cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pre-Term Delivery and Risk of Ischemic Heart Disease in Women

Abstract Background Women who deliver pre-term have been reported to have increased future risks of cardiometabolic disorders. However, their long-term risks of ischemic heart disease (IHD) and whether such risks are due to shared familial factors are unclear. A better understanding of these risks may help improve long-term clinical follow-up and interventions to prevent IHD in women. Objectives The purpose of this study was to determine the long-term risks of IHD in women by pregnancy duration. Methods A national cohort study was conducted of all 2,189,190 women with a singleton delivery in Sweden from 1973 to 2015, who were followed up for IHD through the end of 2015. Cox regression was used to compute adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) for IHD associated with pregnancy duration, and cosibling analyses assessed the influence of shared familial (genetic and/or environmental) factors. Results In 47.5 million person-years of follow-up, 49,955 (2.3%) women were diagnosed with IHD. In the 10 years following delivery, the aHR for IHD associated with pre-term delivery ( Conclusions In this large national cohort, pre-term delivery was a strong independent risk factor for IHD. This association waned over time but remained substantially elevated up to 40 years later. Pre-term delivery should be recognized as a risk factor for IHD in women across the life course.
Using Asymmetric Cost Matrices to Optimize Care Management Interventions

The majority of health care expenditures are incurred by a small portion of the population. Care management or intervention programs may help reduce medical costs, especially those of extremely hig...
Barriers and Facilitators of Parent Engagement With Health Promotion in Child Care: A Mixed-Methods Evaluation.

BackgroundEarly care and education providers cite lack of parent engagement as a central barrier to promoting healthy behaviors among young children. However, little research exists about factors i...
Correlation Between Social Media Postings and Academic Citations of Hand Surgery Research Publications: A Pilot Study Using Twitter and Google Scholar.

Purpose The relationship between social media postings and academic citations of hand surgery research publications is not known. The objectives of this study were (1) to quantify adoption of social media for the dissemination of original research publications by 3 hand surgery journals, and (2) to determine the correlation between social media postings and academic citations in recent hand surgery research publications. Methods An Internet-based study was performed of all research articles from 3 hand surgery journals published from January 2018 to March 2019. A final sample of 472 original full-length scientific research articles was included. For each article, the total number of social media postings was determined using Twitter, as well as the number of tweets, number of retweets, number of tweets from an official outlet, and number of tweets from an author. The number of academic citations for each article was determined using Google Scholar. Results Average number of academic citations per article was 3.9. Average number of social media posts per article was 3.2, which consisted of an average of 1.3 tweets and 1.9 retweets per article. The number of academic citations per article was weakly correlated with the number of social medial postings, the number of tweets, and the number of retweets. The number of tweets from an official outlet and from an author were weakly correlated with academic citation. Conclusions In the early adoption of social media for the dissemination of hand surgery research, there is a weak correlation between social media posting of hand surgery research and academic citation. Clinical relevance Future studies are needed to assess whether social media posting of hand surgery research results in academic citations at the longer time intervals necessary for research publication maturity.
The Disunity of Unanimity

Unanimity is the optimal voting rule in a world of zero transactions costs, when side payments are impossible. When side payments are available and transactions costs are zero, the voting rule is irrelevant to the ultimate outcome. In the more realistic situation where side payments are allowed but transactions costs are positive, a unanimity voting rule creates situations where the collective choice may fail a proposed measure even if all members favor the measure in principle. This evidences a disunity between unanimity rules and unanimous outcomes. Constitutional design should focus on rules leading to unanimous outcomes, as opposed to unanimity rules.
Integrated molecular response of exposure to traffic-related pollutants in the US trucking industry.

Abstract Exposure to traffic-related pollutants, including diesel exhaust, is associated with increased risk of cardiopulmonary disease and mortality; however, the precise biochemical pathways underlying these effects are not known. To investigate biological response mechanisms underlying exposure to traffic related pollutants, we used an integrated molecular response approach that included high-resolution metabolomic profiling and peripheral blood gene expression to identify biological responses to diesel exhaust exposure. Plasma samples were collected from 73 non-smoking males employed in the US trucking industry between February 2009 and October 2010, and analyzed using untargeted high-resolution metabolomics to characterize metabolite associations with shift- and week-averaged levels of elemental carbon (EC), organic carbon (OC) and particulate matter with diameter ≤ 2.5 μm (PM2.5). Metabolic associations with EC, OC and PM2.5 were evaluated for biochemical processes known to be associated with disease risk. Annotated metabolites associated with exposure were then tested for relationships with the peripheral blood transcriptome using multivariate selection and network correlation. Week-averaged EC and OC levels, which were averaged across multiple shifts during the workweek, resulted in the greatest exposure-associated metabolic alterations compared to shift-averaged exposure levels. Metabolic changes associated with EC exposure suggest increased lipid peroxidation products, biomarkers of oxidative stress, thrombotic signaling lipids, and metabolites associated with endothelial dysfunction from altered nitric oxide metabolism, while OC exposures were associated with antioxidants, oxidative stress biomarkers and critical intermediates in nitric oxide production. Correlation with whole blood RNA gene expression provided additional evidence of changes in processes related to endothelial function, immune response, inflammation, and oxidative stress. We did not detect metabolic associations with PM2.5. This study provides an integrated molecular assessment of human exposure to traffic-related air pollutants that includes diesel exhaust. Metabolite and transcriptomic changes associated with exposure to EC and OC are consistent with increased risk of cardiovascular diseases and the adverse health effects of traffic-related air pollution.
A Proof of Grünbaum’s Lower Bound Conjecture for general polytopes

In 1967, Grunbaum conjectured that any d-dimensional polytope with d + s ≤ 2d vertices has at least $${\phi _k}(d + s,d) = \left( {\matrix{{d + 1} \cr {k + 1} \cr } } \right) + \left( {\matrix{d \cr {k + 1} \cr } } \right) - \left( {\matrix{ {d + 1 - s} \cr {k + 1} \cr } } \right)$$ k-faces. We prove this conjecture and also characterize the cases in which equality holds.
Doxorubicin-induced cardiac dysfunction in unselected patients with a history of early-stage breast cancer

Cardiomyopathy is a known complication of anthracycline-based adjuvant chemotherapy and is more commonly reported in population-based studies of breast cancer survivors than in clinical trials. This study prospectively evaluated the prevalence of elevated cardiac biomarkers in unselected patients who had been treated with doxorubicin for early-stage breast cancer and the prevalence of reduced LVEF in patients with an elevated biomarker. All participants underwent an examination, symptom inventory, medical record review, and biomarker analysis for BNP, troponin, and plasma and urine NT-proBNP. Patients who had one or more elevated biomarkers were referred for echocardiogram; systolic dysfunction was defined as LVEF less than 55 %. Multivariable logistic regression was used to determine the associations between age, BMI, cumulative dose of doxorubicin, diabetes, hypertension, and left-sided radiation therapy and the risk of reduced LVEF. Among the 269 patients who underwent lab testing (mean age 56 years, mean time since completion of doxorubicin-based chemotherapy 6 years), 192 (72 %) had one or more elevated biomarker. Among the 166 patients who completed an echocardiogram, 11.5 % had a LVEF < 55 %. After adjusting for covariates known to affect cardiac function, multivariable logistic regression revealed plasma NT-proBNP to be the only measured cardiac biomarker associated with systolic dysfunction. There is a relationship between NT-proBNP and the frequency of reduced LVEF in women treated with doxorubicin for curative intent; further study of NT-proBNP as a potential biomarker for subclinical cardiac dysfunction after exposure to anthracyclines is warranted.
Are Recursion Theoretic Arguments Useful in Complexity Theory

Publisher Summary Recursion theory is that area of mathematical logic where one studies the qualitative aspects of computability. In complexity theory, which is part of computer science, one studies in addition quantitative aspects of computations. A number of open problems about the structure of NP where one can prove that even under the assumption PI≠NP recursion theoretic arguments will not suffice. The chapter presents polynomial time approximation schemes for some strongly NP-complete problems that arise—for example, in robotics. The chapter presents a survey for a proof of optimal lower bounds for two tapes versus one on deterministic and nondeterministic Turing machines. Results that show a substantial superiority of nondeterminism over determinism resp. co-nondeterminism over nondeterminism for one-tape Turing machines are given in the chapter. The chapter presents the proof of the desired result as the construction of a winning strategy for a two-person game.
MR enterography under the age of 10 years: a single institutional experience

MR enterography (MRE) plays a major role in the imaging of pediatric patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) but can be challenging to perform in young children. To review our institutional experience regarding the performance of MRE in children younger than 10 years of age, including the use of general anesthesia (GA). Institutional review board approval was obtained. Radiology and anesthesia records were searched to identify MRE exams in children younger than 10 years old between June 2009 and May 2013. The following information was documented: demographics, indications for MRE, use of GA, imaging diagnoses, and documented GA-related side effects or adverse events. Imaging was reviewed to document study length, quality and progression of oral contrast material. One hundred six children (59 boys [56%]) younger than 10 years old underwent 119 MRE examinations (age range: 1 month to 9 years, 11 months). Common indications for MRE included known IBD (42%) and suspected IBD (38%). One hundred ten (92%) examinations were performed under GA. Mean exam length was 52 ± 13 min for GA patients with a range of 31--113 min. Median time under GA was 155 min. Oral contrast material reached the terminal ileum in 31%. Side effects/adverse events associated with GA were uncommon and minor, including transient nausea in 13 children (11%) and emesis in 9 (8%). Diagnostic-quality MRE can be performed successfully in young children. The majority of MRE exams were performed under GA, with only occasional minor side effects/adverse events.
What Is Mathematical Modeling

This chapter reviews some mathematical techniques such as dimensional homogeneity, abstraction and scaling, conservation and balance principles, and consequences of linearity. Modeling is a cognitive activity of thinking about and making models to describe how devices or objects of interest behave. There are many ways in which devices and behaviors can be described. Words, drawings or sketches, physical models, computer programs, or mathematical formulas can be used for this purpose. In other words, modeling activity can be done in several languages, often simultaneously. A mathematical model is a representation in mathematical terms of the behavior of real devices and objects. In the practices of science and of engineering design, models are often applied to predict what will happen in a future situation. In engineering design, however, the predictions are used in ways that have far different consequences than simply anticipating the outcome of an experiment. Various tools for modeling, such as dimensional analysis, abstraction and scaling, balance laws, and linearity are outlined in the chapter.
Phosphatase Hydrolysis of Organic Phosphorus Compounds

Phosphatases are diverse groups of enzymes that deserve special attention because of their significant roles in organic phosphorus (OP) mineralization to inorganic available forms (Pi). This work 1) compared the catalytic potentials of commercially acid phosphatase from wheat germ, sweet potato, and potato, and alkaline phosphatase from E. coli; 2) demonstrated that the rate of hydrolysis, catalytic efficiency, thermal stability, and optimal pH of these enzymes depended on enzyme sources and the stereochemical or stereoisomeric structures of the substrates; 3) revealed that both acid and alkaline phosphatases exhibited broad range of substrate hydrolysis with high affinity for p-nitrophenyl phosphate bis (cyclohexylammonium) than the widely used p-nitrophenyl phosphate disodium hexahydrate for phosphatase assay. Sweet potato had relatively higher reaction kinetics (Vmax, Km, Kcat, Kcat/Km) values with most substrates tested. The order of catalytic activity was in the order: sweet potato > wheat germ > potato, while the order of substrate hydrolyzed was: PNPBC > PNP > PNP2A2E > DG6P2Na > DG6PNa > Bis-PNP > phytate. The optimum pH for the acid phosphatase was observed to be 5.0. Generally, the activity of alkaline phosphatase was similar to that of acid phosphatase with optimal pH between 10 and 13, depending on the substrates. Knowledge derived from this work would be helpful in enzyme catalysis in soils and water environments.
Reconstructing the Teacher-Administrator Relationship to Achieve Systemic Change.

The transition from hierarchical to collegial relationships between teachers and administrators is examined within the context of a school district that implemented a new model of teacher supervisi...
The Impact of Education on Individual Economic Wellbeing

The authors of this paper examine data from the two recent decades, 1991 through 2010, in relation to educational attainment and economic status. The research supports that the level of educational attainment is economically significant in relative terms, or, the higher the education level achieved, the higher the earnings, and the lower the volatility during economic downturns. The higher the educational level achieved, the lower the unemployment rate, in all phases of the economy. In addition, the results posit the higher the education, the shorter the duration, when seeking employment. Evidence, however, is found that a Bachelor Degree only ensures equilibrium with inflationary increases over the 1991-2010 twenty year period, with female real earnings rising just 2.2%, while male real earnings declined 2.2%. The real earnings of all educational levels below the Bachelor’s Degree declined over the twenty year period, with the largest aggregate decline in real earnings being -14.3% for males with the educational attainment level of “some high school”. In addition, while there is still a significant gap between female and male earnings, females did significantly better than their male counterparts, in terms of annual earning’s growth (or a smaller annual decrease). In general terms, the authors conclude that the standard of living in the U.S. is declining for all education levels below a Bachelor’s Degree, which includes approximately 70% of the population. A lower level of education reduces the ability of the worker to achieve wage growth and also leads to longer or more frequent levels of unemployment for those workers.
A model for covert botnet communication in a private subnet

Recently, botnets utilizing peer-to-peer style communication infrastructures have been discovered, requiring new approaches to detection and monitoring techniques. Current detection methods analyze network communication patterns, identifying systems that may have been recruited into the botnet. This paper presents a localized botnet communication model that enables a portion of compromised systems to hide from such detection techniques without a potentially significant increase in network monitoring points. By organizing bot systems at the the subnet level the amount of communication with the outside network is greatly reduced, requiring switch-level monitoring to identify infected systems.
The Radial Distribution of Axial Stress around a Single Fiber in Epoxy Resin Undergoing Water Uptake

Model composites consisting of a single axial fiber in a cylindrical block of epoxy resin, to one end of which is bonded a flexible glass cover slip and to the other end a rigid substrate, have bee...
Blocking action of parenteral desferrioxamine on iron absorption in rodents and men

Desferrioxamine (DFO) is an iron chelating agent that, when administered orally, interferes with gut absorption of inorganic iron and, when administered parenterally, binds body iron and is excreted as ferrioxamine in bile and urine. Studies were carried out in normal and iron-deficient male rats and in normal, iron-replete male volunteers to investigate the blocking action of parenteral DFO on the absorption of radioiron. Radiolabeled ferrous ammonium sulfate, transferrin iron, or hemoglobin iron was injected directly into the jejunum of rats with or without intramuscular injections of DFO. Radioiron administered as ferrous sulfate or as transferrin iron was given to the volunteers by mouth or by direct duodenal infusion, respectively, with or without intravenous infusions of DFO. In iron-deficient rats, intramuscular DFO injections commencing 1 h before direct jejunal injection of radioiron significantly blocked absorption of inorganic iron (26% with DFO, 64% without DFO), transferrin iron (4% with DFO, 69% without DFO), and hemoglobin iron (3% with DFO, 19% without DFO). In normal rats, DFO injections also significantly blocked absorption of inorganic iron and transferrin iron. In normal volunteers, intravenous DFO infusions commencing 1 h before administration of radioiron significantly blocked absorption of physiologic doses of inorganic iron (3% with DFO, 21% without DFO) and transferrin iron (1% with DFO, 20% without DFO). The quantity of radioiron excreted in urine by both rats and humans with administration of DFO did not account for the observed decrement in absorption of radioiron. Biochemical analysis of rat intestinal mucosal scrapings after injection of DFO and administration of radioiron demonstrated the accumulation of a small molecular weight fraction containing iron that was ferrioxamine (iron-chelate) complex. We conclude that parenterally administered DFO can enter the small intestinal mucosa, bind intracellular iron, and block iron absorption. Parenteral DFO blocks the absorption of inorganic iron, transferrin iron, and hemoglobin iron, suggesting that all three iron species enter a common chelatable pool within the small intestinal mucosa and may share a common pathway of absorption.
Researching Gay and Lesbian Domestic Violence: The Journey of a Non-LGBT Researcher

Abstract The purpose of this article is to present the author's personal journey as a heterosexual woman conducting research on domestic violence within the LGBT community. The contributions of these studies to the theoretical and knowledge base of this social problem provide evidence of the ability of a nonaffiliated member to produce meaningful and sensitive research within an oppressed population even on a sensitive topic. In this article the author presents her rationale, as an outsider, for being interested in the LGBT community and, more importantly, her adoption of eight innovative strategies to overcome methodological barriers. These strategies emerged from her initially designing these studies based on the feminist participatory research model. Each strategy is discussed with particular attention paid to the one that most influenced her lifeimmersion into the culture. Also presented are the exchanges of rigor for relevance in her research, and her perceptions of the costs and benefits of conducti...
dsRNA Released by Tissue Damage Activates TLR3 to Drive Skin Regeneration

Regeneration of skin and hair follicles after wounding--a process known as wound-induced hair neogenesis (WIHN)--is a rare example of adult organogenesis in mammals. As such, WIHN provides a unique model system for deciphering mechanisms underlying mammalian regeneration. Here, we show that dsRNA, which is released from damaged skin, activates Toll-Like Receptor 3 (TLR3) and its downstream effectors IL-6 and STAT3 to promote hair follicle regeneration. Conversely, TLR3-deficient animals fail to initiate WIHN. TLR3 activation promotes expression of hair follicle stem cell markers and induces elements of the core hair morphogenetic program, including ectodysplasin A receptor (EDAR) and the Wnt and Shh pathways. Our results therefore show that dsRNA and TLR3 link the earliest events of mammalian skin wounding to regeneration and suggest potential therapeutic approaches for promoting hair neogenesis.
A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Study of Modafinil Film-Coated Tablets in Children and Adolescents with Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

Objective To evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of modafinil in children and adolescents, ages 7 to 17, with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). Method In this 9-week, double-blind, flexible-dose study, patients were randomized to once-daily modafinil (170-425 mg) or placebo. Assessments included ADHD Rating Scale-IV (ADHD-RS-IV) School and Home Versions and Clinical Global Impression of Improvement (CGI-I) scale. Results Two hundred patients were randomized. Modafinil produced significant reductions in ADHD-RS-IV total scores at school (n = 128; mean change ± SD: −17.5 ± 13.1 points) compared with placebo (n = 66; −9.7 ± 10.3 points; p < .0001). Similarly, modafinil reduced ADHD-RS-IV total scores at home compared with placebo (−17.6 ± 13.3 versus −7.5 ± 11.8 points; p < .0001). Fifty-two percent of patients randomized to modafinil and 18% of those randomized to placebo met prestudy criteria for responder on the CGI-I (p < .0001). Randomization to modafinil was associated with significantly more insomnia, headache, decreased appetite, and weight loss than randomization to placebo, but discontinuation attributed to adverse events did not differ statistically between treatment groups (modafinil, 5%; placebo, 6%). Conclusion Modafinil was well tolerated and reduced ADHD symptoms at school and home compared with placebo.
Thermoelastic Instability of Two-Conductor Friction System Including Surface Roughness

A model is developed to investigate the mechanism of thermoelastic instability (TEI) in tribological components. The model consists of two thermally conducting bodies of finite thickness undergoing sliding contact. Appropriate governing equations are derived to predict the critical speed beyond which the TEI is likely to occur. This model takes into account the surface roughness characteristics of the contacting bodies as well as the thermal contact conductance at the interface. Analytical expressions are provided for the special cases neglecting the disk thickness and the thermal contact conductance. An extensive series of parametric simulations and discussion of the implication of the results are also presented. The simulations show that the difference in material properties and geometry of the two conducting bodies has a pronounced influence on the critical speed. A special case of the model shows that the threshold of TEI critical speed is pushed to a much higher level when the conducting bodies have identical material properties and are geometrically symmetric. It is also shown that the perturbed wave generally tends to move with the body with higher thermal conductivity.
Quantifying the Cardiorenal Syndrome and Its Effect on Mortality after LVAD Implant: An Analysis of 4,917 Patients from INTERMACS

Purpose Co-morbidities complicate recovery and contribute to mortality after implant of a left ventricular assist device (LVAD). Cardiorenal syndrome is a known risk factor for both death with advanced heart failure and post LVAD implantation. We analyzed patients from the Interagency Registry for Mechanically Assist Circulatory Support to better estimate post implant mortality according to level of renal dysfunction (dys). Methods and Materials Patients with continuous flow LVADS (CF-LVAD) were selected. Patients were grouped according to their pre-implant renal dys: severe was defined as dialysis; moderate was defined as either creatinine >2.0 or BUN >60. All other patients were considered low dys. The univariate effect of renal dys level was assessed by Kaplan-Meier analysis and the log rank test. A complete multivariable risk factor analysis for post-implant death was performed. Results Of the 4,917 patents with a CF-LVAD implanted between June, 2006 and March, 2012, 4,158(84.6%) were identified with low renal dys, 674(13.7%) with moderate and 85(1.7%) with severe. Figure 1 displays the univariate effect of renal dys. After risk factor adjustment, renal dys factors were identified (p figure 2 ). Conclusions Pre-implant renal dys as part of the cardiorenal syndrome predicts higher mortality after LVAD implant. The progressive reduction in survival with higher grades of renal dys supports consideration of LVAD implant before cardiorenal syndrome is advanced.
Solid-Waste Recycling Behavior and Support for Curbside Textile Recycling

This study examines determinants of residents' support for a curbside textile-recycling policy in southern Nevada. Based on the existing solid-waste recycling behavior literature and 817 responses ...
The Interpermeation of Self and World: Empirical Research, Existential Phenomenology, and Transpersonal Psychology

This study, based upon empirical phenomenological research, explores an essential phenomenon of human existence: the interpermeating communion of self and world. In interpermeation, the supposed separation of self and world is transcended. The being, energy, life, and meaning of the world "flow into" one's self and become integrated as part of who one is; simultaneously, one's being, consciousness, awareness, and self "flow into" the world (via perception and action) and become part of the world. Conscious of interpermeation, we tend to understand ourselves and reality differently, and to be more aware and compassionate with others and the natural world: awareness of interpermeation generates love as love generates awareness of interpermeation. A hermeneutic dialogue is offered between existential phenomenology, transpersonal psychology, and the world's spiritual traditions.
Hypersonic State Estimation Using the Frobenius-Perron Operator

This paper presents a nonlinear state-estimation algorithm that combines the Frobenius-Perron operator theory with the Bayesian estimation theory. The Frobenius―Perron operator is used to predict evolution of uncertainty in the nonlinear system and obtain the prior probability density function in the estimation process. The Bayesian update rule is used to determine the posterior density function from the available measurements. The framework for this filter is similar to particle filters where the density function is sampled using a cloud of points and the system dynamics are integrated with these points as the initial condition. The key issue in particle filters is that the weight for the sample points are typically determined using histograms to obtain the prior density function, and thus requires many samples for acceptable accuracy. Moreover, the weights of the majority of the particles converge to zero after a few iterations, rendering them useless for state-estimation purposes. This issue can be resolved with the application of the Frobenius―Perron operator, which determines the time evolution of the weights along sample paths. This greatly simplifies the determination of the prior density function and can be achieved with fewer sample points. Consequently, the associated computational time is also greatly reduced. The presented algorithm is demonstrated on a hypersonic reentry problem with uncertain initial states, with given initial probability density functions. The performance is compared with particle filters, and it is observed that the proposed algorithm is computationally superior as expected.
Comparison of best process focus and machine focus

The focus window of various topographies and substrate (borophosphosilicategass, plasma enhanced oxide and Al/Si/Cu) is discussed in this paper. Also the electric test data and Cp yield with different focus are introduced. Finally, the usable depth of focus, auto focus system and simulation model are applied to describe the difference between machine and process best focus.
Plane-wave expansions of the optical field

Abstract Plane-wave expansions of the type introduced by Whittaker are compared with plane-wave expansions of the type introduced by Weyl for wave fields radiated by sources confined to finite space-time domains. The domains of validity and the plane-wave amplitudes are determined for both types of expansions.
Treatment outcomes of different prognostic groups of patients on cancer and leukemia group B trial 39801: induction chemotherapy followed by chemoradiotherapy compared with chemoradiotherapy alone for unresectable stage III non-small cell lung cancer.

Background In Cancer and Leukemia Group B 39801, we evaluated whether induction chemotherapy before concurrent chemoradiotherapy would result in improved survival and demonstrated no significant benefit from the addition of induction chemotherapy. The primary objective of this analysis was to dichotomize patients into prognostic groups using factors predictive of survival and to investigate whether induction chemotherapy was beneficial in either prognostic group. Patients and Methods A Cox proportional hazard model was used to assess the impact on survival of the following factors: (≥70 versus Results Factors predictive of decreased survival were weight loss ≥5%, age ≥70 years, PS of 1, and hgb p n = 165) or ≤1 factor ( n = 166). The hazard ratio (HR) for overall survival for the patients with ≥2 versus patients with ≤1 was 1.88 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.49–2.37; p = p = 0.34) or ≤1 factor (HR = 0.97, 95% CI, 0.70–1.35; p = 0.87). Conclusions There is no evidence that induction chemotherapy is beneficial in either prognostic group.
Radiative shock solutions in the equilibrium diffusion limit

A semi-analytic solution is described for planar radiative shock waves in the equilibrium diffusion (1−T) limit. The solution requires finding numerically the root of a polynomial and integrating a nonlinear ordinary differential equation. This solution may be used as a test problem to verify computer codes that use the equilibrium–diffusion radiation model, or for more advanced radiation models in the optically-thick limit. The structure of the shock profiles is also discussed, including new accurate estimates on the conditions for continuous solutions. We also discuss how the Zel’dovich spike may be estimated from the equilibrium diffusion solution. Finally, results from a computer code are shown to compare well with a semi-analytic solution.
134 Fundamentals of ice formation during rapid cooling and warming

We have examined ice formation in aqueous solutions containing common cryoprotectants during cooling and warming at rates from ∼10 K/s to >10,000 K/s. For all solutes tested, the critical cooling rate below which ice forms varies exponentially with solute concentration. The exponential’s characteristic concentration for each solute correlates with the solute’s Stokes radius. We have developed a simple statistical mechanical extension of classical nucleation theory that assumes solutes must be excluded from the critical nucleus. This theory provides an excellent account of our data, and relates the characteristic concentration for each solute to the solute radius and the critical nucleation radius of ice in pure water. This microscopic theory of glass formation in the presence of solutes has consequences for cryobiology, for cloud physics, and for general glass forming systems. Ice formation on warming is of comparable or greater importance to ice formation on cooling in determining survival of cryopreserved samples. Measurements of solutions of several common cryoprotectants show that the critical warming rates below which ice transiently forms on warming are typically one to three orders of magnitude larger than critical cooling rates. Critical warming rates also depend upon cooling rates, due to the presence of small ice fractions in nominally vitrified samples. Current phenomenological models of ice nucleation and growth with current best estimates for their input parameters derived from data at large concentrations and small cooling rates overestimate both critical warming rates and critical cooling rates by orders of magnitude in the low concentration, high rate regime. In vitrification protocols, minimizing concentrations of potentially damaging cryoprotectants while minimizing ice formation thus requires ultrafast warming rates as well as fast cooling rates to minimize the required warming rates. Source of funding: NIH, NSF. Conflict of interest: None declared. ret6@cornell.edu
Surface Properties of PEMFC Gas Diffusion Layers

Understanding liquid-water transport phenomena inside operating proton exchange membrane fuel cells PEMFCs can only be achieved by a basic understanding of gas diffusion layer GDL wetting properties. This requires measuring and quantifying the combined properties of different GDL materials and layers. These properties include surface energy, liquid absorption, internal contact angle, equilibrium contact angle, and capillary constant. The stateof-the-art microporous layer MPL and GDL substrate configuration that is nearly ubiquitously used has been adopted without a basic understanding of these fundamental properties. This lack of understanding has created poor comprehension of the relationship between PEMFC operating variables most notably inlet relative humidity RH, temperature, and current density and GDL designs. Science applied to the GDL component design helps enable PEMFCs capable of running under wet and dry operating conditions. PEMFC GDLs have a complex wetting behavior due to the constituent materials from which they are made. 1-3 GDLs are typically composed of two distinct layers, a substrate of graphitized carbon fibers and an MPL coated onto one side. The macroporous substrate layer consists of a carbon-fiber matrix and a partial fluoropolymer coating of the fibers with a typical void volume of 75‐85%. The MPL consists of carbon black particles mixed with a fluoropolymer and has a smaller porosity 40 to 50% and a mean pore size than the GDL substrate. The MPL forms a penetrating intermediate layer with the fiber matrix, creating a trilayer structure in practice. GDLs participate in most functions of an operating PEMFC, including reactant distribution to the electrode layers, removal of cathode product water, conduction of electrons, and absorption of compressive loads. Quantification of surface wetting properties of GDLs is important for several reasons: i better understanding of the mechanisms of the two-phase transport of liquid water, ii improved understanding of fuel cell performance with different operating conditions, iii fundamental understanding of the nanoscale interactions of liquid water with the heterogeneous pore surface of GDLs, and iv more sophisticated mathematical model development by providing better capillary pressure and pore-size distribution PSD inputs. Recent research undertaken to enhance the understanding of liquid-phase transport includes capillary pressure Pc vs liquid saturation SL measurements 4-8 and pore-network modeling 9-12 of GDLs. Although these approaches are different from that taken in this work, they represent important steps in the understanding of the inter-related effects of surface chemistry and pore structure. Gostick et al. measured Pc vs SL curves for a spectrum of GDL materials for both the total and hydrophilic PSDs. These data were obtained using the method of standard porosimetry and correlated with Hg porosimetry for the total PSDs. Capillary-pressure data of the GDL substrates and MPLs were separately characterized using a Leverett J-function.
Measuring Nebulizer Output: Aerosol Production vs Gravimetric Analysis

Study objectives The function of jet nebulizers has been measured traditionally by gravimetric methods, ie , by weighing nebulizers before and after nebulization. Newer techniques measure aerosol output directly by analyzing aerosolized drug or tracer, ie , radioactive 99m Tc. Because of evaporation, the equivalence of these methods is uncertain. The aim of this study was to determine if the gravimetric method is an accurate measure of aerosol production under different conditions of aerosol generation ( ie , nebulizer type, flow rate, pressure, volume fill, and concentration of solution used to nebulize a drug). Methods In the first phase of the study, we measured the aerosol output of nine commercially available jet nebulizers (AvaNeb; Up-Draft-Hudson RCI; Cirrus-Intersurgical Inc; DeVilbiss 646-DeVilbiss; Powermist-Hospitak, Inc; Respirgard II-Marquest Medical Products; Seamless-Seamless/Dart Respiratory; Salter; Salter Labs; Airlife-Baxter Health Care) run under commonly used conditions (2.5 mL volume fill, 2.0 mL normal saline solvent, 0.5 mL albuterol, flow of 6 L/min, and pressures averaging 15.0±2.3 [mean±SD] pounds per square inch [on the] gauge [psig] provided by a DeVilbiss PulmoAide compressor) with simultaneously measured gravimetrics and filtered radioactivity. Each nebulizer was run to dryness with data acquired every 2 min. The change in the weight of the nebulizer and radioactivity captured on the filter were expressed as percentages of the total in the nebulizer solution. In the second phase of the study, the experiments were repeated using the same nebulizers with a volume fill of 5 mL (diluted to half normal saline solution plus albuterol), flow of 10 L/min, and pressures of 35.6±8.8 psig. Results The cumulative (sum of all 2-min runs) weight loss for each individual nebulizer ranged from 25.00 to 64.55% and cumulative aerosol captured varied from 12.63 to 38.76%. While different, the weight loss and aerosol captured were closely correlated (y=–0.62+0.62x; r=0.961, p Conclusions When compared with direct methods such as filtering generated particles, the gravimetric method of assessing nebulizer function overestimates aerosol output by 1.8±0.18 times, presumably because of the loss of solvent during nebulization. However, the relationship between methods is predictable and appears unaffected by changing the type of nebulizer, volume fill, and concentration of solvent. Changes in nebulizer flow and pressure significantly affected the correlation. Gravimetric methods can be used as simple and convenient screening techniques for comparing jet nebulizers under a wide range of experimental conditions.
The effect of ultralow-dose transdermal estradiol on urinary incontinence in postmenopausal women.

OBJECTIVE:To estimate the effect of 2 years of treatment with ultralow-dose transdermal estradiol (E2) on incontinence in postmenopausal women.METHODS:Ultra Low Dose Transdermal estRogen Assessment (ULTRA) was a multicenter, randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled trial of unopposed ultralow-
Smart irrigation controller

There is a need for more dynamic control over residential irrigation to conserve our precious water resource. This paper looks at developing a design for an Internet based “Smart Controller” for use in a residential sprinkler system to solve some problems that traditional controllers inherit. With the introduction of Web based dynamic control brings new expense to the overall system however, this project yields a controller that would be very competitively priced among the current residential market for irrigation controllers while opening a new window of opportunity into water management and conservation.
Psychology in Context: Making Connections to Other Disciplines.

In this article, I describe how the. teaching of psychology at an urban community college has been integrated with other disciplines in coordinated studies programs. These programs are based on a collaborafive-learning model that defines the classroom as a community of learers concerned with the interconnectedness of ideas and events. One such program, The Power of Myth, is described in detail. Students participating in this program reported increased curiosity about the world, improved abilities to work in groups, greater understanding of other cultures, and more self-awareness. Faculty teammates found more satisfaction teaching their subjects in a coordinated context than in isolated classes.
Oxidative removal of Mn(II) from solution catalysed by the γ-FeOOH (lepidocrocite) surface

Abstract A laboratory study was undertaken to ascertain the role of surface catalysis in Mn(II) oxidative removal. γ-FeOOH, a ferric oxyhydroxide formed by O 2 oxidation of ferrous iron in solution, was studied in the following ways: surface charge characteristics by acid base titration, adsorption of Mn(II) and surface oxidation of Mn(II). A rate law was formulated to account for the effects of pH and the amount of surface on the surface oxidation rate of Mn(II). The presence of milli-molar levels of γ-FeOOH was shown to reduce significantly the half-life of Mn(II) in 0.7 M NaCl from hundreds of hours to hours. The numerical values of the surface rate constants for the γ-FeOOH and that reported for colloidal MnO 2 are comparable in order of magnitude.
The ontogeny of search behavior in the white crappie, Pomoxis annularis

Animals that forage for discrete, isolated resources are often characterized as either ‘ambush’ (sit-and-wait) or ‘cruise’ (active) searchers. Juvenile white crappie, Pomoxis annularis, search for zooplankton prey using a saltatory search (SS) strategy. Unlike ambush and cruise search, SS involves scanning for prey only during the brief stationary periods that punctuate repositioning movements. If prey are not found, these fish swim a short distance, stop, and scan again. In this paper, we describe the ontogeny of prey search in the white crappie and compare the search pattern that they employ with that of juveniles. White crappie larvae searched for prey throughout the search space and only during the pauses that punctuated swimming movements. Prey location distances increased with fish size, as did several other components of the predation cycle. We conclude that white crappie larvae employ a search strategy similar to that exhibited by juveniles. We emphasize that, to obtain an accurate assessment of the feeding ecology of early life history stages, the search pattern that they employ must be characterized, and its components quantified.
Hydrophobic monolithic aerogels by nanocasting polystyrene on amine-modified silica

We describe a three-dimensional core–shell structure where the core is the assembly of nanoparticles that comprises the skeletal framework of a typical silica aerogel, and the shell is polystyrene. Specifically, the mesoporous surfaces of silica were first modified with amines by co-gelation of tetramethylorthosilicate (TMOS) and 3-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES). Next, styrene moieties were attached to the amines by reaction with p-chloromethylstyrene. Finally, dangling styrene moieties were crosslinked by a free-radical polymerization process initiated by AIBN and styrene, p-chloromethylstyrene or 2,3,4,5-pentafluorostyerene introduced in the mesopores. Polystyrene crosslinked aerogels are mechanically strong, lightweight (0.41–0.77 g cm−3), highly porous materials (they consist of ca. 63% empty space, with a BET surface areas in the range of 213–393 m2 g−1). Their thermal conductivity (0.041 W m−1 K−1) is comparable to that of glass wool. Hydrophobicity, however, is the property that sets the new material apart from analogous polyurea and epoxy crosslinked aerogels. The contact angles of water droplets on disks cut from larger monoliths are >120°. (By comparison, the contact angle with polyurea crosslinked aerogels is only ca. 60°.) Polystyrene crosslinked aerogel monoliths float on water indefinitely, while their polyurea counterparts absorb water and sink within minutes.
Undominated Nash Implementation with Collusion and Renegotiation

Abstract This article looks at implementation in economic environments when agents have perfect information about the state of the world, but cannot commit not to renegotiate bad outcomes or to collude against each other. If renegotiation satisfies a weak condition of disagreement point monotonicity, then any Pareto-efficient social choice function can be implemented if there are at least three agents who play undominated Nash equilibria. The mechanism does not use modulo or integer games, has no bad mixed strategy equilibria, and is “bounded.” Journal of Economic Literature Classification Number: D71.
Diagnostic Testing for Rett Syndrome by DHPLC and Direct Sequencing Analysis of the MECP2 Gene: Identification of Several Novel Mutations and Polymorphisms

Rett syndrome (RTT) is an X-linked dominant neurodevelopmental disorder affecting 1/10,000–15,000 girls. The disease-causing gene was identified as MECP2 on chromosome Xq28, and mutations have been found in ∼80% of patients diagnosed with RTT. Numerous mutations have been identified in de novo and rare familial cases, and they occur primarily in the methyl-CpG–binding and transcriptional-repression domains of MeCP2. Our first diagnostic strategy used bidirectional sequencing of the entire MECP2 coding region. Subsequently, we implemented a two-tiered strategy that used denaturing high-performance liquid chromatography (DHPLC) for initial screening of nucleotide variants, followed by confirmatory sequencing analysis. If a definite mutation was not identified, then the entire MECP2 coding region was sequenced, to reduce the risk of false negatives. Collectively, we tested 228 unrelated female patients with a diagnosis of possible (209) or classic (19) RTT and found MECP2 mutations in 83 (40%) of 209 and 16 (84%) of 19 of the patients, respectively. Thirty-two different mutations were identified (8 missense, 9 nonsense, 1 splice site, and 14 frameshifts), of which 12 are novel and 9 recurrent in unrelated patients. Seven unclassified variants and eight polymorphisms were detected in 228 probands. Interestingly, we found that T203M, previously reported as a missense mutation in an autistic patient, is actually a benign polymorphism, according to parental analysis performed in a second case identified in this study. These findings highlight the complexities of missense variant interpretation and emphasize the importance of parental DNA analysis for establishing an etiologic relation between a possible mutation and disease. Overall, we found a 98.8% concordance rate between DHPLC and sequence analyses. One mutation initially missed by the DHPLC screening was identified by sequencing. Modified conditions subsequently enabled its detection, underscoring the need for multiple optimized conditions for DHPLC analysis. We conclude that this two-tiered approach provides a sensitive, robust, and efficient strategy for RTT molecular diagnosis.