cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Developing a Directly Administered Antiretroviral Therapy Intervention for HIV-Infected Drug Users: Implications for Program Replication

Directly administered antiretroviral therapy (DAART) is one approach to improving adherence to among human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected drug users. We evaluated the essential features of a community-based DAART intervention in a randomized, controlled trial of DAART versus self-administered therapy. Of the initial 72 subjects, 78% were racial minorities, and 32% were women. Social and medical comorbidities among subjects included homelessness (35% of subjects), lack of interpersonal support (86%), major depression (57%), and alcoholism (36%). At baseline, the median CD4 + cell count was 403 cells/mL and the median HIV-1 RNA load was 146,333 copies/mL (log 10 5.31 copies/mL). During the prior 6 months, 33% of subjects had missed a medical appointment, and 47% had visited an emergency department. Although most subjects (67%) preferred to take their own medications, 76% would accept DAART if it were made compulsory. A methadone clinic was the DAART venue acceptable to the fewest subjects (36%), and a mobile syringe-exchange program was acceptable to the most subjects (83%). Adherence was higher for supervised than for unsupervised medication administration (P <.0001), a finding that supports use of daily supervision of once-daily regimens. Moreover, DAART should incorporate enhanced elements such as convenience, flexibility, confidentiality, cues and reminders, responsive pharmacy and medical services, and specialized training for staff.
Evidence for molecular heterogeneity in human ganglioneuroblastoma.

Ganglioneuroblastomas are tumors of sympathetic cell origin that contain both primitive neuroblastomatous and mature ganglioneuromatous elements. It is thought that these tumors arise from a single cellular clone and that the morphologically distinct components of ganglioneuroblastomas represent cells in different stages of differentiation. Two pathologic variants of this tumor, composite and diffuse, have been described; metastasis is more commonly seen with composite ganglioneuroblastomas. We analyzed a composite ganglioneuroblastoma for N-myc copy number at initial resection and 2 years later after progressive disease. In the second sample the more differentiated portion of the tumor was analyzed separately from the neuroblastic foci for N-myc copy number and DNA ploidy. The DNA content and N-myc copy number differed in the two morphologically discrete areas of the tumor, suggesting that at least two clones were present. More composite ganglioneuroblastomas need to be examined to determine whether thes...
Effect of Forebody Strakes on Missile Asymmetric Vortices

Wind-tunnel tests were conducted on a l/7th-scale vertically launched surface-to-air missile model to investigate the effects of forebody strakes on the side forces and yawing moments induced by nose-generate d asymmetric vortices at high angles of attack. Test angles of attack ranged from 0 to 90 deg at a Reynolds number of 1.15 x 10 5, based on the model diameter, and at a Mach number of 0.11. The four-strake forebody demonstrated dramatic results in the elimination of yawing moments at high angles of attack. The eight-strake forebody showed mixed results, with three different responses over the angle-of-attack range from 45 to 75 deg. This configuration first caused a reduction in induced yawing moment, then a violent switching, and then at very high angles had no effect. Observations concerning the onset angles of forebody- and afterbody-generated asymmetric vortices indicate that an analysis of side forces alone is insufficient to consider possible control problems for a realistically configured missile.
The cytotoxicity of vitamin E is both vitamer- and cell-specific and involves a selectable trait.

During a study of the effect of vitamin E in activated mouse macrophages, we observed a reduction in the viability of cells treated with various forms of vitamin E. We show in this report that some tocopherols (both - and -tocopherol) are cytotoxic to some but not all cell types. Mouse macrophages were especially sensitive (40 mol/L), whereas human hepatocytes and bovine endothelial cells were almost completely refractory (90 mol/L). The fully methylated tocopherol, -tocopherol (-Toc), was not cytotoxic in any cell type tested. The cytotoxicity observed with -tocopherol (-Toc) was associated with 2 markers of apoptosis. Vitamer-specific cytotoxicity was not due to differences in cellular uptake/accumulation because both -Toc and -Toc accumulated equally in any cell type tested. In contrast, the cell-specific cytotoxicity was related in part to uptake/accumulation of the tocopherols. Macrophages accumulated nearly 5 times more tocopherol compared with hepatocytes cultured under similar conditions. To address the hypothesis that uptake accounted for the cell-specific sensitivity, we developed a macrophage "subtype" that was markedly resistant (150 mol/L) to -Toc. Under many different cell culture conditions (including human serum) uptake/accumulation of tocopherols was reduced in this subtype by 50%. Further selection and evaluation of this phenotype, however, demonstrated no cytotoxicity even when cellular levels were elevated. Our results show that undermethylated tocopherols are cytotoxic to macrophages and that there are independent and selectable processes that determine cellular tocopherol uptake/accumulation and -Toc cytotoxicity. J. Nutr. 134: 3335-3342, 2004.
Platelet-Derived Growth Factor Promotes the Expression of Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor γ in Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells by a Phosphatidylinositol 3-Kinase/Akt Signaling Pathway

Vascular diseases such as atherosclerosis are characterized by abnormal accumulation of vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) within the intimal lining. The intimal VSMCs exhibit an increased expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARgamma), and the administration of pharmacological PPARgamma agonists attenuates vascular lesion formation. The factors that regulate PPARgamma expression in the vasculature are poorly defined. Here we report that platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) upregulates PPARgamma by the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3-kinase)/Akt signaling pathway. Using Northern-blotting and Western-blotting analyses, we observed that the levels of PPARgamma mRNA and protein were increased by 2- to 3.5-fold in human aortic smooth muscle cells (HASMCs) treated with PDGF (20 ng/mL). This was abolished by preincubation of HASMCs with a PI3-kinase inhibitor (LY294002, 50 micromol/L), and partially inhibited by a MEK1 inhibitor (U0126, 10 micromol/L), but not affected by a p38 kinase inhibitor (SB202190, 10 micromol/L). In addition, overexpression of the dominant-negative p85 subunit of PI3-kinase or Akt proteins blocked the PDGF-induced PPARgamma expression. Taken together, our results suggest that PDGF induces PPARgamma expression in VSMCs by a PI3-kinase/Akt signaling pathway. The characterization of factors and signaling pathways that modulate PPARgamma expression in VSMCs may have important implications for understanding the pathogenesis of vascular diseases.
Derivation of the thrust equation from conservation of energy

The thrust equation for rockets and air-breathing jets, conventionally derived by use of the momentum theorem of fluid mechanics, is derived here from the first law of thermodynamics. The principle of conservation of energy, applied alternately to a system and to a control volume, yields the thrust equation quite directly. The particular control volume specified is compared to two others which are commonly used in derivations based on the momentum theorem. Intermediate relations developed in the analysis are shown to be useful for study of the over-all energy balance of propulsion systems and for interpretation of several definitions of propulsive efficiency used for air-breathing systems. Nomenclature A a = exit area of thrust producer / = fuel-air mixture ratio by mass = m//m 0 F = thrust g = acceleration resulting from gravity h = enthalpy per unit mass ra = mass flow rate p = pressure Q = heat added per unit time u = absolute vehicle velocity ue — velocity of exhaust fluid relative to thrust producer and in the direction of vehicle motion v = absolute velocity in the direction normal to vehicle motion V = velocity, absolute or relative as specified W = work accomplished per unit time z = elevation above datum level f]p = propulsive efficiency Subscripts a = air entering system or control volume or freestream condition e = exit of thrust producer / = fuel at fuel inlet conditions n = direction normal to vehicle motion u = direction of vehicle motion
Helical mode lung 4D-CT reconstruction using Bayesian model

4D computed tomography (CT) has been widely used for treatment planning of thoracic and abdominal cancer radiotherapy. Current 4D-CT lung image reconstruction methods rely on respiratory gating to rearrange the large number of axial images into different phases, which may be subject to external surrogate errors due to poor reproducibility of breathing cycles. New image-matching-based reconstruction works better for the cine mode of 4D-CT acquisition than the helical mode because the table position of each axial image is different in helical mode and image matching might suffer from bigger errors. In helical mode, not only the phases but also the un-uniform table positions of images need to be considered. We propose a Bayesian method for automated 4D-CT lung image reconstruction in helical mode 4D scans. Each axial image is assigned to a respiratory phase based on the Bayesian framework that ensures spatial and temporal smoothness of surfaces of anatomical structures. Iterative optimization is used to reconstruct a series of 3D-CT images for subjects undergoing 4D scans. In experiments, we compared visually and quantitatively the results of the proposed Bayesian 4D-CT reconstruction algorithm with the respiratory surrogate and the image matching-based method. The results showed that the proposed algorithm yielded better 4D-CT for helical scans.
Economic Value of Improved Accuracy for Self-Monitoring of Blood Glucose Devices for Type 1 Diabetes in Canada

Objective:The objective was to simulate and compare clinical and economic outcomes of self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) devices along error ranges and strip price.Methods:We programmed a type 1 diabetes natural history and treatment cost-effectiveness model. In phase 1, using past evidence from in silico modeling validated by the Food and Drug Administration, we associated changes in SMBG error to changes in hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) and separately, changes in severe hypoglycemia requiring an inpatient stay. In phase 2, using Markov cohort simulation modeling, we estimated clinical and economic outcomes from the Canadian payer perspective. The primary comparison was a SMBG device with strip price $0.73 Canadian dollars (CAD) and 10% error (exceeding accuracy requirements by International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 15197:2013) versus a SMBG device with strip price $0.60 CAD and 15% error (accuracy meeting ISO 15197:2013). Outcomes for the average patient, were quality-adjusted life years (QA...
Language and Complex Systems

1. Language and complex systems 2. Linguistics, science, the humanities, and complex systems 3. Usage-based linguistics and complex systems 4. Grammar and complex systems 5. Complex systems and the history of the English language 6. Neural networks and complex systems 7. Sociolinguistics, communities, and complex systems 8. Postmodernism and complex systems.
Hydrolysis of the alkyl-phosphate bond in certain dialkyl aryl phosphorothioate insecticides by rats, cockroaches, and alkali.

The nature of the products formed by in vitro and in vivo hydrolysis of parathion, methyl parathion, Diazinon, Dow ET-57, Chlorthion, and dicapthon was studied. All these dialkyl aryl phosphorothioates were hydrolyzed at both the alkylphosphate and the aryl-phosphate bonds. Alkyl-phosphate hydrolysis was proportionately greater with the dimethyl than with the diethyl phosphorothioates in rats and under the alkaline conditions employed. In rats it was found that the per cent of hydrolytic metabolites formed by cleavage of the alkyl-phosphate bond varied with the amount of insecticide administered, being greater at higher dosages. Alkl-phosphate hydrolysis appeared to be an alternate mechanism for detoxication in mammals when the dosage was too great to be metabolized through hydrolysis at the aryl-phosphate bond. It did not seem to be a major factor in the large toxicity differences among dialkyl aryl phosphorothioates with mammals. Very little alkyl-phosphate hydrolysis occurred with cockroaches with five of the six compounds studied. The lower alkylphosphate hydrolysis with cockroaches as compared to rats may contribute to the lower relative toxicity of the dimethyl aryl phosphorothioates to mammals. Differences were also noted in the rate of oxidation of the various hydrolytic metabolites between rats and cockroaches.
Title Nau: the Impact of Title IX on Women’s Education In the U.S. and What it Means for India

This research investigates the impact of Title IX on women’s education in the U.S. and how a comparable policy in India could improve women’s education in India. The existing education policies in the U.S. and India were thoroughly reviewed to understand the impact of Title IX on female education over the past 40 years and to recognize gaps in Indian policy. Data from the U.S. Census Bureau, NSF through WebCASPAR and the India Ministry of Human Resource Development was reviewed through descriptive analysis. Different variables from primary, secondary and tertiary education were examined. It was determined that Title IX improved the outcomes for nearly all the markers for female education within the U.S. Thus, the research concluded that despite differences between the educational frameworks of both countries, a form of Title IX policy in India would be beneficial in reducing the gender inequality present in the education system.
An Analytic Expression for the Tritium Burnup Fraction in Burning-Plasma Devices

The tritium burnup fraction fburnup can strongly affect the design of a fusion reactor since it influences the size of the tritium reprocessing plant, the on-site tritium inventory, and hence, the ...
A MODIFIED HYSTERESIS RELATIVE PERMEABILITY INCLUDING A GAS REMOBILIZATION THRESHOLD FOR BETTER PRODUCTION FORECASTS OF GAS STORAGES

The natural gas storage in deep aquifers is extensively used worldwide to meet gas demand. The storage reservoirs are subjected to annual gas cycling (gas injection in summer and gas withdrawal in winter) but recent years have seen the development of multi-cycling to optimize the value of the stored gas. These working conditions have stressed the need to improve the pressure history matching of the numerical models, especially at the end of the gas withdrawal period, which is critical to evaluate the gas storage deliverability. It is observed that the simulated pressure tends to systematically overestimate the measured pressure independent of the gas storage site considered. This systematic behavior suggests that the origin of this mismatch is due to one of the constitutive laws implemented in the model rather than inadequate parameters. In the first part of the paper, the hysteresis relative permeability formalism is identified as the main error driver of the above mentioned mismatch. Using the standard formalism of hysteresis relative permeability curves (Carlson type), the mobilization of the trapped gas by depletion is effective once the reservoir pressure decreases during the withdrawal period. Using the modified formalism, anchored on core experiment observations, which established the existence of a gas saturation threshold above the residual one to reconnect the gas phase, the gas transfer from the periphery to the center is delayed thus reducing the pressure support. The second part is dedicated to the implementation of the new formalism of gas-water relative permeabilities and the significant improvement of the history matching which was obtained for several aquifer gas storage sites. The main conclusion of this study is that the constitutive laws introduced in our simulators (that may differ according to the recovery process, the displacement mode) is a key step to set up the most relevant forward modeling and increase the quality of the history matching process.
Acid-Base Changes Following Urinary Tract Reconstruction for Continent diversion and Orthotopic Bladder replacement

AbstractA prospective determination of serum electrolytes, arterial blood gases, urinalysis and urine cultures was done in 31 patients who underwent a successful continent urinary reservoir or orthotopic bladder replacement. The patients who underwent reconstruction with a long detubularized intestinal segment (group 1—50cm. long) demonstrated the greatest tendency for metabolic hyperchloremic acidosis (35.2%). In group 2 (patients with an orthotopic bladder replacement) only 1 individual (16.7%) had hyperchloremia, which proved to be the sole metabolic derangement encountered. In group 3 (individuals with a continent gastroileac reservoir) 2 patients (25%) had a slight tendency for compensated and asymptomatic alkalosis. Urinalyses and urine cultures in groups 1 and 2 demonstrated a trend toward urine alkalinity (52.1%) and asymptomatic bacteriuria (74%), respectively. On the contrary, among the patients undergoing a gastroileac reservoir (group 3), mild urinary acidity (pH between 5 and 6) was demonstra...
Dynamic and Static Defects

Hitherto we have been dealing with the dynamics of perfect alkali halide crystals. We have therefore been able to exploit to the full the lattice periodicity in order to reduce the direct-space force- constant matrix for the whole crystal to a set of independent 6x6 matrices whose eigenvalues give the squares of the normal-mode frequencies. If there is a single impurity present in the lattice, the periodicity is destroyed. It is then necessary, in principle, to return to the full set of direct-space equations of motion and attempt to solve these. In general, this is an intractable problem. However, certain theoretical techniques have been developed in order to circumvent this difficulty. These techniques are based on the fact that a complete solution is not necessary in order to compute experimentally measurable quantities.
A mixed valence Cu(I)/Cu(II) chain compound: crystal structure of 1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecanecopper(II) tribromocuprate(I)

The essentially anaerobic reaction of CuBr2 and 14ane-N4 in water/acetone solvent (14ane-N4 = 1,4,8,11-tetraazacyclotetradecane) yields a mixed valence Cu(I)/Cu(II) compound. The compound is orthorhombic, space group Pcnn, with a = 23.6310(1) A, b = 23.6429(2) A, c = 12.4537(1) A and V = 6957.95(9) A3 with Z = 16, for ρcalc = 2.349 g/cc. Refinement of a twinned crystal with 8,504 unique reflections yielded final values of R1 = 0.0725 (|F| > 2σ) and w R2 = 0.114 and a goodness of fit of 1.448. The compound contains chains of Cu(14ane-N4)2+ cations and CuBr3 2− anions, which are linked together by long semicoordinate Cu(II)···Br bonds. The chains run perpendicular to the c axis and are arranged in layers in which the chains alternately run parallel to the (1 1 0) and to the (1 −1 0) crystal directions. The Cu(II) ion is coordinated by the tetradentate macrocycle to yield an approximate square planar coordination. The CuBr3 2− anions have a nearly trigonal planar with Cu–;Br(ave) = 2.38(1) A.
Implications of Lymph Node Evaluation in the Management of Resectable Soft Tissue Sarcoma

The rate of lymph node (LN) metastasis is rare in soft tissue sarcoma, but there are histologic subtypes that metastasize via the lymphatics. The prognostic value of LN evaluation in these high-risk histologies is unknown. Resected soft-tissue sarcoma patients with clear cell sarcoma, epithelioid sarcoma, rhabdomyosarcoma, or angiosarcoma (n = 2993) were identified in the National Cancer Data Base (2004–2013). Cox regression evaluated the association of omission of LN assessment (NX) and overall survival (OS). Subjects who underwent surgical resection with or without regional LN evaluation were matched (1:1) by propensity scores based on the likelihood of NX or survival hazard on Cox modeling. OS was compared by Kaplan–Meier estimates. A total of 637 (21.3%) underwent LN evaluation and 176 (5.9%) were found to have nodal metastasis. Omission of nodal evaluation was significantly associated with risk of death (reference: N0; N+: hazard ratio [HR] 1.46, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.11–1.91; NX: OR 1.18, 95% CI 1.00–1.40). After propensity score matching, there was a significant difference in median OS following pathologic identification of nodal disease for epithelioid sarcoma (N0: not reached vs. N+: 55.9 months vs. NX: not reached, p = 0.001) and clear cell sarcoma (N0: not reached vs. N+: 20.0 months vs. NX: 95.0 months, p < 0.001). These data support more standardized approaches to regional lymph node examination for patients with epithelioid and possibly clear cell sarcoma and provide compelling evidence that nodal evaluation can be considered a quality measure in the delivery of cancer care for certain sarcoma subtypes.
Abstract 531: Tie-2/Cre--Mediated Conditional Deletion of Lipid Phosphate Phosphatase-3 Reveals Its Role in Endothelial Cell Apoptosis

Rationale: A recent genome-wide association study (GWAS) has linked a frequently occurring variation in the LPP3 (also known as PPAP2b) loci to increased risk of coronary heart disease (CAD). However, the in vivo function of LPP3 in vascular endothelial cell is incompletely understood. Goal: To address the endothelial cell (EC) specific function of Lpp3 in mice. Results: Tie-2/Cre mediated Lpp3 deletion did not affect normal vasculogenesis in early embryonic development, in contrast, in late embryonic stages it led to impaired angiogenesis associated with hemorrhage, edema and late embryonic lethal phenotype. Immunohistochemical staining followed by microscopic analyses of mutant embryos revealed reduced fibronectin and VE-cadherin expression throughout different vascular bed, and increased apoptosis in CD31+ vascular structures. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) showed the presence of apoptotic endothelial cells and disruption of adherens junctions in mutant embryos. LPP3-knockdown in vitro showed an increase in p53 and p21 protein levels, with concomitant decrease in cell proliferation. LPP3-knockdown also decreased transendothelial electrical resistance (TER), interestingly re-expression of s-catenin cDNA into LPP3-depleted endothelial cells partially restored the effect of loss of LPP3. Conclusion: These results suggest the ability of LPP3 to regulate survival and apoptotic activities of endothelial cells during patho/physiological angiogenesis.
Integrative Holistic Medicine in PM&R

After years of teaching, research and advocating for the concept of integrating “complementary alternative medicine” with mainstream western medicine, I am excited to finally see the turning of US health care model towards, “patient-centered”, “whole health”, “life style modification”, and “integrative holistic medicine (IHM)”. This change is achieved through efforts of countless physicians and healthcare leaders in striving for a better US health care system. In the process, the cry-out of patients who are not satisfied with pills, needles or cuts and wish for better overall health, function and quality of life, also has become an indomitable force in bringing about the change. More excitingly, this year at residents’ interview, we had more candidates than ever before asking about opportunities of alternative medicine education and research!
A state of the science on influential factors related to sun protective behaviors to prevent skin cancer in adults

Skin cancer rates have risen over the past decades, making it imperative that adults understand the need for protection from sun exposure. Though some risk factors have been identified as predictive for skin cancers, there is a lack of synthesized information about factors that influence adults in their decisions to engage in sun protective behaviors. The purpose of this paper is to present the current state of the science on influential factors for sun protective behaviors in the general adult population. A rigorous literature search inclusive of a generally White, Caucasian, and non-Hispanic adult population was performed, and screening yielded 18 quantitative studies for inclusion in this review. Findings indicate that modifiable and non-modifiable factors are interdependent and play a role in sun protective behaviors. This study resulted in a proposed conceptual model for affecting behavioral change in sun protection including the following factors: personal characteristics, cognitive factors, family dynamics, and social/peer group influences. These factors are introduced to propose tailored nursing interventions that would change current sun protective behavior practice. Key implications for nursing research and practice focus on feasibility of annual skin cancer screening facilitated by advanced practice nurses, incorporating the identified influential factors to reduce skin cancer risk and unnecessary sun exposure.
The Evolving Nature and Process of Foster Family Communication: An Application and Adaptation of the Family Adoption Communication Model

In the current article I call for a better understanding of the process and evolution of foster family communication across the life span. First, I expose the communicative complexities of foster families. Second, I illuminate the importance of communication openness and birth family contact in both adoptive and foster family contexts. Third, through an application of the family adoption communication (FAC) model, I propose a framework for understanding how the process of foster family communication may evolve (i.e., foster family communication model). Last, I set forth directions for future research on foster family communication.
Keep your eye on the target .

This paper provides a historical perspective on the origin and development of Target Theory and how its central concepts have influenced the thought processes of radiation biologists for almost a century.
Radiation dose to the thoracic vertebral bodies and impact on hematologic toxicity in patients receiving concurrent chemoradiation for esophageal cancer.

105Background: Concurrent chemotherapy and radiation (CRT) for the treatment of esophageal cancer (EC) is associated with acute hematologic toxicity (HT). There are few data evaluating the relation...
SERVO SYSTEM FOR CARDIAC MECHANICS EXPERIMENTS

ABSTRACT A servo system was developed in our laboratory for a wide variety of cardiac mechanics experiments in dogs. The system consists of a linear-motion servo motor with a cylinder-piston arrangement designed to displace volumes as large as the cardiac stroke volume through a large bore cannula (1/2″ i.d.). The cannula is inserted through the apex of the left ventricle of an open-chested anesthetized dog. The pressure inside the ventricle is monitored continuously by a high fidelity pressure transducer. This pressure signal is used to control the motion of the piston and hence determines the amount of fluid withdrawn from and returned to the ventricle. In order to eliminate physiological feedback mechanisms, which may alter the heart condition and function, the experiments are performed on a single beat basis with intervening rest periods that enable significant parameters to return to their control values. Currently, this system is used to simulate the added compliance that an extensible aneurysm imposes on the ventricle. Parameters such as the fall in peak pressure and dP/dt are measured as a function of the size of the simulated infarct. Since this system can be electronically programmed to impose any loading conditions on the ventricle, experiments in which isolated heart preparations have been traditionally used can be done now without actually removing the heart from the dog's chest. With this method it is therefore possible to study the cardiac function of a single animal over several dates.
THE STUDY OF SUSTAINED COLONIALISM: AN EXAMPLE FROM THE KASHAYA POMO HOMELAND IN NORTHERN CALIFORNIA

This article advocates for archaeological investigation of sustained colonialism that examines the implications of Native American negotiations with multiple waves of foreigners over the course of many decades, if not centuries. The study of native confrontations with successive groups of intruders, who often represented a diverse range of colonial programs and interests, involves analyses of not only indigenous encounters with first-wave colonists but also their entanglements with later colonists, particularly settler colonists. This will provide the necessary diachronic approach to consider the cumulative effects and implications of multiple colonial intrusions on specific tribes and how tribal negotiations with earlier colonial enterprises may have influenced and shaped their responses to later settler colonists. This article presents a case study of one such approach for the study of sustained colonialism that examines native entanglements with mercantile and settler colonists in northern California.
The Cost Effectiveness of Partially Effective HIV Vaccines

Development of a vaccine remains the best hope for curtailing the worldwide pandemic caused by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection. Due to the complex biology of HIV infection, there is increasing concern that an HIV vaccine may provide incomplete protection from infection. In addition to reducing susceptibility to disease, an HIV vaccine may also prolong life in people who acquire HIV despite vaccination, and may reduce HIV transmission. We evaluated how varying degrees of vaccine efficacy for susceptibility, progression of disease, and infectivity influence the costs and benefits of a vaccine program in a population of men who have sex with men, We found that the health benefits, and thus cost effectiveness, of HIV vaccines were strikingly dependent on each of the types of vaccine efficacy. We also found that vaccines with even modest efficacy provided substantial health benefits and were cost effective or cost saving. Although development of an HIV vaccine has been extremely difficult, even a partially effective HIV vaccine could dramatically change the course of the HIV epidemic.
A Rapid (4-6-hour) Urine-culture System for Direct Identification and Direct Antimicrobial Susceptibility Testing

This study evaluates a new direct rapid system for urine cultures, including detection and quantitation of positive specimens by Gram stain, direct identification by 4--6-hour incubation of sediment with reagent strips, and antibiotic susceptibility testing by direct (3--4-hour) disk-elution methods. Of 987 routine urine specimens, 121 had significant (less than or equal to 10(5) colony-forming units/ml) gram-negative bacilluria, of which 89% were detected by the Gram stain. Direct rapid identification was correct in 94%. Results of direct disk-elution antimicrobial tests showed overall agreement with results of standard disk diffusion of 93% of tests, and major discrepancies in 4%. For urine specimens with gram-negative bacilluria, this system permitted detection, quantitation, identification, and antimicrobial susceptibility testing in four to six hours with reasonable, though not complete, accuracy.
A Direct and Indirect Approach to Shape Optimization Using the Boundary Element Method

The positive and negative aspects of using the boundary integral method for shape optimization are reviewed. Aspects such as shape representation, geometric compatibility and ease of coupling the analysis and optimization modules are discussed. Two fundamentally different approaches to shape optimization with the boundary integral method are presented. The first approach involves a conventional coupling between a nonlinear programming code and a BEM code. The geometric representation is based on B-spline functions. The second approach involves a formulation of the shape optimization problem as a variational statement. Examples of both approaches are presented considering two-dimensional applications. Extensions to other problem classes are discussed.
Web Exclusive. Annals On Call - Hypertension Limbo.

In this episode of Annals On Call, Dr. Centor discusses ACP/AAFP and ACC/AHA recommendations for the care of patients with hypertension with Dr. Devan Kansagara, a co-author of the American College...
Improving The Adhesion Between Silver Nanowire Transparent Electrode and PET Film Using a Crosslinkable Polymer

Silver nanowires, carbon nanotubes and graphenes have found applications for flexible electronics. The adhesion and the patterning of those materials on polymer substrates have been a challenge. This paper reports a novel approach for the improvement of the adhesion between silver nanowires and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) film by using a thermally crosslinkable polymer. The technique was found very efficient in improving the adhesion between silver nanowires and PET substrates.
Non-lethal sampling of avian indicators reveals reliable geographic signals of mercury despite highly dynamic patterns of exposure in a large wetland.

Abstract Mercury is a global contaminant with special relevance for aquatic food webs, where biomagnification can result in strong effects on apex predators. Non-lethal sampling of tissues such as blood and feathers is often used to assess mercury risk and spatiotemporal variability of mercury exposure on avian populations. However, the assumption that samples from individuals within a population are representative of local mercury exposure underpins those approaches. While this assumption may be justified, it is rarely expressed quantitatively. Further, the stability of the tissue/exposure relationship over time or space may depend on the sampling medium used, since some tissues and age classes may be better at reflecting local or short-term changes in exposure. Here, we present analyses of mercury concentrations from three tissues (albumen, blood and feathers) of the same individual great egret (Ardea alba) nestlings from breeding colonies in the Florida Everglades collected over three consecutive years. The interaction of year and colony location explained at least 50% of the observed variation in mercury concentration in all the sampled tissues. Annual colony-wide average Hg concentrations in any of the sampled tissues correlated with average Hg concentrations in the other two tissues from the same colony (R2 > 0.53 in every case), while concentrations in albumen, blood and feathers from the same individual correlated poorly (R2
Feminist Theory: A Research Agenda for HRD:

The ProblemLimited research representing the field of human resource development (HRD) has challenged the masculine rationality in organizational culture, processes, and discourse; questioned power...
Measuring delightful customer experiences: The validation and testing of a customer delight scale along with its antecedents and effects

Abstract The construct of customer delight has captured the attention of scholars and managers alike. Nevertheless, its definition and measurement vary across scholarly literature and several quantitative scales were developed before extensive qualitative research on customer delight, which provided further clarification on the nature of this construct, was even conducted. Consequently, the present research draws upon the conceptual and qualitative work in the field to validate a survey instrument in order to measure customer delight. The authors collected data in four major service industries—hotel, restaurant, retail, and theme park. Following the five-stage scale development and validation approach, the researchers then refined a customer delight scale. The scale was found to have appropriate levels of validity and reliability. Finally, the authors proposed and tested the antecedents and consequences of customer delight using structural equation modelling. The proposed scale allows managers to measure the incidence of customer delight in their organizations.
Inclusion in the American Military: A Force for Diversity edited by David E. Rohall, Morten G. Ender and Michael D. Matthews

Review of: Inclusion in the American Military: A Force for Diversity edited by David E. Rohall, Morten G. Ender and Michael D. Matthews. Lanham, MD: Lexington Books, 2017 (230 pages; cloth).
An Experimental Investigation of Victim Blaming in Sexual Assault: The Roles of Victim Sexual Orientation, Coercion Type, and Stereotypes About Bisexual Women:

Bisexual women are more likely to be sexually assaulted and to receive negative reactions to disclosures of sexual assault than heterosexual and lesbian women. However, few studies have examined th...
Thoracic Spine Fracture in the Panscan Era

Study objective In the current era of frequent chest computed tomography (CT) for adult blunt trauma evaluation, many minor injuries are diagnosed, potentially rendering traditional teachings obsolete. We seek to update teachings in regard to thoracic spine fracture by determining how often such fractures are observed on CT only (ie, not visualized on preceding trauma chest radiograph), the admission rate, mortality, and hospital length of stay of thoracic spine fracture patients, and how often thoracic spine fractures are clinically significant. Methods This was a preplanned analysis of prospectively collected data from the NEXUS Chest CT study conducted from 2011 to 2014 at 9 Level I trauma centers. The inclusion criteria were older than 14 years, blunt trauma occurring within 6 hours of emergency department (ED) presentation, and chest imaging (radiography, CT, or both) during ED evaluation. Results Of 11,477 enrolled subjects, 217 (1.9%) had a thoracic spine fracture; 181 of the 198 thoracic spine fracture patients (91.4%) who had both chest radiograph and CT had their thoracic spine fracture observed on CT only. Half of patients (49.8%) had more than 1 level of thoracic spine fracture, with a mean of 2.1 levels (SD 1.6 levels) of thoracic spine involved. Most patients (62%) had associated thoracic injuries. Compared with patients without thoracic spine fracture, those with it had higher admission rates (88.5% versus 47.2%; difference 41.3%; 95% confidence interval 36.3% to 45%), higher mortality (6.3% versus 4.0%; difference 2.3%; 95% confidence interval 0 to 6.7%), and longer length of stay (median 9 versus 6 days; difference 3 days; P Conclusion Thoracic spine fracture is uncommon. Most thoracic spine fractures are associated with other thoracic injuries, and mortality is more closely related to these other injuries than to the thoracic spine fracture itself. More than half of thoracic spine fractures are clinically insignificant; surgical intervention is uncommon and neurologic injury is rare.
Granulocyte Colony-Stimulating Factor Induction of Normal Human Bone Marrow Progenitors Results in Neutrophil-Specific Gene Expression

We have used a combination of hematopoietic growth factors to induce in vitro granulocytic maturation. A fraction of marrow cells enriched for hematopoietic progenitor cells (CD34+, HLA-DR+) was isolated from normal human bone marrow by monoclonal antibody staining and fluorescence-activated cell sorting. Cells were cultured in a suspension system for 3 days in the presence of stem cell factor and interleukin-3 (IL-3), after which granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) was added. Cells were harvested daily and analyzed for phenotypic maturation by morphologic criteria, and total RNA was obtained for analysis of myeloid gene expression. Maturation was observed to progress to the late metamyelocyte and band stage over a period of 10 to 12 days. Neutrophil-specific gene expression was assayed by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Induction with G-CSF resulted in sequential expression of primary and secondary granule proteins, with asynchronous expression of primary granule proteins starting from days 1 to 5, and synchronous expression of lactoferrin and transcobalamin I (secondary granule proteins) from days 7 to 8. Interestingly, myeloperoxidase (MPO) mRNA expression was easily detected in both the freshly isolated CD34+, HLA-DR+ cells and cells at all subsequent stages of induction. This suggests that MPO mRNA is expressed very early during neutrophil development, perhaps before the development of significant numbers of phenotypically recognizable granules. This recapitulation of a program of sequential expression of primary and secondary granule protein genes suggests that in vitro marrow culture suspensions to which appropriate growth factors are added can mimic normal granulocytic maturation. This system should provide an important model for the study of neutrophil-specific gene expression.
Psychometrics of family empowerment scale scores for caregivers of youth transitioning from therapeutic residential care

The Family Empowerment Scale (FES) is one of the most widely used measures for assessing the empowerment of caregivers of youth with emotional difficulties. The purpose of this study was to examine...
Household Energy from the Sun

The part played by energy in the household (heating of water, home airconditioning, cooking, lighting, and refrigeration) comprises about 25% of the energy load in industrialized countries like the U.S. It would therefore be very worthwhile to get this energy directly from the sun by collecting it on rooftops, at least in the sunnier parts of the world. A pioneer in this field is seen in Figure 11.1.
Statistical Assessment of Factor of Safety for Pile-Reinforced Slopes

AbstractStatistical design of experiments was combined with coupled and uncoupled pile-reinforced slope stability analyses to draw conclusions about the factor of safety (FS) sensitivity to pile-re...
Tailoring the surface properties of porous zeolite constructs using plasma processing

Abstract Zeolites are widely used in adsorption, catalysis, and gas separations; however, the relative effectiveness of these applications is inherently impacted by material surface properties. Plasma modification presents an ideal methodology to address these issues, as it has an extensive parameter range and the potential to create tailored surface functionalities. Here, zeolite modification via plasma processing was investigated, along with the fabrication of different zeolite constructs (i.e., native zeolites, pellets and electrospun fibers). Water contact angle goniometry was employed to evaluate surface wettability, noting that untreated zeolites are nominally hydrophilic. We explored the use of fluorocarbon and H2O(v) inductively coupled plasmas to tune the resulting wettability of microporous NaX zeolites over a range of operating conditions. Specifically, after C3F8 plasma exposure, contact angles ranging from 123.9 to 138.2° were measured, depending on plasma treatment parameters. Formation of a fluorocarbon film was verified via X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy analyses. C2F6 and H2O(v) plasma exposure increased water absorption rates, as a consequence of surface etching and functionalization, respectively. Optical emission spectroscopy was used to probe gas-phase species, gleaning how the material intrinsically changes the plasma environment. Our studies revealed correlations between gas-phase spectroscopic analyses, the gas-surface interface, and the resulting plasma modified surface properties, ultimately leading to improved plasma processes.
Multimodal Assessment of Cerebral Autoregulation and Autonomic Function After Pediatric Cerebral Arteriovenous Malformation Rupture.

Management after cerebral arteriovenous malformation (AVM) rupture aims toward preventing hemorrhagic expansion while maintaining cerebral perfusion to avoid secondary injury. We investigated associations of model-based indices of cerebral autoregulation (CA) and autonomic function (AF) with outcomes after pediatric cerebral AVM rupture. Multimodal neurologic monitoring data from the initial 3 days after cerebral AVM rupture were retrospectively analyzed in children (< 18 years). AF indices included standard deviation of heart rate (HRsd), root-mean-square of successive differences in heart rate (HRrmssd), low–high frequency ratio (LHF), and baroreflex sensitivity (BRS). CA indices include pressure reactivity index (PRx), wavelet pressure reactivity indices (wPRx and wPRx-thr), pulse amplitude index (PAx), and correlation coefficient between intracranial pressure pulse amplitude and cerebral perfusion pressure (RAC). Percent time of cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP) below lower limits of autoregulation (LLA) was also computed for each CA index. Primary outcomes were determined using Pediatric Glasgow Outcome Score Extended-Pediatrics (GOSE-PEDs) at 12 months and acquired epilepsy. Association of biomarkers with outcomes was investigated using linear regression, Wilcoxon signed-rank, or Chi-square. Fourteen children were analyzed. Lower AF indices were associated with poor outcomes (BRS [p = 0.04], HRsd [p = 0.04], and HRrmssd [p = 0.00]; and acquired epilepsy (LHF [p = 0.027]). Higher CA indices were associated with poor outcomes (PRx [p = 0.00], wPRx [p = 0.00], and wPRx-thr [p = 0.01]), and acquired epilepsy (PRx [p = 0.02] and wPRx [p = 0.00]). Increased time below LLA was associated with poor outcome (percent time below LLA based on PRx [p = 0.00], PAx [p = 0.04], wPRx-thr [p = 0.03], and RAC [p = 0.01]; and acquired epilepsy (PRx [p = 0.00], PAx [p = 0.00], wPRx-thr [p = 0.03], and RAC [p = 0.01]). After pediatric cerebral AVM rupture, poor outcomes are associated with AF and CA when applying various neurophysiologic model-based indices. Prospective work is needed to assess these indices of CA and AF in clinical decision support.
Research Note: Phytobiotics modulate the expression profile of circulating inflammasome and cyto(chemo)kine in whole blood of broilers exposed to cyclic heat stress

Heat stress (HS) is a critical concern to the poultry industry as it affects both productivity and well-being. Various managerial and nutritional strategies have been proposed to mitigate the negative effects of HS in chickens, with plant-based additives showing promise. Recently, we reported the positive effect of a phytogenic feed additive (PFA) on growth performance in HS birds. Owing to the antioxidant nature of these compounds, we sought to further explore the effect of PFA on whole blood circulating chemokines, cytokines, and inflammasomes in HS broilers. Broilers (600 males, 1 d) were randomly assigned to 12 environmental chambers, subjected to 2 environmental conditions (12 h cyclic heat stress, HS, 35°C vs. thermoneutral condition [TN], 24°C) and fed 3 diets (control, PFA-C 250 ppm, PFA-C 400 ppm) in a 2 × 3 factorial design. After 21 d of cyclic HS, blood samples were collected for target gene expression analysis. HS upregulated the expression of superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1) and downregulated glutathione peroxidase-3 (GPX-3), and there was diet × temperature interaction for SOD2, GPX-1, and GPX-3, where gene expression was increased by PFA-C250 during HS but was unchanged for PFA-C400. Plasma total antioxidant capacity (TAC) and malondialdehyde (MDA) content were increased by HS. Gene expression of interleukin-18 (IL-18) was decreased by HS, without further effect of PFA. HS increased tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα), but this effect was mitigated by PFA-C400. C-C motif chemokine ligands 4 and 20 (CCL4 and CCL20) showed a similar pattern to TNFα, with PFA-C400 ameliorating the negative effect of HS. The nucleotide-binding, leucine-rich repeat and pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome was decreased by HS and further lowered by PFA-C400, but the nucleotide-binding oligomerization domain, leucine-rich repeat, and CARD domain containing 3 (NLRC3) and nucleotide-binding, leucine-rich repeat containing X1 (NLRX1) inflammasomes were increased by PFA under TN conditions, with no effects of HS. Heat shock proteins (HSP) and heat shock factors (HSF) were unaffected by PFA or HS. Together these data indicate that gene expression of circulating inflammatory factors are dysregulated during HS, and supplemental dietary PFA may be protective.