cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Context of sexual risk behaviour among abused ethnic minority adolescent women.

Background: Evidence suggests that multiple influences on sexual behaviour of adolescents exist, ranging from relationships with significant others including sexual or physical abuse and childhood molestation to substances used prior to sex and environmental circumstances such as sex work. Purpose: This study aims to describe associations between childhood molestation and sexual risk behaviour. Method: African American and Mexican American adolescent women aged 14-18 years (n = 562) with sexually transmitted infection (STI) or abuse histories and enrolled in a randomized controlled trial of behavioural interventions were interviewed via self-report concerning sexual risk behaviour, abuse and childhood molestation at study entry. Results: Sexual (59%), physical (77%) and psychological (82%) abuse and childhood molestation (25%) were self-reported without differences by ethnicity. Adolescents reporting childhood molestation experienced more forms of sexual, physical and psychological abuse than others and higher incidences of STI. Fewer attended school; however, more had arrests, convictions, incarcerations and probations. Stressors including depression, running away, thoughts of death and suicide were highest for those reporting childhood molestation. Those reporting childhood molestation engaged in higher sexual risk behaviours than adolescents experiencing other forms of sexual or physical abuse (lifetime partners, bisexual relationships, anal and group sex, sex with friends with benefits, sex for money, concurrent partners, drug use including multiple substances, alcohol use and alcohol problems). These adolescents reported 'getting high' and having sex when out of control as reasons for sex with multiple partners. Conclusion: Interventions for abused adolescent women necessitate a focus on associations between childhood molestation and a multiplicity of sexual risk behaviours for prevention of abuse, substance use and sex work, STI/human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and sequelae. Language: en
Moving multimodality beyond the binaries: A response to Gunther Kress' "Gains and Losses"

This response to Kress agrees that it is vital to identify gains and losses afforded by changing media but questions his reliance on binaries and periodization. It suggests a return to James Gibson’s affordances; more precise analysis of semiotic objects; and sociohistoric theories that link semiotic artifacts, individual development, and social practice.
Microglia in diseases of the central nervous system

Microglia (MG) are enigmatic cells of the central nervous system (CNS). MG are morphologically, antigenically and functionally flexible, and have the potential for mobility and proliferation. MG are professional antigen-presenting cells and constitute part of the local CNS innate immune system, communicating with other immune cells via chemokines, cytokines and growth factors. MG contain several antigenic and functional markers similar to macrophages and dendritic cells (DCs), but also present several differences from DCs. The exact role(s) played by MG in the normal human CNS is the topic of lively debate. MG participate in many reactive processes in the CNS and are therefore an integral part of lesions in a variety of pathologic conditions. It is thought that MG may exacerbate diverse neurological conditions, including viral encephalitis, AIDS, Multiple Sclerosis (MS) and Alzheimer's disease. A recurrent theme is the perpetuation by MG of pathological cycles of monocyte recruitment, activation and cytopathic secretions, and/or auto antigen presentation.
Sustainable Oxygen: A low power approach for providing emergency medical oxygen for spacecraft and hospitals in developing countries

An oxygen concentrator targeting an 80% reduction in power demand over commercial systems is being developed using a pressure swing adsorption process. This system is targeted for a service interval five times longer than commercial systems, and is tolerant to high humidity environments—the leading cause of device failure in developing countries. This system could provide emergency medical oxygen in a spacecraft without increasing oxygen concentration in the vehicle. Flight surgeons seek this capability, but presently, there is no system that meets power, size, and delivery rate requirements. This type of system is also well suited for medical oxygen in hospitals in developing countries. Pneumonia accounts for 5% of all childhood deaths in Africa, and a lack of medical oxygen contributes to mortality rates. This new approach involves a high flow – low power – low purity device. The process proposes a regenerative blower instead of a piston compressor, a humidity tolerant sorbent, and a non-traditional separation cycle.
Effect of Nongray Gas Radiation on Thermal Stability in Carbon Dioxide

The problem of the onset of thermal instability in a horizontal layer of radiatively participating gas, heated from below and cooled from above, is considered. In the present work, both experimental heat transfer measurements across carbon dioxide and air layers before and after the onset of instability and a theoretical analysis of the coupled conduction-radiation heat transfer in the base state of the quiescent carbon dioxide gas layers, just before the onset of instability, are presented. The heat transfer measurements reveal a 7-20% increase in the critical Rayleigh number in the radiatively participating carbon dioxide vs a similar layer of air. Measurements of heat flux before the onset of the instability confirm, within experimental uncertainty, the predictions of the nongray analysis of the coupled conductive-radiation heat transfer problem. The nongray analysis also indicates that the distortion of the initial basestate temperature profiles as a result of gas radiation in the quiescent carbon dioxide gas layers is extremely small. Finally, a 20% reduction in heat transfer, after the onset of the instability, is observed in the carbon dioxide layer, compared with a similar air layer, which persists up to the highest Rayleigh number tested, Ra = 104.
Financial Capabilities: Multilevel Modeling of the Impact of Internal and External Capabilities of Rural Households

In recent years, discussion about the financial capability of rural households has increased. Although studies have conceptualized what financial capability means, there is a dearth of empirical evidence that addresses how the different components of financial capability interact to improve savings outcomes, especially in rural households in sub-Saharan Africa. In this article, the authors use data from an asset-building project in Masindi, Uganda, and a multilevel logistic regression approach to model the likelihood of households contributing to a savings account in a bank. The advantage of a multilevel modeling approach is that it will allow for understanding how contextual factors, such as proximity to the bank and the presence of informal savings mechanisms, affect how households save. Findings suggest that community characteristics affect rural households’ financial capability. The study also shows that financial education and the existence of informal savings groups are associated with the households’ saving behaviors and that internal and external factors are important in shaping them. The implications of the findings and the importance of using the correct method of analysis are discussed.
Robot calibration and compensation

A method is presented for calibrating and compensating for the kinematic errors in robot manipulators. A method of selecting a set of independent kinematic errors for modeling any geometric errors in a manipulator's structure is developed. A calibration algorithm is presented for finding the values of these kinematic errors by measuring the end-effector position. These kinematic errors are experimentally determined for a PUMA 560 six-joint manipulator. Two general-purpose compensation algorithms are developed and the improvement in the Cartesian position of the end-effector is experimentally measured and these results are presented. The results show that the positioning accuracy of a robot manipulator can be substantially improved using a relatively simple technique for measuring the Cartesian position of a tool attached to the end of the manipulator. >
Immigration Consequences of State Criminal Convictions

Certain criminal convictions can cause a foreign national to be deemed deportable from the United States. This is true of foreign nationals that are in the country with documentation (either permanent residents with green cards or temporary residents, such as students), as well as those present without any documentation. There are many different categories of criminal convictions that can make a person removable, including crimes of domestic violence, controlled substance violations, and failure to register as a sex offender. In order to determine if a crime falls into one of the categories in the Immigration and Nationality Act (“INA”), an attorney should compare the state statute in question with the relevant federal statute. Out of the various categories, two of the most common are “crimes involving moral turpitude,” or CIMTs, and aggravated felonies. This article serves as an introduction to these two categories of crimes. Part I describes CIMTs and discusses common Arkansas convictions that may fall into this category, and Part II describes aggravated felonies. This article should in no way be construed as the definitive word on what constitutes a crime under the INA, but is merely an introduction to the types of crimes included in it to help a practitioner become familiar with the necessary analysis and structure of the INA.
A General-Purpose Microeconomic Model

This paper presents a general-purpose Excel model that can generate the nonlinear total (utility, product and cost) functions in use in undergraduate microeconomics by mere change of parameters. The main pedagogical advantage of the model lies in the fact that it can produce the said nonlinear functions without relying on nonlinear mathematical formulas. This is achieved by reversing the usual order of exposition which starts with the total function. Instead, I begin with a two-piece linear marginal function and construct the total function recursively on its basis. Thus the model makes it possible to avoid mathematical concepts beyond elementary algebra without sacrificing precision and completeness of analysis. Since the majority of non-major undergraduate and MBA students in economics courses have minimal mathematical backgrounds, the proposed model would be of widespread interest to both the instructors and the students in smaller institutions and possibly even in some of the state universities.
Methane emissions from the 2015 Aliso Canyon blowout in Los Angeles, CA

Single-point failures of natural gas infrastructure can hamper methane emission control strategies designed to mitigate climate change. The 23 October 2015 blowout of a well connected to the Aliso Canyon underground storage facility in California resulted in a massive release of natural gas. Analysis of methane and ethane data from dozens of plume transects, collected during 13 research-aircraft flights between 7 November 2015 and 13 February 2016, shows atmospheric leak rates of up to 60 metric tons of methane and 4.5 metric tons of ethane per hour. At its peak, this blowout effectively doubled the methane emission rate of the entire Los Angeles basin and, in total, released 97,100 metric tons of methane to the atmosphere.
Coherent TiN Diffusion Barriers for Sub-0.5 μm Planarized AL Technology

This paper describes in situ post deposition treatment technologies to fortify the coherent PVD TiN barrier so that it will withstand the high temperature (> 450°C) Al deposition or flow process for sub-0.5 μm planarized Al technology. The coherent PVD TiN barriers were sputtered under 3 different pressure conditions and subsequently heat treated for fortification. Such heat treated, fortified PVD TiN barriers exhibit low reactivity with Al, which is illustrated by the minimal sheet resistance increase in TiN/Al thin film stacks during the heat treatment. Furthermore, optical and SEM inspection on the silicon surface show no pitting. Leakage current of less than 50 pA has been obtained on 10K-contact chains of sub-0.5 (μm devices using a vacuum integrated coherent Ti/fortified PVD TiN/planarized Al process. This development has led to a completely vacuum integrated sub-0.5 μm PVD Al plug fill process.
Issues in validity research on the 16 PF.

The 16 PF does not purport to measure those dimensions of severe pathology that characterize the various psychiatric syndromes. Validity studies that violate the theoretical foundation of the 16 PF...
Media influence, fashion, and shopping: a gender perspective

Purpose – Promotional media and gender have been shown to influence purchase and shopping channel choice. The purpose of this paper is to better understand the role of media influence, fashion consciousness, and fashion leadership on shopping channel choice in regard to gender. Design/methodology/approach – A survey was administered using a convenience sample of male and female students at a Southwestern University in the USA. A total of 408 surveys were used for analysis. The data were factor analyzed using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) statistical software and a structural equation model was developed to test the hypotheses. Findings – The results indicate that while the media influence factor of mass media positively influences fashion consciousness for both males and females, personalized media only indicated significant influence on male fashion leaders. In addition, both male and female consumers indicated that fashion leadership influenced non-traditional over traditional retai...
Contracting Out of Secondary Insolvency Proceedings: The Main Liquidator's Undertaking in the Meaning of Article 18 in the Proposal to Amend the EU Insolvency Regulation

INTRODUCTION The European Insolvency Regulation aims to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of insolvency proceedings having cross-border effects within the European Union. For that purpose, the Insolvency Regulation lays down rules on jurisdiction common to all member states of the European Union (Member States), rules to facilitate recognition of insolvency judgments, and rules regarding the applicable law. The model of the Regulation will be known. It allows for one main proceeding, opened in one Member State, with the possibility of opening secondary proceedings in other EU Member States. The procedural model can only be successful if these proceedings are coordinated:
Observer Metamerism Models and Multiprimary Display Systems

Television and cinema displays are both trending toward greater ranges and saturation of reproduced colors, which are made possible by near-monochromatic illumination technologies. Through current broadcast and digital cinema standards work, system designs employing laser light sources, narrowband light-emitting diodes, quantum dots, and others are being actively endorsed in promotion of a wide color gamut. However, spectrally selective excitations of naturally different human color response functions exacerbate variability of observer experience. Furthermore, singular “standard observer” summaries of human color vision, such as those found in the International Commission on Illumination (CIE)'s 1931 and 1964 color-matching functions and extensively used in motion picture color management, are deficient in recognizing expected human vision variability. Many researchers have confirmed the magnitude of observer metamerism in color matching, but few have shown explicit color management with an aim of minimized observer perception variability. This paper shows that not only can observer metamerism influences be quantitatively predicted and confirmed psychophysically but that intentionally engineered multiprimary displays employing more than three primaries can also offer an increased color gamut with drastically improved consistency of experience.
Complications Particular to the Elderly

With advances in medical care and increasing life expectancy, the treatment options for elderly patients are both vast and evolving, combining both medical and surgical alternatives. The potential to both cure and improve the quality of life in this patient population is immense. People over the age of 85 are the fastest growing age class in our society today [1]. Those patients 65 years old and older are expected to be 20 % of our population by 2025 [2]. More than half of these individuals will undergo major surgery, most after the age of 50 [2]. These patients are more likely to have cardiopulmonary disease, diabetes, and other health problems and are more likely to have elective surgery canceled [1, 2]. This patient population is more likely to present with advanced disease, require emergent surgery, and also has higher mortality when compared to younger patients [1, 2].
Dietary Antioxidants, αvβ5 Integrin, and Ocular Protection: Long-Term Consequences of Arrhythmic Retinal Pigment Epithelium Phagocytosis

Abstract The circadian clearance of shed photoreceptor outer segment fragments by phagocytosis is a major task of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) in the mammalian retina. Much progress has been made recently in elucidating the molecular mechanisms of RPE phagocytosis. Rhythmic exposure of phosphatidylserine by spent outer segment tips initiates ligation of the RPE receptor αvβ5 integrin, which activates the RPE engulfment machinery. In mice lacking αvβ5 integrin, RPE phagocytosis is not rhythmic. With age, these mice show increased lipofuscin accumulation, RPE F-actin oxidation and destabilization, and progressive vision loss. These age-related retinal changes are prevented by life-long dietary supplementation with lutein/zeaxanthin or grapes, both of which act as antioxidants. Antioxidant consumption by αvβ5 integrin-deficient mice in young or mid-adulthood is sufficient to prevent vision loss at old age but consumption in old age alone is not. These studies suggest important benefits of an antioxidant-rich diet well in advance of age-related retinal disease.
The “I” of the Camera: The Ending of City Lights

Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton, the two greatest creators of silent-film comedy, arrived at diametrically opposed strategies for discovering comedy in the conditions of film. What a sublime accident of fate! As an actor, Chaplin is perfectly expressive, whereas Keaton is famous for his inexpressiveness (more accurately, for the rigorous limits he places on the expressions he allows himself). Chaplin seems always to be performing for an audience whose love he craves, whereas Keaton characteristically seems unconscious of having an audience. Keaton incarnates a comical character who is naturally earnest, guileless, innocent, like a Kafka protagonist. In particular, he never smiles; that is, he finds nothing funny. Chaplin on screen, by contrast, laughs often, and his laughter frequently is addressed openly to the camera. Keaton almost never declares, or even expresses, desire, whereas Chaplin's passions are always manifest, although Chaplin, unlike Keaton, is also a master of deception, a seducer. Filmically, their styles are opposed as well. The way the world appears is essential to Keaton's films, but not Chaplin's. Chaplin the performer is at the center of his world, whereas Keaton is on the outside looking in. Keaton makes his gags with the camera, Chaplin with his performance on camera. Keaton's comedy, as I understand it, turns on one joke, at one level a joke on the medium of film. We might say that the Keaton character wishes for a viewer's relationship with the world. That role he finds natural, as we do.
Basily Treasures at the Hoover Institution

ABSTRACTThis article describes the life and career of the former Russian diplomat and art collector Nicolas de Basily (1883–1963), including a detailed history of his family background. Together with his second wife, Lascelle Meserve de Basily (1890–1989), he built a remarkable art and library collection, including paintings, furniture, and other decorative art objects. Considerable detail is provided on the art collection, as well as its provenance, especially with dealers such as Nicolas and Pavla de Koenigsberg.
Non-Weight-Bearing and Weight-Bearing Ultrasonography of Select Foot Muscles in Young, Asymptomatic Participants: A Descriptive and Reliability Study.

Abstract Objective The primary aim of this study was to determine the reliability of diagnostic ultrasound imaging for select intrinsic foot muscles using both non–weight-bearing and weight-bearing postures. Our secondary aim was to describe the change in muscle cross-sectional area (CSA) and dorsoplantar thickness when bearing weight. Methods An ultrasound examination was performed with a linear ultrasound transducer operating between 9 and 12 MHz. Long-axis and short-axis ultrasound images of the abductor hallucis, flexor digitorum brevis, and quadratus plantae were obtained in both the non–weight-bearing and weight-bearing postures. Two examiners independently collected ultrasound images to allow for interexaminer and intraexaminer reliability calculation. The change in muscle CSA and dorsoplantar thickness when bearing weight was also studied. Results There were 26 participants (17 female) with a mean age of 25.5 ± 3.8 years and a mean body mass index of 28.0 ± 7.8 kg/m2. Inter-examiner reliability was excellent when measuring the muscles in short axis (intraclass correlation coefficient >0.75) and fair to good in long axis (intraclass correlation coefficient >0.4). Intraexaminer reliability was excellent for the abductor hallucis and flexor digitorum brevis and ranged from fair to good to excellent for the quadratus plantae. Bearing weight did not reduce interexaminer or intraexaminer reliability. All muscles exhibited a significant increase in CSA when bearing weight. Conclusions This is the first report to describe weight-bearing diagnostic ultrasound of the intrinsic foot muscles. Ultrasound imaging is reliable when imaging these muscles bearing weight. Furthermore, muscle CSA increases in the weight-bearing posture.
Phage-Displayed Peptide-Q Dot Nanocrystal Combo for High-Sensitivity Bacterial Detection in Plasma.

Abstract 3153 Poster Board III-90 Introduction Despite improved phlebotomy practices, refrigeration of red cells, freezing of plasma and improved materials for transfusion product collection and storage, bacterial contamination of transfusion products is still a longstanding problem. Current bacterial detection tests relevant to transfusion medicine, especially for stored platelets have limitations with regard to time, specificity and sensitivity. There is a need for new and improved cost-effective high-affinity detection probes to fill this gap. In this study, using plasma spiked with Bacillus cereus 4342 and B. anthracis- Sterne as an experimental system, we identified peptides from a bacteriophage-displayed random peptide library that selectively bind and detect the Bacillus strains. By labeling the peptides with Q dot-liquid nanocrystals, the detection sensitivity of the peptides was further enhanced. Methods A commercially available bacteriophage-displayed random peptide library was screened using B. cereus 4342 as bait, using appropriate controls under stringent conditions. The screening and subsequent sequencing of the phage DNA identified two phages each containing a coding sequence for 12-amino acid peptide that are selectively capable of binding to the Bacillus. Based on the nucleic acid sequence, the two synthetic peptides with biotin tag were prepared for detection assays and to enhance the detection sensitivity further, the peptides were labeled with streptavidin-conjugated fluorescent quantum-dots (Q dots). Fluorescence was measured either by a plate reader or using a fluorescence microscope. Results The two synthetic peptides selectively bound to the Bacillus strains in both dot blot and ELISA assays. The membrane-based dot blot assay demonstrated an assay sensitivity of 10 3 colony forming units/ml (CFU/ml), whereas ELISA demonstrated a sensitivity of 10 2 CFU/ml detection limit. Fluorometry analysis of spiked plasma samples revealed that the two peptides were able to bind to B. cereus 4342 and B. anthracis Sterne and detect these bacteria in plasma at 10 2 CFU/ml concentrations. The peptide-Qdot combo even detected a single bacterium in fluorescence microscopy. Conclusion Overall, the results reported here validate the usefulness of affinity-selected recombinant filamentous phage-derived peptides in combination with Qdot-liquid nanocrystals as high sensitivity detection probes for bacteria in various platforms and settings relevant to the blood safety and transfusion medicine. The findings and conclusions in this abstract have not been formally disseminated by the Food and Drug Administration and should not be construed to represent any Agency determination or policy. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
CD33-Negative Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) Has Similar Characteristics to CD33-Positive Disease.

Abstract Abstract 4129 Several immunophenotypic subgroups within AML are associated with specific disease characteristics, e.g., CD19-positive AML is associated with t(8;21)(q22;q22) and CD56 expression is associated with adverse outcome. CD33 is a sialic acid-binding immunoglobulin-like lectin (Siglec) located on chromosome 19q13.3. It is highly expressed on early multilineage hematopoietic progenitors but absent from the pluripotent hematopoietic stem cells. It contains two tyrosine phosphorylation motifs whose phosphorylation depends on Src and is the target of gemtuzumab ozogamicin. We asked if lack of CD33 expression ( Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Analysis for Science Librarians of the 2016 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine: The Life and Work of Yoshinori Ohsumi

ABSTRACTAutophagy is a cellular process of destruction and recycling. Cellular materials are broken down and recycled as needed, providing the body a way to remove unwanted material while also providing the means to create new needed items. The importance of this process and its possible role in numerous diseases is why Yoshinori Ohsumi has been awarded a 2016 Noble Prize. Ohsumi has been awarded the 2016 Nobel in Physiology or Medicine for his “discoveries of mechanisms for autophagy and thus paving the way for the exciting field of autophagy research” (Nobelprize.org “Press release: The 2016 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine.”).
Sources. Federal Citizenship and Republican Citizenship

In the thirties, when the previous citizenship statute was promulgated, preambles to legislative acts were not in fashion and, true to pattern, the 1938 law did not feature an introductory statement. Today, of course, the pendulum has swung in the opposite direction and elaborate prefatory pronouncements are again in vogue. Accordingly, the present edition boasts a formal prologue declaring that the citizens of the USSR enjoy the totality of socio- economic, political, and personal rights and freedoms proclaimed and guaranteed by the USSR constitution and Soviet laws. The Soviet socialist all- people’s state, the preface continues, protects these rights and freedoms and ensures the rights of USSR citizens in all areas of economic, political, social and cultural life. The overture then sounds a theme borrowed from the 1977 constitution to the effect that every citizen of the USSR is obliged to observe the constitution and Soviet laws, bear with dignity the high calling of citizen of the USSR, safeguard the interests of the Soviet state, contribute to the enhancement of its power and authority, and be loyal to his socialist Motherland. The concept of the interdependence of the individual’s share of rights and duties, enunciated in the Fundamental Law, thus recurs, albeit in somewhat attenuated form, prompting speculation on whether failure to perform designated duties might, in the absence of any specific sanction, by itself serve as grounds for retaliation through curtailment of the “offending” party’s assorted rights. The answer is by no means clear at this juncture, except that most analysts have tended to conclude that the dictum formulates a moral/ political instead of a legal imperative. Worth noting, however, is the fact that public utterances on this occasion took a lot of care to emphasize the point of the indivisibility of rights and duties accorded a proper citizen in the conditions of the socialist system,1 which suggests that even if an organic linkage does not yet function, a scheme may be afoot to cultivate a popular climate which would make a positive move in that direction in the near future feasible.
Caffeine Intake and Its Association with Body Composition Measures and Macronutrient Intakes in People Living with HIV in the Miami Adult Studies on HIV Cohort.

Background: Caffeine acts as an anorexic agent, increases energy expenditures, and decreases total body fat mass, and could be detrimental to people living with HIV (PLWH). The objective of this study was to explore the relationship between caffeine consumption, body composition measures (fat mass, body mass index [BMI], and lean body mass [LBM]), nutrient intakes, CD4 counts, and HIV viral load in PLWH. Methods: A convenience sample of 130 PLWH was recruited and followed for 3 months. Caffeine intake, body composition measures, and nutrient intakes were collected using Modified Caffeine Consumption Questionnaire, bioimpedance analyses, and 24-hour dietary recalls. Linear regressions were used to analyze the baseline data for relationships between these variables. Linear mixed models (LMMs) were used to determine the overtime changes. Results: In baseline, linear regression analysis, higher caffeine consumption was associated with lower fat mass (β = −0.994, p = 0.042). However, BMI and LBM did not show a...
Graph evolution via social diffusion processes

We present a new stochastic process, called as Social Diffusion Process (SDP), to address the graph modeling. Based on this model, we derive a graph evolution algorithm and a series of graphbased approaches to solve machine learning problems, including clustering and semi-supervised learning. SDP can be viewed as a special case of Matthew effect, which is a general phenomenon in nature and societies. We use social event as a metaphor of the intrinsic stochastic process for broad range of data. We evaluate our approaches in a large number of frequently used datasets and compare our approaches to other state-of-the-art techniques. Results show that our algorithm outperforms the existing methods in most cases. We also applying our algorithm into the functionality analysis of microRNA and discover biologically interesting cliques. Due to the broad availability of graph-based data, our new model and algorithm potentially have applications in wide range.
Locking the waveform with a quartz crystal

High-order harmonics in the extreme-ultraviolet regime can be produced and a stable waveform-locked attosecond pulse can be formed when quartz is excited by a strong short-pulsed laser, providing a robust path towards attosecond photonics.
The Cost of Failure: Assessing the Cost-Effectiveness of Rescuing Patients from Major Complications After Liver Resection Using the National Inpatient Sample

To estimate the cost of rescue and cost of failure and determine cost-effectiveness of rescue from major complications at high-volume (HV) and low-volume (LV) centers Ninety-six thousand one hundred seven patients undergoing liver resection were identified from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS) between 2002 and 2011. The incremental cost of rescue and cost of FTR were calculated. Using propensity-matched cohorts, a cost-effectiveness analysis was performed to determine the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) between HV and LV hospitals. Ninety-six thousand one hundred seven patients were identified in NIS. The overall mortality was 2.3% and was lowest in HV centers (HV 1.4% vs. MV 2.1% vs. LV 2.6%; p < 0.001). Major complications occurred in 14.9% of hepatectomies and were comparable regardless of volume (HV 14.2% vs. MV 14.3% vs. LV 15.4%; p < 0.001). The FTR rate was substantially lower among HV centers (HV 7.7%, MV 11%, LV 12%; p < 0.001). At a willingness to pay benchmark of $50,000 per year of life saved, both HV (ICER = $3296) and MV (ICER = $4182) centers were cost-effective at rescuing patients from a major complication compared to LV hospitals. Not only was FTR less common at HV hospitals, but the management of most major complications was cost-effective at higher volume centers.
3D real-time FEM based guide wire simulator with force feedback

Minimally invasive surgical techniques using catheter is now used in many procedures. Development of surgical training of such procedures requires real-time simulation of tool-organ interaction. In such processes, each subsequent step of interaction would be based on the current configuration of the surgical tool (guidewire in this case), leading to development of techniques to solve and visualize the configuration of tool at every time step. This paper presents a Finite Element (FEM) based approach to simulate the tool-organ interaction.
Epigenetics and the Fetal Origins of Adult Health and Disease

Physiology explores life and its complexity as it interacts with its environment. Presently, we are only beginning to understand the complex interactions between one’s genetic inheritance and environmental influences on gene expression and the manners in which this impacts our lives. Events that occur early in our lives, both in utero and following birth, can mold our development and determine how we respond to environmental stress and our susceptibility to disease. Growth and development of the embryo and fetus, once the interest of only a minority of clinicians and public health officials, currently commands the attention of all concerned with the prevalence of a wide array of medical disorders in the adult. These include diabetes and related metabolic syndrome, coronary artery disease, hypertension, schizophrenia, and other neuropsychiatric diseases, as well as cancer and other conditions. As knowledge of human development has increased, evidence has amassed that the foundations for much of our life as adults are established in our mother’s womb prior to birth. During the past several decades, both a number of epidemiologic studies in humans and mechanistic-based experiments in laboratory animals have given rise to the hypothesis of the “Developmental Origins of Health and Disease” (DOHaD) (Barker et al. 1993; Gluckman et al. 2008). Although much of the evidence is compelling, nonetheless controversy exists as to the basis for many of the associations drawn (Ben-Shlomo and Kuh 2002; Joseph and Kramer 1996; Kramer and Joseph 1996). Of particular relevance in this regard is nutrition. Commonly, we think of famine as a topic of the distant past or of malnutrition as being of limited scope (Delisle 2008). However, with the ever-increasing population on the planet, limited resources, rise in commodity prices, and the role of politics in human well-being, the issue of proper nutrition or the lack thereof is a worldwide problem, and its relation to health and disease is of considerable relevance to biomedical scientists and members of the healing profession.
Learning from Krumping: collective agency in dance performance cultures

The recognized importance of collaboration has driven the development of learning environments and technologies. Instructional efforts have concentrated on supporting students' development of collaborative agency - knowing how to collaborate in small groups. Much less emphasis has been placed on students' collective agency that would involve participation in large groups prominent in today's social networking sites and online cultures. Here we use our observations in an urban community technology center where groups of 30-40 youth self-organized their dance performances called Krumping and/or Clowning to inspire rethinking from collaborative to collective agency in learning. Our analysis is based on four years of ethnographic field work that helped us articulate different aspects of activity structures that promote collective agency, distributed leadership, and the role of performance. We use these findings to reflect on our conceptions of learning and the design of learning technologies and environments.
Integrating Clients' Animals in Clinical Practice: Insights from an Animal-Informed Therapist

Abstract Most of the research and publications on animal-assisted interventions reflect the application of an adjunct animal that is outside the client's system. This chapter presents a model for practicing animal-informed therapy, integrating clients' own pets into therapeutic processes. Using examples from practice in a veterinary specialty hospital, the author explains how client's animals are uniquely situated to help illustrate, challenge, and sculpt relational dynamics, cognitive schemas, and behavioral repertoires.
“Exploring this whole thing of social justice” narrative as a tool for critical sociocultural knowledge development in teacher education

Many teacher education programs provide teachers with opportunities to read, write, and discuss critical pedagogy, with the hope that such work will allow them to develop more equitable and just te...
Tolerance of Leyland Cypress and Red-Tip Photinia to Soil and Foliar Applied Sodium Chloride

Abstract NaCl at 0.15 N was applied 3 times per week as a soil drench or foliar spray to established container-grown plants of Leyland cypress [× Cupressocyparis leylandii (A. B. Jacks. & Dallim.) ...
Uncertainty Annotated Databases - A Lightweight Approach for Approximating Certain Answers

Certain answers are a principled method for coping with uncertainty that arises in many practical data management tasks. Unfortunately, this method is expensive and may ex- clude useful (if uncertain) answers. Thus, users frequently resort to less principled approaches to resolve uncertainty. In this paper, we propose Uncertainty Annotated Databases (UA-DBs), which combine an under- and over-approximation of certain answers to achieve the reliability of certain answers, with the performance of a classical database system. Furthermore, in contrast to prior work on certain answers, UA-DBs achieve a higher utility by including some (explicitly marked) answers that are not certain. UA-DBs are based on incomplete K-relations, which we introduce to generalize the classical set-based notion of incomplete databases and certain answers to a much larger class of data models. Using an implementation of our approach, we demonstrate experimentally that it efficiently produces tight approximations of certain answers that are of high utility.
The Impact of Financial Incentives on Academic Achievement and Household Behavior: Evidence from a Randomized Trial in Nepal

We present evidence on the impact of piece rate financial incentives on students’ school outcomes from a randomized field experiment in Nepal. Despite several experimental and institutional factors making it less likely of finding a positive treatment effect, I find that incentives increase average aggregate scores by 0.09 standard deviations. The bulk of the aggregate gain is constituted of large gains in two subjects with relatively high baseline scores. There is no noticeable difference in gains between males and females and incentives have a relatively higher impact on students from higher socioeconomic strata and the lower quartiles. My study contributes to the growing literature on short term impact of academic incentives by recording household response to the incentives. I show that the proportion of students who received help with schoolwork at home, either from a hired tutor or a household member, increased among the subgroups that exhibit the most gains in scores. Finally, financial rewards do not have an adverse impact on students’ intrinsic motivation to learn.
Fundamental Groups and Path Lifting for Algebraic Varieties

We study 3 basic questions about fundamental groups of algebraic varieties. For a morphism, is being surjective on π1 preserved by base change? What is the connection between openness in the Zariski and in the Euclidean topologies? Which morphisms have the path lifting property?
Fertility considerations in men with testicular cancer

The modern approach to cancer management has evolved into a multidisciplinary initiative focused not only on cancer specific and overall survival, but also patient quality of life and survivorship. Future fertility is often a major concern for young patients undergoing cancer therapy. Fertility preservation has emerged as a viable but significantly underutilized option. Patients and families should be aware of the varying effects of antineoplastic therapy on their future fertility to allow for an informed decision regarding their fertility preservation options. In this review we discuss the epidemiology, pathophysiology, and management of fertility in the setting of testicular cancer diagnosis and treatment.
Telemedicine Evaluation and Techniques in Hand Surgery

The demand for telemedicine has been increasing over the past several years with the growth of technology and digital connectivity in our daily lives. With the impact of the global coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, telemedicine implementation has become a necessity for many specialties because social distancing measures have greatly affected access to routine medical care. This article presents a detailed and systematic approach to conducting a hand physical examination during a video telemedicine encounter. Although the telemedicine physical examination has limitations, most components of the normal physical examination can be completed remotely with a systematic approach. We enumerate modifications to maximize examination remotely and present considerations for improved delivery of telemedicine care. These methods may be beneficial to providers incorporating telemedicine into their practice.
Nuclear Reactions in Astrophysics: A Review of Useful Probes for Extracting Reaction Rates

Astrophysical simulations require knowledge of a wide array of reaction rates. For a number of reasons, many of these reaction rates cannot be measured directly and instead are probed with indirect...
Development of cancer after bariatric surgery.

Abstract Background Although bariatric surgery has been associated with a reduction in risk of obesity-related cancer, data on the effect of bariatric interventions on other cancers are limited. Objectives This study aimed to examine the relationship between bariatric interventions and the incidence of various cancers after bariatric surgery. Setting Administrative statewide database. Methods The New York Statewide Planning and Research Cooperative System database was used to identify all adult patients diagnosed with obesity between 2006 and 2012 and patients who underwent bariatric procedures without preexisting cancer diagnosis and alcohol or tobacco use. Subsequent cancer diagnoses were captured up to 2016. Multivariable proportional subdistribution hazard regression analysis was performed to compare the risk of having cancer among obese patients with and without bariatric interventions. Results We identified 71,000 patients who underwent bariatric surgery and 323,197 patients without a bariatric intervention. Patients undergoing bariatric surgery were less likely to develop both obesity-related cancer (hazard ratio.91; 95% confidence interval, .85–.98; P = .013) and other cancers (hazard ratio .81; 95% confidence interval, .74–.89; P Conclusions Bariatric surgery is associated with a decreased risk of obesity-related cancers. More significantly, we demonstrated the relationship between bariatric surgery and the reduction of the risk of some previously designated nonobesity-related cancers, as well. Reclassification of nonobesity-related cancers and expansion of bariatric indications for reducing the risk of cancer may be warranted.
Divorce in the Digital Age: A Cyber Autoethnographic Exploration

In this article, I propose and use the method of cyber autoethnography to share my lived experience of divorce in the digital landscape and how I navigate this expansive, amorphous, and increasingl...
History of Cholesterol Autoxidation

Systematic study of the chemical oxidation begun by Mauthner by 1894 [1594] was closely followed by the first published accounts by Israel Lifschutz of encounters with cholesterol autoxidation products whose nature was unrecognized at the time [561,1473]. Experimental work on cholesterol autoxidation may be traced back to Lifschutz’ work of 1895 on wool fat in which the use of different color tests for cholesterol figured prominently [558–561,1473]. From that time the history of cholesterol autoxidation closely parallels the advances made in cholesterol chemistry and suggests that the early biochemistry of cholesterol derived directly from the early attempts to overcome some of the problems associated with cholesterol in which cholesterol autoxidation intruded. The history of study of cholesterol autoxidation may be conveniently divided into three separate phases: (i) an early phase dominated by the work of Lifschutz which included many random observations of oxidative transformations of cholesterol, made before the structure of cholesterol was known and ending with the assignment of the correct structure of cholesterol in 1932; (ii) an intermediate phase involving additional random observations, with isolation from tissues for the first time of identified cholesterol oxidation products, including the 3β,5α,6β-triol 13, the 7-ketone 16 and the epimeric 3β,7diols 14 and 15; and (iii) the most recent phase dating from about 1960 in which application of effective thin-layer chromatography procedures in systematic fashion led us to the present stage of our knowledge of cholesterol autoxidation as adumbrated in this monograph.
Seizure burden fluctuates with the female reproductive cycle in a mouse model of chronic temporal lobe epilepsy

Women with catamenial epilepsy often experience increased seizure burden near the time of ovulation (periovulatory) or menstruation (perimenstrual). To date, a rodent model of chronic temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) that exhibits similar endogenous fluctuations in seizures has not been identified. Here, we investigated whether seizure burden changes with the estrous cycle in the intrahippocampal kainic acid (IHKA) mouse model of TLE. Adult female IHKA mice and saline-injected controls were implanted with EEG electrodes in the ipsilateral hippocampus. At one and two months post-injection, 24/7 video-EEG recordings were collected and estrous cycle stage was assessed daily. Seizures were detected using a custom convolutional neural network machine learning process. Seizure burden was compared within each mouse between diestrus and combined proestrus and estrus days (pro/estrus) at two months post-injection. IHKA mice showed higher seizure burden on pro/estrus compared with diestrus, characterized by increased time in seizures and longer seizure duration. When all IHKA mice were included, no group differences were observed in seizure frequency or EEG power. However, increased baseline seizure burden on diestrus was correlated with larger cycle-associated differences, and when analyses were restricted to mice that showed the severe epilepsy typical of the IHKA model, increased seizure frequency on pro/estrus was also revealed. Controls showed no differences in EEG parameters with cycle stage. These results suggest that the stages of proestrus and estrus are associated with higher seizure burden in IHKA mice. The IHKA model may thus recapitulate at least some aspects of reproductive cycle-associated seizure clustering.