cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fixation of Leachable Elements in Composite Waste Forms from North Dakota Lignite Coal Conversion Ash

Composite waste forms prepared using solid and liquid waste streams from an integrated coal gasification facility at Beulah, North Dakota, were evaluated for the potential leachability of select trace elements using batch tests. Cylinders were fabricated from seven blends of the solid components using liquid waste incinerator blowdown, multi-effect evaporator concentrate, or tap water. Individual waste forms and composites were leached using the same protocols. Both long term and short term leaching tests were used to evaluate these composite waste forms.Comparisons of measured concentrations of elements with values calculated from data on individual components were used to determine any change in leachability that may have occurred. These changes were expressed as a fixation factor, which is a term derived by dividing the calculated leachability by the measured concentrations from the actual leaching tests. Results from these experiments indicated that leachability of some elements could be lowered by the mixing of various solid and liquid waste streams. Ettringite formation is one possible mechanism responsible for fixation of several of the elements.
Contribution of Grass Roots on Enhancement of Slope and Embankment Stability

One of the cost-effective and environmental friendly solutions to enhance ground slope stability especially in coastal areas is to plant vegetation such as grass. A study comprising experimental work and numerical simulation was undertaken to evaluate the effect of plants' roots on sloping ground stability. Plain soil samples with and without roots of grasses were collected from Ruston, Louisiana, and direct shear tests was performed on the samples to study effect of roots on soil shear strength. The study also included tensile strength of the grass roots. Based on results from the tensile and direct shear tests, slope stability analyses were performed to demonstrate the grass soil-binding capabilities. In the analyses, those roots were considered as independent anchor reinforcements for which tensile strengths were specified from tested samples with different root diameters. Variations in factor of safety of the slopes with and without root reinforcement subjected to different root diameters and different depths were investigated for the collected plants. An efficient method is being developed to evaluate the shear strength of grass root-reinforced soils and vegetation-covered soil slopes.
Phosphonolipid metabolism in control and vitamin A deficient rats.

SummaryThe rate of incorporation of labeled 2-aminoethylphosphonate (AEP) into liver lipids was similar for microsomes, mitochondria and soluble fraction. In vitamin A deficiency this rate was accelerated in all subcellular fractions. The peak of incorporation was between 3 and 6 hr.The half-lives of lipid labeled with AEP from microsomes, mitochondria and soluble fractions were statistically similar (approx 4 days) for control and deficient rats.The authors thank Dr. John M. Krall, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Public Health and Preventive Medicine, West Virginia University for his assistance in the statistical treatment of our data.
Selective hindfoot arthrodesis for the treatment of adult acquired flatfoot deformity: an in vitro study.

An acquired flatfoot deformity with significant laxity at the transverse tarsal joint was created experimentally and the amount of correction that was obtained with selective hindfoot fusions was measured radiographically. Results showed that the talonavicular, double (talonavicular and calcaneocuboid), and triple arthrodeses were able to fully correct the deformity, including correction of hindfoot valgus with just a talonavicular fusion. Subtalar and calcaneocuboid fusions failed to completely correct the deformity. This study provides experimental evidence that although the triple joints are interconnected, they differ with respect to their ability to correct malalignment. We conclude that talonavicular or double arthrodesis will correct deformity in a flatfoot with considerable laxity through the transverse tarsal joint, but that a subtalar fusion will not provide consistent correction.
Modulated alignment dual-axis (MAD) confocal microscopy to improve tissue-imaging contrast

We present a strategy to enhance the contrast of dual-axis confocal microscopy. This new method improves imaging by adding a modulation signature to ballistic photons, in addition to the spatial filtering inherent to confocal microscopy.
Nitric Oxide Interactions with C2 Hydrocarbon Species

The authors have investigated the combustion chemistry of nitric oxide doped into premixed 10 Torr flames of CH{sub 4}/O{sub 2}/N{sub 2}, C{sub 2}H{sub 6}/O{sub 2}/N{sub 2}, C{sub 2}H{sub 4}/O{sub 2}/N{sub 2}, and C{sub 2}H{sub 2}/O{sub 2}/N{sub 2} which had similar peak temperatures. Profiles of OH, CH, {sup 3}C{sub 2}, CN, NCO, NH, and NO were recorded by laser-induced fluorescence and compared among the different fuels, indicating differences in hydrocarbon flame structure and NO reactivity in these environments. Concentrations of nitrogen intermediates are comparable for the methane, ethane, and ethylene flames, but are approximately a factor of three higher with acetylene, indicating much greater NO reactivity in this flame.
Treatment of snakebite envenomation in sandhill cranes (Grus canadensis)

Envenomation of people and animals by snakes in the Viperidae family occurs commonly throughout the USA; however, envenomation of birds is rarely reported. Between 2009 and 2011, four sandhill cranes in a Louisiana breeding colony were bitten by venomous snakes. All suffered varying degrees of soft tissue trauma, oedema and tissue necrosis associated with the injury. All four were treated with supportive care and crotalid antivenom. None developed neurological symptoms during or subsequent to treatment, and each crane made a full recovery over the following weeks. As with other species, supportive care is essential in treatment of venomous snakebites and antivenom appears to be a safe and likely beneficial treatment in sandhill cranes.
A safety evaluation of brentuximab vedotin for the treatment of Hodgkin lymphoma

ABSTRACTIntroduction: Brentuximab vedotin is an anti-CD30 monoclonal antibody-drug conjugate approved for treating relapsed or refractory Hodgkin lymphoma. The pivotal trial demonstrated brentuximab vedotin’s efficacy and manageable toxicity profile with peripheral neuropathy and neutropenia being the most common side effects. The phase I study of brentuximab vedotin combined with ABVD or AVD revealed its contraindication with bleomycin due to pulmonary toxicity. As trials continue to investigate the drug in frontline and relapsed settings, emerging safety data will further define brentuximab vedotin’s role in managing Hodgkin lymphoma.Areas covered: This article reviews the current literature on brentuximab vedotin in Hodgkin lymphoma treatment, both as a single agent and in combination regimens. The review focuses on safety findings from clinical trials, expected adverse events, and rare serious toxicities.Expert opinion: Brentuximab vedotin is a breakthrough antibody-drug conjugate that may provide new...
Epidemiologic Characteristic of Heat Stroke Events in Wuhan and Its Relationship with Meteorological Factors

By using the detailed data of 1231 heat stroke cases and the daily weather factors from 1994 to 2000 and from 2002 to 2005 in Wuhan,the epidemiologic statistical features of heat stroke(time distribution,age,sex,and so on) is analyzed.The relation charts between the frequency of heat stroke and temperature and relative humidity,and certain new characters are also revealed,which is useful for heat stroke prevention.
Parathyroid hormone increases cytosolic calcium concentration in adult rat cardiac myocytes

The heart is a target organ for parathyroid hormone (PTH), and the action of this hormone on the myocardium may be mediated through the ability of PTH to increase cytosolic calcium ([Ca2+]i) in the...
Wake up! Your PDQ is due!

1. Lori A Woeste, EdD MT (ASCP)[⇑][1] 1. is assistant professor, Clinical Laboratory Science Program, Illinois State University 2. Beverly J Barham, PhD MPH MT(ASCP) 1. is associate professor, Clinical Laboratory Science Program, Illinois State University 1. Address for correspondence: Lori A Woeste EdD MT (ASCP), assistant professor, Clinical Laboratory Science Program, Department of Health Sciences, 332 Felmley Hall Campus Box 5220, Illinois State University, Normal IL 61790-5220 (309) 438-8810, (309) 438-2450 (fax). lawoest{at}ilstu.edu. BACKGROUND Student engagement in the classroom can often be an elusive goal. We as faculty in a four-year university-based clinical laboratory science program were noticing a trend of more students coming to class unprepared. In an effort to increase student engagement in two different pre-professional practice clinical laboratory science (CLS) courses, the pre-discussion quiz (PDQ) was implemented as a curricular component for enhancing student engagement. This was done as an active learning strategy to motivate students to read the material and respond to a series of questions in preparation for discussion before they came to class. A review of educational literature suggests intrinsically motivated learning enhances the learning process. It is suggested this intrinsic motivation is linked to such factors as the perception of personal control, self-efficacy, and the perception of relevance.1 These instructional strategies should give the learner some control over sequence of instruction and pace,2 and some even believe they should not be optional.3 The use of incentive-based preparation exercises has been found to significantly improve student engagement and provide an effective means of assessment.4 OVERVIEW The pre discussion quizzes (PDQs) were delivered via WebCT® in undergraduate CLS immunology and chemistry courses. Each course was 16 weeks long, met twice a week at 8:00 AM during the fall semester, and included 24 in the student cohort. Most students were at junior status with a few seniors and an occasional sophomore. The cohort included both native students, e.g., those students who began their post secondary experience at this institution,… ABBREVIATIONS: CLS = clinical laboratory science; PDQ = pre discussion quiz. [1]: #corresp-1
Mobile Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation Teams: The North American Versus the European Experience

Objective To evaluate differences in the inclusion of anesthesiologists in mobile extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) teams between North American and European centers. Design A retrospective review of North American versus European mobile ECMO teams. The search terms used to identify relevant articles were the following: “extracorporeal membrane transport,” “mobile ECMO,” and “interhospital transport.” Setting MEDLINE review of articles. Participants None. Interventions None. Results Between 1986 and 2015, 25 articles were published that reported the personnel makeup of mobile ECMO teams in North America and Europe: 6 from North American centers and 19 from European centers. The included articles reported a total of 1,329 cases: 389 (29%) adult-only cohorts and 940 (71%) mixed-age cohorts. Among North American studies, 0 of 6 (0%) reported the presence of an anesthesiologist on the mobile ECMO team in contrast to European studies, in which 10 of 19 (53%) reported the inclusion of an anesthesiologist (Fisher exact p for difference = 0.05). In terms of number of cases, this discrepancy translated to 543 total cases in North America (all without an anesthesiologist) and 499 cases in Europe (37%) including an anesthesiologist on the team (Fisher exact p for difference Conclusions This study demonstrated significant geographic discrepancies in the inclusion of anesthesiologists on mobile ECMO teams, with European centers more likely to incorporate an anesthesiologist into the mobile ECMO process compared with North American centers.
SU‐F‐J‐03: Treatment Planning for Laser Ablation Therapy in Presence of Heterogeneous Tissue: A Retrospective Study

Purpose: MR guided Laser Induced Thermal Therapy (MRgLITT) is an effective technique for cancerous tissue destruction in brain. Precise modeling of the thermal ablation procedure is important for treatment planning for MRgLITT. Physical properties of target tissue such as optical attenuation (µ) highly affect the outcome of thermal ablation modeling. Hence to ensure accuracy of modeling scheme, it is crucial to precisely estimate patient specific heterogeneity in these parameters. Methods: A steady-state Bioheat model is used for simulation of temperature field over the heterogeneous target tissue. Physical properties are assessed from training based on previously recorded MRTI datasets. In detail, a cost function is defined based on the difference between the Bioheat model temperature predictions and MRTI measurements. Minimizing this cost function results in optimal values for physical properties of each tissue type. Optical attenuation coefficients (µ) are the dominant sensitivity and are optimized in this work. Nominal values of other parameters are used. Population averages of the optimal values of µ are then used in Bioheat model for temperature assessment in future patients. Performance of these predictions is then verified using Dice similarity index. Results: Results provide a comprehensive analysis of the effect of using heterogeneous tissue segmentations on performance of LITT mathematical simulation. Optimal values of µ coefficients range between 100 m−1 and 200 m−1. This corresponds with obtained values in literature. The mean and median of Dice similarity index while using optimal values of optical attenuation coefficients is 0.8022 and 0.8225, respectively. Conclusion: Calibration of mathematical modeling outcomes with clinical MRTI data provides a better understanding about the parameters of the Bioheat equation and consequently provides a more confident thermal dose assessment than either approach alone. Results demonstrate that modeling predictions are accurate in a-priori prediction of thermal dose and may be useful in planning the procedure.
Mazes: their use in delayed conditional discriminations and place discriminations

Publisher Summary This chapter describes use of mazes in delayed conditional discriminations and place discriminations. Any question in behavioral pharmacology can be answered by an experiment testing animals in a maze. Whether that question should be answered with a maze, depends on the goals of the experiment. Mazes are most commonly used for two types of discriminations. The delayed conditional discrimination measures working memory, the place discrimination measures spatial long-term memory. A delayed conditional discrimination in a radial arm maze is an excellent procedure to assess spatial working memory. Place discrimination assesses the ability to distinguish one spatial location in the environment from another. The chapter presents a brief description of a typical delayed conditional discrimination in an alley maze and a typical place discrimination in a water maze. It is also highlighted that all of the variables discussed in the chapter must be considered in any maze experiment, and a decision appropriate to the experimenter's goals can increase the value of an experiment substantially.
Interface inflammation after laser in situ keratomileusis: Sands of the Sahara syndrome

Abstract Purpose: To determine the source of the interface debris that causes the interface inflammation known as “sands of the Sahara” after laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK). Setting: Department of Ophthalmology, LSU Eye Center, Louisiana State University Medical Center School of Medicine, New Orleans, USA. Methods: A microkeratome (Automated Corneal Shaper) was used to make a LASIK flap in 8 eyes of 4 rabbits. In 4 eyes, the blade was used directly from the sterile pack; in the contralateral 4 eyes, the blade was cleaned prior to use. In vivo confocal microscopy of the corneas was performed 1 day after surgery. An unused, cleaned blade and an unused, uncleaned blade, as well as blades used in the rabbit eyes, were examined by scanning electron microscopy. Methods: Confocal microscopy revealed numerous fragments of debris surrounded by inflammatory cells in the LASIK flap interfaces created by blades taken directly from the sterile package. Interfaces created by the cleaned blades showed only rare, scattered bits of debris. Scanning electron microscopy of the unused blades showed debris on the uncleaned blade removed directly from the sterile package. Conclusion: Post-LASIK interface inflammation may be caused by debris on the microkeratome blade, although other sources are possible. The interface debris and inflammation can be reduced or eliminated by cleaning the microkeratome blade before use.
Plane Waves in Three Dimensions

The three-dimensional wave equation in cartesian coordinates $$ \begin{gathered}{\nabla ^2}p = \frac{1}{{{c^2}}}\frac{{{\partial ^2}p}}{{\partial {t^2}}} \hfill \\ {\nabla ^2} = \frac{{{\partial ^2}}}{{\partial {x^2}}} + \frac{{{\partial ^2}}}{{\partial {y^2}}} + \frac{{{\partial ^2}}}{{\partial {z^2}}} \hfill \\ \end{gathered} $$ (1) is solved by plane progressive waves $$ p = f(ct \pm \overrightarrow n \cdot \overrightarrow r ), $$ (2) where \( \overrightarrow n \) is the direction of propagation, \( \vec{n}\cdot \vec{r} = {{n}_{x}}x + {{n}_{y}}y + {{n}_{z}}z \) and $$ {n_{{x^2}}} + {n_{{y^2}}} + {n_{{z^2}}} = 1 $$ (3) so that the wave equation is satisfied. The quantities n x ,ny, nz can be interpreted as the direction cosines of the angles between the direction of propagation and the x, y, and z axes, respectively: $$ \begin{gathered} {n_x} = \cos \left( {n,x} \right) \hfill \\ {n_y} = \cos \left( {n,y} \right) \hfill \\ {n_z} = \cos \left( {n,z} \right). \hfill \\ \end{gathered} $$ (4)
Adaptive Local Realignment via Parameter Advising

Mutation rates can vary across the residues of a protein, but when multiple sequence alignments are computed for protein sequences, the same choice of values for the substitution score and gap penalty parameters is often used across their entire length. We provide for the first time a new method called adaptive local realignment that automatically uses diverse alignment parameter settings in different regions of the input sequences when computing protein multiple sequence alignments. This allows parameter settings to locally adapt across the length of a protein to more closely match varying mutation rates. Our method builds on our prior work on global alignment parameter advising with the Facet alignment accuracy estimator. Given a computed alignment, in each region that has low estimated accuracy, a collection of candidate realignments is generated using a precomputed set of alternate parameter choices. If one of these alternate realignments has higher estimated accuracy than the original subalignment, the region is replaced with the realignment, and the concatenation of these realigned regions forms the output alignment. Adaptive local realignment significantly improves the quality of alignments over using the single best default parameter choice. In particular, this new method of local advising, when combined with prior methods for global advising, boosts alignment accuracy by almost 23% over the best default parameter setting on the hardest-to-align benchmarks (and almost 5.9% over using global advising alone). A new version of the Opal multiple sequence aligner that incorporates adaptive local realignment, using Facet for parameter advising, is available free for non-commercial use at facet.cs.arizona.edu. This poster abstract is a summary of a preprint paper available on bioRxiv [1].
If medical education was a discipline, she would have five core competencies

To date, many medical schools define medical educators by who they teach rather than the quality of their engagement with learners. In addition, evidence suggests that a traditional terminal degree may not satisfy the developmental needs of educators engaged in competency based medical education. Perhaps, medical educators require additional competencies. This personal view introduces five competencies that enliven the way in which medical educators engage in career paths, recruitment, performance assessment, compensation, and professional development.
Three dimensional metafilms with dual channel unit cells

Three-dimensional (3D) metafilms composed of periodic arrays of silicon unit cells containing single and multiple micrometer-scale vertical split ring resonators (SRRs) per unit cell were fabricated. In contrast to planar and stacked planar structures, these 3D metafilms have a thickness t ∼ λd/4, allowing for classical thin film effects in the long wavelength limit. The infrared specular far-field scattering response was measured for metafilms containing one and two resonators per unit cell and compared to numerical simulations. Excellent agreement in the frequency region below the onset of diffractive scattering was obtained. For dense arrays of unit cells containing single SRRs, normally incident linearly polarized plane waves which do not excite a resonant response result in thin film interference fringes in the reflected spectra and are virtually indistinguishable from the scattering response of an undecorated array of unit cells. For the resonant linear polarization, the specular reflection for arra...
Pilot investigation into the sickness response to influenza vaccination in adults: Effect of depression and anxiety

Objective To determine whether depressed or anxious patients experience greater affective change than mentally healthy individuals following influenza vaccination.
Storytelling for Social Change: Leveraging Documentary and Comedy for Public Engagement in Global Poverty

Narrative is essential for public engagement with global poverty. Stand Up Planet, a documentary about global development, was produced to evaluate the effects of a little-utilized nonfiction comedy narrative. Using a pretest–posttest experimental design, this study examines shifts in U.S. audience engagement with global poverty after watching Stand Up Planet, compared with a somber documentary, The End Game. Both documentaries increased awareness of global poverty, support for government aid, knowledge, and intended actions. However, Stand Up Planet produced significantly larger gains in awareness, knowledge, and actions; these effects were mediated by the narrative's relatability, positive emotions, and entertainment value. The End Game's effects were mediated by narrative transportation and negative emotions. Implications for narrative in social change campaigns are discussed.
Mental health literacy as theory: current challenges and future directions.

Background: Mental health literacy (MHL) is one increasingly researched factor thought to influence mental health behaviors. Researchers have argued for expanding the definition of MHL to include a...
Store brands and retail grocery competition

Grocery retailers rank store brands as the most important factor that differentiates them from their competitors. Retailer competition should have a stronger impact on the more substitutable national brands than the more differentiated store brands. However, the literature has not studied the impacts empirically. In this paper, I quantify the different impacts of retailer competition on national brands and store brands using the scanner data of a U.S. chain retailer. I estimate a structural demand and supply model that incorporates the differentiation effect and retailer competition. The results show that national brand consumers are more likely to switch stores than store brands consumers. By analyzing two counterfactual cases, I find that 1) if the retailer did not sell store brands, its profit would decrease, and the loss would be greater in markets with more competitors; and 2) if the retailer competition had increased, then the national brands' retail prices would decrease more than the store brands' prices.
Three Confinement Systems—Spherical Tokamak, Standard Tokamak, and Stellarator: A Comparison of Key Component Cost Elements

Since the 1950s “next-step” fusion devices and power plant studies have been developed for a number of magnetic confinement systems but an open question remains: can a magnetic fusion device be simplified to the point where it will be cost competitive and operate with high availability? Concept designs based on the ARIES advanced tokamak, spherical tokamak (ST), and the quasi-axisymmetric (QAS) stellarator option have progressed in recent years through a series of Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) studies with an underlying intent to improve the engineering feasibility of each, giving special attention to concepts that simplify the device configuration and improve maintenance features. For the ST option, design details centered on a 3-m Fusion Nuclear Science Facility that evolved to incorporate vertical maintenance, high temperature superconductor magnets, a small inboard duel coolant lead lithium blanket, and a liquid metal divertor. In collaboration with the Korean fusion demonstration reactor (K-DEMO) and CFETR concept study teams the tokamak design has evolved to increase plasma component access within a vertical maintenance approach using enlarged toroidal field coils incorporating a low- and high-field Nb3Sn winding pack that provide a peak field of 16 T. A recent PPPL stellarator study focused on simplifying the stellarator winding topology to improve access to in-vessel components; combining coil optimization with winding surfaces that incorporated geometry constraints specified by engineering. This paper centered on a 1000-MW power plant design with a tokamak like vertical maintenance scheme that allows access to remove large internal blanket sectors. Results of three confinement studies (PPPL developed ST, K-DEMO, and QAS stellarator) will be presented to highlight concepts that simplify each device configuration and improved their maintenance features. Scaling each option to a common 1000-MW net electric power plant mission allows comparisons to be made of key cost elements such as the size of major core components, sizing of the reactor hall, or external facilities needed to handle and store activated in-vessel components.
Properties of Relations

Certain properties of binary relations are so frequently encountered that it is useful to have names for them. The properties we shall consider are reflexivity, symmetry, transitivity, and connectedness. All these apply only to relations in a set, i.e., in A x A for example, not to relations from A to B, where B ≠ A.
C Darstellung und Interpretation der Analyseergebnisse

Nach der Darstellung des methodischen Vorgehens der empirischen Untersuchung folgt in diesem Kapitel die Darstellung und Interpretation der Analyseergebnisse. Im Fall der vorliegenden textbasierten Arbeit ware eine strikte Trennung von Deskription und Interpretation erkenntnistheoretisch problematisch, weil sie zu erheblichen Redundanzen fuhren wurde. Darstellung und Interpretation werden deshalb hier verknupft. Da es sich um heterogene Textsorten handelt, wird jeweils auch eine Analyse innerhalb einer Textsorte und nach Dokumentengruppen vorgenommen. Diese textsortenspezifische Ergebnisdarstellung und -interpretation findet sich in Kapitel 6. Die textubergreifende Darstellung und Interpretation in Kapitel 7 beleuchtet im Anschluss einzelne Schlusselkategorien als Diskursstrange, die sich in der Analyse der Dokumente herausgeschalt haben.
Antimicrobial Use and Resistance in Africa

Antimicrobial resistance is becoming increasingly important in high-burden infectious diseases in Africa. Resistance to affordable antimalarials and antibacterials has worsened patient prognosis, increased health-care costs, and is a barrier to effective health care. This chapter outlines the African situation for a few infectious diseases and discusses mitigating factors, particularly selective pressure from antimicrobial use. Overuse of antimicrobials for prevention and treatment of real or supposed infections, unregulated antimicrobial sales as well as poor antimicrobial quality assurance may be important contributors to the problem by providing selective pressure for the emergence and spread of resistant strains. In addition to addressing these problems, containment of resistant strains and improvement of diagnostic infrastructure are necessary interventions for resistance control.
Acute Biliary Disease

Acute biliary disease is a ubiquitous acute surgical complaint. General surgeons managing emergency surgical patients must be knowledgeable and capable of identifying and caring for common presentations. This article discusses the work-up, diagnosis, and management of the varying pathologies that make up biliary disease including cholelithiasis, cholecystitis, biliary dyskinesia, choledocholithiasis, cholangitis, gallstone pancreatitis, and gallstone ileus. Also addressed are more challenging and rare presentations including pregnancy and bariatric anatomy.
Demographic composition of lung cancer trials: FDA analysis.

9088Background: Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer death; in the US non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) accounts for 80% of the lung cancer diagnoses. Enrollment of a diverse population in c...
Risk for Medication Nonadherence Among Medicaid Enrollees With Fibromyalgia: Development of a Validated Risk Prediction Tool.

Objective To develop and validate a risk assessment tool called the Prescription Medication Non-Adherence Prediction Tool (Rx-NAPT) to predict medication nonadherence in patients with fibromyalgia. Methods This was a retrospective cohort study using claims data from South Carolina Medicaid. Patients with fibromyalgia who were ≥18 years old and who had filled at least 1 prescription medication for pregabalin, duloxetine, or milnacipran from January 1, 2005, through June 30, 2011 were included. Medication possession ratios (MPRs) were calculated to classify patients as adherent (MPR ≥ 80%) or nonadherent (MPR Results The study sample comprised 6,626 patients with fibromyalgia, where 4,804 (72.50%) were non-adherent and 1,822 (27.50%) were adherent to their prescribed medication(s). Logistic regression models showed that 7 predictors (gender, age, race, fibromyalgia-related comorbidity score, medication type, health maintenance organization coverage, emergency room visit) were statistically significant in ≥50% of the bootstrapped samples. The final model demonstrated reasonable discrimination (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.6224) and calibration (Hosmer-Lemeshow goodness-of-fit; P > 0.05) statistics and was validated internally (AUC = 0.6372). Conclusion Poor adherence with medication remains an important barrier to providing optimal care. Our risk prediction model provides an easy tool to help clinicians better identify patients with fibromyalgia who may not take their medications as prescribed.
Potential for city parks to reduce exposure to BTEX in air

Benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, and xylenes (BTEX) are hazardous air pollutants commonly found in outdoor air. Several studies have explored the potential of vegetation to mitigate BTEX in outdoor air, but they are limited to a northern temperate climate and their results lack consensus. To investigate this subject in a subtropical climate, we deployed passive air samplers for two weeks in parks and outside nearby residences at four locations: three in an urban area and one in a rural area in Alabama, USA. All BTEX concentrations were below health-based guidelines and were comparable to those found in several other studies in populated settings. Concentrations of TEX, but not benzene, were 3–39% lower in parks than at nearby residences, and the differences were significant. Site type (park vs. residential) was a significant predictor of TEX concentrations, while distance to the nearest major road was a significant predictor of BTX concentrations. In and around two of the parks, toluene : benzene ratios fell outside the range expected for vehicular emissions (p < 0.01), suggesting that there were additional, industrial sources of benzene near these two locations. The ratio of m-,p-xylene : ethylbenzene was high at all locations except one residential area, indicating that BTEX were freshly emitted. Concentrations of individual BTEX compounds were highly correlated with each other in most cases, except for locations that may have been impacted by nearby industrial sources of benzene. Results of this study suggest that parks can help reduce exposure to TEX by a modest amount in some situations.
Externship Assessment Project: An Empirical Study of Supervisor Evaluations of Extern Work Performance

Field supervisors’ evaluations of their student externs are packed with lively stories. They deliver a fly-on-the-wall perspective, giving us color about the work entrusted to our students, the behaviors our students exhibited, and the enjoyment the attorneys reaped. The authors decided the evaluations were so fertile that they should be systematically scrutinized to seek meaningful, reliable insights about the extern experience, especially regarding the variety, complexity, and responsibility levels of their work. We also saw a prime opportunity to assess an externship program and find ways to improve it. Thus, the Externship Assessment Project was born. We deployed qualitative data analysis methodology to distill the supervisor narratives in a comprehensive, uniform, and disciplined manner. Our method entailed building a database of all elements of the supervisor evaluations (both numerical and narrative), and coding the data for types and quality of student work. We added data on each placement’s setting and practice area. From a two-page evaluation form we were able to tag characteristics about student work with dozens of codes, enabling us to compare and contrast student experience across many dimensions. We overlaid student demographic data to understand variations along class year, GPA, gender, and race. The evaluations revealed that educational opportunities varied among different field placement settings and practice areas. For example, and perhaps the most expected finding of the analysis, nonprofit and government settings provided the best platform for dynamic and high responsibility work, especially in criminal practice. In contrast, student work was most often featured for its high complexity and quality in government and law firm settings. Student GPA was not a predictor of the types of work performed by the externs or of supervisor ratings. Although judicial placements tended to attract the higher-grading students, the judge and mentor attorneys tended not to highlight the complexity or quality of the student work in their final evaluations. Our analysis seeks to describe extern performance and learning in clear-eyed fashion and offer guidance for externship program design and assessment of programmatic and institutional learning outcomes.
Rosacea: Part I. Introduction, categorization, histology, pathogenesis, and risk factors

Rosacea is a chronic inflammatory skin condition that affects approximately 16 million Americans. Four distinct subtypes of rosacea have been recognized, with transient and nontransient facial flushing, telangiectasia, and inflammatory papules and pustules being among the more commonly recognized features. Although the exact pathogenesis of rosacea is unknown, dysregulation of the innate immune system, overgrowth of commensal skin organisms, and aberrant neurovascular signaling may all have a role in promoting the clinical features of rosacea.
The New Extraterritoriality: FRAND Royalties, Anti-Suit Injunctions and the Global Race To The Bottom In Disputes Over Standards-Essential Patents

While national courts have long exercised extraterritorial authority over domestic entities whose conduct abroad is prohibited in the domestic jurisdiction, national courts have recently begun to use disputes over domestic patent rights as vehicles for shaping the global business arrangements of private parties even absent any violation of national law. This phenomenon has become particularly pronounced in the context of “fair, reasonable and non-discriminatory” (FRAND) licenses of patents that are essential to the manufacture and sale of standardized products. This essay explores the increasing extraterritorial effect of national judicial decisions on licenses for standards-essential patents, including recent instances in which courts in the U.S. and UK have sought to establish global FRAND royalty rates for parties engaged in national patent litigation. It also examines the increasing use of the anti-suit injunction, a powerful procedural tool that can enjoin parallel foreign proceedings while disputes are adjudicated in a first jurisdiction. The combination of national courts’ willingness to determine global patent licensing rates, coupled with the rising prevalence of the anti-suit injunction, threatens to cause a new “race to the bottom” among jurisdictions in this commercially significant area of the law.
THE PHYSEAL-SPARING COMBINED EXTRA-/INTRA-ARTICULAR ILIOTIBIAL BAND ACL RECONSTRUCTION IN CHILDREN: A LONG-TERM STRENGTH, BALANCE, AND FUNCTIONAL ANALYSIS:

Background:While ACL reconstruction (ACLR) in skeletally immature patients was traditionally delayed until physeal closure, the development of techniques that avoid physeal disturbance have allowed...
Current Concepts in Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Liver Transplantation: A Review and 2014 Update.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the fifth most common cancer worldwide. Multiple treatment modalities for HCC are available, depending on size and number of tumor. Liver transplantation offers the most reasonable option for curative treatment, because it simultaneously removes the burden of the diseased liver. The Milan criteria currently remain the benchmark for the selection of patients with HCC for transplantation. However, there is considerable and promising interest in expanding the eligibility criteria to include the University of California San Francisco criteria. Liver transplantation (LT) has progressed during the past decade. The introduction of living donor LT has provided a means of expanding organ transplant, but with some inherent concerns. Herein, we reviewed the diagnosis and management of HCC with emphasis on the current concepts of liver transplantation for the treatment of HCC. How to cite this article Ofosu A, Gurakar A. Current Concepts in Hepatocellular Carcinoma and Liver Transplantation: A Review and 2014 Update. Euroasian J Hepato-Gastroenterol 2015;5(1):19-25.
β‑Diketonate-Iron(III) Complex: A Versatile Fluorine-19 MRI Signal Enhancement Agent.

Fluorine-19 magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has gained considerable momentum as a promising imaging modality for in vivo tracking of cellular therapies and as a diagnostic for inflammatory disease...
Long-term imatinib diminishes ovarian reserve and impacts embryo quality

Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) such as imatinib are commonly used chemotherapeutics, but the effects of long-term treatments on reproductive outlook for cancer survivors are unknown. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of long-term imatinib treatments on follicle development and embryo quality. Since prospective studies are not possible in healthy humans, we have incorporated a commonly used mouse model. Adult female mice were treated with daily IP injections of imatinib for 4–6 weeks. Liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry was used to measure imatinib in serum and ovarian tissues. At the end of treatments, females were superovulated and mated to yield fertilized embryos. Oocytes and embryos were collected from oviducts, assessed for development by microscopy, and fertilized embryos were cultured in vitro. Blastocysts were fixed and stained for differential cell counts. Long-term imatinib treatments caused a shift in follicle development, with imatinib-treated females having fewer primordial follicles, but an increase in primary and secondary follicles (P < 0.05). There was no effect on ovulation or fertilization rates. However, blastocysts from imatinib-treated females had fewer total cells (P < 0.05) and a significant shift from inner cell mass to increased trophectoderm cells. This pilot study indicates that long-term TKI treatments may have significant impact on ovarian reserve and embryo developmental capacity. More studies are needed in other model systems to determine the long-term impact of TKIs in patients. Knowing the potential effects of chemotherapeutics on reproductive outlook is critical for quality of life and more research is needed.
Efficacy of Aqueous Solution of N-Halamine to Reduce Microbiological Contamination on Cattle Hides for Meat Safety with Byproduct Quality Assurance

Bacterial contamination on the outer grained hide of cattle serves as a significant challenge to the meat and hide processing plants regarding food safety. Cattle serves as a host to several bacteria including pathogens, which may become firmly lodged on a cattle’s hide during their lifespan and can facilitate cross contamination of the underlying meat and meat processing equipment in a slaughterhouse. In this study, the efficacy of sodium dichloroisocyanurate dehydrate (SDCIC), which belongs to N-halamine group of compounds is evaluated on inhibition of the natural-borne bacteria from the haired surface of cattle hide. Spray-washing with 0.25%, 0.50% and 0.75% aqueous SDCIC solutions reduced total aerobic bacteria on hide surface by 1.6 and 2.37 and 3.57 log CFU/50 cm2 respectively in 5 min. Similarly, in comparison with water spray, a 5 min treatment with 0.25, 0.50 and 0.75% SDCIC resulted in a reduction of Enterobacteriaceae (ENT) and related gram-negative bacilli (gnEB) counts by 1.2, 2.22 and 4.22 log CFU/50 cm2 respectively. The highest reduction of E.coli recovery of 1.48 log CFU/50 cm2 was obtained with a spray treatment of 0.75% SDCIC in 1 minute. Likewise, 0.75% SDCIC spray treatment resulted in 2.5 and 3.65 log CFU/50 cm2 reduction of Salmonella in 1 and 5 min, respectively in comparison to their respective controls. Leather from treated hides was tested to evaluate the effects of N-halamine solutions on structural, mechanical and subjective properties of produced leather in which no major detrimental impacts were found.
Respect for Human Autonomy in Recommender Systems.

Recommender systems can influence human behavior in significant ways, in some cases making people more machine-like. In this sense, recommender systems may be deleterious to notions of human autonomy. Many ethical systems point to respect for human autonomy as a key principle arising from human rights considerations, and several emerging frameworks for AI include this principle. Yet, no specific formalization has been defined. Separately, self-determination theory shows that autonomy is an innate psychological need for people, and moreover has a significant body of experimental work that formalizes and measures level of human autonomy. In this position paper, we argue that there is a need to specifically operationalize respect for human autonomy in the context of recommender systems. Moreover, that such an operational definition can be developed based on well-established approaches from experimental psychology, which can then be used to design future recommender systems that respect human autonomy.
Three-Photon Spectroscopy of Porphyrins.

Recent advances in laser technology have made three-photon (3P) microscopy a real possibility, raising interest in the phenomenon of 3P absorption (3PA). Understanding 3PA of organic chromophores is especially important in view of those imaging applications that rely on exogenous probes, whose optical properties can be manipulated and optimized. Here, we present measurements and theoretical analysis of the degenerate 3PA spectra of several phosphorescent metalloporphyrins, which are used in the construction of biological oxygen probes. The effective 3PA cross sections (σ(3)) of these porphyrins near 1700 nm, a new promising biological optical window, were found to be on the order of 1000 GM3 (1 GM3 = 10-83 cm6 s2), therefore being among the highest values reported to date for organic chromophores. To interpret our data, we developed a qualitative four-state model specific for porphyrins and used it in conjunction with quantitative analysis based on the time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT)/a posteriori Tamm-Dancoff approximation (ATDA)/sum-over-states (SOS) formalism. The analysis revealed that B (Soret) state plays a key role in the enhancement of 3PA of porphyrins in the Q band region, while the low-lying two-photon (2P)-allowed gerade states interfere negatively and diminish the 3PA strength. This study features the first systematic examination of 3PA properties of porphyrins, suggesting ways to improve their performance and optimize them for imaging and other biomedical applications.
Preliminary Evaluation of the Filtration Efficiency of Alternative Mask Filter Materials

Purpose: The purpose of this project was to evaluate the filtration efficiency of selected household materials and commercial fabrics for use in mask construction to provide protection from the SARS-CoV-2 virus (COVID-19). Methods: A particle counter was utilized to measure particle penetration through each of the material samples and filtration efficiencies were calculated for the following particle sizes: 0.3 µm, 0.5 µm, 1 µm, 3 µm, 5 µm, 10 µm. Samples included a N95 respirator, KN95 respirator, cleanroom mask, MERV 13 and 15 HVAC filters, paper towels, polypropylene shop towels, meltblown fabric, surgical sterilization wrap, cotton, and various wools. Some samples were measured in multiple layers. Results: The N95 respirator, meltblown fabric samples that were layered in 4 or more plys, and 2-ply MERV 15 bag filter had a filtration efficiency consistent with the NIOSH requirements for an N95 respirator with filtration efficiencies at 0.3 µm of 98.0%, 95.4%, and 95.1%, respectively. Of the samples tested that did not meet the N95 specifications, the cleanroom mask and KN95 respirator were the closest, with a filtration efficiency at 0.3 µm of 86.3% and 83.9%, respectively. Of the non-traditional filter materials tested, the sterilization wrap layered in 2 or more plys, paper towels in 3 or more plys, and some of the wool felt samples had filtration efficiencies that were markedly superior to those of the cotton and shop towel samples. Conclusions: While some of the filter materials tested had a filtration efficiency that met NIOSH N95 respirator requirements, most of the non-traditional filter materials tested were inferior to commercially manufactured masks. However, when used in multiple plys, some did provide superior filtration to the materials currently recommended to the public for mask use. Therefore, they may be beneficial for use in homemade masks for the public or as a layer in a composite mask for healthcare workers. Further testing of these materials for filter parameters such as pressure drop, durability, and safety is recommended before using them to produce masks.
Does Rapid Cycle Deliberate Practice During Simulated Emergencies Improve Perceived Competency in Pediatric Residents

Background: Resuscitation during pediatric code events is a rare but important clinical experience during resident training. Simulation may be utilized as both a training and assessment tool in medical education to teach skills such as resuscitation, procedures, and team training. Rapid Cycle Deliberate Practice (RCDP) is a simulation-based training method that cycles between deliberate practice and directed feedback until mastery is achieved. Subjective and objective assessments of competencies …
What can EEG-video monitoring do for you and your patients?

Epilepsy is a common condition. In most cases, treatment with medications is satisfactory. When antiepileptic drugs fail to control the seizures, further evaluation may be warranted. EEG-video monitoring can allow a definitive diagnosis of epileptic seizures to be made by differentiating epileptic events from paroxysmal symptoms that can be mistaken for seizures (i.e., pseudoseizures). In addition, it usually allows one to accurately diagnose the seizure type, facilitating selection of the best possible treatment. Occasionally, surgery may be a therapeutic option in patients with intractable seizures.