cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Reducing VMTs through transit-on-demand with GPS and satellite communications

As a partial solution to the problem of increasing foreign petroleum imports, urban congestion, and air pollution from personal automobiles, researchers at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Golden, Colorado, have successfully demonstrated a transportation concept called Transit-On-Demand (TOD). TOD uses the global positioning system (GPS) to locate all vehicles in a fleet, two-way communications between the vehicles and a central computer-server, and advanced dispatching and routing software to control the movement of vehicles within the fleet. Through development of an advanced world wide web site and use of the new Java Internet programming language, the demonstration allows visitors to the web site to see updates of vehicle position on a map every 20 seconds, while effectively minimizing the internet bandwidth required for this activity. The project demonstrates how a fixed-route, fixed-schedule shuttle can be converted to be demand-responsive to more effectively move people from where they are to where they want to be at the time they want to travel.
Lifetime of fluorocarbon for high-energy stimulated Brillouin scattering

Heavy fluorocarbons are used for stimulated Brillouin scattering mirrors and compression. In this article, we studied the change of absorption spectrum of FC-72 and FC-75 due to the exposure to intense laser pulses. The fluorocarbons have been exposed to laser beams at 1064, 532, and 266 nm. The result shows limitation on the use of these materials for UV pulse compression.
A precision technology for controlling protein adsorption and cell adhesion in bioMEMS

A surface coating technique is investigated to enhance device biocompatibility by eliminating bio-fouling, the strong but non-specific affinity of proteins and cells to attach to surfaces. This coating is a conformal, thin poly(ethylene glycol)-like film deposited in a glow discharge of tetraglyme. Substrates with different chemistries are successfully modified, and exhibit ultralow protein adsorption and cell attachment with the coating. This "stealth" or "non-fouling" coating can also be faithfully patterned using standard photolithography processes. The interaction of proteins and cells with patterned surfaces is limited only to the protein-adhesive domains, thus creating heterogeneous patterns of proteins and cell cultures on the surface. The potential benefits of our technique to applications such as cell-based assays and micro-electrodes are discussed.
Outcomes of reoperative open or endovascular interventions to treat patients with failing open mesenteric reconstructions for mesenteric ischemia

Objective Outcomes of reinterventions for failing mesenteric open reconstructions (ORs) have not been described. Mesenteric reoperative ORs (R-ORs) are challenging because of excessive scar and more advanced mesenteric disease. The purpose of this study was to evaluate outcomes of R-ORs and endovascular revascularization (ER) in patients with stenosis or occlusion of mesenteric grafts. Methods We reviewed 701 patients treated for chronic mesenteric ischemia (CMI) in two academic centers from 1991 to 2013. Clinical data and outcomes of patients treated for failing ORs with R-ORs or ERs were included in the analysis. A 1:2 case-control matching was used to analyze outcomes of R-ORs compared with patients who underwent their first-time ORs for CMI. End points were early and late mortality, morbidity, patency rates, and freedom from symptom recurrence and reintervention. Results There were 47 patients (five men, 42 women; mean age, 58 ± 13 years) with failing ORs who were treated by R-ORs. Clinical presentation was CMI in 38 patients (81%) or acute mesenteric ischemia (AMI) in nine (19%). Reinterventions included R-ORs in 28 patients (19 CMI and nine AMI) and ERs in 19, all for CMI. Early mortality was 22% in patients treated by R-ORs for AMI. There were no early deaths among patients treated for CMI with R-OR or ER. Early morbidity was 78% for R-ORs in patients treated for AMI. Morbidity was significantly higher for R-ORs than for ERs in patients with CMI (63% vs 16%; P P = .34) and 77% ± 10% and 100% for ERs ( P = .41). Freedom from symptom recurrence and reinterventions at 1 year was 88% ± 6% and 87% ± 7% for R-ORs and 83% ± 8% and 71% ± 10% for ERs. Case case-control (1:2) matching showed R-OR was associated with similar early mortality and morbidity and also similar freedom from recurrence and reintervention but with lower primary patency rates at 1 year compared with first time ORs (66% ± 11% and 94% ± 5%; P Conclusions R-OR or ER interventions for failing mesenteric ORs carry similar mortality, recurrence, and reintervention rates. Early morbidity is lower with ER compared with R-OR. R-ORs are associated with similar morbidity and mortality and lower primary patency compared with first-time OR for CMI.
Nonexercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT): Environment and biology

Nonexercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) is the energy expended for everything that is not sleeping, eating, or sports-like exercise. It includes the energy expended walking to work, typing, perfo...
On testing hierarchies for protocols

The authors consider a protocol specification represented as a fully specified Mealy automata, and the problem of testing an implementation for conformance to such a specification. No single sequence-based test can be completely reliable, if one allows for the possibility of an implementation with an unknown number of extra states. They define a hierarchy of test sequences, parameterized by the length of behaviors under test. For the reset method of conformance testing, they prove that the hierarchy has the property that any fault detected by test i is also detected by test i+1, and show that this sequence of tests converges to a reliable conformance test. For certain bridge sequence methods for constructing test sequences, this result does not always hold. In experiments with several specifications, they observe that given a small number of extra states in an implementation, the sequence of tests converge to a total fault coverage for small values of i, for both reset and bridge sequence methods. They also observe that the choice of characterizing sequence has less effect on fault coverage than the choice of behavior length or number of extra states in the implementation. >
BK-β1 subunit: Immunolocalization in the mammalian connecting tubule and its role in the kaliuretic response to volume expansion

Large, Ca2+-activated K+ channels (BK), comprised of α- and β-subunits, mediate K+ secretion during high flow rates in distal nephron segments. Because the BK-β1 subunit enhances Ca2+ sensitivity o...
Optimization of a lensless digital holographic otoscope system for transient measurements of the human tympanic membrane.

In this paper, we propose a multi-pulsed double exposure (MPDE) acquisition method to quantify in full-field-of-view the transient (i.e., >10 kHz) acoustically induced nanometer scale displacements of the human tympanic membrane (TM or eardrum). The method takes advantage of the geometrical linearity and repeatability of the TM displacements to enable high-speed measurements with a conventional camera (i.e., 50 kfps) cameras. To our knowledge, there is currently no existing system to provide such capabilities for the study of the human TM. The combination of high temporal (i.e., >50 kHz) and spatial (i.e., >500 k data points) resolutions enables measurements of the temporal and frequency response of all points across the surface of the TM simultaneously. The repeatability and accuracy of the MPDE method are verified against a Laser Doppler Vibrometer (LDV) on both artificial membranes and ex-vivo human TMs that are acoustically excited with a sharp (i.e., <100 μs duration) click. The measuring capabilities of the DHS, enhanced by the MPDE acquisition method, allow for quantification of spatially dependent motion parameters of the TM, such as modal frequencies, time constants, as well as inferring local material properties.
Surviving Bacterial Sibling Rivalry: Inducible and Reversible Phenotypic Switching in Paenibacillus dendritiformis

Natural habitats vary in available nutrients and room for bacteria to grow, but successful colonization can lead to overcrowding and stress. Here we show that competing sibling colonies of Paenibacillus dendritiformis bacteria survive over- crowding by switching between two distinct vegetative phenotypes, motile rods and immotile cocci. Growing colonies of the rod- shaped bacteria produce a toxic protein, Slf, which kills cells of encroaching sibling colonies. However, sublethal concentrations of Slf induce some of the rods to switch to Slf-resistant cocci, which have distinct metabolic and resistance profiles, including resistance to cell wall antibiotics. Unlike dormant spores of P. dendritiformis, the cocci replicate. If cocci encounter conditions that favor rods, they secrete a signaling molecule that induces a switch to rods. Thus, in contrast to persister cells, P. dendritifor- misbacteria adapt to changing environmental conditions by inducible and reversible phenotypic switching. IMPORTANCE In favorable environments, species may face space and nutrient limits due to overcrowding. Bacteria provide an excellent model for analyzing principles underlying overcrowding and regulation of density in nature, since their population dynamics can be easily and accurately assessed under controlled conditions. We describe a newly discovered mechanism for sur- vival of a bacterial population during overcrowding. When competing with sibling colonies, Paenibacillus dendritiformis pro- duces a lethal protein (Slf) that kills cells at the interface of encroaching colonies. Slf also induces a small proportion of the cells to switch from motile, rod-shaped cells to nonmotile, Slf-resistant, vegetative cocci. When crowding is reduced and nutrients are no longer limiting, the bacteria produce a signal that induces cocci to switch back to motile rods, allowing the population to spread. Genes encoding components of this phenotypic switching pathway are widespread among bacterial species, suggesting that this survival mechanism is not unique to P. dendritiformis.
Harnessing instability-induced pattern transformation to design tunable phononic crystals

We investigate the propagation of elastic waves in four periodic porous elastomeric planar structures, where pattern transformation is induced by mechanical instability under uniaxial compression. A series of numerical analyses is performed to offer a detailed understanding of the evolution of their spectral band-gaps as a function of void patterns, porosity, and applied deformation. The results of our study outline a general strategy to design phononic crystals whose response can be effectively tuned by the level of applied deformation.
Descriptive Epidemiology: U.S. Patterns

According to 2009 estimates provided by the American Cancer Society, approximately 35,160 men and 12,850 women are expected to be diagnosed with cancers of the oral cavity, pharynx, and larynx in the United States, and approximately 8,140 men and 3,120 women are expected to die from these cancers [1] . This chapter reviews the descriptive patterns of squamous cell carcinomas of the oral cavity, pharynx, and larynx.
Hypohydration and Human Performance: Impact of Environment and Physiological Mechanisms

Body water losses of >2 % of body mass are defined as hypohydration and can occur from sweat loss and/or diuresis from both cold and altitude exposure. Hypohydration elicits intracellular and extracellular water loss proportionate to water and solute deficits. Iso-osmotic hypovolemia (from cold and high-altitude exposure) results in greater plasma loss for a given water deficit than hypertonic hypovolemia from sweat loss. Hypohydration does not impair submaximal intensity aerobic performance in cold-cool environments, sometimes impairs aerobic performance in temperate environments, and usually impairs aerobic performance in warm-hot environments. Hypohydration begins to impair aerobic performance when skin temperatures exceed 27 °C, and with each additional 1 °C elevation in skin temperature there is a further 1.5 % impairment. Hypohydration has an additive effect on impairing aerobic performance in warm-hot high-altitude environments. A commonality of absolute hypovolemia (from plasma volume loss) combined with relative hypovolemia (from tissue vasodilation) is present when aerobic performance is impaired. The decrement in aerobic exercise performance due to hypohydration is likely due to multiple physiological mechanisms, including cardiovascular strain acting as the 'lynchpin', elevated tissue temperatures, and metabolic changes which are all integrated through the CNS to reduce motor drive to skeletal muscles.
First Molecular Verification of a Marine-collected Specimen of Alosa alabamae (Teleostei: Clupeidae)

Abstract Alosa alabamae (Alabama Shad) is an imperiled anadromous species that reproduces in northern Gulf of Mexico drainages. To date, there have only been 4 vouchered specimens collected from marine waters, but none have been verified with molecular techniques. On 28 March 2013, we collected a single adult female in proximity to a barrier island (Petit Bois) off the coast of Mississippi. Microsatellite DNA analysis corroborated the identification of this individual and suggested that the specimen was most genetically similar to the group from the Pascagoula River drainage rather than other portions of the range. Thus far, research has been focused on the species' freshwater life history, and it is crucial that more effort be directed toward documenting and understanding the full life history of this threatened fish.
'Minimum Contacts' Under CERCLA: Joint and Several 'Generator' Liability and the Fifth Amendment

The author examines the legislative history of the Superfund Amendments and Reauthorization Act of 1986 (SARA) to explore the government's legislative position on the application of joint and several liability under the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act, a position at substantial variance with its position in litigation, such as the Supreme Court case, Shell Oil Co. v. United States, No. 07-1607 (argued Feb. 24, 2009).Adapting to the CERCLA context the facts of a well-known 1987 U.S. Supreme Court decision finding unconstitutional the assertion of jurisdiction over a foreign producer in a product liability case, the author pasquinades the government's position in Shell, in which the government asserts joint and several liability on the basis of a sale of a product. The government acknowledged before Congress in 1985 that it would be unfair, and the courts likely would not allow, the imposition of joint and several 'generator' liability on minor contributors to a site. The article concludes with some reflections on the potential importance of Shell.
Mosaic cellular patterning in the nose: Adhesion molecules give their two scents

The sense of smell is mediated by the olfactory epithelium, which is composed of a mosaic pattern of olfactory sensory cells surrounded by supporting cells. In this issue, Katsunuma et al. (2016. J. Cell Biol. http://dx.doi.org/10.1083/jcb.201509020) show that the differential expression of nectins and cadherins establishes this pattern.
Applying Acculturation Theory and Power Elite Theory on a Social Problem Political Underrepresentation of the Hispanic Population in Texas

Legislative underrepresentation of the Hispanic population is a serious social problem in Texas. Hispanics in the Texas legislature comprise approximately 21% of the total legislative body, yet the...
MAINTENANTE OF CHROMOSOMAL POLYMORPHISM IN A POPULATION OF DROSOPHILA PSEUDOOBSCURA: VIABILITY UNDER CROWDED AND UNCROWDED CONDITIONS.

Numerous studies have shown that stable equilibria are usually attained when Drosophila pseudoobscura flies of similar geographic origin but having different gene arrangements in their third chromosomes are bred in population cages at 25 C (Dobzhansky, 1947a; Levene et al., 1954). Superiority of inversion heterozygotes over corresponding homozygotes has been cited as a major factor in attainment of such equilibria. Dobzhansky (1 947b) analyzed several experimental populations at equilibrium to determine the stage of the life cycle when selection was occurring. He found a significant excess of inversion heterozygotes and a deficiency of homozygotes among adult flies that developed under crowded cage conditions compared to Hardy-Weinberg expectations. This result indicated differential mortality between egg and adult stages favoring inversion heterozygotes. Druger (1966) analyzed an experimental cage population (No. 173) in which polymorphism for Arrowhead (AR) and Chiricahua (CH) inversions had persisted for more than eight years. Significant differential mortality in favor of inversion heterozygotes was not observed. In the present study, this analysis was repeated when population No. 173 was more than ten years old, using a larger sample, and deliberately overcrowding food cups with eggs. This was part of an attempt to determine those factors contributing to the longterm maintenance of polymorphism.
GERMINATION SCHEDULES OF POLLEN GRAINS: IMPLICATIONS FOR POLLEN SELECTION.

Temps de germination d'un ensemble de grains de pollen chez Erythronium grandiflorum en fonction de la densite des grains etudies en relation avec la selection pendant la croissance du tube pollinique
Sialic Acid Is Required for Neuronal Inhibition by Soluble MAG but not for Membrane Bound MAG

Myelin-Associated Glycoprotein (MAG), a major inhibitor of axonal growth, is a member of the immunoglobulin (Ig) super-family. Importantly, MAG (also known as Siglec-4) is a member of the Siglec family of proteins (sialic acid-binding, immunoglobulin-like lectins), MAG binds to complex gangliosides, specifically GD1a and/or GT1b. Therefore, it has been proposed as neuronal receptors for MAG inhibitory effect of axonal growth. Previously, we showed that MAG binds sialic acid through domain 1 at Arg118 and is able to inhibit axonal growth through domain 5. We developed a neurite outgrowth (NOG) assay, in which both wild type MAG and mutated MAG (MAG Arg118) are expressed on cells. In addition we also developed a soluble form NOG in which we utilized soluble MAG-Fc and mutated MAG (Arg118-Fc). Only MAG-Fc is able to inhibit NOG, but not mutated MAG (Arg118)-Fc that has been mutated at its sialic acid binding site. However, both forms of membrane bound MAG- and MAG (Arg118)- expressing cells still inhibit NOG. Here, we review various results from different groups regarding MAG's inhibition of axonal growth. Also, we propose a model in which the sialic acid binding is not necessary for the inhibition induced by the membrane form of MAG, but it is necessary for the soluble form of MAG. This finding highlights the importance of understanding the different mechanisms by which MAG inhibits NOG in both the soluble fragmented form and the membrane-bound form in myelin debris following CNS damage.
Effects of low concentrations of two benzoylphenylureas on Platynota stultana (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae) in the greenhouse

Effects of low concentrations of two benzoylphenylureas, alsystin and UC 62644 (2,6-difluoro- N -[[[4-[3-dichloro-5-trifluoromethyl-2-pyridinyloxy]-3,5-dichlorophenyl]amino]carbonyl]benzamide), applied on bell peppers, Capsinum annuum L. ‘Yolo Wonder’, on Platynota stultana Walsingham were studied in the greenhouse using life tables. Alsystin significantly decreased larval and pupal survivorship but had no significant effect on adult survivorship or longevity. Fecundity was also decreased with alsystin treatment compared with control groups. Similar to observations in the laboratory, population doubling time increased to 1.9-fold with alsystin treatment. Groups treated with UC 62644 did not differ among themselves in immature survivorship, adult survivorship, fecundity, and adult longevity. These factors were significantly lower in UC 62644-treated groups compared with control groups. There was a 1.3-fold increase in doubling time with the highest concentration of UC 62644.
Delivering a medical school elective with massive open online course (MOOC) technology.

Introduction: The educational technology of massive open online courses (MOOCs) has been successfully applied in a wide variety of disciplines and are an intense focus of educational research at this time. Educators are now looking to MOOC technology as a means to improve professional medical education, but very little is known about how medical MOOCs compare with traditional content delivery. Methods: A retrospective analysis of the course evaluations for the Medicine as a Business elective by fourth-year medical students at Southern Illinois University School of Medicine (SIU-SOM) for the 2012–2015 academic years was conducted. This course was delivered by small group flipped classroom discussions for 2012–2014 and delivered via MOOC technology in 2015. Learner ratings were compared between the two course delivery methods using routinely collected course evaluations. Results: Course enrollment has ranged from 6–19 students per year in the 2012–2015 academic years. Student evaluations of the course are favorable in the areas of effective teaching, accurate course objectives, meeting personal learning objectives, recommending the course to other students, and overall when rated on a 5-point Likert scale. The majority of all student ratings (76–95%) of this elective course are for the highest possible choice (Strongly agree or Excellent) for any criteria, regardless if the course was delivered via a traditional or MOOC format. Statistical analysis of these ratings suggests that the Effective Teacher and Overall Evaluations did not statistically differ between the two delivery formats. Discussion: Student ratings of this elective course were highly similar when delivered in a flipped classroom format or by using MOOC technology. The primary advantage of this new course format is flexibility of time and place for learners, allowing them to complete the course objectives when convenient for them. The course evaluations suggest this is a change that is acceptable to the target audience. Conclusions: This study suggests that learner evaluations of a fourth-year medical school elective course do not significantly differ when delivered by flipped classroom group discussions or via MOOC technology in a very small single center observational study. Further investigation is required to determine if this delivery method is an acceptable and effective means of teaching in the medical school environment.
Emperors Yan and Huang & the Origins of Huaxia Nationality

The former of Han nationality was Huaxia nationality.The origin of Huaxia was Jiangji tribal alliance with the leaders of Emperor Yan and Emperor Huang.Emperors Yan and Huang opened up common districts with main departments of the central plains,created common economics with main department of millet agriculture,and founded common psychology with characteristics of hero\|ancestor worship,so they have respected “original ancestor of Huaxia nationality” for thousands years. [
Privately Evaluating Decision Trees and Random Forests

Decision trees and random forests are com- mon classifiers with widespread use. In this paper, we develop two protocols for privately evaluating decision trees and random forests. We operate in the standard two-party setting where the server holds a model (ei- ther a tree or a forest), and the client holds an input (a feature vector). At the conclusion of the protocol, the client learns only the model's output on its input and a few generic parameters concerning the model; the server learns nothing. The first protocol we develop provides security against semi-honest adversaries. We then give an extension of the semi-honest protocol that is robust against malicious adversaries. We implement both pro- tocols and show that both variants are able to process trees with several hundred decision nodes in just a few seconds and a modest amount of bandwidth. Compared to previous semi-honest protocols for private decision tree evaluation, we demonstrate a tenfold improvement in computation and bandwidth.
Luteal function and reproductive response in suckled beef cows after metestrus administration of a norgestomet implant and injection of estradiol valerate with various dosages of injectable norgestomet.

In an experiment replicated over 2 yr, 149 suckled beef cows were administered Syncro-Mate-B (SMB), a 6-mg Norgestomet (NOR) ear implant (in situ 9 d) in conjunction with an i.m. injection of 5 mg of estradiol valerate (EV), and either 3.0, 4.5, or 6.0 mg of NOR, 2 d after estrus. All cows were artificially inseminated at 48 h (timed insemination; TI) after implant removal (IR) and cows were reinseminated at any estrus subsequent to 24 h of TI through 30 d. Blood samples collected before treatment, every 3 d through IR, and at TI were assayed for progesterone (P4). At TI, 44, 39, and 12% of cows treated with 3.0, 4.5, or 6.0 mg of NOR, respectively, had serum concentrations of P4 greater than 1 ng/mL (3.0 and 4.5 mg vs 6.0 mg, P less than .01). Fifty-eight, 63, and 84% of cows treated with 3.0, 4.5, or 6.0 mg of NOR, respectively, exhibited a synchronized (within 5 d of IR) estrus (3.0 and 4.5 mg vs 6.0 mg, P less than .05). Pregnancy rates for the 5-d synchronized period were 38, 45, and 66% for cows treated with 3.0, 4.5, or 6.0 mg of NOR, respectively (3.0 and 4.5 mg vs 6.0 mg, P less than .05). First-service pregnancy rates were 66, 71, and 79% for cows treated with 3.0, 4.5, or 6.0 mg of NOR, respectively (P greater than .10).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
It’s not the same thing: considering a path forward for teaching public speaking online

ABSTRACTTeaching public speaking online is both an innovative and experimental approach that has created dissonance within the discipline. By definition, the online public speaking course is not the same thing as the face-to-face course. This essay considers the status of the online course and addresses concerns about teaching the traditional course online including how it is conceptualized and designed. Should we teach nearly the same thing but not the same thing online? This question is addressed by considering two different paths for moving forward: not calling the online course the same thing and calling the online course the same thing. The author argues in favor of a path forward that advocates for the creation of a new course altogether—one focused on speaking in digital contexts.
Theory in Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion

Morbidity and mortality related to chronic diseases are a primary concern of health professionals, including Health Educators. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,4 over one...
Communication Skills in Married Couples

In the past few years there has been a relative explosion in the area of communication skills training. Clinicians, educators, researchers, and workshop leaders alike have increasingly focused on the importance of communication skills in establishing and maintaining the well-being of individuals and their relationships.
Trump and the Resurgence of American Noir

This essay examines the political persona of Donald Trump as mediated by the imagery of hardboiled detective fiction and film noir. By evoking and distorting noir’s challenge to the status quo, its suspicion of systems of power and questioning of dominant norms, Trump has fashioned his political persona in ways that deliberately revise the popular conception of the hardboiled hero as brash-talking rebel at the margins of a corrupt system. Reading Trump’s persona through the mediating function of noir exposes how Trump’s rhetoric plays on, and benefits from, a theme of citizen estrangement while simultaneously reinforcing political expediency and self-interested power. Moreover, it is not only Trump who uses noir imagery provocatively to shape his political image. The media have also participated in crafting images of Trump as either entertaining disruptor or more darkly destabilising. As responses to crises of capitalism, corruption, and social fracture, noir narratives provide critical ways of investigating periods of disequilibrium and their resurfacing in the present. Analysing the production, expression, and reception of Trump’s political persona through the historical and discursive structures of noir underscores the salience of the study of persona to reveal underlying fissures in current American politics and society.
Not Sure Which Rubric to Use? Consider Cognitive Science Principles of Learning

AbstractThe author describes two general principles of learning that have emerged from cognitive science and argues that analytic rubrics that capture these aspects may be particularly effective as instructional and assessment tools.
Performance of the Spot Vision Screener in Children Younger Than 3 Years of Age.

Purpose To evaluate the use of the Spot Vision Screener (Spot; Welch Allyn, Skaneateles Falls, New York, USA) for detection of amblyopia risk factors in children aged 6 months to 3 years, as defined by the 2013 guidelines of the American Association for Pediatric Ophthalmology and Strabismus. Design Reliability analysis. Methods In this study, children seen from June 1, 2012, to April 30, 2016 were tested with the Spot during a routine visit. Enrolled children underwent a comprehensive eye examination including cycloplegic refraction and sensorimotor testing within 6 months of the testing date by a pediatric ophthalmologist masked to the Spot results. Results A total of 184 children were included. The Spot successfully obtained readings in 89.7% of patients. Compared with the ophthalmologist's examination, the Spot had an overall sensitivity of 89.8% and a specificity of 70.4%. Conclusion The Spot achieved good sensitivity and specificity for detection of amblyopia risk factors in this young cohort, particularly in the older subgroup. Our data offer support for automated vision screening in young children.
Coordination Characteristics of Uranyl BBP Complexes: Insights from an Electronic Structure Analysis

Organic ligand complexes of lanthanide/actinide ions have been studied extensively for applications in nuclear fuel storage and recycling. Several complexes of 2,6-bis(2-benzimidazyl)pyridine (H2BBP) featuring the uranyl moiety have been reported recently, and the present study investigates the coordination characteristics of these complexes using density functional theory-based electronic structure analysis. In particular, with the aid of several computational models, the nonplanar equatorial coordination about uranyl, observed in some of the compounds, is studied and its origin traced to steric effects.
314. Die arterio-mesenteriale Duodenalkompression (amD)

Die amD ist ein seltenes Krankheitsbild, hervorgerufen durch eine Einengung der pars horizontalis inf. duodeni infolge eines path. spitzwinkeligen Abganges der Arteria mesenterica sup. Angeborene und erworbene Formen konnen atiopathogenetisch unterschieden werden, wobei klinisch ein akuter oder chronisch-rezidivierender hoher Ileus resultiert. Die Diagnostik erfolgt neben einer Magenbreipassage durch die lumbale Ubersichtsaortographie in horizontalem Strahlengang. Die Anlage einer Duodenojejunostomie (Roux) liefert gute Behandlungsergebnisse.
Obama's Constitutional Legacy

President Obama leaves behind a mixed legacy on constitutional issues — one that is likely to remain controversial for a long time to come. Its most dangerous element may be the precedents he set for unilateral presidential initiation of war. More positively, the President played an important role in the establishment of a constitutional right to same-sex marriage, and his Administration’s policies unintentionally led to litigation that resulted in stronger judicial protection for federalism, property rights, and religious liberties. Obama’s judicial appointments are notable for their impressive professional qualifications and strong support for liberal judicial ideology. The long-term constitutional impact of the Obama presidency remains to be seen.
A practical approach for diagnosis of appendiceal mucinous neoplasms

Abstract Classification of appendiceal mucinous neoplasms remains controversial, and while multiple classification systems have been proposed, no single system is universally utilized. A recent consensus by the Peritoneal Surface Oncology Group International (PSOGI) provides clear diagnostic criteria for appendiceal mucinous neoplasms and their corresponding risk for pseudomyxoma peritonei. Here, we briefly review appendiceal mucinous neoplasms and associated risk for pseudomyxoma peritonei, and discuss the diagnostic difficulties, our approach, and the reporting guidelines proposed.
Betraying Holy Wedlock: Imagining the Fate of Satyajit Ray's Charulata, or The Lonely Wife

Satyajit Ray's 1964 film, Charulata, based on Tagore's novella, Nostonir questions the validity of the claim that it is a “feminist” text. Film critics and scholars like Darius Cooper, Ben Nyce, Ch...
Initial Inoculation Concentration Does Not Affect Final Bacterial Colonization of In vitro Vascular Conduits.

Abstract Background: Despite improved peri-operative care, prosthetic graft infections continue to cause substantial morbidity and mortality. Contemporary graft infection models have tested a conduit's infectability using varying concentrations without standardization. Using a static assay in vitro model, we sought to evaluate the impact of inoculation concentration on vascular conduit attachment. Methods: The 2-hour and 24-hour attachment of Staphylococcus aureus TCH1516 and Pseudomonas aeruginosa PA01-UW were determined on polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE), Dacron®, nitinol, cobalt chromium, and Viabahn® (W.L. Gore and Associates, Newark, DE) endoprotheses. Individually and in combination, concentrations at 104, 105, 106, 107, and 108 were tested on 2-mm sections of each graft. After each time interval, the prosthetics were rinsed to remove non-attached bacteria, sonicated to release the attached bacteria, spiral plated, and then analyzed for the attached concentration. Results: After two hours, the higher...
Reply to Goldfarb et al.: On the heritability and socialization of trust and distrust.

Our article (1) presents evidence for the heritability of trust and the shared socialization of distrust. Goldfarb et al. (2) downloaded our dataset, which we had made publicly available for all researchers. We thank them for their reanalysis, which precisely replicated all point estimates reported in our article (1). Our reply focuses on three issues in response to their comments. Our original research investigated the heritability of distrust, and our finding of a point estimate of 0.00 [which Goldfarb et al. (2) replicate twice in their table 1] is in considerable contrast to prior claims stating that all human traits are significantly heritable (3). As we emphasize in our work (1), “[a]lthough it … [↵][1]1To whom correspondence may be addressed. Email: reimann{at}arizona.edu or kcook{at}stanford.edu. [1]: #xref-corresp-1-1
Methods to measure quality of care and quality indicators through health facility surveys in low- and middle-income countries

Objective Present methods to measure standardized, replicable and comparable metrics to measure quality of medical care in low- and middle-income countries. Design We constructed quality indicators for maternal, neonatal and child care. To minimize reviewer judgment, we transformed criteria from check-lists into data points and decisions into conditional algorithms. Distinct criteria were established for each facility level and type of care. Indicators were linked to discharge diagnoses. We designed electronic abstraction tools using computer-assisted personal interviewing software. Setting We present results for data collected in the poorest areas of Belize, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama and the state of Chiapas in Mexico (January-October 2014). Results We collected data from 12 662 medical records. Indicators show variations of quality of care between and within countries. Routine interventions, such as quality antenatal care (ANC), immediate neonatal care and postpartum contraception, had low levels of compliance. Records that complied with quality ANC ranged from 68.8% [confidence interval (CI):64.5-72.9] in Costa Rica to 5.7% [CI:4.0-8.0] in Guatemala. Less than 25% of obstetric and neonatal complications were managed according to standards in all countries. Conclusions Our study underscores that, with adequate resources and technical expertise, collecting data for quality indicators at scale in low- and middle-income countries is possible. Our indicators offer a comparable, replicable and standardized framework to identify variations on quality of care. The indicators and methods described are highly transferable and could be used to measure quality of care in other countries.
Effects of ‘Blue-Regulated’ Full Spectrum LED Lighting in Clinician Wellness and Performance, and Patient Safety

Lighting has been recognized in the fields of human factors, ergonomics, and systems engineering, as an environmental factor that can affect wellness and performance, and the occurrence of medical error. Short wavelength (‘blue’) light is known to influence ‘non-visual’ effects of light in humans. These effects, that go beyond the pure ‘visual’ function, can affect human wellness and performance, as has been reported in previous scientific research. The aim and novelty of this research is to study the potentially beneficial ‘non-visual’ effects of lighting in the clinical environment to advance patient safety, and improve clinician wellness and performance.
Prevalence, clinical risk factors and outcomes of patients with lung cancer presenting with brain metastases.

2075Background: There is limited data on the prevalence of brain metastases at presentation in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). We queried the National Cancer Database (NCDB) to determine the frequency of brain metastases in patients diagnosed with NSCLC and clinical risk factors associated with their presence. Methods: We identified patients with NSCLC diagnosed between 2010 and 2013 using the NCDB database, as during this time period, brain metastasis information was captured. Odds ratios (ORs) for presence of brain metastasis were calculated for individual pre-specified covariates of interest using logistic regression analysis. All statistical tests were 2-sided and p < 0.05 was considered significant. Results: Brain metastases were observed in 47,546 (9.4%) of the 504,151 patients with NSCLC during our study time period. On multivariate analysis the following variables were significantly associated with presence of brain metastasis: age (OR, 0.72 per 10 year increase in age; 95% confi...
Public land revisited: municipalization and privatization in Newark and New York City

Public land plays a central role in contemporary urban planning struggles. Using a comparative case study approach focused on the north-eastern US cities of Newark and New York City, we uncover pat...
Online Representations of “Genome Editing” Uncover Opportunities for Encouraging Engagement: A Semantic Network Analysis:

Genome editing is an emerging socio-scientific issue. This study uses semantic network analysis to determine the concepts and frames the public is exposed to when seeking information about “genome ...
Low Utility of Nuclear Perfusion Exercise Stress Tests for Detecting Graft Vasculopathy in Children after Heart Transplantation

Purpose Nuclear perfusion exercise stress testing (NP-EST) is used to detect stable or inducible myocardial ischemia but requires significant radiation exposure and has limited data on utility in detecting graft vasculopathy in pediatric heart transplant recipients. We tested the hypothesis that NP-EST had poor utility for detecting coronary graft vasculopathy in children after heart transplantation. Methods We reviewed all NP-EST performed between 2000 and 2011 at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. NP-EST involved intravenous injection of Tc-99m with sestamibi rest imaging followed by imaging after peak exercise either by treadmill or cycle ergometery. All patients also underwent concurrent cardiac catheterization with coronary angiography for comparison. Results A total of 91 heart transplants in 88 patients (54% female) were included. Among the 88 patients, 324 NP-EST with concurrent coronary angiography were performed at a median age of 11 ± 6 years. Based on coronary angiography, 35 studies in 26 patients had graft vasculopathy had graft vasculopathy at time of NP-EST. Of those, 7 (20%) had true positive NP-EST and 28 (80%) had false negative NP-EST. Of those without graft vasculopathy (n=289), 7% had false positive tests. Based on this, NP-EST had 20% sensitivity and 93% specificity for detecting graft vasculopathy. The positive predictive value of NP-EST was 27% and the negative predictive value was 91%. Conclusion Nuclear perfusion exercise stress testing has poor sensitivity for detecting coronary graft vasculopathy in children. Furthermore, nuclear perfusion exercise stress testing has a low positive predictive value for true disease, with 73% of positive tests being false positive. These data supports the low utility of NP-EST for detecting coronary graft vasculopathy in pediatric heart transplant recipients. Given this low utility and significant radiation exposure, routine screening of pediatric heart transplant patients with NP-EST does not appear to be warranted.
Λ CDM or self-interacting neutrinos: How CMB data can tell the two models apart

Of the many proposed extensions to the $\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Lambda}}\mathrm{CDM}$ paradigm, a model in which neutrinos self-interact until close to the epoch of matter-radiation equality has been shown to provide a good fit to current cosmic microwave background (CMB) data, while at the same time alleviating tensions with late-time measurements of the expansion rate and matter fluctuation amplitude. Interestingly, CMB fits to this model either pick out a specific large value of the neutrino interaction strength, or are consistent with the extremely weak neutrino interaction found in $\mathrm{\ensuremath{\Lambda}}\mathrm{CDM}$, resulting in a bimodal posterior distribution for the neutrino self-interaction cross section. In this paper, we explore why current cosmological data select this particular large neutrino self-interaction strength, and by consequence, disfavor intermediate values of the self-interaction cross section. We show how it is the $\ensuremath{\ell}\ensuremath{\gtrsim}1000$ CMB temperature anisotropies, most recently measured by the Planck satellite, that produce this bimodality. We also establish that smaller scale temperature data, and improved polarization data measuring the temperature-polarization cross-correlation, will best constrain the neutrino self-interaction strength. We forecast that the upcoming Simons Observatory should be capable of distinguishing between the models.
Experimental study on the excitation of thermoacoustic instability of hydrogen-methane/air premixed flames under atmospheric and elevated pressure conditions

Abstract The current work examines the excitation of thermoacoustic instability of lean premixed hydrogen-methane/air low swirl flames under both atmospheric and elevated pressure conditions (up to 0.3 MPa). Under a given pressure condition, The tests were conducted at different bulk velocities (U), hydrogen proportions (ηH), and equivalence ratios (Ф). Results show that thermoacoustic instability can be excited by increasing one of these variables while keeping others the same. It was found that pressure elevation has a minor effect on the oscillation frequency. Moreover, it was demonstrated that the current instability is induced by large coherent structures. The effect of pressure elevation on the excitation of thermoacoustic instability is found to be Φ dependent. As indicators of the flame response to impinging vortices, the curvature and local flame surface area features were calculated with images captured with the planar laser-induced fluorescence of the OH radical (OH-PLIF) method. Results demonstrate a great similarity between the flame front evolution and the instability trend, implying that the effect of the chamber pressure on the instability trend can be indicated by the change in the flame front curvature and local flame surface area.
An Outbreak of Brucellosis: An Adult and Pediatric Case Series

Background Brucellosis is recognized as a neglected zoonotic disease and a major public health threat. The purpose of this study was to characterize epidemiological risk factors and healthcare utilization and compare clinical aspects of disease among adult and pediatric cases in North Texas. Methods A retrospective chart review of electronic medical records was completed at 3 large tertiary centers-Parkland Health and Hospital System, Clements University Hospital, and Children's Medical Center-between January 1, 2007 and June 1, 2017. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory variables were collected. Cases were defined as confirmed or probable. Results Twenty-eight cases of brucellosis were identified: 26 confirmed (9 children, 17 adults) and 2 probable cases (1 child, 1 adult). Half (n = 14) were diagnosed in 2016 during an outbreak in Dallas County. Risk factors associated with infection were consumption of unpasteurized cheese (71%), recent travel (54%), close contact to a confirmed human brucellosis case (36%), and exposure to animals (11%). Median days of symptoms was 10 and 16 for children and adults, respectively. The majority (79%) of patients visited the emergency department before diagnosis and 93% were hospitalized. Fever was the most common symptom in children (80%) and adults (100%). Hepatitis (75% of children) and anemia (82% of adults) were the most common laboratory abnormalities. The most common complication in children was splenic lesions (40%), and the most common complication in adults was hepato/splenomegaly (39%). Conclusions The diagnosis of Brucella infection requires a high index of suspicion and should be considered in patients presenting with a febrile illness and a compatible exposure history.
Improving Social Service Planning in a Changing Environment: The Need for an Environmental Information System

Comprehensive social service planning attempts to design, coordinate, promote, and evaluate the delivery of all needed social services within a particular region. The task of determining social nee...
False Memory in Children: Data, Theory, and Legal Implications

False memory is an area of intense research interest for both theoretical and practical reasons. From a theoretical perspective, false memories have been the subject of hot debates about the nature of human memory and a focal point for old and new memory theories. From a practical perspective, false memories are a threat to the validity of eyewitness testimony, a misleading source of autobiographical information in psychotherapy, and a biased representation of lessons taught in educational settings. True memories represent events as they really happened, whereas false memories shade, distort, or entirely misrepresent what really happened. False memories may sometimes seem to be only subtly different from strictly accurate reports of experienced events, as when witnesses misremember true inferences about events as though the inferences were directly experienced. Such false memories, which are often confidently reported as directly witnessed, are ubiquitous in everyday life. However, the distinction between inference and experience is crucial in many real-world contexts, especially in legal settings (Reyna & Brainerd, 1998). Eyewitnesses are not called upon to report their theories of events, but, rather, what they actually remember experiencing. Although some inferences turn out to be consistent with the facts, others are based on prejudice, ignorance, and unfounded suppositions (Nisbett & Ross, 1980). Thus, justice requires that we minimize the influence of false memories in legal proceedings at every stage in which children are interviewed, from the crime scene to the courtroom