cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Synchronous primary cancers of the endometrium and ovary: a single institution review of 84 cases

Abstract Objectives . Synchronous primary cancers of the endometrium and ovary are found in 10% of women with ovarian cancer and 5% of women with endometrial cancer. The purpose of this study was to characterize patients diagnosed with synchronous primary cancers of the endometrium and ovary with an emphasis on risk factors. Methods . Between 1989 and 2002, 84 patients with synchronous primary cancers of the endometrium and ovary were identified. Patients with uterine papillary serous carcinoma were excluded. Clinical and pathologic information was obtained from medical records. Parametric methods were used to compare clinical and pathologic features. Kaplan–Meier survival analyses were performed and compared using the log rank test. Results . Median age at diagnosis was 50 years. Median body mass index (BMI) was 28 kg/m 2 . Fifty-one percent (43/84) of the women were premenopausal and 33% (28/84) were nulliparous. The most common presenting symptom was abnormal vaginal bleeding; in those women with abnormal vaginal bleeding, 69% had stage I ovarian cancer. Ovarian cancer was an incidental finding in 48% of these patients. Sixty-eight percent of patients (57/84) had endometrioid histology of both their endometrial and ovarian cancers. Patients with early stage ovarian cancer tended to have a more favorable prognosis than those with advanced stage disease (median survival not reached in stage I and II versus 66 months in stage III and IV, P = 0.06). Patients with concordant endometrioid histology had a favorable prognosis (median survival 119 versus 48 months in all other groups, P = 0.02). Conclusions . In this large series of patients, women with synchronous primary cancers of the endometrium and ovary were young, obese, nulliparous, and premenopausal. Patients with concordant endometrioid tumors of the endometrium and ovary had a favorable prognosis, with median survival approaching 10 years.
A phase II study of capecitabine plus docetaxel in gemcitabine-pretreated metastatic pancreatic cancer patients: CapTere

Purpose Docetaxel and capecitabine combination is synergistic in preclinical models. We investigated the efficacy and toxicity of this combination as second-line chemotherapy in patients with metastatic pancreatic adenocarcinoma (mPC), pretreated with gemcitabine-based chemotherapy.
Factors associated with event reporting in the pediatric radiation oncology population using an electronic incident reporting system

Abstract Purpose Pediatric patients may receive complex treatment. In our department, an electronic incident reporting system (condition reporting system [CRS]) was developed and made available to all members. Methods and materials The CRS system is available on all departmental computers. Entered events are evaluated and graded by a supervisor as follows: "A"(dose deviation or patient harm), "B" (near miss), "C" (interruption in care process), or "D" (inconvenience). Data for pediatric patients for whom events were entered were reviewed retrospectively and compared to the entire treated pediatric population. Results Over 2 years, 503 pediatric patients received radiation therapy (median age 10.1 years; range, 0.5-18.8 years), and 592 pediatric CRS events were entered (9.8% of 6020 total institutional CRS entries). These concerned 275 patients with an average of 2.1 entries each; 59% (348) were graded as severity D, 39% (230) as C, 2% (14) as B, and none as A. Events were most commonly related to treatment process (32%, n=188), followed by planning/dosimetry (19%, n=109), anesthesia (15%, n=86), scheduling/transport (13%, n=73), and physics (10%, n=62). Delays associated with events were ≤1 hour for most cases (83%, n=474). Patient and treatment factors associated with CRS entry included total duration of radiation therapy, primary brain tumor, receipt of proton therapy, and receipt of double-scattered proton therapy. No significant differences were found based on age, sex, race, treatment intent (curative vs palliative), type of photon treatment (conformal vs intensity modulated radiation therapy vs arc), use of total body irradiation, or use of pencil beam scanning proton therapy. Conclusions An incident reporting system is a widely used part of the safety culture at our institution, which treats one of the largest pediatric patient volumes in North America. Most pediatric CRS-reported events are of minor severity. Longer treatment course and use of new and complex technologies appear to increase the likelihood of a CRS event within the pediatric population, which supports the need for increased safety processes when new techniques are initiated.
A Balancing Act - Reflections on 37 Years at Regis University: An Interview with Fr. Michael J. Sheeran, S.J., President, Regis University

Father Michael Sheeran, S.J., who became the 23rd president of Regis University on January 1, 1993, will officially retire from this appointment May 31, 2012. Father Sheeran arrived at Regis University in 1975 as assistant professor of history and political science and director of Student Academic Services. He was named academic dean of Regis College in 1977 and in 1982 became academic vice president. Every facet of his tenure as Regis University President underscores and supports a deep belief that the role of a Jesuit, Catholic university is to serve as a catalyst to further the common good of the community at large. Jesuit Higher Education: A Journal (JHE) asked Father Sheeran to reflect on his accomplishments as well as the future of Regis University.
Repurposing existing digital resources and smoothing interdisciplinary communication: Environmental policy collection development

Given the proliferation of scholarly digital contents, it has become increasingly difficult for researchers to find relevant contents in their own, not to mention related, disciplines. The situation is even worse in interdisciplinary fields such as environmental sciences. Many academic libraries provide services to support the creation, organization, management, use, and reuse of digital contents. This poster describes the University of North Texas (UNT) Libraries’ initiative to provide digital infrastructure and stewardship in order to ensure long-term access to the resources collected. The preliminary results from usage and related statistics analysis suggest significant research and educational impact of the Environmental Policy Collection. Based on the University of North Texas Libraries’ experience in integrating heterogeneous digital resources from diverse sources and providing seamless access, this poster will also provide guidelines for future digital collection development, and make recommendations for further study of collection development strategies.
Stevia and Saccharin Preferences in Rats and Mice

Use of natural noncaloric sweeteners in commercial foods and beverages has expanded recently to include compounds from the plant Stevia rebaudiana. Little is known about the responses of rodents, the animal models for many studies of taste systems and food intake, to stevia sweeteners. In the present experiments, preferences of female Sprague-Dawley rats and C57BL/6J mice for different stevia products were compared with those for the artificial sweetener saccharin. The stevia component rebaudioside A has the most sweetness and least off-tastes to human raters. In ascending concentration tests (48-h sweetener vs. water), rats and mice preferred a high-rebaudioside, low-stevioside extract as strongly as saccharin, but the extract stimulated less overdrinking and was much less preferred to saccharin in direct choice tests. Relative to the extract, mice drank more pure rebaudioside A and showed stronger preferences but still less than those for saccharin. Mice also preferred a commercial mixture of rebaudioside A and erythritol (Truvia). Similar tests of sweet receptor T1R3 knockout mice and brief-access licking tests with normal mice suggested that the preferences were based on sweet taste rather than post-oral effects. The preference response of rodents to stevia sweeteners is notable in view of their minimal response to some other noncaloric sweeteners (aspartame and cyclamate).
SNR mismatch effects in LDPC coded magnetic recording channels

Signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) mismatch has been found to have a great impact on the performance of low-density parity-check (LDPC) coded magnetic recording channels. While an inappropriate SNR mismatch degrades the performance dramatically, a properly selected optimum SNR mismatch can improve it significantly. We analyze the causes of this phenomenon and find optimum values for the SNR mismatch for specific magnetic recording systems using both density evolution analysis and Monte Carlo simulations.
SQL query modification algorithms

Algebra rules and a query modification algorithm that enable modifications of SQL queries considered hitherto as nonmodifiable are introduced. Cases where aggregates are involved are emphasized. Also introduced is a technique to translate a view with DISTINCT keyword into an equivalent grouped view without DISTINCT; as a result some queries that were not modifiable on the DISTINCT view become modifiable. A set of commutative and merging rules at the relational algebra level that are used to derive the query modification algorithm systematically is developed. >
Narrating (French) Masculinities: Building Male Identity in André Gide's The Immoralist

This study examines the representation of masculinity in Andre Gide's The Immoralist, an early work by the author, in which he depicts his anti-hero's rediscovery and reinvention of himself after a...
Test efficiency analysis of random self-test of sequential circuits

Motivated by the work of K. Kim et al. (1988) and A. Krasniewski and S. Pilarski (1989), the problem of test efficiency in random testing of sequential circuits using built-in self-test (BIST) techniques is addressed. It is shown that, given a circuit with n primary inputs and the goal of maximizing expected pattern coverage, different pattern-sampling distributions for its 2/sup n/ possible patterns can be partially ordered. The exact distributions for pattern coverage for both equiprobable and nonequiprobable pattern-sampling distributions are derived. Approximations for pattern-coverage distributions under equiprobable pattern-sampling conditions and corresponding numerical results are presented. A limiting distribution function for pattern-coverage distribution is derived. The authors also present numerical results on confidence levels for obtaining a specified pattern coverage. The distribution for the number of test cycles (R) required to achieve a specified pattern coverage is also derived. The authors derive and use the expression for the expected value of R to illustrate the increase in the effect of achieving a specified coverage j as j increases. >
Elastic Properties of Carbon Nanotubes in the Radial Direction

A systematic numerical and theoretical analysis is carried out to study the radial elastic properties of single-walled, double-walled, and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs). The molecular dynamics simulations are used to study CNTs under radial pressure, and the deformation mechanisms of CNTs are explored by analysing the relationship between radial strain and strain energy. A parallel continuum model based on plane strain theory is verified by molecular dynamics (MD) simulation results in single-walled and double-walled CNTs, and extended into multi-walled CNTs that are computationally expensive for MD simulation. Good agreement is found between MD simulation results and continuum studies. The effective radial elastic moduli of CNTs are presented as a function of tube radii and the number of CNT layers. The results of this paper may be useful when analysing the mechanical integrity of CNT nanocomposites and nanofluidic components.
Modeling and design of vapor‐phase biofiltration for chlorinated volatile organic compounds

A mathematical model was developed for biofilter design and performance prediction with reference to the purification of contaminated gas streams. The model incorporated important aspects such as mass transfer, biodegradation, and adsorption processes. A systematic modeling protocol incorporated the development of a scale-up strategy based on dimensional analysis and similitude. Trichloroethylene (TCE) was employed as the model contaminant for biofiltration testing and model verification. The biokinetic and adsorption parameters for the contaminant were determined independently from a series of minibiofilter and miniadsorber column experiments, specifically designed to simulate the actual biofilter operational regimes in a miniature scale. Bench-scale biofilter experiments employing granular activated carbon columns indicated the good predictive capability of the model for the removal of TCE. Dynamic simulation studies were performed to assess the transient- and steady-state behavior of the model under various operating conditions. Model sensitivity was studied to evaluate the influence of adsorption equilibrium, transport and biological parameters on the biofilter dynamics. The results demonstrated that the biofilter performance was greatly influenced by the Monod coefficients and the biofilm thickness.
Grain‐Boundary‐Phase Crystallization and Strength of Silicon Nitride Sintered with a YSlAlON Glass

Densifying silicon nitride with a YSiAlON glass additive produced 99% dense materials by pressureless sintering. Subsequent heat-treating led to nearly complete crystallization of the amorphous intergranular phase. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that for heat treatments at 1350°C, only β-Y2Si2O7 was crystallized at the grain boundaries. At a higher temperature of 1450°C, primarily YSiO2N and Y4Si2O7N2 in addition to small amounts of Y2SiO5 were present. Al existed only in high concentrations in residual amorphous phases, and in solid solution with Si3N4 and some crystalline grain-boundary phases. In four-point flexure tests materials retained up to 73% of their strengths, with strengths of up to 426 MPa, at 1300°C. High-strength retention was due to nearly complete crystallization of the intergranular phase, as well as to the high refractoriness of residual amorphous phases.
Impact of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) on Arctic Surface Air Temperature and Sea Ice Variability

AbstractThe simulated impact of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation (AMOC) on the low-frequency variability of the Arctic surface air temperature (SAT) and sea ice extent is studied with a 1000-year-long segment of a control simulation of the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory Climate Model version 2.1. The simulated AMOC variations in the control simulation are found to be significantly anticorrelated with the Arctic sea ice extent anomalies and significantly correlated with the Arctic SAT anomalies on decadal time scales in the Atlantic sector of the Arctic. The maximum anticorrelation with the Arctic sea ice extent and the maximum correlation with the Arctic SAT occur when the AMOC index leads by one year. An intensification of the AMOC is associated with a sea ice decline in the Labrador, Greenland, and Barents Seas in the control simulation, with the largest change occurring in winter. The recent declining trend in the satellite-observed sea ice extent also shows a similar pattern in t...
1 GHZ phononic band gap structure in air/aluminum nitride for symmetric lamb waves

This paper presents the first demonstration of a new class of phononic band gap (PBG) structures in air/aluminum nitride (AlN) at 1 GHz for symmetric lamb waves. The unit cell of this design utilizes an X-shaped air inclusion, instead of the conventional circular ones, in a solid host material. This novel design extends the operating frequency of the AlN PBG to the GHz range by using a structure minimum feature size of 750 nm, instead of 300 nm required by the conventional circular design, which therefore lessens the requirements during the photolithography process. The experimental results confirm the existence of a frequency band gap from 860 MHz to 1.2 GHz with maximum attenuation of 40 dB in the Γ-X direction. The amplitude of rejection and the frequency stop band is verified by COMSOL® finite element method (FEM) simulation, proving, for the first time, that COMSOL® can be employed for the full characterization of these structures. Low-loss acoustic delay lines in AlN were employed to form the reference response to which the PBG is compared. The integration of PBGs with these acoustic elements is a clear evidence of the possibility to synthesize miniaturized RF MEMS platforms in the ultra high frequency (UHF) range.
Outputs, Structure, and Power: An Assessment of Changes in the Study of State and Local Politics

STATE AND LOCAL POLITICS as a field of political science is no longer a "lost world" or the site of "'Dullsville."' Rather than being the laggard of the discipline that some political scientists perceive it to be., the study of state and local politics has reentered the mainstream of political research. Much of the work in political science which has influenced the drift of the profession has been within its domain. V. 0. Key's Soutkern Politics2 quickly became a classic for the discipline. Robert A. Dahl's Wko Governs?3 as well as other community power structure studies have raised significant questions for other spheres of the discipline. The Legislative System4 by John C. Wahlke et al. has remained the model for investigations of the roles of political actors; Thomas R. Dye's Politics, Economics, and tke Public5 is a landmark in the systematic analysis of public policy.
Forebody Vortex Asymmetries due to a Single Surface Perturbation

Aerodynamic loads produced by a single cylindrical surface perturbation at the apex of a blunted conical forebody were investigated as a function of two of the geometric parameters that defined the perturbation: axial position and perturbation height. Nonlinear regressions of the aerodynamic loads as a function of the geometric parameters revealed a fractional power-law dependence of the decay rate of the loads on the perturbation height and a stronger (exponent exceeding unity) power-law dependence of the growth rate on the axial position. A discrete vortex simulation of the flowfield in which the effect of the perturbations was simulated as a shift in shed vortex particles confirmed these dependencies. It was concluded that the changes in the flow physics due to the changes in the perturbation’s axial position and height are fundamentally inviscid in nature.
Clinical utility of video-EEG monitoring.

Abstract This study investigated the efficiency of simultaneous video-electroencephalography (EEG) monitoring in documenting paroxysmal events, the value in clinical diagnosis, and the effect on treatment. In this retrospective review, 230 children underwent this procedure between January, 1990 and December, 1992. The data demonstrated that video-EEG monitoring can be used as a daytime procedure with a high success rate (80%) in detecting and differentiating the nature of recurrent paroxysmal behaviors that have occurred on a daily basis. Video-EEG monitoring has a high diagnostic rate in differentiating seizure versus nonseizure events (70%), in classifying seizure types (88%), and in evaluating the candidacy for epilepsy surgery (64%). Video-EEG diagnosis resulted in an alteration of clinical management in 45 % of patients. Continuous video-EEG monitoring is an efficient and valuable procedure in the diagnosis and management of paroxysmal disorders in children.
mSWAT: low-cost hardware fault detection and diagnosis for multicore systems

Continued technology scaling is resulting in systems with billions of devices. Unfortunately, these devices are prone to failures from various sources, resulting in even commodity systems being affected by the growing reliability threat. Thus, traditional solutions involving high redundancy or piecemeal solutions targeting specific failure modes will no longer be viable owing to their high overheads. Recent reliability solutions have explored using low-cost monitors that watch for anomalous software behavior as a symptom of hardware faults. We previously proposed the SWAT system that uses such low-cost detectors to detect hardware faults, and a higher cost mechanism for diagnosis. However, all of the prior work in this context, including SWAT, assumes single-threaded applications and has not been demonstrated for multithreaded applications running on multicore systems. This paper presents mSWAT, the first work to apply symptom based detection and diagnosis for faults in multicore architectures running multithreaded software. For detection, we extend the symptom-based detectors in SWAT and show that they result in a very low Silent Data Corruption (SDC) rate for both permanent and transient hardware faults. For diagnosis, the multicore environment poses significant new challenges. First, deterministic replay required for SWAT's single-threaded diagnosis incurs higher overheads for multithreaded workloads. Second, the fault may propagate to fault-free cores resulting in symptoms from fault-free cores and no available known-good core, breaking fundamental assumptions of SWAT's diagnosis algorithm. We propose a novel permanent fault diagnosis algorithm for multithreaded applications running on multicore systems that uses a lightweight isolated deterministic replay to diagnose the faulty core with no prior knowledge of a known good core. Our results show that this technique successfully diagnoses over 95% of the detected permanent faults while incurring low hardware overheads. mSWAT thus offers an affordable solution to protect future multicore systems from hardware faults.
A comparison of numerical and analytical methods for the reduced wave equation with multiple spatial scales

Boyd, J.P., A comparison of numerical and analytical methods for the reduced wave equation with multiple spatial scales, Applied Numerical Mathematics 7 (1991) 453-479. We compare four different techniques for solving the ordinary differential equation u,, + u = I on the unbounded interval, x E [ - 00, co], when f( EX) decays rapidly as ) x ( + co. This problem, although very simple, is representative of problems that arise in such diverse fields as numerical weather prediction, plasma physics, and weakly non-local solitary waves. When E es 1, the solution has two length scales: the “fast”, O(1) scale of the homogeneous solutions of the differential equation and the “slow”, O(~/E) scale of the forcing function. The four methods are: (1) perturbation series in E (“method of multiple scales”); (2) Padt approximants formed from the c-series; (3) rational Chebyshev pseudospectral algorithm; and (4) the pseudospectral method with a mixed basis that includes a special “radiation function” for the plus sign only. We find that the perturbation series is asymptotic but almost always divergent. The effectiveness of the other methods depends on the sign of the coefficient in the differential equation. When the sign is negative, U(X) decays rapidly as ) x 1 -+ 00. Pad& approximants converge and the rational Chebyshev pseudospectral method is very accurate. One might suppose that the numerical method would be ineffective for small E because of the difficulty of simultaneously resolving two very disparate length scales. However, because that part of U(X) which varies on the “fast” O(1) scale is exponentially small in l/.s, as few as twenty basis functions give six decimal place accuracy for a smooth f(x) for all E. When the sign of the differential equation is negative, u(x) is oscillatory as 1 x ( ---f cc (with an amplitude LY which is proportional to exp( - q/e) for some constant q). PadC approximants and the Chebyshev method do not converge, but instead have an accuracy which is limited to O(a). When a special “radiation function” is added to the spectral basis, however, it is possible to obtain arbitrarily high accuracy. The numerically computed coefficient of the radiation function is an accurate approximation to the amplitude of the asymptotic radiation, a(e).
Amplitude control of protein kinase C by RINCK, a novel E3 ubiquitin ligase

Abstract Protein kinase C (PKC) isozymes play a central role in cellular signaling. Levels of PKC control the amplitude of agonist-induced signaling and alterations in these levels are associated with disease states, most notably cancer, yet mechanisms that control the turnover of the protein are poorly understood. Here we identify an E3 ligase that catalyzes the ubiquitin-mediated degradation of PKC. Specifically, we identified a RING finger domain-containing protein, RINCK (for RING-finger protein that interacts with C kinase) from a yeast two-hybrid screen using the amino terminus of PKCβ as bait. RINCK encodes a protein of 581 amino acids that contains a RING finger domain, a B-box, and two coiled-coil regions, the three domains that form the signature motif of the large family of diverse TRIM (tripartite motif) proteins. Co-immunoprecipitation studies using tsA201 cells reveal that RINCK and PKC associate with each other in cells. Studies using fragments of PKCβ reveal that this interaction is mediated by the C1A domain of PKC. RINCK induces the ubiquitination of PKC both in vitro and in cells. Overexpression of RINCK reduces the levels of PKC in cells, whereas genetic knockdown of endogenous RINCK increases the levels of PKC. This increase was observed for all PKC isozymes examined (including conventional, novel, and atypical). The RINCK-mediated degradation of PKC occurs independently of the classic phorbol ester-mediated down-regulation: genetic depletion of RINCK had no effect on the phorbol ester-mediated down-regulation and, additionally, up-regulated the levels of isozymes that cannot bind phorbol esters. Our data reveal a novel mechanism that provides amplitude control in PKC signaling through ubiquitination catalyzed by RINCK, an E3 ligase that specifically recognizes the C1 domain of PKC isoforms.
Emotional intelligence and its relation to everyday behaviour

This study assessed the discriminant, criterion and incremental validity of an ability measure of emotional intelligence (EI). College students (N=330) took an ability test of EI, a measure of the Big Five personality traits, and provided information on Life Space scales that assessed an array of self-care behaviours, leisure pursuits, academic activities, and interpersonal relations. Women scored significantly higher in EI than men. EI, however, was more predictive of the Life Space criteria for men than for women. Lower EI in males, principally the inability to perceive emotions and to use emotion to facilitate thought, was associated with negative outcomes, including illegal drug and alcohol use, deviant behaviour, and poor relations with friends. The findings remained significant even after statistically controlling for scores on the Big Five and academic achievement. In this sample, EI was significantly associated with maladjustment and negative behaviours for college-aged males, but not for females. # 2003 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Is it time to revisit the Pedersen hypothesis in the face of the obesity epidemic

The Pedersen hypothesis was formulated more than 50 years ago. Jorgen Pedersen primarily cared for women with type 1 diabetes. He suggested that fetal overgrowth was related to increased transplacental transfer of glucose, stimulating the release of insulin by the fetal beta cell and subsequent macrosomia. Optimal maternal glucose control decreased perinatal mortality and morbidity. However, over the ensuing decades, there have been increases in maternal obesity and subsequently gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and type 2 diabetes. The underlying pathophysiology of type 1 and GDM/type 2 diabetes are fundamentally different, type 1 diabetes being primarily a disorder of beta cell failure and type 2 diabetes/GDM including both insulin resistance and beta cell dysfunction. As such the metabolic milieu in which the developing fetus is exposed may be quite different in type 1 diabetes and obesity. In this review we examine the metabolic environment of obese diabetic women and lipid metabolism affecting fetal adiposity. The importance of understanding these issues relates to the increasing trends of obesity worldwide with perinatal programming of metabolic dysfunction in the offspring.
Management of small solitary unilateral renal cell carcinomas: impact of central versus peripheral tumor location.

AbstractPurpose: Recent studies have suggested that nephron sparing surgery and radical nephrectomy provide equally effective therapy for patients with small (less than 4 cm.), solitary, unilateral renal cell carcinoma and a normal contralateral kidney. We evaluate whether central versus peripheral tumor location in the involved kidney is a significant factor affecting treatment outcome in these patients.Materials and Methods: Patients with a single, small (less than 4 cm.), localized, unilateral, sporadic renal cell carcinoma were identified from our institutional registry. From 1972 to 1995, 145 patients fulfilling these criteria were treated with either nephron sparing surgery (86) or radical nephrectomy (59). Mean postoperative followup was 51.4 months. Tumor characteristics and outcome measures were analyzed in 35 patients with central versus 110 with peripheral renal cell carcinomas according to the type of treatment.Results: We detected 27 central (77%) and 75 peripheral renal cell carcinomas (68%)...
Using Body Mass Index to Predict Needle Length in Fluoroscopy-Guided Lumbar Punctures

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Predicting the appropriate needle length to use in oblique interlaminar-approach fluoroscopy-guided lumbar punctures in patients with a large body mass index is difficult. Using the wrong needle length can lead to an increased radiation dose and patient discomfort. We hypothesized that body mass index could help determine the appropriate needle length to use in patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: We randomly selected patients who underwent oblique interlaminar-approach fluoroscopy-guided lumbar punctures and had cross-sectional imaging of the lumbar spine within 1 year of imaging ( n = 50). The distance from the skin to the midlumbar spinal canal (skin-canal distance) at the level of the lumbar puncture was measured by using an oblique angle of 8.6°, which is an average of angles most often used to perform the procedure. A formula was devised using the skin-canal distance and body mass index to predict the appropriate needle length, subsequently confirmed in 45 patients. RESULTS: The body mass index and skin-canal distance were significantly higher ( P < .001) in patients who underwent fluoroscopy-guided lumbar puncture with 5- or 7-inch needles ( n = 22) than in patients requiring 3.5-inch needles ( n = 28). Using linear regression, we determined the formula to predict the needle length as Skin-Canal Distance (inches) = 0.077 × Body Mass Index + 0.88. We found a strong correlation ( P < .001) between the predicted and actual skin canal distance in 45 patients, and our formula better predicted the skin-canal distance than others. CONCLUSIONS: We designed a formula that uses body mass index to predict the appropriate needle length in oblique interlaminar-approach fluoroscopy-guided lumbar punctures and validated it by demonstrating a strong correlation between the predicted and actual skin-canal distance. BMI : body mass index BMIC : BMI category FGLP : fluoroscopy-guided lumbar puncture LP : lumbar puncture OIA : oblique interlaminar-approach SCD : skin-canal distance
Triphenyl­methyl benzoate

The title compound, C26H20O2, has long been known, but was not structurally characterized until now. It adopts the Z conformation and the atoms comprising the ester linkage are essentially coplanar (r.m.s. deviation of 0.0234 A). The acyl C—O bond length of 1.470 (2) A falls within the normal range seen for esters of tertiary alcohols and is below the value of 1.496 A found in tri-tert-butyl­methyl 4-nitro­benzoate.
A NEW ENDEMIC RED-FRUITED CLADONIA FROM THE NORTH CAROLINA COAST

The lichen Cladonia (Cocciferae) anitae (Ascomycotina: Cladoniaceae) is a new endemic species of sandy soil in savannahs on the Atlantic Coast of southeastern North Carolina. It is distinct from all other red-fruited Cladoniae by the presence of characteristic soredia on the undersides of the primary squamules and by the production of the depsidones grayanic acid and 4-O-demethylgrayanic acid. The latter substance, which is new, also occurs in other grayanic acid-producing lichens. The new species is compared to C. cristatella and C. incrassata. The Coastal Plain of the southeastern United States is botanically famous for its large number of endemic species. Among the endemic lichens restricted to this physiographic province the genus Cladonia (Ascomycotina: Cladoniaceae) is the most outstanding, being represented there by C. abbreviatula Merr., C. atlantica Evans, C. beaumontii (Tuck.) Vain., C. floridana Vain., C. leporina Fr., C. pachycladodes Vain., C. perlomera Krist., and C. subsetacea Robb. ex Evans. The present article adds a new species, C. anitae, to this list. This species is well defined in morphology and secondary-product chemistry and has a very restricted distribution on the Atlantic Coast of southeastern North Carolina. Within its narrow range, however, this lichen is not particularly rare. CHEMISTRY
Cerebral Sinus Thrombosis and Periorbital Bruising

Two patients, females aged 24 and 25 years, with raised intracranial pressure and dural venous sinus thrombosis, who presented with periorbital bruising, are reported from Moorfields Eye Hospital, and the National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London, UK.
Microcrvstalline and Mixed Phase Si:H : Preparation. Potential and Properties for Devices

We discuss the preparation, properties and device potential of microcrystalline Si:H (μc-Si:H) material deposited using plasma-CVD techniques. We have been able to deposit high quality μc-Si:H using both glow discharge and ECR plasma CVD techniques. In both cases, the critical parameter was the presence of a high flux of H, and high power. The quality of the material was measured using sub-gap photo-conductivity, in both films and devices. We find that the absorption coefficient in μc-Si:H films follows the c-Si curve very closely, with little excess absorption. We have also fabricated p-i-n devices in these materials. We find that the properties of the devices depend critically upon the p-i interface and on the deposition technique used to make the devices. We use quantum efficiency techniques to study the devices in detail. We find that often, a good device characteristic corresponds to a case where the undoped layer is a mixed phase (amorphous-microcrystalline) and not just microcrystalline. In contrast, using just the microcrystalline phase for i layers in devices leads to severe interface problems, which lead to inflexion points in I (V) curves. Using the mixed phase for i layer, we have made solar cells with 0.46 V open circuit voltage, and a fill factor of 0.58. In contrast, using a microcrystalline phase can lead to devices with high voltages (0.6), but poor fill factors. We also discuss the device potential of microcrystalline devices, and we find that it may be possible to fabricate devices with 8% solar conversion efficiency in this material once all the interface problems are solved. Such devices may have applications as low-gap cells in an a-Si:H/μc-Si:H cell structure.
Review of "The Living Library: An Intellectual Ecosystem," by Patricia Steele, David Cronrath, Sandra Parsons Vicchio, and Nancy Fried Foster

Chicago, Association of College and Research Libraries, 2015, 154 pp., $42.00, ISBN-13: 978-0-83898-740-7This work is both a detailed account of the cross-disciplinary and participatory redesign of...
Effects of panax quinquefolium together with astrgalus on immune function in mice

Objective To study the effects of Panax quinquefolium together with Astrgalus on the immune function in mice. Methods Mice were randomly divided into control group,low dose group( 53. 3 mg / kgBW),middle dose group( 533 mg/kgBW) and high dose group( 1 600 mg/kgBW). The control group was given edible oil. The data of cellular immunity,humoral immunity,macrophage phagocytosis function and the activities of NK cells were examined and collected after 30 days. Results The toe swelling value of middle and high dose groups were significant higher than that of control group. The proliferation of T cells of middle and high dose groups were significant higher than that of control group. The index of macrophages for carbon clearance of middle and high dose groups were significant higher than that of control group. The number of antibody-produing cells in spleen of high dose group was significant higher than that of control group. Conclusion The results indicated that Panax quinquefolium combined with Astrgalus could enhance the immune function in mice.
Abstract A45: Breast tumor metabolism

Proliferative cells have an increased need for macromolecular precursors required to sustain proliferation. Therefore, alteration of metabolic pathway flux and metabolite consumption is a hallmark of the transformed state. We have begun to investigate the specific metabolic pathway rewiring that occurs in the transformation of human breast cells, and the different metabolic phenotypes exhibited in breast cancers of specific molecular subtypes. These efforts have focused on the contribution of proper amino acid management in supporting breast tumor metabolism. For example, we have observed that ER-negative breast cancers exhibit activation of the serine biosynthetic pathway, controlled primarily by the expression of the enzyme PHGDH. ER-negative breast cancer cell lines with high PHGDH expression depend on its continued expression to maintain viability, and PHGDH expression permits cells to survive in the absence of extracellular serine. We have also identified the enzyme SHMT2, responsible for catabolizing serine for use in cellular methylation reactions, as an important determinant for cellular survival in low oxygen conditions. Finally, we have uncovered a key enzyme required to catabolize cysteine for the biosynthesis of iron-sulfur clusters, as being required for breast cancer cells to proliferate in high-oxygen environments, or under conditions of oxidative damage. We will discuss our development of mouse models to both investigate the contribution of these metabolic pathways to breast tumorigenesis and develop strategies to impact breast cancer growth and development. This work is supported by a Susan G. Komen Career Catalyst grant. Citation Format: Richard Possemato. Breast tumor metabolism. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference on Advances in Breast Cancer Research; Oct 17-20, 2015; Bellevue, WA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Res 2016;14(2_Suppl):Abstract nr A45.
The Naturalizing Error

We describe an error type that we call the naturalizing error: an appeal to nature as a self-justified description dictating or limiting our choices in moral, economic, political, and other social contexts. Normative cultural perspectives may be subtly and subconsciously inscribed into purportedly objective descriptions of nature, often with the apparent warrant and authority of science, yet not be fully warranted by a systematic or complete consideration of the evidence. Cognitive processes may contribute further to a failure to notice the lapses in scientific reasoning and justificatory warrant. By articulating this error type at a general level, we hope to raise awareness of this pervasive error type and to facilitate critiques of claims that appeal to what is “natural” as inevitable or unchangeable.
SU‐F‐T‐41: 3D MTP‐TRUS for Prostate Implant

Purpose: Prostate brachytherapy is an effective treatment for early prostate cancer. The current prostate implant is limited to using 2D transrectal ultrassound (TRUS) or machenical motor driven 2D array either in the end or on the side. Real-time 3D images can improve the accuracy of the guidance of prostate implant. The concept of our system is to allow realtime full visualization of the entire prostate with the multiple transverse scan. Methods: The prototype of 3D Multiple-Transverse-Plane Transrectal Ultrasound probe (MTP-TRUS) has been designed by us and manufactured by Blatek inc. It has 7 convex linear arrays and each array has 96 elements. It is connected to cQuest Fire bird research system (Cephasonics inc.) which is a flexible and configurable ultrasound-development platform. The size of cQuest Firebird system is compact and supports the real-time wireless image transferring. A relay based mux board is designed for the cQuest Firebird system to be able to connect 672 elements. Results: The center frequency of probe is 6MHz±10%. The diameter of probe is 3cm and the length is 20cm. The element pitch is 0.205 mm. Array focus is 30mm and spacing 1.6cm. The beam data for each array was measured and met our expectation. The interface board of MTP-TURS is made and able to connect to cQuest Firebird system. The image display interface is still under the development. Our real-time needle tracking algorithm will be implemented too. Conclusion: Our MTP-TRUS system for prostate implant will be able to acquire real-time 3D images of prostate and do the real-time needle segmentation and tracking. The system is compact and have wireless function.
A Fuzzy-Based Personalized Recommender System for Local Businesses

On-line reviewing systems have become prevalent in our society. User-provided reviews of local businesses have provided rich information in terms of users' preferences regarding businesses and their interactions in reviewing systems; however, little is known about how the reviewing behaviors of users can benefit businesses in terms of suggesting potential collaboration opportunities. In the current study, we aim to build a recommendation system for businesses to provide suggestions for business collaboration. Based on historical data from Yelp that shows two businesses being reviewed by the same users within a same season, we were able to identify businesses that might attract the same customers in the future, and hence provide them with a collaboration suggestion. Our results suggest that the evidence - two businesses sharing reviews from same users - can provide recommendations for businesses to pursue future collaborative marketing opportunities.
Evolution of the Seed Industry

Like all aspects of agriculture and American society, the field seed industry in North America has undergone dramatic changes in the last two hundred years. The twentieth century has especially been marked by unparalleled development, evolution, reconstruction, and progress. As we look forward to the twenty-first century, progress continues at a breathtaking pace which promises to eclipse even that of the past century. This chapter traces some of the changes that have occurred in the production and marketing of seed during the past 250 years which led to the development of the modern seed industry.
Identity and Eating: A Christian Reading of Leviticus

Israelites lived intimately with their livestock, as members of a single household, and this had an effect on their understanding of human identity—as Leviticus expresses it, of God’s call to Israe...
Performance measurement of broadband simple decoding in short-range MIMO

In a short-range multiple-input and multiple-output (SR-MIMO) transmission system that relies on line-of-sight (LOS) propagation, the channel matrix is determined by the antenna geometry, hence radio frequency (RF) signal processing by using an analog matrix circuit is a valid means of separating spatially-multiplexed multiple signal streams. To date several simple decoding methods utilizing this feature for SR-MIMO transmission have been proposed and demonstrated at one frequency point. This paper presents a demonstration of a simple decoding method for two-branch SR-MIMO transmission in a broadband with eight percent relative bandwidth, which corresponds to two-channel usage in the 60-GHz band. An experimental evaluation of the method was performed after prototyping the array antenna and weight matrix circuit. The evaluation results showed signal separation performance of 15 dB was obtained through the frequency range of 24.0–26.0 GHz. Bit error rate (BER) was simulated using measured transmission characteristics and we determined that 16 QAM signals at this band can be transmitted in the prototype system.
Topographic variables improve climatic models of forage species abundance in the northeastern United States

Question Species distribution modelling has most commonly been applied to presence-only data and to woody species. Can similar methods be used to create detailed predicted abundance maps for forage species? These predictions would be of great value for agricultural management and land-use planning. Location Northeastern USA. Methods We used field data from 31 grazed farms to model abundances for six forage species with three statistical methods: GLM, GAM and Random Forest models. A hierarchical ecological framework encompassing climatic, edaphic and topographic variables related to the plant species requirements for water, light and temperature was used to guide variable selection. Results Although many species distribution modelling studies have used only climatic variables, the inclusion of topography greatly improved explanatory power. Edaphic variables contributed little more beyond the information already provided by climate and topography. Random Forest models had higher overall predictive capability, and were used to produce the final potential abundance maps for the six forage species. Conclusions Climate-only predictions may be suitable for state or regional planning, but topographic variables must be included in species distribution models used to support decision-making at the farm and field scales.
Perceptions and attitude effects on nanotechnology acceptance: an exploratory framework

Existing literature in people’s attitude toward nanotechnology and acceptance of nanotechnology applications has generally investigated the impact of factors at the individual or context levels. While this vast body of research is very informative, a comprehensive understanding of how attitude toward nanotechnology are formed and factors influencing the acceptance of nanotechnology are elusive. This paper proposes an exploratory nanotechnology perception-attitude-acceptance framework (Nano-PAAF) to build a systematic understanding of the phenomenon. The framework proposes that perceptions of risks and benefits of nanotechnology are influenced by cognitive, affective, and sociocultural factors. The sociodemographic factors of consumers and contextual factors mitigate the influence of cognitive, affective, and sociocultural factors on the perception of risks and benefits. The perceived risks and benefits in turn influence people’s attitude toward nanotechnology, which then influences acceptance of nanotechnology products. This framework will need further development over time to incorporate emerging knowledge and is expected to be useful for researchers, decision and policy makers, industry, and business entities.
Anxiety and the Development of Alcoholism

Theories concerning the etiology of alcoholism and commonly held beliefs suggest that anxiolytic effects of alcohol may be important in the development of problematic drinking. The effect of alcohol on anxiety has been studied through animal models, human experiments, and clinical observation. Human experiments have demonstrated that acute alcohol administration has anxiolytic effects. However, these effects depend on dose, the circumstances of administration, and subject characteristics. Systematic clinical observations show that anxiety disorders often precede and may contribute to alcohol abuse and dependence. Research is needed to determine the impact of anxiety symptoms on relapse and implications for treatment.