cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Parathyroid hormone receptor directly interacts with dishevelled to regulate β-catenin signaling and osteoclastogenesis

Bone growth and remodeling depend upon the opposing rates of bone formation and resorption. These functions are regulated by intrinsic seven transmembrane-spanning receptors, the parathyroid hormone receptor (PTH1R) and frizzled (FZD), through their respective ligands, parathyroid hormone (PTH) and Wnt. FZD activation of canonical β-catenin signaling requires the adapter protein Dishevelled (Dvl). We identified a Dvl-binding motif in the PTH1R. Here, we report that the PTH1R activates the β-catenin pathway by directly recruiting Dvl, independent of Wnt or LRP5/6. PTH1R coimmunoprecipitated with Dvl. Deleting the carboxyl-terminal PTH1R PDZ-recognition domain did not abrogate PTH1R-Dvl interactions; nor did truncating the receptor at position 480. However, further deletion eliminating the putative Dvl recognition domain abolished PTH1R interactions with Dvl. PTH activated β-catenin in a time- and concentration-dependent manner and translocated β-catenin to the nucleus. β-Catenin activation was inhibited by Dvl2 dominant negatives and by short hairpin RNA sequences targeted against Dvl2. PTH-induced osteoclastogenesis was also inhibited by Dvl2 dominant negative mutants. These findings demonstrate that G protein-coupled receptors other than FZD directly activate β-catenin signaling, thereby mimicking many of the functions of the canonical Wnt-FZD pathway. The distinct modes whereby FZD and PTH1R activate β-catenin control convergent or divergent effects on osteoblast differentiation, and osteoclastogenesis may arise from PTH1R-induced second messenger phosphorylation.
Plugged In or Tuned Out? Youth, Race, and Internet Usage in the 2008 Election

Over the course of the last three presidential elections, young voters and minorities have become an increasingly sought after segment of the electorate. In particular, youth are also the most likely to be the beneficiaries of advances to technology, while minorities often lag behind in access. The 2008 election provided a number of examples of campaigns utilizing online technology as a means of targeting young voters. This article examines the influence of the Internet on young and minority voters, focusing specifically on Internet use for political purposes, such as visiting a candidate's Web site or engaging in political discussions on blogs, as predictors of youth political participation offline. The authors find that engaging politics online leads to increases in political participation offline and that among younger voters, racial minorities are as connected as whites. However, among older voters, whites are far more likely to have access to and use the Internet politically.
Surgical problems in the management of giant fibroadenoma of the breast

Giant intracanalicular fibroadenoma is reported to be the most common cause of a massive, deforming enlargement of one breast in the female adolescent. It occurs infrequently and has a varied histopathologic pattern. It is suggested that obstetricians and gynecologists should have an awareness of this potentially malignant tumor of the breast with its associated problems of diagnosis and surgical management. Consideration of these huge breast tumors in relation to other similar breast lesions is presented in order to emphasize differential characteristics and treatment.
Globalist Attitudes and the Fittingness Objection

Some attitudes typically take whole persons as their objects. Shame, contempt, disgust and admiration have this feature, as do many tokens of love and hate. Objectors complain that these ‘globalist attitudes’ can never fit their targets and thus can never be all-things-considered appropriate. Those who dismiss all globalist attitudes in this way are misguided. The fittingness objection depends on an inaccurate view of the person-assessments at the heart of the globalist attitudes. Once we understand the nature of globalist attitudes and we recognize that we may legitimately treat some traits as more important than others in our overall evaluation of persons, we ought to conclude that our globalist attitudes can, in some cases, fit their targets and should not be summarily dismissed as unfitting. Our relationships contour the fittingness-conditions of globalist attitudes. This relational element poses a problem for fitting-attitude theories of value.
Technologies and systems of optical switching

We report on the latest advances in photonic technologies of functions required for optical routing and switching systems including wavelength conversion, monolithic tunable optical routers, payload envelope detection, packet forwarding, optical buffers, optical synchronizers, optical clock recovery, mode-locked lasers and 3R regeneration.
Conceptual Development of an Instrument to Measure the Internalized Stigma of AIDS Based on the Roy Adaptation Model

In this column the author describes the development of an instrument to measure internalized stigma of HIV/AIDS based on the self-concept adaptive mode of the Roy adaptation model. The Internalized Stigma of AIDS Tool is a 10-item instrument that is derived from the physical self (body sensation and image) and personal self (self-consistency, self-ideal and moral-ethical-spiritual self) as set forth by Roy. An overview of the Roy adaptation model and the theory of the person as an adaptive system illustrates how this instrument was derived.
Power management in delay tolerant networks: a framework and knowledge-based mechanisms

Delay tolerant networks (DTNs) are mobile wireless networks that are characterized by frequent partitions and potentially long message delivery delays. Such networks have the potential for use in important application environments where en- ergy sources are limited. Therefore, efficient power management mechanisms are necessary to allow these networks to operate over a long period of time. In this paper, we leverage the observation that many DTNs are characterized by sparse connectivity, pro- viding the opportunity to save energy by aggressively disabling node radios (sleeping). The major challenge is to balance sleeping periods with wake-up periods so that valuable and infrequent communication opportunities between nodes are not missed. We develop a power management framework that allows a node to save energy while missing few communication opportunities. The framework is tailored to the available knowledge about network connectivity over time. Further, the framework supports an explicit tradeoff between energy savings and connectivity, so that network operators can choose, for example, to conserve energy at the cost of reduced message delivery performance. We evaluate our mechanisms using ns-2 simulations. Our results show that our power management mechanisms consume from 10% to 50% of the energy expended when the network operates without power management. These energy savings come at the cost of some performance degradation when available knowledge is incomplete, though our tuning parameter allows a rich set of tradeoffs between energy consumption and performance.
How Many, And Which, Plants Will Invade Natural Areas?

Of established nonindigenous plant species in California, Florida, and Tennessee, 5.8%, 9.7%, and 13.4%, respectively, invade natural areas according to designations tabulated by state Exotic Pest Plant Councils. Only Florida accords strictly with the tens rule, though California and Tennessee fall within the range loosely viewed as obeying the rule. The species that invaded natural areas in each state were likely, if they invaded either of the other states at all, to have invaded natural areas there. There was a detectable but inconsistent tendency for species that invade natural areas to come from particular families. At the genus level in California and Florida, and the family level in California, there was also a tendency for natural area invaders to come from taxa that were not represented in the native flora. All three of the above patterns deserve further studies to determine management implications. Only the first (that natural area invaders of one state are likely to invade natural areas if they invade another state) seems firm enough from our data to suggest actions on the part of managers.
A Study of the Effect of Restricted Lighting on January Hatched Pullets

Abstract THIS study was conducted primarily to determine whether the early maturity and high rate of egg production normally observed with January hatched pullets could be regulated and controlled by restricting the number of hours of exposure to light as the pullets approached the age of sexual maturity. That this seemed logical and possible was evidenced by studies involving hours of light and sexual maturity made by Callenbach, Nicholas and Murphy (1944), and indicated by Jeffrey and Piatt (1941) in their studies on out-of-season hatching, as well as in reports of a similar nature by Moore and Mehrhof (1946) and Skoglund and Tomhave (1948). PROCEDURE White Leghorn pullets hatched January 28, 1953, were divided into 2 groups on April 28 when 13 weeks old. One group of 67 birds was kept confined to a pen 10×20 feet in size (3 sq. ft. per bird) and maintained under normal day-light hours. A second …
Computational Complexity Analysis of FFT Pruning - A Markov Modeling Approach

The Fourier transform is instrumental in many signal processing applications such as digital filtering, spectral analysis and communications. In 1965, Cooley and Tukey demonstrated that the discrete Fourier transform (DFT) can be computed using the fast Fourier transform (FFT) algorithm with reduced computational complexity. When the input vector to the FFT contains mostly zeros (i.e., is sparse), it is possible to realize computational savings over a full FFT by only performing the arithmetic operations on non-zero elements. That is, the FFT is "pruned" so that only the useful computations are performed. In this paper, we derive the (non-stationary) Markov process that describes the number of occupied (i.e. non-zero) paths at each stage of a pruned FFT. With the probability distribution of the number of non-zero paths at each FFT stage, we then determine the probability distribution of the number of multiplications and additions necessary to compute the FFT of an input vector with a given sparsity distribution
Measuring the translatability of Simplified English in procedural documents

The paper reports the results of a study that tested the translatability of a restricted language, called Simplified English (SE), as used in maintenance procedures in the airline industry. The study examined the effect of document type (SE versus non-SE) and procedure (procedure A versus procedure B) on the quality and ease of translation for native speakers of Spanish, Chinese, or Japanese. The results reveal that SE may be more effectively translated by native Spanish speakers than by Chinese speakers. The paper concludes with a discussion of methodological issues that researchers should consider when running such translation studies.
Role of phytosterols in lipid-lowering: current perspectives

The cholesterol-lowering effect of plant sterols was first discovered in the early 1950s. However, it is only recently that plant sterols have become clinically important, when advances in food-technology have made it possible to combine sterols with a variety of food products including margarines, yogurts, fruit juices and cereal bars. We review the clinical trial evidence of lipid-lowering efficacy of plant sterols and discuss their implications in routine clinical practice. To generate the evidence we searched the Pubmed database for English language literature, using relevant keywords and medical subject heading (MeSH) terms, and extracted the findings from recently published studies and meta-analyses on this topic. Our findings suggest that the short-term use of food supplements rich in plant sterols is a safe and effective strategy; to maximize the benefits of dietary and lifestyle therapy, either with or without statin therapy, among majority of dyslipidemic patients with need for additional lipid-lowering.
Frontlash: Race and the Development of Punitive Crime Policy

Civil rights cemented its place on the national agenda with the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, fair housing legislation, federal enforcement of school integration, and the outlawing of discriminatory voting mechanisms in the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Less recognized but no less important, the Second Reconstruction also witnessed one of the most punitive interventions in United States history. The death penalty was reinstated, felon disenfranchisement statutes from the First Reconstruction were revived, and the chain gang returned. State and federal governments revised their criminal codes, effectively abolishing parole, imposing mandatory minimum sentences, and allowing juveniles to be incarcerated in adult prisons. Meanwhile, the Law Enforcement Assistance Act of 1965 gave the federal government an altogether new role in crime control; several subsequent policies, beginning with the Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 and culminating with the Federal Sentencing Guidelines, ‘war on drugs,’ and extension of capital crimes, significantly altered the approach. These and other developments had an exceptional and long-lasting effect, with imprisonment increasing six-fold between 1973 and the turn of the century. Certain groups felt the burden of these changes most acutely. As of the last census, fully half of those imprisoned are black and one in three black men between ages 20 and 29 are currently under state supervision. Compared to its advanced industrial counterparts in western Europe, the United States imprisons at least five times more of its citizens per capita.
Structural Analysis of the Maize Rp1 Complex Reveals Numerous Sites and Unexpected Mechanisms of Local Rearrangement

Rp1 is a complex disease resistance locus in maize that is exceptional in both allelic variability and meiotic instability. Genomic sequence analysis of three maize BACs from the Rp1 region of the B73 inbred line revealed 4 Rp1 homologs and 18 other gene-homologous sequences, of which at least 16 are truncated. Thirteen of the truncated genes are found in three clusters, suggesting that they arose from multiple illegitimate break repairs at the same sites or from complex repairs of each of these sites with multiple unlinked DNA templates. A 43-kb region that contains an Rp1 homolog, six truncated genes, and three Opie retrotransposons was found to be duplicated in this region. This duplication is relatively recent, occurring after the insertion of the three Opie elements. The breakpoints of the duplication are outside of any genes or identified repeat sequence, suggesting a duplication mechanism that did not involve unequal recombination. A physical map and partial sequencing of the Rp1 complex indicate the presence of 15 Rp1 homologs in regions of ∼250 and 300 kb in the B73 inbred line. Comparison of fully sequenced Rp1-homologous sequences in the region demonstrates a history of unequal recombination and diversifying selection within the Leu-rich repeat 2 region, resulting in chimeric gene structures.
Solid-Matrix Luminescence of Hydroxyl Aromatic Metabolites in Urine Fractions with Whatman 1PS Paper

Solid-matrix luminescence was investigated for human biomonitoring that employed room-temperature solid-matrix fluorescence (SMF) and phosphorescence (SMP) for the detection and identification of 1-hydroxypyrene (1-OH-PY), tetrol (I-1), and 9-hydroxy-phenanthrene (9-OH-Phen) in human urine fractions. However, SMF proved to be less sensitive than SMP. For SMP, the compounds were adsorbed on Whatman 1PS paper with thallium nitrate as a heavy-atom salt under neutral or basic conditions. The SMP limits of detection of 16 fmole for I-1 and 39 fmole for 1-OHPY were acquired. Because 9-OH-Phen appeared to undergo some photobleaching, only estimated limits of detection could be obtained. With the spectral characteristics of the SMP excitation and emission spectra, it was possible to identify all three compounds in spiked urine fractions. For unspiked urine fractions, I-1 and 9-OH-Phen were identified, but 1-OH-PY was not identified because of interference from the SMP of other components.
CRIB: consolidated rename, issue, and bypass

Conventional high-performance processors utilize register renaming and complex broadcast-based scheduling logic to steer instructions into a small number of heavily-pipelined execution lanes. This requires multiple complex structures and repeated dependency resolution, imposing a significant dynamic power overhead. This paper advocates in-place execution of instructions, a power-saving, pipeline-free approach that consolidates rename, issue, and bypass logic into one structure---the CRIB---while simultaneously eliminating the need for a multiported register file, instead storing architected state in a simple rank of latches. CRIB achieves the high IPC of an out-of-order machine while keeping the execution core clean, simple, and low power. The datapath within a CRIB structure is purely combinational, eliminating most of the clocked elements in the core while keeping a fully synchronous yet high-frequency design. Experimental results match the IPC and cycle time of a baseline out-of-order design while reducing dynamic energy consumption by more than 60% in affected structures.
Management of splenic artery aneurysms: the significance of portal and essential hypertension.

Abstract Background: Splenic artery aneurysm(s) (SAA) are rare. But the incidence and significance of SAA among patients with portal hypertension (PHTN), especially among those who undergo orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT), have not been clearly delineated. Study Design: An 11-year (February 1987 to June 1998) retrospective review of our experience with treated SAA was performed. Patient characteristics, risk factors, clinical presentation, surgical management, aneurysm characteristics, and patient outcomes were assessed. Patients were separated according to a history of PHTN for analysis. Patients were also subdivided into ruptured versus elective presentations. Results: Thirty-four patients (22 in the PHTN group) were treated for SAA during the study period. Sixty-two percent (21 of 34) were women; the average age was 50.6 years. In patients without a history of PHTN (n = 12), essential hypertension was a significant risk factor (p Conclusions: Essential hypertension and PHTN appear to be significant risk factors for development of SAA. Rupture of SAA is associated with a significant mortality, highest among patients with PHTN. Elective repair remains a safe and effective method of treatment. The significance of SAA is recognized among patients undergoing liver transplantation. A decision should be made to screen and electively treat SAA found in liver transplant patients, especially if the aneurysm is larger than 1.5 cm. Awareness of the increased rupture risk is crucial in management during the immediate posttransplant period.
Suppression of the rbf null mutants by a de2f1 allele that lacks transactivation domain

In mammals, a large number of proteins including E2F transcription factors have been shown to interact with the tumor suppressor gene product pRB, but it is not clear to what extend the function of pRB is mediated by E2F. In addition, E2F was shown to mediate both transcription activation and repression; it remains to be tested which function of E2F is critical for normal development. Drosophila homologs of the RB and E2F family of proteins RBF and dE2F1 have been identified. The genetic interactions between rbf and de2f1 were analyzed during Drosophila development, and the results presented here showed that RBF is required at multiple stages of development. Unexpectedly, rbf null mutants can develop until late pupae stage when the activity of dE2F1 is reduced, and can develop into viable adults with normal adult appendages in the presence of a de2f1 mutation that retains the DNA binding domain but lacks the transactivation domain. These results indicate that most, if not all, of the function of RBF during development is mediated through E2F. In turn, the genetic interactions shown here also suggest that dE2F1 functions primarily as a transcription activator rather than a co-repressor of RBF during Drosophila development. Analysis of the expression of an E2F target gene PCNA in eye discs showed that the expression of PCNA is activated by dE2F1 in the second mitotic wave and repressed in the morphogenetic furrow and posterior to the second mitotic wave by RBF. Interestingly, reducing the level of RBF restored the normal pattern of cell proliferation in de2f1 mutant eye discs but not the expression of E2F target genes, suggesting that the coordinated transcription of E2F target genes does not significantly affect the pattern of cell proliferation.
When Vascular Surgery Calls

Vascular surgeons traditionally completed a general surgery residency prior to specialty fellowship training. This gave vascular surgeons exposure to a wide variety of general surgery cases to include colon and rectal surgery. In the past 5 years, alternative training pathways or “Integrated” vascular 5-year residencies have diluted the experience of vascular trainees with a focus on only vascular surgery. Likewise, general surgery residencies have seen a decline in the vascular case volumes over the past decade. Thus, it has become increasingly important for the various surgical subspecialties to become codependent upon one another for the management of complex patients. In reality, the day will soon come when a vascular surgeon will no longer perform colectomy on a patient with ischemic colitis after elective aortic aneurysm repair. Similarly, the general and colorectal surgeon will have little to no experience with vascular repairs. The purpose of this chapter is to answer the question of what to do “When Vascular Surgery Calls.”
Convection of Isolated Masses of a Buoyant Fluid: A Numerical Calculation

Abstract The equations of motion for an incompressible fluid have been integrated numerically, as an initial value problem, for the axially-symmetric motion produced by release of an isolated lighter mass of the same fluid. The effect of viscosity is included only implicitly in the finite-difference numerical process. The numerical solutions exhibit the similarity (shape-preserving) stage assumed in theoretical treatments and observed in tank experiments. The computations have been repeated for different values of the total weight deficiency (or excess) of the “thermal.” The results agree approximately with the relationships predicted by dimensional analysis. The values of various parameters are compared with those obtained in tank experiments and encouraging agreement between them is found. Truncation errors involved in the numerical integration are briefly discussed.
Rethinking the Principal-Agent Theory of Judging

This Essay offers new insights into understanding the relationship between higher and lower courts and responds to the extant literature that has characterized the relationship as one involving a principal and an agent. We challenge the underpinnings of the principal-agent understanding of judicial hierarchies and identify problems with the theory’s applicability in this context. While principals ordinarily select their agents, higher court judges usually do not select lower court judges. Moreover, while lower court judges may cast votes with an eye to the possibility of elevation to a higher court, the higher court judges who review the lower court’s decisions usually do not decide whether to elevate a judge from that court to a higher position.Rather than dismiss the principal-agent theory of judging out of hand, this Essay empirically examines whether judicial actors behave as the theory suggests they would in a setting that has been overlooked by the extant literature and where application of the theory should be at its apex — the federal bankruptcy litigation system. Bankruptcy court judges who sit as trial judges are appointed for renewable time-limited terms by the court of appeals. Moreover, the court of appeals provides a second intermediate level of appellate review of bankruptcy court decisions. Initially, such decisions are appealed to a bankruptcy appellate panel (“BAP”) if the circuit has created one. The circuit’s judicial council, over which the court of appeals has dominant sway, selects BAP judges from among the circuit’s bankruptcy court judges. If the principal-agent theory of judging has traction, evidence of it should exist in this setting, which provides a stronger principal-agent relationship than the one typically found in other judicial hierarchies.Our study focuses on the voting behavior of circuit court judges and bankruptcy judges (both as trial judges and as appellate judges when sitting on the BAP) in student-loan-discharge proceedings in consumer bankruptcy cases. While our findings indicate that the ideological preferences of the circuit court judges predict their voting behavior, we do not find evidence of voting behavior by bankruptcy judges that would suggest sensitivity to the potential for circuit court monitoring and conformity to circuit court preferences. Thus, our findings cast doubt on the principal-agent theory of judging.
Effect of cholecystectomy on fecal fat excretion in dogs.

ConclusionIn 8 dogs studied both before and after operation, cholecystectomy produced no significant change in the daily excretion of fat or nitrogen in the feces.
Global Optimization of Water Management Problems Using Linear Relaxation and Bound Contraction Methods

In this paper, we present results of a recently developed global optimization method(1) as applied to water management problems. Our method deals effectively with MINLP problems with bilinear and univariate concave terms. Bilinear terms show up in these problems as products of flow rates and concentrations in component balances. In turn, concave terms are typically associated with equipment costs.
Characterization of GaN films on sapphire by cathodoluminescence

Cathodoluminescence (CL) spectroscopy and microscopy were used to study the luminescent properties of a variety of GaN films, both Si-doped and unintentionally-doped, grown on sapphire substrates. A narrow and intense near band-edge emission was found in the CL spectrum of each film examined, and deep-level emission was also observed for some of the films. The luminescence efficiency of near band-edge emission increased with a faster rate than that of deep-level emission when the pumping current was increased. Spatial nonuniformities of luminescence were observed in monochromatic CL microscopy, and microstructures were observed in scanning electron microscopy. No correlations between luminescence features and microstructural features were seen. Degradation of near band-edge luminescence was observed, accompanied by growth of deep-level emission.
Overdose reperfusion of blood cardioplegic solution. A preventable cause of postischemic myocardial depression.

Reperfusion of warm blood cardioplegic solution is useful in minimizing reperfusion damage after ischemia. This study tests the hypothesis that overzealous administration of blood cardioplegic solution at reperfusion counteracts these benefits and can lead to a prevalence of depressed ventricular performance and mortality similar to that seen after normal blood reperfusion. Thirty-one dogs underwent 45 minutes of 37° C global ischemia on vented bypass. Six received normal blood reperfusion and 25 were reperfused with a warm aspartate/glutamate-enriched blood cardioplegic solution; of these, eight received high-dose (3600 ± 600 ml) and 17 received limited-dose (1180 ± 120 ml) blood cardioplegic reperfusion over 10 to 20 minutes. High-dose blood cardioplegic perfusion (5100 ± 200 ml) without prior ischemia was tested in an additional five dogs. High-dose blood cardioplegia without preceding ischemia did not alter ventricular function (peak stroke work index 96% of control). After ischemia, normal blood reperfusion (no cardioplegia) resulted in marked left ventricular dysfunction (peak stroke work index 36% of control, p
The Violence of Rape

The incident of rape, a brutal crime of violence and anger, continues to escalate, with more victims requiring admission to intensive care units. The physical and emotional trauma experienced by survivors of sexual assault present multiple challenges for critical care nurses. This article discusses physiological, psychological, and developmental injuries, identifies legal implications, and presents strategies for the prevention of further victimization.
Comparison of thyroid function in each trimester of pregnancy with the use of triiodothyronine uptake, thyroxine iodine, free thyroxine, and free thyroxine index

Evaluation of thyroid function in pregnancy was carried out by comparison of changes in the first, second, and third trimesters of pregnancy with those in nonpregnant control subjects. One hundred first-trimester patients, 84 second-trimester patients, 107 third-trimester patients, and 72 control subjects had determinations run for Murphy-Pattee T 4 iodine (T 4 -1), triiodothyronine (T 3 ) uptake, and free thyroxine. A free thyroxine index (per cent of T 3 uptake×T 4 -1) was calculated for each subject and compared to the free thyroxine values. The T 3 uptake values fell and the T 4 -1 values rose progressively in each trimester. Comparison of the results of free thyroxine and the free thyroxine index showed that the index was not proportional to free thyroxine in the second and third trimesters. The free thyroxine index fell as the duration of pregnancy increased. The free thyroxine values remained remarkably stable throughout pregnancy. Free thyroxine values exhibited a small increase during the first and second trimesters but dropped back to control values by the third trimester. It is suggested that free thyroxine is the most convenient thyroid function test for use in pregnancy since the range of normal values is the same for all trimesters and for nonpregnant control subjects.
CURING CHILDREN WITH LEUKEMIA IN WEST VIRGINIA

Leukemia is the most common cancer in childhood with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) the most common subtype. While once uniformly fatal, today leukemia is a highly curable disease. To determine the outcomes of children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia in West Virginia, we performed a retrospective analysis of the results of treatment of children and adolescents with B-lineage ALL diagnosed between 2/86 and 1/91 and treated by the pediatric oncology teams at Morgantown or Charleston. Forty-one children with B-lineage ALL were identified and treated by a uniform protocol. Twenty-nine (71%) have remained disease-free for more than two years off therapy and are considered cured. Of the 10 patients who relapsed, five have now been off rescue therapy for greater than two years and are likely to be cured. Thirty-five of the original cohort of 41 children are alive and disease-free yielding an overall survival of 85%. The results of treatment of childhood leukemia in West Virginia are comparable to national data. Children with ALL diagnosed and treated by pediatric oncology teams in West Virginia have a very good chance of being cured.
The impact of electronic health records on collaborative work routines: A narrative network analysis.

Abstract Purpose This study examined collaborative work routines and changes after the implementation of a perinatal EHR. The change process and underlying drivers were analyzed to offer insight into why changes – intended or unintended – did or did not occur and their implications for EHR design and implementation. Methods This mixed-method case study included both qualitative and quantitative information. Pre- and post-implementation observations took place over an 18-month period totaling 90 h. Formal and informal interviews with administrative and clinical staff, pre- and post-implementation surveys, project meeting observations, and artifact review supplemented data gathered from the observations. Workflow and narrative network analyses of work routines were used to identify changes pre- and post-EHR and to represent different perspectives of work routines. Results EHR improved documentation efficiency and in- and out-patient information exchange, but increased variability in documentation. Some variabilities were institutionally sanctioned or tolerated, but other variabilities – while ingenious and emblematic of the generative nature of routines enabled by the EHR – were problematic. EHR’s support for clinician communication and coordination was limited and its cognitive support insufficient. In some cases, EHR increased cognitive load as the unlocalized EHR scattered information, and the lengthy printouts contributed to information fragmentation and made information retrieval more difficult. Conclusions The process of the EHR implementation and the changes observed was the confluence of three factors: resource constraint – in particular EHR expertise and experience – not uncommon in many community hospitals; the functional properties of the EHR focusing on information aggregation, storage, and retrieval; and the extant culture and practice of healthcare emphasizing autonomy and flexibility. While collaborative and communication changes were prompted by EHR implementation, the system played a minimal role in mediating changes. Instead, changes in work routines were negotiated between the administration and clinicians, and jointly refined over time.
Coercive capacity, land reform and political order in Afghanistan

ABSTRACTThis article compares four historical periods in Afghanistan to better understand whether land reform in the post-2001 context will improve prospects for political order. Its central finding is that political order can be established without land reform provided that the state is able to establish and maintain coercive capacity. However, the cost of establishing political order mainly through coercion is very low levels of economic development. We also find that when land reform was implemented in periods of weak or declining coercive capacity, political disorder resulted from grievances unrelated to land issues. In addition, land reforms implemented in the context of highly centralized political institutions increased property insecurity. This suggests the importance of investing in coercive capacity alongside land reform in the current context but also that establishing inclusive political institutions prior to land reform will increase its chances of success.
Recombination Dynamics of Metal Halides in the Presence of Vaporized Ferritic Steel

The Z-pinch driven fusion reactor will require extremely high current pulses to generate sufficient x-ray flux for the fusion target implosion. The fusion target is coupled to the pulsed power system through a recyclable transmission line (RTL) that is presently envisioned made of carbon steel. The energy released by the fusion pulse is absorbed by liquid flibe (Li 2 BeF 4 ) coolant and by the RTL material which is partially vaporized and ionized. The objective of this paper is to characterize the recombination of vaporized metal halides in the presence of ferritic steel in a plasma with parameters similar to those expected in the Z-IFE chamber (plasma density < 2x10 18 cm -3 , T e < 40000 K). Using a substitute eutectic salt (Na 2 MgCl 4 ) instead of flibe, we find experimentally that the three-body recombination rate of iron with chlorine is larger than that of sodium with chlorine. The measured recombination rates are compared to equilibrium recombination rates calculated at lower temperature (5000 K). The results suggest that an effective scheme for the removal of ferritic fluorite from the liquid flibe coolant may be needed in a Z-IFE reactor in addition to the mechanical separation of carbon steel RTL material required for recycling.
The Effect of Pinhole Collimator Masking: A New Consideration for Thyroid Imaging

When pinhole thyroid scintigraphy is performed using a large field scintillation camera, what you see may not be what you think you see. Using a standard thyroid phantom and a cobalt-57 ruler-marker, we evaluated the actual field of view of a large-field camera-pinhole system. Because the design of the collimator masks the periphery of the large crystal, the actual useful field was markedly restricted to the center. This may be a potentially serious pitfall in thyroid scintigraphy since the field cut is not apparent on images. This pitfall can be avoided by always using the “zoom” feature for this pinhole imaging system.
Food Retailers’ Perceptions of Supermarket UPC Scanner Checkout Systems

This paper reports preliminary findings about food retailers’ perceptions of a wide range of characteristics about the Universal Product Code scanner checkout system. Food retailers comprised of two sampling frames, namely, installers and non-installers of the scanner checkout systems. Food retailers from thirty-six states responded to the mail survey. Their perceptions are anlayzed and compared.
The Impact of Health Literacy and Clinicodemographic Factors on Use of Discharge Services after Radical Cystectomy

Purpose: There are few data on the relationship between health literacy and discharge disposition. We hypothesized that patient discharge needs after radical cystectomy are affected by health literacy.Materials and Methods: We identified 504 patients who underwent radical cystectomy and completed the validated BHLS (Brief Health Literacy Screen) after November 2010. Bivariate and logistic regression analyses were performed to determine whether health literacy is associated with the use of discharge resources after radical cystectomy.Results: Of patients treated with radical cystectomy 50.6% required discharge services and had lower health literacy (BHLS 11.9 vs 12.5, p = 0.016) than patients discharged home without services. On multivariable analysis older age (OR 1.1, 95% CI 1.0–1.1, p = 0.002), female gender (OR 2.3, 95% CI 1.2–4.4, p = 0.019), body mass index (OR 1.1, 95% CI 1.0–1.1, p = 0.034), Charlson comorbidity index score (OR 1.1, 95% CI 1.0–1.2, p = 0.037) and length of stay (OR 1.1, 95% CI 1.0–...
Timing: Psychological and Neural Aspects

Humans and other animals are able to perceive intervals of time relative to some stimulus, and they are able to time their responses. Systematic studies of time perception and timed performance have been conducted with the bisection procedure in which a stimulus duration is classified as shorter or longer than a criterion duration, and with the peak procedure in which a response is reinforced at a particular time after the onset of a stimulus. Other studies have used the methods of classical conditioning in which reinforcement occurs at a time related to stimulus onset, and instrumental conditioning in which reinforcement is related to a response. These studies have identified some general principles, such as the principle of superposition. Temporal discriminations are approximately the same on relative, rather than absolute, time scales. Psychological explanations of timing have been developed that include characteristics of temporal perception, memory, and decision processes. Quantitative models of these psychological processes, such as Scalar timing theory and the Behavioral theory of timing, have also been developed to account for performance in a wide range of procedures. There has been some progress in understanding how different parts of the brain and neurotransmitter systems are related to these processes.
k-curves: interpolation at local maximum curvature

We present a method for constructing almost-everywhere curvature-continuous, piecewise-quadratic curves that interpolate a list of control points and have local maxima of curvature only at the control points. Our premise is that salient features of the curve should occur only at control points to avoid the creation of features unintended by the artist. While many artists prefer to use interpolated control points, the creation of artifacts, such as loops and cusps, away from control points has limited the use of these types of curves. By enforcing the maximum curvature property, loops and cusps cannot be created unless the artist intends for them to be. To create such curves, we focus on piecewise quadratic curves, which can have only one maximum curvature point. We provide a simple, iterative optimization that creates quadratic curves, one per interior control point, that meet with G2 continuity everywhere except at inflection points of the curve where the curves are G1. Despite the nonlinear nature of curvature, our curves only obtain local maxima of the absolute value of curvature only at interpolated control points.
Cliptography: Post-Snowden Cryptography

This tutorial will present a systematic overview of {\em kleptography}: stealing information subliminally from black-box cryptographic implementations; and {\em cliptography}: defending mechanisms that clip the power of kleptographic attacks via specification re-designs (without altering the underlying algorithms). Despite the laudatory history of development of modern cryptography, applying cryptographic tools to reliably provide security and privacy in practice is notoriously difficult. One fundamental practical challenge, guaranteeing security and privacy without explicit trust in the algorithms and implementations that underlie basic security infrastructure, remains. While the dangers of entertaining adversarial implementation of cryptographic primitives seem obvious, the ramifications of such attacks are surprisingly dire: it turns out that -- in wide generality -- adversarial implementations of cryptographic (both deterministic and randomized) algorithms may leak private information while producing output that is statistically indistinguishable from that of a faithful implementation. Such attacks were formally studied in Kleptography. Snowden revelations has shown us how security and privacy can be lost at a very large scale even when traditional cryptography seems to be used to protect Internet communication, when Kleptography was not taken into consideration. We will first explain how the above-mentioned Kleptographic attacks can be carried out in various settings. We will then introduce several simple but rigorous immunizing strategies that were inspired by folklore practical wisdoms to protect different algorithms from implementation subversion. Those strategies can be applied to ensure security of most of the fundamental cryptographic primitives such as PRG, digital signatures, public key encryptions against kleptographic attacks when they are implemented accordingly. Our new design principles may suggest new standardization methods that help reducing the threats of subverted implementation. We also hope our tutorial to stimulate a community-wise efforts to further tackle the fundamental challenge mentioned at the beginning.
Rapid Detection of Escherichia coli in Water Using Sample Concentration and Optimized Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Chromogenic Substrates

Methods for rapid detection of fecal indicator bacteria in water are important to ensure that water is safe for drinking, bathing, recreation, fishing and shellfish harvesting. In this study, we tested experimental conditions for bacterial hydrolysis of two promising enzymatic substrates, 5-Bromo-4-chloro-3-indolyl β-d-glucuronide (X-Gluc) and Resorufin β-d-glucuronide (REG), and optimized parameters such as temperature and pH to determine conditions for rapid reactions. We then innovated a membrane filter-based approach to facilitate more rapid enzyme-based detection of Escherichia coli in water based on the combination of an initial concentration step and optimized test conditions. For this approach, a water sample (10‒100 mL) is filtered through a 0.45-µm pore size filter with a diameter of 4 or 13 mm. After filtration, a newly designed rapid detection broth is added containing the enzymatic inducer Methyl-beta-d-Glucuronide sodium (MetGlu) and the substrate REG or X-Gluc. After a few (1‒7) hours of incubation at 35 °C, the filter shows pink color (for REG-containing broth) or green color (for X-Gluc containing broth) if E. coli is present. The study provides insights and approaches towards developing a simple, fast, and low-cost method to detect fecal indicator bacteria in water.
Argentina’s Corruption Machine: Toward an Institutional Approach

Argentina’s structural corruption has been historically addressed through futile debates between public-private biases and a cultural-criminal approach reinforced by modernization theory. This chapter describes the extent of the problem and the ineffectiveness of predominant approaches to reduce it. It then lays out an alternative, institutional approach and shows how it could be employed in order to address Argentina’s corruption and its particular reverse developmental saga. A first glance at the sort of historical quest that the institutional approach demands reveals that, from its inception, Argentina has been steadily building a corruption machine whereby power shifted from the private sector to government officials, beginning with state capture and moving first to a bilateral monopoly and then closer to a kleptocracy. To tackle it, this chapter proposes basic institutional reforms and, to overcome political economy hindrances, suggests a micro-sectoral analysis of governmental procurement and a human rights strategy.
Dynamic stability during walking in children with and without cerebral palsy.

Abstract Background Cerebral palsy (CP) is associated with a high risk of falling during walking. Many gait abnormalities associated with CP likely alter foot placement and center of mass (CoM) movement in a way that affects anterior or lateral dynamic stability, in turn influencing fall risk. Research question Do children with CP demonstrate altered anterior or lateral dynamic stability compared to typically-developing (TD) children? Methods In this case-control, observational study, we measured gait kinematics of two groups of children (15 CP, 11 GMFCS level I, 4 GMFCS level II; 14 TD; age 5–12) in walking conditions of a preferred speed, a fast speed, and a preferred speed while completing a cognitive task. For dominant and non-dominant limbs, the margin of stability (MoS), a spatial measure of dynamic stability, was calculated as the distance between the edge of the base of support and the CoM position after accounting for scaled velocity. Statistical comparisons of were made using mixed factorial ANOVAs. Post hoc comparisons were Sidak adjusted. Results The anterior MoS before foot strike and at mid-swing differed between each condition but not between groups. Based on the minimum lateral MoS, children with CP had more stability when bearing weight on their non-dominant limb compared to TD children. These differences were not apparent when on the dominant limb. Significance This high-functioning group of children with CP exhibited a more conservative lateral stability strategy during walking when bearing weight with the non-dominant limb. This strategy may be protective against lateral falls. We observed no between-group differences in anterior stability. Because CP has been previously associated with impaired anterior balance reactions, and there was no observed compensation in anterior gait stability, this lack of group differences could contribute to a higher risk of falling in that direction.
Liquidity regulation, banking history and financial fragility: An experimental examination

Abstract We report an experiment conducted to evaluate interactions between liquidity requirements and depositors’ experiences with the banking system. Treatments consist of combinations of required liquidity levels and ‘weak’ or ‘strong’ background conditions, intended to induce stable histories of play (with few bank runs), or unstable histories of play (where bank runs are common). Experimental results suggest that both increased liquidity levels and a stable history of play improve the incidence of coordination on the Pareto-preferred no-run outcome. Nevertheless, even with an unstable history, non-degenerate no-run outcomes occur quite reliably with high liquidity requirements.