cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Studies of the long term efficacy of antipsychotic drugs in controlling the behavior of institutionalized retardates.

Antipsychotic drugs are extensively used for reduction of aggression, self-injury, and disruptive behavior. Double-blind studies in a retarded population indicate that abrupt, temporary withdrawal of these medications results in significant behavioral deterioration. Chronic use for behavioral control has been criticized because antipsychotic drugs might reduce adaptive potential, as well as potentially result in chronic and sometimes irreversible deleterious effects such as withdrawal dyskinesias and behavior disorders. While it is generally accepted that these medications are over-used for behaviorial control, most reviewers regard them as necessary in the most severely disturbed patients. Journal of the American Academy of Child Psychiatry , 21, 2:136–143, 1982.
Genitourinary case of the day. Renal lymphangiomatosis.

Elderly woman with weightloss and early satiety. Surgical history of prior hysterectomy for benign disease. A, Transverse sonogram of right kidney shows cystic masses surrounding kidney. These cystic masses are juxtarenal, separate from kidney. B, Longitudinal sonogram of right perirenal space. C, Transverse sonogram of left kidney shows similar perirenal cystic masses. D, Longitudinal sonogram of left perirenal space. E, Axial contrast-enhanced CT scan through mid abdomen shows water attenuation process surrounding both kidneys. Septae are less cvident than on sonogram.
Airway management during anesthesia for double-lung transplantation using a single-lumen endotracheal tube with an enclosed bronchial blocker.

Abstract The approach to airway management in patients undergoing lung transplantation is dependent on the type of transplant procedure (combined heart-lung, single-lung, or double-lung technique), the site of the airway anastomosis (trachea or mainstem bronchus), and whether cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) will be used. Modifications of the original operative technique for double-lung transplantation 1,2 have been introduced recently including the use of bilateral bronchial anastomoses 3 and sequential single-lung transplantation. 4 The respective advantages of these techniques include the improved collateral blood supply at the donor bronchial anastomosic sites, thereby decreasing the risk of ischemic airway complications, and the potential elimination of the need for CPB. Specific strategies for airway management during double-lung transplantation have not been previously addressed. This report describes recent experience with a patient who underwent double-lung transplantation without CPB using a single-lumen endotracheal tube with enclosed bronchial blocker (Univent tube, Fuji Systems Corporation, Tokyo, Japan).
Lenalidomide-associated hemolytic anemia.

Immune-mediated hemolytic anemia secondary to drugs is rare, with an estimated occurrence of 1 per million of the population [1]. There are currently about 125 drugs that show reasonable evidence t...
A strategic planning methodology for the computing effort in higher education: an empirical evaluation

The findings of a study designed to address the pressing problems associated with the strategic planning of the computing effort in higher education are presented here. A planning methodology was developed and tested through implementation at a university. Two years after the methodology was implemented, the effectiveness of the planning methodology was assessed in terms of the improvement of the delivery of computing services to the major institutional roles of instruction, research, and administration. Two control institutions were employed to contrast the improvements at the test institution. The results of the research indicate the planning methodology significantly enhanced the delivery of computing services.
A Systematic Approach for Integrating Fault Trees into System Statecharts

As software systems are encompassing a wide range of fields and applications, software reliability becomes a crucial step. The need for safety analysis and test cases that have high probability to uncover plausible faults are necessities in proving software quality. System models that represent only the operational behavioral of a system are incomplete sources for deriving test cases and performing safety analysis before the implementation process. Therefore, a system model that encompasses faults is required. This paper presents a technique that formalizes a safety model through the incorporation of faults with system specifications. The technique focuses on introducing semantic faults through the integration of fault trees with system specifications or statechart. The method uses a set of systematic transformation rules that tries to maintain the semantics of both fault trees and statechart representations during the transformation of fault trees into statechart notations.
Genetic mapping and molecular characterization of the self-incompatibility ( S ) locus in Petunia inflata

Gametophytic self-incompatibility (SI) possessed by the Solanaceae is controlled by a highly polymorphic locus called the S locus. The S locus contains two linked genes, S-RNase, which determines female specificity, and the as yet unidentified pollen S gene, which determines male specificity in SI interactions. To identify the pollen S gene of Petunia inflata, we had previously used mRNA differential display and subtractive hybridization to identify 13 pollen-expressed genes that showed S-haplotype-specific RFLP. Here, we carried out recombination analysis of 1205 F2 plants to determine the genetic distance between each of these S-linked genes and S-RNase. Recombination was observed between four of the genes (3.16, G211, G212, and G221) and S-RNase, whereas no recombination was observed for the other nine genes (3.2, 3.15, A113, A134, A181, A301, G261, X9, and X11). A genetic map of the S locus was constructed, with 3.16 and G221 delimiting the outer limits. None of the observed crossovers disrupted SI, suggesting that all the genes required for SI are contained in the chromosomal region defined by 3.16 and G221. These results and our preliminary chromosome walking results suggest that the S locus is a huge multi-gene complex. Allelic sequence diversity of G221 and 3.16, as well as of 3.2, 3.15, A113, A134 and G261, was determined by comparing two or three alleles of their cDNA and/or genomic sequences. In contrast to S-RNase, all these genes showed very low degrees of allelic sequence diversity in the coding regions, introns, and flanking regions.
Genome-wide mRNA and miRNA expression data analysis to screen for markers involved in sarcomagenesis in human chondrosarcoma cell lines

Genes and miRNAs involved in sarcomagenesis related pathways are unknown and therefore signaling events leading to mesenchymal cell transformation to sarcoma are poorly elucidated. Exiqon and Illumina microarray study on human chondrosarcoma JJ012 and chondrocytes C28 cell lines to compare and analyze the differentially expressed miRNAs and their gene targets was recently published in the Journal Tumor Biology in 2014. Here we describe in details the contents and quality controls for the miRNA and gene expression data associated with the study that is relevant to this dataset.
Vulnerability of children: more than a question of age

The vulnerability of children in disasters is well-established. Children are at greater risk of the impacts of disasters because of both their age and level of physiological, anatomical, cognitive and emotional development. Frequently overlooked, however, is the influence of other social and health determinants. This article highlights the importance of family and household income in determining the ability of children to withstand the shocks of catastrophic events. Children raised in lower income families are made disadvantaged in multiple ways; by poor living and neighbourhood conditions, less stable home environments, as well as lower levels of education and health care. During disasters, lower income families and children suffer disproportionately, both because they are frequently the hardest hit but also because they have fewer resources with which to cope. The article emphasises not only the importance of understanding the vulnerability of children within a broader family context, but a continuing requirement for public health and emergency planners to integrate more fully the diverse needs of children and families into emergency preparedness policies and plans. Language: en
Highly efficient gradient computation for density-constrained analytical placement methods

Recent analytical global placers use density constraints to approximate non-overlap constraints and show very successful results. In this paper we unify a wide range of density smoothing techniques that we call global smoothing, and present a highly efficient method to compute the gradient of such smoothed densities used in several well-known analytical placers [3, 5, 7]. Our method reduces the complexity of the gradient computation by a factor of n compared to a naive method, where n is the number of modules. Furthermore, with this efficient gradient computation we can come up with an efficient nonlinear programming-based placement framework, which supercedes the existing force-directed placement methods [4, 7]. An application of our technique, as the engine of a multilevel placer, achieved 13% and 15% wirelength improvement compared with SCAMPI [13] and mPL6 [3] on IBM-HB+ benchmark [13]
A fast algorithm for three-dimensional interpretations ofsingle-well electromagnetic data

An efficient inversion algorithm has been developed forthree-dimensional (3D) interpretations for single-hole electromagnetic(EM) logging data based on a modified extended Born approximation (MEBA)scheme. The single-hole data was collected at an oil field undergoing CO2injection in southern California using a tool, Geo-BILT, developed byElectromagnetic Instruments, Inc (EMI). The tool is equipped with amulti-component source, and an array of multi-component receivers atdifferent separations. The inversion result provides a reasonableelectrical conductivity image to a distance of 10 m from the well, andillustrates several zones with lateral conductivity variations that couldnot be resolved with traditional induction logging tools. The computercost of the inversion processes can be further reduced using a trivialmulti-grid methodology.
In‐line monitoring of titanium dioxide content in poly(ethylene terephthalate) extrusion

Peak absorbance changes correlated to changes in species concentration have been the norm in applied spectroscopy, while baseline shifts have been more of an inconvenience. Taking the first or second derivative of the spectra eliminates these baseline shifts. However, with multivariate techniques becoming more readily available, repeatable baseline changes may now be monitored and correlated to specific physical changes. This concept has been studied by monitoring the concentration of titanium dioxide (TiO2), a white inorganic filler, in molten poly(ethylene terepthalate) (PET). Various mixtures of filled and unfilled PET resins were run through a single-screw extruder, and near infrared spectra were collected in-line by using a flow cell, housing two fiber-optic probes, and mounted downstream of the extruder. The presence of titanium dioxide caused the scattering of light that resulted in a systematic baseline shift. The baseline shifts were correlated to the TiO2 concentration data. Multivariate techniques involving the use of singular value decomposition (SVD) to perform partial least squares regression (PLS) were applied to quantitatively determine TiO2 content in the PET melt stream. Standard error of prediction (SEP) values of about 1% were obtained for a model based on two factors.
Average setup cost inventory model: performance and implementation issues

SUMMARY Now that just-in-time (JIT) concepts have become widely accepted and programs to reduce setup costs are becoming common, production managers need guidance in order to adapt to, as well as facilitate, the implementation of JIT goals. An inventory model is presented for the situation in which setup costs are subject to learning curve effects. The performance of this model is analysed and the conditions for its implementation are discussed.
The Number of Provisioning Visits by House Finches Predicts the Mass of Food Delivered

Abstract One classic means of assessing variation in avian foraging success and provisioning effort, counting the number of trips to the nest, assumes that parents bring equal amounts of food during each trip. We tested this assumption in male House Finches (Carpodacus mexicanus) by using video cameras to record both the number of nest visits and the mass of food delivered as measured by an electronic balance. We compared the number of feeding visits and mass of food delivered at each of three stages in the nest cycle: incubation, young nestlings, and older nestlings. The number of provisioning trips was significantly correlated with the mass of food provided by a male to his mate or to their offspring during each stage of the nesting cycle. Furthermore, this correlation became stronger as the breeding cycle progressed. These observations support the assumption that, for this species and perhaps others that carry food in their crop, the number of provisioning visits to the nest is a reasonable predictor o...
Spatial Distribution and Site Fidelity of Non-breeding Piping Plovers on the Georgia Coast

Abstract The Piping Plover (Charadrius melodus) is a federally listed species with three distinct breeding populations, including Great Plains (threatened), Great Lakes (endangered), and Atlantic Coast (threatened), all of which winter along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States. The spatial distribution and site fidelity of wintering Piping Plovers was investigated on Little St. Simons Island (LSSI), Georgia, from 2003-2006, with emphasis on the conservation significance of this site for the endangered Great Lakes population. Of the individually recognizable color-banded plovers observed on LSSI during 2003-2004 (N = 39), 31% (N = 12) were observed the following year; 69% (N = 9) of plovers that wintered in 2003-2004 returned to winter in 2004-2005. Although good winter survival in 2003-2004 was estimated, survival estimates dramatically declined in 2004-2005. Even with low survival estimates for 2004-2005, 44% of these wintering individuals returned to winter in 2005-2006. Wintering plovers ...
Value_Merge.Xls: When and How to Use the Model

This note describes the structure and potential applications of a "canned" spreadsheet model that values and projects pro-forma results for two merging firms. The model can be used as a course resource in a course on valuation or mergers and acquisitions. In applications at Darden, terms of students are given this model as a resource for projects in mergers and acquisitions.
Fetal cardiovascular, endocrine, and fluid responses to atrial natriuretic factor infusion

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) in the fetus and to explore the interactions among the fetal cardiovascular, endocrine, and fluid responses to ANF. In 12 chronically catheterized fetal sheep at 130 +/- 1 (SE) days gestation, ANF was infused intravenously for 30 min at 14-300 ng.min-1.kg-1. Fetal arterial plasma ANF concentration increased by 174 to 5,410 pg/ml from a preinfusion value of 163 +/- 13 pg/ml. The clearance of ANF from the circulation was 122 +/- 28 ml.min-1.kg-1 and the half-life was 0.46 +/- 0.07 min. When plasma ANF was greater than 2,000 pg/ml, fetal arterial pressure decreased, venous pressure increased transiently, and heart rate was unchanged. Plasma arginine vasopressin (AVP) concentration and plasma renin activity (PRA) increased with high ANF concentrations, while norepinephrine concentrations were unaffected. Fetal blood volume decreased in all fetuses, and urine flow increased significantly but not in every fetus. Blood and urine osmolalities did not change. On terminating the infusion, venous pressure and urine flow decreased below control, while blood volume and arterial pressure remained reduced. Plasma AVP concentration increased further, and this was accompanied by an increase in urine osmolality. Thus the most consistent effect of ANF in the fetus was a reduction in blood volume, which was independent of urine flow changes. Other cardiovascular, endocrine, and fluid responses to ANF as well as interactions among them appeared to occur largely at supraphysiological concentrations and may be secondary to the changes in blood volume.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
OC-14 - Baseline D-dimer levels are predictive of recurrent venous thromboembolism (VTE) at 6 months in cancer patients with VTE treated with tinzaparin.

Introduction VTE is a major complication in cancer patients. Despite treatment with low molecular weight heparin (LMWH), 9% will have recurrent VTE within 6 months. Measurement of plasma biomarkers in cancer patients receiving LMWH may be predictive of recurrent VTE or overall survival (OS). Aim We conducted a single arm phase 2 study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of once daily tinzaparin for the initial treatment and extended prophylaxis of VTE in cancer patients. The study included a prospective analysis of plasma biomarkers D-dimer and IL-6 to assess whether these were predictive of recurrent VTE or OS. Materials and Methods Consecutive patients with active cancer diagnosed with a pulmonary embolism (PE) and/or proximal deep venous thrombosis (DVT) at the University of Southern California Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Los Angeles County Medical Center, or New York Presbyterian – Weill Cornell Medical Center were invited to participate in this study with a target enrollment of 100 patients. Key eligibility criteria included: age ≥ 18, ECOG score ≤ 2, adequate organ function, and ≥ 6 month estimated survival. Patients were treated with daily subcutaneously tinzaparin 175 U/kg for 6 months on study. Tinzaparin could be continued ≤ 1 year at the discretion of the treating physician. All patients who received ≥ 1 dose were evaluable for efficacy and safety. Primary study endpoints were recurrent VTE or major bleeding. Secondary outcome measures included OS and plasma biomarkers. Biomarkers were measured at baseline, 7 days, 1 month and 6 months after tinzaparin initiation. Patients who had baseline and 1 week or 1 month samples collected were included in the biomarker analysis. Results 97 patients were enrolled. 2 patients were ineligible. 8 patients did not have baseline or follow-up biomarkers completed. 87 patients were included in the analysis. 28 (32%) of patients completed ≥ 6 months of tinzaparin. Major bleeding occurred in 2 patients. 11 patients had recurrent VTE at 6 months (3 PE, 7 DVT, 1 central venous thrombosis not associated with a catheter). Median baseline D-dimer level was 2759 ng/mL (range: 375-37,591). Median baseline IL-6 level was 9.4 pg/mL (range: 0.8-20.9). Baseline D-dimer > median was predictive of VTE recurrence at 6 months (p = .006). Baseline IL-6 > median was not predictive of VTE recurrence at 6 months. Neither 1 month D-dimer or IL-6 levels were predictive of VTE recurrence at 6 months. D-dimer and IL-6 at baseline and at 1 month were not predictive of OS. Conclusions In patients with active cancer and VTE treated with tinzaparin, baseline D-dimer levels above the median value were predictive of VTE recurrence at 6 months.
Compositional supervenience theories and compositional meaning theories

Suppose Harvey thinks in the neural language Mentalese. Suppose, too, that Harvey's Mentalese is 'productive' in that each of its infinitely many sentences means a particular proposition in his head. Will we need a compositional meaning theory to explain this productivity? Recently (in 'Does Mentalese Have a Compositional Semantics?' [4] and 'ActualLanguage Relations' [6]) I argued that even if Mentalese lacked a compositional meaning theory, it might still have what I shall now call a compositional supervenience theory, and this will explain Mentalese's productivity. Let me elaborate. To say that the Mentalese sentence a means p in Harvey's head is to say, nearly enough, that a tokening of a in Harvey's belief box would realize his believing p. But what is it for a sentence's occurrence in the belief box to realize a particular belief? Well, suppose we accept this plausible supervenience thesis:
Changes in low right atrial conduction times during pulmonary vein isolation for atrial fibrillation: correlation with inducibility of typical right atrial flutter.

Aims Isthmus-dependent right atrial flutter (RAFL) is a common sequela of pulmonary vein isolation (PVI). It is unclear as to whether RAFL is a result of PVI or a concealed phenomenon unmasked by the elimination of atrial fibrillation (AF). We measured low right atrial conduction times (LRACTs) before and after PVI and examined their relationship to the inducibility of RAFL. Methods and results Twenty consecutive patients with paroxysmal AF but no history of RAFL were studied during the initial PVI procedure by radiofrequency ablation. Antiarrhythmic agents were discontinued for at least five half-lives. The clockwise and counterclockwise LRACTs were measured before and after PVI by pacing the proximal coronary sinus or low-lateral RA. Programmed atrial stimulation was performed post-PVI. Right atrial flutter, if inducible, was confirmed by entrainment mapping. Right atrial flutter was induced in six patients (Group A). No arrhythmias or only AF was induced in the remaining 14 patients (Group B). The average change in the clockwise LRACT was 19.8 ± 17.5 ms in Group A vs. 0.3 ± 10.7 ms in Group B ( P < 0.05). The average change in the counterclockwise LRACT was 25.7 ± 30.4 ms in Group A vs. 0.0 ± 6.7 ms in Group B ( P < 0.05). There were no significant differences between the groups in absolute LRACT or number of ablation lesions around the right pulmonary veins. Conclusion Right atrial flutter post-PVI is associated with prolongation of LRACTs. Ablation over the septal left atrium near the posterior right atrium during isolation of the right pulmonary veins may cause conduction delays that can lead to RAFL.
STEM Stereotypic Attribution Bias Among Women in an Unwelcoming Science Setting

Science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) stereotypic attribution bias (SSAB) is the tendency to spontaneously generate external attributions for men’s setbacks in STEM fields and to spontaneously make internal attributions for women’s setbacks in STEM fields. Among samples of undergraduate STEM students, STEM settings perceived as unwelcoming to women through self-report (Study 1) and a manipulation (Study 2) were shown to predict SSAB. Among undergraduate women, experiencing the negative treatment of other women in a science setting predicted SSAB, which was negatively correlated with feelings of belonging in STEM (Study 1) and with intentions to continue in STEM after graduation (Studies 1 and 2). Research materials (e.g, data, measures, materials, etc.) used in both studies will be made available upon request to either of the first two authors. Those interested in increasing retention of women in STEM majors should develop strategies designed to reduce internal attributions for women’s setback...
Is the Ninth Circuit a Liberal Environmental Activist Court

ABSTRACTWe test the proposition that litigation outcomes in the Ninth Circuit are significantly more activist and liberal on all federal court cases filed over a 20-year time period in which a U.S. executive agency, the USDA Forest Service, was a defendant in a lawsuit challenging a land management decision. Our results reveal that the Ninth Circuit was not significantly more likely to reverse agency decisions in the liberal direction; however, the District Courts located in the Ninth Circuit were. Additionally, opinions that all Circuits', including the Ninth Circuit, judicial panels opted to publish were significantly more likely to reverse agency action and be in the liberal direction. One consistent and statistically significant finding was that any reversal of agency action, not just those that are published, were much more likely to be in the liberal direction.
Online cancer communities as informatics intervention for social support: conceptualization, characterization, and impact.

Objectives : The Internet and social media are revolutionizing how social support is exchanged and perceived, making online health communities (OHCs) one of the most exciting research areas in health informatics. This paper aims to provide a framework for organizing research of OHCs and help identify questions to explore for future informatics research. Based on the framework, we conceptualize OHCs from a social support standpoint and identify variables of interest in characterizing community members. For the sake of this tutorial, we focus our review on online cancer communities. Target audience : The primary target audience is informaticists interested in understanding ways to characterize OHCs, their members, and the impact of participation, and in creating tools to facilitate outcome research of OHCs. OHC designers and moderators are also among the target audience for this tutorial. Scope : The tutorial provides an informatics point of view of online cancer communities, with social support as their leading element. We conceptualize OHCs according to 3 major variables: type of support, source of support, and setting in which the support is exchanged. We summarize current research and synthesize the findings for 2 primary research questions on online cancer communities: (1) the impact of using online social support on an individual's health, and (2) the characteristics of the community, its members, and their interactions. We discuss ways in which future research in informatics in social support and OHCs can ultimately benefit patients.
A southern portrait by another kind of artist

His portrait sits before me, the determined brown eyes gazing off into eternity. It is a handsome, mustachioed face, embellished with paint, capped by an elaborately wrapped red turban. Enormous in...
Diagnosing an Artificial Trend in NLDAS-2 Afternoon Precipitation

AbstractWhile investigating linkages between afternoon peak rainfall amount and land–atmosphere coupling strength, a statistically significant trend in phase 2 of the North American Land Data Assimilation System (NLDAS-2) warm season (April–September) afternoon (1700–2259 UTC) precipitation was noted for a large fraction of the conterminous United States, namely, two-thirds of the area east of the Mississippi River, during the period from 1979 to 2015. To verify and better characterize this trend, a thorough statistical analysis is undertaken. The analysis focuses on three aspects of precipitation: amount, frequency, and intensity at 6-hourly time scale and for each calendar month separately. At the NLDAS-2 native resolution of 0.125° × 0.125°, Kendall’s tau and Sen’s slope estimators are used to detect and estimate trends and the Pettitt test is used to detect breakpoints. Parallel analyses are conducted on both NARR and Modern-Era Retrospective Analysis for Research and Applications, version 2 (MERRA-2)...
The interrelation of Lean and green manufacturing Practices: A case of push or pull in implementation

Literature in the environmental sustainability field has underscored the importance of “Sustainability” as a driver of innovation. In this mindset firms seek new approaches of how companies deliver value to their customers, the impact on the environment of these value delivery activities, and the resulting societal welfare created by changing the way products and processes are created. As companies rethink their business models to facilitate sustainability, they also find themselves looking for new manufacturing approaches to meet the challenges of competition. In this environment, companies are implementing Lean manufacturing to improve organizational performance and are introducing cLean practices to achieve environmental sustainability. Therefore, the main goal of this study is to analyze how companies can integrate Lean and Green production principles in order to take advantage of their synergistic effects and reach competitiveness in accordance with the objectives of sustainable development.
Prolactin Alters the Mammary Epithelial Hierarchy, Increasing Progenitors and Facilitating Ovarian Steroid Action

Hormones drive mammary development and function and play critical roles in breast cancer. Epidemiologic studies link prolactin (PRL) to increased risk for aggressive cancers that express estrogen receptor α (ERα). However, in contrast to ovarian steroids, PRL actions on the mammary gland outside of pregnancy are poorly understood. We employed the transgenic NRL-PRL model to examine the effects of PRL alone and with defined estrogen/progesterone exposure on stem/progenitor activity and regulatory networks that drive epithelial differentiation. PRL increased progenitors and modulated transcriptional programs, even without ovarian steroids, and with steroids further raised stem cell activity associated with elevated canonical Wnt signaling. However, despite facilitating some steroid actions, PRL opposed steroid-driven luminal maturation and increased CD61+ luminal cells. Our findings demonstrate that PRL can powerfully influence the epithelial hierarchy alone and temper the actions of ovarian steroids, which may underlie its role in the development of breast cancer.
On Caching and Routing in Information-Centric Networks

With the exponential growth of content in recent years, users are primarily interested in obtaining particular content and are not concerned with the host housing the content. By treating content as a first class citizen, information- centric networks (ICN) seek to transform the Internet from a host-to-host communication model to a content-centric model. A key component of ICN is to cache content at storage-enabled routers. By caching content at in-network routers, network performance can be improved by delivering content from routers closer to the user and not from the origin servers (content custodians). In this article, we provide an overview of the state-of-the-art cache management and routing policies in ICN. We present a small comparison study of some state-of-the-art algorithms on a real Internet topology to help the reader appreciate how the different strategies compare against one another. Our simulation results demonstrate that it is hard to pick a winner among existing policies. We conclude the article with a discussion of open research questions.
Efficacy of the U.S. Army Policy on Hearing Conservation Programs

Changes in U.S. Army hearing conservation policy require that many previous non-noise hazardous areas be reclassified as noise hazardous and that employees in these areas be included in hearing conservation programs. The purpose of this study was to determine if a group of employees affected by this policy suffered occupational hearing loss between 1987 and 2001 while working in previously classified noise hazardous areas. The 45 subjects included in the study were demographically similar to the 211 from which they were selected. Differences between measured and predicted hearing thresholds in 1987 and in 2001 did not change significantly over the 15 years. Predicted noise-induced thresholds in 2001 calculated from average noise exposures were not clinically significant. It was concluded that these subjects were adequately protected from hearing loss under the previous classification criteria and application of the new criteria provided no additional benefit.
Cardiac Drugs: New Inofropes

This article compares the mechanisms of action of conventional inotropes with new inotropes and discusses the role of the new inotropes in the treatment of congestive heart failure (CHF). The nursing management of patients receiving amrinone (Inocor [Winthrop, New York]), the first of these new agents approved for clinical use by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), will be reviewed. The progress of researchers in developing additional phosphodiesterase inhibitors beyond amrinone will also be addressed.
Factors Associated with Axillary Lymph Node Metastasis from Breast Carcinoma Descriptive and Predictive Analyses

BACKGROUND Although axillary lymph node metastasis is one of the most important prognostic determinants of breast carcinoma prognoses, the reasons why tumors vary in their capability to produce for axillary metastases remain unclear. METHODS The authors used data from the nationwide Patient Care Evaluation (PCE) survey of the American College of Surgeons to evaluate the correlations between patient/tumor characteristics and lymph node status, and to explore the use of these factors, which are all known prior to axillary dissection, in predicting lymph node status. The PCE data set contained 18,025 breast carcinoma cases diagnosed in 1990 after exclusion of women older than 79 years or with fewer than 6 lymph nodes examined. RESULTS In a multivariate logistic regression model, larger tumor size, young age, African American or Hispanic race, outer half tumor location, poor or moderate differentiation, aneuploidy, and infiltrating ductal histology were independently associated with a higher likelihood of one or more positive lymph nodes. Contrary to expectation, cases negative for estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) had a lower risk of positive lymph nodes when adjusted for other factors (odds ratio = 0.82; 95% confidence interval: 0.74–0.91) compared with cases positive for both receptors. This model accurately predicted lymph node status in 2 validation data sets (a 50% random sample of 1990 PCE data and 1992 data from the National Cancer Data Base), but was less accurate in a third, older data set (1983 PCE data). However, the percentage of cases (1990 validation set) with predicted probabilities less than 0.05 or greater than 0.95 were only 4.6% and <0.1%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS The authors concluded that 1) most variation in axillary lymph node metastatic status can be explained by routinely available data, 2) ER and PR status may be involved in the mechanism of this behavior, and 3) the difficulty of using prediction models to avert axillary dissection should not be underestimated. Cancer 1999;86:1511–9. © 1999 American Cancer Society.
Cities for profit: The real estate turn in Asia’s urban politics, by Gavin Shatkin

In this ambitious volume, Gavin Shatkin provides three political economic accounts of urban land development in three rapidly urbanizing Asian cities: Jakarta in Indonesia, Kolkata in India, and Ch...
Using “nano tools” as the basis for a hands-on experiential course in nanotechnology

Abstract This chapter shows the results obtained during the development and implementation of an interdisciplinary undergraduate-level nanotechnology course for science and engineering students. The course was designed considering previous knowledge that students have gained through introductory chemistry and physics courses in order to provide a connections to a wide range of science and engineering majors. Through the course, students examined the physical phenomena underlying key nanotechnology instrumentation. Team projects, and focused workshops, encourage collaboration across disciplines to identify fundamental nanomaterial properties and enable applications and to reveal potential impacts on environmental health and safety and associated ELSA. This course demonstrated that using the “nano tools,” students determine nanoscale characteristics through theory reinforced by experimentation. In addition the students were able to discuss complimentary information obtained from different instruments. Finally, the projects provided a context to the application of each instrument, solidifying knowledge and developing interdisciplinary competences among the students.
Implementing local cooling to increase skin tolerance to ischemia during normal seating in people with spinal cord injury.

Abstract The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of local cooling in reducing reactive hyperemia after ischemia at the ischial tuberosities for people with spinal cord injury (SCI) during normal seating. The degree of the reactive hyperemic response is indicative of the extent of cellular stress caused by the ischemia. We hypothesized that reactive hyperemic skin blood flow (SBF) responses will be lower when local cooling is implemented by the wheelchair seat cushion. This study used a repeated measures design, and each subject underwent two conditions: normal seating with temperature control ‘on’ (cooling) and ‘off’ (non-cooling) for 30 min. Twenty-three participants with traumatic SCI were recruited. SBF and skin temperature were collected before, during and after seating. SBF signals were processed with short-time Fourier analyses to examine the underlying vascular control mechanisms, including the following (corresponding frequency bands): metabolic (0.0095–0.02 Hz), neurogenic (0.02–0.05 Hz), and myogenic (0.05–0.15 Hz) spectral densities. Our results showed that with cooling, skin temperature decreased (range −0.4 ~ −3.1 °C, p = 0.002), and reactive hyperemia parameters (normalized peak SBF and perfusion area) were reduced (p = 0.02, p = 0.033, respectively). In addition, changes in normalized peak SBF (non-cooling – cooling) was moderately correlated with changes in normalized metabolic and neurogenic spectral densities. Our findings suggested that local cooling has a positive effect on reducing the cellular stress caused by ischemia during normal seating. Metabolic and neurogenic SBF control mechanisms may play a minor role. Further exploration of the effect of temperature control on pressure injury prevention is warranted.
Visualizing TPP structures with coherent Raman scattering microscopy

Abstract The chemical and physical processes that take place in the sub-μm3 volume of the tightly focused laser beam during TPP writing are complex. Variations in photon flux, exposure time, heat dissipation kinetics, and concentration of photoinitiator and monomer can give rise to differences in the properties of the polymer material, such as the degree of conversion, density, and mechanical properties. Quality control of the TPP process, especially in terms of the chemical conversion during and immediately after laser illumination, is highly desirable. Alongside developments in TPP writing techniques, the detailed chemical in situ characterization of TPP structures plays an equally important role in driving the technology toward maturation.
Psychiatric Differential Diagnosis of Psychosis

Primary psychotic disorders include a wide variety of psychiatric disorders, including but not limited to schizophrenia spectrum disorders. In this chapter, I describe the clinical characteristics of psychiatric disorders where psychosis is an obligatory part of the symptom picture (i.e., schizophrenia spectrum disorders) or where psychosis is merely an ancillary but not core feature (i.e., psychotic mood disorder). Included in this chapter is catatonia because its recognition is important for treatment.
Mammary Extranodal Rosai-Dorfman Disease With and Without Associated Axillary Lymphadenopathy: Insights for Practitioners of Breast Pathology:

Rosai-Dorfman disease is a rare proliferative histiocytic disorder of lymph nodes that is descriptively known as sinus histiocytosis with massive lymphadenopathy. Extranodal involvement of the parenchyma of the breast is uncommonly reported, with fewer than 50 cases of mammary extranodal disease detailed in the English-language literature. We characterize a retrospective series of adult female patients from a single institution with Rosai-Dorfman disease of the breast and axillary lymph nodes. Because Rosai-Dorfman disease of the breast and axillary lymph nodes may clinically, radiographically, and histologically mimic breast carcinoma and other conditions, we present an illustrated review of the disease and its relevant differential diagnoses in hopes of raising awareness and allowing for accurate management of affected patients.
BM25-AH: Enhanced BM25 Algorithm for Domain-Specific Search Engine

The Virginia Military Institute (VMI) uses Google search to provide webpage search service in the VMI website. As Google search is a general-purpose service, it does not consider VMI-specific information and in turn, often fails to retrieve relevant information. To address the limitation, in this paper, we propose the BM25-AH algorithm, an extension of the BM25 ranking algorithm that utilizes domain-specific knowledge by adding four new features to the existing BM25 algorithm. The implementation results show us the potential of the proposed algorithm and the new VMI search engine.
Color vision system to assess English walnut (Juglans Regia) kernel pellicle color

Abstract English walnut (Juglans regia) kernel pellicle color is an important component of consumer quality, as a breeding phenotype attribute, and a key factor affecting marketing price. It is part of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) grading criteria and it is assessed by trained Dried Fruit and Tree Nuts Association (DFA) of California inspectors, who visually segregate kernels into four DFA color categories: 1 (‘Extra light’), 2 (‘Light’), 3 (‘Light Amber’), and 4 (‘Amber’). The establishment of an objective and fast Color Visual System (CVS) will remove human variability and bias, adding consistency and can speed-up the color evaluation process. Therefore, a portable CVS was designed, built and its performance was evaluated using three datasets of kernels, with a diverse range of pellicle colors: 2,000 from a UC Davis seedling population, 1,238 from ‘Chandler’, and 857 from ‘Howard’ cultivars. Kernel pellicle color was measured using the DFA (1 to 4) visual scoring system, a colorimeter and the CVS. Relationships between these methods were analyzed using correlation, density plots, and stepwise logistic regression methodology was further applied to create a set of CVS kernel pellicle color prediction models, which can classify kernels into the DFA color categories. The CVS could segregate all 4095 kernel samples into the DFA color categories with an accuracy equal to 68.9 %. The use of independent prediction models per dataset significantly improved prediction: the ‘Chandler’ model was most accurate (88.8 %), followed by the seedling (80.4 %) and ‘Howard’ (75.1 %) models. Therefore, it is recommended that a cultivar-specific model be used to improve grading prediction accuracy. Model accuracy performance was further improved when the number of color categories was reduced to two categories by combining 1 (‘Extra Light’) and 2 (‘Light’) (Category 1), and 3 (‘Light Amber’) 4 (‘Amber’) (Category 2). Overall, the CVS used with a dataset-specific model described overall kernel pellicle color much better than a single colorimeter reading, making CVS a promising tool to assess kernel pellicle color. The CVS can be used as an objective and consistent method during commercial walnut kernel pellicle color grading and/or high-throughput phenotype breeding evaluation.
How I Diagnose Low-Grade Myelodysplastic Syndromes.

Objectives Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) are a group of myeloid neoplasms that are often difficult to diagnose due to their pathologic and clinical heterogeneity. The key features of MDS are peripheral blood cytopenias, ineffective hematopoiesis manifesting as morphologic dysplasia, and clonal genetic abnormalities. The most difficult diagnostic dilemmas often arise in low-grade MDS cases (lacking excess blasts), which can be difficult to distinguish from other causes of cytopenia. This distinction requires the integration of information from the peripheral blood (both CBC parameters and morphology), bone marrow morphology, genetic studies, and interrogation of the clinical record to exclude secondary causes. Methods We discuss the approach to the diagnosis of low-grade MDS (cases lacking increased blasts), including a diagnostic algorithm and two illustrative cases. Results The appropriate use of ancillary studies is important to support or dispute the likelihood of low-grade MDS in conjunction with the findings of morphologic dysplasia. Interpreting the results of cytogenetics and next-generation sequencing can be challenging and must incorporate the emerging knowledge of clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential. Conclusions The role of pathologists in integrating data from multiple sources in the diagnosis of low-grade MDS is evolving and becoming increasingly complex; in this challenging diagnostic setting, it is important to feel comfortable with uncertainty and maintain a conservative approach.
Management of Musculoskeletal Pain in Older Adults with Dementia

An estimated 50% of people that are diagnosed with dementia also experience pain. The difficulty, including inability in some individuals, to communicate pain in moderate to severe dementia represents a challenge for its adequate recognition, assessment, and treatment.
Quality Assessment and Validation of a Direct Observation Hand Hygiene Program

Background Hand hygiene (HH) is a critical infection prevention practice to prevent transmission of microorganisms in healthcare settings. Direct overt HH observation programs provide opportunities for direct feedback, but face concerns over potential Hawthorne effect. We sought to compare our overt HH program to covert observations and perform quality assessments. Methods During May-July 2019, covert HH observations were conducted on inpatient units of healthcare personnel (HCP) in direct contact with patients and patient surroundings. An observer was trained to perform observations using the World Health Organization's Five Moments for HH. Electronic data collection included time, unit, HCP role, moments of HH and compliance. Quality metrics included duration of alcohol-based hand rub (ABHR), hand areas missed and compliance with nail policy. Observations included varying times and days covering all shifts and roles. Data was excluded if the observer was unable to fully visualize HH or if staff became aware of observations. Simultaneously, the institutional HH overt observations continued. Results During the study period, 189 covert observations were obtained, compared to 1826 overt observations on study units. We found no significant difference (p=0.217) between the rate of compliance of overt HH observations (99%, n=1804) and covert HH observations (95%, n=179). The majority of staff were nurses (77%). The median ABHR was 6 seconds (range: 2-15 seconds), with 10% of HCP completing the recommended 15 second hand rub. Most commonly missed areas (n=48) included the fingertips (65%, n=31) and between the fingers (65%, n=31). Staff were compliant with our nail policy (98%). Conclusions We describe the validation of a direct, overt HH program. The Hawthorne Effect did not make a statistically significant difference in compliance rates and HCP maintained high compliance (>95%) whether or not they knew they were observed. Quality metrics including appropriate duration of AHBR and coverage of hands were identified as opportunities for improvement.