cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The use of varenicline to treat nicotine dependence among patients with cancer.

Background Continuing to smoke after a cancer diagnosis can adversely influence the prognosis for patients with cancer. However, remarkably few studies have carefully examined the use of first-line FDA-approved medications for nicotine dependence in patients with cancer. This study evaluated the feasibility, safety, and effect on cessation of varenicline for smoking cessation in patients with cancer. Methods Data from 132 treatment-seeking smokers who received 12 weeks of open-label varenicline and five brief behavioral counseling sessions were used to evaluate the feasibility, safety, and impact on cessation of varenicline. The effects of abstinence on cognitive function and affect were also explored. Results Of 459 patients screened, 306 were eligible for the study (66.7%) and 132 entered treatment (43.1%). Retention was 84.1% over 12 weeks. The rate of biochemically verified abstinence at week 12 was 40.2%. Expected side effects were reported (e.g. sleep problems, nausea), but there were no reports of elevated depressed mood, suicidal thoughts, or cardiovascular events. Abstinence was associated with improved cognitive function and reduced negative affect over time (p < 0.05). Conclusions Although many patients with cancer who smoke did not enroll in treatment, the side effect profile of varenicline and its effect on short-term cessation converge with what is seen in the general population. Further, as with the general population, abstinence while taking varenicline may lead to improved cognitive function and reduced negative affect. The present data support the use of varenicline to help patients with cancer to quit smoking. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Laser Synthetic Chemistry and Laser Photogeneration of Catalysis

Chemical synthesis — the design and fabrication of new compounds — is the very heart of chemistry. The unique characteristics of laser light sources (mono-chromaticity, tunability, low beam divergence, and high energy fluence) suggest that the use of lasers may offer a considerable number of advantages over conventional methods in the preparation of both old and new materials [1].
Computer simulation of consumable melted slabs

A mathematical model has been developed to simulate two-dimensional heat flow for a slab ingot produced as a remelted product. Various heat flow parameters have been studied to determine the influence of changes in them on local solidification time. The parameters which show the greatest influence are the heat transfer coefficient and the thickness of the slab. The rate of addition of material changes the depth of the molten pool, but does not affect local solidification time.
The Use of Radio Technologies in the Fieldbus Area -Using INTERBUS as an Example

Until recently, data transmission by radio in the fieldbus area was inconceivable. The available radio technologies were too susceptible to interference, cumbersome, expensive and slow. However, new radio technologies such as DECT or the 2.4 GHz ISM band used in 802.11 offer promising new possibilities for fieldbus links which were only previously made possible using costly connection technology. This offers the user both straightforward installation and a higher degree of flexibility, without increased costs. Through the joint project supported by BMBF (German Federal Department of Education, Science, Research and Technology), “Wireless Fieldbuses in the Production Environment” (FUNBUS), and cooperation with the technical college FH-Lippe, initial experiences of using radio technologies on Interbus have been collated from various viewpoints and a product-related prototype has been developed for use on Interbus.
Improving emergency response and human- robotic performance

Preparedness for chemical, biological, and radiological/nuclear incidents at nuclear power plants (NPPs) includes the deployment of well trained emergency response teams. While teams are expected to do well, data from other domains suggests that the timeliness and accuracy associated with incident response can be improved through collaborative human-robotic interaction. Many incident response scenarios call for multiple, complex procedure-based activities performed by personnel wearing cumbersome personal protective equipment (PPE) and operating under high levels of stress and workload. While robotic assistance is postulated to reduce workload and exposure, limitations associated with communications and the robot’s ability to act independently have served to limit reliability and reduce our potential to exploit human -robotic interaction and efficacy of response. Recent work at the Idaho National Laboroaty (INL) on expanding robot capability has the potential to improve human-system response during disaster management and recovery. Specifically, increasing the range of higher level robot behaviors such as autonomous navigation and mapping, evolving new abstractions for sensor and control data, and developing metaphors for operator control have the potential to improve state-of-the-art in incident response. This paper discusses these issues and reports on experiments underway intelligence residing on the robot to enhance emergency response.
Orthodox Judaism in the US: Retrospect and Prospect

In this introduction, we: 1. present the highlights of the Pew report on American Orthodox Jews; 2. provide summary observations on the substantive and policy implications as stated in the commentaries by the invited contributors; and 3. comment on the implications of the report in regard to an assessment of Orthodox Judaism within the context of American Jewish denominational life.
Factors influencing hearing outcomes in pediatric patients undergoing ossicular chain reconstruction.

Abstract Objective Ossicular chain disruption in children leads to conductive hearing loss. Few studies have focused on factors influencing successful results in pediatric ossicular chain reconstruction (OCR). We aim to determine whether demographic or surgical factors affect hearing outcomes in pediatric OCR. Methods We conducted a retrospective chart review of 120 patients undergoing OCR at our institution, a tertiary care hospital, between 2003 and 2014, with median length of follow-up of 2.2 years (range 0.1–9.3 years). Pediatric patients ( Results A total of 120 patients (123 ears) were included. 35.8% of cases were revised, most commonly due to displaced prostheses. 28.5% of surgeries resulted in normal hearing (PTA ≤25 dB) post-operatively. Post-operative SRT and ABG were significantly better in patients with partial ossicular replacement prosthesis (PORP) compared with those with total ossicular replacement prosthesis (TORP) (p = 0.016, 0.027). Titanium prostheses resulted in better post-operative PTA and larger changes in PTA compared with all other materials (p = 0.034, p = 0.038). Conclusions In our experience, children with titanium prostheses had better hearing outcomes than those with other materials, and children with PORP had better hearing outcomes than those with TORP.
Pearls & Oy-sters: An uncommon initial presentation of thyrotoxicosis

Venous thrombosis is common in patients with thyrotoxicosis, with the cerebral venous system being frequently involved.
Cognitive reserve and long-term change in cognition in aging and preclinical Alzheimer's disease.

We examined if baseline levels of cognitive reserve (CR) and of Alzheimer's disease (AD) biomarkers modify the rate of change in cognition among individuals with normal cognition at baseline (n = 303, mean baseline age = 57 years, mean follow-up = 12 years); 66 participants subsequently developed mild cognitive impairment (MCI) or dementia due to AD. CR was indexed by years of education, reading, and vocabulary measures. AD biomarkers were measured with a composite score composed of measures of amyloid, phosphorylated tau, and neurodegeneration. Higher CR scores were associated with better cognitive performance but did not modify the rate of change in cognition among those who remained cognitively normal, nor among those who progressed to MCI before symptom onset, independent of baseline biomarker levels. However, higher CR scores were associated with faster cognitive decline after symptom onset of MCI. These results suggest that the mechanism by which CR mediates the relationship between pathology and cognitive function is by delaying the onset of symptoms rather than reducing the rate of cognitive decline.
The use of fourier series for image encryptıon

In this work, an image encryption algorithm was proposed using the Fourier Series. Then, we mentioned the method of mathematical analysis that should be done to strengthen this algorithm against the statistical attack. The development of this last algorithm has been left to professionals.
Arbitrary Ratio, Wavelength-insensitive 2×2 MMI Coupler in SOI with Enhanced Fabrication Tolerance

We present a new arbitrary-ratio 2×2 MMI coupler design. The design demonstrated 2.6 times lower coupling ratio variation across extended C-band, and 2.2 times ratio error reduction when subjected to ±10 nm thickness and width deviations.
Assimilation of China's rural-to-urban migrants: A multidimensional process

This study explores the multidimensional process of assimilation in rural-to-urban migration in China. We distinguish between (a) intrinsic acculturation—the adoption of values; (b) extrinsic accul...
Plato’s “Allegory of the Cave”

‘Passage’ denotes a portion or section of a written work. It also means “the act or an instance of passing of passing from one place, condition, etc., to another,” yet also “the permission, right, or freedom to pass.” It denotes an opening or entrance through which one may pass, hence a ‘passage way’ is “a way for passing through, or out of something.” Passage can also mean “a voyage by water or air from one point to another”, and “a progress or course, as of events.” Finally, passage also denotes “an interchange of communications, confidences, etc., between persons.” Passage captures much of what we have been describing in our exploration of the relationship between Being and Learning, and it is not surprising to find that the plurality of meaning that flows from this term also captures many of the events which unfold in the multilayered Allegory of the Cave.
A Preliminary Analysis of EMG Variance as an Index of Change in EMG Biofeedback Treatment of Tension-Type Headache

The effectiveness of EMG biofeedback training for tension headache has been well established. Previous studies evaluating changes in an average EMG activity score from pre- to posttreatment have not consistently found a relationship between a reduction in average EMG activity and headache improvement at posttreatment. The current study is a preliminary analysis of the utility of EMG variance as another possible mechanism of change. Frontalis EMG average activity and variances from 6 chronic tension-type headache sufferers who demonstrated significant improvement in headache activity at posttreatment (at least 70%) and 6 chronic tension-type headache sufferers who did not demonstrate improvement (less than 30%) were examined across 6 sessions of biofeedback treatment. The improved group demonstrated larger time-specific EMG variance in relation to mean EMG amplitudes during all treatment sessions. A dramatic decline in time-specific variance was observed during the later treatment sessions for improved participants; this pattern was not observed in the group who demonstrated little or no improvement. Results from the current study suggest that the inclusion of both average EMG activity and EMG variance may provide a more comprehensive measure to evaluate possible physiological changes responsible for improvement in headache activity following EMG biofeedback training.
A General Lagrangian Formulation for the Computation of A Posteriori Finite Element Bounds

We present our general framework for implicit A posteriori finite element procedures to compute upper and lower bounds for functional outputs of finite element solutions. The approach is based on a finite element domain decomposition technique and the construction of an augmented Lagrangian, in which the objective is a “quadratic” energy re-formulation of the desired output, and the constraints are the finite element equilibrium equations and inter-subdomain continuity requirements. Bounds for the output, on a suitably refined “truth” mesh, are then obtained by appealing to a dual min-max relaxation, evaluated for Lagrange multipliers computed on a coarse “working” mesh. For coercive problems, the computed bounds are uniformly valid regardless of the size of the underlying coarse discretization. An extension of the basic method to deal with non-coercive problems is also presented. In this case, the bounds computed can only be proven to be asymmptotic although in practice, they are also found to be valid for very coarse meshes. Adaptive mesh procedures can be incorporated naturally into the bounding framework to produce optimized meshes that meet a target bound gap. The methods presented are illustrated with several application examples.
TRANSPORTATION IMPACTS OF RATIONING ON INDIVIDUAL TRAVEL DECISIONS IN A QUALITY OF LIFE CONTEXT

ABSTRACT A long and protracted debate has developed about whether gasoline rationing should be implemented and if implemented what form it should take. Because our past national experience with gasoline rationing has been in a different social and political context than planners expect to exist when (and if) rationing is instituted, an interactive man-machine simulation has been developed to test whether it is possible to shift travel decisions through rationing or the threat of rationing. Experimentation examining policy preferences before and after the simulation indicate individual mobility is perceived as a crucial aspect of life to be maintained, that government (rationing) and industry (shortage of allocation) are both seen as threats to personal mobility, and, therefore, that long-term rationing is not likely to be well received nor effective without severe police action.
Regulation of Cell-Type-Specific Transcriptomes by miRNA Networks During Human Brain Development

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) regulate many cellular events by regulating hundreds of mRNA transcripts. However, it is unclear how miRNA-mRNA interactions are contextualized into the framework of transcriptional heterogeneity among closely related cells of the developing human brain. By combining the multiple complementary approaches, AGO2-HITS-CLIP, single-cell profiling and bipartite network analysis, we show that the miRNA-mRNA network operates as functional modules related to cell-type identities and undergo dynamic transitions during brain development.
Effects of mipomersen, an apolipoprotein B100 antisense, on lipoprotein (a) metabolism in healthy subjects

Elevated lipoprotein (a) [Lp(a)] levels increase the risk for CVD. Novel treatments that decrease LDL cholesterol (LDL-C) have also shown promise for reducing Lp(a) levels. Mipomersen, an antisense oligonucleotide that inhibits apoB synthesis, is approved for the treatment of homozygous familial hypercholesterolemia. It decreases plasma levels of LDL-C by 25% to 39% and lowers levels of Lp(a) by 21% to 39%. We examined the mechanisms for Lp(a) lowering during mipomersen treatment. We enrolled 14 healthy volunteers who received weekly placebo injections for 3 weeks followed by weekly injections of mipomersen for 7 weeks. Stable isotope kinetic studies were performed using deuterated leucine at the end of the placebo and mipomersen treatment periods. The fractional catabolic rate (FCR) of Lp(a) was determined from the enrichment of a leucine-containing peptide specific to apo(a) by LC/MS. The production rate (PR) of Lp(a) was calculated from the product of Lp(a) FCR and Lp(a) concentration (converted to pool size). In a diverse population, mipomersen reduced plasma Lp(a) levels by 21%. In the overall study group, mipomersen treatment resulted in a 27% increase in the FCR of Lp(a) with no significant change in PR. However, there was heterogeneity in the response to mipomersen therapy, and changes in both FCRs and PRs affected the degree of change in Lp(a) concentrations. Mipomersen treatment decreases Lp(a) plasma levels mainly by increasing the FCR of Lp(a), although changes in Lp(a) PR were significant predictors of reductions in Lp(a) levels in some subjects.
Statement of the Necessary Condition for Mayer Problems of Optimal Control

We consider here Mayer problems of optimization. Precisely, we are concerned with the problem of the minimum of a functional $$I\left[ {x,\mu } \right]=g\left( {{t_1},x\left( {{t_1}} \right),{t_2},x\left( {{t_2}} \right)} \right)$$ (4.1.1) with differential equations, constraints, and boundary conditions $${{dx} \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {{dx} {dt}}} \right. \kern-\nulldelimiterspace} {dt}} = f\left( {t,x\left( t \right),u\left( t \right)} \right),{\text{ }}t \in \left[ {{t_1},{t_2}} \right]\left( {a.e.} \right)$$ (4.1.2) $$\left( {t,x\left( t \right)} \right) \in A,{\text{ }}t \in \left[ {{t_1},{t_2}} \right]$$ (4.1.3) $$u\left( t \right) \in U\left( t \right),{\text{ }}t \in \left[ {{t_1},{t_2}} \right]\left( {a.e.} \right)$$ (4.1.4) $$ e\left[ x \right] = \left( {{t_1},x\left( {{t_1}} \right),{t_2},x\left( {{t_2}} \right)} \right) \in B$$ (4.1.5) in the class Ω of all admissible pairs x(t) = (x1, … , xn), u(t) = (u1, … , u m ), t l ≤ t ≤ t 2 Again, f(t, x, u) = (f 1 , … , fn)is a given vector function, and the system (4.1.2) can be written equivalently in the form $${{d{x^i}} \mathord{\left/ {\vphantom {{d{x^i}} {dt}}} \right. \kern-\nulldelimiterspace} {dt}} = {f_i}\left( {t,x\left( t \right),u\left( t \right)} \right),{\text{ t}} \in \left[ {{t_1},{t_2}} \right]\left( {a.e.} \right),i = 1, \ldots ,n$$
FR01-10 BLOOD GUSHING AND MUSICAL SCREAMING IN MARIN MARAIS’ CYSTOLITHOTOMY

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES:Marin Marais was the favorite viol player of the Sun King, Louis XIV at Versailles, and an early composer of music depicting a scene (program music). His 1725 Portrait o...
Genetic predisposition for medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaws: a systematic review.

Abstract The purpose of this study was to assess whether genetic variation is a predictor for the development of medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaws (MRONJ) in patients receiving bisphosphonate therapy for various conditions. A systematic review based on the PRISMA guidelines was performed. A search strategy was developed. Comprehensive searches of major databases were conducted for studies published January 2003 through July 2018. The PICOS strategy was used to develop the inclusion criteria. The analysis in each study was performed primarily using single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) frequency mean values and odds ratios between cases and controls. A total of 3301 patients were enrolled in the 15 included studies (two genome-wide association studies, n = 1877; 10 candidate gene studies, n = 1195; three whole genome/whole exome studies, n = 229). Multiple myeloma was the most prevalent primary disease (54.8%). Zoledronate was prescribed in 68.8% of patients. No one SNP was definitively identified as a risk factor for the development of MRONJ. To date, studies have failed to show a single gene as a risk factor for MRONJ. Heterogeneity of case and control populations may be contributory. Next generation sequencing studies may help elucidate the role and interplay of genetic events in the development of MRONJ.
Hypertonic saline stimulates vagal afferents that respond to lung deflation.

In our present studies, we seek to determine whether increased osmolarity stimulates deflation-activated receptors (DARs). In anesthetized, open-chest, and mechanically ventilated rabbits, we recor...
The role of integrin αv and CD44 in GBM migration in human brain

Glioblastoma (GBM) is the most common primary adult malignant brain tumor. Recurrence is driven invading tumor cells that escape surgical resection and demonstrate resistance to standard-of-care chemotherapy and radiotherapy. A large body of research has been conducted on tumor cell motility. However, typical in vitro models make use of polystyrene culture dishes, which exhibit significantly different physical parameters than brain tissue. Here we report on the use of human organotypic brain slices as an ex vivo approach for the dynamic study of GBM cell motility. Temporal lobectomy tissue from epilepsy patients was obtained and cut into 350μm thick slices. After the tissue slices had a week9s incubation for recovery, fluorescently labeled tumor cells were seeded. We then tracked individual tumor cells using time-lapse fluorescent confocal microscopy. Quantification of motility characteristics, including mean squared displacement, total path length, and consistency, allowed for comparison of different conditions, including knockdown of cell surface proteins integrin αv (ITGAV) and CD44. Human organotypics demonstrated minimal variability across specimen in terms of motility parameters, including total path length, averaged instantaneous velocity, and consistency. Knockdown of the traditional motility protein ITGAV showed little effect on overall motility while knockdown of CD44 resulted in a significant reduction in both averaged instantaneous velocity and total path length. When the same parameters were examined using Matrigel, ITGAV and CD44 both showed decreased motility, highlighting the impact of the physical environment on cell behavior. Finally, cell motility in mouse organotypic slices was decreased when compared to human organotypic slices. Here we demonstrate the use of human organotypic brain slices in the study of GBM cell invasion. This model system offers a physiologically-relevant environment in which to examine the dynamic process of cell motility.
Assessment of the overall condition of bridge decks using the Jensen-Shannon divergence of NDE data

Abstract This paper presents the successful application of the Jensen-Shannon divergence (JSD) for the overall condition assessment of bridge deck structures using nondestructive evaluation (NDE) data. Periodic (time-lapsed) results from electrical resistivity, half-cell potential, ground penetrating radar, ultrasonic surface wave, and impact-echo measurements on the Haymarket Bridge deck (located in Virginia, U.S.) are represented in the form of probability distributions, and the deviation from original distributions is calculated using the square root of the Jensen-Shannon divergence ( J S D ). The effects of bin size on the probability distribution, and of instruments varying in resolution on J S D are discussed. Finally, by assuming ideal probability distributions representing an intact condition of the bridge deck, an NDE index for condition assessment of bridge decks is suggested and deterioration curves are developed. Results demonstrate the effectiveness of J S D to evaluate relative changes in the bridge deck condition.
An Autoethnographic Review of Big Black Penis: Misadventures in Race and Masculinity

Autoethnography is a qualitative research method that allows a researcher to universalize their experience of being an individual, thus allowing others to experience their experience, be affected and continue a conversation. Big Black Penis: Misadventures in Race and Masculinity (Taylor, 2008) is a book that invites readers into the author’s experience as a Black male. As a Black male, I enter into, review, and continue the autoethnography dialogue started by Taylor. Big Black Penis is for those wanting to learn about the lived experiences of being a Black man in America.
Hydroclimatic drivers of highly seasonal leptospirosis incidence suggest prominent soil reservoir of pathogenic Leptospira spp. in rural western China.

Climate exerts complex influences on leptospirosis transmission, affecting human behavior, zoonotic host population dynamics, and survival of the pathogen in the environment. Here, we describe the spatiotemporal distribution of leptospirosis incidence reported to China’s National Infectious Disease Surveillance System from 2004–2014 in an endemic region in western China, and employ distributed lag models at annual and sub-annual scales to analyze its association with hydroclimatic risk factors and explore evidence for the potential role of a soil reservoir in the transmission of Leptospira spp. More than 97% of the 2,934 reported leptospirosis cases occurred during the harvest season between August and October, and most commonly affected farmers (83%). Using a distributed-lag Poisson regression framework, we characterized incidence rate ratios (IRRs) associated with interquartile range increases in precipitation of 3.45 (95% confidence interval 2.57–4.64) over 0-1-year lags, and 1.90 (1.18–3.06) over 0-15-week lags. Adjusting for soil moisture decreased IRRs for precipitation at both timescales (yearly adjusted IRR: 1.05, 0.74–1.49; weekly adjusted IRR: 1.36, 0.72–2.57), suggesting precipitation effects may be mediated through soil moisture. Increased soil moisture was positively associated with leptospirosis at both timescales, suggesting that the survival of pathogenic Leptospira spp. in moist soils may be a critical control on harvest-associated leptospirosis transmission in the study region. These results support the hypothesis that soils may serve as an environmental reservoir and may play a significant yet underrecognized role in leptospirosis transmission.
Government Finance and Imposition of Serfdom After the Black Death

After the Black Death, serfdom disappeared in Western Europe while making a resurgence in Eastern Europe. What explains this difference? I argue that serfdom was against the interests of the sovereign and was only imposed when the nobility, most of whom needed serfdom to maintain their economic and social standing, had leverage to impose their will. One way the nobility gained this power was through financing the military. Using data from the fourteenth to through the eighteenth centuries, I show that serfdom was imposed in areas where sovereigns had few other resources to pay for war or defense. This paper addresses the causes of a historical institution that theorist from Moore (1966) to Acemoglu and Robinson (2006) have argued played an important role in the development, or lack thereof, of democracy and long-term economic growth.
Profiles of adolescent character attributes: Associations with intentional self-regulation and character role model relationships

Despite acknowledgment that character operates as a multi-faceted system of multiple attributes, few efforts have examined this system by investigating how character attributes may combine in profi...
Determinants for Fusion Speed of Biomolecular Droplets.

Biomolecular droplets formed through phase separation have a tendency to fuse. The speed with which fusion occurs is a direct indicator of condensate liquidity, which is key to both cellular functions and diseases. Using a dual-trap optical tweezers setup, we found the fusion speeds of four types of droplets to differ by two orders of magnitude. The order of fusion speed correlates with the fluorescence of thioflavin T, which in turn reflects the macromolecular packing density inside droplets. Unstructured protein or polymer chains pack loosely and readily rearrange, leading to fast fusion. In contrast, structured protein domains pack more closely and have to break extensive contacts before rearrangement, corresponding to slower fusion. This molecular interpretation for disparate fusion speeds provides mechanistic insight into the assembly and aging of biomolecular droplets.
Physician trajectories of abandoning long-course breast radiotherapy and their cost impact.

Objective To examine variation in trajectories of abandoning conventionally fractionated whole-breast irradiation (CF-WBI) for adjuvant breast radiotherapy among physician peer groups and the associated cost implications. Data sources Medicare claims data were obtained from the Chronic Conditions Data Warehouse for fee-for-service beneficiaries with breast cancer in 2011-2014. Study design We used social network methods to identify peer groups of physicians that shared patients. For each physician peer group in each time period (T1 = 2011-2012 and T2 = 2013-2014), we calculated a risk-adjusted rate of CF-WBI use among eligible women, after adjusting for patient clinical characteristics. We applied a latent class growth analysis to these risk-adjusted rates to identify distinct trajectories of CF-WBI use among physician peer groups. We further estimated potential savings to the Medicare program by accelerating abandonment of CF-WBI in T2 using a simulation model. Data collection/extraction methods Use of conventionally fractionated whole-breast irradiation was determined from Medicare claims among women ≥ 66 years of age who underwent adjuvant radiotherapy after breast conserving surgery. Principal findings Among 215 physician peer groups caring for 16 988 patients, there were four distinct trajectories of abandoning CF-WBI: (a) persistent high use (mean risk-adjusted utilization rate: T1 = 94.3%, T2 = 90.6%); (b) decreased high use (T1 = 81.3%, T2 = 65.3%); (c) decreased medium use (T1 = 60.1%, T2 = 44.0%); and (d) decreased low use (T1 = 31.6%, T2 = 23.6%). Peer groups with a smaller proportion of patients treated at free-standing radiation facilities and a larger proportion of physicians that were surgeons tended to follow trajectories with lower use of CF-WBI. If all physician peer groups had practice patterns in T2 similar to those in the "decreased low use" trajectory, the Medicare program could save $83.3 million (95% confidence interval: $58.5 million-$112.2 million). Conclusions Physician peer groups had distinct trajectories of abandoning CF-WBI. Physician composition and setting of radiotherapy were associated with the different trajectories. Distinct practice patterns across the trajectories had important cost implications.
Imaging of fetal lymphangiectasias: prenatal and postnatal imaging findings

Lymphangiectasias are lymphatic malformations characterized by the abnormal dilation and morphology of the lymphatic channels. The classification and treatment of these disorders can be challenging given the limited amount of literature available in children. Various imaging modalities are used to confirm suspected diagnosis, plan the most appropriate treatment, and estimate a prognosis. Prenatal evaluation is performed using both prenatal US imaging and fetal MRI. These modalities are paramount for appropriate parental counseling and planning of perinatal care. During the neonatal period, chest US imaging is a useful modality to evaluate pulmonary lymphangiectasia because other modalities such as conventional radiography and CT display nonspecific findings. Finally, the recent breakthroughs in lymphatic imaging with MRI have allowed us to better classify lymphatic disorders. Dynamic contrast-enhanced lymphangiography, conventional lymphangiography and percutaneous lymphatic procedures offer static and dynamic evaluation of the central conducting lymphatics in children, with excellent spatial resolution and the possibility to provide treatment. The purpose of this review is to discuss the normal and abnormal development of the fetal lymphatic system and how to best depict it by imaging during the prenatal and postnatal life.
Design of Graphene/Ionic Liquid Composites for Carbon Capture.

Pore size is a crucial factor impacting gas separation in porous separation materials, but how to control the pore size to optimize the separation performance remains a challenge. Here, we propose a design of graphene/ionic liquid composites with tunable slit pore sizes, where cations and anions of ionic liquids are intercalated between graphene layers. By varying the sizes of the ions, we show from first-principles density functional theory calculations that the accessible pore size can be tuned from 3.4 to 6.0 A. Grand canonical Monte Carlo simulations of gas sorption find that the composite materials possess high CO2 uptake at room temperature and 1 bar (up to ∼8.5 mmol/g). Further simulations of the sorption of gas mixtures reveal that high CO2/N2 and CO2/CH4 adsorption selectivities can be obtained when the accessible pore size is <5 A. This work suggests a new strategy to achieve tunable pore sizes via the graphene/IL composites for highly selective CO2/N2 and CO2/CH4 adsorption.
Increased rates of social defeat and schizotypy in racial minorities

Abstract This study examines the extent to which a measure of multidimensional schizotypy is associated with experiences of social defeat. Based on the social defeat hypothesis of psychosis, which suggests that chronic stressful experiences leading to social defeat increase risk for psychotic-like experiences, we expect that individual differences on a schizotypy measure would be explained by differences in social defeat. We hypothesized that racial and ethnic minorities would report higher rates of schizotypy relative to non-minorities and that social defeat would explain those differences. Participants included a community sample of English-speaking adults ages 18 and older, recruited from online social media platforms (N = 501; M age = 28.06). Demographic information was collected, as well as the Multidimensional Schizotypy Scale–Brief (Kwapil et al., 2018) and the Defeat Scale (Gilbert & Allan, 1998). Analyses revealed that social defeat and schizotypy scores are highly correlated. Examination of group differences revealed that racial and ethnic minorities reported higher rates of schizotypy and higher rates of social defeat than non-minorities. ANCOVA analyses revealed that, after controlling for social defeat scores, racial and ethnic status was no longer significantly associated with schizotypy scores.
Emergency room utilization in the first 15 months of life: A randomized study

The impact of a system of primary pediatric care on emergency room use in a municipal hospital was measured by comparing that use in two randomly selected populations. The population that was offered participation in a primary care program consistently used the emergency room less than did the control group. Analysis of the pattern of utilization revealed that the differences were limited to patients who actually participated in the program, and to weekday use of the emergency room. Unusually heavy (greater than ten visits per year) use of the emergency room was virtually eliminated among participants in the primary care program.
Developing a profit and loss (P&L) model for mid-development software requirement change: poster session

Requirement changes early in the software design process are an expected part of the iterative development process and have been effectively analyzed [1] and modeled [2]. Mid-project requirement changes are an unanticipated but inevitable part of software development. The effect of mid-course requirement corrections has not been effectively modeled primarily because separating the costs of redesign, recoding and retesting from more general project expenses is difficult. Furthermore, the effect of mid-project design changes on actual profitability is complex. In addition to the effort and overhead spent to implement the requirement changes there is an opportunity cost in that diverted hours could have been spent more profitably on the development and coding of other projects. This poster describes the development of a model to estimate the effect of mid-project requirement changes on unit P&L in collaboration with the BearingPoint Hattiesburg Software Development Center. Major challenges include tracing requirement changes through dependent task and test cases, eliciting detailed task level effort from more general project accounting [3], effectively dealing with missing data [4], and estimating opportunity cost [5,6]. The development of an estimation formula based upon gathered data is discussed. And, the progress toward a more accurate model of the effect of mid-project requirement changes is explored.
Sixty-four-slice computed tomography of the coronary arteries: cost-effectiveness analysis of patients presenting to the emergency department with low-risk chest pain.

Objectives: The aim was to use a computer model to estimate the cost–effectiveness of 64-slice multidetector computed tomography (MDCT) of the coronary arteries in the emergency department (ED) compared to an observation unit (OU) stay plus stress electrocardiogram (ECG) or stress echocardiography for the evaluation of low-risk chest pain patients presenting to the ED. Methods: A decision analytic model was developed to compare health outcomes and costs that result from three different risk stratification strategies for low-risk chest pain patients in the ED: stress ECG testing after OU care, stress echocardiography after OU care, and MDCT with no OU care. Three patient populations were modeled with the prevalence of symptomatic coronary artery disease (CAD) being very low risk, 2%; low risk, 6% (base case); and moderate risk, 10%. Outcomes were measured as quality-adjusted life years (QALYs). Incremental cost–effectiveness ratios (ICERs), the ratio of change in costs of one test over another to the change in QALY, were calculated for comparisons between each strategy. Sensitivity analyses were conducted to test the robustness of the results to assumptions regarding the characteristics of the risk stratification strategies, costs, utility weights, and likelihood of events. Results: In the base case, the mean (±standard deviation [SD]) costs and QALYs for each risk stratification strategy were MDCT arm $2,684 (±$1,773 to $4,418) and 24.69 (±24.54 to 24.76) QALYs, stress echocardiography arm $3,265 (±$2,383 to $4,836) and 24.63 (±24.28 to 24.74) QALYs, and stress ECG arm $3,461 (±$2,533 to $4,996) and 24.59 (±24.21 to 24.75) QALYs. The MDCT dominated (less costly and more effective) both OU plus stress echocardiography and OU plus stress ECG. This resulted in an ICER where the MDCT arm dominated the stress echocardiography arm (95% confidence interval [CI] = dominant to $29,738) and where MDCT dominated the ECG arm (95% CI = dominant to $7,332). The MDCT risk stratification arm also dominated stress echocardiography and stress ECG in the 2 and 10% prevalence scenarios, which demonstrated the same ICER trends as the 6% prevalence CAD base case. The thresholds where the MDCT arm remained a cost-saving strategy compared to the other risk stratification strategies were cost of MDCT, $1,092; prevalence of CAD, 65%; and a MDCT indeterminate rate, <30%. Conclusions: In this computer-based model analysis, the MDCT risk stratification strategy is less costly and more effective than both OU-based stress echocardiography and stress ECG risk stratification strategies in chest pain patients presenting to the ED with low to moderate prevalence of CAD. ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE 2008; 15:1–10 © 2008 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine
Micromechanical wavelength add/drop switching: from device to network architecture

Microelectro-mechanical (MEMS) components can play a surprisingly diverse role in add/drop switching, ranging from simple 2-port tunable filters to large port-count crossconnects assembled from wavelength selective switches. I will review the various kinds of MEMS switch components and show the wavelength add/drop architectures they enable.
Division Is in Uniform TC0

Integer division has been known since 1986 [4, 13, 12] to be in slightly non-uniform TC°, i.e., computable by polynomial-size, constant depth threshold circuits. This has been perhaps the outstanding natural problem known to be in a standard circuit complexity class, but not known to be in its uniform version. We show that indeed division is in uniform TC°. A key step of our proof is the discovery of a first-order formula expressing exponentiation modulo any number of polynomial size.
A knowledge based approach to information fusion using combinability relationships

We consider fusion of imprecise information. The concept of a combinability relationship is introduced to enable the inclusion in the fusion process of information about the appropriateness of fusing different elements from the observation space. This relationship allows for the use of an expert knowledge base, containing information about the domain of the particular problem, in the fusion process and leads to a more intelligent aggregation. We show that if we use a combinability relationship that only allows fusion of identical elements then the only idempotent fusion of any collection of fuzzy observations is their intersection.
Airport noise and residential housing valuation in southern California: A hedonic pricing approach

A large and detailed data set is used to examine the influence of airports and airport light paths on housing prices. The results indicate that individuals consider airport proximity and airport flight patterns in their housing purchases. This shows that there exist two distinct measurable price gradients that distinguish large airports from small airports. In addition, homes located under the flight path of a large airport have a price gradient that is significantly larger than homes located under the flight path of a small airport.
Degree-independent Sobolev extension on locally uniform domains

Abstract We consider the problem of constructing extensions L k p ( Ω ) → L k p ( R n ) , where L k p is the Sobolev space of functions with k derivatives in L p and Ω ⊂ R n is a domain. In the case of Lipschitz Ω, Calderon gave a family of extension operators depending on k, while Stein later produced a single (k-independent) operator. For the more general class of locally-uniform domains, which includes examples with highly non-rectifiable boundaries, a k-dependent family of operators was constructed by Jones. In this work we produce a k-independent operator for all spaces L k p ( Ω ) on a locally uniform domain Ω.
Purification and characterization of large and small subunits of ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase expressed separately in Escherichia coli☆

Procedures were developed for 95 and 80% purification to homogeneity of the large subunit (L) and small subunit (S) of ribulose 1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (L8S8) from Synechococcus PCC 6301, each expressed separately in Escherichia coli. Purified L had a low specific activity in the absence of S (0.075 mumol CO2 fixed/mg holoenzyme/min). Following elution on a Pharmacia Superose 6 or 12 gel filtration column, 50% of the purified L appeared as the octamer, L8. The rest was in equilibrium with lower polymeric species and/or was retained on the column. Large and small subunits assembled rapidly into the L8S8 holoenzyme that had high specific activities, 6.2 and 3.1 mumol CO2 fixed/mg holoenzyme/min for the homologous Synechococcus L8S8 and the hybrid Synechococcus L-pea S L8S8, respectively. The CO2 dependence for carbamylation of L8 was compared to that of L8S8 as a function of pH and CO2 concentration. The pH dependence indicated an apparent pKa for L8 of 8.28 and for L8S8 of 8.15, suggesting that S may influence the pKa of the lysine involved in carbamylation. The Kact for CO2 at pH 8.4 were similar for L8 (13.5 microM) and L8S8 (15.5 microM). L8 bound 2-[14C]carboxy-D-arabinitol 1,5-bisphosphate (CABP) tightly so that most of the bound [14C]CABP survived gel filtration. A major amount of the L8-[14C]CABP complex appeared as larger polymeric aggregates when eluted in the presence of E. coli protein.
High electro-conductive product from cyanoacetylene

Polymerisation en phase vapeur sur un support de quartz ou un film de polyimide «Kapton»; obtention d'un film de conductivite electrique elevee
Sensory Testing of Milk With School Children

Abstract Milk is an important component of a school meal, and the temperature at which it is served may impact preferences of elementary school children for this beverage. The 1997 FDA Food Code recommends that milk be served at 41°F or below to maintain good quality and prevent bacterial growth. The purpose of this study was to discover the specific temperature range that children preferred for drinking milk. Preliminary bench testing of white and chocolate milk at various temperatures was conducted at a home day care to provide information on the ability of children to distinguish temperature differences and to establish temperature ranges for preference testing. Final sensory testing of milk was conducted at a selected elementary school in North Texas over three nonconsecutive days. Sixty children ages 6 to 11 years completed a series of three paired preference tests of 2% white milk at three temperature ranges, and an additional 60 children completed similar tests with 1% chocolate milk. Sensory testing was conducted in the school cafeteria using portable testing booths. Digital thermometers were used to periodically measure milk temperatures during testing. For each test, a majority of children preferred the milk served at a colder temperature. The children showed a significant (p
Anomalous origin of the left anterior descending coronary artery from the pulmonary artery: surgical correction in an adult

A 45-year-old female with severe anginal symptoms was found to have anomalous origin of the anterior descending branch of the left coronary artery (LCA) from the pulmonary artery. Proximal ligation and anastomosis with aortocoronary saphenous vein graft (SVG) were performed. There was complete relief of symptoms. Two-year postoperative angiography revealed a patent SVG with excellent flow, normalization of the caliber of the right and left circumflex coronary arteries with complete regression of collaterals, and improved left ventricular function.
Surface tension of zinc: The positive temperature coefficient

The positive temperature coefficient of the surface tension of molten zinc has been confirmed experimentally with a maximum-bubble-pressure (MBP) system. The possible effects of the high vapor pressure of molten zinc on the surface tension have been checked by making the measurements at atmospheric pressure and repeating at 1,800 Torr. The measurements were made on 99.999 pct zinc in the range from 436 to 806°C in an improved twin-tube MBP system. Results are that, over the given temperature range, the surface tension (γ) of zinc is given by γ (dynes/cm) = 839.7 − 125.7 e−0.00941(T−419.5) The temperature (T) is in degrees centigrade. A total of 130 experimental values were determined with a correlation index of 0.98 with the equation. Comparisons of this result with others in the literature are discussed.
Pulse Oximetry in Bronchiolitis Patients

To the Editor. — We were pleased to see the article by Mallory et al1 examining how pulse oximetry readings affect practitioners’ decisions to admit infants with bronchiolitis. Their finding that an oxygen saturation difference of 2% had a significant impact on admission decisions came as no surprise. Oxygen saturation seems to have emerged as a leading criterion not only for hospitalization but also for discharge. It is unfortunate …