cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Prescription patterns for routine EEG ordering in patients with intracranial hemorrhage admitted to a neurointensive care unit

Abstract Purpose To examine clinical factors, including established electroencephalography (EEG) consensus recommendations, that may influence EEG-prescription in critically-ill intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) patients in the neurointensive care unit. Methods Retrospective analysis of 330 ICH patients admitted to a neurointensive care unit at an academic medical center between 01/2013–12/2015. We compared EEG prescription patterns with current EEG consensus recommendations, and employed univariate and multivariable logistic regression modeling to determine clinical variables associated with EEG ordering. Results Seventy-eight (41%) of 190 subjects underwent EEG in accordance with EEG-consensus guidelines, demonstrating an overall accuracy (probability that EEG prescription aligned with EEG consensus recommendations) of 64.6% (95%-CI59.1–69.7). Factors independently associated with EEG ordering included fulfillment of EEG consensus recommendations, lower admission Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), and presence of clinical seizures. The unadjusted and adjusted C-statistics for fulfillment of consensus recommendations was 0.74 (95%-CI 0.69–0.80) and 0.85 (95%-CI 0.81–0.90), respectively. Among 83 subjects undergoing EEG (25.2%), EEG findings informed clinical decision-making in 50 patients (60%). Conclusions EEG appeared underused in ICH, since
A Qualitative Systematic Review of Women's Experiences Using Contraceptive Vaginal Rings: Implications for New Technologies

CONTEXT Vaginal rings are available for contraception and hormone replacement, and are being developed as HIV/STD or multipurpose prevention technologies. A comprehensive understanding of women's expectations of and experiences with rings is urgently needed to inform product development and to optimize ring use. METHODS Three databases (PubMed, Global Health and CINAHL) were searched for English-language, peer-reviewed articles published between January 1996 and November 2017 that reported qualitative data on barriers to and facilitators of use of female-controlled contraceptive methods. Data on study methods, findings and conclusions pertaining to contraceptive rings were extracted, organized and analyzed. RESULTS Twenty-six articles, all published since 2008, met the inclusion criteria. Seven studies focused largely or entirely on rings (and involved current, former or potential users), while the others focused on other contraceptive methods but included ring-specific data. Familiarity with the ring was low, and women commonly had initial concerns about the method-often related to insertion and removal, cleanliness and discomfort with touching their vagina-that were typically overcome over time. Other major themes were issues related to ring use and discontinuation, the importance of ring-related properties and characteristics, and considerations related to sexual partners and health care providers. CONCLUSIONS Qualitative data have the potential to inform ring design and promotion. Future research should further explore women's expectations and experiences with the ring, the value of involving male partners in ring evaluation, and evaluation of interventions to improve patient-provider communication concerning ring choice and use.
An analysis of the sociodemographic factors contributing to patient nonadherence to recommendations for screening mammograms.

e13077Background: There were 2 million newly diagnosed cases of breast cancer in the United States during 2018 with 40,920 associated deaths1. The number of deaths has been decreasing over time due...
Rituximab for Salvage Therapy of Refractory Hypersensitivity Pneumonitis.

Introduction Hypersensitivity pneumonitis is a complex syndrome characterized by non-Immunoglobulin E-mediated inflammation of lung parenchyma in response to an antigen. Case report A 60-year-old white man presented with acute onset of hypoxia, dyspnea, and nonproductive cough. After extensive workup, he was diagnosed with hypersensitivity pneumonitis. We present the case of a patient with refractory hypersensitivity pneumonitis not responsive to standard immunosuppressive therapy, who was successfully treated with rituximab. Discussion Hypersensitivity pneumonitis is a multifaceted syndrome characterized by an exaggerated immune-mediated response to an antigen. Currently, the most common treatment for an acute exacerbation of the syndrome is withdrawal of the offending antigen and systemic corticosteroids. However, despite their widespread use, the efficacy of steroids in treating acute hypersensitivity pneumonitis is poor. Conclusion Rituximab could be considered as a salvage therapy in cases of severe hypersensitivity pneumonitis unresponsive to standard therapy, especially in patients with high risk of death.
Moth Swarm Algorithm Based Approach for the ACOPF Considering Wind and Tidal Energy

In the last decades, optimal power flow (OPF) problem is becoming one of the most important nonlinear and non-convex problems for the planning and operation of large-scale modern electrical power grids. In this study, the OPF problem with the consideration of two types of renewable energy sources (RES), tidal and wind energy, is studied. The Gumbel PDF is used to calculate power output of tidal energy. The proposed OPF problem is solved by Moth Swarm Algorithm (MSA), and tested on an IEEE 30-bus test system via two different cases with and without the consideration of prohibited operating zones. The simulation results show the effectiveness of the MSA based OPF approach.
Three-Plane-assembled Deep Learning Segmentation of Gliomas.

An accurate and fast deep learning approach developed for automatic segmentation of brain glioma on multimodal MRI scans achieved Sorensen–Dice scores of 0.80, 0.83, and 0.91 for enhancing tumor, t...
Methods of Measuring and Detecting Discrimination in Punishment

The law concerning racial discrimination in punishment has never been established clearly in legislation. Instead, through a series of court decisions, a constitutional basis for challenging alleged discriminatory punishment has evolved. In that evolution, the issue of substance has turned out to hinge on statistical “proof” of discrimination. Few, if any, challenges have succeeded. This is due, in part, to the proliferation of inappropriate statistical methods for measuring discrimination found in the social science literature dealing with punishment disparities. The problem is compounded further by the fact that a recent National Academy of Science report on sentencing disparities failed effectively and correctly to resolve the issue of how to detect or measure punishment discrimination,(Blumstejn. et. al.) This paper provides some simple illustrations to help clarify the role of statistical theory and analysis in the legal proof of racially discriminatory punishment. It is useful to begin by summarizing the chronology of the landmark decisions and past statistical analyses. By explicitly considering the legal context of several key punishment disparity cases, the statistician will gain a better understanding of the limitations of conventional methods of measuring racial discrimination in punishment.
Empirical flow-density and speed-spacing relationships: Evidence of vehicle length dependency

Abstract Traffic flow theory has come to a point where conventional, fixed time averaged data are limiting our insight into critical behavior both at the macroscopic and microscopic scales. This paper develops a methodology to measure relationships of density and vehicle spacing on freeways. These relationships are central to most traffic flow theories but have historically been difficult to measure empirically. The work leads to macroscopic flow-density and microscopic speed-spacing relationships in the congested regime derived entirely from dual loop detector data and then verified against the NGSIM data set. The methodology eliminates the need to seek out stationary conditions and yields clean relationships that do not depend on prior assumptions of the curve shape before fitting the data. Upon review of the clean empirical relationships a key finding of this work is the fact that many of the critical parameters of the macroscopic flow-density and microscopic speed-spacing relationships depend on vehicle length, e.g., upstream moving waves should travel through long vehicles faster than through short vehicles. Thus, the commonly used assumption of a homogeneous vehicle fleet likely obscures these important phenomena. More broadly, if waves travel faster or slower depending on the length of the vehicles through which the waves pass, then the way traffic is modeled should be updated to explicitly account for inhomogeneous vehicle lengths.
Emergency room imaging in patients with genitourinary cancers: analysis of the spectrum of CT findings and their relation to patient outcomes

To assess the spectrum of computed tomography (CT) findings in patients with genitourinary cancers visiting the emergency room (ER) and evaluate the relationship between CT findings and overall survival (OS). Retrospective analysis of consecutive patients with genitourinary cancers undergoing CT during an ER visit at a tertiary cancer center during a 20-month period. CTs were considered positive if there were findings relevant to the presenting complaint(s). Demographic/clinical variables were recorded. OS was evaluated using Kaplan-Meier curves. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards regression (HR) was used to evaluate OS predictors. Two hundred twenty-seven patients (243 visits) were included. The most common primary tumors were prostate (121 [49.8%]), bladder/urothelial (78 [32.1%]), and renal (69 [28.4%]). Common presenting complaints were abdominal pain (67 [27.6%]), respiratory symptoms (49 [20.2%]), neurological signs (37 [15.2%]), and fever (34 [14.0%]). CT findings were positive in 172 patients (70.8%) and included new/increased metastases (21.4% [52/243]), fluid collections (7.4% [18/243]), urinary tract infection/inflammation (6.2% [15/243]), enteritis/colitis (5.3% [13/243]), and pneumonia (4.9% [12/243]). A positive ER CT was associated with patient admission (p = 0.01). At multivariate analysis, independently predictive factors of shorter survival were positive ER CT (HR = 2.09 [95% CI 1.16–3.76, p = 0.01), hospital admission (HR = 2.17 [95% CI 1.38–3.41], p < 0.01), and recent systemic treatment (HR = 2.10 [95% CI 1.32–3.35], p < 0.01). When CT was performed, it was able to identify a structural cause for the presenting complaint in the majority of patients with genitourinary cancers attending the ER. A positive ER CT was associated with hospital admission and poorer overall survival.
Performance status restriction in phase III cancer clinical trials.

2059Background: Patients with good performance status (PS) tend to be favored in randomized clinical trials (RCTs), possibly limiting the generalizability of trial findings. We sought to characteri...
Revisiting the third Sandia Fracture Challenge: a bond-associated, semi-Lagrangian peridynamic approach to modeling large deformation and ductile fracture

Following a recent participation in Sandia Fracture Challenge 2017, in which we identified some shortcomings associated with the peridynamic theory in predicting large deformation and ductile fracture, we recently proposed a bond-associated, semi-Lagrangian, peridynamic model that addresses the noted limitations. The new theory is employed to revisit the challenge problem. Our results show that the new approach significantly improves the predictions of ductile fracture phenomenon in this challenge.
Enterprise Risk Management and Corporate Tax Planning

This study examines the impact of enterprise risk management (ERM) programs on corporate tax planning. ERM is a holistic approach to managing an enterprise’s entire portfolio of risks (COSO 2004, 2017). We expect that enhanced coordination across business units as a result of ERM allows firms to exploit tax avoidance opportunities and increase tax effectiveness. We hand-collect data on ERM adoption for a sample of S&P 500 firms from 1993 to 2016. We empirically document that firms with ERM programs have lower cash effective tax rates (ETRs) and higher tax effectiveness than firms without ERM. Additionally, we find that the relation between ERM and tax avoidance is stronger among financially constrained firms, suggesting that, when faced with financial constraints, firms with ERM are better able to seek out alternative cash sources.
Exposure to E-Cigarette Product Placement in Music Videos Is Associated With Vaping Among Young Adults.

BackgroundThe prevalence of electronic-cigarette (e-cigarette) product placement in music videos is on the rise and currently unregulated. This promotional activity is concerning given the populari...
Disengagement of light responses in Arabidopsis by localized developmental factors.

Plant development and growth are profoundly influenced by environmental cues such as light intensity and composition. In particular, changes in red (600 nm to 700 nm) and far-red (700 nm to 750 nm) light inform about the threat of competing plants nearby, which deplete red light and generate an unfavorable shade environment enriched in far-red light (1). Plants detect red and far-red light using an evolutionarily conserved family of photoreceptors named phytochromes, which are activated by red light and inactivated by far-red light (2). Phytochromes play an important role in shaping plant architecture, in part, by restricting the rate of stem growth (3). When plants encounter a canopy of neighboring plants, the far-red light-enriched shade environment inactivates phytochromes to promote stem growth, thereby allowing the plants to escape shade via the so-called shade avoidance response (4, 5). In the plant model species Arabidopsis thaliana ( Arabidopsis ), phytochromes are ubiquitously expressed in all tissue/organ types throughout the life cycle (6). This expression pattern enables all tissues/organs to continuously monitor and respond to changes in the local light environment. However, intriguingly, shade does not elicit growth in all stem tissues: While the embryonic stem (hypocotyl) and the leaf petiole are exquisitely sensitive to shade, the internodes—which are located at the boundary region connecting the hypocotyl, the bases of the leaves, and the shoot apical meristem—are almost completely unresponsive (Fig. 1 A ) (7). The lack of … [↵][1]1Email: meng.chen{at}ucr.edu. [1]: #xref-corresp-1-1
High-Dimensional Experimental Design and Kernel Bandits

In recent years methods from optimal linear experimental design have been leveraged to obtain state of the art results for linear bandits. A design returned from an objective such as $G$-optimal design is actually a probability distribution over a pool of potential measurement vectors. Consequently, one nuisance of the approach is the task of converting this continuous probability distribution into a discrete assignment of $N$ measurements. While sophisticated rounding techniques have been proposed, in $d$ dimensions they require $N$ to be at least $d$, $d \log(\log(d))$, or $d^2$ based on the sub-optimality of the solution. In this paper we are interested in settings where $N$ may be much less than $d$, such as in experimental design in an RKHS where $d$ may be effectively infinite. In this work, we propose a rounding procedure that frees $N$ of any dependence on the dimension $d$, while achieving nearly the same performance guarantees of existing rounding procedures. We evaluate the procedure against a baseline that projects the problem to a lower dimensional space and performs rounding which requires $N$ to just be at least a notion of the effective dimension. We also leverage our new approach in a new algorithm for kernelized bandits to obtain state of the art results for regret minimization and pure exploration. An advantage of our approach over existing UCB-like approaches is that our kernel bandit algorithms are also robust to model misspecification.
A versatile gas flux chamber reveals high tree stem CH4 emissions in Amazonian peatland

Abstract Tree stems can be a major source of CH4, altering the impact forests have on atmospheric radiative forcing. In the tropics stem flux monitoring has been limited, nevertheless, available field studies have observed high variability of stem CH4 flux rates between species and individuals and over the surface of individual tree stems. To evaluate the sources of variation and controls of CH4 stem fluxes, methods supporting large sampling campaigns are needed. We designed a portable, flexible, easily installed chamber that produces replicable flux measurements across broad species diversity. The chamber creates a strong seal on a range of stem sizes and surface roughnesses and extends radially, integrating surface flux variation so that small hot spots are not missed. Working in forested Amazonian peatlands, we used this chamber to measure stem fluxes on a variety of palms and trees with stems ranging from 10 cm to 85 cm DBH, both rough and smooth barked species. We compared a non-steady state, headspace recirculation method to a steady-state flow-through method and found the flow-through method likely yields more accurate estimates for high emissions. Our novel stem flux measurements from Amazonian peatlands reveal that stem CH4 emissions of the dominant palm (M. flexuosa) contrast markedly against dominant hardwood species, with palms emitting CH4 at much higher rates (up to 84 mg-C m−2 h−1 at 0.23 m stem height) that compare to the highest published rates of tree stem emission. Flux rates from M. flexuosa demonstrated exponential decay with stem height, rates at 0.5 m were 3 to 10 times higher than at 1.4 m. This pattern underscores the importance of quantifying CH4 flux rates over the lower 2 m of stem in order to accurately quantify stem CH4 fluxes. Considering their broad distribution and high density in Amazonian peatlands, M. flexuosa stems may be a major source of atmospheric CH4.
Investing in Gentrification: The Eligibility of Gentrifying Neighborhoods for Federal Place-Based Economic Investment in U.S. Cities:

Place-based policies commonly target disadvantaged neighborhoods for economic improvement, typically in the form of job opportunities, business development or affordable housing. To ensure that inv...
Frameshifting : Creative impoliteness in conflict communication

Abstract The article discusses the cognitive-linguistic technique of frameshifting and its potential for deliberate impoliteness in antagonistic politically charged discourse. Frameshifting involves the construction of utterances in such a way that their comprehension involves two stages: the reader is first led to invoke one mental frame and then is forced to discard it and to invoke a different frame, with the final message being deliberately insulting. The article demonstrates that frameshifting, which has been studied predominantly in humorous discourse, can also be used in aggressive communication to intensify the insulting potential of utterances and to simultaneously increase prominence and memorability of the message. The article argues that the effects of impoliteness can depend on the manner of expression, and if the speaker chooses a particularly innovative and conspicuously intentional means of expression, the intent to insult comes to the forefront, the insulting meaning is amplified, and the resulting negative message is strengthened.
P T-Enhanced Bayesian Parameter Estimation

The frequentist (local) quantum parameter estimation based on the Cramer-Rao bound is an asymptotic theory and therefore requires an infinite number of samples for the measurements. On the other hand, by introducing the prior probability distribution, Bayesian parameter estimation approach relaxes this requirement and can be successfully applied under realistic assumption of possessing a limited prior information about the parameter value under investigation. Meanwhile, recent advances in ${{{\mathcal{P}}}}{{{\mathcal{T}}}}$-symmetric quantum mechanics, both theoretically and experimentally, provide an opportunity to significantly enhance the parameter estimation precision by manipulating the Hilbert space of the system. Taking advantage of these, we develop the Bayesian parameter estimation approach for the two-level system possessing ${{{\mathcal{P}}}}{{{\mathcal{T}}}}$ symmetry. We consider both options available in ${{{\mathcal{P}}}}{{{\mathcal{T}}}}$-symmetric quantum mechanics, namely the ${{{\mathcal{C}}}}{{{\mathcal{P}}}}{{{\mathfrak{T}}}}$ and Hermitian measurements, for encoding the probe state and manipulation of the quantum Fisher information of the system and take into account possible decoherence effects inherent for the practical implementations. Our approach should be particularly relevant for applications where the accuracy of quantum parameter estimation is crucial, such as quantum randomness sources and the quantum key distribution. Finally, to bridge the gap with the practical implementations, we consider the relation of our scheme with the current implementation of ${{{\mathcal{P}}}}{{{\mathcal{T}}}}$ symmetry on the IBM quantum processor and formulate our approach as Bayesian parameter estimation employing an ancilla qubit.
Provider-Patient Issues for the LGBT Cancer Patient

In this chapter we describe some of the issues LGBT cancer patients experience when they must engage with healthcare systems including providers who are uninformed about the terminology, partner/family issues, or health care concerns of LGBT individuals. We review the sparse literature about healthcare professionals’ education about LGBT issues and LGBT patients’ experiences with healthcare. Then we recommend a framework of healthcare microaggressions to describe the climate in which cancer care often occurs. Finally, we offer suggestions for healthcare providers working with LGBT patients to alter their individual behavior and to improve the healthcare system experience for their patients.
Does pregnancy coloration reduce female conspecific aggression in the presence of maternal kin

Colour signals arise in a variety of sexual contexts, including advertising reproductive status. Despite potentially attracting negative attention from unrelated competitors, bright pregnancy coloration may communicate gestation to kin and potential fathers, thereby garnering aid during agonistic encounters and reducing the overall amount of aggression received by pregnant females. To establish whether this ‘pregnancy sign’ influences rates of aggression in the presence versus absence of maternal kin, we conducted behavioural observations of wild olive baboons, Papio anubis, in Gombe National Park, Tanzania, in groups composed of maternal kin and nonkin, and of captive baboons at the Southwest National Primate Research Center (SNPRC, San Antonio, TX, U.S.A.), in group enclosures that were unlikely to include close kin. At SNPRC, we also experimentally obscured the coloration of the pregnancy sign, and we performed playback experiments to measure male responses to the distress calls of pregnant females. Free-ranging female baboons experienced significantly less aggression from nonkin females after the onset of the pregnancy sign compared to the pre-pregnancy sign. In contrast, captive pregnant females whose pregnancy coloration was obscured with paint experienced significantly lower aggression rates from female conspecifics compared to pre-painting. Male aggression towards females did not differ in the presence versus absence of the pregnancy sign in either the wild or the captive population, although captive fathers paid significantly more attention to distress calls of pregnant cage-mates than they did to those of cycling cage-mates, suggesting a willingness to aid mothers that were carrying their unborn offspring.
UPLAND EROSION AND SEDIMENT YIELD IN A LARGE ANDEAN DRAINAGE BASIN

This preliminary effort toward developing a sediment budget for the primarily agricultural 3,531 km2 upper and middle drainage basin of the Rio Paute in Andean Ecuador focuses on the geographic locations of potential upland nonpoint sediment sources and compares upland soil erosion estimates based on the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE) with others extrapolated from rainfall simulation experiments. Although the USLE-based erosion estimates are consistently higher, spatial patterns of high and low erosion rate classes for the two approaches are relatively similar, differing primarily in urban areas and in peripheral high elevation zones. Relating sediment yield data to the upland erosion rates suggests that 17 to 41 percent of the eroded material leaves the basin annually. [Key words: geomorphology, sediment budget, soil erosion, GIS, Ecuador.]
Influence of morphological awareness on college students' literacy skills: A path analytic approach

The purpose of this study was twofold: to create a measure of morphological awareness with college students and to examine effects of morphological awareness on literacy abilities. Three morphologi...
Requirement for CD28 in the Effector Phase of Allergic Airway Inflammation

Central to the pathogenesis of allergic airway inflammation are the activation and differentiation of T lymphocytes. This process requires the participation of the CD28 costimulatory receptor. Blockade of CD28 has been demonstrated to prevent inflammation and airway hyperreactivity in a murine model of asthma. Whether this is due specifically to defects in initial T cell activation or whether effector responses are also impaired has not been determined. Using adoptive transfer studies of Ag-specific lymphocytes, we demonstrate that CD28 has a critical role in both the induction and effector phase of allergic airway inflammation. Transfer of in vitro activated and Th2-differentiated Ag-specific lymphocytes from wild-type hosts restored inflammation, but not tissue eosinophilia in CD28-deficient recipients. Furthermore, similarly activated and differentiated CD28-deficient lymphocytes were ineffective at mediating inflammation in wild-type recipients. Secondary cytokine and proliferative responses of activated Th2 cells were highly dependent on CD28 in vitro. Moreover, eosinophil recruitment to both the lung and peritoneum is impaired by the lack of CD28, suggesting a generalized defect in the ability of eosinophils to accumulate at sites of inflammation in vivo. These data identify a novel role for CD28 in the effector phase of allergic airway inflammation and suggest that inhibition of this pathway may be a useful therapeutic intervention in previously sensitized individuals.
Clay modified electrodes. Part 10. Studies of clay-adsorbed Ru(bpy)2+3 enantiomers by UV-visible spectroscopy and cyclic voltammetry

The difference of a factor of 2 found in the values of ct the total concentration of adsorbed cation, between racemic Ru(bpy)3Cl2 and its enantiomers in clay modified electrodes, is attributed to differences in the effect of the adsorption of the cations on the degree of aggregation of the clays. UV-visible spectra indicate less aggregation of the clays upon addition of the enantiomers than the racemate, leaving more exposed surface for the adsorption of the ion pairs. This lower layering explains why the clays were found to adsorb twice their CEC (cation exchange capacity) for the enantiomers, but only their CEC for racemic Ru(bpy)2+3, in contradiction to previous results with Ru(phen)2+3, where it was the racemate that was reported to be adsorbed in excess of the CEC. Despite the differences in the values of ct, similar peak currents were found in the cyclic voltammograms of racemic Ru(bpy)2+3 and its enantiomers in clay modified electrodes, since a smaller fraction of the adsorbed enantiomers were found to be electroactive. The decrease in currents due to this lower fraction more than makes up for their larger ct.
Verification of counterurbanisation processes: example of the České Budějovice region

Counterurbanisation as a deconcentrating process of settlement systems is connected with population migration from cities to their geographically distant hinterland located beyond the external border of suburbs, i.e. beyond the metropolitan zones. Many authors consider it a low-intensity process empirically hard to identify. Still, in the South Bohemian region of Ceske Budějovice (RCB) counterurbanisation was confirmed, although it is not a dominant but rather a highly variable process with some effect on the character of settlements. It seems that after a long period of population and socio-economic decline a new rise started in several municipalities of the RCB rural area. The smallest rural settlements (less than 200 residents) boast now the top population growth rate along with the top net migration rate. In general, the volume of immigration flows to the rural area from the centre and suburbs of Ceske Budějovice is higher in absolute figures than the volume of emigration flows from the rural area. The detailed anonymised database of migrants of the Czech Statistical Office makes it possible to analyse the migration volume and direction by municipalities.
Studies Of The Dependence Of The Microwave Radar Cross Section On Ocean Surface Variables During The Fasinex Experiment

The ability of theoretical radar cross section (RCS) models to predict the absolute magnitude of the ocean radar cross section under a wide variety of sea and atmospheric conditions was studied using experimental data from the FASINEX Experiment. This consists of RCS data from a Ku-band scatterometer mounted on an aircraft (10 separate flights were conducted), a wide variety of atmospheric measurements (including stress) and sea conditions. Theoretical models are tested. Where discrepancies are observed, revisions are hypothesized and evaluated.
The Impact of Medicare's lifetime immunosuppression coverage on racial disparities in kidney graft survival.

Beginning January 1, 2000, Medicare effectively extended its coverage of immunosuppression medications from 3 years to lifetime for patients eligible for Medicare on the basis of age or disability status. We examined the impact of this policy on racial disparities in kidney transplant outcomes at 5 years. Using data from the US Renal Data System, we identified cohorts of Medicare-insured kidney transplant recipients according to patient characteristics defining eligibility for lifetime immunosuppression coverage according to the year 2000 policy. We compared racial disparities in graft survival among those eligible for lifetime coverage with the Kaplan–Meier method. We modeled adjusted associations of patient race, patient income, benefits eligibility category and policy exposure with graft loss by multivariable Cox's regression. The racial disparity in graft survival between African American and non-African American among transplant recipients eligible for the lifetime benefit persisted. The graft survival disparity between high- and low-income African American recipients was insignificantly reduced among those eligible for the lifetime benefit. The results of the study suggest that insurance coverage of medication did not eliminate or reduce the racial disparity in graft survival.
Finite Size Scaling for Criticality of the Schrödinger Equation

By solving the Schrodinger equation one obtains the whole energy spectrum, both the bound and the continuum states. If the Hamiltonian depends on a set of parameters, these could be tuned to a transition from bound to continuum states. The behavior of systems near the threshold, which separates bound-states from continuum states, is important in the study of such phenomenon as: ionization of atoms and molecules, molecule dissociation, scattering collisions and stability of matter. In general, the energy is non-analytic as a function of the Hamiltonian parameters or a bound-state does not exist at the threshold energy. The overall goal of this chapter is to show how one can predict, generate and identify new class of stable quantum systems using large-dimensional models and the finite size scaling approach. Within this approach, the finite size corresponds not to the spatial dimension but to the number of elements in a complete basis set used to expand the exact eigenfunction of a given Hamiltonian. This method is efficient and very accurate for estimating the critical parameters, $\{\lambda_i\}$, for stability of a given Hamiltonian, $H(\lambda_i)$. We present two methods of obtaining critical parameters using finite size scaling for a given quantum Hamiltonian: The finite element method and the basis set expansion method.
Neonatal Cardiac Catheterization: A 10-Year Transition from Diagnosis to Therapy

To assess the changing role of cardiac catheterization in the care of the neonate, a retrospective review of all catheterizations between January 1984 to December 1985 (group I) and January 1994 to December 1995 (group II) at C.S. Mott Children's Hospital was performed. Neonatal cardiac catheterization was performed more frequently (p= 0.02) in group I, comprising 14% (110 of 772) of all catheterizations versus 11% (93 of 880) in group II. Access was performed by cutdown in 15 patients (13 venous and 2 arterial), all in group I. In group I, 20 of 110 patients (18%) had balloon atrial septostomies; no other catheter interventions were performed. Interventions were more frequent (p= 0.003) and varied in group II, including 15 septostomies, 17 balloon valvuloplasties (13 pulmonary and 4 aortic), 2 coil embolizations of collaterals, and 1 cardiac biopsy. Despite the higher prevalence and complexity of interventions in group II, fluoroscopy times (median; range: 16 min; 2–55 vs 16 min; 1–107) were similar in both groups (p= not significant) as well as the prevalence of complications. Neonatal cardiac catheterizations are performed less frequently than they were a decade ago at our institution, and therapeutic interventions have become more common. Despite these changes, fluoroscopy time and the rate of complications have not increased.
Clonidine releases immunoreactive β-endorphin from rat pars distalis

Clonidine (10(-6), 10(-7) M) evokes the release of beta endorphin-like immunoreactivity (beta-END-LI) from cell cultures of anterior (pars distalis) but not neurointermediate (pars nervosa plus pars intermedia) lobe of the rat pituitary. This drug-induced secretion is blocked by alpha-adrenergic (phenoxybenzamine, yohimbine; 10(-5) M) but not beta-adrenergic (propranolol, 10(-5) M) antagonism. Gel filtration (Sephadex G-50) reveals that beta-END-LI released from anterior lobe cells consists of 2 major forms of immunoreactivity which coelute with beta-lipotropin or beta-endorphin standards. Conversely, beta-END-LI released spontaneously from neurointermediate lobe cells almost entirely corresponds to beta-endorphin. The data show that alpha-adrenergic stimulation by clonidine releases beta-END-LI selectively from cells of anterior but not neurointermediate lobe in vitro and suggests that the clonidine-induced release of pituitary beta-END-LI we have observed in vivo occurs in part by direct action on the corticotrophs of the pars distalis.
Multigrid solution of the Euler equations for aircraft configurations

A multigrid scheme for solving the Euler equations is presented. The method has been successfully applied to two-dimensional airfoil calculations on both O-type and C-type meshes. In three dimensions the scheme has proved equally effective and calclations of flows over wing/body combinations are possible with convergence achieved in less than 100 cycles.
Nonfatal occupational injuries among African American women by industrial group

Objective: This study examined characteristics of nonfatal work-related injuries treated in emergency departments (EDs) among African American women by industry in the U.S. in 1996. Method: Injury data were from the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System (NEISS). Employment data were from the Current Population Survey (CPS). Results: In 1996, African American women, age 16 or older, were treated in EDs for an estimated 158,335 nonfatal work-related injuries (2.6/100 full-time equivalents, FTEs). Of these injuries, 39% occurred in healthcare, 14% in retail trade, and 12% in manufacturing. Healthcare experienced the highest injury rate of 5.1/100 FTEs, followed by a rate of 2.6/100 FTEs in retail trade. Summary: This study is the first report on work-related injuries treated in EDs among African American women by industry on a national level. Injury patterns varied by industry in terms of source, event, diagnoses, and body part. For example, in healthcare the leading source involved interactions with patients and the leading event was physical exertion; whereas in retail trade the leading source was structures and surfaces, and the leading event was contact with objects. Impact on Industry: These findings demonstrate that nonfatal work-related injuries are often concentrated in certain high-risk industries, such as healthcare, manufacturing, and retail trade. To improve occupational safety and health for African American women, future research activities and prevention strategies should address the high-risk industries identified in this analysis.
Effect of MA on microstructure and synthesis path of in-situ TiC reinforced Fe–28at.% Al intermetallic composites

Abstract An in-situ composite consisting of titanium carbide and iron aluminide was synthesized by mechanical alloying of elemental powders and pulse discharge sintering. The microstructure and synthesis path of in-situ TiC reinforced Fe–28at.% Al composite were examined as a function of milling time and heat treatment temperature. Mechanical alloying of the elemental powders promoted bcc solid solution formation, and the solid solution completed at milling of 400 h. During sintering Fe 3 Al and TiC precipitated from the supersaturated Fe solid solution containing Al, Ti and C. Microstructure of the sintered body made of powder milled for 200 h consists of three regions, that is, large TiC particles of about 5 μm in size, Fe 3 Al matrix with TiC particles of submicron size and particle-free Fe 3 Al region. For the sintered body after milling of 400 h, however, the large TiC particles disappeared due to the complete solid solution during mechanical alloying. Sintering of the powders milled for the period shorter than 50 h formed intermediate phases, such as Al 5 Fe 2 , Al 3 Ti and Fe 3 AlC x , by heat treatment up to 1273 K, while that of the powder milled for 400 h showed direct precipitation of Fe 3 Al and TiC from the Fe solid solution.
Institutional investor preferences for lodging stocks.

Abstract Although investments from institutions such as banks, insurance companies and pension funds in the lodging industry increased enormously in the 1990s, there has been no empirical research that has examined institutional preferences for lodging stocks. Understanding institutional investment patterns can help provide easier access to the capital markets for hoteliers who make large capital expenditures. This study identifies the characteristics preferred by institutional investors and also assesses whether the different institutions have heterogeneous preferences. Our results show that, in general, institutions prefer the stock of large lodging firms. They also prefer lodging firms with high capital expenditure-to-asset ratios and high debt ratios.
Chelation Therapy in Cardiovascular Disease: Ethylenediaminetetraacetic Acid, Deferoxamine, and Dexrazoxane

This review was conducted to assess whether there is sufficient evidence for the clinical use of chelation therapy in cardiovascular disease based on original articles and abstracts published in the last 30 years, with emphasis placed on the most recent placebo-controlled studies. Articles postulating the mechanisms of chelation also were included. The majority of the literature focused on three chelators in particular, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), deferoxamine, and dexrazoxane (ICRF-187). Historically, much has been written on the beneficial effects of EDTA. However, there are few controlled studies, and the mechanism of action of EDTA is poorly understood. Although studies of deferoxamine are more recent, most of the research is limited to animals and ex vivo models. Recently, dexrazoxane was approved, but only for parenteral use for reducing the incidence and severity of cardiomyopathy associated with doxorubicin administration in women with metastatic breast cancer. Given these limitations, it is concluded that more controlled studies are required to determine the efficacy of chelation therapy in cardiovascular disease before it can be used broadly in the clinical setting.
Post—September 11 Human Resource Management in Nonprofit Organizations:

This article serves as a warning, an exhortation, and a guide to nonprofit trustees, executives, and human resource (HR) managers. The United States has experienced cumulative national shock waves during the past 2 to 3 years of a magnitude not previously experienced before—at least not in the past 50 years. The tragic events of September 11, 2001, alone would have changed the environment faced by America's nonprofit organizations. But there have been other shock waves on top of September 11. Each added new strains to the existing ones. Thus, organizations in the nonprofit sector face difficult HR challenges that may continue to become more acute in the upcoming months and years. This environment requires skillful management, particularly of human resources. This article is an exploratory study to identify how the post-September 11 environment is affecting nonprofit organizations and tried-and-true management tools to help cope in this era of uncertainty.
Immediate early gene expression in the visual cortex of normal and dark reared cats: differences between fos and egr-1.

Northern blotting indicated that the level of induced fos was higher in normal than dark reared cat visual cortex (VC) at 5 weeks of age, comparable at 10 weeks, and higher in dark reared than normal cat visual cortex at 20 weeks. Fos egr-1, induction was higher in dark reared visual cortex at all ages. Thus, dark rearing has similar effects on fos, but not egr-1, expression as it has on physiological neuronal plasticity during the VC critical period.
HABITAT SELECTION BY MANATEES IN SARASOTA BAY, FLORIDA

Habitat selection by Florida manatees (Trichechus manatus latirostris) is influenced by, among other things, availability of food, thermal, and freshwater resources. However, habitat selection by females with dependent calves may differ from that of other demographic groups with regard to the relative importance of these factors. Additional factors that may influence habitat selection for females with dependent calves include ambient noise, strong currents, or increased foraging requirements. We examined distributional data for manatees from aerial surveys of the coastal waters near Sarasota, Florida, between 1994 and 2004 to determine whether habitat selection by groups of manatees that included calves differed from that of other groups. We characterized groups according to their location within seven habitat types. Enclosed bays not traversed by the Intracoastal Waterway had the highest proportions of groups with calves. Groups with calves used a No Entry refuge (from which almost all human use is barred) to a greater extent than did other groups. Overall, groups with calves exhibited significantly different habitat selection from groups without calves (P < 0.001, Χ 2 = 43.0, df = 6), but this was not consistent across seasons. During the winter and spring, thermal requirements influenced manatees to such an extent that all demographic groups selected habitat similarly.
Test Performance and the Use of Optional Questions

The technique of allowing students optional items on an essay examination was related to test performance. One hundred and eighty-seven graduate students in educational psychology were given either an optional or a non-optional essay examination as a mid-term evaluation. It was found that the Ss given the optional examination achieved significantly poorer scores than those Ss not given options. This result, in conjunction with the established reliability and content validity for the test across experimental conditions, was interpreted as indicative of selective student preparation under the different conditions. The inference was drawn that test format can influence test performance as well as the nature and extent of general classroom achievement.
DTASelect and Contrast: Tools for Assembling and Comparing Protein Identifications from Shotgun Proteomics

The components of complex peptide mixtures can be separated by liquid chromatography, fragmented by tandem mass spectrometry, and identified by the SEQUEST algorithm. Inferring a mixture's source proteins requires that the identified peptides be reassociated. This process becomes more challenging as the number of peptides increases. DTASelect, a new software package, assembles SEQUEST identifications and highlights the most significant matches. The accompanying Contrast tool compares DTASelect results from multiple experiments. The two programs improve the speed and precision of proteomic data analysis.
Bio-inspired polymer optics

This paper reviews recent progress in the design and fabrication of bio-inspired gradient index lenses. Inspired by the gradient index distributions of the protein layers in biological eyes, we employ nested layers of polymer composites to create smoothly-varying index distributions within bulk lens substrates. Because the fabrication technique allows for independent control of the index layers, the index contours, and the final lens surfaces, optical power can be combined with aberration control in a single element. Gradient-index singlets which correct for spherical aberration and singlets which correct for chromatic aberration are described as examples of the utility of this class of optics.
Gastric adenocarcinoma associated with isolated granulomatous gastritis

Background: Granulomatous gastritis is a rarely observed pathological diagnosis. This condition often mimics gastric adenocarcinoma clinically, resulting in gastric resection. However, granulomatous gastritis has long been viewed as a benign process not observed in association with adenocarcinoma of the stomach. This article describes a patient with granulomatous gastritis occurring in close proximity to an area of superficially invading gastric adenocarcinoma.
Thermomechanical characterization of shape memory alloy torque tubes

The thermo-mechanical characteristics of four NiTi based SMA torque tubes are investigated under simple torsional loading. Results from the thermo-mechanical tests are presented for samples when fully martensitic, fully austenitic, and recovery torque measurements. Test results indicate that wall thickness plays a prominent role in the results. An analytical model was developed as a function of geometry and experimentally determined material properties. The model predicts the torque versus angular deformation for a wide range of tube geometries when in martensite and austenite. The distribution of strain through the thickness is assumed to vary non-linearly as an exponentially with the radius. The analytical results reflect the mechanical behavior reasonably well.