cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nonperturbative quantum chromodynamics

Abstract A powerful stochastic method for the numerical evaluation of path integrals in quantum mechanics and quantum field theory is reviewed. Known as the Monte Carlo method it is directly applicable to the detailed numerical study of Quantum Chromodynamics with lattice regularization. Important results on non-perturbative quantities, like the confining force between a heavy quark-antiquark pair, the critical temperature of thermal quark liberation and the mass gap are reviewed first within the pure gauge sector of the theory in the absence of quark vacuum polarization effects. The numerical calculation of the hadron spectrum in this approximation is discussed. The stochastic treatment of quark vacuum polarization effects is also reviewed.
Phase boundary of the two-dimensional Ising model with ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic interactions in a magnetic field

The interface method is used to derive the order-disorder critical temperature of the two-dimensional Ising model on a rectangular lattice with ferromagnetic interactions in the x direction and antiferromagnetic interactions in the y direction. Employing this approximation in two different ways gives different critical temperatures ${T}_{c}$ for nonzero uniform magnetic fields H. However, both of the phase boundaries ${T}_{c}$(H) reduce to the exact results available at H=0 and T=0. .AE
A comparison between the activation of benzo[a]pyrene in organ cultures and microsomes from the tracheal epithelium of rats and hamsters.

Epidermoid cancers of tracheal origin produced in Syrian golden hamsters and Fischer strain 344 rats are models for human bronchogenic carcinomas. These two species differ, however, in the sensitivity of their tracheal epithelia to tumor induction elicited by intratracheal benzo[a]pyrene (BP)-ferric oxide administration. The tracheas of hamsters are quite sensitive to the carcinogenic effects of BP-ferric oxide, but rat tracheas are apparently resistant to effects of comparable treatments by this route of administration. Rat tracheas are not completely resistant to polynuclear hydrocarbon carcinogenesis because in the heterotopic tracheal graft model, epidermoid carcinomas have been produced frequently. To determine whether differences in BP metabolism could explain this difference between species, quantitative kinetic and chromatographic studies of benzo[a]pyrene monoxygenase activity were carried out in epithelial microsomes and cells from organ cultures of rat and hamster tracheas. The Vmax was 2-fold greater in hamster tracheal cells than in rat tracheal cells whereas the Km values were identical. H.p.l.c. profiles from microsomes of rat and hamster tracheal epithelial cells incubated with BP exhibited extreme differences. Hamster tracheal microsomes produced large proportions of BP-quinones, BP-phenols, and BP-diols but rat tracheal microsomes produced mostly 3-OH BP. The total metabolic rate for BP in rat tracheal organ cultures was half that in cultures of hamster tracheas. The metabolites isolated in organ cultures of hamster and rat tracheas well reflected secondary reactions of conjugation and recycling. When evaluated with respect to the amount of tissue used, the most striking difference between rat and hamster tracheal organ cultures was in the amount of products which co-chromatographed with bay-region BP-tetrols. The amount of BP-tetrols produced by hamster tracheas was 0.22 pmol/mg tissue/24 h, and by rat, 0.012 pmol/mg tissue/24 h. The level of BP-DNA binding (in pmol/microgram DNA/24 h) catalyzed by hamster tracheal cells was 26.6 +/- 11.4, and by rat tracheas was 1.55 +/- 1.29. These interspecies differences associated with the formation of BP-diol epoxide, a presumed ultimate carcinogenic form of BP, are consistent with the differences between these two rodent species in susceptibility to carcinogenesis in this tissue.
The amino terminus of GLUT4 functions as an internalization motif but not an intracellular retention signal when substituted for the transferrin receptor cytoplasmic domain

Previous studies have demonstrated that the amino-terminal cytoplasmic domain of GLUT4 contains a phenylalanine-based targeting motif that determines its steady state distribution between the surface and the interior of cells (Piper, R. C., C. Tai, P. Kuleza, S. Pang, D. Warnock, J. Baenziger, J. W. Slot, H. J. Geuze, C. Puri, and D. E. James. 1993. J. Cell Biol. 121:1221). To directly measure the effect that the GLUT4 amino terminus has on internalization and subsequent recycling back to the cell surface, we constructed chimeras in which this sequence was substituted for the amino-terminal cytoplasmic domain of the human transferrin receptor. The chimeras were stably transfected into Chinese hamster ovary cells and their endocytic behavior characterized. The GLUT4-transferrin receptor chimera was recycled back to the cell surface with a rate similar to the transferrin receptor, indicating that the GLUT4 sequence was not promoting intracellular retention of the chimera. The GLUT4-transferrin receptor chimera was internalized at half the rate of the transferrin receptor. Substitution of an alanine for phenylalanine at position 5 slowed internalization of the chimera by twofold, to a level characteristic of bulk membrane internalization. However, substitution of a tyrosine increased the rate of internalization to the level of the transferrin receptor. Neither of these substitutions significantly altered the rate at which the chimeras were recycled back to the cell surface. These results demonstrate that the major function of the GLUT4 amino-terminal domain is to promote the effective internalization of the protein from the cell surface, via a functional phenylalanine-based internalization motif, rather than retention of the transporter within intracellular structures.
Reduced-state sequence estimation of digital sequence in the presence of intersymbol interference using state partitioning

A reduced-state sequence estimator for linear dispersive channels is described. The technique is based on partitioning the set of all possible channel states in a way that defines a trellis with fewer states resulting in reduced complexity. The new technique results in a generalization of trellises that were previously obtained in Duel-Hallen and Heegard (IEEE Trans. on Communications, vol. COM 37, p.428-36). The Viterbi algorithm (VA) is used to search for the best path through the reduced state trellis. >
Sjögren's syndrome with trigeminal neuropathy: motor involvement

A 64-year-old man with xerostomia and xerophthalmia presented with numbness over the right chin and cheek, progressing over 18 months. He chewed food exclusively on the left side, as he would bite his tongue chewing on the right. On examination, there was multimodality trigeminal sensory loss in the right maxillary (V2) and mandibular (V3) distributions, with weakness and wasting of the right masseter and temporalis muscles (figure 1A). Forehead sensation (V1) and corneal reflex were normal. MR scan of head showed atrophy of all the right-sided muscles of mastication (figure 2); there was abnormal gadolinium enhancement of the right trigeminal nerve, including its maxillary (figure 3A) and mandibular divisions (figure 4). While some enhancement of V2 and V3 is normal, the degree and asymmetry of enhancement was obviously abnormal (figures 3 and 4). The increased enhancement was limited to the nerves themselves, with no appreciable abnormal dural-based enhancement. The serum …
"Tryin to make a dolla outa fifteen cent": Teaching composition with the Internet at an HBCU

Drawing upon nearly a decade of experience, I describe the challenges and advantages of teaching composition with the Internet at Howard University; I also explore the implications for other historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs). First, I discuss the digital divide that has made it so difficult for many HBCU faculty members and students to access the Internet for composition courses. Next, I describe how students and I succeeded in harnessing the Internet not only to practice high-level writing skills but to “do cultural work”: to establish online “safe houses” for African American English, to collaborate with White North Americans and Black South Africans, and to publish Afrocentric material on the Web. In closing, I identify the pedagogical strategies that turned the Internet into a productive tool for the students in my writing courses.
Comparison of forest parameter estimation techniques using SAR data

It is important to monitor forests in order to understand the impacts of global climate changes on terrestrial ecosystems. To characterize forest changes, it is useful to parameterize a forest using several parameters, such as biomass, basal area, tree density, tree height, and trunk diameter. These parameters are not independent and some of them are related by allometric equations. Remote sensing data can be used for estimating some forest parameters and others may be retrieved using allometric equations. Many researchers reported algorithms to estimate forest parameters using polarimetric SAR data. However, these algorithms cannot be applied to all types of forests without additional information on the forest type and environmental conditions since radar measurements depend on the tree structure, incidence angle, and environmental conditions. The backscattering cross section also saturates as forest parameters, such as biomass and the tree height, increase. Forest parameters also have been estimated using SAR interferometry. Specifically, the interferometric correlation coefficient has been used to estimate the angular range of volume scattering. In this paper, we compare and contrast polarimetric and interferometric approaches to understand their advantages and limitations using NASA/JPL AIRSAR data.
Solution of the generalized Townsend single machine scheduling model

Abstract The paper deals with the generalized version of Townsend's n-job single machine scheduling model. It shows that the model is highly decomposable for n = 20, 50 and 100 when all its parameters are drawn from the same uniform distribution. It identifies a less decomposable version and provides an improved branching method to solve it. This method is tested on problems of size n = 20 and 50 on a PC and n = 100 on a mainframe computer.
Temporary stability of steep, noncemented and lightly cemented soil slopes

Many steep soil slopes are apparently stable beyond what is indicated by slope stability analysis. The mechanism of slope stability in dilating soils is explained in detail, and the development of shear strength in such soils is demonstrated by drained and undrained tests on dense sand. It is argued that appropriate shear strength parameters for analysis of slope stability in dilating materials describe the residual strength. It is explained how reliance on peak shear strength parameters is unsafe, because the component of shear strength created by the additional effective confining pressure caused by development of suction due to inhibited dilation can be exhausted by either access to water or by drying the soil. The fleeting phenomenon of apparent additional shear strength causes super-stability of the slope. Exhaustion of the soil’s capacity to dilate results in reduction of shear strength and instability of the steep slope. It is difficult to predict the time when the soil’s capacity to dilate is exha...
Cation Transport in Escherichia coli : VII. Potassium requirement for phosphate uptake

When Escherichia coli K-12 is grown in media containing limiting amounts of K, growth continues normally until all the extracellular K has been consumed. Thereafter the rates of growth, glucose consumption, and oxygen consumption decrease progressively, and the cell contents of K and P fall. These changes, referred to as K limitation, are all reversed by the addition of K. By specifically altering the ionic composition of the cells it was shown that these metabolic disturbances are not due to changes in the cell content of K or Na, but are directly related to the absence of K from the extracellular medium. The cell pool of inorganic P and the uptake of PO4 from the medium are low in K-limited cells and are immediately stimulated by the addition of K, suggesting that the primary effect of K limitation is to inhibit PO4 uptake. All the metabolic effects of K limitation can be attributed to inhibition of PO4 uptake. The requirement of extracellular K for PO4 uptake may be due to a coupling between the uptake of K and PO4.
Ultramafic and mafic protoclastic intrusions in the Dahomeyan gneiss of Ghana

Mineralogy and textures, subalkaline comagmatic series from mafic parent magma, partial recrystallization, contact metamorphism; Precambrian
A randomized energy-conservation protocol for resilient sensor networks

In this paper we present PEAS, a randomized energy-conservation protocol that seeks to build resilient sensor networks in the presence of frequent, unexpected node failures. PEAS extends the network lifetime by maintaining a necessary set of working nodes and turning off redundant ones, which wake up after randomized sleeping times and replace failed ones when needed. The fully localized operations of PEAS are based on each individual node's observation of its local environment but do not require per neighbor state at any node; this allows PEAS to scale to very dense node deployment. PEAS is highly robust against node failures due to its simple operations and randomized design; it also ensures asymptotic connectivity. Our simulations and analysis show that PEAS can maintain an adequate working node density in presence of as high as 38% node failures, and a roughly constant overhead of less than 1% of the total energy consumption under various deployment densities. It extends a sensor network's functioning time in linear proportional to the deployed sensor population.
Synchronous Transfer of Beam from the NAL Fast Cycling Booster Synchrotron to the NAL Main Ring System

Beam from successive cycles of the 15-Hz booster synchrotron is stacked end to end in the main synchrotron with constant magnetic field. Beam already injected into the main ring is held in stationary rf buckets, and the rest field is determined by the circulating beam. To capture beam from subsequent booster cycles into the empty buckets in the main ring, the phase and frequency of the rf beam bunches in the booster are locked to the main ring rf system before beam is transferred. The magnetic fields in the booster and the main ring are regulated separately and tuned for the correct orbit radii and particle momentum. The azimuth of the beam circulating in the main ring is monitored by counting main ring rf cycles, and the beam transfer system is timed to inject beam from successive booster cycles in the correct sequence around the main-ring circumference.
Analysis of System-Level Reliability Factors and Implications on Real-Time Monitoring Methods for Oxide Breakdown Device Failures

Continued technology scaling exacerbates the incidence of degradation and failure in integrated circuits due to mechanisms such as oxide breakdown, negative bias temperature instability and electromigration. This work analyzes the impact of different factors on lifetime distributions for the oxide breakdown effect using a novel monte carlo approach based upon the percolation model and BSIM4. Results of the analysis of oxide failure distributions are used to explore real-time lifetime projection and the use of in-situ monitoring circuits. Under an ideal sensor assumption, the work shows that 500-1000 sensors would be needed to provide lifetime projections with error under 8-10%.
Insect Cryptochromes: Gene Duplication and Loss Define Diverse Ways to Construct Insect Circadian Clocks

Cryptochrome (CRY) proteins are components of the central circadian clockwork of metazoans. Phylogenetic analyses show at least 2 rounds of gene duplication at the base of the metazoan radiation, as well as several losses, gave rise to 2 cryptochrome (cry) gene families in insects, a Drosophila-like cry1 gene family and a vertebrate-like cry2 family. Previous studies have shown that insect CRY1 is photosensitive, whereas photo-insensitive CRY2 functions to potently inhibit clock-relevant CLOCK:CYCLE-mediated transcription. Here, we extended the transcriptional repressive function of insect CRY2 to 2 orders--Hymenoptera (the honeybee Apis mellifera and the bumblebee Bombus impatiens) and Coleoptera (the red flour beetle Tribolium castaneum). Importantly, the bee and beetle CRY2 proteins are not light sensitive in culture, in either degradation of protein levels or inhibitory transcriptional response, suggesting novel light input pathways into their circadian clocks as Apis and Tribolium do not have CRY1. By mapping the functional data onto a cryptochrome/6-4 photolyase gene tree, we find that the transcriptional repressive function of insect CRY2 descended from a light-sensitive photolyase-like ancestral gene, probably lacking the ability to repress CLOCK:CYCLE-mediated transcription. These data provide an evolutionary context for proposing novel circadian clock mechanisms in insects.
MEMS in laminates

Post-semiconductor manufacturing processes (PSM), including packaging and printed circuit board (PCB) technologies, can be used to manufacture micro-electromechanical systems (MEMS) for sensing and actuation applications. MEMS devices have traditionally been produced using silicon processes, but recent advancements in packaging manufacturing technology have produced processes that can produce feature sizes small enough to be used for building microsystems. A lamination-based manufacturing process allows for a broader selection of materials and fabrication processes than silicon-based manufacturing, and therefore provides greater design freedom for producing functional microdevices. In many cases devices can be fabricated that are more suited to their applications than their silicon counterparts. Furthermore, such microdevices can be built with a high degree of integration, pre-packaged, and at low cost. Indeed, the PCB and packaging industries stand to benefit greatly by expanding their offerings beyond servicing the semiconductor industry and developing their own devices and products. This paper illustrates that good quality MEMS devices can be manufactured in laminates and discusses some of the unique benefits of such devices.
Models and modeling infrastructures for global computational platforms

The focus of this effort is on modeling and scheduling methodologies that will enable global computing, thus extending computational grids and high-performance distributed computing to a global level. In this vein, we present a methodology for automatically fitting parametric models to machine availability data. Specifically, these new modeling technologies will support resource characterization and scheduling techniques thereby enabling robust, predictable performance.
Impact Assessment of Growing Asian Megacity Emissions

Urban air pollution in Asia has worsened in the developing countries, a situation driven by population growth, industrialization, and increased vehicle use. With an estimated 3 billion (~55%) urban residents in Asia in 2025 in 10% for CO and NOx at ground level were predicted. Given the growing importance of urban air quality management, we have applied a conceptual integrated assessment modeling system to conduct cost-health benefit analysis for various pollution control options in the city of Shanghai, China. IAMS was applied for PM10 ground level concentrations with sulfate concentrations as a surrogate for secondary particulates. In future, we would like to conduct integrated assessment including other secondary components like nitrates, and secondary organic aerosols. Further advancements in modeling activities like nested grid analysis, will help better understand and manage the urban air quality whose influence on regional and global air quality is growing more than ever.
HALOACETYL GROUPS AS REVERSIBLE PROTECTION OF THE AMINO FUNCTION: CLEAVAGE WITH 2‐AMINOTHIOPHENOL

Haloacetylamino acids and haloacetyl peptides react rapidly with 2-aminothiophenol in weakly alkaline media to yield 2-aminothiophenoxyacetyl derivatives. These intermediates are subject to acidolysis under mild conditions with release of free amino acids or peptides. With this mild method for removal of the haloacetyl group N-haloacetoxysuccinimide derivatives, which rapidly and specifically acylate amino groups of polypeptides in aqueous solutions, become promising reagents for the reversible protection of amino groups. The chloro-acetylation of amino groups in lima bean trypsin inhibitor and the quantitative removal of the chloroacetyl groups demonstrate the applicability of the method for polypeptides. The haloacetyl group also serves an analytical function in that treatment of a completely or partially haloacetylated polypeptide with cysteine forms one carboxymethylcysteine residue per haloacetyl group in the polypeptide derivative. Carboxymethylcysteine is readily measured by amino acid analysis of acid hydrolysates. Approaches to further improvement of conditions for removal of haloacetyl groups are discussed and potential applications of the general chemistry of 2-haloacids to modern polypeptide chemistry are outlined.
Alternative Pair-wise Key Exchange Protocols for Robust Security Networks (IEEE 802.11i) in Wireless LANs

The security flaws of the current the IEEE 802.11 standard are well known and have widely been publicized. To provide improvements in security and enhance the current 802.11 MAC, the IEEE 802.11i task group has proposed a new security architecture called Robust Security Network (RSN). The proposed improvements in the new architecture focus on two areas; the IEEE 802.1X standard for access control and encryption using Advanced Encryption Standard (AES). RSN uses a pairwise key exchange protocol utilizing 802.1X for mutual authentication. In this paper, we present two alternative pair-wise key exchange protocols to provide mutual authentication in Robust Security Networks. We utilize the same message structures used in RSN and reduce the number of handshake messages. These alternative protocols improve the timing requirements for mobility in WLANs, reduce channel contention, and decrease computational load on all users in WLANs. We also discuss the advantages and disadvantages of our proposed protocols in terms of complexity and vulnerabilities.
Surgical resection of high-risk hepatocellular carcinoma: patient selection, preoperative considerations, and operative technique.

Hepatocellular carcinoma remains a leading cause of cancer death worldwide. There are an increasing number of patients that do not meet traditional criteria for surgical resection as a result of historically poor outcomes. We define these oncologically high-risk patients as those with either one of these risk factors or a combination of them: large (>5 cm) primary tumors, multinodular disease, and/or major vascular invasion. With appropriate selection and preparation, long-term survival is possible in this subset of patients after resection. This review focuses on the surgical treatment of these high-risk patients, focusing on our own institution’s approach and methods as well as reviewing the literature pertinent to the support of our current practice.
Experiential Learning: Making it Stick

This paper presents three ideas for applying the philosophy of experiential education using three experiential learning projects suitable for a first or only course in general economics. It also reports students’ experiences as outlined in their papers and in evaluative surveys they completed. The papers and surveys demonstrate that these assignments accomplished many of the goals of more costly experiential education projects at a much lower cost to the students and the professor. Students gained confidence discussing economic issues, applied course concepts, used critical thinking skills, gained cultural awareness, investigated decision-making and consequences, gained personal satisfaction, and probed their own and others’ values and beliefs.
Historical Overview of Chinese Language Education for Speakers of Other Languages in China and the United States

This chapter seeks to trace the historical development of Chinese language education for speakers of other languages in China and the United States. The authors compare and contrast the development of Chinese as a foreign language education (CFL) in the two countries and identify several critical understandings. Most significantly, political, social, cultural, and economic forces have been important factors behind the ups and downs of CFL education, and they have constantly interacted to shape the direction of CFL development in both countries. Religion is also found to have played a very critical and complicated role in the history of CFL education in both countries. This chapter supports the ecological perspective on language education and extends Cooper’s (Language planning and social change. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press, 1989) language policy and planning framework to include forces at both top and grassroots levels.
Twist1 contributes to cranial bone initiation and dermal condensation by maintaining Wnt signaling responsiveness

Background: Specification of cranial bone and dermal fibroblast progenitors in the supraorbital arch mesenchyme is Wnt/β-catenin signaling-dependent. The mechanism underlying how these cells interpret instructive signaling cues and differentiate into these two lineages is unclear. Twist1 is a target of the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway and is expressed in cranial bone and dermal lineages. Results: Here, we show that onset of Twist1 expression in the mouse cranial mesenchyme is dependent on ectodermal Wnts and mesenchymal β-catenin activity. Conditional deletion of Twist1 in the supraorbital arch mesenchyme leads to cranial bone agenesis and hypoplastic dermis, as well as craniofacial malformation of eyes and palate. Twist1 is preferentially required for cranial bone lineage commitment by maintaining Wnt responsiveness. In the conditional absence of Twist1, the cranial dermis fails to condense and expand apically leading to extensive cranial dermal hypoplasia with few and undifferentiated hair follicles. Conclusions: Thus, Twist1, a target of canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling, also functions to maintain Wnt responsiveness and is a key effector for cranial bone fate selection and dermal condensation. Developmental Dynamics, 2015. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Conformational Mobility and Pendent Base Effects on Electrochemistry of Synthetic Analogues of the [FeFe]-Hydrogenase Active Site

Dynamic NMR (13C and 1H) studies of (μ-SCH2XCH2S)[Fe(CO)3]2 complexes (X = CR2, NR) were utilized to examine the fluxional processes that are important in the [FeFe]-hydrogenase active site models, where an open site for proton/hydrogen binding, achieved by configurational mobility of the Fe(CO)3 unit, is required for electrocatalysis of proton reduction. In order to interrogate the effects of fluxional mobility on electrochemical response to added acid, energy barriers for the CO site exchange in Fe(CO)3 rotors were determined for nitrogen- and carbon-based bridgehead complexes. The effect of the methyl substituent in both the NH/NCH3 and CH2/C(CH3)2 cases is to lower the Fe(CO)3 rotational activation barrier relative to the NH or CH2 analogues. Although the C(CH3)2 case has the lowest Fe(CO)3 rotational barrier, its performance as a proton reduction electrocatalyst is 2-fold less than that for the X = NR species, indicating the proton-directing effect of the pendent base on catalytic efficiency.
Logical Form and Ethical Content

Hegel's empty formalism charge is taken, virtually without exception, as a serious objection to Kant's categorical imperative and a powerful refutation of his formalist ethics. The dominant interpretation is represented by Bradley, Paton, Mill, Korsgaard, Guyer, Wood, Schneewind, Sedgwick, more recently, Freyenhagen, and others. So far, the dominant interpretation has remained powerfully influential and virtually unchallenged. However, the dominant interpretation tends to take Hegel's empty formalism in isolation from other texts in the corpus, his holistic system, and dialectical method in general. What makes this non-contextualised approach problematic is that it ignores his remarks on formalism in other texts where his use of dialectical and sceptical method is more in evidence. Hegel's emptiness remarks span his entire career, from their appearance in Jena right up to the end of his career in Berlin. In Jena, his views on formal thinking in a logical sense developed alongside his views on formalism in ethics. Prima facie, the arguments bring together two subject matters that seem to have nothing to do with one another. This may explain why no one has given an interpretation that brings the two domains together. But it is worth noting that Kant himself brings logical considerations to bear on his conception of the moral principle. His distinction between the form of a moral principle and its empirical content recalls his characterisation of logical laws in the first Critique (B77-B78/A53-A54).
The Need for Speed in Matrix-Assisted Laser Desorption/Ionization Imaging Mass Spectrometry

Imaging mass spectrometry (IMS) has emerged as a powerful analytical tool enabling the direct molecular mapping of many types of tissue. Specifically, matrix-assisted laser desorption/ ionization (MALDI) represents one of the most broadly applicable IMS technologies. In recent years, advances in solid state laser technology, mass spectrometry instrumentation, computer technology, and experimental methodology have produced IMS systems capable of unprecedented data acquisition speeds (>50 pixels/second). In applications of this technology, throughput is an important consideration when designing an IMS experiment. As IMS becomes more widely adopted, continual improvements in experimental setups will be important to address biologically and clinically relevant time scales.
Lessons China Could Learn from Pharmaceutical Price Regulation in UK,German and Japan

This paper compares drug price regulations in major countries in the aim to provide references for China,and suggests that China’s drug price administration level shall be improved by implementing more effective price regulation measures,combining government pricing with market pricing,and practising drug price classification.
Laparoscopic ultrasonography. Has it extended the horizon

Laparoscopic ultrasonography complements conventional radiologic evaluation of the biliary system at cholecystectomy. Addition of laparoscopic ultrasonography for staging patients with hepatic and pancreatic cancer improves accuracy and minimizes futile laparotomy. Dedicated laparoscopic ultrasound-guided biopsy devices facilitate tissue sampling. Ultrasonography will play an increasingly important role in laparoscopic diagnosis and treatment.
Evaluating Access to Eye Care in the Contiguous United States by Calculated Driving Time in the United States Medicare Population

Purpose To quantify the proximity to eye care in the contiguous United States by calculating driving routes and driving time using a census-based approach. Design Cross-sectional study based on United States (US) census data, Medicare payment data, and OpenStreetMap. Participants 2010 US census survey respondents older than 65 years. Methods For each state in the United States, the addresses of all practicing ophthalmologists and optometrists were obtained from the 2012 Medicare Provider Utilization and Payment Data from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The US census data from 2010 then were used to calculate the geolocation of the US population at the block group level and the number of people older than 65 years in each location. Geometries and driving speed limits of every road, street, and highway in the United States from the OpenStreetMap project were used to calculate the exact driving distance and driving time to the nearest eye care provider. Main Outcome Measures Driving time and driving distance to the nearest optometrist and ophthalmologist per state. Results Driving times for 3.79×10 7 persons were calculated using a total of 3.88×10 7 available roads for the 25 508 optometrists and 17 071 ophthalmologists registered with the CMS. Nationally, the median driving times to the nearest optometrist and ophthalmologist were 2.91 and 4.52 minutes, respectively. Ninety percent of the population lives within a 13.66- and 25.21-minute drive, respectively, to the nearest optometrist and ophthalmologist. Conclusions While there are regional variations, overall more than 90% of the US Medicare beneficiary population lives within a 30-minute drive of an ophthalmologist and within 15 minutes of an optometrist.
The (in)stability of 21st century orthopedic patient contact information and its implications on clinical research: A cross-sectional study.

Background:In clinical research, minimizing patients lost to follow-up is essential for data validity. Researchers can employ better methodology to prevent patient loss. We examined how orthopedic surgery patients’ contact information changes over time to optimize data collection for long-term outcomes research.Methods:Patients presenting to orthopedic outpatient clinics completed questionnaires regarding methods of contact: home phone, cell phone, mailing address, and e-mail address. They reported currently available methods of contact, if they changed in the past 5 and 10 years, and when they changed. Differences in the rates of change among methods were assessed via Fisher’s exact tests. Whether participants changed any of their contact information in the past 5 and 10 years was determined via multivariate modeling, controlling for demographic variables.Results:Among 152 patients, 51% changed at least one form of contact information within 5 years, and 66% changed at least one form within 10 years. The...
Etho-Eco-Morphological Mismatches, an Overlooked Phenomenon in Ecology, Evolution and Evo-Devo That Supports ONCE (Organic Nonoptimal Constrained Evolution) and the Key Evolutionary Role of Organismal Behavior

Since ecomorphologists have started to use explicit and taxonomically-broad frameworks in studies on the relationships between form, behavior, ecology and phylogeny they have consistently reported - often against their expectations - 1) that phylogeny is a better predictor of anatomy than ecology is, and 2) many cases of etho-eco-morphological mismatches. It is puzzling that such mismatches occur frequently in an evolutionary process that often leads to macroevolutionary trends and in which organisms are said to be optimally/almost optimally 'designed' for the habitats they inhabit. Organic Nonoptimal Constrained Evolution (ONCE), a new perspective on biological evolution that is proposed here, addresses this apparent paradox, based on an extensive compilation of empirical data and broader evolutionary ideas, from Aristotle to current Evo-Devo. According to ONCE, by taking behavioral choices, and subsequently due to their behavioral persistence related to behavioral/ecological inheritance, organisms as diverse as bacteria, plants and animals help to construct their own niches and are thus the central, active players in their evolutionary history. The highly constrained character of organic evolution, including developmental constraints as well as the crucial role played by behavioral persistence, can dramatically limit the occurrence of new behavioral shifts and thus the responses to external (e.g., environmental) changes, often resulting in etho-eco-morphological mismatches and eventually in evolutionary dead-ends that may lead to extinction.
High-Dose Interleukin-2: Evaluation of a Standardized Order Set for Biotherapy in an Intensive Care Unit .

BACKGROUND Life-threatening toxicity may result from administration of high-dose (HD) interleukin-2 (IL-2). Patients receiving HD IL-2 treatment often experience severe adverse side effects, which result in the interruption of treatment. . OBJECTIVES A standardized order set (SOS) was developed for patients with melanoma or renal cell carcinoma receiving HD IL-2. The aims of the study were to determine compliance of clinicians to the SOS, report the completed doses and major side effects of HD IL-2, and document the satisfaction level of clinicians. . METHODS A retrospective chart review of 40 health records of patients with melanoma or renal cell carcinoma who were treated with HD IL-2 was conducted to determine compliance to the SOS. Staff satisfaction with the SOS was surveyed. . FINDINGS The SOS was successfully implemented with a provider compliance rate of 90%. Cardiovascular side effects were the most common. Clinicians found the SOS very satisfactory or superior in guiding care and treatment of side effects.
Evaluation of the Incidence of Ibuprofen Administration in Alcohol and Opioid Detoxification Patients With Concomitant Thrombocytopenia

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine the incidence of ibuprofen administration in patients who are undergoing alcohol and opioid detoxification, and have concomitant alcohol-related ...
Quantification and classification of human sperm morphology by computer-assisted image analysis

A quantitative, semi-automated method for classifying human sperm based on objective measurements of head shapes and sizes has been developed. Air-dried smears of semen from eight healthy men were stained with the Feulgen reaction and 283 sperm were selected as prototypic examples of the 10 morphology classes used in our classification system. Sperm heads were imaged through a microscope (NA = 1.3), sampled at 0.125-micron intervals, and measured on an image analysis system. Measurements included stain content, length, width, perimeter, area, and arithmetically derived combinations. Additionally, each sperm image was optically sectioned at right angles to its major axis to give a measure of lengthwise heterogeneity of shape. Linear stepwise discriminant analysis was used to identify the more powerful parameters and to create a model employing eight parameters. The jackknifed classification procedure distinguished normal from abnormal sperm with 95% accuracy and correctly assigned 86% of the sperm to one of 10 shape classes. Most of the misclassification errors occurred among closely related classes. The results demonstrate the ability of automated image analysis to classify individual sperm into clinically familiar shape categories.
Moods: Their Personal Dynamics and Significance

Wessman presents a summary of the literature on moods and discusses in detail much of the work that he and his colleagues have been doing in this area for more than a decade. Wessman draws no sharp distinctions between the qualitative characteristics of mood and emotion. In some respects, mood can be considered an emotion of extended duration. Perhaps because of this temporal characteristic, people are often less aware of the causes of mood than they are of a more specific, intense, and temporally restricted emotion experience. Wessman talks about separate and distinct emotions and moods and sees these phenomena as important motivational conditions.
Corrosion Creep and Stress Rupture

Corrosive attack by, say, the oxidizing combustion environment in a power turbine or in a coal gasification unit, coupled with high temperature, can allow an otherwise low stress to result in premature failures of structures. Generally speaking, high-temperature- plastic deformation can be designed against through enhancing creep resistance, prolonging stress rupture life, and increasing the material’s stress rupture ductility. Unfortunately, even without the complication of environmental effects, the current state of knowledge of creep and stress rupture is at best qualitative. 1–7 Further, the known effects of environments on creep and stress rupture have yet to be reviewed, assessed, and compacted.
Learning About Difference in the Classroom and Students’ Views of the Campus Climate for Diversity

In this chapter, the authors use the 2014 wave of the Student Experience in the Research University (SERU) survey to examine whether in-class diversity experiences and learning about difference and social issues are associated with students’ perceptions of the climate for diversity at research universities. The results of the study suggest a positive association between classroom diversity experiences and learning about difference and social issues and students’ views of the campus climate, suggesting an opportunity for university faculty and leaders to consider ways that in-class diversity experiences might be more intentionally integrated into classrooms and courses across the college curriculum.
Summary and Review of Investigations Relating To Reading, July 1, 1968 to June 30, 1969

As In Recent years, the current Summary and Review is somewhat selective and it is limited to reports of investigations that have been published in journals. The investigations are grouped by area:...
Effects of Graded Levels of Bentonite on Serum Clinical Profiles, Metabolic Hormones, and Serum Swainsonine Concentrations in Lambs Fed Locoweed (Oxytropis sericea)'

samples were collected 1, 2, 4, and 8 h after feeding. Weekly blood samples were analyzed for serum clinical chemistry profiles, and additional blood samples collected on d 35 were analyzed for serum metabolic hormones and serum swainsonine concentrations. Within 1 wk, serum alkaline phosphatase and glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase activities increased markedly (P < .05) in lambs fed locoweed. Serum insulin, growth hormone, and prolactin concentrations were not affected by feeding locoweed, but serum triiodothyronine and thyroxine concentrations were decreased by approximately 50% (P < .05) in lambs fed locoweed. Serum swainsonine concentrations were not detected in lambs fed the positive control diet and ranged from 144 to 235 ng/mL in lambs fed locoweed. Overall, serum profiles, metabolic hormone concentrations, and serum swainsonine concentrations indicated that the bentonite (up to 42 g daily) was ineffective in alleviating locoweed toxicosis.
Benchmarking Heat Index as an occupational exposure limit for heat stress

AbstractWhile wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT) is the long-accepted index to represent the environmental contributions to heat stress, Heat Index (HI) is a commonly reported index and is used for ...
The Association between Travel Time and Prenatal Care Attendance.

OBJECTIVE This study aimed to evaluate the association between a patient's travel time to clinic and her prenatal care attendance. STUDY DESIGN We conducted a retrospective cohort study of women (≥18 years) who received prenatal care and delivered at North Carolina Women's Hospital between July 1, 2014, and June 30, 2016 (n = 2,808 women, 24,021 appointments). We queried demographic data from the electronic medical record and calculated travel time with ArcGIS. Multinomial logistic regression models estimated the association between travel time and attendance, adjusted for sociodemographic covariates. RESULTS For every 10 minutes of additional travel time, women were 1.05 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.02-1.08, p < 0.001) times as likely to arrive late and 1.03 (95% CI: 1.01-1.04, p < 0.001) times as likely to cancel appointments than arrive on time. Travel time did not significantly affect a patient's likelihood of not showing for appointments. Non-Hispanic black patients were 71% more likely to arrive late and 51% more likely to not show for appointments than non-Hispanic white patients (p < 0.05). Publicly insured women were 28% more likely to arrive late to appointments and 82% more likely to not show for appointments than privately insured women (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION Changes to transportation availability alone may only modestly affect outcomes compared with strategically improving access for sociodemographically marginalized women.
IMRT Reduces Acute Toxicity in Patients Treated With Preoperative Chemoradiation for Gastric Cancer

Abstract Purpose Preoperative chemoradiation is being currently evaluated in 2 randomized international trials. However, chemoradiation for gastric cancer can be associated with relatively high rates of acute toxicity. We compared rates of toxicity, toxicity-related events, and oncologic outcomes in patients treated with intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) and those treated with 3-dimensional conformal radiation therapy (3DCRT). Methods and Materials We retrospectively reviewed records of 202 patients with consecutive gastric cancer treated with preoperative intent radiation therapy at our institution from 1998 to 2018. Patients with gastroesophageal junction involvement and those with metastatic disease were excluded. Eighty-two patients received 3DCRT, and 120 patients received IMRT. The median radiation dose was 45 Gy, and 99% received concurrent chemotherapy. Results There were no significant differences between the 3DCRT and IMRT groups regarding sex, race, histology, tumor location, histology, or nodal stage. The rate of grade 3 to 4 acute toxicity was significantly lower in patients treated with IMRT compared with 3DCRT (49% vs 70%, P = .004). The composite rate of toxicity-related events (hospitalization, feeding tube use, intravenous rehydration, or radiation therapy breaks) was also significantly lower in patients treated with IMRT compared with 3DCRT (56% vs 85%, P Conclusions Our study suggests that IMRT might significantly reduce rates of grade 3 to 4 acute toxicity and toxicity-related events compared with 3DCRT, with no significant difference in oncologic outcomes. IMRT is an appropriate and possibly preferable radiation modality in patients treated with preoperative chemoradiation for gastric cancer.
ENRICH: Validating a multidimensional patient-reported financial toxicity measure.

153Background: Financial toxicity is a patient-reported outcome reflecting burdens of cancer treatment costs. There is a need to assess financial toxicity in cancer care, as its unique domains—upst...
Treatment planning of VMAT and step-and-shoot IMRT delivery techniques for single fraction spine SBRT: An intercomparative dosimetric analysis and phantom-based quality assurance measurements.

Purpose To retrospectively compare clinically treated step-and-shoot intensity modulated radiotherapy (ssIMRT) and volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) spine stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) plans in dosimetric endpoints and pretreatment quality assurance (QA) measurements. Methods Five single fraction spine SBRT (18 Gy) cases - including one cervical, two thoracic, and two lumbar spines - clinically treated with ssIMRT were replanned with VMAT, and all plans were delivered to a phantom for comparing plan quality and delivery accuracy. Furthermore, we analyzed 98 clinically treated plans (18 Gy single fraction), including 34 ssIMRT and 29 VMAT for cervical/thoracic spine, and 19 ssIMRT and 16 VMAT for lumbar spine. The conformality index (CI) and homogeneity index (HI) were calculated, and QA measurement records were compared. For the spinal cord/cauda equina, the maximum dose to 0.03 cc (D0.03cc ) and volume receiving 10 or 12 Gy (V10Gy /V12Gy ) were recorded. Statistical significance was tested with the Mann-Whitney U test. Results Compared to ssIMRT, replanned VMAT plans had lower V10Gy /V12Gy and D0.03cc to the spinal cord/cauda equina in all five cases, and better CI in three out of five cases. The VMAT replans were slightly less homogeneous than those of ssIMRT plans. Both modalities passed IMRT QA with >95% passing rate with (3%, 3 mm) gamma criteria. With the 98 clinical cases, for cervical/thoracic ssIMRT and VMAT plans, the median V10Gy of spinal cord was 4.15% and 1.85% (P = 0.004); the median D0.03cc of spinal cord was 10.85 Gy and 10.10 Gy (P = 0.032); the median CI was 1.28 and 1.08 (P = 0.009); the median HI were 1.34 and 1.33 (P = 0.697), respectively. For lumbar spine, no significant dosimetric endpoint differences were observed. The two modalities were comparable in delivery accuracy. Conclusion From our clinically treated plans, we found that VMAT plans provided better dosimetric quality and comparable delivery accuracy when compared to ssIMRT for single fraction spine SBRT.