cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Isolated limb infusion as a treatment option for malignant granular cell tumour

A 54-year-old man presented with a painful lesion on the right posterior calf with MRI identifying a 5 cm lesion in the medial head of the gastrocnemius. He underwent wide local excision of the tumour, and the final pathology was consistent with atypical granular cell tumour. Three years later, he developed a recurrent right popliteal mass. Complete staging workup also identified multiple lung nodules and a caecal polyp that were consistent with metastatic granular cell tumour. He was started on pazopanib and deemed a poor candidate for palliative resection due to encasement of the popliteal vessels. The patient refused above-the-knee amputation (AKA) at that point and was evaluated for isolated limb infusion as an alternative. He received three cycles of isolated limb infusion within a 2-year period and achieved good response from the first two cycles. He underwent AKA 4 years after his diagnosis of malignant granular cell tumours and is currently doing well.
Issues in the control of stock externality problems with inflexible policy measures

The main issues of this dissertation are those problems that are associated with the control of stock externality under the constraint of the rigidity of policy variables. An optimal control on a stock externality requires for the control variables to be adjusted every moment of decision, which is not available in the real world. For the description of such an institutional constraint, a fixed one-time control policy has been introduced. The justification of this assumption is that, under a positive rate of discount, there will not be any great difference in the controller's current decision making whether a policy variable can be changed far in the future or completely fixed forever;Chapter 1 gives a brief introduction of the study in the subsequent Chapters. In Chapter 2, a general review on the theory of externality is provided by examining the concept, the sources and the possible remedies of externality. Based on this review, the directions of future studies in this area are suggested;The main point of Chapter 3 is to clarify the effect of the rigidity of a policy variable. One of the important results is that, if the initial state of the environment is more (less) deteriorated than the first-best optimal state, then the steady state of the stock under the second-best control will end up with less (more) deteriorated than the first-best steady state which is independent of the given initial state;Chapter 4 examines the issue of optimal starting point of fixed one-time control. First, a general rule has been formulated for the decision of optimal starting point. And then, it is proved that there can be an efficiency gain by delaying the start of the control unless the current state of the environmental stock is more deteriorated than its first-best steady state. It is shown that higher levels of the administrative costs may provide the controller an incentive for an unduly long delay in the control;The issue in Chapter 5 is the relative performance of two representative control modes, a Pigouvian tax system and a quantity restriction. The result is that the random factor in the benefit function is the only relevant source of uncertainty that affects the relative economic performance of the two policy schemes. However, this random factor does not reverse the ranking of the two policies, but only affects the magnitude of the difference of the welfare states. A high discount rate and a high amelioration rate turn out to be important factors that make the tax system more attractive and vice versa.
Multiple scattering from distributions of specular v-grooves

Microfacet-based reflection models are the most common way to represent reflection from rough surfaces. However, a major current limitation of these models is that they only account for single scattering. Unfortunately, single scattering models do not preserve energy. In this paper, we develop a microfacet BRDF for specular v-grooves that includes multiple scattering. Our approach is based on previous work by Zipin, who showed that the number of reflections inside a specular v-groove is bounded and analytically computable. Using his insight, we present a closed form solution for the BRDF and its probability density function (PDF); we also present a method for importance sampling the BRDF. As a result, our BRDF can be easily used within a path-traced rendering system such as PBRT. The model supports any microfacet distribution function, and spatially-varying surface roughness. The images produced by the model have a pleasing appearance compared to traditional single-scattering models.
REVISITING THE ORIGINS OF CLAYTON SAND BODIES AT THE K–PG TRANSITION, MOSCOW LANDING, WESTERN ALABAMA: STRATIGRAPHIC RELATIONS, SEDIMENTOLOGY, AND ICHNOLOGY

Exposures of Upper Cretaceous and lower Paleocene strata at the Moscow Landing site in western Alabama, U.S. Gulf Coastal Plain, include a series of isolated, thin coarse-grained clastic bodies referred to as the Clayton sands. Positioned at the K–Pg transition and below a regional transgressive surface, these sand bodies previously have been interpreted as lowstand incised valley fills or as catastrophic megawave deposits associated with the end-Cretaceous bolide impact on the Yucatan peninsula. The sedimentology and ichnology of the Moscow Landing exposure were revisited in attempt to elucidate the mechanisms responsible for Clayton sand deposition. Stratigraphic relations and character of sand bodies strongly suggest that impact-generated faulting and deformation of the underlying Maastrichtian Prairie Bluff Chalk created Clayton sand depocenters, that the bulk of Clayton sands was emplaced, possibly from the south, by runup and backwash of oscillating impact-generated megawaves, and that transgressive ravinement followed shortly after catastrophic deposition. Several Clayton sand bodies contain in their upper parts internal bioturbated horizons characterized by Thalassinoides, for which there are two viable explanations. These horizons may record short-term colonization by allochthonous crustaceans that were transported and transplanted by waning megawave currents. Alternatively, associated sand bodies may be composites; Thalassinoides horizons may reflect colonization of sands that accumulated under normal marine conditions in remaining accommodation space atop megawave deposits in response to ensuing transgression. Careful systematic biostratigraphic sampling and analyses will be necessary to test the relative virtues of these two scenarios.
Protecting Patients with Latex Allergies

: The Pennsylvania Patient Safety Reporting System is a confidential, statewide Internet reporting system to which all Pennsylvania hospitals, outpatient-surgery facilities, birthing centers, and abortion facilities must file information on incidents and serious events.Safety Monitor is a column from Pennsylvania's Patient Safety Authority, the authority that informs nurses on issues that can affect patient safety and presents strategies they can easily integrate into practice. For more information on the authority, visit www.patientsafety.pa.gov. For the original article discussed in this column or for other articles on patient safety, click on "Advisories and Events" and then "Pennsylvania Patient Safety Advisory" in the top navigation menu.
An Update of the Shymkent, Kazakhstan Lead Contamination Story

Background: The work of a group of environmental and public health scientists, the International Task Force for Childrens Environmental Health (ITFCEH), has focused on bringing light to a serious ...
Measured power law attenuation of shear waves in swine liver

To characterize the attenuation and dispersion behavior of shear waves in excised swine liver samples, the complex shear modulus was measured with a Rheospectris C500 + from 10 Hz to 2000 Hz. The shear wave attenuation and shear wave speed were calculated from the complex modulus measurements. A power law fit was evaluated for the shear wave attenuation, and a power law fit with and without a constant offset was evaluated for the shear wave speed. The power law closely matches the measured shear wave attenuation over most of the frequency range evaluated, although some differences are observed in several of the samples below 400 Hz. The power law without the constant offset closely matches the measured shear wave speed above 200 Hz in all measurements, where the addition of the constant offset achieves a much closer fit in all measurements that contain discrepancies below 200 Hz. The results demonstrate that shear wave attenuation in swine liver follows a power law and that a power law with a constant offset is an effective model for the shear wave speed in swine liver. [Work supported in part by NIH Grants DK092255, EB023051, and EB012079.]
Drawing from the Theory of Planned Behaviour to examine pre-exposure prophylaxis uptake intentions among heterosexuals in high HIV prevalence neighbourhoods in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA: an observational study.

Background Research surrounding attitudes and intentions concerning pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) among at-risk heterosexuals, women and ethnic and racial minorities is needed to inform programs to scale this effective HIV prevention intervention among these populations. Methods:The study sample includes 192 HIV-negative heterosexuals recruited from HIV testing sites operating in high HIV prevalence neighbourhoods in a mid-Atlantic city. Participants received brief educational sessions on PrEP and completed a self-administered survey assessing sociodemographic factors, HIV risk behaviours and theoretical determinants of PrEP uptake, based on the Theory of Planned Behaviour. Results:Participants were majority persons of colour (86%), with a median age of 43 years. Compared with Whites, a higher percentage of Black and Brown persons had more than five sex partners (75.0%), used condoms inconsistently (85.6%) and engaged in transactional sex (84.4%). Most expressed positive PrEP attitudes and indicated intention to adopt PrEP, especially if recommended by their doctor. In a multivariable model, willingness to take PrEP if suggested by a healthcare provider (aOR: 4.17; 95% CI: 1.42–12.24) and willingness to take PrEP even if it caused side-effects (aOR: 1.98; 95% CI: 1.01–3.90) were both associated with greater PrEP adoption intentions. Conclusions:A diverse at-risk population was identified through community-based HIV testing. Low perceived HIV risk, as well as PrEP-related attitudes, subjective norms and perceived behavioural control were associated with PrEP use intentions. These factors are potential targets for interventions to increase PrEP adoption among diverse heterosexual samples.
Physical activity-related quality of life in breast cancer survivors compared to healthy women.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate physical activity-related quality of life (PAQOL) in breast cancer survivors compared to healthy women. METHODS Physical activity level was measured as not active, somewhat active, active or very active. Intensity was reported as hours per week of light, moderate and vigorous activity. Physical activity-related quality of life was measured with the Vitality Plus Scale, a self-report instrument developed and validated to measure exercise-related health benefits. RESULTS Compared to healthy women (n = 23), breast cancer survivors (n = 23) were older (57.0 ± 2.3 vs. 49.0 ± 1.1 years; p < .01) and reported more light activity (4.1 ± 0.6 vs. 2.4 ± 0.5 hr/week; p < .05), but no differences in PAQOL. However, when grouped by physical activity level there were no differences in age, but inactive women (n = 30) had higher body mass index (29.3 ± 1.0 vs. 25.1 ± 1.1 kg/m2 ; p < .05) and reported less moderate (1.3 ± 0.4 vs. 3.6 ± 0.8 hr/week; p < .05) and vigorous (0.2 ± 0.1 vs. 1.9 ± 0.5 hr/week; p < .01) activity than active women (n = 16). Furthermore, active women reported higher overall PAQOL, greater energy levels and quicker sleep onset than inactive women (p < .05). CONCLUSIONS In these women, moderate and vigorous physical activity and PAQOL were not influenced by breast cancer survivorship. Despite diagnosis, active women who engaged in greater amounts of moderate and vigorous activity reported better PAQOL than inactive women.
International Students in First-Year Writing: A Journey Through Socio-Academic Space

International Students in First-Year Writing: A Journey Through Socio-Academic Space describes the lived experiences of ten international students enrolled in a first-year writing (FYW) course at an American university.
Cell fishing with DNA aptamers.

In the manufacturing of cell-based therapeutics, isolating cells via DNA aptamers is an attractive alternative to magnetic-activated cell sorting.
Optimizing Stoma Function and Quality of Life: Best Practices in Planned and Unplanned Stoma Creation

Permanent or temporary intestinal diversion is necessary in the management of a number of colon and rectal disorders. This chapter will cover basic indications for stoma formation and considerations relating to choice of stoma and will review operative setup and approach for the most commonly created ostomies with an additional focus on minimally invasive approach to stoma formation. It will then review best pouching practices, common pitfalls and difficult scenarios, and outcomes including quality of life (QoL).
Delta Shock Index in the Emergency Department Predicts Mortality and Need for Blood Transfusion in Trauma Patients.

Shock Index (SI = heart rate/systolic blood pressure) predicts outcomes among trauma patients. Studies have also shown that the change in SI between the field and Emergency Department (ED) arrival (Delta SI) predicts mortality in trauma. Given the lack of reliable prehospital data, Delta SI may more accurately prognosticate if used within the ED. All trauma patients arriving to our Level I trauma center in 2014 were reviewed. Patients were matched for age, gender, mechanism of injury, and injury severity score. SI and ED Delta SI were calculated. ED Delta SI >0.1 and ≤0.1 defined the study groups. Pregnant patients, pediatric patients, and patients with incomplete data were excluded. Outcomes included intensive care unit (ICU) length of stay, blood products, and mortality. A total of 2591 patients were identified (n = 1294 patients analyzed). After matching, patients with ED Delta SI >0.1 had greater mortality (6.6 vs 2.6%, P = 0.010), need for blood transfusion (1764 vs 565 cc, P 0.1 is associated with increased mortality, need for blood transfusion, and ICU length of stay. Delta SI may be superior to traditional SI for trauma outcome prognostication.
Does an intrathecal baclofen pump impact scoliosis progression and complicate posterior spine fusion in patients with cerebral palsy

Retrospective comparative study. In patients with cerebral palsy (CP), we determine the impact of intrathecal baclofen pumps (ITBPs) on scoliosis curve progression before posterior spine fusion (PSF) and its effects on surgical outcome. Children with CP can have rapid scoliosis progression, and high rates of surgical complications can be encountered. It is unknown whether the presence of pre-existing ITBP results in more difficult surgery and higher complication rates in similarly affected children. This is a single-center retrospective study of CP patients undergoing PSF over a 15-year period. Demographics, comorbidities, curve magnitudes, and surgical methods were compared between patients with ITBP and those without. Postoperative complications, length of intensive care unit/hospital stay, drain use and output volume, and need for further surgery were also compared. Curve progression analysis after ITBP placement was performed on a subgroup of patients with high-quality consistent radiographs. Nineteen patients with ITBP and 49 patients without ITBP met inclusion criteria. Age, comorbidities, number of levels fused, and fixation techniques during PSF were not significantly different between cohorts. ITBP patients were more likely to have PSF with osteotomy (p = 0.022). Increased intraoperative neurosurgical consultations were found for patients with ITBP (42.1% vs. 4.0%; p < 0.001). Median surgical time was 1.2 h greater in patients with ITBP (6.7 vs. 5.5 h, p = 0.039). There was no difference in hospital course and complications in patients with ITBP and those without ITBP. Thirty-one patients without ITB were compared with 15 ITBP patients for curve progression before PSF, demonstrating a mean rate of scoliosis progression of 9.6° ± 6.7°/year and 14.8° ± 9.1°/year (p = 0.0346), respectively. The presence of an ITBP appears to be associated with the increase in scoliosis progression; and these patients will likely have a more challenging spine fusion. Fortunately, the final outcome is not affected by ITBP. Level III.
Exploring diagnosing brain disease with quantum entanglement (Conference Presentation)

We present a study of a potential technique to diagnose brain disease using quantum-entangled twin photons. Our method consists of preparing polarization-entangled photon pairs and sending one member of each pair through brain tissue that is either healthy or suffering brain disease, such as Alzheimers, glioblastoma or other. The tissue imparts a decohering effect on the state of the light that we examine via quantum state tomography. Our preliminary experimental data shows a difference in the entanglement measures between healthy tissue and tissue bearing Alzheimers disease. We also explore an imaging technique of brain tissue based on quantum entanglement.
Finding the “Cullud” Angle: Evelyn Cunningham, “The Women,” and Feminism on the Pages of the Pittsburgh Courier

As a popular columnist for one of the largest black newspapers in the country, Evelyn Cunningham felt the palpable, unrelenting pressure of representing her race in the press. It was the inescapabl...
Body Composition, Metabolism, and Inflammation in Breast Cancer Survivors and Healthy Age-matched Controls: A Cross-Sectional Analysis.

Breast cancer survivors (BCS) experience treatment induced alterations in body composition including the loss of bone mineral density (BMD) and lean soft tissue (LST). These changes can affect the metabolism and the systemic inflammatory environment of BCS. Objective To evaluate the differences in body composition, resting energy expenditure (REE), and inflammation in BCS and age-matched women without a prior cancer diagnosis (control). Methods Seventeen postmenopausal BCS (stages 0-III; age: 59 ± 9 years) and 18 (59 ± 6 years) controls had their total body and regional (lumbar spine, femur, and forearm) BMD, LST and fat mass measured via DXA. REE was assessed via 35 minutes of indirect calorimetry. Serum concentrations of human C-reactive protein (CRP) were measured via ELISA to assess inflammation. Data were analyzed via ANOVAs. Results There were no significant differences between BCS and controls in body composition, metabolic measures and CRP. However, when REE was adjusted for LST, the BCS had a significantly greater REE when compared to the controls (p = 0.015). Discussion Our findings suggest that BCS that were on average five years into survivorship appear to have similar body composition, and CRP as age-matched women without a prior cancer diagnosis, but significantly different relative REE.
Estrogen-induced mammary cancer in ACI rats: Role of cytochrome P450s.

1648 Estrogen metabolism plays an important role in breast cancer causation. Several cytochrome P450 enzymes are involved in the Phase I metabolism of 17β-estradiol. Of these, the primary extra-hepatic enzymes are CYP1A1 and CYP1B1. Polymorphisms associated with both genes are known to affect breast cancer risk. CYP1B1 predominantly converts estradiol to a 4-hydroxy metabolite. However, recent data suggest that CYP1A1 can also convert estradiol to 4-hydroxy metabolite, in addition to 2-hydroxylation (Cribb AE et al., 2006). We postulate that CYP1A1 may play an important role in estrogen-induced rat mammary tumorigenesis. Female ACI rats (10-week old) were treated with 3-cm silastic implants containing 27 mg 17s-estradiol and were euthanized at 6, 12, 18 and 24 weeks after treatment. This treatment is known to produce mammary tumors in almost 100% of the animals at 24 weeks. The mRNA expression of both CYP1A1 and CYP1B1 was analyzed using quantitative real-time PCR in the mammary tissue of sham- and estrogen-treated rats. The mean fold change for each gene at the four intervals was measured in separate assays. Significant overexpression (51-fold average) of CYP1A1 was found as early as 6 weeks of treatment. The CYP1A1 elevation was maintained subsequently albeit at progressively lower levels (16-, 14- and 7-fold at 12, 18 and 24 weeks, respectively). Conversely, CYP1B1 was under expressed after estrogen treatment at all time points, i.e., 2-, 6-, 8- and 10-fold down regulated at 6, 12, 18 and 24 weeks, respectively. Upon supplementation of diet with black raspberries and blueberries (2.5%, w/w), which significantly diminish estrogen-mediated mammary tumorigenesis in this model, CYP1A1 overexpression was much less pronounced (
Final Report on the Joint Project of the American College of Trial Lawyers Task Force on Discovery and the Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System

The Final Report on the Joint Project of the American College of Trial Lawyers (ACTL) Task Force on Discovery and the Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System (IAALS) is the culmination of an 18-month collaboration between the two organizations. This report includes a set of 29 proposed Principles that may one day underpin reform of the civil rules of procedure in both federal and state systems. One of the major Principles examines the traditional "one size fits all" application of rules to all cases and concludes that this approach no longer works. Instead, flexibility in applying specialized procedures to some cases should be permitted to promote efficient and affordable outcomes. The Final Report represents phase two of the initiative, which began with a national survey of ACTL members, undertaken to identify the sources of spiraling cost and delay in our civil justice system.
Diaspora Policies, Consular Services and Social Protection for Ecuadorian Citizens Abroad

This chapter provides a general overview of the main characteristics of Ecuadorian emigration and describes the general institutional framework whereby Ecuadorian authorities interact with nationals abroad. It then presents a general review of the main engagement policies with the Ecuadorian diaspora. Lastly, it presents the central social protection-oriented diaspora engagement policies and services currently in force to protect nationals abroad, specifically those who live overseas permanently and those in vulnerable conditions. A particular focus is put on policies in the areas of unemployment, health care, pensions, family-related benefits, and economic hardship. Overall, the chapter shows that Ecuador’s policy towards citizens abroad is connected to a political shift in the country and to the new political discourse that appeared as of 2006.
Genomic signatures of introgression at late stages of speciation in a malaria mosquito

Hybridization plays a central role during the evolution of species boundaries, but the relative impact of gene flow on genomic divergence and vice versa remains largely unknown. The genome architecture of populations and emerging species exhibiting various levels of divergence along the speciation continuum should provide insights into the events that promote or prevent speciation. In this work, we have used a combination of population genomic approaches to examine the genomic signatures of hybridization between Anopheles nili sensu stricto and An. ovengensis, two malaria mosquitoes that have split ~3-Myr ago. Despite this substantial time since divergence, the two species hybridize extensively in nature, giving rise to a unique population of differentiated hybrids in contact zones. Using genomic clines and Bayesian models, we showed that signatures of introgression are widespread across the genome suggesting that recent hybridization between Anopheles nili sensu stricto and An. ovengensis involves multiple fitness traits and functional classes. Linkage Disequilibrium analyses allowed us to identified a block of 39 linked loci that segregated between hybrids and parental species and may harbour genes responsible for reproductive isolation. Our results demonstrate that genome-wide admixtures can persist in the face of species divergence over long periods of time during speciation due to increased gene flow at loci providing selective advantage.
Relationship between Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder Symptoms and Chronic Pain Related Symptom Domains among Military Active Duty Service Members.

OBJECTIVE This study examined the relationships between symptom domains relevant to PTSD diagnosis, PTSD screening, and chronic pain-related symptoms (pain intensity, pain interference, physical function, fatigue, depression, anxiety, anger, satisfaction with social roles) experienced by active duty military service members with chronic pain. DESIGN Cross-sectional study. SETTING The Interdisciplinary Pain Management Center (IPMC) at Madigan Army Medical Center between 2014 and 2018. SUBJECTS Active duty service members receiving care at IPMC (N = 2,745). METHODS Independent sample t test was conducted to compare pain intensity and pain-related measures of physical, emotional and social functioning among patients with and without a PTSD diagnosis or PTSD positive screen (≥3 symptoms). Relative weight analysis was used to identify the relative importance of each PTSD symptom cluster (e.g., intrusion, avoidance, hyperarousal, emotional numbness) to pain and related domains. RESULTS Approximately 27.9% patients had a positive screen for PTSD, and 30.5% of the patients had a PTSD diagnosis. Patients with PTSD diagnosis and positive screening had higher Pain Interference and lower Physical Function and Social Satisfaction scores (P < 0.001), and had increased Anger, Anxiety, Fatigue, and Depression scores (P < 0.001). Emotional numbness accounted for the largest proportion of variance in average pain intensity, pain interference, and psychological functioning; while avoidance accounted for the largest proportion of variance in physical function. CONCLUSION To improve treatment effectiveness and overall functioning for active duty military patients, integrated treatment and therapies targeted to reducing chronic pain, and PTSD symptoms (focus on emotional numbness and avoidance) are recommended.
Infants with pulmonary atresia intact ventricular septum who require balloon atrial septostomy have significantly higher 18-month mortality.

INTRODUCTION Many newborns with pulmonary atresia/intact ventricular septum require intervention to establish pulmonary flow and sufficient cardiac output. The resulting haemodynamic changes are not well characterised and may have unintended consequences. METHODS This is a 30-year (1988-2018) retrospective study of patients with pulmonary atresia intact ventricular septum. RESULTS Eighty-nine patients were included, and median follow-up was 8 years. Fifty-five per cent had coronary sinusoids and 27% had right ventricular-dependent coronary circulation. Most patients were managed with surgical aortopulmonary or modified Blalock-Taussig shunt (73%), and 12 patients underwent balloon atrial septostomy before surgical intervention. The remaining patients (27%) underwent only transcatheter interventions; 7 required an atrial septostomy and 17 required ductal stentings. All-cause mortality was 10%, most deaths (89%) occurred before 18 months of age. Of these early deaths, 87% required a balloon atrial septostomy and 85% had right ventricular-dependent coronary sinusoids. Eighteen-month mortality was significantly higher for patients who required a balloon atrial septostomy compared to those who did not (36% versus 1.4% p < 0.0001). DISCUSSION Patients with pulmonary atresia/intact ventricular septum who require balloon atrial septostomy in the newborn period have significantly higher 18-month mortality. Quantifying the mortality difference may help guide prognostication and expectation setting. Infants who had septostomy and a surgical shunt in the newborn period fared better than those who only underwent septostomy (even when accompanied by ductal stenting). For infants with right ventricular-dependent circulation, atrial septostomy should only be performed on an urgent or emergent basis and these patients should be considered for early surgical intervention and neonatal transplant.
Role of conformational dynamics and flexibilities in the steroid receptor-coregulator protein complex formation.

Abstract Understanding of the mechanisms of actions of the steroid hormone receptor (SHR)-coregulator (CoR) protein complexes in the gene regulations has revolutionized the field of molecular endocrinology and endocrine-related oncology. The discovery and characterization of steroid receptor coactivators (SRCs) and their ability to bind various transcription factors including SHRs to coordinate the regulation of multiple target genes highlights their importance as key coregulators in various cellular signaling crosstalks as well as therapeutic target for various endocrine-related disorders specifically endocrine cancers. The dynamic nature of the SHR-CoR multi-protein complexes indicate the critical role of conformational flexibilities within specific protein(s). In recent years, the importance of conformational dynamics of the SHRs in the intramolecular and intermolecular allosteric regulations mediated via their intrinsically disordered (ID) surfaces has been highlighted. In this review article, we have discussed the importance of ID conformations within the SRCs that may also be playing an important role in the formation/deformation of multi protein complexes involving SHRs and CoRs and subsequent target gene regulation.
FGFR Inhibitor Toxicity and Efficacy in Cholangiocarcinoma: Multicenter Single-Institution Cohort Experience.

PURPOSECholangiocarcinomas (CCA) are a group of heterogeneous tumors arising from the biliary epithelia. Significant sequencing efforts have provided further insights into the molecular mechanisms ...
Trends of core versus subspecialty operative procedures completed in general surgery residency training programs.

INTRODUCTION General surgery residency involves performing subspecialty procedures in addition to the core general procedures. However, the proportion of core general surgery versus subspecialty procedures during training is variable and its temporal changes are unknown. The goal of our study was to assess the current trends in core general surgery and subspecialty procedure distributions during general surgery residency training. METHODS Data were collected from the ACGME core general surgery national resident available report case logs from 2007 to 2019. Descriptive and time series analyses were used to compare proportions of average procedures performed per resident in the core general surgery category versus the subspecialty category. F-tests were conducted to show whether the slopes of the trend lines were significantly non-zero. RESULTS The mean of total procedures completed for major credit by the average general surgery resident increased from 910.1 (SD=30.31) in 2007 to 1070.5 (SD=37.59) in 2019. Over that same period, the number of general, cardiothoracic, plastic and urology surgery procedures increased by 24.9%, 9.8%, 76.6% and 19.3%, respectively. Conversely, vascular and paediatric surgery procedures decreased by 7.6% and 30.7%, respectively. The neurological surgery procedures remain stable at 1.1 procedures per resident per year. A significant positive correlation in the trend reflecting total (p<0.0001), general (p<0.0001) and plastic (p<0.0016) surgery procedures and the negative correlation in the trend lines for vascular (p<0.0006) and paediatric (p<0.0001) surgery procedures were also noted. CONCLUSIONS Trends in overall surgical case volume performed by general surgery residents over the last 12 years have shown a steady increase in operative training opportunity despite the increasing number of subspecialty training programmes and fellowships. Further research to identify areas for improvement and to study the diversity of operative procedures, and their outcomes is warranted in the years to come.
Language Teaching with Video-Based Technologies: Creativity and CALL Teacher Education Michael Thomas and Christel Schneider

Language Teaching with Video-Based Technologies: Creativity and CALL Teacher Education Michael Thomas and Christel Schneider New York and London: Routledge US $ 128.00 ISBN 9780367434533 (Hardback) 235 pages 2021
Thin-film electrochemical sensor electrode for rapid evaluation of electrolytic conductivity, cyclic voltammetry, and temperature measurements

A thin-film electrochemical sensor electrode capable of electrolytic conductivity, cyclic voltammetry, and temperature measurements of electrolyte solutions has been fabricated and characterized. The electrode fabrication and calibration is detailed, showing accuracies of $$\pm$$ 6 % for electrolytic conductivity measurements over the range of 0.1–100 mS·cm $$^{-1}$$ and temperature measurement within $$\pm$$ 2 $$^{\circ }$$ C from $$-$$ 60 to 95 $$^{\circ }$$ C. The electrode’s capabilities are verified with standard Li-ion battery and electrochemical double-layer capacitor electrolytes, to which the measured data match well with literature values. Lastly, demonstration of the electrode’s capabilities is shown with determination of cyclic voltammetry curves and electrolytic conductivity over a range of temperatures for other electrolyte solutions. Integration of these three measurement tools into a single, low-cost, high accuracy, rapid measurement electrode can greatly simplify quantitative characterization of novel electrolytes developed in the electrochemical energy storage field.
The Effect of Polynucleotides on Aminoacyl Transfer Ribonucleic Acid Synthetases II. INHIBITION OF GLUTAMYL TRANSFER RIBONUCLEIC ACID SYNTHETASE BY POLYURIDYLIC AND POLYINOSINIC ACIDS

Abstract The inhibitory effects of polyuridylic or polyinosinic acid (poly U, poly I) on the formation of glutamyl-RNA by purified rat liver glutamyl transfer RNA (tRNA) synthetase and rabbit liver tRNA have been investigated. Although double reciprocal plots of the data indicated that the inhibition was competitive with respect to tRNA, high levels of poly U or poly I did not lead to 100% inhibition. Instead, a plateau of inhibition was reached, its value depending on the amount of tRNA present. The percentage inhibition observed did not change over a 10-min period. Preincubation of the synthetase with either tRNA or the polynucleotide inhibitors did not lead to any change in the level of inhibition, suggesting that both tRNA and inhibitors interacted with the enzyme reversibly. The results of experiments in which both poly U and poly I were added to the reaction mixture were consistent with both polymers acting at the same site. In addition to a requirement for specific bases, the polynucleotides also required the presence of single stranded regions in order to elicit inhibition. However, lowering the incubation temperature increased the inhibition by poly U but decreased the effect of poly I, suggesting that at different temperatures the affinity of the enzyme for the various polynucleotides may change. Rat liver glutamyl-tRNA synthetase catalyzes an anomalously low ATP-PPi exchange reaction which is stimulated by tRNA or very high concentrations of glutamic acid. Poly U and poly I had no effect on the exchange reaction at the high glutamate concentrations, but the polynucleotides did inhibit the stimulation of this reaction by tRNA. From these results and the competitive nature of the inhibition, it is concluded that the synthetic polynucleotides interfere with the interaction of tRNA and glutamyl-tRNA synthetase. The partial competitive character of the inhibition is discussed in relation to possible models for the interaction of aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases and nucleic acids.
On Metric Clustering to Minimize the Sum of Radii

Given an n-point metric (P,d) and an integer k> 0, we consider the problem of covering Pby kballs so as to minimize the sum of the radii of the balls. We present a randomized algorithm that runs in nO(logn·logΔ)time and returns with high probability the optimal solution. Here, Δis the ratio between the maximum and minimum interpoint distances in the metric space. We also show that the problem is NP-hard, even in metrics induced by weighted planar graphs and in metrics of constant doubling dimension.
Efficient leader selection for translation and scale of a bearing-compass formation

The paper considers the efficient selection of leader agents in a swarm running a distributed bearing-compass formation controller. The leaders apply external control which induces translation and scaling of the formation, providing manipulation methods useful to a human operator. The selection algorithm for maximizing translation and scale draws from modularity and submodularity theory. Consequently, the algorithms exhibit guaranteed optimal and suboptimal performance, respectively. For more restricted human-swarm interaction requiring pure translation and scale, a relaxed integer programming algorithm is described to reduce the combinatorial optimization problem to a computationally tractable semidefinite program. The leader selection strategies are supported through demonstration on a swarm testbed.
A Genetic Algorithm for the Group-Technology Problem

The design and production planning of cellular manufacturing systems requires the decomposition of a company's manufacturing assets into cells. The set of machines has to be partitioned into machine-groups and the products have to be partitioned into part-families. Finding the machine-groups and their corresponding part-families leads to the combinatorial problem of simultaneously partitioning those two sets with respect to technological requirements represented by the part-machine incidence matrix. This article presents a new solution approach based on a grouping genetic algorithm enhanced by a heuristic motivated by cluster analysis methods.
The Licensing of Barbers in the USA

Barbering is one of the earliest professions to be licensed in the USA. This article discusses the origins of barber licensing, as well as its current status and scope, and then estimates the effects that such licensing has had on barbers' earnings. To estimate these effects we use micro-level data from the 2000 US Census along with several measures of the strictness of state licensing of barbers. Our results suggest that certain licensing provisions may have increased barber earnings by between 11 and 22 per cent. The magnitude of our estimates is somewhat higher than those found in studies examining the effects of licensing in similar professions.
Headquarters’ scanning of the foreign subsidiary environment:

Abstract The article reports on an empirical study of environmental scanning within multinational corporations (MNCs) at the headquarters-foreign subsidiary (HQ-FS) level. Specifically, the study examines the following questions: (1) How actively do MNC HQs scan their foreign subsidiary environments? (2) Do MNC HQs differentiate their scanning practices across segments of the foreign subsidiary environment? (3) Which MNC level and FS level characteristics affect the scanning behavior of MNCs at the HQ-FS level?
Intrinsic charm at high Q**2 and HERA data

We compute the predictions of intrinsic charm for deep-inelastic scattering at high-Q^2 and compare to HERA data. With the inclusion of constraints from low-energy data, enhancements beyond the predictions of standard structure functions are very modest, but peaking in the leptoquark mass variable is present near 200 GeV. Ultimately, the ability of HERA to probe the intrinsic charm hypothesis could be very substantial.
Direct and Indirect Estimation of Leaf Area Index, fAPAR, and Net Primary Production of Terrestrial Ecosystems

A primary objective of the Earth Observing System (EOS) is to develop and validate algorithms to estimate leaf area index (L), fraction of absorbed photosynthetically active radiation (fAPAR), and net primary production (NPP) from remotely sensed products. These three products are important because they relate to or are components of the metabolism of the biosphere and can be determined for terrestrial ecosystems from satellite-borne sensors. The importance of these products in the EOS program necessitates the need to use standard methods to obtain accurate ground truth estimates of L, fAPAR, and NPP that are correlated to satellite-derived estimates. The objective of this article is to review direct and indirect methods used to estimate L, fAPAR, and NPP in terrestrial ecosystems. Direct estimates of L, biomass, and NPP can be obtained by harvesting individual plants, developing allometric equations, and applying these equations to all individuals in the stand. Using non-site-specific allometric equations to estimate L and foliage production can cause large errors because carbon allocation to foliage is influenced by numerous environmental and ecological factors. All of the optical instruments that indirectly estimate L actually estimate “effective” leaf area index (LE) and underestimate L when foliage in the canopy is nonrandomly distributed (i.e., clumped). We discuss several methods, ranging from simple to complex in terms of data needs, that can be used to correct estimates of L when foliage is clumped. Direct estimates of above-ground and below-ground net primary production (NPPA and NPPB, respectively) are laborious, expensive and can only be carried out for small plots, yet there is a great need to obtain global estimates of NPP. Process models, driven by remotely sensed input parameters, are useful tools to examine the influence of global change on the metabolism of terrestrial ecosystems, but an incomplete understanding of carbon allocation continues to hamper development of more accurate NPP models. We summarize carbon allocation patterns for major terrestrial biomes and discuss emerging allocation patterns that can be incorporated into global NPP models. One common process model, light use efficiency or epsilon model, uses remotely sensed fAPAR, light use efficiency (LUE) and carbon allocation coefficients, and other meteorological data to estimates NPP. Such models require reliable estimates of LUE. We summarize the literature and provide LUE coefficients for the major biomes, being careful to correct for inconsistencies in radiation, dry matter and carbon allocation units.
Robo4 counteracts VEGF signaling.

Robo4 expression in emerging blood vessels can neutralize signaling through the angiogenic factor vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and maintain vessel integrity. The findings could lead to new therapeutic targets for angiogenesis and vascular leakage (pages 448–453).
Frequency tracking with intermittent wrapped phase measurement using the Rao-Blackwellized particle filter

In this paper, we consider the problem of frequency and phase tracking with intermittent measurements. While this problem is of fundamental interest, we are primarily motivated by the coherence requirements of distributed MIMO (DMIMO) applications in which cooperating nodes emulate a virtual antenna array and frequency synchronization among transmitting nodes is achieved by each node detecting and compensating for its frequency offset from a reference pilot that is broadcast periodically by a master node. Since accurate one-shot frequency estimation requires long measurement epochs, in the interest of minimizing overhead, we consider the problem of frequency/phase tracking using phase-only measurements. While the evolution of frequency and unwrapped phase can be modeled using a standard linear state space model, the measurement model is nonlinear, since the phase measurements are wrapped to a 2π interval. We develop a systematic design framework based on the concept of a Rao-Blackwellized particle filter: a particle filter is utilized to deduce the unwrapped phase from the wrapped phase measurements, while a Kalman filter estimates the frequency offset and provides phase predictions that are used to update particle weights. We show that the proposed filter effectively tracks the frequency and phase of on oscillator as long as the resync interval is smaller than a minimum that depends on the oscillator's drift statistics.
On the Erdos-Ginzburg-Ziv theorem and the Ramsey numbers for stars and matchings

Abstract A link between Ramsey numbers for stars and matchings and the Erdos-Ginzburg-Ziv theorem is established. Known results are generalized. Among other results we prove the following two theorems. Theorem 5. Let m be an even integer. If c : e ( K 2 m −1 )→{0, 1,…, m −1} is a mapping of the edges of the complete graph on 2 m −1 vertices into {0, 1,…, m −1}, then there exists a star K 1,m in K 2 m −1 with edges e 1 , e 2 ,…, e m such that c ( e 1 )+ c ( e 2 )+⋯+ c ( e m )≡0 (mod m ). Theorem 8. Let m be an integer. If c : e ( K r ( r +1) m −1 )→{0, 1,…, m −1} is a mapping of all the r-subsets of an ( r +1) m −1 element set S into {0, 1,…, m −1}, then there are m pairwise disjoint r-subsets Z 1 , Z 2 ,…, Z m of S such that c ( Z 1 )+ c ( Z 2 )+⋯+ c ( Z m )≡0 (mod m ).
Rationale for the early clinical application of markers of ischemia in patients with suspected acute coronary syndromes.

Coronary artery disease accounted for well over half a million deaths in 1999, or about one out of every five deaths (1). It had been projected that in 2002 were approx 1,250,000 acute coronary syndromes (ACS) of which about 60% were new and 40% recurrent events. More than 45% of the people who experience an ACS in a given year will die from it; 250,000 will die without being hospitalized. It is estimated that there are 12.5 million people alive today with a history of acute myocardial infarction (AMI), angina, or both. The incidence is equal between men and women.
Language skills of profoundly deaf children who received cochlear implants under 12 months of age: A preliminary study

Conclusion. This study demonstrated that children who receive a cochlear implant below the age of 2 years obtain higher mean receptive and expressive language scores than children implanted over the age of 2 years. Objective. The purpose of this study was to compare the receptive and expressive language skills of children who received a cochlear implant before 1 year of age to the language skills of children who received an implant between 1 and 3 years of age. Subjects and methods. Standardized language measures, the Reynell Developmental Language Scale (RDLS) and the Preschool Language Scale (PLS), were used to assess the receptive and expressive language skills of 91 children who received an implant before their third birthday. Results. The mean receptive and expressive language scores for the RDLS and the PLS were slightly higher for the children who were implanted below the age of 2 years compared with the children who were implanted over 2 years old. For the PLS, both the receptive and expressive mean standard scores decreased with increasing age at implantation.
Note---A Note on the Cyclic Coordinate Ascent Method

The cyclic coordinate ascent method is a frequently used algorithm in optimization problems. It requires no derivatives and indicates in one iteration if a given point is optimal. It is proved that the cyclic coordinate ascent method will converge for pseudo concave functions, as well as for strictly concave functions as was previously known.