cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Critical observations for the evaluation of cement hydration models

The development of computer models for cement hydration and microstructure development, with an explicit consideration of microstructure, has accelerated in the past 25 years, creating a need for a set of critical experimental observations that can be used in evaluating the model predictions. During this same time period, there have been rapid advances in experimental techniques for quantifying both the hydration rates and the produced microstructures. This paper utilizes several of these techniques to elaborate a preliminary set of experimental observations concerning the influence of water-to-cement ratio, cement particle size distribution, and curing conditions on hydration and microstructure development. Isothermal calorimetry provides a convenient measure of the ongoing hydration rates during the first 7 days of hydration, while low temperature calorimetry can be used to directly assess the percolation state of the capillary porosity and the quantity of freezable water in a hydrated cement paste. Conventional measurements of setting times, such as Vicat needle penetration, are related to the ongoing percolation transitions of the solids within the three-dimensional microstructure. Finally, since concretes in the field rarely experience saturated curing conditions, the influence of sealed curing on resultant degree of hydration and microstructure is examined. The presented data sets should provide a first step in performing a critical evaluation of existing and future computer models.
Are All-Terrain Vehicle Riders Willing to Pay Trail User Fees to Ride on Public Lands in the USA?

Some public lands in the USA offer opportunities for all-terrain vehicle (ATV) riding, but few charge trail use fees. In a case study in the US state of Wisconsin, the contingent valuation method was used to examine riders' willingness to pay (WTP) to ride on public lands. Information on riders' habits, preferences and responses to a dichotomous choice WTP question were collected via a mail survey. ATV club membership, year-round riding habits and preferences for riding on maintained trails and public land influenced WTP positively. Fee amount, advanced skill level, use of the ATV as a hunting support vehicle and living close to an existing trail had a negative impact on WTP.
Prestin and the Dynamic Stiffness of Cochlear Outer Hair Cells

The outer hair cell (OHC) lateral wall is a unique trilaminate structure consisting of the plasma membrane, the cortical lattice, and subsurface cisternae. OHCs are capable of altering their length in response to transmembrane voltage change. This so-called electromotile response is presumed to result from conformational changes of membrane-bound protein molecules, named prestin. OHC motility is accompanied by axial stiffness changes when the membrane potential of the cell is altered. During length changes, intracellular anions (mainly Cl-) act as extrinsic voltage sensors. In this study, we inquired whether the motor proteins are responsible for the voltage-dependent axial stiffness of OHCs, and whether ACh, the neurotransmitter of efferent neurons, modulates the stiffness of the cortical lattice and/or the stiffness of the motor protein. The experiments were done on isolated guinea pig OHCs in the whole-cell voltage-clamp mode. Axial stiffness was determined by loading a fiber of known stiffness onto the apical surface of the cells. Voltage-dependent stiffness and cell motility disappeared, and the axial stiffness of the cells significantly decreased after removal of intracellular Cl-. The result suggests that the stiffness of the motor protein is a major contributor to the global axial stiffness of OHCs. ACh was found to affect both the motor protein and other lateral wall stiffness components.
Thermal simulation of GaAs-based midinfrared quantum cascade lasers

One of the limiting factors for the room-temperature continuous-wave (RT-cw) operation of quantum cascade lasers (QCLs) is the high temperature in the active region that stems from the high electrical power and poor heat extraction [1]. In order to simulate the thermal behavior of QCLs, the heat diffusion equation with appropriate source and boundary conditions needs to be solved. However, the heat generation rate of the active region under a given bias is both space- and temperature-dependent. In this paper, we present a method of extracting the heat generation rate by recording the electron-optical phonon scattering during the ensemble Monte Carlo (EMC) simulation of electron transport under different temperatures. The extracted nonlinear heat source together with appropriate thermal conductivity models enable self-consistent calculation of temperature distribution throughout QCLs. We apply the thermal model to investigate the cross-plane temperature distribution of a 9.4 μm infrared GaAs-based QCL [2]. The nonlinear effects stemming from the temperature dependence of thermal conductivity and the heat generation rate are studied.
Perspective-shifting with appositives and expressives

Much earlier work claims that appositives and expressives are invariably speaker-oriented. These claims have recently been challenged, most extensively by Amaral et al. (Linguist and Philos 30(6): 707-749, 2007). We are convinced by this new evidence. The questions we address are (i) how widespread are non-speaker- oriented readings of appositives and expressives, and (ii) what are the underlying linguistic factors that make such readings available? We present two experiments and novel corpus work that bear directly on this issue. We find that non-speaker- oriented readings, while rare in actual language use, are systematic. We also find that non-speaker-oriented readings occur even outside of attitude predications, which leads us to favor an account based in pragmatically-mediated perspective shifting over one that relies on semantic binding by attitude predicates.
Oxidative DNA damage associated with combination of guanine and superoxide radicals and repair mechanisms via radical trapping

In living tissues under inflammatory conditions, superoxide radicals (O(2)*)) are generated and are known to cause oxidative DNA damage. However, the mechanisms of action are poorly understood. It is shown here that the combination of O(2)* with guanine neutral radicals, G(-H)* in single- or double-stranded oligodeoxyribonucleotides (rate constant of 4.7 +/- 1.0 x 10(8) m(-1) s(-1) in both cases), culminates in the formation of oxidatively modified guanine bases (major product, imidazolone; minor product, 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine). The G(-H)* and O(2)* radicals were generated by intense 308 nm excimer laser pulses resulting in the one-electron oxidation and deprotonation of guanine in the 5'-d(CC[2AP]-TCGCTACC) strands and the trapping of the ejected electrons by molecular oxygen (Shafirovich, V., Dourandin, A., Huang, W., Luneva, N. P., and Geacintov, N. E. (2000) Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys. 2, 4399-4408). The addition of Cu,Zn-superoxide dismutase, known to react rapidly with superoxide, dramatically enhances the life-times of guanine radicals from 4 to 7 ms to 0.2-0.6 s in the presence of 5 microm superoxide dismutase. Oxygen-18 isotope labeling experiments reveal two pathways of 8-oxo-7,8-dihydroguanine formation including either addition of O(2)* to the C-8 position of G(-H)* (in the presence of oxygen), or the hydration of G(-H)* (in the absence of oxygen). The formation of the guanine lesions via combination of guanine and superoxide radicals is greatly reduced in the presence of typical antioxidants such as trolox and catechol that rapidly regenerate guanine by the reductive "repair" of G(-H)* radicals. The mechanistic aspects of the radical reactions that either regenerate undamaged guanine in DNA or lead to oxidatively modified guanine bases are discussed.
Ionized calcium during CPR in the canine model

The purpose of our study was to determine ionized calcium levels during cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR). Following placement of ascending aortic catheters in 15 adult mongrel dogs, ventricular fibrillation was induced electrically. After five minutes without therapy, mechanical external CPR was instituted. Animals received either standard CPR (S-CPR, n = 8) or simultaneous compression and ventilation CPR (SCV-CPR, n = 7) for 30 minutes. Ionized calcium levels were obtained prior to fibrillation and every five minutes during CPR. Mean ionized calcium levels during CPR (1.27 +/- 0.06 mmol/L) did not differ significantly from prearrest levels (1.27 +/- 0.07 mmol/L) at any point during CPR. This was true when the dogs were analyzed together (P = 0.1293) and when the animals receiving S-CPR (P = 0.4465) and SCV-CPR (P = 0.5470) were analyzed by groups. Defibrillation was attempted in all animals and resulted in electromechanical dissociation in three. None of these dogs was hypocalcemic either prior to arrest or during CPR, and none developed an effective rhythm with the administration of calcium. Furthermore, three of the four animals receiving calcium developed markedly elevated ionized calcium levels. Hypocalcemia apparently does not occur during CPR. The beneficial effect of calcium in reported cases cannot be explained routinely by correction of hypocalcemia. Further studies are needed to define the role of calcium administration, if any, in CPR.
Wetland Loss in World Deltas

Abstract Geologic and geomorphic data on 42 world deltas were compiled for a NASA-sponsored research project. Satellite images from 14 of these deltas (Danube, Ganges, Brahmaputra, Indus, Mahanadi, Mangoky, McKenzie, Mississippi, Niger, Nile, Shatt el Arab, Volga, Huang He [Yellow], Yukon, and Zambezi) were analyzed for delta plain wetland loss caused by natural causes and conversion of wetlands for agricultural and industrial use. These analyses indicated that a total of 15,845 km2 of wetlands have been irreversibly lost during the past 14 years and the average rate of loss is 95 km2/y. If a similar trend is present in the other deltas, a total wetland loss in the delta plains of the 42 deltas would be on the order 364,000 km2 over the past 15 to 20 years.
Total Solar Irradiance Satellite Composites and their Phenomenological Effect on Climate

Publisher Summary This chapter reconstructs new total solar irradiance (TSI) satellite composites by using the three active cavity radiometer irradiance monitor (ACRIM) records, and shows that different composites are possible, depending on how the ACRIM-gap problem from 1989.5 to 1992 is solved. The three TSI composites indicate that the TSI minimum in 1996 is 0.30±0.40 W/m2 higher than the TSI minimum in 1986. On the contrary, the two TSI minima in 1986 and 1996 would be located at the same level only in the eventuality that the TSI ERBS/ERBE satellite record is uncorrupted during the ACRIM-gap, a fact that is questioned by analysis. None of the TSI satellite composites proposed by the ACRIM, IRMB, and PMOD teams can be considered rigorously correct. All three teams have just adopted alternative methodologies that yield to different TSI composites, but these teams have also ignored the unresolved uncertainties in the data that yields to an unresolved uncertainty in the TSI composites as well. Recent paper by Lockwood concludes that even with the adoption of the original ACRIM composite, the sun's contribution to the global surface warming would be negligible during the last three decades, in contrast, Scafetta and Schwartz have found that climate is characterized by at least two characteristic time constants, one short with a time scale of several months and one long with a decadal time scale. The climate processes with a fast response are usually responsible for the fast fluctuations seen in the data.
Retroperitoneoscopic radical nephrectomy in a super-obese patient (body mass index 77 kg/m2)

Although obesity was initially considered a relative contraindication for laparoscopy, the retroperitoneal approach has been reported to be safe and effective for such patients during renal and adrenal surgery. We report a case of successful retroperitoneoscopic radical nephrectomy in a super-obese patient (body mass index 77 kg/m2) with a 12-cm renal tumor. The operative time was 3 hours, and the estimated blood loss was 100 mL. The patient was discharged home 36 hours after surgery. No intraoperative or perioperative complications occurred. The pathologic examination revealed renal cell carcinoma, and all surgical margins were negative (pT2N0M0). The patient returned to normal activities 3 weeks postoperatively.
HCV core protein interaction with gC1q receptor inhibits Th1 differentiation of CD4+ T cells via suppression of dendritic cell IL-12 production

Dendritic cells (DCs) isolated from pa- tients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infec- tion display an impaired capacity to generate type 1 CD4 T cell immunity. Several reports have described an immunomodulatory function for the HCV core protein, and circulating core has been shown to associate with the putative gC1q recep- tor, gC1qR, expressed on host immune cells. How- ever, the molecular mechanism(s) of HCV core- mediated DC dysfunction has not been defined. Herein, ligation of gC1qR on human monocyte- derived DCs (MDDCs) with HCV core or anti- gC1qR agonist antibody was shown to inhibit TLR- induced IL-12 production but not the production of other TLR-stimulated cytokines. Furthermore, engagement of gC1qR on MDDCs resulted in re- duced IFN- secretion by allogeneic CD4 T lym- phocytes during mixed lymphocyte culture. Differ- entiation of CD4 T cells cocultured with HCV core- or anti-gC1qR antibody-treated MDDCs was also skewed toward production of Th2 cytokines, including IL-4. Importantly, that addition of IL-12 rescued IFN- production and Th1 differentiation by CD4 T cells. Therefore, engagement of gC1qR on DCs by HCV core limits the induction of Th1 responses and may contribute to viral persistence. J. Leukoc. Biol. 82: 1407-1419; 2007.
Impact of Local Resources on Hospitalization Patterns of Medicare Beneficiaries and Propensity to Travel Outside Local Markets

Purpose: To examine how local health care resources impact travel patterns of patients age 65 and older across the rural urban continuum. Methods: Information on inpatient hospital discharges was drawn from complete 2004 hospital discharge files from the Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project (HCUP) State Inpatient Databases (SID) for New York, California, and Florida, and the 2003 hospital discharge file for Pennsylvania. The study population was Medicare patients with admissions for ambulatory care sensitive conditions. Analysis was at the patient-level, and area contextual variables were developed at the Primary Care Service Area (PCSA) level. Local resources considered included inpatient supply, provider supply, supply of international medical graduates, and critical access hospitals (CAHs) in the patient's PCSA. Findings: Findings generally confirmed enhanced retention of the elderly in local markets with greater availability of community resources, although we observed considerable heterogeneity across states. Community resource variables such as median household income or inpatient hospital capacity were stronger and more consistent predictors along the urban rural continuum than any of the provider or CAH variables. Only in California and New York did we see significant effects for provider supply or CAH, but they were robust across the 2 states and models of travel propensity, always reducing the travel propensity. Conclusions: Findings support policies aimed at augmenting supplies of critical access hospitals in rural communities, and increasing primary care physicians and hospital resources in both rural and urban communities.
Investigation of the Indentation-Size Effect (ISE) in a Commercial SiAlON: Multifractal Scaling Analysis and Underlying Mechanisms

The indentation-size effect (ISE) in a commercial SiAlON was investigated by conducting Knoop indentation between 0.1 and 20 kg. The resulting ISE was analyzed utilizing Meyer's Law, Proportional Specimen Resistance (PSR) model, and a Multifractal Scaling Law (MFSL). Meyer's law and the PSR model fits to the hardness–load data were not excellent. Further analysis based on the PSR model and MFSL revealed three piecewise linear fits corresponding to load regimes 0.1–0.3, 0.5–2, and 5–20 kg. Physical inference of MFSL fit parameters suggested that these three load regimes correspond to where indentation behavior is governed by deformation mechanisms limited to single grains, grain boundaries, and multiple grains, respectively. Independent of the ISE analysis results, comprehensive examination of indents by scanning electron microscopy revealed that changes in deformation mechanisms could also be grouped into these three load regimes. Corresponding changes in deformation mechanisms were microcleavage cracking, grain-boundary cracking, and macrocracking, respectively. These observations are consistent with the findings of both the PSR model and MFSL with respect to the physical aspects of the governing mechanisms. It is concluded that these mechanisms are responsible for the observed ISE in this commercial SiAlON.
Automated Specimen Inspection, Quality Analysis, and Its Impact on Patient Safety: Beyond the Bar Code

Reduction in medical errors is a major focus of the US health system as it faces its largest restructuring in history. The emphasis on error reduction follows several revealing reports from the Institute of Medicine estimating the number of errors and resulting morbidity and mortality in US hospitals. The motivation for reducing medical errors is increased patient satisfaction as well as large reduction in healthcare costs. Therefore, automation (i.e., integrating, streamlining, and coordinating through technology) of the many processes within medical institutions should be a national priority. Within laboratories, there are many sequential processes that must occur flawlessly to prevent errors. However, error rates in clinical laboratories have been estimated to be around 1%, which doesn't come close to an ideal goal of 1 error per million events, or a well-known quality concept called Six Sigma, which is 3.4 errors per million events. Many clinical laboratory errors occur in the sample receipt and preparation process, also known as accessioning (1, 2). Specimen accessioning errors may be attributed to many factors including improper labeling at the time of collection, inadequate vial filling, or selection of an inappropriate vial (e.g., citrate vs EDTA to prevent clotting). Collectively, these are considered phlebotomy errors. Additional errors may occur when reading the specimen information and determining if the specimen is appropriate for analysis (e.g., if it was transported on ice, if required). Even when all the previous parameters are within acceptable specifications, the specimen may have inherent patient-specific issues such as excessive icterus, lipemia, or hemolysis. Well-trained accessioners can identify most of these quality issues by careful inspection and by …
Providing Statistical Measures of Reliability for Body Core Temperature Predictions

This paper describes the use of a data-driven autoregressive integrated moving average model to predict body core temperature in humans during physical activity. We also propose a bootstrap technique to provide a measure of reliability of such predictions in the form of prediction intervals. We investigate the model's predictive capabilities and associated reliability using two distinct datasets, both obtained in the field under different environmental conditions. One dataset is used to develop the model, and the other one, containing an example of heat illness, is used to test the model. We demonstrate that accurate and reliable predictions of an extreme core temperature value of 39.5 degC, can be made 20 minutes ahead of time, even when the predictive model is developed on a different individual having core temperatures within healthy physiological limits. This result suggests that data-driven models can be made portable across different core temperature levels and across different individuals. Also, we show that the bootstrap prediction intervals cover the actual core temperature, and that they exhibit intuitively expected behavior as a function of the prediction horizon and the core temperature variability.
Dementia and Friendship: The Quality and Nature of the Relationships That Remain.

Friendships are an integral part of the human experience. Yet, dementia often takes a toll on social relationships, and many friends withdraw. This research, however, focuses on friendships that re...
The spectral density of a nonlinear damping model: multi-DOF case

In this work, the spectral density of the following multi-DOF nonlinear damping model is investigated: Mx/spl uml/+D/sub 0/x/spl dot/+/spl gamma/D(x, x/spl dot/)+Kx=/spl sigma/n(t) where /spl gamma/>0 is a small parameter. A formula for the spectral density is established with O(/spl gamma/2) accuracy based upon the Fokker-Planck technique and perturbation. One of the features of the multi-DOF oscillation system is that x and x/spl dot/ are generally correlated in stationary state. This is true even for linear systems. Necessary and sufficient conditions for uncorrelatedness are given for linear systems. Since the first-order statistics R/sub xx/(0) and R/sub xy/(0), where y=x/spl dot/, appear in the spectral density formula, it is desirable to have the explicit stationary probability density for the purpose of evaluating R/sub xx/(0) and R/sub xy/(0). However, in general, as in the single DOF case, an expression for the stationary density is not available. This note gives the explicit stationary density of an "energy"-type nonlinear damping model Mx/spl uml/+/spl mu/(E/sub D/)Dx/spl dot/+Kx=/spl sigma/n(t) in which the "energy" E/sub D/ is defined as E/sub D/=1/2(x/sup T/KDx+y/sup T/MDy) where D>0 is assumed to commute with K and M. In the end, an energy-type nonlinear damping model is worked out completely as an illustration. >
The graphical interface in the digital millennium: the past is present

Communication through making marks is a fundamental human instinct. Humans have always used the act of drawing as a means to express ideas, emotions and to record actions. Currently, the discipline of drawing is being profoundly influenced, and perhaps forever changed, by the proliferation of new drawing media, technologies and diverse approaches to making marks through digital means. As such, the perception and understanding of what constitutes drawing is rapidly expanding. Simultaneously, many graphic artists are expanding upon historical approaches to drawing. The early 21st Century is a time when the dialogue between innovation and tradition has never been stronger. This paper seeks to explore this dialogue by embracing the breadth of what drawing is and to conjecture on where drawing might go in the immediate future by exploring the use of new technologies, elaborating the impact of continuing traditions of drawings, and to engage the expanding range of ideas that are brought to this basic form of human expression. As we enter into this new millennium, the immediacy of drawing offers, as it always has, a profound mirror to the swift change that pervades the global digital culture. The author invites all those involved in drawing, in whatever form, to be a part of this dialogue.
Practices in Repairing Heat Exchangers

The Presentation will introduce Saudi Aramco Heat Exchanger Shop practices in repairing Heat Exchangers that are used in Power and petroleum Industries for mainly two types Shell & Tube and Air Cooled Heat Exchangers. The Presentation will illustrate current challenges in repairing heat exchangers through strategic partnership to maintain reliable service to Saudi Aramco Plants operation. Four success cases will be addressed.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Customer self-service systems: The effects of perceived Web quality with service contents on enjoyment, anxiety, and e-trust

Trust (integrity, benevolence, and ability) is the central dimension of e-commerce systems adoption. Based on customer self-service systems and human-computer interaction logics, affective variables are important research issues to fully understand the relationship between information systems development and e-trust. In this paper, the effects of the perceived Web quality with service contents on e-trust, mediated by the website user's affective variables (enjoyment and anxiety), are tested and discussed (n=325). Flow, social contract, social cognitive, resource allocation, and trust theories are discussed in the paper to support the proposed hypotheses. Theoretical and practical implications of these findings are also discussed.
Participatory Research to Promote Physical Activity at Congregate-Meal Sites

The purpose of this study was to determine the feasibility and effectiveness of an on-site physical activity (PA) program offered with congregate meals. Study 1 surveyed meal-site users on their likelihood to participate. Study 2 used meal-site-manager interviews and site visits to determine organizational feasibility. Study 3, a controlled pilot study, randomized meal sites to a 12-week group-based social-cognitive (GBSC) intervention or a standard-care control. Studies 1 and 2 indicated that most meal-site users would participate in an on-site PA program, and meal sites had well-suited physical resources and strong organizational support for this type of program. In Study 3, GBSC participants increased their weekly PA over those in the control condition (p < .05, ES = .79). Results indicated that changes in task cohesion might have mediated intervention effectiveness. These studies demonstrate that a PA program offered in this venue is feasible, is effective in promoting PA, and could have a strong public health impact.
Freda Kirchwey: A Woman of The Nation: By Sara Alpern. Cambridge, Mass., and London, England: Harvard University Press, 1987. 319 pp. $27.50.

(1987). Freda Kirchwey: A Woman of The Nation. American Journalism: Vol. 4, No. 4, pp. 214-216.
The regulation of striatal tyrosine hydroxylase. Effects of gamma hydroxybutric acid and haloperidol

Gamma-hydroxybutyric acid (GHBA) in doses that increased the striatal dopamine (DA) content of rat brain failed to increase the affinity of striatal tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) for its pterdine cofactor or to change the sensitivity of the enzyme to the inhibition by DA. Haloperidol (1 mg/kg) decreased the apparent Km of striatal TH for the pteridine cofactor. However, when GHBA was injected before haloperidol it prevented the decrease in the apparent Kn of TH, in a dose related manner. In vitro GHBA (10(-4) M) neither changed the stimulation of the striatal adenylyl cyclase by DA nor its inhibition by haloperidol. These results suggest that in striatal dopaminergic terminals the Kn of TH for the pteridine cofactor is regulated by an molecuular mechanism which requires that the impulse flow in the DA neurons is unimpaired.
Total Myrosinase Activity Estimates in Brassica Vegetable Produce

Isothiocyanates, generated from the hydrolysis of glucosinolates in plants of the Brassicaceae family, promote health, including anticancer bioactivity. Hydrolysis requires the plant enzyme myrosinase, giving myrosinase a key role in health promotion by brassica vegetables. Myrosinase measurement typically involves isolating crude protein, potentially underestimating activity in whole foods. Myrosinase activity was estimated using unextracted fresh tissues of five broccoli and three kale cultivars, measuring the formation of allyl isothiocyanate (AITC) and/or glucose from exogenous sinigrin. A correlation between AITC and glucose formation was found, although activity was substantially lower measured as glucose release. Using exogenous sinigrin or endogenous glucoraphanin, concentrations of the hydrolysis products AITC and sulforaphane correlated (r = 0.859; p = 0.006), suggesting that broccoli shows no myrosinase selectivity among sinigrin and glucoraphanin. Measurement of AITC formation provides a novel, reliable estimation of myrosinase-dependent isothiocyanate formation suitable for use with whole vegetable food samples.
Evaluation and Learning System for Residents' Health Literacy in Jiangsu provincebased on J2EE

To strengthen residents' health literacy,designs the solution of the evaluation and learning system based on the J2EE.
Variation in the cost of medications for the treatment of colorectal cancer

Objective To evaluate the economic burden of colorectal cancer (CRC) treatment on the healthcare system as treatment costs have risen 340-fold during the past 5 years. Study design Nationwide registry. Methods Patients with CRC (N = 421) were selected from an observational prospective patient registry of US oncology clinics. The 8 most commonly prescribed regimens were identified. Standard dosing schedules were set for these regimens based on a literature review and expert CRC oncologist input. Each chemotherapeutic regimen was broken down into its component agents, and regimen costs were calculated by summing the costs of each agent per regimen. Price-per-milligram costs were calculated from Health Care Financing Administration Common Procedural Coding System codes for specific drugs. Patient population, temporal, and regional trends were studied among standard regimens. Results The most common regimens were 5-fluorouracil-leucovorin calcium (5-FU/LV) (147 patients [34.9%]), fluorouracil-leucovorin-irinotecan hydrochloride (FOLFIRI) (111 patients [26.4%]), and fluorouracil-leucovorin-oxaliplatin (103 patients [24.5%]). The remaining 60 patients (14.3%) received irinotecan, capecitabine, and oxaliplatin; oxaliplatin; irinotecan in combination with oxaliplatin; or a miscellaneous regimen. The largest cost differential for 6 cycles of planned treatment was $35,971 between FOLFIRI ($36,999) and 5-FU/LV ($1028). On a per-week basis, treatment costs may differ by more than 91 times. Patient utilization of growth factors, ancillary medications, and monoclonal antibodies added significant costs. Conclusions The costs of CRC regimens varied considerably. Trends in treatment regimens have changed notably over time, with newer agents and supportive drugs adding substantially to treatment costs.
Syndrome of Hypogammaglobulinemia, Splenomegaly and Hypersplenism

Two cases of acquired idiopathic hypogammaglobulinemia associated with splenomegaly and hemolytic anemia due to hypersplenism have been reported. Splenomegaly and hypersplenism appears to be the result of reticulum cell hyperplasia caused by the lack of gamma globulin and resultant repeated infections. Both the cases had splenectomy with marked hematologic improvement. A review of the literature indicates that this syndrome is relatively common, in comparison to the incidence of total number of acquired hypogammaglobulinemia that has been reported in the literature so far. It also seems very important to recognize it because of the obvious therapeutic implications. Serum gamma globulin level should be determined in cases with unexplained hepatosplenomegaly, hypersplenism and hemolytic anemia.
Brief Report: Erythrocyte Enzymes in Polycythemia Vera

Erythrocyte glutamic oxalacetic transaminase (EGOT), glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G-6-PD), and hexokinase were found to be increased in patients with polycythemia vera. This suggests the presence of a population of erythrocytes younger than normal in these patients. The pathogenesis of this phenomonon is unclear but several possible mechanisms are suggested.
Utilizing overt and latent linguistic structure to improve keystroke-basedauthentication

Keystroke production is influenced by a number of factors including linguistic context and structure. Previous studies in keystroke-based authentication have neglected to take these many of these into account. By incorporating the linguistic context under which keystrokes are produced, we are able to improve the accuracy of authentication experiments. We are able to reduce baseline EER by 36% on a dataset of 486 users, from a baseline of 0.0483 using only unigraph holds and digraph intervals to 0.0309 using linguistic context. Our EER results are further improved to 0.0232 by reducing the size of our feature-set through various methods of feature pruning. These results demonstrate the importance of context when authenticating a typist. A method for incorporating linguistics in keystrokebased authentication is proposed.The methodology exploits both surfacelevel and latent linguistic variables.Authentication results are further improved by guided pruning methodsFinal results achieve superior results, while operating on a large user set.
From Gettysburg to the Cuban Missile Crisis: designing for historical reenactments with Twitter

TwHistory is a project designed to organize and promote a variety of historical reenactments using Twitter as a tool for computer mediated communication of historical events. Thus far, volunteers and educators have organized reenactments of the Battle of Gettysburg and the Cuban Missile Crisis while other efforts are underway. This poster will share an iteration of design and development for historical reenactments using Twitter and examine the initial feedback within the paradigm of design-based research.
Aftershocks of the 22 November 1977 earthquake at Willits, California: Activity in the Maacama fault zone

Abstract In late 1977, a moderate-sized earthquake and associated aftershock sequence occurred along the Maacama fault zone in the northern Coast Ranges near Willits, California. The main shock, M L = 4.8, was located on the east side of Little Lake Valley. An 11-station temporary seismic network recorded aftershocks for 2 weeks after this event. The aftershock locations are along the southwest member of two northwest-southeast-trending seismically active lineations that are situated about 30 km apart as defined by CALNET data. Four possibly unrelated events occurred about 20 km east-northeast of the main aftershock zone, about half-way between the two seismic lineations. A b value of 1.1, typical for an aftershock sequence, was obtained for events above a magnitude of 1.35. Seismic activity was centered about 5 km east-northeast of Willits, where 83 microearthquakes define a volume of activity delimited by an epicentral area of about 20 km 2 at depths from 5 to 14 km. The northwestern part of this volume is along the Rocktree Valley fault, a strand of the Maacama fault zone. Fault-plane solutions of first motion and locations for 75 events define a right-lateral, strike-slip plane striking N29°W and dipping about 76° to the northeast. A composite focal mechanism of events in a small southwestern section of the aftershock volume shows right-lateral, strike-slip planes rotated clockwise about 45° from the orientation of the composite of the main group. Projection of planes downward from mapped fault traces suggests that the aftershocks are related to a complex geometry of faulting. The Willits earthquake and its aftershocks may manifest the movement of the northeast component of a right echelon step that forms a pull-apart basin in Little Lake Valley.
HIGH-PRESSURE SINGLE-CRYSTAL X-RAY DIFFRACTION AND INFRARED SPECTROSCOPIC STUDIES OF THE C2/M-P21/M PHASE TRANSITION IN CUMMINGTONITE

The structural changes associated with the C2/m-P2 1 /m phase transition in cummingtonite with (Fe+Mn)/(Fe+Mn+Mg) nearly equal 0.50 have been studied with single-crystal X-ray diffraction at various pressures up to 7.90 GPa and infrared spectroscopy up to 8.63 GPa. With increasing pressure, the crystal transforms from C2/m to P2 1 /m symmetry at approximately 1.21 GPa, as determined by the appearance of reflections violating the C2/m space group. Infrared spectra provide additional evidence for the phase transition: A distinct splitting of OH stretching bands results from an increase from one to two nonequivalent OH positions. The C2/m-P2 1 /m transition is of weakly displacive first-order or tricritical character with apparent slope changes in the plots of the axial ratios a/b and a/c as a function of pressure. The unit-cell compression is considerably anisotropic with the a dimension in both C2/m and P2 1 /m phases being the most compressible. Major structural changes for the C2/m-P2 1 /m transition include: (1) One crystallographically distinct silicate chain becomes two discontinuously, coupled by the splitting of the M4-05 bond, as well as M4-06, into two nonequivalent bonds, and (2) the M4-cation coordination increases from sixfold to sevenfold. More importantly, we observed a change in the sense of rotation for the A chain while the crystal structure maintains P2 1 /m symmetry: It is O rotated, as the B chain, at 1.32 GPa, but S-rotated at 2.97 GPa and higher pressures. As pressure increases from 1.32 to 7.90 GPa, there is a switching of the nearest bridging O atoms coordinated with the M4 cation: The M4-O5B distance contracts from 2.944 to 2.551 Aa, whereas the M4-O6B distance increases from 2.754 to 2.903 Aa. Compression mechanisms for the low-and high-pressure polymorphs appear to be slightly different. In the C2/m phase, the behavior of the A and M4 sites controls the compression of the structure, whereas the response of the M1, M2, and M3 octahedra to pressure also plays a role in determining the compression of the P2 1 /m structure. The phase transition is regarded as primarily driven by the differential compression between the M4 and T sites, and the symmetry breaking provides a necessary tighter coordination for the M4 site. Based on our data, the obvious changes in the hyperfine parameters of 57 Fe in grunerite between 1.0 and 3.4 GPa, observed by Zhang and Hafner (1992), are likely to result from the C2/m-P2 1 /m structural transformation.
Ultra-wideband radar and vision based human motion classification for assisted living

Fall detection for elderly is one of the most important areas in elderly healthcare. Both video and radar based detections are being developed for this purpose. This paper presents a new approach to classify different human motions through machine learning. In particular, our objective is to achieve high-accuracy fall detection through the exploitation of both video and radar data. Motion history image is applied to extract temporal features from video clips, and hidden Markov models are trained with the features extracted from both video and radar data to discern the types of motion. Experiment results indicate that the proposed approach provides improved performance in distinguishing falls from other motions such as sitting.
Adopting epidemic model to optimize medication and surgical intervention of excess weight

Abstract We combined an epidemic model with an objective function to minimize the weighted sum of people with excess weight and the cost of a medication and surgical intervention in the population. The epidemic model is consisted of ordinary differential equations to describe three subpopulation groups based on weight. We introduced an intervention using medication and surgery to deal with excess weight. An objective function is constructed taking into consideration the cost of the intervention as well as the weight distribution of the population. Using empirical data, we show that fixed participation rate reduces the size of obese population but increases the size for overweight. An optimal participation rate exists and decreases with respect to time. Both theoretical analysis and empirical example confirm the existence of an optimal participation rate, u ⁎ . Under u ⁎ , the weighted sum of overweight (S) and obese (O) population as well as the cost of the program is minimized. This article highlights the existence of an optimal participation rate that minimizes the number of people with excess weight and the cost of the intervention. The time-varying optimal participation rate could contribute to designing future public health interventions of excess weight.
The use of auricular acupuncture in opioid use disorder: A systematic literature review

Background and Objectives Opioid use disorder (OUD) is a chronic disease with significant personal, societal, and public health consequences. Even for the minority who receive the most effective evidence-based treatments, morbidity, and mortality remain significant. These facts, along with the recovery movement calling for individualized, holistic, culturally sensitive care, have led to the exploration of adjunctive interventions including acupuncture. Despite hundreds of international trials, however, there is a lack of consensus regarding its efficacy in OUD due in large part to methodological issues of trials to date. In response to these issues, the National Acupuncture Detoxification Association (NADA) developed an operationalized manual auricular acupuncture protocol that has since become the most widely used in the US. This systematic review is the first to focus explicitly on randomized trials utilizing the NADA protocol as a complementary intervention to address OUD. Methods The methods utilized to identify studies for inclusion are based on a 2009 protocol developed by the Cochrane Collaboration. Results Four trials met inclusion criteria. Despite methodological issues, results indicate that while the NADA protocol may not be effective in reducing acute opiate craving or withdrawal, it may be effectively utilized as an adjunctive treatment to increase treatment retention and decrease methadone detoxification and maintenance dosages in OUD. Conclusion and Scientific Significance Incorporation of the NADA protocol into existing evidence-based treatment approaches may facilitate recovery and, through its impact on treatment retention and completion, indirectly impact morbidity, and mortality in individuals with OUD. Given the limitations of the current review, conclusions are tentative and directions for future research are discussed. (Am J Addict 2016;XX:1–11)
Venous Thromboembolic Events in Patients with Diffuse Large B cell Non- Hodgkin’s Lymphoma.

Background : Venous thromboembolism (VTE) including deep venous thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE) is a well-known complication of cancer. VTE frequency varies according to the underlying malignancy. Diffuse large B cell Lymphoma (DLBCL) is the most common type of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL). VTE during initial treatment of DLBCL is a complication recognized by treating physicians. Little information is available regarding the frequency of VTE and its association with outcomes in DLBCL. We conducted a retrospective cohort study to determine the frequency and timing of VTE during initial treatment of DLBCL, as well as identifying risk factors associated with VTE, and the clinical impact of VTE on survival. Methods: We reviewed records of consecutive patients diagnosed with de novo DLBCL seen at University of Rochester from January 1990 to December 2001. Patients with transformed DLBCL, CNS lymphoma, HIV-related NHL, and patients whose complete records were unavailable were excluded. We considered only episodes of VTE that occurred during the initial treatment of DLBCL. For analysis of risk factors for VTE, Chi-square test or Fisher’s exact test was used to compare the categorical variables and t-test was used to compare continuous variables. Kaplan-Meier estimate was used to compare overall survival between patients with or without VTE. Log-rank test was used to compare statistical differences between survival curves. Results : A total of 211 patients with DLBCL were included. VTE occurred in 27 patients (12.8%). DVT occurred in 22, PE occurred in 3, and both DVT and PE in 2. Of all VTE, 37% occurred at diagnosis of DLBCL, and 82% in the first three cycles of treatment. VTE involved the lower limb in 44%. Baseline characteristics were similar between patients with or without VTE regarding age, sex, race, ECOG performance status, histology, B symptoms, LDH, and bone marrow involvement. Fewer patients with VTE, however, were stage I compared to the no VTE group (3.7% vs 27.3 %, P = 0.017). Furthermore, patients with VTE were more likely to be in the high-risk international prognostic index (IPI) category (29.6% vs 10.3%, P = 0.048). Median survival time for patients with VTE was 1.04 years (95% CI 0.75–1.33) compared to 5.2 years for patients with no VTE (95% CI 1.8–8.6) (Log rank test, P = 0.038). ![Figure][1] Figure Conclusion : VTE is a frequent complication of initial treatment of DLBCL. The majority of cases occur at diagnosis or during the first three cycles of treatment. High-risk IPI is associated with increased incidence of VTE during initial treatment of DLBCL. VTE is a poor prognostic factor and is associated with inferior survival. Clinical trials of thromboprophylaxis are warranted. [1]: pending:yes
The Impact of Ocean Surface Currents on Sverdrup Transport in the Midlatitude North Pacific via the Wind Stress Formulation

AbstractA more complete wind stress τn formulation takes into account the ocean surface currents Vo, while the conventional wind stress τc popularly used in ocean circulation models is only a function of 10-m winds V10. An analytical solution is derived for the difference of Sverdrup transport induced by using τn instead of τc. A scaling analysis of the analytical solution indicates a 6% reduction of the Sverdrup transport in the North Pacific (i.e., the Kuroshio transport in the East China Sea) when Ekman velocity dominates the ocean surface currents. Because of the quadratic nature of wind stress, four nonlinear terms contribute equally to this difference: two vorticity torque terms and two speed gradient torque terms. A pair of 12.5-yr (July 2002–14) Hybrid Coordinate Ocean Model simulations that only differ in the wind stress formulation are used to test the analytical solution. The model results (2004–14) confirm that using τn instead of τc reduces the Sverdrup transport in the North Pacific by 8%–17...
'Government by Public Opinion': Bryce’s Theory of the Constitution

In The American Commonwealth (1888), James Bryce identified a political regime-type that he called “government by public opinion,” and argued that the United States had developed it to a greater degree than any other constitutional democracy then extant. Bryce’s analysis entails that familiar propositions about the relationship between public opinion and the constitutional order – many stemming from Publius – must be questioned, and perhaps heavily qualified or discarded. Bryce argues that the basic Madisonian strategy for channeling and containing majoritarian opinions and passions, by means of checks and balances and an extended republic, has perverse results; it strengthens rather than containing the force of public opinion. The power of mass opinion in America thus results, in part, from the very safeguards the framers put into place against it. Once in place, government by public opinion sets both a lower bound and an upper bound on the performance of the American democracy, ensuring that it performs tolerably well but also preventing it from performing better still. In Bryce’s paradoxical assessment, “the American democracy is not better just because it is so good.”
Society and ‘Heaven and Hell’—The Interplay Between Social Structure and Theological Tradition During Early Calvinism

ABSTRACTThe paper reexamines the Calvinist reformulation of the doctrine of predestination and its social underpinnings. It applies a sociological approach by exploring whether and to what extent social, especially class, structure affected the Calvinist version of the doctrine of predestination. This application is based on the sociological premise that theologies, religions, and other beliefs originate within certain social settings, as well as influence the latter. The paper therefore represents an exercise in the sociology of theology and religion by analyzing the interplay between social structure and theological tradition in the form of the doctrine of predestination. It does so by investigating the interrelations between social forces and theological doctrine in the process of emergence and expansion of Calvinism as a predestinarian theology and religion as well as a radical political movement. It aims to contribute to a better understanding of the social conditions and effects of theology and reli...