cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Radiation Oncologists' Role in End-of-Life Care: A Perspective From Medical Oncologists

Abstract Purpose Multidisciplinary communication and collaboration are key to planning and delivering end-of-life care for patients with advanced and metastatic cancer. We sought to characterize medical oncologists' perspectives on the role of radiation oncologists in end-of-life care. Materials and Methods A sample of US medical oncologists was recruited using snowball sampling methods. Audio recordings of 4 professionally moderated focus groups were transcribed. Investigators from diverse backgrounds (medical oncology, radiation oncology, critical care medicine, palliative care, and public health) independently reviewed each transcript. Qualitative content analysis was used to create consensus codes that were applied to subsequent focus group transcripts in an iterative process. Results Medical oncologists expressed complex views regarding the role of radiation oncologists in end-of-life care. Identified themes included the limited role of radiation oncologists, territorial concerns, capability, and desire of radiation oncologists in this realm, and the need for communication between providers. Radiation oncologists were compared with surgeons, whose interaction with patients ceased after their service had been performed. In this regard, control of palliative care referral or end-of-life care discussions was thought to be in the territory of medical oncologists who had longitudinal relationships with patients from diagnosis. Medical oncologists were concerned about the capability of radiation oncologists to accurately prognosticate, and stated radiation oncologists lacked knowledge of subsequent lines of systemic therapy available to patients. Radiation oncologists' fear of upsetting medical oncologists was thought to be justified if they engaged in end-of-life care planning without direct permission from the referring medical oncologist. Conclusions Participation of radiation oncologists in end-of-life care planning was viewed with skepticism by medical oncologists. Radiation oncologists should focus on increasing open communication and teamwork with medical oncologists and demonstrate their ability to prognosticate and counsel patients regarding end-of-life care decisions.
Interactive Role of Elevated CO2, Nutrient Limitations, and Water Stress in the Growth Responses of Red Spruce Seedlings

Red spruce (Picea rubens Sarg.) seedlings were grown from seed for 5 mo in ambient (362 ppm) or elevated (711 ppm) CO[sub 2] exposure treatments were crossed with two levels of soil fertility and water stress treatments to determine if seedling dry weight, size, and fixed growth responses to elevated CO[sub 2] depended on nutrient and water supply. Seedling dry weight and size responses to elevated CO[sub 2] at 5 mo did not depend on nutrient and water supply. Seedlings grown in both soil fertility treatments and water stress treatments responded similarly to CO[sub 2] treatment. Water stress and CO[sub 2] treatments did have an interactive influence on the fixed growth potential of the terminal leader. Leaf weight, leaf area, and height to the terminal leader of water-stressed seedlings were greater in seedlings exposed to elevated CO[sub 2] during budset than seedlings exposed to ambient CO[sub 2]. Total new fixed growth (lateral plus terminal) and total terminal fixed growth (leaf plus stem) were greater in seedlings that formed shoot primordia in elevated CO[sub 2] than in ambient CO[sub 2]. Red spruce seedlings grown in elevated CO[sub 2] for 5 mo had greater stem diameter, height, branching density, leaf weight, rootmore » weight, stem weight, total weight, and mean relative growth rate (RGR) from 3 to 5 mo than seedlings grown in ambient CO[sub 2]. Red spruce seedling responses to elevated CO[sub 2] suggest that seedling establishment in natural environments may be enhanced when ambient CO[sub 2] concentrations rise even if water and nutrient availabilities are limited.« less
Sequential generalized likelihood ratio test for planet detection with photon-counting mode

Exoplanet detection by direct imaging is difficult because the target planets are tens of milliarcseconds away from their host star and many orders of magnitude dimmer, up to 1e10 for Earth-like planets in the habitable zone. An important approach to obtaining that high contrast in a space telescope is via a starshade to suppress the light from the parent star, making the direct imaging possible. Even after suppressing the starlight, the exoplanet signals are still weak. A photon-counting (PC) Electron Multiplying Charged Coupled Device(EMCCD) reduces the noise level and enables the detection of exoplanets. We present here a signal detection and estimation technique working directly with PC images. The method is based on the generalized maximum likelihood ratio test (GLRT) and uses a binomial distribution between PC images. The method can be applied online, so we can stop taking images as soon as we have enough confidence for the lack of or existence of planets. Thus, the observation time is efficiently used.
Chapter 9 – Confidence Intervals: Admitting That Estimates Are Not Exact

In this chapter, you will learn about the great variety of confidence intervals: Here is a brief preview of the coming attractions. You can choose the probability of the statement, called the confidence level, which by tradition is set at 95%, but it is also fairly common to see levels of 99%, 99.9%, and even 90%. The trade-off for a higher confidence level is a larger, less useful interval. A confidence interval for a population percentage can be computed easily using the standard error for a binomial distribution. Depending on the question of interest, you may also decide whether the interval is two-sided (it is between this and that) or one-sided (choose one: It is at least as big as this, or, it is no larger than that). You can also create a prediction interval for the next observation (instead of for the population mean). As always, you must watch out for the technical assumptions—in this case, random sampling and normality—lurking in the background, which, if not satisfied, will invalidate your confidence interval statements. And be careful to distinguish the 95% probability for the process of generating the confidence interval from the 95% confidence you have for a particular interval after it is computed.
Single-institution experience of allogeneic stem cell transplantation for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.

e19524Background: Given the promising results of novel therapies such as CAR-T, there is heightened scrutiny on the long-term outcomes of allogeneic stem cell transplant (alloHCT) in diffuse large ...
Statin-Associated Autoimmune Myopathy: Current Perspectives

Although generally well tolerated, statin users frequently report muscle-related side effects, ranging from self-limiting myalgias to rhabdomyolysis or the rare clinical entity of statin-associated immune-mediated necrotizing myopathy (IMNM). Statin-associated IMNM is based on the development of autoantibodies against 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl-CoA reductase (HMGCR), the rate-limiting enzyme in cholesterol synthesis and the pharmacologic target of statins, and leads to a necrotizing myopathy requiring immunosuppressive therapy. This review attempts to recapitulate the diverse aspects of anti-HMGCR IMNM, including clinical presentation, diagnostic modalities, genetic risk associations, therapeutic options and potential pathogenetic pathways.
International expansion of the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications (ACEJMC) curricular evaluation program

Eight journalism educational programs outside the United States are certified by the U.S.-based Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications. A survey of journalism underg...
Application of the Sight Outcomes Research Collaborative Ophthalmology Data Repository for Triaging Patients With Glaucoma and Clinic Appointments During Pandemics Such as COVID-19.

Importance During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, eye care professionals caring for patients with sight-threatening diseases, such as glaucoma, have had to determine whether some patient appointments could safely get postponed, weighing the risk that the patient’s glaucoma could worsen during the interim vs the morbidity risk of acquiring COVID-19 while seeking ophthalmic care. They also need to prioritize appointment rescheduling during the ramp-up phase (when pandemic-associated service reductions are eased). Objective To describe a flexible and scalable scoring algorithm for patients with glaucoma that considers glaucoma severity and progression risk vs the presence of high-risk features for morbidity from COVID-19, using information from a large data repository. Design, Setting, and Participants In this cross-sectional study, patients with upcoming clinic appointments for glaucoma from March 16, 2020, to April 16, 2020, at an academic institution enrolled in the Sight Outcomes Research Collaborative (SOURCE) Ophthalmology Electronic Health Record Data Repository were identified. A risk stratification tool was developed that calculated a glaucoma severity and progression risk score and a COVID-19 morbidity risk score. These scores were summed to determine a total score for each patient. Main Outcomes and Measures Total scores and percentages of clinic appointments recommended for rescheduling. Results Among the 1034 patients with upcoming clinic appointments for glaucoma, the mean (SD) age was 66.7 (14.6) years. There were 575 women (55.6%), 733 White individuals (71%), and 160 Black individuals (15.5%). The mean (SD) glaucoma severity and progression risk score was 4.0 (14.4) points, the mean (SD) COVID-19 morbidity risk score was 27.2 (16.1) points, and the mean (SD) total score was 31.2 (21.4) points. During pandemic-associated reductions in services, using total score thresholds of 0, 25, and 50 points would identify 970 appointments (93.8%), 668 appointments (64.6%), and 275 appointments (26.6%), respectively, for postponement and rescheduling. The algorithm-generated total scores also helped prioritize appointment rescheduling during the ramp-up phase. Conclusions and Relevance A tool that considers the risk of underlying ophthalmic disease progression from delayed care receipt and the morbidity risk from COVID-19 exposure was developed and implemented, facilitating the triage of upcoming ophthalmic appointments. Comparable approaches for other ophthalmic and nonophthalmic care during the COVID-19 pandemic and similar crises may be created using this methodology.
A Tailored Web- and Text-Based Intervention to Increase Physical Activity for Latino Men: Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Feasibility Trial

Background: Latino men in the United States report low physical activity (PA) levels and related health conditions (eg, diabetes and obesity). Engaging in regular PA can reduce the risk of chronic diseases and yield many health benefits; however, there is a paucity of interventions developed exclusively for Latino men. Objective: To address the need for culturally relevant PA interventions, this study aims to develop and evaluate Hombres Saludables, a 6-month theory-based, tailored web- and text message-based PA intervention in Spanish for Latino men. This protocol paper describes the study design, intervention, and evaluation methods for Hombres Saludables. Methods: Latino men aged 18-65 years were randomized to either the individually tailored PA internet intervention arm or the nutrition and wellness internet control arm. The PA intervention included 2 check-in phone calls; automated SMS text messages; a pedometer; a 6-month gym membership; access to a private Facebook group; and an interactive website with PA tracking, goal setting, and individually tailored PA content. The primary outcomes were feasibility, acceptability, and efficacy (minutes per week of total moderate-to-vigorous PA assessed via the ActiGraph GT3X+ accelerometer worn at the waist and 7-day physical activity recall at baseline and 6 months). Secondary outcomes examined potential moderators (eg, demographics, acculturation, and environmental variables) and mediators (eg, self-efficacy and cognitive and behavioral processes of change) of treatment effects at 6 months post randomization. Results: This study was funded in September 2016. Initial institutional review board approval was received in February 2017, and focus groups and intervention development were conducted from April 2017 to January 2018. Recruitment for the clinical trial was carried out from February 2018 to July 2019. Baseline data collection was carried out from February 2018 to October 2019, with a total of 43 participants randomized. Follow-up data were collected through April 2020. Data cleaning and analysis are ongoing. Conclusions: We developed and tested protocols for a highly accessible, culturally and linguistically relevant, theory-driven PA intervention for Latino men. Hombres Saludables used an innovative, interactive, web- and text message–based intervention for improving PA among Latino men, an underserved population at risk of low PA and related chronic disease. If the intervention demonstrates feasibility, acceptability, and preliminary efficacy, we will refine and evaluate it in a larger randomized control trial. Trial Registration: Clinicaltrials.gov: NCT03196570; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03196570
Foot Posture and Plantar Loading With Ankle Bracing.

CONTEXT Arch height is one important aspect of foot posture. An estimated 20% of the population has pes planus and 20% has pes cavus. These abnormal foot postures can alter lower extremity kinematics and plantar loading and contribute to injury risk. Ankle bracing is commonly used in sport to prevent these injuries, but no researchers have examined the effects of ankle bracing on plantar loading. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effects of ankle braces on plantar loading during athletic tasks. DESIGN Cross-sectional study. SETTING Laboratory. PATIENTS OR OTHER PARTICIPANTS A total of 36 participants (11 men, 25 women; age = 23.1 ± 2.5 years, height = 1.72 ± 0.09 m, mass = 66.3 ± 14.7 kg) were recruited for this study. INTERVENTION(S) Participants completed walking, running, and cutting tasks in 3 bracing conditions: no brace, lace-up ankle-support brace, and semirigid brace. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S) We analyzed the plantar-loading variables of contact area, maximum force, and force-time integral for 2 midfoot and 3 forefoot regions and assessed the displacement of the center of pressure. A 3 × 3 mixed-model repeated-measures analysis of variance was used to determine the effects of brace and foot type (α = .05). RESULTS Foot type affected force measures in the middle (P range = .003-.047) and the medial side of the foot (P range = .004-.04) in all tasks. Brace type affected contact area in the medial midfoot during walking (P = .005) and cutting (P = .01) tasks, maximum force in the medial and lateral midfoot during all tasks (P < .001), and force-time integral in the medial midfoot during all tasks (P < .001). Portions of the center-of-pressure displacement were affected by brace wear in both the medial-lateral and anterior-posterior directions (P range = .001-.049). CONCLUSIONS Ankle braces can be worn to redistribute plantar loading. Additional research should be done to evaluate their effectiveness in injury prevention.
Optimal Time Lags from Causal Prediction Model Help Stratify and Forecast Nervous System Pathology

Traditional clinical approaches diagnose disorders of the nervous system using standardized observational criteria. Although aiming for homogeneity of symptoms, this method often results in highly heterogeneous disorders. A standing question thus is how to automatically stratify a given random cohort of the population, such that treatment can be better tailored to each cluster9s symptoms, and severity of any given group forecasted to provide neuroprotective therapies. In this work we introduce new methods to automatically stratify a random cohort of the population composed of healthy controls of different ages and patients with different disorders of the nervous systems. Using a simple walking task and measuring micro-fluctuations in their biorhythmic motions, we show that gait is compromised in healthy aging and that in young FMR1 premutation carriers, gait forecasts, even by 15 years ahead, symptoms resembling those of elderly with Parkinson9s disease. Our methods combine non-linear causal network connectivity analyses in the temporal and frequency domains with stochastic mapping, defining a new type of internal motor timings amenable to create personalized clinical interventions. We frame our results using the principle of reafference and operationalize them using causal prediction, thus renovating the theory of internal models for the study of neuromotor control.
Sublimation from icy jets as a probe of the interstellar volatile content of comets

Comets are some of the most primitive bodies left over from the Solar System's early history. They may preserve both interstellar material and material from the proto-solar nebula, and so studies of their volatile components can provide clues about the evolution of gases and ices, as a collapsing molecular cloud transforms into a mature planetary system. Previous observations of emission from rotational transitions in molecules have averaged over large areas of the inner coma, and therefore include both molecules that sublimed from the nucleus and those that result from subsequent chemical processes in the coma. Here we present high-resolution observations of emission from the molecules HNC, DCN and HDO associated with comet Hale–Bopp. Our data reveal arc-like structures—icy jets—offset from (but close to) the nucleus. The measured abundance ratios on 1–3" scales are substantially different from those on larger scales, and cannot be accounted for by models of chemical processes in the coma; they are, however, similar to the values observed in the cores of dense interstellar clouds and young stellar objects. We therefore propose that sublimation from millimetre-sized icy grains ejected from the nucleus provides access to relatively unaltered volatiles. The D/H ratios inferred from our data suggest that, by mass, Hale–Bopp (and by inference the outer regions of the early solar nebula) consists of ≥15–40% of largely unprocessed interstellar material.
Anti-tumor effects of chemotherapeutics are enhanced by genistein in pancreatic cancer.

Proc Amer Assoc Cancer Res, Volume 47, 2006 5412 Purpose: Currently standard therapies for pancreatic cancer consist of administering cytotoxic chemotherapeutic agents or irradiation treatment alone, or in combination. Unfortunately the therapeutic benefit remains modest due to high degree of inherent and acquired chemoresistance. We recently reported that genistein augments pancreatic tumor sensitivity to gemcitabine due to the inactivation of Akt and NF-κB signalling (Cancer Res. 2005; 65:9064-72). In order to further dissect the molecular pathway, we used MDA Panc-28 and stably transfected MDA Panc-28/IκBαM [phosphorylation defective IκBα (S32, 36A) that blocks NF-κB activation] pancreatic cancer cells exposed to genistein with and without gemcitabine, cisplatin or oxaliplatin. Method: MDA Panc-28 and MDA Panc-28/IκBαM cells were cultured in complete DMEM media with and without genistein (0-100μM) for 72 hrs for initial studies. Subsequently chemosensitivity towards three drugs- gemcitabine, cisplatin and oxaliplatin was also assessed in vitro using MTT, and apoptosis was assessed by quantifying cytoplasmic histone-DNA fragments using Cell Death Detection ELISA kit upon pretreatment with 25μM genistein (48 hrs) followed by gemcitabine, cisplatin or oxaliplatin (72 hrs). The molecular mechanism for enhanced chemosensitivity was investigated by performing Western immunoblot for pAkt, Bcl-2, Bcl-xL, and PARP. Additionally, gel shift assay was performed to elucidate the role of NF-κB transcription factor in suppressing apoptosis and attenuating the effect of chemotherapeutic agents by genistein. Results: The MDA Panc-28/IκBαM cells without NF-κB expression was found relatively more sensitive to genistein compared to parental MDA Panc-28 cells.Genistein pretreatment also significantly enhanced the anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic effect of gemcitabine, cisplatin and oxaliplatin in NF-κB null cells relative to untreated control and the parental MDA Panc-28 cells. Several NF-κB downstream target molecules such as Bcl-xL, Bcl-2 and cyclin D1, survivin and MMP-9 were differentially affected by genistein pretreatment and combination treatments, which appears to be due to down regulation of NF-κB activity. Conclusion: Our results strongly suggest that chemosensitization of human pancreatic cancer cells is due to inhibition of NF-κB and Akt signaling, and thus it could form the basis for rational drug designing or utilization for the treatment of pancreatic tumors with better outcome.
Worst-Case Efficiency Analysis of Queueing Disciplines

Consider n users vying for shares of a divisible good. Every user i wants as much of the good as possible but has diminishing returns, meaning that its utility U i (x i ) for x i *** 0 units of the good is a nonnegative, nondecreasing, continuously differentiable concave function of x i . The good can be produced in any amount, but producing $X = \sum_{i=1}^n x_i$ units of it incurs a cost C (X ) for a given nondecreasing and convex function C that satisfies C (0) = 0. Cost might represent monetary cost, but other interesting interpretations are also possible. For example, x i could represent the amount of traffic (measured in packets, say) that user i injects into a queue in a given time window, and C (X ) could denote aggregate delay (X ·c (X ), where c (X ) is the average per-unit delay). An altruistic designer who knows the utility functions of the users and who can dictate the allocation x = (x 1 ,...,x n ) can easily choose the allocation that maximizes the welfare $W(x) = \sum_{i=1}^n U_i(x_i) - C(X)$, where $X = \sum_{i=1}^n x_i$, since this is a simple convex optimization problem.
STAP detection using space-time autoregressive filtering

Application of space-time adaptive processing (STAP) in real situations requires dimension-reducing methods. This is due to both the large computational cost involved in calculating the interference statistics and the smaller number of stationary training samples available to estimate the clutter covariance. Recently, auto-regressive (AR) filtering techniques have been used to help reduce computation and secondary sample support requirements in STAP scenarios. We compare the detection performance of several AR-based algorithms with more standard GLRT-type approaches. In particular, we consider the parametric amplitude matched filter (PAMF) and the space-time autoregressive filter (STAR), and show that they outperform standard GLR tests, especially in challenging situations with low sample support. Among the parametric methods considered, the STAR approach provides the most robust overall performance.
In non-ICU suspected CAP, β-lactam was noninferior to β-lactam-macrolide or fluoroquinolone for 90-d mortality.

Source Citation Postma DF, van Werkhoven CH, van Elden LJ, et al; CAP-START Study Group. Antibiotic treatment strategies for community-acquired pneumonia in adults. N Engl J Med. 2015;372:1312-23. ...
Family History Assessment: Impact on Disease Risk Perceptions

Background Family Healthware™, a tool developed by the CDC, is a self-administered web-based family history tool that assesses familial risk for six diseases (coronary heart disease; stroke; diabetes; and colon, breast, and ovarian cancers) and provides personalized prevention messages based on risk. The Family Healthware Impact Trial (FHITr) set out to examine the clinical utility of presenting personalized preventive messages tailored to family history risk for improving health behaviors. Purpose The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of Family Healthware on modifying disease risk perceptions, particularly among those who initially underestimated their risk for certain diseases. Design A total of 3786 patients were enrolled in a cluster-randomized trial to evaluate the clinical utility of Family Healthware. Setting/participants Participants were recruited from 41 primary care practices among 13 states between 2005 and 2007. Main outcome measures Perceived risk for each disease was assessed at baseline and 6-month follow-up using a single-item comparative risk question. Analyses were completed in March 2012. Results Compared to controls, Family Healthware increased risk perceptions among those who underestimated their risk for heart disease (15% vs 9%, p p p p =0.05) but not breast or ovarian cancers. The majority of underestimators did not shift in their disease risk perceptions. Conclusions Family Healthware was effective at increasing disease risk perceptions, particularly for metabolic conditions, among those who underestimated their risk. Results from this study also demonstrate the relatively resistant nature of risk perceptions. Trial registration This study is registered at clinicaltrials.gov NCT00164658.
Developing a situational judgment test blueprint for assessing the non-cognitive skills of applicants to the University of Utah School of Medicine, the United States

Purpose The situational judgment test (SJT) shows promise for assessing the non-cognitive skills of medical school applicants, but has only been used in Europe. Since the admissions processes and education levels of applicants to medical school are different in the United States and in Europe, it is necessary to obtain validity evidence of the SJT based on a sample of United States applicants. Methods Ninety SJT items were developed and Kane's validity framework was used to create a test blueprint. A total of 489 applicants selected for assessment/interview day at the University of Utah School of Medicine during the 2014-2015 admissions cycle completed one of five SJTs, which assessed professionalism, coping with pressure, communication, patient focus, and teamwork. Item difficulty, each item's discrimination index, internal consistency, and the categorization of items by two experts were used to create the test blueprint. Results The majority of item scores were within an acceptable range of difficulty, as measured by the difficulty index (0.50-0.85) and had fair to good discrimination. However, internal consistency was low for each domain, and 63% of items appeared to assess multiple domains. The concordance of categorization between the two educational experts ranged from 24% to 76% across the five domains. Conclusion The results of this study will help medical school admissions departments determine how to begin constructing a SJT. Further testing with a more representative sample is needed to determine if the SJT is a useful assessment tool for measuring the non-cognitive skills of medical school applicants.
Investigation of emulsification and coalescence phenomena in crude oil/alkaline water systems

Abstract Emulsihcation and coalescence processes in crude oil/alkaline water systems were examined and their influence on alkaline Hood enhanced oil recovery was assessed. Emulsification mechanisms were investigated under static and dynamic conditions using microvisual techniques. Coalescence rates were measured using the inclined spinning drop tensiometer. The relative impact of interfacial viscosity on coalescence processes was determined through measurements of interfacial shear viscosities. In addition, the influences of chemical composition on ease of emulsification, coalescence rate, and interfacial shear viscosity were examined. Ease of emulsification was influenced by the composition of the crude oil, the electrolyte concentration, and the partitioning coefficient of surfactants. Coalescence was primarily affected by processes which disrupted the crude oil/water interface. Alkaline flood oil recovery efficiency was promoted by emulsification followed by rapid coalescence to form a stable oil bank.
Thermal limitations to escape responses in desert grasshoppers

Abstract The desert-dwelling grasshopper Trimerotropis pallidipennis avoids intolerably-high environmental temperatures by resting under shrubs during the day. Attacks by predators elicit escape responses consisting of leaps or short flights into open areas, followed by periods of immobility during which the animals rely on crypsis. Observations and computer models indicate that the tolerable durations of immobile periods are very short, owing to high heat loads. However, they are sufficient to avoid the most abundant predators, the lizards Cnemidophorus tigris and Sceloporus magister . The short duration of immobility makes T. pallidipennis vulnerable to attacks by birds such as Say's phoebe ( Sayornis sayii ), which sit in cool air and wait for grasshoppers to reveal themselves by movement.
A two‐echelon multi‐station inventory model for navy applications

The two inventory echelons under consideration are the depot, D, and k tender ships E1, …, Ek. The tender ships supply the demand for certain parts of operational boats (the customers). The statistical model assumes that the total monthly demands at the k tenders are stationary independent Poisson random variables, with unknown means λ1, …, λk. The stock levels on the tenders, at the heginning of each month, can be adjusted either by ordering more units from the depot, or by shipping bach to the depot an excess stock. There is no traffic of stock between tenders which is not via the depot. The lead time from the depot to the tenders is at most 1 month. The lead time for orders of the depot from the manufacturer is L months. The loss function due to erroneous decision js comprised of linear functions of the extra monthly stocks, and linear functions of shortages at the tenders and at the depot over the N months. A Bayes sequential decision process is set up for the optimal adjustment levels and orders of the two echelons. The Dynamic Programming recursive functions are given for a planning horizon of N months.
Experiences of engineering students in post-Katrina service learning programs

This paper discusses two case studies of engineering student experiences in a 10-week fully integrated academic/service learning program on the Gulf Coast of Mississippi in the hurricane Katrina recovery effort. The program delivered in the Winter of 2007 combines a service learning component oriented to hands-on reconstruction of a Gulf Coast community and a formal academic curriculum that emphasizes a birdpsilas eye understanding of the hurricane Katrina story, from a perspective of the technology that helps and hinders natural disaster recovery. The pilot program was a full load (12 quarter credits) program that placed 12 students from a major Northwest University on the Gulf Coast for an entire term. The case studies of two engineering students presented herein demonstrate a level of advanced performance (as compared to campus-based learning) that has been often suggested but rarely documented in the literature. Improvements in affective measures (such as belonging) and academic outcomes (such as demonstrated understanding of broader impacts in persuasive writing) are significant for both students, despite the significant differences between them.
Estimating Regional Air Quality Vehicle Emission Inventories: Constructing Robust Driving Cycles

Mobile emission inventories are constructed by multiplying a pollutant emission factor by a travel activity (e.g., number of trips, vehicle miles traveled, etc.). To create emission rates, vehicles are tested on dynamometers using driving cycles, or speed-time traces. The process currently used to create the driving cycles is deterministic. However, if we examine the data and data collection techniques closely, it is clear that an observed speed,v(t), represents one of the many possible values that true speed,V(t), may take on at a given timet. With an ordered set of random variables { V( t)} and associated probability distributions, driving cycles should be defined by a stochastic process. In this study, we propose a new approach for constructing driving cycles using Markov process theory. The new approach not only provides an important statistical foundation for drive cycle estimation, it also overcomes several key limitations of the current driving cycle construction methodologies. For example, we use a maximum likelihood estimation (MLE) partitioning algorithm that enables us to associate a segment with a specific modal operating condition, (e.g., cruise, idle, acceleration, or deceleration), which, in turn, preserves finely resolved driving variability. We apply the new method to the data used to construct EPA's new regulatory facility-specific driving cycles. Comparisons with these cycles indicate relatively similar global results (e.g., average speeds) under uncongested conditions. However, the new cycles tend to contain a higher frequency of small scale acceleration and deceleration modal events than are represented in the EPA cycles. For congested conditions, in addition to greater frequencies of acceleration and deceleration modal events, the new cycles tend to have higher speeds and harder accelerations. Overall, the improvements in the new method represent significant advances in the development of stochastic driving cycle construction methods.
Umbilical cord blood transplantation

Interest in umbilical cord blood as an alternative source of hematopoietic stem cells is growing rapidly. Umbilical cord blood offers the clinician a source of hematopoietic stem cells that are readily available and rarely contaminated by latent viruses. Moreover, the collection of umbilical cord blood poses no risk to the donor; there is no need for general anesthesia or blood replacement, and the procedure causes no discomfort. Whether cord blood lymphocytes are as likely to cause GVHD as lymphocytes from older individuals is unknown. Current clinical experience would suggest that the incidence may be low. Few of the patients who have thus far received umbilical cord blood, including recipients of HLA-disparate grafts, have developed clinically significant GVHD. These results and associated laboratory findings pose intriguing possibilities for the future of umbilical cord blood stem cells in the setting of unrelated-donor transplantation. With the marked incidence of Grade 2 to 4 acute GVHD that is currently observed after unrelated-donor bone marrow transplantation, a reduction in incidence or severity would be a major advance in this field. In the setting of autologous marrow transplantation, there are other intriguing possibilities; for example, cord blood may be an optimal source of pluripotential stem cells for use in gene therapy. As detailed in Broxmeyer's review, the large-scale collection and storage of cord blood stem cells is no longer just a concept; it has become a reality. Pilot programs for the banking of unrelated-donor umbilical cord blood have already begun in the United States and Europe.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
A multiresolution approach for optimal defense against random attacks

Whether it be one security expert covering more systems or reducing total man-hours, there has always been a push to do more with less. Intuitively, we realize different systems need different levels of security. To aid in this effort, we develop multiresolution attacker/defender games by combining two game theoretic approaches: resource assignment and optimal response. We use the resource assignment game to determine the level of detail necessary to build the game needed to respond optimally to attacks. To aid in the selection of a resource assignment game and an optimal response game, we present considerations and survey numerous works. Further resource savings are possible when the optimal response games share features. Even though effort sharing between systems ought to be addressed during the resource-allocation game, we present both a linear effort sharing model and a method for solving post hoc. An illustrative example demonstrates the potential savings from our technique.
Flight evaluation of advanced navigation techniques for general aviation using frequency scanning

Experiments on an automatic multisensor navigation concept are being conducted in a Cessna 402B. The test system consists of VOR, DME, and air data sensors controlled by a Hewlett Packard 9820A electronic calculator which processes the data and, by means of a four-state Kalman filter, outputs position and ground and wind velocities to a map display. Novel features which make such a system potentially low-cost include frequency-scanning operation of a single VOR receiver and a single DME transceiver and use of a shed-vortex true airspeed sensor. Results obtained during flight in a local area where six to eight DME NAVAIDS were receivable yielded better than 1/4-mile accuracy.
Successional diversity and forest ecosystem function

Forest inventory data was used to examine the relationship between successional diversity and forest ecosytem function. The inventory data show that stands composed of early successional species are more productive than stands composed of late successional species, whereas stands composed of late successsional species have lower turnover than stands composed of early successional species. Taken alone, these results would suggest that forests should be managed in a way that favors the most productive early successional species or longest-lived late successional species, depending on whether the goal is to maximize productivity or maximize carbon storage. However, the inventory data also show that stands with low successional diversity fix and store less carbon than stands with high successional diversity. This result suggests that forests should be managed in such a way as to retain species diversity while also favoring species that maximize the ecosystem function of interest.
White Flight Revisited: A Multiethnic Perspective on Neighborhood Out-Migration

Using geo-linked data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics and the decennial census, we compare probabilities of neighborhood out-migration for Anglos, blacks, Mexicans, Puerto Ricans, and Cubans by varying ethno-racial neighborhood compositions. Analyses for Latinos are disaggregated by nativity status. The results indicate that Anglos have a higher likelihood of moving when they have many minority neighbors and there is little difference whether minority neighbors are black or Latino. Among minorities there is some evidence of “minority flight” from whiter neighborhoods. Cubans, especially foreign-born Cubans, demonstrate the strongest propensity to flee neighborhoods with large black populations, whereas the probability of moving out decreases for Mexicans and Puerto Ricans when their neighbors are more likely to be black. Ethno-racial neighborhood composition has little effect on blacks’ decision to leave their neighborhood.
A qualitative analysis of decision-making for total knee replacement in patients with osteoarthritis.

Objective—Variation in the utilization of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) for patients with osteoarthritis has been well documented. Conceivably, patient preferences may play a major role in these differences; however, this has not been adequately assessed. The purpose of this study was to conduct a qualitative analysis of decision-making factors influencing preferences for TKA in patients with knee osteoarthritis. Methods—We conducted six focus groups of patients with knee osteoarthritis from diverse ethnic backgrounds attending primary care clinics affiliated to the largest private outpatient institution in Houston, TX. All groups were lead by race-concordant facilitators. The group discussions were centered on factors considered to be important in the decision-making for TKA. Thematic analysis was conducted, using a grounded theory approach aided by qualitative software. Results—Several themes emerged from the groups’ discussions. Positive and negative personal experiences played a major role in decision-making. Generally, participants had good expectations about improved function and quality of life, but a number of fears were identified, the most prevalent being fear of a lengthy recovery, followed by fear of complications and of anesthesia. Additional emerging themes included trust in surgeon, financial concerns, and worries about general health. Conclusions—The attitudes and beliefs of patients with knee osteoarthritis about TKA are largely based on personal experiences, expectations, and fears, and they are largely influenced by their close social environment. These findings emphasize the need for open doctor-patient communication around individual experiences to achieve satisfactory shared decision-making for TKA. Osteoarthritis is a prevalent source of disability in elderly individuals, particularly that of the knee or the hip (1–3). There are not currently any therapies that are known to stop or reverse the progression of osteoarthritis, so treatment of the disease is largely centered around managing its symptoms. Patients with moderate-to-severe osteoarthritis who do not respond to therapy may elect to undergo elective surgery to replace the knee (total knee arthroplasty) or the hip (total hip arthroplasty). These surgeries are known to have substantial benefit to patients, proving effective in terms of alleviating pain, improving function, and improving quality of life (4–6).
Polarization curve analysis of all-vanadium redox flow batteries

We outline the analysis of performance of redox flow batteries (RFBs) using polarization curves. This method allows the researcher immediate access to sources of performance losses in flow batteries operating at steady state. We provide guidance on ‘best practices’ for use of this tool, illustrated using examples from single cells operating as vanadium redox batteries.
Ontogeny of a specific high-affinity binding site for ovine placental lactogen in fetal and postnatal liver.

Abstract Ovine placental lactogen (oPL) exerts actions in sheep and rodent fetal tissues that growth hormone (GH) does not. However, in postnatal tissues, both oPL and GH possess these activities. Although a high-affinity binding site for oPL in ovine fetal liver has been reported, some investigators believe this to be the GH receptor. It was our objective to discriminate between oPL and GH binding to fetal liver microsomes using competitive saturation analyses. Microsomal membranes from fetal liver (Days 60, 90, 105, 120, and 135 of gestation) and postnatal liver (1 wk of age) were incubated with increasing amounts of [ 125 I]oPL in the absence or presence of a 100-fold molar excess of unlabeled oPL. Saturable binding of [ 125 I]oPL was observed with fetal liver and postnatal liver microsomes. The K d of the oPL-binding site in fetal liver was 122.1 ± 8.2 pM (mean ± standard error), and receptor concentrations remained relatively constant (9.8 ± 1.1 fmol/mg of membrane protein) across gestation. The highest concentration of oPL binding was detected in 1-wk postnatal liver microsomes (53.0 fmol/mg of membrane protein). Saturation analyses using [ 125 I]GH and [ 125 I] prolactin (PRL) were also conducted with fetal liver membrane preparations. Although specific binding for these two radiolabeled ligands was observed in control tissues, no specific binding was observed in fetal liver. These data are in agreement with earlier reports that a high-affinity binding site for oPL exists in fetal tissues. The fact that saturable binding could not be demonstrated for either GH or PRL with fetal liver microsomes contradicts recent suggestions that oPL is binding the GH receptor.
Heroin use among adolescents in treatment for substance use disorders.

ABSTRACT Objective To clarify prevalence rates and describe patterns of adolescent heroin users who are in treatment for substance use disorders. Method The Treatment Episode Data Set (TEDS) was examined for trends in the number of adolescents admitted to substance abuse treatment centers and for changes in the routes of heroin administration. Thirteen adolescents who used heroin from one treatment program were compared with 536 adolescents who did not. Results Between 1992 and 1996, heroin-using youths represented 2.0% of youths in treatment and in 1997 they represented 2.6%. Heroin-using youths represented 56% of those using injection drugs. Heroin-using youths from one treatment program had significantly more polysubstance dependence in comparison with adolescents who did not use heroin. Conclusions Nationally, there has been an increasing number, but not percentage, of heroin-using youths in treatment between 1992 and 1996. In 1997 there was an increase in both the number and percentage of heroin-using youths in treatment. Heroin-using adolescents have the highest rate of injection drug use when compared with youths using other substances. Because of their greater risk of contracting human immunodeficiency virus through injection drug use, treatment trials for these adolescents are needed.
Isotopic exchange of 65Zn with stable Zn adsorbed on reference clay minerals

Abstract For reference clays of low organic content, Zn adsorbed on the clay minerals is in kinetic equilibrium with 65Zn in solution. Thus the specific activity approach applied to the transport of 65Zn(II) at the water-reference clay interface is intrinsically valid.
Revisiting Roe: Comments on Brown, Lum, and Voyle (1997)

Abstract M. T. Brown, J. L. Lum, and K. Voyle (1997.Journal of Vocational Behavior,51,283–294.) argue that Roe's theory of personality development and career choice has been discarded prematurely. I agree because: (a) it is difficult to find evidence of the effect of distal causes; (b) under certain conditions, a predictor that correlates zero with the criterion can still have a significant β weight; and (c) the studies failing to support Roe can be faulted for using retrospective self-report data and post-hoc analyses. Brown et al. also think that Roe posited needs as mediating between early childhood experience and vocational choice. I think that Roe's theory starts with needs, which interact with parental child-rearing practices and attitudes to produce a basic orientation (toward persons vs nonpersons), which influences the development of abilities, interests, personality traits, and other personality variables which influence vocational choice. As Brown et al. suggest, Roe's theory can be productively incorporated into the Theory of Work Adjustment to yield hypotheses about the functioning of need structures in organizational settings and the development of need structures as a result of early childhood experience. I conclude, with Brown et al., that Roe needs revisiting.
Optimal return policy and modular design for build‐to‐order products

Abstract A build-to-order product gives the firm the opportunity to customize the product to the requirement of the customers. The firm will see an increase in demand, but face some operational difficulties. One of these is related to the return policy which is now a recognized tool to win customer orders. This is even more true for increasingly popular Internet sales where the opportunity to physically examine the product is absent. A tremendous advantage can be gained by the Internet firm if it could offer a return policy for BTO products. We propose the use of modularity in the product design as a solution to this problem. From manufacturer's point of view, following a policy of modularization and offering a generous return policy would increase revenue, but also increase the cost due to increased likelihood of return and increased cost of design. We develop a profit maximization model to jointly obtain optimal polices for return policy and modularity level in terms of certain market reaction parameters. We obtain a number of managerial guidelines for using marketing and operational strategy variables to influence those reaction parameters so as to obtain the maximum benefit from the market.
Unwinding of DNA polymerases by the antitumor drug, cis-diamminedichloroplatinum(II).

The helix-turn-helix motifs of the DNA binding domains of human polymerase-α and polymerase-κ are dramatically perturbed upon binding to cisplatin with concomitant release of zinc.