cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A study of in situ trace precipitation of copper ferrocyanide on reactive polystyrene sulfonate resinates

Abstract The in situ precipitation of copper(II) ferrocyanide on binary Mn+Cu2+ polystyrene sulfonate cation exchanger resinate beds was studied. The resin mole fraction of copper(II), X cu 2+ , was varied from 1.00 to 0.001 with the remaining exchange sites filled by an accompanying, nonreactive metal ion, Mn+ = Li+, K+, Mg2+, or La3+. Potassium ferrocyanide solutions from 4.7 × 10−7 to 4.7 × 10−5M were passed through 0.200 g resinate packed in the standardized minicolumns. The percentage precipitate yield of total ferrocyanide was determined as a function of X Cu 2+ , accompanying ion, solution concentration, and cross-linking and particle size of the resin. Scanning electron microscopy was used to study precipitate distribution on the beads as a function X Cu 2+ in Mg2+Cu2+ resinates. The dramatic differences found between precipitation limits—in terms X Cu 2+ —and virtual solubility products for different binary resinates correlated with charge, size, and hydration energy of the accompanying counterion Mn+. Relative tendencies toward ion pair formation with the Fe(CN)64− species and the nature of the ion pair are of crucial importance. At low X Cu 2+ and solution concentration of [Fe(CN)6]4− precipitate “islands” are formed on otherwise “clean” resin beads suggesting that nucleation occurs first at a few favored locations with initial growth confined to those areas. A simple model consistent with our results explains in situ precipitation on ion exchange resin beds under trace conditions.
Representing motion: an experiment in learning

Abstract In this paper we concentrate on how students make sense of motion. To understand the challenges the students actually faced, we focus on how learners work with models, representations, and their personal experience. The student subjects are participants in the Kenilworth longitudinal study by the third author. They work on a task, based on a set of 24 time-lapse photographs, to determine how a cat was moving as it progressed from walking to running. We document how learners work with a wide range of graphic presentations, including inscriptions, calculator-generated plots, drawings, and photographs. Analysis centers on how students reason, based on these representations, to make sense of the cat’s motion.
The effect of parathyroid hormone on rabbit renal cortex adenyl cyclase during development.

Extract: Renal cortex from fetal and neonatal rabbits (from 4–5 days preterm to 4 days of age) shows results comparable with maternal renal cortex during in vitro stimulation of the 2,200 × g pellet with parathyroid hormone (PTH) at 20 μg/ml. Incubation with sodium fluoride (10 mM), a nonspecific potent stimulator of adenyl cyclase, resulted in comparable increases in both the fetal and the maternal renal cortex. Glucagon, prostaglandin E1, and vasopressin, all at 20 μg/ml, stimulate adenyl cyclase to a lesser extent than PTH. Homogenates of full term neonatal rabbits and maternal renal cortex show comparable phosphodiesterase enzyme levels with or without 0.04 M imidazole. These data show that in fetal and early neonatal renal cortex there is no developmental adenyl cyclase responsiveness to PTH. Similarly, phosphodiesterase is present equally in term and maternal rabbit renal cortex.
World Hypertension Day 2007

The World Hypertension League is encouraging all of us to focus our attention on hypertension through designation of May 17, 2007, as “World Hypertension Day.”1 Most of the readers of Hypertension will pay more attention to this encouragement than the average person. But, even many of us who focus much of our life on patient care or research related to hypertension need to pause and consider the importance of this often underappreciated risk factor for cardiovascular disease and kidney disease. The recent results of a study of a drug used for treatment of lipid disorders have refocused our thoughts on the importance of hypertension as a risk factor for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Torcetrapib, a potent inhibitor of cholesteryl ester transfer protein that raises high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and lowers low-density lipoprotein cholesterol has been in development for several years. Early studies were quite promising. They demonstrated substantial increases in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and modest decreases in low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. There was great optimism in the cardiovascular medicine community for this new tool. Early findings of mild increases in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure with the drug were not considered by most to be a major problem, because the increase was only 3 to 4 mm Hg in systolic pressure.2 But in December 2006, a major study of the drug was stopped by the data safety monitoring board because of an increased rate of death from cardiovascular events in patients treated with this drug. Within hours, the company developing the drug stopped all studies with torcetrapib and announced that it would not pursue further efforts for approval of the drug by the US Food and Drug Administration. The US Food …
The Southern Imposition: Congress and Labor in the New Deal and Fair Deal

In this article, we will probe two distinct historical questions. First, we explore why congressional representatives from the South, who had generally supported the Democratic Party on labor issues during the 1930s, joined with Republicans to oppose the party’s pro-labor orientation in the 1940s. We also examine why the class-based union movement that mobilized so assertively after the passage of the Wagner Act in 1935 became so cramped and pragmatic by the early 1950s. These puzzles, we believe, are closely related. Our explanation for why labor’s horizons, topography, and prospects constricted to workplace issues, to some segments of the working population, and to limited geographic areas by the end of the Truman years points to how southern Democrats shaped the main institutions produced by New Deal and Fair Deal labor legislation.
microRNAs put their signatures on the heart.

few would disagree that there is a major need for innovative therapies for heart disease. Traditional drug targets, such as cell surface receptors, enzymes, and ion channels, have posed significant challenges to the development of new therapeutics for restoring function to the failing heart.
Derivation and Application of a Conserved Orbital Energy for the Inverted Pendulum Bipedal Walking Model

We present an analysis of a point mass, point foot, planar inverted pendulum model for bipedal walking. Using this model, we derive expressions for a conserved quantity, the "orbital energy", given a smooth center of mass trajectory. Given a closed form center of mass trajectory, the equation for the orbital energy is a closed form expression except for an integral term, which we show to be the first moment of area under the center of mass path. Hence, given a center of mass trajectory, it is straightforward and computationally simple to compute phase portraits for the system. In fact, for many classes of trajectories, such as those in which height is a polynomial function of center of mass horizontal displacement, the orbital energy can be solved in closed form. Given expressions for the orbital energy, we can compute where the foot should be placed or how the center of mass trajectory should be modified in order to achieve a desired velocity on the next step. We demonstrate our results using a planar biped simulation with light legs and point mass body. We parameterize the center of mass trajectory with a fifth order polynomial function. We demonstrate how the parameters of this polynomial and step length can be changed in order to achieve a desired next step velocity.
Target Location Estimation in Sensor Networks With Quantized Data

A signal intensity based maximum-likelihood (ML) target location estimator that uses quantized data is proposed for wireless sensor networks (WSNs). The signal intensity received at local sensors is assumed to be inversely proportional to the square of the distance from the target. The ML estimator and its corresponding Crameacuter-Rao lower bound (CRLB) are derived. Simulation results show that this estimator is much more accurate than the heuristic weighted average methods, and it can reach the CRLB even with a relatively small amount of data. In addition, the optimal design method for quantization thresholds, as well as two heuristic design methods, are presented. The heuristic design methods, which require minimum prior information about the system, prove to be very robust under various situations
Control of Meiotic Drive of B Chromosomes in the Mealybug, Pseudococcus affinis (obscurus).

Isofemale lines of Pseudococcus affinis (Maskell) differ in their ability to maintain B chromosomes (Bs) due to the presence of genotypes that affect the rate of transmission ( k ) of the Bs. The nature of these genotypes was analyzed by comparing k s of males carrying the same B and the same paternal genome (which is heterochromatic), but differing in their maternal genome. In males from line L-60, which maintained the B at a frequency of over 4.0 Bs per individual, the mean k varied between 0.7 and 0.95 in different experiments. Over the same period, the mean k of males with a maternal genome from one of two lines in which the B was rapidly lost (L-119), increased from 0.5 to 0.9, and that of the other line (L-230) decreased gradually from 0.6 to less than 0.1. The k s appear not to be correlated with the geographical or parental origin of the B. The observed changes in k are attributed at least in part to changes in the frequency of genotypes (alleles) which can drastically reduce the transmission of the B and, when present in high frequency, can lead to its rapid loss. The frequency distribution of the k s of sons of F1 females from the cross L-230 x L-60 suggests that the two lines differ at two unlinked loci with additive effects on k . The genome of L-119 also caused the B to undergo nondisjunction in about 10% of the primary spermatocytes. A comparison between the k s of the males tested and those of males from a natural population suggests that in that population the B is "parasitic" and that the frequency of transmission-reducing genotypes is low.
Marriage and family therapists and psychotropic medications: practice patterns from a national study.

A national sample of marriage and family therapists (MFTs) was used to describe practice patterns of MFTs whose clients use psychotropics and to compare medicated and nonmedicated clients. Marriage and Family Therapists (n = 283) reported on 195 medicated and 483 nonmed-icatedn adult clients. Clients (n = 375) rated their improvement and satisfaction with treatment. Results showed that 91% of MFTs treat medicated clients, and these clients accounted for 25% of MFT cases. Medicated clients were most often seen in individual therapy, had more serious medical problems, and showed greater cumulative improvement in relational functioning. Therapists from MFT educational backgrounds had fewer medicated clients than MFTs from other educational backgrounds.
Increasing disparities between resource inputs and outcomes, as measured by certain health deliverables, in biomedical research

Society makes substantial investments in biomedical research, searching for ways to better human health. The product of this research is principally information published in scientific journals. Continued investment in science relies on society’s confidence in the accuracy, honesty, and utility of research results. A recent focus on productivity has dominated the competitive evaluation of scientists, creating incentives to maximize publication numbers, citation counts, and publications in high-impact journals. Some studies have also suggested a decreasing quality in the published literature. The efficiency of society’s investments in biomedical research, in terms of improved health outcomes, has not been studied. We show that biomedical research outcomes over the last five decades, as estimated by both life expectancy and New Molecular Entities approved by the Food and Drug Administration, have remained relatively constant despite rising resource inputs and scientific knowledge. Research investments by the National Institutes of Health over this time correlate with publication and author numbers but not with the numerical development of novel therapeutics. We consider several possibilities for the growing input-outcome disparity including the prior elimination of easier research questions, increasing specialization, overreliance on reductionism, a disproportionate emphasis on scientific outputs, and other negative pressures on the scientific enterprise. Monitoring the efficiency of research investments in producing positive societal outcomes may be a useful mechanism for weighing the efficacy of reforms to the scientific enterprise. Understanding the causes of the increasing input-outcome disparity in biomedical research may improve society’s confidence in science and provide support for growing future research investments.
A Note on the Derivation of Orthogonal Gradient Algorithm for Subspace Estimation

The purpose of this note is to present an alternative derivation of orthogonal subspace estimation algorithms from elementary geometric properties of reflections. This derivation leads to an entire class of equivalent reflection based algorithms. The cost and performance of these algorithms are essentially the same as those presented earlier by other researchers, and can be superior in the case of high SNRs
Cell Signaling: From Beginning to End

The Connections Maps database and the graphical Web interface at Science9s STKE for accessing the data represent an emerging Web-based tool through which researchers in cell signaling can share their knowledge with the scientific community. This tool provides a mechanism by which researchers, students, and clinicians can transform information about interactions between biomolecules into knowledge about a cellular process. In 2005, new Pathways were added to the Connections Maps database and several of the existing Pathways were updated.
Complete set of mitochondrial pan-edited mRNAs in Leishmania mexicana amazonensis LV78

Editing of mRNA transcribed from the mitochondrial cryptogenes ND8 (G1), ND9 (G2), G3, G4, ND3 (G5), RPS12 (G6) was investigated in Leishmania mexicana amazonensis, strain LV78, by amplification of the cDNA, cloning and sequencing. For each of these genes, extensively and partially edited transcripts were found to be relatively abundant compared to the respective pre-edited molecules. Moreover, the editing patterns observed in a majority of transcripts of each gene were consistent among themselves which allowed for inferring consensus editing sequences. The open reading frames contained in the consensus sequences were predicted to encode polypeptides that were highly similar to their counterparts in other species of Trypanosomatidae. Several kinetoplast DNA minicircles from this species available in the public domain were found to contain genes for guide RNAs which mediate editing of some of the mRNAs. The results indicate that the investigated strain of L. m. amazonensis has preserved its full editing capacity in spite of the long-term maintenance in culture. This property differs drastically from the other Leishmania species which lost some or all of the G1–G5 mRNA editing ability in culture.
Performer, Rater, Occasion, and Sequence as Sources of Variability in Music Performance Assessment:

This study examined performer, rater, occasion, and sequence as sources of variability in music performance assessment. Generalizability theory served as the study's basis. Performers were 8 high s...
Polarization analysis in the crayfish visual system

It is proposed that polarization sensitivity at the most peripheral stages of the crayfish visual system (lamina ganglionaris and medulla externa) is used to enhance contrast and thus may contribute to motion detection in low contrast environments. The four classes of visual interneurons that exhibit polarization sensitivity (lamina monopolar cells, tangential cells, sustaining fibers and dimming fibers) are not sensitive exclusively to polarized light but also respond to unpolarized contrast stimuli. Furthermore, many of these cells and the sustaining fibers in particular exhibit a greater differential e-vector responsiveness to a changing e-vector than to e-vector variations among steady-state stimuli. While all four cell types respond modestly to light flashes at an e-vector of 90 degrees to the preferred orientation, the dynamic response to a changing e-vector is small or absent at this orientation. Because the sustaining fibers exhibit polarization sensitivity, and they provide afferent input to a subset of optomotor neurons, the latter were also tested for polarization sensitivity. The optomotor neurons involved in compensatory reflexes for body pitch were differentially sensitive to the e-vector angle of a flash of light, with maximum responses for e-vectors near the vertical. The motor neurons also exhibited a maximum response near the vertical e-vector to a continuously rotating polarizer. Two scenarios are described in which the sensitivity to a changing e-vector can produce motion responses in the absence of intensity contrast.
Protein stapling via azide–alkyne ligation

Here we demonstrate a methodology, termed protein stapling, for the introduction of covalent constraints into recombinant proteins. Using the azide–alkyne click reaction as the stapling chemistry, we have improved the thermostability of a model leucine zipper protein. Additionally, stapling the core of the small, globular protein G resulted in improved binding to its target, immunoglobulin G.
Teaching Physicians Procedural Skills at a National Professional Meeting.

Background: Practicing physicians often wish to improve their procedural skills but have limited educational opportunities to do so. Description: To summarize the effects of two procedural workshops on participants’ confidence, proficiency, and practice patterns. Evaluation: Following completion of a skin biopsy or arthrocentesis workshop, participants completed a post-course and an 8-month follow up evaluation. Recipients of this training rated it highly and reported that following training they performed more procedures, referred less, and noted an increase in their confidence that was still evident eight months after the workshop. Conclusion: Skin biopsy and arthrocentesis/joint injection skills can be taught to practicing physicians in a workshop setting at national professional meetings. Key Words: clinical competence; internal medicine; teaching; educational measurement
Source parameters of the Sierra Madre Earthquake from regional and local body waves

We inverted the three-component, long-period data recorded by the TERRAscope array for the June 28, 1991 Sierra Madre, California event to determine the seismic moment and source orientation of the mainshock (ML=5.8). Remarkably four of the six stations were located 159.2±0.7 km from the epicenter. Variations in absolute traveltime were smaller than 2% and 3% for Pn and Sn, whereas the surface waves displayed greater variation. Similarities in the waveforms and the small variance in traveltime suggest that a common Green's function can be used to invert the data. We used the whole waveforms excluding the fundamental surface waves at the more distant stations to invert for source parameters. The results of the inversion indicated that this event was predominately a thrust type earthquake, where the strike, rake and dip were determined to be 235°, 74° and 50°, respectively. The seismic moment was determined to be 2.5 × 1024 dyne-cm. The source duration was found to be about 1.0 seconds by direct measurement of the S-wave recorded at the Pasadena station (located 21 km from the epicenter). Considering circular rupture we obtain a stress drop of 460 bars.
Characterization of Elastomeric Composite Materials for Blast Mitigation

In this work, we seek to develop elastomeric composite materials capable of shock mitigation through material design by small-scale heterogeneity. The host elastomeric material is a polyurea system that is a lightly cross-linked two-phase polymer, which consists of the diamine component Versalink P-1000 as the soft segment and the diisocyanate component Isonate 143L as the hard segment. This study evaluates the impact of additives in the form of untreated and surface treated milled glass fibers. The properties of the resultant elastomeric composite materials are mechanically and thermally characterized using durometer testing, dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) testing, and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) testing in order to determine the hardness, storage and loss moduli, and glass transition temperature of the composites, respectively. Preliminary results indicate that the dynamic mechanical properties of the material can be significantly altered through such modifications. The work described here is part of an ongoing effort to understand the impact of additives on the ultimate properties and performance of the host elastomeric material.
Horizontal Buoyant Jets in Quiescent Shallow Water

The flow behavior of a single round buoyant jet discharging into a shallow quiescent body of water is experimentally investigated. The temperature distributions are measured in a large test basin for jet densimetric Froude numbers ranging from 5 - 20 and submergence ratios ranging from 2.5 - 7. Empirical relations for the flow-field stability of the near field, the temperature rise in the zone of surface inpingement and the water surface area covered by the temperaturee rise isotherms are proposed.
A Review of Cord-Rubber Elastic Characteristics

Abstract The increased use of cord- and filament-reinforced materials in structural applications during the last few years has resulted in a greater interest in their elastic properties. In part the reason for this may be found by considering the basic nature of redundant structures, in which the loads carried by individual cords are determined to some extent by the elastic characteristics of the entire system. In such situations, a knowledge of elastic characteristics becomes important to structural design practice. As a second reason for increased attention to the elastic properties of such materials, one might cite the body of work which is now developing in the general area of filamentary reinforcement of materials. A knowledge of elastic characteristics is important in obtaining optimum reinforcement properties, and such studies inevitably lead to a clearer understanding of the internal stress-states of all reinforced materials. One result of all this activity is that much of the work done in the are...
Pain in the Elderly

Pain in older adults is a very complex medical challenge as it often emerges with other medical conditions, which not only confounds its clinical assessment but also complicates the choices of effective treatment strategies. In this chapter, the most common types of pain-related clinical conditions in older adults will be presented. This will be followed by discussion of a number of key advances in the field of pain and aging, including in the areas of inflammation, stress, genetics and epigenetics, neuroscience, and psychosocial factors, and how advances in these key areas may help us to better assess pain in older adults as well as to devise personalized effective treatment strategies. Then, we will discuss the current choices of pain therapies, including both pharmacological and non-pharmacological treatments, along with the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying these therapeutic approaches. At the end, we will outline a number of key future challenges and directions for pain in aging research.
Risk of Intracerebral Hemorrhage after Emergency Department Discharges for Hypertension.

Background Recent literature suggests that acute rises in blood pressure may precede intracerebral hemorrhage. We therefore hypothesized that patients discharged from the emergency department with hypertension face an increased risk of intracerebral hemorrhage in subsequent weeks. Methods Using administrative claims data from California, New York, and Florida, we identified all patients discharged from the emergency department from 2005 to 2011 with a primary diagnosis of hypertension ( ICD-9-CM codes 401-405). We excluded patients if they were hospitalized from the emergency department or had prior histories of cerebrovascular disease at the index visit with hypertension. We used the Mantel–Haenszel estimator for matched data to compare each patient's odds of intracerebral hemorrhage during days 8-38 after emergency department discharge to the same patient's odds during days 373-403 after discharge. This cohort-crossover design with a 1-week washout period enabled individual patients to serve as their own controls, thereby minimizing confounding bias. Results Among the 552,569 patients discharged from the emergency department with a primary diagnosis of hypertension, 93 (.017%) were diagnosed with intracerebral hemorrhage during days 8-38 after discharge compared to 70 (.013%) during days 373-403 (odds ratio 1.33, 95% confidence interval .96-1.84). The odds of intracerebral hemorrhage were increased in certain subgroups of patients (≥60 years of age and those with secondary discharge diagnoses besides hypertension), but absolute risks were low in all subgroups. Conclusions Patients with emergency department discharges for hypertension do not face a substantially increased short-term risk of intracerebral hemorrhage after discharge.
Novel therapeutic approaches for inclusion body myositis.

Purpose of reviewThis review will highlight recent advances in developing strategies to accelerate muscle regeneration and to slow muscle degeneration in myositis, focusing primarily on inclusion body myositis (IBM).Recent findingsTherapies for accelerating muscle regeneration, primarily through inh
Reform and Construction Thinking on Educational Technology Center of Colleges and Universities

At present,the educational technology center of colleges and universities have some problems in education information,such as function weakening and application despising.Some causes of the problems have been analyzed in this paper.The ideas of system optimizing,people foremost and centered on application have been proposed,and the strategies about reform and construction of the educational technology center are discussed.
Use of Dynamic External Fixator (Digit Widget) in Dupuytren’s Contracture

The use of the Digit Widget (Hand Biomechanics Lab, Inc., Sacramento, CA) for soft tissue distraction of flexion contractures of the proximal interphalangeal joint caused by Dupuytren’s disease is discussed. Soft tissue distraction using the Digit Widget provides improvement of the flexion contracture by a gradual lengthening of the soft tissues and neurovascular bundle. The gradual lengthening of the soft tissues involved in the contracture is the fundamental difference between the Digit Widget and previous methods of contracture correction such as proximal interphalangeal joint checkrein ligament release plus fasciectomy. It is argued that staged approach using the Digit Widget followed by operative release yields greater correction in Dupuytren’s contractures involving the proximal interphalangeal joint.
On Thom–Boardman Singularities

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the concept of Thom–Boardman singularities, which under certain condition is called modular submanifolds. That is the case that follows immediately from the formula given for the tangent space to a Thom–Boardman singularity. The chapter also discusses the application of the fact that the Boardman singularities are modular submanifolds. It also discusses the Thom–Boardman singularities in the complex jet bundle and derives some of their basic properties, Jacobian extensions of ideals, and truncated power series algebras.
Challenges to validity in single‐group interrupted time series analysis

Rationale, aims and objectives Single-group interrupted time series analysis (ITSA) is a popular evaluation methodology in which a single unit of observation is studied; the outcome variable is serially ordered as a time series, and the intervention is expected to “interrupt” the level and/or trend of the time series, subsequent to its introduction. The most common threat to validity is history—the possibility that some other event caused the observed effect in the time series. Although history limits the ability to draw causal inferences from single ITSA models, it can be controlled for by using a comparable control group to serve as the counterfactual. Method Time series data from 2 natural experiments (effect of Florida's 2000 repeal of its motorcycle helmet law on motorcycle fatalities and California's 1988 Proposition 99 to reduce cigarette sales) are used to illustrate how history biases results of single-group ITSA results—as opposed to when that group's results are contrasted to those of a comparable control group. Results In the first example, an external event occurring at the same time as the helmet repeal appeared to be the cause of a rise in motorcycle deaths, but was only revealed when Florida was contrasted with comparable control states. Conversely, in the second example, a decreasing trend in cigarette sales prior to the intervention raised question about a treatment effect attributed to Proposition 99, but was reinforced when California was contrasted with comparable control states. Conclusions Results of single-group ITSA should be considered preliminary, and interpreted with caution, until a more robust study design can be implemented.
Relationship Between Language Preference and Intravenous Thrombolysis Among Acute Ischemic Stroke Patients

Background Approximately 20% of the US population primarily speaks a language other than English at home. Yet the effect of language preference on treatment of acute ischemic stroke (AIS) patients remains unknown. We aimed to evaluate the influence of language preference on AIS patients’ receipt of intravenous (IV) thrombolysis. Methods and Results We analyzed data from 3894 AIS patients who participated in the American Heart Association “Get With The Guidelines®—Stroke” program at our hospital from January 1, 2003 to April 30, 2014. Information included patients’ language in which they preferred to receive medical care. We used descriptive statistics and stepwise logistic regression models to examine associations between patients’ language preference and receipt of IV thrombolysis, adjusting for relevant covariates. A total of 306/3295 (9.3%) AIS patients preferred to speak a non‐English language and represented 25 different languages. Multivariable analyses adjusting for other socioeconomic factors showed that non‐English‐preferring patients were more likely than English‐preferring patients to receive IV thrombolysis (OR=1.64; CI=1.09‐2.48; P =0.02). However, in models that also included age, sex, and initial NIH Stroke Scale, patients’ language preference was no longer significant (OR 1.38; CI=0.88‐2.15; P =0.16), but NIH Stroke Scale was strongly associated with receiving IV thrombolysis (OR=1.15 per point; CI=1.13‐1.16; P <0.0001). Conclusions Contrary to our hypothesis, non‐English‐preferring was not associated with lower rates of IV thrombolysis among AIS patients once initial stroke severity was accounted for.
Pathophysiology of Traumatic Brain Injury

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) has become the signature injury of the military conflict in Iraq and Afghanistan and also has a high rate of occurrence in civilian populations in the United States. Although the effects of a moderate to severe brain injury have been investigated for decades, the chronic effects of single and repetitive mild TBI are just beginning to be investigated. Data suggest that the different types and severities of TBI have unique long-term outcomes and thus may represent different types of diseases. Therefore, this review outlines the causes, incidence, symptoms, and pathophysiology of mild, moderate, and severe TBI.
Crowdsourcing and Large-Scale Evaluation

Traditional methods of surgical education have been based on an apprenticeship model and the Halsteadian approach of graduated responsibility through residency training. However, current paradigms of surgical skills assessment are limited by subjectivity, poor timeliness, and cost, as they rely on faculty mentors and their pre-existing relationships with trainees. With the increasing use of simulation in surgical education, the challenge of providing appropriate feedback to trainees on a large scale remains unsolved. Crowdsourcing or crowd-based evaluation of technical skills may be one possible solution. The capability of this technology to deliver similarly equivalent feedback as that provided by expert surgeons has been demonstrated across a myriad of simulated and live surgical tasks in a variety of surgical specialties through multiple studies. The potential of this technology has been further explored in its application to surgical quality improvement and identifying surgically precocious trainees and may become even more widely applied in the current model of competency-based surgical education as additional research in this field progresses. Moreover, with the continued introduction of new surgical technology, it may come to play a significant role in enhancing new skills acquisition for surgeons already in practice.
The Cauchy Problem

The theory of the Cauchy problem for hyperbolic conservation laws is confronted with two major challenges. First, classical solutions, starting out from smooth initial values, spontaneously develop discontinuities; hence, in general, only weak solutions may exist in the large. Next, weak solutions to the Cauchy problem fail to be unique. One does not have to dig too deep in order to encounter these difficulties. As shown in Sections 4.2 and 4.4, they arise even at the level of the simplest nonlinear hyperbolic conservation laws, in one or several space dimensions. The Cauchy problem for weak solutions will be formulated in Section 4.3. To overcome the obstacle of nonuniqueness, restrictions need to be imposed that will weed out unstable, physically irrelevant, or otherwise undesirable solutions, in hope of singling out a unique admissible solution. Two admissibility criteria will be introduced in this chapter: the requirement that admissible solutions satisfy a designated entropy inequality; and the principle that admissible solutions should be limits of families of solutions to systems containing diffusive terms, as the diffusion asymptotically vanishes. A preliminary comparison of these criteria will be conducted. The chapter will close with the formulation of the initial-boundary value problem for hyperbolic conservation laws.
Property Contribution Tensors of Inhomogeneities

Property contribution tensors introduced in Chap. 2 express contributions of a given inhomogeneity to the effective property of interest, under the assumption that the inhomogeneity is placed into a uniform applied field (that would be uniform within the site of the inhomogeneity in its absence, “homogeneous boundary conditions”, Sect. 2.1.1). For the elastic properties, these tensors are the compliance or stiffness contribution tensors, \( \varvec{H} \) or \( \varvec{N} \); for the conductive properties—the conductivity or resistivity contribution tensors, \( \varvec{K} \) or \( \varvec{R} \).
Neuroendocrine and Reproductive Functions in Transgenic Mice with Altered Growth Hormone Secretion and in Growth Hormone Receptor Gene Disrupted Mice

It has been established that growth hormone (GH) exerts a profound anabolic effect in mammals. GH secretion by the pituitary gland is regulated by a complex control system. Two hypothalamic peptide hormones, GH-releasing hormone (GHRH) and GH-release inhibiting hormone (somatostatin), exert stimulatory and inhibitory influences, respectively, on the somatotropes of the pituitary gland. These two hypothalamic hormones are subjected to modulation by a host of neurotransmitters, other hypothalamic neuropeptides, endocrine glands, GH and insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), and their binding proteins. GH plays an important role in induction of linear growth, fat metabolism, increase in lactation, enhancement of immune response, and in bone mineralization. Recombinant technology has made it possible to produce large amounts of GH that is used in the agriculture industry and for treating some human ailments. Thus, administration of bovine GH (bGH) has been shown to increase milk production in dairy cattle (1-3). Also treatment of growing pigs with porcine GH markedly stimulated muscle growth and reduced fat deposition (3). In humans, administration of hGH to GH-deficient children improves the growth rate (4, 5), in aged individuals it improves immune response (6), and in patients with AIDS, treatment with GH increases body weight and lean body mass (7).
Ethical issues facing private, not-for-profit hospitals in the u.s.: the case of the methodist hospital system

Pressures to contain costs have given private hospitals the economic incentive to reduce provision of charity care services, shifting the burden onto governmental hospitals. Budget pressures on governmental units have produced resistance to any further shift in the charity care burden. We observe in a lawsuit (State of Texas vs. The Methodist Hospital) what appears to be a classic moral hazard situation. The government expects a certain (unspecified) level of charity care to be performed in exchange for tax exemption; hospital management allegedly consumes perquisites and overstates reported charity care figures. Both sides use accounting numbers to defend their positions.
A formidable foe: carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii and emerging nonantibiotic therapies

The emergence of carbapenem-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CRAB) has become a serious global health concern. In the United States, nearly half of A. baumannii strains isolated from patients wit...
Constrained optimization of black-box stochastic systems using a novel feasibility enhanced Kriging-based method

Abstract Stochastically constrained simulation optimization problems are challenging because the inherent noise terms to a black-box system lead to the need of considering the uncertainty at both the objective and the constraint function. To address this problem, we propose a Kriging-based optimization framework, which uses stochastic Kriging models to approximate the objective and the constraint functions and an adaptive sampling approach to sequentially search for the next point that is promising to have a better objective. The main contribution of this work is to incorporate a feasibility-enhanced term to the infill sampling criterion, which improves the Kriging-based algorithm's capabilities of returning a truly feasible near-optimal solution for stochastic systems. The efficacy of the Kriging-based algorithm is demonstrated with eight benchmark problems and a case study from the pharmaceutical manufacturing domain.
PDE Models for Atherosclerosis Computer Implementation in R

Abstract Atherosclerosis is a pathological condition of the arteries in which plaque buildup and stiffening (hardening) can lead to stroke, myocardial infarction (heart attacks), and even death. Ch...
The use of cytoreductive nephrectomy in patients with renal cell carcinoma.

Introduction: The systemic options for managing metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) have expanded considerably over the past decade. Initially limited to cytokines, clinicians may now choose fro...
Understanding the Surprising and Oversized Use of Ridesourcing Services in Poor Neighborhoods in New York City

For-hire vehicle trips in the five boroughs of New York City from 2014 to 2017 increased by 82 million annually (46%). This paper describes how factor analysis and cluster analysis were used to cre...
A Scholarly Approach to Assessing Learning

Excerpt: Assessing learning in higher education is what faculty do. We teach, our students learn, and we check their learning to ensure that they are, indeed, grasping what we want them to understand. Assessment of learning is nothing new, and faculty do it better than most. But mention the word “assessment” in a gathering of faculty colleagues, and you are likely to start a stampede away from you. Why is this? Why is something that is such an integral part of teaching and learning considered anathema?
Preventing extra costs: The impact of faculty satisfaction and morale

Abstract Faculty departure from their position or institution may result in negative consequences for both higher education institutions and the students they serve. Searches and training of new faculty can be costly and time consuming. Additionally, student persistence has been shown to be positively impacted by strong faculty student interactions, which is hard to achieve if faculty turnover is high. This study examines United States (US) full-time tenured/tenure-track faculty members’ intent to leave one’s position, institution, or academe. Utilizing the constructs of worklife, morale, and satisfaction as predictors, the findings suggest that morale is a stronger predictor for intent to leave one’s position and institution, while satisfaction was a stronger predictor for intent to leave academe. Additionally, intent to leave one’s position was a strong predictor of intent to leave one’s institution, suggesting that faculty perceive a better chance for improved opportunities within a new environment and institution, over a change of scenery within their existing institution.
A Trial of Sertraline or Cognitive Behavior Therapy for Depression in Epilepsy

OBJECTIVE Limited evidence is available to guide treatment of depression for persons with epilepsy. We evaluated the comparative effectiveness of sertraline and cognitive behavior therapy (CBT) for depression, quality of life, seizures, and adverse treatment effects. METHODS We randomly assigned 140 adult outpatients with epilepsy and current major depressive disorder to sertraline or weekly CBT for 16 weeks. The primary outcome was remission from depression based on the Mini International Neuropsychiatric Interview (MINI). Secondary outcomes included the Quality of Life in Epilepsy Inventory-89 (QOLIE-89) seizure rates, the Adverse Events Profile (AEP), the Beck Depression Inventory, and MINI Suicide Risk Module. RESULTS In the intention-to-treat analysis, 38 (52.8%; 95% confidence interval [CI] = ±12) of the 72 subjects assigned to sertraline and 41 (60.3%; 95% CI = ±11.6) of the 68 subjects in the CBT group achieved remission; the lower bound of efficacy for both groups was greater than our historical placebo control group upper bound of 33.7%. Difference in time to remission between groups was 2.8 days (95% CI = ±0.43; p = 0.79). The percent improvement of mean QOLIE-89 scores was significant for both the CBT (25.7%; p < 0.001) and sertraline (28.3%; p < 0.001) groups. The difference in occurrence of generalized tonic-clonic seizures between groups was 0.3% (95% CI = ±8.6; p = 0.95). Suicide risk at final assessment was associated with persistent depression (p < 0.0001) but not seizures or sertraline. INTERPRETATION Depression remitted in just over one-half of subjects following sertraline or CBT. Despite the complex psychosocial disability associated with epilepsy, improving depression benefits quality of life. Serotonin reuptake inhibition does not appear to increase seizures or suicidality in persons with epilepsy. ANN NEUROL 2019;86:552-560.
Aetiology and prevalence of mixed-infections and mono-infections in non-gonococcal urethritis in men: a case-control study.

Objectives Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) and Mycoplasma genitalium (MG) cause the majority of non-gonococcal urethritis (NGU). The role of Ureaplasma urealyticum (UU) in NGU is unclear. Prior case–control studies that examined the association of UU and NGU may have been confounded by mixed infections and less stringent criteria for controls. The objective of this case–control study was to determine the prevalence and aetiology of mixed infections in men and assess if UU monoinfection is associated with NGU. Methods We identified 155 men with NGU and 103 controls. Behavioural and clinical information was obtained and men were tested for Neisseria gonorrhoeae and CT, MG, UU and Trichomonas vaginalis (TV). Men who were five-pathogen negative were classified as idiopathic urethritis (IU). Results Twelve per cent of NGU cases in which a pathogen was identified had mixed infections, mostly UU coinfections with MG or CT; 27% had IU. In monoinfected NGU cases, 34% had CT, 17% had MG, 11% had UU and 2% had TV. In controls, pathogens were rarely identified, except for UU, which was present in 20%. Comparing cases and controls, NGU was associated with CT and MG monoinfections and mixed infections. UU monoinfection was not associated with NGU and was almost twice as prevalent in controls. Men in both the case and control groups who were younger and who reported no prior NGU diagnosis were more likely to have UU (OR 0.97 per year of age, 95% CI 0.94 to 0.998 and OR 6.3, 95% CI 1.4 to 28.5, respectively). Conclusions Mixed infections are common in men with NGU and most of these are UU coinfections with other pathogens that are well-established causes of NGU. UU monoinfections are not associated with NGU and are common in younger men and men who have never previously had NGU. Almost half of NGU cases are idiopathic.
‘The unacceptability of the erasures’ : John Hejduk’s texts for the ‘Berlin Masque’

Engaging Hejduk’s compelling project, ‘Berlin Masque’ (1981), this paper looks into writing’s power to develop unforeseen possibilities of architectural program. In his ‘Berlin Masque’ proposal, unlike his earlier ‘Masques’, Hejduk clearly prioritizes his prose – not his small accompanying sketches – as the place where the architectural proposition is primarily portrayed. Unpacking these texts in detail will indicate how language represents spatial elements and allow one to imagine moments of spatial appropriation, thus creating original architectural images of cultural significance. Furthermore, the paper demonstrates how Hejduk’s texts and new programmatic possibilities aspire to reconcile Berlin with the trauma of the Second World War. His proposal intends to remind the city’s inhabitants that history is not something that is limited to the past, but a development that involves new, everyday happenings and their interaction with memory. Expanding on the rituals of inhabitation for each suggested structure, as narrated in the texts, the paper outlines how the new stories proposed by the architect acknowledge the city’s existing narratives while creating the necessary space for new ones to appear. The conclusion extracts the significance and uniqueness of the ‘Berlin Masque’ as an architectural project, as well as the significance of language for Hejduk as an architect. It discusses briefly the noted interest in architecture and language nowadays, reminding us of the value of literary imagination.