cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Contrast-enhanced Spectral Mammography: Modality-Specific Artifacts and Other Factors Which May Interfere with Image Quality.

Rationale and Objectives Contrast-enhanced spectral mammography (CESM) uses full field digital mammography with the added benefit of intravenous contrast administration to significantly reduce false-positive and false-negative results and improve specificity while maintaining high sensitivity. For CESM to fulfill its purpose, one should be aware of possible artifacts and other factors which may interfere with image quality, and attention should be taken to minimize these factors. Materials and Methods This pictorial demonstration will depict types of artifacts detected and other factors that interfere with image acquisition in our practice since CESM implementation. Results Many of the artifacts and other factors we have encountered while using CESM have simple solutions to resolve them. Conclusion The illustrated artifacts and other factors interfering with image quality will serve as a useful reference to anyone using CESM.
Gender-specific outcomes of cardiac resynchronisation therapy with or without defibrillator

Cardiac resynchronisation therapy has been shown to significantly reduce heart failure (HF) symptoms, prevent HF hospitalisations and improve survival in HF patients with severely reduced left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and a wide QRS.1 Sudden cardiac death (SCD) is also prevalent in HF patients with severely reduced LVEF, and therefore, combined protection from HF and SCD is generally warranted in this cohort. It is however not well known whether adding a defibrillator function to cardiac resynchronisation therapy provides incremental benefit, especially in the context of gender. In their Heart publication Barra et al .2 reported retrospective analyses of outcomes of 5307 consecutive patients with ischaemic or non-ischaemic cardiomyopathy and no history of sustained ventricular tachyarrhythmia implanted either with cardiac resynchronisation therapy with defibrillator (CRT-D) or without a defibrillator (CRT-P). The primary focus of their report was to assess incremental survival benefit of CRT-D versus CRT-P by gender. Using propensity score matching, they showed no survival advantage of CRT-D versus CRT-P in men or women. Using inverse probability weighting analysis, a benefit of CRT-D over CRT-P was present in men (HR=0.78, 95% CI 0.65 to 0.94, p=0.012) but not in men (HR=0.87, 95% CI …
On the foundations of statistical mechanics

We briefly review the foundations and applications of statistical mechanics based on the nonadditive entropies S q . Then we address four frequently focused points, namely (i) On the form of the constraints within a variational entropy principle; (ii) Are the q-indices first-principle-computable quantities or fitting parameters?; (iii) If one admits violation of the entropic additivity, why not admitting also violation of the entropic extensivity?; and (iv) Critical-like behavior.
Environmentalism in the Periphery: Institutional Embeddedness and Deforestation among Fifteen Palm Oil Producers, 1990 – 2012

Environmental sociologists highlight the exploitative nature of the global capitalist economy where resource extraction from nations in the periphery tends to disproportionately benefit those of the core. From the Brazilian Amazon to mineral-rich Sub-Saharan Africa, the practice of “unequal ecological exchange” persists. Simultaneously, a “global environmental regime” has coalesced as a prominent feature of the contemporary world system. In the post-World War II era, legitimate nation-states must take steps to protect the natural environment and prevent its degradation even at their own economic expense. Stronger national ties to global institutions, particularly international nongovernmental organizations (INGOs) consistently yield more positive environmental outcomes. However, previous work suggests that normative expectations for improved environmental practice will be weak or nonexistent in the periphery. We use the case of palm oil production and its relationship to deforestation to provide a more nuanced analysis of the relationship between material and institutional forces in the periphery. Using unbalanced panels of fifteen palm oil producing countries from 1990 to 2012, we find that stronger national ties to world society via citizen memberships in INGOs result in greater primary forest area among palm oil producers. However, this effect is strongest where production is lowest and weakens as production increases. Even in the cases of Indonesia and Malaysia, where palm oil production is substantially higher than any other producer, ties to global institutions are significantly related to reduced forest loss. These results indicate the variable importance of national embeddedness into global institutions within the periphery of the world system.
Understanding Treatment Adherence With the Health Belief Model in Children With Cystic Fibrosis.

Objective. Children’s health beliefs are significantly related to their adherence; however, pediatric literature has rarely tested health-related theories as a whole. The goal of the present study was to evaluate the use of the health belief model (HBM) in understanding children’s adherence, both globally and to individual treatment components. Method. Thirty-three patient–parent dyads completed questionnaires regarding health beliefs and adherence to medical regimens. Results. Multiple linear regressions found a significant relationship among the HBM variables and reports of global adherence for children and parents. For children, the HBM variables were significantly related to adherence to aerosol medications, aerosol antibiotics, metered dose inhalers, and vitamins. For parents, the HBM variables were significantly related to children’s adherence to airway clearance, oral antibiotics, and vitamins. Paired sample t tests found children and parents had significantly discrepant heath beliefs. Conclusion. ...
Deconstructing Attitudes About Intimate Partner Violence and Bystander Intervention: The Roles of Perpetrator Gender and Severity of Aggression:

In this mixed methods study, we explored how gender of an aggressor and the levels of aggression (i.e., yelling, throwing a drink, slapping, and punching) influenced attitudes about (a) public disp...
Medical Expenditures Associated With Diabetes in Myocardial Infarction and Ischemic Stroke Patients.

Introduction The coexistence of diabetes among people with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) or acute ischemic stroke (AIS) is common. However, little is known about the extent of excess medical expenditures associated with having diabetes among AMI and AIS patients. Methods Data on 3,307 AMI patients and 2,460 AIS patients aged ≥18 years from the 2008 to 2014 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey were analyzed. Per capita annual medical expenditures associated with diabetes were separately estimated by healthcare components with generalized linear models and two-part models. Excess expenditure associated with diabetes is the difference between estimated expenditure conditional on having both diabetes and AMI (or AIS) and the estimated expenditure conditional on having AMI (or AIS) but not diabetes. All expenditures were adjusted to 2014 U.S. dollars. The analysis was conducted in 2017. Results Per capita annual total excess expenditures associated with diabetes were $5,117 (95% CI=$4,989, $5,243) for AMI patients and $5,734 (95% CI=$5,579, $5,887) for AIS patients. Of the total excess expenditures, prescription drugs accounted for 40% among AMI patients and 42% among AIS patients. Higher expenditures associated with diabetes were explained more by higher volume of utilization than higher per unit expenditures. Conclusions Excess expenditures associated with diabetes were substantial among both AMI and AIS patients. These results highlight the needs for both prevention and better management of diabetes among AMI and AIS patients, which in turn may lower the financial burden of treating these conditions.
On Rereading The King’s Two Bodies

Early in his book, the distinguished medieval historian Robert Lerner, now emeritus at Northwestern University, describes what was for him a seminal moment in 1961 when he was a first-year graduate student in medieval history at Princeton. Lerner was standing at a faculty cocktail party with his advisor, Joseph Strayer, chair of the Princeton history department, and the well-known French historian R.R. Palmer, who had recently won the Bancroft Prize, when a guest walked across the room to join the conversation. As he later learned, Lerner had just met the eminent medievalist Ernst Kantorowicz.
Interrelationships of Alcohol and Cancer

Cancers at several sites are associated with ingestion of alcohol. Head and neck cancers (of the mouth, pharynx, esophagus, and larynx) are strongly associated with use of both alcohol and tobacco; other tobacco-related cancers, of the lung and perhaps pancreas, have been found to be associated with alcohol consumption in some studies. Liver cancer is related to alcohol consumption; epidemiologic studies have reported additive or synergistic interactions between alcohol, HBV and AFB1 in the etiology of liver cancer. Risk for head and neck and liver cancers, all of which occur in much higher incidence in men than in women in the United States, is significantly increased at high alcohol intake (>80g/day) and may show a dose response to lower alcohol intakes. Epidemiologic and experimental data suggest that malnutrition in alcoholic patients contributes to their increased cancer risk. Influences of alcohol consumption on nutritional status have been known and studied for many years. Understanding of nutritional influences on cancer induction and development is increasing and may contribute to clarification of relationships between alcohol intake and cancer risk.
Does rotational thromboelastometry accurately predict coagulation status in patients with lupus anticoagulant

Introduction Rotational thromboelastometry (ROTEM) is increasingly used as a tool for monitoring coagulation status. However, ROTEM is susceptible to misinterpretation due to particular coagulation abnormalities. Here, we report the effects of lupus anticoagulant (LA) on ROTEM. Methods A prospective observational analysis was performed on 16 children with prior studies indicating the presence of LA or antiphospholipid antibodies. ROTEM analysis was performed, and samples were further analyzed by adding phospholipids (PL) to repeat ROTEM analysis if clotting time (CT) abnormalities were discovered with comparison to ROTEM using an equal volume of isotonic saline. Prothrombin time (PT), activated partial thromboplastin time (APTT), dilute Russell's viper venom test (DRVVT), hexagonal phase phospholipid neutralization test (StaClot LA), and factor II activity studies were additionally performed. Results Eighteen samples were analyzed by ROTEM. Prolonged CT on INTEM and EXTEM was observed for 11 samples. Samples with CT prolongation had high DRVVT ratios and prolonged APTT. Further, the addition of PL partially reversed this effect, demonstrating PL-dependent inhibition as the cause of CT prolongation. No factor II deficiencies were identified, excluding LA hypoprothrombinemia syndrome as a cause of these findings. Conclusion Strongly positive LA can prolong the CT on ROTEM studies and lead to erroneous conclusions regarding coagulation status in this patient population.
Effects of 5-Hydroxymethylcytosine Epigenetic Modification on the Stability and Molecular Recognition of VEGF i-Motif and G-Quadruplex Structures

Promoters often contain asymmetric G- and C-rich strands, in which the cytosines are prone to epigenetic modification via methylation (5-mC) and 5-hydroxymethylation (5-hmC). These sequences can also form four-stranded G-quadruplex (G4) or i-motif (iM) secondary structures. Although the requisite sequences for epigenetic modulation and iM/G4 formation are similar and can overlap, they are unlikely to coexist. Despite 5-hmC being an oxidization product of 5-mC, the two modified bases cluster at distinct loci. This study focuses on the intersection of G4/iM formation and 5-hmC modification using the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) gene promoter's CpG sites and examines whether incorporation of 5-hmC into iM/G4 structures had any physicochemical effect on formation, stability, or recognition by nucleolin or the cationic porphyrin, TMPyP4. No marked changes were found in the formation or stability of iM and G4 structures; however, changes in recognition by nucleolin or TMPyP4 occurred with 5-hmC modification wherein protein and compound binding to 5-hmC modified G4s was notably reduced. G4/iM structures in the VEGF promoter are promising therapeutic targets for antiangiogenic therapy, and this work contributes to a comprehensive understanding of their governing principles related to potential transcriptional control and targeting.
The Role of Urban Horticulture in the Sustainable Agri-Food Movement

The growing popularity of urban horticulture is being driven by growth in urban agriculture in general. This is particularly prominent in urban inner cities areas sometimes characterized as “food deserts.” The motives for the urban agriculture movement in these areas are multifaceted. Critics who dismiss the movement for its lack of economic potential fail to understand that its social and cultural contributions are perhaps even more important than its significant contributions to intercity employment and food security. The urban agriculture movement is not new. Prior to the industrialization of agriculture, people in cities met many of their food needs from urban gardens and truck farms in peri-urban areas. The Garden City Movement of the late 1800s was a response to concerns for urban food insecurity that had resulted from reliance on the market-driven, industrial food system. Industrialization of agriculture, although successful in increasing production, had failed to provide domestic food security. Urban agricultural movements of the past have blossomed during times of food scarcity and income insecurity, particularly during times of war and economic recession. The current urban agriculture movement is different, in which it is continuing during times of agricultural abundance and economic sufficiency. Urban horticulture is more adaptable to urban areas than livestock or grain production. Thus, the current movement is commonly identified as an urban horticulture movement. The potential importance of the urban horticulture movement becomes readily apparent when it is viewed as part of the much larger sustainable agriculture or agri-food movement. Agricultural sustainability is not simply a matter of economic efficiency but also requires ecological, social, and economic integrity. Social and environmental benefits, which are prominent attributes of urban horticulture, are critical to agri-food sustainability. Lacking economic incentives, government policies will be essential to ensure the social and ecological benefits essential for agri-food sustainability. Past government policies supporting industrial agriculture have been justified as essential for food security, but have failed. The first condition of agricultural sustainability is to meet the basic food needs of the present—food security. The second requisite is to do so without diminishing opportunity for future generations. Government policies of the future should logically be redirected to ensure agri-food sustainability, including sustainable urban horticulture. Perhaps most important, the urban agriculture movement is empowering people in inner cities to take control of their own destinies. The urban agriculture movement exemplifies the ethics of social responsibility essential for agricultural sustainability.
Psychoneuroimmunologic Contributions to the Study of Rheumatic Diseases

Psychosocial factors are related to the predisposition to and the precipitation and/or perpetuation of a variety of pathophysiological processes, including those involving immunologic defense mechanisms. That is not to say that psychosocial factors cause disease. I know of no organic disease that is directly “caused” by psychological or social conditions. There is abundant evidence, however, that psychosocial variables contribute to the development and progression of disease—not just some diseases, those referred to as “psychosomatic,” but, to a greater or lesser extent, virtually all diseases. One can adopt this position without denying the existence of “germs.” In the real world, however, individuals are rarely exposed to pathogens in a dose or via a route that unconditionally elicits clinical disease. Health, rather than illness, is the norm, and it is not uncommon to observe large individual differences among individuals exposed to common pathogenic stimuli.
Option Pricing Using Fourier Transforms: A Numerically Efficient Simplification

This paper presents a simple manipulation that (i) reduces the two numerical integrations needed to compute option prices using fourier inversion into a single numerical integration and (ii) reduces the number of characteristic function evaluations needed to obtain a given level of accuracy. The simplification does not preclude the use of other numerical techniques to increase computational speed. It will primarily help in empirical studies and in model calibration, since, these are occasions when computational efficiency is critical.
Linearized Boltzmann-Langevin model for heavy quark transport in hot and dense QCD matter

In relativistic heavy-ion collisions, the production of heavy quarks at large transverse momenta is strongly suppressed compared to proton-proton collisions. In addition, an unexpectedly large azimuthal anisotropy was observed for the emission of charmed hadrons in noncentral collisions. Both observations pose challenges to the theoretical understanding of the coupling between heavy quarks and the quark-gluon plasma produced in these collisions. Transport models for the evolution of heavy quarks in a QCD medium offer the opportunity to study these effects; two of the most successful approaches are based on the linearized Boltzmann transport equation and the Langevin equation. In this work, we develop a hybrid transport model that combines the strengths of both of these approaches: Heavy quarks scatter with medium partons using matrix-elements calculated in perturbative QCD, while between these discrete hard scatterings they evolve using a Langevin equation with empirical transport coefficients to capture the nonperturbative soft part of the interaction. With the hybrid transport model coupled to a state-of-the-art event-by-event bulk evolution model based on 2+1D relativistic viscous fluid dynamics, we study the azimuthal anisotropy and nuclear modification factor of heavy quarks in Pb+Pb collisions at $\sqrt{s}=5.02$ TeV. The parameters related to heavy-flavor transport are calibrated using a Bayesian analysis comparing them to available $D$-meson and $B$-meson data at the Large Hadron Collider. Using the calibrated model, we study the implications on heavy-flavor transport properties and predict observables.
Phorbol ester preferentially stimulates mouse fornical conjunctival and limbal epithelial cells to proliferate in vivo.

PURPOSE The authors investigated whether fornical epithelium displays a differential in vivo response to acute and chronic stimulation when compared with bulbar and palpebral epithelia. METHODS To induce an increase in epithelial proliferation, 0.5% phorbol myristate (TPA) was topically applied in petrolatum daily to both eyes of SENCAR mice for 12 days. Control mice (three per group) received petrolatum only. After 6, 12, 18, and 24 hours (acute) and 2, 3, 4, 5, 7, 9, and 12 days (chronic) of TPA treatment, mice (three per group) were administered intraperitoneally 0.1 ml 40 microCi [3H]thymidine ([3H]TdR) 1 hour before they were killed. Conjunctival epithelium was fixed and processed for autoradiography, and the labeling index (LI; number of [3H]TdR-labeled nuclei per 1000 basal keratinocytes) was determined for each of the epithelial zones. RESULTS Under normal situations, the LI was lowest in fornical epithelium (1.9 +/- 0.5) compared with bulbar (4.4 +/- 0.9) and palpebral (5.5 +/- 0.5) epithelia. Within 24 hours of TPA treatment, a 12-fold increase in fornical basal cell labeling was noted compared with a 2.5- and 5-fold increase in bulbar and palpebral basal cell labeling, respectively. Fornical epithelium maintained a significantly greater proliferative response (4.5-fold increase) during chronic stimulation than either bulbar or palpebral epithelia (0.5- and 1.5-fold increase, respectively). CONCLUSIONS The more vigorous response of the fornical epithelium to acute and chronic stimulation is strong evidence that this epithelium has a greater proliferative capacity than the other two epithelia, which is consistent with the authors' hypothesis that conjunctival epithelial stem cells are primarily located in the fornical region.
Impact of Layer Thickness on the Charge Carrier and Spin Coherence Lifetime in Two-Dimensional Layered Perovskite Single Crystals

We report the charge carrier recombination rate and spin coherence lifetimes in single crystals of two-dimensional (2D) Ruddlesden–Popper perovskites PEA2PbI4·(MAPbI3)n−1 (PEA, phenethylammonium; MA, methylammonium; n = 1, 2, 3, 4). Layer thickness-dependent charge carrier recombination rates are observed, with the fastest rates for n = 1 because of the large exciton binding energy, and the slowest rates are observed for n = 2. Room-temperature spin coherence times also show a nonmonotonic layer thickness dependence with an increasing spin coherence lifetime with increasing layer thickness from n = 1 to n = 4, followed by a decrease in lifetime from n = 4 to ∞. The longest coherence lifetime of ∼7 ps is observed in the n = 4 sample. Our results are consistent with two contributions: Rashba splitting increases the spin coherence lifetime going from the n = ∞ to the layered systems, while phonon scattering, which increases for smaller layers, decreases the spin coherence lifetime. The interplay between thes...
Contending Worldviews in the Clinical Encounter: An Empirical Study of Complementary and Alternative Medicine Deliberations in Contemporary Medical Oncology

Abstract Objective: In this article, the authors characterize the different ways patients and clinicians discuss complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) during routine cancer care. Methods: Ov...
Enhanced p-Type Doping in Polycrystalline CdTe Films: Deposition and Activation

An in situ nonequilibrium method to increase hole density in polycrystalline CdTe thin films to 1016 cm−3 using group V substitution on Te is presented. Single-phase CdTe films doped with P, As, and Sb were deposited at 550 °C at 100–200 nm/s onto moving cadmium sulfide/high resistance transparent buffer layer/transparent conductive oxide /glass superstrates by vapor transport deposition in Cd overpressure from high purity compound sources. Doping levels before and after activation were determined by capacitance-voltage analysis of diagnostic devices. Secondary ion mass spectrometry depth profiling confirmed dopant incorporation levels of 1017–1018 atoms/cm3 in as-deposited films. Electronic activation was carried out by post-deposition annealing in Cd or CdCl2 vapor with fast cooling, increasing acceptor concentrations to >1015 cm−3 for P and >1016 cm−3 for As and Sb, compared with mid −1014 cm−3 acceptor levels for undoped CdTe films. The activation methods are compatible with post-deposition processing presently used for high-efficiency CdTe solar cells. For the dopants As and Sb, the acceptor concentration increased by substitutional AsTe and SbTe formation, respectively, which was validated by cathodoluminescence spectroscopy.
Concurrent Engineering for the Management of Research and Development

The Management of Research and Development (R&D) is facing the challenges of reducing time from R&D to customer, reducing the cost of R&D, having higher accountability for results (improved quality), and increasing focus on customers. Concurrent engineering (CE) has shown great success in the automotive and technology industries resulting in significant decreases in cycle time, reduction of total cost, and increases in quality and reliability. This philosophy of concurrency can have similar implications or benefits for the management of R&D organizations. Since most studies on the application of CE have been performed in manufacturing environments, research into the benefits of CE into other environments is needed. This paper presents research conducted at the NASA Glenn Research Center (GRC) investigating the application of CE in the management of an R&D organization. In particular the paper emphasizes possible barriers and enhancers that this environment presents to the successful implementation of CE. Preliminary results and recommendations are based on a series of interviews and subsequent surveys, from which data has been gathered and analyzed as part of the GRC's Continuous Improvement Process.
Unsteady pressure patterns discovery from high-frequency sensing in water distribution systems

Abstract Pressure transients have been identified as one of the major contributing factors in many pipe failures in water distribution systems (WDSs). The behavior of these pressure transients is largely unknown and cannot be fully assessed by numerical simulation or modeling. This study investigates the behavior of pressure transients in WDSs as measured by high-frequency pressure sensors. A Time Series Data Mining (TSDM) approach is proposed to detect and cluster pressure transients to reveal recurrent and consistent patterns. The proposed technique, based on a modified two-sided cumulative sum (CUSUM) algorithm, is used to detect pressure transients. Dynamic Time Warping (DTW) is adopted to measure the similarity between the detected pressure transients, and k-means clustering algorithm is used to discover the characteristic patterns. Several performance scores are suggested to evaluate the quality of the clustering results, including sum of squared error, Silhouette index, and Calinski-Harabaz index. Results demonstrate that the proposed approach is able to reveal consistent and unique patterns across multiple sensing locations. The proposed approach provides a fast and efficient way to discover the hidden information in WDSs by analyzing high-frequency pressure signals from distributed sensors.
Los heraldos negros en contacto con Nueva York: contexto histórico, traducciones al inglés e influencia en artistas norteamericanos

Aunque Cesar Vallejo nunca fue a Nueva York en persona, el sentimiento de su poesia tiene mucho en comun con lo que expresaban los poetas norteamericanos que vivian en esa ciudad. Aqui se exploran los parecidos entre Los heraldos negros y la produccion poetica neoyorquina de principios del siglo XX. Tambien se ofrece un resumen de las ediciones en ingles mas importantes de Los heraldos negros, resenas de estas, y la influencia vallejiana en los circulos literarios norteamericanos de hoy en dia.
Above Snow Vegetation Effects on Wideband Autocorrelation Radiometry

The concept of wideband autocorrelation radiometry has recently been proposed and applied for the remote sensing of snow and lake ice. Such instruments measure the microwave emission from a scene of snow and ice over a wide and low frequency band where volume scattering within the snow/ice layer is negligible. Experiments have demonstrated that such wideband brightness temperature spectra can show oscillatory features. These features arise from coherent interference among the direct upward emission and its replicas from multiple reflections, are related to the layer thickness of snow or ice, and can be affected by interface roughness or any above snow vegetation canopy. The latter is therefore an important factor affecting the application of wideband autocorrelation radiometry in terrestrial snow remote sensing. In this paper, we analyze the effects of an above snow vegetation layer on brightness temperature spectra, particularly the possible decay of wave coherence arising from volume scattering in the vegetation canopy. In our analysis, the snow layer is assumed to be flat, and its upward emission and surface reflectivities are modeled by a fully coherent model, while the volume scattering from the vegetation layer is described by an incoherent radiative transfer model. The solution to the radiative transfer equation is obtained through an interative approach accounting for multiple scattering effects. The angular and polarization coupling arising from volume scattering and the emission contributed by the vegetation layer all cause smoothing of oscillatory patterns in the observed brightness temperature spectra.
Association between preoperative respiratory support and outcomes in paediatric cardiac surgery.

BACKGROUND Preoperative mechanical ventilation is associated with morbidity and mortality following CHD surgery, but prior studies lack a comprehensive analysis of how preoperative respiratory support mode and timing affects outcomes. METHODS We retrospectively collected data on children <18 years of age undergoing cardiac surgery at an academic tertiary care medical centre. Using multivariable regression, we examined the association between modes of preoperative respiratory support (nasal cannula, high-flow nasal cannula/noninvasive ventilation, or invasive mechanical ventilation), escalation of preoperative respiratory support, and invasive mechanical ventilation on the day of surgery for three outcomes: operative mortality, postoperative length of stay, and postoperative complications. We repeated our analysis in a subcohort of neonates. RESULTS A total of 701 children underwent 800 surgical procedures, and 40% received preoperative respiratory support. Among neonates, 243 patients underwent 253 surgical procedures, and 79% received preoperative respiratory support. In multivariable analysis, all modes of preoperative respiratory support, escalation in preoperative respiratory support, and invasive mechanical ventilation on the day of surgery were associated with increased odds of prolonged length of stay in children and neonates. Children (odds ratio = 3.69, 95% CI 1.2-11.4) and neonates (odds ratio = 8.97, 95% CI 1.31-61.14) on high-flow nasal cannula/noninvasive ventilation had increased odds of operative mortality compared to those on room air. CONCLUSION Preoperative respiratory support is associated with prolonged length of stay and mortality following CHD surgery. Knowing how preoperative respiratory support affects outcomes may help guide surgical timing, inform prognostic conversations, and improve risk stratification models.
How reliable are individual differences in eye movements in reading

Abstract This study assessed the reliability of individual differences among fluent adult readers in the effects of four variables - word frequency, predictability, visual contrast, and font difficulty – on eye fixation duration measures, word skipping probability, and regression probability. Split-half reliability was computed in a reanalysis of data from two large, previously published experiments (Staub, 2020) by correlating simple effects in two halves of each experiment (e.g., Hedge, Powell, & Sumner, 2018) and by estimating, in the context of mixed-effects models, a correlation parameter between by-subject slopes for each half (Rouder & Haaf, 2019). The reliability of the effects was generally low, though the second of these methods revealed a few notable exceptions. First, the effects of visual contrast were quite reliable, as expected based on presumed individual differences in contrast sensitivity. Second, the frequency effect on gaze duration was also reliable, but only when raw (as opposed to log) gaze duration was used as the dependent measure. The effect of predictability demonstrated poor reliability for all dependent measures. Model comparison confirmed that model fit was improved by inclusion of by-subject slopes for those effects that showed substantial reliability. These results have implications for the feasibility of studies on individual differences in eye movements in reading, as only experimental effects that demonstrate substantial reliability are good candidates to be explored in individual difference studies.
Eosinophilic Myocarditis in a Patient With Sickle Cell Disease.

Abstract A 23-year-old man with sickle cell disease treated with splenectomy and allogenic stem cell transplantation presented with recurrent chest pain, elevated cardiac enzymes, and unremarkable electrocardiography. His work-up revealed eosinophilia, raising concern for eosinophilic myocarditis. Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging showed patchy late gadolinium enhancement of the left ventricular free wall, suggestive of myocarditis. He was treated with high-dose intravenous steroids followed by oral prednisone, with improvement in his symptoms and eosinophilia and a decrease in cardiac enhancement on follow-up imaging. (Level of Difficulty: Intermediate.)
Psychotropic Polypharmacy and Antipsychotics in Children: A Survey of Caregiver's Perspectives.

We examined caregiver’s knowledge, attitudes, and concerns about their child’s psychotropic medication regimen and the potential side effects, describe how they seek information regarding treatment, and ascertain their perspectives toward deprescribing. We surveyed 48 caregivers of children 6–17 years old treated with two or more psychotropic medications or an antipsychotic medication, analyzing outcomes using descriptive statistics. Almost all (N = 44, 92%) participants reported feeling very knowledgeable about why medications were prescribed, but only one-third (N = 16, 33%) reported feeling very knowledgeable about potential problems with long-term use or polypharmacy. Half of respondents (N = 24, 50%) reported asking their provider about reducing/stopping medications due to concerns about harmful effects, and nearly half (N = 20, 42%) reported stopping medications earlier than recommended. Interventions to engage caregivers in shared decision-making about complex medication regimens and to support prescribers to safely deprescribe psychotropic medications are needed to address caregivers’ concerns regarding psychotropic medication use.
An extended evaluation of two-phase scheduling methods for animation rendering

Recently HP Labs engaged in a joint project with DreamWorks Animation to develop a Utility Rendering Service that was used to render part of the computer-animated feature film Shrek 2. In a companion paper [2] we formalized the problem of scheduling animation rendering jobs and demonstrated that the general problem is computationally intractable, as are severely restricted special cases. We presented a novel and efficient two-phase scheduling method and evaluated it both theoretically and via simulation using large and detailed traces collected in DreamWorks Animation's production environment. In this paper we describe the overall experience of the joint project and greatly expand our empirical evaluations of job scheduling strategies for improving scheduling performance. Our new results include a workload characterization of DreamWorks Animation animation rendering jobs. We furthermore present parameter sensitivity analyses based on simulations using randomly generated synthetic workloads. Whereas our previous theoretical results imply that worst-case performance can be far from optimal for certain workloads, our current empirical results demonstrate that our scheduling method achieves performance quite close to optimal for both real and synthetic workloads. We furthermore offer advice for tuning a parameter associated with our method. Finally, we report a surprising performance anomaly involving a workload parameter that our previous theoretical analysis identified as crucial to performance. Our results also shed light on performance tradeoffs surrounding task parallelization.
Mesenteric vascular occlusion in infancy and childhood

Summary The literature concerning mesenteric vascularocclusion in infancy and childhood has been reviewed and an additional fatal case reported.
Growth of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in Raw Ground Beef Stored at 10° C and the Influence of Competitive Bacterial Flora, Strain Variation, and Fat Level

Pure-culture broth-based models of the growth of Escherichia coli O157:H7 have been used to estimate its behavior in ground beef, even though these models have not been adequately validated for this food product. This situation limits accurate estimates of the behavior of E. coli O157:H7 in ground beef and introduces uncertainties in risk assessments. In the present study, the growth of single and multiple strains of E. coli O157:H7 were measured in retail ground beef stored at 10 degrees C for up to 12 days, and the results were compared with estimates generated by the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Pathogen Modeling Program (PMP; version 5.1). At pH 5.9, the PMP predicted a maximum population density (MPD) of 9.13 log10 CFU/g, an exponential growth rate (EGR) of 0.052 log10 CFU/h, and a lag time of 56.3 h. Similar parameter values were observed for sterilized ground beef; however, no lag phase was observed. In contrast, the mean MPD and EGR for retail ground beef were 5.09 log10 CFU/g and 0.019 log10 CFU/h, respectively, and no lag phase was observed. Both the EGR and the MPD increased with decreasing fat levels. There was low variation in the MPD and EGR parameters for the nine E. coli O157:H7 ground beef isolates. Two isolates of competitive native flora were separately added to sterilized ground beef, and the EGR and MPD decreased as the ratio of competitive flora to E. coli O157:H7 increased. For one strain, at ratios of 1:1, 10:1, and 100:1, the EGRs were 0.033, 0.025, and 0.018 log10 CFU/h, respectively, and the MPDs were 6.14, 5.08, and 4.84 log10 CFU/g, respectively. These results demonstrate that existing broth-based models for E coli O157:H7 must be validated for food and that models should consider the effects of the food matrix, the competitive microflora, and potential pathogen strain variation.
Complementary Flyover and Rover Sensing for Superior Modeling of Planetary Features

This paper presents complementary flyover and surface exploration for reconnaissance of planetary point destinations, like skylights and polar crater rims, where local 3D detail matters. Recent breakthroughs in precise, safe landing enable spacecraft to touch down within a few hundred meters of target destinations. These precision trajectories provide unprecedented access to bird’s-eye views of the target site and enable a paradigm shift in terrain modeling and path planning. High-angle flyover views penetrate deep into concave features while low-angle rover perspectives provide detailed views of areas that cannot be seen in flight. By combining flyover and rover sensing in a complementary manner, coverage is improved and rover trajectory length is reduced by 40 %. Simulation results for modeling a lunar skylight are presented.
Progestational and androgenic substances tested on the highly proliferated vaginal epithelium of surgical castrates. I. Progestational substances.

Abstract The degree and the duration of androgenic activity of two esters of testosterone, testosterone enanthate and testosterone propionate, were evaluated and compared on the vaginal epithelium of 7 surgical castrates under estrogen therapy.
Hst Observations of Abell 2125: Radio Emission and the Butcher-Oemler Effect

We have surveyed more than 40 Abell clusters at redshifts z ≥ 0.2 with the VLA at 20cm down to radio powers of P20cm ~ 1022 W Hz-1. For P20cm > 1023, the radio luminosity function (RLF) is dominated by nuclear/AGN activity, predominantly in elliptical galaxies. For P20cm< 1023, the RLF becomes increasingly dominated by star formation, with some contribution from weak AGN’s. We have found that a significant number of clusters show an apparent excess of radio sources by as much as factors of 5–6 at these lower power levels, which appears to be correlated with the cluster blue-fraction and the Butcher-Oemler effect (BO) (Morrison, 1999; Butcher and Oemler, 1984). We have undertaken a multiwavelength study of one of these clusters (A2125, z = 0.246) in order to study the processes responsible for the observed radio excess and its relationship to the BO-effect. A more detailed analysis of the optical, X-ray, and radio properties of A2125 is given in Owen et al (1999), Ledlow et al.(1999), and Dwarakanath and Owen (1999). The X-ray properties of A2125 were previously discussed by Wang. et al.(1997).
DDDAS Predictions for Water Spills

Time based observations are the linchpin of improving predictions in any dynamic data driven application systems. Our predictions are based on solutions to differential equation models with unknown initial conditions and source terms. In this paper we want to simulate a waste spill by a water body, such as near an aquifer or in a river or bay. We employ sensors that can determine the contaminant spill location, where it is at a given time, and where it will go. We estimate initial conditions and source terms using better and new techniques, which improves predictions for a variety of data-driven models.
Representation in Congress: A Unified Theory

Representation in Congress provides a theory of dyadic policy representation intended to account for when belief sharing, delegate, responsible party, trustee, and 'party elite led' models of representational linkage arise on specific policy issues. The book also presents empirical tests of most of the fundamental predictions for when such alternative models appear, and it presents tests of novel implications of the theory about other aspects of legislative behavior. Some of the latter tests resolve contradictory findings in the relevant, existing literature - such as whether and how electoral marginality affects representation, whether roll call vote extremism affects the re-election of incumbents, and what in fact is the representational behavior of switched seat legislators. All of the empirical tests provide evidence for the theory. Indeed, the full set of empirical tests provides evidence for the causal effects anticipated by the theory and much of the causal process behind those effects.
Themis: energy efficient management of workloads in virtualized data centers

Virtualized data centers facilitate higher resource utilization and energy efficiency through consolidation. However, mixing services-oriented workloads with throughput (batch) jobs is typically avoided due to complex interactions and widely different quality of service (QoS) requirements. We introduce a complete VM resource management framework, called Themis, which manages combined services and batch jobs, maximizing energy-efficient throughput of the latter without sacrificing the service guarantees of the former. Themis' resource management policy outperforms the prior proposed policies by up to 35% on average in work done per Joule when measured on a data center testbed.
Looking Back on Don't Ask Don't Tell

The author, a native of Louisville, Kentucky, a decorated naval officer, and a veteran of multiple tours during the Iraq War, describes his experience serving under the military's Don't Ask Don't Tell policy. Issues around fear of being reported, relationship strain, and also pride in service are discussed.
Constructing valid spatial processes on the sphere using kernel convolutions

Remotely sensed data products are now routinely used to study various aspects of the Earth's atmosphere. These remote sensing datasets are typically very high dimensional, have near global coverage and exhibit nonstationary spatial correlation structures. Proper statistical analysis of these datasets should be sufficiently flexible to account for all these aspects. To this end, we develop a kernel convolution construction of spatial processes on a sphere. As is the case with kernel convolution constructions on the plane, we establish a link between stationary kernels and a stationary covariance function on the sphere via the spherical harmonic decomposition of the kernel. We also introduce the Kent distribution as an appropriate kernel with interpretable parameters to be used in the kernel convolution construction. We demonstrate the discrete kernel convolution model using a dataset of remotely sensed CO2 concentrations over the globe. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A rubrerythrin operon and nigerythrin gene in Desulfovibrio vulgaris (Hildenborough).

Rubrerythrin is a nonheme iron protein of unknown function isolated from Desulfovibrio vulgaris (Hildenborough). We have sequenced a 3.3-kbp Sal1 fragment of D. vulgaris chromosomal DNA containing the rubrerythrin gene, rbr, identified additional open reading frames (ORFs) adjacent to rbr, and shown that these ORFs are part of a transcriptional unit containing rbr. One ORF, designated fur, lies just upstream of rbr and encodes a 128-amino-acid-residue protein which shows homology to Fur (ferric uptake regulatory) proteins from other purple bacteria. The other ORF, designated rdl, lies just downstream of rbr and encodes a 74-residue protein with significant sequence homology to rubredoxins but with a different number and spacing of cysteine residues. Overexpression of rdl in Escherichia coli yielded a protein, Rdl, which has spectroscopic properties and iron content consistent with one Fe3+(SCys)4 site per polypeptide but is clearly distinct from both rubrerythrin and a related protein, nigerythrin. Northern analysis indicated that fur, rbr, and rdl were each present on a transcript of 1.3 kb; i.e., these three genes are cotranscribed. Because D. vulgaris nigerythrin appears to be closely related to rubrerythrin, and its function is also unknown, we cloned and sequenced the gene encoding nigerythrin, ngr. The amino acid sequence of nigerythrin is 33% identical to that of rubrerythrin, and all residues which furnish iron ligands to both the FeS4 and diiron-oxo sites in rubrerythrin are conserved in nigerythrin. Despite the close resemblance of these two proteins, ngr was found to be no closer than 7 kb to rbr on the D. vulgaris chromosome, and Northern analysis showed that, in contrast to rbr, ngr is not cotranscribed with other genes. Possible redox-linked functions for rubrerythrin and nigerythrin in iron homeostasis are proposed.
A Complete Monolithically-Integrated Circuit for All Optical Generation of Millimeter-Wave Frequencies

Generation of millimeter-wave electronic signals and power is required for high-frequency communication links, RADAR, remote sensing and other applications. However, in the 30 to 300 GHz mm-wave regime, signal sources are bulky and inefficient. All-optical generation of mm-wave signals promises to improve efficiency to as much as 30 to 50 percent with output power as high as 100 mW. All of this may be achieved while taking advantage of the benefits of monolithic integration to reduce the overall size to that of a single semiconductor chip only a fraction of a square centimeter in size. This report summarizes the development of the first monolithically integrated all-optical mm-wave signal generator ever built. The design integrates a mode-locked semiconductor ring diode laser with an optical amplifier and high-speed photodetector into a single optical integrated circuit. Frequency generation is demonstrated at 30, 60 and 90 Ghz.