cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Status of the Rayleigh scattering method in three-dimensional electromagnetic modeling

The Rayleigh scattering method offers distinct advantages in geophysical modeling over differencing or integral formulations but an inherent error in the Rayleigh hypothesis has severely limited its wider application. The method can be numerically implemented to be very fast and topographic and subsurface geometries can be described simply by digitized surface and interface values. This contrasts with gridding throughout a volume as used in finite difference and finite element methods. However, the error in the Rayleigh method prevents the modeling of steep topography and very high subsurface slopes such as the vertical sides of prismatic bodies. The inherent Rayleigh error, or famous Rayleigh ansatz (approximation), exists because the formulation assumes that scattering above a rough surface is described by a superposition of upward-scattered plane waves or plane wavelets only. This does not allow multiple scattering with downward components that should occur in topographic depressions. Manifestations of this omission are non-convergence behavior, numerical instabilities, and incorrect results. Valid results are obtained for plane wave EM sources normally incidence on buried 2-D and 3-D structures having interface slopes as high as 50-60°. In the far-field, above the topography, the surface slope limit can be extended to over 74° by adapted-regularization. In the near-field, on 2-D topography, surface slopes of only 26° are properly modeled for the TM (transverse magnetic) mode. Since the physics of 3-D scattering can be dominated by TM-like (galvanic) effects, near-field Rayleigh EM scattering from 3-D topography is probably limited to slopes of about this value unless regularization schemes are used. Regularization and the identification and reduction of specific numerical instabilities are considered the keys to extending the Rayleigh method to general 3-D EM modeling. New ways of extending the validity of the Rayleigh scattering method justify more interest in the geophysical EM community especially in 3-D subsurface and airborne (i.e., far-field) modeling.
Approximate U-Statistics for State Waiting Times Under Right Censoring

We develop two different adaptations of a U-statistic based on the waiting times in a given transient state in a multistate system when the state entry and/or the exit times are subject to right censoring. In the first version, the inverse probability of censoring weights calculated based on the state exit times are used along with m-tuples of fully observed waiting times, m being the degree of the kernel of the U-statistic. In the second version, an approximate statistic is defined as a multiple integral with respect to a product of Satten–Datta estimators of a state waiting time survival function. We provide a simulation study to investigate the finite sample behavior of the statistics. We demonstrate that the second version is more efficient since it utilizes additional data where the exit times may be censored. The asymptotic normality of our estimators is also studied through simulation. We further extend our approximate U-statistics to that of a K-sample U-statistic of waiting times under right censoring. Another extension considers waiting time data that are clustered. We apply our U-statistics to test whether initial functional status has a significant impact on the waiting time of an intermediate state of functional recovery of a spinal cord injured patient.
Transposable element influences on gene expression in plants

Transposable elements (TEs) comprise a major portion of many plant genomes and bursts of TE movements cause novel genomic variation within species. In order to maintain proper gene function, plant genomes have evolved a variety of mechanisms to tolerate the presence of TEs within or near genes. Here, we review our understanding of the interactions between TEs and gene expression in plants by assessing three ways that transposons can influence gene expression. First, there is growing evidence that TE insertions within introns or untranslated regions of genes are often tolerated and have minimal impact on expression level or splicing. However, there are examples in which TE insertions within genes can result in aberrant or novel transcripts. Second, TEs can provide novel alternative promoters, which can lead to new expression patterns or original coding potential of an alternate transcript. Third, TE insertions near genes can influence regulation of gene expression through a variety of mechanisms. For example, TEs may provide novel cis-acting regulatory sites behaving as enhancers or insert within existing enhancers to influence transcript production. Alternatively, TEs may change chromatin modifications in regions near genes, which in turn can influence gene expression levels. Together, the interactions of genes and TEs provide abundant evidence for the role of TEs in changing basic functions within plant genomes beyond acting as latent genomic elements or as simple insertional mutagens. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Plant Gene Regulatory Mechanisms and Networks, edited by Dr. Erich Grotewold and Dr. Nathan Springer.
Measuring Ribonucleotide Incorporation into DNA In Vitro and In Vivo

Ribonucleotides are incorporated into genomes by DNA polymerases, they can be removed, and if not removed, they can have deleterious and beneficial consequences. Here, we describe an assay to quantify stable ribonucleotide incorporation by DNA polymerases in vitro, and an assay to probe for ribonucleotides in each of the two DNA strands of the yeast nuclear genome.
Richness, biomass, and nutrient content of a wetland macrophyte community affect soil nitrogen cycling in a diversity-ecosystem functioning experiment

Abstract The development of soil nitrogen (N) cycling in created wetlands promotes the maturation of multiple biogeochemical cycles necessary for ecosystem functioning. This development proceeds from gradual changes in soil physicochemical properties and influential characteristics of the plant community, such as competitive behavior, phenology, productivity, and nutrient composition. In the context of a 2-year diversity experiment in freshwater mesocosms (0, 1, 2, 3, or 4 richness levels), we assessed the direct and indirect impacts of three plant community characteristics – species richness, total biomass, and tissue N concentration – on three processes in the soil N cycle – soil net ammonification, net nitrification, and denitrification potentials. Species richness had a positive effect on net ammonification potential (NAP) through higher redox potentials and likely faster microbial respiration. All NAP rates were negative, however, due to immobilization and high rates of ammonium removal. Net nitrification was inhibited at higher species richness without mediation from the measured soil properties. Higher species richness also inhibited denitrification potential through increased redox potential and decreased nitrification. Both lower biomass and/or higher tissue ratios of carbon to nitrogen, characteristics indicative of the two annual plants, were shown to have stimulatory effects on all three soil N processes. The two mediating physicochemical links between the young macrophyte community and microbial N processes were soil redox potential and temperature. Our results suggest that early-successional annual plant communities play an important role in the development of ecosystem N multifunctionality in newly created wetland soils.
Probing Residue-Specific Water-Protein Interactions in Oriented Lipid Membranes via Solid-State NMR Spectroscopy.

Water plays a central role in membrane protein folding and function. It not only catalyzes lipid membrane self-assembly but also affects the structural integrity and conformational dynamics of membrane proteins. Magic angle spinning (MAS) solid-state NMR (ssNMR) is the technique of choice for measuring water accessibility of membrane proteins, providing a measure for membrane protein topology and insertion within lipid bilayers. However, the sensitivity and resolution of membrane protein samples for MAS experiments are often dictated by hydration levels, which affect the structural dynamics of membrane proteins. Oriented-sample ssNMR (OS-ssNMR) is a complementary technique to determine both structure and topology of membrane proteins in liquid crystalline bilayers. Recent advancements in OS-ssNMR involve the use of oriented bicellar phases that have improved both sensitivity and resolution. Importantly, for bicelle formation and orientation, lipid bilayers must be well organized and hydrated, resulting in...
Medical Marijuana Laws May Be Associated With A Decline In The Number Of Prescriptions For Medicaid Enrollees

In the past twenty years, twenty-eight states and the District of Columbia have passed some form of medical marijuana law. Using quarterly data on all fee-for-service Medicaid prescriptions in the period 2007–14, we tested the association between those laws and the average number of prescriptions filled by Medicaid beneficiaries. We found that the use of prescription drugs in fee-for-service Medicaid was lower in states with medical marijuana laws than in states without such laws in five of the nine broad clinical areas we studied. If all states had had a medical marijuana law in 2014, we estimated that total savings for fee-for-service Medicaid could have been $1.01 billion. These results are similar to those in a previous study we conducted, regarding the effects of medical marijuana laws on the number of prescriptions within the Medicare population. Together, the studies suggest that in states with such laws, Medicaid and Medicare beneficiaries will fill fewer prescriptions.
Mapping the political discourse of the Iranian Green Movement

Recognizing the creative political communication strategies initiated by the Iranian Green Movement in June 2009 following disputed presidential election results is essential in order to broaden the currently narrow conceptualizations and considerations of the ‘Arab spring’ and contemporary mediated protests. We consider how the Green Movement articulated alternative discursive strategies in their resistance to perceived voter fraud in Iran, leading to numerous arrests and violence. The Green Movement emerged with an imaginative civil disobedience campaign, worth exploring as a creative communication strategy toward political resistance.
Explicit symmetric pseudo-random matrices

We consider the problem of generating symmetric pseudo-random sign (±1) matrices based on the similarity of their spectra to Wigner's semicircular law. Using binary m-sequences (Golomb sequences) of lengths n = 2m − 1, we give a simple explicit construction of circulant n × n sign matrices and show that their spectra converge to the semicircular law when n grows. The Kolmogorov complexity of the proposed matrices equals to that of Golomb sequences and is at most 2log 2 (n) bits.
Lean Six Sigma and Assurance of Learning: Challenges and Opportunities.

The importance, and associated challenges, of faculty ownership and engagement in the assurance of learning (AoL) process are well documented in the literature. The authors demonstrate how schools ...
Exploration of student perceptions of autonomy, student-instructor dialogue and satisfaction in a web-based distance Russian language classroom: A mixed methods study

Approved: ______________________________________ Thesis Supervisor ______________________________________ Title and Department ______________________________________ Date ______________________________________ Thesis Supervisor ______________________________________ Title and Department ______________________________________ Date EXPLORATION OF STUDENT PERCEPTIONS OF AUTONOMY, STUDENTINSTRUCTOR DIALOGUE AND SATISFACTION IN A WEB-BASED DISTANCE RUSSIAN LANGUAGE CLASSROOM: A MIXED METHODS STUDY by Marina V. Kostina A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Doctor of Philosophy degree in Teaching and Learning (Foreign Language and ESL Education) in the Graduate College of The University of Iowa
Synopsis of the Earliest Cetaceans

The story of cetacean origin, early evolution, diversification, and dispersal has dramatically changed in the last 20 years, related in large part to discoveries made in Pakistan, India, and the southeastern Coastal Plain of the United States. These discoveries have helped to document an extraordinary progression in whales from a predatory terrestrial ancestor to highly specialized open marine dwellers. Although this story is far from complete, it is useful to review the known diversity of early cetaceans in order to provide a framework for future discoveries and paleobiological studies. This chapter will give a synopsis of the systematic paleontology of the four earliest cetacean families and their occurrence both geologically and geographically.
Status Epilepticus, Hemispheric Confusion, a CT Perfusion Pitfall in “Code Stroke” Patients: A Case Report

: CT perfusion (CTP) is an evolving protocol for stroke evaluation in many hospitals, but there are several pitfalls in CT perfusion. Herein I present a patient suspicious of brain infarction under “stroke code”. CT perfusion was initially visually interpreted and because of obvious asymmetry between the right and left cerebral hemispheres the interpretation was consistent with right cerebral ischemia. CT angiogram (CTA) did not demonstrate significant vascular stenosis. Subsequent electroencephalography (EEG) was consistent with status epilepticus from the left cerebral hemisphere. Since more and more CTPs are now performed in acute setting of code stroke more patients are being imaged with ongoing seizure with increased perfusion in epileptogenic brain parenchyma. This is different from the conventional concept of hypo perfusion of the involved brain in CTP performed in the “post-ictal” phase. The interpreting radiologist should be informed about the patient symptoms and should avoid solo visual assessment of CT perfusion in patients under the “stroke code”.
Cultural Justice and Collecting: Challenging the Underrecognition of African American Artists

This chapter draws on ethnographic and archival data to examine how political and aesthetic values shape the collection of African-American art by Black patrons. Findings show that while collectors take race into account when making art purchases as a strategy to address the underrecognition of African American artists, aesthetic criteria are also foremost in their collecting decisions. Although focused on the market for African American fine art, this chapter also offers insight on activism in cultural markets more broadly. More specifically, this analysis troubles the assumption that appeals to racial politics are enough to mobilize consumers to buy products and services in cultural markets.
Chromosomal rearrangements and loss of subtelomeric adhesins linked to clade-specific phenotypes in Candida auris

ABSTRACT Candida auris is an emerging fungal pathogen of rising concern due to its increasing incidence, its ability to cause healthcare-associated outbreaks and antifungal resistance. Genomic analysis revealed that early cases of C. auris that were detected contemporaneously were geographically stratified into four major clades. Clade II, also termed East Asian clade, consists of the initial isolates described from cases of ear infection, is less frequently resistant to antifungal drugs and to date, the isolates from this group have not been associated with outbreaks. Here, we generate nearly complete genomes (“telomere-to-telomere”) of an isolate of this clade and of the more widespread Clade IV. By comparing these to genome assemblies of the other two clades, we find that the Clade II genome appears highly rearranged, with 2 inversions and 9 translocations resulting in a substantially different karyotype. In addition, large subtelomeric regions have been lost from 10 of 14 chromosome ends in the Clade II genomes. We find that shorter telomeres and genome instability might be a consequence of a naturally occurring loss-of-function mutation in DCC1 exclusively found in Clade II isolates, resulting in a hypermutator phenotype. We also determine that deleted subtelomeric regions might be linked to clade-specific adaptation as these regions are enriched in Hyr/Iff-like cell surface proteins, novel candidate cell surface proteins, and an ALS-like adhesin. The presence of these cell surface proteins in the clades responsible for global outbreaks causing invasive infections suggests an explanation for the different phenotypes observed between clades. IMPORTANCE Candida auris was unknown prior to 2009 and since then it has quickly spread around the world, causing outbreaks in healthcare facilities and representing a high fraction of candidemia cases in some regions. The emergence of C. auris is a major concern, since it is often multidrug-resistant, easily spread between patients, and causes invasive infections. While isolates from three global clades cause invasive infections, isolates from Clade II primarily cause ear infections and have not been implicated in outbreaks, though cases of Clade II infections have been reported on different continents. Here, we describe genetic differences between Clade II and Clades I, III and IV, including a loss-of-function mutation in a gene associated with telomere length maintenance and genome stability, and the loss of cell wall proteins involved in adhesion and biofilm formation, that may suggest an explanation for the lower virulence and potential for transmission of Clade II isolates.
TigerSwan at Standing Rock: Ethics of Private Military Use Against an Environmental-Justice Movement

In 2016, thousands of people, led by Oceti Sakowin Tribal members, gathered at the Standing Rock Reservation in North Dakota in an attempt to stop the construction of the Dakota Access Pipeline. The movement aroused international media attention, mass support from a wide range of individuals and environmental groups, and political debates regarding Indigenous rights, climate change, fossil fuel reliance, water protection, and corporate power. Ultimately, 10 months into the movement, it was halted by the US federal government and the pipeline was installed. During the movement, state and federal military forces worked alongside a private military and security contractor (PMSC), TigerSwan, hired by owners of the pipeline, Energy Transfer Partners. This case study addresses the ethics of the use of private military against Indigenous-led environmental activists at Standing Rock. Readers will review the modern rise and use of privatized militia, examine specific tactics used by TigerSwan at Standing Rock, and consider the ethics surrounding principles of transparency, accountability, regulation, and the potential risk for increased violence against citizens. A brief historical overview of Oceti Sakowin’s political resistance to US federal land appropriation and corporate exploitation is provided, as well as an analysis of future implications for Indigenous-led environmental justice movements. With this case study, instructors, students, and researchers can debate and analyze the ethical dilemmas regarding the use of PMSCs to target environmental justice movements.
Tumor autocrine motility factor responses are mediated through cell contact and focal adhesion rearrangement in the absence of new tyrosine phosphorylation in metastatic cells

Autocrine motility factor (AMF) is a tumor-secreted cytokine that acts as a motogen as well as a mitogen via a receptor-mediated signaling pathway(s). Expression of the AMF receptor (AMF-R) in normal cells is regulated by cell contact whereas in transformed cells AMF-R is constitutively expressed irrespective of cell density. Here we have analyzed the regulation of AMF-R expression in a BALB/c angiosarcoma tumor system that allows investigation of cellular characteristics associated with tumor progression. The metastatic cell variant (A31-M) displayed a higher rate of unstimulated motility and responded to tumor-derived AMF locomotory stimulus as compared with the nonmetastatic cell variants (A31-TR and A31-TU) and, although a similar level of receptor expression was detected in cellular extracts from subconfluent cultures of these sublines, surface localization differed and cell contact down-regulated AMF-R expression in the normal but not the transformed cell counterparts. AMF promoted marked rearrangement of focal adhesion plaque proteins in the AMF migration-responsive cells exclusively. Reorganization of vinculin after AMF stimulation was paralleled by morphological redistribution of tyrosine-phosphorylated proteins and the tyrosine kinase pp125FAK in the migration-responsive cells; however, we did not observe a concomitant change in the pp125FAK phosphorylation state or the general level of cellular tyrosine phosphorylation in response to treatment, suggesting that the induction of cellular migration by AMF is independent of tyrosine phosphorylation events at the focal contacts and may therefore represent a novel pathway of cytokine-induced migration regulation.
Development and Evaluation of a Nurse Leadership Succession Planning Strategy in an Academic Medical Center

Absence of nurse manager succession planning in an academic medical center necessitated a quality improvement project to identify, select, and enroll emerging leaders into a development program. The authors used organizational competencies and an evidence-based approach to effectively identify barriers, select future nurse leaders, and discover opportunities for process improvement.
Severe sepsis and septic shock in patients transported by prehospital services versus walk in patients to the emergency department

Abstract Background Sepsis is a leading cause of death in the hospital for which aggressive treatment is recommended to improve patient outcomes. It is possible that sepsis patients brought in by emergency medical services (EMS) have a unique advantage in the emergency department (ED) which could improve sepsis bundle compliance. Objective To evaluate patient care processes and outcome differences between severe sepsis and septic shock patients in the emergency department who were brought in by EMS compared to non-EMS patients. Methods We performed a retrospective chart review of all severe sepsis and septic shock patients who declared in the ED during January 2012 thru December 2014. We compared differences in patient characteristics, patient care processes, sepsis bundle compliance metrics, and outcomes between both groups. Results Of the 1066 patients included in the study, 387 (36.6%) were brought in by EMS and 679 (63.7%) patients arrived via non-EMS transport. In the multivariate regression model, time of triage to sepsis declaration (coeff = −0.406; 95% CI = −0.809, −0.003; p = 0.048) and time of triage to physician (coeff = −0.543; 95% CI = −0.864, −0.221; p = 0.001) was significantly shorter for EMS patients. We found no statistical difference in adjusted individual sepsis compliance metrics, overall bundle compliance, or mortality between both groups. Conclusion EMS transported patients have quicker sepsis declaration times and are seen sooner by ED providers. However, we found no statistical difference in bundle compliance or patient outcomes between walk in patients and EMS transported patients.
Adolescent use of hair dyes, straighteners and perms in relation to breast cancer risk.

Hair products can contain hormonally active and carcinogenic compounds. Adolescence may be a period of enhanced susceptibility of the breast tissue to exposure to chemicals. We therefore evaluated associations between adolescent hair product use and breast cancer risk. Sister Study participants (ages 35-74 years) who had completed enrollment questionnaires (2003-2009) on use of hair dyes, straighteners/relaxers, and perms at ages 10-13 years (N = 47 522) were included. Cox proportional hazards regression was used to estimate adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) for associations between hair products and incident breast cancer (invasive cancer or ductal carcinoma in situ), with consideration of heterogeneity by menopausal status and race/ethnicity. Over an average of 10 years of follow-up, 3380 cases were diagnosed. Frequent use of straighteners and perms was associated with a higher risk of premenopausal (HR = 2.11, 95% CI 1.26-3.55 and HR = 1.55, 95%CI: 0.96-2.53, respectively) but not postmenopausal breast cancer (HR = 0.99, 95% CI: 0.76-1.30 and HR = 1.09, 95% CI: 0.89-1.35, respectively). Permanent hair dye use during adolescence was uncommon (<3%) and not associated with breast cancer overall (HR = 0.97, 95% CI: 0.78-1.20), though any permanent dye use was associated with a higher risk among Black women (HR = 1.77, 95% CI: 1.01-3.11). Although frequency of use of perms (37% non-Hispanic white vs 9% Black) and straighteners (3% non-Hispanic white vs 75% Black) varied by race/ethnicity, associations with breast cancer did not. Use of hair products, specifically perms and straighteners, during adolescence may be associated with a higher risk of premenopausal breast cancer. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Effectiveness of Integrated Palliative and Oncology Care for Patients With Acute Myeloid Leukemia: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Importance Patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) receiving intensive chemotherapy experience substantial decline in their quality of life (QOL) and mood during their hospitalization for induction chemotherapy and often receive aggressive care at the end of life (EOL). However, the role of specialty palliative care for improving the QOL and care for this population is currently unknown. Objective To assess the effect of integrated palliative and oncology care (IPC) on patient-reported and EOL outcomes in patients with AML. Design, Setting, and Participants We conducted a multisite randomized clinical trial of IPC (n = 86) vs usual care (UC) (n = 74) for patients with AML undergoing intensive chemotherapy. Data were collected from January 2017 through July 2019 at 4 tertiary care academic hospitals in the United States. Interventions Patients assigned to IPC were seen by palliative care clinicians at least twice per week during their initial and subsequent hospitalizations. Main Outcomes and Measures Patients completed the 44-item Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy–Leukemia scale (score range, 0-176) to assess QOL; the 14-item Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), with subscales assessing symptoms of anxiety and depression (score range, 0-21); and the PTSD Checklist–Civilian version to assess posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms (score range, 17-85) at baseline and weeks 2, 4, 12, and 24. The primary end point was QOL at week 2. We used analysis of covariance adjusting and mixed linear effect models to evaluate patient-reported outcomes. We used Fisher exact test to compare patient-reported discussion of EOL care preferences and receipt of chemotherapy in the last 30 days of life. Results Of 235 eligible patients, 160 (68.1%) were enrolled; of the 160 participants, the median (range) age was 64.4 (19.7-80.1) years, and 64 (40.0%) were women. Compared with those receiving UC, IPC participants reported better QOL (adjusted mean score, 107.59 vs 116.45;P = .04), and lower depression (adjusted mean score, 7.20 vs 5.68;P = .02), anxiety (adjusted mean score, 5.94 vs 4.53;P = .02), and PTSD symptoms (adjusted mean score, 31.69 vs 27.79;P = .01) at week 2. Intervention effects were sustained to week 24 for QOL (β, 2.35; 95% CI, 0.02-4.68;P = .048), depression (β, −0.42; 95% CI, −0.82 to −0.02;P = .04), anxiety (β, −0.38; 95% CI, −0.75 to −0.01;P = .04), and PTSD symptoms (β, −1.43; 95% CI, −2.34 to −0.54;P = .002). Among patients who died, those receiving IPC were more likely than those receiving UC to report discussing EOL care preferences (21 of 28 [75.0%] vs 12 of 30 [40.0%];P = .01) and less likely to receive chemotherapy near EOL (15 of 43 [34.9%] vs 27 of 41 [65.9%];P = .01). Conclusions and Relevance In this randomized clinical trial of patients with AML, IPC led to substantial improvements in QOL, psychological distress, and EOL care. Palliative care should be considered a new standard of care for patients with AML. Trial Registration ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier:NCT02975869
Conversion of wheat husk to high surface area activated carbon for energy storage in high-performance supercapacitors

Abstract Conversion of carbon-containing biomass into useful carbon products is highly demanded. A rising understanding of environmental problems explains the growing focus on evaluating bioproducts and wastes in numerous applications. Herein, the wheat husks derived activated carbon (WHAC) was employed as electrode material for supercapacitors' energy storage. Three samples of activated carbon were made using wheat husks, which were activated at different temperatures. The prepared electrodes were characterized and electrochemically tested using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray powder diffraction, scanning electron microscope, cyclic voltammetry, galvanostatic charge-discharge, and electrical impedance spectroscopy. The maximum capacitance (271.5 F g−1 at a current density of 0.5 A g−1) was observed for AC-800, activated at 800 °C. The electrochemical impedance showed low resistance (3.659 Ω) and low-frequency response (6.84 s). The AC-800 electrode exhibited the capacitance retention of 82% after 5000 cycles. The excellent electrochemical properties reveal the utilization of biomass waste as a potential electrode material for supercapacitors. The process used is simple, environmentally friendly, and could significantly reduce the county's biomass wastes from wheat husks. The approach can not only reduce environmental pollution but develop porous carbon electrodes for energy storage devices.
A comparison of the effectiveness of complex decongestive therapy and extracorporeal shock wave therapy in the treatment of lymphedema secondary to breast cancer

The study was designed to compare the effectiveness of complex decongestive therapy versus extracorporeal shockwave therapy for the treatment of lymphedema secondary to breast cancer. Twenty patients with a diagnosis of breast cancer–related lymphedema were randomized into two groups. Group 1 patients received complex decongestive therapy consisting of manual lymphatic drainage, bandaging, exercise, and compression garments for 5 days a week for a total of 20 sessions. Group 2 patients received a total of 12 sessions of extracorporeal shock wave therapy three times a week. All patients were evaluated using volumetric and circumferential measurements and Quick DASH scores at baseline, posttreatment, and first month after treatment. Within-group assessment of patients in each group showed statistically significant reductions in volumetric and circumferential measurements and a significant improvement in Quick DASH scores at posttreatment and first month after treatment compared with baseline (p 0.05). For patients with lymphedema secondary to breast cancer, extracorporeal shock wave therapy can be an alternative treatment to complex decongestive therapy.
PDS5A and PDS5B in Cohesin Function and Human Disease

Precocious dissociation of sisters 5 (PDS5) is an associate protein of cohesin that is conserved from yeast to humans. It acts as a regulator of the cohesin complex and plays important roles in various cellular processes, such as sister chromatid cohesion, DNA damage repair, gene transcription, and DNA replication. Vertebrates have two paralogs of PDS5, PDS5A and PDS5B, which have redundant and unique roles in regulating cohesin functions. Herein, we discuss the molecular characteristics and functions of PDS5, as well as the effects of its mutations in the development of diseases and their relevance for novel therapeutic strategies.
Standards for Policy-Based Dynamic Spectrum Management

Policy based spectrum management refers to the use of machine interpretable policies that can be used to manage spectrum. As cognitive radio and software defined radio technologies continue to gain acceptance as key technologies for future wireless service provision environments that rely on Dynamic Spectrum Access (DSA) methods, the industry will see new technical and business models in wireless service provision that will make use of their capabilities. However, the use of DSA methods also requires using policy-based mechanisms in radio devices to facilitate and control the assignment of spectrum given the wide range of communication scenarios in which there may be conflicting goals for the use of this resource (e.g. public safety vs. profit-based services). The need for policy based dynamic spectrum management is highlighted in some of the recommendations of the PCAST 2012 report and several FCC’s NPRM such as those referring to commercial operations in the 3550-3650 MHz Band (FCC 12-148), which proposes to create a Spectrum Access System (SAS) to govern interactions between and among devices in that band. This paper presents the current standardization efforts to develop policy description languages and spectrum consumption models (SCM) that can be used in scenarios where interoperability and coordination among devices from different vendors using DSA is required. In particular, the standards and reference documents from the IEEE P1900.5 working group and the Wireless Innovation Forum on policy languages and technical architectures for DSA environments are analyzed. In the second section of the paper we discuss the need and role that several of the standards being developed can play in support of modern regulatory policy initiatives and frameworks (from FCC and OFCOM). We also discuss whether complicated systems and spectrum use descriptions are needed to enable policies for DSA systems or if simplified information structures such as those provided by an SCM can be used for such purpose. In particular, we show that SCMs can be used to express a wide set of permissive and restrictive spectrum use policies that will apply to many real-life commercial and public safety scenarios of today and the near future. We hope the research discussed in the paper will be attractive and of interest to regulators and service providers as it provides an integrated view of how results from the work of standardization committees will likely evolve and be used in the management of the policy-based radio resource and business interactions of the dynamic wireless service provisioning scenarios of the near future.
Coordination and Fair Division in Refugee Responsibility Sharing

We discuss issues of international sharing of the responsibility for refugees seeking protection from life threatening circumstances such as created in the course or aftermath of war or an ongoing crises. After surveying proposals for allocating responsibility for refugees among cooperating nations, and arguing the need for a fair-division procedure, the paper develops a procedure for fair division of the refugee burden by inverting a procedure proposed by Steinhaus (1948) for dividing 'goods', and demonstrating that it is applicable to 'bads' (burdens), and is manipulation-proof as each cooperating country has an obviously dominant strategy (Li, 2017). There is some discussion of practical applicability, the post-WW2 European refugee problem, and directions for further research extending the domain of the procedure.
Designing Regulation Across Organizations: Assessing the Functions and Dimensions of Governance

Author(s): Camacho, AE; Glicksman, RL | Abstract: In recent years, regulation scholars and policymakers have increasingly turned their attention to the role of inter-governmental organizational design in effective governance. The existing literature on regulatory design has provided important insights into the advantages and disadvantages of alternative structural options. This article synthesizes and builds on that literature by describing a novel framework for characterizing, analyzing, and structuring authority across public institutions. Drawing on examples from a range of jurisdictions, it highlights the value of this framework in identifying the values tradeoffs that should drive policymakers' decisions to choose among competing structural alternatives. The framework is founded on two important points. First, inter-governmental allocations of authority can be structured along three different dimensions. Failing to appreciate the existence of, and differences among, these dimensions can prompt misassessments of the reasons for existing regulatory failures and selection of structural allocations that do not suit the problems intended to be addressed. Second, allocations of authority can, and in many cases should, vary for disparate governmental functions. Differential functional allocations of authority can minimize obstacles to needed structural reforms and tailor inter-governmental relations in ways that best promote chosen regulatory values, such as efficiency, effectiveness, and accountability, as well as how allocational choices may and perhaps should vary depending on the governmental function being performed. Finally, the article suggests how future regulation and governance scholarship can harness this emerging framework to help build a body of empirical evidence upon which policymakers can draw in future regulatory design endeavors.
Socioeconomic status, health care use, and outcomes: persistence of disparities over time.

SUMMARY Purpose: To determine the persistence of disparities in health care use and outcomes in socioeconomically diverse populations of epilepsy patients. Methods: We followed patients for a year at one clinic in Houston and two in New York City that serve predominantly low-income, minority, Medicaid-insured, or uninsured patients, and a fourth clinic in Houston that serves a more balanced racial/ethnic and higher socioeconomic status (SES) population. We interviewed the patients several times regarding health care use, seizures, side effects, and outcomes, and examined differences between the patients at the three low-SES clinics and the patients at the high-SES clinic. Key Findings: After controlling for patients’ age, gender, race/ethnicity, marital status, seizures, and side effects we found that low SES patients had consistently higher use of the hospital emergency room and more visits to a general practitioner. Hospitalizations were also consistently higher but the differences were not significant in most periods. Neurologist visits were relatively similar. Patients at the low SES sites also had a greater likelihood of having uncontrolled seizures, drug-related side effects, to be stigmatized, and have a lower overall quality of life throughout the study period. Significance: These findings suggest the persistence of SES-related disparities in health care use and outcomes among patients with epilepsy who are receiving regular care.
Anti‐Androgen Effects of the Aromatase Inhibitor, Atamestane

Prostatic hyperplasia can be induced in both intact and castrated dogs and in intact cynomolgus monkeys by the administration of androgenic steroids. Estrogenic steroids potentiate this effect in dogs. These changes also can be induced by androstenedione, which increases androgen and estrogen levels. Atamestane (ATA; 1-methyl-3,17-dione-androsta-1,4-diene), a potent aromatase inhibitor, inhibits some of the androstendione-induced effects; however, the nonsteroidal aromatase inhibitor, CGS-16949A, has been reported to decrease serum estradiol levels in adult rats but to have no effect on androgen-dependent organ weights. To examine the mechanisms by which ATA affects the rat prostate, in vivo and in vitro studies were conducted using adult rat ventral prostate (VP). Intact Sprague-Dawley rats were injected daily for 14 days with sesame seed oil, ATA (70 mg/kg/day), finasteride (FIN; 5 mg/kg/day), a 5 alpha-reductase inhibitor, or the combination of FIN plus ATA. A fifth group was castrated (CASTR) on day 1. The mean +/- standard error VP weight of the controls was 350 +/- 19 mg. It was reduced 17% (P < 0.05) by ATA, 29% (P < 0.001) by FIN, 48% (P < 0.001) by FIN plus ATA, and 86% (P < 0.001) by CASTR. The DNA/VP was reduced 22% (not significant) by ATA, 18% by FIN (not significant), 35% (P < 0.01) by FIN plus ATA, and 60% (P < 0.001) by CASTR. More significant changes were observed in RNA and protein. The mRNA for prostatein C3 was reduced by each of the treatments, but only CASTR increased the mRNA for TRPM-2, a marker of apoptosis.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Occupational Therapy for Patients with Eating Disorders

The role of the occupational therapist and activity therapy programs for patients with eating disorders is described. Evaluation methods are outlined with specific comments related to their implications for patients with diagnoses of anorexia nervosa and bulimia. Rationale for referral to specific activity therapy services is discussed. Group protocols are included. Two case studies demonstrate the utilization of occupational therapy and other activity therapies with an anorectic patient and a bulimic patient.
Characterizing electrodermal response habituation: A latent class approach with application to psychopathology

Response habituation is a fundamental form of nonassociative learning, yet there are substantial individual differences in its electrodermal manifestation. We employed a latent class analysis to identify discrete groups of electrodermal responders to a series of loud tones. We also evaluated whether heterogeneity in responsiveness was associated with lifetime prevalence of externalizing psychopathology and major depression. Participants were community-recruited men (N = 1,141) who underwent a standard habituation paradigm. A latent class analysis resulted in the identification of four electrodermal populations: rapid habituators, habituators, and two classes that showed weak response habituation, but differed markedly in their amplitude profiles. Relative to rapid habituators, members of slower habituating classes were less likely to receive lifetime diagnoses of antisocial personality disorder and substance dependence. Further research using this analytical strategy could help identify the functional significance of individual differences in habituation.
High-grade spondylolisthesis treated using a modified Bohlman technique: results among multiple surgeons.

Object The ideal surgical management of high-grade spondylolisthesis remains unclear. Concerns regarding the original Bohlman transsacral interbody fusion technique with stand-alone autologous fibular strut include late graft fracture and incomplete reduction of lumbosacral kyphosis. The authors' goal was to evaluate the radiographic and surgical outcomes of patients treated for high-grade spondylolisthesis with either transsacral S-1 screws or standard pedicle screw fixation augmenting the Bohlman posterior transsacral interbody fusion technique. Methods A retrospective review of patients who underwent fusion for high-grade spondylolisthesis in which a Bohlman oblique posterior interbody fusion augmented with either transsacral or standard pedicle screw fixation was performed by 4 spine surgeons was completed. Estimated blood loss, operating time, perioperative complications, and need for revision surgery were evaluated. Upright pre- and postsurgical lumbar spine radiographs were compared for slip percen...
The Commerce Clause Quartet

In 1994, the United States Supreme Court rendered four decisions in which state or local laws which discriminated against out-of-state commerce were found to violate the Commerce Clause. The Court invalidated: a New York town's “flow control” ordinance requiring all solid waste to be processed at a designated transfer station before leaving the municipality, C & A Carbone, Inc. v. Town of Clarkstown; an Oregon statute imposing higher surcharges on the disposal of solid waste from outside the state than within the state, Oregon Waste Systems v. Department of Environmental Quality; a Missouri use tax on goods purchased out-of-state, Associated Industries of Missouri v. Lohman; and a Massachusetts “give back” scheme that, while imposing an equal assessment on milk sold by in and out-of-state dealers to Massachusetts retailers, distributed the proceeds solely to Massachusetts dairy farmers, West Lynn Creamery, Inc. v. Healy. With an introduction by the Honorable Leon D. Lazer, the author discusses and analyzes these four decisions in this Article. The discussion demonstrates that these decisions raise fundamental questions concerning the constitutional power of state and local government to devise polices for combating their environmental and fiscal problems.
A labeling algorithm for the navigation of automated guided vehicles

Material handling is an important component of most automated manufacturing systems. AGVs are commonly employed for this function. Efficient use of the AGV system requires proper routing and scheduling of vehicular traffic. This problem is modeled as a shortest path problem with multiple time windows on arcs and at nodes of a network. A polynomial-time labeling algorithm has been developed. The algorithm has complexity O (D[sup 2]log[sub d]D), where D is the total number of time windows in the problem. The data required for the model is easy to maintain.
Layered evolution in the immune system: a view from history

Although much had still to be learned, evidence indicating that B-1a lymphocytes very likely belonged to a distinct lineage was largely in place by the time of the first large B-1a conference in 1991. The widely respected group of immunologists attending that meeting (including Tasuko Honjo and Klaus Rajewsky) developed and ultimately published the B-1a notation still in use today. Here, I briefly review some of the early B-1a findings that underlie current studies. I close with a brief summary of recent studies, mainly from my laboratory, showing that the hematopoietic stem cell (HSC) we all know and love as the origin of the cells that populate the adult lymphoid and myeloid system today is nonetheless not the origin of the B-1a lymphocytes with which most of us work today.
Family Development, Theories of

Family development theory focuses on the stress-induced changes that occur in families over time (White & Klein, 2008). Historically, family development theorists assumed that families move through deterministic, invariant numbers, types, and timing of stages over time consistent with ontogenetic stage theories of individual child development (e.g., Piaget's stages of cognitive development). For example, Duvall's (1957) widely-cited model defined family development in terms of eight developmental stages: (1) married couple without children, (2) childbearing families with the oldest child between birth and 30 months, (3) families with preschool children, (4) families with school-age children, (5) families with adolescent children, (6) launching families (first to last child is leaving home), (7) middle-age families (“empty nest” to retirement), and (8) aging families (retirement to death of both spouses). Whereas Duvall's theory assumes a traditional nuclear family, alternative stage theories describe greater variations in types of family structures (e.g., childless couples, single-parent families, stepfamilies, etc.), but still rely on universalistic assumptions about the number, types, and timing of stages (Laszoffy, 2002). Keywords: family development; family stages; family transitions; sequencing norms; life course theory; individual life span theory
Blown Cellulose Fiber Thermal Insulations: Part 1—Density of Cellulose Fiber Thermal Insulation in Horizontal Applications

Results are presented of a study to determine the effects of transport and placement conditions on the initial density of the insulation; establish a standardized method for producing specimens of blown cellulose fiber insulations; investigate the factors that cause the material to settle after placement; and establish a standardized method to produce settlement in the specimens comparable with those found in field studies. A method recommended for producing settlement in the specimens consists of two procedures, one simulating settlement by impact produced on the standardized containers, and the other causing settlement under climatic cycling of the material.