cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of Triturus Toxin on Respiration of Rat Tissues in vitro.

ConclusionsLow concentrations of Triturus toxin had no effect on the respiratory rate of rat brain, kidney and liver slices in vitro. In the presence of 85 M.U. per ml in the case of liver, and of 850 M.U. per ml in the case of kidney and brain slices, slight transient stimulation of respiration occurred, but it is not clear that this could be attributed to the action of the toxin.
Profession, “performance”, and policy: teachers, examinations, and the state in England and Wales, 1846–1862

AbstractWhen historians discuss the impact of examinations on elementary education in mid-Victorian England and Wales they typically focus on the Revised Code of 1862. The Revised Code is famous for instituting a policy of “payment-by-results” for teachers in state-supported voluntary schools. “Payment-by-results” made government grants to schools – and, by extension, for teachers’ salaries – contingent upon student attendance and pass rates in reading, writing and arithmetic. As this article emphasises, however, “payment-by-results” was not the first, or even the most significant, instance in which competitive examination was used by the state as an instrument for establishing the pedagogical fitness and salaries of teachers. Less often explored by historians is the formative role that state-mandated competitive examinations for teachers played in developing a professionally aspirant body of schoolteachers and, consequently, the schoolteachers’ later role in developing competitive examination as a broad-...
Abstract 205: Minimizing Post Procedural Bleeding Complications - A Quality Improvement Initiative

Objectives: The primary purpose of this study is to implement the National Cardiovascular Data Registry (NCDR) CathPCI bleeding risk score pre-procedurally, in order to identify the patients who are at high risk for bleeding complications and secondly, to examine accurate documentation to decrease hemorrhagic complications among adult patients undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). Background: Bleeding is one of the most common complications of PCI. The NCDR CathPCI bleeding risk score can predict patient risk for bleeding complications pre-procedurally. This tool is recognized as an assessment tool that can modify bleeding risk among adult patients undergoing PCI. This validated, individualized bleeding risk score (BRS) is useful in clinical decision making to promote quality of care, patient safety, and patient satisfaction and PCI outcomes. Specific outcomes evaluated in this project include number of blood transfusion and length of stay (LOS). Currently, this BRS tool is under utilized in the clinical setting. Methods: A cross sectional study design was implemented for this quality improvement project in a major medical center in the Northeast. Retrospective clinical data review was conducted for adult patients who underwent PCI prior to initiation of the NCDR CathPCI assessment tool. A data collection form was implemented to obtain this retrospective data related to bleeding complications. The NCDR CathPCI bleeding score tool was then implemented for adult patients who underwent PCI. Prospective data collection after implementing NCDR cathPCI bleeding risk tool is in progress. Results: The preliminary findings of the retrospective data review prior to implementation of the NCDR CathPCI bleeding score suggests that, 34.4% of the patients who received blood transfusions had documented bleeding complications (hematoma 15.6% (10 of 64); retro-peritoneal bleeding 9.4% (6 of 64); gastrointestinal bleeding 9.4% (6 of 64). Only 14.1% (9 of 64) of these patients had a drop in hemoglobin of 3grams from the baseline prior to transfusion. There was also a lack of documentation of hematoma size. Chronically anemic patients who received blood transfusion without bleeding complications accounted for 65.6% (42 of 64) of the patients reviewed in the retrospective data review. Average LOS of patients who required blood transfusion was an average of 1.34 days when compared with patients who did not develop bleeding complications. Final results of the prospective data analysis post implementation of the NCDR CathPCI assessment tool are pending. Conclusion: Pending.
Dynamic Stabilization of Expressed Proteins in Engineered Diatom Biosilica Matrices.

Self-assembly of recombinant proteins within the biosilica of living diatoms represents a means to construct functional materials in a reproducible and scalable manner that will enable applications that harness the inherent specificities of proteins to sense and respond to environmental cues. Here we describe the use of a silaffin-derived lysine-rich 39-amino-acid targeting sequence (Sil3T8) that directs a single chain fragment variable (scFv) antibody or an enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) to assemble within the biosilica frustule, resulting in abundance of >200 000 proteins per frustule. Using either a fluorescent ligand bound to the scFv or the intrinsic fluorescence of EGFP, we monitored protein conformational dynamics, accessibility to external quenchers, binding affinity, and conformational stability. Like proteins in solution, proteins within isolated frustules undergo isotropic rotational motion, but with 2-fold increases in rotational correlation times that are indicative of weak macromo...
Relation between breast cancer and risk factors in Beijing women

OBJECTIVE:To observe the relation between ages,risk factors and endogenous sex steroid hormones of Beijing women and the breast cancer as well as endogenous sex steroid hormones and mammographic density. METHODS:There were 493 women,age range was 25-76 years old (median age 44). Subjects of ≤40 years,40 years and postmenopausal were 165,242 and 86,respectively. The subjects were conducted questionnaire for statistics of risk factor,mammography in order to calculate the percentage of mammographic density by semi-quantitative method and detection of plasma estradiol and progesterone. RESULTS:The detection rate of breast cancer and benign lesion in the group were 1.2% and 7.3%,respectively. There were 146 subjects with risk factors in the group excluding cases with breast cancer. Mammographic density of postmenopausal group with risk-factor was significantly higher than that of group with no-risk-factor(P0.05). A mild positive correlation between mammographic density and plasma levels of estradiol(r=0.315,P=0.003)and progesterone(r=0.256,P=0.017)in postmenopausal group was observed. Multinomial logistic regressive analysis displayed that the detection rate of breast cancer trended increasing with age (χ2=5.7,P=0.017) and risk factor (χ2=4.7,P=0.03). The detection rate of breast cancer was 4.2 times in older age group compared with that of the younger age group and 4.9 times in group with risk factors compared with that of no-risk factors. CONCLUSIONS:The detection rate of breast cancer is increasing with age,and the detection rate in group with risk-factor is higher than that of non-risk-factor group. The mammographic density of women with risk-factor in postmenopausal period is higher than that of age cohorts without the risk factors. Mammographic density should become a monitoring indicator for breast screening.
Nursing strategies of deep venous thrombosis after hysterectomy

Objective:To summarize the nursing strategies of postoperative deep venous thrombosis(DVT)after hysterectomy.Methods:33 DVT patients were treated with comprehensive nursing.Results:32 patients recovered,and 1 patient was transfered to other hospital for further treatment.Conclusion:Comprehensive nursing strategies provid significant effect on the treatment and prophylaxis for postoperative DVT patients after hysterectomy.
Segmental Living-Related Small Bowel Transplantation

Small bowel transplantation (SBT) has provided effective therapy for the patients with chronic, irreversible intestinal failure affected by life-threatening complications of total parenteral nutrition [1].
Long Term Response To Lenalidomide With and Without Continuous Therapy Among Patients With Newly Diagnosed Multiple Myeloma

Introduction Lenalidomide is an immunomodulatory drug that is active in newly diagnosed as well as relapsed multiple myeloma (MM). The goal of this study is to describe patients with newly diagnosed MM remaining on lenalidomide for more than 3 years (long term responders) as well as patients that after discontinuing lenalidomide were able to maintain disease control while only on observation (LenO group). Methods We retrospectively reviewed 283 patients with newly diagnosed MM that were treated with lenalidomide between January 2003 and January 2011. We excluded patients that underwent early autologous stem cell transplant (n=102) or had less than 3 years of follow-up (n=6), leaving 175 patients for the current analysis. Results Long term responders Thirty-three patients (19%) received lenalidomide for more than 3 years. When compared to patients receiving lenalidomide for less than 3 years, at baseline, long term responders were more likely to have standard risk disease (64% versus 44%, p=0.03) and less likely to have high risk disease (18% versus 4%, p=0.04). They were more likely to have achieved a deeper response (VGPR versus PR, p Observation group Thirty-three patients (19%) discontinued lenalidomide for reasons other than progression and were observed without receiving further treatment (LenO group). Prior to moving to observation, five patients had received lenalidomide for more than three years. Indications for stopping in the LenO group included: prolonged disease stability (n= 20); and toxicity (n=13). The only differences in baseline characteristics between the LenO group and patients that were not observed off any treatment was depth of response, with 61% (n=20) of LenO in VGPR or better versus 23% (n=23) in the remainder, p=0.0003. Median PFS from the time of discontinuing lenalidomide was significantly longer in those patients who took lenalidomide for more than 1 year (n=24) when compared to patients taking it for less than one year (n=9) (median PFS off therapy was 38.5 months versus, 14.9 months log rank 0.08; Wilcoxon p Conclusion Approximately one out of five patients with newly diagnosed MM can achieve responses lasting more than three years while on treatment with lenalidomide. Patients with standard risk FISH and those achieving at least VGPR are more likely be long-term responders. Furthermore, long-term responders were more likely to be slow responders. We also demonstrate that suspension of lenalidomide therapy after 1 year among those patients achieving a VGPR or better can result in long-term disease control and can be considered as a therapeutic strategy. Disclosures: Kumar: Celgene: Consultancy, Research Funding; Millennium: Consultancy, Research Funding; Onyx: Consultancy, Research Funding. Gertz: Celgene: Honoraria. Lacy: Celgene: Honoraria. Dispenzieri: Celgene: Research dollars Other.
Ratings of affective and interpersonal tendencies differ for grandiose and vulnerable narcissism: A replication and extension of Gore and Widiger (2016).

Objective: Theoretical conceptions of narcissism have long been characterized by two seemingly opposing poles: grandiosity and vulnerability. The goal of the current study was to investigate the extent to which traits associated with one profile are perceived to co-occur with the other within an individual. Method: Lay raters (n = 862; 56% female; 80% Caucasian; mean age = 37) recruited from Amazon's MTurk and assigned to one of four conditions in which they rated how often a series of narcissistic traits were displayed by a prototypical grandiose narcissist, vulnerable narcissist, a close friend, or themselves. Vulnerable narcissism items were specifically worded to assess internalizing vs. externalizing-based emotional responses. Results: Results suggest that grandiosely narcissistic individuals are seen as responding angrily to ego-threatening situations, while vulnerably narcissistic individuals are seen as responding with a broader array of negative emotions including anger, sadness, and shame. In contrast, vulnerably narcissistic individuals were not rated as consistently demonstrating behaviors, attitudes, or cognitions associated with grandiose narcissism. Conclusions: Grandiose and vulnerable narcissistic individuals both exhibit anger in response to ego threat, but sadness/shame responses are much more characteristic of vulnerable narcissism. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Stringent Nucleotide Recognition by the Ribosome at the Middle Codon Position

Accurate translation of the genetic code depends on mRNA:tRNA codon:anticodon base pairing. Here we exploit an emissive, isosteric adenosine surrogate that allows direct measurement of the kinetics of codon:anticodon University of California base formation during protein synthesis. Our results suggest that codon:anticodon base pairing is subject to tighter constraints at the middle position than at the 5'- and 3'-positions, and further suggest a sequential mechanism of formation of the three base pairs in the codon:anticodon helix.
Marketing diversity: selling school districts in a racialized marketplace

Schools in the US and across the globe are increasingly engaged in marketing practices to attract and retain students and families. This study examines why and how administrators and school board m...
1006-LB: Unexplained Positive Reactions with One Lambda, FlowPRATM Lot #18

Aim Minimizing lot-to-lot variability should be a primary goal for all manufacturers of diagnostic products. Nonetheless, it is the responsibility of each laboratory to verify that a new lot or reagent performs as expected. Here we discuss concerns related to quality control of the FlowPRA test by One Lambda, Inc. Methods Initial testing of the new lot (#18) of FlowPRA Class II screening beads was performed using samples with and without HLA antibodies as determined with the previous lot (#17) of FlowPRA. All samples were run according to manufacturers’ recommended specifications with the exception of using 40ul of serum instead of 20 ul. Samples were analyzed on a FACS Canto II instrument. Results Testing of sera that contained known HLA antibodies were comparable between lots. However, unexpected positive reactions consistently were observed with lot #18 when HLA antibody negative sera were tested. As a follow up, samples from 10 such patients were tested by single antigen beads (SABs, LabScreen, One Lambda, Inc.). In addition, historic samples, shown to be devoid of HLA Class II antibody (FlowPRA Lot #17), were retested against the new lot of FlowPRA beads. Of concern was the observation that all 10 historic 0% PRA samples were now positive with the new bead lot. Importantly, testing by SABs confirmed the absence of Class II antibodies. Conclusions Our results clearly demonstrate a problem with lot #18 Class II FlowPRA beads. Lot #18 differs from the previous lot by a single bead. Although this bead carries a new phenotype, it added only one new allele (DPB*02:02) to the collection of alleles compared to FlowPRA lot #17. The unexpected reactivity is most likely due to non-HLA antibodies since the possibility of multiple patients expressing a solitary DPB*02:02 antibody is not likely. Such false positive reactivity should have been identified by the manufacturer. Failure to do so ultimately translates into wasted time, effort and expense. More importantly, patient care may be compromised by reporting of false positive results.
Oncofertility Communication Tools for Professionals and the Public

The interdisciplinary field of oncofertility raises unique challenges and presents new opportunities for communicating cutting-edge advances in research and clinical care to scientists, health care providers, and the patient community. Oncofertility professionals, including members of the Oncofertility Consortium, have developed a diverse set of tools, including Web sites, virtual meeting capabilities, and mobile tools, to educate research and medical professionals. Technologies such as social media can also help professionals as they disseminate information to the public about oncofertility issues and options. Effective communication about oncofertility requires recognition of the unique perspectives of patients, providers, researchers, and the public—in this chapter, we discuss these perspectives and describe the array of communication tools that are available to oncofertility professionals.
Lie Algebraic Control for the Stabilization of Nonlinear Multibody System Dynamics Simulation

It is well known that when equations of motion are formulated using Lagrange multipliers for multibody dynamic systems, one obtains a redundant set of differential algebraic equations. Numerical integration of these equations can lead to numerical difficulties associated with constraint violation drift. One approach that has been explored to alleviate this difficulty has been contraint stabilization methods. In this paper, a family of stabilization methods are considered as partial feedback linearizing controllers. Several stabilization methods including the range space method, null space method, Baumgarte's method, and the damping and stiffness penalty methods are examined. Each can be construed as a particular partial feedback linearizing controller. The paper closes by comparing several of these constraint stabilization methods to another method suggested by construction: the variable structure sliding (VSS) control. The VSS method is found to be the most efficient, stable, and robust in the presence of singularities.
3-D Bauschinger-effect model suitable for use in large computer codes

We propose a 3-D Bauschinger effect model for isotropic elastic-plastic materials that is simple to parameterize and implement numerically. We assume the existence of a single yield surface and hardening rule. Stress states on the yield surface are plastic, whereas, inside the yield surface they are described by nonlinear elasticity. The nonlinear elasticity is characterized by a variable effective shear modulus, whose value is a function of material history and current deviatoric stress. The effective shear modulus is described by three material-dependent parameters. Two are determined from any proportional loading-unloading test. The third is obtained from a nonproportional test. We describe how the model operates, and then compare the calculated results with data from the quasistatic deformation of OFHC copper tubes.
Prevalence of Depression in Chronic Heart Failure

Heart failure is a clinical syndrome characterized by the inability of the heart to pump enough blood to meet the demands of the skeletal muscle system during exertion. Heart failure may be the “final common pathway” for many cardiovascular diseases, including coronary artery disease, hypertension and myocarditis, or it may occur as a separate idiopathic entity. It causes functional limitation from dyspnea and fatigue that may be severe; heart failure patients on average report functional limitation nearly two standard deviations from the mean for the normal population [1]. There is a wide variability in disease severity. Some patients may experience symptoms only with unusual exertion outside the boundaries of their usual activity. In its more advanced stages adequate blood flow is impaired at rest, and may result in impaired perfusion of the kidneys, liver and even the cerebrum. Treatment consists of a regimen of multiple drugs that diminish the severity of symptoms and improve survival; curative therapy is not available. There are other options available for a limited subset of the patients with more advanced disease, including cardiac transplantation and mechanical assist devices.
Vortex Wakes in Stably-Stratified Fluids

The evolution of an initially-turbulent wake behind a bluff-body is a useful model for a broad range of flows involving the decay of a local turbulent patch in a stable background density gradient. Such flows encompass many atmospheric and oceanic applications, the latter including also the evolution of wakes of submerged bodies.
Instructor and student perceptions of online student engagement strategies

The purpose of this article is to report findings pertaining to faculty members’ perception of the importance of engagement strategies utilized in the online learning environment and to compare the...
Field data analysis of recreational off-highway vehicle crashes

Objective: Recreational off-highway vehicle (ROHV) crashes are of concern because sales of these vehicles have been growing rapidly and because newer vehicles tend to have significantly greater per...
Pet ownership and risk of dying from cancer: observation from a nationally representative cohort

We longitudinally examined the relationship between pet ownership and risk of dying from cancer in a nationally representative cohort of 13,725 adults in the Third National Health and Nutrition Exa...
The effects of incentives, instructor motivation and feedback strategies on faculty evaluation response rates in large and small class sizes

Four instructor-led strategies designed to increase faculty teaching response rates were assessed across both small (n < 50) and large (n ≥ 50) class sizes. The interventions included: (a) individu...
High Power, Narrow-Linewidth, and Compact Terahertz Sources for Room Temperature Applications

We present the recent progress of room temperature terahertz (THz) sources based on intracavity difference-frequency generation from mid-infrared quantum cascade lasers. The active cores based on the single-phonon resonance scheme are designed with a giant THz nonlinearity. Integrated dual-period distributed-feedback grating is used to purify the THz spectra. Room temperature single-mode operation is obtained from the modal-phase matched THz sources at 3.3–4.6 THz, with a THz power of 65 μW at 4 THz. A wider THz spectral range of 1–4.6 THz is obtained from the Cerenkov phase-matched THz sources, where a maximum power of 32 μW at 2.6 THz is demonstrated. The THz power of Cerenkov device is further improved by epi-down mounting with a high THz power of 215 μW at 3.5 THz. The rapid development renders this type of THz sources promising local oscillators for many astronomical and medical applications.
Patent Renewals as Intellectual Property Rights Management Strategy

We examines how firms manage their intellectual property rights (IPR) by observing their patent renewal decisions. Once a patent is granted, U.S. patent holders must pay renewal fees in 3.5, 7.5, a...
Myrmenaphthol A, Isolated from a Hawaiian Sponge of the Genus Myrmekioderma.

Four compounds (1–4) were isolated from a Hawaiian sponge of the genus Myrmekioderma. Myrmenaphthol A (1) incorporates two unusual elements into an oxidized steroidal core: a naphthyl AB-ring system and a hydroxy group at C-2. A comparison of the experimental and predicted electronic circular dichroism (ECD) spectra of 1 assigned an S configuration to the lone stereocenter (ΔESI = 0.75; similarity factor 0.8137). Known compounds, cinanthrenol A (2), 3,4-dihydroxypregna-5,17-diene-10,2-carbolactone (3), and 3,4-dihydroxypregna-5,20-diene-10,2-carbolactone (4), were also isolated. Despite literature reports of competitive inhibition at nanomolar levels for 2, neither 2 nor the structurally related 1 showed any activity against estrogen receptors at the concentrations tested.
Implicit androcentrism: Men are human, women are gendered

Abstract People think of certain social roles (e.g., scientists) as being men, but perhaps even more fundamentally, people also tend to think of a person as a man. People list men more often than women as examples of humanity and describe men with generic labels (e.g., the person) but use gender-specific labels (e.g., the woman) for women. This is especially true of male respondents. Much of the research on this androcentric tendency to conflate men with people has measured more controllable behaviors. The present studies instead investigated androcentrism using adaptations of the implicit association test (IAT). The IAT more closely captures theoretically relevant categorization cognitive processes; responses on the IAT are more difficult to control and thus suitable for socially-sensitive topics like gender bias; and the IAT can help to explain gender differences in androcentrism. Results from three studies showed that participants associated broad human concepts (e.g., person) with men more than women (Studies 1–3), and gender-specific concepts (e.g., woman) with women more than men (Studies 2–3). These IAT associations were larger for male (vs. female) participants (Studies 1–3) and for participants exposed to a male-emphasizing (vs. gender-inclusive) term for humanity (i.e., mankind; Study 3). Participants were also more likely to notice a semantic redundancy between being male and being human compared to the same redundancy concerning women (Studies 2–3). Together, these findings support a categorization-based theoretical account of androcentrism, advancing understanding of the nature of androcentrism and gender differences therein.
Multi-trench-gate Cell Concept for Low Voltage Superjunction Power MOSFETs

Multi-trench-gate (multi-TG) cell concept is proposed for below 60V class superjunction (SJ) power MOSFETs. The proposed SJ cell improves manufacturability by relaxing too aggressive column pitch narrowing while keeping specific on-state resistance R sp reduction. Two-TG SJ cell is designed by fully utilizing TCAD and over 20% Rsp reduction with good charge imbalance margin against our 4th generation single gate SJ cell is obtained. The 1st experimental demonstration results in 13% R sp reduction and slightly lower BV dss than target because of the insufficient tuning of column implantation mask patterning and insufficient optimization of design parameters of termination region.
Strongmen and Neurotics: Visible Struggle and the Construction of Judicial Ethos

In the American system of written, often lengthy appellate opinions, judges confronted with hard cases must choose whether and to what extent to reveal to their audiences their own struggles in deciding the case. They must choose, in other words, what judicial role to inhabit. Should they present themselves as self-assured experts applying with ease the wisdom that qualified them for the job in the first place? Or should they present themselves as fellow citizens who, like any of us, struggle to find just resolutions to difficult and tangled problems that offer no clear answers? Which judicial ethos is more likely to please, persuade, and ultimately reassure the public? And just as importantly: which public? In these polarized times, it seems patently clear that the same judicial ethos will have different effects on populations with highly distinct preferences concerning the nature, style, and content of public leadership. As the Supreme Court’s swing vote for much of his career, Justice Anthony Kennedy struggled visibly in hard cases largely without satisfying audiences on either side. While this was to some extent outside his control, particularly as the American right tilted further toward the illiberalism that finally consolidated in 2016, Justice Kennedy nevertheless seemed to manage his self-presentation of judicial ethos without much skill. His struggles often seemed unconvincing and idiosyncratic, conducted in arenas where few found the real struggles to lie, thereby frequently earning him scorn from the right and incredulity from the left.
Accuracy Requirements for Cost-effective Suicide Risk Prediction Among Primary Care Patients in the US.

Importance Several statistical models for predicting suicide risk have been developed, but how accurate such models must be to warrant implementation in clinical practice is not known. Objective To identify threshold values of sensitivity, specificity, and positive predictive value that a suicide risk prediction method must attain to cost-effectively target a suicide risk reduction intervention to high-risk individuals. Design, setting, and participants This economic evaluation incorporated published data on suicide epidemiology, the health care and societal costs of suicide, and the costs and efficacy of suicide risk reduction interventions into a novel decision analytic model. The model projected suicide-related health economic outcomes over a lifetime horizon among a population of US adults with a primary care physician. Data analysis was performed from September 19, 2019, to July 5, 2020. Interventions Two possible interventions were delivered to individuals at high predicted risk: active contact and follow-up (ACF; relative risk of suicide attempt, 0.83; annual health care cost, $96) and cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT; relative risk of suicide attempt, 0.47; annual health care cost, $1088). Main outcomes and measures Fatal and nonfatal suicide attempts, quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), health care sector costs and societal costs (in 2016 US dollars), and incremental cost-effectiveness ratios (ICERs) (with ICERs ≤$150 000 per QALY designated cost-effective). Results With a specificity of 95% and a sensitivity of 25%, primary care-based suicide risk prediction could reduce suicide death rates by 0.5 per 100 000 person-years (if used to target ACF) or 1.6 per 100 000 person-years (if used to target CBT) from a baseline of 15.3 per 100 000 person-years. To be cost-effective from a health care sector perspective at a specificity of 95%, a risk prediction method would need to have a sensitivity of 17.0% or greater (95% CI, 7.4%-37.3%) if used to target ACF and 35.7% or greater (95% CI, 23.1%-60.3%) if used to target CBT. To achieve cost-effectiveness, ACF required positive predictive values of 0.8% for predicting suicide attempt and 0.07% for predicting suicide death; CBT required values of 1.7% for suicide attempt and 0.2% for suicide death. Conclusions and relevance These findings suggest that with sufficient accuracy, statistical suicide risk prediction models can provide good health economic value in the US. Several existing suicide risk prediction models exceed the accuracy thresholds identified in this analysis and thus may warrant pilot implementation in US health care systems.
Slow Rates of Convergence in Optimization with Side Information

In this work, we study convergence properties for optimization problems with side information. In these problems, there is side information that is correlated with the uncertain elements of the stochastic optimization problem and that can be used to improve decision-making. Ideally, a method for an optimization problem with side information should quickly converge to an optimal policy. This is impossible to guarantee unless some regularity conditions are placed on the relationship between the side information and the uncertain parameter. In this work, we identify regularity conditions for which convergence rates can be arbitrarily slow. The results that we provide cannot be greatly strengthened, since there are methods in the existing literature that have associated convergence rates under only slightly stronger regularity conditions. This provides a starting point for researchers who want to provide convergence guarantees. Any attempt to provide such guarantees will necessarily require regularity conditions stronger than the ones that we present.
Cannabis Use among Older Persons with Arthritis, Cancer and Multiple Sclerosis: Are We Comparing Apples and Oranges?

Although researchers have identified medications that relieve symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS), none are entirely effective and some persons with multiple sclerosis (PwMS) use alternatives. Our study compared cannabis use among PwMS (N = 135) and persons diagnosed with arthritis (N = 582) or cancer (N = 622) who were age 60 and older, enrolled in the State of Illinois Medical Cannabis Program, and invited to complete a survey fielded between June and September, 2019. We used logistic regression to identify significant differences in self-reported effects of cannabis on psychological wellbeing, quality of life, and three behavioral outcomes, and we also considered effects of past year opioid use relative to these outcomes. We found that the majority of individuals from all groups used cannabis to address pain and improve quality of sleep. While PwMS reported lower baseline levels across all five outcomes, we found that the reported effects of cannabis were largely comparable across the groups. We also found that cannabis benefitted persons with sleep and digestive issues regardless of condition, whereas persons who used opioids in addition to cannabis were less likely to experience an improvement in any of the outcomes. This comparative evaluation suggests that cannabis’ effects are not specific to MS, arthritis, or cancer as much as they impact processes common among these distinct conditions. We also found evidence that cannabis may be a viable alternative to opioids for those with these conditions and experiencing pain.
Impact of education on institutional and faculty rates of atypical squamous cells.

Introduction Papanicolaou test quality metrics include the ASC rate, ASC:SIL ratio, and ASC HPV+ rate. What a laboratory should do when metrics show a worrisome trend is not well defined. In 2015, our laboratory noted a worrisome trend in our quality metrics and decided to implement a systemic education program in 2016; we monitored the effectiveness of our program. Methods An educational intervention was designed for March/April 2016. Cytotechnologist education consisted of: group meeting on March 10 to discuss metrics, lecture, and written materials on ASC-US criteria, a quiz on challenging ASC-US cases, encouragement to seek consultation, and each cytotechnologist received quarterly individual metrics. The cytopathologist education consisted of: group meeting on April 16 to discuss metrics, encouragement to bring borderline cases to consensus conference, and each faculty received quarterly individual metrics. The ASC rate, ASC:SIL ratio, and ASC HPV+ rate was collected for the institution and each individual faculty in 2016 for January to March (pre-interventions, Q1), April to June (post-interventions, Q2), and July to September (post-interventions, Q3). ASC-H was included in the calculation of ASC %, ASC:SIL, and ASC HPV+ rates. Results There was a substantial decline in the lab ASC rate and ASC:SIL ratio, and the ASC HPV+ rate increased. Individual faculty changes in ASC:SIL ratio and ASC HPV+ rate also improved. Conclusions In our institution, an educational program has been very effective in improving Papanicolaou test metrics. It is helpful to perform re-education at all levels within the department.
Systematic review of skeletal muscle passive mechanics experimental methodology.

Abstract Understanding passive skeletal muscle mechanics is critical in defining structure–function relationships in skeletal muscle and ultimately understanding pathologically impaired muscle. In this systematic review, we performed an exhaustive literature search using PRISMA guidelines to quantify passive muscle mechanical properties, summarized the methods used to create these data, and make recommendations to standardize future studies. We screened over 7500 papers and found 80 papers that met the inclusion criteria. These papers reported passive muscle mechanics from single muscle fiber to whole muscle across 16 species and 54 distinct muscles. We found a wide range of methodological differences in sample selection, preparation, testing, and analysis. The systematic review revealed that passive muscle mechanics is species and scale dependent—specifically within mammals, the passive mechanics increases non-linearly with scale. However, a detailed understanding of passive mechanics is still unclear because the varied methodologies impede comparisons across studies, scales, species, and muscles. Therefore, we recommend the following: smaller scales may be maintained within storage solution prior to testing, when samples are tested statically use 2–3 min of relaxation time, stress normalization at the whole muscle level be to physiologic cross-sectional area, strain normalization be to sarcomere length when possible, and an exponential equation be used to fit the data. Additional studies using these recommendations will allow exploration of the multiscale relationship of passive force within and across species to provide the fundamental knowledge needed to improve our understanding of passive muscle mechanics.
Intrathecal infusion of baclofen for spasticity: the RUSH and the US multicenter studies

The ideal treatment for spasticity should have the following characteristics. First, it should not damage any part of the nervous system which is functioning normally or has the potential for recovery. Thus, motor and sensory pathways would remain intact so that no further neurological loss would be inflicted by the treatment. Second, it should be reversible, so that as the degree of spasticity changes, the treatment could be adjusted appropriately. A corollary is that it should be effective with mild spasticity as well as the most severe. Third, it should involve as little surgical intervention as possible because of the already compromised medical status of the patient. Finally, there should be a way to test if it will work before employing the technique.
Picosecond Electrical Pulse for VLSI Electronics Characterization

Picosecond electrical pulses with well resolved frequency components into the terahertz region are ideally suited for the characterization of VLSI electronics, both for the devices themselves and for the interconnect wiring. In this paper, we describe the technology we employ to photoconductively generate and measure these ultrafast electrical signals./1/ A particular emphasis was given to the compatibility with existing VLSI device technology. Although other measurement techniques /2,3/ have shown very good sensitivity and time resolution, the photoconductive sampling technique is particularly attractive for silicon device characterization with a comparable sensitivity and time resolution /4/ and a better amplitude calibration and reproducibility as the sampling geometry is defined by the lithography itself. Impedance matching is facilitated while keeping identical geometries between the device site and the generating and sampling sites. We also present results on the optoelectronic characterization of a 1μm gate GaAs MESFET. We will not address in this paper the problem of circuit testing which has some stringent additional requirements, in particular that of submicron spatial resolution and of wide field addressing capability. These imperatives may ultimately limit the use of purely optical techniques for the functional testing of high speed circuits at their internal nodes.
Evaluation of fall armyworm resistance in maize germplasm lines using visual leaf injury rating and predator survey.

After examining ear-colonizing pest resistance, 20 maize lines from the USDA- ARS Germplasm Enhancement of Maize (GEM) Program were evaluated for whorl-feeding fall armyworm (FAW) (Spodoptera frugiperda) resistance using 4 maize inbred lines as the resistant and susceptible controls. Both FAW injury ratings at 7- and 14-d after infestation, and predator abundance and diversity at whorl stage (V6-V8) were recorded in 2009 and 2010. The survey of the diversity and abundance of predators in each experimental plot were conducted 7 d after the FAW infestation. Of the 20 germplasm lines examined, 3 of them (i.e., entries 9, 15, and 19 that were derived from tropical maize germplasm lines were originated from Uruguay, Cuba, and Thailand, respectively) were identified as the best FAW-resistant germplasm lines using the leaf injury ratings and predator survey data. In addition, the abundance and diversity of the predators were greater in 2010 than in 2009, which might have caused the low level of the FAW injury ratings on all lines examined in 2010. The 2-year data showed that the FAW injury ratings were negatively correlated to the predator abundance and diversity, which is also influence by genotype × environment interactions. The findings suggested that tropical germplasm is an important source of native resistance to the FAW and the corn earworm. At the same time, the maize genotype × environment interaction (e.g., predator attractiveness, and varying weather conditions) should be included in the multiple-year evaluations of insect and disease resistance of maize germplasm lines under field conditions.
Production of a critical coronary arterial stenosis in closed chest laboratory animals: Description of a new nonsurgical method based on standard cardiac catheterization techniques

A nonsurgical method for producing a critical coronary arterial stenosis in a closed chest laboratory animal would enhance our ability to study the effects of reversible myocardial ischemia on many aspects of left ventricular function and also would facilitate experiments aimed at studying the effects of various interventions on regional myocardial blood flow distal to a severe stenosis. Accordingly, a new technique was developed for the production of a critical coronary arterial lesion in a closed chest laboratory animal. Under fluoroscopic control a small plastic truncated cone (5 mm long, outside diameter 3.5 mm tapering to 3.25 mm) with a narrow, central internal lumen (diameter 0.625 mm) was passed over a guide wire into the left anterior descending coronary artery of a closed chest, heparinized pig (n = 6). Regional myocardial blood flow (microsphere technique) distal to the artificial stenosis (distal zone) and in myocardium perfused by the circumflex coronary artery was determined under the following conditions: at rest (control I), at the 10th minute of atrial pacing (190 min−1) and 10 to 15 minutes after discontinuation of pacing (control II). At rest, transmural blood flow distal to the stenosis (1.29 ± 0.32 ml/min per g, mean ± standard deviation) was almost identical to that in the circumflex zone (1.31 ± 0.31, r = 0.93, p < 0.01). During atrial pacing transmural flow increased significantly (p < 0.01 versus control) in the circumflex zone (1.73 ± 0.27) and then returned to control value (1.34 ± 0.38) after pacing was discontinued. In contrast, transmural flow in the distal zone (1.45 ± 0.40) failed to increase significantly with pacing. In addition, during atrial pacing the endocardial to epicardial blood flow ratio distal to the stenosis decreased from 0.99 ± 0.13 (control I) to 0.68 ± 0.14 (p < 0.01), whereas it remained unchanged in the circumflex zone (1.1 ± 0.11 to 1.1 ± 0.08, difference not significant). Finally, the artificial intraluminal stenosis remained patent for the duration of the study (5.1 ± 0.05 hours) in all animals. Thus the intracoronary plastic stenosis is a promising new method for the production of a critical coronary arterial lesion in closed chest laboratory animals.
III. The (Neglected) Employment Dimension of the World Trade Organization

This section contains details of editors and contributors of this book, which examines the extent to which international labour issues have become issue of concern within the European Union, the ILO, and the OECD. Concern over the relationship between human rights, social justice and international trade competitiveness has led to the inclusion of the issue of the rights of workers in the agenda of leading international organizations. Keywords: European Union (EU); globalization; ILO; international organizations; labour rights; OECD; social issues
How important are currents and fields in radio sources

While fluid dynamical models have had quite a bit of success in explaining large-scale properties of radio sources, several small-scale and microphysical phenomena seem to suggest or even to require electrodynamic processes. I discuss four such mechanisms — particle injection, magnetic confinement, tearing instabilities as the origin of luminous filaments, and twisting of current-carrying jets. From this evidence, I suggest that currents and fields may well be as important as hydrodynamics in the large-sale dynamics and energetics of the sources.
Jehovah's Witnesses and artificial blood

As a medical adviser for the Associated Jehovah's Witnesses for Reform on Blood, I would like to challenge some statements made by Zenon Bodnaruk in his response[1][1] to John Doyle's letter regarding Jehovah's Witnesses and artificial blood.[2][2] Bodnaruk states that our Web site ([www.ajwrb.org][
Teaching About Family Science as a Discipline

Throughout the chapters in this Handbook, research, theory, and methodology have been presented on marriage and family. The content provides much of the background for one to understand the study of family and family science as a discipline. In this chapter, the goal is to explore ideas around teaching family science as a discipline. We will examine the terms used to describe the science and the profession, and where the field fits among social science disciplines as primary, secondary, or tertiary. We will discuss the ethics, theories, and methodologies that many scholars believe should be included in the study of marriage and family and provide a discourse on whether or not a separate discipline of family science exists today. The seven criteria for a field to become a true discipline as described by Burr and Leigh (1983) will be explored. We will examine what “teaching” about families entails as the field prepares professionals. Finally, we will identify some emerging and futuristic topics for family science educators to consider.
Chapter 25. Cell Adhesion Molecules

Publisher Summary Cell Adhesion Molecules (CAMS) have been defined empirically as molecules that mediate cell-cell adhesion in extremely artificial assays. As a result, the properties of the assays define the kinds of molecules that may be identified. Many CAM's have been identified, characterized, and classified into families. The CAM's are widely distributed among various tissues and their structure and binding activities are conserved across the animal kingdom from Drosophila to man. Recent evidence suggests that many of the CAM's may play active roles in cell-cell communication as well as adhesion. Individual cells may express several CAM's and these CAM's may play roles in parallel signaling pathways. Such a key role implies that alterations in CAM expression or function may accompany or cause severe pathologies, but this possibility has only begun to be explored. Finally, the involvement of CAM's in key signaling processes together with their accessibility at the cell surface may allow the development and administration of specialized ligands or antibodies that could interact with the cell surface and produce decisive intracellular effects on cell differentiation or function. To be convincingly identified as a CAM, a candidate molecule must satisfy several criteria: the CAM must be expressed in tissues and, during development, in a distribution that is consistent with its presumed adhesive role; antibodies to the CAM should produce perturbations of development or function in vivo that may be readily interpreted as a result of the disrupting adhesion; the purified CAM should display a binding activity to the target cell; transfection of control cells with CAM sequences should confer adhesive ability; and finally, mutations that alter CAM expression or function should produce direct effects on adhesion. This chapter e discusses the many CAMS that have been identified by this general approach that have fallen into a small number of families or classes.
The role of Fc-FcγR interactions in IgG-mediated microbial neutralization.

Antibodies are bifunctional molecules, containing a variable Fab domain that mediates binding specificity and a constant Fc domain that bridges antibody-coated targets with FcγR-expressing cells that mediate effector functions. Although traditional mechanisms of antibody-mediated neutralization of microbes have been largely thought to result from Fab–antigen interactions, recent studies suggest that recruitment of FcγR-expressing effector cells by antibodies is a major in vivo mechanism of antibody-mediated protection from infection. In this article, we review FcγR biology, compare mammalian FcγR families, and summarize recent evidence demonstrating the crucial role that Fc–FcγR interactions play during in vivo protection from infection.