cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
In search of causes behind offshore incidents: Fire in offshore oil and gas facilities

Abstract In order to eliminate fire incidents from occurring onboard offshore oil and gas facilities, it is crucial to have a better understanding of the causes behind them. Such understanding can be achieved through identification of the underlying causes that led to the previous incidents. Current paper focuses on analyzing investigation reports of 137 fire incidents reported to Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement (BSEE) by oil and gas facilities located in the outer continental shelf of the US. The analysis digs as far as possible into the investigation reports to provide a statistical representation of the technical, operational, human and organizational factors that contributed to these incidents and to identify the lagging causes and the leading measures that needs to be tackled in order to prevent future disasters. Although the investigation reports indicated equipment failure and human error as the most common direct causes, further analysis showed that job safety analysis, procedure and maintenance related issues were the top contributors to such incidents.
Electrophysiological Abnormalities in Cardiac Hypertrophy

The myocardial cell hypertrophies as an adaptive response to a mechanical overload. However, cardiac hypertrophy induced by chronic pressure overload results in a variety of structural and functional changes. These include alterations in morphology, metabolism, hemodynamics, contraction, and electrophysiology. Despite these adaptations, or because of these alterations, patients with left ventricular hypertrophy have high risk of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Electrophysiological abnormalities may be partly responsible for the increased mortality rate with left ventricular hypertrophy. Several recent clinical studies have demonstrated an increased incidence of ventricular arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death presumably due to ventricular fibrillation or tachycardia in association with left ventricular hypertrophy (1–3). In addition, superimposition of ischemia enhances arrhythmogenesis in hypertrophied hearts. Experimentally, it has been demonstrated that the incidence of ischemia- and reperfusion-induced ventricular fibrillation and sudden death are significantly higher in rats and dogs with left ventricular hypertrophy (4–6). However, the precise mechanisms of electrophysiological abnormalities and enhanced arrhythmogenesis in cardiac hypertrophy remain unsettled.
Resistance to Corrosion Induced Cracking in Self Consolidating Hybrid Fiber Reinforced Concrete

Corrosion of reinforcing steel is a familiar form of environmental attack on reinforced concrete structures. Common design methodology attempts to combat this threat by means of a specified cover thickness which increases the diffusion length over which chlorides must travel and subsequently the time before corrosion can initiate. However, once active corrosion begins and expansion stresses at the rebar surface crack the cover concrete, this does little to prolong the life expectancy of the structure with respect to corrosion resistance. In an effort to enhance structural durability, we have developed a self-consolidating hybrid fiber reinforced concrete (SC-HyFRC) which improves the cover concrete’s crack propagation resistance to expansion forces caused by rust formation at the rebar surface. By exposing reinforced concrete samples in an aqueous environment to a constant amplified current we are able to accelerate the rate of corrosion at the rebar surface and quickly develop an equivalent amount of rust formation to that which would be expected from multi-year exposure under marine environmental conditions. Electrochemical measurements taken post-acceleration provide us with corrosion rates which exhibit the improved performance of the self-consolidated hybrid fiber reinforced concrete relative to a standard self-consolidated concrete mix without fibers. In contrast to the non-fiber reinforced samples, hybrid fiber reinforced specimens did not exhibit any cracking after accelerated corrosion.
Nutrition Evaluation Scale System reduces time and labor in recording quantitative dietary intake

A time and labor cost study was conducted to evaluate two quantitative techniques for recording dietary intake of individuals: the Nutrition Evaluation Scale System (NESSy) and the weighed food record. NESSy, a new computerized method, uses interactive software to prompt and guide participants through the recording of food weights and descriptions. Twelve men and nine women (aged 23 to 36 years, with 11 to 16 years of education) utilized NESSy for 16 consecutive days while residing in a metabolic research unit. Concurrently, food intake was weighed and manually recorded by trained dietary staff. Analysis of variance on data gathered from NESSy showed no statistically significant differences among sex, age, and educational groupings in the time spent using NESSy. NESSy required 1.73 ±0.3 minutes (mean ± SD) to weigh in, weigh out, and record each food item consumed, whereas the manual technique required 8.4 minutes. The reason for the magnitude of time difference between the two methods is that NESSy provides the flexibility of weighing and recording only foods eaten whereas the manual method requires complete entry of all foods served whether eaten or not. Using the Nutrition Evaluation Scale System to record food intake provides savings in time and labor of about 80%.
Is Double-Bundle ACL Reconstruction Necessary?

The surgical technique for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction has evolved through the years, and the results with using various graft sources, such as a hamstring tendon graft, patellar tendon graft, or allograft, have varied considerably. An open technique for ACL surgery using an ipsilateral patellar tendon graft was the gold standard for ACL surgery in the 1980s. Stability was predictably obtained, but lack of knee range of motion and donor site morbidity was common enough for surgeons that they sought other graft sources and different surgical techniques. There was a shift to arthroscopically assisted ACL reconstruction, but knee stiffness and donor site morbidity problems persisted.
Marked Vowel Systems and Distinctive Palatalization

While the term ‘palatalization’ is used in many different ways in the pertinent literature, this study is limited to consideration of those processes which convert plain obstruents to palatalized [c] = [ts] or [3] = [dz] as opposed to those processes which result in palatal consonants such as [c], [ǰ], [s], or [ž]. Its central claim is that the circumstances for such developments are to be found in the marked nature of the vowel systems of palatalizing languages and in the disruption of redundancy conditions with such markedness involves.
Separation properties of polygons in R 2

We recall that a set N is a neighborhood of a set M if N contains an open set which contains M. The standard n-ball is $${B^n} = \left\{ {P|P \in {R^n} and\,d\left( {{P_0},P} \right) \leqslant \,1} \right\},$$ where P 0 is the origin in R n . The standard n-sphere is $${S^n} = \left\{ {P|P \in {R^n} and\,d\left( {{P_0},P} \right) = \,1} \right\}.$$
Quantile information share

This paper presents a new method to estimate Hasbrouck‐type market information share in price discovery. The prevailing market information share is calculated on the basis of conditional mean. We propose a conditional quantile regression approach to obtain a new market information share measure, quantile information share, which varies across the combinations of different price quantiles. The method is illustrated with two data sets, one on the spot and futures markets in pricing S&P 500 equity index, and the other on price discovery for a cross‐listed stock.
Advancing Urban Latina/o Youth in Mathematics: Lessons from an Effective High School Mathematics Department

This paper examines Latina/o student success in mathematics as a result of collective teacher beliefs and practices in a high school mathematics department. Based on an interdisciplinary theoretical framework and ethnographic data, the paper finds teacher collectivity allows teachers to develop meaningful relationships with their students. These relationships underlie the ability of teachers to advance large numbers of students to calculus by their senior year. Implications for researchers, policymakers, and teacher educators are discussed.
Abstract CT081: Tumor treating fields in combination with Bevacizumab in recurrent or progressive meningioma in a phase II study

Meningioma is the most common primary brain tumor with a prevalence of about 170,000 in the United States. For patients with WHO grade II meningioma, the two-year and five-year overall survival was 93% and 73%, respectively. Patients with malignant meningioma (grade III) had significantly worse outcomes, with two-year and five-year overall survival rates of 57% and 42%. The recurrence rate remains high and in the case of grade 3 meningioma overall survival is as low as 3 years after diagnosis. The current treatment for high grade and recurrent meningioma includes maximal safe surgical resection and radiation. Tumor treating fields (TTFields) and Bevacizumab (BEV) have been reported to show activity in recurrent and high-grade meningioma. The combination of TTFields and BEV may provide a viable treatment option for patients with recurrent and high grade meningioma. This Phase 2 Simon two-staged, non-randomized, open-label, phase II, single arm clinical trial [NCT02847559] will investigate the combination of TTFields and BEV in recurrent or progressive meningioma. The primary endpoint will be progression free survival (PFS) at 6 months (PFS-6). Secondary endpoints will include overall survival (OS); Tumor Response Rate (TRR), Objective Response Rate (ORR); and Quality of Life (QOL) using FACT-Br questionnaire. Patients (N=27), including those who have failed prior BEV therapy, will receive BEV IV 10 mg/kg over 30-90 minutes on days 1 and 15 of courses 1-4. Beginning on day 1 of course 5, patients may choose to receive bevacizumab IV 15 mg/kg every 3 weeks or remain on the every 2-week schedule. Patients will receive TTFields 200 KHz (1-3 V/cm) daily via the Optune device for at least 18 hours/day. This study is powered to detect a true PFS-6 rate of 20% with 80% probability (80% power) and to detect a true PFS-6 rate of 5% with 90% probability (alpha=0.10). We planned for 27 patients in total to have 24 evaluable patients. For patients who are unable to obtain commercial BEV, the study has been amended to include a monotherapy arm of TTFields alone to increase the pool of eligible patients. Citation Format: Priya Kumthekar, Timothy Kruser, Sean Sachev, Jeffrey Raizer, Sean Grimm, Karan Dixit. Tumor treating fields in combination with Bevacizumab in recurrent or progressive meningioma in a phase II study [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr CT081.
The circadian clock gene Bmal1 is required to control the timing of retinal neurogenesis and lamination of Müller glia in the mouse retina

A single pool of multipotent retinal progenitor cells give rise to the diverse cell types within the mammalian retina. Such cellular diversity is due to precise control of various cellular processes like cell specification, proliferation, differentiation, and maturation. Circadian clock genes can control the expression of key regulators of cell cycle progression and therefore can synchronize the cell cycle state of a heterogeneous population of cells. Here we show that the protein encoded by the circadian clock gene brain and muscle arnt-like protein-1 (Bmal1) is expressed in the embryonic retina and is required to regulate the timing of cell cycle exit. Accordingly, loss of Bmal1 during retinal neurogenesis results in increased S-phase entry and delayed cell cycle exit. Disruption in cell cycle kinetics affects the timely generation of the appropriate neuronal population thus leading to an overall decrease in the number of retinal ganglion cells, amacrine cells, and an increase in the number of the late-born type II cone bipolar cells as well as the Muller glia. Additionally, the mislocalized Muller cells are observed in the photoreceptor layer in the Bmal1 conditional mutants. These changes affect the functional integrity of the visual circuitry as we report a significant delay in visual evoked potential implicit time in the retina-specific Bmal1 null animals. Our results demonstrate that Bmal1 is required to maintain the balance between the neural and glial cells in the embryonic retina by coordinating the timing of cell cycle entry and exit. Thus, Bmal1 plays an essential role during retinal neurogenesis affecting both development and function of the mature retina.-Sawant, O. B., Jidigam, V. K., Fuller, R. D., Zucaro, O. F., Kpegba, C., Yu, M., Peachey, N. S., Rao, S. The circadian clock gene Bmal1 is required to control the timing of retinal neurogenesis and lamination of Muller glia in the mouse retina.
Using contingent valuation to develop consumer-based weights for health quality report cards.

Objective The current 5-Star composite measure for nursing homes uses expert-driven weights to combine elements of quality into a single score. We assessed the feasibility of using the contingent valuation method (CVM) to derive consumers' preference-based weights for the Nursing Home Compare report card as a potential alternative approach. Data sources Survey of 4310 adults with nursing home experience (residents or family members of a resident) administered between September 25 and October 9, 2017. Study design Contingent valuation method based on respondents' answers to questions about willingness-to-trade (WTT) visit travel time for better quality in seven quantitative indices included in Nursing Home Compare. We calculated WTT amounts per standard deviation change in quantitative indices to derive weights. Data collection methods Web-based survey. Principal findings Contingent valuation method results are consistent with respondents making economically rational trade-offs between quality and travel time. Estimates of mean WTT vary across quantitative quality indices. They also vary in terms of respondent status and behavioral factors. Weights based on mean WTT per standard deviation vary substantially across indices, with the largest weights for inspections and staffing. Conclusions Contingent valuation method has promise as a method for deriving weights for use in summary measures that incorporate consumer preferences.
The Association between Social Dominance Orientation, Critical Consciousness, and Gender Minority Stigma.

Transgender people are exposed to great amounts of discrimination and violence, but research has yet to fully understand what drives stigma towards this community. In this study, we hypothesized th...
Management and outcomes of proteasome inhibitor associated chalazia and blepharitis: a case series.

The purpose of this case series was to further characterize proteasome inhibitor associated chalazia and blepharitis, to investigate outcomes of different management strategies, and to propose a treatment algorithm for eyelid complications in this patient population. This retrospective case series included sixteen patients found to have chalazia and/or blepharitis while receiving proteasome inhibitors for plasma cell disorders at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, NY from January 2010 through January 2017. Main outcomes were complete resolution of eyelid complications and time to resolution. Student’s t-test was used to compare average values and Fisher’s exact test was used to compare proportions. Fourteen patients had chalazia and 10 had blepharitis. Chalazia averaged 5.4 mm, and 11 patients with chalazia experienced two or more lesions. Median follow-up time was 17 months. Average time from bortezomib exposure to onset of first eyelid complication was 3.4 months. Chalazia episodes were more likely to completely resolve than blepharitis episodes (p = 0.03). Ocular therapy alone was trialed for an average of 1.8 months before proceeding to bortezomib omission. Average time to eyelid complication resolution using ocular therapy alone was 1.8 months versus 3.1 months after bortezomib omission. In this series, the combination of ocular therapy and bortezomib omission led to complete resolution of eyelid complications more often than ocular therapy alone. Proteasome inhibitor associated eyelid complications were identified in sixteen patients with plasma cell disorders. Eyelid complications may be treated with a 2-month trial of conservative ocular therapies alone, followed by continuation of ocular therapy in combination with bortezomib omission if eyelid signs persist.
A President, a Church and Trails West: Competing Histories in Independence, Missouri

Review of: "A President, a Church, and Trails West: Competing Histories in Independence, Missouri," by Jon E. Taylor.
Tropomyosin 1 Genetically Constrains in Vitro Megakaryopoiesis

Platelet size and count are heritable, quantifiable outcomes of hematopoiesis. A better understanding of genetic mechanisms that regulate hematopoiesis could yield insights into blood disorders and augment clinical translational efforts to generate platelets in vitro. For example, induced pluripotent stem cell-derived blood cells could someday ameliorate adverse effects and increase transfusable platelet supplies. However, these methods remain inefficient. Genome wide association studies (GWAS) have linked hundreds of DNA loci with altered human platelet traits, but little is known about how these GWAS loci mechanistically impact hematopoiesis, megakaryocyte or platelet biology. Using publicly available genome-wide association and epigenetic data sets, we applied a machine-learning framework to identify epigenetic features enriched at established platelet trait association sites. From these results, we derived a quantitative prediction model that identified hematopoiesis-, megakaryocyte-, and platelet-relevant genomic loci and related genes more accurately than any prior computational method. In addition to specifying exact genetic variants known to regulate platelet traits and function, our model highlighted several novel variants in established platelet trait variation GWAS loci that were predicted to disrupt key transcription factor binding sites. Among loci nominated by our statistical model was a variant (rs11071720) that alters Tropomyosin 1 (TPM1) gene expression. TPM1 regulates cytoskeletal biology in many cell types, and cytoskeletal functions critically impact hematopoiesis and terminal blood cell biology. We used CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing to create TPM1-knockout human induced pluripotent stem cells. TPM1KO cells were healthy and showed normal developmental progression through primitive streak, mesoderm, and early primitive hematopoietic differentiation programs. Unexpectedly, TPM1KO cells demonstrated enhanced formation of hemogenic endothelium and hematopoietic progenitor cells, increasing total megakaryocyte yield by more than 2-fold. TPM1KO megakaryocytes demonstrated normal morphology, gene expression patterns and functional responses to platelet agonists. Our findings help explain human genetics associations and identify a novel strategy to enhance in vitro hematopoiesis. More broadly, our now-validated machine learning-based approach might specify additional functional loci underlying hematopoiesis, megakaryopoiesis, or thrombopoiesis. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Degree of locality of elasto-optic response in solids

The elasto-optic effect, or photoelasticity, describes the linear change of dielectric tensor with applied strain and is a universal material property of insulators and semiconductors. Though the elasto-optic responses for solids can be computed directly from first principles (e.g., by using density functional perturbation theory) and measured experimentally, these methods do not provide sufficient insight into the governing microscopic physical principles of photoelasticity. In this work, we describe a microscopic first-principles analysis of photoelasticity in real space and apply it to investigate the elasto-optic responses of Si, diamond, NaCl, and MgO. By writing the random phase approximation (RPA) dielectric constant in the basis of maximally localized Wannier functions, we show that the strain-dependent change of dipole transitions between occupied and unoccupied Wannier functions are the main determinants of photoelasticity. By organizing the dipole transitions into spatially localized shells, we develop a ``constrained sum'' method that converges both the dielectric and photoelastic responses systematically and reveals a relatively long-ranged nature to these responses: one needs to sum up contributions of up to third neighbor shells to converge the elasto-optic coefficient with reasonable precision.
Dr. Li Wenliang and the Time of COVID-19.

![Figure][1] Johannes Czernin These are difficult times for all of us. None of us has ever experienced anything like the current pandemic. Nuclear medicine clinics are usually very safe, low-risk, low-stress environments. This has changed now as each patient can be infected, and staff
2D aerodynamic analysis of a badminton shuttle for re-entry vehicle applications

Interplanetary missions have had many challenges associated with several coupled issues. The Mars Curiosity rover mission represents the limit of the current technology using rigid “aeroshells” and supersonic parachutes. One of the main challenges to overcome in these missions is the Entry, Descent, and Landing (EDL) phase. The Martian atmosphere does not contain the density to provide enough drag to slow down a heavy entry vehicle using conventional designs. As a result, Mars entry vehicles have been constrained to land at lower surface elevations. The landing uncertainty of those entry vehicles represents a limitation that needs to be improved upon by several orders of magnitude. Therefore, we need to consider the unique and unusual designs that will provide significant improvements in landing accuracy. Mainly in maximizing aerodynamic braking and minimizing the complexity associated with retro-propulsion. In this research, we focus on characterizing the aerodynamic performance, such as lift and drag forces and moments, on the new concept design like a Badminton Shuttle using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) simulations. Due to limited resources, a two-dimensional shuttle is considered at the different range of Reynolds numbers, which is consistent with wind tunnel data. The results depict specific vorticity contours to understand the flow characteristics of the vortex shedding behind the shuttle. The time history of the lift-coefficient shows a link between the vortex generation and shedding at the instant time. The results indicate the 2D shuttle is inherently stable, just like its 3D geometric counterpart. Force and moments show similar consistent trends when compared to the 3D model.
A PAC-bound on the Channel Capacity of an Observed Discrete Memoryless Channel

This paper presents a method to compute the channel capacity of an observed (partially known) discrete memoryless channel (DMC) using a probably approximately correct (PAC) bound. Given $N$ independently and identically distributed (i.i.d.) input-output sample pairs, we define a compound DMC with convex sublevel-sets to constrain the channel output uncertainty with high probability. Then we numerically solve an ‘K-way’ convex optimization to determine an achievable information rate $R_{L}(N)$ across the channel that holds with a specified high probability. Our approach provides the non-asymptotic ‘worst-case’ convergence $R_{L}(N)$ to channel capacity $C$ at the rate of $O(\sqrt{\log (\log (N)) / N})$ .
Examining the Role of Psychosocial Influences on Black Maternal Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Introduction Due to the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on communities of color, racial disparities in maternal mortality and morbidity are likely to increase. However, neighborhood and social support factors have yet to be discussed as potential mechanisms by which COVID-19 can exacerbate racial disparities. Methods We examined literature on the role of neighborhood factors and social support on maternal health outcomes and provided analytical perspective on the potential impacts of COVID-19 on Black birthing people. Results Even prior to the pandemic, Black individuals were disproportionately impacted by psychosocial stress. However, the compounding effect of pre-existing and current pandemic psychosocial stressors may be a mechanism by which racial disparities are exacerbated and result in higher rates of maternal mortality and morbidity in Black women. Conclusion We recommend continued monitoring of data related to racial disparities in maternal mortality and morbidity throughout the pandemic. Given that Black women may be disproportionately impacted by psychosocial stress, it is necessary for leadership structures and communities to recognize the potential for worsening disparities and intervene.
Sources of Pulsed Radiation

Characteristics of various sources of pulsed radiation are examined from the viewpoint of their importance to the radiation chemist, and some examples of uses of such sources are mentioned. A summary is given of the application of methods of physical dosimetry to pulsed sources, and the calibration of convenient chemical dosimeters by physical dosimetry is outlined.
Continued heavy drinking and survival in alcoholic cirrhotics

Abstract Survival of 64 male chronic alcoholic cirrhotics with first-onset ascites discharged from a gastrointestinal convalescent service was examined over a 32-mo period of study. Of 54 patients discharged as improved, 23 (43%) remained abstinent for a mean time of 14.0 mo and 15 (28%) resumed heavy drinking (> 2 g/kg/ day). Twelve of 15 heavy drinkers died in a mean time of 7.2 mo, while all but one abstainer were alive. Differences in survival were statistically significantly different (p
On the Interior Properties of Red Giants

If one focuses solely on the excursions which they make in the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram on an evolutionary, nuclear-burning, time scale, red giants are perhaps among the least interesting objects in the sky. They do practically nothing! Low luminosity red giants simply grow uneventfully brighter at nearly constant surface temperature (when viewed in a diagram that contains main-sequence stars and white dwarfs) for a period of perhaps 108 yr. They then transform into brighter red giants, which also grow steadily brighter at nearly constant surface temperature over a period of perhaps 106 yr.
A Singular Solution of the Capillary Equation. I. Existence.

constructed in the paper [1] directly preceding. There is some evidence that U(r) i s u p to trivial t ransformat ionsthe only solution of (1) with an isolated singularity. We have as yet no proof for that assertion, even in the symmetric case considered in [-1]. Our intention in the present work is to show that any symmetric solution u(r) with a (non-removable) isolated singularity at r=O is asymptotic to U(r) as r-*O. Precisely, we intend to prove: Theorem 1. Let u(r) be a solution of ( r " l u r ~ = ~ / r ( n 1 ) u r "-1 (2)
Bring Your Own Device in the Information Literacy Classroom

In the 2013 school year, a team of librarians in the Parrish Library of Management and Economics at Purdue University taught a business information literacy course to approximately 500 management students in eight 70-person sessions. Due to limitations on a set of iPads borrowed from another department, one of two concurrent classes was taught with a set of iPads, while another had a Bring Your Own Device (BYOD) policy, where students brought their own laptops or iPads. Focus groups, observations of behavior, and final evaluations were utilized to evaluate the comparative perceived effectiveness of the two technology approaches. This paper consists of three parts: an introduction to both methods of content delivery with a description of the results of the project; a discussion of the relative value of each method; and finally, proposed best practices for where, when and why to use each method for library instruction based on the TPACK (technological, pedagogical, and content knowledge) framework.
Osteolathyrogenic Effects on the Developing Rat Foetus

Skeletal and aortic changes in foetal rats treated with osteolathyrogenic agents via the maternal system throughout pregnancy or very late in pregnancy have been described by Stamler (1955). Developmental changes in Xenopus larvae (Chih, Witschi, & Ponseti, 1954) and in salamander and toad larvae (Levy, 1955) have also been described. The abnormalities produced in these forms by these agents have apparently been related to a direct effect of the agent on the mucopolysaccharide ground substance. No attempt has been made in a mammal to determine if there are specific time-susceptible periods in embryogenesis when this type of stimulus may induce true teratogenic effects. The present study was devised to determine the effect of a known osteolathyrogenic agent during specific stages of gestation and especially to observe the effect of this agent during the early critical stages of embryogenesis. Cystamine dihydrochloride was used as the lathyrogenic agent.
Insights in public health: public health perspectives on colorectal cancer screening.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is currently the third leading cause of cancer death in both men and women in the United States.1 Reports estimate that 136,830 people will be diagnosed with, and 50,310 people will die from, CRC in 2014. Approximately 1 in 20 Americans will be diagnosed with CRC in their lifetimes.2 Much of the improvement in CRC mortality rates has been attributed to improvements in treatment (12%), decreases in risk factors for CRC (35%) and improvements in screening rates (53%).1 Early detection is key with studies showing approximately 90% 5-year survival rate among individuals whose CRC was found early and treated appropriately.3 This article will describe the national and state CRC burden; provide a brief overview of nationally-recommended screening options; inform the reader about national and local screening rates for CRC, emphasizing disparities in screening; and discuss the current national and local public health initiatives to reduce the burden of CRC.
Performance characteristics of a 1 MV miniature Marx bank

In this paper, the authors report results of experiments with a compact Marx bank generator. The Marx was constructed with 25 spark-gap switched stages, each stage consisting of two Murata 2nF capacitors with N4700 ceramic dielectric rated at 40 kV. In order to evaluate the Marx efficiency and repetition rate, inductive isolation with 5 /spl mu/H per stage was implemented for the charging circuit. The Marx was charged with a 1500 J/s capacitor charging power supply. The system was controlled and monitored with a laptop computer through a fiber optic interface. The authors report results from operating the Marx from one quarter to full output voltage, nominal 250 kV to 1 MV open circuit (OC). Short duration testing showed that the Marx could be triggered continuously at a repetition rate varying from 20 to 50 Hz, depending on the charging voltage. Various representative loads were used for diagnostic purposes and for comparison to modeling efforts. When operated into a short circuit, the Marx current oscillated at 14 MHz with a peak amplitude of about 10 kA. The Marx was also operated with and without a coaxial ground enclosure to investigate the influence of this geometry on pulse characteristics. They compare the results of circuit modeling with the experimental measurements and show good agreement.
Factors Modifying Burnout in Osteopathic Medical Students.

The purposes of the current study are to examine factors modifying burnout and identify which of these factors place osteopathic medical students at risk for developing burnout. The current study used a cross-sectional study design and an anonymous, web-based survey to assess burnout and depression in osteopathic medical students. The survey included Maslach Burnout Inventory, the Patient Health Questionnaire, the Stressors and their impact scale, students’ sleeping and studying habits, and students’ extracurricular involvement. In total, 1294 osteopathic medical students completed the survey. Burnout was present in 516 (39.9 %) osteopathic medical students, and 1006 (77.0 %) met criteria for depression. Females were 1.5 times more likely to be burned out in comparison to males. For the burnout subscales, males had lower emotional exhaustion, slightly higher depersonalization, and lower personal accomplishment. Lesbian/gay/bisexual/asexual students were 2.62 times more likely to be burned out compared with heterosexual students. Depression and academic, personal, and family stressors were all strongly linked to overall burnout. Finally, for modifiable factors, average hours of sleep, average hours spent studying, and club involvement appeared to be linked to burnout. The current study suggested that a variety of factors, including non-modifiable, situational, and modifiable, impact burnout in osteopathic medical students. Future research is necessary since burnout in physicians affects the quality of care provided to patients.
An intent-based approach for network virtualization

Virtualizing resources for easy pooling and accounting, as well as for rapid provisioning and release, is essential for the effective management of modern data centers. Although the compute and storage resources can be virtualized quite effectively, a comprehensive solution for network virtualization has yet to be developed. Our analysis of the requirements for a comprehensive network virtualization solution identified two complimentary steps of ultimate importance. One is specifying the network-related requirements, another is carrying out the requirements of multiple independent tenants in an efficient and scalable manner. We introduce a novel intent-based modeling abstraction for specifying the network as a policy governed service and present an efficient network virtualization architecture, Distributed Overlay Virtual Ethernet network (DOVE), realizing the proposed abstraction. We describe the working prototype of DOVE architecture and report the results of the extensive simulation-based performance study, demonstrating the scalability and the efficiency of the solution.
Equivalence of topological Markov shifts

We show that any two topological Markov shifts both of whose topological entropy equals logn (for somen) are equivalent by a finitistic coding.
On NATO Pooling

THOSE who have participated in international ventures requiring a pooling of resources often emphasize the need for a dramatic sense of urgency about realizing mutual gain that subordinates the troublesome problem of precisely how the gain ought to be distributed among the participants. For NATO, of course, fear supplies the urgency. And-let us admit it-the vexations of its trying early days were greatly eased by the untiring and sincere moralizing of the first SHAPE Commander. This moralizing was and is hardly a substitute for incisive strategic planning, but it is a cohesive force, while a rigorous analysis of military alternatives may not be. In stressing the unprocurability of assured security these days, such an analysis, on the one hand, underscores the desirability of getting more defense from limited resources by taking advantage of an international division of military labor. Hence the new popularity of "interdependence." On the other hand, such an analysis may breed defeatism and a desire to seek protection through neutralism rather than through arms. Or, short of this, it may breed apathy about making a military effort which at best can contribute only marginally to the total armed strength of the alliance. Because of a growing appreciation of the unappealing nature of the military alternatives, a diminution in the fear of Soviet intentions, and a flagging of missionary zeal, the drive toward a real pooling of effort in NATO weakened after the I950-1952 burst. The noble efforts of Messrs. Pearson, Lange, and Martino to supply a new motivation seem to have accomplished little. But now comes Sputnik to do perhaps what reasoned analysis and exhortation both failed to do-galvanize the allies into new co-operative efforts. The books under review urge greater pooling of effort in NATO, especially of the military research and development efforts that are most likely to be affected by Sputnik. This review concentrates upon this theme and, more briefly, upon burden-sharing. The general nature of the two volumes can be characterized only in passing.
Engineering Management Tradition and Education: Past, Present, and Future

ABSTRACTThe tradition of engineering management in the U.S. started in the 1880s with the work of F. W. Taylor and others. Initially, management was an integral part of the education of engineers. Because of the expansion of the applied science portion of undergraduate engineering education, management education has become generally a graduate curriculum. Currently there about 65 American universities and colleges offering degree programs. Fourteen U.S. engineering societies have identified management units with more than 45,000 members. The future of the tradition is dependent on the growth of technical organizations and the engineering profession.
A tungsten pin cushion photon beam monitor

Abstract A simple high-energy photon beam monitor that produces a large signal comparable to that from a secondary emission quantameter was constructed. The device is a four-quadrant beam position monitor that was used to precisely center a coherent bremsstrahlung beam on a small aperture collimator at the Stanford Linear Accelerator Center (SLAC). Each quadrant consists of an array of closely-spaced tungsten needles pointing in the downbeam direction from a tungsten base plate. This tungsten “pin-cushion” was mounted in air with no biasing potential. High-energy photons produced a positive charge on the pincushion by the shower emission effect.
Medical Costs and Lost Productivity from Health Conditions at Volatile Organic Compound-Contaminated Superfund Sites

This paper estimates the health costs at Superfund sites for conditions associated with volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in drinking water. Health conditions were identified from published literature and registry information as occurring at excess rates in VOC-exposed populations. These health conditions were: (1) some categories of birth defects, (2) urinary tract disorders, (3) diabetes, (4) eczema and skin conditions, (5) anemia, (6) speech and hearing impairments in children under 10 years of age, and (7) stroke. Excess rates were used to estimate the excess number of cases occurring among the total population living within one-half mile of 258 Superfund sites. These sites had evidence of completed human exposure pathways for VOCs in drinking water. For each type of medical condition, an individual's expected medical costs, long-term care costs, and lost work time due to illness or premature mortality were estimated. Costs were calculated to be approximately $330 million per year, in the absence of any remediation or public health intervention programs. The results indicate the general magnitude of the economic burden associated with a limited number of contaminants at a portion of all Superfund sites, thus suggesting that the burden would be greater than that estimated in this study if all contaminants at all Superfund sites could be taken into account.
Mus81/Mms4 Endonuclease and Sgs1 Helicase Collaborate to Ensure Proper Recombination Intermediate Metabolism during Meiosis

Budding yeast lacking the Sgs1 helicase and the Mus81/Mms4 endonuclease are inviable, and indirect studies implicate homologous recombination gone awry as the cause of death. We show that mutants lacking both enzymes have profound defects in meiotic recombination intermediate metabolism and crossover (CO) formation. Recombination intermediates (joint molecules, JMs) accumulate in these cells, many with structures that are infrequent in wild-type cells. These JMs persist, preventing nuclear division. Using an inducible expression system, we restored Mus81 or Sgs1 to sgs1 mus81 cells at a time when JMs are forming. Mus81 expression did not prevent JM formation but did restore JM resolution, CO formation, and nuclear division. In contrast, Sgs1 expression reduced the extent of JM accumulation. These results indicate that Sgs1 and Mus81/Mms4 collaborate to direct meiotic recombination toward interhomolog interactions that promote proper chromosome segregation, and also indicate that Mus81/Mms4 promotes JM resolution in vivo.
Molecular and biologic basis of upper gastrointestinal malignancy. Gastric carcinoma.

Gastric cancer is one of the world's most common cancers and is a leading cause of cancer death worldwide. Neoplasia of the stomach is mainly composed of adenocarcinomas, which for more than 95% of cases. Although mesenchymal tumors (i.e., stromal tumors, leiomyomas and leiomyosarcomas, and schwannomas), primary lymphomas, and carcinoid tumors can also arise in the stomach, malignant tumors of these types occur much less often.
Significance of intraabdominal compartment pressures following TRAM flap breast reconstruction and the correlation of results.

Abdominal wall closure after transverse rectus abdominis myocutaneous (TRAM) flap breast reconstruction is often performed under considerable tension and may theoretically cause a component of abdominal compartment syndrome. This prospective study examined intraabdominal pressure after TRAM reconstruction and correlated the findings with clinical course and outcome. All patients who underwent pedicled TRAM flap breast reconstruction from November of 1999 to December of 2000 (n = 77) were included and compared with nonoperative controls (n = 24). Intraabdominal pressures were measured indirectly using the urinary catheter in the postanesthesia care unit on postoperative days 1 and 2. Outcome measures included vital signs, urinary output, net 24-degree fluid balance, and complications. The preoperative variables were age, body mass index, parity, and presence of an epidural. For statistical analysis, the TRAM patients were divided into three groups on the basis of type of closure (bipedicle, unipedicle, and mesh), which were compared by analysis of variance. A multivariate logistic regression was performed to identify risk factors for patients with intraabdominal pressures > or =20 mmHg who were thought to have a component of abdominal compartment syndrome. The incidence of complications was compared by chi-square, with statistical significance determined for p or =20 mmHg (n = 10) had a higher incidence of complications (60 percent) compared with patients who had pressures <20 mmHg (18 percent; p < 0.05). Elevated intraabdominal pressures were strongly associated with donor-site and general complications. Positive predictive factors for elevated pressure included body mass index and type of closure (bipedicled or bilateral). Multiple pregnancies seemed to have a protective effect.A transient component of abdominal compartment syndrome does exist after TRAM flap breast reconstruction. Bipedicle closure, nulliparous women, and increased body mass index were risk factors for elevated intraabdominal pressures. Tension-free mesh closure seemed to have a protective effect. Symptomatic trends and certain complications were associated with, and possibly explained by, an elevated intraabdominal pressure.
Celebrating 100 volumes

Wow, 100 volumes of Biogeochemistry! In celebration, Editor-in-Chief Kate Lajtha asked me to write a brief editorial, my chance for a little reminiscence. The journal was the brain child of Ad Plaizier, a Wageningen-trained soil scientist turned young publisher for Dr. W. Junk back in the early 1980s. Plaizier saw the open niche for Biogeochemistry, and worked aggressively to make the journal a reality. He recruited me to serve as first Editor-in-Chief, although at first I was openly skeptical of the need for a new journal. Ad knew, however, not only that there was room for a quality journal, but a need for a journal to better integrate the discipline of biogeochemistry. At the annual meeting of the Ecological Society of America that summer, John Stewart and other colleagues (participants in a special session on the role of sulfur in ecosystem processes) also worked to convince me of the need. When I returned home from that meeting, I was greeted by a letter of rejection for a manuscript I had submitted to Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta. Although the paper was favorably reviewed, the editor wrote that my topic was ‘‘too biological’’ for their geochemical journal. That convinced me to take on the challenge of starting Biogeochemistry. Ad Plaizier and I jointly recruited a world class team of Associate Editors and editorial board members: John Aber, Gilles Billen, Bert Bolin, Tom Brock, Yehuda Cohen, Dave Des Marais, Steve Emerson, Robert Garrels, Jim Gosz, Hank de Haan, Charlie Hall, Rafael Herrera, Bob Hodson, Bo Barker Jorgensen, Don Kinsey, Cindy Lee, Fauzi Mantoura, Chris Martens, Jerry Melillo, Judy Meyer, Bill Patrick, Bill Reiners, Thomas Rosswall, John Rudd, Dave Schindler, Bill Schlesinger, Rene Schwarzenbach, John Stewart, Werner Stumm, Michael Swift, and Alex Zehnder. Their energy and enthusiastic support was critical to the journal in its early stages. Over the fall of 1983, I also recruited manuscripts for submission, including the papers from the special symposium on sulfur in ecosystem processes at ESA, which made up our first issue, published in January 1984. Over time, the journal changed publishing houses, as Dr. W. Junk was bought out by Martinus Nijhoff, which in turn was purchased by Kluwer, which eventually merged with Springer. Ad Plaizier remained the publisher through much of this time, even as he was promoted to every higher positions in the publishing houses. Eventually, he turned over the publishing of Biogeochemistry to others. These individuals too have always been extremely supportive of the journal, for which I am deeply grateful. By 2004 after 20 years as Editor-in-Chief, I realized it was time (past time?) to pass the job on. R. W. Howarth (&) Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY, USA e-mail: howarth@cornell.edu
SU‐E‐T‐335: Fetal Dose Estimates for Radiotherapy Using IMRT and VMAT

Purpose: 4000 pregnant women are irradiated every year. Research has reported the dose to the fetus for static fields, but not for dynamic fields. Dose to the fetus was measured for a series of sites for IMRT and VMAT. Methods: It was assumed that a woman would be treated during the first and second trimester only. A RANDO® phantom was used as is to simulate the first trimester. A prosthetic abdomen was attached to simulate the second trimester. Kodak PPL‐2® film was placed in an axial plane of RANDO®, representing the uterine fundus, moving superiorly for the second trimester. A full course, i.e., typical prescription dose, was delivered for each site. IMRT was planned for esophagus, left breast, head & neck and right upper lung/mediastinum. VMAT was planned for esophagus, left upper lung SRT and brain. OmniPro‐I'mRT® was used to scan and analyze the films. A calibration curve was created with a film of known dose deposition. Results:Dose to the fundus ranged from 0.01%–0.10% of the prescription dose (0.6cGy–4.6cGy) in the first trimester and 0.3%–0.16% (1.2cGy–8.8cGy) in the second trimester. Treatment of the breast and lung(IMRT) resulted in the highest absolute dose as well as the highest percentage of total dose in both trimesters. Absolute dose and percent of total dose delivered was greater in the second trimester. Conclusions: Fetal dose with IMRT and VMAT as a percentage of total dose is similar to previously reported results for static fields. TG‐36 suggests that reducing the dose to the fetus to a value below 5cGy substantially reduces the risks associated with irradiating a fetus. In most of the treatment sites, the dose to the fetus fell below this value. In terms of fetal dose, there appears to be no significant detriment to using either IMRT or VMAT.