cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Bowenwork for symptom management of women breast cancer survivors with lymphedema: A pilot study

Abstract Purpose The objectives of this pilot study for women breast cancer survivors with lymphedema was 1) to evaluate recruitment rates, retention rates, adherence to Bowenwork (a noninvasive complementary therapy involving gentle muscle movements), home exercises, safety and comfort; 2) determine the effect of Bowenwork on quality of life (QOL), functional status, perceived pain, range of motion (ROM), arm/ankle circumference (to assess for localized and systemic changes). Methods Participants received 4 Bowenwork sessions with home exercises. Initial and post assessments included QOL, functional status, and pain. ROM, arm/ankle circumference and pain measures were recorded before each session. Results Twenty-one women enrolled in the study; 95% completion; adherence 100%; home exercises 95%; no adverse events. The intervention improved mental health (SF-36-MCS); breast cancer-related functional (FACT-B); increased ROM; reduced arm circumferences. P value set at Conclusions The Bowenwork intervention was safe and acceptable for women breast cancer survivors with lymphedema.
Werner F. Leopold, Speech Development of a Bilingual Child, Vol. II: Sound-learning in the First Two Years: Northwestern University “Studies in the Humanities,” No. 11, 1947. Pp. xii, 296.

(1950). Werner F. Leopold, Speech Development of a Bilingual Child, Vol. II: Sound-learning in the First Two Years. The Germanic Review: Literature, Culture, Theory: Vol. 25, No. 2, pp. 131-133.
Sleep Disturbances in OEF/OIF/OND Veterans: Associations with PTSD, Personality, and Coping.

Study Objectives:Sleep disturbances are well documented in relation to trauma exposure and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but correlates of such disturbances remain understudied in veteran p...
Salvage pulmonary resection after stereotactic body radiotherapy: A feasible and safe option for local failure in selected patients

Abstract Objective For inoperable patients with pulmonary malignancy, stereotactic body radiotherapy is a reasonable therapeutic option. Despite good early tumor control, local failure occurs in up to 10% of patients by 3 years. Because management of local recurrence after stereotactic body radiotherapy is unclear, we evaluated use of surgery as a salvage option. Methods A retrospective review was conducted of consecutive patients from a single institution who underwent salvage resection of primary and metastatic pulmonary malignancies previously treated with stereotactic body radiotherapy. In addition, a literature search was conducted to identify previous reports of pulmonary resection for local stereotactic body radiotherapy failures, to allow cumulative analyses with previously published cases. Results A total of 21 patients met inclusion criteria. The median time between stereotactic body radiotherapy and salvage surgery was 16.2 months (range, 6.4-71.5). Postoperative complications occurred in 7 patients (18.9%), in whom atrial arrhythmias and prolonged air leaks (>5 days) were most frequent (n = 2 each, 5.4%). There was no local recurrence after salvage surgery. Distant failure occurred in 5 of 21 patients (23.8%) at a median of 36.2 months, and median disease-free survival was 19.2 months. The 30- and 90-day mortality was 4.8% (1 patient). Cumulative analysis included 37 patients from 4 institutions and comprised 26 (78.8%) primary non–small cell lung cancers and 11 (29.7%) lung metastases. Median overall survival after salvage surgery was 46.9 months, and 3-year survival was 71.8%. Conclusions After local failure of stereotactic body radiotherapy, salvage resection remains a viable option for operable patients, with acceptable morbidity and survival. As use of stereotactic body radiotherapy continues to expand, further studies to evaluate the optimal management for local failure are needed.
Montesquieu's gentle prince: the law of majesty and the moderation of despotism in The Spirit of the Laws

ABSTRACTApart from its introductory chapters, Book 12 of The Spirit of the Laws has generally been disregarded by scholars of Montesquieu as a series of historical digressions with few significant implications. As a result, some important dimensions of Montesquieu's political thought have gone unacknowledged. Book 12 is particularly concerned with the punishment of crimes against God and of actions that wound sovereign majesty. Montesquieu presents his view on these subjects through an extended commentary on some aspects of Roman law and, more briefly, on the law of the Pentateuch. This article shows that Montesquieu attributes the criminalization of both kinds of offences to the vengefulness of certain rulers and to the eagerness of their ministers to avenge them. By his assessment, the desire to punish such crimes leads to excesses that undermine political liberty and give rise to despotism. Through this emphasis on the psychological factors that drive the corruption of moderate regimes, Montesquieu rev...
Los Recuerdos de la Maestra Turned PhD Student

This poem reflects on my work as an elementary level bilingual teacher. In the poem I highlight poignant moments shared with my Latinx students. I also explore my positionality and its significance in my work as a teacher. The poem uses a fluid mixture of English and Spanish to represent the daily linguistic culture of our shared classroom life.
Duplication and Transformation of the Schizosaccharomyces pombe Collection of Deletion Strains.

We present an efficient and organized method of lithium acetate and polyethylene glycol-based transformation of plasmid DNA into the commercially available collection of Schizosaccharomyces pombe with single-gene deletions. We also describe how to prepare a duplicate collection of the deletion strains in order to preserve the longevity of the master set. These protocols are adapted to the 96-well format of the 3004 strains of the Version 2.0 Bioneer set but can also be used for later releases of the collection. This transformation method typically yields efficiencies in the range between 1.0 × 103 and 1.0 × 104 transformants per microgram of plasmid DNA. However, some deletion strains transformed with significantly lower efficiencies. We provide a list of these difficult-to-transform strains. Applications for this methodology include the transformation of the deletion set with plasmids necessary for genetic screens.
Real-time visualization of tumor margins in breast specimen using fluorescence lifetime imaging

In this work we combine Time-Resolved Fluorescence Spectroscopy with machine learning techniques to provide a real-time assessment of tumor positive resection margins.
Neues vom IBM RISC-System /6000

Die IBM-RISC-System/6OOO-Rechnerfamilie wurde im mittleren Leistungsbereich um ein neues Mitglied erweitert. Das Modell 530H basiert auf der bewahrten IBM-POWER-Architektur (POWER = Performance Optimization With Enhanced RISC) und ist zu den ubrigen RS/6000-Modellen binar kompatibel. Das Modell 530H last sich nachtraglich auf die Leistungsfahigkeit und Funktionalitat des Modells 550, dem leistungsfahigsten System der IBM-RISC-System/6000-Rechnerfamilie, erhohen.
Cellular Plasticity in Cocaine and Alcohol Addiction

The mesolimbic dopamine system, including the ventral tegmental area (VTA) and nucleus accumbens (NAcc), is integral to the brain’s natural circuit encoding motivational salience, reinforcement, and learning. Along with cortical and allocortical areas, these regions can critically control goal-directed behaviors and the development and expression of addiction. Also interesting is the possibility that drugs of abuse produce persistent changes in neuronal function, since these could drive drug seeking or relapse even after prolonged abstinence. Here, we address the consequences of cocaine or alcohol exposure, especially voluntary self-administration, on glutamate receptor and ion channel function in the NAcc and VTA
On the Psychiatric Importance of Neurological Soft Signs

The term soft sign as it relates to neurological dysfunction is usually applied to reflect atypical performance on various psychomotor or somatosensory tasks often employed in the standard neurological examination. In order for this non-normative performance to continue to be further described as a soft sign, criteria of at least near normal intelligence and absence of focal neurological disorder are additionally applied. In other words, the atypical motor and sensory performance is not considered soft if mental retardation or focal brain damage can be implicated in its etiology. Dysdiadochokinesis, astereognosis, synkinesia, tactile localization deficits, and minor reflex asymmetries are among the many examples of behaviors considered to be soft signs of neurological dysfunction. Table 1 contains a brief list of diagnostic terms that one would frequently encounter in the soft sign literature. We will assume familiarity with these terms for this review.
Lasers for Adipose Tissue and Cellulite

The use of lasers and light devices for the removal of adipose tissue and cellulite represents a new and exciting frontier in the laser field. To date, there are few non-invasive devices in the laser field all of which can only claim limited efficacy. This chapter will review the laser, light sources, as well as devices with radiofrequency and ultrasound devices that currently purport to treat cellulite or adipose tissue.
TU-B-304-01: The Aftermath of TG-142

Although published in 2009, the AAPM TG-142 report on accelerator quality assurance still proves a challenge for full clinical implementation. The choice of methodologies to satisfy TG-142 requirements is critical to a successful application. Understanding the philosophy of TG-142 can help in creating an institution-specific QA practice that is both efficient and effective. The concept of maintaining commissioned beam profiles is still found confusing. The physicist must also consider technologies not covered by TG-142 (i.e. arc therapy techniques). On the horizon is TG-198 report on implementing TG-142. Although the community still lacks a final TG-100 report, performing a failure-mode -and-effects analysis and statistical process control analysis to determine the institution-specific clinical impact of each TG-142 test may be useful for identifying trends for pro-active surveillance. Learning Objectives: 1. To better understand the confusing and controversial aspects of TG-142. 2. To understand what is still missing from TG-142 and how to account for these tests in clinical practice 3. To describe which QA tests in TG-142 yield the largest potential clinical result if not discovered.
Expanded character sampling underscores phylogenetic stability of Ardipithecus ramidus as a basal hominin.

Abstract Phylogenetic relationships among hominins provide a necessary framework for assessing their evolution. Reconstructing these relationships hinges on the strength of the character data analyzed. The phylogenetic position of Ardipithecus ramidus is critical to understanding early hominin evolution, and while many accept that it is most likely the sister taxon to all later hominins, others have argued that Ar. ramidus was ancestral to Pan. Although the study by Strait and Grine (2004) suggested the former, available evidence permitted only 26% of characters in their matrix to be assessed for Ar. ramidus. Fossils described subsequently by Suwa, White and colleagues in 2009 have enabled the number of characters that can be coded for this species to be expanded to 78% of the matrix. Here, we incorporate these new character data to evaluate their impact on the phylogenetic relationships of Ar. ramidus. Moreover, we have further revised the Strait and Grine (2004) matrix as necessitated by additions to the hypodigms of other fossil taxa. This updated matrix was analyzed using both parsimony and Bayesian techniques in a sequence of four iterative steps to independently evaluate the impact of matrix and expanded character revisions on tree topology. Despite the new data and matrix revisions, tree topology has remained remarkably stable. The addition of new craniodental material has served to markedly strengthen the support for the placement of Ar. ramidus as being derived relative to Sahelanthropus, and as the sister taxon of all later hominins. These findings support the phylogenetic hypothesis originally proposed by White and colleagues in 1994. This updated matrix provides a basis for the assessment of additional extinct species.
Integrating set-based design into cost analysis

The Department of Defense science and technology communities seek to improve decision-making capability in analysis of alternatives through implementing model-based engineering early in the design process. Point-based design has been the traditional design method and often converges quickly on a solution that may later require unexpected engineering changes which may impact cost. Set-based design (SBD) considers sets of all possible solutions early in the design phase, and enables down-selecting possibilities to converge to a final solution. When physics-based design, cost, and value models are well integrated, design options can be simultaneously analyzed generating numerous alternatives allowing exploration of a larger tradespace. Using an Army ground vehicle as a platform of study, this research applied the principles of set-based design through integration of an engineering model with a cost model. Stakeholder requirements were integrated to incorporate value into the design tradespace. The process of integrating SBD into the cost, engineering, and value models generated analytical insights of the design alternatives within the tradespace that provides guidance for future integration efforts. By exploring the SBD tradespace, analysts can potentially explore more high-value design solutions along the efficient frontier.
Bounding wall effects on fluid flow and pressure drop through packed beds of spheres

Abstract A broad ranging study of the fluid flow in packed beds of uniform diameter spheres has been implemented by the method of numerical simulation. The parametric extent of the present study encompassed both laminar and turbulent flows, random and regular packings of the spheres, bed containments in both rectangular ducts and circular pipes, and beds of either bounded or unbounded lateral extent. The regular packings included body-centered cubic, face-centered cubic, and simple cubic. Comparisons were made between the simulation-based results and relevant experimental data using variables that emerged from the experimental correlations. In particular, the Reynolds number range of the Ergun flow regime for packed beds of unbounded extent was identified. In addition, for random packed beds of bounded extent, very good agreement between the predicted and experimentally determined friction factors was found to exist. The level of agreement was sufficiently good to validate the simulation model and its implementation. The pressure drop-fluid flow results are presented in terms of friction factor-Reynolds number relationships. These dimensionless quantities were defined in terms of physical variables commonly used throughout the packed-bed literature.
Prognostic value of B cells in cutaneous melanoma

Measures of the adaptive immune response have prognostic and predictive associations in melanoma and other cancer types. Specifically, intratumoral T cell density and function have considerable prognostic and predictive value in skin cutaneous melanoma (SKCM). Less is known about the significance of tumor-infiltrating B cells in SKCM. Our goal was to understand the prognostic and predictive value of B cell phenotypic subsets in SKCM using RNA sequencing. We used our previously published algorithm, V’DJer, to assemble B cell receptor (BCR) repertoires and estimate diversity from short-read RNA sequencing (RNA-seq). We applied machine learning-based cellular phenotype classifiers to measure relative similarity of bulk tumor sample gene expression profiles and different B cell phenotypes. We assessed these aspects of B cell biology in 473 SKCM from the Cancer Genome Atlas Project (TCGA) as well as in RNA-seq data corresponding to tumor samples procured from patients who received CTLA-4 and PD-1 inhibitors for metastatic SKCM. We found that the BCR repertoire was associated with different clinical factors, such as tumor tissue site and sex. However, increased clonality of the BCR repertoire was favorably prognostic in SKCM and was prognostic even after first conditioning on various clinical factors. Mutation burden was not correlated with any BCR measurement, and no specific mutation had an altered BCR repertoire. Lack of an assembled BCR in pre-treatment tumor tissues was associated with a lack of anti-tumor response to a CTLA-4 inhibitor in metastatic SKCM. These findings suggest an important prognostic and predictive role for B cell characteristics in SKCM. This has implications for melanoma immunobiology and potential development of immunogenomics features to predict survival and response to immunotherapy.
The aging networks: a guide to policy, programs, and services: a book review: 9th ed., by Niles-Yokum, K. and Wagner, D. L., New York, Springer Publishing Company, 2019 Pages: 230 Price: $60 ISBN: 978-0-8261-9659-0

The Aging Networks: A Guide to Programs and Services offers a concise yet thorough overview of the challenges and resources for aging well in the United States (202 pages). The book is structured t...
Importance of Nitrogen-Hydrogen Bond pKa in the Catalytic Coupling of Alkenes and Amines by Amidate Tantalum Complexes: A Computational Study.

Density functional theory (DFT) was carried out to study the impact of substituents with different electronic properties upon hydrogen transfer as the rate-determining step in the hydroaminoalkylat...
A preliminary study of the effects of cannabidiol (CBD) on brain structure in patients with epilepsy.

Abstract Cannabis use is associated with changes in brain structure and function; its neurotoxic effects are largely attributed to Δ9-tetrahydrocannabidiol. Whether such effects are present in patients with epilepsy exposed to a highly-purified cannabidiol isolate (CBD; Epidiolex®; Greenwich Biosciences, Inc.) has not been investigated to date. This preliminary study examines whether daily CBD dose of 15–25 mg/kg produces cerebral macrostructure changes and, if present, how they relate to changes in seizure frequency. Twenty-seven patients with treatment-resistant epilepsy were recruited from the University of Alabama at Birmingham CBD Program. Participants provided seizure frequency diaries (SF), completed the Chalfont Seizure Severity Scale (CSSS) and Adverse Events Profile (AEP), and underwent MRI before CBD (baseline) and after achieving a stable CBD dosage (on-CBD). We examined T1-weighted structural images for gray matter volume (GMV) and cortical thickness changes from baseline to on-CBD in 18 participants. Repeated measures t-tests confirmed decreases in SF [t(17) = 3.08, p = 0.0069], CSSS [t(17) = 5.77, p
How are your enrollments?: panel discussion

"How are your enrollments?" is a question often asked by attendees of the Association for Computing Machinery Special Interest Group on Computer Science Education and Consortium for Computing Sciences in Colleges conferences. As CS and IS faculty, we are aware of the problem of multi-year decline in the number of undergraduate students pursuing degrees in our discipline at United States institutions of higher education. Since conference attendees continue to ask each other about their enrollments, we assume that the problem continues today at some universities and colleges. During this panel, we discuss why CS and IS enrollments have declined during the last few years and what steps must/should be taken to stabilize and increase enrollments. The following questions will specifically be addressed. 1. What are the reasons behind the CS and IS enrollment declines? 2. What steps should CS and IS departments take to address declining enrollments? 3. Should computing organizations, such as CCSC, ACM, and IEEE, take steps to address the decline in CS and IS enrollments? 4. Should American companies be called upon to address CS and IS enrollment declines?
Landscape Change and Vegetation-Channel Interactions in an Estuarine System

We examine the extent of land cover change and sedimentation within the Tijuana River Estuary due to the significant development within Mexico that has increased sedimentation that could alter estuary elevation. We examined aerial imagery to determine major changes in estuary land cover over time (1995–2016), examined sedimentation patterns by calculating vegetation roughness of two dominant lower marsh species: Salicornia pacifica and Spartina foliosa and directly measured sediment deposition within plant stands at multiple elevations and determined how vegetation may be interrupting flow and affecting deposition. Upper elevation scrub has increased slightly through time while marsh area has decreased. Plant roughness for S. foliosa was significantly higher and, based on modeling, each species creates different water surface and channel velocity conditions that could alter deposition patterns. Vegetation inventories and sediment size deposition analysis within vegetation patches show that S. foliosa occupies those areas closest to the channel, is most frequently inundated, and has the smallest sediment sizes present. Sediment size increases with distance from the channel and where it becomes more commonly dominated by S. pacifica. These areas, typically 0.5-1 m above channel bottom elevation, experience the highest volume of sediment deposition. Modeling and direct measurements of deposition indicate that water velocity is impacted by plant stands and deposition is occurring in areas close to the channel. Because these deposition patterns may eventually result in changes in estuary elevation, continual monitoring should be carried out to determine how vegetation-induced sediment behavior, combined with anthropogenic land-use change and sea level rise, influence estuary elevation and land cover.
Image-guided percutaneous biopsy of peripheral nerve tumors of indeterminate nature: risks and benefits.

Usual management of peripheral nerve tumors is to avoid biopsy in those that are likely benign; the risk of biopsy outweighs the benefit of definitive tissue diagnosis. Biopsy of presumed malignant lesions is performed widely. There is a subset of peripheral nerve tumors that are not easily categorized as benign or malignant based on the clinical and/or radiological features alone. The role of biopsy in peripheral nerve tumors of uncertain character remains controversial and the risk of biopsy (and the potential risk/benefit ratio) for these lesions is not known. Following approval by our institutional review board, we reviewed all notes of a single peripheral nerve surgeon from 2000 to 2018 with respect to image-guided percutaneous biopsy of nerve tumors. We divided these patients into 3 groups based on clinicoradiologic features. We determined the risk of complications and the “hit rate” for patients with peripheral nerve tumors of uncertain behavior, defined as the percentage of patients sent for percutaneous biopsy who had a malignancy on their final pathology. Of 82 patients with tumors of uncertain behavior, 9 had complications, and 23 had malignant final pathology (a “hit rate” of 27.7%). Neurosurgical referral for biopsy of tumors of uncertain behavior was made in 60 patients. Twenty-two had malignant final pathology (“hit rate”= 36.7%). Non-neurosurgical referral for biopsy was made in 22 patients with tumors of uncertain behavior. Two had malignant final pathology (“hit rate”= 4.55%). There was a statistically significant difference between the “hit rate” for the two groups (p = 0.021). The decision to biopsy a peripheral nerve tumor is largely based on the presumed behavior and prognosis, determined via clinicoradiologic characteristics. Patient care might be improved by delaying percutaneous biopsy of peripheral nerve lesions until after a neurosurgical evaluation.
Chapter 40 – LiverTox: A Website on Drug-Induced Liver Injury

LiverTox is a freely available website (http://LiverTox.nih.gov) that provides up-to-date, comprehensive, and easily accessed clinical information on liver injury due to prescription and over-the-counter medications, herbals, and nutritional supplements. LiverTox includes introductory sections on the clinical course, diagnosis, phenotypic patterns, outcomes, severity scales, and causality grading systems for drug-induced liver injury (DILI). The bulk of LiverTox comprises individual sections on specific medications, including background information on the agent, a concise description of its potential and pattern of hepatotoxicity, and extensive annotated references linked to PubMed citations. For agents that cause liver injury, representative case reports are provided. Finally, LiverTox allows for submission of clinical cases of hepatotoxicity to the website, which will be added to a database that can be accessed and analyzed. LiverTox is an ambitious effort aimed not only at providing clinical information on DILI but also at stimulating and assisting future research into its cause, prevention, and treatment.
Optimal design of discrete-time fractional-order PID controller for idle speed control of an IC engine

This paper aims at proposing a discrete-time fractional-order PID (FOPID) controller, which can stabilise the variation of the idle speed of an internal combustion engine due to the occurrence of the external load disturbance. The nonlinear idle speed dynamics is linearised to be approximated by a first order plus dead time (FOPDT) model so that the FOPID controller can be initialised by a Ziegler-Nichols type tuning rule. The initialised FOPID controller can stabilise the linearised model, but it may lose its control capability in nonlinear idle speed dynamics. Therefore, an optimisation problem is solved through genetic algorithm (GA) to minimise a cost function within a small region around the FOPID's initial parameters. The optimal discrete-time FOPID controller are compared to a conventional discrete-time PID controller. The simulation study reveals that the optimal discrete-time FOPID controller secures an excellent control performance to the nonlinear idle speed model.
Assessment of PET & ASL metabolism in the hippocampal subfields of MCI and AD using simultaneous PET-MR

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) has been reported to show decreased metabolic activity in the hippocampus using FDG PET-MR. Histological data suggests that the hippocampal subfields are selectively affected in AD. Given the simultaneous imaging nature of integrated PET-MR scanners and the multimodal capabilities of PET-MR, our purpose here is to assess FDG activity, as well as ASL perfusion in the subfields of MCI and AD patients. 10 consecutive subjects were recruited for this study 3 MCI, 3 AD patients and 4 age-matched controls. The scanning was performed on a simultaneous 3T PET/MR scanner. To delineate the hippocampal subfields, automatic segmentation of hippocampal subfields (ASHS) was employed. Static FDG-PET series were reconstructed for analysis at 45-75 min for all subjects. All imaging sequences were automatically registered to the oblique coronal T2-weighted images (segmentation space). PET standardized uptake values (SUV) in the hippocampal subfields were normalized by the pons. FDG PET metabolism was reduced significantly in AD, as well as MCI patients as compared to controls, with the highest effect demonstrated in the CA3/DG and CA1/2 (p = 0.047, subfields. Patients (MCI and AD combined) had decreased metabolism as compared to controls in CA1/2 and significantly smaller volumes the Subiculum. When assessing CBF across groups, a significant decrease in CBF was found in the Subiculum. Our preliminary results demonstrate that PET-MRI may potentially be a sensitive biomarker and tool for early diagnosis of AD. They also confirm the importance of assessing metabolic and structural changes of neurodegenerative diseases at the subfield level.
Creating Public Service Announcements on Health Disparities in the United States: A Semester-Long Assignment.

This semester-long project can be included in a general health communication course, a health campaigns course, upper-level mass-media courses, and advanced courses on communication and social just...
Towards damage resistant Al2O3–SiO2 glasses with structural and chemical heterogeneities through consolidation of glassy nanoparticles

Abstract Al2O3–SiO2 binary glasses with structural and chemical heterogeneities were prepared by consolidating glassy nanoparticles with different compositions using classical molecular dynamics simulations. Consolidated glasses show both excellent ductility and enhanced flow strength. It was found that the structural heterogeneities such as over-coordinated network formers and neighboring oxygen induced during consolidation serve as plasticity carriers to increase the ductility. On the other hand, the enhanced yield strength in consolidated glasses is due to the chemical heterogeneity inherited from the starting glassy nanoparticles, which does not compromise the ductility. Furthermore, apparent work hardening behavior appears upon cold work in the consolidated glasses, with an increase in yield strength from ~3.3 to ~6.4 GPa after 40% cold work. Consolidation with glassy nanoparticles could be a viable way to synthesize strong, damage resistant and transparent oxide glasses that cannot be obtained through the traditional melt-quench process.
Silica covered stannic oxide nanoparticles - an easily prepared robust substrate for optical sensors.

This paper describes a facile way to prepare a photophysically inert sensor substrate. Stannic oxide encapsulated silica nanoparticles with average diameters between 30 and 70 nm have been prepared by one-pot reverse-phase emulsion methodology. The constituents and core/shell morphology of the nanoparticles were demonstrated by electron microscopic technology, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). X-ray diffraction (XRD) was employed to provide additional constitutional and structural information. It has been shown that nanoparticles prepared by this method are optically clear in suspension. After anchoring optical indicators, this nanoparticle can be utilized as a sensor module both in biology and other analytical areas.
Comparative analysis on seroprevalence of hepatitis B in Guangzhou in 2008 and 2018

Objective: To compare the seroprevalence of hepatitis B in Guangzhou in 2008 and 2018. Methods: According to the proportion of Guangzhou population size, two-stage cluster sampling was used to select the residents aged 1-59 years in the two surveys. Results: 4 989 and 3 980 people aged 1-59 years were involved in 2008 and 2018, respectively. HBsAg prevalence was 9.50% (95%CI:7.34%-11.66%) in 2018 and 12.45% (95%CI:10.58%-14.33%) in 2008 among the people aged 1-59 years, with no significant difference statistically (χ2=18.302, P=0.075). The decrease of HBsAg prevalence was mainly in the population aged 7-16 years. For the people aged 7-16 years, the HBsAg prevalence was 0.88% (95%CI: 0.35%-1.42%) in 2018 and decreased by 80.62% as compared with the rate 4.54% (95%CI:2.71%-6.36%) in 2008, with statistically significant difference (χ2=34.144,P=0.000). Anti-HBs prevalence was 72.30% (95%CI:69.56%-75.04%) in 2018 and ascended by 11.35% as compared with the rate of 64.93% (95%CI:61.65 %-68.22%) in 2008 among the people aged 1-59 years, with statistically significant difference (χ2=51.618, P=0.001). The rise of anti-HBs prevalence was mainly in the population aged 17-59 years. For the people aged 17-59 years, the anti-HBs prevalence was 71.93% (95%CI: 68.90%-74.96%) and risen by 12.80% as compared with the rate of 63.77% (95%CI: 60.16%-67.37%) in 2008, with a statistically significant difference (χ2=28.422, P=0.001). HBV infection rate was 48.10% (95%CI: 43.20%-53.00%) in 2018 and decreased by 22.76% as compared with the rate of 62.27% (95%CI: 59.11%-65.44%) in 2008, with statistically significant difference (χ2=167.138, P=0.000). The HBV infection rates in the population aged 1-6 years, 7-16 years, and 17-59 years were 4.58%, 5.13%, and 56.56% (a decrease of 81.83%, 85.91%, and 18.47%), respectively. The infection rate of HBV was 48.87% (a decrease of 24.70%) in high epidemic areas and 28.81% (a decrease of 38.75%) in people with a history of hepatitis B immunization. Conclusion: The prevention and control of hepatitis B in Guangzhou have achieved remarkable results it already reached the national goal of reducing HBsAg prevalence to less than 1% among children under five years since 2008. However, the target goal of reducing the hepatitis B mortality rate is quite demanding. The neonatal hepatitis B vaccination and monitoring and screening in adults are still needed.
Validating airspaceAnalyzer Metrics for En Route ATC Sector Complexity

The MITRE Corporation’s Center for Advanced Aviation System Development (CAASD) has developed a tool, airspaceAnalyzer, to measure sector complexity. It does so by performing automated air traffic control—separating traffic while respecting aircraft performance and restrictions on altitude and miles-in-trail. It outputs a suite of raw metrics, derived from characteristics of these resolutions. We performed experiments first to calibrate, then to validate, the model.To define a “correct” value for sector complexity against which to calibrate and validate, we enlisted a team of experts (retired Certified Professional Controllers). The experts performed air traffic control for en route sectors in Indianapolis Center in a realistic simulation environment. They provided periodic assessments of the sector’s complexity on a scale from 1 (minimum) to 7 (maximum).We averaged the assessments of all participating experts at a particular time to define the correct answer for that time.We calibrated airspaceAnalyzer t...
Sex-Specific Differences in Circumstances of Initiation into Injecting-Drug Use Among Young Adult Latinos in Harlem, New York City

Background: Data are limited that examine circumstances of initiation and risk for HIV infection among Latino injecting-drug users (IDUs) in the United States. Methods: Baseline data were obtained from a cohort study of young (aged 18–29 years) IDUs residing in Harlem, New York City, conducted during 1997–1999. Participants were administered standardized face-to-face interviews. Data collected included demographics, age and circumstances surrounding initiation of injecting-drug use, and lifetime and recent risk behaviors. Results: Of the 156 participants who self-identified as Latino, 145 (94%) were Puerto Rican, 112 (72%) were male, and 44 (28%) were female. The median number of years of injecting drug use was 3 for women and 5 for men (Wilcoxon ranks sums test p = .007). Significantly (p < .05) more women than men reported that at the first injection episode, they were injected by a sexual partner (26% versus 4%), were provided the syringe by their sexual partner (24% versus 4%), had sex with the initiator after being injected the first time (23% versus 5%), and were injected by a person ≥5 years older than themselves (50% versus 32%). Women were more likely than men to report having ever had unprotected sex with a person known to be HIV-positive (18% versus 4%, respectively; p = .006); however, women were just as likely as men to report having ever injected drugs with a person known to be HIV-positive (11% versus 10%). Conclusions: Latinas were more likely than their male counterparts to be initiated either directly (being injected) or indirectly (being provided a syringe) into injecting-drug use by their sexual partner. HIV and drug use prevention programs for Latinas in Harlem must address the interrelationship between drug use and sexual relations.
Channel Structure, Cross Sales, and Vertical Integration in a Multi-channel Distribution System

Consider two manufacturers, each producing a single substitutable product. In any geographical area, there are two retail outlets through which the products are sold to the end consumers. Each of the two retail outlets could be privately owned (i.e. a franchised outlet) or owned by the manufacturer (i.e. a vertically integrated company store). Each manufacturer makes vertical integration decision in its best interest. However, a manufacturer incurs a fixed cost to establish an integrated channel. A manufacturer is not restricted to using only one retail outlet. We define cross sales to be the situation where at least one retail outlet sells both products. The objective of our paper is to analyze the cross sales phenomenon. We propose a game theoretic model to accomplish this objective. Our model provides answers to the following questions. When will cross sales occur in the multi-channel distribution system described above? How does the nature of competition influence cross sales? What are the equilibrium channel configurations under the scenario described above? We show that cross sale will happen in quantity competition or in a capacity constrained price competition. However, cross sales may never happen in a pure Bertrand price competition. We provide interesting and intuitive explanation for the cross sales phenomena, which to the best of our knowledge, have not been studied in the context of channel design before. We also identify various interesting economics of cross sales.
Comparison of chemo-, hetero- and mixotrophic denitrification in laboratory-scale UASBs

This study investigated removal of sulfide and p -cresol linked to denitrification in laboratory-scale upflow anaerobic granular sludge bed (UASB) bioreactors. Three parallel denitrification bioreactors were run for nine months, which were operated under chemolithoautotrophic conditions ( i.e ., using sulfide as electron donor – e-donor - and bicarbonate as C source); heterotrophic conditions (with p -cresol as e-donor and C source), and mixotrophic conditions (utilizing both sulfide and p -cresol as electron donors), respectively. The average hydraulic retention time and nitrate load applied to the bioreactors was 13.4 h and 1,240 mg N-NO3/l/day, respectively. The nitrate removal efficiency was 89, 95 and 99%, respectively, for the chemo-, hetero- and mixotrophic reactors. The mixotrophic UASB removed both sulfide and p -cresol almost completely, indicating that simultaneous removal of the inorganic and organic e-donors occurred. Nitrite was seldom observed as an intermediate. N2O gas and methane concentrations in the biogas were also negligible. These results indicate that mixotrophic denitrification with phenols and sulfide is feasible in high rate UASB reactors.
Examining Employee—Service Personality Congruence

Abstract Recent research indicates that service personality, conceptualized as the set of human characteristics associated with the service firm, plays an important role in services marketing. Research further indicates that the congruence between customer personality and service personality influences important outcome variables. Specifically, customer-service personality congruence has been shown to influence service quality perceptions, subjective disconfirmation, and word of mouth intentions. The current study extends this line of research by considering how employee-service personality congruence (ESPC) influences job outcome variables including service delivery, job satisfaction, intentions to leave, and organizational commitment. Empirical data, gathered from a sample of financial services employees, support hypothesized relationships between ESPC and these outcome variables. Furthermore, personality traits from the Five-Factor Model of personality (Costa & McCrae, 1992) are shown to play an import...
Desire at the Encounter: Nathan Widder's Micropolitical Deleuze

Nathan Widder’s Political Theory After Deleuze presents Deleuze’s political work in the context both of Deleuze’s ontology and a broader “ontological turn” in political theory. Contrasting Deleuze with both the “politics of lack” espoused by post-Hegelian and post-psychoanalytical theory, as well as with the “politics of abundance” proffered by pluralists such as William B. Connolly, Widder provides a subtle articulation of the contours and ultimate stakes of Deleuzian micropolitics. The book provides a powerful introduction both to Deleuze’s broader systematic work and to the specifically political dimensions of that perspective.
Autocrats and the Environment or it's Easy Being Green

It is generally assumed that autocrats set low environmental standards. The rationale for this is straightforward. High environmental standards raise the cost of production in society, lowering national income. Because the autocrat expropriates a large fraction of national income, he faces a disincentive to protect the environment. However, this argument misses an important consideration of the autocrat. He may be willing to sacrifice some income in order to extend his rule. High environmental standards represent one tool the autocrat could use to placate his people without providing them with any revolutionary resources. This paper presents a model in which the autocrat explicitly recognizes the endogeneity of his tenure length when he chooses an environmental standard, leading to high environmental standards relative to more democratic regimes. The paper presents empirical evidence in support of this implication.
Transferability and Translation of Programs and Data

To transfer information systems from one computer to another, it is necessary either that the source and target systems have been constructed to meet some strict standardization specifications, or that there is a simulator or equivalent facility to translate these programs and data between systems. Some special language translators are currently available. These translate between a predefined pair of languages on the same hardware system, and/or between languages on different hardware systems. Generalized data translators are currently being developed. These would allow data files to be translated from one hardware system to another. This paper reviews these parallel efforts and discusses the components of the general translation processor necessary to translate an information system from one machine to another. A parallelism is developed between the relationship of higher-level to machine language, and the relationship of information structures to storage structures.
Analysis of the multiple roles of gld-1 in germline development: Interactions with the sex determination cascade and the glp-1 signaling pathway

The Caenorhabditis elegans gene gld-1 is essential for oocyte development; in gld-1 (null) hermaphrodites, a tumor forms where oogenesis would normally occur. We use genetic epistasis analysis to demonstrate that tumor formation is dependent on the sexual fate of the germline. When the germline sex determination pathway is set in the female mode (terminal fem/fog genes inactive), gld-1 (null) germ cells exit meiotic prophase and proliferate to form a tumor, but when the pathway is set in the male mode, they develop into sperm. We conclude that the gld-1 (null) phenotype is cell-type specific and that gld-1(+) acts at the end of the cascade to direct oogenesis. We also use cell ablation and epistasis analysis to examine the dependence of tumor formation on the glp-1 signaling pathway. Although glp-1 activity promotes tumor growth, it is not essential for tumor formation by gld-1 (null) germ cells. These data also reveal that gld-1(+) plays a nonessential (and sex nonspecific) role in regulating germ cell proliferation before their entry into meiosis. Thus gld-1(+) may negatively regulate proliferation at two distinct points in germ cell development: before entry into meiotic prophase in both sexes (nonessential premeiotic gld-1 function) and during meiotic prophase when the sex determination pathway is set in the female mode (essential meiotic gld-1 function).
Location of posterior superior alveolar artery and evaluation of maxillary sinus anatomy with computerized tomography: a clinical study

Objectives: Knowledge and evaluation of the maxillary sinus anatomy before sinus augmentation are essential for avoiding surgical complications. Posterior superior alveolar artery (PSAA) is the branch of maxillary artery that supplies lateral sinus wall and overlying membrane. The aims of this study were to examine the prevalence, diameter, and location of the PSAA and its relationship to the alveolar ridge and to study the prevalence of the sinus pathology and septum using computerized tomography (CT) scans. Materials and methods: One hundred and twenty-one CT scans (242 sinuses) from patients undergoing sinus augmentation procedure and/or implant therapy were included. Lower border of the artery to the alveolar crest, bone height below the sinus floor to the ridge crest, distance of the artery to the medial sinus wall, diameter of the artery, and position of the artery were measured; presence of septa and pathology were recorded from CT sections. Results: Prevalence of sinus septa and sinus pathology was 16.1% and 24.8%, respectively. Artery was seen in 64.5% of all sinuses and was mostly intraosseous (68.2%). Mean diameter of PSAA was found 1.3 ± 0.5 mm. No significant correlation between the diameter of the artery and age was observed. Conclusions: The results from this study suggested that CT scan is a valuable tool in evaluating presence of sinus pathology, septa, and arteries before maxillary sinus surgery. Although variations exist in every patient, the findings from this study suggest limiting the superior border of the lateral window up to 18 mm from the ridge to avoid any potential vascular damage. To cite this article: Guncu GN, Yildirim YD, Wang H-L, Tozum TF. Location of posterior superior alveolar artery and evaluation of maxillary sinus anatomy with computerized tomography: a clinical study. Clin. Oral Impl. Res. 22, 2011; 1164–1167. doi: 10.1111/j.1600-0501.2010.02071.x
Resolving capacitor discrepancies between large and small signal FET models

A novel solution is presented for the well known capacitor discrepancy problem between large and small signal FET models. The discrepancy arises due to the two-parameter bias voltage dependence of the intrinsic FET model capacitances. The resolution is enabled by the proper choice of partial-integration constants associated with the transformation of a charge source in the large signal model to a capacitor in the small signal model. >
Copper interconnect electromigration behaviors in various structures and lifetime improvement by cap/dielectric interface treatment

Abstract Copper interconnect electromigration performance was examined in various structures and three low-k materials (k = 2.65–3.6) using advanced BEOL technology. Strong current dependence effect on electromigration lifetime in three levels via terminated metal lines structure was shown. Moreover, different process approach will lead to different EM behavior and related failure mode. Multi-modality electromigration behavior of Cu dual damascene interconnects were studied. Both Superposition and Weak-Link models were used for statistical determination of lifetimes of each failure models (Statistical method). Results were correlated to the lifetimes of respective failure models physically identified according to resistance time evolution behaviors (Physical method). Good agreement was achieved. Various testing structures are designed to identify the EM failure modes. Extensive failure analysis was carried out to understand the failure phenomena of various test structures. The activation energies of failure modes were calculated. The weak links of interconnect system were also identified. A significant improvement of electromigration (EM) lifetime is achieved by modification of the pre-clean step before cap-layer deposition and by changing Cu cap/dielectric materials. A possible mechanism for EM lifetime enhancement was proposed. Cu-silicide formation before cap-layer deposition and adhesion of Cu/cap interface were found to be critical factors in controlling Cu electromigration reliability. The adhesion of the Cu/cap interface can be directly correlated to electromigration MTF and activation energy. Results of present study suggest that interface of Cu interconnects is the key factor for EM performance for advanced BEOL technology design rules.