cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Skin Sparing Mastectomy and Immediate Reconstruction in Locally Advanced Breast Cancer Patients Treated With Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy and Postmastectomy Radiation Therapy: Long-Term Oncologic and Patient-Reported Quality of Life Outcomes

combination in terms of rates of local control, distant recurrence, and overall survival. Materials/Methods: Women with stage I II (pT1-T2, pN0) TNBC are eligible after segmental mastectomy and axillary lymph node assessment. Weekly carboplatin (AUC Z 2.0) is delivered x 6 weeks with RT to the whole breast, delivered during weeks 2-4 via a 3D-CRT or an IMRT technique in the prone position. The whole breast receives 40.5 Gy in 15 fractions (Monday-Friday). The tumor bed receives an additional 3 Gy boost, delivered on 2 consecutive Sundays (beginning on the 2nd and 3rd weeks of RT). Consequently, a total of 46.5 Gy is delivered to the tumor bed in 17 fractions over 19 days. Adverse effects of treatment are assessed weekly during treatment, and once at 45-60 days, thereafter, using the Common Terminology Criteria for Adverse Events (CTCAE) v3.0. Results: A total of 27 patients have accrued so far. The median age was 56 years (range: 27-82). Reported acute skin toxicities are displayed (see Table). With a median follow-up of 26 months all of the women remain alive and without recurrent disease. Conclusions: Adjuvant concurrent carboplatin and prone accelerated radiation therapy appears to be a safe and effective treatment for women diagnosed with early stage TNBC. Since approximately 50% of TNBC carriers recur within 2 years from treatment, it is encouraging that none of the patients in the trial have experience a recurrence. The trial remains open for patient accrual. Author Disclosure: E.B. Golden: None. R.E. Vatner: None. M. FentonKerimian: None. Y. Novik: None. R. Oratz: None. J. Speyer: None. S.C. Formenti: None.
The Lambent Reactive: an audiovisual environment for kinesthetic playforms

In this paper, design scenarios made possible by the use of an interactive illuminated floor as the basis of an audiovisual environment are presented. By interfacing a network of pressure sensitive, light-emitting tiles with a 7.1 channel speaker system and requisite audio software, many avenues for collaborative expression emerge, as do heretofore unexplored modes of multiplayer music and dance gaming. By giving users light and sound cues that both guide and respond to their movement, a rich environment is created that playfully integrates the auditory, the visual, and the kinesthetic into a unified interactive experience.
A three-stage process of reactions to change: Maternal employment and day care

This article delineates a three-stage process of reactions to social and economic changes that threaten traditional values. In the first stage, public and professional reactions are predominantly negative; in the second stage, predominantly ambivalent; and in the third stage, predominantly accepting. This three-stage process is used to analyze the reactions to increases in maternal employment and day care. A key issue for future investigation is whether the same process represents a predictable sequence of reactions to other social and economic changes that threaten traditional values.
Apoptosis of Cardiac Myocytes During Cardiac Allograft Rejection: Relation to Induction of Nitric Oxide Synthase

Background Apoptosis is a distinct form of programmed cell death characterized by activation of endonucleases that cleave nuclear DNA, condensation and fragmentation of nuclear chromatin, blebbing of intact membranes, and cell shrinkage and fragmentation. The mechanisms responsible are unclear, but nitric oxide (NO) generated by inducible NO synthase (iNOS) has been demonstrated to induce apoptosis in macrophages in vitro. This study investigated whether apoptosis occurs during cardiac allograft rejection and examined the relationship of apoptosis to iNOS expression. Methods and Results Heterotopic abdominal transplantation from Lewis to Wistar-Furth rats was used as a model of cardiac allograft rejection; Lewis-to-Lewis grafts served as controls. Apoptosis was identified by DNA ladders after electrophoresis on agarose gels and by in situ labeling of DNA fragments; cell types were determined by immunohistochemistry. The number of apoptotic cardiac myocytes increased sharply from day 3 (0.31/mm2 ventricular tissue) to day 5 (1.27/mm2) after transplantation. At day 5, allografts showed a significant increase ( P <.01) in apoptotic cardiac myocytes, macrophages, and endothelial cells compared with syngeneic grafts. The expression of iNOS mRNA, protein, and enzyme activity paralleled in time and extent the apoptosis of cardiac myocytes. iNOS immunostaining of infiltrating macrophages and cardiac muscle fibers increased significantly in the allografts at days 3 to 5 and was accompanied by immunostaining of both cell types for nitrotyrosine, which is indicative of peroxynitrite formation. Conclusions Apoptosis of myocardial cells occurs during cardiac allograft rejection. Apoptosis during rejection parallels the expression of iNOS, which suggests that apoptosis may be triggered by NO and peroxynitrite.
Modeling and analysis of intrusion detection integrated with batch rekeying for dynamic group communication systems in mobile ad hoc networks

We investigate performance characteristics of secure group communication systems (GCSs) in mobile ad hoc networks that employ intrusion detection techniques for dealing with insider attacks tightly coupled with rekeying techniques for dealing with outsider attacks. The objective is to identify optimal settings including the best intrusion detection interval and the best batch rekey interval under which the system lifetime (mean time to security failure) is maximized while satisfying performance requirements. We develop a mathematical model based on stochastic Petri net to analyze tradeoffs between security and performance properties, when given a set of parameter values characterizing operational and environmental conditions of a GCS instrumented with intrusion detection tightly coupled with batch rekeying. We compare our design with a baseline system using intrusion detection integrated with individual rekeying to demonstrate the effectiveness.
Analogs of Tetrahydrofolic Acid XXVIII: Mode of Pyrimidine Binding to Dihydrofolic Reductase pH Profile Studies

Three 2,4-diamino heterocycles, which were closely related structurally, were chosen for the study of the effect of pH on inhibition of dihydrofolic reductase. 1-( p -Chlorophenyl)-4,6-diamino-2,2,-dimethyl-1,2-dihydro- s -triaine (VI) (pKa 11.2) was chosen since it remained fully protonated throughout the pH range of 5–9. In contrast, 5-( p -chlorophenyl)-2,4-diamino-6-(trifluoromethyl)pyrimidine (V) (pKa 2.8) was chosen since it remained fully unprotonated throughout the pH range of 5–9. These two pH profiles were then compared with a pyrimidine of intermediate pKa (7.7), namely, 5-( p -chlorophenyl)-2,4-diamino-6-methylpyrimidine (IV) which is 99 per cent protonated at pH 5 and 5 per cent protonated at pH 9. The fully protonated heterocycle (VI) showed strongest inhibition at pH 9 and weakest inhibition at pH 5; in contrast, the unprotonated pyrimidine (V) showed weakest inhibition at pH 9 and strongest inhibition at pH 5. The intermediate basic-strength pyrimidine (IV) showed weakest inhibition at both pH 5 and 9 and strongest inhibition at intermediate pH's. These pH profiles support the concept that strongly basic 2,4-diamino heterocycles complex best at pH 9 to dihydrofolic reductase when the heterocycle is protonated and the complexing region of the enzyme is an anionic form; in contrast, at pH 5 the complexing region of the enzyme is believed to be protonated which would repel a protonated heterocycle. Furthermore, a weakly basic heterocycle unprotonated at pH 5 binds best at pH 5 where the enzymic binding site is presumably protonated. Both aminopterin (pKa 5.5) and folic acid (pKa 2.5) had pH inhibition profiles in agreement with this concept.
Mismatch repair proteins as sensors of alkylation DNA damage

The DNA mismatch repair (MMR) system maintains genome integrity by correcting replication errors. MMR also stimulates checkpoint and cell death responses to DNA damage suggested by the resistance of MMR-defective tumor cells to several chemotherapeutic agents. MMR-dependent cytotoxic response may result from futile repair; however, MMR-mediated apoptosis has been genetically separated from its repair function. In a recent issue of Molecular Cell, Yoshioka and coworkers show that MMR complexes (MutSalpha and MutLalpha) are required for the recruitment of ATR-ATRIP to sites of alkylation damage, demonstrating that MMR complexes can function as sensors in DNA damage signal transduction.
Lindlar catalyst mediated tritiation of a triazole substituted isoxazoline insecticide

The radiolabelling of isoxazoline insecticide 1a employing a Lindlar catalyst tritium dehalogenation of a bromo precursor is described. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Base saturation ratio versus insufficiency‐sufficiency values as bases for fertilizing and liming of soils

Abstract Cation exchange capacity (CEC) is just one of several mechanisms which regulate the availability of plant nutrients in a soil. The base saturation ratio of nutrient cations adsorbed on the CEC can affect the levels at which insufficiency and sufficiency of a nutrient occurs. Similarly, once sufficiency is reached, there usually is little point in adding one or the other of two cations just to adjust their ratio in the soil.
Doula support during first-trimester surgical abortion: a randomized controlled trial.

Objective The objective of the study was to evaluate the impact of doula support on first-trimester abortion care. Study Design Women were randomized to receive doula support or routine care during first-trimester surgical abortion. We examined the effect of doula support on pain during abortion using a 100 mm visual analog scale. The study had the statistical power to detect a 20% difference in mean pain scores. Secondary measures included satisfaction, procedure duration, and patient recommendations regarding doula support. Results Two hundred fourteen women completed the study: 106 received doula support, and 108 received routine care. The groups did not differ regarding demographics, gestational age, or medical history. Pain scores in the doula and control groups did not differ at speculum insertion (38.6 [±26.3 mm] vs 43.6 mm [±25.9 mm], P = .18) or procedure completion (68.2 [±28.0 mm] vs 70.6 mm [±23.5 mm], P = .52). Procedure duration (3.39 [±2.83 min] vs 3.18 min [±2.36 min], P = .55) and patient satisfaction (75.2 [±28.6 mm] vs 74.6 mm [±27.4 mm], P = .89) did not differ between the doula and control groups. Among women who received doula support, 96.2% recommended routine doula support for abortion and 60.4% indicated interest in training as doulas. Among women who did not receive doula support, 71.6% of women would have wanted it. Additional clinical staff was needed to provide support for 2.9% of women in the doula group and 14.7% of controls ( P Conclusion Although doula support did not have a measurable effect on pain or satisfaction, women overwhelmingly recommended it for routine care. Women receiving doula support were less likely to require additional clinic support resources. Doula support therefore may address patient psychosocial needs.
Multi-dimensional clustering: a new data layout scheme in DB2

We describe the design and implementation of a new data layout scheme, called multi-dimensional clustering, in DB2 Universal Database Version 8. Many applications, e.g., OLAP and data warehousing, process a table or tables in a database using a multi-dimensional access paradigm. Currently, most database systems can only support organization of a table using a primary clustering index. Secondary indexes are created to access the tables when the primary key index is not applicable. Unfortunately, secondary indexes perform many random I/O accesses against the table for a simple operation such as a range query. Our work in multi-dimensional clustering addresses this important deficiency in database systems. Multi-Dimensional Clustering is based on the definition of one or more orthogonal clustering attributes (or expressions) of a table. The table is organized physically by associating records with similar values for the dimension attributes in a cluster. We describe novel techniques for maintaining this physical layout efficiently and methods of processing database operations that provide significant performance improvements. We show results from experiments using a star-schema database to validate our claims of performance with minimal overhead.
Real-time fMRI biofeedback targeting the orbitofrontal cortex for contamination anxiety.

We present a method for training subjects to control activity in a region of their orbitofrontal cortex associated with contamination anxiety using biofeedback of real-time functional magnetic resonance imaging (rt-fMRI) data. Increased activity of this region is seen in relationship with contamination anxiety both in control subjects1 and in individuals with obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD),2 a relatively common and often debilitating psychiatric disorder involving contamination anxiety. Although many brain regions have been implicated in OCD, abnormality in the orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) is one of the most consistent findings.3, 4 Furthermore, hyperactivity in the OFC has been found to correlate with OCD symptom severity5 and decreases in hyperactivity in this region have been reported to correlate with decreased symptom severity.6 Therefore, the ability to control this brain area may translate into clinical improvements in obsessive-compulsive symptoms including contamination anxiety. Biofeedback of rt-fMRI data is a new technique in which the temporal pattern of activity in a specific region (or associated with a specific distributed pattern of brain activity) in a subject's brain is provided as a feedback signal to the subject. Recent reports indicate that people are able to develop control over the activity of specific brain areas when provided with rt-fMRI biofeedback.7-12 In particular, several studies using this technique to target brain areas involved in emotion processing have reported success in training subjects to control these regions.13-18 In several cases, rt-fMRI biofeedback training has been reported to induce cognitive, emotional, or clinical changes in subjects.8, 9, 13, 19 Here we illustrate this technique as applied to the treatment of contamination anxiety in healthy subjects. This biofeedback intervention will be a valuable basic research tool: it allows researchers to perturb brain function, measure the resulting changes in brain dynamics and relate those to changes in contamination anxiety or other behavioral measures. In addition, the establishment of this method serves as a first step towards the investigation of fMRI-based biofeedback as a therapeutic intervention for OCD. Given that approximately a quarter of patients with OCD receive little benefit from the currently available forms of treatment,20-22 and that those who do benefit rarely recover completely, new approaches for treating this population are urgently needed.
Compensation of nonlinear resonances in the presence of space charge

Imperfection nonlinear resonances can lead to undesirable beam loss and thus limit the high-intensity operation. In the presence of space charge, beam response to such resonances is strongly influenced by collective beam dynamics. It is thus crucial to understand the effectiveness of the nonlinear resonance compensation. We explore various procedures in the resonance correction and suggest some practical applications. Effectiveness of resonance correction for the high-intensity operation is discussed.
Saturated 13.2 nm high repetition rate laser in nickel-like Cd and isoelectronic scaling down to 10.9 nm

A table-top lambda = 13.2 nm soft X-ray laser operating at 5 Hertz repetition rate with 1 muW average power was demonstrated in Ni-like Cd. Lasing down to 10.9 nm was also obtained in transitions of other Ni-like ions.
Measurement of the force required to move a neurosurgical probe through in vivo human brain tissue

The advent of high-precision magnetic and robotic computer-controlled neurosurgery systems makes it necessary to determine the range of forces that will be encountered by the probes of such devices as they are guided through the brain tissues to intraparenchymal targets. The authors have measured the penetration forces on 2.5-mm spheres and the drag forces on 3.0-mm ventricular shunt catheters advanced 2.0-3.5 cm deep into in vivo human brain tissues (in patients about to have those tissues resected during epilepsy surgery) at rates of /spl ap/0.33 mm s/sup -1/. Penetration forces of (8/spl plusmn/2) grams were found for the spherical probe once it passed 0.5 cm below the cortical surface, and frictional drags of (2.8/spl plusmn/0.3) grams cm/sup -1/ were exerted on the catheters. The variable nature of these forces is discussed and the results are compared with earlier studies on experimental animal tissues and brain phantom gelatins. The implications of these results for magnetic and robotic surgery systems are considered.
Defective apical extrusion signaling contributes to aggressive tumor hallmarks

When epithelia become too crowded, some cells are extruded that later die. To extrude, a cell produces the lipid, Sphingosine 1-Phosphate (S1P), which activates S1P2 receptors in neighboring cells that seamlessly squeeze the cell out of the epithelium. Here, we find that extrusion defects can contribute to carcinogenesis and tumor progression. Tumors or epithelia lacking S1P2 cannot extrude cells apically and instead form apoptotic-resistant masses, possess poor barrier function, and shift extrusion basally beneath the epithelium, providing a potential mechanism for cell invasion. Exogenous S1P2 expression is sufficient to rescue apical extrusion, cell death, and reduce orthotopic pancreatic tumors and their metastases. Focal Adhesion Kinase (FAK) inhibitor can bypass extrusion defects and could, therefore, target pancreatic, lung, and colon tumors that lack S1P2 without affecting wild-type tissue. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.04069.001
Background rejection and signal-to-noise optimization in confocal and alternative fluorescence microscopes

In the confocal microscope, tightly focused illumination and spatially filtered detection are combined to reduce out-of-focus background and to produce high-quality images that display thin optical sections within thick fluorescent specimens. We define background as the detected light that originates outside a resolution volume and signal as the detected light that originates within the same volume. Background rejection is measured by the signal-to-background ratio (S/B) and is calculated for confocal, spinning-disk, line-illumination, slit-detection, and conventional fluorescence microscopes as a function of both the spatial filter size and the specimen thickness. Spatial filter sizes that reject background and optimize the signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) are calculated for each microscope. These calculations are normalized so that the time-averaged illumination at each point in the specimen is the same for each microscope. For thick specimens, we show that the S/B obtained with a confocal microscope can be more than 100 times greater than the S/B available with a conventional microscope, and we find that the optimal confocal S/N can be a factor of 10 greater than the S/N in the conventional microscope.
σ‐Accepting Properties of a Chlorobismuthine Ligand

BiZness as usual? Not exactly! The bismuth atom of the tridentate diphosphinobismuthine (o-(Ph(2)P)C(6)H(4))(2) BiCl behaves as a Z rather than L ligand when in the coordination sphere of late transition metals such as gold. The σ-acceptor behavior of Bi is supported by its disphenoid coordination geometry and theoretical studies, which show a Au→Bi interaction.
The Level of Protein in the Diet of Laying White Leghorns During Hot Weather

Abstract THE National Research Council (1950) recommends that diets for laying chickens contain 15 percent protein. However, the feed intake of laying chickens decreases appreciably during periods of high environmental temperatures, such as during several months of the year in the region where the Southwest Poultry Experiment Station is located. Because this decrease in feed intake results in a decrease in the nutrients needed for egg production, it seemed possible that the level of protein in the diet of laying chickens should be higher during hot weather than during cool or moderate weather. Heywang (1947) reported the results of several experiments in which the main object was to determine the effect of the dietary level of protein on the mortality rate among laying chickens during hot weather, with casein in their diets as the only protein concentrate. Egg production was a little higher when the protein level in the diets was …
On Loxodromic Navigation

This article addresses the mathematical foundations of rhumblines or loxodrome curves. These curves are critical to navigation and small-scale charting by virtue of the fact that they provide an efficient routeing from one point on a surface to another by means of a constant ‘course angle‘. This article will develop the necessary mathematical relations for the construction of such a curve, then apply the relations to both spherical and oblate-spheroidal surfaces. The purpose of this article is to produce a superior oblate-spheroidal loxodrome curve, which better models curves or routes of constant course on the actual, approximately oblatespheroidal, Earth.
Measuring the Benefits to Sniping on eBay: Evidence from a Field Experiment

Bidders on eBay frequently engage in sniping: submitting a bid seconds before the end of the auction. In this paper, we use a field experiment to measure the size of the benefit obtained by a bidder who snipes rather than bidding early. Previous research by Roth and Ockenfels (2002) documents the extent of this sniping. We identified pairs of identical items sold by the same seller and ending near the same time. In half the auctions, we submitted our maximum bid several days before the end of the auction, and in the other half, we submitted the same bid just 10 seconds before the end of the auction, using automated sniping software. Items included Playstation 2 games, movie DVDs, coin proof sets, Xbox games, die cast Hot Wheels cars, and Game Boy Advance games. Our results, from a set of 70 pairs of items, indicate no benefit to sniping. We found evidence of 2.54% lower prices for the sniped auction, but we did not find this benefit to be statistically significant.
Hydrophobic hydration of globular proteins studied with 2D-IR spectroscopy

Ultrafast 2D-IR spectroscopy of a CO ligand bound to a copper active site of an artificial metalloenzyme is used as a sensitive probe of both the flexibility and the electrostatic environment of the engineered catalyst.
Menu Trends in the Quick Service Restaurant Industry During the Various Stages of the Industry Life Cycle (1919-1988):

The primary objective of this study was to trace the menu trends that were dominant during various stages of quick service restaurant industry's life cycle. The product life cycle (PLC) is the foun...
The Development of Behavioral Competence in Medical Settings

The art and science of medicine have advanced greatly over the past several decades. Its technology is sophisticated and often awe-inspiring. Faulty body parts can be mended or replaced at costs that are not prohibitive. Prevention and rehabilitation are at the point where certain illnesses are almost nonexistent.
Factors associated with stroke or death after carotid endarterectomy in Northern New England.

Objective This study investigated risk factors for stroke or death after carotid endarterectomy (CEA) among hospitals of varying type and size participating in a regional quality improvement effort. Methods We reviewed 2714 patients undergoing 3092 primary CEAs (excluding combined procedures or redo CEA) at 11 hospitals in Northern New England from January 2003 through December 2007. Hospitals varied in size (25 to 615 beds) and comprised community and teaching hospitals. Fifty surgeons reported results to the database. Trained research personnel prospectively collected >70 demographic and clinical variables for each patient. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to generate odds ratios (ORs) and prediction models for the 30-day postoperative stroke or death rate. Results Across 3092 CEAs, there were 38 minor strokes, 14 major strokes, and eight deaths (5 stroke-related) ≤30 days of the index procedure (30-day stroke or death rate, 1.8%). In multivariate analyses, emergency CEA (OR, 7.0; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.8-26.9; P = .004), contralateral internal carotid artery occlusion (OR, 2.8; 95% CI, 1.3-6.2; P = .009), preoperative ipsilateral cortical stroke (OR, 2.4; 95% CI, 1.1-5.1; P = .02), congestive heart failure (OR, 1.6; 95% CI, 1.1-2.4, P = .03), and age >70 (OR, 1.3; 95% CI, 0.8-2.3; P = .315) were associated with postoperative stroke or death. Preoperative antiplatelet therapy was protective (OR, 0.4; 95% CI, 0.2-0.9; P = .02). Risk of stroke or death varied from r = 0.96) and reasonable discriminative ability (area under receiver operating characteristic curve, 0.71). Risks varied from P = .01) and age >70 (OR, 2.9; 95% CI, 1.0-4.9, P = .05). Two hospitals performed significantly better than expected. These differences were not attributable to surgeon or hospital volume. Conclusion Surgeons can "risk-stratify" preoperative patients by considering the variables (emergency procedure, contralateral internal carotid artery occlusion, preoperative ipsilateral cortical stroke, congestive heart failure, and age), reducing risk with antiplatelet agents, and informing patients more precisely about their risk of stroke or death after CEA. Risk prediction models can also be used to compare risk-adjusted outcomes between centers, identify best practices, and hopefully, improve overall results.
Conic Sampling: An Efficient Method for Solving Linear and Quadratic Programming by Randomly Linking Constraints within the Interior

Linear programming (LP) problems are commonly used in analysis and resource allocation, frequently surfacing as approximations to more difficult problems. Existing approaches to LP have been dominated by a small group of methods, and randomized algorithms have not enjoyed popularity in practice. This paper introduces a novel randomized method of solving LP problems by moving along the facets and within the interior of the polytope along rays randomly sampled from the polyhedral cones defined by the bounding constraints. This conic sampling method is then applied to randomly sampled LPs, and its runtime performance is shown to compare favorably to the simplex and primal affine-scaling algorithms, especially on polytopes with certain characteristics. The conic sampling method is then adapted and applied to solve a certain quadratic program, which compute a projection onto a polytope; the proposed method is shown to outperform the proprietary software Mathematica on large, sparse QP problems constructed from mass spectometry-based proteomics.
Endogenous mutagenesis in recombinant sulfolobus plasmids.

ABSTRACT Low rates of replication errors in chromosomal genes of Sulfolobus spp. demonstrate that these extreme thermoacidophiles can maintain genome integrity in environments with high temperature and low pH. In contrast to this genetic stability, we observed unusually frequent mutation of the β-d-glycosidase gene (lacS) of a shuttle plasmid (pJlacS) propagated in Sulfolobus acidocaldarius. The resulting Lac− mutants also grew faster than the Lac+ parent, thereby amplifying the impact of the frequent lacS mutations on the population. We developed a mutant accumulation assay and corrections for the effects of copy number and differential growth for this system; the resulting measurements and calculations yielded a corrected rate of 5.1 × 10−4 mutational events at the lacS gene per plasmid replication. Analysis of independent lacS mutants revealed three types of mutations: (i) G·C-to-A·T transitions, (ii) slipped-strand events, and (iii) deletions. These mutations were frequent in plasmid-borne lacS expressed at a high level but not in single-copy lacS in the chromosome or at lower levels of expression in a plasmid. Substitution mutations arose at only two of 12 potential priming sites of the DNA primase of the pRN1 replicon, but nearly all these mutations created nonsense (chain termination) codons. The spontaneous mutation rate of plasmid-borne lacS was 175-fold higher under high-expression than under low-expression conditions. The results suggest that important DNA repair or replication fidelity functions are impaired or overwhelmed in pJlacS, with results analogous to those of the “transcription-associated mutagenesis” seen in bacteria and eukaryotes.
Dual Enrollment Participation from the Student Perspective.

This chapter examines the experiences of five high school students previously enrolled in dual enrollment courses, and discusses the perceived benefits and disadvantages of these experiences from the student perspective.
Effects of Teacher-Encouraged Physical Activity on Preschool Playgrounds:

Increased numbers of young children who are overweight have become a significant health problem in the United States. Public health investigators have hypothesized that increased caloric intake and low levels of physical activity may be associated with the troubling trend of weight problems among children. To enhance preschool children's moderate to vigorous physical activity on playgrounds the authors develop, implement, and evaluate two practical teacher-implemented activities. Direct observations of five children in two preschool programs during teacher-implemented activities indicate increased moderate to vigorous physical activity on intervention days relative to nonintervention days (i.e., business-as-usual conditions). The results and implications for preschool practitioners are discussed.
Determination of the number of conserved chromosomal segments between species

Genomic divergence between species can be quantified in terms of the number of chromosomal rearrangements that have occurred in the respective genomes following their divergence from a common ancestor. These rearrangements disrupt the structural similarity between genomes, with each rearrangement producing additional, albeit shorter, conserved segments. Here we propose a simple statistical approach on the basis of the distribution of the number of markers in contiguous sets of autosomal markers (CSAMs) to estimate the number of conserved segments. CSAM identification requires information on the relative locations of orthologous markers in one genome and only the chromosome number on which each marker resides in the other genome. We propose a simple mathematical model that can account for the effect of the nonuniformity of the breakpoints and markers on the observed distribution of the number of markers in different conserved segments. Computer simulations show that the number of CSAMs increases linearly with the number of chromosomal rearrangements under a variety of conditions. Using the CSAM approach, the estimate of the number of conserved segments between human and mouse genomes is 529 +/- 84, with a mean conserved segment length of 2.8 cM. This length is <40% of that currently accepted for human and mouse genomes. This means that the mouse and human genomes have diverged at a rate of approximately 1.15 rearrangements per million years. By contrast, mouse and rat are diverging at a rate of only approximately 0.74 rearrangements per million years.
Local sensitivity analysis for observed hydrocarbons in a Jupiter photochemistry model

A box model sensitivity analysis was applied to output from a version of the 1-D JPL/Caltech KINETICS photochemistry-transport model of Jupiter's atmosphere. Results quantify the controlling chemical reaction parameters for the variety of observable hydrocarbons, and suggest changes to explore and new observations and rate measurements to pursue. High sensitivities are found to photolysis steps and to several hydrogen atom recombination steps and product branches. Complexity ranges from the relatively simple scheme seen for the methyl radical, to the rich variety of reactions tested by diacetylene.
Decentralized failure diagnosis in discrete event systems

In this paper, we develop and analyze decentralized failure diagnosis schemes for systems that can be modeled as finite state machines (FSMs). We consider a scenario where we are given multiple local diagnosers (with partial access to the events occurring in the system under diagnosis) and focus on designing a global coordinator which gathers the estimates of the local diagnosers at irregularly spaced time intervals and combines them to reach the final diagnosis decision. The functionality of the system and the local diagnosers is known, and each local diagnoser does not necessarily observe the same events as other diagnosers. We require the global coordinator to perform diagnosis using only simple processing of the results it receives from the local diagnosers. More specifically, we consider two possible strategies for the coordinator to reach a final diagnosis decision: (i) intersection of local estimates or (ii) consultation of a stored table that is constructed offline. In both cases, the global coordinator can operate in real time without knowledge of the functionality of the system or the local diagnosers. For each scheme, we derive conditions for single-request diagnosability and multiple-request diagnosability. We also explore the trade-offs between the two schemes in terms of processing and memory requirements on the global coordinator.
Concurrent sunitinib and stereotactic body radiotherapy for patients with oligometastases: final report of a prospective clinical trial.

Preliminary results demonstrated that concurrent sunitinib and stereotactic body radiation therapy (SBRT) is an active regimen for metastases limited in number and extent. This analysis was conducted to determine the long-term survival and cancer control outcomes for this novel regimen. Forty-six patients with oligometastases, defined as five or fewer clinical detectable metastases from any primary site, were treated on a phase I/II trial from February 2007 to September 2010. The majority of patients were treated with 37.5 mg sunitinib (days 1–28) and SBRT 50 Gy (days 8–12 and 15–19) and maintenance sunitinib was used in 39 % of patients. Median follow up for surviving patients is 3.6 years. The 4-year estimates for local control, distant control, progression-free and overall survival were 75 %, 40 %, 34 % and 29 %, respectively. At last follow-up, 26 % of patients were alive without evidence of disease, 7 % were alive with distant metastases, 48 % died from distant metastases, 2 % died from local progression, 13 % died from comorbid illness, and 4 % died from treatment-related toxicities. Patients with kidney and prostate primary tumors were associated with a significantly improved overall survival (hazard ratio = 0.25, p = 0.04). Concurrent sunitinib and SBRT is a promising approach for the treatment of oligometastases and further study of this novel combination is warranted.
U.S. Evaluation of Strategic Research: Closing the Gap with Europe and Japan

In the 1980s, a gap seemed to open between the level of research evaluation activity in the United States and the level in Europe and Japan. The surge in European efforts in retrospective research evaluation began at the Commission of the European Communities in the late 1970s. The Commission sponsored a series of conferences in the 1970s and 1980s to discuss the idea of research evaluation in the European context and to assess progress. By the mid-1980s, all Community research programs were on a regular schedule of evaluation (see Boggio and Spachis-Papazois, 1984.) Following closely behind, individual Community nations, including France, the Netherlands, and the United Kingdom, began to gear up for appraisal of their local institutions (see Gamier, 1983; Moed et al., 1985; Department of Trade and Industry, 1988), and the Nordic countries collectively increased their expertise and activity (see Ormala, 1987). The European Community eventually established a network of evaluation methodologists, allowing countries and Community alike to share knowledge and experience.
Influences of Social and Built Environments on Physical Activity in Middle-Aged and Older Adults

With advancing age come physiological changes that result in loss of muscle mass, which leads to progressive weakening in strength, endurance, and balance, as well as cardiopulmonary and cognitive function (Spirduso, Francis, & MacRae, 2005). Declines in body systems attributable to aging, accompanied by unhealthy lifestyles (physical inactivity, poor diet, substance use) ultimately become risk factors for developing various chronic health conditions such as heart disease, cancer, stroke, diabetes, high blood pressure, and mental distress (National Center for Health Statistics [NCHS], 2007). Currently, chronic diseases are the leading causes of death for US adults aged 65 or older (Centers for Disease Control and The Merck Company Foundation, 2007). Approximately 80 % of older Americans are living with at least one chronic condition, and 50 % have at least two (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2003). Chronic diseases in older adults can lead to disability and limitations in daily activities (NCHS, 2007), thus reducing health-related quality of life and independence (CDC and Merck, 2007). At the social level, this increases the burden on the nation’s health care system, with a projected average increase of 7 % each year from 2010 to 2018 in Medicare spending (Thorpe, Ogden, & Galactionnova, 2010) and an increase of 25 % in health care spending by 2030 (Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality [AHRQ] & CDC, 2002).
Spatial Bounding and Settlement History at Three Walled Northern Maya Centers

Prehistoric boundary walls are associated with the three walled northern Maya sites of Chacchob, Cuca, and Dzonot Ake. All were probably built for defensive purposes, but have wider implications concerning the delimitation and use of space in Maya centers. Each center represents a fortified elite enclave, but each has experienced a very different pattern of growth resulting in distinctive settlement configurations.
THE HEARING AID: FOR WHOM DOES IT WORK?

Many persons who have hearing impairment cannot be helped by medical or surgical procedures but would benefit greatly from use of hearing aids. Probably no more than 25 per cent of those who could use a hearing aid do so, and probably no more than 11 per cent of those who purchase hearing aids do so on a physician's advice. It is hoped that more physicians, particularly those in general practice, will interest themselves in the problems of hearing, hearing impairment, and hearing aids and so be better able to advise patients who have auditory problems in communication.
Modulation of the Surface-Layer Protein of Clostridium difficile through Cwp84 Inhibition

Cysteine protease Cwp84 is responsible for surface-layer processing in Clostridium difficile and was also shown to cleave several human extracellular matrix components in vitro. To enable the facile identification and characterization of Cwp84 inhibitors, we developed a fluorogenic 10-mer peptide based on the enzyme's natural substrate SlpA that is amenable for use in FRET-based high-throughput screening. The design of substrate-mimetic inhibitors led to epoxysuccinate 8c, which displayed an inactivation efficiency (kinact/KI) of (4.7 ± 0.3) × 10(4) M(-1) min(-1). Further evaluation of 8c demonstrated its ability to inhibit fibronectin cleavage and, more importantly, subvert surface-layer biogenesis in C. difficile.
A Close Look at the Options in the Health Care Industry: The Marketing Audit

This paper explores the concept of the marketing audit and its applicability to the health care industry. The authors emphasize the importance of this tool for the health care administrator in light of increasing costs, intensifying competition, and more complex regulation. Examples of how the audit operates in a health care facility are provided throughout the paper.
How firm Characteristics, Strategic Tools, Export Performance Level, and Internationalization Stage Differ According to Export Market Selection: An Investigation Using Psychological & Physical Distance I Closeness Effect

This study explores how firm characteristics, strategic tools, export performance level, and the internationalization stage of New Zealand manufacturers-exporters differ according to the markets selected to export. For this reason, a typology using psychological and physical closeness/distance has been developed to classify New Zealand export firms. Discriminant analysis and one-way ANOV A are used to demonstrate differences among groups in terms of psychological distance, physical distance, and their interaction.
Mapping Package Power Distribution Network Behavior into Electrical Parameters

This paper describes a systematic approach to map "black box" s-parameter behavior model into electrically meaningful RLC parameters based on physical layout and impedance transfer function theory. The s-parameter models are from either field solvers or from lab bench VNA measurement".
Consumption of energy beverage is associated with attenuation of arterial endothelial flow-mediated dilatation.

Consumption of energy beverage is associated with attenuation of arterial endothelial flow-mediated dilatation
Health and identity-related interactions between lesbian, bisexual, queer and pansexual women and their healthcare providers

Disclosure of sexual identity among sexual minority women is related to better outcomes and improved quality of care. The existing literature on sexual minority women's experiences of identity disclosure and related interactions with healthcare providers draws little distinction between different groups of sexual minority women, despite the different barriers, stigma and health outcomes that exist between them. This paper presents factors influencing identity disclosure and describes the characteristics of interactions that sexual minority women have with their healthcare providers around sexual identity and health. Using a mixed-methods approach, both qualitative and quantitative data were gathered using an online survey. The sample included lesbian, bisexual, queer and pansexual women from across the USA. Qualitative and quantitative data were analysed concurrently, and qualitative themes were quantified and integrated into quantitative analyses. Identity disclosure, reasons for disclosing identity and characteristics of interactions with providers varied by identity, but often overlapped. Bisexual and pansexual participants were significantly less likely to disclose identity than lesbian participants. There were no significant differences related to age or ethnicity. Findings from this study have the potential to inform ethical medical practices and improve healthcare quality among sexual minority women.
Arguing Progressivism in a Movie Theater Far Far Away

The purpose of this paper is to analyze feminism as it pertains to the Star Wars film series. After examining the opinions of other authors and analyzing scenes from the film, can the female characters be considered progressive as it pertains to feminism? Various authors of other scholarly articles as well as novels, which contain collections of scholarly articles, were used to add ethos to the argument. Biographies and scenes from the Star Wars films themselves were analyzed to gather information on specific female characters from the film and to analyze their actions and personas. Per these sources, there is high praise for the female characters in Star Wars. Characters, both in the foreground and the background of the films, have different stories and attributes that make them strong as characters. These strengths and the characters’ abilities to react to new challenges result in them being deemed progressive by modern society. It will be a pleasure seeing how the series continues to move forward and how it will continue to experiment with the characters and what challenges the characters will face.
Lonely, Stressed, and Depressed: The Impact of Isolation on U.S. Veterans

ABSTRACTTheory and empirical data identify loneliness as a significant predictor in the development of depressive symptoms. At present, however, little research has explored potential mediating effects within the loneliness–depression relationship among veterans. The present study included 67 veterans receiving services at a VA Medical Center. A cross-sectional design used measures of loneliness, perceived stress, and depression to explore the loneliness–depression relationship. As expected, results identified loneliness as a significant predictor of depression, and perceived stress as a significant mediator between these variables. Results suggest lonely veterans are more susceptible to depression, which is likely worsened by perceptions of increased stress.
Arterial reconstructions for pediatric splanchnic artery occlusive disease

Abstract Objective Pediatric splanchnic arterial occlusive disease is uncommon and a rare cause of clinically relevant intestinal ischemia. This study was undertaken to better define the clinical manifestations and appropriate treatment of celiac artery (CA) and superior mesenteric artery (SMA) occlusive disease in children. Methods Clinical courses of 30 consecutive children undergoing operations for splanchnic arterial occlusive disease at the University of Michigan from 1992 to 2017 were retrospectively analyzed. Results Vascular reconstructions were performed for splanchnic arterial disease in 18 boys and 12 girls, 1.5 to 16 years of age (mean, 7.5 ± 4.1 years). Isolated splanchnic arterial disease was uncommon (2 children), being more often associated with abdominal aortic coarctations (19 children) or ostial renal artery stenoses (25 children). Primary splanchnic arterial reconstructions (30) included aortic reimplantation of SMAs (15) or celiacomesenteric arteries (2), aortoceliac and aortomesenteric bypasses (7), reimplantation of the CA as a patch over the stenotic SMA orifice (3), and patch angioplasty of the CA (2) or SMA (1). There was no perioperative mortality. Two groups (I and II) were identified for study. Group I children (14) experienced symptomatic intestinal ischemia, manifested by various combinations of chronic postprandial abdominal discomfort (14), ischemia-related intestinal bleeding (2), or failure to thrive (4). Four children in group I became symptomatic after known CA and SMA occlusive disease was left untreated at the time they underwent earlier interventions for renovascular hypertension. Seven secondary redo interventions were undertaken for recurrent symptoms in six group I children. Only one major periprocedural complication occurred: segmental colon infarction. The assisted patency rate of reconstructed arteries in group I children was 93%, and intestinal ischemic symptoms resolved in every child. Group I follow-up from the most recent splanchnic arterial reconstruction averaged 4.3 years. Group II children (16) without manifestations of intestinal ischemia underwent prophylactic splanchnic arterial reconstructions in concert with combined aortic and renal artery procedures (11), isolated abdominal aortic reconstructions (3), or renal artery reconstructions alone (2). Group II children experienced no major perioperative morbidity and remained asymptomatic postoperatively, and none required secondary splanchnic artery interventions. Group II follow-up averaged 7.4 years. Conclusions Pediatric splanchnic artery occlusive lesions are often associated with developmental aortic and renal artery occlusive disease. Carefully conducted therapeutic and prophylactic reconstructive procedures are appropriate in children having splanchnic arterial occlusive disease.