cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pain Management in the Cancer Patient

Of the over one million patients diagnosed with cancer each year, 30 percent will have pain at diagnosis and up to 85 percent will have pain as their disease progresses. Adequate pain management continues to be hindered by multiple patient-and clinician-related barriers; however, with increased awareness and knowledge, the pharmacy practitioner can play a key role in facilitating pain management. This review will focus on the mechanisms of cancer pain, the role of non-opioids, opioids, and adjuvant agents in the treatment of cancer pain, and the basic principles of cancer pain management that allow 70 to 90 percent of patients to achieve excellent pain control.
TWO APPROXIMATE MINKOWSKI SUM ALGORITHMS

We present two approximate Minkowski sum algorithms for planar regions bounded by line and circle segments. Both algorithms form a convolution curve, construct its arrangement, and use winding numbers to identify sum cells. The first uses the kinetic convolution and the second uses our monotonic convolution. The asymptotic running times of the exact algorithms are increased by km log m with m the number of segments in the convolution and k the number of segment triples that are in cyclic vertical order due to approximate segment intersection. The approximate Minkowski sum is close to the exact sum of perturbation regions that are close to the input regions. We validate both algorithms on part packing tasks with industrial part shapes. The accuracy is near the floating point accuracy even after multiple iterated sums. The programs are 2% slower than direct floating point implementations of the exact algorithms. The monotonic algorithm is 42% faster than the kinetic algorithm.
Efficacy of large-diameter dilatation in cricopharyngeal dysfunction

Objectives/Hypothesis: To investigate patient outcomes with large-diameter bougienage in isolated cricopharyngeal dysfunction and understand how esophageal dilatation can be used as an effective diagnostic and therapeutic modality in treating dysphagia. Study Design: Retrospective review. Methods: A retrospective chart review was performed on 46 patients meeting the criteria for cricopharyngeal dysphagia from 2004 to 2008 presenting in the outpatient setting. Patients were treated with 60 French esophageal dilators. Outcomes were analyzed as a function of symptomatology, manometry, duration of benefit, and safety. Results: Over the period reviewed, 59 dilatations were performed on 46 patients with cricopharyngeal dysfunction. Eight patients were dilated more than once. Four patients were lost to follow-up. The average starting Functional Outcome Swallowing Score (FOSS) was 2.07. Of the patients reviewed, 64.29% experienced an improvement in their FOSS with a median duration of 741 days. There were five minor complications and no major complications. Conclusions: In the largest series of esophageal dilatation for cricopharyngeal dysfunction in the literature, we found large-bore bougienage to have significant utility due to its efficacy, ease of use, and safety when compared to other modalities such as botulinum injection, balloon dilatation, and cricopharyngeal myotomy.
Methods of Memory Optimizations in Streaming Applications

Streaming applications are often distributed, manage large quantities of data and, as a result, have large memory requirements. Therefore, efficient garbage collection (GC) is crucial for their performance. On the other hand, not all data items affect the application output due to differences in the processing rates of various application threads. In this paper we propose extending the definition of the garbage identification problem for streaming applications and include not only data items that are not "reachable " but also data items that have no effect on the final outcome of the application. We present four optimizations to an existing GC algorithm in Stampede, a parallel programming system to support interactive multimedia applications. We ask the question how far off these algorithms are from an ideal garbage collector, one in which the memory usage exactly equals the amount required for buffering only the relevant data items. This oracle, while unimplementable, serves as an empirical lower-bound for memory usage. We then propose optimizations that will help us get closer to this lower- bound. Using an elaborate measurement and post-mortem analysis infrastructure, we simulate the performance potential for these optimizations and implement the most promising ones. A color-based people tracking application is used for the performance evaluation. Our results show that these optimizations reduce the memory usage by up to 60%.
640-Gbit/s optical TDM transmission over 92 km through a dispersion-managed fiber consisting of single-mode fiber and "reverse dispersion fiber"

A 640-Gbit/s optical time division multiplexed signal was successfully transmitted over a 92-km zero-dispersion-flattened transmission line. The transmission line consisted of single-mode fiber, dispersion-shifted fiber, and reverse dispersion fiber. By using reverse dispersion fiber instead of dispersion slope compensation fiber, we were able to increase the transmission distance from 63 to 92 km because reverse dispersion fiber has less polarization mode dispersion and a flatter dispersion profile.
A common type system for clinical natural language processing

One challenge in reusing clinical data stored in electronic medical records is that these data are heterogenous. Clinical Natural Language Processing (NLP) plays an important role in transforming information in clinical text to a standard representation that is comparable and interoperable. Information may be processed and shared when a type system specifies the allowable data structures. Therefore, we aim to define a common type system for clinical NLP that enables interoperability between structured and unstructured data generated in different clinical settings. We describe a common type system for clinical NLP that has an end target of deep semantics based on Clinical Element Models (CEMs), thus interoperating with structured data and accommodating diverse NLP approaches. The type system has been implemented in UIMA (Unstructured Information Management Architecture) and is fully functional in a popular open-source clinical NLP system, cTAKES (clinical Text Analysis and Knowledge Extraction System) versions 2.0 and later. We have created a type system that targets deep semantics, thereby allowing for NLP systems to encapsulate knowledge from text and share it alongside heterogenous clinical data sources. Rather than surface semantics that are typically the end product of NLP algorithms, CEM-based semantics explicitly build in deep clinical semantics as the point of interoperability with more structured data types.
Proton knock-out in Hall A

Proton knock-out is studied in a broad program in Hall A at Jefferson Lab. The first experiment performed in Hall A studied the 16O(e,e'p) reaction. Since then proton knock-out experiments have studied a variety of aspects of that reaction, from single-nucleon properties to its mechanism, such as final-state interactions and two-body currents, in nuclei from 2H to 16O. In this review the accomplishments of this program will be summarized and an outlook given of expected future results.
Novel Strategies to Enforce an Epithelial Phenotype in Mesenchymal Cells

E-cadherin downregulation in cancer cells is associated with epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) and metastatic prowess, but the underlying mechanisms are incompletely characterized. In this study, we probed E-cadherin expression at the plasma membrane as a functional assay to identify genes involved in E-cadherin downregulation. The assay was based on the E-cadherin-dependent invasion properties of the intracellular pathogen Listeria monocytogenes. On the basis of a functional readout, automated microscopy and computer-assisted image analysis were used to screen siRNAs targeting 7,000 human genes. The validity of the screen was supported by its definition of several known regulators of E-cadherin expression, including ZEB1, HDAC1, and MMP14. We identified three new regulators (FLASH, CASP7, and PCGF1), the silencing of which was sufficient to restore high levels of E-cadherin transcription. In addition, we identified two new regulators (FBXL5 and CAV2), the silencing of which was sufficient to increase E-cadherin expression at a posttranscriptional level. FLASH silencing regulated the expression of E-cadherin and other ZEB1-dependent genes, through posttranscriptional regulation of ZEB1, but it also regulated the expression of numerous ZEB1-independent genes with functions predicted to contribute to a restoration of the epithelial phenotype. Finally, we also report the identification of siRNA duplexes that potently restored the epithelial phenotype by mimicking the activity of known and putative microRNAs. Our findings suggest new ways to enforce epithelial phenotypes as a general strategy to treat cancer by blocking invasive and metastatic phenotypes associated with EMT.
An integrated assessment of habitat quality of national estuarine research reserves in the southeastern United States

Multiple indicators of water quality, sediment quality, and biological condition were used to assess the status of ecological condition of National Estuarine Research Reserve System (NERRS) sites in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Georgia relative to a suite of corresponding scoring criteria. All measurements were made in subtidal aquatic habitats. Calculated scores were integrated into an overall index of habitat quality and used to make comparisons among the various NERR and nonNERR estuaries throughout the region. Sediment quality scores varied considerably among NERR sites, but in most cases were similar between individual NERR and non-NERR sites in corresponding states. Water quality and biological condition indicators scored consistently higher for NERRs versus non-NERR sites. Overall habitat quality scores also were consistently higher for NERRS sites, suggesting that these areas are on par with if not in slightly better condition ecologically than neighboring nonNERR estuaries. Portions of individual NERR sites rated as poor with respect to overall habitat quality were limited to relatively small areas (<13% of a reserve's total sampling area). Integr Environ Assess Manag 2015;11:266–275. Published 2014 SETAC. This article is a US Government work and, as such, is in the public domain in the USA.
Lunar gravity: A harmonic analysis

A sixteenth-degree and sixteenth-order spherical harmonic lunar gravity field has been derived from the long-term Keplerian variations in the orbits of the Apollo subsatellites and Lunar Orbiter 5. This model resolves the major mascon gravity anomalies of the lunar near side and is in very good agreement with line-of-sight acceleration results. The far-side map shows the major ringed basins to be strong localized negative anomalies located in broad regions of positive gravity which correspond closely to the highlands. The rms pressure levels calculated from equivalent-surface height variations show that the moon and earth support nearly equal pressures, whereas Mars is appreciably stronger. The moon appears to support larger loads than earth owing to its weaker central gravity field and perhaps a colder upper lithosphere. Significant differences between the low-degree gravity and topography spectra indicate that the longer-wavelength topographic features are isostatically compensated.
Human ear detection in the thermal infrared spectrum

In this paper the problem of human ear detection in the thermal infrared (IR) spectrum is studied in order to illustrate the advantages and limitations of the most important steps of ear-based biometrics that can operate in day and night time environments. The main contributions of this work are two-fold: First, a dual-band database is assembled that consists of visible and thermal profile face images. The thermal data was collected using a high definition middle-wave infrared (3-5 microns) camera that is capable of acquiring thermal imprints of human skin. Second, a fully automated, thermal imaging based ear detection method is developed for real-time segmentation of human ears in either day or night time environments. The proposed method is based on Haar features forming a cascaded AdaBoost classifier (our modified version of the original Viola-Jones approach1 that was designed to be applied mainly in visible band images). The main advantage of the proposed method, applied on our profile face image data set collected in the thermal-band, is that it is designed to reduce the learning time required by the original Viola-Jones method from several weeks to several hours. Unlike other approaches reported in the literature, which have been tested but not designed to operate in the thermal band, our method yields a high detection accuracy that reaches ~ 91.5%. Further analysis on our data set yielded that: (a) photometric normalization techniques do not directly improve ear detection performance. However, when using a certain photometric normalization technique (CLAHE) on falsely detected images, the detection rate improved by ~ 4%; (b) the high detection accuracy of our method did not degrade when we lowered down the original spatial resolution of thermal ear images. For example, even after using one third of the original spatial resolution (i.e. ~ 20% of the original computational time) of the thermal profile face images, the high ear detection accuracy of our method remained unaffected. This resulted also in speeding up the detection time of an ear image from 265 to 17 milliseconds per image. To the best of our knowledge this is the first time that the problem of human ear detection in the thermal band is being investigated in the open literature.
Myelomeningocele information on the internet is accessible and of variable quality, and requires a high reading level.

Purpose: We assessed the accessibility, readability and quality of myelomeningocele information on the Internet.Materials and Methods: We entered the term “spina bifida” into the Google, Yahoo! and Microsoft Network search engines, and stored the first 100 links from each Web site. A total of 164 unique Web sites remained for analysis, of which 159 were classified as relevant. Relevant Web sites were considered to have relevant content if more than 50% of the text was directly relevant to the disease, and to have relevant educational content if more than 50% of the text was aimed at relaying educational information. Readability was assessed using the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level scale. The quality of the 159 Web sites with relevant content was assessed using American Public Health Association Criteria for Assessing Health Information on the Internet. Six criteria were assessed, namely credibility, content, links, design, interactivity and caveats. Web sites were analyzed by 2 separate medical doctors, with ...
Comparative Evaluation of Colorimetric Microtiter Plate Systems for Detection of Herpes Simplex Virus in Cerebrospinal Fluid

In the past few years, application of the PCR to the detection of herpes simplex virus (HSV) DNA in the cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) from patients with encephalitis and meningitis has become standard laboratory practice. However, from an operational perspective, the true diagnostic value of PCR in this setting is yet to be realized because most laboratories subject the amplification products to lengthy probe hybridization procedures by Southern blotting. As alternatives to Southern blotting, we evaluated colorimetric microtiter plate (MTP) systems from ViroMed Laboratories, Inc. (PrimeCapture), CPG, Inc. (Quanti-PATH), and Incstar Corp. (GEN-ETI-K), in addition to a system developed at the Mayo Clinic with the PCR ELISA system (Boehringer Mannheim Corp.). We tested PCR products from 86 clinical CSF specimens submitted to our Molecular Microbiology Laboratory. The CSF specimens used had to have sufficient volume for comparative analysis. By conventional Southern blotting methods, 54 were positive and 32 were negative for HSV DNA. Compared with Southern blotting, the sensitivity and specificity were 63.0 and 100.0%, respectively, for the PrimeCapture system, 98.2 and 96.9%, respectively, for the Quanti-PATH system, 98.2 and 100.0%, respectively, for the GEN-ETI-K system, and 100.0 and 96.9%, respectively, for the Mayo system. All four MTP systems had turnaround times 12 to 24 h less than that for Southern blotting. There were no significant differences in costs or technologist time between the Mayo system and Southern blotting. Other features of the Mayo system include type-specific genotypic identification of HSV and the potential for determination of drug resistance by DNA sequencing. Overall, we found that colorimetric MTP systems were likely to improve test turnaround times and patient care at no additional cost.
Nine points of light: acquiring subspaces for face recognition under variable lighting

Previous work has demonstrated that the image variations of many objects (human faces in particular) under variable lighting can be effectively modeled by low dimensional linear spaces. Basis images spanning this space are usually obtained in one of two ways: A large number of images of the object under different conditions is acquired, and principal component analysis (PCA) is used to estimate a subspace. Alternatively, a 3D model (perhaps reconstructed from images) is used to render virtual images under either point sources from which a subspace is derived using PCA or more recently under diffuse synthetic lighting based on spherical harmonics. In this paper we show that there exists a configuration of nine point light source directions such that by taking nine images of each individual under these single sources, the resulting subspace is effective at recognition under a wide range of lighting conditions. Since the subspace is generated directly from real images, potentially complex intermediate steps such as PCA and 3D reconstruction can be completely avoided; nor is it necessary to acquire large numbers of training images or physically construct complex diffuse (harmonic) light fields. We provide both theoretical and empirical results to explain why these linear spaces should be good for recognition.
Motion Relationships in Aircraft Attitude and Guidance Displays: A Flight Experiment:

Sixteen nonpilot Naval ROTC students were tested on tasks involving conflicting visual and vestibular cues while flying with each of four basic aircraft attitude presentations (moving horizon, moving airplane, frequency-separated, and kinalog) in a Beechcraft C-45H airplane. Flight-director versions of each display presenting either compensatory or pursuit steering guidance were also compared on a command flight path tracking task involving random heading changes. For all attitude presentations, pursuit tracking was superior to compensatory tracking and the order of merit of the four attitude presentations in flight casts doubt upon the validity of previous simulator experiments. It was concluded that the principle of display frequency separation provides at least equivalent pilot steering performance to that obtained with the conventional moving horizon format, while the anticipatory cues it affords tends to reduce the incidence of control reversals under circumstances of subliminal angular acceleration ...
Least squares support vector machines for direction of arrival estimation with error control and validation

The paper presents a multiclass, multilabel implementation of least squares support vector machines (LS-SVM) for direction of arrival (DOA) estimation in a CDMA system. For any estimation or classification system, the algorithm's capabilities and performance must be evaluated. Specifically, for classification algorithms, a high confidence level must exist along with a technique to tag misclassifications automatically. The presented learning algorithm includes error control and validation steps for generating statistics on the multiclass evaluation path and the signal subspace dimension. The error statistics provide a confidence level for the classification accuracy.
NOVITATES RIO MUNIS 1. A NEW ENDEMIC SCAPHOPETALUM (MALVACEAE) FROM MOUNT MITRA, EQUATORIAL GUINEA

SUMMARY A new species of Scaphopetalum from Monte Mitra is described. Small shrub 20-150 cm tall. Petiole 3-5 mm. Leaves obovate, glabrous and shiny, 7.5-13 by 2.5-5.5 cm, base rounded, apex shortly caudate. Inflorescence raminascent, few-flowered cymes, peduncle 3-4 mm long, 1-5 flowers, pedicel 2-3 cm. Sepals 9-10 by 4-3 mm narrowly ovate, hairy on the inside of the tip. Petals hooded, whitish transparent and ribbed, 0.8-1 by 0.5-0.7 cm, apex with three short slips. Stamens fused in vase-like tube, 1 cm diam. and 0.5 cm high, with 5 sharply angled lobes, each lobe has a red ray, anthers inserted on the lobes. Ovary 5-lobed, style 1 mm long. Capsule glabrous, 1.5-2 by 0.6-0.9 cm, with 5 sharply angled ridges. Seeds 2 mm, adorned with a brown aril. Distribution — Equatorial Guinea, at the base of Monte Mitra. Habitat — Understorey of (submontane) rain forest at an altitude of 700 m. Note — Equatorial Guinea is the only country in central Africa without a national flora. Some believe that such a reference book is not needed arguing that the plants of Equatorial Guinea are completely a subset of those found in Cameroon and Gabon
Pressure-induced infiltration of an epsomite-silica system

The pressure-induced infiltration of hydrophobic nanoporous silica gel immersed in epsomite solutions or mixed with epsomite crystals is investigated. Owing to the hysteresis of sorption isotherm curves, these systems are energy absorbing. In the liquid system, as the epsomite concentration increases, both the first-cycle infiltration pressure and the system recoverability increase. The energy-absorption properties of the saturated-solution- and the solid-crystal-based systems are quite similar. The experimental data suggests that, while the solid–liquid interfacial energy dominates the infiltration behaviour, the defiltration process is somewhat independent of it.
Detailed Analysis of CD4+ Th Responses to Envelope and Gag Proteins of Simian Immunodeficiency Virus Reveals an Exclusion of Broadly Reactive Th Epitopes from the Glycosylated Regions of Envelope

Ag-specific CD4+ Th cells play a key role in the development, maturation, and maintenance of pathogen-specific humoral and cellular immune responses. To define the fine specificity of broadly reactive Th responses associated with mature immunity in a lentiviral system, we analyzed peptide-specific Th responses in eight macaques chronically infected with a reference live attenuated SIV at 12–14 mo postinoculation. All macaques had stable immunocompetent Th cells at the time of analysis, and a unique array of Th responses to 20-mer overlapping peptides from envelope (Env) and Gag was identified for each macaque, which were then used to define a set of 31 broadly reactive peptide epitopes. Only 5 of the 31 broadly reactive Th epitope peptides mapped to the surface (SU) domain of Env. Interestingly, these were all confined to two conserved nonglycosylated regions toward the carboxyl terminus of SU, suggesting a structural influence of glycosylation on development of Th responses. Gag and the Env transmembrane proteins contained the majority of broadly reactive peptide epitopes (12 and 14 peptides, respectively), which were uniformly distributed throughout their sequence. This study defines for the first time broadly reactive Th epitope peptides of SIV Env and Gag proteins that are associated with enduring broadly protective vaccine immunity to attenuated SIV, which may be used for the design and evaluation of experimental vaccines. Moreover, the data suggest that extensive glycosylation of SU may provide yet another immune escape mechanism developed by lentiviruses to restrict the breadth of Th repertoire to SU, a major immunologically exposed protein of the virus.
Claims of Potential Expansion throughout the U.S. by Invasive Python Species Are Contradicted by Ecological Niche Models

Background: Recent reports from the United States Geological Survey (USGS) suggested that invasive Burmese pythons in the Everglades may quickly spread into many parts of the U.S. due to putative climatic suitability. Additionally, projected trends of global warming were predicted to significantly increase suitable habitat and promote range expansion by these snakes. However, the ecological limitations of the Burmese python are not known and the possible effects of global warming on the potential expansion of the species are also unclear. Methodology/Principal Findings: Here we show that a predicted continental expansion is unlikely based on the ecology of the organism and the climate of the U.S. Our ecological niche models, which include variables representing climatic extremes as well as averages, indicate that the only suitable habitat in the U.S. for Burmese pythons presently occurs in southern Florida and in extreme southern Texas. Models based on the current distribution of the snake predict suitable habitat in essentially the only region in which the snakes are found in the U.S. Future climate models based on global warming forecasts actually indicate a significant contraction in suitable habitat for Burmese pythons in the U.S. as well as in their native range. Conclusions/Significance: The Burmese python is strongly limited to the small area of suitable environmental conditions in the United States it currently inhabits due to the ecological niche preferences of the snake. The ability of the Burmese python to expand further into the U.S. is severely limited by ecological constraints. Global warming is predicted to significantly reduce the area of suitable habitat worldwide, underscoring the potential negative effects of climate change for many species.
Rupture of the Aortic Valve Due to Strain

Abstract A case of rupture of the aortic valve due to physical strain is presented. Surgical repair of the defect utilizing a cardiac bypass procedure was attempted but was unsuccessful. A short discussion of the clinical picture of this disorder is added and emphasizes the necessity for attempted repair of this defect to avoid the usual rapidly progressing cardiac failure and death.
Role of the IE62 Consensus Binding Site in Transactivation by the Varicella-Zoster Virus IE62 Protein

The varicella-zoster virus (VZV) IE62 protein is the major transcriptional activator. IE62 is capable of associating with DNA both nonspecifically and in a sequence-specific manner via a consensus binding site (5'-ATCGT-3'). However, the function of the consensus site is poorly understood, since IE62 efficiently transactivates promoter elements lacking this sequence. In the work presented here, sequence analysis of the VZV genome revealed the presence of 245 IE62 consensus sites throughout the genome. Some 54 sites were found to be present within putative VZV promoters. Electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) experiments using an IE62 fragment containing the IE62 DNA-binding domain and duplex oligonucleotides that did or did not contain the IE62 consensus binding sequence yielded K(D) (equilibrium dissociation constant) values in the nanomolar range. Further, the IE62 DNA binding domain was shown to have a 5-fold-increased affinity for its consensus site compared to nonconsensus sequences. The effect of consensus site presence and position on IE62-mediated activation of native VZV and model promoters was examined using site-specific mutagenesis and transfection and superinfection reporter assays. In all promoters examined, the consensus sequence functioned as a distance-dependent repressive element. Protein recruitment assays utilizing the VZV gI promoter indicated that the presence of the consensus site increased the recruitment of IE62 but not Sp1. These data suggest a model where the IE62 consensus site functions to down-modulate IE62 activation, and interaction of IE62 with this sequence may result in loss or decrease of the ability of IE62 to recruit cellular factors needed for full promoter activation.
TORRIDOREFUGIUM ESKRIDGENSIS (NEW ICHNOGENUS AND ICHNOSPECIES): AMPHIBIAN AESTIVATION BURROWS FROM THE LOWER PERMIAN SPEISER SHALE OF KANSAS

Abstract Burrows of the lysorophid amphibian Brachydectes elongatus occur in deposits interpreted as ephemeral ponds within the Lower Permian Speiser Shale of eastern Kansas. The burrows of B. elongatus have been previously recorded in the Lower Permian strata of Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas, but have not been described in detail and an ichnotaxonomic designation has not been provided. Torridorefugium eskridgensis new ichnogenus and ichnospecies show two types of burrow architecture distinguished by width-to-length ratios. Type I burrows are elongate, elliptical tubes 4–32 cm long and 2–7 cm wide. Type II burrows are short, elliptical tubes 1.5–3.5 cm long and 2.5–5 cm wide. Both Type I and II burrows may contain coiled skeletons of B. elongatus. Torridorefugium eskridgensis occur in clusters of up to 45 burrows with maximum concentrations of 20/m2. The type specimens of Torridorefugium eskridgensis occur in a 40-cm-thick lens of calcareous mudstone that fills a 100-m-long paleodepression within a well-dev...
Twin-free GaAs nanosheets by selective area growth: implications for defect-free nanostructures.

Highly perfect, twin-free GaAs nanosheets grown on (111)B surfaces by selective area growth (SAG) are demonstrated. In contrast to GaAs nanowires grown by (SAG) in which rotational twins and stacking faults are almost universally observed, twin formation is either suppressed or eliminated within properly oriented nanosheets are grown under a range of growth conditions. A morphology transition in the nanosheets due to twinning results in surface energy reduction, which may also explain the high twin-defect density that occurs within some III–V semiconductor nanostructures, such as GaAs nanowires. Calculations suggest that the surface energy is significantly reduced by the formation of {111}-plane bounded tetrahedra after the morphology transition of nanowire structures. By contrast, owing to the formation of two vertical {110} planes which comprise the majority of the total surface energy of nanosheet structures, the energy reduction effect due to the morphology transition is not as dramatic as that for nanowire structures. Furthermore, the surface energy reduction effect is mitigated in longer nanosheets which, in turn, suppresses twinning.
A Simple Derivation of Stirling's Asymptotic Series

(1986). A Simple Derivation of Stirling's Asymptotic Series. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 93, No. 1, pp. 25-29.
Birth Order, Family Size, and Children's Mental Health:

This study examined the relationships of birth order and family size to psychological adjustment in native-born, white children (N = 2,991) in Grades K-8, using the Behavior Problem Checklist. Mult...
Clinical Application and Adverse Reaction about Roxithromycin

Objective Discusses Roxithromycin Clinical application and adverse reaction.Methods Has the Roxithromycin adverse reaction patient to 70 examples to carry on the review analysis.Results Roxithromycin adverse reaction mainly includes the headache,the vascular dropsy,medicine dermatitis,the liver harm,the eye big area serious hemorrhage,the old age upper gastrointestinal hemorrhage,the hemorrhagic colitis as well as the constipation and so on.Conclusion Along with Roxithromycin in the clinical on widespread application,its adverse reaction has the situation to present the diversification,clinician should pay attention specially,guarantees the medication security,prevents adverse reaction the occurrence.
Urinary tract infection. How has its management changed

PreviewIn recent years, recommendations for the management of urinary tract infection have changed with regard to what constitutes a documented infection, when cultures are required, how to treat, and how to conduct follow-up. Dr Forland summarizes currently used diagnostic methods as well as treatment protocols for specific conditions (ie, uncomplicated infection, acute and chronic pyelonephritis, asymptomatic bacteriuria, prostatitis, recurrent infection, and the presence of indwelling catheters).
Cloud-based video communication and networking: an architectural overview

Cloud-based video communication and networking has emerged as a promising new research paradigm to significantly improve the quality of experience for video consumers. An architectural overview of this promising research area was presented. This overview with an end-to-end partition of the cloud-based video system into major blocks with respect to their locations from the center of the cloud to the edge of the cloud was started. Following this partition, existing research efforts on how the principles of cloud computing can provide unprecedented support to 1) video servers, 2) content delivery networks, and 3) edge networks within the global cloud video ecosystems were examined. Moreover, a case study was exemplfied on an edge cloud assisted HTTP adaptive video streaming to demonstrate the effectiveness of cloud computing support. Finally, by envisioning a list of future research topics in cloud-based video communication and networking a coclusion is made.
Music Perception and Hearing Aids

The development of hearing aids has been focused on improving speech understanding in quiet and noise, while appropriate processing for music has been a secondary consideration. This may explain some of the user dissatisfaction with hearing aids when listening to music. Music has a greater dynamic range, bandwidth, and range of spectrotemporal properties than speech, which places greater demands on hearing aid circuits and processing algorithms. Although music is an important sound for hearing aid users, little research has investigated how well hearing aids handle music, and even less has investigated how hearing aids should handle music. This chapter provides a review of the limitations, efficacy, and requirements of hearing aids for processing music. It begins with an overview of the spectrotemporal properties of music. This is followed by a discussion of the ability of hearing aid circuits to handle the dynamic range and bandwidth of music without distortion. The perception of rhythm, pitch, melody, and timbre by hearing aid users is briefly reviewed. The literature on appropriate processing for music by a wide range of algorithms commonly found in hearing aids is discussed. The chapter concludes with a summary and future research directions.
"Take the Volume Pledge" may result in disparity in access to care.

Background “Take the Volume Pledge” proposes restricting pancreatectomies to hospitals that perform ≥20 per year. Our purpose was to identify those factors that characterize patients at risk for loss of access to pancreatic cancer care with enforcement of volume standards. Methods Using the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project State Inpatient Database from Florida, we identified patients who underwent pancreatectomy for pancreatic malignancy from 2007–2011. American Hospital Association and United States Census Bureau data were linked to patient-level data. High-volume hospitals were defined as performing ≥20 pancreatic resections per year. Univariable and multivariable statistics compared patient characteristics and utilization of high-volume hospitals. Classification and Regression Tree modeling was used to predict patients at risk for losing access to care. Results Our study included 1,663 patients. Five high-volume hospitals were identified, and they treated 1,056 (63.5%) patients. Patients residing far from high-volume hospitals, in areas with the highest population density, non-Caucasian ethnicity, and greater income had decreased odds of obtaining care at high-volume hospitals. Using these factors, we developed a Classification and Regression Tree–based predictive tool to identify these patients. Conclusion Implementation of “Take the Volume Pledge” is an important step toward improving pancreatectomy outcomes; however, policymakers must consider the potential impact on limiting access and possible health disparities that may arise.
Colorectal Cancer Screening Completion Among Individuals With and Without Mental Illnesses: A Comparison of 2 Screening Methods:

Purpose:Cancer mortality is worse among people with psychiatric disorders. The purpose of this study was to compare facilitators and rates of colorectal cancer (CRC) screening between people with a...
Interlamellar cohesive strength in the vertical meridian of human eye bank corneas

PURPOSE: Previously, human corneal stromal interlamellar cohesive strength in the horizontal meridian was shown to be twice as strong peripherally as centrally (approximately 2.90 x 10(-1) versus 1.40 x 10(-1) N/mm). In the current study, stromal samples excised from the vertical meridian were studied to determine if meridional differences also exist. Precise knowledge about corneal stromal structure is warranted, because anisotropy can influence postoperative healing strength and corneal shape. METHODS: Limbus-to-limbus stromal strips with a constant 2.2-mm width were obtained from the vertical meridians of 52 eyebank corneas (8 single, 22 pairs). Cohesive strength was recorded as samples were split at a constant 1.6 mm/s at 50% stromal depth. RESULTS: The mean cohesive strength in the inferior periphery was found to be only two thirds the strength observed in the nasal or temporal periphery (1.96 x 10(-1) N/mm versus approximately 2.94 x 10(-1) N/mm @ 5 mm). The mean cohesive strength in the inferior periphery was also significantly less than the strength of the superior periphery (1.85 x 10(-1) N/mm +/- 8.83 x 10(-3) SEM versus 2.34 x 10(-1) +/- 1.37 x 10(-2) @ 4 mm from the central cornea; P = 0.0027). Unlike the samples from the horizontal meridian, which could be described by a profile symmetric about the central cornea, force profiles for the vertical data could be characterized with distinct, classifiable patterns that were generally asymmetric. Fellow corneas from a single donor tended to have strength profiles belonging to the same class (P = 0.035; chi-square), although some paired eyes exhibited profiles from distinctly different classes. CONCLUSIONS: These data strongly support the concept of an anisotropic collagen macrostructure that is more complex than previously believed. This inherent structural anisotropy may become a significant determinant of corneal shape during ectatic disease and some forms of keratorefractive surgery.
Athlete Trademarks: Names, Nicknames, and Catchphrases

The mixed marshal artist and Olympic judo gold medalist Ronda Rousey is the proud owner of the registered trademark RONDA ROUSEY for clothing and entertainment services, along with nine additional pending applications for ROWDY RONDA ROUSEY. But when NBA player Jeremy Lin applied to register LINSANITY as a trademark just a few days after fans coined the term, he learned that several other applicants had beat him down the court. NFL running back Marshawn Lynch, meanwhile, has applied for marks such as BEAST MODE, POWER PELLETS, BOUT THAT ACTION, and I’M JUST HERE SO I WON’T GET FINED; some speculate that his assertiveness at the US Patent & Trademark Office helped him secure lucrative endorsement deals with sponsors including Nike, Skittles, Progressive, and Activision. Athletes at all stages of their careers are increasingly attempting to register their names, nicknames, catchphrases, and fan slogans as federal trademarks. But their goals in filing those applications are often notably distinct from the traditional goals of trademark law, and the types of use that athletes make of those marks differ somewhat from the types of use theoretically required for protection. Athletes’ recent attempts to rely on trademark laws to monetize their fame and cultural capital reveal a mismatch between this trend and the legal doctrines on which it relies. Those who work at the intersection of sports law and business are therefore poised to help shape this area of law while advocating for their clients’ interests. This chapter begins with an overview on trademark use and registration. Next, it discusses limitations for trademark protection, including those based on distinctiveness, false association, and confusion, and explores how those doctrines affect athletes’ ability to protect certain words or phrases as trademarks. Finally, it considers how the general goals of trademark law comport with an athlete’s desire to protect words and phrases associated with him or her and prevent others from appropriating them.
Factors Promoting Women’s Participation in Taiwan’s Politics

As the postwar era commenced in the late 1940s, the status of women in Taiwan could probably best be described as dismal.
Psychopathology in older adults with severe and profound mental retardation

The prevalence of psychopathology in younger and older adults with severe and profound mental retardation was examined. Participants were evaluated by direct-care staff using the Diagnostic Assessment for the Severely Handicapped (DASH), which measures the frequency, duration, and severity of symptoms associated with 13 major psychiatric disorders derived from the DSM-III-R. The frequency of disorders was comparable for younger and older adults. Age group differences favoring the older adults were revealed in the analyses of duration and severity on 4 of the DASH subscales. Implications of these findings for research and practice were discussed.
Integrating Families into Treatment for Adolescents with Illegal Sexual Behavior

As our knowledge of adolescents who commit illegal sexual behaviors has grown, so has our understanding of this population’s diverse intervention needs and the relevance of family and social ecology to successful treatment and long-term delinquency risk reduction. This chapter offers ideas and resources that treatment providers may use to support parents and other caregivers of adolescents who have engaged in illegal sexual behavior. Treatment topics discussed include methods for supervision, behavior management, strengthening the parent–adolescent relationship, and family reunification. With effective treatment and family involvement, the risk for sexual and non-sexual recidivism is low for adolescents who have engaged in illegal sexual behaviors, paving the way for safe and healthy family functioning.
The Digital Mystique

This paper explores the divergences and convergences between the worlds of analog and of digital. The paper reviews some of the basic concepts of digital conversion and then compares and contrasts analog and digital signals, including their application to telephone and television signals. Issues arising from the use of digital and analog compression to save bandwidth are discussed. Lessons learned from the use of compression of cellular telephone signals are applied to the world of digital television
The murine dialysis fistula model exhibits a senescence phenotype: Pathobiological mechanisms and therapeutic potential

There is no therapy that promotes maturation and functionality of a dialysis arteriovenous fistula (AVF). The search for such therapies largely relies on evaluation of vascular responses and putati...
Abstract 5463: Free fatty acids augment radiation-induced cytotoxicity in cervical cancer cells via mTOR/Akt//PPARg/p53-mediated pathway

Purposes of the study: Our clinical results show that obese patients with cervical cancer who are treated with definitive chemoradiation have favorable outcomes, and this effect is independent of diabetes or metformin use. PI3K/AKT pathway signaling is decreased in cervical tumors from obese hosts, even in the context of genomic mutations that would otherwise activate PI3K signaling, such as PTEN deletion. The objective of the present study is to determine whether other factors related to obesity, such as circulating free fatty acids, influence radiation responses in vitro. Experimental procedures: Radiation sensitivity experiments were performed in cervical cancer cells with and without PI3K pathway mutations (CaSki (mutant), ME180 (mutant), SiHa (WT). To determine whether combination treatment of free fatty acids (palmitic, oleic and linoleic) plus radiation increases cytotoxicity in cervical cells, we performed cell viability assay, long term colony formation assays (CFA) and morphological examination by vertical microscope. To determine whether the addition of free fatty acids to radiation influences cell survival signaling, a series of Western blots were performed. Summary: We observed that combination treatment of free fatty acids and radiation significantly increased cytotoxicity in all the cervical cancer cell lines tested. Mechanistic investigations revealed that free fatty acids induced potentiation of radiation-induced cytotoxicity through downregulation of p-mTOR, p-Akt and PTEN. Furthermore, we observed that this combination regimen upregulates the expression PPARγ and p53. Conclusions: Free fatty acids potentiated the effect of radiation in PI3K-activated cervical cancer cell lines through mTOR/Akt//PPARg/p53 mediated pathway. Future studies will characterize the mechanism of free fatty acid potentiation of radiation-induced tumor cell death in detail, including the potential contribution of lipid peroxidation and alterations in glucose metabolism. Citation Format: Naoshad Muhammad, Ramachandran Rashmi, Fiona Ruiz, Michael C. Zahner, Julie K. Schwarz. Free fatty acids augment radiation-induced cytotoxicity in cervical cancer cells via mTOR/Akt//PPARg/p53-mediated pathway [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 5463.
PRISM reference fuel design

Abstract The basis for GE-Hitachi Nuclear Energy America’s, LLC (GEH’s) decision to select metallic fuel as the reference core for its sodium-cooled fast reactors (SFRs), such as PRISM (Power Reactor Inherently Safe Module), is based on the fuel’s physical properties, manufacturability, and accident response. The ideal fuel for a fast reactor has high thermal conductivity, a high melting temperature, chemical compatibility with the coolant, dimensional stability during irradiation, high fissile atom density, and few moderating atoms. Though each material has unique benefits, metallic fuel was chosen because 1) its high heat transport capability throughout its irradiation life, while still maintaining similar margin to melt as oxide fuel, 2) it is completely compatible with the coolant, making run beyond cladding breach a feasible operational strategy, and 3) it avoids the potential for core-wide boiling by providing a lower accident condition fuel centerline temperature and low Doppler reactivity feedback in stabilization of the core power during transient events. Metallic fuel is judged to have a more robust implementation for multiple SFR missions due to the relatively limited impact on overall thermo-mechanical properties with varying isotopic content, and therefore aligns PRISM better with the GEN-IV and PRISM’s original design goals of economic power generation, transuranic recycle and plutonium disposition, which in turn makes the commercialization of an advanced SFR possible in the near-term.
A crude shock: Explaining the short-run impact of the 2014–16 oil price decline across exporters

Abstract The sharp, long-lasting decline in oil prices in 2014–16 tested the resilience of oil exporters. We examine the degree to which economic fundamentals entering the oil price decline explain the impact on economic growth across oil exporting economies, and derive policy implications as to what factors help to mitigate the negative effects. We find that pre-existing fundamentals account for about half of the cross-country variation in the impact of the shock. Oil exporters that weathered the shock better tended to have a stronger fiscal position, higher foreign currency liquidity buffers, a more diversified export base, a history of price stability, and a more flexible exchange rate regime. Within this group of countries, the impact of the shock is not found to be related to the size of oil exports, or the share of oil in fiscal revenue or economic activity.