cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Automated Ice-Tethered Profilers for Seawater Observations under Pack Ice in All Seasons

An automated, easily deployed Ice-Tethered Profiler (ITP) instrument system, developed for deployment on perennial sea ice in the polar oceans to measure changes in upper ocean water properties in all seasons, is described, and representative data from prototype instruments are presented. The ITP instrument consists of three components: a surface subsystem that sits atop an ice floe; a weighted, plastic-jacketed wire-rope tether of arbitrary length (up to 800 m) suspended from the surface element; and an instrumented underwater unit that employs a traction drive to profile up and down the wire tether. ITPs profile the water column at a programmed sampling interval; after each profile, the underwater unit transfers two files holding oceanographic and engineering data to the surface unit using an inductive modem and from the surface instrument to a shore-based data server using an Iridium transmitter. The surface instrument also accumulates battery voltage readings, buoy temperature data, and locations from a GPS receiver at a specified interval (usually every hour) and transmits those data daily. Oceanographic and engineering data are processed, displayed, and made available in near–real time (available online at http://www.whoi.edu/ itp). Six ITPs were deployed in the Arctic Ocean between 2004 and 2006 in the Beaufort gyre with various programmed sampling schedules of two to six one-way traverses per day between 10- and 750–760-m depth, providing more than 5300 profiles in all seasons (as of July 2007). The acquired CTD profile data document interesting spatial variations in the major water masses of the Canada Basin, show the double-diffusive thermohaline staircase that lies above the warm, salty Atlantic layer, measure seasonal surface mixed layer deepening, and document several mesoscale eddies. Augmenting the systems already deployed and to replace expiring systems, an international array of more than one dozen ITPs will be deployed as part of the Arctic Observing Network during the International Polar Year (IPY) period (2007–08) holding promise for more valuable real-time upper ocean observations for operational needs, to support studies of ocean processes, and to facilitate numerical model initialization and validation.
Martingale decompositions and integration

Continuing the work of the preceding chapter on continuous parameter (sub)martingales, we present a solution of the Doob decomposition problem, raised in Section 2.5, which is due to Meyer. We give an elementary (but longer) demonstration and also sketch a shorter (but more sophisticated) argument based on Doleans-Dade signed measure representation of quasimartingales. This decomposition leads to stochastic integration with square integrable martingales as integrators generalizing the classical Ito integration. The material is presented in this chapter in considerable detail, since it forms a basis for semimartingale integrals with numerous applications to be abstracted and treated in the following chapter. Orthogonal decompositions of square integrable martingales (of continuous time parameter), its time change transformation leading to a related Brownian motion process and the Levy characterization of the latter from continuous parameter martingales, are covered. Stopping (or optional) times play a key role in all this work, and some classifications of these are given. The treatment also includes the Stratonovich integrals as well as an identification of the square integrable martingale integrators with spectral measures of certain normal operators in Hilbert space. Finally some related results appear as exercises in the Complements section.
Constraints on the salinity–oxygen isotope relationship in the central tropical Pacific Ocean

article i nfo Osw and salinity across the study region, with slopes ranging from 0.23 to 0.31‰/psu for the mixed layer, and 0.35-0.42‰/psu for waters between the mixed layer and 500 m depth. When considering δ 18 Osw-salinity across averages of individual water masses in the region, slopesrangefrom0.21to0.40‰/psu,albeitwithappreciablescatter.Surfacesalinityand δ 18 Osw datacorrespond-
Association of alcohol consumption with brain volume in the Framingham study.

Background While adults who drink low to moderate amounts of alcohol have lower rates of cardiovascular disease than other adults, the effect of alcohol on the brain is less clear. There is evidence that drinking large amounts of alcohol is related to brain atrophy. It is uncertain what the effects of low to moderate consumption might be. Objective To determine whether consumption of smaller amounts of alcohol negatively affects brain volume or is protective in reducing the well-documented age-related decline in brain volume. Design Total cerebral brain volume (TCBV) was computed, correcting for head size. Multivariate linear regression models were used to evaluate the association between 5 categories of alcohol consumption (abstainers, former drinkers, low, moderate, high) and TCBV, adjusting for age, sex, education, height, body mass index (calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared), and the Framingham Stroke Risk Profile. Pairwise comparisons were also conducted between the alcohol consumption groups. Participants A total of 1839 subjects from the Framingham Offspring Study who had magnetic resonance imaging of the brain between 1999 and 2001. Results Most participants reported low alcohol consumption, and men were more likely than women to be moderate or heavy drinkers. There was a significant negative linear relationship between alcohol consumption and TCBV ( r = −0.25; P r = −0.29 vs −0.20). Conclusions In contrast to studies on cardiovascular disease, this study found that moderate alcohol consumption was not protective against normal age-related differences in total brain volume. Rather, the more alcohol consumed, the smaller the total brain volume.
Role of hepatic microsomal cytochrome P-450 in the toxicity of fluorinated ether anesthetics☆

Abstract To evaluate the role of cytochrome P-450 in anesthetic toxicity, we investigated the effects of hepatic microsomal cytochrome P-450 inducers [phenobarbital (PB), 3-methylcholanthrene (3-MC) and pregnenolone-16 α-carbonitrile (PCN)] and inhibitors [SKF 525-A, metyrapone, and 2allyl2isopropylacetamide (ALA)] on the potentiation of lethal effects to rats of i.p. administered 2,2,2-trifluoroethyl vinyl ether (TFVE), ethyl 2,2,2-trifluoroethyl ether (TFEE), allyl 2,2,2-trifluoroethyl ether (TFAE) and 2,3-epoxypropyl 2,2,2-trifluoroethyl ether (EPTFE). The time courses of tail-vein blood anesthetic concentrations and quantities of exhaled anesthetics together with the in vitro metabolism of the anesthetics and their binding to microsomal cytochromes P-450 were also determined. The results indicate that (1) the majority of the administered anesthetics make a single pass through the liver prior to exhalation and apparently are metabolized to toxic products, (2) the epoxide (EPTFE) exerts its lethal effects independently of cytochrome P-450 catalyzed metabolism and does not lie on the major path of TFAE metabolism, (3) all the anesthetics yield 2,2,2-trinuoroethanol (TFE) on metabolism in vitro but lethality does not always correlate with the rates of TFE formation, (4) PB induced cytochromes P-450 potentiate lethal effects of TFVE and TFEE but not of TFAE, and inhibitors differentiate mechanisms of TFVE and TFEE lethality, (5) PCN induced cytochromes P-450 potentiate the toxicity of TFVE, TFAE, and TFEE in a similar manner, and (6) 3-MC induction potentiates TFEE and TFAE lethality apparently independently of cytochrome P-450 catalyzed metabolism.
A Novel Neuroprotectant Granulocyte-Colony Stimulating Factor

Background and Purpose— Granulocyte-colony stimulating factor (G-CSF) is a growth factor that orchestrates the proliferation, differentiation, and survival of hematopoietic progenitor cells. It has been used for many years in clinical practice to accelerate the recovery of patients from neutropenia after cytotoxic therapy. However, there is a growing body of evidence from experimental studies suggesting that G-CSF also has important nonhematopoietic functions in the central nervous system. Summary of Review— The presence of the G-CSF/G-CSF–receptor system in the brain and its role in neuroprotection and neural tissue repair has been investigated in many recent studies. The neuroprotective actions of G-CSF have mainly been attributed to its anti-inflammatory and antiapoptotic effects. Furthermore, it induces neurogenesis and angiogenesis and improves functional recovery. In this review, we summarize the role of G-CSF and the corresponding signal transduction pathways regulated by G-CSF in neuroprotection. ...
Physicians’ Perspectives on Communicating Prescription Drug Information

Physician-patient communication has been identified as one factor that influences prescription drug compliance rates, even though the nature of such communication has not been well described. This study used a qualitative approach (in-depth interviews with 20 physicians representing a variety of medical areas) to better understand the process by which physicians communicate prescription drug information to their patients. A content analysis of interview transcripts indicated that two-way interactions focusing on the specific needs of the patients should be encouraged over simply disseminating more and more information about prescriptions. Information regarding unlikely outcomes was suggested to cause patient anxiety, which might be tied to decreased compliance rates. Physicians stressed the importance of "patient-directed communication" and expressed their concern over what they considered to be inappropriate sources of drug information. Other specific reasons cited for noncompliance included forgetfulness, ignoring medication when feeling better, and apprehensions about side effects.
Methodological approaches to evaluate the impact of FDA drug safety communications.

Background When the US FDA approves a new prescription drug there is still a great deal remaining to be learned about the safe and proper use of that product. When new information addressing these topics emerges post-approval, the FDA may issue a Drug Safety Communication (DSC) to alert patients and physicians. The effectiveness of the communication—how drug safety messaging conveyed in FDA DSCs changes patient or prescriber behavior—may depend on multiple factors, including the way physicians and patients learn about the information, their understanding of the issues conveyed, and their perception of the importance of the information. In 2013, the FDA issued two DSCs addressing critical new warnings related to products containing the sedative/hypnotic zolpidem.
Numerical Forecasting Experiments Based on the Conservation of Potential Vorticity on Isentropic Surfaces

Abstract In a few selected cases of explosive cyclogenesis, a “coarse-mesh” nine-level isentropic prediction model conserving potential geostrophic vorticity is shown to yield dependable 36-hr forecasts of developing cyclones. Stagnant cyclones in adjacent areas are handled with the same degree of accuracy, indicating that numerical instability in the model is not a likely cause of the spontaneous cyclonic development. Tentative conclusions are drawn about the advantages of isentropic, as opposed to isobaric, objective analysis.
SPECIFIC DETECTION OF NEOSPORA CANINUM OOCYSTS IN FECAL SAMPLES FROM EXPERIMENTALLY-INFECTED DOGS USING THE POLYMERASE CHAIN REACTION

Neospora caninum oocysts, passed in the feces of a definitive host (dog), were isolated, and genomic DNA was extracted. A polymerase cahin reaction (PCR) targeting the N. caninum-specific Nc 5 genomic sequence was performed using the isolated DNA. A synthesized competitor molecule containing part of the Nc 5 sequence was included in the assay as a check against false-negative PCR results and to quantify N. caninum oocyst DNA in fecal samples. A standard curve of the ratio of fluorescence intensity of PCR-amplified competitor to that of oocyst DNA was constructed to compare oocyst equivalents from fecal samples containing unknown numbers of N. caninum oocysts and to assess the sensitivity of the assay. The specificity of the assay was determined using the Nc 5-specific primers in PCR assays against other parasites likely to be found in canine feces. Genomic DNA sequences from the canine coccidians Hammondia heydorni, Cryptosporidium parvum, Sarcocystis cruzi, S. tenella, and Isospora ohioensis and the canine helminth parasites Strongyloides stercoralis, Toxocara canis, Dipylidium caninum, and Ancylostoma caninum were not amplified. In addition, genomic DNA sequences from oocysts of coccidian parasites that might contaminate dog feces, such as Hammondia hammondi, Toxoplasma gondii, or Eimeria tenella, were not amplified in the PCR assay. The assay should be useful in epidemiological surveys of both domestic and wild canine hosts and in investigations of oocyst biology in experimental infections.
Sparse recovery using an SVD approach to interference removal and parameter estimation

This work focuses on parametric sparse sensing models and looks to improve l1 regularization results when the model dictionary is strongly coherent and/or regularization parameters are unknown. The singular value decomposition (SVD) of the model's dictionary matrix is used to construct signal and noise subspaces. A method that uses the measurements to automatically optimize the subspace division along with a way to estimate the noise level is introduced. The signal-noise subspace decomposition is then extended to deal with an interfering signal that lies in a known linear subspace by modifying the SVD and performing the sparse recovery in the modified signal subspace. The proposed technique is applied successfully to the Discrete Spectrum of Relaxation Frequencies (DSRF) extraction problem for Electromagnetic Induction (EMI) underground sensing where a strong interference from the soil is a significant concern.
Summary Witness Testimony in Federal Tax Litigation Cases As Identified in Court Opinions

In U.S. tax litigation; there are three types of summary witnesses that may be called by both parties in a case. Their use provides insights into how large volumes of evidence and empirical research complex issues are presented in tax cases. To determine how witnesses are used during tax trials, this is the first to review the 109 tax opinions published through 2010 that disclose the use of summary witnesses. This paper first discusses the Federal Rules of Evidence related to summary witnesses: Rule 1006 primary evidence, Rule 611 pedagogical device and hybrid or secondary-device summary witnesses. Then the court cases are surveyed to determine: the trends in the use of summary witnesses; who presents the summary witness; how many cases are Rule of Evidence 1006 versus Rule 611; the demographics of the summary witnesses; if they serve as more than one type of expert during the trial; and the reasons for which their testimony was challenged in courts of appeals. A detailed review of the opinions led to the master list of 109 cases. The majority of the summary witnesses (57.1%) presented Rule 611 pedagogical- device summaries, 26.5% presented Rule 1006 primary-evidence summaries, and only 10.2% provided the hybrid 1006 and 611 secondary-evidence summaries. The vast majority of the summary witnesses (65.3%) were IRS revenue agents or IRS special agents (10.2%). Fifty percent of the summary witnesses served dual roles before the introduction of the Daubert standard, but only one summary witness did so after the standard was introduced. The summary witnesses’ testimony was challenged in 22 court cases and six verdicts were overturned due to problems with their testimony.
The Digital Studio: A Case Study of an Online Sustainable Design Studio

Universities see online education as a means to address decreasing enrollment and growing tuition costs, and many are offering online courses as a result. Architecture and design programs are hesitant to take their courses online, however. Replacing the hands-on and direct interaction central to studio-based education with virtual interactions is worrisome to some educators. This worry is often caused by the assumption that essential design skills, techniques and studio culture will be lost. This paper presents the results of an online sustainable design studio. The results have implications for studio culture, conceptual and skill based learning outcomes, and site specific design development. Results seem to indicate less sophisticated site specific design interventions and a significant loss of direct student to faculty interaction. However, conceptual and skill based learning outcomes are consistent with the traditional on campus version of the same course. The paper is meant to offer insight into how studios could be taught virtually, and to critically evaluate the challenges and opportunities of a digital future for sustainable design education. It also discusses the implications that online programs may hold for sustainability.
Balancing tumor immunity and inflammation

We demonstrated that vaccination with irradiated tumor cells engineered to secrete granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) generates potent, specific, and long-lasting anti-tumor immunity in murine models through improved tumor antigen presentation by mature CD11b+ dendritic cells and macrophages. The coordinated activities of CD4+ and CD8+ T cells, CD1d-restricted invariant NKT cells, and antibodies accomplish protective immunity. Several phase I clinical trials evaluating this immunization scheme in patients with disseminated tumors revealed the consistent elicitation in distant metastases of dense T and B cell infiltrates that effectuated substantial tumor necrosis and fibrosis. Moreover, the subsequent administration of a humanized blocking antibody against cytotoxic T lymphocyte-associated antigen 4 (CTLA-4) accomplished additional tumor destruction with lymphocyte and granulocyte infiltrates in a majority of stage IV patients, in the absence of serious autoimmune toxicities. Detailed study of blood and tumor samples from patients on these trials revealed the induction of a broad cellular and humoral response to multiple tumor-associated antigens, including melanoma inhibitor of apoptosis protein (ML-IAP) and MHC class I chain-related protein A (MICA). Pathologic examination of tumor infiltrates following immunotherapy revealed a linear relationship between the extent of tumor necrosis and the natural logarithm of the ratio of CD8+ cytotoxic T cells to FoxP3 expressing regulatory T cells (Tregs). Our recent investigations of GM-CSF deficient mice uncovered an unexpected critical role for this cytokine in Treg homeostasis. GM-CSF is required for the expression of the phosphatidylserine binding protein milk fat globule EGF-8 (MFG-E8) in antigen presenting cells, whereas the uptake of apoptotic cells by phagocyte-derived MFG-E8 stimulates peripheral Treg maintenance through TGF-β, MHC class II, and CCL22. In wild type mice, MFG-E8 limits the potency of GM-CSF secreting B16 melanoma vaccines through Treg induction, while a dominant negative MFG-E8 mutant (RGE) potentiates therapeutic immunity through Treg inhibition, resulting in the regression of established tumors. Together, these findings suggest that combinations of GM-CSF and MFG-E8 inhibition might improve the efficacy of cancer vaccines and complement the activity of CTLA-4 antibody blockade. Efforts to translate this combinatorial strategy involving MFG-E8 blockade into early stage clinical testing in advanced melanoma patients are underway. This abstract was published in Cancer Immunity, a Cancer Research Institute journal that ceased publication in 2013 and is now provided online in association with Cancer Immunology Research.
A Statistical Perspective on Highly Accelerated Testing

Highly accelerated life testing has been heavily promoted at Sandia (and elsewhere) as a means to rapidly identify product weaknesses caused by flaws in the product's design or manufacturing process. During product development, a small number of units are forced to fail at high stress. The failed units are then examined to determine the root causes of failure. The identification of the root causes of product failures exposed by highly accelerated life testing can instigate changes to the product's design and/or manufacturing process that result in a product with increased reliability. It is widely viewed that this qualitative use of highly accelerated life testing (often associated with the acronym HALT) can be useful. However, highly accelerated life testing has also been proposed as a quantitative means for "demonstrating" the reliability of a product where unreliability is associated with loss of margin via an identified and dominating failure mechanism. It is assumed that the dominant failure mechanism can be accelerated by changing the level of a stress factor that is assumed to be related to the dominant failure mode. In extreme cases, a minimal number of units (often from a pre-production lot) are subjected to a single highly accelerated stress relativemore » to normal use. If no (or, sufficiently few) units fail at this high stress level, some might claim that a certain level of reliability has been demonstrated (relative to normal use conditions). Underlying this claim are assumptions regarding the level of knowledge associated with the relationship between the stress level and the probability of failure. The primary purpose of this document is to discuss (from a statistical perspective) the efficacy of using accelerated life testing protocols (and, in particular, "highly accelerated" protocols) to make quantitative inferences concerning the performance of a product (e.g., reliability) when in fact there is lack-of-knowledge and uncertainty concerning the assumed relationship between the stress level and performance. In addition, this document contains recommendations for conducting more informative accelerated tests.« less
Icicle Growth Characteristics of Composite Insulators and Their Influential Factors

Composite insulators have relatively small shed spacing, so they are more likely to have icing flashovers than their glass and porcelain counterparts. To study the icicle growth on composite insulators, electric field simulations and icing tests of short insulator strings were performed, from which we obtained the relationship between the icicle growth and the electric field distribution. The influence of voltage and environment factors on the icicle growth was also researched. The results show that, the icicle growth interacts with the electric field distribution, and local arcs can slow down or even stop the growth of icicles when the maximum electric field intensity reaches about 30 kV/cm. All the factors, such as the voltage, environment temperature, water conductivity, rainfall intensity, and pollution degree, which influence the leakage current value and local discharge density, influence the growth and bridging of icicles. The increasing of the applied voltage, environment temperature, water conductivity, and pollution degree, as well as the decreasing of the rainfall intensity, can slow down the growth of icicles.
Plasma growth hormone, insulin-like growth factor, insulin, and thyroid hormone association with body protein and fat accretion in steers undergoing compensatory gain after dietary energy restriction.

Eighteen Chianina crossbred steers were used to examine the interrelationship between hormonal status and empty body protein (EBPRT) and fat (EBFAT) accretion during an 88-d controlled realimentation (REAL; DMI was adjusted weekly on an individual BW basis) period. Body composition was determined by monitoring endogenous whole-body 40[K]. At the end of restriction (REST) and on d 31 and 59 of REAL blood samples were taken and analyzed for concentrations of growth hormone (GH), IGF-I, IGF-II, insulin (INS), thyroxine (T4), triiodothyronine (T3), reverse triiodothyronine (rT3), nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA), glucose, and urea nitrogen. Depositions of EBPRT and EBFAT were decreased (P < .001) in REST (92 d) animals compared with nonrestricted (NR) controls. During REST, plasma levels of glucose, IGF-I, INS, T4, T3, and rT3 were decreased (P < .05); plasma urea nitrogen (PUN), NEFA, and GH levels were increased (P < .05), and IGF-II concentrations were similar between REST and NR steers. A transient compensatory response in BW gain and protein deposition occurred in repleted steers between d 35 and 62 of REAL. During this period, PUN levels markedly declined (P < .01) in REAL steers and glucose concentration increased (P < .01) to levels similar to those in NR controls. This response prevailed even though apparent digestible nutrients were decreased in repleted animals. During energy repletion, plasma levels of T4, T3, rT3, IGF-I, and INS were positively, and of GH was negatively, correlated with EBPRT and EBFAT gain in repleted animals. Unlike IGF-I, IGF-II was not correlated with compensatory body growth. These results suggest that compensating steers are more metabolically efficient; rapid body tissue gain occurs during a period of reduced nutrient digestibility. Additionally, plasma levels of IGF-I, GH, INS, and thyroid hormones, but not of IGF-II, are markedly affected by alteration of energy intake and are highly correlated with empty body gain and protein deposition in compensating late-maturing steers.
Assessment-based health informatics curriculum improvement

Objective Informatics programs need assurance that their curricula prepare students for intended roles as well as ensuring that students have mastered the appropriate competencies. The objective of this study is to describe a method for using assessment data to identify areas for curriculum, student selection, and assessment improvement. Materials and Methods A multiple-choice examination covering the content in the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education curricular facets/elements was developed and administered to 2 cohorts of entering students prior to the beginning of the program and to the first cohort after completion of the first year’s courses. The reliability of the examination was assessed using Cronbach’s alpha. Content validity was assessed by having 2 raters assess the match of the items to the Commission on Accreditation for Health Informatics and Information Management Education requirements. Construct validation included comparison of exam performance of instructed vs uninstructed students. Criterion-related validity was assessed by examining the relationship of background characteristics to exam performance and by comparing examination performance to graduate Grade Point Average (GPA). Results Reliability of the examination was 0.91 and 0.82 (Cohort 1 pre/post-tests) and 0.43 (Cohort 2 pretest). Both raters judged 76% of the test items as appropriate. There were statistically significant differences between the instructed (Cohort 1 post-test) and uninstructed (Cohort 2 pretest) students ( t = 2.95 P < .01), as well as between the Cohort 1 pre/post-tests ( t = 6.52, P < .001). Neither the background variables nor the graduate GPA were significantly correlated with the examination scores. Conclusion We found that the examination had generally good psychometric properties and the exceptions could be used to identify areas for curriculum and assessment improvement.
LES/PDF for premixed combustion in the DNS limit

We investigated the behaviour of the composition probability density function (PDF) model equations used in a large-eddy simulation (LES) of turbulent combustion in the direct numerical simulation (DNS) limit; that is, in the limit of the LES resolution length scale Δ (and the numerical mesh spacing h) being small compared to the smallest flow length scale, so that the resolution is sufficient to perform a DNS. The correct behaviour of a PDF model in the DNS limit is that the resolved composition fields satisfy the DNS equations, and there are no residual fluctuations (i.e. the PDF is everywhere a delta function). In the DNS limit, the treatment of molecular diffusion in the PDF equations is crucial, and both the ‘random-walk’ and ‘mean-drift’ models for molecular diffusion are investigated. Two test cases are considered, both of premixed laminar flames (of thickness δL). We examine the solutions of the model PDF equations for these test cases as functions of Δ/δL and h/δL. Each of the two PDF models has ...
Serial Analyses of Fat-Related Variables

The data to be described are from the Fels Longitudinal Study which has been conducted in Southwestern Ohio since 1929 and from the Denver Study which was conducted in Colorado from 1930 to 1968. In each of these studies, the participants are generally of middle socioeconomic status and almost all are white. Data from participants with serious diseases have not been included in the analyses. Where appropriate, the distributions have been normalized before analysis.
The phenomenon of tablet flashing — Its impact on tableting data analysis and a method to eliminate it

Flashing at tablet edges, an inevitable phenomenon when tableting a plastically deforming material under a high pressure, can introduce significant errors to tablet density and porosity determinations due to overestimated tablet thickness when tablet were measured out-of-die. Errors in tablet density determination also lead to errors in true density obtained by the Sun method, which is suitable for water-containing solids. Errors in true density and tablet porosity propagate to fundamental parameters, derived from common equations, for quantifying mechanical properties of compacts. In this work, we have developed and validated a method to eliminate tablet flashing using sand paper. Using binary mixtures of water-containing plastic materials, we have further demonstrated the impressive improvement in powder deformability assessment by using accurate density of tablets free from flashing.
Naming Their World in a Culturally Responsive Space: Experiences of Hmong Adolescents in an After-School Theatre Program.

This article draws on ethnographic research of a youth theatre program within a Hmong arts organization to explore the ways in which a culturally responsive program nurtured critical consciousness among Hmong immigrant youth. Hmong youth “named” struggles with stereotypes and acculturation expectations, and constructed positive ethnic identities as Hmong Americans in the theatre program. The study contributes to the after-school youth development scholarship by explicating the ways arts programs within co-ethnic, community-based organizations may afford immigrant youth with a means to rescript life stories, confront injustices perpetrated against them, and feel a sense of agency.
MNGO-06EXAMINATION OF THE RELATIONSHIP OF MENINGIOMA VOLUME AND MEASURES OF PROLIFERATION AND VASCULARITY

BACKGROUND: The natural history of surgically treated intracranial meningiomas can be quite variable. Recurrence and patient outcome cannot currently be predicted with accuracy. We explore the correlation of volumetric tumor measurement on preoperative imaging with measures of proliferation and angiogenesis. METHODS: We examined preoperative imaging and tissue from 263 patients with an average follow-up 90 months. Tumor size was obtained by two methods. The first by estimation using measures of maximal diameter in three planes and multiply these measure using the formula length X width X height X 0.5. The second method was by volumetric measures using OSRIX software. Tissue was examined for measures proliferation (MIB-1); and three methods of computer assisted measures of microvascular density (MVD) using antibodies for Factor VIII, CD 31 and CD 105. RESULTS: There is high correlation between tumor volume measured by the cross sectional diameter measures and volumetric measures. Both are positively correlated with MIB-1 measurement (p = 0.011). In a similar manner, higher tumor volumes are associated with higher MVD measures (p = 0.037). We also found a correlation between the three methods of MVD measurements but comparison of the accuracy of methods still needs to be examined. Progression-free survival (PFS) was associated with higher grade (p < 0.001), MIB-labeling index (p < 0.001) on pairwise comparisons. Using multivariate analysis, PFS was associated with MIB-labeling index (HR 1.68, p = 0.005). Shorter overall survival was associated with MIB-labeling index (HR 1.87, p < 0.001) when controlled for age. CONCLUSION: MIB-1 and MVD measures correlate with tumor volume measured by a two methods. With further refinement these molecular markers may be used to predict outcome for patients with intracranial meningiomas.
Hepatitis C: Review of the Epidemiology, Clinical Care, and Continued Challenges in the Direct Acting Antiviral Era.

Purpose of Review This review highlights key studies and recently published data, policies, and recommendations related to hepatitis C virus (HCV) epidemiology, transmission, and treatment.
Safety of inhaled long-acting anti-muscarinic agents in COPD

Evidence-based guidelines recommend inhaled long-acting anti-muscarinic agents (LAMAs) as first-line maintenance therapy for symptomatic patients with COPD. Several LAMAs are now available for use either as monotherapy or in combination with other COPD medications, including long-acting β2-agonists (LABAs) or inhaled corticosteroids (ICS). The efficacy and long-term safety of these medications have been evaluated in multiple clinical trials and real-life studies. This review evaluates the evidence available on the safety of existing LAMAs alone or in combination with LABAs and ICS in patients with COPD.
Oil export, external prewar support for the government, and civil conflict onset:

The literature on civil war onset focuses on the effect of oil on domestic actors but relatively little suggests its effect on external actors who can intervene in an oil-producing state, although ...
Sexual Futures, Queer Gestures, and Other Latina Longings

Sexual Futures, Queer Gestures, and Other Latina Longings by Juana Maria Rodriguez is a critical addition to the canon of queer theory and, in particular, queer of color critique. Rodriguez is a pr...
United States—Private Practice: Where Are We Going?

There are two competing models in the United States of America (USA) for delivering critical care services in private practice to intensive care unit patients with life-threatening illnesses. First is the model of consultation practiced by Pulmonary/Critical Care. Patients are admitted to the ICU in the private practice environment by a primary care physician or surgeon and various services are consulted to manage various organ systems in failure. Normally pulmonology is asked to manage respiratory failure and will take care of mechanical ventilation and other respiratory issues. They usually do not manage other organ systems so cardiology takes care of heart problems and nephrology takes care of kidney problems, etc. Under most private practice situations the pulmonologist does not take administrative responsibility for the ICU and does not see all patients in the ICU. The consultation on the ICU patient is only part of the pulmonologist’s day since they have many other clinical responsibilities including consults outside the ICU, office practice, sleep lab, bronchoscopy suite, pulmonary function lab, etc. This model represents 85–90 % of private practice situations where the intensivist model is uncommon. The private practice intensivist model places physicians who are fellowship trained in critical care in the ICU as their full clinical responsibility without other clinical obligations outside the ICU. The intensivist usually works 7 days in a row to preserve continuity of care. A team of intensivists cover 16 h/day with a daytime intensivist and an evening intensivist and take night time pager call for the remaining 8 h/day so that there is a ready response from an intensivist 24 h/day. In very busy ICU environments with a high level of severity of illness there is a dedicated intensivist in the ICU 24 h/day.
REACTIVE PHASE CALSINTERING OF DOLOMITE.

The densification by the reactive phase calsintering of a compact formed from an oxide precursor is presented. The essential features of the process are the development of a reactive, high surface area matrix upon calcination of the precursor and the presence of a reactive liquid phase during sintering. The densification process is described for Fe2O3 doped dolomite in terms of the elimination of intra-aggregate ana interaggregate porosities via liquid phase sintering. It is demonstrated that high densities (≥95%) and rapid sintering kinetics can be obtained with coarse (>10μm) precursor powders.
Changes in sentiment on REIT industry excess returns and volatility

REIT characteristics pose unique risks and benefits to investors who seek liquid diversification and hedging vehicles to complement their portfolios. This paper tests for the asymmetric effect of individual and institutional investor sentiment on REIT industry returns and conditional volatility. We simultaneously model the impact of two markedly different groups of investors on the return generating process of the REIT industry. Our findings suggest that noise trading imposes significant systemic risk on the realization of REIT industry returns. Interestingly, corrections in institutional investor expectations have a larger effect on REIT industry returns and volatility than changes in individual investor expectations. More specifically, bearish shifts in institutional investor expectations of future market conditions have a significantly larger impact on returns and volatility than bullish shifts. Results align with the overreaction to negative information and loss aversion hypotheses.
A Systematic Scoping Review of Surgically Manipulated Adipose Tissue and the Regulation of Energetics and Body Fat in Animals.

Objective Surgical manipulations of adipose tissue by removal, or partial lipectomy, have demonstrated body fat compensation and recovered body weight, suggesting that the body is able to resist changes to body composition. However, the mechanisms underlying these observations are not well understood. The purpose of this scoping review is to provide an update on what is currently known about the regulation of energetics and body fat after surgical manipulations of adipose tissue in small mammals. Methods PubMed and Scopus were searched to identify 64 eligible studies. Outcome measures included body fat, body weight, food intake, and circulating biomarkers. Results Surgeries performed included lipectomy (72%) or transplantation (12%) in mice (35%), rats (35%), and other small mammals. Findings suggested that lipectomy did not have consistent long-term effects on reducing body weight and fat because regain occurred within 12 to 14 weeks post surgery. Hence, biological feedback mechanisms act to resist long-term changes of body weight or fat. Furthermore, whether this weight and fat regain occurred because of "passive" and "active" regulation under the "set point" or "settling point" theories cannot fully be discerned because of limitations in study designs and data collected. Conclusions The regulation of energetics and body fat are complex and dynamic processes that require further studies of the interplay of genetic, physiological, and behavioral factors.
E-Books: Why They Matter for Distance Education--And How They Could Get Much Better

If ever a promising technology existed for education—and distance learning in particular—it would be e-books. A prime example is at the University of Texas at Dallas (UTD), where most of the 14,500 students use some form of distance learning. The growth of e-books at this institution is astounding. University librarian Ellen Safley notes that as compared to print document use, UTD's e-book use by document jumped from 29% in 2004 to 58% in 2005; she also reports that the library's electronic collection includes over 131,670 titles (2006). Granted, UTD stands out with a heavy focus on distance learning and research, but it is still an example of the potential viability of e-books for many other institutions. Unfortunately, the more widespread use of e-books by institutions has been compromised by a variety of factors that need to be adequately clarified and addressed in order for the full advantages of this technology to be realized.
Association between Ready-to-Eat Cereal Consumption and Nutrient Intake, Nutritional Adequacy, and Diet Quality in Adults in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2015-2016.

This study examined differences in dietary intake between ready-to-eat cereal eaters and non-eaters in adults from the United States. Participants (n = 5163) from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2015–2016 were included. One-day dietary recall was used to define ready-to-eat cereal consumption status and estimate dietary intake in eaters and non-eaters. Data from Food Patterns Equivalent Database 2015–2016 were used to compare intakes of food groups by consumption status. Diet quality was assessed by Healthy Eating Index 2015. Nineteen percent of US adults were ready-to-eat cereal eaters; they had a similar level of energy intake as non-eaters, but they had significantly higher intake of dietary fiber, and several vitamins and minerals, such as calcium, iron, magnesium, potassium, zinc, vitamin A, thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, folate, vitamin B12, and vitamin D. They were also more likely to meet nutrient recommendations. Compared to non-eaters, ready-to-eat cereal eaters had the same level of added sugar intake but they had significantly higher intake of whole grains, total fruits, and dairy products. The diet quality of ready-to-eat cereal eaters was significantly higher than that of non-eaters. The study supports that ready-to-eat cereal eaters have better dietary intake with a healthier dietary pattern than non-eaters in the United States.
Distraction arthroplasty in osteoarthritis of the foot and ankle

Post-traumatic osteoarthritis (PTOA) is a complex and painful problem in the foot and ankle. Ninety percent of osteoarthritis cases in the foot and ankle can be classified as post-traumatic. PTOA can affect any of the 33 joints in the foot and the ankle. Distraction arthroplasty is a method for treatment of early arthritic joints without fusing or replacing them and its effectiveness has been well documented. The purpose of this case series is to present our successful experiences and positive results using distraction arthroplasty to treat PTOA in the ankle, subtalar, first metatarsophalangeal, and second tarsometatarsal joints, and to present distraction arthroplasty as a viable alternative to invasive joint sacrificing procedures such as arthrodesis or arthroplasty. Distraction Arthroplasty effectively and safely treats PTOA and improves the stability of joints in the Foot and Ankle. Additionally, the use of bone marrow aspirate concentrate as an adjuvant can improve the long-term functional and structural outcomes of the joint, and can prolong the need for further, more aggressive surgical interventions such as fusion or arthroplasty.
Cancer-work management: Hourly and salaried wage women's experiences managing the cancer-work interface following new breast cancer diagnosis.

Objective The purpose of this paper is to report the baseline characteristics of EMPOWER participants—a group of newly diagnosed breast cancer survivors—and describe differences in hourly and salaried wage women’s experiences regarding cancer and work management in the three months following breast cancer diagnosis. Design and setting The EMployment and Potential Outcomes of Working through canceER (EMPOWER) project is a prospective longitudinal, mixed methods pilot study designed to evaluate how employment influences treatment decisions among women diagnosed with breast cancer. Participants were women diagnosed with new breast cancer and treated at one of two clinical sites of the University of Maryland Medical System. Women were enrolled in the study within three months of first breast cancer diagnosis. Study visits occurred every three months for one year. This paper reports data from for the baseline and three-month visit which had been completed by all enrollees. Methods Trained research personnel collected demographic information, medical history and health status, social history, employment data, cancer-related data, psychosocial adjustment, and financial wellbeing at the baseline enrollment visit. A semi-structured qualitative interview was administered at the three-month study visit to assess employment decisions and the impact of job demands, cancer care, and cancer-work fit during the three months following diagnosis. Result Fifty women with new, primary diagnosis of breast cancer were enrolled in the study. Mean age of participants was 51 years, and 46% identified their race as Black or other. The majority of women disclosed their diagnosis to their employer and nearly all maintained some level of employment during the first three to six months of treatment. Women with hourly wage jobs were similar to those with salaried wage jobs with respect to demographic and social characteristics. Women with hourly wage jobs were more likely to report working in physically demanding jobs and taking unpaid leave. They were also more likely to experience side effects that required physical restrictions at work, to leave their jobs due to demands of treatment, and to report managing cancer and work concurrently as very difficult. Women in salaried wage jobs were more likely to report falling behind or missing work and working remotely as a cancer-management strategy. Women in hourly jobs more often reported difficulty managing the competing demands of cancer and work. Conclusion While further study is needed, these results suggest that women in hourly and salaried workers reported similar experiences managing cancer and work, with a few key exceptions. These exceptions pertain to the nature of hourly-wage work. Cancer survivors employed in hourly jobs may be more vulnerable to poor employment outcomes due to limited access to paid time off and workplace flexibility, and challenges related to managing physical aspects of cancer and employment.
Families of asymmetrically functionalized germanene films as promising quantum spin Hall insulators.

Topological insulators (TIs), exhibiting the quantum spin Hall (QSH) effect, are promising for developing dissipationless transport devices that can be realized under a wide range of temperatures. The search for new two-dimensional (2D) TIs is essential for TIs to be utilized at room-temperature, with applications in optoelectronics, spintronics, and magnetic sensors. In this work, we used first-principles calculations to investigate the geometric, electronic, and topological properties of GeX and GeMX (M = C, N, P, As; X = H, F, Cl, Br, I, O, S, Se, Te). In 26 of these materials, the QSH effect is demonstrated by a spin–orbit coupling (SOC) induced large band gap and a band inversion at the Γ point, similar to the case of an HgTe quantum well. In addition, engineering the intra-layer strain of certain GeMX species can transform them from a regular insulator into a 2D TI. This work demonstrates that asymmetrical chemical functionalization is a promising method to induce the QSH effect in 2D hexagonal materials, paving the way for practical application of TIs in electronics.
More than a number: The telephone and the history of digital identification:

This article examines the telephone’s entangled history within contemporary infrastructural systems of ‘big data’, identity and, ultimately, surveillance. It explores the use of telephone numbers, ...