cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
STROKE IN PEDIATRIC CARDIAC SURGICAL PATIENTS ON EXTRACORPOREAL MEMBRANE OXYGENATION: AN ANALYSIS OF THE EXTRACORPOREAL LIFE SUPPORT ORGANIZATION DATABASE

Methods: We performed an analysis of the Extracorporeal Life Support Organization (ELSO) Registry from 2002-2013 under ELSO data sponsorship, including initial ECMO runs for all patients ≤18 yearsold. Cardiac patients were identified using diagnostic and procedure codes and surgical patients were identified using ELSO procedure codes. Procedures were mapped to STAT (Society of Thoracic Surgeons) morbidity categories to define complexity. The primary outcome was any stroke (neurologic hemorrhage or infarction). Risk factors for stroke in surgical patients were analyzed using multivariate logistic regression.
Resonance frequency of a rectangular microstrip patch

The microstrip-patch resonant frequency problem is formulated in terms of an integral equation using vector Fourier transforms. Using Galerkins's method in solving the integral equation, the resonant frequency of the microstrip patch is studied with both Chebyshev polynomials and sinusoidal functions as basis functions. In the case of the Chebyshev polynomials, the edge singularity is included, but it is not important for convergence. Furthermore, the resonant frequency of the microstrip patch is ascertained with a perturbation calculation. The results for Galerkin's method and experiments are in good agreement. The perturbation calculation agrees asymptotically with Galerkin's method. With the aim of developing a computer-aided design formula, the solutions obtained by Galerkin's method are interpolated with a three-variable polynomial. >
Intracranial Pressure Measurement in a Patient Undergoing Hemodialysis and Peritoneal Dialysis

Control of changes in the intracranial pressure in patients who have suffered brain injury is essential in preventing further neurological deterioration. In a patient requiring dialysis with intracerebral bleeding, intracranial pressure was measured directly during hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis. This provided the opportunity to provide therapeutic maneuvers to control the increases in intracranial pressure occurring during hemodialysis. Dialytic changes in intracranial pressure were best prevented by peritoneal dialysis. When hemodialysis is necessary, therapy with osmotic agents to minimize the osmotic gradient between the CSF and plasma urea was most effective in preventing directly measured changes in the intracranial pressure.
Switched control of electron nuclear spin systems

We study control of electron-nuclear spin dynamics at magnetic field strengths where the Larmor frequency of the nucleus is comparable to the hyperfine coupling strength. The quantization axis for the nuclear spin differs from the static B{sub 0} field direction and depends on the state of the electron spin. The quantization axis can be switched by flipping the state of electron spin, allowing for universal control of nuclear spin states. We show that by performing a sequence of flips (each followed by a suitable delay), we can perform any desired rotation of the nuclear spin, which can also be conditioned on the state of the electron spin. These operations, combined with electron spin rotations, can be used to synthesize any unitary transformation of the coupled electron-nuclear spin system. We discuss how these methods can be used for design of experiments for transfer of polarization from the electron to the nuclear spins.
L3L4ES antigen and secretagogues induce histamine release from porcine peripheral blood basophils after Ascaris suum infection

The aim of this paper was to investigate the role of porcine basophils in protective immunity. Experimental pigs were infected with 103Ascaris suum eggs daily for 21 days. Control pigs were maintained helminth-free. Circulating porcine basophils were isolated from the anticoagulated whole blood of A. suum-infected and noninfected pigs by dextran (4.5%) sedimentation of erythrocytes or by the centrifugation of dextran-isolated leukocytes through discontinuous Percoll gradients. Results showed that 2.2% of the isolated leukocytes, stained with May-Grunwald Giemsa, were basophils. Each basophil from infected pigs contained 1.30 × 10−2 to 1.20 × 10−1 pg of histamine. Peripheral blood basophils (PBBs) from infected swine released 49% specific histamine when induced with A. suum-derived antigen (L3L4ES), 55% with anti-immunoglobulin G, and 62% with calcium ionophore A23l87. During A. suum infection, the number of isolated basophils and histamine levels peaked at 14 to 21 days postinfection and then showed a significant decrease. Percent-specific histamine released from PBBs by infected swine was significantly greater than that released by control pigs. The L3L4ES antigen and secretagogues effectively induced specific/nonspecific histamine release from PBBs and should facilitate future investigations of porcine basophils.
ANALYSIS OF FLOW STRUCTURES OCCURRING IN IMPINGEMENT OF ELLIPTIC JET ARRAYS

The available literature in the area of flow structures associated with impinging jet flows reveals that the large scale structures are an important mechanism in enhancing the transport phenomena between the jets and the impingement surface. In this study, naturally occurring structures in jet arrays are investigated in contrast to other studies which have examined externally forced single jets. In this experimental work a three-by-three submerged elliptic water jet array is used. The dynamics of the flow structures of the central jet of the array are investigated. The hydrodynamic conditions are limited to low Reynolds numbers (Re=300 and 1500) and impingement distances from one to five jet hydraulic diameters. Elliptic jet aspect ratios, for this study, are two and three. Particle Image Velocimetry (PFV) is used in the quantitative analysis of the large scale flow structures. The vorticity distribution in the jet and along the impingement surface is calculated and is found to be associated with the influence of the hydrodynamic conditions on the features of the flow structures. In addition, a modified circulation is used to quantify the flow structures strength.
APL graphics and the associative machine

A limited extension of APL for binary relations is proposed, and it is shown that general graphic support falls out as a special case. The relational facility can be implemented as an associative machine which coexists with, and complements, the APL machine in a joint environment. The resulting system provides the basis for a robust and enduring solution to the issue of graphics in APL.
The Functional Impact of Bilateral Reverse Total Shoulder Arthroplasty

Background: The use of reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (RTSA) has been increasing around the world. However, because of concerns over lack of internal rotation with the reverse prosthesis and the resultant difficulties with activities of daily living (ADLs), many have recommended against performing bilateral RTSA. Methods: We performed a retrospective review of prospectively obtained clinical data on 15 consecutive patients (30 shoulders) that underwent staged bilateral primary RTSA for the diagnosis of cuff tear arthropathy (CTA) between 2004 and 2012. All operations were performed by a single surgeon. The mean follow-up was 29.6 months from the second RTSA (range 12–65 months). The mean age of the patients at the time of the first operation was 72.9 years (range 63–79 years), and the mean duration between arthroplasties was 21.6 months (range 8–50 months). Patients were evaluated preoperatively and postoperatively at 2 weeks, 6 weeks, 3 months, 6 months, 1 year, and yearly with standardized clinical exams and outcome measures questionnaires including Constant, ASES, UCLA, Simple Shoulder Test, SPADI, and SF-12 scores. Results: On both operative sides, elevation showed significant improvement from preoperative values (p = 0.002 and p = 0.021); however, external rotation, abduction, and internal rotation did not show significant differences at an average follow-up of 29.6 months. The SPADI, Constant, ASES, UCLA, and SST scores of both RTSA shoulders showed significant improvement from preoperative values (p ≤ 0.001 for all scores); however, the SF-12 scores on either shoulder did not show significant improvement. Evaluation of the outcome measures questionnaire revealed that all 15 patients in the cohort were able to perform perineal hygiene after their reverse arthroplasty. Conclusions: Bilateral RTSA results in marked improvement in forward elevation, pain, and functional outcomes, and carries a high rate of satisfaction in subjective patient assessment. In addition, common ADLs that require significant internal rotation, such as perineal care, were not problematic in the patients studied.
Grammatical judgments of agrammatic aphasics

Abstract Effortful, agrammatic speech and relatively intact comprehension often appear to coexist in Broca's aphasia. The present study focusses on this discrepancy, and tests the claim that the agrammatic patient has more information about syntactic structure than is indicated in his speech. Agrammatic aphasics and non-neurological patients sorted words from a variety of sentences on the basis of how closely related they felt the words to be in each of those sentences. These word groupings served as input matrices for a hierarchical clustering analysis. The resultant subjective phrase structure trees show that while normal subjects are often constrained by surface syntactic properties, agrammatic patients operate on a hierarchical scheme that excludes anything nonessential to the intrinsic meaning of a sentence. These findings suggest that expressive agrammatism is only one aspect of an impairment involving all language modalities.
On Quantum Beat Phenomena and the Internal Consistency of Semiclassical Radiation Theories

The past decade has seen many successful applications of semiclassical radiation theory. In these calculations matter is treated quantum mechanically while radiation is described according to Maxwell’s equations. In fact, if one adds “vacuum fluctuations” to this semiclassical picture, it would seem that we have all that we need to understand everything from spontaneous emission and the Lamb shift to superfluorescence and the laser linewidth in a semiquantitative fashion.
CONTACT TOXICITIES OF 12 INSECTICIDES TO LEPTOGLOSSUS CORCULUS ADULTS (HEMIPTERA: COREIDAE)

Contact toxicities of 12 insecticides to adult Leptoglossus corculus (Say) were determined. All insecticides tested were moderately to highly toxic to adult females. Five insecticides—decamethrin, carbofuran, aminocarb, fenvalerate, and bioethanomethrin—were as toxic or more toxic than the standard, azinphosmethyl, at LD 90 . Decamethrin (LD 90 =.06 μg/g body wt.) was 29 times more toxic than azinphosmethyl at LD 90 . Five insecticides—carbofuran, bioethanomethrin, resmethrin, azinphosmethyl, and chlorpyrifos—were tested on males also. The first three were significantly more toxic to females than males and the latter two were equally toxic to both sexes. All but two insecticides, decamethrin and bioethanomethrin, were equally toxic or more toxic to second-stage nymphs than adult females.
Study Abroad and Cultural Learning through Fulbright and Other International Scholarships: A Holistic Student Development.

This article focuses on one piece from the complex puzzle of internationalization, namely the intercultural learning during education abroad. It departs from a critical reflection on American student applications for the Fulbright program and uses the application process for Fulbright scholarship as a lynchpin for other study abroad scholarships for American students. It shows how the stages of before, during and after education abroad can be comprehensively integrated into a holistic process of student development in American universities. This process has the ultimate goal of helping American students function in an international context and redefining their world view to encompass the notion that cultures can be understood relative to one another.
A new two-dimensional interleaving technique using successive packing

Correction of two-dimensional (2-D) and three-dimensional (3-D) error bursts finds wide applications in secure data handling such as 2-D and 3-D magnetic and optical data storage, charged-coupled devices (CCDs), 2-D barcodes, and information hiding in digital images and video sequences, to name a few. In this paper, we present a new 2-D interleaving technique, called successive packing, to combat 2-D spot burst errors, with potential for extending to multidimensional (M-D) interleaving. Square arrays of 2/sup n/ /spl times/ 2/sup n/ are considered. It is shown that the proposed successive packing technique can spread any error burst of 2/sup k/ /spl times/ 2/sup k/ (with 1 /spl les/ k /spl les/ n-1), 2/sup k/ /spl times/ 2/sup k+1/ (with 0 /spl les/ k /spl les/ n-1), and 2/sup k+1/ /spl times/ 2/sup k/ (with 0 /spl les/ k /spl les/ n-1) effectively so that the error burst can be corrected with some simple random-error-correction code (provided the error-correction code is available). It is further shown that the technique is optimal for combating all the above-mentioned error bursts in the sense that the interleaving degree reaches its lower bound. This implies that the algorithm needs to be implemented only once for a given 2-D array and is thereafter optimal for the set of error bursts having different sizes. A performance comparison between the proposed method and some existing techniques is given and the future research is discussed.
Thinning Jeffrey pine stands to reduce susceptibility to bark beetle infestations in California, U.S.A.

Bark beetles (Coleoptera: Curculionidae, Scolytinae) are commonly recognized as important tree mortality agents in coniferous forests of the western U.S.A. 2 High stand density is consistently associated with bark beetle infestations in western coniferous forests, and therefore thinning has long been advocated as a preventive measure to alleviate or reduce the amount of bark beetle-caused tree mortality. 3 The present study aimed to determine the effectiveness of thinning to reduce stand susceptibility to bark beetle infestations over a 10-year period in Pinus jeffreyi forests on the Tahoe National Forest, California, U.S.A. Four treatments were replicated three times within 1-ha square experimental plots. Treatments included thinning from below (i.e. initiating in the smallest diameter classes) to a residual target basal area (cross-sectional area of trees at 1.37 m in height) of: (i) 18.4 m 2 /ha (low density thin); (ii) 27.6 m 2 /ha (medium density thin); (iii) 41.3 m 2 /ha (high density thin); and (iv) no stand manipulation (untreated control). 4 Throughout the present study, 107 trees died as a result of bark beetle attacks. Of these, 71% (75 trees) were Abies concolor killed by Scolytus ventralis; 20.6% (22 trees) were Pinus ponderosa killed by Dendroctonus ponderosae; 4.7% (five trees) were P. jeffreyi killed by Dendroctonus jeffreyi ; 1.8% (two trees) were P. jeffreyi killed by Ips pini ; 0.9% (one tree) were P. jeffreyi killed by Orthotomicus (= Ips) latidens; 0.9% (one tree) were P. ponderosa killed by both Dendroctonus brevicomis and D. ponderosae; and 0.9% (one tree) were P. jeffreyi killed by unknown causes. 5 In the low density thin, no pines were killed by bark beetles during the 10-year period. Significantly fewer trees (per ha/year) were killed in the low density thin than the high density thin or untreated control. No significant treatment effect was observed for the percentage of trees (per year) killed by bark beetles.
Situational Leadership Theory A Replication

In a test of Hersey and Blanchard's situational leadership theory, 91 full-time nurses and their supervisors provided data on employee performance, maturity, and affect as well as leader style. Alt...
Npsnet: Flight simulation dynamic modeling using quaternions

The Naval Postgraduate School NPS has actively explored the design and implementation of networked, real time, three-dimensional battlefield simulations on low-cost, commercially available graphics workstations. The most recent system, NPSNET, has improved in functionality to such an extent that it is considered a low-cost version of the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency's DARPA SIMNET system. To reach that level, it was necessary to economize in certain areas of the code so that real time performance occurred at an acceptable level. One of those areas was in aircraft dynamics. However, with “off-the-shelf” computers becoming faster and cheaper, real-time and realistic dynamics are no longer an expensive option. Realistic behavior can now be enhanced through the incorporation of an aerodynamic model. To accomplish this task, a prototype flight simulator was built that is capable of simulating numerous types of aircraft simultaneously within a virtual world. Besides being easily incorporated into NPSNET, such a simulator also provides the base functionality for the creation of a general purpose aerodynamic simulator that is particularly useful to aerodynamics students for graphically analyzing differing aircraft's stability and control characteristics. This system is designed for use on a Silicon Graphics workstation and uses the GL libraries. A key feature of the simulator is the use of quaternions for aircraft orientation representation to avoid singularities and high data rates associated with the more common Euler angle representation of orientation.
Agassiz, Mendel, and Heredity

In the library of the Museum of Comparative Zoology at Harvard University, with its vast array of materials pertaining to natural history, there is a section devoted to agriculture. Now neglected and considered of little interest, it formed a significant part of the collection during the lifetime of the museum's founder, Louis Agassiz (1807-1873). It seems doubtful that any of Agassiz' biographers ever felt constrained to work over such seemingly irrelevant materials, although this would have revealed that the genial zoologist commanded a respectable fund of knowledge about practical agriculture. It is true that Agassiz sought, and obtained, generous support for the Museum (MCZ) and that he aired his views in opposition to Darwin before agricultural audiences.' But these are not points at issue. As contemporaries, Louis Agassiz and Gregor Johann Mendel (1822-1884) were no doubt exposed to some
Anatomy of the endolithic Sonoran Desert lichen Verrucaria rubrocincta Breuss: implications for biodeterioration and biomineralization

The anatomy of the endolithic, calcicolous lichen Verrucaria rubrocincta Breuss is described using optical and scanning electron microscopy. This lichen is locally abundant in caliche plates of open desert pavements in the Sonoran Desert of south-western Arizona. The endolithic growth of V. rubrocincta is distinctly layered. The upper layer is a fine-grained calcite (micrite). This layer is sparsely penetrated by hyphae and therefore cannot be interpreted as a lithocortex sensu stricto. Beneath the micrite is the photobiont layer. Below this photobiont layer hyphae form a pseudo- medulla penetrating up to 1 cm into the caliche. Calcium oxalates occur in the pseudomedulla but are absent from uninhabited caliche. The analogy of a greenhouse describes the ecophysiological adaptations of this endolithic growth to the environmental extremes of the Sonoran Desert. The micrite acts as a roof and the photobiont layer and pseudomedulla represent the greenhouse interior. Verrucaria rubrocincta has thus evolved a strategy to successfully establish and survive within an extreme environment. Our study illustrates biodeterioration and biomineralization processes acting simultaneously within a single lichen species. Mineralogical evidence suggests that the micrite on the thallus surface is biologically induced. The hyphae of the lichen biodeteriorate the caliche thus forming the pseudomedulla. Simultaneously with this process micrite forms at the surface protecting the thallus from exposure and counter-balancing rock degradation. These combined effects of biodeterioration and biomineralization do not markedly accelerate erosion because inhabited and uninhabited areas of the same plate show similar surface heights.
Age-related differences in adaptive decision making: Sensitivity to expected value in risky choice

While previous research has found that children make more risky decisions than their parents, little is known about the developmental trajectory for the ability to make advantageous decisions. In a sample of children, 5‐11 years old, we administered a new risky decision making task in which the relative expected value (EV) of the risky and riskless choice options was varied over trials. Younger children (age 5‐7) showed significantly less responsiveness to EV differences than their parents on both trials involving risky gains and trials involving risky losses. For older children (age 8‐11) this deficit was smaller overall but was greater on loss trials than on gain trials. Children of both ages made more risky choices than adults when risky choices were disadvantageous. We further analyzed these results in terms of children’s ability to utilize probability and outcome information, and discussed them in terms of developing brain structures vital for decision making under uncertainty.
Cell-Based Design Methods for Directed Self-Assembly

Topographic templates can direct the self-assembly of block copolymers to achieve nanoscale patterns with high order. Previously, we have demonstrated well-aligned periodic lines, bends, and meshes using a sparse array of lithographically defined posts [1,2]. However, it is generally challenging to fabricate complex and non-periodic patterns using a sparse post array because the key information contained in the final pattern must be encoded in the sparse template. In this work, we present two cell-based design methods for fabricating complex patterns using directed self-assembly of polystyrene-b-polydimethylsiloxane (PS-b-PDMS) block copolymer thin films. For the first approach, we developed a set of template tiles consisting of square post lattices with a restricted range of geometric features. For all possible tile arrangements, we examined the resulting block copolymer patterns. We were able to predict a relatively simple template that will result in a desired complex pattern by combining tiles in different ways. For the second approach, we designed a binary-state system with ladder-shaped block copolymer structures using a square confinement. We developed design-rules for controlling alignment direction of the ladder-shaped structures by introducing openings around the square cells. These methods could provide a new template design method for a complex non-trivial block copolymer patterns.
The effects of displacement discontinuity derivatives on wave propagation—I: Three-dimensional elastic solid

Abstract The fully dynamic, 3-dimensional analysis of largely arbitrary normal or tangential displacement discontinuities prescribed over arbitrary regions of a plane in an unbounded elastic solid is presented. Instead of invoking the dynamic Betti-Rayleigh theorem, the analysis employs two approaches which also rely on Green's function methods. The expressions generated for the displacement indicate the dependence of important solution characteristics on derivatives of the prescribed discontinuities, especially their Laplacian. Numerical results are presented for the problem of a non-uniformly moving edge-screw dislocation and a dislocation over a non-uniformly expanding rectangular area.
Old Wine in New Bottles? An Analysis and Preliminary Appraisal of the Surface Transportation Assistance Act of 1982

Highway programs were included in the Reagan administration's New Federalism proposals which were designed to return many federally supported projects to state and local governments. Shortly after those proposals were presented, Congress enacted the Surface Transportation Assistance Act of 1982. The act increased the federal highway fuel tax by five cents to nine cents per gallon (of which states receive four of those five cents for highway purposes). Although devolution of responsibility to address state and local needs was a key feature of the New Federalism, an analysis of the effects of the act on Ohio suggests that the increase in highway revenues may have skewed states' priorities in both their maintenance outlays and capital project selection process.
Study on microstructure and mechanical properties of hot rolled TRIP steel containing phosphorus and vanadium

To reveal the microstructure characteristics and mechanical properties of a low-carbon TRIP steel containing phosphorus and vanadium,hot rolling experiments had been carried out and its transformation behavior was investigated at different deformation temperatures(900 and 800 ℃).The results show that with an increase in cooling rate,the effect of deformation temperature on the starting transformation temperature of ferrite(Ar3) increases gradually.At same cooling rate,the deformation leads to an increase in the starting transformation temperature of bainite(Bs).As the deformation temperature decreases,the effect of deformation on the Bsweakens.When the finish rolling temperature is 800 ℃,a microsture mixed with ferrite,granular bainite and retained austenite can be obtained,and the tested steels have excellent mechanical properties: RP0.2=455 MPa;Rm=930 MPa;δ=21.7%;n=0.23;r=0.84.
Observation of the therapeutic effect of acupuncture injection on motor skill disorders in children with cerebral palsy

Objective:To investigate the value of GMFM in assessing the acupuncture effect on children with cerebral palsy.Methods:39 children received acupuncture injection.The changes of motor function before and after the therapy were evaluated using GMFM.Results:After 3 periods of treatment,the total scores of GMFM increased form 26.8±20.5 to 36.0±22.4,P0.001.Conclusion:The changes of motor function in children with cerebral palsy could be cvaluated using the score of GMFM.GMFM may be used as a good marker of the effect of acupuncture therapy on children with cerebral palsy.
Investigation on Drinking Water Quality and Public Latrine Sanitation Conditions of in Rural Primary and Secondary Schools of Hefei

Objective To understand basic sanitation conditions of drinking water quality and latrines in rural schools so as to provide the basis for the improvement of water and latrine sanitation.Method Field investigation and statistical analysis were used to investigate basic sanitation conditions of drinking water and latrines of rural primary and secondary schools of Hefei.Results 85.69% of the school latrines were dry latrines;54.94% of the manure pits had no covers.84.37% of the school toilets had no Hand-washing pools.The coverage rate of tap water was 25.07%.The percentage of using shallow water well and superficial well was 31.16% and 19.05% respectively.90.48% of schools didn't use disinfection management for their source water.Microbe parameter of 70% water samples exceeded the water quality standard.Moreover,80.94% of schools didn't provide boiled water.72.48% of rural schools didn't have hand-washing facilities in campus.Conclusion Sanitation conditions of drinking water and latrine in rural schools in the whole city were in poor health status.Rural areas were poorer than the urban areas.Thus,improvement of drinking water and latrine in rural schools is urgent.
Distributed Noise-Resilient Networked Synchrony of Active Distribution Systems

This paper proposes a distributed noise resilient control technique for voltage and frequency synchronization in inverter-based ac microgrids. Existing cooperative control techniques assume ideal communication among inverters. The effect of additive noise in communication links among inverters, and between the reference signal and inverters, on the synchronization process, is studied. Distributed least mean-square solutions estimate the reference set points, and a local least mean-square algorithm estimates neighboring inverter frequencies and voltages. The efficacy of the proposed solution, for an islanded microgrid test system under the additive noise in reference communication links and links connecting neighboring inverters, is evaluated for a modified IEEE 34-bus feeder system. An upper bound for the noise-induced deviation in the consensus parameter is analytically derived and verified by the simulated testbed.
Hereditary hemolytic anemia associated with abnormal membrane lipid. II. Ion permeability and transport abnormalities.

A familial nonspherocytic hemolytic anemia with altered red cell membrane lipids has been described. The membrane lipid lesion is also accompanied by excessive cation permeability and ouabain-sensitive pumping, which is in turn associated with excessive glycolytic energy diverted to the pump. This permeability defect and its demands for glycolytic energy are thought to contribute significantly to the early demise of the red cell in this disorder.
APPLICATION OF CW BEAM PROCESSING TO SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICE FABRICATION

This paper describes experiments which have been performed to study the possible application of ion implantation and/or cw beam annealing for the fabrication of a variety of semiconductor devices. The studies to be described include (1) measurement of the effects of residual defects following cw laser annealing on the efficiency of B-implanted p + n silicon solar cells; (2) reduction of base resistance in a fabricated bipolar transistor; (3) analysis and measurement of injection efficiency in heavily doped silicon n + p junctions, and (4) observation of diffusion and electrical activation of Sn in GaAs and its application to the GaAs FET.
Onsite versus offsite radiation treatment of malignant spinal cord compression: lessons from a safety net health system

Objective:Metastatic spinal cord compression (MSCC) is an oncologic emergency that often warrants emergent treatment; but, it is unclear whether radiation treatment (RT) can be optimally managed from an offsite radiotherapy facility.Methods:Patient charts from consecutive patients with MSCC who were treated with radiotherapy alone at either an onsite hospital radiation department (from 2008 to 2012) or an offsite radiotherapy centre (2012–2015) were reviewed. Patient clinical parameters were compared across groups with either the χ2 test or Fisher's exact test, while survival curves were compared with the log-rank test. The primary end points were ambulatory rate over time, overall survival and cancer-specific survival.Results:A total of 45 patients were identified, with 19 patients treated onsite in the hospital department and 26 patients treated at the offsite radiotherapy centre with median follow-up of 42 days vs 48.5 days, respectively. The ambulatory rate over time, overall survival and cancer-speci...
Communication About Dying, Death, and Bereavement: A Systematic Review of Children's Literature

Abstract Background: Children's books have the potential to facilitate communication about death for children living with a serious illness and for children coping with the death of a loved one. Objectives: This study examines the content of children's literature relevant to the topic of dying and death and identifies books providers can share with children and their families. Design: A search of children's literature was conducted using four electronic databases and one additional search engine using the word “Death” or “Dying.” Storybooks about dying, death, and bereavement published in English, French, or Spanish between 1995 and 2015 were included. Measurements: Each book underwent content analysis by at least two independent reviewers. Strict PRISMA standard was followed. Full protocol is available as PROSPERO #CRD42016042129. Results: Two hundred ten books met inclusion criteria. The dying subject was primarily a grandparent (n = 78) or pet (n = 44). Books on the experience of a child dying were sca...
Assessing UNC-Greensboro’s Reference Interns Program: Enhancing the employability of LIS students

For decades libraries have been highly dependent on student interns to provide reference and other library services. In recent years, the roles and responsibilities of reference librarians have undergone significant changes. With the emergence of technology and development of virtual communication channels, reference service is no longer limited to a single physical space. In many academic libraries, the reference desk is either staffed by highly trained paraprofessionals or by student workers. In other instances, the reference desk has been dissolved or merged with other service points such as circulation or access services. Some libraries have moved to a system where patrons are referred to subject librarians or liaisons when specialized expertise and in-depth research techniques are required.
Constructing the Deviant Woman: Gendered Stigma of the 1980 Cuban Mariel Migration:

This article argues that the 1980 Cuban Mariel migration marked a turning point in American perceptions and media representations of female Cuban immigrants, and Cuban exiles in the United States m...
Where Are we with Vitamin E

Oxidative modification of low-density lipoproteins appears to significantly enhance their role in atherogenesis. Inhibition of this process with naturally occurring antioxidants has been proposed as a mechanism to retard the progression of coronary artery disease. Vitamin E has been among those natural antioxidants found to reduce atherosclerotic lesion formation in animal models. Further supported by a substantial accumulation of observational epidemiologic data demonstrating an association between antioxidant vitamin intake and reduced risk of cardiovascular mortality, vitamin E has been examined in a number of case-control and prospective cohort studies as a potential agent in the primary and secondary prevention of morbidity and mortality from coronary artery disease. These efforts have generated a large body of evidence suggesting a protective role, but conflict in the data remains. In addition, even with large, well-conducted prospective epidemiologic studies, the potential effects of residual confounding may be on the same order of magnitude as the reported benefit. The several small randomized interventional trials and two larger placebo-controlled studies that have been completed to date leave some key questions unanswered. Currently ongoing are several large randomized interventional trials that will serve to further clarify the role of this promising agent in the primary and secondary prevention of atherosclerotic coronary disease.
Mini-incision Distal Biceps Tendon Repair

Rupture of the biceps tendon from its distal insertion has historically been considered a rare injury, and early management was mainly nonoperative, with early reports citing satisfactory results.1 However, more recent literature has recognized the persistent deficits of supination strength and endurance, and to a lesser degree flexion, in active high-demand patients, and has implicated these outcomes as an indication for acute repair.2–6 Distal biceps ruptures currently seem to be encountered more frequently then historically reported, possibly due to increased awareness, and most surgeons now recommend early repair to maintain supination and flexion strength and endurance.
Blindness and Intranasal Endoscopic Ethmoidectomy: Prevention and Management:

Blindness is one of the major complications that can occur during and after Intranasal ethmoidectomy. Two mechanisms for blindness are apparent: (1) direct injury to the optic nerve and (2) retrobu...
An Information Security Model and its Validation

Organizations are increasingly dependent upon information systems to increase productivity, minimize cost, and maximize profit. This dependency results in exposure to new threats and vulnerabilities that dramatically increase operational risk. Executive management is ultimately responsible for insuring that this risk is properly managed to assure organizational health, profitability, and compliance with all laws and regulations. Challenges in discharging this responsibility include difficulty in understanding undesirable events on organizational objectives, lack of modeling controls across multiple interdependent domains, and the tendency to allocate resources for security with a tactical view, rather than a strategic view, of the organization. In this paper, a conceptual model and its validation are presented. The model is canonical, comprehensive, flexible, scalable, and provides a means to document, communicate, and track security related expenditures.
Cost-related changes in medication use among cancer survivors by socioeconomic status.

e18920Background: Rising out-of-pocket (OOP) costs for medications is increasingly a critical issue for cancer survivors in the U.S., causing some to delay or forgo recommended medications. Little ...
Meeting the Giants in Our Midst: Developing an Interactive Online Arboretum Guide to Promote Ecological Literacy

Trees are the largest organisms students usually encounter in their daily lives. However, most are unaware of the critical roles trees play in their local environments. As critical components of green infrastructure, trees improve air quality, mitigate storm-water runoff, and provide food and habitat for other organisms. Using the cross-platform and open-source software Bioimages Collection Manager (BCM), we created an online interactive arboretum guide for a university campus arboretum. Faculty, students, and visitors can scan tree tags with their mobile devices and access biological metadata, participate in self-guided tree tours, and learn about the ecology and ethnobotany of individual tree species. Importantly, this approach may be replicated for other campuses, school yards, and additional green spaces.
Post-Hartree-Fock methods: configuration interaction, many-body perturbation theory, coupled-cluster theory

Abstract The aim of this chapter is to introduce the fundamentals of post-Hartree-Fock (post-HF) methods to nonexperts by providing the principles and the mathematical background of the most widely applied wave function-based quantum chemical theories: configuration interaction theory, many-body perturbation theory, and coupled-cluster theory. First, a short introduction of the second-quantization formalism is given, an important mathematical tool for the derivation and organization of the underlying equations of electronic structure theory. Next, to demonstrate the limitations of HF, the dissociation of the H2 molecule will be discussed to differentiate between strong and dynamic correlation, the two different types of electron correlation neglected at the HF level. Our discussion covers the principles, behavior, limitations, and applications of the three post-HF methods for the accurate, reliable, and systematic computation of the correlation energy. The chapter ends with a short overview of novel methodologies that are expected to be applied routinely in chemical applications in the future.
Enhancing older adult access to lifelong learning institutes through technology-based instruction: A brief report

The number of lifelong learning institutes serving older adults in the U.S. has increased in the last few decades. To date, these institutes have functioned primarily in traditional, in-person clas...
Canada's Trade Policy Developments after NAFTA: Sources and Implications

This article argues that Canada's trade policy developments after NAFTA have been influenced by the stalemate in multilateral liberalization and the discriminative nature of preferential trade agreements (PTAs) that have proliferated during the last 25 years. First, the impasse in the Doha Round of negotiations made Canada consider regional and bilateral options of opening up new markets as an alternative to multilateral liberalization. Second, the discriminative nature of PTAs accelerated the process of Canada's regional and bilateral liberalization, as PTAs have diverted trade away from Canada, prompting it to pursue its own preferential trade initiatives to level the playing field for Canadian businesses.
The Role of Online Infidelity Behaviors in the Link between Mental Illness and Social Media Intrusion

Online social interactions can potentially benefit users. Excessive use and certain behaviors, however, may cause interpersonal problems and promote toxic behaviors such as stalking. The present st...
Exploring strategic public relations management in China: current state and challenges

ABSTRACTApplying four generic principles that are most relevant to strategic public relations management, this study examines the extent to which public relations is strategically managed in China....
Midstory Removal Facilitates Growth but Reduces Competitiveness of Oak Reproduction Prior to and after Shelterwood Establishment Cutting

This study examined the influence of midstory removal applied 9 years prior to a shelterwood establishment cut on survival, growth, and competitive status of black oak (Quercus velutina Lam.), white oak (Quercus alba L.), and an oak competitor, red maple (Acer rubrum L.), immediately before and at 6 years following shelterwood cutting on intermediate productivity sites in the Central Hardwood Forest Region. We also examined height and density distributions of the regenerating cohort to quantify seedling establishment and to elucidate relative oak competitiveness at each time period. Although oak seedlings were taller 9 years after midstory removal than in undisturbed controls, the midstory removal treatment reduced the frequency of free-to-grow oaks (relative to understory competitors) and increased the size of red maple and relative density of large competitors. Height growth of all three species following establishment cutting was increased by prior midstory removal and dependent on seedling competitive position immediately before shelterwood establishment. Additionally, we observed increased seedling densities 6 years following shelterwood establishment cutting and greater white oak seedling establishment when midstory removal preceded the shelterwood treatment.
Impacts of oocyte/zygote timing for in vitro fertilization and gene editing in the dog

Abstract Previously, we reported the first live births of dogs using in vitro fertilization (IVF), embryo cryopreservation, and transfer. These techniques have potential applications in the conservation of endangered canids, and development of gene editing/repair technologies that could improve animal welfare by restoring normal gene function and removing predisposition to disease. Here, we used IVF as a springboard for initial attempts at genetic modification through gene editing/repair using the Clustered Regularly-Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeat (CRISPR)-CRISPR-associated endonuclease (Cas9) system. We showed previously that timing is critical for successful IVF in that the canine oocyte must be exposed to the oviductal environment beyond simply reaching metaphase II. Others have shown that timing of injection of CRISPR-Cas9 constructs is critical in gene editing, influencing the extent of genetic mosaicism. Therefore, we investigated whether timing of injection of the gene editing/repair constructs might influence the success of embryo production and gene editing in the dog. We achieved similar IVF success to our prior report in generating 2-cell control embryos, and found equally reduced embryo production whether injection was performed in oocytes prior to fertilization, or in presumptive single-cell zygotes already exposed to sperm. We had no success at generating offspring with precise single-nucleotide changes in KRT71 via homology-directed repair (HDR), but did identify mutation of FGF5 using non-homologous end joining (NHEJ). These findings underscore the difficulties inherent to gene repair, but represent important progress on reproducibility of canine IVF, improved techniques of oocyte/embryo handling, and impact of timing of injections on embryo development.
Microstructural Evaluation of Welded Nickel-Based Superalloy Inconel 740H After Creep Testing

Inconel 740H® alloy is considered a leading candidate for advanced ultra-supercritical steam power generation at temperatures up to 750°C and pressures up to 35 MPa. Stable alloy microstructures for extremely long-term use are needed; however, extended exposure to high temperatures and stresses can lead to microstructural instabilities when the material is joined with other alloys, thereby decreasing component lifetime. It is, therefore, critical to understand the microstructural evolution of weldments of this alloy during high-temperature and high-pressure exposures. This research specifically aims to evaluate the effects of stress and joining processes on the lifetime of Inconel 740H welded with Thermanit 263 filler metal (based on Alloy 263™). Electron microscopy techniques were used to evaluate the evolution of $$ \gamma^{\prime } $$-precipitates, grain boundary phases, grain sizes and boundary types, weldment interfaces, and other relevant microstructural characteristics resulting from long-term exposure at elevated temperatures (650–850°C) and external stresses (53–440 MPa) during creep testing. The creep strength of Inconel 740H weldments with Alloy 263 (740H/263) as a filler metal was less than that of Inconel 740H/740H base metal because of the microstructural instability of Alloy 263 at the subject creep temperatures.
Discontinuous precipitation of rutilated quartz: grain-boundary migration induced by changes to the equilibrium solubility of Ti in quartz

We experimentally investigated changes to the titanium concentrations of quartz-rich rocks caused by grain-boundary migration. Synthesis experiments were performed to make high-Ti quartz starting materials for usage in recrystallization experiments. We isothermally recrystallized quartz starting material in separate experiments at 10–25 kbar to reduce the solubility of Ti in quartz. Microstructural and geochemical results indicate that the high-Ti quartz starting material recrystallized to form low-Ti quartz with acicular rutile inclusions. During recrystallization, high-Ti quartz was consumed to form low-Ti quartz and acicular rutile crystals precipitated behind moving grain boundaries via the discontinuous precipitation unmixing process. Experimentally imposed changes to the equilibrium solubility concentration of Ti in quartz by amounts as low as ~ 0.02 weight % (200 µg/g or ppm by weight) created a free energy driving force of 8.7 kJ/mol that was sufficient to drive large-scale recrystallization of the quartzites. Microstructures of relict grains of the high-Ti quartz starting materials are characterized by cuspate and irregular grain boundaries, whereas new quartz grains exhibit subhedral to euhedral grain morphologies and abundant three-grain junctions. Discontinuous precipitation can significantly change mineral compositions, and in the absence of a free fluid phase can operate much faster than other types of mass transfer processes commonly associated with solid-state reactions.
Angel finance: the other venture capital

The procurement of capital is an important consideration for an entity transforming from an entrepreneurial idea to a revenue generating company. Angel financing is one of the most common, but least studied methods, to finance new ventures. The term “Angel Investor” generally refers to a high net-worth individual who typically invests in small, private firms on his or her own account. Using a unique dataset of firms financed by angels between 1994 and 2001, our research provides some insight into the role of angels in funding, monitoring and guiding their investments. Although exposed to greater uncertainty by investing earlier in the life of a firm compared to venture capital investors, angel investors do not rely on traditional control mechanisms such as board control, staging, or contractual provisions to protect against expropriation. Angels may use more informal methods of control such as investing in close geographic proximity and syndicating investments with other angels to mitigate risks. The results of the study indicate that angels have a complementary role to venture capital in the financing of new ventures. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.