cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Identifying, Understanding, and Managing Patient Safety and Clinical Risks in the Clinical Research Environment

Abstract Meticulous study design, exacting scientific review, scrupulous data management, rigorous human subjects' protection, and effective recruitment strategies are essential components of all clinical research studies that must be in place prior to the conduct of the study. Equally important to the success of the study and to the well-being and protection of study participants is the assurance that safe clinical environments are provided for the care of research participants. This chapter describes approaches to managing patient care and clinical research quality, as well as the application of established health care-based clinical quality methods and tools to the complex processes of clinical research. Techniques for identifying clinical risks, tools for collecting data about the quality of clinical care processes, strategies for mitigating risk and patient harm, and techniques for measuring the participants' perceptions of the research process are discussed in detail.
Vibration properties of a rotating piezoelectric energy harvesting device that experiences gyroscopic effects

Abstract This study investigates the vibration of a rotating piezoelectric device that consists of a proof mass that is supported by elastic structures with piezoelectric layers. Vibration of the proof mass causes deformation in the piezoelectric structures and voltages to power the electrical loads. The coupled electromechanical equations of motion are derived using Newtonian mechanics and Kirchhoff's circuit laws. The free vibration behavior is investigated for devices with identical (tuned) and nonidentical (mistuned) piezoelectric support structures and electrical loads. These devices have complex-valued, speed-dependent eigenvalues and eigenvectors as a result of gyroscopic effects caused by their constant rotation. The characteristics of the complex-valued eigensolutions are related to physical behavior of the device's vibration. The free vibration behaviors differ significantly for tuned and mistuned devices. Due to gyroscopic effects, the proof mass in the tuned device vibrates in either forward or backward decaying circular orbits in single-mode free response. This is proven analytically for all tuned devices, regardless of the device's specific parameters or operating speed. For mistuned devices, the proof mass has decaying elliptical forward and backward orbits. The eigenvalues are shown to be sensitive to changes in the electrical load resistances. Closed-form solutions for the eigenvalues are derived for open and close circuits. At high rotation speeds these devices experience critical speeds and instability.
‘That Most Difficult of Words’: A Therapeutic Relationship Across Divides

This paper describes the development of a therapeutic relationship of ten years' duration between an African American adolescent with severe conduct difficulties and anti-social behaviors, and a white, liberal Orthodox Jewish psychoanalyst. The developing capacity to mentalize and consider self in relation to other as well as the negotiation and reconciliation of various selves are two clinical concepts used to examine this seemingly improbable, yet undeniably, powerful relationship.
The Individual Income Tax

The individual income tax is one of the major forms of taxation in most western democracies. As a general rale, it can be said that any tax on individual income is “bad” in the sense that it dampens incentives1 to produce and takes property without the owner’s consent. The individual income tax also causes economic distortions, because it causes resources to shift as part of the redistribution process.
Infinite-dimensional Riemannian Foliations

There are many infinite-dimensional contexts, where the geometric concepts developed for the study of Riemannian foliations can be applied meaningfully. A good example is provided by gauge theory, where the space of connections on a bundle P is foliated by the orbits of the gauge group G of the bundle. The L2-metric on the space A of connections is invariant under the action of the gauge group G Thus A→A/G has many aspects of a Riemannian foliation.
Methodological Issues in Functional Economic Analysis

Functional Economic Analysis (FEA) is a methodology for modeling the costs, benefits, and risks associated with alternative investment and management practices. FEA is the primary decision support methodology for Department of Defense (DoD) Business Reengineering (BRE) analyses performed under the Corporate Information Management (CIM) initiative. Since July 1991, functional managers have been required to prepare FEAs to support all investment decisions for automated information systems. This paper draws on several published FEA documents [5,12,35], and presents a discussion of a logical and consistent framework for performing FEAs.
An Evidence-based Review of Astragalus membranaceus (Astragalus) for Cancer Patients

Astragalus membranaceus (astragalus), originally described in the Shennong’s Classic of Materia Medica two thousand years ago, is used as a Qi-tonifying herb in traditional Chinese medicine. It is an important ingredient in many herbal formulas used to treat a variety of symptoms and ailments including fatigue and rectal prolapse. The root of astragalus is rich in saponins and polysaccharides. Modern research suggests antioxidant, immunomodulatory, and cytostatic properties. Animal and anecdotal human data show that astragalus reduces immunosuppression, a side effect of chemotherapy and it may also enhance the effects of such treatments. Whereas oral and parenteral preparations have been developed in Asia, products containing astragalus are consumed as dietary supplements in the West. Several formulas containing astragalus have been studied in cancer patients. Data indicate that they are safe to use in conjunction with chemotherapy and reduce treatment associated adverse effects. Based on existing evidence, there is also substantial interest in developing astragalus-based preparations for certain cancers. Although all products studied to date contain astragalus as the main ingredient, the variation across formulas makes it difficult to draw definitive conclusions. Future studies should address this issue. Astragalus is generally considered safe for traditional use, but the potential for herb-drug interactions exists because botanicals contain biologically active compounds. This chapter presents information about the use of astragalus in traditional medicine and summarizes existing scientific evidence of its benefits and limitations as an adjuvant cancer treatment.
A Study of Acid Sites in Substituted Aipo-5

Abstract We have examined temperatured-programmed desorption (TPD) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) of isopropylamine on a series of Si-, Co-, and Mg-substituted AIPO-5 samples. The TPD-TGA results on the substituted samples show ammonia and propene desorbing in a well-defined feature between 575 and 650K, a feature not observed on pure AIPO-5. The results suggest that TPD-TGA measurements of isopropylamine may be useful in determining the framework concentrations and acid site densities for SAPO-5, CoAPO-5, and MAPO-5.
A comparison of international management guidelines for atopic dermatitis

Background/objectives Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic condition that is predominantly found in pediatric patients and commonly presents therapeutic challenges. The management of AD encompasses a variety of factors, and the pillars of optimal management revolve around skin barrier repair and antiinflammatory, antimicrobial, and antipruritic treatment. AD management guidelines exist in various geographic regions globally. The purpose of this review was to compare international guidelines to highlight the similarities and variances among populations and skin types. Comparisons were made for recommendations regarding moisturization, bathing, wet wrap therapy, topical corticosteroids, topical calcineurin inhibitors, antihistamines, antipruritics, antibiotics, systemic immunosuppressants, and biologics. Methods A literature search of the PubMed, EMBASE, and MEDLINE databases was performed for published guidelines in each geographic region. Inclusion criteria included publications available in English that were established by a dermatological association or group including dermatologists, pertained to the treatment of AD in humans, were the most recent guidelines available that were published between 2007 and 2018, and included comprehensive treatment recommendations. Results Publications from Europe, North America, Asia, the Asia-Pacific region, Australia, and Africa were reviewed, encompassing 14 guidelines. Notable diversity exists across these guidelines regarding recommendations for moisturization and bathing, as well as topical and systemic therapies for AD. Conclusions Due to the heterogeneity of the disease and regional treatment accessibility, complete standardization of AD management guidelines may be difficult. Nevertheless, more consensus on management guidelines is needed, and recommendations should be updated as new treatment modalities become available.
The value of harm reduction for injection drug use: A clinical and public health ethics analysis.

Abstract The US is facing dual public health crises related to opioid overdose deaths and HIV. Injection drug use is fueling both of these epidemics. The War on Drugs has failed to stem injection drug use and has contributed to mass incarceration, poverty, and racial disparities. Harm reduction is an alternative approach that seeks to decrease direct and indirect harms associated with drug use without necessarily decreasing drug consumption. Although overwhelming evidence demonstrates that harm reduction is effective in mitigating harms associated with drug use and is cost-effective in providing these benefits, harm reduction remains controversial and the ethical implications of harm reduction modalities have not been well explored. This paper analyzes harm reduction for injection drug use using the core principles of autonomy, nonmaleficence, beneficence, and justice from both clinical ethics and public health ethics perspectives. This framework is applied to harm reduction modalities currently in use in the US, including opioid maintenance therapy, needle and syringe exchange programs, and opioid overdose education and naloxone distribution. Harm reduction interventions employed outside of the US, including safer injection facilities, heroin-assisted treatment, and decriminalization/legalization are then discussed. This analysis concludes that harm reduction is ethically sound and should be an integral aspect of our nation's healthcare system for combating the opioid crisis. From a clinical ethics perspective, harm reduction promotes the autonomy of, prevents harms to, advances the well-being of, and upholds justice for persons who use drugs. From a public health ethics perspective, harm reduction advances health equity, addresses racial disparities, and serves vulnerable, disadvantaged populations in a cost-effective manner.
Role of p90RSK in kidney and other diseases

The 90 kDa ribosomal s6 kinases (RSKs) are a group of serine/threonine kinases consisting of 4 RSK isoforms (RSK1-4), of which RSK1 is also designated as p90RSK. p90RSK plays an important role in the Ras-mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signalling cascade and is the direct downstream effector of Ras-extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2) signalling. ERK1/2 activation directly phosphorylates and activates p90RSK, which, in turn, activates various signalling events through selection of different phosphorylation substrates. Upregulation of p90RSK has been reported in numerous human diseases. p90RSK plays an important role in the regulation of diverse cellular processes. Thus, aberrant activation of p90RSK plays a critical role in the pathogenesis of organ dysfunction and damage. In this review, we focus on the current understanding of p90RSK functions and roles in the development and progression of kidney diseases. Roles of p90RSK, as well as other RSKs, in cardiovascular disorders and cancers are also discussed.
A nonparametric technique for analysis of state-trace functions

Abstract State-trace analysis provides a direct and transparent way of evaluating a question that is central to many studies of cognitive function: do one or two latent processes underlie performance on a particular task? This evaluation is made using a state-trace plot, which is a bivariate plot of two dependent variables over a dimensional variable that provides the basis for the hypothesized dissociation, and a trace variable, which enables the examination over a range of levels of performance. State-trace analysis has been used successfully in research on perception (Mccarley & Grant, 2008), attention (Verhaeghen & Cerella, 2002), memory (Dunn, 2008), and categorization (Newell, Dunn, & Kalish, 2010). However, inferential techniques for evaluating whether a given state-trace plot yields evidence for one versus two latent processes have only recently started to appear in the literature. Here we develop PIRST (Permuted Isotonic Regression for State-Trace), a fully nonparametric algorithm based on isotonic regression that can be applied to a state-trace plot and used to characterize the amount of evidence in support of one hypothesis or the other. The technique is benchmarked using simulated data, and is shown to recover the true underlying latent structure under conditions of adequate measurement. Finally, we compare PIRST to an extant technique for state-trace analysis (CMR) using ROC analysis and evaluate their respective strengths and weaknesses for diagnosing latent structure.
Biomarkers of Exposure and Potential Harm among Natural American Spirit Smokers.

Objectives We compared biomarkers of exposure and potential harm in smokers of American Spirit (AS) to smokers of Marlboro, Newport, Camel, and Pall Mall. Methods We conducted secondary analysis on: (1) data from a randomized clinical trial (RCT); and (2) the Population Assessment of Tobacco Use and Health (PATH) Study. Biomarkers analyzed included: total nicotine equivalents (TNE); 4-(methylnitrosamino)-1-(3-pyridyl)-1-butanol and its glucuronides (total NNAL); N'-nitrosonornicotine and its N-glucuronide (total NNN);3-hydroxypropylmercapturic acid(3-HPMA); 2-hydroxypropylmercapturic acid (2-HPMA), 3-hydroxy-1 methylpropylmercapturic acid (HMPMA); S-phenylmercapturic acid(SPMA); 2-cyanoethylmercapturic acid (CEMA); phenanthrene tetraol(PheT);1-hydroxypyrene (1-HOP);8-iso-PGF2α; white blood count(WBC); prostaglandin E metabolite(PGEM); and high sensitivity C-reactive protein(hsCRP). Results AS smokers did not differ in TNE but had higher TNE per cigarette compared to other brands. Total NNAL, total NNN, CEMA, and 3-HPMA were lower in AS smokers. All other biomarkers were no different in AS smokers compared to all or the majority of the other brands. Conclusions Levels of total NNAL, total NNN, acrylonitrile, and acrolein were reduced in AS smokers; however, it is not known whether reductions in exposure to these toxicants contribute to reduced harm. Higher TNE per cigarette smoked in AS smokers suggests a greater addictive potential compared to other brands. Regulatory action to ensure that consumers are not misled about the risks of the AS brand are recommended.
The Psychology of Product Aesthetics: Antecedents and Individual Differences in Product Evaluations

Even though product design and aesthetics are important marketing concerns, they remain largely ignored variables in academic research. Integrating recent research in marketing, psychology and the visual arts, this inquiry studies product aesthetics (shape, color, texture etc.) in a consumer behavior context. Using an extension of the Elaboration Likelihood Model (ELM), this study proposes and supports a theoretical framework that explains how product aesthetics are processed by consumers, and how product aesthetics interact with individual differences in product evaluations.
Differences in Weeklong Ambulatory Vocal Behavior Between Female Patients With Phonotraumatic Lesions and Matched Controls

Purpose Previous work using ambulatory voice recordings has shown no differences in average vocal behavior between patients with phonotraumatic vocal hyperfunction and matched controls. This study ...
Choosing Schools in Changing Places: Examining School Enrollment in Gentrifying Neighborhoods:

School choice expansion in recent decades has weakened the strong link between neighborhoods and schools created under a strict residence-based school assignment system, decoupling residential and ...
Information Literacy’s Influence on Undergraduates’ Learning and Development: Results from a Large Multi-institutional Study

This paper investigated the reliability and validity of the National Survey of Student Engagement’s Experiences with Information Literacy module, an assessment instrument developed in collaboration with a group of instructional librarians. After identifying three information literacy–related factors in the module, it assessed the relationship between the factors and students’ engagement in Higher-Order Learning and Reflective and Integrative Learning activities and students’ perceived gains. The results from these analyses indicated that information literacy activities were positively and significantly correlated with student engagement and students’ perceived gains.
Confounding Role of Salmonella Serotype Dublin Testing Results of Boneless and Ground Beef Purchased for the National School Lunch Program, October 2013 to July 2017

ABSTRACT The Agricultural Marketing Service procures boneless and ground beef for federal nutrition assistance programs. It tests procured beef for concentrations of standard plate counts (SPCs), coliforms, and Escherichia coli and for the presence of Salmonella and Shiga toxin-producing E. coli. Any lot exceeding predefined critical limits (100,000 CFU g-1 for SPCs, 1,000 CFU g-1 for coliforms, and 500 CFU g-1 for E. coli) or positive for Salmonella or Shiga toxin-producing E. coli is rejected for purchase. Between 1 October 2013 and 31 July 2017, 166,796 boneless beef lots (each approximately 900 kg) and 25,051 ground beef sublots (each approximately 4,500 kg) were produced. Salmonella was detected in 1,955 (1.17%) boneless beef lots and 219 (0.87%) ground beef sublots. Salmonella sample size increased from an individual 25-g sample to a co-enriched 325-g sample on 1 March 2015. Salmonella presence was associated with season (lowest in spring), larger sample size, and increased log SPC in boneless and ground beef. Increased log E. coli was associated with Salmonella presence in boneless beef, but not ground beef. Salmonella Dublin was the most common serotype in boneless beef (743 of 1,407, 52.8%) and ground beef (35 of 171, 20.5%). Salmonella Dublin was generally associated with lower indicator microorganism concentrations compared with other Salmonella serotypes as a group. Relative to other Salmonella, Salmonella Dublin was associated with season (more common in spring) and smaller sample size in boneless and ground beef. Decreased log SPCs and log coliforms were associated with Salmonella Dublin presence in boneless beef, but not in ground beef. Differential associations between Salmonella Dublin and other serotypes with indicator microorganisms were strong enough to cause confounding and suggest that the presence of Salmonella Dublin needs to be accounted for when evaluating indicator performance to assess Salmonella risk in boneless and ground beef. HIGHLIGHTS
Convergence for nonconvex ADMM, with applications to CT imaging

The alternating direction method of multipliers (ADMM) algorithm [Boyd et al.,2011] is a powerful and flexible tool for complex optimization problems of the form $\min\{f(x) + g(y) : Ax + By = c\}$. ADMM exhibits robust empirical performance across a range of challenging settings including nonsmoothness and nonconvexity of the objective functions $f$ and $g$, and provides a simple and natural approach to the inverse problem of image reconstruction for computed tomography (CT) imaging. From the theoretical point of view, existing results for convergence in the nonconvex setting generally assume smoothness in at least one of the component functions in the objective. In this work, our new theoretical results provide convergence guarantees under a restricted strong convexity assumption without requiring smoothness or differentiability, while still allowing differentiable terms to be treated approximately if needed. We validate these theoretical results empirically, with a simulated example where both $f$ and $g$ are nondifferentiable (and thus outside the scope of existing theory), as well as a simulated CT image reconstruction problem.
Shortened-Interval Dual-Session EDGE Reduces the Risk of LAMS Dislodgement While Facilitating Timely ERCP

EUS-directed transgastric ERCP (EDGE) is an endoscopic modality for treating pancreaticobiliary disorders after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. EDGE consists of EUS-directed gastrogastrostomy/jejunogastrostomy creation (EUS-GG; step 1), followed by transgastric ERCP (step 2). The two steps can be performed in the same or separate endoscopic session(s). Single-session EDGE is immediately therapeutic but risks perforation via LAMS dislodgement. Dual-session EDGE does not risk perforation, but the clinical malady festers during the 10–14-day interval required for fistula maturation. A “shortened-interval dual-session” EDGE (2–4 day interval) may resolve this dilemma. Our study compares 20-mm LAMS dislodgement risk between single-session and shortened-interval dual-session EDGE. We conducted a single-center retrospective study of 21 RYGB patients who underwent EDGE using 20-mm LAMS by one advanced endoscopist between 3/2018 and 2/2020. Given the small sample size, a permutation of regressor residuals test was conducted to investigate the association between EDGE interval type and LAMS dislodgement, controlling for the effect of fistula type. Eleven patients (six female; mean age 55 years old) underwent single-session EDGE; LAMS dislodgement occurred in five cases (45%). Ten patients (eight female; mean age 60 years old) underwent shortened-interval dual-session EDGE (median interval 2 days); LAMS dislodgement occurred in one case (10%). The odds of LAMS dislodgement during single-session EDGE was 817% that of shortened-interval dual-session EDGE (OR 8.17; p = 0.05), after controlling for the effect of fistula type. Shortened-interval dual-session EDGE decreases the risk of intraprocedural 20-mm LAMS dislodgement while allowing for timely transgastric ERCP.
Constricted migration is associated with stable 3D genome structure differences in melanoma cells

Abstract To spread from a localized tumor, metastatic cancer cells must squeeze through constrictions that cause major nuclear deformations. Since chromosome structure affects nucleus stiffness, gene regulation and DNA repair, here we investigate how confined migration affects or is affected by 3D genome structure. Using melanoma (A375) cells, we identify phenotypic differences in cells that have undergone multiple rounds of constricted migration. These cells display a stably higher migration efficiency, elongated morphology, and differences in the distribution of Lamin A/C and heterochromatin. Using Hi-C, we observe differences in chromosome spatial compartmentalization specific to cells that have passed through constrictions and related alterations in expression of genes associated with migration and metastasis. These sequentially constricted cells also show more nuclear deformations and altered behavior in a 3D collagen matrix. Our observations reveal a relationship between chromosome structure changes, metastatic gene signatures, and the altered nuclear appearance of aggressive melanoma.
High-Profile Enforcement as an Effective Deterrence Mechanism: Evidence from the Paul Manafort Prosecution and the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA)

Operating within bounded rationality, individuals and organizations seek to maximize their utility or economic benefit, which many times leads to regulatory non-compliance. Although prior literature in economics and criminology agrees that three conditions—certainty, severity, and celerity of punishment—must be met to effectively deter institutional non-compliance, it is still not clear which conditions matter, under what contingencies, and how these three conditions interact with each other. Particularly, less attention has been paid to the effect of these three conditions on white-collar crimes. By looking at the Investigation into Russian Interference in the 2016 Presidential Election led by special counsel Robert Mueller and his team as an empirical setting, we examine whether lobbyists in Washington, D.C. working for foreign governments comply with FARA and register their work after this high-profile investigation and enforcement. We further argue that the sudden change in enforcement may well be more salient to low-reputation firms than high-reputation firms because high-reputation firms are more likely to have already complied with even unenforced institutional rules when noncompliance might damage their reputation asset. The preliminary results of our study using a natural experiment through an unexpected shock provide robust empirical evidence that the prosecution increased compliance, especially with respect to low-reputation registrants and registrants working with clients from countries with relatively poor human rights record. The effects we find are consistent and robust across many aspects of their reporting behaviors, which strongly supports our arguments.
Evolutionary divergence in tail regeneration between Xenopus laevis and Xenopus tropicalis.

Tissue regeneration is of fast growing importance in the development of biomedicine, particularly organ replacement therapies. Unfortunately, many human organs cannot regenerate. Anuran Xenopus laevis has been used as a model to study regeneration as many tadpole organs can regenerate. In particular, the tail, which consists of many axial and paraxial tissues, such as spinal cord, dorsal aorta and muscle, commonly present in vertebrates, can fully regenerate when amputated at late embryonic stages and most of the tadpole stages. Interestingly, between stage 45 when feeding begins to stage 47, the Xenopus laevis tail cannot regenerate after amputation. This period, termed “refractory period”, has been known for about 20 years. The underlying molecular and genetic basis is unclear in part due to the difficult to carry out genetic studies in this pseudo-tetraploid species. Here we compared tail regeneration between Xenopus laevis and the highly related diploid anuran Xenopus tropicalis and found surprisingly that Xenopus tropicalis lacks the refractory period. Further molecular and genetic studies, more feasible in this diploid species, should reveal the basis for this evolutionary divergence in tail regeneration between two related species and facilitate the understanding how tissue regenerative capacity is controlled, thus with important implications for human regenerative medicine.
How village leaders in rural Amazonia create bonding, bridging, and linking social capital configurations to achieve development goals, and why they are so difficult to maintain over time.

Abstract At the dawn of the 21st century, riverine communities in the Brazilian Amazon faced natural resource conflicts, land tenure issues, a lack of basic services, and other development challenges. The solutions to these challenges required riverine leaders to not only build extensive social networks, but also forced them to create mutually reinforcing configurations of bonding, bridging, and linking social capital. A position generator survey conducted among a sample of riverine communities in the municipality of Labrea, Amazonas confirmed that riverine leaders had more extensive linking social capital than non-leaders. Two years of ethnographic research identified the complex micro-sociological processes riverine leaders engaged in to create the configurations of bonding, bridging, and linking social capital required to achieve collective goals. These micro-sociological processes included day-to-day behaviors, actions, interactions, and complex decisions regarding how and when to activate and deactivate relationships. This research indicates that analyzing day-to-day micro-sociological processes is useful not only to understand social capital configurations, but also to understand how some people are able to create more social capital than others. However, while some micro-sociological processes facilitate social capital configurations, others complicate efforts to create and maintain them. This article also illustrates the burdens riverine leaders faced in creating social capital configurations and the challenges of maintaining them over time. This study builds on previous research regarding the role of community leadership in rural development and provides examples of how analyzing micro-sociological processes can help identify the benefits, costs, and burdens of creating the social capital necessary to achieve development goals.
Agenda Manipulation under Doctrinal Paradox

A group of individuals faces a multi-valued proposition whose truth-value is logically driven from many preliminary propositions. An agenda-setter aims at manipulating the voting outcome by choosing which propositions to ask the group. The strategies of the agenda-setter are formally defined as a class of aggregation procedures that satisfy our democratic axiom. Within this class, we characterize a novel aggregation procedure that uniformly dominates all other procedures in the sense that the outcome of this procedure is always greater than the outcomes of any other procedures, regardless of how voters cast their ballots. Conversely, the mathematical dual of this procedure is uniformly dominated by all other procedures. These results clarify to what extent an agenda-setter can unambiguously manipulate the voting outcome before opening a ballot box.
Reading Roman Friendship

Introduction: reading Roman friendship 1. Men and women 2. Love and friendship I: questions and themes 3. Love and friendship II: authors and texts 4. Friendship and death: the culture of commemoration.
Stochastic Canonical Equation K41 for Normalized Spectral Functions of Empirical Covariance Matrices

In spite of common belief, the structure of empirical covariance matrices is much deeper, and the corresponding spectral theory for them is more difficult as compared to a similar theory for random matrices with identically distributed entries. Here, we consider observations $$ {\vec x_k} = R_{{m_n}}^{1/2}{\vec \nu _k} + \vec a,\;\;k = 1, \ldots , n, $$ where the components of the random vector \( {\vec \nu _k} \) are independent, their expectations are equal to zero, and the variances are equal to one, but their distributions are arbitrary and, in general, the Lindeberg condition is not satisfied for the components of the random vector \( {\vec \nu _k} \) when the number of components m n tends to infinity. It turns out, that, in such a general case, it is possible to describe all limits of normalized spectral functions of empirical covariance matrices under the condition that the number of components m n and the number of observations n tend to infinity, and their fraction m n n −1 tends to a certain constant.
Relational Uncertainty, Self-Other Inclusion, and Communication Satisfaction as Predictors of Friendship Relational Maintenance, and How Equity Changes the Story

Research has identified equity, self-other inclusion, and uncertainty as predictors of relational maintenance behavior. However, theory has not synthesized these predictors into an overarching explanation of maintenance processes. Therefore, in the context of friendship, this investigation examined all three as contingent and joint predictors of maintenance, with communication satisfaction as a mediator. Data were collected by surveying a sample of college students. Although results indicated uncertainty and self-other inclusion were significant predictors mediated by communication satisfaction, equity moderated the overall effect of these predictors on maintenance. Consequently, the interaction enjoyment approach seems to serve as a partial explanation of maintenance, and that, although equity is not a primary motivator of friends’ maintenance behavior, it may influence sensitivity to uncertainty and closeness in the friendship.
Effect of maternal education on prognosis of development in children with Down syndrome.

Longitudinal development data from 40 home-reared children with Down syndrome who had been enrolled in an infant stimulation program were analyzed by level of maternal education: high, medium, or low. High level of maternal education was significantly correlated with higher mental development scores (P less than .001) and significantly different from scores of those with medium and low maternal educational level (P less than .001). The differences between groups with medium and low maternal education showed the same trend but were not significant. Multiple regression analysis confirmed that these differences were consistently significant throughout the age range. Analysis of longitudinal data of a subgroup of 11 children with Down syndrome showed remarkable intrasubject consistency and intersubject variability. This suggests that the intellectual functioning of the population with Down syndrome is not a uniform one but is subject to the same genetic and environmental influences as the rest of the population. The creation of percentile charts is advocated for the evaluation of treatment programs.
The physician's influence on the nonacceptance of birth control

Abstract Data gathered from observation, interviews, and a review of consultation records of an inner city prenatal clinic population indicated repetitive patterns by which physicians contribute to their patients' nonacceptance of birth control. These repetitive patterns, which seem to operate unconsciously, are reviewed, and suggestions are made for dealing with the passivity, fears, and supersititions of lower socioeconomic class women.
A Medieval French Book in an Early Modern English World: Christine de Pisan’s Livre de la Cité des Dames and Women Readers in the Age of Print

The Boke of the Cyte of Ladyes is Bryan Anslay’s 1521 translation of Christine de Pisan’s Le Livre de la Cite des Dames. Its form as an English printed book had implications for its readership and reception: Christine’s emphases on rhetoric, reading, and scholarship dovetailed with the spread in England of more accessible books and education. Given the cultural context of the early sixteenth century – a time during which print was beginning to compete with manuscript, women were becoming an important segment of the market for books, and Protestant values were negotiating coexistence with Catholic culture – we can deduce that Anslay’s version of Christine’s text resonated more strongly with sixteenth-century English readers than the original did with its fifteenth-century French audience, gaining more sympathy for Christine’s goal of elevating the status of women.
Emerging Agents and New Mutations in EGFR-Mutant Lung Cancer

Third-generation mutant-specific EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors are showing robust clinical activity, particularly in lung cancers harboring the EGFR T790M mutation, yet acquired resistance to these agents emerges. Additional mutations in EGFR can confer resistance that, depending on their genomic context, could determine new drug sensitivities of the cancer cells. Clin Cancer Res; 21(17); 3818–20. ©2015 AACR . See related articles by Ercan et al., p. 3913 and Niederst et al., p. 3924
Cecal Enlargement and Microbial Flora in Suckling Mice Given Antibacterial Drugs

Enlargement and microbial colonization of the cecum were examined in neonatal mice suckling mothers drinking either water or an aqueous solution of penicillin. The full ceca increased in weight at the same rate in both drug-treated and control mice during the first 15 to 17 days after birth. Thereafter, cecal weight increased at a greater rate in the drug-treated animals than in the untreated controls. At weaning, the ceca in treated mice were two to three times the size of control organs and remained enlarged as long as penicillin was given. The enlarged ceca did not differ histologically from those in controls. From birth, the cecal microflora in the drug-treated mice differed qualitatively and quantitatively and in colonization pattern from the flora of control mice. The ceca of untreated animals were colonized primarily by large populations of lactobacilli during the first week after birth, small populations of coliforms and enterococci during the second week, and enormous populations of bacteroides and certain gram-negative fusiform-shaped anaerobic bacteria during the third week. In contrast, the organs of the treated mice were populated by large populations of coliforms and enterococci during the first week and enormous populations of clostridia and unusual gram-negative nonsporeforming bacteria during the third week. These large abnormal populations were present in the ceca as they enlarged during the third week after birth in the drug-treated animals. These findings confirm that only certain populations of anaerobic bacteria can act to maintain cecal size in normal animals.
Evolutionary dynamics of influenza A viruses in US exhibition swine

The role of exhibition swine in influenza A virus transmission was recently demonstrated by >300 infections with influenza A(H3N2) variant viruses among individuals who attended agricultural fairs. Through active influenza A virus surveillance in US exhibition swine and whole-genome sequencing of 380 isolates, we demonstrate that exhibition swine are actively involved in the evolution of influenza A viruses, including zoonotic strains. First, frequent introduction of influenza A viruses from commercial swine populations provides new genetic diversity in exhibition pigs each year locally. Second, genomic reassortment between viruses cocirculating in exhibition swine increases viral diversity. Third, viral migration between exhibition swine in neighboring states demonstrates that movements of exhibition pigs contributes to the spread of genetic diversity. The unexpected frequency of viral exchange between commercial and exhibition swine raises questions about the understudied interface between these populations. Overall, the complexity of viral evolution in exhibition swine indicates that novel viruses are likely to continually reemerge, presenting threats to humans.
Density-Wave Theory of Spiral Structure

The topics I would like to cover in this lecture range from the problem of spiral structure on a large scale to the problem of star formation on a small scale. I shall adopt the density-wave interpretation of these diverse phenomena as the unifying point of view. This point of view originated with B. Lindblad and has been developed into a coherent form by C.C. Lin and his associates (see the review by Lin, 1971).
Multi-document Summarization via Budgeted Maximization of Submodular Functions

We treat the text summarization problem as maximizing a submodular function under a budget constraint. We show, both theoretically and empirically, a modified greedy algorithm can efficiently solve the budgeted submodular maximization problem near-optimally, and we derive new approximation bounds in doing so. Experiments on DUC'04 task show that our approach is superior to the best-performing method from the DUC'04 evaluation on ROUGE-1 scores.
Historical Inquiry in a Methods Classroom: Examining Our Beliefs and Shedding Our Old Ways.

(2005). Historical Inquiry in a Methods Classroom: Examining Our Beliefs and Shedding Our Old Ways. The Social Studies: Vol. 96, No. 6, pp. 247-251.
Levels of blood-bourne factors and cytosol glucocorticoid receptors during the initiation of muscle atrophy in rodent hindlimbs

When only 1 hindlimb of the adult mouse was immobilized for 13 h, the immobilization-induced failure of insulin to stimulate 2-deoxyglucose uptake was observed in the immobilized soleus muscle. 2-deoxyglucose uptake was unchanged in the contralateral, nonimmobilized muscle. In the rat, protein synthesis rates decreased in the one immobilized limb as compared to rates measured in the contralateral nonimmobilized limb of the same animal. The synthesis rates in the contralateral nonimmobilized limb of a rat with one immobilized limb were not significantly different from rates of muscle protein synthesis observed in rats with no hindlimb immobilization. Specific binding of3H-dexamethasone, as determined by exchange assay in the gastrocnemius muscle cytosol, increased after 7 days of immobilization, but not after only 6 h of immobilization. Changes in the level of blood-bourne factors or in cytosolic glucocorticoid levels do not by themselves initiate muscle atrophy in immobilized rodent limbs.
Anomalous origin of the right coronary artery from the main pulmonary artery.

Abstract An adolescent boy with anomalous origin of the right coronary artery from the main pulmonary artery is presented. Although he had been asymptomatic, a to and fro heart murmur and slight cardiac enlargement suggested a cardiac malformation. Once the diagnosis was established by cardiac catheterization and angiocardiography, the defect was corrected by transplanting the anomalous coronary vessel to the aorta. This is the first pediatric patient with isolated anomalous right coronary artery from the main pulmonary artery whose condition was diagnosed ante mortem and the first patient to have surgical correction of the malformation.
Persistence of the luteal phase following ovulation during altrenogest treatment in mares.

Abstract Two experiments were conducted to test the efficacy of altrenogest treatment in mares. The response to 15-d altrenogest treatment (Experiment 1) was characterized in 20 mares that were given 22 mg daily of altrenogest in oil (n = 10) or in gel (n = 10) from Day 10 to 25 after ovulation. In 17 mares, luteolysis occurred during altrenogest treatment (Day 17.7 ± 0.5), while 2 mares retained their corpus luteum (CL), and 1 mare had a diestrous ovulation on Day 16, resulting in a prolonged luteal phase. Ten of the 17 mares in which the CL had spontaneously regressed returned to estrus after the end of treatment, and ovulated 5.7 ± 0.8 d after the end of altrenogest treatment. Two of these 17 mares ovulated 2 and 3 d after the end of altrenogest treatment but ovulation was not accompanied by estrous behavior, and 5 mares ovulated during altrenogest treatment resulting in an interovulatory interval of 22.4 ± 1.1 d (range: 20 to 25d). Five mares which ovulated during altrenogest treatment and 2 mares which ovulated during silent estrus after the end of altrenogest treatment failed to regress the CL around 14 d post ovulation, and had a prolonged luteal phase. In Experiment 2, the effect of altrenogest administered from luteolysis to ovulation on duration of the subsequent luteal period was analyzed. In 6 mares altrenogest was begun on Day 14 post ovulation and continued until the hCG-induced ovulation. The interval from ovulation during altrenogest treatment to spontaneous luteolysis was 45.6 ± 2.4 d (range: 40 to 54d) in altrenogest-treated mares and was significantly longer than in 10 untreated control mares (14.5 ± 0.3 d, range: 13 to 16d). The results suggest that the oil and gel altrenogest preparations are equally effective in modulating estrous behavior and time to estrus and ovulation. Altrenogest treatment started late in diestrus appears to result in a high incidence of ovulation during treatment and when luteolysis and ovulation occur during treatment; the subsequent luteal phase is frequently prolonged due to failure of regression of the CL.
Regulation of glucokinase and proinsulin gene expression and insulin secretion in RIN-m5F cells by dexamethasone, retinoic acid, and thyroid hormone.

In RIN-5mF cells, treatment with either dexamethasone or retinoic acid resulted in increased glucokinase activity. Treatment with dexamethasone (50 and 500 nM) increased glucokinase activity 140% and 260%, respectively, whereas treatment with retinoic acid (100 and 1000 nM) increased glucokinase activity by 50% and 80%, respectively. An additive effect was observed when 1000 nM retinoic acid was added to either 50 or 500 nM dexamethasone. Treatment with either of these factors resulted in increased glucokinase mRNA levels. In contrast, treatment with thyroid hormone (T3; 0.2 and 10 nM) had no effect on glucokinase activity, but decreased glucokinase mRNA levels. T3 did not affect the response of either activity or mRNA levels to retinoic acid. Binding experiments revealed the presence of a single class of T3 nuclear receptors, with a Kd of 0.46 x 10(-10) and a binding capacity of 3.84 pmol/mg protein in these cells. This suggests that the changes produced by T3 may be due to a physiological effect mediate...
THz Tunable Slow Light in Semiconductor Optical Amplifiers

We report tunable fractional delays up to 250% for lps pulses propagating through a 1.55mum semiconductor optical amplifier at room temperature. Tuning is accomplished either optically or electrically with low amplitude variation across entire range.
Equilibrium folding and unfolding pathways for a model protein.

The folding–unfolding process of reduced bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor was investigated with an idealized model employing approximate free energies. The protein is regarded to consist of only Cα and Cβ atoms. The backbone dihedral angles are the only conformational variables and are permitted to take discrete values at every 10°. Intraresidue energies consist of two terms: an empirical part taken from the observed frequency distributions of (ϕ,ψ) and an additional favorable energy assigned to the native conformation of each residue. Interresidue interactions are simplified by assuming that there is an attractive energy operative only between residue pairs in close contact in the native structure. A total of 230,000 molecular conformations, with no atomic overlaps, ranging from the native state to the denatured state, are randomly generated by changing the sampling bias. Each conformation is classified according to its conformational energy, F; a conformational entropy, S(F) is estimated for each value of F from the number of samples. The dependence of S(F) on energy reveals that the folding–unfolding transition for this idealized model is an “all-or-none” type; this is attributable to the specific long-range interactions. Interresidue contact probabilities, averaged over samples representing various stages of folding, serve to characterize folding intermediates. Most probable equilibrium pathways for the folding–unfolding transition are constructed by connecting conformationally similar intermediates. The specific details obtained for bovine pancreatic trypsin inhibitor are as follows: (1) Folding begins with the appearance of nativelike medium-range contacts at a β-turn and at the α-helix. (2) These grow to include the native pair of interacting β-strands. This state includes intact regular secondary conformations, as well as the interstrand sheet contacts, and corresponds to an activated state with the highest free energy on the pathway. (3) Additional native long-range contacts are completely formed either toward the amino terminus or toward the carboxyl terminus. (4) In a final step, the missing contacts appear. Although these folding pathways for this model are not consistent with experimental reports, it does indicate multiple folding pathways. The method is general and can be applied to any set of calculated conformational energies and furthermore permits investigation of gross folding features.