cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Liposomes disposition in vivo V. Liposome stability in plasma and implications for drug carrier function

The kinetics of [14C]sucrose release from multilamellar liposomes of fixed diameter (approx. 0.23 micron) incubated in human plasma (serum and blood) were quantified. Composition was various ratios of phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidic acid and cholesterol with alpha-tocopherol included as antioxidant. Considerable intra-individual variability was noted for liposome stability in blood and its derived fluids, yet reproducible results were obtained for pooled samples. The destabilizing effects of plasma decreased with increasing lipid concentrations. Results of fitting a kinetic model to the data showed that four of five model parameters were linearly related to liposome cholesterol content. Liposomes depleted plasma of its destabilizing factors, and when pre-incubated with plasma were partially stabilized to the effects of a subsequent plasma addition. Plasma caused a rapid rise in liposome membrane permeability which then declined non-linearly, presumably because of a rearrangement of membrane lipids and adsorbed proteins to form their most stable configuration. The therapeutic availability of drugs administered encapsulated in liposomes, which can be governed by the kinetics of their in vivo extracellular release, may be directly proportional to--and predictable from--the time-course and extent of release in plasma. The kinetic model was used in conjunction with simple pharmacokinetic assumptions to show that the effectiveness of a liposome drug carrier cannot be predicted based simply on its plasma stability; more stable liposomes may not be more effective drug carriers. Interestingly, plasma-induced solute release from liposomes serendipitously mimics an important facet of ideal carrier behavior.
Search war: a game for improving web search

We present a competitive online game called Search War, which collects data that is useful for improving Web search. Specifically, as a by product of gameplay, players will provide, for a given web page, an evaluation of its relevance to a particular search query as well as its most salient purpose.
Robust Input Covariance Constraint Control for Uncertain Polytopic Systems

In this paper, the robust input covariance constraint ICC control problem with polytopic uncertainty is solved using convex optimization with linear matrix inequality LMI approach. The ICC control problem is an optimal control problem that optimizes the output performance subjected to multiple constraints on the input covariance matrices. This control problem has significant practical implications when hard constraints need to be satisfied on control actuators. The contribution of this paper is the characterization of the control synthesis LMIs used to solve the robust ICC control problem for polytopic uncertain systems. Both continuous- and discrete-time systems are considered. Parameter-dependent and independent Lyapunov functions have been used for robust ICC controller synthesis. Numerical design examples are presented to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach.
Sexual arousal patterns of bisexual men revisited

Men who identify themselves as bisexual report feeling sexually aroused by both men and women. However, past research has not demonstrated that such men exhibit substantial genital arousal to both male and female erotic stimuli, suggesting that they identify as bisexual for reasons other than their genital arousal pattern. The purpose of the present study was to examine arousal patterns among bisexual men who were recruited using stringent criteria involving sexual and romantic experience with both men and women in order to increase the likelihood of finding a bisexual arousal pattern. Bisexual men in the present study demonstrated bisexual patterns of both subjective and genital arousal. It remains unclear which pattern is most typical of contemporary bisexual men: the present results supporting a bisexual arousal pattern, or previous results not finding one. In either case, understanding men with bisexual arousal patterns could help illuminate the etiology and development of male sexual orientation.
Personality attributes of males and females marrying within vs. across racial/ethnic groups

As part of a larger study, Adjective Check List scores were obtained from 543 couples in Hawaii who had married within their own ethnic group and 83 who had not. Females who married across ethnic groups generally scored higher in one domain of personality (dominance) than did females who married within their own ethnic group. Males who married cross-ethnically also differed in dominance from those who did not, but in different directions in different ethnic groups. In the group that had the highest status (Caucasian) in the decades in which these subjects married, they were less dominant; in the other groups, to varying degrees, they were more dominant. In general, males and females in cross-ethnic matings were more similar in personality test scores than males and females who married within their own ethnic groups. Spouse correlations were generally positive but trivial in magnitude, with very little difference in personality between homogamous and heterogamous couples. The average difference in personality between those who married within and outside their own ethnic group was associated with the rarity of outmarriage for the sex and ethnic group concerned.
BENCHMARK SPRAY COMBUSTION DATA FOR CODE VALIDATION

Experimental data were collected for the purpose of validating multiphase combustion models and submodels. Quantitative uncertainties arc provided with the comprehensive experimental data set that ensure the conlidence levels needed by modelers, and to date are lacking in the literature. A spray combustor was fabricated that permits well-defined boundary and input conditions, and measurements were carried out that characterize the fuel spray, wall temperatures, gas temperature and species concentrations at the reactor exhaust. The operating conditions for the baseline case were defined by NIST personnel and industrial collaborators involved in model development. A methanol spray, generated with a pressure-jet nozzle, was studied with phase Doppler interferometry to measure the size, velocity, number density, and mass flux of the fuel droplets. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy was used to measure the species concentrations in the reactor emissions. The conversion of methanol in the reactor was found to be - 80 7’0. The swirling inlet combustion air was characterized computationally with a 3-D simulation that was validated with pitot probe mcasurcments.
Behavioral Alterations in Reward System Function: The Role of Childhood Maltreatment and Psychopathology.

ABSTRACT Objective To examine in children the influence of maltreatment and associated psychiatric sequelae on behavioral responses to reward stimuli. Method A computerized two-choice decision-making task involving probabilistic monetary gains was used to probe elemental processes of goal-directed actions. Using different risk contingencies, the authors examined decision-making, expectations of outcomes, and affective responses to rewards in 38 maltreated children and 21 demographically matched controls (8-14 years old). Results Maltreated children selected risk options faster than controls; however, whereas controls responded more quickly as the chance of winning increased, maltreated children did not vary in response speed as a function of the likelihood of winning. When choosing between high- and low-risk options, maltreated children with depressive disorders more frequently selected safe over risky choices than did controls. No group differences emerged in self-report ratings of positive or negative reactions to winning or not winning, respectively. Conclusions This initial experimental study of responses to reward lays the groundwork for subsequent research on neurodevelopmental aspects of reward processes in relationship to maltreatment and psychopathology. Clinical applications of these data may be relevant for developing treatment plans for maltreated children, particularly those with depression.
Zebra Mussel Colonization of Construction Materials, and Effectiveness of a Foul Release Coating

We compared zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha) colonization of six commonly used construction materials (PVC, concrete, steel, galvanized steel, pressure-treated wood, aluminum) plus a native unionid mussel shell, and examined effectiveness of the Intersleek® 970 Fluoropolymer Foul Release Coating system applied to the six materials in limiting colonization by this aquatic nuisance species. Coated and uncoated substrates were deployed in Marion Reservoir, Kansas, from April 2011 to August 2012. Density of colonizing zebra mussels was evaluated in July and November 2011, and durability of the substrates was monitored until August 2012. Mussels differentially utilized materials, with eight of the 13 substrates being colonized. PVC was colonized more heavily than galvanized steel and all surfaces coated with foul release fluoropolymer, which were largely mussel-free. Coating eventually showed signs of pitting, but did not delaminate from the materials to which it was applied. These results suggest that use of particular materials and coatings may aid management of some zebra mussel infestations.
Neuropsychiatry of Aggression

Aggression is a serious medical problem that can place both the patient and the health care provider at risk. Aggression can result from medical, neurologic, and/or psychiatric disorders. A comprehensive patient evaluation is needed. Treatment options include pharmacotherapy as well as nonpharmacologic interventions, both of which need to be individualized to the patient.
Sex Pheromone of the Scarab Beetle Phyllophaga (Phytalus) georgiana (Horn)

The sex pheromone of Phyllophaga (Phytalus) georgiana was characterized as valine methyl ester, tentatively the l-enantiomer. This is the first sex pheromone identified from the Phyllophaga subgenus Phytalus. The pheromone was extracted from female glands, the active component isolated by coupled gas chromatography–electroantennogram detection analysis, characterized by mass spectrometry, and shown to be active in field tests. The seasonal flight pattern was determined for P. georgiana as well as for three other species, P. anxia (both northern and southern genitalic forms), P. gracilis, and P. postrema. The latter three species were captured in traps baited with l-isoleucine methyl ester.
Soy ingredients stabilize bread dough during frozen storage

Abstract Bread with 48.5% soy ingredients was assessed for quality during frozen storage of the dough. Soy protein was hypothesized to prevent water migration during frozen storage, thereby producing dough that would exhibit fewer structural changes than traditional wheat bread. Wheat and soy bread were baked from dough that was fresh or frozen (−20 °C, 2 or 4 wks). Dough and bread were assessed for physical properties including moisture content, percent “freezable” and “unfreezable” water, dough extensibility, and bread texture. The bread was subjected to an untrained sensory panel. The soy bread was denser, chewier, and had a higher moisture content than wheat bread. When baked from fresh or frozen dough, soy bread was rated “moderately acceptable” or higher by 70% of panelists. Soy minimized changes in dough extensibility and resistive force to extension, leading to minimal changes in bread hardness. Although consumers could distinguish between bread baked from soy dough that was fresh or frozen for 4 wks, sensorial and textural data suggested that the rate at which the quality of the soy dough deteriorated was slower than that of wheat dough. In conclusion, the dough of consumer-acceptable soy bread retained quality characteristics during frozen storage slightly better than wheat dough.
Chronic natural killer cell lymphocytosis

Chronic proliferations of natural killer (NK) cells (CD3- CD16+) are identified initially by detecting large granular lymphocyte (LGL) excess in a peripheral blood smear and subsequent lymphocyte immunophenotyping by flow cytometry. A related disease, T-LGL leukemia, has an indolent clinical course with chronic neutropenia and a close association with rheumatoid arthritis. Herein are described the clinical presentation and long-term clinical course of patients with chronic NK cell lymphocytosis (CNKL). The majority of the 14 patients followed up for a median of 4 years presented with severe cytopenias or vasculitic syndromes that were responsive to immunosuppressive therapy. Other manifestations included fever and arthralgias. In general, the disease was nonprogressive and had a course similar to that of T-LGL leukemia.
Parental Involvement as a Protective Factor During the Transition to High School

ABSTRACT The authors investigated whether student-perceived parental involvement predicts improvement in academic, behavioral, and relational outcomes for low-achieving adolescents. With a sample of 59 racially diverse 9th-grade students, the authors measured 3 dimensions of parental involvement: direct participation, academic encouragement, and expectations for grades and attainment. Analyses revealed associations between 2 types of parental involvement and outcomes, which held after considering student gender and race. Students whose parents had higher expectations about grades and attainment had higher grade point averages and were rated as more academically engaged by their teachers. Students who reported that their parents were more academically encouraging experienced more care from their teachers. Results suggest certain types of parental involvement may be more effective than others in supporting low-achieving adolescents’ school performance.
Instabilities during batch sedimentation in geometries containing obstacles: A numerical and experimental study

Batch sedimentation of non-colloidal particle suspensions is studied with nuclear magnetic resonance flow visualization and continuum-level numerical modelling of particle migration. The experimental method gives particle volume fraction as a function of time and position, which then provides validation data for the numerical model. A finite element method is used to discretize the equations of motion, including an evolution equation for the particle volume fraction and a generalized Newtonian viscosity dependent on local particle concentration. The diffusive-flux equation is based on the Phillips model (Phys. Fluids A 1992; 4:30–40) and includes sedimentation terms described by Zhang and Acrivos (Int. J. Multiphase Flow 1994; 20:579–591). The model and experiments are utilized in three distinct geometries with particles that are heavier and lighter than the suspending fluid, depending on the experiment: (1) sedimentation in a cylinder with a contraction; (2) particle flotation in a horizontal cylinder with a horizontal rod; and (3) flotation around a rectangular inclusion. Secondary flows appear in both the experiments and the simulations when a region of higher density fluid is above a lower density fluid. The secondary flows result in particle inhomogeneities, Rayleigh–Taylor-like instabilities, and remixing, though the effect in the simulations is more pronounced than in the experiments. Published in 2007 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Measurement of the nonlinear optical properties of semiconductors using the irradiance scan technique

Irradiance scan measurements of the nonlinear absorption and refraction coefficients of CdTe were performed at room temperature and at 77 K and compared to the values obtained in previous experiments using a different technique.
Lateral ball interception: hand movements during linear ball trajectories

Part of understanding how acts are coordinated is identifying the information that guides movements. In the case of catching a ball within arm's reach, that identification has been complicated by empirical disparities concerning hand-movement reversals during catching. Jacobs and Michaels found unilateral reversals in a paradigm in which balls swung down in an arc; this implicated a particular optical variable, the ratio of lateral velocity to expansion velocity. Montagne et al. reported bilateral reversals when balls approached along a linear trajectory, which implicated a different variable, lateral ball position. The research reported here attempted to replicate Montagne et al.'s findings. In Experiment 1, participants caught balls rolling toward them across a table, under full lighting using monocular or binocular viewing; in Experiment 2, participants caught luminous balls with a luminous glove in an otherwise dark room. Using Montagne et al.'s criterion, we observed no movement reversals in any condition, though some aspects of hand movements suggested the relevance of lateral ball position. The results of Experiment 3, which asked perceivers to indicate only where rods pointed, suggested that lateral position effects were a bias that is unrelated to interception. The ratio of lateral velocity to expansion appears to be a better variable for explaining hand trajectories in lateral interception.
Intravitreal sustained-release cyclosporine in the treatment of experimental uveitis

Objective: Uveitis often is a chronic disease requiring long-term medical therapy. Despite treatment, the disease may be difficult to control and may produce serious, vision-threatening ocular complications. In this study, the authors determined whether an intravitreal cyclosporine-sustained delivery device was effective in the treatment of ocular inflammation in a rabbit model of uveitis. Methods: New Zealand White rabbits were immunized subcutaneously with Mycobacterium tuberculosis H37Ra antigen. Fourteen days later, sustained-release cyclosporine devices were implanted into the vitreous cavity of the right eye of experimental rabbits. Control animals received sham devices. Seven days after device implantation, rabbits were challenged with an intravitreal injection of tuberculin antigen. To simulate chronic inflammation with exacerbations, some animals were rechallenged with intravitreal antigen on day 21 after device implantation. Inflammation was assessed clinically by a masked observer who graded anterior chamber cells, flare, corneal neovascularization, iris congestion, and vitreous opacity daily until day 7 and on day 13 after the initial intravitreous challenge, and on days 1 and 2 after the rechallenge. Retinal function was evaluated by electroretinography. Animals were killed 3, 6, 8, and 14 days after the initial intravitreal challenge and on the second day after rechallenge for aqueous leukocyte count, protein measurement, and histologic examination. The number of aqueous and peripheral blood proliferating lymphocytes and the subset of CD4 + T cells were determined by flow cytometry. High-performance liquid chromatography was used to measure cyclosporine A levels in vitreous and peripheral blood. Light microscopy was used to evaluate the eyes histopathologically. Results: By clinical criteria, treated eyes had significantly less inflammation than untreated eyes. The number of aqueous cells and protein concentration determined quantitatively paralleled the clinical assessment of anterior chamber cells and flare. The electroretinography B-wave was depressed significantly in untreated eyes compared with that of treated eyes ( P Conclusions: The intravitreal cyclosporine A device effectively suppresses ocular inflammation in a rabbit model of uveitis. This device may be useful in the treatment of patients with severe chronic uveitis who are intolerant to currently available therapies.
The effects of injury severity on jury negligence decisions.

According to the laws of negligence, jurors' liability decisions are to be influenced by the defendant's conduct, but not by the severity of the plaintiffs injuries. We conducted a jury simulation study to assess whether jurors reason in this manner. We manipulated the conduct of the defendant (reasonable, careless) and the severity of injuries to the plaintiff (mild, severe) in a simulated automobile negligence case. Jurors completed predeliberation questionnaires, deliberated to a verdict, and answered postdeliberation questionnaires. The defendant's conduct had a strong impact on liability judgments, but evidence related to injury severity also had an effect, albeit smaller. We analyze these findings in the context of various cognitive and motivational theories. In a civil negligence case, testimony relevant to the question of liability is typically presented in combination with testimony related to damages and is heard by one jury in one proceeding. Jurors are expected to make a decision about liability only on the basis of evidence concerning the litigants' actions and an independent decision about damages only on the basis of evidence concerning the outcome (i.e., the plaintiff's injuries). This study asks whether jurors can compartmentalize their use of the evidence in this way.
Coronary collateral circulation: Determination of an anatomical anastomotic index of functional collateral flow capacity

Abstract Following coronary artery ligation, retrograde flow and diastolic peripheral coronary pressure are reliable indices of each other and equally dependent on the number and size of interarterial coronary collaterals in accordance with Poiseuille's law. A quantitative anatomic AI has been derived with the use of Poiseuille's law. The AI for an individual heart represents the size and number of coronary collaterals and significantly correlates with the physiologic indices of coronary collateral development. Thus, the AI can be used as an investigative tool in indirectly assessing the functional significance of coronary collaterals, while conversely, retrograde flow and diastolic peripheral coronary pressure are indirect measurements of the anatomic development of the coronary collateral circulation.
A Low-Power Integrated Circuit for a Wireless 100-Electrode Neural Recording System

Recent work in field of neuroprosthetics has demonstrated that by observing the simultaneous activity of many neurons in specific regions of the brain, it is possible to produce control signals that allow animals or humans to drive cursors or prosthetic limbs directly through thoughts. As neuroprosthetic devices transition from experimental to clinical use, there is a need for fully-implantable amplification and telemetry electronics in close proximity to the recording sites. To address these needs, we developed a prototype integrated circuit for wireless neural recording from a 100-channel microelectrode array. The design of both the system-level architecture and the individual circuits were driven by severe power constraints for small implantable devices; chronically heating tissue by only a few degrees Celsius leads to cell death. Due to the high data rate produced by 100 neural signals, the system must perform data reduction as well. We use a combination of a low-power ADC and an array of "spike detectors" to reduce the transmitted data rate while preserving critical information. The complete system receives power and commands (at 6.5 kb/s) wirelessly over a 2.64-MHz inductive link and transmits neural data back at a data rate of 330 kb/s using a fully-integrated 433-MHz FSK transmitter. The 4.7times5.9 mm2 chip was fabricated in a 0.5-mum 3M2P CMOS process and consumes 13.5 mW of power. While cross-chip interference limits performance in single-chip operation, a two-chip system was used to record neural signals from a Utah Electrode Array in cat cortex and transmit the digitized signals wirelessly to a receiver
High-precision measurement of 20 Ne and 22 Ne transitions

In a crossed laser-atomic-beam experiment, eight neon transitions between the levels 1s and 2p are measured to an accuracy of 3–4 parts in 1010 by a direct comparison with a standard laser from the National Bureau of Standards. These transitions are 1s5 → 2p7, 1s3 → 2p5, 1s5 → 2p8, and 1s3 → 2p7 from both 20Ne and 22Ne. The isotope shifts of these transitions are determined to an accuracy of 0.1 MHz.
Enhanced detection of ischemic but viable myocardium by the reinjection of thallium after stress-redistribution imaging.

Abstract Background. The identification of ischemic but viable myocardium by thallium exercise scintigraphy is often imprecise, since many of the perfusion defects that develop in ischemic myocardium during exercise do not "fill in" on subsequent redistribution images. We hypothesized that a second injection of thallium given after the redistribution images were taken might improve the detection of ischemic but viable myocardium. Methods. We studied 100 patients with coronary artery disease, using thallium exercise tomographic imaging and radionuclide angiography. Patients received 2 mCi of thallium intravenously during exercise, redistribution imaging was performed three to four hours later, and a second dose of 1 mCi of thallium was injected at rest immediately thereafter. The three sets of images (stress, redistribution, and reinjection) were then analyzed. Results. Ninety-two of the 100 patients had exercise-induced perfusion defects. Of the 260 abnormal myocardial regions identified by stress imaging...
Intermediate Temperature Internal Oxidation of a SiC/SiCN Composite with a Polymer-Derived Matrix

SiC-based composites exhibit oxidative embrittlement at intermediate temperatures. Although the mechanisms of internal oxidation in composites with initially hermetic matrices have been studied extensively, comparable studies on composites with semipermeable matrices, such as those produced by polymer infiltration and pyrolysis, have not been reported. The present article focuses on the latter class of composites, specifically a SiCf /SiCNm with a dual BN/Si3N4 fiber coating. It describes detailed SEM and TEM analyses of the microstructure before and after oxidation in dry air or water vapor at 800°C. The results show that internal oxidation is more aggressive in water vapor and occurs appreciably even in the absence of an applied stress. The sequence of oxidation of the constituent phases appears to be consistent with the underlying thermodynamic hierarchy for the respective oxidation reactions. Notably, contrary to existing models based on preferential oxidation of BN coatings, oxidation occurs first on the SiC fiber surfaces and the Si3N4 overcoat; crystalline BN remains even after significant fiber and matrix oxidation has occurred. The results are discussed in terms of rate-controlling kinetic processes, the effect of oxidant type, and applied stress.
Ethical/moral experiences of oncology nurses.

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES To describe the ethical/moral situations that oncology nurses report experiencing. DESIGN Descriptive, exploratory, qualitative. SETTING United States. SAMPLE Seventy nurses selected randomly from the Oncology Nursing Society Membership Directory. METHODS The participants responded in writing to the following question: Describe an oncology clinical situation in which you experienced ethical/moral questions. Share all the thoughts, perceptions, and feelings you can recall until you have no more to say about the situation. FINDINGS Most of the experiences these oncology nurses reported reflected a care perspective; focused on the moral principles of autonomy, beneficence, nonmaleficence, fidelity, and truth telling; and revealed moral themes of suffering, secrets, and struggle. CONCLUSIONS Oncology nurses in this study experienced ethical/moral situations related to a care perspective rather than a justice perspective, and this information provides a beginning oncology nursing ethics framework. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING PRACTICE Oncology nursing preparation should include ethical content based on the actual experiences of oncology nurses.
The Surgical Treatment of Temporal Lobe Epilepsy

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the surgical treatment of temporal lobe epilepsy. Resected human hippocampi with mesial temporal sclerosis (MTS), with or without granule cell sprouting, have been studied with slice electrophysiology and demonstrate granule cell hyperexcitability and lowered inhibition. It is found that the hippocampus was two or more standard deviations smaller than a control hippocampus with a confidence interval of 95%. In the bilateral atrophy group, anterior medial temporal resection (AMTR) was performed on the side of the ictal onset defined by invasive monitoring, and 4 out of the 5 have been seizure free for more than 2 years. A study showed that 72% of ictal surface and 82% of depth electronencephalogram (EEG) onsets were concordant with the atrophic hippocampus. Four patients with concordant EEG and atrophy failed seizure control following resection and 3 patients with nonconcordant depth EEG and atrophy had resection of the nonatrophic hippocampus and had excellent seizure control. It is found that despite the relatively well-defined medial temporal lobe epilepsy syndrome and the correlation of that syndrome with MTS, significant numbers of patients (20-40%) fail to be cured by surgical resection and the failure rate increases over time.
Voltammetric Ion Selectivity of Thin Ionophore-Based Polymeric Membranes: Kinetic Effect of Ion Hydrophilicity

The high ion selectivity of potentiometric and optical sensors based on ionophore-based polymeric membranes is thermodynamically limited. Here, we report that the voltammetric selectivity of thin ionophore-based polymeric membranes can be kinetically improved by several orders of magnitude in comparison with their thermodynamic selectivity. The kinetic improvement of voltammetric selectivity is evaluated quantitatively by newly introducing a voltammetric selectivity coefficient in addition to a thermodynamic selectivity coefficient. Experimentally, both voltammetric and thermodynamic selectivity coefficients are determined from cyclic voltammograms of excess amounts of analyte and interfering ions with respect to the amount of a Na+- or Li+-selective ionophore in thin polymeric membranes. We reveal the slower ionophore-facilitated transfer of a smaller alkaline earth metal cation with higher hydrophilicity across the membrane/water interface, thereby kinetically improving voltammetric Na+ selectivity agai...
THE FITTING OF A QUADRATIC MODEL TO AN INTERACTIVE SYSTEM WITH FOUR COMPONENTS

ABSTRACT A Volterra-type model of a four-component environmental system with quadratic interactions is used to test a fitting operation that employs a least-squares criterion and that was tested previously by the author on a model with three components,
Looking Back, Moving Forward: An Interview with Ron Grim, Map Curator and Archivist

In one's lifetime, one may meet and get to know individuals who are experts in a discipline or area, but it is unusual to become acquainted with someone who is an expert in two or more. The editors...
Gynecologic Malignancies in Pregnancy: Balancing Fetal Risks With Oncologic Safety.

ImportanceCancer occurs in 0.05% to 0.1% of all pregnancies. Despite literature reporting good oncologic and fetal outcomes in women treated for cancer during pregnancy, as many as 44% of gynecologists would offer termination, and 37% would not administer chemotherapy or radiotherapy in pregnancy.Ob
The Role of Radiotherapy in Localized Esophageal and Gastric Cancer

Multimodality management has become a core treatment principle for locally advanced esophageal, gastroesophageal junction (GEJ), and gastric cancer. Radiotherapy serves an important role for optimizing patient outcomes. This article reviews the evolving role of radiotherapy in the multidisciplinary management of esophageal, GEJ, and gastric cancer, summarizing the results of recent clinical trials leading to contemporary accepted treatment approaches. A major theme is the evidence supporting the role of radiotherapy in combined modality management, particularly the trend toward its delivery in the neoadjuvant setting. Also reviewed are novel radiotherapy paradigms and newer radiation technologies such as image-guided radiotherapy and MRI-guided radiotherapy.
Total Ionizing Dose Effects of Gamma-Ray Radiation on NbO x -Based Selector Devices for Crossbar Array Memory

The transition metal oxide NbO2 is regarded as a promising selector device to be integrated with resistive random access memory for the high-density crossbar array architecture. Understanding its total ionizing dose (TID) response would help assess the reliability of using this selector device in radiation environments. In this paper, we investigate the TID effect of gamma-ray ( $\gamma$ -ray) radiation on a Pt/NbOx/Pt selector device using electrical characterization and an X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The NbOx devices were irradiated with 60Co $\gamma$ -rays to a maximum dose of 5 Mrad (NbO2). The experimental results show that the threshold switching behavior can withstand the 5 Mrad (NbO2) without significant change in the switching parameters. The XPS results reveal that there are mixed NbO2 and Nb2O5 phases in the NbOx thin film. After 5 Mrad (NbO2) $\gamma$ -ray irradiation, the peak intensity of NbO2 increases and the peak intensity of Nb2O5 decreases in the XPS spectra, probably due to the reduction of Nb2O5 under radiation. Nevertheless, the electrical properties of the NbOx-based selector have remained after 5 Mrad (NbO2) $\gamma$ -ray irradiation, indicating the potential use of the NbOx-based selector device in aerospace applications.
Developing heat conduction pathways through short polymer chains in a hydrogen bonded polymer system

Abstract In the past couple of decades, high thermally conductive fillers are extensively used to develop thermally conductive polymer based composites. Such conventional methods suffer from wide variety of problems especially related to fabrication, high-cost, poor mechanical properties etc. Though covalent bonds in single polymer chain can lead to very high thermal conduction, it is irony that bulk polymers are thermal insulators due to significant phonon scattering. In this work, we have shown how by engineering intermolecular interaction within the polymer chain, one can create continuous thermal network which in turn drives thermal conduction in polymer without using any traditional fillers. Thermal conduction pathways were introduced in a blend film of long chain polymer Poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA) and short chain Poly (ethylene glycol) (PEG). Thermal conductivity enhancement of around 1.6 times of neat polymer was achieved. The critical factor responsible for thermal conduction in these films was found to be homogeneous distribution of “thermal bridges” formed by hydrogen bonding between PVA and short PEG chain. Reduction in thermal conductivity was observed when PVA blend film with longer PEG chain, which is mainly due to poor thermal bridges distribution and chain agglomeration. This work presents a fascinating yet promising non-conventional method to make thermally conductive polymer based material without using traditional fillers for thermal management applications.
UniverSense: IoT Device Pairing through Heterogeneous Sensing Signals

Easily establishing pairing between Internet-of-Things (IoT) devices is important for fast deployment in many smart home scenarios. Traditional pairing methods, including passkey, QR code, and RFID, often require specific user interfaces, surface's shape/material, or additional tags/readers. The growing number of low-resource IoT devices without an interface may not meet these requirements, which makes their pairing a challenge. On the other hand, these devices often already have sensors embedded for sensing tasks, such as inertial sensors. These sensors can be used for limited user interaction with the devices, but are not suitable for pairing on their own. In this paper, we present UniverSense, an alternative pairing method between low-resource IoT devices with an inertial sensor and a more powerful networked device equipped with a camera. To establish pairing between them, the user moves the low-resource IoT device in front of the camera. Both the camera and the on-device sensors capture the physical motion of the low-resource device. UniverSense converts these signals into a common state-space to generate fingerprints for pairing. We conduct real-world experiments to evaluate UniverSense and it achieves an F1 score of 99.9% in experiments carried out by five participants.
Expert Review of Cervical Cytology: Does it Affect Patient Care?

Objectives The aim of the study was to evaluate whether expert review of outside cervical cytology affects patient care. Materials and methods A retrospective study was conducted of 424 new patient referrals for cervical dysplasia between 2004 and 2016 at Roswell Park Cancer Institute. Records were analyzed for outside cervical cytology reports and compared with expert cervical cytology review. Differences between expert review and outside reports were documented. Charts with a difference were then assessed for additional evaluation and procedures performed. We specifically analyzed the data for cytology being upgraded or downgraded after expert review. Results Two hundred forty-six patient charts were eligible for this study. We identified 165 patients with congruent pathology reports. Of the 81 different reports, 41 led to significant pathologic differences. Twenty-four reports with different pathology were low-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (LSIL) upgraded to high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesions (HSIL). Six were HSIL downgraded to LSIL, 4 LSIL downgraded to negative, 3 AGC upgraded to HSIL, 2 AGC upgraded to cancer, 1 each for HSIL downgraded to negative, and AGC downgraded to negative. Of the 24 patients whose cytology changed from low grade to high grade, 17 underwent an excisional procedure and 1 had a laser ablative procedure. Cervical intraepithelial neoplasia 2 or 3 was found in 11 specimens. Cervical intraepithelial neoplasia 1 was found in 4 of excisional specimens and no dysplasia found in 2. Conclusions Expert review of cervical cytology significantly impacts patient management at a tertiary referral center, resulting in both upgrading and downgrading of community cytology reports.
Techniques and “Tricks of the Trade” of Robotic-Assisted Laparoscopy

Robotic pediatric urology procedures are increasing both in number and in complexity. This chapter describes technical surgical considerations, patient positioning, and other “tricks-of-the-trade” for several surgical procedures including pyeloplasty, nephroureterectomy, and Malone Antegrade Continence Enema procedure (MACE). Also, a good surgeon is defined not only by intra-operative skill, but also by thoughtful pre-operative preparation. This is particularly true for robotic surgery. We also stress the importance of both facility with the use of the robot and practice on robotic devices in the laboratory. During practice sessions, the surgeon should not only practice suturing and knot tying, but also remember to do all exercises with both hands.
The national cancer data base report on ovarian cancer

Background. Reports generated from the National Cancer Data Base (NCDB), a joint project of the American College of Surgeons Commission on Cancer and the American Cancer Society, have described trends in demographics, stage, treatment patterns, and survival for a variety of cancers. In this report, the most current (1991) data for ovarian cancer are presented and include some comparisons with 1985/1986 data. Methods. Three calls for data from hospital registries across the United States have yielded 17,114 ovarian cancer cases for 1985, 1986, and 1991 combined. These data represent approximately 23%, 23%, and 43%, respectively, of the annual number of cases of ovarian cancer in the United States for those years. Results. One-fourth of the reported cases of ovarian cancer were diagnosed in women less than 50 years of age. Younger patients (<40 years) were more likely to have received conservative therapy (unilateral oophorectomy), consistent with their high prevalence (59%) of Stage I disease. The number of patients reported with an unknown American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) stage decreased from 49% in 1985/1986 to 17% in 1991, although the distribution within stages was unchanged. Increases in important staging procedures were reported in 1991, with threefold increase in the proportion of de-bulking procedures and a 50% increase in omentectomies accompanying hysterectomy compared with 1985/1986. More advanced disease was reported for those of older age, lower income, African Americans, and patients in smaller hospitals. Relative 5-year survival rates were 74% for patients with Stage I disease, 58% for Stage II, 30% for Stage III, and 19% for Stage IV. Asians and Hispanics presented with a relatively high rate of Stage I–II disease (45%) compared with non-Hispanic whites and African Americans (38% and 33%, respectively). Hispanics presented with the most favorable Stage I/IV ratio (1.5) and had an overall 5-year survival of 50% compared with 41% and 37% for non-Hispanic whites and African Americans (Stage I/IV ratios of 1.0 and 0.7, respectively). There was little difference reported in the use of multi-modality treatment between 1985/1986 and 1991. Conclusions. A trend toward more complete surgery with full surgical/pathologic staging was observed in 1991, but there was not yet evidence to indicate significant improvements in ovarian cancer survival compared with published figures during the past 10-15 years. Important ethnic and demographic differences in type of surgery and survival were noted but could not be differentiated from differences in tumor stage. Cancer 1995;76:1096–1103.
Stratus: cost-aware container scheduling in the public cloud

Stratus is a new cluster scheduler specialized for orchestrating batch job execution on virtual clusters, dynamically allocated collections of virtual machine instances on public IaaS platforms. Unlike schedulers for conventional clusters, Stratus focuses primarily on dollar cost considerations, since public clouds provide effectively unlimited, highly heterogeneous resources allocated on demand. But, since resources are charged-for while allocated, Stratus aggressively packs tasks onto machines, guided by job runtime estimates, trying to make allocated resources be either mostly full (highly utilized) or empty (so they can be released to save money). Simulation experiments based on cluster workload traces from Google and TwoSigma show that Stratus reduces cost by 17-44% compared to state-of-the-art approaches to virtual cluster scheduling.
Molecular imaging with neural training of identification algorithm (neural network localization identification)

Superresolution localization microscopy strongly relies on robust identification algorithms for accurate reconstruction of the biological systems it is used to measure. The fields of machine learning and computer vision have provided promising solutions for automated object identification, but usually rely on well represented training sets to learn object features. However, using a static training set can result in the learned identification algorithm making mistakes on data that is not well represented by the training set. Here, we present a method for training an artificial neural network without providing a training set in advance. This method uses the data to be analyzed, and the fitting algorithm to train an artificial neural network tailored to that data set. We show that the same artificial neural network can learn to identify at least two types of molecular emissions: the regular point spread functions (PSFs), and the astigmatism PSF. Simulations indicate that this method can be extremely reliable in extracting molecular emission signatures. Additionally, we implemented the artificial neural network calculation to be performed on a graphics processing unit (GPU) for massively parallelized calculation which drastically reduces the time required for the identification process. By implementing the neural identification on a GPU, we allow this method of identification to be used in a real time analysis algorithm. RESEARCH HIGHLIGHTS: Here, we present a machine learning algorithm for identifying point-spread functions without the need for an a priori training set. We show that this method can detect over 90% of molecules with less than 1% false positive identification in simulations. We further show that because this algorithm does not make assumptions of about the shape of molecular emission, it is compatible with models beyond the symmetric 2D Gaussian.
Postglucose Hyperinsulinemia in Black Women Is Not What We Thought.

Chung et al. present data showing altered insulin secretion and metabolism in black women across the lifespan. This work is critical to move our field toward personalized patient-centered care.
Temporal Trends in Treatment Utilization for Disordered Eating in U.S. Adolescents From 2004 Through 2017: A Nationally Representative Study

Abstract Purpose The aim of the article was to assess temporal changes in adolescent treatment utilization for disordered eating. Methods Data were drawn from adolescents (unweighted N = 236,752), aged 12–17 years, in the National Survey on Drug Use and Health for 2004–2017. Joinpoint regression assessed temporal trends in overall treatment utilization for disordered eating and broken down by inpatient and outpatient services. Results Overall treatment utilization ranged from 840 to 1,734 per 100,000 across the 14-year study period. An increase in overall treatment utilization was observed starting in 2010. A similar pattern was observed for outpatient care, with an increase starting in 2010. For inpatient care, an increase in service use was observed across the entire 14-year period. Conclusions Treatment utilization for eating problems has increased over time. However, a substantial proportion of teens with eating problems remains without treatment. These findings highlight the need for increased efforts to develop strategies addressing this unmet need.
SAINT OF STEEL

In lieu of an abstract, below is the essay's first paragraph. "At the conclusion of each episode of the 50s TV western 'The Lone Ranger,' one of the characters would ask: 'Who is that masked man?' The viewers, of course, knew the identity of the hero, as he raced off, with the famous cry to his faithful steed, 'HiYo Silver, Away!!!'" This st. john fisher at the college is available in Verbum: http://fisherpub.sjfc.edu/verbum/vol13/iss2/3 Dr. G. Thomas Crombach Class of ‘65 Biology Department: 1967-2011
Distributed Grid State Estimation Under Cyber Attacks Using Optimal Filter and Bayesian Approach

Smart grid is built by combination of electric and information technologies and achieves the two-way interaction between power utilization and power generation. Unfortunately, new security threats appears together with cyber-physical communication systems. In order to properly monitor power network, an effective cyber attack detection and state estimation method are required to know attack and system states. This article considers the problem of robust grid state estimation and suggests a technique for distributed state estimation in power networks. First, the distribution power system incorporating multiple synchronous generators is modeled as a state-space framework, where attack occurs in measurements. Basically, the false data injection attacks can interfere with state estimation process by tampering with sensor measurements. Using mean squared error principle, the distributed dynamic state estimation algorithm is designed where local and neighboring gains are obtained using optimal filter and graph theory. For local gain computation, the attack parameter is obtained using the Bayesian learning process. The convergence condition of the proposed approach is derived. Extensive simulation results show that the proposed approach is able to estimate the system state within a short period of time. Hopefully, the proposed methodology can be used to tolerate the cyber attacks for improving the confidence of the grid state estimation process.
Impact of Area Deprivation Index on the Performance of Claims-Based Risk-Adjustment Models in Predicting Health Care Costs and Utilization.

Traditionally, risk-adjustment models do not address the characteristics of minority populations, such as race or socioeconomic status. This study aimed to evaluate the added value of place-based s...