cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Kindling a Flame under Federalism: Progressive Reformers, Corporate Elites, and the Phosphorus Match Campaign of 1909–1912

In 1909, the leaders of the American Association for Labor Legislation launched a campaign to eradicate phosphorus matches from the American market. Because phosphorus match workers often contracted a hideous disease called phosphorus necrosis (or “phossy jaw”), many European countries had already prohibited the poison matches from their markets. In the United States, nearly all interested parties supported legal abolition but found that the nation's federal system constituted a formidable obstacle. No state wanted to be the first to act (for fear of driving industry from its borders), and the federal government lacked the power to regulate intrastate economic activity. This article examines how, in order to circumvent the federalism obstacle, an alliance of academic reformers and business leaders worked to tax phosphorus matches out of existence—that is, to use the federal taxing power as a regulatory instrument.
Ab Initio Study of Carbon Impurities in Cu $_2$ ZnSnS $_4$

Cu $_2$ ZnSnS $_4$ (CZTS) is a highly promising absorber material for efficient and low-cost solar cells. In a cost-effective method of production of high-quality CZTS, nanocrystals of precursor compounds, solved in an amine solution, are deposited on a substrate and sulfurized. This can generally lead to considerable residual carbon in the final samples, in the form of separate amorphous layers as observed experimentally, but also incorporated in the CZTS matrix. In this study, preferred configurations, bonding characteristics, formation energies, and ionization levels of carbon-related defects in CZTS are calculated, including interstitials, single- and double-carbon antisites, and complexes of those with intrinsic defects. For different growth conditions of carbon, the set of dominant defects is determined, and the resulting total carbon concentrations are discussed with respect to experimental values.
Surgery: Small Intestine Terminal Ileum—Resection

Despite a prevalent perception that surgery should be a “last resort” in the management of terminal ileal (TI) Crohn’s Disease (CD), there is ample evidence that in fact, the exact opposite is true. Up to 70 % of CD patients with TI disease will require surgery during their lifetime, and resection of this segment supplies quick resolution of symptoms, histopathological confirmation, and a high safety profile at relatively low cost. Resection of the TI (usually with cecum and appendix) is the most common intestinal resection procedure performed in pediatric and adult CD patients. This chapter provides an overview of Terminal Ileal CD (TICD) surgical management, and sets the stage for a rethinking of our surgical approaches (resection and strictureplasty period) It is our intention to shift the paradigm of current TICD management to a less invasive, even less expensive one.
What Was Bad for General Motors Was Bad for America: The Automobile Industry and the 1937/38 Recession

This article shows that there were timing, geographic, and sectoral anomalies in the 1937/38 recession, none of which are easily explained by aggregate shocks. I argue that an auto industry supply shock contributed both to the recession's anomalies and to its severity. Labor-strife-induced wage increases and an increase in raw material costs led auto manufacturers to raise prices in fall 1937. Expectations of these price increases brought auto sales forward. When auto prices finally rose, sales plummeted. This shock likely reduced 1938 auto sales by roughly 600,000 units and 1938 GDP growth by 0.5–1 percentage point.
Knockdown of DNA methyltransferase 3a alters gene expression and inhibits function of embryonic cardiomyocytes

We previously found that in utero caffeine exposure causes down-regulation of DNA methyltransferases (DNMTs) in embryonic heart and results in impaired cardiac function in adulthood. To assess the role of DNMTs in these events, we investigated the effects of reduced DNMT expression on embryonic cardiomyocytes. siRNAs were used to knock down individual DNMT expression in primary cultures of mouse embryonic cardiomyocytes. Immunofluorescence staining was conducted to evaluate cell morphology. A video-based imaging assay and multielectrode array were used to assess cardiomyocyte contractility and electrophysiology, respectively. RNA-Seq and multiplex bisulfite sequencing were performed to examine gene expression and promoter methylation, respectively. At 72 h after transfection, reduced DNMT3a expression, but not DNMT1 or -3b, disrupted sarcomere assembly and decreased beating frequency, contractile movement, amplitude of field action potential, and cytosolic calcium signaling of cardiomyocytes. RNA-Seq analysis revealed that the DNMT3a-deficient cells had deactivated gene networks involved in calcium, endothelin-1, renin-angiotensin, and cardiac β-adrenergic receptor signaling, which were not inhibited by DNMT3b siRNA. Moreover, decreased methylation levels were found in the promoters of Myh7, Myh7b, Tnni3, and Tnnt2, consistent with the up-regulation of these genes by DNMT3a siRNA. These data show that DNMT3a plays an important role in regulating embryonic cardiomyocyte gene expression, morphology and function.-Fang, X., Poulsen, R. R., Wang-Hu, J., Shi, O., Calvo, N. S., Simmons, C. S., Rivkees, S. A., Wendler, C. C. Knockdown of DNA methyltransferase 3a alters gene expression and inhibits function of embryonic cardiomyocytes.
PATTERNS OF CHANGE IN RESPONSE TO PROLONGED EXPOSURE: IMPLICATIONS FOR TREATMENT OUTCOME

Background Assessment of response to Prolonged Exposure (PE) suggests some patients may experience discontinuous change involving sudden symptom reductions and/or temporary exacerbations. The current study looked to (1) isolate profiles of PE response among treatment-seeking veterans and (2) identify factors associated with unique patterns of change. Methods Archival records were examined for veterans receiving PE through a specialty Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VAMC) clinic (N = 109). Latent profile analysis was used to extract response trajectories defined by change in weekly PTSD Checklist (PCL) scores. Associations with provider status (staff vs. intern), setting (in-person vs. telehealth), initial severity (PTSD; depression), and eventual treatment gains were examined. Results Three profiles were observed. Rapid Responders (18.3%) evidenced sharp reductions at Week 2 and again between Weeks 5 and 6. Linear Responders (40.4%) demonstrated gradual reductions throughout the 10-week assessment window. Delayed Responder (41.3%) scores were relatively stable over the evaluation period although final session outcomes indicated reliable change (PCLΔ > 10) in 40% of patients. Profiles were similar with respect to provider status, treatment setting, and initial symptom severity. Rapid Responders evidenced lower final session scores relative to Linear (g = 1.13) and Delayed (g = 1.85) groups, with Linear Responders reporting lower end scores than Delayed Responders (g = 1.02). Conclusions Anticipating patterns of recovery and their association with therapeutic outcome is of immense clinical value. Sudden gains emerged as a strong predictor of enhanced response. Data also suggest potential benefits of extending standard intervention for patients who fail to demonstrate an immediate response to PE.
Junior Investigators Thinking About Quitting Research: A Survey.

OBJECTIVE Junior tenure-track faculty report high levels of stress and low satisfaction; the increasingly competitive funding environment compounds this discontent. We examined factors associated with junior investigators who were thinking about quitting research. METHOD Data were collected as part of a program evaluation of an interdisciplinary research mentoring program in an academic medical center. RESULTS Of the 62 mentees, 44 responded to the survey (71%). When asked "In the past year, have you considered quitting research?" 39 mentees answered the question; 17 (44%) answered in the affirmative. Those who had considered quitting had lower scores on the Clinical Research Appraisal Inventory-12 (CRAI-12) and job satisfaction and higher scores on burnout. In a regression model, we found that only CRAI-12 scores were significantly, inversely associated with thinking about quitting. CONCLUSION Factors associated with thinking about quitting included lower confidence in research skills, reduced job satisfaction, and higher levels of burnout.
Anxiety Sensitivity and Nicotine Replacement Therapy Side Effects: Examining the Role of Emotion Dysregulation Among Treatment-Seeking Smokers

Objective:Nicotine replacement therapy (NRT) significantly increases the likelihood of quit success at least over the short term, yet some smokers prematurely discontinue use. NRT side effects are often cited as the primary reason for medication discontinuation. The current study examined a theoretical pathway by which two smoking-related emotional vulnerabilities (anxiety sensitivity and emotion dysregulation) were related to the number of NRT (nicotine patch) side effects reported 1 week following a scheduled quit attempt. It was hypothesized that anxiety sensitivity would have an indirect effect on NRT side effects through emotion dysregulation.Method:A total of 179 treatment-seeking, adult daily smokers with elevated anxiety sensitivity (47.5% male; M age = 39.73 years, SD = 13.87) were enrolled in a smoking cessation trial.Results:Covariate-adjusted analyses provided support for the hypothesized pathway, such that emotion dysregulation explained the association between anxiety sensitivity and NRT sid...
Evaluation of Nurse Practitioner Strategies to Promote Adherence to Childhood Obesity Clinical Guidelines.

The significant trend of the obesity epidemic leading to treatment of expensive, lifelong illnesses, especially among Hispanic children, confirms the need for efforts to increase provider adherence...
Catheter-Associated Urinary Tract Infections

Catheter associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) Urinary tract infections are one of the most common causes of health-care-acquired infections and is a significant source of patient morbidity. CAUTIs are assocaited with increased length of stay as well as hospital costs and in some literature is associated with higher in hospital mortality. Many patients have indwelling catheters placed during their hospital admission with the prolonged use of a catheter as a risk factor for infection. The overall risk of infection in the intensive care unit occur at a rate of 1–4 per 1000 catheter days. CAUTIs are thought to be the source of bloodstream infections as well at approximately 1.4 bloodstream infections per 10,000 patient days.
Use of Bone Morphogenetic Protein-2 in Vertebral Column Tumor Surgery: A National Investigation.

Objective To report the rate of bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) use in vertebral column tumor surgery. Methods The Nationwide Inpatient Sample database (2012–2014) was queried to identify patients who underwent spinal fusion for vertebral column tumors (primary benign, primary malignant, or metastatic). The rate of BMP-2 use was calculated, and patient and operative factors associated with its use were also investigated. Results We identified 9375 patients who underwent fusion surgery for spinal tumors between 2012 and 2014, with 540 cases using BMP-2 (5.8%). Preoperative diagnosis revealed that the rate of BMP-2 use in primary benign tumor surgery was 4.9%, 7.6% for primary malignant tumors, and 5.7% for metastatic lesions (P = 0.607). The overall complication rate was 13.2% (13.4% in the NO-BMP-2 group vs. 11.1% in the BMP-2 group; P = 0.504). Patients who received this growth factor were less likely to have epidural spinal cord compression at presentation (37.0% vs. 49.2%; P = 0.014), and more likely to have elective surgery (53.7% vs. 37.7%; P Conclusions BMP-2 has been used off-label to promote arthrodesis; however, its use in patients with spinal tumors is controversial. In this national study, BMP-2 use was highest in the South, in patients without epidural cord compression at presentation, and in elective cases.
An Additional Method for Analyzing the Reversible Inhibition of an Enzyme Using Acid Phosphatase as a Model.

Using wheat germ acid phosphatase and sodium orthovanadate as a competitive inhibitor, a novel method for analyzing reversible inhibition was carried out. Our alternative approach involves plotting the initial velocity at which product is formed as a function of the ratio of substrate concentration to inhibitor concentration at a constant enzyme concentration and constant assay conditions. The concept of initial concentrations driving equilibrium leads to the chosen axes. Three apparent constants can be derived from this plot: Kmax, Kmin, and Kinflect. Kmax and Kmin represent the substrate to inhibitor concentration ratio for complete inhibition and minimal inhibition, respectively. Kinflect represents the substrate to inhibitor concentration ratio at which the enzyme-substrate complex is equal to the inhibitory complex. These constants can be interpolated from the graph or calculated using the first and second derivative of the plot. We conclude that a steeper slope and a shift of the line to the right (increased x-axis values) would indicate a better inhibitor. Since initial velocity is not a linear function of the substrate/inhibitor ratio, this means that inhibition changes more quickly with the change in the [S]/ [I] ratio. When preincubating the enzyme with substrate before the addition of inhibitor, preincubating the enzyme with inhibitor before the addition of substrate or with concurrent addition of both substrate and inhibitor, modest changes in the slopes and y-intercepts were obtained. This plot appears useful for known competitive and non-competitive inhibitors and may have general applicability.
Debunking the Myth of Diabetes Mellitus as Cardiovascular Disease Equivalent: What Took So Long?

Individuals with diabetes mellitus (DM) have historically been reported to have the same risk of having a future myocardial infarction (MI) as an individual with known coronary heart disease (CHD). In other words, DM has been widely accepted as a coronary heart disease (CHD) equivalent. We review the literature that established DM as a CHD risk equivalent and how over time it has become clear that DM carries a spectrum of risk. Newer studies suggest that DM is heterogeneous, with certain subgroups such as women, those with longer duration of DM, and increased severity of disease may be more susceptible to downstream complications and cardiovascular events than those in other subgroups. The use of coronary artery calcium scoring for risk stratification in this group has now been shown to have clinical utility. DM surely does infer increased risk of developing coronary heart disease upon an individual; however, this risk is not as high as historically presumed. Certain subgroups among the DM population may have a higher risk of CHD when identified by burden of subclinical disease; these individuals can be identified early to begin personalized management of their disease.
Ablation of PM20D1 reveals N -acyl amino acid control of metabolism and nociception.

N-acyl amino acids (NAAs) are a structurally diverse class of bioactive signaling lipids whose endogenous functions have largely remained uncharacterized. To clarify the physiologic roles of NAAs, we generated mice deficient in the circulating enzyme peptidase M20 domain-containing 1 (PM20D1). Global PM20D1-KO mice have dramatically reduced NAA hydrolase/synthase activities in tissues and blood with concomitant bidirectional dysregulation of endogenous NAAs. Compared with control animals, PM20D1-KO mice exhibit a variety of metabolic and pain phenotypes, including insulin resistance, altered body temperature in cold, and antinociceptive behaviors. Guided by these phenotypes, we identify N-oleoyl-glutamine (C18:1-Gln) as a key PM20D1-regulated NAA. In addition to its mitochondrial uncoupling bioactivity, C18:1-Gln also antagonizes certain members of the transient receptor potential (TRP) calcium channels including TRPV1. Direct administration of C18:1-Gln to mice is sufficient to recapitulate a subset of phenotypes observed in PM20D1-KO animals. These data demonstrate that PM20D1 is a dominant enzymatic regulator of NAA levels in vivo and elucidate physiologic functions for NAA signaling in metabolism and nociception.
Determinants of headwater stream condition in central Iowa: An empirical study

Headwater streams constitute the majority of stream length of river systems, and have important roles in terms of landscape processes and as habitat for organisms. These bodies of water are also tightly coupled with the local terrestrial landscape, making them ideal for studying linkages between land use and stream condition. Despite the ubiquity and importance of these streams, they are often overlooked and damaged. Previous research has shown that both urban and agricultural land use negatively impact stream condition, and that the magnitude of anthropogenic effects is generally greater in urban landscapes. Understanding of agricultural and urban land use impacts on streams depends on identifying cause and effect linkages between human system (demographic) features, terrestrial landscape features, and biophysical characteristics of streams. Using correlation analysis, path analysis, and non-metric multidimensional scaling, I simultaneously investigated these relationships in 29 central Iowa watersheds that collectively represented a strong urban-rural gradient. These analyses enabled me to quantify the impact of human land use on headwater streams, and identify direct and indirect mechanisms for human impacts on benthic macroinvertebrate communities. Aquatic macroinvertebrates were a primary focus of this study because they have well-established utility as indicators of stream condition due to their diverse environmental requirements, and importance in food webs. Results suggested that urban land use had a greater negative impact than agricultural land use on stream condition, as indicated by spatial variation in total invertebrate taxon richness and the percentage of the total number of invertebrates that were mayflies (Ephemeroptera), stoneflies (Plecoptera), and caddisflies (Trichoptera). Urban impacts appeared to be caused by pollutants delivered to streams by impervious surfaces, while agricultural effects were the result of nitrogen enrichment from croplands. Regardless of land
Community-Based Dispute Resolution

The author examines the growth of community dispute resolution in the 1980’s and examines whether larger budgets and increasing institutionalization/alliances with civil and criminal courts is a “striking symbol of success” or a “betrayal of the community empowerment ideology that originally spearheaded the community dispute resolution movement.”
Tonic Communication in the Antipredator Behavior of Ground Squirrels

Abstract This chapter expands Schleidt's [Schleidt, W. M. (1973). Tonic communication: Continual effects of discrete signs in animal communication systems. J. Theor. Biol. 42 , 359–386] concept of tonic communication to the more general phenomenon of tonic processes, that is, the patterning of behavioral processes in temporally extended proximate time frames. This concept has proved useful in my ground squirrel research for dealing with the significance of frequent, apparently ineffective repetitions of signals. The ineffectiveness disappears when the impact of signals is judged in tonic time frames, for example, when sustaining rather than eliciting effects of individual signals are measured. Nevertheless, the impact of repetitive signaling usually wanes as signaling continues, because of habituation by perceivers. Habituation appears to be a defense used by perceivers to protect themselves from manipulative induction of responses by continued signal inputs. Callers may counter this effect with a varied repertoire of repetitive vocalizations that allows them to bypass habituation effects, thereby amplifying perceiver expression of the sensitization that always accompanies habituation. More detailed studies of the roles of habituation and sensitization in tonic communication should provide additional insights into the dynamics between self-interested signaling and perceiving.
Tumor Necrosis Factor α: Localization and Actions Within the Preovulatory Follicle

In 1985 we reported that the hamster ovary contained mast cells (1). This discovery led us to investigate the effects of histamine and serotonin on follicular and luteal function because these amines are the primary secretory products of mast cells. We extended our findings to the cow (2) and the human (3–4). Another major secretory product of mast cells is heparin, and it was evident from a previous study that heparin could synergize with fibroblast growth factor in promoting endothelial cell growth (5). Thus, we began our search in the ovary for growth factors that bind heparin. During the course of our studies, Gospodarowicz reported that the bovine corpus luteum contained FGF (6). During our purification scheme, using various concentrations of ammonium sulphate, we found a fraction that inhibited the growth of endothelial cells in vitro and reported this at the 1987 SSR meeting at Cornell. Subsequently, we published a full description of our findings (7–8). It was at this point that we asked the question: What ovarian factor might retard the growth of endothelial cells in vitro? In searching the literature we found a publication by Sato, et al., 1986, that described morphological changes in the endothelial cells treated with tumor necrosis factor alpha (TFNα) (9). Thus, with the assistance of Genentech, Inc., we secured monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies to human recombinant TNFα and embarked on our studies elucidating the presence of TNF in the ovary of the rat, human, and cow. The following discussion of the pertinent literature on TNF in the ovary describes its presence in specific ovarian compartments and its effects on ovarian function in vitro.
Acceleration of DNA melting kinetics using alternating electric fields

We verify both theoretically and by simulation that an AC electric field, with a frequency much higher than the dissociation rate, can significantly accelerate the dissociation rate of biological molecules under isothermal conditions. The cumulative effect of the AC field is shown to break a key bottleneck by reducing the entropy (and increasing the free energy of the local minimum) via the alignment of the molecular dipole with the field. For frequencies below a resonant frequency which corresponds to the inverse Debye dipole relaxation time, the dissociation rate can be accelerated by a factor that scales as ω(ϵ′(ω)−1)E02, where ω is the field frequency, E0 is the field amplitude, and ϵ′(ω) is the frequency-dependent real permittivity of the molecule. At large amplitudes, we find that the accelerated melting rate becomes universal, independent of duplex size and sequence, which is in drastic contrast to Ohmic thermal melting. We confirm our theory with isothermal all-atomic molecular dynamics simulation of short DNA duplexes with known melting rates, demonstrating several orders in enhancement with realistic fields.
Jumping In and Out of the Phase Diagram Using ElectricFields: Time Scale for Remixing of Polystyrene/Poly(vinyl methyl ether)Blends

We demonstrate it is possible to repeatedly jump polystyrene (PS)/poly(vinyl methyl ether) (PVME) blends from the one-phase to two-phase region by simply turning on and off an electric field at a f...
Patterns of hematopoietic lineage involvement in children with neurofibromatosis type 1 and malignant myeloid disorders

Children with neurofibromatosis type 1 (NF1) are at increased risk of developing malignant myeloid disorders, particularly juvenile chronic myelogenous leukemia/juvenile myelomonocytic leukemia (JCML/JMML). We investigated bone marrows from 11 such patients (8 boys and 3 girls) and detected allelic losses at the NF1 locus in 4 of them and probable losses in 2 others. To determine which hematopoietic cell lineages were derived from the abnormal clones, Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-transformed cell lines and CD34+ cells were analyzed from 3 children with JCML with allelic losses in unfractionated marrow. CD34 cells from these 3 patients lacked the normal NF1 allele, whereas EBV cell lines retained it. Erythroblasts plucked from the burst-forming unit-erythroid colonies of one of these children lacked the normal NF1 allele. We also studied a 10-month-old boy with NF1 who developed an unusual myeloproliferative syndrome. His bone marrow and EBV cell line both showed loss of the normal NF1 allele. In our series and in the literature, male sex and maternal transmission of NF1 were associated with the highest risk of myeloid leukemia. These data (1) provide strong genetic evidence that NF1 functions as a tumor-suppressor in early myelopoiesis, (2) confirm the clonal nature of JCML/JMML, (3) suggest that the elevation in fetal hemoglobin seen in JCML/JMML is a result of primary involvement of erythroid progenitors in the malignant clone, (4) show consistent loss of NF1 in the CD34 cells of affected children and show that the malignant clone may also give rise to pre-B cells in some cases, and (5) implicate epigenetic factors in the development of leukemia in children with NF1.
Ex vivo MR microscopy of a human brain with multiple sclerosis: Visualizing individual cells in tissue using intrinsic iron.

Abstract Purpose To perform magnetic resonance microscopy (MRM) on human cortex and a cortical lesion as well as the adjacent normal appearing white matter. To shed light on the origins of MRI contrast by comparison with histochemical and immunostaining. Methods 3D MRM at a nominal isotropic resolution of 15 and 18 µm was performed on 2 blocks of tissue from the brain of a 77-year-old man who had MS for 47 years. One block contained normal appearing cortical gray matter (CN block) and adjacent normal appearing white matter (NAWM), and the other also included a cortical lesion (CL block). Postmortem ex-vivo MRI was performed at 11.7T using a custom solenoid coil and T2*-weighted 3D GRE sequence. Histochemical and immunostaining were done after paraffin embedding for iron, myelin, oligodendrocytes, neurons, blood vessels, macrophages and microglia, and astrocytes. Results MRM could identify individual iron-laden oligodendrocytes with high sensitivity (70% decrease in signal compared to surrounding) in CN and CL blocks, as well as some iron-laden activated macrophages and microglia. Iron-deficient oligodendrocytes seemed to cause relative increase in MRI signal within the cortical lesion. High concentration of myelin in the white matter was primarily responsible for its hypointense appearance relative to the cortex, however, signal variations within NAWM could be attributed to changes in density of iron-laden oligodendrocytes. Conclusion Changes in iron accumulation within cells gave rise to imaging contrast seen between cortical lesions and normal cortex, as well as the patchy signal in NAWM. Densely packed myelin and collagen deposition also contributed to MRM signal changes. Even though we studied only one block each from normal appearing and cortical lesions, such studies can help better understand the origins of histopathological and microstructural correlates of MRI signal changes in multiple sclerosis and contextualize the interpretation of lower-resolution in vivo MRI scans.
Regulating Big Data in Agriculture

In the year 2050, it is expected that the global human population will outgrow the current food supply. It is a year of concern for those in the agricultural sciences, and many projects and initiatives are designed around solving this problem [1], [3], [5], [6]. From genetically modified foods, stronger antibiotics and fungicides, to upgraded crop models, everyone in this area is hard at work finding the best solution to the impeding food shortage.
Toward an expanded approach on Black mobilities

Mobilities scholars have shown how injustices may arise from forced movement or stillness. However, with notable exceptions, these studies tend to collapse analyses of race into a simplistic binary...
The gynecologic oncologist as the HPV champion: missed opportunities for cancer prevention

Objectives: The Human Papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine is FDA approved up to age 45 and emerging evidence suggests it may prevent recurrent infections. This has important implications for patients commonly seen by gynecologic oncologists. Our objective was to describe factors that influence HPV vaccine recommendation amongst gynecologic oncologists and identify barriers and missed opportunities for vaccination. Methods: A pilot-tested online survey was electronically sent to all members of the Society of Gynecologic Oncology in the U.S. Questions evaluated the following domains: demographics, practice patterns, barriers and knowledge regarding the HPV vaccine. We defined HPV vaccine champions as providers who both recommended and either administered, stocked or prescribed the vaccine in the outpatient setting, and surveyed their practice patterns to identify possible missed opportunities for vaccination. Descriptive statistics were used to calculate the rate of HPV vaccine recommendation, explore barriers to vaccination and identify practice patterns. Univariate logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with vaccine recommendation. Results: A total of 183 gynecologic oncology providers completed the survey, representing 10% of invitations sent. Most were ≤ 45 years old (65%, n=99), practicing in urban (57%, n=105) and academic settings (67%, n=122). Eighty-one percent (n=147) had completed training, and of these, 68% (n=101) had been in practice for > 5 years. Ten percent (n=18/174) of respondents had not recommended the HPV vaccine in the past 12 months. Vaccine recommendation was associated with better HPV vaccine knowledge (Odds Ratio (OR) 1.7, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 1.0-2.9), being a non-trainee (OR 3.8, CI 1.3-11.2) and practicing in the South (OR 10.8, CI 1.3-90.7). Among all providers, the most commonly reported barriers to vaccinating were that the patient's cancer diagnosis took precedence (88%, n=146/165), the cost to the clinic (48%, n=79/165), uncertainty about insurance coverage (43%, n=71/165) and that the vaccine history was not asked (48%, n=79/165). Forty eight percent (n=87) met criteria as HPV vaccine champions. Of those, 96% (n=78/81) at least sometimes offer the HPV vaccine at a visit for vulvar or cervical dysplasia. Eighty-three percent (n=67/81) offer it to patients with an HPV-related cancer diagnosis. In contrast, only 35% (n=29/82) were likely to offer it in a consultation for BRCA management and 28% (n=23/82) were likely to offer it at a surgical consultation for fibroids (Figure). Download : Download high-res image (89KB) Download : Download full-size image Conclusions: Gynecologic oncologists have a unique opportunity to educate and increase vaccination rates in eligible women. There are significant barriers to HPV vaccine administration in the gynecologic oncology office, and we identify examples of missed opportunities to vaccinate in non-HPV related clinical scenarios.
Evaluation of Atherosclerotic Lesions and Risk Factors of Atherosclerosis in Raptors in Northern California

Atherosclerosis is a chronic inflammatory disease that has been reported to affect the cardiovascular system of many avian species. However, atherosclerosis in raptor species has not been fully evaluated. The aim of this study was to histologically characterize central and peripheral atherosclerotic lesions in raptors that were submitted to a pathology service in Northern California from 1986 to 2013. We also evaluated risk factors, including age, gender, origin, and avian family. Atherosclerotic lesions were categorized as minimal, mild, moderate, or severe, based on the severity of the lesions and their distribution within the arterial wall. Among the central arteries, lesions were determined to be of greater severity in the aorta than in the pulmonary artery. More than 50% of the peripheral arteries were affected, including 53.1% (17/32) myocardial, 52% (13/25) coronary, 62.9% (22/35) arteries in the kidney, 52.2% (12/23) gonadal and 51.7% (15/29) splenic arteries; however, hepatic and pulmonary arteries were uncommonly affected. Atherosclerosis was diagnosed in 17 raptor species representing 4 families: Accipitridae, Cathartidae, Falconidae, and Strigidae. The overall prevalence (95% CI) of atherosclerosis in raptors was 2.3% (36/1574; range, 1.63%-3.19%) with the Falconidae having the highest prevalence at 7.4% (9/122; range 3.64%-13.93%) and with 0% detected in the Tytonidae and Pandionidae families. A multiple logistic regression model that jointly accounted for differences in risk by family, age, and gender found that the risk in Accipitridae was significantly less than that of Falconidae, that adult raptors were at greater risk of atherosclerotic lesions than juveniles were, and that females were more frequently affected than males were.
On the Global Convergence of Momentum-based Policy Gradient.

Policy gradient (PG) methods are popular and efficient for large-scale reinforcement learning due to their relative stability and incremental nature. In recent years, the empirical success of PG methods has led to the development of a theoretical foundation for these methods. In this work, we generalize this line of research by studying the global convergence of stochastic PG methods with momentum terms, which have been demonstrated to be efficient recipes for improving PG methods. We study both the soft-max and the Fisher-non-degenerate policy parametrizations, and show that adding a momentum improves the global optimality sample complexity of vanilla PG methods by $\tilde{\mathcal{O}}(\epsilon^{-1.5})$ and $\tilde{\mathcal{O}}(\epsilon^{-1})$, respectively, where $\epsilon>0$ is the target tolerance. Our work is the first one that obtains global convergence results for the momentum-based PG methods. For the generic Fisher-non-degenerate policy parametrizations, our result is the first single-loop and finite-batch PG algorithm achieving $\tilde{O}(\epsilon^{-3})$ global optimality sample complexity. Finally, as a by-product, our methods also provide general framework for analyzing the global convergence rates of stochastic PG methods, which can be easily applied and extended to different PG estimators.
An Eight-Core 1.44-GHz RISC-V Vector Processor in 16-nm FinFET

This work presents a RISC-V system-on-chip (SoC) with eight application cores containing programmable-precision vector accelerators. The SoC is built by using a generator-based design methodology, which enables the integration of open-source and project-specific building blocks to develop differentiated functionality. The digital component generators use Chisel, the analog component generators use the Berkeley Analog Generator (BAG), and the physical design flow is implemented with Hammer. The chip totals 125 M gates and is implemented in a 16-nm finFET process. The vector accelerator achieves peak energy efficiency per task of 209 half-precision, 92 single-precision, and 56 double-precision GFLOPs/W for a matrix multiplication kernel at 0.55 V and 339 MHz.
Changes in the Composition of Unmarried Elderly Women's Households Between 1971 and 1991

Based on data from the 1971, 1981, and 1991 Annual Demographic Files of the Current Population Survey (CPS), this paper analyzes the changes in composition of the households of unmarried elderly women aged 65 years or older. The findings indicate that these women continued to choose living alone as their preferred living arrangement, and that in 1991, as compared with 1971, they were increasingly more likely to coreside with relatives as head of household rather than as dependents of the relatives. Significant racial differences also continued to exist in the composition of these women's households. But those who lived alone, especially blacks and Hispanics, were also more likely to be in poverty than those in other types of living arrangements. Implications for social policy and social services are discussed.
Multinuclear MRS in Children

MR imaging and 1 H MRS are based on the magnetic moments of the nuclei of hydrogen atoms. However, also other nuclei of atoms with an uneven number of nucleons (protons and neutrons) do have a spin and a detectable magnetic moment when brought into a magnetic field (Table 21.1). Because in vivo MR spectroscopy today is dominated by proton MRS, it is hard to imagine that in the early days of MRS other nuclei, particularly phosphorous (31P) MRS, received far more attention. However, the need for additional expensive equipment, special expertise (PhD on site), the relative low sensitivity (= long scan times), and the ever increasing competition from well-reimbursed clinical MR imaging have pushed MRS methods other than 1 H MRS to the side. On the other hand, there is currently a shift from 1.5 T to 3 T or even higher field strengths MR scanners and an effort by manufacturers to provide multinuclear MRS capabilities with proton-decoupling (As a result of J-coupling (see Chap. 2 ) between spins, signals are commonly split into multiplets. Such multiplets can be collapsed into single lines by applying irradiation at the resonance frequency of the nuclei to which the spins of interest are coupled. Decoupling significantly simplifies the interpretation of spectra and increases the S/N. This can involve considerable irradiation power. Several techniques are described in the literature that allow sufficient decoupling to be carried out without excessive power requirements. Additional S/N gain is achieved by the build-up of a nuclear Overhauser effect (NOE). Spin decoupling is most commonly used in 13C MRS).Multinuclear spectroscopy (MNS) benefits from higher field strength and from proton-decoupling considerably and it is therefore expected that there will be a renewed interest in studying important medical and biological question with MNS in the future. Still, because of the additional expertise and resources required, it needs to be emphasized that the use of MNS will almost certainly be limited to a small number of academic centers.
States' experiences with loan repayment programs for health care professionals in a time of state budget cuts and NHSC expansion.

Purpose: The landscape of education loan repayment programs for health care professionals has been turbulent in recent years, with doubling of the funding for the National Health Service Corps (NHSC) and cuts in funding for some states’ programs. We sought to understand how this turbulence is being felt within the state offices involved in recruiting clinicians to rural and urban underserved communities. Methods: We conducted key informant telephone interviews with staff of state offices of rural health, primary care organizations, and/or related organizations within 28 diverse states to answer questions about perceived changes and interplay among solely state-funded loan repayment programs, joint state-federal programs, and the NHSC federal program. Interviews were transcribed, formally analyzed, and key issues summarized. Findings: Informants reported that solely state-funded and joint state-federal loan repayment programs are greatly valued for their ability to target a state's particular needs and to complement the NHSC federal program. However, budgets for state programs have been threatened, reduced, or eliminated entirely in many cases. All informants positively perceived the NHSC's recent growth and changes, which they feel are helping fill important workforce needs for their states. Nevertheless, the much larger NHSC federal program now competes with some states’ programs for clinicians and service sites; states’ programs are pushed to adjust their operations to maintain a unique “niche.” Conclusions: States’ key recruiters lament reductions in funding for states’ loan repayment programs, and welcome the NHSC's recent growth and changes. Better coordination is needed to minimize competition and maximize complementarity between state and federal programs.
Cultural Practice Considerations: The Coming Out Process for Mexican Americans along the Rural U.S.-Mexico Border

As the nation’s Latino and Mexican American population continues to rise, social workers must consider the unique experiences of these groups. The decision to reveal a lesbian, gay, or bisexual (LGB) identity is often difficult and painful. This decision can be compounded for Mexican American individuals as Latino heterosexual attitudes about sexuality continue to act as a barrier for Mexican American LGB individuals and their families who live along the U.S.-Mexico border. This article reviews the implications of lesbian, gay or bisexual disclosure within Mexican-American families who live along the U.S.-Mexico border. This manuscript reviews the traditional Mexican American family and the role of acculturation in the disclosure process. Implications for culturally competent social work practice, recommendations for clinical practice, and recommendations for future research are discussed.
Validation of a needs-based biopsychosocial distress instrument for cancer patients

Objective People with cancer may experience distress related to diagnoses, disease-related symptoms, and treatment side effects. Assessment of cancer-related needs can facilitate timely triage and intervention and contribute to individualized comprehensive cancer care. This study assessed the internal consistency, test–retest reliability and construct validity of the Cancer Needs Distress Inventory (CaNDI), a self-report, needs-based measure of cancer-related distress. Methods A sample of 100 patients (27% male) with various cancer diagnoses completed the CaNDI, Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale, Brief Symptom Inventory, Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-General, and the Paulhus Deception Scales. Results The CaNDI total and depressive and anxiety subscale scores all demonstrated excellent test–retest reliability and moderate to high correlations with other measures of these constructs. The instrument was minimally confounded by social desirability and provided high sensitivity and specificity in detecting depression and anxiety. Conclusions Initial results suggest that the CaNDI has strong psychometric properties and may be a useful addition to cancer patient needs assessment, research and care. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A Receptor Presentation Hypothesis for T Cell Help That Recruits Autoreactive B Cells

To uncover mechanisms that drive spontaneous expansions of autoreactive B cells in systemic lupus erythematosus, we analyzed somatic mutations in variable region genes expressed by a panel of (NZB x SWR)F(1) hybridomas representing a large, spontaneously arising clone with specificity for chromatin. A single mutation within the Jkappa intron that was shared by all members of the lineage indicated that the clone emanated from a single mutated precursor cell and led to the prediction that a somatic mutation producing a functionally decisive amino acid change in the coding region would also be universally shared. Upon cloning and sequencing the corresponding germline V(H) gene, we found that two replacement somatic mutations in FR1 and CDR2 were indeed shared by all seven clone members. Surprisingly, neither mutation influenced Ab binding to chromatin; however, one of them produced a nonconservative amino acid replacement in a mutationally "cold" region of FR1 and created an immunodominant epitope for class II MHC-restricted T cells. The epitope was restricted by IA(q) (SWR), and the SWR MHC locus is associated with systemic lupus erythematosus in (NZB x SWR)F(1) mice. These, and related findings, provoke the hypothesis that autoreactive B cells may be recruited by a "receptor presentation" mechanism involving cognate interactions between T cells and somatically generated V region peptides that are self-presented by B cells.
Almost-Everywhere Superiority for Quantum Computing

Simon as extended by Brassard and H{\o}yer shows that there are tasks on which polynomial-time quantum machines are exponentially faster than each classical machine infinitely often. The present paper shows that there are tasks on which polynomial-time quantum machines are exponentially faster than each classical machine almost everywhere.
Use of computerized pattern recognition in the study of the cuticular hydrocarbons of imported fire ants. II. Comparison of the cuticular hydrocarbon patterns between different colonies of Solenopsis richteri.

Abstract Gas chromatography (GC) data obtained from the cuticular hydrocarbons of the black imported fire ants are treated by methods of pattern recognition. Based on a recently described sample preparation procedure, GC data are normalized to eliminate slight variations in Chromatographie conditions, and converted to the proper format for discriminant analysis by computer. The results of several methods of data treatment and display are discussed, based on the chemometrics system package, ARTHUR.
The biochemistry and physiology of nucleotides.

Nucleotides are phosphate esters of nucleosides that contain a sugar linked through a glycosidic linkage with purine and pyrimidine bases. Purine and pyrimidine nucleotides are major components of the cells that make up the monomeric units of DNA and RNA, and they function in all cellular processes. Biosynthesis, interconversion, catabolism and other aspects of nucleotide metabolism, along with various cellular roles of nucleotides, will be discussed, and the possible use of dietary sources of preformed purines and pyrimidines will be considered
Hot and cold gas in early-type galaxies - A comparison of X-ray, HI and far infrared emission

The relationship between the hot and cold phases of the interstellar medium in nearby elliptical and SO galaxies is examined by a comparison of X-ray, HI and 100 pm emission. The data suggest that there is little relationship between the presence and amount of hot and cold gas in these galaxies. The X-ray emission is more closely related to the stellar content of Es than are the HI or infrared emission, suggesting that the hot gas originates in mass loss from stars while the cold gas is the remains of the original interstellar medium plus accretion from outside the galaxy.
Issues in Oocyte Donation for Stem Cell Research

Stem cell research on human embryonic stem cells derived through use of oocytes originally obtained specifically for research and not for reproductive or medical purposes creates a new class of research subject. In this Policy Forum, the authors explore the ethical issues for those who perform such studies and for research donors. Healthy oocyte donors differ from traditional research subjects in that neither they nor their tissues are the direct objects of study but their tissues are used to create materials for research. Yet they are exposed to significant risks and have no prospect of direct benefit. Researchers in the U.S. who conduct such studies in other countries should follow U.S. guidelines such as those recently released by the National Research Council-Institute of Medicine, even if they are not required by law, because of the special ethical considerations raised by this new category of research subject. The informed consent process for donors should not minimize the risks of oocyte procurement just because the donors are not giving their oocytes for reproductive purposes, or portray stem cell transplantation research as an existing therapy.