cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Factors Associated with Readmission After Cytoreductive Surgery and Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy for Peritoneal Carcinomatosis

Cytoreductive surgery/hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (CRS/HIPEC) for peritoneal carcinomatosis is a morbid endeavor. Despite improvement in perioperative management of these patients, there are subsets of patients requiring hospital readmission after discharge. We sought to identify variables associated with readmission rates for CRS/HIPEC. We conducted a retrospective review of CRS/HIPEC cases at the University of Cincinnati between 1999 and 2014. Patient-, tumor-, and treatment-specific characteristics were evaluated. The association between patient- and outcome-specific variables for 30- and 90-day readmission were evaluated. Of 215 CRS/HIPEC patients, the 7-, 30-, and 90-day readmission rates were 9.8 % (n = 21), 14.9 % (n = 32), and 21.4 % (n = 46), respectively. The most common reasons for readmission within 90 days included abdominal pain (n = 14), intra-abdominal abscess (n = 9), malnutrition/failure to thrive (n = 8), and bowel obstruction (n = 7). The primary factor associated with readmission at all time points (7, 30, and 90 days) was the presence of an enterocutaneous fistula (p < 0.01). Six patients (2.8 %) had multiple readmissions; 3 of these had ECF. Factors not associated with higher admission rates included sex, age, race, operative blood loss, pancreatectomy or liver resection at the index operation, and postoperative complications of wound infection, line infection, and thromboembolic events. In patients undergoing CRS/HIPEC, readmission was primarily associated with poor pain control, malnutrition, and infectious complications. Patients with enterocutaneous fistula were also disproportionately readmitted multiple times. These data should inform clinicians about patients at high risk for readmission after CRS/HIPEC and encourage more comprehensive coordination of postdischarge planning and care for specific patient populations.
Validating scheduling transformation for behavioral synthesis

Behavioral synthesis automatically compiles an electronic system-level description of a hardware design into an RTL implementation. Scheduling in behavioral synthesis is an important, sophisticated, and error-prone transformation which converts the untimed or partially timed description into a fully timed implementation. We present a scalable equivalence checking algorithm for validating scheduling transformations. Our approach accounts for control/data dependency, scheduling modes, and subtle interface protocols. We successfully validated designs with tens of thousands of lines of RTL synthesized by commercial synthesis tool, demonstrating the viability of our approach.
Diffractive smoothing of excimer laser ablation using a defocused beam.

OBJECTIVE To determine if excimer laser myopic ablation with a defocused laser image produces a smoother ablation profile than does focused laser light. METHODS An ArF excimer laser was used to ablate a 5.00-diopter myopic correction in test blocks using both a contracting and expanding iris aperture. Defocused ablation was performed using a contracting iris aperture by translating the target away from the laser source. A confocal laser scanning microscope was used to analyze the surface smoothness at 55x and 275x magnifications. RESULTS The confocal laser scanning micrographs revealed a series of sharply demarcated concentric ridges in the focused ablation, and less prominent, slightly wavy lines in the defocused ablation performed with a contracting aperture. The focused ablation with an expanding aperture also created concentric ridges toward the periphery, but with slightly smoother edges.
Optimal differential privacy mechanisms under Hamming distortion for structured source classes

We examine a tradeoff between privacy and utility in terms of local differential privacy (L-DP) and Hamming distortion for certain classes of finite-alphabet sources under Hamming distortion. We define two classes: permutation-invariant, and ordered statistics (whose probability mass functions are monotonic). We obtain the optimal L-DP mechanism for permutation-invariant sources and derive upper and lower bounds on the achievable local differential privacy for ordered statistics for a range of target distortion values.
Intraskeletal variation in human cortical osteocyte lacunar density: Implications for bone quality assessment.

Abstract Osteocytes and their lacunocanalicular network have been identified as the regulator of bone quality and function by exerting extensive influence over metabolic processes, mechanical adaptation, and mineral homeostasis. Recent research has shown that osteocyte apoptosis leads to a decrease in bone quality and increase in bone fragility mediated through its effects on remodeling. The purpose of this study is to investigate variation in cortical bone osteocyte lacunar density with respect to major factors including sex, age, and intracortical porosity to establish both regional and systemic trends. Samples from the midshaft femur, midshaft rib and distal one-third diaphysis of the radius were recovered from 30 modern cadaveric individuals (15 males and 15 females) ranging from 49 to 100 years old. Thick ground undecalcified histological (80 μm) cross-sections were made and imaged under bright field microscopy. Osteocyte lacunar density (Ot.Lc.N/B.Ar) and intracortical porosity (%Po.Ar) were quantified. No significant sex differences in Ot.Lc.N/B.Ar or %Po.Ar were found in any element. Linear regressions demonstrated a significant decrease in osteocyte lacunar density (Ot.Lc.N/B.Ar) and increase in intracortical porosity (%Po.Ar) with age for the sex-pooled sample in the femur (R 2 = 0.208, 0.297 respectively) and radius (R 2 = 0.108, 0.545 respectively). Age was unable to significantly predict osteocyte lacunar density or intracortical porosity in the rib (R 2 = 0.058, 0.114 respectively). Comparisons of regression coefficients demonstrated a systemic trend in the decrease in osteocyte lacunar density (Ot.Lc.N/B.Ar) and increase in intracortical porosity (%Po.Ar) with age. In each element, intracortical porosity was significantly negatively correlated with lacunar density for which the radius demonstrated the strongest relationship (r = − 0.746). Using pore number (Po.N) as a proxy for available vascularity to support the osteocyte population, Po.N was able to predict 61.8% of variation in osteocyte lacunar number (Ot.Lc.N) in the rib. The femur and radius also demonstrated significant relationships between these variables (R 2 = 0.560 and 0.397 respectively). The results from this study indicate that although the femur, radius and rib may be experiencing systemically influenced declines in osteocyte lacunar density, there may be differential effects at each anatomical site potentially due to age related changes in mechanical loading. With decreasing osteocyte lacunar density in each element, intracortical porosity increased with likely direct impacts on gross bone strength. This study provides a foundation upon which to build interpretations of osteocyte lacunar density values and their effect on differential fracture risk for aging individuals.
Monolithic rapid prototype flexured ultrasonic horns

Piezoelectric ultrasonic horn actuators are used in high power medical/surgical, automotive, food preparation, textile cutting, and material joining applications. Typically, these horn actuators are assembled by pre-stressing piezoelectric rings between the horn and backing layer using a pre-stress bolt. In the ultrasonic horn actuators presented in this paper the bolt was removed and the number of overall parts was reduced significantly allowing for easy fabrication and integration of the actuators into other structures. The elimination of the need for the conventional stress bolt internal to the piezoelectric stack and the reduction of the related complexity were achieved by using external flexures. The actuator structure was produced by an electron beam melting rapid prototype manufacturing process. This manufacturing process allows for horn structures with internal cavities if required. This design allows for using solid piezoelectric stacks (with no central hole) to produce a highly effective actuator. This paper presents the results of a novel design of a monolithic ultrasonic horn.
Contrast-Enhanced Ultrasound (CEUS) for the Diagnosis and Management of Hepatocellular Carcinoma: Current Status and Future Trends

This review discusses the use of contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) for liver lesion detection and characterization focusing on hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). It reviews the uses of CEUS in managing patients with HCC, such as in image-guided intervention, assessment of tumor viability after locoregional treatment, and differentiation of bland from tumor thrombus. Finally, it highlights potential future uses of microbubbles in targeted HCC detection and drug delivery. The high temporal resolution of ultrasound relative to CT and MRI and its sensitivity to microbubbles enables precise analysis of enhancement profiles at miniscule contrast doses, enabling confident diagnosis of HCC and differentiation of HCC from other benign and malignant hepatic lesions. CEUS has gained widespread acceptance worldwide for the diagnosis and management of patients with HCC. CEUS is poised to make a large clinical impact in the USA given the recent Food and Drug Administration approval of a CEUS agent for use in liver imaging.
Impact of a Revised Curriculum Focusing on Clinical Neurology and Musculoskeletal Care on a Required Fourth-Year Medical Student Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation Clerkship

Background. A Required Fourth-Year Medical Student Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation (PMR however the students’ overall rotation evaluations were consistently lower than the other 8 required clerkships at the medical school. Objective. To describe the impact of a revised curriculum based upon Entrustable Professional Activities and focusing on basic pain management, musculoskeletal care, and neurology. Setting. Academic Medical Center. Participants. 73 fourth-year medical students. Methods. The curriculum changes included a shift in the required readings from rehabilitation specific topics toward more general content in the areas of clinical neurology and musculoskeletal care. Hands-on workshops on neurological and musculoskeletal physical examination techniques, small group case-based learning, an anatomy clinical correlation lecture, and a lecture on pain management were integrated into the curriculum. Main Outcome Measurements. Student evaluations of the clerkship. Results. Statistically significant improvements were found in the students’ evaluations of usefulness of lecturers, development of patient interviewing skills, and diagnostic and patient management skills . Conclusions. This study suggests that students have a greater satisfaction with a required PM&R clerkship when lecturers utilize a variety of pedagogic methods to teach basic pain, neurology and musculoskeletal care skills in the rehabilitation setting rather than rehabilitation specific content.
Estimating Covariance Matrices for Investments Whose Histories Differ in Length

For this paper, the team considered the daily returns on the basket of stocks that compose the S&P 100 Index. We performed Principal Components Analysis on the data using Ordinary PCA and Asymptotic PCA. We also used PCA and APCA with a monotone missing data adjustment. Our results produced a minimum variance portfolio that could be used to diversify risk. This portfolio was calibrated using each method and then tested via a back-testing methodology.
Enabling strong coupling in nanoscale silicon optomechanical waveguides

We simulate giant sideband-resolved interaction between telecom photons and megahertz phonons traveling along a silicon double-slot waveguide. The calculations predict a Rabi flop length below 100 μm and a Brillouin gain coefficient above 109 W−1m−1.
USING ANOMALOUS SMALL ANGLE X-RAY SCATTERING TO PROBE THE ION ATMOSPHERE AROUND NUCLEIC ACIDS

Anomalous small angle X-ray scattering (ASAXS) exploits contrast variation methods to highlight the scattering from one elemental component in a multielement sample, such as one ion species in an ion-DNA system. The ASAXS method has been applied to measure ions condensed around short nucleic acid duplexes. This chapter, which briefly describes the origin of the ASAXS signal, focuses on the experimental methods required to carry out these measurements and the interpretation of the anomalous signals.
A Closer Look at Transcendence and Its Relationship to Mental Health

Experiences of transcendence can promote growth, creativity and altruism, but often exist in tension with critical thought and can feature problematically in certain mental disorders. Identification of the core elements in the experience of transcendence-suspending disbelief, being moved or inspired, surrendering oneself and identifying within a larger context, can clarify its relationship to psychopathology, and the basis for a clinician's role. To help individuals engage transcendent resources well, clinicians can help patients recognize how depression and trauma may interfere with engagement, masochistic and magical tendencies may distort healthy self-surrender, and vulnerability to social pressure may interfere with mature identification with a larger context or community.
Cultural Geography, Its Idiosyncrasies and Possibilities

More than other subsets of the discipline, American cultural geography has resisted the bandwagons that have swept geography since World War II. Small wonder, then, that its applied dimension has been feeble compared to most other components of the intellectual sprawl that is geography today. The nature of cultural geography as well as the mindsets of its practitioners account for a certain determination and resiliency in the face of strong pressures to follow the herd. This remark is not to suggest, however, that the cultural optic has had no new developments or applications or that all of its researchers fit the same mold. Cultural geography now has a near constellation of thematic concerns, and it has become more difficult to characterize this subfield than it was thirty years ago.
qPCR assays for the detection of two western North American freshwater mussel species, Anodonta nuttalliana and Anodonta oregonensis, from environmental DNA

We developed species-specific quantitative PCR assays for the detection of two freshwater mussel species native to the western North America, Anodonta nuttalliana and Anodonta oregonensis, from environmental DNA. These species have experienced dramatic declines over the last century, and are currently threatened in many portions of their range. Improved tools for detecting and monitoring these species are needed. Species-specificity and sensitivity of the assays was empirically tested in the lab, and both assays were also validated with field collected eDNA samples. We found that the assays we designed are species-specific, sensitive, and are effective for detecting Anodonta nuttalliana and Anodonta oregonensis from environmental DNA samples collected from streams and rivers. These assays will aid in the detection, monitoring, management, and conservation of these threatened species.
Categorías político-biológicas en La casa de los espíritus

In this article I carry out a line of interpretation of Isabel Allende´s La Casa de los Espiritus that fuses the biological relations of both characters and the political categories represented by them; I also analyze these relations.
IDEA’s Double Bind: A Synthesis of Disproportionality Policy Interpretations:

Disproportionality research has been subject to multiple reviews, but there has been less critical examination of the policy dimension of this enduring educational problem. Given the relevance of f...
Rape Medical Advocates Experiences with Vicarious Trauma, Burnout and Self-Care

Working with survivors of sexual victimization can be emotionally difficult for rape medical advocates. Although advocates are crucial in terms of providing care for sexual assault survivors and pl...
Teaching in the Classroom: Small Groups

Small group learning is an increasingly common and popular strategy in medical education and has enjoyed rapid growth in pulmonary, critical care, and sleep communities. Small group interactions offer participants the opportunity to strengthen and build upon existing knowledge, skills, and attitudes through discussion, practical application, feedback, and reflection. Although learner satisfaction is greater with small groups compared to lectures, evidence of superior knowledge acquisition and application remains mixed. A successful small group session requires thoughtful preparation and deliberate facilitation to manage the complex group dynamic, foster active engagement, and accomplish its intended educational objectives.
Improving Convolutional Network Interpretability with Exponential Activations

Abstract Deep convolutional networks trained on regulatory genomic sequences tend to learn distributed representations of sequence motifs across many first layer filters. This makes it challenging to decipher which features are biologically meaningful. Here we introduce the exponential activation that – when applied to first layer filters – leads to more interpretable representations of motifs, both visually and quantitatively, compared to rectified linear units. We demonstrate this on synthetic DNA sequences which have ground truth with various convolutional networks, and then show that this phenomenon holds on in vivo DNA sequences.
Risk Assessment in the European Union (EU)

Beginning in the late 1960ʼs, EU Directives focused on the hazard identification (classification) of chemicals. In the early 1990ʼs, the classifications of health, physical and environmental hazards were brought into the context of “risk” by Directives and Regulations that put forward the general principles, as well as a framework, for the risk assessment of new and existing chemicals. In 2003, the EU Technical Guidance Document on Risk Assessment provided general principles of risk assessment, and, very importantly, technical details on how to perform a chemical risk assessment. The EU REACH Regulation (2006) provides the current regulatory framework for the risk assessment of chemicals manufactured or imported into the EU. Specifically, REACH sets out how importers and manufacturers are to assess and document risks that arise during the manufacture and use of chemicals, as well as how to adequately control any identified risks.
Semi-Supervised Methods for Explainable Legal Prediction

Legal decision-support systems have the potential to improve access to justice, administrative efficiency, and judicial consistency, but broad adoption of such systems is contingent on development of technologies with low knowledge-engineering, validation, and maintenance costs. This paper describes two approaches to an important form of legal decision support---explainable outcome prediction---that obviate both annotation of an entire decision corpus and manual processing of new cases. The first approach, which uses an Attention Network for prediction and attention weights to highlight salient case text, was shown to be capable of predicting decisions, but attention-weight-based text highlighting did not demonstrably improve human decision speed or accuracy in an evaluation with 61 human subjects. The second approach, termed SCALE (Semi-supervised Case Annotation for Legal Explanations), exploits structural and semantic regularities in case corpora to identify textual patterns that have both predictable relationships to case decisions and explanatory value.
Understanding Adaptation to Sustainability Technology Innovation: Longitudinal Outcome Trajectories

Energy consumption by manufacturing plants is a substantial sustainability challenge; in the US, total energy consumption by manufacturing plants is over $200 billion annually. This research applie...
Do Agricultural Subsidies Affect the Labor Allocation Decision? Comparing Parametric and Semiparametric Methods

This study estimates off-farm labor supply from farm operators and their spouses using two different estimation procedures and data from the 2006 Agricultural Resource Management Survey. A semiparametric model was found to be better specified to study off-farm labor supply from operators and spouses than the parametric model. Contrary to previous findings, results found using the semiparametric model indicate that neither direct nor indirect government payments have any impact on the off-farm labor supply of farm operators. These findings indicate that existing literature may overstate the impact of farm payments on the economic well-being of farm households.
Excitable networks controlling cell migration during development and disease

The directed movements of individual, groups, or sheets of cells at specific times in particular locations bring about form and complexity to developing organisms. Cells move by extending protrusions, such as macropinosomes, pseudopods, lamellipods, filopods, or blebs. Although many of the cytoskeletal components within these structures are known, less is known about the mechanisms that determine their location, number, and characteristics. Recent evidence suggests that control may be exerted by a signal transduction excitable network whose components and activities, including Ras, PI3K, TorC2, and phosphoinositides, self-organize on the plasma membrane and propagate in waves. The waves drive the various types of protrusions, which in turn, determine the modes of cell migration. Acute perturbations at specific points in the network produce abrupt shifts in protrusion type, including transitions from pseudopods to filopods or lamellipods. These observations have also contributed to a delineation of the signal transduction network, including candidate fast positive and delayed negative feedback loops. The network contains many oncogenes and tumor suppressors, and other molecules which have recently been implicated in developmental and metabolic abnormalities. Thus, the concept of signal transduction network excitability in cell migration can be used to understand disease states and morphological changes occurring in development.
The effects of cellulose and soybean hulls as sources of dietary fiber on the growth performance, organ growth, gut histomorphology, and nutrient digestibility of broiler chickens

Abstract This study evaluated the effects of dietary fiber provided as purified cellulose (Solka-Floc, SF) or soybean hulls (SH) on the growth performance, organ growth, intestinal histomorphology, and nutrient digestibility. A total of 420 one-day-old Cobb male broilers were randomly assigned to 7 dietary treatments and reared to 20 d of age in battery cages (n = 6 replicates per treatment). The control group consisted of a simple corn and soybean-meal–based diet. The 6 fiber treatments had increasing amounts of SF or SH to achieve 4, 6, and 8% crude fiber (CF). Chromium oxide was added as an indigestible marker at 0.3% in all treatment diets from 14 to 20 d for nutrient digestibility analyses. Weights for digestive organs were taken on day 20. Growth performance was measured weekly. Birds fed 4% SH diet had a higher day 20 body weight gain than those fed 8% CF regardless of fiber sources (P = 0.0118). Control and 4% SH groups had the best feed conversion ratio among the treatments at 7, 14, and 20 d (P
Low Incidence of Postdural Puncture Headache Further Reduced With Atraumatic Spinal Needle: A Retrospective Cohort Study.

Abstract Background The purpose of the study was to evaluate the incidence of postdural puncture headache in a predominantly pediatric sample before and after a transition from conventional to atraumatic spinal needles. Methods In this retrospective cohort study, we analyzed data from 1059 lumbar puncture procedures in 181 individuals enrolled in NIH Clinical Center research protocols. Multivariate logistic regression was used to evaluate the association between postdural puncture headache and spinal needle type after adjusting for patient age, sex, and body mass index. A random effect of participant was used to accommodate repeated observations. Results The median age at time of procedure was 15.3 years. The overall rate of postdural puncture headache was 5.1% (54 of 1059). With conventional needles and atraumatic needles, respectively, the rate of postdural puncture headache was 7.7% (43 of 588) and 2.3% (11 of 471); (odds ratio 0.32, 95% confidence interval 0.15 to 0.68). Conclusions Lumbar puncture for cerebrospinal fluid collection is an essential and common procedure in pediatric clinical care and research. Postdural puncture headache is the most common adverse event of the lumbar puncture procedure. Our data indicate that lumbar puncture is safe in pediatrics and that use of an atraumatic spinal needle further reduces the risk of postdural puncture headache.
Vocal Fold Immobility Following Vaccination.

Objective:Vocal fold immobility (VFI) may severely affect quality of life due to dysphonia and respiratory distress. Many etiologies of this disorder have been evaluated, however the relationship b...
Bacterial Panicle Blight and Burkholderia glumae : From Pathogen Biology to Disease Control.

Bacterial panicle blight (BPB), caused by the bacterium Burkholderia glumae, has affected rice production worldwide. Despite its importance, neither the disease nor the causal agent are well unders...
Improvement of physicochemical properties of reduced-cholesterol butter by the addition of β-sitosteryl oleate.

Beta-cyclodextrin (β-CD) has been shown to successfully lower the cholesterol content of dairy products, such as butter, but the process tends to negatively impact the overall quality and consistency. In this study, β-sitosterol, which is similar in structure as cholesterol, was reacted with oleic acid to form β-sitosteryl oleate (BSO), and this was used to improve the consistency of reduced-cholesterol butter. The reaction was catalyzed by sodium bisulfate (2%, w/w) at 140 °C, and the highest degree of esterification (94.3%) was obtained after 9 hr of reaction using a β-sitosterol-oleic acid molar ratio of 1:5. Ultra-pasteurized cream was then treated with 15% (w/v) β-CD at 40 °C with stirring (100 rpm), for 30 min. Results indicated a 95.4% reduction in cholesterol content. Finally, the reduced-cholesterol cream was constituted to contain 3, 5, and 10% (w/w) BSO, after which fat was extracted from the three formulations and their melting profiles compared to that of milk fat. The cream containing 3% BSO showed a profile similar to milk fat and was, therefore, used to formulate BSO-incorporated reduced-cholesterol butter (BSOB). Instrumental analyses showed that BSOB was comparable to the control butter with respect to physical properties, such as hardness/firmness and adhesiveness. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: A modified plant sterol, beta-sitosteryl oleate, was incorporated into a reduced-cholesterol butter to improve its physicochemical properties. The reduced-cholesterol butter was comparable to regular butter with respect to its consistency and melting properties and could be made into sticks. In addition to the reduced-cholesterol butter, this product could provide the foundation for new products blending butter and oils to create other low-cholesterol, reduced saturated-fat products, possibly in stick form.
Impact of Missing Data on Identifying Risk Factors for Postoperative Complications in Hand Surgery.

BACKGROUND The mismanagement of missing data in large clinical databases may lead to inaccurate findings. The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the effects of missing data on hand surgery research findings using an analysis of postoperative morbidity in patients undergoing hospital-based hand surgery. METHODS The National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database was queried for patients undergoing common hand and upper extremity surgery between 2011 and 2016. Major and minor postoperative complications were identified. Demographics, comorbidity, and preoperative laboratory values were identified, and the percentage missing of each was tabulated. To demonstrate how missing data can alter analysis results, these variables were evaluated for an association with major complications using multivariable regression on 3 separate cohorts: (1) all patients; (2) all patients after exclusion of any patient entry with >10% of missing data; and (3) after removal of any patient entry with any missing data. RESULTS Groups 1, 2, and 3 had 48 370, 23 118, and 6280 patients, respectively. There were 14 variables associated with increased odds of major complications in group 1, yet only 10 and 9 variables for groups 2 and 3, respectively. Six variables were associated with increased major complications across all 3 groups, whereas only 1 was associated with decreased odds of major complications across all groups. CONCLUSIONS Filtering patient cohorts according to the amount of missing patient information affected analyses of predictors for major complications associated with hospital-based hand surgery. These findings highlight the importance of considering and addressing missing data in large database studies.
The Effectiveness of Bilateral Alternating Tactile Stimulation for Improving Sleep in Children with Sensory over-Responsivity.

The objective of this study was to explore the effectiveness of Touchpoints™ on improving sleep in children with sensory over-responsivity, specifically, whether wearing Touchpoints™ on the sleep s...
Common Errors in English Usage

Mixed-up, mangled expressions; foreign-language faux pas; confused and confusing terms; commonly mispronounced words - they're all explained in this useful guide.
Ethical, legal, and social implications of biobanks for genetics research.

Abstract The elucidation of the causes of complex diseases pivots on understanding the interaction between biological (genetic) and environmental factors that give rise to disease risk. The modest effects of genetic factors in complex diseases supports the need for large‐scale studies of high‐quality human biological materials, paired with detailed clinical data, to adequately detect these effects. To this end, biobanks or biorepositories have been developed around the world, by public and private entities alike, to provide researchers the opportunity to study collections of human biospecimens annotated with clinical and other health‐related measurements. It has been estimated that more than 270 million tissue samples are stored in the U.S., expanding at a rate of ∼20 million samples annually. In this chapter, we discuss several ethical, legal, and social issues that have been raised surrounding biobanks, including recruitment of vulnerable populations, informed consent, data disclosure to participants, intellectual property, and privacy and security. Throughout the chapter, we will highlight experiences of national biobanks in Iceland, the U.K., Sweden, and Estonia, and the proposal for a U.S. population cohort study. The dependence on public participation requires clear and transparent policies developed through inclusive processes.
Are we ignoring the early warning signs in our corporate governance system

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine the aspects of the corporate governance system and suggest ways to foresee a corporate fraud in the offing. It aims to explore ways by which key stakeholders may view “early warning signs” in their assessments of an inefficient corporate governance system.Design/methodology/approach – Secondary method was used to collect data from several corporations that failed or faltered over the past decade due to poor corporate governance.Findings – Findings suggest that corporate governance system failures of most corporations could have been foreseen before they became public if the five key early warning signs described in the paper were closely monitored.Practical implications – Paying closer attention to the early warning signs mentioned here may help identify lacunas in the corporate governance system and may avert corporate debacles.Originality/value – The key early warning signs identified here appear to address most aspects of failure in corporate governance...
The measurement of phytoplankton biomass using flow-cytometric sorting and elemental analysis of carbon

Phytoplankton are one of a multitude of particle types in the marine environment that contribute to the particulate organic carbon pool. Current methods for estimating phytoplankton carbon (Cphyto) in the field rely on proxy measurements, such as chlorophyll or cell biovolume conversions. Other means of estimating Cphyto include remote-sensing applications that convert optical properties, such as chlorophyll fluorescence or particulate backscattering, into biomass. These values, however, are not well constrained due to the variability of phytoplankton physiology (i.e., internal pigment concentrations) and the lack of field data for validating Cphyto retrievals. Here we introduce a method that uses flow cytometry to isolate phytoplankton from the total particle field. Phytoplankton samples are then analyzed for total carbon content. Analyses of laboratory cultures of Synechococcus, Micromonas pusilla, and Thalassiosira pseudonana indicate that this method allows elemental analysis of phytoplankton cells in the absence of unwanted particles. Tests of field samples show that the structure of the natural community is retained in a sorted sample. The acquisition of Cphyto data using this method will 1) benefit remote-sensing applications by allowing more thorough validation of phytoplankton carbon estimates from space, 2) improve our knowledge of phytoplankton stoichiometry, and 3) provide a better understanding of phytoplankton physiological responses to environmental forces.
A preparation theorem for Weierstrass systems

It is shown that Lion and Rolin's preparation theorem for globally subanalytic functions holds for the collection of definable functions in any expansion of the real ordered field by a Weierstrass system.
Preschool Teachers' Use of Assessments and Curricula: A Statewide Examination

Preschool teachers in Ohio, representing Head Start, Preschool Special Education, and Public School Preschool programs, completed a survey designed to examine their use of assessments and curricula. The 586 preschool teachers provided a range of responses, including reported use of 21 commercial assessments and self-developed and program-developed checklists. A majority of teachers listed curriculum-based measures acceptable in linking assessment and intervention. Teachers also provided a range of curricular responses, including six that met our definition of an actual curriculum. Differences were found between the three types of teachers with respect to their level of education and the total number of assessments and curricula responses, and the number of assessments (including self-developed checklists) and actual curricula used, but not years of experience.
Historical trend of racial and ethnic disparities in meeting Medicare medication therapy management eligibility in non-Medicare population

Abstract Background Prior research examining racial and ethnic disparities in meeting Medicare medication therapy management (MTM) eligibility criteria among the non-Medicare population suggests minorities have lower likelihood of being eligible than non-Hispanic Whites (Whites). However, such research has not examined trends in disparities and whether these disparities may be expected to decrease over time based on historical data. Objectives To examine trends in MTM eligibility disparities among the non-Medicare population from 1996–1997 to 2009–2010. Methods This retrospective observational analysis used Medical Expenditure Panel Survey data from the two study periods. The MTM eligibility criteria used by health insurance plans in 2008 and 2010 were analyzed. Trends in disparities were examined by including interaction terms between dummy variables for 2009–2010 and non-Hispanic Blacks (Blacks)/Hispanics in a logistic regression. Interaction effects were estimated on both the multiplicative and additive terms. Main and sensitivity analyses were conducted to represent the ranges of the Medicare MTM eligibility thresholds used by health insurance plans. Results According to the main analysis, Blacks and Hispanics were less likely to be eligible than Whites for both sets of eligibility criteria in 1996–1997 and in 2009–2010. Trend analysis for both sets of criteria found that on the multiplicative term, there were generally no significant changes in disparities between Whites and Blacks/Hispanics from 1996–1997 to 2009–2010. Interaction on the additive term found evidence that disparities between Whites and Blacks/Hispanics may have increased from 1996–1997 to 2009–2010 (e.g., in the main analysis between Whites and Hispanics for 2010 eligibility criteria: difference in odds = −0.03, 95% CI: [−0.03]–[−0.02]). Conclusions Racial and ethnic minorities in the non-Medicare population experience persistent and often increasing disparities in meeting MTM eligibility criteria. Drug benefit plans should take caution when using elements of Medicare MTM eligibility criteria.
Characterization of hypoxia-dependent peroxide production in cultures of Saccharomyces cerevisiae using flow cytometry: A model for ischemic tissue destruction

Peroxide production in cultures of Saccharomyces cerevisiae was measured using the H2O2-sensitive fluorescent probe 2',7'-dichlorofluorescein diacetate (DCFH-DA) and flow cytometry. Aeration of cultures of S. cerevisiae exposed to a period of hypoxia was found to induce elevated levels of peroxide that were 100-fold higher than the levels observed in cultures maintained under exclusively aerated or hypoxic conditions. Simultaneous viability analysis, using the fluorescent DNA-intercalating dye propidium iodide, indicated that the increase in peroxide generation preceded cell damage and death. Various agents were found to influence the effect of peroxides on cell viability. The addition of ethanol to hypoxic stationary cultures dramatically increased the rate of cell death without further increasing the amount of peroxide produced, while glucose inhibited peroxide production and decreased the rate of cell death. Surprisingly, elevated peroxide levels of hypoxic/reaerated cultures were maintained upon addition of KH2PO4, although the cells remained viable for extended periods of time when compared to control and other test cultures. Similarities between our observations and those of other investigators using anoxic/reperfused organs suggest that hypoxic/reaerated yeast cultures may be a useful model system to study ischemia-dependent tissue destruction of mammals.
The effects of empathy on salesperson effectiveness

Empathy is often described as a trait possessed by successful salespeople. Empirical studies that have uncovered a positive relationship between empathy and sales have failed, however, to use empathy measurement techniques deemed appropriate in counseling- psychotherapy, the field where most research pertaining to the empathic construct has been conducted. The research reported in this article examines the relationship between a salesperson's empathy and sales performance by using one of the most clinically acceptable empathy measurement instruments: The Barrett-Lennard Relationship Inventory. The empathy levels of salespersons were determined by new-car customers. Sales representatives' empathy ratings were then compared with their sales performance. The results of the research contradict the a priori assumption that empathy is positively related to sales performance.
Effects of coadministered growth hormone (GH)-releasing hormone and GH- releasing hexapeptide on maladaptive aspects of obesity in Zucker rats

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of chronic pharmacological stimulation of the pituitary gland on GH hyposecretion and other maladaptive aspects of obesity. Obese Zucker rats were coadministered GH-releasing hormone (GHRH; 3 micrograms/kg) and GH-releasing hexapeptide (GHRP-6; 300 micrograms/kg), a potent combination of synergistic GH secretagogues, once daily for 60 consecutive days. Although pituitary weights and GH concentrations were higher in obese rats administered the peptides than in obese rats administered saline, stimulated GH secretion was lower in obese rats than in lean rats. However, compared to those in lean rats, plasma insulin-like growth factor-I and insulin concentrations were higher in the obese rats regardless of treatment. The GH secretagogues did not alter food intake or body weight gain in sexually mature obese rats, whereas body weight gain was significantly increased when they were administered to prepubertal obese rats. Although glucose tolerance was impaire...
On the queue-overflow probabilities of a class of distributed scheduling algorithms

In this paper, we are interested in using large-deviations theory to characterize the asymptotic decay-rate of the queue-overflow probability for distributed wireless scheduling algorithms, as the overflow threshold approaches infinity. We consider ad hoc wireless networks where each link interferes with a given set of other links, and we focus on a distributed scheduling algorithm called Q-SCHED, which is introduced by Gupta et al. First, we derive a lower bound on the asymptotic decay rate of the queue-overflow probability for Q-SCHED. We then present an upper bound on the decay rate for all possible algorithms operating on the same network. Finally, using these bounds, we are able to conclude that, subject to a given constraint on the asymptotic decay rate of the queue-overflow probability, Q-SCHED can support a provable fraction of the offered loads achievable by any algorithms.
Henry Martyn and England's Christian Empire: rereading 'Jane Eyre' through missionary biography

In 1814 THE YOUNG Thomas Babington Macaulay tried his hand at the couplet to memo rialize one of his Evangelical family's heroes. Henry Martyn, chaplain to the British East India Company, had died in 1812 on his way home from duties in the east. With an adolescent's enthusiasm for battle Macaulay engaged the tropes of spiritual quest and violent conquest that accompanied the evangelical spirit. To Martyn's efforts he attrib uted, "Eternal trophies! Not with carnage red, / Not stained with tears by hapless captives shed, / But trophies of the Cross!" (281). Military violence gives way to conquest in a higher sphere, the world of the mission field. Nearly a half century later George Eliot evoked Martyn's spiritual heroism at the outset of her career as a fiction writer. In Scenes of Clerical Life, Janet Dempster finds the inspiration to reform her life by reading the Memoir of Henry Martyn. Martyn's example nerves her to engage in self-sacrifice and is the catalyst for her return to the scene of domestic violence; in an act of self-conquest Janet assumes the role of model wife and forgiving Christian. These two texts might serve as bookends to a long shelf of nineteenth-century produc tions, from John Sargent's Memoir of the Life of Henry Martyn to Charlotte Bronte's Jane Eyre and beyond. Indeed, biographies of Martyn continue to be published by religious presses to the present day. He remains a local hero in Cornwall, is still commemorated in the Anglican calendar for prayer, and presides over many a missionary enterprise. In literary and cultural history, nonetheless, Henry Martyn is all but forgotten. This study, conse quently, begins with two questions. Why was the life of Henry Martyn of such urgent cul tural significance in the nineteenth century? And how has he disappeared from our notice? Our continuing tendency to underestimate and underinvestigate Victorian religion has made shadowy Martyn's story and others like it. It is easy to ridicule nineteenth-cen tury evangelical earnestness and to equate its missionizing zeal with the efforts of a Mrs. Jellyby. It is still more tempting to dismiss it as one more form of imperialist domination and to pass on to the more pressing issues of post-colonial resistance and remaking of dominant ideologies. If we bring Henry Martyn back from the contemporary evangelical
Synthesis and characterization of zirconia–magnesia inert matrix fuel: Plutonium studies

Abstract This study uses a precipitation method to synthesize zirconia–magnesia inert matrix fuel containing plutonium oxide as the fissile material and erbium oxide as a burnable poison. X-ray diffraction, secondary electron microscopy with energy dispersive spectroscopy, optical microscopy, and electron probe microanalysis were used to determine phases present, phase mixing, microstructure, phase stoichiometry, and elemental distributions throughout the samples. A large range of magnesium to zirconium oxides as well as different concentrations of plutonium and erbium oxides was studied. It was found that it was possible to synthesize a two phase material consisting of a pure MgO (periclase) phase and a cubic zirconia phase which incorporated all of the plutonium and erbium as well as a small amount of the magnesium oxides. This information will be used to understand the dissolution behavior and properties of this material in conditions relevant to an advanced nuclear fuel cycle.
Laboratory abrasive wear tests : investigation of test methods and alloy correlation

Abstract When screening materials, laboratory abrasive wear testing is a quick and inexpensive way of obtaining large quantities on information on wear rates and wear mechanisms. Typical laboratory abrasive wear tests approximate two- and three-body abrasion. The Albany Research Center, however, uses a suite of four laboratory abrasion, gouging–abrasion, and impact–gouging abrasion wear tests to rank materials for wear applications in the mining and minerals processing industries. These tests, and the wear mechanisms they approximate, are: (1) dry-sand, rubber-wheel (three-body, low-stress abrasion); (2) pin-on-drum (two-body, high-stress abrasion); (3) jaw crusher (high-stress gouging-abrasion); and (4) high-speed, impeller–tumbler (impact–abrasion). Subsequently, candidate materials can be ranked according to their performance for each of the wear tests. The abrasion, gouging–abrasion, and impact–abrasion test methods are described, highlighting the predominant wear mechanisms for each test. Data on a wide variety of irons and steels are presented with relative ranking of the materials according to the specific wear test.
Emphysematous gastritis secondary to acute gastric dilatation

Emphysematous gastritis is a life-threatening disease. Although rare in incidence, it has a fulminating course with a high mortality rate. A case of a 58 year old male with emphysematous gastritis is reported. Initially, he presented with acute gastric dilatation secondary to anorexia/bulimia-like behaviour. Later, emphysematous gastritis developed. The abdominal sonographic findings, which have not been previously described in the literature, showed intramural gas and gastric wall thickening. After receiving a total gastrectomy, he had a satisfactory outcome. The present report discusses the possible aetiologic relationship between acute gastric dilatation and emphysematous gastritis, and suggests abdominal sonography to be the first choice of diagnostic measure for patients with the intramural gas in the gastric wall. This is the first case of emphysematous gastritis diagnosed by abdominal sonography.
Mammalian stress granules represent sites of accumulation of stalled translation initiation complexes.

In eukaryotic cells subjected to environmental stress, untranslated mRNA accumulates in discrete cytoplasmic foci that have been termed stress granules. Recent studies have shown that in addition t...