cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Developing An Analytic Approach to Understanding the Patient Care Experience

The amount of data available to health-care institutions regarding the patient care experience has grown tremendously. Purposeful approaches to condensing, interpreting, and disseminating these data are becoming necessary to further understand how clinical and operational constructs relate to patient satisfaction with their care, identify areas for improvement, and accurately measure the impact of initiatives designed to improve the patient experience. We set out to develop an analytic reporting tool deeply rooted in the patient voice that would compile patient experience data obtained throughout the medical center.
An exploratory clinical trial of bortezomib in patients with lower risk myelodysplastic syndromes.

Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDSs) are characterized by ineffective hematopoiesis and an increased risk of transformation. Few effective therapies are available for lower risk MDS patients, especially after the failure of hypomethylating agents. MDS progenitor cells are dependent on the nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) for survival, which makes it an attractive therapeutic target. As a proteosomal inhibitor, bortezomib is thought to have inhibitory activity against NF-κB. We designed a proof-of-principle study of subcutaneous (SC) bortezomib in lower risk MDS patients with evidence of NF-κB activation in their bone marrow. Fifteen patients were treated, their median age was 71 (range 56-87), 33% were low and 67% int-1 by IPSS, median number of prior therapies was 2, all patients were transfusion dependent. Baseline median pp65 percentage was 31% and 11 patients had evidence of ring sideroblasts (RS). SC bortezomib was safe, well tolerated with no excess toxicity. Three patients out of the 15 (20%) had evidence of response with hematologic improvement (HI-E). Bortezomib caused a decrease in pp65 levels in 7 out of 13 evaluable patients (54%, P = .025). Of interest, unexpectedly, we observed a significant decrease in RS in 7 out of 10 (70%) evaluable patients during treatment. In conclusion, this study suggests that NF-κB activation, measured by pp65 levels, may be a useful biomarker in MDS. Bortezomib is safe in this patient population but has modest clinical activity. The role of the proteasome in the genesis of RS needs further study.
Field Robots for the Next Century

Abstract This paper takes a broad look at the evolution of Field Robotic Technology, beginning with the need to develop robotic systems for use in unstructured environments, their current performance niches, and their future opportunities to impact the world in constrution, subsea, space, nuclear, mining, and military applications. It concludes that the evolution of field robotic technology is inevitable: new robotic forms will emerge with the capability and the strategic competence to construct, maintain, and demolish, but the evolution of field robotics will not culminate in a single form. Rather, classes of robots will emerge for classes of work within classes of constraints.
Long-term outcomes and predictors of failure after surgery for stage IV apical pelvic organ prolapse.

The aim of this study was to compare outcomes after uterosacral ligament suspension (USLS) or sacrocolpopexy for symptomatic stage IV apical pelvic organ prolapse (POP) and evaluate predictors of prolapse recurrence. The medical records of patients managed surgically for stage IV apical POP from January 2002 to June 2012 were reviewed. A follow-up survey was sent to these patients. The primary outcome, prolapse recurrence, was defined as recurrence of prolapse symptoms measured by validated questionnaire or surgical retreatment. Survival time free of prolapse recurrence was estimated using the Kaplan–Meier method, and Cox proportional hazards models evaluated factors for an association with recurrence. Of 2633 women treated for POP, 399 (15.2%) had stage IV apical prolapse and were managed with either USLS (n = 355) or sacrocolpopexy (n = 44). Those managed with USLS were significantly older (p < 0.001) and less likely to have a prior hysterectomy (39.7 vs 86.4%; p < 0.001) or prior apical prolapse repair (8.2 38.6%; p < 0.001). Median follow-up was 4.3 years [interquartile range (IQR) 1.1–7.7]. Survival free of recurrence was similar between USLS and sacrocolpopexy (p = 0.43), with 5-year rates of 88.7 and 97.6%, respectively. Younger age [adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) 1.55, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.12–2.13; p = 0.008] and prior hysterectomy (aHR 2.8, 95% CI 1.39–5.64; p = 0.004) were associated with the risk of prolapse recurrence, whereas type of surgery approached statistical significance (aHR 2.76, 95% CI 0.80–9.60; p = 0.11). Younger age and history of prior hysterectomy were associated with an increased risk of recurrent prolapse symptoms. Notably, excellent survival free of prolapse recurrence were obtained with both surgical techniques.
Smart Grid Simulations and Their Supporting Implementation Methods

In this tutorial we present the state-of-the-art as well as new methods for simulating various planning, operation, stability, reliability, and economic models of electric power systems. The discussion is driven by both first-principle models and empirical models. First-principle models result from the fundamental physics and engineering principles that govern the behavior of various components of a grid. Empirical models, on the other hand, are models that result from statistics and data analysis. We overview a wide spectrum of applications starting from planning models with a time-scale of simulation in years to real-time models where the time-scale can be in the order of milliseconds. We present a list of simulation software popularly used by the power engineering research community across the world. The increasingly important roles of power electronics, communication and computing, model aggregation, hybrid simulation, faster-than-real-time simulation, and co-simulation in emulating the daily operation of a grid are enumerated. The importance of research testbeds for testing, verification and validation of complex grid models at various temporal and spatial scales is also highlighted. The overall goal is to provide a vision on how simulations and their supporting implementation methods can help us in understanding the evolving behavior of tomorrow’s power networks as a truly intelligent cyber-physical system.
High speed system level PDN analysis: Developing FPGA VCCR PDN specification to avoid transmitter phase noise

This paper is focused on high speed transceivers system level PDN modeling and analysis to avoid transmitter phase noise. Transmitter phases noise impacts output jitters and eventually falls into failing category for some high-speed protocols. A system level PDN specification is developed based on a good reference board design and all other customers and development kits are evaluated based on reference design.
A wireless shortwave near-field probe for monitoring structural integrity of dielectric composites and polymers

Abstract In this paper, a passive wireless sensor is presented for monitoring structural integrity of wind turbine blades manufactured using reinforced glass fibers. The sensor developed is an Inductor Capacitor (LC) based resonant tank that detects the defects in the near-field region. The sensor is designed such that, strong electric fields exist along the near-field region of the capacitor allowing detection of very small change in effective dielectric constant of the target. The sensitivity of the developed RF sensor is verified by shortwave imaging of the target. The designed sensor has multiple reuse capability and is used in the real-time monitoring of defects along the manufacturing supply chain. A path to two-dimensional simultaneous scanning of target is shown by demonstrating a multiple LC tank array probe. The details of single and array probes for detection of fiber defects are outlined in the paper.
The Glial Fibrillary Acidic Protein and Astrocytic 10-Nanometer Filaments

Cytoplasmic filaments of indefinite length and approximately 10 nm in diameter are present in many eucaryotic cells. They are called intermediate filaments (IFs) because they are intermediate in diameter between microtubules (20–26 nm) and actin microfilaments (5–6 nm). The IFs are major structural components of neural tissue, where they form bundles called neurofibrils and glial fibrils at the light microscopy level. Astroglial cells accumulate filaments as a basic reaction to injury (fibrous gliosis), and the same is true for neurons under certain pathological conditions including Alzheimer’s senile dementia (neurofibrillary tangles).
Efficient Verification with BDDs using Implicitly Conjoined Invariants

Many researchers have reported that using Boolean decision diagrams (BDDs) greatly increases the size of hardware designs that can be formally verified automatically. Our own experience with automatic verification of high-level aspects of hardware design, such as protocols for cache coherence and communications, contradicts previous results; in fact, BDDs have been substantially inferior to brute-force algorithms that store states explicitly in a table.
Colon, Rectal, and Anal Cancer Management

Adenomas are the most common neoplasms in the large bowel. They are classified into three types—tubular, tubulovillous, and villous—according to the histologic appearance. Tubular adenomas account for 75% of polyps found, tubulovillous adenomas account for 25%, and villous adenomas account for 10%. The malignancy rate of tubular adenomas is about 5%, but it rises to about 40% in villous adenomas. The entire colon should be examined if a histologically proven adenoma has been removed from the colon or is found on endoscopic biopsy. Endoscopic removal of polyps should be performed to confirm the diagnosis of a benign or malignant polyp.4 Polyps with a stalk can be removed by endoscopic snare polypectomy. Judgment must be used to assess the practicality of attempting endoscopic removal of sessile polyps, especially in the relatively thinwalled abdominal colon.
Improving functional re-endothelialization of acellular liver scaffold using REDV cell-binding domain

Abstract Engineering of functional vascularized liver tissues holds great promise in addressing donor organ shortage for transplantation. Whole organ decellularization is a cell removal method that retains the native vascular structures of the organ such that it can be anastomosed with the recipient circulation after recellularization with healthy cells. However, a main hurdle to successful implantation of bioengineered organ is the inability to efficiently re-endothelialize the vasculature with a functional endothelium, resulting in blood clotting which is the primary cause of failure in early transplant studies. Here, we present an efficient approach for enhancing re-endothelialization of decellularized rat liver scaffolds by conjugating the REDV cell-binding domain to improve attachment of endothelial cells (EC) on vascular wall surfaces. In order to facilitate expression and purification of the peptide, REDV was fused with elastin-like peptide (ELP) that confers thermally triggered aggregation behavior to the fusion protein. After validating the adhesive properties of the REDV-ELP peptide, we covalently coupled REDV-ELP to the blood vasculature of decellularized rat livers and seeded EC using perfusion of the portal vein. We showed that REDV-ELP increased cell attachment, spreading and proliferation of EC within the construct resulting in uniform endothelial lining of the scaffold vasculature. We further observed that REDV-ELP conjugation dramatically reduced platelet adhesion and activation. Altogether, our results demonstrate that this method allowed functional re-endothelialization of liver scaffold and show great potential toward the generation of functional bioengineered liver for long-term transplantation. Statement of Significance There is a critical need for novel organ replacement therapies as the grafts for transplantation fall short of demand. Recent advances in tissue engineering, through the use of decellularized scaffolds, have opened the possibility that engineered grafts could be used as substitutes for donor livers. However, successful implantation has been challenged by the inability to create a functional vasculature. Our research study reports a new strategy to increase efficiency of endothelialization by increasing the affinity of the vascular matrix for endothelial cells. We functionalized decellularized liver scaffold using elastin-like peptides grafted with REDV cell binding domain. We showed that REDV-ELP conjugation improve endothelial cell attachment and proliferation within the scaffold, demonstrating the feasibility of re-endothelializing a whole liver vasculature using our technique.
Audiometric and cVEMP Thresholds Show Little Correlation With Symptoms in Superior Semicircular Canal Dehiscence Syndrome.

OBJECTIVE Evaluate the relationship between objective audiometric and vestibular tests and patient symptoms in superior canal dehiscence (SCD) syndrome. STUDY DESIGN Retrospective chart review. SETTING Tertiary care center. PATIENTS Ninety-eight patients with SCD, preoperative threshold audiograms, cervical vestibular evoked myogenic potential (cVEMP) thresholds, and computed tomography (CT) imaging were included. Clinical reports were reviewed for self-reported SCD symptoms. Twenty-five patients completed the Hearing Handicap Inventory (HHI), Dizziness Handicap Inventory (DHI), Autophony Index (AI), and the 36-item Short Form Survey (SF-36). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Correlations between preoperative low-frequency air-bone gap (ABG), cVEMP thresholds, and symptoms (including HHI, DHI, AI, and SF-36). Symptoms included hearing loss, aural fullness, autophony, hyperacusis, tinnitus, vertigo, imbalance and sound-, pressure and exercise provoked dizziness. Secondary outcome measure: Correlations between changes of objective and subjective measures before and after surgery. RESULTS Patients who reported hearing loss had larger ABGs at 250 Hz than patients without subjective hearing loss (p = 0.001). ABGs and cVEMP thresholds did not correlate with any other symptom. No significant correlation was found between ABG or cVEMP threshold and the HHI, DHI, AI or Health Utility Value (derived from the SF-36 quality of life score). Following SCD surgery, ABG decreased (p < 0.001), cVEMP thresholds increased (p < 0.001) and overall symptoms, handicap scores and quality-of-life improved; however, there was no significant relationship between these measures. CONCLUSION While threshold audiometry and cVEMP are important tools to diagnose SCD and monitor surgical outcomes, these measures showed no significant correlation with vestibular and most auditory symptoms or their severity.
Inclusion of LGBTQ persons in research related to pregnancy risk: a cognitive interview study.

Introduction Recently, researchers have begun considering whether and how to include lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) people in research about abortion and contraception care. Including LGBTQ people in research about abortion and contraception care, as well as the risk for unintended pregnancy more broadly, requires accurate assessment of risk for unintended pregnancy, which involves different considerations for LGBTQ people. Methods We created a survey with existing sexual orientation and gender identity measures, new reproductive anatomy questions to guide skip patterns, gender neutral terminology in sexual and behavioural risk questions, and existing contraception and pregnancy intentions questions that were modified to be gender neutral. We then assessed the appropriateness of these measures through cognitive interviews with 39 individuals aged 18–44 years who were assigned female at birth and identified as LGBTQ. Participants were recruited in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, Baltimore, Maryland and other cities. Results Existing demographic questions on sexual orientation and gender identity were well received by participants and validating of participant reported identities. Participants responded positively to new reproductive anatomy questions and to gender neutral terminology in sexual behaviour and pregnancy risk questions. They felt skip patterns appropriately removed them out of inappropriate items (eg, use of contraception to avoid unintended pregnancy); there was some question about whether pregnancy intention measures were widely appropriate or should be further restricted. Conclusions This study provides guidance on ways to appropriately evaluate inclusion of LGBTQ people in abortion and contraception research.
Context‐dependent interactions between pathogens and a mutualist affect pathogen fitness and mutualist benefits to hosts

Plants and animals host many microbial symbionts, including both pathogens and mutualists. However, most experimental studies include only one symbiont, and few examine interactions of more than two microbes with their host. Here, we examined whether coinfection with two pathogens causes a synergistic reduction in the benefits that hosts receive from a microbial mutualist. We also measured the effects of a microbial mutualist on the within- and between-host competition between coinfecting pathogens. We manipulated the presence of Clover yellow vein virus (ClYVV), Bean common mosaic virus (BCMV), rhizobia bacteria, and nitrogen fertilizer in common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris). We found asymmetric, context-dependent interactions among the three microbial symbionts and their host. Coinfection with both viruses led to greater than additive negative effects on the amount of nitrogen that plants received from rhizobia. Rhizobia colonization decreased immune signaling in singly infected plants, but not in coinfected plants. Compared to single ClYVV infection, ClYVV reached higher concentrations within hosts coinfected with BCMV, but only in the presence of rhizobia. Coinfection increased BCMV vertical transmission rates for plants without supplemental nitrogen, but overall vertical transmission opportunities were not affected due to reduced seed production. Examining interactions between multiple microbes sharing a host can reveal important insights about nutrient cycling, disease severity, and pathogen epidemiology.
Infrastructures of displacement: the transpacific travel of urban renewal during the Cold War

By examining South Korea’s urban renewal regime in the 1960s, this paper sheds light on hitherto underexplored transpacific connections in the history of urban renewal. The period in question is cr...
Ultrasound in medical education: listening to the echoes of the past to shape a vision for the future

Ultrasound in medical education has seen a tremendous growth over the last 10–20 years but ultrasound technology has been around for hundreds of years and sound has an even longer scientific history. The development of using sound and ultrasound to understand our body and our surroundings has been a rich part of human history. From the development of materials to produce piezoelectric conductors, ultrasound has been used and improved in many industries and medical specialties. As diagnostic medical ultrasound has improved its resolution and become more portable, various specialties from radiology, cardiology, obstetrics and more recently emergency, critical care and proceduralists have found the added benefits of using ultrasound to safely help patients. The past advancements in technology have established the scaffold for the possibilities of diagnostic ultrasound’s use in the present and future. A few medical educators have integrated ultrasound into medical school while a wealth of content exists online for learning ultrasound. Twenty-first century learners prefer blended learning where material can be reviewed online and personalize the education on their own time frame. This material combined with hands-on experience and mentorship can be used to develop learners’ aptitude in ultrasound. As educators embrace this ultrasound technology and integrate it throughout the medical education journey, collaboration across specialties will synthesize a clear path forward when needs and resources are paired with vision and a strategic plan.
Concrete Crack Pixel Classification Using an Encoder Decoder Based Deep Learning Architecture

Civil infrastructure inspection in hazardous areas such as underwater beams, bridge decks, etc., is a perilous task. In addition, other factors like labor intensity, time, etc. influence the inspection of infrastructures. Recent studies [11] represent that, an autonomous inspection of civil infrastructure can eradicate most of the problems stemming from manual inspection. In this paper, we address the problem of detecting cracks in the concrete surface. Most of the recent crack detection techniques use deep architecture. However, finding the exact location of crack efficiently has been a difficult problem recently. Therefore, a deep architecture is proposed in this paper, to identify the exact location of cracks. Our architecture labels each pixel as crack or non-crack, which eliminates the need for using any existing post-processing techniques in the current literature [5, 11]. Moreover, acquiring enough data for learning is another challenge in concrete defect detection. According to previous studies, only 10% of an image contains edge pixels (in our case defected areas) [31]. We proposed a robust data augmentation technique to alleviate the need for collecting more crack image samples. The experimental results show that, with our method, significant accuracy can be obtained with very less sample of data. Our proposed method also outperforms the existing methods of concrete crack classification.
Fast Position-Aided MIMO Beam Training via Noisy Tensor Completion

In this paper, a data-driven position-aided approach is proposed to reduce the training overhead in MIMO systems by leveraging side information and on-the-field measurements. A data tensor is constructed by collecting beam-training measurements on a subset of positions and beams, and a hybrid noisy tensor completion (HNTC) algorithm is proposed to predict the received power across the coverage area, which exploits both the spatial smoothness and the low-rank property of MIMO channels. A recommendation algorithm based on the completed tensor, beam subset selection (BSS), is proposed to achieve fast and accurate beam-training. In addition, a grouping-based BSS algorithm is proposed to combat the detrimental effect of noisy positional information. Numerical results evaluated with the Quadriga channel simulator at 60 GHz millimeter-wave channels show that the proposed BSS recommendation algorithm in combination with HNTC achieves accurate received power predictions, which enables beam-alignment with small overhead. Given power measurements on 40% of possible discretized positions, HNTC-based BSS attains a probability of correct alignment of 91%, with only 2% of trained beams, as opposed to a state-of-the-art position-aided beam-alignment scheme which achieves 54% correct alignment in the same configuration. Finally, an online HNTC method via warm-start is proposed, that alleviates the computational complexity by 50%, with no degradation in prediction accuracy.
Immobilization of fumarase and malate dehydrogenase on agarose efficiency of activity as a function of the enzyme ratio

Two enzymes, L-malate dehydrogenase, L-malate: NAD+ oxidoreductase (EC 1.1.1.37) and fumarase, L-malate hydrolyase (EC 4.2.1.2) were immobilized on a (Sepharose 4B) resin by the cyanogen bromide method. Studies showed that the matrix-immobilized fumarase retains the same characteristics as the free enzyme, while the matrix-immobilized malate dehydrogenase has reduced activity. The activity of the coupled enzymes is more enzymeconcentration dependent than the free enzymes, and at a ratio of 0.3 (fumarase: malate dehydrogenase) the simultaneously coupled immobilized enzymes become a better catalytic system. Individually immobilized enzymes, mixed to form a coupled system, yielded the poorest catalytic action.
Q-Learning-Based Smart Selective Harmonic Current Mitigation-PWM (S 2 HCM-PWM) for Grid-Connected Converters

Multilevel converters become more and more interesting for renewable energies and energy storage systems. Various modulation techniques such as high-frequency modulation approaches (e.g., space vector modulation and phase shift-PWM) and low-frequency modulation approaches (e.g. selective harmonic current mitigation-PWM (SHCM-PWM), selective harmonic mitigation-PWM (SHM-PWM), and selective harmonic elimination-PWM (SHE-PWM)) are employed for multilevel grid connected converters in the literature. High efficiency (low switching losses) can be achieved by using the low-frequency modulation approaches. However, low-frequency modulation techniques significantly increase the coupling inductance (passive filter). High-switching frequency modulation techniques have a better dynamic response and use a smaller passive filter. In this paper, a machine learning technique (Q-learning) is used to have advantages of both high- and low-frequency modulation approaches. The proposed smart modulation technique meets all current harmonic requirements, while the switching frequency of the converter is not significantly increased. To evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed technique, simulations are conducted on a 7-level (3-cell) single-phase cascaded H-bridge converter.
Joint regression-classification deep learning framework for analyzing fluorescence lifetime images using NADH and FAD

In this paper, we develop a deep neural network based joint classification-regression approach to identify microglia, a resident central nervous system macrophage, in the brain using fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) data. Microglia are responsible for several key aspects of brain development and neurodegenerative diseases. Accurate detection of microglia is key to understanding their role and function in the CNS, and has been studied extensively in recent years. In this paper, we propose a joint classification-regression scheme that can incorporate fluorescence lifetime data from two different autofluorescent metabolic co-enzymes, FAD and NADH, in the same model. This approach not only represents the lifetime data more accurately but also provides the classification engine a more diverse data source. Furthermore, the two components of model can be trained jointly which combines the strengths of the regression and classification methods. We demonstrate the efficacy of our method using datasets generated using mouse brain tissue which show that our joint learning model outperforms results on the coenzymes taken independently, providing an efficient way to classify microglia from other cells.
Immunotherapy Strategies for Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumor

Gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GIST) are the most common mesenchymal soft tissue sarcoma of the gastrointestinal tract. The management of locally advanced or metastatic unresectable GIST involves detecting KIT, PDGFR, or other molecular alterations targeted by imatinib and other tyrosine kinase inhibitors. The role of immunotherapy in soft tissue sarcomas is growing fast due to multiple clinical and pre-clinical studies with no current standard of care. The potential therapies include cytokine-based therapy, immune checkpoint inhibitors, anti-KIT monoclonal antibodies, bi-specific monoclonal antibodies, and cell-based therapies. Here we provide a comprehensive review of the immunotherapeutic strategies for GIST.
Kinetic studies examining the inhibitory potential of compounds selected using a computationally derived active site model of glutamate racemase from S. Pneumoniae

Antibiotic resistance is continually developing and diminishing the efficacy of current antibiotics and exploring novel targets is essential. Glutamate racemase, the enzyme responsible for the inte...
TU-CD-210-00: Advanced Novel Technologies & Delivery Strategies

Therapeutic ultrasound technology offers the ability to achieve non-invasive and non-ionizing treatments for soft-tissue disease throughout the body. The bio-effects in tissue caused by ultrasound energy can be thermal in nature (ranging from mild heating to tissue ablation) or can utilize the mechanical energy associated with acoustic waves. Ultrasound energy can be delivered from external devices and focused to a region of a few millimeters in the body. It can also be delivered from body cavities or from devices inserted directly into tissue. One challenge with designing therapeutic ultrasound systems is the need to consider wave propagation and distortion as energy passes through tissues. Consequently, therapeutic ultrasound systems are usually designed to target specific anatomic sites to optimize the delivery of ultrasound to these locations. In this session a number of advanced therapeutic ultrasound delivery systems will be described for the treatment of breast, brain, and prostate tissue. In addition the talks will describe both thermal and non-thermal applications of ultrasound energy. Specific topics addressed in this symposium include: (1) Advances in Focused Ultrasound Brain Therapies, (2) Breast MR guided Focused Ultrasound Hardware Design and Treatment Strategies, (3) The Role of Pulsed Focused Ultrasound in Cancer Therapy, and (4) Sonication and Feedback Control Strategies for MR guided Hyperthermia with the Insightec Prostate Array. Learning Objectives: 1. Understand the technical issues important in the design of therapeutic ultrasound systems 2. Learn about therapeutic ultrasound systems under development for brain, breast and prostate applications 3. Learn about different treatment approaches with therapeutic ultrasound including tissue ablation, hyperthermia, and drug delivery Lili Chen: Funding: FUS Foundation, DOD (PC073127,BC102806) Allison Payne: Funding: NIH (R01EB013433,R01CA178727) Vasant Salgaonkar: Funding: FUS Foundation, NIH (R01CA122276, R01CA111981)
Studies on substrate specificity of the hog liver flavin-containing monooxygenase. Anionic organic sulfur compounds.

The influence of anionic groups on interaction of nucleophilic sulfur compounds with the purified hog liver flavin-containing monooxygenase was evaluated from kinetic constants obtained with various dithiobenzoates, thiolbenzoates, and thiolalkylcarboxylic acids. All compounds tested bearing a single negative charge localized on sulfur were excellent substrates but derivatives with a carboxylic acid group one or two carbons removed from the heteroatom exhibited low or no substrate activity. The effect of a carboxylic acid group more distal from sulfur appeared to depend on steric factors that are not well defined. For instance, none of the carboxylic acids (C2-C8) bearing a single thiol on the terminal carbon were oxygenated at detectable rates, whereas dihydrolipoic acid appeared to be a substrate although the concentration required for half-maximal activity was quite high (approximately 2mM). Lipoic acid was a much better substrate (Km = 0.12mM), and kinetic constants obtained with lipoic acid analogues suggest that position of the negative charge relative to the dithiolane ring is critical, since increasing the length of the side chain increased the Km. None of the alicyclic disulfides or sulfides containing one or more carboxylic acid groups showed detectable substrate activity. However, the more lipophilic sulfur-containing fatty acids inhibited the enzyme which may mask their potential substrate activity.
Race, competition and differential wages

This paper develops a competitive model of racial wage and employment discrimination. Discrimination is a persistent outcome of the interaction of two phenomena. The first is the adverse effect of racial conflict on the organisational strength of workers which, in turn, affects the formation of wage differentials. This is a class struggle effect. The second is the negative correlation between the interracial employment ratio and the wage differential, within occupations arid across all capitals. This is a racial exclusion effect. The interaction of the class struggle and racial exclusion effects implies persistent discrimination.
A monolithic 50 kHz 16-bit A/D-D/A converter using sigma-delta modulation

The converter consists of a third-order sigma-delta modulator, comb and finite impulse response (FIR) filters, a digital noise shaper, and a sixth-order switched-capacitor filter. The converter operates on a single +5-V supply and uses serial I/O to maintain a low pin count. The serial interface allows up to four devices to be connected, thus providing four channels of coherently sampled A/D and D/A I/O. High-level software modeling was used to simulate the system signal-to-noise performance, thereby providing design goal verification. >
Urban Homicide in the United States, 1980-2010 The Importance of Disaggregated Trends

Using Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) mortality and census data with Supplementary Homicide Reports, we compare 25- and 30-year homicide trends for four age-race-sex categories in 172 U.S. cities. The comparisons indicate that one of the most salient aspects of homicide in the United States from 1980 to 2010 was the disproportionate involvement of young Black men as homicide victims and offenders. The persistence of these rates before, during, and after a sharp rise followed by a dramatic drop in the overall rates suggests the need for a focus on specific explanations for this aspect of urban homicide. Language: en
Rehabilitation of geriatric amputees.

The study group comprised 60 indigent patients (average age, 70) in a public hospital who had undergone amputations of the lower extremity, chiefly because of gangrene. These patients sought aid only in the last stages of disease, and meanwhile they neglected personal hygiene. There were 10 deaths. The most common contraindications for the use of a prosthesis were chronic brain syndrome (dementia) and muscle weakness or contractures. Of the 60 patients, 22 were considered to be candidates for prostheses, and 5 of these were lost to follow-up. Thus only 17 potential candidates underwent preprosthetic training, for maximal ability. Eight of the 17 ultimately, because of contraindications, had to be content with crutches or a wheelchair. In the other 9 cases, however, prostheses were successful. Recommendations regarding the management of such patients in a large public hospital include: 1) continuity of management by having the amputee under the supervision of the same physician(s) throughout his course; 2) a series of lectures for the house staff on the rehabilitation of amputees; and 3) a definite protocol for the immediate fitting of a prosthesis in suitable cases.
Multiple influences: Latinas, middle school science, and school

This paper describes the multiple school and school science experiences of eight Latina students of Central American descent in a tracked, urbanized, middle school setting. Framed by a sociocultural perspective, I describe how eight seventh and eighth grade Latino girls interacted with school science. Implications for the concept “science for all” are discussed.
The role of the flavin-containing monooxygenase (EC 1.14.13.8) in the metabolism and mode of action of agricultural chemicals.

1. The flavin-containing monooxygenase (FMO) (EC 1.14.13.8) is a versatile enzyme that catalyses the monooxygenation of a large number of xenobiotic soft nucleophiles ranging from inorganic ions to organic compounds with nitrogen, sulphur, phosphorus or selenium heteroatoms. 2. The substrate specificity relative to agricultural chemicals is discussed and compared with that of the cytochrome P-450-dependent monooxygenase system. The relative activity of these two enzymes towards common substrates varies from substrate to substrate and from tissue to tissue as is shown in the case of the insecticide, phorate and the hepatotoxicant, thiobenzamide. 3. The products of FMO action may be chemically different (e.g. nicotine) to those from P-450, or the two enzymes may produce different isomers of the same product (e.g. phorate). 4. Recent studies have demonstrated that, in the rabbit, the FMOs from liver and lung are different gene products which differ not only in primary sequence but also in physical, catalytic and immunochemical properties. These studies are being extended to include other tissues such as skin and brain. 5. Immunocytochemical localization of FMO in lung and skin correlates well with measurements of the oxidation of methimazole, a specific FMO substrate.
Development of a Long Term Pediatric Ventilator Model using the 3 Month Old Beagle 1600

A long term (20 day) pediatric ventilator model was developed using 3 month old beagles. Canis familiares beagle was selected because it (1) is a standard toxicology model, (2) has been used as a pediatric model, (3) is about 5-6 kgs, biologically safe, easy to care for and instrument and, (4) some experience in long term (3 day) conventional ventilator (CV) management was available. The study required continuous sedation, ventilation (Siemens Servo 300) and nutrition for 6 to 10 days, infection control and weaning to normal activity. A pilot run of 5 animals was performed and validated on an additional 13 animals. Study groups included: (1) CV 6 days, never weaned, (2) CV 10 days, never weaned and (3) CV 6 days, weaned, and necropsied at day 20. Infection was the most common problem in all groups. 3 of 5 pilot animals died at day 3, 5 and 8 of E. Coli, Strept species and Klebsiella. Attention to good oral care with chlorhexidine mouth wash every 12 hours, Timentin from day -1 to 5 with the addition of Gentamicin for signs of infection in the first 5 days, automatic change to Vancomycin, Amikacin and Cefotaxime at day 6, and q2hr rotation of the animals prevented infection related deaths in the main 13 animals. Sedation failed using fentanyl, other narcotics and Ketamine. Paralysis created problems with fluid management and clinical evaluation. A pentobarbital infusion achieved adequate sedation, but resulted in seizures upon weaning (1 confirmed, 2 probable), withdrawal ataxia (all animals) and GI ileus (all animals). Seizures were easily controlled with phenobarbital, TPN provided nutrition with GI motility returning within 24 hours of pentobarbital discontinuation. All animals required increasing pentobarbital doses which plateaued after the first 5 days. A defective lot of pentobarbital caused clotting problems in several main study animals. All group 3 animals weaned from the ventilator and were taking solid food within 48 hr. All animals walked by 2-4 days, and at 20 days had returned to normal activity. Groups 1 and 2 remained sedated and ventilated without significant problems.Funded: Alliance Pharm Corp & Hoechst Marion Roussel
THERMODYNAMICS OF TRANSFER OF CHOLESTEROL FROM GEL TO FLUID PHASES OF PHOSPHOLIPID BILAYERS

Abstract The partitioning of cholesterol between gel and fluid phases of model membrane bilayers has been studied by differential scanning calorimetry. The partition coefficients and thermodynamics of transfer between phases of dimyristoyl-, dipalmitoyl-, distearoyl- and diarachidoylphosphatidylcholines were determined using a regular solution model for the partitioning process. The partition coefficient, which is the ratio of cholesterol in fluid to gel phase lipid, varies from 2.3 to 8.4 as the acyl chain length increases from the C 14 to the C 20 bilayer and determined at the phase transition temperature. The enthalpies of transfer increase from −46 to +32 kcal/mol as the chain length increases, and there is a compensating increase in the entropy of transfer. The results are interpreted in terms of a disruption of gel phase lipid by the cholesterol, which for the thinner bilayers is increased because the cholesterol molecule spans across the two leafs of the bilayer. At bilayer thicknesses between 18 and 19 carbons, the cholesterol can fit into one-half of the gel phase bilayer, and the enthalpy becomes positive, suggesting less disruption in the gel phase relative to the thinner bilayers. The data support the interpretation that cholesterol does mediate fluidity by acting to disrupt gel domains of lipid.
Noisy precursors of nonlinear instabilities

This paper studies the effect of external noise on systems displaying nonlinear instabilities of periodic orbits. Each class of instability is found to have its own characteristic signature, as displayed by the power spectrum. Results are derived for each of the codimension-one instabilities familiar from bifurcation theory.
Direct Monte Carlo evaluation of real-time quantum correlation functions using single-step propagators

Abstract Using single-step approximations to the propagator, we show that real-time correlation functions can be expressed as integrals of smooth functions, and thus can be efficiently evaluated by Monte Carlo methods. This approach allows direct calculation of correlation functions at intermediate temperatures over short to intermediate time lengths.
Helping gifted students develop metacognitive awareness

Metacognition refers to understanding and controlling cognition. This article describes different kinds of metacognitive knowledge and how this knowledge relates to other cognitive skills such as strategy use and domain knowledge, as well as ability. The relative strengths and weaknesses of three instructional strategies for promoting metacognition among gifted and talented students are reviewed. Discussion also focuses on what kind of skills and strategies should be included in metacognitive instruction programs.
Exploring Primary Care Providers’ Interest in Using Patient Navigators to Assist in the Delivery of Tobacco Cessation Treatment to Low Income, Ethnic/Racial Minority Patients

We examined attitudes and practices regarding tobacco cessation interventions of primary care physicians serving low income, minority patients living in urban areas with a high smoking prevalence. We also explored barriers and facilitators to physicians providing smoking cessation counseling to determine the need for and interest in deploying a tobacco-focused patient navigator at community-based primary care practice sites. A self-administered survey was mailed to providers serving Medicaid populations in New York City’s Upper Manhattan and areas of the Bronx. Provider counseling practices were measured by assessing routine delivery (≥80% of the time) of a brief tobacco cessation intervention (i.e., “5 A’s”). Provider attitudes were assessed by a decisional balance scale comprising 10 positive (Pros) and 10 negative (Cons) perceptions of tobacco cessation counseling. Of 254 eligible providers, 105 responded (41%). Providers estimated 22% of their patients currently use tobacco and nearly half speak Spanish. A majority of providers routinely asked about tobacco use (92%) and advised users to quit (82%), whereas fewer assisted in developing a quit plan (32%) or arranged follow-up (21%). Compared to providers reporting <80% adherence to the “5 A’s”, providers reporting ≥80% adherence tended to have similar mean Pros and Cons scores for Ask, Advise, and Assess but higher Pros and lower Cons for Assist and Arrange. Sixty four percent of providers were interested in providing tobacco-related patient navigation services at their practices. Although most providers believe they can help patients quit smoking, they also recognize the potential benefit of having a patient navigator connect their patients with evidence-based cessation services in their community.
Short-term results of transvaginal radio frequency bladder neck suspension: a novel minimally invasive approach to the treatment of stress urinary incontinence

Abstract Objective: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of radio frequency (RF) thermal treatment of the endopelvic fascia (EPF) to support the bladder neck and treat stress urinary incontinence (SUI). Methods: One hundred fourteen patients with Type I and II genuine SUI and positive valsalva leak point pressures were enrolled in this prospective, IDE study in 10 U.S. study sites. Average patient age was 49.3 ± 10.2 years, and symptom duration was 10.4 ± 8.9 years. Transvaginal incisions and reflection of the vaginal epithelial surface were used to visualize the EPF directly. Precisely controlled RF energy was applied directly to the EPF with an instrument causing it to heat and shrink. The incisions were closed using conventional techniques. Patients were assessed objectively with urodynamic testing and subjectively with incontinence questionnaires at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively. Results: Operative time was approximately 30 minutes, and all 114 patients were treated as outpatients. There were no operative complications. Postoperatively, one patient had a urinary tract infection. Cure rates were 96/104 (92%) and 32/43 (74%) at 1 and 3 months, respectively. Conclusion: Radio frequency energy treatment to support the bladder neck and restore continence without the use of artificial materials has acceptable efficacy and low associated complications.
Passing and social support among gay men.

One hundred sixty-six gay men responded to a questionnaire survey which asked them to describe their social networks and the extent to which they 'passed' (were assumed to be heterosexual) among network members. Most gay men were known as gay to most members of their networks; however, friends, siblings and persons close to respondents were more likely to be aware of their homosexuality than co-workers, parents, and more distant relatives. Gay men were more satisfied with social support available from those who knew their sexual orientation. The author concludes that passing has important and complex effects on the social networks of gay men.
TREE PESTS—13 GOAT AND CLEAR-WING MOTHS. (LEPIDOPTERA: COSSIDAE AND SESSIDAE.)

(1986). TREE PESTS—13 GOAT AND CLEAR-WING MOTHS. (LEPIDOPTERA: COSSIDAE AND SESSIDAE.) Arboricultural Journal: Vol. 10, No. 2, pp. 113-116.
Role of imaging in neoadjuvant therapy for breast cancer.

Neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) involves administration of chemotherapeutic agents to patients with newly diagnosed breast cancer prior to definitive surgical treatment. Assessment of disease response to chemotherapeutic agents in vivo prior to any surgical intervention is necessary as medical oncologists are commonly tailoring or changing therapy during NAC based on response. It can also maximize the pathologic complete response (pCR) rate, resulting in more women undergoing breast conservation rather than mastectomy. Although some studies show a pCR to NAC in only 13–26 % of women, recent studies have shown higher pCR rates, especially for HER2-positive disease treated with targeted anti-HER2 therapy. Thus, accurate imaging tools for quantifying disease response are critical in the evaluation and management of patients undergoing NAC. There is currently no standard imaging method for monitoring response to therapy. Response to therapy tends to vary by tumor subtype and can be accurately assessed on imaging. We review the role of imaging before and after neoadjuvant therapy and discuss the advantages and limitations of currently available modalities, including mammography, ultrasonography, magnetic resonance imaging, and nuclear imaging.