cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Teleophthalmology in the Era of COVID-19: Characteristics of Early Adopters at a Large Academic Institution.

Introduction: COVID-19 led to rapid policy changes to expand telemedicine adoption. We examined rates of early telemedicine adoption among surgical departments at a large academic institution and compared provider characteristics associated with teleophthalmology. Methods: With data from departmental and electronic medical records across surgical departments at Johns Hopkins Medicine, we performed a retrospective analysis using the Fisher test and binomial logistic regression. Results: Telemedicine adoption in ophthalmology was disproportionately lower than other surgical departments. Providers who were female [odds ratio, OR, 2.42 (95% confidence interval, CI, 1.03-5.67)], clinical assistants, clinical associates, or instructors [OR 12.5 (95% CI 2.63-59.47)], associate professors [OR 4.38 (95% CI 1.42-13.52)], practiced for ≥36 years [OR 0.20 (95% CI 0.06-0.66)], cornea [OR 0.13 (95% CI 0.04-0.47)], glaucoma [OR 0.18 (95% CI 0.04-0.93)] or retina [OR 0.04 (95% CI 0.01-0.17)] specialists, or had a MD/MBBCh/MBBS [OR 0.30 (95% CI 0.10-0.94)] or second degree [OR 0.28 (95% CI 0.08-0.99)] were significantly more or less likely to adopt. When adjusted, cornea [adjusted OR 0.10 (95% CI 0.02-0.57)] or retina [adjusted OR 0.01 (95% CI 0.002-0.12)] specialists or providers who practiced for 12-18 years [adjusted OR 0.22 (95% CI 0.05-0.91)] or ≥36 years [adjusted OR 0.13 (95% CI 0.03-0.68)] were significantly more or less likely to adopt. Discussion: Subspecialty among other provider characteristics influences the likelihood of teleophthalmology adoption. As the pandemic continues, strategies to reduce adoption barriers are needed to ensure the provision of health care services.
Measurement Based Stabilizing PID Controllers for Camera Gimbals

Stabilizing gimbals are ubiquitous within the unmanned aerial and ground system robotics communities as they permit acquisition of a variety of sensing modalities, typically vision, while removing undesired rapid orientation changes that a vehicle might experience. In this paper, we leverage a commercial gimbal controller to construct a highly reconfigurable rapid prototyped gimbal setup and compute a practical set of stabilizing PID controllers for the gimbal. The novelty in this research is that the method constructively determines the set of stabilizing PID controllers using only direct data measurement without additional knowledge such as the identification of the plant model, order of the system and number of poles and zeros. The set guarantees stability and, thus, is particular to each plant to be controlled. This feature is an attractive complement to a legacy commercial gimbal controller tuning method in which the parameter tuning ranges are common for all possible hardware specifications of the gimbal irrespective of system stability. We compare the set of stabilizing PID controllers, called the stabilizing set, with a sample outcome of the auto-tuning algorithm provided with the commercial gimbal and verify that the stabilizing set contains the auto-tuning result. The geometrical visualization of the stabilizing set enables comparative analysis of the controllers, along with guide possible directions at which retuning should be aimed.
Association of Triglyceride-Glucose Index and Lung Health: A Population-Based Study.

Background Metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance are associated with worsened outcomes of chronic lung disease. The triglyceride-glucose index (TyG), a measure of metabolic dysfunction, is associated with metabolic syndrome and insulin resistance, but its relationship to lung health is unknown. Research Question What is the relationship of TyG to respiratory symptoms, chronic lung disease, and lung function? Study Design and Methods This study analyzed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 1999 to 2012. Participants included fasting adults age ≥ 40 years (N = 6,893) with lung function measurements in a subset (n = 3,383). Associations of TyG with respiratory symptoms (cough, phlegm production, wheeze, and exertional dyspnea), chronic lung disease (diagnosed asthma, chronic bronchitis, and emphysema), and lung function (FEV1, FVC, and obstructive or restrictive spirometry pattern) were evaluated, adjusting for sociodemographic variables, comorbidities, and smoking. TyG was compared vs insulin resistance, represented by the homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), and vs the metabolic syndrome. Results TyG was moderately correlated with HOMA-IR (Spearman ρ = 0.51) and had good discrimination for metabolic syndrome (area under the receiver-operating characteristic curve, 0.80). A one-unit increase in TyG was associated with higher odds of cough (adjusted OR [aOR], 1.28; 95% CI, 1.06-1.54), phlegm production (aOR, 1.20; 95% CI, 1.01-1.43), wheeze (aOR, 1.18; 95% CI, 1.03-1.35), exertional dyspnea (aOR, 1.21; 95% CI, 1.07-1.38), and a diagnosis of chronic bronchitis (aOR, 1.21; 95% CI, 1.02-1.43). TyG was associated with higher relative risk of a restrictive spirometry pattern (adjusted relative risk ratio, 1.45; 95% CI, 1.11-1.90). Many associations were maintained with additional adjustment for HOMA-IR or metabolic syndrome. Interpretation TyG was associated with respiratory symptoms, chronic bronchitis, and a restrictive spirometry pattern. Associations were not fully explained by insulin resistance or metabolic syndrome. TyG is a satisfactory measure of metabolic dysfunction with relevance to pulmonary outcomes. Prospective study to define TyG as a biomarker for impaired lung health is warranted.
Complications in the Palliative Chemotherapy of Peritoneal Cancer

Peritoneal cancer and its complications remain among the greatest challenges in oncology. The underlying neoplasia and its typical complications are major determinants of prognosis; complications can occur at various time points in the course of the disease. Clinical symptoms can be divided into two main subgroups: (1) mechanical disorders of the digestive tract, mechanical ileus/subileus, constipation, paradoxical diarrhea, pain, and compression of intra-abdominal organs (e.g., renal congestion), and (2) disorders of the autonomic nervous system of the abdomen, neuropathic pain, difficulties emptying bowels, feeling of fullness, and paralytic ileus/subileus.
This Is Not Gym": Enacting Student Voice Pedagogies to Promote Social and Emotional Learning and Meaningful Physical Education."

The purpose of this study was to explore learners' experiences enacting youth/student voice pedagogies (SVP) to promote Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) and meaningful physical education (MPE) in an alternative education setting. Drawing on social constructivist learning theory in understanding and implementing a MPE approach, and a systemic framework for SEL, two research questions guided the research process: (1) How did students interpret and enact these pedagogies? (2) What contribution did the enactment of these pedagogies have in promoting SEL and MPE? This study implemented a qualitative case study design framed by a participatory action research (PAR) approach spanning 12 weeks from February to May 2021. Participants in this study included 16 ninth grade alternative high school students (eight girls/eight boys) aged 14-15 who had just returned to face-to-face learning in January 2021 for the first time following COVID-19. A range of traditional and innovative participatory qualitative research methods including focus group interviews, students' personal biographies, timelines, digital and written reflections, photovoice, and class artifacts were utilized. The Miles, Huberman, and Saldana Framework for Qualitative Data Analysis was implemented involving both deductive and inductive combinations of comparative and thematic analysis. The following themes were constructed: Making responsible decisions; unearthing and sharing mixed emotions; picturing physical activity beyond the classroom; recognizing the role of relationships; considering challenge and competence; and, pursuing meaning. Findings demonstrate how enacting SVP can lead to the development of students' SEL and MPE experiences complimenting multiple learning domains. We call for further embedding of SVP capturing students' physical activity and movement experiences inside and outside of PE in teacher education and professional development that helps teachers and their students make sense of, shape, influence, and enact more MPE and physical activity learning experiences.
Developing General Equilibrium Benefit Analyses for Social Programs: An Introduction and Example

Benefit-Cost analyses of social programs often involve complex interactions between market and non-market goods. In this paper we outline one conceptual framework for incorporating the general equilibrium effects into benefit-cost analyses of changes in social programs. The goal is to develop models that are capable of capturing the interactions that take place between decisions involving marketed goods together with their effects on non-market goods and the reverse –changes in non-market goods that cause induce changes in decisions about marketed goods. These types of feedback effects are likely to result from large changes in social programs. These effects are compounded by the potential for endogenous realized outcomes that arise as a result of household actions taken in response to proposed policies. To demonstrate the importance of our conceptual discussion of these general equilibrium effects, we present an empirical example of our general equilibrium framework using teacher cuts in response to budget pressures in Maricopa County, Arizona. We find substantial differences in willingness to pay measures between models which account for endogenous education outcomes in a general equilibrium setting and those which ignore the linkages between market (housing) and non-market (education) goods in a partial equilibrium setting
Nacionalismo y conciencia racial en los escritos de Luis Felipe Dessús: el viaje de un afropuertorriqueño hacia la liberación

El presente articulo rescata la obra de Luis Felipe Dessus, poeta, ensayista y periodista afropuertorriqueno del temprano siglo XX, invisibilizado y discriminado como tantos otros escritores afrodescendientes en el campo literario de la isla. La polemica voz de Dessus, inscribe en registro afroantillano fuertes cuestionamientos al reordenamiento neocolonial de Puerto Rico, en el cual persistian los antiguos privilegios, mucho despues de la abolicion de la esclavitud en el tardio siglo XIX. Su conciencia racial y social enfrento arraigados prejuicios etnicos y fuertes naturalizaciones sociales del statu quo puertorriqueno y su vocacion diasporica lo solidarizo con la lucha internacional de los afrodescendientes, incluidos los Afroamericanos de los Estados Unidos.
Bacteriophage T4 gene expression. Evidence for two classes of prereplicative cistrons.

The antibiotic rifampicin has been used in an investigation of the temporal regulation of gene expression during bacteriophage T4 infection of Escherichia coli. We have asked at what times after infection the transcription of specific cistrons becomes rifampicin insensitive. Gene expression has been studied using analyses of proteins on sodium dodecyl sulfate-acrylamide gels; thus translation has been used to assay for the appearance of specific transcripts. Two types of promoters account for most prereplicative transcription; early promoters are recognized immediately after infection, whereas quasi-late promoters are recognized only after a delay of 1frac12; min. Those transcripts previously defined as immediate early and delayed early RNAs initially appear to be under the control of early promoters; however, the quasi-late promoters may provide a second mode of regulation for several of those transcripts.
Ride Quality Systems for Commuter Aircraft

The state-of-the-art in Active Ride Augmentation, specifically in terms of its feasibility for commuter aircraft applications. A literature survey was done, and the principal results are presented here through discussion of different Ride Quality Augmentation System (RQAS) designs and advances in related technologies. Recommended follow-on research areas are discussed, and a preliminary RQAS configuration for detailed design and development is proposed.
VIII - Development of Theory with Computation

The chapter describes the development of theory in the laboratory from the primitive beginnings at the outset to the present efforts. This includes both computational and theoretical aspects. This chapter makes clear the role of computation in organic photochemistry. The computation ranges from simple Huckel to sophisticated CASSCF treatments. The upper level of computation has been a function of computer facilities available in a given period. However, it also is clear that Huckel treatments have not lost their importance in related sophisticated computations to molecular structure.
Relation of Calcium, Vitamin D, and Dairy Food Intake to Incidence of Colon Cancer among Older Women The Iowa Women's Health Study

To investigate whether a high intake of calcium, vitamin D, or dairy products may protect against colon cancer, the authors analyzed data from a prospective cohort study of 35,216 Iowa women aged 55-69 years without a history of cancer who completed a dietary questionnaire in 1986. Through 1990, 212 incident cases of colon cancer were documented. Adjusted for age, intakes of calcium and vitamin D were significantly inversely associated with the risk of colon cancer. The relative risks for the highest quintile of intake as compared with the lowest were 0.52 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.33-0.82) for calcium and 0.54 (95% CI 0.35-0.84) for vitamin D. After multivariate adjustment, the trends were no longer statistically significant and the relative risks for the highest versus the lowest quintiles of calcium and vitamin D intakes were attenuated: 0.68 (95% CI 0.41-1.11) for calcium and 0.73 (95% CI 0.45-1.18) for vitamin D. Although the multivariate-adjusted findings did not reach statistical significance at p < or = 0.05, when considered in the context of the whole body of literature on this subject, they are consistent with a possible role for calcium or vitamin D in modestly reducing colon cancer risk.
Bovine Insulin-Like Growth Factor Binding Protein-3: Organization of the Chromosomal Gene and Functional Analysis of Its Promoter

Insulin-like growth factor binding protein-3 (IGFBP-3), the major IGFBP in the circulation, is synthesized by the vascular endothelium in vivo and has been shown to be an important modulator of the physiological effects of IGF. IGFBP-3 is regulated by a number of growth factors/cytokines to which the vascular endothelium is exposed, including IGF-I stimulation and TGF-beta1 inhibition of IGFBP-3 in cultured endothelial cells. To understand the mechanisms of transcriptional regulation of IGFBP-3, we have cloned the bovine IGFBP-3 gene and begun the functional analysis of its promoter. Southern analysis indicated a single copy gene. The gene spanned approximately 10 kb and was divided into five exons, the fifth containing the 3' untranslated region. The transcription start site was 137 bp upstream of the initiation codon and a TATA box was located 26 bp 5' to this CAP site. No CAAT box was present but a GC rich sequence element, containing two overlapping putative AP-2 binding elements, was located 5' to the TATA box. Transient transfection studies with a series of 5' truncated luciferase reporter constructs were conducted in primary cultures of bovine aorta endothelial cells. Results of the transfection studies indicated that 1) nearly 80% of the maximal basal promoter activity was retained within the first 130 bp of the 5' flanking sequence; 2) this region responded to IGF-I, despite lacking the TTF-1/TTF-2 (thyroid specific transcription factors) binding elements that are required for IGF-I stimulation of thyroglobulin synthesis. These binding elements have also been suggested to be involved in IGF-I regulation of IGFBP-3 transcription, thus, implying the existence of novel cis-acting elements that mediate the IGF-I stimulation of bovine endothelial cell IGFBP-3 mRNA synthesis; 3) deletion of the GC rich sequence element resulted in a 60% reduction in basal promoter activity as well as loss of the IGF-1 stimulatory effect; 4) the TGF-beta1 mediated inhibition of IGFBP-3 transcription required sequence element(s) beyond 1.5 kb of its promoter.
Murine tumor-induced platelet aggregation and coagulation: mechanisms, inhibitors, and species differences

This study examined the platelet-aggregating and procoagulant activities of two hematogenously disseminating tumors, a mouse lymphoblastic leukemia (L5178Y) and a mouse renal adenocarcinoma (RAG). Tumor-induced human platelet aggregation was inhibited by addition of the following agents to platelet-rich plasma (PRP): a calcium channel blocker (verapamil), a chelator of divalent cations (EDTA), stimulators of adenylate cyclase (2-fluoroadenosine and forskolin), and inhibitors of cAMP phosphodiesterase (oxagrelate and papaverine). The platelet-aggregating activities of both cell lines were completely blocked by treatment of the cells with heat, sonication, phospholipase A2, and Triton X-100. These data suggest that L5178Y and RAG cell-induced human platelet aggregation are dependent on a heat-labile phospholipid component of the tumor cell membrane. L5178Y cells had greater platelet-aggregating activity in human plasma than in rat or mouse plasma, whereas RAG cells had greater procoagulant activity in rat or mouse plasma than in human plasma. The procoagulant activity of RAG cells in rat and mouse plasma was demonstrated by three lines of evidence: RAG cells induced heparinized PRP to clot; the thrombin inhibitor DAPA lengthened of the clotting time and the lag time before aggregation; and RAG cells shortened of the recalcification time of the plasma. The above data indicate that RAG cell-induced murine platelet aggregation and coagulation is dependent on thrombin generation.
A mathematical model for interpersonal relationships in social networks

This paper uses the mathematical structure of algebraic semigroups to model interpersonal relationships. The basis for the model is the periodic surveys administered to each member of a social network. The model uses individual preference to uncover the underlying structure of the team. The model may possibly be used to study the stability of the network.
Food deprivation influences dominance status in dark-eyed juncos, Junco hyemalis

Abstract Among gregarious birds, an individual's dominance status may influence its access to limited food resources and, consequently, its fat reserves during the non-breeding season. This study investigated whether food deprivation affected an individual's dominance status during encounters with conspecifics. In 45 dyads of dark-eyed juncos, one member was deprived of food for 4 h to reduce its stored fat level, thereby increasing its motivation to feed. Deprived juncos were dominant to their opponents significantly more often than were birds that had fed normally prior to the tests. When there was a measurable difference in fat reserves before food deprivation (16 dyads), the leaner individual was always dominant. Most dominance relationships remained unchanged for at least 24 h after food deprivation, but many dyads eventually reversed ranks when birds were introduced into a flock situation after 48 h. Dominance ranks in juncos may be established on the basis of an asymmetry in the value of a contested resource. Motivational asymmetries may be important determinants of dominance in the absence of large asymmetries in resource holding potential, and could have important ecological implications.
Verifying the Multi-Dimensional Nature of Metropolitan Land Use: Advancing the Understanding and Measurement of Sprawl

: Twelve conceptually distinct dimensions of land use patterns are operationalized for 50 large US metropolitan areas using a battery of indices. Common patterns of variation in these indices across metropolitan areas are discerned using correlation and factor analyses. We find that: (1) seven principal components best summarize the dimensions of housing and employment land uses, (2) metro areas often exhibit both high and low levels of sprawl-like patterns across the seven components, and (3) housing and employment aspects of sprawl-like patterns differ in nature. Thus, land use patterns prove multi-dimensional in both theory and practice. Exploratory analyses indicate: (1) little regional variation in land use patterns, (2) metro areas with larger populations are more dense/continuous with greater housing centrality and concentration of employment in the core, (3) older areas have higher degrees of housing concentration and employment in the core, (4) constrained areas evince greater density/continuity, and (5) inter-metropolitan variations in several dimensions of land use patterns are not well explained by population, age, growth patterns, or topographical constraints on development. Results imply that policymakers must carefully unravel which land use dimension is causing undesirable outcomes, and then devise precise policy instruments to change only this dimension.
DDT-induced feminization of gull embryos

Injection of DDT [1, 1, 1-trichloro-2,2-bis(p-chlorophenyl)ethane] into gull eggs at concentrations comparable to those found in contaminated seabird eggs in 1970 induces abnormal development of ovarian tissue and oviducts in male embryos. Developmental feminization of males is associated with inability to breed as adults and may explain the highly skewed sex ratio and reduced number of male gulls breeding on Santa Barbara Island in southern California.
Reduction of the Two-Body Problem with Spin in (2+1)-DIMENSIONAL Gravity

The two-body problem with spin in (2+1)-dimensional gravity is analyzed nonperturbatively. Utilizing topological methods similar to those used in the reduction of the spinless case, we show that the general two-body problem with spin can again be reduced to an equivalent one-body formalism. We give exact expressions for the mass and spin of the reduced problem.
Control of invasive pulmonary aspergillosis with oral itraconazole in a bone marrow transplant patient.

Summary Pulmonary aspergillosis following bone marrow transplantation carries a mortality of 94%, irrespective of current treatment. We treated a patient who had acquired aspergillosis some 80 days after allogencic bone marrow transplantation, with oral itraconazole, 600 mg daily. After initial deterioration, clinical and radiographic resolution occurred during 3 months of therapy despite severe graft- vs. -host and cytomegalovirus disease. Itraconazole should be considered for therapy of pulmonary aspergillosis in this and other immunocompromised settings.
Kinetic Computational Alanine Scanning: Application to p53 Oligomerization

We have developed a novel computational alanine scanning approach that involves analysis of ensemble unfolding kinetics at high temperature to identify residues that are critical for the stability of a given protein. This approach has been applied to dimerization of the oligomerization domain (residues 326-355) of tumor suppressor p53. As validated by experimental results, our approach has reasonable success in identifying deleterious mutations, including mutations that have been linked to cancer. We discuss a method for determining the effect of mutations on the location of the dimerization transition state.
A coherent optical feedback system for optical information processing

A unique optical feedback system for coherent optical data processing is described. With the introduction of feedback, the well-known transfer function for feedback systems is obtained in two dimensions. Operational details of the optical feedback system are given. Experimental results of system applications in image restoration, contrast control and analog computation are presented.
A Design for Inhalation Therapy

A parallel piped compressed air and oxygen system for use in a chronic pulmonary disease section is described. The advantages in terms of improved patient care, safety, convenience, and economy are summarized.
Using an Ecological Framework for Understanding and Treating Externalizing Behavior in Early Childhood

This paper will review the literature on the rate, stability, and outcomes associated with externalizing behavior problems prior to kindergarten entry. Bronfenbrenner’s (The ecology of human development. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press) ecological framework will be used to present the factors related to the onset and persistence of externalizing behavior problems in young children. Behavior problems prior to school entry are somewhat developmentally appropriate and most can be resolved within the classroom or child care setting. Intervention for children with moderate to severe behavior problems in early childhood is crucial because behavior problems are likely to persist into elementary school leading to a variety of social and academic concerns. Steps will be presented to help teachers determine whether or not a referral to a specialist is needed and locate an appropriate specialist.
On the origin of fluids included in Phanerozoic marine halite—basic interpretation strategies

Abstract In addition to the use of Janecke units in the NaCl-KCl-MgCl 2 -Na 2 SO 4 -H 2 O/NaCl-KCl-MgCl 2 -CaCl 2 -H 2 O system to classify brine origins, a fast and efficient method is described to identify inclusions of evaporated seawater in (ancient) marine halite. The method is based on the calculation of degrees of evaporation for various elements (DE ELEMENT ) of brines created by different salt forming processes. The DE ELEMENT patterns of the fluid inclusions serve as fingerprints and are characteristic of different brine types of known origin.
Non-asymptotic achievability bounds in multiuser information theory

Invoking random coding, but not typical sequences, we give non-asymptotic achievability results for the major setups in multiuser information theory. No limitations, such as memorylessness or discreteness, on sources/channels are imposed. All the bounds given are powerful enough to yield the constructive side of the (asymptotic) capacity regions in the memoryless case. The approach relies on simple non-asymptotic counterparts of the packing and covering lemmas conventionally used in conjunction with the typical sequence approach.
The development of macrolides: clarithromycin in perspective

Macrolide antibiotics have been available and used clinically since 1952. The class of drugs originated from a soil sample obtained from the City of Ilo-Ilo on the Island of Paray in the Philippines. Erythromycin has been the most widely used agent of this class called 'macrolides' because they possess the macrocyclic lactone nucleus. Many esters of erythromycin are well established as agents to treat a variety of respiratory and cutaneous infections, particularly in children. There has been a resurgence of interest in macrolides as a result of the recognition of pathogens such as Legionella, Chlamydia and Campylobacter spp. A number of new 14-membered macrolides have been synthesised in recent years with the goal of overcoming some of the problems of the older erythromycin agents. There has been variable activity of erythromycin against Haemophilus influenzae; there has been gastrointestinal irritation, particularly in adults; and the older agents are administered four times a day. Clarithromycin has increased activity against Legionella, and Branhamella spp., and Pasteurella multocida, and, with its 14-OH metabolite, inhibits Haemophilus spp. It is also more active against chlamydia and against anaerobic species while retaining excellent activity against streptococci including Streptococcus pneumoniae. It has increased plasma peak levels and a sufficiently long half-life for twice daily administration. Furthermore, it is well tolerated. Thus clarithromycin offers potential for use in those areas in which a safe, well tolerated macrolide will be used, namely respiratory, skin structure and selected diarrhoeal and genital infections.
Strings at superplanckian energies: in search of the string symmetry

The characteristic energy scale of superstring theory, which attempts to unify all the interactions of matter with gravity, is the Planck energy of 10$^{28}$ eV. Although this energy is 16 orders of magnitude higher than currently accessible energies, it is important to consider the nature of string physics in this region since it could shed light on the non-perturbative physics at the Planck scale, which determines the structure of the vacuum. In this paper I review some recent attempts to explore this domain. In particular, I discuss string scattering at very high energies, the indications of the existence of a large symmetry that is restored at short distances and the possible breakdown of our concepts of space-time at these energies.
Benchmarking: What's in It for Nurses?

Scientific Inquiry provides a forum to facilitate the ongoing process of questioning and evaluating practice, presents informed practice based on available data, and innovates new practices through research and experimental learning.
Cytology of desmoplastic small round-cell tumor: comparison of pre- and post-chemotherapy fine-needle aspiration biopsies.

BACKGROUND. Desmoplastic small round-cell tumor (DSRCT) is an aggressive malignancy of young adults, which is amenable to fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB). As this entity is increasingly recognized and biopsied, cytopathologists are compelled to become familiar with the range of cytologic features of DSRCT. In addition, postchemotherapy tumors may be sampled to confirm disease recurrence before planning additional therapy. This study was designed to compare prechemotherapy and postchemotherapy cytomorphology of DSRCT and to evaluate for distinct chemotherapy-induced changes. METHODS. The authors searched their respective institutional databases for all DSRCT cases with an associated FNAB. FNAB slides, immunocytochemistry, and cytogenetic results were reviewed. RESULTS. Six aspirates from 5 patients were identified, 3 of which were postchemotherapy. The postchemotherapy cases demonstrated cytologic findings not typically described in DSRCTs, including prominent and conspicuous nucleoli, discohesive single-cell architecture, and slightly larger cell size. CONCLUSIONS. Cytomorphologic variability was prominent in prechemotherapy cases, and no case could be classified as DSRCT on cytology alone; immunohistochemistry was necessary for definitive diagnosis. Chemotherapy increased the spectrum of cytologic features. The most notable difference between the 2 groups was a predominantly discohesive single-cell pattern with conspicuous nucleoli in the postchemotherapy group, instead of the clustering pattern of medium-sized cells with inconspicuous nucleoli typically attributed to de novo cases reported in the literature. Cancer (Cancer Cytopathol) 2006 © 2006 American Cancer Society.
Color image compression using PCA and backpropagation learning

Abstract The RGB components of a color image contain redundant information that can be reduced using a new hybrid neural-network model based upon Sanger's algorithm for representing an image in terms of principal components and a backpropagation algorithm for restoring the original representation. The PCA method produces a black and white image with the same number of pixels as the original color image, but with each pixel represented by a scalar value instead of a three-dimensional vector of RGB components. Experimental results show that as our hybrid learning method adapts to local (spatial) image characteristics it outperforms the YIQ and YUV standard compression methods. Our experiments also show that it is feasible to apply training results from one image to previously unseen images.
Pneumatic Dilatation or Esophagomyotomy Treatment for Idiopathic Achalasia: Clinical Outcomes and Cost Analysis

The choice between pneumatic dilatation and surgical esophagomyotomy as the initial treatment for achalasia is controversial. The aims of this study were to determine the long term clinical outcome and costs of treating achalasia initially with pneumatic dilatation as compared to esophagomyotomy. Of 123 patients undergoing an initial pneumatic dilatation for achalasia at our institution from 1976 to 1986, 71 (58%) received no further treatment for achalasia during a mean follow up of 4.7±2.8 years. Only 15 of these 123 patients (12%) eventually underwent surgical esophagomyotomy, (two for perforation during pneumatic dilatation, 13 for persistent or recurrent symptoms). The degree of dysphagia at follow up was improved to a similar degree in patients treated with an initial pneumatic dilatation as compared to patients treated with an initial esophagomyotomy. Patients with age≥45, years at time of initial pneumatic dilatation had fewer subsequent treatments for persistent or recurrent symptoms and had less dysphagia on follow up as compared to patients <45 years. Subsequent pneumatic dilatations to treat persistent or recurrent symptoms were less beneficial than an initial pneumatic dilation. The cost of esophagomyotomy was 5 times greater than the cost of pneumatic dilatation. When costs were analyzed to include subsequent treatments of symptomatic patients, the total expectant costs of treating with an initial esophagomyotomy remained 2.4 times greater than treating with an initial pneumatic dilatation. This study suggests that an initial pneumatic dilatation will be the only treatment needed for the majority of patients with achalasia. A treatment regimen starting with penumatic dilatation has less overall costs than starting with esophagomyotomy. For each subsequent pneumatic dilatation, however, the clinical benefit leans toward, surgery.
A neurocomputational model of classical conditioning phenomena: a putative role for the hippocampal region in associative learning.

Abstract Some existing models of hippocampal function simulate performance in classical conditioning tasks using the error backpropagation algorithm to guide learning (Gluck, M.A., and Myers, C.E., (1993). Hippocampal mediation of stimulus representation: a computational theory. Hippocampus, 3(4), 491–516.). This algorithm is not biologically plausible because it requires information to be passed backward through layers of nodes and assumes that the environment provides information to the brain about what correct outputs should be. Here, we show that the same information-processing function proposed for the hippocampal region in the Gluck and Myers (1993) model can also be implemented in a network without using the backpropagation algorithm. Instead, our newer instantiation of the theory uses only (a) Hebbian learning methods which match more closely with synaptic and associative learning mechanisms ascribed to the hippocampal region and (b) a more plausible representation of input stimuli. We demonstrate here that this new more biologically plausible model is able to simulate various behavioral effects, including latent inhibition, acquired equivalence, sensory preconditioning, negative patterning, and context shift effects. In addition, the newer model is able to address some new phenomena including the effect of the number of training trials on blocking and overshadowing.
Authorship in the cloud

Tools for collaborating in distributed, virtual spaces support concepts of multidisciplinary authorship that challenge notions of individual production. Technical communicators are no longer able to control these new communication environments. But we can seek to understand content users who have now become content producers. This presentation will look at new tools for collaborative design work and communication in virtual spaces, with consideration of how this work can be applied to teaching technical communication in engineering disciplines.
74. Interaction effects of IL6 and treatment on neurobehavioral functioning in women with breast cancer

Background: The biological mechanisms underlying “chemo brain” or neurobehavioral symptoms in cancer patients are largely unknown, however, an emergent literature links indicators of immune deregulation to these symptoms. We hypothesized higher concentrations of pro-inflammatory cytokine interleukin 6 in breast cancer (BC) patients at both pre and post-treatment assessment relative to healthy controls, and that IL6 levels would be associated with changes in neurobehavioral functioning. Methods: Post-menopausal BC patients were assessed prior to any local or systemic treatment and one month after completion of primary treatment. Age-matched Healthy controls (HC) were assessed at similar time intervals. Neurocognitive, behavioral, and IL6 data for 120 BC and 56 HC were examined. Results: Statistically significant differences in IL6 levels between BC and HC were not evident at baseline but were at follow up assessment, with increased levels in the BC group. Factorial ANCOVA which evaluated pre-post treatment change in the BC and HC groups found that BC patients with higher IL6 levels at baseline had significant declines in selected cognitive functioning relative to the comparison groups, including memory retention ( F (1,155) = 7.07; p = .009) and processing speed ( p = .055). Similar interaction effects were not found on measures of fatigue, mood, or pain. Conclusion: Breast cancer patients with higher IL6 levels prior to treatment appear to be at risk for worse functioning in selected behavioral outcomes following treatment.
Post-traumatic prandial rhinorrhea

A patient with a LeFort III fracture developed clear prandial rhinorrhea as a late complication. A parotid-antral communication was discovered and surgically corrected. Only one previous case of parotid-antral rhinorrhea has been reported in the literature. Although it is a rare complication, salivary origin for post-traumatic rhinorrhea must be considered in the differential diagnosis.
The right dose for the right patient.

Even in the setting of intensive, multiagent chemotherapy treatment, interpatient variability in pharmacokinetics and adequate dosing are keenly important to the successful treatment of acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). In this issue of Blood , Kawedia et al report the findings of their
Topological Synthesis of Compliant Mechanisms Using Spanning Tree Theory

This paper introduces the spanning tree theory to the topological synthesis of compliant mechanisms, in which spanning trees connect all the vertices together using a minimum number of edges. A valid topology is regarded as a network connecting input, output, support, and intermediate nodes, which contains at least one spanning tree among the introduced nodes. Invalid disconnected topologies can be weeded out if no spanning tree is included. No further deformation analysis and performance evaluation is needed to invalidate disconnected topologies. Problem-dependent objectives are optimized for topological synthesis of compliant mechanisms. Constraints about maximum input displacement and force, maximum stress and overlapping connections are directly imposed during optimization process. The discrete optimization problem is solved by genetic algorithm with penalty function handling constraints. Two examples are given to verify the effectiveness of the proposed synthesis procedure.
The influence of sloping mean density surfaces on low-frequency shelf water flow

Abstract A model is derived to explore the influence of sloping mean density surfaces on low-frequency wind-driven, frictional shelf water flow. The model coastline, isobaths and mean density field do not vary alongshore and a simple wave-like form is assumed for the wind stress forcing. A perturbation solution near the barotropic limit shows that sloping mean density fields can fundamentally influence the low-frequency flow. For example, it is quite possible for low-frequency wind-driven flow on a shelf with mean density field sloping upwards toward the coast (corresponding to an upwelling situation) to be barotropic even though the low-frequency flow is baroclinic for the corresponding horizontally uniform stratification. The solution for the alongshore velocity field was calculated for some idealized cases using simple models of bottom topography and mean density field. In addition to the expected influence of the sloping mean density surfaces, the structure of the alongshore velocity response was sign...
Prevalence and Outcomes of Patients Receiving Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillators for Primary Prevention Not Based on Guidelines

Implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) implantation outside practice guidelines remains contentious, particularly during the mandated waiting periods in patients with recent cardiac events. We assessed the prevalence and outcomes of non–guideline-based (NGB) ICD implantations in a tertiary academic medical center, with a specific focus on adjudication of arrhythmia events. All patients who underwent initial primary prevention ICD implantation at our institution from 2004 to 2012 were categorized as having received guideline-based (GB) or NGB implants and were retrospectively assessed for first episode of appropriate ICD therapy and total mortality. Of 807 patients, 137 (17.0%) received NGB implants. During a median follow-up of 2.9 years, patients with NGB implants had similar times to first appropriate ICD therapy (median time to event 1.94 vs 2.17 years in patients with GB implants, p = 0.20). After multivariable analysis, patients with NGB implants remained at higher risk for death (hazard ratio 1.54, 95% confidence interval 1.1 to 2.2, p = 0.03) but not appropriate ICD therapy (hazard ratio 0.83, 95% confidence interval 0.5 to 1.3, p = 0.51). Furthermore, only 1 of 125 patients who underwent implant within the 40-day waiting period after myocardial infarction or 3-month waiting period after revascularization or cardiomyopathy diagnosis received an appropriate therapy within this period. In conclusion, few patients received NGB ICD implants in our academic medical center. Although these patients have similar long-term risk of receiving appropriate ICD therapy compared with patients with GB implants, this risk is very low during the waiting periods mandated by clinical practice guidelines. These results suggest that there is little need to rush into implanting ICDs during these waiting periods.
Factors affecting the germination of orchid seeds

THE Vol. BO T AN I C AL JANUARY-MARCH, REVIEW No. 1 FACTORS AFFECTING THE GERMINATION OF ORCH ID SEEDS 1 JOSEPH ARDITTI Department of Organismic Biology University of California Irvine, California 9266.f Introduction The orchid seed Orchid mycorrhiza and symbiosis Asymhiotic investigations Mineral nutrition _ .. _ Nitrogen nutrition .. The effects of sugars and other carbohydrates The effects of vitamins The effects of hormones . The effects of complex additives The effects of temperature The effects of light The effects of pH The effects of the atmosphere and its components The effects of moi sture The effects of miscellaneous factors . The nature of the factors required by germinating orchid seeds A note on the literature . Literature Cited ...... .. INTRODUCTION The Orchidaceae is one of che largest and most diverse of all plant families, consisting of 500- 800 genera and 20,000-30,000 species (Garay 1960, Schulces and Pease 1963). le is also among che masc widely distributed. Its representatives may be found from che Arctic to the Antarctic; in bogs, deserts, valleys, plains, hills, mountains, and even below ground (Hatch 195 3). Sizes of orchid planes vary from a few ( 3-4) mm. co several meters, whereas flowers may range from 2-3 mm. co 15-20 cm. or more in diameter. Some flowers are beauciful, e.g., Cattleya Lindi. and Phalaenop1i1 Blume, but 'Supported in pa rt by grants from the American Orchid Society, The Loeb Foundation, The Orchid Society of Southern California, and The Society of Sigma Xi.
An adaptive high-voltage protection and common-mode adjustment circuit for passive---active continuous-time sigma---delta ADCs

A digitally-programmable circuit is proposed to provide high-voltage protection at start-up, overload, and supply loss conditions in continuous-time passive---active sigma delta ADCs implemented in low-voltage nanometer CMOS technologies. The circuit optimizes the common-mode level at the input stage of the ADC enabling it to interface with input levels beyond its own supply voltage with no impact on device reliability or distortion levels, and minimum impact on area and noise performance, which provides maximum flexibility in the ADC usage. The proposed circuit along with the full ADC is implemented in a typical 65 nm CMOS technology.
Real-time control of CMU direct-drive arm II using customized inverse dynamics

Real-time control of fast manipulators requires efficient control algorithms to achieve high sampling rates. Practical implementation of the inverse dynamics to achieve high sampling rates demands an efficient algorithm which utilizes the capabilities of modern digital hardware. To reduce the computational requirements of the Newton. Euler (N-E) algorithm for real-time applications, we propose the concept of customizing the algorithm for specific manipulator designs. We analyze the computational requirements of the algorithm for designs incorporating kinematic and dynamic parameter simplifications. We illustrate our approach by customizing the NE algorithm for the CMU DD Arm II (the second version of the CMU direct drive arm). The customized algorithm reduces the computational requirements of the general-purpose algorithm by 56 percent. We also describe the hardware system for real-time control of the CMU DD Arm II and the implementation of our customized algorithm on a Marinco processor and highlight its impact on Manipulator control.
Modulation of striatal dopaminergic function by local injection of 5'-N-ethylcarboxamide adenosine

Rats rotated to the left when 5'-N-ethylcarboxamide adenosine (NECA) was injected into the left caudate nucleus and apomorphine was administered subcutaneously. The combination of NECA and apomorphine was more potent than L-(phenylisopropyl)adenosine and apomorphine in eliciting rotation, suggesting the involvement of adenosine receptors of the Ra type. The response was reduced when 2',5'-dideoxyadenosine was injected along with NECA into the caudate nucleus or when theorphylline was given intraperitoneally. Higher doses of apomorphine elicited a self-mutilatory response after the injection of NECA into the caudate nucleus. These results suggest that adenosine may be involved in the modulation of dopaminergic function in the striatum.
A global study of nighttime midlatitude topside spread echoes

[1] Range spreading is frequently evident in midlatitude topside ionograms from the ISS-B satellite. These ionograms provide a geographically unbiased perspective for the first global investigation of nighttime spread echo events that focuses solely on the midlatitude domain. The topside echo occurrence probability data show significant longitudinal variations, along with very large winter/equinox asymmetries in several geographic regions. The spread echoes are divided into two types and found to have different geophysical dependences. Small-scale events that appear as spreading in one or two consecutive ionograms have a marked seasonal dependence on magnetic declination and no obvious correlation with auroral indices. Larger-scale events in which the spreading is observed over spatial domains of 1000 km or more have less dependence on magnetic declination but are anticorrelated with the AE index in periods 6–8 hours prior to their appearance. The declination dependence for the small-scale events suggests that the irregularities are most prevalent when the E region conductivity is low at both ends of the flux tube. This in turn suggests that electric fields mapping from the E region up to F region altitudes are likely involved in their generation. The correlation of the larger-scale events with depressed AE signatures suggests that traveling ionospheric disturbances caused by auroral heating are not the most likely cause of these large features at midlatitudes.