cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Feasibility and acceptability of intensive longitudinal data collection of activity and patient-reported outcomes during chemotherapy for breast cancer

Ecological momentary assessment (EMA) may help us better understand biopsychosocial determinants and outcomes of physical activity during chemotherapy, but may be burdensome for patients. The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility and acceptability of using EMA to assess activity, symptoms, and motivation among early-stage breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. Women were instructed to wear an accelerometer 24/7 (hip during day and wrist overnight). Text message prompts were sent 4 times/day concerning patient-reported symptoms and motivational factors for 10 consecutive days (3 days pre-, day of, and 6 days post-chemotherapy dose). These measures occurred at the beginning, middle, and end of a full course of chemotherapy. At study conclusion, participants reported on perceived study acceptability, burden, and reactivity. Of the 75 women who consented to participate, 63 (84%) completed all 3 assessment time points. Participants responded to 86% of total text prompts and had valid accelerometer data on 82% of study days. Compliance was similar across all time points. The majority (78%) rated their study experience as positive; 100% were confident in their ability to use study technology. Reactivity varied with 27% indicating answering symptom questions did not affect how they felt and 44% and 68% indicated answering questions and wearing the accelerometer, respectively, made them want to increase activity. Findings indicate EMA methods are feasible for breast cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy. EMA may help us better understand the biopsychosocial processes underlying breast cancer patients’ activity in the context of daily life.
Scaled experiments on cavity confined explosions in limestone and poly(methyl methacrylate)

A scaled experiment comprising a laser-driven explosion in a cavity is used to characterize the coupling of mechanical energy into the surrounding solid material. Experiments are performed using poly(methyl methacrylate) and dry Salem limestone as the explosion containment blocks materials, in which are milled scaled spherical cavities of various dimensions. Measurements of the coupled shock, taken with fiber optic probes at the cavity wall, show the critical radius where wall deformation transitions from plastic to elastic deformation. These measurements also provide a diagnostic of the air blast, which is validated against GEODYN simulation code. The measurement of the coupled shock amplitude taken farther from the wall in the linear region indicates increased coupling efficiency in small cavities over the range of scaled cavity radii from 6 to 20 m / kt 1 / 3, a phenomenon not previously observed in experiments. A comparison of results taken in this experiment with a parallel experiment using high explosive (HE) as the source shows that coupled shocks generated with HE are characteristically different with much larger amplitude than those produced by a high energy density laser-driven source with the same yield. This experimental technique potentially provides a rapid and cost-effective method to analyze the consequences of a full-scale, low yield, buried explosion.A scaled experiment comprising a laser-driven explosion in a cavity is used to characterize the coupling of mechanical energy into the surrounding solid material. Experiments are performed using poly(methyl methacrylate) and dry Salem limestone as the explosion containment blocks materials, in which are milled scaled spherical cavities of various dimensions. Measurements of the coupled shock, taken with fiber optic probes at the cavity wall, show the critical radius where wall deformation transitions from plastic to elastic deformation. These measurements also provide a diagnostic of the air blast, which is validated against GEODYN simulation code. The measurement of the coupled shock amplitude taken farther from the wall in the linear region indicates increased coupling efficiency in small cavities over the range of scaled cavity radii from 6 to 20 m / kt 1 / 3, a phenomenon not previously observed in experiments. A comparison of results taken in this experiment with a parallel experiment using hig...
Need for Representation in a Pro Se Case

In State v. Lacey , 431 P.3d 400 (Or. 2018), Mr. Lacey represented himself pro se in his criminal trial. He was warned multiple times that courtroom misconduct could lead to contempt of court and dismissal, thereby leaving his defense table empty. On the fourth day ofhis trial, he was dismissed from
Continued Evidence of the Impact of Rotavirus Vaccine in Children Less Than 3 Years of Age From the United States New Vaccine Surveillance Network: A Multisite Active Surveillance Program, 2006–2016

BACKGROUND Since 2006, the New Vaccine Surveillance Network has conducted active, population-based surveillance for acute gastroenteritis (AGE) hospitalizations and emergency department (ED) visits in 3 United States counties. Trends in the epidemiology and disease burden of rotavirus hospitalizations and ED visits were examined from 2006 to 2016. METHODS Children < 3 years of age hospitalized or visiting the ED with AGE were enrolled from January 2006 through June 2016. Bulk stool specimens were collected and tested for rotavirus. Rotavirus-associated hospitalization and ED visit rates were calculated annually with 2006-2007 defined as the prevaccine period and 2008-2016 as the postvaccine period. Rotavirus genotype trends were compared over time. RESULTS Over 11 seasons, 6954 children with AGE were enrolled and submitted a stool specimen (2187 hospitalized and 4767 in the ED). Comparing pre- and postvaccine periods, the proportion of children with rotavirus dramatically declined for hospitalization (49% vs 10%) and ED visits (49% vs 8%). In the postvaccine era, a biennial pattern of rotavirus rates was observed, with a trend toward an older median age. G1P[8] (63%) was the predominant genotype in the prevaccine period with a significantly lower proportion (7%) in the postvaccine period (P < .001). G2P[4] remained stable (8% to 14%) in both periods, whereas G3P[8] and G12P[8] increased in proportion from pre- to postvaccine periods (1% to 25% and 17% to 40%), respectively. CONCLUSIONS The epidemiology and disease burden of rotavirus has been altered by rotavirus vaccination with a biennial disease pattern, sustained low rates of rotavirus in children < 3 years of age, and a shift in the residual genotypes from G1P[8] to other genotypes.
Smokers’ reports on receiving a doctor’s advice to quit smoking; receiving the advice is more prevalent among smokers with Crohn’s Disease relative to smokers with Ulcerative Colitis

Abstract Receiving a doctor’s advice to quit smoking is an important predictor for improving smokers’ intentions to quit smoking and successful smoking cessation. We examined reports of smokers with Crohn’s Disease (CD) and Ulcerative Colitis (UC) regarding receiving a doctor’s advice to quit smoking in the past 12 months, and evaluated the differences in the rates of receiving the advice between the CD and UC patients. The data were retrospectively reported by CD and UC patients (n = 453) who self-identified as current smokers in online assessments conducted by IBD Partners in the period from 2011 to 2014 in the USA. Statistical methods included chi-square tests and a multiple logistic regression model for the logit of the probability of receiving the advice as a function of patient’s characteristics and assessment year. Overall, about 77% of smokers reported receiving a doctor’s advice to quit smoking. The percentage was significantly (p
Simplifying Measurement of Adenoma Detection Rates for Colonoscopy

Adenoma detection rate (ADR) is the colonoscopy quality metric with the strongest association to interval or “missed” cancer. Accurate measurement of ADR can be laborious and costly. Our aim was to determine if administrative procedure codes for colonoscopy and text searches of pathology results for adenoma mentions could estimate ADR. We identified US Veterans with a colonoscopy using Current Procedure Terminology (CPT) codes between January 2013 and December 2016 at ten Veterans Affairs sites. We applied simple text searches using Microsoft SQL Server full-text searches to query all pathology notes for “adenoma(s)” or “adenomatous” text mentions to calculate ADRs. To validate our identification of colonoscopy procedures, endoscopists of record, and adenoma detection from the electronic health record, we manually reviewed a random sample of 2000 procedure and pathology notes from the 10 sites. Structured data fields were accurate in identification of colonoscopies being performed (PPV = 0.99; 95% CI 0.99–1.00) and identifying the endoscopist of record (PPV of 0.95; 95% CI 0.94–0.96) for ADR measurement. Simple text searches of pathology notes for adenoma mentions had excellent performance statistics as follows: sensitivity 0.99 (95% CI 0.98–1.00), specificity 0.93 (95% CI 0.92–0.95), NPV 0.99 (95% CI 0.98–1.00), and PPV 0.93 (0.91–0.94) for measurement of ADR. There was no clinically significant difference in the estimates of overall ADR vs. screening ADR (p > 0.05). Measuring ADR using administrative codes and text searches from pathology results is an efficient method to broadly survey colonoscopy quality.
A macrophage-targeted platform for extending drug dosing with polymer prodrugs for pulmonary infection prophylaxis.

Pulmonary melioidosis is a bacterial disease with high morbidity and a mortality rate that can be as high as 40% in resource-poor regions of South Asia. This disease burden is linked to the pathogen's intrinsic antibiotic-resistance and protected intracellular localization in alveolar macrophages. Current treatment regimens require several antibiotics with multi-month oral and intravenous administrations that are difficult to implement in the developing world. Herein, we report that a macrophage-targeted polyciprofloxacin prodrug acts as a surprisingly effective pre-exposure prophylactic in highly lethal murine models of aerosolized human pulmonary melioidosis. A single dose of the polymeric prodrug maintained high lung drug levels and targeted an intracellular depot of ciprofloxacin to the alveolar macrophage compartment that was sustained over a period of 7â¯days above minimal inhibitory concentrations. This intracellular pharmacokinetic profile provided complete pre-exposure protection in a BSL-3 model with a drug-resistant, aerosolized clinical isolate of Burkholderia pseudomallei from Thailand. This total protection was achieved despite the bacteria's intrinsic resistance to ciprofloxacin and where an equivalent dose of pulmonary-administered ciprofloxacin was ineffective. For the first time, we demonstrate that targeting the intracellular macrophage compartment with extended antibiotic dosing can achieve pre-exposure prophylaxis in a model of pulmonary melioidosis. This fully synthetic and modular therapeutic platform could be an important therapeutic approach with new or re-purposed antibiotics for melioidosis prevention and treatment, especially as portable inhalation devices in high-risk, resource-poor settings.
Self-reported influenza and influenza-like symptoms in U.S. adults age 18-64 between September 1, 2019 and April 15, 2020.

Abstract Background The Influenza-like Illness Surveillance Network (ILINet) can indicate the presence of novel, widespread community pathogens. Comparing week-to-week reported influenza-like illness percentages may identify the time of year a novel pathogen is introduced. However, changes in health-seeking behavior during the COVID-19 pandemic call in to question the reliability of 2019−2020 ILINet data as a comparison to prior years, potentially rendering this system less reliable as a novel pathogen surveillance tool. Corroboration of trends seen in the 2019−2020 ILINet data lends confidence to the validity of those trends. This study compares predicted versus reported influenza and influenza-like illnesses in vaccinated adults as a surrogate measure of novel pathogen surveillance. Methods An online survey was used to ask US adults their influenza vaccination status, whether they were diagnosed with influenza after vaccination, and whether they experienced an influenza-like illness other than flu. Results Prevalence of self-reported flu diagnosis in adults age 18–64 who received the flu vaccine between September 1, 2019 and April 15, 2020 (n = 3,225) was 5.8 %, while self-reported flu or flu-like illness (without a flu diagnosis) was 17.9 %. Conclusion Flu and flu-like illness in this sample of flu-vaccinated U.S. adults is significantly higher than predicted, consistent with substantially higher ILI’s in 2019−20 compared to ILI’s from 2018−19, suggesting that the ILI values reported during the COVID-19 pandemic may be appropriate for comparison to prior years.
HIV and Concurrent Sexual Partnerships: Modeling the Role of Coital Dilution

Background: The concurrency hypothesis asserts that high prevalence of long-term, overlapping sexual partnerships explains extraordinarily high HIV levels in sub-Saharan Africa. Earlier simulation models show that the network effect of concurrency can increase HIV incidence, but these models do not account for the coital dilution effect (non-primary partnerships have lower coital frequency than primary partnerships). Methods: We modify the model of Eaton et al. (AIDS and Behavior September 2010) to incorporate coital dilution by assigning lower coital frequencies to non-primary partnerships. We parameterize coital dilution based on the empirical work of Morris et al. (PLoS ONE December 2010) and others. Following Eaton et al., we simulate the daily transmission of HIV over 250 years for 10 levels of concurrency. Results: At every level of concurrency, our focal coital-dilution simulation produces epidemic extinction. Our sensitivity analysis shows that this result is quite robust; even modestly lower coital frequencies in non-primary partnerships lead to epidemic extinction.Conclusion: In order to contribute usefully to the investigation of HIV prevalence, simulation models of concurrent partnering and HIV epidemics must incorporate realistic degrees of coital dilution. Doing so dramatically reduces the role that concurrency can play in accelerating the spread of HIV and suggests that concurrency cannot be an important driver of HIV epidemics in sub-Saharan Africa. Alternative explanations for HIV epidemics in sub-Saharan Africa are needed.
Smokers Are More Likely to Smoke More after the COVID-19 California Lockdown Order

To determine if cigarette smoking, electronic cigarette use, and rate of consumption of these products differed before and after a pandemic lockdown order, two convenience samples of adults in Central California were recruited and surveyed before (March 2020) and after (May 2020) COVID-19 lockdown orders were implemented in California (n = 2571). Multivariable logistic and negative binomial regression models tested the association between adults recruited pre- or post-California lockdown and past month cigarette use, past month electronic cigarette use, past month cigarette consumption, and past month e-cigarette consumption among current users, controlling for demographic differences. Adults pre- and post-lockdown had equal odds of using cigarettes during the past month. Cigarette users who responded post-lockdown had higher cigarette consumption rates compared to cigarette users who responded pre-lockdown (IRR = 1.13, 95% CI = 1.15, 1.23). Adults who responded post-lockdown had lower odds of using electronic cigarettes during the past month compared to participants surveyed before the order (OR = 0.66, 95% CI: 0.55, 0.78). Cigarette users may be using more cigarettes during the state mandated lockdown. Possible causes for this increase in cigarette use may include increased stress, the change in workplace smokefree protections coverage, and increased opportunities for smoking or vaping.
Indoloxytriazines as binding molecules for the JAK2 JH2 pseudokinase domain and its V617F variant.

Abstract Small molecules that selectively bind to the pseudokinase JH2 domain over the JH1 kinase domain of JAK2 kinase are sought. Virtual screening led to the purchase of 17 compounds among which 9 were found to bind to V617F JAK2 JH2 with affinities of 40 – 300 μM in a fluorogenic assay. Ten analogues were then purchased yielding 9 additional active compounds. Aminoanilinyltriazine 22 was particularly notable as it shows no detectable binding to JAK2 JH1, and it has a 65-μM dissociation constant Kd with V617F JAK2 JH2. A crystal structure for 22 in complex with wild-type JAK2 JH2 was obtained to elucidate the binding mode. Additional de novo design led to the synthesis of 19 analogues of 22 with the most potent being 33n with Kd values of 2–3 μM for WT and V617F JAK2 JH2, and with 16-fold selectivity relative to binding with WT JAK2 JH1.
Regional Approach to Transitional Justice? Examining the Special Court for Sierra Leone and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission for Liberia

This Article re-conceptualizes the idea of transitional justice mechanisms as varying approaches meant solely to address the legacy of abuse in one nation, and proposes that transitional justice mechanisms can also encompass regional and transnational efforts to respond to mass human rights violations occurring across societies. This Article focuses on the challenges posed by trials and truth seeking mechanisms in conflicts where massive human rights violations have occurred across nations and argues that where these mechanisms have been established without regard to the regional or transnational nature of human rights violations, such mechanisms will encounter problems of coordination including legal primacy, information sharing, and access to detainees. This Article analyzes these critical issues by examining the transitional justice mechanisms in Liberia and Sierra Leone and highlights the challenges posed by the failure to take a regional approach. The Article proposes that adopting a regional approach when designing transitional justice mechanisms in the aftermath of mass atrocity across societies is the best means for achieving long-term peace, stability, and respect for human rights within the affected region.
Diseño estructural óptimo - Una reseña

SUMMARY In this paper a survey of the fundamental basis of the optimum structural design is presented. In the first part of the paper the different existing procedures to solve the problems together with the corresponding literature are cronologically presented. Finally, the fundamental terminology used in an optimum structural design problem. is defined and some of the most popular methods to solve the problem by computer are described.
Laminates: Developments in the Multiscale Analysis of Multifunctional Nanocomposite Materials

Analysis of multiscale nanocomposite materials continues to evolve with new developments in several fronts. Most of the recent advances include theoretical developments in improving the accuracy and efficiency of multiple physics-based mathematical and computational models, and also generation of new defect-free nanomaterial systems for large-scale applications. In this article, the authors discuss some of the recent developments on multiscale mechanical and thermal analysis of nanotube and nanocomposite systems. This article also examines the effect of interfacial thermal characteristics on the overall effective thermal properties of a composite system, using a multiscale computational strategy involving atomistic simulations coupled with mesoscale thermal analysis models. Apart from the various computational models described in this article, several relevant works from literature are also cited to enhance the developed theoretical models discussed in this article. Keywords: multifunctional materials; carbon nanotubes; nanocomposites; molecular dynamics; interfacial thermal resistance
Shape of the Wound: Restorative Justice in Potential Spaces: A Review of "Opening the Black Box: The Charge Is Torture" (Exhibition, Sullivan Galleries, the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, 2012)

Grounded in restorative and transformative justice praxes, this review interprets the exhibition, Opening the Black Box: The Charge is Torture . The unsettled knowledge that emerges from this exhibition is represented in conceptual art objects, which are multidisciplinary proposals for memorials to over 100 cases of confessions violently coerced by Chicago Police officers. First, I discuss this context, the individual proposals on display, and the ways in which the summative exhibition as a work of public pedagogy builds up a powerful, participatory image of individual loss through torture, and resulting violence to the body politic, which affectively emphasizes impermanence and love. Next, drawing on D.W. Winnicott’s notions of transitional object and potential space, I explore the restorative potential of memorials as transitional objects which do more than memorialize the past; they enable potential space and imaginative projection of a curriculum of transformative justice.
Prognosis in children with Crohn's disease

The course of 86 children with Crohn's disease was examined during a 10-year period between 1966 and 1976. Patients were classified according to the initial site of disease. Ileocolitis was the most (52%) and colitis the least (9%) common form of disease with diffuse small bowel or ileal disease each comprising nearly 20% of the study group. These figures show a reversal from those of a previous decade when 42% of the patients had only terminal ileal disease and 17% had ileocolitis. Children with ileocolitis had the highest number of extracolonic manifestations and operations and required steroid therapy the longest. Those with only small bowel disease (with the exception of duodenal involvement) had fewer extraintestinal symptoms and operations and showed a consistently good response to medical treatment.
Spherical torus: An approach to compact fusion at low field. Initial ignition assessments

Initial assessments of ignition devices based on the spherical torus concept1 suggest that an ignition spherical torus (IST) can be highly cost-effective and exceptionally small in unit size. Assum...
Comparison of indirect calorimetry, the Fick method, and prediction equations in estimating the energy requirements of critically ill patients

Background Accurate measurement of resting energy expenditure (REE) is helpful in determining the energy needs of critically ill patients requiring nutritional support. Currently, the most accurate clinical tool used to measure REE is indirect calorimetry, which is expensive, requires trained personnel, and has significant error at higher inspired oxygen concentrations. Objective The purpose of this study was to compare REE measured by indirect calorimetry with REE calculated by using the Fick method and prediction equations by Harris-Benedict, Ireton-Jones, Fusco, and Frankenfield. Design REEs of 36 patients [12 men and 24 women, mean age 58+/-22 y and mean Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score 22+/-8] in a hospital intensive care unit and receiving mechanical ventilation and total parenteral nutrition (TPN) were measured for > or = 15 min by using indirect calorimetry and compared with REEs calculated from a mean of 2 sets of hemodynamic measurements taken during the metabolic testing period with an oximetric pulmonary artery catheter. Results Mean REE by indirect calorimetry was 8381+/-1940 kJ/d and correlated poorly with the other methods tested (r = 0.057-0.154). This correlation did not improve after adjusting for changes in respiratory quotient (r2 = 0.28). Conclusions These data do not support previous findings showing a strong correlation between REE determined by the Fick method and other prediction equations and indirect calorimetry. In critically ill patients receiving TPN, indirect calorimetry, if available, remains the most appropriate clinical tool for accurate measurement of REE.
Direct Electrocardiograms from the Human Heart in Situ. Comparison of Direct Leads with Precordial Leads

The clinical value of multiple precordial leads has been proved abundantly and they are now used routinely in many electrocardiographic laboratories. The experimental background was based upon the correlation of precordial leads with direct leads in dogs. Direct leads from the surface of human hearts have rarely been reported. The present study is presented to add further justification to the use of precordial leads as "semidirect" leads in the human being.
Testing in Models of Asymmetric Information

This paper explores the role of testing in models of asymmetric information. We demonstrate conditions under which testing for underlying characteristics can overcome adverse selection problems and lead to a full-information competitive equilibrium. This paper provides a more general statement of Mirrlees result on the optimal use of infinite fines. Where testing cannot fully resolve the problems associated with asymmetric information, we outline the source of the difficulties. Our results, developed in the context of a labour market, can be directly extended to other environments. In problems with asymmetric information, testing to discover an agent's chosen action or underlying characteristics may significantly reduce the cost of moral hazard and adverse selection.
How Italian was the renaissance

The traditional account of the Renaissance holds that intellectual and artistic influence moved overwhelmingly in one direction—from Italy to the rest of Europe, and especially toward the North. A remarkable exhibition in Bruges, however, has made the case that traffic did not go just one way, at least so far as innovation in painting was concerned, because the vibrant cultural center of the Low Countries had a powerful and significant impact on southern Europe. That this case is made through art is an indication of how important it is to bring different disciplines to bear on our understanding of the past.
Broadband analog to digital conversion with spatial-spectral holography

A new approach to broadband photonic-assisted analog-to-digital converter (ADC) technology is proposed and analyzed. The core of the device is a spatial spectral holographic (SSH) material, which can directly record the signals of interest in the frequency domain. An SSH-ADC acts as a frequency-domain stretch processor, which leverages the high performance of conventional ADCs by converting high bandwidth input signals to low bandwidth output signals without loss of information. Analysis of a 10 GHz bandwidth SSH-ADC predicts that 10-bit performance can be achieved with currently available materials and components. SSH-ADC technology is scalable to bandwidths over 100 GHz with recently developed SSH materials. While the SSH-ADC is a transient digitizer, the spatial parallelism of SSH materials can be utilized to enable continuous digitization.
Cancer chemotherapy: new strategies for success.

use of methotrexate to treat patients with choriocarcinoma demonstrated the important principle, in humans, that systemic chemotherapy could be used to destroy the neoplasm yet spare the patient (1). With the development ofnew chemotherapeutic agents, new strategies for their administration and combination, and more effective approaches to supportive care, it has become possible to cure patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL),' Hodgkin's disease, diffuse histiocytic lymphoma, Burkitt's lymphoma, testicular cancer, Wilms' tumor, embryonal rhabdomyosarcoma, and Ewing's sarcoma (2, 3). Chemotherapy can also be used to achieve significant tumor regression and improve survival in patients with breast, gastric, prostatic, ovarian, and small cell lung cancers as well as for those with acute and chronic myelogenous leukemia and soft tissue sarcomas (2, 3).
Comparative Policy Brief: Status of Intellectual Disabilities in the Republic of Cuba

It is estimated that 3.2% of Cuba's population of 11.4 million persons has a severe disability of some kind. Recent economic difficulties have, it may be assumed, had a negative impact on health service provision - which is free to all - and thus, on population health outcomes and nutritional levels. There is a traditional culture of family care for children and adults with intellectual disabilities (IDs), although it is apparent that unfounded beliefs about the etiology of disabling conditions as well as social stigma persist. The Constitution indicates that it is necessary to provide education for children with intellectual and other disabilities in primary schools, while other ministerial resolutions create special schools. ID is construed chiefly as a social problem. Children with IDs are the responsibility of the Minister of Education; it is possible that children with severe levels of disability may not attend school and rely on family support. For adults, rehabilitation includes physiotherapy and other services such as "defectology"; strategies for adults who are evaluated include both segregated and institutional elements. The author suggests that two key issues are related to policy and practice in Cuba. One is the minimal content on special education in teacher preparation programs, and the other, that despite a cultural tradition of family care, family involvement in special education, or in rehabilitative services, remains limited. BACKGROUND
Recovery of visual function in patients with biopsy-proven giant cell arteritis.

Abstract Objective To assess the visual function of patients with giant cell arteritis (GCA) who had visual loss from either anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (AION) or central retinal artery occlusion and had a subsequent improvement in visual acuity after treatment with corticosteroids. Design Retrospective, observational case series. Participants Thirty-two consecutive patients with biopsy-proven GCA treated at one institution between January 1992 and December 1997. Intervention Treatment with intravenous methylprednisolone 250 mg every 6 hours for 3 days, followed by oral prednisone 1 mg/kg daily for at least 4 weeks duration. Main outcome measures The number of patients with an improvement in visual acuity after treatment with intravenous methylprednisolone; neuro-ophthalmic evaluation, including visual acuity, funduscopy, and visual field examination of these patients. Results Improvement in visual acuity occurred in 5 of 39 eyes (13%) with visual loss from biopsy-proven GCA, and all 5 patients had AION. Despite the improvement of visual acuity in these 5 patients, perimetry revealed marked constriction of the visual field in each affected eye. Conclusions The prognosis for visual improvement in GCA is poor. Although an improvement in visual acuity occurred in 5 of our patients, marked constriction of the visual field was present in all of them.
A study comparing precision of the maximum multipoint heterogeneity LOD statistic to three model-free multipoint linkage methods.

This study compared the performance of the maximum lod (MLOD), maximum heterogeneity lod (MHLOD), maximum non-parametric linkage score (MNPL), maximum Kong and Cox linear extension (MKClin) of NPL, and maximum Kong and Cox exponential extension (MKCexp) of NPL as calculated in Genehunter 1.2 and Genehunter-Plus. Our performance measure was the distance between the marker with maximum value for each linkage statistic and the trait locus. We performed a simulation study considering: 1) four modes of transmission, 2) 100 replicates for each model, 3) 58 pedigrees (with 592 subjects) per replicate, 4) three linked marker loci each having three equally frequent alleles, and 5) either 0% unlinked families (linkage homogeneity) or 50% unlinked families (linkage heterogeneity). For each replicate, we obtained the Haldane map position of the location at which each of the five statistics is maximized. The MLOD and MHLOD were obtained by maximizing over penetrances, phenocopy rate, and risk-allele frequencies. For the models simulated, MHLOD appeared to be the best statistic both in terms of identifying a marker locus having the smallest mean distance from the trait locus and in terms of the strongest negative correlation between maximum linkage statistic and distance of the identified position and the trait locus. The marker loci with maximum value of the Kong and Cox extensions of the NPL statistic also were closer to the trait locus than the marker locus with maximum value of the NPL statistic. Genet. Epidemiol. 21:315–325, 2001. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Some nonlinear analytic aspects of VLSI semiconductor device modeling

This paper discusses some special features of VLSI semiconductor devices due to the nonlinearity of the partial differential equations defining the electric potential and the density of holes and electrons flowing within the device. Currently, solutions for these nonlinear partial differential equations are computed with great speed on very large modern computers. However, a theoretical analytical treatment of these systems has not been systematically carried through. It is hoped that this analytical study may shed some light on some aspects of VLSI device operation that, until now, have required ingenious physical intuition and arguments for their understanding. In particular, the analytic approach has the potential to consider the following problems of importance in VLSI semiconductor devices: 1) arbitrarily shaped devices, 2) high space dimensional effects (especially those with curved boundaries), 3) nonuniqueness of solutions, 4) bifurcation phenomena, 5) instabilities and parameter dependence, and 6) latch up phenomena and high bias effects. I personally, believe there is much to be gained from an interplay between the impressive numerical simulation already attained and an analytic consideration of the equations themselves. Typical questions are (for example) (i) Electronic Instabilities. How do these arise from the boundary value problems themselves? What are the mathematical mechanisms involved? (ii) Structural Problems. Do the equations themselves have special structures that may aid the numerical simulation of their solutions? Another key point here is that the partial differential equation systems for semiconductors are another nonlinear generalization of Maxwell's equations of electromagnetism. As semiconductor devices become smaller, there is, of course, a greater need to rely on theoretical analysis. The immense success of Maxwell's mathematical electromagnetic theory and his own statistical mechanics ideas (here fused together) gives one confidence of the ultimate validity of the partial differential equation approach. In this article we shall limit ourselves to a discussion of the standard Van Roosbroeck equations (assuming the validity of the Einstein relations and Boltzmann statistics) and to questions of steady-state processes (i.e., time-independent problems). We hope to address other aspects in latter publications.
Response to criticisms of Smith et al.

The various criticisms of our test of the linear no-threshold theory of radiation carcinogenesis in the paper by Smith et al. are considered and shown to be invalid. It is shown that there is no significant difference between the BEIR IV formula and the formula we use, that the uncertainties in effective average radon exposures in U.S. counties due to the issues they raise are not very large and that even if they were implausibly large, the results of our study would not be much affected. I review the seven essentially independent methods we used to estimate smoking prevalence, all of which give the same results but most of which, including the most important, were ignored by Smith et al.; explaining our results by uncertainties in smoking data would require correlations between radon and smoking that are grossly implausible. Our use of measurements of radon, smoking, and lung cancer rates from different time periods is justified, and it is shown that if more recent lung cancer rates are used, the results are not changed. Problems in comparing Iowa data with our study are discussed. It is shown that many of their criticisms of our study are more applicable to the case-control and cohort studies that they endorse. Many of their conclusions are presented without valid supporting evidence. A simple procedure is suggested that can easily settle any questions about the validity of our study; with this procedure, I offer to show that any other published ecological study might give invalid results. The point here is that our study is very different from all other published ecological studies.
A SOCIOLOGICAL STUDY OF CZECHOSLOVAK BRIGADES OF SOCIALIST LABOUR IN AGRICULTURE

Summary Czechoslovak Brigades of Socialist Labour in Agriculture The authors report about an investigation concerning the advanced form of working collectives in agricultural co-operatives in Czechoslovakia, called Brigades of Socialist Labour. They explain their character, orientation and role in the changes of the society. It appears that the development of such Brigades meets in agriculture greater difficulties than in industry. They propose a research scheme concerning working collectives in agriculture from a sociological point of view. Resume Les Brigades Tchecoslovaques De Travail Socialiste En Agriculture Les auteurs exposent les resultats d'une enquete ayant pour objet les formes poussees de collectivite du travail dans les cooperatives agricoles tchecoslovaques appelees Brigades de travail socialiste. Ils expliquent le caractere, l'orientation et le role de ces brigades dans les transformations de la Societe. Il apparait que le developpement de telles brigades rencontre, en agriculture, de plus grandes difficultes, que dans l'industrie. Les auteurs proposent un schema de recherches concernant les aspects sociologiques des collectivites de travail en agriculture. Zusammenfassung Sozialistische Arbeitsbrigaden in Der Landwirtschaft Der Tschechoslowakei Die Autoren berichten uber eine Untersuchung, die sich mit der fortgeschrittenen Form von Arbeitskollektiven, sog. sozialistischen Arbeitsbrigaden, in landwirtschaftlichen Genossenschaften der Tschechoslowakei befasst. Wesen, Standort und Rolle dieser Arbeitsbrigaden leiten sie aus den Veranderungen der Gesellschaft ab. Ihre Entwicklung scheint in der Landwirtschaft auf grossere Schwierigkeiten zu stossen als in der Industrie. Es wird ein Plan zu einer Untersuchung der landwirtschaftlichen Arbeitskollektive aus soziologischer Sicht vorgelegt.
Electrical conductivities and Li ion concentration-dependent diffusivities, in polyurethane polymers doped with lithium trifluoromethanesulfonimide (LiTFSI) or lithium perchlorate (LiClO4)

Abstract Electrical, thermal and Li transport properties have been measured for polyester polyol and isocyanate-based polyurethanes doped with lithium trifluoromethanesulfonimide (LiTFSI) and lithium perchlorate (LiClO 4 ). Electrical conductivities are estimated at 10 −5 –10 −6 S/cm near 300 K. The conductivities show a Vogel–Tammann–Fulcher (VTF) behavior over wide temperature ranges, characteristic of segmental polymer chain motions, and are approximately an order of magnitude larger for LiTFSI-doped than for perchlorate-doped samples. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) shows that T g does not significantly depend on doping type or concentration. Room-temperature 7 Li diffusivities, measured by pulsed gradient NMR, show an unexpected strong, linear increase with LiTFSI doping, but only a weak increase with LiClO 4 content. These findings may indicate substantial Li clustering in the LiTFSI-doped polymers, but may also reflect the effects of doping upon interface conduction between hard and soft polymer domains. Charge carrier densities estimated from the Nernst–Einstein relation, using measured NMR diffusivity values and ionic conductivities, range from approximately 8% to 29% of total Li densities for LiTFSI, indicating that a significant fraction of Li is involved in room-temperature ionic conduction in this material. For LiCLO 4 the carrier fraction is smaller, implying that Li is more tightly bound to its anion site.
The neutral carbohydrates of ammoniated rubber latex.

Abstract The neutral, water-soluble constituents of ammoniated rubber latex have been fractionated by chromatography on coconut charcoal. The principal compounds have been identified as 1- O -methyl- l -inositol (quebrachitol), l -inositol, myo -inositol, 1- O -α- d -galactopyranosyl- d - myo -inositol (galactinol), O -α- d -galactopyranosyl-(1 → 6)- O -β- d -galactopyranosyl-(1 → 1)- d -glyceritol (digalactosylglyceritol), and raffinose.
Response of desert pavement to seismic shaking, Hector Mine earthquake, California, 1999

[1] The October 1999 Mw 7.1 Hector Mine earthquake in the Mojave Desert, California, generated characteristic surface disturbances on nearby desert pavements. These disturbances included (1) zones of wholesale gravel displacement interspersed with zones of intact pavement, (2) displaced and rotated cobbles, (3) moats around loosened, embedded boulders, (4) filling of abandoned cobble sockets, boulder moats, and other depressions with gravel, and (5) formation of narrow, subparallel, linear strips of exposed fine-grained subpavement matrix (matrix lineations). Clasts displaced from matrix lineations and from cobble sockets tended to move downslope. Sharp boundaries of matrix lineations and slope-controlled displacement directions on slopes of only a few degrees indicated that clasts remained close to the pavement surface during shaking. The regular, few decimeter spacing of matrix lineations suggests the presence of standing waves during seismic shaking. Boulder moats probably have good preservation potential and, at some desert pavement locations, might provide information on paleoseismic shaking. Although readily produced by coseismic shaking, displaced cobbles are unreliable indicators of past earthquake activity because of potential multiple origins. For an assumed earthquake recurrence interval of 10 ka, seismically driven sediment fluxes similar to those generated by the Hector Mine earthquake at the Lavic Siding pavement study site may be marginally competitive with aseismic smoothing mechanisms driven by bioturbation, rainbeat, and wash. For a 1 ka recurrence interval, seismic smoothing is likely to play a significant role in pavement evolution.
Successful Management of Refractory Intracranial Hypertension from Acute Hyperammonemic Encephalopathy in a Woman with Ornithine Transcarbamylase Deficiency

Ornithine transcarbamylase deficiency (OTCD) is the most common of the urea cycle disorders and results in an accumulation of ammonia and its metabolites. Excess ammonia in the brain is metabolized to glutamine, which increases intracellular osmolarity and contributes to cytotoxic edema. We report a case of a woman heterozygous for OTCD who developed acute hyperammonemic encephalopathy and increased intracranial pressure (ICP). Despite hemodialysis, protein restriction, and administration of pharmacologic nitrogen scavengers, she developed progressive cerebral edema and increased ICP that was refractory to maximal medical management. She underwent a bifrontal decompressive craniectomy resulting in resolution of her intracranial hypertension. Aggressive multimodality management of the patient coupled with bifrontal decompressive hemicraniectomy was a life-saving measure, offering the patient a reasonable outcome. At 6 month follow-up she had moderate disability on the Glasgow Outcome Score associated with cognitive difficulties.
Abnormal Somatosensory Evoked Potentials in Patients With Classic Galactosemia: Correlation With Neurologic Outcome

In classic galactosemia, long-term neurologic sequelae can include low cognitive functioning and a curious neurologic syndrome with tremors, dysmetria, and ataxia. An abnormal white-matter signal on cerebral magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is present in almost all patients; some have mild cerebral or cerebellar atrophy and focal white-matter lesions. The present study was undertaken to assess the integrity of myelinated pathways by recording somatosensory evoked potentials. Results were correlated with age at diagnosis, severity of illness, age at evoked potentials, neurologic examination, MRI studies and cognitive outcome as measured by the Woodcock-Johnson Revised Standard Cognitive Battery. Evoked potentials were abnormal in 17 (28%) of 60 patients who had median nerve, and 26 (77%) of 34 patients who had posterior tibial nerve studies. Abnormalities of the central rather than the peripheral nervous system were most common. Evoked potentials correlated with severity of presenting symptoms (P = .011), ...
Photosynthetic variation and carbon isotope discrimination in invasive wetland grasses in response to flooding

Abstract Ecological success is dependent on physiological tolerance to abiotic stress. This is particularly meaningful when considering the success of invasive plants in wetland systems. In this study, physiological flooding tolerance was measured in invasive Phragmites australis , Phalaris arundinacea , Sorghum halepense , and native Spartina pectinata . Plants were maintained at deep flooding, medium flooding, low flooding, and dry conditions in a greenhouse, and their responses were measured at 7 and 28 days of treatment. Photosynthetic rates in Sorghum were maximized at deep flooding conditions at 7 days, but at 28 days all deep and medium flooded Sorghum were dead or dying. Photosynthesis in Phragmites and Spartina were saturated at deep flooding conditions whereas photosynthesis was saturated in Phalaris under medium flooding at 28 days. Increased flooding caused higher stomatal conductance and lower δ 13 C in Phragmites , but the opposite occurred in Phalaris . As flooding increased for Sorghum and Spartina , δ 13 C remained unchanged. Activities of the anaerobic respiration enzyme alcohol dehydrogenase in roots suggested invasive Phragmites was the most tolerant of flooding. Spartina was the next most flood tolerant of the four species, slightly less tolerant compared to Phragmites . Phalaris was moderately flood tolerant and Sorghum was flood sensitive. Invasion of grasses in wetlands might be helped by increased photosynthesis in short-term flooding.
Age-related differences in the frequency of personality disorders among inpatient veterans.

This cross-sectional study explored age-related differences in the frequency of diagnosis of personality disorder (PD) among 790 veterans admitted to a psychiatric inpatient unit across three age groups: 20-39, 40-59, and 60+. Older adults obtained a lower frequency (55.4%) of PD diagnosis than middle-aged adults (69.0%), who in turn obtained a lower frequency of PD diagnosis than young adults (75.9%). Older adults and middle-aged adults were less likely to receive a diagnosis of Borderline PD than young adults. Older adults were also less likely to receive a diagnosis of Mixed PD than young adults, but received significantly more diagnoses of Narcissistic PD than young adults. Patients diagnosed with PD had higher rates of psychiatric hospitalization than those with no diagnosis of PD. Older adults and middle-aged adults with PD had significantly fewer psychiatric hospitalizations than young adults with PD, whereas there were no age-related differences in the frequency of medical hospitalizations. These findings are consistent with research suggesting an overall softening of PD features with age, particularly those characteristic of the 'dramatic-erratic', Cluster B types.