cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Patient reported outcomes as endpoints in medical research

This review covers a number of the many design and analytic issues associated with clinical trials that incorporate patient reported outcomes as primary or secondary endpoints. We use a clinical trial designed to evaluate a new therapy for the prevention of migraines to illustrate how endpoints are defined by the objectives of the study, the methods for handling longitudinal assessments with multiple scales or outcomes, and the methods of analysis in the presence of missing data.
A two-time-scale framework to supervisory predictive control of an integrated wind/solar energy generation and water desalination system

This work proposes a two-time-scale framework for the design of a supervisory predictive control system for long-term optimal management and operation of an integrated wind-solar energy generation and reverse-osmosis (RO) water desalination system. Specifically, we design the supervisory control system via model predictive control (MPC) which coordinates the wind and solar subsystems as well as a battery bank to provide enough energy to the RO subsystem. In the supervisory MPC design, a two-time-scale property of the dynamics of the integrated system is taken advantage of to improve the computational efficiency of the control problem formulation. Furthermore, optimality considerations on system operation and energy savings are taken into account via appropriate constraints in the supervisory controller formulation. Simulations are carried out to illustrate the applicability and effectiveness of the proposed supervisory predictive control design.
APS ACTION – AntiPhospholipid Syndrome Alliance For Clinical Trials and InternatiOnal Networking

AntiPhospholipid Syndrome Alliance For Clinical Trials and InternatiOnal Networking (APS ACTION) is the first-ever international research network that has been created specifically to design and conduct well-designed, large-scale, multi-center clinical trials in persistently antiphospholipid antibody (aPL)-positive patients. The founding principle of the APS ACTION is that it is an internationally collaborative effort, open to qualified investigators across the globe who are committed to furthering our understanding of APS and its management. Due to the hard work and collaborative spirit of APS ACTION members, in early 2012, APS ACTION launched two important collaborative international projects: 1) a randomized controlled trial of hydroxychloroquine in the primary thrombosis prevention of persistently aPL-positive but thrombosis-free patients without other systemic autoimmune diseases; and 2) a web-based registry of aPL-positive patients with or without systemic autoimmune diseases, which will also include annual blood collection for aPL-testing and future basic science studies. In the end, we hope to find better treatments for antiphospholipid syndrome, which is a leading cause of thrombosis, pregnancy morbidity and other life-altering consequences, and to heighten awareness about this life-threatening, autoimmune condition. Lupus (2012) 21, 695–698.
Effects of notebook computer configuration and task on user biomechanics, productivity, and comfort

Abstract This study took a comprehensive approach to evaluating effects of using a notebook computer stand-alone or along with inexpensive peripheral input devices. The study examined effects on biomechanics, productivity, and discomfort, and considered the impact of both computer configuration and task performed. It was hypothesized that, in general, the stand-alone configuration would induce greater postural fixity and more non-neutral postures than configurations with peripheral input devices. Dependent measures included muscle activity, posture and posture variation/fixity, productivity, and subjective assessments of discomfort and preference. The data were generally consistent with the hypothesis, though some biomechanical advantages were identified for each configuration; specifics and exceptions are discussed, along with reasons for a general recommendation for the use of an external mouse, or mouse and keyboard (without number pad) when using a notebook computer for an extended period of time, as in a desktop replacement scenario. Relevance to industry Notebook computer use is rapidly increasing, in industry and schools. Yet the notebook form factor is inconsistent with a number of current design recommendations. Little research concerning physical ergonomics of notebook computer use has been conducted, so recommendations for use are currently limited and not strongly supported by objective evidence.
Local Delivery of Interleukin 4 by Retrovirus-Transduced T Lymphocytes Ameliorates Experimental Autoimmune Encephalomyelitis

Experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE) is an inflammatory autoimmune disease of the central nervous system which serves as a model for the human disease multiple sclerosis. We demonstrate here that encephalitogenic T cells, transduced with a retroviral gene, construct to express interleukin 4, and can delay the onset and reduce the severity of EAE when adoptively transferred to myelin basic protein–immunized mice. Thus, T lymphocytes transduced with retroviral vectors can deliver “regulatory cytokines” in a site-specific manner and may represent a viable therapeutic strategy for the treatment of autoimmune disease.
A phase III trial of 5-fluorouracil and leucovorin in the treatment of advanced colorectal cancer. A Mayo Clinic/North Central Cancer Treatment Group study

The Mayo Clinic and the North Central Cancer Treatment Group (NCCTG) conducted a randomized clinical trial comparing five different combination chemotherapeutic regimens to single-agent 5-fluorouracil (5-FU), given by intravenous bolus technique (500 mg/m2 for 5 days) as a control, in the treatment of advanced colorectal cancer. This report summarizes the results of treatment in 208 patients who were randomized to 5-FU alone or 5-FU with leucovorin in either a high-dose (200 mg/m2) or a low-dose regimen (20 mg/m2) intravenously for 5 days. Both of the 5-FU with leucovorin regimens were associated with improved survival compared with single-agent 5-FU (P less than 0.03). The interval to tumor progression, measurable tumor response rates, and measures of quality of life (performance status, weight gain, and symptomatic relief) were also improved significantly with the addition of leucovorin. There was no therapeutic advantage associated with the use of high-dose compared with low-dose leucovorin. The dose-limiting toxicity of 5-FU/leucovorin was stomatitis. There was one treatment-related fatality (due to sepsis) among the 138 patient receiving 5-FU/leucovorin (0.7%). The most favorable regimen in this trial was 5-FU with low-dose leucovorin, based upon considerations of therapeutic effectiveness, toxicity, and cost. A national intergroup trial is being coordinated by the National Cancer Institute that will test the efficacy of low-dose leucovorin with 5-FU as one approach to adjuvant therapy after a curative surgical resection in selected patients with Dukes' Stage B2 or C colon cancer.
Lecturers’ Perception of Strategies for Enhancing Business Education Research in Tertiary Institutions in Nigeria

Business education programme seems to have been faced with inadequate qualitative research in tertiary institution in Nigeria. The study therefore, assessed the strategies for enhancing Business Education research. Two research questions and six hypotheses guided the study. A 66 item questionnaire was administered to 164 colleges of education and 109 lecturers of universities in South South Nigeria making a total of 273 lecturers. The research questions were answered using mean and while z-test was used to test the null hypotheses. The findings revealed that the inability of students to source current literature, poor knowledge of research procedures by supervisors, poor knowledge of research procedures by students are some of the constraints affecting business education research. The findings also revealed that students’ ability to source current literature, knowledge of research procedures by supervisors and knowledge of research procedure by students can enhance business education research. It was recommended that regular workshops and seminars should be organized for lecturers and students on how to supervise and write projects respectively; researchers should ensure that quality information is generated from the study being investigated.
Processing and Characterization of Multiphase Ceramic Composites Part II. Triplex Composites with a Wide Sintering Temperature Range

Three-phase (triplex) ceramic composites with improved thermal stabilities resulting from minimized grain growth due to extended grain separations are introduced. Al 2 O 3 , yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG, Y 3 Al 5 O 12 ), and ZrO 2 were chemically compatible to make a stable triplex composite. Another stable composite could be made due to chemical compatibility among Al 2 O 3 , NiAl 2 O 4 , and 3 mol% yttria-tetragonal zirconia polycrystals (3Y-TZP). The composites of 33 vol% Al 2 O 3 -33 vol% YAG-33 vol% ZrO 2 , 33 vol% Al 2 O 3 -33 vol% NiAl 2 O 4 -33 vol% 3Y-TZP, and 50 vol% Al 2 O 3 -25 vol% NiAl 2 O 4 -25 vol% 3Y-TZP were fabricated using either sintering or hot pressing procedures. The sintered 33 vol% Al 2 O 3 -33 vol% YAG-33 vol% ZrO 2 and 33 vol% Al 2 O 3 -33 vol% NiAl 2 O 4 -33 vol% 3Y-TZP composites demonstrated a "self accommodating sintering effect" having a wide sintering range without any extensive change in properties. Annealing of the 33 vol% Al 2 O 3 -33 vol% NiAl 2 O 4 -33 vol% 3Y-TZP composite at 1600°C for 50 h resulted in higher strength retention after heat treatment compared with that expected from the sum of the strengths of constituent phases. This was attributed to a mutual, grain growth retardation effect. Chemical compatibilities, mechanical properties, microstructures, and thermal stabilities of the composites were studied.
GROWTH, YIELD AND MORPHOLOGY OF ASCOPHYLLUM NODOSUM (PHAEOPHYTA) UNDER CONTINUOUS AND INTERMITTENT SEAWATER SPRAY CULTURE REGIMENS1

Growth and yield of the brown alga Ascophyllum nodosum (Le Jolis) were measured under various regimens of seawater spray culture. One-hour periods of desiccation throughout the day and night and cessation of spray throughout the night did not affect growth relative to that in continuous spray. Desiccation for four hours during the day resulted in death. Changes in morphology from the normal intertidal growth form to that resulting from spray culture are described.
Timing of Débridement of Open Fractures

Although debridement within 6 to 8 hours of injury seems nearly universally accepted, the data supporting this recommendation are lacking. Most studies indicate that, in the context of modern antibiotic treatment, early debridement is not an independent predictor of decreased risk of infection. Achieving early debridement may pose unjustified risks to patient safety. Given the numerous factors that influence timing of surgical debridement in trauma centers, a prospective randomized trial of emergent versus urgent debridement is not feasible. However, a prospective longitudinal study could yield valuable data.
Biaxial Bending of Beams With or Without Torsion

A theoretical study of biaxially loaded thin-walled beams of open section with and without torsion has been presented. Theoretical analysis includes approximate elastic and inelastic solutions to the governing differential equations and a specific closed-form elastic solution. It is shown that the semianalytic approach for the solution is one of the most efficient ones. Numerical examples for mild steel beams with indeterminate boundary are also given.
A linear, separable two‐parameter model for dual energy CT imaging of proton stopping power computation

Purpose: To evaluate the accuracy and robustness of a simple, linear, separable, two-parameter model (basis vector model, BVM) in mapping protonstopping powersvia dual energy computed tomography (DECT) imaging. Methods: The BVM assumes that photon cross sections (attenuation coefficients) of unknown materials are linear combinations of the corresponding radiological quantities of dissimilar basis substances (i.e., polystyrene, CaCl2 aqueous solution, and water). The authors have extended this approach to the estimation of electron density and mean excitation energy, which are required parameters for computing protonstopping powers via the Bethe–Bloch equation. The authors compared the stopping power estimation accuracy of the BVM with that of a nonlinear, nonseparable photon cross section Torikoshi parametric fit model (VCU tPFM) as implemented by the authors and by Yang et al. [“Theoretical variance analysis of single- and dual-energy computed tomography methods for calculating protonstopping power ratios of biological tissues,” Phys. Med. Biol. 55, 1343–1362 (2010)]. Using an idealized monoenergetic DECT imaging model, proton ranges estimated by the BVM, VCU tPFM, and Yang tPFM were compared to International Commission on Radiation Units and Measurements (ICRU) published reference values. The robustness of the stopping power prediction accuracy of tissue composition variations was assessed for both of the BVM and VCU tPFM. The sensitivity of accuracy to CTimageuncertainty was also evaluated. Results: Based on the authors’ idealized, error-free DECT imaging model, the root-mean-square error of BVM protonstopping power estimation for 175 MeV protons relative to ICRU reference values for 34 ICRU standard tissues is 0.20%, compared to 0.23% and 0.68% for the Yang and VCU tPFM models, respectively. The range estimation errors were less than 1 mm for the BVM and Yang tPFM models, respectively. The BVM estimation accuracy is not dependent on tissue type and proton energy range. The BVM is slightly more vulnerable to CTimage intensity uncertainties than the tPFM models. Both the BVM and tPFM prediction accuracies were robust to uncertainties of tissue composition and independent of the choice of reference values. This reported accuracy does not include the impacts of I-value uncertainties and imaging artifacts and may not be achievable on current clinical CT scanners. Conclusions: The protonstopping power estimation accuracy of the proposed linear, separable BVM model is comparable to or better than that of the nonseparable tPFM models proposed by other groups. In contrast to the tPFM, the BVM does not require an iterative solving for effective atomic number and electron density at every voxel; this improves the computational efficiency of DECT imaging when iterative, model-based image reconstruction algorithms are used to minimize noise and systematic imaging artifacts of CTimages.
Is Estrogen a Therapeutic Target for Glaucoma

This article's objective is to provide an overview of the association between estrogen and glaucoma. A literature synthesis was conducted of articles published in peer-reviewed journals screened through May 5, 2015, using the PubMed database. Keywords used were "estrogen and glaucoma," "reproductive factors and glaucoma," and "estrogen, nitric oxide and eye." Forty-three journal articles were included. Results indicated that markers for lifetime estrogen exposure have been measured by several studies and show that the age of menarche onset, oral contraceptive (OC) use, bilateral oophorectomy, age of menopause onset and duration between menarche to menopause are associated with primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) risk. The Blue Mountain Eye Study found a significantly increased POAG risk with later (>13 years) compared with earlier (≤12 years) age of menarche. Nurses' Health Study (NHS) investigators found that OC use of greater than 5 years was associated with a 25% increased risk of POAG. The Mayo Clinic Cohort Study of Oophorectomy and Aging found that women who underwent bilateral oophorectomy before age 43 years had an increased risk of glaucoma. The Rotterdam Study found that women who went through menopause before reaching the age of 45 years had a higher risk of open-angle glaucoma (2.6-fold increased risk), while the NHS showed a reduced risk of POAG among women older than 65 who entered menopause after age ≥ 54 years. Increased estrogen states may confer a reduced risk of glaucoma or glaucoma-related traits such as reduced intraocular pressure (IOP). Pregnancy, a hyperestrogenemic state, is associated with decreased IOP during the third trimester. Though the role of postmenopausal hormone (PMH) use in the reduction of IOP is not fully conclusive, PMH use may reduce the risk of POAG. From a genetic epidemiologic perspective, estrogen metabolic pathway single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) were associated with POAG in women and polymorphisms in endothelial nitric oxide synthase, a gene receptive to estrogen regulation, are associated with glaucoma. The study concluded that increasing evidence suggests that lifetime exposure to estrogen may alter the pathogenesis of glaucoma. Estrogen exposure may have a neuroprotective effect on the progression of POAG but further studies need to confirm this finding. The role of sex-specific preventive and therapeutic treatment may be on the horizon.
An autoregulatory enhancer element of the Drosophila homeotic gene Deformed.

Abstract The stable determination of different anterior-posterior regions of the Drosophila embryo is controlled by the persistent expression of homeotic selector genes. One mechanism that has been proposed to explain the persistent expression of the homeotic gene Deformed is an autoactivation circuit that would be used once Deformed expression had been established by earlier acting patterning genes. Here we show that a large cis-regulatory element mapping approximately 5 kb upstream of the Deformed transcription start has the properties predicted for a Deformed autoregulatory enhancer. This element provides late, spatially localized expression in the epidermal cells of the maxillary and mandibular segments which is wholly dependent upon endogenous Deformed function. In addition, the autoregulatory enhancer can be activated ectopically in embryos and in imaginal disc cells by ectopic expression of Deformed protein. Deletion analysis of the autoregulatory element indicates that it contains compartment specific sub-elements similar to those of other homeotic loci.
Laboratory Studies of Sex Attraction in the Boll Weevil

Laboratory studies with the sex attractant of the boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis Boheman, confirmed previous findings that the female aggressively seeks the pheromone-emitting male. In both sexes, peak activity occurred when the weevils were 4–6 days old. When I sex was 4–6 days old and the other was less than 2 days old, the males were mostly unattractive and the females mostly unresponsive. Females responded to a single male, but response was significantly greater to 5, 10, or 25 males. Virgin males were twice as attractive and virgin females were 3 times as responsive as mated males or females. Males sterilized with apholate were about half as attractive to virgin females as untreated males when both were fed on laboratory diet but were equally attractive when both were fed on fresh cotton squares (flower buds). Comparisons between laboratory (medium-reared) and field (square-reared) male weevils, each fed cotton squares or laboratory diet, indicated a greater importance of food rather than strain in determining female response.
The human animal.

In his Perspective “Animal conformists” (26 April, p. [437][1]), F. B. M. de Waal asks “Do animals learn from each other in the same way as humans do?” Implying that humans occur in a category separate from animals may have unintended consequences. First, the “humans and animals” paradigm undermines the unifying concept of all biology—evolution. Under this paradigm, it seems coincidental that a trait would occur in both humans and dogs, for example, despite their common ancestry. Second, the loose use of “humans and animals” handicaps future learning. Research in science education has shown that students are prone to a number of misconceptions, which are often integrated into their cognitive framework early, making them remarkably difficult to correct ([ 1 ][2]). Third, our future as a species hinges on a worldview that places humans deep within the context of ecology. We consider ourselves superior to other animals due to our sharp intellect, complex social structure, and domination of most ecosystems and natural resources. This feeling of separateness from the other members of our ecosystems hinders efforts to promote conservation and sustainability. 1. [↵][3] 1. J. D. Coley, 2. K. D. Tanner , CBE Life Sci. Ed. 11, 209 (2012). [OpenUrl][4][CrossRef][5][Web of Science][6] [1]: /lookup/doi/10.1126/science.1237521 [2]: #ref-1 [3]: #xref-ref-1-1 "View reference 1 in text" [4]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DCBE%2BLife%2BSci.%2BEd.%26rft.volume%253D11%26rft.spage%253D209%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Adoi%252F10.1187%252Fcbe.12-06-0074%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [5]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=10.1187/cbe.12-06-0074&link_type=DOI [6]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=000308736500004&link_type=ISI
TOW crystal environmental characterization and experimental design margin determination

This study outlines the experimental approach used to determine the design margin of the crystal oscillator which is used as the clock on the Digital Electronics Unit of the TOW 2A and TOW 2B missiles. The test methodology and signal analysis techniques used in the experimentally based investigation are described; the results are then compared to a separate investigation which was primarily based on an analytical and modeling approach.
The Distribution of Hemolytic Streptococci Groups A, B, and C in Human Infections

strains of group B studied by him, and has emphasized the fact that no pathogenic role can be attached to them in a very large number of instances. Approximately 25% of these strains, isolated from the urinary passages, blood stream, joints, peritoneum, and lung, may be regarded as at least probable infectious agents. In certain instances of sepsis and arthritis, death followed infections in which these organisms were the only demonstrable etiological agents involved. Few cases establishing the invasiveness of any other group for man have been reported, and no studies have been made of the distribution of serological groups in a large number of strains of hemolytic streptococci collected routinely from the general bacteriological laboratory of a large hospital. It was advisable, therefore, to group by serological methods every strain of streptococci showing beta hemolysis on blood agar plates isolated in the general bacteriological laboratory of the Boston City Hospital in order to further classify the relationship to human disease f members of groups other than A.
An Analysis of prerequisite Conditions of the Macro Regulation

Generally speaking, in modern economies, governments take many tasks in response to the possibilities of flaws in the market mechanism. Government may step in to correct market failures. However, what is market economy? There are numerous answers. The oversimplification and superficial understanding of market economy may lead to a distorted picture of government intervention and fruitless macro control. To strengthen and improve macro control requires correctly understanding prerequisite conditions of macro regulation. It is necessary to speed up the cultivation and development of market system, as it has not yet matured in China.
Assessing the Changing Oral and Pharyngeal Cancer Demographic in the United States

In 2015, oral and pharyngeal cancer (OPC) will be diagnosed in an estimated 45,780 people in the United States (71.3 % male – accounting for 4 % of all cancer diagnoses in men) and 8650 deaths (69.4 % male) will be attributed to this disease. While the 5-year survival rate has slowly improved over the last several decades, mirroring an overall decline in tobacco use, the incidence has increased largely due to a rise in human papillomavirus (HPV)-associated oral and pharyngeal cancers. These primary risk factors (i.e., tobacco use and HPV infection), along with alcohol consumption, dietary patterns, immunosuppression, and genetic predisposition, are introduced relative to their role in the development of OPC. Concepts for the detection (clinical tools and appearance of precancerous lesions) and prevention (behavioral modification and HPV vaccination) of OPC are also presented.
Epidemiology of Helicobacter pylori Infections

Helicobacter pylori (formerly known as Campylobacter pylori) has been strongly associated with type B gastritis and with peptic ulcer disease. Although this organism was first discovered only 7 years ago, an increasing body of evidence now indicates that it contributes to the pathogenesis of these common and important disorders of the upper gastrointestinal tract. In this report, I will briefly outline how the development of an appropriate diagnostic test has facilitated our understanding of the epidemiology of this infection, and then turn to the specific epidemiologic characteristics that have been defined.
COMT val158met moderation of dopaminergic drug effects on cognitive function: a critical review

The relationship between dopamine (DA) tone in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and PFC-dependent cognitive functions (for example, working memory, selective attention, executive function) may be described by an inverted-U-shaped function, in which both excessively high and low DA is associated with impairment. In the PFC, the COMT val158met single nucleotide polymorphism (rs4680) confers differences in catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) efficacy and DA tone, and individuals homozygous for the val allele display significantly reduced cortical DA. Many studies have investigated whether val158met genotype moderates the effects of dopaminergic drugs on PFC-dependent cognitive functions. A review of 25 such studies suggests evidence for this pharmacogenetic effect is mixed for stimulants and COMT inhibitors, which have greater effects on D1 receptors, and strong for antipsychotics, which have greater effects on D2 receptors. Overall, COMT val158met genotype represents an enticing target for identifying individuals who are more likely to respond positively to dopaminergic drugs.
Relocation of Nesting Populations of Megachile Rotundata, an Important Pollinator of Alfalfa

SummaryPopulation losses following relocation of nesting female Megachile rotundata, were studied under a variety of environmental conditions. Heavy losses (over 50%) occurred when bees were moved: from nesting sites with many prominent landmarks into alfalfa fields with few landmarks; from fields with abundant foraging blossoms into fields with little bloom; and when strong winds prevailed (over 48 km/h).Losses were much lower when bees were moved: with their original shelters, and into areas similar in landmark composition to the original nesting sites; with their original shelters through only a short distance (100 m); after conditioning to a coloured shelter before a short-distance move; into areas with sufficient bloom to maintain themselves; during periods of low wind speed (under 16 km/h).These results form the basis for recommendations for the commercial transfer of this leaf-cutter bee for alfalfa pollination.
WTe 2 as a two-dimensional (2D) metallic contact for 2D semiconductors

In summary, we demonstrated WSe2 FETs contacted with thin metallic WTe2, at channel lengths down to 90 nm and current saturation up to 60 μA/μm. A temperature-dependent study suggests the presence of an intrinsic vdWg at the 2D-2D contact. Thus, ultra-thin WTe2 could be preferred to graphene as a contact depinning layer. This work was supported in part by the AFOSR, NSF-EFRI, and Stanford SystemX.
The Effect of Intraoperative Systemic Lidocaine on Postoperative Persistent Pain Using Initiative on Methods, Measurement, and Pain Assessment in Clinical Trials Criteria Assessment Following Breast Cancer Surgery: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial.

Objective To compare the incidence in postsurgical persistent pain following breast cancer surgery in women receiving intravenous lidocaine compared to saline using validated pain instruments in accordance with the Initiative on Methods, Measurement, and Pain Assessment in Clinical Trials (IMMPACT) recommendations. Methods The study was a randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled, clinical trial. Subjects were randomized into Group 1 (1.5 mg/kg bolus of intravenous lidocaine followed by a 2 mg/kg/hour infusion) or Group 2 (normal saline at the same bolus and infusion rate). Patients were evaluated at 3 and 6 months for the presence of chronic persistent postsurgical pain. Results One hundred forty-eight patients were included in the study analysis. There were no differences in quality of recovery, pain burden, or opioid consumption between groups at 24 hours. Pain (yes/no) at 6 months attributed to surgery was reported in 29% of Group 2 vs. 13% of Group 1 patients (P = 0.04); however, only 3 subjects (5%) in Group 1 and 2 subjects (3%) in Group 2 met IMMPACT criteria for persistent postoperative pain (P = 0.99). Discussion Perioperative infusion of lidocaine has been reported to decrease the incidence of postsurgical pain at 3 and 6 months following mastectomy using dichotomous (yes/no) scoring. Although intravenous lidocaine reduced the reported incidence of pain at rest at 6 months, pain with activity, pain qualities, and the physical or emotional impact of the pain were unaffected. Future studies evaluating postsurgical persistent pain should adhere to the IMMPACT recommendations in order to more accurately describe the effect of an intervention on persistent pain.
Pre‐admonition Suggestion in Live Showups: When Witnesses Learn that the Cops Caught ‘the’ Guy

Summary Participants (N = 189) witnessed the theft of a computer and were immersed into what they were led to believe was an actual police investigation that culminated in a live showup. After the crime, an officer responded to the scene to take witness statements. Minutes after his arrival, the officer received a radio dispatch that could be heard clearly by the witnesses. The dispatch either stated that the Sherriff had ‘…caught the guy…’ or ‘…detained a suspect who matched the thief's description…’ and instructed the officer to bring the witnesses to identify the suspect. The witnesses then met with two deputies who conducted a live showup with an innocent suspect or the actual culprit. Choosers were more confident than rejecters across all conditions. Also, overhearing the suggestion that the sheriff had caught the guy significantly increased false identifications, and boosted witness confidence in these errors, but did not affect accurate suspect identifications.Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Legal Ethics and an Aging Population: Securities Practitioners' Roles in Preventing Financial Exploitation of the Elderly

This article, included in the Practicing Law Institute Securities Arbitration 2017 coursebook, examines the role attorneys can play in preventing the financial exploitation of the elderly. Financial abuse of the elderly is growing by virtue of the fact that the U.S. population is aging. Aging related challenges, whether cognitive or physical, will affect millions of elderly individuals, making them vulnerable to fraud and abuse. Preventing elder financial abuse requires a multi-faceted approach that draws upon the training, resources and access of professionals, service providers, federal and state regulators and adult protective services. This article examines the roles of two critical participants in the context of their respective ethical obligations and industry rules governing their conduct: the attorneys representing the elderly investors and the financial firms servicing their accounts. Part I of the article discusses the problems seniors face and the coming "senior tsunami;" part II discusses relevant Model Rules of Professional Conduct governing attorneys and how adherence to those rules can help prevent elderly financial abuse. Finally, part III examines the applicable rules and standards governing the brokerage industry and financial professionals' role in preventing or reporting financial exploitation of the elderly.
Fill-in the gaps: Spatial-temporal models for missing data

Effective workload characterization and prediction are instrumental for efficiently and proactively managing large systems. System management primarily relies on the workload information provided by underlying system tracing mechanisms that record system-related events in log files. However, such tracing mechanisms may temporarily fail due to various reasons, yielding “holes” in data traces. This missing data phenomenon significantly impedes the effectiveness of data analysis. In this paper, we study real-world data traces collected from over 80K virtual machines (VMs) hosted on 6K physical boxes in the data centers of a service provider. We discover that the usage series of VMs co-located on the same physical box exhibit strong correlation with one another, and that most VM usage series show temporal patterns. By taking advantage of the observed spatial and temporal dependencies, we propose a data-filling method to predict the missing data in the VM usage series. Detailed evaluation using trace data in the wild shows that the proposed method is sufficiently accurate as it achieves an average of 20% absolute percentage errors. We also illustrate its usefulness via a use case.
Input–Output Linearization of a Boost Converter With Mixed Load (Constant Voltage Load and Constant Power Load)

Power converters and electric motor drives when tightly regulated behave as constant power loads. These loads are different from resistive loads and have destabilizing negative impedance characteristics, which impact a system's stability. A boost converter is intrinsically nonlinear and is a nonminimum phase system at the output voltage with respect to the control input. The linear approximation of this boost converter loaded with a constant power load has a zero and poles in the right half of the $s$ -plane, making the system unstable and very difficult to control. Control techniques that employ some form of system inversion cannot be implemented for a nonminimum phase system. This paper describes a technique to modify the nonminimum phase boost converter to a minimum phase for a constant power load, further implementing the input–output linearization technique to stabilize the system. This paper also provides a methodological analysis of the problem followed by the proposed solution. Furthermore, it verifies the analysis of the proposed solution through simulation and experimental results.
Metabolism and Function in Nerve Fibers

The preparations of intact cells that have been used in the past to study metabolism and function in nervous tissue vary in complexity from the human brain in vivo (1,2) to isolated single nerve fibers of invertebrates. (3–7) The extent to which results obtained with any one type of preparation are applicable to the others is an open question because there is considerable evidence of differences in the biochemistry of different parts of the nervous system. (8) However, as will be discussed below in comparing myelinated and nonmyelinated fibers, some seemingly qualitative differences in metabolism, such as the enormous difference in sensitivity to glucose deprivation, may be more apparent than real.
THE GRANULOCYTE RESPONSE TO ENDOTOXIN IN PATIENTS WITH HEMATOLOGIC DISORDERS.

Sixty patients with disorders involving the bone marrow were tested with a purified bacterial endotoxin given intravenously. Their leukocyte and granulocyte responses were evaluated based on criteria established in normal individuals and in patients with leukocytosis. Results in patients with chronic myelocytic leukemia, untreated or in relapse, suggest that adequate granulocyte mobilization may still occur if the disease has been of recent onset or if the count has recently started to rise in spite of therapy. Patients in remission demonstrated adequate granulocyte reserves. Most patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia in this study responded well with an increase in the number of granulocytes. Patients with multiple myeloma as a group showed inadequate granulocyte mobilization. This study demonstrates that endotoxin testing is useful for the evaluation of bone marrow granulocyte reserves in patients with hematologic disorders.
The accuracy of passive phone sensors in predicting daily mood.

Background Smartphones provide a low-cost and efficient means to collect population level data. Several small studies have shown promise in predicting mood variability from smartphone-based sensor and usage data, but have not been generalized to nationally recruited samples. This study used passive smartphone data, demographic characteristics, and baseline depressive symptoms to predict prospective daily mood. Method Daily phone usage data were collected passively from 271 Android phone users participating in a fully remote randomized controlled trial of depression treatment (BRIGHTEN). Participants completed daily Patient Health Questionnaire-2. A machine learning approach was used to predict daily mood for the entire sample and individual participants. Results Sample-wide estimates showed a marginally significant association between physical mobility and self-reported daily mood (B = -0.04, P 0.50) for 80.6% of participants and very strong prediction in a subset (median AUC > 0.80) for 11.8% of participants. Conclusions Passive smartphone data with current features may not be suited for predicting daily mood at a population level because of the high degree of intra- and interindividual variation in phone usage patterns and daily mood ratings. Personalized models show encouraging early signs for predicting an individual's mood state changes, with GPS-derived mobility being the top most important feature in the present sample.
Episodic gaze deviation in multiple sclerosis – Versive seizures or oculogyric crises?

Abstract Ictal gaze deviation and oculogyric crisis (OGC) can show identical clinical manifestations. We report a case of repeated drug induced OGCs in a 38 year old patient with secondary progressive multiple sclerosis. He was referred to our center for treatment of “intractable” epilepsy manifesting as episodic eye and head deviations with apparent unresponsiveness. In the epilepsy monitoring unit, ten typical spells were captured without epileptiform electroencephalographic correlates, but we discovered chronic exposure to metoclopramide. A diagnosis of OGC was suspected and Metoclopramide was stopped. This robustly improved the frequency of his spells. In a setting of usage of antidopaminergic medications and/or pontomesencephalic lesions, a low threshold should be kept for the diagnosis of oculogyric crisis, thus avoiding seizure diagnoses and inappropriate treatment of the phenomenon. Video-EEG monitoring is essential for teasing apart epilepsy and OGC.
Réduction de modèles en thermique et mécanique non-linéaires

This thesis introduces three new developments of the reduced basis method (RB) and the empirical interpolation method (EIM) for nonlinear problems. The first contribution is a new methodology, the Progressive RB-EIM (PREIM) which aims at reducing the cost of the phase during which the reduced model is constructed without compromising the accuracy of the final RB approximation. The idea is to gradually enrich the EIM approximation and the RB space, in contrast to the standard approach where both constructions are separate. The second contribution is related to the RB for variational inequalities with nonlinear constraints. We employ an RB-EIM combination to treat the nonlinear constraint. Also, we build a reduced basis for the Lagrange multipliers via a hierarchical algorithm that preserves the non-negativity of the basis vectors. We apply this strategy to elastic frictionless contact for non-matching meshes. Finally, the third contribution focuses on model reduction with data assimilation. A dedicated method has been introduced in the literature so as to combine numerical models with experimental measurements. We extend the method to a time-dependent framework using a POD-greedy algorithm in order to build accurate reduced spaces for all the time steps. Besides, we devise a new algorithm that produces better reduced spaces while minimizing the number of measurements required for the final reduced problem.
Optical spectroscopy and scanning tunneling microscopy studies of molecular adsorbates and anisotropic ultrathin films. Final report

The bonding, chemistry and ordering of molecular adsorbates on well defined single crystal surfaces and in ultrathin films was to be studied in an effort to develop sufficient fundamental understanding to allow the controlled preparation of anisotropic ultrathin films of organic monolayers. In this research the authors combine the use of optical probes (Raman spectroscopy, laser induced thermal desorption with Fourier transform mass spectrometry detection) with scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and conventional methods of UHV surface science (Auger electron spectroscopy, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, low energy electron diffraction, and thermal desorption spectroscopy). The conventional surface probes provide well tested methods for the preparation and characterization of single crystal substrates. The optical probes used in the experiments provide powerful methods for the molecular identification of adsorbates in monolayers and ultrathin films. Scanning tunneling microscopy provides one with the ability to determine the detailed molecular level ordering of the molecular adsorbates. The emphasis of this research is on more complex molecular absorbates some of which are monomer precursors to ultrathin polymer films. Enhanced methods of Raman spectroscopy have been developed for the study of monolayer adsorbates on surfaces in ultrahigh vacuum environments. This report gives an overview of recent research results, including themore » construction of UHV variable temperature STM, analysis of STM images, growth and chemistry of intermetallic single crystal ultrathin films, and electron beam induced chemistry of tetracyanoquinodimethane.« less
Unique interactions of asialo von Willebrand factor with platelets in platelet-type von Willebrand disease.

The present studies demonstrate that platelets from patients with platelet-type von Willebrand disease show specific and saturable binding of asialo von Willebrand factor (AS-vWF) under conditions where such binding is not observed with normal platelets. Although specific binding of 125I-AS-vWF to formalin-fixed normal platelets could not be demonstrated, specific binding to fixed patient platelets was seen with an apparent Kd of 1.3 micrograms/mL and specific maximally bound ligand of 0.40 micrograms/10(8) platelets. Preincubation of patient platelets with the antiglycoprotein Ib (anti-GPIb) monoclonal antibody AS-2 reduced total binding close to the level of computer-estimated nonspecific binding. In contrast, binding was not reduced by preincubation with anti-GPIIb/IIIa monoclonal antibody or with 5 mmol/L EDTA. Under stirring conditions, the binding of AS-vWF to fixed patient platelets was accompanied by a strong agglutination response. AS-vWF- induced agglutination was similarly observed in patient but not normal platelet-rich plasma (PRP) in the presence of 5 mmol/L EDTA. In the absence of EDTA, AS-vWF produced a full aggregation response in patient PRP at concentrations as low as 0.1 microgram/mL in contrast to the 2 to 20 micrograms/mL required by normal PRP. Both thromboxane B2 formation and adenosine triphosphate secretion showed an AS-vWF concentration dependence paralleling the aggregation responses. These studies show that a major difference in the platelets from patients with platelet-type von Willebrand disease is the presence of an exposed, high-affinity binding site associated with GPIb that recognizes AS-vWF.
Stock specific relative abundance of Columbia River juvenile Chinook salmon off the Southeast Alaska coast

Abstract Migration patterns of juvenile Columbia River Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) differ among stocks and life history types, creating diverse marine distributions of these fish. This results in different stocks being subject to different ocean conditions during their first summer of marine residence, a time that is critical for their survival. Understanding their early marine distributions, and the conditions that affect their survival, may enhance conservation efforts for these stocks, many of which are protected under the Endangered Species Act. We analyzed juvenile Chinook salmon samples collected in trawls made from 2011 to 2015 off the southeastern (SE) Alaskan panhandle, and off the coasts of Washington and Oregon. We used genetic stock identification techniques to estimate stock proportions of juvenile Chinook salmon in each of these areas. Results indicated that most juvenile Chinook salmon in our SE Alaska coast study area in July originate from Columbia River spring-run stocks. We found a significant relationship in catch per unit effort (CPUE) over all stocks between the SE Alaska and the Washington and Oregon coast samples. In 2011, CPUE for Columbia River spring-run stocks for the SE Alaska coast was lower than for the Washington and Oregon coast, suggesting a differing level of marine mortality that year. We also found a significant relationship between juvenile CPUE of interior Columbia River spring-run stocks off the SE Alaska coast and adult counts at Bonneville Dam two years later. Our results provide marine life history, performance and survival information that supports management and recovery efforts for Columbia River Chinook salmon.
Computed Tomography for the Diagnosis and Characterization of Dermoid Sinuses in Two Dogs

A 6 mo old male castrated bloodhound-Rhodesian ridgeback mix (case 1) presented for a mass suspected to be a dermoid sinus in the thoracolumbar region, and a 2.5 yr old male castrated Rhodesian ridgeback (case 2) presented for a mass suspected to be a dorsal cervical dermoid sinus. Both dogs underwent single-phase contrast computed tomography (CT) to characterize the extent of the dermoid sinus prior to surgical excision. Soft tissue and bony abnormalities of the vertebral spine associated with the dermoid sinuses were confirmed in both dogs prior to surgery, demonstrating communication with the dura of the spinal cord. Surgical exploration and excision of the dermoid sinus was performed in each dog, including partial laminectomy. Both cases had resolution of the sinus and an uncomplicated recovery. These cases show that single-phase contrast CT was accurate in characterizing the extent of the dermoid sinus without adjunctive tests or more invasive diagnostics. Single-phase contrast CT should be considered as a preoperative method to characterize the extent of dermoid sinuses, avoiding the risks associated with myelography or fistulography and the expense of MRI. This is also the first report of a dermoid sinus in the thoracolumbar region and the first in a bloodhound and Rhodesian ridgeback mix.