cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Laparoscopic bile duct injuries: timing of surgical repair does not influence success rate. A multivariate analysis of factors influencing surgical outcomes

Abstract Background Many factors contribute to the success of biliary reconstructions following laparoscopic bile duct injury. We previously reported that control of intra-abdominal infection, complete preoperative cholangiography, surgical technique and surgical experience affected the results. There is no consensus, however, on whether the timing of the operation is important. Methods We examined factors influencing the success of the first repair of 307 major bile duct injuries following laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Factors were assessed for cases initially repaired either by the primary surgeon or a biliary specialist. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were used to determine the significance of comparisons. Results A total of 137 injuries were initially repaired by a biliary surgeon and 163 injuries were initially repaired by the primary surgeon; seven were managed non-surgically. Repairs by primary surgeons were performed earlier than those by biliary surgeons (11 vs. 59 days; P P = 0.003). Multivariate analysis, however, showed that the timing of the repair was unimportant ( P = 0.572). Instead, success correlated with: eradication of intra-abdominal infection ( P = 0.0001); complete preoperative cholangiography ( P = 0.002); use of correct surgical technique ( P = 0.0001), and repair by a biliary surgeon ( P = 0.0001). Separate multivariate analyses of outcomes for primary and biliary surgeons revealed that timing was unrelated to success in either case. Conclusions The success of biliary reconstruction for iatrogenic bile duct injuries depended on complete eradication of abdominal infection, complete cholangiography, use of correct surgical technique, and repair by an experienced biliary surgeon. If these objectives were achieved, the repair could be performed at any point with the expectation of an excellent outcome. We see no reason to delay the repair for some arbitrary period.
Fault tolerant token ring model development

The token ring is one of the most popular local area network (LAN) schemes, and is very widely used. One of the major weaknesses of the token ring network is that if a single station fails, the entire network and the system is likely to fail. Also, with the distributed and concurrent processing schemes becoming increasingly popular, there is an ever growing need to interconnect several LANs for an integrated wide area network. Often, the protocols of the LAN and the protocols of the inter-connectivity are distinctly separate. This requires protocol conversions, additional hardware and software modules, which increase the delay of transmission and make the system less reliable. The authors have devised a methodology to minimize the bit faults in intercommunications. Frame formats of the emerging interconnection technology such as integrated services digital network (ISDN) using the existing telephone network are integrated with those of the conventional token ring protocols, in order to improve the fault tolerance of a token ring network, and make the interconnection of several token ring networks very simple and effective. The authors analyze the token ring and other network topologies and discuss the methodologies of fault tolerance and protocol integration schemes. A model token ring network has been implemented at Florida International University's Computer Engineering Laboratories to validate these concepts.
Error probability of multicell CDMA over frequency selective fading channels with power control error

It is well known that power control is critical in CDMA mobile systems. In this paper, the error probability of a multicell CDMA system, operating with imperfect power control over a frequency selective multipath fading channel, is derived. Asymptotic expressions (for high signal-to-interference-plus-noise ratios) of the error probability show that the use of diversity combining exacerbates the effect of the power control error (PCE), since the power control is identical on each diversity channel; also, the error probability increases exponentially with PCE, while (asymptotically) increasing linearly with the number of users and decreasing inverse linearly with the processing gain. In addition to the asymptotic results mentioned above, both Chernoff bounds on, and approximations to, the error probability are found. Numerical results reveal the tightness of the Chernoff bounds, and show that the approximations are actually much tighter than the bounds, at least for PCE standard deviations of 1.5 dB or less.
Health Care Reform and Medical Malpractice Claims

The seemingly interminable debates about health care reform in the last few years have focused mainly on health care access, quality, and cost. Debates on the medical malpractice component of the issue have focused almost entirely on cost.1 The familiar arguments in favor of limiting liability include the financial and health costs of defensive medicine; decreased physician supply in certain specialties and geographic areas; excessive awards; and high transaction costs, including attorney and expert witness fees. The equally familiar arguments in favor of maintaining tort liability include the need to promote civil justice, deter substandard care, identify incompetent practitioners, and encourage systemic quality improvement.
Ideology and Empire in Eighteenth-Century India: Colonial encounters and the crisis in Bengal, 1765–1772

Mir Qasim (1760–3) was the last nawab of Bengal to aspire to any real measure of independence from the Company's control. In 1763–4, the Company's army comprehensively defeated the combined forces of Mir Qasim, Shuja-ud-daula ( nawab of the northern province of Awadh and vizier of the Mughal empire) and the impoverished Mughal emperor himself, Shah Alam II. From this point on, the Company was clearly the dominant military power in eastern India, even if Company officials still feared Maratha invasions from the west and the possibility of French attacks from the sea. The nawab of Awadh was forced to pay a hefty tribute to the Company, and his military capacities were deliberately circumscribed. The captured emperor was settled under the protection of the Company's forces in Allahabad, and by a treaty of 1765 he appointed the Company as diwan of Bengal, an office described by Alexander Dow as the ‘receiver-general of the Imperial revenues in the province’. Mir Jafar, and after him his sons, held the office of nazim or imperial governor of Bengal, but they were in effect pensioners of the Company. Robert Clive, the governor of Bengal from 1765–7 who engineered the grant of the diwani , wrote to the directors that we must ‘become the Nabob ourselves in fact, if not in name’. The years after the grant of the diwani were crucial in the political education of the East India Company service in Bengal.
A high-resolution amplitude and wavefront control system based on a direct zonal closed-loop approach

We demonstrate a high-spatial-resolution adaptive-optic system using a liquid-crystal-on-silicon spatial-light modulator and a Hartmann-Shack sensor. The correction algorithm is suitable for fine-tuning laser-beam amplitude and wavefront in fine scales.
The Effects of Temperature Stress on Subsequent Egg Production of the Fowl

Abstract THE effects of short term high and low ambient temperature stress during the growing period on subsequent egg production of the fowl has not been investigated. However, Huston et al. (1957) found that White Leghorn hens laid as well when exposed to a constant temperature of 32.5°C. (90°F.) as those in a variable natural environment. Various other workers have reported that a high temperature, above 29.5°C. (85°F.), in the laying house reduced egg production, egg size, and egg quality. Air movement has also been shown to influence the bird’s resistance to both heat and cold. Lee et al. (1945) found that the rise in rectal temperature was somewhat reduced by increased air movement up to 91.4m. (300 ft.) per minute in hot humid atmosphere. Wilson et al. (1957) demonstrated that cold winds at the rate of 91.4 m. (300 ft.) per minute or more reduced the growth rate of White …
Soft-Landings, Hard Rebounds, and Fracture of Alkali-Halide Nanocrystals

Collision phenomena involving the smallest solid objects and inert solid surfaces have been explored by the method of mass-selective time-of-flight and angular measurements of the surface-collision dynamics of ionized cluster beams. At lowest energy, both transient physisorption (soft-landing) and intact scattering have been observed. Impact of nanocrystalline sodium-fluoride clusters (NanFn−1+) against graphite at intermediate energy (0.2 – 1 eV per atom) leads efficiently to fracture-like processes. At higher energy, a featureless evaporative cascade dominates the fragment distribution. Energy- and angle-resolved scattering of mass-selected clusters from oriented graphite is shown to be a versatile method for investigation of cluster structure-energetics, cluster-surface interactions, and sticking phenomena.
Forty Years after NEPA's Enactment, It Is Time for a Comprehensive Farm Bill Environmental Impact Statement

There are winners and losers in the modern American farm economy. This reality is in no small part due to U.S. farm policies enacted through generations of omnibus legislation known as Farm Bills. Winners include industrial agricultural giants, such as Cargill, that reap record profits on the strength of government-subsidized cheap inputs, and incorporated holders of tens of thousands of acres that achieve vast economies of scale with GPSequipped tractors and monocultures of commodity crops. The losers, familiar from press reports, are the individual farmers and workers behind the rapid contraction in the number of U.S. farms — a drop of over 85,000 from 1997 to 2002 — and the increase in average acreage, as well as victims of systemic barriers to family farm, sustainable, and organic operations. These outcomes are commonly attributed to U.S. farm policy’s preference for monoculture production on huge acreages, which can have the unfortunate result of destabilizing rural communities. Also among the losers are the industries and individuals that experience the negative environmental impacts of U.S. farm policy, including diminished water and soil quality, decreased biodiversity, dwindling freshwater resources, and increased greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This article addresses these damages and the failure of federal agencies to observe a law that might provide some measure of transparency, level-headed comparative analysis, and perhaps even mitigation: the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA).
An Analysis of Retail Milk Pricing in the Eastern United States

An analysis presented in the article evaluates the behavior of retail fluid milk prices, farm-level milk prices and farm-to-retail margins during the period of 2000-2010 in six cities located in the Eastern United States: Boston, MA; Syracuse, NY; Philadelphia, PA; Louisville, KY; Atlanta, GA; and Miami, FL. The empirical evidence presented in the article supports empirical findings reported in the existing literature: retail fluid milk prices tend to increase at a higher rate than farm-level milk prices and there is a presence of asymmetries in the farm-to-retail price transmission process. Furthermore, there is empirical evidence that may suggest that the patterns of behavior of fluid milk prices and farm-to-retail margins are different in the states with resale milk price control regulations (New York State and Pennsylvania) and states without resale milk price control regulations. In the former case, the pattern of changes in retail fluid milk prices is similar to the pattern of changes in farm-level milk prices. In the latter case, changes in the retail fluid milk prices do not necessarily reflect changes in the farm-level milk prices, which often causes farm-to-retail margin to increase.
Radar diffraction features of flocculent screen

A geometry model with periodicity and randomicity was put forward to analyze the microwave diffraction behavior of the flocculent screen.The peculiarity of the model is that,on the one hand,the model treats the flocculent screen as a periodic structure to facilitate digital calculation;on the other hand,the randomicity of the screen is endowed to the periodic cell.The periodic cell of the model consisted of vast scatters,and the randomicity of the structure was formed by the distribution of the scatters in position and direction.Based on this model,the diffraction behavior of the flocculent screen was calculated by FDTD method.Results indicate that the flocculent structure improves the camouflage effectiveness of the screen by dispersing the miacrowave energy.
Perceived Environmental Uncertainty, Market-Orientation Strategy, and Organizational Structure in South Korean Apparel Retail Stores

The research objectives were to investigate effects of perceived environmental uncertainty on South Korean apparel retailers’ market-orientation strategies (MOS) and organizational structure, along with the effects of organizational structure on MOS. These retailers were found to be implementing MOS to some extent under fairly formalized, centralized, and specialized organizational structures.
3D Deep Learning for Efficient and Robust Landmark Detection in Volumetric Data

Recently, deep learning has demonstrated great success in computer vision with the capability to learn powerful image features from a large training set. However, most of the published work has been confined to solving 2D problems, with a few limited exceptions that treated the 3D space as a composition of 2D orthogonal planes. The challenge of 3D deep learning is due to a much larger input vector, compared to 2D, which dramatically increases the computation time and the chance of over-fitting, especially when combined with limited training samples hundreds to thousands, typical for medical imaging applications. To address this challenge, we propose an efficient and robust deep learning algorithm capable of full 3D detection in volumetric data. A two-step approach is exploited for efficient detection. A shallow network with one hidden layer is used for the initial testing of all voxels to obtain a small number of promising candidates, followed by more accurate classification with a deep network. In addition, we propose two approaches, i.e., separable filter decomposition and network sparsification, to speed up the evaluation of a network. To mitigate the over-fitting issue, thereby increasing detection robustness, we extract small 3D patches from a multi-resolution image pyramid. The deeply learned image features are further combined with Haar wavelet features to increase the detection accuracy. The proposed method has been quantitatively evaluated for carotid artery bifurcation detection on a head-neck CT dataset from 455 patients. Compared to the state-of-the-art, the mean error is reduced by more than half, from 5.97 mm to 2.64 mm, with a detection speed of less than 1 s/volume.
Chlorinated Dibenzo-p-dioxins: Potent Inducers of δ-Aminolevulinic Acid Synthetase and Aryl Hydrocarbon Hydroxylase : II. A Study of the Structure-Activity Relationship

2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin, an extremely potent toxin and teratogen formed during the commercial synthesis of the herbicide 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid, is a potent inducer of δ-aminolevulinic acid synthetase and aryl hydrocarbon hydroxylase in chick embryo liver. The induction of hydroxylase activity is more sensitive to low doses of the toxin than is the induction of δ-aminolevulinic acid synthetase; 2-fold induction is produced by 1.55 pmoles/egg (0.5 ng), and maximal induction by 155 pmoles/egg. Coordinate expression of the two enzymes is also dissociable by the administration of cycloheximide, which selectively inhibits induction of the synthetase. Fifteen halogenated dibenzo-p-dioxins were screened for their ability to induce the two enzymes, and a well-defined structure-activity relationship emerged; all the congeners that induced both enzymes had halogen atoms at a minimum of three of the four lateral ring positions and contained at least one nonhalogenated ring position. There is a perfect correspondence between the whole animal toxicity data on the dibenzo-p-dioxin congeners and their ability to induce both enzymes.
Abstract 1485: Pilot study of VPAC1 targeted PET imaging of prostate cancer

Introduction: Vasoactive Intestinal Peptide and Pituitary Adenylate Cyclase Activating Peptide Receptor 1 (VPAC1) is over-expressed in prostate cancer (PC), representing a highly suitable target for imaging and treatment. VPAC1 expression occurs at the onset of the malignancy, before alterations of cell morphology, which may be prior to elevation of serum PSA. We have successfully used VPAC1 receptor-specific peptide constructs to image breast cancer in experimental animal models, and in humans. We hypothesized that VPAC1 expressed in high density on PC can be targeted for detection of intraprostatic tumor foci, as correlated with whole mount radical prostatectomy specimens, using TP3805, a VPAC1 specific biomolecule labeled with Cu-64 a PET imaging radionuclide. Methods: Twenty five men with prostate cancer undergoing radical prostatectomy were imaged preoperatively as part of a PET imaging protocol targeting VPAC1. The PET images were compared to whole mount radical prostatectomy pathologic analysis. De-paraffinized whole mount pathology slides from two patients who participated in VPAC1 PET imaging protocol, as well as slides from 3 BPH patients, one malignant lymph node and one benign lymph node were incubated with Cu-64-TP3805, washed thoroughly with PBS, dried and subjected to 15 second digital autoradiography. Slides were then HE 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 1485. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-1485
"OMG, How Long Is This Going to Take?"

It is hard to realize that an elderly patient's visit to you is likely the only trip outside his or her apartment for the week and the only contact with someone other than family or an aide. Doctor visits sometimes become the elderly's primary contact with the larger world.
Influence of the ovary on estradiol-induced luteinizing hormone release in postpartum milked and suckled Holstein cows.

Holstein cows were assigned at parturition to be milked (n = 10) or suckled by four calves each (n = 10). One-half of each group was ovariectomized bilaterally (ovex) at the end of wk 1 and the remaining one-half was ovariectomized unilaterally (intact) at the end of wk 2. Cows were challenged with 400 micrograms estradiol-17 beta (im) at the end of wk 1, 2, 3 and 4 (24 h after surgery) and blood was collected at 0, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24 and 26 h after estradiol to determine luteinizing hormone (LH) concentration. Blood also was collected every 3 d until 6 wk to estimate ovulation in intact cows by monitoring serum progesterone concentration. Calves were weaned from suckled cows after the third blood collection period (wk 3). Total ovarian follicles (16.5 +/- 4 vs 34.2 +/- 4) and follicular fluid weight (.7 +/- .2 vs 1.4 +/- .2 g) were less (P less than .05) in suckled than in milked cows during wk 1, respectively. But the reverse trend appeared to occur during wk 2, although total ovarian follicles (26.4 +/- 6 vs 16.4 +/- 6) and follicular fluid weight (.9 +/- .3 vs .8 +/- .3 g) were similar in suckled and milked cows, respectively. Fewer suckled than milked cows responded to estradiol (LH concentration 1 SD above the average pre-estradiol LH concentration) at the end of wk 1 and 2 (P less than .05).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
99mTechnetium Penicillamine: A Renal Cortical Scanning Agent

99mTechnetium penicillamine, a renal cortical imaging agent, can be used to provide a rapid, safe and non-invasive assessment of renal morphology and the renal vascular supply. Since this agent is not excreted significantly during the imaging procedure cortical scans of high quality can be obtained without image deterioration owing to a superimposed collecting system. These scans, which are clearly superior in anatomical detail to earlier scans using 131I hippuran, can be obtained along with the 131I hippuran renogram when the patient comes to the nuclear medicine department. Herein we demonstrate the anatomical detail it is now possible to achieve by presenting the cortical renal scans and accompanying radiograms from 5 patients with different renal pathology.
Mechanisms of aortic valve incompetence in aging: a finite element model.

Background and aim of the study The effect of aging on aortic valve and root function was examined using a three-dimensional finite element model of the aortic root and valve. Methods Three models representing normal ( 55 years) age groups, were created by assigning tissue thickness and stiffness that increased with age (using ANSYS software). Diastolic pressure was applied; stresses and strains were then evaluated for the valve and root, and percent leaflet coaptation was calculated. Results Leaflet stresses were increased with aging, whereas leaflet strain and coaptation were decreased with aging. Specifically, leaflet stresses were increased by 6-14% in the middle-age model, and by 2-11% in the older-age model, as compared with normal in specified leaflet regions. Conversely, leaflet strains were decreased by 27-41% and 42-50% in the middle-age and older-age models, respectively. This reduced strain resulted in markedly decreased coaptation (9% and 30% reduction for middle- and older-age models). In the root, stress remained fairly constant with age, but strain in the root was progressively reduced with age (11% and 35% reduction for the middle and older-age models, respectively). Conclusions In these models, increased stiffness and thickness due to aging reduces leaflet deformation and restricts coaptation. Clinically, valvular regurgitation may result due to leaflet thickening and stiffening with normal aging. Our model can now be utilized to evaluate the root-valve relationship in the presence of bioprosthetic valves or root replacements.
Using a multiscale, probabilistic approach to identify spatial-temporal wetland gradients

Abstract Wetlands are highly dynamic ecosystem components that fluctuate dramatically in inundation and persistence of water both within and across years. However, these systems are commonly classified in a deterministic, discrete manner that does not reflect inherent spatial and temporal variation. Developing a methodology to identify gradients in water inundation is critical given the dynamic nature of wetlands. We present a methodology that applies probabilistic estimates, derived from a nonparametric model, to predict wetlands along a gradient in ephemerality, or degree of water inundation. We applied this model across four sampling areas in the Plains and Prairie Pothole Region (PPPR) in the U.S. Northern Great Plains. We developed a model relationship between high-resolution (RapidEye) and moderate resolution (Landsat) satellite sensor data. This allowed us leverage the benefits of high spatial resolution data and a long temporal series of freely available mid-resolution data to characterize water persistence in wetlands. To obtain measures of wetland inundation across a gradient of ephemerality, we estimated wetland probabilities across a temporal series reflecting large variation in moisture conditions. We found that a nonparametric statistical approach was highly effective in predicting wetlands of varying size and ephemerality. Our predictions were strongly supported with low error (RapidEye 3.1–15%, Landsat 0.3–1.5%). Probabilistic predictions of wetland ephemerality contribute valuable information needed for management and policy decisions, especially given potential alterations to wetland ephemerality and ecosystem services under climate change. Using predicted gradients in wetland ephemerality over time will enable researchers and land managers to more effectively capture nuance in ecosystem condition, function, and change.
Introduction: International Recognition and National Confusion

The introduction tackles the term transcultural and discusses how it is employed in the book. Because the term comes from Sy Ren Quah’s book, I take time to discuss Quah’s argument and how my work relates to his. Specifically, my work looks at his French-language plays and not his Chinese language work. The introduction goes on to show how Gao uses language to shift subjectivity and hence identity in his plays and concludes with a succinct biographical sketch of Gao and his career as a playwright and artist.
The use of coated gold nanoparticles in high performance chemical sensors

Abstract: First demonstrated for chemical sensing by Wohltjen and Snow in 1998, coated gold nanoparticles have become one of the most promising technologies for creating high performance chemiresistive sensor systems. Chemical sensitivity for most nanoparticle sensors results from swelling when chemical is absorbed, varying the distance between neighboring conductive gold cores. By varying the coating material, a degree of selectivity can also be obtained, allowing differentiation between chemical analytes. This chapter reviews all aspects of sensing with gold nanoparticles, including synthesis, coating material choice, modeling, and demonstrations of other types of chemical sensors.
Tailoring electromagnetic fields with subwavelength antennas (Invited)

Antenna structures that efficiently mediate propagating and localized electromagnetic fields can be exploited to spatially tailor electromagnetic fields with desired properties. This can be illustrated from two aspects in the optical regime as well as RF-photonic regime. On one hand, subwavelength antenna or antenna arrays can be used to generate optical fields with spatially tailored complex distribution that may be further utilized to produce non-diffractive or localized field. On the other front, carefully designed subwavelength antennas can directly convert propagating RF fields into strongly enhanced local electromagnetic fields at specific spatial location that can be further applied to efficiently modulate guided optical fields, enabling highly sensitive RF field detection and imaging.
Links Between Chronic Illness and Late-Life Cognition: Evidence From Four Latin American Countries.

Objectives: We explored the links between chronic diseases and cognitive ability using datasets of community-dwelling older adults from Brazil, Chile, Mexico, and Uruguay from the SABE (Health, Well-Being, and Aging) survey. Methods: Ordinary least squares (OLS), Tobit and linear probability models, adjusting for extensive health and socio-demographic factors, were implemented separately for men and women and complemented by a series of robustness checks. Results: We find a negative association between the number of chronic conditions and cognitive decline that has the following characteristics: (a) differs across gender, (b) increases with the number of chronic conditions, (c) is larger among those individuals in the bottom of the cognitive distribution, (d) and is different across types of chronic conditions. Discussion: These results suggest that returns from preventive policies to reduce cognitive decline would increase if they were targeted to seniors with chronic conditions and implemented before th...
Pruss on the Requirement of Universal Love

Throughout his excellent book One Body , Alex Pruss relies upon the view that there is a requirement of universal love: each and every one of us is required to love each and every one of us. Although he often appeals to revealed truth in making arguments for his various theses, he supports the requirement of universal love primarily through a philosophical argument, an argument that I call the “argument from responsiveness to value.” The idea is that all persons bear a sort of nonrelational value, and because this value gives every agent reasons to respond to it positively, each and every person is bound to love each and every person. The aim of this paper is to criticize this argument. Pruss’s argument has two important gaps, one concerning the sort of reasons that the value of persons gives and one concerning whether the required response is the response of love.
Phase 1/2 study of hypofractionated intensity-modulated radiation therapy for prostate cancer including simultaneously integrated boost

Abstract Purpose This study evaluates the safety and efficacy of moderately hypofractionated radiation therapy (RT) with simultaneous integrated boost (HSIB) intensity modulated RT (IMRT) that includes coverage of the seminal vesicles (SVs) and pelvic lymph nodes (LNs). Methods and materials Men with localized prostate cancer were prospectively enrolled in a phase 1/2 trial to receive HSIB-IMRT to the prostate, ± SV, ± pelvic LN using a risk-based method. Low-risk patients received 69.6 Gy to only the prostate in 29 fractions. Intermediate-risk (IR) and high-risk (HR) patients received 30 fractions with 72 Gy to the prostate, 54 Gy to the SV, and 50.4 Gy to the pelvic LN when risk of LN involvement exceeded 15% by the Roach formula. IR and HR patients received androgen deprivation therapy. Acute and late genitourinary (GU) and gastrointestinal (GI) toxicity were prospectively evaluated with patient- and physician-reported surveys. Results Fifty-five men were enrolled, and 49 had at least 1 year of follow-up with 19.2% low-risk, 40.4% IR, and 40.4% HR disease. The median age was 69 years; median follow-up time was 36.9 months. Twenty-six patients received pelvic nodal HSIB-IMRT. At 2 years, the cumulative incidence of physician-reported late grade 2+ GU and GI toxicity was 32.6% and 18.4% respectively. At 2 years, only 10.2% grade 2+ GU toxicities and 2.0% grade 2+ GI toxicities remained unresolved. At last follow-up, the prevalence of unresolved physician-reported late grade 2+ GU and GI toxicity was 4.1% and 0%. The median patient-reported American Urologic Association-International Prostate Symptom Score fell from 10 at baseline to 7.5 at 2 years. The 3-year biochemical relapse-free survival rate for the cohort was 96%. Conclusions HSIB-IMRT with risk-based nodal coverage results in excellent biochemical control. Although the cumulative incidence of physician-reported GU toxicity was higher than anticipated, late GI and GU toxicity was relatively transient.
Quality of vision after wavefront-guided laser in situ keratomileusis or photorefractive keratectomy: Contralateral eye evaluation.

Purpose To compare quality of vision between laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) and photorefractive keratectomy (PRK). Setting Byers Eye Institute, Stanford University School of Medicine, Palo Alto, California, USA. Design Prospective randomized case series. Methods Patients had refractive surgery, with 1 eye treated with LASIK and the other with PRK. Eyes were randomized for dominance. The patients completed a questionnaire assessing quality of vision in each eye at the initial visit and 1, 3, 6, and 12 months postoperatively. Results The study comprised 34 patients (68 eyes). There were no initial differences in quality of vision. The PRK eyes had worse clarity during the day ( P = .001) and at night ( P = .001), worse overall vision ( P = .024), more vision fluctuation ( P = .006), and more double vision ( P = .022) at 1 month. Eyes with higher preoperative higher-order aberrations (HOAs) having PRK had worse clarity during the day and at night ( P = .006 and P = .012, respectively) and more vision fluctuation ( P = .041); PRK eyes with lower preoperative HOAs had worse daytime clarity ( P = .036) at 1 month. After 1 month, there were no differences. Conclusions The quality of vision was better in LASIK eyes after 1 month. At subsequent visits, there was no significant difference in quality of vision.
Update on Chemotherapy-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy

The purpose of this study was to briefly discuss chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN) and detail the most important and most recent chemotherapeutic agents implicated. This review will examine neuropathy mechanisms, risk factors, and clinical patterns; novel and prospective drugs with similar effects that are less well known to neurologists are discussed. CIPN is increasingly recognized for its clinical importance and effect on patient quality of life. Identification of risk factors is ongoing and may enable future risk stratification. Newer classes of agents and new members of existing classes are continually recognized, notably immune check point inhibitors, other monoclonal antibody treatments, novel immunomodulatory agents, and proteasome inhibitors. Advances regarding established classes including taxanes, platins, and vinca alkaloids are also reviewed. CIPN is an important often dose-limiting toxicity. Multiple agents cause neuropathy; various clinical patterns are described. Future studies should aim at improved understanding of toxicity mechanisms and development of preventive and therapeutic strategies.
Exploiting natural variation for accelerating discoveries in plant specialized metabolism

Plants have the capacity to produce a staggering array of chemically diverse low molecular weight compounds called specialized metabolites. Though they are non-essential for basic cell activities, these molecules are characterized by their role as integral enhancers of plant fitness, and have distinct biological functions including defense against herbivory, immunity, pollinator attraction, molecular signaling, and abiotic stress tolerance. The chemicals are of particular interest because of their pharmacological, industrial, and agricultural usefulness. The inter- or intraspecies variation in the production of specialized metabolites has been widely observed and found to be largely genetically controlled. The natural genetic variation can be used to help identify biosynthetic and regulatory genes, elucidate mechanistic properties of gene function and gene regulation, and explore evolutionary and ecological questions. Recent advances in sequencing and data mining technologies have facilitated the integration of population genetics tools such as quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping and genome wide association (GWA) with metabolite and/or gene expression profiling to exploit the natural variation for making new discoveries in the model plant Arabidopsis thaliana, as well as in more agriculturally relevant species. Here we highlight key discoveries that were catalyzed by taking advantage of naturally occurring variation, and comment on technologies and resources employed by this approach, in hopes of providing phytochemists an archetype for harnessing the power of natural variation to accelerate discoveries in plant specialized metabolism.
Cancer detection: Seeking signals in blood.

Most cancers are detected when they cause symptoms that lead to medical evaluation. Unfortunately, in too many cases this results in diagnosis of cancers that are locally invasive or already metastatic and hence no longer curable with surgical resection or radiation treatment. Medical therapies, which might be curative in the setting of minimal tumor burden, typically provide more limited benefit in more advanced cancers, given the emergence of drug resistance ( 1 ). On page 926 of this issue, Cohen et al. ( 2 ) describe a strategy for early cancer detection, CancerSEEK, aimed at screening for multiple different cancers within the general population. This study challenges current assumptions in the field of blood-based biomarkers and sets the stage for the next generation of cancer screening initiatives.
Doktrin Allah Tritunggal dari Jurgen Moltman dan Permasalahannya

Artikel ini mengkaji analogi sosial doktrin Allah Tritunggal versi Jurgen Moltmann sebagaimana yang ia jelaskan dalam bukunya The Trinity and the Kingdom. Meskipun Moltmann kuat dalam menggunakan pendekatannya terhadap doktrin tersebut beserta analoginya seperti yang dipresentasikan oleh bapa-bapa gereja Timur, doktrin Tritunggal versinya memiliki permasalahannya sendiri. Meskipun ia menyangkal semua tuduhan bahwa ia triteistik dalam doktrinnya, analisis yang cermat terhadap pandangannya menunjukkan bahwa ia telah meninggalkan doktrin Trinitarian kredo ekumenis yang standar, khususnya kredo Athanasius. Artikel ini mengusulkan bahwa doktrin Tritunggal Moltmann terlalu dekat pada triteisme.
Oceanic Net Primary Production

Production of organic matter in the ocean is a fundamental process for biogeochemical cycling of elements (carbon, nitrogen, etc.) as well as for providing the foundation of nearly all marine food webs. Satellite remote sensing provides the only means of estimating this rate at basin and global scales. A variety of satellite-based models for estimation of net primary production exist spanning a wide range of complexity. Results from applying these models to the satellite record have yielded valuable insight on the ocean’s role in the earth climate system and the coupling of physics and biology. A vision for the next generation of NPP models aimed at utilizing existing tools and anticipated improvements in future satellite ocean color missions is also given.
Many Tumors and Many Genes: Genetics of Uterine Leiomyomata

Uterine leiomyomata, or fibroids, are smooth muscle tumors well known to the practicing gynecologist, women’s pathologist, and a large number of women primarily of reproductive age. Their characteristic benign nature has resulted perhaps in a low profile as tumors of intense research interest. However, in the past few years positional cloning efforts have been used successfully to begin to approach an understanding of genes involved in the pathobiology of fibroids. Knowledge of these genes and their role in tumor biology may provide valuable insight into the molecular events that differentiate benign and malignant tumors, in addition to possibly impacting development of medical treatment for uterine fibroids.
Climate as a Component of Objective Quality of Life in Countries of the World

A unique contribution of this study is the explicit inclusion of a natural endowment for a country — climate — in a theoretical framework for objective QOL. This study investigates the relationship of climate favorableness for the world’s countries with other objective QOL indicators previously researched. The group of higher-QOL countries is compared with the group of lower-QOL countries on climate favorableness, as well as on the correlations among the dimensions of objective QOL in each group of countries. Finally, confirmatory factor analysis with latent variables is employed within each group of countries to understand the underlying relationships of climate with other indicators of country QOL.
Cumulative psychosocial risks, internal asse, and past 30-day tobacco use among middle and high school students: The promise of internal assets

Abstract Introduction Research has demonstrated a robust relationship between psychosocial risk factors (e.g., perceptions of health risk, peer and parent influences, and school climate) and adolescent tobacco use. However, whether internal assets (IAs), factors that promote healthy youth development, can mitigate the adverse effects of psychosocial risks on tobacco use has not been well researched. Method Using a population-based sample of middle and high school students (N = 112,364), multilevel logistic and negative binomial regression models estimated the direct effects of cumulative psychosocial risks and IAs on student tobacco use (e.g., combustible, non-combustible, alternative delivery systems) and assessed whether IAs moderated the relationship between psychosocial risks and tobacco use. Results Results indicate that every additional psychosocial risk factor was associated with an estimated 100% (AOR: 2.04, 95% CI: 1.88–2.22) to 57% (AOR: 1.57, 95% CI: 1.52–1.62) increase in the odds of using tobacco and a 60% increase in the estimated number of products used. IAs were inversely associated with tobacco use and attenuated the association between cumulative psychosocial risks and use. Among students experiencing all five psychosocial risks, boys had an estimated 20% reduction, and girls an estimated 50% reduction, in the probability of tobacco use at the highest mean scores of IAs. Conclusion Universal, school-based prevention programs will benefit from identifying and targeting a set of shared risk and protective factors for tobacco use. Bolstering resilience by facilitating students' IAs represents a promising direction for youth focused prevention efforts.
Treated versus Untreated Aggregate Bases for Flexible Pavements: Nationwide Comparative Case Study:

Aggregates constitute a major part of pavement construction. The strength, durability, and quality of the aggregate affects the overall performance of the pavement structure. Materials sourced near...
Is that a Threat

I introduce game-theoretic models for threats to the discussion of threats in speech act theory. I first distinguish three categories of verbal threats: conditional threats, categorical threats, and covert threats. I establish that all categories of threats can be characterized in terms of an underlying conditional structure. I argue that the aim—or illocutionary point—of a threat is to change the conditions under which an agent makes decisions in a game. Threats are moves in a game that instantiate a subgame in which the addressee is ‘under threat’.
Drosophila melanogaster as a powerful tool for studying insect toxicology.

Insecticides are valuable and widely used tools for the control of pest insects. Despite the use of synthetic insecticides for >50 years, we continue to have a limited understanding of the genes that influence the key steps of the poisoning process. Major barriers for improving our understanding of insecticide toxicity have included a narrow range of tools and/or a large number of candidate genes that could be involved in the poisoning process. Herein, we discuss the numerous tools and resources available in Drosophila melanogaster that could be brought to bear to improve our understanding of the processes determining insecticide toxicity. These include unbiased approaches such as forward genetic screens, population genetic methods and candidate gene approaches. Examples are provided to showcase how D. melanogaster has been successfully used for insecticide toxicology studies in the past, and ideas for future studies using this valuable insect are discussed.
“Aversão oficial: resumida” - a new perspective on favelados

book review of:: DUTRA, Paulo. Aversao Oficial: resumida . Rio de Janeiro: Male, 2018. --- Original in English.
The Impact of Mental Illness on Postoperative Outcomes Among Medicare Beneficiaries: A Missed Opportunity to Help Surgical Patients?

Objective:The aim of this study was to define the prevalence of preexisting mental illness, as well as characterize the impact of a preexisting mental illness diagnosis on postoperative outcomes.Summary Background Data:Preoperative surgical evaluation and risk stratification have traditionally cente
Insulin Pump Use in Children with Type 1 Diabetes: Over a Decade of Disparities

Abstract Purpose Racial disparities have been shown in outcomes and treatment of children with type 1 diabetes (T1D). The purpose of this study was to examine temporal trends in insulin pump use among non-Hispanic white (NHW), non-Hispanic black (NHB) and Hispanic children attending a large urban diabetes center. . This study was a retrospective chart review of insulin pump usage by race (NHW/ NHB) in 2005, and race/ethnicity (NHW/NHB/Hispanic) in 2011–2019. Demographic data (age, sex, diabetes duration, SES) and most recent hemoglobin A1c were also abstracted in 2011–2019. Results In 2005, NHW children were twice as likely to use an insulin pump as NHB children. From 2011 to 2019, the odds ratio increased to 2.5 for NHW compared to NHB children. The odds of Hispanic children using insulin pumps were also higher than NHB. Insurance status (government versus private), a surrogate for SES, had very little influence on these trends, with NHW children consistently more likely than NHB children to be treated with insulin pumps in 2011, 2013, 2017, 2019 (p Conclusions We have demonstrated that racial disparities in insulin pump use have persisted over the past 15 years, and are not determined by SES. This inequity in diabetes treatment may be playing a role in the poorer glycemic control and higher rates of diabetes complications in NHB children. Practice implications Healthcare providers should be cognizant of racial and ethnic disparities in the treatment of children with T1D. Standardized treatment protocols may reduce unconscious bias in prescribing.
Centrality of the childhood cancer experience and its relation to post‐traumatic stress and growth

Objective Event centrality, the degree to which a traumatic event is perceived as central to one's identity, has been associated with post-traumatic stress (PTS) symptoms and post-traumatic growth (PTG) outcomes in various trauma samples. Trauma frameworks are widely used to understand the psychological impact of pediatric cancer; however, event centrality has not been studied in this population. We investigated event centrality in pediatric cancer survivors and healthy comparisons, and its relation with PTS and PTG outcomes. Method Cancer survivors, age 13-23 (N = 196) and healthy comparisons (N = 131) completed the Centrality of Events Scale and PTS and PTG measures in reference to their most traumatic life event. Cancer survivors who first identified a non-cancer-related event repeated all measures in reference to cancer. Results Centrality scores were significantly higher when referencing cancer compared to non-cancer events, even in survivors for whom cancer was not rated as most stressful (53.1%). Centrality scores for non-cancer events were not significantly different between survivors and healthy comparisons. Event centrality showed significant positive relations to both PTS and PTG outcomes. Conclusion The pediatric cancer experience is perceived as central to survivors' identity regardless of whether the experience is perceived as highly traumatic. Centrality of cancer is a significant predictor of both positive and negative psychological outcomes in cancer survivors.
Theory-Informed Course Design: Applications of Bloom’s Taxonomy in Undergraduate Public Health Courses

The public health workforce needs an array of knowledge and skills to effectively address current and future public health challenges. While existing competency models establish educational objecti...
Teaching Race and Racial Justice: Developing Students' Cognitive and Affective Understanding.

Effectively addressing both cognitive and affective dimensions of learning is one of the greatest obstacles to teaching race and racial justice in higher education. In this article, we first explore the need to integrate attention to cognitive and affective development, along with evidence-based strategies for doing so. We then provide a case study of an undergraduate sociology course on environmental justice in which the instructor intentionally adopted holistic pedagogical principles of teaching race. Analyzing student responses from a pre- and post- course survey, course assignments, and instructor observations of student participation, we find that both white students and students of color experienced significant growth in their cognitive and affective understanding of the complexities of race and work toward racial justice. However, results also show how challenging it can be to create the conditions for productive multiracial dialogues that produce extensive affective development, particularly interpersonal skills of racial reconciliation. Reflecting on the limitations of the case, we conclude that more holistic teaching approaches are necessary to develop both students’ cognitive and affective abilities to navigate race and work against racism, and we make suggestions for faculty development and administrative support.