cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An integrated reconstruction of recent forest dynamics in a New England cultural landscape

Broad-scale patterns of vegetation response to three centuries of human disturbance in the northeastern United States are well understood, but stand-scale (0.1–10 ha) interactions between land-use history and the ecological processes underlying these patterns are not. Enduring legacies of land-use history, though pervasive in modern forests, are not always obvious or intuitive, particularly in the regenerating stands that cover most of the region. Focusing on a second-growth, post-agricultural landscape in Petersham, Massachusetts, this study integrates (i) a stand-scale sedimentary pollen and charcoal record, (ii) survey and dendroecological data from the surrounding forest, and (iii) analysis of historical documents describing site-specific ownership and land use history. We demonstrate the strength of this multifaceted approach to vegetation reconstruction on sites with long land-use histories that are typical of the modern landscape. We infer that periods of low and high intensity agriculture commenced around 1760 and 1850, respectively, and that the agricultural era was initiated and terminated by episodes of increased fire. Dendroecological data corroborate deed records and suggest that a portion of the forest regenerated and was used for small-scale timber production during the mid to late 1800s. Most of the forest established in the early 1900s, after which time the greatest disturbance was Cryphonectria parasitica (chestnut blight) induced mortality of Castanea dentata (American chestnut) and replacement by Betula (birch) species. This study highlights the potential to expand integrated historical ecological research into landscapes with lengthy histories of human disturbance and underscores the potential of this research to generate data with spatial and temporal resolution relevant to management and conservation efforts.
A T-Shaped Three-Coordinate Nickel(I) Carbonyl Complex and the Geometric Preferences of Three-Coordinate d9 Complexes

A three-coordinate diketiminate-nickel(I) complex with a carbonyl ligand has been characterized using EPR and IR spectroscopies and X-ray crystallography. The T geometry (bending from the sterically favored C(2)(v)() structure) contrasts with that of isosteric d(9) copper(II) complexes. DFT calculations on a truncated model reproduce experimental geometries, implying that the geometric differences are electronic in nature. Analysis of the charge distribution in the complexes shows that the geometry of the three-coordinate d(9) complexes is affected by differential charge donation of the ligands to the metal center.
Web Services Based Multi-data Centers Knowledge Sharing for Autonomic Problem Determination and Remediation

With the proliferation of Web services as a business solution to enterprise application integration, rapid utilization of information and software functions from heterogeneous sources becomes possible. However, most autonomic problem and remediation systems focus on and are confined only to the environment and knowledge of the data centers they are managing, limiting their knowledge bases and therefore their ability to effectively and accurately determine these problems and suggest a solution. In this paper, we propose and describe a Web services based system that enables the mutual sharing of knowledge among data centers and external entities. We also show how a collective practice for information sharing and distributing tasks into manageable pieces, managed by an intelligent mediator and accessible via Web services, can improve problem determination.
The Relationship Between Cognitive Function and Physical Performance in Older Women: Results From the Women’s Health Initiative Memory Study

MULTIPLE studies have established relationships between cognitive function and muscle-based physical performance in older adults. Longitudinal relationships between cognitive function and physical performance in older adults have been demonstrated in three ways: (a) cognitive measures as predictors of physical performance decline (1–7), (b) physical measures as predictors of cognitive decline or persistent cognitive impairment (8–13), and (c) concurrent declines in cognitive and physical measures (6,7,10,14). An important unanswered question is whether one direction of longitudinal association is more consistent, and the prior studies are limited in addressing this question because they only focus on one or two of the above types of predictive models. Understanding the dominant direction of association would be helpful in understanding mechanisms and planning interventions to slow declines in both cognitive and physical domains. We hypothesized that on average, cognitive function decrements would precede or co-occur with declines in physical performance more consistently than physical performance decrements would precede declines in cognitive function. Three main mechanisms make this hypothesis biologically plausible. First, cognitive function is likely to be equally or more sensitive to degenerative insults to the brain than to the motor function. This is supported by the observation that many individuals with dementia continue to ambulate even into more severe stages of cognitive impairment (15). Second, older adults may rely on cognitive processes to perform simple physical performance tasks, as evidenced by a recent functional magnetic resonance imaging study (fMRI) (16). Therefore, declines in cognitive function over time might be expected to precede or co-occur with decreased physical performance because of greater reliance on cognition for physical performance. Third, because decreased motivation may accompany deficits in cognitive function, this may lead to further declines in physical performance due to decreased physical activity over time. The purpose of the present study was to explore the longitudinal relationship between cognitive and physical performance by utilizing three approaches to the association in a cohort of older women participating in the Women’s Health Initiative Memory Study (WHIMS). Utilizing 6 years of repeated measures of cognitive function and physical performance, we compare baseline cognitive function as a predictor of physical performance change, baseline physical performance as a predictor of cognitive change, and change in cognitive function as a predictor of change in physical performance.
Introduction to Survival Analysis

This introduction to survival analysis gives a descriptive overview of the data analytic approach called survival analysis. This approach includes the type of problem addressed by survival analysis, the outcome variable considered, the need to take into account “censored data,” what a survival function and a hazard function represent, basic data layouts for a survival analysis, the goals of survival analysis, and some examples of survival analysis.
Nanoelectromechanical systems: Potential, progress, & projections

Nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS) represent the next regime of size reduction beyond the microscale for mechanical devices. In their tiniest, ultimate realization, NEMS will be formed with sub-nanometer scale precision from atomic- and molecular-scale mechanical elements as first envisaged by Feynman (1). Although nanowire and nanotube based NEMS today verge on this domain, their assembly into functional devices remains more of an art than a science, as they are typically fabricated one-by-one by complicated means with low yield. By contrast, the most robust forms of NEMS are currently patterned by top-down methods; in fact their production is now being scaled to enable large-scale integration over 200 mm wafers with minimum feature sizes that are below 50 nm. In this paper I will describe how nanoscale mechanical elements provide benefits beyond the obvious, that is, benefits in addition to the possibility of increased device density. The reduced size of NEMS enables mechanical functionality that completely transcends what is possible at the microscale with MEMS (2). However, size reduction to the nanoscale may not be a panacea for all applications - for some applications larger may still be better!
Mining temporal patterns of movement for video content classification

Scalable approaches to video content classification are limited by an inability to automatically generate representations of events that encode abstract temporal structure. This paper presents a method in which temporal information is captured by representing events using a lexicon of hierarchical patterns of movement that are mined from large corpora of unannotated video data. These patterns are then used as features for a discriminative model of event classification that exploits tree kernels in a Support Vector Machine. Evaluations show the method learns informative patterns on a 1450-hour video corpus of natural human activities recorded in the home.
Quantitative comparison of the dynamic flow waveform changes in 12 ruptured and 29 unruptured ICA–ophthalmic artery aneurysms

Introduction Studies have reported a correlation between blood flow dynamics in the cardiac cycle and vascular diseases, but research to analyze the dynamic changes of flow in cerebral aneurysms is limited. This quantitative study investigates the temporal changes in flow during a cardiac cycle (flow waveform) in different regions of aneurysms and their association with aneurysm rupture.
Compact routing schemes with improved stretch

We consider the problem of compact routing in weighted general undirected graphs, in which the goal is to construct local routing tables that allow information to be sent on short paths in the network. In this paper the first improvement to the work of Thorup and Zwick [SPAA'01] is presented. Specifically, we construct an improved routing scheme obtaining for every k routing tables of size O(n1/k log D), and stretch (4 -- α)k -- β for some absolute constants α, β > 0, where D is the normalized diameter. This provides a positive answer to a main open question in this area as to the existence of a routing scheme with stretch c • k for some constant c
Pediatric sleep questionnaire (PSQ): validity and reliability of scales for sleep-disordered breathing, snoring, sleepiness, and behavioral problems.

Objective: To develop and validate questionnaire scales that can be used in research to investigate the presence of childhood SRBDs and prominent symptom complexes, including snoring, daytime sleepiness, and related behavioral disturbances. Background: Obstructive sleep-related breathing disorders (SRBDs) are common but usually undiagnosed among children. Methods to help identify SRBDs without the expense of polysomnography could greatly facilitate clinical and epidemiological research. Methods: Subjects were children aged 2‐18 years who had polysomnographically-confirmed SRBDs (na 54) or appointments at either of two general pediatrics clinics (na 108). Parents completed a Pediatric Sleep Questionnaire which contained items under consideration for inclusion in desired scales. Results: Item reduction, based on data from a randomly selected 50% of the subjects (group A), produced a 22-item SRBD score that was strongly associated with diagnosis of an SRBD (P , 0:0001) in a logistic regression model that accounted for age and gender. Diagnosis was also strongly associated with subscores for snoring (four items, P , 0:0001), sleepiness (four items, Pa 0:0003), and behavior (six items, P , 0:0001) among group A subjects. The scales performed similarly well among group B subjects, and among subjects of different ages and gender. In group A and B subjects, respectively, a selected criterion SRBD score produced a sensitivity of 0.85 and 0.81; a specificity of 0.87 and 0.87; and a correct classification for 86 and 85% of subjects. The scales showed good internal consistency and, in a separate sample (na 21), good test-retest stability. Conclusions: These scales for childhood SRBDs, snoring, sleepiness, and behavior are valid and reliable instruments that can be used to identify SRBDs or associated symptom-constructs in clinical research when polysomnography is not feasible. q 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Women, Their Significant Others, and Crack Cocaine

The 1993 National Household Survey showed that 54,000 African American women bad smoked crack cocaine at least once in the previous month; for the first time, a larger percentage of African America...
Accuracy of Self-Monitoring of Blood Glucose: Impact on Diabetes Management Decisions During Pregnancy

PURPOSEThis study tested the hypothesis that the accuracy of self-monitoring of blood glucose (SMBG) values of patients with diabetes during pregnancy deviates substantially from reference values.METHODSThe patients' glucose values were measured on 6 different SMBG meters; reference values were from the HemoCue B Glucose Analyzer. Over a 5-year period, 1973 comparisons between SMBG values and reference values were recorded during clinic visits and used for this study. Data were analyzed for percent of values that varied more than ±10.5% and ±15.5% from the reference value. Out-of-range data at each variance level were analyzed to determine the impact on medical management if decisions were based solely on SMBG values.RESULTSOne third of SMBG readings deviated significantly, which could adversely affect treatment for half of these patients if diabetes management was based on SMBG values. At the 10.5% deviation level, 34% of SMBG meter readings were out of range; 54% of these would have implied erroneous tr...
Secondary structure determines protein topology

Using a test set of 13 small, compact proteins, we demonstrate that a remarkably simple protocol can capture native topology from secondary structure information alone, in the absence of long-range interactions. It has been a long-standing open question whether such information is sufficient to determine a protein's fold. Indeed, even the far simpler problem of reconstructing the three-dimensional structure of a protein from its exact backbone torsion angles has remained a difficult challenge owing to the small, but cumulative, deviations from ideality in backbone planarity, which, if ignored, cause large errors in structure. As a familiar example, a small change in an elbow angle causes a large displacement at the end of your arm; the longer the arm, the larger the displacement. Here, correct secondary structure assignments (α-helix, β-strand, β-turn, polyproline II, coil) were used to constrain polypeptide backbone chains devoid of side chains, and the most stable folded conformations were determined, using Monte Carlo simulation. Just three terms were used to assess stability: molecular compaction, steric exclusion, and hydrogen bonding. For nine of the 13 proteins, this protocol restricts the main chain to a surprisingly small number of energetically favorable topologies, with the native one prominent among them.
New Priorities for Philanthropy

The events of September 11 have forced institutions to reexamine their priorities and practices. Yet the first world war of the twenty-first century has left many wondering if there truly is a war, and what, if anything, different is demanded of them. The philanthropic sector in particular has not changed significantly, and it continues to struggle with fundamental concerns about its directions. If September 11 and its aftermath are to mean anything to philanthropy other than emergency relief, it must be a recognition that now is the time to tackle the problems and tensions that were ignored before the attacks. For nearly a year, philanthropy as a sector has not rallied behind this call for longer-term reform. Philanthropy should take up these tasks, no matter how daunting they may be, for if foundations do not lead the effort, it may be left to the governments and the militaries of the world to respond on their own.
Forced Random Parametric Vibration in Single-Degree-of-Freedom Systems

Linear systems with random properties subjected to stochastic loading are difficult to analyze by conventional means, and most analysts simply ignore the random property contribution to the system response. The relative importance of the random property effects in the system response under a variety of conditions is examined. Toward this end, a random matrix technique is proposed that is more flexible and more computationally efficient than conventional approaches when dealing with this class of problem. This technique, which is an improved variation of the perturbation approach, will be used to analyze single-degree-of-freedom linear oscillators with various damping ratios and property variation types, subjected to stationary loading. Some of these cases will also be analyzed by Monte Carlo simulation, for comparison. Finally, trends in the importance of random property effects will be discussed.
Cortical Excitability Measures in Patients and Unaffected Siblings

Researchers at St Vincent's Hospital, Victoria, Australia, measured cortical excitability using transcranial magnetic stimulation in 157 patients with epilepsy (95 generalized and 62 focal) and their asymptomatic siblings and results were compared to those of 12 controls and 20 of their siblings.
Efficiency of Income Taxation with Endogenous Employment Contract

We examine an economy where workers have hidden innate abilities and firms offer employment contracts taking the labor income tax system as given. The main result shows that there exists a Bayesian Nash equilibrium of this economy which implements the second best outcome of Mirrlees (1971) if the labor market is competitive. We also provide sufficient conditions for this result to hold when parties can sign long-term employment contracts and workers receive private productivity shocks throughout their life-cycles.
Maternal elaborative reminiscing mediates the effect of child maltreatment on behavioral and physiological functioning

Theoretical and empirical evidence suggest that the way in which parents discuss everyday emotional experiences with their young children (i.e., elaborative reminiscing) has significant implications for child cognitive and socioemotional functioning, and that maltreating parents have a particularly difficult time in engaging in this type of dialogue. This dyadic interactional exchange, therefore, has the potential to be an important process variable linking child maltreatment to developmental outcomes at multiple levels of analysis. The current investigation evaluated the role of maternal elaborative reminiscing in associations between maltreatment and child cognitive, emotional, and physiological functioning. Participants included 43 maltreated and 49 nonmaltreated children (aged 3-6) and their mothers. Dyads participated in a joint reminiscing task about four past emotional events, and children participated in assessments of receptive language and emotion knowledge. Child salivary cortisol was also collected from children three times a day (waking, midday, and bedtime) on 2 consecutive days to assess daily levels and diurnal decline. Results indicated that maltreating mothers engaged in significantly less elaborative reminiscing than did nonmaltreating mothers. Maternal elaborative reminiscing mediated associations between child maltreatment and child receptive language and child emotion knowledge. In addition, there was support for an indirect pathway between child maltreatment and child cortisol diurnal decline through maternal elaborative reminiscing. Directions for future research are discussed, and potential clinical implications are addressed.
Types of Learning

The literature on learning in relation to age is heterogeneous and does not appear to have developed systematically. In this chapter, an effort is made to examine the themes or major purposes of the individual studies and to organize them into a relatively few categories. It must be recognized, however, that the categories are not mutually exclusive and that several studies could easily have been placed in more than one category. While the review of the literature is not all-inclusive, it is sufficiently comprehensive to represent the scope of interest in a particular type of problem. Except as indicated, these studies did not seem to control for possible age differences in the non-cognitive factors in learning. This lack of control has been one of the major problems in the field. Studies specifically relevant to the issue of non-cognitive contribution to age differences in learnings, were discussed in Chapter 3.
A Study of the Host Distribution and Some Relationships of Biting Lice (Mallophaga) Parasitic on Birds of the Order Tinamiformes Part II

The effect of the environment upon the biota is often manifested by certain changes in the structure and size of the organism. In a genus of Mallophaga distributed over a group of birds, the size of the parasite is roughly related to that of the host (Harrison, 1915). Clay (1951) presents several instances of this correlation but the small number of her examples is insufficient to utilize statistical tests to check the validity of this idea.
Analytic morphomics: a novel CT imaging approach to quantify adipose tissue and muscle composition in allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation.

Analytic morphomics is a novel methodology that uses high-throughput computed tomography (CT) processing techniques to generate reproducible body measurements (Supplementary Table).1, 2, 3, 4 Body mass index is widely used in clinical and public health studies to predict mortality risk.5 Indeed, we recently examined its impact in allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) and found that obese patients were at significantly greater risk of mortality compared with normal weight individuals.6 Unfortunately, body mass index does not reliably distinguish adipose tissue mass from muscle mass.7 Therefore, we sought to index patient size using CT measurements.2 The aim of the current study was to apply analytic morphomics in a cohort of allogeneic HCT patients and correlate with clinical outcomes.
Rethinking and redesigning the semiconductor laser/quantum noise controlled semiconductor lasers

The present canonical design of the semiconductor laser (SCL), in force since The early 1970s, is incompatible with high coherence (narrow linewidth). The reason is fundamental and is a consequence of the quantum-mandated umbilical relationship between induced emission (gain) and spontaneous emission (noise) exacerbated by the modal concentration of optical energy in the high loss III-V material. We demonstrate, theoretically and experimentally, a new design paradigm which results in over three orders of magnitude reduction in the spectral linewidth of the SCL compared to commercial lasers now deployed. The key difference is a radical (some 99% in our case) transfer of stored optical energy from the III-V material to nearly transparent silicon which is an integral part of the laser resonator. This laser should constitute a serious candidate to take over the role of the Distributed Feedback (DFB) SCL as the light source for future coherent optical networks.
385 CREATION OF AN IN VITRO MODEL FOR PROTON TARGETING IN GENE THERAPY USING HSV1-TK AND HSV1-SR39TK.

The activation of certain gene promoters to drive transgene expression after proton irradiation allows the development of methods for noninvasive, high-resolution targeting of CNS tumors. These gene promoters can be designed for treatment and visualization of treatment therapies. Herpes simplex virus type 1 thymidine kinase ( HSV1-tk ) is both a marker gene used frequently for molecular imaging in positron emission tomography (PET) and a cytotoxic gene converting ganciclovir (GCV) to induce apoptosis in the targeted cellular population. It has been shown that a mutant version called HSV1-sr39tk is a better marker due to its higher enzymatic activity. Therefore we set out to create a HSV1-sr39tk marker using site-directed mutagenesis and transfect murine C6 glioma cell lines with both markers for in vitro analysis. The cloning vector pCR-Blunt II-TOPO (Invitrogen) was used and transformed into DH5a E. coli (Invitrogen). Plasmids were extracted via miniprep protocol (Qiagen) and assessed by restriction enzyme digests using EcoR1 and BglII (Fisher Scientific) on a 1% agarose gel (SeaKem LE). DNA concentration was also quantified with UV-spectrophotometry. The PCR method of site-directed mutagenesis was performed using primers ordered from IDT Inc. and followed protocols described in Quikchange II Site-Directed Mutagenesis Kit (Stratagen). End products were transformed, extracted, and quantified for sequence analysis (Davis Sequencing) prior to transfection into C6 glioma cells. The HSV1 - tk strain was also sequenced and transfected into the murine cells. Both cell lines were then selected using Zeocin (Invitrogen). In vitro testing included sensitivity of cell lines to GCV to construct growth inhibition curves and analysis of the bystander effect in cells treated with GCV. Preliminary molecular and cellular data suggest that the gene promoter is now ready for in vivo tests, using rodents as the next step toward building a model for visualization of proton targeting in cancer therapy.
Direct Determination of Lead in Whole Blood by Graphite Furnace Atomic Absorption Spectrometry

[Objective]To improve the method of graphite furnace atomic absorption spectrometry for direct determination of lead in whole blood.[Methods]Triton X-100 was adopted as the leptumtic,and ammonium dihydrogen phosphate was adopted as the matrix modifier. By optimizing the experimental conditions,lead in whole blood was determined with direct injection.[Results]The linear relationship is good when blood lead concentration is within the range of 0 ～ 100 μg/L,the correlation coefficient is 0. 9997,the minimum detection limit is 0. 014 μg/L,the relative standard deviation is less than 3. 14% ,and the recovery rate is 96. 5% ～ 103. 5% .[Conclusion]The method is simple and rapid,which had high sensitivity,good precision and accurate results,and it is suitable for direct determination of lead in whole blood.
Management of breakthrough pain due to cancer.

Breakthrough pain is defined as the transient exacerbation of pain occurring in a patient with otherwise stable, persistent pain. Breakthrough pain is relatively common among cancer patients, particularly those with moderate
RECOGNIZABLE DYSFUNCTION SYNDROMES

Many presentations of dysfunctional postures of the upper extremity have been described in the literature. Attempts have been made to differentiate these situations by describing their physical and pathophysiologic circumstances. Unfortunately, these attempts to define and differentiate the various conditions that are recognizable patterns of upper-extremity dysfunction syndromes have not been entirely successful. This failure is perhaps because hard and firm diagnostic criteria that would specifically delineate each of these circumstances are wanting. At best, it can be said that there are patients who will present with pain as their primary complaint and who present with physical findings that would best support a diagnosis of reflex sympathetic dystrophy. There are others who present with dysfunctional postures in which pain is not a primary presenting complaint. In addition, are those in an intermediate zone, where pain and dysfunction are intermixed, and where prolonged observation may help to place them in one category or the other. Recent evidence has suggested that patients with painless dysfunctional syndrome benefit from the attentions of psychically oriented providers. The timing and appropriateness of such interventions require further study. The literature of the behavioral scientists and that of the practitioners of the medical arts is bereft of concrete explanations for causation and specific definitive solutions.
Adsorption/Desorption—Thermal

The study of the surface behavior of high area solids can be carried out using extensions of the fundamental measurement methods developed for studies of low area single crystal surfaces. Among the most widely used methods in single crystal studies is temperature-programmed desorption (TPD), often called thermal desorption spectroscopy (TDS).
A New Look at an Old Disease: Recent Insights into the Global Epidemiology of Dengue

Purpose of Review By all measures, the morbidity and mortality due to dengue are continuing to worsen worldwide. Although both early and recent studies have demonstrated regional differences in how dengue affects local populations, these findings were to varying extents related to disparate surveillance approaches.
Proper imputation techniques for missing values in data sets

Data mining requires a pre-processing task in which the data are prepared and cleaned for ensuring the quality. Missing value occurs when no data value is stored for a variable in an observation. This has a significant effect on the results especially when it leads to biased parameter estimates. It will not only diminish the quality of the result, but also disqualify for analysis purposes. Hence there are risks associated with missing values in a dataset. Imputation is a technique of replacing missing data with substituted values. This research presents a comparison of imputation techniques such as Mean\Mode, K-Nearest Neighbor, Hot-Deck, Expectation Maximization and C5.0 for missing data. The choice of proper imputation method is based on datatypes, missing data mechanisms, patterns and methods. Datatype can be numerical, categorical or mixed. Missing data mechanism can be missing completely at random, missing at random, or not missing at random. Patterns of missing data can be with respect to cases or attributes. Methods can be a pre-replace or an embedded method. These five imputation techniques are used to impute artificially created missing data from different data sets of varying sizes. The performance of these techniques are compared based on the classification accuracy and the results are presented.
Ripped from the Headlines: Using Current Events and Deliberative Democracy to Improve Student Performance in and Perceptions of Nonmajors Biology Courses.

Despite the importance of scientific literacy, many foundational science courses are plagued by low student engagement and performance. In an attempt to improve student outcomes, an introductory biology course for nonscience majors was redesigned to present the course content within the framework of current events and deliberative democratic exercises. During each instructional unit of the redesigned course, students were presented with a highly publicized policy question rooted in biological principles and currently facing lawmakers. Working in diverse groups, students sought out the information that was needed to reach an educated, rationalized decision. This approach models civic engagement and demonstrates the real-life importance of science to nonscience majors. The outcomes from two semesters in which the redesign were taught were compared with sections of the course taught using traditional pedagogies. When compared with other versions of the same course, presenting the course content within a deliberative democratic framework proved to be superior for increasing students’ knowledge gains and improving students’ perceptions of biology and its relevance to their everyday lives. These findings establish deliberative democracy as an effective pedagogical strategy for nonmajors biology.
Comparison of fludarabine (F), cyclophosphamide (C), and rituximab (R) versus FCR plus bevacizumab (B) in relapse chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL).

6598 Background: There is significant data to show that vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is important in the development and progression of CLL. Bevacizumab (B) is an anti-VEGF monoclonal antibody associated with improvement in progression free survival (PFS) when combined with chemotherapy in pts with solid malignancies. FCR is the most active chemoimmunotherapy in treatment of CLL. We report data on a phase II trial combining FCR-B and comparing the results to those seen in a trial with FCR for pts with relapsed CLL (Badoux et al. Blood, March 2011). Methods: FCR consisted of F: 25 mg/m2 and C: 250 mg/m2 on D2-4; R: 375 mg/m2 on D1 (for the first course) and 500 mg/m2 for courses 2-6, every 4 weeks for 6 courses. FCR-B consisted as above for FCR and (B) 10 mg/kg was given on D3 of each cycle. Indications for treatment and response assessment were according to 1996 NCI-WG guidelines for both groups. Results: Baseline characteristics, complete remission (CR), overall response rate (ORR), PFS and ...
Studies of the mechanical and extreme hydrothermal properties of periodic mesoporous silica and aluminosilica materials

Abstract In order to assess the suitability of mesoporous materials for applications in energy harvesting/storage processes occurring under extreme conditions, their mechanical, thermal and hydrothermal properties need to be fully investigated. In this study, the bulk mechanical and extreme hydrothermal properties of periodic mesoporous SBA-15 type silica and SBA-15 type aluminosilica (Al-SBA-15) were investigated using in situ small angle x-ray scattering (SAXS). In situ SAXS measurements were made on dry mesoporous SBA-15 silica and Al-SBA-15 aluminosilica samples as a function of pressure (at room temperature) to ∼ 12 GPa and on the same mesoporous materials under extreme hydrothermal conditions (to 255 °C and ∼114 MPa) using the diamond anvil cell (DAC). The analyses of the high-pressure SAXS data indicate that the mesoporous Al-SBA-15 aluminosilica has substantially greater bulk mechanical stability (isothermal bulk modulus κ = 34.7(4.5) GPa) than the mesoporous SBA-15 silica (κ = 12.0(3.0) GPa). Our molecular dynamics (MD) simulations are able to accurately model the bulk mechanical stability properties of mesoporous SBA-15 silica but underestimate the same properties of Al-SBA-15 aluminosilica. Analysis of the in situ SAXS data measured under extreme hydrothermal conditions indicates swelling of the pore walls due to water incorporation that is more significant in mesoporous Al-SBA-15 aluminosilica (∼2x) than in SBA-15 silica. In addition, the Al-SBA-15 aluminosilica clearly exhibits superior hydrothermal stability compared to SBA-15 silica under the extreme experimental temperature and pressure conditions.
A unified approach for knowledge modeling in pharmaceutical product development

Abstract Development of a drug product is a complex, iterative process consisting of selection of a dosage form, excipients, processing route, operating equipment and so on. At each stage, knowledge in various forms, including heuristics, decision trees and mathematical models, is used in making decisions. Typically knowledge is modeled specifically for the tool that uses it, such as expert systems and mathematical modeling software. This makes it very difficult to share the knowledge, across different tools and among development teams, and integrate various forms of knowledge to assist in making pharmaceutical product development decisions. To provide easier access to available knowledge and better decision support, we propose an, open and unified approach to systematically model the different forms of knowledge.
Forging Bonds: Translating the Bhagavad-Gita in the Colonial Context

(2008). Forging Bonds: Translating the Bhagavad-Gita in the Colonial Context. South Asian Review: Vol. 29, No. 2, pp. 13-28.
The Value of Motion: Patient-Reported Outcome Measures Are Correlated With Range of Motion in Total Ankle Replacement.

Background: The proposed benefit of total ankle replacement (TAR) over ankle fusion is preserved ankle motion, thus we hypothesized that an increase in range of motion (ROM) is positively correlate...
Describing the Life Cycle of U.S. Marine Hospital #17, Port Townsend, Washington, 1855–1933

ABSTRACT This study was undertaken to determine why U.S. Marine Hospital #17, Port Townsend, Washington, closed at the peak of its utilization. A social history approach was taken, examining the hospital's developmental changes in the context of its role in the larger society. Both firsthand and interpretive sources were reviewed, and numerous photographs and drawings confirmed the hospital was an active participant in the economy. Regarding the hospital's transitions over time as a life cycle was a useful organizing framework. Inpatient census patterns as a measure of the hospital's growth and development informed and enlightened this study. It became clear the Marine Hospital responded to and influenced events in the Port Townsend seaport whose importance diminished when other port cities at the base of the Puget Sound began and sustained rapid growth.
Self-Invented Addition Strategies by Children with Mental Retardation.

Children with mental retardation often seem incapable of self-initiated learning. A training experiment was designed to determine whether such children could spontaneously invent more efficient addition strategies for calculating simple sums; apply these strategies to larger, unpracticed combinations; and retain these strategies after 5 months. An experimental group and a control group were shown a basic concrete counting procedure. Over 6 months, the experimental group was given regular opportunities to practice computing sums. Many of them invented calculational short cuts. On immediate and delayed posttests, they used significantly more sophisticated strategies than did control participants. Results suggest that children with mental retardation can invent, transfer, and retain strategies for learning tasks.
Long-Time Behavior of Scalar Viscous Shock Fronts in Two Dimensions

We prove nonlinear stability in L 1 of planar shock front solutions to a viscous conservation law in two spatial dimensions and obtain an expression for the asymptotic form of small perturbations. The leading-order behavior is shown rigorously to be governed by an effective diffusion coefficient depending on forces transverse to the shock front. The proof is based on a spectral analysis of the linearized problem.
Competitiveness of Textile and Apparel Industries in the United States and Japan

The purpose of this research was to examine how trade and knowledge were related to competitiveness of textile and apparel industries. Two countries, the United States and Japan, were selected for the study. Both countries have similar levels of economic development (OECD, 2011). The authors utilized time series analysis – specifically, Granger Causality test to identify causal relationships between competitiveness and trade and competitiveness knowledge over fifty years. Understanding how the use of different perspectives have impacted competitiveness of textile and apparel industries in the United States and Japan might be useful for policy-makers, as well as industry business owners in developing policies and strategies for these industries and businesses. It was found trade had no effect on competitiveness in the U.S. and Japanese textile and apparel industries. The findings supported the influence of knowledge on competitiveness in the U.S. apparel industry.
Successful treatment of cutaneous metastatic breast cancer with topical treatments that potentially synergize with systemic therapy: A case series

Breast cancer is the second most common malignancy after melanoma to metastasize to skin.1 Approximately 30% of individuals with metastatic breast cancer (MBC) go on to have cutaneous metastases, frequently presenting as firm nodules, diffuse infiltrative or ulcerative lesions, often in proximity to an old mastectomy scar.2, 3 Cutaneous metastases of breast cancer (CMOBC) is a therapeutic challenge and is associated with increased morbidity. Progression of disease often results in severe pain, chest wall ulceration, bleeding, and superinfection.2 Optimal management of these highly morbid lesions is an active area of investigation. Apart from improving quality of life, recent evidence suggests that skin-directed treatment of CMOBC with topical imiquimod can provide durable systemic responses that prolong survival.3, 4 We present 3 cases of CMOBC treated with cryotherapy in combination with either topical fluorouracil 5% (5FU) or topical imiquimod. All patients had striking responses both locally and systemically. We hypothesize that there may be a role for topical therapy in palliation of CMOBC. Current evidence suggests there may be synergy between systemic therapies and the antitumor response induced by skin-directed therapies: cryotherapy generating an in situ vaccination of tumor and topical 5FU or imiquimod generating and sustaining a favorable inflammatory milieu.3, 5, 6, 7, 8 Although large-scale controlled studies are needed to determine if skin-directed therapy plays a role in the treatment of MBC, these results suggest combined therapy may be effective for CMOBC.
Gutting TMA to Save the Heart.

Microbial activities of gut commensals have been linked to several host diseases. In recent work, Roberts et al. (2018) develop therapeutics targeting microbial production of the metabolite trimethylamine (TMA), which has been linked to cardiovascular disease. This microbiota-based approach holds promise for efficacious therapies that may also reduce host side effects.
Improving Concussion-Reporting Behavior in National Collegiate Athletic Association Division I Football Players: Evidence for the Applicability of the Socioecological Model for Athletic Trainers

Context Few researchers have examined the views of important stakeholders in football student-athletes' spheres of influence and whether their views map well in a systems approach to understanding ...
Conditioning. Markov property. Martingale

This chapter describes the conditioning, Markov property, and martingale. The notion of conditioning gives rise to a decomposition when a given event or r.v. is considered on various parts of the sample space, on each of which some particular information may be obtained. Given an integrable r.v., Y and a Borel subfield G, the conditional expectation E ( Y| 9) of Y relative to G is any one of the equivalence class of r.v.'s on Ω satisfying the two properties that it belongs to G and it has the same integral as Y over any set in G. It is found that if Z ∈; F ( X ) then Z = φ ( X ) for some extended-valued Borel measurable function φ. The most important property of conditional expectation relating to changing fields is also elaborated in the chapter.
Consciousness: Crick and the claustrum

Francis Crick believed that, in biology, structure is the natural path to understanding function. In his later career, he applied this dictum to the study of consciousness.
A critique of everyday life in Michel Houellebecq’s Extension du domaine de la lutte

ABSTRACTThis article compares the critique of contemporary everyday life articulated in Michel Houellebecq’s first novel in particular, Extension du domaine de la lutte, with that elaborated by Mar...
Electronic and paper mode of data capture when assessing patient-reported outcomes in the National Dental Practice-Based Research Network.

Aim Our objectives were to describe the approach used in the National Dental Practice-Based Research Network to capture patient-reported outcomes and to compare electronic and paper modes of data capture in a specific network study. Methods This was a prospective, multicenter cohort study of 1862 patients with dentin hypersensitivity. Patient-reported outcomes were assessed based on patients' perception of pain using Visual Analog Scales and Labeled Magnitude scales at baseline and at 1, 4 and 8 weeks post-baseline. Results Eighty-five percent of study patients chose to complete follow-up assessments via an electronic mode; 15% completed them via a paper mode. There was not a significant difference in the proportions of patients who completed the 8-week assessment when comparing the electronic mode to the paper mode (92% vs. 90.8%, P = 0.31, Rao-Scott clustered χ2 -test). Conclusion The electronic mode of data capture was as operational as the traditional paper mode, while also providing the advantage of eliminating data entry errors, not involving site research coordinators in measuring the patient-reported outcomes, and not incurring cost and potential delays due to mailing study forms. Electronic data capture of patient reported outcomes could be successfully implemented in the community dental practice setting.
An Improved Two-Step Protocol for Trophoblast Differentiation of Human Pluripotent Stem Cells

We previously established a two-step protocol for differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) into trophoblasts, using a StemPro-based minimal medium (EMIM) with bone morphogenetic protein-4 (BMP4). This protocol was suboptimal, resulting in induction of mixed mesoderm and trophoblast markers. Furthermore, adapting hPSCs to StemPro has proven difficult, and prolonged culture in this medium has been shown to promote genomic instability. Therefore, we moved on to the use of new media, including E8, and most recently, StemFlex, for rapid adaptation from feeder to non-feeder conditions. In the new protocol, we have incorporated the WNT inhibitor IWP2 into the first step, resulting in uniform differentiation of hPSCs into cytotrophoblast (CTB)-like cells, without induction of the mesoderm lineage. We also show that, at the end of the second step, there are distinct populations of terminally differentiated multinucleated human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG)-producing syncytiotrophoblast (STB) and HLAG+ extravillous trophoblast (EVT)-like cells. © 2019 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Campaign finance legislation and the supply-side of the revolving door

Existing research on the revolving door examines why employers hire former politicians. I complement this demand-side approach by demonstrating the importance of the supply-side. In particular, I argue that one important institutional factor that shapes politicians' willingness to leave office for a private sector job is campaign finance legislation. Less restrictive rules increase campaign spending for incumbents, which makes revolving door employment less attractive. Empirically, I use novel data from the US states and a difference-in-differences design to show that the exogenous removal of campaign finance legislation through Citizens United reduced the probability that incumbents left office to work as lobbyists. The supply-side approach provides insights into comparative differences in the prevalence of the revolving door.
Polymeric Active Materials for Redox Flow Battery Application

The redox flow battery (RFB) is one of the most promising systems for large scale electrochemical energy storage applications. The development of redox-active materials is an essential part of RFB ...