cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Attribute-driven transfer learning for detecting novel buried threats with ground-penetrating radar

Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) technology is an effective method of detecting buried explosive threats. The system uses a binary classifier to distinguish “targets”, or buried threats, from “nontargets” arising from system prescreener false alarms; this classifier is trained on a dataset of previously-observed buried threat types. However, the threat environment is not static, and new threat types that appear must be effectively detected even if they are not highly similar to every previously-observed type. Gathering a new dataset that includes a new threat type is expensive and time-consuming; minimizing the amount of new data required to effectively detect the new type is therefore valuable. This research aims to reduce the number of training examples needed to effectively detect new types using transfer learning, which leverages previous learning tasks to accelerate and improve new ones. Further, new types have attribute data, such as composition, components, construction, and size, which can be observed without GPR and typically are not explicitly included in the learning process. Since attribute tags for buried threats determine many aspects of their GPR representation, a new threat type’s attributes can be highly relevant to the transfer-learning process. In this work, attribute data is used to drive transfer learning, both by using attributes to select relevant dataset examples for classifier fusion, and by extending a relevance vector machine (RVM) model to perform intelligent attribute clustering and selection. Classification performance results for both the attribute-only case and the low-data case are presented, using a dataset containing a variety of threat types.
Study on available nutrients of soil by a new method of farming which land preparation by smash-ridging

Taken smash-ridging 0~30 cm,0~40 cm,0~50 cm,0~60 cm on dry land and 0~40 cm on paddy field for soil sample,comparison with its corresponding soil,determinate of content for organic matter,available N,available P,available K and effective B,effective Zn,effective Cu,effective Mn.The results showed that available nutrients in soil were increased after smash-ridging of land,organic matter,available N,available P,available K were respectively 3.02%~35.16%,6.80~39.54%,2.81~44.46%,7.72~53.71% on dry land,same of trace element such as B,Cu,Zn,Mn effective contents were increased;organic matter,available N,available P,available K were respectively 19.64%,24.02%,24.27%,57.78% on paddy field,and contents of B,Zn,Cu were increased.The paper proposed a new theory in plant cultivation,theory is take "roots" as base.
Persistent low cardiac output after the Fontan operation: Should takedown be considered?

Four of 44 patients who had undergone the Fontan operation had persistent low cardiac output necessitating takedown of the shunt 6 to 65 hours (average 23 hours) postoperatively. All four were in a group of 22 patients with complex lesions other than tricuspid atresia with ventriculoarterial concordance. The development of postoperative right atrial hypertension (average 24 torr), hepatomegaly, marked ascites, and decreasing lung compliance led to severe systemic hypotension with systolic arterial pressure ranging from 55 to 82 torr (average 68 torr), persistent metabolic acidosis, and oliguria despite massive colloid and crystalloid infusions (11,000 ml/m2/24 hr) and inotropic support At reoperation the atriopulmonary anastomosis, which was found to be wide open, was taken down and an atrial septal defect was created in all patients. Three patients were left with a Glenn shunt and an aortopulmonary shunt to the left lung. One patient had bilateral aortopulmonary shunts. Two patients who survived reoperation had immediate postoperative improvement in systolic arterial and mean right atrial pressure (average 100 torr and 11.5 torr, respectively). Both are well 5 months and 4 years later. Repeat Fontan operation remains a possibility with acceptable risks because of the presence of the Glenn shunt in both patients. We believe that takedown should be considered in patients with persistent low cardiac output after the Fontan operation.
The Church as Organism: Herman Bavinck’s ecclesiology for a postmodern context

As the Western church continues to see the decline of Christendom and the growth of post-modernism, the church is struggling with determining how she ought to exist in the world. Ought the church to pull away from culture? Accept culture? Strip away institutional forms? Focus on issues of social justice? This paper seeks to begin to answer these questions not primarily by asking what the church ought to do, but what she ought to be. It is a question of identity before a question of action; the former directs the latter. To probe this question I turn to the ecclesiology of preeminent Dutch Reformed theologian Herman Bavinck. Following his elder contemporary Abraham Kuyper, Bavinck describes the church as an organism and as an institution. Though Kuyper wishes to regard both highly, he tends to emphasize the organic to such an extent that he unintentionally depreciates the institutional. Bavinck provides several correctives to his less systematic friend but unfortunately enters many of the same pitfalls and cannot remain entirely consistent. Nonetheless, by turning to his definition of the organic elsewhere, rooted in the unity-in-diversity of the Trinity, the inconsistencies may be accounted for. Bavinck implicitly accommodates himself. To Bavinck, all creation is in a sense an organism because the impression of its three- in-one Creator remains upon it. An organism has four qualities: (1) unity and diversity; (2) unity which precedes diversity; (3) common ideals; and (4) shared goals. If the church is an organism in these terms, it follows that institutional structures may contribute to unifying the diverse parts (the communion of the saints, the elect, the gathered believers), imparting common ideals, and reaching shared goals. Furthermore, Bavinck finds the organic center of the church in Christ, who comes to us primarily in the Word and Spirit. Institutional structures must then proceed from the Word, itself an aspect of the church as institution. If the church is to remain faithful to her calling in the world, she must remember what she is: the body of Christ, bound in him by his Word, intent on glorifying God. From there, one may consider the ways in which the church stands as an antithetical witness against the world and as her members simultaneously permeate and influence the world in a postmodern context.
Determination of eruption temperature of Io's lavas using lava tube skylights

Determining the eruption temperature of Io's dominant silicate lavas would constrain Io's present interior state and composition. We have examined how eruption temperature can be estimated at lava tube skylights through synthesis of thermal emission from the incandescent lava flowing within the lava tube. Lava tube skylights should be present along Io's long-lived lava flow fields, and are attractive targets because of their temporal stability and the narrow range of near-eruption temperatures revealed through them. We conclude that these skylights are suitable and desirable targets (perhaps the very best targets) for the purposes of constraining eruption temperature, with a 0.9:0.7-µm radiant flux ratio ≤6.3 being diagnostic of ultramafic lava temperatures. Because the target skylights may be small – perhaps only a few m or 10 s of m across – such observations will require a future Io-dedicated mission that will obtain high spatial resolution ( < 100 m/pixel), unsaturated observations of Io's surface at multiple wavelengths in the visible and near-infrared, ideally at night. In contrast to observations of lava fountains or roiling lava lakes, where accurate determination of surface temperature distribution requires simultaneous or near-simultaneous ( < 0.1 s) observations at different wavelengths, skylight thermal emission data are superior for the purposes of temperature derivation, as emission is stable on much longer time scales (minutes, or longer), so long as viewing geometry does not greatly change during that time.
Movement Disorders in Geriatric Rehabilitation

This article discusses the role of rehabilitation in movement disorders in the elderly. Diagnosis and differential diagnosis are discussed with an emphasis on the akinetic rigid syndromes. Treatment and its complications are specifically addressed. The hyperkinetic movement disorders are considered separately. New and impending advances in therapy are examined.
Intestinal barrier dysfunction in human necrotizing enterocolitis

Background Intestinal barrier dysfunction has been implicated in necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), but has not been directly measured in human NEC.
X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) for in situ characterization of thin film growth

Abstract: X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) is an excellent tool for the investigation of the growth and reaction of thin films. Owing to the short mean free path of electrons in condensed matter, XPS is particularly well suited for the measurement of films with thicknesses of up to a few nanometers. XPS allows for the quantitative determining of the elemental composition, chemical specificity (i.e., oxidation state) and film thickness. In this chapter the basics of XPS are described, including different approaches to monitoring in situ film growth and reactions.
"Marker of Self" CD47 on lentiviral vectors decreases macrophage-mediated clearance and increases delivery to SIRPA-expressing lung carcinoma tumors

Lentiviruses infect many cell types and are now widely used for gene delivery in vitro, but in vivo uptake of these foreign vectors by macrophages is a limitation. Lentivectors are produced here from packaging cells that overexpress "Marker of Self" CD47, which inhibits macrophage uptake of cells when prophagocytic factors are also displayed. Single particle analyses show "hCD47-Lenti" display properly oriented human-CD47 for interactions with the macrophage's inhibitory receptor SIRPA. Macrophages derived from human and NOD/SCID/Il2rg-/- (NSG) mice show a SIRPA-dependent decrease in transduction, i.e., transgene expression, by hCD47-Lenti compared to control Lenti. Consistent with known "Self" signaling pathways, macrophage transduction by control Lenti is decreased by drug inhibition of Myosin-II to the same levels as hCD47-Lenti. In contrast, human lung carcinoma cells express SIRPA and use it to enhance transduction by hCD47-Lenti- as illustrated by more efficient gene deletion using CRISPR/Cas9. Intravenous injection of hCD47-Lenti into NSG mice shows hCD47 prolongs circulation, unless a blocking anti-SIRPA is preinjected. In vivo transduction of spleen and liver macrophages also decreases for hCD47-Lenti while transduction of lung carcinoma xenografts increases. hCD47 could be useful when macrophage uptake is limiting on other viral vectors that are emerging in cancer treatments (e.g., Measles glycoprotein-pseudotyped lentivectors) and also in targeting various SIRPA-expressing tumors such as glioblastomas.
Abstract 3778: Inhibition of NF-κB translocation induces G0/G1 arrest and downregulates thymidylate synthase in colorectal cancer

Purpose Objectives: Cell cycle progression and DNA synthesis are essential steps in cancer cell growth and resistance. Thymidylate synthase (TS) is a therapeutic target for 5FU. Curcumin is a potent inhibitor of NF-κB. We tested the hypothesis that NF-κB translocation inhibition by curcumin and its analogs can inhibit cell cycle progression and downregulate TS levels in colorectal cell lines. Methods: Two colorectal cancer cell lines were usedHCT-116 and HT-29. Cells were either untreated (control) or treated with curcumin (20μM), EF31 (7.5μM for HCT-116 and 2.5μM for HT-29) and UBS109 (620nM for HCT-116 and 1.25μM for HT-29) for 24 hours. Western blot and RT-PCR analyses were carried out to determine the effect of curcumin and its analogues EF31 and UBS109 on different signal molecules involved in cell cycle arrest and DNA synthesis. Electromobility shift assay (EMSA) was performed in colon cancer cells to evaluate the effects of curcumin and its analogues on NF-κB activity. A subcutaneous xenograft mouse model was used to evaluate the in vivo effects of curcumin analogues. Results: Treatment with curcumin and its analogues inhibited cyclin D1, pRb and E2F-1 at the transcriptional and translational level and induced p21, leading to G0/G1 cell cycle arrest. NF-κB over-expression induced E2F-1 and TS protein and mRNA levels in both cell lines. Arrest in the G0/G1 phase was associated with downregulation of the transcription factor E2F-1 and its target gene TS. Similar effects were observed in tumors from animals treated with EF31 and UBS109. Further, EF31 and UBS109 treatment significantly decreased the tumor growth compared to untreated tumors. Conclusion: In this study, we present in vitro and in vivo data to support the use of curcumin analogs in colorectal cancer based on their ability to reduce expression of proteins important for DNA repair and cell cycle progression leading to cell cycle arrest and tumor shrinkage. Accordingly, combining curcumin analogs with chemotherapy is a rational approach for future drug development in colorectal cancer. Citation Format: Ganji Purnachandra Nagaraju, Alese Olatunji, Sandhya Gupta, Mamoru Shoji, Bassel F. El-Rayes. Inhibition of NF-κB translocation induces G0/G1 arrest and downregulates thymidylate synthase in colorectal cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 3778. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-3778
Radiation effects testing via semiconductor nonlinear optics: successes and challenges

Single-event effects (SEEs) refer to phenomena that arise from the interaction of single energetic particles with microelectronic devices, as is experienced in harsh radiation environments. Carrier generation induced by two-photon absorption (TPA) has become a valuable tool for SEE investigations of microelectronic structures owing to its unique ability to inject carriers through the wafer, directly into well-defined locations in complex circuits. Recent effort has focused on putting the TPA SEE technique on a more quantitative basis. This paper addresses the recent successes in achieving this goal, as well as the challenges that are faced moving forward.
Connecting Logic, Algebra, and Functions in Discrete Mathematics

When students are introduced to logic and truth tables in discrete-mathematics classes, they often ask, "Can we get the computer to do these problems?" The answer is yes, and we shall demonstrate an interesting, elegant, and easy way to do so. First, we shall combine some basic ideas from logic, algebra, and functions, and then we shall implement the results on a com puter. The process is important for two basic rea sons. First, practice in combining logic, algebra, and functions helps to replace rote symbolic manipulation with an understanding of the mathe matics involved. Second, using the results with a computer emphasizes the fact that logic is reducible to computation.
Changes in Insurance Coverage Among Cancer Patients Under the Affordable Care Act

This analysis uses SEER Medicaid data to quantify changes in health insurance coverage under the Affordable Care Act among nonelderly patients newly diagnosed with cancer.
Primary Care Physician Perspectives about Antipsychotics and Other Medications for Symptoms of Dementia.

Background Guidelines, policies, and warnings have been applied to reduce the use of medications for behavioral and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD). Because of rare dangerous side effects, antipsychotics have been singled out in these efforts. However, antipsychotics are still prescribed "off label" to hundreds of thousands of seniors residing in nursing homes and communities. Our objective was to evaluate how and why primary-care physicians (PCPs) employ nonpharmacologic strategies and drugs for BPSD. Methods Semi-structured interviews analyzed via template, immersion and crystallization, and thematic development of 26 PCPs (16 family practice, 10 general internal medicine) in full time primary-care practice for at least 3 years in Northwestern Virginia. Results PCPs described 4 major themes regarding BPSD management: (1) nonpharmacologic methods have substantial barriers; (2) medication use is not constrained by those barriers and is perceived as easy, efficacious, reasonably safe, and appropriate; (3) pharmacologic policies decrease the use of targeted medications, including antipsychotics, but also have unintended consequences such as increased use of alternative risky medications; and (4) PCPs need practical evidence-based guidelines for all aspects of BPSD management. Conclusions PCPs continue to prescribe medications because they meet patient-oriented goals and because PCPs perceive drugs, including antipsychotics and their alternatives, to be more effective and less dangerous than evidence suggests. To optimally treat BPSD, PCPs need supportive verified prescribing guidelines and access to nonpharmacologic modalities that are as affordable, available, and efficacious as drugs; these require and deserve significant additional research and payer support. Community PCPs should be included in BPSD policy and guideline development.
Silicon Membrane Thickness Monitoring System based on Optical Sensing

In the fabrication of MEMS (Microelectromechanical Systems) devices, it is frequently needed to precisely monitor and control the thickness of silicon membrane during the etching process. In this paper, a simple and effective silicon membrane thickness in-situ monitoring system based on optical sensing is reported. It utilizes light absorption to monitor silicon membrane thickness during wet etching. By measuring the light intensity loss passing through the silicon membrane, its thickness can be derived. The proposed method is contactless, non-destructive, and it allows continuing thickness monitoring during the etching process. By combining it with Arduino microcontroller, it would allow real-time monitoring and smart control of the target membrane thickness in the etching process during MEMS device fabrication.
Constituent Quark Models of Baryon Structure and Strong Decays

An introduction is given to the nonrelativistic quark model of baryon structure and strong decays, with an eye towards understanding the results of analyses of πN elastic scattering and single-pion photoproduction. This is followed by a brief survey of methods used to incorporate relativity into the model.
Combining Electroconvulsive Therapy and Drugs

Clinical experience indicates that the concurrent use of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) and some psychoactive drugs is safe. With the exception of caffeine to prolong ECT seizure duration, no agent reliably enhances the efficacy of ECT.
Heavy metal and volatile organic chemical removal and treatment in on-site wastewater systems

In Wisconsin, motor vehicle waste fluids (MVWF) enter catch basins along with rinse waters and are discharged to drainfields (soil absorption systems) after mixing with domestic wastewater in a septic tank (systems installed prior to 1992). The purpose of this study was to determine if removal/treatment of heavy metals and volatile organic chemicals (VOCs) found in spent oils, greases, and solvents occurs in drainfields that receive MVWFs. Soil samples were collected beneath and soil gas samples were collected above three gravel beds in drainfields installed in loamy sand or silt loam soils. Cadmium, chromium, and lead concentrations in soil 15 cm and greater beneath beds in loamy sand and silt loam soils were similar to background concentrations. Heavy metals in drainfields would most likely be found in the clogging layer at the infiltrative surface of gravel and soil. The VOCs 1,3,5-trimethylbenzene and m- and p-xylenes were found beneath beds in loamy sand soils; concentrations of detected VOCs ranged from 20–270 mg kg−1. Volatile organic chemicals were not detected beneath the bed in silt loam soils. Drainfields in loamy sand soil appear to provide less treatment of VOCs compared to drainfields in silt loam soils. Volatile organic chemicals were found in soil gas above drainfields in both soil types. Thus, some VOCs diffuse from the drainfield to the soil surface.
Non-sugar sweeteners and health.

The weight of evidence hints at benefits, but the full picture has yet to emerge There is much public and scientific interest in whether foods and beverages containing non-sugar sweeteners (NSS)—which contain few or no calories—should be recommended as a strategy to reduce consumption of free sugars, particularly sugar sweetened beverages. However, inconsistent research findings and potential safety concerns have hampered official guidance.1 To clarify the benefits and harms of NSS consumption and to inform WHO guidance, Toews and colleagues conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis evaluating the effect of NSS intake on a broad range of health outcomes in adults and children (doi:10.1136/bmj.k4718).2 They included 56 interventional and observational studies, making this review the most comprehensive on this topic so far. Among adults, findings from the few trials comparing NSS intake with sugar intake suggested small improvements in body mass index and fasting concentrations of blood glucose favouring NSS. Among children, NSS intake led to a smaller increase in body mass index z score than sugar intake, but NSS made no difference to body weight. For most other outcomes, no statistically …
Comparative analysis of Four sample-to-answer influenza A/B and RSV nucleic acid amplification assays using adult respiratory specimens.

Abstract Background The use of Sample-to-answer (STA) platforms for the detection of influenza A/B and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) have greatly improved patient care. These diagnostic assays based on nucleic acid amplification are rapid, accurate and relatively easy to perform. Objectives We compared four such platforms for detecting FluA, FluB, and RSV from adult respiratory specimens: Hologic Panther Fusion® Flu A/B/RSV (Fusion), Cobas® Influenza A/B & RSV (Liat), Luminex Aries® Flu A/B & RSV (Aries), and Diasorin SimplexaTM Flu A/B & RSV (Simplexa). Study Design Nasopharyngeal (NP) swabs (n = 224) from adults were tested on these platforms and results were compared to Center for Disease Control and Prevention recommended real-time RT-PCR assay for influenza A/B and RSV. Subtyping for FluA and FluB was performed for discrepant analysis where applicable. Results Of the 82 FluA, 26 FluB, 15 RSV-positive specimens tested, the positive and negative percentage agreements (PPA and NPA respectively) for FluA detection were 100/100 (Fusion), 95.1/100 (Liat), 92.5/100 (Aries), and 84.1/99.3 (Simplexa); PPA and NPA for FluB detection were 92.3/99.5 (Fusion), 96/99.5 (Liat), 100/99.5 (Aries), and 80.8/100 (Simplexa); and for RSV detection were 100/100 (Fusion), 100/100 (Liat), 88.6/99.5 (Aries), and 73.3/100 (Simplexa). 82 confirmed FluA included 23 pH1N1 and 57 H3N2 strains with 2 strains remaining untyped. Of the 26 confirmed FluB, 25 were of the Yamagata lineage and 1 of unknown lineage. Conclusion Only 2 STA platforms demonstrated >95% PPA for the detection of all three targets while all the 4 platforms demonstrated >95% NPA for FluA, FluB and RSV.
Heartbeat: oxygen transport close to and far from the ventricle in heart failure.

In patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction, impaired oxygen delivery to peripheral muscles is blunted due to left ventricular systolic dysfunction with a reduced stroke volume reserve during exercise. Hearon and colleagues1 hypothesised that patients with heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) also might have impaired oxygen delivery and utilisation (V02 kinetics) in response to increased skeletal muscle metabolic demands during exercise. In a series of 19 patients with HFpEF, compared to 18 control subjects, there were markedly slower rates of maximal oxygen utilisation due to impaired peripheral oxygen extraction, despite a normal increase in submaximal cardiac output with exercise (figure 1). The authors suggest that impaired peripheral oxygen utilisation might be a target for therapy in patients with HFpEF. Figure 1 (A) Representative breath-by-breath ventilatory oxygen uptake kinetics in a HFpEF patient (blue) and a healthy control subject (black). Breath-by-breath oxygen utilisation (VO2) was measured during submaximal treadmill exercise, interpolated linearly at 1 s intervals and fitted using on-transient monoexponential curve fitting. (B) Mean response curves for controls HFpEF patients and HFpEF patients stratified by mean response time (MRT) modelled using group average amplitude (Δ VO2=steady state VO2 – baseline VO2) and MRT, defined as the exponential time constant of VO2 onset kinetics, which reflects the time needed for oxygen uptake to rise to~63% of steady state VO2. HFpEF, heart failure with preserved ejection fraction. In the aptly titled editorial ‘Package delivered, message not received’, Borlaug2 concludes that ‘there are …
Fact-Checking and Truth-Telling in an Age of Alternative Facts

In an age of alternative facts, fact-checking has become almost second nature to critical thinkers who are concerned with the consequences of post-truth for the future of democracy. Drawing primarily on the work of Hannah Arendt and secondarily on that of Michel Foucault, this essay questions fact-checking as a democratic world-building practice and argues for forms of truth-telling that do not fall prey to Western philosophical conceptions of absolute truth and its hostility to plurality, opinion, and contingency.
Disparities in Amputation Rates for Non-metastatic Extremity Soft Tissue Sarcomas and the Impact on Survival.

There are no definitive recommendations guiding amputation use in extremity soft tissue sarcomas (STSs). This study explores disparities in amputation rates and survival in patients with non-metastatic adult-type extremity STSs. Patients with non-metastatic adult-type extremity STSs were identified from the 1998–2012 National Cancer Database. Factors affecting amputation were examined across all ages and separately in adults (> 40 years), adolescent/young adults (AYA: ages 15–39), and children (age < 15). Impact on 10-year overall survival (OS) was explored. Of 15,886 patients, 4.65% had an amputation. AYAs had the most amputations (6.4%) compared to children (5.9%) and adults (4.2%) (p < 0.001). Patients with public insurance (OR 1.3, CI 1.08–1.58) and from central states (OR 1.5, CI 1.2–1.86) were more likely to undergo amputation, whereas those from high income brackets (OR 0.8, CI 0.62–0.94) and treated at community cancer centers were less likely (OR 0.7, CI 0.62–0.90). Amputation was an independent risk factor for death at 10 years, with the greatest impact in AYAs compared to older adults (HR 1.7, p < 0.001). Treatment in eastern or central states, lower income, lack of private insurance, and comorbidities were all associated with decreased OS (all p < 0.05). Female gender (HR 0.8, CI 0.78–0.89) and high-volume centers (HR 0.8, CI 0.74–0.94) were associated with improved OS. Although amputations for extremity STSs are rare, disparities exist across age groups, insurance and geography when it comes to the use of amputation in patients with extremity STSs. Moreover, having an amputation is an independent risk factor for death, with the greatest impact in AYAs.
Lessons Learned from Large-Scale Aerospace Structural Testing

Large-scale testing of aerospace structures is frequently the final step in a development project to validate the structural performance, and that typically involves a large cost and time investment. In order to ensure that the testing provides the required data, avoiding errors that can result in an unsuccessful test and failure to meet objectives is critical. Presented herein are five lessons learned to provide insight to those conducting tests in order to help them avoid known pitfalls that may result in an unsuccessful test. Five subject large-scale tests are described, and include two composite wing tests, a composite hybrid-wing body center section test, a full-scale 27.5-ft diameter metallic barrel test, and an 8-ft diameter metallic barrel test. Problems identified during the testing and mitigation approaches to solve the problems are presented, then the lessons learned are summarized.
Development of a culturally sensitive narrative intervention to promote genetic counseling among African American women at risk for hereditary breast cancer.

Background African American women with hereditary breast cancer risk are less likely to undergo genetic counseling and testing compared with non-Hispanic White women. Inequities in the use of precision cancer care are likely to exacerbate racial disparities in cancer outcomes. A culturally sensitive multimedia narrative intervention was developed to motivate African American women at risk for hereditary breast cancer to engage in genetic counseling. Methods Development of the intervention was grounded in the Integrative Model of Behavioral Prediction using a phenomenological, deductive approach and employed multiple qualitative methods for data collection, including 1-on-1 interviews and story circles with members of the target audience to identify salient themes and lived experiences. Focus group testing was then conducted with members of the group of focus, primary care providers, and community stakeholders. Results Six themes that mapped to the theoretical model were identified. Lived experiences were abstracted from story circle data to create a narrative storyline. Educational content and motivational messaging derived from the 6 themes were embedded into the script. Focus group testing with stakeholder groups was used to refine the intervention. Testing of the final multimedia narrative with focus groups indicated that the intervention was culturally sensitive and authentic, and the messaging was effective. Conclusions Multiple qualitative data collection methods and a robust theoretical framework of health behavior were key elements for this study to develop a culturally sensitive, narrative intervention that reflects lived experiences and motivates underserved African American women with hereditary breast cancer risk to engage in genetic counseling. This strategy can be applied to mitigate racial inequities in the use of other genomic approaches for personalizing cancer care.
Pediatric Single-Sided Deafness: A Review of Prevalence, Radiologic Findings, and Cochlear Implant Candidacy.

Objective:To characterize the prevalence, imaging characteristics, and cochlear implant candidacy of pediatric patients with single-sided deafness (SSD).Methods:An audiometric database of patients ...
The Developing World Since 1951: PPP Income, Catching-Up/Falling Behind, and No Growth

The author has recently, defining a catch-up index, growth as catching-up, and deriving an equation for years for absolute convergence, shown Sub-Saharan Africa has fallen behind sharply and, even considering India’s population-weight, South Asia has barely shown any growth since 1951 (growing at 0.16% rate giving 1642 years for convergence). This paper extends the analysis to all developing countries and distinguishes catch-up of a country’s income from absolute poverty and global inter-personal distribution of income on grounds country of residence matters. It shows the developing world (excluding China and one/two countries) consisting of 99/100 countries with 3.9/4.0b. population has not shown any growth since either 1951 or 1971; and its incomes have diverged continuously. It opines that to qualify as economic growth, one should look at data for longer than 20 years: Of the 30 best performers during 1991-2010, ten fell-behind and eight did not catch-up faster than 0.5% annually when their performance is examined over longer periods. If data for 12 excluded countries were available, conclusions would likely be worse.
Benzothiazolyl and Benzoxazolyl Hydrazones Function as Zinc Metallochaperones to Reactivate Mutant p53.

We identified a set of thiosemicarbazone (TSC) metal ion chelators that reactivate specific zinc-deficient p53 mutants using a mechanism called zinc metallochaperones (ZMCs) that restore zinc bindi...
Determinants of hepatitis B and delta virus host tropism.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) infections are a global health problem afflicting approximately 360 million patients. Of these individuals, 15–20 million are co-infected with hepatitis delta virus (HDV). Progress toward curative therapies has been impeded by the highly restricted host tropism of HBV, which is limited to productive infections in humans and chimpanzees. Here, we will discuss different approaches that have been taken to study HBV and HDV infections in vivo. The development of transgenic and humanized mice has lead to deeper insights into HBV pathogenesis. An improved understanding of the determinants governing HBV and HDV species tropism will aid in the construction of a small animal model with inheritable susceptible to HBV/HDV.
Underuse and underreporting of smoking cessation for smokers with a new urologic cancer diagnosis

Abstract Background Urothelial carcinoma of the bladder (UCB) or upper urinary tract (UCUT) and renal cell carcinoma (RCC) are smoking-related genitourinary (GU) malignancies. A new diagnosis of smoking-related GU cancer is an opportunity when smoking cessation interventions may have increased effectiveness. Underuse or underreporting of cessation tools in this setting represents potential for quality improvement. We estimated the use of smoking cessation in new smoking-related GU cancer visits based on billing claims. Methods From MarketScan data, over 34 million enrollees aged 18 to 65 years, calendar years 2007 to 2011, were screened for billing codes for index UCB/UCUT or RCC and tobacco use disorder. Qualifying individuals were assessed for claims-based pharmacologic or counseling smoking cessation interventions in the 12 months following diagnosis using Current Procedural Terminology (CPT) codes and International Classification of Diseases Ninth Revision (ICD-9) codes. Multivariable logistic regression identified factors associated with smoking cessation intervention. Results From over 111,453 incident cancers, 5,777 smokers with tobacco-related GU malignancy were identified by billing claims (40% UCB, 46% RCC, 4.2% UCUT, and 9.8% multiple cancers). Claims for intervention were rare (5.3%). Among intervention recipients, 240 (80%) had UCB and 92% had claims for either counseling or medications, only 8% had both. Most claims-based interventions (61%) were within 3 months after GU cancer diagnosis. On multivariable analysis UCB was associated increased odds of claims-based intervention (odds ratio [OR] = 6.27; 95% CI: 4.57–8.60) compared with UCUT and RCC. Other significant factors included more comorbidities (Charlson score = 1, OR = 1.50, 95% CI: 1.06–2.13; Charlson score≥2, OR = 1.89, 95% CI: 1.19–3.02 compared with Charlson score = 0) and diagnosis in the latter half of the study period (OR = 1.30, 95% CI: 1.02–1.67 compared with earlier years). Conclusions Although a new diagnosis of a smoking-related GU malignancy diagnosis offers greater opportunity for provider-driven smoking cessation, timely multimodal claims-based cessation interventions are underreported or underused.
Low energy cosmic ray studies from a lunar base

Studies of cosmic ray nuclei with energies ≲7 GeV/nucleon in low Earth orbit are hampered by the geomagnetic field. Even in high inclination orbits these effects can be significant. The lunar surface (or lunar orbit) provides an attractive site for carrying out low energy cosmic ray studies which require large detectors. The rationale and requirements for this type of experiment are described.
The Isolation and Characterization of a Mucopolysaccharide Secreted by the Snail, Otella lactea

Abstract We have investigated the chemical and physical properties of a sulfated mucopolysaccharide isolated from the mucus secreted by a snail, Otella lactea. The material, after digestion with Pronase and fractionation with cetylpyridinium chloride, appeared to be reasonably homogeneous. Sedimentation-viscosity studies indicated a molecular weight of about 900,000 while equilibrium sedimentation gave a value of 750,000. Component sugars were identified as glucosamine and l-iduronic acid. The dry weight of the material could be almost entirely accounted for by glucosamine, l-iduronic acid, acetyl and sulfate groups, of which the relative molar ratios were approximately 1:1.5:1:1.
Xanthines (Caffeine) and Nicotine

This chapter deals with the most culturally accepted legal drugs. As might be expected, these relatively mild (per usual dose) and highly attractive psychoactive substances have the widest use in our society. Despite the relatively benign effects that can be expected at low doses, the high prevalence of use results in frequent morbidity and (for tobacco) even a high level of mortality. These substances are discussed here because of the interaction between their use and various psychiatric disorders, as well as because of medical complaints that can be seen in emergency settings. The chapter first deals with the xanthines, including caffeine, and then goes on to a discussion of nicotine.
Detectors for Small-Animal SPECT II

Indirect imaging systems such as SPECT have three essential components: an image-forming element, an image detector, and a reconstruction algorithm. These components act together to transfer information about the object to the end user or observer, which can be a human or a computer algorithm. As we shall see in Chapter 5, the efficacy of this information transfer can be quantified and used as a figure or merit for the overall imaging system or for any component of it. Fundamentally, image quality is defined by the ability of some observer to perform some task of medical or scientific interest.
The Origins of Banana-Fibre Cloth in the Ryukus, Japan

Reviewed Medium: book Authors: Katrien Hendrickx Year: 2007 Pages: 336 Publisher: Leuven University Press ISBN: 978-90-5867-614-6 (soft cover). Prices: $42.95 USD(soft cover).
Mountain Rebels: East Tennessee Confederates and the Civil War, 1860-1870

Mountain Rebels: East Tennessee Confederates and the Civil War, 18601870. By W. Todd Groce. (Knoxville: University of Tennessee Press, 1999. Pp. xviii, 218. Preface, illustrations, maps, tables, notes, bibliography, index. $28.00.) Civil War Tennessee, like other border states (including Arkansas), was deeply divided in sentiment between Federal and Confederate loyalties. On the whole, secessionists dominated the western and central sections of the state, while East Tennessee remained staunchly Unionist. In each region, of course, there existed a sizable minority opposition, and this was especially true in East Tennessee. W. Todd Groce, in his well-written and scholarly Mountain Rebels: East Tennessee Confederates and the Civil War, 1860-1870, has examined this forgotten Confederate minority, observing that "the Confederate experience of East Tennessee was distinctive, if not unique, differing not only in degree but also in kind from that of other Southerners" (p. 153). According to Groce, the executive director of the Georgia Historical Society, these East Tennessee rebels were reluctant warriors, motivated to arms by economic and political self-interest, and were never fully accepted (or trusted) by Confederate authorities in Richmond. After the war, they returned home only to experience a reign of terror and intimidation on the part of a hostile Unionist population. In all, Groce gracefully intertwines social, economic, political, and military history to answer three basic questions: "Who were the secessionists of East Tennessee? Why did they chose separation over union? What happened to them during and after the war that had made them so invisible to us today?" (p. xvi). In analyzing the identity of these secessionists, the author draws extensively on primary sources-including government reports, newspapers, and diaries-to render a very detailed and convincing portrait of rebel leadership in East Tennessee. Presenting a collective profile of one hundred high-ranking Confederate officers from the region, Groce concludes that East Tennessee Confederates were, typically, slave owning, Democratic city-dwellers who came from the commercial and professional ranks. They were younger and wealthier than their Unionist neighbors. Integrated into the southern economy and culture after the completion of the East Tennessee and Virginia Railroad in 1858, these East Tennessee townspeople soon became oriented toward the states of the future Confederacy. Indeed, East Tennessee secessionists chose separation over union because of the economic benefits reaped from a profitable trade with the Deep South. Groce also considered East Tennessee service in the Confederacy, observing that "no more than 25,000 East Tennesseans (or 13. …
Social Learning Theory and Health Education

(1981). Social Learning Theory and Health Education. Health Education: Vol. 12, No. 3, pp. 14-18.
The VATER Association.

The VATER association is a group of congenital anomalies with a nonrandom tendency for concurrence. Defects include vertebral, vascular, anorectal malformation, tracheoesophageal fistula with esophageal atresia, radial-limb, and renal abnormalities. The critical period of organogenesis is at or before the sixth or seventh week of gestation. The VATER association is important in the evaluation of newborns with major congenital anomalies.
Ion transport across the jejunum in normal and cystic fibrosis mice

Cystic fibrosis (CF) mice created by targeted disruption of the murine cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator gene lack adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP)-mediated Cl- secreti...
Sex and Politics at the Close of the Twentieth Century: A Feminist Looks Back at the Clinton Impeachment and the Thomas Confirmation Hearings

Examines the feminist response the the Clinton-Lewinsky sex scandal and the allegations of sexual harassment made against Justice Clarence Thomas by Anita Hill during his Senate confirmation hearings in 1991.
INCONGRUOUS IMAGES: “BEFORE, DURING, AND AFTER” THE HOLOCAUST1

When historians, archivists, and museologists turn to Eastern European photos from family albums or collections—for example, photos from the decades preceding the Holocaust and the early years of the Second World War—they seek visual evidence or illustrations of the past. But photographs may refuse to fit expected narratives and interpretations, revealing both more and less than we expect. Focusing on photos of Jews taken on the main avenues of Cernauti, Romania, before the Second World War and during the city's occupation by Fascist Romanians and their Nazi-German allies, this essay shows how a close reading of these vernacular images, both for what they show and what they are unable to show, can challenge the "before, during, and after" timeline that, in Holocaust historiography, we have come to accept as a given.
Transgenic models for the study of lung biology and disease

Transgenic models provide a means of understanding the molecular mechanisms for the temporal, spatial, and stimulus-responsive regulation of gene expression in vivo and importantly the pathophysiological consequences of the altered expression of a normal or mutated gene. To facilitate the application of transgenic models in lung research, this review describes several practical considerations in generation of transgenic mice. The potential of transgenic models in lung research is also illustrated by depicting the current models in lung research including those for understanding lung gene regulation, tumorigenesis, mutation detection, antioxidant defense, emphysema, fibrosis, and hypertension. The impact of important new development of producing transgenic mice carrying large fragments of DNA contained in yeast artificial chromosomes to achieve proper control of transgene expression and gene targeting technology is also discussed. It is anticipated that transgenic models will provide invaluable information in future lung research.
Mechanism of nitroalkane oxidase: 2. pH and kinetic isotope effects

Nitroalkane oxidase catalyzes the oxidation of nitroalkanes to aldehydes or ketones with production of nitrite and hydrogen peroxide. pH and kinetic isotope effects with [1, 1-(2)H(2)]nitroethane have been used to study the mechanism of this enzyme. The V/K(ne) pH profile is bell-shaped. A group with a pK(a) value of about 7 must be unprotonated and one with a pK(a) value of 9.5 must be protonated for catalysis. The lower pK(a) value is seen also in the pK(is) profile for the competitive inhibitor valerate, indicating that nitroethane has no significant external commitments to catalysis. The (D)(V/K)(ne) value is pH-independent with a value of 7.5, whereas the (D)V(max) value increases from 1.4 at pH 8.2 to a limiting value of 7.4 below pH 5. The V(max) pH profile decreases at low and high pH, with pK(a) values of 6.6 and 9.5, respectively. Imidazole, which activates the enzyme, affects the V(max) but not the V/K(ne) pH profile. In the presence of imidazole at pH 7 the (D)V(max) value increases to a value close to the intrinsic value, consistent with cleavage of the carbon-hydrogen bond of the substrate being fully rate-limiting for catalysis in the presence of imidazole.
Density-functional study of the Luttinger liquid behavior of the lithium molybdenum purple bronze Li 0.9 Mo 6 O 17

Using density-functional calculations, we study the electronic structure of the purple bronze ${\mathrm{Li}}_{0.9}{\mathrm{Mo}}_{6}{\mathrm{O}}_{17}$, which has been proposed to be a paradigm system for the Luttinger liquid behavior. Our results show that the quasi-one-dimensional (1D) electron bands crossing the Fermi energy originate from the Mo atoms on the double zigzag chains with predominant Mo $({d}_{xy})$ character and a Fermi surface that consists of two slightly warped planes, normal to the direction of the zigzag chains. The overall shape and dispersion of the bands as well as the calculated Fermi surface nesting vector are in excellent agreement with recent photoemission measurements. From constrained density-functional calculations of the Coulomb interactions and the calculated Fermi velocity, we estimate the values for the characteristic parameters of the Luttinger liquid, viz., the ratio of the spin-charge velocities to be ${v}_{\ensuremath{\rho}}∕{v}_{s}\ensuremath{\approx}1.8$ and the anomalous dimension characterizing the Fermi surface discontinuity to be $\ensuremath{\alpha}\ensuremath{\approx}0.6$. The general agreement of these values with experiments further strengthens the case for the lithium molybdenum purple bronze as a Luttinger liquid.
Copper(I) coordination chemistry of (pyridylmethyl)amide ligands.

Copper(I) chloro complexes were synthesized with a family of ligands, HLR [HLR = N-(2-pyridylmethyl)acetamide, R = null; 2-phenyl-N-(2-pyridylmethyl)acetamide, R = Ph; 2,2-dimethyl-N-(2-pyridylmeth...
Tumorigenic effect of 4-methylphenylhydrazine hydrochloride in Swiss mice.

4-Methylphenylhydrazine hydrochloride was administered as 10 weekly subcutaneous injections of 140 μg/g body weight and as 7 weekly intragastric instillations of 250 μg/g body weight in physiological saline to randomly bred Swiss mice. Treatments given subcutaneously resulted in induction of lung tumors in incidences of 36% in females and 44% in males, while intragastric treatment caused a 40% incidence in females. In addition, it gave rise to blood vessel tumors by intragastric route in incidences of 32% in females and 18% in males. In the two physiological saline-treated control groups, the lung tumor incidence (combined) was 20% in females and 21% in males, while the blood vessel tumor incidence (combined) was 7% in females and 6% in males. Histopathologically, the lesions were classified as adenomas and adenocarcinomas of the lungs, and angiomas and angiosarcomas of blood vessels.