cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparative effectiveness of palbociclib plus letrozole vs letrozole for metastatic breast cancer in US real-world clinical practices

Abstract Background Palbociclib, the first clinically available oral CDK4/6 inhibitor, in combination with endocrine therapy has become standard of care for HR+/HER2- advanced/metastatic breast cancer (MBC). No real-world studies have examined relative effectiveness of palbociclib plus endocrine therapy compared with endocrine therapy alone. This study compared real-world progression free survival (rwPFS) of palbociclib plus letrozole (PB+LE) vs letrozole alone (LE) for MBC in US routine clinical practices. Methods We conducted a retrospective analysis of MBC patients from the Flatiron Health longitudinal database, which contains electronic health records from 275 cancer clinics representing more than 2 million actively treated cancer patients in the US. Between February 2015 and August 2018, 1416 HR+/HER2– MBC women started PB+LE (n = 798) or LE (n = 618) as first-line therapy. Patients were evaluated from start of PB+LE or LE to November 2018, death, or last visit, whichever came first. rwPFS was defined as months from start of PB+LE or LE to death or disease progression based on clinical assessment or evidence by radiographic scan/tissue biopsy. 1:1 propensity score (PS) matching was used to balance patient characteristics. Results Of 1416 eligible patients, 906 were 1:1 PS matched (453 for each cohort). Median follow-up was 16.8 months, median age was 68.0 years, 70% were white, and 49.7% had visceral disease. Median rwPFS was 24.5 months (95%CI = 20.7 – 32.7) in PB+LE cohort and 17.1 months (95%CI=13.7—19.8) in LE cohort (HR = 0.68, 95%CI=0.56—0.84, p =.0003). Table presents key patient characteristics and landmark rwPFS rates. Conclusions The first comparative analysis of a CDK4/6 inhibitor in combination with endocrine therapy compared to endocrine therapy alone provides real-world evidence confirming the findings of PFS benefit demonstrated in clinical trial data for palbociclib in diverse clinical practices. Table . 329P Patient characteristics and real-world progressionfree survival (rwPFS) Variable PB+LE (N = 453) LE alone (N = 453) Median age (years) 68.0 68.0 White (%) 69.8 70.6 Median number of metastatic sites (n) 2.0 2.0 Bone only disease (%) 26.9 32.2 Visceral disease (%) 49.7 49.7 Median rwPFS, months (95%CI) 24.5 (20.7—32.7) 17.1 (13.7—19.8) rwPFS rate at 6 months (%) 82.8 74.5 rwPFS rate at 12 months (%) 72.1 58.9 rwPFS rate at 18 months (%) 60.1 48.4 rwPFS rate at 24 months (%) 50.2 39.1 Median follow-up, months (IQR) 16.8(8.1—27.1) 16.8(6.9—26.9) PB+LE = Palbociclib plus letrozole; LE = Letrozole alone; IQR = Interquartile Range Legal entity responsible for the study Pfizer Inc. Funding Pfizer Inc. Disclosure R.M. Layman: Research grant / Funding (institution): Pfizer Inc. X. Liu: Shareholder / Stockholder / Stock options, Full / Part-time employment: Pfizer Inc. J. Mardekian: Shareholder / Stockholder / Stock options, Full / Part-time employment: Pfizer Inc. L. McRoy: Shareholder / Stockholder / Stock options, Full / Part-time employment: Pfizer Inc.
Upending Traditional Writing Instruction: a Plea to Teach Visual Texts in L1 and L2 Classrooms

With the advent of multi-media, interpreting visual texts has become an important function of literacy. Yet, few L1 or L2 English writing classes devote any time to these texts, in part because many L1 and L2 teachers do not know how to interpret these texts themselves. This article suggests two methods for understanding visual discourse: the interpretation of images, pictures, and graphics within a system of similar visual artifacts and the location of those images, pictures, and graphics within a historical and cultural context. As an example, two graphics on the University of Athens’ homepage were examined. Keywords: visual texts, visual discourse, images, literacy, pictures, graphics
Group and longitudinal intra-individual networks of eating disorder symptoms in adolescents and young adults at-risk for an eating disorder.

Abstract Several studies have identified risk factors that predict future onset of eating disorders (ED) in adolescence, however, it is currently unknown how specific ED symptom dynamics operate both across time and within individuals. Advances in network methodologies allow for the study of how dynamic symptoms interrelate and predict each other within-persons and across time. In the current study, we used longitudinal group-level (N = 1272) (addressing symptom interrelations across people and across time; between-subjects, contemporaneous, and temporal networks) and intra-individual (symptom interrelations within each person and across time; contemporaneous and temporal networks) network analyses (subset n = 50) in prospective 48-month interview data in at-risk adolescents and young adults. We computed between-subject networks (how symptoms are associated on average, for group sample only), contemporaneous networks (how symptoms are associated at one time point, accounting for previous time points), and temporal networks (examining how symptoms predict each other across time). We replicated prior network results which suggest that overvaluation of weight and shape are central in at-risk adolescents and young adults. We found that individual networks (n = 1 networks) were highly variable across individuals. Overall, our results show how both group-level and longitudinal intra-individual network analysis can inform our understanding of how EDs develop in adolescence and point to the importance of conceptualizing development on an individual level of analysis.
Microchannel steam generators for design for integral inherently safe light water reactors

Abstract A steam generator design for the Integral Inherently Safe Light Water Reactor (I2S-LWR) based on microchannel heat exchanger (MCHX) technology is discussed. An experimentally validated heat transfer and pressure drop model is applied to the development of steam generator design for this LWR. The potential of MCHX technology to provide compact, high power density steam generators for integral inherently safe reactors is demonstrated. A Rankine cycle model for a system with a once-through MCHX steam generator is developed and the plant thermal efficiency is quantified. Heat transfer and pressure drop in the MCHX steam generator design for I2S-LWR is compared with those in a conventional tubular steam generator design. A simple exergy analysis is performed for two alternative I2S-LWR power cycles, the flash Rankine cycle and a Rankine cycle with once-through steam generation, to demonstrate the advantages of using an integral steam generator.
Exercise and Diet Counseling Trends From 2002 to 2015: A Serial Cross-Sectional Study of U.S. Adults With Cardiovascular Disease Risk.

Introduction Exercise and dietary behavioral counseling are effective clinical practices recommended by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force to reduce cardiovascular disease risk among high-risk individuals. Methods Medical Expenditure Panel Survey data from 2002 to 2015 were analyzed in 2018. Prevalence ratios of exercise, dietary, and both types of counseling among individuals with overweight or obesity with additional cardiovascular disease risk factors were calculated and adjusted for demographic covariates (N=116,048). Adjusted prevalence ratios were calculated for sociodemographic and health factors associated with counseling receipt using 2014–2015 data. Results From 2002 to 2015, adjusted prevalence ratios ranged from 43% to 63%. Compared with 2002, receipt of both types of counseling was 6% higher in 2015 (49%, 95% CI=48%, 51%). In 2015, compared with privately insured people, those without insurance (prevalence ratio=0.91, 95% CI=0.84, 0.99) or on Medicare (prevalence ratio=0.77, 95% CI=0.73, 0.82) were less likely to receive counseling. Individuals with 3 (prevalence ratio=1.46, 95% CI=1.39, 1.54), 4 (prevalence ratio=1.74, 95% CI=1.63, 1.85), or 5 (prevalence ratio=1.89, 95% CI=1.67, 2.15) cardiovascular disease risk factors received counseling more frequently than those with 2 cardiovascular disease risk factors. Female participants (prevalence ratio=1.07, 95% CI=1.03, 1.11) and racial minorities (Hispanics: prevalence ratio=1.31, 95% CI=1.24, 1.38; Blacks: prevalence ratio=1.11, 95% CI=1.05, 1.18; Asians: prevalence ratio=1.12, 95% CI=1.01, 1.24) reported higher rates of counseling. Conclusions Despite modest improvements since 2002, up to 37% of individuals at high cardiovascular disease risk were not receiving exercise counseling, and 43% were not receiving dietary counseling in 2015. Continued implementation and scale up of effective programs to increase behavioral lifestyle counseling among high-risk populations are needed more than ever to mitigate the U.S. cardiometabolic disease burden.
Templated fingering during solid state dewetting

Abstract Solid thin films formed on substrates are normally metastable in the as-deposited state and will dewet via capillarity-driven surface self-diffusion when heated, while remaining in the solid state. Solid state dewetting proceeds through retraction of film edges that develop rims that either pinch-off to form wires that run parallel to the retracting edges or breakdown to develop fingers that propagate into the films. We have investigated the mechanisms that lead to fingering instead of pinch-off using lithographically patterned single-crystal Ni(110) films formed on MgO. We find that fingering tends to occur when edges are initially rough and demonstrate that fingering can be induced by lithographically pre-patterning film edges with periodic roughness. We also find that periodic roughness provides a template that controls the steady state finger spacing and leads to the formation of periodic arrays of parallel wires. Templated fingering was investigated in films patterned into rectangular patches with a wide range of experimental variables; roughness period (16 different values, 2.7 μm - 12.5 μm); edge orientation (20o, 33o and 45o with respect to [ 1 1 ¯ 0 ] ); and film thickness (90, 120 and 150 nm). For each of these experimental variables, the finger spacing, propagation direction, and propagation rate was determined. A model based on mechanisms that control the rate of finger propagation is developed and shown to be consistent with the measured propagation rates over the wide range of experimental conditions that were investigated.
Complete Capsular Closure Provides Higher Rates of Clinically Significant Outcome Improvement and Higher Survivorship Versus Partial Closure After Hip Arthroscopy at Minimum 5-Year Follow-Up.

Purpose To (1) compare the rates of reaching threshold hip-specific outcome scores for achieving the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) and patient acceptable symptomatic state (PASS) in patients who underwent partial versus complete T-capsulotomy repair and (2) identify the failure rates in each group 5 years after undergoing hip arthroscopy for femoroacetabular impingement syndrome (FAIS). Methods Data from consecutive patients who underwent hip arthroscopy for FAIS performed by a single fellowship-trained surgeon from January 2011 to March 2013 were collected and analyzed. Baseline data, hip-specific outcomes, and clinical failure rates were recorded at a minimum of 5 years postoperatively. Patients with partial T-capsulotomy repair were matched 1:3 by age, body mass index, and sex to patients with complete T-capsulotomy repair. Threshold scores for achieving the MCID and PASS were calculated and compared between the 2 groups. Additionally, rates of revision and conversion to total hip arthroplasty (THA) were compared between the groups. Results A total of 379 patients were available for analysis (39 partial and 340 complete repairs), with 100 patients included in the matching process (25 in the partial-repair group and 75 in the complete-repair group). Comparison of radiographic parameters, including the Tonnis grade, alpha angle, and lateral center-edge angle, between the 2 groups showed no statistically significant difference (P > .05 for all). Comparison of postoperative score averages between the partial- and complete-closure groups showed a significant difference in the Hip Outcome Score–Activities of Daily Living Subscale (85.4 ± 17.7 vs 94.6 ± 7.8, P Conclusions At a minimum 5-year follow-up, patients with complete capsular closure after hip arthroscopy for FAIS show superior long-term outcomes and achieve higher rates of meaningful clinical success when compared with patients with partial capsular closure. Furthermore, patients with partial capsular repair undergo revision or conversion to THA at high rates. Level of Evidence Level III, retrospective comparative study.
188 Racial Disparities in Sleep During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Introduction: The purpose of the present study was to estimate average sleep duration and sleep disturbance in the United States during the COVID-19 pandemic. In addition, we investigated whether sleep varied as a function of sociodemographic variables, in particular race. Long standing disparities in condition and available resources between racial demographics often lead to disparities in health. At the advent of a pandemic, which strains these systems further, it is important to assess whether or not racial disparities persist. This is important given that racial groups are likely affected by the pandemic, both directly and indirectly, in various ways. Here, we plan to at least assess whether there are any disparities with regard to sleep. Methods: 4,048 adults (Mage = 45.8 years;79% women) completed an online survey during April - June 2020. The final sample's selfreported race/ethnicity consisted of 84% White, 5.1% Black, 3.4% LatinX, 4.2% Asian or Asian American, and 2.9% Multi-racial. Sleep disturbance was assessed using a retrospective sleep diary and the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI). Results: Average sleep duration in the sample was 7.1 hours. Participants reported taking on average 32 minutes (SD = 38 mins) to fall asleep and reported waking up for 32 minutes (SD = 53 mins) during the night. Approximately 17% of the sample endorsed clinically elevated insomnia symptoms (based on the ISI ≥ 15 cut-off). With regard to racial differences, shorter total sleep time (TST), longer sleep latencies (SL), and greater total ISI scores were observed in Black (mean TST = 6.4 hours;SL = 37.7 minutes;ISI Total = 9.8) and LatinX (mean TST = 6.9 hours;SL = 37.1 minutes;ISI Total = 9.6) participants relative to White participants (Mean TST = 7.1 hours;SL = 30.9 minutes;ISI Total = 8.4). All p's < 0.05. Conclusion: Sociodemographic variables, particularly race, should be considered when estimating the relative impact of sleep on overall health. These findings are significant as they may have implications for a number of health disparities observed in the United States, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Preliminary evidence for an aversion to atheists in long-term mating domains in the Southern United States:

The centrality of religiosity in selecting long-term mates suggests atheism could be undesirable for that context. Given recent findings suggesting several positive stereotypes about atheists, a la...
Neurokinin-1 (NK₁) receptor antagonists as possible therapeutics for psychostimulant use disorders.

Abstract Abuse of and addiction to psychostimulants such as cocaine or amphetamines remain a significant societal burden, and attempts at successfully developing effective treatments for substance use disorders involving psychostimulants have been disappointingly unsuccessful to date. In addition, most pharmacologically based approaches to treating psychostimulant use disorders have largely focused on targeting monoaminergic or amino acid neurotransmission, with little emphasis being placed on neuropeptide systems. One such neuropeptide system that has received little attention is the tachykinin family of peptides and their corresponding neurokinin (NK) receptor subtypes designated NK1, NK2, and NK3. Tachykinins and their receptors are widely expressed in numerous cell types in the periphery and central nervous system, and in the latter, regulate fundamental processes such as nociception, reward, motivation, affect, and stress responses. In recent years, various small molecule brain penetrant NK1 antagonists have been developed which appear to be beneficial and well tolerated in patients undergoing treatment for chemotherapy-induced and post-operative nausea and vomiting. The purpose of this review is to summarize the small body of preclinical and clinical studies that suggest NK1 antagonists may be of potential use in the treatment of substance use disorders involving psychostimulants. Additional topics of discussion will be the importance of full receptor occupancy and known species differences in NK1 receptor ligand binding, which represent significant obstacles to utilizing standard rodent models of psychostimulant addiction for future screening of potentially efficacious NK1 antagonists.
Upper Bounds in Complementary Energy Method

Conditions are presented under which the complementary energy method for buckling would lead to predictable upper bounds to exact lowest critical loads. It is shown that such bounds, although defined in some column buckling problems (and implicitly in other one-dimensional systems), do not generally exist in higher-dimensional problems. Also shown is the fact that the complementary energy method for buckling, which is basically a stationarity principle, becomes a maximum principle when it leads to upper bounds.
A quantitative examination of the intellectual profile and evolution of information security from 1965 to 2015

Information security has become a central societal concern over the past two decades. Few studies have examined the information security research domain, and no literature has been found that has applied an objective, quantitative methodology. The central aim of the current research was to quantitatively describe the profile and evolution of the information security specialty. Bibliometric data extracted from 74,021 Scopus research records published from 1965 to 2015 were examined using impact and productivity measures as well as co-word and domain visualization techniques. This scientometric study presents a comprehensive view of the information security specialty from several perspectives (e.g., temporal, seminal papers, institutions, sources, authors). After a long and steady period of growth (1965---2004), an exponential publication output occurred between 2005 and 2010. Among all the countries involved in information security research, the United States and China had the greatest impact, and China has surpassed the United States in terms of productivity. Information security as a specialty is largely populated by publications from the technical fields of computer science and engineering. Several research themes were found throughout the decades (e.g., cryptography and information security management and administration), and emergent research subspecialties appeared in later decades (e.g., intrusion detection, medical data security, steganography, wireless security). This study reduces the complexity of the specialty to controllable terms, supplies objective data for science policy making, identifies the salient bibliographic units, and uncovers growth patterns. It also serves as an information retrieval tool to identify important papers, authors, and institutions.
Tax Apportionment of the Income of a Unitary Business: An Examination of Mobil Oil Corp. v. Commissioner of Taxes of Vermont

concept derived from the operational events pertaining to the taxpayer within a limited time frame called a tax year. See, e.g., Flint v. Stone Tracy Co., 220 U.S. 107 (1911); New York ex rel. Cohn v. Graves, 300 U.S. 308 (1937). Compare Peck & Co. v. Lowe, 247 U.S. 165 (1918) with Crew Levick Co. v. Pennsylvania, 245 U.S. 292 (1917). In Cohn, in divorcing the taxation of income from the taxable situs of the land producing the income, the Court stated, "Neither the privilege nor the burden is affected by the character of the source from which the income is derived." The fact that the taxation of net income is not the taxation of any particular component from which net income is derived is illustrated by comparison of Crew Levick with Peck. While the Supreme Court in Crew Levick invalidated a state gross receipts tax on receipts from goods sold in foreign commerce under the import-export clause, in Peck it rejected the argument that a tax on net income from export sales constituted a tax on exports. In so doing, it held that an income tax is not laid on income from exportation because of its source . . . . The tax is levied after exportation is completed, after all expenses are paid and losses adjusted, and after the recipient of the income is free to use it as he chooses. Thus, what is taxed-the net income-is as far removed from exportation as are articles intended for export before the exportation begins.
Palynological evidence of effects of the terminal Cretaceous event on terrestrial floras in western North America

New and previously published palynomorph distribution data on 225 taxa from uppermost Cretaceous (K) and lowermost Tertiary (T) nonmarine strata from New Mexico to Arctic Canada and Alaska were used to evaluate the effects of the terminal Cretaceous event (TCE) on terrestrial plant life. Analyses considered presence/absence, relative abundance, species diversity, and endemism, and employed Q-mode cluster analysis. The latest Cretaceous palynoflora showed gradual, continuous variation in composition from paleolatitudes (pl) 45° to 85° N. Palynofloristic subprovinces are not easily distinguished empirically, but three are recognizable quantitatively. Abrupt disappearance of many distinctive species marked the K-T boundary, and the earliest Tertiary palynoflora was considerably reduced in diversity. However, most regionally distributed taxa, and many endemic taxa of the polar and midlatitude subprovinces, survived the TCE and three subprovinces are recognizable in the same geographic positions as in the latest Cretaceous. Relative abundances of pteridophytes and gymnosperms were slightly greater in the early Tertiary than in the latest Cretaceous, probably due in part to change in sedimentary regime, but thermophilic angiosperm taxa persisted at least as far north as pl 60° N. These data support the hypothesis that a short-lived but profound ecological crisis at the end of the Cretaceous resulted in major reorganization of the flora. The data are inconsistent with gradual climatic deterioration. Extinction was greater among angiosperms than among gymnosperms or pteridophytes, but whether or not the entire flora suffered a mass extinction remains debatable.
Beyond the Time Crunch: New Directions in the Sociology of Time and Work

The sociology of work is particularly poised to study the meaning of time within institutions and organizations at its most sociological manifestation – the point where groups of people come together to accomplish joint goals. Previous work has offered useful concepts to help us understand temporality and tempography, home and work balance, temporal practices and mindsets towards time. Most of this work, however, which directly or peripherally treats time in the workplace, has focussed on the work–life balance. The actual temporal experiences of workers, however, are relatively absent in this literature. In this review article, I outline previous contributions from sociologists of work and offer ways in which work from the broader literature on the sociology of time can enhance this field. I address how future research should focus on how “time work” is accomplished in workplaces and on issues of class and gender.
Renal Interstitial Fluid Angiotensin: Modulation by Anesthesia, Epinephrine, Sodium Depletion, and Renin Inhibition

Using a microdialysis technique, we monitored changes in right and left renal interstitial fluid angiotensins in anesthetized and conscious dogs (both n = 5) in response to right renal interstitial epinephrine (0.2 mg/kg per minute) administration. Renal interstitial and plasma angiotensin levels also were monitored in conscious dogs (n = 4) in response to dietary sodium deprivation (10 mmol/d) for 5 consecutive days. Changes in renal interstitial and plasma angiotensins in response to interstitial administration of a specific renin inhibitor, ACRIP (0.5 micrograms/kg per minute for 20 minutes), were monitored on day 5 of sodium depletion. At basal levels, there were no significant differences between the right and left renal interstitial immunoreactive angiotensin levels in anesthetized dogs. Renal interstitial epinephrine administration caused a significant increase in renal interstitial immunoreactive angiotensin concentrations in both anesthetized and conscious dogs (P < .01). However, anesthetized dogs had significantly higher renal interstitial immunoreactive angiotensin levels basally and in response to epinephrine than conscious dogs (P < .05). Renal interstitial immunoreactive angiotensin concentrations increased significantly and progressively during exposure to a low sodium diet from 3.9 +/- 1 nmol on day 1 to 740 +/- 332 nmol on day 5 (P < .01). Renal interstitial immunoreactive angiotensin decreased significantly to 124 +/- 37 nmol (P < .01) in response to intrarenal renin inhibition at the end of day 5 of sodium depletion. Plasma immunoreactive angiotensin increased significantly (P < .01) in response to sodium depletion, and no change occurred during intrarenal renin inhibition.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Potential dependence of lead and silver underpotential coverages in acetonitrile using a piezoelectric crystal oscillator method

Abstract The underpotential deposition of lead and silver on gold was studied in acetonitrile as a solvent. The rde , the rrde and the quartz crystal microbalance techniques were used. Satisfactory agreement for the coverage values as a function of underpotential were obtained among the rotating electrode and the quartz crystal balance methods.
The S1-sensitive form of d(C-T)n.d(A-G)n: chemical evidence for a three-stranded structure in plasmids

Homopurine-homopyrimidine sequences that flank certain actively transcribed genes are hypersensitive to single strand-specific nucleases such as S1. This has raised the possibility that an unusual structure exists in these regions that might be involved in recognition or regulation. Several of these sequences, including d(C-T)n.d(A-G)n, are known to undergo a transition in plasmids to an underwound state that is hypersensitive to single strand-specific nucleases; this transition occurs under conditions of moderately acid pH and negative supercoiling. Chemical probes were used to examine the reactivity of a restriction fragment from a human U1 gene containing the sequence d(C-T)18.d(A-G)18 as a function of supercoiling and pH, and thus analyze the structure in this region. Hyperreactivity was seen in the center and at one end of the (C-T)n tract, and continuously from the center to the same end of the (A-G)n tract, in the presence of supercoiling and pH less than or equal to 6.0. These results provide strong support for a triple-helical model recently proposed for these sequences and are inconsistent with other proposed structures.
Creating Developmental Learning Environments: A Vygotskian Practice

This article presents developmental learning, an approach practiced at the Barbara Taylor School in New York City, that has been influenced by key methodological insights and empirical findings of Lev Vygotsky about how children learn and develop. The argument is made that Vygotsky's work reveals a critical feature of human development: development is simultaneously the tool-and-result of developmental activity, rather than the outcome, in a means-end, tool for result fashion, of something prior. Vygotsky's analysis of the languagelearning 'zone of proximal development' of infancy and early childhood is analyzed as a model of the creation of a developmental environment. An example of a math 'lesson' from the Barbara Taylor School is next presented as an instance of creating a developmental environment in this elementary school. An activity-oriented analysis of the 'lesson' is presented, highlighting the importance of: the joint activity ofmeaningmaking; supporting children to do what they don't know how t...
Association between teen-age obesity and cancer in 56,111 women: all cancers and endometrial carcinoma.

Abstract Historical data from 56,111 women of varying obesities, members of TOPS Club, Inc., were analyzed for association of teen-age obesity with prevalence of all cancers, and with endometrial carcinoma. This prospective study shows no relationship between obesity level and cancer in general. However, women who were of high obesity as teenagers had a risk of 1.62 of developing endometrial carcinoma when compared to women who were of low obesity as teen-agers. Results indicate that teen-age obesity may predispose to endometrial carcinoma, confirming reports based on observation of hospital-drawn endometrial carcinoma populations, and supporting the endocrine imbalance theory of the etiology of this carcinoma.
Use abstracted patient-specific features to assist an information-theoretic measurement to assess similarity between medical cases

Inter-case similarity metrics can potentially help find similar cases from a case base for evidence-based practice. While several methods to measure similarity between cases have been proposed, developing an effective means for measuring patient case similarity remains a challenging problem. We were interested in examining how abstracting could potentially assist computing case similarity. In this study, abstracted patient-specific features from medical records were used to improve an existing information-theoretic measurement. The developed metric, using a combination of abstracted disease, finding, procedure and medication features, achieved a correlation between 0.6012 and 0.6940 to experts.
CTCF: an architectural protein bridging genome topology and function

CCCTC-binding factor (CTCF) is a DNA-binding protein that has various, often seemingly contradictory, roles in gene regulation. This Review describes these disparate functions and how the context-dependent looping of DNA regions by CTCF is emerging as a potential unifying mechanism that underpins these diverse roles.
Product development and failures in learning from best practices in U.S. auto: A supplier perspective

Despite decades of imitation and apparent convergence, there are still major differences in product development practices between Japanese automakers and their North American counterparts. Through an in-depth investigation of product development practices at the project level, we study two firms-Toyota and a major North American automaker-that possess very different approaches to product development. We take the perspective of a major supplier to both automakers. Adopting a grounded theory approach and by selecting similar projects performed by the same supplier for different original equipment manufacturer (OEM) customers, we hold constant variables such as product, supplier, and period of observation. We find that the lack of best practice proliferation in product development can be explained by a lack of organizational culture that sustains and facilitates best practices. We view our results through the lens of cultural frameworks offered in the literature and derive a model linking organizational culture to product development effectiveness.
Kidding around: children, comedy, and social media

This essay considers the implications of social media technologies – specifically, Vine – for comedy studies, childhood studies, and digital culture. Whereas the child as producer and consumer is often overlooked in the humanities, this author contends that digital technologies radically liberate children to become producers of original content that can be easily and widely circulated around the world. Through case studies of three young producer-participants on Vine – Lillian Powers, Nash Grier, and Marissa Mayne – I consider the complexity of children's humor, the need to consider real children in childhood studies, and the possible consequences on our understandings of authorship, distribution, and consumption.
Asset Values and Liabilities of U.S. Farmers in Unstable Commodity and Capital Markets

Previous papers by Firch and Baker identified sources of and changes in instability in commodity and capital markets. Changes in instability are likely to create modifications in the desired portfolio of farm operators, landlords, and other farm investors. The purpose of this paper is to review the instability of farm assets and liabilities held by U.S. farm proprietors.' The paper is divided into four main sections: first, the structure of assets and liabilities in the farm sector; second, farm asset and liability instability in comparison with the instability in commodity and capital markets; third, concepts of investment in a risky environment in relation to observed changes in the balance sheet for the farm sector; and fourth, existing econometric studies relating to farm assets and liabilities and the potential for including risk considerations in such studies.
A study of the reaction 9Be(3He, 6Li)6Li

Abstract The reaction 9 Be( 3 He, 6 Li) 6 Li has been studied at bombarding energies up to 10 MeV. The 6 Li particles were identified by an associated particle time-of-flight technique in which the mass of one particle is determined from the product of its energy and flight-time squared, ET 2 . Angular distributions at 6, 7, 8 and 10 MeV along with an excitation function at a laboratory angle of 50° have been measured using 6 Li 6 Li coincidence. The angular distribution data indicate that high angular-momentum transfer ( l = 3 and 4) is involved at the higher energies. Observed cross sections of the order of 5 mb total are surprisingly large in view of the high angular momentum transfer.
Banning tobacco billboards: The case for municipal action.

In 1994, Baltimore, Md, became the first city to generally prohibit billboards from displaying alcohol and tobacco advertisements. The owner of most of Baltimore's billboards, Penn Advertising, sued, but the federal district court rejected the billboard company's complaint and ruled that the First Amendment had not been violated and that the federal cigarette labeling acts had not preempted the ability of Baltimore to regulate and prohibit billboard cigarette advertising. In the fall of 1995, the federal district court's judgment was unanimously affirmed by the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond, Va. This article analyzes the constitutional and preemption issues and concludes that states and municipalities are on firm legal ground when they restrict the location or placement of publicly visible cigarette advertisements without attempting to regulate the advertisement's content or message. States and municipalities command broad authority to protect children and to shield the public from intrusive forms of advertisement that inflict their messages on a captive audience. A billboard ban thus offers local communities a legal avenue to help curb the rising tide of juvenile smoking without raising taxes, creating bureaucracy, or angering smokers. (JAMA. 1996;275:1263-1269)
Deuterium oxide effects on excitation-contraction coupling of skeletal muscle

2H2O (99.8%) Ringer's solution greatly reduces the twitch and tetanus of frog sartorius muscle and, as specially shown here, slows the onset features of the mechanical output of the twitch by: (a) increasing the time (LR) from stimulus to start of latency relaxation; (b) slowing the development of the latency relaxation, and (c) greatly decreasing the rate of onset of tension development. These changes reflect effects of 2H2O on excitation-contraction coupling and they represent the critical direct effects of 2H2O on muscle since it does not depress either the action potential or the intrinsic myofibrillar contractility. The increase in LR is attributed to slowed inward electrical propagation in the T-tubule. But the critical effect of 2H2O on frog muscle is to greatly depress mobilization of activator Ca2+. The depression of the Ca2+ mobilization and of its effects on the activation of contraction evidently result from (a) a lowered rate of release of Ca2+ from the sar coplasmic reticulum, as indicated by the slowed development of the latency relaxation, (b) a decreased amount of Ca2+ released in a twitch, and (c) a reduced speed of diffusion of the Ca2+ to the contractile filaments. The depressed mobilization of Ca2+ is apparently the essential cause of 2H2O's general depression of twitch and tetanus output.
3D IC power benefit study under practical design considerations

Despite many predictions that 3D IC is the solution for future low-power electronics, few studies describe how this can happen in real designs. In this paper, we investigate the practical design factors that affect the power consumption of 3D IC using a commercial-grade large-scale benchmark (OpenSPARC T2). In particular, we investigate the impact of power distribution network (PDN) in designer's perspective. Our study shows that PDN significantly affects several important design metrics in addition to the total power.
Electrostatic potentials and covalent radii

We begin with a brief overview of the electrostatic potential V(r) as a fundamental determinant of the properties of systems of electrons and nuclei. The minimum of V(r) along the internuclear axis between two bonded atoms is a natural and physically meaningful boundary point, at which the electrostatic forces of the two nuclei upon an element of charge exactly cancel. We propose that the distances from nuclei to V(r) bond minima provide the basis for a well-defined set of covalent radii. Density functional calculations at the B3PW91/6-311+G** level were carried out for 59 molecules to locate the V(r) minima in 95 bonds and use these as the basis for determining single- and multiple-bond covalent radii for eight first- and second-row atoms plus hydrogen. It was found to be unrealistic to assign a single covalent radius to each atom; different values are needed for bonds to first- and second-row atoms, as well as to hydrogen. Using these results, we are able to predict the bond lengths of 33 single and multiple bonds with average errors of less than 0.04 A relative to experimental data.
Fermion masses and induction of the weak scale by supergravity

Abstract We discuss some problems which arise in a low-energy theory of strong and electroweak interactions when the weak scale is induced via supergravity. The main problem concerns the origin of quark and lepton masses. If the fermions obtain their masses in the conventional way via Yukawa couplings, then the low-energy supergap (mass difference between supersymmetric partners) is comparable to the mass of the lightest massive fermion. One solution would require that at least the light generations receive their mass indirectly via radiative corrections. Alternatively it might be that the SU(2) × U(1) breaking is induced radiatively.
Numerical control: making a new technology

This remarkable account describes the development of the principal method used in automatic control of machine tools. The technique, known as numerical control, was pioneered and perfected at MIT during two decades of exciting work, from 1950 to 1970. The author was a direct participant in the engineering program that originated numerical control, and was involved in many of the most important decisions surrounding its evolution. He tells how the technique rose from a futuristic concept to mass-production reality, one that is essential for modern standards of industrial manufacturing. The book documents the entire process of innovation, including the scope of the original research, and the institutional and cultural environment in which it took place. The author chronicles all three main phases of effort: the numerically controlled milling machine, the automatically programmed tool system, and the computer-aided design research. More recent developments are reviewed, and the author points to the need for similar research programs in order to restore US industry to a position of world leadership. The book will interest all those involved in planning and implementing innovative industrial research programs, along with historians of technology and engineering.
KINEMATIC STRUCTURE OF HELICITY AMPLITUDES FOR MASSLESS PARTICLES.

A study is made of the kinematic structure of helicity amplitudes describing scattering with massless particles of arbitrary helicities, using certain basic analyticity assumptions on the $M$ functions. The behaviors of the amplitudes at the thresholds and pseudothresholds are given explicitly, and, in the case of photons and gravitons, these give the suppression factors inherent in the various low-energy theorems. Parity conservation is not used, and the results are applicable to weak amplitudes.
Stress-wave energy management through material anisotropy

Stress-wave propagation in solids can be controlled through imposing a gradual change of anisotropy in the material elasticity tensor. In this study, a transversely isotropic material is incorporated with a smoothly varying axis of anisotropy. It is shown that if this axis initially coincides with the stress-wave vector, then the energy of the plane waves would closely follow this gradually changing material direction. A fiber-reinforced composite is used to induce the required anisotropy, and to experimentally demonstrate the management of stress-wave energy in a desired trajectory. The material has isotropic mass-density and is considered homogeneous at the scale of the considered wavelengths, even though microscopically it is highly heterogeneous.
Equilibrium in a simple price-location model

Abstract In a spatial model with endpoints we show that when consumers have downward sloping (rather than perfectly inelastic) demand, a price-location equilibrium (with price undercutting barred) exists if the market is sufficiently long relative to the number of firms.
Pyralidae of Aldabra Atoll 2. Epipaschiinae: Lepipaschia gen. n., with a new species from Aldabra and another from Burkina Faso, West Africa

Lepipaschia gen. n. is comprised of two new species, L. inornata, the type species, described from Aldabra Atoll in the western Indian Ocean and recorded from Madagascar, and L. limbata described from Burkina Faso, West Africa. Illustrations of adults, wing venation, male antennae, heads, genitalia of both sexes, and the male eighth abdominal segment are included for both species.
Controlled assembly of graphene shells encapsulated gold nanoparticles and their integration with carbon nanotubes

Abstract Controlled growth and uniform patterning of graphene/carbon shells encapsulated gold nanoparticles (GNPs) on silicon wafer or on high curvature carbon nanotubes (CNTs) is reported here. This was achieved by utilizing patterned gold nanoparticles with controlled sizes (∼30–600 nm) via gold film dewetting process. Surface-oxidized and patterned nanoparticles were used as sacrificial catalysts for the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) growth of graphene/carbon shells. The shell morphological evolution and thickness as well as surface migration of nanoparticles during the CVD process were studied as a function of the gold nanoparticles size. Reduced surface migration and coalescence was observed for gold nanoparticles after the CVD growth and this was attributed to the initial formation of graphene/carbon shells as well as stable dispersion of the dewetted gold nanoparticles. It is proposed that graphene/carbon shell growth was controlled by Ostwald’s ripening, surface gold oxide, and reducing CVD growth environment. Furthermore, complex heterostructures based on CNTs coated with GNPs were fabricated by dewetting Au films on CNTs and followed by surface oxidation and CVD growth steps. CNTs successfully survived multiple processing steps and selective growth of graphene shells around Au nanoparticles was achieved and studied using microscopic and spectroscopic methods.
Loss of local control with prolongation in radiotherapy

Abstract Twelve published clinical results of radical radiotherapy of head and neck cancer have been reviewed, seven of them with fresh multivariate analyses, to determine the magnitude of time factors relating local control to overall time. In all but two of the data sets a significant loss of local control was observed with prolongation. The median rate of loss was 14% in only l week, the range 3 to 25%. This corresponds to a median loss of 26% in 2 weeks (5–42%). These results are comparable with other, less detailed information. Whether these significant losses are due to proliferation of tumor cells or to other causes such as physician selection, it is clear that modest prolongation is associated with a lower chance of local control.
Learning Progressions That Support Formative Assessment Practices

Black, Wilson, and Yao (this issue) lay out a comprehensive vision for the way that learning progressions (or other “road maps”) might be used to inform and coordinate formative and summative purpo...
Computational analysis of re-ignition and re-initiation mechanisms of quenched detonation waves behind a backward facing step

Abstract Re-ignition and re-initiation mechanisms of quenched detonation waves passing over a backward facing step are investigated using a high-resolution discontinuous Galerkin method, in which the reaction chemistry is described using a detailed chemical model. A stoichiometric Hydrogen/Oxygen mixture with different diluents (Argon and Nitrogen) is considered to assess effects of the mixture composition and reactivity on the initiation process. It is found that the mixture reactivity and the spatio-temporal evolution of the diffracted detonation wave are critical in controlling the development of the ignition kernels, and the possible transition to detonation. Due to curvature effects and the increasing shock angle, the incident shock wave transitions from a regular reflection to a Mach reflection. Through parametric studies, it is shown that for more reactive Argon-diluted mixtures, ignition first appears behind the regular shock reflection, which is followed by spontaneous re-initiation through the SWACER (Shock Wave Amplification by Coherent Energy Release) mechanism. By replacing Argon with Nitrogen, the reactivity reduces and re-ignition through Mach reflection is observed. The subsequent re-initiation is primarily controlled by flame-acoustic and wave-wave interactions. Hot-spot re-initiation behind the Mach stem is not found due to the short ignition window that exists over the limited range of shock angles. A theoretical model is developed to confirm these findings and to quantify the coupling among the incident shock angle, the thermodynamic state of the shock-compressed mixture, and the ignition delay. Effects of viscous-diffusive transport are also assessed, and it is shown that the viscous dissipation at the wall promotes ignition and transition to re-initiation.