cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
World Englishes and the Teaching of Writing

forward. AILA Review, 22, 120–130. Canagarajah, S. A. (1999). Resisting linguistic imperialism. Oxford, England: Oxford University Press. Forman, R. (2005). Teaching EFL in Thailand: A bilingual study(Unpublished doctoral dissertation). University of Technology Sydney, Sydney, Australia. Graddol, D. (2006). English next. London, England: British Council. Jenkins, J. (2006). Current perspectives on teaching World Englishes and English as a lingua franca. TESOL Quarterly, 40, 157–181. Kachru, B. B. (1985). Standards, codification, and sociolinguistic realism: The English language in the outer circle. In R. Quirk & H. G. Widdowson (Eds.), English in the World (pp. 11–30). Cambridge, England: Cambridge University Press. Kubota, R. (2001). Learning diversity from World Englishes. Social Studies, 92, 69–72. Kuo, I.-C. (2006). Addressing the issue of teaching English as a lingua franca. ELT Journal, 60, 213–221. Li, D. C. S. (2009). Towards ‘‘biliteracy and trilingualism’’ in Hong Kong (SAR): Problems, dilemmas, and stakeholders’ views. AILA Review, 22, 72–84. Martin, A. (2004). The ‘‘katakana effect’’ and teaching English in Japan. English Today, 20, 50–55. Matsuda, P. K. (2001). Voice in Japanese written discourse: Implications for second language writing. Journal of Second Language Writing, 10, 35–53. Michieka, M. M. (2009). Expanding circles within the outer circle: The rural Kisii in Kenya. World Englishes, 28, 352–364. Morrison, R., & White, M. (2005). Increasing familiarity and appreciation for World Englishes. World Englishes, 24, 361–370. Phungphol, Y. (2005). Learner-centered teaching approaches: A paradigm shift in Thai education. ABAC Journal, 25, 5–16. Wiriyachitra, A. (2001). A Thai university English scenario in the coming decade. Thai TESOL, 14, 4–7. World Population Data Sheet. (2009). Retrieved from http://www.prb.org. Yang, J. (2005). English as a third language among China’s ethnic minorities. International Journal of Bilingual Education & Bilingualism, 8, 552–567.
An approach to enhancing the maintainability of expert systems

The task of maintaining expert systems has become increasingly difficult as the size of their knowledge bases increases. To address this issue, a unified AI programming environment (CLASP) has been developed; this environment tightly integrates three AI programming schemes: the term subsumption languages in knowledge representation the production system architecture, and methods in object-oriented programming. The CLASP architecture separates the knowledge about when to trigger a task from the knowledge about how to accomplish a given task. It also extends the pattern matching capabilities of conventional rule-based systems by using the semantic information related to rule conditions. In addition, it uses a pattern classifier to compute a principled measure about the specificity of rules. Using a monkey-bananas problem, the authors demonstrate that an expert system built in CLASP is easier to maintain because the architecture facilitates the development of a consistent and homogeneous knowledge base, enhances the predictability of rules, and improves the organization and reusability of knowledge. >
Health media use among childhood and young adult cancer survivors who smoke

Promoting healthy behaviors may reduce the risk of co-morbidities among childhood and young adult (CYA) cancer survivors. Although behavioral interventions are one way to encourage such activities, there is increasing evidence that health media use—particularly health information seeking—also may influence health knowledge, beliefs, and behaviors. The current study explores patterns of health media use among survivors of CYA cancer. Our focus is on survivors who smoke and thus are at even greater risk of co-morbidities. We analyzed data from the Partnership for Health-2 study, a web-based smoking cessation intervention, to examine the prevalence of and factors associated with health media use (N = 329). Nearly two thirds (65.3 %) of CYA survivors who smoke reported infrequent or no online health information seeking. Many reported never reading health sections of newspapers or general magazines (46.2 %) or watching health segments on local television news (32.3 %). Factors associated with health media use include education and employment, cancer-related distress, and smoking quit attempts. Health information engagement is low among CYA survivors who smoke, particularly active seeking of health information online. Population subgroups differ in their media use patterns; some of these differences reflect communication inequalities, which have the potential to exacerbate health disparities. Clinicians have an opportunity to guide CYA survivors towards useful and reliable information sources. This guidance could help survivors fulfill their unmet information and support needs and may be particularly important for less educated survivors and other underserved populations.
Photoresponsive hydrogel networks using melanin nanoparticle photothermal sensitizers

Photoreconfigurable and photodegradable polymeric networks have broad utility as functional biomaterials for many applications in medicine and biotechnology. The vast majority of these functional polymers are synthesized using chemical moieties that may be cytotoxic in vivo. Materials synthesized from these substituents also pose unknown risk upon implantation and thus will encounter significant regulatory challenges prior to use in vivo. This work describes a strategy to prepare photodegradable hydrogel networks that are composed of well-characterized synthetic polymers and natural melanin pigments found within the human body. Self-assembled networks of poly(l-lactide-co-glycolide)-poly(ethylene glycol) ABA triblock copolymers are doped with melanin nanoparticles to produce reconfigurable networks based on photothermal phase transitions. Self-assembled hydrogel networks with melanin nanoparticles exhibit a storage modulus ranging from 1.5 ± 0.6 kPa to 8.0 ± 7.5 kPa as measured by rheology. The rate of UV-induced photothermal heating was non-monotonic and varied as a function of melanin nanoparticle loading. A maximum steady state temperature increase of 20.5 ± 0.30 °C was measured. Experimental heating rates were in close agreement with predictions based on attenuation of light in melanins via photothermal absorption and Mie scattering. The implications of melanin nanoparticles on hydrogel network formation and light-induced disintegration were also characterized by rheology and dynamic light scattering. Taken together, this class of photoreconfigurable hydrogels represents a potential strategy for photodegradable polymers with increased likelihood for clinical translation.
The Wave-Particle Duality

This book is mainly concerned with the interactions of electrons with matter. Thus, the question “What is an electron?” is quite in order. Now, to our knowledge, nobody has so far seen an electron, even by using the most sophisticated equipment. We experience merely the actions of electrons, e.g., on a television screen or in an electron microscope. In each of these instances, the electrons seem to manifest themselves in quite a different way, i.e., in the first case as a particle and in the latter case as an electron wave. Accordingly, we shall use, in this book, the terms “wave” and “particle” as convenient means to describe the different aspects of the properties of electrons. This “duality” of the manifestations of electrons should not overly concern us. The reader has probably been exposed to a similar discussion when the properties of light have been introduced to him.
An introduction to systems modeling and simulation with colored petri nets

Petri Nets provide a graphical notation for modeling systems and performing analysis. Colored Petri Nets (CPNs) combine the strengths of ordinary Petri Nets with a high level programming language, making them more suitable for modeling large systems. A CPN model is an executable representation of a system that can be analyzed through simulation. CPN models are built using CPN Tools, a graphical software tool and interface used to create, edit, simulate, and analyze models. This tutorial is meant to introduce the reader to the vocabulary and constructs of CPNs and illustrate the use of CPN Tools in creating and simulating models by means of a familiar, simple example. In particular, we show how to create a CPN model of the call center example presented by White and Ingalls in their tutorial Introduction to Simulation.
A Tale of Two Food Blogs: Culinary Tourism in Hong Kong from a Chinese-American Perspective

Imagine you are about to go on a vacation. How will you build your itinerary? Depending on your time, money, and interest, you may choose anything from theme parks, national parks, museums, cruises, skiing, just to name a few. If you have an opportunity to travel abroad, chances are that you will treat your taste buds with international cuisines. In fact, when you travel across America or simply enjoy a night out in your neighborhood, you may dine at an ethic restaurant. By consuming food from another culture, you participate in a booming industry known as culinary tourism. Folklorist Lucy Long coined the term “culinary tourism” in 1998 and defined it as “the intentional, exploratory participation in the foodways of another culture – participation including the consumption, preparation, and presentation of a food item, cuisine, meal system, or eating style considered to belong to a culinary system not one’s own” (Chrzan 40; Long 21). According to the International Culinary Tourism Association, among tourists of different ages, sexes, and ethnic groups, dining is one of their favorite activities wherever they travel because it is an interactive way to explore local food and understand local people (Kivela and Crotts 360). It can even enhance the authenticity of their visits (Okumus et al. 257). Please note: A chage was made to correct an error in the caption in figure 5 of this article after initial publication (10/6/17). A Tale of Two Food Blogs: Culinary Tourism in Hong Kong from a Chinese American Perspective by Rosemary K. Yee is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License
Design Research in Search of Direction in Architecture Pedagogy & Practice

This paper examines the question: should the design process as currently taught and practiced in architecture be modified to incorporate scientific research? Scientific inquiry informing design allows architects think broadly and assume responsibly for developing building designs that are knowledge-driven. Scientific methodology can be used to ensure that a design is adaptable and integrative within its context as well as perform technically, contribute socially, and remain economically feasible. Does this practice currently exists and if not will architects expose them to greater liability? The general standard in architectural liability is one of “reasonable care.” Individuals performing architectural services are performing professional services; the law imposes upon such persons the duty to exercise a reasonable degree of skill and care, as determined by the standard ordinarily employed in the local community. If the community standards evolve, then it follows that the standards for individual architects would evolve. Changes in an architect’s standard of care should be carefully considered before any major shift in design practice, but arguably, the use of scientific research, which brings with it the ability of the architect to use measurable outcomes to inform the final design, may possibly be the best defense in the event of a dispute.
The Role of Adapter Proteins in Eraα Membrane Association and Function

Breast cancer is one of the most common malignancies in the United States. Forty percent of breast cancers are hormone-responsive due to the presence of estrogen receptors ERα and ERβ. Estrogen acts through its receptors residing on the cell membrane as demonstrated recently, leading to cancer cell proliferation and cell death protection. The membrane ERα has been reported in MCF-7 human breast cancer cells. A large body of evidence has linked ERα, an important diagnostic and therapeutic target in breast cancer, to the activation of the mitogen-activated protein (MAP) kinase and Phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3-kinase) pathways. Growth factor-induced MAP kinase activation involves signaling via the adapter proteins. Both She and the p85α subunit of Phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3-kinase) are adapter proteins and have been demonstrated to interact with ERα in an estrogen dependent manner. In this chapter, the role of She and p85α in mediating estrogen effects on the regulation of MAP Kinase, PI3-kinase, cell growth and apoptosis will be discussed.
A Straightforward Demonstration of Adam Smith's Vast Intellectual Superiority Over Richard Cantillon on Issues Related to the Relative Roles of Uncertainty and Risk in Economic and Decision Theory

There simply is no way that Richard Cantillon, in his Essai (1755), can be assessed as being, in any way close to, much less the equal of, Adam Smith as an economic theorist. Adam Smith made uncertainty, as opposed to the linear risk concept based on the mathematical laws of the probability calculus used by Cantillon, the hallmark of his analysis in the Wealth of Nations. This has been overlooked by the economics profession for well over two hundred years.Unfortunately, economists, in the 1790’s as in the 2010’s, have erred greatly by following in the footsteps of Richard Cantillon and Jeremy Bentham in their approaches to economic decision making .Instead of following Smith and his non-additive, interval valued approach to the use of probability in decision making, based on non-linear risk assessments and uncertainty, economists continue to claim that the hallmark of rationality is the use of the purely mathematical laws of the calculus of probabilities, even when it is known that important information, data, or knowledge is missing or that the quality of the information varies, so that the purely mathematical laws of the calculus of probabilities can’t be applied. Smith’s approach to risk and uncertainty is vastly superior to Cantillon’s strictly linear risk approach and was not matched by any economist until J M Keynes wrote chapter 26 of the A Treatise on Probability in 1921.Smith’s footnote 3 on p. 106 of the Wealth of Nations, if understood, explains why decision theory has gone down the wrong path since 1790. Smith’s simple and direct refutation of Cantillon’s reliance on the purely mathematical theory of risk assessment also demonstrates the erroneous foundations that underlie the work of Ramsey, de Finetti, Savage, and Suppes.Rothbard’s canards concerning the originality of Smith’s work are exposed and demonstrated to be false.
Permeability characteristics of hollow nanoparticles fabricated by low-pressure plasma deposition

Hollow nanoparticles are of interest for several potential applications, ranging from drug delivery, to catalyst, to fertilizers. We have developed a plasma-based process for depositing plasma coatings by plasma polymerization of hydrocarbon molecules (e.g., isopropyl alcohol and cyclohexane) onto micro-and nanoparticles of various materials (silica, sodium chloride, and potassium chloride). Film deposition is conducted in a tubular reactor driven by a radio frequency, RF, generator at low pressure. Hollow nanoparticles are fabricated in a two-step process. First particles that serve as the core are exposed to the hydrocarbon plasma where it becomes coated, and then the thickness of the coating is determined by the deposition time that ranges from few nm to more than 100 nm. The particles are collected after this process and the core material is dissolved in a suitable solvent. The resulting hollow nanoshells are characterized with several techniques. TEM and FESME images confirm the thickness and uniformity of the plasma coatings and Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) shows nanoshells to be thermally stable up to 250 °C. The etching of the particle core indicates that nanoshells are permeable to small molecules. To study the rate of permeation, KCl particles were coated in the plasma and then placed in an aqueous solution to dissolve the core. The rate of dissolution was then measured by monitoring the conductivity of the solution as a function of time. Release profiles were obtained for shell thicknesses between 20 and 100 nm. Generally, about 60% of the core material is released within 10–20 minutes while the rest of the material showing a slow release over several days, up to 30 days, for the thickest shells.
Family or Future in the Academy

This article critically reviews recent literature on the relationship between family formation and academic-career progression, emphasizing obstacles women face seeking a tenured position and beyond. Evidence indicates that the pipeline model is dominated by “ideal worker” norms. These norms impose rigid, tightly coupled, sequential, time-bound requirements on aspiring academics, making the raising of young children and advancing an academic career incompatible. Studies indicate that women with PhDs and young children are disproportionately more likely to leak out of the tenure-track pipeline. Lack of family friendliness is one of the chief reasons why women opt out of tenure-track careers. One way to increase the proportion of tenured women is to adapt the pipeline model by bolstering institutional work–family policies and providing child care centers. Departmental leaders can ensure that making use of work–family policies does not negatively affect tenure decisions. Collecting longitudinal data to evalu...
Efficiency comparisons for partially rank-ordered set sampling

Partially rank-ordered set sampling (PROSS) is a generalization of ranked-set sampling (RSS) in which the ranker is not required to give a full ranking in each set. In this paper, we study the efficiency of the PROSS sample mean under perfect rankings for various PROSS schemes. We obtain conditions under which one PROSS scheme is always more efficient than another, and we also obtain conditions under which how the efficiencies of two PROSS schemes compare depends on the particular distribution. We completely determine how PROSS schemes compare in the two-subset case, and we also prove a conjecture of Ozturk (Environ Ecol Stat 18:757–779, 2011) about how the efficiency of the PROSS sample mean compares to that of the RSS sample mean.
Differentiation of nephrotensin from angiotensin I and II.

SummaryNephrotensin, a newly described pressor agent which appears in the renal venous effluent of the ischemic kidney is not inactivated by angiotensin I antibody. It can also be differentiated from angiotensin I and II by the response to its injection of the rat's blood pressure and the perfusion pressure of the isolated rabbit's ear. These findings add further evidence that nephrotensin is a unique pressor agent responsible for the elevation in blood pressure observed in renovascular (surgically remediable) hypertension as observed in man and in the acute stage of experimental hypertension induced by drastic restriction of the renal artery or infarction of the kidney.
VText: A Tablet Based E-Textbook Framework

The VText framework is designed to provide many of the desired features of an e-textbook in such a way that it provides pedagogical value rather than just convenience for students. Many so-called e-textbook solutions available today provide few features beyond those possible with hardcopy textbooks. The VText framework is built as an add-in to Microsoft’s note-taking program, OneNote. The add-in provides features which facilitate the use of OneNote as a reader and educational tool while leaving in place OneNote’s strengths in note-taking, collaboration, and search.
Vernacular as a space: writing in the Deccan

ABSTRACTThis is not an essay about mysticism in the Deccan. The aim is neither to track the movement of holy men and cults into the Deccan, nor the expansion of their networks and the creation of sacred geographies; this essay is also not about the comparative textual and spiritual discourses of saints from different sects. Instead, the attempt here is to suggest that every geographical region had a complex world of religious domains and of life-worlds in which multiple faith-agencies were active, catering to different audiences. There were some spiritual agencies that were part of larger ‘global’ networks, and others which were ‘local’ or vernacular. The term ‘vernacular’ is a description not necessarily limited to the discursive language used. This vernacular life-world was shaped by a several factors, natural and cultural: geographical realities, shared political and historical memories. Even if such a vernacular region, in this case, the Deccan, was a part of an ‘Islamic frontier’ politically and spir...
Nephro-Urologic Emergencies in Patients with Cancer

Renal and urologic emergencies are common during the care of patients with cancer and generally require a multidisciplinary approach by the oncologist, emergency department physician, nephrologist, urologist, or interventional radiologist. Acute kidney injury is a frequent complication of cancer treatment that entails a higher mortality rate. Nephrologists are frequently needed to provide supportive dialysis until renal function recovers. More than one-half of patients with multiple myeloma present with renal injury, and 10 % require dialysis on initial presentation. Renal function in these patients may rapidly improve with treatment of the myeloma by the oncologist. Patients with cancer may present to the emergency department with severe derangements in electrolyte levels and may require immediate treatment by the emergency department physician to prevent cardiac arrhythmias or renal failure. Hematuria may have a subtle presentation with only microscopic hematuria noted on urinalysis exam, while patients with severe hematuria may develop hemorrhagic shock. Obstructive uropathy may occur anywhere along the urinary tract and generally requires intervention by the urologist or radiologist to decompress the collecting system.
228 MITRAL VALVE REPAIR WITH RING ANNULOPLASTY: ISCHEMIC VERSUS NONISCHEMIC MITRAL REGURGITATION.

Background In the presence of functional mitral regurgitation (MR) it has been established that repair alone by annuloplasty ring insertion is sufficient. This study was conducted to report a single surgeon9s experience (V.A.S.) of annuloplasty ring insertion for correction of ischemic versus nonischemic MR. Methods From 1999 to 2005, 94 patients presented with moderate to severe MR and underwent mitral valve repair (MVRpr) with insertion of an annuloplasty ring. There were 53 males and 41 females (44%) with a mean age of 67 ± 12 years. 54 were classified with ischemic MR. Ischemic MR was defined as (1) a previous myocardial infarction,)2) and/or previous or concomitant coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), (3) and/or previous stent placement. 40 were classified into the nonischemic MR group. Follow-up information was obtained on 100% of the patients. Results There were a total of 12 deaths with no operative mortality. 9 deaths occurred in the ischemic MR group and 3 occurred in the nonischemic group. Survival for the ischemic MR group at 1, 3, and 5 years was 89%, 85%, and 73%, respectively. For the nonischemic MR group, survival at 1, 3, and 5 years was 94%, 89%, and 89%, respectively. To assess whether the difference in survival between the ischemic and nonischemic groups is due to the cause of the MR, all baseline characteristics were compared. We tested age, sex, hypertension, diabetes, renal disease, prior TIA or stroke, mean ejection fraction, coronary disease, prior operation, and concurrent CABG. Concurrent CABG and coronary disease were present only in the ischemic group and represented a significant difference between the two groups (p Conclusions Patients undergoing mitral valve repair with annuloplasty ring alone for ischemic MR have a lower survival rate than patients with nonischemic MR. Ischemia, along with confounding medical conditions and patient attributes, contributes to the final outcome in mitral valve repair with ring annuloplasty for ischemic MR. The success of the repair is equivalent between the two groups.
Lacking a Formal Concept of Limit: Advanced Non-Mathematics Students' Personal Concept Definitions.

AbstractThis mixed-methods study examines the conceptual understanding of limit among 22 undergraduate engineering students from two different sections of the same introductory differential equations course. The participants’ concepts of limit (concept images and personal concept definitions) were examined using written tasks followed by one-on-one investigative interviews. The findings suggest that, at the end of their mathematics coursework, many engineering students do not consider employing a formal definition of limit to solve limit-based mathematics problems. Furthermore, the findings suggest that most participants’ personal concept definitions of limit are both inoperable for solving limit problems and inconsistent with the formal definition of limit.
Device-to-device communication in cellular networks under statistical queueing constraints

Device-to-device (D2D) communication underlaid with cellular networks is a new paradigm, proposed to enhance the performance of cellular networks. By allowing a pair of D2D users to communicate directly and share the same spectral resources with the cellular users, D2D communication can achieve higher spectral efficiency, improve the energy efficiency, and lower the traffic delay. In this paper, transmission mode selection and resource allocation in a time-division multiplexed (TDM) cellular network with one cellular user, one base station, and a pair of D2D users is investigated under rate and queueing constraints. In particular, four possible modes are considered, namely the cellular mode, dedicated mode, uplink reuse mode, and downlink reuse mode. Using tools from stochastic network calculus, the system throughput under statistical queueing constraints is formulated, efficient resource allocation algorithms for all possible modes are proposed, and the influence of the positions of each node and the queueing constraints is analyzed via numerical results. Scenarios and conditions for different modes to be optimal in the sense of maximizing the sum-throughput are identified.
Lives of Infamous Women: Gender, Political Economy, Nation-State Power, and Persuasion in the Neoliberal World

Reading and writing, as I am in Washington, DC—a place that Jamie Peck and Adam Tickell call, in their description of neoliberalism, a “structurally privileged center of persuasion” (2007, 48) and the capital of global capital (I work literally several blocks away from the World Bank and the headquarters of the International Monetary Fund), texts and images about women are disseminated from numerous media, scholarly, and activist sources.1 In DC, as in other powerful centers of neoliberalism, the rhetoric of globalization has a particular focus on representations of women’s agency, autonomy, and freedom (from cultural patriarchy). This focus can be found in of texts that position women as victims of cultural patriarchy, of negligence, or of archaic nation-states.
Development: Rural Development Strategies

Rural development can be understood as the unfolding of capitalism in rural areas, and as that package of policy and project interventions that aim to foster socio-economic change and human improvement in rural areas. Some writing on ‘rural development’ thus addresses general issues of agrarian change, peasant economy, and rural politics. Other writing, more applied in focus, addresses project impacts on rural people and environments, asking how these impacts might be improved and enhanced. Between these two bodies of work is that which focuses on interventions, but with a critical eye, inquiring into the ways in which projects themselves foster capitalist development, facilitate state and social control of rural populations, and constitute processes of rural modernization. Analytical frameworks have been drawn variously from Marxist political economy, neoclassical and institutional economics, institutional analysis, actor-oriented and structuration theory, poststructuralism and pragmatism. The rural development literature is thus diverse. However, within this diversity certain patterns are apparent. First, writing on rural development has followed broader trends in social theory. Second, theory and practice have informed each other. Third, debates on theory and practice have been informed by broader shifts in the global economy. This reflects the interactive nature of the relationship between rural development as capitalist development and rural development as intervention.
Other Plant Metabolites

Nature has provided a diverse array of secondary metabolites. Many of these metabolites have intricate molecular scaffolding and important pharmacological properties. Among the pharmacologically important secondary compounds found in plants are the lignins, lignans, polyketide, and polyacetylene compounds. A survey of the recent literature yielded a large number of manuscripts detailing the isolation and characterization of compounds belonging to these structural classes.
Self-regulation, emotion, and resilience

Self-regulation is an ability to control responses within the self. It is both behavioral (personality) and biological (temperament/disposition). Optimal self-regulation is directly related to how well performers manage novel events, a capacity that is influenced by temperament, early developmental experiences, and personality traits. Temperament is a stable trait that manifests in early infancy; however, attachment experiences are directly established by the quality of the relationship with primary parental or caregiver figures. Secure attachment experiences powerfully promote self-regulation capacities, regardless of temperament. Resilience is evident when individuals are exposed to adversity and yet demonstrate no psychological or physical disorders. Understanding these variables increases awareness of individual needs and how to tailor appropriate training approaches. Psychological skills can be implemented to manage positive and negative stressors and promote self-regulation and resilience in performing artists.
Constraints in Production and Marketing of Papaya in Kadapa District of Andhra Pradesh

This study aims to define the critical constraints in production and marketing of Papaya in Kadapa district of Andhra Pradesh. The four villages of Pullampeta and Obulavaripalli mandals namely Bommavaram, Y.Kota, Pullampeta and Reddipalli were selected to collect the required information on constraints in production and marketing aspects of Papaya. The growers were classified as small (upto 2 acres.) and large (above 5 acres.) categories. The problem of disease/insect/pest in these fruit crop is felt by all farmers followed by high labour charges.
Study of the Association Between Serum Vitamin D Levels and Prostate Cancer

ABSTRACTIntroduction: Vitamin D has been suggested as a marker for prostate cancer risk, but prior study results are conflicting. This study evaluated the association of prostate cancer diagnosis with vitamin D levels as well as with each of the following variables of interest: age, race group, military service, smoking status, and alcohol use. Methods: A total of 11,547 adult males aged 18 or older who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey for years 2001–2010 were included in this retrospective, cross-sectional, observational study. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey is an annual, nationally representative sample of noninstitutionalized civilian adult and child residents of the United States. Active duty military are excluded from the survey. Subjects were excluded if they answered “don't know” or “refused” to vitamin D or prostate cancer survey questions. χ2 analyses were performed to analyze associations between diagnosis of prostate cancer and variables of ...
Working Together Differently: Addressing the Housing Crisis in Oregon

Universities are being asked to prepare our students to navigate successfully in a complex and interconnected world and to contribute to the solution of difficult problems at work and in the communities where they live. Our universities must do the same. We must adapt our approaches to education, scholarship and community involvement in order to play a meaningful role in addressing the increasingly complex and wicked problems that our communities face. The housing crisis in Portland, Oregon offers an especially important example of a wicked problem that has developed slowly, will be very costly to resolve and involves a lot of uncertainty due to unpredictable social, economic and environmental factors. In 2015, policymakers in communities throughout Oregon began talking about a housing crisis as people searching for affordable housing found themselves competing with both the growing popularity of Oregon as a place to live and a real estate investment boom. Rents rose at a rate of $100/month and over 24,000 units were needed to meet the demand in 2015. The problem remains acute in 2016. This article uses community efforts to understand and address the housing crisis as a focus to explore the changing roles of the university in participating in and contributing to these new social networks, multi-stakeholder initiatives and collaborations.
Preeclampsia, Eclampsia and HELLP Syndrome

The patient with severe preeclampsia and its associated conditions of eclampsia and HELLP (Hemolysis, Elevated Liver enzymes and Low Platelets) syndrome usually present to Labor and Delivery and are often cared for completely by the obstetrical team, however in more complicated cases these patients should be treated with a multidisciplinary approach including critical care and other subspecialties as needed. Preeclampsia is a systemic disease characterized by hypertension and proteinuria that occurs in pregnancy and the puerperium. Severe complications include seizure (eclampsia), cerebral hemorrhage, liver capsule hematoma and rupture, renal failure and oliguria as well as pulmonary edema, heart failure and cardiomyopathy. This chapter reviews a typical presentation of severe preeclampsia, eclampsia and HELLP syndrome and management of this condition.
Safe patient handling behaviors and lift use among hospital nurses: A cross-sectional study

Abstract Purpose Patient handling is well known for the risk of musculoskeletal injury. Safe work practices are important to reduce risk of injury while performing patient handling tasks. This study investigated factors associated with safe patient handling behaviors and lift use among hospital nurses in the United States. Methods This study analyzed cross-sectional survey data from a statewide random sample of 221 hospital nurses in California who had patient handling duties. Safe patient handling behaviors and lift use were examined for the relationships with demographic characteristics, organizational safety practices, physical and psychosocial job factors, musculoskeletal symptoms, and perceptions about lift use and risk of injury. Results In multivariable logistic regression, high safe patient handling behaviors were significantly associated with a positive organizational safety climate (Odds Ratio [OR]=2.76, 95% Confidence Interval [CI] 1.51–5.03), people-oriented culture (OR=2.59, 95% CI 1.45–4.62), and ergonomic practices (OR=1.67, 95% CI 1.04–2.67). High lift use (>50% of the time when needed) were significantly associated with high lift availability (OR=3.1, 95% CI 1.06–9.01) and positive perceptions about lift use (OR=3.48, 95% CI 1.63–7.44). In bivariate analysis, high safe patient handling behaviors were associated with shorter height, non-White race, lower physical workload, lower job strain, higher job satisfaction, and less musculoskeletal symptoms. Conclusions The study findings underscore the importance of organizational safety practices and culture to promote safe work practices for patient handling injury prevention. Also, making lift equipment readily available and improving positive perceptions and experiences about lifts can be crucial to ensure the use of lift equipment.
Dry Electrostatic Separation of Fine Coal

A current research project in the PETC Coal Preparation Division focuses the beneficiation of fine dry coal powders after triboelectric charging. In this process, the fine coal powder is entrained in a gas stream and made to impact on a metal surface under turbulent flow conditions. This forceful turbulent contact causes differential charging of the organic and inorganic phases in the coal. The particles of organic matter acquire a positive static charge, and the mineral matter, both silicate and sulfide, acquire a negative charge. When this gas-entrained, charged cloud of particles is directed into a high voltage field, the positive and negative particles deposit on oppositely charged plates. This paper will discuss some of the technical aspects of the triboelectrostatic separation and the results of applying this technique to the beneficiation of a number of coals. The motivation for this work is to explore the possibility of developing an effective dry separation technique which could circumvent the problems associated with water removal following classical fine-coal cleaning. Related dry separations have been the subject of several recent reviews (1,2,3,4).
Transparent conducting electrodes for efficient near-field thermophotovoltaics

Doped semiconductors, conducting oxides and graphene are compared as transparent front electrodes for resonant near-field thin-film TPV cells, with resulting efficiencies up to 54% at 2100°K thermal-emitter temperature and >20W/cm2 load power-density.
Effect of a forage-type soybean cover crop on wheat forage production and animal performance in a continuous wheat pasture system

ABSTRACT This research was conducted over 4 consecutive years (2010 to 2014) to investigate the effects of tillage system [no-till (NT) vs. conventional tillage (CONV)] and NT with a summer legume cover crop (NTCC) on forage production and performance of growing steers in a continuous wheat pasture cropping system on 18, 1.6-ha dedicated wheat fields (n = 6 fields per establishment method). Soybean forage production averaged 2,034 ± 346.2 kg of DM/ha in July. Cover crops were grazed for an average of 33 ± 2.4 d, with ADG averaging 0.62 ± 0.28 kg/d and total gain per hectare averaging 108 ± 24.4 kg/ha. Although, forage mass was less (P
Altered membrane integrity in the progression of muscle diseases

Sarcolemmal integrity is orchestrated through the interplay of preserving membrane strength and fast tracking the membrane repair process during an event of compromised membrane fragility. Several molecular players have been identified that act in a concerted fashion to maintain the barrier function of the muscle membrane. Substantial research findings in the field of muscle biology point out the importance of maintaining membrane integrity as a key contributory factor to cellular homeostasis. Innumerable data on the progression of membrane pathology associated with compromised muscle membrane integrity support targeting sarcolemmal integrity in skeletal and cardiac muscle as a model therapeutic strategy to alleviate some of the pathologic conditions. This review will discuss strategies that researchers have undertaken to compensate for an imbalance in sarcolemma membrane fragility and membrane repair to maintain muscle membrane integrity.
Effects of TiO2 in Low Temperature Propylene Epoxidation Using Gold Catalysts

Propylene epoxidation with molecular oxygen has been proposed as a green and alternative process to produce propylene oxide (PO). In order to develop catalysts with high selectivity, high conversion, and long stability for the direct propylene epoxidation with molecular oxygen, understanding of catalyst structure and reactivity relationships is needed. Here, we combined atomic layer deposition and deposition precipitation to synthesize series of well-defined Au-based catalysts to study the catalyst structure and reactivity relationships for propylene epoxidation at 373 K. We showed that by decorating TiO2 on gold surface the inverse TiO2/Au/SiO2 catalysts maintained ∼90% selectivity to PO regardless of the weight loading of the TiO2. The inverse TiO2/Au/SiO2 catalysts exhibited improved regeneration compared to Au/TiO2/SiO2. The inverse TiO2/Au/SiO2 catalysts can be regenerated in 10% oxygen at 373 K, while the Au/TiO2/SiO2 catalysts failed to regenerate at as high as 473 K. Combined characterizations of ...
Buddy: A Speech Therapy Robot Companion For Children With Cleft Lip and Palate (CL/P) Disorder

Children born with cleft lip and palate (CL/P) disorder go through several years of corrective surgeries, dental procedures, and jaw correction. These children suffer from varying degrees of speech impediment. Current treatments include speech therapy, but such treatments are not equally accessible for children from different socio-economic backgrounds. When available, speech therapists find it difficult to evaluate the children's progress in articulation over time. Buddy is a therapy robot for CL/P children that can provide contextual speech therapy in a gamified story-building format. To improve articulation, Buddy will provide robust visual feedback during these sessions and guide the children in enunciating tough words while collecting data of speech pattern for further analysis by the speech therapist.
Nutrition Education in Internal Medicine Residency Programs and Predictors of Residents' Dietary Counseling Practices.

Background:Although physicians are expected to provide dietary counseling for patients with cardiovascular (CV) risk factors such as hypertension, hyperlipidemia, diabetes, and obesity, nutrition e...
Treatment of cardiac synovial sarcoma: experience of two cases.

Primary heart sarcomas are exceedingly rare tumors. Among primary cardiac sarcomas, synovial sarcoma is one of the rarest, involving cardiac cavities or pericardium. Two cases of synovial sarcoma are presented with the clinical course and therapy. Both cases were treated with surgery and chemo/radiotherapy. Interestingly, one of the patient, a 52-year-old male with an intracardiac synovial sarcoma, undergone a SynCardia total artificial heart implantation, but died for multiple pulmonary metastases waiting for transplantation. Complete surgical resection of cardiac synovial sarcoma is the gold standard of therapy, though rarely possible. Although guidelines for the treatment are not well established, due to limited number of cases reported, chemotherapy and radiotherapy are frequently administered and seem to prolong mean patient’s survival. Cardiac transplantation could be considered in selected cases.
Radiative Electron Capture by Channeled Oxygen Ions

Recently Schnopper et al. [1] reported a new feature in the x-ray spectra observed when solid targets were bombarded with energetic, highly-stripped heavy ions. They observed a broad x-ray band well above the highest energy characteristic x-ray line from the projectile. This new feature was identified as radiative electron capture (REG). The phenomenon of REC becomes most probable when the incident heavy ions are completely stripped, and no outer shell electrons are available to fill K-shell vacancies. Then a free or weakly bound target electron can be captured directly into the K-shell of the moving ion, emitting a photon. The energy of a REC photon resulting from the capture of a free electron by an ion of charge Z, mass M, and energy E, is given by the expression: $${{\text{E}}_{\text{p}}} = {{\text{Z}}^{2\,}}\,{\text{Ry}}\,\,{\text{ + }}\,\frac{{{{\text{M}}_{\text{e}}}}}{{\text{M}}}\,\,{\text{E}}$$ (1) where Ry is the Rydberg energy and Me the electron mass. The first term is the binding energy of an electron in the hydrogen-like ion and the second the energy of an electron moving at a velocity equivalent to that of the ion. As noted by Schnopper [1],the actual width of the observed REC line is affected by a number of things. In measurements utilizing heavy ion beams incident on amorphous solids, the heavy ions will have a distribution of charge states inside the solids and each charge state can result in a REC photon of a different energy as can be seen from eq. (1).
3D body imaging and fit for functional textiles

Abstract: This chapter is focused on how to apply 3D body scanning technology to improve the comfort of functional clothing, which often looks bulky, is ill-fitting and in a one-size-fits-all design. 3d body imaging technology offers solutions to many of the fitting problems for protective clothing. Stereovision techniques were used to construct a low-cost body imaging system, a mesh subdivision algorithm was adapted for generating smooth body surface based on scanned data clouds, and simulation techniques were implemented for creating realistic virtual clothing on a reconstructed model. The portability and high speed of the scanner allow large-scale body surveys. The sewability and fit of designed pattern pieces can be assessed and adjusted prior to production.
Enteritis Cystica Profunda

In addition to hamartomatous polyps of the small intestine, a patient with Peutz-Jeghers disease had gross and microscopic lesions of the ileum that were analogous to colitis cystica profunda in the large intestine and rectum. To the authors' knowledge, this is the first such case in an adult to be reported. They suggest the designation, "enteritis cystica profunda." The histology of the lesions and their association with a disease known to produce hamartomatous lesions lend support to the proposition that some cases of colitis cystica are also hamartamatous. It is also believed that some reported cases of small-intestinal adenocarcinoma in patients with Peutz-Jeghers syndrome are in reality examples of the benign process of enteritis cystica profunda.
Desmoid Tumors in Familial Adenomatous Polyposis

Desmoid tumors can present a lethal threat to the familial adenomatous polyposis patient and a dilemma to the treating physician. An understanding of the natural history of these tumors helps in selecting the best course of management and treatment for each patient. A discussion of the recognized forms of treatment includes nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, hormonal manipulation, chemoradiation therapy, and surgical excision.