cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Effects of Multiphase Flow on the Interpretation of Pressure Buildup Tests

L'analyse des essais de remontee de pression, dans des reservoirs exploites par poussees de gaz, est realisee par simulation d'un reservoir bidimensionnel, triphasique et a pression de bulle variable. Un ecoulement radial unidimensionnel simule les effets d'endommagement autour du puits et les variations de vitesse de production. L'influence des forces de gravitation, de la structure litee du reservoir, de la variation de la pression du point de bulle, la penetration partielle de gaz et l'effet de peau sont pris en compte
OT-PEP: Development of a Professional Education Paradigm for Occupational Therapy

This study aims to determine the fundamental tenets that define the occupational therapy education process, and to develop a professional education paradigm that corresponds to those principles. Interpretive phenomenology with Heideggerian hermeneutic philosophy was used to explicate the paradigmatic themes embedded in the occupational therapy body of knowledge. The results yielded the Occupational Therapy Professional Education Paradigm (OT-PEP), which is organized around three core concepts: Adaptive thinking, reflection, and creation of meaning. The OT-PEP is important to occupational therapy because it addresses the elements of the education process that are reflective of the philosophical underpinnings of the profession and brings together these understandings as a unified whole. Interpretive phenomenology asserts that analysis of data is influenced by the phenomenologist’s repertoire of experience. Therefore, the OT-PEP presented in the article can be considered a single offering from the author that has the potential to morph with additional analyses. The author is hopeful that occupational therapy education programs will discuss and debate the OT-PEP constructs and determine which elements are most valuable. In addition, novice educators could use the OT-PEP as a faculty development tool to assist with transitioning from clinical practice to academia.
Paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria: analysis of the effects of mutant PIG-A on gene expression.

Compelling evidence indicates that mutations in PIG-A are necessary for the development of paroxysmal nocturnal hemaglobinuria (PNH), however, it is unclear why mutant PIG-A stem cells have a selective advantage. Further, multiple, discrete PIG-A mutations have been detected in the peripheral blood and bone marrow of patients with PNH, but the contribution of the different mutant clones to hematopoiesis is variable. This observation implies that factors in addition to mutant PIG-A influence the proliferative properties of the abnormal cells. To investigate the etiology of the selective advantage and the clonal dominance in PNH, gene expression in cells with mutant PIG-A was analyzed. Representational difference analysis was used to compare the pattern of cDNA expression between a human lymphoblastoid cell line with mutant PIG-A and its wild-type counterpart. These experiments demonstrated that the pattern of gene expression was different between the two cells lines in that the PIG-A mutant cells failed to express antiquitin mRNA. Transfection of the mutant cells with normal PIG-A restored expression of glycosyl phosphatidylinositol anchored proteins but not antiquitin. These experiments demonstrate that differences in the pattern of gene expression can occur independent of the PIG-A mutation. Depending upon the functional properties of the involved genes, these differences could influence the proliferative properties of PIG-A mutant cells and contribute to the selective advantage and clonal dominance that characterize PNH.
Paixões reguladas. A invenção da inibição do desejo sexual e da adicção sexual

A partir de um olhar sociologico, o artigo trata da emergencia das categorias de inibicao do desejo sexual (IDS) e da adiccao sexual no campo da sexologia norte-americana. O texto busca explicartal emergencia a partir da triangulacao de imperativos e saberes medicos articulados a demandas e experiencias individuais e ansiedades culturais. Alem disso, nele se explora a constituicao historico-socio-politica do campo sexologico e medico neste contexto, bem como suas diferencas, mudancas, mediadores culturais, ambivalencias e contenciosos.
ANIMALS AND THE INTIMACY OF HISTORY

This article surveys recent historical writings on animals. Its principal concerns are the manner in which historians grant agency to animals and how that agency functions in historical narration. The article examines the histories of animals in Asia, the Indian subcontinent, and North America in order to tease out the similarities and differences of human experiences with other animals. The foundational premise of the article is that humans are animals, sometimes even a meaty prey species, and that, as such, they are not external to nature or, ultimately, different from other animals in this regard. Humans can have violently intimate relationships with other creatures, an intimacy that defines much of global human history. Animals permeate our history and we theirs: tug at the threads and our stories, woven as they are into the same tightly knit tapestry, will not disentwine. The debate regarding whether humans are anomalous and outside nature or separate from other animals is complicated when the stomach enzymes from an animal, whether wolf or crocodile, digest a human being. Therefore, the cultural-constructionist arguments regarding “the animal”—that our understanding of nonhuman animals is entirely culturally generated—need to be viewed as overly simplistic. My contention is that our reluctance to join the rest of the animal kingdom on its terms, on more natural terms, exposes a lingering devotion to human “exceptionalism,” one that is inherent in the humanities and social sciences.
Envisioning the future in symptom science

Symptom assessment and management continues to be a priority issue for nursing science and practice. However, as the complexity of symptom etiology and expression becomes clear, new approaches and technologies are needed to better address biology and context, common data sources need to be built and shared, and addressing the impact of empirical findings on health policy becomes essential. In this article, we provide a forum to reflect on the future direction of symptom science, with the goal of stimulating further dialogue and improving outcomes for patients and families around the world and for years to come.
Differential responses of five species to phosphorus and zinc fertilizers

Abstract The influence of a factorial combination of P (0 and 120 ppm) and Zn (0 and 16 ppm) treatments on growth of corn, flax, navy beans, soybeans and wheat was studied under greenhouse conditions. All crops responded to P and all, except wheat, responded to Zn; the P × Zn interactions were significant, except for wheat. Flax and navy beans showed the largest responses to added Zn and also differed from the other species in that added P without Zn decreased yields. Flax and navy beans treated with P without Zn had the largest P concentrations, 0.96 and 0.91%, respectively; the unifoliate leaves of these navy bean plants developed water‐soaked and necrotic zones prematurely and contained 3.3% P. The suppression in growth of navy beans resulting from added P appeared to be at least partly associated with P toxicity. The chief effect of added P without Zn on flax was an increase in main‐stem dieback, the principal symptom of Zn deficiency, from 40 to 100%.
What's skill got to do with it?: Information literacy skills and self-views of ability among first-year college students

This study replicates a previous study based on work in psychology, which demonstrates that students who score as below proficient in information literacy (IL) skills have a miscalibrated self-view of their ability. Simply stated, these students tend to believe that they have above-average IL skills, when, in fact, an objective test of their ability indicates that they are below-proficient in terms of their actual skills. This investigation was part of an Institute of Museum and Library Services-funded project and includes demographic data about participants, their scores on an objective test of their information literacy skills, and self-estimates of their ability. Findings support previous research that indicates many students come to college without proficient IL skills, that students with below-proficient IL skills have inflated views of their ability, and that this miscalibration can also be expressed by students who test as proficient. Implications for research and practice are discussed. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Identification and characterization of microRNAs controlled by the osteoblast-specific transcription factor Osterix.

Osterix (Osx) is an osteoblast-specific transcription factor which is essential for bone formation. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been previously shown to be involved in osteogenesis. However, it is unclear whether Osx is involved in the regulation of miRNA expression. In this study, we have identified groups of miRNAs that are differentially expressed in calvaria of the E18.5 Osx−/− embryos compared to wild type embryos. The correlation between the levels of miRNAs and Osx expression was further verified in cultured M-Osx cells in which over-expression of Osx is inducible. Our results suggest that Osx down-regulates expression of a group of miRNAs including mir-133a and -204/211, but up-regulates expression of another group of miRNAs such as mir-141/200a. Mir-133a and -204/211 are known to target the master osteogenic transcription factor Runx2. Further assays suggest that Sost, which encodes the Wnt signaling antagonist Sclerostin, and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) are two additional targets of mir-204/211. Mir-141/200a has been known to target the transcription factor Dlx5. Thus, we postulate that during the process of Osx-controlled osteogenesis, Osx has the ability to coordinately modulate Runx2, Sclerostin, ALP and Dlx5 proteins at levels appropriate for optimal osteoblast differentiation and function, at least in part, through regulation of specific miRNAs. Our study shows a tight correlation between Osx and the miRNAs involved in bone formation, and provides new information about molecular mechanisms of Osx-controlled osteogenesis.
Immediate intraocular pressure response to argon laser trabeculoplasty

We conducted a randomized, double-masked study of 40 patients with open-angle glaucoma to ascertain the immediate intraocular pressure response after treatment of either one half (180 degrees) or the entire (360 degrees) trabecular meshwork by argon laser trabeculoplasty. We found a statistically significant difference in the magnitude of intraocular pressure changes between the two groups (P
The effect of metal ions as co-catalysts on acidic ionic liquid catalyzed single-step saccharification of corn stover in water

Abstract The effects of adding Cr 3+ , Mn 2+ , Fe 3+ , Co 2+ Ni 2+ , Cu 2+ , Zn 2+ and La 3+ chlorides as co-catalysts to 1-(1-propylsulfonic)-3-methylimidazolium chloride acidic ionic liquid catalyzed saccharification of corn stover in aqueous medium was studied at 140–170 °C, by measuring the total reducing sugar (TRS) and glucose yields. The samples with Mn 2+ , Fe 3+ , Co 2+ as co-catalysts produced higher TRS yields compared to the sample without the metal ions. The Mn 2+ produced the highest catalytic effect enhancements and produced TRS yields of 68.0%, 72.9%, 90.2% and 87.9% at 140, 150, 160 and 170 °C respectively; whereas the corn stover samples without the Mn 2+ produced TRS yields of 42.9%, 52.3%, 54.4% and 53.5% at the same four temperatures. At higher temperatures of 160 and 170 °C, all metal ions studied produced significant enhancements in glucose yields, except Cr 3+ . The addition of La 3+ as a co-catalyst produced the highest glucose yield improvement.
Evaluation of cross-linked chitosan microparticles for bone regeneration

The objective of this preliminary study was to evaluate the applying of chitosan (CS)-based microparticles (MPs) in bone regeneration in vivo. The CS MPs were fabricated using our scale-up method, as previously described. Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) were harvested from the femora and tibiae of Dark Agouti (DA) rats and seeded on CS MPs. An in vitro MSCs attachment experiment was conducted by trypsinizing the cells attached to the MPs at 5, 10, 20 and 30 h. Fluorescence images of MSCs attached to the MPs were taken at 24 and 48 h, using a LIVE/DEAD cell assay. The MSC/osteoblasts (OB) seeded on MPs were then cultured in vitro using osteogenic media and implanted into partial thickness bone defects in rat femurs. There were two groups of rats, including experimental animals and controls, for the in vivo studies. The experimental group were implanted with MSC-seeded MPs and observed at 4 and 8 weeks. The control group of rats did not receive any implant material except the stainless steel plate to support the defect. Four rats per group were used for the study. The femurs were extracted at 4 and 8 weeks post-implantation and bone formation at the defect site was analysed using radiography, microcomputed tomography (µCT) and histology. Among all groups, a significant increase in bone formation was observed in the experimental group at 8 weeks implantation. The results of this study suggested that CS MPs prove to be a successful biomaterial for bone regeneration.
Multiple Imputation Scheme for Overcoming the Missing Values and Variability Issues in ITS Data

Traffic engineering studies such as validating Highway Capacity Manual (HCM) models require complete and reliable field data. However, the wealth of intelligent transportation systems (ITS) data is sometimes rendered useless for these purposes because of missing values in the data. Many imputation techniques have been developed in the past with virtually all of them imputing a single value for a missing datum. While this provides somewhat simple and fast estimates, it does not eliminate the possibility of producing biased results and it also fails to account for the uncertainty brought about by missing data. To overcome these limitations, a multiple imputation scheme is developed which provides multiple estimates for a missing value, simulating multiple draws from a population to estimate the unknown parameter. This paper also develops a framework of imputation which gives a broad perspective so that one can relate imputation methods to each other.
Optimized differential Bluetooth demodulator

Bluetooth is a short-range communication standard which employs Gaussian frequency shift keying (GFSK). The design of low-complexity and high-performance receivers for Bluetooth systems is a challenging task. In this paper, we develop an optimized differential GFSK demodulator and investigate the phase wrapping issue in its implementation. Simulation results show bit-error-rate (BER) performance improvement in comparison with conventional differential demodulators. We also compare our proposed demodulator with other existing alternatives in terms of BER performance and complexity.
Optical nonlinearities of glasses doped with semiconductor microcrystallites.

The origin of optical nonlinearities of glasses doped with CdSxSe1−x microcrystallites is studied both experimentally and theoretically. At room temperature a large shift (≅50 meV) of the absorption spectrum to higher energies is observed in a CdSχSe1−x glass with increased light intensity. This blue shift is analyzed by using a semiconductor plasma theory. Experimental and theoretical results suggest that band filling is the dominant mechanism for the observed nonlinearity. An independent measurement for the intensity-dependent dispersive changes is presented.
Martial Arts Training: A Novel “Cure” for Juvenile Delinquency

Juvenile delinquents, identified by their scores on the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) received training under one of three different protocols for 1 hour three times weekly for a period of 6 months. Group I students received training in the traditional Korean Martial Art of Tae Kwon Do, Group II students received training in a “modern” version of the martial art which did not emphasize the psychological/philosophical aspects of the sport as the Korean version did, and group III students served as a control group for contact with the instructor and physical activity. Group I students showed decreased aggressiveness, lowered anxiety, increased selfesteem, increased social adroitness, and an increase in value orthodoxy, as indicated by before-and-after scores on the Jackson Personality Inventory (JPI), in addition to normal MMPI scores at the completion of the study. Group II students showed an even greater tendency toward delinquency on the MMPI than they did at the beginning of the stu...
Finding and identifying simple objects underwater with active electrosense

Active electrosense is used by some fish for the sensing of nearby objects by means of the perturbations the objects induce in a self-generated electric field. As with echolocation sensing via perturbations of an emitted acoustic field active electrosense is particularly useful in environments where darkness, clutter or turbidity makes vision ineffective. Work on engineered variants of active electrosense is motivated by the need for sensors in underwater systems that function well at short range and where vision-based approaches can be problematic, as well as to aid in understanding the computational principles of biological active electrosense. Prior work in robotic active electrosense has focused on tracking and localization of spherical objects. In this study, we present an algorithm for estimating the size, shape, orientation, and location of ellipsoidal objects, along with experimental results. The algorithm is implemented in a robotic active electrosense system whose basic approach is similar to biological active electrosense systems, including the use of movement as part of sensing. At a range up to ?20 cm, or about half the length of the robot, the algorithm localizes spheroids that are one-tenth the length of the robot with accuracy of better than 1 cm for position and 5° in orientation. The algorithm estimates object size and length-to-width ratio with an accuracy of around 10%.
Teacher Characteristics and Student Achievement Gains: A Review:

A large body of studies exists that examines the relationship between student achievement gains and the characteristics of teachers. To help policymakers and researchers use and build on this body of studies, this article reviews the studies systematically and synthesizes their results with deliberate consideration of each study’s qualities. Determinate relationships are described for four categories of teacher characteristics: college ratings, test scores, degrees and coursework, and certification status. The review details the implications of these relationships in light of study limitations and proposes directions for future research.
Computational neural network analysis of the affinity of lobeline and tetrabenazine analogs for the vesicular monoamine transporter-2.

Abstract Back-propagation artificial neural networks (ANNs) were trained on a dataset of 104 VMAT2 ligands with experimentally measured log(1/ K i ) values. A set of related descriptors, including topological, geometrical, GETAWAY, aromaticity, and WHIM descriptors, was selected to build nonlinear quantitative structure–activity relationships. A partial least squares (PLS) regression model was also developed for comparison. The nonlinearity of the relationship between molecular descriptors and VMAT2 ligand activity was demonstrated. The obtained neural network model outperformed the PLS model in both the fitting and predictive ability. ANN analysis indicated that the computed activities were in excellent agreement with the experimentally observed values ( r 2 = 0.91, rmsd = 0.225; predictive q 2 = 0.82, loormsd = 0.316). The generated models were further tested by use of an external prediction set of 15 molecules. The nonlinear ANN model has r 2 = 0.93 and root-mean-square errors of 0.282 compared with the experimentally measured activity of the test set. The stability test of the model with regard to data division was found to be positive, indicating that the generated model is predictive. The modeling study also reflected the important role of atomic distribution in the molecules, size, and steric structure of the molecules when they interact with the target, VMAT2. The developed models are expected to be useful in the rational design of new chemical entities as ligands of VMAT2 and for directing synthesis of new molecules in the future.
Review Article: Anemia post—lung transplantation: mechanisms and approach to diagnosis:

Anemia is a common complication in post-lung transplant recipients. Although its mechanism is often multifactorial, clinicians should investigate an eventual underlying explanation to provide the best care. Among the reasons for anemia in lung transplant recipients, blood loss should be thought within the first few days after surgery. Later on, immune-mediated mechanisms, microangiopathic hemolytic anemia and reduction in red blood cell production mediated by viruses, drugs and infiltrative disorders prevail. This article reviews the mechanisms of anemia in post—lung transplant patients and provides an algorithm towards its approach.
Ultrasound and hookwire needle placement for localization of a hydrocele of the canal of Nuck

Background : Hydrocele of the canal of Nuck is a mobile mass entity that can be difficult to locate and excise. We report the use of ultrasound scan and a hookwire needle to localize and stabilize this mass, making its excision easier. Case : A 24-year-old white female presented with a 6-month history of a painful vulvar mass associated with increased discomfort with prolonged standing. Thorough evaluation revealed a suspected hydrocele that was easily palpable in the standing position but not in the lithotomy position. Translabial ultrasonography and a hookwire needle were used to localize and stabilize the mobile vulvar mass, eliminating the need for extensive surgical exploration. Conclusion : Ultrasound scanning and needle localization is a useful technique to identify and stabilize a mobile mass, making its surgical excision possible without extensive exploration and trauma.
Rapid compaction of granular material: characterizing two- and three-dimensional mesoscale simulations

There have been a variety of numeric and experimental studies investigating the dynamic compaction behavior of heterogeneous materials, including loose dry granular materials. Mesoscale simulations have been used to determine averaged state variables such as particle velocity or stress, where multiple simulations are capable of mapping out a shock Hugoniot. Due to the computational expense of these simulations, most investigators have limited their approach to two-dimensional formulations. In this work we explore the differences between two- and three-dimensional simulations, as well as investigating the effect of stiction and sliding grain-on-grain contact laws on the dynamic compaction of loose dry granular materials. This work presents both averaged quantities as well as distributions of stress, velocity and temperature. The overarching results indicate that, with careful consideration, two- and three-dimensional simulations do result in similar averaged quantities, though differences in their distributions exist. These include differences in the extreme states achieved in the materials.
Corporate diversification and the value of individual firms: A Bayesian approach

Research summary: Prior theory suggests that the performance effects of a firm's diversification strategy depend on a firm's individual resources and capabilities and the setting within which it is operating. However, prior tests of this theory have examined the average diversification-performance relationship across all firms, instead of estimating the diversification-performance relationship at the individual firm level. Efforts to estimate this average relationship are inconsistent with a central assumption of much of strategic management theory—that firms maximize value by choosing strategies that exploit their heterogeneous resources and individual situation. By adopting an approach that allows an evaluation of the diversification-performance relationship for individual firms, this article shows that firms, both focused and diversified, tend to choose that diversification strategy—focus, related diversification, or unrelated diversification—that maximizes value. Managerial summary: Instead of a universal diversification discount or premium, this article shows that the effect of diversification on performance is heterogeneously distributed across firms and that firms tend to be rational in their diversification decisions. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Linked or Merged? Collecting and the Enduring Problem of Arranging Visual Information

While there is a growing awareness that the communications revolution is changing how we learn, little attention has been paid to the complex and sophisticated perceptual expertise this computer-driven shift requires both from specialists and general audiences. Indeed, there is now no adequate name or concept for the new professional who must guide us imaginatively into, along, and through the electronic information highway.
Immune modulators in disease: integrating knowledge from the biomedical literature and gene expression

Objective Cytokines play a central role in both health and disease, modulating immune responses and acting as diagnostic markers and therapeutic targets. This work takes a systems-level approach for integration and examination of immune patterns, such as cytokine gene expression with information from biomedical literature, and applies it in the context of disease, with the objective of identifying potentially useful relationships and areas for future research. Results We present herein the integration and analysis of immune-related knowledge, namely, information derived from biomedical literature and gene expression arrays. Cytokine-disease associations were captured from over 2.4 million PubMed records, in the form of Medical Subject Headings descriptor co-occurrences, as well as from gene expression arrays. Clustering of cytokine-disease co-occurrences from biomedical literature is shown to reflect current medical knowledge as well as potentially novel relationships between diseases. A correlation analysis of cytokine gene expression in a variety of diseases revealed compelling relationships. Finally, a novel analysis comparing cytokine gene expression in different diseases to parallel associations captured from the biomedical literature was used to examine which associations are interesting for further investigation. Discussion We demonstrate the usefulness of capturing Medical Subject Headings descriptor co-occurrences from biomedical publications in the generation of valid and potentially useful hypotheses. Furthermore, integrating and comparing descriptor co-occurrences with gene expression data was shown to be useful in detecting new, potentially fruitful, and unaddressed areas of research. Conclusion Using integrated large-scale data captured from the scientific literature and experimental data, a better understanding of the immune mechanisms underlying disease can be achieved and applied to research.
Complications of Cerebral Angiography: Prospective Assessment of Risk

A prospective study of 1,517 consecutive cerebral angiographic examinations is reported. The incidence of all complications was 8.5%, and the incidence of all neurologic complications was 2.6%. The overall incidence of permanent neurologic deficit was 0.33%.. The incidence of permanent neurologic deficit in patients referred for evaluation of symptomatic cerebrovascular disease was 0.63%. Older age, increased serum creatinine concentration, and the use of more than one catheter all were significantly associated with serious neurologic complications. Although patients with a recent stroke or frequent transient ischemic attacks had a higher incidence of serious neurologic complications, this increase was not statistically significant for this sample.
COMPUTER-AIDED DESIGN AND OPERATION OF INDUCTION FURNACE FOR TAPER HEATING

Abstract A computer model is developed to simulate the electro-magnetic and the heat-transfer behaviors of the taper heating process. The computer-aided tool can provide the necessary information for design and operation of induction furnaces for taper heating required for isothermal extrusion. A feasibility study of two induction furnace designs is presented. Computer results indicate that the three-zone type furnace can provide the desired taper temperature profiles for the aluminum and the titanium alloys considered. Applications of the computer tool to other types of induction heaters are also discussed.
Autonomous transplantable pituitary tumors arising in growths dependent on absence of the thyroid gland.

Summary1. All of 7 pituitary growths induced by thyroid destructive doses of I131 proved transplantable to mice similarly pre-treated but not to normal mice. In a sub-passage of one strain (B3) a tumor acquired the ability to grow in normal mice giving origin to a pituitary tumor line which can be grafted as readily if not better in normal mice than in radio-thyroidectomized mice. 2. In normal hosts of this autonomous tumor there is a tremendous hyperplasia of the thyroid gland with multiple adenoma-like nodules. There is also some gonadal stimulation of the hosts but no evidence of ACTH secretion by these tumors. Thus a gain in autonomy occurred with retention of the ability of these pituitary tumor cells to secrete thyroid and gonad stimulating hormones. 3. These studies indicate the uncertainty and relativity of the term “autonomy” in relation to neoplastic growth. Regional metastases do not indicate “autonomy” as they occur also with conditioned neoplasms.
Kinetic Model for Layer-by-Layer Crystal Growth in Chain Molecules

A kinetic model is proposed to describe the structure and rate of advancement of the growth front during crystallization. Solidification occurs through the mechanisms of surface nucleation and lateral spreading of the solid phase within layers in the vicinity of the growth front. The transformation from liquid to solid within each layer is described by an equation similar to the two-dimensional variant of the Johnson–Mehl–Avrami (JMA) equation, but in which the finite size and shape of the critical nucleus and the dynamic evolution of the solid fraction of the underlying layers are taken into account. Connection to the regime theory of Hoffman and co-workers, for surface nucleation and spreading in one or two dimensions, is also made. Given only molecular level information regarding surface nucleation rates, lateral spreading rates, and critical surface nucleus geometry, the resulting set of coupled nonlinear equations for solidification in each layer is numerically integrated in time to obtain the struct...
Robotic-assisted laparoscopic radical nephrectomy using the Da Vinci Si system: how to improve surgeon autonomy. Our step-by-step technique

Herein, we describe several steps to improve surgeon autonomy during a Left Robotic-Assisted Laparoscopic Radical Nephrectomy (RALRN), using the Da Vinci Si system. Our kidney cancer program is based on 2 community hospitals. We use the Da Vinci Si system. Access is obtained with the following trocars: Two 8 mm robotic, one 8 mm robotic, bariatric length (arm 3), 15 mm for the assistant and 12 mm for the camera. We use curved monopolar scissors in robotic arm 1, Bipolar Maryland in arm 2, Prograsp Forceps in arm 3, and we alternate throughout the surgery with EndoWrist clip appliers and the vessel sealer. Here, we described three steps and the use of 3 robotic instruments to improve surgeon autonomy. Step 1: the lower pole of the kidney was dissected and this was retracted upwards and laterally. This maneuver was performed using the 3rd robotic arm with the Prograsp Forceps. Step 2: the monopolar scissors was replaced (robotic arm 1) with the robotic EndoWrist clip applier, 10 mm Hem-o-Lok. The renal artery and vein were controlled and transected by the main surgeon. Step 3: the superior, posterolateral dissection and all bleeders were carefully coagulated by the surgeon with the EndoWrist one vessel sealer. We have now performed 15 RALRN following these steps. Our results were: blood loss 300 cc, console time 140 min, operating room time 200 min, anesthesia time 180 min, hospital stay 2.5 days, 1 incisional hernia, pathology: (13) RCC clear cell, (1) chromophobe and (1) papillary type 1. Tumor Stage: (5) T1b, (8) T2a, (2) T2b. We provide a concise, step-by-step technique for radical nephrectomy (RN) using the Da Vinci Si robotic system that may provide more autonomy to the surgeon, while maintaining surgical outcome equivalent to standard laparoscopic RN.
Motivating Young Native American Students to Pursue STEM Learning Through a Culturally Relevant Science Program

Data indicate that females and ethnic/race minority groups are underrepresented in the science and engineering workforce calling for innovative strategies to engage and retain them in science education and careers. This study reports on the development, delivery, and outcomes of a culturally driven science, technology, engineering, mathematics (STEM) program, iSTEM, aimed at increasing engagement in STEM learning among Native American 3rd–8th grade students. A culturally relevant theoretical framework, Funds of Knowledge, informs the iSTEM program, a program based on the contention that the synergistic effect of a hybrid program combining two strategic approaches (1) in-school mentoring and (2) out-of-school informal science education experiences would foster engagement and interest in STEM learning. Students are paired with one of three types of mentors: Native American community members, university students, and STEM professionals. The iSTEM program is theme based with all program activities specifically relevant to Native people living in southern Arizona. Student mentees and mentors complete interactive flash STEM activities at lunch hour and attend approximately six field trips per year. Data from the iSTEM program indicate that the program has been successful in engaging Native American students in iSTEM as well as increasing their interest in STEM and their science beliefs.
How engineers can manage tomorrow's technology

Strategic planning has been the "whipping" boy in management for the last three decades. First, there was little planning. Then in the 1970's, planning could do no wrong - everyone jumped on the "planning bandwagon". However, due to environmental issues in the 1980's such as the energy crisis, detailed plans were missed and planning was once again put on the "back burner". Henry Mintzberg's book, The Rise and Fall of Strategic Planning, led to the attitude of "just do it" in the 1990's. Emergent plans led to spectacular gains by the dotcom companies. However, what goes up, must come down and we had the crash of the dotcoms in 2000. Maybe a middle ground of some detailed planning plus emergent plans is a better formula! This combination has been called "strategic thinking". Due to the complexity of today's technology, engineers should drive the firm's strategic thinking. Engineers have been trained to look at all sides of the issues (system engineering). This process is a combination of detailed planning and emergent planning. As engineers take more of the lead in technology companies, their systems background is more in tune with the new planning style called strategic thinking. Combining an engineer's technical background with appropriate business training may be the "right ticket" for technology firms in the 2000's. The Project Management MBA program at the University of Texas at Dallas is uniquely designed to provide the necessary business training to practicing engineers. This program meets the professional development needs of individuals who already have significant program and project experience. By combining the traditional MBA courses with project management certificate training, this program provides leading edge information from both the academic and practitioner viewpoints. The UTD program offers both online and on campus versions to meet the needs of busy individuals
Fatigue crack growth analysis of steel elements reinforced with shape memory alloy (SMA)/fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composite patches

Abstract This paper describes a numerical framework to simulate the fatigue crack growth of single edge-notched steel elements patched with shape memory alloy (SMA)/fiber reinforced polymer (FRP) composite patches. The framework includes the small crack propagation. The small crack propagation stage was simulated using the analytical model based on the equivalent initial flaw size method. The bridging effects of the SMA/FRP composite patch were simulated by two consecutive finite element simulations considering the interfacial debonding during fatigue loading. Numerical predictions were validated by comparison with experimental results. A parametric study was conducted using the validated model. The considered parameters were the number of SMA wires used in the patch, the applied stress range, and the length of the crack in the steel substrate at the time of installing the patch. The numerical results indicated that the SMA wires increased the critical crack length at which fracture occurred and that the patch was more effective at lower stress ranges. Further, the SMA/FRP patch can substantially delay the failure of a member with very little remaining fatigue life. The results demonstrate the potential of this technique and highlight the importance of early intervention when repairing fatigue sensitive details.
Performance evaluation of a disruption tolerant network proxy for tactical edge networks

Disruption/Delay tolerant networking (DTN) is a promising solution to mitigate the effects of periodic link outages that last seconds to minutes, which are prevalent in high capacity airborne tactical networks that are directional in nature and highly affected by aircraft body blockage. There are several considerations for applying the DTN Bundle Protocol (RFC 5050) in tactical edge networks which have ciphertext/plaintext boundaries resulting in multiple deployment options: 1) black-side DTN tunnel, 2) red-side DTN interface, 3) red-side DTN proxy, and DTN-enabled applications. Each of these approaches have benefits and limitations. In this paper, we present a DTN proxy implementation that can work on both red or black sides of tactical edge networks and show test results that help us better understand the capability of the approach, its limitations, and in what circumstances it is most appropriate. Through experimental and theoretical analysis, we show that TCP file transfer speed can be increased by up to 143.39% and 218% for two-hop and three-hop aerial backbone networks respectively when each link suffers 25% independent outage.
Generalized Chapman-Enskog continuum breakdown parameters for chemically reacting flows

A new set of continuum breakdown parameters, rigorously derived from Generalized Chapman-Enskog theory, to capture regions of strong thermal and chemical nonequilibrium for high speed, chemically reacting flows is presented. Detailed analysis shows that chemical reactions can indirectly contribute to continuum breakdown via strong diffusion fluxes.
Traffic signal timing optimization incorporating individual vehicle fuel consumption characteristics under connected vehicles environment

This paper aims to develop a modeling framework for optimizing the timing of a set of traffic signals by considering individual vehicle characteristics (such as fuel consumption and travel time). Through the Vehicle to Infrastructure (V2I) communications, such individual vehicle information is available for the infrastructure center to produce optimal signal timing. The proposed strategy applies the intelligent driving model (IDM) to predict vehicle trajectories under the connected vehicle environment. The objective function is to minimize the total system travel and fuel consumption. The resulting model is a mixed integer (binary) nonlinear program (NLP). The Matlab tool box OPTI is applied to solve NLP to produce the optimal green time for each phase group and the optimal offset of each intersection. To test and evaluate the model, numerical examples are presented for three scenarios, accounting for various combination of vehicle types and traffic demands. The results are also compared with those generated by traffic simulation using VISSIM.
Recent Advances in Neuroanesthesiology

Abstract Research, clinical innovations, and technological advances contribute to the wealth of information on perioperative neurosciences. In this chapter, we review some of the major recurring themes and innovative findings in the field of neuroanesthesiology. In this chapter, we review innovations in stroke management, the association between β-adrenergic agonists and stroke risk, deep brain stimulation, anesthetic neurotoxicity and neuroprotection, novel brain monitoring, and new assays for Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease.
Tantrums are Not Associated with Speech or Language Deficits in Preschool Children with Autism

Communication problems and tantrums are common in children with autism. It has long been postulated that lack of speech is a cause of these tantrums. The goal of our study is to determine if impaired speech is associated with tantrums in preschool children with autism. The relationship between language and tantrum frequency in 240 children with autism, 15 to 71 months of age was investigated. Children were administered standardized IQ and language tests, and mothers rated tantrum frequency and speech intelligibility on a 4-point scale on the Pediatric Behavior Scale. Verbal and nonverbal IQ, expressive and receptive language quotients and age equivalents, and speech intelligibility explained less than 3% of the variance in tantrum frequency. Children whose mental age was sufficient for verbal communication but who lacked speech did not have more tantrums than children with adequate speech. In fact, children with an expressive language age at or above 24 months had more tantrums than children whose speech skills were below 24 months. Our findings and those of others do not support the belief that preschool children with autism have tantrums because they cannot speak or because their speech is difficult to understand.
Least Integer Closed Groups

An a-closure of a lattice-ordered group is an extension which is maximal with respect to preserving the lattice of convex l-subgroups under contraction. We describe the a-closures of some local singular archimedean lattice-ordered groups with designated weak unit. In particular, we provide explicit descriptions of all of the a-closures of groups that are singularly convex, such as the group C(X, ℤ) of continuous integer-valued functions on a zero-dimensional space.
The virtual principles for pin-jointed trusses

The truss member, Figure 3.1, is assumed to have constant area A k constant modulus of elasticity E k and take only constant axial forces.
Chapter 14 – Tests on Variability and Distributions

Abstract This chapter provides the basis of testing variance (yielding conclusions on standard deviations) and methods for tests on one, two, and three or more variables. It further provides the basis of and methods for testing distributions for normality and goodness of fit, with tests on one and on two distributions.
Stratégies ganglionnaires dans les cancers vulvaires. Recommandations de l’ESGO

The European Society of Gynaecologic Oncology (ESGO) guidelines cover the whole field of common clinical situations in gynecologic oncology. Their elaboration follows a strict process including a systematic review of the literature, the setting up of a group of expert on the basis of scientific production, geographical balance, and multidisciplinarity, and an external review by users and patients. The recommendations for the management of vulvar cancer were elaborated in 2015 and published in 2017. They are available in open access on the ESGO website, and can be incorporated in clinical practice using the free ESGO guidelines smartphone application. This review is a selection of the sections addressing the diagnostic and strategical aspects of the management of lymph nodal disease in vulvar cancer. An additional review of the recent literature published since 2015 has been carried out. The management of nodal disease in vulvar cancer encompasses a diagnostic and a therapeutic component. Clinical and imaging assessment still play a major role, whilst the identification of the sentinel node is currently a mainstay of assessment of the nodal status in early vulvar cancer. The therapeutic component is based on the rational use of full lymph node dissection and (chemo)radiation.
Failure Modes in Machine Learning Systems.

In the last two years, more than 200 papers have been written on how machine learning (ML) systems can fail because of adversarial attacks on the algorithms and data; this number balloons if we were to incorporate papers covering non-adversarial failure modes. The spate of papers has made it difficult for ML practitioners, let alone engineers, lawyers, and policymakers, to keep up with the attacks against and defenses of ML systems. However, as these systems become more pervasive, the need to understand how they fail, whether by the hand of an adversary or due to the inherent design of a system, will only become more pressing. In order to equip software developers, security incident responders, lawyers, and policy makers with a common vernacular to talk about this problem, we developed a framework to classify failures into "Intentional failures" where the failure is caused by an active adversary attempting to subvert the system to attain her goals; and "Unintentional failures" where the failure is because an ML system produces an inherently unsafe outcome. After developing the initial version of the taxonomy last year, we worked with security and ML teams across Microsoft, 23 external partners, standards organization, and governments to understand how stakeholders would use our framework. Throughout the paper, we attempt to highlight how machine learning failure modes are meaningfully different from traditional software failures from a technology and policy perspective.
Electronic relaxation dynamics in [Au25(SR)18]−1 (R = CH3, C2H5, C3H7, MPA, PET) thiolate-protected nanoclusters

We investigate the excited electron dynamics in [Au25(SR)18]−1 (R = CH3, C2H5, C3H7, MPA, PET) [MPA = mercaptopropanoic acid, PET = phenylethylthiol] nanoparticles to understand how different ligands affect the excited state dynamics in this system. The population dynamics of the core and higher excited states lying in the energy range 0.00–2.20 eV are studied using a surface hopping method with decoherence correction in a real-time DFT approach. All of the ligated clusters follow a similar trend in decay for the core states (S1–S6). The observed time constants are on the picosecond time scale (2–19 ps), which agrees with the experimental time scale, and this study confirms that the time constants observed experimentally could originate from core-to-core transitions and not from core-to-semiring transitions. In the presence of higher excited states, R = H, CH3, C2H5, C3H7, and PET demonstrate similar relaxations trends whereas R = MPA shows slightly different relaxation of the core states due to a smaller gap between the LUMO+1 and LUMO+2 gap in its electronic structure. The S1 (HOMO → LUMO) state gives the slowest decay in all ligated clusters, while S7 has a relatively long decay. Furthermore, separate electron and hole relaxations were performed on the [Au25(SCH3)18]−1 nanocluster to understand how independent electron and hole relaxations contribute to the overall relaxation dynamics.
A phase 1b study of nivolumab in patients with autoimmune disorders and advanced malignancies (AIM-NIVO).

TPS2676Background: Nivolumab is an anti-PD1 monoclonal antibody approved for treatment of an increasing number of solid tumors and hematological malignancies. However, patients (pts) with history o...