cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cache resident data locality analysis

The data cache organization of a computer can significantly affect overall data access latencies when a program is executed. The cache performance depends on the locality characteristics of the data being processed in a program as well as the underlying architecture. A typical executing program has a data access profile that exhibits both temporal and spatial locality characteristics. Since most processors contain single data caches at a given level and since the single data cache cannot be optimized for purely spatial nor purely temporal locality data accesses, cache space pollution and inefficient usage of cache resources can occur. In the worst case, these phenomena can actually introduce additional data access latency through repeated line fills. An analysis and modeling scheme is presented that describes the runtime data access behavior of several benchmark programs in a typical, unified data cache. The motivation for the development of this model is to produce information that may aid in the design of a split data cache with one side optimized for temporal locality accesses and the other for spatial locality accesses.
Informed consent: some challenges to the universal validity of the Western model.

This paper presents first an account of informed consent as it is envisioned and ethically grounded in the Western world. Next there is a discussion of why the Western model is unsuitable in much of the remainder of the world where the concept of “person” differs substantially from that of Western societies. This is followed by some comments on the current controversy on whether ethical standards should be regarded as universally applicable or, rather, whether some degree of ethical and cultural relativism is to be regarded as legitimate. After providing preliminary responses to some questions posed by the Conference Programme Committee, the paper concludes with a proposal for a procedural approach to the resolution of problems with informed consent.
Crises That Threaten Out-of-Home Placement of Children with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders

This is the publisher's version. It can also be found at http://dx.doi.org/10.1606/1044-3894.1350. Copyright 1994 Families International, Inc.
Identification of Cartilage Wear Fragments in Synovial Fluid from Equine Joints

Synovial fluids from 72 equine joints were examined for the presence of cartilage debris, and these findings were compared to findings from visual inspection of the articular cartilage surfaces at necropsy. Synovial fluids from 25 joints with visual cartilage damage contained one or more large particles of articular cartilage. Cartilage fragments were not found in synovial fluids from 42 of the 47 apparently normal joints; thus, a correlation may exist between cartilage debris in the synovial fluid and lesions of the articular surfaces.
Minimum-time trajectories for kinematic mobile robots and other planar rigid bodies with finite control sets

This paper presents first attempts at a method for searching for time-optimal trajectories for a general model of mobile robots that includes Dubins and Reeds-Shepp cars, differential-drive robots, and omnidirectional robots as special cases. The paper takes as a starting point recent results by the authors that describe necessary conditions on the trajectories, based on Pontryagin's Maximum Principle. These necessary conditions reduce the problem of finding an optimal trajectory between start and goal to a few one-dimensional search problems. This search is not formally guaranteed to find a near-optimal trajectory if the sampling of the search space is not fine enough, but comparison to existing analytical results for specific systems, and a complete numerical search over trajectories with only a few control switches, demonstrates effectiveness of the method.
You Can't Take Fingerprints Off Water: Police Officers' Views Toward "Cop" Television Shows

Given the disclaimers of the tentative and suggestive nature of the data, a majority of the 816 police officers in this study indicated that they viewed police shows that stressed professionalism. Police professionalism, which seemed to explain the popularity of some shows and the disdain for others, was discussed in terms of three overlapping factors: reality of the episode, believability of cops, crooks, and dialogue, and correctness of investigatory and other procedures. Of the 13 police shows surveyed, Adam 12 achieved the highest scores from policemen on both the realism and frequency dimensions. Interesting dialogue, humor, and correct police procedure were cited time and again by respondents who watched this show. Yet the key to the explanation of Adam 12's apparent popularity-along with F.B.I., Dragnet, and Streets of San Francisco-seems to be the high level of professional conduct. In all these shows, police are portrayed as competent, well-trained, dedicated-and professional. If the plots are oc...
Relaxations of Quadratic Programs in Operator Theory and System Analysis

The paper describes a class of mathematical problems at an intersection of operator theory and combinatorics, and discusses their application in complex system analysis. The main object of study is duality gap bounds in quadratic programming which deals with problems of maximizing quadratic functionals subject to quadratic constraints Such optimization is known to be universal, in the sense that many computationally hard questions can be reduced to quadratic programming On the other hand, it is conjectured that an efficient algorithm of solving general non-convex quadratic programs exactly does not exist.
Air Quality and Early-Life Mortality During Indonesia's Massive Wildfires in 1997

Air quality was extremely poor in Indonesia in late 1997 due to smoke from massive wildfires. This paper examines the impact this episode of air pollution (particulate matter) had on infant and fetal mortality. Deaths are inferred from “missing children” in the 2000 Indonesian Census, analyzing subdistrict-year-month birth cohorts and exploiting the sharp timing and spatial patterns of the pollution. Exposure to pollution during the last trimester in utero is found to have a large effect on survival. The fire-induced pollution caused a 1.0% decrease in cohort size, or over 16,400 missing children across Indonesia for the five-month period of high exposure. In addition, pollution has much larger mortality effects in poorer areas. The results suggest that environmental damage that occurs alongside economic development has large and regressive health costs.
Applications of isotopic tracers in Fischer–Tropsch synthesis

In this review, five different applications of isotopic tracers to the Fischer–Tropsch synthesis reaction on cobalt, iron, and ruthenium catalysts are reviewed. By co-feeding molecules containing a radioactive 14C-label and monitoring the fate of the species in the product distribution, researchers have identified molecules that are candidates for chain initiation or reincorporation into the growing chain. Kinetic isotope effects resulting from H2/D2 switching have provided insights into the rate limiting steps involved in chain initiation and propagation. H2/D2 switching has also been employed in order to account for the holdup of heavier products in the reactor, thus allowing one to correct for the product accumulation effect on the ASF plot so that the true impact of olefin reincorporation on the product distribution can be assessed. The competitive adsorption of H2 and D2 on the catalyst surface has also been explored in order to identify if H–D partitioning effects could influence the probability for one isotope to be favored for reaction during FTS and thus influence KIE results. Finally, steady state isotopic transient kinetic analysis (SSITKA) has been utilized to obtain a number of important kinetically relevant parameters (e.g., number of active sites, rate constant, TOF, etc.), to quantify the pool of reactive intermediates on the catalyst surface, and explore how co-adsorbed molecules may influence the size or reactivity of the reactive pool.
“Friends to Your Souls”: Jonathan Edwards' Indian Pastorate and the Doctrine of Original Sin

souls" by seeking after holiness. Edwards encouraged his Indian congregants to take tender care of their souls, to "forsake wickedness and seek after Holiness" and not to "act the part of Enemies of Enemies [sic] to your soul."2 This sermon could scarcely have been more different from one delivered to a gathering of the town's English children just a month earlier, in which Edwards railed at them that he would "rather go into Sodom and preach to the men of Sodom than preach to you and should have a great deal more hopes of success."3 In this same sermon, Edwards demanded, "should I now think it worthy of my while to preach to you.., .were it not that I knew that God is almighty and he can make the word pierce your hearts tho' it be harder than a rock?"4
Online testing with model programs

Online testing is a technique in which test derivation from a model program and test execution are combined into a single algorithm. We describe a practical online testing algorithm that is implemented in the model-based testing tool developed at Microsoft Research called Spec Explorer. Spec Explorer is being used daily by several Microsoft product groups. Model programs in Spec Explorer are written in the high level specification languages AsmL or Spec\#. We view model programs as implicit definitions of interface automata. The conformance relation between a model and an implementation under test is formalized in terms of refinement between interface automata. Testing then amounts to a game between the test tool and the implementation under test.
An Emergent Approach to the Guttural Natural Class

The post-velar consonants (uvulars, pharyngeals/epiglottals, glottals) have been argued to form an innate and universal phonological natural class (e.g. by McCarthy 1994). Under this hypothesis, languages should have an equal likelihood of showing evidence for the guttural natural class regardless of which post-velar consonants are present in each language. However, typological evidence from P-base (Mielke, 2008) shows that languages with pharyngeal consonants are significantly more likely to show such evidence than languages with just uvulars and glottals. This paper argues that the reason that languages with pharyngeals are more likely to show evidence of the guttural natural class is that pharyngeals are able to pull other consonants into phonologically patterning with them for both articulatory and acoustic reasons. The epilaryngeal constriction used in pharyngeal consonants facilitates articulatory links with uvulars and glottals. The acoustic effects of pharyngeals and uvulars on adjacent vowels are also similar, providing another means for these segments to pattern together phonologically. A preliminary analysis in Optimality Theory of the effects of post-velars on vowels is proposed in which markedness constraints refer to similarity scales that relate post-velar consonants to vowels. The guttural natural class, rather than being innate, emerges from phonological patterns with phonetic underpinnings.
The Influence of the Social Network's `Second-Order Zone' on Social Support Mobilization: A Case Example:

Although social support researchers have long acknowledged the utility of social network analysis, few have shown the scope of analysis that is most useful to understanding how our social ties `buffer' us from adversity and `channel' us to other resources in times of trouble or transition. For the most part, researchers have limited their analyses to what Barnes (1969) and Mitchell (1969) call the `primary zone' (the links among and between the support receiver and those persons directly linked to him or her). In this article, it is suggested that expanding analysis to the network's `second-order zone' (the primary zone plus the ties between persons tied directly to support providers, but not to the receiver) enhances understanding of social support outcomes. To explore this thesis, the article examines social support and social network data from a field study of social support mobilization among low-income African-American women household heads in Chicago. I first attempt to explain observed social suppo...
Vam7p, a vacuolar SNAP-25 homolog, is required for SNARE complex integrity and vacuole docking and fusion

The vacuole v-t-SNARE complex is disassembled by Sec17p/alpha-SNAP and Sec18p/NSF prior to vacuole docking and fusion. We now report a functional characterization of the vacuolar SNARE Vam7p, a SNAP-25 homolog. Although Vam7p has no hydrophobic domains, it is tightly associated with the vacuolar membrane. Vam7p is a constituent of the vacuole SNARE complex and is released from this complex by the Sec17p/Sec18p/ATP-mediated priming of the vacuoles. Even in the absence of the vacuolar v-SNARE Nyv1p, a subcomplex which includes Vam7p and the t-SNARE Vam3p is preserved. Vam7p is necessary for the stability of the vacuolar SNARE complex, since vacuoles from mutants deleted in VAM7 do not have a Vam3p-Nyv1p complex. Furthermore, Vam7p alone, in the absence of Nyv1p and Vam3p, cannot mediate fusion with wild-type vacuoles, whereas vacuoles with only Nyv1p or Vam3p alone can fuse with wild-type vacuoles in the absence of the other two SNAREs. Thus, Vam7p is important for the stable assembly and efficient function of the vacuolar SNARE complex and maintenance of the vacuolar morphology. This functional characterization of Vam7p suggests a general role for SNAP-25 homologs, not only on the plasma membrane but along the secretory pathway.
Spatio-temporal dynamics in Seoul Metropolitan Region: Linking remote sensing into urban theory

Rapid urban growth and subsequent dramatic changes in landscape diversity have been witnessed in some developing countries as a result of rapid economic development. Since the 1960s, the Seoul Metropolitan Region (SMR) increasingly reflects a synthesis of urban and suburban building styles and land use patterns. This paper examines the measurement and monitoring of urban growth and change by the integration of remote sensing and urban geography. The study investigates the value of the combination in conjunction with landscape metrics as applied to the Seoul Metropolitan region between 1970 and 2000. The study introduces a methodology using landscape metrics to enhance understanding urban growth land use patterns with multivariate statistical methods. Using selected landscape metrics and statistical methods, the author describe patterns of landscape change in Seoul Metropolitan Region between 1950 and 2000. This research shows the significance of urban remote sensing in urban.
The Semiotic Paradigm and Language Change

The considerable contribution of contemporary linguistics to semiotics is well known, and the influence of the linguistic paradigm in semiotic investigations is equally well-documented. However, the reverse direction, that of the effects of current semiotic methods on linguistic method is hardly a concept. This seems rather incongruous, since the contemporary period of these two disciplines dates from the end of the last century with Saussure, who was both a linguist and a semiotist, and it has been continually nurtured throughout this century by Jakobson and others, who are equally at home in linguistics and semiotics. Yet, slight indications of the consistent intervention of the semiotic paradigm in behalf of hard linguistic data, in particular that involved in explaining language change, have been delayed until now, the final quarter of this century.
Abstract 349: Comparisons of Self-reported and Measured Body Mass Index in a large Employee Population: The Baptist Health South Florida Employee Study

Background: Self reporting of health information by participants in employer sponsored programs may result in under reporting of this data. Since policies are formulated on the basis of analysis of available data, underreported data may adversely inform healthcare policy decisions in workplace and other relevant settings. In this study, we examine the disparity in measured versus self reported body mass index (BMI) in a large, diverse working population participating in a work-based Health Risk Assessment (HRA). Methods: Baptist Health South Florida, a large not-for-profit health care organization, conducts a HRA annually for its employees. The HRA consists of an online health questionnaire and an in-person assessment of biometric measures. Participants report their height and weight in the online questionnaire, and height and weight is measured during collection of biometric information, from which BMI is calculated. BMI was categorized as: not obese (<25kg/m2), obese (30 - 34.9kg/m2) and morbidly obese (≥35kg/m2). Results: A total of 9536 persons self reported their BMI and subsequently had BMI measured. Mean age of the participants was 43.1 years (± 12.1). Mean BMI was 28.6 (± 6.2) and 27.8 (± 5.9) respectively for measured and self reported BMI respectively. Among all participants, 90% self reported accurately in their respective weight categories, while 9% underreported their weight. However, among obese participants (n=3168), 72% correctly self-reported their BMI. Approximately 29% of obese class I participants reported BMIs in the non-obese category, while about 22% of those with BMI ≥35 kg/m2 reported as being in Obese class I (<35kg/m2). There was a high degree of agreement overall observed between measured and self reported BMI (κ = 0.84; Intra Class Coefficient = 0.89). Conclusion: Despite of a high degree of overall agreement between measured and self reported BMI, obese participants considerably underreport BMI. Thus, underreporting of self-reported data should be taken into account during program planning and formulation of healthcare policy decisions in the workplace. ![][1] [1]: /embed/graphic-1.gif
Statistical aspects of interpreting the results of clinical trials for OME.

The interpretation of results of clinical trials investigating otitis media often requires knowledge of some of the more subtle issues in the analysis and design of such trials. Four of the most common aspects of clinical trials that lead to differing interpretations are the method of assigning treatment, definition of the outcome, the sample size and the method of analysis. In regard to the assignment of treatment, the most preferable from a scientific standpoint is randomization. Treatment is randomly assigned to patients for two primary pUrposes: 1) to eliminate investigator bias in treatment assignment, i.e. to guarantee that patients receiving the different treatment have comparable prognostic characteristics, and 2) to guarantee that the conditions are satisfied that are required for the usual statistical procedures to be applied. Problems of interpreting data from uncontrolled trials or of using historical controls for comparison have been discussed by several authors. In general, nonrandomized trials appear to result in a greater number of positive findings which may in part be due to their failure to adequately control for differing prognostic characteristics. For the remainder of this paper we will assume that we have a randomized clinical trial. The concepts will be demonstrated using information obtained from a review of 20 randomized trials published in the last 5 years to assess the efficacy of various modalities of treating otitis media (refer to References). Otitis media is a disease that is recurrent and this has led many investigators to incorporate measurements at multiple time points in the design of the trial. Fourteen (70%) of the reviewed trials had measurements at more than one time point. This multiplicity of outcomes increases the options the investigator may use to analyze his data, but also may increase the difficulty of interpreting the results. In a hypothetical situation where there are 100 patients in each of two treatment groups and an assessment of cure is made at two time points, assume we obtain the results summarized in Table 1.
How to review a surgical paper: a guide for junior referees

Reviewing a surgical manuscript is not an easy task, and there is no formal training available for young referees in the early stage of their careers. Accepting a peer review assignment represents a personal honor for the invited referee and a fundamental ethical responsibility towards the scientific community. Designated reviewers must be accomplished and knowledgeable in the area of the respective topic of investigation. More importantly, they must be aware and cognizant about the cardinal ethical responsibility and stewardship for ensuring the preservation of scientific knowledge of unbiased and unquestionable accuracy in the published literature. Accepting a review assignment should never be taken lightly or considered a simple task, regardless of the reviewer’s level of seniority and expertise. Indeed, there are multiple challenges, difficulties, and ‘hidden dangers’ that jeopardize the completion of a high-quality review, particularly in the hands of less experienced or novice reviewers. The present article was designed to provide a brief, concise, and practical guide on how to review manuscripts for the ‘junior referee’ in the field of surgery.
Agile Optical Frequency Synthesis in Extra-Cavity Parametric Mixers

Concepts and recent advances in parametric optical frequency synthesis are presented. New parametric mixer designs enable orders-of-magnitude improvement in tuning agility, spectral purity and wavelength coverage of existing tunable sources.
Benign lymphoid infiltrate of the iris simulating a malignant melanoma

Purpose. To report a clinicopathologic correlation of an unusual benign lymphocytic iris mass in a patient who had no systemic lymphoproliferative disease. Methods. Case report. Results. A 49-year-old man developed a circumscribed, tan lesion in his left iris. The lesion was suspected clinically to be an atypical iris melanoma. Histopathologic studies of the resected mass revealed a solid tumor that was comprised of lymphocytes and histiocytes. Immunohistochemical studies identified that most of the cells were T lymphocytes. The histopathologic diagnosis was atypical lymphoid infiltrate. Workup for systemic lymphoma and Epstein-Barr virus infection was negative. Conclusion. Lymphoid infiltrate can manifest as a solitary mass that can simulate an iris melanoma.
The Quest for the Perfect Myocardial Perfusion Indicator…Still a Long Way to Go

In spite of great strides in developing myocardial perfusion scintigraphy for the last 25 y, the general agreement is that a better radiopharmaceutical tracer needs to be found. In the search for a new perfusion agent applicable to clinical situations, Marshall et al. ([1][1]), in this issue of The
Evaluation of disinfection effect of chlorine dioxide gas on biosafety levels-III laboratory

Objective Objective To observe disinfection effect of chlorine dioxide gas on biosafety levels- III laboratory and the influencing factors. Methods Carrier gas fumigation sterilization test was used to observe disinfection effect of chlorine dioxide gas on Bacillus subtilis var. niger spores. Results Under 1 500 mg / m3 chlorine dioxide and the pre-setting exposure time,Bacillus subtilis var. niger spores on the filter paper,steel,protein and filter paper,and protein and steel at different locations were all killed,but the cotton carrier had bacteria after cultivation. Under the condition of installing circulation pump,the concentration of chlorine dioxide gas was decreased to 500 mg / m3. The organic substance added to the suspension directly affected the bactericidal effect,and the bactericidal effect was affected by the different nature of the carriers such as absorbent carriers and completely smooth carriers. Conclusion The chlorine dioxide gas have good killing effect to Bacillus subtilis var. niger spores on the surface of the biological safety cabinet,but requires strict control the environmental conditions in order to avoid the adverse factors of disinfection.
Approximate bitcoin mining

Bitcoin is the most popular cryptocurrency today. A bedrock of the Bitcoin framework is mining, a computation intensive process that is used to verify Bitcoin transactions for profit. We observe that mining is inherently error tolerant due to its embarrassingly parallel and probabilistic nature. We exploit this inherent tolerance to inaccuracy by proposing approximate mining circuits that trade off reliability with area and delay. These circuits can then be operated at Better Than Worst-Case (BTWC) to enable further gains. Our results show that approximation has the potential to increase mining profits by 30%.
The Bioethics of Music, the Music of Bioethics

Bioethics is rarely referenced in the scholarship of performing arts medicine (PAM). This essay argues that bioethical concerns loom far larger in the care of PAM patients than might typically be understood. This essay presents Beauchamp and Childress's four principles of bioethics, with examples pertinent to PAM, drawn from the author's research and personal experience.
Evaluating answer quality across knowledge domains: using textual and non-textual features in social Q&A

As an increasing important source of information and knowledge, social questioning and answering sites (social Q&A) have attracted significant attention from industry and academia, as they address the challenge of evaluating and predicting the quality of answers on such sites. However, few previous studies examined the answer quality by considering knowledge domains or topics as a potential factor. To fill this gap, a model consisting of 24 textual and non-textual features of answers was developed in this study to evaluate and predict answer quality for social Q&A, and the model was applied to identify and compare useful features for predicting high-quality answers across four knowledge domains, including science, technology, art, and recreation. The findings indicate that review and user features are the most powerful indicators of high-quality answers regardless of knowledge domains, while the usefulness of textual features (length, structure, and writing style) varies across different knowledge domains. In the future, the findings could be applied to automatically assessing answer quality and quality control in social Q&A.
Hypoprothrombinemia associated with cefmetazole.

ObjectiveTo report a case of hypoprothrombinemia associated with the use of cefmetazole sodium, define patients at risk for this adverse effect, and identify options to prevent this problem.Case SummaryA malnourished patient with endstage renal disease received cefmetazole following a below-the-knee amputation of the right leg. Three days later, a prothrombin time (FT) and an international normalized ratio (INR) were obtained and were markedly elevated from baseline; however, the patient had no clinical symptoms of bleeding. Cefmetazole was discontinued. Vitamin K and fresh frozen plasma were administered. The PT and INR normalized within 24 hours and remained normal throughout the remainder of hospitalization.DiscussionThe incidence of hypoprothrombinemia associated with cefmetazole reported in the literature is conflicting and not consistent. There are three proposed mechanisms of cephalosporin-associated hypoprothrombinemia, two of which involve the N-methylthiotetrazole (NMTT) chain. The most plausibl...
Impact of post-alignment processing in variant discovery from whole exome data.

GATK Best Practices workflows are widely used in large-scale sequencing projects and recommend post-alignment processing before variant calling. Two key post-processing steps include the computationally intensive local realignment around known INDELs and base quality score recalibration (BQSR). Both have been shown to reduce erroneous calls; however, the findings are mainly supported by the analytical pipeline that incorporates BWA and GATK UnifiedGenotyper. It is not known whether there is any benefit of post-processing and to what extent the benefit might be for pipelines implementing other methods, especially given that both mappers and callers are typically updated. Moreover, because sequencing platforms are upgraded regularly and the new platforms provide better estimations of read quality scores, the need for post-processing is also unknown. Finally, some regions in the human genome show high sequence divergence from the reference genome; it is unclear whether there is benefit from post-processing in these regions. We used both simulated and NA12878 exome data to comprehensively assess the impact of post-processing for five or six popular mappers together with five callers. Focusing on chromosome 6p21.3, which is a region of high sequence divergence harboring the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) system, we found that local realignment had little or no impact on SNP calling, but increased sensitivity was observed in INDEL calling for the Stampy + GATK UnifiedGenotyper pipeline. No or only a modest effect of local realignment was detected on the three haplotype-based callers and no evidence of effect on Novoalign. BQSR had virtually negligible effect on INDEL calling and generally reduced sensitivity for SNP calling that depended on caller, coverage and level of divergence. Specifically, for SAMtools and FreeBayes calling in the regions with low divergence, BQSR reduced the SNP calling sensitivity but improved the precision when the coverage is insufficient. However, in regions of high divergence (e.g., the HLA region), BQSR reduced the sensitivity of both callers with little gain in precision rate. For the other three callers, BQSR reduced the sensitivity without increasing the precision rate regardless of coverage and divergence level. We demonstrated that the gain from post-processing is not universal; rather, it depends on mapper and caller combination, and the benefit is influenced further by sequencing depth and divergence level. Our analysis highlights the importance of considering these key factors in deciding to apply the computationally intensive post-processing to Illumina exome data.
The river-border complex: a border-integrated approach to transboundary river governance illustrated by the Ganges River and Indo-Bangladeshi border

ABSTRACTInternational rivers are conventionally understood as watercourses that cross national boundaries, while borders themselves are taken to be static and given – passive features over and across which riparian processes unfold. Employing such straightforward framings of international rivers and borders, academic studies and policy analyses of transboundary water governance perpetuate problematic ideas about the relevant scales and actors involved in international river conflicts and crises. Through a historical examination of the Ganges River and the Indo-Bangladeshi border, I introduce the ‘river-border complex’ as a new framework for reconceptualizing international rivers and borders as synergistic, co-constitutive and interdependent.
Comparing Short-term Complications of Inpatient Versus Outpatient Single-level Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion: An Analysis of 6940 Patients Using the ACS-NSQIP Database.

Study design Multicenter propensity score-adjusted retrospective cohort study. Objective To determine baseline 30-day complication rates for anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) and compare clinical complications for patients undergoing single-level ACDFs between inpatient and outpatient settings. Summary of background data ACDF remains the most common procedure in the treatment of a variety of cervical disc pathologies, making it a focus of quality improvement initiatives. Outpatient single-level ACDFs are becoming more common and offer advantages including reducing nosocomial infections and costs, as well as improved patient satisfaction. Materials and methods The 2011-2013 NSQIP datasets were queried to identify all patients who underwent single-level ACDF procedures using current procedural terminology codes. Outpatient and inpatient cohorts were matched 1:1 using propensity score analysis to assess short-term outcomes. The outcomes assessed included 30-day medical and surgical complications, reoperation, readmission, and mortality. Results In total, 6940 patients underwent a single-level ACDF with an overall complication rate of 4.2%. A total of 5162 patients (74.4%) had an inpatient hospital stay after surgery, whereas 1778 patients (25.6%) had outpatient surgery. After matching based on preoperative and operative characteristics to account for potential confounders, the overall complication rate was higher in the inpatient arm compared with the outpatient arm (2.5% vs. 1.2%; P=0.003). The 30-day readmission rate was also higher but not significant in the inpatient group than the outpatient group (2.2% vs. 1.8%; P=0.355). Mortality was the same with 0.1% in both groups (P=0.564). Conclusions Patients undergoing outpatient single-level ACDF had a lower 30-day complication rates than those undergoing it in the inpatient setting. Outpatient surgery for single-level ACDF is safe and a favorable option for suitable patients. Level of evidence Level 3.
Calcium and the electrocardiogram: III. The relationship of the intervals of the electrocardiogram to the level of serum calcium☆

Abstract The time relations of the electrocardiographic events of the ventricular repolarization process have been correlated with the level of serum calcium in a study of 114 electrocardiograms obtained from thirty-four patients with disease of the parathyroid gland and twenty-three other patients with marked hypercalcemia. The duration of the Q-oTc segment is inversely proportional to levels of serum calcium as high as 20 mg. per 100 ml. The duration of the Q-Tc interval is inversely proportional to the serum calcium level as high as levels of approximately 16 mg. per 100 ml. At higher levels its duration again grows longer. The duration of the T wave is independent of the serum calcium level but is often prolonged at very high levels and may also be prolonged at low levels in individual patients. The duration of the Q-oTc interval is the best guide to the assessment of the serum calcium level from the electrocardiogram. The effects of the serum calcium level upon the human electrocardiogram have been briefly reviewed.
Language learning strategy and language learning achievement: An empirical study among intermediate Chinese L2 learners

This study investigates the relationship between language learning achievement and the use of language learning strategy among intermediate Chinese as a second language (L2) learners. A total of 62 students from an intermediate Chinese course participated in this study. Strategy Inventory for Language Learning (SILL) ( Oxford, 1989 ) was used to assess participants’ strategy use frequency. Correlation, one-way ANOVA, and ANOVA post hoc tests were performed for data analysis. Key findings suggest that: (1) initiative, communicative orientation, and risk taking are good behavioral predictors of Chinese L2 achievement; (2) medium-achieving learners are more active in using strategies, especially cognitive and memory strategies. These investigations of strategy use within and across achievement groups revealed both Chinese L2 learners’ characteristics in strategy use, and also the problems and challenges that learners with different achievement levels encounter. Multiple pedagogical implications are provided at the end of this article.
The variable lymphocyte receptor as an antibody alternative

Variable lymphocyte receptors (VLRs) are leucine-rich repeat proteins in jawless vertebrates that function similarly to Ig antibodies. However, VLRs possess a distinct crescent-shaped structure and modularity that results in a concave binding interface that contrasts significantly with Ig antibodies. Antigen binding interactions result in specific, high affinity VLR binding interactions with both proteins and glycans. The natural sourcing of VLRs allows for immunization strategies, while the modularity enables a whole host of protein engineering approaches including consensus scaffolds, designed libraries and directed evolution with display technologies. VLR technologies have been recently deployed for applications in cell-specific targeting, drug delivery, tumor diagnostics and even protein stabilization. It is anticipated that the VLR field will continue to emerge to provide unique solutions for targeting glycans, evolutionarily conserved proteins and cellular specificity.
Patience Is a Virtue: Expectant Management of Chylothorax After Thoracoabdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair Usually Works.

Abstract In their series of 11 postoperative chylothorax events after open thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm repair, Wu and colleagues demonstrate this rare (incidence
Quantitative Prediction of Recycling Efficiency of Electrocoating Paint Solids Through Ultrafiltrate Rinse

Corrosion of automobile bodies became a severe problem in the 1950’s, due to the increased use of salt for the deicing of roads. The essentially flat outer surfaces of an automobile body were reasonably well protected against the corrosive action of salt and environment through a paint coat. The automotive bodies however corroded from the inside out. A paint application process was needed which would protect both inner and outer surfaces with a uniformly thin paint film.
Think Globally, Act Locally, and Plan Nationally An Evaluation of Sustainable Development in Indonesia at National, Regional, and Local Levels

This chapter offers an evaluation of the national sustainable development strategy for the Republic of Indonesia. The city of Balikpapan and East Kalimantan, the province in which it resides, were chosen as case study locations for further analysis of the relationship between the various levels of government in relation to sustainable development.
AN INTERNATIONAL COMPARISON OF PARTICIPATION IN LIFELONG LEARNING AND PROBLEM SOLVING ABILITIES FOR OLDER WORKERS.

AbstractFor several decades, discussions of lifelong learning have focused heavily on adult education and training (AET) opportunities that provide economic benefits, especially those that help learners maintain or gain job-related skills or competencies so they can remain in the labor force at older ages. This can be especially important for older adult workers, who are at risk for experiencing skills obsolescence, as well as receiving fewer work-related training opportunities than younger workers. Using data from the Program for the International Assessment of Adult Competencies (PIAAC), we examined the relationship between participation in formal and non-formal AET, foundational computer skills (ICT), and problem solving abilities in technology-rich environments (PSTRE) for adults between ages 45–65. U.S. data were compared with data from Canada, Germany, and Japan. The U.S. had comparable levels of participation in AET to comparison countries for employed individuals 45–54 (63%), and the highest rates of participation among adults age 55–65 (59%). Even with these high rates of engagement in AET, employed adults in the U.S. between ages 45–54 scored significantly lower in PSTRE than individuals in comparison countries. Despite these scores, 93% of employed U.S. adults 45–54 said they have the ICT skills necessary for their current job, as did 88% of adults 55–65. The relationship between AET, technology skills in the workforce, and the knowledge economy will be discussed in this presentation.
Carcass and meat quality characteristics of pasture- and feedlot-finished beef steers supplemented with 25-hydroxyvitamin D3

xii CHAPTER I. GENERAL INTRODUCTION 1 Dissertation Organization 1 CHAPTER II. REVIEW OF LITERATURE 3 Introduction 3 Beef tenderness 4 Consumer perceptions 4 Economics of beef tenderness 6 Vitamin D3 and 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 7 Regulation of blood calcium 9 Regulation of muscle calcium 11 Impact on postmortem muscle 11 The calpain system 12 Supplementation with vitamin D3 and its metabolites 14 Effects on feedlot performance 14 Plasma calcium 15 Muscle calcium 17 Plasma phosphorus 19 Warner-Bratzler Shear Force (WBSF) 20 Use of 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 22 Residues and hypervitaminosis D 23 Hormonal implant strategies 25
Functional Castration from Blunt-force Trauma to Motorcycle Gas Tank from a Car-versus-motorcycle MVA

We present a case of bilateral testicular rupture with significant extrusion and seminiferous tubule loss in an otherwise healthy 26-year-old male as the result of a car-versus-motorcycle accident. The patient was the lone driver of a motorcycle that was T-boned, resulting in significant scrotal trauma necessitating operative intervention. Because of this, he developed subsequent severe hypogonadism, which improved with exogenous testosterone administration. We undertook a literature review, which revealed that blunt trauma is an extremely uncommon cause of acquired hypogonadism.
Topological lasers generating and multiplexing large orbital angular momenta

We report the first room temperature integrated topological lasers directly generating and multiplexing coherent beams carrying arbitrarily large orbital angular momenta.
Radiographic tracheal lumen to vertebral ratios in the normal American Miniature Horse.

BACKGROUND: Tracheal collapse in horses is reportedly uncommon; however, American Miniature Horses are more commonly affected. There is no description of the tracheal luminal diameter of American Miniature Horses, making early detection of tracheal luminal narrowing difficult. OBJECTIVES: To 1) describe radiographic tracheal luminal diameter in clinically normal American Miniature Horses, 2) report the prevalence of subclinical tracheal collapse in a population of American Miniature Horses, and 3) use tracheal videofluoroscopy to quantify variation in tracheal luminal diameter throughout the respiratory cycle in horses with no clinical respiratory disease. STUDY DESIGN: Descriptive observational reference interval study. METHODS: Thirty‐four American Miniature Horses with no reported history of respiratory illness were recruited. Lateral cervical and thoracic radiographs were obtained in unsedated standing horses. Dynamic fluoroscopic images were obtained of the cervical and thoracic trachea throughout the respiratory cycle. Horses were then sedated as needed and tracheoscopy was performed. Twenty‐nine horses were categorised as normal, and five horses were categorised as subclinically affected based on 25% or greater tracheal narrowing using tracheoscopy for visual assessment. Radiographic tracheal lumen to vertebral body measurements were obtained throughout the cervical and thoracic trachea. Maximum and minimum fluoroscopic tracheal diameter at each site throughout the respiratory cycle was recorded. RESULTS: A mean, median, 95% confidence interval and bootstrapped 95% reference interval of radiographic tracheal diameter to vertebral body ratios were generated in normal horses. The prevalence of subclinical tracheal collapse in this population of American Miniature Horses is 14.7%. MAIN LIMITATIONS: Bootstrapped reference range was generated from 29 horses. CONCLUSIONS: Radiographic tracheal measurements and ratios of the tracheal diameter to vertebral body in the normal American Miniature Horse are described herein and can be used as a guideline when screening for tracheal disease in American Miniature Horses. The prevalence of subclinical tracheal collapse in American Miniature Horses may be higher than previously reported.
Stable casein micelle dispersions at pH 4.5 enabled by propylene glycol alginate following a pH-cycle treatment.

Polysaccharides may form stable complexes with caseins to prevent precipitation near the isoelectric point of pH 4.6. In this study, dispersions of 1% w/v micellar caseins and propylene glycol alginate (PGA) were treated with a pH-cycle treatment from neutral to pH 11.30, to dissociate casein micelles, and then to pH 4.5 to re-associate caseins to form complexes with PGA. An increase in PGA concentration overall resulted in the reduced dispersion turbidity. The dispersion with equal masses of casein and PGA following the pH-cycle treatment had the lowest turbidity (260 NTU) and was absent of both precipitation and gelation during 30-day storage at 21 °C, contrasting with unstable and turbid (>4000 NTU) dispersions directly acidified to pH 4.5. The dispersion turbidity was determined by both the size and mass density of particles, and both covalent and non-covalent (mainly electrostatic and hydrophobic) interactions contributed to the complex formation and dispersion stability at pH 4.5.
Utilizing YouTube as platform for psychiatric emergency patient outreach in Chinese Americans.

Abstract Objective Chinese Americans significantly underutilize mental health resources, which leads to delayed diagnosis, suboptimal management, and can be contributing to the large number of psychiatric emergencies seen in the ED. The goal of this study is to understand the role of using YouTube as a platform for psychiatric emergency outreach among Chinese Americans. Methods We posted three videos about psychiatric emergencies in Cantonese on YouTube. We collected viewing data during a five-year period. The recorded parameters include watch time, number of views, average view duration, traffic source, search terms, and watch device type. Results The videos generated 40,608 min of watch time and 5976 views, with an average view duration of 6.80 min. The top three traffic sources are YouTube suggested videos, direct YouTube search, and browse features. The three most used viewing devices are mobile phones (25,068 min of watch time, 3491 views, and 7.18 min of average view duration), computer/TV (9222 min of watch time, 1717 views, and 5.37 min of average view duration), and tablets (6318 min of watch time, 768 views, and 8.23 min of average view duration). Conclusion Majority of the viewers used mobile phones, and mobile phones and tablets had significantly longer average view durations as compared to computer/TV. YouTube and wireless devices may have potential as internet based psychiatric emergency outreach platform. This study calls for further research to explore the effectiveness of using social media and wireless devices for psychiatric emergency education prior to ED arrival, particularly in minority populations with cultural barriers to health care.
High-Grade Gliomas: Dendritic Cell Therapy

The relationship between the development of a tumor and the immune system is depicted by the fundamental model of “cancer immunoediting”: a tumor will only grow if the immune system is not capable of eliminating immune-resistant tumor cells (“tumor immune escape”). Both the adaptive and innate immunity play a key-role in this process. Multiple tumor-associated antigens have been described in gliomas and the expression of these antigens is very heterogeneous with important inter- and intra-individual differences. This is in contrast with other tumors, such as malignant melanoma, where tumor-associated antigens are almost universally expressed in all tumor cells. Several studies have shown that antigens can drain from the central nervous system to the cervical lymph nodes, where antigen-specific T cells can be activated by antigen-presenting cells. These activated T cells can subsequently migrate into the brain parenchyma to the sites of antigen challenge. This points to possible, naturally occurring immune responses eventually also against tumors, and indicates that the central nervous system is not an “immune-silent” environment. Therefore, it seems that the immune system can provide us with some interesting tools to treat gliomas. Several types of immunotherapy have been used and the most promising strategy for the induction of durable immune responses seems to be active, specific immunotherapy, or the so-called tumor vaccination. Further research has to be done, however, to establish the value of this form of immunotherapy in the treatment of gliomas.