cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Importance of Molecular Phenotype in Predicting Overall Survival in Patients with Relapsed or Primary Refractory DLBCL Treated with Second-Line Chemotherapy and ASCT.

Abstract From 1993–2001 we treated 186 patients (pts) with relapsed or primary refractory diffuse large B cell lymphoma (DLBCL) on IRB-approved clinical trials with ifosfamide, carboplatin, etoposide (ICE)-based second-line chemotherapy (SLT). Pts with chemosensitive disease received high dose chemoradiotherapy (HDT) and ASCT. In the context of these studies we reported the following: Pts achieving a complete response to ICE, pre-HDT/ASCT, have an improved overall survival (OS) (Journal of Clinical Oncology 1999, 12: 3776–85), pts with chemosensitive primary refractory disease have the same OS as relapsed pts (Blood 2000, 96: 2399–2404); and the second-line age-adjusted IPI (SAAIPI) predicts OS (Blood 2003, 102: 1989–96). In an attempt to further delineate prognostic factors in this setting tissue microarrays (TMA) were constructed as previously described by our group (Hum Pathol 2002: 968–74). All patients had a repeat biopsy prior to initiating SLT confirming active DLBCL; this sample was used for the TMA. Adequate tissue was available on 88 of these pts. TMA sections were stained for the following immunohistochemical markers and analyzed: MIB-1 (Ki-67), MUC1, MDR, p53, bcl-2, CD10, bcl-6, and MUM1. MIB-1 was scored in quartiles and for statistical purposes grouped as 1–2+ ( 50% tumor cells positive). For all other markers, a positive score was based on >20% of tumor cells staining positive. The "molecular phenotype"(MP), germinal center (GC) vs non-GC has an impact on progression-free survival in untreated DLBCL; we also evaluated whether the MP of the pre-ICE biopsy specimen could predict survival in pts with relapsed or primary refractory DLBCL undergoing SLT/HDT/ASCT. A GC phenotype is defined as either CD10 positive or bcl-6 positive and MUM 1 negative (Hans et al Blood 2004; 103: 275–282). At a median follow-up of 6.5 years the the actuarial OS is 39.7% and 49% for patients receiving HDT/ASCT. In this subset of 88 pts, we confirmed that the SAAIPI predicted outcome: good risk pts having an OS of 52% and poor risk 26%, p Conclusion: A non-GC "molecular phenotype" does not predict for a poor outcome in pts with relapsed or primary refractory DLBCL treated with ICE-based SLT followed by HDT/ASCT. MARKER ANALYSIS FOR 88 PTS WITH RELAPSED/REFRACTORY DLBCL MARKER OVERALL SURVIVAL P VALUE MIB 1 0–2+ 38.6% MIB 1 3–4+ 41% 0.9 MUC 1 neg. 39.2% MUC 1 pos. 40.6% 0.5 MDR neg. 34.5% MDR pos. 40.6% 0.6 p53 neg. 39.5% p53 pos. 41% 0.6 Bcl-2 neg. 37.1% Bcl-2 pos. 42.2% 0.9 CD10 pos. 39.7% CD10 neg. 40% 0.8 bcl-6 pos. 33% bcl-6 neg. 44% 0.5 MUM 1 neg. 36% MUM 1 pos. 41.8% 0.8
Control of Inventories with Markov Demand

We consider inventory control problems in discrete time. The horizon is infinite, and we consider discounted payoffs as well nondiscounted payoffs (ergodic control). We may have backlog or not. We may have set-up costs or not. In the traditional framework, the demand is modeled as a sequence of i.i.d. random variables. The ordering strategy is given by a base stock policy or an s, S policy, whether or not there is a set-up cost. We consider here the situation when the demand is modeled by a Markov chain. We show how the base stock policy and the s, S policy can be extended.
T-joins in Strongly Connected Hypergraphs

Given an edge-weighted undirected hypergraph K = (VK,EK) and an even-sized set of vertices R ⊆ VK, a T-cut is a partition of VK into two parts Q and Q := VK∖Q such that |Q ∩ R| is odd. A T-join in K for R is a set of hyperedges M ⊆ EK such that for every T-cut (Q,Q) there is a hyperedge e ∈ M intersecting both Q and Q. A directed hypergraph has for every hyperedge exactly one vertex, called the head, and several vertices, that are tails. A directed hypergraph is strongly connected if there exists at least one directed path between any two vertices of the hypergraph, where a directed path is defined to be a sequence of vertices and hyperedges for which each hyperedge has as one of its tails the vertex preceding it and as its head the vertex following it in the sequence. Orienting an undirected hypergraph means choosing a head for each hyperedge. We prove that every edge-weighted undirected hypergraph that admits a strongly connected orientation has a T-join of total weight at most 7/8 times the total we...
Temperature influences perception of the length of a wielded object via effortful touch

Individuals can perceive the properties of an attached or grasped object by wielding it through muscular effort—an ability referred to as dynamic or effortful touch. Sensitivity to the forces required to move such objects and to the resulting global patterns of tissue deformation underlies such perception. Given that perception via dynamic touch is movement-based, we hypothesized that manipulations that affect the ability to produce and control muscular movements might affect perception via dynamic touch. Cooling muscles from 40 to 10 °C impedes the development and transmission of muscular force and diminishes muscle stretch-reflex sensitivity. Accordingly, we anticipated that changes in hand temperature would alter the ability to detect patterns of tissue deformation and thus perception of the properties of wielded objects. In two experiments, participants wielded dowels with different lengths and rotational inertias (Experiment 1) and objects with identical lengths and different rotational inertias (Experiment 2). They reported perceived lengths of these objects, in the absence of vision, in cool (~ 10 °C), neutral (~ 30 °C), and warm temperature conditions (~ 40 °C). Actual length predicted perceived length of the dowels (Experiment 1), and rotational inertia predicted perceived length of the objects (Experiment 2); perceived lengths were longer in the warm condition than in the cool condition. In consideration of known temperature-induced changes in tissue structure and function, our results support the hypothesis that comparable processes underlie the control of movement and perception via dynamic touch.
Formal performance guarantees for an approach to human in the loop robot missions

A key challenge in the automatic verification of robot mission software, especially critical mission software, is to be able to effectively model the performance of a human operator and factor that into the formal performance guarantees for the mission. We present a novel approach to modelling the skill level of the operator and integrating it into automatic verification using a linear Gaussians model parameterized by experimental calibration. Our approach allows us to model different skill levels directly in terms of the behavior of the lumped, robot plus operator, system. Using MissionLab and VIPARS (a behavior-based robot mission verification module), we present a comparison of our predicted performance guarantees for two missions in which a teleoperated quadrotor identifies a target for an autonomous ground robot to intercept: one mission in which the operator flies the quadrotor by line of sight to locate the target and one where the operator flies the quadrotor using its video feed. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach by comparing predicated performance to experimentally measured performance.
Acetyl-protected cytosine and guanine containing acrylics as supramolecular adhesives

Hydrogen bonding among nucleobase pairs serves as an efficient noncovalent interaction for designing supramolecular polymers with desired properties for pressure sensitive adhesives. Michael additi...
Precessing domains and the Castaing instability in confined alkali-metal gases

We explore the analogy between two-component quantum alkali-metal gases and spin-polarized helium systems. Recent experiments in trapped gases are put into the frame of the existing theory for the Castaing instability in transverse channels and the formation of homogeneous precessing domains in spin-polarized systems. Analogous effects have already been observed in spin-polarized ${}^{3}\mathrm{He}$ and ${}^{3}\mathrm{He}{\ensuremath{-}}^{4}\mathrm{He}$ mixture systems. The threshold effect of the confining potential on the instability is analyzed. Additional experimental possibilities for the observation of a transverse instability in a trap are discussed.
Prevalence and Possible Factors of Myopia in Norwegian Adolescents

East Asia has experienced an excessive increase in myopia in the past decades with more than 80% of the younger generation now affected. Environmental and genetic factors are both assumed to contribute in the development of refractive errors, but the etiology is unknown. The environmental factor argued to be of greatest importance in preventing myopia is high levels of daylight exposure. If true, myopia prevalence would be higher in adolescents living in high latitude countries with fewer daylight hours in the autumn-winter. We examined the prevalence of refractive errors in a representative sample of 16–19-year-old Norwegian Caucasians (n = 393, 41.2% males) in a representative region of Norway (60° latitude North). At this latitude, autumn-winter is 50 days longer than summer. Using gold-standard methods of cycloplegic autorefraction and ocular biometry, the overall prevalence of myopia [spherical equivalent refraction (SER) ≤−0.50 D] was 13%, considerably lower than in East Asians. Hyperopia (SER ≥ + 0.50 D), astigmatism (≥1.00 DC) and anisometropia (≥1.00 D) were found in 57%, 9% and 4%. Norwegian adolescents seem to defy the world-wide trend of increasing myopia. This suggests that there is a need to explore why daylight exposure during a relatively short summer outweighs that of the longer autumn-winter.
Associations of Calcium, Vitamin D, and Dairy Product Intakes with Colorectal Cancer Risk among Older Women: The Iowa Women’s Health Study

Calcium and, to a lesser extent, dairy products are consistently modestly inversely associated with colorectal cancer (CRC). Dairy products may contain components other than calcium and fat, such as insulin-like growth factor-1, that may affect CRC risk. In the prospective Iowa Women's Health Study, calcium, dairy product, and vitamin D intakes were assessed using a semiquantitative food frequency questionnaire. To investigate dairy products independent of their calcium components, we estimated residuals from linear regression models of their associations with dietary calcium. Of the 35,221 55-69-year-old cancer-free women at baseline in 1986, 1,731 developed CRC during follow-up through 2012. For those in the highest relative to the lowest intake quintiles, the adjusted hazards ratios and 95% confidence intervals from multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models for overall and distal CRC were 0.81 (0.67-0.98; Ptrend = 0.004) and 0.59 (0.44-0.80; Ptrend = 0.003), respectively, for total calcium; and 0.79 (0.66-0.94; Ptrend = 0.01) and 0.69 (0.53-0.90; Ptrend = 0.003) for total dairy products, respectively. The various dairy product residuals were not associated with CRC. These results support that, among women, calcium and dairy products may be inversely associated with CRC-perhaps primarily distal CRC-but suggest that the non-calcium, non-fat component of dairy products may not be associated with CRC.
Trust-Region Based Multi-objective Optimization for Low Budget Scenarios

In many practical multi-objective optimization problems, evaluation of objectives and constraints are computationally time-consuming, because they require expensive simulation of complicated models. Researchers often use a comparatively less time-consuming surrogate or metamodel (model of models) to drive the optimization task. Effectiveness of the metamodeling method relies not only on how it manages the search process (to find infill sampling) but also how it deals with associated error uncertainty between metamodels and the true models during an optimization run. In this paper, we propose a metamodel-based multi-objective evolutionary algorithm that adaptively maintains regions of trust in variable space to make a balance between error uncertainty and progress. In contrast to other trust-region methods for single-objective optimization, our method aims to solve multi-objective expensive problems where we incorporate multiple trust regions, corresponding to multiple non-dominated solutions. These regions can grow or shrink in size according to the deviation between metamodel prediction and high-fidelity computed values. We introduce two performance indicators based on hypervolume and achievement scalarization function (ASF) to control the size of the trust regions. The results suggest that our proposed trust-region based methods can effectively solve test and real-world problems using a limited budget of solution evaluations with increased accuracy.
HANDHELD ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY BY PRIMARY CARE PHYSICIANS TO SCREEN FOR VALVULAR HEART DISEASE: A PILOT STUDY

The prevalence of aortic and mitral valve disease in the US population is growing at an alarming rate, yet many patients with valvular heart disease remain undiagnosed and untreated. Empowering primary care physicians (PCPs) to use handheld echocardiography (HHE) to screen for valve disease at the
Retrospective Matched Cohort Study of Immune Thrombocytopenic Purpura (ITP): Complications Related to Corticosteroid (CS) Use.

Introduction: ITP is a serious, chronic platelet production/destruction disorder frequently treated with CS (with a 50–70% response rate). While CS-associated adverse events are known to impair health-related quality of life, other disease complications have not been well studied in ITP patients (pts). Methods: A retrospective claims analysis used the PharMetrics Integrated Medical and Pharmaceutical Database (diagnosis, treatment, and claims data from >45 million managed care pts) to compare risks of disease complications in ITP pts (primary thrombocytopenia, ICD-9=287.3 [n=2454; 618 used CS; 1,836 did not]) and age- and gender-matched non-ITP controls (n= 21,196; 2,861 used CS; 18,335 did not) enrolled from July 2000 to December 2003. Incidence (new events during study period/persons exposed to risk) of osteoporosis, diabetes mellitus (DM), fractures, anxiety/depression, hepatitis C, myocardial infarction (MI), gastrointestinal (GI) bleeds, hypertension (HTN), obesity, atrial fibrillation, pancreatitis, cataracts, and stroke were compared between the 2 cohorts through December 2004. Descriptive statistics and univariate and multivariate logistic regression models assessed CS use by 4 measures (number of treatments, average daily dose, days of therapy, continuous duration). Clinical complexity was measured by the Charlson Comorbidity Index. Results: The most common events in ITP pts were HTN, anxiety/depression, DM, osteoporosis, obesity, cataracts, and MI (range, 26 [MI] to 237 [HTN] per 1,000 patient-years). These events were common but less frequent in non-ITP pts. ITP pts had significantly more CS use than non-ITP pts (by 4 treatment measures; all P 4 CS doses had increased risks of most events (greatest for DM, obesity, and MI; less for osteoporosis, HTN, and depression). Event risk in non-ITP pts did not increase significantly with number of CS prescriptions. Each additional day of CS therapy was associated with a 0.5% increase in risk of osteoporosis, HTN, DM, and anxiety/depression in ITP pts. Osteoporosis, DM, and HTN were more than twice as likely to develop in ITP pts receiving ≥60 days of CS therapy vs those treated for <60 days. In non-ITP pts, days of therapy and event incidence were unrelated. Logistic regression modeling in the ITP population showed that each additional CS treatment carried a 14% increase in the risk of osteoporosis and MI; a 12% increase in the risk of DM and HTN; an 11% increase in the risk of obesity; and a 7% increase in the risk of anxiety/depression (for which non-ITP pts also showed an association). Conclusions: Based on this analysis, ITP pts are at greater complication risk than age- and gender-matched non-ITP pts. CS treatment is consistently associated with increased risks of osteoporosis, DM, and HTN in ITP pts, suggesting added caution regarding CS use. A CS dose-response relationship with event risk is evident in ITP and non-ITP pts. Additional analyses are planned using other data sources to confirm these findings.
Intra-amniotic administration (Gallus gallus) of TiO2, SiO2, and ZnO nanoparticles affect brush border membrane functionality and alters gut microflora populations

Metal oxide nanoparticles (NP) are increasingly used in the food and agriculture industries, making human consumption nearly unavoidable. The goal of this study was to use the Gallus gallus (broiler chicken) intra-amniotic administration of physiologically relevant concentrations of TiO2, SiO2, and ZnO to better understand the effects of NP exposure on gut health and function. Immediately after hatch, blood, cecum, and small intestine were collected for assessment of iron (Fe)-metabolism, zinc (Zn)-metabolism, brush border membrane (BBM) functional, and pro-inflammatory related proteins gene expression; blood Fe and Zn levels; cecum weight; and the relative abundance of intestinal microflora. NP type, dose, and the presence or absence of minerals was shown to result in altered mineral transporter, BBM functional, and pro-inflammatory gene expression. Metal oxide NP also altered the abundance of intestinal bacterial populations. Overall, the data suggest that the in vivo results align with in vitro studies, and that NP have the potential to negatively affect intestinal functionality and health.
Differential expression of the T-cell inhibitor TIGIT in glioblastoma and MS

Objective To identify coinhibitory immune pathways important in the brain, we hypothesized that comparison of T cells in lesions from patients with MS with tumor-infiltrating T cells (TILs) from patients with glioblastoma multiforme may reveal novel targets for immunotherapy. Methods We collected fresh surgical resections and matched blood from patients with glioblastoma, blood and unmatched postmortem CNS tissue from patients with MS, and blood from healthy donors. The expression of TIGIT, CD226, and their shared ligand CD155 as well as PD-1 and PDL1 was assessed by both immunohistochemistry and flow cytometry. Results We found that TIGIT was highly expressed on glioblastoma-infiltrating T cells, but was near-absent from MS lesions. Conversely, lymphocytic expression of PD-1/PD-L1 was comparable between the 2 diseases. Moreover, TIGIT was significantly upregulated in circulating lymphocytes of patients with glioblastoma compared with healthy controls, suggesting recirculation of TILs. Expression of CD226 was also increased in glioblastoma, but this costimulatory receptor was expressed alongside TIGIT in the majority of tumor-infiltrating T cells, suggesting functional counteraction. Conclusions The opposite patterns of TIGIT expression in the CNS between MS and glioblastoma reflects the divergent features of the immune response in these 2 CNS diseases. These data raise the possibility that anti-TIGIT therapy may be beneficial for patients with glioblastoma.
Kognitive Mobilität. Eine Makroskopische Untersuchung der Wanderung von Wissenschaftlern Zwischen Forschungsgebieten am Beispiel der Mathematik

Cognitive Mobility, a Macroscopic Investigation of Migration of Scientists between Research Fields Studied by Example of Mathematics. — In history of science, scientific migrations of famous scientists are well-known. Nothing is known, however, about the total of migrations between fields of science, despite the importance of scientific mobility for information transfer and exchange. In the present investigation all migrations between the major 39 subdisciplines of mathematics from 1959 through 1975 are studied in a macroscopic manner. The quantitative importance of migration for the development of mathematical fields is assessed. In an analysis of the relationship between the affinity of fields and mobility between them a „principle of least migration distance” is established. Furthermore, some aspects of a Markov-chain treatment of scientific mobility are discussed.
Clitic-doubled left dislocation in L2 Spanish: The effect of processing load at the syntax-discourse interface

This project examines whether second-language (L2) learners can converge on a native-like pattern at the interface between syntax and discourse under low and high processing pressure, using Spanish...
Small cell carcinoma of the ovary hypercalcemic type (SCCOHT): Comprehensive management of a newly diagnosed young adult.

Abstract SCCOHT is an aggressive malignancy linked to alterations of SMARCA4. We describe the diagnosis and therapy of a 32 year old who received multi-agent chemotherapy and underwent a second look operation with HIPEC followed by high-dose chemotherapy with stem cell transplant. Supportive care, oncofertility, and genetic counseling are described.
Assessment of lidocaine local anesthesia and meloxicam analgesia on duration of castration and subsequent feeding and locomotion behavior

Pain management at the time of castration has become a controversial subject among veterinarians and livestock producers. While animal welfare and pain management is a significant concern, veterinarians and producers are also concerned about time needed to implement additional procedures and perceive a lack of economic return. Previous reports have detailed performance and behavioral parameters related to castration; however, little information exists related to feeding behavior and the time needed to implement pain mitigation strategies. The objective of our research was to provide an estimate of time expenditures related to pain mitigation techniques as well as to quantify differences in feeding behavior, locomotion behavior, and growth performance of calves castrated with or without local anesthesia and analgesia.
Isogeometric analysis of subcutaneous injection of monoclonal antibodies

Abstract Subcutaneous injection for self-administration of biotherapeutics, such as monoclonal antibodies, has emerged as a fast-growing field in the pharmaceutical industry. Effective drug delivery in the subcutaneous tissue critically depends on the coupled mechanical and transport processes occurring in the tissue during and after the injection. The details of these processes, however, remain poorly understood; and this explains the growing interest in computational approaches. Notably, there are very few computational studies on subcutaneous injection into three-dimensional porous media that account for tissue deformability. Here, we leverage a poroelastic model to analyze the response of subcutaneous tissue under the flow of a pressurized fluid. We propose a computational method based on Isogeometric Analysis that exploits the global continuity of splines. Our model shows the importance of considering tissue deformation and permeability changes in order to obtain more realistic results in terms of fluid pressure and velocity, during and after the injection.
Endocytic adaptation to functional demand by the kidney proximal tubule.

The kidney proximal tubule (PT) efficiently recovers the low level of albumin and other proteins that normally escape the glomerular filtration barrier. Two large receptors, megalin and cubilin/amnionless (CUBAM), bind to and efficiently retrieve these predominantly low molecular-weight proteins via clathrin-mediated endocytosis. Studies in cell culture models suggest that PT cells may sense changes in shear stress to modulate recovery of filtered proteins in response to normal variations in filtration rate. Impairments in PT endocytic function lead to the excretion of filtered proteins into the urine (tubular proteinuria). Remarkably, when the glomerular filtration barrier is breached, the PT is able to recover excess albumin with a capacity that is orders of magnitude higher than normal. What mediates this excess capacity for albumin uptake under nephrotic conditions, and why doesn't it compensate to prevent tubular proteinuria? Here we propose an integrated new working model to describe the PT recovery of filtered proteins under normal and nephrotic states. We hypothesize that uptake via the fluid phase provides the excess capacity to recover high concentrations of filtered proteins under nephrotic conditions. Further, concentration of tubular fluid along the tubule axis will enhance the efficiency of uptake in more distal regions of the PT. By contrast to cells where fluid phase and receptor-mediated uptake are independent pathways, expression of megalin is required to maintain apical endocytic pathway integrity and is essential for both uptake mechanisms. Th is model accounts for both the high- affinity and the high-capacity responses to filtration load in physiologic and pathologic states. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Presentation and applications of mixing elements and dissolved isotopes in rivers (MEANDIR), a customizable MATLAB model for Monte Carlo inversion of dissolved river chemistry

The dissolved chemistry of rivers has been extensively studied to elucidate physical and climatic controls of chemical weathering at local to global spatial scales, as well as the impacts of chemical weathering on climate over short to geologic temporal scales. Within this effort, mixing models with Monte Carlo uncertainty propagation are a common tool for inverting measurements of dissolved river chemistry to distinguish among contributions from end-members with distinct elemental and/or isotopic compositions. However, the methods underlying prior river inversion models have typically been opaque. Here we present Mixing Elements ANd Dissolved Isotopes in Rivers (MEANDIR), a set of MATLAB scripts that enable highly customizable inversion of dissolved river chemistry with Monte Carlo propagation of uncertainty. First, we present an overview of the mathematics underlying MEANDIR. This overview includes, among other topics, derivation of equations for mass balance, implementation of chlorine critical values, construction of cost functions, normalization to the sum of dissolved variables, quantification of river sulfate sourced from pyrite oxidation, resolution of petrogenic organic carbon oxidation, representation of secondary phase formation with isotopic fractionation, and calculation of the impact of weathering on atmospheric carbon dioxide. Second, we apply MEANDIR to five previously published datasets to demonstrate the sensitivity of results to parameter choices. We invert data from two global compilations of river chemistry (Gaillardet and others, 1999; Burke and others, 2018), the major element chemistry and sulfate sulfur isotope ratios of rivers in the Peruvian Amazon (Torres and others, 2016), the major element chemistry of Icelandic rivers (Gislason and others, 1996), and the major and trace element chemistry of water samples from the Mackenzie River (Horan and others, 2019). MEANDIR and its user guide are freely available online.
Ownership Structure and Initial Public Offerings

The authors study the relationship between ownership structure, corporate governance, and the initial public offering (IPO) process. They examine equity ownership by different institutions, such as foreign and domestic financial institutions, banks with and without lending relationships, venture capitalists, and corporations prior to an IPO. The authors also analyze the relationship between ownership structure and corporate governance. They use a unique dataset of 152 Indian IPOs during the period 1999-2001 to analyze ownership of shares by main groups of shareholders. The authors find a relationship between ownership structure and firm-specific factors such as sales, leverage, and profitability, and IPO characteristics such as percentage of equity locked up, gross proceeds, and exchange of listing. There is also a strong relationship between ownership by different types of institutions. Ownership is also tied to bank lending relationships. Finally, the authors find strong relationships between ownership types and corporate governance. For example, firms with foreign investors are more likely to have an outside chief executive officer and offer an employee stock option plan.
The self-preserving particle size distribution for coagulation by Brownian motion: II. Small particle slip correction and simultaneous shear flow☆

Self-preserving size spectra were calculated for coagulation by (1) Brownian motion with Cunningham slip correction and (2) simultaneous Brownian motion and shear flow. In the first case, if the size distribution is to be self-preserving, the mean free path of the medium λ(t) must increase with time as λ(l) = λ(0)[1 + K1N(0)t]13, where K1 is the coagulation constant and N(0) the initial total particle concentration. The shape of the self-preserving spectrum depends on the value of the parameter A = 1.257 λ(4 πN/3 φ)13, where φ is the volume fraction of the dispersed phase. It is shown that the family of the self-preserving spectra for different values of A can also be considered as a sequence of quasi-self-preserving spectra for Brownian coagulation in a medium with constant mean free path. For the case of simultaneous Brownian motion and laminar shear flow, the shear rate G(t) must decrease with time as G(t) = G(0) [1 + K2N (0)t]−1, if the size distribution is to be self-preserving. The shape of the self-preserving spectrum varies with the parameter P = 1.5 μGφ/πkTN, where μ is the fluid viscosity, k Boltzmann's constant, and T the absolute temperature. The applicability of these results to coagulation by Brownian motion and simultaneous turbulent shear is discussed.
Epidemiology of Erectile Dysfunction

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a pervasive problem among men worldwide. The National Institutes of Health Consensus Conference defined ED as the “consistent inability to attain or maintain a penile erection, or both, sufficient for adequate sexual relations” (1).
A study for branch predictors to alleviate the aliasing problem [pipelining]

Modern processors usually have a deep pipeline, superscalar architecture to obtain higher performance. As pipelines are getting deeper, accurate branch prediction is critical to achieve high performance, since fetched instructions after a branch have to be flushed from inside the pipeline when the prediction is wrong. This paper studies the performance of several types of branch predictors, starting from local branch predictor and global branch predictor. Simulation results show that the global history predictor outperforms the local history predictor due to the characteristic that branches tend to be correlated. However, the global history predictor still suffers an aliasing problem that degrades performance. Four techniques are proposed to alleviate the aliasing problem. The performance is evaluated by using Simplescalar with SPEC CINT95 benchmark programs. The proposed predictors display better performance over the conventional predictors after careful configuration of each.
Integrating Financial Crises into the Finance or Economics Curriculum

Economic and finance courses tend to rely upon rational expectation models. These models do not explain excessive speculation and subsequent financial crashes, yet these crises shape our financial institutions. In order to address this gap in the curriculum, I integrate the study of financial crises into a Financial Markets and Institutions class. Specifically, I identify 10 books related to money and financial crises that are thematically related, but which differ by historical period and economic perspective. I assign each student a book to read and define a set of deliverables that are spaced out over the semester. These deliverables include a book review, thesis statement, article/literature review, chart or figure, draft paper, and final paper, and culminate in a final presentation to the class. The project serves several purposes. First, the students improve their writing and presentation skills. Second, the students gain an appreciation for the historical context of different financial crises. Lastly, the students develop critical thinking skills.
Some Reflections around the Concept of Value: On Valéry's Claim that Philosophy is Poetry

In response to Paul Valery's claim that “philosophy is poetry,” Simone Weil set out to examine the nature of philosophical thinking. She argues that it is above all concerned with value. In the course of her argument, she lays out the grammatical differences between thinking about value, and other epistemological endeavours. These differences mean that inconsistencies are not to be avoided in philosophy, and that philosophy is not a matter of system building. In the end, she also believes that thinking philosophically requires one to possess the value of detachment, and hence a readiness to be transformed.
Algebraic construction of MIMO radar waveforms

This paper describes a method for constructing waveforms such that the individual radars in a spatial Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) radar system can simultaneously transmit pulse compression sequences yet avoid interference with each other. The waveform design algorithm is based on the matrix representations of finite abelian groups.
Tattoo removal in micropigs with low-energy pulses from a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser at 1064 nm

Treatment of pigmented lesions in skin with visible or near- infrared nanosecond (ns) laser pulses often causes significant collateral tissue damage because the current approach uses pulses with energy of 300 mJ or larger. Additionally, this requires large Q-switched laser systems. To overcome these disadvantages, we have investigated a different approach in delivering ns laser pulses for cutaneous lesion treatment. Tattoo removal in an animal model with a focused laser beam from a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser has been investigated in two Yucatan micropigs tattooed with blue, black, green and red pigments. The tattoos were treated with a focused beam of 12-ns pulses at 1064 nm, with different depth under the skin surface, while the micropig was translated to achieve an effect of single pulse per ablation site in the skin. With the pulse energy reduced to a range from 38 to 63 mJ, we found that nearly complete clearance was achieved for blue and black tattoos while clearance of red and green tattoos was incomplete. Analysis of the skin appearance suggested that the pulse energy can be decreased to below 20 mJ which may lead to further reduction of the collateral tissue damage and improve the clearance of red and green tattoos.
Combined immunodeficiency and reticuloendotheliosis with eosinophilia

A generalized erythematous scaly rash, alopecia, lymphadenopathy, and hepatosplenomegaly developed in an infant girl during the first 6 weeks of life. Repeated bacterial and fungal infections, persistent diarrhea, and generalized wasting complicated the course of her illness, and death occurred at 5 1/2 months of age. Lymph node architecture was completely obliterated by histiocytes and eosinophils; no plasma cells or germinal centers were present. Both humoral and cellular immune systems were severely but not completely impaired. Familial reticuloendotheliosis with eosinophilia is, in some cases, associated with combined immune deficiency.
Physician education and report cards: do they make the grade? results from a randomized controlled trial.

Abstract PURPOSE: We sought to determine whether tailored educational interventions can improve the quality of care, as measured by the provision of preventive care services recommended by the US Preventive Services Task Force, as well as lead to better patient satisfaction. SUBJECT AND METHODS: We performed a randomized controlled study among 41 primary care physicians who cared for 1,810 randomly selected patients aged 65 to 75 years old at Kaiser Permanente Woodland Hills, a group-model health maintenance organization in southern California. All physicians received ongoing education. Physicians randomly assigned to the comprehensive intervention group also received peer-comparison feedback and academic detailing. Baseline and postintervention (2 to 2.5 years later) surveys examining the provision of preventive care and patient satisfaction were performed and medical records were reviewed. RESULTS: Based on the results of patient surveys, there were significant improvements over time in the provision of preventive care in both the education and the comprehensive intervention groups for influenza immunization (79% versus 89%, P P P P P P P P P = 0.02) but not in the education only group (by 0.02 points, P = 0.42); however, the improvement was not significantly greater in the comprehensive intervention group ( P = 0.20). CONCLUSION: A physician-targeted approach of education, peer-comparison feedback, and academic detailing has modest effects on patient satisfaction and possibly on the offering of selected preventive care services. The lack of agreement between patient reports and medical records review raises concerns about current methods of ascertaining compliance with guidelines for preventive care.
Characterization of regions of the Caenorhabditis elegans X chromosome containing vitellogenin genes

Abstract Caenorhabditis elegans contains a family of vitellogenin genes consisting of five closely related genes (vit-1 to vit-5) coding for 186,000 Mr yolk proteins, and one distantly related gene (vit-6) encoding a 200,000 Mr precursor to two smaller yolk proteins. We demonstrate here that, although vit-1 to vit-5 are not clustered (with the exception of vit-3 and vit-4), they are all on the X chromosome. In contrast, vit-6 is autosomal. The genes are strictly regulated during development: they are activated in the intestine of the hermaphrodite worm, following the last larval molt. In order to determine whether the vit genes are contained within chromosomal domains of similarly regulated genes, we have used the chromosomal “walking” technique to isolate 55,000 to 60,000 base-pairs of DNA surrounding each of the X-linked genes and determined the developmental specificity of nearby genes. In the total of 235,400 base-pairs of cloned DNA, seven genes, in addition to the five vit genes, were found. The average gene spacing is approximately 20,000 base-pairs per gene but is highly variable, ranging from less than 2000 to more than 38,000 base-pairs. The seven newly identified genes, called uvt-1 to uvt-7, specify RNAs varying in size from 500 to 2700 bases. With the exception of uvt-4, all of the genes are developmentally regulated; but the patterns of regulation are quite variable, and all are different from the vitellogenin genes. The vit genes, therefore, are not contained within co-regulated chromosomal domains. We also searched for the presence of repetitive DNA, but only four such sequences were found.
Insight into human alveolar macrophage and M. tuberculosis interactions via metabolic reconstructions

Metabolic coupling of Mycobacterium tuberculosis to its host is foundational to its pathogenesis. Computational genome-scale metabolic models have shown utility in integrating -omic as well as physiologic data for systemic, mechanistic analysis of metabolism. To date, integrative analysis of host-pathogen interactions using in silico mass-balanced, genome-scale models has not been performed. We, therefore, constructed a cell-specific alveolar macrophage model, iAB-AMO-1410, from the global human metabolic reconstruction, Recon 1. The model successfully predicted experimentally verified ATP and nitric oxide production rates in macrophages. This model was then integrated with an M. tuberculosis H37Rv model, iNJ661, to build an integrated host-pathogen genome-scale reconstruction, iAB-AMO-1410-Mt-661. The integrated host-pathogen network enables simulation of the metabolic changes during infection. The resulting reaction activity and gene essentiality targets of the integrated model represent an altered infectious state. High-throughput data from infected macrophages were mapped onto the host-pathogen network and were able to describe three distinct pathological states. Integrated host-pathogen reconstructions thus form a foundation upon which understanding the biology and pathophysiology of infections can be developed.
The Parental Monitoring of Diabetes Care Scale: Development, Reliability and Validity of a Scale to Evaluate Parental Supervision of Adolescent Illness Management

Abstract Purpose Monitoring of adolescents' behavior and whereabouts has been repeatedly identified as an important predictor of adolescent behavioral outcomes. However, to date, measures of parental supervision and monitoring are lacking in the chronic illness literature. The present study describes development and initial evaluation of a measure of parental monitoring of the illness management of adolescents with diabetes: the Parental Monitoring of Diabetes Care scale (PMDC). Methods Ninety-nine parents of 12–18-year-old children with type 1 diabetes completed the PMDC. Measures of illness management and metabolic control were also obtained. Results The PMDC demonstrated good internal consistency (alpha coefficient=.81) and test–rest reliability (ICC = .80). Supporting the instrument's construct validity, confirmatory factor analysis indicated that a five subdomain structure had an acceptable fit to the data, [χ 2 (181.65)/ df (126) = 1.44, Bollen-Stine χ 2 = 165.03, p = .32, comparative fit index (CFI) = .91, and root-mean-square error of approximation=.07]. In structural equation models, parental monitoring as assessed by the PMDC had a significant direct effect on adolescent diabetes management, accounting for 38% of the variance. Parental monitoring also had a significant indirect effect on metabolic control. Conclusions The PMDC represents an important first step in the development of measures of parental monitoring for use with adolescents with chronic medical conditions.
Glycosphingolipids are not essential for formation of detergent-resistant membrane rafts in melanoma cells. methyl-beta-cyclodextrin does not affect cell surface transport of a GPI-anchored protein.

Recent data suggest that membrane microdomains or rafts that are rich in sphingolipids and cholesterol are important in signal transduction and membrane trafficking. Two models of raft structure have been proposed. One proposes a unique role for glycosphingolipids (GSL), suggesting that GSL-head-group interactions are essential in raft formation. The other model suggests that close packing of the long saturated acyl chains found on both GSL and sphingomyelin plays a key role and helps these lipids form liquid-ordered phase domains in the presence of cholesterol. To distinguish between these models, we compared rafts in the MEB-4 melanoma cell line and its GSL-deficient derivative, GM-95. Rafts were isolated from cell lysates as detergent-resistant membranes (DRMs). The two cell lines had very similar DRM protein profiles. The yield of DRM protein was 2-fold higher in the parental than the mutant line, possibly reflecting cytoskeletal differences. The same amount of DRM lipid was isolated from both lines, and the lipid composition was similar except for up-regulation of sphingomyelin in the mutant that compensated for the lack of GSL. DRMs from the two lines had similar fluidity as measured by fluorescence polarization of diphenylhexatriene. Methyl-β-cyclodextrin removed cholesterol from both cell lines with the same kinetics and to the same extent, and both a raft-associated glycosyl phosphatidylinositol-anchored protein and residual cholesterol showed the same distribution between DRMs and the detergent-soluble fraction after cholesterol removal in both cell lines. Finally, a glycosyl phosphatidylinositol-anchored protein was delivered to the cell surface at similar rates in the two lines, even after cholesterol depletion with methyl-β-cyclodextrin. We conclude that GSL are not essential for the formation of rafts and do not play a major role in determining their properties.
Osteoporosis screening and education in community pharmacies using a team approach.

Study Objectives. To develop a model for osteoporosis screening and education in community pharmacies using a team approach, compare bone mineral density T-scores between quantitative ultrasound (QUS) and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA), and determine patient satisfaction with this pharmacist-provided osteoporosis screening and education program. Design. Prospective, cross-sectional study. Setting. Community pharmacies and outpatient family medicine, internal medicine, and obstetrics and gynecology clinics in Amarillo, Texas. Patients. Women aged 55 years or older with no previous diagnosis of osteoporosis or osteopenia who had at least one additional risk factor for osteoporosis and had not been screened in the previous 3 years. Intervention. Patients were referred from family medicine, internal medicine, and obstetrics and gynecology clinics to a community pharmacy. Osteoporosis screening using heel QUS and education regarding disease prevention and treatment were provided by pharmacists. Screening results, recommendations for confirmatory DXA, and potential treatments options were provided to the referring physicians. Measurements and Main Results. A total of 100 patients (mean age 66.2 + 7.9 yrs) were enrolled in the study; three were subsequently excluded. Of the 97 study patients who were screened using QUS, 45 (46%) patients were at moderate risk (T-score −2.5) and nine (9%) were at high risk (T-score ≤ −2.5). Of 54 patients recommended for DXA referral, 20 (37%) completed the scan. All 20 were diagnosed with either osteopenia (9 patients [45%]) or osteoporosis (11 patients [55%]). Correlation was moderate between T-scores obtained by QUS and DXA of lumbar vertebrae 1–4 (r=0.45, p=0.026). Counseling regarding risk factors, screening results, smoking cessation, calcium intake, exercise, and caffeine intake was perceived by patients as valuable or highly valuable (medians for all items ranged from 4–5 on a 5-point Likert scale). Of 84 patients assessed (13 were lost to follow-up), 81 (96%) said they would recommend this service to others. Conclusion. Osteoporosis screening and education in community pharmacies are effective in detecting undiagnosed disease and are perceived by patients as highly useful.
Estimation of kinetic parameters of a grinding-liberation model

Abstract A method of parameter estimation is outlined for a two-component grinding-liberation model. The large number of model variables is reduced by using functional forms. The parameters for the functional forms are estimated using a modified Gauss-Newton algorithm. The technique is applied to both synthetic and real experimental data. Parameters estimated from wet grinding batch tests of Illinois No. 6 coal were used to predict mill output for a larger pilot-plant mill. The predictions were found to match the actual mill output within the limits of experimental error.
Child care teachers’ strategies in children’s socialization of emotion

An observational study was conducted to examine teachers’ emotional socialization strategies in three child care centers. Qualitative analysis of the data suggests that teachers in child care centers respond to children’s emotional expressions with various strategies. Teachers clearly expressed a preference for positive emotion through verbal reinforcement. They encouraged not only children’s smiles, laughter and affection‐seeking behaviors, but also their empathy toward other children. The teachers in the current study also instruct children about constructive ways of expressing emotion. Negative responses to children’s emotional expressions imply that some teachers’ emotional socialization practices need to be improved. The implications of a teacher‐training program focusing on facilitating emotional competence are suggested.
Part Accuracy in High-Speed Machining: Preliminary Results

This paper provides preliminary results from a study of the relative contributions of various error sources to overall dimensional errors in parts produced by milling operations. The error sources studied include machine geometry errors, thermal errors, controller tracking errors, and errors due to cutting forces. These error sources are modeled and measured on a modern high-speed machining CNC machining center. It is found that dynamic cutting force errors can be a significant contributor to part dimensional errors in high-speed milling operations.Copyright © 2006 by ASME