cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cost analysis of reflexive versus selective molecular testing for indeterminate thyroid nodules.

Abstract Background Molecular testing is now commonly used to refine the diagnosis of indeterminate thyroid nodules. The purpose of this study is to compare the costs of a reflexive molecular testing strategy to a selective testing strategy for indeterminate thyroid nodules. Methods A Markov model was constructed to estimate the annual cost of diagnosis and treatment of a real-world cohort of patients with cytologically indeterminate thyroid nodules, comparing a reflexive testing strategy to a selective testing strategy. Model variables were abstracted from institutional clinical trial data, literature review, and the Medicare physician fee schedule. Results The average cost per patient in the reflexive testing strategy was $8,045, compared with $6,090 in the selective testing strategy. In 10,000 Monte Carlo simulations, diagnostic thyroid lobectomy for benign nodules was performed in 2,440 patients in the reflexive testing arm, compared with 3,389 patients in the selective testing arm, and unintentional observation for malignant nodules occurred in 479 patients in the reflexive testing arm, compared with 772 patients in the selective testing arm. The cost of molecular testing had the greatest impact on overall costs, with $1,050 representing the cost below which the reflexive testing strategy was cost saving compared with the selective testing strategy. Conclusion In this cost-modeling study, reflexive molecular testing for indeterminate thyroid nodules enabled patients to avoid unnecessary thyroid lobectomy at an estimated cost of $20,600 per surgery avoided.
Source-to-Sink Analysis of the Gold-Hosting Mesoarchean Main and Mondeor Formations (Central Rand Group) in the Area South of Johannesburg, Witwatersrand Basin, Kaapvaal Province, South Africa

AbstractTo date, all source-to-sink research has focused on the Phanerozoic and Proterozoic stratigraphic record. This study attempts to apply source-to-sink principles to the 2.8–3.0 Ga placer gol...
Gummy Browsers: Targeted Browser Spoofing against State-of-the-Art Fingerprinting Techniques

We present a simple yet potentially devastating and hard-to-detect threat, called Gummy Browsers, whereby the browser fingerprinting information can be collected and spoofed without the victim's awareness, thereby compromising the privacy and security of any application that uses browser fingerprinting. The idea is that attacker A first makes the user U connect to his website (or to a well-known site the attacker controls) and transparently collects the information from U that is used for fingerprinting purposes. Then, A orchestrates a browser on his own machine to replicate and transmit the same fingerprinting information when connecting to W, fooling W to think that U is the one requesting the service rather than A. This will allow the attacker to profile U and compromise U's privacy. We design and implement the Gummy Browsers attack using three orchestration methods based on script injection, browser settings and debugging tools, and script modification, that can successfully spoof a wide variety of fingerprinting features to mimic many different browsers (including mobile browsers and the Tor browser). We then evaluate the attack against two state-of-the-art browser fingerprinting systems, FPStalker and Panopticlick. Our results show that A can accurately match his own manipulated browser fingerprint with that of any targeted victim user U's fingerprint for a long period of time, without significantly affecting the tracking of U and when only collecting U's fingerprinting information only once. The TPR (true positive rate) for the tracking of the benign user in the presence of the attack is larger than 0.9 in most cases. The FPR (false positive rate) for the tracking of the attacker is also high, larger than 0.9 in all cases. We also argue that the attack can remain completely oblivious to the user and the website, thus making it extremely difficult to thwart in practice.
Bridging Conventional Breeding and Genomics for A More Sustainable Wheat Production

Conventional breeding has a long history of success, while the field of genomics and its applications offer new ways to more efficiently breed new cultivars. In this chapter, using wheat (Triticum spp.) as an example, we review the current understanding of wheat breeding and two of its key aspects: The use and creation of genetic diversity (intercrossing elite lines or crossing elite lines with unadapted lines or wild species; creating mutations; and inserting transgenes), and the ability to phenotypically or genetically select for useful combinations of alleles to create improved lines. The strengths of conventional breeding and genomic –assisted breeding are described, as are their limitations, and how a modern breeding program will adapt and integrate new breeding tools with proven methods. The introduction of new alleles into a population will require estimates of their breeding values and epistasis before they can be effectively selected using genomic selection. Similarly, the importance of genotype– by environment interactions will require extensive field testing and more sophisticating genomic selection models to identify lines for the target set of environments.
Constructing a Distributed Object-Oriented System with Logical Constraints for Fluorescence-Activated Cell Sorting

This paper describes a fully distributed biological-object system that supports FACS (Fluorescence Activated Cell Sorter) instrumentation. The architecture of the system can be applied to any laboratory automation system that involves distributed instrument control and data management. All component processes of FACS (such as instrument control, protocol design, data analysis, and data visualization), which may run on different machines, are modeled as cooperatively-working "agents." Communication among agents is performed through shared-objects by triggered methods. This shared-object metaphor encapsulates the details of network programming. The system facilitates the annotation of classes with first-order formulae that express logical constraints on objects; these constraints are automatically maintained upon updates. Also, the shared-object communication and polymorphic triggered methods are exploited to produce a homogeneous interface for instrument control.
Free amino acids in the pregnant uterus.

Abstract Free amino acids in seven pregnant human uteri were quantitatively determined and compared to tissues from nonpregnant patients. Only uterine glycine and lysine were found to decline significantly. Other amino acids generally increased. Serum amino acids from pregnant and nonpregnant patients were also compared, and uterine-serum ratios calculated. The increase for serum threonine was in marked contrast to the decline for most other serum amino acids. Studies on rat uteri confirmed the fall of glycine but not lysine during pregnancy in this species. A postpartum rebound of glycine was evident 2 days and 6 days after delivery. Glycine did not appreciably decline in rat maternal liver during pregnancy. The fall in uterine glycine was not modified by protein restriction in the pregnant rat. Treatment with estradiol, estradiol plus progesterone, and testosterone did not change uterine glycine levels. It was hypothesized that the fall in uterine glycine may be responsible for the high levels of this amino acid in luminal fluids of the genital tract under progesterone stimulus.
Analysis of BGP origin as changes among Brazil-related autonomous systems

On the inter-domain Internet today, the address prefix origin in our BGP operations has become a major security concern. This critical problem can be stated simply as "Is the originating Autonomous System (AS) authorized to advertise the destination address prefix?" In the long term maybe we will be able to prevent this problem by applying proposed solutions such as SBGP[1] or SoBGP[2]. However, in practical network operations, it is critical to monitor and analyze all the BGP events potentially related to this BGP origin problem. In this paper, we have analyzed OASC (Origin Autonomous System Change) events, generated from the Oregon Route Views [4] archive, related to the Brazil BGP network. Our main focus is on how the Brazil BGP operation has been interacting with the rest of the Internet in the past five years. Also, we provide some possible explanations for OASC anomalies in Brazil.
The Ka‘ storm (November 2000): Imaging precipitable water using GPS

[1] We use a network of GPS receivers on the Big Island of Hawaii to examine in detail the precipitable water field of the Ka‘ storm, which generated record rainfall and flash floods over much of the southern and eastern portions of the island. With GPS stations distributed from sea level to the highest points on the island, the spatial and temporal variations in precipitable water as the storm passed over the network are investigated. The results highlight the role of the topography in controlling the location of convection, revealing relatively static zones of high precipitable water where onshore winds and terrain anchor the storm. Using the observed correlation between the precipitable water and rainfall, estimates of rainfall based on the GPS data are generated. These estimates compare well with most of the high-rainfall sites but tend to overestimate rainfall for the low-rainfall areas. Rainfall predictions from a mesoscale spectral model of the storm consistently underestimate the observed heavy values. Comparison with the GPS, however, suggests that this underestimate is probably due to a correlated underestimate of precipitable water, indicating that significant improvements in predictions could be expected if the precipitable water field can be better constrained.
Spectral Properties of Some Degenerate Elliptic Differential Operators

In this paper we extend classical criteria for determining lower bounds for the least point of the essential spectrum of second-order elliptic differential operators on domains Ω ⊂ ℝn allowing for degeneracy of the coefficients on the boundary. We assume that we are given a sesquilinear form and investigate the degree of degeneracy of the coefficients near ∂Ω that can be tolerated and still maintain a closable sesquilinear form to which the First Representation Theorem can be applied. Then, we establish criteria characterizing the least point of the essential spectrum of the associated differential operator in these degenerate cases. Applications are given for convex and non-convex Ω using Hardy inequalities, which recently have been proven in terms of the distance to the boundary, showing the spectra to be purely discrete.
Curriculum Sequencing in a Web-Based Tutor

In this paper, we discuss using a student model in a web-based course to sequence the curriculum. Since the teaching in a web-based course is usually non-linear, dynamic curriculum sequencing is important as there is not a linear path that will be appropriate for all students. Thus a student model needs to be constructed which can guide students through the non-linear curriculum. This student model is built on the student's quiz performance and on how well he studies the material. The student model is used to judge how well a topic has been "learned", which can then be used to determine which other topics are ready to be learned. In this paper, we discuss how the student model is constructed and used for curriculum sequencing.
Pn anisotropy beneath the South Island of New Zealand and implications for distributed deformation in continental lithosphere

Pn travel times from regional earthquakes recorded both by stations on New Zealand and by ocean bottom seismographs deployed offshore indicate anisotropy in the uppermost mantle beneath the region. The largest anisotropy of ~8% (±2%, 1σ) lies beneath the deforming part of the South Island to just off its West Coast, a zone roughly 100–200 km wide. The fastest propagation is aligned N60°E (±3°), essentially parallel to the largely strike-slip relative plate motion since 20 Ma, also ~ N60°E. The magnitude of anisotropy decreases abruptly northwest and southeast of this zone, and on the southeast side of the island, the orientation of fastest propagation is between N32°W and N-S. The ~ N60°E orientation of fast propagation is consistent with finite strain within the uppermost part of the mantle lithosphere if the measured 850 km of displacement of the Pacific plate past the Australia plate is spread over a region with a width of 100–200 km. The agreement of this orientation of fast propagation with the orientation or relative plate motion suggests the possibility of but does not require some dynamic recrystallization in rock as cold as 500–800°C, where Peierls creep seems to be the likely deformation mechanism. Such a strain distribution matches deformation of a thin viscous sheet that obeys a constitutive relationship of the form e˙~τn, where e˙ is the average strain rate and τ is the operative deviatoric stress, with an average value of n ≈ 3–10. Presumably, the NW-SE fast propagation in the region southeast of the island results from strain that precedes the Cenozoic deformation that has shaped the island.
A Rare Case of Acquired Fanconi's Syndrome With Monoclonal Gammopathy in an Infant.

Background Monoclonal gammopathies associated with acquired Fanconi's syndrome (AFS) have been reported in the adult population. AFS is characterized by renal dysfunction resulting in proteinuria, aminoaciduria, hypophosphatemia, glucosuria, and hyperchloremic metabolic acidosis. In this case report, we document the clinical and laboratory findings of a preterm infant with features of both AFS and monoclonal gammopathy in the urine. Methods Clinical suspicion of AFS prompted the following laboratory studies to be performed: urine protein electrophoresis (UPEP), urine immunofixation, and urine amino acid analysis with high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Results Urine amino acid analysis revealed aminoaciduria. On UPEP, nonselective glomerular proteinuria was seen with a faint band in the gamma region. Urine immunofixation confirmed the presence of a monoclonal IgG lambda component with free monoclonal lambda light chains. Conclusion To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case of pediatric AFS reported with a monoclonal gammopathy and monoclonal free light chains.
Cathepsin B contributes to Na+ hyperabsorption in cystic fibrosis airway epithelial cultures

In cystic fibrosis (CF) lung disease, the absence of functional CF transmembrane conductance regulator results in Cl(-)/HCO3 (-) hyposecretion and triggers Na(+) hyperabsorption through the epithelial Na(+) channel (ENaC), which contribute to reduced airway surface liquid (ASL) pH and volume. Prostasin, a membrane-anchored serine protease with trypsin-like substrate specificity has previously been shown to activate ENaC in CF airways. However, prostasin is typically inactive below pH 7.0, suggesting that it may be less relevant in acidic CF airways. Cathepsin B (CTSB) is present in both normal and CF epithelia and is secreted into ASL, but little is known about its function in the airways. We hypothesized that the acidic ASL seen in CF airways may stimulate CTSB to activate ENaC, contributing to Na(+) hyperabsorption and depletion of CF ASL volume. In Xenopus laevis oocytes, CTSB triggered α- and γENaC cleavage and induced an increase in ENaC activity. In bronchial epithelia from both normal and CF donor lungs, CTSB localized to the apical membrane. In normal and CF human bronchial epithelial cultures, CTSB was detected at the apical plasma membrane and in the ASL. CTSB activity was significantly elevated in acidic ASL, which correlated with increased abundance of ENaC in the plasma membrane and a reduction in ASL volume. This acid/CTSB-dependent activation of ENaC was ameliorated with the cell impermeable, CTSB-selective inhibitor CA074, suggesting that CTSB inhibition may have therapeutic relevance. Taken together, our data suggest that CTSB is a pathophysiologically relevant protease that activates ENaC in CF airways.
Coloring Her Way Through School: Esther, Alienated to the Borders

Using a biopsychosocial lens, this single case study of Esther, exposes a broad contextual dimension of special needs children, those often thwarted by racism, colorism, and poverty and tainted by the low expectations of parents and teachers alike.
Ryanodine receptor adaptation: control mechanism of Ca(2+)-induced Ca2+ release in heart

Adaptation of single cardiac ryanodine receptor (RyR) channels was demonstrated by application of the caged calcium ion (Ca2+) methodology. In contrast to conventional desensitization found in surface membrane ligand-gated channels, single cardiac RyR channels adapted to maintained Ca2+ stimuli, preserving their ability to respond to a second (larger) Ca2+ stimulus. RyR adaptation may represent a molecular control mechanism for smoothly graded Ca(2+)-induced Ca2+ release in heart and may be a fundamental feature of channels, including the inositol triphosphate receptor, that are involved in intracellular Ca2+ signaling in many cell types.
U-Th-Pb Chronology of Zircons from the St. Kevin Granite, Northern Sawatch Range, Colorado

Three samples of zircon from the St. Kevin Granite, northern Sawatch Range, Colorado, were analyzed for uranium, thorium, and lead content and for lead isotopic composition; the concentrated HNO3 leaches of the zircons were similarly analyzed. The concordia age on the zircons was interpreted to be 1420 ± 40 m.y., an age in good agreement with a Rb-Sr whole-rock isochron age of 1470 m.y. (λ87Rb = 1.39 × 10−11 yr−1). The concordia age of the leaches was found to be greater by about 5 percent than that of the zircons, perhaps reflecting loss of intermediate daughters in the 238U decay chain over an extended period of time. Geologic evidence indicates that the St. Kevin Granite formed in large part by local melting of crustal rocks similar to the present wall rocks. If so, xenocrysts of zircon may be present in the granite. Isotopic evidence that the zircons were derived from older rocks is not convincing; however, possible evidence for a xenocrystic component is found in the feet that Pb-Pb ages of two nearly concordant zircons differ by 1.9 percent, an amount that exceeds analytical uncertainty. In addition, the zircon sample that has the greatest Pb-Pb age (1440 m.y.) has a 208Pb/232Th age of 1615 m.y. 208Pb/232Th ages greater than Pb-Pb ages are unusual and may suggest a complicated history for the sample. This sample is not the one suspected as the most likely to contain xenocrysts of zircon because xenoliths are not abundant at the sample locality. The zircons, if they are xenocrysts, apparently were almost entirely recrystallized or else lost nearly all their lead to the melt by diffusion.
A Relativistically Corrected Three Dimensional Space Charge Analysis of Electron Bunching

A technique for evaluating the radial and longitudinal forces present within a moving volume of charge is presented. For an assigned array, based on a given set of initial conditions, the bunch is replaced by a volume mesh comprising a series of cylinders and surrounding annulii. The coordinates of these elements are monitored to provide changing charge distribution and bunch shape information during the trajectory. Owing to the rigorous design requirements of the MIT high dutyfactor linear accelerator, studies have concentrated on the problems of attaining monochromatic bunches of small dimensions suitable for injection into the accelerator waveguide system. 1 Concomitantly, voltage depression effects and reduction of space charge fields due to the presence of conducting walls are included in this presentation.
Comparison of the Behaviour of Expanded Granular Sludge Bed (EGSB) and Upflow Anaerobic Sludge Blanket (UASB) Reactors in Dilute and Concentrated Wastewater Treatment

In the present study an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactor and an expanded granular sludge bed (EGSB) reactor were operated with different substrates under the same conditions. Ethanol, diluted beer (as a brewery effluent model) and wastewater from a coffee industry were tested. Ethanol was fed at two different concentrations: 0.5 and 10 gCOD/l. Beer was diluted to a concentration of 3gCOD/l and coffee wastewater had a concentration of approximately 7 gCOD/l. During the operation, samples of sludge were taken from both reactors to measure TSS, VSS, size distribution and methanogenic activity. Batch assays were performed in a third reactor using ethanol at two different superficial velocities to measure substrate uptake. The overall COD removal for ethanol at 500 gCOD/l in EGSB and UASB reactors was similar (around 80% for a sludge loading rate of 0.8 gCOD/day/gVSS). Granular sludge experienced an important development in its characteristics during the operation with ethanol. Superficial velocity showed a positive effect on COD removal for ethanol below 5m/h. There were no big differences in the removal rates during the operation with coffee wastewater. Probably in this effluent the process is limited by the reaction kinetics instead of by the mass transfer, due to the complex nature of the waste. With diluted beer, EGSB reactor showed a better performance than the UASB.
A discrete model for the recovery of oil from a reservoir

We simulate oil recovery by means of a molecular approach: we consider the solid and liquid materials to be composed of a finite number of particles, which are approximants for molecules. Porous flow is studied qualitatively under the assumption that particles of rock, oil, and the flooding flow interact with each other locally by means of a compensating Lennard-Jones potential and are also under the influence of gravity. Extensive computations are described and discussed in which initial data and parameters are varied. A comparison is made with actual physical experiments.
‘They didn’t tell me anything’: women’s literacies and resistance in rural Mexico

Drawing from ethnographic case studies, this article considers issues of women’s access to education by exploring the literacy experiences of four women in rural Mexico. Ironically, as physical access to education in this area has increased, women’s literacy experiences have become more complex, rather than more libratory. Formal literacy, as it plays out for women in this community, is experienced as both an oppressive force as well as a tool for resistance to other forms of oppression. More importantly, the stories in this article highlight the socially dynamic nature of literacy as these four women utilise interpersonal relationships in order to subvert oppressive norms. These findings have implications both for theories of literacy as well as for educators who wish to work in more engaged ways with women and their children who emigrate from areas like rural Mexico.
The classical limit of temperature Green's function expansions

Abstract Rules are obtained for calculating the classical limit of Green's function diagrammatic expansions. The classical cluster expansion is derived by calculating the classical limit of the exact Green's function. Other operators of interest in linear response theory may be calculated in the classical limit. The retarded real-time spin density correlation function, proportional to the magnetic susceptibility, is shown to be exactly proportional to the density in this limit. The relation of this work to other approaches is discussed.
An interpolation technique for gamma-ray attenuation coefficients from 40 keV to 15 MeV

Abstract A fast an accurate interpolation method for determining gamma-ray attenuation coefficients has been developed. Based on a simple program that can be stored in a hand calculator, the method fits the attenuation coefficients as a function of gamma-ray energy. For materials whose atomic number is in the low to medium range, a single 8- or 9-term polynomial suffices over an energy range of 40 keV to 15 MeV. For materials of high atomic number, discontinuities in the attenuation coefficients at the K- and L-absorption edges require the use of more than one polynomial.
Differential expression of six glutamine synthetase genes in Zea mays

The maize genome has been shown to contain six glutamine synthetase (GS) genes with at least four different expression patterns. Noncoding 3′ gene-specific probes were constructed from all six GS cDNA clones and used to examine transcript levels in selected organs by RNA gel blot hybridization experiments. The transcript of the single putative chloroplastic GS2 gene was found to accumulate primarily in green tissues, whereas the transcripts of the five putative GS1 genes were shown to accumulate preferentially in roots. The specific patterns of transcript accumulation were quite distinct for the five GS1 genes, with the exception of two closely related genes.
Authigenic phyllosilicates in modern acid saline lake sediments and implications for Mars

[1] Aluminum- and Fe/Mg-phyllosilicates are considered important geochemical indicators in terrestrial and Martian sedimentary systems. Traditionally, Al-phyllosilicates are characterized as forming and remaining stable under conditions of low to moderate pH, while Fe/Mg-phyllosilicates are considered representative of only dilute and moderate to high pH conditions. However, we have observed Al- and Fe/Mg-phyllosilicates in acid saline lake sediments in Western Australia. Phyllosilicate formation mechanisms in these lake systems include direct precipitation from lake waters, early diagenetic precipitation from shallow groundwaters, and deposition/alteration of detrital grains. X-ray diffraction analysis of silt- and clay-size sediments from two acid saline lakes in Western Australia indicates the presence of several complex mineral assemblages with extreme spatial heterogeneity that reflects the complex geochemistry of these lakes. These assemblages include unique combinations of authigenic and/or detrital phyllosilicates (e.g., kaolinite, smectite, and palygorskite-sepiolite), sulfates (e.g., alunite, jarosite, and gypsum), Fe-oxides (e.g., hematite and goethite), and other silicates (e.g., mullite and heulandite-clinoptilolite). Observations of Fe/Mg-phyllosilicates found in acid saline sediments in southern Western Australia suggest their degradation under conditions of low pH (2.5–5.4) is slowed by the high salinity (5–25%) of the lake and shallow groundwaters. The occurrence of both Al- and Fe/Mg-phyllosilicates in these acid saline lake sediments suggests that environmental interpretations based on the occurrence of phyllosilicates require additional consideration of their spatial distribution and association with other minerals. Moreover, the similarity between the diverse mineral assemblages in these terrestrial acid saline systems and those on Mars indicates similar conditions may have existed on Mars.
Seasonal Variation of Moisture and Subsurface Layer Moduli

In 1995 the Montana Department of Transportation initiated a study on the seasonal variation of pavement strength, with an emphasis on spring thawing. Ten sites representing a cross section of Montana subgrade soil and pavement structure were selected and instrumented with moisture and temperature sensors. Field measurements of surface deflections, moistures, and temperatures were initiated in autumn 1996 and continued through the spring of 1997. The moisture and deflection data were used to determine the thaw-weakening characteristics of the sites and to develop subgrade modulus values for use in the future design of pavement structures using AASHTO mechanistic design methodology. Results indicated that in several areas not only the subgrade but also the base course layers were prone to thaw weakening. The length of thaw weakening varied from 4 days to a 3-week period. In addition, it was found that in almost all cases the subsurface moisture content began to increase rapidly when the subsurface temperat...
Comments on "A Fairbairnian object-relations perspective on self psychology" by Michael Robbins, M.D.

First, I want to applaud and second Dr. Robbins' contention that, "If a discipline aspires to be scientifically respectable, new ideas must be tested against old ones as well as against data, and those ideas which survive selectively amalgamated into an evergrowing body of knowledge" (1992, p. x). Although psychoanalysis may not be an exact science, our theory building should nonetheless be consistent with the general principles of theory construction. When there is a failure to account for all the data, there is a need to amend our theory rather than to self-servingly discard the offending data as "meaningless." As one who is identified as an object relations theorist, I have always thought of the object relations approach as a psychology of the self inasmuch as the concept of self is central and intrinsic to it. Dr. Robbins makes a strong case for the ancestral link between Fairbairn and Kohut. In my own thinking, which finds most useful the developmental stages and processes articulated by Mahler, I find Kohut's focus on a particular segment of the overall continuum from birth and attachment to individuation and object constancy extremely useful. This focus lends itself nicely to an integration with the rest of psychoanalysis, but such an integration demands of its proponents a renunciation of specialness. The central notion of failure of empathy on the part of the self object does not account for the very different outcomes of very different environmental failures. A relatively nonmalevolent failure of empathy (some people just don't get it) will have an outcome that is very different from the situation of a hostile and assaultive caretaking environment, yet both can be labeled as failures of empathy. Robbins' attention to structure as a particular organizational outcome allows for a more open-ended discovery process than does a doctrinaire notion about what structure is or is not. Piaget's findings with respect to the evolution of mental schemata remind
Intraperitoneal catheter outcomes in a phase III trial of intravenous versus intraperitoneal chemotherapy in optimal stage III ovarian and primary peritoneal cancer : A Gynecologic Oncology Group Study

Abstract Objectives. To evaluate reasons for discontinuing intraperitoneal (IP) chemotherapy, and to compare characteristics of patients who did versus did not successfully complete six cycles of IP chemotherapy. Methods. In a phase III trial, women with optimal stage III ovarian or peritoneal carcinoma were randomly allocated to receive IP therapy (paclitaxel 135 mg/m 2 intravenously (IV) over 24 h, cisplatin 100 mg/m 2 IP day 2, paclitaxel 60 mg/m 2 IP day 8) every 21 days for six cycles. Patients unable to receive IP therapy were treated with the alternate (IV) regimen. Variables compared included surgical procedures prior to enrollment, timing of IP catheter insertion, and primary and contributing reasons for discontinuing IP therapy. Results. Among 205 eligible patients randomly allocated to the IP arm, 119 (58%) did not complete six cycles of IP therapy. Forty (34%) patients discontinued IP therapy primarily due to catheter complications and 34 (29%) discontinued for unrelated reasons. Hysterectomy, appendectomy, small bowel resection, and ileocecal resection were not associated with failure to complete six cycles. IP therapy was not initiated in 16% of patients who did versus 5% of those who did not have a left colon or rectosigmoid colon resection ( P = 0.015). There was no association between timing of catheter insertion and failure to complete IP therapy. Conclusions. In this multi-institutional setting, it was difficult to deliver six cycles of IP therapy without complications. There appears to be an association between rectosigmoid colon resection and the inability to initiate IP therapy. Catheter choice, timing of insertion, and how surgical treatment of ovarian cancer influences the successful completion of intraperitoneal chemotherapy require further study.
Convexity of the entanglement entropy of SU(2N)-symmetric fermions with attractive interactions.

The positivity of the probability measure of attractively interacting systems of 2N-component fermions enables the derivation of an exact convexity property for the ground-state energy of such systems. Using analogous arguments, applied to path-integral expressions for the entanglement entropy derived recently, we prove nonperturbative analytic relations for the Renyi entropies of those systems. These relations are valid for all subsystem sizes, particle numbers, and dimensions, and in arbitrary external trapping potentials.
The effects of parachlorophenylalanine on experimentally induced conflict behavior.

Abstract Rats were subjected to an experimentally induced conflict procedure in which a metronome-signaled punishment period was superimposed upon a fixed ratio schedule of bar pressing for food; the punishment consisting of electric shock to the feet. Administration of parachlorophenylalanine three days before testing was found to have no effect upon the number of punishments accepted. This finding was interpreted as suggesting that, due to the large within-animal variability observed by these and other experimenters, the reported efficacy of parachlorophenylalanine in enhancing acceptance of punishment may be questionable.
Development of a chronic inhalation reference level for respirable crystalline silica

Abstract Chronic inhalation exposure of workers to crystalline silica can result in silicosis. The general public can also be exposed to lower levels of crystalline silica from quarries, sand blasting, and entrained fines particles from surface soil. We have derived an inhalation chronic reference exposure level for silica, a level below which no adverse effects due to prolonged exposure would be expected in the general public. Incidence of silicosis and silica exposure data from a cohort of 2235 white South African gold miners yielded a reference level of 3 μg/m3 for respirable silica (particle size as defined occupationally) using a benchmark concentration approach. Data from cohorts of American gold miners, Chinese tin miners, diatomaceous earth workers, and black South African gold miners yielded similar results with a range of 3–10 μg/m3. Strengths of the chronic reference exposure level include the availability of several large long-term studies of inhalation in workers at varying exposure concentrations, adequate histopathological and radiologic analysis, adequate follow-up of exposed workers, a dose–response effect in several studies, observation of a No Observed Adverse Effect Level in the key study, and the power of the key study to detect a small effect. Uncertainties include the general underestimation of silicosis by radiography alone and the uncertainties in exposure estimation.
Applying Slope Constrained Q-type Aspheres to Reduce Sensitivity of Optical Systems

Q-type aspheric surfaces that are optimized with slope constraints are not only more testable but also more manufacturable. Lithographic objective and cell phone camera serve as examples to demonstrate this.
P02.59. Complexity of disease and population heterogeneity require a rethinking of clinical trial design

Purpose Although randomized clinical trials are considered the gold standard in biomedicine, they have several limitations such as experimenting on a sample group under ideal set forth criteria, creating an environment that does not apply to daily clinical practice where comorbid conditions are encountered everyday, and ignoring the differential response to treatment and treatment-related risk detected in the study population. This is due in part to the inherent complexity of the disease process and the heterogeneity within and between populations – two fundamental principles of biology that currently do not receive sufficient attention in study design. The advent of high throughput technologies of genomics, proteomics, and deep sequencing has demonstrated the heterogeneous nature of biological data. In this paper, we propose to demonstrate how high throughput data combined with evolutionary-based analyses could be used to stratify patients prior to starting the clinical study into groups that share similar traits and affinities. With this information in hand, participants can then be randomized to control or treatment groups within each phyletic clade (or population).
Accelerating nonuniform fast Fourier transform via reduction in memory access latency

We address the discrepancy that existed between the low arithmetic complexity of nonuniform Fast Fourier Transform (NUFFT) algorithms and high latency in practical use of NUFFTs with large data sets, especially, in multi-dimensional domains. The execution time of a NUFFT can be longer by a factor of two orders of magnitude than what is expected by the arithmetic complexity. We examine the architectural factors in the latency, primarily on the non-even latency distribution in memory references across different levels in the memory hierarchy. We then introduce an effective approach to reducing the latency substantially by exploiting the geometric features in the sample translation stage and making memory references local. The restructured NUFFT algorithms render efficient computation in sequential as well as in parallel. Experimental results and improvements for radially encoded magnetic resonance image reconstruction are presented.
The celebrity influence: do people really care what they think?

Celebrity opinions and endorsements of political candidates, issues and office holders have now become commonplace in the media before and between elections. Many actors and comedians, athletes and talk-show hosts share their opinions with society in an attempt to influence the opinions of those who listen to them. Often these celebrities use their influence to persuade citizens to vote a certain way or advocate for certain issues such as reproductive freedom, environmental protection and human rights. This study examines young adults’ perceptions about celebrities’ political opinions and endorsements. The research finds that young adults are more likely to listen to individuals other than celebrities for their own political information. However, they do believe that celebrities have an effect on the way people think. The study also finds that the gender and ethnicity of the respondents affect their attitudes regarding celebrity endorsements.
Adjusting the Adjusted χ2/df Ratio Statistic for Dichotomous Item Response Theory Analyses: Does the Model Fit?

Two Monte Carlo simulation studies investigated the effectiveness of the mean adjusted χ2/df statistic proposed by Drasgow and colleagues and, because of problems with the method, a new approach fo...
A theoretical framework for patient-reported outcome measures

Patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) are increasingly used to assess multiple facets of healthcare, including effectiveness, side effects of treatment, symptoms, health care needs, quality of care, and the evaluation of health care options. There are thousands of these measures and yet there is very little discussion of their theoretical underpinnings. In her 2008 Presidential address to the Society for Quality of Life Research (ISOQoL), Professor Donna Lamping challenged researchers to grapple with the theoretical issues that arise from these measures. In this paper, I attempt to do so by arguing for an analogy between PROMs and Hans-Georg Gadamer's logic of question and answer. While researchers readily admit that the constructs involved in PROMs are imperfectly understood and lack a gold standard, they often ignore the consequences of this fact. Gadamer's work on questions and their importance to philosophical hermeneutics helps to show that the questions researchers ask about such constructs are also imperfectly understood. I argue that these questions should not be standardized, and I instead propose a theoretical framework that understands PROMs as posing genuine questions to respondents--questions that are open to reinterpretation.
Complexity of minimum corridor guarding problems

In this paper, the complexity of minimum corridor guarding problems is discussed. These problems can be described as: given a connected orthogonal arrangement of vertical and horizontal line segments and a guard with unlimited visibility along a line segment, find a tree or a closed walk with minimum total length along edges of the arrangement, such that if the guard runs on the tree or on the closed walk, all line segments are visited by the guard. These problems are proved to be NP-complete.
Four ways in which data-free papers on animal personality fail to be impactful

The literature on animal personality is dominated by papers lacking any data. These papers, which we will call ‘data-free’ papers, are cited and recognized twice as much as comparable empirical studies. In this data-free paper, we highlight 4 common data-free contributions that often fail to have an impact on the topic: a) novel conceptual frameworks suggesting novel avenues of research or hypotheses, b) papers prescribing novel terminologies, c) syntheses revisiting older theories, and d) papers introducing novel statistical methods. We argue that conceptual papers presenting a novel hypothesis probably could almost always be replaced by robust empirical studies actually testing the hypotheses of interest. We hope this paper will stimulate discussion on what makes a data-free paper on animal personality impactful, beyond simply being highly cited.
Queratitis lamelar difusa: tratamiento profiláctico con ketorolaco trometamina 0,5% en un modelo animal

espanolObjetivo: El proposito de este estudio es evaluar el uso de un agente anti-inflamatorio, no esteroideo, en el tratamiento de la queratitis lamelar difusa inducida en un modelo animal. Materiales y Metodos: Se creo un flap corneal en 40 ojos de 20 conejos pigmentados con el microqueratomo ASC y la entrecara fue inoculada con endotoxina de Pseudomona aeruginosa o Palmolive® Ultra jabon liquido. Los conejos fueron divididos en dos grupos: El grupo I (n= 20) recibio tratamiento con Ketorolaco trometamina 0,5% solucion oftalmica 4 veces al dia y el grupo II o control (n= 20), sin tratamiento. Los conejos fueron examinados en la lampara de hendidura los dias 1, 3, 5 y 7 postoperatorios. La presencia de queratitis lamelar difusa fue clasificada de acuerdo a la severidad de I a IV. Resultados: Al final del estudio 31 ojos fueron evaluados. 28 ojos (90%) desarrollaron DLK: 86% de los que recibieron tratamiento y 94% del grupo control. El grupo tratado presento un menor porcentaje de DLK y la severidad tambien fue menor que en el grupo control. Sin embargo, no se encontro diferencia estadisticamente significativa al comparar los dos grupos (P > 0,05). Conclusion: Se ha demostrado que tanto la endotoxina LPS de Pseudomona aeruginosa como el Palmolive® Ultra jabon liquido pueden inducir DLK. El tratamiento profilactico con un agente anti-inflamatorio no esteroideo mostro una tendencia a disminuir tanto la presentacion de DLK como su severidad. EnglishPurpose: The objective of this study is to evaluate the use of a topical non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug in the treatment of induced diffuse lamellar keratitis (DLK) in an animal model. Materials and Methods: A corneal flap was created in 40 eyes of 20 Dutch-belted rabbits using the ASC microkeratome. The interface was inoculated with either Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) endotoxin or Ultra Palmolive® liquid dish washer. The rabbits were divided in two groups: Group I (n=20) treated with ketorolac tromethamine ophthalmic solution 0.5% 4 times a day and the group II (n=20) used as control. The rabbits were examined at the slit lamp at day 1, 3, 5 and 7 postoperatively. DLK was graded from I-IV. Results: At the end of the study 31 eyes were available for evaluation. 28 eyes (90%) developed DLK: 86% of the treated group and 94% of the control group during the follow-up. The treated group showed a lower rate of DLK as well as a lower severity. However, no statistically significant difference was found when comparing both groups (P > 0.05). Conclusion: Pseudomonas aeruginosa LPS endotoxin and Palmolive® Ultra can induce DLK in rabbit eyes. The postoperative prophylactic treatment with a topical non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug showed a tendency towards a lower DLK rate as well as the severity of the disease.
The melting temperature of bulk silicon from ab initio molecular dynamics simulations

We estimated a melting temperature of Tm ~ 1540 ± 90 K at zero pressure for silicon from constant enthalpy and constant pressure (NPH) Born-Oppenheimer Molecular Dynamics (BOMD) simulations of a coexisting crystalline-liquid phase. The computed Tm is below the experimental melting point of 1685 K, but it is consistent with a previously predicted first-order liquid-liquid phase transition (LLPT) at a critical point Tc ~ 1232 K and Pc ~ - 12kB [Ganesh and Widom, Phys. Rev. Lett. 102, 075701 (2009)], which is in a highly supercooled state. This work was supported by the US Department of Energy, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, Chemical Sciences program. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory is operated by Battelle for the US Department of Energy.
Predictive validity of curriculum-based measurement and teacher ratings of academic achievement.

Two alternative universal screening approaches to identify students with early learning difficulties were examined, along with a combination of these approaches. These approaches, consisting of (a) curriculum-based measurement (CBM) and (b) teacher ratings using Performance Screening Guides (PSGs), served as predictors of achievement tests in reading and mathematics. Participants included 413 students in grades 1, 2, and 3 in Tennessee (n = 118) and Wisconsin (n = 295) who were divided into six subsamples defined by grade and state. Reading and mathematics achievement tests with established psychometric properties were used as criteria within a concurrent and predictive validity framework. Across both achievement areas, CBM probes shared more variance with criterion measures than did teacher ratings, although teacher ratings added incremental validity among most subsamples. PSGs tended to be more accurate for identifying students in need of assistance at a 1-month interval, whereas CBM probes were more accurate at a 6-month interval. Teachers indicated that (a) false negatives are more problematic than are false positives, (b) both screening methods are useful for identifying early learning difficulties, and (c) both screening methods are useful for identifying students in need of interventions. Collectively, these findings suggest that the two types of measures, when used together, yield valuable information about students who need assistance in reading and mathematics.
Lectin and antibody-based histochemical techniques for cardiovascular tissue engineering

Tissue engineering holds immense potential for treatment of cardiovascular diseases by creating living structures to replace diseased blood vessels, heart valves, and cardiac muscle. In a traditional approach, scaffolds are seeded with stem cells and subjected to stimuli in bioreactors that mimic physiologic conditions or are directly implanted into target sites in animal models. The expected results are significant cell changes, extensive remodeling of the scaffolds and creation of surrogate structures that would be deemed acceptable for tissue regeneration. Histochemical techniques are increasingly becoming essential tools in tissue engineering research. In our studies, we used lectin and antibody-based techniques to characterize novel collagen and elastin scaffolds and to ensure efficient removal of xenoantigens. Scaffolds were implanted in animals and infiltrated host cells were identified using antibodies to activated fibroblasts, macrophages, and lymphocytes. Stem cell-seeded scaffolds were subjected to mechanical strains and tested for differentiation into cardiovascular cells using antibody-based double immunofluorescence methods. Finally, living heart valves were constructed from scaffolds and stem cells, subjected to conditioning in a bioreactor and stem cell differentiation evaluated by immunofluorescence. Overall, these techniques have proven to be outstanding companions to biochemical, molecular biology and cell analysis methods used in tissue engineering research and development.