cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Laparoscopic Total Extraperitoneal Hernia Repair Outcomes.

Background and objectives Laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair has become increasingly popular as an alternative to open surgery. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of the laparoscopic total extraperitoneal procedure with the use of staple fixation and polypropylene mesh. Methods A retrospective chart review examined outcomes of 1240 laparoscopic hernia operations in 783 patients, focusing on intraoperative and early postoperative complications, pain, and time until return to work and normal physical activities. Results There were no intraoperative complications in this series; 106 patients experienced early postoperative complications across 8 evaluated categories: urinary retention (4.1%), seroma (3.0%), testicular/hemiscrotal swelling (1.9%), testicular atrophy (0%), hydrocele (0.6%), mesh infection (0.1%), and neurological symptoms (transient, 1.0%; persistent, 0.2%). Patients used an average of 5.6 Percocet pills after the procedure, and mean times until return to work and normal activities, including their routine exercise regimen, were 3.0 and 3.8 days, respectively. Conclusion Complication rates and convalescence times were considered equivalent or superior to those found in other studies assessing both laparoscopic and open techniques. The usage of multiple Endostaples did not result in increased neurologic complications in the early postoperative period when compared with findings in the literature. In the hands of an experienced surgeon, total extraperitoneal repair is a safe, effective alternative to open inguinal hernia repair.
Industrial application of a model predictive control solution for power plant startups

This paper reports on the development and a successful MPC implementation for startups of combined-cycle plants. Minimizing startup times is important for energy utility companies to reduce operating costs due to lower fuel consumption and lower emissions. The new controller regulates the gas turbine loads while keeping the main operating constraints (steam turbine stresses) within their allowable ranges.
The Relationship Between Hearing Acuity and Operational Performance in Dismounted Combat

The ability to detect, identify, and localize sounds is critical for successful execution of military operations. However, very little quantitative data are available to determine the minimum heari...
Tackling the fidelity-energy trade-off in wireless body sensor networks

Wearable and connected health is a dominant field in the era of the Internet of Things (IoT). Indeed, Body Sensor Networks (BSNs) have been widely used for enabling many connected health applications in diverse areas including: activity recognition, elder care, sports, and rehabilitation. Although the number of transistors in an integrated circuit follows Moore's law, it does not apply to batteries. Thus, in BSNs, the sensor node's compact size means it has a strict energy constraint. At the same time, body sensor nodes have sensing requirements that should provide an acceptable level of data fidelity in order to accurately infer the amount and type of activity. This paper investigates the energy challenges associated with combining MEMS-based Inertial Measurement Units (IMU) and ball-tube motion detectors for BSNs. We examine multiple scenarios using these sensor types for body motion characterization. We then investigate the feasibility of these technologies along with collaborative sensing with the aim of reducing overall energy consumption. We conducted experiments examining sedentary (i.e. no movement) and non-sedentary activities. Our results show the possibility of 67 % reduction in energy consumption during the sedentary periods only, while maintaining the required level of data fidelity for inferring motion types.
Triviality of the ground-state metastate in long-range Ising spin glasses in one dimension.

We consider the one-dimensional model of a spin glass with independent Gaussian-distributed random interactions, which have mean zero and variance ${1/|i\ensuremath{-}j|}^{2\ensuremath{\sigma}}$, between the spins at sites $i$ and $j$ for all $i\ensuremath{\ne}j$. It is known that, for $\ensuremath{\sigma}g1$, there is no phase transition at any nonzero temperature in this model. We prove rigorously that, for $\ensuremath{\sigma}g3/2$, any translation-covariant Newman-Stein metastate for the ground states (i.e., the frequencies with which distinct ground states are observed in finite-size samples in the limit of infinite size, for given disorder) is trivial and unique. In other words, for given disorder and asymptotically at large sizes, the same ground state, or its global spin flip, is obtained (almost) always. The proof consists of two parts: One is a theorem (based on one by Newman and Stein for short-range two-dimensional models), valid for all $\ensuremath{\sigma}g1$, that establishes triviality under a convergence hypothesis on something similar to the energies of domain walls and the other (based on older results for the one-dimensional model) establishes that the hypothesis is true for $\ensuremath{\sigma}g3/2$. In addition, we derive heuristic scaling arguments and rigorous exponent inequalities which tend to support the validity of the hypothesis under broader conditions. The constructions of various metastates are extended to all values $\ensuremath{\sigma}g1/2$. Triviality of the metastate in bond-diluted power-law models for $\ensuremath{\sigma}g1$ is proved directly.
Neglecting democracy in education policy: A-F school report card accountability systems

Sixteen states have adopted school report card accountability systems that assign A-F letter grades to schools. Other states are now engaged in deliberation about whether they, too, should adopt such systems. This paper examines A-F accountability systems with respect to three kinds of validity. First, it examines whether or not these accountability systems are valid as a measure, that is, do these systems validly measure school quality? Second, it examines whether or not they are valid as a policy instrument. or, how far do A-F accountability systems fulfill the stated aims of their proponents—empowering parents, providing “simple” and “common sense” measures of educational quality, and so on? Finally, it examines whether or not A-F systems are valid as a democratic framework:, how well do these systems align with the broader goals of educating students for democratic citizenship and of incorporating parents and community members in democratic deliberation about policies for their public schools? The paper concludes that A-F accountability systems are invalid along each of these lines, and provides recommendations for democratically developing and implementing criteria for school assessment.
Thrombolysis is an Independent Risk Factor for Poor Outcome After Carotid Revascularization.

Background Thrombolysis is the standard of care for acute ischemic stroke patients presenting in the appropriate time window. Studies suggest that the risk of recurrent ischemia is lower if carotid revascularization is performed early after the index event. The safety of early carotid revascularization in this patient population is unclear. Objective To evaluate the safety of carotid revascularization in patients who received thrombolysis for acute ischemic stroke. Methods The Nationwide Inpatient Sample database was queried for patients admitted through the emergency room with a primary diagnosis of carotid stenosis and/or occlusion. Each patient was reviewed for administration of thrombolysis, carotid endarterectomy, (CEA) or carotid angioplasty and stenting (CAS). Primary endpoints were intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH), postprocedural stroke (PPS), poor outcome, and in-hospital mortality. Potential risk factors were examined using univariate and multivariate analyses. Results A total of 310 257 patients were analyzed. Patients who received tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) and underwent either CEA or CAS had a significantly higher risk of developing an ICH or PPS than patients who underwent either CEA or CAS without tPA administration. The increased risk of ICH or PPS in tPA-treated patients who underwent carotid revascularization diminished with time, and became similar to patients who underwent carotid revascularization without tPA administration by 7 d after thrombolysis. Patients who received tPA and underwent CEA or CAS also had higher odds of poor outcome and in-hospital mortality. Conclusion Thrombolysis is a strong risk factor for ICH, PPS, poor outcome, and in-hospital mortality in patients with carotid stenosis/occlusion who undergo carotid revascularization. The increased risk of ICH or PPS due to tPA declines with time after thrombolysis. Delaying carotid revascularization in these patients may therefore be appropriate. This delay, however, will expose these patients to the risk of recurrent stroke. Future studies are needed to determine the relative risks of these 2 adverse events.
Are We Experienced? Reflections on the SUNY Experiential Learning Mandate:

Background: The State University of New York (SUNY), the nation’s largest comprehensive public university system, recently proposed making experiential learning activities available to all students...
Growing up coy

The documentary film Growing Up Coy opens with a simple frame of a young girl, Coy, laying down with her head propped on her hands and smiling, while a voice-over articulates, “This is a story abou...
Seasonality, sources and sinks of C1–C5 alkyl nitrates in the Colorado Front Range

We describe observations of C1 –C5 alkyl nitrates made at the Boulder Atmospheric Observatory in Northern Colorado in winter 2011, spring 2015, and summer 2015. Average mixing ratios of the alkyl nitrates are similar across the seasons, but increased diel variability in summer suggests increased production balanced by increased loss relative to winter and spring. We use a sequential production-destruction model based on ratios of alkyl nitrates to their parent alkanes to investigate seasonal sources and sinks of C1 –C5 alkyl nitrates. We explore the role of uncertainties in the production and loss kinetic parameters on the interpretation of local atmospheric photochemical aging through the use of a photochemical clock based on the evolution of the ratios of alkyl nitrates to their parent alkanes over time. Photochemical age is typically consistent with hours from sunrise, suggesting that the site experiences well-mixed air masses dominated by daily photochemistry with little carry-over from the previous day or from other locations. Contrary to studies in other locations, we obtain good model-measurement agreement using a newer upper-bound ethyl nitrate branching ratios. This suggests that the efficiency of ethyl nitrate production from ethane oxidation has previously been underestimated, and decreases the relative importance of alkoxy radical decomposition versus ethane photochemistry on ethyl nitrate production. We estimate the dry deposition velocity of methyl nitrates is small and consistent with previous estimates, and that deposition velocities increase with carbon number for the C2 –C5 RONO2. Dry deposition is a small daytime sink relative to photolysis and reaction with OH for the alkyl nitrates, but improves the model-measurement comparison for methyl nitrate.
Where is Adam Smith’s Invisible Hand?

Neo-classical economic theory is based on the postulated, nonempiric notion of utility. Neo-classical economists assume that prices, dynamics, and market equilibria are supposed to be derived from utility. The results are supposed to represent mathematically the stabilizing action of Adam Smith’s invisible hand. In deterministic excess demand dynamics I show the following. A utility function generally does not exist mathematically due to nonintegrable dynamics when production/investment are accounted for, resolving Mirowski’s thesis. Price as a function of demand does not exist mathematically either. All equilibria are unstable. In the generalization to liquid markets and finance theory described by stochastic excess demand dynamics, I also show the following. Market price distributions cannot be rescaled to describe price movements as ’equilibrium’ fluctuations about a systematic drift in price. Utility maximization does not describe equilibrium. Maximization of the Gibbs entropy of the observed price distribution of an asset would describe equilibrium, if equilibrium could be achieved, but equilibrium does not describe real, liquid markets (stocks, bonds, foreign exchange). There are five inconsistent definitions of equilibrium used in economics and finance, only one of which is correct. Prices in unregulated free markets are unstable against both noise and rising or falling expectations: Adam Smith’s stabilizing invisible hand either does not exist or doesn’t work, either in mathematical models of liquid market data, or in real market data.
Main-Chain Type Benzoxazine Oligomers: A New Concept for Easy Processable High Performance Polybenzoxazines

Publisher Summary Main-chain type benzoxazine oligomers (MCBOs) are similar to MCBPs in terms of the chemical structure in which benzoxazine is the repeating unit in the backbone. The concept of MCBO is developed to minimize the melt processing problems associated with the use of MCBPs; however, there is no problem in solution processing of MCBPs as a number of commonly available solvents dissolve those MCBPs. MCBOs are synthesized using the similar methodology of MCBPs via Mannich base polycondensation. However, the stoichiometry is manipulated in a way to control the molecular weight to obtain polymers with rather smaller molecular weights that satisfy the required viscosity characteristics for a specific application. This chapter explains that polybenzoxazines have shown to have a number of attractive properties including high glass transition temperature, superb thermal stability, excellent mechanical properties, and a wide molecular design flexibility. Furthermore, benzoxazine chemistry possesses a number of inherent advantages in comparison to traditional phenolic resin, such as no release of volatiles during cure and no added catalyst to initiate polymerization. Polybenzoxazines derived from monomeric benzoxazines are usually brittle due to various types of chain end groups, which lead to termination of the chain propagation by the intramolecular six-membered ring hydrogen bonding. To minimize the formation of unwanted chain end groups, another class of polybenzoxazine precursors, known as MCBP, was developed. MCBP refers to linear polymers containing benzoxazine moieties as repeating units in the main chain.
Chapter 29 Agriculture and economic development

Abstract This chapter takes an analytical look at the potential role of agriculture in contributing to economic growth, and develops a framework for understanding and quantifying this contribution. The framework points to the key areas where positive linkages, not necessarily well-mediated by markets, might exist, and it highlights the empirical difficulties in establishing their quantitative magnitude and direction of impact. Evidence on the impact of investments in rural education and of nutrition on economic growth is reviewed. The policy discussion focuses especially on the role of agricultural growth in poverty alleviation and the nature of the market environment that will stimulate that growth.
Psychological and Behavioral Evaluation

Behavioral evaluation of candidates for bariatric surgery has been practiced since 1991 and it is generally understood that the long-term success of bariatric surgery depends on the patient’s ability to make enduring changes in lifestyle. Despite the widespread use of behavioral and mental health evaluation prior to bariatric surgery, little has been learned about significant predictors of success or struggles with weight loss. Candidates for bariatric surgery have a higher prevalence of mental health disorders, most of which are mild. However, a significant fraction need immediate attention before surgery and continued concurrent treatment following surgery. Little is known about the long-term fate of candidates for bariatric surgery whose surgery is delayed for mental health treatment. Important mental health conditions which merit further study among candidates for bariatric surgery include deficits in cognitive function, binge eating disorder, and those with a prior history of sexual abuse. There is a need to standardize the behavioral evaluation of bariatric surgery candidates with an accepted comprehensive psychological and behavioral structured clinical interview. It is apparent that mental health expertise is needed for the evaluation of candidates as well as postoperative management.
Funding Changes from the Department of Veterans Affairs: Measuring the Impact on Undergraduate Flight Student Career and Academic Goals

Financial support for the education of veterans and their dependents has been a part of higher education since after the Second World War. This support is also essential to assist veterans in their transition from military to civilian careers. Periodically, funding for educational financial support from the VA comes under scrutiny from the public, Congress, and special interest groups. Recent criticism of excessive VA payments for veterans undertaking flight training at public institutions of higher education has resulted in multiple legislative proposals to limit (cap) or eliminate flight training funding. This article focuses on changes to potential student outcomes if either of these changes is implemented. Forty students currently receiving veteran benefits and enrolled in flight or flight-related degree programs at a four-year public institution were surveyed. Thirty-two percent of respondents would change to a non-flying major or leave college if funding was capped at the proposed level of $20,235. By comparison, 67 percent of respondents would change to a different major or drop out of school if funding for flight training was eliminated. The results of this survey have broad implications for the aviation industry. Public institutions offering flight training may be forced to scale back or close their programs. Furthermore, reducing financial support for flight training costs may cause future veterans to avoid undertaking flight training altogether. In the long term, this may have an adverse impact on the already challenged domestic pilot supply. Avenues for further investigation are proposed. Keywords: pilot supply, flight training, Veteran’s Affairs, educational funding, educational outcomes, completion rates.
The Need for Culturally Congruent Psychosocial Care for Muslims With Advanced Cancer in Non-Muslim Majority Settings

Background: Little is known about the psychosocial care experience of Muslims who are in treatment of advanced cancer in non-Muslim majority settings. Aim: To describe the experience of Muslims who...
Histone Deacetylase Inhibition Attenuates Cardiomyocyte Hypoxia-Reoxygenation Injury.

Background Cardiac reperfusion injury can have devastating consequences. Histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors are potent cytoprotective agents, but their role in the prevention of cardiac injury remains ill-defined. Objective We sought to determine the therapeutic potential of HDAC inhibitors in an in vitro model of cardiomyocyte hypoxia-reoxygenation (H/R). Method H9c2 cardiomyocytes were subjected to H/R and treated with various classspecific and pan-HDAC inhibitors in equal concentrations (5µM). Biological activity of inhibitors was determined, as a proxy for concentration adequacy, by Western blot for acetylated histone H3 and α-tubulin. Cell viability and cytotoxicity were measured by methyl thiazolyl tetrazolium and lactate dehydrogenase assays, respectively. Mechanistic studies were performed to better define the effects of the most effective agent, Tubastatin-A (Tub-A), on the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway effectors, and on the degree of autophagy. Results All inhibitors acetylated well-known target proteins (histone H3 and α-tubulin), suggesting that concentrations were adequate to induce a biological effect. Improved cell viability and decreased cell cytotoxicity were noted in cardiomyocytes exposed to Tub-A, whereas the cytoprotective effects of other HDAC inhibitors were inconsistent. Pro-survival mediators in the PI3K/mTOR pathway were up-regulated and the degree of autophagy was significantly attenuated in cells that were treated with Tub-A. Conclusion HDAC inhibitors improve cell viability in a model of cardiomyocyte H/R, with Class IIb inhibition (Tub-A) demonstrating superior cellular-level potency and effectiveness. This effect is, at least in part, related to an increased expression of prosurvival mediators and a decreased degree of autophagy.
Socio-Cultural Construction of Medical Knowledge

Western medicine was the standard of evaluation of nonWestern and Western popular medicines that were classified as ‘ethnomedicines.’ Western medicine was assumed to be acultural, scientific, and based upon ‘knowledge’ ‘discovered’ from research on what were thought to be natural afflictions and processes in the human body, as it was perceived in the West. This article charts the development of medical anthropological research in the late 1970s and early 1980s that began the process by which biomedicine's theory, practice, and fooal objects conditions were recognized as cultural historical creations. The sciences drawn upon by biomedicine also have come to be understood as cultural enterprises. The article shows that the current view of what is now labeled biomedicine, to emphasize its biological focus and, hence, its greatest limitation, is as a professional cultural or ethnomedioine.
MONITORING OF CATION MIGRATION AND MEMBRANE BINDING EMPLOYING FLUORESCENT CHELATE PROBES

The role of chlorotetracycline as a fluorescent chelate probe for monitoring Ca ++ and Mg ++ binding to biological membranes is described. Chlorotetracycline fluoresces intensely when it binds to Ca ++ on membrane surfaces giving excitation and emission spectra which are diagnostic of the cation and of the cation environment. The probe technique is applied to study the accumulation of Ca ++ by isolated sarcoplasmic reticulum from skeletal muscle. The permeant anion, oxalate, alters the uptake of Ca ++ and influences the fluorescence of chlorotetracycline. The local anesthetic, SKF-525A, is able to induce rapid release of Ca ++ from the sarcoplasmic reticulum.
CoronaVis: A Real-time COVID-19 Tweets Data Analyzer and Data Repository

Due to the nature of the data and public interaction, twitter is becoming more and more useful to understand and model various events. The goal of CoronaVis is to use tweets as the information shared by the people to visualize topic modeling, study subjectivity, and to model the human emotions during the COVID-19 pandemic. The main objective is to explore the psychology and behavior of the societies at large which can assist in managing the economic and social crisis during the ongoing pandemic as well as the after-effects of it. The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic forced people to stay at home to reduce the spread of the virus by maintaining social distancing. However, social media is keeping people connected both locally and globally. People are sharing information (e.g. personal opinions, some facts, news, status, etc.) on social media platforms which can be helpful to understand the various public behavior such as emotions, sentiments, and mobility during the ongoing pandemic. In this work, we develop a live application to observe the tweets on COVID-19 generated from the USA. In this paper, we have generated various data analytics over a period of time to study the changes in topics, subjectivity, and human emotions. We also share a cleaned and processed dataset named CoronaVis Twitter dataset (focused on the United States) available to the research community at this https URL. This will enable the community to find more useful insights and create different applications and models to fight with COVID-19 pandemic and future pandemics as well.
Body projects as a historical phenomenon: Irish physical culture and the body as process

As perhaps the most ephemeral historical object, studying the physical body in history is a challenging and complex affair. It is for this reason that many scholars have lamented the ‘invisible bod...
Oxybutynin treatment for buprenorphine-naloxone-induced hyperhidrosis.

Hyperhidrosis occurs when sweating is excessive for thermoregulatory purposes, which may result in decreased quality of life and emotional stress for patients.1 Classified as primary and secondary, secondary hyperhidrosis is often related to an underlying cause.2 Certain medications have been reported to induce hyperhidrosis, including selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, tricyclic antidepressants, and opioid agonists.2, 3, 4 We present the case of a woman with a history of opioid use disorder who experienced hyperhidrosis in the setting of partial opioid agonist and opioid antagonist therapy (buprenorphine-naloxone), who was treated successfully with oral oxybutynin 5 mg daily.
Supply Chain, Financial Management and Bloomberg Terminals

In this paper, we first identify a number of supply chain activities that require financial knowledge for value creating decision-making. We then recommend a set of financial concepts and techniques for supply chain professionals. In addition, we propose the use of Bloomberg terminals, with their extensive financial data, functions and analytical tools, as a solution for supply chain professionals to analyze the financial aspect of their decisions in an efficient way. In the end, we discuss the advantages and limitations of using Bloomberg terminals in financial management for supply chain professionals based on the authors experience in teaching with Bloomberg Terminals.
Racial Adjustment Adversely Affects Glomerular Filtration Estimates in Black Americans Living with HIV.

Background The creatinine-based CKD EPI equation is the most widely used method to estimate glomerular filtration rate (eGFRcr) in clinical practice. Here, we focus on African American (AA) participants to determine whether the race eGFRcr calibration factor contributes to poor accuracy and bias in AAs living with HIV. Methods Annually, we measured GFR by iohexol disappearance from plasma (iGFR) and serum concentrations of creatinine and cystatin C. We calculated eGFRcr and the creatinine-cystatin C combination equation (eGFRcr-cys) with and without race adjustment. We used multilevel mixed models to account for the within-visit linked structure of the multiple GFR measures, further nested within repeated observations for individuals. We examined the association between lean mass, HIV status, and eGFRcr bias in a subset with body composition measures. Results 207 HIV-positive and 107 HIV-negative AA participants contributed 781 and 376 study visits, respectively, with valid measures of iGFR, creatinine, and cystatin C. Among PLWH, omitting the race adjustment (compared with retaining it) changed average eGFRcr bias from 9.1 to -3.9 ml/min/1.73 m2. Moreover, estimation accuracy improved significantly when race adjustment was omitted rather than retained: 86% vs. 78% for eGFRcr (P<0.001) and 91% vs. 88% for eGFRcr-cys (P=0.045). Lean mass was correlated with eGFRcr bias and, in adjusted analyses, lean mass was significantly lower in PLWH compared with HIV-negative AAs compatible with not using the race coefficient. Conclusions We found that the standard, widely used eGFRcr equation overestimate iGFR and has poor accuracy in AAs living with HIV.
A Functional Variant on 9p21.3 Related to Glioma Risk Affects Enhancer Activity and Modulates Expression of CDKN2B-AS1

Genome-wide association studies have identified SNPs associated with glioma risk on 9p21.3, but biological mechanisms underlying this association are unknown. We tested the hypothesis that a functional SNP on 9p21.3 affects activity of an enhancer, causing altered expression of nearby genes. We considered all SNPs in linkage disequilibrium with the 9p21.3 sentinel SNP rs634537 that mapped to putative enhancers. An enhancer containing rs1537372 exhibited allele-specific effects on luciferase activity. Deletion of this enhancer in GBM cell lines correlated with decreased expression of CDKN2B-AS1. Expression quantitative trait loci analysis using non-diseased brain samples showed rs1537372 to be a consistently significant eQTL for CDKN2B-AS1. Additionally, our analysis of Hi-C data generated in neural progenitor cells showed that the bait region containing rs1537372 interacted with the CDKN2B-AS1 promoter. These data suggest rs1537372, a SNP at the 9p21.3 risk locus, is a functional variant that modulates expression of CDKN2B-AS1.
Racial Disparities in Diagnostic Delay Among Women With Breast Cancer

Abstract Purpose Early diagnosis is fundamental to reducing breast cancer (BC) mortality, and understanding potential barriers from initial screening to confirmed diagnosis is essential. The aim of this study was to evaluate patient characteristics that contribute to delay in diagnosis of screen-detected cancers and the contribution of delay to tumor characteristics and BC mortality. Methods Three hundred sixty-two White and 368 Black women were identified who were screened and received subsequent BC diagnoses within Emory Healthcare, a part of Emory University health care system (2010-2014). Multivariable-adjusted logistic regression was used to calculate the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) associating patient characteristics with delay to diagnostic evaluation (≥30 versus Results Black women and women diagnosed at later stages, with larger tumor sizes, and with triple-negative tumors were more likely to experience ≥45 days to diagnosis. In multivariable-adjusted models, Black women had at least a two-fold increase in the odds of delay to diagnostic evaluation (OR, 1.98; 95% CI, 1.45-2.71), biopsy delays (OR, 2.41; 95% CI, 1.67-3.41), and total delays ≥45 days (OR, 2.22; 95% CI, 1.63-3.02) compared with White women. A 1.6-fold increased odds of BC mortality was observed among women who experienced total delays ≥45 days compared with women without delays in diagnosis (OR, 1.57, 95% CI, 0.96-2.58). Conclusions The study demonstrated racial disparities in delays in the diagnostic process for screen-detected malignancies. Total delay in diagnosis was associated with an increase in BC mortality.
Electrochemical behavior of sulfide at the silver rotating disc electrode: Part II. Mechanism of silver sulfide film formation

Abstract Steady-state anodic voltammograms were measured at a silver rotating disc electrode in a basic sulfide solution. Analysis of the voltammograms indicates that the rate-determining steps in the dissolution of silver are due to a combination of surface chemical reaction, forming silver sulfide, and the charge-transfer reaction between silver and silver ion. Kinetic parameters of each step are evaluated and an I-E curve is reproduced from these parameters. The wave form is in good agreement with the voltammogram obtained experimentally.
Social Construction Revisited: Epistemology and Scientific Practice

Philosophy of scientific practice aims to critically evaluate as well as describe scientific inquiry. Epistemic norms are required for such evaluation. Social constructivism is widely thought to oppose this critical project. I argue, however, that one variety of social constructivism, focused on epistemic justification, can be a basis for critical epistemology of scientific practice, while normative accounts that reject this variety of social constructivism (SCj) cannot. Abstract, idealized epistemic norms cannot ground effective critique of our practices. I propose a new approach, placing SCj within a general framework of social action theory. This framework can be used to explicate epistemic norms implicit in our scientific practices.
Biochemical and structural studies reveal a canonical mode of molecular recognition between TIGIT and nectin-2 (IRM10P.735)

Besides antigen-specific signal from the interaction between T-cell receptor and peptide-MHC complex expressed on antigen presenting cells (APCs), the process of optimal T-cell activation and differentiation requires antigen-independent costimulatory signals. Costimulatory signals are provided by interaction between a number of activating as well as inhibitory receptors expressed on T cells with specific ligands expressed on APCs. The balance between activating and inhibitory signals critically controls the mammalian immune responses. Therefore, understanding the mechanisms and designing corrective therapeutics involving T-cell costimulation are imperative in both infectious as well as autoimmune diseases. TIGIT (T cell immunoglobulin and ITIM domain), a recently identified immune receptor expressed on T and NK cells, upon interaction with either of its two ligands, nectin-2 or PVR, that are over-expressed on certain tumors, inhibits activation of T and NK cells. Several biophysical studies, including X-ray crystallography suggest that TIGIT may exist in its monomeric as well as dimeric forms. Based on the structural and biochemical studies, we mapped the nectin-binding interface on TIGIT. Interestingly, structure-guided mutations that disrupt the interaction between nectin-2 and TIGIT also limit the homodimerization of TIGIT in solution. Our data provide structural insights into how TIGIT recognizes a cell-adhesion molecule nectin-2 to execute immunoregulatory function.
Cytochromes P450 11: expression of the CYP19 (aromatase) gene: an unusual case of alternative promoter usage.

Family 19 of the P450 super family is responsible for the conversion of C19 androgenic steroids to the corresponding estrogens, a reaction known as aromatization because it involves conversion of the delta4-3-one A-ring of the androgens to the corresponding phenolic A-ring characteristic of estrogens. The gene encoding human aromatase has been cloned and characterized and shown to be unusual compared to genes encoding other P450 enzymes, because there are numerous untranslated first exons that occur in aromatase transcripts in a tissue-specific fashion due to differential splicing as a consequence of the use of tissue-specific promoters. Thus, expression in the ovary uses a proximal promoter that is regulated primarily by cAMP. On the other hand, expression in the placenta uses a distal promoter located at least 40 kb upstream of the start of transcription that is regulated by retinoids. Other promoters are used in brain and adipose tissue. In the latter case, class I cytokines such as IL-6 and IL-11, as ...
Learning with online constraints: shifting concepts and active learning

Many practical problems such as forecasting, real-time decision making, streaming data applications, and resource-constrained learning, can be modeled as learning with online constraints. This thesis is concerned with analyzing and designing algorithms for learning under the following online constraints: (i) The algorithm has only sequential, or one-at-time, access to data. (ii) The time and space complexity of the algorithm must not scale with the number of observations. We analyze learning with online constraints in a variety of settings, including active learning. The active learning model is applicable to any domain in which unlabeled data is easy to come by and there exists a (potentially difficult or expensive) mechanism by which to attain labels. First, we analyze a supervised learning framework in which no statistical assumptions are made about the sequence of observations, and algorithms are evaluated based on their regret, i.e. their relative prediction loss with respect to the hindsight-optimal algorithm in a comparator class. We derive a lower bound on regret for a class of online learning algorithms designed to track shifting concepts in this framework. We apply an algorithm we provided in previous work, that avoids this lower bound, to an energy-management problem in wireless networks, and demonstrate this application in a network simulation. Second, we analyze a supervised learning framework in which the observations are assumed to be iid, and algorithms are compared by the number of prediction mistakes made in reaching a target generalization error. We provide a lower bound on mistakes for Perceptron, a standard online learning algorithm, for this framework. We introduce a modification to Perceptron and show that it avoids this lower bound, and in fact attains the optimal mistake-complexity for this setting. Third, we motivate and analyze an online active learning framework. The observations are assumed to be iid, and algorithms are judged by the number of label queries to reach a target generalization error. Our lower bound applies to the active learning setting as well, as a lower bound on labels for Perceptron paired with any active learning rule. We provide a new online active learning algorithm that avoids the lower bound, and we upper bound its label-complexity. The upper bound is optimal and also bounds the algorithm's total errors (labeled and unlabeled). We analyze the algorithm further, yielding a label-complexity bound under relaxed assumptions. Using optical character recognition data, we empirically compare the new algorithm to an online active learning algorithm with data-dependent performance guarantees, as well as to the combined variants of these two algorithms.
The Future of Competitive Cheerleading under Title IX Requirements

Will competitive cheerleading ever be considered a sport under Title IX and open up more college varsity level athletic opportunities for women? This has been the question surrounding the Quinnipiac University competitive cheerleading team in a recent federal court case, Biediger v. Quinnipiac University, in Connecticut. As of today, competitive cheerleading will most likely not be considered a sport for Title IX purposes, but no doubt it will be in the near future. This article first explores Title IX law and Quinnipiac University and then looks at how Judge Underhill applied Title IX to the circumstances surrounding Quinnipiac. Next, the article poses the question of whether competitive cheerleading is a sport. Then, the article looks into the future of competitive cheerleading and the possibility of competitive cheerleading becoming a part of the emerging sports list. Last, the article will talk about the best approach for competitive cheerleading to take in order to become a part of the emerging sports list and to be considered a sport for Title IX purposes.
SHEAR STRENGTH OF SAND AT EXTREMELY LOW PRESSURES

Data contributing to the understanding of the nature of shear strength at extremely low pressures are presented. The expanding use of models for solving soil stability problems has aroused considerable interest in the behavior of sand at confining pressures below 5 psi. Triaxial compression tests were carried out varying the cell pressure between 0.20 psi and 35 psi. Experimental evidence shows that the increased dilatancy of sands sheared at extremely low pressures produces an increase in the principal stress ratio at failure. The overall increase in strength is mostly represented by the introduction of an apparent cohesion intercept. Values of this intercept for the quartz sand tested range from 0.14 psi at loose states to 0.22 psi at dense states. Values of the angle of shearing resistance at extremely low pressures are smaller than those obtained at moderate pressures by less than 0.5°. For loose states, shear can be associated with expansive volume change if the normal pressures are low enough. The shearing behavior of loose sands at very low pressure is quite similar to that of dense sands at moderate pressure.
Differential effects on HIV replication and T cell activation following direct inhibition of CDK9 or flavopiridol (FVP) treatment in primary peripheral blood lymphocytes

HIV Tat is a viral transactivator that strongly stimulates the processivity of RNA polymerase II (RNAP II) via recruitment of the cyclin T1/CDK9 transcription elongation factor, which phosphorylates the C-teminal domain of RNAP II and negative elongation factors. We have investigated the effects of limiting CDK9 activity with recombinant lentiviruses expressing a dominant negative form of CDK9 (dnCDK9) in human cells including Peripheral Blood Lymphocytes (PBLs). Our results show that direct inhibition of CDK9 activity potently inhibits HIV replication in single-round infection assays with little to undetectable effects on RNAP II transcription, overall RNA synthesis, proliferation and viability. In PBLs, direct inhibition of CDK9 activity blocks HIV replication but does not prevent T cell activation, as shown by cell surface and cell cycle markers, and DNA synthesis. We have also compared the effects of dnCDK9 to FVP, a general CDK inhibitor that potently inhibits CDK9. In contrast to dnCDK9, FVP interferes with key cellular processes at concentrations that inhibit HIV replication with potency similar to dnCDK9. In particular, FVP inhibits T cell activation markers and DNA synthesis in PBLs at the minimal concentrations required to inhibit HIV-1 replication. Our data supports the notion that FVP affects cellular activities by combinatorial inhibition of various CDKs, including two distinct RNAP II kinases. Our results imply that small pharmacological compounds targeting CDK9 with enhanced selectivity could be developed into effective anti-HIV therapeutic drugs.
Effect of pharmacist participation on a medical team on costs, charges, and length of stay

The financial impact of pharmacist participation on a medical team in a tertiary-care teaching hospital was studied prospectively. Two medical teams, one with and one without a pharmacist, operated simultaneously for 11 months. Physicians and a pharmacist on the teams rotated monthly during the first five months of the study. Subsequently, the hospital administrator, who was unaware that the controlled study was under way, permanently assigned an attending physician to the team that did ot have a pharmacist. After patients' discharge, pharmacy costs, pharmacy charges, hospital charges, and length of stay (LOS) were compared for the two teams. Data analysis was separated into four phases: phase 1, during which attending physicians rotated monthly; phase 2, with a permanent attending physician; phase 3, which encompassed the entire 11 months; and phase 4, which encompassed the 11-month period but omitted patients whose LOS exceeded 30 days. Data were analyzed for a total of 619 patients on the two teams. In phase 1, the team with a pharmacist had significantly lower per-patient pharmacy costs, pharmacy charges, hospital charges, and LOS. In phase 2, no significant differences were found between the teams. In phase 3, the only significant difference was that the team with a pharmacist had lower pharmacy costs and pharmacy charges. In phase 4, the team that included a pharmacist had significantly lower pharmacy costs ($105 difference), pharmacy charges ($368 difference), hospital charges ($2065 difference), and LOS (1.3-day difference). Participation of pharmacists on the medical team can significantly reduce pharmacy costs and charges, hospital charges, and LOS.
Nighttime Sleep Characteristics of Hospitalized School-Age Children with Cancer

Approximately 12,600 children younger than 15 years are diagnosed with cancer each year in the United States (Howlader et al., 2011). Promoting quality of life for children with cancer includes attention to symptom management across the treatment continuum (Hinds et al., 2004). Among the symptoms most commonly reported by children receiving treatment for cancer is disrupted nighttime sleep. Adequate nighttime sleep is a fundamental aspect of health and well-being for all children (Mindell & Owens, 2010). However, approximately 30% to 45% of children with cancer report disrupted sleep (Baggott et al., 2010; Walker, Gedaly-Duff, Miaskowski, & Nail, 2010). For children with cancer, the nature of their illness, its treatment, and treatment-related effects may compromise sleep quantity and quality both during treatment and following completion of therapy (Baggott et al., 2010; Clanton et al., 2011; Walker, Gedaly-Duff, Miaskowski, & Nail 2010). Children with cancer who require hospitalization for their chemotherapy treatments are particularly vulnerable to disrupted sleep as a result of frequent room entries by staff for medication administration and related supportive cares as well as elevated noise levels (Hinds, Hockenberry, Rai, Zhang, Razzouk, McCarthy et al., 2007; Linder & Christian, 2011). Identifying characteristics and patterns of change of children’s unique nighttime sleep can help guide the development of targeted interventions to improve the quality of sleep for children with cancer.
Predictors of insulin resistance among Hispanic adults infected with or at risk of infection with the human immunodeficiency virus and hepatitis C virus.

Both the human immunodeficiency (HIV) and hepatitis C (HCV) viruses have been associated with insulin resistance (IR). However, our understanding of the prevalence of IR, the underlying mechanisms and predisposing factors is limited, particularly among minority populations. We conducted a study of 333 Hispanic adults including: 76 HIV-monoinfected, 62 HCV mono-infected, 97 HIV/HCV co-infected, and 98 uninfected controls with a specific focus on HCV infection and liver injury as possible predictors of IR. IR was measured using the QUICKI index. The majority (55% to 69%) of participants in all groups had QUICKI values <0.350. Body mass index was associated with IR in all groups. Triglycerides were associated with IR in the uninfected control group only (−1.83, SE = 0.58, p=0.0022). HCV was associated with IR in participants infected with HIV (−0.012, SE = 0.0046, p=0.010). Liver injury, as measured by FIB-4 score, was significantly associated with IR independently of HCV infection (−0.0035, SE=0.0016, p=0.027). In the HIV/HCV co-infected group, treatment with nucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitors plus non-nucleoside reverse-transcriptase inhibitors (−0.021, SE=0.080, p=0.048), but not protease inhibitors (−0.000042, SE=0.0082, p=0.96) was associated with IR. HCV infection and antiretroviral agents, including NRTI plus NNRTI treatment are contributors to IR in HIV infection. Liver injury, as measured by the FIB-4 score, is a predictor of IR independently of HCV infection.
Recent progress in the study of cosmic correlation with radio reception at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Nightly measurements of field-intensity of WBBM Chicago received in the vicinity of Boston begun in 1926 by Pickard and later continued by stetson and by Kenrick have been resumed in connection with the program of cosmic terrestrial research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. With but slight interruption, the series therefore comprises a full sunspot-cycle and so far as is known, is the longest systematic record of field-strengths on broadcast frequencies. The location of the receiving recorder is at present in Waban, Massachusetts, about three miles west of the original location of Mr. Pickard's laboratory in 1926.
Web-Assisted Learning in Chemistry

The ACS Division of Chemical Education sponsored a symposium on web-assisted learning in chemistry at its 221st national meeting in San Diego, CA April 1–5. The symposium included 25 papers delivered in three sessions over two days.