cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Microbiological testing of aerosol preparations using Chaetomium globosum

Chaetomium globosum , a common fungus of the soil, and a member of the class Ascomycetes , is a cellulolytic organism, whose growth is dependent primarily upon the degradation of cellulose material. This study explores the possibility of utilizing a modified growth and test procedure applicable to the A.O.A.C. recommended prescribed method for testing antifungal activity of aerosols. The test procedure developed brings the method to the organism under conditions that are applicable to the natural growth habits. A convenient method is described employing the inhibition of growth of C. globosum on sterile filter paper after exposure to certain aerosols. Sterile phenol solutions and certain blends of quaternary ammonium compounds were used as the challenging agents.
Pspace: a program that assesses protein space

We describe a computer program named Pspace designed to a) obtain a reliable basis for the description of three-dimensional structures of a given protein family using homology modeling through selection of an optimal subset of the protein family whose structure would be determined experimentally; and b) aid in the search of orthologs by matching two sets of sequences in three different ways. The prioritization is established dynamically as new sequences and new structures are becoming available through ranking proteins by their value in providing structural information about the rest of the family set. The matching can give a list of potential orthologs or it can deduce an overall optimal matching of two sets of sequences. The various covering strategies and ortholog searches are tested on the bromodomain family. The possibility of extending this approach to the space of all proteins is discussed.
An approach to reducing the labeling cost of Markov random fields within an infinite label space

This work proposes a novel idea, called SOIL, for reducing the computational complexity of the maximum a posteriori optimization problem using Markov random fields (MRFs). The local characteristics of MRFs are employed so that the searching in a virtually infinite label space is confined in a small finite space. Globally, the number of labels allowed is as many as the number of image sites while locally the optimal label is sampled from a space consisting of the labels assigned to the four-neighbor plus a random one. Neither the prior knowledge about the number of classes nor the estimation phase of the class number is required in this work. The proposed method is applied to the problem of texture segmentation and the result is compared with those obtained from conventional methods.
The effect of style and typography on perceptions of document tone

This work presents a study of the effect of stylistic and typographic elements, such as passive voice, personal pronouns, and letter spacing, on readers' perceptions of document tone. The study was administered as an online survey that asked participants to rate the formality of text passages that exemplified a particular style or typographic condition. Results indicated that active voice, personal pronouns, verb contractions, and informal punctuation cause texts to be perceived as significantly more informal in tone.
Association between Obesity and History of Abuse among American Indians in Rural California.

Objectives: To explore factors associated with obesity among American Indians. Methods: A cross-sectional survey of American Indian adults (N=459) was conductedat 13 rural reservation sites in California. Participants responded to a survey about theirhealth and wellness perceptions. The Body Mass Index (BMI) was used to assessobesity. A predictive model for BMI was built using a generalized regression model. Results: Having high blood pressure and having a history of verbal abuse in childhoodwere significant predictors of higher BMI. Participants with high blood pressure werelikely to have 3.2 units of BMI higher on average than those who do not have highblood pressure (p-value <0.0001). Similarly, those with a history of childhood verbalabuse were likely to have 1.9 units higher BMI on average compared to those with nosuch history. Having a history of diabetes or sexual abuse in childhood trend towardsincreased BMI, although not statistically significant. Conclusion: Identifying childhood trauma and its impact on adult obesity rates amongAmerican Indians provides new avenues for intervention. Efforts to reduce overweightand obesity should include culturally sensitive interventions to ameliorate and repairwhat is lost through personal violations of stigma, abuse or neglect.
Analysis of singular systems using orthogonal functions

In the paper, the authors clear up some confusion in the analysis of singular systems using Walsh functions which have been used in some previous publications. The authors show that the idea of using Walsh functions with singular systems is not fundamentally flawed, but that some care is required. Specifically, there may not always exist a solution for a given choice for the number of basis functions. It is also emphasised that this problem may also occur in the usual state-space case, which has evidently not been realised in the considerable work done in this area.
Mad Upregulation and Id2 Repression Accompany Transforming Growth Factor (TGF)-β-mediated Epithelial Cell Growth Suppression

The growth inhibitory cytokine TGF-β enforces homeostasis of epithelia by activating processes such as cell cycle arrest and apoptosis. Id2 expression is often highest in proliferating epithelial cells and declines during differentiation. Recently, Id2 expression has been found to depend on Myc-Max transcriptional complexes. We observed that TGF-β signaling inhibits Id2 expression in human and mouse epithelial cell lines from different tissue origins. Furthermore, the observed Id2 down-regulation by TGF-β in mouse mammary epithelial cells occurs without a concurrent drop in c-Myc levels. However, sustained Id2 repression in these cells and in human keratinocytes coincides with induction of the Myc antagonistic repressors Mad2 and Mad4, decreased formation of Myc-Max heterodimers and the replacement of Myc-Max complexes with Mad-Max complexes on the Id2 promoter. These results argue that induction of Mad expression and Id2 down-regulation are important events during the TGF-β cytostatic program in epithelial cells.
Firms' Off‐Balance Sheet and Hybrid Debt Financing: Evidence from Their Book‐Tax Reporting Differences

We match large U.S. corporations' tax returns during 1989–2001 to their financial statements to construct a firm-level proxy of firms' use of off-balance sheet and hybrid debt financing. We find that firms with less favorable prior-period Standard & Poor's (S&P) bond ratings or higher leverage ratios in comparison to their industry report greater amounts of interest expense on their tax returns than to investors and creditors on their financial statements. These between-firm results are consistent with credit-constrained firms using more structured financing arrangements. Our within-firm tests also suggest that firms use more structured financing arrangements when they enter into contractual loan agreements that provide incentives to manage debt ratings. Specifically, we find that after controlling for S&P bond rating and industry-adjusted leverage, our sample firms report greater amounts of interest expenses for tax than for financial statement purposes when they enter into performance pricing contracts that use senior debt rating covenants to set interest rates. Furthermore, we find that the greatest book-tax reporting changes occur when firms become closer to violating these debt rating covenants. These latter findings are consistent with firms' contractual debt covenants influencing their use of off-balance sheet and hybrid debt financing.
The Theory of Shared Communication: How Parents of Technology-Dependent Children Communicate With Nurses on the Inpatient Unit

Care may be compromised for hospitalized technology-dependent children if nurses do not communicate with parents to include their knowledge in the child's plan of care. A qualitative study using grounded theory methodology was undertaken to identify parental perceptions and experiences of communication with nurses. The Theory of Shared Communication was the result of this study and includes questioning, listening, explaining, advocating, verifying understanding and negotiating roles to achieve the outcome of mutual understanding of the child's plan of care. Nurses should be aware of parent perceptions about communication when working with families to optimize the care they provide.
Design of an Active Ankle-Foot Prosthesis Utilizing a Four-Bar Mechanism

This article discusses the design and testing of a powered ankle prosthesis. This new prosthesis mimics nonamputee (normal) ankle moments during the stance phase of gait through the use of an optimized spring loaded four-bar mechanism. A prototype prosthesis based on the optimization was designed, fabricated, and tested. The experimental results achieved 93.3% of the simulated theoretical ankle moment giving substantial evidence that this approach is a viable in designing powered ankle prostheses.
Construction and analysis of fault-secure multiprocessor schedules

Issues involved in the design and analysis of fault-secure schedules for multiprocessor systems are investigated. A formal characterization of fault-security for a single fault is developed and generalized for multiple faults. The single fault characterization is used in the construction of fault-secure schedules for several classes of computation trees. The schemes produce schedules that are either shorter than or use fewer processors than the schedules produced by currently known methods. Further, lower bounds on schedule lengths are developed to prove that the schedules produced by the schemes are optimal or close to optimal. The characterization for multiple faults leads to an efficient algorithm to determine whether a given schedule is fault-secure for any fixed number of faults. It is shown that when the number of faults is not fixed, the problem of determining whether a schedule is fault-secure is computationally intractable. >
Positioning Southwest Airlines through employee branding

Abstract As the field of employee branding has begun to unfold, more and more executives have become interested in how this process can help them achieve a competitive advantage for their organizations. This article explains how employee branding works and how it can be utilized to position the organization in the minds of customers, employees, and other stakeholders. A contextual analysis of its use as a source of sustainable competitive advantage at Southwest Airlines is presented. Finally, key success factors are identified for those who wish to make employee branding a strategic focus within their organizations.
Music as the Sound of the Secular

Few debates have maintained as persistent and passionate a level of interest and international scope—whether in the United States, France, or Turkey—as that around secularism. A cursory glance at the titles alone of books and articles on the subject tells us that this is a debate in which serious personal and political stakes are invested. At the very least the debate has been generated by the recognition that a new language of politics is needed to understand the role of religious self-expression in the public sphere. The received wisdom about distinctions between the putatively mutually exclusive domains of public and private, or sacred and secular, simply does not hold water any more. The secularism debate also raises issues of fundamental significance to the very “personality of the state,” as Talal Asad has characterized it. In France, the laicite debate has highlighted how the claim of a minority population to don items of clothing (a right denied by the secular government in Turkey with a majority Muslim population), which it sees as fundamental to its religious self-expression, has challenged the state's own image as a secular republic. In the United States, controversy has been ignited by challenges to the boundary line between private religious practice and the public domain of the state, whether it relates to school prayer or the ongoing battles between evolutionists and anti-evolutionists.
In Defense of the Oral Cavity: Structure, Biosynthesis, and Function of Salivary Mucins

The oral environment, like other mucosal surfaces of the body, is coated by a slimy, viscoelastic coat termed mucus. This adherent layer, consisting predom­ inately of salivary glycoproteins, proteins, and lipids, forms ajelly-like blanket that represents the perimeter defense of the tissue/environmental interface (77). The unique physicochemical and rheological properties of the mucus coat are contributed largely by the heavily O-glycosylated mucin-glycoproteins (mu­ cins). Salivary mucins are synthesized by the mucus acinar cells of the paired submandibular (SMG) and sublingual (SLG) glands, as well as minor salivary glands distributed throughout the palatal and buccal mucosa. Serous acinar cells, such as those found in the human or rat parotid glands, do not contribute to the production of salivary mucins. Much of our current understanding of salivary mucin function has been derived by inference. Various subjective and objective functional losses have been catalogued in persons who lack the ability to produce adequate levels of saliva (4). Relevant findings include (a) the sensation of oral dryness, partic­ ularly among those subjects with compromised mucus gland function (26); (b) difficulty with swallowing; and (c) an increased susceptibility to dental cavity (caries) formation and the appearance of opportunistic yeast infections (thrush mouth). These findings have led to a generalized view that saliva functions to (a) hydrate and lubricate the oral structures; (b) facilitate the oral phase of
Vertebra plana in an adolescent caused by multiple myeloma: a case report and review of the literature.

Vertebra plana is a radiographic diagnosis that is characterized by flattening of a single, abnormally dense vertebral body with sparing of the intervertebral disc space. Vertebra plana in pediatric and adolescent populations is most commonly caused by Langerhans cell histiocytosis (LCH), which most often has a benign natural history with nonoperative treatment, although malignant conditions have now been reported with similar clinical and radiographic presentations. Multiple myeloma is a disease of plasma cells produced in the bone marrow. It is the most common primary bone malignancy and is the second most common blood cancer after non-Hodgkins lymphoma. Bone pain, especially back pain, is the most common symptom at the time of presentation. The inflammatory reaction in the vertebral bodies caused by the affected plasma cells cause the characteristic “punched out” lytic lesions on radiographs. To our knowledge, this is the first report of an adolescent patient who presented with an uncomplicated vertebra plana caused by multiple myeloma. The patient and parents were informed that data concerning this case would be submitted for publication, and they consented. An otherwise healthy fifteen-year-old boy was referred in October of 2008 after several months of lower thoracic back pain and a progressive gait abnormality. He had been seen at another institution sixteen months earlier because of mild back pain. A radiograph at that time was negative, but a subsequent bone scan showed increased uptake in the T10 vertebral body (Fig. 1). The patient was managed with a Jewett-type back brace and oral nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, with some pain relief. Six months later, radiographs showed an isolated T10 vertebra plana (Fig. 2). Physical examination revealed only mild tenderness over the T10 area and pain with extremes of back motion but no neurologic deficits. A complete blood count with differential and the C-reactive protein level were …
Do Agency Costs Matter for Optimal Capital Structure

I show that agency costs are irrelevant in determining optimal capital structure, in the sense that variations in capital structure induced by agency costs have no impact on firm value, if all agents have common and rational prior beliefs about future states of the world, project-choice control can be costlessly allocated to any party in each state, and there are no taxes. This conclusion is robust to assuming that only the manager can have project-choice control or that the only outsiders with project-choice control are the bondholders or that states are unobservable to any party that does not have project choice control. However, when the common-prior-beliefs assumption is dropped and the model is extended to allow equally-informed agents to disagree over firm value, a link emerges between capital structure and firm value even if allocating state-contingent project-choice control to any party is costless.
Infant Born with Abdominal Wall Defect

An infant at 39 weeks gestation is born to a thin 19-year-old Caucasian G1P0 woman with no prior medical history. She quit smoking when she discovered she was pregnant. The pregnancy was planned, and it has been uncomplicated. Prenatal maternal laboratory studies were significant for an elevated serum alpha-fetoprotein level. Prenatal ultrasound examinations showed a fetus with free loops of intestine present in the amniotic cavity extruding through a small abdominal defect lateral to the base of the umbilical cord. The infant’s APGAR scores are 8 and 9 at birth and minutes later, respectively. Vital signs are within normal limits. The abdomen is scaphoid with loops of matted and inflamed small bowel protruding from a defect to the right of the umbilicus.
EXPERIMENTAL INFECTION OF JUVENILES GREY MULLET, LIZA RAMADA, BY METACERCARIA OF LABRATREMA MINIMUS (DIGENEA: BUCEPHALIDAE): ULTRASTRUCTURAL ANALYSIS OF THE HOST-PARASITE RELATIONSHIP

ABSTRACT: The ultrastructural study of the relationship between Labratrema minimus metacercaria and the liver of juvenile grey mullet, Liza ramada , shows: (1) the laying down of three layers forming the cyst wall; (2) the evolution of the three layers constituting the fully developed cyst wall; and (3) the passing of lipid droplets through the inner layer from the nearest hepatocytes to the cyst cavity. Thus, the metacercarial cyst is of mixed origin, parasitic and hepatic. This cyst wall protects the parasite against possible reactions from the host. The solidification of the cyst wall by compaction involves the appearance of numerous desmosomes. Also, the wall permits passing of nutritive reserves that can be utilized by the parasite.
Efficient Perovskite Solar Cells by Temperature Control in Single and Mixed Halide Precursor Solutions and Films

Thermal annealing and precursor composition play critical roles in crystallinity control and morphology formation of perovskite thin films for achieving higher photovoltaic performance. In this study we have systematically studied the role of annealing temperature on the crystallinity of perovskite (CHNH3PbI3) thin films cast from single (without PbCl2) and mixed (with PbCl2) halide precursors. Higher annealing temperature leads to agglomeration of perovskite crystals. The effects of annealing temperature on the performance of perovskite solar cells are different in single and mixed halide processed films. It is observed that the perovskite crystallinity and film formation can be altered with the addition of lead chloride in the precursor solution. We report that single halide perovskite solar cells show no change in morphology and crystal size with increase in annealing temperature, which was confirmed by UV–vis absorption spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). However,...
Abstract 653: The Role of "Saposin-Like Domain" in Wnt Signaling

Hyperlipidemia is a major contributor to atherosclerosis that results in endothelial dysfunction and is driven by several cell types including macrophages and vascular smooth muscle cells. Among the various cytokines and signaling molecules that contribute to the disease, dysregulated Wnt signaling is known to result in uncontrolled cell division within bulging aortic plaques. Wnt proteins are morphogens that signal through interactions with two membrane bound co-receptors: Frizzled and Low-density lipoprotein receptor related protein 5/6. Wnt binding to these receptors transduces a signal, leading to increased cellular levels of s-catenin that migrates to the nucleus and leads to gene activation. Normally s-catenin is rapidly degraded, a process that attenuates Wnt signaling. However, in many diseases, including atherosclerosis, s-catenin levels remain elevated leading to uncontrolled activation of the Wnt pathway genes. Interestingly, while the intracellular events of the Wnt signaling pathway are well studied, questions about how a hydrophobic molecule like Wnt engages with cell surface receptors remain unexplored in the field. A recent X-ray crystal structure revealed Wnt exists as a two-domain protein: a C-terminal “cytokine like domain” and an N-terminal “saposin-like domain” that contains a covalently bound fatty acid. Saposins are a family of proteins that possess membrane / lipid binding properties and undergo a conformational change when they contact membrane surfaces. My hypothesis is that the saposin-like domain is a membrane active component that plays a critical role in initiating Wnt signaling by undergoing a conformational change upon reaching cell membrane in order to promote Wnt-receptor engagement and signaling. I plan to isolate and express the saposin-like domain, which will exist as a water-soluble helical bundle in the absence of lipid. When presented with an appropriate lipid surface, the saposin-like domain will unfurl, thereby exposing a hydrophobic interior that contacts the membrane surface. The ability of the isolated domain to interfere with Wnt signaling will also be determined. Findings from my study reveal the molecular basis underlying initial events of Wnt receptor interaction in atherosclerosis.
GENETIC CONSEQUENCES OF SEED DISPERSAL IN THREE SYMPATRIC FOREST HERBS. II. MICROSPATIAL GENETIC STRUCTURE WITHIN POPULATIONS.

Significant spatial genetic differentiation over short distances was detected by F-statistics and spatial autocorrelation within populations of the temperate forest herbs Cryptotaenia canadensis, Osmorhiza claytonii and Sanicula odorata (Apiaceae). Differences among the three species were consistent with estimates of their seed-dispersal abilities. Populations of Cryptotaenia, with the most limited seed dispersal, are characterized by genetic structure at smaller spatial scales than those of Osmorhiza or Sanicula, as indicated by higher estimates of θ(Fst ), larger autocorrelation coefficients, and correlograms with more distant x-intercepts. Although spatial autocorrelation was somewhat more sensitive to the distribution of rare alleles than F-statistics, the two methods were generally concordant. Genetic structure was more pronounced, and inbreeding coefficients larger, in low-density, patchy populations than in a high-density site. Observed patterns of spatial autocorrelation, particularly for Cryptotaenia, were in agreement with expectations based on simulations of isolation by distance. The magnitude of observed autocorrelations was less than those typically produced in computer-simulation studies, but this discrepancy between empirical and theoretical results probably is derived from a lack of genetic and demographic equilibrium in natural populations. Isolation by distance can be an important evolutionary force organizing spatial genetic structure in plant populations, particularly in predominantly self-fertilizing species such as those studied here.
Pressure ulcer risk in ancillary services patients.

Although pressure ulcer prevention has received considerable attention in the literature since the 1960s, little has been published about the risk of pressure injury to patients undergoing procedures in diagnostic and interventional ancillary units such as radiology, renal dialysis, cardiac, and vas
Evaluation of Melon for Resistance to Bemisia argentifolii (Homoptera: Aleyrodidae)

An experiment was conducted during 2 yr to develop a rapid and reproducible method of screening melon, Cucumis melo L., germplasm for resistance to Bemisia argentifolii Bellows & Perring. Multiple tests were conducted on plant response and response by insect for 31 selected melon entries when exposed to B. argentifolii in an open-choice greenhouse test for 2 wk. Frequency distributions of susceptible and resistant entries and their F1, F2, and backcross families indicated genetic variation for resistance. Whitefly immature density, plant condition, and change in whole plant biomass were good indicators of plant resistance. Data for root, stem, and leaf biomass, stem length, and plant moisture were inconsistent. Resistance plants had lower whitefly density, were in better condition, and sustained less reduction in size and biomass as compared with susceptible plants. This method allows the testing of germplasm and segregating populations throughout the year rather than in one portion of the year as has been done in the field.
Hormone and Glucose Responses to Serial Cardiac Puncture in Rats

SummarySerial, apparently basal radio-immunoassayable plasma insulin and growth-hormone values were obtained when fast-knockdown ether anesthesia was used. Radioimmunoassayable prolactin was elevated at the second, third, and fourth bleedings but cause no apparent increase in circulating insulin levels. The elevation in plasma glucose may also have been a transient effect of sympathetic stimulation which simultaneously inhibited insulin release.The authors wish to thank Dr. H. H. Cole for his advice in preparing this manuscript. Also thanks are given to Mr. O. Lang and Mrs. R. Jund for technical assistance.
Electron Bremsstrahlung X80: Theory and Recent Developments

Our subject is the radiation of a photon in the scattering of an electron from an atom. Electron bremsstrahlung can take place in the interior of an atom (inner shell distances) when x-ray energies are reached, and so the process is particularly appropriate to the two themes of this conference. The interest in bremsstrahlung has been longstanding, beginning with the realization that an accelerated charged particle can radiate; its physical importance continues, for interpreting and modeling laboratory fusion and astrophysical plasmas, designing or controling biological exposures to radiation, etc. Yet the process has been relatively little studied, and a certain mismatch has persisted between the efforts of theory and experiment. Features of the process which can be most simply described theoretically are not those which are most susceptible of direct measurement. Most physical content which can be studied in bremsstrahlung is accessible (both for theory or experiment) from other processes. Of course the converse is also true and some of the renewed interest in bremsstrahlung reflects the possibility of its use as an alternative to other processes.
Abstract P6-01-03: Trastuzumab-induced hypoxia changes in a HER2+ murine model of breast cancer

Introduction : The primary goal of this study is to quantitatively map the changes in perfusion and hypoxia in response to trastuzumab treatment through imaging and immunohistochemical studies in a murine model of HER2+ breast cancer. Correlating quantitative imaging data with pathological validation of vessel architecture will identify the temporal changes in vascular function, which will enable optimizing the order and timing of multi-modal (i.e., trastuzumab, chemo- and radiation) therapy, leading to significantly improved anticancer response. Experimental Design : Mice were implanted subcutaneously with BT474 breast cancer cells (1×10 7 ) and randomly assorted into groups: treated (10 mg/kg trastuzumab) or control (saline). After tumors reached ∼225 mm3, animals (n = 20) were imaged with dynamic contrast enhanced-MRI (7.0 T MRI) before treatment (day 0), and 24 hours after each treatment (day 1 and day 4). Pharmacokinetic parameters, K trans and v e , were extracted. Subgroups of animals were sacrificed for histology between days 0 through 7 (n = 36). Tumor sections were paraffin-embedded and stained with CA-IX, CD31, α-SMA, Ki67 and HE thus, there was an overall increase in the "vessel maturation index" (ratio of α-SMA to CD31 staining) compared to controls (p = 0.01). CA-IX staining demonstrated increased hypoxia in the control group compared to treated, showing significant increases on day 3 (p = 0.03) and day 7 (p = 0.002). Qualitative differences were noted between control and treated groups for both functional vasculature and pimonidazole hypoxia fluorescent staining. Conclusion : Increased intratumoral vascular delivery ( K trans ) with a simultaneous increase in vessel maturation (immunohistochemistry) are exhibited on day 4 post trastuzumab treatment. Additionally, decreased hypoxia is revealed in treated tumors compared to controls. Hypoxic tumor cells show resistance to both radiation and chemotherapy, therefore temporarily improving the tumor9s functional vasculature and decreasing hypoxia during trastuzumab treatment has potential to enhance the effectiveness of these combination therapies. Citation Format: Sorace AG, Quarles CC, Yankeelov TE. Trastuzumab-induced hypoxia changes in a HER2+ murine model of breast cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Thirty-Eighth Annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium: 2015 Dec 8-12; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P6-01-03.
Food production materials handling.

Can the industrial method of central inventory control save time and/or money in food production? In this before-and-after study, six skilled cooks, gathering their own supplies and raw ingredients, were first timed in their regular daily routines. Then a central ingredient room was set up with one less-skilled employee responsible for issuing and delivering supplies and ingredients to the cooks. A significant amount of cooks' work time was saved, indicating that such reorganization would permit rescheduling cook's time for more productive and skilled tasks and greater output.
Chemotherapy dose and dose intensity: analyzing data to guide therapeutic decisions.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES To provide key examples from the oncology literature related to chemotherapy dose/dose intensity to guide nurses in evidence-based decision making. DATA SOURCES Published articles and abstracts of scientific findings and clinical trials. DATA SYNTHESIS Understanding tumor biology and growth kinetics is essential in determining optimal approaches to cancer treatment and goal setting in cancer care. CONCLUSIONS Therapeutic decision making ideally should be data driven. Dose and dose intensity can make a difference in therapeutic outcomes. Additional research with well-designed clinical trials, incorporating recent advances in cancer biology, is needed to define more distinctly the role of dose/dose intensity related to specific tumor types. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE Establish therapeutic goals at initiation of therapy, and communicate them clearly with patients, families, and the rest of the healthcare team.
A Second Look at Ureteral Plication

Abstract The ureteral plication technique proposed by Starr to correct massively dilated ureters was reexamined in the dog laboratory, with the addition of a control group. We found that dog ureter has an inherent ability to return to normal size and shape following acute obstruction, if the obstruction is relieved within at least 10 weeks. Thus, the suggestion that ureteral plication is more effective than simple deligation is disputed.
Colonoscopy with polypectomy is associated with a low rate of complications in patients with cirrhosis.

Background and study aims: Cirrhotic patients are at a theoretically increased risk of bleeding. The safety of polypectomy in cirrhosis is poorly defined. Patients and methods: We performed a retrospective review of patients with cirrhosis who underwent colonoscopic polypectomy at a tertiary-care hospital. Patient characteristics and polyp data were collected. Development of complications including immediate bleeding, delayed bleeding, hospitalization, blood transfusion, perforation, and death were recorded to 30-day follow-up. Clinical characteristics between bleeders and non-bleeders were compared, and predictors of bleeding were determined. Results: A total of 307 colonoscopies with 638 polypectomies were identified. Immediate bleeding occurred in 7.5 % (95 % CI 4.6 % – 10.4 %) and delayed bleeding occurred in 0.3 % (95 % CI 0.0 % – 0.9 %) of colonoscopies. All cases of immediate bleeding were controlled endoscopically and none resulted in serious complication. The rate of hospitalization was 0.7 % (95 % CI 0.0 % – 1.6 %) and repeat colonoscopy 0.3 % (95 % CI 0.0 % – 0.9 %); no cases of perforation, blood transfusion, or death occurred. Lower platelet count, higher INR, presence of ascites, and presence of esophageal varices were associated with increased risk of bleeding. Use of electrocautery was associated with a lower risk of immediate bleeding. There was no significant difference between bleeding and non-bleeding polyps with regard to size, morphology, and histology. Conclusions: Colonoscopy with polypectomy appears safe in patients with cirrhosis. There is a low risk of major complications. The risk of immediate bleeding appears higher than an average risk population; however, most bleeding is self-limited or can be controlled endoscopically. Bleeding tends to occur with more advanced liver disease. Both the sequelae of portal hypertension and coagulation abnormalities are predictive of bleeding.
Is social engagement linked to body image and depression among aging women

ABSTRACTMaintaining an active and engaged social life is a critical component of aging well, and women are generally more socially active than men. However, as women age their self-perceptions of their bodies may reduce social behaviors and consequently, increase depressive symptoms. Because little is known about how body image is associated with social engagement and depressive symptoms among aging women, four aspects of body image: satisfaction with cosmetic features, body function, physical appearance, and weight were assessed among women aged 65 and older (n = 123). Regression analyses indicated that cosmetic appearance, body function, and physical appearance were associated with depressive symptoms, whereas satisfaction with weight was unrelated. Further, both greater satisfaction with cosmetic features and body function were associated with higher levels of social engagement, and social engagement mediated the association between these aspects of body satisfaction and depressive symptoms. The findin...
Medical Image Computing for Oncology: Review and Clinical Examples

Medical imaging has been widely used in clinical and preclinical assessment of cancer. This chapter describes the techniques and components of medical image computing for oncological applications and introduces two representative applications of medical image computing in cancer. First, image computing tools such as volumetric MRI brain image segmentation are presented for computer-aided diagnosis and follow-up of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) treatment. Then, using PET/CT imaging, quantitative monitoring of patients undergoing adoptive cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) therapy is described. In addition, we also discuss that the trend in this area is to integrate microscopy imaging that captures cellular and tissue-level morphometry and molecular activities with medical images of organ and tissue-level properties to help better diagnose, subtype, and quantify the formulation, progression, and mechanisms of cancers.
MRI and MRS of the human brain at magnetic fields of 14 T to 20 T: Technical feasibility, safety, and neuroscience horizons

The three goals of this paper are: 1) to evaluate the improvements in technology for increasing magnetic flux density (magnetic field) to 14T in the next few years and eventually to 20T; 2) to highlight neuroscience opportunities enabled by these advances; and, 3) to evaluate the physiological and biophysical effects associated with MRI at very high performance levels. Substantial recent advances in magnet technology including superconductor developments enable neuroscience goals that are not obtainable at contemporary magnetic fields. Ten areas of brain neuroscience include potential improvements in resolution for functional MRI(BOLD), diffusion weighted MRI, tractography, susceptibility weighted MR, neuronal architecture patterns related to human behavior, proton spectroscopy of small brain biochemicals, chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST), dynamic contrast enhanced MRI, brain energy metabolism using 13C, 17O, and 31P; and brain electrolyte physiology using 23Na, 35Cl, and 39K. Physiological phenomena and safety aspects include: absorbed RF power, acoustic sound pressure levels, induced electric fields, Lorentz forces, magnetohydrodynamic forces, and biophysical phenomena in cells and tissues. Where feasible, effects are quantified for magnetic fields beyond 7T with the conclusion that there are no foreseen barriers either in the technical or human safety aspects of brain MRI and MRS at fields up to 20T. This conclusion is conditioned on results of recommended experiments to verify the predicted level of physiological effects beyond 9.4T. This technology is predicted to enable quantification of biochemical components of the functioning brain not detectable heretofore.
“This Is Not Representation!”: A Study of Urbanization, Alienation, and Tolerance Through a Vietnamese Heritage Language and Culture Program

This case centers on a Vietnamese language and culture program situated within an urban context. It illustrates how sociohistorical and geopolitical contexts interplay in understanding relations wi...
Diabetes and Cognitive Decline in Older Adults: The Ginkgo Evaluation of Memory Study.

Background Previous studies have shown that individuals with diabetes exhibit accelerated cognitive decline. However, methodological limitations have limited the quality of this evidence. Heterogeneity in study design, cognitive test administration, and methods of analysis of cognitive data have made it difficult to synthesize and translate findings to practice. We analyzed longitudinal data from the Ginkgo Evaluation of Memory Study to test our hypothesis that older adults with diabetes have greater test-specific and domain-specific cognitive declines compared to older adults without diabetes. Methods Tests of memory, visuo-spatial construction, language, psychomotor speed, and executive function were administered. Test scores were standardized to z-scores and averaged to yield domain scores. Linear random effects models were used to compare baseline differences and changes over time in test and domain scores among individuals with and without diabetes. Results Among the 3,069 adults, aged 72-96 years, 9.3% reported diabetes. Over a median follow-up of 6.1 years, participants with diabetes exhibited greater baseline differences in a test of executive function (trail making test, Part B) and greater declines in a test of language (phonemic verbal fluency). For the composite cognitive domain scores, participants with diabetes exhibited lower baseline executive function and global cognition domain scores, but no significant differences in the rate of decline. Conclusions Identifying cognitive domains most affected by diabetes can lead to targeted risk modification, possibly in the form of lifestyle interventions such as diet and physical activity, which we know to be beneficial for improving vascular risk factors, such as diabetes, and therefore may reduce the risk of executive dysfunction and possible dementia.
Field-Oriented Motor Control

Electric motors have been ubiquitous for 100 years or more and were controlled using mechanical or analog methods. Today, motors are increasingly digitally controlled, which can provide greater performance, reliability, and efficiency. This chapter will first give an overview of electric motor theory and operation and then introduce a basic digital motor control algorithm known as field-orientated control.
Superhemophobic titania nanotube array surfaces for blood contacting medical devices

Hemocompatibility of blood-contacting medical devices is necessary to prevent device failure. As soon as a material encounters blood, proteins and platelets will adsorb and attach to its surface. This leads to thrombosis and clot formation on the surfaces, restricting blood flow and in some cases leading to inflammation and device failure. To avoid these complications, patients receiving blood-contact devices are prescribed blood thinning medications, which must be taken for the rest of the patient's life. Some devices can be pre-clotted to improve hemocompatibility, but the benefits will not last the device's entire life. Enhancing hemocompatibility has been a focus of recent research. Proposed methods have included diamond-like carbon surfaces, heparin-based surface coatings, modified polymer surfaces, and titania nanotube arrays. These methods have all shown some enhancement of hemocompatibility initially, but no approach has proven durable over long periods of time. Superhemophobic surfaces are a new approach to improving hemocompatibility, but the interactions of blood components with these surfaces have not been studied in depth. In this study, we have developed superhemophobic surfaces by modifying the surface topography and surface chemistry of titanium. The surface topography was modified by creating titania nanotube arrays through a well-documented anodization technique. Superhemophobicity was induced by modifying the titania nanotube arrays with two different silanes using chemical vapor deposition. The investigations of blood interactions with superhemophobic surfaces showed reduced protein adsorption and platelet adhesion/activation, indicating this a potential approach for enhancing material hemocompatibility.
Who’s Been Served and How?: Permanency Outcomes for Children and Youth Involved in Child Welfare and Youth Corrections

Child welfare systems were created to protect maltreated children. However, adolescents today can be involved with child welfare for reasons other than maltreatment, including behavior issues. Such...
Preliminary Examination of the Quenching of Titanium Alloys

From the limited experimental data in the literature, preliminary values were derived for the thermal diffusivity of titanium alloys and for the quenching severity of various mediums used in heat treating them. The thermal diffusivity, under quenching conditions, was found to be approximately 0.006 sq in. per sec. The quenching severity H for brine is approximately 8, for water 4, for oil 0.9, for air 0.08, and for argon 0.02 in.−1 The quenching severity of the Jominy-Boegehold end quench water jet against titanium alloys appeared effectively infinite. Using these results, graphs were prepared showing ideal round sizes and Jominy positions having cooled conditions equivalent to those at the center and surface of titanium alloy rounds, plates, and sheets quenched in various media.
Synchronization of Discrete-Time Delayed Neural Networks with Stochastic Missing Data: A Switching Method

This paper deals with the problem of synchronization of discrete-time delayed neural networks subject to stochastic missing data. The aim of the addressed problem is to design a feedback controller for the error system, such that under unreliable communication links, the error system is guaranteed to be globally asymptotic stable. By adopting the switching techniques and constructing the corresponding Lyapunov-Krasovskii functionals, sufficient condition is established for the existence of the desired controller. The obtained criterion is in terms of LMIs which can be solved by using Matlab Toolbox. Finally, numerical example is given to show the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Therapeutic Drug Monitoring of Biologic Agents

Monoclonal antibodies directed against tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α have markedly impacted the course of Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis. However, it was recognized early on that these complex compounds are also potentially immunogenic, prompting the host to develop an antibody response to these medications. Anti-drug antibodies can increase drug clearance or directly impact the TNF binding site. In addition, there can be significant heterogeneity regarding the host metabolism of these biologic therapies.
Clinical characteristics associated with racial disparities in endometrial cancer outcomes: A surveillance, epidemiology and end results analysis

Abstract Objectives Racial disparities exist for endometrial cancer. We examined patterns of care and factors associated with poor outcomes for Black women with endometrial cancer. Methods We studied 110,826 endometrial cancer patients diagnosed between 1980 and 2008 with minimum 5 years follow-up in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database. Trends over time in sociodemographics, disease characteristics and treatment factors were analyzed over four eras: 1980–1989, 1990–1999, 2000–2004, 2005–2008. Using sequential Cox proportional hazards and Fine-Gray competing risk models we determined the association between potential explanatory variables and racial disparities in all-cause mortality (ACM) and cancer-specific mortality (CSM), respectively. Results Clinical characteristics of Black and White women were relatively constant over time. The unadjusted hazard ratio (HR) among Black women for ACM and CSM were 1.91 (95% CI 1.86–1.97) and 2.35 (95% CI 2.26–2.43), respectively. Adjustment for sociodemographics, disease presentation and surgery decreased the ACM HR to 1.29 (95% CI 1.24–1.34) and CSM HR to 1.18 (95% CI 1.11–1.26) without further decrease from controlling for radiotherapy. Black women were less likely to undergo operative management even when prescribed. Total and radical hysterectomy, and vaginal brachytherapy (VBT) were associated with improved ACM and CSM. Combination VBT and external beam radiotherapy was associated with improved ACM. Conclusion Racial disparities in endometrial cancer survival are predominantly attributable to increased advanced stage, high-grade and aggressive histologic subtype tumors and differential use of surgery in Black women. Intensified surgical and radiation treatment is associated with improved survival, raising questions about treatment adaptations that may potentially reduce survival disparities.
Optimization of the therapeutic index by adjustment of the rate of drug administration or use of drug combinations: exploratory studies of diuretics.

The purpose of this investigation was to explore theoretically certain strategies for optimizing the therapeutic index of drugs and to assess these strategies experimentally with two diuretics. Diuretic agents allow dosing rate flexibilities because the temporal profile of diuretic action can vary considerably as long as the total diuretic effect per day is the same. They can also be used in combination. Experiments were designed to determine if the therapeutic index of furosemide and hydrochlorothiazide can be optimized by administering one or the other at a certain rate or by administering the two drugs together in a certain ratio and at a certain rate. Male Lewis rats received one or the other drug, or combinations of the two, by i.v. infusion at different rates. Several timed urine collections were made under steady-state conditions, with excreted urine replaced volume for volume by i.v. lactated Ringer's solution. The urine flow rates and the urinary excretion rates of the diuretics and of Na+ and K+ were determined. The relationship between the diuretic effect of either of the two drugs given alone and the respective drug excretion rate could be described by the Hill equation. The ratio of urine flow rate to K+ excretion rate exhibited a marked dependence on hydrochlorothiazide excretion rate (highest ratio at high excretion rates), whereas the K+/Na+ excretion rate ratio was constant over a wide range of hydrochlorothiazide excretion rates. There was no significant change of these ratios with changing excretion rate of furosemide.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)