cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Gynecological Cancer Screening, Treatment, and Survival

Differences in cancer screening and treatment have been associated with race and ethnic classification. Several disparities have been identified in gynecologic cancer screening and therapy, most often affecting black and Hispanic women. The causes of health disparities are multifactorial and involve systemic, provider, and patient factors, including cultural attitudes, socioeconomic status, education level, and geographic barriers. This chapter documents the disparities in gynecologic cancer screening, treatment, and survival for women with cancers of the cervix, uterus, ovaries, vagina, and vulva. Each disease site has specific areas where minimizing differences in access to care can potentially minimize the disparate health outcomes seen among specific racial and ethnic groups.
Adolescents’ Dialogic Composing With Mobile Phones:

This 14-month study examined the phone-based composing practice of three adolescents. Given the centrality of mobile phones to youth culture, the researcher sought to create a description of the pa...
The Potential of Crossword Puzzles in Aiding English Language Learners.

In an academic environment, teachers utilize crossword puzzles to help students learn or remember terminology. Outside the classroom, typically in daily newspapers, crosswords aid in vocabulary development, used as a learning tool, a leisure activity, or both. However, both the content and the grid structure of the crosswords in these two environments differ greatly. Consequently, English language learners (ELLs) may struggle to adapt to the challenging grid as well as the U.S. culture–centric focus of a daily crossword. The purpose of this article is thus to consider as a vocabulary learning task a crossword puzzle whose content is designed specifically for ELLs, yet still abides by the grid structure of a daily crossword. Three graduate school–level ELLs worked on such a crossword; their thoughts on doing a crossword were analyzed through a written survey and discussion that was recorded and transcribed. Results reveal that participants were frustrated by the cultural components and context-less nature of the puzzle when working alone, but felt more positive and made substantial progress when working collaboratively.
What Can We Learn About Coexistence from Commercial Non-GM Programs in the US?

When it comes to the coexistence of conventional, genetically modified (GM) and organic crops, different countries have taken different regulatory approaches. In some countries, like in the case of the US, governments have let the market and firms manage coexistence. In other countries, as in the case of the European Union (EU), governments have actively regulated coexistence through specific rules and allocation of property rights. Indeed, the EU has been the most active in the introduction of such regulations. Since the mid-2000s it has introduced policies to guide coexistence whose stated goal is to provide freedom of choice for farmers in their production decisions and for consumers in their purchasing decisions. In this context, a set of technical, administrative, and liability rules, collectively called coexistence measures, was established (European Commission 2010). Some of these rules can be characterized as ex ante and others as ex post. Ex ante measures seek to limit the accidental low-level presence (LLP) of GM material in conventional and organic crops by specifying minimum isolation distances between GM and other crops, the use of buffer zones, and other technical means to limit accidental outcrossing and genetic admixture. Ex post measures seek to compensate non-GM producers for economic losses when LLP is not prevented.
A Research University and Community College Collaboration Model to Promote Micro-manufacturing Education: Preliminary Findings

Abstract Two-year community colleges and four-year universities provide the bulk of the human resource talent needed by the Nation's manufacturing sector. However, micro/nano-scale technologies are yet to find their way into the mainstream manufacturing curriculum taught at these institutions. In addition to being relevant to the training of the next generation of manufacturing professionals, these technologies are also strategic in painting a positive picture of manufacturing for the youth in the United States. This paper presents preliminary findings from the implementation of a collaborative micro-manufacturing education module between Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute (RPI), a four-year research university, and Hudson Valley Community College (HVCC), a two-year community college, located in upstate New York. The module focuses on introducing two processes, viz., micro-machining and electrospinning, as part of the existing manufacturing curriculum at both institutions. The preliminary findings indicate that the students from both institutions appreciate the exposure provided by the module. A key aspect of this collaboration is the co-located educational-space model where RPI maintains the high-end equipment infrastructure, while HVCC students have access to the space and the resources of the RPI teaching team. This case study illustrates that the geographical proximity of educational institutions, coupled with their complementary student demographic and mission in terms of manufacturing research and education, can result in a symbiotic relationship that promotes the cause of advanced manufacturing in the United States.
The Influence of Violence Victimization on Sexual Health Behaviors and Outcomes

Abstract This study examines the implications of a history of personal violence on health and health behaviors. A secondary analysis of cross-sectional data involving adults (n = 214) from a semirural area in southern Louisiana between October 2008 and December 2010 was conducted to ascertain the association between a personal history of violence victimization and indicators of sexual health behaviors and outcomes: communication with sexual partners about HIV status, consistent condom use, and sexually transmitted infection (STI). While violence victimization is widely accepted as a risk factor for high-risk sex behavior, the mechanisms underlying violence victimization's influence on sexual health outcomes remain unclear. Bivariate analyses demonstrated a significant positive association between experience of physical abuse and lifetime history of STI. Surprisingly, respondents reporting lifetime physical violence were more than two times more likely to ask sexual partners about HIV status [odds ratio (O...
Bridging the gap for lipid lowering therapy: plaque regression, coronary computed tomographic angiography, and imaging-guided personalized medicine

ABSTRACTIntroduction: Lipid-lowering therapy effectively decreases cardiovascular risk on a population level, but it remains difficult to identify an individual patient’s personal risk reduction while following guideline directed medical therapy, leading to overtreatment in some patients and cardiovascular events in others. Recent improvements in cardiac CT technology provide the ability to directly assess an individual’s atherosclerotic disease burden, which has the potential to personalize risk assessment for lipid-lowering therapy.Areas covered: We review the current unmet need in identifying patients at elevated residual risk despite guideline directed medical therapy, the evidence behind plaque regression as a potential marker of therapeutic response, and highlight state-of-the-art advances in coronary computed tomographic angiography (CCTA) for measurement of quantitative and qualitative changes in coronary atherosclerosis over time. Literature search was performed using PubMed and Google Scholar fo...
HEREDITARY COLORECTAL CANCER REGISTRY: A CLEVELAND CLINIC FOUNDATION EXPERIENCE

INTRODUCTION The Hereditary Colorectal Cancer registry is one of the oldest and largest registries of its kind. It cares for patients with all hereditary syndromes of colorectal cancer using the three basic approaches of patient care, education and research. This article summarizes the structure and function of the registry, and gives examples of its contributions to the management of affected patients. ACTIVITY In 2016 the registry served over 1000 families with FAP, 224 families with Lynch syndrome, 61 with MYH associated polyposis and 146 with one of the hamartomatous polyposes. In 2016 there were 1009 patient visits with 80 new patients and 879 endoscopies. Over 60 surgeries were performed. SUMMARY the Cleveland Clinic approach to hereditary colorectal cancer is described. This is multidisciplinary, involving several specialties and both genetic counseling and mental health services within the registry.
Constrictive Bronchiolitis Attributable to Inhalation of Toxic Agents: Considerations for a Case Definition.

Objective:We identified cases of constrictive bronchiolitis (CB), an inflammatory injury obliterating the small airways, in adults caused by inhalational exposure to determine an appropriate case definition.Methods:We performed a systematic review with meta-analysis for these cases from 1990 to 2017
Recent Advances in Wetting and Adhesion

A synopsis is given of the controversy about the wetting of pure gold and other noble metals by water and final conclusions are summarized. Adsorption of water as a monolayer or as a thicker film on the surface of high energy solids such as glass, quartz, sapphire, and metals considerably lowers the surface energy of such solids; resulting energy values are independent of the chemical nature of the surfaces. This work makes it evident that extreme care is needed in drying gases and surfaces used in research in surface and colloid science, and in practical applications. Wetting studies of liquid ceramics and high-melting metals and alloys require high temperature studies; the critical surface tension of wetting, γc, decreases as the temperature rises, and an outline is given for the correct ways these results should be applied. Research with high polymers has taught that for good adhesion, complete wetting must first be obtained. The results point to new circumstances for preventing permeability to water, and new copolymers exist now which prevent such liquid penetration. Major advances for hot-melt adhesives are indicated.
Surgical Care for School-Aged Youth With Cleft: Results From a Multicenter, Prospective Observational Study.

OBJECTIVE To explore factors related to completion of surgery recommendations among children with cleft lip and palate (CLP) or cleft palate only (CPO). DESIGN Multicenter prospective longitudinal cohort study (2009-2015). SETTING Six cleft centers in the United States. PATIENTS/PARTICIPANTS A diverse sample of 1186 youth aged 7.5 to 18.5 years with CLP or CPO and a caregiver. RESULTS Data were collected from child-caregiver dyads at baseline and up to 3 follow-up visits. Of the 765 surgeries recommended during the study period, 83 were postponed and 597 were completed; this represents a completion rate of 78%. There were multiple reasons identified by patients for why the remaining 85 recommended surgeries were not completed. Children with nonprivate insurance were more likely to postpone recommended surgeries. Hispanic/Latino and Asian children had fewer surgeries compared to whites/Caucasians. Greater severity in rated speech differences was associated with more surgeries. Among participants who had completed all recommended surgeries, providers rated over 86% as having normal or mildly different facial appearance and 83% as having a normal or mild speech intelligibility rating. Similarly, caregivers rated 80% of facial appearance and 78% of speech positively. Approximately 25% of children had an additional surgical recommendation at the end of the study. CONCLUSIONS The majority of surgical recommendations were completed with positive outcomes in facial appearance and speech intelligibility by provider and caregiver ratings. Several factors contributed to surgical recommendations not being completed and the results underscore the importance of examining socioeconomic and demographic disparities in surgical care.
Claiming Sustainability: Requirements and Challenges

Despite the strong desire to find solutions that enable sustainable development, understanding of the requirements that methods must satisfy to guide technological development toward sustainability is still quite limited. We address this challenge based on a meta-principle for sustainability: human activities should not exceed critical ecosystem capacity, and by translating this principle into six specific requirements that sustainability assessment methods should satisfy. These necessary but not sufficient requirements are to ensure that decisions made by these methods do not demand more from ecosystems than can be supplied, and actions meant to reduce environmental impact do not shift the problem outside the system boundary. By applying these requirements to existing methods, we identify their benefits and shortcomings, and use this insight to suggest a multidisciplinary path forward. This path requires integration of methods for engineering design, with methods for considering spatial effects, socio-ec...
Tissue biomechanics with nanobomb optical coherence elastography

Here we present a novel method to quantify tissue biomechanical properties by exploding PFC encased in phospholipid particles (“nanobombs”) using optical excitation and analysis of the generated elastic waves.
Development and Validation of an Ultra-Performance Liquid Chromatography-Tandem Mass Spectrometry Method for the Concurrent Measurement of Gabapentin, Lamotrigine, Levetiracetam, Monohydroxy Derivative of Oxcarbazepine, and Zonisamide Concentrations in Serum in a Clinical Setting.

BACKGROUND Therapeutic drug monitoring of antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) is often necessary to prevent associated destructive toxicities. Tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) with stable-isotope-labeled internal standards is considered the gold standard for the measurement of AEDs. This study presents the development and validation of a clinical ultra-performance liquid chromatography-MS/MS method for the concurrent measurement of gabapentin, lamotrigine, levetiracetam, monohydroxy derivative of oxcarbazepine, and zonisamide in human serum. METHODS To determine the optimal assay analyte range, one year of AED therapeutic drug monitoring results (n = 1825) were evaluated. Simple protein precipitation with acetonitrile containing isotopically labeled internal standards was used. Reverse-phase ultra-performance liquid chromatography chromatographic separation was used, having a total run time of 3 minutes. Quantification of analytes was accomplished using electrospray ionization in positive ion mode and collision-induced dissociation MS. Assay parameters were evaluated per Food and Drug Administration bioanalytical guidelines. RESULTS After evaluating internal patient data, the analytical measuring range (AMR) of the assay was established as 0.1-100 mcg/mL. All AEDs were linear across the AMR, with R values ranging from 0.9988 to 0.9999. Imprecision (% coefficient of variation) and inaccuracy (% difference) were calculated to be <20% for the lower limit of quantitation and <15% for the low, mid, and high levels of quality controls across the AMR. All AEDs demonstrated acceptable assay parameters for carryover, stability under relevant storage conditions, matrix effects, recovery, and extraction and processing efficiency. In addition, the assay displayed acceptable concordance to results obtained from a national reference laboratory, with Deming regression R of 0.99 and slope values ranging from 0.89 to 1.17. CONCLUSIONS A simple, cost-effective, and robust ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method for monitoring multiple AEDs was developed and validated to address the clinical needs of patients at our institution.
Age Effects on Trustworthiness Activation and Trust Biases in Face Perception.

Objective Older adults evaluate faces as being more trustworthy than do younger adults. The present work examined whether aging is associated with changes in the dynamic activation of trustworthiness categories toward faces, and if category activation relates to enhanced trust. Method Younger and older adults categorized faces as trustworthy or untrustworthy while computer mouse trajectories were recorded to measure dynamic category activation. Results Older, but not younger, adults had more dynamic category activation (i.e., trustworthy and untrustworthy) when they viewed untrustworthy versus trustworthy faces. This tendency predicted a bias (pronounced with age) toward evaluating faces as being trustworthy. Discussion A pronounced trust bias in aging may be related to greater dynamic activation of trustworthiness (vs untrustworthiness) when perceiving faces.
Managing the Risks Associated with Volatile Capital Flows

Against the backdrop of increasingly volatile capital flows to emerging market economies (EMEs), this note proposes three principles to guide policy: (i) neither capital controls nor other policies should be used to avoid warranted external adjustment; (ii) both residency-based capital controls and non-residency based prudential measures may be necessary to safeguard financial stability, depending upon the nature of flows and the circumstances facing the country; and (iii) policies should take account of multilateral considerations. These principles, which entail measures by both the recipients and the sources of capital, should allow countries to reap the benefits of cross-border flows while also minimizing the risks and challenges associated with them.
Citation data analysis on hydrogeology: Research Articles

This article explores the status of research in hydrogeology using data mining techniques. First we try to explain what citation analysis is and review some of the previous work on citation analysis. The main idea in this article is to address some common issues about citation numbers and the use of these data. To validate the use of citation numbers, we compare the citation patterns for Water Resources Research papers in the 1980s with those in the 1990s. The citation growths for highly cited authors from the 1980s are used to examine whether it is possible to predict the citation patterns for highly-cited authors in the 1990s. If the citation data prove to be steady and stable, these numbers then can be used to explore the evolution of science in hydrogeology. The famous quotation, “If you are not the lead dog, the scenery never changes,” attributed to Lee Iacocca, points to the importance of an entrepreneurial spirit in all forms of endeavor. In the case of hydrogeological research, impact analysis makes it clear how important it is to be a pioneer. Statistical correlation coefficients are used to retrieve papers among a collection of 2,847 papers before and after 1991 sharing the same topics with 273 papers in 1991 in Water Resources Research. The numbers of papers before and after 1991 are then plotted against various levels of citations for papers in 1991 to compare the distributions of paper population before and after that year. The similarity metrics based on word counts can ensure that the “before” papers are like ancestors and “after” papers are descendants in the same type of research. This exercise gives us an idea of how many papers are populated before and after 1991 (1991 is chosen based on balanced numbers of papers before and after that year). In addition, the impact of papers is measured in terms of citation presented as “percentile,” a relative measure based on rankings in one year, in order to minimize the effect of time. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Does Time of Wound Complication after Cesarean Delivery Differ by Type of Skin Closure

Objective A high proportion of postcesarean wound complications occur after patients have been discharged from the hospital, increasing personal and health care costs. We undertook this study to evaluate the association between skin closure methods (suture vs. staple) following a cesarean delivery and the frequency of wound complications occurring after hospital discharge. Study Design This is a secondary analysis of data from a randomized trial in which women undergoing cesarean delivery at ≥24 weeks' gestation were randomized to receive metallic staples or subcuticular suture for skin closure after surgery. Staples were removed at the time of hospital discharge on postoperative days 3 to 4 for Pfannenstiel incisions or days 7 to 10 for vertical. The primary outcome for this analysis was any wound complication occurring after hospital discharge. Wound complications were infections or any wound disruption without infection (including seromas and hematomas). Associations were examined using chi-square and Fisher's exact tests, as appropriate, and multivariable logistic regression. Results A total of 350 patients with follow-up through 4 to 6 weeks postpartum were included in the analysis: n = 171 received suture closure and n = 179 received staples. In the primary trial, wound complications occurred in 14.5% (n = 26) of individuals with staples and 5.9% (n = 10) with sutures (p = 0.008). Twenty-one (58.3%) of the 36 wound complications occurred after hospital discharge. The incidence of wound complications occurring after hospital discharge was 6.7% (n = 12) of patients receiving staples and 5.3% (n = 9) of those receiving sutures; p = 0.57; relative risk [95% confidence interval]: 1.27 [0.55–2.95]). After multivariable adjustment, type of skin closure method was not associated with wound complication after discharge from the hospital (odds ratio: 1.29; 0.52–3.17). Conclusion Although suture closure compared with staples was associated with fewer wound complications after cesarean delivery, we found no significant differences between closure types in the frequency of wound complications occurring after hospital discharge.
Risky Business: Does Debarring Poor Performers Mitigate Future Performance Risk?

Debarment (also referred to as disqualification, exclusion, suspension or blacklisting) is a mechanism used by governments and organizations to exclude entities from participating in public contracts or otherwise accessing public funds. Many countries debar entities found to have engaged in fraud, corruption and other forms of misconduct as a means to protect their procurement systems from bad actors, ensure the integrity of the procurement process and public funds, and deter future misconduct. At the same time, many of these systems also provide for the debarment of contractors found to have an unsatisfactory performance record, including but not limited to a history of contract default. This paper provides a comparative analysis of several jurisdictions that consider a contractor’s poor performance as a basis for either disqualification or debarment. Although many jurisdictions include poor performance as a basis for exclusion, the available guidance, prevalence, and experiences of using this basis varies widely. To the extent possible, the article analyzes what constitutes sufficiently poor performance to justify exclusion in each jurisdiction and the types of factors that should ultimately be considered when determining if a potential contractor should be disqualified or publicly debarred for poor performance.
Association of Naloxone Coprescription Laws With Naloxone Prescription Dispensing in the United States

Importance To mitigate the opioid overdose crisis, states have implemented a variety of legal interventions aimed at increasing access to the opioid antagonist naloxone. Recently, Virginia and Vermont mandated the coprescription of naloxone for potentially at-risk patients. Objective To assess the association between naloxone coprescription legal mandates and naloxone dispensing in retail pharmacies. Design, Setting, and Participants This was a population-based, state-level cohort study. The sample included all prescriptions dispensed for naloxone in the retail pharmacy setting contained in IQVIA’s national prescription audit, which represents 90% of all retail pharmacies in the United States. The unit of observation was state-month and the study period was January 1, 2011, to December 31, 2017. Exposures State legal intervention mandating naloxone coprescription. Main Outcomes and Measures Number of naloxone prescriptions dispensed. State rates of naloxone prescriptions dispensed per month per 100 000 standard population were calculated. Results The rate of naloxone dispensing increased after implementation of legal mandates for naloxone coprescription. An estimated 88 naloxone prescriptions per 100 000 were dispensed in Virginia and 111 prescriptions per 100 000 were dispensed in Vermont during the first full month the legal requirement was effective. In comparison, 16 naloxone prescriptions per 100 000 were dispensed in the 10 states (including the District of Columbia) with the highest opioid overdose death rates and 6 prescriptions per 100 000 were dispensed in the 39 remaining states. The number of naloxone prescriptions dispensed was associated with the legal mandate for naloxone coprescription (incidence rate ratio [IRR], 7.75; 95% CI, 1.22-49.35). Implementation of the naloxone coprescription mandate was associated with an estimated 214 additional naloxone prescriptions dispensed per month in the period following the mandates, holding all other variables constant. Among covariates, naloxone access laws (IRR, 1.37; 1.05-1.78), opioid overdose death rates (IRR, 1.06; 95% CI, 1.04-1.08), the percentage of naloxone prescriptions paid by third-party payers (IRR 1.009; 1.008-1.010), and time (IRR, 1.06; 95% CI, 1.05-1.07) were significantly associated with naloxone prescription dispensing. Conclusions and Relevance These study findings suggest that legally mandated naloxone prescription for those at risk for opioid overdose may be associated with substantial increases in naloxone dispensing and further reduction in opioid-related harm.
Tensor network formulation of the massless Schwinger model with staggered fermions

We construct a tensor network representation of the partition function for the massless Schwinger model on a two-dimensional lattice using staggered fermions. The tensor network representation allows us to include a topological term. Using a particular implementation of the tensor renormalization group we calculate the average plaquette and topological charge density for the theory. For a range of values of the coupling constant for the topological term, $\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Theta}}$, and the gauge coupling, $\ensuremath{\beta}$, we compare with results from hybrid Monte Carlo simulations when possible and find good agreement. In order to further understand the role of fermions and topology in this model, we compare calculations of the same observables in a similar model, the Abelian Higgs model.
Action-Based Costing for National Action Plans for Health Security: Accelerating Progress Toward the International Health Regulations (2005)

Multiple costing tools have been developed to understand the resources required to build and sustain implementation of the International Health Regulations (IHR), including a detailed costing tool developed by WHO ("WHO Costing Tool") and 2 action-based costing tools, Georgetown University's IHR Costing Tool and CDC's Priority Actions Costing Tool (PACT). The relative performance of these tools is unknown. Nigeria costed its National Action Plan for Health Security (NAPHS) using the WHO Costing Tool. We conducted a desktop review, using the other tools to compare the cost estimates generated using different costing approaches. Technical working groups developed activity plans and estimated component costs using the WHO Costing Tool during a weeklong workshop with approximately 60 participants from various ministries, departments, and federal agencies. We retrospectively applied the IHR Costing Tool and PACT to generate rapid cost estimates required to achieve a Joint External Evaluation (JEE) score of "demonstrated capacity" (level 4). The tools generated similar activities for implementation. Cost estimates varied based on the anticipated procurement and human resources requirements and by the level of implementation (eg, health facility-level versus local government area-level procurement). The desktop IHR Costing Tool and PACT tools required approximately 2 and 8 person-hours to complete, respectively. A strategic costing approach, wherein governments select from a menu of recommended and costed actions following the JEE to develop a NAPHS, could accelerate implementation of plans. Major cost drivers, including procurement and human resources, should be prioritized based on anticipated resource availability and countries' priorities.
Landesverfassungsgerichte und europäische Integration

Rolle und Funktion der Landesverfassungsgerichte in der europaischen Integration, zumal im Rahmen der Europaischen Union, werden zumindest in der rechtswissenschaftlichen Literatur selten grundsatzlich beleuchtet. Denn in verfassungsrechtlicher Sicht ist die europaische Integration in erster Linie ein Thema des Grundgesetzes. Landesverfassungen und in der Konsequenz Landesverfassungsgerichte konnen in diesem Bereich bestenfalls eine untergeordnete Rolle spielen. Die Landesverfassungsgerichte lassen sich daher – anders als die deutschen Verwaltungsgerichte – nicht als funktionale Unionsgerichte begreifen. Gleichwohl ist es nicht ausgeschlossen, dass Landesverfassungsgerichte unter Umstanden berechtigt oder verpflichtet sind, den Europaischen Gerichtshof (EuGH) im Wege des Vorabentscheidungsverfahrens nach Art. 267 AEUV anzurufen. In dem Beitrag wird auch diskutiert, ob und inwieweit die Europaische Menschenrechtskonvention im Rahmen der deutschen Landesverfassungsgerichtsbarkeit eine Rolle spielt. Diskutiert werden diese Aspekte am Beispiel der Rechtsprechung des Bayerischen Verfassungsgerichtshofes.
Establishing the literature base of SWPBIS research in schools with large populations of underrepresented students

For more than 20 years, the schoolwide positive behavioral interventions and supports (SWPBIS) literature base has been growing as it relates to implementation and sustainability across various set...
A Comparison Between the Estimated Total Body Surface Area Reported by Referring Facilities and the Subsequent Assessment at a Pediatric Burn Center

Purpose: Burns are a significant source of pediatric morbidity and frequently result in transfer of care from a non-pediatric burn center to a pediatric burn center. The estimated total body surface area (%TBSA) is a clinical measurement of burn severity that influences fluid management and mode of transport decisions. It is not known how the %TBSA reported by referring facilities compares to the subsequent burn assessment at our pediatric burn center. Thus, our objective is to compare the initial %TBSA reported by the referring facility to the %TBSA determined at …
Factors Associated With Failure to Achieve the Intensive Blood Pressure Target in the Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (SPRINT).

SPRINT (Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial) found that randomization of nondiabetic participants at high cardiovascular risk to an intensive (systolic blood pressure [SBP] <120 mm Hg) versu...
Differential variational estimates for the macroscopic response and field statistics of elasto-viscoplastic polycrystals

Abstract This paper presents analytical homogenization estimates for the elasto-viscoplastic response of polycrystals with Maxwellian single-crystal constitutive behavior. For this purpose, use is made of the incremental variational procedure (Agoras et al., 2016) for dealing with long-term memory effects, together with the fully optimized second-order method (Ponte Castaneda, 2015) for handling the viscous nonlinearity. By taking the limit as the time increment tends to zero, a new formulation is obtained consisting of a system of nonlinear ordinary differential equations for the time evolution of the stress averages and fluctuation variances in the grains. Comparisons with the Maxwellian approximation for the overall response, obtained by separately homogenizing the elastic and viscoplastic components, serve to characterize the long memory effect. It is found that the long memory effects increase with the anisotropy and nonlinearity of the viscoplastic response of the grains, and that these effects are correlated with rapid changes in the inter- and intra-granular field fluctuations. Under creep loading, ice-like hexagonal close-packed (HCP) polycrystals deform with significantly larger strains than those estimated by the Maxwellian approximation, while for linear face-centered cubic (FCC) polycrystals, the long memory effect is rather minimal. For constant overall strain-rate loading, significant improvements over the Maxwellian approximation are also observed for the HCP polycrystals, especially in the transient regime. To assess their accuracy, the new estimates are compared with available full-field and experimental results from the literature and good agreement is generally found even for polycrystals with highly nonlinear or anisotropic grains.
Validity and reliability of the suggested immobilization test for measurement of restless legs syndrome severity in adults with multiple sclerosis.

Abstract Objective/background Adults with multiple sclerosis (MS) often present with conditions that mimic restless legs syndrome (RLS), thereby adding complexity into the assessment of RLS severity. The current gold-standard measures of RLS severity rely on a fixed seven-day time frame, which limits the ability of these measures for studying acute changes in RLS severity. The present study examined if subjective and objective scores from the suggested immobilization test (SIT) provide a valid and reliable acute measure of RLS severity in persons with MS. Patients/methods Participants with MS and RLS (n = 20) and MS without RLS (n = 20) were matched by age, gender, and disability. All participants completed validated questionnaires for RLS severity followed by the SIT, conducted at 18:00 (±15 min) on the same day of the week for two consecutive weeks. Participants wore accelerometer devices for seven nights to capture periodic limb movements (PLMs) during the night. Results Self-reported RLS severity during the SIT had excellent construct validity and convergent validity, but moderate test-retest reliability. Device-measured PLMs, while not themselves a direct measure of RLS severity, were significantly associated with PLMs during the night and had excellent test-retest reliability during the SIT in adults with MS. Conclusions Our results suggest that the SIT represents a valid acute measure for capturing self-reported sensory aspects of RLS severity and should be considered in future research and clinical practice as a standardized acute measure of subjective RLS severity in adults with MS who present with RLS.
Association of primary prophylactic (PP) granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) use with chemotherapy dose modifications and relative dose intensity (RDI) among breast cancer patients receiving high-risk regimens for febrile neutropenia (FN).

314Background: FN is a primary driver of chemotherapy modification and reduced RDI. Breast cancer patients often receive regimens with high risk ( > 20%) for FN. PP G-CSF use is recommended to decr...
The Other Side of the Fence

THE OTHER SIDE OF THE FENCE By Benjamin S. Jones, MFA A Thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Fine Arts at Virginia Commonwealth University. Virginia Commonwealth University, 2006 Major Director: John (Jack) H. Risley Professor, Department of Sculpture and Extended Media I pull from what I see in my urban surroundings. There is always a sense of dread fused with optimism that prevails. Is it beautiful? Fragments of low-riders and tricked-out cars become symbols of desire and the glowing red lens of a stop light becomes a Cyclops poised to defend his garden. Candy-coated, blooming, dripping and seductively slick confronts you with the obvious warning: STOP! You could be next... ...The grass really is greener on The Other Side of the Fence. At least until winter comes.
The Anti-Resonant Ring in Ultrafast Excite—Probe Spectroscopy

We show that the anti-resonant ring is a versatile detection arrangement in ultrafast spectroscopy, allowing very accurate optical removal of the probe-laser background light and slow effects, independent measurement of absorption and refractive-index transients through optical homodyning, and maximal signal-to-noise ratios.
The sub-nanomolar binding of DNA-RNA hybrids by the single-chain Fv fragment of antibody S9.6

The monoclonal antibody S9.6 binds DNA-RNA hybrids with high affinity, making it useful in research and diagnostic applications, such as in microarrays and in the detection of R-loops. A single-chain variable fragment (scFv) of S9.6 was produced, and its affinities for various synthetic nucleic acid hybrids were measured by surface plasmon resonance (SPR). S9.6 exhibits dissociation constants of approximately 0.6 nM for DNA-RNA and, surprisingly, 2.7 nM for RNA-RNA hybrids that are AU-rich. The affinity of the S9.6 scFv did not appear to be strongly influenced by various buffer conditions or by ionic strength below 500 mM NaCl. The smallest epitope that was strongly bound by the S9.6 scFv contained six base pairs of DNA-RNA hybrid.
Novel Organization of the Genes for Phthalate Degradation from Burkholderia cepacia DBO1

Burkholderia cepacia DBO1 is able to utilize phthalate as the sole source of carbon and energy for growth. Two overlapping cosmid clones containing the genes for phthalate degradation were isolated from this strain. Subcloning and activity analysis localized the genes for phthalate degradation to two separate regions on the cosmid clones. Analysis of the nucleotide sequence of these two regions showed that the genes for phthalate degradation are arranged in at least three transcriptional units. The gene for phthalate dioxygenase reductase (ophA1) is present by itself, while the genes for an inactive transporter (ophD) and 4,5-dihydroxyphthalate decarboxylase (ophC) are linked and the genes for phthalate dioxygenase oxygenase (ophA2) and cis-phthalate dihydrodiol dehydrogenase (ophB) are linked. ophA1 and ophDC are adjacent to each other but are transcribed in opposite directions, while ophA2B is located 4 kb away. The genes for the oxygenase and reductase components of phthalate dioxygenase are located approximately 7 kb away from each other. The gene for the putative phthalate permease contains a frameshift mutation in contrast to genes for other permeases. Strains deleted for ophD are able to transport phthalate into the cell at rates equivalent to that of the wild-type organism, showing that this gene is not required for growth on phthalate.
A simple method to estimate phosphorus mobilization in hemodialysis using only predialytic and postdialytic blood samples.

We have recently developed a pseudo one-compartment model to describe intradialytic and postdialytic rebound kinetics of plasma phosphorus. In this model, individual patient differences in phosphorus kinetics were characterized by a single parameter; the phosphorus mobilization clearance (K(M) ). In this work, we propose a simple method to estimate K(M) from predialytic and postdialytic plasma phosphorus concentrations. Clinical data were collected from 22 chronic hemodialysis patients that underwent a 4-hour treatment session. A simple algebraic equation was derived from the pseudo one-compartment model to determine K(M) from predialytic and postdialytic plasma phosphorus concentrations. K(M) values computed using this equation were compared with values obtained from nonlinear regression of the full kinetic model to frequent intradialytic and postdialytic measurements of plasma phosphorus concentrations. There was good agreement between K(M) values (concordance correlation coefficient of 0.94) obtained from the simple method (105 ± 52 mL/min, mean ± SD) and from the full model (99 ± 47 mL/min). The 95% confidence interval for the difference between estimated K(M) values was -26 to 36 mL/min. The proposed simple method requires the use of only predialytic and postdialytic blood samples to estimate patient specific K(M) ; this approach may allow easy clinical evaluation of phosphorus kinetics in hemodialysis patients.
A Morpho-Elastic Model of Hyphal Tip Growth in Filamentous Organisms

The growth of filamentous cells is modeled through the use of exact, nonlinear, elasticity theory for shells and membranes. The biomechanical model is able to capture the generic features of growth of a broad array of cells including actinomycetes, fungi, and root hairs. It also provides the means of studying the effects of external surface stresses. The growth mechanism is modeled by a process of incremental elastic growth in which the cell wall responds elastically to the continuous addition of new material.
The benPK operon, proposed to play a role in transport, is part of a regulon for benzoate catabolism in Acinetobacter sp. strain ADP1

BenM and CatM are distinct, but similar, LysR-type transcriptional regulators of the soil bacterium Acinetobacter sp. strain ADP1. Together, the two regulators control the expression of at least 14 genes involved in the degradation of aromatic compounds via the catechol branch of the β-ketoadipate pathway. In these studies, BenM and CatM were each purified to homogeneity to test the possibility that they regulate the expression of two additional genes, benP and benK, that are adjacent to benM on the chromosome. Each regulator bound to a DNA fragment containing the benP promoter region. Additional transcriptional studies suggested that benP and benK are co-transcribed as an operon, and a site of transcription initiation was identified. Alignment of this initiation site with those of several CatM- and BenM-regulated genes revealed common regulatory motifs. Mutants lacking both CatM and BenM failed to activate benP transcription. The ability of each protein to regulate gene expression was inferred from strains lacking either CatM or BenM that were still capable of increasing benP expression in response to cis,cis-muconate. This compound has previously been shown to induce all enzymes of the catechol branch of the β-ketoadipate pathway through a complex transcriptional circuit involving CatM and BenM. Thus, the regulated expression of the benPK operon in concert with other genes of the regulon is consistent with the model that BenP, a putative outer-membrane porin, and BenK, an inner-membrane permease, transport aromatic compounds in strain ADP1.
Seeking Nonstandard Phases via Direct CP Violation in b-->sg * Processes

Attributing the recent CLEO discovery of $B\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{\ensuremath{\eta}}^{\ensuremath{'}}{+X}_{s}$ to originate (primarily) from the fragmentation of an off-shell gluon $({g}^{*})$ via $b\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{s+g}^{*}$, ${g}^{*}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}g+{\ensuremath{\eta}}^{\ensuremath{'}}$, we emphasize that many such states $({X}_{g})$ should materialize. Indeed the hadronic fragments $({X}_{g})$ of ${g}^{*}$ are closely related to those seen in $J/\ensuremath{\psi}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{\gamma}(\ensuremath{\varphi},\ensuremath{\omega}){+X}_{g}$. A particular final state of considerable interest is ${X}_{g}{\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}=\phantom{\rule{0ex}{0ex}}K}^{+}{K}^{\ensuremath{-}}$. Signals from such states in $B$ decays may be combined to provide a very sensitive search for CP violating phase(s) from nonstandard physics. The method should work even if the contribution of these source(s) to the rates is rather small $(\ensuremath{\sim}10%)$.
Continental heat anomalies and the extreme melting of the Greenland ice surface in 2012 and 1889

Recent decades have seen increased melting of the Greenland ice sheet. On 11 July 2012, nearly the entire surface of the ice sheet melted; such rare events last occurred in 1889 and, prior to that, during the Medieval Climate Anomaly. Studies of the 2012 event associated the presence of a thin, warm elevated liquid cloud layer with surface temperatures rising above the melting point at Summit Station, some 3212 m above sea level. Here we explore other potential factors in July 2012 associated with this unusual melting. These include (1) warm air originating from a record North American heat wave, (2) transitions in the Arctic Oscillation, (3) transport of water vapor via an Atmospheric River over the Atlantic to Greenland, and (4) the presence of warm ocean waters south of Greenland. For the 1889 episode, the Twentieth Century Reanalysis and historical records showed similar factors at work. However, markers of biomass burning were evident in ice cores from 1889 which may reflect another possible factor in these rare events. We suggest that extreme Greenland summer melt episodes, such as those recorded recently and in the late Holocene, could have involved a similar combination of slow climate processes, including prolonged North American droughts/heat waves and North Atlantic warm oceanic temperature anomalies, together with fast processes, such as excursions of the Arctic Oscillation, and transport of warm, humid air in Atmospheric Rivers to Greenland. It is the fast processes that underlie the rarity of such events and influence their predictability.
Measuring waveform quality, code-domain power, time offsets and phase offsets of CDMA signals

In 1994, the Telecommunications Industry Association (TIA) released the IS-95 and IS-97 standards developed by the TIA TR-45.5 subcommittee. These standards ensure the mobile-station/base-station compatibility of a dual-mode, wideband, spread-spectrum system-the North American CDMA (code division multiple access) cellular telephone system. The CDMA system uses orthogonal codes to provide multiple communications channels in a designated segment of the electromagnetic spectrum. The TIA IS-95/97 standards specify various measurements that must be made on CDMA base station and mobile station transmitters and receivers to ensure their compatibility, This paper describes CDMA signals and the measurements of waveform quality, code-domain power, and time and phase offsets. A signal flow diagram of the measurement algorithms is presented and performance predictions based on mathematical modeling and simulations are given, Some typical results of measurements made with the HP 83203B which is the cellular adapter for the HP 8921A/600 cell site test set are given.