cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Global trends in breast cancer incidence and mortality[Cáncer de mama en el mundo.]

espanolSe destaca el aumento en la incidencia de cancer de mama (CaMa) en el mundo y la creciente carga de muertes por la enfermedad en paises en desarrollo. El aumento en la incidencia se atribuye a cambios en la prevalencia de factores de riesgo reproductivo, estilo de vida, y a diferencias biologicas entre grupos etnicos y raciales. Sin embargo, aun faltan datos que relacionen los factores etiologicos al incremento en el riesgo en paises en desarrollo. El desafio es generar estrategias efectivas que reviertan la tendencia en la mortalidad. La deteccion en etapas mas tempranas es una estrategia prometedora de largo plazo pero la inversion necesaria para los programas de tamizaje es muy alta. Las estrategias exitosas para hacer frente a la creciente carga de CaMa deben tener voluntad politica, evidencia confiable, reconocimiento de la comunidad publica y medica; y la suma de esfuerzos entre activistas de la comunidad, gobierno, organizaciones no-gubernamentales y biotecnologia. EnglishThis review highlights the increasing incidence of breast cancer world-wide and the increasing burden of breast cancer deaths experienced by lower-income countries. The causes of increasing incidence have been attributed to changes in the prevalence of reproductive risk factors, lifestyle changes, and genetic and biological differences between ethnic and racial groups. All these factors may contribute, but data linking etiological factors to increased risk in developing countries is lacking. The challenge for lower-income countries is developing effective strategies to reverse the trend of increasing mortality. Down-staging of breast cancer by early detection is a promising long-term strategy for preventing disease-related deaths but it is difficult to make the economic investment required to carry out broad screening programs. Successful strategies for addressing the growing breast cancer burden will therefore take political will, reliable data, public and medical community awareness, and partnerships between community advocates, governments, non-governmental organizations and biotechnology.
Correlation of acrosomal status and sperm performance in the sperm penetration assay.

The sperm of some infertile men are unable to penetrate zona pellucida-free hamster oocytes but gain that ability after treatment with human follicular fluid (hFF). We asked whether altered incidences of acrosome reacted sperm explained these observations. Patient sperm failing to penetrate oocytes had fewer acrosome reactions than did healthy males, but the percentage reacted was not correlated with oocyte penetration. Sperm incubated 3hours, then exposed to hFF, exhibited increased penetrations for 7 of 10 males, without an increase in percentage reacted sperm. Sperm incubated 22hours before hFF treatment had penetrating ability enhanced 250- to 1000-fold, but the percentage reacted increased only sixfold. We conclude that factors other than the percentage reacted sperm are the major determinants of penetration capacity.
Human Genetics of Atrioventricular Septal Defect

Atrioventricular septal defects (AVSD), also known as a common atrioventricular canal (CAVC), are clinically severe heart malformations that affect about 1 out of every 2,100 live births. AVSD is associated with cytogenetic disorders, such as Down syndrome and numerous rare genetic syndromes, but also occurs as a simplex trait. Studies in mouse models have identified over 100 genetic mutations that have the potential to cause an AVSD. However, studies in humans indicate that AVSD is genetically heterogeneous and that the cause in humans is very rarely a single-gene defect. Familial cases do occur, usually with autosomal dominant inheritance, and the mutations identified in those families suggest biochemical pathways of interest. In addition, the frequent occurrence of AVSD in some syndromes, such as heterotaxy syndrome, points to additional genes/pathways that increase AVSD risk. Accordingly, while the genetic underpinnings for most AVSD remain unknown, there have been advances in identifying genetic risk factors for AVSD in both syndromic and nonsyndromic cases. This chapter summarizes the current knowledge of the genetic basis for AVSD.
Experimental results for 3D bipedal robot walking based on systematic optimization of virtual constraints

Feedback control laws which create asymptotically stable periodic orbits for hybrid systems are an effective means for realizing dynamic legged locomotion in bipedal robots. To address the challenge of designing such control laws, we recently introduced a method to systematically select a stabilizing feedback control law from a parameterized family of feedback laws by solving an offline optimization problem. The method has been used elsewhere to design a stable gait based on virtual constraints, and its potential effectiveness was illustrated via simulation results. In this paper, we present the first experimental demonstration of a controller designed using this new offline optimization method. The new controller is compared with a nominal controller in experiments on MARLO, a 3D point-foot bipedal robot. Compared to the nominal controller, the optimized controller leads to improved lateral control and longer sustained walking.
Tentative Structure of Human IgM Immunoglobulin

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the structure of human IgM immunoglobulin. Human IgM immunoglobulin has a pentameric structure in which each monomeric unit consists of a pair of μ heavy chains and a pair of light chains linked by disulfide bonds. Each heavy chain has four interchain disulfide bonds. Two bonds are located between the pair of μ chains in the monomer, one to the light chain, and one bond forms the intersubunit bridge between the monomers. The κ light chains and the μ heavy chains are each divided into a variable region at the NH2 terminus and a constant region. The variable regions of the L and H chains are almost the same length (about 110 to 120 residues, respectively). The constant region of the μ heavy chain is about four times as long as the constant region of the κ light chain to which it is joined. Trypsin at 60° cleaves the IgM pentamer into monomeric Fabμ fragments and a decameric Fcμ portion of the heavy chain. Tryptic cleavage occurs in the hinge region just prior to the first μ–μ interchain disulfide bridge.
Disentangling narrow and coarse semantic networks in the brain: The role of computational models of word meaning

There has been a recent boom in research relating semantic space computational models to fMRI data, in an effort to better understand how the brain represents semantic information. In the first study reported here, we expanded on a previous study to examine how different semantic space models and modeling parameters affect the abilities of these computational models to predict brain activation in a data-driven set of 500 selected voxels. The findings suggest that these computational models may contain distinct types of semantic information that relate to different brain areas in different ways. On the basis of these findings, in a second study we conducted an additional exploratory analysis of theoretically motivated brain regions in the language network. We demonstrated that data-driven computational models can be successfully integrated into theoretical frameworks to inform and test theories of semantic representation and processing. The findings from our work are discussed in light of future directions for neuroimaging and computational research.
Analysis of the dependence of PET/CT quantification on iterative reconstruction parameters

Although 18F-FDG PET/CT is used as a biomarker for predicting therapeutic response, there is a lack of standardized protocols for PET scans, in part, due to the variability in PET quantification with reconstruction parameters. Our objective is to facilitate PET standardization by assessing the variation of PET quantification with iterative reconstruction parameters. A NEMA IEC phantom with 6 spheres (ID: 37, 28, 22, 17, 13, and 10 mm) filled with 18F-water was scanned on a GE Discovery RX PET/CT scanner in 2D mode for different sphere-to-background ratios (SBR: 10, 5, and 3). PET data was reconstructed using 2D-OSEM with attenuation and scatter corrections for 66 combinations of iterations (IT: 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, 15, 21, 30, 35, and 42) and subsets (SUB: 1, 3, 15, 21, 45, and 63). Regions-of-Interest (ROIs) were drawn over sphere and background regions on the central transverse slice on all reconstructions to calculate the mean, the maximum (max) and the standard deviation of ROI activity concentration (AC). The mean and max AC normalized to the true AC were analyzed as a function of IT, SUB, SBR and sphere size. The mean AC values converged to <10% of the true AC for all SUB as IT increased, it converged at a lower IT when using a higher SUB. The max AC values, although asymptotic in behavior, showed poorer convergence as IT increased and overestimated the true AC by 12-25% for different SUB. Similar findings for the mean and max AC with IT and SUB were observed for all SBRs and sphere sizes. Although the AC converged at high IT and SUB, the background noise also increased with both IT and SUB. The mean AC, max AC and background noise values exhibited <10% variability when the product of IT and SUB was held constant between reconstructions. PET/CT quantification using mean AC has substantially lower variability with iterative reconstruction parameters compared to max AC. Standardization of PET/CT activity quantification among scanners with different reconstruction parameters might be feasible when the product of IT and SUB is held constant. For a given combination of IT and SUB, the PET AC values were found to be independent of SBR.
Feasibility of a novel mHealth management system to capture and improve medication adherence among adolescents with asthma

Purpose Currently, 7.1 million children in the United States have asthma. Nonadherence to daily controller asthma medication is common, leading to more severe symptoms, overuse of rescue medication, and increased hospitalizations. The purpose of this study was to develop and evaluate the feasibility and acceptability of a novel mHealth management system composed of a sensored device, which is connected to mobile phone app that is designed to monitor and improve asthma medication adherence. Patients and methods The asthma management system was designed using well-established behavioral theory. Seven adolescents aged 11-18 years were enrolled and given an adherence sensor, and four of those also received a mobile phone app with game features and reminders. Five patients completed the study, and one was lost to follow-up in each group. Mobile app users and their parents participated in focus groups to assess patient preferences. Feasibility was assessed by the ability of sensors to capture real-time medication data. Acceptability was assessed by patient questionnaire and focus group analysis. Results Successful upload of real-time data from six of seven inhaler sensors to the HIPAA-compliant server demonstrates the feasibility of at-home patient monitoring using the sensor device. All three mobile app users who completed the study reported interest in continued use of the management system and would recommend the app to friends. Unstructured interviews and focus groups revealed that patients felt that the intervention helped their sense of asthma control. Conclusion This study demonstrates the feasibility of using the sensor device to remotely monitor real-time medication usage, and user feedback demonstrates the acceptability of the intervention for patient use. The findings provide guidance for the improvement of study design and technology development. Further research is needed to assess the efficacy of the intervention.
A Product Extension Model of Consumer Choice

An Asymmetric Cannibalism choice model based in the theory of individual choice behavior is presented and tested. This model, while predicting choice probability for a new product as a function of ...
Interoceptive Exposure: An Overlooked Modality in the Cognitive-Behavioral Treatment of OCD

Abstract Accumulated research implicates anxiety sensitivity (AS) as a transdiagnostic construct important to the maintenance of OCD. Yet despite the clinical implications of targeting fears of body-related sensations during treatment, interoceptive exposure (IE) is an often-overlooked therapeutic procedure in the cognitive-behavioral treatment of OCD. In this article, we discuss the rationale for—and procedures of—addressing AS during treatment for OCD. We provide two case examples, illustrating how a clinician might approach clinical assessment, case formulation, and treatment planning with each of these patients. We conclude by discussing future research directions to better understand if (and how) targeting AS during therapy might enhance OCD treatment outcome.
The Metrology Job Description Initiative: NCSLI and ASQ Partnering for the Future

Abstract:If you talk to almost any person involved in the metrology profession about new talent entering the field, you'll probably get the same response: “There are not enough young people entering the field to replace the many baby boomers getting ready to retire.” At the heart of this alarming observation is the lack of metrology awareness amongst young adults poised to make career decisions that will in many cases determine their lifelong profession. To assist young adults in making well informed career decisions, educators frequently reference U.S. Department of Labor publications in order to provide information about professions and forecasts of future job growth. This paper will discuss the joint efforts of NCSL International and the American Society for Quality's Measurement Quality Division to increase awareness of the metrology profession, and to thereby increase the likelihood that young adults will pursue a career in metrology. These efforts resulted in the development of three job description...
The Role of Resilience and Resilience Characteristics in Health Promotion

Resilience as a concept is not well understood, and resilience research in lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and questioning (LGBT) populations is in its infancy. Ilan Meyer’s minority stress model is useful in conceptualizing the experiences that can lead oppressed groups to develop poor mental health outcomes, but further research is needed to elucidate resilience factors and interventions that build resilience. Factors that correlate with resilience in LGBT populations include social support, family acceptance, and community connectedness. Few formal intervention studies have been undertaken to attempt to improve resilience in LGBT people, though there is anecdotal evidence that clinics and other health-care settings routinely employ programming aimed at these populations to encourage resilience building through health promotion. Providers can aid in the resilience process by promoting a sense of trust, being respectful, asking open-ended questions, and encouraging clients to think about their experiences as part of systems of oppression directed at LGBT people, as well as clients’ other intersecting identities. Clinical practices can promote resilience by creating welcoming physical environments and involving LGBT community members in the development of policies and programs, as well as hiring staff from LGBT communities when possible.
The age of fathers in the USA is rising: an analysis of 168 867 480 births from 1972 to 2015

Study question How has the mean paternal age in the USA changed over the past 4 decades? Summary answer The age at which men are fathering children in the USA has been increasing over time, although it varies by race, geographic region and paternal education level. What is known already While the rise in mean maternal age and its implications for fertility, birth outcomes and public health have been well documented, little is known about paternal characteristics of births within the USA. Study design, size, duration A retrospective data analysis of paternal age and reporting patterns for 168 867 480 live births within the USA since 1972 was conducted. Participants/materials, setting, methods All live births within the USA collected through the National Vital Statistics System (NVSS) of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) were evaluated. Inverse probability weighting (IPW) was used to reduce bias due to missing paternal records. Main results and the role of chance Mean paternal age has increased over the past 44 years from 27.4 to 30.9 years. College education and Northeastern birth states were associated with higher paternal age. Racial/ethnic differences were also identified, whereby Asian fathers were the oldest and Black fathers were the youngest. The parental age difference (paternal age minus maternal age) has decreased over the past 44 years. Births to Black and Native American mothers were most often lacking paternal data, implying low paternal reporting. Paternal reporting was higher for older and more educated women. Limitations, reasons for caution Although we utilized IPW to reduce the impact of paternal reporting bias, our estimates may still be influenced by the missing data in the NVSS. Wider implications of the findings Paternal age is rising within the USA among all regions, races and education levels. Given the implications for offspring health and demographic patterns, further research on this trend is warranted. Study funding/competing interest(s) No funding was received for this study and there are no competing interests. Trial registration number N/A.
Perceived threat bias and reduced hippocampal volume in combat veterans

Reduced hippocampal volume is frequently observed in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), but the exact psychological processes associated with these alterations remain unclear. Given the role of the hippocampus in contextual representations of threat and memory, we investigated relationships between retrospectively reported combat exposure, perceived threat, and hippocampal volume in trauma-exposed veterans. T1-weighted anatomical images were obtained from a sample of 52 male veterans with a broad range of PTSD symptoms during MRI scanning. Hippocampal volume was estimated using automatic segmentation tools in FreeSurfer. An index of Perceived Threat Bias (PTB) was calculated, reflecting the degree of discordance between subjective perceptions of threat while deployed and self-reported combat exposure. Hippocampal volume was regressed on PTB and PTSD symptoms on the Clinician-Administered PTSD Scale (CAPS). Results indicated that perceived threat bias was unrelated to overall CAPS symptoms, but was positively associated with CAPS avoidance/numbing symptoms and symptoms of depression, anxiety, and worry. Elevated PTB was associated with smaller hippocampal volume for individuals with a wide range of PTSD symptoms. Hippocampal volume was also inversely related to avoidance/numbing CAPS symptoms. These results indicate that volume of the hippocampus, a region involved in contextual threat processing and memory, is related to recalled associations between traumatic events and accompanying subjective threat appraisals. Future research should clarify the precise temporal milieu of these effects and investigate whether individual differences in hippocampal structure and function contribute to exaggerated threat appraisal at the time of trauma, or in subsequently biased memories or appraisals of traumatic events.
On the effectiveness of random testing for Android: or how i learned to stop worrying and love the monkey

Random testing of Android apps is attractive due to ease-of-use and scalability, but its effectiveness could be questioned. Prior studies have shown that Monkey - a simple approach and tool for random testing of Android apps - is surprisingly effective, "beating" much more sophisticated tools by achieving higher coverage. We study how Monkey's parameters affect code coverage (at class, method, block, and line levels) and set out to answer several research questions centered around improving the effectiveness of Monkey-based random testing in Android, and how it compares with manual exploration. First, we show that random stress testing via Monkey is extremely efficient (85 seconds on average) and effective at crashing apps, including 15 widely-used apps that have millions (or even billions) of installs. Second, we vary Monkey's event distribution to change app behavior and measured the resulting coverage. We found that, except for isolated cases, altering Monkey's default event distribution is unlikely to lead to higher coverage. Third, we manually explore 62 apps and compare the resulting coverages; we found that coverage achieved via manual exploration is just 2--3% higher than that achieved via Monkey exploration. Finally, our analysis shows that coarse-grained coverage is highly indicative of fine-grained coverage, hence coarse-grained coverage (which imposes low collection overhead) hits a performance vs accuracy sweet spot.
A Semiotic Perspective on the Sciences

In the expanding intellectual universe of contemporary science, semiotics provides an environment in which specialists from many fields converge toward an interdisciplinary union. This poses the question of the exact role semiotics plays in bringing about such a union. Is it a discipline, a method, or an approach and perspective contributing to the integration of the sciences and of knowledge in general
REMOTE SENSING FOR ARID ZONE DEVELOPING

In any environment, a large part of a development project is devoted to gathering and interpreting information on land resources and land use.
Acceptability of Peanut Skins as a Natural Antioxidant in Flavored Coated Peanuts.

Peanut skins are a low-value byproduct of the peanut processing industry. Following their removal during the preparation of common peanut products, they are either discarded or used as a minor component of animal feed. Studies have found peanuts skins to be rich in health promoting phenolic compounds and thus have potential as a functional food ingredient. The aim of this study was to evaluate a new product that included the encapsulated phenolic extract from peanut skins in a flavored coating for peanuts. The phenolic compounds were extracted from peanut skins and then encapsulated in 10.5% (w/w) maltodextrin in to reduce the bitter flavor. The encapsulated phenolic extract was added at varying concentrations to honey roast flavored and chili lime flavored coatings which were applied to roasted peanuts. The resulting total phenolic content and antioxidant potential of the coated peanuts were evaluated by the Folin-Ciocalteu, DPPH, and β-carotene bleaching assays. A best estimate sensory threshold for the peanut skin extract in the honey roasted and chili lime coating was found to be 12.8% (w/w) and 16.6% (w/w), respectively. The total phenolic content and antioxidant capacity for both the honey roasted and chili lime coated peanuts at their threshold was found to be significantly higher than control peanuts that did not contain peanut skins in the coating. The increased antioxidant activity and unaltered flavor profile at the sensory threshold levels of peanut skins demonstrated their potential as a functional food ingredient.; Practical Application: The ability of polyphenols to act as antioxidants suggests that extracts of peanut skins containing polyphenols can be used as functional ingredients in new food products. The encapsulation of peanut skin extract in maltodextrin allowed for the incorporation of the extracts into flavored coatings for peanuts at levels high enough to increase the antioxidant activity without impacting sensory profiles. Utilization of this by-product of the peanut can create an economic opportunity for the peanut industry.; © 2018. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
Role of Radiation Therapy in Adult Extraskeletal Ewing's Sarcoma Patients Treated with Chemotherapy and Surgery.

Radiation therapy (RT) is advocated in the multimodal treatment of high-grade soft tissue sarcoma (STS), but its role may be less clear in chemotherapy-sensitive STS such as extraskeletal Ewing sarcoma (EES). The purpose of this study was to determine the role of RT on overall survival (OS) in localized EES adult patients treated with chemotherapy and surgery. Adult patients diagnosed with EES and reported to the National Cancer Database from 2004 to 2014 were evaluated. All patients were treated with surgical resection. Patient demographics, tumor characteristics, treatments received, resection margins, and survival were examined for the 232 patients identified. Using multivariate analysis and Cox proportional hazard analysis, predictors of OS were determined. In the overall cohort, 40 percent of patients received RT and 78 percent received chemotherapy, with 31 percent receiving both. The addition of RT to the patients receiving surgery + chemotherapy did not improve OS (p < 0.05). Twenty-four percent of patients who achieved R0 resection after surgery still received RT without any improvement in OS. Patients treated at community cancer centers were more likely to receive additional RT compared with Comprehensive Cancer Centers (p < 0.05). In adult EES patients with localized disease treated with chemotherapy and surgery, the addition of RT does not improve overall survival.
P229 Napkin psoriasis-a report of two cases

Introduction Psoriasis is a T-cell mediated chronic inflammatory disorder of the skin. There are three age groups of pediatric psoriasis: infantile psoriasis, early onset psoriasis and pediatric psoriasis with psoriatic arthritis. Upper respiratory infection is the most common trigger of infantile psoriasis. We report two patients of early, Napkin psoriasis. Case 1. A 5-months old female baby was reffered to our Emergency Department due to annular erythematous plaques in forehead, postauricular area, elbows, knees, back and diaper area. Due to suspected infection, ceftriaxon was introduced into therapy. Also, dexamthasone, mupirocin, and clotrimazole were localy applied. As therapy didn’t show any clinical effect, punch biopsy was done and showed psoriasis vulgaris. Local therapy with aclomethasondipropionate was continued with good clinical response. A child was followed up during one year and no relapse was recorded. Case 2. Nearly one-year old female baby was reffered to our Emergency Department after one week of antibiotical treatment of periorbital rash which was spread to the forehead, postauricular area, elbows, knees, back and diaper area. Napkin psoriasis was suspected and dexamethasone was localy applied. As it showed good clinal response, we concluded biopsy was not necessary. None of the children had signs of respiratory infection. Conclusion Differential diagnosis of diaper dermatitis includes Napkin psoriasis, candidal diaper dermatitis and allergic contact dermatitis. In almost one third of all cases, psoriasis begins in childhood. Infants with psoriasis usually present with a diaper rash that is unresponsive to irritant diaper dermatitis treatment. Therefore all patients with diaper dermatitis should be properly evaluated and followed up.
Risk Analysis Framework for Cyber Security and Critical Infrastructure Protection of the US Electric Power Grid

The purpose of this article is to introduce a risk analysis framework to enhance the cyber security of and to protect the critical infrastructure of the electric power grid of the United States. Building on the fundamental questions of risk assessment and management, this framework aims to advance the current risk analysis discussions pertaining to the electric power grid. Most of the previous risk-related studies on the electric power grid focus mainly on the recovery of the network from hurricanes and other natural disasters. In contrast, a disproportionately small number of studies explicitly investigate the vulnerability of the electric power grid to cyber-attack scenarios, and how they could be prevented or mitigated. Such a limited approach leaves the United States vulnerable to foreign and domestic threats (both state-sponsored and “lone wolf”) to infiltrate a network that lacks a comprehensive security environment or coordinated government response. By conducting a review of the literature and presenting a risk-based framework, this article underscores the need for a coordinated United States cyber security effort toward formulating strategies and responses conducive to protecting the nation against attacks on the electric power grid.
P68 FSU Cooks: Culinary Nutrition Workshops Help Participants Learn About Food, Cook, and Eat!

Objective FSU Cooks: Learn.Cook.Eat was developed by the Food and Nutrition Department (FND) at Framingham State University (FSU). The purpose of the program is to provide an educational environment focused on food and culinary literacy. Participants learn about food, participate in hand-on cooking, and eat their creations. The aim of the pilot was to assess the feasibility of offering the program to community members. Use of Theory or Research There is increasing evidence that hands-on culinary experiences can empower people to make healthy food choices by increasing exposure to new foods and techniques and increasing self-efficacy. Target Audience FSU students and Framingham community members. Program Description FSU Cooks was piloted during Fall 2018 with two introductory campus and community lectures and three culinary nutrition workshops focused on diet and brain health. Lectures provided a backdrop to the workshops which targeted ‘brainy’ foods: whole grains, dark-green leafy vegetables, and spices. Workshop were led by FND faculty and FSU's executive chef. In addition, students from the FND acted as culinary assistants. Each workshop included an overview of nutrition-related topics, cooking demonstrations, and hands-on culinary experiences. Evaluation Methods Workshop activities were assessed using process evaluation. Participants rated questions on a scale (5=strongly agree and 1=strongly disagree). Qualitative data about the workshop was also collected. Results Twenty one participants attended three workshops. All participants indicated that they strongly agreed or agreed that the workshop information was useful and they would recommend the program to family and friends. Conclusions Hands-on culinary workshops can be a fun and engaging way for participants to become empowered to make healthy choices. Based on information learned from the pilot, plans are in place to continue programing in spring 2019 with a focus on heart healthy foods. Additional evaluation methods will be incorporated to assess changes in participants pre-/post-workshop knowledge and intentions to change eating practices. Funding Framingham State University.
Haynsworth’s Inc.: Should I Stay or Should I Go?

Charles Haynsworth III is the president of Haynsworth's Inc., an office-supply firm in Danville, Virginia, that his grandfather founded. The store is a town institution and has been in operation and run by a member of the Haynsworth family since 1937. The case is set in 1997, as big-box retail stores and office-supply superstores are beginning to change the retail character of many towns throughout the United States. Haynsworth's Inc.'s profits are flat, and Haynsworth is concerned that they will further erode. He has learned that an OfficeMax is set to open in town soon. Haynsworth has begun talks with a national office-supply company called Independent Stationers Group (IS Group) about joining its stable of retailers. However, IS Group is making strong suggestions to Haynsworth that would involve significant changes to longstanding ways of doing business—including a store makeover and relocation. Haynsworth must decide what to do. Excerpt UVA-ENT-0171 Rev. Dec. 17, 2019 Haynsworth's Inc.: Should I Stay or Should I Go? Introduction Charles Haynsworth III sighed as he looked at the phone. It was time for a telephone call with Dave Carter, the CEO of Independent Stationers Group (IS Group), a buying cooperative based in Indianapolis, Indiana. Haynsworth was CEO of Haynsworth's Inc., a Danville, Virginia, office-products company that had been founded by his grandfather in 1937. Sixty years later, Haynsworth's was in a real bind. The previous president, Charles Haynsworth Jr., had died in 1994, leaving the leadership of the business to his son, Charles Haynsworth III, and Haynsworth's uncle, Bill Haynsworth. It had been rough since then due to three years of losses. Tough decisions were necessary because of the changes in the industry segments the company was pursuing, and nothing the company had tried seemed to help it gain any traction. . . .
Self-regulation moderates the relationship between fine motor skills and writing in early childhood

Abstract Learning to write is challenging for young children, as they must integrate their still-developing fine motor skills with an understanding of written language to produce a mark that has meaning. Complicating things more is the fact that children are often asked to produce a variety of written products with varying task demands (e.g., writing single letters vs. combining these letters to form entire words or sentences). Although theoretical models of writing highlight the importance of both self-regulation and fine motor skills for writing, our current understanding of how these two constructs interact to support writing remains incomplete. Thus, the current study examined the extent to which self-regulation moderates the relation between fine motor skills and early writing development – and whether this relation differs by writing task difficulty. To address this, two diverse cross-sectional samples of 3-5-year-old children from Head Start programs were assessed on fine motor skills, self-regulation, and a variety of writing tasks at the beginning (N = 333) and end (N = 405) of the preschool year. Hierarchical regression analyses were conducted to examine the potential moderating association between fine motor skill and self-regulation on early writing skills, with separate models fit for each writing task. After controlling for demographic factors, results indicated that self-regulation was important at the beginning of the year for children with higher levels of fine motor skills when completing a challenging writing task. Self-regulation was also important at the end of the school year for both 1) children with lower fine motor skills but only for the simpler writing tasks and 2) for children with higher fine motor skills on the more challenging writing tasks. Findings suggest that the relation between self-regulation and writing is dependent upon task difficulty and that self-regulation and fine motor skills may compensate for deficits in one or the other skill when children perform writing tasks.
Transformation of Swimmers’ Forces Acting in a 3D Incompressible Fluid

In this chapter we will extend the results of Chap. 9 to the swimmers in an incompressible (divergence-free) 3D fluid. We are particularly interested in the force transformation phenomenon in the case of swimmers whose bodies consist of parallelepipeds and balls. To this end, we will follow the schemes of proofs in Chap. 9, extending them to the 3D case along the ideas of A.Y. Khapalov, G. Trinh (Disc. Cont. Dyn. Sys. A 33(4), 1513–1544 (2012)).
Chemistry of alkali metal-unsaturated hydrocarbon adducts: XI. ESR monitoring of transient radical-anions from unsaturated organosilanes

Abstract By the potassium-metal reduction of a series of α,β-unsaturated organosilanes at low temperatures, radical-anionic intermediates were generated. Both the detailed structure of such radical-anions and their chemical transformations were studied by a combination of ESR spectroscopy and chemical characterization. Relatively stable radical-anions were obtained from the methyl(phenyl)silanes, tetraphenylsilane and hexaphenyldisilane, but even these decomposed eventually through cleavage and coupling processes. More labile radical-anions arose from organosilanes of the type, Ph 3 SiE, where E was chloro, cyclopropyl, substituted biphenyl, vinyl, 1-propenyl and 1-propynyl. In several cases, the transient parent radical-anion could be measured with ESR spectroscopy by working at low temperatures in the presence of HMPT. As an aid to deciding among several possible structural assignments of an ESR spectrum, the actual chemical products obtained from such reductions were scrutinized. The conclusion reached from these studies is that that part of the organosilane molecule bearing the highest free electron spin density in the radical-anion is the site of highest chemical reactivity. Sites of radical-coupling, chemical reduction, isomerization and carbon-silicon bond cleavage can be predicted from such ESR data.
Peirce, Pragmatism, and the Logic of Scripture

Part I. Pierce's Pragmatic Writing: 1. Introduction: reading Peirce's pragmatism 2. Pragmatic methods of reading and interpretation 3. Problems in Peirce's early critique of cartesianism 4. Problems in Peirce's early theory of pragmatism 5. Problems in Peirce's normative theory of pragmatism, 1878-1903 6. A pragmatic reading of Peirce's lectures on pragmatism Part II. Pierce's Pragmatic Writing: 17. Irremediable vagueness in Peirce's pragmaticist writings: a plain sense reading 8. Pragmaticism re-read: from common-sense to the logic of scripture.
Translational utility of rodent hippocampal auditory gating in schizophrenia research: a review and evaluation

Impaired gating of the auditory evoked P50 potential is one of the most pharmacologically well-characterized features of schizophrenia. This deficit is most commonly modeled in rodents by implanted electrode recordings from the hippocampus of the rodent analog of the P50, the P20–N40. The validity and effectiveness of this tool, however, has not been systematically reviewed. Here, we summarize findings from studies that have examined the effects of pharmacologic modulation on gating of the rodent hippocampal P20–N40 and the human P50. We show that drug effects on the P20–N40 are highly predictive of human effects across similar dose ranges. Furthermore, mental status (for example, anesthetized vs alert) does not appear to diminish the predictive capacity of these recordings. We then discuss hypothesized neuropharmacologic mechanisms that may underlie gating effects for each drug studied. Overall, this review supports continued use of hippocampal P20–N40 gating as a translational tool for schizophrenia research.
Programmable nanophotonic processor for arbitrary high fidelity optical transformations

We present an architecture for programmable nanophotonic processors capable of arbitrary discrete transformations for quantum and classical applications. A method to combat fabrication imperfections with high fidelity is discussed along with initial experimental results.
Nonparametric assessment of safety levels in ecological risk assessment (ERA)

OF THE THESIS NONPARAMETRIC ASSESSMENT OF SAFETY LEVELS IN ECOLOGICAL RISK ASSESSMENT (ERA) by Limei Chen Florida International University, 2003 Miami, Florida Professor Ling Chen, Major Professor In ecological risk assessment (ERA), it is important to know whether the exposure that animal species receive from a chemical concentration exceeds the desired safety level. This study examined several statistical methods currently being used in ecological risk assessment and reviewed several statistical procedures related to this subject in the literature. Two large sample nonparametric tests were developed for this study. Monte Carlo study showed that these tests performed well even when the sample size was moderately large. A real data set was used to show that the new methodologies provide a good method for assessing the potential risks of pesticides residues at an investigated site.
What do family physicians consider an error? A comparison of definitions and physician perception

Background Physicians are being asked to report errors from primary care, but little is known about how they apply the term "error." This study qualitatively assesses the relationship between the variety of error definitions found in the medical literature and physicians' assessments of whether an error occurred in a series of clinical scenarios.
Thallium Imaging in Preoperative Evaluation of the Pulmonary Resection Candidate

The major determinants of morbidity and mortality after pulmonary resection are the physiologic status of the cardiac and pulmonary systems. The role of thallium 201 imaging was reviewed in 151 consecutive patients to determine its significance in physiologic assessment. 10.3% of patients were found to have serious asymptomatic coronary artery disease, and thallium imaging made a difference in the management of 50% of these patients. When used appropriately, thallium imaging is an important modality in physiologic assessment of the pulmonary resection candidate.
The relationship of transmural myocardial blood flow to midwall function.

Abstract The relationship of transmural myocardial blood flow to midwall function was evaluated in seven adult mongrel dogs anesthetized with morphine SO4 (3 mg/kg) and a-chloralose (80 mg/kg) and instrumented with catheters for measuring aortic and left ventricular end-diastolic pressures and dp/dt. Three pairs of miniature ultrasonic transducers (3 mm diameter) were positioned at midwall level of the left ventricle along the minor axis within each of the three regions: anterior, lateral, and posterior segments. Transmural blood flow in the epicardium and endocardium was measured utilizing 8- to 10-μm tracer microspheres before and after a 60-sec circumflex occlusion. Functional data for extent (ΔL) and rate (dl/dt) of systolic shortening were determined and systolic excursion was normalized to an initial end-diastolic length of 10 mm. Total circumflex occlusion for 1 min was associated with a severe flow imbalance to the posterior endocardium (endocardium/epicardium 0.2 ± 0.1) resulting in marked functional impairment (ΔL = -0.5 ± 0.2 mm, dl/dt = -1.6 ± 1.1 mm/sec) and holosystolic bulging. Flow within the lateral region was not as severely impaired (endocardium/epicardium 0.5 ± 0.1, P
Role of angiotensin receptor blockers in heart failure: not yet RESOLVD.

There is convincing evidence that the renin-angiotensin aldosterone system (RAAS) plays a major role in the pathogenesis and progression of heart failure. Angiotensin (Ang) II is a potent vasoconstrictor agent, and through the release of aldosterone, it promotes salt and water retention. Moreover, Ang II is a growth factor for both cardiac myocytes and fibroblasts.1 2 Exposure of these cells to Ang II leads to the induction of genes that produce characteristic phenotypic alterations that are similar to those seen during cardiac remodeling.3 Ang II also contributes to the generalized (and mostly deleterious) activation of other neurohormonal systems both within the heart and throughout the body by promoting release of agents such as norepinephrine and endothelin. The immediate effects of RAAS activation are increased cardiac afterload and preload. The long-term effects appear to include adverse cardiac remodeling characterized by ventricular dilatation, hypertrophy, and changes in chamber configuration, all of which predispose to progressive left ventricular (LV) dysfunction.4 Perhaps the strongest evidence for the role of the RAAS in heart failure, however, comes from studies in experimental animal models and in human patients demonstrating that interruption of this system will have favorable effects on the clinical course, including prolonged survival.5 6 7 ACE inhibitors (ACEIs) have been a cornerstone of therapy for patients with LV dysfunction for nearly 2 decades. The benefits of ACEIs have been demonstrated in myocardial infarction (MI) survivors8 and in patients with LV dysfunction ranging from those who are asymptomatic to those with New York Heart Association functional class IV symptoms of heart failure.5 6 7 9 In these populations, the ACEIs have been shown to improve cardiac performance, relieve symptoms, decrease hospitalizations, and prolong survival. Many of the beneficial effects appear to be related to the ability of the ACEIs …
Asymmetric somatosensory activation with right- vs left-hand stimulation: a positron emission tomographic study.

Metabolic activation of the right and left somatosensory cortices (SSC) in response to an active sensorimotor task (palpation and sorting of mah jongg tiles) was studied in 16 right-handed normal volunteers using positron emission tomography (PET) and a double-injection [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose strategy. In 8 subjects with right-hand stimulation, cerebral metabolic rate for glucose (CMRglc) in the contralateral SSC increased by16.7 ± 5.1% (mean±S.D.); the increase in the ipsilateral SSC was4.8 ± 3.2% In contrast, in the 8 subjects with left-hand stimulation, the contralateral increase was12.0 ± 2.9% and the ipsilateral increase was5.9 ± 1.5%. Thus, contralateral SSC activation was significantly higher with stimulation of the right hand, while the ipsilateral/contralateral symmetry of activation was greater when the left hand was stimulated.
Evaluation of a patient with central retinal vein occlusion.

Abstract Patients suffering a central retinal vein occlusion should be evaluated for conditions that promote and/or contribute to the formation of a thombosis in the central retinal vein. These conditions include alterations of blood flow, altered viscosity of the blood, abnormalities of coagulation, and abnormalities of vessel walls. Patients with either a partial or complete central retinal vein occlusion have similarities in the age of onset, associated systemic findings, and laboratory data. At the time of onset, 90% of patients are older than 50 years. Seventy-four percent of patients will have symptoms or signs of associated systemic vascular disease (ie, hypertension, arteriosclerotic heart disease, and diabetes mellitus.) The most common laboratory findings include elevated blood lipids, abnormalities of glucose tolerance testing, and abnormalities of protein chemistries. Evaluation should include both a complete ocular and medical examination with appropriate laboratory tests and special studies. Assessment of central retinal venous pressure may be helpful in identifying those patients who have a severe, complete thrombosis and are at significant risk to develop anterior segment neovascularization.
Properties and kinetics of thermally crystallized oriented poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET). II: Physical and optical properties

Recent processing advances, developed to improve barrier properties and thermal stability of oriented poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), present a need to further study and understand the resultant material changes. The mechanical, optical, and infrared characteristics of PET sheets, previously oriented and subsequently thermally crystallized (under unconstrained conditions) have been investigated. The effects on properties, with respect to the initial mode of extension and extension ratio, have been studied. Results indicate that mechanical properties of this form of PET are dependent on the initial extension ratio, in addition to the initial mode of extension. Among thermally crystallized samples, optical property variations were found to be strong functions of initial extension ratios as well as the levels of thermal crystallinity achieved. Unoriented samples became completely opaque at low levels of thermally induced crystallinity, while highly oriented samples remained optically clear even with high levels of additional crystallinity induced by thermal exposure. Moderate levels of initial orientation were also found to inhibit the development of haze, resulting from additional thermal crystallization, although not to the extent observed for highly oriented samples. Crystal growth resulting from unconstrained thermal exposure was monitored using internal reflectance infrared spectroscopy. This growth was found to selectively occur in the directions of polymer chain orientation (alignment) for samples prepared under conditions of both uniaxial and equibiaxial stretching.