cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Reducing Disparities in Tobacco Retailer Density by Banning Tobacco Product Sales Near Schools.

Introduction This study examined whether a policy of banning tobacco product retailers from operating within 1000 feet of schools could reduce existing socioeconomic and racial/ethnic disparities in tobacco retailer density. Methods We geocoded all tobacco retailers in Missouri (n = 4730) and New York (n = 17 672) and linked them with Census tract characteristics. We then tested the potential impact of a proximity policy that would ban retailers from selling tobacco products within 1000 feet of schools. Results Our results confirmed socioeconomic and racial/ethnic disparities in tobacco retailer density, with more retailers found in areas with lower income and greater proportions of African American residents. A high proportion of retailers located in these areas were in urban areas, which also have stores located in closer proximity to schools. If a ban on tobacco product sales within 1000 feet of schools were implemented in New York, the number of tobacco retailers per 1000 people would go from 1.28 to 0.36 in the lowest income quintile, and from 0.84 to 0.45 in the highest income quintile. In New York and Missouri, a ban on tobacco product sales near schools would either reduce or eliminate existing disparities in tobacco retailer density by income level and by proportion of African American. Conclusions Proximity-based point of sale (POS) policies banning tobacco product sales near schools appear to be more effective in reducing retailer density in lower income and racially diverse neighborhoods than in higher income and white neighborhoods, and hold great promise for reducing tobacco-related disparities at the POS. Implications Given the disparities-reducing potential of policies banning tobacco product sales near schools, jurisdictions with tobacco retailer licensing should consider adding this provision to their licensing requirements. Since relatively few jurisdictions currently ban tobacco sales near schools, future research should examine ways to increase and monitor the uptake of this policy, and assess whether it has an impact upon reducing exposure to tobacco marketing and on tobacco product availability and use.
Postoperative Hypoglycemia Is Associated With Worse Outcomes After Cardiac Operations.

Background Hypoglycemia is a known risk of intensive postoperative glucose control in patients undergoing cardiac operations. However, neither the consequences of hypoglycemia relative to hyperglycemia, nor the possible interaction effects, have been well described. We examined the effects of postoperative hypoglycemia, hyperglycemia, and their interaction on short-term morbidity and mortality. Methods Single-institution Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) database patient records from 2010 to 2014 were merged with clinical data, including blood glucose values measured in the intensive care unit (ICU). Exclusion criteria included fewer than three glucose measurements and absence of an STS predicted risk of morbidity or mortality score. Primary outcomes were operative mortality and composite major morbidity (permanent stroke, renal failure, prolonged ventilation, pneumonia, or myocardial infarction). Secondary outcomes included ICU and postoperative length of stay. Hypoglycemia was defined as below 70 mg/dL, and hyperglycemia as above 180 mg/dL. Simple and multivariable regression models were used to evaluate the outcomes. Results A total of 2,285 patient records met the selection criteria for analysis. The mean postoperative glucose level was 140.8 ± 18.8 mg/dL. Overall, 21.4% of patients experienced a hypoglycemic episode (n = 488), and 1.05% (n = 24) had a severe hypoglycemic episode ( Conclusions Postoperative hypoglycemia is associated with both mortality and major morbidity after cardiac operations. The combination of both hyperglycemia and hypoglycemia represents a substantial increase in risk. Although it remains unclear whether hypoglycemia is a cause, an early warning sign, or a result of adverse events, this study suggests that hypoglycemia may be an important event in the postoperative period after cardiac operations.
An Implantable, Stretchable Microflow Sensor Integrated with a Thin-Film Nitinol Stent

Recent advances for the treatment of a cerebral aneurysm include a neurovascular flow diverter which can cover the entire length of the aneurysm inside the vessel. The flow diverter reduces blood flow that enters the aneurysmal sac without any adverse effects on the normal directional flow in the vessel. However, existing neurovascular flow diverters show a lengthy curing rate of the sac, which requires follow-up monitoring using invasive, expensive angiograms or MRIs. Here, we introduce a stretchable microflow sensor package that is integrated with a microstructured thin-film nitinol (TFN) stent for a 'smart' flow diverter to monitor cerebral aneurysm hemodynamics over the course of treatment. The stretchable sensors are made of a set of biocompatible materials including gold nanomembrane and polyimide, together encapsulated with a silicone elastomer for electrically safe, long-term implementation. Computational and experimental studies establish the fundamental aspects of the bending and stretching mechanics of the TFN flow diverter (with negligible strain up to 500 percent in radial stretching and up to 180 degrees in bending). We develop a capacitive microflow sensor and demonstrate the functionality via in vitro study using an aneurysm model for monitoring of a blood flow. The detection sensitivity of the sensor shows 0.04 m/s of flow rate, which is capable of measuring the mean velocity flow at the neck region of the aneurysm.
Communicating Entrepreneurial Passion: Personal Passion vs. Perceived Passion in Venture Pitches

Research problem: Entrepreneurial passion has been shown to play an important role in venture success and, therefore, in investors' funding decisions. However, it is unknown whether the passion entrepreneurs personally feel or experience can be accurately assessed by investors during a venture pitch. Research questions: (1) To what extent does entrepreneurs' personal passion align with investors' perceived passion? (2) To what cues do investors attend when assessing entrepreneurs' passion? Literature review: Integrating theory and research in entrepreneurship communication and entrepreneurial passion within the context of venture pitching, we explain that during venture pitches, investors make judgments about entrepreneurs' passion that have consequences for their investment decisions. However, they can attend to only those cues that entrepreneurs outwardly display. As a result, they may not be assessing the passion entrepreneurs personally feel or experience. Methodology: We used a sequential explanatory mixed methods research design. For our data collection, we surveyed 40 student entrepreneurs, videorecorded their venture pitches, and facilitated focus groups with 16 investors who viewed the videos and ranked, rated, and discussed their perceptions of entrepreneurs' passion. We conducted statistical analyses to assess the extent to which entrepreneurs' personal passion and investors' perceived passion aligned. We then performed an inductive analysis of critical cases to identify specific cues that investors attributed to passion or lack thereof. Results and conclusions: We revealed a large misalignment between entrepreneurs' personal passion and investors' perceived passion. Our critical case analysis demonstrated that entrepreneurs' weak or strong presentation skills led investors either to underestimate or overestimate, respectively, perceptions of entrepreneurs' passion. We suggest that entrepreneurs should develop specific presentation skills and rhetorical strategies for displaying their passion; at the same time, investors should be wary of attending too closely to presentation skills when assessing passion.
Rapid and facile quantitation of polyplex endocytic trafficking.

Abstract Design of safe and effective synthetic nucleic acid delivery vectors such as polycation/DNA or polycation/siRNA complexes (polyplexes) will be facilitated by quantitative understanding of the mechanisms by which such materials escort cargo from the cell surface to the nucleus. In particular, the mechanisms of cellular internalization by various endocytosis pathways and subsequent endocytic vesicle trafficking have been shown to strongly affect nucleic acid delivery efficiency. Fluorescence microscopy and subcellular fractionation methods are commonly employed to follow intracellular trafficking of biomolecules and nanoparticulate delivery systems such as polyplexes. However, it is difficult to obtain quantitative data from microscopy and subcellular fractionation is experimentally difficult and low throughput. We have developed a method for quantifying the transport of polyplexes through important endocytic vesicles. The method is based on polymerization of 3,3′-diaminobenzidine by endocytosed horseradish peroxidase, causing an increase in the vesicle density, resistance to being solubilized by detergent and quenching of fluorophores within the vesicles, which makes them easy to separate and quantify. Using this method in HeLa cells, we have observed polyethylenimine/siRNA polyplexes initially appearing in early endosomes and rapidly moving to other compartments within 30 min post-transfection. At the same time, we observed the kinetics of accumulation of the polyplexes in lysosomes at a similar rate. The results from the new method are consistent with similar measurements by confocal fluorescence microscopy and subcellular fractionation of endocytic vesicles on a Percoll gradient. The relative ease of this new method will aid investigation of gene delivery mechanisms by providing the means to rapidly quantify endocytic trafficking of polyplexes and other vectors.
Absolute Strength: Exploring Momentum in Stock Returns

We document a new pattern in stock returns that we call absolute strength momentum. Stocks that have significantly increased in value in the recent past (absolute strength winners) continue to gain, and stocks that have significantly decreased in value (absolute strength losers) continue to lose in the near future. Absolute strength winner and loser portfolio breakpoints are recursively determined by the historical distribution of realized cumulative returns across time and across stocks. The historical distribution yields stable breakpoints that are always positive (negative) for the winner (loser) portfolios. As a result, winners are those that have experienced a significant upward trend, losers are those that have experienced a significant downward trend, and stocks with no momentum have cumulative returns that are not significantly different from zero. The absolute strength momentum strategy is related to, but different from, the relative strength strategy of Jegadeesh and Titman (1993). Time-series regressions show that the returns to the absolute strength momentum strategy completely explain the returns to the relative strength strategy, but not vice versa. Absolute strength momentum does not expose investors to severe crashes during crisis periods, and its profits are remarkably consistent over time. For example, an 11-1-1 strategy that buys absolute strength winners and sells absolute strength losers delivers a risk-adjusted return of 2.42% per month from 1965-2014 and 1.55% per month from 2000-2014.
Rethinking TLB Designs in Virtualized Environments: A Very Large Part-of-Memory TLB

With increasing deployment of virtual machines for cloud services and server applications, memory address translation overheads in virtualized environments have received great attention. In the radix-4 type of page tables used in x86 architectures, a TLB-miss necessitates up to 24 memory references for one guest to host translation. While dedicated page walk caches and such recent enhancements eliminate many of these memory references, our measurements on the Intel Skylake processors indicate that many programs in virtualized mode of execution still spend hundreds of cycles for translations that do not hit in the TLBs.This paper presents an innovative scheme to reduce the cost of address translations by using a very large Translation Lookaside Buffer that is part of memory, the POM-TLB. In the POM-TLB, only one access is required instead of up to 24 accesses required in commonly used 2D walks with radix-4 type of page tables. Even if many of the 24 accesses may hit in the page walk caches, the aggregated cost of the many hits plus the overhead of occasional misses from page walk caches still exceeds the cost of one access to the POM-TLB. Since the POM-TLB is part of the memory space, TLB entries (as opposed to multiple page table entries) can be cached in large L2 and L3 data caches, yielding significant benefits. Through detailed evaluation running SPEC, PARSEC and graph workloads, we demonstrate that the proposed POM-TLB improves performance by approximately 10% on average. The improvement is more than 16% for 5 of the benchmarks. It is further seen that a POM-TLB of 16MB size can eliminate nearly all TLB misses in 8-core systems.
Contact Dermatitis to Polysporin® Masquerading as a Delayed-Type Hypersensitivity Response to Dye Pigment:

Background:A 15-year-old Hispanic adolescent with multiple amateur India ink tattoos developed a recurrent, eczematous pruritic eruption several weeks after each treatment with the Q-switched ruby ...
Sociodemographic Characteristics and Health Outcomes Among Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual U.S. Adults Using Healthy People 2020 Leading Health Indicators.

Abstract Purpose: This study aimed to characterize the sociodemographic characteristics of sexual minority (i.e., gay, lesbian, bisexual) adults and compare sexual minority and heterosexual populat...
How young consumers think about clothing fit

Perceptions of clothing fit from young consumer perspective were explored to develop an understanding of how they think about dimensions that influence clothing fit and how fit relates to psycholog...
Muffled, but not Mute

Narratives of Long Island’s past continue to efface the many Native American, African, and mixed-heritage workers from its plural past. Many of the homes and farms White families shared with their coerced, waged, and non-White workers remain rife with archaeological potential, yet archaeologists are reluctant to excavate them, presumably because of their ambiguity and lack of culturally distinct data. This article examines changing labor relations in order to repopulate these plural sites and give meaning to the many objects, practices, and spaces diverse people shared on a daily basis. An 18th- and 19th-century farmstead provides the context. Specifically, domestic architecture and activities are traced across the transition from slavery to wage labor to determine how new relations unfolded in daily practice. The results indicate that the system of wage labor preserved White authority over non-White workers and contributed to the masking of plural spaces as homogeneously White.
Regional Impacts of Levee Construction and Channelization, Middle Mississippi River, USA

The Mississippi River travels approximately 3780 km from its headwaters in Minnesota, USA to the Gulf of Mexico, draining roughly 3,210,000 km2. Since European settlement, humans have significantly impacted both the river basin and the river itself. Primarily under the stewardship of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE), river-engineering activities have focused on navigation improvement and flood control and have included snag removal, bank clearing, meander cutoffs, dredging, bank stabilization, channel constriction, levee construction, and dam construction [1].
Why Do Banks Hide Losses

Despite plenty of anecdotal evidence of hidden losses in banks, there is no systematic study analyzing the economic drivers of this behavior: we simply do not get to observe what banks are hiding unless they are caught. Using a regulatory change in India that forced all commercial banks to reveal the extent of hidden losses, we uncover two key economic forces behind this behavior: lack of close supervision by the shareholders and high-powered managerial incentive contracts. Specifically, banks with higher shareholding by distant and passive Foreign Institutional Investors (FIIs) hide more and these effects become especially strong for banks where CEOs get highly compensated for reported profits. Our findings caution against using high-powered compensation contracts linked to observable performance measures as a substitute for diluted monitoring: instead of solving the agency problem, it can result in perverse misreporting incentives.
“Your one wild and precious life”: Women on the Road of Ministry:

While women continue to engage in ministry in increasing numbers, their presence and activity is an unresolved issue in terms of ecclesial structure and meaning. In the past the effects of the Seco...
The role of space and place in social media communication: two case studies of policy perspectives

The study of how space and place intersect with social policy is still nascent but developing rapidly. As two exemplars of the potential that such research offers, the objective of this review is to integrate the research collected during recent studies of fracking and the death penalty. The primary disciplinary value of this review is to demonstrate the spatial value of communication and social media studies. This study adopts a communication-based theoretical framework as a lens to guide methodological choices in analyzing public perceptions. The social media application from Twitter is used as the engine to capture opinions of social media users engaging public controversies. This review locates connections in the literature between geographers/spatial scientists and communication media theorists.
Abstract 1300: Novel thyrointegrin αvβ3 antagonist in the treatment of glioblastoma multiforme

Background: The proliferative and pro-angiogenic actions mediated by L-thyroxine, pro-inflammatory and all known growth factors in glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) are initiated at cell surface thyrointegrin αvβ3 receptors for thyroid hormone on the extracellular domain of integrin αvβ3. Thyrointegrin αvβ3 receptors are over-expressed on cancer and rapidly dividing blood vessel cells, but quiescent on normal cells. A macromolecule P olyethylene glycol-conjugated bi - T ri A zole T etraiodothyroacetic acid ( P-bi-TAT ) acts with high affinity (Ki 3.1 nM) and specificity for the thyrointegrin αvβ3 receptors without any significant nuclear translocation. Methods: In the present studies, three primary human GBM cells and U87 glioma cell line were implanted orthotopically or subcutaneously (s.c.) into nude mice that were treated daily for up to 21 days with P-bi-TAT at different doses. Additionally, preclinical Pharmacokinetic and Safety assessments were carried out in multiple species. Results: Pharmacokinetic profiles indicated once-a-day dosing, and safety assessment studies demonstrated high safety and tolerability at 100-fold over the anticipated human equivalent dose. Fluorescence labeled P-bi-TAT administered s.c. demonstrated high biodistribution to GBM tumor in the brain that was comparable to peripherally implanted tumor. P-bi-TAT administered daily for 10-21 days s.c. at 0.3-10 mg/kg resulted in a dose-dependent suppression of GBM tumor growth and viability monitored with IVIS imaging (p Conclusions: P-bi-TAT is a promising lead clinical candidate effective in the treatment of human GBM. Citation Format: Shaker A. Mousa, Thangirala Sudha, Kavitha Godugu, Mehdi Rajabi, Stewart Sell, Paul J. Davis. Novel thyrointegrin αvβ3 antagonist in the treatment of glioblastoma multiforme [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 1300.
Evaluation of Thyroid Hormone Replacement Dosing in Overweight and Obese Patients After a Thyroidectomy

Background: Initiation of thyroid hormone replacement (THR) after a total thyroidectomy has traditionally relied on the weight of the patient, regardless of the patient's body mass index (BMI). Cur...
The Impact of Rare Failures on Statistical Fault Localization: The Case of the Defects4J Suite

Statistical Fault Localization (SFL) uses coverage profiles (or "spectra") collected from passing and failing tests, together with statistical metrics, which are typically composed of simple estimators, to identify which elements of a program are most likely to have caused observed failures. Previous SFL research has not thoroughly examined how the effectiveness of SFL metrics is related to the proportion of failures in test suites and related quantities. To address this issue, we studied the Defects4J benchmark suite of programs and test suites and found that if a test suite has very few failures, SFL performs poorly. To better understand this phenomenon, we investigated the precision of some statistical estimators of which SFL metrics are composed, as measured by their coefficients of variation. The precision of an embedded estimator, which depends on the dataset, was found to correlate with the effectiveness of a metric containing it: low precision is associated with poor effectiveness. Boosting precision by adding test cases was found to improve overall SFL effectiveness. We present our findings and discuss their implications for the evaluation and use of SFL metrics.
Colorimetric Point-of-Care Human Papillomavirus Diagnostic Reader

We previously reported a fluorescence-based Point-of-care (PoC) diagnostic for human papillomavirus (HPV). In this work, we present our progress in modifying the system for colorimetric testing. This decreases the number of steps required to complete the assay, simplifies calibration, and decreases the cost of the system. We were able to confirm the system was successfully modified for colorimetric detection using a newly designed 3D printed cartridge and calibration slides.
Nickel-Catalyzed Cross-Electrophile Coupling of Aryl Chlorides with Primary Alkyl Chlorides

Alkyl chlorides and aryl chlorides are among the most abundant and stable carbon electrophiles. Although their coupling with carbon nucleophiles is well developed, the cross-electrophile coupling of aryl chlorides with alkyl chlorides has remained a challenge. We report here the first general approach to this transformation. The key to productive, selective cross-coupling is the use of a small amount of iodide or bromide along with a recently reported ligand, pyridine-2,6-bis(N-cyanocarboxamidine) (PyBCamCN). The scope of the reaction is demonstrated with 35 examples (63 ± 16% average yield), and we show that the Br- and I- additives act as cocatalysts, generating a low, steady-state concentration of more-reactive alkyl bromide/iodide.
Sex differences in murine myocutaneous flap revascularization.

Sex differences in susceptibility to ischemia/reperfusion injury have been documented in humans. Premenopausal women have a lower risk of ischemic heart disease than age-matched men, whereas after menopause, the risk is similar or even higher in women. However, little is known about the effects of sex on myocutaneous ischemia/reperfusion. To explore sex differences in wound revascularization, we utilized a murine myocutaneous flap model of graded ischemia. A cranial-based, peninsular-shaped, myocutaneous flap was surgically created on the dorsum of male and female mice. Physiological, pathological, immunohistochemical, and molecular parameters were analyzed. Flaps created on female mice were re-attached to the recipient site resulting in nearly complete viability at post-operative day 10. In contrast, distal full-thickness myocutaneous necrosis was evident at 10 days post-surgery in male mice. Over the 10 day study interval, laser speckle imaging documented functional revascularization in all flap regions in female mice, but minimal distal flap reperfusion in male mice. Day 10 immunostained histologic sections confirmed significant increases in distal flap vessel count and vascular surface area in female compared to male mice. RT-PCR demonstrated significant differences in growth factor and metabolic gene expression between female and male mice at day 10. In conclusion, in a graded-ischemia wound healing model, flap revascularization was more effective in female mice. The recognition and identification of sex-specific wound healing differences may lead to a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms of myocutaneous revascularization and drive novel discovery to improve soft tissue wound healing following tissue transfer for traumatic injury and cancer resection.
Spatial Bias in Medium-Range Forecasts of Heavy Precipitation in the Sacramento River Basin: Implications for Water Management

AbstractForecasts of heavy precipitation delivered by atmospheric rivers (ARs) are becoming increasingly important for both flood control and water supply management in reservoirs across California...
Blockchain technology and the sustainable supply chain: Theoretically exploring adoption barriers

Abstract Blockchain technology has gained global attention with potential to revolutionize supply chain management and sustainability achievements. The few applied ongoing use cases include blockchain for food, healthcare, and logistics supply chains have emphasized blockchain's untapped potential. Potential support for supply chain and sustainability issues include improving efficiency, transparency, and traceability in addition to billions of dollars in corporate financial savings. Given its promise, the adoption of blockchain technology, although hyped for years, has not seen rapid acceptance. In this study, the technology-organization-environment framework and force field theories are utilized to investigate blockchain adoption barriers. Using various literature streams on technology, organizational practices, and sustainability, a comprehensive overview of barriers for adopting blockchain technology to manage sustainable supply chains is provided. The barriers are explored using technology, organizational, and environmental – supply chain and external – framework followed by inputs from academics and industry experts and then analyzed using the Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory (DEMATEL) tool. The results show that supply chain and technological barriers are the most critical barriers among both academics and industry experts. We further determine the similarities and differences among academics and practitioners in perceiving the barriers. This exploratory study reveals interesting relative importance and interrelationships of barriers which are necessary, theoretically and practically for further adoption and dissemination of blockchain technology in a sustainable supply chain environment. It also sets the stage for theoretical observations for understanding blockchain technology implementation in sustainable supply chains. A series of research propositions and research directions culminate from this exploratory study.
Thin Layer Peach Drying in Solar Tunnel Drier

This study presents performance of the solar tunnel dryer for drying of peach samples. The solar tunnel dryer consists of a flat plate solar collector, a drying tunnel, a solar cell module and a small axial fan. It has been constructed at the Department of Agricultural Machinery and Technologies Engineering at Isparta University of Applied Sciences. During the drying process, solar irradiation, drying air temperature, relative humidity, and air velocity were measured constantly in different parts of the dryer. At same time, mass loss of the peach samples was measured during the drying period at one-hour interval. In this study, the color measurements fresh and dried products were determined at the beginning and end of experiment. The fresh peach samples were sorted, graded, washed by tap water and then sliced manually as half-moon without peeling before pretreatment. Sun drying behavior of sliced peach samples pretreated with 1% sodium metabisulfit, 1% ascorbic acid and non-pretreated was investigated. The drying characteristic curves were evaluated against ten mathematical models. Results showed that the Midilli et al. model was found to be the best descriptive model for solar tunnel drying of thin layer peach.
Augmented low-rank methods for gaussian process regression

This paper presents techniques to improve the prediction accuracy of approximation methods used in Gaussian process regression models. Conventional methods such as Nystrom and subset of data methods rely on low-rank approximations to the kernel matrix derived from a set of representative data points. Prediction accuracy suffers when the number of representative points is small or when the length scale is small. The techniques proposed here augment the set of representative points with neighbors of each test input to improve accuracy. Our approach leverages the general structure of the problem through the low-rank approximation and improves its accuracy further by exploiting locality at each test input. Computations involving neighbor points are cast as updates to the base approximation which result in significant savings. To ensure numerical stability, prediction is done via orthogonal projection onto the subspace of the kernel approximation derived from the augmented set. Experiments on synthetic and real datasets show that our approach is robust with respect to changes in length scale and matches the prediction accuracy of the full kernel matrix while using fewer points for kernel approximation. This results in faster and more accurate predictions compared to conventional methods.
Long-term disease control and survival observed after stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy for oligometastatic breast cancer.

Purpose We examined the characteristics of breast cancer patients with oligometastases (OM) treated with stereotactic ablative body radiotherapy (SABR) to identify factors associated with local progression, distant metastasis progression, time to subsequent therapy, progression-free survival (PFS), and overall survival (OS). Methods We retrospectively reviewed a single-institution database of patients treated with radiotherapy between 2008 and 2018 and identified 79 patients who received SABR to OM. Twenty-seven patients had genetic testing of metastatic tumors using an institutional targeted sequencing platform. Kaplan-Meier analysis, Cox regression, and competing risk models were used to compare clinical and genetic correlates with outcomes. Results Median follow-up was 50 months (IQR: 29-66) with 67% of patients alive at the last follow-up. Of the 65% of patients who progressed, 82% progressed outside of the radiation field, 18% experienced local failure, and 80% had oligoprogression. Median OS was 86 months (IQR: 29-66), and PFS was 33 months (IQR: 10-38). Less than 5 years from diagnosis to SABR and triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) were associated with worse OS. Advanced T stage, any prior chemotherapy, and TNBC were associated with worse PFS. Alterations in CEBPB, RB1, TBX3, PTEN, and CDK4 were associated with worse survival outcomes. Conclusion Long-term systemic disease control and survival can be achieved with SABR for oligometastatic breast cancer. Hormone receptor-positive patients with a long disease interval from initial diagnosis and limited systemic progression history may be ideal for SABR to all sites of disease.
Do Law Schools Adequately Prepare Students for Practice? Surveys Say . . . No!

There has been much concern over declining bar passage rates, focusing attention on whether some schools are admitting students who may not be capable of passing the bar exam and whether a school’s program of legal education adequately prepares its graduates for the exam. But if studies of practicing lawyers and recent law graduates matter, it is clear that law schools are also failing in their primary mission to adequately prepare students for legal practice. This paper examines studies by the National Conference of Bar Examiners, the Institute for the Advancement of the American Legal System, and the American Bar Foundation that found law schools do not teach the skills and abilities new lawyers need. It also addresses the results of surveys of lawyers and recent law graduates that echo this criticism of the legal education. While educators worry about bar passage rates, it is time they also addressed legal education’s longstanding failure to meet its duty to adequately prepare their students to be effective, ethical, and responsible members of the legal profession.
Summaries of harms in systematic reviews are unreliable Paper 1: An introduction to research on harms.

Abstract Objective : Most systematic reviews of interventions focus on potential benefits. Common methods and assumptions that are appropriate for assessing benefits can be inappropriate for harms. This paper provides a primer on researching harms, particularly in systematic reviews. Study Design and Setting : Commentary describing challenges with assessing harm. Results : Investigators should be familiar with various terminologies used to describe, classify, and group harms. Published reports of clinical trials include limited information about harms, so systematic reviewers should not depend on these studies and journal articles to reach conclusions about harms. Visualizations might improve communication of multiple dimensions of harms such as severity, relatedness, and timing. Conclusion : The terminology, classification, detection, collection, and reporting of harms create unique challenges that take time, expertise, and resources to navigate in both primary studies and evidence syntheses. Systematic reviewers might reach incorrect conclusions if they focus on evidence about harms found in published reports of randomized trials of a particular health problem. Systematic reviews could be improved through better identification and reporting of harms in primary studies and through better training and uptake of appropriate methods for synthesizing evidence about harms.
Enhancement of transmission efficiency in a photonic bandgap fiber introducing nonlinearity

This paper introduces the importance of nonlinearity in a Photonic Bandgap (PBG) Fiber using Finite Difference Time Domain (FDTD) simulation. It is shown that, the amplification of the weaker optical signal in a PBG fiber due to the constructive interference between two incoming signals can be controlled using nonlinearity.
Reinvestigation of the roles of the carboxyl groups of glutathione with yeast glyoxalase I. Implications as to the mechanism and coenzymic role of glutathione.

A number of carboxyl-substituted s-blocked glutathiones have been shown to be competitive inhibitors of yeast glyoxalase I at 25°C, pH 6.6. Amidation of the glycyl carboxyl group of S-(p-bromobenzyl)glutathione has no appreciable effect on binding whilst methylation reduces binding by 8.9-fold, indicating a steric constraint and the possible presence of a hydrogen bond in this region of the enzyme. Amidation of both carboxyl groups of S-(p-bromobenzyl)glutathione reduces binding significantly by 237-fold; this result agrees with electrostatic interaction of the Glu COO− group with a group located within the enzyme surface as opposed to the Gly COO− group, previously proposed.
microRNAs in Human Cancer

Mature microRNAs (miRNAs) are single-stranded RNA molecules of 20–23-nucleotide (nt) length that control gene expression in many cellular processes. These molecules typically reduce the translation and stability of mRNAs, including those of genes that mediate processes in tumorigenesis, such as inflammation, cell cycle regulation, stress response, differentiation, apoptosis, and invasion. miRNA targeting is initiated through specific base-pairing interactions between the 5′ end (“seed” region) of the miRNA and sites within coding and untranslated regions (UTRs) of mRNAs; target sites in the 3′ UTR lead to more effective mRNA destabilization. Since miRNAs frequently target hundreds of mRNAs, miRNA regulatory pathways are complex. To provide a critical overview of miRNA dysregulation in cancer, we first discuss the methods currently available for studying the role of miRNAs in cancer and then review miRNA genomic organization, biogenesis, and mechanism of target recognition, examining how these processes are altered in tumorigenesis. Given the critical role miRNAs play in tumorigenesis processes and their disease specific expression, they hold potential as therapeutic targets and novel biomarkers.
Safety oriented maneuvers for IVHS

The automated vehicle/highway system architecture of the California PATH program organizes traffic into platoons of closely spaced vehicles. Platoons are formed and broken up by two longitudinal control maneuvers, merge and split. A third longitudinal maneuver, decelerate to change lanes, allows a platoon switching from one lane to another to enter its new lane at a safe spacing and speed. This paper presents a robust control strategy for these maneuvers. Safety is assured by forcing the velocity of the trail platoon to remain under a maximum safe velocity boundary. When safety is not threatened, the vehicles' jerk and acceleration remain within comfort limits. Because no timed nominal trajectories are used, completion of the maneuvers does not depend on vehicles meeting prescribed acceleration capabilities.
In vitro effects of Bisphenol A on sperm motility characteristics in Perca fluviatilis L. (Percidae; Teleostei)

Summary In the present study, the effects of Bisphenol A (BPA) on sperm motility and velocity were investigated in perch (Perca fluviatilis L.). Sperm of five mature males was separately collected in a syringe. The sperm samples were diluted in an immobilizing solution containing 180 mm NaCl, 2.7 mm KCl, 1.4 mm CaCl2, 2.4 mm NaHCO3, pH 8.0 (340 mOsmol kg−1) at ratio 1 : 50 (sperm : IS). The sperm motility was triggered in an activation solution composed of 50 mm NaCl, 20 mm Tris, pH 8.5 containing different concentrations of BPA (2, 1.5, 1.25, 1.0, 0.5, 0.25, 0.125 and 0.0 mm) at ratio 1 : 50 (sperm : AS). At 15 s post-activation, sperm motility and velocity decreased significantly in activation medium containing 1.5 and 1 mm BPA, respectively. The motility of sperm was totally inhibited in 2 mm of BPA. Sperm motility duration decreased with increasing BPA concentrations. In the control, 25.3% of spermatozoa were still motile at 90 s post-activation, while only 1.3% was in 0.12 mm. However, sperm velocity was higher in activation medium containing 0.12 mm BPA at 15 s post-activation. There was no significant difference between the control and DMSO test group, the latter being used for dissolving BPA. The results of this study indicate that BPA decreases both motility and velocity of exposed sperm, in vitro. BPA may damage the flagella as ‘C’ shape of flagella was observed, once motility period of sperm cells are finished.
Typicality Graphs: Large Deviation Analysis

Let X and Y be finite alphabets and PXY a joint distribution over them, with PX and PY representing the marginals. For any " > 0, the set of n-length sequences x n and y n that are jointly typical [1] according to PXY can be represented on a bipartite graph. We present a formal definition of such a graph, known as a typicality graph, and study some of its properties.
Long-term Exercise After Pulmonary Rehabilitation (LEAP): Design and rationale of a randomized controlled trial of Tai Chi

Abstract Background Persons with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) have reduced exercise capacity and levels of physical activity. Supervised, facility-based pulmonary rehabilitation programs improve exercise capacity and reduce dyspnea, but novel long-term strategies are needed to maintain the benefits gained. Mind-body modalities such as Tai Chi which combine aerobic activity, coordination of breathing, and cognitive techniques that alleviate the physical inactivity, dyspnea, and anxiety and depression that are the hallmarks of COPD are promising strategies. Methods/Design We have designed a randomized controlled study to examine whether Tai Chi will maintain exercise capacity in persons with COPD who have recently completed a supervised pulmonary rehabilitation program, compared to standard care. The primary outcome is 6-min walk test distance at 6 months. Secondary outcomes include health-related quality of life, dyspnea, mood, occurrence of acute exacerbations, engagement in physical activity, exercise self-efficacy, and exercise adherence. Simultaneously, we are conducting a pilot study of group walking. We will enroll 90 persons who will be randomized to one of three arms in a 2:2:1 ratio: Tai Chi, standard care, or group-based walking. Discussion The Long-term Exercise After Pulmonary Rehabilitation (LEAP) study is a novel and clinically relevant trial. We will enroll a well-characterized cohort of persons with COPD and will comprehensively assess physiological and psychosocial outcomes. Results of this study will provide the evidence base for persons with COPD to engage in Tai Chi as a low-cost, long-term modality to sustain physical activity in persons who have completed a standard short-term pulmonary rehabilitation program. Trial Registration This trial is registered in Clinical Trials.gov, with the ID number of NCT01998724.
GENERAL THEORY OF CRIME AND DEVIANCE: A STRUCTURAL EQUATION MODELING APPROACH

ABSTRACT This article assesses Gottfredson and Hirschi's General Theory of Crime. This study presents support for the theory's primary model (parental management influences self-control which influences deviance), using a sample of college students (N=425) and multiple measures of the central constructs and structural equation modeling (SEM). Policy implications are also presented as they relate to the theory.
Pseudo-homeosis in avian feet.

Galis et al.'s analysis of the evolutionary constraints on vertebrate autopodal (manus–foot) development [1xWhy five fingers? Evolutionary constraints on digit numbers. Galis, F. et al. Trends Ecol. Evol. 2001; 16: 637–646Abstract | Full Text | Full Text PDF | Scopus (96)See all References][1] includes questionable assertions of homeotic changes of digit identity (changes of identity of one digit into another) in the avian foot. The first example concerns the totipalmate condition that defines pelecaniform birds wherein all four pedal digits comprise a common foot web, with digit I being more forwardly directed than is typical of most birds where it is directed posteriorly. The authors state: ‘The fourth toe has moved forward’, but, in fact, it is the first toe. The other example is the foot of piciform birds, wherein both digits I and IV are directed posteriorly to produce a zygodactylous (yoke-toed) condition. Such a foot is well adapted for perching (puffbirds, etc.), climbing (woodpeckers), and running (roadrunners, etc.). The authors’ state: ‘In all cases, the extra opposed digit has been obtained by changing the form of the second digit into that of the first, opposable, digit’. In fact, in all zygodactylous avian feet, it is merely that digit IV has been repositioned. In the heterodactylous foot of trogons, a similar yoke-toed foot involves reversing digit II. There has never been any question concerning the identity of the digits in any of the above cases [2xFeduccia, A. See all References][2]: they correspond to their appropriate trochleae, connected with fidelity by their appropriate ligaments. Interestingly, owls, ospreys, touracos and mousebirds have a temporary or facultatively zygodactylous foot in which the fourth toe can be held either anteriorly or posteriorly during perching [2xFeduccia, A. See all References][2]. Galis et al. [1xWhy five fingers? Evolutionary constraints on digit numbers. Galis, F. et al. Trends Ecol. Evol. 2001; 16: 637–646Abstract | Full Text | Full Text PDF | Scopus (96)See all References][1] offer no arguments to support their implication of homeotic changes in the evolution of the avian foot.Galis et al. [1xWhy five fingers? Evolutionary constraints on digit numbers. Galis, F. et al. Trends Ecol. Evol. 2001; 16: 637–646Abstract | Full Text | Full Text PDF | Scopus (96)See all References][1] make the important point that evolutionary changes early in limb development are extremely constrained because of negative pleiotropic effects of deleterious mutations: ‘Not only is the stage itself conserved, but also certain characters that are determined during that stage’. Thus, the lack of any homeotic changes in the feet of birds is the expected, and renders similar changes in the identity of all three manal digits extremely unlikely [3xDigit identity and digit number: indirect support for the descent of birds from theropod dinosaurs. Galis, F. Trends Ecol. Evol. 2001; 16: 16Abstract | Full Text | Full Text PDF | PubMed | Scopus (7)See all References][3].
Quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical/continuum style solvation model: Second order Møller-Plesset perturbation theory

A combined quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical/continuum (QM/MM/C) style second order Moller-Plesset perturbation theory (MP2) method that incorporates induced dipole polarizable force field and induced surface charge continuum solvation model is established. The Z-vector method is modified to include induced dipoles and induced surface charges to determine the MP2 response density matrix, which can be used to evaluate MP2 properties. In particular, analytic nuclear gradient is derived and implemented for this method. Using the Assisted Model Building with Energy Refinement induced dipole polarizable protein force field, the QM/MM/C style MP2 method is used to study the hydrogen bonding distances and strengths of the photoactive yellow protein chromopore in the wild type and the Glu46Gln mutant.
Beam Diagnostics at the Fermilab Tevatron

A variety of beam diagnostics systems have been installed in the Tevatron since its inception for use in commisioning, normal operation (both as a fixed target machine and as a collider), accelerator protection, and advanced accelerator studies. This paper briefly reviews these systems and gives some examples of their applications.
The use of tertiarybutylphosphine and tertiarybutylarsine for the metalorganic molecular beam epitaxy of the In0.53Ga0.47As/InP and In0.48Ga0.52P/GaAs materials systems

This paper describes a study on the use of thermally cracked tertiarybutylphosphine (TBP) and tertiarybutylarsine (TBA) with elemental Ga and In sources for the metalorganic molecular beam epitaxy (MOMBE) growth of the In 0.53 Ga 0.47 As/InP and In 0.48 Ga 0.52 P/GaAs materials systems. Modulated beam mass spectroscopy was used to characterize the thermal decomposition of these Group-V metal alkyls. Results indicate that As 2 and P 2 are the dominant growth species produced when cracker temperatures greater than 700°C are used. These conditions result in high quality epitaxial layers with essentially zero oval defects (less than l/cm 2 ) despite the use of elemental Group-Ill sources. Results of doping and heterointerface studies indicate that these Group-V precursors are suitable replacements for hydride sources. Application of these precursors for device structure growth including heterojunction bipolar transistors (HBTs) and resonant tunneling diodes (RTDs) is also described.