Moderating Effect of Equity Sensitivity on Behavior-Outcome Relationships in Construction Dispute Negotiation

This material may be downloaded for personal use only. Any other use requires prior permission of the American Society of Civil Engineers. This material may be found at https://ascelibrary.org/doi/10.1061/%28ASCE%29CO.1943-7862.0000290Publishe

Provision of reinforcement in concrete solids using the generalized genetic algorithm

A generalized genetic algorithm has been developed to find the global optimal reinforcement contents for a concrete solid structure subjected to a general three-dimensional (3D) stress field. Feasible solutions were examined based on the genetic algorithm, and the heterogeneous strategy used ensures that all of the local optimal regions are searched and the most optimal reinforcement content found. The effectiveness of the proposed approach has been validated by comparing the steel contents evaluated using the present method with those obtained from other available methods. A more economic design is achieved by the proposed algorithm. The method developed provides the designer with a valuable tool for the determination of reinforcements in complicated solid concrete structures. © 2011 American Society of Civil Engineers.postprin

Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) as a vehicle for supporting service learning

2016-2017 > Academic research: refereed > Refereed conference paper201804_a bcmaVersion of RecordPublishe

Adenoid cystic carcinoma intermingled with ductal carcinoma of the breast: a case report and review of the literature

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Introduction</p> <p>Adenoid cystic cancer of the breast is a rare condition, and even rarer are the cases where it is histologically mixed with other variants of cancer within a single lesion. In this report, one of the few cases of mixed adenoid cystic breast cancer intermingled with the infiltrating ductal variant is presented. A subsequent review of the relevant literature presents the existing experience in treating mixed breast cancers with adenoid cystic components with regard to diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis.</p> <p>Case presentation</p> <p>We describe a case of mixed adenoid cystic cancer of the breast with infiltrating ductal carcinoma in a 67-year-old Caucasian woman who underwent mastectomy with sentinel node biopsy.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Surgery remains the cornerstone of treatment of these patients, and radiotherapy is administered when breast-conserving treatment is undertaken or a large tumor with affected lymph nodes is present. Hormonal treatment does not have a role, as estrogen receptors are always absent from both tumor components. Chemotherapy is nearly always administered on the basis of estrogen receptor and progesterone negativity and the more aggressive potential of the non-adenoid cystic component. The de-differentiation of an indolent type of cancer to a more aggressive one may affect the prognosis.</p

Intra- and interreader reproducibility of PI-RADSv2: A multireader study

Background: The Prostate Imaging Reporting and Data System version 2 (PI-RADSv2) has been in use since 2015; while interreader reproducibility has been studied, there has been a paucity of studies investigating the intrareader reproducibility of PI-RADSv2. Purpose: To evaluate both intra- and interreader reproducibility of PI-RADSv2 in the assessment of intraprostatic lesions using multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI). Study Type: Retrospective. Population/Subjects: In all, 102 consecutive biopsy-naïve patients who underwent prostate MRI and subsequent MR/transrectal ultrasonography (MR/TRUS)-guided biopsy. Field Strength/Sequences: Prostate mpMRI at 3T using endorectal with phased array surface coils (TW MRI, DW MRI with ADC maps and b2000 DW MRI, DCE MRI). Assessment: Previously detected and biopsied lesions were scored by four readers from four different institutions using PI-RADSv2. Readers scored lesions during two readout rounds with a 4-week washout period. Statistical Tests: Kappa (κ) statistics and specific agreement (Po) were calculated to quantify intra- and interreader reproducibility of PI-RADSv2 scoring. Lesion measurement agreement was calculated using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). Results: Overall intrareader reproducibility was moderate to substantial (κ = 0.43–0.67, Po = 0.60–0.77), while overall interreader reproducibility was poor to moderate (κ = 0.24, Po = 46). Readers with more experience showed greater interreader reproducibility than readers with intermediate experience in the whole prostate (P = 0.026) and peripheral zone (P = 0.002). Sequence-specific interreader agreement for all readers was similar to the overall PI-RADSv2 score, with κ = 0.24, 0.24, and 0.23 and Po = 0.47, 0.44, and 0.54 in T2-weighted, diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI), and dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE), respectively. Overall intrareader and interreader ICC for lesion measurement was 0.82 and 0.71, respectively. Data Conclusion: PI-RADSv2 provides moderate intrareader reproducibility, poor interreader reproducibility, and moderate interreader lesion measurement reproducibility. These findings suggest a need for more standardized reader training in prostate MRI. Level of Evidence: 2. Technical Efficacy: Stage 2

Police accountability and the Irish law of evidence

"Common law courts have differed on whether and to what extent an exclusionary rule should be used as a tool to impose standards on the police. The Irish courts have pursued an uncompromising approach in this area. Basing themselves on the imperative of upholding the constitutional rights of the accused, they have been willing to exclude relevant and cogent evidence on the basis that it was obtained by the police in breach of those rights. This article locates the Irish constitutional exclusionary rule in the broader context of the role of the law of evidence in police governance. Citing specific examples from the Irish legislation and case law, it shows how recent legislative interventions and some judicial hesitancy have fuelled inconsistent and contradictory trends. It concludes that there is now a pressing need for reflection on the respective roles of the legislature and the courts in this area." [author's abstract

Physical and Electrical Performance of Vapor–Solid Grown ZnO Straight Nanowires

Physical and electrical properties of wurtzitic ZnO straight nanowires grown via a vapor–solid mechanism were investigated. Raman spectrum shows four first-order phonon frequencies and a second-order Raman frequency of the ZnO nanowires. Electrical and photoconductive performance of individual ZnO straight nanowire devices was studied. The results indicate that the nanowires reported here are n-type semi-conductors and UV light sensitive, and a desirable candidate for fabricating UV light nanosensors and other applications

Structural modification of TiO2 nanorod films with an influence on the photovoltaic efficiency of a dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC)

TiO2 nanorod films have been deposited on ITO substrates by dc reactive magnetron sputtering technique. The structures of these nanorod films were modified by the variation of the oxygen pressure during the sputtering process. Although all these TiO2 nanorod films deposited at different oxygen pressures show an anatase structure, the orientation of the nanorod films varies with the oxygen pressure. Only a very weak (101) diffraction peak can be observed for the TiO2 nanorod film prepared at low oxygen pressure. However, as the oxygen pressure is increased, the (220) diffraction peak appears and the intensity of this diffraction peak is increased with the oxygen pressure. The results of the SEM show that these TiO2 nanorods are perpendicular to the ITO substrate. At low oxygen pressure, these sputtered TiO2 nanorods stick together and have a dense structure. As the oxygen pressure is increased, these sputtered TiO2 nanorods get separated gradually and have a porous structure. The optical transmittance of these TiO2 nanorod films has been measured and then fitted by OJL model. The porosities of the TiO2 nanorod films have been calculated. The TiO2 nanorod film prepared at high oxygen pressure shows a high porosity. The dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) have been assembled using these TiO2 nanorod films prepared at different oxygen pressures as photoelectrode. The optimum performance was achieved for the DSSC using the TiO2 nanorod film with the highest (220) diffraction peak and the highest porosity

Endogenous PTH Deficiency Impairs Fracture Healing and Impedes the Fracture-Healing Efficacy of Exogenous PTH(1-34)

Although the capacity of exogenous PTH1-34 to enhance the rate of bone repair is well established in animal models, our understanding of the mechanism(s) whereby PTH induces an anabolic response during skeletal repair remains limited. Furthermore it is unknown whether endogenous PTH is required for fracture healing and how the absence of endogenous PTH would influence the fracture-healing capacity of exogenous PTH.Closed mid-diaphyseal femur fractures were created and stabilized with an intramedullary pin in 8-week-old wild-type and Pth null (Pth(-/-)) mice. Mice received daily injections of vehicle or of PTH1-34 (80 µg/kg) for 1-4 weeks post-fracture, and callus tissue properties were analyzed at 1, 2 and 4 weeks post-fracture. Cartilaginous callus areas were reduced at 1 week post-fracture, but were increased at 2 weeks post-fracture in vehicle-treated and PTH-treated Pth(-/-) mice compared to vehicle-treated and PTH-treated wild-type mice respectively. The mineralized callus areas, bony callus areas, osteoblast number and activity, osteoclast number and surface in callus tissues were all reduced in vehicle-treated and PTH-treated Pth(-/-) mice compared to vehicle-treated and PTH-treated wild-type mice, but were increased in PTH-treated wild-type and Pth(-/-) mice compared to vehicle-treated wild-type and Pth(-/-) mice.Absence of endogenous PTH1-84 impedes bone fracture healing. Exogenous PTH1-34 can act in the absence of endogenous PTH but callus formation, including accelerated endochondral bone formation and callus remodeling as well as mechanical strength of the bone are greater when endogenous PTH is present. Results of this study suggest a complementary role for endogenous PTH1-84 and exogenous PTH1-34 in accelerating fracture healing

Multiparametric MRI for the detection of local recurrence of prostate cancer in the setting of biochemical recurrence after low dose rate brachytherapy

PURPOSE Prostate multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) has utility in detecting post-ra-diotherapy local recurrence. We conducted a multireader study to evaluate the diagnostic performance of mpMRI for local recurrence after low dose rate (LDR) brachytherapy. METHODS A total of 19 patients with biochemical recurrence after LDR brachytherapy underwent 3T en-dorectal coil mpMRI with T2-weighted imaging, dynamic contrast-enhanced imaging (DCE) and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) with pathologic confirmation. Prospective reads by an experienced prostate radiologist were compared with reads from 4 radiologists of varying experience. Readers identified suspicious lesions and rated each MRI detection parameter. MRI-detected lesions were considered true-positive with ipsilateral pathologic confirmation. Inferences for sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), kappa, and index of specific agreement were made with the use of bootstrap resampling. RESULTS Pathologically confirmed recurrence was found in 15 of 19 patients. True positive recurrences identified by mpMRI were frequently located in the transition zone (46.7%) and seminal vesicles (30%). On patient-based analysis, average sensitivity of mpMRI was 88% (standard error [SE], 3.5%). For highly suspicious lesions, specificity of mpMRI was 75% (SE, 16.5%). On lesion-based analysis, the average PPV was 62% (SE, 6.7%) for all lesions and 78.7% (SE, 10.3%) for highly suspicious lesions. The average PPV for lesions invading the seminal vesicles was 88.8% (n=13). The average PPV was 66.6% (SE, 5.8%) for lesions identified with T2-weighted imaging, 64.9% (SE, 7.3%) for DCE, and 70% (SE, 7.3%) for DWI. CONCLUSION This series provides evidence that mpMRI after LDR brachytherapy is feasible with a high patient-based cancer detection rate. Radiologists of varying experience demonstrated moderate agreement in detecting recurrence.This research was supported in part by the Intramural Research Program of the National Institutes of Health, National Cancer Institute, Center for Cancer Research (ZIA BC 011552). This research was also made possible in part through the NIH Medical Research Scholars Program, a public-private partnership supported jointly by the NIH and generous contributions to the Foundation for the NIH from the Doris Duke Charitable Foundation, the Howard Hughes Medical Institute, the American Association for Dental Research, the Colgate-Palmolive Company, and other private donors