cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Role of Vitamin E in Prostate Cancer

This chapter reviews the current literature linking vitamin E to prostate cancer with the overall goal of providing a rationale for the design of potential future large-scale clinical chemoprevention studies. Vitamin E is not a single organic compound and refers to at least four tocopherols (alpha, beta, gamma, and delta) and four corresponding tocotrienols. Much of the literature linking vitamin E with cancer does not distinguish between these various isoforms and has primarily focused on alpha-tocopherol which is the primary vitamin E isoform found in plasma from fasting individuals and in most dietary supplements. Considerable evidence now supports the view that the various isoforms of vitamin E (and their chemical derivatives) have distinct biochemical properties and distinct abilities to modulate oxidative stress, signal transduction pathways, and pathophysiological processes important in carcinogenesis (e.g., apoptosis and angiogenesis). This chapter reviews the recent clinical trials as well as the in vitro and in vivo evidence connecting the various isoforms of vitamin E with prostate cancer. Particular emphasis is placed on gamma-tocopherol, the primary dietary isoform of vitamin E. A major conclusion is that some non-alpha-tocopherol forms of vitamin E hold considerable promise for both the chemoprevention and chemotherapy of prostate cancer.
Study of Co 58 with the ( He 3 p ) and ( He 3 , p γ ) Reactions on Fe 56

Thirty levels in $^{58}\mathrm{Co}$ were populated by use of the $^{56}\mathrm{Fe}(^{3}\mathrm{He}, p)$ reaction. The angular distributions of protons leading to these states were obtained with a split-pole magnetic spectrograph. In some cases a study of the angular distribution permitted the determination of the orbital angular momentum transferred by the $n\ensuremath{-}p$ pair. Coincidences between protons and $\ensuremath{\gamma}$ rays from the $^{56}\mathrm{Fe}(^{3}\mathrm{He}, p\ensuremath{\gamma})$ reaction were also studied to obtain the $\ensuremath{\gamma}$ decay of some levels in $^{58}\mathrm{Co}$. The results of the present investigation are combined with those of previous work on $^{58}\mathrm{Co}$ to assign spins and parities for some of the levels. The isobaric analog to the ground state of $^{58}\mathrm{Fe}$ and the corresponding antianalog state are briefly discussed.
Confidence intervals on stratigraphic ranges: partial relaxation of the assumption of randomly distributed fossil horizons

The equations for calculating classical confidence intervals on the end points of strati- graphic ranges are based on the restrictive assumption of randomly distributed fossil finds. Herein, a method is presented for calculating confidence intervals on the end-points of stratigraphic ranges that partially relaxes this assumption: the method will work for any continuous distribution of gap sizes, not just those generated by random processes. The price paid for the generality of the new approach is twofold: (1) there are uncertainties associated with the sizes of the confidence intervals, and (2) for large confidence values (e.g., 95%) a rich fossil record is required to place upper bounds on the corresponding confidence intervals. This new method is not universal; like the method for calculating classical confidence intervals it is based on the assumption that there is no correlation between gap size and stratigraphic position. The fossil record of the Neogene Caribbean bryozoan Metrarabdotos is analyzed with the new approach. The equations developed here, like those for classical confidence intervals, should not be applied to stratigraphic ranges based on discrete sam- pling regimes, such as those typically established from deep-sea drilling cores, though there are exceptions to this rule.
Economic Anxiety or Racial Predispositions? Explaining White Support for Donald Trump in the 2016 Presidential Election

Is support for Donald Trump driven by economic anxiety, racial resentment or old fashion racism? Given the racially charged manner in which Donald Trump has campaigned it is possible that that his campaign cues could further activate racial resentment in a political era where Barack Obama’s presidency has already crystalized such attitudes. The Republican Nominee, Donald J. Trump has engaged in one of the most racially charged campaigns in modern American history. Despite the racially charged manner in which Donald Trump has campaigned it is unclear if his support is driven by economic anxiety, racial resentment, or simply old fashion racism. Utilizing data from the 2016 American Election Studies Survey this analysis empirically support for Donald Trump.
Flexible and biocompatible polypropylene ferroelectret nanogenerator (FENG): On the path toward wearable devices powered by human motion

Abstract Recently, there has been tremendous research efforts on the development of energy harvesters that can scavenge energy from ubiquitous forms of mechanical energy. The most studied mechanisms are based on the use of piezoelectric and triboelectric effects. Polypropylene ferroelectret (PPFE) is introduced here as the active material in an efficient, flexible, and biocompatible ferroelectret nanogenerator (FENG) device. PPFE is charged polymers with empty voids and inorganic particles that create giant dipoles across the material's thickness. Upon applied pressure, the change in the dipole moments generate a change of the accumulated electric charge on each surface of the PPFE film, resulting in a potential difference between the two electrodes of the FENG. The mechanical-electrical energy conversion mechanism in PPFE films is described by finite element method (FEM). Further investigation of the developed device shows that the magnitudes of the generated voltage and current signals are doubled each time the device is folded, and an increase with magnitude or frequency of the mechanical input is observed. The developed FENGs is sufficient to light 20 commercial green and blue light-emitting diodes (LEDs), and realize a self-powered liquid-crystal display (LCD) that harvests energy from user's touch. A self-powered flexible/foldable keyboard is also demonstrated.
Urban agriculture: opportunities and constraints

Abstract: This chapter addresses the burgeoning field of urban agriculture, with a focus on developments in the USA. Urban agriculture is described in the context of changing approaches to sustainable urban development. The chapter includes quantitative discussions of the capacity of urban agriculture to feed urban populations as well as its role in providing ecosystem services to cities in the form of stormwater management, energy use reduction and waste mitigation.
Stable computations with flat radial basis functions using vector-valued rational approximations

One commonly finds in applications of smooth radial basis functions (RBFs) that scaling the kernels so they are 'flat' leads to smaller discretization errors. However, the direct numerical approach for computing with flat RBFs (RBF-Direct) is severely ill-conditioned. We present an algorithm for bypassing this ill-conditioning that is based on a new method for rational approximation (RA) of vector-valued analytic functions with the property that all components of the vector share the same singularities. This new algorithm (RBF-RA) is more accurate, robust, and easier to implement than the Contour-Pade method, which is similarly based on vector-valued rational approximation. In contrast to the stable RBF-QR and RBF-GA algorithms, which are based on finding a better conditioned base in the same RBF-space, the new algorithm can be used with any type of smooth radial kernel, and it is also applicable to a wider range of tasks (including calculating Hermite type implicit RBF-FD stencils). We present a series of numerical experiments demonstrating the effectiveness of this new method for computing RBF interpolants in the flat regime. We also demonstrate the flexibility of the method by using it to compute implicit RBF-FD formulas in the flat regime and then using these for solving Poisson's equation in a 3-D spherical shell.
Mutually Exclusive Cdk4-Cyclin D1 and Cdk6-Cyclin D2 Pairing Inactivates Rb and Promotes Cell Cycle Dysregulation in Multiple Myeloma.

Multiple myeloma (MM), the second most common hematopoietic cancer, ultimately becomes refractory to treatment when self-renewing MM cells begin unrestrained proliferation by unknown mechanisms. Cell cycle reentry and progression is modulated by the balance between positive cell cycle regulators [cyclins and cyclin-dependent kinases (Cdk)] on the one hand and Cdk inhibitors (CKI) on the other. Here we show that one, but not more than one, of the three early G1 D cyclins is elevated in each case of MM. However, cyclin D1 or D3 overexpression rarely leads to phosphorylation of the retinoblastoma protein Rb and G1 cell cycle progression, unless cyclin-dependent kinase 4 (Cdk4) is correspondingly elevated in the absence of Cdk6. By contrast, cyclin D2 and Cdk6 are coordinately increased, thereby overriding inhibition by Cdk inhibitors, p18INK4c and p27Kip1, and phosphorylating Rb in conjunction with Cdk4. Thus, Cdk4 pairs exclusively with cyclin D1 whereas Cdk6 pairs exclusively with cyclin D2, although Cdk4 can also pair with cyclin D2 in MM cells. The basis for the exclusive Cdk4-cyclin D1 and Cdk6-cyclin D2 pairing is coordinated transcriptional activation. Cyclin D1 or D3 expression is scattered or uniform among bone marrow MM cells and at a constant frequency in the clinical course. By contrast, phosphorylation of Rb by Cdk6-cyclin D2 occurs in discrete foci of bone marrow MM cells early in the clinical course before cell proliferation, then is heightened with proliferation and disease progression. Mutually exclusive Cdk4-cyclin D1 and Cdk4/6-cyclin D2 pairing, therefore, critically controls cell cycle re-entry and G1 progression, which underlies the expansion of self-renewing MM cells in MM progression.
Exploring Data Center Migration: A Case Study

ABSTRACT: A data center migration (DCM) refers to the physical and/or logical relocation of IT services from one physical and/or virtual location to another. The demand for and occurrences of DCMs have increased in recent years. In this case study, we examine a DCM completed by a governmental organization with approximately 80,000 users. We identify key success factors and measure the importance of specific DCM activities. Analyzing both quantitative and qualitative data to derive factors that contribute to DCM success, the following overarching conclusion emerged: Key success factors in a data center migration include proper planning, consideration of procedures to minimize end-user impact including downtime, and effective communication among team members before and during the data center migration. DCMs have practical implications for regulatory compliance and enterprise risk management efforts. Opportunities for future research include employing structure-mapping theory to test the predictive value of ...
Melisandra y las amazonas: Utopismo feminista en Waslala de Gioconda Belli

La novela Waslala (1996) de la nicaraguense Gioconda Belli explora la preocupacion humana por encontrar un “lugar feliz” o en su defecto crear una sociedad perfecta segun el modelo de la Utopia (1516) de Tomas Moro. En Waslala, una comunidad secreta y cerrada, escondida en la selva de Centroamerica, el proyecto utopico fracasa cuando la practica de gobierno y manejo del poder crea discordia entre los miembros de la comunidad y destruye sus ideales de armonia, igualdad y justicia sobre la cual la comunidad fuera fundada. Sin embargo, la novela de Belli ofrece propuestas alternativas a la utopia concebida por la vision masculina, esta vez alineadas de acuerdo a una vision feminista. Su propuesta utopica pone la construccion de comunidad en el centro y a las mujeres al frente del proyecto nacional. La novela presenta a cuatro mujeres que con su iniciativa y liderazgo consiguen generar espacios seguros para las victimas del caos social creado por los conflictos belicos y la avaricia humana. La fuerza de estas mujeres recuerda a las sociedades matriarcales de las amazonas, un mito griego que representa los peligros del poder femenino con su amenaza de desestabilizar la sociedad patriarcal.
Hyperglycemia Primes Cells for Programmed Cell Death Shift in a Glycolysis-Dependent Manner

Necroptosis is a RIP1-dependent programmed cell death (PCD) pathway distinct from apoptosis. Downstream effector pathways of necroptosis include formation of advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and reactive oxygen species (ROS), both of which are influenced by glycolysis, suggesting that increased cellular glucose may prime necroptosis. Here, we establish that exposure to hyperglycemic levels of glucose enhances necroptosis in U937 monocytes. Pharmacologic or siRNA inhibition of RIP1 prevented the enhanced death, confirming it as RIP1-dependent necroptosis. Hyperglycemia induces a shift from apoptotic death to necroptosis in response to the extrinsic apoptotic stimulus TNFα. Increased membrane permeability and decreased phosphatidylserine exposure were seen in the hyperglycemic condition as compared to euglycemia. Additionally, cell death was shown to be caspase dependent under euglycemic conditions and shifted to RIP1 dependency in hyperglycemic conditions. Total levels of RIP1, RIP3, and MLKL increased following treatment with high levels of glucose suggesting a potential positive feedback mechanism. Hyperglycemic enhancement of necroptosis depends upon glycolysis with AGEs and ROS playing a role. Furthermore, the hyperglycemic state resulted in dysregulated calcium flux in a ROS dependent manner. Hyperglycemia resulted in increased infarct size in a mouse model of brain hypoxia-ischemia injury. The increased infarct size was prevented by inhibition of RIP1 with nec-1s, strongly suggesting that increased necroptosis accounts for exacerbation of this injury in conditions of hyperglycemia. This work reveals that hyperglycemia represents a condition in which cells are extraordinarily susceptible to necroptosis, that local glucose levels alter the balance of PCD pathways, and that clinically relevant outcomes may depend on glucose-mediated effects on PCD.
Status of Sassafras albidum (Nutt.) Nees in the presence of laurel wilt disease and throughout the eastern United States

Abstract Sassafras albidum (Sassafras) is an ecologically important tree species that is widely distributed throughout the eastern United States. Sassafras is presently threatened by Raffaelea lauricola, a fungus vectored by Xyleborus glabratus (Coleoptera: Curculionidae: Scolytinae; Redbay Ambrosia Beetle), which causes a lethal vascular wilt known as laurel wilt disease (LWD). This study summarizes the status of Sassafras across the entire eastern United States and in areas with LWD in particular, so that LWD-induced changes in the Sassafras resource may be properly understood. Inventory data collected by the Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) Program of the US Department of Agriculture Forest Service indicated that as of 2013–2014 there were 1.9 billion live Sassafras trees and saplings across 28 states, 53 ecoregion sections, and 69 forest types in the eastern United States. Only 1.7% of Sassafras trees ≥2.5 cm diameter at breast height occurred in counties with LWD; an additional 2.8% occurred in ne...
A study of SAR on child passengers and driver due to cellphone connectivity within vehicle

In this work, SAR values in passenger head and body regions due to the presence of one or more cellphones were determined via simulation for the situation in which all vehicle passengers are children. Additionally, the adult driver has access to a hands free cellphone as part of increased in-vehicle connectivity.
Continental Estimates and Population Trends of Antarctic Ice Seals

Seal census data accrued during 1968–1983 were incorporated into a standard data format and revised density estimates were calculated. A key element in this reanalysis was time correction of the census counts to peak diurnal haul-out values using recently revised and evaluated correction equations (Erickson et al. 1989). This reanalysis generally lowered previously published density and population estimates.
The Effect of Taurine on Blood Pressure, and Urinary Sodium, Potassium and Calcium Excretion

Taurine is a sulfur-containing amino acid found in large quantities in muscle, brain, heart and blood. Its numerous physiological and biological properties are still not fully understood. Studies have examined the physiological effects of taurine in several different areas. Proposed functions include: major inhibitory neurotransmitter; inhibitory neuromodulator; regulator of Ca2+ movements in muscle (cardiac, smooth and skeletal); transmitter within the retina; growth factor in brain development; and major osmoregulater within cells in the periphery and the central nervous system (CNS) (2,6–8,10,14,15).
Co-Recessive Inheritance: A Model for Diseases Associated with Defective DNA Repair

We have proposed a genetic model, “co-recessive inheritance” (C-RI), in which an individual must be homozygous or hemizygous for defective alleles at more than one of a specific set of genetic loci in order to express a given trait, particularly a disease associated with one or more defective DNA repair processes. One or more dominant alleles at other loci could conceivably also be required to produce the trait. The model accounts for a number of paradoxical aspects of the sun-sensitive, cancer-prone inherited disease, xeroderma pigmentosum (XP), including the large number of complementation groups despite a biochemically limited associated DNA repair defect, the existence of some individuals who appear to have the DNA repair defect but not clinical XP, the apparent existence of the DNA repair defect in association with other inherited diseases, the co-existence of XP and Cockayne’s syndrome in two different complementation groups of XP, siblings with markedly different degrees of severity of XP in one family and transmission of the disease in an X-linked manner in another, and the seeming paradox of a disease associated with a marked defect in a DNA repair mechanism but not associated with an obvious increase in incidence of internal cancer. Compared with autosomal recessive inheritance, whether with one gene or with several genes, the model predicts lower frequencies of affected siblings and fewer first cousin matings between parents of affected individuals. Since it was first put forward, further evidence supporting the model in XP has emerged, including defective repair of UV irradiation induced damage in cellular DNA of cells from additional individuals who do not have XP and a deficiency in killer T-lymphocytes as well as in a catalase in some XP patients. The model predicts that a large proportion of the general population is a carrier of one or more of these defective genes, many of which encode for products active in DNA repair mechanisms. This prediction is valid even if the model holds true for only one or more complementation groups of one or a few very rare disorders. Such genes may be important in the etiology of a number of common conditions involving DNA repair processes, such as neurodegenerative diseases, cancer and aging.
VACCINES FOR MELANOMA : Design Strategies and Clinical Results

Melanoma vaccines represent a novel and potentially effective method of slowing the progression of melanoma. This article discusses the importance in the design of vaccines for melanoma, the relative advantages and disadvantages of this approach, and summarizes the results of the most important clinical trials conducted to date with this vaccine.
Inconsistent and excessive opioid prescribing after common pediatric surgical operations.

Abstract Objectives Opioid misuse has reached epidemic proportions in the United States. Post-operative opioids have been linked to overdose, diversion, and dependency in adults, but comparatively less is known in children. We evaluated opioid prescriptions following tonsillectomy and hernia repair at our institution. Methods Retrospective chart review of all outpatient tonsillectomies and inguinal/umbilical hernia repairs at a single institution. Data on opioid and non-opioid analgesic prescription characteristics and post-operative pain control were reviewed. Results 470 procedures were reviewed (276 tonsillectomy, 194 hernia repair). In patients with an indication (> 5 years-old in tonsillectomy, > 1 year-old in hernia repair), 85.0% and 85.6% received a post-op opioid prescription, respectively. Mean days' opioid supplied was 6.19 +/− 4.39 days in tonsillectomy and 4.30 +/− 2.94 days for hernia repair. There was significant inter- and intra-provider variation in the days' supplied of post-operative opioid. 90–100% of patients reported adequate pain control at discharge callback regardless of pain control regimen (opioid alone, opioid + non-opioid analgesic, non-opioid analgesic alone). Conclusions Significant variation in post-operative prescribing practices was identified as well as overall over-prescription, which will serve as a starting point to institute evidence-based intervention to reduce post-operative opioid misuse after these common pediatric surgical procedures. Level of Evidence IV
Nutrition Support in Cancer

Older cancer patients have unique qualities related to aging that place them at nutritional risk during cancer treatment. Routine assessment of nutritional risk is indicated in older cancer patients. Comprehensive geriatric assessment of older cancer patients can assist with determination of which older patients can tolerate cancer treatment with acceptable levels of morbidity and mortality. Dietary counseling and nutritional intervention (especially protein supplementation) should be incorporated into the care of nutritionally compromised older cancer patients as needed. Cancer is a frequent indication for enteral nutrition support (when there is intact gut function) or total parenteral nutrition. Management of nutritional compromise should be guided by patient-centered goals of care that incorporate the existing evidence-base into decision-making.
Lightning Measurements from Satellites and Significance for Storms in the Mediterranean

In this chapter we demonstrate how lightning can be measured from space, and how thunderstorm clouds can be identified and characterized by using combinations of satellite data. This is done over the Southern Mediterranean area using concurrent measurements taken by the Lightning Imaging Sensor (LIS), the Precipitation Radar (PR), and the TRMM Microwave Imager (TMI) onboard the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) space observatory. Modeling and observational studies indicate that cloud electrification and microphysics are very closely related. Using lightning data obtained from satellites, we can extract quantitative relationships between microphysical characteristics and lightning flash rates. This is of great interest for future work: for nowcasting of thunderstorms, and for introducing lightning observations into mesoscale forecast models.
A stabilization problem

It is, of course, well known that the usual output stabilization problem, asking about the existence of a constant feedback gain that stabilizes the system, does not have a especially clean answer. Here we describe an alternative version involving the existence of time-varying gains. The problem is this.
Abstracting influences for efficient multiagent coordination under uncertainty

When planning optimal decisions for teams of agents acting in uncertain domains, conventional methods explicitly coordinate all joint policy decisions and, in doing so, are inherently susceptible to the curse of dimensionality, as state, action, and observation spaces grow exponentially with the number of agents. With the goal of extending the scalability of optimal team coordination, the research presented in this dissertation examines how agents can reduce the amount of information they need to coordinate. Intuitively, to the extent that agents are weakly coupled, they can avoid the complexity of coordinating all decisions; they need instead only coordinate abstractions of their policies that convey their essential influences on each other. In formalizing this intuition, I consider several complementary aspects of weakly-coupled problem structure, including agent scope size, corresponding to the number of an agent's peers whose decisions influence the agent's decisions, and degree of influence, corresponding to the proportion of unique influences that peers can feasibly exert. To exploit this structure, I introduce a (transition-dependent decentralized POMDP) model that efficiently decomposes into local decision models with shared state features. This context yields a novel characterization of influences as transition probabilities (compactly encoded using a dynamic Bayesian network). Not only is this influence representation provably sufficient for optimal coordination, but it also allows me to frame the subproblems of (1) proposing influences, (2) evaluating influences, and (3) computing optimal policies around influences as mixed-integer linear programs. The primary advantage of working in the influence space is that there are potentially significantly fewer feasible influences than there are policies. Blending prior work on decoupled joint policy search and constraint optimization, I develop influence-space search algorithms that, for problems with a low degree of influence, compute optimal solutions orders of magnitude faster than policy-space search. When agents' influences are constrained, influence-space search also outperforms other state-of-the-art optimal solution algorithms. Moreover, by exploiting both degree of influence and agent scope size, I demonstrate scalability, substantially beyond the reach of prior optimal methods, to teams of 50 weakly-coupled transition-dependent agents.
MALIGNANT STRUMA OVARII IN REFRACTORY GRAVES DISEASE: A CASE REPORT

Objective: Described is a rare and complex case of malignant struma ovarii containing papillary thyroid carcinoma in the setting of refractory Graves disease. We discuss the decision-making challen...
Fracture of a cemented modern titanium alloy tibia baseplate: a case report

This case highlights a fracture of a modern tibia basetray The patient is a year old female who underwent a total knee arthroplasty that had catastrophic posterior medial polyethylene wear years following the original surgery She underwent a polyethylene exchange to an anterior constrained style polyethylene and a year and a half later presented with severe medial pain and a locked knee Radiographs initially demonstrated significant anterior translation of the tibia on the femur and she was indicated for revision surgery Radiographs the day prior to revision demonstrate a fractured posterior medial corner of the base tray and a disengaged polyethylene in the suprapatellar pouch Revision TKA was undertaken and given the inability to control AP translation with a none or semi constrained knee design reconstruction with a rotating hinge knee was performed
Weight changes and patterns of weight measurements in hospitalized burn patients: a contemporary analysis.

Severe burn is associated with significant changes in body weight due to resuscitation volumes, fluid shifts, a hypermetabolic state, prolonged bed rest, and caloric intake. Our goal was to quantify and describe trends in weight change in patients with burns of all severities under modern treatment conditions and to identify the time points at which these changes occur. An institutional review board-approved chart review was conducted of acute burn patients treated at an American Burn Association-verified regional burn center from February 2016 to November 2016. Patients were then divided into three groups based on percent of total burn surface area (%TBSA) burn: 1–19%, 20–39%, and ≥ 40%. Weight was expressed as percent change of weight from baseline. Regression analysis was conducted on percent weight changes for each TBSA group. We identified 197 burn patients with a length of stay (LOS) of ≥ 7 days. Of the study cohort, 149 had TBSA burn of 1–19%, 27 had TBSA burn of 20–39%, and 21 had TBSA burn of ≥ 40%. All groups had a majority of White male, non-Hispanic patients with mean ages between 40 and 42 years. Burn patients with > 20% TBSA burn had a median increase in weight above baseline of approximately 5 to 8% likely due to resuscitation fluids within the first week of hospitalization. Weight loss below baseline often did not exceed 10% and was more pronounced as LOS increased, mostly in patients with > 20% TBSA burn. Whereas patients with 1–19% TBSA burn on average returned to baseline weight at last measurement, patients with 20–39% TBSA and ≥ 40% TBSA burn continued a decline in weight at 4 weeks (r2 = 0.57 and 0.55, respectively) on the same trajectory. Burn patients with > 20% TBSA burn had an increase in weight above baseline of up to 8%, likely due to resuscitation fluids within the first week of hospitalization. Weight loss below baseline often did not exceed 10% and was more pronounced as LOS increased, mostly in patients with > 20% TBSA burn. Therefore, our patients on average, lost body weight to a lesser extent than the maximum mean loss of 22% of pre-burn weight reported prior to modern treatment conditions.
Interest and Uncertainty in Cross-Cultural Experience: The Influence of Goal Orientation

This study tested the respective learning (LGO) and performance approach goal orientation (PGO) effects on individual interest in cross-cultural development opportunities. Two studies found support for the positive effects of LGO on interest in professional and educational opportunities in international cultures. We also found evidence of a positive LGO relationship with interest in cross-cultural development opportunities when dissimilarity with respect to institutional affiliation was introduced as part of the cross-cultural experience. In contrast, PGO was positively associated with uncertainty, and uncertainty mediated the relationship between PGO and interest. Study 2 identified conditions under which PGO was associated with uncertainty. We discuss implications for theory and practice.
Trends in hospitalization outcomes of elderly patients undergoing allogeneic stem cell transplantation for acute myeloid leukemia/myelodysplastic syndrome (AML/MDS).

7044 Background: Allogeneic stem cell transplant (AlloSCT) is increasingly used for treatment of elderly patients with AML/MDS. This study aims to explore the US national trends in hospital stay, i...
Use of the analytic hierarchy process for medication decision-making in type 2 diabetes.

Aim To investigate the feasibility and utility of the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) for medication decision-making in type 2 diabetes. Methods We conducted an AHP with nine diabetes experts using structured interviews to rank add-on therapies (to metformin) for type 2 diabetes. During the AHP, participants compared treatment alternatives relative to eight outcomes (hemoglobin A1c-lowering and seven potential harms) and the relative importance of the different outcomes. The AHP model and instrument were pre-tested and pilot-tested prior to use. Results were discussed and an evaluation of the AHP was conducted during a group session. We conducted the quantitative analysis using Expert Choice software with the ideal mode to determine the priority of treatment alternatives. Results Participants judged exenatide to be the best add-on therapy followed by sitagliptin, sulfonylureas, and then pioglitazone. Maximizing benefit was judged 21% more important than minimizing harm. Minimizing severe hypoglycemia was judged to be the most important harm to avoid. Exenatide was the best overall alternative if the importance of minimizing harms was prioritized completely over maximizing benefits. Participants reported that the AHP improved transparency, consistency, and an understanding of others’ perspectives and agreed that the results reflected the views of the group. Conclusions The AHP is feasible and useful to make decisions about diabetes medications. Future studies which incorporate stakeholder preferences should evaluate other decision contexts, objectives, and treatments.
Orthopaedic Residents' Interpretation of Point-of-Care Assessment of Distal Radial Fractures with Use of Pocket-Sized Ultrasound Devices.

Background Musculoskeletal ultrasonography is a tool that is being used increasingly. However, the interpretation of ultrasound images of fractures is not incorporated into orthopaedic training programs. This paper presents the results of an initiative to train orthopaedic surgery residents to accurately interpret images of distal radial fractures in adults and to assess their confidence levels and attitudes regarding their future use of ultrasonography. Methods Six junior residents were given a pretest with 100 distal radial images that had been made with a pocket-sized ultrasound device; they were asked to determine fracture versus nonfracture cases (50 cases) as well as reduced fracture versus nonreduced fracture cases (50 cases). Following the pretest, residents completed a 30-minute tutorial (didactic and practical) on distal radial ultrasonography. The residents then completed a period of self-practice during 2 separate trauma rotations (a total of 14 to 16 weeks in a single academic year). Following completion of their second trauma rotation, the residents completed a posttest. Comfort level using a pocket-sized ultrasound device also was assessed during pretesting and posttesting. Results The median number of days from the pretest to the posttest was 212 days (range, 175 to 225 days). Residents demonstrated an overall improvement in positive predictive value (PPV) of identifying a fracture from the pretest (86.0%; range, 77.5% to 93.1%) to the posttest (93.5%; range, 91.4% to 94.2%). The overall negative predictive value (NPV) for identifying a fracture also improved from the pretest (69.4%; range, 60.0% to 76.9%) to the posttest (81.0%; range, 76.4% to 86.7%; p = 0.04). The overall PPV for detecting a reduced fracture improved from 67.1% with the pretest (range, 54.2% to 82.4%) to 88.9% with the posttest (range, 83.3% to 94.1%; p = 0.04). The comfort level with using the ultrasound device also increased between pretesting and posttesting, and the residents felt that ultrasonography would be useful in the care of distal radial fractures. Conclusions After a focused training session and a period of self-practice, orthopaedic residents improved their interpretation of ultrasound images and their comfort level using pocket-sized ultrasound devices with adult patients with distal radial fractures. Residents felt that a pocket-sized ultrasound device was useful for fracture diagnosis and evaluation of reduction.
Acoustic emission from vibration of cracked sheet-metal samples

Abstract Fatigue cracking in sheet metal structures is a common problem during practical applications. It can cause a disastrous failure in the running condition of the structure if it is not addressed in time. A crack can potentially produce acoustic emission (AE) signals during the crack growth event as well as during rubbing/clapping of faying surfaces. All kind of AE signals from the crack provide useful information regarding the condition of the cracked structure. AE signals due to crack faying surface rubbing/clapping need to be identified and separated from AE signals due to other sources. This paper discusses the study of the AE signals generated due to rubbing/clapping of crack faying surfaces. The initial fatigue crack was generated in a sheet metal sample through fatigue loading. The sample was then vibrated at various frequencies using a vibration exciter, and AE signals were generated by vibration induced rubbing/clapping of crack faying surfaces. AE signal signature due to vibration induced rubbing/clapping was identified and studied. AE signal due to rubbing/clapping of sheet metal sample while undergoing an axial static load is also discussed in this paper. The sheet metal sample with fatigue crack was axially loaded using a test cell manufactured in-house for loading sheet metal samples. The samples were vibrated to excite AE signals, and the influence of static load on crack rubbing/clapping AE signals were studied. The vibration-induced crack faying surface motion generated a large number of AE signals. A comparison among these AE signals was performed by using the Pearson correlation of the signals. The first novelty of this research is experimental design and fabrication of an experimental setup for detecting vibration induced rubbing and clapping in fatigue cracked metallic structures. The second novelty of this research is the development of a novel correlation coefficient based approach for comparing a large number of AE signals.
Photopolymerized microdomains in both lipid leaflets establish diffusive transport pathways across biomimetic membranes

Controlled transport within a network of aqueous subcompartments provides a foundation for the construction of biologically-inspired materials. These materials are commonly assembled using the droplet interface bilayer (DIB) technique, adhering droplets together into a network of lipid membranes. DIB structures may be functionalized to generate conductive pathways by enhancing the permeability of pre-selected membranes, a strategy inspired by nature. Traditionally these pathways are generated by dissolving pore-forming toxins (PFTs) in the aqueous phase. A downside of this approach when working with larger DIB networks is that transport is enabled in all membranes bordering the droplets containing the PFT, instead of occurring exclusively between selected droplets. To rectify this limitation, photopolymerizable phospholipids (23:2 DiynePC) are incorporated within the aqueous phase of the DIB platform, forming conductive pathways in the lipid membranes post-exposure to UV-C light. Notably these pathways are only formed in the membrane if both adhered droplets contain the photo-responsive lipids. Patterned DIB networks can then be generated by controlling the lipid composition within select droplets which creates conductive routes one droplet thick. We propose that the incorporation of photo-polymerizable phospholipids within the aqueous phase of DIB networks will improve the resolution of the patterned conductive pathways and reduce diffusive loss within the synthetic biological network.
Hormonal Causes of Delayed Puberty

Puberty marks the transition of a female from childhood to adulthood. Any variations in development can be a cause of delay in puberty. Delayed puberty is technically defined as being two standard deviations above the mean age of onset of any area of development.
Unicompartmental knee arthroplasty over total knee arthroplasty: a more cost-effective strategy for treating medial compartment arthritis

Worldwide, the demand for total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is projected to increase largely due to an aging population, an increase in the prevalence of osteoarthritis (OA), and the overwhelming success of arthroplasty (1,2). In the United States, the prevalence of TKA was 0.80% in 2000 and nearly doubled to 1.52% a decade later, corresponding to 4,700,621 people living with TKAs in 2010 (2). Furthermore, with the remarkable success of TKAs and the increasing incidence of OA in younger patients, the number of young patients that may require surgical management for their arthritis is increasing, further contributing to the overall projected increase in arthroplasty volumes (3-6).
Step-by-Step: The Algorithmization of Creativity under Francoist Developmentalism

This article examines how computer technologies shaped architecture research practices in Spain in the late 1960s and early 1970s—a period when the Francoist regime sought to open its economy to Western democracies while also retaining ideological control of its cultural production, including architecture. Surveying the Calculation Center of the University of Madrid (CCUM), I show how computer techniques put pressure on architects to legitimate their work through algorithms—that is, through definite sequences of iterative steps. I trace how their desire to formalize algorithmic processes into inscriptions culminated with the invention of a kind of architectural drawing, that I term algorithmic drawing. These inscriptions depicted discrete units and interconnected links. Through an act of subdivision and stepwise concatenation, architects drew mental processes, human behavior and building plans as step-by-step chains. The result of this logic was that these inscrutable drawings paradoxically fostered notions of visibility and of transparency. Aiming to make design processes ‘transparent’, ‘visible’, and ‘exposed’, the architects at the CCUM envisioned a new mode of architecture drawing: more abstract in appearance that orthographic projection; concerned with non-metrical issues; capable of mobilizing and translating heterogeneous information; and suggestive of a replicable and exhaustive epistemology.
Una segunda especie del género Eanus (Eanus) LeConte (Coleoptera: Elateridae: Athoinae) para Chile

Se describe e ilustra una segunda especie de Eanus LeConte, 1861, procedente de la zona cordillerana de la Region de Nuble, Chile.
Sides, John, Michael Tesler, and Lynn Vavreck. Identity Crisis: The 2016 Presidential Campaign and the Battle for the Meaning of America: Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press, 2018. 343 pages. $29.95 (hardcover); $17.95 (softcover)

During and after the 2016 election, critics of Hillary Clinton’s presidential campaign decried her emphasis on “identity politics,” launching myriad explorations of that misunderstood topic in acad...
The effects of explicit instruction on written accent mark usage in basic and intermediate Spanish heritage language courses

This study measured the impact of explicit instruction on accent usage in the written production of Spanish heritage language (SHL) learners. 163 university students were divided into two types of ...
The First Century of Independence

In this chapter we look at the dominant economic philosophy—liberalism—and policy—export-led growth—of the first century of independence. In order to analyze the period, we introduce the labor market and the circular flow of income. The period culminates in the Golden Age of Commodity Exports (1870–1914), but not without stresses such as the boom-and-bust cycle and the Mexican Revolution.
Equal Opportunity, Justice, and Health Care for the Elderly: A Prudential Account

About three years ago, my 91-year-old great-aunt was removed from the nursing home where she had been for several years and placed in intensive care at a major hospital. This was the last of several acute episodes suffered by a woman with significant mental impairment and physical disability. Prior to being placed in the nursing home, like many partially disabled elderly, she had found it difficult to get adequate home care and difficult to get an appropriate nursing home placement. Only in acute episodes did our health care system respond with extensive and expensive services. When I phoned her daughter, I was assured that the doctors were ‘trying everything.’
Fault injection emulation for field programmable analog arrays

We present a practical and economical method for physical fault insertion in analog circuits using field programmable analog arrays (FPAAs) for use in the development and evaluation of manufacturing and system-level tests for analog and mixed-signal integrated circuits and systems. The method involves the manipulation of configuration bits used to program the FPAA to emulate catastrophic faults (shorts and opens) and parametric faults (component values outside of acceptable ranges) in the FPAA during operation of the analog circuitry.
Civilian management of the military: Elihu Root and the 1903 reorganization of the army general staff

Examines Secretary of War Elihu Root’s 1903 reorganization of the US Army. Prior to Root, the Army suffered major organizational problems, including no central authority and an ambiguous chain‐of‐command. Post‐Civil War antimilitary sentiment had left the Army poorly funded, undermanned and barely capable of waging war on the Indians. In 1898, the ineptly fought Spanish‐American War highlighted Army deficiencies. Root’s modernization created the Chief of Staff, a senior general who reported to the Secretary of War, controlled the previously independent bureaus, prepared war plans and coordinated military activities with the Navy. Root also increased Army manpower and funding, reformed state militia into what is now the National Guard, and overhauled military training. Root laid the foundation for the complex defense management of the present day. His doctrine of civilian supremacy and concept of clear command relationships are as sound now as in 1903.
Polyimide planarization for RF-MEMS switches on PCB

This abstract describes an improved manufacturing technology for fabrication of RF-MEMS switches on PCB. The 17.5 /spl mu/m thick copper layer is patterned and planarized using polyimide. The use of polyimide reduces formation of voids in sacrificial photoresist. Fabricated switches demonstrate low insertion-loss ( 20 dB at 10 GHz).
A note on the analysis of a p×22 design

TYAGI has given a method of constructing a balanced factorial experiment of the p × 22 type. A complete analysis of such a design with and without recovery of interblock information, using the eigenyalues and eigenvectors of the C-matrix of the design, is given in this paper. KHATRY & SHAH'S method of producing uniformly better estimators is employed to combine the inter and intra block estimates.
A parallel architecture for motion estimation and DCT computation in MPEG-2 encoder

This paper presents a parallel architecture that can simultaneously perform block-matching motion estimation (ME) and discrete cosine transform (DCT). Because DCT and ME are both processed block by block, it is preferable to put them in one module for resource sharing. Simulation results performed using Simulink demonstrate that the parallel fashioned architecture improves the performance in terms of running time by 18.6% compared to the conventional sequential fashioned architecture.
Stereotactic Radiosurgery for Trigeminal Schwannoma: Tumor Control and Functional Preservation

We retrospectively reviewed records of 33 consecutive trigeminal schwannoma patients who underwent Gamma Knife® SRS. Two patients had neurofibromatosis type 2. The median patient age was 49 years (range, 15–82 years). Eleven patients had prior surgical resection of their tumors. The tumors were classified into root type (N = 6), ganglion type (N = 17) and dumbbell type (N = 10) based on their location. The median tumor volume was 4.2 cc (range, 0.5–18.0 cc) and the median marginal dose was 15.0 Gy (range, 12–20 Gy). At an average of 6 years (range, 7.2–147.9 months), the progression free survival after SRS at 1-, 5- and 10 years, respectively was 97%, 82% and 82%. Factors associated with an improved progression free survival included female gender, smaller tumor volume, and root or ganglion type tumors. Neurological symptoms or signs improved in 11 of 33 patients (33%) and unchanged in 19 patients (58%). Three patients (9%) had symptomatic progression. Patients without prior resection were significantly more likely to have improvement in neurological symptoms or signs. Predictors of better response included female gender, smaller volume, root and ganglion type tumors, and use of SRS as the primary management.