cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Enhanced Recovery Minimizes Opioid Use and Hospital Stay for Patients Undergoing Mastectomy with Reconstruction

This study examined the effects of an enhanced recovery program on inpatient opioid requirements and hospital length of stay (LOS) for mastectomy patients undergoing immediate reconstruction. An enhanced recovery program for patients undergoing mastectomy with immediate tissue expander (TE) or implant reconstruction was evaluated by comparing a contemporary cohort of 611 patients in 2016–2018 with a historical cohort of 188 patients in 2010. Opioid use and LOS were compared over time and stratified by laterality, mastectomy type, axillary procedure, and reconstruction. Associations were assessed by uni- and multivariate analyses. In 2010, 95.2% of patients required intravenous (IV) opioids, with a last dose 15.5 h after completion of surgery, compared with 68.7% of patients in 2016–2018, with a last dose 1.8 h after surgery (p < 0.001). Patients prescribed gabapentin postoperatively were less likely to require inpatient IV or oral opioids (p < 0.001). The mean LOS decreased from 37 h in 2010 to 27.5 h in 2016–2018 without an increase in the readmission rate (6.9% vs. 4.1%; p = 0.112). Patients were more likely to stay more than one night if they were older (p = 0.012), had undergone bilateral mastectomies (p < 0.001) or TE reconstruction (p = 0.012), and had surgery in 2010 compared with 2016–2018 (p < 0.001). Even after adjustment for LOS, IV opioid use remained significantly associated with year of surgery (p < 0.001). Compared with 2010, patients undergoing mastectomy with TE or implant reconstruction in 2016–2018 required less inpatient opioids and had decreased LOS. The authors attribute this to an enhanced recovery program focused on preoperative counseling, non-opioid analgesics, and improved surgical efficiencies.
Negative association of smoking with PSA and PSA velocity.

e16060 Background: Smoking and obesity have been implicated in the pathogenesis of various chronic diseases and carcinogenic processes. However, their role in prostate cancer (PCa) & their associat...
Clinical Approach to a Patient with Elevated Serum Tryptase: Implications of Acute Versus Basally Elevated Levels

Measurement of tryptase is a valuable tool in the evaluation of patients with mast cell-related disorders and reactions. Recent advances in our understanding of a common genetic cause underlying elevated basal serum tryptase levels in the general population have provided additional context to evaluate patients with elevated serum tryptase levels. This chapter will provide an overview of tryptase, inherited and acquired causes for basal elevations of serum tryptase, and clinical applications of this biomarker in diagnosis and risk stratification of patients.
What Arts Entrepreneurship Isn't

A common and necessary desire in disciplinary development is the need to define the object of study. The field of Arts Entrepreneurship contains two words lacking consensus, which creates significant challenges when attempting to define a third. As an introductory examination, this article outlines how the inherent tension and hidden harmony of the field’s title may serve as a foil to developing a successful, immediate definition garnering wide-spread consensus.
Strain modulation using defects in two-dimensional Mo S 2

We investigate the nature of strain in $\mathrm{Mo}{\mathrm{S}}_{2}$ and correlate it to defect types and densities, while systematically assessing the tolerance of this low dimensional material to He and Au ion irradiations. Through a series of theoretical predictions and experimental observations, we establish the onset of the crystalline-to-amorphous transition in $\mathrm{Mo}{\mathrm{S}}_{2}$ and identify sulfur vacancies as the most favorable defects introduced during irradiation. We note the presence of both tensile and compressive strains, which depend on the types of defects introduced into the lattice and vary with increasing fluence. The results show that defects can be used to tune strain in two-dimensional materials and provide an exciting pathway for using external stimuli to control properties of low dimensional materials.
The urban built environment, walking and mental health outcomes among older adults: a pilot study

The benefits of walking in older age include improved cognitive health (e.g., mental alertness, improved memory functioning) and a reduced risk of stress, depression and dementia. However, research capturing the benefits of walking among older people in real-time as they navigate their world is currently very limited. This study explores cognitive health and well-being outcomes in older people as they walk in their local neighborhood environment. Residents from an independent living facility for older people (mean age 65, n = 11) walked from their home in two dichotomous settings, selected on the basis of significantly different infrastructure, varying levels of noise, traffic and percentage of green space. Employing a repeated-measures, cross over design, participants were randomly allocated to one of two groups, and walked on different days in an urban busy "gray" district (a busy, built up commercial street) vs. an urban quiet "green" district (a quiet residential area with front gardens and street trees). Our study captured real-time air quality and noise data using hand-held Airbeam sensors and physiologic health data using a smart watch to capture heart rate variability (a biomarker of stress). Cognitive health outcome measures were a pre- and post-walk short cognitive reaction time (SRT) test and memory recall of the route walked (captured via a drawn mental map). Emotional well-being outcomes were a pre- and post-walk mood scale capturing perceived stress, happiness and arousal levels. Findings showed significant positive health benefits from walking in the urban green district on emotional well-being (happiness levels) and stress physiology (p < 0.05), accompanied by faster cognitive reaction times post-walk, albeit not statistically significant in this small sample. Cognitive recall of the route varied between urban gray and urban green conditions, as participants were more likely to rely on natural features to define their routes when present. The environmental and physiologic data sets were converged to show a significant effect of ambient noise and urban conditions on stress activation as measured by heart rate variability. Findings are discussed in relation to the complexity of combining real-time environmental and physiologic data and the implications for follow-on studies. Overall, our study demonstrates the viability of using older people as citizen scientists in the capture of environmental and physiologic stress data and establishes a new protocol for exploring relationships between the built environment and cognitive health in older people.
Empirical design of computer support and staffing in concurrent engineering: Research Articles

Manufacturing environments are characterized by underlying operational approaches and assumptions. One such assumption is that concurrent engineering (CE) is superior to traditional sequential processing. A laboratory experiment was conducted using 180 engineering and building construction students as subjects. The engineering methodology variable was sequential and concurrent engineering. There were large teams, consisting of six students, and small teams, consisting of three students. The computer support variable was using and not using groupware. Each team was given a set of requirements to design a transportation system that moved a payload from one point to another. Each team was asked to (a) develop a design concept, (b) develop a detail design in the form of engineering drawings, (c) manufacture the system based on their design products (e.g., drawings and specifications) using toy plastic LEGOS, and (d) test the system to determine if it met the design requirements. There was no significant difference in performance between concurrent engineering groups and sequential engineering processes. Small groups significantly outperformed large groups in all conditions. Computer support did not significantly improve the performance of large or small groups. Participants in the experiment were equally satisfied with all conditions. An external survey strongly endorsed the superiority of CE as compared to sequential engineering. Results are discussed in terms of why practitioners believe in the effectiveness of CE, yet an empirical test failed to demonstrate better performance. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Hum Factors Man 16: 177–193, 2006.
Revisiting Covered Calls and Protective Puts: A Tale of Two Strategies

This paper examines the historical risk-adjusted returns of two hedging strategies designed to minimize downside market risk: Protective-puts and covered-calls, using US market data from 1993 to 2020. Here, we find that covered-call strategies significantly outperform the buy-and-hold strategy on a raw and risk-adjusted basis over the entire sample and these excess returns appear to remain persistent over time. We also find the opposite results hold for the protective put strategy: This strategy not only significantly underperforms the buy-and-hold strategy from a raw and risk-adjusted return standpoint, it actually significantly increases the probability of incurring losses each month. Finally, we evaluate the overall utility of various covered call strategies for loss averse investors, using the standard prospect theory utility function. Here, we find that out-of-the-money covered-call options yield the highest utilities for investors with less than average loss aversion, while in-the-money covered call options become more favorable as loss aversion increases.
The impact of technical efficiency, innovation, and climate policy on the economic viability of renewable electricity generation

Abstract Renewable energy is a promising technology for combating climate change, and state governments are increasingly implementing policies to encourage its adoption. Given these circumstances, it is important to assess the degree to which continued expansion of solar and wind generating capacity is desirable from an economic perspective. Stochastic frontier models of utility-scale renewable generation allow us to extrapolate the net present value of new solar and wind projects for 47 U.S. states (41 wind and 47 solar). Innovation has played a key role in solar and wind expansion with construction costs falling by 64% and 40% since 2013, respectively. Using current construction costs and electricity prices, continued solar expansion is profitable in 79% of states and wind expansion is profitable in 76% of states. Assuming a costless shift to the electricity generation frontier for renewables increases solar and wind viability to 87% and 90% of states, respectively. Finally, the outlook for solar and wind further improves under a first-best carbon tax that renders solar economically viable in 94% of states and wind viable in 93% of states. These findings are empirically robust to numerous stochastic frontier specifications and other sensitivity analyses.
ALL: Accessibility Learning Labs for Computing Accessibility Education

Our Accessibility Learning Labs not only inform participants about the need for accessible software, but also how to properly create and implement accessible software. These experiential browser-based labs enable participants, instructors and practitioners to engage in our material using only their browser. In the following document, we will provide a brief overview of our labs, how they may be adopted, and some of their preliminary results. Complete project material is publicly available on our project website: http://all.rit.edu
XPS and ToF-SIMS Characterization of New Biodegradable Poly(Peptide-Urethane-Urea) Block Copolymers

New, linear, segmented poly(peptide-urethane-urea) (PPUU) block copolymers are synthesized and their surface compositions are characterized with angle dependent X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (ADXPS) and time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (ToF-SIMS). These new PPUU block copolymers contain three types of segments. The soft segment (SS) is poly(caprolactone diol) (PCL). The hard segment is lysine diisocyanate with a hydrazine chain extender. The oligopeptide segment (OPS) contains three types of amino acids (proline, hydroxyproline, and glycine). Incorporation of the OPS into the polyurethane backbone is done to provide a synthetic polymer material with controllable biodegradation properties. As biodegradation processes normally are initiated at the interface between the biomaterial and the living tissue, it is important to characterize the surface composition of biomaterials. ADXPS and ToF-SIMS results show that the surfaces of all four polymers are enriched with the PCL SS, the most hydrophobic component of the three polymer segments.
Temporal Relationship of Corticosteroid Injection and Open Release for Trigger Finger and Correlation With Postoperative Deep Infections.

Purpose Previous single-institution studies have shown a relationship between corticosteroid injection and infection after surgery if open trigger release occurs within 90 days. We queried an insurance claims database to evaluate the temporal relationship between a corticosteroid injection and the development of a surgical site infection requiring secondary surgery in patients undergoing trigger release. Methods The PearlDiver database was queried for adults who underwent unilateral trigger finger release surgery from 2012 to 2018. The total number of injections, time from last injection to surgery, and preoperative antibiotic use were determined, in addition to the rates of postoperative administration of antibiotics and deep infection requiring surgery at 30, 60, and 90 days after surgery. Logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the odds of deep infection at 30, 60, and 90 days. Results A total of 14,686 patients were included; at least 1 corticosteroid injection was administered to 5,173 patients prior to surgery. When grouped based on whether a corticosteroid injection was administered prior to surgery, the postoperative infection rates between the groups were similar at 30, 60, and 90 days. When surgery was performed within 1 month of injection, increased odds of deep infection requiring irrigation and debridement were seen at 60 (odds ratio 2.92 [1.01-7.52]) and 90 days (odds ratio 3.01 [1.13-7.25]). Postoperative antibiotic use in the groups with and without a preoperative injection was similar at all queried time points, but patients who underwent open trigger finger release within 1 month of a prior injection had significantly increased odds (odds ratio 5.77 [1.41-22.06]) of using antibiotics after surgery. Male sex, a higher Elixhauser comorbidity index, and rheumatoid arthritis were additional independent risk factors for a deep infection. Conclusions Patients who undergo open trigger release within 1 month of a corticosteroid injection are at increased odds of developing a postoperative infection requiring surgical debridement. Type of study/level of evidence Prognostic II.
Program evaluation: Considerations of effectiveness, efficiency and equity

Health programs should be effective in reaching their objectives and should do so through efficient use of scarce resources. Moreover, the benefits should be equitably distributed among the targeted beneficiaries. The individual desirability of these attributes of program success is unquestioned, but their mutual compatibility should be. Narrowly based programs might be very efficient, whereas expansion into more difficult areas could be costly. Moreover, the difficult areas are likely to comprise disadvantaged groups that are inequitably served at present.The paper argues that measures of effectiveness, efficiency and equity need to be more sharply defined, so that trade-offs in program emphasis can be objectively assessed. Methods of analysis that make the trade-offs clear are pre-sented and applied to real data taken from a family planning study in India.
A Review of “Integrated Library Systems: Planning, Selecting, and Implementing”

Acquiring a new integrated library system (ILS) can be a hectic task, requiring research into the various products and modules vendors offer; ensuring the hardware and software requirements are met...
The Question Concerning Theory: Humanism, Subjectivity, and Computing

Deeply held humanist ideasconstitute a residual discourse in our late ageof print, a discourse that has not been effacedby the rise of technology or by widespreadcomputing practices. Against humanism'sEnlightenment idea of the rational individual,mid-twentieth century schools of anti-humanismpostulated a ``subject'' constructed by, ratherthan controlling, its language, culture, andtechnologies. The contemporary notion of thesubject comes from Lacanian psychoanalytictheory, where Lacan draws upon cybernetics andcomputing as evidence of a symbolic orderconstructive of subjectivity. Thiscomputational symbolic, in turn, owes much toHeidegger's post-war notions of technology. Today, however, work in new media suggests thatthe dominant discourse on the subject – thediscourse underwriting contemporary theory – isbeing challenged by an emergent discourse ofthe posthuman. Consequently, theory itself isthrown into question. The question of theorynow arises since we must ask whether theposthuman subject of technology is rewritingthe anti-humanist subject of theory in new andunanticipated ways. This article thus offersan overview of the shift from humanist, toanti-humanist, to posthumanist assumptions. Mygoal is to help readers decide whether today'scomputing environments can still be approachedthrough late twentieth century anti-humanisttheories or whether e-texts demand new,media-specific analyses.
Studies with Hydroxyurea VII. Hydroxyurea and the Synthesis of Functional Proteins

Hydroxyurea affected neither the synthesis nor the degradation of bacterial messenger-ribonucleic acid. The proteins made by hydroxyurea-treated cells were structurally intact and fully functional. Since the expression of the lethal action of hydroxyurea requires active protein production, the data indicate that treated cells do not die as the result of the synthesis of abnormal proteins.
It’s Not Only for the Money: An Analysis of Adolescent versus Adult Entry into Street Prostitution†

Numerous studies examine the causal factors of entrance into prostitution and find economic marginalization, substance addiction, and interpersonal networks are common reasons women enter the trade. However, we know less about the role that age of onset plays in shaping female pathways into prostitution. Here, we build from insights into previous research by analyzing not only entry pathways but also how age categories are linked to time spent in the trade and whether the length of time in prostitution exacts a greater “toll” on women. Drawing from the feminist and age of onset literatures, we analyze 40 in-depth interviews with female street prostitutes from five U.S. cities. Our results underscore the importance of age as an organizing feature of women’s pathways into prostitution and the potential associated consequences of working in this trade.
Spin injection and detection in a ferromagnetic metal/2DEG structure

Abstract Spin dependent transport in a high mobility two dimensional electron gas (2DEG) with an asymmetric confining potential is observed by using a ferromagnetic metal as a spin sensitive voltage probe. A high impedance junction is formed between the ferromagnet and the 2DEG on a planarized sample. The conduction band of the 2DEG is split into spin subbands by the Rashba effect, and nonequilibrium magnetization is induced by a bias current. The magnetization of the ferromagnet is controlled by an external magnetic field, and the voltage sensed in each of its two magnetic states corresponds to the up- and down-spin subband chemical potentials of the 2DEG carriers.
Analysis of CMF1 Reveals a Bone Morphogenetic Protein-independent Component of the Cardiomyogenic Pathway

Disruption of the CMF1 function in anterior mesoderm inhibits cardiac myogenesis in avian embryos. In the present study, we show that CMF1 is a member of an emerging family of proteins that includes centromeric protein-F, mitosin, and LEK1. These proteins are characterized by their large size (350 kDa), dynamic subcellular distribution, and potential functions in cell division and differentiation. The current data suggest that CMF1 is a unique member of this family by virtue of its restricted protein expression and variant subcellular distribution. Immunochemical analysis demonstrates that CMF1 protein is expressed in cardiogenic cells prior to the activation of cardiac structural gene products. In addition, we show that expression of CMF1 is not dependent on the bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling pathway during development. Still, CMF1 cannot direct cardiomyogenesis in the absence of such factors as NKX-2.5. Taken with our previous data, this study suggests that CMF1 is a BMP-independent component of the cardiomyogenic pathway.
Calcium Regulation of Cyclic Nucleotide Signaling in Lobster Olfactory Receptor Neurons

An elevated free Ca 2+ concentration reduces odor-stimulated production of cyclic AMP (cAMP) in the outer dendritic membranes of lobster olfactory receptor neurons in vitro. This effect can occur within 50 ms of odor stimulation. The effect is concentration-dependent at submicromolar concentrations of free Ca 2+ . An elevated free Ca 2+ concentration also reduces basal and forskolin-stimulated cAMP levels in a concentration-dependent manner, suggesting that Ca 2+ is not targeting the activation of the odor receptor/G protein complex. The degradation of synthetic cAMP by phosphodiesterases is not enhanced by an increased free Ca 2+ concentration, suggesting that Ca 2+ acts by down-regulating the olfactory adenylyl cyclase. Westem blot analysis of the lobster olfactory sensilla that contain the outer dendrites reveals a protein in the transduction zone with a molecular mass of ∼138 kDa that is immunoreactive to an antiserum against adenylyl cyclase type III. Given earlier evidence that Ca 2+ potentially enters the receptor cell through odor-activated inositol 1,4,5-trisphosphate-gated channels, our results suggest a possible route for cross talk between the cyclic nucleotide and the inositol phospholipid signaling pathways in lobster olfactory receptor neurons.
Antisperm antibodies in seminal plasma of spinal cord-injured men

Central to the problem of reproductive rehabilitation of spinal cord-injured men treated by assisted ejaculatory techniques is the consistent observation of deficient semen quality. Most studies have reported asthenospermia despite the presence of normal sperm concentration in most men undergoing these procedures. To date little attention has been given to the incidence and relevance of sperm autoimmunity in this group. In 9 anejaculatory spinal cord-injured men, electroejaculation was performed. Antegrade ejaculates were obtained in 7 men and analyzed. Mean sperm antegrade concentration was 74.4 +/- 113 x 10(6)/mL with a mean motile sperm concentration of 28.6 +/- 54.0 x 10(6)/mL. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA)-determined antisperm antibody response was positive in the seminal plasma of 5 of 7 patients. Because of the disproportionately high incidence of an immunologic factor in men with neurogenic infertility, sperm autoimmunity should be considered among the important causes underlying their seminal dysfunction.
13C-NMR studies of marine natural products II. Total assignment of the 13C-NMR spectrum of asperdiol

Abstract 13 C-nmr spectral assignments for asperdiol are made with the aid of model compounds and T 1 relaxation behavior. Overall isotropic tumbling was inferred from the latter providing a supplemental means of multiplicity determination. Utilization of the T 1 relaxation times as an assignment criterion for select resonances in asperdiol is also described.
Nature of flow acceleration into a finite-sized orifice: Steady and pulsatile flow studies on the flow convergence region using simultaneous ultrasound Doppler flow mapping and laser Doppler velocimetry

Objectives. This study investigated the proximal centerline flow convergence region simultaneously by both color Doppler and laser Doppler velocimetry. Background. Although numerous investigations have been performed to test the flow convergence method, to our knowledge there has yet been no experimental study using reference standard velocimetric techniques to define precisely the hydrodynamic factors involved in the accelerating flow region during steady and pulsatile flow. Methods. Using an in vitro model that allows velocity measurements by laser Doppler velocimetry with simultaneous comparison with color Doppler results, we studied the centerline flow acceleration region proximal to orifices of various sizes (0.08 to 2.0 cm^2). Results. Agreement between theory and experimental velocities was good for large flow rates through small orifices only, and only at distances >1.2 cm from the orifice. Changing the orifice shape from circular to slitlike produced no significant changes in velocity profiles. Constraining the proximal side walls caused a significant increase in proximal velocities at distances >0.7 cm for the largest orifice only (2.0 cm^2). Calculated flow rates agreed well with actual flow rates, with functional dependence on proximal distance and orifice size. Velocity profiles for pulsatile flow were similar to steady state flow profiles and could be integrated to calculate stroke volumes, which followed actual flow volumes well, although with general overestimation (y = 1.22x + 0.164, r = 0.92), most likely due to the use of all available proximal velocities. Conclusions. The accelerating proximal flow region responds to several hydrodynamic factors that can affect flow quantitation using the flow convergence method in the clinical situation.
The order of a typical matrix with entries in a finite field

IfA is an invertiblen×n matrix with entries in the finite field Fq, letT n (A) be its minimum period or exponent, i.e. its order as an element of the general linear group GL(n,q). The main result is, roughly, that $$T_n (A) = q^{n - } (log n)^{2 + 0(1)} $$ for almost everyA.
Electrophoresis of proteins in intercellular bridges

Cytoplasmic polarity giving rise at mitosis to daughter cells with distinct but complementary morphogenetic functions has been proposed by Jaffe and co-workers to have transcellular ion currents as one of its essential physiological steps. The clearest evidence is from fucoid eggs in which such currents have been shown to parallel the prospective axis of germination. The currents are caused by stabilized accumulations of cation pumps on one side of the cell, and of permeability channels on the opposite side; they are strong enough to suggest that the accompanying gradient in electrical potential could have an electrophoretic effect on the distribution of cytoplasmic constituents, including those that serve as morphogenetic determinants. Although ion currents correlated with axes of morphogenesis have thus been clearly established, their effects on intracellular localizations and morphogenetic activity have remained speculative. We report here evidence that an endogenously generated gradient in electrical potential in the oocyte-nurse cell syncytium of Hyalophora cercropia can, in fact, influence the distribution of soluble proteins in a cytoplasmic continuum.
Exploration of spatial augmented reality on person

Spatial Augmented Reality (SAR) allows users to collaborate without need for see-through screens or head-mounted displays. We explore natural on-person interfaces using SAR. Spatial Augmented Reality on Person (SARP) leverages self-based psychological effects such as Self-Referential Encoding (SRE) and ownership by intertwining augmented body interactions with the self. Applications based on SARP could provide powerful tools in education, health awareness, and medical visualization. The goal of this paper is to explore benefits and limitations of generating ownership and SRE using the SARP technique. We implement a hardware platform which provides a Spatial Augmented Game Environment to allow SARP experimentation. We test a STEM educational game entitled `Augmented Anatomy' designed for our proposed platform with experts and a student population in US and China. Results indicate that learning of anatomy on-self does appear correlated with increased interest in STEM and is rated more engaging, effective and fun than textbook-only teaching of anatomical structures.
Giant cell carcinoma of the liver: occurrence in a patient with ileal carcinoid, medullary breast carcinoma and pulmonary aspergillosis.

Pure giant cell carcinoma of the liver is a rare tumor that is usually associated with cirrhosis.1.5 Its occurrence in a young woman without evidence of cirrhosis, and in association with two other uncommon tumors, is described in this report.
Optimal control NMR differentiation between fast and slow sodium

Sodium ions in tissues and organs may experience motion on a variety of timescales, leading to NMR relaxation effects with quadrupolar coupling as the primary mechanism. The various effects that this fluctuating interaction has on spin dynamics can be exploited for distinguishing slow sodium ions from fast ones. Techniques such as triple-quantum filtering have been used for this purpose in the past. In this work we present optimal pulses which significantly improve the selectivity towards slow-tumbling sodium. These pulses can also be modified for robustness against magnetic field inhomogeneities, and could hence also become useful as MRI contrast methods.
Partnership selection and formation: a case study of developing adolescent health community-researcher partnerships in fifteen U.S. communities.

Abstract Purpose This study describes the partner selection process in 15 U.S. communities developing community-researcher partnerships for the Connect to Protect® (C2P): Partnerships for Youth Prevention Interventions, an initiative of the Adolescent Trials Network for human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) Interventions. Methods Each site generated an epidemiological profile of urban youth in their community, selected a focus population and geographic area of youth at risk for HIV, conducted a series of successive structured interviews, and engaged in a process of relationship-building efforts culminating in a collaborative network of community agencies. Results Sites chose as their primary target population young women who have sex with men (n = 8 sites), young men who have sex with men (n = 6), and intravenous drug users (n = 1). Of 1162 agencies initially interviewed, 281 of 335 approached (84%) agreed to join the partnership (average 19/site). A diverse array of community agencies were represented in the final collaborative network; specific characteristics included: 93% served the sites' target population, 54% were predominantly youth oriented, 59% were located in the geographical area of focus, and 39% reported provision of HIV/STI (sexually transmitted infection) prevention services. Relationship-building activities, development of collaborative relationships, and lessons learned, including barriers and facilitators to partnership, are also described. Conclusions Study findings address a major gap in the community partner research literature. Health researchers and policymakers need an effective partner selection framework whereby community-researcher partnerships can develop a solid foundation to address public health concerns.
Control‐relevant scheduling of polymer grade transitions

Grade transition is a critical step in the operation of a polymerization reactor. The nonlinear input-output behavior of the reactor can lead to severe differences in the dynamic response of different grade transitions. These differences are analyzed under the assumption that the polymerization reactor is regulated by a linear controller. The cost of each transition is calculated based on a linear first-order model of the transition. Robust control theory is employed to propose screening tools and heuristics for the identification of the transitions that are “difficult” from an operational perspective in the presence of uncertainty. The dependence of the transition cost on the gain and the time constant of various transitions is analyzed to determine the effect of process nonlinearities on the scheduling problem. This approach is demonstrated on the problem of scheduling grade transitions in an isothermal methyl methacrylate polymerization reactor.
New Nitronate σ Complexes and the Mechanism of Nucleophilic Aromatic Photosubstitution Para to a Nitro Group

Photolysis of 4-nitroanisole with aliphatic amines gives mainly N-substituted 4-nitroanilines. Reactions of this type have been widely attributed to a geminate radical mechanism. We questioned this interpretation and have searched for and found by NMR spectroscopy a new class of stable nitronate adducts generated under the reaction conditions. The adducts imply that photosubstitution by amines para to the nitro group occurs by meta σ complex formation followed by an unprecedented sigmatropic rearrangement.
Temperature field of a moving point source with change of state

Abstract A theoretical simulation of automatic welding as a moving point source of heat with conduction as the dominant mode of transfer is refined to incorporate change of state across the melt boundary. Matched asymptotic expansions are used to solve the singular perturbation problem associated with arbitrary latent heat, and small values of source dimensionless velocity—power product. The problem is mathematically analogous to scattering of long waves off a sphere. It is shown that previous empirical estimates which subtract the latent heat power from the corresponding input quantity seriously over-predict the effect of change of state on weld depth.
Interdisciplinary outpatient group treatment of intractable headache.

SYNOPSIS Approximately 10% of adults suffer from severe or disabling headaches. For many patients, headaches are reduced with traditional medical, physical, or psychological therapies. However, a significant minority continue to report debilitating headaches despite the use of these conventional therapies. An integrated, interdisciplinary approach combining these three individual components in a group treatment setting was offered to patients who had failed previous therapy. The interdisciplinary treatment resulted in over 70% of patients experiencing a 50% or better reduction in headaches at follow-up of an average of 5.8 months. Overall, there was an average reduction in medication use at follow-up of 71%. The treated group reported significantly greater reduction in headache activity and medication consumption compared to a group that was referred to but did not receive group treatment. The results suggest that an interdisciplinary outpatient group treatment may provide a cost-effective end time-efficient treatment option for patients with a variety of recurring headaches, even if they have failed conventional therapies that use medical, physical, and psychological treatments individually.
Generation of monodisperse metallic, metal oxide and carbon aerosols

Abstract A technique for the continuous generation of monodisperse and insoluble metal oxide, metallic and carbon aerosols is developed. A monodisperse primary aerosol is generated from either an appropriately chosen water-soluble metal compound using a vibrating orifice aerosol generator or the resuspension of polystyrene latex spheres. The aerosol particles are then thermally decomposed and/or reduced to the corresponding metal oxide, metallic or carbon particles. The suitability of several metal compounds and polystyrene latex spheres as primary aerosols in this generation procedure is investigated. Scanning electron microscopy is used to follow the changes in the primary aerosols, with regard to monodispersity, morphology and size of the secondary aerosols.
Tunable wavelength soft photoionization of ionic liquid vapors

Combined data of photoelectron spectra and photoionization efficiency curves in the near threshold ionization region of isolated ion pairs from [emim][Tf2N], [emim][Pf2N], and [dmpim][Tf2N] ionic liquid vapors reveal small shifts in the ionization energies of ion-pair systems due to cation and anion substitutions. Shifts toward higher binding energy following anion substitution are attributed to increased electronegativity of the anion itself, whereas shifts toward lower binding energies following cation substitution are attributed to an increase in the cation−anion distance that causes a lower Coulombic binding potential. The predominant ionization mechanism in the near threshold photon energy region is identified as dissociative ionization, involving the dissociation of the ion pair and the production of intact cations as the positively charged products.
Role of FcRγ and factor XIIIA in coated platelet formation

Platelet activation in response to dual stimulation with collagen and thrombin results in the formation of a subpopulation of activated platelets known as coated platelets. Coated platelets are characterized by high surface levels of alpha-granule proteins and phosphatidylserine, which support the assembly of procoagulant protein complexes. Using murine models, we tested the hypothesis that the collagen receptor-associated molecule FcRgamma and the transglutaminase factor XIIIA are required for the formation of coated platelets. Following dual stimulation with the collagen receptor agonist convulxin and thrombin, 68% of platelets from C57BL/6 mice acquired the coated platelet phenotype, defined by high surface levels of fibrinogen and von Willebrand factor and decreased binding of the alphaIIbbeta3 activation-dependent antibody PE-JON/A. In FcRgamma-/- mice, only 10% of platelets became "coated" after dual stimulation with convulxin plus thrombin (P < .05 vs C57BL/6 platelets). Decreased coated platelet formation in FcRgamma-/- platelets was accompanied by decreased annexin V binding (P < .01) and decreased platelet procoagulant activity (P < .05). Platelets from FXIIIA-/- mice did not differ from control platelets in coated platelet formation or annexin V binding. We conclude that FcRgamma, but not factor XIIIA, is essential for formation of highly procoagulant coated platelets following dual stimulation with collagen and thrombin.
The arrangement of simian virus 40 sequences in the DNA of transformed cells

High molecular weight DNA, isolated from eleven cloned lines of rat cells independently transformed by SV40, was cleaved with various restriction endonucleases. The DNA was fractionated by electrophoresis through agarose gels, denatured in situ, transferred directly to sheets of nitrocellulose as described by Southern (1975), and hybridized to SV40 DNA labeled in vitro to high specific activity. The location of viral sequences among the fragments of transformed cell DNA was determined by autoradiography. The DNAs of seven of the cell lines contained viral sequences in fragments of many different sizes. The remaining four cell lines each contain a single insertion of viral DNA at a different chromosomal location. The junctions between viral and cellular sequences map at different places on the viral genome.
Molecular dynamics simulation of a single-component molecular composite: poly(p-phenylene benzobisthiazole)/meta-poly(aryl ether ketone) block copolymer

Molecular dynamics simulations were performed with a model of a single-component molecular composite in the form of a block copolymer composed of poly(p-phenylene benzobisthiazole) rigid-rod and flexible meta-poly(aryl ether ketone) subunits. The molecular composite concept, applied to improve the compressive strength of rigid-rod polymers and to improve their solubility, relies on a uniform distribution of rods in a coil-like matrix. Pair distribution functions, orientation correlation functions and correlation volumes calculated from equilibrium dynamics trajectories of bulk copolymer, coil homopolymer and rigid-rod homopolymer systems imply that, while inter-rod spacing is only slightly increased in the copolymer, correlation of rod orientation is greatly reduced but to a somewhat lesser extent than previously found for a graft copolymer composed of identical subunits. Conformations of the flexible blocks extend to accommodate the partial rod alignment. The block copolymer topology appears to be a viable alternative to the hairy-rod graft copolymer as a single-component molecular composite.
Lapped block decoding for vector quantization of images

We have investigated an improved decoding paradigm for vector quantization of images. In this new decoding method, the dimension of the code vectors in the decoder is higher than that of the input vectors at the encoder, so that the area covered by each output vector extends beyond the input block of pixels into its neighborhood. The image is reconstructed as an overlapping patchwork of output blocks (code vectors), where the pixel values in the lapped region are obtained by summing the corresponding elements of the overlapping code vectors. With a properly designed decoder codebook, this lapped block decoding technique is able to improve the performance of VQ by exploiting the interblock correlation at the decoder. We have developed a recursive algorithm for designing a locally optimal decoder codebook from a training set of images, given a fixed VQ encoder. Computer simulation with both full search VQ and tree structured VQ encoders demonstrated that, compared to conventional VQ decoding, this new decoding technique reproduces images with not only higher SNR, but also better perceptual quality.© (1992) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Simultaneous optical measurement of soot volume fraction and temperature in premixed flames

The performance of a three-wavelength optical probe technique for measuring soot volume fraction and temperature was assessed by conducting experiments in the homogeneous environment of a premixed flame. Using a premixed ethylene/air flame, the temperatures and soot volume fractions (fva, based on absorption measurements at 633 nm and fve, based on emission measurements at 900 nm and 1000 nm) were compared with previously reported results. Although the temperatures and mean soot volume fractions compared favorably, the discrepancy between fva and fve prompted new measurements to evaluate the importance of source wavelength on the fva measurements, scattering by soot particles, light absorption by “large” molecules and the use of different indices of refraction reported in the literature. The experiments on the degree of soot scattering and light absorption by “large” molecules indicated that these effects cannot reconcile the observed discrepancy in the soot volume fractions. The measured soot volume fractions were, however, sensitive to the absorption constant and therefore varied significantly when different sets of refractive indices were used. Furthermore, the agreement between fva and fve was improved when extinction measurements were performed with longer wavelength light sources. Isokinetic soot sampling experiments were also performed to compare with the optically-measured soot volume fractions. This technique does not rely on the refractive indices of soot and therefore provides an independent measure of the soot volume fraction. The soot volume fractions measured using this technique compared favorably with the optically measured values (calculated using various indices of refraction).
Adipokinetic response of a flightless grasshopper (Barytettix psolus): functional components, defective response

The mature flightless grasshopper Barytettix psolus shows a very small adipokinetic response when injected with extracts of its own corpora cardiaca, although the fat body contains enough lipid for a strong response. When these extracts were injected into Melanoplus differentialis, a grasshopper capable of flight, or the moth Manduca sexta, much stronger adipokinetic responses were observed. Upon analysis of B. psolus extracts by HPLC, two components with adipokinetic activity were obtained. The major component appears to be identical to locust adipokinetic hormone (AKH) I. Extracts of B. psolus corpora cardiaca also activated fat body glycogen phosphorylase in B. psolus. This activation, however, did not result in an increase in hemolymph sugar, probably because of low levels of glycogen in the fat body. B. psolus hemolymph contains a high-density lipophorin (HDLp) consisting of the apolipophorins (apoLp) I and II and lipid. Both apoproteins are glycosylated. The hemolymph also contains apoLp-III, although this apoprotein apparently does not associate with HDLp to form a low-density lipophorin (LDLp) following AKH or corpora cardiaca extract injections. When B. psolus lipophorin and AKH were injected into Schistocerca americana, lipophorin took up lipids and combined with apoLp-III, forming LDLp. ApoLp-III from B. psolus injected into S. americana can also form LDLp, demonstrating that the components are functional. A lipid transfer particle isolated from M. sexta and injected into B. psolus does not improve the adipokinetic response. Thus, it appears that the adipokinetic response of B. psolus is not deficient because of the lack of AKH or functional lipophorins, but may be caused by the lack of a full response to AKH by fat body or the deficiency in hemolymph of some as yet unknown factor.
MAPPING SYSTEMS ENGINEERING PRINCIPLES AND PRACTICES TO COMMERCIAL SECTOR ACTIVITY

The Systems Engineering (SE) process provides a valuable mechanism for management of complex developmental programs but application has been almost exclusively limited to the Defense sector. One of the key challenges facing the SE community is to extend these capabilities to applications in the Commercial sector. There are many fundamental differences in the conduct of operations between these two sectors. However much we believe in the basic systems engineering process, these differences must be considered when we speak of “exporting” techniques. Individual elements of the SE process must be packaged in such a way that they can be selectively applied, and must clearly be seen as providing a positive return on investment. This paper offers a basic framework with which to identify the elements of SE in the Defense sector, a general comparison with the equivalent activity in various portions of the Commercial sector, and observations regarding implementation strategy and opportunities.
Monomer-trimer transition of human placenta estradiol dehydrogenase.

Abstract Human placenta estradiol dehydrogenase (17β-hydroxysteroid:NAD(P)-oxidoreductase; EC 1.1.1.51) prepared with precautions to prevent subtle denaturation exhibits a concentration-dependent monomer-trimer transition. The kinetic properties of the enzyme show that the monomeric form of the protein can catalyze both net steroid dehydrogenation and substrate-mediated transhydrogenation. In contrast, the trimer catalyzes only substrate-mediated transhydrogenation. The trimerization is demonstrable by analysis of the kinetics, by gel permeation chromatography, and by density gradient ultracentrifugation.