cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Can primary care visits reduce hospital utilization among Medicare beneficiaries at the end of life

Medical care at the end of life is often expensive and ineffective. To explore associations between primary care and hospital utilization at the end of life. Retrospective analysis of Medicare data. We measured hospital utilization during the final 6 months of life and the number of primary care physician visits in the 12 preceding months. Multivariate cluster analysis adjusted for the effects of demographics, comorbidities, and geography in end-of-life healthcare utilization. National random sample of 78,356 Medicare beneficiaries aged 66+ who died in 2001. Non-whites were over-sampled. All subjects with complete Medicare data for 18 months prior to death were retained, except for those in the End Stage Renal Disease program. Hospital days, costs, in-hospital death, and presence of two types of preventable hospital admissions (Ambulatory Care Sensitive Conditions) during the final 6 months of life. Sample characteristics: 38% had 0 primary care visits; 22%, 1–2; 19%, 3–5; 10%, 6–8; and 11%, 9+ visits. More primary care visits in the preceding year were associated with fewer hospital days at end of life (15.3 days for those with no primary care visits vs. 13.4 for those with ≥9 visits, P < 0.001), lower costs ($24,400 vs. $23,400, P < 0.05), less in-hospital death (44% vs. 40%, P < 0.01), and fewer preventable hospitalizations for those with congestive heart failure (adjusted odds ratio, aOR = 0.82, P < 0.001) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (aOR = 0.81, P = 0.02). Primary care visits in the preceding year are associated with less, and less costly, end-of-life hospital utilization. Increased primary care access for Medicare beneficiaries may decrease costs and improve quality at the end of life.
Parasitism of the Golden King Crab, Lithodesaequispinus Benedict, 1895 (Decapoda, Anomura, Lithodidae) By a Liparid Fish

Fish eggs and larvae of the genus Careproctus were found in the gill chamber of ovigerous golden king crabs Lithodes aequispinus. The host crab died subsequent to hatching of the fish eggs in one incident, but not in another. Because of gill damage caused by the egg mass, the fish-crab relationship is properly termed parasitism rather than commensalism. Two of 14 ovigerous females were parasitized, while no infected males were found in 824 examined, although evidence of parasitism of male crabs was found.
Mercury: Leveraging clustering in opportunistic networks

Protocols for opportunistic networks have until this point focused primarily on overcoming the partitioning of those networks. However, emerging studies show that opportunistic networks also exhibit considerable clustering. Neither current store-carry-forward protocols nor path-based protocols are equipped to effectively handle both of these network characteristics. In response, we present the design of light-weight clustering techniques that allow our protocol, Mercury, to perform well in both partitioned and clustered environments by integrating store-carry-forward techniques with path-based techniques when appropriate. Our evaluations show that Mercury can significantly increase delivery ratio (from 13% to 80% over existing protocols with real life traces) while lowering average latency considerably.
Experimental and Monte Carlo determination of the TG-43 dosimetric parameters for the model 9011 THINSeed brachytherapy source.

Purpose: AAPM TG-43 brachytherapydosimetry parameters for a new, smaller diameter I 125 brachytherapy source (THINSeed, model 9011) were determined using LiF:Mg,Ti thermoluminescent dosimeter (TLD-100) microcubes and Monte Carlo simulations. Methods: Two polymethyl methacrylate phantoms were machined to hold TLD-100 microcubes at specific locations for the experimental determination of the radial dose function, dose-rate constant, and anisotropy functions of the new source. The TG-43 parameters were also calculated using Monte Carlo simulations. For comparison, the model 6711 source was also investigated. Results: Experimental results for both models 9011 and 6711 sources showed good agreement with Monte Carlo values, as well as with previously published values. Conclusions: The TG-43 parameters for the new source model are similar to those of model 6711; however, they represent two separate sources and TG-43 parameters used in treatment planning must be source specific.
Patient-Reported Upper Extremity Outcome Measures Used in Breast Cancer Survivors: A Systematic Review

Abstract Objectives (1) To identify English-language published patient-reported upper extremity outcome measures used in breast cancer research and (2) to examine construct validity and responsiveness in patient-reported upper extremity outcome measures used in breast cancer research. Data Sources PubMed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, and ProQuest MEDLINE databases were searched up to February 5, 2013. Study Selection Studies were included if a patient-reported upper extremity outcome measure was administered, the participants were diagnosed with breast cancer, and the study was published in English. Data Extraction A total of 865 articles were screened. Fifty-nine full text articles were assessed for eligibility. A total of 46 articles met the initial eligibility criteria for aim 1. Eleven of these articles reported means and SDs for the outcome scores and included a comparison group analysis for aim 2. Data Synthesis Construct validity was evaluated by calculating effect sizes for known-group differences in 6 studies using the Disabilities of Arm, Shoulder and Hand (DASH), University of Pennsylvania Shoulder Score, Shoulder Disability Questionnaire-Dutch, and 10 Questions by Wingate. Responsiveness was analyzed comparing a treatment and control group by calculating the coefficient of responsiveness in 5 studies for the DASH and 10 Questions by Wingate. Conclusions Eight different patient-reported upper extremity outcome measures have been reported in the peer-review literature for women with breast cancer; some that were specifically developed for breast cancer survivors (n=3) and others that were not (n=5). Based on the current evidence, we recommend administering the DASH to assess patient-reported upper extremity function in breast cancer survivors because the DASH has the most consistently large effects sizes for construct validity and responsiveness. Future large studies are needed for more definitive recommendations.
A new class of ligands for aqueous, lanthanide-catalyzed, enantioselective Mukaiyama aldol reactions

The development of aqueous methods for generating enantiopure β-hydroxy carbonyl compounds is an important goal because these subunits compose many bioactive compounds and the ability to synthesize these groups in water has environmental and cost benefits. In this communication, we report a new class of ligands for aqueous, lanthanide-catalyzed, asymmetric Mukaiyama aldol reactions for the synthesis of chiral β-hydroxy ketones. Furthermore, we have used luminescence-decay measurements to unveil mechanistic information regarding the catalytic reaction via changes in water-coordination number. The precatalysts presented here yielded β-hydroxy carbonyls from aliphatic and aryl substrates with outstanding syn:anti ratios and enantiometric excesses of up to 49:1 and 97%, respectively.
Rounding up the costs and benefits of herbicide use.

In recent years, we have seen an exponential increase in the use of herbicides, such as RoundUp, that contain the active ingredient glyphosate (1). Glyphosate kills plants by inhibiting the production of aromatic amino acids in the shikimate pathway (2). This herbicide is popular because it works well and has been shown to be relatively ecologically “safe”; it has low toxicity to animals, including humans, and degrades rapidly upon contact with soil (3). Taking advantage of its efficacy and relative safety, biotechnology companies have been genetically engineering crops for resistance to glyphosate, which allows farmers to weed their fields by spraying herbicides that inhibit the weeds but not the crop. Although glyphosate is less ecologically damaging than some other herbicides, it may nonetheless come back to haunt us through the evolution of its target weeds. In a recent issue of PNAS, Baucom and Mauricio (1) showed that not only can herbicide use lead to evolution of resistance but also it results in the evolution of tolerance, the ability to compensate for damage. Importantly, they also suggested that there may be ways to halt or slow this evolutionary process because of the costs to evolving tolerance. Human-caused evolution is becoming a dominant factor in biology (4). Not only do humans influence the ecology of every ecosystem, but also we change the survival and reproduction of organisms, leading to evolution (genetic change) in the survivors. For example, our preference for harvesting larger animals has imposed selection …
Infectious Keratitis and Cyanoacrylate Adhesive

We studied three patients with infectious keratitis that occurred after cyanoacrylate gluing despite prophylactic antibiotic therapy. Two patients developed culture-positive bacterial ulcers, one caused by a methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and the other by Haemophilus influenzae. The third patient developed a fungal keratitis. Two patients required penetrating keratoplasty. Each infection and perforation was concealed by the opaqueness of the glue. The pain of the infectious ulcers may have been obscured by the ocular surface irritation and drying induced by glue. Tissue toxicity, microbial colonization, use of bandage lenses, and long-term broad-spectrum antibiotics may precipitate glue-related corneal infections. Masking of underlying infection and the development of resistant organisms should be considered when using this mode of therapy.
The 1920s museum-sponsored expedition film: Beguiling encounters in an all-but-forgotten genre

Many natural history museums, including the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH), enthusiastically adopted the young medium of motion pictures in the form of the sponsored expedition film. This essay examines Camping Among the Indians, shot in the American Southwest in 1927 by Clyde Fisher, AMNH curator (and later Chairman of the AMNH Hayden Planetarium), and Ernest Thompson Seton, wildlife illustrator, children’s book author, and founder of the Woodcraft League (1902) and the Boy Scouts of America (1910). Co-sponsored by the Woodcraft League, Camping Among the Indians serves as a revealing case study in reconstructive film history, and the extant footage and sparse documentation of its exhibition illuminate the unique situation of the museum sponsored exhibition film as a vital, if overlooked, area of ethnographic filmmaking.
Case studies – Arsenic

Arsenic is found naturally in the environment. People may be exposed to arsenic by eating food, drinking water, breathing air, or by skin contact with soil or water that contains arsenic. In the U.S., the diet is a predominant source of exposure for the general population with smaller amounts coming from drinking water and air. Children may also be exposed to arsenic because of hand to mouth contact or eating dirt. In addition to the normal levels of arsenic in air, water, soil, and food, people could by exposed to higher levels in several ways such as in areas containing unusually high natural levels of arsenic in rocks which can lead to unusually high levels of arsenic in soil or water. People living in an area like this could take in elevated amounts of arsenic in drinking water. Workers in an occupation that involves arsenic production or use (for example, copper or lead smelting, wood treatment, pesticide application) could be exposed to elevated levels of arsenic at work. People who saw or sand arsenic-treated wood could inhale/ingest some of the sawdust which contains high levels of arsenic. Similarly, when pressure-treated wood is burned, high levels of arsenic could be released in the smoke. In agricultural areas where arsenic pesticides were used on crops the soil could contain high levels of arsenic. Some hazardous waste sites contain large quantities of arsenic. Arsenic ranks #1 on the ATSDR/EPA priority list of hazardous substances. Arsenic has been found in at least 1,014 current or former NPL sites. At the hazardous waster sites evaluated by ATSDR, exposure to arsenic in soil predominated over exposure to water, and no exposure to air had been recorded. However, there is no information on morbidity or mortality from exposure to arsenic in soil at hazardous waste sites. Exposure assessment, community and tribal involvement, and evaluation and surveillance of health effects are among the ATSDR future Superfund research program priority focus areas. Examples of exposures to arsenic in drinking water, diet and pesticide are given.
Protestantism in East Germany, 1949–1989: A summing up

(1991). Protestantism in East Germany, 1949–1989: A summing up. Religion in Communist Lands: Vol. 19, No. 3-4, pp. 160-196.
Renewal and circulation of intermediate waters in the Canadian Basin observed on the SCICEX 96 cruise

During the summer of 1996 the nuclear submarine USS Pogy occupied a line of stations extending through the middle of the Canadian Basin between about 88°N, 44°W (Lomonosov Ridge) and about 78°N, 144°W (center of the Canada Basin). CTD/Niskin bottle casts extending to 1600 m were carried out at eight stations, providing the first high-quality temperature, salinity, CFC, tritium, and 3He data obtained from this region, although XCTD data had previously been collected in this region. These data, along with data from stations at the basin boundary to the south and west, reveal the presence of well-ventilated intermediate water beneath the halocline in the center of the Canada Basin, indicating renewal times of the order of 1–2 decades. The least ventilated intermediate water was observed at the northern end of the Canada Basin along the southern flank of the Alpha Ridge. Intermediate water is derived from the Atlantic Ocean and enters the Arctic Ocean through Fram Strait and the Barents Sea. It flows around the Arctic basins in boundary currents and splits in the eastern Amundsen Basin with one branch crossing the Lomonosov Ridge and flowing along the East Siberian continental slope and the other flowing along the Eurasian flank of the Lomonosov Ridge. From the 1996 Scientific Ice Expedition (SCICEX 96) observations we conclude that the branch that flows along the East Siberian continental slope transports this water to the Chukchi Rise, where it apparently enters the central Canada Basin with some flow continuing along the boundary to the southern Canada Basin. The Fram Strait Branch Water mixes extensively with waters from the Canadian Basin during its transit along the East Siberian continental slope, being diluted by a factor of about 5 by the time it reaches the central Canada Basin. The Barents Sea Branch Water does not undergo such extensive mixing and is diluted by a factor of only about 2 when it reaches the central Canada Basin.
A bright approach to the immunoproteasome: Development of LMP2/β1i-specific imaging probes

While the constitutive, 26S proteasome plays an important role in regulating many important cellular processes, a variant form known as the immunoproteasome is thought to primarily function in adaptive immune responses. However, recent studies indicate an association of immunoproteasomes with many physiological disorders such as cancer, neurodegenerative, and inflammatory diseases. Despite this, the detailed functions of the immunoproteasome remain poorly understood. Immunoproteasome-specific probes are essential to gain insight into immunoproteasome function. Here, we describe for the first time the development of cell-permeable activity-based fluorescent probes, UK101-Fluor and UK101-B660, which selectively target the catalytically active LMP2/β1i subunit of the immunoproteasome. These probes facilitate rapid detection of the cellular localization of catalytically active immunoproteasomes in living cells, providing a valuable tool to analyze immunoproteasome functions. Additionally, as LMP2/β1i may serve as a potential tumor biomarker, an LMP2/β1i-targeting fluorescent imaging probe may be applicable to a rapid readout assay to determine tumor LMP2/β1i levels.
Practical considerations in the MRTD modeling of microwave structures

This paper focuses on details often overlooked in papers discussing the multiresolution time-domain (MRTD) method. Specifically, a non-uniform Cartesian grid and a uniaxial perfectly matched layer (UPML) implementation for arbitrary levels of wavelet resolution are discussed. The details of implementing the non-uniform grid are simple but non-trivial, allowing a variation of grid size that maintains the orthogonality of the wavelet basis functions. The discussion of the UPML demonstrates issues that arise for arbitrary wavelet resolution UPML and the resulting complexity of the code for arbitrary wavelet functions. An example is presented that compares the Haar-MRTD method with finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) when both UPML and a variable grid are used.
Comparison of shear strength of sand backfills measured in small-scale and large-scale direct shear tests

Direct shear tests were conducted on 30 sand backfill materials having gravel contents ranging from 0% to 30% in a 64 mm square small-scale direct shear (SSDS) box and a 305 mm square large-scale d...
Treatment with Indinavir, Efavirenz, and Adefovir after Failure of Nelfinavir Therapy

A prospective, open-label study was conducted to assess the response to indinavir, efavirenz, and adefovir in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected patients experiencing viral rebound while receiving therapy with nelfinavir-containing regimens, to determine whether the protease genotype influenced the outcome of the salvage regimen. Genotyping from 29 nelfinavir failures revealed D30N in 17 (59%) and L90M in 11 (38%) cases. Suppression to <400 viral RNA copies/mL was achieved at week 48 in 56% of patients with the D30N virus versus 18% of patients with the L90M virus.
New onset transient lone atrial fibrillation in a healthy parturient: déjà vu.

I read with interest the article by Gowda et al. [1] pleted and the patient was transported to the post-anesthesia describing the occurrence of lone atrial fibrillation during pregnancy. In his practice of obstetric anesthesia, the author of this letter has encountered a very similar case of a new onset transient lone atrial fibrillation, which occurred intraoperatively (Cesarean section) in an otherwise healthy multiparous parturient (unpublished data). The patient converted to sinus rhythm without any medical therapy. A 26-year-old, gravida 2, para 1, otherwise healthy female (there were, specifically no known risk factors for atrial fibrillation in pregnancy such as hyperthyroidism, rheumatic and congenital heart disease, and recent administration of terbutaline for the treatment of preterm labor) at 39.5 weeks gestation required an elective repeat Cesarean section for fetal macrosomia, which was conducted under single dose spinal anesthesia. Following the uneventful delivery of the fetus, the patient suddenly became apprehensive and reported shortness of breath and palpitations. The analysis of the electrocardiogram (ECG) revealed atrial fibrillation with a rapid ventricular response of 180 beats/ min. No immediate causative factors for atrial fibrillation could be found, and the patient denied prior history of similar symptomatology. The patient remained hemodynamically stable, and approximately 3 min later (while antiarrhythmic medications were being prepared) spontaneously converted to normal sinus rhythm. The surgery was com-
Immunotherapy of hepatocellular carcinoma

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third leading cause of cancer death, with over a million new cases annually. It is generally advanced upon detection due to underlying liver disease, which further complicates treatment. Most of the therapeutic strategies in current use (surgery, transplantation, irradiation or chemotherapy) are either palliative or only of benefit to a small percentage of patients. This article reviews the biology of HCC, including many of the molecular changes and mechanisms leading to HCC development. This article discusses the recent innovative strategies to interfere with the progression of HCC, including novel gene therapy strategies. The most recent data supporting the use of immunotherapy for hepatocellular cancer is reviewed in detail.
Oncology Section Task Force on Breast Cancer Outcomes: Scapular Assessment

Background: Functional deficits and changes in scapular mechanics following breast cancer (BC) treatments have been documented. Scapular assessment is important when examining the shoulder in survivors of breast cancer to document the need for or effectiveness of physical therapy intervention. The Oncology Section Task Force on Breast Cancer Outcomes sought to identify scapular examination tools that can be recommended for routine use in individuals treated for BC. Methods: A systematic review of the literature on scapular measures was conducted. Relevant studies were examined for psychometric properties and clinical usefulness. Each method was given a recommendation score based on the Breast Cancer EDGE (Evidence Database to Guide Effectiveness) criteria. Results: Only Dynamic Motion Assessment was recommended for clinical use. The remaining tools lacked either good psychometric properties or clinical usefulness. Conclusions: Measurement of scapular motion remains a challenge and reliable and valid measures must precede further research into scapular problems among survivors of breast
Lexical diversity in Parkinson's disease.

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative syndrome of the basal ganglia (BG) believed to disrupt cortical-subcortical pathways critical to motor, cognitive and expressive language function. Recent studies have shown subtle deficits in expressive language performance among individuals with PD even in the earliest stage of the disease. The objective of this study was to use measures of lexical diversity to examine expressive language performance during discourse production in a sample of individuals with PD. Twelve individuals with idiopathic Parkinson’s disease (PD) were compared to twelve matched, neurologically intact controls on measures of lexical diversity. Three minute discourse samples describing a typical day were collected and analyzed for lexical diversity with the CHILDES program using measures of type token ratio (TTR) and voc-D (D). Comparisons of three minute discourse samples indicated non-significant differences between individuals with PD and controls in word productivity (387 vs 356; p = .48). Similarly, there were also non-significant differences on measures of lexical diversity between the two groups (TTR = .45 vs.44; p = .50 and D 74 vs 68; p = .23). These results suggest that lexical diversity during discourse production among individuals with PD is similar to non-neurological controls. These findings indicate that lexical diversity is an aspect of expressive language performance that is not impacted by the disease process in the earliest stages.
Application of Snowfall and Wind Statistics to Snow Transport Modeling for Snowdrift Control in Minnesota

Models were utilized to determine the snow accumulation season (SAS) and to quantify windblown snow for the purpose of snowdrift control for locations in Minnesota. The models require mean monthly temperature, snowfall, density of snow, and wind frequency distribution statistics. Temperature and precipitation data were obtained from local cooperative observing sites, and wind data came from Automated Surface Observing System (ASOS)/Automated Weather Observing System (AWOS) sites in the region. The temperature-based algorithm used to define the SAS reveals a geographic variability in the starting and ending dates of the season, which is determined by latitude and elevation. Mean seasonal snowfall shows a geographic distribution that is affected by topography and proximity to Lake Superior. Mean snowfall density also exhibits variability, with lowerdensity snow events displaced to higher-latitude positions. Seasonal wind frequencies show a strong bimodal distribution with peaks from the northwest and southeast vector direction, with an exception for locations in close proximity to the Lake Superior shoreline. In addition, for western and south-central Minnesota there is a considerably higher frequency of wind speeds above the mean snow transport threshold o f7ms 21. As such, this area is more conducive to higher potential snow transport totals. Snow relocation coefficients in this area are in the range of 0.4‐0.9, and, according to the empirical models used in this analysis, this range implies that actual snow transport is 40%‐90% of the total potential in south-central and western areas of the state.
Tripod amphiphiles for membrane protein manipulation

Integral membrane proteins (IMPs) are crucial biological components, mediating the transfer of material and information between cells and their environment. Many IMPs have proven to be difficult to isolate and study. High-resolution structural information on this class of proteins is limited, largely because of difficulties in generating soluble forms of such proteins that retain native folding and activity, and difficulties in generating high-quality crystals from such preparations. Isolated IMPs typically do not dissolve in aqueous solution, a property that arises from the large patches of hydrophobic surface necessary for favorable interactions with the core of a lipid bilayer. Detergents are generally required for IMP solubilization: hydrophobic segments of detergent molecules cluster around and shield from water the hydrophobic protein surfaces. The critical role played by detergents in membrane protein manipulation, and the fact that many IMPs are recalcitrant to solubilization and/or crystallization with currently available detergents, suggest that it should be valuable to explore new types of amphiphiles for these purposes. This review constitutes a progress report on our long-term effort to develop a new class of organic molecules, collectively designated “tripod amphiphiles,” that are intended as alternatives to conventional detergents for membrane protein manipulation. One long-range goal of this research is to identify new types of amphiphiles that facilitate IMP crystallization. This review should help introduce an important biochemical need to organic chemists, and perhaps inspire new approaches to the problem.
Comparative genomic analysis of mycobacteriophage Tweety: evolutionary insights and construction of compatible site-specific integration vectors for mycobacteria

Mycobacteriophage Tweety is a newly isolated phage of Mycobacterium smegmatis. It has a viral morphology with an isometric head and a long flexible tail, and forms turbid plaques from which stable lysogens can be isolated. The Tweety genome is 58 692 bp in length, contains 109 protein-coding genes, and shows significant but interrupted nucleotide sequence similarity with the previously described mycobacteriophages Llij, PMC and Che8. However, overall the genome possesses mosaic architecture, with gene products being related to other mycobacteriophages such as Che9d, Omega and Corndog. A gene encoding an integrase of the tyrosine-recombinase family is located close to the centre of the genome, and a putative attP site has been identified within a short intergenic region immediately upstream of int. This Tweety attP–int cassette was used to construct a new set of integration-proficient plasmid vectors that efficiently transform both fast- and slow-growing mycobacteria through plasmid integration at a chromosomal locus containing a tRNALys gene. These vectors are maintained well in the absence of selection and are completely compatible with integration vectors derived from mycobacteriophage L5, enabling the simple construction of complex recombinants with genes integrated simultaneously at different chromosomal positions.
Secure programming workshop: how to keep our students from causing buffer overflows

Security flaws are endemic to modern computer software. Software vendors have largely ignored security flaws in the past, believing that they could fix problems by patching flaws after the software was released and an attacker discovered the flaw. However, expanding software complexity is increasing the number of security bugs. At the same time, ever greater network connectivity is offering adversaries greater opportunities to attack software. Therefore, we can no longer afford to ignore security flaws until they are exploited by an attacker.
Long-term suppression of Leydig cell steroidogenesis prevents Leydig cell aging.

Male aging is accompanied by reduced testosterone production by the Leydig cells, the testosterone-producing cells of the testis. The mechanism by which this occurs is unknown. Based on the observations that reactive oxygen is capable of damaging components of the steroidogenic pathway and that reactive oxygen is produced during steroidogenesis itself, we hypothesized that long-term suppression of steroidogenesis might inhibit or prevent age-related deficits in Leydig cell testosterone production. To test this, we administered contraceptive doses of testosterone to groups of young (3 months old) and middle-aged (13 months old) Brown Norway rats via Silastic implants to suppress endogenous Leydig cell testosterone production. After 8 months, the implants were removed, which rapidly (days) restores the ability of the previously suppressed Leydig cells to produce testosterone. Two months after removing the implants, when the rats of the two groups were 13 and 23 months of age, respectively, the Leydig cells in both cases were found to produce testosterone at the high levels of young Leydig cells, whereas significantly lower levels were produced by the 23-month-old controls. Thus, by placing the Leydig cells in a state of steroidogenic “hibernation,” the reductions in Leydig cell testosterone production that invariably accompany aging did not occur. If hormonal contraception in the human functions the same way, the adverse consequences of reduced testosterone in later life (osteoporosis, reduced muscle mass, reduced libido, mood swings, etc.) might be delayed or prevented.
Assessment of Physics Quality Assurance in United States Radiotherapy Facilities and Comparison With American College of Radiology Standard for Radiation Oncology Physics for External Beam Therapy.

We have assessed radiation therapy physics quality assurance (QA) elements in the United States and compared the results with the Patterns of Care Study (PCS) Consensus Guidelines for Treatment Planning and the American College of Radiology (ACR) Standard for Radiation Oncology Physics for External Beam Therapy. Data were obtained during PCS site visits to 73 facilities randomly selected from the 1,321 radiation therapy facilities in the United States: 21 academic, 26 hospital, and 26 freestanding. The following is a representative sample of results. The estimated national averages for facilities having QA programs for treatment planning systems, simulators, accelerators, film processors, and blocking systems are 44%, 79%, 94%, 62%, and 55%, respectively. Only 63% of facilities obtain an independent check of their accelerator calibrations from a source outside the facility. Twenty-six percent of facilities surveyed did not have in vivo dosimetry capability. These results and others in the study were compared with PCS consensus guidelines and ACR standards. This is the first such study performed in the United States, and the results establish a baseline for future studies. A recommendation for a comprehensive national physics QA study is based on deficiencies found in this study and the implementation of new technologies in radiation therapy.
Navigating the gender minefield: an IPV prevention campaign sheds light on the gender gap

This article examines how differences in male and female views about intimate partner violence (IPV) contributed to divergent responses to a prevention campaign conducted in the western USA. The study examines focus groups (n = 22) and in-depth interview data (n = 13) collected during campaign development to shed light on quantitative results indicating that women (but not men) increased their perceived severity of domestic violence and awareness of services from pre-test to post-test, while male attitudes moved in the opposite direction. Results of the qualitative study provide the basis for the authors’ conclusions about why reactions differed: (1) men’s unwillingness to view abuse within a gender context limits men’s ability to accept the inequity in statistically demonstrated male and female roles as perpetrators and victims; (2) male resentment of existing gender stereotypes contributed to a rejection of campaign messages that utilised gender prevalence statistics to depict images showing men as perp...
The Revival of Federalism

This article explores the efforts over the past quarter century by the conservative public interest law movement to revive the principle of federalism and, ultimately, the notion that the federal government is one of only limited, enumerated powers. Focussing on the Commerce Clause, the article traces the original meaning of the powers of the federal government over interstate commerce, as those powers were understood by those who drafted and ratified the Constitution, and contrasts that understanding with the expansionist view of the Commerce Clause adopted by the New Deal Court, which became the ruling orthodoxy for more than half a century. It then recounts the efforts of litigators from the conservative public interest law movement to reverse that modern abberation, when after 20 years of defeat after defeat the movement finally obtained a landmark victory in United States v. Lopez, the 1995 decision in which the Court held that portions of the federal Gun Free School Zones Act exceeded Congress's power to regulate commerce among the states. Finally, it reviews some of the Lopez-based challenges to federal environmental laws far removed from interstate commerce, and concludes that the Lopez holding has not been faithfully applied.
Relationship between histamine and physiological changes during the early response to nasal antigen provocation

To investigate the temporal relationships of mediator release and physiological changes during the early response to allergen, we challenged allergic individuals intranasally with antigen and followed their responses. This was done by using small filter paper disks to challenge one nostril and collect secretions from both the challenged and the contralateral nostril, thus enabling us to evaluate the nasonasal reflex. There was a significant increase in sneezing after allergen challenge that peaked within 2 min and returned to baseline. The weights of nasal secretions as well as nasal symptoms increased immediately and remained significantly elevated for 20 min in both nostrils. Nasal airway resistance increased slowly, reaching its peak at ∼6 min after challenge on the ipsilateral side, but it did not change on the contralateral side. Histamine levels peaked 30 s after removal of the allergen disk on the side of challenge, whereas albumin levels peaked after those of histamine. Lactoferrin paralleled the increase in secretion weights and occurred in both nostrils. Increasing doses of antigen produced dose-dependent increases in all parameters, whereas control challenges produced no response. These studies describe a human model for the evaluation of the allergic response that is capable of simultaneously measuring mediator release and the physiological response, including the nasonasal reflex. This model should prove useful in studying the mechanism of allergic rhinitis in humans.
Relay Location Optimization for Differential Amplify-and-Forward Cooperative Relaying

Differential amplify-and-forward (DAF) cooperative relaying appears to be an attractive strategy for wireless networks where channel estimation is not feasible or it is rather avoided. In this work, we intend to determine the optimum relay location in order to minimize the outage probability of the DAF cooperative relaying in case that the system is allowed to deploy the relay. We consider two scenarios. First, we optimize the relay location for the DAF cooperative relaying with any given power assignment at the source and the relay. Second, we further consider relay location optimization with optimum power assignment in which the performance of the DAF relaying is further enhanced with the price of higher complexity. In order to obtain the optimum relay location, we develop a recursive algorithm based on the fix-point theorem and show that the relay location has a unique optimum solution which can be determined recursively from the sequence developed in our theorem. We also study the impact of the path-loss exponent to the optimal relay location and found that the relay should be deployed closer to the source in lossy environment such as near-ground environment than that in the free space environment. Extensive numerical results are provided to validate and illustrate the theoretical development.
Parasympathomimetic effect of aqueous humor in human eyes with and without chronic simple glaucoma.

ConclusionsThe results are presented of the bioassay of aqueous humor from human eyes prepared according to the method applied by Engelhart to animals. In a series of 10 human eyes without glaucoma, every sample of aqueous humor contained a para-sympathomimetic substance which, in the 2 cases so tested, was found to be similar to acetylcholine. In the aqueous humor of 7 human eyes with chronic simple glaucoma, no such parasympathomimetic substance could be demonstrated.
Reply to Block

To examine the role of beliefs about time in the epistemic differences between black and white college students, we agree with Block that use of all four wordings of the Temporal Inventory on Meaning and Experience is desirable to assess response bias.
Vertebrates Inhabiting Pocket Gopher Burrows in Colorado

Twenty-two species of vertebrates have been recorded in Colorado as using pocket gopher burrows for retreats and foraging routes, and the local occurrence of several reptiles and of the tiger salamander is determined by the presence of these burrows. Adult tiger salamanders often live in burrows occupied by pocket gophers; apparently these two animals are mutually tolerant. Ground squirrels are pocket gophers' strongest competitors for burrow systems and occasionally force pocket gophers from their burrows. The plugging by pocket gophers of open entrances to their burrows is important in excluding other burrowinhabiting vetebrates as well as predators.
Improving Resource Efficiency at Scale with Heracles

User-facing, latency-sensitive services, such as websearch, underutilize their computing resources during daily periods of low traffic. Reusing those resources for other tasks is rarely done in production services since the contention for shared resources can cause latency spikes that violate the service-level objectives of latency-sensitive tasks. The resulting under-utilization hurts both the affordability and energy efficiency of large-scale datacenters. With the slowdown in technology scaling caused by the sunsetting of Moore’s law, it becomes important to address this opportunity. We present Heracles, a feedback-based controller that enables the safe colocation of best-effort tasks alongside a latency-critical service. Heracles dynamically manages multiple hardware and software isolation mechanisms, such as CPU, memory, and network isolation, to ensure that the latency-sensitive job meets latency targets while maximizing the resources given to best-effort tasks. We evaluate Heracles using production latency-critical and batch workloads from Google and demonstrate average server utilizations of 90p without latency violations across all the load and colocation scenarios that we evaluated.
Surveying DNA Elements within Functional Genes of Heterocyst-Forming Cyanobacteria

Some cyanobacteria are capable of differentiating a variety of cell types in response to environmental factors. For instance, in low nitrogen conditions, some cyanobacteria form heterocysts, which are specialized for N2 fixation. Many heterocyst-forming cyanobacteria have DNA elements interrupting key N2 fixation genes, elements that are excised during heterocyst differentiation. While the mechanism for the excision of the element has been well-studied, many questions remain regarding the introduction of the elements into the cyanobacterial lineage and whether they have been retained ever since or have been lost and reintroduced. To examine the evolutionary relationships and possible function of DNA sequences that interrupt genes of heterocyst-forming cyanobacteria, we identified and compared 101 interruption element sequences within genes from 38 heterocyst-forming cyanobacterial genomes. The interruption element lengths ranged from about 1 kb (the minimum able to encode the recombinase responsible for element excision), up to nearly 1 Mb. The recombinase gene sequences served as genetic markers that were common across the interruption elements and were used to track element evolution. Elements were found that interrupted 22 different orthologs, only five of which had been previously observed to be interrupted by an element. Most of the newly identified interrupted orthologs encode proteins that have been shown to have heterocyst-specific activity. However, the presence of interruption elements within genes with no known role in N2 fixation, as well as in three non-heterocyst-forming cyanobacteria, indicates that the processes that trigger the excision of elements may not be limited to heterocyst development or that the elements move randomly within genomes. This comprehensive analysis provides the framework to study the history and behavior of these unique sequences, and offers new insight regarding the frequency and persistence of interruption elements in heterocyst-forming cyanobacteria.
Interrelationships between selected physical variables and academic achievement of college women.

Abstract College freshmen women (N = 827) were given a physical fitness test comprised of the standing broad jump, flexed-arm hang, curl-ups, and the 3-minute step test. A total physical fitness score was derived from the scale scores. Relationships between fitness items, total score, height, and weight were studied. Grade point averages determined for each fitness classification revealed statistically significant differences in the GPA among those who were high, fair, or poor in physical fitness achievement. Those groups achieving higher GPA's also were high on the fitness scores. The relationship is not high enough to be predictive, but the results suggest that greater health and vitality of a student aids him in achieving his academic potential.
Structural and Solvent Effects on the Excited State Dynamics of 3-Hydroxyflavones

Much less is known about small barrier (<5 kcal/mol) proton transfer reactions than the widely studied large barrier case. Fortunately, laser studies on molecules undergoing excited state intramolecular proton transfer ESIPT offer the means to investigate the kinetics and mechanism of ultrafast small barrier proton transfer. One of the most interesting molecules which exhibits ESIPT is 3-hydroxyflavone 3HF. Several groups have been studying this molecule in recent years [1-5]. It is now clear that the stable ground-state isomer of 3HF is the normal N form. Electronically excited N molecules (\(\lambda \frac{{\max }}{{fJ}} = 410nm\)) undergo a rapid proton transfer isomerization to yield a tautbmer L form (\(\left( {{{\lambda }_{{fl}}} = 543nm} \right)\)${\lambda _{fJ}} = 543nm$). The proton transfer kinetics (N→T) has a fast and slow coripbonent [1–2] and the kinetics are strongly dependent on solvent and temperature [1–5].
Insurance Online: Regulation and Consumer Protection in a Cyber World

Insurers and insurance intermediaries sell and market insurance online and utilize social media to promote their products and evaluate consumer behavior. Historically, insurance companies have been significant collectors and users of customer-related information; the age of “Big Data” has greatly accelerated both the types of information collected and how it is used, creating new opportunities for developing, underwriting, and marketing insurance products. However, the online or cyber world similarly creates new challenges for regulators and risks to consumers, including the complexity of underwriting and risk classifications, multiple distribution channels that cross regulatory boundaries and are increasingly global in reach, and consumer privacy and ownership of data. These new realities in turn implicate the growing risk of cyber or data breaches and the ability of third parties to illegally access and utilize the immense amounts of confidential information insurers and other institutions now routinely collect.
Invasive fungal infection after heart transplantation: A 7‐year, single‐center experience

BACKGROUND Invasive fungal infections (IFIs) are an infrequent but major complication of heart transplantation (HT). We sought to describe the epidemiology at our institution. METHODS A prospective cohort study of 159 heart transplant recipients was performed from June 2005 to December 2012. IFIs were defined by European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer/Mycoses Study Group criteria. RESULTS By univariate analysis, Hispanic ethnicity was associated with IFI (P=.01, odds ratio [OR] 7.0, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.7-27.9). Subsequently, a multivariate logistic regression was performed adjusting for Hispanic ethnicity, age, and gender. Seventeen IFIs were identified, occurring at a median 110 days post HT (interquartile range: 32-411 days). Five IFIs (29% of IFIs and 3.1% of all HT) occurred during the HT hospitalization, with 13 IFIs during the first year (incidence 8.2%). CONCLUSIONS The cumulative incidence was 10.7%. IFIs were associated with pre- and post-HT vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus colonization and/or infection, post-HT renal replacement therapy, anti-thymocyte globulin induction, and antibody-mediated rejection. There were no associations with diabetes mellitus, desensitization, 2R/3R cellular rejection, treatments for rejection, re-operation, neutropenia, or cytomegalovirus infection. IFIs were associated with death (P=.02, OR 3.9, 95% CI 1.3-12.1) and 1-year mortality (P<.001, OR 9.0, 95% CI 2.3-35.7), but not 3-year mortality. Associations with Hispanic ethnicity must be validated. Optimal strategies for risk reduction and prophylaxis remain undefined.