cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
THE SALIENT VARIABLE SIMILARITY INDEX FOR FACTOR MATCHING

The various techniques available for comparing factor-patterns may be conveniently classified according to the type of measurement scale for which each is most appropriate. If the factor loadings be regarded as based simply on a ‘nominal’ scale (i.e. on a dichotomous distinction between salient and non-salient loadings), then a quick working procedure can be derived which, being non-parametric, avoids the questionable assumption that the loadings are normally distributed. The test so obtained proves less powerful than a parametric test, but has special advantages both theoretical and practical.
The relation between teacher input and lexical growth of preschoolers.

The present study examined the growth of receptive lexical skills in preschoolers over an academic year in relation to teacher speech. The participating students were English language learners and their monolingual English-speaking peers from the same classrooms. The measures of teacher input included indicators of the amount of speech (total number of words), lexical richness (number of different word types), and structural complexity (number of words per utterance). These measures were based on a speech sample collected during a classroom observation. For English language learners, vocabulary growth was positively related to the total number of words produced by the teacher, but negatively related to the number of words per utterance. For monolingual speakers, vocabulary growth was positively related to the number of word types produced by the teacher. The findings underscore the importance of considering different aspects of verbal input for understanding individual variability in language growth of preschool students.
Examining multiple potential models in end-user interactive concept learning

End-user interactive concept learning is a technique for interacting with large unstructured datasets, requiring insights from both human-computer interaction and machine learning. This note re-examines an assumption implicit in prior interactive machine learning research, that interaction should focus on the question "what class is this object?". We broaden interaction to include examination of multiple potential models while training a machine learning system. We evaluate this approach and find that people naturally adopt revision in the interactive machine learning process and that this improves the quality of their resulting models for difficult concepts.
Exploring the determinants of imaging systems success

A study is described which identified factors proposed in the literature as good measures of imaging system success and as important determinants of system success. Data on 63 imaging system applications from 48 organizations were used to test a series of propositions regarding the determinants of imaging system success. It was found that characteristics of the business applications, user training, user control over system development changes, and characteristics of the system itself are strongly related to imaging system success. >
Promoting children's health through understanding of genetics and genomics.

Purpose: To describe the effects of genetics and genomics on children’s health care. Organizing Construct: The breakthroughs in the Human Genome Project have great potential for disease prediction, treatment, and prevention in the health care of children with chronic health conditions. Most childhood conditions based on a single gene are influenced by a complex interaction of genetic and environmental factors. Methods: A review of the literature was conducted to determine the most common childhood diseases linked to genetic causes. Findings: Two examples were selected to depict how a health professional would use genetic knowledge to provide holistic health promotion and disease prevention. Conclusions: Knowledge of the interaction of the genetic profile coupled with a person’s lifestyle, work environment, and family context provide a more holistic picture of a person’s health profile. The clinical implications are that this knowledge will provide opportunities for health professionals to advise families on individualized treatment options or to tailor health promotion to future disease states based on genes and their interaction with the environment.
CIGNET and NGS Orbit Production Experiences Related to the IGS

The Cooperative International GPS Network (CIGNET) and the routine orbit production at the National Geodetic Survey (NGS) provide a useful body of experience demonstrating that the goals of the International GPS Service are practical and can be realized in the near future. All the basic elements of the proposed service are currently employed, from global data tracking and data retrival to distribution of a standard product ephemeris. The principle differences between the current operations and those anticipated in the IGS are in the scale of the operation, the uniformity of standards throughout the operation and the quality of the GPS ephemerides.
Geochemical prospecting at Cobalt, Ontario

A program of geochemical prospecting was carried out in the summer of 1952 near Cobalt, Ontario. The area in which this work was done lies in the Precambrian shield of Canada, about 320 miles north of Toronto. Much of the area is covered by glacial deposits. The known ore bodies are predominantly thin veins of silver, and nickel and cobalt arsenides found as mesothermal fissure fillings in vertical faults and joints of the area. The cobalt concentration in samples of glacial material, collected on a horizontal and vertical grid over an area of proven mineralization at depth, was determined in order to test the applicability of geochemical prospecting techniques in locating ore bodies in similar situations. A cobalt anomaly in the overburden was located; subsequent drilling proved up mineralization in non-commercial quantities in the bedrock. It is concluded that the present technique is applicable in locating ore bodies where mineralization extends to the bedrock surface in geologic settings similar to those in the Cobalt, Ontario district.
Bipolaron Formation and Nonlinear Optical Properties in Bis-Thienyl Polyenes

Bipolaron-like dications have been produced in both diphenyl and bis-thienyl polyenes by oxidative doping in solution. However, until now spectroscopie studies of the charge state generation beyond the hexaene have been precluded due to lack of solubility and processibility. We have now been able to extend these studies to the decaene by incorporating solubilizing substituents on the thienyl end caps. For the neutral species, degenerate four wave Mixing (DFWM) studies indicate that χ (3) is still increasing as a function of conjugation length. Introduction of mesomerically interactive RS groups on the thiophene rings further increases both solubility and optical nonlinearity.
Prostate adenocarcinoma with a rectal metastasis

A 69-year-old man with a medical history of HIV infection and prostate cancer presented to our practice complaining of lower abdominal pain and rectal bleeding. Prostate cancer was diagnosed in 1990, for which the patient underwent radiation therapy, bilateral orchiectomy and was managed with flutamide for several years. Twelve years after the initial diagnosis, he underwent prostate cryoablation. However, prostate-specific antigen continued to rise …
Power modeling and architecture evaluation for FPGA with novel circuits for Vdd programmability

Vdd-programmable FPGAs have been proposed recently to reduce FPGA power, where Vdd levels can be customized for different circuit elements and unused circuit elements can be power-gated. In this paper, we first develop an accurate FPGA power model and then design novel Vdd-programmable interconnect switches with minimum number of configuration SRAM cells. Applying our power model to placed and routed benchmark circuits, we evaluate Vdd-programmable FPGA architecture using the new switches. The best architecture in our study uses Vdd-programmable logic blocks and Vdd-gateable interconnects. Compared to the baseline architecture similar to the leading commercial architecture, the best architecture reduces the minimal energy-delay product by 44.14% with 48% area overhead and 3% SRAM cell increase. Our evaluation results also show that LUT size 4 always gives the lowest energy consumption while LUT size 7 always leads to the highest performance for all evaluated architectures.
High yield of M-side electron transfer in mutants of Rhodobacter capsulatus reaction centers lacking the L-side bacteriopheophytin.

We present studies on a series of photosynthetic reaction center (RC) mutants created in the background of the Rhodobacter capsulatusDLL mutant, in which the D helix of the M subunit has been substituted with that from the L subunit. Previous work on the DLL mutant in chromatophore preparations showed that RCs assembled without the bacteriopheophytin HL electron acceptor and performed no charge separation following light absorption. We have successfully isolated poly-His-tagged D LL RCs by using the detergent Deriphat 160-C and shown that the RCs are devoid of HL. The excited state of the primary electron donor, P*, is found to have a lifetime of 180 ( 20 ps and to decay exclusively (>95%) via internal conversion to the ground state, with no evidence for formation of any charge-separated intermediates. By additional mutation in the DLL background of two residues that affect the P/P + oxidation potential and one that facilitates M-side electron transfer, we achieve an unprecedented 70% yield of P + HM - , more than doubling the highest yield of this state achieved previously. This result underscores the importance of the relative free energies of P* and the charge-separated states in governing the rates and yields of electron transfer in bacterial RCs and provides a basis for systematically investigating M-side electron transfer without any competition from the native L-side pathway.
Paracrine and differentiation mechanisms underlying stem cell therapy for the damaged kidney

NATIVE KIDNEY ACUTE RENAL FAILURE (ARF) occurs in 2‐5% of hospitalized patients and is associated with high mortality (11). Allograft ARF occurs in 30‐50% of deceased donor kidney transplants and leads to longer hospital stays, a higher incidence of acute rejection, and reduced long-term graft survival (13). There is no specific therapy for ARF except for supportive care. A surge of evidence over the last decade supports an important role for inflammatory mediators, microvascular dysfunction, and apoptosis in the pathogenesis of the injury and extension phase of ARF (12). The mechanisms of recovery, less well understood, are felt to include a recapitulation of mechanisms originally involved in renal development. It is commonly believed that kidney progenitor cells, from either the kidney or an extrarenal source, repopulate the kidney during the recovery phase of ARF and drive the repair process (9). A popular model was that damaged/dead cells are removed and the kidney stem cells migrate to necrotic areas, differentiate, and repopulate the kidney. Indeed, injured human kidney transplants from female donors into male recipients were found to have Y chromosome staining of tubular epithelial cells, demonstrating that they were of recipient origin (5). In support of this model are studies in mice in which labeled bone marrow was tracked with -galactosidase (-gal) staining into postischemic kidney. -Gal staining was observed in 20% of the proximal tubular cells at 1 wk after ischemia, and also to some extent within 48 h of ischemia (7). Despite the focus on stem cell effects on repair, mice without functional bone marrow in that study had a worse early course of ARF, suggesting that bone marrow-derived cells had an early protective effect on the injury process. In another murine study, male-derived cells were found in female mouse kidney recipients after ischemia (8). However, recent work has shown that -gal staining to identify differentiated stem cells has considerable limitations, false positive results can result from the kidney’s endogenous -gal, and the staining validity is vulnerable to slight pH shifts (3). In a cisplatin model of ARF, administration of mesenchymal stem cells improved kidney function and structure (10). Given that Y chromosome-containing cells were found in recipient tubular epithelium of female mice and expressed specific lectin-binding proteins found in proximal tubules, transdifferentiation was concluded to be the mechanism of enhanced repair. Administration of skeletal muscle-derived stem cells that were differentiated into endothelial cells provided early protection from ischemic ARF in mice and were detected in glomeruli and peritubular capillaries using green fluorescent protein detection (1).
Why Grazing Permits Have Economic Value

Grazing permit value supposedly arises as a cost advantage for permit holders. Yet, ranches are overpriced relative to income earning potential. Hedonic models for New Mexico and the Great Basin were used to evaluate permit value. We found less than 16% of the marginal value of grazing permits in New Mexico can be attributed to livestock production, and for Great Basin ranches, estimates indicate none of the value can be assigned to livestock production. Deeded and public land acreages make the ranch bigger and it is the acreage, not the cattle grazing it, that adds the most to ranchland value.
BioQ: tracing experimental origins in public genomic databases using a novel data provenance model

Motivation: Public genomic databases, which are often used to guide genetic studies of human disease, are now being applied to genomic medicine through in silico integrative genomics. These databases, however, often lack tools for systematically determining the experimental origins of the data. Results: We introduce a new data provenance model that we have implemented in a public web application, BioQ, for assessing the reliability of the data by systematically tracing its experimental origins to the original subjects and biologics. BioQ allows investigators to both visualize data provenance as well as explore individual elements of experimental process flow using precise tools for detailed data exploration and documentation. It includes a number of human genetic variation databases such as the HapMap and 1000 Genomes projects. Availability and implementation: BioQ is freely available to the public at http://bioq.saclab.net Contact: ude.ltsuw@enoccass Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Male fidelity expressed through rapid testosterone suppression of ultrasonic vocalizations to novel females in the monogamous California mouse

The steroid hormone testosterone (T) is a well-known mediator of male sexual behavior in vertebrates. However, less is known about T's rapid effects on sexual behavior, particularly those involving ultrasonic vocalizations (USVs), a mode of communication that can influence mate acquisition in rodents. Using the monogamous California mouse, Peromyscus californicus, we tested whether T rapidly alters male USV production by giving T or saline injections to non-paired (sexually naive) males and paired (paternally experienced and pair-bonded) males immediately prior to a brief exposure to an unrelated, novel female. Among non-paired males, no differences in the total number of USVs were observed; however, T increased the proportion of simple sweeps produced. Among paired males, T decreased the number of USVs produced, and this change was driven by a reduction in simple sweeps. These results suggest a differential rapid effect of T pulses between non-paired and paired males upon exposure to a novel female. Additionally, we observed a positive correlation in the production of USVs made between males and novel females, and this relationship was altered by T. Given the importance of USVs in sexual communication, our study supports an essential concept of monogamy in that mate fidelity is reinforced by decreased responsiveness to prospective mates outside of the pair bond. The central mechanism in pair bonded males that decreases their responsiveness to novel females appears to be one that T can trigger. This is among the first studies to demonstrate that T can inhibit sexually related behaviors and do so rapidly.
Penetrating duodenal ulcer associated with an operatively implanted arterial chemotherapy infusion catheter.

A 65-yr-old man with hepatic metastases from adenocarcinoma of the colon treated with hepatic arterial infusion of 5-fluoro-2′-deoxyuridine and radiation therapy, presented with major gastrointestinal bleeding from an endoscopically documented giant duodenal ulcer with a portion of the hepatic arterial catheter visible in the ulcer crater. A penetrating giant duodenal ulcer was confirmed during an operative procedure. This patient with giant duodenal ulcer penetration associated with an operatively implanted arterial infusion catheter represents an unusual complication of this form of chemotherapy for hepatic tumors.
Self-Handicapping Processes and Sequelae

One of my most vivid childhood memories centers around a playground ritual that I repeatedly faced. Because my family moved frequently, I found myself having to meet a new group of peers at the beginning of each school year. Being a grade-school male, a typical ceremony involved taking the new kid (me) to the local vacant lot and having him fight a string of other males until a place in the pecking order was established. After a few of these “educational” squirmishes in which I fought my way up through several bouts until I had settled somewhere in the middle of the “male hierarchy,” I struck upon a new strategy. Instead of beginning at the bottom of the fighting hierarchy, I somehow saw that there might be advantages in starting right at the top. In other words, I expressly asked to fight the biggest, meanest kid in the entire schoolyard. And, of course, he pounded on me until he tired of this activity. But, much to my delight, I found that I did not have to fight any more. So, as I had vaguely hoped would be the case, there were some advantages to my psychological dive. Indeed, by picking the toughest kid on the playground, I not only shortened the entire sequence into one fight, but I also found that I was able to preserve some semblance of esteem and control in this very difficult situation. After all, who could be expected to succeed against such a gorilla? And, however long I did last in such a fight seemed like such a valiant effort against insurmountable odds.
Balancing rights and values in the italian courts: a benchmark for a quantitative analysis

In conformity with the global tendency, balancing is increasingly used in judicial practice as an argumentation technique for solving legal disputes; more and more, judges of all levels ground their decisions on the balancing of individual rights, interests, principles, needs, and values. Legal science has formulated theoretical and formal models to explain the argumentative structure of balancing and the criteria governing the argumentation process, but, in the absence of a conceptual model that encompasses all elements in play and enables a comparative mechanism to be abstracted, mapping instances of judicial practice to abstract theories is still difficult. In this context, the goal of the project here described is to allow the logic of judicial practice emerge from cases, verifying from the bottom up the assumptions of theoretical models. Starting off from a broad analysis of Italian cases, the paper aims at analysing the object of this operation, that is, what is 'balanced' and what is the nature of this process. The research was conducted by analysing the so-called 'massime' (case law abstracts) of the Italian High Courts (Constitutional Court, Supreme Court, Council of State), of the administrative courts (Regional Administrative Tribunals) and of a selection of lower court decisions. The methodology is divided into an initial phase of documentary collection and storage, a second phase of conceptual modelling and a third phase of data analysis.
Comprehensive amplitude analysis of γγ→π+π-,π0π0 and K¯K below 1.5 GeV

In this paper we perform an amplitude analysis of essentially all published pion and kaon pair production data from two photon collisions below 1.5 GeV. This includes all the high statistics results from Belle, as well as older data from Mark II at SLAC, CELLO at DESY, Crystal Ball at SLAC. The purpose of this analysis is to provide as close to a model-independent determination of the γγ to meson pair amplitudes as possible. Having data with limited angular coverage, typically |cosθ| more » by the recent precision Dalitz plot analysis from BaBar. With these hadronic amplitudes built into unitarity, we can constrain the overall description of γγ → ππ and K⁻K datasets, both integrated and differential cross-sections, including the high statistics charged and neutral pion data from Belle. A region of solutions is found for the γγ → ππ partial waves with both isospin 0 and 2. Since this analysis invokes coupled hadronic channels, even the relatively poor integrated cross-section data on γγ → K⁻K narrows the patch of solutions to essentially a single form. For this we present the complete partial wave amplitudes, show how well they fit all the available data, and give the two photon couplings of scalar and tensor resonances that appear. « less
A Theorem in the Farey Series

(1961). A Theorem in the Farey Series. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 68, No. 4, pp. 348-349.
The Effects of T4 and T6 Heat Treatment on the Corrosion Behavior of MgZnCa Alloys

Some of the most important characteristics of a medical implant biomaterial are its corrosion resistance, cytotoxicity, mechanical property, and overall biological performance. Optimizing these characteristics is therefore vital to the success of creating effective medical biomaterials. It is well known that heat treatment processes affect the microstructure of metallic alloys which consequently can have favorable influences on the mechanical properties. The determination of the effects of heat treatment on the corrosion resistance of metallic alloys is another aspect that must be examined. That is the goal of this investigation. The corrosion characteristics of two MgZnCa alloy systems (MgZnCa-31 and MgZnCa-32) were studied to determine the correlation between T4 and T6 heat treatment and the corrosion rate on the alloys. The alloys were produced by melting and casting at 730°C and then heat treated. The corrosion performances of the alloys were examined by both immersion and electrochemical analysis, which were conduct in 0.9% NaCl physiological saline solution. In terms of the effects of the T4 heat treatment, the corrosion rate of the MgZnCa-31 decreases as the time period of the heat treatment increases, whereas the MgZnCa-32 alloys have an opposite effect meaning that the corrosion rate increases as the time period of the heat treatment increases. There was no significant change in corrosion with the introduction of T6 heat treatment to both alloy systems.© 2012 ASME
Maximizing the patient's uniqueness and strengths: a challenge for home health care.

Because of where services are provided, home health care programs offer rich opportunities for incorporating the patient's uniqueness and strengths in treatment planning. Operationalizing these in day-to-day practice may be inhibited by the traditional medical model governing most treatment decisions. A reflective model and strengths perspective are mechanisms which bolster efforts to individualize patient care. A case example illustrates the differences between traditional approaches and alternative opportunities open to the home health care social worker.
The nosology of rosacea.

The high prevalence of onychomycosis warrants effective lasting treatment. Currently available monotherapeutic options in the United States include surgical or chemical nail avulsion/debridement, a topical antifungal nail lacquer, and systemic antifungal agents. Failure to respond to therapy and relapse rates of approximately 25% to 50% both point to the need for a shift in the approach to treating this chronic disease. In vitro data indicate synergistic and additive effects when combining certain antifungal agents, eg, ciclopirox and terbinafine. Clinical reports suggest that combining topical and oral antifungal agents (eg, ciclopirox nail lacquer and oral terbinafine), administered for a shortened duration compared with the standard regimen, may yield cure rates as good as, if not better than, the indicated oral monotherapy regimen. Drug penetration to different parts of the nail unit and complimentary modes of action may contribute to the success of combination therapy.
Materials for Engineers: Casting and Welding

Casting The production of most useful metallic objects involves casting, whether in final form or as ingots that are later shaped as solids by rolling, extruding, or forging. Cast metal components include engine blocks and suspension parts for railcars, trucks, and autos; valves, pumps, faucets, pipes, and fitting equipment for drilling oil wells; surgical equipment and prosthetic devices; and components for household and electronic devices. Injection molding, which is a form of casting, is used to produce many polymer objects. A number of considerations are important in casting. These include liquid-to-solid shrinkage that requires a reservoir or riser of liquid to prevent void formation; thermal shrinkage of the solid that must be accounted for in designing molds; thermal gradients that can cause warping and residual stresses; segregation of components in solution and gas evolution during freezing; and surface appearance. Technological advances in the past few decades have improved the quality and decreased the cost of castings. Computer analysis has allowed prediction and control of the flow of molten metal in the mold, the temperature profiles, and the position of the solid-liquid interface during solidification. The result is the possibility of elimination of internal voids. The use of styrofoam patterns has increased productivity by simplifying mold making. Macrostructure of Castings Typically the outside skin of a casting is composed of fine grains of random orientation. As freezing progresses inward, grains that are more favorably oriented for growth crowd out less favorably oriented grains and form columnar crystals.
Maleic Anhydride Applications in Personal Care

Maleic anhydride and its derivatives are used in many different areas in personal care. They are indispensable ingredients used in hair, skin, and oral care formulations. In hair care applications, copolymers containing maleic anhydride are mostly found in hair fixative and styling formulas. They act as film formers, compatible with a variety of solvent systems, which form polymer-hair fiber assemblies with resistance to high humidity and mechanical insult to the hairstyle. The use of this type of chemistry in hair care has a long history that began in the 1950s and continues to find itself in contemporary products. In skin care, the largest impact of maleic anhydride chemistry is in the form of copolymers of maleic anhydride and methyl vinyl ether that are used in transdermal delivery systems and as bioadhesives for biomedical devices. In addition, there are many innovative uses of maleic anhydride chemistry in the delivery of cosmetic active ingredients as well as adjuvants in antiperspirant formulations. Moreover, copolymers of maleic anhydride function as rheology modifiers in finished skin care formulations providing desirable textural and sensorial properties for the consumer. In oral care, poly(methyl vinyl ether-maleic anhydride) is found in dentifrice formulations, where it acts as a bioadhesive, film former, and delivery vehicle for active ingredients. For many years, the bioadhesive nature of poly(methyl vinyl ether-maleic anhydride) to the oral mucosa has been exploited in denture adhesive formulations as the key active ingredient. In the pages that follow, we provide a summary and critical analysis of both historical and contemporary uses of maleic anhydride in the personal care arena focusing on traditional and innovative approaches.
Service Marketing and Adoption of Promotional Technology: A Qualitative Study

This qualitative research used a grounded theory approach to better understand how adoption of technologies that are new to the service organization can impact the nature of interactions between individuals in information technology IT and other functional areas; this study focuses on the interface between marketing and IT. Literature-based conceptual development informed in-depth interviews with executives from both functional areas at five growth-oriented service firms, in regard to periods of change related to adopting new marketing technologies. A total of 14 in-depth interviews were completed, with individuals representing dyads comprised of one manager from marketing and one from IT, who experienced the relationship changes that resulted. Findings suggest that, because of the demands of engaging in more intensive collaboration, there is a realized need to develop new workflow processes to assist in decision making and to reduce the likelihood of internal conflict. The enhanced flexibility and range required by individuals involved in the adoption of new promotional technologies were not always a good fit with their personal styles or goals. For instance, there was a decrease in felt power and independence of individuals in the marketing functional area, owing to the need for greater reliance on skills and capabilities of IT personnel. Individuals in each dyad described how they adapted to their new realities, including how they felt, what changes they had to make to adapt, and the resulting modifications in work processes. Perhaps the most interesting outcome of the research is the characterization of the revised internal interaction processes that were developed to allow for improved communication and understanding. The integration of future technology-based marketing tools into managerial decision making will most likely require similar adaptations of workflow processes. It is anticipated that adoption of new technologies at other internal boundaries may also result in similar need for change. Therefore, future research might empirically test the propositions and conceptual model, examining their applicability to technology adoption and workflow change at other internal boundaries as well as in other industries and other locations.
“Low-temperature sintering of nanosilver paste for lead-free chip attach”

European power module manufacturers pioneered the development of a silver sintering technology, called low-temperature joining technology (LTJT) for lead-free chip attach. Sintered chips on substrate are shown to have better performance and significantly higher reliability at chip junction temperature over 175°C. However, the European process is complex requiring pressure of 20 to 40 MPa to lower the sintering temperature of micron-size silver flakes/powder down to around 250°C. A nanomaterial technology involving the use of silver nanoparticles is described to achieve low-temperature sintering without any applied pressure. The nanosilver paste can be readily stencil-printed or dispensed on substrate for die-attach in air or controlled atmosphere at temperature below 260°C and under zero pressure with small power chips or low pressure of 3 MPa with large IGBT (Insulated Gate Bipolar Transistor) chips. Findings on the sintering behavior of the nanosilver paste and properties of the sintered joints are presented to demonstrate the nanosilver-enabled LTJT as a promising lead-free chip-attach solution with improved thermal and electrical performance and thermo-mechanical reliability of power devices and modules. As a specific application example, the nanosilver-enabled LTJT was used to make planar power modules in which both sides of the IGBT chips were bonded by the sintered nanosilver joint. The planar power modules have low parasitic inductances thus less ringing noises from the device-switching action and can be cooled from both sides of the devices to improve heat dissipation. Details on the design and processing of the double-side cooled power modules and test results on their electrical and thermal performance will be presented.
Posttransplant Lymphoproliferative Disorder in Liver Transplant Recipients: A Report of Seventeen Cases.

Posttransplant lymphoproliferative disorder (PTLD) is a major complication of liver transplantation. The optimal approach to these patients remains to be determined. We report a retrospective analysis of seventeen consecutive cases of PTLD seen at the University of Pennsylvania Medical Center. A total of 1179 liver transplants have been performed, of which 15 (1.3%) patients developed PTLD. There were two additional patients in this series that received their transplant elsewhere. The most common indications for liver transplantation were viral hepatitis (35%) and/or alcoholic cirrhosis (29%). Of the seventeen PTLD patients identified, most were Caucasian (76%) and/or male (76%). The median age at PTLD diagnosis was 50 yrs (range 20–65 yrs) with a median time from liver transplantation to PTLD diagnosis of 25 months (range 3–75 months). The most common presenting symptoms included fevers (47%), weight loss (47%), anorexia (47%), and pain (70%). PTLD location was frequently extranodal (71%) and/or involved the transplanted liver (41%). At diagnosis, immunosuppressive medications included OKT3 (12%), steroids (71%), azathioprine (41%) or mycophenolate mofetil (12%), and cyclosporine (65%) or tacrolimus (35%). PTLD histology consisted of 9 (53%) monomorphic and 8 (47%) polymorphic. EBV was detected by in situ hybridization in 11 (79%) of 14 cases evaluated. Stage at diagnosis was I (29%), II (35%), III (12%), and IV (12%). Initial therapy included reduction in immunosuppression (RI) alone in 13 (76%) of 17 patients. The remaining 4 patients were treated with retransplantation, rituximab + RI, alpha interferon, or chemotherapy. RI alone resulted in 6 (46%) CR and 7 (54%) PD. The addition of rituximab to RI in 1 patient resulted in an additional CR. R±CHOP was used as initial therapy in one patient and in 2 patients as salvage after relapse with all attaining a CR. Current median follow-up is 6 months (range 7 days to 9 years) with PFS of 6 months. Median overall survival following PTLD diagnosis was 6 months (range 7 days to 9 years). Of the 12 expired patients, 6 (50%) died from progressive PTLD, 3 (25%) from liver failure, 2 (17%) from infection, and 1 (8%) from cardiomyopathy. Currently, 5 patients are alive in CR (follow-up times of 6 months, 3.5 yrs, 4.5 yrs, 6 yrs and 8.5 yrs). Although the detection and treatment of PTLD in liver transplant recipients remains problematic and the upfront mortality is still high, long-term survival is possible. Further studies are necessary to better define treatment strategies.
The Validity of HCC Diagnosis Codes in Chronic Hepatitis B Patients in the Veterans Health Administration

Administrative databases that include diagnostic codes are valuable sources of information for research purposes. To validate diagnostic codes for hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in chronic hepatitis B patients. We conducted a retrospective study of patients with chronic HBV seen in the national Veterans Administration (VA). HCC cases were identified by the presence of ICD-9 code 155.0. We randomly selected 200 HBV controls without this code as controls. We manually reviewed the electronic medical record (EMR) of all cases and controls to determine HCC status. We calculated the positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), sensitivity, and specificity for the HCC code. We conducted an implicit review of the false-positive cases to determine possible reasons for the miscoding. Of the 8350 patients with HBV, 416 had an ICD-9 code for HCC. Of these 416, 332 patients had confirmed HCC and 61 did not; HCC status was indeterminate for 23 patients. Of the 200 controls, none had HCC confirmed in the EMR. The PPV ranged from 85.3 to 80.0% and specificity ranged from 99.2 to 99.0% based on classification of indeterminate cases as true versus false positives, respectively. The NPV, sensitivity, and specificity were 100%. Two-thirds of false-positive cases were diagnosed with HCC prematurely as a workup of liver mass and latter imaging and/or biopsy were not diagnostic for HCC. The diagnostic code of HCC in chronic HBV patients in the VHA data is predictive of the presence of HCC in medical records and can be used for epidemiological and clinical research.
Cathode Dependence of Liquid-Alloy Na–K Anodes

Alkali ions can be plated dendrite-free into a liquid alkali-metal anode. Commercialized Na–S battery technology operates above 300 °C. A low-cost Na–K alloy is liquid at 25 °C from 9.2 to 58.2 wt% of sodium; sodium and/or potassium can be plated dendrite-free in the liquid range at room temperature. The co-existence of two alkali metals in an anode raises a question: whether the liquid Na–K alloy acts as a Na or a K anode. Here we show the alkali-metal that is stripped from the liquid Na–K anode is dependent on the preference of the cathode host. It acts as the anode of a sodium rechargeable cell if the cathode host structure selectively accepts only Na+ ions; as the anode of a potassium rechargeable cell if the cathode accepts K+ ions in preference to Na+ ions. This dual-anode behavior means the liquid Na–K alkali-alloy can be applied as a dendrite-free anode in Na-metal batteries as well as K-metal batteries.
Designing for Compassion Cultivation

My research focuses on designing impactful support interventions for new mothers. I have completed two needs assessment studies to understand the support needs and support network structures of new mothers. Findings from my studies identified a gap in the expected and received support for new mothers. This gap can lead to adverse outcomes for both mother and infant. Prior research shows that compassion motivates people to act upon their empathy for another person's suffering through helpful behaviors to alleviate that suffering. The main objective of the next phase of my research is to design interventions that cultivate compassion towards new mothers in order to narrow the support gap identified. This research can inspire HCI designers to integrate compassion cultivation into support interventions.
Surgical Management of Nonallergic Rhinitis

Nonallergic rhinitis (NAR) describes chronic symptoms of nasal congestion, obstruction, and rhinorrhea unrelated to a specific allergen based on skin or serum testing. Vasomotor rhinitis is the most frequent subtype of NAR. Although medical management is the first-line treatment of NAR, there is a role for surgical therapy when medications fail to improve symptoms. Surgical options for NAR include inferior turbinate reduction and botulinum toxin injection as well as more directed targeting of the autonomic nerve supply to the nasal cavity through vidian neurectomy, posterior nasal neurectomy, and cryoablation of the posterior nerve.
Acetan — A New Bacterial Polysaccharide

The bacterial exopolysaccharide xanthan gum forms thixotropic aqueous dispersions. Xanthan will form thermoreversible gels when mixed with certain plant galactomannans or plant glucomannans. Such behavior is fairly well understood in terms of the chemical and stereochemical structure of xanthan. It would be useful to employ such information in order to predict the structural requirements which would be needed if a given polysaccharide was required to mimic the functional behavior of xanthan. In addition, one might wish to suggest structural modifications to such a polysaccharide which might be used to optimize or alter its functional behavior. The practicality of such an approach will be assessed by discussing the behavior of the bacterial polysaccharide acetan, which has a chemical structure similar to xanthan, and the behavior of ‘modified acetans.’ Various methods which have been used to modify the acetan structure will be discussed.
Proximity to extremely hazardous substances for people with disabilities: A case study in Houston, Texas.

Abstract Background While numerous studies have found socially disadvantaged groups such as minorities and low-income individuals to be disproportionately distributed with respect to various health hazards and pollution sources, previous research has not examined if people with disabilities reside near facilities where accidental releases of extremely hazardous substances are likely to occur. Objective Using data from the 2011–2015 American Community Survey estimates and facilities submitting Risk Management Plans (RMPs) to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the distribution of proximity to RMP facilities is compared to the disability characteristics of the civilian noninstitutionalized population in Harris County, Texas. The goal is to determine whether neighborhoods containing a higher proportion of disabled individuals are located near RMP facilities, after controlling for relevant socio-demographic factors. Methods Proximity to RMP facilities is calculated at the census tract level using a spatial enumeration methodology developed by the EPA. Statistical analyses are based on descriptive comparisons, bivariate correlations, and multivariate generalized estimating equations--a modeling technique appropriate for clustered data. Results RMP facility proximity increases significantly as the percentage of overall disability, as well as the percentages for specific types of disability increase, after accounting for population density, racial/ethnic composition, and socioeconomic status of neighborhoods. Disabled individuals with hearing and cognitive difficulties are particularly more likely to reside near RMP facilities. Conclusions These findings emphasize the growing need to consider individuals with physical and mental disabilities in future research on environmental justice and health risk disparities, as well as evacuation planning for chemical accidents.
Can machines learn how to forecast taxi-out time? A comparison of predictive models applied to the case of Seattle/Tacoma International Airport

Abstract This study compares the performance of ensemble machine learning, ordinary least-squared and penalized algorithms to predict taxi-out time at two different periods of NextGen capability implementation. In the pre-sample, ordinary least-squared and ridge models performed better than other ensemble learning models. However, the gradient boosting model provided the lowest root mean squared errors in the post-sample. No algorithm fits data better in all cases. This paper recommends selecting the model that provides the best balance between bias and variance.
Не кочегары мы, не плотники / ‘We are Neither Stokers nor Woodworkers’

The Soviet system replicated the imperial reign it destroyed by establishing the rule of a new elite: the Soviet party bureaucracy. True beneficiary of a revolutionary transformation, this elite came from peasant sons, promoted and rewarded by the Soviet system. This provincial surplus was a major force behind the Soviet empire: many of these young, uprooted individuals were extraordinarily successful. From slums and humble origins, they reached the inner circle of party power and remained there for almost forty years. This article profiles one of the most powerful groups within the upper echelon of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, the members of the Central Committee, using statistical database analysis to examine the dramatic social transformation of this demographic group and its evolution to successful power domination.
Green Deposit Rates in LIS Taylor & Francis Journals: Are Librarians “Practicing What They Preach?”

A Review of: Emery, J. (2017). How green is our valley: Five year study of selected LIS journals from Taylor & Francis for green open access. Insights, 31(23). http://doi.org/10.1629/uksg.406 Abstract Objective – To investigate the green deposit rate for articles published in five Taylor & Francis LIS journals. Design – Content analysis. Setting – The author conducted an analysis of the following journals: Behavioral & Social Sciences Librarian, Collection Management, College & Undergraduate Libraries, Journal of Electronic Resources Librarianship and Journal of Library Administration. Subjects – 87 articles/columns in Behavioral & Social Sciences Librarian, 78 in Collection Management, 134 in College & Undergraduate Libraries, 108 in Journal of Electronic Resources Librarianship, and 264 in Journal of Library Administration. Methods – The author chose five Taylor & Francis LIS journals to analyze over a period of five years for the green open access article deposit rate. The author selected Taylor & Francis journals due to the publisher’s policy of not requiring an embargo period on LIS journals. The specific journal titles were selected based on the author’s perception of their relevance to a broad array of academic libraries. The author determined if green deposit had occurred by first using the “OA Button” on the article’s homepage to locate the full text. If nothing was found, the author then searched each author’s institutional repository using the DOI. If the full text was still not located using this method, then a Google Scholar search for the full text was performed. Main Results – The author found that the full text was available for 22% of the 671 total articles included in the study, which was significantly below the author’s proposed success rate of 50%. Conclusion – The results of this study indicate that a relatively low number of articles in the LIS field are available via open access, even though there were no restrictions from the publisher on green deposits. Some potential influencing factors for the low deposit rate include lack of encouragement from administration on utilizing repositories, imposter syndrome, and a lack of awareness of Taylor & Francis’s green deposit policies. The author recommends that librarians and their administrators support and encourage one another to make articles available via open access. The author also recommends that Taylor & Francis further publicize this policy to make more authors aware of it.
Urodynamic monitoring in rats with neurogenic bladder induced by spinal cord injury

Objective To build the rat animal model of neurogenic bladder induced by spinal cord injury (SCI) and to nvestigate the changes of bladder and upper urinary tract function in this animal model. Methods A total of 60 female Wistar rats were randomly allocated into SCI group and sham group. Complete spinal cord transection was established by cutting out of dura at T10 in SCI group. The sham operation group was done only expose dura of T10 without transection. Urodynamic monitor was performed on rats at 6, 10 and 14 weeks. Urine was sent to do biochemistry examination, including NAG, bacteria count and culture. Blood was sent to detect BUN. Then put animals to death and take kidney specimens to do pathological examination. Results Urodynamic monitoring in rats revealed significant changes in the activity of the lower urinary tract after spinal cord transection. SCI rats exhibited detrusor hyperreflexia during bladder filling, higher leak point pressure, increased compliance at first and then decreased compliance compared with sham rats. All rats had urinary tract infection after the spinal cord injury. The level of NAG in SCI rats was increased. Hydroureterosis and hydronephrosis were not seen in SCI rats. Inflammatory infiltration in pelvis'epithelium and noticeable fibrous degeneration in interstitium were seen under light microscope, but glomcrulus was nearly normal. Under electron microscope, swelled epithelial cells, decreased organdie, and disorderly arrangement of renal tubule brush border and mitochondrial crista were noted. Conclusions Neurogenic bladder induced by spinal cord injury reveals significant changes in the activity of the lower urinary tract. Pathological changes of renal tubule and interstitium are more sensitive than glomcrulus in the evaluation of renal function. Key words: Spinal cord injuries; Neurogenic bladder; Model,animal; Urodynamics