cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Successful Implementation of Enhanced Recovery After Surgery Program in a Safety-Net Hospital: Barriers and Facilitators.

Abstract Purpose Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) programs comprise bundles of evidence-based recommendations designed to reduce physiological stress and support early return of function after surgery. In this study, we sought to investigate the barriers and facilitators of successful implementation of ERAS in a major safety-net hospital. Design Our ERAS program has been designed as a quality improvement pilot project in prospective fashion with a real-time feedback loop. The program is designed to address established culture of safety-net hospitals. Methods An extensive multidisciplinary team investigated the barriers to success for three different levels of program stakeholders: providers, patients, and the facility. After a systematic review of these barriers, solutions were offered and implemented in a multidisciplinary care model with special attention to outcomes and continuous feedback. The findings are summarized in a grid format for better understanding and implementation ease. Findings Patients (N = 198) were enrolled in an ERAS program in a nonrandomized fashion during the pilot period of October 2017 to August 2018. ERAS cohort of patients’ outcomes were then compared with those of 20,328 non-ERAS patients. The ERAS group had less complication with shorter length of stay compared with their non-ERAS counterparts. Furthermore, it has cost less to take care of these patients. Interestingly, this decrease was not achieved by a reciprocal increase in subsequent readmission or reoperation rates. Conclusions Unique barriers exist when implementing an ERAS protocol in a safety-net hospital. These barriers can be overcome to improve the quality of care at a decreased cost. We have provided a grid to facilitate the implementation process.
The optimization of soil parameters of horizontally multilayered soil in frequency domain by genetic algorithm with considering dynamic state field

Abstract A inversion method to determine frequency domain soil parameters of horizontally multilayered earth structure is developed. The inversion of frequency domain soil parameters is divided into two stages. At the first stage, layered structure of soil model is determined under the DC field. The estimated parameters in the first stage include the number of soil layers, DC resistivity and thickness of each layer. These parameters are obtained by interpreting resistivity sounding data. At the second stage, thickness of soil layers in frequency domain is equal to that in the DC field. Soil resistivity and permittivity are estimated by inverting complex apparent resistivity in frequency domain. Theoretical formulas of complex apparent resistivity are derived from Green’s function by considering dynamic state field theory. Discrete complex image method is applied to calculate Sommerfeld integral. Genetic algorithm is chosen to optimize soil parameters. The availability of the first stage of the proposed method is verified by applying the method to interpret field data. Both synthetic data and real measurement data are used to validate the second stage of the proposed method, and the synthetic data are generated by using the soil model obtained in the first stage. The application cases show the accuracy and reliability of the proposed method.
Review essay: global and comparative perspectives on media and development:

This essay reviews the works ‘Television and the Afghan Culture Wars’ (University of Illinois Press) by Wazhmah Osman and ‘Media Imperialism in India and Pakistan’ (Routledge) by Farooq Sulehria as...
Cluster Gauss–Newton and CellNOpt Parameter Estimation in a Small Protein Signaling Network of Vorinostat and Bortezomib Pharmacodynamics

Ordinary differential equation (ODE)–based models of signal transduction pathways often contain parameters that are unidentifiable or unmeasurable by experimental data, and calibrating such models to data remains challenging. Here, two efficient parameter estimation methods, cluster Gauss–Newton (CGN) and CellNOpt (CNO), were applied to fit a signaling network model of U266 multiple myeloma cells to the activity dynamics of key proteins in response to vorinostat and/or bortezomib. A logic-based network model was constructed and transformed to 17 ODEs with 79 parameters estimated within broad ranges of biologically plausible values. The top 10% best-fit parameters by both methods had high uncertainties with CV > 50% for the majority of parameters. The root mean square and prediction errors were comparable without statistically significant differences between the two methods. Despite uncertain parameter estimation, protein dynamics after the sequential combination of bortezomib and vorinostat was predicted with reasonable accuracy and precision. Global sensitivity analyses of partial rank correlation coefficients and Sobol sensitivity demonstrated that apoptosis induction was most sensitive to parameters governing the activity of the proteasome–JNK–caspase-8 axis. Simulations revealed that the greatest magnitude of pharmacodynamic drug interactions between bortezomib and vorinostat occurred at caspase-9, AKT, and Bcl-2. Two sequential combinations were explored in silico, and the outcome matched qualitatively with an empirical evaluation of the pharmacodynamic interaction based on cell viability. Overall, the CGN and CNO algorithms performed similarly for this ODE-based network model calibration, and the calibrated model provided meaningful insights into cellular signaling mechanisms in response to pharmacological perturbations.
Social watching the 2020 presidential and vice-presidential debates: the effect of ideological homogeneity and partisan identity strength

This study presents a novel test of the effects of social watching a live campaign debate. We recruited just over 500 participants to view one of the two 2020 presidential campaign debates or the v...
New insights into the burden of COVID-19 mortality for U.S. Hispanics and Blacks when examined by country/region of origin: An observational study

Summary Background Florida's diverse population composition includes persons from throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. This facilitated an insightful examination of disparities in 2020 Florida COVID-19 deaths not only among racial/ethnic populations in the aggregate (non-Hispanic White, non-Hispanic Black, Hispanic) but also at the level of country/region of origin. Methods Age-adjusted mortality rates (AAMRs) for 2020 Florida COVID-19 deaths were calculated by race, ethnicity, and country/region of origin along with mean age at death, mean number of comorbidities, and percentage of decedents who had not completed secondary education. Regression-derived mortality rate ratios (MRRs) compared death rates for each racial/ethnic/country-of-origin population to non-Hispanic whites. Findings The overall AAMR (per 100,000) for 18,342 Florida COVID-19 deaths in 2020 was 55.4, with a much lower AAMR for non-Hispanic Whites (39.3) than for Hispanics (86.8) or Blacks (107.6). Marked differences in AAMRs were observed for specific Black and Hispanic ethnic groups from varied countries/regions of origin. COVID-19 decedents from Mexico and Central America had the highest AAMRs (170.7 and 168.8 per 100,000, respectively), lowest age at death, lowest educational level, and fewest comorbidities. Mean comorbidities were highest for Blacks (all origins) and Cuban Hispanics. Interpretation Florida Blacks and Hispanics experienced disproportionately high COVID-19 mortality rates throughout 2020, with notable variability based on country/region of origin. Inequities were particularly pronounced for Hispanic populations from Mexico and Central America. To better understand these heterogeneous COVID-19 mortality trends, more nuanced racial/ethnic analyses and detailed data on social determinants of health are needed. Funding Supplemental funding was provided by the Sylvester Comprehensive Cancer Center at University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. Research reported in this publication was also supported by the National Cancer Institute of the National Institutes of Health under Award Number P30CA240139.
Aboveground Biomass Estimates of Sagebrush Using Terrestrial and Airborne LiDAR Data in a Dryland Ecosystem

Abstract Vegetation biomass estimates across drylands at regional scales are critical for ecological modeling, yet the low-lying and sparse plant communities characterizing these ecosystems are challenging to accurately quantify and measure their variability using spectral-based aerial and satellite remote sensing. To overcome these challenges, multi-scale data including field-measured biomass, terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) and airborne laser scanning (ALS) data, were combined in a hierarchical modeling framework. Data derived at each scale were used to validate an increasingly broader index of sagebrush (Artemisia tridentata) aboveground biomass. First, two automatic crown delineation methods were used to delineate individual shrubs across the TLS plots. Second, three models to derive shrub volumes were utilized with TLS data and regressed against destructively-sampled individual shrub biomass measurements. Third, TLS-derived biomass estimates at 5 m were used to calibrate a biomass prediction model with a linear regression of ALS-derived percent vegetation cover (adjusted R2 = 0.87, p
Comparative geochemistries of PdII and PtII: Formation of mixed hydroxychloro and chlorocarbonato-complexes in seawater

Comparative observations of PdII and PtII hydrolysis in chloride solutions indicate that [PdCl3OH2−]/[PdCl42−] and [PtCl3OH2−]/[PtCl42−] concentration ratios in salinity 35 seawater (S = 35) are smaller than one at a typical surface ocean pH (∼8.2), and are larger than one at pH = 8.2 when S < 10. The hydrolysis behaviors of PdCl42− and PtCl42− are very similar. In 0.5 M NaCl at 25°C the hydrolysis constant for both elements, written in the form β1 = [MCl3OH2−][Cl−][H+][MCl42−]−1, is logβ1*=−8.97. Between ionic strengths 0.3 M and 1.0 M for PdII and between 0.1 M and 1.0 M for PtII, log β1 is within approximately 0.1 units of the value appropriate to 0.5 M NaCl. This small dependence of PdCl42− and PtCl42− hydrolysis constants on ionic strength is consistent with predictions based on expected activity coefficient behavior. Carbonate is observed to complex PdCl42− significantly, but to a smaller extent than OH− under conditions appropriate to seawater. Complexation of PtCl42− by CO32− was observed in this work but the rate of complexation was too slow to allow equilibrium observations. The principal dissimilarity between the chemistries of PdII and PtII in our investigation was the sharp contrast in observed PdII and PtII reaction rates. Differences in reaction kinetics may cause fractionation of PdII and PtII in the environment. The speciation of PtII, unlike PdII, is likely to be based on chemical environments experienced by PtII over a period of days, and perhaps weeks.
Long term parenteral nutrition

Abstract Intestinal failure (I.F) is a term applied when intestinal function is insufficient to allow adequate absorption of fluid, electrolytes, or nutrients required for normal growth and survival. The development of parenteral nutrition (P.N) as a treatment modality has greatly improved the outcome for children with I.F and has contributed to improved outcomes in neonates and children from intensive care settings. Home parenteral nutrition (H.P.N) is central to the care of patients when I.F is expected to last for more than 3–6 months. Normal growth and long term survival is now expected for the majority of patients on H.P.N when only 10 years ago, the prognosis for survival was poor. Adolescents with I.F now successfully transfer to adult services, many of which will have been dependent on P.N since early infancy. This article reviews the current indications for P.N and the recent advances in P.N that have contributed to better outcomes.
Measurement of stray radiance in the High Altitude Observatory’s Skylab coronagraph

The paper outlines two techniques used for determining the instrumental stray radiance from orbital results obtained with the Skylab white light coronagraph. The first technique employs images of the lunar disk made near the time of solar eclipse to compare the apparent contrasts of maria and highlands recorded by the coronograph with those of previous studies and then determine the magnitude of the stray radiance and its variation along a radius. The second method determines the azimuthal variation of the stray radiance by measuring the change in the net radiance of a point in the coronal images as the image is rotated.
Mary Sidney's embroidered psalms

This article examines ways in which Mary Sidney's psalms demonstrate an intertextual play between pen and needle. Her translations are a linguistic embroidery of the biblical poems: attention to colours and to cunning, to ornamentation and to pattern characterizes Sidney's psalms as much as they do any priestly girdle or linen ephod. To demonstrate this, I reference criticism regarding women's words and needlework as ‘interrelated’; next, I argue that these female textualities are linked biblically, making Sidney's choices particularly appropriate for biblical translation. The merging of literary and material texts in Sidney's psalms is driven home in the demonstration of how her translations and linguistic word-play mirror needlework practices.
HPV Vaccination Coverage of Male Adolescents in the United States

BACKGROUND: In 2011, the Advisory Committee for Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommended routine use human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine for male adolescents. METHODS: We used the 2013 National Immunization Survey-Teen data to assess HPV vaccine uptake (≥1 dose) and series completion (≥3 doses). Multivariable logistic regression analysis and a predictive marginal model were conducted to identify independent predictors of vaccination among adolescent males aged 13 to 17 years. RESULTS: HPV vaccination coverage with ≥1 dose was 34.6%, and series completion (≥3 doses) was 13.9%. Coverage was significantly higher among non-Hispanic blacks and Hispanics compared with non-Hispanic white male adolescents. Multivariable logistic regression showed that characteristics independently associated with a higher likelihood of HPV vaccination (≥1 dose) included being non-Hispanic black race or Hispanic ethnicity; having mothers who were widowed, divorced, or separated; having 1 to 3 physician contacts in the past 12 months; a well-child visit at age 11 to 12 years; having 1 or 2 vaccination providers; living in urban or suburban areas; and receiving vaccinations from >1 type of facility (P CONCLUSIONS: Following recommendations for routine HPV vaccination among male adolescents, uptake in 2013 was low in this population. Increased efforts are needed to improve vaccination coverage, especially for those who are least likely to be vaccinated.
A Lonely Courage

In an 1897 speech delivered to commemorate the life of Civil War officer Robert Gould Shaw, William James praised the virtue of courage in a democratic society. The courage James praised, however, was not the bellicose courage of the solider at war but rather what he calls the “a more lonely courage” Shaw displayed when he agreed to serve as the white Colonel of the Massachusetts 54th Regiment, the Union’s so-called black regiment. Why does James consider Shaw’s break with the racial and class expectations a form of political courage distinct from soldierly courage? And why does he call it ‘lonely’? In this essay I argue that James’s political writings offer both a critique of the destructive and disciplinary dimensions of courage and a defence of centrality of courage as a practice of citizenship. I draw a contrast between the depictions of courage in Theodore Roosevelt’s The Rough Riders and James’s conception of loneliness to argue that James offers a radically reconfigured view of democratic courage that is at once sceptical of the claims of the community and nation to which Roosevelt’s rhetoric of courage often serves, but at the same time responsive to the claims of equality that often cut across the limited and exclusive boundaries of political membership. I conclude with some reflections about how this contrast between lonely and bellicose courage might inform a more sceptical but vigilant form of moderately alienated citizenship.
Construction of low rank vector bundles on ⁴ and ⁵

We describe a technique which permits a uniform construction of a number of low rank bundles, both known and new. In characteristic two, we obtain rank two bundles on P 5 . In characteristic p, we obtain rank two bundles on P 4 and rank three bundles on P 5 . In arbitrary characteristic, we obtain rank three bundles on P 4 and rank two bundles on the quadric S 5 in P 6 .
Coactivation of the trunk muscles during asymmetric loading of the torso.

Materials handling tasks in industry are rarely performed in the midsagittal plane. Often these tasks, labeled nonsagittally symmetric or asymmetric lifting tasks, can be expected to lead to an unequal distribution of forces between the left and right sides of the body. Because of the large number of muscles capable of resisting loads in the torso, researchers are forced to make simplifications when using biomechanical models to estimate mechanical loading of the spine during such tasks. Simplifications and assumptions regarding the coactivation of antagonistic muscles are frequently used because sufficient experimental data do not exist. The present study was designed to quantify coactivation of the trunk musculature in response to applied asymmetric loads. This load was varied in direction from an anterior midsagittal plane orientation to a posterior midsagittal plane orientation in 15-deg increments. The results showed little coactivation when the applied load directions were anterior and within 45 deg of the midsagittal orientation. When load directions were greater than 45 deg, coactivation was quantifiable in ipsilateral and posterior muscle groups. Language: en
Crystal and molecular structure of cesium isothiocyanatotrimethylaluminate, Cs[Al(CH3)3NCS]

The crystal structure of the title compound has been determined from three-dimensional X-ray diffraction data, and refined by full-matrix least-squares techniques. The crystals belong to the monoclinic space groupP21/c, witha = 8.849(4),b = 13.798(5),c = 7.943(4) A, β = 102.98(3) °, andD x = 1.85g cm−3 forZ = 4. The finalR factor for 1283 observed reflections is 0.046. The aluminum atom is bonded to the nitrogen atom of the thiocyanate ligand, where the Al-N bond length is 1.94(1) A. The SCN is linear, and the C≡N-Al angle is 175(1) °. The cesium ion exhibits four contacts less than 3.60 A: Cs ⋯ C(thiocyanate) = 3.39(1) A, Cs ⋯ C(methyl) = 3.52(1) A, Cs ⋯ C.(methyl) = 3.56(1) A, and Cs ⋯ N = 3.575(9) A. The closest Cs ⋯ S is 3.772(3) A.
Effects of static fingertip loading on carpal tunnel pressure

The purpose of this study was to explore the relationship between carpal tunnel pressure and fingertip force during a simple pressing task. Carpal tunnel pressure was measured in 15 healthy volunteers by means of a saline-filled catheter inserted percutaneously into the carpal tunnel of the nondominant hand. The subjects pressed on a load cell with the tip of the index finger and with 0, 6, 9, and 12 N of force. The task was repeated in 10 wrist postures: neutral; 10 and 20 degrees of ulnar deviation; 10 degrees of radial deviation; and 15, 30, and 45 degrees of both flexion and extension. Fingertip loading significantly increased carpal tunnel pressure for all wrist angles (p = 0.0001). Post hoc analyses identified significant increase (p < 0.05) in carpal tunnel pressure between unloaded (0 N) and all loaded conditions, as well as between the 6 and 12 N load conditions. This study demonstrates that the process whereby fingertip loading elevates carpal tunnel pressure is independent of wrist posture and that relatively small fingertip loads have a large effect on carpal tunnel pressure. It also reveals the response characteristics of carpal tunnel pressure to fingertip loading, which is one step in understanding the relationship between sustained grip and pinch activities and the aggravation or development of median neuropathy at the wrist.
Functional Imaging of Human Extraocular Muscles In Head Tilt Dependent Hypertropia

Purpose. Although alteration in hypertropia induced by head tilt is considered a clinical criterion for diagnosis of superior oblique (SO) palsy, the mechanism of this head-tilt–dependent hypertropia (HTDHT) is unclear. In this study, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) was used to study extraocular muscle (EOM) responses to head tilt in HTDHT.
An Examination of Two Procedures for Identifying Consequential Item Parameter Drift.

The purpose of the present study was to develop and evaluate two procedures flagging consequential item parameter drift (IPD) in an operational testing program. The first procedure was based on flagging items that exhibit a meaningful magnitude of IPD using a critical value that was defined to represent barely tolerable IPD. The second procedure was based on flagging items in which the D2 statistic was more than two standard deviations from the mean. Both procedures were implemented using an iterative purification approach to detect IPD. A simulation study was implemented to evaluate the effectiveness of both detection procedures in flagging non-negligible IPD. Both procedures were able to identify IPD and the iterative purification method provided useful information regarding the consequences of excluding or including a flagged item. The advantages and disadvantages of both procedures as well as possible modifications intended to improve the procedures’ effectiveness are discussed in the article.
Stabilized shock hydrodynamics: II. Design and physical interpretation of the SUPG operator for Lagrangian computations☆

Abstract A new SUPG-stabilized formulation for Lagrangian Hydrodynamics of materials satisfying the Mie–Gruneisen equation of state was presented in the first paper of the series [G. Scovazzi, M.A. Christon, T.J.R. Hughes, J.N. Shadid, Stabilized shock hydrodynamics: I. A Lagrangian method, Comput. Methods Appl. Mech. Engrg., in press, doi:10.1016/j.cma.2006.08.008 ]. The present article investigates in more detail the design of the SUPG stabilization operator, focusing on its multiscale and physical interpretations. Connections with the analysis of Kuropatenko [V.F. Kuropatenko, On difference methods for the equations of hydrodynamics, in: N.N. Janenko (Ed.), Difference Methods for Solutions of Problems of Mathematical Physics, I, American Mathematical Society, Providence, RI, 1967] for discontinuity-capturing operators in the limit of weak shocks are shown. Galilean invariance requirements for the SUPG operator are explored and corroborated by numerical evidence. This work is intended to elucidate the profound physical significance of the SUPG operator as a subgrid interaction model.
Variable selection for inhomogeneous spatial point process models

In this work, we consider variable selection when modelling the intensity and clustering of inhomogeneous spatial point processes, integrating well-known procedures in the respective fields of variable selection and spatial point process modelling to introduce a simple procedure for variable selection in spatial point process modelling. Specifically, we consider modelling spatial point data with Poisson, pairwise interaction and Neyman–Scott cluster models, and incorporate LASSO, adaptive LASSO, and elastic net regularization methods into the generalized linear model framework for fitting these point models. We perform simulation studies to explore the effectiveness of using each of the three-regularization methods in our procedure. We then use the procedure in two applications, modelling the intensity and clustering of rainforest trees with soil and geographical covariates using a Neyman–Scott model, and of fast food restaurant locations in New York City with Census variables and school locations using a pairwise interaction model. The Canadian Journal of Statistics 43: 288–305; 2015 © 2015 Statistical Society of Canada Resume Les auteurs traitent de la selection de variables dans le cadre de la modelisation de l'intensite et du regroupement de processus ponctuels spatiaux inhomogenes. Ils proposent une procedure simple qui s'inspire de methodes bien connues dans les domaines de la selection de variables et de la modelisation de processus ponctuels spatiaux. Plus precisement, les auteurs modelisent les points spatiaux avec les modeles de regroupement de Poisson, de Neyman–Scott et d'interaction par paire. Ils incorporent le LASSO, le LASSO adaptatif et les filets elastiques a meme un modele lineaire generalise afin d'ajuster ces modeles de processus ponctuels. Ils effectuent des simulations afin d’evaluer l'efficacite des trois methodes de selection de variables proposees. Ils utilisent finalement leur procedure pour deux analyses de donnees. Dans un premier cas, ils utilisent le modele de Neyman–Scott afin de modeliser l'intensite et le regroupement des arbres dans la foret humide en fonction du type de sol et de variables geographiques. Dans un deuxieme cas, ils etudient l'emplacement des etablissements de restauration rapide de la ville de New York avec un modele d'interaction par paire en fonction des variables du recensement et de l'emplacement des ecoles. La revue canadienne de statistique 43: 288–305; 2015 © 2015 Societe statistique du Canada
A comparative immunocytochemical study of human cerebellar cortex in X-chromosome-linked copper malabsorption (Menkes' kinky hair disease) and granule cell type cerebellar degeneration.

A comparative immunocytochemical study on the cerebellar cortex with X–chromosome–linked copper malabsorption (X–cLCM) and granule cell type cerebellar degeneration (gc–CD) was carried out by using specific monoclonal antibodies to synaptophysin (SY) and glial fibrillary acidic protein (GFAP). In X–cLCM cases, marked depletion of SY–immunoreactivity (IR) and reduction in number of SY–positive glomeruli were seen in the molecular and granular layers, respectively. Abnormal Purkinje cells occasionally showed moderately strong SY–IR having a fine granular pattern. Proliferation of GFAP–positive cells was observed in the granular and Purkinje cell layers. In the gc–CD case, SY–positive materials were coarsely distributed in a less dense fashion in the molecular layer as compared to a normal control. Purkinje cell perikarya did not show SY–IR. In the gc–CD granular layer, SY–IR appeared to have a coarsely punctate pattern, whereas immunoreactive glomeruli were almost completely absent. A number of GFAP–positive Bergmann cells was observed in the Purkinje cell layer and their fibres were densely and irregularly distributed in the molecular layer, whereas the granular layer was devoid of GFAP–positive cells. We present an immunocytochemical study of the X–cLCM and gc–CD cerebellar cortices, discuss the possible pathogenic mechanisms occurring in these diseases and discuss the usefulness of the SY–immunostaining technique for visualization of axon terminal involvement in these pathological conditions.
Analyzing methods for ORIC magnetic fields

Computer programs used in the design of the magnetic fields for ORIC are discussed. The final magnet configuration is shown and special features are described. Deflection studies and deflection characteristics are summarized.
Optical molecular imaging in atherosclerosis

Current imaging techniques focus on evaluating the anatomical structure of blood vessel wall and atherosclerotic plaque. These techniques fail to evaluate the biological processes which take place in the vessel wall and inside the plaque. Novel imaging techniques like optical imaging can evaluate the biological and cellular processes inside the plaque and provide information which can be vital for better patient risk stratification. This review highlights the various optical imaging techniques and their application in assessing biological processes in atherosclerosis.
United States policy toward Latin America: A study of proactive versus reactive hypotheses

Abstract The object of this paper is to examine the factors influencing the interaction between the United States (US) and Latin American countries (LACs). The emphasis is not on the existence of a US foreign policy toward the LACs; such a policy is assumed. Instead, it focuses on two extreme points of view vis-a-vis this policy. At one extreme, the hypothesis is that the US actively pursues a well defined, long-term foreign policy toward the LACs. At the other extreme, the hypothesis is that the US merely reacts to perceived crises in them with ad hoc, short-term policies. The first hypothesis can be expressed with an equation of the form: political conditions in the LACs depend on internal conditions in the LACs, internal conditions in the US, and US policies toward the LACs. The second hypothesis leads to an equation of the form: US policies toward the LACs depend on internal conditions in the US, political conditions in the LACs, and internal conditions in the LACs. To operationalize these equations, several indices are evaluated with aggregated data for the LACs and the US over a period of about 20 years. The relationships above clearly show that the problem is to determine the direction of causality between the set of events in the LACs and the set of US policies. Since causes are assumed to precede effects in time, the problem is solved by studying the impact of several time lags on the values of the correlation coefficients between the indices defined. The equation that seems to better describe the relationships between the US and LACs is analyzed in detail. The results obtained so far provide interesting insights into the internal and external determinants of US foreign policy.
Anthralin Therapy for Alopecia Areata

: Topical anthralin application producing a brisk irritant contact dermatitis has been reported to have therapeutic benefit in alopecia areata. A pilot clinical study was undertaken to determine whether topical anthralin application in doses low enough to produce only minimal contact dermatitis would produce a similar therapeutic response. None of the patients in the study received any benefit from this low-dose regimen. If anthralin is of benefit in the therapy of alopecia areata, a significant irritant contact dermatitis is apparently required.
Tumor volume is a prognostic factor in non-small-cell lung cancer treated with chemoradiotherapy.

Purpose To investigate whether primary tumor and nodal volumes defined on radiotherapy planning scans are correlated with outcome (survival and recurrence) after combined-modality treatment. Methods and Materials A retrospective review of patients with Stage III non–small-cell lung cancer treated with chemoradiation at Brigham and Women's Hospital/Dana-Farber Cancer Institute from 2000 to 2006 was performed. Tumor and nodal volume measurements, as computed by Eclipse (Varian, Palo Alto, CA), were used as independent variables, along with existing clinical factors, in univariate and multivariate analyses for association with outcomes. Results For patients treated with definitive chemoradiotherapy, both nodal volume (hazard ratio [HR], 1.09; p p p p Conclusions In addition to traditional surgical staging variables, disease burden, measured by primary tumor and nodal metastases volume, provides information that may be helpful in determining prognosis and identifying groups of patients for which more aggressive local therapy is warranted.
Electromagnetic behaviour of circular wire loops with arbitrary excitation and loading

A general analysis of circular wire loops with arbitrary electromagnetic excitation and admittance loading is given. The analysis is made in terms of generalised network parameters and is equivalent to previous analyses of particular problems. Some important special cases of the general theory are circular-loop antennas, loaded-loop antennas, circular-loop scatterers and loaded circular-loop scatterers. A number of new computations of radiation and scattering patterns are given to illustrate the general behaviour of wire loops.
Abstract LB-344: Vascular normalization as an emerging strategy to enhance cancer immunotherapy.

Proceedings: AACR 104th Annual Meeting 2013; Apr 6-10, 2013; Washington, DC The recent approval of a prostate cancer vaccine has renewed hope for anti-cancer immunotherapies. However, the immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment may limit the effectiveness of current immunotherapies. Antiangiogenic agents have the potential to modulate the tumor microenvironment and improve immunotherapy, but they are often used at high doses in the clinic to prune tumor vessels and may paradoxically compromise various therapies. Here, we demonstrate that targeting tumor vasculature with lower “vascular normalizing” doses, but not high “anti-vascular/anti-angiogenic” doses of an anti-vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 2 (VEGFR2) antibody results in a more homogeneous distribution of functional tumor vessels. Furthermore, lower doses are superior to the high doses at polarizing tumor-associated macrophages from immune inhibitory M2-like towards immune stimulatory M1-like phenotype, and in facilitating CD4+ and CD8+ T cell tumor infiltration. Based on this mechanism, scheduling lower dose anti-VEGFR2 therapy with T cell activation induced by a whole cancer cell vaccine therapy enhanced anti-cancer efficacy in a CD8+ T cell-dependent manner in both immune tolerant and immunogenic murine breast cancer models. These findings indicate that vascular normalizing lower doses of anti-VEGFR2 antibody can reprogram the tumor microenvironment away from immunosuppression toward potentiation of cancer vaccine therapies. Given that the combinations of high doses of bevacizumab with chemotherapy have not improved overall survival of breast cancer patients, our study suggests a new strategy to more effectively use antiangiogenic agents in breast cancer with active immunotherapy and potentially other anti-cancer therapies. Citation Format: Yuhui Huang, Jianping Yuan, Elda Righi, Dan G. Duda, Dai Fukumura, Mark C. Poznanasky, Rakesh K. Jain. Vascular normalization as an emerging strategy to enhance cancer immunotherapy. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr LB-344. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-LB-344 Note: This abstract was not presented at the AACR Annual Meeting 2013 because the presenter was unable to attend.
Heritable variation underlies behavioural types in the mating context in male bluefin killifish

In many species, consistent behavioural differences among individuals are linked to fitness variation. Determining the environmental and genetic factors that mould these behavioural types is crucial to understanding how behaviours might respond to selection. Male bluefin killifish, Lucania goodei, show extensive consistent behavioural variation in their levels of courtship, male-directed aggression and female-directed aggression, resulting in a range of fitness-related behavioural types coexisting within a population. To determine whether the behavioural components underlying a male's stable behavioural type in the mating context are heritable and genetically correlated, we performed paternal half-sib crosses. Using animal models, we found that all three of these mating behaviours were moderately heritable (h2 = 0.17–0.29) and courtship behaviour was also heritable as a binomial trait (court yes/no: h2 = 0.50). Including effects of dam identity/common rearing environment experienced by full sibs decreased model fit, suggesting that early social interactions might contribute to behavioural types. In addition, we found evidence consistent with the possibility that the positive phenotypic correlations among mating behaviours are underlain by positive genetic correlations. Thus, it is possible that the seemingly maladaptive aggression that males direct towards females during social interactions persist due to genetic constraints and direct selection on male-directed aggression and courtship behaviour.
From Vipassanā In Theravāda to Guan Xin in Chinese Buddhism: A comparative Study of the Meditative Techniques

Peter Gregory remarks in the preface to Traditions of Meditation in Chinese Buddhism that one could hardly discern how the modern Theravāda practice of Vipassanā based on the Mahāsatipatthāna Sutta...
Micromechanical determination of two-phase plasticity

Abstract A micromechanical theory is developed to predict the elastoplastic behavior of a two-phase alloy. Taking crystallographic slip to be the mechanism of plastic deformation, this theory also considers stress redistribution due to elastic and plastic heterogeneity in both phases. The corresponding self-consistent relation for two-phase plasticity was derived combining the spirit of Hill, Hutchinson, and Berveiller & Zaoui. It is found upon applications that both elastic and rigid particles may have a profound effect on the hardening behavior of two-phase systems. When applied to austenite-ferrite stainless steels, the theory also provides reasonable estimates as compared to experiments. The fictitious kink point commonly associated tith the continuum models is seen to be absent due to the gradual yielding of the constituent grains.
Void Detection in Dielectric Films Using a Floating Network of Substrate-Embedded Electrodes

A sensor is developed for simple, in situ characterization of dielectric thermal interface materials (TIMs) at bond line thicknesses less than 100 μm. The working principle is based on the detection of regions of contrasting electric permittivity. An array of long, parallel electrodes is flush-mounted into each opposing substrate face of a narrow gap interface, and exposed to the gap formed between the two surfaces. Electrodes are oriented such that their lengthwise dimension in one substrate runs perpendicular to those in the other. A capacitance measurement taken between opposing electrodes is used to characterize the interface region in the vicinity of their crossing point (junction). The electric field associated with each electrode junction is numerically simulated and analyzed. Criteria are developed for the design of electrode junction geometries that localize the electric fields. The capacitances between floating-ground electrodes in the electrode sensor configuration employed give rise to a nontrivial network of interacting capacitances which strongly influence the measured response at any junction. A generalized solution for analyzing the floating network response is presented. The technique is used to experimentally detect thermal grease spots of 0.2 mm to 1.8 mm diameter within a 25 μm interface gap. It is necessary to use the generalized solution to the capacitance network developed in this work to properly delineate regions of contrasting permittivity in the interface gap region using capacitance measurements.
Photoinduced oxidation of carbon nanotubes

Photoinduced phenomena are of general interest for new materials. Recently, photoinduced molecular desorption of oxygen has been reported in carbon nanotubes. Here we present, using thermopower measurements, that carbon nanotubes when exposed simultaneously to UV light and oxygen exhibit photoinduced oxidation of the nanotubes. At least two plausible mechanisms for the experimentally observed photoinduced oxidation are proposed: (i) a lower energy barrier for the adsorption of photo-generated singlet oxygen, or (ii) due to the presence of defects in carbon nanotubes that may facilitate the formation of locally electron-deficient and electron-rich regions on the nanotubes which facilitate the adsorption of oxygen molecules on the nanotubes.
Metrics for Evaluating the Barrier and Time to Reverse Engineer a Product

Reverse engineering, defined as extracting information about a product from the product itself, is a common industry practice for gaining insight into innovative products. Both the original designer and those reverse engineering the original design can benefit from estimating the time and barrier to reverse engineer a product. This paper presents a set of metrics and parameters that can be used to calculate the barrier to reverse engineer any product, as well as the time required to do so. To the original designer, these numerical representations of the barrier and time can be used to strategically identify and improve product characteristics so as to increase the difficulty and time to reverse engineer them. As the metrics and parameters developed in this paper are quantitative in nature, they can also be used in conjunction with numerical optimization techniques, thereby enabling products to be developed with a maximum reverse engineering barrier and time—at a minimum development cost. On the other hand, these quantitative measures enable competitors who reverse engineer original designs to focus their efforts on products that will result in the greatest return on investment.
Characterization of DNA hybridization kinetics in a microfluidic flow channel

In this investigation we report on the influence of volumetric flow rate, flow velocity, complementary DNA concentration, height of a microfluidic flow channel and time on DNA hybridization kinetics. A syringe pump was used to drive Cy3-labeled target DNA through a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) microfluidic flow channel to hybridize with immobilized DNA from the West Nile Virus. We demonstrate that a reduction of channel height, while keeping a fixed volumetric flow rate or a fixed flow velocity, enhances mass transport of target DNA to the capture probes. Compared to a passive hybridization, the DNA hybridization in the microfluidic flow channel generates higher fluorescence intensities for lower concentration of target DNA during the same fixed period of time. Within a fixed 2 min time period the fastest DNA hybridization at a 50 pM concentration of target DNA is achieved with a continuous flow of target DNA at the highest flow rate and the lowest channel height.
Cognitive effects of memantine in postmenopausal women at risk of dementia: a pilot study.

Background – To determine the effects of memantine on cognition in a normal population of postmenopausal women with putative risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease (AD) using a built-in control for the genetic risk factor for AD (apoE-ɛ4 status). Methods – A prospective, open-label, 6-month pilot medication trial with memantine and follow-up after discontinuance conducted at the Center for Neuroscience in Women’s Health, Stanford University School of Medicine. Neuropsychological data were collected on 22 community-dwelling postmenopausal women (11 apoE-ɛ4 carriers and 11 apoE-ɛ4 non-carriers) with at least one putative risk factor for AD. Results – ApoE-ɛ4 status was not a significant predictor of change in neuropsychological performance. Changes associated with memantine treatment for entire sample included significant declines in some variables associated with verbal learning and memory that improved upon medication withdrawal. A positive medication effect was noted with executive functions and possibly category fluency. Trend-level improvements were seen in motor dexterity of the non-dominant hand and maintained even after drug discontinuance. Conclusions – Treatment with memantine appeared to have differential effects on cognitive performance in a population of women with putative risk factors for AD. ApoE-ɛ4 carrier status did not account for observed changes in cognition.
Phosphorothioate oligodeoxyribonucleotides inhibit ribonuclease L thereby disabling a mechanism of interferon action

Phosphorothioate oligodeoxyribonucleotides were found to be inhibitors of the 2-5A-dependent RNase L. Inhibitory potency depended upon the chain length of the phosphorothioate oligonucleotide and was dependent on the phosphorothioate substitution pattern, but was not substantially base-dependent.
Paget's disease of the breast: accuracy of preoperative assessment.

Background Routine preoperative assessment may not accurately assess the extent of underlying cancer in patients with Paget’s disease (PD) of the breast. We performed this study to correlate findings on clinical examination and mammography with pathologic results and outcomes in women with PD.
Composition and abundance of resident marsh-surface nekton: comparison between tidal freshwater and salt marshes in Virginia, USA

Previous research on intertidal nekton communities has identifiedimportant determinants of community structure and distribution; however, fewstudies have compared nekton utilization of disparate marsh habitats. Inthis study, abundance and distribution patterns of resident nekton werecompared between tidal freshwater marsh and salt marsh surfaces varying inflooding depth and duration. Nekton were collected in pit traps installedalong elevational transects at four marshes in coastal Virginia (twofreshwater, two saline) from April through November 1992–1993. Thedominant fish collected at all sites was the mummichog Fundulusheteroclitus. The daggerblade grass shrimp Palaemonetes pugio was thedominant nekton species collected at salt marsh sites, and was seasonallyabundant on tidal freshwater marshes. A positive correlation betweenflooding depth and nekton abundance was observed on salt marshes; anopposite pattern was observed on tidal freshwater marshes. Tidal floodingregime influences the abundance of resident nekton, however, the effect maybe confounded by other environmental variables, including variation insurface topography and seasonal presence or absence of submerged aquaticvegetation (SAV) in adjacent subtidal areas. In mid-Atlantic tidalfreshwater wetlands, SAV provides a predation refuge and forage site forearly life stages of marsh-dependent nekton, and several species utilizethis environment extensively. Salt marshes in this region generally lackdense SAV in adjacent subtidal creeks. Consequently, between-sitedifferences in species and size-specific marsh surface utilization byresident nekton were observed. Larvae and juveniles represented 79%and 59% of total fish collected at tidal freshwater and salt marshsites, respectively. The resident nekton communities of tidal freshwater andsalt marsh surfaces are characterized by a few ubiquitous species with broadenvironmental tolerances.
Perceived Crowding among Hunters and Anglers: A Meta-Analysis

This article examines perceived crowding using 95 hunter and 30 angler evaluation contexts obtained from 28 hunter and 12 angler studies. Each study used the 9-point scale developed by Heberlein and Vaske (1977). Data were obtained from journal articles, dissertations, theses, government reports, and proceedings published from 1975 to 2005. A snowball approach was used to obtain unpublished datasets. Comparative analysis arrays and traditional meta-analysis were used to describe the findings. The comparative analysis provided a tool for contrasting the consequences of changing use conditions or managerial actions, and allowed for comparisons between similar areas. Across all evaluation contexts, crowding scores ranged from 0% to 100% with meta-analytic means of 51% for hunters and 57% for anglers. These meta-analyses encourage practical approaches to exploring and understanding hunter and angler perceptions of crowding.
Isolation of rat epidermal growth factor (r-EGF): Chemical, biological and immunological comparisons with mouse and human EGF

Abstract 1. 1. Rat epidermal growth factor, (r-EGF), was isolated from adult male rat submandibular glands, with final yields of 4–6 mg r-EGF from 20 to 25 g wet weight of tissue. 2. 2. Amino acid analysis of r-EGF indicated a high degree of homology with murine EGF (m-EGF) and human EGF, (h-EGF). 3. 3. However, r-EGF contains 49 amino acid residues, versus 53 for human and murine EGFs, and lacks two characteristic trytophan residues present in the other two species. 4. 4. The lack of tryptophan residues did not affect cellular binding or mitogenic activity or r-EGF. 5. 5. Polyclonal antisera to each of the three separate species demonstrated crossreactivity with the other species of EGF. 6. 6. A sensitive radioimmunoassay was developed for r-EGF which can detect 25 pg of hormone.