cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Energetics of cobalt alloys and compounds and solute-vacancy binding in fcc cobalt: A first-principles database

Abstract Using extensive first-principles density functional calculations, we calculate thermodynamic properties of binary fcc cobalt-based alloys with 25 different solute elements. For each solute element X, we calculate its (a) nearest- and next-nearest-neighbor solute–vacancy binding energy, (b) dilute impurity mixing energy with respect to the equilibrium and hypothetical fcc-based reference states of the solute, (c) enthalpy of formation of cobalt-rich binary ordered compounds in the Co–X system, (d) solubility enthalpy, and other derived quantities. We find that the solute–vacancy binding energies of all the studied solutes in fcc cobalt are positive (indicating favorable binding), in contrast to nickel, aluminum, magnesium, and copper-based alloys, where mid 3d transition metal solutes have unfavorable solute–vacancy binding. We study the physical and chemical effects influencing solute–vacancy binding energy, and find that (a) it correlates broadly with solute size—larger solute atoms possess stronger binding with vacancies—and this is understood in terms of strain relief and secondary next-nearest-neighbor interactions, and (b) it follows a parabolic trend as a function of d-occupancy across the transition metal series—falling to a minimum at the middle of the series—and this is understood in terms of a d-band filling effect. We also find this d-band filling effect in other calculated quantities such as the dilute impurity volumes and dilute impurity mixing energies. To aid in building thermodynamic databases, we tabulate all the calculated thermodynamic quantities, and compare them with experimental phase diagrams data and previous literature, and find good agreement where such data is available.
Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) among patients who are never smokers.

7593 Background: Although most patients (pts) with SCLC are current or former smokers, SCLC has been reported in pts who are never smokers, most recently in pts with EGFR-mutant lung cancers who de...
The Thermal and Microstructural Effect of Plasticizing HMX-Nitrocellulose Composites

Thermal ignition via self-heating (cook-off) of cyclotetramethylene-tetranitramine (HMX)-containing plastic-bonded explosives (PBXs) is driven by the β → δ phase transition in the HMX, which is aff...
Communication Case Studies for Health Care Professionals: An Applied Approach, by Pagano, M.

The importance of effective patient–provider communication has been reiterated in numerous scholarly publications and underscored by the shift to a more patient-centered model of health care. Provi...
An Integrated Approach to Disability Policy Development, Implementation, and Evaluation.

Abstract This article provides a framework for an integrated approach to disability policy development, implementation, and evaluation. The article discusses how a framework that combines systems t...
Explaining Different Head Counts in the Bsp and Congress

Previous chapters demonstrated that the success of the BSP among Scheduled Caste voters was contingent upon the representational profile of the BSP and its main competition, the Congress party. This chapter addresses the underlying question: What explains the relative ability of Congress and the BSP to incorporate Scheduled Caste elites across states and across time? Why did Congress incorporate Scheduled Caste elites into its organization and governments to a greater degree in Karnataka than in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab? And in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab, why did it not incorporate these elites even after the emergence of the BSP as a competitive threat? Why did the BSP, avowedly a Scheduled Caste party, not incorporate Scheduled Caste elites from a wider spectrum of caste categories in any of the three states at its point of entry? And why did it not subsequently move to incorporate these elites in order to improve its electoral performance? In this chapter, I apply the model of elite incorporation developed in Part I to explain the differential ability of both parties to incorporate Scheduled Caste elites across Indian states. The incorporation of Scheduled Caste elites by the Congress party in Karnataka took place during a period when it had a competitive organizational structure. Its switch to a centralized structure following 1972, however, rendered it closed to rising Scheduled Caste elites in other states. The BSP, meanwhile, had a centralized organizational structure since its inception. In each state, therefore, it found it extraordinarily difficult to open itself to new entrants once it acquired an initial core of activists. In Uttar Pradesh, its high probability of winning since 1993 allowed it to compensate for the low probability of ascent and temporarily house elites from different Scheduled Caste categories under the same roof. In Punjab and Karnataka, however, its low prospects of winning, combined with its centralized organizational structure, rendered it closed to new elites. Explaining Differential Incorporation in the Congress Party Founded in 1885, the Indian National Congress exhibits significant temporal variation in its rules for intraparty advancement. The two defining rules of competitive party organizations (open membership and intraparty elections through majority rule) were introduced into Congress in 1920. This section describes the evolution of these rules and their impact on elite incorporation in the party.
Aqueous ethylcellulose dispersion of ethylcellulose. I. Evaluation of coating process variables.

Formulation and process variables play an important role in the film-forming properties of coating polymers. Three selected independent coating process variables, namely, percent solids content in the coating polymeric dispersion, inlet-air temperature, and spray rate of the polymeric dispersion, were investigated in this study to determine their effect on the performance characteristics of tablets coated with a plasticized aqueous ethylcellulose dispersion (Surelease) in a fluid-bed equipment. Response surface methodology (RSM) was utilized to study the complex relationship between these process variables and selected response variables. Three response variables were considered, namely, rate of drug release from the “untreated” coated tablets and the “thermal-treated” coated tablets and microindentation hardness of the untreated coated tablets. A 12-point factorial experimental design was utilized, and three-dimensional (3-D) response surface plots were generated using a second-order polynomial model. The model provided information needed to predict optimal process conditions. Drug release from the coated tablets followed zero-order kinetics. Inlet-air temperature was found to be the most critical process variable for all the three response variables studied. A correlation was observed between the drug release rate and the microindentation hardness of the applied polymeric coat in the case of untreated coated tablets. The 3-D response surface plots indicated that lower rates of drug release from the coated tablets may be obtained by using high inlet-air temperature and low spray rate of the polymeric dispersion during coating.
Cross-Strait Frenemies: Chinese Netizens VPN in to Facebook Taiwan

Contributing to research on social activism as a form of collective action, we report on Diba, a sizable group of Chinese nationalists, who overcame the Great Firewall in order to troll Taiwan's political leadership. Diba's political activism can be characterized as negotiating a tension between two seemingly opposed goals. On the one hand is their construction of a pro-PRC message using the tactics of Internet subcultures (memes, trolling, etc.), but toned down to meet standards of civility. On the other hand, by collectively breaching the Great Firewall and establishing Facebook accounts, the group transgressed PRC technical and legal norms, which were designed to prevent unsanctioned collective action. We argue that the Diba Expedition exemplifies the coordinated use of a complex, transnational social media ecology to support and produce a mass-scale event and newsworthy spectacle, loosened if not severed from state control, and a discursively innovative polysemous message targeted at diverse international audiences: civilized trolling.
The photo-physical study of the interaction of riboflavin with Nicotine in bicontinuous microemulsion

Steady-state fluorescence spectroscopy was used to study the interaction of riboflavin with nicotine in a bicontinuous microemulsion system made up of 42.11:13.70:21.34:22.85 % w/w of water: oil: surfactant: co-surfactant. The surfactant used is cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), the oil is tetradecane and the co-surfactant is 1-pentanol. It is observed that the interaction of riboflavin and nicotine in the prepared microemulsion lead to the quenching of riboflavin fluorescence. The bimolecular quenching rate constant, k q , of riboflavin by nicotine was observed as 4.15 x 10 9 M -1 s -1 with an efficiency of 56 %. The mechanism of the reaction is proposed to be diffusion limited in an activated electron transfer reaction in a solvent separated (outer-sphere) scheme. The electron transfer rate constant, k ET , was calculated as 5.89 x 10 9 s -1 with an activation rate constant, k a , of 9.52 x 10 9 s -1 . The calculated solvent reorganization energy, λ s , of the reaction was 1.09 eV, the free energy of interaction, ΔG o , is -2.9 eV and the free energy of activation, ΔG*, was calculated as 0.75 eV.
Does Maternal HIV Disclosure Self-Efficacy Enhance Parent–Child Relationships and Child Adjustment?

Nondisclosure of maternal HIV status to young children can negatively impact child functioning; however, many mothers do not disclose due to lack of self-efficacy for the disclosure process. This study examines demographic variations in disclosure self-efficacy, regardless of intention to disclose, and assesses the relationship between self-efficacy and child adjustment via the parent–child relationship among a sample of HIV+ mothers and their healthy children (N = 181 pairs). Mothers completed demographic and self-efficacy measures; children completed measures assessing the parent–child relationship and child adjustment (i.e., worry, self-concept, depression). Across demographics, few mothers reported confidence in disclosure. Results from covariance structural modeling showed mothers endorsing higher self-efficacy had children who reported better relationship quality, and, in turn, reported fewer adjustment difficulties; higher levels of disclosure self-efficacy also directly predicted fewer adjustment problems. Findings offer support for interventions aimed at providing mothers with skills to enhance confidence for disclosing their HIV status.
MTAP loss correlates with an immunosuppressive profile in GBM and its substrate MTA stimulates alternative macrophage polarization

ABSTRACT Glioblastoma (GBM) is a lethal brain cancer known for its potent immunosuppressive effects. Loss of Methylthioadenosine Phosphorylase (MTAP) expression, via gene deletion or epigenetic silencing, is one of the most common alterations in GBM. Here, we show that MTAP loss in GBM cells is correlated with differential expression of immune regulatory genes. In silico analysis of gene expression profiles in GBM samples revealed that low MTAP expression is correlated with reduced proportions of γδT cells, fewer activated CD4 cells, and an increased proportion of M2 macrophages. Using in vitro macrophage models, we found that methylthioadenosine (MTA), the metabolite that accumulates as a result of MTAP loss in GBM cells, promotes the immunosuppressive alternative activation (M2) of macrophages. We show that this effect of MTA on macrophages is independent of IL4/IL3 signaling, is mediated by the adenosine A2B receptor, and can be pharmacologically reversed. This study suggests that MTAP loss in GBM cells contributes to the immunosuppressive microenvironment, and that MTAP status should be a factor for consideration in understanding GBM immune states and devising immunotherapy-based approaches for treating MTAP-null GBM.
Inhibiting tumor necrosis factor-alpha at time of induced intervertebral disc injury limits long-term pain and degeneration in a rat model.

Background Painful intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration has tremendous societal costs and few effective therapies. Intradiscal tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFα) is commonly associated with low back pain, but the direct relationship remains unclear. Purpose Treatment strategies for low back pain require improved understanding of the complex relationships between pain, intradiscal pro-inflammatory cytokines, and structural IVD degeneration. A rat in vivo lumbar IVD puncture model was used to 1) determine the role of TNFα in initiating painful IVD degeneration, and 2) identify statistical relationships between painful behavior, IVD degeneration, and intradiscal pro-inflammatory cytokine expression. Methods Lumbar IVDs were punctured anteriorly and injected with TNFα, anti-TNFα, or saline and compared with sham and naive controls. Hindpaw mechanical hyperalgesia was assayed weekly to determine pain over time. 6-weeks post-surgery, animals were sacrificed, and IVD degeneration, IVD height, and intradiscal TNFα and interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β) expressions were assayed. Results Intradiscal TNFα injection increased pain and IVD degeneration whereas anti-TNFα alleviated pain to sham level. Multivariate step-wise linear regression identified pain threshold was predicted by IVD degeneration and intradiscal TNFα expression. Pain threshold was also linearly associated with IVD height loss and IL-1β. Discussion The significant associations between IVD degeneration, height loss, inflammation, and painful behavior highlight the multifactorial nature of painful IVD degeneration and the challenges to diagnose and treat a specific underlying factor. We concluded that TNFα is an initiator of painful IVD degeneration and its early inhibition can mitigate pain and degeneration. Intradiscal TNFα inhibition following IVD injury may warrant investigation for its potential to alter downstream painful IVD degeneration processes.
Stimulation of a B Cell Subset by Anti-Immunoglobulin and T Cell-Derived Regulatory Molecules

B lymphocytes may be divided into distinct subpopulations which differ from one another in the membrane antigens they express, in the immunogens to which they respond, and in their sensitivity to distinct regulatory mechanisms. The appreciation that such subpopulations exist is based, to a very large extent, on studies of mice which have an immunologic defect determined by the xid gene. This X chromosome gene, when present in the hemizygous or homozygous state, leads to a series of B lymphocyte abnormalities among which are unresponsiveness to soluble polysaccharides and other type 2 antigens,1 depressed serum IgM and IgG3 concentrations,2 and failure of B lymphocytes to proliferate upon stimulation with anti-immunoglobulin (Ig) antibodies.3 Mice with the xid defect lack B lymphocytes which bear the Lyb3,4 Lyb5,5 Lyb7,6 and Ia.W397 antigens. These lymphocytes, which are found in all normal strains, will be referred to as Lyb5+ B lymphocytes. The defects of xid-mice can be accounted for by the absence of Lyb5+ B cells.
Adaptive tracking of dynamic airborne vehicles based on (flir) image plane intensity data

In the recent past, the capability of tracking dynamic targets from forward looking infrared (FLIR) measurements has been improved substantially by replacing standard correlation trackers with adaptive extended Kalman filters or enhanced correlator/Kalman filter combinations. This research investigates a tracker able to handle "multiple hot-spot" targets, in which digital and/or optical signal processing is employed on the FLIR data to identify the underlying target shape. Furthermore, multiple model adaptive filtering is investigated as a means of changing the field-of-view as well as the tracker bandwidth when target acceleration can vary over a wide range. The performance potential of such a tracking algorithm is shown to be substantial.
Numerical Methods for the Calculation of Molecular Dynamics

The calculation of molecular dynamics requires the numerical solution of many coupled differential equations. We present an efficient and stable method for numerical integration. Further we discuss a procedure for calculating time-correlation functions and spectral densities by means of the Fast Fourier Transform.
On singular solutions of the incompressible boundary-layer equation including a point of vanishing skin friction

Three different types of singularities of the Prandtl equation in the vicinity of a point where the skin friction becomes zero are under discussion. According to the weakest type singularity the skin friction varies as the square root of the cube of the local distance. The next type involves a sudden change in the skin friction derivative with respect to coordinate along the rigid surface. It is superseded by the famous Landau-Goldstein singularity with the skin friction being proportional to the square root of the distance. Then, a still more complicated flow pattern may be composed of the singularity with the sudden change in the skin friction derivative followed by the Landau-Goldstein singularity at some small distance downstream.
Protein as a Source of Amino Acids

This chapter provides an overview of protein as a source of amino acids and discusses its role as the key in human nutrition. Protein is called the key to life. The role of protein as the key in human nutrition lies in the multiplicity of the protein molecules. Each can consist of all or some of the 20 amino acids that have been identified in naturally occurring proteins. The number of molecules of amino acids and the sequence in which each occurs determines the protein and its function in a living organism from the unicelled microbe to the complex physiology of man. Protein is recognized as more than a very complex, high-molecular-weight substance with certain biological value. It is designated by its profile of available amino acids, the units needed to produce enzymes and protoplasm. Proteins cannot be classified simply on the basis of their chemical makeup because so much remains to be determined about their composition and structure. For this reason, the American Society of Biological Chemists and the American Physiological Society classify proteins on the basis of both chemical and physical properties. The chapter presents a summary of the classes of proteins. This summary gives an overview of the complexity of proteins in human tissues and indicates combinations of other molecules with amino acids to form complex specialized molecules. Amino acids, too, represent a variety of molecular structures with each containing an alpha amino carboxylic group. They are classified on the basis of chemical structure and activity. The chapter also presents the classification of amino acids.
Antibody Fucosylation Lowers the FcγRIIIa/CD16a Affinity by Limiting the Conformations Sampled by the N162-Glycan

Therapeutic monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) are largely based on the immunoglobulin G1 (IgG1) scaffold, and many elicit a cytotoxic cell-mediated response by binding Fc γ receptors. Core fucosylation, a prevalent modification to the asparagine (N)-linked carbohydrate on the IgG1 crystallizable fragment (Fc), decreases the Fc γ receptor IIIa (CD16a) binding affinity and mAb efficacy. We determined IgG1 Fc fucosylation reduced the CD16a affinity by 1.7 ± 0.1 kcal/mol when compared to that of afucosylated IgG1 Fc; however, CD16a N-glycan truncation decreased this penalty by 1.2 ± 0.1 kcal/mol or 70%. Fc fucosylation restricted the manifold of conformations sampled by displacing the CD16a Asn162-glycan that impinges upon the linkage between the α-mannose(1–6)β-mannose residues and promoted contacts with the IgG Tyr296 residue. Fucosylation also impacted the IgG1 Fc structure as indicated by changes in resonance frequencies and nuclear spin relaxation observed by solution nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. ...
High purity syngas and hydrogen coproduction using copper-iron oxygen carriers in chemical looping reforming process

Abstract Chemical looping reforming presents an attractive alternative to the conventional processes for chemicals and energy production from carbonaceous fuels with significant reduction in carbon emissions and high exergy efficiency. Production of syngas and hydrogen is important because the former is a critical building block for valuable chemicals and latter is a source of clean energy. The use of copper-iron (Cu-Fe) oxygen carriers for coproducing syngas and hydrogen in a chemical looping reforming process is studied via experiments and process simulations. Three different compositions of Cu and Fe oxides are examined for their properties concerning the reactivity towards fuel and the selectivity towards syngas. The feasibility of using a co-current moving bed reactor configuration for syngas production is probed experimentally in a fixed bed reactor by placing the fully oxidized and reduced oxygen carrier in series. The methane conversion and dry syngas purity as high as 99.5% and 97.5%, respectively, are observed for copper oxide (20 wt%) - iron oxide (60 wt%) - aluminium oxide (20 wt%) oxygen carrier in a simulated co-current moving bed reactor. Key performance parameters including effective thermal efficiency for 5 different configurations of the chemical looping reforming process from ASPEN Plus simulation software are compared against the baseline case of the auto-thermal reforming process. Apart from an improvement in the natural gas conversion and syngas purity in the chemical looping reforming process, the net hydrogen production is increased by 28% and effective thermal efficiency is increased by 10% over that of the auto-thermal reforming process.
Phase stability of SiC/SiC fiber reinforced composites: The effect of processing on the formation of α and β phases

Abstract We describe the β → α phase transformation in SiC/SiC fiber-reinforced composites prepared by spark plasma sintering (SPS) and hot-pressing, resulting in samples of >96% relative density and uniform β-SiC microstructure for the SPS composites. Starting from β-SiC powders, the phase transformation from β to α in the samples manufactured by SPS is shown to be suppressed due to the influence of lower sintering temperature, shorter processing time, and higher pressure. These samples are compared to ones produced by a hot-pressing (HP) technique that results in samples with very significant conversion to α-SiC. This study is of special interest for the production of SiC/SiC composite structures for electronic, structural, and nuclear applications.
Endovascular and Microsurgical Aneurysm Training in a Chicken Thigh and Leg Pulsatile Model.

Background Neurovascular training models include animal models, synthetics, or computer simulation. In vivo models are expensive and require significant resources. Synthetic/computer models do not reflect the elasticity of fresh vessels. We describe an endovascular and microsurgical training model using a chicken thigh/leg. Methods A total of 20 chicken thigh/leg models were obtained. Angiography was used to understand the anatomy. Proximal cannulation with a 5-French catheter was achieved and connected to a hemostatic valve with a pump to simulate pulsatile flow. Aneurysms were created at the thigh-leg junction. For clipping training, 3 types of aneurysms were created to reproduce anatomy seen in middle cerebral, anterior communicating, and posterior communicating aneurysms. Results The average cost per specimen was $1.70 ± $0.30. The diameter of the proximal femoral artery was 2.4 mm ± 0.2 mm. The length from the proximal femoral artery to the aneurysm was 9.5 cm ± 0.7 cm. Distal catheterization was successful in all cases (n = 6). Successful deployment of coils and a stent was achieved under fluoroscopic guidance. Gross oversizing of coils and other mistakes led to aneurysm rupture. Each examiner performed an exploration of the pulsatile aneurysm, application and reapplication of a variety of clips, and then the final inspection of branching vessels to confirm patency. Conclusions The chicken thigh/leg model provides training opportunities in microsurgical suturing, endovascular techniques for aneurysm obliteration, and microsurgical reconstruction of aneurysms. It combines affordability, time efficiency, and reproducibility. Further studies measuring improvement in technical aneurysm management and comparison with other training models are warranted.
The Effects of an ADR ‘Confer and Report 'Rule

This article summarizes the findings of a study examining the effects of a rule requiring lawyers to confer with opposing counsel regarding settlement and ADR early in litigation and to report the results of that discussion to the court. A comparison of civil litigators' practices before and after the rule was adopted showed no apparent increase in early ADR discussions or in early settlements, the rule's ultimate goal. After the rule was adopted, lawyers did become more likely to discuss ADR at some point during the litigation, albeit not when prescribed by the rule. Enforcing the requirement to report to the court did not seem to affect whether lawyers held early discussions, but did seem to increase the likelihood that lawyers filed that report.
STUDIES WITH THE ESCHERICHIA COLI dnaJ and dnaK GENES

ABSTRACT Analysis of Escherichia coli mutants unable to propagate bacteriophage λ has revealed the existence of the dnaj and dnaK bacterial genes. These two genes have been shown to be closely linked and to map at 0.3 on the E. coli genetic map, between the thr and leu loci. DnaJ and dnaK bacterial mutants were found to block λ propagation at the level of λ DNA replication by specifically interfering with the function of the A gene P product. In addition, these bacterial mutants were shown to be temperature sensitive for bacterial growth at high temperature. The dnaj and dnaK genes have been cloned onto bacteriophage λ vectors and amber mutations in these genes have been isolated. The dnaJ and dnaK gene products have been identified as polypeptides with apparent molecular weights of 37,000 and 93,000 respectively. It has been shown that the dnaK756 mutation results in the overproduction of the dnaK756 product at high temperature.
Nanoparticle-mediated drug delivery systems for the treatment of IBD: Current perspectives

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which mainly consists of Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis, is a chronic and relapsing inflammatory condition of the gastrointestinal tract. The traditional treatment strategies relied on frequent administration of high dosages of medications, including antibiotics, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, biologics, and immunomodulators, with the goal of reducing inflammation. Some of these medications were effective in alleviating the early-stage inflammatory symptoms, but their long-term efficacies were compromised by the accumulation of toxicities. Recently, nanoparticle (NP)-based drugs have been widely studied for their potential to solve such problems. Various mechanisms/strategies, including size-, charge-, pH-, pressure-, degradation-, ligand-receptor-, and microbiome- dependent drug delivery systems, have been exploited in preclinical studies. A certain number of NP delivery systems have sought to target drugs to the inflamed intestine. Although several NP-based drugs have entered clinical trials for the treatment of IBD, most have failed due to premature drug release, weak targeting ability, and the high immune toxicity of some of the synthetic nanomaterials that have been used to fabricate the NPs. Therefore, there is still a need for rationally designed and stable NP drug delivery system that can specifically target drugs to the disease site, prolong the drug's residence time, and minimize systemic side effects. This review will analyze the current state of the art in NP-mediated drug delivery for IBD treatment. We will focus on topics such as deliverable targets (at the tissue or cellular level) for treating inflammation; the target-homing NP materials that can interact with such targets; and the major administration routes for treating IBD. These discussions will integrate notable trends in the research and development of IBD medications, including multi-responsive NP-mediated delivery and naturally-derived targeting NPs. Finally, current challenges and future directions will be presented in the hopes of advancing the study of NP-mediated strategies for treating IBD.
The influence of baseball pitching distance on pitching biomechanics, pitch velocity, and ball movement.

Abstract Objectives To determine whether increasing pitching distance for adult baseball pitchers would affect their upper extremity kinetics, full-body kinematics, and pitched ball kinematics (ball velocity, duration of ball flight, vertical and horizontal break, strike percentage). Design Controlled laboratory study. Methods Twenty-six collegiate baseball pitchers threw sets of five full-effort fastballs from three different pitching distances (18.44 m, 19.05 m, 19.41 m) in a randomized order. Ball velocity, horizontal and vertical break, duration of ball flight, and strike percentage were computed by a ball tracking system, while pitching kinetics and kinematics were calculated with a 12-camera optical motion capture system. Repeated measures analysis of variance was utilized to detect significant differences among the three different pitching distances (p Results No significant differences in pitching kinetics and kinematics were observed among the varying pitching distances. Ball velocity and strike percentage were also not significantly different among the pitching distances, however, the duration of ball flight and horizontal and vertical break significantly increased with pitching distance. Conclusions Increasing pitching distance may not alter upper extremity kinetics, full-body kinematics, ball velocity or strike percentage in adult pitchers. However, as pitching distance increases the duration of ball flight and amount of horizontal and vertical break also increase. Increased ball flight duration could be an advantage for the hitter while increased ball break could help the pitcher. In conclusion, it is unlikely that moving the mound backwards would significantly affect pitching biomechanics and injury risk; however, the effects on pitching and hitting performance are unknown.
Withings Body Cardio versus Gold Standards of Pulse-Wave Velocity and Body Composition.

Home blood pressure monitors are widely used by consumers yet cardiovascular health may be better defined by pulse-wave velocity (PWV). So far, the Withings Body Cardio scale is the only consumer device that has been designed to measure PWV and body composition, including fat mass (FM) and fat-free mass (FFM), in the home setting. While one study has demonstrated that this device meets the acceptable accuracy standards of the ARTERY Society, no study has accounted for the gravitational effect of standing on a scale on aortic-leg PWV. Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the accuracy of PWV and body composition as determined by the Body Cardio scale. Methods: Measurements of PWV and body composition in healthy, young males and females (n = 20) using the Body Cardio device were compared to PWV assessed by applanation tonometry (SphygmoCor) and body composition analysis determined by air displacement plethysmography (Bod Pod). Bland–Altman analysis and mean absolute percent error (MAPE) were used to assess accuracy. Results: Data are reported as the mean bias (95% confidence interval). The Body Cardio overestimated PWV by 0.68 m/s (−0.16, 1.51) and FM by 2.91 kg (−2.91, 8.73). Body Cardio PWV and FM estimations had a MAPE of 9.7% and 25.8%, respectively. The Body Cardio underestimated body mass (BM) and FFM by 0.11 kg (−0.41, 0.18) and 2.87 kg (−9.04, 3.30), respectively. Body Cardio BM and FFM estimations had a MAPE of 0.15% and 5.6%, respectively. Conclusions: The Body Cardio scale provides accurate measures of BM and PWV; however, it should be used cautiously for measures of FM and FFM.
Von Willebrand Factor Concentrate Administration for Acquired Von Willebrand Syndrome- Related Bleeding During Adult Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation.

Abstract Objective To review the use of Von Willebrand Factor (VWF) concentrate for treatment of acquired Von Willebrand syndrome (VWS) related bleeding in adult extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) patients and determine whether it was associated with improved VWF laboratory parameters. Design Retrospective observational cohort study. Setting Tertiary care academic medical center. Participants Adult ECMO patients who received VWF concentrate for treatment of acquired VWS related bleeding. Interventions None, observational study. Measurements and Main Results Ten adult ECMO patients received VWF concentrate for treatment of bleeding with evidence of acquired VWS over a 15-month period. Six patients were on veno-arterial ECMO and 4 were on veno-venous ECMO. The most common site of bleeding was airway or tracheal bleeding. The mean dose of VWF concentrate was 41 IU/kg. Mean VWF antigen was 263 ± 93 IU/dL before treatment and 394 ± 54 after treatment. Mean ristocetin cofactor activity was 127 ± 47 IU/dL before treatment and 240 ± 33 after treatment. The mean VWF ristocetin cofactor activity antigen ratio increased from 0.52 ± 0.14 before treatment to 0.62 ± 0.04 after treatment. Four of 10 patients had complete resolution of their bleeding within 24 hours while 6 of 10 had complete resolution of their bleeding within 2 to 4 days. There were 3 patients who had thrombotic events potentially related to VWF concentrate administration. No patient had an arterial thrombosis, stroke, or myocardial infarction. Conclusions VWF concentrate administration increases VWF function in adult ECMO patients, but may also be associated with increased thrombotic risk. Larger studies are needed to determine VWF concentrate's safety, efficacy, and optimal dosing in adult ECMO patients.
The Roots of the Polarization of Modern U.S. Politics

The elites of the United States are deeply polarized. Polarization of the Democratic and Republican Parties is higher than at any time since the late 19th Century. How could this be true given the obvious economic success of the United States? This essay describes how the modern polarization trend emerged. To understand the historical forces producing modern polarization it is necessary to understand the British colonial origins of the U. S. political-economic system. Representative democracy, plurality elections, geographic-based representation (the tradition of the representative living with those he represented), and private property rights were established from the beginning of the British colonies and shaped everything that was to follow. How these factors shaped the evolution of political parties over time gives us insight into why the current party system is so polarized and why there may be no simple solution to the serious polarization of the elites in the United States.
Geographic variation in Part B reimbursement and physician offsetting behavior: a physician matching approach

Historically, Medicare has operated under the assumption that providers respond to reductions in reimbursement through increased provision of services in an effort to offset declining practice revenue; however, some recent empirical work examining fee reductions has found evidence of either small offsetting effects or reductions in the quantity supplied. Using a distance matching approach that matches practices to nearby practices that are subject to different reimbursement rates, we find overall evidence in support of Medicare’s offsetting assumption collectively for all services and for evaluation and management services. We also find evidence consistent with a traditional volume response for imaging and testing services.
Validate Real-World Data-based Endpoint Measures of Cancer Treatment Outcomes

Recently, there is a growing interest in using real-world data (RWD) to generate real-world evidence (RWE) that complements clinical trials. Nevertheless, to quantify the treatment effects, it is important to develop meaningful RWD-based endpoints. In cancer trials, two real-world endpoints are particularly of interest: real-world overall survival (rwOS) and real-world time to next treatment (rwTTNT). In this work, we identified ways to calculate these real-world endpoints with structured EHR data, and validated these endpoints against the gold-standard measurements of these endpoints derived from linked EHR and TR data. In addition, we also examined and reported the data quality issues especially the inconsistency between the EHR and TR data. Using survival model, our result showed that patients (1) without subsequent chemotherapy or (2) with subsequent chemotherapy and longer rwTTNT, would have longer rwOS, showing the validity of using rwTTNT as a real-world surrogate marker for measuring cancer endpoints.
Analysis of Medicare Payments and Patient Outcomes With Pre-Operative Imaging for Carotid Endarterectomy.

Objective The use of radiographic evaluation of carotid disease may vary, and current guidelines do not strongly recommend the use of cross-sectional imaging (CSI) prior to surgical intervention. We sought to describe the trends in preoperative carotid imaging and evaluate the associated clinical outcomes and Medicare payments for patients undergoing carotid endarterectomy (CEA) for asymptomatic carotid disease. Methods We used a 20% Medicare sample from 2006 to 2014 identifying patients undergoing CEA for asymptomatic disease. We evaluated preoperative carotid ultrasound and CSI use: CT or MRI of the neck prior to CEA. We calculated average payments of each study from the carrier file and revenue center file. Imaging payments included both the professional component (PC) and the technical component (TC). Claims with a reimbursement of $0 and studies where payment for both the TC and PC could not be identified were excluded from the overall calculation to determine average payment per study. Inpatient reimbursements according to DRG 37-39 were calculated. We compared hospital length of stay (LOS), in hospital stroke, carotid re-exploration, and mortality according to CSI use. Results A total of 58,993 CEAs were identified with pre-operative carotid imaging. The average age was 74.8 ± 7.5 years, and 56.0% were men. A total of 19,678 (33%) patients had ultrasound alone with an average of (2.4 ± 1.9) exams prior to CEA. A total of 39,315 patients underwent CSI prior to CEA with 2.5 ± 2.1 ultrasounds, 0.95 ± 0.86 neck CTs and 0.47 ± 0.7 MRIs per patient. The average payment for ultrasound was $140 ± 40, $282 ± 94 for CT and $410 ± 146 for MRI. The average inpatient reimbursements were $7,413 ± 4,215 for patients without CSI compared with $7,792 ± 3,921 for patients with CSI, P Conclusions Our analysis found preoperative imaging to include CSI in nearly two-thirds of patients prior to CEA for asymptomatic disease. As imaging and inpatient payments were higher with patients with CSI further work is needed to understand when CSI is appropriate prior to surgical intervention to appropriately allocate healthcare resources.
Technological Innovation and Federal Government Policy

The National Science Foundation’s National R&D Assessment Program (RDA) was established in August 1972 to provide research on and analyses of the contribution of science and technology to the Nation.+ This program analyzes (1) the patterns of R&D and technological innovation and their consequences, (2) the incentives and decisions underlying these patterns, and (3) the implications of alternative Federal policy options for future patterns of R&D and technological innovation.++ Guided by the needs of government policymakers, the R&D Assessment Program seeks information and analyses which will aid decisionmaking affecting R&D and technological innovation. It attempts to develop knowledge useful in assessing the effects of policy options. In doing this the program: o supports research that will provide greater insight into technological innovation and how it can contribute to national purposes o supports research that explores the causes and effects of government decisions on science and technology o prepares summaries of research findings on R&D and technological innovation o analyzes policy options related to R&D and technological innovation.
TU-F-CAMPUS-T-03: A Novel Iris Quality Assurance Phantom for the CyberKnife Radiosurgery System

Purpose: A novel CCD camera and conical scintillator based phantom that is capable of measuring the targeting and field size accuracy of a robotic radiosurgery system has been developed. This work investigates its application in measuring the field sizes and beam divergence of the CyberKnife variable aperture collimator (Iris). Methods: The phantom was placed on the treatment couch and the robot position was adjusted to obtain an anterior -posterior beam perpendicular to the cone’s central axis. The FWHM of the 12 Iris apertures (5, 7.5, 10, 12.5, 15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 50, and 60 mm) were measured from the beam flux map on the conical scintillator surface as seen by the CCD camera. For each measurement 30 MU were delivered to the phantom at a dose rate of 1000 MU/min. The measurements were repeated at 4 SAD distances between 75 and 85 cm. These readings were used to project the aperture size as if the flux map on the scintillator were located 80 cm from the source (SSD). These projected FWHM beam diameters were then compared to the commissioning data. Results: A series of 12 beam divergence equations were obtained from the 4 sets of data using linear trend lines on Excel scatter plots. These equations were then used to project the FWHM measurements at 80 cm SSD. The average aperture accuracy for beams from 5 through 40 mm was 0.08 mm. The accuracy for the 50 and 60 mm beams were 0.33 and 0.58 mm when compared to film commissioning data. Conclusion: The experimental results for 10 apertures agree with the stated Iris accuracy of ±0.2 mm at 80 cm SAD. The results for the 50 and 60 mm aperture were repeatable and can serve as a reliable trend indicator of any deviations away from the commissioning values. Brett Nelson is President/CTO of Logos Systems
Transparent contact development for CdSe top cells in high efficiency tandem structures

Simulations indicate that efficiencies of 25 - 30% can be achieved with CdSe/CIGS thin-film tandem devices. The key to achieving this objective is development of a 16% transparent CdSe device. To address this problem we have been developing transparent contact/CdSe/transparent contact structures deposited on glass/SnO/sub 2/:F. With these transparent structures we have demonstrated record Jsc's of 17.4 mA/cm/sup 2/. SnO/sub 2/ serves as the n contact, and the p contact is ZnSe:Cu. These structures have also exhibited sub band gap transmission of 80%. We have evaluated ZnO and CdS as alternative n contacts and ZnTe as an alternative p contact. Voc's of only 300 mV are being attained with ZnSe:Cu because its Fermi level seems to be near the middle of the band gap of CdSe in spite of favorable valence band alignment. However, using ZnTe:Cu as the p contact we have achieved Voc's up to 575 mV, a new high.
The genetics of early cerebellar development: networks not pathways.

Publisher Summary This chapter presents an overview of the genetical basis of the early developmental processes of cerebellum, which arises from an area just posterior to the midbrain/hindbrain boundary (MHB). The chapter shows that within relatively short period of time progress has been made to learn the complete phenotype of a given mutation, including its cellular site(s) of gene action, to a detailed hunt for the nucleotide changes that underlie a given mutation and the predicted consequences in protein structure and function. The researchers have shown with greater and greater clarity that no gene can be understood as functioning alone, and each one works in a context that is created by the properties of other genes in the genome, as well as by the organism's environment and physiology. This notion of context makes simple linear schemes, such as pathways and cycles less satisfying as ways of describing the full range of gene actions, despite the obvious appeal of the one-dimensional simplicity. Sometimes the output cells return an error message; while, sometimes the interactions among the interior cells adjust and the output cell contains a useful value. The establishment of the MHB in the early vertebrate neural tube is an example of this emerging view and the responses of genes, such as Engrailed-1 and Pax-2 to their genetic background serve as reminders of how important it is to consider the validity of each phenotype in both its isolated and interactive modes.
Hex and the City: Spells for Late Capitalism

What a difference a few centuries make. In the United States Wiccan chaplains now volunteer in state prisons, stylish and attractive witches are featured as role models for young women in film and television, and the term “witchhunt” is now used only in its metaphorical sense. Yet even though burnings have ceased, the number of current adherents to Wicca, witchcraft, and neo-paganism is notoriously difficult to determine because believers, fearing persecution by their communities, are often reluctant to reveal themselves to pollsters. Estimates of the number of Wiccans in the U.S. vary from a few thousand to ten million. The massive American Religious Identification Survey (ARIS), probably the most accurate survey for religious identification, estimates that the Wiccan community in the United States grew 17 fold between the years 1990 and 2001—the highest growth rate of all the religious groups monitored. This statistic, however, remains questionable.
Epilepsy and Sleep

Over a century of investigation has confirmed crucial links between epilepsy and sleep. Seizures and some antiepileptic drugs contribute to sleep disorganization and daytime sleepiness. In turn, sleep instability promotes seizures. Sleep deprivation provokes seizures and epileptic discharges in some people with epilepsy. Synchronized nonrapid eye movement (NREM) sleep facilitates and desynchronized rapid eye movement (REM) sleep discourages seizures and electroencephalogram (EEG) epileptic abnormalities. The sleep EEG is useful in the diagnosis and localization of epilepsy as new epileptic foci can appear in sleep, and REM sleep may demonstrate the narrowest localization of the primary focus. Polysomnography with expanded EEG aids in the differentiation of seizures and parasomnias and in the diagnosis of primary sleep disorders, such as sleep apnea, that can exacerbate seizures. Treating sleep apnea may lead to improved seizure control. These observations underscore the importance of sleep in the diagnosis and treatment of people with epilepsy.
The Book of Esther : Lessons in Leadership

This paper examines the Book of Esther, deriving important insights about a variety of approaches to leadership that can be applied to today‘s crisis in leadership. Esther was a Queen of Persia approximately 2,500 years ago. In reviewing the leadership styles of three characters from this biblical story, the Book of Esther is seen to contain fascinating examples and counterexamples of effective leadership.