maps and the 3-D models.
A Semiautomated Approach for Monitoring Landscape Changes in Texas Seagrass Beds from Aerial Photography

Abstract In support of the Texas Seagrass Monitoring Program, remote sensing research is underway to evaluate automated methods for monitoring landscape changes in seagrass beds related to human and/or natural disturbances. This paper discusses the integration of high resolution aerial color film photography, color space transformation, pixel threshold models, and geographic information system technology to detect, assess, and monitor 1-m ground feature changes and disturbance areas within a Texas, United States, shallow seagrass bed over 3 site years. The procedure entails transforming digitized, aerial color film transparencies from red, green, and blue color space to intensity, hue, and saturation color space; analyzing the saturation and/or intensity imagery and their histograms to identify bare areas; and developing threshold models to separate bare areas from vegetated areas employing the results obtained in the previous step. Maps created with this semiautomated approach had classification accuraci...
eTACTS: a method for dynamically filtering clinical trial search results.

Objective Information overload is a significant problem facing online clinical trial searchers. We present eTACTS, a novel interactive retrieval framework using common eligibility tags to dynamically filter clinical trial search results.
Thermodynamic Analysis of Electrokinetic Transport in Micro/Nanofluidics

Presented herein is an Onsager reciprocal relations-based thermodynamic analysis of the electrokinetic transport of fluids and ions in micro/nanofluidics. This analytical approach provides a straightforward understanding of electrokinetic energy conversion, streaming potential and streaming current measurements, and electrokinetic flow control in micro/nanoscale channels or networks.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
Counting for Women

Despite their limitations, quantitative methods have an important role in feminist geographic research. As discussed in this essay, quantitative methods can contribute by describing and analyzing the broad contours of difference, by providing a basis for informed policy making and progressive political change, by identifying people and places for in-depth study, and by situating qualitative research in a broader context. At the same time, feminist insights can enhance quantitative analysis. Collaboration between quantitative and qualitative researchers is essential.
Erlotinib eradicates brain metastases from epidermal growth factor receptor mutant non-small cell lung cancer

Erlotinib is active in patients with lung cancer; especially those who demonstrate a mutation in exons 18-21 in the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene. Patients with lung cancer and brain metastases have poor prognosis as systemic chemotherapy is ineffective in treating the central nervous system (CNS) metastases due to its inability to cross the blood brain barrier. Herein, we report a case of a 61 year old female who presented with stage IV adenocarcinoma of the lung with bilateral cerebral and cerebellar CNS involvement. The patient's tumor harbored a mutation in exon 19 in the EGFR gene. Treatment with erlotinib was started as soon as the molecular studies were available with remarkable and complete radiographic response in the CNS disease, and complete resolution of the previously detected metastases. The patient did not receive any other CNS intervention and radiation was not given due to the lack of CNS symptoms.
Next Generation Sequencing in the Clinic: a Patterns of Care Study in a Retrospective Cohort of Subjects Referred to a Genetic Medicine Clinic for Suspected Lynch Syndrome

Next generation sequencing (NGS) gene panels are increasingly used in medical genetics clinics for the evaluation of common inherited cancer syndromes, but the clinical efficacy of these tests, and the factors driving clinical providers to order them are unclear. We conducted a patterns-of-care study to compare patients evaluated with NGS gene panels with a reference group. We abstracted demographic, socioeconomic, and clinical information in a retrospective cohort of patients referred to a large medical genetics clinic for evaluation of inherited colorectal cancer and polyposis syndromes. Patients tested with NGS gene panels were more likely to be insured compared to the reference group (85.3 % vs. 69.2 %, p = 0.0068),less likely to have prior tumor tissue testing (29.4 % vs. 54.3 %, p = 0.0004), and less likely to have an abnormal tumor tissue test result (46.7 % vs. 74.5 %, p = 0.01). No significant differences were found between groups in age, gender, race, employment status, personal history of colorectal cancer, or proportion of patients fulfilling Lynch syndrome clinical criteria. Patients with NGS testing were less likely to have a pathogenic/likely pathogenic variant detected (13.7 % vs. 31.9 %, p = 0.002). Patients referred for NGS testing to evaluate inherited colorectal cancer/polyposis risk appear to undergo tumor tissue testing less frequently than non-NGS testing patients. Further studies are needed to assess the most effective and cost-effective approach to genomic diagnosis in this patient population.
Grade-Level Declines in Perceived Academic Support From Peers A Moderated Mediation Analysis

Prior research demonstrates that perceived academic support from peers positively predicts school adjustment. In this cross-sectional study, we provide evidence that perceived academic support from peers declines from 3rd to 8th grade and that this decline is partially mediated by grade-level declines in perceptions that academic success disclosures are normative and will elicit positive responses, especially among students who hold social demonstration goals. Discussion focuses on the importance of assessing changing peer norms for positive behaviors, including a willingness to celebrate peers’ academic successes.
The Politics of Emotion: Exploring Emotional Labor and Political Skill across Job Types within the IT/IS Profession

In this study we examined the relationship between two interpersonal constructs, emotional labor and political skill, finding that they are related. People who possess high levels of political skill and people who perceive high expectations to express positive emotions at work are likely to make efforts to internalize their display of positive emotions through deep acting. People who perceive high expectations to suppress negative emotions at work are likely to engage in superficial displays of emotion through surface acting. We then examined whether these relationships held across job types within the IT/IS industry, an understudied industry with regard to either emotional labor or political skill. We found that perceptions of positive display rules and levels of political skill differed by job type, but that perceptions of negative display rules, surface acting and deep acting did not. In particular, analysts and managers have higher perceptions of positive display rules and higher levels of political skill than do programmers and technical support personnel. These findings encourage further research on the relationship between emotional labor and political skill, along with further comparisons of emotional labor and political skill across job types within a single industry. The findings also suggest that emotional labor capabilities and level of political skill be a consideration when selecting and matching IT/IS personnel to particular job types. Once IT/IS personnel are hired, the findings of this study indicate that development programs for them should include training that will increase their emotional labor capabilities and their level of political skill.
Customer Satisfaction and Optimal Resource Allocations

Economists in business schools who co-teach courses with other business school faculty often struggle with integrating constructs and concepts widely used in other disciplines into basic economic theory. In this note we show how the marketing construct, "customer satisfaction," fits rather naturally into the profit maximizing resource allocation models of economics. The goal of this note is to propose a framework which lays out the role of customer satisfaction on both the demand and cost sides of the market thereby integrating customer satisfaction into a traditional economic model of profit maximizing pricing and resource allocation decisions - a task which, to our knowledge, has not been done.
Does the Aromatic Dianion of 1,2-Di-13C-[8]annulene Automerize As Does 1,2-Di-13C-benzene?

The solid dianion salt of 1,2-di-13C-cyclooctatetraene was synthesized in order to measure the first 13C−13C NMR coupling in an aromatic annulene other than benzene and to find out if this dianion will undergo high-temperature automerizations analogous to those previously observed in the benzene system. The solid potassium salt was heated to over 600 °C for 2 h, and although decomposition with H2 and CH4 evolution takes place, there is no observable scrambling of the 13C's. The positions of the 13C's were monitored via NMR, which necessitated a rather complete understanding of the NMR couplings for the cyclooctatetraene dianion system. Interestingly, the 1JCH and 1JCC couplings for the aromatic COT2- system of 145.9 and 55.8 Hz are all quite comparable to those recently reported for the 1,2-di-13C-benzene system (158.6 and 55.8 Hz, respectively).
The quest for Chinese humanism: Recent contributions of historiography to the study of Chinese culture and society

Dennerline, Jerry. Qian Mu and the World of Seven Mansions. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1988. xiv + 192 pp. including notes, bibliography, and index. $22.50 cloth. Hsu Cho‐yun and Katheryn M. Linduff. Western Chou Civilization. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1988. xxiv + 421 pp. including appendix, bibliography, and index. $45.00 cloth. Schoppa, R. Keith. Xiang Lake—Nine Centuries of Chinese Life. New Haven: Yale University Press, 1989. xx + 284 pp. including notes, bibliography, and index. $30.00 cloth.
Bands on Peach Trees as Shelters for Predators of the Green Peach Aphid

When bands on peach trees were evaluated as artificial overwintering sites for beneficial arthropods over a 2-yr period, predaceous Hemiptera, Syrphidae, Neuroptera, Acarina, Araneida, and parasitic Hymenoptera successfully overwintered in moderate to large numbers under the bands. More than 90% of the arthropods using the bands were beneficial. The ratio of overwintering phytophagous mites to predaceous mites was 3:1 in December 1966, but it changed by mid-February 1967 to 11:1 in favor of predaceous mites. When the temperature and relative humidity under and around a black band was monitored, a wide range of temperature (16.7-26.7 and relative humidity (28-58%) was measured at the time of highest air temperature. When arthropod movement was restricted to a limited area of the band, high mortality occurred; when they were allowed to move around the band, the rate of survival was high for most of the species. The spring emergence of the species of parasites, hyperparasites, and syrphids overwintering under the bands was also studied.
Reemergence of Dendroctonus frontalis (Coleoptera: Scolytidae) at Constant Temperatures

This laboratory study investigates the effects of constant temperature on reemergence of the southern pine beetle, Dendroctonus frontalis Zimmermann. Beetles reemerged at temperatures between 12.5 and 33.3°C, with the relationship of adult residence time and constant temperature forming a backwards “J”-shaped curve. Adult residence time was greatest at 12.5°C (46 days) and least at 27°C (12 days). The distributions of those times changed with temperature. At 12.5 and 15°C, the distributions were near uniform, but as temperature increased to 30°C, the distributions became peaked and skewed right. Above 30°C, the distributions became less peaked. About 90% of the beetles reemerged at temperatures between 12.5 and 30°C, whereas above 30°C the percentage dropped precipitously. Males reemerged 1 or 2 days before females at temperatures below 30°C, but the reverse condition was found at 30°C or above. A two-component model is used to predict reemergence as a function of temperature. The first component describes reemergence rates as a function of temperature. The second component distributes the reemerging population over physiological time. When combined, these components distribute reemergence over calendar lime, and are Suitable for incorporation into a larger population model of D. frontalis .
UKF-Based Spacecraft Parameter Estimation Using Optimal Excitation

The success or failure of an identification experiment depends heavily on the nature of the system excitation during the parameter estimation process. This paper presents an approach for synthesizing a set of optimized command trajectories to estimate the inertial parameters of a control moment gyro actuated spacecraft using an unscented dual state-parameter Kalman filter. The command trajectories are designed to minimize the condition number of an excitation matrix derived from the system dynamics in order to improve the convergence rate of the parameter estimator and desensitize the estimation process to external disturbances and/or measurement noise. The resulting nonlinear trajectory optimization problem is solved using pseudospectral optimal control. The approach requires no assumptions on the nature of the exciting trajectories, allows physical performance limits to be straightforwardly incorporated as part of the problem formulation, and rapidly generates the exciting trajectories on a typical personal computer. Simulation results demonstrate a typical reduction in parameter convergence time from more than 2800 to less than 250 seconds, when compared to parameter estimation using periodic sinusoidal commands. The efficacy of the approach is also verified f or the case where a priori knowledge of the true values of the system parameters is grossly inaccurate.
Research on for Wind Resources Calculation and Distribution in Complex Terrain

Wind resources calculation and distribution are the basis work of the wind farm development,which are directly related to the accuracy of the micro site and influence economic benefit of wind farm.This paper studies the theory for the wind resource distribution such as the change rule of the wind shear coefficient and ground roughness,change of weibull distribution parameters by height variation and wind resource calculation model.Furthermore,by taking the wind farm as a case to calculate,it verifies the correctness and practicability of the theory,providing theoretical basis and guidance of engineering applications for the study of resources distribution in complex terrain.
Spontaneous Rupture of the Kidney Secondary to Polyarteritis Nodosa

AbstractSpontaneous rupture of the kidney occurs rarely. Among the known causes polyarteritis nodosa is uncommon with less than 50 cases reported. Diagnosis is difficult to make with certainty. Our case concerns a 38-year-old man whose symptoms originally simulated acute renal colic. Nephrectomy was done. A brief review of the pertinent literature, diagnosis and management is presented.
Segmenting the Black Consumer Market: Which Approach Works Best?

In their attempt to study the Black consumer market, researchers have typically focused on “the" Black market. However, recently there has been a growing recognition that the Black population is becoming more heterogeneous (Gerschman and Clark 1980). While some might argue that the smaller size of Black markets limits the feasibility and/ or value of segmentation, it would appear that the better understanding of this important market that could occur through segmentation is worth the effort.
Women in Love: D.H. Lawrence’s Paean to Misogyny

Much has been written on Lawrence and his “cutting edge” approach to human sexuality, but little has been written about his misogyny in relation to his work. So, from that perspective, the essay will deal primarily with a feminist rhetorical reading of Lawrence that not only interrogates notions of misogyny and cultural stereotyping, but will also interrogate such other notions as Lawrence’s approach to motherhood, sisterhood, ethnic hatred, and male victimization. Stylistically, Lawrence had a way with words that seems to privilege his own reading and writing and not necessarily those of his readers. But the one thing that cannot be argued is how he fashions his rhetoric to valorize and victimize his male characters and denigrate his female ones.
Competition and Production in Higher Education

In this chapter, we focus on the behavior of colleges and universities in the markets for students. We begin by providing some background information on the pioneering work of economists on production, competition, and market structures. We then turn to the alternative goals and objectives that have been offered for postsecondary institutions. Unlike typical industries where the behavioral assumption is made that the organization is trying to maximize profits, postsecondary institutions have been described by economists as striving to maximize a range of things such as revenues, utility, prestige, or discretionary budgets. In the next section of the chapter we review the different structures that economists commonly use to describe product markets, and how postsecondary markets compare to these models. Following the discussion of market structures, we turn to the topic of competition in postsecondary education. Despite the impression that competition is something new to higher education, in fact colleges have a long history of competing with each other in ways that extend beyond athletics. In postsecondary education, colleges engage in price and non-price competition for students. The next topic that we cover is education production. Economists use a production function or model to describe how organizations convert inputs into outputs to work towards their goals. We believe that the production function analogy holds quite well for a number of reasons, and yet we will discuss some of the important differences in the production function between the typical for-profit sector and higher education that complicate the comparison. In the Extensions section, we discuss how online and distance education may affect the markets in which colleges and universities compete. Finally, in the Policy Focus section, we examine how states use funding formulas to distribute appropriations to public institutions and impact their behavior.
Partial Distance Correlation

Partial distance correlation measures association between two random vectors with respect to a third random vector, analogous to, but more general than (linear) partial correlation. Distance correlation characterizes independence of random vectors in arbitrary dimension. Motivation for the definition is discussed. We introduce a Hilbert space of U-centered distance matrices in which squared distance covariance is the inner product. Simple computation of the sample partial distance correlation and definitions of the population coefficients are presented. Power of the test for zero partial distance correlation is compared with power of the partial correlation test and the partial Mantel test.
Anna Fournier, Forging rights in a new democracy: Ukrainian students between freedom and justice

Anna Fournier’s ethnography of youth and rights in Ukraine challenges the teleological “transition” model of change often applied to post-Soviet countries. Based on 14 months of research in 2004–05...
CONSTRUCTED WETLANDS FOR TREATING ACID DRAINAGE AT TENNESSEE VALLEY AUTHORITY COAL FACILITIES

ABSTRACT TVA operates seven constructed wetlands systems for treating acid mine drainage at three reclaimed coal mines and a partially reclaimed coal preparation plant site. Four other wetlands systems operate at coal-fired power plants to treat acid discharges from ash disposal sites. This paper presents results of TVA's operational wetlands, including water chemistry, chemical and hydraulic loading rates, designs, and systems modifications. Five constructed wetlands now operate without chemical treatment at efficiencies producing effluents that consistently meet all discharge permit limitations. The remaining six operational wetlands all require some form of chemical treatment to achieve complying discharges. TVA's experience suggests that constructed wetlands alone may be appropriate and very effective for treating weak to moderately polluted acid drainage on a long-term basis. Wetlands systems that include passive methodologies to increase buffering capacity in the influent may provide a design for treating very poor water quality.
Albinism as a visual, in vivo guide for CRISPR/Cas9 functionality in the sea urchin embryo.

Understanding reproduction and development benefits enormously from a comparative approach. Sea urchins are important for many types of studies, including cell fate determination, morphogenesis, and gene regulatory networks. The CRISPR/Cas9 system of targeted DNA modification provides experimental opportunities for studying animal function in otherwise non-traditional genetic model systems, such as the sea urchin – indeed, CRISPR/Cas9 was recently used to inform how signaling networks lead to left-right asymmetry (Lin and Su, 2016). Here, we streamlined the genomic RNA (gRNA) construction step by targeting a non-essential gene that enables quick assessment of successful CRISPR/Cas9 function in the embryo, thus allowing for a simple visual readout of functional gene disruption. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved
Positive Peer-Pressured Productivity (P-QUAD): Novel Use of Increased Transparency and a Weighted Lottery to Increase a Division's Academic Output

Abstract Objective Evaluate a dual incentive model combining positive peer pressure through increased transparency of peers' academic work with a weighted lottery where entries are earned based on degree of productivity. Methods We developed a dual-incentive peer mentoring model, Positive Peer-Pressured Productivity (P-QUAD), for faculty in the Pediatric Hospital Medicine Division at the University of Minnesota Masonic Children's Hospital. This model provided relative value-based incentives, with points assigned to different scholarly activities (eg. 1 point for abstract submission, 2 points for poster presentation, 3 points for oral presentation, etc.). These points translated into to lottery tickets for a semi-annual drawing for monetary prizes. Productivity was compared among faculty for P-QUAD year to the preintervention year. Results Fifteen (83%) of 18 eligible faculty members participated. Overall annual productivity per faculty member as measured by total P-QUAD score increased from a median of 3 (interquartile range [IQR] 0–14) in the preintervention year to 4 (IQR 0–27) in the P-QUAD year ( P = .051). Submissions and acceptances increased in all categories except posters which were unchanged. Annual abstract submissions per faculty member significantly increased from a median of 1 (IQR 0–2) to 2 (IQR 0–2; P = .047). Seventy-three percent (8 of 11) of post-survey respondents indicated that the financial incentive motivated them to submit academic work; 100% indicated that increased awareness of their peers' work was a motivator. Conclusions The combination of increased awareness of peers' academic productivity and a weighted lottery financial incentive appears to be a useful model for stimulating academic productivity in early-career faculty.
Horme: Random Access Big Data Analytics

MapReduce is a parallel framework which has been widely adopted for conducting large-scale data analytics. In cases where analysis of multiple millions of books must be analyzed using federally funded high performance computing (HPC) resources, the framework fails to port directly. We propose a solution that builds off of MapReduce for use on a HPC system that preserves the key-value semantics of map-reduce while supporting the random access of query access for subsetting Big Data datasets, and at same time hosting the service using the storage medium found in HPC architectures (parallel file systems) for reduced latencies. Experimental results demonstrate Horme's good performance in the HPC setting, with up to 41.4% faster than NoSQL based solution in random access scenario.
Epidemiology, Cost, and Risk Analysis of Foodborne Disease

Abstract Foodborne diseases are illnesses that result from the ingestion of contaminated food. More than 250 different foodborne hazards have been recognized, including infectious pathogens and noninfectious chemicals and toxins. Prevention of foodborne disease requires more than a knowledge of science or the development of new technologies. It also requires an ability to determine where and why disease is occurring and where the problems are most serious and an understanding of how hazards enter and are spread or contained in the food supply. This chapter provides an introduction to the way epidemiology, risk analysis, and economics are used to manage food safety risks. It is intended to be a reference for those who need to have a basic understanding of these areas of science and management and does not assume prior knowledge.
Handgun Legislation and Changes in Statewide Overall Suicide Rates.

Objectives. To examine the extent to which 4 laws regulating handgun ownership were associated with statewide suicide rate changes.Methods. To test between-group differences in statewide suicide rate changes between 2013 and 2014 in all 50 states and the District of Columbia with and without specific laws, we ran analyses of covariance.Results. We found significant differences in suicide rate changes from 2013 to 2014 in states with mandatory waiting periods and universal background checks relative to states without such laws. States with both laws differed significantly from those with neither. No significant differences in rate changes were noted for open carry restrictions or gun lock requirements.Conclusions. Some state laws regulating aspects of handgun acquisition may be associated with lower statewide suicide rates. Laws regulating handgun storage and carrying practices may have a smaller effect, highlighting that legislation is likely most useful when its focus is on preventing gun ownership rathe...
Complications caused by adenosine during catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation.

Key Clinical Message Adenosine is increasingly used to assess for dormant conduction following pulmonary vein isolation during atrial fibrillation ablation. While the half-life of adenosine is typically short and side effects transient, operators should be aware of more serious, lasting adverse reactions including anaphylaxis and bronchospasm.
Comparative analyses of industrial-scale human platelet lysate preparations.

BACKGROUND Efforts are underway to eliminate fetal bovine serum from mammalian cell cultures for clinical use. An emerging, viable replacement option for fetal bovine serum is human platelet lysate (PL) as either a plasma-based or serum-based product. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS Nine industrial-scale, serum-based PL manufacturing runs (i.e., lots) were performed, consisting of an average ± standard deviation volume of 24.6 ± 2.2 liters of pooled, platelet-rich plasma units that were obtained from apheresis donors. Manufactured lots were compared by evaluating various biochemical and functional test results. Comprehensive cytokine profiles of PL lots and product stability tests were performed. Global gene expression profiles of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) cultured with plasma-based or serum-based PL were compared to MSCs cultured with fetal bovine serum. RESULTS Electrolyte and protein levels were relatively consistent among all serum-based PL lots, with only slight variations in glucose and calcium levels. All nine lots were as good as or better than fetal bovine serum in expanding MSCs. Serum-based PL stored at −80°C remained stable over 2 years. Quantitative cytokine arrays showed similarities as well as dissimilarities in the proteins present in serum-based PL. Greater differences in MSC gene expression profiles were attributable to the starting cell source rather than with the use of either PL or fetal bovine serum as a culture supplement. CONCLUSION Using a large-scale, standardized method, lot-to-lot variations were noted for industrial-scale preparations of serum-based PL products. However, all lots performed as well as or better than fetal bovine serum in supporting MSC growth. Together, these data indicate that off-the-shelf PL is a feasible substitute for fetal bovine serum in MSC cultures.
Human dignity and the logic of the gift

This paper seeks to bring together the notions of human dignity and gift exchange in a mutually enriching relation. Two interpretations of the gift and of gift exchange are investigated, and in eac...
Educating Students with Traumatic Brain Injury

Successful education of students, following traumatic brain injury (TBI), may be influenced by attention to factors that are unique to this category of acquired disability. These factors include injury factors, school-readiness factors, coordination of services, and recovery factors. This article describes the causes and course of recovery from TBI as well as educational practices to assist students with TBI.
Analysis of GAPDH Posttranslational Modifications

Many of the nonglycolytic functions of GAPDH have been attributed to its biochemical alterations also known as posttranslational modifications (PTMs). Evidences indicate that phosphorylation or glycosylation or oxidation of GAPDH are some of the PTMs that are associated with its non-enzymatic functions. In this chapter we will focus on some of the methods that are related to PTMs and the associated non-metabolic functions. From a methodology perspective, certain PTMs such as phosphorylation or nitrosylation may be determined just by using relevant and specific antibodies in conventional immunoblotting. Thus does not involve special or significant modification in experimental procedures. Hence, to avoid redundancy and minor alterations in previously described protocols, the emphasis here will be on methods that require detailed, special procedures for detection of specific modifications such as oxidation, aggregation and O-GlcNAcylation.
The Rise of US-Listed VIEs from China: Balancing State Control and Access to Foreign Capital

We investigate Chinese firms’ use of variable interest entities (VIEs) to evade Chinese regulation on foreign ownership and list in the US. VIEs are explicitly designed to circumvent the intent of Chinese law on foreign control, and potentially exacerbate agency conflicts within the firm. We find that the use of VIEs is widespread and growing, and estimate that it is associated with valuation discounts of as much as 30% relative to Chinese non-VIE firms listed in the US. The discount varies predictably with events that change the risk of government intervention and managerial malfeasance, and is tempered by better oversight (large auditor and institutional investment) and lower regulatory risk (politically connected directors and high media visibility). To protect shareholders, VIE firms are more likely to have these characteristics as well as to curry government favor by contributing to disaster relief and hiring excess employees.
“The Mosquito Brings the Sickness”: Local Knowledge, Stigma, and Barriers to Zika Prevention in Rural Guatemala

The emergence of Zika virus and the resulting occurrence of intrauterine infections has been responsible for increased numbers of spontaneous abortions and significant neurological deficits in newborns—termed the congenital Zika syndrome. Globally, South and Central America are experiencing the highest rates of Zika infection and associated neonate microcephaly, creating a critical need for knowledge regarding barriers to effective Zika prevention. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have issued recommendations to block the future spread of the disease through mosquitoes and sexual transmission. Although well intentioned, these recommendations fail to account for some of the significant barriers to preventing the spread of Zika in areas with weaker public health programs, such as rural and impoverished areas of South and Central America. In particular, these are areas where indigenous people and mestizos are concentrated. In this chapter, we address some of the economic and cultural barriers that rural populations face in accessing preventative health care against Zika. We combined data from a two-month ethnographic study with 40 semi-structured interviews in a mestizo farming community in Escuintla, Guatemala. Although 87.5% of participants were able to identify Zika virus transmission risk through mosquitoes and associated preventative measures, only 5% reported sexual transmission as a risk, and none of the participants listed condom use as a way to prevent transmission. Our research illustrates that, although this population was able to articulate the need for preventing mosquito bites, their actual ability to prevent these bites is limited. We discuss the role of taboos and stigmatization surrounding sexual practices and critical preventative measures that can influence individual decision-making and place people at higher risk of contracting Zika infection. Taken together, challenges in complying with public health recommendations may disproportionately affect less affluent mestizo communities, leading to an increased burden of risk.
The psychological implications of believing that everything is one

A variety of philosophical, religious, spiritual, and scientific perspectives converge on the notion that everything that exists is part of some fundamental entity, substance, or process. People di...
Prevalence and Impact of Chronic Ankle Instability in Adolescent Athletes.

Background:The prevalence and impact of chronic ankle instability (CAI) in adolescent athletes are unknown. To better develop and justify prevention strategies of lateral ankle sprains and CAI, it ...
CHAPTER SIX – Inventory

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses inventory, which is the saleable merchandise owned by a business. Any business that sells merchandise to another business or to a consumer must maintain a record of the quantity and dollar value of the inventory they own. There are two methods for calculating the quantity of inventory on hand—the perpetual inventory system and the periodic inventory system. In a perpetual inventory system, an inventory record card is maintained for every item that the company sells. In a periodic inventory system, a physical inventory is taken at the end of each accounting period. No running balance is maintained during the accounting period. The periodic inventory system requires less recordkeeping than the perpetual system and, thus, is less costly for a business. However, with the periodic system, there is less control over the inventory, which can prove costly. The specific identification method of inventory valuation is recommended for a business that has expensive merchandise and is easily identified.
Elimination of Pazi disease in Sichuan Province

Objective To assess the control effect on Pazi disease in Jianyang and other 7 counties (cities) of Sichuan Province. Methods A total of 60 villages in 19 endemic towns of 8 counties (cities), including Jianyang, Anyue, Renshou, Guanghan, Dayi, Zizhong, Ziyang and Neijiang were investigated from 2013 to 2014. Self-assessment was conducted at each investigation site. Physical examination was conducted for all residents. For people who displayed clinical manifestations of Pazi disease were subjected to X-ray examination of weight-bearing joints. Incidence, basic information, implementation of control measures and historical information of Pazi disease of the past five years were collected in these areas. Counties (cities) that met the elimination criterion of Pazi disease by self-assessment were further assessed by provincial administrative health department. Results In the 8 counties (cities), totally 22 513 people were investigated, 279 were diagnosed Pazi disease (prevalent cases), no new patient was found within the past five years. Scores of all assessed areas were more than 90 points (the standard score was 80 points). Totally 82 families from 8 villages of 8 counties were randomly assessed by the provincial expert group for Pazi disease incidence and implementation of control measures; 307 people were investigated and 53 people were confirmed cases, and scores were all higher than 90 points. The review results of expert group were consistent with the results of self-examination by the assessed counties/towns. Conclusion Sichuan Province has reached the goal of Pazi disease elimination. Key words: Pazi disease; Elimination; Examination and acceptance
Spectroscopic evidence for direct flavin-flavin contact in a bifurcating electron transfer flavoprotein

A remarkable charge transfer (CT) band is described in the bifurcating electron transfer flavoprotein (Bf-ETF) from Rhodopseudomonas palustris (RpaETF). RpaETF contains two FADs that play contrasting roles in electron bifurcation. The Bf-FAD accepts electrons pairwise from NADH, directs one to a lower-reduction midpoint potential (E°) carrier, and the other to the higher-E° electron transfer FAD (ET-FAD). Previous work noted that a CT band at 726 nm formed when ET-FAD was reduced and Bf-FAD was oxidized, suggesting that both flavins participate. However, existing crystal structures place them too far apart to interact directly. We present biochemical experiments addressing this conundrum and elucidating the nature of this CT species. We observed that RpaETF missing either FAD lacked the 726 nm band. Site-directed mutagenesis near either FAD produced altered yields of the CT species, supporting involvement of both flavins. The residue substitutions did not alter the absorption maximum of the signal, ruling out contributions from residue orbitals. Instead, we propose that the residue identities modulate the population of a protein conformation that brings the ET-flavin and Bf-flavin into direct contact, explaining the 726 nm band based on a CT complex of reduced ET-FAD and oxidized Bf-FAD. This is corroborated by persistence of the 726 nm species during gentle protein denaturation and simple density functional theory calculations of flavin dimers. Although such a CT complex has been demonstrated for free flavins, this is the first observation of such, to our knowledge, in an enzyme. Thus, Bf-ETFs may optimize electron transfer efficiency by enabling direct flavin-flavin contact.