cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
SU‐E‐T‐186: Treatment Planning Dose Accuracy of Whole Breast Irradiation Using Field‐In‐Field Technique

Purpose: To evaluate the planned dose accuracy of whole breast irradiation using field‐in‐field technique by comparing with 2D array detector measurements and Monte Carlo simulations. Methods: The ion chamber based Octavius 2D‐array detector (PTW, Freiburg, Germany) was used to measure the absolute dose and dose distributions of tangential field‐in‐field breast irradiation. A commercially available treatment planning system (Eclipse V10.0, Varian, Palo Alto CA USA) was used to calculate the absolute dose and dose distributions. Phantom geometry was simplified for the measurements and for Monte Carlo simulations, but its size and shape were similar to typical breast. The dose accuracy of the treatment planning system was evaluated and the desirable points for monitor unit calculation were recommended based on the results of the study. Results: The discrepancy between measured and planned dose distribution depended on the location of the monitor unit calculation point. The differences were larger when monitor unit calculation point was closer to the irradiated edges of phantom. The doses calculated by the treatment planning system near the center of the irradiated field were about 2% higher than measured doses. There was good agreement between the measured doses and those predicted by Monte Carlo methods. Conclusion: Because of inadequate treatment of scatter in the irradiation of breast with tangential ports, the dose predictions by a treatment planning system do not always agree with the actual measurements. The treatment planning algorithm evaluated in this study over‐compensates for the loss of scatter in tangential ports glancing the sloping surface of a typical breast. The choice of the prescription point can have significant effect on the dose prediction and the actual dose delivered. Keeping the prescription point away from the field edges will help improve the agreement between the calculated and measured dose.
Constructing a Democratic Iraq: Challenges and Opportunities

States and its allies have toppled Saddam Hussein’s regime, the knotty question of Iraq’s future government is rising to the fore. Although the Bush administration, nongovernmental organization ofacials, and exiled Iraqis disagree on interim measures for governing Iraq, there is a surprising consensus on the eventual nature of Iraq’s government: Almost all parties believe that Iraq must have a democratic, and highly federal, government.1 President George W. Bush declared that “all Iraqis must have a voice in the new government, and all citizens must have their rights protected.”2 Zalmay Khalilzad, who was the special presidential envoy and ambassador at large for Free Iraqis, called for “a broad-based representative and democratic government” in a post-Saddam Iraq.3 Indeed the Bush administration’s vision for democracy extends beyond Iraq. Richard Perle, an inouential strategist with close ties to the administration, Constructing a Democratic Iraq
Collaboration: Paradigm of the Digital Cultural Content Environment.

ABSTRACT Government grant-funding agencies have spawned an explosion of images from historical collections on the Internet. They have encouraged collaborative projects in which institutions share resources for capital-intensive digitization projects. These Web “exhibits” are neither publications nor exhibits in the traditional sense, most often without identified authors, curators, designers, or sources. Reviews in journal literature are one mechanism for accountability, but not all humanities journals offer exhibit reviews. In those that do, the space allocated in history and archival studies journals reveals the relative importance they place on peer review of these exhibits, compared with that for book reviews. The type of analysis in these reviews is nearly always strictly textual and does not address the interplay of text, image, and design in Web exhibits. The lack of historical context for visual sources in digital media is of concern for those in the archival, art history, and other cultural studi...
Existence of multiple normal mode trajectories on convex energy surfaces of even, classical Hamiltonian systems

Hamiltonian systems of n degrees of freedom for which the Hamiltonian is a function that is even both in its joint n coordinate variables as well as in its joint n momentum variables are discussed. For such systems the number of distinct trajectories which correspond to particular periodic solutions (normal modes) with the same energy, is investigated. To that end a constrained dual action principle is introduced. Applying min-max methods to this variational problem, several results are obtained, among which the existence of at least n distinct trajectories if specific conditions are satisfied.
Link allocation, routing, and scheduling for hybrid FSO/RF wireless mesh networks

A hybrid free space optics/radio frequency (FSO/RF) technology has recently been proposed as a means of significantly increasing the throughput and reliability of wireless mesh networks (WMNs) for broadband communication. Current network control approaches assume quasi-static communication channels and use the simple protocol model to handle RF network interference. Depending on the application, these assumptions may not be sufficient for optimizing hybrid FSO/RF networks. In this paper, we present network control algorithms based on both nonfading and fading communication channels using the physical interference model for the RF portion of the network. We study the throughput improvement achievable by augmenting the RF WMN with FSO links. We address two questions: given a fixed number of FSO links, where should they be installed to maximize the throughput for given traffic demands, and how should the traffic be routed and scheduled in the hybrid FSO/RF network to achieve this throughput? We formulate these problems as one mixed integer linear program and provide a computationally efficient heuristic for scheduling and routing traffic demands through the hybrid FSO/RF network. The results show that the throughput of the original RF network can be increased dramatically by properly adding FSO links.
Extended care referral after hospital discharge

The purpose of this study was to describe the influence of selected organizational and medical factors on communication between hospitals and extended care facilities (ECF) in the referral of elderly clients following discharge from acute care. Using a tool with previously established reliability and validity, 455 closed records of referral were purposively selected and reviewed for the amount and type of information an ECF received upon referral, as well as selected organizational and medical factors. Hospitals transferred approximately three-fourths of the patient care data recommended in the literature. Information contained in an ECF referral consisted primarily of background and medical data, with some nursing care data and limited psychosocial data. More information-rich referrals were generated by very large hospitals and by specialty care units. Similarly, proprietary ECFs received more patient care data than their not-for-profit counterparts. Research concerning patient care communication between provider organizations across the health care delivery system may assist nurses in developing better patient care information-management systems.
Pfc neurons reflect categorical decisions about ambiguous stimuli

We examined whether PFC neuron activity reflects categorical decisions in monkeys categorizing ambiguous stimuli. A morphing system was used to systematically vary stimulus shape and precisely define category boundaries. Ambiguous stimuli were centered on a category boundary, that is, they were a mix of 50% of two prototypes and therefore had no category information, so monkeys guessed at their category membership. We found that the monkeys' trial-by-trial decision about the category membership of an ambiguous image was reflected in PFC activity. Activity to the same ambiguous image differed significantly, depending on which category the monkey had assigned it to. This effect only occurred when that scheme was behaviorally relevant. These indicate that PFC activity reflects categorical decisions.
Neurocysticercosis: A major cause of neurological disease worldwide

Neurocysticercosis, which is caused by infestation of the human CNS with the tissue cysts of Taenia solium, is arguably the most common parasitic disease of the human nervous system. While most of the details of the parasite's life cycle were known by the nineteenth century and most of the clinical manifestations of T. solium infection had been identified by the mid-twentieth century, concepts regarding the prevalence of infection, associated morbidity and mortality, treatment, and epidemiology have changed dramatically over the past 10 years. The increased ease of international travel, the increasing numbers of immigrants from developing countries, and the widespread use of improved diagnostic techniques have led to widespread recognition of neurocysticercosis as a common infection not only in developing countries but also in the United States. Large case series have been reported in the southwestern United States and other areas with large immigrant populations from Latin America [2-7]. Since neurocysticercosis is not a reportable disease, the total number of cases diagnosed in the United States is not known but is estimated at >1,000 new cases each year [2], and this number appears to be increasing. While most of these cases occur in patients infected in developing countries, the number of locally acquired infections is also increasing. The ancient Greeks recognized that intestinal tapeworms were associated with ingestion of meat. They referred to the "hailstones" in meat as cysticerci, meaning bladder-tails. During the nineteenth century, Leuckart identified the complete life cycle of T. solium and noted that human cysticercosis resulted from ingestion of parasite eggs shed by tapeworm carriers. Neurocysticercosis was a frequent finding in autopsy series reported from Europe in the nineteenth century. Studies
What Does Teacher Education Have to Do With Teaching? Implications for Diversity Studies

Several concepts that are important for inclusion in any teacher education curriculum regarding diversity studies are elucidated in this article. The framing question of the discussion is: What are some relevant conceptions regarding issues of diversity that every teacher education program should consider including in its curriculum? The author outlines important concepts that contribute to what he calls teachers’ conceptual repertoires of diversity. The concepts are: color-blindness, cultural conflict, meritocracy, deficit conceptions, and expectations. The idea is that when teachers enter teacher education, their conceptions—their mindset, thinking, belief systems, attitudes, and overall understanding of the teaching and learning exchange—need to be addressed because these conceptions shape their curricula and instructional practices with P-12 students. The author is not suggesting that the five conceptual repertoires of diversity presented in this article are exhaustive; based on research, the list rep...
An ion-drag air mass-flow sensor for automotive applications

An air-flow meter, developed primarily for the measurement of air intake into an internal combustion engine, is described. The well-known process of corona ion deflection in a gas flow together with proper electrode geometry and a detection scheme provides the conceptual basis for a humidity-insensitive ionic air-flow sensor. Output characteristics of the sensor, such as response time and range of operation, are discussed and compared to those of a production hot-wire meter of the type that is currently used with electronic fuel injection systems. Unlike the hot-wire transducer, the proposed sensor is shown to allow for bidirectional measurement of the air flow. The transient response time of the ionic sensor is shorter than that of the hot-wire transducer. >
Terrorism and tourism: Bahamas and Jamaica fight back

This study highlights the fragility of the tourism industry in developing countries. The overdependence of the Bahamas on the tourism industry, for economic development, is brought into focus here. The adroit efforts of the directors of tourism for both the Bahamas and Jamaica are highlighted. Both governments saw the need to immediately fund a revised marketing and advertising campaign, in the aftermath of 9/11. An important factor in the recovery of both destinations is the extent to which a coalition of public and private sector tourism stakeholders in both countries committed themselves to resolving the crisis quickly at hand. The commitment of the public and private sector in these countries, to safeguarding and promoting this industry probably positively correlated to the importance of the industry to the economy of the countries, as evidenced by tourism’s contribution to their GDP.
The Moral Voter Hypothesis: Economic and Normative Aspects of Public Policy and Law within Democracies

This paper develops a model of self-interested norm-driven behavior and uses it to analyze public policy formation within a democracy. If voters are concerned with broad normative issues, politicians will take policy positions in part to advance voter interests in "virtue" or "the public interest" as voters assess it. Consequently, many of the laws adopted within a democracy will advance private normative agendas as understood by pivotal members of the electorate. In this sense, a "public interest" interpretation of at least some government policies is entirely consistent with a rational-choice-based analysis of decision making within a democracy. Many of the positive predictions of the moral voter hypothesis differ from those of narrow self-interested models of policy formation. For example, the model predicts that laws regulating conventional externalities will be more stringent (or less stringent) than can be justified by ordinary economic considerations whenever such laws affect behavior that is relevant for widely held normative theories. Criminal sentences for some crimes in the United States are consistent with the model's implications.
Aircraft intra-vehicular channel characterization in the 5 GHz band

Use of wireless communications is expected to extend into the within-aircraft domain in the near future. For effective and efficient communication, some knowledge of wireless channel's characteristics is required. This paper presents wideband channel characterization results for aircraft intra-vehicular wireless communication in the 5 GHz band. In order to obtain quantitative knowledge of such channels, we recently took channel measurements in four aircraft. These 50- MHz bandwidth measurements, in the 5 GHz band, enabled us to quantify delay dispersion and frequency coherence. For the four aircraft, which range from medium to small-sized planes, mean root-mean-square values of delay spread range from a few to approximately 45 ns, with corresponding correlation bandwidths of 13 MHz to 24 MHz. The power delay profiles we measured enabled us to develop statistical models for the within-aircraft channel, and we provide models for 50 MHz channel bandwidth. These models should be of use to designers of within-aircraft wireless systems.
Tolerance without toxicity? α1-antitrypsin as a novel alternative to immunosuppression.

. Over the next 50 years, an overwhelming preponderance of pub-lished literature has focused on what goes wrong when AAT levels are low as a function of faulty production due to a variety of genetic mutations – that is, faulty protease inhibitor activity – and the beneficial impact of replacement therapy. However, in recent years, a new paradigm has emerged implicating AAT as a poten -tial key player in immuno regulation across multiple settings, including transplant tol -erance, graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) and autoimmunity. Several expertly writ-ten and outstanding reviews have recently been published
The indolent nature of pulmonary metastases from ductal adenocarcinoma of the pancreas.

Background and Objectives The natural history of pulmonary metastases from pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is not well studied. Limited evidence suggests patients with isolated pulmonary metastases from PDAC follow a more benign clinical course than those with other sites of metastases.
Active Perceptual Similarity Modeling with Auxiliary Information

Learning a model of perceptual similarity from a collection of objects is a fundamental task in machine learning underlying numerous applications. A common way to learn such a model is from relative comparisons in the form of triplets: responses to queries of the form "Is object a more similar to b than it is to c?". If no consideration is made in the determination of which queries to ask, existing similarity learning methods can require a prohibitively large number of responses. In this work, we consider the problem of actively learning from triplets -finding which queries are most useful for learning. Different from previous active triplet learning approaches, we incorporate auxiliary information into our similarity model and introduce an active learning scheme to find queries that are informative for quickly learning both the relevant aspects of auxiliary data and the directly-learned similarity components. Compared to prior approaches, we show that we can learn just as effectively with much fewer queries. For evaluation, we introduce a new dataset of exhaustive triplet comparisons obtained from humans and demonstrate improved performance for different types of auxiliary information.
Rapid modulation of spine morphology by the 5-HT2A serotonin receptor through kalirin-7 signaling

The 5-HT2A serotonin receptor is the most abundant serotonin receptor subtype in the cortex and is predominantly expressed in pyramidal neurons. The 5-HT2A receptor is a target of several hallucinogens, antipsychotics, anxiolytics, and antidepressants, and it has been associated with several psychiatric disorders, conditions that are also associated with aberrations in dendritic spine morphogenesis. However, the role of 5-HT2A receptors in regulating dendritic spine morphogenesis in cortical neurons is unknown. Here we show that the 5-HT2A receptor is present in a subset of spines, in addition to dendritic shafts. It colocalizes with PSD-95 and with multiple PDZ protein-1 (MUPP1) in a subset of dendritic spines of rat cortical pyramidal neurons. MUPP1 is enriched in postsynaptic density (PSD) fractions, is targeted to spines in pyramidal neurons, and enhances the localization of 5-HT2A receptors to the cell periphery. 5-HT2A receptor activation by the 5-HT2 receptor agonist DOI induced a transient increase in dendritic spine size, as well as phosphorylation of p21-activated kinase (PAK) in cultured cortical neurons. PAK is a downstream target of the neuronal Rac guanine nucleotide exchange factor (RacGEF) kalirin-7 that is important for spine remodeling. Kalirin-7 regulates dendritic spine morphogenesis in neurons but its role in neuromodulator signaling has not been investigated. We show that peptide interference that prevents the localization of kalirin-7 to the postsynaptic density disrupts DOI-induced PAK phosphorylation and spine morphogenesis. These results suggest a potential role for serotonin signaling in modulating spine morphology and kalirin-7's function at cortical synapses.
Transmitter equalization for multipath interference cancellation in impulse radio ultra-wideband(IR-UWB) transceivers

This paper presents a novel CMOS 2-tap equalizer for combating multipath interference in impulse radio, ultra-wideband (IR-UWB) transceiver systems. The equalizer is composed of pulse width control, pulse tap delay control, pulse sign inversion, and current mode logic (CML) summation for data transmission. SpectreRF post-layout simulation in a 90-nm CMOS technology shows that the transceiver operates up to a 2Gbps data rate by removing the 1st and 2nd multipath reflections, illustrating significant signal-to-noise (SNR) improvement when compared with a conventional transmitter.
Development and characterization of insect cell lines

With the wide availability of insect cell culture media, it can generally be considered a routine process to develop new cell lines. Exceptions to this statement do exist, of course. Difficulties may arise when attempting to culture a specific cell type. For example, while there are a few cell lines from insect fat body and at least one from the midgut, it may not be possible to obtain cell lines from these tissues from all insect species due to terminal differentiation and other factors. Also, researchers have desired cell lines from certain species, such as the honey bee, for which no success has been obtained. As in the early days of tissue culture, it is difficult to discern why negative results occur. However, as more is learned about the physiology and nutrition of various insects and tissues, we may get clues which will help solve these questions. The remaining chapters in this book will provide the reader with exciting uses for insect cell culture. As I mentioned earlier, the baculovirus expression vector system has provided a stimulus to the field of insect cell culture not seen previously.
Fragmentation in cationic olefin oligomerization

The dominant products from the polymerization of butene-2 in CH2Cl2 at −25°C with BF3CH3OH as catalyst are C10, C12, and C14 olefins. Formed in lesser amounts are C9 and C13 olefins but C5–7 and C11 olefins have not been detected. The few products so far identified retain the basic butene-2 structure suggesting that the anomalous products may not be formed in a typical carbonium-ion-type rearrangement reaction but perhaps arise in a fission process associated with the propagation and/or transfer steps in the polymerization. With propylene as monomer the normal oligomers are by far the most important products, but all fission products can be detected.
Variability of motoneuron activation and the modulation of force production in a postural reflex of the hermit crab abdomen

The tri-phasic reflex in hermit crab (Pagurus pollicarus) abdomen is triggered by local mechanoreceptors and is essential for postural control. The reflex consists of three stereotypical phases: a brief, high-frequency burst, a transient cessation of firing, and a late-discharge that is much lower in frequency than the initial burst. To better understand the reflex generation of force, variability of motoneuron discharge in each of five parameters of reflex activation was assessed. An intracellular current injection routine was used to correlate each of these parameters with force production. Phase 3 motoneuron firing frequency showed the greatest correlation with force production. Phase 3 spike rate increased as a function of phase 2 duration, but the relationship between phase 2 duration and force produced by the reflex was weak. Junction potential amplitude decreased as phase 2 duration increased, and we hypothesize that this trend counteracts the increased phase 3 frequency, explaining the weak relationship of phase 2 duration and force production. Surprisingly, when phase 3 frequency was held constant and phase 2 was increased in duration, the concurrent decrease in junction potential amplitude did not reduce force production.
Postwar propaganda as public relations: British containment of militant nationalism in Nigeria, 1945—60:

This article studies postwar propaganda as an instrument of British containment of militant nationalism in Nigeria, 1945—60. It seeks to elucidate the mechanisms, dynamics and impacts of the stratagems, subsumed under propaganda but presented as public relations for acceptability, which characterized the decolonization process in Nigeria. By using the historical method based on archival and newspaper sources ignored by previous scholars, the article establishes, contrary to conventional wisdom, that propaganda was not a temporary expedient, but a major feature of British colonial imperialism. It concludes that British application of this strategy in Nigeria led to the defeat of postwar militant nationalism, and the transfer of power to the pliable wing of the emergent elite at independence.
Net ecosystem methane and carbon dioxide exchanges in a Lake Erie coastal marsh and a nearby cropland

Net ecosystem carbon dioxide (FCO2) and methane (FCH4) exchanges were measured by using the eddy covariance method to quantify the atmospheric carbon budget at a Typha- and Nymphaea-dominated freshwater marsh (March 2011 to March 2013) and a soybean cropland (May 2011 to May 2012) in northwestern Ohio, USA. Two year average annual FCH4 (49.7 g C-CH4 m−2 yr−1) from the marsh was high and compatible with its net annual CO2 uptake (FCO2: −21.0 g C-CO2 m−2 yr−1). In contrast, FCH4 was small (2.3 g C-CH4 m−2 yr−1) and accounted for a minor portion of the atmospheric carbon budget (FCO2: −151.8 g C-CO2 m−2 yr−1) at the cropland. At the seasonal scale, soil temperature associated with methane (CH4) production provided the dominant regulator of FCH4 at the marsh (R2 = 0.86). At the diurnal scale, plant-modulated gas flow was the major pathway for CH4 outgassing in the growing season at the marsh. Diffusion and ebullition became the major pathways in the nongrowing season and were regulated by friction velocity. Our findings highlight the importance of freshwater marshes for their efficiency in turning over and releasing newly fixed carbon as CH4. Despite marshes accounting for only ~4% of area in the agriculture-dominated landscape, their high FCH4 should be carefully addressed in the regional carbon budget.
Symposium: The Promise and Perils of Convergence in Financial Regulation and Consumer Protection: Designing Optimal Models of Financial Regulation in a Changing Financial Environment

Consolidating on the Symposium “The Promise and Perils of Convergence in Financial Regulation and Consumer Protection”…………………., this volume focuses exclusively on the structure of financial regulation – as well as the system of financial supervision – in incorporating the role of external auditors through on site and off site supervision. As well as contributing to the literature on whether regulatory convergence should be encouraged in matters relating to consumer finance and investment products, this volume is aimed at highlighting how initiatives and regulatory objectives of regulators within the banking, insurance and investment industries can be consolidated upon. This is extensively illustrated by way of reference to effective compliance, monitoring and enforcement procedures and ultimately through regulatory models such as the Enforced Self-Regulation model and the Co-operative and Competitive Enforced Self-Regulation models. Further, the volume effectively demonstrates that the structure of financial regulation is not only crucial to the success of the attainment of regulatory objectives, but also the extent of involvement, coordination, and cooperation between involved supervisory authorities. In addition, the allocation of appropriate tools and resources to those authorities who are best endowed, equipped with the expertise to carry out the required level of monitoring and supervision, as well as clear allocation of such responsibilities, would ensure resources of time, expertise are not wasted and that responsibilities are not duplicated.
The Actions of Nucleotides on Adenylyl Cyclase Systems

In recent years it has become increasingly clear that the hormonal activation of adenylyl cyclase systems is under regulation by nucleotides and nucleosides. The original finding leading to this recognition (1, 2) was that under stringent assay conditions (using as substrate either low ATP or AMP-PNP) the liver plasma membrane adenylyl cyclase exhibited an almost total requirement for GTP (or ATP) to show activation by glucagon. Similar findings were soon reported for other adenylyl cyclase systems activated by other hormones (3, 4) and led to the early conclusion that a nucleotide dependent step is involved in hormonal activation in an obligatory manner (5). Further experimentation, however, has shown that the situation is more complex and that nucleotides rather than intervening in an obligatory fashion, play a more subtle role and modulate hormonal stimulation of adenylyl cyclase systems either positively or negatively. They appear to do so by affecting not only the degree of hormonal stimulation, but also the basal activity of the system and the receptor-hormone interaction. We shall review the experimental evidence relating to these effects and discuss the possibility that nucleotides interact with adenylyl cyclase systems at more than one site, providing a plausible explanation as to why the effects of nucleotides are complex and often difficult to interpret from a kinetic point of view.
Increasing risk for venous thromboembolism among hospitalized cancer patients

9009 Background: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) contributes to morbidity and mortality in cancer patients and is a frequent complication of anti-cancer therapy. We examined the frequency, risk factor...
Patterns of recurrence in stage i endometrioid endometrial adenocarcinoma with lymphovascular space invasion

Objective The objective of this study was to determine the patterns of recurrence of stage IB–IIA endometrioid endometrial adenocarcinoma (EMCA) with lymphovascular invasion (LVSI). Methods A multicenter retrospective study of 1988 International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics stage IB–IIA EMCA patients with LVSI treated with surgery with or without radiation was conducted. Those with papillary serous or clear cell histologies and women treated with chemotherapy were excluded. Data regarding surgical-pathologic factors, treatment, and outcome were collected. Data were analyzed using χ2 test, Kaplan-Meier estimates, and Cox multivariate proportional hazards models. Results From 1997 to 2008, we identified 131 patients with LVSI who met entry criteria among 5 institutions. Median age was 67 years (25%–75%: 60–75 years), and median follow-up was 4.25 years (25%–75%: 3–10 years). Following surgery, 45 patients were observed (Obs), and 86 patients received adjuvant radiation. We observed 30 total relapses 30/131 (23%): 11/45 (24%) in the Obs group and 19/86 (22%) in the adjuvant radiation group. Recurrence rates were similar between staged and unstaged patients: 24% (20/84) and 21% (10/47), respectively. Among Obs patients, 82% of relapses were local, whereas in patients treated with adjuvant radiation, 84% were distant. Relapses were significantly associated with invasion of the lower uterine segment (LUS) (P = 0.035). Both cancer-related survival and overall survival (OS) were not significantly impacted by adjuvant radiation, because of distant failure rates. Adjuvant radiation significantly improved pelvic control (P = 0.007). In a multivariate analysis, OS correlated with LUS invasion (P = 0.008) and was borderline-associated with stage (P = 0.06), whereas age (P = 0.12), grade (P = 0.31), myometrial invasion (P = 0.99), and radiation treatment (P = 0.23) were not. Conclusions Overall recurrence rates for stage IB–IIA EMCA patients with LVSI are high (23%). Although adjuvant radiation therapy improved pelvic control, it did not impact recurrence rates, cancer-related survival, and OS, likely secondary to distant failures. The role of systemic therapy with or without radiotherapy for early-stage EMCA with LVSI should be evaluated, particularly in patients with high-grade tumors or involvement of the LUS.
Causal structure of brain physiology after brain injury from subarachnoid hemorrhage

High frequency physiologic data are routinely generated for intensive care patients. While massive amounts of data make it difficult for clinicians to extract meaningful signals, these data could provide insight into the state of critically ill patients and guide interventions. We develop uniquely customized computational methods to uncover the causal structure within systemic and brain physiologic measures recorded in a neurological intensive care unit after subarachnoid hemorrhage. While the data have many missing values, poor signal-to-noise ratio, and are composed from a heterogeneous patient population, our advanced imputation and causal inference techniques enable physiologic models to be learned for individuals. Our analyses confirm that complex physiologic relationships including demand and supply of oxygen underlie brain oxygen measurements and that mechanisms for brain swelling early after injury may differ from those that develop in a delayed fashion. These inference methods will enable wider use of ICU data to understand patient physiology.
Spectral estimates of teleseismic P-wave attenuation to 15 Hz

NORESS recordings of nuclear explosions in central Asia (Δ = 38°) provide new spectral attenuation estimates for frequencies from about 3 to 15 Hz. Two path spectra, representing propagation losses from the Shagan River and Degelen test sites to southern Norway, are calculated using the double-averaging technique of Bache et al. (1985, 1986). Both paths exhibit less attenuation than previously documented for explosions recorded teleseismically at the UKAEA arrays over the 1- to 8-Hz frequency range. The Shagan and Degelen spectra have somewhat different decay rates, perhaps reflecting variations in average source properties. Since the NORESS data extend to higher frequencies than previously available for attenuation measurements, we compare the NORESS spectral data to published models derived from NORSAR data (1 to 8 Hz) for the same path. The Degelen-NORSAR model is compatible with the NORESS data to about 7 Hz, but from 7 to 15 Hz, it predicts higher spectral amplitudes than are observed Using a hybrid absorption band-constant t * formulation, new models are derived which fit both the Shagan River path spectrum ( t * = 0.6 sec, τ m = 0.05 sec, ( t 1* = 0.07 sec) and the Degelen spectrum ( t * = 0.6 sec, τ m = 0.05 sec, ( t 1* = 0.05 sec) from 3 to 15 Hz. The NORESS data support frequency-dependent t * in the 3- to 15-Hz frequency range. The results also demonstrate that extrapolation of attenuation models obtained from longer period data to shorter periods may not predict the correct spectral levels. Actual high-frequency measurements are needed in order to characterize attenuation behavior at high frequencies.
Combined assimilation of streamflow and satellite soil moisture with the particle filter and geostatistical modeling

Abstract Assimilation of satellite soil moisture and streamflow data into a distributed hydrologic model has received increasing attention over the past few years. This study provides a detailed analysis of the joint and separate assimilation of streamflow and Advanced Scatterometer (ASCAT) surface soil moisture into a distributed Sacramento Soil Moisture Accounting (SAC-SMA) model, with the use of recently developed particle filter-Markov chain Monte Carlo (PF-MCMC) method. Performance is assessed over the Salt River Watershed in Arizona, which is one of the watersheds without anthropogenic effects in Model Parameter Estimation Experiment (MOPEX). A total of five data assimilation (DA) scenarios are designed and the effects of the locations of streamflow gauges and the ASCAT soil moisture on the predictions of soil moisture and streamflow are assessed. In addition, a geostatistical model is introduced to overcome the significantly biased satellite soil moisture and also discontinuity issue. The results indicate that: (1) solely assimilating outlet streamflow can lead to biased soil moisture estimation; (2) when the study area can only be partially covered by the satellite data, the geostatistical approach can estimate the soil moisture for those uncovered grid cells; (3) joint assimilation of streamflow and soil moisture from geostatistical modeling can further improve the surface soil moisture prediction. This study recommends that the geostatistical model is a helpful tool to aid the remote sensing technique and the hydrologic DA study.
Detection and characterization of shielded highly enriched uranium under active interrogation through time correlated fission events

The time-correlated pulse-height (TCPH) distribution can be used to differentiate between multiplying (e.g 235U, 239Pu) and non-multiplying (e.g Am-Li, 252Cf) sources. In the past, this approach proved effective at characterizing the multiplication of alpha phase plutonium metal through a passive measurement. Recently, Sandia National Laboratories has completed a measurement campaign with its new Correlated Radiation Signature (CoRS) system involving active interrogation of highly enriched uranium (HEU) with an Am-Li source. An additional obstacle was introduced to the measurement configuration by shielding the HEU with depleted uranium (DU). Simulation results have proven Am-Li source to be a suitable interrogating source because of its relatively low-energy neutron spectrum. The TCPH distribution was successfully used to determine the presence of a multiplying medium inside DU shells. The correlation between multiplication and an empirical parameters broke down for externally driven configurations, but in all cases the presence of a multiplying source was detected.
At-Risk Youth in After-School Programs: How Does Their Use of Media for Learning About Community Issues Relate to Their Perceptions of Community Connectedness, Community Involvement, and Community Support?

This paper highlights a study examining the impact of various media formats on at-risk youth to identify forms of media technology that might impact their community connectedness, community involvement, and community support. Over a three-year period, a sample of 133 youth enrolled in after-school programs in two communities completed a questionnaire annually consisting of the following areas: community support, community involvement, community connectedness, and media use for learning. Linear regression analysis indicated media use for learning about community issues was a predictor of student’s perceptions of community support, community connectedness, and community involvement. The media format most identified for gaining knowledge about community issues by the youth was the Internet, while the use of print media increased over the course of the study. The most significant relationships were found between media use and perceptions of community overall with the most significant gains in media use during Y2, where youth knowledge of community issues increased.
Impact of the 2015 CMS Inpatient Psychiatric Facility Quality Reporting Rule on Tobacco Treatment.

Introduction In its fiscal year 2015 final rule, the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) required reporting of tobacco treatment quality measures as part of the Inpatient Psychiatric Facilities Prospective Payment System (IPF PPS). This pre-intervention, post-intervention policy analysis evaluates the impact of that policy at a large academic medical center that opted to improve performance as it implemented reporting measures. Methods Electronic medical record data were collected retrospectively for all adult (≥18 years) inpatient psychiatric admissions from January 1, 2014 to December 31, 2015. Data from admissions were analyzed to determine changes in the provision of tobacco treatment including the proportions of patients screened for tobacco use, receiving tobacco cessation counseling, and receiving tobacco cessation medication(s) using a chi-square test. Covariate analysis of treatment differences based on psychiatric diagnosis was analyzed using Cochran-Mantel-Haenszel and Breslow-Day test. Results Post-policy screening for admissions increased significantly (85% vs. 97%; p < .001). Referral to cessation counseling increased 18-fold (4% vs. 74%; p < .001). Receipt of Counselling (8% vs. 67%; p < .001) and referral for cessation medication (32% vs. 68%; p < .001) also increased dramatically. Though statistically non-significant, the number of tobacco users who actually received medications increased markedly between 2014 and 2015, 24% versus 35%. Gains in screening, referral, and treatment did not differ by psychiatric diagnosis. Conclusions The Inpatient Psychiatric Facilities Quality Reporting (IPFQR) Program resulted in a 10-fold increase in the number of smokers who received inpatient tobacco treatment. Should CMS link prospective payment to performance, it could have a major impact on quality of care for tobacco dependence. Implications This is the first study to examine the implementation and impact of new 2015 IPFQR program tobacco measures. This study may illustrate the potential effect that performance based penalties can have should facilities be required to do more than simply report on these tobacco measures. This study exemplifies the impact these new reporting measures can have when psychiatric facilities move beyond letter of the policy, to continually assess organizational performance and implement changes to improve treatment delivery.
Medicine, sexual norms, and the role of the DSM.

Physicians are not well prepared to address patients' concerns about their sexual behavior or to diagnose sexual dysfunction, owing to their limited personal and clinical experience and education on the topic.
Mercury complexes with thiacrowns: the crystal structure of bis(1,4,7-trithiacyclodecane) mercury(II) hexafluorophosphate

We report the synthesis, crystal structure, and NMR spectroscopy for the mercury(II) complex with the crown thioether 1,4,7-trithiacyclodecane (10S3) , bis(1,4,7-trithiacyclodecane) mercury(II) hexafluorophosphate (1). The 10S3 ligand coordinates in tridentate fashion and readily forms a distorted bis octahedral complex, an unusual coordination geometry for Hg(II). The crystal structure shows the two 10S3 ligands arranged in a trans or anti fashion around the mercury center, yielding the meso stereoisomer. Bond distances and angles are very comparable to those found in the structure of the perchlorate salt of the complex cation although the hexafluorophosphate salt shows slightly longer and more varied Hg–S distances (2.623(2) , 2.708(2), 2.784(2) A) with a tetragonal elongation. The 199Hg1H NMR spectrum exhibits a single resonance with a chemical shift at −596 ppm consistent with a hexakis(thioether) coordination environment around the mercury center. Crystal data for 1: C2/c, a = 19.184(3) A, b = 15.235(2) A, c = 11.3791(15) A, β = 123.358(2)°, V = 2777.9(6) A3, Z = 4.
Effectiveness and cost of reducing particle-related mortality with particle filtration

This study evaluates the mortality-related benefits and costs of improvements in particle filtration in U.S. homes and commercial buildings based on models with empirical inputs. The models account for time spent in various environments as well as activity levels and associated breathing rates. The scenarios evaluated include improvements in filter efficiencies in both forced-air heating and cooling systems of homes and heating, ventilating, and air conditioning systems of workplaces as well as use of portable air cleaners in homes. The predicted reductions in mortality range from approximately 0.25 to 2.4 per 10 000 population. The largest reductions in mortality were from interventions with continuously operating portable air cleaners in homes because, given our scenarios, these portable air cleaners with HEPA filters most reduced particle exposures. For some interventions, predicted annual mortality-related economic benefits exceed $1000 per person. Economic benefits always exceed costs with benefit-to-cost ratios ranging from approximately 3.9 to 133. Restricting interventions to homes of the elderly further increases the mortality reductions per unit population and the benefit-to-cost ratios.
Recognition and Therapeutic Options for Malignancy of the Cervix and Uterus.

An update on the current epidemiology and a review of the risk factors of cervical and endometrial cancers are discussed. Cervical cancer prevention with a focus on human papillomavirus vaccination and cervical cancer screening is reviewed, emphasizing the new focus of less frequent intervention in an effort to maintain high rates of early detection of disease while decreasing unnecessary and anxiety-provoking colposcopies, biopsies, and excisional procedures. The replacement of traditional endometrial hyperplasia terminology with more relevant clinical categories, with an emphasis on the introduction of endometrial intraepithelial neoplasia, is presented. Fertility-sparing options in the management of early cervical and endometrial cancers are reviewed.
Characterizing properties of non-estrogenic substituted bisphenol analogs using high throughput microscopy and image analysis.

Animal studies have linked the estrogenic properties of bisphenol A (BPA) to adverse effects on the endocrine system. Because of concerns for similar effects in humans, there is a desire to replace BPA in consumer products, and a search for BPA replacements that lack endocrine-disrupting bioactivity is ongoing. We used multiple cell-based models, including an established multi-parametric, high throughput microscopy-based platform that incorporates engineered HeLa cell lines with visible ERα- or ERβ-regulated transcription loci, to discriminate the estrogen-like and androgen-like properties of previously uncharacterized substituted bisphenol derivatives and hydroquinone. As expected, BPA induced 70–80% of the estrogen-like activity via ERα and ERβ compared to E2 in the HeLa prolactin array cell line. 2,2’ BPA, Bisguaiacol F, CHDM 4-hydroxybuyl acrylate, hydroquinone, and TM modified variants of BPF showed very limited estrogen-like or androgen-like activity (< 10% of that observed with the control compounds). Interestingly, TM-BFP and CHDM 4-hydroxybuyl acrylate, but not their derivatives, demonstrated evidence of anti-estrogenic and anti-androgenic activity. Our findings indicate that Bisguaiacol F, TM-BFP-ER and TM-BPF-DGE demonstrate low potential for affecting estrogenic or androgenic endocrine activity. This suggest that the tested compounds could be suitable commercially viable alternatives to BPA.