cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Magnetodielectric response in epitaxial thin films of multiferroic Bi2NiMnO6

Thin films of multiferroic Bi2NiMnO6 (BNMO) have been epitaxially stabilized on various lattice-matched substrates using the pulsed laser deposition technique. BNMO films deposited on conducting Nb doped SrTiO3 substrates exhibit a magnetodielectric effect, in which the effective dielectric constant is dependent on the applied magnetic field and measurement frequency. A rapid change in the effective dielectric constant with a corresponding maximum in the magnetodielectric effect is observed near the ferromagnetic transition temperature of BNMO. The temperature-dependent magnetodielectric effect is attributed to the coupling between electric dipole ordering and fluctuations and magnetic ordering and fluctuations.
The Implications of Third-Party Customer Complaining for Advertising Efforts

This paper critically assesses the impacts of third-party customer complaining and responsiveness on the efficiency and effectiveness of advertising. A sample of 180 businesses is analyzed using COMPUSTAT and Better Business Bureau (BBB) data. The results suggest that third-party customer complaining is associated with lower advertising efficiency and effectiveness in both goods and service industries. The results further indicate that responsiveness to third-party customer complaining by goods firms is negatively related to advertising effectiveness but does not lead to lower overall advertising efficiency in either goods or services industries. These findings suggest that practitioners consider the impacts of, and trade-offs involved with, third-party customer complaining and organizational responsiveness to third-party customer complaining when evaluating advertising strategies.
The Prehistoric Migrations of the Cherokee

This article presents a reassessment of archaeological and anthropological articles, lexicostatistical glottochronology, genetic probability affinities, and traditional Cherokee legends to describe the origin and migrations of the Cherokee people. The scenario begins with the Cherokee migrating from their first homeland in middle North America along the Mississippi River to the Greater Southwest around 2800 B. P. Then they began migrating to the southern Great Plains around A.D. 900. A third migration around A.D. 1500 brought them to the Fort Ancient region along the Ohio River. By A.D. 1600, hostile neighbors forced them south across the Ohio River into the Allegheny Mountain ranges of the Southeast. Finally in the late A.D. 1830s, the Cherokee were forced to migrate back to their ancestral homeland in Arkansas and Oklahoma.
A reconfigurable Yagi Antenna for wireless communications

The design of a reconfigurable Yagi antenna that can operate at two frequencies, 2.4 GHz and 5.78 GHz, for use in wireless communications is presented. The Yagi can be reconfigured through the use of appropriate switches placed on the elements of the antenna. This paper shows the feasibility of this antenna and presents simulated and measured results at the two frequencies. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Microwave Opt Technol Lett 38: 140–141, 2003; Published online in Wiley InterScience (www.interscience.wiley.com). DOI 10.1002/mop.10997
Enhanced, rapid occlusion of carotid and vertebral arteries using the AMPLATZER Vascular Plug II device: the Duke Cerebrovascular Center experience in 8 patients with 22 AMPLATZER Vascular Plug II devices.

Objective Therapeutic embolization of the common carotid artery (CCA), internal carotid artery (ICA), and vertebral artery (VA) is necessary in the treatment of a subset of chronic arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs), hemorrhages, highly vascularized neoplasms before resection, and giant aneurysms. There are currently no reports of the use of the AMPLATZER Vascular Plug II (AVP II) device to occlude the CCA, ICA, or VA. The objective of this article is to present the Duke Cerebrovascular Center experience using the AVP II device in neurointerventional applications. Methods This case series is a retrospective review of all of the cases at Duke University Hospital in which an AVP II device was used in the CCA, ICA, or VA up to September 2012. The AVP II device was often used in conjunction with embolization coils or as multiple AVP II devices deployed in tandem. Results During 2010–2012, 8 cases meeting criteria were performed. These included 2 chronic VA to internal jugular AVFs, 1 hemorrhagic CCA to internal jugular AVF secondary to invasive head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, 1 ICA hemorrhage secondary to invasive head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, 1 ICA hemorrhage secondary to trauma, 1 ruptured ICA aneurysm, 1 giant petrous ICA aneurysm, and 1 case of cervical vertebral sarcoma requiring preoperative VA embolization. Successful occlusion of the target vessel was achieved in all 8 cases. There was 1 major complication that consisted of a watershed distribution cerebral infarct; however, this was related to emergent occlusion of the ICA in the setting of intracranial hemorrhage and was not a problem intrinsic to the AVP II device. Conclusions The AVP II device is relatively large, self-expanding vascular occlusion device that safely allows enhanced, rapid take-down of the CCA, ICA, and VA with low risk of distal migration.
The design and hardware implementation of a low-power real-time seizure detection algorithm.

Epilepsy affects more than 1% of the world's population. Responsive neurostimulation is emerging as an alternative therapy for the 30% of the epileptic patient population that does not benefit from pharmacological treatment. Efficient seizure detection algorithms will enable closed-loop epilepsy prostheses by stimulating the epileptogenic focus within an early onset window. Critically, this is expected to reduce neuronal desensitization over time and lead to longer-term device efficacy. This work presents a novel event-based seizure detection algorithm along with a low-power digital circuit implementation. Hippocampal depth-electrode recordings from six kainate-treated rats are used to validate the algorithm and hardware performance in this preliminary study. The design process illustrates crucial trade-offs in translating mathematical models into hardware implementations and validates statistical optimizations made with empirical data analyses on results obtained using a real-time functioning hardware prototype. Using quantitatively predicted thresholds from the depth-electrode recordings, the auto-updating algorithm performs with an average sensitivity and selectivity of 95.3 ± 0.02% and 88.9 ± 0.01% (mean ± SEα = 0.05), respectively, on untrained data with a detection delay of 8.5 s [5.97, 11.04] from electrographic onset. The hardware implementation is shown feasible using CMOS circuits consuming under 350 nW of power from a 250 mV supply voltage from simulations on the MIT 180 nm SOI process.
Parenting Influences on Early Sex Initiation Among Adolescents How Neighborhood Matters

Building on social ecological research, this study considers whether neighborhood socioeconomic advantage modifies the relationship between parenting practices and sex initiation among young adolescents. Using data on a national sample of 2,559 middle school students, the authors examined two-way interactions between neighborhood socioeconomic status and parental involvement, decision making, and communication about sex. The parental decision-making measure was developed using latent class analysis. Greater parental involvement was related to a lower likelihood of sex initiation only when youth lived in socioeconomically advantaged neighborhoods. Parental decision making centered on the child’s activities within (e.g., television watching) and outside (e.g., hanging with peers) of the home was associated with a lower likelihood of sex initiation for adolescents in disadvantaged neighborhoods but to a greater likelihood of sex initiation for youth in advantaged neighborhoods. Results suggest that the neigh...
The use of state workers' compensation administrative data to identify injury scenarios and quantify costs of work-related traumatic brain injuries

Problem: Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a public health problem but little is known about the nature of that problem in the working population. Method: The author used a national definition to identify cases in Washington State from workers' compensation (WC) hospital billing data, quantified the cost of WC insurance benefits using actuarial cost estimates, and identified high risk industries using ANSI Z16.2 typology. Results: There were 928 cases of TBI with a lifetime claim cost of $159 million from the Washington State Fund (1994-2001). Sixty percent of injuries resulted in death or disability. The highest risks of TBI are concentrated in 16 industrial insurance risk classes and the highest costs in 19 North American Industry Classification codes. Injury scenarios were identified for nine industrial insurance risk classes. Conclusions: TBI is a disabling and costly workplace injury in the state of Washington, affecting even teenagers and seniors who are not generally considered to be part of the workforce. Injury typology codes provide useful information for improving workplace safety. Impact on industry: This research provides industry with quantitative information regarding the cost of work-related traumatic brain injury and the usefulness of using workers' compensation claims data to reduce the burden of workplace injury.
Inferring and using location metadata to personalize web search

Personalization of search results offers the potential for significant improvements in Web search. Among the many observable user attributes, approximate user location is particularly simple for search engines to obtain and allows personalization even for a first-time Web search user. However, acting on user location information is difficult, since few Web documents include an address that can be interpreted as constraining the locations where the document is relevant. Furthermore, many Web documents -- such as local news stories, lottery results, and sports team fan pages -- may not correspond to physical addresses, but the location of the user still plays an important role in document relevance. In this paper, we show how to infer a more general location relevance which uses not only physical location but a more general notion of locations of interest for Web pages. We compute this information using implicit user behavioral data, characterize the most location-centric pages, and show how location information can be incorporated into Web search ranking. Our results show that a substantial fraction of Web search queries can be significantly improved by incorporating location-based features.
The prospects for Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD) in Mesoamerica

SUMMARY The general reluctance of policy makers to include forests in discussions about global warming has changed with the development of measures to Reduce Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD). Mesoamerica presents a logical starting point to promote REDD due to the extent of its forest, and the relatively advanced state of its forest management institutions and policies. This paper reviews the prospects for REDD in Mesoamerica using PES and other instruments, with emphasis on the effectiveness of REDD measures at reducing emissions, and their efficiency and fairness. It concludes that in spite of reduced deforestation in the region, the growth of payments to avoid deforestation will be the most important policy change related to REDD in the region in the coming years. However, the magnitude and impact of any payments must not be exaggerated and should be set in context of the overall trends resulting from broader social and economic dynamics.
Exploiting coarse-grained parallelism to accelerate protein motif finding with a network processor

While general-purpose processors have only recently employed chip multiprocessor (CMP) architectures, network processors (NPs) have used heterogeneous multi-core architectures since the late 1990s. NPs differ qualitatively from workstation and server CMPs in that they replicate many simple, highly efficient processor cores on a chip, rather than a small number of sophisticated superscalar CPUs. In this paper, we compare the performance of one such NP, the Intel IXP 2850, to that of the Intel Pentium 4 when executing a scientific computing workload with a high degree of thread-level parallelism. Our target program, HMMer, is a bioinformatics tool that identifies conserved motifs in protein sequences. HMMer represents motifs as hidden Markov models (HMMs) and spends most of its time executing the well-known Viterbi algorithm to align proteins to these models. Our observations of HMMer on the IXP are therefore relevant to computations in many other domains that rely on the Viterbi algorithm. We show that the IXP achieves a speedup of 1.82 over the Pentium, despite the Pentium's 1.85x faster clock. Moreover, we argue that next-generation IXP NPs will likely provide a 10-20x speedup for our workload over the IXP 2850, in contrast to 5-1Ox speedup expected from a next-generation Pentium-based CMP.
The Value of Intraoperative Parathyroid Hormone Monitoring in Localized Primary Hyperparathyroidism: A Cost Analysis

Background Minimally invasive parathyroidectomy (MIP) is the preferred approach to primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT) when a single adenoma can be localized preoperatively. The added value of intraoperative parathyroid hormone (IOPTH) monitoring remains debated because its ability to prevent failed parathyroidectomy due to unrecognized multiple gland disease (MGD) must be balanced against assay-related costs. We used a decision tree and cost analysis model to examine IOPTH monitoring in localized PHPT.
Sharks can detect changes in the geomagnetic field

We used behavioural conditioning to demonstrate that sharks can detect changes in the geomagnetic field. Captive sharks were conditioned by pairing activation of an artificial magnetic field with presentation of food over a target. Conditioned sharks subsequently converged on the target when the artificial magnetic field was activated but no food reward was presented thereby demonstrating that they were able to sense the altered magnetic field. This strong response provides a robust behavioural assay that could be used to determine how sharks detect magnetic fields and to measure detection thresholds.
A transputer based parallel processing frontend data acquisition system

A new parallel processing frontend for data acquisition has been designed and built at NSCL. This system, using inmos T800 transputers, is designed to add the capacity of realtime data filtering to the normal operations of NSCL frontends and improve overall performance. The initial system is designed for 5 transputers linked to a SUN host system via transputer links. A prototype system with one node is currently used as the data acquisition system for the NSCL 4/spl pi/ detector. The multinode system has been installed and tested. Filter software is under development. >
Looking at practices – Can we discover something new by looking at practices? Practice theory and the history of education

In dealing with the material side of educational institutions, and cultures of education and learning, research on the history of education offers new perspectives and research questions. Familiar sources are thus read anew or re-interpreted; new sources are tapped and even familiar categories and forms of thought are subjected to historical interrogation . A practice-theoretical perspective is concerned with linking the reconstruction and analysis of the development and evolution of “pedagogical practices” and technologies. This includes their material conditions, as well as trans-formations of knowledge about growing up in a society, transformations of “pedagogical” types of thought and patterns of reflection, and the emergence of relevant institutions and organiza-tions. In this context, no aspect is regarded as a linear consequence of another, neither are they treated as independent from each other. Yet the question remains open: What exactly does prac-tice-theoretically oriented or practice-based research on the history of education actually do? And how can a perspective on practices reveal something new in the history of education? DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.15572/ENCO2014.10
Comparisons of the Rayleigh and K-distribution models using in vivo breast and liver tissue

There is a strong interest in finding out which statistical model is the most appropriate for describing the envelope of the backscattered ultrasonic echoes from different types of tissues. The Rayleigh model is commonly employed, but this requires conditions, such as the presence of large number of randomly located scatterers with fairly uniform cross-sections, that are not always met. However, our research indicates that a model based on the K-distribution may provide a better fit to empirical data over a range of scattering conditions than the standard Rayleigh model. In this study, we looked at the K-distribution as a descriptor of the backscattered envelope of the breast and liver tissues (in vivo). By examining data from various tissue regions, a goodness-of-fit test (a least squares error method) was used to determine whether a Rayleigh or K-distribution model is more appropriate. From a large group of patients and volunteer scans (a total of 72 subjects), the fit between the K-distribution and the data is shown to have a much smaller error than the Rayleigh model.
The mouse H19 locus mediates a transition between imprinted and non-imprinted DNA replication patterns

Genes subject to genomic imprinting generally occur in clusters of hundreds of kilobases. These domains exhibit several gamete of origin-dependent manifestations, including a pattern of asynchronous replication when studied by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH). We find a transition from asynchronous replication at the imprinted mouse H19 gene to synchronous replication at the downstream Rpl23 gene, the human homologue of which appears to be non-imprinted. Two-colour FISH demonstrates that this transition is due solely to a difference in replication timing between the upstream and downstream chromatin on the later-replicating (maternal) chromosome. This difference is lost in mice deleted for the H19 gene body and 9.9 kb of upstream DNA when this deletion is maternally inherited, with synchronous replication patterns extending over 110 kb upstream from the deleted area. No effect is seen when the deletion is paternally inherited. The presence of a boundary element in this region has been suggested by observations of position-independent expression of H19 -containing transgenes and the blocking of accessibility of downstream enhancers to the upstream Igf2 and Ins2 genes on the maternal chromosome. The FISH studies presented here demonstrate the insulation of replication patterns within the imprinted domain from downstream, non-imprinted chromatin, mediated by an element at the H19 locus which is subject to genomic imprinting.
Wireless advertising's challenges and opportunities

Rapidly developing wireless net-working technology and the growing mobile-device user base have fueled interest in activities that deliver advertisements to mobile devices over a wireless network. Studies by wireless media research companies indicate that delivering permission-based alerts to wireless phones captures consumers' attention, drives response actions, and builds brand awareness. Wireless devices are accessible, personal, and location aware. These characteristics allow for highly targeted, flexible, and dynamic wireless advertisements. Yet the target audience is vast, and users must be able to search for information, issue inquiries, and make purchases at any mobile location.
Can human hematopoietic stem cells be cultured ex vivo

The factors that induce proliferation of the human hematopoietic stem cell are ill defined. Further characterization of such growth factors will be needed to develop ex vivo culture systems that induce prolonged proliferation and expansion of human hematopoietic stem cells. Human or murine hematopoietic progenitors that can initiate and sustain long-term culture systems (LTC-IC) represent a population of very primitive hematopoietic progenitors. When cultured in direct contact with stromal layers, we and others have demonstrated that a fraction of such LTC-IC can be maintained. In addition, stroma-free long-term cultures supplemented with two to nine cytokines can induce proliferation and differentiation of immature human hematopoietic progenitors. However, 70-90% of primitive LTC-IC are lost after five weeks in such cultures. We describe a "stroma-non-contact" culture system, in which progenitors are cultured separated from stroma by a 0.4 micron microporous membrane which prevents cell stroma contact but allows free passage of diffusible factors. Primitive progenitors in such cultures can not only differentiate into committed progenitors but also are maintained to a greater extent than in Dexter cultures. We will discuss the relative contribution of 1) direct contact between hematopoietic progenitors and bone marrow stroma, 2) soluble stroma-derived factors and 3) previously characterized growth promoting and presumed growth inhibitory cytokines in the in vitro maintenance and potential expansion of LTC-IC.
Predicting the performance of mitral prostheses implanted in children under 5 years of age.

Background: Mitral valve replacement (MVR) is occasionally indicated in infants and young children, necessitating the use of small prostheses. The performance of these small valves during somatic growth of the patient can lead to patient-prosthesis mismatch. This study examines performance of these valves over time to establish predicted performance and timing of replacement. Methods: Records were reviewed of all patients under 5 years of who underwent small mechanical MVR between 1988 and 2004 (n = 24). Valve sizes were between 17 and 23 mm (Bileaflet 91.6%, Tilting Disc 8.3%) with a median size of 19 mm. Mean age of patients was 1.4 1.3 years with a mean weight of 7.8 3.4 kg. Results: Earlydeaths(n = 5,20.8%)wereexcluded.There weretwolatedeathsandfivepatientsrequiredredo-MVR: fourfor outgrowthandone for acute thrombosis at3 months. Age atredoforoutgrowth was 8.6 6.6 years with meanbodyweight of22.5 17.5 kg. Meantimebetween original operation and redo was 8.6 6.1 years in these four patients. Follow-up was a median of 7.5 years (range 0.1—15.7 years). Overall freedom from deathorvalvereplacementwas82.6 9.1%at5yearsand75.7 10.6%at10years.Theperformanceoftheoriginalprosthesesshowedapeakblood flowvelocityacrossthevalvesof1.5 0.6 m/sat5yearsand2.2 0.5 m/sat10years.Seventy-fivepercentofthesurvivorsstillhavetheiroriginal valve at a mean of 8.1 4.4 years postoperative with New York Heart Asociation status of I or II. Actuarial curves suggest that gradients across the valves reach a peak of >10 mmHg at a mean between 6.5 and 7 years postoperative. Conclusion: MVR in children under 5 years carries a high mortality. Nevertheless, small mechanical MVR perform remarkably well in young children with durable haemodynamics despite growth of the patients well beyond more than double the initial bodyweight. Valves can be expected to last over 8 years before requiring re-replacement.
The obesity pandemic

Obesity is now reaching epidemic proportions, not only in westernized/industrialized countries, but also in developing countries. It affects all age groups, children, adolescents, adults and the elderly. Adults with a BMI of 30 kg/m2 or higher are considered obese. According to the American Medical Association Expert Committee, for children aged 2–18 years a BMI over or equal to the 95th percentile for age and sex, or a BMI exceeding 30 kg/m2 (whichever is smaller) is considered obese. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data show that age-adjusted prevalence of obesity (BMI >30 kg/m2) was 30.5% in 1999–2000 compared with 22.9% in 1988–1994. Extreme obesity (BMI >40 kg/m2) went from 2.9–4.7% [1]. This is the commonest nutritional problem in North America. Annual hospital costs for children with obesity have tripled from the 1980s to 1990, rising from US$35 million to US$127 million [2]. Medical expenses for obese adults are 36% higher than their nonobese counterparts. Obesity is no longer a cosmetic issue, but is a major health issue accounting for billions of dollars each year. Medical complications associated with obesity include diabetes mellitus (DM), dyslipidemia, heart disease (coronary artery disease, heart failure and atrial fibrillation), cerebrovascular disease, respiratory disease (obstructive sleep apnea, asthma), gastrointestinal diseases (gastroesophageal reflux, cholelithiasis and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease), osteoarthritis, cancer (breast, colon, endometrium kidney and esophagus) and gynecological and obstetric complications [3]. They also have an increased risk of surgical and anesthetic complications. In addition, obesity is a social stigma and is associated with discrimination with respect to educational and job opportunities. In the elderly it is associated with poor quality of life and fraility.
Examining the robustness of sensor-based statistical models of human interruptibility

Current systems often create socially awkward interruptions or unduly demand attention because they have no way of knowing if a person is busy and should not be interrupted. Previous work has examined the feasibility of using sensors and statistical models to estimate human interruptibility in an office environment, but left open some questions about the robustness of such an approach. This paper examines several dimensions of robustness in sensor-based statistical models of human interruptibility. We show that real sensors can be constructed with sufficient accuracy to drive the predictive models. We also create statistical models for a much broader group of people than was studied in prior work. Finally, we examine the effects of training data quantity on the accuracy of these models and consider tradeoffs associated with different combinations of sensors. As a whole, our analyses demonstrate that sensor-based statistical models of human interruptibility can provide robust estimates for a variety of office workers in a range of circumstances, and can do so with accuracy as good as or better than people. Integrating these models into systems could support a variety of advances in human computer interaction and computer-mediated communication.
Arrays of hollow out-of-plane microneedles for drug delivery

Drug delivery based on MEMS technology requires an invasive interface such as microneedles, which connects the microsystem with the biological environment. Two-dimensional arrays of rigid hollow microneedles have been fabricated from single-crystal silicon using a combination of deep reactive ion etching and isotropic etching techniques. The fabricated needles are typically 200 /spl mu/m long with a wide base and a channel diameter of 40 /spl mu/m. The fabrication process allows creating either blunt needles or needles with sharp tips. Their shape and size make these needles extremely suitable for minimally invasive painless epidermal drug delivery. MEMS technology allows for batch fabrication and integration with complex microsystems. Fluid has been successfully injected 100 /spl mu/m deep into sample tissue through arrays of microneedles. Needle breakage did not occur during this procedure. Experiments have shown that the modified Bernoulli equation is a good model for liquid flowing through the narrow microneedle lumen.
Varus Deformity of the Distal Tibia From Physeal Growth Arrest Treated Using a Titanium Metal Porous Wedge.

During a cheerleading event, a 14-year-old female sustained a right ankle physeal fracture that was treated nonoperatively with casting. She developed a distal medial tibial physeal arrest, and as the onset of menses was at age 16, she subsequently developed a varus distal tibial deformity. At the age of 19, she was no longer able to participate in collegiate cheerleading due to lateral ankle pain, ankle instability, and peroneal subluxation. After failing conservative treatment, she underwent an ankle arthroscopy, Brostrom-Gould procedure, peroneal retinacular repair with peroneal tenolysis, and a distal tibial medial opening wedge osteotomy using a porous titanium metal wedge and a one-third tubular plate. At 6-month follow-up, her osteotomy site showed abundant callus formation, and her lateral ankle pain had almost completely resolved. At 22-month follow-up, there were no residual ankle instability or pain complaints, and she had returned to collegiate cheerleading. This case report highlights a very ...
The Structural Approach to Racial Inequality in the Jury System and Jury Selection

The primary influence on the contemporary jury system in the United States is derived from early English colonists who brought their legal institutions to North America. Subsequently, the jury system evolved as an essential ingredient of America’s judicial framework.
Natural history of Mallory-Weiss tear in African American and Hispanic patients.

The aim of this study was to determine the natural history of Mallory-Weiss tear (MWT) in African American and Hispanic patients. We retrospectively reviewed medical records of all patients with acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding over a 10-year period. Endoscopic diagnosis of MWT was made in 12% (n = 698) of all patients with acute upper gastrointestinal bleeding. More than half of our patients with MWT did not have a preceding history of retching or vomiting. Bleeding episodes were hemodynamically significant in 216 (31%) patients. Most of the patients with MWT (80%) had an uneventful and short hospital stay (range, 1–4 days). Recurrent upper gastrointestinal bleeding within 30 days occurred in 84 (12%) patients. Overall mortality was 10%; endoscopic hemostasis failure and associated comorbidities were the common culprits.
Baseline Endogenous Estradiol and the Association of Hormone Therapy with Breast Cancer Risk, the Women's Health Initiative Clinical Trials.

Background: The effect of exogenous hormones on breast cancer risk may depend on baseline endogenous levels of estradiol (E 2 ). We investigated whether women with lower E 2 levels will have the greatest increase in breast cancer risk during treatment with estrogen plus progestin ((E+P); combined conjugated equine estrogens (CEE) plus medroxyprogesterone acetate) or estrogen-alone ((E-alone); CEE) therapy. Additionally, we examined whether the risk of breast cancer varies by untreated levels of endogenous E 2 .Methods: We performed an ancillary study within the Women9s Health Initiative E+P and E-alone clinical trials. We used a case-only design to test for interactions between untreated levels of E 2 and hormone therapy (E+P or E-alone) on breast cancer risk. We measured baseline levels of bioavailable E 2 in 346 cases of invasive breast cancer from the E+P trial and 231 cases from the E-alone trial. To estimate the risk of breast cancer by endogenous E 2 levels (expressed as quartiles), we used a case-cohort design which included the cases described above in addition to a randomly selected comparison group (N=387; 203 from the E+P and 184 from the E-alone trial). Incident breast cancer cases were identified over an average follow-up of 4.1 years in the E+P trial and 5.4 years in the E-alone trial. All analyses were performed separately for the E+P and the E-alone trials.Results: In the case-only study, the effect of E+P therapy on breast cancer risk did not seem to vary by endogenous E 2 quartiles (p-heterogeneity= 0.16). Breast cancer risk associated with E-alone treatment tended to be greater among women with the lowest E 2 levels; however this association was not significant (hazard ratio (HR)= 1.44, 95% confidence interval (CI)= 0.79-2.59).In the case-cohort analysis, higher endogenous E 2 levels were associated with increased breast cancer risk (p-trend= 0.01), independent of hormone therapy.Conclusion: The risk of breast cancer increases with higher levels of untreated endogenous E 2 . However, untreated E 2 level does not modify the effect of E+P or E-alone therapy on breast cancer risk. Estradiol measurement is unlikely to identify women where hormone therapy may substantially increase the risk of breast cancer. Citation Information: Cancer Res 2009;69(24 Suppl):Abstract nr 906.
Helium Microwave-Induced Plasma Mass Spectrometric Detection for Reversed-Phase High-Performance Liquid Chromatography

Reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) is directly coupled to helium microwave-induced plasma mass spectrometry (He MIP-MS) for the element-selective detection of halogenated organic compounds. Absolute detection limits are approximately 50 pg Br for brominated compounds, 1 pg I for iodinated compounds, and 10 ng Cl for chlorinated compounds. The linear dynamic range for Br- and I-containing compounds is 3-4 orders of magnitude. However, the linear range for chlorinated species is severely limited by high background at m/z = 35. The relative standard deviation for repetitive injections is less than 10%. The helium microwave-induced plasma is operated at moderate powers (300-350 W) and with a total helium consumption of 6-8 L/min. The effect of organic solvents on the background mass spectrum is investigated.
Double annulative cascade of tryptophan-containing peptides triggered by selectfluor.

A common dearomative strategy toward the kapakahines B/F and chaetominine natural products is reported. The proposed biomimetic strategy generates the tetracyclic α-carboline core in a single step, featuring a selectfluor-mediated dearomatization of preactivated N-Phth-Trp-Xaa-OR dipeptides at the C-terminus. The pivotal cascade includes a double annulation and the formation of three carbon–heteroatom bonds while gaining, for the first time, some insight on the diastereoselectivity outcome during the formation of the α-carboline fragment.
ADVANCES IN RABIES RESEARCH.

Since Pasteur’s day probably more total investigative effort has been directed to studies of rabies virus than to any other one viral agent, with the possible exception of poliovirus. Most of this effort has been concerned with the practical public health aspects of this virus infection and it is in such fields as diagnosis, prophylaxis, and epidemiology that most significant advances have been made in recent years. The extensive developments of modern virology at the molecular and cellular levels have not, in general, been applied to the study of rabies virus.
Smile Catcher: Can Game Design Lead to Positive Social Interactions?

Our hectic and increasingly digital lives can have a negative effect on our health and well-being. Some authors have argued that we socialize less frequently with other people in person and that people feel increasingly lonely [1]. Loneliness has been shown to significantly affect health and wellbeing in a negative way. To combat this, we designed a game, Smile Catcher, which encourages players to engage in in-person, social interactions and get others to smile. Participants wear a device that takes regular pictures of what is in front of them and the system analyzes the pictures captured to detect the number of smiles. The game was evaluated with a two-week study that sought to determine if game design can increase positive social interactions and thereby people's well-being. Our results show that users increased their frequency of positive interactions as a result of playing our game. Contribution Statement: This paper describes a unique game that improves well-being by encouraging positive social interactions.
The Impact of Comorbidities, Depression, and Substance Use Problems on Quality of Life Among Older Adults Living With HIV.

Older adults living with HIV (OALWH) comprise a growing population with a range of complex and interconnecting medical and psychosocial needs. Based on the biopsychosocial model with its emphasis on a holistic approach to various aspects of people’s lives, the current study explored associations between physical health, psychological health, substance use, and overall quality of life. Drawing on data from 114 substance-using OALWH (aged 50 or older), we employed linear regression to show associations between the number of current comorbid health conditions on quality of life, over and above depression, substance use problems, and demographic characteristics (age, race/ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, education, and relationship status). In both bivariate and multivariable contexts, the number of comorbid conditions was associated with reduced quality of life. Depression and substance use were also negatively associated with quality of life. These findings indicate that clinical and supportive care for OALWH, particularly when related to mental health and substance use, should also include an integrated focus on the comparatively high number of current comorbid conditions that often accompany, and potentially complicate, HIV treatment and quality of life.
Vertical Shear Pelvic Injuries

Complete evaluation of vertical shear pelvic injuries (see Fig. 33.1) includes hemodynamic stability, neurovascular status, initial vertical displacement on imaging, the presence of open wounds, and whether the patient is going to the OR with general or vascular surgery emergently.
Personal health records: evaluation of functionality and utility.

Objectives: Web-based applications have been developed that allow patients to enter their own information into secure personal health records. These applications are being promoted as a means of providing patients and providers with universal access to updated medical information. The authors evaluated the functionality and utility of a selection of personal health records. Design: A targeted search strategy was used to identify eleven Web sites promoting different personal health records. Specific criteria related to the entry and display of data elements were developed to evaluate the functionality of each PHR. Information abstracted from an actual case was used to create a series of representative PHRs. Output generated for review was evaluated to assess the accuracy and completeness of clinical information related to the diagnosis and treatment of specific disorders. Results: The PHRs selected for review employed data entry methods that limited the range and content of patient-entered information related to medical history, medications, laboratory tests, diagnostic studies, and immunizations. Representative PHRs created with information abstracted from an actual case displayed varying amounts of information at basic and comprehensive levels of representation. Conclusions: Currently available PHRs demonstrate limited functionality. The data entry, validation, and information display methods they employ may limit their utility as representations of medical information.
Safety of early ambulation following blunt abdominal solid organ injury: A prospective observational study

Abstract Background There is continued debate regarding the optimal period of bed-rest and in-hospital monitoring for non-operative management of solid organ injury following blunt trauma. Methods Single center, prospective, observational study of blunt solid organ injuries from 07/2014–02/2016, managed initially without surgical or angiographic intervention. Early ambulation was defined as ≤24 h. Results 79 patients met inclusion criteria, with 36 (45.6%) in the early ambulation group and 43 (54.4%) in the late ambulation group. There were zero complications in the early ambulation group, and three complications in the late ambulation group (complications, p = 0.246; further interventions, p = 0.498). Median ICU LOS was zero days and three days for early vs. late ambulation, p = 0.001. Median total LOS was two days and five days for early vs. late ambulation, p Conclusion Early ambulation is safe in patients undergoing non-operative management of their solid organ injury, and may result in a reduced length of stay.
Infrared Welding of Thermoplastics: Characterization of Transmission Behavior of Eleven Thermoplastics

Publisher Summary This chapter deals with the characterization of transmission behavior of eleven thermoplastics. The focus of the chapter is to explore a range of common polymers to determine their suitability for TTIR. Transmission infrared welding involves heating of the weld zone by transmission of infrared energy through a transmitting polymer and onto an absorbing polymer that is in contact with it. This chapter addresses welding of clear acrylic (PMMA) as the transmitting material to black PC as the absorbing material. The focus of the present paper is to explore a range of common polymers to determine their suitability for TTIR. The data shows that all of the parent, unpigmented polymers examined can transmit infrared radiation at the wavelengths produced by a quartz-halogen lamp. Opaque polymers such as PP, HDPE, PVC, PPS, ABS, and HIPS transmit slightly less efficiently than clear ones such as polycarbonate, but all these unfilled, natural polymers transmitted the majority of the incident radiation.
Abstract 114: Relationship Between Duration of QRS Complex and Long Term Mortality in U.S. Veterans With Atherothrombotic Risk Factors

Background: The 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) remains a cost-effective diagnostic tool in risk stratification for cardiovascular disease. Little is known of the prognostic value of QRS duration b...
Parabolic NTA domains in ℝ2

We show that each connected component of the boundary of a parabolic NTA domain in ℝ2 is given by a graph. We then apply this observation to classify blowup solutions in ℝ2 to a free boundary probl...
Alternative Coping Mechanisms of Underrepresented Women Analysts in Earnings Call Q&A Sessions

Women are severely underrepresented among the analysts invited by executives to join quarterly earnings call conferences, a reflection of the overall gender imbalance on Wall Street. This study exa...
Breast Injuries in Female Collegiate Basketball, Soccer, Softball and Volleyball Athletes: Prevalence, Type and Impact on Sports Participation.

Objective In 2015-2016, over 214,000 female athletes competed at the collegiate level in the United States (U.S.). The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) collects injury data; however, breast-related injuries do not have a specific reporting category. The exact sequelae of breast injury are unknown; however, a relationship between breast injury and fat necrosis, which mimics breast carcinoma, is documented outside of sports participation. Breast injuries related to motor vehicle collisions, seatbelt trauma, and blunt trauma have been reported. For these reasons, it is important to investigate female breast injuries in collegiate sports. The objectives of this study are to report the prevalence of self-reported breast injuries in female collegiate athletes, explore injury types and treatments, and investigate breast injury reporting and impact on sports participation. Materials and methods A cross-sectional study of female collegiate athletes at four U.S. universities participating in basketball, soccer, softball, or volleyball. Main outcome measure was a questionnaire regarding breast injuries during sports participation. Results Almost half of the 194 participants (47.9%) reported a breast injury during their collegiate career, less than 10% reported their injury to health personnel with 2.1% receiving treatment. Breast injuries reported by breast injuries reported by sport include softball (59.5%), basketball (48.8%), soccer (46.7%), and volleyball (34.6%). Conclusions The long-term effects and sequelae of breast injuries reported by female collegiate athletes during sport play are unknown. Nearly 50% of participants had a breast injury during sports activities. Although 18.2% indicated that breast injury affected sports participation, only 9.6% of the injuries were reported to medical personnel with 2.1% receiving treatment.
Illuminating Alternative Strategies to Treat Targeted Chemotherapy-Resistant Sporadic Basal Cell Carcinoma

Sporadic and basal cell nevus syndrome basal cell carcinomas show differential response rates to Smoothened inhibitors. Chiang et al. demonstrate notable decreases in UV-induced mutagenesis, total mutation load, genomic instability, and drug-resistant mutations among basal cell nevus syndrome basal cell carcinomas using whole exome sequencing, which may explain the differences in drug response rates.
Increase in Physical Activity Sustained 1 Year After Playground Intervention.

Introduction Regular physical activity is a vital component of child health, and schools play an important role in the promotion of physical activity among children. This paper describes the implementation and evaluation of a playground redesign involving structural and loose play equipment to increase students’ physical activity at an intermediate school in Leadville, Colorado. Methods Direct observations were conducted during recess before the redesign in May 2014, then again at 6 months and 1 year after the redesign. During each observation, observers scanned the playground and counted how many students were sedentary, engaged in moderate activity, or engaged in vigorous activity. System for Observing Play and Leisure Activity in Youth, a validated instrument for observing physical activity in free play settings, was used to collect observation data. Results Six months from baseline, the percentage of children engaging in moderate to vigorous physical activity during recess increased by 23.3%, and the percentage engaged in vigorous physical activity increased by 26.2%. These increases were sustained at 1 year from baseline, with an increase of 17.2% for moderate to vigorous physical activity and 33.1% for vigorous physical activity. Chi-square tests of independence showed that changes in the proportion of students engaging in moderate to vigorous physical activity and vigorous physical activity were statistically significant (p Conclusions This evaluation demonstrated that environmental interventions involving the provision of structural and loose play equipment can be implemented in an intermediate school setting, and can create a sustainable increase in physical activity among students during recess. This example also demonstrates that schools and community organizations can evaluate the impact of these interventions using relatively simple, low-cost observational methods. Supplement information This article is part of a supplement entitled Building Thriving Communities Through Comprehensive Community Health Initiatives, which is sponsored by Kaiser Permanente, Community Health.
Improving Transformations Through Organotrifluoroborates

Organotrifluoroborates have emerged as choice reagents for a number of diverse transformations, providing reactivity patterns that complement those of other available organoboron reagents. Over the last several years, numerous potassium organotrifluoroborates have become commercially available owing to their long shelf-lives. As a result of this and their unique reactivity patterns, a significant amount of progress has been made in the synthesis and utilization of organotrifluoroborate salts in organic transformations.