cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Long-Term Pulmonary Outcomes of a Feasibility Study of Inverse-Planned, Multibeam Intensity Modulated Radiation Therapy in Node-Positive Breast Cancer Patients Receiving Regional Nodal Irradiation.

Purpose Multibeam intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) enhances the therapeutic index by increasing the dosimetric coverage of the targeted tumor tissues while minimizing volumes of adjacent organs receiving high doses of RT. The tradeoff is that a greater volume of lung is exposed to low doses of RT, raising concern about the risk of radiation pneumonitis (RP). Methods and Materials Between July 2010 and January 2013, patients with node-positive breast cancer received inverse-planned, multibeam IMRT to the breast or chest wall and regional nodes, including the internal mammary nodes (IMNs). The primary endpoint was feasibility, predefined by dosimetric treatment planning criteria. Secondary endpoints included the incidence of RP grade 3 or greater and changes in pulmonary function measured with the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events version 3.0 scales, pulmonary function tests and community-acquired pneumonia questionnaires, obtained at baseline and 6 months after IMRT. Clinical follow-up was every 6 months for up to 5 years. Results Median follow-up was 53.4 months (range, 0-82 months). Of 113 patients enrolled, 104 completed follow-up procedures. Coverage of the breast or chest wall and IMN was comprehensive (median 48.1 Gy and 48.9 Gy, respectively). The median volume of lung receiving a high dose (V20Gy) and a low dose (V5) was 29% and 100%, respectively. The overall rate of respiratory toxicities was 10.6% (11/104), including 1 grade 3 RP event (0.96%). No differences were found in pulmonary function test or community-acquired pneumonia scores after IMRT. The 5-year rates of locoregional recurrence-free, disease-free, and overall survival were 93.2%, 63.6%, and 80.3%, respectively. Conclusions Multibeam IMRT in patients with breast cancer receiving regional nodal irradiation was dosimetrically feasible, based on early treatment planning criteria. Despite the large volume of lung receiving low-dose RT, the incidence of grade 3 RP was remarkably low, justifying inverse-planned IMRT as a treatment modality for patients with high-risk breast cancer in whom conventional RT techniques prove inadequate.
Creoles, Cajuns, and Language Law in Louisiana (Les Creoles, Les Cadiens, Et Le Droit De Langue En Louisiane)

English Abstract: This article, in French, examines the word “Creole” and the history of laws about the French language in Louisiana. In recent decades, a growing awareness of the historical diminution of linguistic minorities and their languages around the world has led to increased efforts to preserve the cultural heritage of such minorities. In Louisiana, after decades of relegating Cajun French to second class status, in 1968 the Louisiana legislature created the Council for the Development of French in Louisiana (CODOFIL), a state agency tasked with preserving “Louisiana’s French language, heritage and culture.” The act establishing CODOFIL mandated that the Council “do any and all things necessary to accomplish the development, utilization, and preservation of the French language as found in the State of Louisiana.” But instead of teaching Cajun French, most Louisiana schools taught standard French, the purpose of CODOFIL was never fully realized, and both the Cajun French language, and culture, are still at risk of disappearing. French Abstract: Cet article, en francais, examine le mot «creole» et l'histoire des lois sur la langue francaise en Louisiane. Au cours des dernieres decennies, une prise de conscience de la diminution historique des minorites linguistiques et leurs langues a travers le monde a conduit a redoubler d'efforts pour preserver le patrimoine culturel de ces minorites. En Louisiane, apres des decennies de releguant Cajun francais au statut de seconde classe, en 1968, la legislature de la Louisiane a cree le Conseil pour le developpement du francais en Louisiane (CODOFIL), un organisme d'Etat charge de la preservation de la "langue francaise, le patrimoine et la culture de la Louisiane." acte etablissant CODOFIL mandat que le Conseil "faire toute et toutes les choses necessaires pour accomplir le developpement, l'utilisation et la preservation de la langue francaise que l'on trouve dans l'Etat de la Louisiane." Mais au lieu d'enseigner le francais cadien, la plupart des ecoles de la Louisiane a enseigne le francais standard, le but du CODOFIL n'a jamais ete pleinement realise, et les deux la langue francais cadien, et la culture, sont toujours a risque de disparaitre. (A version of this article, in Cajun French and English, is available at 60 Loyola Law Review 273 (2014), and at: http://ssrn.com/abstract=2572636).
The crystal structure of 2-[( tert -butyldiphenylsilyl)oxy]-1,2-diphenylethan-1-one

The title compound, C30H30O2Si, was synthesized and structurally characterized in order to determine the influence of the bulky silyl protecting group on the conformation of the benzoin moiety, with a view to directing the stereochemistry of the borohydride reduction of the benzoin. The crystal structure shows a benzoin O—C—C—O torsion angle of 38.34 (1)°, not greatly different from that found in benzoin itself. In the crystal, a weak C—H⋯O hydrogen bond between the carbonyl group and a phenyl H atom of a symmetry-related mol­ecule forms chains along [100].
Towards A Personal Mobile Cloud via Generic Device Interconnections

Recent diversification of mobile computing devices allows a mobile user to own multiple types of devices for different application scenarios, but also results in various restrictions on the performance and usability of these devices. A viable solution to such restriction is to incorporate and interconnect mobile devices towards a personal mobile cloud where these devices can complement each other via cooperative resource sharing, but is challenging due to the heterogeneity of mobile devices in both hardware and software aspects. In this paper, we propose a novel design of resource sharing framework to address these challenges and generically interconnect heterogeneous mobile devices. Our basic idea is to mask the hardware and software heterogeneity in mobile systems by exploiting the existing mobile OS services as the interface of resource sharing, and further develop the resource sharing framework as a middleware in the mobile OS. We have implemented our design over various mobile platforms with diverse characteristics and resource limits, and demonstrated that our design can efficiently support generic resource sharing among heterogeneous mobile devices without incurring significant system overhead or requiring individual system modification.
Bayesian Ideal Types: Integration of Psychometric Data for Visually Impaired Persons.

A model is proposed for the clinical synthesis of data from psychological tests. It integrates the concepts of the ideal type and Bayesian probability and suggests their use with the pattern-simila...
Disrobed and dissenting bodies of the Meira Paibi: Postcolonial counterpublic activism:

In this essay, I explore Manipur-based women’s group called Meira Paibi as a postcolonial counterpublic. I suggest that when we use the lens offered by counterpublic studies and postcolonial studie...
A framework for supporting the development of verifiably safe medical best practice guideline systems

Abstract Improving safety of patient care is an ultimate objective for medical systems. Though many medical best practice guidelines exist and are in hospital handbooks, they are often lengthy and difficult for medical professionals to remember and apply clinically. Hence, developing safe medical best practice guideline systems is an urgent need. The paper presents a framework to support the development of verifiably safe medical best practice guideline systems. The framework facilitates medical professionals’ participation in computer modeling, clinical validation, formal verification and root cause identification of safety failures at both model and code levels. To implement the framework, our strategies are to maximally utilize existing models/tools designed for validation and verification respectively, but build bridges among different selected models/tools. In particular, we use statechart tool to build statechart models for medical best practice guidelines and use statechart models to interact with medical professionals for clinical validations. The statechart models are then automatically transformed to verifiable models by the framework so that the safety properties can be formally verified. The computer models that are both validated by medical professionals and verified by formal verification tools are then used to generate computer executable code. To improve code level safety, the framework further transforms safety properties specified at the model level to runtime code monitors to ensure that these safety properties are complied at runtime. We use a simplified version of cardiac arrest treatment scenario provided to our team by Carle Foundation Hospital as a case study to evaluate the framework in developing a verifiably safe medical system.
Robust Traffic Control Using a First Order Macroscopic Traffic Flow Model

Traffic control is at the core of research in transportation engineering because it is one of the best practices for reducing traffic congestion. It has been shown in recent years that the traffic control problem involving Lighthill-Whitham-Richards (LWR) model can be formulated as a Linear Programming (LP) problem given that the corresponding initial conditions and the model parameters in the fundamental diagram are fixed. However, the initial conditions can be uncertain when studying actual control problems. This paper presents a stochastic programming formulation of the boundary control problem involving chance constraints, to capture the uncertainty in the initial conditions. Different objective functions are explored using this framework, and the proposed model is validated by conducting case studies for both a single highway link and a highway network. In addition, the accuracy of relaxed optimal results is proved using Monte Carlo simulation.
Is Testosterone Replacement Safe in Men with Cardiovascular Disease

Testosterone is an anabolic hormone that is responsible for the development of male sex organs. It also increases muscle mass and fortifies bone density. In addition to being responsible for primary sexual characteristics at birth and puberty (development and changes of sexual organs such as uterus, vagina, penis, and testes), testosterone is also involved in maintaining secondary sexual characteristics. Patients with low testosterone who are symptomatic should be treated with testosterone replacement therapy (TRT) once the diagnosis has been confirmed. The goal of treatment is to improve the symptoms including the physical, sexual, and cognitive health with the aim being to keep the testosterone in the mid-normal limit of the reference range. Male hypogonadism has been increasingly diagnosed and treated in elderly males since the last decade. A proportionate increase in the prescription of testosterone has been seen as well. The relationship of testosterone levels with cardiovascular (CV) outcomes is challenging and has shown conflicting results. Moreover, in patients with established CV disease, those with high CV risk factors including diabetes, or those with significant risk factors for atherosclerotic CV disease (ASCVD), the benefits of TRT should be weighed against the risks of replacement. Risks and benefits of TRT should be discussed with every patient prior to starting or restarting the procedure.
Mode control in an overmoded gyrotron oscillator via priming

Control of axial modes is accomplished in a gyrotron oscillator by injection of an external signal into the oscillator. It is found that the external signal need be present only during the initial stages of the pulsed oscillator buildup. It is also noted that the oscillation is not phase locked, due to the low input power level. From these two facts it is seen that priming is the mechanism responsible for the mode control effect. An analysis of the priming phenomenon is made using a quasi-linear theory (in the mode amplitudes) to understand the dependence of the degree of mode control on the external power level.
Draft Genome Sequences of 81 Salmonella enterica Strains from Informal Markets in Cambodia.

ABSTRACT Salmonella enterica is an important global pathogen due to its contribution to human morbidity and death. The presence of S. enterica in Southeast Asian informal markets is amplified by cross-contamination between market surfaces and food products. Here, we describe the draft genome sequences of 81 Salmonella enterica isolates from informal markets in Cambodia.
Supporting the wellness of laity: clinicians and Catholic deacons as mental health collaborators

Religion is a salient part of cultural competence for mental health clinicians. This paper describes rationales for clinicians to work with a less well-known Catholic clergy: permanent deacons. Dem...
Sleep Study Measures on Postoperative Night 1 Following Implantation of the Hypoglossal Nerve Stimulator.

Objective To examine the changes in measures of sleep apnea severity and hypoxemia on the first postoperative night following implantation of the hypoglossal nerve stimulator. Study design This was a single-arm prospective cohort study. Setting A single academic sleep surgical practice. Methods Subjects with moderate to severe obstructive sleep apnea underwent implantation of the hypoglossal nerve stimulator (HGNS) and were discharged to home the same day as surgery. A single-night WatchPAT study was performed on the night immediately following surgery (PON 1) and was compared to baseline sleep testing. Results Twenty subjects who were an average of 58.6 ± 2.5 years old, were 25% female, and had a mean body mass index of 28.1 ± 0.9 kg/m2 completed the study. Mean O2 nadir at baseline was 79.6% ± 1.1% compared to 82.7% ± 0.9% (P = .013) on PON 1. One patient demonstrated a >10% worsening in O2 nadir. Only 2 additional patients demonstrated a worsening in O2 nadir on PON 1, each by only 1 percentage point. Neither mean time spent below SpO2 88% nor oxygen desaturation index (ODI) worsened postoperatively (mean time spent below oxygen saturation of 88%, 27.8 ± 7.85 vs 11.2 ± 5.2, P = .03; mean ODI, 29.6 ± 5.2/h vs 21.0 ± 5.4/h, P = .10). Mean obstructive apnea hypopnea index (AHI) was no worse (40.6 ± 4.7/h to 28.7 ± 4.2/h, P = .02), with only 2 patients experiencing an obstructive AHI >20% more severe than baseline. Only 1 patient demonstrated a clinically meaningful increase in central AHI on PON 1. Conclusions Overall, AHI and measures of nocturnal hypoxemia are stable, if not improved, on PON 1 following HGNS implantation. These findings support the safety of same-day discharge following implantation of the hypoglossal nerve stimulator.
Mechanical performance of collagen gels is dependent on purity, α1/α2 ratio, and telopeptides.

This article describes the compositional, mechanical, and structural differences between collagen gels fabricated from different sources and processing methods. Despite extensive use of collagen in the manufacturing of biomaterials and implants, there is little information as to the variation in properties based on collagen source or processing methods. As such, differences in purity and composition may affect gel structure and mechanical performance. Using mass spectrometry, we assessed protein composition of collagen from seven different sources. The mechanics and gelation kinetics of each gel were assessed through oscillatory shear rheology. Scanning electron microscopy enabled visualization of distinct differences in fiber morphology. Mechanics and gelation kinetics differed with source and processing method and were found to correlate with differences in composition. Gels fabricated from telopeptide-containing collagens had higher storage modulus (144 vs. 54 Pa) and faster gelation (251 vs. 734 s) compared to atelocollagens, despite having lower purity (93.4 vs. 99.8%). For telopeptide-containing collagens, as collagen purity increased, storage modulus increased and fiber diameter decreased. As α1/α2 chain ratio increased, fiber diameter increased and gelation slowed. As such, this study provides an examination of the effects of collagen processing on key quality attributes for use of collagen gels in biomedical contexts.
Deficits, Debt, and the New Politics of Tax Policy

The Constitution grants Congress the power 'to lay and collect taxes, duties, imposts and excises'. From the First Congress until today, conflicts over the size, role and taxing power of government have been at the heart of national politics. This book provides a comprehensive historical account of US tax policy that emphasizes the relationship between taxes and other budget components. It explains how wars, changing conceptions of the domestic role of government, and beliefs about deficits and debt have shaped the modern tax system. The contemporary focus of this book is the partisan battle over budget policy that began in the 1960s and triggered the disconnect between taxes and spending that has plagued the budget ever since. With the US government now facing its most serious deficit and debt challenge in the modern era, partisan debate over taxation is almost completely divorced from fiscal realities.
Validation of liveness for 1-safe hybrid Petri nets using network unfolding

This paper presents sufficient conditions validating the liveness of hybrid systems modeled by 1-safe hybrid Petri nets. Hybrid Petri nets provide a convenient model for hybrid dynamical systems. These network models isolate the discrete-event dynamics of the hybrid system to the Petri network, thereby allowing the validation problem to be decoupled into two steps. The first step involves verifying that the Petri network is live and the second step computes overbounding approximations to the viability sets associated with cycles within the Petri network's output language.
A tunable floating gate CMOS resistor for low-power and low-voltage applications

This paper describes an implementation of a tunable CMOS resistor that can be fully integrated in a standard CMOS technology with low-power and low-voltage applications. It is built by exploiting the capacitive coupling and voltage storage capabilities of a floating-gate transistor. Also, a scaled-gate linearization technique is utilized to suppress the transistor nonlinearities in the triode region. The resistance of the proposed circuit is tuned by utilizing Fowler-Nordheim tunnelling and hot-electron injection quantum mechanical phenomena. We present experimental data from the chip that was fabricated in 0.5/spl mu/m CMOS process, and show that this resistor exhibits total harmonic distortion (THD) better than 7-bit linearity for 1KHz 1V/sub pp/ sinusoidal input.
Methodologic rigor of clinical trials on surgical management of eyes with coexisting cataract and glaucoma.

Abstract Objective To assess the methodologic quality of published studies of the surgical management of coexisting cataract and glaucoma. Design Literature review and analysis. Method We performed a systematic search of the literature to identify all English language articles pertaining to the surgical management of coexisting cataract and glaucoma in adults. Quality assessment was performed on all randomized controlled trials, nonrandomized controlled trials, and cohort studies. Overall quality scores and scores for individual methodologic domains were based on the evaluations of two experienced investigators who independently reviewed articles using an objective quality assessment form. Main outcome measures Quality in each of five domains (representativeness, bias and confounding, intervention description, outcomes and follow-up, and statistical quality and interpretation) measured as the percentage of methodologic criteria met by each study. Results Thirty-six randomized controlled trials and 45 other studies were evaluated. The mean quality score for the randomized, controlled clinical trials was 63% (range, 11%–88%), and for the other studies the score was 45% (range, 3%–83%). The mean domain scores were 65% for description of therapy (range, 0%–100%), 62% for statistical analysis (range, 0%–100%), 58% for representativeness (range, 0%–94%), 49% for outcomes assessment (range, 0%–83%), and 30% for bias and confounding (range, 0%–83%). Twenty-five of the studies (31%) received a score of 0% in the bias and confounding domain for not randomizing patients, not masking the observers to treatment group, and not having equivalent groups at baseline. Conclusions Greater methodologic rigor and more detailed reporting of study results, particularly in the area of bias and confounding, could improve the quality of published clinical studies assessing the surgical management of coexisting cataract and glaucoma.
Winner-take-all networks: Time-based versus activation-based mechanisms for various selection goals

A time-based temporal-winner-take-all (TWTA) mechanism, with O(n) space complexity and roughly O(log n) time complexity is presented. It exploits systematic and stochastic differences between time delays within different units and connections. TWTA is logically equivalent to standard winner-take-all (WTA), but TWTA may be more suitable for various selection tasks, especially the selection of an arbitrary unit from a set (e.g. as in unit recruitment). TWTA avoids various problems with conventional WTA, notably the difficulty of making it converge rapidly over a large range of conditions. A mathematical analysis of the mechanism and simulations of it are reported. TWTA and WTA are compared and discussed. >
Inhibition of Acanthamoeba species by Pseudomonas aeruginosa: rationale for their selective exclusion in corneal ulcers and contact lens care systems.

Abstract Cocultivation of Acanthamoeba castellanii and Acanthamoeba polyphaga with live Pseudomonas aeruginosa and with broth filtrates of P. aeruginosa proved equally lethal to the Acanthamoeba spp. The P. aeruginosa-induced amebicidal activity is apparently toxin mediated and has two operative modes: it can function through binding of P. aeruginosa to the ameba membrane and in the presence of one or more P. aeruginosa exoproducts.
A widespread family of polymorphic contact-dependent toxin delivery systems in bacteria

Contact-dependent growth inhibition (CDI), first described in Escherichia coli five years ago, is a mechanism by which cell-to-cell contact inhibits the growth of bacterial cells that do not have this system. CDI is mediated by the two-partner secretion proteins CdiA and CdiB, and a small immunity protein CdiI gives protection against autoinhibition. The molecular basis for some of the interactions involved in CDI has now been elucidated; the toxic properties of CdiA are contained within the protein's carboxy-terminal end (CdiA-CT). A search across other E. coli strains and bacterial species shows the system to be widespread — a range of bacteria contain one or more CdiA homologues, with varied CdiA-CT toxin sequences. These findings suggest that CDI systems constitute an intricate immunity network with an important function in bacterial growth competition in the environment. Contact-dependent growth inhibition (CDI) through a two-component system was first described in Escherichia coli as a mechanism to inhibit growth of bacterial cells that do not possess this system. Now the widespread occurrence of CDI in bacteria and the molecular basis for some of these interactions have been elucidated. The data suggest that CDI is a common mechanism by which microbes compete with each other in the environment. Bacteria have developed mechanisms to communicate and compete with one another in diverse environments1. A new form of intercellular communication, contact-dependent growth inhibition (CDI), was discovered recently in Escherichia coli2. CDI is mediated by the CdiB/CdiA two-partner secretion (TPS) system. CdiB facilitates secretion of the CdiA ‘exoprotein’ onto the cell surface. An additional small immunity protein (CdiI) protects CDI+ cells from autoinhibition2,3. The mechanisms by which CDI blocks cell growth and by which CdiI counteracts this growth arrest are unknown. Moreover, the existence of CDI activity in other bacteria has not been explored. Here we show that the CDI growth inhibitory activity resides within the carboxy-terminal region of CdiA (CdiA-CT), and that CdiI binds and inactivates cognate CdiA-CT, but not heterologous CdiA-CT. Bioinformatic and experimental analyses show that multiple bacterial species encode functional CDI systems with high sequence variability in the CdiA-CT and CdiI coding regions. CdiA-CT heterogeneity implies that a range of toxic activities are used during CDI. Indeed, CdiA-CTs from uropathogenic E. coli and the plant pathogen Dickeya dadantii have different nuclease activities, each providing a distinct mechanism of growth inhibition. Finally, we show that bacteria lacking the CdiA-CT and CdiI coding regions are unable to compete with isogenic wild-type CDI+ cells both in laboratory media and on a eukaryotic host. Taken together, these results suggest that CDI systems constitute an intricate immunity network with an important function in bacterial competition.
Modeling chromatographic separation of produced gas in shale wells

Abstract Field evidence exists showing temporal variation in produced gas composition in shale wells. Preferential gas flow and sorption of the species in shale formations cause compositional variations in the gas produced from shale. This process is similar to gas chromatographic (GC) separation, in which the size of gas molecules and their affinity for walls cause separation. As in gas chromatography, shale gas contains molecules of different gases (methane, ethane, propane, carbon dioxide, etc.). When reservoir pressure is greater than critical sorption pressure, sorption process is negligible and the separation process is mainly due to differences in gas molecule speeds in pores. The extremely small size of the pores in shale adds different flow physics, such as Knudsen diffusion and slip flow that intensifies separation of gas components. Understanding and modeling chromatographic separation (CS) in shale can improve our knowledge and help us produce more valuable gas from gas shale. We have developed a numerical model to study temporal variations of the composition of gas produced from shale gas wells. The model is a physical transport model of single-phase multicomponent gas flow in nanoporous media. The governing equations are implemented into a one-dimensional numerical model and solved using a fully implicit solution method. A sensitivity study of the effect of different parameters such as reservoir pressure, length of the system, tortuosity, and permeability on the CS process is performed. The model results confirm strong CS process in shale. In an early stage of production, the component with the highest Knudsen diffusivity and slip coefficient is produced with a higher mole fraction than its in-situ composition. At a later time, the same component comprises a smaller mole fraction than its in-situ composition in the gas production stream. Lower Darcy permeability, a longer system, and higher reservoir pressure intensify the CS process.
WLCp2-04: Distributed Spatial Multiplexing for Uplink Multiuser Systems

Assuming a base station with multiple antennas, we propose two channel-assigning strategies based on spatial multiplexing with threshold-based user selection at the uplink. Allowing multiple chosen users to access the channel, we obtain additional multiplexing gain and a reduced feedback complexity, compared to the conventional greedy approach. We prove that the proposed system outperforms the greedy approach also with respect to the degree of fairness among users, measured by the variance of the time averaged throughput. For practical uplink multiuser systems, we show that the standard greedy scheme may not be the optimal policy in terms of the minimization of average BER. The numerical results corroborate our findings.
Comments Concerning Measurements and Equations in Electromagnetism

The previously introduced US of units has raised many comments. Such comments were the claims of how to measure the electric current and magnetic flux. Other comments were concerned by violating the fundamental laws of electro-magnetism. Such violation is not the concern of the introduced system of units. But it is related to the previous mess in the available SI system of units.
Use of hepatitis C-infected deceased donors in liver transplantation

The use of hepatitis C–infected (HCV+) liver donors for HCV+ transplant recipients was previously controversial, but mounting evidence now supports this practice. HCV-related cirrhosis accounts for 45% of the liver transplants in the United States; however, these transplant recipients have worse transplant outcomes when compared to non–HCV infected (HCV-) recipients. The optimal utility of the donor graft is therefore decreased with transplantation of HCV+ recipients because the largest percentage of organs are transplanted into patients with inferior survival outcomes. Increased use of HCV+ livers, which can only be transplanted into HCV+ recipients, provides additional transplant liver allografts directly targeted to the recipient population at greatest need. As HCV+ recipients are transplanted with previously unusable organs, more HCV- donor livers are available for the HCV- recipient population, thereby increasing the utility of HCV- grafts. Therefore, increased use of HCV+ donors results in increased utility of all available liver allografts and a shorter waitlist time to transplant, because the total number of available organs is increased. This review discusses the use of HCV+ donor livers in transplantation, including donor organ evaluation, hepatitis C in liver transplantation, a review of the available literature, and the future direction of HCV+ donors in transplantation.
Effective operators with no strong gaps

Some consequences of Blum's axioms for step counting functions are investigated. Blum has suggested in [1, p. 335] that for the operation of self-composition there is no strong gap, i.e.,@?j[t(x)<@F"j(x)
Divergent Associations of Antecedent- and Response-Focused Emotion Regulation Strategies with Midlife Cardiovascular Disease Risk

It is not known whether various forms of emotion regulation are differentially related to cardiovascular disease risk. The purpose of this study is to assess whether antecedent and response-focused emotion regulation would have divergent associations with likelihood of developing cardiovascular disease. Two emotion regulation strategies were examined: reappraisal (antecedent-focused) and suppression (response-focused). Cardiovascular disease risk was assessed with a validated Framingham algorithm that estimates the likelihood of developing CVD in 10 years. Associations were assessed among 373 adults via multiple linear regression. Pathways and gender-specific associations were also considered. One standard deviation increases in reappraisal and suppression were associated with 5.9 % lower and 10.0 % higher 10-year cardiovascular disease risk, respectively, in adjusted analyses. Divergent associations of antecedent and response-focused emotion regulation with cardiovascular disease risk were observed. Effective emotion regulation may promote cardiovascular health.
Development and transmission of psoroptic mange of cattle in feed lots in endemic and non-endemic regions

A test was begun in November 1982 to evaluate the development of Psoroptes ovis, the severity of psoroptic mange of cattle, and the incidence of transfer of P. ovis from artificially infested cattle to non-infested cattle held in feed lots in either an endemic (Bushland, TX) or non-endemic region (Kerrville, TX). The 2 herds each consisted of 24 Hereford steers. The 24 steers were randomly assigned to 3 pens of 8 steers per pen. Two steers from each pen that were randomly selected were artificially exposed to ca. 1000 P. ovis (AINF). The development of mange on these 6 AINF steers and the incidence of transfer to the other steers (INF) were monitored approximately every 3 weeks for 17 weeks. The 6 AINF steers at Bushland (endemic region) developed significantly more lesions than the 6 AINF steers at Kerrville. Three AINF steers in Bushland died from hypothermia and mange while no deaths were recorded at Kerrville. The numbers of mites sampled from affected skin areas of AINF steers from both regions were not significantly different. All 18 of the naturally exposed steers (INF) in Bushland contracted mange; whereas, only 9 INF steers in Kerrville did. The severity (% lesions) and number of mites per sample from affected skin were significantly greater on the INF steers in Bushland. These differences among INF steers in Bushland and Kerrville may be attributed to the higher level of parasitism attained in Bushland on the AINF steers. We propose that the extremely cold weather in Bushland contributed to the greater level of parasitism attained on AINF steers in Bushland by stressing the host steers.
New paradigm for statistical validation of satellite precipitation estimates: Application to a large sample of the TMPA 0.25° 3‐hourly estimates over Oklahoma

[1] It is well acknowledged that space-based and ground-based radar estimates of rainfall are both affected by several sources of uncertainties; nevertheless, the latter are generally used as ground reference for the validation of the former. In this way, it is difficult to assess what portion of the observed discrepancies is solely due to the targeted satellite errors and what is the impact of the radar-rainfall errors. The authors propose a novel approach for the validation of satellite-based rainfall estimates, in which an empirically based radar-rainfall error model is used to account for deterministic and random uncertainties in radar-rainfall estimates. Using an easy-to-interpret metric, the approach can be used to answer probabilistic questions such as “Given radar and satellite rainfall estimates, what is the probability that the true rainfall is larger (smaller) than the satellite estimate”? The results are based on a large sample (6 years) of the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) Multisatellite Precipitation Analysis (TMPA) 0.25-degree 3-hourly satellite-rainfall estimates and hourly radar-rainfall product (aggregated at the satellite space-time scale) from the Oklahoma City WSR-88D radar (KTLX). This study shows how the TMPA satellite product tends to overestimate the high rainfall values and underestimate the low values and how it tends to perform better during the hot season (June to September). Moreover, the authors demonstrate how the presence of errors in the ground-based radar could significantly affect the results of the satellite product evaluation.
Empire, Hysteria, and the Healthy Girl: The Deployment of the Body in Juliana Horatia Ewing’s Six to Sixteen

One I have still, a bound copy of Aunt Judy’s Magazine of the early seventies, in which appeared Mrs. Ewing’s Six to Sixteen. I owe more in circuitous ways to that tale than I can tell. I knew it a...
Reexamining the Recommended Follow-up Interval After Obtaining an In-Range International Normalized Ratio Value: Results from the Veterans Affairs Study to Improve Anticoagulation

Background Patients receiving oral anticoagulation therapy should be tested often enough to optimize control, but excessive testing increases burden and cost. We examined the relationship between follow-up intervals after obtaining an in-range (2.0-3.0) international normalized ratio (INR) and anticoagulation control. Methods We studied 104,451 patients who were receiving anticoagulation therapy from 100 anticoagulation clinics in the US Veterans Health Administration. Most patients (98,877) had at least one in-range INR followed by another INR within 56 days. For each such patient, we selected the last in-range INR and characterized the interval between this index value and the next INR. The independent variable was the site mean follow-up interval after obtaining an in-range INR. The dependent variable was the site mean risk-adjusted percentage of time in the therapeutic range (TTR). Results The site mean follow-up interval varied from 25 to 38 days. As the site mean follow-up interval became longer, the risk-adjusted TTR was worse (−0.51% per day, P = .004). This relationship persisted when the index value was the first consecutive in-range INR (−0.63%, P Conclusions Sites varied widely regarding follow-up intervals after obtaining an in-range INR (25-38 days). Shorter intervals were generally associated with better anticoagulation control, but after obtaining a third consecutive in-range value, this relationship was greatly attenuated and no longer statistically significant. Our results suggest that a maximum interval of 28 days after obtaining the first or second in-range value and consideration of a longer interval after obtaining the third or greater consecutive in-range value may be appropriate.
Effects of template and precursor chemistry on structure and properties of mesoporous TiO2 thin films.

Mesoporous TiO2 thin films were synthesized by sol−gel processing using an aqueous-based, inexpensive, and environmentally friendly precursor and cationic surfactants as templates under mild reaction conditions. The films were prepared by spin-coating on glass substrates followed by calcination to remove the surfactant. N2 sorption, X-ray diffraction, and transmission electron microscopy were used to characterize the porosity, pore size, and pore structure before and after calcination. Films were found to have wormlike pore structures after calcination and surface areas on the order of 200 m2/g. These results show that the mesostructure and porosity of the thin films can be controlled by the surfactant template chemistry such as surfactant/Ti ratio, pH, and rate of solvent evaporation.
EMG recording in human lip muscles: can single muscles be isolated?

Electromyography, recording the electrical activity of muscles, is an electrophysiological method that has been used widely in the study of movement performance by human subjects. Borrowing from th...
Ethylene-associated phase change from juvenile to mature phenotype of daylily (Hemerocallis) in vitro.

Hemerocallis plantlets maintained in vitro for extended periods of time in tightly closed culture vessels frequently show a phenotype, albeit on a miniaturized scale, typical of more mature, field-grown plants. The positive relationship of elevated ethylene in the headspace of such vessels to the phase shift from juvenile to mature form is established. Rigorous restriction in air exchange with the external environment by means of silicone grease seals hastens the phase change and improves uniformity of response. Although some plantlets may take longer to accumulate enough ethylene in sealed jars to undergo change, added ethylene and ethylene-releasing agents promote it. Ethylene adsorbants (e.g. mercuric perchlorate) block the shift of juvenile to mature form. Critical ambient ethylene level for the shift is ca 1 microliter l-1. Levels up to 1000 microliters l-1 do not hasten the response but are not toxic. The phase change is fully reversible when air exchange permits ethylene to drop below 1 microliter l-1. At least 1 microliter l-1 ethylene is required to sustain the mature phenotype. The ethylene synthesis inhibitor aminoethoxyvinylglycine (AVG) prevents the phase change, while the ethylene biosynthesis intermediate 1-aminocyclopropanecarboxylic acid (ACC) improves it. KOH, as a CO2 absorbent, does not prevent the phase change. Histology sections demonstrate subtle changes in the form of shoot tips of plantlets undergoing phase change.
IEC 61850 capabilities applied to Oil and Gas industry

The availability today of electricity in Oil & Gas application is a key factor in process production, evaluation and maintainability. The use of IEC61850, a mature communications technology, as a toolbox to develop applications in an open environment is now possible beyond what was permitted by the former generation of communication protocols. The benefits of IEC 61850 have become more apparent since innovative applications of utmost importance can now be materialized as compared to the traditional legacy technology. The paper focus is two advanced applications for the Oil & Gas industry that benefit from IEC61850: — Distributed Fast load shedding, i.e. managing on the same site multiple substations and generation machines. — Data optimization between substation HMI's and the Control Room DCS (Digital Control System). These applications use GOOSE (Generic Object Oriented Substation Event) messages, a multi-casted message defined by the IEC 61850 standard, to replace traditional wiring between protection relays, digital meters, bay computers etc.
An Investigation of the Relationship Between Health Literacy and Social Communication Skills in Older Adults

The purpose of this study was to examine connections between health literacy and social communication skills in older adults, a population that experiences chronic health conditions but is reported to have low health literacy and declines in communication skills. Sixty-three older adults were administered the Social Communication subtest of the Functional Assessment of Communication Skills in Adults and the Short Test of Functional Health Literacy in Adults. Correlational statistics indicated significant relationships between social communication skills and health literacy in older adults. Aspects of social communication that involve initiating discourse, facial expressions, and voice tone were positively related to reading comprehension items that involve informing, naming, and requesting information. Results of the study suggest that social communication skills may possibly serve as predictors of health literacy. Further study of the potential relationships between these variables is needed to improve h...
Space environment monitoring mission beyond GOES-M

Boulder, CO, 80303ABSTRACTConditions in the near-Earth space environment are of ever increasing importance to our human activities on Earthand in space. The provision of the space environment services required in future depends on improving our understanding ofsolar activity and the coupling of this activity to our local region of space, as well as improving our remote sensing and in—situmonitoring of conditions and events in the solar system. Our present service is largely analogous to the state of terrestrialweather forecasting from a local weather office before the advent of numerical modeling and remote atmospheric sensingtechnology. Numerical models of the local space environment and of interplanetary space are being developed. However,these models are limited in performance by our understanding of the underlying physical processes, and their practicalapplication is restricted by the paucity of observational data.Instruments on the Geostationary Orbiting Environmental Satellite (GOES) provide a critical resource to NOAA'sspace environment services. GOES is our most effective operational platform for real-time remote sensing of the Sun, thenear-Earth environment, and processes in interplanetary space. It also makes important in-situ measurements in a criticalregion of space that is now of huge commercial importance. This paper will discuss the planned and potential extensions ofthe GOES Space Environment Monitor (SEM) in the overall context of the data required to meet the future needs for spaceenvironment services.Keywords: Future, GOES, space, solar, services
High field asymmetric waveform ion mobility spectrometry–mass spectrometry: an investigation of leucine enkephalin ions produced by electrospray ionization

High field asymmetric waveform ion mobility spectrometry (FAIMS) provides atmospheric pressure, room temperature, low-resolution separation of gas-phase ions. The FAIMS analyzer acts as an ion filter that can continuously transmit one type of ion, independent of m/z. The combination of FAIMS with electrospray ionization and mass spectrometry (ESI-FAIMS-MS) is a powerful technique and is used in this study to investigate the cluster ions of leucine enkephalin (YGGFL). Separation by FAIMS of leucine enkephalin ions having the same m/z (m/z 556.5), [M + H]+ and [2M + 2H]2+, was observed. In addition, four complex ions of leucine enkephalin, [2M + H]+, [4M + 2H]2+, [6M + 3H]3+, and [8M + 4H]4+, all having m/z 1112, were shown to be separated in FAIMS. Fragmentation of ions as the result of harsh conditions within the mass spectrometer interface (FAIMS-MS) was shown to provide similar information to that obtained from MS/MS experiments in conventional ESI-MS.
Factors influencing the promotion of transformation in chemically-initiated C3H/10T1/2 Cl 8 mouse embryo fibroblasts

Treatment of low density asynchronous cultures of C3H/10T1/2 Cl 8 mouse embryo fibroblasts with N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine (MNNG) initiates the process of transformation and produces significant numbers of transformed foci only when treated cultures are subsequently exposed to the tumor promoter 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA). Cell culture variables which influence the outcome of this initiation and promotion system were studied. A TPA concentration of 0.25 micrograms/ml was found to be optimal for the promotion of focus production and the presence of TPA was required both during logarithmic growth and throughout confluence. The lot of fetal calf serum used to cultivate the cells also played a determining role in focus production. Of nine serum lots purchased from four different suppliers, only two were suited for initiation and promotion studies with MNNG and TPA. In contrast, seven of these lots were adequate for transformation studies with 3-methylcholanthrene. Factors which adversely influenced focus production included the use of fungizone or the use of high passage stock cultures. These studies demonstrate that cell culture variables which influence promotion in these cells can be controlled and that this system can be successfully used in studies of the cellular mechanism of in vitro promotion and for the detection of genotoxic substances.
Biotic Generation of Arsenic(III) in Metal(loid)-Contaminated Freshwater Lake Sediments

Sediments of Coeur d'Alene Lake, ID, are heavily contaminated with mine tailings that contain high levels of arsenic, iron, lead, and other trace elements. Maximal abundance of redox-active elements such as As and Fe is generally found close to the sediment−water interface, whereas peak abundance of less redox-active elements such as Pb is found at >25 cm. The suggestion that As is mobile within reduced sediments led us to characterize the sediment microbiota with regard to organisms whose activities favor As mobilization. Most probable number (MPN) estimates reveal that the densities of cultivable sulfate-, iron-, and arsenate-reducing bacteria approach 106, 105, and 104 cells g-1 wet weight sediment, respectively. Because As is considered more mobile in environments that produce As(III), we measured aqueous As(III) generation within As(V)-amended sediment microcosms. In organic acid-stimulated microcosms, >50% of a 10mM As(V) amendment is transformed to As(III), compared to 30% and 5% in unstimulated mi...