cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Online discussion as a potential professional development tool for first‐year teachers

The opportunity to engage in discussion with others about teaching issues is essential to a teacher’s professional development, and can potentially be afforded through online discussions. The following study explored the use of online discussion as a way to engage beginning teachers in professional development. An investigation was conducted to determine what ten beginning teachers discuss during a year‐long electronic discussion, how often and at what times of the year they tend to participate, and if online discussions hold promise for future use in the professional development of beginning teachers. Transcripts of the online discussions revealed seven categories of first‐year teacher discussion that might be used to tailor future professional development activities with novice teachers. Patterns in what times of the year these topics arose and when beginning teachers tended to participate indicate when appropriate support might be given during the induction phase of teaching. Examination of the topics ...
Acetylcholine Is an Autocrine or Paracrine Hormone Synthesized and Secreted by Airway Bronchial Epithelial Cells

The role of acetylcholine (ACh) as a key neurotransmitter in the central and peripheral nervous system is well established. However, the role of ACh may be broader because ACh may also function as an autocrine or paracrine signaling molecule in a variety of nonneuronal tissues. To begin to establish ACh of nonneuronal origin as a paracrine hormone in lung, we have examined neonatal and adult monkey bronchial epithelium for the components involved in nicotinic cholinergic signaling. Using immunohistochemistry and RT-PCR, we have demonstrated in lung bronchial epithelial cells (BECs) expression of choline acetyltransferase, the vesicular ACh transporter, the choline high-affinity transporter, alpha7, alpha4, and beta2 nicotinic ACh receptor (nAChR) subunits, and the nAChR accessory protein lynx1. Confocal microscopy demonstrates that these factors are expressed in epithelial cells and are clearly distinct from neighboring nerve fibers. Confirmation of RNA identity has been confirmed by partial sequence analysis of PCR products and by cDNA cloning. Primary culture of BECs confirms the synthesis and secretion of ACh and the activity of cholinesterases. Thus, ACh meets all the criteria for an autocrine/paracrine hormone in lung bronchial epithelium. The nonneuronal cholinergic signaling pathway in lung provides a potentially important target for cholinergic drugs. This pathway may also explain some of the effects of nicotine on fetal development and also provides additional mechanisms by which smoking affects lung cancer growth and development.
Parents Who Influence Their Children to Become Scientists: Effects of Gender and Parental Education

In this paper we report on testing the 'role-model' and 'opportunity-structure' hypotheses about the parents whom scientists mentioned as career influencers. According to the role-model hypothesis, the gender match between scientist and influencer is paramount (for example, women scientists would disproportionately often mention their mothers as career influencers). According to the opportunity-structure hypothesis, the parent's educational level predicts his/her probability of being mentioned as a career influencer (that is, parents with higher educational levels would be more likely to be named). The examination of a sample of American scientists who had received prestigious postdoctoral fellowships resulted in rejecting the role-model hypothesis and corroborating the opportunity-structure hypothesis. There were a few additional findings. First, women scientists were more likely than men scientists to mention parental influencers. Second, fathers were more likely than mothers to be mentioned as influencers. Third, an interaction was found between the scientist's gender and parental education when predicting a parent's nomination as influencer.
A Natural Test for Homogeneity

In this chapter, unlike the previous one, we assume that all contexts have a fmite number of occurrences. We will, however, still retain our assumption of perfect memory throughout this chapter. We follow the same analogical procedure outlined in the previous chapter to predict behavior except that local homogeneity must be determined statistically rather than probabilistically. In order to determine the local homogeneity of a supracontext, we define a natural estimate of certainty.
The National Glycohemoglobin Standardization Program: A five-year progress report

Background: The Diabetes Control and Complications Trial (DCCT) and the United Kingdom Prospective Diabetes Study (UKPDS) demonstrated conclusively that risks for complications in patients with diabetes are directly related to glycemic control, as measured by glycohemoglobin (GHB). In 1994, one year after the DCCT results were reported, the American Diabetes Association (ADA) set specific diabetes treatment goals. However, 1993 College of American Pathologists (CAP) Survey results indicated a lack of comparability of GHB test results among methods and laboratories that represented a major obstacle to meaningful implementation of the ADA guidelines. Thus, an AACC subcommittee was formed in 1993 to develop a standardization program that would enable laboratories to report DCCT-traceable GHB results. This program was implemented in 1996 by the National Glycohemoglobin Standardization Program (NGSP) Steering Committee. Approach: We review the NGSP process and summarize progress in standardization through analysis of CAP data. Content: Since 1996, the number of methods and laboratories certified by the NGSP as traceable to the DCCT has steadily increased. CAP GH2-B survey results reported in December 2000 show marked improvement over 1993 data in the comparability of GHB results. In 2000, 90% of surveyed laboratories reported GHB results as hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) or equivalent, compared with 50% in 1993. Of laboratories reporting HbA1c in 2000, 78% used a NGSP-certified method. For most certified methods in 2000, between-laboratory CVs were <5%. For all certified methods in 2000, the mean percent HbA1c was within 0.8% HbA1c of the NGSP target at all HbA1c concentrations. Summary: The majority of laboratories in the US are now reporting results that are traceable to DCCT/UKPDS outcomes.
Education and Bureaucracy: National Testing and School Privatization

In this paper, we view the challenges of education utilizing the Austrian analysis of bureaucracy , and make suggestions for improvement on the basis of it. From our perspective, the current malaise can best be addressed through a program of radical decentralization and privatization. We begin by addressing in Section II the underlying assumptions and practices of the current approach, and then in section III offer some potential solutions based on Austrian economic thought. We conclude with section IV. II. DIFFICULTIES WITH THE PRESENT SYSTEM The difficulties with the present system of public education are many and serious. They include crime , racial hostility , failure to educate , parasitical teachers unions and many others. In the present paper, however, we will focus on only one of these problems, compulsory national testing , a solution favored by some segments of the educational establishment.
New High-Resolution Central Schemes for Nonlinear Conservation Laws and Convection—Diffusion Equations

Central schemes may serve as universal finite-difference methods for solving nonlinear convection?diffusion equations in the sense that they are not tied to the specific eigenstructure of the problem, and hence can be implemented in a straightforward manner as black-box solvers for general conservation laws and related equations governing the spontaneous evolution of large gradient phenomena. The first-order Lax?Friedrichs scheme (P. D. Lax, 1954) is the forerunner for such central schemes. The central Nessyahu?Tadmor (NT) scheme (H. Nessyahu and E. Tadmor, 1990) offers higher resolution while retaining the simplicity of the Riemann-solver-free approach. The numerical viscosity present in these central schemes is of order O((?x)2r/?t). In the convective regime where ?t~?x, the improved resolution of the NT scheme and its generalizations is achieved by lowering the amount of numerical viscosity with increasing r. At the same time, this family of central schemes suffers from excessive numerical viscosity when a sufficiently small time step is enforced, e.g., due to the presence of degenerate diffusion terms.In this paper we introduce a new family of central schemes which retain the simplicity of being independent of the eigenstructure of the problem, yet which enjoy a much smaller numerical viscosity (of the corresponding order O(?x)2r?1)). In particular, our new central schemes maintain their high-resolution independent of O(1/?t), and letting ?t ? 0, they admit a particularly simple semi-discrete formulation. The main idea behind the construction of these central schemes is the use of more precise information of the local propagation speeds. Beyond these CFL related speeds, no characteristic information is required. As a second ingredient in their construction, these central schemes realize the (nonsmooth part of the) approximate solution in terms of its cell averages integrated over the Riemann fans of varying size.The semi-discrete central scheme is then extended to multidimensional problems, with or without degenerate diffusive terms. Fully discrete versions are obtained with Runge?Kutta solvers. We prove that a scalar version of our high-resolution central scheme is nonoscillatory in the sense of satisfying the total-variation diminishing property in the one-dimensional case and the maximum principle in two-space dimensions. We conclude with a series of numerical examples, considering convex and nonconvex problems with and without degenerate diffusion, and scalar and systems of equations in one- and two-space dimensions. Time evolution is carried out by the third- and fourth-order explicit embedded integration Runge?Kutta methods recently proposed by A. Medovikov (1998). These numerical studies demonstrate the remarkable resolution of our new family of central scheme.
Why did Mexico become so violent? A self-reinforcing violent equilibrium caused by competition and enforcement

This article explains why homicides related to drug-trafficking operations in Mexico have recently increased by exploring the mechanisms through which this type of violence tends to escalate. It is shown that drug-related violence can be understood as the result of two factors: (a) homicides caused by traffickers battling to take control of a competitive market, and (b) casualties and arrests generated by law enforcement operations against traffickers. Both sources of violence interact causing Mexico to be locked into a “self-reinforcing violent equilibrium” in which incremental increases in traffickers’ confrontations raise the incentives of the government to prosecute traffickers which promote further confrontations with traffickers when, as a result of the detention of drug lords, the remnants of the criminal organization fight each other in successive battles. This article presents quantitative evidence and case studies to assess the importance of the two mechanisms. It uses a unique dataset of recorded communications between drug traffickers and statistics on drug-related homicides.
A Lagrangian Approach to Fixed Points

We present a new way to derive dissipative, optimizing dynamics from the Lagrangian formulation of mechanics. It can be used to obtain both standard and novel neural net dynamics for optimization problems. To demonstrate this we derive standard descent dynamics as well as nonstandard variants that introduce a computational attention mechanism.
A Free-Floating PIV System: Measurements of Small-Scale Turbulence under the Wind Wave Surface

AbstractAn in situ free-floating underwater miniature particle image velocimetry (UWMPIV) system is developed and applied to measure the structure of turbulence in the aqueous side of the wind wave surface boundary layer. The UWMPIV system provides a direct way to measure the aqueous side turbulence dissipation rate and vortex structures immediately below the air–water interface, which are important parameters that determine the gas exchange rate across the air–water interface subjected to a low-to-moderate wind shear. The impact of platform motion on the measurement of small-scale turbulence is discussed and found to be insignificant. A series of field experiments under a near “zero-fetch” wind wave condition and one open water experiment under a low wind condition were conducted on Lake Michigan to demonstrate the capabilities of the free-floating particle image velocimetry (PIV) system. The dissipation rate estimated with a “direct method” and with a “spectra fitting” method are compared. Vertical prof...
Database Machines: An Introduction

THIS issue of the IEEE TRANSACTIONS ON COMPUTERS iS devoted to the relatively new field of database machine design. What is a database machine? This question is answered in the context of the traditional approach to the storage, retrieval, and update of information. A collection of data is called a file, and the file is composed of individual records. The records themselves are partitioned into fields. In punched card technology, a file is a deck of cards, a record is a single card (a unit record), and a field is a grouping of adjacent columns to which the designer has assigned some meaning. Simple data processing systems access files in a sequential manner, processing each record in turn. This technique is well suited to the relatively inexpensive card and tape storage media. In the more expensive direct access (drum and disk) storage technologies, the storage media is divided into tracks. Tracks can be addressed directly, which leads to the concept of constructing an index of the file which indicates what data are stored on each track. With direct access storage devices and suitable file organization techniques, data processing programs can search, update, insert, and delete records from a file without processing the entire file in a sequential fashion. Direct access storage devices provide the user with more powerful functions, but these functions must be programmed on the central processor, as the IO interface traditionally communicates control information at a very low level.
A simplified and rapid high-performance liquid chromatographic assay for ketoprofen in isopropyl myristate.

A high-performance liquid chromatographic (HPLC) procedure for quantitating ketoprofen in isopropyl myristate (IPM), a compound widely used as a receptor medium in drug diffusion studies of topical aqueous-based formulations, is developed. Previously reported HPLC assays for ketoprofen in IPM have employed relatively complex and tedious methods for purifying the IPM prior to injection onto the HPLC column. The present assay method utilizes a direct injection of the IPM-based sample onto a new reversed-phase ODS column and employs ultraviolet detection at 265 nm. Propyl paraben is employed as the internal standard. The mobile phase consists of acetonitrile-methanol-water (36:54:10, v/v/v) at a flow rate of 1.2 mL/min. The calibration curves are linear (correlation coefficient r ≥ 0.988) over concentration ranges of 0.625-10 μg/mL and 6.25-100 μg/mL. The within-day and between-day precision exhibit coefficients of variation of 1.3-3.3%, and the accuracy (reported as relative error of the mean) varies from -1.9% to 0.6%. The retention times for ketoprofen and propyl paraben are approximately 2.3 and 3.3 min, respectively. The total run time per sample is approximately 7 min. The minimum quantitatable concentration is approximately 0.625 μg/mL. The assay is stability-indicating, rapid, reproducible, sensitive, and readily adaptable for assaying other non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.
Orbital and Atmospheric Forcing of Western Antarctic Peninsula Climate in the Holocene: The TEX 86 Paleotemperature Record of Palmer Deep

A detailed TEX86 sea surface temperature record is presented from a well-dated hemipelagic sedimentary sequence drilled in Palmer Deep, on the western Antarctic Peninsula continental margin (ODP Hole 1098B; 1010 m). To test the regional utility of the TEX86 proxy, surface sediment samples with paired CTD casts were acquired and results show the promise of TEX86 in this region. Down core TEX86-derived temperatures at Site 1098 range between 0 and 6°C during the Holocene (0-12 ky). A long-term Holocene cooling of ~3°C is suggested and is punctuated by millennial scale temperature variability. The TEX86 temperature record from Palmer Deep is consistent with temperature trends recorded in west Antarctic ice cores and southeast Pacific marine sediments. This observation is consistent with hypotheses that favor atmospheric (via the Southern Hemisphere westerly winds), not thermohaline, control over the hydrography of Palmer Deep.
Language in the information-seeking context: A study of US scholars using non-English sources

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to specifically investigate information seeking strategies that are used by scholars in the USA conducting research in languages other than English and the types of shifts that scholars make between strategies in planned, disruptive, and problematic situations. Design/methodology/approach – Interviews and research diaries were employed to gather information from 16 subjects using seven different languages across seven disciplines. Grounded theory and the constant comparative method were used to analyze types of strategies and types of shifts between strategies. Findings – This study identified four formal system strategies, seven informal resource strategies, four interactive human strategies, and one hybrid strategy. Subjects in the study selected informal resource and interactive human strategies more often as initial strategies while informal resource strategies are used as final strategies. Moreover, the findings presented a variety of shifts between strategies i...
Patterns in Directional Solidification

There have recently been a set of new phenomena observed in the directional solidification of liquid crystals, including travelling waves and spatial period doubling. We apply the integro-differential method to the liquid crystal system of Simon et.al. and show that we can reproduce the period doubling state. Furthermore we show that there are two types of mixed mode solutions and discuss the nature of the bifurcation from the planar to the cellular state and from the mixed modes to the period doubled state.
Random Seismic Response of Equipment on Hysteretic Structures

The paper presents a method for calculating the seismic response of equipment supported on hysteretically behaving inelastic structures subjected to random ground motions. The hysteretic behavior is modeled by the well-known Bouc-Wen model. Stochastic linearization approach is used to deal with the nonlinear problem. The linearized system of equations are solved by a generalized modal analysis approach to obtain the stochastic seismic response. The stochastic approach is extended to propose a response spectrum approach for generating floor response spectra directly from the input ground response spectra. Numerical results showing the effect of hysteretic nonlinearity on the floor motion response are presented.
Personalization, gender, and social media: gubernatorial candidates’ social media strategies

ABSTRACTThis study focuses on the ‘self-personalization’ of campaign politics, marked by candidates highlighting their personal lives over their policy positions. The rise of social media may be accelerating this shift. Applying Strategic Stereotype Theory [Fridkin, K. L., & Kenney, P. J. (2014). The changing face of representation: The gender of U.S. senators and constituent communications. Ann Arbor: University of Michigan Press.], which holds that women politicians try to deactivate stereotypes that associate men with agentic leadership traits while capitalizing on stereotypes that associate them with warmth, we assess what role gender plays in candidate self-personalization on social media. A large-scale computerized content analysis of social media posts by gubernatorial candidates in 2014 suggests that male candidates may see more and female candidates see less strategic benefits in personalizing, but this effect does not persist in the face of electoral contextual variables like competitiveness. We...
NATURAL PERIODS OF ARMOR STONES

Results of a laboratory investigation were analyzed to determine the response of quarrystone armor units to particular wave periods. Results indicate that individual stones appear to respond to particular wave periods depending on the stone's mass, shape, and placement in the structure's armor layer. Results also indicate that the wave period critical for design may not be the longest wave period in the incident waves, and investigations must be carefully conducted to determine the critical design conditions.
Histochemical localization of acid phosphatase in germinating maize kernels.

Sections of germinating maize kernels obtained by freezing technic were examined for acid phosphatase according to the histochemical method of Gomori. The embryonic axis, scutellum and aleurone layer were found positive for the enzyme. A microtechnical method for preformed phosphate, based on Sumner's colorimetric method for phosphorus, is described.
Study on the factors that affect the colony total count in hospital air observation

Objective To study the factors that affect the colony total count in air observation.Methods According to the Hygienic STANDARD for disinfection in hospital GB15982-1995 and the Technologic STANDARD for disinfection in hospital 2002.Results Time and high of the sampling,cultivated time,culture medium preheat and the different methods of button the utensil lid all will affect the result of colony total count.Conclusions 15 minutes of the sampling,1.0 m of the sampling high and 48 hour of the cultivated time are the optimum of the natural sedimentation method.
Pharmacologic perfusion imaging. Who needs it and why

Pharmacologic perfusion imaging is an excellent choice for patients who cannot undergo treadmill exercise stress testing. The use of pharmacologic imaging has proved valuable in all branches of medicine and surgery. Patients requiring cardiac evaluation before vascular or orthopedic surgery can now be examined quite completely; there are very few patients today who cannot be "stressed" adequately. Advances in this field are being made every day, and the accuracy of testing will improve further when such new technologies as positron-emission tomography are more widely available.
Factors influencing alopecia and hair cortisol in rhesus macaques (Macaca mulatta).

Background Alopecia can occur in captive non-human primates, but its etiology is poorly understood. The purpose of this study was to assess alopecia and hair cortisol in rhesus monkeys and to identify the potential risk factors. Methods Subjects were 117 rhesus monkeys at two National Primate Research Centers. Photographs and hair samples were obtained during routine physicals. Photographs were analyzed using Image J software to calculate hair loss, and hair samples were assayed for cortisol. Results Age, days singly housed, and their interactions contributed to the alopecia model for both facilities. Sex and location changes contributed to the hair cortisol model for Facility 1; sedations contributed for Facility 2. Alopecia and hair cortisol were associated at Facility 1. Conclusions Captive management practices can affect alopecia and hair cortisol. However, there are facility differences in the relationship between alopecia and hair cortisol and in the effect of intrinsic variables and management procedures.
Partial prefetch for faster surfing in composite hypermedia

In this paper we present a prefetch technique, which incorporates a scheme similar to data streaming to minimize the response-lag. Unlike previous all or none techniques, we propose partial prefetch where the size of the lead segment is computed optimally so that only a minimum but sufficient amount of data is prefetched and buffered. The remaining segment is fetched if and only when the media is traversed. Thus, it delivers content without any increase in perceived response delay, and at the same time drastically minimizes unnecessary pre-load. The paper presents the scheme in the context of surfing in composite multimedia documents. It presents the technique and optimization scheme used for stream segmentation backed by analytical model and statistical simulation. We report remarkable increase in the responsiveness of web systems by a factor of 2-15 based on the specific situation.
The 2016 Garrod Lecture: The role of the healthcare epidemiologist in antimicrobial chemotherapy—a view from the USA

Antimicrobial chemotherapy now spans 80 years and four generations. The healthcare epidemiologist has an important role to play in this field. Efforts focus in three areas: (i) minimizing the transmission of antimicrobial-resistant bacteria in healthcare settings (infection control); (ii) optimizing use of currently available antibacterial drugs (antibiotic stewardship); and (iii) recognizing and responding to opportunities for new drug development. For each area, the epidemiologist provides data that address four practical questions-'What is the problem?', 'What should be done?', 'Is it being done?' and 'Is it working?'. A team approach is crucial to acting on the epidemiological data. Examples are presented to illustrate different roles of the epidemiologist, and tools and measures that have been developed to address some problems of current importance. Monitoring of quality, integrity and security of data remains a major focus. The epidemiologist will continue to have a key role in antimicrobial chemotherapy.
What weight loss treatment options do geriatric patients with overweight and obesity want to consider

Introduction Since the 1990s, a number of weight loss medications have been removed from the US and or European market due to adverse events associated with these medications. These medications include fenfluramine (heart valve thickening), sibutramine (cardiovascular risk), and rimonabant (depression). This history may affect a patient's desire to consider weight loss medications as an option for weight management. Objective This descriptive study was designed to observe what treatment options the geriatric patient (age 65 or higher) seeking weight loss would like to consider, as well as the reasons they felt they struggled with overweight or obesity. Methods a questionnaire was given to 102 geriatric patients with overweight or obesity before starting a weight loss program at a weight management center. The questionnaire asked the patient why they felt they were overweight or obese and what treatment options they wished to consider. The geriatric patients were BMI, and sex matched with younger patients. Results The three most common perceptions that geriatric patients felt were causes of their increased weight were “lack of exercise” (76.2%), “poor food choices” (59.4%) and “cravings” (47.5%). When geriatric patients were asked what treatment options they would like to discuss the four most common options requested were “diet and healthy eating” (67.3%), weight loss medications (57.4%), a request for a “metabolic work up” (55.4%), and “exercise” (53.5%). These responses were no different from their younger cohorts. When geriatric patients with a BMI of 35 or higher were given bariatric surgery as a treatment option, 21.9% marked it as a treatment option they would like to consider. Conclusions Over half of geriatric patients desired to discuss weight loss medications as a treatment option. Diet and exercise were also of strong interest which is in line with current weight management guidelines.
Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis: Present Understanding of the Role of SOD

Over the last 20 years, the focus on superoxide dismutase research has been to identify the gain-of-function associated with the mutations that cause amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The more than 160 mutations in 80 different positions in the enzyme produce the same phenotype—ALS. Expression of the mutant enzyme in rodents leads to a phenotype that closely resembles the human disease. In contrast, gene deletion or overexpression of wild-type human SOD in rodents does not produce major phenotypic alterations, which led to the conclusion that the mutations produce a toxic gain-of-function. Some mutations have no alterations of the enzymatic activity, while others have a reduction or even ablation of the enzymatic activity when tested in vitro in the presence of metal chelators. In spite of the experimental efforts and the many hypotheses that have been proposed to explain the mutant SOD’s gain-of-function, the mechanism for the selective motor neuron toxicity remains elusive and highly controversial. However, there are some facts that have generally been accepted. Mutant SOD-induced disease in rodent models of ALS produces aggregation, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, astrocyte activation, neuroinflammation, and selective motor neuron death. It is also accepted that in spite of the recent identification of several other genes responsible for familial ALS, it is the mutant SOD transgenic rodent models that better replicate the human disease.
Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma in the Context of Antecedent Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Case Series from the Mayo Clinic and the Nebraska Lymphoma Study Group.

Abstract PURPOSE: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has been associated with an increased risk of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). We describe the characteristics of NHL patients with antecedent RA. METHODS: Records of the Nebraska Lymphoma Study Group (NLSG) registry between 1982–2004 and the Mayo Clinic lymphoma registry between 1988–1998 were systematically reviewed for RA diagnosis and classified by the quality of supporting evidence. We abstracted available follow-up data through July 1, 2004. Definite cases had either a documented RA diagnosis from a trained rheumatologist or met 4 of 7 American College of Rheumatology criteria. Probable RA cases had a non-rheumatologist diagnosis of RA in addition to one of the following: 1) radiographic joint erosions; 2) disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD) use or; 3) RA-associated deformities (i.e., ulnar drift, swan-neck deformities). Five-year overall survival (OAS), event-free survival (EFS), and rates of treatment response were determined. RESULTS: We identified 74 RA cases (54 definite and 20 probable) with concomitant NHL. These patients had a mean age of 67 + 8 years and were predominantly Caucasian (82%) and female (64%). Of the probable RA cases, a majority had documented DMARD use (n=17). Approximately half of the cases used methotrexate (55%) and were deceased (52%) by the common closing date. The most common NHL subtypes included B-DLCL (n=31), B-FL-1/B-FL-2 (n=12), B-FL-3 (n=6), and B-BL/B-BLL (n=4). Of the remaining 21 cases, most were of B-cell origin (n=13) and included B-EMZL (n=3), B-LPL (n=3), B-UCL (n=2), B-UCL-LG (n=2), B-DFL-2 (n=1), B-MCL (n=1), and B-SLL (n=1). The remaining NHL subtypes included NHL-NOS (n=7) or T-PTCL-LC (n=1). B-symptoms were present for 6 (19%) patients with B-DLCL and none of the patients with B-FL-1/B-FL-2. Complete response rates to NHL treatment were 48% in B-DLCL and 33% in B-FL-1/B-FL-2. For B-DLCL and B-FL-1/B-FL-2, respectively, the five-year OAS was 54% (95% CI 36%–69%) and 65% (95% CI 31%–85%) while the five-year EFS was 48% (95% CI 36%–69%) and 56% (95% CI 24%–79%). For all NHL cases the 5-year OAS was 58% (95% CI 47%–69%) and the 5-year EFS was 49% (95% CI 37%–59%). CONCLUSIONS: Lymphomas developing in the context of RA most often include diffuse large B-cell and follicular subtypes. Complete response rates to standard treatment for these major subtypes ranged from 33 to 48%. For RA patients developing NHL, five-year overall- and event-free survival rates are approximately 50%.
Budget Impact Analysis of Against Colorectal Cancer In Our Neighborhoods (ACCION): A Successful Community-Based Colorectal Cancer Screening Program for a Medically Underserved Minority Population

Abstract Objectives Given the uncertain cost of delivering community-based cancer screening programs, we developed a Markov simulation model to project the budget impact of implementing a comprehensive colorectal cancer (CRC) prevention program compared with the status quo. Methods The study modeled the impacts on the costs of clinical services, materials, and staff expenditures for recruitment, education, fecal immunochemical testing (FIT), colonoscopy, follow-up, navigation, and initial treatment. We used data from the Against Colorectal Cancer In Our Neighborhoods comprehensive CRC prevention program implemented in El Paso, Texas, since 2012. We projected the 3-year financial consequences of the presence and absence of the CRC prevention program for a hypothetical population cohort of 10,000 Hispanic medically underserved individuals. Results The intervention cohort experienced a 23.4% higher test completion rate for CRC prevention, 8 additional CRC diagnoses, and 84 adenomas. The incremental 3-year cost was $1.74 million compared with the status quo. The program cost per person was $261 compared with $86 for the status quo. The costs were sensitive to the proportion of high-risk participants and the frequency of colonoscopy screening and diagnostic procedures. Conclusions The budget impact mainly derived from colonoscopy-related costs incurred for the high-risk group. The effectiveness of FIT to detect CRC was critically dependent on follow-up after positive FIT. Community cancer prevention programs need reliable estimates of the cost of CRC screening promotion and the added budget impact of screening with colonoscopy.
Cerebral Gray Matter Atrophy Is Associated with the CSF IgG index in African American with Multiple Sclerosis

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE African American (AA) patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) have been reported to have a more aggressive disease course compared to their white counterparts. We explored the relation of gray matter (GM) volume, a marker of tissue injury, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) IgG index in both AA and white MS patients. METHODS This was a cross-sectional study of 150 self-identified AA and 150 white patients with MS who underwent magnetic resonance imaging scan of brain and CSF sampling. Intrathecal IgG synthesis was quantified as IgG index. The Spearman test was used for univariate correlation analysis, followed by generalized linear model (GLM) to assess the effect of race on the correlation between IgG index and GM volume. RESULTS The GM volume was inversely related to the IgG index for the entire group (rho = -.57, P < .0004). The AA group showed a stronger correlation (rho = -.893, P < .00004), as compared to whites (rho = -.019, P = .85), between GM and IgG index. Furthermore, GLM analysis showed a significant effect of race on the relation between IgG index and GM volume (P < .0005). CONCLUSIONS AA patients with MS have lower GM volume and a stronger inverse correlation between GM volume and CSF IgG index, compared to the whites. These findings suggest a potentially prominent role of humoral immunity in mediating tissue injury in AA patients with MS.
The next generation of immunotherapy: keeping lung cancer in check

Lung cancer is the deadliest malignancy with more cancer deaths per year than the next three cancers combined. Despite remarkable advances in targeted therapy, advanced lung cancer patients have not experienced a significant improvement in mortality. Lung cancer has been shown to be immunogenic and responsive to checkpoint blockade therapy. Checkpoint signals such as CTLA-4 and PD-1/PD-L1 dampen T cell activation and allow tumors to escape the adaptive immune response. Response rates in patients with pretreated, advanced NSCLC were much higher and more durable with PD-1 blockade therapy compared to standard-of-care, cytotoxic chemotherapy. Therefore, PD-1 inhibitors such as nivolumab and pembrolizumab were rapidly approved for both squamous and nonsquamous lung cancer in the pretreated population. The advent of these new therapies have revolutionized the treatment of lung cancer; however, the majority of NSCLC patients still do not respond to PD-1/PD-L1 inhibition leaving an unmet need for a large and growing population.Immunotherapy combinations with chemotherapy, radiation therapy, or novel immunomodulatory agents are currently being examined with the hope of achieving higher response rates and improving overall survival rate. Chemotherapy and radiation therapy has been theorized to increase the release of tumor antigen leading to increased responses with immunotherapy. However, cytotoxic chemotherapy and radiation therapy may also destroy actively proliferating T cells. The correct combination and order of therapy is under investigation. The majority of patients who do respond to immunotherapy have a durable response attributed to the effect of adaptive immune system's memory. Unfortunately, some patients' tumors do progress afterward and investigation of checkpoint blockade resistance is still nascent.This review will summarize the latest efficacy and safety data for early and advanced NSCLC in both the treatment-naive and pretreated settings. The emerging role of immunotherapy for the treatment of small cell lung cancer and malignant mesothelioma will also be discussed.
Rejoinder: Statistical Significance and the Dichotomization of Evidence

We heartily thank editor Montserrat Fuentes for selecting our article (McShane and Gal 2017) for discussion. We are grateful for the opportunity to receive feedback on our work from four sets of di...
Is Prevention the Answer

Is prevention the answer to escalating violent conflict? Conflict prevention uses carrots and sticks to deter future violence. Its power thus rests on the credibility of policy-makers' commitment t...
CAMERRA: An analysis tool for the computation of conformational dynamics by evaluating residue–residue associations

A computational method which extracts the dominant motions from an ensemble of biomolecular conformations via a correlation analysis of residue-residue contacts is presented. The algorithm first renders the structural information into contact matrices, then constructs the collective modes based on the correlated dynamics of a selected set of dynamic contacts. Associated programs can bridge the results for further visualization using graphics software. The aim of this method is to provide an analysis of conformations of biopolymers from the contact viewpoint. It may assist a systematical uncovering of conformational switching mechanisms existing in proteins and biopolymer systems in general by statistical analysis of simulation snapshots. In contrast to conventional correlation analyses of Cartesian coordinates (such as distance covariance analysis and Cartesian principal component analysis), this program also provides an alternative way to locate essential collective motions in general. Herein, we detail the algorithm in a stepwise manner and comment on the importance of the method as applied to decoding allosteric mechanisms. © 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The Smartphone "Addiction" Narrative is Compelling, but Largely Unfounded

Smartphone "addiction" concerns have increased steadily over the past decade. Mainstream media perpetuates these fears, often building on scholarly research in an extreme and dramatized style (e.g., comparing smartphones to heroin and cocaine, claiming that smartphones have destroyed a generation, etc.). We review how the relationship between scholarly research and media outlets engender the idea that smartphones are a danger and perpetuate the view that addiction is a widespread phenomenon. We further explore the origins of 'addiction' measures for technology use and argue that such measures are not sufficient in assessing clinical pathology. We end with preliminary findings from an experimental and interview study of smartphones with parents and teens and explore the role of "addiction" narratives for individual interpretations of smartphone use.
The Decline of the Caste Question: Jogendranath Mandal and the Defeat of Dalit Politics in Bengal

This revisionist history of caste politics in twentieth-century Bengal argues that the decline of this form of political mobilization in the region was as much the result of coercion as of consent. It traces this process through the political career of Jogendranath Mandal, the leader of the Dalit movement in eastern India and a prominent figure in the history of India and Pakistan, over the transition of Partition and Independence. Utilising Mandal's private papers, this study reveals both the strength and achievements of his movement for Dalit recognition, as well as the major challenges and constraints he encountered. Departing from analyses that have stressed the role of integration, Dwaipayan Sen demonstrates how a wide range of coercions shaped the eventual defeat of Dalit politics in Bengal. The region's acclaimed 'castelessness' was born of the historical refusal of Mandal's struggle to pose the caste question.
Spironolactone in Chronic Heart Failure: All's Well That Ends Well*

Over the past decade we have witnessed major strides in our ability to use drugs to impede or even reverse the progression of heart failure (HF). With impressive results from well-designed clinical trials, several new drugs have been introduced into the armamentarium against chronic HF, and evidence
Viewing Private Higher Education: How Much, Where, Why, and What?

Higher education continues to be transformed by the phenomenal growth of its private sector. The sector now captures more than one-fourth of global enrolment. Although significant variation is evident across regions, only Western Europe stands mostly apart from this form of privatization. Yet the forms of private higher education are far from uniform. Three principal types are: cultural (often religious, sometimes ethnic), semi-elite, and, with easily the largest enrolment, nonelite demand absorbing. The particular characteristics of each of the three shape the nature of private–public contrasts but, in general, these contrasts are powerful. Profiles of finance, governance, and accountability are usually quite distinctive between the private and public sectors.
Static verification of dynamically detected program invariants: Integrating Daikon and ESC/Java

Abstract This paper shows how to integrate two complementary techniques for manipulating program invariants: dynamic detection and static verification. Dynamic detection proposes likely invariants based on program executions, but the resulting properties are not guaranteed to be true over all possible executions. Static verification checks that properties are always true, but it can be difficult and tedious to select a goal and to annotate programs for input to a static checker. Combining these techniques overcomes the weaknesses of each: dynamically detected invariants can annotate a program or provide goals for static verification, and static verification can confirm properties proposed by a dynamic tool. We have integrated a tool for dynamically detecting likely program invariants, Daikon, with a tool for statically verifying program properties, ESC/Java. Daikon examines run-time values of program variables; it looks for patterns and relationships in those values, and it reports properties that are never falsified during test runs and that satisfy certain other conditions, such as being statistically justified. ESC/Java takes as input a Java program annotated with preconditions, postconditions, and other assertions, and it reports which annotations cannot be statically verified and also warns of potential runtime errors, such as null dereferences and out-of-bounds array indices. Our prototype system runs Daikon, inserts its output into code as ESC/Java annotations, and then runs ESC/Java, which reports unverifiable annotations. The entire process is completely automatic, though users may provide guidance in order to improve results if desired. In preliminary experiments, ESC/Java verified all or most of the invariants proposed by Daikon.
Root Canal Obturation

The root canal must be dried with paper points prior to its obturation, as residual irrigation fluids will leave voids. The majority of dentists will use gutta percha as the primary filling material in root-canal therapy. The reason for the success of gutta percha among dentists is because it is easy to manipulate into the root canal, it is radopaque and easily seen on radiographs, and it can be removed from the canal and be replaced when necessary. Fresh Gutta percha has good handling properties, while aged Gutta percha can become brittle. Some dentists prefer to insert the gutta percha point into the canal without altering it, while other dentists like to soften the Gutta percha with heated instruments or chemicals. The softened Gutta percha can then be condensed into the canal using lateral or vertical condensation. An advantage of Gutta percha is that it is inert to the periapical tissues if it should become extruded past the root apex. Gutta-percha filling techniques use a prefitted primary point procedure, verified by a radiograph to fit the full length of the canal and to still fit tightly in the apical region of the root canal. The largest possible gutta-percha point is normally selected according to the size of the last instrument used to the full length of the prepared canal. Thin root canals or canals with an extreme curve are more difficult to obturate with standard sizes of Gutta percha points. In these situations, heated instruments or chloroform can be used to chemically soften the gutta-percha for 5 seconds so that it can be more easily into the curvature and the minimally prepared apex. The success of endodontic treatment is dependent on the obturation of the root canal with gutta percha and sealers which can seal the entire root canal, thereby preventing microleakage and the re-infection of the root canal. The sealer is evenly coated on the prepared canal surface, with the last instrument used to spread it throughout the canal length using an up and down motion. Sealers are needed to seal the gutta percha core material and prevent microleakage. The sealer fills voids and irregularities of the root canal space left unfilled by the obturation core material. Adequate sealing of the obturation material inside the root canal is important to the success of endodontic treatment, because up to 60% of endodontic treatment failures are caused by the incomplete obturation of the root canal. Root canal sealers can vary greatly in composition and contain Zinc oxide eugenol, Calcium hydroxide, Glass ionomer, Composite resin, Silipoint, Urethane Metha-crylate, Formaldehyde, and Bis-phenol A. The quality of root canal obturation can be seen in radiographs and a poor quality of obturation can increase the risk of a flare up and treatment failure