cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dominance Flux Allows Maintenance of Competing Egalitarianism and Hierarchy Relationship Goals

Relationships are a ubiquitous and important feature of organizational and social life. Ample previous work has demonstrated that people desire relationships that are egalitarian. However, other work has shown that people also hold a strong preference for hierarchical relationships, which emerges rapidly during interactions. These two relationship motivations are seemingly incompatible, and yet they are similarly strong and common; how do people navigate this tension? We suggest that an important way in which individuals satisfy these two competing motivations is by engaging in dominance flux, or alternating who occupies the dominant position and the subordinate position in a relationship. Across two studies, we find that individuals can and do engage in dominance flux in response to an interaction partner’s behaviors. Study 1 demonstrates that individuals perceive pre- existing relationships to be more equal and satisfying when they are marked by intensions to flux. Study 2 shows that flux relationships ...
Should corporate social reporting be voluntary or mandatory? Evidence from the banking sector in France and the United States

Purpose – This research project aims to investigate how country contexts pressure firms for greater reporting activity and to explore the impact of these pressures on disclosure quality. Design/methodology/approach – A theoretical lens is used to based on the three pillars of institutions: regulative, normative, and cultural in order to assess qualitatively how strong each pillar is reflected in creating a context with regard to disclosure, and then to compare two disclosure ratings’ reports – that of the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) and that of CERES – to provide a quantitative comparison of disclosure quality. Findings – Expecting that countries with higher regulative pressures, such as France, will lead to a ‘‘minimum-requirement’’ type of disclosure, while countries with more liberal markets, such as the USA, will present higher quality disclosure, counter-theoretical evidence was found in the results, indicating that French firms exhibit higher quality disclosure than US firms on average. Research limitations/implications – The findings, although derived from a small sample limited to the banking sector, point to the possibility that higher reporting quality is more closely linked to normative and cultural pressures, and that these pressures appear to be more important in stronger regulatory contexts. Originality/value – The results inform the public policy literature, seeking to explore the effectiveness of self-regulation in face of increasing mandatory requirements. The paper also contributes to the disclosure literature, by establishing a relationship between disclosure quality and institutional context, and to the institutional theory literature by inscribing the study within the nascent stream of empirical papers in search of a methodology to compare institutional contexts across countries and their impact on firms’ reporting activities.
Isolation and Culture of Arterial Smooth Muscle Cells From Human Placenta

A simple and economical technique was developed to isolate and culture human arterial smooth muscle cells from chorionic plate vessels. Placentas from healthy women were collected at the time of term delivery. Chorionic plate arteries were identified, excised, and cut into small pieces. An explant technique was used to grow cultures of placental arterial smooth muscle (PASM) cells. Small pieces of vessel with lumens down were placed in 100-mm culture plates and grown in Dulbecco modified eagle medium and 10% fetal bovine serum. Cells appeared from explants within 1 week and grew to confluence in approximately 4 weeks. At confluence, PASM cell cultures had a uniform cell morphology that was characterized by elongated cells in parallel rows, typical of smooth muscle cells. Smooth muscle cell phenotype was evaluated by morphology and by immunoblotting and immunofluorescence of smooth muscle myofilament proteins. All PASM cell cultures expressed alpha-smooth muscle actin, beta-tropomyosin, and h-caldesmon. Expression was similar to that of human aortic smooth muscle cells, but not to endothelial cells or fibroblasts. PASM cells stained uniformly for alpha-smooth muscle actin and lacked staining for a fibroblast-specific antigen. PASM cells were evaluated for their response to inflammatory mediators, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, and interleukin-1beta by measurement of interleukin-8 production. Cells cultured for 18 hours showed a progressive increase in interleukin-8 production with time. Treatment with inflammatory mediators increased interleukin-8 production by 3-fold as compared with media control. This technique provides a simple method to obtain normal human arterial smooth muscle cells for in vitro studies of physiology and pathophysiology.
Noncytotoxic Differentiation Treatment of Renal Cell Cancer

Current drug therapy for metastatic renal cell cancer (RCC) results in temporary disease control but not cure, necessitating continued investigation into alternative mechanistic approaches. Drugs that inhibit chromatin-modifying enzymes involved in transcription repression (chromatin-relaxing drugs) could have a role, by inducing apoptosis and/or through differentiation pathways. At low doses, the cytosine analogue decitabine (DAC) can be used to deplete DNA methyl-transferase 1 (DNMT1), modify chromatin, and alter differentiation without causing apoptosis (cytotoxicity). Noncytotoxic regimens of DAC were evaluated for in vitro and in vivo efficacy against RCC cell lines, including a p53-mutated RCC cell line developed from a patient with treatment-refractory metastatic RCC. The cell division-permissive mechanism of action-absence of early apoptosis or DNA damage, increase in expression of HNF4α (hepatocyte nuclear factor 4α), a key driver associated with the mesenchymal to epithelial transition, decrease in mesenchymal marker expression, increase in epithelial marker expression, and late increase in cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor CDKN1B (p27) protein-was consistent with differentiation-mediated cell-cycle exit. In vivo blood counts and animal weights were consistent with minimal toxicity of therapy. The distinctive mechanism of action of a dose and schedule of DAC designed for noncytotoxic depletion of DNMT1 suggests a potential role in treating RCC.
An integrated two-stage framework for robust head pose estimation

Subspace analysis has been widely used for head pose estimation. However, such techniques are usually sensitive to data alignment and background noise. In this paper a two-stage approach is proposed to address this issue by combining the subspace analysis together with the topography method. The first stage is based on the subspace analysis of Gabor wavelets responses. Different subspace techniques were compared for better exploring the underlying data structure. Nearest prototype matching using Euclidean distance was used to get the pose estimate. The single pose estimated was relaxed to a subset of poses around it to incorporate certain tolerance to data alignment and background noise. In the second stage, the uncertainty is eliminated by analyzing finer geometrical structure details captured by bunch graphs. This coarse-to-fine framework was evaluated with a large data set. We examined 86 poses, with the pan angle spanning from –90o to 90o and the tilt angle spanning from –60o to 45o. The experimental results indicate that the integrated approach has a remarkably better performance than using subspace analysis alone.
Development of a serum profile for healthy aging

Increasing numbers of Americans are reaching 85 years of age or older, yet there are no reliable biomarkers to predict who will live this long. The goal of this pilot study therefore was: (1) to identify a potential serum pattern that could identify proteins involved in longevity and (2) to determine if this pattern was a marker of longevity in an independent sample of individuals. Serum samples were analyzed in three cohorts of individuals (n = 12 in each) aged 20–34, 60–74, and ≥90 years who participated in The Louisiana Healthy Aging Study. The 12 most abundant proteins were removed and the remaining proteins separated by two-dimensional gel electrophoresis. Gels were matched and the intensity of each spot quantified. Multivariate discriminant analysis was used to identify a serum pattern that could separate these three age cohorts. Seven protein spots were found that correctly distinguished the subjects into the three groups. However, these spots were not as successful in discriminating the ages in a second set of 15 individuals as only eight of these subjects were placed into their correct group. These preliminary results show that the proteomics approach can be used to identify potential proteins or markers that may be involved in the aging process and/or be important determinants of longevity.
RELATIONSHIP OF ANTI-MICROBIAL ACTIVITY OF TETRACYCLINES TO THEIR ABILITY TO BLOCK THE L3 TO L4 MOLT OF THE HUMAN FILARIAL PARASITE BRUGIA MALAYI

The nematode parasites Wuchereria bancrofti, Brugia malayi, and B. timori cause a human disease known as lymphatic filariasis, which afflicts approximately 120 million people worldwide. These organisms are known to contain endosymbiotic bacteria (Wolbachia) that are related to rickettsiae. It has been previously reported that tetracycline blocks the L3 to L4 molt of the filarial parasite B. malayi, and suggested that this was related to their known anti- rickettsial activity. However, this interpretation was tempered by several observations. First, Wolbachia DNA could still be detected in nematodes from tetracycline-treated cultures. In addition, chloramphenicol, which has anti-rickettsial and anti-chlamydial activity, failed to inhibit the molt. These observations could not rule out the possibility that the anti- molting activity of tetracycline is due to pharmacologic activities unrelated to its anti-rickettsial functions. This study shows that chemically modified tetracycline, which does not to have anti-microbial activity, also blocks molting.
Functional NMDA receptors with atypical properties are expressed in podocytes

N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA) receptors are essential for normal nervous system function, but their excessive activation can lead to neuronal degeneration. NMDA receptors are also expressed in periph...
Radial scars of the breast and breast carcinomas have similar alterations in expression of factors involved in vascular stroma formation.

Abstract We recently reported that radial scars are an independent histologic risk factor for breast cancer. The reason for this association is not known. Given the importance of stromal–epithelial interactions in the pathogenesis of breast cancer, we studied radial scars for the expression of a number of factors known to be involved in the formation of vascular stroma in breast cancer. In situ hybridization was performed on formalin-fixed paraffin sections using 35 S-labeled riboprobes for collagen type 1, total fibronectin, extra domain A (ED-A)+ fibronectin, thrombospondin 1, vascular permeability factor (VPF)/vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), and one of its endothelial receptors, kinase insert domain–containing receptor (KDR) (vascular endothelial growth factor receptor [VEGFR-2]). Expression levels in radial scars (9 cases) were compared with those in normal breast tissue (15 cases) and infiltrating ductal breast carcinoma (4 cases). Factor VIII–related antigen immunostaining was used to define the distribution of microvessels in radial scars, carcinoma, and normal breast tissue. Compared with normal breast tissue, the radial scars showed focally increased numbers of blood vessels and focally increased expression of messenger RNA (mRNA) for collagen type 1, total fibronectin, ED-A+ fibronectin, thrombospondin 1, VPF/VEGF, and KDR. This pattern of mRNA overexpression was similar to that seen in the 4 invasive cancers. We conclude that there are similarities between radial scars and invasive breast cancers with regard to the level of mRNA expression for several factors involved in the formation of vascular stroma. These results suggest that a similar disturbance in stromal–epithelial interactions is present in both lesions. HUM PATHOL 33:29-38. Copyright © 2002 by W.B. Saunders Company
Congenital pulmonary stenosis without overriding aorta

Abstract There are reported thirty cases of isolated pulmonary stenosis. This condition seems to be more common than has been formerly believed. The cases displayed a uniform clinical picture and were similar to cases described by Greene and associates 5 and Dow and associates. 4 Clinical examination, electrocardiography, radiography, and cardiac catheterization showed typical signs of a pulmonary stenosis without overriding of the aorta. The patients were not cyanotic and had normal physical capacity. In most cases where the pressure in the right ventricle was only moderately increased, the prognosis seemed to be good without treatment. In patients with marked right ventricular hypertension surgical treatment (valvulotomy according to Brock 2 ) should be seriously considered.
Utilizing Grid Computing to Support Near Real-Time Geospatial Applications

The increasing utilization of geospatial information to facilitate emergency decisions requires a Geographic Information System (GIS) to process large amounts of geospatial data in a timely fashion. Real-time GIS applications require sub-second response time to analytical operations on large and highly dynamic datasets for timely decisions. Leveraging idle workstations is a feasible method to meet the processing challenge. Grid computing, a new computing infrastructure, provides a potential solution to harness idle workstations and other resources in a flexible manner. This paper describes our research on using grid computing to support near real-time geospatial applications with near real-time routing as an example. A grid with 2, 4, 8, 22 CPU cores are used to test the grid performance. It is demonstrated that the grid-enabled geospatial applications can enhance the computing efficiency by harnessing distributed computing resources.
Creating meaning from chaos: Narrative and dialogic encounters in family crisis

The event of a family crisis calls for crucial reactions with kin in response to intense uncertainty. In this autoethnographic reflection, the author narrates her family’s struggle for meaning after learning that her brother suffered a near-fatal fall from a mountain peak of the Grand Tetons. In this article, the author depicts various perspectives she witnessed as her family dealt with multiple ambiguities surrounding her brother’s accident. The author then explores how crisis awakens an individual’s attention to present time and summons him or her to reorient his or her temporal self to focus on immediate moments. Moreover, the author demonstrates how dialogue and narrative interweave to shape family members’ interpretations of unprecedented circumstances and new relational meanings.
Neighbourhood Types, Travel and Body Mass: A Study of New Urbanist and Suburban Neighbourhoods in the US

Using an ecological framework, this paper examines the body mass index (BMI), physical activity and travel behaviour of household heads in a US new urbanist neighbourhood relative to household heads of comparable conventional suburban US neighbourhoods. Using a quasi-experimental design, a new urbanist neighbourhood and five conventional suburban neighbourhoods were matched on age of development, assessed property values and regional accessibility. Self-reported height, weight, physical activity and travel behaviours were obtained from the household heads in each neighbourhood type. No direct association was detected between neighbourhood type and BMI. However, household heads of single-family dwellings in the new urbanist neighbourhood have lower BMI partly due to the number of utilitarian trips made by walking or bicycling. This relationship is independent of physical activity time. Although small in magnitude, this association may have appreciable morbidity effects at the population level.
Primaxin in the treatment of acute bacterial pneumonia in adults

Imipenem (N-Formimidoyl thienamycin) (MK-0787) is a new beta-lactam carbapenem antibiotic. When it is combined with the renal dipeptidase inhibitor cilastatin (MK-0791) the combination is known as primaxin. In this study 28 adult patients (24 males and 4 females) with acute bacterial pneumonia were treated with primaxin. Twenty-one patients were evaluable and 20 (95%) were clinically cured of their pneumonia. Bacteriological cures were demonstrated in 84% of the cases. One patient with a susceptible Pseudomonas aeruginosa failed. Major complications or toxic reactions included antibiotic associated diarrhoea in one patient; hypotension in one patient; increased grand mal seizures in one patient and elevated liver function studies in one patient. Results of this study suggest that primaxin will be useful in the treatment of a variety of serious Gram-positive and Gram-negative pneumonias. The true incidence of possible toxic reactions with this drug is not known at this time and awaits further experience.
The ketogenic diet: one decade later.

The ketogenic diet, a high fat, adequate protein, low carbohydrate diet, has, during the past decade, had a resurgence of interest for the treatment of difficult-tocontrol seizures in children. This review traces its history, reviews its uses and side effects, and discusses possible alternatives and the diet’s possible mechanisms of action. Finally, this review looks toward possible future uses of the ketogenic diet for conditions other than epilepsy.
Dietary Protein and Resistance Training Effects on Muscle and Body Composition in Older Persons

The regular performance of resistance exercises and the habitual ingestion of adequate amounts of dietary protein from high-quality sources are two important ways for older persons to slow the progression of and treat sarcopenia, the age-related loss of skeletal muscle mass and function. Resistance training can help older people gain muscle strength, hypertrophy muscle, and increase whole body fat-free mass. It can also help frail elderly people improve balance and physical functioning capabilities. Inadequate protein intake will cause adverse metabolic and physiological accommodation responses that include the loss of fat-free mass and muscle strength and size. Findings from controlled feeding studies show that older persons retain the capacity to metabolically adjust to lower protein intakes by increasing the efficiency of nitrogen retention and amino acid utilization. However, they also suggest that the recommended dietary allowance of 0.8 g protein x kg(-1) x d(-1) might not be sufficient to prevent subtle accommodations and blunt desired changes in body composition and muscle size with resistance training. Most of the limited research suggests that resistance training-induced improvements in body composition, muscle strength and size, and physical functioning are not enhanced when older people who habitually consume adequate protein (modestly above the RDA) increase their protein intake by either increasing the ingestion of higher-protein foods or consuming protein-enriched nutritional supplements.
The impact of human and mouse differences in NOS2 gene expression on the brain’s redox and immune environment

Background: Mouse models are used in the study of human disease. Despite well-known homologies, the difference in immune response between mice and humans impacts the application of data derived from mice to human disease outcomes. Nitric oxide synthase-2 (NOS2) is a key gene that displays species-specific outcomes via altered regulation of the gene promoter and via post-transcriptional mechanisms in humans that are not found in mice. The resulting levels of NO produced by activation of human NOS2 are different from the levels of NO produced by mouse Nos2. Since both tissue redox environment and immune responsiveness are regulated by the level of NO and its interactions, we investigated the significance of mouse and human differences on brain oxidative stress and on immune activation in HuNOS2 tg /mNos2 �/� mice that express the entire human NOS2 gene and that lack a functional mNos2 compared to wild type (WT) mice that express normal mNos2. Methods/results: Similarly to human, brain tissue from HuNOS2 tg /mNos2 �/� mice showed the presence of a NOS2 gene 3′UTR binding site. We also identified miRNA-939, the binding partner for this site, in mouse brain lysates and further demonstrated reduced levels of nitric oxide (NO) typical of the human immune response on injection with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). HuNOS2 tg /mNos2 �/� brain samples were probed for characteristic differences in redox and immune gene profiles compared to WT mice using gene arrays. Selected genes were also compared against mNos2 �/� brain lysates. Reconstitution of the human NOS2 gene significantly altered genes that encode multiple anti-oxidant proteins, oxidases, DNA repair, mitochondrial proteins and redox regulated immune proteins. Expression levels of typical pro-inflammatory, anti-inflammatory and chemokine genes were not significantly different with the exception of increased TNFα and Ccr1 mRNA expression in the HuNOS2 tg /mNos2 �/� mice compared to WT or mNos2 �/� mice. Conclusions: NO is a principle factor in establishing the tissue redox environment and changes in NO levels impact oxidative stress and immunity, both of which are primary characteristics of neurodegenerative diseases. The HuNOS2 tg /mNos2 �/� mice provide a potentially useful mechanism to address critical species- specific immune
Imaging Translation in Single Cells Using Fluorescent Microscopy

The regulation of translation provides a mechanism to control not only the abundance of proteins, but also the precise time and subcellular location that they are synthesized. Much of what is known concerning the molecular basis for translational control has been gleaned from experiments (e.g., luciferase assays and polysome analysis) that measure average changes in the protein synthesis of a population of cells, however, mechanistic insights can be obscured in ensemble measurements. The development of fluorescent microscopy techniques and reagents has allowed translation to be studied within its cellular context. Here we highlight recent methodologies that can be used to study global changes in protein synthesis or regulation of specific mRNAs in single cells. Imaging of translation has provided direct evidence for local translation of mRNAs at synapses in neurons and will become an important tool for studying translational control.
A Twin Study of Objective and Subjective Pubertal Timing and Peer Influence on Risk‐Taking

The current study used a behavioral genetic design to test whether three measures of pubertal timing moderated peer influence on risk-taking in a sample of 248 female adolescent twin pairs (Mage =16.0, SD=1.5) from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health. Peer influence was operationalized as the quasi-causal association between girls' self-reported risk-taking and the risk-taking reported by their friends. Girls with earlier ages at menarche and who perceived themselves as more developed than peers were more susceptible to peer influence on risk-taking. However, age-standardized ratings of body changes did not moderate peer influence. This study highlights distinctions between multiple measures of pubertal timing, using an innovative synthesis of genetically informative data and peer nomination data.
Digital Breast Tomosynthesis: State of the Art.

If digital breast tomosynthesis (DBT) is performed on the basis of an abnormal screening mammogram, then the sensitivity of DBT cannot exceed that of mammography.
Performance comparisons of three IIR structures for adaptive system identification based on genetic algorithms

Genetic Algorithms (GA's) are based on the principles of natural selection and natural genetics that originate in biology. The Genetic Algorithm (GA) has been used for IIR adaptive system identification to deal with its multimodal error surface. The Genetic Algorithm (GA) can perform well in many different IIR adaptive filter structures, while the Gradient Algorithm often does not perform well in these situations. This paper focuses on the performances of three different structures of IIR filters based on the conventional Genetic Algorithm (GA) and the more specialized Multi-Parents Genetic Algorithm (MPGA).
Primary cutaneous B-cell lymphoma. Diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis.

background : An elderly woman with B-cell lymphoma confined to the skin of the lower extremity was treated with combination chemotherapy and radiation therapy. She relapsed with new skin lesions outside the original radiation port that responded to additional radiation therapy and remains in remission 12 months after her last treatment. objective : This article investigates the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of primary cutaneous B-cell lymphoma. methods : The relevant literature was researched through computer data bases and bibliographies. results : Patients who present with localized lesions of primary cutaneous B-cell lymphoma have a favorable prognosis regardless of the type of therapy, although relapses may occur in the absence of systemic disease. conclusion : Vie advocate the use of local therapies as initial treatment in patients with localized primary cutaneous B-cell lymphoma. J Dermatol Surg Oncol 1992;18:951–954.
Phenotype/Genotype correlations in 21-hydroxylase deficiency

Abstract Study Objective: To correlate phenotype with genotype based on molecular diagnosis in patients with congenital adrenal hyperplasia due to 21-hydroxylase deficiency. Design: Polymerase chain reaction amplification, restriction fragment length polymorphism, and allele specific oligonucleotide hybridization were utilized to ascertain eight previously recognized deleterious mutations in affected individuals and their family members. Participants/Setting: DNA samples were obtained from 20 individuals with 21-hydroxylase deficiency followed through the Endocrine Clinic of the Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh. Fifteen individuals had salt-losing 21-hydroxylase deficiency and two families had two affected individuals. Four individuals presented prior to 5 years of age without salt loss. One individual presented in adolescence with hirsutism and oligomenorrhea. Main Outcome Measure: Molecular diagnosis of 21-hydroxylase deficiency. Results: Five patients have homozygous deletions of the promoter region. Two patients are homozygous for the splicing mutation in the second intron. Individual patients were homozygous for the following three mutations: Arg356→Trp, Ile172→ Asn, and Val281 → Leu. Ten patients were compound heterozygotes. Conclusions: In general, the magnitude of enzyme activity correlates with the phenotypic findings. For example, mutations that completely impair enzyme activity, such as homozygous deletions of the promoter region, are associated with salt-losing congenital adrenal hyperplasia. However, the splicing mutation at nucleotide 655 in the second intron is characterized by greater phenotypic heterogeneity than the other mutations in this series.
ETS transcription factor ERG cooperates with histone demethylase KDM4A

ERG (ETS-related gene) is a member of the ETS (erythroblast transformation-specific) family of transcription factors. Overexpression of the ERG transcription factor is observed in half of all prostate tumors and is an underlying cause of this disease. However, the mechanisms involved in the functions of ERG are still not fully understood. In the present study, we showed that ERG can directly bind to KDM4A (also known as JMJD2A), a histone demethylase that particularly demethylates lysine 9 on histone H3. ERG and KDM4A cooperated in upregulating the promoter of Yes-associated protein 1 (YAP1), a downstream effector in the Hippo signaling pathway and crucial growth regulator. Multiple ERG binding sites within the human YAP1 gene promoter were identified and their impact on transcription was determined through mutational analysis. Furthermore, we found that ERG expression reduced histone H3 lysine 9 trimethylation at the YAP1 gene promoter, consistent with its epigenetic regulation through the ERG interaction partner, KDM4A. Finally, downregulation of YAP1 phenocopied the growth-retarding effect of ERG or KDM4A depletion in human VCaP prostate cancer cells. Collectively, these results elucidated a novel mechanism - ERG promotes prostate tumorigenesis together with KDM4A through the upregulation of YAP1. A corollary is that KDM4A as well as YAP1 inhibitors may prove beneficial for the therapy of ERG-overexpressing prostate tumors.
Patternable Rough Textured Gold Microwire for Neurochemical Sensing

Understanding spatial and temporal neuronal activities is crucial for finding the cure for brain related ailments and advancement of our knowledge about the brain itself. This paper discusses our recent finding of the patternable rough textured gold microwire for neurochemical sensing. We have successfully fabricated the ∼5 µm wide and ∼ 60 nm thick gold microwires based electrochemical sensor. We produced these microwires along the edge of lithographically patterned nickel thin film. A nickel thin film edge was shadowed by the photoresist overhang during electrochemical growth only to allowgold deposition along the edges. Our electrochemical growth conditions yielded very rough textured sensor. Rough textured biosensors are highly desirable for increasing surface/volume ratio for efficient electrochemical sensing. These rough-textured microwires were transformed into the functional neurochemical sensor to detect dopamine. Our voltammetry and chronoamperometry studies on rough textured microwires based sensor confirmed the successful detection of dopamine.
Predictors of treatment failure in young patients undergoing in vitro fertilization.

The purpose of the study was to evaluate whether routinely collected clinical factors can predict in vitro fertilization (IVF) failure among young, “good prognosis” patients predominantly with secondary infertility who are less than 35 years of age. Using de-identified clinic records, 414 women <35 years undergoing their first autologous IVF cycle were identified. Logistic regression was used to identify patient-driven clinical factors routinely collected during fertility treatment that could be used to model predicted probability of cycle failure. One hundred ninety-seven patients with both primary and secondary infertility had a failed IVF cycle, and 217 with secondary infertility had a successful live birth. None of the women with primary infertility had a successful live birth. The significant predictors for IVF cycle failure among young patients were fewer previous live births, history of biochemical pregnancies or spontaneous abortions, lower baseline antral follicle count, higher total gonadotropin dose, unknown infertility diagnosis, and lack of at least one fair to good quality embryo. The full model showed good predictive value (c = 0.885) for estimating risk of cycle failure; at ≥80 % predicted probability of failure, sensitivity = 55.4 %, specificity = 97.5 %, positive predictive value = 95.4 %, and negative predictive value = 69.8 %. If this predictive model is validated in future studies, it could be beneficial for predicting IVF failure in good prognosis women under the age of 35 years.
Survival Comparison Between Endoscopic and Surgical Management for Patients With Upper Tract Urothelial Cancer: A Matched Propensity Score Analysis Using Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results-Medicare Data.

Objective To determine survival differences among patients receiving endoscopic vs surgical management for upper tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC). Materials and Methods Using Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results-Medicare data, patients diagnosed with nonmuscle-invasive, low-grade UTUC as their first cancer diagnosis between 2004 and 2009 were identified. Receipts of endoscopic and surgical interventions were assessed, and patients were separated into surgical or endoscopic management cohorts. Two-to-one propensity score analysis was performed to control for baseline characteristics between groups. Results The endoscopic management (n = 151) and matched surgical management (n = 302) groups demonstrated no significant differences in age, gender, race, marital status, Charlson comorbidity index, or year of diagnosis. Endoscopic management was an independent and significant predictor of all-cause and cancer-specific mortality (hazard ratio 1.6 for overall survival [OS], hazard ratio 2.1 for cancer-specific survival [CSS]). Kaplan-Meier estimated survival was significantly lower for endoscopic management, with both OS and CSS curves diverging at approximately 24-36 months. A subset of patients initially receiving endoscopic management went on to receive surgical intervention (80/151 = 53%) at a median of 8.8 months from diagnosis. For these patients, Kaplan–Meier-estimated CSS was not significantly different from those who continued with only endoscopic management, and remained significantly lower than patients who received upfront surgery. Conclusion Although initial survival outcomes (first 24 months) are similar for endoscopic and surgical management of nonmuscle-invasive, low-grade UTUC, both CSS and OS are significantly inferior for the endoscopic management group in the longer term. Furthermore, transition from initial endoscopic management to surgical intervention appears to have limited impact on survival.
ESTIMATING SURFACE FACILITY THROUGHPUT DURING THE PRECLOSURE EMPLACEMENT PERIOD AT YUCCA MOUNTAIN

This paper focuses on how variations in commercial spent nuclear fuel shipment schedules have the potential to impact preclosure operations at the proposed repository for high-level waste at Yucca Mountain (YM) in Nevada. The analysis employs a simulation tool developed by the authors for modeling the packaging and thermal characteristics of the waste stream arriving at Yucca Mountain and is related to a study on the safety of the surface facilities that was also conducted by the authors using the simulation tool. The objective of the research is to gain a better understanding of how waste-stream variations affect surface facility throughput, defined as the rate at which packages are prepared for aging or emplacement in the surface facilities at YM. The basis for and adequacy of the preliminary surface facility throughput requirements are reviewed by evaluating throughput performance subject to various preclosure operating scenarios. Results indicate that under most scenarios, the preliminary design adequately accommodates the mean demand over the operating lifetime for the canister receipt and closure facility (CRCF) and receipt facility (RF) but not the wet handling facility (WHF). While results indicate that WHF demand is likely to be higher than capacity in many scenarios, it seems reasonable that dual-purpose cask and truck deliveries could be deferred to maintain WHF operations at near-capacity levels. Results also show a high potential for variability in annual throughput demand at the CRCF and RF that might result in system backups. In the event of bottlenecks, the facility with less demand can fulfill functional roles of one that is overburdened. The overlap of functional capability in facilities incorporatesflexibility into the system. However, since throughput targets are named per facility, as opposed to functions of the system, the design goals of the system as a whole are obscured. An alternative design is proposed that is based on functional goals within the facilities, along with other recommendations.
Bond Dissociation Energies

The bond dissociation energy, D e , is a critical parameter in thermodynamics, spectroscopy, and kinetics. For example, in thermodynamics, bond energies directly affect heats of formation and reaction. Dissociation energies thus also play key roles determining rates of reaction as a function of temperature. This chapter will give several examples of how spectroscopic information can reveal D e (of ground and excited electronic states).
Multiscale modeling of femur fracture

Summary We present two multiscale approaches for fracture analysis of full scale femur. The two approaches are the reduced order homogenization (ROH) previously developed by the first author and his associates and a novel accelerated reduced order homogenization (AROH). The AROH is based on utilizing reduced order homogenization calibrated to limited experimental data as a training tool to calibrate a simpler, single-scale anisotropic damage model. For bone tissue orientation, we take advantage of so-called Wolff's law, which states that bone tissue orientation is well correlated with principal strain direction in a stance position. The meso-phase properties are identified by minimizing error between the overall cortical and trabecular bone properties resulting from the quantitative computer tomography (QCT) scans and those predicted by the two-scale homogenization. The overall elastic and inelastic properties of the cortical and trabecular bone microstructure are derived from bone density that can be estimated from the Hounsfield units (HU) which represent the measured grey levels in the QCT scans. For model validation, we conduct ROH and AROH simulations of full scale finite element model of femur created from the QCT and compare the simulation results with available experimental data.
Intervalence enhanced Raman scattering from (NC)5Ru-CN-Ru(NH3)51-. A mode-by-mode assessment of the Franck-Condon barrier to intramolecular electron transfer

Measurements necessary for the assessment of vibrational (Franck-Condon) barriers arising from redox-induced differences between initial- and final-state normal coordinates or bond lengths are generally x-ray measurements. An alternative and potentially more general approach to the Franck-Condon barrier problem based on an experimental application of time-dependent Raman scattering theory is reported herein. The optical intervalence transfer in the unsymmetrical dimer (NC){sub 5}Ru{sup II}-CN-Ru{sup III}(NH{sub 3}){sub 5}{sup {minus}} is described in detail. From the data presented, the following points are noted: (1) both ends of the mixed-valence participate in vibrational trapping, (2) nearly half of the trapping or reorganization energy comes from modes assigned to the bridging ligand, (3) local modes remote from the metal center can contribute measurably to the Franck-Condon energy, and (4) the low energy metal-ammine bond is as significant as the higher energy Ru-NH{sub 3} stretch. 15 refs., 1 fig., 1 tab.
Life in triplicate

How much are we shaped by our genetic makeup, and how much does the environment in which we are raised contribute to our physical appearance, our personalities, and our preferences? Analyzing identical twins is one way to examine this question, but most twins are raised in a single household, where the effects of nature and nurture are inextricably intertwined. The story of not two, but three, identical brothers separated at birth is the subject of an insightful and disturbing new documentary, Three Identical Strangers , that premiered this January at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival.
Band Structure Theory

Semiconductor electronics provides an excellent demonstration of the close connection between modern engineering and quantum physics. It was an understanding of the electronic structure of semiconductors in the 1940s that led to the invention of the first transistor (Bardeen and Brattain, 1948; Brattain and Bardeen, 1948; Shockley and Pearson, 1948)—the backbone of modern computers. Since then, quantum mechanics has been an integral part of the progress of modern electronics technology. As devices become smaller, reaching submicron dimensions where electrons and holes traverse the active region of devices without experiencing a collision (the ballistic transport regime), quantum effects become even more important. Band structure studies deal with the energy levels and wave functions of electrons in materials and their relations to material properties. This chapter will begin by introducing the basic concepts of energy bands (Section 5.1). We will then describe two of the simplest band structure methods used for crystalline semiconductors—the tight-binding method (Section 5.2) and the plane-wave method (Section 5.3). The important band structure results for pure semiconductors are summarized in Section 5.4. The difficulties associated with the aperiodic potentials in an alloy and their effects on band gaps are discussed in Section 5.5. The remaining sections are devoted to the treatment of disordered alloys using the Green function methods, including the coherent potential approximation (CPA) (Soven, 1967; Velicky et al., 1968; Kirpatrick et al., 1970) and the perturbation method (PT). Both CPA and PT will be formulated for semiconductor alloys in this chapter and will be used to treat effects on band-edge states. These formalisms will be applied to detailed calculations of band structures of semiconductor alloys in Chapter 7.
Can surgical weight loss reduce the risk of developing coronary heart disease

Abstract Background Coronary heart disease (CHD) accounts for one third of all deaths in people older than 35 years in the United States. Objectives The aim of this study is to determine the impact of bariatric surgery, especially laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy, on the risk of developing CHD. Setting Academic, University affiliated hospital. Methods We retrospectively reviewed all patients who underwent bariatric surgery from 2010–2016. All patients between 30 and 74 years of age without a previous history of CHD were included in our study. The risk score for predicting the incidence of CHD was measured preoperatively and at 12 months of follow-up. Results Of the 1330 patients studied, 225 patients (16.9%) had all the required variables to calculate the CHD risk score. The mean age of our population was 51.4 ± 11.3 years, mostly female (67%, n = 152) and white (58.7%, n = 132). At the preoperative setting, our patient population had a systolic blood pressure in the prehypertensive ranges, with 40% (n = 90) having type 2 diabetes and 60% (n = 134) having arterial hypertension. The preoperative CHD preoperative risk was 8.9 ± 7.7% or 8-fold higher than the ideal risk. After 12 months of follow-up, the CHD absolute risk reduction was 2.7%, and the relative risk reduction was 42.0% for female patients and 5.4% and 38.8%, respectively, for male patients. All the metabolic factors used to calculate the risk of developing CHD had a significant improvement after 12 months. Conclusions Surgical weight loss reduces the risk of developing CHD. Further studies should assess these findings in a long-term follow-up.
Tuition Crisis: The Costs and Financing of Public Higher Education

It is no longer a secret that the rapidly rising rates of college and university tuition is putting higher education, even in our “public” tax-supported institutions, beyond the reach of many in the nation’s middle class, that large sector of the population for which these institutions were created. This chapter summarizes the current literature on rising tuition rates—rates greater than the rate of inflation—and identifies the principle “drivers” of rising tuition rates among which are several little known factors that are pushing these rates beyond affordability and reason. Some policy and program efforts to stem the rise and make tuition more affordable have made the situation worse for students and their families while enriching others.
HIV Replication in Humanized IL-3/GM-CSF-Transgenic NOG Mice

The development of mouse models that mimic the kinetics of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) infection is critical for the understanding of the pathogenesis of disease and for the design of novel therapeutic strategies. Here, we describe the dynamics of HIV infection in humanized NOD/Shi-scid-IL2rγnull (NOG) mice bearing the human genes for interleukin (IL)-3 and granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) (NOG-EXL mice). The kinetics of viral load, as well as the frequencies of T-cells, B-cells, Natural killer cells (NK), monocytes, and dendritic cells in blood and secondary lymphoid organs were evaluated throughout the time of infection. In comparison with a non-transgenic humanized mouse (NSG) strain, lymphoid and myeloid populations were more efficiently engrafted in humanized NOG-EXL mice, both in peripheral blood and lymphoid tissues. In addition, HIV actively replicated in humanized NOG-EXL mice, and infection induced a decrease in the percentage of CD4+ T-cells, inversion of the CD4:CD8 ratio, and changes in some cell populations, such as monocytes and dendritic cells, that recapitulated those found in human natural infection. Thus, the humanized IL-3/GM-CSF-transgenic NOG mouse model is suitable for the study of the dynamics of HIV infection and provides a tool for basic and preclinical studies.
Tracheobronchial Tumors: Radiologic-Pathologic Correlation of Tumors and Mimics

Tracheobronchial masses encompass a broad spectrum of entities, ranging from benign and malignant neoplasms to infectious and inflammatory processes. This article reviews the cross-sectional findings of tracheal tumors and tumor-like entities, correlates imaging findings with histologic pathology, and discusses pearls and pitfalls in accurately diagnosing and classifying tracheal tumors and mimics.
Wiener path integrals and multi-dimensional global bases for non-stationary stochastic response determination of structural systems

Abstract A novel approximate technique based on Wiener path integrals (WPIs) is developed for determining, in a computationally efficient manner, the non-stationary joint response probability density function (PDF) of nonlinear multi-degree-of-freedom dynamical systems. Specifically, appropriate multi-dimensional (time-dependent) global bases are constructed for approximating the non-stationary joint response PDF. In this regard, two distinct approaches are pursued. The first employs expansions based on Kronecker products of bases (e.g., wavelets), while the second utilizes representations based on positive definite functions. Next, the localization capabilities of the WPI technique are exploited for determining PDF points in the joint space-time domain to be used for evaluating the expansion coefficients at a relatively low computational cost. In contrast to earlier implementations of the WPI technique, the herein developed generalization and enhancement circumvents computationally daunting brute-force discretizations of the time domain in cases where the objective is to determine the complete time-dependent non-stationary response PDF. Several numerical examples pertaining to diverse structural systems are considered, including both single- and multi-degree-of-freedom nonlinear dynamical systems subject to non-stationary excitations, as well as a bending beam with a non-Gaussian and non-homogeneous Young’s modulus. Comparisons with pertinent Monte Carlo simulation data demonstrate the accuracy of the technique.