cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Failing the metric but saving lives: The protocolization of sepsis treatment through quality measurement.

Abstract Quality metrics in the healthcare sector have become a key component of ensuring improved health outcomes and care equity. Alongside the emergence of information technology in healthcare (eg. electronic health records), the primary method utilized to infer “quality” has been the development of measures for healthcare processes and outcomes. Engaging with the specific case of sepsis treatment and sepsis quality metrics, this paper traces how quality is defined, measured, and codified in a 600-bed acute-care hospital in New York City. Sepsis is a severe health condition, primarily managed in the emergency department, that is caused by infection and can result in multi-organ shutdown and mortality. Multiple government agencies have established metrics that regulate New York hospitals based on their compliance with specific sepsis treatment procedures. I draw on data from a 15-month ethnography and in-depth interviews with clinicians and administrators, to show how quality measurement is reshaping the ways healthcare is delivered and organized. I reveal how, at Borough Hospital, efforts to treat sepsis based on quality metrics have constrained clinician expertise, prioritized compliance, and reoriented workflow towards standardized treatment protocols. This reorientation leads to, what I term abstracted surveillance protocols, that increasingly regulate definitions of healthcare quality. I demonstrate that abstracted surveillance protocols enable highly complex clinical processes to be measured based on metric compliance rather than clinical pathways, therefore moving definitions of quality away from the bedside.
Frontal osteoplastic flap without frontal sinus obliteration for orbital roof decompression.

Purpose: We describe a novel surgical approach for bilateral orbital roof decompression using a frontal osteoplastic flap without frontal sinus obliteration. This technique utilizes a combined exte...
Mixed measures: different definitions of racially diverse neighborhoods compared

Focusing on neighborhoods that researchers consider particularly diverse, this paper assesses the ways scholars have characterized neighborhood racial diversity in the United States. Social scienti...
Towards a Quasi-Constitutional Law of Armed Conflict Detention

The paper applies theories of quasi-constitutionality to international law and, more specifically, to the law governing detention in armed conflict. Considerable debate persists over the appropriate legal framework for detention in non-international armed conflict (NIAC). NIACs generally describe conflicts between a state (or multiple states) and non-state actors, as opposed to international armed conflicts, which involve conflicts between states. This debate is typically approached through a conflict-of-laws analysis that focuses on the relationship between international humanitarian law, which applies to situations of armed conflict, and international human rights law, which governs outside such situations. The paper offers a different perspective. It describes how efforts by some jurists, states, and civil society to articulate baseline requirements on such questions as the authority to detain, the permissible grounds for detention, and the necessary procedural safeguards bear quasi-constitutional features. While the emerging norms can be trumped or altered by the ordinary lawmaking process (treaties or the development of customary international law), they reflect an effort to entrench minimum safeguards in an area that implicates the fundamental right of personal liberty.
Global Stability of 1-D Discrete Systems

In this Chapter, as in Luo (2019, 2020), a global analysis of fixed-point stability in 1-dimensional nonlinear discrete systems is presented. The classification of discrete systems is discussed first, and infinite-fixed-point discrete systems are presented. The 1-dimensional discrete systems with a single fixed-point are discussed first. The 1-dimensional discrete systems with two and three fixed-points are discussed. Simple fixed-points and higher-order fixed-points in 1-dimensional discrete systems are analyzed, and herein a higher-order fixed-point is a fixed-point with higher-order singularity. The discrete flow of fixed-points in 1-dimensional systems in alike phase space are illustrated for a better understanding of the global stability of fixed-points in 1-dimensional discrete systems.
Age-Related Changes in the Primate Auditory Cortex

Age-related hearing deficits are a serious health concern, afflicting approximately half of the geriatric population. Previous anatomical and physiological studies in rodent models have suggested that aging causes a decreased afferent drive from the cochlea, which is then compensated for by changing the balance of excitation and inhibition throughout the subcortical auditory axis. Few studies have investigated this in the nonhuman primate, and even fewer studies have examined changes at the cortical level in nonrodent species. This chapter reviews evidence from the macaque monkey at the subcortical level examining the distribution of calcium-binding and calcium-associated proteins. It then reviews electrophysiological studies on how the young and old cortical neurons process spatial and temporal information from both core and belt areas of auditory cortex. The findings show that a similar age-related change in calcium-binding protein expression occurs in the macaque as seen in the rodent. In addition, a change in the excitatory and inhibitory balance could account for higher spontaneous and driven responses, broadening of spatial tuning, and decreased temporal fidelity in both core and belt auditory cortical neurons in aged animals. These results are consistent with the spatial and temporal processing deficits seen in age-related hearing loss.
In reply: pheochromocytoma.

Readers comment on pheochromocytoma (November 2014) and pulmonary tuberculosis (January 2015).
Abstract 321: A Biomimetic Approach to Developing Antithrombotic Small-Caliber Prosthetic Vascular Grafts

Introduction: Prosthetic grafts smaller than 6 mm in diameter are linked with a high incidence of thrombosis and neointimal hyperplasia. We developed a novel graft material that provides controlled release of nitric oxide (NO), an antithrombotic agent that also promotes endothelialization within the lumen. Our very recent study focused on NO release kinetics from a similar composite that demonstrated controlled NO release for up to 200 d with a total release of 1.03 ± 0.09 μmol/mg. Methods: Grafts were fabricated using an electrospinning process that yields a micro-fibrous web composed of poly(e-caprolactone) (PCL) . These fibers were doped with NO donor diethylenetriamine diazeniumdiolate (DETA/NO) and embedded within a polydimetheylsiloxane (PDMS) elastomer, which was found to regulate water transport and NO release rate. In vitro studies were tested in PBS at 37 C using a Griess assay to compute NO release. The shape memory properties inherent to this composite were used to form kink resistant acute angles through exposure to specific thermal cycles under strain. Results: NO release was proportional to DETA/NO doping and regulated by PDMS. Our present study revealed that the critical radius of curvature, below which kinks form, is a function of graft wall thickness and that a radii of curvature as small as 6 mm can be achieved using our unique process. The accompanying figure shows a 4 mm diameter graft with 0.8 mm wall thickness formed into a kink-free form with a radius of curvature of 6.7 mm. Conclusions: Incorporation of DETA/NO into a PCL/PDMS composite offers tunable long-term NO release and is a candidate for kink-resistant vascular grafts. ![][1] [1]: /embed/graphic-1.gif
Low-level library analysis and summarization

Programs typically make extensive use of libraries, including dynamically linked libraries, which are often not available in source-code form, and hence not analyzable by tools that work at source level (i.e., that analyze intermediate representations created from source code). A common approach is to write library models by hand. A library model is a collection of function stubs and variable declarations that capture some aspect of the library code's behavior. Because these are hand-crafted, they are likely to contain errors, which may cause an analysis to return incorrect results. This paper presents a method to construct summary information for a library function automatically by analyzing its low-level implementation (i.e., the library's binary).
A Strong Conservative Extension of Peano Arithmetic

A system ALPO of set theory is presented and proved to form a conservative extension of Peano arithmetic. The system has sufficient strength to allow a very substantial amount of analysis to be directly formalized, including Lebesgue integration theory, without resorting to wholesale padding of objects with extra information.
Compositional characteristics of materials recovered from headed gutted silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) by isoelectric solubilization and precipitation using organic acids.

UNLABELLED Protein was recovered from headed gutted silver carp by isoelectric solubilization at pH 2.5, 3.0, 11.5, or 12.0 and precipitation (ISP) at pH 5.5 using acetic (AA) or a 30% formic and lactic acid combination (FL however, the recovered fractions were less pure. Processing at basic pH using AA was more effective than F&L at removing impurities (P 0.05). For the most part, sodium was greater (P < 0.05) and there was less calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, and iron (P < 0.05) in the recovered protein regardless of acid used when compared to the initial paste. This research shows that organic acids have the potential to recover protein and lipid by ISP processing. PRACTICAL APPLICATION This research presents a reliable method for extracting nutritionally valuable fish protein and oils from otherwise hard to process fish and its byproducts. Replacing the traditionally used strong acids with organic acids might further accomplish bacterial load reduction while resulting in similar to or improved protein recovery yields. Therefore, this technology may increase the commercial viability of hard to process fish.
The Structure of Higher Mental Functions

The conception of psychological analysis that we tried to develop in the preceding chapter leads us to a new representation relative to the mental process as a whole and its nature. The most substantial change that occurred in psychology recently is that an analytical approach to the mental process was replaced by a holistic or structural approach. The most influential representatives of modern psychology advanced the holistic point of view and placed it at the base of all psychology. The essence of the new point of view is that the significance of the whole, which has its own specific properties and determines the properties and functions of the parts that constitute it, is foremost. In contrast to the old psychology, which represented the process of the formation of a complex form of behavior as a process of mechanical summation of separate elements, the new psychology places at its center the study of the whole and such of its properties as cannot be deduced from the sum of the parts. The new point of view has accumulated much experimental evidence that confirms its correctness.
Radio-Echo Sounding: Reflections From Internal Layers In Ice Sheets*

The origin and nature of radio-echo internal reflections is the subject of much debate. Calculations of single- and multiple-layer reflection coefficients for dielectric changes in the ice sheet indicate that the observed reflection strength may result from reflections from many thin layers but the zone of thin layers may best be approximated by replacing the zone with a single thicker layer with average dielectric properties. Calculation of reflections from density changes, dust and dirt bands and anisotropy of ϵ indicate density variations as the most likely cause of the internal layering in the uppermost kilometer of ice sheets. Comparison of the depth of internal reflections at “Byrd” station, Antarctica, with the physical properties of the ice measured in a deep core hole at that location support this conclusion.
Strategic Management: STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT PROCESSES

The purpose of Part II is to explain how the stakeholder concept can be built into the Strategic management process that exists in most organizations. In addition, it explores several new processes for explicitly addressing stakeholder concerns. We shall build on Part I—a stakeholder approach to Strategic management is both viable and necessary if U.S. business is to be responsive to its environment, and address the “bottom line” issue of how to be more effective. Chapter Four, “Setting Strategic Direction,” addresses two major issues in Strategic management. The first is the role of the corporation in its larger context, or the formulation of “Enterprise Strategy.” Given the current external environment we must answer the question, “what do we stand for?” One process for answering this question, and thereby formulating Enterprise Strategy, is explained and illustrated. The second issue is the development of a process to explicitly address stakeholder concerns in the more traditional formulation of corporate level strategy, or answering “what business(es) are we in?” The Stakeholder Audit is developed as a means to help managers define their business in a way that is directly responsive to stakeholders. Chapter Five, “Formulating Strategies for Stakeholders,” addresses the Problem of how managers can take stakeholder concerns into account when formulating programs to achieve Strategic direction. Specific strategies are developed which can be used with a variety of stakeholder groups.
Connectivity at a crossroads What white matter integrity can tell us about cognitive impairment

Vascular cognitive impairment is the second most prevalent dementia after Alzheimer disease.1 With the aging of our population, its prevalence will continue to increase, creating an imperative to improve our understanding of this condition. In recent years, disruption of brain connectivity has emerged as a key component to explain cognitive dysfunction: the size and location of ischemic lesions are important, but so are the effects of ischemic injury on connections among functional brain regions.2 The idea that focal brain injury could have consequences beyond the locus of the lesion is not a new one. von Monakow first postulated the diaschisis effect in the early 1900s, and the idea of disconnection producing disruption in higher cognitive function was advanced by Geschwind,3 Mesulam,4 and others. In the modern era of large dataset analysis, the investigation of connectivity within the brain has taken a leap forward with advanced imaging methods. Functional connectivity studies have shown that cognitive functions such as information processing and executive functioning rely on the communication among widely dispersed brain regions that form large-scale networks. Disruption of the structural connections between and among regions, therefore, likely explains cognitive deficits resulting from vascular disease.
AIDS: Problem solving in infection control Response to the human immunodeficiency virus epidemic: Solutions from the centers for disease control and prevention and the infection control community

Recently, ’ the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) revised its recommendations for HIV testing and counseling in acute hospital settings. ’ The current recommendations update previous guidelines published in 1987.* This revision comes at a time of continued emphasis on the importance of early medical intervention in HIV as more antiviral options, vaccine, and other clinical trials are becoming available. The new recommendations recognize the importance of testing as the entry point into the health care system to take advantage of these new therapies and to manage HIV as a chronic illness. They also focus on the health care setting as an important place for HIV counseling, testing, and prevention activities. The CDC recommendations make a strong case for patients to be tested for HIV where they receive their health care. The CDC’s statements are the strongest yet for acute care settings to “assess the rate of HIV infection among their patient populations and to develop HIV testing programs that assist infected patients in obtaining HIV-related treatment and prevention services.“’ This means that HIV testing and counseling should be a part of the health care for people between the ages of 15 and 55 years; the people at highest risk for HIV infection. Also, HIV testing and counseling should be linked to health care, health information and prevention.
The danger of “derived decision rules”

Abstract This note qualifies the “Derived Decision Rules” for achieving a specified level of air quality over space proposed by Tietenberg.
Special Education Due Process Hearings Student Characteristics, Issues, and Decisions

This article presents findings from an analysis of special education due process hearing decisions rendered in Iowa from July 1, 1989, through June 30, 2001. Detailed information regarding specific issues of dispute and prevailing party is presented, with an emphasis on differences in issues occurring at different grade levels and for gender. Results show that placement continues to be the most contentious issue overall; however, the most prevalent issues vary by grade level of the student. The most frequent issue named for students in elementary school was that of evaluation, for those in middle school it was suspension/expulsion, and for high school students it was placement. Boys were involved in hearings more frequently than were girls, except when the issue was methodology or related services. Districts prevailed most often overall, with 63% of decisions in their favor. Parents prevailed more frequently in issues of graduation and suspension/expulsion. Policy implications are discussed.
Phenomenological Analysis of Reactions Such as K − + p → Λ + ω

The angular correlation function describing the decay products of $\ensuremath{\Lambda}$ and $\ensuremath{\omega}$ in the reaction ${K}^{\ensuremath{-}}+p\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\ensuremath{\Lambda}+\ensuremath{\omega}$ is analyzed and expressed in terms of production matrix elements. It is shown that, with unpolarized target, aside from two phase factors all production matrix elements can be determined from angular correlations. With polarized target, the production matrix elements may be completely determined up to an over-all phase factor. In addition, with polarized target the $K\ensuremath{-}\ensuremath{\Lambda}$ relative parity may be directly measured.
A note on trees, tables, and algorithms

Several algorithms for optimal vertex subsets in trees are given by simple tables. In this article we investigate the properties of and operations on these tables. We use known techniques for combining tables to correct a table in the literature; give a necessary and sufficient condition for a table to correspond to some tree property; discuss the question of dividing one table by another; explain how to derive a table from a set of representatives; and apply this to finding the table for the parameter external redundance. All of this is facilitated by computer software. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. NETWORKS, 2009
Electrolyte Disturbances and Cardiac Arrhythmias in a Dog Following Pamidronate, Calcitonin, and Furosemide Administration for Hypercalcemia of Malignancy

A 13-year-old dog was diagnosed with hypercalcemia of malignancy associated with adenocarcinoma of the anal sacs. Hypercalcemia was treated with intravenous (IV) 0.9% sodium chloride (NaCl), furosemide, calcitonin, and pamidronate. Hypomagnesemia was documented by 72 hours following a single, IV dose of pamidronate. The dog subsequently underwent surgery to remove the primary tumors, and multiple cardiac arrhythmias occurred during anesthesia. This case documents electrolyte abnormalities in a dog following treatment with pamidronate in conjunction with other therapies used to manage hypercalcemia. The authors postulate that hypomagnesemia may have contributed to the arrhythmias that occurred during anesthesia. Electrolyte abnormalities should be anticipated and corrected following pamidronate therapy in canine patients.
STM Atom/Molecule Manipulation: Realizing Single Molecule Switches and Devices

Scanning tunneling microscope (STM) manipulation of single atoms and molecules on surfaces allow construction of novel quantum structures on an atom-by-atom basis and demonstration of single molecule devices on a one molecule at-a-time basis. STM is not only an instrument used to 'see' individual atoms by means of imaging, but also a tool used to 'touch' and 'take' atoms/molecules or to 'hear' their vibration by manipulations. Therefore, it can be considered as the 'eyes', 'hands' and 'ears' of the scientists connecting our macroscopic world to the exciting atomic and nanoscopic world. In our research projects, we combine STM manipulation schemes with a variety of tunneling spectroscopy measurements to address several critical issues covering both fundamental understanding, and demonstration of novel atom and molecule based nano- devices. In this talk, our recent results of single atom/molecule manipulations using a low-temperature STM will be presented. The presentation will include atom manipulation on 3-D nanoclusters, comparative lateral force measurement to move individual atoms, manipulation of nanoscale bio-molecules to realize a multi- step single molecule switch, manipulation of Kondo effect in zero and two-dimensional molecular systems, and charge transfer molecular switching.
Spelling ‘Mississippi’: Recontextualizing a Literacy‐Related Speech Event

This article examines steps, a distinctive genre of black street rhyme, as a literacy-related speech event and as a social statement made by its performers. The analysis shows that despite the presence and demonstration of language and literacy competence, the performers never were seen as possessing such skills because displays of their school-required abilities were recontextualized in peer group activities that were considered part of black "street" repertoire. The features, functions, meanings and symbolic interpretations of this controversial speech event, which was banned from the school, are examined. LITERACY; PEER CULTURE; BLACK URBAN COMMUNITY; FOLKLORE; SOCIAL SEMIOTICS. "Tell me what you play and I shall tell you who you are." Roger Caillois, Man, Play and Games, 1958 As a result of the limited means of assessment available, the educational community often fails to know what children actually are capable of doing with language. Further, issues of language competence cannot be understood fully apart from the social world of which children are an integral part. This article examines a genre of play rhymes in order to demonstrate the language competencies of its child performers. The social interpretations of what language does and what language means in these children's worlds also are explored. The study was part of a larger research project conducted in a black, low-income neighborhood in Philadelphia. The school in which the observations were conducted had an all-black student population and an equal proportion of black and white faculty. It characterized itself as a traditional back-to-basics institution and had an excellent reputation in the city. The study contrasted language and literacy-related skills identified and defined within school culture with those skills practiced in peer contexts. The data consist of personal observations, interactions, and interviews conducted over a three-year period. Although most of the students in the observed classes were identified as skill defi
In-transit shipboard fumigation of pine woodchips to control Bursaphelenchus xylophilus

Woodchips from several pine species, infested with the pine wood nematode, Bursaphelenchus xylophilus, were treated in transit using phosphine fumigant. Using aluminum phosphide tablets producing 4 g m−3 phosphine, the percentage of infested samples was reduced from 79 to 6% during the voyage from the USA to Sweden. Temperatures in the periphery of the cargo were lower than in the center, and the fumigation was less effective in the periphery. Phosphine concentration had declined to nearly zero before arrival of the chips in Sweden and posed no safety threat to workers or the ship's crew.
Topical Application of Viral Vectors for Epidermal Gene Transfer

Efficient gene transfer with extended gene expression is essential for successful treatment of skin diseases using gene therapy. Previously we evaluated a physical gene transfer method (gene gun delivery) for its ability to transfect the epidermis in vivo. In this study, we tested two viral vectors for their ability to transduce murine epidermis through topical application. Both an adenoviral vector and a herpes simplex virus (HSV) amplicon vector transduced murine epidermis with high efficiency after topical application. Differences in amount and duration of transgene expression were compared between these two vectors. Quantitative analysis of reporter lacZ gene expression showed that the viral vector-mediated gene transfers were superior to gene-gun delivery of plasmid DNA. Significant necrosis and cytotoxicity, however, were observed in the HSV-treated skin. In addition, we show that murine epidermis developed hyperkeratosis and acanthosis 4 d after an adenoviral vector containing a human TGF-alpha expression unit was applied topically. Finally we demonstrate the feasibility of transduction of fetal skin in utero by intraamniotic injection of an adenovirus vector.
Role of noncontrast head CT in the assessment of vascular abnormalities in the emergency room

Noncontrast CT of the head is a widely used noninvasive investigation for a variety of acute and chronic neurological conditions. Since CT head without contrast is usually the first and often the only investigation in the emergency room for many neurological symptoms, it is imperative to detect subtle vascular changes, which in many patients can be life-saving. The vascular abnormalities may present with increased density and/or size of the vessels, filling defects, and be associated with parenchymal and bony changes. In this article, we present examples of several vascular pathologies which can be identified on the noncontrast CT of the head, and learn imaging and interpretation techniques to help recognize what often are nebulous changes. While some of the findings are diagnostic by themselves and others subtle, any suspicious abnormality should be followed with dedicated vascular imaging such as CT/MR angiogram, venogram, or catheter angiogram for confirmation and better characterization.
Effects of focal electrical stimulation and morphine microinjection in the periaqueductal gray of the rat mesencephalon on neuronal activity in the medullary reticular formation

Neurons in the medullary reticular formation (MRF; nucleus reticularis gigantocellularis and nucleus reticularis paragigantocellularis) were evaluated for their involvement in the analgesia produced by focal electrical stimulation and microinjection of morphine into the periaqueductal gray region (PAG) of the rat mesencephalon. Analgesia-producing PAG stimulation altered the spontaneous activity of 80% of the neurons in the MRF (both excitation and inhibition were observed) and inhibited the noxious-evoked excitation of 75% of MRF neurons. Microinjection of morphine into the PAG also increased (50%) and decreased (17%) the spontaneous activity of MRF units and inhibited the noxious-evoked excitation of 47% of MRF neurons. These effects were specific for analgesia produced by the PAG manipulations and were partially reversed by naloxone. The role of the MRF in PAG-induced analgesias and the degree of overlap in neuronal systems influenced by intracranial morphine and electrical stimulation is discussed.
Human Eye Response to Thermal Disturbances

Human eye is one of the most sensitive parts of the body when exposed to a thermal heat flux. Since there is no barrier (such as skin) to protect the eye against the absorption of an external thermal wave, the external flux can readily interact with cornea. The modeling of heat transport through the human eye has been the subject of interest for years, but the application of a porous media model in this field is new. In this study, a comprehensive thermal analysis has been performed on the eye. The iris/sclera section of the eye is modeled as a porous medium. The primary sections of the eye, i.e., cornea, anterior chamber, posterior chamber, iris/sclera, lens, and vitreous are considered in our analysis utilizing a two-dimensional finite element simulation. Four different models are utilized to evaluate the eye thermal response to external and internal disturbances. Results are shown in terms of temperature profiles along the pupillary axis. Effects of extreme ambient conditions, blood temperature, blood convection coefficient, ambient temperature, sclera porosity, and perfusion rate on different regions of the eye are investigated. Furthermore, the role of primary thermal transport mechanisms on the eye subject to different conditions is analyzed.
Economic Analysis of the Legal Regimes Governing Salvage of Historic Shipwrecks

This article offers an economic analysis of the international and U.S. laws governing the recovery of archaeological data from historic shipwrecks. The framework combines values of treasure salvage and archaeological knowledge. It is suggested that U.S. salvage law, sometimes extended to international waters, gives insufficient protection to archaeological value, but that UNESCO's Convention on the Protection of the Underwater Cultural Heritage goes too far in the other direction. Two other legal regimes (government-salvager and interstate agreements) are shown to have the potential to maximize the social values of historic shipwrecks. It is also suggested that a move towards maximizing social values would be promoted if the U.S. admiralty courts tied the size of salvage awards more closely to the quality of the archaeological work performed.
Preemptive scheduling of independent jobs on a hypercube

Abstract We consider the problem of scheduling n independent jobs on an m-dimensional hypercube system to minimize the finishing time, where each job Ji is associated with a dimension di and a processing time ti, meaning that Ji requires a di-dimensional subcube for ti units of time. An O(n2) algorithm is presented that decides if all n jobs can be finished by a given deadline T. Using this algorithm, one may obtain a minimum-finishing-time schedule in polynomial time.
Abstract PL05-06: Policy and environmental approaches to cancer prevention: The New York City experience

Much of the focus on cancer prevention has been on early detection and treatment, but much of the actual progress in reducing cancer mortality has resulted from primary prevention of unhealthy behaviors. Tobacco use, unhealthy diet, and physical inactivity are responsible for a large proportion of cancers in the United States. The New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene takes a population-based approach to cancer control, focusing on promoting healthy behaviors by changing the social and built environment. This session will present examples of New York City9s environmental approaches to cancer control and data on their effectiveness in a large, diverse urban population. The presenter will discuss the city9s use of legislation and counter-advertising to reduce the number of adult and youth smokers, and will describe initiatives to decrease consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and encourage physical activity. Based on New York City9s experience, public health agencies should expect industry opposition to initiatives that may have an impact on consumer behavior. To succeed, cancer prevention programs based on social and environmental change require involvement of state and local governments and benefit from strong public-private partnerships. Researchers interested in cancer prevention should conduct studies of the impact of policies and other population-based approaches to modifying behaviors that increase the risk of cancers. Learning objectives: 1. Identify two environmental approaches to tobacco control. 2. Describe population-based methods to reduce consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages and increase physical activity. 3. Describe research questions relevant to policy approaches to primary prevention of cancer. Citation Information: Cancer Prev Res 2010;3(12 Suppl):PL05-06.
Continuous combined oral contraceptives: results of a randomized controlled trial.

Objective: Administration of continuous combined estrogen/progestin oral contraceptives (OC) has the potential to improve contraceptive efficacy while eliminating the inconvenience of menstruation and minimizing the development or progression of certain gynecologic disorders. The purpose of this pilot study was to compare patient acceptability and side effects of OC administered in an intermittent versus continuous fashion. Design: Randomized controlled trial. Materials/Methods: Healthy women of reproductive age (19-39 years) with regular menstrual cycles who desired OC for contraception were randomly assigned to OC (ethinyl estradiol 30 mcg/desogestrel 150-mcg desogestrel Desogen) administered either the standard fashion or with daily use of the hormonally active pills only. Study participants were surveyed with a 30-item questionnaire for side effects and side effects after 3 and 6 months of OC use. Weight and blood pressure were recorded at the beginning and end of the study. Comparisons between groups were made using nonparametric analysis of variance contingency table analysis or paired t-testing as appropriate. Results: A total of 26 women were enrolled; 12 were randomized to intermittent OC use (I) and 14 received the continuous regimen (C). Six women (3 in each group) were either lost to follow up or discontinued study participation within 3 months of entry. An additional 2 women withdrew between 3 and 6 months. Overall study discontinuation occurred in 25% of women on I and 36% on C (P = 0.55). Weight gain after six months was comparable between the two groups (I: 9.2 lbs C: 6.0 lbs; P = 0.56). There were no significant changes in blood pressure in either group. Menstruation occurred rarely or never in the C group but intermenstrual spotting occurred more frequently with continuous OC use at 3 months (C: 45% I: 0%; P = 0.0028) and 6 months (C: 57% I: 0%; P = 0.021). C-group patients reported less premenstrual symptoms at 3 months (P = 0.028) and 6 months (P = 0.028). C-group patients were less likely to report interference with exercise or swimming at 3 months (P = 0.006) but this difference lost statistical significance at 6 months. Continuous OC users were more likely to report decreased sex drive at 3 and 6 months (at 3-months—C: 62.5%; I: 0%; P =5 0.019; at 6-months—C: 57%; I: 12.5%; P = 0.05). However willingness to continue the OC regimen or recommend it to others was comparable between the two groups. Conclusions: Use of continuous combined OC’s is a promising contraceptive option but our study indicates that problems with vaginal spotting and decreased sex drive frequently complicate this regimen. (authors)
Observation of Newtonian Capillary Shear Flow in an Oriented Cholesteric Liquid Crystal

Newtonian capillary shear flow was observed for the first time in a cholesteric liquid crystal with the helix axis perpendicular to the flow. The effective viscosity in the cholesteric phase had a magnitude comparable to the viscosity of the isotropic liquid extrapolated to the cholesteric temperature. Oscillatory pitch dependence of the viscosity was seen when the pitch length was comparable to the capillary width.
Sub‐National State Institutions and the Organization of Agricultural Resource Use: The Case of the Dairy Industry1

Most studies of state/economy relationships focus on national and global institutions and minimize the importance of local, sub-national institutions. This lack of attention to sub-national states also characterizes most of the studies that examine the role of the state in the structure of agriculture. On the other hand, calls for a new type of sustainable agriculture argue that this type of economic system will be embedded in local political institutions. The nature of these local institutions, however, has gone largely unanalyzed. Through a comparative historical analysis of sub-national state intervention in the regional economic structure of the U.S. dairy industry in the New Deal era, this analysis shows how state dairy policy has reflected sub-national interest group politics surrounding food, agriculture, and rural land use. Sub-national states responded to the agricultural crisis of the 1930s by spatially reorganizing agricultural resource use within their territories. The three states examined—New York, Wisconsin, and California—influenced the resource intensiveness of dairy agriculture by managing the spatially segmented boundaries that separated resource-intensive and low-resource dairy production systems.
Running-induced patellofemoral pain fluctuates with changes in patella water content

Although increased bone water content resulting from repetitive patellofemoral joint loading has been suggested to be a possible mechanism underlying patellofemoral pain (PFP), there is little data to support this mechanism. The purpose of the current study was to determine whether running results in increases in patella water content and pain and whether 48 hours of rest reduces patella water content and pain to pre-running levels. Ten female runners with a diagnosis of PFP (mean age 25.1 years) participated. Patella water content was quantified using a chemical-shift-encoded water-fat magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) protocol. The visual analog scale (VAS) was used to quantify subjects' pain levels. MRI and pain data were obtained prior to running, immediately following a 40-minute running session, and 48 hours post-running. Pain and patella water content were compared among the 3 time points using one-way ANOVA's with repeated measures. Immediately post-running, persons with PFP reported significant increases in pain and exhibited elevated patella water content. Pain and patella water content decreased to pre-running levels following 48 hours of rest. Our findings suggest that transient changes in patella water content associated with running may, in part, contribute to patellofemoral symptoms.
Idiopathic basal ganglia calcifications: an atypical presentation of PKAN.

Abstract Background We report a patient with pantothenate kinase–associated neurodegeneration presenting as idiopathic basal ganglia calcifications, previously known as Fahr's disease. Methods A teenage girl presented with slowly progressive dystonia. Her brain magnetic resonance imaging scan revealed T1 and T2 hypointensities in both globus pallidi, and no eye-of-the-tiger sign. Computed tomography showed dense globus pallidi calcifications. Metabolic evaluation was negative. The patient was diagnosed with idiopathic basal ganglia calcifications, a poorly understood syndrome of unknown cause. Whole exome sequencing was performed. Results The patient was found to have two mutations in the pantothenate kinase 2 ( PANK2 ) gene that have been previously associated with pantothenate kinase–associated neurodegeneration: a paternally inherited p.G521R and maternally inherited p.T528M. No deleterious changes were identified in genes associated with idiopathic basal ganglia calcifications or dystonia. Conclusions Pantothenate kinase–associated neurodegeneration should be considered in patients with idiopathic basal ganglia calcifications, especially when findings are confined to the globus pallidus.
Pregnancy screening and prenatal diagnosis of fetal Down syndrome

This review discusses current methods for pregnancy screening and the prenatal diagnosis of fetal Down syndrome. These include maternal serum screening ultrasonographic evaluations, and standard prenatal diagnostic techniques. In addition to noting the advantages and limitations of these methods, attention is directed to innovative prenatal diagnostic techniques that are not yet clinically available, such as the extraction of fetal cells from the maternal circulation and the preimplantation genetic diagnosis for fetal aneuploidies. © 1996 Wiley Liss, Inc.
Congenital absence of the external carotid artery: Atherosclerosis without a bifurcation

We report the case of a patient with congenital absence of the external carotid artery in whom we performed a carotid endarterectomy. The radiographic features and operative findings are presented. Four similar cases previously reported in the literature are reviewed. A comment on the pathophysiology of atherosclerosis at the carotid bulb in the absence of a bifurcation and a brief discussion on the possible embryologic explanation of this anomaly are discussed.
Grain boundary migration and grain rotation studied by molecular dynamics

Abstract We report on molecular dynamics simulations of an isolated cylindrical grain in copper shrinking under capillary forces. At low temperatures, the coupling between grain boundary (GB) migration and grain translation induces rotation of the grain towards higher or lower misorientation angles, depending on the initial misorientation. The dynamics of the GB motion and grain rotation are studied as functions of the initial misorientation angle and temperature. The effects of imposed constraints blocking the grain rotation or exerting a cyclic torque are examined. The simulation results verify several predictions of the model proposed by Cahn and Taylor [Acta Mater 52, 4887 (2004)]. They also indicate that the GB motion is never perfectly coupled but instead involves at least some amount of sliding. This, in turn, requires continual changes (annihilation or nucleation) in the GB dislocation content. Dislocation mechanisms that can be responsible for the motion of curved GBs and dislocation annihilation in them are proposed.
Continuous Crystalline Carbonate Apatite Thin Films. A Biomimetic Approach

In contrast to extensive studies on hydroxyapatite thin films, very little has been reported on the thin films of carbonated apatite (dahllite). In this report, we describe the synthesis and characterization of a highly crystalline dahllite thin film assembled via a biomimetic pathway. A free-standing continuous precursor film of carbonated calcium phosphate in an amorphous phase was first prepared by a solution-inhibited templating method (template-inhibition) at an air−water interface. A stearic acid surface monolayer acted as the template, while a carbonate−phosphate solution composed a binary inhibition system. The precursor film formed at the air/water interface was heated at 900 °C and transformed into a dense crystalline film that retained the overall shape of the precursor. The crystalline phase was characterized by XRD and IR to be a single-phase carbonate apatite, with carbonate substitutions in both type A (OH-) and type B (PO43-) lattice positions.
An automated activation analysis system

An automated delayed neutron counting and instrumental neutron activation analysis system has been developed at Los Alamos National Laboratory's Omega West Reactor (OWR) to analyze samples for uranium and 31 additional elements with a maximum throughput of 400 samples per day. The system and its mode of operation for a large reconnaissance survey will be described.
Inference for a Class of Transformed Hazards Models

A new class of transformed hazard rate models is considered that contains both the multiplicative hazards model and the additive hazards model as special cases. The sieve maximum likelihood estimators are derived for the model parameters, and the estimators for the regression coefficients are shown to be consistent and asymptotically normal with variance achieving the semiparametric efficiency bound. Simulation studies are conducted to examine the small-sample properties of the proposed estimates, and a real dataset is used to illustrate our approach.
Not in My Schoolyard: Localism and Public Opposition to Funding Schools Equally

Objective. Public opinion on education has not been extensively studied, despite the important political dimensions of conflicts over education policies. This article seeks to understand the dynamics of public opposition to equal educational opportunity in the wake of state supreme court decisions mandating school finance reform. Methods. Exploring state level polls from Connecticut and New Jersey, the article analyzes attitudes toward equal educational opportunity through logistic and ordinary-least-squares regression. Results. Situating attitudes toward school funding within the contexts of attitudes toward educational equality, taxes, and school performance, this analysis finds support for both self-interest and symbolic opposition to equalization, but it also finds that localism has a strong and independent effect on respondents' views concerning the desirability of equal funding in schools. Conclusions. Despite respondents' strong support for the principle of funding schools equally, their support is significantly eroded if they perceive that equality threatens or diminishes local control of schools.
Couple Treatment for Drug Abusing Women: Effects on Drug-Use and Need for Treatment

ABSTRACT Both theory and empirical data suggest that women's intimate partner relationships influence their use of drugs and their participation in treatment. In this study, 122 women who sought treatment at two outpatient drug treatment agencies were randomly assigned to one of three treatment conditions. In one couple therapy condition, the women were seen conjointly with their partners. In the second couple therapy condition, the women were seen individually but the focus of the intervention was on their partner relationships. The third group received the standard agency treatment protocol with no couple therapy-a Treatment As Usual (TAU) condition. The Addiction Severity Index (ASI) was used to measure women's drug and alcohol status prior to treatment, at the end of treatment, and at 3 months, 6 months, and 12 months post-treatment. All three groups reduced their scores from pretest to posttest on the ASI Alcohol scale. While there were some differences in mean scores between groups at 3 and 6 months...
Cohesive Energy of Noble Metals

The method, developed by Kuhn and Van Vleck, and later simplified and extended by Brooks, for calculating the cohesive energy of monovalent metals, is here further extended to include the effects of the deviation of the effective ion-core potential from pure hydrogenic form in the vicinity of the surface of the $s$-sphere. A formula is derived for calculating the logarithmic derivative of the wave function at the surface of the $s$-sphere. From the logarithmic derivatives of the $s$- and $p$-functions the ground-state energy and the Fermi energy can be evaluated. The method thus extended is applied to the calculation of the cohesive energy of the monovalent noble metals. For these metals, the repulsion between ion cores is important. Combining the repulsive energy, which is calculated by Fuchs with a modified Thomas-Fermi method, with the energy of valence electrons calculated by the present method, we obtain the total cohesive energy of copper. Since there is no calculation of the repulsive energy for silver and gold, the ion cores are assumed to be rigid and the energies of the valence electrons at the observed lattice spacings are determined and considered as the approximate total energies. The cohesive energies calculated at the observed lattice spacings with the rigid ion-core assumption are 61.7 for Cu, 55.8 for Ag, and 49.2 for Au in comparison with the experimental values of 81.2, 68.0, and 92.0 respectively. Here the energy unit is kcal/mole.