cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Treating Obstructive Sleep Apnea and Chronic Intermittent Hypoxia Improves the Severity of Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in Children.

Objective To determine the effects of treating obstructive sleep apnea/nocturnal hypoxia on pediatric nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) severity and oxidative stress. Study design Biopsy proven participants (n = 9) with NAFLD and obstructive sleep apnea/hypoxia were studied before and after treatment with continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) for sleep disordered breathing, including laboratory testing and markers of oxidative stress, urine F(2)-isoprostanes. Results Adolescents (age 11.5 ± 1.2 years; body mass index, 29.5 ± 3.8 kg/m2) with significant NAFLD (mean histologic necroinflammation grade, 2.3 ± 0.9; fibrosis stage, 1.4 ± 1.3; NAFLD Activity Score summary, 4.8 ± 1.6) had obstructive sleep apnea/hypoxia by polysomnography. At baseline, they had severe obstructive sleep apnea/hypoxia, elevated aminotransferases, the metabolic syndrome, and significant oxidative stress (high F(2)-isoprostanes). Obstructive sleep apnea/hypoxia was treated with home CPAP for a mean 89 ± 62 days. Although body mass index increased, obstructive sleep apnea/hypoxia severity improved on CPAP and was accompanied by reduced alanine aminotransferase, metabolic syndrome markers, and F(2)-isoprostanes. Conclusions This study provides strong evidence that treatment of obstructive sleep apnea/nocturnal hypoxia with CPAP in children with NAFLD may reverse parameters of liver injury and reduce oxidative stress. These data also suggest CPAP as a new therapy to prevent progression of NAFLD in those children with obesity found to have obstructive sleep apnea/nocturnal hypoxia.
The Phenomenologico-Sociological Conception of the “Human Being-on-the- Brink-of-Existence”: A New Approach to Socio-Communal Psychiatry

The Twentieth Century will probably be remembered, among other things, for a general preoccupation with communication.
A Unified Middle-Range Theory of Artifact Design

In this chapter, a middle-range theory is built that links specific aspects of the form of material culture to specific factors that can determine form. The tactics presented in Chapter 6 for building such a middle-range theory are used. The general nature of material style defined there, including its hierarchical and technological aspects, serves as a guiding perspective for building the theory.
Health-Related Internet Resources

Many of the Web sites listed in the previous chapter have general surgery or a surgical specialty as their focus. The Web pages highlighted here fall more into the category of general medicine, although many have a section or sections dedicated to surgery. These pages typically are the highly trafficked sites with commercial appeal.
Motion Planning for Radiation Sources during High-Dose-Rate Brachytherapy

High-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy is a type of radiation treatment for cancer. In this procedure, a physician guides radioactive sources through catheters that have been inserted inside or near the cancerous tumors. The goal is to provide a high radioactive dose to treat the tumor while not significantly damaging surrounding healthy tissues. HDR brachytherapy has been successfully used for treating many types of cancer, including prostate cancer [176], cervical cancer [145], and breast cancer [107].
Diastolic heart failure. Diagnosis, prognosis, treatment.

It is now abundantly clear that congestive heart failure caused by a predominant abnormality in diastolic function (i.e., diastolic heart failure) is common and causes a significant increase in morbidity and mortality. However, there is continued controversy surrounding the terminology used to describe patients with heart failure and the criteria used to make the diagnosis of diastolic heart failure. As a result, clinical therapeutic trials have been slow to develop and difficult to design. Fortunately, these controversies are yielding to an emerging consensus. Recent clinical studies have provided sufficient data to develop standardized diagnostic criteria to define diastolic heart failure. Experimental studies have provided increased insight into the mechanisms causing diastolic heart failure. Together, these clinical and experimental studies are being used to design targeted clinical trials to test effective treatments for diastolic heart failure. The purpose of this review is to describe the criteria used to diagnose diastolic heart failure, the effects of diastolic heart failure on prognosis, and approaches to treatment.
Applications of Interval Computations to Regional Economic Input-Output Models

Economic input-output models are empirical realizations of general equilibrium economic models. They are particularly useful in determining how various industrial sectors of the economy are interrelated and in predicting how these sectors respond to changes in economic activity. In the United States state and regional models are frequently used to help formulate local economic policy. Wassily Leontief is generally credited with the first useful implementation [5].
Cross-Ring Fragmentation Patterns in the Tandem Mass Spectra of Underivatized Sialylated Oligosaccharides and Their Special Suitability for Spectrum Library Searching

Reference spectral library searching, while widely used to identify compounds in other areas of mass spectrometry, is not commonly used in glycomics. Building on a study by Cotter and coworkers on analysis of sialylated oligosaccharides using atmospheric pressure-matrix-assisted laser-induced tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS), we show that library search methods enable the automated differentiation of such sialylated oligosaccharide isomers using MS/MS derived from electrospray collision-induced dissociation in ion trap and beam-type fragmentation mass spectrometers. We compare MS/MS spectra of five sets of native sialylated oligosaccharide isomers and show a spectral library search method that can distinguish between these isomers using the precursor ion [M+2X-H]+, where X=Li, Na, or K. Sialic acid linkage (α2,3 vs. α2,6) is known to have a dramatic effect on the fragmentation of the sialylated compounds. We found that 2,4A3 cross-ring fragment at the terminal monosaccharide in sialyllactoses, sialyllactosamines, and sialyl pentasaccharides is highly abundant in the MS/MS spectra of [M+2X-H]+ species of α2,6-NeuAc glycans, while (2,4A3-H2O) fragment is highly abundant in α2,3-NeuAc moiety. The 2,4A3-H2O peak is specific to NeuAc-α2,3-Gal-β1,4-Y (Y=GlcNAc or Glc). To our knowledge, this observation was not reported previously. Theoretical calculations reveal major conformational differences between α2,6-NeuAc and α2,3-NeuAc structures that provide reasonable explanations for the observed fragmentation patterns. Other singly-charged ions ([M+X]+) do not show similar cross-ring cleavages. Implemented in a searchable library, these spectral differences provide a facile method to distinguish sialyl isomers without derivatization. We also found good spectral matching across instruments. MS/MS spectra and tools are available at http://chemdata.nist.gov/glycan/spectra . Graphical Abstract.
An integrative approach reveals genetic complexity and epigenetic perturbation in acute promyelocytic leukemia: a single institution experience

Acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) is a distinct type of acute myeloid leukemia that is defined by the presence of the translocations that mostly involve the RARA gene. The most frequent translocation is the t(15;17), which fuses the RARA gene with the PML gene. Previous studies have shown that other cooperative mutations are required for the development of APL after the initiating event of the t(15;17). In this study, we combined cytogenetics with next-generation sequencing and single-nucleotide polymorphism array to study the genetic complexity in 20 APL cases diagnosed in our institution. All but 3 cases had additional genetic aberrations. Our study demonstrated that somatic mutations are frequent events in APL. In addition to the previously reported recurrent cooperative mutations in the FLT3, WT1, and RAS genes, we identified mutations in several epigenetic modifiers, including TET2, EZH2, and DNMT3A, co-occurring with either FLT3 or WT1 mutations. Mutations of the WT1 gene and chromosome 11p copy neutral loss of heterozygosity affecting WT1 are present in a third of the cases in our series. Two-thirds of APL cases in our study demonstrated a global reduction but focal accumulation of H3K27 methylase (H3K27me) expression, indicating a disorganized chromatin methylation pattern with generally more accessible chromatin status. Our study confirmed genetic complexity of APL and revealed that epigenetic aberrations are more common than previously expected. Although epigenetic modulation is not a common treatment strategy in APL, targeting this pathway may have some clinical utility in refractory or relapsed APL cases.
Racial and Ethnic Makeup in Hospital’s Social Media and Online Platforms: Visual Representation of Diversity in Images and Videos of Washington, D.C. Hospitals

While hospitals' health promotion via social media has the potential to be a critical source of health information, research shows racial and ethnic disparities exist in health-related knowledge that may be, in part, related to media representation. The purpose of this study is to examine the racial and ethnic representation of people featured in Washington, D.C. hospitals' social media platforms to understand how hospitals embed cultural competency into their health communication. By comparing the diversity of images on hospitals' social media platforms with the demographics of hospitals' neighboring communities, the researchers intend to highlight opportunities to improve targeted health messaging to underserved communities, particularly Black and Hispanic communities. By analyzing the images and videos posted on the three most popular social media platforms - Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube - for a one-month period, the researchers found that Whites and Asians were over-represented while Hispanics were severely under-represented in hospitals' social media representation as compared to the community demographics. Increasing the diversity of minority representation on hospitals' social media-based health promotion may contribute to addressing the social disparities in healthcare.
Clinic-Based Strategies to Reach United States Million Hearts 2022 Blood Pressure Control Goals.

Background: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Million Hearts initiative includes an ambitious ≥80% blood pressure control goal in US adults with hypertension by 2022. We used the val...
Notation and Notational Conversion Formulas

The total energy of a given state of a diatomic molecule is given by the formula $$T = {T_e} + G + F$$ (1) where Te is electronic energy, G is vibrational energy, and F is rotational energy. Further breaking down these different forms of energy, the electronic energy Te is given by $$ {T_e} = {T_o} + A\Lambda \sum $$ (2) where To is the electronic energy if spin is neglected, A is spin-orbit coupling, Λ is the electronic orbital angular momentum quantum number about the internuclear axis, and Σ is the component of the resulting spin.
Implementation Evaluation of the Jail-Based OT Transition and Integration Services (OTTIS) Program

Date Presented 04/04/19 Occupation-based, holistic re-entry programming is critical for successful transitions of individuals who are incarcerated. This study explores the fidelity of comprehensive OT services for incarcerated individuals transitioning to community life. Using a mixed-methods process evaluation, this study navigates the barriers and facilitators to the implementation of justice-based OT. Primary Author and Speaker: Erica Skinner Additional Authors and Speakers: Lisa Jaegers Contributing Authors: Karen Barney, Diane Smith, Brittany Conners, Christine Hayes
Challenging the Status Quo of Physician Attire in the Palliative Care Setting

Background, aim, and hypothesis This randomized controlled trial aimed to compare the impact of a physician's attire on the perceptions of patients with cancer of compassion, professionalism, and physician preference. Our hypothesis was that patients would perceive the physician with formal attire as more compassionate than the physician wearing casual attire. Materials and methods One hundred five adult follow-up patients with advanced cancer were randomized to watch two standardized, 3-minute video vignettes with the same script, depicting a routine physician-patient clinic encounter. Videos included a physician in formal attire with tie and buttoned-up white coat and casual attire without a tie or white coat. Actors, patients, and investigators were all blinded to the purpose and videos watched, respectively. After each video, patients completed validated questionnaires rating their perception of physician compassion, professionalism, and their overall preference for the physician. Results There were no significant differences between formal and casual attire for compassion (median [interquartile range], 25 [10-31] vs. 20 [8-27]; p = .31) and professionalism (17 [13-21] vs. 18 [14-22]; p = .42). Thirty percent of patients preferred formal attire, 31% preferred casual attire, and 38% had no preference. Subgroup analysis did not show statistically significant differences among different cohorts of age, sex, marital status, and education level. Conclusion Doctors' attire did not affect the perceptions of patients with cancer of physician's level of compassion and professionalism, nor did it influence the patients' preference for their doctor or their trust and confidence in the doctor's ability to provide care. There is a need for more studies in this area of communications skills. Clinical trial identification number. NCT03168763 IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: The significance of physician attire as a means of nonverbal communication has not been well characterized. It is an important element to consider, as patient preferences vary geographically, are influenced by cultural beliefs, and may vary based on particular care settings. Previous studies consisted of nonblinded surveys and found increasing confidence in physicians wearing a professional white coat. Unfortunately, there are no randomized controlled trials, to the authors' knowledge, to confirm the survey findings. In this randomized, blinded clinical trial the researchers found that physician's attire did not affect patients' perception of the physician's level of compassion and professionalism. Attire also did not influence the patients' preferences for their doctor or their trust and confidence in the doctor's ability to provide care.
Chapter 10 – Future View

Publisher Summary This chapter examines questions about the political, social, and psychological impact of the intelligent tutors and whether the general-purpose intelligent tutors can be built. A political perspective on education examines the impact on education of policies, funding, outcomes, and organizations (federal, state, and local governments). It involves understanding how people plan strategies that bring about changes in public schools and in the roles of agencies that create and implement policy in local schools. In addition to political issues, there are enormous global social problems that can be resolved with educational changes. One of the social problems is reaching students with learning disabilities, who are frequently left behind in classrooms. Most intelligent tutors or cognitive tutors are created for the “average” student, assuming students have an average reading level, can decode instructions, and process an explanation once presented. Educational software is to be customized to systematically examine the relationship(s) between student affect and learning outcome. After tutors recognize students' emotion, they need to provide appropriate interventions that encourage students, lessen their humiliation, and provide support and motivation that outweighs or distracts the unpleasant aspects of failure.
CHAPTER XX – DIFFERENTIAL EQUATIONS

Publisher Summary It is rarely possible to offer empirical evidence that gives direct support to any differential equation purporting to represent a law of nature. The support for the validity of the differential equation law comes from the accuracy of its prediction in an integrated form. It is impossible to derive by differentiation a differential law from an empirically found non-differential law. This chapter describes a differential equation as an equation containing a derivative or differentials. An ordinary differential equation contains ordinary derivatives, and a partial differential equation contains partial derivatives. The order or a differential equation is determined by the highest order derivative occurring in the equation. The degree of a differential equation is the exponent of the highest power of the highest order derivative, assuming the equation has been cleared of fractions and radicals in the independent variable and its derivatives. This chapter discusses homogeneous differential equations.
Bork, Robert H. Neutral Principles and Some First Amendment Problems, 47 Ind. L. J. 1 (1971)

To the extent that Judge Robert Bork lives on in the American consciousness, it is too often as a caricature. Many on the right lionize Bork as an ideological visionary, a cultural warrior, an arch...
Harmonic intrinsic graphs in the Heisenberg group

Minimal surfaces in $\mathbb{R}^n$ can be locally approximated by graphs of harmonic functions, i.e., functions that are critical points of the Dirichlet energy, but no analogous theorem is known for $H$-minimal surfaces in the three-dimensional Heisenberg group $\mathbb{H}$, which are known to have singularities. In this paper, we introduce a definition of intrinsic Dirichlet energy for surfaces in $\mathbb{H}$ and study the critical points of this energy, which we call contact harmonic graphs. Nearly flat regions of $H$-minimal surfaces can often be approximated by such graphs. We give a calibration condition for an intrinsic Lipschitz graph to be energy-minimizing, construct energy-minimizing graphs with a variety of singularities, and prove a first variation formula for the energy of intrinsic Lipschitz graphs and piecewise smooth intrinsic graphs.
Fatal pulmonary hemorrhage: Cirrhosis and COVID19

Background: The clinical impact and therapeutic implications of COVID-19 infection in a patient with pre-existing liver disease is unknown. We present a case of a middle-aged female with underlying non-alcoholic steatohepatitis associated cirrhosis who suffered a fatal pulmonary hemorrhage associated with COVID-19 infection. While the management of COVID-19 is evolving with regards to therapeutic anticoagulation requirements in critically ill patients, the impact of a pre-existing liver disease and its therapeutic implications when associated with COVID-19 is yet to be thoroughly elucidated. Case Report: Our patient is a 47 year old female with a past medical history of hypertension, hypothyroidism, fibromyalgia, non-decompensated NASH cirrhosis Child-Pugh Class C, gastric bypass surgery who developed progressive shortness of breath secondary to a COVID-19 pneumonia requiring hospitalization. She then developed acute hypoxic respiratory failure that required mechanical ventilation for over two weeks. Dexamethasone and Convalescent plasma were given for treatment of COVID-19. Unfortunately, her respiratory status during her ICU stay, declined requiring interventions including neuromuscular blockers and proning for refractory hypoxemia. She concurrently developed acute kidney injury requiring continuous renal replacement therapy. Her hospital course was also complicated by septic shock requiring vasopressors secondary to candidemia, and she was initiated on antifungal therapy with fluconazole. During ongoing CRRT therapy, we encountered recurrent clotting events and with the presumed COVID related hypercoagulability, patient was initiated on anticoagulation with systemic unfractionated heparin protocol. On day 17, her respiratory status and shock had resolved. However, her clinical status deteriorated quickly with recurrent shock of presumed sepsis, requiring initiation of broad spectrum antibiotics including vancomycin and piperacillin-tazobactam. Over the course of these 24 hours, patient suffered a fatal pulmonary hemorrhage despite massive transfusion protocol and reversal with protamine sulfate. Conclusion: We presented a cirrhotic patient who died of massive pulmonary hemorrhage associated with COVID-19 infection. There is overall paucity in the literature and in our understanding of management of COVID-19 associated with liver disease. While the literature reports a higher incidence of venous thromboembolic disease in COVID-19 patients, there are several challenges encountered with initiation of anticoagulation in a cirrhotic patient with concurrent coagulopathy. There are however anecdotal reports of favorable outcomes reported in these patients with use of anticoagulation possibly secondary to their antifibrotic properties. Future studies are required to clarify the role of safe and effective anticoagulation, criteria to make this decision, and perhaps even the choice of anticoagulation in patients with underlying liver disease.
BuildingSync: A schema for commercial building energy audit data exchange

Abstract Numerous data formats exist to exchange building related information throughout a building's lifecycle; many are all-encompassing formats while some newer formats are focused on specific software data exchange between actors such as system to system, system to user, or user to user. Despite this, data format challenges occur during each iteration of a commercial building energy audit. To overcome these challenges, BuildingSync has been designed to harmonize building data exchange during building energy audits. The schema was developed to be interoperable to support various use cases such as reporting audits in an electronic format, tracking proposed, implemented, and discarded energy conservation measures, and storing building characteristics (at multiple levels) for audits, benchmarking, and building energy analysis. This article will review the commercial building data exchange landscape, detail the development of BuildingSync, and provide examples of its use in the built environment.
Directing and Producing for Television: A Format Approach

Facility Who's Who Panel Programs Demonstration Format Scripted Format Music Commercials and PSAs News Documentaries Index
Retinotopic order and functional organization in a region of suprasylvian visual cortex, the Clare-Bishop area.

Publisher Summary This chapter highlights the functional organization in a region of suprasylvian visual cortex, the Clare-Bishop area. An area of visual cortex is equated with a single representation of the visual hemifield. The extensive visual cortex on the banks of the cat's suprasylvian sulcus is subdivided on this basis into a mosaic of eight distinct areas, using conventional physiological mapping methods. On the other hand, it is also assumed that a cortical area can be characterized by its set of extrinsic connections: all parts of an area should be connected to the same set of thalamic and cortical regions. In an earlier study of the suprasylvian cortex, it is found that a connectional approach yielded a different set of cortical areas than those defined by physiological mapping. One of these, referred in the chapter as the Clare-Bishop area is of particular interest because of its strong input from area 17.
Modeling travel impedance to medical care for children with birth defects using Geographic Information Systems

BACKGROUND Children with birth defects may face significant geographic barriers accessing medical care and specialized services. Using a Geographic Information Systems–based approach, one-way travel time and distance to access medical care for children born with spina bifida was estimated. METHODS Using 2007 road information from the Florida Department of Transportation, we built a topological network of Florida roads. Live-born Florida infants with spina bifida during 1998 to 2007 were identified by the Florida Birth Defects Registry and linked to hospital discharge records. Maternal residence at delivery and hospitalization locations were identified during the first year of life. RESULTS Of 668 infants with spina bifida, 8.1% (n = 54) could not be linked to inpatient data, resulting in 614 infants. Of those 614 infants, 99.7% (n = 612) of the maternal residential addresses at delivery were successfully geocoded. Infants with spina bifida living in rural areas in Florida experienced travel times almost twice as high compared with those living in urban areas. When aggregated at county levels, one-way network travel times exhibited statistically significant spatial autocorrelation, indicating that families living in some clusters of counties experienced substantially greater travel times compared with families living in other areas of Florida. CONCLUSION This analysis demonstrates the usefulness of linking birth defects registry and hospital discharge data to examine geographic differences in access to medical care. Geographic Information Systems methods are important in evaluating accessibility and geographic barriers to care and could be used among children with special health care needs, including children with birth defects. Birth Defects Research (Part A) 97:673–684, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Indium gallium arsenide avalanche photodiodes... not just for telecom anymore

Continual advances in III-V semiconductor growth and processing technologies are bringing devices that were once considered exotic into the mainstream. Here we discuss the design and fabrication of InGaAs avalanche photodiodes that are produced with yields approaching that of PIN photodiodes, enabling optical receivers that achieve 8-10 dB better sensitivity than their PIN diode counterparts. In addition to driving cost down, the high die yield enjoyed by current designs enable new applications using 1D and 2D arrays of devices such as imaging laser radar. The availability of inexpensive control circuits that are used for APD bias and temperature compensation makes the widespread use of these detectors extremely practical.
Fact-Finding in Civil Domestic Violence Cases: Secondary Traumatic Stress and the Need for Compassionate Witness

Introduction 568 I. The Fact-Finding Gap and the Complexity of Fact-Finding Needs 577 A. Inadequate Fact-Finding Resources and Practices in Family Courts 577 B. Challenging Cases That are Difficult to Resolve 580 C. Overview of the Situation in Civil Proceedings Involving Domestic Violence 583 II. The Implications of Concentrating on Criminal Law and High Profile Cases 587 III. Additional Structural and Attitudinal Obstacles to Addressing the Fact-finding Gap 592
Forecasting Dynamic Time Series in the Presence of Deterministic Components

This paper studies the error in forecasting a dynamic time series with a deterministic component. We show that when the data are strongly serially correlated, forecasts based on a model which detrends the data before estimating the dynamic parameters are much less precise than those based on an autoregression that includes the deterministic components. The local asymptotic distribution of the forecast errors under the two-step procedure exhibits bimodality, and the forecasts are conditionally median biased in a direction that depends on the order of the deterministic trend function. We explore the conditions under which feasible GLS detrending can lead to forecast error reduction. The finite sample properties of OLS and feasible GLS forecasts are compared with forecasts based on unit root pretesting. The procedures are applied to fifteen macroeconomic time series to obtain real time forecasts. Forecasts based on feasible GLS detrending tend to be more efficient than forecasts based on OLS detrending. Regardless of the detrending method, unit root pretests often improve forecasts.
A comparison of radiation transport models for a Ti Z-pinch

One dimensional simulations of titanium (Ti) wire array Z-pinches on the Z generator are compared with experimental data using four models of radiation transport: single and multi-group diffusive transport, tabulated and non-local collisional radiative equilibrium (CRE) transport. While the multi-group diffusion model can reasonably predict the total and K-shell radiative yields, there are significant discrepancies in the plasma properties at implosion between the diffusion approach and data. The present CRE for Ti models match the K-shell yield and the plasma properties, but the total yield increases with the number of emission lines transported.
The importance of brand equity to customer loyalty

This study involved a nation‐wide sample of industrial customers of heavy equipment manufacturers. The results suggest that brand equity and trust are consistently the most important antecedents to both behavioral and attitudinal forms of customer loyalty. There is also evidence that the models underlying the formation of behavioral versus attitudinal forms of customer loyalty may vary across research settings. The results suggest that industrial equipment marketers may consider moving beyond a focus on satisfaction in relationship marketing strategies toward integrated strategies that foster brand equity and trust in their customer base as well.
The Effectiveness of Telephone-Based Continuing Care for Alcohol and Cocaine Dependence: 24-Month Outcomes

Context Telephone-based disease management protocols have shown promise in improving outcomes in a number of medical and psychiatric disorders, but this approach to continuing care has received little study in alcohol- and drug-dependent individuals. Objective To compare telephone-based continuing care with 2 more intensive face-to-face continuing care interventions. Design A randomized 3-group clinical trial with a 2-year follow-up. Setting Two outpatient substance abuse treatment programs, one community-based and the other at a Veterans Affairs medical center facility. Patients Alcohol- and/or cocaine-dependent patients (N = 359) who had completed 4-week intensive outpatient programs. Interventions Three 12-week continuing care treatments: weekly telephone-based monitoring and brief counseling contacts combined with weekly supportive group sessions in the first 4 weeks (TEL), twice-weekly cognitive-behavioral relapse prevention (RP), and twice-weekly standard group counseling (STND). Main Outcome Measures Percentage of days abstinent from alcohol and cocaine, total abstinence from alcohol and cocaine, negative consequences of substance use, cocaine urine toxicological results, and γ-glutamyltransferase. Results Participants in TEL had higher rates of total abstinence over the follow-up than those in STND (P Conclusions Telephone-based continuing care appears to be an effective form of step-down treatment for most patients with alcohol and cocaine dependence who complete an initial stabilization treatment, compared with more intensive face-to-face interventions. However, high-risk patients may have better outcomes if they first receive group counseling continuing care after completing intensive outpatient programs.
A problem configuration study of the robustness of a black-box search algorithm hyper-heuristic

Black-Box Search Algorithms (BBSAs) tailored to a specific problem class may be expected to significantly outperform more general purpose problem solvers, including canonical evolutionary algorithms. Recent work has introduced a novel approach to evolving tailored BBSAs through a genetic programming hyper-heuristic. However, that first generation of hyper-heuristics suffered from over-specialization. This paper presents a study on the second generation hyper-heuristic which employs a multi-sample training approach to alleviate the over-specialization problem. In particular, the study is focused on the affect that the multi-sample approach has on the problem configuration landscape. A variety of experiments are reported on which demonstrate the significant increase in the robustness of the generated algorithms to changes in problem configuration due to the multi-sample approach. The results clearly show the resulting BBSAs' ability to outperform established BBSAs, including canonical evolutionary algorithms. The trade-off between a priori computational time and the generated algorithm robustness is investigated, demonstrating the performance gain possible given additional run-time.
The N Terminus of Cbl-c Regulates Ubiquitin Ligase Activity by Modulating Affinity for the Ubiquitin-conjugating Enzyme

Cbl proteins are ubiquitin ligases (E3s) that play a significant role in regulating tyrosine kinase signaling. There are three mammalian family members: Cbl, Cbl-b, and Cbl-c. All have a highly conserved N-terminal tyrosine kinase binding domain, a catalytic RING finger domain, and a C-terminal proline-rich domain that mediates interactions with Src homology 3 (SH3) containing proteins. Although both Cbl and Cbl-b have been studied widely, little is known about Cbl-c. Published reports have demonstrated that the N terminus of Cbl and Cbl-b have an inhibitory effect on their respective E3 activity. However, the mechanism for this inhibition is still unknown. In this study we demonstrate that the N terminus of Cbl-c, like that of Cbl and Cbl-b, inhibits the E3 activity of Cbl-c. Furthermore, we map the region responsible for the inhibition to the EF-hand and SH2 domains. Phosphorylation of a critical tyrosine (Tyr-341) in the linker region of Cbl-c by Src or a phosphomimetic mutation of this tyrosine (Y341E) is sufficient to increase the E3 activity of Cbl-c. We also demonstrate for the first time that phosphorylation of Tyr-341 or the Y341E mutation leads to a decrease in affinity for the ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme (E2), UbcH5b. The decreased affinity of the Y341E mutant Cbl-c for UbcH5b results in a more rapid turnover of bound UbcH5b coincident with the increased E3 activity. These data suggest that the N terminus of Cbl-c contributes to the binding to the E2 and that phosphorylation of Tyr-341 leads to a decrease in affinity and an increase in the E3 activity of Cbl-c.
Distributed database design and modeling for PACS

The delivery of an operable Picture Archiving and Communication System (PACS) that will meet a hospital's high performance requirements is hampered by severe bottlenecks encountered in the database (DB) and communication systems of a centralized architecture. As an alternative to a centralized design, a distributed DB design that physically allocates and potentially replicates data across a hospital has been modeled and evaluated for PACS at the University of Arizona. Because of geographic dispersion of image generation and "local interest" in image retrieval, a distributed DB design approach has a liatural appeal to PACS. This paper examines the issues of a distributed PACS DB design, describes our modeling approach, and presents the results of a preliminary performance evaluation of two distributed DB designs vs. a centralized design for PACS The results of our simulation experiments show that there is a significant improvement of response time in a distributed architecture due to the effects of "local reference" and "load balancing."© (1990) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Psychological Indicators of Innovation Adoption: Cross-Classification Based on Need for Cognition and Need for Change

Predicting how and when consumers will switch from a current familiar brand to a new option is a matter of concern for every level of new product introduction—from brand extensions to “really new” discontinuous innovations. In this article, we build on the innovativeness literature by investigating the degree to which 2 consumer characteristics, the need for cognition (N cog ) and the need for change (N change ), help explain individuals’ propensity to choose new innovations versus status quo options. We demonstrate that by separating N cog and N change and cross-classifying individuals based on these attributes, 4 unique patterns of change behavior emerge. A large-scale choice study was conducted by surveying metropolitan residents about changes in telecommunication services (local, long distance, and cellular). We use a latent class model to uncover the segmentation structure in the choice data, using the constructs as concommitant variables in the segment classification portion of the econometric model. The results show that the predicted theoretical structure explains observed data and can be used to significantly increase the predictive power of models of change behavior.
Early-stage carcinosarcoma of the uterus: the significance of lymph node count.

Carcinosarcoma is a rare tumor of the uterus with a poor prognosis, even when identified and treated at an early stage. The purpose of this study was to identify and analyze prognostic pathologic features and treatment outcomes in patient with stages I and II carcinosarcoma of the uterus. Patients with carcinosarcoma of the uterus who received primary surgical treatment between 1984 and 2004 were identified through an institutional tumor registry. Inclusion criteria were clinical stage I/II disease following hysterectomy and selective pelvic and para-aortic lymph node sampling. Regression analysis was used to determine risk factors for recurrence and survival. Disease-free and overall survival were then determined using Kaplan–Meier analysis. Forty-seven patients with stages I and II carcinosarcoma of the uterus were identified. Age, heterologous or homologous histology, and type of adjuvant treatment were not associated with recurrence or survival. Depth of myometrial invasion was found to correlate to disease-free survival but not overall survival. The number of lymph nodes collected correlated to risk of recurrence and survival. Disease-free and overall survival were greater in patients with higher lymph node count. We conclude that the number of lymph nodes collected was the only risk factor that was found to be correlated to recurrence and survival in patients with early-stage carcinosarcoma. These results support mounting evidence that lymphadenectomy is crucial in patients with carcinomas of the uterus in order to discover occult metastatic disease and potentially provide patients with a therapeutic benefit
Assembling insurgent citizenship: immigrant advocacy struggles in the Washington DC metropolitan area

This article examines the political and spatial registers of struggles against exclusionary local immigration policies and for more welcoming policies in the Washington DC metropolitan area, one of the hotspots for both local anti-immigration policies and immigrant advocacy in the United States. We conceptualize immigrant advocacy not simply as an alliance, but instead as an assemblage that brings together a diverse set of differently positioned actors and nonhuman actants. The assemblage enacts a diverse politics that deploys different forms of activism, while engaging different publics (e.g., religious communities, unions, the larger public sphere in public spaces, etc.) and the state in complex ways. From acting outside the state to engaging in claims-making towards the state, immigrant advocates are making claims and actions that challenge and go beyond dominant conceptions of citizenship rights and liberal democratic politics. The spatial register is similarly diverse. The immigrant advocacy assembla...
Prostaglandin E and F levels in mouse epidermis are increased by tumor-promoting phorbol esters.

Abstract After topical application of tumor-promoting phorbol esters, immunoreactive prostaglandins E and F in mouse epidermis were increased several-fold over basal levels. The increases were doubled by 3 hours and lasted until 5 days after phorbol ester treatment. The activities of various phorbol esters for increasing epidermal prostaglandin levels paralleled the tumorpromoting activities of these compounds. Topical pretreatment with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs inhibited the effect of phorbol esters on epidermal prostaglandin levels.
Proline specific endo- and exopeptidases.

Peptidases which are specific for proline residues have been described and include endopeptidases (post-proline cleaving enzyme and proline specific endopeptidase), N-terminal exopeptidases (post-proline dipeptidyl aminopeptidase, proline iminopeptidase, aminopeptidase P), C-terminal exopeptidases (prolylcarboxypeptidase, and carboxypeptidase P) and dipeptidases (prolyl dipeptidase and proline dipeptidase). The properties, distinguishing characteristics, and possible significance of these proline specific endo- and exopeptidases are discussed. In addition, reference is made to a series of enzymes which can hydrolyze proline containing peptide bonds, but which are not specific for proline.
Propagation of human papillomavirus type 11 in human xenografts using the severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) mouse and comparison to the nude mouse model.

Abstract We report propagation of human papillomavirus (HPV) type 11 in human xenografts in the severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) mouse and compare this new animal model for HPV infection to the previously established athymic nude mouse model. HPV-11-infected foreskin fragments grafted under the renal capsule of SClD mice formed large epithelial cysts that had the histologic and immunocytochemical features of HPV infection. This infection was successfully passaged to nude mice. Viral particles that reacted to an antibody directed to HPV-11 virions were identified from samples recovered from the SCID and nude mice. Viral DNA sequence analysis confirmed that the passaged virus was HPV-11. In a comparative experiment of the nude mouse and SCID mouse models, the latter produced HPV-11-infected xenografts that were larger and more often positive for HPV by immunocytochemistry and presence of viral mRNA than those propagated in the former model. Finally, we observed that growth of HPV-11-infected foreskin fragments in the SClD mouse model is not restricted to the kidney as in the nude mouse, but also can occur in the subcutis and the peritoneum.
Tillage effects on rain-generated wetting front migration through a Griswold silt loam soil

Abstract Information on the effects of different conservation tillage treatments on rain-generated wetting front migration (WFM) through layered soils is limited. In this study, conducted on a Griswold silt loam soil (Typic Argiudoll) formed in loess overlaying glacial till, the effects of three conservation tillage (CT) treatments: chisel (CH); no-tillage (NT); and till-plant (TP); were compared with conventional moldboard plowing (CN) on rain-generated EFM. Different rainstorm patterns (amount and duration) had different effects of WFM through soil profiles of the different tillage treatments. Irrespective of storm duration, wetting fronts were observed to migrate faster in CH and NT treatments during larger storm events (> 20 mm) but only in NT treatment during storm events > 5 and 5 and
A new look at IT governance

IT governance has been named the number two technology issue in the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants' 2008 Top Ten Technology Initiatives list. And IT governance affects managers and IT users throughout a company. So what is the current state of IT governance— especially regarding risk management and compliance requirements? © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Auger decay of neon following energetic ion bombardment

A high-resolution double-focusing electrostatic electron analyzer has been used to resolve Ne Auger electrons produced by 0.15-6.0-MeV ${\mathrm{H}}^{+}$, 1.0-MeV ${\mathrm{He}}^{+}$, and 33-MeV ${0}^{5+}$ bombardment. Individual $K$-Auger satellite lines stemming from the decay of multiply ionized neon have been observed. The energies, relative intensities, and production probabilities of these satellite lines were measured as a function of the projectile $Z$ and as a function of proton bombarding energy. Tentative identifications for all observed lines were made by comparison with calculated Auger satellite transition energies. The reliability of the Hartree-Fock calculations used was demonstrated by comparison with ${e}^{\ensuremath{-}}+\mathrm{Ne}$ data and by comparing calculated x-ray transition energies for multiply ionized neon to recent measurements of O + Ne x-ray lines. A rough estimate of the probability of single- and double-$2s$ orbital vacancy production as a function of $L$-shell defect was obtained. With proton bombardment, the satellite-production probability ${Q}_{s}$ was observed to decrease smoothly with increasing proton energy. The observation that ${Q}_{s}$ for 6-MeV proton bombardment was approximately equal to that obtained with equal-velocity electrons is believed to imply that electron shakeoff is the dominant $L$-shell ionization mechanism for high-energy proton bombardment.
Structure-based virtual screening and biological evaluation of Mycobacterium tuberculosis adenosine 5'-phosphosulfate reductase inhibitors

Tuberculosis is among the world's deadliest infectious diseases. APS reductase catalyzes the first committed step in bacterial sulfate reduction and is a validated drug target against latent tuberculosis infection. We performed a virtual screening to identify APSR inhibitors. These inhibitors represent the first non-phosphate-based molecules to inhibit APSR. Common chemical features lay the foundation for the development of agents that could shorten the duration of chemotherapy by targeting the latent stage of TB infection.
Teaching residents and program directors about physician impairment.

Objective: Residents are at a higher risk than the general population for the development of stress-related problems, depression, or suicide. The authors describe a curriculum for educating PGY-1s and residency program directors about physician impairment. Methods: A resident wellness program was established with the goals of preventing resident suicide, encouraging acceptance of treatment where appropriate, preventing self-prescribing, and aiding in stress management. Results: The curriculum was rated highly by residents in the areas of program content and usefulness. Conclusions: Residents are receptive to education on physician impairment. Institutional support is necessary for effectively addressing these concerns with trainees.
Moving the goal posts in prostate cancer trials.

Lancet Oncology, The - In Press.Proof corrected by the author Available online since jeudi 19 fevrier 2015
Inference in spline-based models for multiple time-to-event data, with applications to a breast cancer prevention trial

Dans le cadre du "National Surgical Adjuvant Breast and Bowel Project" (projet national de traitement postoperatoire dans les cancers du sein et de l'intestin), un essai therapeutique randomise (le "Breast Cancer Prevention Trial," BCPT, essai de prevention du cancer du sein) a ete mis en place pour evaluer l'efficacite du tamoxifene dans la prevention du cancer du sein. Outre l'incidence du cancer du sein, des donnees ont ete recueillies sur plusieurs autres criteres, eventuellement deleteres, comme le cancer invasif de l'endometre, la cardiopathie ischemique, l'accident ischemique transitoire, la thrombose veineuse profonde et/ou l'embolie pulmonaire. Dans cet article, nous presentons les resultats d'une analyse des donnees du BCPT qui illustre une nouvelle technique de modelisation pour evaluer l'efficacite du tamoxifene dans la prevention du cancer du sein. Nous generalisons le modele flexible de Gray (1994: Biometrics; 50, 640-652) afin d'autoriser des inferences sur des criteres multiples dependant du temps dans le cadre de la modelisation marginale de Wei, Lin et Weissfeld (1989: JASA;84, 1065-1073). Le modele propose permet de faire des inferences a partir de delais de survenue d'evenements multiples tout en permettant une plus grande souplesse dans la modelisation des effets des facteurs pronostiques avec des relations exposition-reponse non lineaires. Les resultats d'etudes de simulation sur les proprietes des tests asymptotiques dans de petits echantillons sont aussi presentes.