cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Guideline-concordant weight-loss programs in an urban area are uncommon and difficult to identify through the internet.

Objective To determine the reliability of Internet-based information on community-based weight-loss programs and grade their degree of concordance with 2013 American Heart Association, American College of Cardiology, and The Obesity Society weight-management guidelines. Methods An online search was conducted for weight-loss programs in the Maryland-Washington, DC-Virginia corridor. Content analysis was performed to abstract program components from their websites, and then 80 programs were randomly selected for a telephone survey to verify this information. Reliability of Internet information was determined in comparison with telephone interview responses. Results Of the 191 programs, 1% were graded as high, 8% as moderate, and 91% as low with respect to guideline concordance based on website content. Fifty-two programs participated in the telephone survey (65% response rate). Program intensity, diet, physical activity, and use of behavioral strategies were underreported on websites as compared to description of these activities during the phone interview. Within the subsample, 6% of programs were graded as high based on website information, whereas 19% were graded as high after the telephone interview. Conclusions Most weight-loss programs in an urban, mid-Atlantic region do not currently offer guideline-concordant practices and fail to disclose key information online, which may make clinician referrals challenging.
Occupational Choice Under Credit and Information Constraints

Credit and information constraints can affect not only participation levels in different occupations, but also the types of individuals found in those occupations. I develop a model of occupational choice which shows how new information alters expectations and thus occupational choice. Credit and information constraints also interact with each other: the same information can have opposing impacts on occupational choice depending on the presence of credit constraints. Using a survey and information experiment in seven vocational high schools in Egypt, I find support for the model’s predictions, including a key compositional prediction: risk averse individuals respond more to changes in expectations of risk at both the intensive (variance of income) and extensive (probability of finding a job) margins. This differential response leads highly risk averse individuals to shift towards "safer" occupations on average, and out of using credit to start a small enterprise. Because those who are risk averse report lower returns to credit in general (by favoring lower risk/lower return investments), the average expected income for those utilizing credit rises by 12% relative to the no information case. I discuss other areas where information interventions may influence participation in, and thus the efficacy of, complementary policies.
Differential Vulnerability of Wild, Domestic, and Hybrid Norway Rats to Predation by Great-Horned Owls

Wild, domestic, and hybrid Norway rats ( Rattus norvegicus ) reared in the laboratory under identical conditions were simultaneously exposed to predation by great-horned owls ( Bubo virginianus ) in a large outdoor enclosure. Wild rats were most vulnerable to predation under these conditions whereas hybrids experienced the lowest mortality. Subsequent enclosure and laboratory investigations suggested that the rat populations studied did not actively avoid aerial predation. Differences between stocks in vulnerability to predation were best explained by factors related to the ease with which the presence and location of prey are perceived and associated activity rhythms. The effect of domestication on the fitness of the Norway rat is discussed.
Urodynamics in Children. Part I. Methodology

AbstractWe evaluated 237 children for various urologic disorders in the urodynamic laboratory. A total of 334 studies was done, using a 6-channel recorder† combined with a portable fluoroscopic unit. Simultaneous recordings of intravesical pressure, intra-abdominal pressure, urine flow rate, external urethral electromyography and cystourethrography were obtained during bladder filling and voiding. These objective tests have provided us with an insight into the nature of a variety of voiding dysfunctions in children. Details of the methods used for urodynamic testing in these children are outlined and compared to other methods that have been proposed.
Educational Leadership for Social Justice: Enhancing the Ethical Dimension of Educational Leadership

Much criticism has been levied in recent years on professional preparation programs in schools of education offering the Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) degree. This article chronicles the attempt of one Jesuit university to respond to that criticism in designing a professional degree with an ethical focus on social justice.
Abstract A85: Identification and enrichment for rare naturally occurring tumor-reactive T cells in the tumor microenvironment reveals new and diverse opportunities for cancer immunotherapy

The existence of naturally-occurring, tumor-reactive T-cells in human cancer has rationalized the application of immunotherapy in oncology, however the immunobiology of spontaneous tumor-reactive T-cells in cancer is not well-defined due to difficulties in identifying and validating these responses. The ability to identify and characterize rare tumor-reactive T cells has strong prognostic value and holds the potential to enable various forms of immunotherapy, including adoptive T cell therapy, TCR gene therapy and immune checkpoint inhibition. In our attempt to explore the immunobiology of naturally-occurring immune responses in patients, we have now elucidated CD137 as a biomarker for bona fide naturally-occurring, tumor-reactive T-cells in cancer and developed a rapid, accurate system to comprehensively isolate tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) with tumor-rejecting capability directly from resected tumors. CD137+ TILs from various tumor types recognized autologous and HLA-matched tumor in an HLA-restricted manner, resulting in proflammatory cytokine production and cancer killing in vitro, and tumor growth inhibition in vivo; CD137-negative TILs did not. More so, multiparameter phenotyping of the CD137+ TIL subset revealed a vast network of expressed negative immunoregulatory molecules and opportunities for immune checkpoint inhibition. Our findings implicate a role for CD137 in the immunobiology of human cancer where it is preferentially expressed on the tumor-reactive TIL subset, and provides a new roadmap for the rational design of cancer immunotherapy trials. Citation Format: Daniel J. Powell, Jr. Identification and enrichment for rare naturally occurring tumor-reactive T cells in the tumor microenvironment reveals new and diverse opportunities for cancer immunotherapy. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference: Tumor Immunology and Immunotherapy: A New Chapter; December 1-4, 2014; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Immunol Res 2015;3(10 Suppl):Abstract nr A85.
Characterization of Ni–Zn Ferrite Double-Positive Metamaterials for Pulsed Power Systems

A new type of metamaterial has been developed for the use in pulsed power systems. These materials have the applications in high-power microwave systems, dielectric-loaded components, and nonlinear transmission lines. We present a double-positive metamaterial created by incorporating several types of nickel–zinc ferrite powders into a silane binder. Measurements show these materials to possess positive relative permeability and permittivity values in the range of 3–6 for frequencies between 20 MHz and 2 GHz. The dielectric strengths of five different types of ferrite-based composites were measured to evaluate the potential of these materials for high-power applications. A pulse with a magnitude up to 100 kV and rise time on the order of tens of nanoseconds was used to determine the dielectric strength of disks with a diameter of 2.54 cm and a thickness of 0.2 cm. A maximum electric field of 163.79 kV/cm was sustained before breakdown. This paper presents a statistical analysis of the dielectric strength data and projects the power handling capabilities of the composites.
A Review of: A History of Renaissance Rhetoric 1380–1620, by Peter Mack: Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2011. x + 345 pp.

Peter Mack, Director of the Warburg Institute and Professor at the University of Warwick and University of London, is a foremost expert in Renaissance rhetoric. In his previous book, Elizabethan Rh...
Incidence of Bone Marrow (BM) Fibrosis in Multiple Myeloma (MM) Patients and Its Relationship to Cytogenetic (CG) Abnormalities in a Minority Population

Abstract 5077 Background: The incidence of BM fibrosis in MM is low and uncertain, and its causes are not known. Cytogenetic and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) in some MM patients reveals prognostically significant anomalies. Methods: Records of patients with MM seen at Kings County Hospital from 2004 through 2010 were reviewed, the histological sections of patients reported to have fibrosis we re-examined. The degree of fibrosis was graded according to the World Health Organization system. Results: Records of 113 patients were reviewed, 110 (97%) were African American (AA). Of these, 62 (55%) were female and 51 (45%) male. Their age ranged (median 65) from 38 to 89 years. Cytogenetic data (CGD) was available in 46 patients; and abnormal in 10 (22%) and normal in 36 (78%) of those. All patients with abnormalities of chromosomal number were hyperdiploid. Of 113 patients, 62 (55%) were female, 110 were African American. Ages ranged from 38–89 (median 65) years. Cytogenetic data was available for 46 patients and abnormal in 10 (22%). All patients with abnormal chromosome numbers were hyperdiploid. FISH studies to detect abnormalities in chromosomes 13, 14 and 17 were available in 25 and abnormal in 2 (8%). BM fibrosis had been initially noted in 27 of 113 patients (24%), and confirmed by another hematopathologist; 17 (63%) were women. The ages of the patients with fibrosis ranged from 4–79 years: median age was 67, 67 for the women and 62 for the men. Focal and grades 1, 2 and 3 fibrosis were noted in 2 (7%), 12 (44%), 7 (26%) and 6 (22%) of patients. Grade 3 fibrosis was found in 24% of the women and 20% of the men with fibrosis. CG data was available for 17 fibrosis patients and abnormal (hyperdipliod) in 2 (18%). FISH studies for chromosomes 13, 14 and 17 were normal in the 7 patients studied. CGD for all 8 of the female fibrosis patients studied were normal, and abnormal in 2 of the 9 men (22%). Conclusions: Of our 113 AA myeloma patients 25% had detectable BM fibrosis, but it was grade 3 in only 5%. Female preponderance was more marked in the patients with fibrosis than in the whole MM group. CG and FISH data did not distinguish patients with and without fibrosis. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Semiotics and pragmatics of stage improvisation

This is a fascinating and scholarly book about Italian commedia dell’arte from the 1500s to the 1700s. In Italian commedia, the actors were professionals who were expected to improvise their lines ...
Multiple Histone Lysine Methyltransferases Are Required for the Establishment and Maintenance of HIV-1 Latency.

We showed previously that the histone lysine methyltransferase (HKMT) H3K27me3 (EZH2) is the catalytic subunit of Polycomb repressive complex 2 (PRC2) and is required for the maintenance of HIV-1 latency in Jurkat T cells. Here we show, by using chromatin immunoprecipitation experiments, that both PRC2 and euchromatic histone-lysine N-methyltransferase 2 (EHMT2), the G9a H3K9me2-3 methyltransferase, are highly enriched at the proviral 5' long terminal repeat (LTR) and rapidly displaced upon proviral reactivation. Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat(s) (CRISPR)-mediated knockout of EZH2 caused depletion of both EZH2 and EHMT2, but CRISPR-mediated knockout of EHMT2 was selective for EHMT2, consistent with the failure of EHMT2 knockouts to induce latent proviruses in this system. Either (i) knockout of methyltransferase by short hairpin RNA in Jurkat T cells prior to HIV-1 infection or (ii) inhibition of the enzymes with drugs significantly reduced the levels of the resulting silenced viruses, demonstrating that both enzymes are required to establish latency. To our surprise, inhibition of EZH2 (by GSK-343 or EPZ-6438) or inhibition of EHMT2 (by UNC-0638) in the Th17 primary cell model of HIV latency or resting memory T cells isolated from HIV-1-infected patients receiving highly active antiretroviral therapy, was sufficient to induce the reactivation of latent proviruses. The methyltransferase inhibitors showed synergy with interleukin-15 and suberanilohydroxamic acid. We conclude that both PRC2 and EHMT2 are required for the establishment and maintenance of HIV-1 proviral silencing in primary cells. Furthermore, EZH2 inhibitors such as GSK-343 and EPZ-6438 and the EHMT2 inhibitor UNC-0638 are strong candidates for use as latency-reversing agents in clinical studies.IMPORTANCE Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) reduces the circulating virus to undetectable levels. Although patients adhering to the HAART regimen have minimal viremia, HIV persists because of the existence of latent but replication-competent proviruses in a very small population of resting memory CD4+ T cells (~1 in 106 cells). Latency remains the major obstacle to a functional cure for HIV infection, since the persistent reservoir almost invariably rebounds within 2 to 8 weeks when HAART is interrupted. In latently infected cells, the HIV genome is stably integrated into the host chromosome but transcriptionally repressed because of epigenetic silencing mechanisms. We demonstrate here that multiple histone lysine methyltransferases play a critical role in both the establishment and maintenance of proviral silencing in cells obtained from well-suppressed patients. Drugs that inhibit these enzymes are available from oncology applications and may find a use in reversing latency as part of a reservoir reduction strategy.
The Isothermal Dendritic Growth Experiment: A Fundamental Test of Theory

The Isothermal Dendritic Growth Experiment (IDGE) is a NASA space flight experiment manifested aboard the United States Microgravity Payload (USMP-2) hardware system, currently scheduled for launch in early 1994. The IDGE is designed to measure dendritic growth rates and crystal morphology of ultra-pure succinonitrile [CN-(CH 2 ) 2 -CN] at 10 specified supercoolings in the range 0.1 - 1.0 K. The on-orbit data (measured in microgravity over a period of about 100 hours), when compared with measurements taken under terrestrial conditions, will provide a quantitive assessment of various theories on dendritic solidification. The IDGE hardware consists of a ground-controllable precision crystal growth thermostat, capable of millikelvin control of the supercooling, and a two-axis, non-focusing optical system that records up to 250, 35-mm photographic images, the latter providing accurate dendritic growth rates and tip radii. The IDGE also telemeters digitized video images to the ground in near-real time. Acceleration levels over the relevant frequency range in the orbiter spacecraft at the IDGE location will be recorded during dendritic growth and then telemetered to the ground using the Space Acceleration Measurement System (SAMS). A review of dendritic growth concepts and the current status of the IDGE will be described, including its scientific justification and novel space engineering.
An Evaluation of an Ensiled Waste Fish Product in Swine Diets

Fish bycatch (from shrimp boats) was ground and mixed with corn and molasses, then inoculated with Lactobacillus acidopbilus, a fermenting agent. In a digestion trial with growing pigs, digestible nutrients in a diet containing 6% fish silage were equal to those found in a corn-soybean meal diet.A 6% fish silage diet and a basal diet with no fish silage were each fed to seven sows from breeding through lactation. Piglet birth weight, litter size, weaning weight, litter strength (subjective score), number of pigs weaned and average daily gain to weaning did not differ significantly between treatments. Sixty-four weanling and 64 finishing pigs were fed diets containing 0, 3, 6 and 9% fish silage. Average daily gains and feed conversion ratios for weanling pigs were not adversely affected (P>.05) by any level of fish silage. Average daily gains for finishing pigs fed the four diets were .73, .73, .74 and .68 kg, respectively; feed conversion ratios were 3.13, 3.37, 3.51 and 3.80. There were no significant differences between treatment groups in average daily gain; however, the inclusion of fish silage at 6 and 9% of the diet caused a decrease (P<.05) in feed conversion. Carcass merit measurements did not differ significantly between pigs in the four groups. Dietary treatments had no significant effect on tenderness, juiciness, detectable connective tissue, flavor or acceptability as measured by a consumer taste panel. (
Exercise in Aging and Pain Control

The purpose of this chapter is to describe the use of exercise to control pain, in the prevention of disease, maintenance of good health, and the process of rehabilitation in the elderly. For purposes of this paper, elderly will be defined as 65 years and older. The research concerning the physical, psychological, and social diseases and problems in the elderly that are particularly susceptible to pain is reviewed and criticized in the context of the use of exercise as an intervention and therapeutic mode. It is important to note that people seek medical care primarily because they feel ill and are in pain, not for treatment of a specific disease. As a result, a substantial part of most treatments is to try and alleviate the pain symptoms associated with the disease. We will conclude the chapter with recommendations for implementing exercise programs for the elderly in order to promote health and reduce pain that is associate with the aging process.
Green Tribology, its History, Challenges, and Perspectives

In this chapter the concept of green tribology and its relation to other areas of tribology is discussed as well as other “green” disciplines, namely, green engineering and green chemistry. The twelve principles of green tribology are formulated: the minimization of (1) friction and (2) wear, (3) the reduction or complete elimination of lubrication, including self-lubrication, (4) natural and (5) biodegradable lubrication, (6) using sustainable chemistry and engineering principles, (7) biomimetic approaches, (8) surface texturing, (9) environmental implications of coatings, (10) real-time monitoring, (11) design for degradation, and (12) sustainable energy applications. Three areas of green tribology are further defined: (1) biomimetics for tribological applications, (2) environment-friendly lubrication, and (3) the tribology of renewable energy application. The integration of these areas remains a primary challenge for this novel area of research. The challenges of green tribology and future directions of research are also discussed.
Force Required to Maintain Reduction of a Preexisting Scapholunate Dissociation.

Purpose To determine the force required to maintain reduction of Geissler grade 4 scapholunate dissociations during physiological wrist motions. Methods Fresh-frozen cadaveric wrists with Geissler grade 4 scapholunate dissociations were identified by arthroscopy. Following reduction, a load cell was attached to measure the force across the scapholunate joint at a neutral position and during 4 different wrist motions re-created using a servohydraulic wrist simulator, including a large flexion-extension motion (FEM), small and large dart-thrower’s motions (DTMs), and a large DTM with ulnar offset. Results Five wrists with isolated preexisting scapholunate interosseous ligament (SLIL) tears were analyzed. The force required to maintain reduction was significantly greater in extension than in flexion during the large FEM and large DTM with ulnar offset. The forces were significantly larger in this study of preexisting SLIL dissociations compared with results from a prior study of acutely sectioned SLILs. In addition, forces to maintain reduction during DTMs were significantly less than forces during FEMs. Finally, a set of 3 wrists with preexisting scapholunate and lunotriquetral interosseous ligament (LTIL) tears were identified and had significantly decreased forces to maintain reduction at maximum extension and had decreased maximal forces during a cycle of motion compared with the wrists with isolated SLIL tears. Conclusions The forces required to maintain reduction of a Geissler grade 4 wrist are higher than forces after acutely sectioned SLIL. The forces are greater in extension than in flexion and less during the DTM compared with the FEM. Wrists with both SLIL and LTIL tears required less force to maintain reduction than those with isolated SLIL tears. Clinical relevance This study helps determine the strength of reconstruction required to maintain reduction of a Geissler grade 4 scapholunate dissociation.
Green synthesis of titanium dioxide and zinc oxide nanoparticles and their usage for antimicrobial applications and environmental remediation

Abstract Green synthesis of nanoparticles aims at minimizing generated waste and implementing sustainable processes. In recent years, green processes using mild reaction conditions and nontoxic precursors have been emphasized in the development of nanotechnology for promoting environmental sustainability. In this chapter, we have reviewed green synthesis of titanium dioxide and zinc oxide nanoparticles. Different approaches for their synthesis, characterization of physicochemical properties of the products, and environmental applications were addressed. Among many different potential applications of the synthesized metal oxide nanoparticles, we focused on their use for antimicrobial application and environmental remediation. The mechanisms of antimicrobial activity and the photocatalytic reactions for the remediation processes were also discussed.
Retail Price Competition with Product Fit Uncertainty and Assortment Selection

For many products, consumers need to physically experience them in order to assess their own valuations. We study how the equilibrium pricing among competing retailers depend upon assortments when consumers must search for this sort of fit information and are heterogeneous in their shopping behaviors. Specifically, we consider a market that consists of two retailers and two possible products. A consumer is either loyal to one of the retailers or is a shopper who follows a rational dynamic search process based on the prices and available assortments. We demonstrate how the retailers’ equilibrium pricing strategies depend upon their assortment choices and the resulting search process. Among other things, we show that, when the retailers carry non‐overlapping assortments, as search cost increases, the equilibrium pricing strategy changes from a low price with no discounting, to a high price with deep discounting. Furthermore, we find that when a full line retailer competes with a limited line retailer, a strategy of discounting only the common product can dominate one of discounting both products together. This is not the case when his rival also carries the full product line.
Successful use of emicizumab in a patient with refractory acquired hemophilia A and acute coronary syndrome requiring percutaneous coronary intervention.

Abstract We report a patient with a high-titer factor VIII inhibitor refractory to immunosuppression. He initially presented with myocardial infarction requiring percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) with bare metal stent placement. Despite Feiba prophylaxis, inadequate hemostasis prompted premature discontinuation of dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT). Fifteen weeks later, the patient presented with a left anterior descending artery in-stent restenosis. This case report examines the Key Clinical Question of how to manage in-stent restenosis in a patient with acquired hemophilia A (AHA). After multidisciplinary discussions including hematology, cardiology, cardiac surgery, laboratory medicine, and pharmacy, emicizumab was initiated to facilitate PCI. Four weeks after emicizumab initiation, the patient underwent successful PCI with drug-eluting stent placement. Five months after discharge, he remains without signs or symptoms of cardiac disease or bleeding on DAPT and emicizumab. This case provides evidence of the potential of emicizumab for bleeding prophylaxis in AHA.
Color intensity increases perceived extraversion and openness for zero-acquaintance judgments

Abstract Research on how color affects psychological functioning has grown in recent years. The majority of these studies have focused on hue or lightness, while paying little attention to chroma. The present research sought to address this oversight in the literature by investigating the degree to which chroma influences person perception, specifically with regard to the Big Five personality traits. Drawing from Conceptual Metaphor Theory, we predicted that perceiving literal colorfulness (i.e., chroma) would influence perceptions of figurative colorfulness (i.e., extraversion, openness). In Experiment 1, participants (n = 351) rated the Big Five personality traits of a male target wearing a high or low-chroma blue shirt. In Experiment 2, participants (n = 164) rated personality traits of 10 male targets surrounded by high versus low-chroma colored borders (green, blue, and red). In Experiment 3, participants (n = 203) rated personality traits of 18 (male and female) targets wearing high and low-chroma clothing (green, blue, and red). Targets surrounded by (or wearing) high-chroma colors were perceived as more extraverted and open than when surrounded by (or wearing) low-chroma colors. A meta-analytic summary indicates a robust effect. Chroma is a perceptual variable that can influence first impressions of personality.
Towards a Simple and Efficient Web Search Framework

Abstract : The Web Track of 2014 Text REtrieval Conference (TREC) addresses the most fundamental problem of Information Retrieval. We did not intend to craft a system that beats the state-of-the-art search engines, but to design a light weight and cost-effective system with comparable performances. We introduce a twopass retrieval framework, with the first pass consisting of a simple and efficient retrieval model that focuses on recall, and the second pass a wave of feature extraction algorithms run on the set of top ranked documents, followed by Learning to Rank (LETOR) algorithms that provide different precision oriented rankings, and their outputs are combined using data fusion. We have focused on using statistical Language Models with novel and well-known smoothing techniques, different LETOR methods and various data fusion techniques. In addition, we have also tried using topic modelling with Hierarchical Dirichlet Allocation for query expansion in the hope of improving diversity of our results. However, the topic modelling approach has turned out to be unsuccessful, and we have not been able to spot the problem and benefit from it in this work. In addition we also present some further analyses demonstrating that our approach is robust against overfitting, and some general studies on overfitting in the context of LETOR.
Natural Loblolly and Shortleaf Pine Productivity Through 53 Years of Management under Four Reproduction Cutting Methods

A study was initiated in 1943 to evaluate the long-term productivity of loblolly (Pinus taeda L.) and shortleaf pines (P. echinata Mill.) when managed under four reproduction cutting methods-clearcut, heavy seedtree, diameter-limit, and selection-on the Upper Coastal Plain of southeastern Arkansas. Early volume production reflected retention residual pines, and the clearcut was the least productive method through the first 36yr. After 53 yr, there were no statistically significant (P = 0.07) differences among cutting methods in sawlog volume production, which averaged 3,8OO@/ac. In terms of sawlog volume (bdft/ac, Doyle scale), total production on clearcut, seedtree, and selection plots exceeded (P < 0.01) that on diameter-limi t plots by 37%, but there were no differences in sawlog volume production among the other cutting methods. Results suggest that forest landowners should consider the advantages and disadvantages of each cutting method when planning their long-temz objectives. South. J. Appl. For. 25(1):7-16.
Assessment accommodations for emergent bilinguals in mainstream classroom assessments: a targeted literature review

Despite the importance of assessment accommodations, little is known about its use in the context of classroom assessments. To provide guidance for teachers on how to best support their emergent bi...
Modulation of the immune microenvironment by tumor-intrinsic oncogenic signaling

The development of cancer immunotherapies has been guided by advances in our understanding of the dynamics between tumor cells and immune populations. An emerging consensus is that immune control of tumors is mediated by cytotoxic CD8+ T cells, which directly recognize and kill tumor cells. The critical role of T cells in tumor control has been underscored by preclinical and clinical studies that observed that T cell presence is positively correlated with patient response to checkpoint blockade therapy. However, the vast majority of patients do not respond or develop resistance, frequently associated with exclusion of T cells from the tumor microenvironment. This review focuses on tumor cell-intrinsic alterations that blunt productive anti-tumor immune responses by directly or indirectly excluding effector CD8+ T cells from the tumor microenvironment. A comprehensive understanding of the interplay between tumors and the immune response holds the promise for increasing the response to current immunotherapies via the development of rational novel combination treatments.
The Impact of Learning on Student Persistence in Higher Education

The private economic benefits of persistence in higher education include better salaries and benefits, higher employment rates, greater savings, superior working conditions, and increased personal ...
Aberrant Right Subclavian Artery and Stanford Type B Aortic Dissection.

An aberrant right subclavian artery (ARSA) is a rare developmental anomaly (0.4-1.8%) of the aorta in which the right subclavian artery arises from the aortic arch distal to the origin of the left subclavian artery often coursing behind the esophagus to reach the right arm. It courses behind the esophagus in about 80% of cases, between the esophagus and the trachea in 15%, and anterior to the trachea or mainstem bronchus in 5%. Patient with this anomaly rarely have symptoms (90-95%) but when symptomatic the ARSA give rise to symptoms of dysphagia lusoria, dyspnea and chronic cough. In a vast majority of patients ARSA is clinically silent till right radial angiography is performed. We are reporting a case of dissection of the retroesophageal right subclavian artery with extension to the descending thoracic aorta (Stanford Type B).
Clinician Perceptions of Timing and Presentation of Drug-Drug Interaction Alerts.

Objective Alert presentation of clinical decision support recommendations is a common method for providing information; however, many alerts are overridden suggesting presentation design improvements can be made. This study attempts to assess pediatric prescriber information needs for drug–drug interactions (DDIs) alerts and to evaluate the optimal presentation timing and presentation in the medication ordering process. Methods Six case scenarios presented interactions between medications used in pediatric specialties of general medicine, infectious disease, cardiology, and neurology. Timing varied to include alert interruption at medication selection versus order submission; or was noninterruptive. Interviews were audiotaped, transcribed, and independently analyzed to derive central themes. Results Fourteen trainee and attending clinicians trained in pediatrics, cardiology, and neurology participated. Coders derived 8 central themes from 929 quotes. Discordance exists between medication prescribing frequency and DDI knowledge; providers may commonly prescribe medications for which they do not recognize DDIs. Providers wanted alerts at medication selection rather than at order signature. Alert presentation themes included standardizing text, providing interaction-specific incidence/risk information, DDI rating scales, consolidating alerts, and providing alternative therapies. Providers want alerts to be actionable, for example, allowing medication discontinuation and color visual cues for essential information. Despite alert volume, participants did not “mind being reminded because there is always the chance that at that particular moment (they) do not remember it” and acknowledged the importance of alerts as “essential in terms of patient safety.” Conclusion Clinicians unanimously agreed on the importance of receiving DDI alerts to improve patient safety. The perceived alert value can be improved by incorporating clinician preferences for timing and presentation.
53 Survival and oncological outcomes in the elderly patients with endometrial carcinoma

Introduction Endometrial cancer is the most common gynecological malignancy in developed countries and about 50% of patients are at age 70 or older at the time of diagnosis. Data is limited in the elderly as they are under-represented in clinical trials. The aim of our study is to evaluate the survival and oncological outcomes of elderly with endometrial carcinoma at an academic center. Methods IRB-approved retrospective cohort study. Inclusion criteria consisted of age greater than 70 at the time of diagnosis with endometrial cancer who underwent surgery from January 2013 to November 2019 and with at least 6 months of follow up. Data collection included demographics, peri-operative outcome, and mortality. Results A total of 121 patients met the inclusion criteria. The median age was 75 (range 70–91). The median follow-up was 31 months (range 1–87 month). Median overall survival was 76 months (95% CI 68–84 months). There was a significant difference between median overall survival among different races (79 months for White vs 62 months for Non-Whites). There was a significant difference between median overall survival of those with low grade tumor vs high grade (79 months vs 70; p=0.033), and stage 1 vs 2 and 3 (79 months vs 29 vs 28; p Conclusions Survival in elderly with endometrial carcinoma is much lower when compared to the general population especially with high grade or advanced stage disease. They are more likely to receive suboptimal treatment due to their health condition. Further clinical studies will give us the opportunity to develop treatment guidelines to improve outcomes.
Spurious Fourth Stokes Parameter Signal in the SMAP Radiometer

The radiometer on the NASA SMAP (Soil Moisture Active/Passive) mission is fully polarimetric and operates at L-band in the spectrum window at 1413 MHz protected for passive use only. A unique feature of the radiometer is the fully digital back-end which permits direct computation of the third and fourth Stokes parameters (i.e., real and imaginary part of the correlation of signal at horizontal and vertical polarizations). The SMAP conical scanning geometry has provided the opportunity to look at the global distribution of the fourth Stokes parameter at constant incidence angle (40 degrees at the surface). A striking feature of these maps is the existence of a strong (± 10 K peak-to-peak) spurious signal at coastlines. There is also a weak coupling to Faraday rotation. This paper reports research to explain the existence of these spurious signals.
Why Nations Collapse: The Rise and Fall of The United States

This paper analyzes the rankings of the United States in critical areas so that people can easily evaluate how well the country is doing. Areas discussed include Social Progress Index, Quality of Infrastructure, Income Inequality, Social Mobility, Global Peace Index, Stability of Nations, Democracy, Median Wealth per Adult, Poverty Rate, Happiness, Perception of Corruption, Education, Life Expectancy, Healthcare System, Top 25 Countries in the World, Reputation of Country, and Prison Population. It is hoped that examining the above statistics will make people aware of what needs to be done if the United States wants to remain a world power. The first task is to focus on repairing the decaying infrastructure and providing jobs and training for Americans. A flourishing middle class is the key to a strong democracy.
Approximate Calculations of Spall and Cratering in High Speed Impact

Highly simplified pictures are presented of the state of stress and the response of ductile materials for spall of plates in uniaxial strain and for cratering of a half-space caused by the high speed impact of small particles or drops of water. Crater volumes are determined by an earlier analysis of Goodier modified to take the kinetic energy transfer ratio into account. Approximate solutions are proposed for speeds of impact from a fraction of the speed of sound in the target material to several times the speed of sound. For spall, the stress-separation relation is assumed to be given by a quasi-static plasticity solution. The ratio of the limit stress to the yield strength in shear is given by the ratio of interparti-ele distances to the diameters of those particles whose fracture or separation from the matrix material dominates the geometry of separation. A spall criterion is derived for high velocity impact which appears fairly insensitive to the fine details of separation on the microscale.
Active-Site Heterogeneity as Revealed by Peroxide and Mercury: Interactions with Purified Subunits of Limulus Hemocyanin

Previous work has shown that the active sites of mollusc and arthropod hemocyanins may be differentiated by their interactions with hydrogen peroxide and with mercury. In contrast to mollusc hemocyanins, the arthropod hemocyanins are typically oxidized by hydrogen peroxide and are susceptible to loss of copper after mercury incubation. We have undertaken studies of peroxide and mercury interactions with native hemocyanins and their fractionated subunits to gain a better understanding of the extent and significance of active-site heterogeneity. We selected whole, stripped and fractionated forms of Limulus hemocyanin for detailed study, concentrating on Ip IIIA because of its unique characteristics. Lp IIIA, unlike the other subunits of Limulus hemocyanin and other arthropod hemocyanins in general, has the ability to catalyze the decomposition of hydrogen peroxide without loss of 340 nm absorbance. Also, Lp IIIA upon long-term storage slowly loses 340 nm absorbance, an aging process that can be reversed by hydrogen peroxide. It does not undergo extended self-aggregation in the presence of mercury as do the other subunits, and it loses more 340 nm absorbance than other subunits upon mercury treatment and subsequent EDTA dialysis. These exceptional characteristics make subunit IIIA of Limulus hemocyanin an outstanding candidate for detailed active-site study.
Influence of human T-cell leukemia virus type I tax and rex on interleukin-2 gene expression.

Abstract The X region of human T-cell leukemia virus type I (HTLV-I) encodes two proteins that regulate viral gene expression. The tax protein is the product of the transactivator gene and has been shown to up-regulate the expression of some cellular genes controlling T-cell replication, including that of the interleukin-2 (IL-2) T-cell growth hormone and the alpha chain of its receptor (IL-2R). Several studies have shown that tax transactivation of the IL-2R alpha-chain promoter is mediated by binding sites for the transcriptional activator NF-kappa B, and this mechanism has also been implicated in the tax activation of IL-2 promoter activity. The rex gene product of HTLV-I regulates viral protein production by influencing mRNA expression and has been implicated in the stabilization of IL-2R alpha-chain mRNA. In the present studies, the ability of the tax and rex proteins to transactivate IL-2 gene expression has been reinvestigated. The ability of the tax protein to transactivate IL-2 promoter activity appears, at least in part, to be mediated by the recognition sequence for a DNA-binding complex known as CD28RC. Consistent with this hypothesis is the observation that tax-mediated activation of IL-2 gene expression is resistant to the immunosuppressive affects of cyclosporin A, a property postulated for the CD28RC binding complex. Unexpectedly, this tax-mediated up-regulation of IL-2 expression is synergized by the presence of the rex protein. These findings demonstrate that transactivation of IL-2 gene expression by tax is augmented by mechanisms distinct from NF-kappa B and raise the possibility that rex, as well as tax, contributes to the oncogenic capability of HTLV-I by altering the expression of the IL-2 gene in T cells infected with this retrovirus.
Posttraumatic stress disorder and occupational performance: Building resilience and fostering occupational adaptation

Resilience and vulnerability refer to an individual's capacity to persevere in the face of adversity. Resiliency and vulnerability are distinctive personal characteristics influenced by environmental factors such as socio-cultural and institutional contexts. Resiliency and vulnerability are not absolute; they are psychosocial constructs of a phenomenological continuum. Hence, a resilient individual is not invincible to all life events but has the capacity to endure in most circumstances. Clients who sustain traumatic injuries or witness traumatic events have a greater vulnerability to stress disorders like posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Occupational therapy practitioners should be cognizant of a client's resilient and adaptive capacities when providing services to a client who has endured a traumatic event. This paper explores resilience theory and its application to occupational therapy practice.
Additions to bicyclic olefins—X: Stereochemistry of the oxymercuration-demercuration of cis-bicyclo[3.3.0]oct-2-ene, endo-trimethylene-norborn-8-ene and related olefins

Abstract The stereochemistry of the oxymercuration-demercurarion (OM-DM) of olefins related to the cis -bicyclo(3.3.0]octane and endo -2,3-trimethylenenorboniane structures was determined. In the case of cis -bicyclo(3.3.0]oct-2-ene, hydration occurs preferentially at the less hindered 3-position, with little preference shown for exo vs endo . The more hindered 2-product shows a 11:1 preference for the exo -product. The presence of Me groups at positions 2- or 3-, results in the formation of the tertiary alcohols with approximately a 4:1 favoring of the exo -isomer. (The oxymercuration intermediate exhibits a rapid equilibration with time. Consequently, the 4:1 ratios may not represent the true limit for the isomer distribution in the initial kinetic product.) Similarly, 2-methylenebicyclo[3.3.0]octane reveals an 8:1 preferential formation of the exo -alcohol. In the case of endo -trimethylene-norborn-8-ene, the oxymercuration stage is extraordinarily slow and the results do not fit this pattern. Possibly the very slow oxymercuration stage permits equilibration of the initial reaction product. On the other hand, the reaction is fast with 8-methylene- endo -trimethylenenorbornane and the product is 100% of the tertiary exo -alcohol. The same behavior is observed for 2-methylenenorbornane. Surprisingly, 2-methylene- endo -trimethy-lenenorbornane fails to undergo oxymercuration. Consequently, both endo -trimethylenenorborn-8-ene and 2-methylene- endo -trimethylenenorbornane exhibit an exceptional inertness toward oxymercuration, presumably related to the highly rigid U-shaped structure of the parent system.
Introduction to Continuum Physics

In continuum physics, material bodies are modeled as continuous media whose motion and equilibrium is governed by balance laws and constitutive relations. The list of balance laws identifies the theory, for example mechanics, thermomechanics, electrodynamics, etc. The referential (Lagrangian) and the spatial (Eulerian) formulation of the typical balance law will be presented. The balance laws of mass, momentum, energy, and the Clausius-Duhem inequality, which demarcate continuum thermomechanics, will be recorded. The type of constitutive relation encodes the nature of material response. The constitutive equations of thermoelasticity and thermoviscoelasticity will be introduced. Restrictions imposed by the Second Law of thermodynamics, the principle of material frame indifference, and material symmetry will be discussed.
Opportunities and challenges for industrial statisticians

The last 20 years have seen significant advances in the use of statistical methodology in industry, with applications in new product design and development, optimization and control of manufacturing processes, and in the service industries. The field of industrial statistics has emerged as an important branch of statistical science that focuses on this application environment. Yet as applications of statistics in industry have expanded, creating many new opportunities for the modern industrial statistician, many new challenges have arisen. Some of these challenges are technical, while others have managerial and organizational aspects. There are also important concerns pertaining to training and education. This presentation focuses on some of these issues, and identifies some potential solutions.
Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary event: Evidence for a short time scale

The origin of the 'As, Sb, Zn anomaly' in Cretaceous-Tertiary boundary sites is investigated using data on 11 K-T boundary sites for which comprehensive trace element analyses were available. It was found that the proportions As/Ir, Sb/Ir, and Zn/Ir were remarkably constant over about 100-fold range in concentration. The correlation persisted in sublayers of boundary clay and extended to soot from burned land biomass, indicating that all the components, despite their diverse origin, became associated in a single global component prior to deposition. Data relating the amounts of As, Sb, and Zn and the amounts of marine and land biomass to the steady-state global inventory suggest a catastrophic, rather than a gradualist scenario.
Theory of a low-density bose liquid☆

Abstract A many-body system of Bose particles, interacting via short-range repulsion and long-range attraction is considered. Both repulsion and attraction are weak. It is shown that, with a suitable choice of interaction parameters, one obtains a consistent low-density liquid using a slightly modified Bogoliubov treatment. The refinement of the elementary theory affects only the very long wavelength phonons, and is essential in order for the phase velocity of these phonons to agree with the speed of sound calculated from the compressibility. The weakness of the interaction makes it possible to control the consistency of the calculation. Nevertheless, passage to the limit of pseudopotential repulsion is direct, and one can establish the relation to an earlier model studied by Huang.