cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Management of Persistent Pain in the Older Patient: A Clinical Review

Importance Persistent pain is highly prevalent, costly, and frequently disabling in later life. Objective To describe barriers to the management of persistent pain among older adults, summarize current management approaches, including pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic modalities; present rehabilitative approaches; and highlight aspects of the patient-physician relationship that can help to improve treatment outcomes. This review is relevant for physicians who seek an age-appropriate approach to delivering pain care for the older adult. Evidence Acquisition Search of MEDLINE and the Cochrane database from January 1990 through May 2014, using the search terms older adults , senior , ages 65 and above , elderly , and aged along with non-cancer pain , chronic pain , persistent pain , pain management , intractable pain, and refractory pain to identify English-language peer-reviewed systematic reviews, meta-analyses, Cochrane reviews, consensus statements, and guidelines relevant to the management of persistent pain in older adults. Findings Of the 92 identified studies, 35 evaluated pharmacologic interventions, whereas 57 examined nonpharmacologic modalities; the majority (n = 50) focused on older adults with osteoarthritis. This evidence base supports a stepwise approach with acetaminophen as first-line therapy. If treatment goals are not met, a trial of a topical nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug, tramadol, or both is recommended. Oral nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs are not recommended for long-term use. Careful surveillance to monitor for toxicity and efficacy is critical, given that advancing age increases risk for adverse effects. A multimodal approach is strongly recommended—emphasizing a combination of both pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic treatments to include physical and occupational rehabilitation, as well as cognitive-behavioral and movement-based interventions. An integrated pain management approach is ideally achieved by cultivating a strong therapeutic alliance between the older patient and the physician. Conclusions and Relevance Treatment planning for persistent pain in later life requires a clear understanding of the patient’s treatment goals and expectations, comorbidities, and cognitive and functional status, as well as coordinating community resources and family support when available. A combination of pharmacologic, nonpharmacologic, and rehabilitative approaches in addition to a strong therapeutic alliance between the patient and physician is essential in setting, adjusting, and achieving realistic goals of therapy.
Mechanics of adhesion through a fibrillar microstructure.

SYNOPSIS. Many organisms have evolved a fibrillated interface for contact and adhesion as shown by several of the papers in this issue. For example, in the Gecko, this structure appears to give them the ability to adhere and separate from a variety of surfaces by relying only on weak van der Waals forces. Despite the low intrinsic energy of separating surfaces held together by van der Waals forces, these organisms are able to achieve remarkably strong adhesion. To help understand adhesion in such a case, we consider a simple model of a fibrillar interface. For it, we examine the mechanics of contact and adhesion to a substrate. It appears that this structure allows the organism, at the same time, to achieve good, ‘universal’ contact and adhesion. Due to buckling, a carpet of fibrils behaves like a plastic solid under compressive loading, allowing intimate contact in the presence of some roughness. As an adhesive, we conjecture that energy in the fibrils is lost upon decohesion and unloading. This mechanism can add considerably to the intrinsic work of fracture, resulting in good adhesion even with only van der Waals forces. Analysis of the mechanics of adhesion through such a fibrillar interface provides rules for the design of the microstructure for desired performance as an adhesive.
The Effect of Dispositional Empathy on Romantic Relationship Behaviors: Heterosocial Anxiety as a Moderating Influence

Recent research has supported a model that specifies the way dispositional empathy influences everyday social behavior, the present investigation examined one possible boundary condition of the model It was posited that high levels of heterosocial anxiety constitute a self-oriented affective reaction that interferes with the operation of an other-oriented empathic response. As a result, the usual association between dispositional empathy and social behaviors should be weakened among those high in heterosocial anxiety. Data collected from 119 college students involved in monogamous romantic relationships provided partial support for this hypothesis. Evidence for the predicted moderating effect was found for positive social behaviors but not for negative behaviors. Evidence also suggested that the moderating effect was strongest for dispositional perspective taking-the most cognitive facet of empathy-and considerably weaker for the affective constructs of empathic concern and personal distress.
Habitat selection by juvenile Swainson’s thrushes ( Catharus ustulatus ) in headwater riparian areas, northwestern Oregon, USA

Lower order, non-fish-bearing streams, often termed ‘‘headwater streams’’, have received minimal research effort and protection priority, especially in mesic forests where distinction between riparian and upland vegetation can be subtle. Though it is generally thought that breeding bird abundance is higher in riparian zones, little is known about species distributions when birds are in their juvenile stage – a critical period in terms of population viability. Using radio telemetry, we examined factors affecting habitat selection by juvenile Swainson’s thrushes during the post-breeding period in headwater basins in the Coast Range of Oregon, USA. We tested models containing variables expected to influence the amount of food and cover (i.e., deciduous cover, coarse wood volume, and proximity to stream) as well as models containing variables that are frequently measured and manipulated in forest management (i.e., deciduous and coniferous trees separated into size classes). Juvenile Swainson’s thrushes were more likely to select locations with at least 25% cover of deciduous, mid-story vegetation and more than 2.0 m 3 /ha of coarse wood within 40 m of headwater streams. We conclude that despite their small and intermittent nature, headwater streams and adjacent riparian areas are selected over upland areas by Swainson’s thrush during the postfledging period in the Oregon Coast Range. Published by Elsevier B.V.
Role of the conserved nucleotide mismatch within 3'- and 5'-terminal regions of Bunyamwera virus in signaling transcription

Bunyamwera virus (BUNV) is the prototype of the Bunyaviridae family of tri-partite negative-sense RNA viruses. The three BUNV segments possess 3' and 5' nontranslated regions (NTRs) that signal two RNA synthesis activities: (i) transcription to generate mRNAs and (ii) replication to generate antigenomes that are replicated to yield further genomes. While the genome acts as a template for synthesis of both transcription and replication products, the antigenome allows synthesis of only replication products, with mRNAs being undetectable. Here, we investigate the basis for the fundamentally different signaling abilities of genomic and antigenomic strands. We show that the identity of only nucleotide position 9 within the genomic 3' NTR is critical for the different RNA synthesis characteristics of genomic and antigenomic strands, thus identifying this nucleotide as an essential component of the transcription promoter. This nucleotide is distinctive, as it interrupts an unbroken run of conserved complementary nucleotides within the 3' and 5' NTRs of all three segments. Our results show that the conserved mismatched arrangement of this nucleotide plays no detectable role in signaling transcription. Instead, we show that the transcription-signaling ability of this position is entirely dependent on its nucleotide identity. We further show that while a U residue at 3' position 9 is strongly preferred for transcription activity in the context of the genomic promoter, it does not signal transcription in the context of the antigenomic promoter. Therefore, our results show that the identity of 3' position 9 is crucial for signaling BUNV transcription; however, it is not the sole determinant.
Guest Editors' Introduction: Security & Privacy

Security and privacy concerns touch on all aspects of pervasive computing, including hardware, operating systems, networks, databases, user interfaces, and applications. The seven articles selected for this special issue draw on ideas from many of these fields and provide a flavor of the kinds of security and privacy challenges and opportunities in pervasive computing. This article is part of a special issue on security and privacy.
Sum-rate maximizing beamforming in multicell systems with limited feedback

Multicell cooperative transmit strategies typically require full channel state information (CSI) at the base stations. In this paper, a more practical limited feedback scenario is considered for a recently proposed multicell beamforming approach that approximately maximizes the sum-rates in a two-cell two-user network. In the limited feedback system presented, the desired and interfering CSI is quantized by the users and fed back to the base stations over a finite-bandwidth link. Each receiver is assumed to use two separate codebooks to quantize the desired and interfering channels. It is proposed to vary the codebook sizes adaptively as a function of the relative strength of the channels to minimize the loss in sum-rate. To this end, the mean loss in sum-rate due to random vector quantization is quantified. Closed-form expressions are derived to partition the available feedback bits adaptively between the desired and interfering channels to minimize the mean loss in sum-rate. Finally, simulations are used to verify the results presented in the paper.
On the Predominant Electron- Donicity of Polar Solid Surfaces*

Abstract The reasons for the predominant electron-donicity of almost all solid polar surfaces and its implications are discussed in this paper. By contact angle or interfacial tension measurements, the electron-accepting as well as the electron-donating properties of polar liquids can be ascertained, through the interplay between their energies of adhesion and cohesion. For the solid-liquid interface, direct interfacial tension measurements are not possible, but indirectly, solid/liquid interfacial tensions of polar systems can be obtained by contact angle measurement. However, as the energy of cohesion of a solid does not influence the contact angle formed by a liquid drop placed upon its surface, one can only measure the solid surface'ks residual polar property, manifested by the energy of adhesion between solid and liquid. This residual polar property is of necessity the dominant component; in most cases this turns out to be its electron donicity. When, by means of contact angle measurements with polar...
Reduced need for corneal epithelial debridement during vitreo-retinal surgery using two different viscous surface lubricants.

Abstract Purpose Corneal clarity is frequently reduced during vitrectomy and scleral buckling surgery secondary to epithelial edema, requiring epithelial debridement to improve visibility. The presence of toxic preservatives in the corneal lubricant solutions is hypothesized to be a contributing factor to epithelial edema during vitreo-retinal surgery. Design Interventional study. Methods We compared prospectively the corneal clarity and epithelial debridement frequency in 71 patients within a single institution in whom either Goniosol (2.5% methylcellulose, boric acid, edetate disodium, sodium borate, potassium chloride, water, and 0.01% benzalkonium chloride) or GenTeal gel (0.3% hydoxypropyl-methylcellulose, carbopol 980, phosphonic acid, sorbitol, water, and 0.028% sodium perborate) was used as a corneal lubricant during the course of vitrectomy surgery using sutured contact lenses. Corneal clarity was subjectively graded in a scale of I to IV during surgery. Statistical analysis was made between these two groups for parametric and categorical data. Results All eyes started with a corneal clarity grade of I (best possible). Corneal clarity decreased significantly faster in eyes where Goniosol was used to a median grade of III at 1 hour of surgical time. In eyes where GenTeal gel was used, corneal clarity decreased much slower, to a median grade of I at 1 hour of surgical time. The difference in frequency of epithelial debridement was also statistically significant: 54% and 14% for Goniosol and GenTeal eyes, respectively. Other factors that may cause corneal epithelial edema and affect corneal clarity were not statistically different between the Goniosol and the GenTeal groups, including median operative time, estimated intraocular pressure, pre- and intraoperative topical solutions and medications, and number of prior ocular procedures. Conclusions The use of GenTeal gel as a corneal lubricant maintains corneal clarity longer than Goniosol during the course of vitrectomy surgery using a contact lens viewing system, limiting the need for epithelial debridement.
Xanthophyll Availability of Alfalfa Leaf Protein Concentrate (Pro-Xan) for Broilers and Laying Hens

Abstract The availability of the xanthophyll of alfalfa leaf protein concentrate (Pro-Xan) was evaluated in two trials with broilers and one trial with laying hens. In the broiler trials, freeze-dried Pro-Xan and Pro-Xan dried in a pilot plant Heil dehydrator at outlet temperatures of 76.7 and 90.6°C. were shown to have xanthophyll availabilities of about 1.7 times that of dehydrated alfalfa and three times that of marigold meal. The xanthophyll availability of dehydrated alfalfa was about half that of pure lutein and twice that of marigold meal. Similar results for xanthophyll availability were found for freeze-dried Pro-Xan, dehydrated alfalfa, and lutein in the laying hen trial.
The relation between nonverbal indices of empathy and preschoolers' prosocial behavior

Abstract In most of the research concerning empathy and its relation to prosocial behavior in children, picture/story indices of empathy have been used. There is reason, however, to question both their validity and the results of research findings based on their use. Thus, the purposes of the present study were (a) to examine the relation between prosocial behavior and preschoolers' state and trate empathy (as measured with) indices of the children's facial and gestural responsiveness to another's distress), and (b) to determine the association between the commonly used picture/story measure of empathy (Feshbach and Roe's [1968] Affective Situations Test for Empathy [FASTE]) and both prosocial behavior and the nonverbal indices of empathy. Thirty-five preschool children's facial and gestural empathy was measured on two occations; prosocial behavior was assessed on three occasions; and the FASTE was administered to all children. The three indices of facial/gestural empathy tended to be interrelated and stable over a week's time (with the exception of gestural responses). For boys, facial reactivity was related to helping of those with whom they had empathized. Facial and gestural empathy, but not FASTE scores, were significantly positively related to a composite measure of anonymous prosocial behavior. Performance on the FASTE was unrelated to facial/gestural empathy, but was associated with girl' private donations.
Using Evolution as the Framework for Teaching Biology

In April of 1998, the National Academy of Sciences published the booklet Teaching about Evolution and the Nature of Science (NAS 1998). The booklet challenges teachers to use evolution as the organizing theme in teaching biology, rather than treating evolution as a separate topic. The NAS also emphasizes the importance of teaching biology students the nature of science. These recommendations are admirable, but their acceptance so far has been limited. In this article I report on my efforts to teach the nature of science and to use evolution as the framework for teaching biology. Since the fall of 1997, I have been teaching a nonmajors' general biology course, Biology 101, at Western Washington University in Bellingham, Washington. I have now taught the course eight times to a combined total of more than 700 students. The course is experimental in that it does not follow the traditional scope and sequence for teaching biology, as exemplified by the majority of current textbooks for a nonmajors' general biology course. The major changes that I have made are 1) evolution and the history of life are used as the curriculum framework and 2) an extensive unit has been added on the history and philosophy of science. Although the design of the course predates the publication of the NAS booklet, the curriculum changes I have made follow the NAS's central recommendations. As a result, my experience teaching this course represents an unintended test case for the NAS recommendations on teaching evolution and the nature of science.
Aspirin-induced acute gastric mucosal injury is a neutrophil-dependent process in rats

Aspirin, one of the most widely used drugs in the world, consistently produces gastric mucosal injury, but the pathogenic mechanisms are incompletely understood. The present study was designed to determine the role of neutrophils in aspirin-induced acute gastric mucosal injury. Gastric mucosal lesions induced by acidified aspirin (300 mg/kg) were completely prevented in rats that had been rendered profoundly neutropenic by anti-neutrophil serum. Aspirin-induced acute gastric mucosal lesions were also significantly, albeit incompletely, reduced in rats that had been rendered moderately neutropenic by methotrexate. Moreover, in the methotrexate-induced neutropenia model, the neutropenia-associated mucosal protection against aspirin-induced injury could be reversed by leucovorin rescue. Aspirin caused a marked and statistically significant reduction in gastric mucosal 6-ketoprostaglandin F1 alpha synthesis, but no significant changes in gastric mucosal leukotriene synthesis. Thus no gastric mucosal lesions were observed in profoundly neutropenic rats that were treated with aspirin, despite the marked inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis. These findings demonstrate that aspirin-induced acute gastric mucosal injury is a neutrophil-dependent process.
Histidine kinases in signal transduction pathways of eukaryotes

Autophosphorylating histidine kinases are an ancient conserved family of enzymes that are found in eubacteria, archaebacteria and eukaryotes. They are activated by a wide range of extracellular signals and transfer phosphate moieties to aspartates found in response regulators. Recent studies have shown that such two-component signal transduction pathways mediate osmoregulation in Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Dictyostelium discoideum and Neurospora crassa. Moreover, they play pivotal roles in responses of Arabidopsis thaliana to ethylene and cytokinin. A transmembrane histidine kinase encoded by dhkA accumulates when Dictyostelium cells aggregate during development. Activation of DhkA results in the inhibition of its response regulator, RegA, which is a cAMP phosphodiesterase that regulates the cAMP dependent protein kinase PKA. When PKA is activated late in the differentiation of prespore cells, they encapsulate into spores. There is evidence that this two-component system participates in a feedback loop linked to PKA in prestalk cells such that the signal to initiate encapsulation is rapidly amplified. Such signal transduction pathways can be expected to be found in a variety of eukaryotic differentiations since they are rapidly reversible and can integrate disparate signals.
Licensing security

There exist legal structures defining the exclusive rights of authors, and means for licensing portions of them to others in exchange for appropriate obligations. We propose an analogous approach for security, in which portions of exclusive security rights owned by system stakeholders may be licensed as needed to others, in exchange for appropriate security obligations. Copyright defines exclusive rights to reproduce, distribute, and produce derivative works, among others. We envision exclusive security rights that might include the right to access a system, the right to run specific programs, and the right to update specific programs or data, among others. Such an approach uses the existing legal structures of licenses and contracts to manage security, as copyright licenses are used to manage copyrights. At present there is no law of “security right” as there is a law of copyright, but with the increasing prevalence and prominence of security attacks and abuses, of which Stuxnet and Flame are merely the best known recent examples, such legislation is not implausible. We discuss kinds of security rights and obligations that might produce fruitful results, and how a license structure and approach might prove more effective than security policies.
Constrained Inference When the Sampled and Target Populations Differ

In the analysis of contingency tables, often one faces two difficult criteria: sampled and target populations are not identical and prior information translates to the presence of general linear inequality restrictions. Under these situations, we present new models of estimating cell probabilities related to four well-known methods of estimation. We prove that each model yields maximum likelihood estimators under those restrictions. The performance ranking of these methods under equality restrictions is known. We compare these methods under inequality restrictions in a simulation study. It reveals that these methods may rank differently under inequality restriction than with equality. These four methods are also compared while US census data are analyzed.
Periparturient changes in intake, ruminal capacity, and digestive characteristics in beef cows consuming alfalfa hay.

Four multiparous, ruminally fistulated Angus x Hereford cows (average BW = 568 kg) were bred to the same bull and used to monitor periparturient changes in DMI, ruminal capacity, and digestion and fermentation characteristics. Cows were individually fed alfalfa hay (16.0% CP, 51.3% NDF) at 130% of the average DMI of the previous 5-d period. Ruminal capacity and DM fill were measured once every 2 wk by removing the ruminal contents from each cow and filling the empty rumen with water. Dry matter intake was measured daily. Ruminal VFA, pH, NH3, and total tract DM digestibility (DMD) were measured during three 7-d periods (average of 58 d before calving, 16 d before calving, and 25 d after calving). Ruminal capacity and DM fill varied in a quadratic manner (P < .01); both were least 6 d before calving. Forage DMI (quadratic effect; P = .02) increased moderately during the prepartum period but increased dramatically after parturition. Although postpartum (d 22) ruminal capacity was only 5% greater than at 61 d before calving, postpartum DMI was 69% greater than DMI measured 61 d before calving. Indigestible ADF (IADF) passage rate changed quadratically with period (P = .01); the greatest IADF passage rate was observed 6 d before calving. Ruminal VFA (mM) also tended to change quadratically (P = .08); the highest concentrations occurred 25 d after calving. The acetate:propionate ratio declined linearly with period (P = .01). Ruminal fluid dilution rate, pH, NH3, and DMD did not change significantly over time.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Density Functional Studies of Vibrational Properties of HCN, H2O, CH2O, CH4, and C2H4

Small molecules provide a unique testing ground for post-Hartree−Fock methods because their harmonic force constants and dipole moment derivatives are known experimentally. We have compared several density functional theory (DFT) methods with various combinations of exchange and correlation functionals such as BLYP, B3LYP, BP86, B3P86, BPW91, B3PW91, BVWN, BVWN5, and BPL in combination with several basis sets for HCH. Most density functional results provide impressive agreement with the experiment for geometries and vibrational frequencies. Methods with B3 exchange functional consistently overestimate diagonal force constants, while other methods underestimate the CH stretching force constant in HCN. However, all calculated dipole moment derivatives of HCN, including HF, DFT, and QCISD, show less accurate agreement with experiment than for vibrational frequencies. The results show a strong dependency on the choice of the basis set and on the form of the density functional. On the basis of the extensive ba...
Some Theorems on Polynomials Over a Finite Field

(1977). Some Theorems on Polynomials Over a Finite Field. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 84, No. 1, pp. 29-32.
Rubens and Virgil: A Self-Correction

In the John G. Johnson collection of the Philadelphia Museum of Art there is a sketch by Rubens which has not attracted much attention although it appears to be a fine original from the later period of the master. It was published in Valentiner's catalogue of the collection under the title The Wounded Stag and appears with the same title again in the short revised catalogue published by Henri Marceau in 1941 (no. 663). When I began to prepare the critical catalogue for the book Rubens in America I decided that this title misinterpreted the subject, evoking, as it did, visions of a type of sentimental genre-painting, perhaps influenced by Courbet's hunting scenes, which was popular in the second half of the nineteenth century, but was incompatible with Rubens' attitude toward subject matter. The picture of a wounded stag taking refuge and apparently dying in the lap of a distracted maiden was surely taken from a definite literary source. There was no sacred legend known to me which would fit the picture. S...
Role of antigen presenting cells in rheumatoid arthritis

Histological evidence indicates that activated antigen presenting cells (APC) are present in large numbers within the synovial compartment in rheumatoid arthritis. Their potent function has been demonstrated in vitro using isolated synovial APC populations, although the full picture of which APC populations are involved is still emerging. The ability of these APC to activate T cells which traffic to the joint is likely to play an important role in the maintenance of the synovial inflammatory response.
Pediatric Weight Management Interventions in Primary Care Settings: A Meta-Analysis.

Objective Although the primary care setting has been recommended as an acceptable environment for pediatric overweight/obesity treatment, a quantitative analysis has not been conducted to determine the effectiveness of pediatric weight management interventions delivered in these settings. Therefore, the purpose of the current study was to conduct a meta-analysis of weight management interventions for youth in primary care settings. Method A literature search using PsycINFO and PubMed was conducted to identify articles published through October 2015. Eighteen studies (3,358 participants) met inclusion criteria; studies included a treatment and comparison group and targeted individuals or families for treatment. Study characteristics were coded, and study rigor of articles was assessed. Results The overall effect size for change in body mass index (BMI) in primary care weight management interventions compared to control groups was small but statistically significant (d = 0.26, 95% CI [.14, .38]). The number of treatment contacts, treatment months, and visits with a pediatrician emerged as significant moderators of outcome, such that BMI reduction was positively related to greater contact. Conclusions In comparison to control conditions, weight management programs in primary care settings can be effective for BMI reduction, suggesting that primary care is a suitable setting for treatment of pediatric overweight/obesity. Additionally, treatments that were longer in duration, included more contacts (in person or phone), and included more contacts by a pediatrician had greater impact on BMI reduction. Future studies should continue to examine other aspects of acceptability and accessibility as well as demonstrate the effectiveness of interventions on improving psychosocial outcomes. (PsycINFO Database Record
Thermodynamics-based mean-value engine model with main and pilot injection sensitivity:

This paper presents a thermodynamics-based mean-value engine model that predicts the temperature and pressure at the end of each discrete combustion phase, the peak temperature and pressure, and the indicated mean effective pressure. The model has sensitivities to the engine speed, the main and pilot injection quantities and timings, and the temperature and pressure conditions in the intake and exhaust manifolds. Mathematical relationships are established between the input variables and the output variables through the thermodynamic principles of the modified ideal-gas-limited pressure cycle. Modifications to the ideal-gas cycle include the pilot combustion stage, the effective compression ratio based on the fuel injection timing and start of combustion, the effect of the constant-volume burn ratio on combustion, and the exhaust valve opening timing. The model is also augmented with empirical correlations for the ignition delay, the constant-volume burn ratio, and the heat transfer in order to improve the...
Influence of gastrointestinal function following laparoscopic versus open cholecystectomy

[Objective] To compare influence of LC and OC on patients′ gastrointestinal functions. [Methods] The peristaltic sound recovery timing (PSRT), the anorectum exhaust timing(AET) and the anorectum defecate timing(ADT) were determined in 30 patients having LC and 30 patients having OC. [Results] The PSRT, the AET and ADT in the LC group were much shorter in comparison with the OC group (P 0.05). [Conclusion] The recovery of gastrointestinal motility after LC is earlier than OC, and less influence on gastrointestinal function than OC group.
Study on the determination of amylase and amylopectin in the Cyperus esculeutus L.by dual-wavelength spectrophotometry

Dual-wavelength spectrophotometry was applied to the determination of amylase and amylopectin in Cyperus esculeutus L.According to the absorption spectra of the two comp lexes,the wavelength of amylase,620 nm and 470 nm,and of amylopectin,540 nm and 735 nm,were selected as the measuring wavelength.The content of the amylase and amylopectin in the unsettled muster is 9.3%,69.9% ;The content of the amylase and amylopectin in the desugared and degreased muster is 13.9%,77.43%.
Intrarenal arteriovenous fistulas: transcatheter steel coil occlusion

AbstractIntrarenal arteriovenous fistulas are either congenital (cirsoid), acquired or idiopathic. Transcatheter occlusion of these fistulas was accomplished using the Gianturco stainless steel coil. The anatomical configuration of the feeding and draining vessels dictated the technical approach. There was considerable conservation of renal tissue as the result of this non-surgical therapeutic alternative.
Maternal phthalate exposure during early pregnancy and at delivery in relation to gestational age and size at birth: A preliminary analysis.

Epidemiologic studies of in utero phthalate exposure and birth outcomes have had conflicting findings. The objective of this study was to characterize maternal phthalate exposure across pregnancy, examine associations between maternal phthalate levels and infant size and gestational age at birth, and investigate relationships between concurrent bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalate exposure and birth outcomes. Women in the Michigan Mother-Infant Pairs cohort provided urine and blood samples during their first trimester and at delivery. Urinary phthalate metabolites and serum BPA were measured at both time points, and birth weight, length, head circumference, and gestational age were recorded from medical records. Maternal DEHP metabolite concentrations were significantly higher at delivery compared to the first trimester (p < 0.05), suggesting increased DEHP exposure late in pregnancy. A number of phthalate metabolites were associated with birth size and gestational age in patterns that varied by sex and timing of exposure, independent of BPA exposure.
The Arctic World in the Twenty-First Century: The Impact of Globalization on Demarginalization

What is happening in the Arctic World is of importance globally because of the impact it is having on global climate and also on global mineral supplies, timber, energy resources, transportation, fisheries, tourism, environmental concerns, and scientific study. This paper was delivered as 7th Pundit Nain Singh memorial lecture at the International Geographical Union Commission on Marginalization, Globalization and Regional and Local Responses Annual Conference Nainital, India. It summarizes the progress of the Arctic world since it was almost unknown and in accessible to the outer world to the technology and capabilities exist to operate more or less efficiently in the Arctic world of Twenty First Century. The fisheries of the North, Barents, and Bering Seas are a major global food source. Since 1960, passenger and commercial aircraft have been using the Arctic in ever increasing numbers to connect Asia, Europe and North America. Big Science has entered into the Arctic World and involves numerous countries, while tourism has expanded dramatically. National and international environmental organizations are also having a significant influence on government policies particularly regarding resource development. In short, the Arctic World is now one, which is not just of major significance, but is being increasingly integrated into a global economy. The paper argues that for those who live in this part of the world, the most important aspect of our lives is to understand and influence these external forces which impact us with increasing force and complexity. This is globalization with a vengeance affecting a sparsely populated but very large part of the Northern Hemisphere.
Morgan Stanley Group, Inc.: Initial Public Offering

This case involves the analysis of the price at which Morgan Stanley proposes initially to offer its shares. The required analysis includes various valuation techniques, as well as the qualitative assessment of strategic and environmental factors. A student Lotus worksheet file is available on computer diskette for use with this case. Excerpt UVA-F-0719 MORGAN STANLEY GROUP, INC.: INITIAL PUBLIC OFFERING On February 14, 1986, the investment bank of Morgan Stanley & Co. issued a preliminary prospectus for the sale of 4,500,000 shares of its own common stock to the public at a price estimated to be between $ 42 and $ 46 per share. This move signaled a new era in the firm's history, as previously Morgan Stanley had been organized as a “partnership” consisting of 111 managing directors and 143 principals. The offering raised numerous questions: Why had Morgan Stanley chosen to go public rather than sell to a large and well-capitalized buyer? Why did Morgan Stanley need external capital at all? Securities Industry Morgan Stanley competed with an array of firms providing underwriting, financial advice, distribution, and trading/market-making functions. Exhibit 1 provides general financial information on major domestic investment banks but, in addition, Morgan Stanley regarded itself as an international securities firm and included in its realm of competitors merchant banks (for example: S. G. Warburg & Co.), universal banks (for example: Deutschebank), the London investment banking subsidiaries of U.S. money center banks, and large Japanese financial services firms (for example: Nomura Securities). Several trends were changing the competitive structure of the securities industry. Exhibit 2 suggests the magnitude and avenues of change. The trends included increasing concentration of competition, technological change in information support systems, rising demand for a highly specialized work force, innovation in the design of financial securities, the advent of globalized trading and underwriting, inter-market trading (for example: between futures, options, and stocks), and quasi-merchant banking activities. Of special significance was the introduction of Rule 415 in 1982, which allowed corporations to keep registration statements “on the shelf” and quickly (i.e., in two days) issue securities. This rule was credited with eroding investment banking relationships and motivating issuers to seek bids for underwriting business. More recently, investment bankers had begun to bid for the entire underwriting issue in “bought deals” that were then sold directly to investors and distributed to other firms. The new levels of competition in underwriting required more capital. . . .
Raman Spectra of D2 in Water and Ice

Raman spectra of D{sub 2} in H{sub 2}O and D{sub 2}O, both liquid and ice, are presented. The results are compared to previous results on H{sub 2} dissolved in water and in ice. The vibration-rotation bands shift from their gas-phase frequencies. The ratios (H{sub 2}/D{sub 2}) for both the shifts and the widths are about {radical}2, even though the shifts are in opposite directions in water and in ice, and a theoretical justification for this is given. The rotational bands of D{sub 2} are more difficult to observe than the corresponding H{sub 2} bands, and so a numerical procedure to extract these bands from the noise has been employed. The pure rotational bands of H{sub 2} and D{sub 2} are unshifted in the liquid and shifted only slightly, if at all, in the ices. The experimentally observed widths for the H{sub 2} are reproduced by available simulations. The variation in the widths for D{sub 2} with J are smaller than those for H{sub 2} in both water and ice.
A multi-block adaptive solving technique based on lattice Boltzmann method

In this paper, a CFD parallel adaptive algorithm is self-developed by combining the multi-block Lattice Boltzmann Method (LBM) with Adaptive Mesh Refinement (AMR). The mesh refinement criterion of ...
Fungal Pathogens and Parasites of Insects

Biologists generally agree that insects are the most numerous, ecologically successful, and taxonomically diverse macro-organisms on the face of this planet. Comparatively few of these biologists, however, seem to appreciate that these arthropods are typical animals much like ourselves and, for purposes of this chapter, are attacked by a wide spectrum of fungi as well as by bacteria (see Chapter 7), viruses, and other microbes. Perhaps the major difference between the diseases of insects and those of most mammals is the perspective with which these diseases are held by humans: the diseases of most animals (and, of course, of many of the plants most important to us) are maladies to be prevented or treated within the limits of our technological and fiscal capabilities. The diseases of insects and pest vertebrates are generally regarded as beneficial for humans and are to be encouraged.
Push and swap: fast cooperative path-finding with completeness guarantees

Cooperative path-finding can be abstracted as computing non-colliding paths for multiple agents between their start and goal locations on a graph. This paper proposes a fast algorithm that can provide completeness guarantees for a general class of problems without any assumptions about the graph's topology. Specifically, the approach can address any solvable instance where there are at most n-2 agents in a graph of size n. The algorithm employs two primitives: a "push" operation where agents move towards their goals up to the point that no progress can be made, and a "swap" operation that allows two agents to swap positions without altering the configuration of other agents. Simulated experiments are provided on hard instances of cooperative path-finding, including comparisons against alternative methods. The results are favorable for the proposed algorithm and show that the technique scales to problems that require high levels of coordination, involving hundreds of agents.
Dynamic Regulators of Neuronal Form and Connectivity in the Adult Snail Helisoma

Among the most striking features to emerge from 15 years of investigation of Helisoma are the tremendous adaptability and resiliency of its nervous system and the precision with which remodeling can occur. Somewhat ironically, Helisoma was ini-tally selected for investigation because of the existence of definable behavior, especially fixed action patterns, and a nervous system that was approachable because of its relative simplicity and assumed stability. However, as the analytical precision of investigations on this system improved, the view of a nervous system of immutable circuits has been refined to encompass a much more dynamic set of capabilities. It is apparent now that these more plastic attributes may be a general property of nervous systems. One might also speculate that the responses of perturbation-induced neural plasticity are actually an amplification of ongoing events normally present in all neuronal systems.
Open Radical Cystectomy

Open radical cystectomy with pelvic lymphadenectomy remains the gold standard for patients with clinically localized muscle-invasive bladder cancer. Other indications for radical cystectomy include carcinoma in-situ (cis) or high-grade tumors refractory to intravesical chemo- or immunotherapy, or recurrent multifocal superficial tumors unable to be managed adequately with repeat transurethral resection. With the advent of laparoscopic/robotic technology, cystectomy can also be performed using minimally invasive surgical approaches. Ongoing multi-institutional randomized prospective trials are evaluating whether safety, oncologic control, clinical outcomes, and cost efficacy are comparable between the two techniques. Preoperative considerations, including full staging, neoadjuvant therapy, type of diversion, and preparation for surgery are all of paramount importance in preparing for radical cystectomy. Surgical technique specific to male and female cystectomy will be discussed, as well as pelvic lymphadenectomy and form of diversion. Lastly, postoperative management and early and late complications are outlined to help guide accurate and forthright discussions with the patient.
A Web-Based Application to Improve Data Collection in an Interventional Study Targeting Childhood Obesity: Pre-Post Analysis.

Background: Although participatory action research (PAR) studies have proliferated in recent years, the development of technological resources to manage these types of projects has not kept pace. Few studies show how Web-based applications can be used to efficiently manage the data collection process. Objective: This study described the development, use, and impact of a Web-based application to facilitate data management in Ninos Sanos, Familia Sana (Healthy Children, Healthy Family), an interventional multifaceted PAR field study. Methods: We described the transformation of the data management process and evaluated the impact of the application in terms of time efficiency of data collection and engagement of community-based data collectors. We defined time efficiency as the total number of days it took to collect 3 main surveys, per year of data collection. The engagement of data collectors was assessed based on qualitative reports. Results: The amount of time it took to perform a round of data collection was reduced after implementation of the field team application (between 382 and 383 days and 198 and 233 days). Secondary data were also collected in a tighter time frame around collection of the primary outcome, and communication among data collectors, the field staff, and the research team was streamlined. In focus groups, community-based data collectors reported feeling more empowered and engaged in the data collection process after implementation of the application. Conclusions: A Web-based management application was successful in improving data collection time efficiency and engagement among data collectors.
Development of High-Frequency WBG Power Modules with Reverse-Voltage-Blocking Capability for an Integrated Motor Drive using a Current-Source Inverter

Integrated motor drives (IMDs) can provide high power density, simplified installation, and easier retrofits for fixed-speed motors with adjustable speed drives (ASDs) in pump/fan applications. This paper proposes a new IMD based on a current-source inverter (CSI) topology that offers several performance improvements over existing IMD configurations. Attention is focused on development of suitable power electronics modules that have reverse-voltage-blocking (RB) and high switching frequency capabilities. Several candidate hybrid switch configurations using MOSFETs, IGBTs and HEMTs for RB switches are examined. Test results for three prototype hybrid RB switch power modules using discrete GaN-HEMTs and SiC-MOSFETs are presented that exhibit promising performance characteristics including low conduction loss and fast switching capabilities in a high-temperature $(\boldsymbol{T_{j}}=125{{}^{\circ}\mathbf{C}})$ environment. Mechanical and thermal design issues are also addressed that are keys to achieving reliable operation of the power modules. Simulation and experimental results are used to estimate the CSI efficiency in an IMD configuration, yielding rated efficiency values as high as 97.7% using the hybrid WBG-based RB switches.
The K-server problem via a modern optimization lens

Abstract We consider the well-known K-server problem from the perspective of mixed integer, robust and adaptive optimization. We propose a new tractable mixed integer linear formulation of the K-server problem that incorporates both information from the past and uncertainty about the future. By combining ideas from classical online algorithms developed in the computer science literature and robust and adaptive optimization developed in the operations research literature we propose a new method that (a) is computationally tractable, (b) almost always outperforms all other methods in numerical experiments, and (c) is stable with respect to potential errors in the assumptions about the future.
Childhood Obesity: Factors, Consequences and Intervention

Abstract The global epidemic of obesity has been increasing in recent years, and childhood obesity is no exception. Children and adolescents above the normal weight for their age and height suffer from childhood obesity. Genetic, behavioral, environmental, sociocultural, family, and psychological factors contribute to childhood obesity. Childhood obesity may be immediate, intermediate, or long term, and may have medical, socioeconomical, academic, and psychological consequences. Dietary, physical, and behavioral modifications in family-based lifestyle, school-based, community-based, political, and hospital-based interventions may be utilized to combat childhood obesity, which, in turn, may result in a healthier society.
Tailoring Two-Electron-Donating Phenothiazines To Enable High-Concentration Redox Electrolytes for Use in Nonaqueous Redox Flow Batteries

This study aims to advance our understanding of the physical and electrochemical behavior of nonaqueous redox electrolytes at elevated concentrations and to develop experimentally informed structur...
Knowing Individuals: Fingerprinting, Policing, and the Limits of Professionalization in 1920s Beijing

This article examines the adoption of modern fingerprinting in early twentieth-century China through a case study of the Fingerprint Society, an association affiliated with the Ministry of Interior...