cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Phase II trial of high-dose intravenous doxorubicin, etoposide, and cyclophosphamide with autologous stem cell support in patients with residual or responding recurrent ovarian cancer.

This study was performed in order to evaluate the toxicities, progression-free and overall survival of patients with responsive residual or recurrent ovarian cancer treated with high-dose chemotherapy. Twenty-seven patients were treated. Doxorubicin, 165 mg/m2 over 96 h (days −12 to −8), etoposide 700 mg/m2 every day ×3 (days −6 to −4), and cyclophosphamide 4.2 g/m2 on d −3 was followed by stem cells and granulocyte colony-stimulating factor. The median days of granulocyte count <500/μl was 14 (range 10–42) and platelets <20 000/μl was 13 (range 2–80). Median numbers of red cell and platelet transfusions were 15 (5–16) and 14 (4–103). Toxicity included mucositis requiring narcotic analgesia in all patients. Asymptomatic decreases in ejection fraction to values <50% were observed in four patients. No clinical congestive heart failure was observed. One death due to sepsis was observed. Median progression-free survival is 7.5 months (1.0–56 months); five patients remain alive, two of whom remain progression-free at 19.5 and 24.5 months post transplant. Median overall survival is 14.0 months (1–68 months). We conclude that high-dose anthracyclines may be safely administered to ovarian cancer patients. The short overall and progression-free survivals observed in our population suggest that this combination is not optimal. Bone Marrow Transplantation (2001) 28, 859–863.
Response to the Case Study of Good Reasons

A surgeon is considering whether to acquiesce to parents’ request to circumcise their 6-year old daughter. His inclination to do this is based upon his factual assessments that attempts to change this ancient practice have failed and if the parents take their daughter to their home country, Senegal, she will be circumcised under unsterile conditions without anesthesia. In contrast, if he did the procedure, he would use anesthesia and sterile techniques. Second, it is based on a normative judgment that it is, or may be, wrong or inappropriate for people in one culture to try to change other people’s cultural values. His empirical premises are false and his normative judgment flawed and problematic. Consequently, for these and other reasons, he should not agree, or so I will argue.
Pretreatment predictors of adjuvant chemoradiation in patients receiving transoral robotic surgery for squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx: a case control study

The purpose of this study was to identify preoperative patient characteristics associated with the incidence of positive surgical margins or lymph node extracapsular extension (ECE), which necessitate adjuvant chemoradiation after transoral robotic surgery (TORS). We conducted a single institution retrospective study of 34 consecutive patients with primary oropharyngeal cancer who underwent TORS. All imaging was reviewed by a single neuroradiologist. Surgical margins and ECE status were determined by a single head and neck pathologist. Associations of preoperative patient characteristics with positive surgical margins and lymph node ECE were examined using univariate analysis. Independent predictors of these outcomes were determined using logistic regression. Preoperatively, the majority of patients had early-stage disease (7 cT1 and 21 cT2; 10 cN0). Positive margins occurred in 4 (12 %) patients. A clinically positive lymph node was seen in 23 (68 %) patients. Neck dissection was performed in 29 (85 %) patients, among whom 19 had a pathologically positive lymph node and 15 had nodal ECE. Logistic regression showed that larger preoperative lymph node size was an independent predictor of ECE (odds ratio, 13.32 [95 % CI, 1.46–121.43]). Among the 21 patients with a clinically positive lymph node who underwent neck dissection, ECE was present more often in patients with a preoperative node size ≥ 3.0 vs. < 3.0 cm (92 % vs. 44 %, P = 0.046). There was no patient characteristic associated with positive margins. Patients with a larger preoperative lymph node appear more likely to have ECE, and thus be treated with chemoradiation after TORS, with a potentially higher rate of toxicity. Lymph node size should be taken into account when deciding upon treatment approaches. Further research is needed to validate these results.
A Parts Database with Consensus Parameter Estimation for Synthetic Circuit Design.

Mathematical modeling and numerical simulation are crucial to support design decisions in synthetic biology. Accurate estimation of parameter values is key, as direct experimental measurements are difficult and time-consuming. Insufficient data, incompatible measurements, and specialized models that lack universal parameters make this task challenging. Here, we have created a database (PAMDB) that integrates data from 135 publications that contain 118 circuits and 165 genetic parts of the bacterium Escherichia coli. We used a succinct, universal model formulation to describe the part behavior in each circuit. We introduce a constrained consensus inference method that was used to infer the value of the model parameters and evaluated its performance through cross-validation in a benchmark of 23 circuits. We discuss these results and summarize the challenges in data integration and parameter inference. This work provides a resource and a methodology that can be used as a point of reference for synthetic circ...
Rural Women, Mental Health and Economic Development

Even though the United Nations has recognized the higher rates of mental illness among women throughout the world (Women’s International Network, 1985), the reality was virtually ignored by the recorders of the Decade of Women. The Forward-Looking Strategies do not mention the subject. I have chosen to incorporate mental health concerns into this chapter on rural women because they are most vulnerable, and because most of the world’s women live in rural areas. The content is based on cross-cultural research conducted at Forum ’85, the non-governmental component of the final United Nations Decade of Women meeting in Africa (Wetzel, 1987). This section deviates slightly from the format of other chapters in that the entire chapter is organized around the identified negative barriers and positive catalysts for human development and mental health. They are described in Chapter 1 as person-environment dimensions of Aloneness, Connectedness, Action, and Perception, and are the concepts on which the programs detailed in each chapter are based. Much of the discussion is also pertinent to urban women, many of whom are emigrating from rural areas, and are projected as a majority population in the early 21st century.
Reductive Carbonylation of Oxorhenium Hydrides Induced by Lewis Acids

Several oxorhenium hydride complexes with chelating diamidopyridine (DAP), diamidoamine (DAAm), and 2-mercaptoethyl sulfide (SSS) groups have been isolated and characterized. Adduct formation is observed when the DAP complex 1a is treated with the Lewis acid B(C6F5)3. However, treatment of 1a,b with B(C6F5)3 or BF3·OEt2 in the presence of CO results in reduction of the metal center by four electrons from Re(V) to Re(I).
The Utility of Nurse-Managed Extracorporeal Life Support in an Adult Cardiac Intensive Care Unit.

Background The use of extracorporeal life support (ECLS) worldwide has increased exponentially since 2009. The patient requiring ECLS demands an investment of hospital resources, including personnel. Educating bedside nurses to manage ECLS circuits broadens the availability of trained providers. Methods Experienced cardiothoracic intensive care unit (CTICU) nurses underwent training to manage ECLS circuits, including volume assessment, treatment of arterial blood gas values, the physiology of ECLS, and recognition of common emergencies. In addition to lectures and a written examination, simulation using water circuits and an ICU model allowed assessment of skills and understanding of concepts. Performance assessments were completed regularly at the bedside, and skills revalidation occurred every 6 months. A sequential cohort of 40 patients was tracked over 1 year. Results Despite doubling the census of ECLS patients in 1 year, management by specially trained CTICU nurses has positively affected patient care and outcomes. At a single institution, 40 patients had a median of 6 days (interquartile range, 2 to 226 days) of support in 2014, leading to 767 patient-days of support. Survival to hospital discharge increased to 45% in 2014. Most survivors were weaned from support. Neurologic injury was the most common cause of death, followed by failure to qualify for advanced therapies. Conclusions With on-going education and assessment, including crisis training, physiology, and cannulation strategies, CTICU nurses can safely operate ECLS circuits and can increase the availability of appropriately trained providers to accommodate the exponential increase in ECLS occurrences without negatively affecting outcomes and generally at a lower cost.
My Journey to Fuzziness in Berkeley

Fuzzy set theory has been well-known and accepted in the Soviet Union since Lotfi Zadeh presented a talk at the Cybernetics Congress in the Soviet Union in 1965. In fact, it was the first presentation of his new brainchild. It was not until 1976 that I became really interested in the theory after reading Zadeh’s monograph The Concept of a Linguistic Variable and its Application to Approximate Reasoning published in Russian [1]. The monograph was a translation of three Lotfi’s preprints that were published about the same time as papers in Information Sciences. It immediately became apparent to me that the methodology of fuzzy set theory could be useful in the work that I was engaged in with my PhD student V.B. Kuz’min. I was right and by 1978 we wrote three papers in which fuzzy set theory was successfully applied to various decision problems. Two of these papers [2, 3] were submitted to the journal Fuzzy Sets and Systems that was lounched in the same year. My own studies in the area of fuzzy sets and systems were greatly influenced by the pioneering Zadeh’s paper Similarity relations and fuzzy orderings [4]. In September of 1979, I submitted a paper on fuzzy binary relations [5] to Fuzzy Sets and Systems. During 1979, I was in the process of waiting for permission to leave the Soviet Union and could not submit the paper through the official channels. The paper was smuggled to Hans-Juergen Zimmermann who was the Editor-in-Chief of the journal at the time.
Rural Development, Employment, Chronic Health, and Economic Conditions in Canada

Challenges to rural communities in Canada do not solely fall on the reduction of agriculturally based industries but the lack of educational opportunities and attainment of its citizens, high percentage of unskilled workers, poorer health conditions in comparison to their urban counterpart, barriers to transportation, higher proportion of adults age 65 and over, and extreme weather conditions. Rural regions of Canada have a shortage of healthcare and human service providers because of a lack of equitable distribution. Canada is made up of provinces and territories with various core themes that affect rural settings. In this chapter, we explore the conditions affecting rural Canada and discuss implications and recommendations for the rehabilitation counseling professional.
Stability of Pd nanoparticles on carbon-coated supports under hydrothermal conditions

Hydrothermal stability is one of the major challenges facing heterogeneous catalysis in biomass conversion to chemicals or fuels. Though carbon supports have shown better hydrothermal stability than common metal oxide supports like alumina and silica, improving the stability of metal nanoparticles supported on carbon still remains a challenge. In this work, carbon-coated SBA-15 (mesoporous silica) materials in which thin carbon overlayers were pyrolyzed at 300, 400, and 600 °C giving different surface chemistries, as quantitatively verified by 13C NMR and XPS. As the pyrolysis temperature increased, the carbon overlayer had fewer oxygen functional groups and more aromatic groups. After depositing Pd nanoparticles on the support, hydrothermal treatments and aqueous-phase furfural hydrogenation were used to test the catalyst stability. Better Pd dispersion and enhanced hydrothermal stability were observed when Pd was supported on the carbon-coated SBA-15 pyrolyzed at lower temperature.
Ultimate Hope and Fundamental Hope: Concluding Position

The notion of ultimate hope employed so far in this essay has a major difficulty: it permits a radical pluralism in what it can refer to. Ultimate hope is aimed hope, and includes whatever de facto is most desired and believed possible. This is not to claim that everyone has such hope, nor even that some do; the notion does single out whatever hope “outranks,” predominates, or is accorded priority when hopes can be in conflict. It is now time to recognize how such hopes can be grouped, in order to take systematic account of the contributions of Bloch, Kant, and Marcel, and to forward the reflection of this essay. Initially, the focus is on types of ultimate hope according to their objectives, and of these the two most central for understanding ultimate hope are the notions of reciprocal benefit and relational benefit.
THE NATURE AND MECHANISM OF ACTION OF THE CALCINOGENIC PRINCIPLE OF Solanum malacoxylon AND Cestrum diurnum, AND A COMMENT ON Trisetum flavescens

I. ABSTRACT Calcinosis in grazing animals has been described in various parts of the world and the cause has been attributed to the ingestion of certain plant species. In Argentina and Brazil, the plant involved is Solanum malacoxylon; in Miami, Florida , Cestrum diurnum; and in Austria and Germany , Trisetum flavescens. Glycosides of the active metabolite of vitamin D3, i.e., 1, 25-dihydroxycholecalciferol, have been identified in S. malacoxylon and C. diurnum, and are undoubtedly the calcinogenic principles in these plants. The calcinogenic principle in T. flavescens has not been identified.
Exclusive Electron Scattering from Deuterium at High Q2

Cross sections are presented for the reaction 2H(e,e’p)n for momentum transfers in the range 1.0 ≤ Q 2 ≤ 6.8 (GeV/c)2 and for missing momenta from 0 to 250 MeV/c. The longitudinal-transverse interference structure function has been separated at Q 2 = 1.2 (GeV/c)2. The observables are compared to calculations performed in non-relativistic and relativistic frameworks. The best description of the data is found using a fully relativistic treatment.
Leadership in clinical dietetics: Meeting the challenge to roles in nutritional support

The success of efforts to improve nutrition training of other health professionals poses a threat to the position of clinical dietitians as authorities in nutrition. In situations in which no dietitians are present or dietitians' skills are not recognized, pharmacists and nurses are especially likely to take over nutritional support roles traditionally assigned to the clinical dietitian. At the University of California, San Francisco, where dietitians are included in nutrition education and patient care programs and where understanding of the role of the dietitian is a stated educational goal, a preliminary survey suggests that conflicts occur in roles that are shared by members of nutritional support teams. Factors contributing to role conflicts include not only inadequate education of other health professionals but also problems of job expectations, education, training, and self-image among dietitians. Improved training in clinical nutrition, acquisition of better team and patient care skills, documentation of the effectiveness of dietetic services, and efforts to improve status and visibility would help alleviate role conflicts and ensure clinical dietitians a more rewarding place in the health care system.
Synaptogenesis and Recovery from Cortical Trauma

After damage to the nervous system, remaining neurons display a remarkable ability to form new synaptic connections, presumably in an attempt to restore disrupted communication links. Based on recent animal experiments, it is clear that neuroanatomical reorganization is regulated by time-dependent waves of growth-promoting and growth-inhibiting genes, through a process similar to that occurring during development. Understanding the molecular events regulating neurite outgrowth and the patterns of new connections that form after injury, will allow us to develop more effective interventions that take advantage of the brain's self-repair processes.
How Parents Manage Young Children’s Mobile Media Use

The purpose of this chapter is to discuss how parents manage young children’s media use in today’s media environment. I focus on the concept of parental mediation (parent–child discussion, regulation, and co-use of media) and discuss its conceptualization, the research that has been devoted to it, and its applicability within a new media landscape in which children’s media consumption is increasingly private and mobile. In addition, I discuss parental attitudes toward their children’s media use, parents’ own media habits, and how the habits shape parenting choices, child outcomes, and family dynamics. I conclude that the decision to provide parental mediation is based on consideration of trade-offs, including costs (e.g., time, energy, and money) and perceived benefits of children’s media use (e.g., learning, entertainment, and soothing). Suggestions for future research are provided.
Predicting High-Dimensional Isotope Relationships from Diagnostic Fractionation Factors in Systems with Diffusional Mass Transfer

A dual or multiple stable isotope relationship, for example, a trajectory in a δ−δ (or δ′−δ′) space, can be used to deduce the relationship of underlying diagnostic isotope fractionation factors (α) and therefore reveal the mechanism of a reaction process. While temporal data sampled from a closed-system can be treated by a Rayleigh distillation model, spatial data should be treated by a reaction-transport model. Owing to an apparent similarity between the temporal and spatial trajectories, the research community has often ignored this distinction and applied a Rayleigh distillation model to cases where a reaction-transport model should be applied. To examine the potential error of this practice, here we compare the results of a Rayleigh distillation model to a diffusional reaction-transport model by simulating the trajectories in nitrate’s δ′18O−δ′15N space during a simple denitrification process. We found that an incorrect application of a Rayleigh distillation model can underestimate the degree of a di...
Influence of mix design parameters on asphalt concrete aging rate using I-FIT specimens

Abstract Aging is considered an important factor contributing to the deterioration of asphalt concrete (AC) pavements. As a result of aging, the resistance of AC pavements to various forms of cracking including fatigue, thermal, or block is reduced. Therefore, it is critical to understand the effect of aging on AC pavement cracking development and identify the effect of AC mix design parameters on the aging rate. A wide range of AC surface mixes was investigated in this study using the Illinois Flexibility Index Test (I-FIT) after the specimens were subjected to various lab-simulated aging conditions. The flexibility index (FI), an I-FIT outcome parameter, decreases consistently after long-term aging. This effect is primarily due to changes in the post-peak slope, which represents crack growth rate. The effect of mix design parameters on FI deduction rate (or aging rate) was analyzed using statistical methods. Single and multiple linear regression techniques were implemented to identify the significant of AC mix design parameters on the aging rate. The effect of voids in mineral aggregate (VMA), low-temperature true grade, asphalt binder replacement (ABR), mix type, and effective asphalt content was found to be significant. The increase of ABR, effective asphalt content, and VMA, and/or a decrease of low-temperature true grade induce a decrease in the aging rate of AC.
Deep‐ultraviolet laser ablation electrospray ionization mass spectrometry

A 193-nm wavelength deep ultraviolet laser was used for ambient laser ablation electrospray ionization mass spectrometry of biological samples. A pulsed ArF excimer laser was used to ablate solid samples, and the resulting plume of the desorbed material merged with charged electrospray droplets to form ions that were detected with a quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometer. Solutions containing peptide and protein standards up to 66-kDa molecular weight were deposited on a metal target, dried, and analyzed. No fragmentation was observed from peptides and proteins as well as from the more easily fragmented vitamin B12 molecule. The mass spectra contained peaks from multiply charged ions that were identical to conventional electrospray. Deep UV laser ablation of tissue allowed detection of lipids from untreated tissue. The mechanism of ionization is postulated to involve absorption of laser energy by a fraction of the analyte molecules that act as a sacrificial matrix or by residual water in the sample.
Psychoanalytic Hospital Treatment in the Twenty-First Century

The Austen Riggs Center is a therapeutic community and open psychiatric hospital dedicated to promoting resilience and self-direction in those with complex psychiatric problems. As an institution, ...
Differing Perspectives in Cross-Cultural Research.

Edited byJacquelyn H. Flaskerud, PhD, RN, FAANSchool of Nursing, University of California, Los Angeles, California, USAJanna Lesser, PhD, RNSchool of Nursing, University of Texas Health Science Cen...
Organizational Contexts and University Performance Outcomes: The Limited Role of Purposive Action in the Management of Institutional Status

Institutional researchers and decision makers have long been interested in the management of university status. To this end, the present inquiry examines the stability of various university performance indicators representing size, student aptitude, faculty scholarship, graduate programs, and ratings. Although these various institutional attributes are associated with status, changes in their characteristics are not found to be associated with changes in status. Instead, institutional status is found to be quite stable over time, largely predicated on past status levels. These findings offer a forum within which to discuss university status for the purpose of managing institutional change.
Secondary Teachers' and Their Supervisors' Perceptions of Current and Desired Observation Practices.

The purpose of this research is to provide insight on how to improve current classroom observation practices in order to meet the needs of teachers, promote professional growth, and develop effective supervision practices. This study built upon previous research which identified four key components of a classroom observation process that promotes instructional growth and development: instructional improvement practice, purpose of observation, professional trust, and reflective thinking (Ginsberg, 2003; Card 2006). These dimensions were used in this study and results were analyzed by teacher, by supervisor, and then compared by teacher and supervisor. The participants in this study consisted of 263 faculty from one junior-senior high school district in Nassau County, New York grades 7-12. Subjects were asked to respond to a 38 question survey, which asked teachers and supervisors to respond to how frequently they experienced a specific behavior, and how desirable or important they believed that behavior was as an action that would help improve teacher performance. The research showed that teachers and supervisors agreed on important practices that promote instructional improvement of teachers, but they disagreed on the extent to which it existed in their current process. Supervisors demonstrated higher scores for existence of practice when compared to teachers. Professional trust represented the largest mean change score for existing practice.
Bisphenol A (BPA) induces progesterone receptor expression in an estrogen receptor α-dependent manner in perinatal brain.

Abstract Bisphenol A (BPA) is a xenoestrogen that is prevalent in the environment of industrialized nations due its use in the production of many plastic household items. Virtually all adults in the U.S. have detectable levels of BPA in urine and it can be measured in fetal serum and in breastmilk, making developmental exposure a particular concern. The present study utilizes a progesterone receptor (PR) expression bioassay to assess the estrogen receptor α (ERα)-dependent effects of BPA in fetal rodent brain following maternal exposure. Maternal ingestion of 10 μg/kg/day, but not 50 μg/kg/day, BPA from gestational day 14–22 significantly increased levels of PR immunoreactivity (PRir) in the medial preoptic nucleus (MPN) of female offspring. PR expression in the perinatal MPN is highly dependent on the activation of ERα, but not ERβ, by estrogens. Indeed, injections of BPA (5 μg/kg) to neonates from postnatal day 2–4 (P2–4) significantly increased PR expression in the MPN of postnatal day 5 females compared to the MPN of females administered the oil vehicle. However, pretreatment with the ER antagonist, ICI 182,780 from P1–4 significantly attenuated the effects of BPA on PR expression, indicating an ERα-dependent mechanism. The present results also demonstrate a non-monotonic effect of BPA on the direct expression of a transcription factor in developing brain.
Pre-diagnosis health-related quality of life and survival in older women with endometrial cancer.

Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is an important prognostic factor in cancer patients. To date, no other studies have assessed the association between HRQOL measured before diagnosis and survival in older women with endometrial cancer. The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results – Medicare Health Outcomes Survey linked database was used to identify 995 women who were at least 65 years old and completed a survey before diagnosis with endometrial cancer. We obtained scores for 10 HRQOL scales, as measured by Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36 and Veterans RAND 12-Item Survey, and data on activities of daily living (ADLs) impairments and depressive symptoms. Fine and Gray competing risks regression and Cox proportional hazards were used to estimate the association of HRQOL with endometrial cancer-specific and overall survival, respectively. Women who died had worse pre-diagnosis HRQOL than women who were still alive at the end of the study period. For every five-point increase in HRQOL score, overall survival improved by 5–9%. The strongest associations were observed for vitality (HR = 0.91, 95% CI 0.86, 0.97, p = 0.0021) and physical functioning (HR = 0.92, 95% CI 0.87, 0.97, p = 0.0010). ADL impairments were generally not predictive of survival, though depressive symptoms were significantly associated with increased hazard of death from all causes (HR = 1.34, 95% CI 1.00, 1.79, p = 0.0466). HRQOL measured before diagnosis with endometrial cancer has prognostic value. Having measures of HRQOL available at diagnosis may facilitate timely supportive care to improve survival.
Prior Day Negative Affect Influences Current Day Procrastination: A Lagged Daily Diary Analysis.

Background and objectives: Procrastination is a common problem among college students. Negative affect associated with stress and anxiety is linked to higher levels of procrastination. Although the...
Angiotensin II antagonists and gastrointestinal bleeding in left ventricular assist devices: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB) especially from arteriovenous malformations (AVM) remains one of the devastating complications following continuous-flow left ventricular device (CF-LVAD) implantati...
Botulinum Toxin for Pediatric Patients, Who? For What? When?

It is unanimously accepted in medicine that children are not simply miniature adults and require specialized medical care. In children with chronic diseases, treatment strategies are often limited by this population’s vulnerability, capacity for understanding the disease/consequences of treatment, research procedures, and alternative options. Still, this vulnerability should not deprive them of a strong and specifically targeted research which may enhance outcomes and quality of life.
Methods and Tools for Teaching Health Profession Students How to Perform Community Health Needs Assessments

Public health and health administration programs play a critical role in training future health profession leaders to be strategic and efficacious in this current dynamic environment. As the health...
Gender, HIV knowledge and prevention attitudes among adolescents living with HIV participating in an economic empowerment intervention in Uganda.

HIV disproportionately affect adolescent girls and young women in sub-Saharan Africa. In Uganda, the HIV prevalence is four times higher in adolescent girls compared to boys. This study examined ge...
Nutritional Aspect of Sex-Dependent Difference in Heart Disease

According to a 2019 report by the American Heart Association, cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death worldwide, accounting for more than 17.6 million deaths per year in 2016; this number is expected to grow to more than 23.6 million by 2030. Body composition, which is influenced by nutritional status, is considered to have a great significance in determining the incidence of chronic diseases including heart disease. The difference in body composition is not only affected by age, race, and heredity, but also to a greater extent by sex. Biological males and females show variable body fat at different locations as males tend to accumulate more fat in the abdominal area and females in the thighs and buttocks. This sex difference in fat distribution is considered to determine the difference in the susceptibility of males and females to various pathological stimuli for the development of heart disease. Because males have higher muscle mass as compared to females of the same age, difference in the metabolic status of the body has also been shown to determine sex difference for the occurrence of heart disease. Furthermore, in view of the role of different sex hormones in determining the incidence of heart disease, the interaction of sex hormones with some nutritional factors and metabolic pathways has been explored to explain gender difference for the development of cardiovascular abnormalities.
Community Factors Associated With Telemedicine Use During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

This cross-sectional study investigates which community factors may be associated with the increase in telemedicine use during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Estimation of Washload Produced on Certain Small Watersheds

Present knowledge on the prediction of suspended load production on small watersheds reveals that with the exception of the universal soil-loss equation, and sediment-rating techniques, a rational method does not exist. A method is presented that is analogous to Sherman's unit-hydrograph method. The ordinates of a sediment discharge graph are divided by the excess runoff that mobilized it, producing a unit sediment discharge graph. For many storm events, unit sediment discharge graphs are generated that vary considerably in peak value and shape. The ordinates of the latter graphs are then plotted logarithmically against their respective excess runoff, yielding data points that can be fitted by straight lines. Estimation of sediment discharge or of a sediment discharge graph for a given excess runoff can therefore be accomplished. Bixler Run Watershed, Pa., 15 sq miles (39 sq km) in area, was selected as a data source. Granulometric tests disclosed that the suspended sediment in Bixler Run is predominantly washload.
Discovering Semantically Similar Associations (SeSA) for Complex Mappings between Conceptual Models

There is an increasing demand for discovering meaningfulrelationships, i.e., mappings, between conceptual models for interoperability. Current solutions have been focusing on the discovery of correspondences between elements in different conceptual models. However, a complexmapping associating a structure connecting a set of elements in one conceptual model with a structure connecting a set of elements in another conceptual model is required in many cases. In this paper, we propose a novel technique for discovering semantically similar associations (SeSA) for constructing complex mappings. Given a pair of conceptual models, we create a mapping graphby taking the cross product of the two conceptual model graphs. Each edge in the mapping graph is assigned a weight based on the semantic similarity of the two elements encoded by the edge. We then turn the problem of discovering semantically similar associations (SeSA) into the problem of finding shortest paths in the mapping graph. We experiment different combinations of values for element similarities according to the semantic types of the elements. By choosing the set of values that have the best performance on controlled mapping cases, we apply the algorithm on test conceptual models drawn from a variety of applications. The experimental results show that the proposed technique is effective in discovering semantically similar associations (SeSA).
The Rise of the New Asian Lobbies in Washington, D.C: China, India and South Korea

Of the various types of lobbies in Washington, D.C. scholars probably know less about the lobbies representing the interests of foreign nation than any category. There have been just a handful of studies that have examined the foreign lobbies with most of the work done of the Israeli lobby and the Old China Lobby of the 1950s and 1960s. Mearsheimer and Walt’s 2007 book on The Israel Lobby produced a firestorm in American politics over whether that lobby had an undue influence on U.S. foreign policy. Other academic work has mentioned the Cuban, Armenian and Irish lobbies as particularly powerful. But, very little is known about the many lobbies in our capitol that represent foreign interests. Other than the Old China Lobby ((1920-1973) and a couple of studies of the Japan Lobby of the 1980s, Asian lobbies have been generally ignored. Very little is known about the lobbies that represent the rising powers of Asia: China, India and South Korea. Probably the biggest story of the past three decades has been the rise of China to great power status. Nations on the rise sooner or later understand that they need effective representation in American politics as the political, economic and security issues begin to mount in frequency and significance. In this paper, we focus on the history and the rise of three of these rising Asian lobbies: the New China Lobby, the India Lobby and the Korean Lobbies. We will close with a discussion on how the foreign nations’ lobbies and the American ethnic lobbies work together to represent foreign national interests and what elements combine to make for a significant foreign lobby.
Towards sustainable systems of land administration: Recent evidence and challenges for Africa

A number of factors, including a recent rediscovery of the agricultural sector, growing demands for large-scale land acquisition, and economic growth, have increased demand for land registration in Africa. On the basis of a review of evidence, we argue that, in most cases, a key benefit from such interventions will be greater tenure security and the associated investment or rental market participation rather than credit effects. Interventions to formalize rights in the African context need to be designed so as to minimize associated risks and be sustainable in the long term. The example of recent land registration in Ethiopia shows not only that this can be accomplished but also that, even in an imperfect policy environment, it can yield significant benefits in terms of land-related investment and greater land rental market participation.
Regulation of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Replication by 2′,5′-Oligoadenylate-Dependent RNase L

Activation of RNase L by 2',5'-linked oligoadenylates (2-5A) is one of the antiviral pathways of interferon action. To determine the involvement of the 2-5A system in the control of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) replication, a segment of the HIV-1 nef gene was replaced with human RNase L cDNA. HIV-1 provirus containing sense orientation RNase L cDNA caused increased expression of RNase L and 500- to 1,000-fold inhibition of virus replication in Jurkat cells for a period of about 2 weeks. Subsequently, a partial deletion of the RNase L cDNA which coincided with increases in virus production occurred. The anti-HIV activity of RNase L correlated with decreases in HIV-1 RNA and with an acceleration in cell death accompanied by DNA fragmentation. Replication of HIV-1 encoding RNase L was also transiently suppressed in peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBL). In contrast, recombinant HIV containing reverse orientation RNase L cDNA caused decreased levels of RNase L, increases in HIV yields, and reductions in the anti-HIV effect of alpha interferon in PBL and in Jurkat cells. To obtain constitutive and continuous expression of RNase L cDNA, Jurkat cells were cotransfected with HIV-1 proviral DNA and with plasmid containing a cytomegalovirus promoter driving expression of RNase L cDNA. The RNase L plasmid suppressed HIV-1 replication by eightfold, while an antisense RNase L construct enhanced virus production by twofold. These findings demonstrate that RNase L can severely impair HIV replication and suggest involvement of the 2-5A system in the anti-HIV effect of alpha interferon.
Chapter 18 Difficult Clinical Situations in the Antiphospholipid Syndrome

Abstract Despite the increased understanding of the mechanisms and clinical manifestations of the antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), very few studies address the treatment of antiphospholipid antibody (aPL)-positive patients in a risk-stratified, prospective, and controlled manner. Furthermore, the literature on the non-criteria features of aPL such as thrombocytopenia or cardiac valve disease is limited. Thus, the management of some aPL-positive patients remains largely empirical and, in daily practise, physicians are frequently faced with challenging APS questions without evidence-based answers. The purpose of this chapter is to review the management of difficult clinical situations in APS and to provide the reader with information that may aid in their decision-making process. Chapter 15 provides a comprehensive approach to primary and secondary thrombosis prevention in aPL-positive patients as well as the management of pregnancies. Difficult clinical situations in APS addressed here are chosen because of existing controversies in patient management and/or the lack of published data.
The Imposter Phenomenon: An Internal Barrier to Empowerment and Achievement

In 1978, Clance and Imes developed the term Imposter Phenomenon (IP) to designate an internal experience of intellectual phoniness that seemed to be particularly prevalent among a select sample of high achieving women. They worked with 150 highly successful women from a wide range of professional fields such as law, nursing, medicine, social work, and university teaching, plus students at g raduate and undergraduate levels. Clance and Imes had worked with their subjects in clinical settings such as individual psychotherapy or theme-centered interactional groups or small discussion-oriented college classes. These subjects had obtained earned degrees, high scores on standardized tests, or professional recognition from colleagues or organizations, yet they did not experience an internal sense of success. They were afraid they were "impostors" who did not belong "here with all these bright, competent people." They were very frightened that others would discover that they were not as competent as they appeared to be, and dreaded such discovery. They attributed their success to hard work, luck, knowing the right people, being in the right place at the right time, or to their interpersonal assets such as charm and the ability to relate well, rather than to ability or competence. For instance, students often said the admissions committee had made an error. One student expressed her feelings by s aying, "I walk around thinking I'm the Michigan mistake." A highly respected professional woman explained, "I just got my job as a fluke. They needed someone at mid-year and so very few qualified applicants applied." The reality was that the students who were feeling like impostors were among the highest ranked students and the search committee for the woman professional had selected her out of a pool of many highly qualified candidates. These subjects were ingenious at negating objective external evidence that indicated they were indeed very bright. They had tremendous difficulty in accepting compliments or positive feedback. If they received an excellent quarterly evaluation they might think, "This agency or institution does not have very high standards if they think I'm good." Yet, if they received any negative feedback they belied it and tended to remember it as evidence of their deficits. These women often experienced a terror of failure. They thought if they made a mistake or failed at something, they would feel foolish and be humiliated. Consequently, they went to great lengths to avoid any mistakes or failures.
Park, Shelley M. (2013). Mothering queerly, queering motherhood: Resisting monomaternalism in adoptive, lesbian, blended, and polygamous families

Multiple forms of contemporary postmodern families don't fit the middle-class, nuclear, heterosexual arrangement of a father, a mother, and their 2.5 children. Underlying this familial system is wh...
Fe-saturation and proteolysis of human lactoferrin: effect on brush-border receptor-mediated uptake of Fe and Mn

We have previously characterized a brush-border membrane receptor that facilitates iron uptake from human lactoferrin. The receptor is specific for human and monkey lactoferrin and does not recognize human transferrin or bovine lactoferrin. In this study, iron uptake from lactoferrin fragments was studied, as well as from lactoferrin partially saturated with iron. Brush-border membrane vesicles (BBMV) prepared from infant rhesus monkey small intestine efficiently accumulated iron from lactoferrin half-molecules, although competition experiments showed that intact lactoferrin has a higher affinity toward the receptor. Lactoferrin partially saturated with iron also effectively delivered iron to the receptor, whereas the affinity was lower than for lactoferrin saturated with iron. Lactoferrin also carries a large proportion of human milk manganese, and receptor-mediated uptake of lactoferrin-bound manganese into BBMV was demonstrated, although this complex had lower affinity than that found for iron-lactoferrin. Thus, although the receptor has a preference for intact iron-saturated lactoferrin, partially digested lactoferrin and partially iron-saturated lactoferrin can also deliver iron to the receptor. Therefore, these molecular species, which are likely to occur in the gastrointestinal tract of the infant, may contribute to the high degree of iron absorption from human milk lactoferrin.
Physical activity considerations for the treatment and prevention of obesity

Overweight and obesity present significant public health concerns because of the link with numerous chronic health conditions. Excess body weight is a result of an imbalance between energy intake and energy expenditure. Physical activity is the most variable component of energy expenditure and therefore has been the target of behavioral interventions to modify body weight. It appears that physical activity is an important component on long-term weight control, and therefore adequate levels of activity should be prescribed to combat the obesity epidemic. Although there is evidence that 30 min of moderate-intensity physical activity may improve health outcomes, the amount of physical activity that may be necessary to control body weight may be >30 min/d. There is a growing body of scientific literature suggesting that at least 60 min of moderate-intensity physical activity may be necessary to maximize weight loss and prevent significant weight regain. Moreover, adequate levels of physical activity appear to be important for the prevention of weight gain and the development of obesity. Physical activity also appears to have an independent effect on health-related outcomes when compared with body weight, suggesting that adequate levels of activity may counteract the negative influence of body weight on health outcomes. Thus, it is important to target intervention strategies to facilitate the adoption and maintenance of an adequate amount of physical activity to control body weight.
Deflation and the Income Tax

The extensive literature on inflation and the income tax shows that a tax-system based on nominal costs and revenues may result in considerable distortion even at moderate degrees of inflation. Much of this distortion arises from the use of unindexed historical cost to compute taxes for items such as depreciable assets, inventories, and capital gains. This approach results in over-taxation and consequent increases in the cost of capital. It is tempting, but mistaken, to think that a deflationary environment involves the same phenomena but with the signs reversed. As inflation falls and turns into deflation, the impacts on items subject to historical cost accounting change continuously but only up the point where deflation reaches the "zero bound rate," the rate at which nominal riskless interest rates fall to zero. For perpetual rates of deflation equal or greater than the zero bound rate, any tax system that allows full recovery of nominal costs and provides for full taxation of nominal gains becomes equivalent to a cash flow income tax regardless of the timing for cost recovery specified by the tax system. No distortions arise from historical cost accounting or other timing rules in the tax system. The zero bound rate serves as a discontinuity with respect to the interaction of many features of the tax system with inflation or deflation. Above that rate, the cost of capital for depreciable assets falls as the inflation rate falls. Below that rate, the opposite occurs: The cost of capital increases as deflation intensifies. Similar discontinuities occur at the zero bound rate for the tax treatment of debt and the impact of loss limitations. Above the zero bound rate, certain factors in the tax system tend to make the impact of inflation less than one-to-one on the cost of debt for borrowers. Below the zero bound rate, there is a one-to-one effect. Loss limitation effects for new investments intensify as inflation falls, but this effect stops once the zero bound rate is reached. Given the current stance of central banks, individual and firms are more likely to expect a bout of deflation lasting several quarters or years than perpetual deflation. The impact of expected temporary deflation on the user cost of capital for depreciable assets depends on the expected intensity of the deflation. If individuals and firms expect temporary moderate deflation, the user cost of capital will fall, with the percentage drops being larger for shorter-lived assets. If individuals and firms expect temporary severe deflation, the user cost will rise and more so in percentage terms for long-lived assets. This paper is addressed to a general audience and consequently contains a great deal of basic background material. Results that the author believes are new are concentrated in Parts II and IV. Part I reviews some well-known results on inflation and taxation. Part III provides a macroeconomics orientation that serves as background for the discussion in Part IV. Some readers may wish to focus primarily or solely on Parts II and IV.