cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Blocking for Sequential Political Experiments

In typical political experiments, researchers randomize a set of households, precincts, or individuals to treatments all at once, and characteristics of all units are known at the time of randomization. However, in many other experiments, subjects “trickle in” to be randomized to treatment conditions, usually via complete randomization. To take advantage of the rich background data that researchers often have (but underutilize) in these experiments, we develop methods that use continuous covariates to assign treatments sequentially. We build on biased coin and minimization procedures for discrete covariates and demonstrate that our methods outperform complete randomization, producing better covariate balance in simulated data. We then describe how we selected and deployed a sequential blocking method in a clinical trial and demonstrate the advantages of our having done so. Further, we show how that method would have performed in two larger sequential political trials. Finally, we compare causal effect estimates from differences in means, augmented inverse propensity weighted estimators, and randomization test inversion.
World Harmony or an Athletic ‘Clash of Civilizations’? The Beijing Olympic Spectacle, BMX Bicycles and the American Contours of Globalisation

In spite of rhetorical flourishes concerning world harmony, from US vantages the 2008 Beijing Olympics represented an episode in the ‘clash of civilisations’ between an American-led ‘Occident’ and China's ‘Confucian’ civilisation. The US media and public tend to see the Olympics through Samuel Huntington's combative interpretation of world affairs rather than as a pacific transnational partnership. The Chinese tendency to count medals to guarantee China's triumph indicates that many Chinese shared in that habit. Americans often see globalisation as an opportunity for Americanisation. Seeking through sport the cultural transformation of China and the rest of the world represents an old habit in US culture. From American viewpoints, the inclusion of new action sports in the Olympics has multiplied opportunities for Americanising the globe. In the Olympic debut of BMX cycling, Americans perceived that in spite of Chinese successes in Beijing the Olympics ultimately spurred the extension of US hegemony.
The soluble metalloendoprotease required in myoblast fusion remains intracellular

Summary The fusion of myoblasts to myotubes requires an endogenous soluble metalloendoprotease. To determine whether this protease is released by fusing myoblasts, or stays within the cell, we examined the effects of membrane-impermeant and a membrane-permeant metalloendoprotease inhibitors. Membrane-permeant 1,10-phenanthroline, and membrane-impermeant bathophenanthroline disulfonic acid both inhibited soluble metalloendoprotease activity in homogenized myoblasts with equal potency. However, while 1,10-phenanthroline inhibited fusion, bathophenanthroline disulfonic acid had no effect. In addition, metalloendoprotease activity could not be detected in the media of fusing myoblasts, but was in the cells. These observations support the conclusion that the soluble metalloendoprotease required in fusion remains within the myoblast.
Osseointegrated implants in the head and neck cancer patient

Background. Osseointegrated implants allow patients with oromandibular defects to obtain complete or partial dentition via implant-assisted or implant-borne prostheses. Implants restore masticatory and occlusal function, improving oral intake and articulation. However, use of implants in head and neck cancer patients has been discouraged due to lack of data supporting their utility in these patients. This study attempts to establish the validity of using osseointegrated implants for dental restoration in head and neck cancer patients. Methods. Six patients who underwent resection/reconstruction for head and neck cancer received osseointegrated implants. Integration was assessed clinically, radiographically, and mechanically at 4-8 months; oral intake, mastication, and articulation were evaluated 6-12 months after receiving the dental prosthesis. Results. Osseointegration occurred in 92% (24/26) of the implants: 100% (14/14) in neomandibles and 83% (10/12) in native mandibles. One patient had implants (2/5) that failed to integrate. The remaining patients' implants were immobile, free of infection, with no osteoradionecrosis. These patients tolerated a regular diet and experienced weight gain and improved articulation. Conclusions. The advent of osseointegrated implants and their compatibility with native and neomandible allows the restoration of functional dentition in patients undergoing ablative surgery for head and neck cancer.
Career Concerns of Master's‐Level Community and School Counselor Trainees

The authors examined the career concerns of 152 counselor trainees in 7 master's-level programs accredited by the Council for Accreditation of Counseling and Related Educational Programs. Results indicate that counselor trainees expressed considerable professional development, adjustment, and academia concerns while reporting minimal job-search concerns. Students reported concerns of significant importance for specific career tasks anticipated during training and general concerns about exploring their career futures and establishing themselves as new professionals. Results of regression analyses indicated that students with high levels of concern for establishment stage tasks reported significantly higher levels of overall career concerns. Implications for counselor education faculty, limitations of the study, and recommendations for further research are delineated.
Taking the Sanctuary to the Streets: Religion, Race, and Community Development in Columbus, Ohio:

This study focuses on how institutional, organizational, and political contexts structure the involvement of black churches in the politics of local community development. Interviews with black Baptist clergy in the city of Columbus, Ohio, and analysis of census data are the basis for the discussion. The study shows that despite a general context of exclusion from Columbus mainstream politics, a group of black Baptist ministers have created a strong organizational association used to share information, resources, and expertise necessary to participate collectively in housing, welfare, and community banking issues. The results of this study demonstrate the continuing relevance of the black urban church in helping to ameliorate inner-city problems associated with community development.
Provider Practices in Prediabetes Intervention and Diabetes Prevention Application of Evidence-Based Research in the Medical Office Setting

A cross-sectional study was performed to determine if evidence-based research in prediabetes management is utilized in the medical office setting in an effort to reduce the incidence of type 2 diab...
The Impact of Validation Group Therapy on Nursing Home Residents With Dementia

This study examined the effectiveness of validation group therapy for reducing problem behav iors, use of physical restraints, and use of psychotropic medications, and for increasing positive social interactions and psychosocial well-being in nursing home residents with dementia. In four skilled-care nursing homes, 88 residents with dementia were randomly assigned to a group receiving validation therapy (VT), a social contact (SC) group, or a usual care (UC) control group, and were assessed at baseline, 3 months, and 1 year. The nursing staff reported that VT participants showed less physically and verbally aggressive behavior and were not as depressed as residents in the SC or UC group. VT was not effective, however, in reducing the use of physical restraints or the use of psychotropic medications, and it was less effective than SC or UC in reducing physically nonaggressive problem behaviors.
Impact on Performance and Process by a Social Annotation System: A Social Reading Experiment

Social annotation systems such as SparTag.us and del.icio.us have been designed to encourage individual reading and marking behaviors that, when shared, accumulate to build collective knowledge spaces. Prior work reported on the experimental design and performance effects observed in a controlled study of SparTag.us. Study participants working independently on a sensemaking task who had access to a set of expert annotations were compared against participants using SparTag.us without those annotations and participants using only office software for annotation support. A learning effect favored the participants exposed to expert annotations. In this paper, we analyze the behavioral data captured during the experiment and identify differences in the work process that can explain the performance effects reported previously.
Evidence of vortex-induced lift on a yawed wing in reverse flow

Rotating blades on helicopters experience reverse flow under high advance ratio conditions. Here, reverse flow is characterized by the flow traveling from the sharp trailing edge to the blunt leading edge. Uncertainty in the blade aerodynamic loads under these conditions has been a limitation during the design of high-speed rotorcraft. In this work, we hypothesize that the reverse flow over a yawed blade includes phenomena similar to the formation of a leading edge vortex on sharp-edged delta wings. Low-speed wind tunnel experiments are reported on a scaled version of a rotor blade in regular and reverse flow over a large range of yaw and moderate ranges of angle of attack. Force measurements indicate a deviation from yawed-wing expectations at high yaw angles. Surface flow visualization via tufts shows the existence of an attached span-wise vortex on the wing.
Deformation Mechanisms in Be12X Compounds

Dislocation structures have been examined, and active slip systems identified, in Be{sub l2}Nb after compressive deformation at 20, 800, 900 1000 and 1200C. A large number of slip systems are active at 1200C, but these decrease significantly at temperatures below 1000C. Dislocation structures at low temperatures are limited to 1/2<101(101) partial dislocations either paired or creating isolated planar faults. Significant ductility is not observed until 1200C when a second type of partial dislocation, 1/2<100(011) is present. Dislocations observed in the body-centered tetragonal Be{sup 12}X compounds (where X can be Nb, Ta, Mo, V, Fe etc.) have been modelled atomistically using molecular dynamics. Simulations corroborate the stability of these dislocation systems and indicate that the stacking faults associated with these partial dislocations have very low fault energy.
Service and Gender Inequity among Faculty

This article describes social structural inequities in the academy that contribute to gender imbalances in faculty service demands, which can slow women's career advancement. The author criticizes as ill-considered and ineffective the popular notion that the solution rests with individual female faculty, who should “just say no” to service. Instead, she proposes structural and cultural solutions to this systemic problem, including a revaluation of faculty labor required to maintain the day-to-day operation of institutions of higher learning and research.
Toxic effect of chemotherapy dosing using actual body weight in obese versus normal-weight patients: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Abstract Background Many oncologists reduce chemotherapy doses in obese patients due to fear of excess toxic effect from very large weight-based calculations. While recent guidelines advise against this practice, quantitative summarization of the supporting evidence is not available. Materials and methods We systematically identified studies that compared toxic effect or survival outcomes between obese and normal-weight adults receiving chemotherapy dosed by actual body weight (ABW). We pooled odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) using random-effects models. Results Of 5490 records screened, 12 studies representing 9314 relevant patients met inclusion criteria. The large majority of reported toxic effect and survival outcomes did not statistically differ between obese and normal-weight subjects. Exceptions included five studies in which one or more toxic effect or survival outcomes statistically favored obese patients, and one study that statistically favored normal-weight patients. Pooling usable data, rates of toxic effects were similar or lower in obese patients (grade 3/4 hematologic toxic effect: OR 0.73, CI 0.55–0.98, 4 studies; grade 3/4 nonhematologic toxic effect: OR 0.98, CI 0.76–1.26, 3 subgroups; any grade 3/4 toxic effect: OR 0.75, CI 0.65–0.87, three studies). Conclusions Obese patients receiving chemotherapy based on ABW experience similar or lower rates of toxic effects compared with normal-weight patients, and survival outcomes do not differ.
Hop-reservation multiple access (HRMA) for ad-hoc networks

A new multichannel MAC protocol called hop-reservation multiple access (HRMA) for wireless ad-hoc networks (multi-hop packet radio networks) is introduced, specified and analyzed. HRMA is based on simple half-duplex, very slow frequency-hopping spread spectrum (FHSS) radios and takes advantage of the time synchronization necessary for frequency-hopping. HRMA allows a pair of communicating nodes to reserve a frequency hop using a reservation and handshake mechanism that guarantee collision-free data transmission in the presence of hidden terminals. We analyze the throughput achieved in HRMA for the case of a hypercube network topology assuming variable-length packets, and compare it against the multichannel slotted ALOHA protocol, which represents the current practice of MAC protocols in commercial ad-hoc networks based on spread spectrum radios, such as Metricom's Ricochet system. The numerical results show that HRMA can achieve much higher throughput than multichannel slotted ALOHA within the traffic-load ranges of interest, especially when the average packet length is large compared to the duration of a dwell time in the frequency hopping sequence, in which case the maximum throughput of HRMA is close to the maximum possible value.
A multicenter randomized controlled trial of a plant-based nutrition program to reduce body weight and cardiovascular risk in the corporate setting: the GEICO study

To determine the effects of a low-fat plant-based diet program on anthropometric and biochemical measures in a multicenter corporate setting. Employees from 10 sites of a major US company with body mass index ⩾25 kg/m2 and/or previous diagnosis of type 2 diabetes were randomized to either follow a low-fat vegan diet, with weekly group support and work cafeteria options available, or make no diet changes for 18 weeks. Dietary intake, body weight, plasma lipid concentrations, blood pressure and glycated hemoglobin (HbA1C) were determined at baseline and 18 weeks. Mean body weight fell 2.9 kg and 0.06 kg in the intervention and control groups, respectively (P<0.001). Total and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol fell 8.0 and 8.1 mg/dl in the intervention group and 0.01 and 0.9 mg/dl in the control group (P<0.01). HbA1C fell 0.6 percentage point and 0.08 percentage point in the intervention and control group, respectively (P<0.01). Among study completers, mean changes in body weight were −4.3 kg and −0.08 kg in the intervention and control groups, respectively (P<0.001). Total and LDL cholesterol fell 13.7 and 13.0 mg/dl in the intervention group and 1.3 and 1.7 mg/dl in the control group (P<0.001). HbA1C levels decreased 0.7 percentage point and 0.1 percentage point in the intervention and control group, respectively (P<0.01). An 18-week dietary intervention using a low-fat plant-based diet in a corporate setting improves body weight, plasma lipids, and, in individuals with diabetes, glycemic control.
Solid-State NMR and Quantum Chemical Investigations of 13Cα Shielding Tensor Magnitudes and Orientations in Peptides: Determining φ and ψ Torsion Angles

We report the experimental determination of the (13)C(alpha) chemical shift tensors of Ala, Leu, Val, Phe, and Met in a number of polycrystalline peptides with known X-ray or de novo solid-state NMR structures. The 700 Hz dipolar coupling between (13)C(alpha) and its directly bonded (14)N permits extraction of both the magnitude and the orientation of the shielding tensor with respect to the C(alpha)-N bond vector. The chemical shift anisotropy (CSA) is recoupled under magic-angle spinning using the SUPER technique (Liu et al., J. Magn. Reson. 2002, 155, 15-28) to yield quasi-static chemical shift powder patterns. The tensor orientation is extracted from the (13)C-(14)N dipolar modulation of the powder line shapes. The magnitudes and orientations of the experimental (13)C(alpha) chemical shift tensors are found to be in good accord with those predicted from quantum chemical calculations. Using these principal values and orientations, supplemented with previously measured tensor orientations from (13)C-(15)N and (13)C-(1)H dipolar experiments, we are able to predict the (phi, psi, chi(1)) angles of Ala and Val within 5.8 degrees of the crystallographic values. This opens up a route to accurate determination of torsion angles in proteins based on shielding tensor magnitude and orientation information using labeled compounds, as well as the structure elucidation of noncrystalline organic compounds using natural abundance (13)C NMR techniques.
A Client-Server Architecture for Context-Aware Search Application

This paper develops a client-side context-aware search application which is built on the context-aware infrastructure. A context-aware architecture is designed to collect the mobile user’s context information, derive mobile user’s current context, distribute user context among context-aware applications, and support the context-aware applications. The context acquisition is centralized at the context server to ensure the reusability of context information among mobile devices, while context reasoning remains at the application level. Algorithms are proposed to consider the user context profiles. By promoting feedback on the dynamics of the system, prior user selection is now saved for further analysis expediting a subsequent search. A software-based proxy is set up at the client side which includes the context reasoning component. Implementation of such a proxy supports that the context applications are able to derive the user context profiles. To meet the practical demands required of a testing environment, a software simulation using Yahoo search API is provided as a means to evaluate the effectiveness of the design approach in a realistic way. The integration of user context into Yahoo search engines proves how context-aware searches can meet user demands for tailored services and products in and around the user’s environment.
Successful treatment of Bartonella henselae endocarditis in a cat

This report describes the clinical presentation, diagnosis and treatment of a cat with vegetative valvular endocarditis temporally associated with natural infection with Bartonella henselae. Lethargy, abnormal gait and weakness were the main clinical signs that resulted in referral for diagnostic evaluation. Using a novel and sensitive culture approach, B henselae was isolated from the blood. Following antibiotic therapy there was total resolution of clinical signs, the heart murmur, the valvular lesion by echocardiography, and no Bartonella species was isolated or amplified from a post-treatment blood culture. In conjunction with previous case reports, infective endocarditis can be associated with natural B henselae infection in cats; however, early diagnosis and treatment may result in a better prognosis than previously reported.
Determining 3-D Relative Transformations for Any Combination of Range and Bearing Measurements

In this paper, we address the problem of motion-induced 3-D robot-to-robot extrinsic calibration that is based on ego-motion estimates and combinations of interrobot measurements (i.e., distance and/or bearing observations from either or both of the two robots, recorded across multiple time steps). In particular, we focus on solving minimal problems, where the unknown 6-degree-of-freedom (DOF) transformation between the two robots is determined based on the minimum number of measurements necessary to find a finite set of solutions. In order to address the very large number of possible combinations of interrobot observations, we identify symmetries in the measurement sequence and use them to prove that any extrinsic robot-to-robot calibration problem can be solved based on the solutions of only 14 (base) minimal problems. Moreover, we provide algebraic (closed-form) and efficient symbolic-numerical (analytical) solution methods to these minimal problems. Finally, we evaluate the performance of our proposed solvers through extensive simulations and experiments.
VÖLKERPSYCHOLOGIE AND THE APPROPRIATION OF “SPIRIT” IN MEIJI JAPAN

Conceptions of Geist (mind/spirit) associated with German Romanticism shaped ideologies of national folk, not only in Europe but elsewhere in the world. In Meiji Japan (1868–1912) psychologists drew upon Volkerpsychologie (folk psychology) and Geist to create a narrative of Japanese folk mind/spirit. Here, spirit functioned as a “hidden essence” which substantiated the integrity of the folk, positioned the folk hierarchically in opposition to other societies, and explained (and presented correctives to) the fragmentation of Japanese society. Japanese psychologists, I argue, appropriated the narrative form of Geist discourse, retaining its ideological power even as they altered its substance by divesting German psychology of its orientalist and Christian content. Attention to Japan's engagement with nineteenth-century German psychology will contribute to a more thorough account of the production of “spirit” in Meiji Japan and to a critique of present-day exclusionary ideologies of Japanese spirit and identity.
Manoeuvring-target tracking with the Viterbi algorithm in the presence of interference

The Viterbi algorithm is used to track a target in the presence of random interference, such as jamming. A nonlinear target motion and an observation which is modelled in a spherical coordinate system are considered. The observation model is a nonlinear function of interference. The components of the state vector are the range, bearing angle, and elevation angle of the target location. The state vector is estimated, component-by-component, by a parallel use of the Viterbi algorithm in blocks. Simulation results, some of which are presented, have shown that the proposed estimation scheme performs well, whereas classical estimation schemes, such as the extended Kalman filter, cannot, in general, handle target tracking in the presence of random interference.
Early Treatment With Fluconazole May Abrogate the Development of IgG Antibodies in Coccidioidomycosis

Background. We have observed a number of patients who fail to develop coccidioidal complement fixing (CF) antibody (immunoglobulin [IgG]) after the initiation of early antifungal therapy. Although this is the first description of this phenomenon in mycology, a precedent for the abrogation of the immune response has been observed in other conditions, including primary syphilis and primary Lyme disease. Methods. We conducted a retrospective case-control study to determine any patient-specific risk factors associated with this observation. Additionally, in vitro analysis of the coccidioidal CF (IgG) antigen (Cts1) was performed after Coccidioides was grown under escalating fluconazole concentrations. Results. Seventeen patients persistently positive for coccidioidal IgM antibodies without developing an IgG response (cases) were compared with 64 consecutive patients who did develop coccidioidal CF (IgG) antibodies (controls). Early treatment with antifungals (within 2 weeks of symptom onset) was associated with an abrogation of IgG antibody production (P , .001). With immunodiffusion testing, control serum demonstrated a lack of IgG seroreactivity when Coccidioides posadasii grown in the presence of escalating fluconazole doses (0.5‐128 lg/mL) was used as the antigen; however, control serum remained seroreactive for the presence of IgM. The coccidioidal IgG antigen (Cts1) was shown to be diminished when cultures were grown in the presence of fluconazole, lending further in vitro plausibility to our findings. Conclusions. The abrogation of an IgG response in patients treated early in the course of coccidioidal infection may complicate serodiagnosis and epidemiologic studies, and further study to determine the potential clinical implications should be performed.
TNF-α Is a Critical Effector and a Target for Therapy in Antiphospholipid Antibody-Induced Pregnancy Loss

The antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is characterized by recurrent fetal loss, intrauterine growth restriction, and vascular thrombosis in the presence of antiphospholipid (aPL) Abs. Our studies in a murine model of APS induced by passive transfer of human aPL Abs have shown that activation of complement and recruitment of neutrophils into decidua are required for fetal loss, and emphasize the importance of inflammation in aPL Ab-induced pregnancy loss. In this study, we examine the role of TNF-α in pregnancy complications associated with aPL Abs in a murine model of APS. We show that aPL Abs are specifically targeted to decidual tissue and cause a rapid increase in decidual and systemic TNF-α levels. We identify the release of TNF-α as a critical intermediate that acts downstream of C5 activation, based on the fetal protective effects of TNF-α deficiency and TNF blockade and on the absence of increased TNF-α levels in C5-deficient mice treated with aPL Abs. Our results suggest that TNF-α links pathogenic aPL Abs to fetal damage and identify TNF blockade as a potential therapy for the pregnancy complications of APS.
Debonding of the acetabular porous coating in hip resurfacing arthroplasty. A report of two cases.

Metal-on-metal hybrid hip resurfacing arthroplasty has been performed more frequently in recent years1,2. Its resurgence is attributed to a better understanding of metallurgy and to stricter tolerances with regard to the design of the metal-on-metal articulation. One currently used device is the Cormet hip resurfacing system (Corin Group, Cirencester, Gloucestershire, United Kingdom), a metal-on-metal implant with a cemented femoral component and a press-fit uncemented acetabular component. The cobalt-chromium acetabular component is coated with plasma-sprayed unalloyed titanium and overlaid with hydroxyapatite3. In this report, we present the cases of two patients in whom hip resurfacing arthroplasty with this implant failed because of loosening of the acetabular shell secondary to debonding of the surface coating. To our knowledge, there have been no previously reported cases of such failure. Both patients were informed that data concerning the cases would be submitted for publication, and they consented. Case 1. A fifty-six-year-old woman presented in April 2003 with painful end-stage osteoarthritis of the left hip, for which nonoperative measures to obtain pain relief had failed. The patient underwent a left hip resurfacing arthroplasty in May 2003 with use of the Cormet resurfacing system. This procedure, performed by the senior author (M.A.J.), was one of 1,183 hip arthroplasties (102 of which were performed by the senior author) in a U.S. Food and Drug Administration Investigational Device Exemption study of that system4. The preoperative Harris hip score was 51. Initially, the patient did well, with excellent pain relief and function. The Harris hip score was 92 points at the postoperative visits at eleven and twenty-six months, and the postoperative radiographs that were made at the twenty-six month follow-up visit showed excellent component positioning and an absence …
FRACTURE OF TARSAL SCAPHOID

(1) A case is presented of fracture of the tarsal scaphoid from indirect violence with excellent functional result. (2) A study of the tarsus suggests that fracture of the scaphoid from indirect violence is not probable without ligamentous tear. (3) A possible mechanism of fracture is presented as follows: (a) Forced flexion of the foot with resulting tear of the dorsal scaphoidocuneiform ligament. (b) Transmission of force in the axis of the foot driving the scaphoid against the upturned sharp inferior proximal angle of the middle cuneiform.
The First 100 Years of American College of Surgeons Presidential Addresses

Introduction We reviewed the first 100 years of presidential addresses delivered at the fall congress of the American College of Surgeons (ACS). Our hypothesis was that these addresses would be an excellent indicator of the College’s position on surgical policy, ethics, methods, and education. Methods All ACS presidential addresses from 1913 to 2013 were identified through the ACS archives website. This included the presenter, title, year, and citation if published in a peer reviewed journal. The text of each address was obtained from the ACS archives, or from the listed citations. Addresses were then classified into 1 of 6 subgroups based on content—surgical credo, medical innovation, medical education, surgical history, business and legal, and personal tribute. The 100-year period was divided into 5 interval each of 20-year and the frequency of each category was graphed over time. Results There were 111 ACS presidential addresses delivered in the study period. Distribution by category was surgical credo (57%), surgical history (14%), medical innovation (10%), medical education (8%), business and legal (6%), and personal tributes (5%). The frequency of surgical credo has remained stable over time. Business and legal emerged as a new category in 1975. The other topics had low, but stable frequency. Conclusion ACS presidential addresses do reflect the College’s position on surgical policy and practice. The college has remained consistent in serving its members, maintaining, and defining the role of its organization, the qualifications for membership, and the expectations for the professional conduct of its members.
A Pilot Study Evaluating Serum MMP7 as a Preoperative Prognostic Marker for Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma Patients

Current preoperative risk stratification modalities for pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDA) patients are inadequate. Elevated serum matrix metalloproteinase 7 (MMP7) is associated with metastatic PDA. We evaluated preoperative MMP7 level as a prognostic marker in patients with resectable PDA. From a prospectively maintained database, we identified PDA patients who underwent operation with curative intent from 2004 to 2008 and had serum collected preoperatively. MMP7 was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Patients were defined as having advanced disease if they were found to be unresectable at the time of operation or had nodal involvement on final pathology. Preoperative serum samples were available for 134 patients. Using a cutoff of 13.5 ng/mL, MMP7 was highly predictive for advanced disease. For patients who underwent R0 resection, MMP7 > 13.5 ng/mL was strongly associated with N1 status, T3/T4 stage, moderate/poor differentiation, and perineural invasion. The median recurrence-free survival was 5.0 months in patients with MMP7 > 13.5 ng/mL versus 9.9 months for patients with lower values (P = 0.004). Very elevated serum MMP7 was highly predictive of unresectable disease and nodal involvement despite favorable preoperative cross-sectional imaging. MMP7 should be further evaluated as a biomarker to risk-stratify PDA patients prior to operation.
Nanoporous Ceria Films Prepared from Colloidal Suspension

The influence of porosity and densification on optical properties of films on sapphire substrates that were prepared from water colloidal suspensions of small (∼5nm) particles of ceria was investigated. The colloidal ceria films have initially very porous structure (porosity about 50%) and densification starts at about 600°oC accompanied by grain growth. The concurrence of these two processes makes it difficultto interpret the results of the optical spectrophotometry, but the combination of transmittance and reflectance measurements provides enough data to separate these two influences and to calculate the porosity, particlesize and energy band gap separately. XRD, SEM, ellipsometry and mechanical profilometry were used to confirm the results obtained from the specrophotometric measurements. All these methods gave results, which are in good agreement: the change in the porosity from 50% to 15% and the particle size increased from 5 to 65nm in the temperature region from 400 to 1000°oC. An important result of the investigation is the fact that the main optical properties of the coating such as refractive index and band gap energy depend only on the porosity, but not on the grain size. The grain size influences the scattering properties of the coating, which allows the grain size to be estimated from optical measurements.
Determination of discharge of municipal medical institution sewage in Wenling

Objective:To know the condition of discharge of municipal medical institution sewage in Wenling to prevent environmental pollution caused by pathogenic microorganisms.Methods:Fecal coligroup,Salmonella,total chlorine detection of health science were investigated to the sewage of 8 municipal medical institutions according to GB18466-2005 "medical institutions,water pollutant discharge standard" requirements.Results:The eligible rate of total chlorine and fecal coligroup were 27.18% and 83.22%,and there was no Salmonella and Shigella detected.Conclusion:There is a certain problem in the sewage of medical institution in wenling,the phenomenon of excessive use of chlorine disinfectant is widespread.A better job of monitoring,supervision and management should be taken to ensure the safety of the hospital discharge.
High-voltage high-frequency non-isolated DC---DC converters with passive-saving two-phase QSW-ZVS technique

This paper presents a new technique to improve the power efficiency for high-voltage non-isolated DC---DC converters running at high switching frequencies. A passive-saving two-phase quasi-square-wave zero-voltage-switching (PS-TPZVS) cell that consists of an auxiliary inductor and a capacitor sharing between two phases of sub-converters is proposed to realize ZVS operation for all power FETs under different conditions. Compared to the traditional two-phase ZVS topology, the proposed design saves 1 auxiliary inductor and 1 auxiliary capacitor for establishing ZVS of power FETs, and thus reduces both the volume and power losses of the auxiliary circuitry. To verify the performances of the proposed PS-TPZVS cell, a 140-W 4-MHz two-phase QSW-ZVS converter is designed and verified by simulations to achieve peak efficiencies of 97 % with enhancement-mode GaN FETs and 95 % with power MOSFETs. The proposed PS-TPZVS cell can also be applied to various topologies of non-isolated DC---DC converters and extended into a 2 N-phase topology with only N additional branches of the proposed cell.
Activation of protein kinase C reduces L-type calcium channel activity of GH3 pituitary cells

These studies describe the effect of protein kinase C (PKC) activation on the activity of voltage-sensitive L-type Ca2+ channels of GH3 pituitary cells. The rate of 45Ca2+ uptake was stimulated greater than 25-fold by depolarization in the presence of BAY K 8644; the phorbol ester 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA) reduced this response by 70% in a concentration-dependent fashion. Phorbol 12,13-dibutyrate (PDBu) inhibited depolarization-induced 45Ca2+ uptake within 1 min and caused a nearly maximal reduction after 1 h; its effects were rapidly reversible. TPA decreased the high K(+)-stimulated increase in intracellular free calcium ion concentration ([Ca2+]i) from 8.5- to 3.2-fold by 5 min and to 2.0-fold after 18 h without altering the peak [Ca2+]i response to the peptide hormone TRH. Ca2+ channel current, measured directly using the whole cell configuration of the patch-clamp technique, declined an average of 6.4% over 5 min for control cells and 28.9% when TPA was added to the bathing medium for 5 min. Treatment with 100 nM TPA for 24 h dramatically reduced peak current without shifting the peak of the current-voltage relationship. The mean peak Ca2+ channel current was reduced from 423 to 128 pA, although a few cells seemed completely resistant. To determine whether the effects of phorbol esters were due to the activation of PKC we tested the potency of several drugs to inhibit L-channel activity and to shift the affinity of the epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor, an established PKC response.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Beyond Arm Bands and Arms Banned: Chaplains, Armed Conflict, and the Law

The primary objective of this article is to provide a comprehensive, up-to-date examination of the special legal status, treatment, benefits and responsibilities of chaplains who serve their God and their nation in the midst of armed conflict. Part I this article focuses upon the legal status of chaplains in armed conflict: first, the basic law of armed conflict; then, the historical role of chaplains in the U.S. military and how that role has dramatically changed through our nation’s history. Thereafter, the analysis shifts to the actual status of all nations’ military chaplains under international law, primarily under the Geneva Conventions of 1949. Next, the article highlights two of the methods of distinction established in the Conventions for setting chaplains apart on the battlefield. Finally, the policy restrictions adopted by the U.S. armed services for the purpose of protecting the status of U.S. chaplains are examined.Part II of this article focuses upon the legal treatment of chaplains in armed conflict. First, the discussion explores the standard of treatment of chaplains in the battlespace. The remainder of this section examines the standard of treatment of chaplains upon capture, primarily in prisoner of war camps, to include an explanation of the duration of any such retention. Additionally, it highlights how chaplains are entitled to prisoner-of-war benefits, but are also subject to internal discipline systems of the detention camp. The focus then shifts to the performance of chaplains’ spiritual duties in camp, including the special facilities guaranteed in the Conventions to help perform those duties. Finally, examination shifts to the U.S. Code of Conduct and its application to U.S. chaplains retained by the enemy.Part III of this article focuses upon the domestic role of U.S. chaplains in armed conflict. Prior to considering the multiple roles, each chaplain must fully understand the status and treatment standards adopted by the U.S. armed forces to implement the obligations under the Geneva Conventions. Thereafter, scrutiny shifts to the three key roles developed for U.S. chaplains in U.S. detention facilities: advisers to camp commanders; ministers to enemy detainees; and conduits between the two interests. Finally, the article explores a potential conflict of interest arising in the performance of the roles involving the penitent-clergy communication privilege. Throughout the examination of these domestic roles, international law obligations, domestic policy guidance, and the practical application of both by U.S. chaplains recently assigned to Camp X-ray in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, are highlighted.
Bitter Melon Extract Promotes Granulation Tissue Growth and Angiogenesis in the Diabetic Wound.

Objective Bitter melon is a plant fruit that has been shown to exert a hypoglycemic effect when used systemically in patients with diabetes. This study was designed to investigate the topical effect of bitter melon on diabetic wounds using the wound chamber model in rats. Design Two bilateral wound chambers were implanted subcutaneously in the thoracic-lumbar region of male Sprague-Dawley rats. Diabetes was induced with streptozotocin 7 days after implantation of wound chambers. After 24 hours of induction of diabetes, aqueous extract of bitter melon was injected into 1 wound chamber, and saline (0.9% sodium chloride solution) was injected into the contralateral chamber once daily for 3 days. Wound fluid was collected on day 4 for analysis, following which rats were euthanized. The granulation tissue encapsulating the wound chamber was removed and processed for histology. Controls included diabetic rats with wound chambers injected with saline (instead of bitter melon) and nondiabetic rats with wound chambers injected with bitter melon. Results In rats with diabetes, wound granulation tissue treated with bitter melon was well formed, with distinct cellular layers, whereas the saline-treated granulation tissue showed a severe loss of tissue organization and blood vessels. Moreover, the bitter melon treatment increased angiogenesis in the diabetic granulation tissue, marked by abundant microvessels and large blood vessels. In nondiabetic rats, no differences in wound granulation tissues were observed between saline- and bitter melon-treated groups. Bitter melon treatment had no effect on systemic blood glucose levels or insulin receptor substrate 1, suggesting that its stimulatory effect on diabetic granulation tissue was not due to alteration of systemic blood glucose levels. Conclusions When applied locally to diabetic wounds, bitter melon extract prevents regression of granulation tissue and blood vessels, thus accelerating and improving wound healing.
Human-directed coordinated control of an assistive mobile manipulator

This paper considers the control of a mobile manipulator with the end-effector commanded by a human user. The motivation is to empower mobility impaired individuals to tackle certain activities of daily living. The prototype robotic system consists of a redundant articulated arm mounted on a mobile base. The human user specifies the desired motion of certain degrees of freedom, such as the translation or rotation of the arm end-effector. An optimization-based control algorithm determines the full arm and base motion to minimize deviation from the human intent while satisfying certain equality and inequality constraints. These constraints may involve physical requirements of the system, e.g., collision avoidance and joint limits, and human user consideration, such as intuitiveness of the combined arm and base motion. This constraint optimization problem is strictly convex and may be efficiently solved as a quadratic problem. We demonstrate the effectiveness of the algorithm in simulation and experimentation, using a dual-arm Baxter robot mounted on a wheelchair as a prototype testbed. Human user commands the end-effector of one of the arms using a 3-degree-of-freedom interface, either a sip-puff or a joystick type of device. We demonstrate effective object retrieval and placement in an environment with obstacles.
Malignancy rates in a large cohort of patients with systemically treated psoriasis in a managed care population

Background Moderate to severe psoriasis often requires treatment with systemic agents, many of which have immunosuppressive properties and could increase cancer risk, including nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC). Objective We sought to estimate the overall malignancy rate (excluding NMSC) and NMSC rate among 5889 patients with systemically treated psoriasis. Methods We identified a cohort of adult Kaiser Permanente Northern California health plan members with psoriasis diagnosed from 1998 to 2011 and treated with at least 1 systemic antipsoriatic agent and categorized them into ever-biologic or nonbiologic users. Malignancy rates were calculated per 1000 person-years of follow-up with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Crude and confounder-adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) were calculated using Cox regression. Results Most biologic-exposed members were treated with TNF-alfa inhibitors (n = 2214, 97%). Overall incident cancer rates were comparable between ever-biologic as compared to nonbiologic users (aHR 0.86, 95% CI 0.66-1.13). NMSC rates were 42% higher among individuals ever exposed to a biologic (aHR 1.42, 95% CI 1.12-1.80), largely driven by increased cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma risk (aHR 1.81, 95% CI 1.23-2.67). Limitations No information was available on disease severity. Conclusion We found increased incidence of cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma among patients with systemically treated psoriasis who were ever exposed to biologics, the majority of which were TNF-alfa inhibitors. Increased skin cancer surveillance in this population may be warranted.
Attrition rates, reasons, and predictive factors in supportive/palliative oncology clinical trials at a comprehensive cancer center.

108 Background: Attrition is common among supportive/palliative oncology clinical trials. Few studies have documented the reasons, and predictors for dropout. We aimed to determine the rate, reasons, and factors associated with attrition both before reaching the primary endpoint (PE) and the end of study (EOS). Methods: We conducted a review of all prospective interventional supportive/palliative oncology trials in our department between 1999 to 2011. Patient and study characteristics and attrition data were extracted. Results: 1,214 patients were included in 18 clinical trials. The median age was 60, performance status ≥3 41%, median fatigue 7/10, and median dyspnea 2/10. The attrition rate was 26% (95% confidence interval [CI] 23%-28%) for PE and 44% (95% confidence interval 41%-47%) for EOS. Common reasons for EOS dropout were patient preference (N=93, 17%), symptom burden (N=87, 16%), death (N=45, 8%), and hospital admission (N=43, 8%). At the patient level, EOS attrition was associated with Hispanic ...
Criteria Chains: A Novel Multi-Criteria Recommendation Approach

Recommender systems (RSs) have been successfully applied to alleviate the problem of information overload and assist users' decision makings. Multi-criteria recommender systems is one of the RSs which utilizes users' multiple ratings on different aspects of the items (i.e., multi-criteria ratings) to predict user preferences. Traditional approaches usually predict ratings on each criterion individually and aggregate them together to estimate the user preferences. In this paper, we propose an approach named as "Criteria Chains", where each combination of the criteria can be utilized in a way of contextual situations in order to better predict the multi-criteria ratings. Our experimental results based on the TripAdvisor and YahooMovies rating data sets demonstrate that our proposed approach is able to improve the performance of multi-criteria item recommendations.
Transition from active treatment to survivorship care for childhood cancer patients.

34Background: It has been described that the transition at the end of treatment is a time for relief that the treatment is over but also for fear of recurrence, dealing with the physical sequelae of treatment, reintegration back with friends and with school. To address these concerns we developed a transition program with a goal to provide information, offer educational support and also assess the needs of this group by individual interviews and by measuring stress/anxiety/depression among patients and parents. Methods: Patients who were between 3 months pre and 1 year post end of treatment were enrolled. We conducted 4 educational ‘Forums’, worked with them to develop education plans by individual testing and school meetings were held to implement educational plans. Emotional status was assessed with Questionnaires such as the Revised Anxiety and Depression Scale (RCADS-P), Impact of Events Scale-Revised (IES-R), Brief Symptom Inventory (BSI), and the State Trait Anxiety Scale (STAI-C). Results: We had 7...