cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A novel echocardiographic hemodynamic classification of heart failure based on stroke volume index and left atrial pressure

Background and Aim Dividing patients with heart failure (HF) based solely on ejection fraction (EF) may over simplify the hemodynamic states of these patients. We describe a novel echo-derived hemodynamic HF model based on flow (stroke volume index [SVI]) and left atrial pressure (E:E′) correlates. Methods A retrospective analysis of patients admitted with HF with both reduced (HFrEF) and preserved EF (HFpEF). Patients were subdivided into four hemodynamic groups based on echocardiographic SVI (< or ≥35 mL/m2) and E/E′ (≥ or <15). Group A: normal flow and normal filling pressure, Group B: normal flow but high filling pressure, Group C: low flow and low filling pressure, and Group D: low flow and high filling pressure. Results A total of 176 patients were enrolled, 123 patients had HFrEF and 53 patients had HFpEF. Baseline characteristics were not statistically significant in both groups. In HFrEF, most patients were in group D compared to a heterogeneous distribution in HFpEF (P<.0001). In HFrEF, there was a trend toward an increase in B-type natriuretic peptide levels with a decrease in SVI and increase in E/E′ (P=.05) but not in HFpEF. There was no difference in death, major adverse cardiac events, but a higher readmissions rate in the HFpEF group at 30 days and 18 months. Conclusions Hemodynamic subgroups differ between HFrEF and HFpEF. There is no difference in major adverse cardiovascular events between both groups with increased readmissions in HPpEF patients. Larger studies may help assess the impact of echo-derived hemodynamic state on clinical outcome.
Grasping with Your Face

BCI (Brain Computer Interface) technology shows great promise in the field of assistive robotics. In particular, severely impaired individuals lacking the use of their hands and arms would benefit greatly from a robotic grasping system that can be controlled by a simple and intuitive BCI. In this paper we describe an end-to-end robotic grasping system that is controlled by only four classified facial EMG signals resulting in robust and stable grasps. A front end vision system is used to identify and register objects to be grasped against a database of models. Once the model is aligned, it can be used in a real-time grasp planning simulator that is controlled through a non-invasive and inexpensive BCI interface in both discrete and continuous modes. The user can control the approach direction through the BCI interface, and can also assist the planner in choosing the best grasp. Once the grasp is planned, a robotic hand/arm system can execute the grasp. We show results in using this system to pick up a variety of objects in real-time, from a number of different approach directions, using facial BCI signals exclusively. We believe this system is a working prototype for a fully automated assistive grasping system.
Interactive organizational commitment and hardiness in public accountants' turnover

Purpose – The overall purpose of the study is to build upon and add to a turnover model for public accounting. This study examines two components of organizational commitment, affective and continuance, and attempts to reconcile mixed results found in prior studies. An interaction of the two components and the personality trait of hardiness are explored.Design/methodology/approach – One hundred and twenty‐eight public accountants from three firms participated in the study by completing self‐report questionnaires. Established scales for the variables of interest were employed, and OLS regression was used to test hypotheses.Findings – The results indicate that affective commitment is the most salient component of commitment in predicting turnover, but an interaction of continuance and affective commitment is also significant. The results also indicate that hardiness is a significant personality variable in predicting turnover.Research limitations/implications – Generalizability of results may be limited as ...
The Institutional Environment and Entry Into the Renewable Energy Sector

Barriers to entry in regulated markets are frequently thought of as static features that must be removed or overcome if firms are to successfully enter a market. However, this view is rooted in a r...
Undergraduate Research Needs: Faculty-Librarian Collaboration to Improve Information Literacy in Policy Papers

To improve the quality of semester-long policy projects of upper-division political science students, a faculty member and research librarian collaborated to reframe the assignment in hopes of impr...
Blood Products Transfusion

Transfusion of blood products may be required during the perioperative period. Despite a well-established safety record, transfusion of blood and its components is not risk free. Indication for each of the blood components needs to be established based on the laboratory investigation and/or clinical picture. In general terms, when there is a clinical evidence of a deficiency in oxygen-carrying capacity, red cell transfusion should be considered; and in the situations of clinically significant coagulopathy, hemostatic blood products (frozen plasma, platelets, cryoprecipitate, factor concentrates) transfusion should be considered. Complications of blood administration range from rare but severe reactions (hemolytic transfusion reactions) to more common, and also associated with significant morbidity and mortality, such as transfusion-related acute lung injury (TRALI), transfusion-related circulatory overload (TACO), and changes in immune system (transfusion related immunomodulation [TRIM]).
Abstract P1-10-02: A phase II study of copper-depletion using tetrathiomolybdate in patients with breast cancer at high risk for recurrence: Updated results

Background: Metals have emerged as a viable therapeutic target for a new generation of anti-cancer and anti-metastatic agents. Copper, an essential trace element, serves as an important catalytic cofactor in several biological functions and has emerged as an essential factor in carcinogenesis. Among other elements, bone marrow derived VEGFR2+ endothelial progenitor cells (EPCs) and copper-dependent lysyl oxidase (LOX) are key elements in tumor progression. We hypothesized tetrathiomolybdate (TM)-associated copper depletion (CD) inhibits tumor metastases by reducing the number of EPCs and other copper dependent processes in the pre-metastatic niche. These results are an update of our previously reported study (Chan N, Willis A, Kornhauser N et al. Influencing the Tumor Microenvironment: Phase 2 Study of Copper Depletion with Tetrathiomolybdate in High Risk Breast Cancer and Preclinical Models of Lung Metastases. Clin Cancer Res. October 21, 2016) with longer follow-up. Methods: A single arm phase II study of breast cancer (BC) patients (pts) at high risk for recurrence, defined as node+ triple negative (TNBC), stage 3 and 4 with no evidence of disease (NED) were enrolled on a trial of CD with TM. TM was given to maintain ceruloplasmin (Cp) levels between 8-16 mg/dl for two years with an extension phase or until relapse. The primary endpoint was a change in EPCs measured by flow cytometry before and during treatment. Secondary endpoints included tolerability, safety, PFS and LOXL-2 levels. Results: Seventy-five pts received 2778 cycles of TM on the primary and extension study. The primary study treatment duration was 24 cycles (each cycle is 28 days) plus an extension phase. The median age is 51 years (range 29-66). Forty-five pts have stage 2/3 BC and 30 with stage 4 NED. Forty-eight percent of pts are TNBC and 40% of pts are stage 4 NED. Median Cp levels were monitored with each cycle. A decrease from 28 to 16 (p Conclusions: TM is safe, well tolerated and appears to affect multiple components of the tumor microenvironment that have been identified in pre-clinical models as important for progression. Ongoing studies in banked specimens are underway to further delineate its effect on copper dependent processes necessary for metastases. Randomized trials are warranted, especially in patients who are at high risk for relapse such as those with TNBC. Citation Format: Sahota S, Willis A, Kornhauser N, Ward M, Cobham M, Cigler T, Moore A, Andreopoulou E, Fitzpatrick V, Schneider S, Prima N, Wiener A, Ko D, De Laurentiis A, Warren JD, Rubinchik A, Mittal V, Vahdat LT. A phase II study of copper-depletion using tetrathiomolybdate in patients with breast cancer at high risk for recurrence: Updated results [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2017 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2017 Dec 5-9; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P1-10-02.
Nondestructive evaluation of early age properties of concrete using a polymer based piezoelectric sensor (Conference Presentation)

Nowadays, strength monitoring of concrete structures by the nondestructive method has gained more attention. Strength monitoring is not only important to determine the readiness of structures for service, but also to ensure the safety of the structure itself during the construction. The main goal of in-situ monitoring the strength gain in concrete is to obtain reliable information about the quality of concrete which can be further used to assess construction schedule and process of concrete structures, such as determining the optimal traffic opening time. The current methods are unreliable, inefficient, costly and partially destructive. To address these challenges, this paper aims to investigate the feasibility of employing polymer based piezoelectric sensors to characterize the in-situ compressive strength gain of concrete at the early ages. The pitch-catch approach was considered for the active sensing approach. In this approach, a piezoelectric transducer acts an actuator to propagates the Lamb waves while another piezoelectric device works as a sensor to detect the signal. A PVDF sensor was fabricated using electrospinning method, and a commercial PZT transducer was used to generate the Lamb waves. The developed piezoelectric-based set-up has shown a promising technique for strength development of cementitious materials at early ages.
Reactive compatibilization of nylon 6/styrene–acrylonitrile copolymer blends: Part 3. Tensile stress–strain behavior

Abstract The stress–strain behavior of blends of nylon 6 (PA) and a styrene–acrylonitrile copolymer (SAN) compatibilized by an imidized acrylic polymer (IA) was evaluated in terms of the IA content and the dispersed SAN25 particle size. PA/SAN blends can be considered as a simpler version of industrially important PA/ABS blends; therefore, this study provides better understanding of the stress–strain behavior of compatibilized PA/ABS blends. The IA content was varied from 0 to 5 wt%; whereas the ratio of PA to SAN25 was held at 7/3; and in all cases the polyamide formed the continuous phase. From experiments using a Brabender batch mixer or an extruder as the mixing device, a reduction of dispersed particle size was observed with the addition of as little as 0.1 wt% IA. It was revealed from the experiments using a Brabender batch mixer that more than 0.5 wt% IA was necessary to prevent domain coalescence. The blends containing 1 wt% or more IA show necking and considerable plastic deformation. Transmission electron microscopy revealed that the normally brittle SAN25 particles were transformed into elongated shapes and undergo shear yielding under certain circumstances as the specimens experienced plastic deformation during stress–strain testing. Although the macroscopic elongation at break and the particle distortion ratio, which is defined as the ratio of the major axis to the minor axis of the elongated particles, are somewhat correlated, the local deformation in the neck region is much larger than the elongation at break. Thus, the ultimate capability for plastic deformation of the IA compatibilized blends is much larger than the overall elongation at break. The distortion ratio of the particles was observed to be as high as 6–7. There seems to be a relationship between the SAN25 particle size and the extent of plastic deformation realized. These experiments, however, do not differentiate the effect of diminishing particle size from increasing adhesion between the phases. Thus, it is not possible to assign unambiguously the dominant factor that permits the plastic deformation of the brittle SAN phase.
International Domain Names (IDNs) and Language Rights

Multilingualism on the internet has become irreversible. The numbers of web users in Arabic, Chinese, Russian and Spanish languages have grown more than a thousand percent each between 2010 and 2016 (Internet World Stats, 2016). Wikipedia, Google Translate and social media sites allow even the use of minority languages such as Catalan, Basque, Welsh and Maori (May 2012). Despite these developments, at its architectural core in the domain name system (DNS), the internet remains closed to many regional and minority languages.
Effect of Inspiratory Muscle Training on Performance of Handball Athletes

Inspiratory muscle training (IMT) is a strategy that has been used to improve performance in different sports modalities. This study investigated the effects of an IMT program on respiratory muscle strength and resistance as well as aerobic physical performance (PP) of handball athletes. Nineteen 20 ± 3 year-old male athletes were allocated into an experimental (EG, n = 10) or a placebo group (PG, n = 9). Their respiratory muscle strength was evaluated by measuring the maximum inspiratory and expiratory pressures (MIP and MEP), muscular respiratory resistance by maximum voluntary ventilation (MVV) and aerobic PP by the cardiopulmonary exercise test. The study was designed to evaluate the effects of a 12-week IMT program with five sessions a week. A significant difference was observed in the pre and post IMT values of the MIP (170 ± 34 to 262 ± 33 cmH2O) and MEP (177 ± 36 to 218 ± 37 cmH2O) in the EG, and MIP (173 ± 45 to 213 ± 21 cmH2O) in the PG, with a large effect size for the MIP, when the groups were compared. MVV showed a significant increase (162 ± 24 to 173 ± 30 L) in the EG, with a small effect size. There was a significant difference in maximum oxygen uptake (54 ± 8 to 60 ± 7 ml/kg/min) in aerobic PP. Oxygen uptake at the respiratory compensation point (RCP) (46 ± 6 to 50 ± 5 ml/kg/min), with a moderate effect size for both variables, was observed in the EG after IMT. We concluded that IMT provided a significant increase in respiratory muscle strength and resistance, contributing to increased aerobic PP in the EG, which suggests that IMT could be incorporated in handball players' training.
Per oral endoscopic myotomy: Another tool in the toolbox.

Abstract Objective Use of per oral endoscopic myotomy is increasing for the treatment of achalasia, with potential for rapid recovery and less invasiveness. We report our experience with per oral endoscopic myotomy to better understand how it fits into a modern paradigm of achalasia management. Methods A total of 152 patients with achalasia underwent per oral endoscopic myotomy from April 2014 to March 2018. Type II achalasia was the most prominent subtype in 69 patients (49%), and 33 patients (21.5%) had a prior Heller myotomy. Postoperative Eckardt scores, integrated relaxation pressure, and timed barium esophagram column height and width at 2 months were compared with preoperative measurements. Results Per oral endoscopic myotomy was completed in 149 patients (98%). Median operative time was 96 minutes (75 minutes for the last 30 cases), and length of stay was 1 day (interquartile range, 1-2). The most common morbidities were mucosal perforation in 2 patients (1.3%) and bleeding in 3 patients (2.0%), although no nonendoscopic intervention was required. Mortality was zero. Postoperatively, the median Eckardt score decreased from 6 to 0 (P Conclusions Per oral endoscopic myotomy is a safe and effective intervention that provides clear subjective and objective improvement in patients with achalasia. High postprocedure acid reflux raises concern about future sequelae if used in a nonselective fashion.
Evaluation of Floral Cuts on Eriophyid Mite Retention on Knock Out and Multiflora Rose Cuttings

Current eriophyid mite quantification techniques require transportation of the Rosa spp. cuttings to the laboratory. It is thought that the change in xylem hydraulic conductance within the cut cane...
Lactate and cancer: a "lactatic" perspective on spinal tumor metabolism (part 1).

Spine tumors are among the most difficult tumors to treat given their proximity to the spinal cord. Despite advances in adjuvant therapies, surgery remains a critical component of treatment, both in primary tumors and metastatic disease. Given the significant morbidity of these surgeries and with other current adjuvant therapies (e.g., radiation, chemotherapy), interest has grown in other methods of targeting tumors of the spine. Recent efforts have highlighted the tumor microenvironment, and specifically lactate, as central to tumorigenesis. Once erroneously considered a waste product that indicated hypoxia/hypoperfusion, lactate is now known to be at the center of whole-body metabolism, shuttling between tissues and being used as a fuel. Diffusion-driven transporters and the near-equilibrium enzyme lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) allow rapid mobilization of large stores of muscle glycogen in the form of lactate. In times of stress, catecholamines can bind muscle cell receptors and trigger the breakdown of glycogen to lactate, which can then diffuse out into circulation and be used as a fuel where needed. Hypoxia, in contrast, is rarely the reason for an elevated arterial [lactate]. Tumors were originally described in the 1920’s as being “glucose-avid” and “lactate-producing” even in normoxia (the “Warburg effect”). We now know that a broad range of metabolic behaviors likely exist, including cancer cells that consume lactate as a fuel, others that may produce it, and still others that may change their behavior based on the local microenvironment. In this review we will examine the relationship between lactate and tumor metabolism with a brief look at spine-specific tumors. Lactate is a valuable fuel and potent signaling molecule that has now been implicated in multiple steps in tumorigenesis [e.g., driving vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) expression in normoxia]. Future work should utilize translational animal models to target tumors by altering the local tumor microenvironment, of which lactate is a critical part.
Psychological Reactance and Persuasive Health Communication: A Review of the Literature

Psychological reactance theory is a commonly relied upon framework for understanding audience members’ resistance to persuasive health messages. This review article provides an overview of reactance research in the context of persuasive health communication. The article begins with an overview of psychological reactance theory. The major concepts of the theory are discussed, as well as recent developments by communication researchers in measuring reactance. Following this, contemporary reactance research in the context of persuasive health communication is summarized. An emphasis is placed on research examining message features associated with reactance, as well as the moderating role of trait reactance. The article concludes with a discussion of several promising directions for future research.
Longitudinal cortical markers of persistence and remission of pediatric PTSD.

Abstract Background Previous studies have identified structural brain abnormalities in pediatric PTSD. However, little is known about what structural brain substrates may confer recovery versus persistence of PTSD in the context of the developing brain. Methods This naturalistic longitudinal study used T1-weighted MRI to evaluate cortical thickness and surface area in youth with a PTSD diagnosis (n = 28) and typically developing healthy youth (TD; n = 27) at baseline and one-year follow-up. Of the PTSD group, 10 youth were remitters at one-year follow up while 18 had persistent PTSD. Whole-brain estimates of cortical thickness and surface area were extracted to identify differences in cortical architecture associated with PTSD remission and persistence as compared to typical development. Results Youth who achieved PTSD remission entered the study with significantly lower trauma exposure and reduced symptom severity as compared to nonremitters. PTSD persistence was associated with decreased surface area over time in the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (vlPFC) as compared to both remitters and TD youth. In contrast, PTSD remission was associated with expansion of frontal pole surface area and ventromedial PFC (vmPFC) thickness over time. Across clinical groups, vmPFC thickness was further inversely associated with symptom severity. Conclusions To our knowledge, these findings represent the first report of cortical substrates underlying persistence versus remission in pediatric PTSD. Together, these findings suggest active structural developmental processes unique to both remission and nonremission in youth with PTSD. In particular, expansion of prefrontal regions implicated in emotion regulation may facilitate recovery from PTSD in youth and would warrant further study.
Oxidative Stress Measurement in Semen and Seminal Plasma

Excessive generation of seminal reactive oxygen species (ROS) by immature spermatozoa and white blood cells, especially granulocytes, in the ejaculate is detrimental to spermatozoa. The cellular antioxidant defense mitigates the impact of elevated ROS production. The imbalance between ROS and available antioxidants results in oxidative stress (OS), leads to lipids peroxidation, alters proteins expression, and results in DNA fragmentation and male infertility. Accurate assessment of ROS is important as it provides information about oxidative stress as an underlying cause of male infertility. Different direct and indirect methods and instruments are available for the laboratory measurement of oxidative stress in seminal plasma and spermatozoa. The measurement of ROS by the chemiluminescence assay is a direct method that can measure both extracellular and intracellular (global) ROS in real-time using luminol as probe. This assay provides reference values that can help differentiate infertile men from fertile men. Total antioxidant capacity measurement in seminal plasma is indicative of the antioxidant reserves. DNA fragmentation is determined by several assays, including the TUNEL assay. The TUNEL assay measures single- and double-strand damage in spermatozoa as a result of oxidative stress. Measurement of oxidation reduction potential (ORP) in semen and seminal plasma is a measure of the redox potential or the oxidative stress status in a given sample. These tests can be included as advanced andrology screening diagnostic approaches that can complement routine semen analysis and can help explain the underlying cause of idiopathic or unexplained male infertility. This chapter outlines the importance of oxidative stress and its measurement in semen and seminal plasma.
Interactions of DEET and Novel Repellents With Mosquito Odorant Receptors.

The carboxamide N, N-di-ethyl-meta-toluamide (DEET) is the most effective and widely used insect repellent today. However, drawbacks concerning the efficacy and the safety of the repellent have led to efforts to design new classes of insect repellents.Through quantitative structure–activity relationships, chemists have discovered two chemical groups of novel repellents: the acylpiperidines and the carboxamides, with the acylpiperidines generally more potent in biological assays. Although the exact mechanism of action of DEET and other repellents has not yet been thoroughly elucidated, previous research shows that the activity of insect odorant receptors are inhibited in the presence of repellents. The present electrophysiological study employs two-electrode voltage clamp with Xenopus laevis oocytes expressing AgOR2/AgOrco and AgOR8/AgOrco receptors to assess the effects of the novel repellents on Anopheles gambiae Giles (Insecta: Diptera: Culicidae) mosquito odorant receptors. The novel acylpiperidines and carboxamides reversibly inhibited (12–91%) odorant-evoked currents from both AgOR2/AgOrco and AgOR8/AgOrco receptors in a dose-dependent manner at all tested concentrations (30 µM to 1 mM). Furthermore, all the novel agents were more potent inhibitors of the receptors than DEET, with the acylpiperidines producing on average greater inhibition than the carboxamides. Interestingly, there was a correlation (r2 = 0.72) between the percentage inhibition of AgOR2/AgOrco receptor currents and protection times of the acylpiperidines. Our results add to existing evidence that the repellency of a compound is linked to its ability to disrupt the insect olfactory system and that the acylpiperidines could represent a class of more effective alternatives to the current gold standard, DEET.
Imaging of Colorectal Cancer: Screening, Staging and Surveillance

Abstract Evolution of imaging technique in the past decade has played essential role in decreasing the incidence and mortality of colorectal cancers in the United States. Imaging significantly assists in the management of colorectal cancer, especially in screening, surveillance, diagnosis, staging, selection of treatment, and follow up. Comprehensive knowledge of their application, strengths, and weaknesses is required by the radiologists to play a significant part on multidisciplinary teams in deciding how colorectal cancer patients should be managed. This article describes the pros and cons of the various imaging modalities in the management of colorectal cancer.
A Probabilistic Self-Annealing Compute Fabric Based on 560 Hexagonally Coupled Ring Oscillators for Solving Combinatorial Optimization Problems

NP-hard combinatorial optimization problems (COPs) are very expensive to solve with traditional computers. COPs can be mapped to a coupled spin network where the ground state of the system is the solution. We propose a scalable truly coupled CMOS oscillator-based integrated system mimicking a spin network to solve COPs in hardware. Our simple latch-based coupling design finds solutions of max-cut problems with 85%–100% accuracy 104-106 times faster than commercial software running on a CPU.
Science fiction prototyping’s features and impact on college students’ perceptions of writing: An applied literariness study

Abstract The present study develops an applied literariness study by exploring both the features, and the impact, of science fiction prototyping (SFP) on college students’ perceptions of disciplinary, or field-specific, writing. College students (N = 83), who were English (n = 35) or STEM (science, technology, engineering, mathematics) majors (n = 48), composed micro-science fiction prototyping (µSFP), a genre that blends creative and science writing. Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count (LIWC2015) analysis demonstrated that, aside from a more positive average emotional tone, µSFP written fell psycho-linguistically between personal and science writing. English and STEM majors’ µSFP stories were similar in terms of analytical levels, clout, authenticity, emotional tone, and use of words. Mann-Whitney U tests indicated that, while English majors evaluated creative writing as significantly more relevant to their future career goals pre-intervention than did STEM majors (p = .04, r = .23), this difference vanished post-intervention. Additionally, while STEM majors evaluated science writing as significantly more worth their time to study (p = .042, r = .22) and relevant to their major (p = .01, r = .28) pre-intervention than did English majors, these differences disappeared post-intervention. Wilcoxon signed-ranks tests indicated that, while English majors’ ownership and evaluation of science and creative writing did not change, STEM majors’ evaluations of creative writing as relevant to their majors and future careers were significantly higher post-intervention (p = .015, r = .35)
A Fully Integrated 0.2V 802.11ba Wake-Up Receiver with -91.5dBm Sensitivity

A standalone, fully integrated 0.2V 578µW ultra-low voltage (ULV) 2.4GHz 802.11ba WiFi wake-up receiver (WRX) is presented. It includes a current-efficient ULV noise cancelling LNA with a high turn step-up transformer, and Q-enhanced RF gain stages for low noise figure. A 1/3 f RF mixer and ULV FLL are implemented to reduce current. The chip includes micro-power managers for regulating all internal voltages from a single 0.2V supply. Fabricated in 40nm CMOS, the ULV WRX achieves -91.5dBm sensitivity at 10-3 BER and data-rate of 62.5kbps, while rejecting a 45dB adjacent blocker with only 0.2V supply. The WRX includes an energy-efficient 5ms startup sequence which interfaces to an external node controller over serial peripheral interface (SPI).
Field safety study of VANGUARD®crLyme: A vaccine for the prevention of Lyme disease in dogs.

Abstract Here we report the results of a large-scale pre-license safety study in which two serials of VANGUARD®crLyme, a vaccine for canine Lyme disease, were tested in its target population (dogs) under the conditions of its intended use. Six-hundred and twenty dogs, from three distinct geographic regions of the United States were enrolled in this study with each receiving two doses of vaccine by subcutaneous injection 3 to 4 weeks apart. Approximately one-third of the dogs were of minimum age (≤8 weeks of age) to meet regulatory requirements. Safety was evaluated by observation of local and systemic reactions for at least 10 days after each vaccination. Abnormal health events (AHEs) occurred at low frequencies and no serious AHEs were observed. The results demonstrated that VANGUARD®crLyme is safe for use in healthy dogs 8 weeks of age or older.
Anisotropic regularization of ultrasound pulse-echo tomography for reconstruction of speed-of-sound and tissue heterogeneity through abdominal layers

Regularization has a critical impact on the performance of pulse-echo computed-tomography and is a key component of the speed-of-sound (SoS) reconstruction pipeline. We investigate SoS reconstruction accuracy through heterogeneous abdominal models. We propose anisotropic regularization approaches, which integrate available gradient information for both Tikhonov (L2) and Total Variation (L1) regularizers. Our results show that different target clinical applications, for instance, quantification of focal lesions or diffuse disease may benefit from different regularization approaches. Reconstruction of SoS distributions through abdominal layers was feasible in limited-angle ray tracing simulations, with Pearson coefficient $r$ = 0.909 for estimation of SoS baseline (mean) and $r$ = 0.66 for estimation of SoS heteroaeneity (std. deviation).
Mechanistic Modeling of Wet Stirred Media Milling for Production of Drug Nanosuspensions

Drug nanocrystals have been used for a wide range of drug delivery platforms in the pharmaceutical industry, especially for bioavailability enhancement of poorly water-soluble drugs. Wet stirred media milling (WSMM) is the most widely used process for producing dense, stable suspensions of drug nanoparticles, also referred to as nanosuspensions. Despite a plethora of review papers on the production and applications of drug nanosuspensions, modeling of WSMM has not been thoroughly covered in any review paper before. The aim of this review paper is to briefly expose the pharmaceutical scientists and engineers to various modeling approaches, mostly mechanistic, including computational fluid dynamics (CFD), discrete element method (DEM), population balance modeling (PBM), coupled methods, the stress intensity-number model (SI-SN model), and the microhydrodynamic (MHD) model with a main focus on the MHD model for studying the WSMM process. A total of 71 studies, 30 on drugs and 41 on other materials, were reviewed. Analysis of the pharmaceutics literature reveals that WSMM modeling is largely based on empirical, statistically based modeling approaches, and mechanistic modeling could help pharmaceutical engineers develop a fundamental process understanding. After a review of the salient features and various pros-cons of each modeling approach, recent advances in microhydrodynamic modeling and process insights gained therefrom were highlighted. The SI-SN and MHD models were analyzed and critiqued objectively. Finally, the review points out potential research directions such as more mechanistic and accurate CFD-DEM-PBM simulations and the coupling of the MHD-PBM models with the CFD.
Robustness to noise for speech emotion classification using CNNs and attention mechanisms

Abstract Speech Emotion Recognition (SER) is an important task since emotion is a primary dimension in human communication and health. It has a wide variety of practical applications such as assessing the mood of callers to an emergency call center and as a diagnostic tool for therapists. Since most of the SER models in the literature are trained with clean noiseless data and non noise-robust input features, they are not very useful in real world conditions where noise is almost always present. Although there are methods to reduce these adverse effects of noise, a systematic analysis of these methods in the context of SER is lacking. In this paper several different methods to mitigate adverse effects of noise on CNN (Convolutional Neural Network) based SER are developed and analyzed. The SER models trained on the Berlin Database of Emotional Speech were tested with clean data and data mixed with 10 different noise types at different noise levels with signal to noise ratios of 10,15,20,25,30 and 35. We show that the noise robustness of SER models can be improved by combining the magnitude spectrogram with the modified group delay spectrogram, by including synthetic noise in the training data, and by using an attention mechanism. When trained with noisy data, the models trained with the combined input saw a 10% increase in average accuracy than the models using individual inputs and not trained with noise. Adding the attention mechanism to the previous model further improved the accuracy by 5%. Finally, by training and evaluating on the RAVDESS dataset, we demonstrated that the noise robust methods developed can be generalized into other datasets and emotions. We achieved an average accuracy of 81% on RAVDESS dataset under noisy conditions.
Executive function in Down syndrome: A meta-analysis.

Abstract Background Executive function (EF) refers to a set of cognitive processes involved in goal-oriented behavior—especially inhibition, attention shifting, and working memory. EF has been identified as a probable area of difficulty in Down syndrome (DS), but the exact nature of the difficulty has not been well-established. Aims The meta-analysis sought to confirm or disconfirm EF as an area of difficulty in DS and elucidate an EF profile. Methods and Procedures A random-effects meta-analysis was conducted on 57 studies that compared a group with DS to a typically developing (TD) mental age matched group on one or more executive function tasks. Heterogeneity was examined and moderators analyzed. Outcomes and Results The overall mean weighted effect size was large (d = -0.87), indicating poorer EF in groups with DS vs TD groups. Heterogeneity was significant, and moderator analysis revealed an EF profile with a very large effect for verbal WM/STM, a large effect for shifting, and moderate effects for inhibition and nonverbal WM/STM. Skewness analysis suggested that mean effect sizes might have been dampened, especially for WM/STM and shifting. Conclusions and Implications Individuals with DS display a pronounced difficulty in EFs; implications for interventions and future research are discussed.
Impact of Close Margins in Head and Neck Mucosal Squamous Cell Carcinoma: A Systematic Review.

Objectives/hypothesis The aim of the study is to investigate whether close surgical margins impact oncologic outcomes compared to clear or involved surgical margins. We hypothesize that close surgical margins portend worse outcomes compared with clear margins, but improved outcomes compared with involved margins. Study design Systematic review. Methods Using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis statement standards, a systematic search was conducted for studies that reported oncologic outcomes following excision of primary mucosal head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). A meta-analysis was then performed, comparing local recurrence (LR), locoregional recurrence (LRR), and overall survival (OS) in patients with clear, close, and involved margins. Results Twenty-six studies met the inclusion criteria, totaling 8,435 patients. About 96% of our included cases involved the oral cavity, 2% involved the oropharynx, and 2% other. Also, 68% of cases were T1/T2 and 32% were T3/T4. On meta-analysis, clear margins were associated with lower incidence of 5-year LR relative risk (RR) 0.50, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.38-0.65) and higher 5-year OS (RR 1.22, 1.11-1.35), when compared with close margins. Involved margins had higher incidence of 5-year LR (RR 1.75, 1.16-2.64), higher incidence of LRR at last follow-up (RR 1.66, 1.37-2.00), and no difference in 5-year OS (RR 0.82, 0.60-1.11), when compared with close margins. Conclusions There is a stepwise improvement in oncologic outcomes as surgical margin categorically improves from involved to close to clear. Patients with close margins therefore may benefit from adjuvant therapy. Further research is required to investigate whether these findings are seen in non-oral cavity cases because they were underrepresented in this analysis. Laryngoscope, 2021.
2021 John Charnley Award: A protocol-based strategy when using hemiarthroplasty or total hip arthroplasty for femoral neck fractures decreases mortality, length of stay, and complications

Aims While interdisciplinary protocols and expedited surgical treatment improve the management of hip fractures in the elderly, the impact of such interventions on patients specifically undergoing ...
Identification of physical abuse-related hospitalizations in young children: Impact of the transition to ICD-10-CM coding.

Abstract Background Administrative healthcare databases are frequently used for child physical abuse (CPA)-related research and surveillance. In October 2015, the United States transitioned to the International Classification of Diseases, Clinical Modification-10th Revision (ICD-10-CM) coding regimen. ICD-10-CM expands coding related to CPA, including codes to differentiate suspected from confirmed CPA. Objective This study examined the impact of the transition to ICD-10-CM coding on population-level trends in rates of hospitalizations coded for CPA. Participants and settings Hospitalizations coded as related to CPA in children Methods Interrupted time series analyses were used to assess the impact of the coding transition on hospitalizations coded for CPA, overall and by child race/ethnicity. Results Of 9715 hospitalizations coded for CPA, 2797 (29%) occurred after the coding transition, including 51% coded for suspected CPA and 49% coded for confirmed CPA. There was a marginally-significant increase in the trend in CPA-related hospitalization after the coding transition among all children (0.09 per 100,000 children-per-quarter, p = 0.06), a significant increase in the trend among white children (0.15 per 100,000 children-per-quarter, p = 0.01), and no change among Black or Hispanic children. After the coding transition, hospitalizations coded for suspected CPA increased significantly overall (0.10 per 100,000 children-per-quarter, p Conclusions The transition to ICD-10-CM differentially impacted trends in hospitalizations coded for CPA by child race/ethnicity. Further research is necessary to discern the reasons for these discrepancies.
Freudian Wordplay in Macunaíma

This essay approaches Mario de Andrade’s use of Sigmund Freud’s writings as a tool for linguistic exploration in his 1928 novel Macunaima. Drawing upon previous research into Andrade’s personal study of psychoanalysis, I first analyze the explicit reference to Freud in the novel’s “Carta pras Icamiabas” as a critique of uninformed and mechanical citations of psychoanalytic theory. This launches me into an analysis of Andrade’s recurrent use of two sexually-charged words, “brincar” and “graca,” and how they demonstrate a much more creative dialogue with Freud’s work. I conclude by considering Andrade’s characterization of Macunaima as a “symptom,” rather than a “symbol” of Brazilian culture, reflecting on how we can read his use of Freud within a larger negotiation of the European literary canon and colonial forces of repression.
Impact of an Enhanced Recovery After Surgery Protocol on Unplanned Patient Encounters in the Early Postoperative Period After Ureteroscopy.

Introduction: Ureteroscopy (URS) is associated with substantial patient-perceived morbidity. To improve the patient experience, we developed an enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) protocol for U...
War of Words, War of Stones: Racial Thought and Violence in Colonial Zanzibar

Preface and Acknowledgments Note on Usage Part 1. Introduction 1. Rethinking Race in the Colonial World 2. The Creation of a Racial State Part 2. War of Words 3. A Secular Intelligentsia and the Origins of Exclusionary Ethnic Nationalism 4. Subaltern Intellectuals and the Rise of Racial Nationalism 5. Politics and Civil Society during the Newspaper Wars Part 3. War of Stones 6. Rumor, Race, and Crime 7. Violence as Racial Discourse 8. "June" as Chosen Trauma Conclusion and Epilogue: Remaking Race Glossary Notes List of References Index
COMMON SENSE APPROACH TO THE RESTORATION OF SACRED ART

Is art really meant as something that simply pleases, attracts the emotions when seen, simply relegated to the pleasurable? During a walk through the busy Metropolitan Museum of Art, on a weekday with tour groups of secondary school students who have come face to face with John Henry Sargent’s Madame X, would inevitably hear the outcry, “Oh, that’s cool.” News headlines about art auctions of Ming vases to Old Masters do not emphasize the beauty of a masterpiece but its monetary price, as if it were merely a capital investment. Is beautiful art something then so perfunctory that one can actually dismiss a masterpiece as “cool?” or seek to appellate the masterpiece as a product to be bought and sold, an investment? What can religious art tell us about the experience of beauty, and if we have lost a sense of beauty in our churches? May common sense see, argue towards, and apprehend the totum bonum through simple manifestations of “Cool” and “Mine,” where even the religious can fall within the range solely of the subjective and individual? It has often been said by Pope Benedict XVI, and it was a crisis which Josef Pieper examined, that modernity has lost the sense of the sacred. It can be seen, especially in the design and decoration of churches, from suburban America to Padre Pio’s new shrine in San Giovanni Rotondo, that there has been a rupture between this period’s artistic/liturgical style and that of the Baroque, Classical or Gothic eras. La Madeleine in Paris as well as St. Peter’s Basilica in Rome have a common, otherworldly
Potential applications of three-dimensional geoscientific mapping and modeling systems to regional hydrogeological assessments at Yucca mountain, Nevada

Three-dimensional Geoscientific Information Systems (GSIS) are being evaluated for supporting 3-D ground-water modeling activities required to evaluate the paleo-, present, and future hydrology at Yucca Mountain, Nevada, the proposed site of the nation’s repository for high-level nuclear waste. The complexity of the regional ground-water system requires the use of a 3-dimensional ground-water modeling approach integrated with a true 3-dimensional geologic model. Integrated GSIS offers important capabilities for: 1) necessary data management and data audit trails; 2) the integration of diverse data sources; 3) rapid development, visualization, and testing of alternative model conceptualizations; and 4) integration with the numerical modeling steps.
Broker's Agency Disclosure Law: Misinformation or Disinformation?

Analysis of California’s statute permitting real estate brokers to select whether to be single agents or dual agents.
Language for profit: Spanish–English bilingualism in Lowe's Home Improvement

ABSTRACTThe USA is commonly portrayed as a country dominated by the ideology of monolingualism [Dick, Hilary Parsons. 2011. “Language and Migration to the United States.” Annual Review of Anthropology 40: 227–240; Silverstein, Michael. 1996. “Monoglot ‘Standard’ in America: Standardization and Metaphors of Linguistic Hegemony.” Chap. 14 in The Matrix of Language: Contemporary Linguistic Anthropology, edited by Donald Brenneis and Ronald K. S. Macauley, 284–306. Boulder: Westview], yet such a portrayal misses the recent changes in the marketplace brought on by globalization. Duchene [2009. “Marketing, Management and Performance: Multilingualism as Commodity in a Tourism Call Centre.” Language Policy 8: 27–50] and Heller [2010. “The Commodification of Language.” Annual Review of Anthropology 39: 101–114] argue that in the global economy, multilingualism has become a commodity adding value to the product and a business strategy opening up niche markets in an oversaturated marketplace. In the USA, Spanish has...
Thermal Analysis of a Small D-C Motor; Part II. Experimental Study of Steady-State Temperature Distribution in a D-C Motor with Correlations Based on Dimensional Analysis [includes discussion]

A research program has been under way to study systematically the combined thermal and electrical processes in small rotating electric machines. The previous paper in this series was limited to the application of dimensional analysis to such processes in a small d-c shunt-wound motor.1 This paper presents the results of extensive measurements of steadystate temperatures within such a motor, made with the aid of about 130 thermocouples. The details of the test motor, the procedures followed, the variables measured, and the results are described. For reasons of space, only eight selected temperature distributions are given from a total of 33 runs. The results for all the other important variables are shown in tabular form. The validity of the entire body of data was investigated in terms of a first-law balance or energy-flux balance for all processes occurring in the motor. The excellent balances obtained give great weight to the validity of the data. The experimental data in terms of the dimensionless parameters are fitted to simple empirical equations. The results are discussed from the point of view of prediction of size reduction for motors of the same design as the test motor, geometrically similar, and made from materials identical to those used for the test motor.
The Arabidopsis cohesin protein SYN3 localizes to the nucleolus and is essential for gametogenesis

Summary α-kleisins are core components of meiotic and mitotic cohesin complexes. Arabidopsis contains genes for four α-kleisin proteins encoded by SYN genes. SYN1, a REC8 ortholog, is essential for meiosis, while SYN2 and SYN4 appear to be SCC1 orthologs and function in mitosis. Our analysis of AtSYN3 shows that it localizes primarily in the nucleolus of both meiotic and mitotic cells. Furthermore, analysis of plants containing an AtSYN3 T-DNA knockout mutation demonstrated that it is essential for megagametogenesis and plays an important role in pollen. These results suggest that SYN3 may not function as part of a typical cohesin complex; rather it may have evolved a specialized role in controlling rDNA structure, transcription or rRNA processing.