cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Reducing after-hours referrals by an after-hours call center with second-level physician triage.

Objectives. One-third of practices signing-out to The Children9s Hospital Call Center in Denver, Colorado, choose to do second-level physician (SLP) triage for calls judged by the Center to require after-hours referral (AHR). We examined: 1) the effect of SLP triage on the rate of AHRs and 2) reasons for physicians9 decisions. Design. From January 1998 to August 1998 all calls from patients using a 5-member suburban pediatric practice judged by the Call Center to require AHR were referred to the practice9s on-call physician who did SLP triage and completed a questionnaire. Results. There were 955 eligible calls, 22% ( N = 216) of which were initially given an urgent disposition by Call Center nurses. Physician questionnaires were completed for 97% ( N = 209). Of patients initially triaged for AHR, 49% ( N = 103) were subsequently given an AHR, 17% ( N = 35) a next day office referral, and 34% ( N = 71) home care and advice. Reasons for not urgently referring included the following: 1) medical problem didn9t require urgent evaluation (95%, N = 99); 2) change in the patient9s condition; (40% N = 43); 3) prior knowledge of family9s ability to evaluate and care for the patient (40%, N = 43); and 4) knowledge of the patient9s medical history (18%, N = 19). After SLP triage the overall urgent referral rate was 11%. Conclusions. Signing out to a Call Center decreased physicians9 after-hours calls by 77% and SLP triage halved the number of urgent after-hours referrals.
Stochastic approximation methods for decentralized control of multiaccess communications

Strategies based on stochastic approximation are suggested for controlling the transmission probabilities of stations sharing a collision access communication channel. Examples include strategies based on acknowledgment feedback only, and strategies suitable for frequency-hopped spread spectrum channels. The strategies provide for the incorporation of priorities among the stations. A Lyapunov-like function is constructed to prove global stability of the ordinary differential equation which is approximated by the system, and a design methodology based on minimizing a cost function is given. Preliminary results on transmission control in a nonbroadcast network are presented.
Treatment of Mild Hypertension Study: Final Results

Objective. —To compare six antihypertensive interventions for the treatment of mild hypertension. Design. —Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial. Setting. —Four hypertension screening and treatment centers in the United States. Participants. —Hypertensive men and women, aged 45 to 69 years, with diastolic blood pressure less than 100 mm Hg. Intervention. —Sustained nutritional-hygienic advice to all participants to reduce weight, dietary sodium intake, and alcohol intake, and increase physical activity. Participants were randomly allocated to take (1) placebo (n=234); (2) chlorthalidone (n=136); (3) acebutolol (n=132); (4) doxazosin mesylate (n=134); (5) amlodipine maleate (n=131); or (6) enalapril maleate (n=135). Main Outcome Measures. —Blood pressure, quality of life, side effects, blood lipid levels and analysis of other serum components, echocardiographic and electrocardiographic changes, and incidence of cardiovascular events over an average of 4.4 years of follow-up. Results. —Blood pressure reductions were sizable in all six groups, and were significantly greater for participants assigned to drug treatment than placebo ( — 15.9 vs — 9.1 mm Hg for systolic blood pressure and — 12.3 vs —8.6 mm Hg for diastolic blood pressure;p Conclusions. —As an initial regimen, drug treatment in combination with nutritional-hygienic intervention was more effective in preventing cardiovascular and other clinical events than was nutritional-hygienic treatment alone. Drug-treatment group differences were minimal. Pending results from large-scale clinical trials to evaluate drug treatments for their effect on cardiovascular clinical events, these findings support the recommendations of the new fifth Joint National Committee report regarding treatment choices for people with stage 1 ("mild") hypertension. (JAMA. 1993;270:713-724)
Pair housing of Vervets/African Green Monkeys for biomedical research.

Vervets, also known as African green monkeys, are a nonhuman primate species widely used in biomedical research. However, there are currently few references available describing techniques and rates of success for pair-housing this species. We present data from four cohorts of vervets from three different facilities: (i) the Wake Forest Vervet Research Colony (VRC; n = 72 female pairs, n= 52 male pairs), (ii) the University of Louisiana at Lafayette-New Iberia Research Center (UL-NIRC; n = 57 female pairs, n = 54 male pairs), (iii) the Tulane National Primate Research Center (TNRPC; n = 18 male pairs), and (iv) a cohort of imported males (n = 18 pairs) at Wake Forest. Compatibility was measured at 14, 30, and 60 days following introduction. Success rates for pair-housing at 14 days ranged from 96% to 98% for females and 96% to 100% for males at the VRC and UL-NIRC but were lower in the smaller imported male cohorts (TNPRC: 50%; WF: 28%). Among the UL-NIRC cohort and VRC male cohort, most of the pair separations after 14 days were due to reasons unrelated to social incompatibility. In contrast, a large proportion of TNPRC and imported male pairs successful at 14 days required separation within 60 days due to incompatibility. Multiple logistic regressions were performed using cohort, mean age of pair and weight difference between pair-mates as potential predictors of compatibility at 14 days. All three predicted the 14-day outcome in males but not females. A separate analysis in the VRC cohort found no evidence that prior familiarity in a group setting influenced outcomes. Variations in success rates across cohorts may have been influenced by introduction methodology. Behavioral differences between vervets and macaques, coupled with our findings, lead us to theorize that the gradual introduction techniques commonly implemented to pair house macaques may not be beneficial or suitable for this species. Am. J. Primatol. 79:e22501, 2017. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
CDD: NCBI's conserved domain database

NCBI's CDD, the Conserved Domain Database, enters its 15th year as a public resource for the annotation of proteins with the location of conserved domain footprints. Going forward, we strive to improve the coverage and consistency of domain annotation provided by CDD. We maintain a live search system as well as an archive of pre-computed domain annotation for sequences tracked in NCBI's Entrez protein database, which can be retrieved for single sequences or in bulk. We also maintain import procedures so that CDD contains domain models and domain definitions provided by several collections available in the public domain, as well as those produced by an in-house curation effort. The curation effort aims at increasing coverage and providing finer-grained classifications of common protein domains, for which a wealth of functional and structural data has become available. CDD curation generates alignment models of representative sequence fragments, which are in agreement with domain boundaries as observed in protein 3D structure, and which model the structurally conserved cores of domain families as well as annotate conserved features. CDD can be accessed at http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/Structure/cdd/cdd.shtml.
Hypothyroidism in pregnancy: consequences to neonatal health.

Pregnancy influences thyroid function in multiple ways. Not only does the maternal hypothalamic-pituitary-thyroid (HPT) axis undergo a series of adjustments, the fetus develops its own HPT axis and the placenta plays an active role in iodide and T4 transport and metabolism. Thus, an integrated three-compartment thyroid model exists during gestation (1). Early in pregnancy estrogen promotes production of a more highly sialylated T4-binding globulin isoform that is less rapidly degraded, resulting in increased serum T4-binding globulin and T4 concentrations (1–3). Although a transient decrease in serum free T4, followed by a rise in TSH to a new equilibrium, may occur (3), this is usually not appreciated with routine thyroid testing. A high circulating CG level in the first trimester leads to CG cross-reactivity with the TSH receptor, prompting a temporary increase in free T4 and partial suppression of TSH. The final physiologic change results from placental deiodination of maternal T4, which increases T4 turnover. In normal pregnant women, the thyroid gland maintains euthyroidism with only minor fluctuations in serum T4 and TSH. However, in women with limited thyroid reserve, due to thyroid autoimmunity or iodine deficiency, hypothyroidism can develop (Fig. 1). Fetal thyroid ontogeny begins at 10–12 weeks gestation and is not complete until delivery; T4 is not secreted until 18–20 weeks (1, 3). T4 is critical for many aspects of brain development including neurogenesis, neuronal migration, axon and dendrite formation, myelination, synaptogenesis, and neurotransmitter regulation (4). Although these requirements evolve over months (5), an especially critical time is the second trimester (6). Contrary to past belief, thyroid hormone crosses the placenta. Animal studies have shown that maternal T4 reaches the fetus (5). T4 has been measured in human coelomic fluid as early as 4 weeks gestation (7) and is detectable in cord blood of newborns with athyreosis or thyroid dysgenesis (8). Causes of thyroid dysfunction
Auto Anti‐hr‘ in the Absence of Anemia

A case of auto anti-hr' is reported in an hr'-positive woman with adrenal hyperplasia and without anemia. Possible relationships of such phenomena in association with fractures and in hyper-adrenal corticism are considered.
Time-dependent entropy evolution in microscopic and macroscopic electromagnetic relaxation

This paper is a study of entropy and its evolution in the time and frequency domains upon application of electromagnetic fields to materials. An understanding of entropy and its evolution in electromagnetic interactions bridges the boundaries between electromagnetism and thermodynamics. The approach used here is a Liouville-based statistical-mechanical theory. I show that the microscopic entropy is reversible and the macroscopic entropy satisfies an theorem. The spectral entropy development can be very useful for studying the frequency response of materials. Using a projection-operator based nonequilibrium entropy, different equations are derived for the entropy and entropy production and are applied to the polarization, magnetization, and macroscopic fields. I begin by proving an exact theorem for the entropy, progress to application of time-dependent entropy in electromagnetics, and then apply the theory to relevant applications in electromagnetics. The paper concludes with a discussion of the relationship of the frequency-domain form of the entropy to the permittivity, permeability, and impedance.
Phase Transitions: Foundations of Behavior

Synergetic phase transitions afford a special window into the principles of behavior at several levels of desciption. The reason is that instabilities serve to demarcate behavioral patterns, thereby allowing a precise identification of collective variables or order parameters for patterns and their (nonlinear) dynamics. Once the, order parameter dynamics are known for particular experimental model systems, not only can they be derived or synthesized, but a number of steps of generalization becomes possible. Certain essential psychological functions such as the perception of dynamic visual and speech patterns, intentional behavioral change and learning a novel behavioral pattern are addressed here. All observed phenomena may be expressed in dynamical language.
US and EU Agricultural Policy: Divergence or Convergence?

The 2008 US Farm Bill has many similar features to the 2002 US Farm Bill where key provisions such as the target price and loan rate remain. On the other hand, the European Union is following a path of more decoupled payments, especially given the reforms in 2003 and afterward. However, many of the elements of either farm program may no longer be of significance if high commodity prices remain, many of which are above US target prices. High prices have caused many countries to lower tariff and nontariff barriers. In the context of high prices, the welfare costs of both the US and EU policies have been greatly reduced. However, especially for the European Union, there remains a large income transfer from the treasury to farmers since, under decoupling, farmers are given annual payments at least through 2013. Given the single farm payment scheme of the European Union, farmers are allowed to respond to high prices and, in addition, collect a subsidy from the treasury under the rubric of decoupling. Producers have collected double rents: from the market and the government.
Outline in Filing the “Chemistry” Section of a new Drug Application

AbstractA comprehensive review of Sections 314.l(f) [21 CFR 1982] and 314.2(f) [21 CFR 1983] and the impact of the proposed regulations, dated October 19, 1982, on Sections 6, 7, and 8 of the Application for FDA approval to market a new drug.
Interconnection of Alternative Energy Sources with the Grid

This chapter contains sections titled: Introduction Interconnection Technologies Standards and Codes for Interconnection Interconnection Considerations Interconnection Examples for Alternative Energy Sources References
CROSS SECTIONS AND ISOMER RATIOS FOR THE K$sup 41$(cap alpha/,n)Sc$sup 44$m,$sup 44$g REACTION

The absolute cross sections for ${\mathrm{Sc}}^{44m}$ and ${\mathrm{Sc}}^{44g}$ have been determined at 1-MeV intervals from 8 to 19 MeV. The experimentally determined isomer-ratio function was compared with the theoretical predictions of a Huizenga-and-Vandenbosch-type calculation. A value of 1.7-1.8 for $\ensuremath{\sigma}$, the spin cutoff parameter, was found to give a good fit of the experimental isomer ratios below the ($\ensuremath{\alpha}, 2n$) threshold. Deviations of the calculated values from the experimental values above this threshold were interpreted to be the result of considerable spin fractionation.
Two classes of mammalian skeletal muscle fibers distinguished by metabolite content

Phosphorus NMR spectroscopy and HPLC analyses were made on isolated rat and mouse muscles selected for different volume fractions of the major known fiber types. We tested the hypothesis that muscle cell types at rest have intrinsically different contents of PCr, ATP and Pi. The Pi content was low and the PCr and ATP contents were high in muscles with large contents of type 2b and 2a fibers, and vice versa in muscles with large volume fraction of types 1 and 2x fibers. From the profile of these metabolites we could distinguish only two classes of fibers in the murine muscles and predict well the composition of cat muscles. For the first class, types 2a and 2b fibers, the intracellular concentrations were: ATP 8 mM; total Cr 39 mM; PCr 32 mM; Pi 0.8 mM; ADP 8 μM. For the second class, type 1 and 2x fibers, these quantities are: ATP 5 mM; TCr 23 mM; PCr 16 mM; Pi 6 mM; ADP 11 μM. Thus our results establish a new and apparently general criterion upon which to distinguish skeletal muscle cells, one based on the resting content of bioenergetically important metabolites.
Culture and Trust in Technology-Driven Organizations

Importance of Trusting Cultures Introduction Technology-Driven Organizations in the Global Marketplace Relationship between Increased Productivity and Trusting Cultures LITERATURE REVIEW AND THE EMPIRICAL STUDY Literature Review Introduction Organizational Culture Defining Organizational Culture Burns and Stalker's Organic and Mechanistic Management Systems Likert System IV Management Process Connection between Mechanistic and Organic Cultures and Likert Management Systems Summary of Culture Literature Review Organizational Trust Defining Organizational Trust Principal Trust Attributes Summary of Trust Literature Review RESULT OF EMPIRICAL STUDIES Research Statement and Methodology Introduction Research Question and Objective Hypotheses Research Significance and Contribution to the Body of Knowledge Contribution to the Discipline of Management and Leadership Survey Instrument Selection Demographic Questionnaire Targeted Population Data Collection Process Pilot Study Conducting the Pilot Study Pilot Results Summary of Pilot Study Lesson Learned Full Study Introduction Description of Data Analysis Methods Data Characteristics Participating Organizations Data and Analysis of Results Normality and Survey Reliability Analysis Mean Analysis Correlation Analysis Hypothesis Testing-Trust Attributes Analysis by Organization Summary of Organizational Analyses Trust in Technology-Driven Organizations Gender Analysis Ethnic Group Analysis Age Analysis Job Tenure Analysis Industry Analysis Job Status/Position Analysis Conclusion Technology-driven organization culture Characteristics of Technology-Driven Organization Cultures Redefining Cultures for Technology-Driven Organizations Culture-the Foundation of Trust Summary Study Recommendations and Conclusions Recommendations Conclusion Limitation of the Study Areas for Future Study PRACTITIONER'S GUIDE Practitioner's guide Introduction Organizational Diversity Organizational Alignment and Policies Dealing with Perceptions Role of Trust Attributes in Building a Culture of Trust Selection and Promotion of New Managers Building Trusting Cultures Perils of Distrust Behaviors That Facilitate Trust Interpersonal Communication Soft Side of Management Leader's Role Leadership Styles Manager's Toolkit Introduction Guidelines for Assessing Organizational Culture and Trust Case study Case study Case study Case study Case study Individual Trust Questionnaire Organization Trust Questionnaire Employee Engagement Trust Questionnaire Management Trust Questionnaire Instruction for Completing the Organizational Culture Questionnaire Culture Focus Group Questions Trust Focus Group Questions Practitioner Guide Summary References Appendix A: Participating Organization Data and Charts
Arboreal dead-leaf-searching birds of the neotropics

Au moins 11 especes d'oiseaux du nord de la Bolivie et du sud du Perou recherchent leur nourriture dans les feuilles mortes encore suspendues aux arbres; ils appartiennent aux Furnariidae et Formicariidae. Influence de l'altitude
Control of the Pear Psylla with Insect Growth Regulators and Preliminary Effects on Some Non-target Species

Two insect growth regulators (IGR) ZR-512 (Ethyl 3,7,1l-trimethyldodeca-2,4-dienoate) and ZR-515 (Isopropyl 11-methoxy-3,7,11-trimethyldodeca-2,4-dienoate) were evaluated for their control of the pear psylla, Psylla pyricola Forster, and for their effect on nontarget pear pests and predators. Under laboratory conditions, adult psylla exposed to residues of IGR's failed to lay viable eggs, though the number laid and the general appearance of eggs seemed normal. Adult psylla from late-instar nymphs which were exposed to ZR-515 failed to lay viable eggs. In field tests no direct reduction in adult psylla levels was observed following application with IGR's, but 3 weeks post treatment the ratio of psylla eggs per nymphs was much greater in these plots. The effect of IGR's was minimal on other pest species, and no significant decrease in predator species was noted.
Computational Study of Aircraft Forebody Impact on Aerodynamic Forces Experienced During Pilot Ejection

Safety of the pilot during any ejection scenario is of paramount importance. Recent Helmet Mounted Display (HMD) design studies have created questions regarding the impact to the safety of the pilot with respect to the aerodynamic forces acting on various helmet designs during ejection. A major question is which platform configuration, A-10 or F-16, produces a more detrimental ejection scenario. A Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) study was performed simulating an ejection using representative airframe forebodies for both the A-10 and the F-16. Forces acting on the pilot in each case are compared to determine which configuration leads to the potentially more hazardous condition for the pilot. Results were used to determine the direction of subsequent sled testing.
Frog brain uridine diphosphate galactose–N-acetylgalactosaminyl-N-acetylneuraminylgalactosylglucosylceramide galactosyltransferase

1. The enzyme that catalyses the transfer of galactose from UDP-galactose to N-acetylgalactosaminyl-(1→4)-N-acetylneuraminyl-(2→3)-galactosyl-(1→4)-glucosylceramide (GM2) was found mainly in the heavy- and light-microsomal fractions of the adult frog brain. 2. The subcellular distribution of the enzyme, UDP-galactose–GM2 galactosyltransferase, parallels that of gangliosides in adult frog brain. 3. The enzymic activity was first detected at late gastrulation (Shumway stage 11½) and increased until the completion of the operculum (Shumway stage 25) and then decreased in the tadpoles. 4. In adult frog brain, the enzyme exhibited a pH optimum of 7.2–7.3 in both cacodylate and tris buffers. The enzyme required 10mm-Mn2+ for maximal activity and the Km for Mn2+ was determined as 2.2mm. The half-maximal velocity was obtained at a GM2 concentration of 0.18mm. Inhibition of the enzymic reaction was found when the GM2 concentration was greater than 1.38mm. 5. The enzymic activity was also inhibited by the products in the pathway of ganglioside synthesis, i.e. either by a mixture of gangliosides or by individual ganglioside components. The most active inhibitor was disialoganglioside. The degree of inhibition is a function of the individual ganglioside concentration. 6. A product-inhibition mechanism for the regulation of ganglioside biosynthesis is discussed.
Development and Use of a Tablet-based Resuscitation Sheet for Improving Outcomes during Intensive Patient Care

Data documentation from resuscitation events in hospitals, termed "code blue" events, utilizes a paper form, which is institution-specific. Problems with data capture and transcription exists, due to the challenges of dynamic documentation of patient, event and outcome variables as the code blue event unfolds. We hypothesize that an electronic version of code blue real-time data capture would lead to improved resuscitation data transcription, and enable clinicians to address deficiencies in quality of care. To this effect, we present the design of a tablet-based application and its use by 20 nurses at the Mayo Clinic hospital. The results showed that the nurses preferred the tablet application over the paper based form. Furthermore, a qualitative survey showed the clinicians perceived the electronic version to be more accurate and efficient than paper-based documentation, both of which are essential for an emergency code blue resuscitation procedure.
Making Science Simulations Accessible For Students With Vision Impairments

Interactive science simulations, built by the PhET Interactive Simulations Project at the University of Colorado, rely heavily on visual representations to achieve their learning goals. This prevents students with visual disabilities from using the simulations. This paper examines one simulation, Capacitor Lab: Basics, as a case study on the implementation of keyboard navigation and auditory descriptions in PhET simulations. By creating a parallel DOM, it was possible to provide HTML equivalents of every Javascript element of the simulation, allowing a screenreader to access the descriptions. Keyboard navigation and auditory descriptions were designed and refined based on interviews with screenreader users. Findings suggest that these designs can support students with visual impairments to successfully learn from the simulation.
Sensor metadata blueprints and computer-aided editing for disciplined SensorML

The need for continuous, accurate, and comprehensive environmental knowledge has led to an increase in sensor observation systems and networks. The Sensor Web Enablement (SWE) initiative has been promoted by the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) to foster interoperability among sensor systems. The provision of metadata according to the prescribed SensorML schema is a key component for achieving this and nevertheless availability of correct and exhaustive metadata cannot be taken for granted. On the one hand, it is awkward for users to provide sensor metadata because of the lack in user-oriented, dedicated tools. On the other, the specification of invariant information for a given sensor category or model (e.g., observed properties and units of measurement, manufacturer information, etc.), can be labor- and timeconsuming. Moreover, the provision of these details is error prone and subjective, i.e., may differ greatly across distinct descriptions for the same system. We provide a user-friendly, template-driven metadata authoring tool composed of a backend web service and an HTML5/javascript client. This results in a form-based user interface that conceals the high complexity of the underlying format. This tool also allows for plugging in external data sources providing authoritative definitions for the aforementioned invariant information. Leveraging these functionalities, we compiled a set of SensorML profiles, that is, sensor metadata blueprints allowing end users to focus only on the metadata items that are related to their specific deployment. The natural extension of this scenario is the involvement of end users and sensor manufacturers in the crowd-sourced evolution of this collection of prototypes. We describe the components and workflow of our framework for computer-aided management of sensor metadata.
Incorporation of preservatives in polylactic acid films for inactivating Escherichia coli O157:H7 and extending microbiological shelf life of strawberry puree.

Antimicrobial films of polylactic acid polymer incorporated with nisin, EDTA, sodium benzoate (SB), potassium sorbate (PS), and their combinations were developed, and their antimicrobial effects on the inactivation of Escherichia coli O157:H7 and natural background microflora (total aerobic bacteria, molds, and yeasts) in strawberry puree at 10 and 22 degrees C were determined. Direct addition of SB+PS to strawberry puree was also used as a comparison with SB+PS film treatment. The combination treatment reduced the cell populations of E. coli O157:H7 from 3.5 log CFU/ml to undetectable levels ( SB+PS film > SB+PS direct addition > EDTA film > nisin film. The data obtained in this study suggest two approaches toward the development of control interventions against E. coli O157:H7 and extension of the microbiological shelf life of strawberry puree: (i) using antimicrobial packaging and (ii) using combinations of preservatives. The film formulas developed here can be used to make bottles or as coatings on the surface of bottles for use in liquid food packaging.
Activist Theatre: The Effects of Community Performance on System Justification and Willingness to Engage in Activism

System justification is a motivation to legitimize the status quo that disables individuals from changing oppressive social systems. Community performance has long been used as a tool to illuminate and challenge such systems of power. The goal of the present study was to provide an empirical test of the effectiveness of community performance in the context of gender-based oppression. Specifically, the present study tested whether a community performance could decrease audience members' system justification and increase intentions to engage in collective and virtual action to correct these oppressive systems. The performance consisted of 18 community-created pieces performed by 11 actresses before an audience of 165 members of the college and local communities across three days. A total of 153 audience members participated in the study. Results indicated that a 50-min performance reduced system justification while increasing willingness to take collective and virtual-based action. Limitations and implications are discussed. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Networks of real neurons

This chapter reviews the real neural networks for language and episodic memory. It weaves the existing knowledge of the episodic memory into an analysis of how the two arguments of the logical operators are bound together by correlation. It discusses a model of the neurological organization of the human linguistic ability, known as the Wernicke-Lichtheim-Geschwind boxological model. This model organizes speech into three cerebral centers: (1) an acoustic center that is in charge of the perception of speech, located in Wernicke's region, (2) a concept center which is assumed to store the meaning of words and to be involved in their encoding and decoding, and (3) a motor center which is responsible for the articulation of speech, located in the Broca's region. Lichtheim reported the existence of such speech impairment due to lesions of the arcuate fasciculus. Patients with a lesion in white matter, which connects the Wernicke's and Broca's regions, show conduction aphasia. It is characterized by fluent speech and normal comprehension.
Preferred nanocrystalline configurations in ternary and multicomponent alloys

Abstract In nanocrystalline alloys, a range of configurations can have low energies when solute atoms have favorable interactions with interfaces. Whereas binary nanostructured alloys have been well studied, here we lay groundwork for the computational thermodynamic exploration of alloy configurations in multicomponent nanocrystalline alloys. Multicomponent nanostructured systems are shown to occupy a vast space, with many topological possibilities not accessible in binary systems, and where the large majority of interesting configurations will be missed by a regular solution approximation. We explore one interesting ternary case in which the first alloying element stabilizes grain boundaries, and the second forms nano-sized precipitates.
Introduction to Cancer Therapy and Detection by Plasmonic Nanoparticles

The advancement of research in the areas of cellular biology and nanotechnology creates new opportunities for the diagnosis and treatment of diseases. The emergence of molecular targeting allows for the selective delivery of pharmaceutical or nanoparticle payloads to localized areas, while nanoparticle research offers more and more ways to engineer the physical properties of these payloads. This chapter introduces the surface plasmon resonance phenomenon and the use of plasmonic nanoparticles in diagnosis and cancer therapy. One of the therapies, called nanophotothermolysis, utilizes molecular targeting to deliver nanoparticles to the localized area, and then uses the plasmon absorption properties of the nanoparticles to generate heat in the targeted region. We discuss here the new dynamic modes in selective nanophotothermolysis of cancer, the design and methods of activation of the nanodrugs selectively delivered to the tumor site, and the plasmon resonance detection techniques using fiber optics.
Salt and Mesophase Formation in Aqueous Suspensions of Lauric Acid

The solubility and solution behavior of lauric acid (LA) and its 1:1 acid soap (potassium hydrogen dilaurate) were investigated at 32 degrees C over a pH range of 2.5-8.5 and at varying KCl concentrations to examine the self-association of this long-chain carboxylic acid under these conditions. LA's solubility in water exhibited the classical pH dependence of a monocarboxylic acid with no evidence of self-association. In 0.1 M KCl between pH 6.3 and pH 7.3, filtered samples were turbid, suggesting the presence of high molecular weight aggregates (mesophase), which could be removed by ultrafiltration. The apparent LA solubility vs pH profile in ultrafiltered samples was consistent with a solid phase consisting of either the free acid (pH 6.5), again with no evidence of self-association to form low molecular weight species (dimers, etc.). Quasi-elastic light scattering (QLS) studies and mannitol trapping experiments indicated that vesicles were present in samples containing mesophase. The mesophase composition was characterized and a mass-action law for mesophase formation was developed to describe the apparent LA solubility versus pH in the mesophase region in terms of three parameters. The index of cooperativity, theta, indicated that the mesophase consists of approximately 25 molecules of LA with an acid:anion ratio, rho, of 1.7. The standard free energy of mesophase formation per mole of monomer was determined to be -6.3 kcal/mol. The aggregate size determined thermodynamically is several orders of magnitude less than that of the mesophase particle size determined by QLS measurements, suggesting that the LA monomer concentration in equilibrium with mesophase may be governed by a small unit domain of the vesicle. These observations may have a bearing on the thermodynamics of self-assembly of lipid bilayer membranes.
The Lived-Body as Catalytic Agent: Reaction at the Interface of Medicine and Philosophy

Throughout the history of Occidental philosophy one generation after another (including philosophers as well as physicians) has had to suffer the tyranny of spiritualistic metaphysics, what Edmund Husserl, the founder of 20th century phenomenological philosophy, called “historically degenerate” metaphysics.1 I hasten to qualify this assertion by adding that such suffering, in my judgment, need not be alleviated by the questionable practice of euthanasia on the part of contemporary philosophers, although one may well make the case that negative euthanasia2 is justified in the case of a speculative metaphysics which has produced little more than an emptily formal ontology. Yet this harsh judgment need not entail the conclusion that Metaphysics uberhaupt, to which some physicians and philosophers have, regrettably, an aversion, be henceforth rejected and abandoned. Indeed, it is one of the aims of this essay to make plausible and palatable the claim that Metaphysics or First Philosophy is in fact intimately bound to Medicine3 at their interface — the lived human body — and that this is at once identical with the initial aspirations of both philosophy and medicine, qualified by the exclusion of what Husserl called “all speculative excesses.” 4
Protonation of an H2O Dimer by a Zeolitic Brønsted Acid Site

The potential energy surface for the interaction of a water dimer with the Bronsted acid site in a zeolite represented by a Si4AlO4H13 cluster is examined using the B3LYP density functional method....
8 – Ontogeny of the Encephalization Process

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the ontogeny of the brain's control over the spinal motor system. This increasing developmental influence of the brain is called encephalization. I concentrate mainly on the development of the integrated goal-directed responses found after birth. However, it is first necessary to give a general overview of behavioral development. The brief review below is incomplete but, I feel, represents the field at this point. Other views and more complete accounts can be found elsewhere ( Carmichael, 1933 ; Hamburger, 1973 ; Oppenheim, 1981a , 1982 ).
The Effect of Perioperative Bevacizumab on Disease-Free and Overall Survival in Locally Advanced HER-2 Negative Breast Cancer: A Meta-Analysis.

Introduction:Multiple trials demonstrated that adding Bevacizumab to the standard neoadjuvant chemotherapy in HER-2 negative breast cancer increases pathological complete response. We conducted thi...
Smart Green Healthy Communities: Cases of Science Parks and Microcities

Abstract All the pieces need to be linked together for smart, green, and healthy homes; communities; and cities. There is a need to have agile systems for energy along with technologies that are wireless now. The issues are both technological and economic and they all fit together into a circular economy, where what happens in one place needs to match with the others to conserve, recycle, and finance the world of the future, today.
Demonstration of 50-mV Digital Integrated Circuits with Microelectromechanical Relays

50-mV operation of digital integrated circuits at room temperature is demonstrated for the first time using body-biased microelectromechanical relays. An improved relay design and self-assembled molecular coating provide for lower contact adhesion to reduce hysteretic switching behavior, so that the relays operate reliably with sub-50-mV gate voltage swing to provide for ultra-low active power consumption as well as zero static power consumption.
Neighborhood Social Environment and Cardiovascular Disease Risk

Limited physical activity (PA) and obesity are two primary risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Within a socio-ecological framework, neighborhood social environment may play a key role in influencing PA and obesity. However, the mechanisms underlying this relationship remain ambiguous. Our goals in this review are as follows: (1) to summarize findings from the recent studies on neighborhood social environment in relation to PA and obesity as CVD risk factors, and (2) to briefly describe several innovative approaches to assessing neighborhood social environment. Almost all recent studies assessed neighborhood social environment around residential areas. There were consistent associations between neighborhood social environment and PA and obesity, with some exceptions (indicating null associations or paradoxical associations). However, a focus on residential social environment may limit results because these studies did not account for any exposures occurring away from individuals’ homes. Additionally, the majority of studies utilized a cross-sectional design, which limits our ability to make inferences regarding the causality of the association between neighborhood social environment and PA or obesity as CV risk factors. The majority of the studies on neighborhood social environment characterized factors around residential areas and assessed participant activity via self-reported surveys. Future research should leverage tools to account for the spatial mismatch between environmental exposures and outcomes by using global positioning systems, ecological momentary assessments, virtual neighborhood audits, and simulation modeling. These approaches can overcome major limitations by tracking individuals’ daily activity and real-time perceptions of neighborhood social environments linked to CVD events.
What Type of Price Transparency Do We Need in Health Care

Under new U.S. Department of Health and Human Services rules, hospitals must post prices for all of their services as of 1 January 2019. This commentary discusses the current implementation of this...
14,15N, 13C, 57Fe, and 1,2H Q-band ENDOR study of Fe-S proteins with clusters that have endogenous sulfur ligands.

The benefits of performing ENDOR experiments at higher microwave frequency are demonstrated in a Q-band (35 GHz) ENDOR investigation of a number of proteins with [nFe-mS] clusters, n = 2, 3, 4. Each protein displays several resonances in the frequency range of 0-20 MHz. In all instances, features are seen near v approximately 13 and 8 MHz that can be assigned, respectively, to "distant ENDOR" from 13C in natural-abundance (1.1%) and from 14N (the delta m1 = +/- 2 transitions); the nuclei involved in this phenomenon are remote from and have negligible hyperfine couplings to the cluster. In addition, a number of proteins show local 13C ENDOR signals with resolved hyperfine interactions; these are assigned to the beta carbons of cysteines bound to the cluster [A(13C) approximately 1.0 MHz]. Five proteins show resolved, local delta m1 = +/- 2 ENDOR signals from 14N with an isotropic hyperfine coupling, 0.4 less than or equal to A(14N) less than or equal to 1.0, similar to those seen in ESEEM studies; these most likely are associated with N-H...S hydrogen bonds to the cluster. Anabaena ferredoxin further shows a signal corresponding to A(14N) approximately 4 MHz. Quadrupole coupling constants are derived for both local and distant 14N signals. The interpretation of the data is supported by studies on 15N- and 13C-enriched ferredoxin (Fd) from Anabaena 7120, where the 15N signals can be clearly correlated with the corresponding 14N signals and where the 13C signals are strongly enhanced. Thus, the observation of 14N delta m1 = +/- 2 signals at Q-band provides a new technique for examining weak interactions with a cluster.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Optical spatial solitons

It is almost common knowledge now that particles also possess properties of waves. But, can localized wave-packets behave and interact like particles? This article is dedicated to self-trapped optical beams: how they form and how they interact with each other, showing that their particle-like behaviour is a general feature that manifests itself in many other nonlinear systems in nature.
Dimensions of National Culture and their Implications for Consumer Behavior and the International Marketing Mix

The world is increasingly an integrated marketplace. Economic and political barriers appear to be falling, and there is renewed appreciation for the benefits of free trade and international capitalism (Dornbusch, 1992; Koslowski, 1992; Meyerson, 1991). And yet, many U.S. firms continue to flounder in terms of their international marketing efforts, while the international performance of the U.S. business community as a whole has been characterized as extremely poor (Wills, Samli and Jacobs, 1991).
A descriptive study to assess the prevalence of domestic violence among women in Urban and rural communities of Delhi and its correlation with their mental health

Background and Objectives: In India, domestic spousal violence against women has far-reaching mental health implications. This study was conducted on women staying in the urban and rural community of New Delhi to determine the prevalence of domestic violence and mental health and to determine the factors associated with it. Materials and Methods: This was a descriptive cross-sectional survey conducted in the urban and rural community of New Delhi, India. Simple random sampling was used to select the sample. Sociodemographic profile was collected using the self-structured questionnaire. Screening for domestic violence was done with the help of WAST (women abuse screening tool) and the self-reporting questionnaire (SRQ-20) was used to assess the mental health status. Analysis and Results: Analysis was performed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The level of significance was set at P
Patterns of care for older patients with stage IV non‐small cell lung cancer in the immunotherapy era

Background Historically, older patients with advanced lung cancer have often received no systemic treatment. Immunotherapy has improved outcomes in clinical trials, but its dissemination and implementation at the population level is not well-understood. Methods A retrospective cohort study of patients with stage IV non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) diagnosed age 66 or older from 2012 to 2015 was conducted using SEER-Medicare. Treatment patterns within one year of diagnosis were ascertained. Outcomes included delivery of (a) any systemic therapy; (b) any second-line infusional therapy, following first-line infusional therapy; and (c) any second-line immunotherapy, following first-line infusional therapy. Trends in care patterns associated with second-line immunotherapy approvals in 2015 were assessed using generalized additive models. Sociodemographic and clinical predictors of treatment were explored using logistic regression. Results Among 10 303 patients, 5173 (50.2%) received first-line systemic therapy, with little change between the years 2012 (47.5%) and 2015 (50.3%). Among 3943 patients completing first-line infusional therapy, the proportion starting second-line infusional treatment remained stable from 2012 (30.5%) through 2014 (32.9%), before increasing in 2015 (42.4%) concurrent with second-line immunotherapy approvals. Factors associated with decreased utilization of any therapy included age, black race, Medicaid eligibility, residence in a high-poverty area, nonadenocarcinoma histology, and comorbidity; factors associated with increased utilization of any therapy included Asian race and Hispanic ethnicity. Among patients who received first-line infusional therapy, factors associated with decreased utilization of second-line infusional therapy included age, Medicaid eligibility, nonadenocarcinoma histology, and comorbidity; Asian race was associated with increased utilization of second-line infusional therapy. Conclusion United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approvals of immunotherapy for the second-line treatment of advanced NSCLC in 2015 were associated with increased rates of any second-line treatment, but disparities based on social determinants of health persisted.
Diabetes and Metformin Association with Recurrence Score in a Large Oncotype Database of Breast Cancer Patients.

Background The Oncotype DX® (ODX) is a genomic assay that provides clinicians with a prediction of benefit of chemotherapy in node-negative, tamoxifen-treated breast cancer. However, the relationship between ODX recurrence score (RS) and diabetes, a common comorbidity in breast cancer patients, has been inadequately described in the literature. Specifically, the association of diabetes treatment with metformin and RS is inconclusive, with different studies reporting conflicting results. Because diabetes has been associated with higher RS, it has been suggested that management of diabetes with metformin in breast cancer patients may be associated with a lower RS. Objectives We studied a large cohort of early-stage, hormone-positive breast cancer patients to determine if there is an association between RS and metformin treatment. Methods In this study, we retrospectively examined the medical records of 514 early-stage, hormone-positive breast cancer patients who had oncotype testing performed between 2007 and 2017. Number (%) or median were used to describe the patients' characteristics between groups and were compared by the Kruskal-Wallis test at a significance level of 5%. Results Of this cohort, 67 (13%) had a diabetes diagnosis at the time of breast cancer diagnosis, including both diabetes mellitus and pre-diabetes. The median RS for non-diabetic patients was 16 and the median RS for diabetic patients was 15. This difference was not significant, nor was there a statistical difference in RS between diabetic patients taking metformin (median RS = 15) and diabetic patients not taking metformin (median RS = 15). These results held true even when controlling for BMI. Conclusions We conclude that neither diabetes diagnosis nor metformin use is associated with a difference in oncotype RS in this population of diabetic patients.
System and Application Performance Modeling and Simulation in the AI Era

The increasing complexity and heterogeneity of systems at large scale, combined with challenging characteristics of applications driven by data dominated by adaptivity and irregularity, pose a need for fundamental rethinking and retooling of modeling and simulation (ModSim) for systems and applications. ModSim as a science and practice will be discussed from the perspectives of methods and tools and its myriad of uses, such as system-application co-design, performance prediction, or system and application optimization. To achieve this demanding goal, the presentation initially will offer an analysis and critique of the traditional methodologies and their state of the art. Then, attention will focus on new ideas related to machine learning-both as an increasingly important application workload and a method for ModSim. The context of mapping these applications to leading-edge systems will include analysis and the need for "dynamic performance modeling" as an actionable way to optimize effectively for performance during execution. Throughout, particular emphasis will be on methods and practices that are practical, accurate, and can be applied to extreme-scale computing (as broadly defined).