cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparative costs of advanced proton and photon radiation therapies: lessons from time-driven activity-based costing in head and neck cancer

Advanced technology in the USA is, in part, responsible for driving improvements in cancer care outcomes but also steep increases in the cost of cancer care delivery [1–3]. Whether or not the US healthcare system delivers highvalue care, which is defined as the quality of health outcomes divided by the cost of achieving those outcomes, is controversial. Despite much emphasis on comparative effectiveness analyses, cost–effectiveness analyses of costly therapies, such as advanced technologies, have been under emphasized. Although the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act has limited the role of cost analysis in the federally funded Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute, given the controversy and fear of rationing of healthcare services [4], successful transformation from volume to value will require patients, providers and payors to understand the comparative effectiveness and cost–effectiveness of competing technological treatment modalities.
Coherent excitation with phase-incremented pulses.

Abstract An outline is given for calculating the evolution of a spin system by a pulse sequence with phase-incremented pulses (PIPs). It is done in a frame with a speed of 2πΔf=Δϕ/Δτ relative to the rotating frame, where Δϕ and Δτ are the phase- and time-increment of the PIP. This particular frame is defined as the eigenframe, in which the phase of the PIP for the center band is stationary and is subjected to a universal phase shift (UPS=−Δϕ/2), and the strength of the PIP is scaled by a factor of λ= 2[1−cos(Δϕ)] /|Δϕ|. The phase differences between different eigenframes can be attributed to the initial phases of the PIPs, making it possible to use the Bloch vector model even in different eigenframes. A new way is provided to construct composite pulses with not only amplitude and phase modulations but also offset modulation. Several examples, including a broadband inversion pulse, a Hahn spin echo, and a selective inversion and null pulse, all composed of PIPs, are discussed in detail.
The Impact of Speed of Processing Training on Cognitive and Everyday Functions

We combined data from six studies, all using the same speed of processing training program, to examine the mechanisms of training gain and the impact of training on cognitive and everyday abilities of older adults. Results indicated that training produces immediate improvements across all subtests of the Useful Field of View test, particularly for older adults with initial speed of processing deficits. Age and education had little to no impact on training gain. Participants maintained benefits of training for at least 2 years, which translated to improvements in everyday abilities, including efficient performance of instrumental activities of daily living and safer driving performance.
Ebulliometric and endgroup molecular weights of polyoxypropylene and polyoxyethylene glycols

A study was made of the number-average molecular weights of a series of preparations of polyoxypropylene glycol (POPG) and polyoxyethylene glycol (POEG). The number average molecular weights of the POPG and POEG samples were determined by ebulliometry and compared to molecular weights estimated from functional endgroup analyses. Differences in results obtained with the two methods were noted and discussed in terms of the foreign functional group contents of the samples.
Psychometric properties of the Caregiver Strain Questionnaire (CGSQ) among caregivers of children with autism

The purpose of this study was to test the psychometric properties of the Caregiver Strain Questionnaire (CGSQ) among caregivers of children with autism. The CGSQ was originally developed to assess burden experienced by parents of children and adolescents with serious emotional and behavioral disorders. Study data was collected from 304 primary caregivers of children with autism using a cross-sectional survey design. We tested the one-, two-, and three-factor CGSQ model. Though the three-factor CGSQ model fit better than the one- and two-factor model, it was still short of an acceptable fit. Minor modifications were made to the three-factor model by correlating error terms. The modified three-factor CGSQ model with correlated error indicated reasonable fit with the data. The 21-item CGSQ had good convergent validity, as indicated by the correlation of its three subscales with constructs including mental health-related quality of life, maladaptive coping, social support, family functioning, and care recipient level of functional impairment and extent of behavioral problems, respectively. The internal consistency reliability of the instrument was also good, and there were no floor and ceiling effects. The CGSQ was found to be a reliable and valid instrument to assess burden among caregivers of children with autism.
Mechanical stimuli induce vascular parathyroid hormone-related protein gene expression in vivo and in vitro

PTH-related peptide (PTHrP), the factor mediating the syndrome of humoral hypercalcemia of malignancy, is also expressed in smooth muscle cells (SMC) of the urinary bladder and uterus in response to mechanical distention and fetal occupancy, respectively. Vascular SMC also produce PTHrP, and its expression is induced by serum and vasoconstrictors, such as angiotensin-II. To determine whether mechanical distension affected vascular PTHrP gene expression, the abdominal aorta of adult male rats was balloon-distended, and aortae were collected at various times after the intervention. PTHrP mRNA was determined by competitive reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction, using sequential dilutions of a cloned internally truncated PTHrP RNA fragment as standard. The molar concentration of PTHrP mRNA was obtained by extrapolating at a standard/wild-type band intensity ratio of 1:1. Aortic PTHrP mRNA was induced from a basal level of 19, to 22, 46, 36, 13, 12, 22, and 20 attamoles/mg total RNA 1, 2, 12, 24, and 48 h and 7 and 48 days after balloon distension, respectively. To determine whether mechanical events directly regulate vascular PTHrP gene expression, primary rat aortic SMC were plated and placed on a rocking device at 20 oscillations/min to create a gentle flowing motion of the culture medium. Rocking induced PTHrP mRNA of SMC exposed to either serum-free medium or 10% serum by 2.5-and 4.0-fold at 4 h, and 2.9- and 3.7-fold at 24 h, respectively. These effects were oscillation rate dependent, potentiated by angiotensin-II, and specific, as similar changes were not observed in alpha-actin mRNA content. Flow motion-induced PTHrP mRNA at 24 h was partially decreased by 10(-6) M colchicine (which inhibits microtubule assembly), but not by cytochalasin-E (which disrupts actin polymerization). As PTHrP is a known vasorelaxant, we propose that mechanical events induce the release of PTHrP by SMC, possibly to serve as a compliance factor or an agent for vascular remodeling.
Pre-bilaterian origins of the Hox cluster and the Hox code: evidence from the sea anemone, Nematostella vectensis.

National Science Foundation and the National Atmospheric and Space Administration (DEB519727244, IBN-0212773) NASA (NAG2-1374, NAG2-1519s); Intramural Research Program of the National Human Genome Research Institute; National Institutes of Health; Boston University Women's Guild
EARNINGS INEQUALITY AND SKILL-BIASED TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE WITH ENDOGENOUS CHOICE OF EDUCATION

This article analyzes the impact of stochastic skill-biased technological change on earnings inequality in a general equilibrium OLG model. Wage dispersion is determined by the heterogeneity of skills by allowing for productivity differences due to education, ability, and age. The model performs well in reproducing stylized facts on the time pattern of the U.S. wage distribution and human capital accumulation. In particular, it shows that slow adjustment of the supply of educated labor can itself explain the nonmonotonic time pattern of the college premium. (JEL: D31, J24, J31)
Adaptive beamforming for photoacoustic imaging

An adaptive photoacoustic image reconstruction technique that combines coherence factor (CF) weighting and the minimum variance (MV) method is introduced. The backprojection method is widely used to reconstruct photoacoustic tomography images. Owing to the scattering of light, the quality of the photoacoustic imaging can be degraded. CF, an adaptive weighting technique, is known to improve the lateral resolution of photoacoustic images. In addition, an MV adaptive beamforming method can further improve the image quality by suppressing signals from off-axis directions. Experimental studies are performed to quantify the spatial resolution and contrast of the adaptive photoacoustic beamforming methods.
Error assessment of HF radar-based ocean current measurements: An error model based on sub-period measurement variance

Data from CODAR-type ocean current sensing radar systems are used here to evaluate the performance of an error indicator provided as part of the available radar data. Investigations are based on data from pairs of radar systems with over-water baselines. Approximately year-long time series are used. The radar data are the typical hourly radial measurements provided by CODAR systems. These measurements are actually the median (or mean) of anywhere between 2 and 7 sub-hourly measurements collected by the radar system. The error indicator under examination is based on the standard deviation (std) of the sub-hourly radials, divided by the square root of the number of sub-hourly radials. These values are recorded in the hourly data files produced by recent versions of the CODAR data processing software. Examination of the model demonstrates a positive correlation between the model and the measured baseline difference std for all baseline pairs examined. The predictive capability of the error model is demonstrated by presenting its use as a data discriminator and by examination of time series of sliding boxcar samples of radar data. Baseline difference std for data rejected by a threshold based on the error model is shown to be significantly higher than for the data retained. The results presented here demonstrate potential to improve assessment of the HF radar current measurement uncertainty. Such improvement has potential to benefit all applications of HF radar data, including for example, Lagrangian particle tracking and surface current assimilation into numerical models.
Hotel executive microcomputer use in the United States.

Abstract With the advent of the microcomputer revolution in the United States, the lodging industry is taking advantage of the new technology. Computerized property management systems for small properties are available at reasonable cost using microcomputers. Both large hotel corporation applications of microcomputers and individual property uses are given. Models for management use of electronic spreadsheet programs for budgeting as well as financial and operational control are shown. The examples use VisiCalc and Lotus 1–2–3. Management training for microcomputer use by the large hotel corporations is also examined. The new technology will hasten the computerization of the lodging industry.
Hobbes, Rousseau and the Modern Conception of the State

Obvious and numberless differences between the principal political writings of Hobbes and Rousseau—differences of language and style, of descriptive focus and prescriptive detail, of cultural and historical context—should not blind us to certain profound agreements of doctrine. If Hobbes's great triumph is to have unearthed and delineated a conception of the state that is implicit in and underwritten by modern notions of individualism, I will argue that Rousseau, as another modern individualist, embraced a conception of the state that is, at the most basic structural level, deeply and decisively similar. In the first half of the essay, I examine exactly what it is that the social contract is thought to have created and propose in that context a fundamental distinction, shared by Hobbes and Rousseau, between an authorizing entity that constitutes the legitimate foundation of the state and an instrumental entity the activity of which has been legitimated by the former. The second half considers the question...
Statistical-aware designs for the nm era

As technology scaled beyond the 100nm node, process variation and particularly random variations effects have had significant impact on the design yield. Memory designs, namely SRAMs, have become more prone to fails. Dynamic stability and dynamic noise margins have become a serious concern. Several design methodologies have been proposed to analyze and counter process variations. In this paper, we revisit key variability-driven design contributions, in terms of dual supply techniques, bitline clamping methods, and novel circuits with programmable capabilities, with particular emphasis on statistical exploration of the design space.
Banishing the Homunculus: Making Working Memory Work

The prefrontal cortex has long been thought to subserve both working memory and "executive" function, but the mechanistic basis of their integrated function has remained poorly understood, often amounting to a homunculus. This paper reviews the progress in our laboratory and others pursuing a long-term research agenda to deconstruct this homunculus by elucidating the precise computational and neural mechanisms underlying these phenomena. We outline six key functional demands underlying working memory, and then describe the current state of our computational model of the prefrontal cortex and associated systems in the basal ganglia (BG). The model, called PBWM (prefrontal cortex, basal ganglia working memory model), relies on actively maintained representations in the prefrontal cortex, which are dynamically updated/gated by the basal ganglia. It is capable of developing human-like performance largely on its own by taking advantage of powerful reinforcement learning mechanisms, based on the midbrain dopaminergic system and its activation via the basal ganglia and amygdala. These learning mechanisms enable the model to learn to control both itself and other brain areas in a strategic, task-appropriate manner. The model can learn challenging working memory tasks, and has been corroborated by several important empirical studies.
Digestive Enzymes and Stylet Morphology of Deraeocoris nebulosus (Hemiptera: Miridae), a Predacious Plant Bug

Mixed-feeding habits, such as zoophytophagy, make the ecological roles of many species of insects, especially hemipterans, difficult to assess. To understand the feeding adaptations of the predacious plant bug Deraeocoris nebulosus (Uhler), the digestive enzymes from the salivary glands and anterior midgut were analyzed, and the mouthpart stylets were investigated with scanning electron microscopy. Evidence of trypsin-like enzyme, α-glucosidase, and pectinase were found in the salivary glands. Low levels of trypsin-like, chymotrypsin-like, elastase-like, and pectinase activity, with high levels of α-amylase and α-glucosidase activity, were found in the anterior midgut. The insect's right maxillary stylet has two rows of at least six recurved barbs on the inner surface pointing away from the head. This plant bug is equipped mainly for zoophagy but has enzymes that would allow some degree of phytophagy.
Controlling for performance capacity confounds in neuroimaging studies of conscious awareness

Studying the neural correlates of conscious awareness depends on a reliable comparison between activations associated with awareness and unawareness. One particularly difficult confound to remove is task performance capacity, i.e. the difference in performance between the conditions of interest. While ideally task performance capacity should be matched across different conditions, this is difficult to achieve experimentally. However, differences in performance could theoretically be corrected for mathematically. One such proposal is found in a recent paper by Lamy, Salti and Bar-Haim [Lamy D, Salti M, Bar-Haim Y. Neural correlates of subjective awareness and unconscious processing: an ERP study. J Cognitive Neurosci 2009,21:1435-46], who put forward a corrective method for an electroencephalography experiment. We argue that their analysis is essentially grounded in a version of High Threshold Theory, which has been shown to be inferior in general to Signal Detection Theory. We show through a series of computer simulations that their correction method only partially removes the influence of performance capacity, which can yield misleading results. We present a mathematical correction method based on Signal Detection Theory that is theoretically capable of removing performance capacity confounds. We discuss the limitations of mathematically correcting for performance capacity confounds in imaging studies and its impact for theories about consciousness.
Suicidality and sleep disturbances.

STUDY OBJECTIVES: A growing body of research indicates that sleep disturbances may be specifically linked to suicidal behaviors. It remains unclear, however, whether this link is largely explained by depressive symptoms. The present study investigated the relationship between suicidality, depression, and sleep complaints in a clinical outpatient setting. DESIGN AND SETTING: Upon admission, 176 outpatients completed measures on sleep disturbances, suicidal symptoms, and depression. Several sleep disturbances were evaluated with regard to suicidal ideation, including insomnia, nightmares, and sleep-related breathing symptoms. MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS: Regression analyses revealed that insomnia and nightmare symptoms were associated with both depressive symptoms and suicidality. Sleep-related breathing symptoms were associated with depressive symptoms, but did not show an association with suicidal ideation. After controlling for depressive symptoms, only nightmares demonstrated an association with suicidal ideation. This relationship emerged as a nonsignificant trend (P = .06). Nightmares were particularly associated with suicidality among women compared with men. Posthoc analyses revealed that, after controlling for sex and depressive symptoms, nightmare symptoms were significantly associated with suicidality (P = .04). CONCLUSIONS: Although insomnia and nightmares were significantly associated with depressive and suicidal symptoms, after controlling for additional variables, such as depression and sex, only nightmares remained associated with suicidality. This association was slightly stronger among women compared with men. Language: en
Parameter Estimation Using an Artificial Neural Network to Incorporate Multiple Types of Data

We apply a modified counterpropagation artificial neural network (ANN) that uses multivariate data to several parameter estimation problems: (1) estimation of small scale Berea sandstone geophysical properties, (2) estimation of apparent conductivity at a leaking landfill using electromagnetic data and (3) estimation of hydraulic conductivity field at a landfill in New York State using pumping test and well log data. The counterpropagation algorithm has been enhanced in this research to allow for spatial interpolation that is comparable to traditional kriging methods. This enhanced ANN is data-driven, can incorporate large amounts of multiple data types to produce parameter estimates in real-time and does not require the computation of large covariance matrices associated with traditional geostatistical methods (kriging).
A global quantification of “normal” sleep schedules using smartphone data

The influence of the circadian clock on sleep scheduling has been studied extensively in the laboratory; however, the effects of society on sleep remain largely unquantified. We show how a smartphone app that we have developed, ENTRAIN, accurately collects data on sleep habits around the world. Through mathematical modeling and statistics, we find that social pressures weaken and/or conceal biological drives in the evening, leading individuals to delay their bedtime and shorten their sleep. A country's average bedtime, but not average wake time, predicts sleep duration. We further show that mathematical models based on controlled laboratory experiments predict qualitative trends in sunrise, sunset, and light level; however, these effects are attenuated in the real world around bedtime. Additionally, we find that women schedule more sleep than men and that users reporting that they are typically exposed to outdoor light go to sleep earlier and sleep more than those reporting indoor light. Finally, we find that age is the primary determinant of sleep timing, and that age plays an important role in the variability of population-level sleep habits. This work better defines and personalizes "normal" sleep, produces hypotheses for future testing in the laboratory, and suggests important ways to counteract the global sleep crisis.
Etiology of Lower Limb Deformity

Lower limb deformities consist of any combination of leg length inequality, angular deformity, and/or asymmetric girth. While there is an extensive list of possible etiologies, in this chapter we briefly discuss the various causes for pediatric lower limb deformities that are most relevant to the orthopedic surgeon. The four broad categories for such causes that are clinically relevant include those related to a (1) generalized underlying condition, (2) congenital, (3) developmental, and (4) acquired deformities as sequelae of local disease or treatment.
Influence of the lymphatic system on development of a virus-induced tumor (reticuloendotheliosis) in the chicken.

The ways in which the immunological system influences tumorigenesis seen to be complex. It has been suggested that the basic raison d’etre of thymus-dependent, cellular immunity may be as a surveillance function against malignant cells. Much clinical and experimental data support this concept (1,2). More recently, experimental evidence, mainly from work done in vitro, has been mounting in the direction that blocking factors, possibly in the form of antibodies or antigen-antibody complexes, may protect tumor cells from the thymus-dependent surveillance and in this way enhance tumor growth (3). The influence of the lymphatic system on tumor growth can be riewed as occurring within this framework.
Fine needle aspiration cytology in the diagnosis and management of ectopic breast tissue.

Ectopic breast tissue presents as solitary or multiple masses in young women along the milk line. The most common site is in the axilla. This may present a diagnostic problem as lymphadenopathy, either primary or secondary, or other soft tissue tumors that may present in a similar way. Six patients with eight axillary masses suspicious for ectopic breast tissue were evaluated with fine needle aspiration (FNA) cytology. Five aspirates revealed epithelial cells consistent with breast tissue; one showed adipose tissue; and two were non-diagnostic. This information helped prevent surgery in one pregnant and one lactating woman. Therefore, FNA examination is helpful in the diagnosis of management of ectopic breast tissue
Effect of Magnetic Field Direction on the Critical Current of Twisted Multifilamentary Superconducting Wires

Critical currents of a twisted Nb3Sn multifilamentary superconducting wire are investigated in longitudinal, transverse and intermediate-angled fields. The critical current in a longitudinal field may be as much as 2.6 times that in a transverse field. It was found that the reciprocal of the critical currents normalized by the critical current of the transverse field gives a linear equation of the sine of the angle between the field and the superconductor. The actual angle between the field and the superconductor may require a correction of the twist for a wire with a large twist angle.
Nonchemical Methods to Control Scale and Deposit Formation

Abstract This chapter describes physical (nonchemical) water treatment (PWT) methods, which include permanent magnets, solenoid coils, radio frequency electric fields, high-voltage capacitance systems (i.e., electrostatic devices), and catalytic materials. The operating principle of the PWT is to produce colloidal particles of mineral ions in water, a process that is called bulk precipitation. In recirculating cooling water, the colloidal particles grow, resulting in particulate fouling (i.e., soft sludge coating) on a heat exchanger surface instead of precipitation fouling (i.e., hard deposit). Thus, if and when there is a sufficient shear force in a heat exchanger to remove the soft sludge coating, the PWT can keep the heat exchanger surface scale free.
Non-Pharmacological Treatments for ADHD in Youth.

Background Complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) in psychiatry or integrative psychiatry covers a wide range of biological, psychological and mind-body treatments that enhance standard medical practices and patient outcomes. While CAM approaches are popular amongst patients in their practice as well as in self-report because of their ease of use, health professionals have received limited education in these interventions and often are unaware of their patients’ use of CAM treatments.
‘Have a Quiet, Orderly, Polite Revolution’: Framing Political Protest and Protecting the Status Quo

This paper demonstrates how print media sources frame the Tea Party and Occupy Wall Street in ways that, consciously or not, support the prevailing status quo – social, economic, and political elit...
Apologia Pro Simplicio: Galileo and the Limits of Knowledge

The limits of knowledge are determined by the world, by the apparatus the investigator brings to bear on his problems, and the cognitive values and methods that govern the objectives of the process of inquiry. Kant was right, there is little we can say about the world per se. What is of epistomological interest is not the way the world is, but (a) the character of the inquiry as determined by the goals, values and methods of the inquirers, and (b) the way the world is believed to be.
Entanglement and Decoherence in Two-Dimensional Coherent State Superpositions

A detailed investigation of entanglement in the generalized two-dimensional nonorthogonal states, which are expressed in the framework of superposed coherent states, is presented. In addition to quantifying entanglement of the generalized two-dimensional coherent states superposition, necessary and sufficient conditions for maximality of entanglement of these states are found. We show that a large class of maximally entangled coherent states can be constructed, and hence, some new maximally entangled coherent states are explicitly manipulated. The investigation is extended to the mixed system states and entanglement properties of such mixed states are investigated. It is shown that in some cases maximally entangled mixed states can be detected. Furthermore, the effect of decoherence, due to both cavity losses and noisy channel process, on such entangled states are studied and its features are discussed.
A randomized clinical trial of a culturally responsive intervention for African American women with asthma.

Background Few interventions have focused on the difficulties that African American women face when managing asthma.
Tumor immunology viewed from alternative animal models-the Xenopus story.

Nonmammalian comparative animal models are important not only to gain fundamental evolutionary understanding of the complex interactions of tumors with the immune system but also to better predict the applicability of novel immunotherapeutic approaches to humans. After reviewing recent advances in developing alternative models, we focus on the amphibian Xenopus laevis and its usefulness in deciphering the perplexing roles of MHC class I-like molecules and innate (i)T cells in tumor immunity. Experiments using MHC-defined inbred and cloned animals, tumor cell lines, effective reagents, sequenced genomes, and adapted gene editing techniques in Xenopus, have revealed that the critical involvement of class I-like molecules and iT cells in tumor immunity has been conserved during evolution. Comparative studies with the X. laevis tumor immunity model can contribute to the development of better and more efficient cancer immunotherapies.
Feasibility of liquid nitrogen cryotherapy after failed radiofrequency ablation for Barrett's esophagus.

Background and Aim Radiofrequency ablation (RFA) for dysplastic Barrett's esophagus (BE) is highly effective. RFA failures are infrequent but can be a challenging cohort to manage. There are limited data on the feasibility of liquid nitrogen cryospray ablation for complete eradication of dysplasia (CE-D) and/or intestinal metaplasia (CE-IM) after RFA has failed to achieve CE-IM in patients with dysplastic BE. Methods This is a retrospective review from two medical centers of prospectively maintained databases looking at patients that underwent liquid nitrogen cryospray ablation for refractory intestinal metaplasia post failed RFA. Results Eighteen patients were identified that met inclusion criteria. Eleven patients had persistent dysplasia and IM following RFA and seven had persistent non-dysplastic IM. More than 80% of patients were male with long-segment BE (median length 8 cm). Seventy two percent of patients with dysplasia achieved CE-D after cryotherapy. Fifty percent (9/18) of all RFA failures achieved CE-IM with cryotherapy. In comparison, RFA has a CE-IM of 78% in a less challenging treatment naive cohort from a large-scale meta-analysis of 3802 patients. No adverse events occurred in our cohort. Conclusion Cryospray ablation is feasible and safe for achieving CE-D and CE-IM after RFA failure. The CE-D rates are high with cryotherapy in this population. CE-IM with cryotherapy is acceptable in this difficult-to-treat cohort when compared to CE-IM rates with RFA in dysplastic BE treatment naive patients (50% vs 78%).
Calcaneus Fracture: Extended Lateral Approach

Treating fractures of the calcaneus can prove to be challenging for the orthopedic surgeon. Historically, surgical management of these injuries has been associated with a high complication rate. Calcaneal fractures are often associated with significant soft tissue injury, local vascular disruption, and other bony injuries. Successful management of calcaneal fractures requires careful attention to patient selection, surgical timing and surgical approach in addition to appropriate imaging studies, preoperative planning, and an understanding of the anatomy. Appropriate timing of surgery and soft tissue handling techniques can minimize the incidence of wound complications and infections. The extensile lateral approach offers excellent exposure to the entire calcaneus. During surgical exposure, care should be taken not to disrupt an already tenuous vascular supply. After surgical exposure, the fracture fragments are reduced and provisionally fixed with Kirschner wires. The reduction is then confirmed fluoroscopically prior to the placement of screws and a laterally based plate.
Can We Breathe Easy If PAP Therapy Is Withheld

In answering the key question about this study we considered two empirical issues as key to our assessment of whether it is ethically acceptable to withhold positive airway pressure (PAP) therapy t...
Management of cataract in uveitis patients.

Purpose of reviewThis review is timely because the outcomes of surgical invention in uveitic eyes with cataract can be optimized with adherence to strict anti-inflammatory principles.Recent findingsAll eyes should be free of any cell/ flare for a minimum of 3 months preoperatively. Another helpful m
Radiation Reduction in Low Dose Pulsed Fluoroscopy versus Standard Dose Continuous Fluoroscopy during Fluoroscopically-Guided Lumbar Punctures: A Prospective Controlled Study.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate radiation dose reduction in fluoroscopically guided lumbar punctures (FGLP) using “pulsed fluoroscopy in a low dose mode” compared with the commonly used “continuous fluoroscopy in a standard dose mode” while maintaining the technical success. Materials and Methods: Thirty-five consecutive patients who underwent FGLP divided randomly to seventeen patients in the control group with standard dose continuous FGLP and eighteen patients in the study group with low-dose low-frame-rate of 3 frames per second (fps) FGLP. Entrance surface dose measurements from a dosimeter device were recorded as well as the dose area product (DAP). Results: A total of 35 patients with average age of 52 years (range: 15–87 [±17 standard deviation [SD]) were evaluated. Average entrance surface dose of the study group was significantly lower (3.81 mGy [range: 0.21–11.14, [±2.8 SD]) compared with the control group (22.45 mGy [range: 1.23–73.44, [±19.41 [SD]). The average DAP of the study group (10 mGy·cm 2 [range: 1–41, [±9.8 SD]) was also significantly lower than the control group (65 mGy·cm 2 [range: 5–199, [±53 SD]). Success rate was similar between the study and control groups. Conclusion: Low dose pulsed fluoroscopy of 3 fps significantly reduces radiation exposure by about 600% compared with standard dose continuous fluoroscopy in FGLP. Utilizing this radiation saving strategy will allow to dramatically reduce radiation exposure, without impacting the technical success rate.
Organizational effects of the antiandrogen, vinclozolin, on penis development in the mouse.

Endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) are pollutants found throughout the environment that disrupt normal endocrine processes. In mice, penis development is thought to be most susceptible to EDCs during a critical developmental window occurring on embryonic days (E) 15.5–17.5. However, androgen signaling begins on E13.5 when androgen receptor (AR) protein is found in the genitalia and testosterone is circulating. We hypothesize that disrupting androgen signaling prior to the established critical window sensitizes the penis to future androgen disruption. To test this hypothesis, CD1 dams were exposed to vinclozolin or a corn oil solvent control on E13.5 and E14.5 and AR levels were measured with immunohistochemistry on E14.5. Early antiandrogen exposure reduced AR within nuclei and decreased intensity of AR expression within E14.5 genitalia. To evaluate the influence of antiandrogen exposure before the known critical window of penis development, two groups of pregnant dams (n = 3) were exposed to vinclozolin starting at either E13.5 or E14.5 and continued exposure through E16.5. Histology andM.O.U.S.E. scoring were used to quantify penis abnormalities. To account for differences in total doses mice experienced due to differences in length of dosing time, we compared animals that received the same total doses. Exposure to antiandrogens on E13.5 exacerbated malformations when exposure was continued through sexually dimorphic development. Both exposure time and vinclozolin dose are important for severity of vinclozolin-induced penis abnormalities in mice. This work shows that antiandrogen exposure prior to sensitive periods can exacerbate the effects of later antiandrogen exposure on reproductive development.Summary SentencePrior to the sensitive window the penis is responsive to antiandrogen exposure, and this early exposure exacerbates antiandrogen-induced penis abnormalities.
Case report description of a collaborative approach to thoracic duct embolization in patients with congenital heart disease

Medical management and surgical interventions for the lymphatic disorders chylothorax and plastic bronchitis are often unsuccessful. Single center data suggest that thoracic duct embolization is a more efficacious treatment for refractory lymphatic disorders, yet these outcomes have not been replicated. This case series describes a collaborative approach to the development of a successful lymphatic intervention program for congenital heart disease patients with persistent lymphatic disorders and defines a potential anatomic contraindication. Successful lymphatic interventions can be performed at institutions with experienced providers working closely together to treat patients with complex congenital heart disease. Proper patient selection is essential and based on our results the presence of extensive lower body venous occlusion may be a contraindication and should be thoroughly investigated prior to attempts at thoracic duct embolization.
Regulation and Control of Metabolism

Metabolism involves not just single biochemical reactions, but coordinated networks of reactions. These networks are usually remarkably well-regulated, keeping close to a set-point, a steady-state or dynamic equilibrium in most healthy organisms. Substantial deviation from that set-point may betoken disease or some other extraordinary circumstance. On the other hand, biotechnologists may want to manipulate an organism to overproduce a desirable product, controlling its metabolism to deviate from the normal set-point. Groen and Westerhoff [30] have listed four questions that theories of metabolic control should answer
Basal joint arthritis: fusion, implant, or soft tissue reconstruction?

The basal joint of the thumb is often afflicted with arthritis with significant resultant disability. Many reconstructive procedures are available. Many factors must be considered to choose the best procedure for the individual patient.
The effects of yeast ingestion on the composition of the urine and feces.

The object of this investigation has been (a) to determine the changes in the chemical composition of the urine and feces due to the ingestion of bakers’ yeast and the relation of these changes to intestinal putrefaction and (b) to determine whether yeast used under controlled conditions has a laxative action. The use of yeast in the treatment of constipation is not a new or unusual practice, for Ebers’ Papyrus (l), which is one of the most ancient medicopharmaceutical manuscripts, dated about 1500 B.C., recommended a combination of milk, yeast, and honey. Combe (2) has reported the work of several investigators who studied the use of yeast in the correction of alimentary disorders and intestinal putrefaction. Hawk and his coworkers (3) and Welker and Heintz (4) have found yeast to be of value in the treatment of constipation. Murlin and Mattill (5) have presented a comprehensive review of the work of a number of French investigators who used yeast successfully as a corrective for both constipation and diarrhea. Still and Koch (6, 7) have found that yeast ingestion caused a greater regularity and ease of evacuation, although the moisture content of the feces was not noticeably increased.
Altered Glucose Homeostasis Resulting from Developmental Exposures to Endocrine Disruptors

The recent increase in obesity and diabetes incidence is too rapid to be entirely accounted for by dietary and exercise components alone, raising the possibility that environmental factors also contribute to this epidemic. It has been proposed that exposure to industrial chemicals possessing endocrine-disrupting activity causes changes in metabolic homeostatic systems during embryonic development which could lead to development of adult obesity. This chapter reviews evidence for the effects of potential endocrine disruptors on homeostatic systems regulating insulin secretion and glucose uptake. The effects of endocrine disruptors on adipocyte differentiation and glucose uptake are also considered. Alterations in these pathways could lead to enhanced weight gain and eventually, diabetes in adults.
4.14 Rational and Combinatorial Methods to Create Designer Protein Interfaces

Biomaterials aim to mimic the biophysical and mechanical interactions that cells experience in their natural environment. Natural proteins, however, are often not optimal for use in biomaterials, lacking stability or biological specificity and potency. We provide an overview of main approaches applied for optimizing proteins. Rational engineering leverages knowledge of structure and function for site-directed mutagenesis, protein fusion design, or post-translational modification. Combinatorial engineering involves expression of diverse libraries of protein variants coupled with high-throughput screening for desired phenotypes. Techniques for both approaches will be described, followed by discussion of considerations and challenges in creating designer proteins for biomaterial applications.
B/ordering Turbulence Beyond Europe: Expert Knowledge in the Management of Human Mobility

This chapter focuses on the ways in which assumptions about who “migrants” and “expats” are and how long an individual or a community needs to remain “migrant” are shaped by a series of important institutions and technical practices. The chapter focuses on the International Centre for Migration Policy Development (ICMPD), created in 1993 to coordinate discussion and elaboration of migration categories (as irregular, trafficked, refugee and asylum seeker, and legal, both permanent and temporary) and new spatial imaginaries to guide migration and border management institutions. In addition, ICMPD’s development of its mapping tool—I-Map—has been particularly important in reshaping contemporary geographical spatial imaginaries of the European border and the resulting externalization of the border/migration/asylum apparatus. We focus on I-Map’s effect on the Euro-Mediterranean (primarily the states bordering the Mediterranean Sea and neighboring states to the South) and on the EU initiative called the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership (EUROMED).
Mediating Role of Fall-related Efficacy in a Fall Prevention Program

Objectives: We examined the multidimensionality of the new Perceived Ability to Prevent and Manage Fall Risks (PAPMFR) scale that assesses fall-related efficacy (FE) and the mediating role of EF between fear of falling (FOF) and functional mobility (FM). Methods: We carried out a secondary data analysis of 552 participants (mean age = 76.45, SD = 7.79) in a fall prevention program, A Matter of Balance Volunteer Lay Leader Model (AMOB/VLL). We used exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses to evaluate the PAPMFR scale. We used structural equation modeling to test the mediating role of PAPMFR between FOF and FM. Results: We identified 3 dimensions of PAPMFR: steadiness/balance, gait, and fall management. We confirmed the mediating effect of the PAPMFR on the relation between FOF and FM with acceptable fit in cross-sectional (χ²/df = 2.25, RMSEA = .06, 95% CI: .04 to .09, CFI = .98 SRMR = .03) and half-longitudinal (χ²/df = 3.04, RMSEA = .08, 95% CI: .07 to .09, CFI = .95, SRMR = .04) models. Conclusions: AMOB/VLL shows promise to enhance FE, which may mediate FM improvements among participants. Find- ings suggest that improving confidence to prevent and manage falls can complement exercise training to promote active aging. Future research should investigate various FE dimensions.
Synthesis of enantiomerically pure cyclopropyl carbocyclic nucleosides

Abstract The enantiomeric synthesis of cyclopropyl carbocyclic nucleosides has been achieved and the key intermediate was characterized by X-ray crystallography.
Some Economics of the Movie Industry

A progress report is provided on a long-term research project, joint with Gabriel Natividad, on the economics and strategy of the movie industry. Specifically, a series of empirical papers dealing with demand estimation, pricing and movie-release strategies is surveyed.
Affective Risk for Problem Drinking: Reciprocal Influences Among Negative Urgency, Affective Lability, and Rumination.

Background Affective disturbances have long been implicated in the onset and maintenance of problematic alcohol use. Affective risk theory for problem drinking has moved beyond early documentation that negative affect broadly confers risk to models specifying specific affectbased risk processes. Objective This paper provides a theory-driven review of recent literature on the role of affect-based factors in the etiology of problematic alcohol use. First, we review recent advances in the understanding of affect-based risk for problem drinking. Second, we highlight the importance of three specific affect-based risk factors: urgency, affective lability, and rumination. Third, we offer hypotheses regarding the reciprocal relationships between specific risk factors and drinking problems. Finally, we suggest possible avenues for future research. Conclusion Recent advances in the understanding of reciprocal prediction between affect-based risk factors and problem drinking have set the stage for important new avenues of investigation into the risk process. Affect-based risk processes appear to influence each otherover time, and they influence and are influenced by problem drinking. Further understanding of these processes will pave the way for a new generation of intervention strategies.
An Animal Model to Study Klebsiella pneumoniae Gastro-Intestinal Colonization and Host-to-Host Transmission

An important yet poorly understood facet in the life cycle of a successful pathogen is the host-to-host transmission. Hospital-acquired infections (HAI) resulting from the transmission of drug-resistant pathogens affect hundreds of millions of patients worldwide. Klebsiella pneumoniae (Kpn), a gram-negative bacterium, is notorious for causing HAI, with many of these infections difficult to treat as Kpn has become multi-drug resistant. Epidemiological studies suggest that Kpn host-to-host transmission requires close contact and generally occurs through the fecal-oral route. Herein, we describe a murine model that can be utilized to study mucosal (oropharynx and gastrointestinal [GI]) colonization, shedding within feces, and transmission of Kpn through the fecal-oral route. Using an oral route of inoculation, and fecal shedding as a marker for GI colonization, we show that Kpn can asymptomatically colonize the GI tract of immunocompetent mice, and modifies the host GI microbiota. Colonization density within the GI tract and levels of shedding in the feces differed among the clinical isolates tested. A hypervirulent Kpn isolate was able to translocate from the GI tract and cause hepatic infection that mimicked the route of human infection. Expression of the capsule was required for colonization and, in turn, robust shedding. Furthermore, Kpn carrier mice were able to transmit to uninfected cohabitating mice. Lastly, treatment with antibiotics led to changes in the host microbiota and development of a transient super-shedder phenotype, which enhanced transmission efficiency. Thus, this model can be used to determine the contribution of host and bacterial factors towards Kpn dissemination.