cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Disparities in joint replacement utilization : a quality of care issue

Although total joint replacement is an effective treatment option for end-stage lower extremity osteoarthritis, racial disparities in joint replacement utilization have been well documented. These disparities may be due in part to patient-level factors such as willingness to consider joint replacement and worse expectations of joint replacement outcomes. In addition, African-Americans may have worse outcomes after total joint replacement and are more likely to have surgery performed by surgeons with lower volumes or in hospitals with lower volumes. All of these issues may be considered concerns with the quality of care delivered to African-Americans with osteoarthritis.
Gynecologic Cancer and High-Dose Rate Brachytherapy: Cervical, Endometrial, Vaginal, Vulva and Clinical Appendix

Image-based brachytherapy for gynecological cancer improves outcomes and with decreased morbidities. This chapter provides practical clinical points for integrating 3D imaging into brachytherapy procedures and planning for various gynecological cancers including the cervix, endometrium, vagina, and vulva. It highlights both intracavitary, hybrid intracavitary/interstitial, and interstitial brachytherapy techniques.
Are the Quantity and Quality of Sustainability Disclosures Associated with the Innate and Discretionary Earnings Quality

Voluntary disclosures of sustainability information have recently received considerable attention by investors, regulators, and public companies in improving reliability and integrity of corporate reporting. We examine the association between the quantity and quality of sustainability disclosures and earnings quality in the context of corporate ethical value and culture. We posit that sustainability disclosures of environmental, social, and governance (ESG) performance reports are linked to earnings quality, because of the importance of both earnings quality and ESG sustainability disclosures to investors and trustworthiness of corporate reporting. We collect our sample of 35,110 firm-year observations between 1999 and 2015. Using both difference-in-difference tests and OLS regression, we find that sustainability disclosure quantity is positively associated with innate earnings quality and negatively correlated with discretionary earnings quality in mitigating managerial earnings manipulation and unethical opportunistic reporting behavior. Further tests illustrate that sustainability disclosure quality can strengthen the positive relation between innate earnings quality and sustainability disclosure quantity and mitigate the negative relation between discretionary earnings quality and sustainability disclosure quantity. Finally, additional tests suggest that the relation between earnings quality and sustainability disclosure quantity is moderated by corporate structure and prior-year sustainability performance. Our results provide policy, practical, and research implications as ESG sustainability reporting is being integrated into corporate culture and business models.
A Tropicalist Turn: Architectural Perspectives on Regionalism from Housing in Dhaka

AbstractRegionalism, an approach adopted by architects during the late twentieth century, has new relevance and potential urgency in the twenty-first century as a system for detecting and formulating the architectural language of environmental transformation in tropical cities. Historians, critics and theorists since the 1980s have contributed to a discourse that relates regionalism to vernacular conventions in architecture and describes location-specific interactions between architects and modern architecture. In contrast, for architects practising in South Asia today, regionalism offers fresh opportunities for addressing the spatial operations, material configurations and climatic strategies that best structure and amplify the quality of life in rapidly growing cities in Asia. Referencing the design of housing in Dhaka during the last decade as a case study, this paper explores how, through regionalism, architects speculate about new forms of urban life in Asian cities. It shows how contemporary archite...
Can Valproate Prevent Migraine Headaches

Objective:To investigate the effectiveness of valproate in the prevention of migraine headaches. The drug has been approved by the FDA for migraine prophylaxis in addition to its primary use in sei...
Glia relay differentiation cues to coordinate neuronal development in Drosophila

Neuronal birth and specification must be coordinated across the developing brain to generate the neurons that constitute neural circuits. We used the Drosophila visual system to investigate how development is coordinated to establish retinotopy, a feature of all visual systems. Photoreceptors achieve retinotopy by inducing their target field in the optic lobe, the lamina neurons, with a secreted differentiation cue, epidermal growth factor (EGF). We find that communication between photoreceptors and lamina cells requires a signaling relay through glia. In response to photoreceptor-EGF, glia produce insulin-like peptides, which induce lamina neuronal differentiation. Our study identifies a role for glia in coordinating neuronal development across distinct brain regions, thus reconciling the timing of column assembly with that of delayed differentiation, as well as the spatiotemporal pattern of lamina neuron differentiation.
FRI0580 Predict sarcopenia by sonoelastography of quadriceps muscle in osteoporotic patients

Background Reduced muscle mass had associated with high mortality. So it is urgent for simple techniques to early detection sarcopenia. Our objective was to examine the validity of sonoelastography to predict sarcopenia in osteoporotic patients. Objectives To evaluate the association of sonoelastography and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry in patients with sarcopenia and osteoporosis. Methods We conducted an observational study in Kaohsiung Chang Gang Memorial Hospital. Sarcopenia was determined using a dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Osteoporosis was defined through estimated bone mass (BM). Sonoelastography was performed over mid thigh over quadriceps muscle. We measure hardness and elastography ratio of quadriceps over subcutaneous fat tissue. ROC analysis was used to find best cut-off point. Results A total 47 (23 sarcopenia, 24 non-sarcopenia) osteoporotic patients were enrolled. The mean age was 71.04±9.64 years, and most patients (88.9%) were women. Sonoelastography showed sarcopenia patients had more soft than non-sarcopenia patients, furthermore the elastography ratio of quadriceps over subcutaneous tissue was lower than non-sarcopenia patients. When the cut points determined by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis were applied, The best cut-point of hardness was 42.5 (sensitivity, 0.969; 1-specificity, 0.066), while the best cut-point of quadriceps over subcutaneous tissue was 70.5% (sensitivity, 1.00; 1-specificity, 0.079). Conclusions Sonoelastography was easily applicable in patients with sarcopenia and osteoporosis. Using hardness content and elastography ratio of quadriceps over subcutaneous ratio render more information of muscle character. Early detection of sarcopenia with sonoelastography in patients with osteoporosis afford future trend of preventive medicine in geriatric patients. References Teber MA, Ogur T, Bozkurt A, Er B, Turan A, Gulbay M, et al. Real-time sonoelastography of the quadriceps tendon in patients undergoing chronic hemodialysis. J Ultrasound Med. 2015;34(4):671–7. Acknowledgements This study was supported by Kaohsiung Chang Gung Memorial Hospital and Chang Gung University College of Medicine, Kaohsiung (grant CMRPG8F1731). Disclosure of Interest None declared
Abstract 14060: Predictors of Recurrent Gastrointestinal Bleeding in Patients With Left Ventricular Assist Device: Device Settings

Background: Use of left ventricular assist device (LVAD) as a bridge to transplant (BTT) and especially as a destination therapy (DT) is increasing. Gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB) is a common complication observed in LVAD recipients. Underlying hematologic abnormalities in LVAD patients are well described. However, the risk factors associated with GIB remain unclear. Methods: Electronic medical records of 59 HeartMate II (HM-II) recipients at a university hospital and 52 HM-II recipients at a community hospital were reviewed for demographic data, social history, medication use, and co-morbidities. Data were analyzed using analysis of variance, chi-square analysis and logistic regression to identify predictors of GIB and rebleeding. Results: Of the 111 patients analyzed 31 had at least one GIB (27.9%). Caucasians represented the majority of the patients (n=55; 49.5%) followed by African-Americans (n=44; 39.6%). Age, gender, BMI, presence of hypertension, peripheral vascular disease, diabetes, aortic stenosis, cerebrovascular disease, chronic kidney disease (CKD), and history of GIB, were not associated with GIB after LVAD implant. A logistic regression model including history of smoking (OR = 3.13, 95% CI=1.13- 8.68, p= 0.028) and NSAID use (OR=4.28, 95% CI= 1.03-17.81, p=0.045) was as predictive of GIB post-LVAD. The most predictive model for rebleeding included indication for LVAD (OR=0.068, 95% CI=0.008-0.601, p=0.016), history of smoking (OR = 5.06, 95% CI=0.97-26.49, p=0.05) and NSAID use (OR=9.46, CI=1.21-73.87, p=0.03). 66.7% (10/15) of patients with recurrent bleeding had CKD versus 36.5% (36/95) of patients without recurrent bleeding (p=0.045). Patients with LVAD as a BTT were found to be 93.2% less likely to rebleed. Rebleeders had significantly higher LVAD power (5.50 ± 0.732; CI=5.09 - 5.91 vs. 4.85±1.16; CI=4.60-5.09; p=0.038), pulsatility index (6.04 ± 0.94; CI=5.52-6.56 vs. 5.27 ± 1.27; CI=5.01-5.53; p=0.027) and cardiac output (4.81 ± 1.27; CI= 4.10 - 5.51 vs. 3.89±1.66; CI 3.53-4.26; p=0.046). Conclusion: Patients with BTT as indication for LVAD are much less likely to rebleed. Moreover, lower power, pulsatility index, and cardiac output might prevent rebleed. Larger studies are required to confirm such associations.
PO-375 Rational designing combinatorial T-cell based immunotherapy by high-dimensional profiling

Introduction Clinical benefit of immunotherapeutic approaches against cancer has been well established. However, the benefit of cancer patients was mostly noted as prolonged survival. The lack of full cancer eradication is linked to immunosuppressive and immune escape mechanisms. Combination immunotherapy to improve the efficacy and duration of the tumor-specific T cell response offers an attractive avenue to develop more effective cancer therapies. Material and methods Here we aimed to decipher the mechanisms governing the PD-1/PD-L1 checkpoint blockade to rationally design combination immunotherapy to improve immunotherapeutic benefit. We established high-dimensional immune signatures of immunotherapy-specific of cell subsets utilising mass cytometry with 38 markers. Results and discussions PD-L1 blockade induced the expansion of highly specific tumor-infiltrating CD4 and CD8 T cells, displaying both activating (ICOS) and inhibitory (PD-1, LAG-3) molecules. Expansion of these therapy-induced T cell subsets was observed three days after treatment and significantly expanded in time leading to tumour delay. By targeting the activating and inhibiting molecules on the T cells by agonistic and blocking antibodies, respectively, we were able to further restore the T cell dysfunction and thereby improving the therapeutic benefit of single immunotherapy. Conclusion Thus, high-dimensional profiling is a powerful means for rational designing combinatorial T-cell based immunotherapies.
Measuring Manifest Dream Content

Manifest dream content refers to the descriptive nature of people’s dreams. The present investigation was concerned with the relationship between manifest dream content and gender, personality, and stress. For this purpose, an assessment instrument was developed to measure a variety of different types of manifest dream content, the Manifest Dream Scale (MDS). Factor analysis indicated that the items on the Manifest Dream Scale clustered into five separate groups: (a) positive social activity, (b) undesirable negative experience, (c) death, injury, and natural events, (d) entertainment and recreation, and (e) mundane activities. Gender was found to be related to some but not all of the manifest dream categories. A more consistent pattern of relationships was found between manifest dream content and (a) instrumental and expressive personality attributes, and (b) gender role tendencies. In addition, a final set of results indicated that a recent history of stressful life experiences produced an impact on the manifest content of women’s and men’s dreams.
Statistical tests for detecting variance effects in quantitative trait studies.

Motivation Identifying variants, both discrete and continuous, that are associated with quantitative traits, or QTs, is the primary focus of quantitative genetics. Most current methods are limited to identifying mean effects, or associations between genotype or covariates and the mean value of a quantitative trait. It is possible, however, that a variant may affect the variance of the quantitative trait in lieu of, or in addition to, affecting the trait mean. Here, we develop a general methodology to identify covariates with variance effects on a quantitative trait using a Bayesian heteroskedastic linear regression model (BTH). We compare BTH with existing methods to detect variance effects across a large range of simulations drawn from scenarios common to the analysis of quantitative traits. Results We find that BTH and a double generalized linear model (dglm) outperform classical tests used for detecting variance effects in recent genomic studies. We show BTH and dglm are less likely to generate spurious discoveries through simulations and application to identifying methylation variance QTs and expression variance QTs. We identify four variance effects of sex in the Cardiovascular and Pharmacogenetics study. Our work is the first to offer a comprehensive view of variance identifying methodology. We identify shortcomings in previously used methodology and provide a more conservative and robust alternative. We extend variance effect analysis to a wide array of covariates that enables a new statistical dimension in the study of sex and age specific quantitative trait effects. Availability and implementation https://github.com/b2du/bth. Supplementary information Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
A problem reduction approach to program synthesis

Program synthesis is the transformation of a specification of a user's problem into a computer program. A problem reduction approach to program synthesis is presented. During synthesis the user's problem is decomposed in a top-down manner into a hierarchy of subproblems. with directly solveable subproblems at the bottom. Solving these subproblems results in the bottom-up composition of a program whose structure reflects the subproblem hierarchy. The program is guaranteed to satisfy the specification and to terminate on all legal inputs. We illustrate this approach by presenting the knowledge needed to synthesize a class of divide and conquer algorithms and by deriving a Merge sort algorithm.
Thoughts on Teaching Research Methods to Students from Former Soviet Countries

(1997). Thoughts on Teaching Research Methods to Students from Former Soviet Countries. Journal of Public Administration Education: Vol. 3, No. 1, pp. 85-88.
Leader Survival, Sources of Political Insecurity, and International Conflict:

Recent research identifies the risk and consequences of losing office as important factors in leaders’ decisions to initiate international conflicts. This paper argues that the institutional source...
Portraits of Ganas: The College-Going Pathways of Undocumented Students at a Texas HBCU.

The process of pursuing a higher education degree can be particularly complicated for undocumented students as they navigate the K-16 pipeline. Ganas, or the desire to succeed, is a cultural value ...
A Case of Unilateral Coccidioidal Chorioretinitis in a Patient with HIV-Associated Meningoencephalitis.

Intraocular coccidioidomycosis is a rare condition, with the most commonly reported presentation being an idiopathic iritis in patients who live in or have traveled thorough endemic areas. A paucity of reports exists describing the chorioretinal manifestations of coccidioidomycosis. Here we report a case of unilateral coccidioidal chorioretinitis and meningoencephalitis in an AIDS patient that led to near complete unilateral loss of vision. A 48-year-old Hispanic female with poorly controlled HIV/AIDS in southern California presented with a three-week history of headache, nausea, vomiting, right eye blurry vision, and a one-day history of subjective fever. Examination of the right eye revealed vitritis and several large chorioretinal lesions scattered throughout the periphery and macula with optic disc pallor. Serum coccidioidomycoses complement fixation (CF) was positive (titers of 1 : 256). Neuroimaging revealed a new area of enhancement in the left anterior frontal lobe consistent with meningoencephalitis. The patient was treated with intravenous fluconazole and intravitreal voriconazole with resolution of systemic symptoms and vitritis but persistence of unilateral, severe chorioretinal scarring and vision loss. In conclusion, in spite of the rarity of intraocular coccidioidomycosis, one must carry a degree of suspicion for this vision- and life-threatening condition as a potential etiology of chorioretinitis in individuals with pertinent risk factors.
Dear Progressive and/or Queer Students: A Pedagogical Polemic from Your Queer Adjunct Professor

Written as a letter to her students, this chapter by Davis-Pacheco, a queer cultural studies activist, writer, and adjunct professor, seeks to introduce undergraduate students encountering the frameworks and dilemmas of cultural studies and the way these intersect with the newest fronts of the so-called culture wars. In particular, the essay provides a critical perspective on the emergent call-out culture, which may be familiar to students from their experiences on social media and/or activism. It is a compassionate call for students to meet each other where they are in order to move us all to a common place of critical self-reflection and self-reflexivity.
Application effect of continuing nursing care in discharged premature babies

Objective To explore the application effect of continuing nursing care in discharged premature babies. Methods A total of 1 200 discharged premature babies were selected in 2014 and were divided into intervention group (580 cases, continuing nursing care in discharged patients) and control group (620 cases, routine nursing education in discharged patients) according to the random number table method. Satisfaction degree of parents of premature babies, doctors and nurses was compared between two groups. And then, the effect of continuing nursing care was evaluated in patients after leaving hospital. Results The satisfaction degree of parents of premature babies, nurses and doctors were (98.23±2.26)%, (97.98±1.98)%, (97.59±2.63)% in intervention group which were higher than those in control group with significant differences (P<0.05). Conclusions Continuing nursing care of discharged premature babies plays an important role in improving the satisfaction degree of doctors and nurses. In conclusion, continuing nursing care is worth clinical application and promotion. Key words: Continuing nursing care; Premature baby; Satisfaction
3D finger vein biometric authentication with photoacoustic tomography.

Biometric authentication is the recognition of human identity via unique anatomical features. The development of novel methods parallels widespread application by consumer devices, law enforcement, and access control. In particular, methods based on finger veins, as compared to face and fingerprints, obviate privacy concerns and degradation due to wear, age, and obscuration. However, they are two-dimensional (2D) and are fundamentally limited by conventional imaging and tissue-light scattering. In this work, for the first time, to the best of our knowledge, we demonstrate a method of three-dimensional (3D) finger vein biometric authentication based on photoacoustic tomography. Using a compact photoacoustic tomography setup and a novel recognition algorithm, the advantages of 3D are demonstrated via biometric authentication of index finger vessels with false acceptance, false rejection, and equal error rates 10× when comparing multiple fingers, and <0.7% when rotating fingers ±30.
Expanding Student Knowledge and Confidence on Dietary Supplements Through Mock Patient Consultations

Introduction:As dietary supplements are widely used in the United States, student pharmacists should be prepared to assess their appropriateness for self-care. The purpose of this project was to as...
Import Penetration and Executive Compensation

We examine the effects of Chinese import penetration on executive compensation of US firms. We find that import penetration reduces executives’ total compensation, stock grants, wealth-performance sensitivity, and opportunistic grant timing, suggesting that competition mitigates agency problems and the need for conventional alignment mechanisms. Furthermore, we find that import penetration increases option grants and option duration, thus incentivizing more innovation and risk-taking.
Using Real-world Data for Decision Support: Recommendations from a Primary Care Provider Survey.

Introduction The use of data from wearable sensors, smartphones, and apps holds promise as a clinical decision-making tool in health and mental health in primary care medicine. The aim of this study was to determine provider perspectives about the utility of these data for building digitally based decision-making tools. Methods This mixed quantitative and qualitative cross-sectional survey of a convenience sample of primary-care clinicians at Kaiser Permanente Northwest was conducted between April and July 2019 online via Institute for Translational Health Sciences' Research Electronic Data Capture. Study outcomes were 1) attitudes toward digital data, 2) willingness to use digital data to support clinical decision making, and 3) concerns and recommendations about implementing a digital tool for clinical decision making. Results This sample of 131 clinicians was largely white (n = 98) female (n = 91) physicians (n = 86). Although respondents (75.7%, n = 87) had a positive attitude toward using digital tools in their practice, 88 respondents (67.3%) voiced concerns about the possible lack of clinical utility, suspected difficulty in integration with clinical workflows, and worried about the potential burden placed on patients. Participants indicated that the accuracy of the data in detecting the need for treatment adjustments would need to be high and the tool should be clinically tested. Conclusions Primary care providers find value in collecting real-world patient data to assist in clinical decision making, provided such information does not interfere with provider workflow or impose undue burden on patients. In addition, digital tools will need to demonstrate high accuracy, be able to integrate into current clinical workflows, and maintain the privacy and security of patients' data.
Data-driven spectral features of directional DBS electrodes and dDBS-ECoG connectivity

Directional DBS electrodes are a novel probe design enabling targeted stimulation of subcortical structures. Here, we leverage methods of broadband time-amplitude correlation and spectral power comparison to demonstrate and characterize the unique directional sensing ability of these novel probes. This work avoids preset frequency banding to highlight the electrode- and anatomy-specific spectral characteristics within each subject's neural recordings. Using precise whole-brain reconstruction, spectral features are associated with specific subcortical structures across six patients implanted for treatment of neurological movement disorders, supporting the utility of directional leads as a tool for biomarker sensing and discovery.
High-resolution protein fragment interactions using AVA-Seq on a human reference set

Protein-protein interactions (PPIs) are important in understanding numerous aspects of protein function. Here, the recently developed all-vs-all sequencing (AVA-Seq) approach to determine protein-protein interactions was tested on a gold-standard human protein interaction set (hsPRS-v2). Initially, these data were interpreted strictly from a binary PPI perspective to compare AVA-Seq to other binary PPI methods tested on the same hsPRS-v2. AVA-Seq recovered 20 of 47 (43%) binary PPIs from this reference set comparing favorably with other methods. The same experimental data allowed for the determination of >500 known and novel PPIs including interactions between wildtype fragments of tumor protein p53 and minichromosomal maintenance complex proteins 2, and 5 (MCM2 and MCM5) that could be of interest in human disease. Additional results gave a better understanding of why interactions might be missed using AVA-Seq and aide future PPI experimental design for maximum recovery of information.
Rules Are Made to Be Broken, or the Menuetto of Beethoven’s Op. 2, No. 1

A striking gesture appears at the climax of the first phrase of the Menuetto from Ludwig van Beethoven’s Sonata for Piano in F minor, Op. 2, No. 1. This motivic gesture, which may be understood as derived from manipulation of standard voice-leading procedures, has intriguing ramifications that deeply affect the structure and narrative of the entire movement. These features are explored with the aid of Schenkerian analytic procedures, and the analysis is then compared to an interpretation of this same movement by Heinrich Schenker.
New Applications of Variational Analysis to Optimization and Control

We discuss new applications of advanced tools of variational analysis and generalized differentiation to a number of important problems in optimization theory, equilibria, optimal control, and feedback control design. The presented results are largely based on the recent work by the author and his collaborators. Among the main topics considered and briefly surveyed in this paper are new calculus rules for generalized differentiation of nonsmooth and set-valued mappings; necessary and sufficient conditions for new notions of linear subextremality and suboptimality in constrained problems; optimality conditions for mathematical problems with equilibrium constraints; necessary optimality conditions for optimistic bilevel programming with smooth and nonsmooth data; existence theorems and optimality conditions for various notions of Pareto-type optimality in problems of multiobjective optimization with vector-valued and set-valued cost mappings; Lipschitzian stability and metric regularity aspects for constrained and variational systems.
Approximation of Myopic Systems Whose Inputs Need Not BeContinuous

Our main result is a theorem that gives, in a certain setting, a necessary and sufficient condition under which multidimensional shift-invariant maps with vector-valued inputs drawn from a certain large set can be uniformly approximated arbitrarily well using a structure consisting of a linear preprocessing stage followed by a memoryless nonlinear network. The inputs considered need not be continuous, and noncausal as well as causal maps are addressed. Approximations for noncausal maps for which inputs and outputs are functions of more than one variable are of current interest in connection with, for example, image processing.
Effects of Prostaglandins on Adenosine 3',5'-Monophosphate Levels in Fat and Other Tissues

Abstract The action of prostaglandins on cyclic AMP levels in rat epididymal fat pads, isolated fat cells, and other tissues was studied. Fat pads incubated with prostaglandin E1 (PGE1) contained higher levels of cyclic AMP than controls but lipolysis was not stimulated. However, PGE1 did not cause increased cyclic AMP levels in isolated fat cells, suggesting that the stimulatory action occurred in another cell type. PGE1 at very low concentrations antagonized the action of epinephrine on cyclic AMP levels in both intact fat pads and isolated fat cells. PGE1 was considerably more effective as an inhibitor of epinephrine than PGF1α, and PGF1β was without effect. PGE1 lowered cyclic AMP levels in isolated fat cells very rapidly, and was effective against adrenocorticotropic hormone, glucagon, and thyroid-stimulating hormone as well as the catecholamines. Incubation of intact cell preparations of lung, spleen, diaphragm, kidney, and other tissues with 2.8 µm PGE1 resulted in increased levels of cyclic AMP.
Monopoles and Bubbles in the Early Universe

Recent progress on three issues related to the description of first order phase transitions in field theories is reviewed. Firstly, it is demonstrated how magnetic monopoles can act as impurity sites and mediate inhomogeneous first order phase transitions. Secondly, the growth of bubbles nucleated in the decay process is discussed for the case of systems at non-zero temperature and density. Finally, cases of field theories are shown for which the semiclassical description of a first order phase transition is inaccurate. In all cases, applications to phase transitions in early cosmology is also discussed.
Culture‐Bound Syndromes

Culture-bound syndromes (CBSs) are defined as sets of symptoms and signs unique to specific regions or countries around the world. They are understood as characteristic responses to a variety of pathogenic agents and are explained in the context of beliefs, traditions, and moral or religious perspectives from their societies of origin. Over many decades, CBSs have become a subject of research and didactic interest in academic centers, leading to growing points of contact among cultural psychiatry, social sciences, and established medical and psychiatric practice. This entry includes a listing of CBSs described in different regions of the world. It enumerates their main clinical characteristics and causal (etio-pathogenic) factors; presents cultural explanations of these conditions' origin, nature, and degree and type of accompanying emotional and physical distress; and attempts to locate each nosologically. The entry closes with the new set of concepts proposed in the DSM-5, which will probably guide future research efforts in this area. Keywords: cross-cultural psychology; cultural psychiatry; diagnosis; psychology of diversity; psychology of religion and spirituality; psychopathology; acculturation; cultural diversity; psychiatry; social issues
He diffusion in monazite: Implications for (U‐Th)/He thermochronometry

The light rare earth phosphate mineral monazite contains high concentrations of Th and U and thus should have potential as a (U-Th)/He thermochronometer. New 4He diffusion experiments confirm this potential but suggest that the bulk closure temperature may be so strongly compositionally dependent that successful applications will require careful sample characterization prior to (U-Th)/He dating. Three experiments were performed on single crystals of Monazite 554, a material that has been used as a standard for Th-Pb ion microprobe geochronology. The data from each experiment yielded a linear array on an Arrhenius diagram, consistent with simple diffusion behavior. However, the diffusion parameters indicated for each grain were statistically different, indicating closure temperatures (assuming a cooling rate of 10°C/Myr) of 206 ± 24°C, 230 ± 4°C, and 286 ± 13°C. X-ray compositional maps of Monazite 554 illustrate a possible cause of this discrepancy: strong and geometrically complex chemical zoning that varies from grain to grain and likely corresponds to several episodes of growth and dissolution. If He diffusivity in monazite is compositionally controlled, individual crystals with such inconsistent zoning (which is typical of naturally occurring monazites) should have different bulk closure temperatures.
A Statistical Approach To Image Segmentation On A Cylindrical Surface

This paper discusses the development of a machine vision system using Bayesian Decision Theory in classifying target and non-target areas: on a cylindrical surface. Algorithms developed using Bayesian theory are used to extract a cylindrical surface form a textured background and then to segment the image into target and non-target areas for subsequent processing. The advantages of the algorithms are that no apriori grey level threshold values are required, illumination constraints are reduced, and the results are consistent.
Compression of correlation matrices and an efficient method for forming matrix product states of fermionic Gaussian states

Here we present an efficient and numerically stable procedure for compressing a correlation matrix into a set of local unitary single-particle gates, which leads to a very efficient way of forming the matrix product state (MPS) approximation of a pure fermionic Gaussian state, such as the ground state of a quadratic Hamiltonian. The procedure involves successively diagonalizing subblocks of the correlation matrix to isolate local states which are purely occupied or unoccupied. A small number of nearest-neighbor unitary gates isolate each local state. The MPS of this state is formed by applying the many-body version of these gates to a product state. We treat the simple case of compressing the correlation matrix of spinless free fermions with definite particle number in detail, although the procedure is easily extended to fermions with spin and more general BCS states (utilizing the formalism of Majorana modes). We also present a density matrix renormalization group–like algorithm to obtain the compressed correlation matrix directly from a hopping Hamiltonian. In addition, we discuss a slight variation of the procedure which leads to a simple construction of the multiscale entanglement renormalization ansatz of a fermionic Gaussian state, and present a simple picture of orthogonal wavelet transforms in terms of the gate structure we present in this paper. As a simple demonstration, we analyze the Su-Schrieffer-Heeger model (free fermions on a one-dimensional lattice with staggered hopping amplitudes).
Association Between Periodontal Disease and Kidney Function Decline in African Americans: The Jackson Heart Study

Background: Chronic kidney disease (CKD) remains a prevalent public health problem that disproportionately affects African Americans, despite intense efforts targeting traditional risk factors. Periodontal disease, a chronic bacterial infection of the oral cavity, is both common and modifiable and has been implicated as a novel potential CKD risk factor. The authors seek to examine to what extent periodontal disease is associated with kidney function decline.Methods: This retrospective cohort study examines 699 African American participants with preserved kidney function (defined by estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) >60 mL/minute/1.73m2 at baseline) who underwent complete dental examinations as part of the Dental-Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study (1996 to 1998) and subsequently enrolled in the Jackson Heart Study (2000 to 2004). Using multivariable Poisson regression, the authors examined the association of periodontal disease (severe versus non-severe) with incident CKD, defined as inci...
Sexual Network Profiles and Risk Factors for STIs Among African-American Sexual Minorities in Mississippi: A Cross-Sectional Analysis

This cross-sectional study assessed sexually transmitted infection (STI) prevalence, socio-demographic characteristics, substance use, sexual behaviors, and sexual network profiles among African American sexual minorities in Jackson, Mississippi. Bivariate chi-square tests and generalized estimating equation (GEE) models explored individual and partner-related factors. Compared to their heterosexual counterparts, male African American sexual minorities reported fewer sex partners (odds ratios [OR] 0.33, 95% confidence intervals [CI] 0.16-0.65) and lower concurrency levels (OR 0.42, 95%CI 0.24-0.72). African American sexual minority women reported greater substance abuse, more sex partners (OR 2.54, 95%CI 1.47-4.38), higher concurrency levels (OR 1.81, 95%CI 1.24-2.64), and more transactional sex (OR 2.52, 95%CI 1.25-5.11). These results highlight the need for nuanced STI interventions tailored to African American sexual minorities in Mississippi.
Increasing immunization compliance

School nurses often have the responsibility to ensure that students meet all immunization requirements for school entry and school attendance. In large inner-city school districts, many obstacles exist which make this task daunting and often result in lengthy absences and exclusions for students. It is critical that school nurses find creative and systematic ways to meet these challenges, which include working parents, lack of access to primary care, lack of transportation, cost of immunizations, poor compliance and follow-up, myths regarding immunizations, and the impact of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) legislation. This article describes an immunization project that removed most of those barriers for high-risk students and gave the school nurses tools to succeed in achieving higher levels of immunization compliance in inner-city schools. Since the immunization project's conception, compliance in the district has risen from an overall level of 50-60% to 90-100%, along with better record-keeping and the prevention of exclusions.
Crystal Structure of SUMO-Modified Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen

Eukaryotic proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) is a replication accessory protein that functions in DNA replication, repair, and recombination. The various functions of PCNA are regulated by posttranslational modifications including mono-ubiquitylation, which promotes translesion synthesis, and sumoylation, which inhibits recombination. To understand how SUMO modification regulates PCNA, we generated a split SUMO-modified PCNA protein and showed that it supports cell viability and stimulates DNA polymerase δ activity. We then determined its X-ray crystal structure and found that SUMO occupies a position on the back face of the PCNA ring, which is distinct from the position occupied by ubiquitin in the structure of ubiquitin-modified PCNA. We propose that the back of PCNA has evolved to be a site of regulation that can be easily modified without disrupting ongoing reactions on the front of PCNA, such as normal DNA replication. Moreover, these modifications likely allow PCNA to function as a tool belt, whereby proteins can be recruited to the replication machinery via the back of PCNA and be held in reserve until needed.
Multimodal polarization system for imaging skin cancer

An optical system is created that is capable of detecting tumor formations in vivo in real time by means of the spectrally resolved polarization imaging of light elastically scattered by tissue and imaging of fluorescence polarization of exogenous fluorophores. The performance characteristics of the system, such as the resolution, field of view, and power density and stability of the radiation, as well as the calibration G factor, are determined. The functionality of the system is tested under clinical conditions. Spectrally resolved signals of elastic scattering and fluorescence polarization images are detected both from the wound surface in vivo and from the bioptic material. The reliability of the method is proven by comparing the results with the data of histological studies.
Drain current compression in GaN MODFETs under large-signal modulation at microwave frequencies

It is shown that the discrepancy between the measured microwave power performance of GaN MODFETs and the prediction based on the DC characteristics is caused by the trapping of mobile electrons in the channel under large-signal modulation. This phenomenon manifests itself in the compression of the drain current. The strong dependence of the level of current compression on the gate bias voltage indicates that carrier trapping takes place in the AlGaN barrier or at the surface of the device.
Synthesis of three alkyldihydrochlorosilanes and their application in studies of steric factors in the surface deactivation of porous silica

Abstract The synthesis and bonding to silica of ethyl-, octyl-, and octadecyldihydrochlorosilane are reported. These silanes are show to react to a greater extent with surface hydroxyls than analogous alkyldimethylchlorosilanes, and this results in chromatographic stationary phases with reduced residual silanol activity.
Liquid crystal polymers—11. Structure-property relationships in a series of thermotropic poly(2-n-alkyl-1,4-phenylene terephthalates)

Abstract A series of thermotropic poly(2-n-alkyl-1,4-phenylene terephthalates) was synthesized and characterized for liquid crystalline properties by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and by use of a polarizing microscope. All members of the series, from the polymer with the n-hexyl to that with the n-dodecyl alkyl group, appeared to form smectic phases above their melting points. The effects of substituent and molecular weight on melting points and clearing temperatures were determined.
Transplantation of human glial-restricted neural precursors into injured spinal cord promotes functional and sensory recovery without causing allodynia.

AbstractBackground aims. Traumatic injuries of the central nervous system cause damage and degeneration of specific cell populations with subsequent functional loss. Cell transplantation is a strategy to treat such injuries by replacing lost or damaged cell populations. Many kinds of cells are considered candidates for intraspinal transplantation. Human neural precursor cells (hNPC) derived from post-mortem fetal tissue are easy to isolate and expand, and are capable of producing large numbers of neuronal and glial cells. After transplantation into the nervous system, hNPC produce mature neural phenotypes and permit functional improvement in some models of neurodegenerative disease. In this study, we aimed to elucidate the therapeutic effect of different neuronal and glial progenitor populations of hNPC on locomotor and sensory functions of spinal cord-injured (SCI) rats. Methods. Different populations of progenitor cells were obtained from hNPC by cell sorting and neural induction, resulting in cell cult...
Reticle haze control: global update and technology roadmap

Three years ago Entegris pioneered a novel method of controlling ammonium sulfate (AS) haze by maintaining 193 nm reticles in a low humidity environment. Since then, this approach has became an industry standard and is widely used in production fabs around the world. Based on analysis of practical applications in HVM fabs, this paper describes a successful approach to reticle haze control, outlines its critical elements and explains its limiting factors. In addition to actual fab data, the paper provides a large body of comparative experimental data on humidity dynamics in different reticle storage schemes and arrangements. With this data, the authors explain why some designs work much better than others and provide practical recommendations for lithography practitioners on haze control equipment selections and reticle management strategy development.
Synthesis of oligonucleotides containing 3'-alkylcarboxylic acids using a palladium labile oligonucleotide solid phase synthesis support.

Oligonucleotides containing a 3‘-alkylcarboxylic acid are isolated using a Pd(0)-catalyzed cleavage reaction, in yields that are in most cases within experimental error of those isolated using standard oligonucleotide cleavage conditions (concentrated NH4OH). In contrast to results obtained with photolabile solid phase synthesis supports, no reduction in isolated yields of the oligonucleotides is observed when their length is increased from 20 to 40 nucleotides. The oligonucleotides are characterized by anion exchange HPLC, electrospray mass spectrometry, and enzymatic digestion. When methyl phosphoramidites are employed in the synthesis of the biopolymers, 3 serves as an orthogonal solid phase oligonucleotide synthesis support.
Cellular confluence determines injury-induced prostaglandin E2 synthesis by human keratinocyte cultures.

Abstract When keratinocyte cultures become confluent, their prostaglandin E 2 synthesis is suppressed. To determine whether the injury response is characterized by increased prostaglandin E 2 synthesis, an in vitro injury model was developed. When confluent keratinocyte cultures were focally lethally irradiated using ultraviolet light B, a dose-dependent increase in prostaglandin E 2 synthesis was induced by the injury. After irradiation, confluent cultures' prostaglandin E 2 synthesis increased for 2 days to 8-fold more than controls, then decreased to control values by day 6. Increased prostaglandin E 2 synthesis was first detected 8 h after injury. Focal irradiation of non-confluent cultures (killing isolated colonies) caused no change in prostaglandin E 2 synthesis, indicating that culture continuity must be disrupted before synthesis increases. In addition, partial irradiations of petri dishes demonstrated that enhanced metabolism was confined to cells adjacent to the injury site and was not mediated by a soluble factor. When confluent and injured cultures were incubated with [ 14 C]arachidonic acid, and the products formed analyzed by thin layer chromatography, 10-fold more prostaglandin E 2 Jug protein was seen in irradiated cultures relative to confluent controls. The products formed by each group were the same, and no consistent increases in metabolites other than prostaglandin E 2 were observed. The increased synthesis of prostaglandin E 2 by injured cultures was apparently due to an increase in cyclooxygenase activity as determined by kinetic experiments. These data indicate that the pattern of metabolism of arachidonic acid seen in non-confluent cultures is similar to that seen in injury, and that cell-cell contact modulates enhanced prostaglandin E 2 synthesis.
Determination of the antimicrobial growth promoter moenomycin-A in chicken litter

Abstract This study aimed to develop and optimize a method for the extraction and analysis of moenomycin antibiotics (a.k.a. flavomycin) in corn-based feed premix and in chicken litter. Moenomycin-A was isolated from chicken litter using pressurized liquid extraction followed by a solid-phase extraction (SPE) clean-up step. The highly lipophilic nature of moenomycin necessitated the use of the less hydrophobic sorbent, C 4 -based SPE cartridge, and a higher temperature elution solvent, methanol at 50 °C, in order to obtain satisfactory percent recoveries. After clean-up, the sample was analyzed by liquid chromatography–electrospray ionization–mass spectrometry (LC–ESI–MS). Various reversed-phase columns were examined, including C 18 , CN, perfluorinated C 6 , and a porous graphitic carbon. The set of conditions that gave the highest separation efficiency while still maintaining symmetrical peak shape was the C 18 column using the H 2 O + 0.3% HCOOH and acetonitrile mobile phase.
Iron status alters the adsorption, uptake, and absorption capacities of rat duodenum for ferrous and ferric iron

We employed an in situ technique to determine the duodenal capacity for adsorption, uptake and absorption of free ferrous and ferric iron in both iron-replete and iron-deficient rats. Uptake and absorption capacities were related to luminal iron concentration by a two-component equation representing the simultaneous functioning of two pathways. One component of the equation was analogous to the Michaelis-Menton equation. This component suggested a saturable pathway for uptake of iron bound to mucin in the intestinal mucous layer. The second component of the equation was analogous to second order kinetics. This component suggested non-saturable uptake, perhaps due to the opening of a mucosal barrier, such as the tight junctions between mucosal cells, to diffusion of unbound iron. Iron deficiency caused an increase in the capacity of the saturable components about 5-fold for uptake and about 8-fold for absorption. This change was qualitatively, but not quantitatively, in agreement with the corresponding 20-fold increase of in vivo absorption in rats maintained as cohorts.