cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
AJR Teaching File: Lumbar Radiculopathy and Intraspinal Mass

Radiologic Description A sagittal T1-weighted MR image (Fig. 1A) reveals a welldefined isoto hyperintense intradural mass at the level of the L4–L5 vertebrae with several surrounding nerves adhering to the margin. A fat-saturated T2-weighted fast spin-echo image (Fig. 1B) shows a nearly uniform hyperintense mass in the lumbosacral spine. A contrast-enhanced fat-saturated T1weighted image (Fig. 1C) depicts marked heterogeneous enhancement of the lesion. Flow voids are viewed on axial T2weighted images (Fig. 1D) through the intrathecal mass.
Disparities in CD4+ T-Lymphocyte Monitoring Among Human Immunodeficiency Virus-Positive Medicaid Beneficiaries: Evidence of Differential Treatment at the Point of Care.

Results. Having a history of ARV therapy was positively associated with receipt of CD4 tests. We found racial or ethnic, gender, and age disparities in CD4 testing. Among individuals with a history of ARV use, all racial or ethnic groups were significantly less likely to have CD4 tests than White non-Latinos (African Americans, odds ratio [OR] = 0.35, P< .0001; Asian or Pacific Islanders, OR = 0.31, P= .0047; and Latinos, OR = 0.42, P< .0001). Conclusions. We identified disparities in receipt of CD4 tests, a finding that may elucidate one potential pathway for previously reported disparities in ARV treatment. Further qualitative and quantitative research is needed to identify the specific factors that account for these disparities, so that appropriate interventions can be implemented.
Classification of breathing events using load cells under the bed

Sleep disturbances are prevalent, financially taxing, and have a negative effect on health and quality of life. One of the most common sleep disturbances is obstructive sleep apnea-hypopnea syndrome (OSAHS) which frequently goes undiagnosed. The gold standard for diagnosing OSAHS is polysomnography (PSG)–a procedure that is inconvenient, time-consuming, and interferes with normal sleep patterns. We are investigating an alternative to PSG in which unobtrusive load cells fitted under the bed are used to monitor movement, heart rate, and respiration. In this paper we describe how load cell data can be used to distinguish between clinically relevant disordered breathing (apneas and hypopneas) and normal respiration. The method correctly classified disordered breathing segments with a sensitivity of 0.77 and a specificity of 0.91.
Cohesive zone model of intermediate crack-induced debonding of FRP-plated concrete beam

Abstract External bonding of FRP plates or sheets has emerged as a popular method for strengthening reinforced concrete structures. Debonding along the FPR–concrete interface can lead to premature failure of the structures. In this study, debonding induced by a flexural crack in a FRP-plated concrete beam is analyzed through a nonlinear fracture mechanics method. The concrete beam and FRP plate are modeled as linearly elastic simple beams connected together through a thin layer of FRP–concrete interface. A bi-linear cohesive (bond-slip) law, which has been verified by experiments, is used to model the FRP–concrete interface as a cohesive zone. Thus a cohesive zone model for intermediate crack-induced debonding is established with a unique feature of unifying the debonding initiation and growth into one model. Closed-form solutions of interfacial stress, FRP stress and ultimate load of the plated beam are obtained and then verified with the numerical solutions based on finite element analysis. Parametric studies are carried out to demonstrate the significant effect of FRP thickness on the interface debonding. The bond-slip shape is examined specifically. In spite of its profound effect on softening zone size, the bond-slip shape has been found to have little effect on the ultimate load of the plated beam. By making use of such a unique feature, a simplified explicit expression is obtained to determine the ultimate load of the plated concrete beam with a flexural crack conveniently. The cohesive zone model in this study also provides an efficient and effective way to analyze more general FRP–concrete interface debonding.
A Standard for Extremely Low Values of Spectral Irradiance

To serve the interests of workers in certain fields of extremely low irradiation such as is present in the air-glow and in phosphorescent, fluorescent, biochemical, and associated areas, a standard of spectral irradiance of extremely low intensity has been set up. This standard, in effect, combines the NBS standard of spectral radiance with a small aperture which approximates a point source of radiant energy of known spectral distribution. This combination, with one or more convex mirrors, will supply extremely low-spectral irradiances in the wavelength range 0.25 μ to 2.6 μ with an uncertainty of about 10%.
ESG Reporting: What Is Treasury's New Role?

Traditionally, treasurers are responsible for managing cash and market risk. That ensures that the company has sufficient funding and can manage complex compliance issues. But in recent years, the size and complexity of treasury management and compliance issues have expanded enormously. Today's treasurers not only oversee cash management, foreign exchange, and short-term debt; they struggle with increased responsibilities in other areas: managing capital market activities, merger-and-acquisition activity, insurance and pension programs, credit and receivables management, and working capital projections. These newer tasks demand that treasurers take on a new role that requires under-standing environmental, social, and corporate governance (ESG) reporting risk factors. What must today's treasurers and companies do to meet these new demands? © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
FATTY ACID SIGNATURES DIFFERENTIATE MARINE MACROPHYTES AT ORDINAL AND FAMILY RANKS(1).

Primary productivity by plants and algae is the fundamental source of energy in virtually all food webs. Furthermore, photosynthetic organisms are the sole source for ω-3 and ω-6 essential fatty acids (EFA) to upper trophic levels. Because animals cannot synthesize EFA, these molecules may be useful as trophic markers for tracking sources of primary production through food webs if different primary producer groups have different EFA signatures. We tested the hypothesis that different marine macrophyte groups have distinct fatty acid (FA) signatures by conducting a phylogenetic survey of 40 marine macrophytes (seaweeds and seagrasses) representing 36 families, 21 orders, and four phyla in the San Juan Archipelago, WA, USA. We used multivariate statistics to show that FA composition differed significantly (P < 0.001) among phyla, orders, and families using 44 FA and a subset of seven EFA (P < 0.001). A second analysis of published EFA data of 123 additional macrophytes confirmed that this pattern was robust on a global scale (P < 0.001). This phylogenetic differentiation of macrophyte taxa shows a clear relationship between macrophyte phylogeny and FA content and strongly suggests that FA signature analyses can offer a viable approach to clarifying fundamental questions about the contribution of different basal resources to food webs. Moreover, these results imply that taxa with commercially valuable EFA signatures will likely share such characteristics with other closely related taxa that have not yet been evaluated for FA content.
A physical perspective of the length scales in gradient elasticity through the prism of wave dispersion

Abstract The goal of this study is to understand the physical meaning and evaluate the intrinsic length scale parameters, featured in the theories of gradient elasticity, by deploying the analytical treatment and experimental measurements of the dispersion of elastic waves. The developments are focused on examining the propagation of longitudinal waves in an aluminum rod with periodically varying cross-section. First, the analytical solution for the dispersion relationship, based on the periodic cell analysis of a bi-layered laminate and Bloch theorem, is compared to two competing models of gradient elasticity. It is shown that the customary gradient elastic model with two length-scale parameters is able to capture the dispersion accurately up to the beginning of the first band gap. On the other hand, the gradient elastic model with an additional length scale (affiliated with the fourth-order time derivative in the field equation) is shown to capture not only the first dispersion branch before the band gap, but also the band gap itself and the preponderance of the second branch. Closed form relations between the microstructure parameters and the intrinsic length scales are obtained for both gradient elasticity models. By way of the asymptotic treatment in the limit of a weak contrast between the laminae, a clear physical meaning and scaling of the length-scale parameters was established in terms of: (i) the microstructure (given by the size of the unit cell and the contrast between the laminae), and (ii) thus induced dispersion relationship (characterized by the location and the width of the band gap). The analysis is verified through an experimental observation of wave dispersion, and wave attenuation within the band gap. A comparison between the analytical treatment, the gradient elastic model with three intrinsic length scales, and experimental measurements demonstrates a good agreement over the range of frequencies considered.
Mining entity attribute synonyms via compact clustering

Entity attribute values, such as "lord of the rings" for movie.title or "infant" for shoe.gender, are atomic components of entity expressions. Discovering alternative surface forms of attribute values is important for improving entity recognition and retrieval. In this work, we propose a novel compact clustering framework to jointly identify synonyms for a set of attribute values. The framework can integrate signals from multiple information sources into a similarity function between attribute values. And the weights of these signals are optimized in an unsupervised manner. Extensive experiments across multiple domains demonstrate the effectiveness of our clustering framework for mining entity attribute synonyms.
Further investigation of crystal hardening inequalities in (110) channel die compression

A set of geometrically based FCC crystal slip-systems hardening inequalities is analytically investigated in (110) channel die compression for all lateral constraint directions between and , following previous analyses of the other two distinct orientation ranges in (110) compression. With all critical slip systems active, it is proved that these inequalities uniquely predict initial lattice stability and finite crystal shearing only in the horizontal channel plane, consistent with experiments for this range of orientations. (The earlier analyses had predicted load-axis stability in both orientation ranges, and lattice stability in one, also commonly found experimentally.) Moreover, it is established that the lateral constraint stress predicted by the hardening inequalities will be less than that given by classic Taylor hardening as this stress evolves with deformation. It is further shown, taking into account experimental stress–strain curves and latent hardening experiments for aluminium and copper, that lattice stability generally can be expected to very large deformations, except perhaps for lateral constraint orientations near the end of the range, which result is consistent with experiment. In appendix A, the possibilities of solutions with a critical slip system inactive are investigated, and predictions of a power law rate-dependent plasticity model are analysed for comparison with the results based on the hardening inequalities.
G. H. Hardy and probability

Despite a true antipathy to the subject, Hardy contributed deeply to modern probability. His work with Ramanujan begat probabilistic number theory. His work on Tauberian theorems and divergent series has probabilistic proofs and interpretations. Finally, Hardy spaces are a central ingredient in stochastic calculus. This paper reviews his prejudices and accomplishments, through these examples.
Autoradiography with tritium.

In autoradiography, a photographic emulsion is placed in contact with a specimen containing radioactivity and stored in the dark. The radiation, passing through the emulsion, sensitizes silver bromide granules so that they can be reduced to metallic silver by a photographic developer. One then sees a pattern of silver grains lying above the specimen. (The technique [1] employed in the present studies made use of stripping film which was floated over a histological preparation. In some cases Feulgen staining was performed before autoradiography; in other cases the specimen was stained through the emulsion after photographic development.)
Rigid Adherent-Resistant Elastomers (RARE): Nano-, Meso-, and Microscale Tuning of Hybrid Fluorous Polyoxetane–Polyurethane Blend Coatings

A series of hybrid elastomers were prepared by a combination of (1) condensation cured, −Si(OC2H5)3 end-capped, poly(3-trifluoroethoxymethyl-3-methyloxetane), “3F”, and a siliceous domain “builder”, bis(triethoxysilyl)ethane, and (2) a linear 3F polyurethane “U-3F”. Hybrid compositions U-3F-x are designated by polyurethane weight percent “x”. Bulk characterization includes thermal transitions (DMA, DSC), mechanical properties (DMA, tensile), and susceptibility to swelling by a hydrocarbons (hexadecane). Increased mechanical properties, particularly toughness, was found with increasing U-3F wt %. Near surface U-3F depletion was established by ATR-IR spectroscopy with Ge and diamond crystals. To describe the length scale for near surface U-3F depletion, the term mesosurface is introduced, which in this context is a depth of ∼1000 nm. Peak removal force in shear (Pc-s) for a rigid adherent, namely epoxied aluminum cylinders (ECs), was determined with a TA Instruments RSA III. A striking compositional depende...
The SNARE motif of synaptobrevin exhibits an aqueous-interfacial partitioning that is modulated by membrane curvature.

The structure and interfacial association of the full-length vesicle SNARE, synaptobrevin, were compared in four different lipid environments using nuclear magnetic resonance and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy. In micelles, segments of the SNARE motif are helical and associated with the interface. However, the fraction of helix and interfacial association decreases as synaptobrevin is moved from micelle to bicelle to bilayer environments, indicating that the tendency toward interfacial association is sensitive to membrane curvature. In bilayers, the SNARE motif of synaptobrevin transiently associates with the lipid interface, and regions that are helical in micelles are in conformational and environmental exchange in bicelles and bilayers. This work demonstrates that the SNARE motif of synaptobrevin has a significant propensity to form a helix and exchange with the membrane interface prior to SNARE assembly. This transient interfacial association and its sensitivity to membrane curvature are...
Crystalline Particles in Thermally Grown Silicon Dioxide

Small crystalline particles in the vicinity of the Si/SiO2 interface have been directly observed by high resolution transmission electron microscopy. These crystallites have typical diameters between 20 and 120 A. Based on the observed interplanar spacings and angles in lattice images, the structure of these particles has been found to match those of cristobalite. Some orientation relationships also appear to exist between these particles and the silicon layer.
Biological Factors Involved in Poisoning Rats with Alpha-Naphthyl Thiourea (ANTU).∗

Summary1. Adult domestic Norway rats were found to accept ANTU when mixed with the stock diet in concentrations at least as high as 10%. In all concentrations from 0.1% to 10% inclusive the ANTU-poisoned food killed 100% of the rats, Lower concentrations of ANTU-poisoned food gave a 100% survival.2. When fed sublethal concentrations of ANTU food from 0.05%) to 0.005% inclusive for 14 days, the rats developed a marked tolerance and refusal. Lower concentrations failed to produce either.3. In some rats the tolerance disappeared at the end of 16 days and was almost imperceptible in all of the rats at the end of 30 days.4. The refusal decreased after 16 days, though in some animals it was definitely present even at the end of 30 days.
Heating Rate and Nanoparticle Loading Effects on Thermoplastic Polyurethane Elastomer Nanocomposite Kinetics

Studies of the thermal degradation of a thermoplastic polyurethane elastomer are performed to understand its kinetics. Kinetic parameters are an important part of characterizing the behavior of a material used in high temperature environments. Many engineering applications require that the materials used have high resistance to thermal degradation. Experiments using polymers loaded with nanoparticles have shown that the kinetic parameters can be vastly different than the kinetic parameters of the neat polymer. The kinetic parameters change in such a way that the thermal degradation of materials loaded with nanoparticles is delayed compared to that of the neat material. The effect of loading the rmoplastic polyurethane elastomer with montmorillonite organoclay and multiwall carbon nanotubes is presented along with the kinetic parameters calculated for each material. The thermogravimetric analyses of these materials are conducted at low heating rates (from 20 to 100 o C/min (CPM )). A study will be presented to analyze if the kinetics calculated from these data sets are valid parameters to describe the kinetics of experiments conducted at much higher heating rates (up to 500 CPM ).
Pt-SiO2 Granular Metals for Cryogenic Thermometry in High Magnetic Fields

Pt-SiO 2 granular metal films were produced by RF diode sputtering and characterized as thermistors for cryogenic temperature measurements at high magnetic fields. The devices were found to have high sensitivity and small magnetoresistance. This, together with ease of fabrication and stability, makes such thermistor useful candidates for cryogenic thermometry.
ABSENCE OF A RENAL EFFECT FROM TWO SUBSTITUTED PROPANEDIOLS: MEPROBAMATE AND MEBUTAMATE.

SummaryTo determine whether the hypotensive effects of meprobamate or mebutamate could be related to a renal action, experiments were performed using the conscious, trained beagle in which urinary electrolytes and renal clearances were measured. Electrolytes were not affected by intravenous doses of 1–90 mg/kg of meprobamate or 10–50 mg/kg, of mebutamate. Clearance of inulin and p-aminohippurate were measured using doses of 30 mg/kg of meprobamate and 20 mg/kg of mebutamate. Neither clearance was affected by meprobamate, and there was only a small reduction in PAH clearance following mebutamate administration. It was concluded that these compounds are without significant renal effects.
A NEW WORLD OCCURRENCE OF NOTIDANODON LANCEOLATUS (CHONDRICHTHYES, HEXANCHIDAE) AND COMMENTS ON HEXANCHID SHARK EVOLUTION

Notidanodon lanceolatus Woodward is reported from Late Aptian strata of northern California. This specimen, the oldest fossil cow shark (Hexanchidae) in the New World, greatly extends the geographic distribution of this species and confirms the eurytopic distribution of this genus. We suggest that cow shark teeth evolve in an orderly sequence in which the mesial edge of the tooth is at first smooth (Notidanus muensteri), then serrate (Notidanus serratus, Notorynchus aptiensis), and finally dentate (Notidanodon lanceolatus).
Surgeon and Hospital Level Variation in the Costs of Robot-Assisted Radical Prostatectomy

Purpose: We assessed surgeon and hospital level variation in robot-assisted radical prostatectomy costs and predictors of high and low cost surgery.Materials and Methods: The study population consisted of a weighted sample of 291,015 men who underwent robot-assisted radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer by 667 surgeons at 197 U.S. hospitals from 2003 to 2013. We evaluated 90-day direct hospital costs (2014 USD) in the Premier Hospital Database. High costs per robot-assisted radical prostatectomy were those above the 90th percentile and low costs were those below the 10th percentile.Results: Mean hospital cost per robot-assisted radical prostatectomy was $11,878 (95% CI $11,804–$11,952). Mean cost was $2,837 (95% CI $2,805–$2,869) in the low cost group vs $25,906 (95% CI $24,702–$25,490) in the high cost group. Nearly a third of the variation in robot-assisted radical prostatectomy cost was attributable to hospital characteristics and more than a fifth was attributable to surgeon characteristics (R-squ...
Teaching the Third World Girl: Girl Rising as a precarious curriculum of empathy

ABSTRACTThis article examines the recently released Girl Rising film and associated campaign to analyze how the guarantee that girls’ education is panacea for local, national and global solutions is sedimented through affective logics. I view Girl Rising as a curriculum inclusive of the film, accompanying packaged lesson plans for educators, and related discourses and affects. The Girl Rising curriculum is part of a larger discursive development apparatus that anchors particular storylines about the relationship between girlhood, education and development as truth. I attend to textual and visual representations of empowered Third World girlhood in the Girl Rising curriculum. While empathy is often understood as a good feeling, I analyze its precarious dimensions, which are cultivated through curricular encounters between the Western spectator/learner and the Third World Girl. I ask: How is the ideal Third World Girl produced in and as curriculum? What are viewers provoked to feel as they consume her poten...
Curie Temperatures of Binary and Ternary Sigma Phases

All binary and a number of ternary σ alloys formed by first long period transition elements were examined and found to be ferromagnetic at low temperatures. The Curie temperatures for these alloys were measured. It was found that the correlation of the Curie temperature with composition may be described qualitatively in terms of the contributions of the various component atomic moments to the saturation moment of the alloy. Ternary Fe-Cr-Mo σ phase alloys were also found to be ferromagnetic, with a Curie temperature dependent on the iron content and largely independent of the unit cell dimensions. Similar relations were found for the Co-Fe-Cr and the Co-Cr-Mo σ alloys, where the Co + Fe content appears to determine the Curie temperature.
The methylsulfinyl radical CH3SO examined

Methylsulfinyl radical, a key intermediate in marine atmospheric chemistry, plays a central role in the oxidation of dimethyl sulfide. CH3SO has been extensively studied here with ab initio quantum mechanical methods, with methods as complete as CCSDT(Q) in conjunction with basis sets as large as cc-pV(5+d)Z. In this research, we report high-level computations for the ground and first excited electronic states of the methylsulfinyl radical. The structures of the X[combining tilde] (2)A'' and A (2)A' states are quite different with S-O distances of 1.499 and 1.652 A, respectively. The X[combining tilde] to A adiabatic energy difference is predicted to be 45.1 kcal mol(-1), compared to 21.1 kcal mol(-1) for the analogous well-characterized methylperoxy radical CH3OO. The CH3SO barrier to internal rotation is 0.92 kcal mol(-1). The unknown X[combining tilde] (2)A'' torsional vibrational frequency τ is predicted to be 142 cm(-1) (harmonic) and 128 cm(-1) (anharmonic). Our predictions of the A (2)A' excited state vibrational frequencies are the first to be reported.
General editor's preface

This book is the twelfth in the series New Studies in Christian Ethics. Like the previous book in the series, Stanley Rudman's Concepts of Persons and Christian Ethics , as well as the very first book, Kieran Cronin's well received Rights and Christian Ethics , this present book provides a reliable guide for Christian ethics through a complex area of philosophical discussion. All three books exemplify the two key aims of this series – firstly to engage centrally with the secular moral debate at the highest possible intellectual level and, secondly, to demonstrate that Christian ethics can make a distinctive contribution to this debate, either in moral substance or in terms of underlying moral justifications. Using the philosopher A. C. Ewing's moral dilemma about whether to spend money on a son going to university or instead on the needs of many people threatened with famine, Hallett seeks to explore a classic dilemma in both Christian and secular morality. Which is finally to be preferred, the nearest in the form of the son or the neediest in the form of the starving strangers? He explores this dilemma with style and obvious commitment and is, indeed, exploring an issue which is of real interest within and beyond Christian ethics. Working from an admittedly narrow basis, he is able to show that important broad questions about our responsibilities towards our families, neighbours and fellow nationals are raised by this moral dilemma. The questions raised by Priorities and Christian Ethics turn out to be amongst some of the most crucial for moral and, indeed, Christian living.
Family Food Preparation and Its Effects on Adolescent Dietary Quality and Eating Patterns

Purpose The purpose of the study was to describe parent and adolescent involvement in food preparation for the family and to examine whether adolescents' food preparation involvement was related to their dietary quality (e.g., fruit and vegetable intake, sugar-sweetened beverage consumption, and various common nutrients) and eating patterns (e.g., frequency of breakfast, family meals, fast food intake). Methods Data from two linked population-based studies, Eating and Activity in Teens 2010 and Families and Eating and Activity among Teens were used in cross-sectional analyses. Mothers (n = 1,875), stepmothers (n = 18), fathers (n = 977), stepfathers (n = 105), and adolescents (n = 2,108) from socioeconomically and racially/ethnically diverse households participated in the study. Adolescents completed food frequency questionnaires and surveys in school. Parents individually completed surveys by mail or phone. Linear regression was used to estimate differences in adolescent dietary quality and eating patterns between those who do and do not engage in meal preparation. Results Parent and adolescent report of "usually preparing food for the family" was related to several sociodemographic characteristics, including race/ethnicity (minority populations), parent education (college or higher), parent employment status (part time or stay-at-home caregiver), household size (≤3 children), and adolescent gender (female). Adolescent involvement in food preparation for the family was significantly associated with several markers of better dietary quality and better eating patterns. In contrast, parent involvement in food preparation for the family was unrelated to adolescent dietary intake. Conclusions Results suggest that involving adolescents in food preparation for the family is related to better adolescent dietary quality and eating patterns. Public health interventions and health care providers may want to encourage adolescents to help with food preparation for the family. Additionally, adolescents may benefit from interventions/programs that teach cooking skills in order to increase the likelihood of participating in food preparation for the family.
Effect of Contact Insecticides Against the Invasive Goldspotted Oak Borer (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) in California.

The goldspotted oak borer, Agrilus auroguttatus Schaeffer (Coleoptera: Buprestidae), was linked in 2008 to ongoing tree mortality in oak woodlands of southern California. Mortality of coast live oak, Quercus agrifolia Nee, and California black oak, Q. kelloggii Newb., continues as this exotic phloem borer spreads in southern California. Management options are needed to preserve high-value oaks and maintain management objectives. From 2009 to 2012, we tested four contact insecticide formulations in four experiments against A . auroguttatus in California. The impact of contact insecticides was evaluated ∼<1, 8, and 12 mo postapplication against A . auroguttatus adults in no-choice leaf-feeding or walking bioassays. At <1 mo postapplication, bifenthrin, carbaryl, lambda-cyhalothrin, and permethrin all reduced adult survival and feeding in leaf-feeding and walking bioassays. At 8 mo postapplication, only bifenthrin reduced adult feeding, but had no effect on survivorship. At 12 mo postapplication, adult A . auroguttatus survived fewer days and fed less in leaf-feeding bioassays with bifenthrin, carbaryl, and permerthin. These results support the annual application of contact insecticides prior to A . auroguttatus ’ flight period to reduce adult leaf maturation feeding and activity on the bark surface (e.g., oviposition), but additional studies are needed to show these contact treatments can prevent tree mortality from this invasive species.
Use of the six-minute walk test to characterize golden retriever muscular dystrophy

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is an X-linked recessive disorder in which loss of the dystrophin protein causes progressive skeletal/cardiac muscle degeneration and death within the third decade. For clinical trials and supportive animal studies, DMD disease progression and response to treatment must be established using outcome parameters (biomarkers). The 6-minute walk test (6MWT), defined as the distance an individual can walk in 6 minutes, is commonly used in DMD clinical trials and has been employed in dogs to characterize cardiac and respiratory disease severity. Building on methods established in DMD and canine clinical studies, we assessed the 6MWT in dogs with the DMD genetic homolog, golden retriever muscular dystrophy (GRMD). Twenty-one cross-bred golden retrievers were categorized as affected (DMD mutation and GRMD phenotype), carrier (female heterozygous for DMD mutation and no phenotype), and normal (wild type DMD gene and normal phenotype). When compared to grouped normal/carrier dogs, GRMD dogs walked shorter height-adjusted distances at 6 and 12 months of age and their distances walked declined with age. Percent change in creatine kinase after 6MWT was greater in GRMD versus normal/carrier dogs at 6 months, providing another potential biomarker. While these data generally support use of the 6MWT as a biomarker for preclinical GRMD treatment trials, there were certain limitations. Results of the 6MWT did not correlate with other outcome parameters for GRMD dogs when considered alone and an 80% increase in mean distance walked would be necessary to achieve satisfactory power.
Enhancing Motivation in a Mobile Participatory Sensing Project through Gaming

Bud Burst Mobile is a smart phone application for an environmental Participatory Sensing project that focuses on observing plants and collecting plant life stage data. The app was initially designed for record-keeping and motivation to participate in this project has been based on improving scientific knowledge. To test other methods for motivating data collection and increasing user retention, we added an outdoor game activity, similar to geocaching, called flora caching. Players gain points and levels within the game by finding and making qualitative observations on plants. Location-based information is included in the game with the display of local lists of plant species occurring in a user's area derived from governmental data sources. Additionally, user-collected data and the occurrence of species on the local lists obtained from the photo-sharing website Flickr are displayed on an interactive map. Administrator targeting of individual plants facilitates expert control over crowd-sourced data collection for species of interest. We evaluated these additional features with the help of 50 volunteers playing on the UCLA campus as a case study. Results indicated that participants were highly motivated by the flora caching game, and next-most by the knowledge that environmental scientists will use the data collected for studying the effects of global climate change. Other motivating features included sharing plant observations with other users and the information contained in the local lists of plants.
MD-Miner: a network-based approach for personalized drug repositioning.

Due to advances in next generation sequencing technologies and corresponding reductions in cost, it is now attainable to investigate genome-wide gene expression and variants at a patient-level, so as to better understand and anticipate heterogeneous responses to therapy. Consequently, it is feasible to inform personalized drug treatment decisions using personal genomics data. However, these efforts are limited due to a lack of reliable computational approaches for predicting effective drugs for individual patients. The reverse gene set enrichment analysis (i.e., connectivity mapping) approach and its variants have been widely and successfully used for drug prediction. However, the performance of these methods is limited by undefined mechanism of action (MoA) of drugs and reliance on cohorts of patients rather than personalized predictions for individual patients. In this study, we have developed and evaluated a computational approach, known as Mechanism and Drug Miner (MD-Miner), using a network-based computational approach to predict effective drugs and reveal potential drug mechanisms of action at the level of signaling pathways. Specifically, the patient-specific signaling network is constructed by integrating known disease associated genes with patient-derived gene expression profiles. In parallel, a drug mechanism of action network is constructed by integrating drug targets and z-score profiles of drug-induced gene expression (pre vs. post-drug treatment). Potentially effective candidate drugs are prioritized according to the number of common genes between the patient-specific dysfunctional signaling network and drug MoA network. We evaluated the MD-Miner method on the PC-3 prostate cancer cell line, and showed that it significantly improved the success rate of discovering effective drugs compared with the random selection, and could provide insight into potential mechanisms of action. This work provides a signaling network-based drug repositioning approach. Compared with the reverse gene signature based drug repositioning approaches, the proposed method can provide clues of mechanism of action in terms of signaling transduction networks.
Growth Stimulation Following an All-Epiphyseal Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction in a Child: A Case Report.

Over the past decade, there has been a substantial increase in the number of reported intrasubstance tears of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in children younger than twelve years of age or in prepubescent children1-6. Multiple studies have emphasized the need for early ACL reconstruction in skeletally immature patients to prevent the development of meniscal tears and early knee arthrosis7-10. The native ACL in children always courses from the distal femoral epiphysis to the proximal tibial epiphysis. If the usual ACL reconstruction used in adults is performed on a child or adolescent, this anatomy becomes problematic because tunnels are drilled through the growth plates into the distal part of the femur and the proximal tibial metaphyses. In children with wide-open growth plates, a solidly fixed and tensioned graft, placed as in adults, may potentially cause a “tether effect” that can retard growth at these growth plates11,12. In order to avoid tether or bone-bar formation, multiple partial or complete physeal-sparing techniques to reconstruct the ACL in this age group have been proposed1,6,13-16. Growth disturbance, especially growth arrest, has been a major concern with the surgical management of intrasubstance ACL tears in growing children and adolescents12,15,17-20. In contrast, limb overgrowth is a theoretical possibility following any long-bone surgery in a child. To our knowledge, there are no reported cases of clinically significant limb overgrowth that required surgical epiphysiodesis as a consequence of a physeal-sparing or an all-epiphyseal ACL reconstruction in a child. This case is reported to alert physicians, patients, and their parents that overgrowth requiring surgical correction can occur after ACL reconstruction in a skeletally immature child. The patient and his parents were …
Imagination and Mythopoesis in the Science Curriculum

In this chapter the author attempts to develop the theoretical underpinnings of a version of the mathematics and science curriculum with an emphasis on imaginative story-telling, reasoned argument based on these stories, counter-stories that expose the inadequacies of the original story, and the artful display and communication of scientific information.
Afterword: comparative versus historical research

The articles in this special issue represent the triumph of detailed historical research over an older version of comparative research that was too eager to reduce complex settings to correlations ...
Retained Urethral Foley Catheter: A Rare Cause of Total Incontinence After Transurethral Resection of the Prostate.

Background: Surgical therapy for benign prostatic obstruction is indicated after failure of medical therapy or in the presence of secondary side effects. Transurethral resection of the prostate (TU...
Elastohydrodynamics of Roll-to-Roll UV-Cure Imprint Lithography

The inextensible cylindrical shell theory and lubrication theory combine into a model for the elastohydrodynamics of a rolling-imprint modality of nanoimprint lithography (NIL). Foil-bearing theory describes the formation of the lubrication gap due to relative motion between a tensioned substrate and a rigid, cylindrical surface. Reproduction of the results of foil-bearing theory for both stiff and perfectly flexible substrates validates this coupled model and reveals a highly predictable region of uniformity that provides low shear stress conditions ideal for UV-cure. These results show theoretical limitations that are used to construct an operating window for predicting rolling-mode NIL process feasibility.
Bearing-Only Consensus and Formation Control under Directed Topologies

We address the problems of bearing-only consensus and formation control, where each agent can only measure the relative bearings of its neighbors and relative distances are not available. We provide stability results for the Filippov solutions of two gradient-descent laws from non-smooth Lyapunov functions in the context of differential inclusion. For the consensus and formation control problems with undirected sensing topologies, we prove finite-time and asymptotic convergence of the proposed non-smooth gradient flows. For the directed consensus problem, we prove asymptotic convergence using a different non-smooth Lyapunov function given that the sensing graph has a globally reachable node. Finally, for the directed formation control problem we prove asymptotic convergence for directed cycles and directed acyclic graphs and also introduce a new notion of bearing persistence which guarantees convergence to the desired bearings.
Induction of Metabolic Enzymes for Health Effects

Oxidative stress occurs when xenobiotic metabolic reactive intermediates such as reactive oxygen species or free radicals are neither readily detoxified by detoxification enzymes nor compensated for by the body’s antioxidant defense systems. Enzyme modulators are small molecules that exhibit induction or inhibition effects on activation or detoxification enzymes. The induction or inhibition of metabolic enzymes is an issue of complexity. Minimal xenobiotic toxicity is generally found in either a higher expression of detoxification enzyme activity or a fine balance rate between activation and detoxification expressions. Inducers of detoxification enzymes act as indirect antioxidants by boosting the body’s antioxidant systems, thus exerting antioxidant activities. Roles of Nrf2 and ARE on enzyme modulation and lifestyle modulation of metabolic enzymes are also discussed.
Vanadium dioxide phase change thin films produced by thermal oxidation of metallic vanadium

Abstract VO2 phase change thin films are most commonly deposited by using reactive physical vapor deposition on heated substrates. In this paper, we report an alternative and more flexible method where vanadium metal films are first deposited using ordinary physical vapor deposition methods on unheated substrates, and subsequently thermally oxidized in a tube furnace to produce high quality VO2. There are several advantages to this method: it allows pre-patterning of the V films, which is significantly simpler than post-patterning VO2; and furnace oxidation is readily scalable to a large number of substrates and sizes, making this a much more manufacturable method compared to in-situ reactive methods. We have examined the physical and optical characteristics of these films using X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy, Atomic Force Microscopy, X-Ray Diffraction, and Ellipsometry. The film evolution from V to VO2 was observed by in-situ optical monitoring during oxidation.
Metabolomic and Signaling Programs Induced by Immobilized versus Soluble IFN γ in Neural Stem Cells

Neural stem cells (NSCs) provide a strategy to replace damaged neurons following traumatic central nervous system injuries. A major hurdle to translation of this therapy is that direct application ...
Does Profitability Really Matter? Marginality, Volatility & $ Trillion Question

Firm Profitability - Does it really matter for shareholder return or ROE (return on equity)? Does this question sound oxymoron and antithetic? Not really. On the contrary, evidence has surfaced that Returns on equity - based on the shareholders' equity accounted in the balance sheet - is not really directly tied to firm's profitability because it is increasingly observed that more attention is given to short-term marginal gains of the stock rather than long-term value buildup for shareholders. And higher stock gains appear to be realized through trading on a short-term basis of frequent stock-buy & sell at the right time and speed. Notwithstanding what the conventional wisdom is, the disconnect between profitability and long-term ROE is becoming the hard truth in a modern stock market, while smart investors are achieving better returns through active trading.
Teaching Empathic Communication to Pediatric Interns: Immediate and 3-Month Impact.

Objective:Evaluate pediatric intern self-reported preparedness to Deliver Serious News, Express Empathy, and Medical Error Disclosure after a 1-day simulation based-empathic communication training....
What happens after the hospital? An analysis of longitudinal care needs in children treated for child physical abuse.

Abstract Background Victims of child physical abuse (CPA) undergo stabilization and social evaluation during initial management. Current data guides the initial hospital course, but few studies evaluate post-hospital care. The aim of this study was to evaluate compliance with recommended post-discharge visits. Methods A retrospective review of our trauma database at a Level I pediatric trauma center from 2014–2018 was performed. Data included demographics, injuries, and longitudinal outcomes. Descriptive statistics and univariate analyses were performed. Results There were 401 patients (409 unique presentations). Median age was 7 months. Mortality was 6%. Ninety-five percent (358/377) had recommended appointments with multiple specialty services. Compliance with all recommended visits during the first year after injury was 88%. Patients with complex injuries were as likely to comply with recommended follow-up [72% vs. 67%, p = 0.4]; however, they were more likely to still be receiving care at 1 year (58% vs. 14%, p = 0.0001). Those discharged to CPS custody were more likely to be compliant with their follow-up (90% vs. 82%, p = 0.03). Conclusion Patients significantly injured due to CPA require more post-hospital care over time. CPA management guidelines should include a mechanism to provide resources to these patients and manage multiple coordinating consultants .
Additive manufacturing of high-performance vinyl ester resin via direct ink writing with UV-thermal dual curing

Abstract Vinyl ester (VE) resin is widely used as a thermosetting polymer for structural materials because of its high mechanical properties and excellent chemical resistance. Using additive manufacturing to produce high-performance VE structures with dimensional scalability and material efficiency has gained interest from both research and industry, however it is challenging due to the limitations of current techniques. In this work, a modified setup of direct ink writing (DIW) with ultraviolet (UV)-thermal dual curing is made compatible with commercially available VE resins thickened by 4 wt% fumed silica to fabricate three-dimensional structures with outstanding mechanical properties. The in-situ UV curing during DIW partially solidifies the resin to provide the structural shape, and subsequent thermal curing allows for a high degree of crosslinking. The printed and dual cured VE nanocomposites have a Young’s modulus of 3.7 GPa and a tensile strength of approximately 80 MPa, which outperforms conventionally molded neat VE cured with methyl ethyl ketone peroxide (MEKP) by about 10% and also indistinguishable from the tensile properties of molded VE nanocomposites with the same composition. The fracture toughness of the printed and dual cured VE nanocomposites is also 16% higher than the molded neat VE with MEKP curing due to the superior interfacial bonding between DIW infill paths and the additional 4 wt% fumed silica for toughening, and similar to the molded VE nanocomposites with the same composition. Along with the outstanding mechanical properties, the scalability and resolution of the DIW technique with dual curing is demonstrated by printing a 100 mm long wrench and a microscale lattice, thus showing the potential of this technique in additive manufacturing of high-performance VE structures.
Is clean cooking affordable? A review

Abstract 2.9 billion people lack access to clean cooking fuels and technologies. This review analyzes the literature on affordability as a barrier to adoption and consistent use of clean cooking stoves and fuels. We find diverse frameworks, definitions and metrics in use, and frequent discussions on stove price, fuel costs, microfinance, and smaller procurement quantities. We recommend that financing strategies to mitigate unaffordability be based on how low-income households actually earn, spend, and save their money, and that affordability frameworks be expanded to account for gender divides, rural/urban divides, and stove stacking behavior. Our review thus aims to reflect the nuances of a low-income household's ability to pay for clean fuels. Affordability must make sense within the lived experiences of the poor if clean cooking is to achieve universal access.
Pharmacokinetics of grapiprant administered to red-tailed hawks (Buteo jamaicensis) after food was withheld for 24 hours.

OBJECTIVE To identify an oral dose of grapiprant for red-tailed hawks (RTHAs; Buteo jamaicensis) that would achieve a plasma concentration > 164 ng/mL, which is considered therapeutic for dogs with...
A Study of Bucket-Type Energy Dissipator Characteristics

Throughout study discharge was distributed uniformly over channel width; bucket exit angle of 45° was used throughout; both 1 on 1 and 1 on 2 entrance slope were investigated; general performance characteristics delineated; required bucket radii for various service conditions are specified; energy dissipation effectiveness is demonstrated in comparison with tailwater requirements for hydraulic jump in horizontal channel.