cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Urinary Retention Secondary to Congenital Bladder Diverticula in Infants

AbstractAcute urinary retention in infants is uncommon. We present 2 patients in whom enormous bladder diverticula extended posteriorly, compressing the bladder outlet and causing obstruction. In 1 patient the diverticulum was solitary, periureteral and associated with ipsilateral ureteral reflux, while the other had bilateral paraureteral diverticula without reflux. Primary bladder diverticula in infants and children are the congenital result of localized deficient musculature allowing herniation of mucosa to occur at this site, even with normal voiding pressures. Giant bladder diverticula causing outlet obstruction in small children are rare and constitute one of the unusual indications for bladder diverticulectomy in children.
Genetics of Nonhuman Primates

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the fundamentals of using nonhuman primates in biomedical research. Genetic differences are responsible for the basic physiological variability that exists among species and individuals within species. Even variation in response to natural or experimentally controlled environmental factors is largely under genetic control. An attempt to understand the basis of physiological differences among species or individuals includes an evaluation of the differences at the level of variation in genes or proteins encoded by the genes, and at the level of gene expression. The genetic management procedures are essential for the long-term success and efficiency of captive breeding programs, which have become important because of the severely reduced availability of wild-caught nonhuman primates. During recent decades, genetic markers provide new opportunities for powerful research strategies to answer fundamental questions in biomedical research. The understanding of the genetic similarities and differences between humans and their closest relatives are essential for the development and appropriate use of nonhuman primate models. New uses of nonhuman primate models include the development and testing of gene therapy technologies.
Evolution-based discovery of hierarchical behaviors

Procedural representations of control policies have two advantages when facing the scale-up problem in learning tasks. First they are implicit, with potential for inductive generalization over a very large set of situations. Second they facilitate modularization. In this paper we compare several randomized algorithms for learning modular procedural representations. The main algorithm, called Adaptive Representation through Learning (ARL) is a genetic programming extension that relies on the discovery of subroutines. ARL is suitable for learning hierarchies of subroutines and for constructing policies to complex tasks. ARL was successfully tested on a typical reinforcement learning problem of controlling an agent in a dynamic and nondeterministic environment where the discovered subroutines correspond to agent behaviors.
Role of DNA excision repair gene defects in the etiology of cancer

Experimental and clinical evidence strongly suggests that exposure to environmental carcinogens is a critical event in the development of the majority of human cancers. Mutations in genes important for normal cellular functions and growth properties, including many proto-oncogenes and tumor suppressor genes, may result from spontaneous or environmentally induced alterations in DNA and contribute directly to the multistage process leading to malignancy. In addition, alterations in the specific genes required for processing and responding to DNA damage may result in an enhanced rate of accumulation of additional mutations, recombinational events, chromosomal abnormalities, and gene amplification (Loeb 1991). Therefore, the removal of lesions from DNA is essential not only for the basic processes of transcription and replication necessary for cellular survival, but also for maintaining genomic stability and avoiding the development of malignancies.
Lifestyle Changes, CAM, and Kidney Stones: Heart Health = Kidney Health

It appears that reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) may also be the ideal diet and lifestyle program to reduce the risk of kidney stones. Comprehensive lifestyle changes and healthy-heart parameters have synergistic impacts on reducing recurrent or incident nephrolithiasis as observed either in randomized trials from Parma, Italy, or from the observational cohort analysis when utilizing the Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension (DASH) program in the USA. Hypertension, dyslipidemia, weight and waist gain and accelerated large amounts of weight loss (bariatric surgery, diet, etc.), glucose intolerance/diabetes, and metabolic syndrome increase stone risk, but a higher potassium to sodium intake ratio, increased dietary magnesium, reduced animal protein, and normalizing dietary calcium and increased fluid intake could lower risk. Soluble dietary oxalates are more concerning compared to insoluble forms. A variety of dietary supplements also appear to impact risk. Arguably the best-known supplemental source of increased oxalate is from high dosages (>1,000–1,500 mg/day) of plain vitamin C (ascorbic acid), and calcium ascorbate or buffered vitamin C may cause less profound changes in oxalate. Vitamin C may lower serum uric acid and gout risk by also creating a higher urinary uric acid load in some individuals, which could also theoretically increase uric acid stone risk. Some cranberry concentrate supplements for urinary tract infection (UTI) have unusually high oxalate concentrations and need to be tested for this compound. Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine hydrochloride and potentially pyridoxal-5-phosphate) shifts oxalate metabolism toward the production of glycine at dosages of 50–100 mg per day and could be beneficial in some oxalate stone formers apart from those with primary hyperoxaluria type I. Higher dosages (300 mg or more) could also cause a sensory peripheral neuropathy. A probiotic or Oxalobacter formigenes and other intestinal bacterial may also play a role in reducing oxalate levels. Calcium supplements in excess appear to increase the risk of stone disease, especially calcium carbonate, and calcium citrate is an alternative for those with a history of oxalate stones, but supplementation also increases constipation risk with age. Vitamin D has a controversial impact on stone risk, but megadosing is never prudent. Omega-3 fatty acids supplements via anti-inflammatory effects could reduce stone risk, and omega-6 has some preliminary similar benefits, but inosine dietary supplementation is known to increase uric acid levels and stone disease. A variety of other CAM options are discussed in this chapter. What if healthcare professionals in urology could have some role in helping patients improve the quality and quantity of their life via comprehensive lifestyle recommendations for stone disease risk reduction? It appears that this is no longer a question, but a reality.
Efficient Model Checking by Automated Ordering of Transition Relation Partitions

In symbolic model checking, the behavior of a model to be verified is captured by the transition relation of the state space implied by the model. Unfortunately, the size of the transition relation grows rapidly with the number of states even for small models, rendering them impossible to verify. A recent work
Detecting redundant production rules

We present a general method for detecting redundant production rules based upon a term rewrite semantics. We present the semantic account, define rule execution over both ground memories and memory schemas, and define redundancy for production rules. From those definitions, an algorithm is developed that detects redundant rules, and which improves upon previously published methods.
Abstract WP222: Predictive Value of the Miami Emergency Neurologic Deficit (MEND) Exam for Detecting Large Vessel Occlusion Strokes

Introduction: The Miami Emergency Neurologic Deficit (MEND) exam is a screening tool for identifying stroke patients in the field. It is rapid, and can detect both anterior and posterior circulatio...
Diagnosis and Management of Neuropsychiatric Symptoms in Alzheimer’s Disease

To explore the most recent developments in the effective diagnosis and treatment of neuropsychiatric symptoms (NPS) in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). The clinical diagnosis of NPS in AD is facilitated by the use of the Neuropsychiatric Inventory (NPI). CT and MRI scans can be useful for detecting structural changes indicating AD. Other promising diagnostic methodologies that are less frequently used in the clinical setting include positron emission tomography (PET) scans for detecting amyloid and blood tests for detecting serum biomarkers. Numerous pharmaceutical agents have been studied for their use in managing NPS, with antipsychotics being popular for managing agitation but also having significant side effects. Non-pharmacological interventions, such as reminiscence therapy and the Describe, Investigate, Create, Evaluate (DICE) approach may be able to provide treatment without such adverse effects. Diagnosing AD and the comorbid NPS remains primarily a clinical endeavor with CT and MRI scans sometimes used, but evidence is amassing for the use of other imaging modalities and different lab tests for convenient and empiric diagnosis of AD to distinguish it from other psychiatric illnesses. The number of pharmacologic treatments for NPS that are safe as well as efficacious remains limited, yet non-pharmacologic interventions have clear clinical utility. In addition to searching for more successful pharmacological treatments, further research should focus on novel diagnostic tests and non-pharmacologic therapies.
HIGH QUALITY OF LIFE IN CONTINUING CARE RETIREMENT COMMUNITIES: A BALANCING ACT

Continuing Care Retirement Communities (CCRCs) offer an alternative for providing high quality of life (QOL) throughout residents’ lifetimes, but CCRC quality and structure vary widely. We conducted an in-depth qualitative case study of a 321-resident nonprofit life care CCRC to determine how residents themselves define: (a) components of QOL; (b) practices important to promoting QOL; and (c) challenges in promoting QOL in congregated housing. We conducted and analyzed interviews of 45 CCRC residents, board members, and administrators and analyzed 109 resident questionnaires. Questions were open-ended; responses were analyzed using computer-assisted thematic content analysis. Analyses revealed three prominent components of QOL: (a) sense of community; (b) resident-driven active engagement; and (c) individual autonomy, independence, and respect. Respondents identified six clusters of strategies for creating and sustaining these elements of QOL: (a) clear organizational values, (b) resident-centered structure, (c) an environment that encourages mutually respectful interaction among and between residents and staff, (d) weekly community meetings, (e) an infrastructure and landscape that promote interpersonal interaction, and (f) limited size and scale of community. Respondents also identified four key challenges for CCRC success that revealed the importance of balancing competing needs of: (1) current and potential future residents; (2) responsibilities of the administration with those of residents, (3) maintaining an intimate size to foster a sense of community with economies of scale; and (4) shared values to support community cohesiveness and diversity of residents (particularly socioeconomic, race, and sexuality). We consider the implications of these findings for other senior living contexts.
An Exploratory Study of Physical Education Teacher Education Graduates’ Job Histories

ABSTRACTPurpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the job histories of physical education teacher education (PETE) graduates over a 15-year span. Method: A total of 118 graduates/participan...
Clergy Working Outside of Congregations, 1976–2018

Changes in the American religious landscape have affected the professional religious labor force in the United States. These changes may be leading clergy to work for multiple congregations (Robbins and Francis in J Empir Theol 27(2):261–280, 2014), in multiple occupations (Chang, in: Carroll (ed) Pulpit & pew: research on pastoral leadership, Duke Divinity School, Durham, 2004), and/or to seek out clergy work outside of congregations (Chang and Bompadre in J Sci Study Relig 38(3):398–410, 1999). Focusing on the latter, this study addresses the research questions: What are the patterns and demographics of non-congregational clergy and how have these patterns changed over time? Using national-level data, we present the first large-scale mapping of clergy working outside of congregations over the past 42 years. We observe that non-congregational clergy are more likely to be women, live in cities, and have an advanced degree. Moreover, clergy in non-traditional types of family structure are more likely to find clergy work outside of congregations compared to clergy living in a nuclear family. We suggest several factors that might account for these differences.
Models for production planning under power interruptions

We present a robust optimization model for production planning under the assumption that electricity supply is subject to uncertain interruptions caused by participation in interruptible load contracts (ILCs). The objective is to minimize the cost of electricity used for production while providing a robust production plan which ensures demand satisfaction under all possible interruption scenarios. The combinatorial size of the set of interruption scenarios makes this a challenging problem. Furthermore, we assume that no probabilistic information is known about the supply uncertainty: we only use the information given in the ILC to identify an uncertainty set that captures the possible scenarios. We construct a general robust framework to handle this uncertainty and present a heuristic to compute a good feasible solution of the robust model. We provide computational experiments on a real-world example and compare the performance of an exact solver applied to the robust model with that of the heuristic procedure. Finally, we include the operational impact of interruptions such as “recovery modes” in the definition of the uncertainty set. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Naval Research Logistics, 2013
Adapting Cognitive Processing Therapy for PTSD for People With Disabilities: A Case Study With a U.S. Veteran

Abstract Many veterans receiving treatment for PTSD in the VA health care system are also living with a disability and utilize assistive technologies for communication and/or mobility. While evidence-based treatments for PTSD have been disseminated in VA hospitals nationwide, clinicians may have concerns about implementing these treatments with people with disabilities or question how to adapt evidence-based protocols to facilitate successful outcomes. This clinical case study details the treatment of a 48-year-old male U.S. veteran with a diagnosis of military-related PTSD and significant functional and communicative complexities characteristic of locked-in syndrome. The study implemented an adapted protocol of Cognitive Processing Therapy (CPT), a first-line evidence-based psychotherapy for PTSD with unknown application to people with disabilities. CPT protocol structure, length, and delivery was adapted to accommodate the veteran’s assistive devices and functional abilities. The veteran experienced a clinically significant reduction in PTSD symptoms over the course of treatment, suggesting successful application of the adapted protocol. In addition to symptom reduction, the veteran reported advances in his ability to tolerate emotional distress while engaged in goal-directed behavior and improved interpersonal functioning. Results suggest that CPT can be adapted and effective in instances where the presence of disability and multiple assistive technologies impact standard treatment implementation. This information is valuable in its potential ability to make evidence-based psychotherapies more accessible and disability-sensitive. Clinical recommendations for using and adapting CPT for people with disabilities are provided.
Decorated super-Teichmüller space

We introduce coordinates for a principal bundle $S\tilde{T}(F)$ over the super Teichmuller space $ST(F)$ of a surface F with $s \geq 1$ punctures that extend the lambda length coordinates on the decorated bundle $\tilde{T}(F) = T(F) \times \mathbb{R}^s_{+}$ over the usual Teichmuller space $T(F)$. In effect, the action of a Fuchsian subgroup of $PSL (2, \mathbb{R})$ on Minkowski space $\mathbb{R}^{2,1}$ is replaced by the action of a super Fuchsian subgroup of $OSp (1\vert 2)$ on the super Minkowski space $\mathbb{R}^{2, 1 \vert 2}$, where $OSp (1\vert 2)$ denotes the orthosymplectic Lie supergroup, and the lambda lengths are extended by fermionic invariants of suitable triples of isotropic vectors in $\mathbb{R}^{2, 1 \vert 2}$. As in the bosonic case, there is the analogue of the Ptolemy transformation now on both even and odd coordinates as well as an invariant even two-form on $S\tilde{T}(F)$ generalizing the Weil–Petersson Kahler form. This, finally, solves a problem posed in Yuri Ivanovitch Manin’s Moscow seminar some thirty years ago to find the super analogue of decorated Teichmuller theory and provides a natural geometric interpretation in $\mathbb{R}^{2, 1 \vert 2}$ for the super moduli of $S\tilde{T}(F)$.
Prevalence and factors associated with use of sleeping pills among older adults in Brazil.

OBJECTIVES Little is known about sleeping pills consumption among older adults in low- and middle-income countries. This study investigated the prevalence and factors associated with sleeping pills use among Brazilians aged 50 and over. METHODS A cross-sectional study was conducted using baseline data from the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Aging (ELSI-Brazil), a nationally representative study of persons aged 50 years and older (n = 9412). Univariate and bivariate analyses were used to describe the sample. Robust Poisson regression was employed to estimate prevalence ratios and predict probabilities. KEY FINDINGS Prevalence of sleeping pills use among older Brazilians was estimated at 16.8%, with considerable disparities related to gender (22.3% among women and 10.3% among men), race/skin colour (19.7% among whites and 11.9% among blacks) and geographic region (ranging from 5.9% in the North to 20.5% in the South). The multivariate analysis showed associations between sleeping pills consumption and sociodemographic factors (age, gender, race/skin colour, geographic region and income), health status/behaviour characteristics (poor self-rated health status, number of chronic conditions and alcohol consumption) and variables related to healthcare utilisation (number of visits, usual source of care, care coordination, doctor's awareness of all medication, difficulty in managing own medication and number of medicines). CONCLUSIONS Our work found that sleeping pills consumption is disproportionately prevalent among women, is associated with worse health status and increases with more medical office visits and use of additional medicines. Moreover, the large inexplicable variations in care deserve special attention from policy-makers and clinicians.
Effects of attentional focus cues on lower extremity kinematics during inside of the foot soccer trap among expert soccer players

Numerous studies have demonstrated improved performance results for sport skills through attentional focus instructions. However, few studies have examined the effects of cueing on expert kinematic...
Low-rank Characteristic Tensor Density Estimation Part II: Compression and Latent Density Estimation.

Learning generative probabilistic models is a core problem in machine learning, which presents significant challenges due to the curse of dimensionality. This paper proposes a joint dimensionality reduction and non-parametric density estimation framework, using a novel estimator that can explicitly capture the underlying distribution of appropriate reduced-dimension representations of the input data. The idea is to jointly design a nonlinear dimensionality reducing auto-encoder to model the training data in terms of a parsimonious set of latent random variables, and learn a canonical low-rank tensor model of the joint distribution of the latent variables in the Fourier domain. The proposed latent density model is non-parametric and universal, as opposed to the predefined prior that is assumed in variational auto-encoders. Joint optimization of the auto-encoder and the latent density estimator is pursued via a formulation which learns both by minimizing a combination of the negative log-likelihood in the latent domain and the auto-encoder reconstruction loss. We demonstrate that the proposed model achieves very promising results on toy, tabular, and image datasets on regression tasks, sampling, and anomaly detection.
Silicon-on-insulator metasurface aberration corrector inverse design for mid-infrared imaging

Inverse design of silicon-on-insulator metasurfaces for aberration correction purpose is demonstrated numerically. Here, image quality of a bulk midwave infrared lens is improved by combining it with two metasurfaces designed by the adjoint gradient method to form a hybrid imaging system.
Conclusion: Climbing the Mountain of Modernity

This chapter concludes the conceptual studies of Habermas’s philosophy. It concludes that Habermas has contributed greatly to the conceptual renovation in Western philosophy and world philosophy, and is thus one of the greatest philosophers of our epoch.
Revealing the effect of local stresses on twin growth mechanisms in titanium using synchrotron X-ray diffraction

Abstract Deformation twinning has a significant impact on the evolution of microstructure and mechanical response in hexagonal close packed (hcp) metals. Understanding the physical mechanisms associated with twin nucleation and growth processes is important to enable the broad use of hcp metals. While both nucleation and growth are conditioned by the local stress state, few studies have quantified it in bulk deformed samples. In this study, we reveal the effects of local stresses on twin thickening using in-situ synchrotron experiments with differential aperture X-ray microscopy. High purity Ti is deformed under four-point bending to activate {1012} tensile twins. 3D stress fields with a spatial resolution of 0.5 μ m are mapped in the vicinity of low and high macroscopic Schmid factor (MSF) twins growing inside a grain. Reconciling this experimental analysis with recent twin growth models reveals that the growth of low MSF twins is limited by the nucleation of twin growth defects in the high-purity Ti sample. While growth-inducing defect nucleation may occur in many places on the interface of the high resolved shear stress (RSS)/MSF twin, the nucleation rate of twinning disconnections for the low MSF twin is high only at the end of the twin near a stress concentration. Once nucleated, these defects easily propagate into lower RSS regions of the grain resulting in twin growth. This work highlights the importance of stress concentrations not only for twin (embryo) nucleation, but also to the growth process of twins, particularly in low MSF twins.
Spontaneous Regression of Metastatic Lesions of Adenocarcinoma of the Gastro-Esophageal Junction

Spontaneous regression of cancer is a rarely recognized entity in modern medicine. Historically, this was recognized and hypothesized that an infection causes immune activation, indirectly stimulating the body to destroy tumor cells. Similarly, immune-oncology has now become a major modality in the treatment of solid and some liquid malignancies. However, now with improved therapeutic modalities in the oncology world, one does not get to appreciate our own immune system's ability to fight cancer. We present a patient who had spontaneous regression of metastatic adenocarcinoma of the gastroesophageal junction (GEJ). The patient is a 58-year-old female who had presented with early satiety and dysphagia for which she underwent esophagogastroduodenoscopy which showed an esophageal mass and endoscopic ultrasounds (EUSs) confirmed adenocarcinoma of the GEJ with metastasis to the regional lymph nodes and left supraclavicular lymph nodes. The patient had refused to undergo any surgical, medical oncological, or holistic treatments. Interim disease monitoring positron emission tomography-computed tomography (PET-CT) showed resolution of the metastatic sites of gastroesophageal cancer with clinical improvement of her symptoms. She continues to have this distant regression of metastatic gastroesophageal cancer six months after the initial diagnosis. In literature, spontaneous cancer regression has been reported in melanoma, renal cell carcinoma, and basal cell carcinoma. To our knowledge, this is the first case reported of spontaneous regression of metastatic lesions involving adenocarcinoma of the GEJ with no medical or surgical intervention.
Operator strategies under varying conditions of workload

An attempt was made to operationally define and measure strategic behavior in a complex multiple task environment. The Multi-Attribute Task battery was developed to simulate various aspects of flight and consisted of an auditory communication task, monitoring tasks, a tracking tasks, a resource management task which allowed a wide range of responding patterns, and a scheduling window which allowed operators to predict changes in workload. This battery was validated for its sensitivity to strategic behavior, and baseline measures for each individual task were collected. Twenty-four undergraduate and graduate students then performed the battery for four 64 minute sessions which took place over a period of 2 days. Each subject performed the task battery under four levels of workload, which were presented for equal lengths of time during all four sessions. Results indicated that in general, performance improves as a function of experience with the battery, but that performance decreased as workload level increased. The data also showed that subjects developed strategies for responding to the resource management task which allowed them to manage the high workload levels more efficiently. This particular strategy developed over time but was also associated with errors of complacency. These results are presented along with implications for the aviation field and areas of future research.
Agricultural Labor and Technological Change in Morocco

In an attempt to increase agricultural output, and so relieve the population pressure on food supplies, less developed countries (LDCs) have become active seekers of new agricultural technology. This has been important in the transition of some LDCs to near or complete self-sufficiency (Darlymple 1977; Hayami and Ruttan 1985). Others have been less successful, despite increases in some outputs with new techniques. For example, the rate of self-sufficiency decreased in all but five African countries during 1971–80 (FAO 1984). The impact of labor-saving technologies on rural labor has become a major issue, in view of the vast surplus of agricultural labor in LDCs, the scarcity of non-farm employment opportunities, and the rate of rural-urban migration (see Richards, Commander, this volume). This paper presents an analytical review of available literature on agricultural labor and technological change in Morocco.
Evaluating the Effectiveness of Contextual Intervention for Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorders

We evaluated the effectiveness of contextual intervention to increase participation in self- or parent-identified activities for adolescents with autism spectrum disorders (ASD). The eight- session intervention involved the use of coaching principles to convey information, everyday routines, and authentic settings and sensory processing information to support adolescent and parent problem solving. Results indicate that the adolescents significantly increased their participation in everyday activities important to them and sustained this increase in participation after the completion of the study. The results suggest that contextual intervention using coaching principles is an effective intervention.
RESIDUAL DRIFT ALONG THE BOTTOM ON THE CONTINENTAL SHELF IN THE MIDDLE ATLANTIC BIGHT AREA1

Plastic and brass sea-bed drifters have been used to investigate residual drift along the bottom on the continental shelf in the Middle Atlantic Bight area.
Issuing Government Bonds to Finance Bank Recapitalization and Restructuring: Design Factors that Affect Banks' Financial Performance

Bond issuance by a government, or a government agency such as a deposit insurance fund or a specially created asset management company (AMC), is used in many instances of systemic banking crises to finance bank restructuring and is also frequently used to finance the restructuring of state banks for privatization.2 Although there are many variations in practice, bonds are issued for two generic purposes in bank restructuring:3 to finance the government purchase of equity in banks;4 and to finance the purchase of distressed assets from banks. The design of the bonds issued for these purposes can be a crucial determinant of the future financial performance of restructured banks, and thus an important factor in the ultimate success or failure of the restructuring efforts. Appendix 4.1 notes some of the key design features in over 40 instances of the use of bonds for bank restructuring. Table 4.1 summarizes the implications for banks and governments of the issues discussed in this chapter.
Cosmic Ray Elemental Abundances at High Energy

In 1985 an experiment was flown onboard the Spacelab-2 mission of the Space Shuttle to determine cosmic ray elemental abundances at high energy. First results of this investigation are presented here, which include the spectra of C, O, Ne, Mg, Si and the Fe group nuclei. In addition, the ratios of B/C and N/0 have been determined as a function of energy to provide a measure of the mean pathlength of interstellar material for these particles. The spectra of the primary nuclei are similar but show an unexpected steepness for Ne, Mg and particularly Si. The secondary to primary ratios indicate a mean pathlength decrease down to ≈1 g cm-2 above 100 GeV/amu, and do not exclude the possibility that it continues to decrease.
Ultrahigh frequency acoustic phonon generation and spectroscopy with Deathstar pulse shaping

A novel pulse shaping technique is used to generate tunable multiple-cycle acoustic waves with 2-500 GHz frequencies. These are used for study of nanoscale inhomogeneities and dynamics in amorphous materials.
Mechanisms of oncogenic cooperation in cancer initiation and metastasis

Cancer is a disease of extreme heterogeneity. Microarray analysis has identified thousands of genes that are transcriptionally up- or down-regulated in tumor samples; molecularly characterized lesions that play a causative role in tumorigenesis constitute more than 1 percent of the human genome. Such a large number of "cancer genes" stirs the debate of whether it is relevant to continue classifying cancer as a single condition. Yet, a discrete set of cellular processes has been found to underlie such complexity. Their deregulation has been proposed to act as a common denominator that enables tumors to evade cellular barriers to proliferation and metastasis. Efforts have been made to identify and model the mechanistic origins of cancer. Two such models are discussed here: the multistage model of cancer and the cancer platform model. The former suggests cancer arises by the sequential acquisition of mutations leading to the progressive erosion of normal cellular control mechanisms. In contrast, the latter reduces cancer initiation to two interdependent conditions: sustained proliferation with the concomitant inhibition of cell death. This review proposes that a third condition - cellular differentiation - should be added to the cancer platform model. Differentiation can act as a fail-safe mechanism against unrestrained cellular growth - much like cell death. Clinical implications of the different models are also analyzed.
Depression among Elderly Chinese Immigrants: An Exploratory Study

Despite an increase in the population of elderly Chinese immigrants, little is known about their mental health problems. The most prevalent mental health problem of elderly people-depression-often goes unrecognized and untreated. In an interview format, the author administered the Geriatric Depression Scale and measures of health status, living situation, stressful life events, and informal support to a community sample of 50 elderly Chinese immigrants recruited at senior centers and meal sites. Respondents who rated their health as good, who lived with others, and who were satisfied with help received from family members were least likely to be depressed. The impact of these factors on the mental health of elderly Chinese immigrants can be understood in light of their unique cultural values.
Wideband self-interference cancellation filter for Simultaneous Transmit and Receive systems

To minimize self-interference in Simultaneous Transmit and Receive (STAR) communication systems, multi-tap analog cancelling filters are employed to emulate coupling between transmit and receive antennas. This paper presents the design and simulation of a fourth-order analog filter incorporating variable delays and coefficients to approximate antenna coupling. System simulations show that the developed analog filter provides at least 17dB interference cancellation across a 1GHz bandwidth.
Efficient blue-emitting electrophosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes using 2-(3,5-di(carbazol-9-yl)phenyl)-5-phenyl-1,3,4-oxadiazole as an ambipolar host

2-(3,5-Di(carbazol-9-yl)phenyl)-5-phenyl-1,3,4-oxadiazole, 1, was synthesised from the reaction of 3,5-di(carbazol-9-yl)benzohydrazide and trimethyl orthobenzoate at 185 °C. Compound 1 exhibits a glass-transition temperature of 120 °C, a reversible reduction at a half-wave potential of −2.34 V vs. ferrocenium/ferrocene, and an adiabatic triplet energy of 2.73 eV. Organic light-emitting diodes were fabricated using: solution-processed poly[6-(9H-carbazol-9-yl)-9-(4-vinylbenzyl)-9H-3,9′-bicarbazole] as the hole-transport layer; a vacuum-deposited emissive layer composed of 1 as a host and bis[(4,6-di-fluorophenyl)pyridinato-N,C2′](picolinato-N,O)iridium or fac-tris(2-phenylpyridinato-N,C2′)iridium as blue- or green-emitting phosphorescent guest molecules, respectively; and vacuum-deposited 2,9-dimethyl-4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline or 3-([1,1′-biphenyl]-4-yl)-5-(4-(tert-butyl)phenyl)-4-phenyl-4H-1,2,4-triazole as the electron-transport layer. External quantum efficiencies of up to 21 and 25% were obtained for blue- and green-emitting devices, respectively.
TINY SCALE OPACITY FLUCTUATIONS FROM VLBA, MERLIN, AND VLA OBSERVATIONS OF H I ABSORPTION TOWARD 3C 138

The structure function of opacity fluctuations is a useful statistical tool to study tiny scale structures of neutral hydrogen. Here we present high-resolution observation of H I absorption toward 3C 138, and estimate the structure function of opacity fluctuations from the combined VLA, MERLIN, and VLBA data. The angular scales probed in this work are ~10-200 mas (about 5-100 AU). The structure function in this range is found to be well represented by a power law S τ(x) ~ x β with index β ~ 0.33 ± 0.07 corresponding to a power spectrum P τ(U) ~ U –2.33. This is slightly shallower than the earlier reported power-law index of ~2.5-3.0 at ~1000 AU to few pc scales. The amplitude of the derived structure function is a factor of ~20-60 times higher than the extrapolated amplitude from observation of Cas A at larger scales. On the other hand, extrapolating the AU scale structure function for 3C 138 predicts the observed structure function for Cas A at the pc scale correctly. These results clearly establish that the atomic gas has significantly more structures in AU scales than expected from earlier pc scale observations. Some plausible reasons are identified and discussed here to explain these results. The observational evidence of a shallower slope and the presence of rich small-scale structures may have implications for the current understanding of the interstellar turbulence.
The effect of atypical antipsychotic medications in individuals with anorexia nervosa: A systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective: Given that atypical antipsychotic medications have been increasingly prescribed for improving weight gain in anorexia nervosa (AN), we conducted a systematic review and meta-analyses to estimate the influence of atypical antipsychotics on BMI, eating disorder, and psychiatric symptoms in individuals with AN. Method: Independent reviewers selected studies and extracted study characteristics, methodologic quality, and outcomes for the intention-to-treat group from randomized clinical trials comparing the effect of atypical antipsychotic use to placebo or an active control treatment on BMI. Results: Compared with placebo, atypical antipsychotics were associated with a nonsignificant increase in BMI (weighted mean difference, WMD = 0.18, 95% CI: −0.36, 0.72; I2 = 26%) and a nonsignificant effect on the drive for thinness and body dissatisfaction. Compared with placebo or active control, these medications led to an increase in anxiety and overall eating disorder symptoms. However, there was a significant reduction over placebo or active control on level of depression. © 2012 by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. (Int J Eat Disord 2013)
Analogs of the Anorexic Mazindol

Mazindol, 5-(p-chlorophenyl)-2,5-dihydro-3H-imidazo[2,1-α]isoindol-5-ol, has been shown to be an effective anorexic. To explore the structure-activity relationships, several 1-ethyl-3-substituted-4-aryl-4-hydroxyindeno[1,2-c]pyrazoles were prepared and subjected to various animal screens. The 1-ethyl-3-tert-butyl-4-aryl-4-hydroxyindeno[1,2-c]pyrazoles are capable of significantly depressing forced and spontaneous motor activity in mice but have low LD50′s. Two of these compounds were tested in an Ehrlich ascites tumor screen. The 1-ethyl-3-phenyl-4-aryl-4-hydroxyindeno-[1,2-c]pyrazoles depressed forced and spontaneous motor activity at low doses and were relatively nontoxic.
Study of LDEF particulate contamination using atomic force microscopy

On the STS-32 Space Shuttle mission, a flight experiment provided an understanding of the effects of the environment on the long duration exposure facility (LDEF) from rendezvous with the shuttle until removal from the payload bay at the Orbiter Processing Facility (OPF) at NASA/KSC. The interim operational contamination monitor (IOCM) is an attached shuttle payload that has been used on two earlier flights (STS 51C and STS 28) to quantify the contamination deposited during the course of the missions. The IOCM can characterize by direct measurement the deposition of molecular and particulate contamination during any phase of flight, i.e., prelaunch, ascent, on-orbit operations, descent, and ferry flight of the shuttle. Measurements are made continually during these periods. Two types of particulate collection sensors are employed in order to avoid efficiency of collection uncertainties. In addition to these principal measurements, the IOCM actively measures the optical property changes of thermal control surfaces by calorimetry, the flux of the ambient atomic oxygen environment, the incident solar flux, and the absolute ambient pressure in the payload bay. The IOCM also provides a structure and sample holders for the exposure of passive material samples to the space environment, e.g., thermal cycling, atomic oxygen, and micrometeoroids and/or orbital debris, etc. One of the more salient results from the STS-32 flight suggests that the LDEF emitted a large source of contamination (mainly particulates) after berthing into the shuttle. The source emission rate of LDEF averaged 2.5 X 10-12 gr/cm2-sec for a period of eighty hours following berthing, falling off to a rate of 4.1 X 10-13 gr/cm2-sec just prior to re-entry. Post flight obscuration ratios on IOCM surfaces were measured at 2.4 percent. An atomic force microscope (AFM) was used to perform post-flight characterization of the IOCM sensors. The AFM is a new instrument capable of ultra high (atomic) resolution without coating the surface or exposing it to vacuum. This paper discusses the results observed by the IOCM during the retrieval of the LDEF, the operational capabilities of AFM, and the unique results acquired in assessing the data.© (1992) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Posttransplant Hyperlipidemia: The Treatment Dilemma

Hyperlipidemia occurs in the majority of renal transplant recipients and may play an important role in the development of posttransplant cardiovascular disease. Although many clinical factors are associated with posttransplant hyperlipidemia, corticosteroids and cyclosporine clearly play key pathogenetic roles. Aside from cautious reduction of immunosuppression and appropriate dietary restrictions, therapeutic strategies for the management of posttransplant hyperlipidemia are limited, in part, due to special pharmacologic considerations in transplant recipients receiving cyclosporine. Based on recent studies suggesting that low doses of 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A (HMGCoA) reductase inhibitors are safe and effective, these agents have emerged as the drugs of first choice in the pharmacologic treatment of posttransplant hypercholesterolemia. Considering the increasing importance of cardiovascular disorders as major causes of posttransplant morbidity and mortality, additional studies are warranted to delineate the relationship between posttransplant hyperlipidemia and posttransplant cardiovascular disease, and to find safe and effective strategies for reducing lipid levels after renal transplantation.
Constitutive Modeling of Asphalt Bound Granular Materials: Theoretical Background

Different kinds of hot mix asphalt mixtures are used in highway and runway constructions. Each of these mixtures cater to specific needs and differ from each other in the type and percentage of aggregates and asphalt used, and their response can be markedly different. Constitutive models used in the literature do not differentiate between these different kinds of mixtures and use models which treat them as if they are one and the same. In this study, we propose constitutive models for two different kinds of hot mix asphalt, viz., asphalt concrete and sand asphalt. We use a framework for materials that possess multiple natural configurations for deriving the constitutive equations. While asphalt concrete is modeled as a two constituent mixture, sand asphalt is modeled as a single constituent mixture due to the peculiarity in its makeup. In this study, we present a unified approach for deriving models for these different kind of mixtures. In a companion paper, we compare the predictions of the model for a compressive creep test with available experimental results.Copyright © 2002 by ASME
RecoFit: using a wearable sensor to find, recognize, and count repetitive exercises

Although numerous devices exist to track and share exercise routines based on running and walking, these devices offer limited functionality for strength-training exercises. We introduce RecoFit, a system for automatically tracking repetitive exercises - such as weight training and calisthenics - via an arm-worn inertial sensor. Our goal is to provide real-time and post-workout feedback, with no user-specific training and no intervention during a workout. Toward this end, we address three challenges: (1) segmenting exercise from intermittent non-exercise periods, (2) recognizing which exercise is being performed, and (3) counting repetitions. We present cross-validation results on our training data and results from a study assessing the final system, totaling 114 participants over 146 sessions. We achieve precision and recall greater than 95% in identifying exercise periods, recognition of 99%, 98%, and 96% on circuits of 4, 7, and 13 exercises respectively, and counting that is accurate to ±1 repetition 93% of the time. These results suggest that our approach enables a new category of fitness tracking devices.
Aneurysmal Bone Cyst Presenting as a Pathologic Fracture in a 12-Year-Old Football Player

Objective The purpose of this report is to describe a case of an aneurysmal bone cyst presenting as a pathologic fracture in a young athlete.
The influence of learning culture on perceived knowledge conversion: an empirical approach using structural equation modelling

In this research, data collected from 633 participants were used to assess the influence of learning culture on the perceived knowledge conversion process in Korean for profit organizations. The seven dimensions of the learning organization (Watkins and Marsick 1993, 1996) served as exogenous variables; four modes of the knowledge conversion SECI theory – socialization, externalization, combination, and internalization – were endogenous variables (Nonaka and Takeuchi 1995). Structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to measure the influential relationships among the four modes of the knowledge conversion process and the impact of cultural aspects of learning organization on the overall process. Supplemental analysis techniques were utilized, including confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) for construct validation and canonical correlation analysis (CCA) for the relationship among the sets of each variable. Results confirmed the positive influence of the learning organization culture on the overall process ...
Equipment for Measuring Complex Moduli of Thin Coatings at Elevated Temperatures

Porcelain enamels are thin, inorganic, glassy coatings, extensively used to protect metal surfaces exposed to the corrosive and erosive effects of hot gases. They are known to increase the fatigue life and vibratory damping of the coated member in some cases but the amount of improvement and the governing parameters are not known. Three pieces of equipment for measuring the damping and complex moduli of porcelain enamel coatings as a function of temperature, strain level and state of stress have been developed as part of a program now underway to determine these properties. All three are designed to cover the temperature range from room temperature to 2000 deg F. The first is an adaptation of the low frequency torsional pendulum equipment useful from about 1 to 20 Hz. The second uses a flat beam in bending to cover the frequency range from 10 Hz to 200 Hz and the third uses a hollow torsional specimen to cover the range from 150 Hz to 600 Hz. This paper describes the design details, advantages and disadvantages and error analysis of each of the three pieces of equipment.