cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Research on the effects of pharmacist-patient communication in institutions and ambulatory care sites, 1969-1994

Research on the effects of pharmacist-patient communication that appeared in the pharmacy literature between 1969 and 1994 is reviewed. The terms patients education and patient counseling were used in identifying relevant research. Many authors used these terms interchangeably; also, the terms counseling and consultation often were not clearly defined. Studies of pharmacists' history-taking in institutional settings and of other communication with patients in ambulatory care settings were examined by decade. The research questions, theories, methods, results, and limitations were analyzed. More than 30 studies examined the effect of pharmacists' communication on patient outcomes, primarily knowledge and medication compliance; generally, the results suggested that pharmacists' communication led to increased knowledge and compliance. A few researchers raised concerns about patients' knowledge as an indicator of effective communication by pharmacists, and in the 1980s a few suggested that better medication compliance could be associated with the time and attention given to patients rather than the informational content of the interaction. Little was reported about the communication theories or models on which the studies were based, and there was little indication in most studies that patients' ideas about their therapy were considered. Often, the numbers of patients and pharmacists were small, and the pharmacists may have had training or motivation exceeding that of the average practitioner. In studies of pharmacists' versus physicians' history-taking, the physicians were not well described; their involvement and their approach may not have been comparable to those of the pharmacists. Before 1990, a few researchers had examined outcomes such as pulmonary function and control of diabetes. In the 1990s, more researchers looked at outcomes such as medication-related problems and use of health care resources. The research indicated that pharmacists can increase patients' knowledge of and compliance with their pharmacotherapy; however, additional research on other outcomes may be warranted.
Highly reversible open framework nanoscale electrodes for divalent ion batteries.

The reversible insertion of monovalent ions such as lithium into electrode materials has enabled the development of rechargeable batteries with high energy density. Reversible insertion of divalent ions such as magnesium would allow the creation of new battery chemistries that are potentially safer and cheaper than lithium-based batteries. Here we report that nanomaterials in the Prussian Blue family of open framework materials, such as nickel hexacyanoferrate, allow for the reversible insertion of aqueous alkaline earth divalent ions, including Mg2+, Ca2+, Sr2+, and Ba2+. We show unprecedented long cycle life and high rate performance for divalent ion insertion. Our results represent a step forward and pave the way for future development in divalent batteries.
Polymer Functionalized Carbon nanotubes for sensor application

Surface modification of carbon nanotubes with polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH) showed detection for humidity variation implying a possible application as a nanoscale humidity sensor. Wettability studies on single-wall, Y junction single wall and multiwall carbon nanotubes revealed that these nanotubes tend to become highly hydrophilic surfaces by this functionalisation. From the raman analysis it was determined that the majority of the nanotubes in our Y-junction single wall nanotubes were semiconducting in nature. The conductivity studies revealed that the Y junction nanotubes with PVOH functionalisation show large change in conductivity for varying relative humidity (RH). We propose a possible charge transport mechanism in these functionalized nanotubes.
Effect of Preventive Anti-Fluorine Agent on 5 Trace Elements in Bone of Rats

[Objective] To investigate the effect of anti-fluorine agent on the levels of Zn, Ca, Mg, Fe, Cu in rats' bone.[Methods]Through subchronic test in rats exposed to fluoride. Flame atomic absorption spectrometry was adopted to determine the Zn, Ca, Mg, Fe, Cu levels in the thighbone, and the level changes were analyzed.[Results]Comparing fluorine agent group with anti-fluorine agent group, the level of bone Zn in anti-fluorine agent groups of high, medium and low doses were higher than those of the corresponding fluorine agent groups, with a significance in medium dose group. The levels of bone Ca in anti-fluorine groups were higher than those of the corresponding dose groups with significance in medium and low dose groups. In medium and low dose anti-fluorine agent group, the level of bone Mg was higher than that in corresponding dose groups with significance. The level of bone Fe in medium dose anti-fluorine agent group was lower than that in corresponding fluorine agent group with significance. The level of bone Cu in low dose anti-fluorine agent group was lower than that in fluorine agent group. Comparing fluorine agent group with control group, the levels of bone Zn of anti-fluorine agent groups were higher than those in fluorine agent groups with significance in high and medium dose groups. The levels of bone Ca in medium and low dose group were higher than those in control group. The levels of bone Mg in anti-fluorine agent groups were all higher than those in control group with significance in high and medium dose groups. The levels of bone Fe in anti-fluorine agent groups were all lower than those in control groups with significance in medium and low dose groups. The levels of bone Cu were lower than those in control group with significance in low and medium dose groups, [Conclusion]Anti-fluorine agent makes levels of Zn, Ca, Mg increasing in bone, but does not obviously affect levels of Fe, Cu.
Disposable (Infant) Surface Electrocardiogram Electrodes in Urodynamics: A Simultaneous Comparative Study of Electrodes

AbstractSubstantiated by the simultaneous comparison with wire and rectal catheter electrodes, disposable surface electrocardiogram electrodes developed for infants have proved to be easy to place, well tolerated and reliable for urodynamic testing in more than 400 clinical urodynamic evaluations.
On Role Allocation in RoboCup

A common problem in RoboCup is role allocation: given a team of players and a set of roles, how should be roles be allocated to players? Drawing on our previous work in multi-robot task allocation, we formalize the problem of role allocation as an iterated form of optimal assignment, which is a well-studied problem from operations research. From this perspective, we analyze the allocation mechanisms of a number of RoboCup teams, showing that most of them are greedy, and that many are in fact equivalent, as instances of the canonical Greedy algorithm. We explain how optimal, yet tractable, assignment algorithms could be used instead, but leave as an open question the actual benefit in terms of team performance of using such algorithms.
The chemical anatomy of bone. I. A comparative study of bone composition in sixteen vertebrates.

1. Normal variations in the elementary composition of cortical bone from sixteen different adult vertebrates were studied. 2. Variations in the mineral (ash) and water content of bone exhibited what could be a necessary reciprocal relationship. 3. The mineral components, calcium, phosphorus and magnesium were positively correlated with hexosamine (ground substance) and negatively correlated with OH-proline (collagen). 4. Although positively correlated, the variations in total CO2, sodium and citric acid were much less specific. 5. All specimens exhibited a Ca/P molar ratio of 1.67 or larger depending on the amount of CaCO3 present. 6. These differences in bone composition undoubtedly have physiological significance and their further elucidation is necessary for the valid interpretation of experimental data in all areas of mineral metabolism.
Leveraging Academic Partnerships to Improve Logistics at Nonprofit Organizations

This article presents the results of a partnership between a nonprofit organization and a team of academic researchers that developed a low-cost spreadsheet-based tool that allows organizations to effectively schedule vehicle operations. Specifically, the tool (1) handles the real-world constraints present in moderately complex logistics environments; and (2) uses general computing hardware and software that is already deployed in most organizations, thereby rendering the solution radically low cost (effectively free). We deployed this tool to a humanitarian organization, the Idaho Foodbank, which realized a substantial improvement in its fleet efficiency and a corresponding reduction in route-planning time. The methodology used to manage this collaboration with academia can be leveraged by other nonprofit organizations attempting to overcome the financial barriers that commonly prevent budget-constrained organizations from accessing advanced technologies.
Computer evaluation of a novel multipinhole SPECT system for cardiac imaging

Multipinhole collimation for clinical myocardial perfusion imaging dates back to the 1970’s and 1980’s. However, the acceptance and use of pinhole collimator technique for application in single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) was impeded by wide-spread availability of use for rotational dual-head cameras for general purpose imaging. Today virtually all SPECT imaging is performed with a parallel-hole collimator. In the past few years, experimental small animal SPECT systems have seen progress with pinhole collimation. There has also been an interest in designing dedicated cardiac SPECT systems for improved sensitivity to reduce imaging time. This has renewed clinical interest in multipinhole radionuclide cardiac imaging. It is known that pinhole collimation surpasses parallel-hole collimation in both sensitivity and resolution for small objects located close to the pinhole aperture. However, the short object-to-detector distance limits the size of the field of view (FOV) for the pinhole collimator, which causes part of the emission rays to miss the detector. The lost data are said to be truncated from the projection measurements. The objective of this work is to investigate the effect of truncation and limited angular sampling on image quality for a novel cardiac imaging system with stationary multipinhole collimation. Computer simulations show that the system produces high quality images of the myocardium comparable to that of a rotating multipinhole detector system. Improved quantitation for truncation of the interior problem is accomplished by calibrating the system matrix using a uniform phantom in the FOV of known activity.
COMPETITIVENESS OF A RURAL TOURIST DESTINATIONS

Tourism has become the leading economic sector of many countries. This is witnessed by the country's revenues realized, as well as many other indicators. In the nineties of the twentieth century, the emphasis in the tourist development was placed on tourism of specific interests, as opposed to the hitherto dominant mass tourism. Noticeable is the increased demand for new forms of tourism additional offers that contemporary (urban) tourists harder, and who can offer a large part in rural areas. Development of rural tourism has given good results in Western European countries. Bearing this in mind, today there are a large number of economically less developed countries that have lost the race in industrial development with a highly developed countries, and that their chance see in development of rural tourism. Such a position are based on the ecological preservation of the rural areas, anthropogenic rich rural heritage, and the degree of industrialization which is in lags behind from the developed countries of Western Europe and America. In paper work was conducted defining rural tourism and identified factors which have influence to the strengthening of the competitiveness of some rural tourist destination with special emphasis on ecology and sustainable development.
MRI Overestimates Excitotoxic Amygdala Lesion Damage in Rhesus Monkeys

Selective, fiber-sparing excitotoxic lesions are a state-of-the-art tool for determining the causal contributions of different brain areas to behavior. For nonhuman primates especially, it is advantageous to keep subjects with high-quality lesions alive and contributing to science for many years. However, this requires the ability to estimate lesion extent accurately. Previous research has shown that in vivo T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) accurately estimates damage following selective ibotenic acid lesions of the hippocampus. Here, we show that the same does not apply to lesions of the amygdala. Across 19 hemispheres from 13 rhesus monkeys, MRI assessment consistently overestimated amygdala damage as assessed by microscopic examination of Nissl-stained histological material. Two outliers suggested a linear relation for lower damage levels, and values of unintended amygdala damage from a previous study fell directly on that regression line, demonstrating that T2 hypersignal accurately predicts damage levels below 50%. For unintended damage, MRI estimates correlated with histological assessment for entorhinal cortex, perirhinal cortex and hippocampus, though MRI significantly overestimated the extent of that damage in all structures. Nevertheless, ibotenic acid injections routinely produced extensive intentional amygdala damage with minimal unintended damage to surrounding structures, validating the general success of the technique. The field will benefit from more research into in vivo lesion assessment techniques, and additional evaluation of the accuracy of MRI assessment in different brain areas. For now, in vivo MRI assessment of ibotenic acid lesions of the amygdala can be used to confirm successful injections, but MRI estimates of lesion extent should be interpreted with caution.
Abstract TP375: Vitamin D Deficiency Correlates With Stroke Severity on Presentation in Intracerebral Hemorrhage

Introduction: Vitamin D, a neurosteroid present in cerebrospinal fluid and metabolized by brain tissue regulates calcium signaling and scavenging of reactive oxygen species, which play a role in acute cell injury after ischemic stroke and intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). Low vitamin D (measured as 25(OH)D), has been found to increase the risk of ischemic stroke, predict severity and poor functional outcome. No studies investigating impact of vitamin D level on ICH stroke severity exist. Hypothesis: We hypothesize that low 25(OH)D levels are associated with higher stroke severity of ICH on admission and poorer functional outcome. Methods: A single-center retrospective chart review between February 2012 and September 2014 was performed. A total of 109 patients with primary ICH and 25(OH)D levels on admission were identified. Serum 25(OH)D levels were dichotomized at 20 or <20) and dichotomized Glasgow coma scale (GCS of 3-5, 6-15) were compared to vitamin D groups using Pearson Chi-square test of proportion. Results: NIHSS on admission was higher in patients with severe vitamin D deficiency (p=0.016) with the odds ratio of having an NIHSS of >20 on admission 5.9 (95% CI --1.4-25.5). Patients with severe deficiency were far more likely to have very low GCS (3-5) (p=0.022; OR=8.8; 95% CI 1.7 - 45.5). Vitamin D deficiency was associated with lower pre-albumin level and older age (p=0.021 and 0.018, respectively). No statistical significance between 25(OH)D level and ICH score, ICH volume, location, presence of intraventricular hemorrhage, length of stay, mortality, disposition or pre-stroke and discharge modified Rankin Scale was found. Conclusions: ICH patients with severe vitamin D deficiency had significantly worse stroke severity. Patients with older age and malnutrition are at higher risk for severe clinical presentation of ICH. Larger scale studies identifying increased risk of morbidity and mortality from ICH in vitamin D deficient patients are needed.
The effectiveness of number of deals purchased in influencing consumers' response to daily deal promotions: A cue utilization approach

Abstract This research proposes and empirically tests a theoretical model of consumers' response to online daily deal promotions. A unique feature of such promotions is their social influence, as they provide information about how many others have already purchased the offer. Integrating cue utilization and social influence theories, the model outlines how the social cue about the number of deals purchased by others influences consumers' deal evaluations and purchase intentions across a variety of conditions. The research findings indicate that the number of deals as an extrinsic cue affects consumers' deal evaluations and intentions only when intrinsic product and deal cues (good vs. service, discount size) and consumer personal characteristics (familiarity with the provider) are not present or are insufficient to infer deal attractiveness. The research offers managerial implications with respect to effectively designing and promoting online daily deals.
Organization and retrieval in a conceptual memory for events or CON 51, where are you?

In the course of a normal day, people effortlessly recall past events and episodes from their lives. A reasonable goal in the design of computer programs is to construct a memory with that same capability. To facilitate such retrieval of events from a computer memory, we must first specify a reasonable memory organization. We must then design updating and retrieval processes to build up and access that information. This paper will present such a theory, and will describe a computer program named CYRUS which implements the theory.
Sports Leagues’ Game Exposure Policies: Economic and Legal Complexities

Sports leagues have developed an economic business model where they sell national media rights on behalf of all of the teams and the teams sell media rights in their home territory without competit...
Thirty-day outcomes of sleeve gastrectomy versus Roux-en-Y gastric bypass: first report based on Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program database

Abstract Background According to recent American Society for Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery estimates, sleeve gastrectomy (SG) is now the most commonly performed procedure in the United States (~53.8% of all bariatric procedures), followed by Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB; 23.1% of all procedures). Objectives The objective of this study was to evaluate outcomes and safety of these 2 procedures in the first 30 days postoperatively using the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program data registry. Setting University health network, United States. Methods We reviewed all SG and RYGB cases entered between January 1 and December 31, 2015 in the Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program data registry. Demographic characteristics and 30-day outcomes were analyzed based on separate Mann-Whitney rank sums tests, χ 2 , or Fisher's exact tests as appropriate, with P Results A total of 141,646 patients were analyzed; 98,292 underwent SG and 43,354 underwent RYGB. Average age was 44.5 and 45.4 years for SG and RYGB, respectively. Preoperative body mass index was 45.1 and 46.1 for SG and RYGB, respectively. The 30-day mortality was .1% for SG and .2% for RYGB ( P P P P P Conclusions The incidence of postoperative complications in the first 30 days after surgery is low for both RYGB and SG. However, SG seems to have a better safety profile in the first 30 days postoperatively compared with RYGB. These findings should be considered in the preoperative evaluation and counseling of bariatric patients. Long-term follow-up is needed to compare safety and efficacy of SG versus RYGB.
The Potential Role of Zinc Supplementation on Pressure Ulcer Healing in Older Adults

Monitoring for nutritional deficiencies, including zinc, has become essential in order to incorporate nutritional interventions in the coordination of care for optimal patient outcomes. The older adult population is prone to compromised nutritional status and poor skin integrity. Wound healing requires increased nutrient density, and older adults with PUs may be unable to meet these needs through food intake alone. The aim of this review was to determine whether or not there is poor pressure ulcer healing.
Order and Defects in the Silkmoth Chorion, A Biological Analogue of a Cholesteric Liquid Crystal

The silkmoth chorion or eggshell is a strong, extracellular protective covering that exhibits complex physiology, chemistry, and morphology. Analogous, in many ways, to the cuticle, the chorion protects the egg and developing embryo from physical assaults of predators, as well as from the more passive dangers of dessication and drowning, while permitting air exchange and the penetration of sperm. The chorion is produced by the monolayer of follicular epithelial cells, as the cuticle is produced by the monolayer of epidermis.
Attributions, Perceived Control, and Depression

Many theories in psychology are based on the assumption that an individual’s sense of psychological well-being is augmented by a belief that he or she has some degree of control over personally relevant events. As early as 1930, the neo-Freudian Alfred Adler observed that the need for control is “an intrinsic necessity of life” (Adler, 1930, p. 398)—a point that has been reiterated by many other theorists (e.g., Bandura, 1977; deCharms, 1968; Langer, 1983; Lefcourt, 1973; White, 1959; Woodworth, 1958). As usually defined, control is said to exist when an individual’s outcomes are dependent upon his or her responses (Seligman, 1975). Perceived control is more important than control per se, however. As we shall see, people’s beliefs about how much control they have are more closely associated with functional and dysfunctional reactions than is their objective level of control.
Adenosine-induced relaxation of cultured bovine retinal pericytes.

Purpose. To investigate the effect of adenosine on the contractile tone of cultured bovine retinal pericytes. Methods. Changes in the contractile tone were quantified as the changes in the summed length of wrinkles induced by pericytes on the silicone surface on which the cells were grown. Results. Adenosine at 10 -3 M had no effect. In the range of 10 -8 to 10 -4 M, adenosine caused relaxation of pericytes in a concentration-dependent manner. Complete relaxation was induced by 10 -5 M to 10 -4 M adenosine. The concentration of adenosine that produced 50% relaxation was 3 x 10 -7 M. At all concentrations, relaxation began within 1 minute, reached the maximum within 5 to 10 minutes, and persisted for at least 30 minutes. After a washout of 3 x 10 -7 M adenosine, the reduced contractile tone recovered to the original level in 10 minutes. The adenosine-induced relaxation (3 x 10 -7 M) was completely abolished in the presence of 8-phenyl theophylline (10 -5 M), a nonselective adenosine receptor antagonist. The selective A 1 receptor antagonist 8-cyclopentyl-1,3-dipropylxanthine (DPCPX) at 10 -6 M did not reduce the effect of adenosine (3 X 10 -7 M). Conversely, the selective A 2 receptor antagonist CP-66,713 at 10 -8 M partially inhibited (and at 10 -7 M, completely inhibited) the relaxation induced by adenosine (3 x 10 -7 M). The adenosine receptor antagonists-8-phenyl theophylline (10 -5 M), DPCPX (10 -6 M), and CP-66,713 (10 -7 M) by themselves had no effect on the contractile tone of pericytes. Conclusions. Adenosine causes relaxation of pericytes through the activation of the adenosine A 2 receptor. Adenosine, which accumulates under ischemic conditions, may help to regulate local capillary blood flow.
Introduction to Preventive Cardiology and Cardiac Rehabilitation

Great strides have been made in recent years in the management of patients with established coronary artery disease. Despite encouraging developments in medical and surgical treatment of this disease, however, the premise of this article is that coronary disease is largely preventable. A national strategy to deal with the massive coronary “epidemic” that is upon us must consist of a reasonable balance between preventive and palliative approaches.
A Brief Review of Single-Item and Multi-Item Quality-of-Life Measures for Medicare Patients

Using responses to HowsYourHealth.org from 9068 patients aged 65 years or older, I illustrate measurement compromises for quality-of-life assessment and management.
“I Fear the Spirits of Its Celebrated Bards, Are Entirely Fled”: Felicia Hemans’s Wales Revisited

Felicia Hemans has come to be understood as a national voice of early-nineteenth-century Wales, where she lived and wrote during some of her most formative years. Discussions of this role, which ha...
Surgical results in anaplastic oligodendroglioma (AO) and anaplastic oligoastrocytoma (AOA)

Abstract Oligodendroglioma is the second most common primary intra-axial brain tumor. These tumors are diffusely infiltrating and composed of well-differentiated cells that resemble normal oligodendrocytes. Typically, oligodendrogliomas develop in the fourth-fifth decades of life and usually involve the cerebral hemispheres. Genome sequence profiling has ushered in a new era of cancer research that has led to the systematic clustering and cataloguing of oligodendrogliomas not based on histopathology but based on molecular phenotype. For patients with oligodendroglioma, treatment decisions and prognosis are predicated on these molecular findings, as well as other factors including location, size, grade, and extent of surgical resection. Anaplastic oligodendrogliomas, pediatric oligodendrogliomas and spinal cord oligodendrogliomas are much less common entities. Based on the most recent WHO guidelines, oligoastrocytoma is no longer a clinical entity and is not discussed in this chapter.
People's self-reported encounters of Perceiving Mind in Artificial Intelligence.

Abstract This article presents the data from two surveys that asked about everyday encounters with artificial intelligence (AI) systems that are perceived to have attributes of mind. In response to specific attribute prompts about an AI, the participants qualitatively described a personally-known encounter with an AI. In survey 1 the prompts asked about an AI planning, having memory, controlling resources, or doing something surprising. In survey 2 the prompts asked about an AI experiencing emotion, expressing desires or beliefs, having human-like physical features, or being mistaken for a human. The original responses were culled based on the ratings of multiple coders to eliminate responses that did not adhere to the prompts. This article includes the qualitative responses, coded categories of those qualitative responses, quantitative measures of mind perception and demographics. For interpretation of this data related to people's emotions, see Feeling our Way to Machine Minds: People's Emotions when Perceiving Mind in Artificial Intelligence Shank et al., 2019.
Characterization of longitudinal wheeze phenotypes from infancy to adolescence in Project Viva, a prebirth cohort study.

Using data from infancy to adolescence, our analysis of longitudinal wheeze phenotypes allowed us to visualize four longitudinal wheeze trajectories (never/infrequent wheeze, mid-childhood onset wheeze, early transient wheeze, and persistent wheeze).
Comparison of cardiac arrest induced by ventricular fibrillation or induced by asphyxia in rats

Objective To compare the changes of physiological parameters after cardiac arrest caused by asphyxia with that of cardiac arrest induced by ventricular fibrillation in rats and assess the values of the parameters on predicting ROSC and 24 h survival rate. Method Two groups of Sprague-Dwaley rats, which randomly (ramdom number) included 30 animals in each group, were investigated. Cardiac arrest were induced by asphyxia (AS group) or ventricular fibrillation(VF group). PETCO2, aortic pressure, left ventricular pressure and ECG of limb lead Ⅱ were recorded continuously, dP/dt4o was calculated with the windaq software. The parameters were compared between the two groups at baseline, precordial compression(PC) 10 s, PC 1 min, PC 3 min, ROSC 1 h and ROSC 2 h. The relations were explored between the parameters and ROSC/24 h survival rate. Results PETCO2,aortic pressure, left ventricular pressure and ECG have distinctive changes in the two groups. In group VF, PETCO2 of ROSC rats at BL, PC 1 min and PC 3 min were higher than those of Non-ROSC rats (P ＜ 0.05); PETCO2of 24 h survival rats at ROSC 1 h and ROSC 2 h were higher than those of 24 h death rats (P ＜ 0.05), which were not observed in the group AS. dP/dt40 and - dP/dt40 at ROSC 1 h and ROSC 2 h in group VF were higher than those in group AS (P ＜ 0.05). Conclusions Physiological parameters after cardiac arrest caused by asphyxia or that of cardiac arrest induced by ventricular fibrillation in rats have unique features respectively. PETCO2 in cardiac arrest caused by ventricular fibrillation may predict ROSC and 24 h survival rate. Researchers have to select the appropriate cardiac arrest model according their research purposes and clinical requirments. Key words: Cardiac arrest; CPR; Asphyxia; Ventricular fibrillations; ROSC; Survival rate; Rat
Racial differences in prediabetes prevalence by test type for the US pediatric and adult population: NHANES 1999-2016.

Background Previous studies have shown that U.S. estimates of prediabetes or diabetes differ depending on test type, fasting plasma glucose (FPG) vs hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c). Given age, race, and test differences reported in the literature, we sought to further examine these differences in prediabetes detection using a nationally representative sample. Methods Using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999-2016, individuals were identified as having prediabetes with an HbA1c of 5.7-6.4% or a FPG of 100-125 mg/dL. We excluded individuals with measurements in the diabetic range. We ran generalized estimating equation logistic regressions to examine the relationship between age, race, and test type with interactions, controlling for sex and BMI. We compared the difference in predicted prediabetes prevalence detected by impaired fasting glycemia (IFG) vs HbA1c by race/ethnicity among children and adults separately using adjusted Wald tests. Results The absolute difference in predicted prediabetes detected by IFG vs HbA1c was 19.9% for white adolescents, 0% for black adolescents, and 20.1% for Hispanic adolescents; 21.4% for white adults, -1.2% for black adults, and 19.2% for Hispanic adults. Using adjusted Wald tests, we found the absolute differences between black vs white and black vs Hispanic individuals to be significant, but, not between Hispanic and white individuals among children and adults separately. Conclusions These observations highlight differences in test performance among racial/ethnic groups. Our findings corroborate the need for further studies to determine appropriate HbA1c cutoff levels for diagnosis of prediabetes by age group and race. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Breaking FOV-Aperture Trade-Off With Multi-Mode Nano-Photonic Antennas

Nano-photonic antennas are one of the key components in integrated photonic transmitter and receiver systems. Conventionally, grating couplers, designed to couple into an optical fiber, suffering from limitations such as large footprint and small field-of-view (FOV) have been used as on-chip antennas. The challenge of the antenna design is more pronounced for the receiver systems, where both the collected power by the antenna and its FOV often need to be maximized. While some novel solutions have been demonstrated recently, identifying fundamental limits and trade-offs in nano-photonic antenna design is essential for devising compact antenna structures with improved performance. In this paper, the fundamental electromagnetic limits, as well as fabrication imposed constraints on improving antenna effective aperture and FOV are studied, and approximated performance upper limits are derived and quantified. By deviating from the conventional assumptions leading to these limits, high-performance multi-mode antenna structures with performance characteristics beyond the conventional perceived limits are demonstrated. Finally, the application of a pillar multi-mode antenna in a dense array is discussed, an antenna array with more than 95% collection efficiency and 170 $^\circ$ FOV is demonstrated, and a coherent receiving system utilizing such an aperture is presented.
Laboratory factors associated with symptomatic hemorrhagic conversion of acute stroke after systemic thrombolysis.

Abstract Background Laboratory factors associated with hemorrhagic conversion (HC) after Intravenous thrombolysis with rtPA (IVT) for Acute Ischemic Stroke (AIS) remain nebulous despite advances in our knowledge of AIS. This study aimed to investigate the laboratory factors predisposing to HC in AIS patients receiving IVT. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients who received IV tPA for AIS at our comprehensive stroke center over a 9.6-year period. Besides age, gender, NIHSS, history of diabetes mellitus (DM), history of atrial fibrillation (Afib), we gathered their laboratory data including International Normalized Ratio (INR), lipid panel, serum albumin, serum creatinine, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), and admission blood glucose. Post-thrombolysis brain imagings were reviewed to evaluate for symptomatic ICH (sICH). The mean values of above mentioned laboratory data were compared between the group with sICH and patients with no sICH. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression were performed to evaluate the association of the laboratory findings with presence of sICH. sICH was defined as ICH causing an increase in NIHSS ≥4. Results Of the 794 subjects in this study 51 (6.4%) had sICH. In the univariate analysis, patients who developed sICH had significantly higher NIHSS on admission (14.2 ± 5.4 vs 11.2 ± 6.5, p .05). After adjusting for multiple covariates, lower Albumin level and and higher HbA1c were significantly associated with an increased risk for sICH development (p Conclusion Lower endogenous albumin level and higher HbA1c have shown to predispose to a higher risk of sICH after IVT for AIS and might be good predictors of sICH post IVT.
Effects of filgrastim versus pegfilgrastim on outcomes of DA-R-EPOCH for non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma

Our study aimed to compare the median and average last dose level reached with DA-R-EPOCH, which includes the chemotherapy agents etoposide, prednisone, vincristine, cyclophosphamide, doxorubicin, and rituximab, in patients using filgrastim versus pegfilgrastim as febrile neutropenia primary prophylaxis. A retrospective, single-center chart review from January 1, 2014, to September 30, 2019, at The University of Kansas Health System identified patients > 18 years old who received at least four cycles of DA-R-EPOCH in an inpatient or outpatient setting for any subtype of lymphoma along with at least one dose of filgrastim or pegfilgrastim. Data was collected to compare dosing levels reached, appropriate discontinuation of daily filgrastim when ANC > 5000 cells/mm3, completion of at least twice weekly complete blood count (CBC) monitoring after chemotherapy administration, the incidence of infections, FN, hospitalizations from infections or FN, and bone pain. We hypothesized that patients receiving pegfilgrastim will achieve similar median and average dose levels of DA-EPOCH, event-free survival rates, overall response rates, completion of at least twice weekly CBC monitoring, and incidence of infections, FN, hospitalizations for infections or FN, and bone pain compared to patients receiving filgrastim. The use of pegfilgrastim as a supportive care agent resulted in similar efficacy and safety outcomes compared to filgrastim with DA-R-EPOCH in terms of dose intensity levels and incidence of infections, FN, and bone pain.
Advances in atomistic modeling for predictive TCAD applications

Atomistic simulations are rapidly becoming critical building blocks for predictive TCAD, and are increasingly utilized in the expanding coverage of applications way beyond the original TCAD scope. This paper aims to give an overview on some of the key aspects of material engineering and physical process optimizations. The continuous evolution in methodology for more accurate and realistic atomistic modeling, as well as improvements in computational efficiency such as automation to deal with large amount of data generation and analysis, are covered. An overall comprehensive hierarchical approach to move TCAD toward true virtual fab is also proposed.
Clinically Relevant Doses of Chemotherapy Drugs Selectively and Reversibly Block Glioblastoma Neurosphere Proliferation in vitro: A Dissertation

My thesis research began with a project in which we were trying to determine the function of embryonic stem cell (ESC)-specific miRNAs. Using luciferase constructs containing miRNA binding sites, luciferase expression was inhibited by endogenous miRNAs in ESCs, and by exogenous miRNAs in HeLa cells. Inhibition of luciferase expression by miRNAs was inhibited in HeLa cells using 2’O-methyl-oligonucleotides. In ESCs, 2’O-methyl-oligonucleotides were only effective in partially inhibiting miR290 function. Partial inhibition of miR290 did not result in any obvious phenotypic changes in mESCs. Later studies using 2’O-methyl-oligonucleotides in ESCs were also unsuccessful. The function of ESC-specific miRNAs has since been studied by reintroducing miRNAs into Dicer -/cells which cannot make miRNAs. These studies have shown that ESC-specific miRNAs are involved in de novo DNA methylation, selfrenewal, and cell-cycle regulation. Newly diagnosed glioblastoma (GBM) patients rarely survive more than two years even after surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy using temozolomide (TMZ) or 1,3-bis(2-chloroethy)-1-nitrosourea (BCNU). Eventual regrowth of the tumor indicates that some tumor cells are resistant to therapy. GBM neurosphere-initiating cells (NICs) are thought to be similar to tumor-initiating cells in vivo, and will form invasive tumors in mice, making neurosphere cultures a good model system for studying GBMs. To test whether GBM NICs were resistant to chemotherapy, we used a neurosphere formation assay to measure the number of proliferating NICs in the presence of TMZ or BCNU.
Multimedia extensions for general-purpose processors

This paper gives an overview of the multimedia instructions that have been added to the instruction set architectures of general-purpose microprocessors to accelerate media processing. Examples are MAX, MMX and VIS, the multimedia extensions for PA-RISC, ix86, and SPARC processor architectures. We describe subword parallelism, a low overhead form of SIMD parallelism, and the classes of instructions needed to support subword parallel computations efficiently. Features described include arithmetic operations with saturation, averaging, multiply alternatives, data rearrangement primitives like Permute and Mix, formatting instructions, conditional execution, and complex instructions.
Investigation of the quantum particle swarm optimization technique for electromagnetic applications

We introduce the QPSO into the electromagnetic community by illustrating its application to linear array antenna synthesis problems. A generalized framework that allows the user to derive several versions of the quantum method is proposed. Based on understanding the physical roots of this strategy we propose a guideline to control the tuning parameter of the algorithm.
Factors influencing the rat ovary hyperemia reaction as a test for pregnancy

Abstract The present study was undertaken to evaluate the controversial factors which have been found to influence the accuracy of the rat ovary hyperemia reaction, with particular regard to the diagnosis of pregnancy. The differences in accuracy between the favorable 3, 7, 9–17, 4 and unfavorable reports 2, 5, 8, 1 were considered to be due to variances in test procedure. In the favorable reports, as well, the test routine varied and there were diverse opinions on the effect of the various factors in the test material and procedure on the accuracy of the reaction.
Ending the 'Drone War' or Expanding It? Assessing the Legal Authority for Continued U.S. Operations Against Al-Qa'ida after Afghanistan

The Obama Administration has long struggled with an inherent contradiction at the core of its national security and defense policy. On the one hand, the Administration has always aspired to bring an end to America’s post-9/11 armed conflicts. And yet, the Obama Administration “surged” in Afghanistan, dramatically escalated the “drone war” in Pakistan and Yemen, and used force in Libya against the Qaddafi regime. Most recently, the Obama Administration began a new campaign in Iraq and Syria against the Islamic State in the Levant (ISIL), apparently as an extension of the war against al-Qa’ida. While aiming to end America’s wars, the Obama Administration has during its time in office in fact increased the number and expanded the scope of armed conflicts to which the United States is or has been a party. Some of these wars have now ended, but an end to the broader war with al-Qa’ida will likely be more difficult to identify, let alone complete.The United States’ war with al-Qa’ida began in Afghanistan and has long been understood to have Afghanistan as its center of hostilities. Yet there is uncertainty as to whether the war against al-Qa’ida must end when the conventional war in Afghanistan concludes. Indeed, if the United States adopts a new AUMF for the war against ISIL, thereby eliminating for that separate conflict the strained dependence for authority on the 2001 AUMF, the war against al-Qa’ida could fall away with the end of the Afghanistan conflict without affecting ongoing operations against ISIL in Iraq and Syria. In addition, the Administration could further its claim that ISIL is the “true successor” of the group that perpetrated the attacks of 9/11 by dropping its armed conflict with al-Qa’ida completely and focusing its efforts on ISIL.Either way, if the United States withdraws from Afghanistan in 2016, as President Obama has pledged it will, there is a legitimate question as to whether the United States may lawfully continue its war against al-Qa’ida, or whether the war against al-Qa’ida, always a contested concept in and of itself, is inexorably tied to the war in Afghanistan. And if a conflict against al-Qa’ida may continue after the close of the conventional conflict in Afghanistan, questions remain regarding whether al-Qa’ida’s affiliates, associated forces, and “successors” may be part of the continuing conflict and where that conflict may take place. The answers to these questions are fraught with significant operational effects – consider, for example, the effects on detention authority at Guantanamo Bay (GTMO) or drone strikes in Pakistan or Yemen – each based on the existence of an armed conflict with al-Qa’ida and conducted under the law of war. This article addresses each of these issues in turn.
Collection, Enumeration, and Biomass of Zooplankton

Zooplankton usually are distributed throughout a lake or reservoir. Most forms are motile, and thus their distribution both vertically and horizontally may be quite variable. Species have different habitat preferences that further accentuate spatial and temporal heterogeneity. Zooplankton are major herbivores as well as important predators in aquatic ecosystems. Therefore, to understand lake metabolism it is necessary to evaluate the biomass and the role of zooplankton in the ecosystem.
Entre Didjazá y la Zandunga: iconografía y autorrepresentación indígena de las mujeres del Istmo de Tehuantepec, Oaxaca

Cuestionando la existencia de lo que muchas veces se ha explicado como “la mirada india”, el presente articulo pregunta como las imagenes producidas por indigenas existen en dialogo con otras representaciones visuales y escritas sobre lo indigena. Para ello retomare algunas de las reflexiones que se han comentado alrededor de la abundante iconografia sobre las mujeres indigenas del istmo de Tehuantepec, y tratare de situarlas en relacion con las autorrepresentaciones indigenas actuales.
An implementable digital multilayer neural network (DMNN)

Modular implementation of digital multilayer neural networks (DMNNs) is discussed. The use of simple logic gates for neural operations and the modular design techniques lead to a compact, expandable architecture of the DMNN suitable for VLSI implementation. A DMNN architecture for recognizing characters is presented and its performance is evaluated. The architecture and all digital sub-components in the DMNN are modeled and simulated in VHDL (VHSIC Hardware Description Language). The modular design technique is extremely efficient, especially in building multilayered neural networks, since they can be simply constructed by connecting any desired number of modules. Full parallelism is utilized in the DMNN architecture. Its processing speed depends only on the clock frequency and register lengths, not on the network size. About 200000 patterns per second are classified for a 9-bit register length and 50-MHz clock. The classification performance of the DMNN five-digit recognizer is shown to be competitive in terms of classification rates when the register length is greater than eight. >
Involvement of the ventromedial and anterior hypothalamic nuclei in the hormonal induction of receptivity in the female rat.

Abstract Bilateral lesions of the ventromedial hypothalamic area virtually eliminated the estrogen-induced display of sexual receptiveness in the female rat. Such lesions usually diminished sexual responsiveness to combined estrogen-progesterone stimulation, although not all lesions were equally effective in this regard. Damage to the anterior hypothalamic area was without apparent effect on the hormonally-induced display of receptivity, suggesting that previous observations to this effect are probably related to incidental damage to the ventromedial hypothalamic area incurred during placement of the lesions. This study complements other work indicating that the ventromedial hypothalamic area is relatively rich in estradiol concentrating cells and that estrogen implants to this area induce sexual receptivity in spayed female rats. Together, these studies affirm that the ventromedial hypothalamic area plays a critical role in the hormonal induction of receptivity in female rats.
Ex-huming an old issue

People frequently infer inaccurate conclusions from particular experience, demonstrating errors in inductive reasoning. Here we review research on several of these errors, relying in particular on Gilovich's (1991) How We know What Isn't So. The errors include seeing patterns or relationships where none exist, neglecting statistical regression, overgeneralizing unrepresentative data, and drawing conclusions on the basis of incomplete decision matrices. These problems are exacerbated by social psychology phenomena such as the “false consensus effect,” through which our associations with like-minded people lead us to exaggerate the extent to which others share our beliefs. Such errors in reasoning are the kind of problems that methods courses teach professionals to avoid. We discuss the role of these errors in clinical research.