cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Recent Alcohol Use and Episodic Heavy Drinking Among Hispanic Youth

Background: A sizeable percentage of Hispanic youth are affected by alcohol use. Research is needed to identify specific factors placing Hispanic youth at elevated risk. Purpose: This study examined whether recent alcohol use (past 30 days) and frequent episodic heavy drinking among 7th - 12th grade Hispanic students (N = 946) in Greater Cincinnati schools differed based on perceived harm of use, ease of access and parent/peer disapproval of use. Methods: The PRIDE national survey for grades 6-12 was administered to youth in their school classrooms. Results: One-in-four (24.5%) recently used alcohol and one-in-seven (15.2%) frequently (often/a lot) engaged in episodic heavy drinking. Students at highest risk for recent alcohol use and frequent episodic heavy drinking were those who felt use was not harmful/somewhat harmful, felt alcohol access was fairly easy/very easy and had parents/peers who did not disapprove of use. Discussion: These results should be considered when developing and implementing alcohol prevention efforts for Hispanic youth. Ongoing parent-child communication, rule-setting and rule enforcement should be encouraged. Translation to Health Education Practice: Findings can assist health educators to more thoroughly understand how perceived harm, ease of access and parent/peer disapproval affect recent alcohol use and episodic heavy drinking among Hispanic youth.
Algorithmic and topological aspects of semi-algebraic sets defined by quadratic polynomials

In this thesis we consider semi-algebraic sets over a real closed field R defined by quadratic polynomials. Semi-algebraic sets of R k are defined as the smallest family of sets in R k that contains the algebraic sets as well as the sets defined by polynomial inequalities, and which is also closed under the Boolean operations (complementation, finite unions and finite intersections). We prove the following new bounds on the topological complexity of semi-algebraic sets over a real closed field R defined by quadratic polynomials, in terms of the parameters of the system of polynomials defining them, which improve the known results. (1) Let S ⊂ Rk be defined by P1 ≥ 0,...,Pm ≥ 0 with Pi ∈ R[X1,..., Xk], m < k, and deg( Pi) ≤ 2, for 1 ≤ i ≤ m. We prove that bi(S) ≤ 32d6ek mm + k, 0 ≤ i ≤ k − 1. (2) Let P = {P1,...,Pm} ⊂ R[Y1,...,Ye, X1,...,Xk], with deg Y(Pi) ≤ 2, deg X(Pi) ≤ d, 1 ≤ i ≤ m. Let S ⊂ Re+k be a semi-algebraic set, defined by a Boolean formula without negations, whose atoms are of the form, P ≥ 0, P ≤ 0, P ∈ P . Let π : Re+k → Rk be the projection on the last k co-ordinates. We prove that the number of stable homotopy types amongst the fibers π−1(x) ∩ S is bounded by (2me kd)O( mk). We conclude the thesis with presenting two new algorithms along with their implementations. The first algorithm computes the number of connected components and the first Betti number of a semi-algebraic set defined by compact objects in Rk which are simply connected. This algorithm improves the well-known method using a triangulation of the semi-algebraic set. Moreover, the algorithm has been efficiently implemented which was not possible before. The second algorithm computes efficiently the real intersection of three quadratic surfaces in R3 using a semi-numerical approach.
Participation in Multipurpose Senior Centers

Studies of participation in senior centers frequently compare attenders and nonattenders on a number of social psychological, demographic, and socioeco nomic indicators. The result of these studies is a growing set of generalizations that help to differentiate those who attend from those who do not. This article is based on the premise that the classification ofattenders and nonattenders is a helpful but rather crude classification and examines variation in participation among users of senior centers. The analysis is based on observational methods during a ten-month period in a senior center and interview data collected from a sample of senior center participants (N = 48). Several of the variables used to predict variations in duration and frequency ofsenior centerparticipation are based on multiple indicators (e.g., age identity, anxiety, and life satisfaction). The results suggest that frequent attendance is more likely among elderly adults who use the center primarily as a social agency, but long-time ...
Unshielded MR elements with patterned exchange-biasing

The concept of patterned longitudinal biasing as a means to suppress Barkhausen noise in narrow-track MR (magnetoresistive) elements without under permeability degradation of the read region is discussed. This scheme also renders the performance of the read region relatively insensitive to the exact magnitude of the externally applied longitudinal bias, as long as this bias is large enough to ensure good longitudinal alignment of magnetization at the tail regions. This concept was demonstrated with Permalloy MR elements using patterned exchange biasing. Results show that these elements do indeed exhibit quiet and stable responses, but without the severe sensitivity reduction which is characteristic of MR elements under normal strong uniform longitudinal biasing. >
Lysosomal cholesterol derived from mildly oxidized low density lipoprotein is resistant to efflux.

In atherosclerotic lesions, macrophages store lipid in cytoplasmic inclusions and lysosomes. Regression studies show that lysosomal lipid is not as easily cleared as cytoplasmic inclusion lipid. Macrophages enriched with mildly oxidized low density lipoprotein (oxLDL) accumulate cholesteryl ester (CE) and free cholesterol (FC) in lysosomes. We examined whether lysosomal stores of cholesterol from oxLDL are cleared from THP-1 and mouse macrophages. As in previous studies, oxLDL-enriched THP-1 macrophages accumulated substantial lysosomal cholesterol. Surprisingly, less than 12% of oxLDL-derived lysosomal CE was cleared to efficient FC acceptors (e.g., cyclodextrins, apolipoprotein/phosphatidylcholine vesicles, and fetal bovine serum). Filipin staining showed that lysosomes of oxLDL-treated THP-1 cells contained FC, and despite removal of most of the cell FC (70--80%) by incubation with cyclodextrins, filipin staining of FC in lysosomes did not diminish. Also, when THP-1 macrophages were incubated with [(3)H]CE oxLDL, 73--76% of the [(3)H]CE was retained in a lysosomal hydrolysis resistant pool. In contrast, greater than 90% of acetylated low density lipoprotein (acLDL) [(3)H]CE was hydrolyzed. Furthermore, [(3)H]FC liberated from oxLDL [(3)H]CE was released at a slower rate to cyclodextrins than was [(3)H]FC from acLDL [(3)H]CE. In contrast, only 27% of oxLDL [(3)H]CE was resistant to hydrolysis in mouse macrophages, and the [(3)H]FC generated from oxLDL and acLDL [(3)H]CE was released to cyclodextrins at similar rates. We conclude that lack of hydrolysis and efflux of oxLDL cholesterol is not exclusively inherent in oxLDL, but also requires specific cell factors present in one cell type but not the other.--Yancey, P. G., and W. G. Jerome. Lysosomal cholesterol derived from mildly oxidized low density lipoprotein is resistant to efflux. J. Lipid Res. 2001. 42: 317--327.
Transcription of a cloned ovalbumin ds-cDNA in Xenopus laevis oocytes.

A recombinant plasmid containing a double-stranded DNA copy of the ovalbumin messenger RNA (pOV230 DNA) was successfully transcribed by injecting the purified DNA into Xenopus laevis oocyte nuclei. Injection of pOV230 DNA resulted in the synthesis of plasmid sequences and ovalbumin messenger RNA sequences while injection of plasmid DNA resulted in plasmid RNA transcription only. 21–38% of the total [3H]RNA isolated from pOV230 DNA injected oocytes was capable of hybridizing to pOV230 DNA. Strand selectivity experiments revealed that 80–100% of the ovalbumin RNA synthesized was coding strand RNA.
Threshold Constraints and Laws of War

The laws of armed conflict forge a balance between deontological humanitarian concerns on one hand, and consequentialist military-advantage concerns on the other hand. Yet the literature provides inadequate theoretical foundations for the balances these rules make at a structural level. In this paper, I explain how the standard humanitarian account and the first-wave economic account cannot alone explain the diversity of rules and principles observed in the formal doctrine and in state practice. States’ revealed preference for norms fleshing out those “minimum standards” can not be brushed aside as mere “behavioral regularities.” Many of these minimum standards are the result of purely instrumental coordination, since all belligerents are better off with full compliance under conditions of transparency and effective enforcement. But recognizing that states sometimes act for non-instrumental reasons supplements rather than falsifies claims that states act rationally under other circumstances. By adopting and deploying recent advances in law and economics that seek to bridge the gap between consequentialist and deontological moral theories, I show how the complex system of the laws of war are the product of both kinds of concerns. This working paper applies the threshold constraint framework to an emerging class of problems in the laws of armed conflict related to cyberwarfare. Uncertainty, risk-shifting, threshold-constraint concerns, and cost-reduction preferences play important roles in shaping law-of-armed-conflict rules, which in turn constrain and channel the tactical options states can select in carrying out armed conflict. These concerns also have institutional-design effects when states are uncertain about how technological progress will change battlefield conduct. This draft ends by explaining and understanding how states might seek to change those rules in light of anticipated (and even unknown) changes in battlefield technology.
Attributes Influencing Insulin Pen Preference Among Caregivers and Patients With Diabetes Who Require Greater Than 20 Units of Mealtime Insulin

Background:This study compared patient preference for Humalog® KwikPen™ 200 units/mL (insulin lispro; hereafter, IL 200 pen; Eli Lilly and Company, Indianapolis, IN) versus the Humalog KwikPen 100 ...
Proceedings of the 3rd workshop on Testing aspect-oriented programs

Aspect-Oriented Programming (AOP) is a new paradigm for dealing with concerns that cut cross system components. It aims to encapsulate crosscutting concerns into aspects with the advice invoked at the designated points of program execution. While AOP improves the modularity of crosscutting concerns, the features and mechanisms of AOP also yield new fault types. New strategies, techniques, and practices are required for the quality assurance of aspect-oriented programs. The 2007 Workshop on Testing Aspect-Oriented Programs (WTAOP'07), in conjunction with the Six International Conference on Aspect-Oriented Software Development in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, is the third workshop to focus on the issues associated with the topic of testing and quality assurance for aspect-oriented programs. The workshop continues the work of the previous WTAOP workshops. The first WTAOP workshop occurred on March 15, 2005, in conjunction with the Fourth International Conference on Aspect-Oriented Software Development in Chicago, Illinois. The workshop was organized by Roger T. Alexander from Colorado State University and Anneliese Andrews from Washington State University. The second WTAOP workshop on July 20, 2006 in conjunction with the International Symposium on Software Testing and Analysis, was organized by Dehla Sokenou from GEBIT Solutions GmbH, Stephan Herrmann from Technische Universitat Berlin and Roger T. Alexander from Washington State University. The WTAOP workshop series brings together researchers and practitioners that have interests in this important area, with the goal being to establish a research agenda that focuses on the challenges and issues associated with testing aspect-oriented programs. The WTAOP'07 workshop received a total of six submissions. Each submission was reviewed by two or three members of the international program committee. Five of the submissions were selected for presentation at the workshop. The next section gives a brief introduction to the selected papers included in these workshop proceedings.
Physiological synchronization in a vigilance dual task

The synchronization of autonomic arousal levels and other physio-logical responses between people is a potentially important component of work team performance, client-therapist relationships, and other types of human interaction. This study addressed several problems: What statistical models are viable for identifying synchronization for loosely coupled human systems? How is the level of synchronization related to psychosocial variables such as empathy, subjective ratings of workload, and actual performance? Participants were 70 undergraduates who worked in pairs on a vigilance dual task in which they watched a virtual reality security camera, rang a bell when they saw the target intruder, and completed a jig-saw puzzle. Event rates either increased or decreased during the 90 min work period. The average R2 values for each person were.66,.66,.62, and.53 for the linear autoregressive model, linear autoregressive model with a synchronization component, the nonlinear autoregressive model, and the nonlinear autoregressive model with a synchronization component, respectively. All models were more accurate at a lag of 20 sec compared to 50 sec or customized lag lengths. Although the linear models were more accurate overall, the nonlinear synchronization parameters were more often related to psychological variables and performance. In particular, greater synchronization was observed with the nonlinear model when the target event rate increased, compared to when it decreased, which was expected from the general theory of synchronization. Nonlinear models were also more effective for uncovering inhibitory or dampening relationships between the co-workers as well as mutually excitatory relationships. Future research should explore the comparative model results for tasks that induce higher levels of synchronization and involve different types of internal group coordination. Language: en
Global cerebral edema from hypercapnic respiratory acidosis and response to hyperosmolar therapy

Hypercapnic respiratory acidosis (HRA) causes cerebral vasodilation via perivascular extracellular pH changes.1 Its ability to precipitate global cerebral edema (GCE) in the absence of acute brain injury is rare. Treatment in these reports involves mechanical ventilation.2 We describe a rare case of HRA-induced GCE in a patient without brain injury and the efficacy of hyperosmolar treatment after mechanical ventilation failed.
Characteristic electrophoretic patterns in hemophilia and idiopathic thrombocytopenia.

SummaryCharacteristic electrophoretic patterns have been observed in all 5 cases of hemophilia and in all 8 cases of idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura. These patterns show the following characteristics: (a) appearance of an unusual peak in the group of the α-globulins (αx), and (b) disappearance of the usual α2- and α3-globulin peaks. The same anomaly has been observed in some cases of secondary thrombocytopenia, “anaphylactoid” type of vascular purpura, and hemolytic anemia with evidence of platelet dysfunction.
Relative Attractance of Spotted Cucumber Beetle to Fruits of Fifteen Species of Cucurbitaceae

In a 2-year study, fruits from 21 plant types of 15 species from 6 genera ( Citrullus, Cucumis, Cucurbita, Lagenaria, Luffa , and Momordica ) of Cucurbitaceae were exposed to a natural population of Diabrotica undecimpunctata howardi Barber to determine relative attractance of thc fruits to that insect. Analysis of cucurbitacins and their glycosides in the fruits revealed a positive correlation between their concentration and the number of spotted cucumber beetles attracted by the various plant species. This correlation dcmonstrated the attraction properties of low concentration (0.0–0.56 mg/g) of curcurbitacins and their glycosides. Cucurbita foetidissima H. B. K. and Cucumis dipsaceus Ehrenb., the 2 most attractive species, were high in cucurbitacin concentration. The technique of exposing fruits to D. undecimpunctata howardi has potential as a bioassay to screen cucurbitacins in the fruits of other species. Attractant cucurbitacins can be useful in population assessment and in luring the beetle to an insecticide or to an adhesive.
Attitude Differences among Social Groups within a Highly Selected Population

The remits of an analysis of data from attitude scales given to 33 members of 3 fraternities within a highly-selected college population showed that significant attitude differences exist within small social groups.
Length Scale Dependent Deformation in Polymers

Length scale dependent deformation of polymers has been observed in different experiments including micro-beam bending and indentation tests. Here the length scale dependent deformation of polydimethylsiloxane is examined in indentation testing at length scales from microns down to hundreds of nanometers. Strong indentation size effects have been observed in these experiments which are rationalized with rotation gradients that can be related to Frank elasticity type molecular energies known from liquid crystal polymers. To support this notion additional experiments have been conducted where Berkovich and spherical indenter tips results have been compared with each other.© 2012 ASME
Studying about the finance countermeasure which promotes the farmer' income increasing in the important production of foodstuff

The rural finance is the important power in the course of rural economic development.The text analyzed rural finance demand,status,issue and its forming cause.It put forward the finance countermeasure which promotes the farmer' income increasing in the important production of foodstuff finally.
SYNTHESIS OF UNSATURATED FATTY ACIDS IN THE SLIME MOLD PHYSARUM POLYCEPHALUM AND THE ZOOFLAGELLATES LEISHMANIA TARENTOLAE, TRYPANOSOMA LEWISI, AND CRITHIDIA SP.: A COMPARATIVE STUDY.

On the basis of the unsaturated fatty acids which they synthesize, protists can be grouped in a meaningful way. Thus, the unsaturated fatty acids of the true slime mold are identical with the unsaturated fatty acids of the soil amoebae Acanthamoeba and Hartmannella but have no resemblance to those of the cellular slime mold Dictyostelium. Among the zooflagellates, Leishmania enriettii and Leishmania tarentolae synthesize unsaturated fatty acids that are very similar to those of the phytoflagellates Euglena, Ochromonas, and Chlamydomonas, while Trypanosoma lewisi and especially Crithidia have a different pattern of unsaturated fatty acids which more closely resembles that of the ciliated protazoa. The unsaturated fatty acids of the true slime mold Physarum polycephalum include oleate, linoleate, 11-eicosenoate, 11,14-eicosadienoate, 8,11,14-eicosatrienoate, and arachidonate. L. tarentolae synthesizes 6,9,12-octadecatrienoate and 9,12,15-octadecatrienoate as well as polyunsaturated 20- and 22-carbon fatty acids derived from both of these 18-carbon acids. T. lewisi synthesizes 6,9,12-octadecatrienoate. Crithidia synthesizes 6,9,12-octadecatrienoate, 8,11,14-eicosatrienoate, and 4,7,10,13,16-docosapentaenoate but not 9,12,15-octadecatrienoate or any acids derived from it. Leishmania and Trypanosoma have been shown to convert stearate directly to oleate.
The CAEME Column

WOW! - CAEME is now an NSF/IEEE Center for Computer Applications in Electromagnetic Education. In three short months, CAEME is a national center funded by the Undergraduate Science, Engineering, and Mathematics Division of NSF, and managed by the Executive Office of IEEE. Under this broad-based organizational arrangement, CAEME has, thus far, attracted participation by three Societies including the AP-S (host society), MIT-S, and the Applied Computational Electromagnetics Society (ACES). Hewlett-Packard decided to sponsor CAEME, and Hughes Aircraft is seriously considering joining in. Hughes actually sent an observer to Salt Lake Citv to attend the first CAEME Policy Board meeting.
Condom Carnival: feasibility of a novel group intervention for decreasing sexual risk

AbstractYoung people who engage in unprotected sex are at risk of negative consequences. The current study explored pre-post assessment data from 124, mostly Black, young people (M age = 19.6, SD = 2.8) attending an educational and vocational training programme who participated in the Condom Carnival, a novel, brief, interactive, peer-led, culturally tailored, sexual risk reduction group intervention. Condom Carnival activities provided practice negotiating condom use and using condoms correctly, instruction on safe lubricant use, and opportunities to dispel myths regarding condom size and breakage. We examined the preliminary impact of the Condom Carnival in increasing participants’ condom-related self-efficacy, lubricant safety awareness, and condom-related behavioural intentions and behaviour likelihood. Despite previous exposure to prevention efforts, participants reported significant increases in lubricant safety awareness (p < 0.001) and intentions to carry a condom in the next year (Z = −2.05, p = ...
Opinion article on lipidomics: Inherent challenges of lipidomic analysis of sphingolipids

A challenge for sphingolipidomic analysis is the vast number of subspecies, including a large number of isomers-a complication that was even appreciated by the original discoverer of sphingolipids J. L. W. Thudichum (The Chemistry of the Brain, p. x, 1884): "In the course of my researches many unforeseen complications arose, prominent amongst which were those caused by the occurrence of chemical principles having the same atomic or elementary composition, but differing in other chemical, or in physical properties, varieties producing the phenomenon which in chemistry is termed isomerism." Therefore, it is essential to choose the appropriate method(s) for the goal of the analysis, to know the assumptions and limitations of method(s) used, and to temper interpretation of the data accordingly. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: BBALIP_Lipidomics Opinion Articles edited by Sepp Kohlwein.
Numerical simulation and dynamical response of a moored hydrokinetic turbine operating in the wake of an upstream turbine for control design

Abstract Numerical simulation of a downstream hydrokinetic turbine operating in the wake of an upstream turbine for feedback control design is presented. Wake effects from an upstream turbine are quantified in terms of wake velocity and amplified turbulence levels. These effects are integrated in an in-stream hydrokinetic turbine numerical simulation that utilizes a Blade Element Momentum approach with a dynamic wake inflow model. Simulations are carried out on a fixed turbine model to simulate operation in river or tidal channels with conventional foundations, as well as on a compliantly moored turbine model such as those designed to operate in open ocean currents.
The Legacy of Blank Fiction and Cinema Mid 1990s–Early 2000s

This chapter looks at the legacy of blank fiction and cinema, exploring the echoes of the blank arts of the 1980s into the 1990s and early 2000s. The authors look at how the form of blank fiction echoes throughout recent socially conscious works and illuminate specific elements of the blank style, including limited plot, a focus on characters whose motives are unexplained, the incorporation and manipulation of signs of traditional power, and an emphasis on emptiness.
Objective assessment of physical activity during chemotherapy for breast cancer.

TPS6626Background: Exercise can alleviate side effects of chemotherapy, improve quality of life (QOL), and positively impact disease specific and overall survival. Despite the benefits of physical ...
Understanding Observed Data

In Chapter 1, we concentrated on random variables, abstract models for the real world. By contrast, in this chapter, we’ll consider observed data—observed in the real world of course, where else could you observe something? The contrast and interplay between real-world observations on the one hand and theoretical constructs on the other is one of the principal themes of this course. Before coming to the interplay of observation and theory, however, we need first to consider some of the ways of organizing, summarizing, and presenting observed data.
Long-term outcomes of drug-eluting stents versus bare metal stents in saphenous vein graft interventions. Evidence from a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials

Abstract Background The optimal stent for use in saphenous vein graft (SVG) intervention is still debatable. Multiple randomized trials have compared drug-eluting stents (DES) to bare metal stents (BMS) in SVG interventions with conflicting results. Methods Authors searched the online databases for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) comparing DES to BMS in SVG percutaneous coronary interventions (PCI). We performed a meta-analysis using a random effects model to calculate the odds ratio for outcomes of interest. Results Authors studied six RCTs that included 1592 patients undergoing PCI of SVG. The mean follow up was 42 months. Patients mean age was the same in both groups: 70.3 years in the DES group (approximately 93.3% male) and 70.3 years in the BMS group (approximately 93.8% male). Vein graft age was 13.4 years in the DES PCI arm vs. 13.4 years in the BMS PCI arm. Four of the six trials reported data on embolic protection device use: 67% (303/452) in the DES arm vs. 67.9% (309/455) in the BMS arm. The primary outcome of long-term all-cause mortality was not different between DES vs. BMS (15.2% vs. 14.1%, OR 1.12, 95% CI 0.67–1.88; P = 0.66). Secondary outcomes were also similar between DES and BMS: major adverse cardiovascular events (31.6% vs. 33.1%, OR 0.79, 95% CI 0.45–1.38; P = 0.41); cardiac death (9% vs. 8.6%, OR 1.12, 95% CI 0.55–2.30; P = 0.75); myocardial infarction (8% vs. 9.5%, OR 0.84, 95% CI 0.47–1.51; P = 0.57); target lesion revascularization (16.4% vs. 14.4%, OR 0.98, 95% CI 0.50–1.92; P = 0.95); and target vessel revascularization (19% vs. 19.4%, OR 0.75, 95% CI 0.41–1.34; P = 0.33). Conclusion At a mean follow-up of 42 months, no difference was observed in clinical outcomes between DES and BMS in SVG interventions.
Experimental Validation of an Unscented Kalman Filter for Estimating Transient Engine Exhaust Composition with Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy

Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy is a prevalent technique for measuring the comprehensive chemical composition of engine emissions. However, its applicability to transient emissions is limited due to recirculation of exhaust from past engine cycles within a FTIR gas cell and nonstationarity of the infrared beam intensity. An unscented Kalman filter is developed to overcome these limitations and obtain accurate, time-resolved estimations of engine exhaust composition from FTIR measurements. Residence time distribution within the FTIR gas cell is modeled using the well-mixed assumption, while the Fourier transform of an interferogram generated from a linearly evolving, uniformly broadened absorption line is used to deduce transient gas cell composition values from FTIR measurements. The filter utilizes both models, as well as measurement noise statistics, to infer the composition of sample entering the FTIR gas cell during a measurement period. To validate the filter, FTIR measurements of air ...
Organizational Change in the US Forest Service: Negotiating Organizational Boundaries in the Collaborative Process

In the United States and across the globe, forest governance officials are seeing a rise in the demand from local community members to participate in forest management decision-making. Despite this demand, there have been few studies that seek to describe the impact of community collaborative efforts on the organizational structures and processes of governmental forest management agencies. We empirically examined the boundary negotiations occurring at the field office level of the United States Forest Service in order to understand organizational change with respect to the collaborative process. We employed a qualitative case study approach encompassing the examination of three community collaborative groups. By examining the defining characteristics of organizational boundaries, we found that boundary negotiations are facilitating organizational change through individual-level learning and behavior changes. We present data suggestive of negotiations for boundaries of knowledge, responsibility, and capacity. Understanding the organizational outcomes of community collaboration will help forest managers respond and adapt to changing forest management strategies.
Pediatric Regional Anesthesia Advances

To present recent developments in pediatric regional anesthesia (RA) including safety, complications, special populations, evidence-based trends, and ultrasound guidance. The data presented should be used to improve outcomes of children receiving RA. Current data demonstrates a very low occurrence of serious complications and validates the use of GA for block placement in children. Fewer neuraxial blocks are performed in favor of peripheral blocks as the use of ultrasound guidance has made new blocks possible and old blocks better and safer. Neonates and infants have more RA options. Adjuvant medications and ambulatory catheters increase the duration of RA and facilitate cost-effective, low-risk hospital discharge. The local anesthetic systemic toxicity checklist reinforces new guidelines. Increasing pediatric-specific RA data shows increased analgesic choices and improving patient care. Large well-designed studies to precisely define the risks and benefits and appropriate applications of novel ideas and technologies are needed.
The role of disease surveillance in precision public health

Abstract Monitoring trends in disease is a core function of any public health system. There are numerous ways to accomplish disease surveillance, with key goals being rapid detection, being representative of the population, and cost-effectiveness. As surveillance methods improve in terms of timeliness and accuracy, precision public health is realized.
Shared Decision-making in Acute Myeloid Leukemia

ABSTRACT Objectives Shared decision-making (SDM) is the gold standard approach to cancer treatment decision-making in the 21st century, but it is frequently misunderstood, and many clinicians do not know how to operationalize the SDM framework in their busy practices. Here we review the principles behind SDM, discuss unique aspects of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) that complicate the decision-making process, and provide one recommended framework for how to implement SDM into practice. Data sources Published literature and clinical experiences. Conclusion AML poses unique challenges to treatment decision-making. These challenges can be effectively addressed by following the SDM framework in practice. Implications for Nursing Practice Nurses can play an important role in the AML treatment decision-making process. Being on the front lines of care, working most directly with patients and families, nurses are best positioned to assess understanding after treatment discussions take place, detect emotional distress, and provide empathic support as part of the SDM process.
Victor Hugo’s Pieuvre and the Marine EcoGothic

From hideous fish to ghostly reefs, the nineteenth-century sea was haunted by its abject evolutionary history. Hugo’s pieuvre, or octopus, provides a compelling study of Gothic animality, one that embodies epistemological conflicts introduced by evolutionary science and sexology and explores the metamorphic aesthetics of the emerging field of marine biology. I argue that as a literary discourse the marine EcoGothic used evolutionary marine biology to complicate long-held myths about life’s marine origins as well as modernity’s relationship to the strange life forms of the sea. The pieuvre’s shapelessness, its undefined sexuality and ability to dissolve boundaries participate in both an EcoGothic evolutionary vision with subversive queer valences and an EcoGothic materialist vision, in which matter fluctuates through an infinity of forms over the deep time of evolution.
A Continuous-Mode Single-Antenna Harmonic RFID Tag

In this letter, a single-antenna-based compact harmonic RFID tag having efficient power harvesting topology is demonstrated. The harmonic RFID receives a continuous signal at the fundamental frequency ( $fo = 434$ MHz) and replies back with modulation at the second harmonic ( $2fo = 868$ MHz). To enhance the read range, the harmonic RFID tag topology was designed to harvest energy simultaneously while performing modulation in a continuous mode. Furthermore, the harmonic RFID allows the use of lower modulation rates to reduce power consumption, thus further enhancing the read range. Performance at different modulation rates is demonstrated. Overall, a compact and efficient harmonic RFID is demonstrated with a read range of 8 m at a 1-kHz tag data modulation rate and 30-dBm transmit power.
Efficacy of a student-led community contact tracing program partnered with an academic medical center during the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.

Abstract Purpose Contact tracing has proven successful at controlling coronavirus 2019 (COVID-19) globally, and the Center for Health Security has recommended that the United States add 100,000 contact tracers to the current workforce. Methods To address gaps in local contact tracing, health professional students partnered with their academic institution to conduct contact tracing for all COVID-19 cases diagnosed onsite, which included identifying and reaching their contacts, educating participants, and providing social resources to support effective quarantine and isolation. Results From March 24 to May 28, 536 laboratory-confirmed COVID-19 cases were contacted and reported an average of 2.6 contacts. Contacts were informed of their exposure, asked to quarantine, and monitored for the onset of symptoms. Callers reached 94% of cases and 84% of contacts. Seventy-four percent of cases reported at least one contact. Household members had higher rates of reporting symptoms (odds ratio, 1.65; 95% confidence interval, 1.19–2.28). The average test turnaround time decreased from 21.8 days for the first patients of this program to 2.3 days on the eleventh week. Conclusions This provides evidence for the untapped potential of community contact tracing to respond to regional needs, confront barriers to effective quarantine, and mitigate the spread of COVID-19.
Vehicle Relocation for Ride-Hailing

Ever increasing traffic and consequential congestion wastes fuel and is a significant contributor to Green House Gas (GHG) emissions. Contributors here include ride-sharing services such as Uber, Lyft, and Didi, with their drivers not only transporting passengers, but also spending a considerable time in traffic searching for new ones. To mitigate their impact, this work proposes a novel algorithm to improve the efficiency the drivers’ search for passengers. Our algorithm directs unassigned drivers to locations where new passengers are expected to emerge. We use a non-negative matrix factorization approach to model the time and location of passengers given historical training data. A probabilistic search strategy then guides drivers to nearby locations for which we predict new passengers. To ensure that drivers do not over subscribe to such areas, we randomize destinations and provide each driver with a home location destination when unassigned. An experimental evaluation using real-world data from Manhattan shows that our approach actually reduces the search time of drivers and the wait time of passengers compared to baseline solutions.
Nasal Septal Perforation Repair with an Inferior Turbinate Flap and Acellular Dermal Matrix

Nasal septal perforation is an uncommon disorder that can cause disturbance of nasal physiology. The perforations can vary widely in size, location, and symptomatology. Many different closure techniques have been described in the literature; however, no gold standard has been recognized. The choice of surgical technique usually depends on the characteristics of the perforation and surgeon experience. Due to the goal of perforation repair being restoration of normal nasal physiology, techniques with the best outcomes have been those resurfacing the septum with nasal respiratory mucosa. Here we present our novel surgical method for large (> 2 cm) septal perforation closure using a modification of the inferior turbinate flap repair using a polydioxanone plate and the acellular dermal matrix allograft (Alloderm, Allergan Inc.).
Toward an asthma patient-reported outcome measure for use in digital remote monitoring

OBJECTIVE To develop and test a patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) for suitability in digital remote asthma symptom monitoring to identify uncontrolled asthma. METHODS We modified a 5-item PROM that does not require a license, the asthma control measure (ACM), from a one-month to one-week lookback period, and evaluated it using the 5-item asthma control questionnaire (ACQ-5). We recruited subjects with asthma through MTurk, an online platform. RESULTS In a sample of 498 subjects, the ACM identified uncontrolled asthma with sensitivity 0.99 and specificity 0.65. The two measures correlated with r = 0.81. CONCLUSION The ACM modified to a weekly lookback period can differentiate patients with well-controlled asthma from those with uncontrolled asthma. This PROM does not require a license and can be used in digital remote monitoring interventions.
Efficacy of empiric antibiotic management of septic olecranon bursitis without bursal aspiration in emergency department patients

Objectives Many guidelines for septic olecranon bursitis recommend aspiration of the bursa prior to initiation of antimicrobial therapy despite the absence of robust clinical data to support this practice and known risk of aspiration complications. Our objective was to describe outcomes associated with empiric antibiotic therapy without bursal aspiration among emergency department (ED) patients with suspected septic olecranon bursitis. Methods We conducted a retrospective observational cohort study of patients presenting to an academic ED from January 1, 2011, to December 31, 2018, with olecranon bursitis. The health record was reviewed to assess patient characteristics and outcomes within 6 months of the ED visit. Olecranon bursitis was considered "suspected septic" if the patient was treated with antibiotics. The primary outcome of interest was complicated versus uncomplicated bursitis resolution. Uncomplicated resolution was defined as bursitis resolution without subsequent bursal aspiration, surgery, or hospitalization. Results During the study period, 264 ED patients were evaluated for 266 cases of olecranon bursitis. The median age was 57 years and 85% were men. Four (1.5%) patients had bursal aspiration during their ED visit, 39 (14.7%) were admitted to the hospital, 76 (28.6%) were dismissed without antibiotic therapy, and 147 (55.3%) were dismissed with empiric antibiotic therapy for suspected septic olecranon bursitis. Among these 147 patients, 134 had follow-up available including 118 (88.1%, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 81.1%-92.8%) with an uncomplicated resolution, eight (6.0%, 95% CI = 2.8%-11.8%) who underwent subsequent bursal aspiration, and nine (6.7%, 95% CI = 3.3%-12.7%) who were subsequently admitted for inpatient antibiotics. Conclusions Eighty-eight percent of ED patients with suspected septic olecranon bursitis treated with empiric antibiotics without aspiration had resolution without need for subsequent bursal aspiration, hospitalization, or surgery. Our findings suggest that empiric antibiotics without bursal aspiration may be a reasonable initial approach to ED management of select patients with suspected septic olecranon bursitis.
Individualism and Political Disorder Introduction: Political Disorder and Decay

This note forms the introduction to a book entitled: Individualism and Political Disorder. It helps to contextualize the rest of the articles in the book. The chapters in the book are papers written by James M. Buchanan, singly or jointly with Yong J. Yoon, after the publication of his collected work volumes (1999-2001).
Name discrimination by clustering similar contexts

It is relatively common for different people or organizations to share the same name. Given the increasing amount of information available online, this results in the ever growing possibility of finding misleading or incorrect information due to confusion caused by an ambiguous name. This paper presents an unsupervised approach that resolves name ambiguity by clustering the instances of a given name into groups, each of which is associated with a distinct underlying entity. The features we employ to represent the context of an ambiguous name are statistically significant bigrams that occur in the same context as the ambiguous name. From these features we create a co–occurrence matrix where the rows and columns represent the first and second words in bigrams, and the cells contain their log–likelihood scores. Then we represent each of the contexts in which an ambiguous name appears with a second order context vector. This is created by taking the average of the vectors from the co–occurrence matrix associated with the words that make up each context. This creates a high dimensional “instance by word” matrix that is reduced to its most significant dimensions by Singular Value Decomposition (SVD). The different “meanings” of a name are discriminated by clustering these second order context vectors with the method of Repeated Bisections. We evaluate this approach by conflating pairs of names found in a large corpus of text to create ambiguous pseudo-names. We find that our method is significantly more accurate than the majority classifier, and that the best results are obtained by having a small amount of local context to represent the instance, along with a larger amount of context for identifying features, or vice versa.
Factors Affecting the Growth of Pseudomonas fluorescens in Liquid Egg White

Pseudomonas fluorescens grew rapidly in fresh egg albumen diluted with water. Growth of the bacteria in egg albumen was stimulated by the addition of carbohydrate and ovomucoid-rich egg exudate. Polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis for residual egg albumen revealed extensive proteolysis of albumen inoculated with the organism. A fluorescent compound with absorption maximum at 408 nm was isolated from a defined salt medium inoculated with P. fluorescens. It shortened the lag phase and increased the final cell yield of the organism when added to the salt medium (100 μg/ml).
The Conversion of Catechol and Protocatechuate to β-Ketoadipate by Pseudomonas putida I. BIOCHEMISTRY

Two new intermediates were identified in the protocatechuate pathway of Pseudomonas putida. The first of these, γ-carboxymuconolactone (γ-carboxy-γ-carboxymethyl-Δα-butenolide), is the product of the enzymic lactonization of β-carboxy-cis, cis-muconate. Enzymic decarboxylation of γ-carboxymuconolactone gives rise to β-ketoadipate enollactone (γ-carboxymethyl-Δβ-butenolide), the second newly discovered intermediate in the protocatechuate pathway. β-Ketoadipate enol-lactone, which was isolated and physically characterized, is also an intermediate in the catechol pathway; the catechol and protocatechuate pathways converge at this point. β-Ketoadipate enol-lactone is hydrolyzed to β-ketoadipate by an enzyme which is essential for utilization of either catechol or protocatechuate. Studies with Moraxella lwoffii showed that this organism also degrades protocatechuate and catechol by the pathways characteristic of P. putida. Elucidation of the bacterial pathway for the dissimilation of protocatechuate revealed that the three step-reactions responsible for the conversion of this compound to β-ketoadipate enol-lactone are analogous with the step-reactions responsible for the conversion of catechol to β-ketoadipate enol-lactone.
Acetaldehyde Generating Enzyme Systems: Roles of Alcohol Dehydrogenase, CYP2E1 and Catalase, and Speculations on the Role of Other Enzymes and Processes

Most acetaldehyde is generated in the liver by alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH) during ethanol metabolism. Polymorphic variants of these genes encode enzymes with altered kinetic properties, and pathophysiological effects of these variants may be mediated by accumulation of acetaldehyde. Two additional pathways of acetaldehyde generation are by the cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1) and catalase. While the amount of ethanol oxidized by these enzymes comprises a small fraction of total body ethanol clearance, the local formation of acetaldehyde by these enzymes may have important effects. Additional sources of acetaldehyde include other minor enzymes (nitric oxide synthase, other cytochrome P450s, P450 reductase, xanthine oxidoreductase) as well as non-enzymatic pathways (formation of hydroxyethyl radicals from the reaction of ethanol with hydroxyl radical, and its subsequent decomposition to acetaldehyde). Acetaldehyde may have effects locally (in the cells generating it), or when delivered to other cells by the blood stream or saliva, or by diffusion from the lumen of the gastrointestinal tract. The ultimate determinants of acetaldehyde toxicity include rates of its formation, rates of oxidation, and the capacity of cellular systems to prevent or repair chemical effects of acetaldehyde (e.g. formation of protein adducts or modification of nucleic acid bases).
THE HISTOLOGIC STRUCTURE OF THE HUMAN PINEAL BODY.

This chapter illustrates the histology of the pineal body by using photomicrographs. The parenchyma of the pineal body comprises lobules with a definite cytoarchitectural pattern, and it is surrounded by connective tissue septa. The lobules contain three varieties of elements. At low power, marginal plexuses form a ring of elements with numerous processes, while the inner strata are less rich in cells and contain several types of elements. The pineal body is surrounded by a capsule of large astrocytes that form a peripheral network, and they are interconnected with the astroglia of the lobules. In the center of the lobule, there are one or more giant astrocytes, which have an oval cell body and numerous radiating processes that fill the interparenchymal spaces. Degeneration and proliferation of the astroglia are very common processes. In degenerated astrocytes, which are frequently hypertrophic, the intracellular structures are bulky and the perikaryon is filled with coarse intertwined fibers; the processes are wide, and the entire cell is strongly argentophile.
Molecular-Genetic Testing in Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Its Premalignant Conditions

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most common malignancy worldwide and the third most common cause of malignancy-associated death. Presently there are relatively few molecular genetic testing directly performed on HCC. However, many molecular genetic tests are performed on conditions that increase the risk for HCC or modify drug treatments for conditions that increase HCC risk, including hepatitis B and C, hemochromatosis, and interleukin-28b testing. Here we review the common molecular diagnostic genetic tests associated with HCC diagnosis and treatment.