cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
3-D printing interactive objects

Today's 3-D printing hobbyists churn out kilos of static trinkets. These existing machines can further help them create functional objects, if new perspectives and designs are employed.
Receptivity and Creativity in Hermeneutics:From Gadamer to Onto-Generative-Hermeneutics

Both the tradition of western hermeneutics and the tradition of Chinese hermeneutics have realized receptivity and creativity in understanding and interpretation.Gadamer transformed Heidegger's ontological receptivity into a form of hermeneutic creativity to be described as philosophical hermeneutics,Yijingestablishes the onto-hermeneutic circle of heaven-earth-and-man.The world is not just being experienced receptively but experienced creatively.Gua and yao system in Yijingfully embodies understanding creativity on the onto-generative-hermeneutic level.
Future land-use related water demand in California

Water shortages in California are a growing concern amidst ongoing drought, earlier spring snowmelt, projected future climate warming, and currently mandated water use restrictions. Increases in population and land use in coming decades will place additional pressure on already limited available water supplies. We used a state-and-transition simulation model to project future changes in developed (municipal and industrial) and agricultural land use to estimate associated water use demand from 2012 to 2062. Under current efficiency rates, total water use was projected to increase 1.8 billion cubic meters (+4.1%) driven primarily by urbanization and shifts to more water intensive crops. Only if currently mandated 25% reductions in municipal water use are continuously implemented would water demand in 2062 balance to water use levels in 2012. This is the first modeling effort of its kind to examine regional land-use related water demand incorporating historical trends of both developed and agricultural land uses.
Assuring the quality of a clinical pharmacokinetics service

A quality assurance program for a clinical pharmacokinetics service that meets current Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals (JCAH) requirements for quality assurance is described. The clinical pharmacokinetics service is provided by pharmacists who have been certified through a staff development program. The clinical pharmacokinetics quality assurance program is part of the department's overall quality assurance program. Information from records maintained by pharmacists who are involved in the pharmacokinetics service is reviewed monthly and compared with 14 criteria that were approved by the pharmacy and therapeutics committee. Results of the monthly audits are summarized in a trend report; these results are communicated to the pharmacists involved, and any necessary corrective actions are taken. The program has led to more appropriate selection of target peak and trough serum drug concentrations, improved documentation of patient data, and better monitoring of each patient's renal function. Physician use of the service has increased as the quality of the service has improved. The quality assurance program has provided mechanisms for monitoring the quality of patient-care services and satisfying current JCAH requirements.
Iceberg: a tool for static analysis of Java critical sections

In this paper we present a static analysis tool called Iceberg that helps programmers find potential performance bugs in concurrent Java programs. The focus of our work is on identifying critical sections with high variability in their latency: in most cases they execute quickly, but occasionally they stall, holding a lock for an unusually long time, and preventing other threads from making progress. The end user experiences such behavior as transient program "hangs". These performance bugs are difficult to find because they are infrequent, transient, and hard to reproduce. This paper describes our initial results running Iceberg on 24 real-world concurrent programs. Our current approach is to identify all of the code that could be executed inside each critical section, including all methods potentially called by it. We collect a number of code metrics that might indicate potential performance problems. These metrics include counts of variable-latency operations such as I/O and memory allocation, as well as overall measurements of critical section size. Using our tool we are able to find critical sections with unusual behavior compared to the other critical sections. Our future work includes a more detailed analysis of control-flow through critical sections, as well as a dynamic analysis to measure the critical section latencies directly.
Ca2+ and protein kinase C activation of mucin granule exocytosis in permeabilized SPOC1 cells.

Mucin secretion by airway goblet cells is under the control of apical P2Y2, phospholipase C-coupled purinergic receptors. In SPOC1 cells, the mobilization of intracellular Ca2+ by ionomycin or the ...
Contested Transformation: Race, Gender, and Political Leadership in 21st Century America

Contested Transformation constitutes the first comprehensive study of racial and ethnic minorities holding elective office in the United States at the beginning of the twenty-first century. Building on data from the Gender and Multicultural Leadership (GMCL) National Database and Survey, it provides a baseline portrait of Black, Latino, Asian American, and American Indian elected officials - the women and men holding public office at national, state, and local levels of government. Analysis reveals commonalities and differences across race and gender groups on their backgrounds, paths to public office, leadership roles, and policy positions. Challenging mainstream political science theories in their applicability to elected officials of color, the book offers new understandings of the experiences of those holding public office today. Gains in political leadership and influence by people of color are transforming the American political landscape, but they have occurred within a contested political context, one where struggles for racial and gender equality continue.
The 1970s, and the Whitlam and Fraser Periods

The main purpose of the previous chapter was to investigate the role of the evolving ideas and institutions associated with what we call the Keynesian revolution. It is the purpose of this chapter to contrast the policies of the pre-1975 period (again, notwithstanding their imperfections and the extent to which they were watered down) with the events after that time in order to demonstrate the palpable collapse of the Keynesian consensus. The years which seem to capture at least the manifest changes in government policy in Australia are from 1974 to 1977, and then a further shift after the election of the Hawke government in 1983. The economic and political background can be characterised as one of prosperity and optimism changing to austerity and caution to one of crisis. As Whitwell has observed, the 1970s represented a sudden, then increasingly protracted, departure from what had come to be considered ‘normality’. The 1970s saw the dissolution of a whole host of what were thought to be ‘usual’ or ‘traditional’ relationships.1
The Open Problem

The debate over hormone replacement therapy (HRT) has been one of the biggest health discussions in recent history. Professional groups and nonprofits, such as the American College of Physicians and the American Heart Association, gave HRT their stamp of approval 15 years ago. Studies indicated that HRT was protective against osteoporosis and heart disease. HRT became big business, with millions upon millions of prescriptions filled each year. However, in 1998, the Heart and Estrogen-Progestin Replacement Study demonstrated increased risk of heart attack among women with heart disease taking HRT, and in 2002 the Women’s Health Initiative showed increased risk for breast cancer, heart disease, and stroke, among other ailments, for women on HRT. Why were there inconsistencies in the study results?
Collective migration and cell jamming in asthma, cancer and development

Collective cellular migration within the epithelial layer impacts upon development, wound healing and cancer invasion, but remains poorly understood. Prevailing conceptual frameworks tend to focus on the isolated role of each particular underlying factor - taken one at a time or at most a few at a time - and thus might not be tailored to describe a cellular collective that embodies a wide palette of physical and molecular interactions that are both strong and complex. To bridge this gap, we shift the spotlight to the emerging concept of cell jamming, which points to only a small set of parameters that govern when a cellular collective might jam and rigidify like a solid, or instead unjam and flow like a fluid. As gateways to cellular migration, the unjamming transition (UJT) and the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) share certain superficial similarities, but their congruence - or lack thereof - remains unclear. In this Commentary, we discuss aspects of cell jamming, its established role in human epithelial cell layers derived from the airways of non-asthmatic and asthmatic donors, and its speculative but emerging roles in development and cancer cell invasion.
Essentialist beliefs: Understanding contact with and attitudes towards lesbian and gay individuals.

Sexual prejudice remains a widespread problem worldwide. Past research demonstrates that cross-orientation contact (contact between heterosexuals and lesbian/gay individuals) reduces sexual prejudice among heterosexuals, especially when contact is high quality. This study extends the literature on the relationship between cross-orientation contact and sexual prejudice and the mediation of this relationship by intergroup anxiety by examining the role of a key ideology – essentialist beliefs about homosexuality (immutability, universality, and discreteness beliefs). Findings indicate that the mediation of the relationship between cross-orientation contact and sexual prejudice by intergroup anxiety differs by level of essentialist beliefs. Additionally, the relationship between cross-orientation contact and sexual prejudice appears to be mediated by essentialist beliefs as well as intergroup anxiety. These results suggest that individuals who endorse essentialist beliefs commonly associated with increased bias (high discreteness and low immutability and universality beliefs) may benefit the most from cross-orientation contact and resultant decreases in intergroup anxiety. Further, decreasing essentialist beliefs generally associated with increased bias may be a mechanism through which cross-orientation contact reduces sexual prejudice. Implications and future directions are discussed.
Cisplatin-Induced Hearing Loss

For decades, cisplatin chemotherapy has significantly increased survival in numerous cancer patient populations. However, cisplatin treatment results in severe adverse side effects including nephrotoxicity, neurotoxicity, radiation-induced oral mucositis, ototoxicity, and permanent hearing loss. Protection from cisplatin’s adverse side effects has therefore been a translational research focus for many years. This chapter discusses cisplatin’s historical discovery, its clinical application, and cisplatin-induced ototoxicity mechanisms. The chapter then reviews current translational research to protect from cisplatin-induced hearing loss, including clinical behavioral and objective monitoring techniques; adult and pediatric grading scales implemented to measure and identify cisplatin-induced ototoxicity; and potential otoprotective mechanisms that are currently tested to prevent cisplatin-induced ototoxicity in animals and clinical trials. Finally, the chapter reviews potential clinical trial funding and the steps required by the FDA, including the extensive investigational new drug (IND) application, to test otoprotective agents for protection from cisplatin-induced hearing loss. At the chapter’s end, readers should acquire general knowledge underlying cisplatin’s intricate history and clinical cisplatin use and understand the steps required to design and perform translational otoprotection studies to prevent cisplatin-induced ototoxicity and permanent hearing loss.
Urate as a Marker of Risk and Progression of Neurodegenerative Disease.

Urate is a naturally occurring antioxidant whose levels are associated with reduced risk of developing Parkinson’s disease (PD) and Alzheimer’s disease. Urate levels are also associated with favorable progression in PD, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Huntington’s disease, and multisystem atrophy. These epidemiological data are consistent with laboratory studies showing that urate exhibits neuroprotective effects by virtue of its antioxidant properties in several preclinical models. This body of evidence supports the hypothesis that urate may represent a shared pathophysiologic mechanism across neurodegenerative diseases. Most importantly, beyond its role as a molecular predictor of disease risk and progression, urate may constitute a novel therapeutic target. Indeed, clinical trials of urate elevation in PD and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis are testing the impact of raising peripheral urate levels on disease outcomes. These studies will contribute to unraveling the neuroprotective potential of urate in human pathology. In parallel, preclinical experiments are deepening our understanding of the molecular pathways that underpin urate’s activities. Altogether, these efforts will bring about new insights into the translational potential of urate, its determinants, and its targets and their relevance to neurodegeneration.
X-inactive specific transcript RNA in-situ hybridization as a tool for resolving specimen contamination events.

The large number of manual steps involved in processing tissue creates many opportunities for specimen cross-contamination and carry-over defects, which may have serious medicolegal ramifications.1 In one study extraneous tissue was identified in 0.6% of slides, causing severe diagnostic difficulties in 0.4% of cases.1 As these events are not fully preventable, a quick, reliable, easily accessible method to resolve suspected contamination events is crucial. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Characterization of trabecular bone plate–rod micro-architecture using skeletonization and digital topologic and geometric analysis

Abstract Osteoporosis is an adult bone disease linked to increased risk of fragile fractures leading to substantial morbidity, mortality, and financial costs. Clinically, osteoporosis is defined by low bone mineral density (BMD); however, increasing evidence suggests that trabecular bone (TB) micro-architectural quality is an important determinant of bone strength and fracture-risk. In this chapter, we describe the role of skeletonization together with other digital topologic and geometric methods in characterizing trabecular plate–rod micro-architecture. In general, skeletonization serves two purposes in applications related to quantitative characterization of object morphology—provision of a compact representation of important object features and location of representative points for defining local structure morphology. Specifically, in this chapter, we present basic principles of skeletonization and its topological analysis characterizing local trabecular plate–rod distribution in a three-dimensional TB network, which is a quasi-random complex spongy object of plates and rods. This theory is further generalized using geodesic distance analysis and feature propagation for measurement of local trabecular plate-width and characterization of individual trabeculae on the continuum between a perfect plate and a perfect rod.
A boundary condition correction for the clamped constraint of elastic plate/beam theory

Abstract Elastic plate/beam theory is used by mechanical and civil engineers to model a variety of structures which are flat in two/one dimension(s) and thin in the other direction(s). If the plate is clamped at an end by being sandwiched between two rigid surfaces, it is customary to model this constraint (i.e. boundary condition) as a rigid constraint which does not permit either displacement or rotation at that edge. Here it is shown that an elastic plate/beam, with an end perfectly bonded at its top and bottom surfaces to a rigid constraint, deflects an additional amount due to elastic rotation effects within the support. It is shown that this correction can be accommodated with a simple modified boundary condition to standard plate theory without the need for a more complicated theory which includes a warping function. The analysis presented here is valid for plate bending theory but is equally valid for beam theory with minor modification. The finite rotational stiffness within the support is determined by applying a distributed load (statically equivalent to a couple moment) to such a constrained infinite elastic strip. The displacement profile is determined analytically and approximated by a straight line. The ratio of the applied moment to the slope of this line provides the rotational stiffness. Examples are given for a cantilever and a clamped-clamped plate/beam as well as for a clamped circular plate. For a beam we use Timoshenko beam theory, while for a plate Reissner-Mindlin is used. For each of these cases the correction due to the effect of rotational compliance is often greater than the correction due to shear deformation. Finite element analyzes, using two-dimensional elasticity, of these configurations show excellent agreement with the analytical results of this modified plate/beam theory.
ANNA-2 Autoantibody Syndrome Associated with Remote Cervical Carcinoma and Good Response to Immunomodulatory Therapy (P01.110)

OBJECTIVE: To present a patient with ANNA-2 autoantibody syndrome associated with remote cervical carcinoma and good response to immunomodulatory therapy. BACKGROUND: ANNA-2 (anti-Ri) is a rare autoantibody first described in association with opsoclonus-myoclonus and breast carcinoma. It most commonly presents with a multifocal syndrome involving the brainstem, spinal cord and cerebellum in association with cancers of the breast and lung; it has rarely been described with cervical carcinoma. DESIGN/METHODS: Our patient was a 56 year-old female who initially presented with tinnitus, dysarthria, leg cramping, myoclonus most prominent at night and with startle, and trouble with fine motor tasks. Her medical history was significant for a remote history of cervical cancer 15 years prior to presentation which was treated with hysterectomy and unilateral oophorectomy with no recurrence. Exam was significant for emotional lability, nystagmus, myoclonic jerks, increased lower extremity tone, axial rigidity, and ataxia on gait exam. Serologic studies showed an elevated ANNA-2 (anti-Ri) antibody titer of 1:30,720; MRI brain and total spine were unrevealing. RESULTS: An extensive workup for malignancy including multiple PET scans, a CT chest/abdomen/pelvis, mammography, and right upper quadrant ultrasound showed no evidence of neoplasm. The patient underwent therapy with intravenous immune globulin, steroids and rituximab. She had significant improvement in her clinical syndrome and decrease in antibody titers. On five-year follow up, no additional neoplasm was identified. Her last examination showed normal mentation and no myclonus; she remains with lower limb rigidity and ataxia. Her current ANNA-2 titer is 1:690. CONCLUSIONS: We present a rare patient in whom a clinical condition characterized by encephalopathy, diffuse myoclonus, ataxia and leg rigidity associated with high ANNA-2 titers developed 15 years after hysterectomy for cervical cancer. Extensive work up over 5 years showed no evidence for additional neoplasm. Aggressive medical treatment resulted in marked improvement of symptoms. Disclosure: Dr. Machado has nothing to disclose. Dr. Sorokin has nothing to disclose. Dr. Jabbari has received research support from Allergan, Inc., Merz Pharma, and Ipsen.
A new and quantitative prediction scheme for solar flares

Abstract At the present time, there is no quantitative way to predict not only the onset time of solar flares, but also their intensity. In the past, most solar flare prediction studies have searched for various precursors of the onset of flares. In this paper, we consider a new and quantitative approach to predict the onset of the explosive process of solar flares and their intensity, based on the principle that solar flares are basically various manifestations of electromagnetic energy dissipation, so that a dynamo process in the photosphere as its power supply is essential. The power is a basic physical quantity (erg/s), so that it can, at least in principle, be universally applicable for all flares. The power of the photospheric dynamo is given by the Poynting flux P= V(B2/8π)S erg/s, where V and B are the plasma speed and magnetic field intensity, and S is the dimension of the plasma flow; these quantities are in principle observable simultaneously all together, in addition to the dissipation rate δ (for example, the Hα emission rate). In fact, if one can follow the development of the power P(t) and [∫ P(t)dt − ∫ δ(t)dt], it may be possible, together with various precursors, to predict in principle the onset time and the intensity of flares at least semi-quantitatively, although this task will require much experience on the basis of a large number of flares. Unfortunately, however, all the needed simultaneous data set (V, B, S, δ) is not available in the present literature, so that one incomplete case is examined. This concept has been examined for auroral substorms, which are also manifestations of electromagnetic energy dissipation and have the explosive feature. This was possible, because the simultaneous data sets (V, B, S, δ) are available.
Parameter Induced Changes in the Wear Behavior of Ion Implanted Steel under Heavy Loading

Lubricated sliding wear studies on nitrogen implanted steel are reported. Wear tests were made using the cylinder in V-groove geometry and heavy loading provided by a modified Falex test machine. A series of four tests were made to access the effect of implanting various combinations of the two members of the wearing couple. Results indicated that implantation of the V-blocks had little effect on the wear rates of either member of the wear couple. However, implantation of the pin caused a large improvement (>10) in the wear rate of the pin, but had little effect on the wear rate of the blocks. When these results are compared with those from other lubricated sliding studies on nitrogen implanted steels, it appears that Implantations are most effective when the rotating member of the wear couple which experiences cyclic wear is implanted and of little effect when the stationary member which experiences continuous wear is implanted. Both silicon and tin implantations were also able to significantly improve the wear rate of the pin. The dose required for both elements was less than those of nitrogen with an order of magnitude less dose needed for tin. Some Auger data on the unworn and worn samples is also presented. Both the dose data and the Auger data can be used to support an oxidative wear model.
Murine model of ocular infection by a human biovar of Chlamydia trachomatis.

Purpose. A human biovar of Chlamydia trachomatis was used to develop a murine model of ocular chlamydial infection. The inbred mouse model will allow detailed immunologic studies during ocular infection, and use of a human biovar for infection may aid in identification of appropriate vaccine strategies against chlamydial infections. Methods. BALB/c, C3H/HeN, and C57B1/6J mice (n = 5 to 10 mice/group) were topically infected in the conjunctiva with C serovar of C. trachomatis. The effects were tested of single and repeated infection with 5000 inclusion-forming units (IFU) in 5 μl and different inoculum doses. Conjunctival surfaces of both eyes were swabbed for microbiologic signs (isolation culture or direct fluorescent antibody staining) of infection over 4 to 6 weeks. Conjunctivae were removed for histopathologic study, and lymphocytes from draining cervical lymph nodes and spleens were tested for chlamydia-specific proliferative responses. Serum was obtained from all mice and tested for anti-chlamydial antibodies. Results. BALB/c and C3H/HeN mice developed dose-dependent microbiologic, histopathologic, and immunologic evidence of ocular infection. Eyes of mice were culture-positive from day 7 through at least day 21, with the peak of infection at days 10 to 14 after infection. Histopathologically, the development of conjunctival subepithelial mononuclear infiltration, exudate, and loss of goblet cells occurred within 1 week. Dose-dependent lymphoproliferative responses to whole chlamydial elementary bodies were observed ; anti-chlamydial antibody was detected by immunoblotting only in infected mice. Conclusions. Several strains of inbred mice are susceptible to human chlamydial biovars and may provide a useful alternative disease model in which to study the immunopathogenesis of ocular chlamydial infection and tests of vaccine candidates derived from clinically relevant human biovars. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 1995 ;36 :1976-1987.
The Interaction Between the Two Receptors for NGF, p75LNTR and TrkA

Publisher Summary The nerve growth factor (NGF) receptor p75LNGFR is a single peptide chain of 400 amino acid residues, with a single membrane-spanning domain separating a larger extracellular region from the intracellular domain. This receptor has all the properties of the low-affinity NGF binding site, including rapid association and dissociation kinetics and low nanomolar and trypsin susceptibility. The second NGF receptor is TrkA, one of a family of neurotrophin-binding receptor tyrosine kinases that includes TrkB and TrkC. The TrkA receptor is a single peptide chain with a single membrane-spanning domain. While TrkA exhibits some of the properties of NGF high-affinity binding, such as a slow rate of NGF dissociation and resistance to trypsin digestion, it does not display them all. In particular, on cells which express only TrkA, the dissociation constant for almost all the binding sites is 10-9 M for the rat, mouse, and chick receptors, rather than the value of 10-11 M found for the high-affinity NGF binding. Human TrkA (and TrkC) expressed in fibroblasts do exhibit a small proportion of NGF (or NT-3) binding in the 10-10 to10-11 M range. It is not known whether this represents a difference in the affinity for NGF between the monomer and dimer forms of TrkA (and TrkC).
Parallel Algorithms and Architectures for Manipulator Inverse Dynamics

In this paper parallel computation of manipulator inverse dynamics is investigated. A hierarchical graph-based mapping approach is devised to analyze the inherent parallelism in the Newton-Euler formulation at several computational levels and to derive the features of an abstract architecture for exploitation of parallelism. At each level a parallel algorithm represents the application of a parallel model of computation which transforms the computation into a graph whose structure defines the features of an abstract architecture, i.e., processors and communication structure. Data flow analysis is employed to derive the time lower bound in the computation as well as the sequencing of the abstract architecture. The features of the target architecture are defined by optimization of the abstract architecture to exploit maximum parallelism while minimizing various overheads. A highly parallel MIMD-SIMD architecture is designed and implemented which is capable of efficient exploitation of parallelism at several computational levels. The computation time of the Newton-Euler formulation for a six Degree-Of-Freedom (DOF) general manipulator is measured as 187µs. The increase in the computation time for each additional DOF is 23µs which leads to a computation time of less than 500µs, even for a 12 DOF redundant arm. The architecture also achieves a good performance for other computation problems. For a six DOF general manipulator, the computation time of forward kinematic is measured as 60µs, and forward kinematic and Jacobian as 75µs.
Dynamic Transition Patterns in Acculturation Among Hispanic Adolescents.

Acculturation consists of multiple domains (i.e., cultural practices, identifications, and values). However, less is known about how acculturation processes influence each other across multiple domains of acculturation. This study was designed to investigate transition patterns of acculturative processes within and across domains in a sample of 302 recent-immigrant Hispanic adolescents, Mage (SD) = 14.51 years (0.88) at baseline; male = 53%). Adolescents were assessed six times over a 3-year period. Latent profile analyses identified two profiles (high [or increasing] vs. low) for each domain at each timepoint. We found largely stable transition patterns in each domain over six timepoints. Importantly, sequential associations among profiles in acculturation domains were also detected. Implication for acculturation theory and research are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
INQ-15 cut-off scores for suicidal ideation screening of women with chronic, invisible illnesses.

In the interpersonal theory of suicide, perceived burdensomeness (PB) and thwarted belongingness (TB) are proximal triggers of suicidal ideation. Using the 15-item version of the Interpersonal Needs Questionnaire (INQ-15), suicidal ideation in psychiatric inpatients was predicted by the PB and TB scales, and cut-off scores were recommended. In this study, women (N = 942) who reported one or more chronic, invisible illnesses completed an online survey including the INQ-15 and the Suicide Behaviours Questionnaire-Revised (SBQ-R). PB and TB correlated significantly with SBQ-R total scores (r = 0.575 and 0.437, respectively; p < 0.01). In a Receiver Operating Characteristic analysis, scores of 17 for PB and 37 for TB maximized the correct classification of high-risk and low-risk participants, with slightly higher classification accuracy for PB than TB (AUCs = 0.781 and 0.701, respectively). These results support the INQ-15 scales in screening for suicidal ideation among chronically ill women.
Understanding Barriers to Telemedicine Implementation in Rural Emergency Departments.

Study objective Telemedicine has potential to add value to the delivery of emergency care in rural emergency departments (EDs); however, previous work suggests that it may be underused. We seek to understand barriers to telemedicine implementation in rural EDs, and to describe characteristics of rural EDs that do and do not use telemedicine. Methods We performed a secondary analysis of data from the 2016 National Emergency Department Inventory survey, identifying rural EDs that did and did not use telemedicine in 2016. All rural EDs that did not use telemedicine were administered a follow-up survey asking about ED staffing, transfer patterns, and perceived barriers to telemedicine use. We used a similar instrument to survey a sample of EDs that did use telemedicine, but we replaced the question about barriers with questions related to telemedicine use. Data are presented with descriptive statistics. Results We identified 977 rural EDs responding to the 2016 National Emergency Department Inventory–USA survey; 453 (46%; 95% confidence interval 43% to 50%) did not use telemedicine. Among rural nonusers, 374 EDs (83%; 95% confidence interval 79% to 86%) responded to our second survey. Of the 177 rural EDs using telemedicine that we surveyed, 153 responded (86%; 95% confidence interval 80% to 91%). Among rural EDs not using telemedicine, 235 (67%) reported that their ED, hospital, or health system leadership had considered it. Cost was the most commonly cited reason for lack of adoption (n=86; 37%). Conclusion Among US rural EDs, cost is a commonly reported barrier that may be limiting the extent of telemedicine adoption.
In Situ Generation of Organic Peroxide to Create a Nanotubular Uranyl Peroxide Phosphate

Current synthetic pathways for uranyl peroxide materials introduce high initial concentrations of aqueous H2 O2 that decline over time. Alternatively, in situ generation of organic peroxide would maintain constant concentrations of peroxide over prolonged periods of time and open new pathways to novel uranyl peroxide compounds. Herein, we demonstrate this concept through the synthesis of a nanotube-like uranyl peroxide phosphate (NUPP), Na12 [(UO2 )(μ-O2 )(HPO4 )]6 (H2 O)40 , making use of the inhibited autoxidation of benzaldehyde in benzyl alcohol solutions in the presence of phosphonate ligands. The unique feature of NUPP is the bent dihedral angle U-(μ-O2 )-U (123.9°±0.4° to 124.6°±0.5°), which allows hexameric uranyl peroxide macrocycles to adopt the nanotubular topology and prevents the formation of nanocapsules. Raman spectroscopy of the solution phase confirms our mechanistic understanding of the reaction pathway and confirms that consistent levels of peroxide are generated in situ over an extended period of time.
Overview of Oil and Gas Wastewater Injection Induced Seismicity in Hydrocarbon Regions in the United States, Canada, and Europe

There has been a tremendous increase in earthquake activity in traditionally non-seismically active areas, such as the American states, such as Kansas, Ohio, Oklahoma, and Texas and the Canadian provinces of Alberta and British Columbia. In Europe, the United Kingdom and The Netherlands experienced seismicity events that were associated with oil and gas development. Studies ensued and are in process to determine the correlations between oil and gas activity and seismicity. Recently, many researchers have identified a correlation between seismic activity and certain oil and gas operations, such as wastewater fluid injection, which is a common practice used to dispose of wastewater generated during oil and gas operations. Oil and gas companies, state regulatory agencies, and local and state governments are proceeding surely, but cautiously, given that most of this activity is occurring in areas with a strong and economically vested interest in petroleum production. This chapter reviews the geologic mechanism, scientific studies, applicable U.S. federal environmental legislation, state and provincial overview of agency work, in addition to a brief review of anthropogenic seismic events in the U.S., Canada, and Europe.
P-155 Effects of a weekly hospice based exercise group on timed up and go (TUG) and patient satisfaction

Background Patients with life-limiting illnesses often experience functional impairment, resulting in poorer quality of life (QOL). Exercise can improve physical, emotional and psychological wellbeing which help maintain independence and improve QOL (Wittry, Lan & McNalley, 2018). A successful chair-based exercise group is well established, however, a need was identified for a more challenging group for patients with a higher level of functional mobility. Aims of the project To establish an exercise group to provide a relaxed and sociable environment to promote strength and balance exercises. To investigate changes in mobility after attending a weekly exercise group. To investigate patient satisfaction for the service. To empower patients to self-manage their condition and continue with exercise at home. Methods Patients were assessed using the TUG outcome measure (Podsiadlo & Richardson, 1991) on initial assessment. Patients attended a weekly exercise group under the supervision of a physiotherapist with volunteer support, involving exercises to improve strength and balance. TUG was repeated at intervals of four attendances and a satisfaction questionnaire was completed at the end of eight sessions. Results All attendees showed improvements in TUG with mean reduction in walking time of 3.64 seconds (range: 0.25–8.46 seconds). After four exercise sessions 71% of patients had a TUG score of 14 seconds or less – suggesting a lower risk of falls. Satisfaction with the group was high with many positive themes being reiterated including self-esteem, self-confidence and motivation; and no negative feedback received. 100% of responders enjoyed the exercise group and found it relevant to them. 100% agreed or strongly agreed that the exercise was at an appropriate level and alternative exercises were suggested when necessary for individual ability. Conclusion The exercise group has proved to be a positive addition to hospice services and demonstrated that simple strength and balance exercises are effective in improving both physical and psychological health in this patient group.
Elementary steps and site requirements in formic acid dehydration reactions on anatase and rutile TiO2 surfaces

Abstract Mechanistic details of HCOOH decomposition routes provide valuable insights into reactions involving bound formates as intermediates or spectators; these routes are also widely used as a probe of the acid-base properties of oxide surfaces. The identity and kinetic relevance of bound intermediates, transition states, and elementary steps are reported here for HCOOH dehydration on anatase and rutile TiO2 surfaces through complementary kinetic, isotopic, spectroscopic and theoretical assessments. Five-coordinate exposed Ti5c centers are saturated with bidentate formates (*HCOO*) at catalytic conditions (423–463 K; 0.1–3 kPa HCOOH), as evident from infrared spectra collected during catalysis and the amounts of HCOOH and CO evolved upon heating the TiO2 samples containing pre-adsorbed HCOOH-derived species. These *HCOO* species are inactive but form a stable “surface template” that contains stochiometric protons onto which HCOOH binds molecularly (HCOOH-H*) to form a coexisting adlayer. H2O elimination from HCOOH-H* is the sole kinetically-relevant step. DFT-derived barriers show that this step involves its reaction with Ti5c-O2c that acts as a Lewis acid-base pair. Such route, in turn, requires the access of HCOOH-H* to a Ti5c center, which is made available through a momentary reprotonation of a *HCOO*. This step is much less facile on rutile than on anatase due to stronger acid strength of its Ti5c centers that binds *HCOO* species more strongly and its shorter Ti5c-Ti5c distances that induce greater repulsions between co-adsorbed HCOOH* formed upon reprotonation step. These differences account for low dehydration reactivity of rutile at these temperatures. This mechanistic interpretation is in full accord with DFT-derived barriers, binding energies, and kinetic isotope effects that quantitatively agree with the values from regressed kinetic and thermodynamic parameters, with in-situ infrared spectra that identify HCOOH-H* species as the sole reactive intermediates, and with the differences in turnover rates between anatase and rutile catalysts. These dehydration routes are also consistent with the surface chemistry expected for Lewis acid-base pairs on stoichiometry TiO2 surfaces without requiring the presence or involvement of reduced centers or titanols in the catalytic cycle. The reaction routes described in this work show how strongly-bound species, evident in presence and unreactive nature from in-situ infrared spectra, provide an organic “permanent” template for reactions of weakly-bound species that are often invisible in spectroscopy.
6β-Hydroxytestosterone, a metabolite of testosterone generated by CYP1B1, contributes to vascular changes in angiotensin II-induced hypertension in male mice

Previously, we showed that 6β-hydroxytestosterone (6β-OHT), a cytochrome P450 1B1 (CYP1B1)-derived metabolite of testosterone, contributes to angiotensin II (Ang II)-induced hypertension in male mice. This study was conducted to test the hypothesis that 6β-OHT contributes to increased vascular reactivity, endothelial dysfunction, vascular hypertrophy, and reactive oxygen species production associated with Ang II-induced hypertension. Eight- to 10-week-old intact or castrated C57BL/6 J (Cyp1b1+/+ and Cyp1b1−/−) mice were anesthetized for implantation of a micro-osmotic pump which delivered Ang II (700 ng/kg/day) or saline for 14 days. Mice were injected with 6β-OHT (15 μg/g b.w every third day), flutamide (8 mg/kg every day), or its vehicle. Blood pressure was measured via tail-cuff. Vascular reactivity, endothelial-dependent and endothelial-independent vasodilation, media to lumen ratio, fibrosis by collagen deposition, and reactive oxygen species production by dihydroethidium staining were determined in the isolated thoracic aorta. The response of thoracic aorta to phenylephrine and endothelin-1 was increased in Ang II-infused Cyp1b1+/+ mice compared to intact Cyp1b1−/− or castrated Cyp1b1+/+ and Cyp1b1−/− mice; these effects of Ang II were restored by treatment with 6β-OHT. Ang II infusion caused endothelial dysfunction, as indicated by decreased relaxation of the aorta to acetylcholine in Cyp1b1+/+ but not Cyp1b1−/− or castrated Cyp1b1+/+ and Cyp1b1−/− mice. 6β-OHT did not alter Ang II-induced endothelial dysfunction in Cyp1b1+/+ mice but restored it in Cyp1b1−/− or castrated Cyp1b1+/+ and Cyp1b1−/− mice. Ang II infusion increased media to lumen ratio and caused fibrosis and reactive oxygen species production in the aorta of Cyp1b1+/+ mice. These effects were minimized in the aorta of Cyp1b1−/− or castrated Cyp1b1+/+ and Cyp1b1−/− mice and restored by treatment with 6β-OHT. Treatment with the androgen receptor antagonist flutamide reduced blood pressure and vascular hypertrophy in castrated Ang II-infused mice injected with 6β-OHT. 6β-OHT is required for the action of Ang II to increase vascular reactivity and cause endothelial dysfunction, hypertrophy, and increase in oxygen radical production. The effect of 6β-OHT in mediating Ang II-induced hypertension and associated hypertrophy is dependent on the androgen receptor. Therefore, CYP1B1 could serve as a novel target for the development of therapeutics to treat vascular changes in hypertensive males.
Optimized Valve Stem Design in Oil and Gas Industry to Minimize Major Failures

A valve is a mechanical component in a piping system that is used to open and close the fluid passage, avoid return of the fluid, control the flow, or for safety purposes. An industrial valve contains different parts in general, such as pressure-controlling and pressure-containing parts. The valve stem is categorized as a pressure-containing part, and failure of this component leads to leakage of the fluid to the environment. Thus, failure of the valve stem leads to asset losses, oil or gas spillage into the environment, human injury or death, and in general health, safety, and environmental concerns. Therefore, this article addresses some of the main stem design features to minimize the risk of failure in stem. The main design features are the maximum allowable stem torque to enable the stem to handle the operator torque or force, stem diameter calculation, material selection, anti-blow out and anti-static design. Different materials for the stem, especially those with high mechanical strength, are proposed in this article. The anti-blow out design feature and solutions for stem and closure member connection, as well as stem and body connection, have been explained in detail. The anti-static design will provide electrical continuity among the stem, ball, and body to minimize the risk of fire inside the valve due to the accumulation of static electricity in the valve’s soft materials, which has been explained. The valve stem sealing is not included in this article and requires separate research.
The Caliphate at War: Operational Realities and Innovations of the Islamic State

Ahmed S. Hashim steeped his The Caliphate at War: Operational Realities and Innovations of the Islamic State so deeply in regional history that the book merits central place against which all other...
The dance of cystic fibrosis: Experiences of living with cystic fibrosis as an adult.

Aim This study sought to understand the experience of living with cystic fibrosis as an adult. Background Cystic fibrosis is one of the most difficult chronic diseases to manage long-term because of numerous challenges faced on a day-to-day basis. The majority of studies focus on improving symptom response to new treatment regimens with the hope of prolonging life. Yet few qualitative studies explore the experience of adults with cystic fibrosis. What is missing from the current literature are the voices of people living with cystic fibrosis, especially as they age. Design This study follows a hermeneutic phenomenology design guided by Martin Heidegger's philosophy. Methods Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 9 adults living with cystic fibrosis. Hermeneutic phenomenology guided the data interpretation. This manuscript follows COREQ reporting guidelines. Results Hermeneutic analysis revealed the overarching theme The Dance of Cystic Fibrosis which is supported by five themes: 1) The Paradox of Control, 2) Living Deaths, 3) Dancing with Death, 4) Relearning to Dance, and 5) Role of the Dance Partner. Conclusions The experience of living with cystic fibrosis as an adult is multidimensional and unique to each person. Despite the uniqueness, there is a shared experience that manifested as The Dance of Cystic Fibrosis. As life expectancy continues to increase for persons with cystic fibrosis, it is essential that researchers and healthcare professionals intentionally consider the life prolonging effects of the treatment regimen alongside the persons' experience with those effects. Relevance to clinical practice Nurses at all levels of practice should be prepared to address the multifaceted experience of living with cystic fibrosis through thoughtful incorporation of open-ended questions. This allows patients to share their experience with nurses, augmenting their practice of delivering holistic care.
ULTRA-SHORT OPTICAL PULSE GENERATION WITH SINGLE-LAYER GRAPHENE

Pulses as short as 260 fs have been generated in a diode-pumped low-gain Er:Yb:glass laser by exploiting the nonlinear optical response of single-layer graphene. The application of this novel material to solid-state bulk lasers opens up a way to compact and robust lasers with ultrahigh repetition rates.
Law and Science Collide Over Human Gene Patents

Review of Association for Molecular Pathology et al. v. Myriad Genetics, et al. court appealed to the US Supreme Court.
It’s a dry heat: professional perspectives on extreme heat risk in Utah

Heat waves are the deadliest weather-related hazard in the United States while also increasing in frequency, intensity, and duration. Population growth is also occurring in places most exposed to e...
Thoughts and Players: An Introduction to Old and New Economic Perspectives on Beliefs

In this chapter we summarize how economists conceptualize beliefs. Moving both backward and forward in time, we review the way that mainstream economics currently deals with beliefs, as well as, briefly, the history of economists’ thinking about beliefs. Most importantly, we introduce the reader to a recent, transformational movement in economics that focuses on belief-based utility. This approach challenges the standard economic assumption that beliefs are only an input to decision making and examines implications of the intuitive idea that people derive pleasure and pain directly from their beliefs. We also address the question of when and why people care about what other people believe. We close with a discussion of the implications of these insights for contemporary social issues such as political polarization and fake news.