cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Permafrost — and its affects on human activities in arctic and subarctic regions

In polar areas, normal techniques must often be modified at additional costs in construction and maintenance of railroads, buildings, water and sewer lines, oil and gas pipelines, dams, roads, bridges, and airfields because of permafrost. But despite problems unique to the cold regions, development of the permafrost areas will continue at an ever-increasing rate. Humans have already learned to cope with many of the problems, and future improvements in scientific and engineering approaches, plus careful geological site selection and further study of the permafrost problem, will allow successful expansion into polar areas.
Seismic interpretation of circular geological structures

3D seismic data provide images of geological features which are approximately circular in plan view but whose shape and origin may not be possible to constrain using 2D seismic data. As 3D seismic data become more commonly employed in hydrocarbon exploration, the number of demonstrably "circular" structures will increase. At least ten different geological processes can result in seismically resolvable "circular" structures in sedimentary basins. These include salt/shale diapirs, salt withdrawal basins, polygonal fault blocks, dissolution collapse hollows, breccia pipes, calderas, gas pockmarks, bioherms, sand volcanoes, pull-aparts, impact craters and tectonic folds. Geometrical and geological criteria for each are summarized to facilitate identification of such features should they be encountered in the course of a 3D seismic interpretation. Certain types of geological feature have distinctive properties, others are less straightforward to recognize on the basis of individual criteria.
The Mechanism of Color Change in Dried Flower Production

The discoloration mechanism of dried flowers is the key factors determining the quality.In this paper,some factors causing discoloration of dried flowers were discussed.Such as temperature,pH,metal affect,browning,bleaching etc.The discoloration mechanism of the dried flowers were Summaried.And the theory provided references for dried flowers' production in the future.
Distributed Smart online Monitoring System Based on WSN in Power Substation

This paper analyzes the on-line monitoring technology for the high voltage equipment of the power substation including power transformers,circuit breakers,transducers and capacitive equipment and its functions,and proposes the scheme of an on-line monitoring system based on WSN.The overall design with both software and hardware of the system is designed on ZigBee.As a result,the system can connect the sensor and controller onto the ZigBee node in the network and realize the scattering display without wire-layout of the sensor and controller,and the users can easily realize multiple smart controls of the condition information of the primary equipment and conveniently provide the real-time data for the smart substation.
Wave Speed Propagation Measurements on Highly Attenuative Heated Materials

Abstract Ultrasonic wave propagation decreases as a material is heated. Two factors that can characterize material properties are changes in wave speed and energy loss from interactions within the media. Relatively small variations in velocity and attenuation can detect significant differences in microstructures. This paper discusses an overview of experimental techniques that document the changes within a highly attenuative material as it is either being heated or cooled from 25˚C to 90˚C. The experimental set-up utilizes ultrasonic probes in a through-transmission configuration. The waveforms are recorded and analyzed during thermal experiments. To complement the ultrasonic data, a Discontinuous-Galerkin Model (DGM) was also created which uses unstructured meshes and documents how waves travel in these anisotropic media. This numerical method solves particle motion travel using partial differential equations and outputs a wave trace per unit time. Both experimental and analytical data are compared and presented.
Cranial non-metric variation in north and central Mexico.

Fifty cranial non-metric traits were scored on twenty series of crania from north and central Mexico in the American Museum of Natural History. Additional crania from three of the series were scored in the Museo Nacional de Antropologia, Mexico City. Although a total of 471 crania and 316 mandibles were registered, only 11 series, containing 387 crania and 270 mandibles, were of sufficient length for statistical analysis. Trait frequencies in these series were compared by multidimensional scaling and principal component analysis. The results suggest a degree of biological continuity in the Basin of Mexico over a twenty-five hundred year period, although the later samples from that area exhibit signs of some gene flow from more northern populations.
A 44-Year-Old Man With Sore Throat and Fatigue After Using an Old Camper Van.

A 44-year-old man from Connecticut with no significant past medical history presented to the ED with a 2-week history of sore throat and fatigue, subsequently developing cough, dyspnea, fevers, and chills. The patient reported buying an old camper van and noticed a large infestation of rodent droppings, which he had cleaned thoroughly from the cabin. He used the camper van on several camping trips in Vermont, and symptoms started on his return.
Thermal stability of cellulose nanomaterials and their composites with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)

This study investigates the thermal stability of composites composed of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) reinforced with biodegradable fillers: cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) or cellulose nanofibrils (CNF). Combinations of PVA with CNC and PVA with CNF at 2, 4, 6, and 8 % cellulose by weight underwent several different thermogravimetric analysis (TG) heating programs—constant heating rate, isothermal, and high resolution with a dynamic heating rate. The starting materials (PVA pellets, PVA film, aqueous CNC at 11.8 % solids, and aqueous CNF at 3 % solids) were also tested in the TG after drying. Temperatures at the onset of degradation and at maximum degradation for the principal pyrolysis stage were quantified. Kinetic parameters (activation energy, pre-exponential factor) were calculated using the Flynn–Wall–Ozawa (FWO) method. CNC or CNF incorporation in the PVA matrix did not markedly shift temperatures at the onset of degradation or at maximum degradation for the major stage of pyrolysis, compared to neat PVA. However, the inclusion of nanocellulose lowered the maximum rate of degradation, with larger reductions at higher filler contents. A larger portion of the composites’ original mass remained intact following the major degradation peak. Incorporation of CNF in composites with PVA produced films with activation energies higher than the activation energy of neat PVA film.
The effects of Spirulina algae inclusion and conditioning temperature on feed manufacture, pellet quality, and true amino acid digestibility

Abstract Diet formulation and manufacturing techniques dictate pellet quality and in turn influence broiler chicken performance; however, the degree of improvement may be dependent on potential changes in nutrient digestibility. For example, high steam conditioning temperature has been shown to increase pellet quality but also decrease amino acid digestibility. Therefore anticipated broiler performance improvement due to increased pellet quality would be diminished. Formulating diets with ingredients that contribute to pellet binding may allow for low temperature conditioning and maintenance of pellet quality. The inclusion of Spirulina algae in broiler diet formulations has been shown to improve pellet quality. The objectives of this study were to describe the manufacture, quality, and true amino acid digestibility (TAAD) of pelleted corn and soybean meal based broiler diets produced with different Spirulina algae inclusions and steam conditioning temperatures. Treatments were arranged as a 5 × 3 factorial that varied in algae inclusion (0, 0.5, 1, 5, and 10%) and steam conditioning temperature (74, 82, and 91 °C). The Spirulina algae was analyzed for mineral content, metabolizable energy, and digestible amino acids to balance treatment formulations. The manufacture of each treatment was replicated three times and blocked by time of manufacture. All treatments were steam conditioned for a 10 s duration and extruded through a 4.7 × 38 mm pellet die. Hot pellet temperature (HPT) and pellet mill motor amperage increased (P 0.05). Algae inclusion and conditioning temperature interacted to affect pellet durability (P
Abstract 5028: CXCL10 within the tumor microenvironment induces gemcitabine resistance in pancreatic cancer cells

Background: The systemic treatment of pancreatic cancer (PC) is hindered by the rapid development of chemoresistance to current cytotoxic therapies. Mechanisms governing the development of chemoresistance remain poorly characterized, particularly with respect to contributions from the tumor microenvironment. Thus, the goal of this study was to identify novel mechanisms acting within the tumor microenvironment which lead to PC chemoresistance. Methods: Intratumoral soluble mediator concentrations from resected PC specimens (n = 26) as well as supernatants from co-cultures of primary tumor-associated pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs) and PC cells (n = 12) were evaluated using a panel of 41 growth factors, chemokines and cytokines. The effect of CXCL10, a highly expressed soluble mediator during co-culture, on viability, proliferation, and apoptosis of PC cells was evaluated with and without gemcitabine treatment. In addition, the contribution of CXCL10 on migration patterns of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) was assessed. Results: Co-culture of tumor-associated PSCs with PC cells revealed increased CXCL10 levels compared to either cell type cultured alone. In addition, high intratumoral CXCL10 concentrations correlated with reduced overall survival (HR 6.9; P = .006). While CXCL10 treatment had a small effect on the viability of PC cells, it led to significantly increased PC cell viability in the presence of gemcitabine. Further, gemcitabine treatment induced the expression of the CXCL10 receptor, CXCR3, and this induction of CXCR3 was associated with the absence of apoptotic markers in PC cells. Finally, constitutive expression of CXCL10 by PC cells preferentially led to the migration of regulatory immune cell subsets. Conclusion: Paracrine CXCL10 signaling between stromal, PC and immune cells may be responsible not only for chemoresistance to gemcitabine, but also the recruitment and potential polarization of regulatory immune cell subsets in the pancreatic cancer microenvironment. Citation Format: Daniel Delitto, Chelsey Perez, Brian S. Black, Heather L. Sorenson, Andrea E. Knowlton, Song Han, Dongyu Zhang, George A. Sarosi, Lyle L. Moldawer, Kevin E. Behrns, Chen Liu, Thomas J. George, Ryan M. Thomas, Jose G. Trevino, Shannon M. Wallet, Steven J. Hughes. CXCL10 within the tumor microenvironment induces gemcitabine resistance in pancreatic cancer cells. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 5028. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-5028
Between Heimat and Schubsystem: Walking the Homeless to Death in Early Modern Austria

Beginning with Ferdinand I's Polizeyordnung of 1552, the Habsburgs’ state inserted itself into the regulation of welfare for the poor. To manage the homeless, there emerged after the 1720s a state-driven but locally administered system (Schubsystem) of police surveillance to discover, arrest, and physically remove those without a provable birth place (or a ten-year residence in one place) to a to-be-determined Heimat, a “home” community declared responsible for their welfare. In practice, the system's specific self-contradictions and conflicted agendas, its brutalization of those who served it, its several social-relational and language figures that emerged as the actualizations of the state's vision, together placed a significant number of the homeless on forced marches toward indeterminate destinations until they collapsed and could be removed from the road to die “in the straw.” The essay suggests that the interplay between Heimat and Schubsystem serves as a foreshadowing dimension in modern Austro-German history.
Turbulent Transition, Strategic Planning and Organization Design: A Comparison of Firms in the Semiconductor Industry

The study of organization and management theory is well equipped to examine the strategic demands of a global economy. Yet, it application to strategic management is underutilized. With its primary focus on strategic behavior from a macro-structure perspective, the field seems to have overlooked underlying causal variables more discretely associated with information-processing capacities of a strategic micro-structure. Nowhere is this better illustrated than in the semiconductor industry, where some firms perform differently than others in the face of conflicting transition. This paper shows empirically that design of strategic planning capacities was significant in differentiating long run performance.
What’s New — Vitamins and Minerals

A detailed, unbiased analysis of publications relating to “vitamin and mineral metabolism” could result only in an exhaustive, rambling potpourri of seemingly unrelated notes and comments. Advances in divalent ionic control of membrane transport, enzymatic activity, and hormonal synthesis and release are detailed elsewhere in this volume. Similarly, publications concerned with disorders of mineral metabolism and excretion and their relationship to human nutrition, growth, and the formation of renal calculi are reviewed in Chapter 11. In 1975, considerable efforts were expended to evaluate the effectiveness of vitamin C in preventing the common cold. Many significant advances were also made with respect to the metabolism, molecular response, and biological activity of vitamin D metabolites. For the sake of completion and uniformity, therefore, only these advances will be emphasized and reviewed in detail this year.
Common-mode termination requirements in concurrent dual-band push-pull power amplifiers

Concurrent dual-band switch-mode power amplifiers require high common-mode impedance at their intermodulation frequencies. Baluns utilizing quarter-wave effects only have perfect open common-mode impedance at their design frequency. Attempting to use a balun without taking the new dual-band requirements for common-mode impedance into account will result in efficiency loss. However, the addition of some transmission lines can add impedance at those specific frequencies by rotation of the common-mode impedance without affecting the differential mode match.
Additive Manufacturing Techniques for Soft Electroactive Polymer Hydrogels Using a Customized 3D Printer

Electroactive polymers (EAP) have shown promise in producing significant and controllable linear displacement in slim and lightweight packages. EAPs allow for seamless integration and multi-functionality since they are actuated by a driving voltage that could be controlled by a microprocessor. Polyacrylamide (PAAM)/Polyacrylic acid (PAA) hydrogel EAPs are commonly chosen due to their low driving voltage, significant amount of displacement, and rapid manufacturing capabilities, as these gels can be 3D printed. To effectively extrude these gels in 3D printers, their viscosity, gelation time, shear thinning, and self-wettability must be characterized. In this research, ungelled solutions of PAAM are prepared and then strain-tested at temperatures from 60C to 80C and with 1–2 drops of TEMED catalyst to determine the gelation time that is optimal for 3D printing. Strain testing of ungelled PAAM solutions is also used to determine the shear thinning propertie of the gel. All strain testing is conducted using a rheometer with 25 mm diameter plates and an oven enclosure. A prototype extrusion system is designed and fabricated to be used for self-wettability testing of the gel. The process data will then be used in the design of a modified 3D printer to manufacture and test different configurations of these hydrogel actuators.Copyright © 2017 by ASME
A Practical Approach for Clinicians to Prepare Adolescents for Independent Living

This chapter will present one approach clinicians can adopt when transitioning their adolescent patients to independent living. Focusing on relationship-centered care can increase engagement, awareness, and involvement of adolescents in their acquisition of self-management skills. The concepts presented throughout this chapter will be illustrated at the end through application toward allergic-specific conditions.
Low-Speed Aerodynamics

Low-speed aerodynamics is important in the design and operation of aircraft flying at low Mach number, and ground and marine vehicles. This 2001 book offers a modern treatment of the subject, both the theory of inviscid, incompressible, and irrotational aerodynamics and the computational techniques now available to solve complex problems. A unique feature of the text is that the computational approach (from a single vortex element to a three-dimensional panel formulation) is interwoven throughout. Thus, the reader can learn about classical methods of the past, while also learning how to use numerical methods to solve real-world aerodynamic problems. This second edition has a new chapter on the laminar boundary layer (emphasis on the viscous-inviscid coupling), the latest versions of computational techniques, and additional coverage of interaction problems. It includes a systematic treatment of two-dimensional panel methods and a detailed presentation of computational techniques for three-dimensional and unsteady flows. With extensive illustrations and examples, this book will be useful for senior and beginning graduate-level courses, as well as a helpful reference tool for practising engineers.
Cerebrovascular Disorders and Sleep

Stroke is a leading cause of death worldwide, and trails only heart disease and cancer as a cause of death in the United States. Globally, 15.3 million people are affected by stroke annually, and approximately 1/3 of strokes are fatal. Stroke is also a very common cause of long-term disability, and in the United States, the most common cause. Evidence is accumulating showing that sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) is an independent and potentially modifiable risk factor for stroke. Cross-sectional and prospective studies have found that SDB increases the risk for cerebrovascular events, independent of other risk factors. In addition to independently increasing the risk for stroke, SDB is known to affect other risk factors like hypertension that in turn increase risk for stroke. After a person has suffered a stroke, the recovery and rehabilitation period can be critical for future function. SDB may adversely affect cerebral blood flow, oxygenation, mood, motivation, cognition, and other factors which may have an impact during rehabilitation and recovery. Special challenges face patients who try to use continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) treatment after stroke, and CPAP compliance is variable. Emerging knowledge about the relationship between SDB and stroke is likely to be of particular importance to older populations who are disproportionately affected by stroke and for whom other risks of SDB are not as well demonstrated.
Dynamic optimization for nonlinear target control synthesis

Abstract This paper describes the applicability of Dynamic Programming techniques and related Hamiltonian formalism to the specification of synthesizing target control strategies through description of related “forward” and “backward” reachability problems. The original problems that do not involve any optimization criteria are reformulated as those of optimization, which are further solved through various versions of the Hamilton—Jacobi—Bellman (HJB) equation or variational inequalities. Further treated are problems with complex state constraints and obstacles. The final part of the paper deals with control synthesis and reachability under unknown but bounded disturbances and with the theory of guaranteed (set-membership) state estimation, culminating in Dynamic Programming treatment of measurement feedback control under set-membership noise. Possible numerical techniques are also discussed.
Layering Analytic Lenses: Considerations for Assessing the Narrative Text in Music Education – A Commentary

Kaye Ferguson uses narrative inquiry to present the stories of two preservice music teachers. Her specific interest is in exploring how participants’ self-views and beliefs filtered their teaching and learning experiences and influenced action. According to Connelly & Clandinin (2006), story is the portal by which one’s experience of the world is interpreted and made personally meaningful (p. 477). Experience can be explored and presented as/in story, and, in that process, one gains perspective on the meanings of an individual’s lived experiences. Ferguson’s focus on accessing self-views encompasses “all beliefs and feelings a person holds about herself, including identity, the part of self that tends to be defined by society” (p. 2). Identity work, according to Chase (2005), is one of the five major approaches in contemporary narrative inquiry. This work is what people engage in “as they construct selves within specific institutional, organizational, discursive, and local cultural contexts” (p. 658). Unlike other modes of inquiry in music education, in which criteria for assessing studies are well established, the criteria for assessing narrative research are still being developed (Connelly & Clandinin, 2006, p. 478). In this context, I situate my commentary within approaches provided by scholars specialising in narrative research in education. I integrate five analytic lenses identified by Chase (2005) with five criteria for examining narrative texts outlined by Connelly & Clandinin (2006) and apply them to the present study. The combined interrelated aspects of narrative study that I focus on are as follows: narrative and temporality, narrative as verbal action, narrative and sociality, narrative as socially situated interactive performances, and the narrative researcher as narrator. Narrative and temporality. Narrative is a distinct form of discourse that is a form of “retrospective meaning making – the shaping or ordering of past experience” (Chase, 2005, p. 656). Drawing on numerous authors, such as Bruner and
Nuclear level density and related physics

The knowledge of the level density as a function of excitation energy and nuclear spin is necessary for the description of nuclear reactions and in many applied areas. We discuss the level density problem as a part of the general understanding of mesoscopic systems with strong interactions. The underlying physics is that of quantum chaos and thermalization which allows one to use statistical methods avoiding full diagonalization. The resulting level density is well described by the constant temperature model in agreement with experimental data. We discuss the effective temperature parameter and show that it is not related to the pairing phase transition being analogous to the limiting temperature in particle physics. Other aspects of underlying physics include the collective enhancement of the level density, random coupling of individual spins and the role of incoherent collision-like interactions.
Unprecedented irradiation resistance of nanocrystalline tungsten with equiaxed nanocrystalline grains to dislocation loop accumulation

Abstract Nanocrystalline metals are often postulated as irradiation tolerant materials due to higher grain boundary densities. The efficiency of these materials in mitigating irradiation damage is still under investigation. Here, we present an in-situ transmission electron microscopy with ion irradiation study on equiaxed 35 nm grained tungsten (NCW-35 nm) and compare its radiation tolerance, in terms of dislocation loop damage, to several other grades of tungsten with different grain sizes at two temperatures (RT and 1073 K). The NCW-35 nm was shown to possess significant higher radiation tolerance in terms of loop damage. As demonstrated by Kinetic Monte Carlo simulations, at least part of the higher radiation tolerance of the small grains is due to higher interstitial storage (at the grain boundaries) and defect recombination (in the grain interiors) in the small grain material. In addition, experimental observations reveal rapid and efficient dislocation loop absorption by the grain boundaries and this is considered the dominant factor for mass transport to the boundaries during irradiation, enabling the remarkable radiation tolerance of 35 nm grained tungsten. This study demonstrates the possibility of attaining high radiation tolerant materials, in terms of dislocation loop damage, by minimizing grain sizes in the nanocrystalline regime.
Patterns of Adult-Child Associations in 18 Cultures: An Index of the “Nuclear Family”

During discretionary times and in public places for men and women and children, the incidences of various combinations of adults and children who were associating with each other were recorded in 1...
Kids these days: Why the youth of today seem lacking.

In five preregistered studies, we assess people’s tendency to believe “kids these days” are deficient relative to those of previous generations. Across three traits, American adults (N = 3458; Mage = 33 to 51 years) believe today’s youth are in decline; however, these perceptions are associated with people’s standing on those traits. Authoritarian people especially think youth are less respectful of their elders, intelligent people especially think youth are less intelligent, and well-read people especially think youth enjoy reading less. These beliefs are not predicted by irrelevant traits. Two mechanisms contribute to humanity’s perennial tendency to denigrate kids: a person-specific tendency to notice the limitations of others where one excels and a memory bias projecting one’s current qualities onto the youth of the past. When observing current children, we compare our biased memory to the present and a decline appears. This may explain why the kids these days effect has been happening for millennia.
Scrotal Ultrasound Is Not Routinely Indicated in the Management of Cryptorchidism, Retractile Testes, and Hydrocele in Children:

Cryptorchidism, or undescended testes, is the most common congenital genitourinary anomaly. A failure or delay of treatment may result in reduced fertility or an increased risk of testicular cancer. The American Urological Association (AUA) recommends that a scrotal ultrasound (SUS) not be performed in the preoperative management of cryptorchidism. This study investigated how likely pediatricians were to perform SUS despite the AUA guidelines. We retrospectively studied 243 patients referred to a single pediatric urology practice for clinically diagnosed testis pathology including undescended testis, hydrocele, and retractile testis over a 4-year period (January 1, 2015, to December 30, 2018). A total of 72 patients (29.6%) underwent a SUS ordered by their pediatrician prior to the pediatric urology visit. Pediatricians should be aware that SUS performed prior to pediatric urological evaluation does not alter management and is associated with a significant financial cost in patients with cryptorchidism or hydrocele.
NMR based quantitation of cycloartane triterpenes in black cohosh extracts

Abstract The cycloartane triterpene content in the roots/rhizomes (RR) and aerial parts (PX) of Actaea racemosa (AR), A. podocarpa (AP), and A. cordifolia (AC) have been investigated by quantitative 1H NMR (qHNMR). Thereby, it was demonstrated that qHNMR represents a powerful methodology for the analysis of crude plant extracts as it does not rely on the rarely available identical reference triterpenes. Specifically, the presence of the characteristic C-19 cyclopropane (exo/endo) hydrogen signals made it possible to quantify the less common/not ubiquitously present group of cycloartane triterpenes, directly in extracts. As an example, ARPX and ARRR were shown to contain, 3.8–20.8% ± 8.2% and 7.2–19.3% ± 4.0% of cycloartane triterpenes, respectively. The cycloartane concentration in ACPX and ACRR was 7.5–8.7% ± 0.8% and 13.9–28.5% ± 7.3%, respectively, based on the weight of the extract. AP was shown to contain notably lower amounts of the cycloartane triterpenes as compared to AR and AC in the roots/rhizomes. The content for APPX and APRR was only 2.1–3.3% ± 0.7% and 1.1–4.0% ± 1.5%, respectively. In addition, an example is presented for the identification of specific cycloartanes as marker compounds for AR within crude extracts based on the same qHNMR spectra and 2D NMR methods.
Attempts, Complicity, Virtue & the Limits of Law

The law and doctrines of criminal attempts and complicity illustrate the longstanding and fundamental tenet of Anglo-American criminal law that the blame and condemnation of the political community, which gives criminal punishment its distinctive character, attaches primarily to actors’ states of mind rather than to the harms they cause or results they bring about. This focus on blameworthy states of mind both reflects and has been shaped by the similar emphasis in Christian scripture, tradition, and moral teaching. And so, an examination of criminal attempts and complicity is an opportunity to explore Christianity’s influence on the theory, content, and operation of the criminal law. It also reminds us of a central Christian concern that is and has been located, for the most, outside the scope of the criminal law: Christian moral teaching not only enjoins the avoidance of wrongful acts, but also the cultivation and practice of virtue. A Christian life of discipleship, it has been said, “is not simply about performing certain types of actions. It is a vocation, a transformation of one’s very self.” However, this aretaic dimension of Christian morality and moral theology, unlike the nexus between culpability and choice, is difficult to find in the criminal law, which is inclined more toward proscribing acts than prescribing character, more toward forbidding bad conduct than facilitating good character, more toward deterring decisions than transforming selves. It is worth asking why.
Influence of gender on discharge disposition after spinal fusion for adult spine deformity correction.

Abstract Objectives Gender has been shown to impact several aspects of spine surgical care. However, the influence of gender disparities on discharge disposition after adult spine deformity correction (ASD) is relatively understudied. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of gender on discharge disposition after elective spinal fusion involving ≥4 levels for ASD correction. Patients and methods The Nationwide Inpatient Sample database (2011–2014) was queried for patients with ASD (≥26 years-old) and elective spine fusion surgery involving ≥4 levels using ICD-9 codes. Patients were stratified by gender: Male or Female. Multivariate linear and logistic regressions were used to assess the impact of gender on length of hospital stay and discharge disposition. Results A total of 4972 patients were identified of which 3282 (66.0%) were Female and 1690 (34.0%) were Male. The Male cohort had a higher prevalence of comorbidities than the Female cohort. There was a difference in the number of levels operated on between cohorts, with the Female cohort having fewer 4−8-level fusions (77.6% vs. 86.8%) and more 9+-level fusions (23.0% vs. 13.6%) compared to Males. The Female cohort had greater rates of postoperative UTI (5.5% vs. 2.5%) and surgical site hematomas (2.6% vs. 1.3%), while the Male cohort had more postoperative MI (5.4% vs. 1.5%). The Female cohort spent slightly more time in the hospital than Male cohort (6.2 days vs. 5.9 days, P = 0.035). Female patients had a significantly greater proportion of non-routine discharge disposition (F: 48.5% vs. M: 40.3%, P Conclusion : Our study suggests gender disparities may not have a significant impact on discharge disposition after spinal fusion for ASD involving four levels or greater. Further studies are necessary to understand risk factors for non-routine discharges in ASD patients to improve quality of patient care and reduced healthcare costs.
Absolute lymphocyte count as marker of cytomegalovirus and allograft rejection: Is there a "Safe Corridor" after kidney transplantation?

The contrasting outcomes of lymphocyte manipulation after solid organ transplantation are allograft rejection and infections, commonly with cytomegalovirus (CMV). Peripheral blood absolute lymphocyte count (ALC) may serve as a predictive marker for these outcomes. Using a retrospective review of clinical and laboratory dataset, we aimed to determine whether a range of ALC (termed "safe ALC corridor") exists where CMV infection and rejection outcomes are minimal in a cohort of 381 kidney transplant recipients. In an extended Cox model using a time-dependent covariate for peripheral blood ALC, a value below the cut-off of 610 cells/uL was associated with the development of CMV infection both in the overall cohort (Hazard Ratio [HR] 2.25 (95% confidence internal [CI] 1.02-4.96; P = .043) and the subgroup of high-risk CMV D+/R- mismatch patients (HR 2.91 [95% CI 1.09-7.77]; P = .033). In contrast, a time-dependent Cox analysis did not show any significant association between ALC and rejection (per IQR decrease, HR 1.2 [95% CI: 0.76-1.9]; P = .434). Accordingly, a "safe ALC corridor" could not be defined. In conclusion, a low peripheral blood ALC (ie, threshold of 610 cells/uL) can be used to stratify the risk of CMV disease after kidney transplantation.
Genetic past, present, and future of the honey bee (Apis mellifera) in the United States of America

Humans have domesticated hundreds of animal and plant species for thousands of years. Artwork, archeological finds, recorded accounts, and other primary sources can provide glimpses into the historic management practices used over the course of a given species’ domestication history. Pairing historic data with newly available genomic data can allow us to identify where and how species were moved out of their native ranges, how gene flow may have occurred between distantly related populations, and quantify how selection and drift each contributed to levels of genetic diversity. Intersecting these approaches has greatly improved our understanding of many managed species; however, there has yet to be a thorough review in a managed insect. Here, we review the archival and genetic history of honey bees introduced to the mainland United States to reconstruct a comprehensive importation history. We find that since 1622, at least nine honey bee subspecies were imported from four of the five honey bee lineages and distributed en masse across the country. Many imported genotypes have genetic evidence of persisting today and may segregate non-randomly across the country. However, honey bee population genetic comparisons on the nationwide scale are not yet feasible because of gaps in genetic and archival records. We conclude by suggesting future avenues of research in both fields.
Geo-Demographic Profiling of Inappropriate Restraint Use in Pediatric Motor Vehicle Collisions

Purpose: Motor vehicle collisions (MVC) are a leading cause of devastating injury and unintentional death in children and adolescents. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends (1) rear-facing car seat until age 2 yrs, (2) forward facing car seat with harness until ∼65 lbs, (3) booster until age [∼8-12 yrs] and height [4’9”] appropriate, (4) children < 13 yrs should be back-seat occupant, and (5) lap belt for all others. Improved outcomes from correct use of restraints is well-known, yet inappropriate adherence to pediatric restraint recommendations hinders their success. This …
Surgeon demographic and surgical volume trends in adult strabismus surgery in the United States.

Purpose To explore the influence of career stage, gender, and age on procedural trends of surgeons performing strabismus surgery. Methods Data on ophthalmologists who performed strabismus surgery and on the Medicare beneficiaries who underwent surgery between 2012 and 2017 was retrieved from Medicare Provider Utilization and Payment Data. Results A total of 133 strabismus surgeons (78.9% male and 21.1% female) were reimbursed by Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services for 10,598 strabismus procedures during the study period. The overall number of strabismus surgeries increased (P = 0.039) over time. Most surgeons were 50-59 years of age (n = 45 [33.8%]), with an average age of 54.5 ± 9.5 years. The number of services per physician did not differ by gender (85 ± 97 procedures/male surgeon and 60 ± 149 procedures/female surgeon [P = 0.13]). There was no difference in the gender proportion of physicians, with 0-9 post-fellowship years of experience (P = 0.32), but there were significantly more men with 10-19 (P = 0.003), 20-29 (P Conclusions Women performed significantly fewer surgeries midcareer compared to their male counterparts.
Feeling anxious: The dark side of checkout charity solicitations

Abstract Research and practice alike suggest that checkout charity campaigns are a win–win–win for retailers, customers, and causes. The current investigation offers a complementary perspective on the effects of checkout charity by uncovering evidence of undesirable customer responses triggered by such solicitations. Specifically, across four studies, we find that checkout charity solicitations induce customer anxiety, which in turn reduces their evaluation of the service encounter. In addition, our results reveal that such anxiety decreases during solicitation episodes when customers agree to donate; however, this occurs only when requests are made by frontline employees rather than self-checkout technologies. These results caution managers that checkout charity solicitations may have unintended consequences on customers that result in negative encounter outcomes, particularly in service environments in which the solicitation is technology-mediated.
Reconstitution of activated transcription factor Stat5a in poorly differentiated human breast cancer cell lines promotes differentiation and inhibits invasive potential.

Proc Amer Assoc Cancer Res, Volume 45, 2004 3425 Signal transducer and activator of transcription-5a (Stat5a) is critical for mammary epithelial cell differentiation and normal mammary gland development. Identifying the role of Stat5a in human breast cancer growth and progression has been complicated by the diverse functions of Stat5a. We have investigated the role of Stat5a as a regulator of differentiation and invasion of human breast cancer cell lines. Using expression and activation studies by adenoviral gene delivery of wild type and dominant-negative (DN) mutants of Stat5a in a panel of human ER (+) and ER (-) breast cancer cell lines that display different phenotypic characteristics, ranging from poorly invasive to highly invasive, we found that DN-Stat5a, but not DN-Stat3, stimulated invasive characteristics of well-differentiated breast cancer cells that expressed activated Stat5a/b. Moreover, the enhancement of invasive characteristics by DN-Stat5a correlated with basal expression levels of activated Stat5a and the differentitaition levels of breast cancer cell lines. We also investigated the invasive inhibitory role of activated Stat5a by its reconstitution in poorly differentiated breast cancer cells that show no Stat5a/b activation. Adenoviral gene delivery of wild type Stat5a induced dramatic changes in cell morphology on Matrigel with a decrease in cellular invasion potential. Furthermore, viral co-delivery of wild type Stat5a and wild type Jak2 genes showed a synergistic effect by induction of mammosphere-like structures on Matrigel with a sharp decrease in invasion characteristics. In contrast, DN-Stat5a blocked mammosphere formation with a marked increase in cell mobility and invasion potential. Collectively, our data demonstrated an important role of Stat5a as a novel invasion suppressor factor in breast cancer.
62 – Biochemical Assessment of Sympathoadrenal Activity

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the major biochemical techniques for the assessment of sympathoadrenal system (SAS) activity. Because of the complex pattern, no single measurement of catecholamine or its metabolites can provide full assessment of SAS activity at any given time. Full assessment of SAS activation requires integration of information from several diverse analytic approaches that are generally more complementary than redundant. Plasma norepinephrine (NE) remains the most durable and widely used biochemical index to assess physiologic and pathologic increases in sympathetic activity. Total or fractionated urinary catecholamines are used occasionally in the determination of 24-hour sympathetic nervous activity and are still quite commonly used in the diagnosis of pheochromocytoma. Under usual conditions, the bulk of urinary NE is derived from circulatory rather than renal sources. Normal total urinary catecholamine values are usually 100 mcg or less per day. Metanephrines, the primary O-methylated metabolites of catecholamines, have limited usefulness in the physiologic assessment of sympathetic tone.
Enlist or enroll: Credit constraints, college aid, and the military enlistment margin

Abstract Money for education is a primary motivation for military enlistment. One explanation is that individuals use these benefits to overcome borrowing constraints. I explore this by examining the enlistment response of individuals to additional financial aid that can be used immediately upon high-school graduation or delayed until after military enlistment. I find that the introduction of a merit-aid program decreases the probability that a male enlists in the military by 0.6 percentage points (a 6% reduction), and that these effects are concentrated among applicants who are more likely to qualify for merit scholarships. The reductions are largest in low-income areas, supporting the argument that the effects on enlistment are a result of easing financial constraints.
Formal Methods in CAD from an Industrial Perspective

Symbolic trajectory evaluation (STE) is a model checking approach for efficient circuit verification. In the talk we follow the de-velopment of STE; from an ad-hoc use of symbolic simulation to a rich theory of model checking algorithms, inference rules, and abstraction verification techniques. In parallel, we discuss the development of a practical verification system based on STE with an emphasis on the impact on the system by actual use in an industrial setting.
Statistical Downscaling in Climatology

Downscaling is a term that has been used to describe the range of methods that are used to infer regional-scale or local-scale climate information from coarsely resolved climate models. The use of statistical methods for this purpose is rooted in both operational weather forecasting and synoptic climatology and has become a widely applied method for development of regional climate change scenarios. This article provides an overview of statistical downscaling with a focus on assumptions, common predictors and predictands, and methodological approaches ranging from interpolation and scaling to regression-based methods, weather pattern-based techniques, and stochastic weather generators. Suggestions are made for improved assessment of the fundamental downscaling assumptions as well as reduction of uncertainty associated with application of downscaled climate information across models and greenhouse gas emission scenarios.
Theory of capillary chromatography

Abstract A satisfactory mathematical description of gas-liquid partition capillary chromatography is desirable for design and optimization of separation processes, as well as for determination of physical properties. A mathematical model is presented that includes the effects of mass transport in the mobile and stationary phases, assumes equilibrium at the gas-liquid interface, and accounts for axial dispersion of solute. Interphase mass transfer is included, and is found to be a significant contribution to band-spreading. To account for the effect of coiling on axial dispersion, an empirical coefficient Θ is introduced in the expression for the effective axial dispersion coefficient, since a complete theory for this phenomenon does not exist. Attempts to correlate experimental Θ values with molecular weight of solutes, kinematic viscosity of carrier gases, film thickness, and temperature are described. A criterion is established for the improvement in resolution due to coiling.
The Photoluminescence Spectra of Single Crystals of SrCl2:Yb+2

Highly complex luminescence behavior is exhibited by single crystals of SrCl2:Yb+2 when excited by near-ultraviolet radiation. The photoluminescence characteristics of the system were established on the basis of decay-time measurements and studies of the temperature dependence of emission intensities. Two of the five bands observed at low temperatures are assigned to 4f14←4f135d transitions of the Yb+2 ion. The centers responsible for the other three bands have not yet been identified, but they appear to involve ytterbium in some form. One of these bands corresponds to the well-known green emission of CaF2:Yb+2, but is not due to a transition from a level of the configuration of Yb+2, as has been suggested.
Online spectroscopic diagnostics implemented in an efficient battery management system

Electrochemical energy storage is critical for a range of applications spanning electrified transportation and grid energy storage, and there is a need to further improve both the active management and diagnostic capability of current battery management systems (BMS). This work presents an efficient power converter (based on the switched-inductor ladder topology), instrumentation, and an embedded control platform that can provide both active balancing and real-time diagnostic capability through electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). Cell-level diagnostics allow for non-invasive measurement of physical electrochemical battery properties that can be used to assess state of charge (SOC) and state of health (SOH). A single stage of the converter was implemented on a printed circuit board, and testing on Panasonic 18650 Li-ion battery cells was performed. Experimentation results showed efficient cell balancing, and validation against the state of the art confirmed accurate impedance measurement.
Mitochondrial NADH Redox State, Monitoring Discovery and Deployment in Tissue

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the origins of the study of nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH) and fluoroprotein to show how they provide a window into the cell function. It is found that mitochondria not only showed a strong fluorescence emission band at 450 nm, but this fluorescence emission band was also linked to the changes of metabolic activity observed in the cytochrome chain with the dual-wavelength spectrophotometer, connecting the NADH pool closely to cytochrome function. It is observed that not only 80% of the signal originated from the mitochondrial aggregate, but the mitochondrial aggregate was also responsive to hypoxia, whereas measurements of the cytoplasm with reference to the extra-cellular space showed little or no change. The exceptionally good signal-to-noise ratio of the NADH fluorescent signal, together with its relatively robust resistance to overillumination, led to exploit flash photography of the myocardium of the perfused heart and to demonstrate not only patchy ischemia in an underperfused heart, but also the spatiotemporal pattern of the distribution of patchy ischemia. The very rapid development of tissuefluorometry, particularly NADH and flavoprotein, has sparked the development of exogenous fluorochromes termed molecular beacons, which seek out particular genetic expressions or label intrinsic substances present in tumors.