cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Single photon emission computed tomography myocardial imaging: clinical applications and future directions.

Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) has proven to be an invaluable tool in the non-invasive assessment of patients with cardiovascular diseases. Exercise and pharmacologic stress SPECT MPI has been extensively studied and validated in the diagnosis and prognosis of patients with known and suspected coronary artery disease. In addition to the assessment of perfusion, electrocardiography-gated SPECT offers additional functional and volumetric information that can have significant implications on patient care. SPECT also has well developed applications in systolic heart failure for identifying viable myocardium and predicting response to revascularization. Emerging applications of SPECT imaging include: 1) phase analysis for quantitative assessment of LV dyssynchrony that may serve to improve patient selection for CRT; 2) application of heart-to-mediastinal ratio via 123 I meta-iodobenzylguanidine (I-MIBG) imaging for the prediction of sudden death in patients with reduced left ventricular function, that may serve to improve patient selection for ICD therapy, and 3) use of metabolic tracers to identify the changes of "ischemic memory", which may help with rapid and appropriate triage of patients in the emergency room setting. SPECT MPI remains a cornerstone of clinical care that is evolving with emerging and novel applications that will continue to improve the care of patients with cardiovascular disease in the future.
Effects of photodynamic therapy in combination with intravesical drugs in a murine bladder tumor model.

Abstract This study was designed to evaluate the interaction of photodynamic therapy (PDT) and intravesical drugs (thiotepa, adriamycin, mitomycin C and BCG) in a murine transitional cell carcinoma (MBT-2) model. C3H/He mice with implanted MBT-2 flank tumors were treated with either thiotepa (TT), adriamycin (ADM), mitomycin C, Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG), photodynamic therapy (PDT) or a combination of the drug and PDT. The MBT-2 tumor showed sensitivity to adriamycin, MMC or PDT compared to control. PDT combined with either adriamycin, MMC or BCG, produced a greater retardation in the growth of the MBT-2 tumor than monotherapy with adriamycin, MMC, BCG or PDT. PDT combined with the anticancer agents currently used in intravesical therapy for bladder cancer is well tolerated. The combination of PDT and intravesical drugs may enhance the tumoricidal effect of either treatment used alone.
Active power control of wind turbines for ancillary services: A comparison of pitch and torque control methodologies

As wind energy generation becomes more prevalent in some regions, there is increased demand for wind power plants to provide ancillary services, which are essential for grid reliability. This paper compares two different wind turbine control methodologies to provide active power control (APC) ancillary services, which include derating or curtailing power generation, providing automatic generation control (AGC), and providing primary frequency control (PFC). The torque APC controller provides all power control through the power electronics whereas the pitch APC controller uses the blade pitch actuators as the primary means of power control. These controllers are simulated under various wind conditions with different derating set points and AGC participation levels. The metrics used to compare their performance are the damage equivalent loads (DELs) induced on the structural components and AGC performance metrics, which are used to determine the payments for AGC services by system operators in the United States. The simulation results show that derating the turbine reduces structural loads for both control methods, with the APC pitch control providing larger reductions in DELs, lower AGC performance scores, and higher root-mean-square pitch rates. Providing AGC increases the structural loads when compared to only derating the turbine, but even the AGC DELs are generally lower than those of the baseline control system. The torque APC control methodology also allows for more sustained PFC responses under certain derating conditions.
Does Place Matter? Quality of Life and Wandering Alumni

Geographers are fond of saying “Everything happens somewhere.” To retort “So what?” may be philistine, but is also legitimate. What differentiates one place from another, and do those differences make a difference for economic development? Does place matter?
N-glycan cryptic sugar moieties as potential biomarkers of aggressive prostate cancer

A tumor-associated abnormal glycosylation has been recognized for decades, information regarding host recognition of the evolving tumor glycome remains elusive. We report here a carbohydrate microarray discovery and immunological validation of a number of potential glycan markers of prostate cancer. These carbohydrates are the precursors, cores and internal sequences of N-glycans. They are usually masked by other sugar moieties and belong to a class of glyco-antigens that are normally “cryptic”. However, viral expression of these carbohydrates may trigger host immune responses. For examples, HIV-1 and SARS-CoV display Man9 clusters and trior multi-antennary type II (Galβ1→4GlcNAc) chains (Tri/m-II), respectively; viral neutralizing antibodies often target these sugar moieties. We asked, therefore, whether prostate tumor expression of corresponding carbohydrates triggers antibody responses in vivo. Using carbohydrate microarrays, we detected IgG antibodies targeting the Man9or Tri-/m-II-autoantigens in the sera of men with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), as well as those with cancer. Importantly, these antibody activities were selectively increased in prostate cancer patients. We further verified these observations in a large-cohort of patients, including patients with 100% Gleason grade 3 cancer (N=84), with Gleason grades 4 and/or 5 cancer (N=204), and BPH controls (N=135). Radical prostatectomy Gleason grades and biochemical (PSA) recurrence served as key parameters for serum biomarker evaluation. Progress of this large-scale serological study will be discussed in this presentation. Denong Wang, J Proteomics Bioinform 2013, 6:8 http://dx.doi.org/10.4172/0974-276X.S1.004
Trophic sensitivity of invasive predator and native prey interactions: integrating environmental context and climate change

Summary Climate change is predicted to intensify the impacts of invasive species by enhancing their performance relative to their native counterparts. However, few studies have compared the performance of invasive predators and native prey, despite the fact that non-native predators are well known to disrupt native communities. The ‘trophic sensitivity hypothesis’ suggests that predators are less tolerant of increasing environmental stress than their prey, whereas the ‘tolerant invaders hypothesis’ suggests that invaders are more tolerant than native species due to selection during the introduction process. It is therefore unclear how invasive predators will respond to increasing climate stressors. We coupled physiological measurements (thermal tolerance, thermal optima, salinity tolerance, predation rate) with environmental time-series data to assess the effects of warming and extreme low salinity events on non-native predators (gastropods) and native prey (oysters) from a coastal ecosystem. In general support of the trophic sensitivity hypothesis, we found that both non-native predators exhibited lower thermal optima relative to native prey, lower salinity tolerance and one predator was less tolerant of warming. However, because warming tolerance was extremely high (i.e. habitat temperature is 7·9–21 °C below thermal tolerance), near-term warming may first increase predator performance (consumption and growth rates), with negative effects on prey. Low salinity will likely produce heterogeneous effects on predator–prey interactions due to varying watershed sizes among estuaries that control the duration of low salinity events. The trophic sensitivity hypothesis may be a useful framework for understanding community responses to extreme climate change, which portends a decoupling of predator–prey interactions. However, we conclude that this hypothesis must be evaluated in environmental context and that coupling physiological metrics with in situ environmental data offers the best predictive power of near-term climate change impacts on invaded communities. Within our study system, warming is likely to intensify the impacts of both invasive predators, which may greatly reduce the abundance of the native oyster, a species of conservation and restoration focus.
Lifetime Reproduction in a Northern Metapopulation of Timber Rattlesnakes (Crotalus horridus)

Abstract: Lifetime reproduction is a fundamental demographic variable for all vertebrate species, but rarely has been examined in snakes. In the southeastern Adirondack Mountains of New York, I used a capture–recapture method over a 36-yr period to study the lifetime reproductive biology of Crotalus horridus in a metapopulation of communal overwintering dens. These longitudinal data allowed analysis of the following parameters for many females throughout their reproductive lives: age and size at first reproduction, reproductive cycle length, duration and frequency of reproduction, body mass changes, and fecundity. Within the metapopulation, first reproduction occurred at a mean age of 9.6 yr, mean length of reproductive cycles was 4.2 yr, mean reproductive life span was 9.6 yr, and average fecundity was 7.7 offspring per litter. Nonviable offspring were observed in 20% of field litters. Although several female snakes produced multiple broods (as many as seven litters over spans as long as 32 yr), most fem...
It is a Sweetheart of a Deal: Political Connections and Corporate‐Federal Contracting

We examine whether political connections measured by political contributions influence the choice of terms included in government contracts awarded to firms. We construct an index of four “sweetheart” contract terms and find that firms making larger political contributions more frequently have these favorable terms included in their contracts. We also find that political contributions have explanatory power for contract design after controlling for lobbying, negotiation power, and the employment of former government employees. These results are robust to alternative model specifications, different estimation techniques, various variable measurements, and adjustments for possible endogeneity.
The SCANS Skills and Competencies Checklist: An Assessment Tool for Youth Work Readiness Programs

The SCANS Report for America, 2000 (1992) identified the skills youth need to compete in the workplace. The not-for-profit sector responded by implementing programs designed to give at-risk youth opportunities to learn the skills and competencies required to be work ready. Program evaluators, however, are challenged with the need to assess behavioral changes, which at best are difficult to document. In addition, at-risk youth often do not perform well with traditional paper and pencil assessments (for a variety of reasons). Improvements in SCANS attributes must be captured while the youth are engaged in learning and practicing the desired skills and behaviors. The SCANS Skills & Competencies Checklist, developed by evaluators of the RCRE Youth Farmstand Program, is a tool that can be customized easily for use with youth work readiness programs that include an experiential learning component.
Ethical Formation: The Theological Virtues

This chapter explores what Thomas Aquinas called “participation of the Godhead,” by specifically considering these questions: (1) are the so-called theological virtues (faith, hope, charity) acquired in fundamentally different ways than the moral virtues such as justice and prudence; (2) in what way does the acquisition of the theological virtues make the moral person’s character different than if that person had not acquired them; and (3) what is meant by the expression “by the power of God alone”? The third question is developed in light of Thomas’ account of the Holy Spirit, whose proper name, Thomas states, is Love (charity = caritas) and whose mission is to move the saints toward their God-given ends.
Enhanced Killing of Chronic Myelogenous Leukemia Cells by Rapamycin and Imatinib Is Associated with Differential Inhibition of 4E-BP1 and eIF4E Phosphorylation and Decreased Protein Expression by Non-Overlapping Mechanisms.

Abstract The Bcr-abl tyrosine kinase is known to promote transformation by dysregulating gene transcription, but its role in dysregulating translation is less well documented. Our recent work has implicated the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signaling as a downstream target of Bcr-Abl, since we find that the mTOR effectors, 4E-BP1 and S6, are phosphorylated in a Bcr-Abl kinase-dependent manner (Ly et al., Cancer Research, 2003). Because mTOR is a central regulator of eukaryotic translation, and inhibitors of mTOR act synergistically with imatinib mesylate (imatinib) to kill CML cells, these results suggest that, like transcription, translation may be a general cellular process dysregulated by Bcr-Abl activity. If this were so, then components of the cellular apparatus co-opted by Bcr-Abl to increase translation would constitute rational therapeutic targets. These would include signaling pathways mediating increased translation, components of the cap-binding complex (eIF4E, eIF4GI, and eIF4A) that regulate cap-dependent mRNA translation, as well as proteins whose translation is increased by Bcr-Abl kinase activity. Here we identify eIF4E as well as cyclin D3 as potential therapeutic targets in CML. Since eIF4E is essential for cap-dependent translation, and increased translation parallels eIF4E phosphorylation at Ser209, we determined the status of eIF4E phosphorylation in murine hematopoietic Ba/F3 cells expressing Bcr-Abl (Ba/F3-Bcr-Abl), and its dependence on Bcr-Abl kinase activity. Using phosphospecific antibodies to eIF4E, we found that Bcr-Abl kinase activity was essential for phosphorylation of eIF4E at Ser209, but had no effects on total levels of the protein. In contrast, rapamycin had no effect on the degree of eIF4E phosphorylation, although it was able to inhibit phosphorylation of 4E-BP1 completely (unlike imatinib). By examining total mRNA and protein levels of known targets of Bcr-Abl, we determined that cyclin D3, but not cyclin D2, was post-transcriptionally regulated by Bcr-Abl. Metabolic labeling studies were also conducted in Ba/F3-Bcr-Abl cells treated with media alone, imatinib, rapamycin, or both. Our results demonstrated that translation of cyclin D3 protein is regulated by the mTOR kinase in Bcr-Abl-expressing cells, and that combined inhibition of mTOR and Bcr-Abl resulted in an additional decrease in protein levels. Together, these results demonstrate that Bcr-Abl promotes protein translation of specific genes via mTOR, and that the activity of both Bcr-Abl and mTOR kinases contribute to dysregulated protein expression via non-overlapping mechanisms in CML cells. Ongoing studies are being conducted to determine the role of both eIF4E and cyclin D3 in the pathogenesis of CML.
New insights into the pathogenesis and treatment of heavy chain deposition disease

Heavy chain deposition disease is defined by the presence of tissue deposits of truncated monoclonal Ig heavy chains, usually associated with an underlying plasma cell clone. In this issue of Kidney International , Bridoux et al. described the clinical, histologic, and molecular characterization of 15 patients with heavy chain deposition disease, which is the largest case series to date. Notable findings included the frequent presence of C3 deposits and hypocomplementemia, the uniform finding of truncated heavy chains with the deletion in the heavy chain constant region 1, and the common occurrence of an abnormal serum-free κ:λ ratio, despite the absence of light-chain tissue deposition. Importantly, this study showed that clinical outcomes are improved significantly with modern antiplasma cell therapies such as bortezomib.
Are There Really "Plenty of Shapiros Out There"? A Comment on the Courage of Norma L. Shapiro

Norma Levy Shapiro, a trailblazing United States District Court Judge whose tenure on the Philadelphia federal bench spanned nearly 40 years, died July 22, 2016. This memoriam, written by two former law clerks, reflects fondly on Judge Shapiro’s judicial courage to follow her conscience even when doing so required making deeply unpopular decisions. To illustrate, this memoriam examines three of Judge Shapiro’s most memorable cases from her notable prisoner litigation docket. First, in Harris v. Pernsley, Judge Shapiro’s principled but polarizing decisions in the Philadelphia prison overcrowding litigation elicited a now-familiar brand of snark from one (tremendous! but imperfectly informed) commentator, who warned readers: “Unfortunately, there are plenty of Shapiros out there, which is one major reason why our streets are full of dangerous convicts.” Despite frequent and equally hostile commentary from the Philadelphia press, Judge Shapiro’s handling of the case brought about the closure of a notoriously derelict prison and the construction of new criminal justice facilities in Philadelphia. Second, in Chadwick v. Janecka, Judge Shapiro ruled unconstitutional the indefinite detention of a petitioner who refused to repatriate hidden offshore assets in a divorce proceeding. After reversal on appeal in an opinion written by then-Judge (now Supreme Court Justice) Samuel Alito, the petitioner went on to serve a record-breaking term of incarceration for civil contempt (14 years). Third, in Evans v. Beard, Judge Shapiro held that principles of finality prevailed over the state’s interest in the belated correction of an erroneously lenient sentence 11 years after it had been imposed. Judge Shapiro always followed her conscience along the difficult path to justice and exhibited rare courage to do what was right. If there are, indeed, “plenty of Shapiros out there,” the world would be more just. But alas, there aren’t, and there never were.
Sexual Violence and Intimate Partner Violence in College Women with a Mental Health and/or Behavior Disability.

Abstract Objectives: We address questions about (1) how college women with a disability experience sexual violence (SV) and intimate partner violence (IPV) across partners, including disability-specific abuse and (2) how SV/IPV impacts psychological, behavioral, physical, and academic life domains. Methods/Design: Twenty-seven female college students (mean age, 21.2; 66.6% white; 66.6% heterosexual) were randomly sampled from university registrar records. To be eligible for the study, students had to have at least one experience of SV/IPV since age 18 and a disability (88.8% reported one or more mental health conditions; 11.1% reported other conditions, such as attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder; with the majority of women indicating their disability preceded SV/IPV victimization). Using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's definitions of SV/IPV as guides, clinically trained master's level interviewers conducted semistructured interviews to ascertain SV/IPV patterns across students' ...
Hepatocyte Lethal and Nonlethal Lipotoxic Injury

Hepatocyte injury caused by accumulation of excess lipid intermediates, known as hepatocyte lipotoxicity, is intricately linked to the pathogenesis of obesity-associated nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Although both hepatocyte cell injury and inflammation occur in this disease process, the cellular and molecular mechanisms linking hepatocyte injury to inflammation remain unclear. Although multiple cell types contribute to hepatic inflammation in NASH, the predominant cell types appear to be macrophages. In this review, we discuss lipid-induced apoptosis and sublethal signaling events described in lipid-loaded hepatocytes, and how they promote macrophage-associated inflammation. The saturated free fatty acid palmitate and its derivative lysophosphatidylcholine activate cellular apoptotic pathways by upregulating the proapoptotic proteins, including BH3-only protein PUMA and the death receptor TRAIL-R2, which cooperatively promote lipoapoptosis. Hepatocyte apoptosis may contribute to hepatic inflammation and fibrosis via generation of apoptotic bodies. These apoptotic bodies are engulfed by macrophages and stellate cells promoting liver inflammation and fibrosis, respectively. However, recent studies also suggest that proapoptotic, but nonlethal, signaling in hepatocytes leads to the release of extracellular vesicles, which promote hepatic inflammation by inducing macrophage chemotaxis and activation. The vesicle cargo promoting these macrophage processes includes CXCL10, TRAIL, and sphingosine 1-phosphate. Thus, we discuss the possible relative contributions of both hepatocyte apoptotic cell death and nonlethal proapoptotic signaling in generating macrophage-driven hepatic inflammation during NASH.
Chemical Calibration Standards for Molecular Absorption Spectrometry

ABSTRACT This publication describes activities undertaken since 1969 within the Center for Analytical Chemistry of the National Bureau of Standards (NBS) in the field of high-accuracy spectrophotometry. It presents a summary of the Standard Reference Materials (SRM's) that have been developed for checking the proper functioning of ultraviolet and visible spectrophotometers and includes a brief description of the high-accuracy spectrophotometer constructed in the Center for Analytical Chemistry and subsequently used for performing all of the transmittance measurements.
Computational blood flow simulations in Kawasaki disease patients: Insight into coronary artery aneurysm hemodynamics.

[first paragraph of article] Coronary artery aneurysms (CAA) as a result of Kawasaki disease (KD) create abnormal flow conditions that can ultimately lead to thrombosis, with associated risks of myocardial infarction and sudden death . The primary long-term clinical decision required for KD patients with aneurysms is whether to treat with anticoagulation therapy. Current clinical guidelines recommend CAA diameter 8 mm or Z-score >10 as the criterion for initiating systemic anticoagulation therapy . In general, these aneurysms cause regions of flow stagnation, but the complexity of their geometry including changes in diameter, tortuosity and even proximal and distal stenoses make it difficult to evaluate thrombotic risk and predict patient outcomes based solely on a single anatomical measurement taken from image data, usually the maximum aneurysm diameter.
Hands-On Learning: A Problem-Based Approach to Teaching Microsoft Excel

The development of a student's ability to make data-driven decisions has become a focus in higher education (Schield 1999; Stephenson and Caravello 2007). Data literacy, the ability tounderstand an...
Clinical Social Work as an Art form

Many social work practitioners consider social work an art form. The author considers the nature of this art form and describes how practitioners use style, relationship, and metaphor to create an ...
Refusing the Right to Refuse: Coerced Treatment of Mentally Disabled Persons

Under the doctrine of informed consent, if a person is competent to understand the risks, benefits, and alternatives to proposed treatment, that person is allowed to decide whether to accept or reject the proposed treatment. Informed consent is not required if the person is incompetent or if an emergency arises that necessitates treatment to save the person's life. Nevertheless, various devices are used to deny mentally disordered persons their right to refuse treatment even when they are competent decision makers and even when no emergency exists. For example, some courts substitute a limited due process model for a full due process model, allowing doctors to decide whether the proposed treatment is appropriate, rather than requiring a court's determination of the patient's competence to withhold consent. Some states substitute the decision to involuntarily commit the patient, or a decision to appoint a guardian or conservator to assist the patient, for the requirement that the patient be incompetent to make treatment decisions. In some states, the limited emergency exception to the requirement of informed consent has been expanded to allow involuntary treatment of dangerous patients - without requiring that an emergency exists. In some states, the requirement of voluntary and informed consent has been replaced by uninformed or coerced assent. For example, if the patient does not object to the treatment, some courts have allowed doctors to medicate the patient - without informing the patient of the risks, benefits, and alternatives to that medication and obtaining the patient's informed consent to its administration. Outpatient commitment laws have been enacted - such as Kendra's Law in New York - through which courts order mentally disordered persons to accept medication, even though such persons are not subject to involuntary civil commitment. These various devices so erode the competent patient's right to autonomous medical decision making that the right of competent, though mentally disordered, persons to refuse treatment is, in reality, refused.
Novel use of proton beam therapy for neoadjuvant treatment of radiation-associated squamous cell carcinoma of the esophagus

Secondary esophageal cancers from prior thoracic radiation therapy are rare but challenging cases to deliver standard combined modality therapy as part of a curative approach. In patients with prior exposure to cardiopulmonary-toxic chemotherapy or radiotherapy, management requires meticulous multidisciplinary evaluation given the morbidity associated with surgery in the previously irradiated thorax and re-irradiation of the spinal cord, heart, and lungs. Oftentimes, suboptimal treatment regimens, either with compromised radiation coverage, attenuated chemotherapy doses, or exclusion of surgery, are required to avoid significant toxicity. The physical properties inherent to protons allow for optimal coverage of tumor while achieving remarkably low dose to surrounding normal tissue compared to standard photon treatment. Proton therapy has been studied across various disease sites and may facilitate treatment intensification for radiation-associated esophageal tumors. While no comparative studies have evaluated the efficacy and safety of protons versus photons for esophageal cancer, three cases of radiation-associated esophageal cancer presented in this series are exemplary to highlight the benefit of protons in this unique clinical circumstance. The technical considerations in planning, including passively scattered versus pencil-beam scanning technique, as well as the clinical course and tolerance to treatment, are discussed, which may guide consideration of this advanced treatment modality in this disease site.
Disasters, Vulnerability and Human Rights

The concept of vulnerability has been introduced in the bioethical debate recently. In philosophy, vulnerability has been a core notion particularly in Continental schools. In a sense every human being is vulnerable. In bioethics the concept has been introduced initially in the context of clinical research to demarcate groups of individuals or populations as ‘vulnerable’ and therefore entitled to special protections. With the globalization of bioethics, suffering and risk in the face of medical research, technologies and care have become global realities, so that the concept of vulnerability has emerged as one of the principles of global bioethics, for example in the UNESCO Declaration on Bioethics and Human Rights. The principle of vulnerability is especially salient in the context of global disasters. It points the ethical discourse in specific directions that focus more on ameliorating the conditions that produce vulnerability, rather than on emergency actions focused on saving lives. In this connection, the human rights discourse might be helpful to focus attention and actions in connection to disasters. This discourse can complement the dominant ethical framework of humanitarianism in disaster prevention, relief, and recovery. Both ethical discourses are strongly connected with the notion of vulnerability. Human rights language presents the sufferers of disasters as bearers of rights rather than as victims. It also focuses attention at structural violence, economic injustice and global solidarity. However, this requires a critical reformulation of human rights discourse, since it often adopts a neoliberal approach. It assumes that globalization offers opportunities to strengthen human security and provide basic needs, rather than threatening them. In practice, human rights discourse is no longer used to protect the vulnerable but to legitimize the global practices of neoliberalism. It often shares the vision of progress, growth and development that underlies neoliberal approaches and policies, hardly questioning the negative relationships between social context, trade and human flourishing. Global bioethics, if taken seriously, can redirect human rights discourse to ways to prevent future disasters.
HelloBox: Creating Safer and Kid-friendly Communities

Children's ability to walk to school or play around their neighborhoods without parental supervision has severely declined in the past decade. Loss of local activities and mobility may leave children prepared for transitions to adulthood and make them less independent and may have negative health effects. In this paper, we discuss the findings of our research on children's unsupervised play in their neighborhoods. We propose HelloBox, a system including an app, wearable RFID tags, and check-in stations to keep track of children when they are outside without an adult. HelloBox lets parents know where their children are without restricting their independence and builds community between local families. The project focuses on improving children's independent mobility and encouraging social interactions between families within neighborhoods.
Painful shoulder syndromes : diagnosis and management

Painful shoulder conditions are common primary care problems. Providers should learn the topographical landmarks about the shoulder and understand shoulder mechanics. A careful clinical evaluation will usually provide a likely diagnosis. In unclear cases with marked pain, weakness, and reduced mobility, or with a suspected rotator cuff tear or rupture, arthrography or MRI will usually establish a diagnosis. Therapy of bursitis/tendinitis consists of a steroid injection into the inflamed subacromial area or a 14-day trial of an NSAID. Therapy of bicipital tendinitis, largely empiric because definitive studies are unavailable for any specific treatment, includes judicious peritendinous steroid injections and avoiding aggravating activities. In the management of patients with suspected tendon tears or rupture, primary care practitioners can confirm the diagnosis by ordering MRI or arthrography before referring these patients to an orthopedist for definitive surgical therapy. Optimal management of adhesive capsulitis remains unclear, but an intraarticular steroid injection appears beneficial at least in temporarily diminishing pain. Pendular motion exercising is also an integral part of therapy. Deleterious effects of peribursal or intraarticular steroid infiltration appear minimal; but injections into the tendon or frequent, repetitive injections are contraindicated. Each shoulder condition has a variable course, depending on the structure(s) and extent of involvement.
Multiphysics simulation of the initial stage of plasma discharge formation in liquids

Plasma initiation simulations in homogenous liquids in response to ~ 3.0 – 5.0 ns voltage pulse is conducted. An in-house numerical framework consisting of a compressible fluid solver together with charged species conservation and Poisson's equation solver is employed for the simulations. The simulations are conducted for a needle-like powered electrode with two different voltage profiles – linear and exponential increase. The model predictions show that under the influence of nanosecond voltage rise the liquid experiences the formation of negative pressure region near the vicinity of the powered electrode and surpasses the cavitation threshold pressure. The cavitation locations initiate as sub-micron regions and then extends up to a few microns. The electrical forces which is a combination of electrostatic, polarization and electrostrictive ponderomotive forces contributes significantly in cavitating the medium and forming low-density region. The ponderomotive forces have the highest impact followed by the polarization forces. The effect of electrostatic forces only become significant when sufficient free charges are formed. Despite the formation of low-density region, the ionization process is still predominantly driven by field dependent ionization – Zener tunneling; as the electric field across the sub-micron to micron scale low-density regions are not sufficient for electron impact ionization to be significant. A parametric study on maximum driving voltage and voltage profile is conducted. The results indicate that at higher voltage both the exponential and linear voltage profile form a compression wave and an associated high-density region in the medium. The magnitude of the compressive waves is not representative of shock waves. The bulk liquid velocity can reach hundreds of meters per second but maintains subsonic conditions when the maximum driving voltage is increased by a factor of 2.5 to 15 kV suggesting shock like conditions will be formed under higher electric field conditions.
Package Aeration Plants in Florida

The engineer designing sanitary facilities is faced with a multitude of different manufactured, predesigned package, sewage treatment plants, each with its high-pressure salesmen. The Florida State...
Sensitivity and uniformity improvement of phased array MR images using inductive coupling and RF detuning circuits

To improve sensitivity and uniformity of MR images obtained using a phased array RF coil, an inductively coupled secondary resonator with RF detuning circuits at 300 MHz was designed. A secondary resonator having detuning circuits to turn off the resonator during the transmit mode was constructed. The secondary resonator was located at the opposite side of the four-channel phased array to improve sensitivity and uniformity of the acquired MR images. Numerical simulations along with phantom and in vivo experiments were conducted to evaluate the designed secondary resonator. The numerical simulation results of |B1+| in a transmit mode showed that magnetic field uniformity would be decreased with a secondary resonator having no detuning circuits because of unwanted interferences between the transmit birdcage coil and the secondary resonator. The standard deviation (SD) of |B1+| was decreased 57% with a secondary resonator containing detuning circuits. The sensitivity and uniformity of |B1−| in the receive mode using a four-channel phased array were improved with the secondary resonator. Phantom experiments using a uniform saline phantom had 20% improvement of the mean signal intensity and 50% decrease in the SD with the secondary resonator. Mice with excess adipose tissue were imaged to demonstrate the utility of the secondary resonator. The designed secondary resonator having detuning circuits improved sensitivity and uniformity of mouse MR images acquired using the four-channel phased array.
The psychological mechanisms of persuasive impact from narrative communication

This paper develops and tests a comprehensive psychological model of how narrative messages persuade. In this model, perceived realism and perceived similarity are considered as the antecedents of narrative engagement variables. There are three forms of narrative engagement, transportation, identification, and parasocial interaction, which are conceptualized as the primary mediating mechanisms. Message elaboration and psychological reactance are proposed as the secondary mediating mechanisms. A web-based study (N = 374) was conducted to test this complex model. Four video clips on sexual health topics from wellknown television series were used as the stimuli. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) analyses showed that perceived realism and perceived similarity were antecedents of narrative engagement. There was conceptual overlap between the narrative engagement variables, but they remained distinct from each other. There was no unique effect on persuasion from parasocial interaction. There was evidence for direct effects on persuasion from transportation and identification, as well as their indirect effects through reducing psychological reactance. However, message elaboration was found to be negatively associated with message perception. Implications for narrative communication in general and future studies were discussed.
Small cell lung cancer initially presenting with acute urinary retention: A case report

This case study discusses a patient presenting with urinary retention presumed secondary to benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). Suspicion for an underlying problem was raised when a second instance of urinary retention occurred after undergoing medical treatment and TUVP to correct BPH. Extensive workup resulted in diagnosis of small cell lung carcinoma with metastases and discovery of a large metastatic mass in the rectovesical pouch. The mass caused obstructive uropathy and renal failure which was managed with stenting and an indwelling catheter. Further investigation by practitioners may be required in patients whose urinary symptoms do not improve after standard BPH treatments.
Performance Characterization of an Algorithm to Estimate the Search Skill of a Human or Robot Agent

This paper characterizes an algorithm that estimates searcher skill level to support planning for search activities involving heterogeneous robot and human/robot teams. Specifically, we use Monte-Carlo simulations to determine the empirical accuracy of the estimator, to assess the quality of its predicted distribution (nonparametric) of agent skill levels, and the convergence rate of the estimate. The simulation study suggests that a single challenging search task can be used to estimate searcher skill within about 10%; however, the quality of the estimate is higher when searcher skill is high.
Factors Associated With Noncontact Injury in Collegiate Soccer: A 12-Team Prospective Study of NCAA Division I Men's and Women's Soccer

Background:Multiteam, multi-institution prospective studies of both women’s and men’s sports are essential for collectively investigating injury and primary to the generalization and individualizat...
Aggression in Toddlers with Autism Spectrum Disorder as Predicted by Sleep Problems

Previous studies have examined the relationship between sleep problems and challenging behaviors in school-aged children and adolescents with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, literature has not examined this relationship in the context of toddlers or, more specifically, toddlers with aggression. The present study was conducted to examine the relationship between ASD severity, sleep problems, and aggression in toddlers (aged 24 to 36 months) with a diagnosis of ASD. Sleep problems were measured by the Childhood Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ; NICHD SECCYD-Wisconsin, 2017) and aggression was measured by part 3 of the Baby and Infant Screen for Children with aUtism Traits (BISCUIT; Matson et al., 2007). A hierarchical multiple regression was conducted with a sample of 28 toddlers and the results indicated sleep problems statistically significantly predicted aggression over and above ASD severity. Implications of these findings and future research directions are discussed.
The Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy: A reassessment of the CAPS program

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to study the Chicago Alternative Policing Strategy (CAPS), the largest community policing program in the USA.Design/methodology/approach – The data for this research come from the 1993‐1994 Citizen Survey of the Longitudinal Evaluation of Chicago's Community Policing Program. Referred to as the CAPS Prototype Panel Survey, the data were obtained from the Inter‐university Consortium for Political and Social Science Research. Both ordinary least square and log linear regression were used to analyze the data.Findings – The findings indicate that people living in the CAPS prototype districts had significantly higher levels of satisfaction with police fighting crime than people living in matched comparison areas who were not subject to the CAPS program. The findings also indicate that the residents of the CAPS prototype communities were only marginally more satisfied with police keeping order than those living in non‐CAPS communities.Research implications/limitations – Th...
Sources of suspended-sediment flux in streams of the chesapeake bay watershed: A regional application of the sparrow model

Brakebill, John W., Scott W. Ator, and Gregory E. Schwarz, 2010. Sources of Suspended-Sediment Flux in Streams of the Chesapeake Bay Watershed: A Regional Application of the SPARROW Model. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 46(4): 757-776. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752-1688.2010.00450.x Abstract: We describe the sources and transport of fluvial suspended sediment in nontidal streams of the Chesapeake Bay watershed and vicinity. We applied SPAtially Referenced Regressions on Watershed attributes, which spatially correlates estimated mean annual flux of suspended sediment in nontidal streams with sources of suspended sediment and transport factors. According to our model, urban development generates on average the greatest amount of suspended sediment per unit area (3,928 Mg/km2/year), although agriculture is much more widespread and is the greatest overall source of suspended sediment (57 Mg/km2/year). Factors affecting sediment transport from uplands to streams include mean basin slope, reservoirs, physiography, and soil permeability. On average, 59% of upland suspended sediment generated is temporarily stored along large rivers draining the Coastal Plain or in reservoirs throughout the watershed. Applying erosion and sediment controls from agriculture and urban development in areas of the northern Piedmont close to the upper Bay, where the combined effects of watershed characteristics on sediment transport have the greatest influence may be most helpful in mitigating sedimentation in the bay and its tributaries. Stream restoration efforts addressing floodplain and bank stabilization and incision may be more effective in smaller, headwater streams outside of the Coastal Plain.
Form factor of \pi^0-->\gamma\gamma^*

An intrinsic form factor has benn found and the slope of the form factor has been predicted.
Direct-Y and it's impact on user equipment technology

It has become evident that GPS must undergo evolutionary changes in order to fully satisfy both civil and military requirements in the next century. Currently, the military must improve the antijam performance of the system to ensure its availability for precision delivery of weapons and general navigation functions in the battlefield. A key component to this strategy is reducing the military's reliance on C/A code to acquire the GPS signal via a direct acquisition of the encrypted Y code. Currently fielded UE/sup 2/ have notable deficiencies which must be remedied before robust D-Y acquisition performance in the face of jamming can be achieved. Since the Y-code is essentially infinite in length (vice 1 msec C/A code), the frequency and code phase error must either be reduced considerably or the resultant uncertainties searched quicker. It turns out the most practical solution involves components in both domains (frequency and code phase) and both involve application of improved UE technologies to effect a quick D-Y acquisition in a jammed environment. The terminology proposed by the JPO and generally adopted to describe this process has come to be known as D-Y which stands for "Direct-Y Acquisition". This paper will highlight two key technologies in the areas of VLSI technology and low power timekeeping and formulate some credible simulation models to describe D-Y performance for the next generation of advanced user equipment. Some discussion of improved signal structures will also be included.
Hyaluronic acid targeting of CD44 for cancer therapy: from receptor biology to nanomedicine

Cluster of differentiation-44 (CD44) is a ubiquitously present glycoprotein on the surface of mammalian cells that plays a significant role in a number of biological functions. Since the discovery that the receptor is over-expressed in a variety of solid tumors, such as pancreatic, breast and lung cancer, many studies have focused on methods for targeting CD44 in an attempt to improve drug delivery and discrimination between healthy and malignant tissue, while reducing residual toxicity and off-target accumulation. In this review, we describe CD44 receptor biology and its involvement in the different stages of tumor growth and metastasis, as well as methods currently used for targeting the receptor. Hyaluronic acid, the primary CD44 binding molecule, has proved a significant ally in developing nanocarriers that demonstrate preferential tumor accumulation and increased cell uptake. We outline a number of research approaches from the current literature that take advantage of hyaluronic acid's targeting ability and describe the possible advantages for each approach. The value of CD44 targeting can be easily appreciated from the number of different approaches that have reached clinical trials.
Organic semiconductor strain sensors

In this paper, the authors report the first strain sensors using an organic semiconductor as the active element. The authors have used a doped organic semiconductor as the active element for low Young's modulus strain sensors. The sensor cross-section is shown. For these sensors 2 nm thick Ti and 20 nm thick Au were deposited on 50 micron thick polyimide substrates by thermal evaporation and patterned to form sensor electrodes and wiring. Next, a 50 nm thick pentacene layer was deposited, again by thermal evaporation. The pentacene layer was then doped p-type by exposure to a 1 % solution of ferric chloride in water. The doped pentacene film was then patterned using an aqueous polyvinyl alcohol photolithography step and oxygen reactive ion etching. The maximum process temperature used to fabricate the organic strain sensors is 110 degC
Vicious and Virtuous Cycles and the Role of External Non-government Actors in Community Forestry in Oaxaca and Michoacán, Mexico

Community forestry offers potential for socioeconomic benefits while maintaining ecosystem services. In Mexico, government and donor efforts to develop this sector focus on issues within forest communities. Often overlooked are effects of external non-government actors (NGOs and foresters) as links or barriers between communities and funding, capacity building, and technical support. To analyze the role of these actors, I analyze household survey and interview data from 11 communities with varying levels of vertical integration of forestry production in states with divergent records of community forestry, Oaxaca and Michoacan. Results suggest that strong community governance is necessary but not sufficient for vertical integration, and strong interactions with non-government actors are critical. These actors, operating within the existing framework of government regulations, have a range of incentives for engaging communities. Availability of these actors motivated by concern for community capacity instead of timber income may be a determinant of community forestry development.