cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Impact of educational intervention on management of periprocedural anticoagulation.

Purpose The effect of education regarding new evidence in periprocedural anticoagulation, with a focus on reducing use in patients at only moderate thromboembolic risk, is presented. Methods A retrospective cohort analysis and quasiexperimental design were used. The initial review identified the current state of practice regarding bridging anticoagulation. Education was then provided to primary care providers and pharmacists on recent evidence. A subsequent review was completed to assess the impact of this education on clinical decision-making. Inclusion criteria were adults taking warfarin for an indication of mechanical heart valve, atrial fibrillation (AF), or history of venous thromboembolism (VTE) and required interruption of warfarin therapy to undergo a planned procedure. Patients were excluded if their anticoagulation was managed outside of the Minneapolis Veterans Affairs Anticoagulation Clinic. Results The overall rate of bridging decreased from 38.8% to 24.8% (14% decrease; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2–26%; p = 0.028) confidence interval [CI], 0.02–0.26; p = 0.026) after educational intervention. This decrease occurred in the moderate thromboembolic risk group, in which the bridging rate decreased from 63.8% to 30.2% (33.6% decrease; 95% CI, 14–53%; p = 0.001). Bleeding complications occurred more frequently in patients who received bridging. There were no thromboembolic complications. Conclusion The majority of patients at moderate thromboembolic risk were previously receiving bridging until new evidence was released indicating that the risks may outweigh any benefits. The provision of education to primary care physicians and pharmacy staff regarding this new evidence in the area of periprocedural anticoagulation management significantly reduced the amount of bridging used for patients on warfarin for AF or a history of VTE who were at moderate thromboembolic risk.
Sub-Gibbs Sampling: A New Strategy for Inferring LDA

Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) has been widely used in text mining to discover topics from documents. One major approach to learn LDA is Gibbs sampling. The basic Collapsed Gibbs Sampling (CGS) algorithm requires O(NZ) computations to learn an LDA model with Z topics from a corpus containing N tokens. Existing approaches that improve the complexity of CGS focus on reducing the factor Z. In this work, we propose a novel and general Sub-Gibbs Sampling (SGS) strategy to improve the Gibbs-Sampling computation by reducing the sample space. This new strategy targets at reducing the factor N by sampling only a subset of the whole corpus. The design of the SGS strategy is based on two properties that we observe: (i) topic distributions of tokens are skewed and (ii) a subset of documents can approximately represent the semantics of the whole corpus. We prove that the SGS strategy can achieve comparable effectiveness (with bounded errors) and significantly reduce the complexity of existing Gibbs sampling algorithms. Extensive experiments on large real-world data sets show that the proposed SGS strategy is much faster than several state-of-the-art fast Gibbs sampling algorithms and the proposed SGS strategy can learn comparable LDA models as other Gibbs sampling algorithms.
Integrating lifecycle asset management in the public sector

Abstract Lifecycle management of assets is essential for cost-effective maintenance and long-term economic viability. Properly maintained infrastructure provides significant economic advantages. Neglecting maintenance leads to lower productivity and imposes costs on users. Furthermore, delayed maintenance significantly increases total costs associated with repair or replacement. Lifecycle asset management should be used in the public sector to manage large-scale assets such as transportation infrastructure in a cost-effective manner. Yet, state governments have had little incentive to provide proactive maintenance. To address the infrastructure capital investment backlog, particularly acute in transportation, government priorities need to be coupled with long-term economic accountability. In addition, funding and financial reporting mechanisms should be created to ensure effective and efficient lifecycle asset management decisions. Public-private partnerships (PPP) also need to be fostered to help address regional deficiencies in infrastructure.
Two Kinds of Teleological Explanation

Majorie Grene has written about teleological explanation in biology, and I follow her lead. If teleological claims were eliminated from our biological theories, the explanatory power of what is left would be critically reduced. Both the teleology and the explanation in this claim are to be taken seriously. Many important and interesting attempts to save teleology do so only by turning teleology into some kind of efficient causality. Ernest Nagel’s1 classic treatment of functional explanation is a good example. So, too, is Larry Wright’s2 more recent analysis, which claims that an account is teleological in so far as the functional or purposive action is brought about by the fact that the occurrence of that action tends to bring about the specific effect. According to Wright there are no mysterious, unscientific processes involved. The “bringing about” is an ordinary causal process, like most others employed in scientific explanations, a process that can be observed, that can be described, and that can be tested. But from a point of view that takes teleology seriously this very strength in Wright’s analysis should be a weakness. Even though the efficient causation involved is of a very specific kind, teleology in the end is reduced to the operation of efficient causes. The teleology is lost.
Resource Allocation under Sequential Resource Access: Theory and Application

This paper treats the problem of optimal resource allocation over time in a finite-horizon setting, in which the resource become available only sequentially and in incremental values and the utility function is concave and can freely vary over time. Such resource allocation problems have direct applications in data communication networks (e.g., energy harvesting systems). This problem is studied extensively for special choices of the concave utility function (time-invariant and logarithmic) in which case the optimal resource allocation policies are well-understood. This paper treats this problem in its general form and analytically characterizes the structure of the optimal resource allocation policy, and devises an algorithm for computing the exact solutions analytically. An observation instrumental to devising the provided algorithm is that there exist time instances at which the available resources are exhausted, with no carry-over to future. This algorithm identifies all such instances, which in turn facilitates breaking the original problem into multiple problems with significantly reduced dimensions. Furthermore, some widely-used special cases in which the algorithm takes simpler structures are characterized, and the application to the energy harvesting systems is discussed. Numerical evaluations are provided to assess the key properties of the optimal resource allocation structure and to compare the performance with the generic convex optimization algorithms.
Erythrodermic Psoriasis Causing Uric Acid Crystal Nephropathy

Background. Erythrodermic psoriasis is a rare and severe variant of psoriasis. It is characterized by widespread skin erythema, scaling, pustules, or exfoliation of more than 75% of the body’s surface area. This condition has life-threatening complications to include hemodynamic, metabolic, immunologic, and thermoregulatory disturbances. One metabolic complication, hyperuricemia, occurs from rapid keratinocyte differentiation and infiltration of inflammatory cells into psoriatic lesions. Although renal injury caused by shunting of blood to the skin has been reported, there are no reports of erythrodermic psoriasis causing crystal-induced nephropathy. We present a case of erythrodermic psoriasis and hyperuricemia complicated by uric acid crystal nephropathy. Case Presentation. A 57-year-old male with long-standing psoriatic arthritis presented with diffuse scaling of his skin. He was being treated with adalimumab, leflunomide, and topical clobetasol, but had recently stopped taking his medications. Physical exam revealed yellow scaling covering his entire body with underlying erythema and tenderness without mucosal involvement. Labs were notable for a creatinine of 3.3 mg/dL, with no prior history of renal disease, and uric acid of 12.7 mg/dL. He was admitted to the intensive care unit given >80% of body surface area involvement and acute renal failure. Despite aggressive fluid resuscitation, renal function did not improve, and creatinine peaked at 4.61 mg/dL. Urine microscopy showed diffuse polymorphic uric acid crystals, consistent with uric acid crystal-induced nephropathy. He was started on rasburicase, urinary alkalinization, and fluids. His renal function improved dramatically; urine output, uric acid, and electrolytes normalized. He was discharged on topical clobetasol and leflunomide and started on secukinumab with little to no skin involvement. Conclusion. This case presents the rare complication of crystal-induced nephropathy in a patient with erythrodermic psoriasis. Uric acid crystal nephropathy is well described in diseases with rapid cell turnover such as tumor lysis syndrome. It is thought that rapid keratinocyte differentiation and inflammatory infiltration of psoriatic lesions produced life-threatening electrolyte abnormalities similar to tumor lysis syndrome. Early recognition of this rare complication is critical, and aggressive fluid resuscitation, urine alkalinization, and uric acid lowering agents should be administered immediately.
Rats are unable to discriminate quinine from diverse bitter stimuli.

Compounds described by humans as “bitter” are sensed by a family of type 2 taste receptors (T2Rs). Previous work suggested that diverse bitter stimuli activate distinct receptors, which might allow...
Inflammatory pseudotumor secondary to urachal cyst: A challenging clinical case report.

Abstract Introduction There is a wide differential diagnosis for intraabdominal tumors. Surgical resection and microscopic analysis of tissue structure can identify tumor origin in most cases. Most rapidly growing invasive tumors are neoplastic. Inflammatory pseudotumors are a subcategory of intraabdominal tumors that are non-neoplastic and can be rapidly growing. Urachal cysts originate from the dome of the bladder; however they are typically not invasive. There is limited literature on the appropriate management of these tumors. Presentation A 37-year-old female presenting with symptoms of abdominal pain was found to have a large intraabdominal mass invading multiple organs. Core biopsies demonstrated inflammation. The mass grew significantly over the course of a year and patient's abdominal pain worsened. The patient was taken to the operating room for resection. Final pathology revealed reactive fibrous tissue with acute and chronic inflammation invading bladder, urethra, abdominal wall, appendix, and ovary. Intraoperative frozen section demonstrated low grade spindle cells with concern for inflammatory pseudotumor but final pathology demonstrated inflammation. Discussion Although benign, these tumors cause significant morbidity due to their size and level of organ invasion. Management should involve surgical resection as well as potential post-operative chemotherapy or NSAIDs based off clinical picture. We demonstrate the importance of close follow up for residual disease or recurrence of patients with inflammatory pseudotumors of the abdomen. Conclusion This case highlights difficulties in diagnosis of a tumor that has potential to cause significant morbidity. There is need for further research to discover the best management after surgical resection of these tumors.
Elastic Scattering of Negative Pions from Deuterons at 2.01, 3.77, and 5.53 GeV/ c

Elastic scattering cross sections of negative pions by deuterons compared with Glauber model calculations
Chapter 272 – Chemicals and Polymers from Biomass

Publisher Summary This chapter describes chemicals and polymers from biomass. The use of agricultural and forest products as industrial raw materials is not a novel concept. Products include paper-pulp, woven fibers, cord, building materials, liquid fuels, bulk chemicals, fine chemicals, flavors, fragrances, and pharmaceutical intermediates. Processes are more sophisticated in the industrialized countries, but greater reliance is placed on such products in the less developed economies. Take-up reflects the relative cost of these materials and products in competition with other raw materials available in a given market place. Industry in general can obtain the raw materials required, and may move between renewable and fossil sources depending on the price and availability, which in turn reflects local geographic and climatic conditions as well as market demand. Within this situation, increasing pressures have evolved in the developed economies with the objective of increasing the ratio of products derived from natural raw materials to those derived from fossil fuels. These pressures arise from the need to find increased outlets for the surpluses from ever more productive agricultural systems that have evolved, decreasing the trend to take land out of production resulting in dwindling populations of farmers, foresters, and other rural workers. To create new opportunities large sums of money have been spent, both by public and private sectors, in research and development. This chapter reviews the RTD activities that have been carried out in Europe since the late 1980s and shows to what extent the beneficial results have been achieved.
Reconsidering the Scope of US State Laws Allowing Pharmacist Substitution of Generic Drugs

Despite high rates of generic prescribing, branded medicines still account for most drug costs. Amending the law to provide pharmacists with greater authority to substitute clinically similar alternatives has the potential to cut spending, say Jonathan Darrow and colleagues
Airway closing index in school-age children during exercise bronchoprovocation.

Airway Closing Index (ACI), the ratio of % change in FVC to % change in FEV1 with bronchoprovocation, may represent changes in airflow due to airway closure, as opposed to airway narrowing. The obj...
Perioperative management of a patient with Xeroderma Pigmentosum: A case report

Abstract Perioperative care of patients with Xeroderm Pigmentosum (XP), a rare disorder of DNA repair [1,2], presents many anesthetic challenges. Firstly, harmful ultraviolet radiation can be detected in perioperative areas. Also, anesthetic type must be carefully considered, as exposure to volatile anesthetics may hasten the development of neurodegeneration (Masuda et al., 2002; Reitz and Lanz, 1993; Miyazaki et al., 2007; Fjouji et al., 2013) [3-6]. Furthermore, muscle relaxants can produce a prolonged effect (Soen et al., 2006) [7]. Airway management may be difficult secondary to skin changes and growths (Zarrouki et al., 2017; Hajijafari et al., 2014; Meyer, 1982) [8-10]. Even the risk of using imaging modalities should be considered. Given the above exposure risks, we present considerations for preparing to care for patients with XP in the perioperative period and information on where to purchase supplies to prepare the perioperative area.
The cagey C-test construct: Some evidence from a meta-analysis of correlation coefficients

Abstract We examined the relationship between C-test and criterion-test scores to better understand the C-test construct. We meta-analyzed Pearson's r coefficients and computed summary effects for subgroups, where criterion construct was the subgrouping variable. We summarized the evidence from 239 C-test studies, published in English. Any correlational study about foreign-language education was eligible. If a C-test was at least one passage in length, its information was recorded. Studies that did not include statistical information needed for meta-analysis were excluded, but other information was used to summarize aspects of the C-test domain. Summary effects indicate that C-test scores correlate most strongly with general language proficiency scores. However, there were too few studies in some criterion subgroups for analysis. Confidence intervals for subgroup summary effects overlapped across meta-analyses. Additional work is needed to understand the C-test construct. We recommend creating a C-test meta-analysis bank and adding information from study reports not published in English to create a cumulative C-test domain (Cumming, 2014). Our study involves the most comprehensive study-retrieval process to date; there was little evidence of publication bias in results.
Administering Taxes Democratically

This Article queries how the administrative tax guidance used to implement the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017 has met the normative commitment to democratic legitimacy that often animates general administrative law. This Article argues that several reforms to the tax administrative process that came to fruition in recent years have failed to advance democratic tax administration. This argument is made by analyzing each piece of administrative guidance issued to implement the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, as compared to similar guidance issued to implement the 2001 tax cuts, as well as the Tax Reform Act of 1986. To do this, we created a database of 865 guidance documents, issued across six total years in three time periods: 1986–88, 2001–03, and 2017–19. Our examination shows that although tax procedures may now better conform to procedures applied by other administrative agencies, these changes have often set back the pursuit of democratic legitimacy in tax administration. The changing practices identified here have important implications for democratic engagement and accountability in tax administration. For example, this Article critiques a specific change that our study reveals has had stark effects—tax administrators have almost totally abstained from using so-called “temporary regulations.” While this move has been promoted by scholars specifically as a way to address democratic legitimacy concerns related to transparency and participation in the tax rulemaking process, this Article argues on doctrinal and normative grounds that avoidance of temporary regulations is misplaced and should (and can) be reversed in part so as to better realize democratically legitimate tax administration.
Thermal Oscillations in Low Temperature Apparatus

The problem of spontaneous thermal oscillations in tubes leading from room temperature at one end to liquid helium temperature at the other is one of a good many years standing. Keesom1 has mentioned the effect and, more recently, Squire2 has noted a few physical characteristics of the phenomenon. Taconis3 has offered a qualitative explanation of these oscillations and Kramers4 has attempted to put this explanation on a quantitative basis using ordinary sound theory, with limited success. Kramers suggests that nonlinear effects occurring in vibrations of finite amplitude may have to be included.
Central Tendency Measures

This article defines three different measures of central tendency: the mean, the median, and the mode. Each measure serves the same purpose, which is to describe the central tendency of data. We begin by defining what central tendency is, and then we explain how each measure of central tendency contributes to our understanding of a particular dataset. Keywords: central tendency; frequency distribution; mean; median; mode
Duality in Non-Supersymmetric MQCD

The curves that describe the M-theoretic extension of type IIA string configurations with non-supersymmetric field theories on their surface exhibit a duality map. The map suggests a continued link between a SU(N) gauge theory with F flavours and an SU(F-N) gauge theory with F flavours (the duality of supersymmetric QCD) even when the gaugino mass is taken to infinity. Within the context of the field theory such a duality only continues to make sense if the scalar fields remain light. We discuss the difficulties of decoupling the scalars within this framework.
Potential slack budgeting with clock skew optimization

Potential slack is an effective metric of circuit's possible performance improvement. It is equal to the maximal amount of slack that can be potentially used for optimization. In this paper, we first present a new, linear programming-based approach for potential slack calculation. Our method produces an optimal solution with significant runtime speedup compared to previous methods. Then, we formulate and solve the problem of global potential slack budgeting by clock-skew optimization. We demonstrate experimentally that the potential slack can be significantly improved by appropriate clock skew assignment.
Nursing Interventions Related to Vascular Access Infections

Vascular access infection is a common cause of the loss of a vascular access. Education of both nursing staff and patients is essential for preventing vascular access infections and for treating infections early. The use of strict aseptic technique is essential when providing vascular access care. Central venous catheters require special assessment and care. Dialysis staff can have a critical role in prevention and early treatment of vascular access infections.
Preservation of Human Sperm by Liquid Nitrogen Vapor Freezing

The ability to freeze preserve human sperm by cryogenic methods has several very powerful advantages: (1). The availability of sperm for heterologous insemination independent of time and place (2) the collection and centrifugation of oligospermic specimens for homologous insemination (3) for preservation of sperm prior to vasectomy to enhance population control (4) for selective breeding (5) for the stock-piling of national resources much as we do other assets, and (6) for the study of normal physiology. Our technique has been previously described1,2 and need not be repeated here. However, I would like to present some of the problems encountered in this form of research both at a basic physiologic level and with its resultant clinical implications. Our method of cooling (Figure 1) and thawing (Figure 2) are collated in (Figure 3) in relationship to time and temperature. As of this time the pregnancy rate with frozen sperm in heterologous insemination is 48.2% as compared to 68% with fresh human sperm requiring 6.9 inseminations on the average over a 4.2 month period. Of patients that became pregnant 93% did so in the first six months with frozen sperm as compared to 92.8% when using fresh sperm.
Flexible Transparent Iontronic Film for Interfacial Capacitive Pressure Sensing

A flexible, transparent iontronic film is introduced as a thin-film capacitive sensing material for emerging wearable and health-monitoring applications. Utilizing the capacitive interface at the ionic-electronic contact, the iontronic film sensor offers a large unit-area capacitance (of 5.4 μF cm(-2) ) and an ultrahigh sensitivity (of 3.1 nF kPa(-1) ), which is a thousand times greater than that of traditional solid-state counterparts.
Clinical and immunologic features of chronic dialysis patients who fail to respond to hepatitis B vaccine.

Abstract Eighteen patients on chornic dialysis (15 haemodialysis, three peritoneal) were evaluated to determine whether certain clinical features and/or in vitro indicators of immune function correlated with the response to hepatitis B vaccine. Only 44% of patients developed antibody to hepatitis B surface antigen (anti-HBS) following vaccination and neither duration of dialysis, history of renal transplant, peripheral T cell numbers, T4 T8 ratios, nor mitogen induced lymphocyte proliferation correlated with response to vaccination. Advanced age, history of multiple blood transfusions and depressed levels of IgM may be associated with a poor antibody response to the vaccine. Future studies need to consider these variables when evaluating immunogenicity of new hepatitis B vaccine preparations.
Silver Nanowires Eelectrodeposited from Reverse Hexagonal Liquid Crystals

A novel, simple and efficient procedure was developed to electrodeposit one-dimensional Ag nanowires from reverse hexagonal liquid crystalline phases by using their one-dimensional cylindrical aqueous microdomains as space-confined reactors. Using this soft-template approach, flexible Ag nanowire arrays with wire diameter of 15-30 nm, high aspect ratio over 1000, and high wire densities over 1011 wiresscm2 were obtained. The Ag nanowire arrays can be easily collected by simply washing. The nanowires obtained can be used either in high-density bundle form or as single wires after dispersion by untrasonication.
Using the technique of color image processing to enhance the cytomorphological deformation

A great deal of research has been carried out by biologists, pathologists, and biomedical physicists on the studies of the metamorphosis in various types of cells with symptoms of cancerous disease. Color and texture of the cell and their interrelationships are important features for analyzing cells and prove successful to differentiate abnormal from normal ones. However, to categorize the abnormal (or suspicious) cell into cancerous or non-cancerous ones, more information rather than that obtained only from the observations on the microscopic images of the smear are needed, and therefore, further steps, such as biopsy, etc., have to be taken. In this paper, color image processing technique is introduced as a means to enhance the visualization and diagnostic capability of a human expert, and we hope that it would come out to be an effective tool in identifying the non-cancerous cells from the cancerous ones even when they look alike under the microscope for some reason. A real microscopic image is first resolved into several spectral-component images. More and useful features are extracted, respectively, from 0.4 to 0.5 micrometers , 0.5 to 0.6 micrometers , and 0.6 to 0.7 micrometers spectral bands. Combination of these different spectral-band images after separate processings derives a color image, which will sharpen the distinguishing features between cancerous and non-cancerous cells, even when they all look alike originally both morphologically and chromatically under the microscope. In this paper some recent promising results obtained with real color image processing in our laboratory are given. To improve the resolution, 512 X 512 pixel image, other than 256 X 256, we employed for processing.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Microstructural characterization by secondary ion mass spectrometry of (alumina + zirconia) fiber/glass composites with and without a tin dioxide interphase

Abstract Alumina + zirconia fiber (PRD-166)/glass (N51A) matrix composites were fabricated with and without a tin diozide barrier layer. A qualitative comparison of the elemental distribution was made between the two composite systems by secondary ion microscopy. Secondary ion mass spectrometry would appear to be especially useful to obtain the distribution of light elements such as B, Na, Cl, etc. in ceramic and glass composites. Our study of PRD-166/glass and PRD-166/SnO 2 /glass composites shows that tin dioxide serves as an effective barrier between this (alumina + zirconia) fiber and the silica-based glass.
Dynamical mean-field study of model double-exchange superlattices

A theoretical study of [001] ``double-exchange'' superlattices is presented. The superlattice is defined in terms of an $AB{\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ perovskite crystal. Itinerant electrons hop among the $B$ sites according to a nearest-neighbor tight binding model and are coupled to classical ``core spins.'' The $A$ sites contain ionic charges arranged to form a [001] superlattice that forces a spatial variation of the mobile electron charge on the $B$ sites. The double-exchange interaction is treated by the dynamical mean-field approximation, while the long-range Coulomb interaction is taken into account by the Hartree approximation. We find the crucial parameter is the Coulomb screening length. Different types of phases are distinguished and the interfaces between them classified.
Effects of gas tension on epidermal keratinocyte DNA synthesis and prostaglandin production

Abstract The gas phase partial pressure of O 2 (PO 2 ) overlying mouse keratinocyte cultures controls the rate of DNA synthesis of these cells by an undefined mechanism. In these studies, both PO 2 and PCO 2 tensions overlying primary cell cultures were varied within the physiologic range. The prostaglandin (PG) production of cells grown under several varying gas tensions was then determined using radioimmune assay. The cultures were grown under a PO 2 of either 7.5% (physiologic for in vivo epidermis) or 21% (atmospheric; culture conditions and wound healing) for 5 days. The PCO 2 was either 5 or 10%, 2 CO 2 tensions routinely used in tissue culture studies. DNA synthesis was quantitated using [ 3 H]dThd uptake into DNA and autoradiography. The PGE 2 and PGF 2α syntheses by the cultures over specific time periods were determined. Changing the PO 2 from 21 to 7.5% decreased the rate of DNA synthesis, while PG production remained constant. When the PCO 2 was varied from 5 to 10%, keratinocyte DNA synthesis remained unchanged but PG production was markedly stimulated. The PCO 2 effect on PG production was greatest at the highest oxygen tension. The data indicated that under this set of variables, PG production by keratinocytes is not directly related to the rate of DNA synthesis of the cells. Apparently the amount of oxygen in the gas phase can have a permissive effect on epidermal keratinocyte PG production.
Biopsychosocial risks of parental care for high-risk neonates: implications for evidence-based parental counseling.

Biopsychosocial risks of parental care for high-risk neonates: implications for evidence-based parental counseling
A prospective study of diabetes, lifestyle factors, and glaucoma among African-American women.

Purpose To evaluate the association of self-reported type 2 diabetes, anthropometric factors, alcohol consumption, and cigarette smoking with risk of primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) in a prospective cohort study of African-American women. Methods From 1995 through 2007, 32,570 Black Women’s Health Study participants aged 21 to 69 years at baseline were followed for incident POAG. Questionnaires were mailed biennially to update exposures and identify incident cases of POAG. Incidence rate ratios (IRRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were derived from Cox regression models. Results During 416,171 person-years of follow-up, 366 incident POAG cases were confirmed by physician report. After adjustment for potential confounders, the IRR comparing women with and without type 2 diabetes was 1.58 (95% CI, 1.17–2.13), and the IRR comparing current with never alcohol consumers was 1.35 (95% CI, 1.05–1.73). Among women younger than 50, associations with diabetes and alcohol consumption were stronger, and POAG was significantly associated with body mass index, waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, and both long-duration and high-intensity current smoking. Conclusions These results suggest that type 2 diabetes and current alcohol consumption are independent risk factors for POAG among African-American women, and that in addition to those factors, overall and central adiposity and smoking may be associated with increased risk of early-onset POAG.
Strain-Induced Band Gap Modification in Coherent Core/Shell Nanostructures

Using first-principles calculations within density functional theory, we study the relative impacts of quantum confinement and strain on the electronic structure of two II−VI semiconductor compounds with a large lattice-mismatch, CdSe and CdTe, in core/shell nanowire geometries with different core radii and shell thicknesses. For fixed CdSe core radius, we find that the electronic band gap in the core is significantly reduced with increasing CdTe shell thickness, by an amount comparable to that expected from quantum confinement, due to the development of a large and highly anisotropic strain throughout the heterostructure. A straightforward analysis allows us to separate quantitatively changes in band gap due to quantum confinement and strain. Our studies elucidate and quantify the importance of strain in determining the electronic and optical properties of core/shell nanostructures.
Variability of the Seasonally Integrated Normalized Difference Vegetation Index Across the North Slope of Alaska in the 1990s

The interannual variability and trend of above-ground photosynthetic activity of Arctic tundra vegetation in the 1990s is examined for the north slope region of Alaska, based on the seasonally integrated normalized difference vegetation index (SINDVI) derived from local area coverage (LAC) National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) data. Smaller SINDVI values occurred during the three years (1992-1994) following the volcanic eruption of Mt Pinatubo. Even after implementing corrections for this stratospheric aerosol effect and adjusting for changes in radiometric calibration coefficients, an apparent increasing trend of SINDVI in the 1990s is evident for the entire north slope. The most pronounced increase was observed for the foothills physiographical province.
Nature, Nurture and Evolution of Intra-Species Variation in Mosquito Arbovirus Transmission Competence

Mosquitoes vary in their competence or ability to transmit arthropod-borne viruses (arboviruses). Many arboviruses cause disease in humans and animals. Identifying the environmental and genetic causes of variation in mosquito competence for arboviruses is one of the great challenges in public health. Progress identifying genetic (nature) and environmental (nurture) factors influencing mosquito competence for arboviruses is reviewed. There is great complexity in the various traits that comprise mosquito competence. The complex interactions between environmental and genetic factors controlling these traits and the factors shaping variation in Nature are largely unknown. The norms of reaction of specific genes influencing competence, their distributions in natural populations and the effects of genetic polymorphism on phenotypic variation need to be determined. Mechanisms influencing competence are not likely due to natural selection because of the direct effects of the arbovirus on mosquito fitness. More likely the traits for mosquito competence for arboviruses are the effects of adaptations for other functions of these competence mechanisms. Determining these other functions is essential to understand the evolution and distributions of competence for arboviruses. This information is needed to assess risk from mosquito-borne disease, predict new mosquito-arbovirus systems, and provide novel strategies to mitigate mosquito-borne arbovirus transmission.
Three-dimensional crystal growth—I: linear analysis and self-similar evolution

Abstract In this paper, Part I of our study, we revisit the linear analysis (J. Appl. Phys. 34 (1963) 323; J. Appl. Phys. 36 (1965) 632; in: H.S. Peiser (Ed.), Crystal Growth, Pergamon, Oxford, 1967, p. 703) of the quasi-steady diffusional evolution of growing crystals in 3-D. We focus on a perturbed spherical solid crystal growing in an undercooled liquid with isotropic surface tension and interface kinetics. We investigate the relation between the far field flux of temperature and undercooling in the far field. In 3-D, the flux scales with the undercooling and with the instantaneous size of the crystal; this behavior is qualitatively different from 2-D, where there is no dependence on the size. As a consequence of this peculiarity, we demonstrate using linear analysis that in 3-D there exist critical conditions of flux at which self-similar evolution occurs. This leads to nonspherical, shape-invariant growing crystals. Rather than that using the concept of critical radius (Mullins and Sekerka, 1963; Coriell and Parker, 1965), we repose the problem in terms of a critical flux. The critical flux increases with increasing wave number of the perturbation, and separates regimes of stable and unstable growth, where stable growth implies that the perturbation decays with respect to the underlying sphere. The interfacial kinetics have a strong stabilizing effect (Coriell and Parker, 1965, 1967), which is explored in detail here. These results demonstrate that the classical Mullins–Sekerka (Mullins and Sekerka, 1963) instability, that arises in the presence of constant undercooling, can be suppressed by maintaining near-critical flux conditions (our formulation reduces to that in Mullins and Sekerka (1963) under constant undercooling). Correspondingly, there is little creation of unstable modes during growth and unstable growth is very constrained or completely eliminated. Near-critical flux conditions can be achieved by appropriately varying the undercooling in time; thus this work has important implications for shape control in processing applications. Experiments are currently being designed (by Stefano Guido and coworkers (Personal communication) at the University of Naples) to test this possibility. Moreover, in Part II (Cristini and Lowengrub, in preparation) of our study, we will investigate the nonlinear evolution using adaptive boundary-integral simulations.
The conversion of fibrinogen to fibrin. XII. Influence of pH, ionic strength and hexamethylene glycol concentration on the polymerization of fibrinogen.

1. 1. The sedimentation behavior of clotting systems containing 4 g. fibrinogen/l. and 1 unit thrombin/ml. has been studied under various conditions of pH, ionic strength, and concentration of hexamethylene glycol. 2. 2. In glycol-free systems of pH below about 6.1, only one component is identified before the moment of clotting; its sedimentation constant is the same as that of fibrinogen and activated fibrinogen. At higher pH, a second faster component appears before the moment of clotting; its sedimentation constant is similar to that of the intermediate polymer previously identified in inhibited systems. The critical pH is increased slightly by increasing ionic strength. 3. 3. Below the critical pH, it is concluded that practically no polymerization of activated fibrinogen occurs before the moment of clotting. This has been confirmed at pH 5.68, ionic strength 1.72, by measurements of viscosity and light scattering. 4. 4. In the presence of hexamethylene glycol, either one (slow) or two (slow and fast) components are observed, depending on the pH and glycol concentration; their sedimentation constants are again the same as those of fibrinogen and the intermediate polymer, respectively. The critical pH for appearance of the fast component is at first lowered by addition of glycol, so that two components appear at pH 5.80, 0.3 M glycol, for example. Higher concentrations of glycol raise the critical pH, so that one component is observed, for example, at pH 6.25, 0.8 M glycol. 5. 5. The results are interpreted in terms of the effect of pH and ionic strength on the ionization of certain histidine residues which, it is postulated, must be uncharged to allow activated fibrinogen to form the intermediate polymer, and in terms of van der Waals' interaction of the glycol with the surface of the fibrinogen molecule, which at low concentrations impedes the aggregation of the intermediate polymer and at higher concentrations impedes the formation of the polymer itself.
Laser pyrolysis of characterized cyanurate network polymers

A series of bisphenol A dicyanate network polymers with degree of crosslinking varied by addition of 4-cumylphenylcyanate were prepared and characterized by model compound study, infrared spectroscopy, DSC, TGA, and statistical analysis. Laser ablation energy measurements varied from 14 to 18 kJ/g and were found to linearly increase with degree of crosslinking. Comparative ablation energy analysis was made with other aromatic, nonaromatic, linear, and crosslinked polymers.
Plant community responses to a gradient of site preparation intensities in pine plantations in the Coastal Plain of North Carolina

Abstract Although intensively managed pine forests are common in the southeastern US, few studies describe how combinations of mechanical (MSP) and chemical site preparation (CSP) and herbaceous weed control (HWC) techniques affect bird communities that use early successional habitats within young pine forests. Therefore, we examined effects of six treatments of increasing management intensity via combinations of MSP (strip-shear and wide spacing or roller chop and narrow spacing) and CSP (application or no application) treatments with banded or broadcast HWC on bird communities in six loblolly pine ( Pinus taeda ) plantations in the Coastal Plain of North Carolina, USA, for 8 years following site preparation. Wide pine spacing and strip-shear MSP increased bird abundance and species richness over narrow spacing and chopped MSP for 6 years after planting. Chemical SP reduced bird abundance in year 2, increased bird abundance in year 6, had no effect on abundance after year 7, and did not affect species richness in any year. Total bird abundance and species richness were similar between banded and broadcast HWC. Site preparation and HWC had no effect on bird diversity and bird communities were most similar in treatments of similar intensity. Site preparation and HWC had few or no effects on birds based upon migratory status, habitat association, or conservation value. The addition of chemical site preparation or HWC had little effect on birds beyond pine spacing, and bird abundance was not proportional to management intensity. Although we observed treatment effects, all treatments provided habitat used by a variety of bird species, and pine plantations may play an increasingly important role in bird conservation as forests become fragmented and converted to other land uses and as natural processes that create early successional habitat, such as fire, are suppressed.
Alpha1-adrenergic responsiveness of young adult and aged rat submandibular cells in vitro

Abstract 1. The present study has evaluated, in vitro , α 1 -adrenergic receptor mediated responses in submandibular cells from young adult and aged rats. 2. Submandibular glands from different aged rats possess a similar number of α 1 -adrenergic receptors that display comparable binding characteristics. 3. Following α 1 -adrenergic stimulation, cells from both groups of rats show a similar ability to mobilize intracellular Ca 2+ ( 45 Ca 2+ time course, agonist dose-response) and to elicit a functional response (inhibition of protein synthesis by epinephrine) which reflects Ca 2+ mobilization.
Nutrition knowledge, food label use, and food intake patterns among Latinas with and without type 2 diabetes.

Abstract Objective To examine the associations of nutrition knowledge, food label use, and food intake patterns among Latinas with and without diagnosed diabetes. Design This was a case-control study. Subjects/setting A convenience sample of 201 (100 cases with diagnosed type 2 diabetes, 101 controls without diagnosed diabetes) nonpregnant, nonbreastfeeding Latinas without severe health conditions, aged 35 to 60 years were interviewed by bicultural interviewers. Diverse community-based recruitment methods were used. Statistical analyses performed Independent samples t test, Mann-Whitney U, and χ 2 tests, and multivariate logistic regression were performed. Results Food labels self-efficacy and stage of change, and average nutrition knowledge scores were similar between cases and controls ( P >0.05). Within the diabetes group, nutrition knowledge was greater among those who had seen a registered dietitian or a diabetes educator ( P =0.020). Cases reported consuming artificially sweetened desserts and beverages more frequently than controls ( P P P =0.001) and intakes of fruits, vegetables, and meats ( P ≤0.01). SES was not related to food label use independently of nutrition knowledge. Acculturation was positively related to soft drink and salty snack intakes ( P Conclusions There is a need to improve nutrition knowledge and skills for both groups, especially for those with low SES. Culturally appropriate interventions should emphasize the healthful nutritional behaviors from one's primary culture for effective retention of such traits.
Female Adolescents, Sexual Empowerment and Desire: A Missing Discourse of Gender Inequity

In this commentary, I offer a response to Lamb & Peterson (2011). I base these comments on the feminist scholarship on adolescent girls’ healthy sexuality that Lamb (2010a) critiqued in the first of this series. I address and redress several of her concerns by providing the context and history of my own research and recovering the meanings of desire, pleasure and subjectivity as they appeared in this body of work. I then engage Lamb and Peterson’s points of consensus about the role of sexual empowerment in adolescent girls’ healthy sexuality by 1) positioning sexualization as more than a context; 2) identifying a missing discourse of gender inequity as a central issue in their discussion; and 3) explaining how the use of theory and interpretation in feminist research methods is necessary for and distinct from a surface reading of narratives of lived experience. Finally, I will provide examples of some alternative paths for supporting healthy adolescent women’s sexuality that extend beyond school-based sex education and media literacy into alternative engagements with girls through technology, media activism and participatory practices.