cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Adjuvant chemoradiation does not improve survival in elderly patients with high-risk resected head and neck cancer.

Objectives/Hypothesis Randomized trials have demonstrated that adjuvant chemoradiotherapy (CRT) confers an overall survival (OS) benefit over adjuvant radiation therapy (RT) alone in patients with resected head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) with adverse pathologic features (positive surgical margins [SM+] and/or extracapsular extension [ECE]). Whether this OS benefit exists in an elderly population remains unknown. Study Design Retrospective database study. Methods Using the National Cancer Database, we identified 1,686 elderly patients (age ≥70 years) with resected HNSCC with SM+ and/or ECE, who received adjuvant CRT (491 patients, 29%) or adjuvant RT alone (1,195 patients, 71%) between 1998 and 2011. Three-year survival rates were estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method both before and after propensity score matching (PSM). Crude and adjusted hazard ratios (HR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were computed using Cox regression modeling. Results Median follow-up was 23.5 and 42.8 months for all and surviving patients, respectively. Three-year OS was 50.7% and 44.4% among patients receiving adjuvant CRT and RT alone, respectively (P = .002). On multivariate analysis, there was no significant improvement in OS with adjuvant CRT relative to adjuvant RT alone (HR: 0.88, 95% CI: 0.73-1.06). Similarly, a PSM cohort showed no significant difference in the 3-year OS for patients receiving adjuvant CRT versus adjuvant RT alone (48.8% and 50.9%, respectively; P = .839). Conclusions Although the addition of chemotherapy to adjuvant RT has been proven effective in randomized trials of patients with resected HNSCC with SM+ or ECE, it may be less efficacious in an elderly patient population treated outside of a controlled trial setting. Level of Evidence 2c Laryngoscope, 2017
Title IV-E Child Welfare Training and University Partnerships: Transforming State Child Protection Services into a Trauma-Informed System

Children who are involved in the child welfare system have experienced trauma, and research indicates that parents of those children also frequently grapple with their own unresolved trauma. In addition, child welfare workers face high rates of secondary traumatic stress. Federal legislation from 2011 requires states to conduct universal trauma screening on children in foster care. The Administration on Children and Families (ACF) urges state Child Protection agencies (CPS) to become trauma-informed, however, many states still struggle to integrate a trauma focused practice model. This article describes the outcomes of a national, empirically driven, Core Concepts in Child Trauma for Child Welfare curriculum utilized in a Title IV-E university partnership program to teach graduate level child welfare agency supervisors. Findings suggest that the graduate trauma course demonstrates statistically significant gains in confidence, and also has a profound impact on the agency’s transformation into a trauma-informed system
Too much of a good thing? A landscape-of-fear analysis for collared peccaries (Pecari tajacu) reveals hikers act as a greater deterrent than thorny or bitter food

To study how wildlife perceive recreating humans, we studied the habitat selection of a human commensalist, the collared peccary (Pecari tajacu (Linnaeus, 1758)). We measured peccary activity patte...
A Change in Aesthetics and the Aesthetics of Change: A Comparative Study of Premchand's Bazaar-e husn and Sevasadan

This paper explores the reasons for Premchand's alteration in lexicon in two versions of the same novel, one in Hindi (Sevasadan; House of Service) and one in Urdu (Bazaar-e husn; The Bazar of Beau...
Comparison of binary and multi-level logic processing for an optical encoder

The measurement of rotation is required for many sensor systems. Rotary optical encoders are a rugged option for such measurements and gray code systems help prevent ambiguous values during transitions. A complex interface task is selected to compare binary and multi-level logic implementations in which a five-bit, encoder gray code maps to seven-segment displays. An optimized binary gate implementation is compared to a functional equivalent using a multi-level, memory-based logic approach. CMOS circuit implementations are compared with respect to transistor count, propagation delay, and power usage. The suitability of the multi-level, memory-based approach for low-power, dedicated instrumentation is discussed.
Imaging of Nephrolithiasis and Urinary Tract Calculi in Children

■ The clinical presentation of pediatric nephrolithiasis and urinary tract calculi can be non-specific (moderate evidence).
Frequency Domain Compensation

The purpose of this chapter is to present an in-depth study of certain frequency domain implications of linear state variable feedback (l.s.v.f.) from the point of view of the structure theorem in order to develop some rather general procedures for the compensation of linear multivariable systems. We begin, in Section 7.2, by representing the transfer matrix of a linear system in such a way that those parts or characteristics which are totally unaffected by l.s.v.f. are “separated” from those which can be completely and arbitrarily altered.
Glial Responses to Injury

Glia of the central nervous system (CNS) have largely been considered as support cells that, if injured, become activated but do not necessarily affect neurological function directly. Our current understanding of astrocytes, microglia, and oligodendrocytes reveals that this is a dramatic oversimplication. Collectively, glia outnumber neurons and are tightly integrated with all aspects of neurological function. Moreover, injury-induced activation of glia can directly and indirectly cause both neuronal death and repair. Here, we present the principal glial components of the CNS, their roles in homeostasis, and their responses to injury.
Studying Macromolecular Motions in a Database Framework: From Structure to Sequence

We describe database approaches taken in our lab to the study of protein and nucleic acid motions. We have developed a database of macromolecular motions, which is accessible on the World Wide Web with an entry point at http://bioinfo.mbb.yale.edu/MolMovDB. This attempts to systematize all instances of macromolecular movement for which there is at least some structural information. At present it contains detailed descriptions of more than 100 motions, most of which are of proteins. Protein motions are further classified hierarchically into a limited number of categories, first on the basis of size (distinguishing between fragment, domain, and subunit motions) and then on the basis of packing. Our packing classification divides motions into various categories (shear, hinge, other) depending on whether or not they involve sliding over a continuously maintained and tightly packed interface. We quantitatively systematize the description of packing through the use of Voronoi polyhedra and Delaunay triangulation. In addition to the packing classification, the database provides some indication about the evidence behind each motion (i.e. the type of experimental information or whether the motion is inferred based on structural similarity) and attempts to describe many aspects of a motion in terms of a standardized nomenclature (e.g. the maximum rotation, the residue selection of a fixed core, etc). Currently, we use a standard relational design to implement the database. However, the complexity and heterogeneity of the information kept in the database makes it an ideal application for an object-relational approach, and we are moving it in this direction. The database, moreover, incorporates innovative Internet cooperatively features that allow authorized remote experts to serve as database editors. The database also contains plausible representations for motion pathways, derived from restrained 3D interpolation between known endpoint conformations. These pathways can be viewed in a variety of movie formats, and the database is associated with a server that can automatically generate these movies from submitted coordinates. Based on the structures in the database we have developed sequence patterns for linkers and flexible hinges and are currently using these for the annotation of genome sequence data.
Mineral and Bone Disorders Following Renal Transplantation

Bone disease and abnormalities in bone mineral metabolism occur in patients following renal transplantation. Bone demineralization and an increase in fractures of the hip and spine are noted. Many of the abnormalities are due to the administration of glucocorticoids on a background of pre-existing renal bone disease (either hyperparathyroidism or low-turnover bone disease). Appropriate treatment of bone disease prior to transplantation, the administration of vitamin D and its analogs and bisphosphonates, limiting the amount of steroid administered, and exploring the use of “steroid-free” immunosuppression are strategies that have a salutary effect on bone outcomes. We also discuss potential mineral and bone abnormalities that occur in live kidney donors, as it is apparent that these individuals who represent almost 30% of all renal organ donors experience alterations in calcium and phosphorus metabolism as well as changes in calciotropic hormones and phosphate-regulating factors.
Principles of Real-Time Pulmonary Graphics

For nearly a quarter of a century, newborns requiring mechanical ventilation were managed primarily by clinical means, supplemented with intermittent laboratory data provided by blood gas analysis and chest radiography. Little was known about pulmonary mechanics or the interactions between the baby and the ventilator. During this era, the “gold standard” of pulmonary mechanics, incentive spirometry, had no practical utility in the neonatal population.
Strategies to improve performance of reclaimed asphalt pavement-recycled asphalt shingle mixtures

Recycling highway construction materials and minimising the use of virgin materials can reduce the pavement life cycle costs, improve highway network condition, conserve natural resources, and prot...
The Priest, the King and the Street Vendor: Urban Allegories in Saul Steinberg’s Strada Palas (1966)

All parades are gatherings of curious collections, but the parades in the work of the architect-trained artist Saul Steinberg are like no others. In one particular drawing bearing the name of his c...
Accuracy of wearable heart rate monitors in cardiac rehabilitation.

Background: To assess the accuracy of four wearable heart rate (HR) monitors in patients with established cardiovascular disease enrolled in phase II or III cardiac rehabilitation (CR). Methods: Eighty adult patients enrolled in phase II or III CR were monitored during a CR session that included exercise on a treadmill and/or stationary cycle. Participants underwent HR monitoring with standard ECG limb leads, an electrocardiographic (ECG) chest strap monitor (Polar H7), and two randomly assigned wrist-worn HR monitors (Apple Watch, Fitbit Blaze, Garmin Forerunner 235, TomTom Spark Cardio), one on each wrist. HR was recorded at rest and at 3, 5, and 7 minutes of steady-state exercise on the treadmill and stationary cycle. Results: Across all exercise conditions, the chest strap monitor (Polar H7) had the best agreement with ECG (r c =0.99) followed by the Apple Watch (r c =0.80), Fitbit Blaze (r c =0.78), TomTom Spark (r c =0.76) and Garmin Forerunner (r c =0.52). There was variability in accuracy under different exercise conditions. On the treadmill, only the Fitbit Blaze performed well (r c =0.76), while on the stationary cycle, Apple Watch (r c =0.89) and TomTom Spark (r c =0.85) were most accurate. Conclusions: In cardiac patients, the accuracy of wearable, optically based HR monitors varies, and none of those tested was as accurate as an electrode-containing chest monitor. This observation has implications for in-home CR, as electrode-containing chest monitors should be used when accurate HR measurement is imperative.
Abstract 4174: Familiality of ovarian cancer histotypes in the Utah Population Database

Introduction: Ovarian cancer is a heterogeneous disease; each histotype has distinct molecular origins, risk factors and outcomes. While it is well established that ovarian cancer has a familial risk component, the familiality of ovarian cancer histotypes has not been well described. The Utah Population Database (UPDB) captures over 10 million individuals, including more than 5 million with a minimum of three generations of genealogy data. By linking records from the UPDB to the Utah Cancer Registry (UCR) and other statewide data sources, we sought to describe the familiality of ovarian cancer histotypes. Methods: Our study includes all ovarian cancer cases in the UPDB and leverages clinical data reported to UCR for the case histotypes. Cases were matched to controls on age, birth cohort and at least three generations of UPDB data versus not. We quantified familiality by comparing the odds of ovarian cancer occurrence among family members of cases to the odds of ovarian cancer among family members of matched controls. We calculated odds ratios for first-degree relatives, second-degree relatives, and first cousins. Results: As of September 2018, the UPDB included 3,989 ovarian cancer cases. We observed an increased risk of epithelial ovarian cancer among first-degree relatives (OR=1.62, 95%CI=1.36-1.93), second-degree relatives (OR=1.53, 95%CI=1.34-1.74), and first cousins (OR=1.38, 95%CI=1.26-1.53) of ovarian cancer cases. When we analyzed epithelial ovarian cancers by histotype, familiality was most evident for high-grade serous, mucinous, and unclassified cancers. For example, we observed a 1.62-fold increased odds (95%CI=1.14-2.29) of high-grade serous ovarian cancer among the first-degree relatives of high-grade serous cases, and a 5.59-fold increased odds (95%CI=2.09-14.92) of mucinous ovarian cancer among first-degree relatives of mucinous ovarian cancer cases. Familiality patterns were less clear among endometrioid and clear cell cases. Conclusions: The UPDB has the potential to contribute greatly to family-based studies of the genetics of ovarian cancer histotypes. Despite the possible variations in quality of histotype data across generations, preliminary results suggest some histotypes may be particularly familial and good candidates for gene mapping studies. Work is ongoing to refine the histotype assignments for cases by performing pathology review using the 2014 World Health Organization guidelines. Analyses are also in progress to stratify analyses by BRCA mutation status, and to consider the potential for shared familiality across ovarian cancer histotypes and with cancers at other sites. Citation Format: Mollie E. Barnard, Nicola J. Camp, Jennifer A. Doherty. Familiality of ovarian cancer histotypes in the Utah Population Database [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 4174.
Constructing Effective Responses: Considerations for Integrating a Service Animal Into a Public School:

A respected principal finds himself caught in the middle of a complex legal conundrum when a student requests to bring a service animal to his public school where another student may be dangerously...
Phasic dopamine responses to a food-predictive cue are suppressed by the glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonist Exendin-4

Phasic dopamine activity is evoked by reliable predictors of food reward and plays a role in cue-triggered, goal-directed behavior. While this important signal is modulated by physiological state (e.g. hunger, satiety), the mechanisms by which physiological state is integrated by dopamine neurons is only beginning to be elucidated. Activation of central receptors for glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1R) via long-acting agonists (e.g., Exendin-4) suppresses food intake and food-directed motivated behavior, in part, through action in regions with dopamine cell bodies, terminals, and/or neural populations that directly target the mesolimbic dopamine system. However, the effects of GLP-1R activation on cue-evoked, phasic dopamine signaling remain unknown. Here, in vivo fiber photometry was used to capture real-time signaling dynamics selectively from dopamine neurons in the ventral tegmental area of male and female transgenic (tyrosine hydroxylase-Cre; TH:Cre+) rats trained to associate an audio cue with the brief availability of a sucrose solution. Cue presentation evoked a brief spike in dopamine activity. Administration of Exendin-4 (Ex4; 0, 0.05, 0.1 μg) to the lateral ventricle both dose-dependently suppressed sucrose-directed behaviors and the magnitude of cue-evoked dopamine activity. Moreover, the amplitude of cue evoked dopamine activity was significantly correlated with subsequent sucrose-directed behaviors. While female rats exhibited overall reduced dopamine responses to the sucrose-paired cue relative to males, there was no significant interaction with Ex4. Together, these findings support a role for central GLP-1Rs in modulating a form of dopamine signaling that influences approach behavior and provide a potential mechanism whereby GLP-1 suppresses food-directed behaviors.
Generalizability of CEFR Criterial Grammatical Features in a Korean EFL Corpus across A1, A2, B1, and B2 Levels

Recent research conducted as part of the English Profile identified grammatical criterial features that are characteristic of each Common European Framework of Reference (CEFR) proficiency level. T...
Robust Data-Driven Discovery of Partial Differential Equations under Uncertainties.

Robust physics (e.g., governing equations and laws) discovery is of great interest for many engineering fields and explainable machine learning. A critical challenge compared with general training is that the term and format of governing equations is not known as a prior. In addition, significant measurement noise and complex algorithm hyperparameter tuning usually reduces the robustness of existing methods. A robust data-driven method is proposed in this study for identifying the governing Partial Differential Equations (PDEs) of a given system from noisy data. The proposed method is based on the concept of Progressive Sparse Identification of PDEs (PSI-PDE or $\psi$-PDE). Special focus is on the handling of data with huge uncertainties (e.g., 50$\%$ noise level). Neural Network modeling and fast Fourier transform (FFT) are implemented to reduce the influence of noise in sparse regression. Following this, candidate terms from the prescribed library are progressively selected and added to the learned PDEs, which automatically promotes parsimony with respect to the number of terms in PDEs as well as their complexity. Next, the significance of each learned terms is further evaluated and the coefficients of PDE terms are optimized by minimizing the L2 residuals. Results of numerical case studies indicate that the governing PDEs of many canonical dynamical systems can be correctly identified using the proposed $\psi$-PDE method with highly noisy data. One great benefit of proposed algorithm is that it avoids complex algorithm modification and hyperparameter tuning in most existing methods. Limitations of the proposed method and major findings are presented.
Psychotropic Medication Prescribing in a Juvenile Justice Facility: Evidence of a Limited Discontinuation Process

This study examined medical files for former residents of a juvenile residential facility. A review of medical files for 135 adolescents adjudicated for sexual offenses revealed 57 (42.2%) received...
Communicating Corporate Social Responsibility: External Stakeholder Involvement, Productivity and Firm Performance

Assessing the impact of CSR initiatives can be a complex task for marketers given the variety of methods of communicating about CSR as well as the broad range of stakeholders that CSR initiatives might interest. Social media helps increase the visibility and credibility of CSR communication and provides new ways of reaching and involving stakeholders in CSR initiatives. Using data collected and coded from Facebook pages of the Top 100 Global Brands, the authors introduce a new measure of effectiveness for CSR communication; CSR communication productivity (CCP). The findings indicate that CCP has a positive impact on firm performance (Tobin’s Q). The authors also investigate the impact of External Stakeholder Involvement in CSR initiatives. The results suggest that when external stakeholders are involved in an organization’s CSR initiatives, both CCP and firm performance (Tobin’s Q) improve. In addition, third-party evaluations of CSR performance positively moderate the impact of External Stakeholder Involvement on CCP. These findings offer contributions to CSR communication and social media marketing theories. They also have implications for marketing managers regarding how to measure and benchmark CCP, and how to maximize returns by involving external stakeholders in CSR efforts.
Towards Enhancing Spectrum Sensing: Signal Classification Using Autoencoders

The demand for technologies relying on the radio spectrum, such as mobile communications and IoT, has been growing exponentially. As a consequence, providing access to the radio spectrum is becoming increasingly more important. The ever-growing wireless traffic and the increasing scarcity of available spectrum warrants efficient management of the radio spectrum. At the same time, machine learning (ML) is becoming ubiquitous and has found applications in many fields for its ability to identify patterns and assist with decision-making processes. Recently, machine learning algorithms have been used to address challenges in the wireless communications domain, such as radio spectrum sensing, and have shown better performance than traditional sensing methods, such as energy detection. Spectrum sensing, a method for detecting and identifying different wireless signals being transmitted in the same band of the radio spectrum, is crucial for improving dynamic spectrum sharing, which has the potential to enhance sharing and coexistence of different wireless technologies in the same frequency band and ultimately improve spectrum efficiency. To this end, this research evaluates different types of autoencoders, such as deep, variational and Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM) autoencoders, to identify and differentiate between LTE and Wi-Fi transmissions. The goal is to investigate the performance of the different types of autoencoders on an I/Q dataset consisting of LTE and a combination of Wi-Fi signals (IEEE 802.11ax and IEEE 802.11ac) for the classification task in terms of complexity, precision, and recall to identify the best algorithm. Our models have achieved up to 99.9% precision and 88.1% recall for this classification task. Additionally, with a shortest training time of approximately 47 seconds, the models are suitable for online learning and deployment in a dynamic RF environment.
Measurements of Line Positions and Strengths of HD O-18 and D2 O-18 in the 2500-4280 cm(exp -1) Region

Measurements of line positions and strengths of D2 O-18 and HD O-18 were obtained with a Fourier transform spectrometer. The data were analyzed to obtain energy levels of the (100), (020), and (001) vibrational states of HD O-18 and the (001) and (011) states of D2 O-18 and the vibrational bands of these states connected to the ground state covered the spectral region from 2500 to 4278 cm(exp -1). 456 absorption lines of D2 O-18 and 856 lines of HD O-18 were assigned from the spectra. The measurements were of oxygen-18 enriched samples of deuterated water vapor and the spectra also contained features of HD O-16, D2 O-16, H2 O-16, H2 O-17 and H2 O-18 of which several were used as frequency calibration standards.
The financial feasibility of marriage for women receiving TANF: An analysis of six states

THE FINANCIAL FEASBILITY OF MARRIAGE FOR WOMEN RECEIVING TANF: AN ANALYSIS OF SIX STATES By Sally M. Brocksen, Ph.D. A dissertation submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy at Virginia Commonwealth University. Virginia Commonwealth University, 2005 Major Director: Ann Nichols-Casebolt, Ph.D., Professor, School of Social Work This project employed a descriptive case study methodology guided by rational choice theory to examine the financial feasibility of marriage for low income women. By modeling the income and expenses of eight different low income family types in six states (Arizona, California, New York, Oklahoma, Virginia, and Wisconsin) this study illustrates the financial situation of various low income families. The family types under investigation include: a single parent family, a family receiving TANF, cohabiting couple with two wage earners, cohabiting couple with one wage earner, a married family with two wage earners, a married couple with one wage earner, a unmarried couple with an infant (unmarried fragile family), and a married couple with an infant (married fragile family). The income of each family type was calculated at two different wage levels (minimum and low wage for each state under investigation). Income included the welfare benefits and subsidies each of the family’s is likely to receive (including child care subsidies and tax credits). The expenses of each family were calculated based on the size of the family and the cost of expenses such as housing and food expenditures. This
Distributed information retrieval with skewed database size distributions

The proliferation of government information on local area networks and the Internet creates the problem of finding information that may be distributed among many disjoint text databases (distributed information retrieval or federated search). A distributed information retrieval system is composed of three components: Resource representation, resource selection and result merging. Previous research suggested that the CORI algorithm is one of the most effective resource selection algorithms, but its effectiveness in environments containing a wide range of database sizes was not studied thoroughly. This paper shows that the CORI algorithm does not work well in environments with a skewed distribution of database sizes. We present a new resource selection algorithm based on estimating the distribution of relevant documents among the online databases. This new algorithm selects resources more accurately than the CORI algorithm, which can lead to improved document rankings.
The Photometric Accuracy of Astronomical Images Restored with the MEMSYS3 Code

After reviewing the causes of blur in astronomical images obtained with optical telescopes, both ground based instruments and the Hubble Space Telescope, simulations are described which test the photometric accuracy of the maximum entropy image restoration algorithm used in the code Memsys3 version 2. It is found that at the faintest brightness levels, while the code can recover blurred out point sources, they are recovered systematically too faint. The size of the photometric error depends on the brightness of the source (relative to the noise of the background) and the crowding of the field. At present, the optimum technique to apply to blurred images of crowded fields where most of the sources are point sources seems to be to use a restored image to generate the list of objects, then feed this into a standard point spread function fitting code and use this on the original blurred frame. In that manner, the most crowded fields can be analyzed without losing photometric accuracy.
Kinks versus Shocks

Localized phase transitions as well as shock waves can often be modeled by material discontinuities satisfying Rankine-Hugoniot (RH) jump conditions. The use of Maxwell, Gibbs-Thompson, Hertz-Knudsen, and similar (supplementary to RH) relations in the theory of dynamic phase changes suggest that the classical system of jump conditions is at least incomplete in the case of phase transitions. While the propagation of a shock wave is completely determined by the conservations laws, the boundary conditions of the problem and the condition that the entropy increases in the process, the same is not true for the propagation of phase boundaries. Additional condition must be added to the RH conditions in order to provide sufficient data for the unique determination of the transformation process. The necessity was tacitly assumed by those who attacked the calculation of the phase boundary velocity without even trying to determine this parameter from the conservation laws and boundary conditions alone.
SAR in PIFA handset antenna designs: an overall system perspective

This paper discusses the specific absorption rate (SAR) issue in handset antenna designs from the system level. Four planar inverted F antenna (PIFA) models were designed for the personal communication system (PCS) frequency band (1850 /spl sim/ 1990 MHz, also referred to as the 1900 MHz band). The free-space and against-the-head antenna efficiencies are measured and analyzed. The measured SAR were normalized by adjusting the transmit (TX) power. Then the antenna efficiencies were combined together to obtain the total radiated power (TRP), which is one of the requirements to evaluate the current handset antenna performance.
Cosmic Catastrophes: Exploding Stars, Black Holes, and Mapping the Universe

From supernovae and gamma-ray bursts to the accelerating Universe, this is an exploration of the intellectual threads that lead to some of the most exciting ideas in modern astrophysics and cosmology. This fully updated second edition incorporates new material on binary stars, black holes, gamma-ray bursts, worm-holes, quantum gravity and string theory. It covers the origins of stars and their evolution, the mechanisms responsible for supernovae, and their progeny, neutron stars and black holes. It examines the theoretical ideas behind black holes and their manifestation in observational astronomy and presents neutron stars in all their variety known today. This book also covers the physics of the twentieth century, discussing quantum theory and Einstein's gravity, how these two theories collide, and the prospects for their reconciliation in the twenty-first century. This will be essential reading for undergraduate students in astronomy and astrophysics, and an excellent, accessible introduction for a wider audience.
Deep Brain Stimulation: Ethical Issues in Clinical Practice and Neurosurgical Research

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the various ethical issues related to the clinical application and research of deep brain stimulation. DBS is recognized as therapeutic for the management of chronic pain, the evaluation and management of epilepsy, and the treatment of Parkinson's disease and other movement disorders. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has also approved the use of the deep brain stimulator for refractory Parkinson's disease and essential tremor in 1997. Clinical investigators are conducting trials for its use in obsessive–compulsive disorders, which awaits FDA approval, depression, and traumatic brain injury. The boundary between experimental work and therapeutic deployment rests on FDA approval of the device and the consensus of the medical community that the putative treatment is effective and safe and that the intended beneficial outcome will appear without adverse long or short-term effects. To apply the proper ethical frame against which to evaluate the risks and benefits of neuromodulation, it is necessary to determine whether a procedure constitutes established therapy or remains investigational. Determining this distinction is critical or else the investigator or clinician can inadvertently mislead a potential research participant or patient about the safety and efficacy of an intervention. A therapeutic misconception can also have its origins in the hopes and desperation of a patient eager for cure or in the manner within which consent is obtained for enrollment in a clinical trial. Usually, these misperceptions stem from both a combination of hope and hype, which may or may not be intended on the part of the investigator.
Picturing Personhood: Brain Scans and Biomedical Identity

Picturing Personhood: Brain Scans and Biomedical Identity. Joseph Dumit. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2004. xii. 272 pp.
Chapter 50 – Anticholinergic Bronchodilators

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on anticholinergic bronchodilators as implicated in asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Naturally occurring anticholinergics exhibit many side effects, which result in poor acceptability by patients. Interest in anticholinergics was generated with a better understanding of the role of the parasympathetic system in controlling airway tone and with the development of synthetic congeners of atropine that are much less prone to produce side effects. The cholinergic bronchomotor tone is generally increased in both asthma and COPD. By competing with acetylcholine at muscarinic receptors, anticholinergic agents inhibit tonic and phasic cholinergic activity and permit the airways to dilate. Anticholinergics do not inhibit other mediators of smooth-muscle contraction and exhibit no effect on the numerous other mechanisms of airway obstruction in asthma and COPD. Naturally occurring anticholinergic agents—such as atropine and scopolamine—are tertiary ammonium compounds. They are widely distributed in the body and cross the blood–brain barrier, thereby counteracting parasympathetic activity in almost every system and producing widespread dose-related systemic effects.
Leptin produced by obese adipose stromal/stem cells enhances proliferation and metastasis of estrogen receptor positive breast cancers.

The steady increase in the incidence of obesity among adults has been paralleled with higher levels of obesity-associated breast cancer. While recent studies have suggested that adipose stromal/stem cells (ASCs) isolated from obese women enhance tumorigenicity, the mechanism(s) by which this occurs remains undefined. Evidence suggests that increased adiposity results in increased leptin secretion from adipose tissue, which has been shown to increased cancer cell proliferation. Previously, our group demonstrated that ASCs isolated from obese women (obASCs) also express higher levels of leptin relative to ASCs isolated from lean women (lnASCs) and that this obASC-derived leptin may account for enhanced breast cancer cell growth. The current study investigates the impact of inhibiting leptin expression in lnASCs and obASCs on breast cancer cell (BCC) growth and progression. Estrogen receptor positive (ER+) BCCs were co-cultured with leptin shRNA lnASCs or leptin shRNA obASCs and changes in the proliferation, migration, invasion, and gene expression of BCCs were investigated. To assess the direct impact of leptin inhibition in obASCs on BCC proliferation, MCF7 cells were injected alone or mixed with control shRNA obASCs or leptin shRNA obASCs into SCID/beige mice. ER+ BCCs were responsive to obASCs during direct co-culture, whereas lnASCs were unable to increase ER+ BCC growth. shRNA silencing of leptin in obASCs negated the enhanced proliferative effects of obASC on BCCs following direct co-culture. BCCs co-cultured with obASCs demonstrated enhanced expression of epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and metastasis genes (SERPINE1, MMP-2, and IL-6), while BCCs co-cultured with leptin shRNA obASCs did not display similar levels of gene induction. Knockdown of leptin significantly reduced tumor volume and decreased the number of metastatic lesions to the lung and liver. These results correlated with reduced expression of both SERPINE1 and MMP-2 in tumors formed with MCF7 cells mixed with leptin shRNA obASCs, when compared to tumors formed with MCF7 cells mixed with control shRNA obASCs. This study provides mechanistic insight as to how obesity enhances the proliferation and metastasis of breast cancer cells; specifically, obASC-derived leptin contributes to the aggressiveness of breast cancer in obese women.
A Guide to bea Statistics on U.S. Multinational Companies

BEA’s statistics on U.S. multinational companies (MNC’s) provide a comprehensive and integrated data set for empirical analysis of MNC’s. Balance of payments data measure transactions between U.S. parents and their foreign affiliates, and direct investment position data measure the cumulative value of parents” investments in their affiliates. Financial and operating data provide a wide variety of indicators of the overall domestic and foreign operations of U.S. MNC’s. BEA’s statistics can help to answer such questions as "Where are U.S. MNC’s investing?" "Are U.S. companies shifting their operations abroad?" and "What portion of U.S. cross-border trade is between U.S. parents and their foreign affiliates?"
Examining Market Information and Brand Equity Through Resource-Advantage Theory: A Carrier Perspective

To survive in this challenging economic environment, transportation providers must differentiate themselves in the eyes of current and potential customers. Consequently, they are seeking to develop superior resources that allow them to build greater awareness of and distinctive images for their brands. Those that are successful achieve higher levels of brand equity and, ultimately, positions of competitive advantage in the logistics services industry. This research applies resource-advantage theory to investigate the role of market information in creating an informational advantage to build brand equity for transportation providers. Results from a survey of motor carriers indicate that informational advantage mediates the impact of market information resources on the levels of brand image and brand awareness, two dimensions of a firm’s brand equity.
Club Drug Use in Hispanic College Students

Club drug use and correlates were examined among 251 Hispanic college students on the Texas-Mexico border. Participants completed questionnaires on substance use, club drug attitudes and beliefs, sexual risk-taking behaviors, depressive symptoms, and acculturation. One-quarter of participants reported club drug use. Regression analyses demonstrated that frequency and history of lifetime use were consistently associated with more permissive drug attitudes and other substance use but not sexual risk-taking, depression symptoms, or acculturation. Acculturation was negatively associated with frequency of club drug use, yet positively associated with use of other illicit substances. Avenues for future studies are suggested. Language: en
Conservation development in the partially sighted child

A comparative study of conservation development in partially sighted, sighted, and sighted blindfolded children at four age levels (6–7, 8–9, 10–11, and 12–15 yrs.) was assessed. Conservation on tasks of mass, weight, and volume were evaluated using Piaget and Inhelder's (1941) prediction, judgment, and explanation questions. The significant differences were found between groups, task, and age level. Visually impaired children's performance was inferior to sighted children at all age levels, while little difference was found between partially sighted and blindfolded children's performance. For all three groups, conservation of mass was easiest, followed by conservation of weight, then volume. The findings support the notion of a developmental lag in cognitive skills for partially sighted children.
SU-E-T-112: Dose Distribution of Praseodymium-142 Microspheres in Microcapillary Using Radiochromic Film Dosimetry and Applications in Hepatocellular Carcinoma Microsphere Brachytherapy

Purpose: This work verified simulations of beta-minus emitter Praseodymium-142 (Pr-142) for microsphere brachytherapy by performing absolute dose measurements for Pr 142 microspheres in a microcapillary as a simplified model for a single blood vessel for the treatment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma (HCC). Methods: Pr-142 microspheres (mass: 0.169g, average diameter: 29.7±3.9μm) were activated by thermal neutron activation at the University of Missouri Research Reactor. Experimental setup consisted of a microsphere solution (initial activity 36.6mCi in 0.1ml of sterile water) within a glass microcapillary (internal and external diameter: 305μm and 453μm, respectively) placed for 51h in a custom made Gammex Solid Water™ phantom. GAFCHROMIC™ EBT2 film calibrated with a 6MeV electron beam was used to access the dose fall-off of microspheres. The microcapillary was modeled in MCNPX2.6 in order to compare with experiments. Results: The radial dose fall-off on the transverse plane due to scatter and attenuation in the solid water phantom was analyzed using ImageJ for both film and MCNPX2.6 simulations. Isodose analysis showed close agreement among the methods used, i.e. measurements and simulations agree within 3.9% for doses below 1600cGy. Experimental and simulated doses obtained at 0.5 cm radially from the source were 1547cGy and 1610cGy respectively. Discrepancies for points closemore » to the microcapillary surface were observed between MCNPX2.6 and measurements due to film saturation for high doses. Dose due to Pr-142 3.7% gamma emission was below the threshold of detection for the film. Conclusion: A detailed dosimetric study was performed for Pr-142 glass microspheres within a single microcapillary. MCNPX2.6 simulations were verified by means of direct measurement. Based on these results, Pr-142 appears to be a viable choice of radionuclide for treating HCC.« less
Study on the Collapse of Pin-Reinforced Foam Sandwich Panel Cores

New fabrication technologies now allow for hybrid sandwich structures, known as X-core, to be manufactured. The X-core panels consist of a pin reinforced polymer foam core with carbon fiber face sheets. Carbon fiber or metallic (Titanium/Steel) pins are inserted into the foam core in the out-of-plane direction and extend from face sheet to face sheet. The through thickness three-point simply supported bending behavior of these panels is used to evaluate the collapse characteristics of the panels. Explicit experimental observations are used to calibrate analytical energy balance models describing the panel collapse as a function of geometry and properties. The mechanical response of X-core sandwich panels is compared to current sandwich materials for material selection.
del Nido versus Buckberg cardioplegia in adult isolated valve surgery

Background del Nido solution is a non–glucose-based, single-dose cardioplegic solution with few data supporting its safety in adults. We hypothesized that it and Buckberg solution offer myocardial protection of equivalent safety for isolated adult valve surgery. Methods Adult patients undergoing primary isolated aortic or mitral valve surgery with del Nido or Buckberg solution from January 2010 to September 2013 were 1:1 propensity matched (85 aortic valve, 110 mitral valve), and outcomes were compared. Results After aortic valve operations, no hospital deaths occurred, and troponin T levels (median 0.19 ng · mL −1 for del Nido vs 0.21 ng · mL −1 for Buckberg) were similar, with no statistically significant change in left ventricular ejection fraction ( P = .4). Aortic clamp, bypass, and operating room times were shorter with del Nido solution (44 ± 14 vs 56 ± 19; 56 ± 18 vs 70 ± 24; and 285 ± 44 vs 308 ± 61 minutes, respectively; P −1 ; P P −1 for del Nido vs 0.4 ng · mL −1 for Buckberg) or postoperative left ventricular ejection fraction ( P = .13). We found no clear time differences with del Nido solution in mitral cases, but intraoperative glucose levels and postoperative insulin-drip requirements (184 ± 37 vs 250 ± 60 mg · dL −1 and 50% vs 67% mg · dL −1 , respectively; P = .009) were lower. Conclusions del Nido solution can be used safely and effectively as an alternative to Buckberg solution in adult isolated valve surgery and is associated with lower insulin requirements and potential time and cost savings.
Lung Cancer Resection Volume: Is Procedure Volume Really an Indicator of Quality?

The majority of lung cancer resection studies indicate that hospital and surgeon procedure volume are inversely associated with mortality. It makes intuitive sense that performing large numbers of these procedures leads to better outcomes. However, controversy exists regarding the strength and validity of this volume-outcome association. Because thresholds of procedure volume are used to recommend the regionalization of care, investigation of the volume-outcome relationship is imperative. This review will examine the methodology used in the volume-outcome relationship literature and highlight important areas of concern. Careful examination of the literature demonstrates that lung cancer resection volume is not strongly associated with mortality and should not be used as a proxy measure for quality.
Recursive MILP model for finding all the alternate optima in LP models for metabolic networks

Abstract We consider linear programming (LP) models for metabolic networks in which alternate optima often arise, and need to be identified to allow for data interpretation or the effective design of follow-up experiments. A recursive mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) algorithm is proposed for rigorously finding all alternate optima. The carbon trafficking alternatives of an Escherichia coli mutant lacking pyruvate kinase are analyzed with the proposed algorithm. The results are discussed in terms of using them as an input to isotopomer mapping matrix calculations in order to design 13 C NMR experiments for maximum contrast.
An uneasy look at college education and the police organization

Abstract A college education has been increasingly perceived as a necessary requirement for policing because of the recommendations of the National Advisory Commission on Criminal Justice Standards and Goals and other, equally prestigious commissions, and because of a desire of the police to be more “professional.” Research on the value of a college education for police officers has not been sufficiently critical or rigorous, nor has it taken into account the conflict between some of the perceived benefits of higher education and the traditional organizational structure of police departments. Before committing our resources irrevocably, careful research needs to be undertaken on the value of a college education in light of existing organizational structure and also in light of some alternate structures.
Tie2 receptor tyrosine kinase, a major mediator of tumor necrosis factor α–induced angiogenesis in rheumatoid arthritis

Objective Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an inflammatory disease and an angiogenic disease. However, the molecular mechanisms promoting angiogenesis in RA are not clearly identified. Our objective was to study the role of an endothelium-specific receptor tyrosine kinase, Tie2, in angiogenesis of inflammatory arthritis. Methods Expression of Tie2 and its ligand, angiopoietin 1 (Ang1), in human synovium was examined by immunohistochemistry and Western blot. A novel synovium vascular window model was established to study the role of Tie2 in angiogenesis in vivo. Primary cultured endothelial cells and synoviocytes were used to study tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα)–induced Tie2 and Ang1 expression. Results Tie2 was implicated in pathologic angiogenesis. We observed that Tie2 and Ang1 were elevated in human RA synovium. Using a novel collagen-induced arthritis synovial window model, we demonstrated that Tie2 signaling regulated arthritis angiogenesis in vivo. We also showed that Tie2 mediated TNFα-induced angiogenesis in a mouse cornea assay. In addition, we observed that TNFα can regulate Tie2 activation in multiple ways that may involve interactions between endothelial cells and synoviocytes. TNFα up-regulates Tie2 in endothelial cells through nuclear factor κB, and it up-regulates Ang1 in synoviocytes. These findings suggest paracrine regulation of angiogenesis between endothelial cells and synoviocytes. Conclusion This study demonstrates that Tie2 regulates angiogenesis in inflammatory synovium. Tie2 signaling is an important angiogenic mediator that links the proinflammatory cytokine TNFα to pathologic angiogenesis.