cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
To tell the truth, the whole truth, may do patients harm: the problem of the nocebo effect for informed consent.

The principle of informed consent obligates physicians to explain possible side effects when prescribing medications. This disclosure may itself induce adverse effects through expectancy mechanisms known as nocebo effects, contradicting the principle of nonmaleficence. Rigorous research suggests that providing patients with a detailed enumeration of every possible adverse event—especially subjective self-appraised symptoms—can actually increase side effects. Describing one version of what might happen (clinical “facts”) may actually create outcomes that are different from what would have happened without this information (another version of “facts”). This essay argues that the perceived tension between balancing informed consent with nonmaleficence might be resolved by recognizing that adverse effects have no clear black or white “truth.” This essay suggests a pragmatic approach for providers to minimize nocebo responses while still maintaining patient autonomy through “contextualized informed consent,” w...
Matching Pursuit Decompositions of Non-Noisy Speech Signals Using Several Dictionaries

Matching pursuit (MP) provides a way to expand signals in terms of any set of time-limited functions, or atoms, called a dictionary. These decompositions are finding use in signal analysis and coding. It has been shown that a dictionary should be designed carefully, but its effects on decomposition have not been studied in detail. We look at the effects of dictionaries on the decomposition of non-noisy speech signals using MP, by five dictionaries. It is found that Gabor atoms work sufficiently well, and have fewer adverse effects in reconstruction compared to the other dictionaries. For a reconstruction to sound perceptually close to the original, a rate of 3000 atoms per second (aps) on average is required. At rates as low as 400 aps the speech remains intelligible. Finally, the use of decompositions to visualize time-frequency distributions of speech is explored.
Mapping quantum state dynamics in spontaneous emission

The evolution of a quantum state undergoing radiative decay depends on how its emission is detected. If the emission is detected in the form of energy quanta, the evolution is characterized by a quantum jump to a lower energy state. In contrast, detection of the wave nature of the emitted radiation leads to different dynamics. Here, we investigate the diffusive dynamics of a superconducting artificial atom under continuous homodyne detection of its spontaneous emission. Using quantum state tomography, we characterize the correlation between the detected homodyne signal and the emitter's state, and map out the conditional back-action of homodyne measurement. By tracking the diffusive quantum trajectories of the state as it decays, we characterize selective stochastic excitation induced by the choice of measurement basis. Our results demonstrate dramatic differences from the quantum jump evolution associated with photodetection and highlight how continuous field detection can be harnessed to control quantum evolution.
Flexible high performance architecture for boundary scan execution hardware

IEEE 1149.1 boundary scan has become very popular since its introduction in the 1990s. It is now used routinely in defense and aerospace testing, and has become commonplace in new TPSes. But mil/aero quality requirements demand functional test as well. This means that boundary scan tests and functional tests must coexist in this environment.
The Coming of the Holocaust: The Holocaust in Western Europe

How were the Nazis able to carry out their plans for mass murder? What obstacles did they face? What restrained them? It is evident that from the outbreak of the war the Nazis were determined to remove Jews from Europe, although at that point they did not know how to achieve this goal. It was only after the attack on the Soviet Union in June 1941 that it became clear to them that it was possible to exterminate millions of people, primarily Jews. Nevertheless in some countries they were able to carry out more completely their campaign of murder than in others. What explained the differences in the efficiency of killing? The fundamental difference was between East and West. The two parts of the European continent experienced different Holocausts – but not from the point of view of the Jewish victims, who were deported to ghettos or to extermination camps from all areas of Europe. In fact, Western European Jews were just as likely to die as their Eastern European coreligionists. However, the East witnessed horrors that the Nazis were not capable of performing in Western European countries. It would have been unthinkable in, say, Amsterdam to gather Jews, take them outside of the city, shoot them, and bury them in mass graves. There were no mass extermination camps or ghettos in Western Europe.
Developing a System for the Automated Coding of Protest Event Data

Scholars and policy makers recognize the need for better and timelier data about contentious collective action, both the peaceful protests that are understood as part of democracy and the violent events that are threats to it. News media provide the only consistent source of information available outside government intelligence agencies and are thus the focus of all scholarly efforts to improve collective action data. Human coding of news sources is time-consuming and thus can never be timely and is necessarily limited to a small number of sources, a small time interval, or a limited set of protest “issues” as captured by particular keywords. There have been a number of attempts to address this need through machine coding of electronic versions of news media, but approaches so far remain less than optimal. The goal of this paper is to outline the steps needed to build, test and validate an open-source system for coding protest events from any electronically available news source using advances from natural language processing and machine learning. Such a system should have the effect of increasing the speed and reducing the labor costs associated with identifying and coding collective actions in news sources, thus increasing the timeliness of protest data and reducing biases due to excessive reliance on too few news sources. The system will also be open, available for replication, and extendable by future social movement researchers, and social and computational scientists.
To Drag Out a Rough Poetry: Colin MacInnes and the New Brutalism in Postwar Britain

This essay considers the intersection between trends in British fiction and architecture during the socially and culturally transformative years of the late 1950s. Reading Colin MacInnes’s Absolute Beginners (1959) alongside Alison and Peter Smithson’s New Brutalism-inspired House of the Future (1956), the essay argues that the architectural and literary innovations of this period turned away from the recent past to create a new set of narrative and material codes that valued poetic renderings of reality, transparency, fluidity, and the freedom to move and to consume at will.
Mechanisms and kinetics of alkaline hydrolysis of the energetic nitroaromatic compounds 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) and 2,4-dinitroanisole (DNAN)

The environmental impacts of energetic compounds can be minimized through the design and selection of new energetic materials with favorable fate properties. Building predictive models to inform this process, however, is difficult because of uncertainties and complexities in some major fate-determining transformation reactions such as the alkaline hydrolysis of energetic nitroaromatic compounds (NACs). Prior work on the mechanisms of the reaction between NACs and OH(-) has yielded inconsistent results. In this study, the alkaline hydrolysis of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) and 2,4-dinitroanisole (DNAN) was investigated with coordinated experimental kinetic measurements and molecular modeling calculations. For TNT, the results suggest reversible formation of an initial product, which is likely either a Meisenheimer complex or a TNT anion formed by abstraction of a methyl proton by OH(-). For DNAN, the results suggest that a Meisenheimer complex is an intermediate in the formation of 2,4-dinitrophenolate. Despite these advances, the remaining uncertainties in the mechanisms of these reactions-and potential variability between the hydrolysis mechanisms for different NACs-mean that it is not yet possible to generalize the results into predictive models (e.g., quantitative structure-activity relationships, QSARs) for hydrolysis of other NACs.
Experimental and theoretical results for composite material I-beams

This paper examines the loaddeflection behavior and the associated bending stiffness of graphite-epoxy I-beams. Some experimental results will be compared to an analyhcal theory based on lamination theory. The experimental results used locally fabricated I-beams. The fabrication technique is described. The beams studied consisted of several layers of T3001934 graphiteepoxy. Three configurations were used. The beams were subjected to three point loadings. The tests were short beam shear tests with span to depth ratios of 5 to 8. Load vs. deflection data were measured and recorded. The shear and bending deflection contributions were calculated using Timoshenko Beam Theory. Difficulties in separating the bending and shear deflections are discussed. The equivalent bending stiffness, Ed, was obtained from the bending deflection portion of the total deflection. The sensrhvrty of this calculation to errors in experimental measurements are discussed. Predictions of the bending stiffness are made using a method based on lamination theory., A comparison of results from this method with experimentally derived values for the configurations studied is also presented.
“On Its Own Terms”: Butterfly-Saturday Fiction in the Xiaosbuo Tradition

一直到二十世纪的初旬,中国小说经常被视为"小"文学,为"茶余饭后"的消遣读品。就算过去曾经有像金圣叹的拥护者,一般人觉得小说不能"登大雅之堂"。这个观念受到晚清革新者梁启超(1873-1929)的提议才开始改变。梁提倡利用小说"不可思议之力"来"新"中国人的种种守旧思想和习惯。这样一下子就把小说的轻佻性质严肃起来,同时也把小说的地位提高了。问题是一般人就直接把中国旧小说和欧美和日本的严肃虚构叙事文学合一了,不再思考中国小说对读者吸引力的原因。可是中国人对小说的原来观念没有被完全埋没。尤其是在二十和三十年代的上海,所谓"鸳鸯蝴蝶—礼拜六"的消遣小说,要比那些要改良国民的"五四"小说流行的多。那些小说被称为"旧派",因为,像过去的小说,虚构的目的是跟当今小说相反,要把读者脱离了平凡现实,暂时放开生活的各种困难和无聊。理解"鸳鸯蝴蝶-礼拜六"小说就能让我们理解中国小说的传统—为什么小说以前被视为下等文学,可是为什么人人都要争着看读,同时也让我们知道我们不但要研究中国跟外国小说的相同;要真正理解人类的虚构叙事传统,我们应该也研究中国跟外国小说的差别。
Mesurement of Hand Temperature by Infrared Photography in Cold Water Test of Workers Dealing with Vibration

Objective To study the effect of hand-arm vibration on the function of peripheral circulation in workers. Methods Hand thermograph was carried out using KY-333 Infrared Photography before and after cold water tests in 50 grinders who were exposed to hand-arm vibration(vibration group)and another 50 workers not exposed to vibration as control.Then the graphs were analyzed and compared. Results There was no significant difference in hand thermograph between both groups before cold water test,but there was marked change after cold water test. The finger skin temperatures of exposed workers were lower and their temperature recovery time after the test was extended compared to the control group.ConclusionThe hand cold water test combined with the hand thermography can be one of the methods for examining and analyzing the function of peripheral circulation in workers.
MACRO-DISTRIBUTION OF SOLUTE ELEMENTS IN 7075 ALUMINUM ALLOY INGOTS PRODUCED BY CREM PROCESS

The effects of electromagnetic field with low frequency in CREM (casting-refining-electromagnetic) method on solidifying front shape, non-dendritic structure, liquidus and solidus temperature of non-equilibrium freezing, solidification interval of 7075 aluminum alloy have been experimentally investigated. The mechanism of CREM process restraining macro-segregation of solute elements in 7075 aluminum alloy ingot was analysed.
Sealing Ability Vertical Changes of the Vertical Fractures in Budate Group of Beier Depression,Hailaer Basin

By means of cores observation and analysis of imaging well-logging data,it shows that vertical fractures were developed in Budate Group of Beier depression.The formation and distribution of vertical fractures were controlled by the faults.By the vitrinite reflectance required in deposition of silica or carbonate,the vertical seal of vertical fractures in Budate Group of Beier depression now was studied.It shows that vertical fractures are open in most of the area,and closed only in a few areas of the depression.Sealed areas distributed in stripe on the edge of the depression and in ring in the centre of the depression.The vertical sealing ability of the vertical fractures in Budate Group of Beier depression in geohistorical periods is better than that of the present.Oil gas preservation conditions become worse and worse,a great deal of oil-gas has been lost in the past.
Evaluation of the metal oil tank bottom deposit liquid's corrosion

This text through is it set up fuzzy matter element of model of appraising to build,deposit to oil tank bottom liquid is it is it appraise to corrode to go on mainly.Fuzzy matter element of analytical method thinking simple and clear,deposit into restriction,liquid of criteria for classification,have a reliable one relevant to deposit liquid quantize index is can effectively to deposit liquid corrosivity is it appraise to make,have already been suitable for calculating very easy procedure by hand at the scene,has offered the simple and convenient method for the fact that the oil tank.
Imaging of cerebrovascular reserve and oxygenation in Moyamoya disease

This study aimed to determine whether measurements of cerebrovascular reserve and oxygenation, assessed with spin relaxation rate R2', yield similar information about pathology in pre-operative Moyamoya disease patients, and to assess whether R2' is a better measure of oxygenation than other proposed markers, such as R2* and R2. Twenty-five pre-operative Moyamoya disease patients were scanned at 3.0T with acetazolamide challenge. Cerebral blood flow mapping with multi-delay arterial spin labeling, and R2*, R2, and R2' mapping with Gradient-Echo Sampling of Free Induction Decay and Echo were performed. No baseline cerebral blood flow difference was found between angiographically abnormal and normal regions (49 ± 12 vs. 48 ± 11 mL/100 g/min, p = 0.44). However, baseline R2' differed between these regions (3.2 ± 0.7 vs. 2.9 ± 0.6 s-1, p < 0.001), indicating reduced oxygenation in abnormal regions. Cerebrovascular reserve was lower in angiographically abnormal regions (21 ± 38 vs. 41 ± 26%, p = 0.001). All regions showed trend toward significantly improved oxygenation post-acetazolamide. Regions with poorer cerebrovascular reserve had lower baseline oxygenation (Kendall's τ = -0.24, p = 0.003). A number of angiographically abnormal regions demonstrated preserved cerebrovascular reserve, likely due to the presence of collaterals. Finally, of the concurrently measured relaxation rates, R2' was superior for oxygenation assessment.
Evaluation of Amino Acids, B Vitamins and Butylated Hydroxyanisole as Protective Agents against Pyrrolizidine Alkaloid Toxicity in Rats

Supplementation of the diets of rats with branched chain amino acids (BCAA: leucine, isoleucine, valine) did not alter their susceptibility to chronic poisoning by tansy ragwort (Senecio jacobaea), which contains hepatotoxic pyrrolizidine alkaloids (PA). Phenobarbital in the diet, which alters liver microsomal enzyme activity, also did not alter susceptibility to PA poisoning. A combination of butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA), cysteine and BCAA did increase (P less than .05) survival time of rats fed tansy ragwort. Dietary BHA and cysteine increased the survival time of rats injected with the PA monocrotaline, with evidence that addition of vitamin B12 and folic acid improved the effectiveness of this treatment. In a chronic feeding trial with tansy ragwort, a combination of BHA and cysteine increased (P less than .05) the survival times of rats, showing protective activity against PA poisoning. A mixture of B-complex vitamins, or vitamin B12-folic acid, was not effective in improving the response.
Renal Transplantation Using Ileal Conduits in 5 Cases

We report our experience with 5 cases of renal transplantation into ileal conduits and review the literature. In 2 cases a modified surgical procedure was used, which combines a groin extraperitoneal approach for the vascular portion of the operation and a peritoneal window for the anastomosis between the urinary collecting system and the ileal loop. Of our 5 patients 3 are alive with functioning grafts, 1 has undergone retransplantation and 1 with a functioning kidney died of sepsis originating in a decubitus ulcer. Two patients had conduit-related complications. In our literature review of 16 reports 52 per cent of 68 patients were alive with functioning grafts and 32 per cent had conduit-related complications, usually involving urosepsis, calculous disease or stenosis. With a high index of suspicion, and an aggressive diagnostic and therapeutic approach to these problems, a good prognosis can be expected when transplantation is performed in these patients.
An analysis of speeding multicast by acknowledgment reduction technique (SMART) with homogeneous and heterogeneous links - a method of types approach

We present a novel feedback protocol for wireless broadcast networks that use linear network coding. We consider transmission of packets from a single source to many receivers over a single-hop broadcast erasure channel with heterogeneous links. We propose a predictive model to minimize feedback as well as extraneous data transmissions by the source. The predictive model will schedule feedbacks only when there is a significant probability that all receivers have completed the download. We demonstrate analytically as well as empirically that reliable multicast can provide a good completion time characteristic for all users, if the initial feedback is delayed until the expected download completion time. We show that with SMART, counter to conventional wisdom the average user's download completion time improves slightly as the number of users increases. Furthermore, we show that completion time of the worst user in a multicast session is not very sensitive to the number of users; however it is very sensitive to imbalanced effective rate and heterogeneity among users. Moreover, we show that SMART performs nearly as well as an omniscient transmitter that requires no feedback.
SEG STATEMENT ON PROPOSED INCREASE IN LEASING ON THE OCS

This Statement was submitted February 19, 1975 to the Bureau of Land Management by the SEG concerning the hearings on the Proposed Increase in Oil and Gas Leasing on the Outer Continental Shelf: The Society of Exploration Geophysicists (SEG) is a professional and scientific organization of 9000 geophysicists from 100 countries. Two-thirds of the membership reside in the U.S. Twenty-four Section organizations are affiliated with SEG; 20 are in the U.S. The SEG is the primary international geophysics professional organization. Its members are engaged in exploration for both petroleum and minerals, involving approximately $1 billion of geophysical surveys worldwide; $390 million of this effort is in the U.S. In the Draft Environmental Statement and at the hearings themselves, several proposals were discussed which would have a detrimental short and long term effect on the vital search for oil and gas in the Outer Continental Shelf (OCS). In addition, these proposals could seriously impede the present unparalleled advance of technology in geophysical exploration. These undesirable proposals are discussed in the following paragraphs.
Benefits of SGLT2 Inhibitors Beyond Glycemic Control - A Focus on Metabolic, Cardiovascular and Renal Outcomes.

Background Sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors are a new pharmacotherapeutic class for the treatment of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM). Objective To evaluate beneficial effects of the SGLT2 inhibitors on metabolic, cardiovascular, and renal outcomes. Methods A Pub-Med search (1966 to July 2017) was performed of published English articles using keywords sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors, canagliflozin, dapagliflozin, and empagliflozin. A review of literature citations provided further references. The search identified 17 clinical trials and 2 meta-analyses with outcomes of weight loss and blood pressure reduction with dapagliflozin, canagliflozin, or empagliflozin. Three randomized trials focused on either empagliflozin or canagliflozin and reduction of cardiovascular disease and progression of renal disease. Results SGLT2 inhibitors have a beneficial profile in the treatment of T2DM. They have evidence of reducing weight between 2.9 kilograms when used as monotherapy to 4.7 kilograms when used in combination with metformin, and reducing systolic blood pressure between 3 to 5 mmHg and reducing diastolic blood pressure approximately 2 mmHg. To date, reduction of cardiovascular events was seen specifically with empagliflozin in patients with T2DM and a history of cardiovascular disease. In the same population, empagliflozin was associated with slowing the progression of kidney disease. Moreover, patients with increased risk of cardiovascular disease treated with canagliflozin have decreased risk of death from cardiovascular causes, nonfatal MI, or nonfatal stroke. Data regarding these outcomes with dapagliflozin are underway. Conclusion SGLT2 inhibitors demonstrate some positive metabolic effects. In addition, empagliflozin specifically has demonstrated reduction in cardiovascular events and delay in the progression of kidney disease in patients with T2DM and a history of cardiovascular disease. Further data is needed to assess if this is a class effect.
Toward noninvasive monitoring of ongoing electrical activity of human uterus and fetal heart and brain.

Abstract Objective To evaluate whether a full-coverage fetal-maternal scanner can noninvasively monitor ongoing electrophysiological activity of maternal and fetal organs. Methods A simulation study was carried out for a scanner with an array of magnetic field sensors placed all around the torso from the chest to the hip within a horizontal magnetic shielding enclosure. The magnetic fields from internal organs and an external noise source were computed for a pregnant woman with a 35-week old fetus. Signal processing methods were used to reject the external and internal interferences, to visualize uterine activity, and to detect activity of fetal heart and brain. Results External interference was reduced by a factor of 1000, sufficient for detecting signals from internal organs when combined with passive and active shielding. The scanner rejects internal interferences better than partial-coverage arrays. It can be used to estimate currents around the uterus. It clearly detects spontaneous activity from the fetal heart and brain without averaging and weaker evoked brain activity at all fetal head positions after averaging. Conclusion The simulated device will be able to monitor the ongoing activity of the fetal and maternal organs. Significance This type of scanner may become a novel tool in fetal medicine.
Conceptualizing pathways linking women's empowerment and prematurity in developing countries.

Globally, prematurity is the leading cause of death in children under the age of 5. Many efforts have focused on clinical approaches to improve the survival of premature babies. There is a need, however, to explore psychosocial, sociocultural, economic, and other factors as potential mechanisms to reduce the burden of prematurity. Women’s empowerment may be a catalyst for moving the needle in this direction. The goal of this paper is to examine links between women’s empowerment and prematurity in developing settings. We propose a conceptual model that shows pathways by which women’s empowerment can affect prematurity and review and summarize the literature supporting the relationships we posit. We also suggest future directions for research on women’s empowerment and prematurity. The key words we used for empowerment in the search were “empowerment,” “women’s status,” “autonomy,” and “decision-making,” and for prematurity we used “preterm,” “premature,” and “prematurity.” We did not use date, language, and regional restrictions. The search was done in PubMed, Population Information Online (POPLINE), and Web of Science. We selected intervening factors—factors that could potentially mediate the relationship between empowerment and prematurity—based on reviews of the risk factors and interventions to address prematurity and the determinants of those factors. There is limited evidence supporting a direct link between women’s empowerment and prematurity. However, there is evidence linking several dimensions of empowerment to factors known to be associated with prematurity and outcomes for premature babies. Our review of the literature shows that women’s empowerment may reduce prematurity by (1) preventing early marriage and promoting family planning, which will delay age at first pregnancy and increase interpregnancy intervals; (2) improving women’s nutritional status; (3) reducing domestic violence and other stressors to improve psychological health; and (4) improving access to and receipt of recommended health services during pregnancy and delivery to help prevent prematurity and improve survival of premature babies. Women’s empowerment is an important distal factor that affects prematurity through several intervening factors. Improving women’s empowerment will help prevent prematurity and improve survival of preterm babies. Research to empirically show the links between women’s empowerment and prematurity is however needed.
A machine learning concept for DTN routing

This paper discusses the concept and architecture of a machine learning based router for delay tolerant space networks. The techniques of reinforcement learning and Bayesian learning are used to supplement the routing decisions of the popular Contact Graph Routing algorithm. An introduction to the concepts of Contact Graph Routing, Q-routing and Naive Bayes classification are given. The development of an architecture for a cross-layer feedback framework for DTN protocols is discussed. Finally, initial simulation setup and results are given.
Text Messaging Based Obesity Prevention Program for Parents of Pre-Adolescent African American Girls

African American girls are at a greater risk of obesity than their nonminority peers. Parents have the primary control over the home environment and play an important role in the child obesity prevention. Obesity prevention programs to help parents develop an obesity-preventive home environment are needed. The purpose of this study was to collect formative research from parents of 8–10-year old African American girls about perceptions, expectations, and content for a text messaging based program. Mothers (n = 30) participated in surveys and interviews to inform message development and content. A professional expert panel (n = 10) reviewed draft text messages via a survey. All the mothers reported owning a cellphone with an unlimited texting plan, and they used their cellphones for texting (90.0%) and accessing the Internet (100.0%). The majority were interested in receiving text messages about healthy eating and physical activity (86.7%). Interviews confirmed survey findings. One hundred and seven text messages promoting an obesity-preventive home environment were developed. The expert panel and parents reported positive reactions to draft text messages. This research provides evidence that mobile health (mHealth) interventions appeal to parents of African American girls and they have ready access to the technology with which to support this approach.
The Link Between Hypertension and Stroke: Summary of Observational Epidemiological Studies

In this chapter, current data pertinent to hypertension and its risk of stroke are reviewed. The prevention and management of hypertension are major public health challenges. Despite the availability of therapies, it has been reported that even in developed countries, many patients with hypertension remain undetected or untreated. The 2009–2012 data from NHANES/NCHS in comparison to 2005–2006 data showed an increase of 4 % (from 78.7 to 82.7 %) of adult Americans with hypertension had awareness of their condition, 76.5% were under current treatment, and almost 9 % (45.4–54.1 %) had it under control (NCHS and National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI)). Data from the Framingham Heart study show that control rates of BP in men <60, 60–79, and ≥80 years of age were 38 %, 36 %, and 38 %, respectively. For women in the same age groups, they were 38 %, 28 %, and 23 %, respectively.
Too many Scotlands? Place, the SNP, and the future of nationalist mobilization

Scottish nationalism has always had a ‘geographical problem’ in the sense that support for its central goal, the independence of Scotland from the United Kingdom, has had much more backing in some ...
India’s perspective towards China in their shared South Asian neighbourhood: cooperation versus competition

India’s top foreign policy priority is its neighbourhood of South Asia and the Indian Ocean, which it shares with China. This article seeks to understand how India views its largest and most powerf...
Education and public outreach in astronomy and beyond

Education and public outreach has evolved from being part of a scientist’s duties into a distinct career path that is well-suited for astronomers. The ideal professional in this field has strong communication skills coupled with a broad research background.
Imaging Metastatic Spinal Disease

Imaging plays a significant role in the diagnosis, staging, and follow-up of patients with cancer. The objectives of imaging in the evaluation of patients with known or suspected cancer are to localize and characterize the pathologic lesion, to provide a reasonable differential diagnosis, to guide further diagnostic imaging and treatment planning, to determine adequacy of surgical resection, and to monitor therapeutic response and complications. The purpose of this chapter is to review imaging modalities commonly used to image patients with known or suspected metastatic spinal disease, to introduce terms often associated with each modality, and to illustrate the diagnostic imaging approach to evaluating the spine using individual cases.
C3a receptor antagonism as a novel therapeutic target for chronic rhinosinusitis

Chronic rhinosinusitis with nasal polyps (CRSwNP) is an inflammatory disease with an unknown etiology. Recent studies have implicated the complement system as a potential modulator of disease immunopathology. We performed proteomic pathway enrichment analysis of differentially increased proteins, and found an enrichment of complement cascade pathways in the nasal mucus of individuals with CRSwNP as compared to control subjects. Sinonasal mucus levels of complement 3 (C3) correlated with worse subjective disease severity, whereas no significant difference in systemic C3 levels could be determined in plasma samples. Given that human sinonasal epithelial cells were the predominate sinonasal source of C3 and complement anaphylatoxin 3a (C3a) staining, we focused on their role in in vitro studies. Baseline intracellular C3 levels were higher in CRSwNP cells, and following exposure to Aspergillus fumigatus (Af) extract, they released significantly more C3 and C3a. Inhibition of complement 3a receptor (C3aR) signaling led to a decrease in Af-induced C3 and C3a release, both in vitro and in vivo. Finally, we found in vivo that C3aR deficiency or inhibition significantly reduced inflammation and CRS development in a mouse model of Af-induced CRS. These findings demonstrate that local sinonasal complement activation correlates with subjective disease severity, and that local C3aR antagonism significantly ameliorates Af-induced CRS in a rodent model.
A Local Basis for Certain Smooth Bivariate PP Spaces

An earlier argument for the approximation order of certain smooth bivariate pp spaces is shown to provide a simple proof of the existence of a local basis for these spaces. The argument also shows the uniform stability of such bases, except for triangulations with many near-singular vertices.
Steady State Technique for Low Temperature Heat Capacity of Small Samples

Reported here is an elegant method based on steady state or ac calorimetry technique, using laser beam as heat source, to measure absolute heat capacity of tiny samples of mass l-100mgm. The results on high purity copper, gold, nickel and isotopes of molybdenum are given to show that the absolute accuracy of this method is ~ ± 2%, at least comparable, if not better than conventional heat pulse techniques, which require bulky samples ~ 100 times larger. The possible variations of this method will also be discussed.
Cousineau, Thomas J. An Unwritten Novel: Fernando Pessoa’s The Book of Disquiet. London: Dalkey Archive Press, 2013.

Bernardo Soares’s remark that “anything and everything, depending on how one sees it, is a marvel or a hindrance, an all or nothing, a path or a problem” may serve to illustrate Thomas Cousineau’s critical move in his recent book An Unwritten Novel: Fernando Pessoa’s The Book of Disquiet . Without departing from major concerns and theoretical trends that have dominated much of pessoano scholarship around The Book of Disquiet since its first edition in 1982, Cousineau’s study nevertheless offers a significant change of perspective within this framework, and delivers what it promises: an Ariadne’s thread to orient the reader through Pessoa’s labyrinthine prose work.
On A* as a special case of ordered search

The A* admissibility and optimality proofs presented to date have been based on overly restrictive assumptions about the relationship between real and estimated costs. This paper shows that idealism, accuracy and selectivity, properties hitherto thought to be unique to A*, are in fact common to all ordered searches, and do not require the evaluation function / = g+ h traditionally assumed. Consequently, much of A* theory can be greatly simplified.
A call for a pedagogy of empathy

In May 2018, while traveling in the small, quaint Alpine village of Zermatt, Switzerland, I saw a sweet sign painted on an express train that stopped me in my tracks. It said, “Nothing’s sweeter th...
Globalization of Chinese Development Finance for Energy

The global energy finance China provides through CDB and CHEXIM falls in the category of the country’s official development finance (ODF). To appraise the magnitude of Chinese ODF for foreign energy, this chapter has adopted the data set of China’s Global Energy Finance maintained by the Global Economic Governance Initiative (GEGI) of the Boston University because the official data are not available and its adoption addresses the weaknesses associated with the four independent efforts that track Chinese ODF for energy around. This dataset reveals three stylized facts about Chinese ODF for energy worldwide in 2000–2017. First, it has maintained an overall upward trend for the past eighteen years, with its rapid expansion taking place in the aftermath of the 2007 global financial crisis. Second, it exhibits no distinct geographical pattern but is overwhelmingly titled toward fossil fuels. Finally, CDB dwarfs CHEXIM as a provider of Chinese ODF for energy worldwide.
Comparing Frailty Markers in Predicting Poor Outcomes after Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement

INTRODUCTION Frailty is an important component of risk prognostication in transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR). Objective markers of frailty, including sarcopenia, the modified Frailty Index (mFI), and albumin levels, have emerged, but little is known how such markers compare to each other in predicting outcomes after TAVR. We sought to define and compare these markers in predicting long-term outcomes after TAVR. METHODS Patients who underwent TAVR at our institution from 2011 to 2016 were included. Indexed cross-sectional areas of the lumbosacral muscles on preoperative computed tomography scans were used to assess sarcopenia. Optimal cutoffs for sarcopenia were defined using a statistically validated method. mFI was calculated using an 11-point scale of clinical characteristics. The primary outcome was 2-year all-cause mortality. Adjusted survival analysis was used to analyze outcomes. RESULTS A total of 381 patients were included in this study. Sarcopenia of the psoas muscles was associated with an increased risk of mortality on univariate (HR: 2.3, P = 0.01) and multivariate (HR: 2.5, P = 0.01) analysis. Sarcopenia of the paravertebral muscles was associated with increased risk of mortality only on univariate analysis (HR: 2.1, P = 0.03). Increased preoperative albumin levels were associated with decreased risk of mortality on univariate (HR: 0.3, P < 0.01) and multivariate analysis (HR: 0.3, P < 0.01). The (mFI) was not associated with mortality on univariate or multivariate analysis. DISCUSSION Novel cutoffs for sarcopenia of the psoas muscles were determined and associated with decreased survival after TAVR. Sarcopenia and albumin levels may be better tools for risk prediction than mFI in TAVR.
Barriers and Challenges to Service Delivery and Funding: A Case Study of a Nonprofit Organization in the Western Cape, South Africa

There is limited qualitative case research focusing on the underreported voices of black and coloured men and women employed at nonprofit organizations (NPOs) and living in underserved communities of South Africa. The purpose of this single case study, then, is to explore barriers and challenges to service delivery and funding at one specific NPO in South Africa’s Western Cape Province (WCP). To do so, I rely on observations and indepth semistructured interviews with 11 staff members. According to a majority of the staff, religion and race are the primary barriers that prevent the organization from achieving its goals and objectives. Moreover, they note that poverty and poor living conditions, child abandonment and neglect as a result of maternal alcohol abuse, and racial and cultural tensions are contextual challenges that inhibit organizational effectiveness. While these barriers and challenges are specific to this particular NPO, the contextual factors that staff identified are evident in other townships in the WCP. As such, the findings from this study add to the knowledge of NPOs in the WCP and provide insights into how to improve service delivery for low-income and underserved populations in the region.
The power of 'pause': A time for medical students to reflect and mobilise.

The author reflects on the implications the COVID‐19 pandemic holds for training, practice, public health, and health policy reform
Traumatic brain injury therapeutics

Abstract Severe traumatic brain injury physiologically is a heterogeneous disorder that is characterized by a cascade of events from the “second-hit” phenomenon. The management of these patients is becoming increasingly sophisticated with the introduction of multimodal monitoring systems and better understanding of the complex interactions of the brain and other vital organs. Many of the traditional therapeutic options still lack level 1 evidence, however, this chapter is focused on the key therapeutic options that significantly impact the outcome of severe TBI patients.
Taking the burden off: a study of the quality of ethics consultation in the time of COVID-19.

BACKGROUND: The quality of ethics consults is notoriously difficult to measure. Survey-based assessments cannot capture nuances of consultations. To address this gap, we conducted interviews with health professionals who requested ethics consults during the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic. METHOD: Healthcare professionals requesting ethics consultation between March 2020 and May 2020 at a tertiary academic medical centre were eligible to participate. We asked participants to comment on the consults they called and thematically analysed responses to identify features associated with optimal quality consultations. RESULTS: Of 14 healthcare providers, 8 (57%) were women and professions were as follows: 11 (79%) medical doctors, 1 (7%) social worker, 1 (7%) physician assistant and 1 (7%) nurse practitioner. Two aspects of quality emerged: satisfaction and value. Themes within the domain of satisfaction included: responsiveness of the ethics consultant, willingness to consult, institutional role of the ethics service and identifying areas for improvement. When describing value, respondents spoke of the intrapersonal and interpersonal worth of consultation. CONCLUSION: Participants were generally satisfied with ethics consultation services, similar to opinions of those found in pre-COVID-19 survey studies. Our qualitative approach allowed for a richer exploration of the value of ethics consultation during the pandemic and has implications for ethics consultation services more broadly. Ethics consultation-emphasising both the process and outcome-created valuable moral spaces, promoting thoughtful and ethical responses to dilemmas in patient care. Future assessments should incorporate patient and family/surrogate perspectives and explore the domain of education as an additional quality measure.
Mapping liquid water content in snow: An intercomparison of mixed-phase optical property models using hyperspectral imaging and in situ measurements

Abstract. It is well understood that the distribution and quantity of liquid water in snow is relevant for snow hydrology and avalanche forecasting, yet detecting and quantifying liquid water in snow remains a challenge from the micro- to the macro-scale. Using near-infrared (NIR) spectral reflectance measurements, previous case studies have demonstrated the capability to retrieve surface liquid water content (LWC) of wet snow by leveraging shifts in the complex refractive index between ice and water. However, different models to represent mixed-phase optical properties have been proposed, including (1) internally mixed ice and water spheres, (2) internally mixed water coated ice spheres, and (3) externally mixed interstitial ice and water spheres. Here, from within a controlled laboratory environment, we determine the optimal mixed-phase optical property model for simulating wet snow reflectance using a combination of NIR hyperspectral imaging, radiative transfer simulations (DISORT), and an independent dielectric LWC measurement (SLF Snow Sensor). Maps of LWC were produced by finding the least residual between measured reflectance and simulated reflectance in spectral libraries, generated for each model with varying LWC and grain size, and assessed against the in situ LWC sensor. Our results show that the externally mixed model performed the best, retrieving LWC with an uncertainty of ~1 %, while the simultaneously retrieved grain size better represented wet snow relative to the established scaled band area method. Furthermore, the LWC retrieval method was demonstrated in the field, imaging a snowpit sidewall during melt conditions, mapping pooling water, flow features, and LWC distribution in unprecedented detail.
A Taxonomy of XSS Attack Detections in Mobile Environments based on Automation Capabilities

HTML and JavaScript have become the go-to languages for many developers making apps for multiple smartphone operating systems. HTML provides developers with a way to make a universal framework to build cross-platform apps. This convenience does not come without risk, however. Being HTML-based, these apps are susceptible to Cross-Site Scripting (XSS). In this paper, we break down what a cross-site scripting attack is, how it works, and the security risks that come with it. We also investigate several different methods used to detect and path code with vulnerability.
A Qualitative Study of Living in a Healthy Food Priority Area in One Seattle, WA, Neighborhood

Policy makers in several major cities have used quantitative data about local food environments to identify neighborhoods with inadequate access to healthy food. We conducted qualitative interviews with residents of a healthy food priority area to assess whether residents' perceptions of food access were consistent with previous quantitative findings, and to better understand lived experience of food access. We found that proximity to stores, transportation mode, and cost shaped decisions about food shopping. The local food bank played an important role in improving food access. Participants had varied suggestions for ways to improve the neighborhood, both related and unrelated to the food environment.
Warm forming of AA7075-T6 with direct electrical resistance heating

High-strength aluminum alloy sheet materials are of interest to automobile manufacturers for components that can significantly reduce vehicle mass. But, the practical application of these materials is limited by low formability. Warm forming offers a potential means to overcome this limitation. The warm-forming behavior of an AA7075-T6 sheet material is investigated using direct electrical resistance to rapidly heat material for tensile testing. These experiments probe the potential to use rapid heating from the hardened T6 condition to form under retrogression conditions that provide ductilities significantly better than those possible at room temperature. The key advantage of this approach is the possibility to recover nearly full strength by reaging after warm forming, which may be possible through the paint-bake cycle alone. The development, implementation, and validation of the direct electrical resistance heating tensile testing system are discussed. The results of tension tests and retrogression-reaging experiments are presented.
A simple method for balancing the DC-link voltage of three-level inverters

In this paper, a simple control method for balancing the DC-link voltage of three-level neutral-point-clamped (NPC) inverters is presented. The method is based on DC-DC power converter technology. In addition, the proposed topology is enhanced to also improve the NPC inverter's ride-through ability. Simulation results are supplied to confirm the validity of the proposed method for conventional sinusoidal pulse width modulation (SPWM) schemes and common-mode voltage cancellation.
Short-latency disparity vergence eye movements: dependence on the preëxisting vergence angle.

We recorded the vergence eye movements that are elicited at ultra-short latencies when binocular disparities are applied to large-field patterns (Busettini et al., 1996) and determined their dependence on the preexisting vergence angle (PVA). The search coil technique was used to record the movements of both eyes in four healthy subjects (two with presbyopia). Using dichoptic viewing, the two eyes saw identical images each consisting of a fixation cross at the center of a random dot pattern in a circular aperture. The subject fixated the crosses and then the images (crosses, random dots, windows) moved horizontally (1.5°/s) in opposite directions so as to bring the eyes to the desired horizontal vergence position without changing the accommodation demand. After a further 800-1200 ms to permit fusion at this new vergence angle (now, the PVA), a disparity step was applied and, 200ms later, the screen changed to uniform gray, marking the end of the trial. The disparity steps could have one of 6 magnitudes and four directions (crossed, uncrossed, right-hyper, left-hyper) while the PVA was varied systematically. The horizontal and vertical DVRs of one of the presbyopes consistently showed robust linear dependence on the PVA (r2>0.96). The horizontal DVRs of the other three subjects showed no sensitivity to the PVA and their vertical DVRs showed only very weak dependence. The experiment was repeated on one of the non-presbyopes after cycloplegia, but the outcome was the same, indicating that the negative findings were not due to the influence of the vergence-accommodation response. Our data indicate that the DVRs can be scaled by the PVA, but most subjects do not show this effect, perhaps because they relied on other distance cues that are uninformative in our experimental situation.