cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Continuous flow left ventricular assist device implant significantly improves pulmonary hypertension, right ventricular contractility, and tricuspid valve competence.

Background Continuous flow left ventricular assist devices (CF LVAD) are being implanted with increasing frequency for end-stage heart failure. At the time of LVAD implant, a large proportion of patients have pulmonary hypertension, right ventricular (RV) dysfunction, and tricuspid regurgitation (TR). RV dysfunction and TR can exacerbate renal dysfunction, hepatic dysfunction, coagulopathy, edema, and even prohibit isolated LVAD implant. Repairing TR mandates increased cardiopulmonary bypass time and bicaval cannulation, which should be reserved for the time of orthotopic heart transplantation. We hypothesized that CF LVAD implant would improve pulmonary artery pressures, enhance RV function, and minimize TR, obviating need for surgical tricuspid repair.
Preserving Exponential Stability Under Approximation for Distributed Parameter Systems

Consider a linear Cauchy problem $$\begin{gathered}\dot z(t) = Az(t) + f(t) \hfill \\z(0) = {z_0} \hfill \\\end{gathered} $$ (1.1) on a Hilbert space Z, and assume that A is the infinitesimal generator of a C 0-semigroup T(t) on Z. Assume also that D(A)⊂ V, where ⊂ Z ⊂ V**, and the embeddings are dense and continuous. Consider also a generic approximation scheme for (1.1) that consists of finite dimensional subspacesV N ⊂ V, associated orthogonal projections P N : Z → V N , and operators A N : V N → V N . This defines a semidiscrete approximation of (1.1) given by $$\begin{array}{*{20}{c}} {{{{\dot{z}}}^{N}}\left( t \right) = {{A}^{N}}{{z}^{N}}\left( t \right) + {{P}^{N}}f\left( t \right)} \hfill \\ {{{z}^{N}}\left( 0 \right) = {{P}^{N}}{{z}_{0}}} \hfill \\ \end{array} $$ (1.2) Suppose that T(t) is exponentially stable. That is, suppose that there exists M ≥ 1 and ω > 0 such that ||T(t)||≤Me – ωt for all t ≥ 0. It is natural to ask if the sequence of finite dimensional semigroups \( {T^N}(t) = {e^{t{A^N}}} \)is uniformly exponentially stable. That is, does there exist M 1 ≥ 1 and ω1 > 0 such that || T N (t) ||≤M 1 e - ω1t for all t ≥ 0 for all sufficiently large N? A related question is the following — given finite dimensional spaces V N , can one construct A N : V N →V N so that T N (t) → T(t) and T N (t) is uniformly exponentially stable? These issues are important for approximation of optimal control problems. In particular, an important sufficient condition for convergence of approximating feedback gains in the linear quadratic regulator problem is that the approximation schemes preserve the stability behavior of the original system (see [3], [7], [8], [11]).
Interstellar scintillation: observational highlights

This paper reviews the chief observational phenomena that define interstellar scintillation (ISS) and have given evidence for a widespread distribution of plasma turbulence on very small scales. Though ISS was discovered in pulsars and is still a major perturbation of their signals, it is now also recognized in a variety of fluctuations in the flux density from quasars and Active Galactic Nuclei (AGNs).
Hans Loewald, psychoanalysis, and the project of autonomy.

For some time psychoanalysts have tended to view Freud's cultural writings—concerning modernity, secularism, science, and religion—disparagingly, seeing them as the unscientific speculations of a misguided genius. But the questions Freud explored in those works are pressing topics that deserve serious attention. Just as fascism provided the historical context in which the critical theorists of the Frankfurt School developed a psychoanalytic social theory in the 1930s and 1940s, so the rise of fundamentalism demands a similar effort today. The “project of autonomy” conceptualized by the psychoanalyst-philosopher Castoriadis can be used to situate psychoanalysis in its broader historical context, as part of the emancipatory movement of modernity, and to elucidate fundamentalism as an attempt to turn back that project and reinstate the values of premodern traditional societies. Because the widespread aversion to secularism today is in no small degree the responsibility of secularists themselves— Freud's rela...
Lights, Camera, Action: Advancing Learning, Research, and Program Evaluation through Video Production in Educational Leadership Preparation.

This article analyzes specific uses of digital video production in the field of educational leadership preparation, advancing a three-part framework that includes the use of video in (a) teaching and learning, (b) research methods, and (c) program evaluation and service to the profession. The first category within the framework examines videos produced by students and/or faculty to advance student-centered and reflective learning practices. The second category describes methods for research in leadership education through production of videos or documentary films. The third category explores videos created to evaluate programs or to share innovations within the field. This article includes web links to 23 video examples with guidelines for readers to practice video production within each category.
Erdős-Hajnal-type theorems in hypergraphs

The Erdos-Hajnal conjecture states that if a graph on n vertices is H-free, that is, it does not contain an induced copy of a given graph H, then it must contain either a clique or an independent set of size n^@d^(^H^), where @d(H)>0 depends only on the graph H. Except for a few special cases, this conjecture remains wide open. However, it is known that an H-free graph must contain a complete or empty bipartite graph with parts of polynomial size. We prove an analogue of this result for 3-uniform hypergraphs, showing that if a 3-uniform hypergraph on n vertices is H-free, for any given H, then it must contain a complete or empty tripartite subgraph with parts of order c(logn)^1^2^+^@d^(^H^), where @d(H)>0 depends only on H. This improves on the bound of c(logn)^1^2, which holds in all 3-uniform hypergraphs, and, up to the value of the constant @d(H), is best possible. We also prove that, for k>=4, no analogue of the standard Erdos-Hajnal conjecture can hold in k-uniform hypergraphs. That is, there are k-uniform hypergraphs H and sequences of H-free hypergraphs which do not contain cliques or independent sets of size appreciably larger than one would normally expect.
High-performance expert system-DBMS interface for network management and control

The field of network management in modern telecommunications networks is discussed along with the need for database and expert systems techniques in this field. It is pointed out that one of the requirements is the capability of inferencing with a very large volume of factual information. A framework is presented for optimization in coupling an expert system and a database management system (DBMS) in such a way to satisfy this requirement. A loose coupling strategy is adopted as a practical solution allowing utilization of an existing DBMS. Specifically, techniques for normalizing the logic query, implementation primitives, and the set of access strategies as mappings between the normalized primitives and implementation primitives is presented. The techniques are discussed in the context of an expert system shell, the SOL Inference Engine for Network Applications (SIENA). >
Guidelines for maxillary incisal edge position-a pilot study: the key is the canine.

Purpose: The purpose of this pilot study was to evaluate the relationship between the vertical position of the maxillary central incisal edge and the maxillary canine relative to the maxillary lip line in repose of dentate patients. This may be beneficial for clinicians in establishing guidelines for the rehabilitation of edentulous patients. Materials and Methods: One hundred and four Caucasian dentate patients (59 men and 45 women) between the ages of 30 and 59 years were evaluated. A millimeter ruler was used to measure the maxillary right central incisor edge and the maxillary right canine tip to the maxillary lip in repose. Data were collected in reference to sex and age. Results: For the female group, average central incisor exposure in relation to the relaxed maxillary lip line was 3.8 mm, and the range of exposure was –1 to +8 mm. In the 30- to 39-year olds (17 patients), the average was 4.1 mm with a range of 0 to 8 mm. The average in the 40- to 49-year-old group (16 patients) was 2.8 mm with a range of –1 to +6 mm. In 50- to 59-year olds (12 patients), the average was 1.8 mm with a range of –1 to +5 mm. In the male group, the average central incisor exposure was 2.5 mm, and the range was –3 to +7 mm. The average for the 30- to 39-year-old group (20 patients) was 3.2 mm with a range of 0 to 7 mm. For the 40- to 49-year group (18 patients), the average was 2.4 mm and for 50 to 61 years (21 patients), it was 1.4 mm with a range of –3 to +5 mm in both latter age groups. The canine position for the female group average exposure was 0 mm, with a range of –2 to +2 mm. For the 30- to 39-year old group, average exposure was 1 mm with a range of –1 to +2 mm. The 40- to 49-year-old group exposed an average of 0.4 mm with a range of –1 to +2 mm. For the 50- to 59-year old group, canine exposure was –0.5 mm with a range of –2 to +1 mm. The male average canine exposure was –0.5 mm, and the range was –3 to +2 mm. For the 30- to 39-year old group, the average was 0.9 mm with a range of –1 to +2 mm. The 40- to 49-year-old group exposed an average of 0.2 mm, with a range of –1 to +2 mm. For the 50- to 59-year old group, average was –0.9 mm with a range of –2 to +1 mm. Conclusions: There was a large range of maxillary central incisal exposure in relation to the maxillary lip line. The average dimension of central incisor exposure represented less than 30% of the subjects in the study and could not be used predictably to assess incisal edge position. The range of canine exposure was narrower. The average dimensions of canine exposure to the lip were within 1 mm for both men and women in all age groups. Further studies are needed to confirm these preliminary results. The average dimensions for the different sex and age groups related to canine exposure represented a greater proportion of the subjects. Therefore, it is suggested that the average canine exposure dimension can be used clinically to assess anterior incisor edge position when restoring edentulous patients.
Towards a temporal world-wide web: a transaction-time server

Transaction time is the time of a database transaction, i.e., an insertion, update, or deletion. A transaction-time database stores the transaction-time history of a database and supports transaction timeslice queries that retrieve past database states. This paper introduces transaction time to the World-wide Web. In a web context, transaction time is the modification time of a resource such as an XML document. A transaction-time web server archives resource versions and supports transaction timeslice. Unlike a database server, a web server is typically uninvolved in the update of a resource, instead it is only active when a resource is requested. This paper describes a lazy update protocol that enables a web server to manage resource versions during resource reads. An important benefit of our approach is that transaction-time can be supported by a transparent, minimal web server extension; no changes to legacy resources, HTTP, XML, or HTML are required. Furthermore, a web server can seamlessly become a transaction- time sever at any time without affecting or modifying the resources it services or other web servers.
Abnormal task modulation of oscillatory neural activity in schizophrenia.

Schizophrenia patients have deficits in cognitive function that are a core feature of the disorder. AX-CPT is commonly used to study cognition in schizophrenia, and patients have characteristic pattern of behavioral and ERP response. In AX-CPT subjects respond when a flashed cue “A” is followed by a target “X”, ignoring other letter combinations. Patients show reduced hit rate to “go” trials, and increased false alarms to sequences that require inhibition of a prepotent response. EEG recordings show reduced sensory (P1/N1), as well as later cognitive components (N2, P3, CNV). Behavioral deficits correlate most strongly with sensory dysfunction. Oscillatory analyses provide critical information regarding sensory/cognitive processing over and above standard ERP analyses. Recent analyses of induced oscillatory activity in single trials during AX-CPT in healthy volunteers showed characteristic response patterns in theta, alpha and beta frequencies tied to specific sensory and cognitive processes. Alpha and beta modulated during the trials and beta modulation over the frontal cortex correlated with reaction time. In this study, EEG data was obtained from 18 schizophrenia patients and 13 controls during AX-CPT performance, and single trial decomposition of the signal yielded power in the target wavelengths. Significant task-related event-related desynchronization (ERD) was observed in both alpha and beta frequency bands over parieto-occipital cortex related to sensory encoding of the cue. This modulation was reduced in patients for beta, but not for alpha. In addition, significant beta ERD was observed over motor cortex, related to motor preparation for the response, and was also reduced in patients. These findings demonstrate impaired dynamic modulation of beta frequency rhythms in schizophrenia, and suggest that failures of oscillatory activity may underlie impaired sensory information processing in schizophrenia that in turn contributes to cognitive deficits.
The treatment of type 1 diabetes mellitus with agents approved for type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Introduction: The management of type 1 diabetes remains a challenge for clinicians. Current practice is to administer insulin analogues to best mimic normal physiological insulin profiles. However, despite our best efforts the majority of individuals with type 1 diabetes continue to suffer from suboptimal glucose control, significant hypoglycemia and microvascular tissue complications of the disease. There is thus a significant unmet need in the treatment of T1DM to obtain better glycemic control.Areas covered: We discuss the use of α-glucosidase inhibitors, dipeptidyl-peptidase inhibitors, glucagon-like peptide 1 agonists, biguanides, thiazolidinediones and sodium glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors in individuals with T1DM.Expert opinion: Non-insulin therapies present a unique and exciting adjunctive treatment for individuals with type 1 diabetes. Although data are scarce, the classes of medications discussed help to lower glucose, decrease glycemic excursions and in some cases improve body weight, alon...
Recombinant herpes simplex virus type 1 expressing murine interleukin-4 is less virulent than wild-type virus in mice.

The effect of interleukin-4 (IL-4) on herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) infection in mice was evaluated by construction of a recombinant HSV-1 expressing the gene for murine IL-4 in place of the latency-associated transcript (LAT). The mutant virus (HSV-IL-4) expressed high levels of IL-4 in cultured cells. The replication of HSV-IL-4 in tissue culture and in trigeminal ganglia was similar to that of wild-type virus. In contrast, HSV-IL-4 appeared to replicate less well in mouse eyes and brains. Although BALB/c mice are highly susceptible to HSV-1 infection, ocular infection with HSV-IL-4 resulted in 100% survival. Furthermore, 57% of the mice survived coinfection with a mixture of HSV-IL-4 and a lethal dose of wild-type McKrae, compared with only 10% survival following infection with McKrae alone. Similar to wild-type BALB/c mice, 100% of IL-4−/− mice also survived HSV-IL-4 infection. T-cell depletion studies suggested that protection against HSV-IL-4 infection was mediated by a CD4+-T-cell response.
Global nationalisms, pastoral identities: Association for India's Development (AID) negotiates transnational activism

Acknowledging that AID's work is influential – and that it has a large following within the diasporic and expatriate community in the United States and India – this essay shows how the language and practice of ‘giving back’ under a rubric of liberal multiculturalism and humanism is still deeply steeped in neoliberal discourses and practices that make assumptions about power, individual agency, and privacy. Classified as a country with ‘soft currency,’ India is dependent on the very economic exchanges – such as free market trading and the outsourcing of labor to the West – against which the organization structures its philosophy. Such contradictions exist side by side, and the identities that emerge from these contradictions are what this research defines as global nationalism and pastoral identities.
Simulation of Shock Wave-Turbulent Boundary Layer Interactions Using the Reynolds-Averaged Navier-Stokes Equations

The paper examines the capability for numerical simulation of three-dimensional shock wave turbulent boundary layer interactions using the Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations. Two configurations are considered, namely, the single and double fin interactions. Numerical simulations were performed by an international group of researchers as part of an AGARD-sponsored study of capabilities for simulation of high speed flight. A broad range of turbulence models were employed including zero-, one-, two-equation and full Reynolds stress equation models. The paper presents a comparison of the numerical simulations with experiment and summarizes the results.
A Better Solution to Moral Hazard in Employment Arbitration: It Is Time to Ban Predispute Binding Arbitration Clauses

Published in new online journal: Minnesota Law Review Headnotes. Mandatory arbitration is a neologism that describes the capacity of an economically stronger repeat player to impose an adhesive binding arbitration clause on the weaker, usually one-shot, player. Such agreements appear frequently as a condition of some economic relationship, most problematically employment, consumer purchases, or health care. Employers and businesses adopt adhesive arbitration clauses as a means to manage the risk of litigation and perceived “runaway” jury awards. Professor Michael LeRoy, together with his colleague Professor Peter Feuille, has made a series of important empirical and substantive contributions to the dialogue and controversy. In his recent article appearing in the Minnesota Law Review, Professor LeRoy outlines the debate over mandatory arbitration and proposes another way to view the developing and divided case law: that courts create conditions of moral hazard by vacating arbitration awards that employees win. We argue that the data do not support Professor LeRoy’s first recommendation, and that enforcing the narrow FAA review standards will not address the many abuses presented by mandatory arbitration. We conclude that the FAA, as the Supreme Court has interpreted it lately, is the problem and not the solution. The solution is legislation to ban predispute arbitration agreements for employment, health care, and consumer disputes.
Succession Planning: Rwe Ready

Always a thorny issue but it had to be asked. Who was next in line? Management succession is a significant issue in many firms. Executives put all their energy into the business. But how much time is spent on bench strength planning? And what happens if the CEO is not ready to hand the reigns over and begin a life outside the office? This case presents transition challenges that many companies currently face - the retirement age of baby boomers and the takeover of the C level suite by the next generation.
Gaussian estimates for the heat kernel of the weighted Laplacian and fractal measures

Let 0 < wbe a smooth function on a complete Riemannian manifold Mn, and define L = — Δ — ▽ (log w) and Rw =Ric - w -1 Hess w.In this paper we show that if Rw ≥ —nK, (K ≥0), then the positive solutions of (L + ∂/∂t)u —0 satisfy a gradient estimate of the same form as that obtained by Li and Yau ([LY]) when Lis the Laplacian. This is used to obtain a parabolic Harnack inequality, which in turn, yields upper and lower Gaussian estimates for the heat kernel of L.The results obtained are applied to study the LPmapping properties of t→ e-tL μfor measures μ which are α-dimensional in a sense that generalises the local uniform α-dimensionality introduced by R. S. Strichartz ([St2], [St3]).
The devil is in the small dense saplings: A midstory herbicide treatment has limited effects on short-term regeneration outcomes in oak shelterwood stands

Abstract On intermediate quality sites, where oak advance regeneration often accumulates, we tested whether a low-intensity herbicide treatment of shade-tolerant saplings and poles (injection of stems >5 cm DBH with glyphosate), conducted just prior to a shelterwood harvest, could increase the proportion of oak (and hickory) in the regeneration layer after the harvest. Control and herbicide units were established at four study sites in southern Ohio. Advance reproduction was measured before and 4–6 years after a shelterwood harvest that reduced basal area by 50%. Before the harvest, shade-tolerant species, mainly red maple, blackgum, and sourwood, dominated the sapling layer but established oak-hickory seedlings were present at moderate densities. After the harvest, the proportion of oak-hickory did not change significantly on either control or herbicide units and non-oaks were dominant in the majority of plots. However, larger oak-hickory regeneration (>70 cm height) developed on nearly 50% of the sampling units (2-m radius subplots) and oak-hickory regeneration was dominant on a greater proportion of subplots in the herbicide units (26%) than in the control units (13%). Herbicide effects were limited due to the large number of smaller non-oak stems (
The next organizational challenge: finding and addressing diagnostic error.

Article-at-a-Glance Background Although health care organizations (HCOs) are intensely focused on improving the safety of health care, efforts to date have almost exclusively targeted treatment-related issues. The literature confirms that the approaches HCOs use to identify adverse medical events are not effective in finding diagnostic errors, so the initial challenge is to identify cases of diagnostic error. Why Health Care Organizations Need to Get Involved HCOs are preoccupied with many quality- and safety-related operational and clinical issues, including performance measures. The case for paying attention to diagnostic errors, however, is based on the following four points: (1) diagnostic errors are common and harmful, (2) high-quality health care requires high-quality diagnosis, (3) diagnostic errors are costly, and (4) HCOs are well positioned to lead the way in reducing diagnostic error. Finding Diagnostic Errors Current approaches to identifying diagnostic errors, such as occurrence screens, incident reports, autopsy, and peer review, were not designed to detect diagnostic issues (or problems of omission in general) and/or rely on voluntary reporting. The realization that the existing tools are inadequate has spurred efforts to identify novel tools that could be used to discover diagnostic errors or breakdowns in the diagnostic process that are associated with errors. New approaches—Maine Medical Center's case-finding of diagnostic errors by facilitating direct reports from physicians and Kaiser Permanente's electronic health record–based reports that detect process breakdowns in the follow-up of abnormal findings—are described in case studies. Conclusion By raising awareness and implementing targeted programs that address diagnostic error, HCOs may begin to play an important role in addressing the problem of diagnostic error.
Gentamicin inhibits carrier-mediated dipeptide transport in kidney

The effect of gentamicin on transport of pyroglutamylhistidine (pGlu-His) was examined in rabbit renal brush-border membrane vesicles (BBMV). Gentamicin, an aminoglycoside antibiotic, is limited in its usage because of nephrotoxicity characterized in part by transport defects in the proximal tubule. Since there is no information regarding the effects of gentamicin on renal peptide carriers, uptake of [3H]pGlu-His was measured in BBMV following either in vivo or in vitro exposure to the antibiotic. One hour after in vivo administration, the maximal rate (Vmax) for pGlu-His transport was significantly reduced in isolated membrane vesicles washed free of the drug, but the apparent Michaelis constant (Km) was unaltered. Coincubation of membranes with gentamicin during measurements of pGlu-His uptake had a similar effect, causing a significant decrease in the Vmax but not the Km of transport. The addition of 5 mM magnesium to the uptake medium prevented the in vitro but not the in vivo effect. The data indicate that high doses of gentamicin inhibit the capacity but not the affinity of dipeptide transport in the kidney, prior to morphological changes which typify acute tubular necrosis. The in vitro effect is rapid and involves a direct action of gentamicin on the brush-border membrane. The in vivo experiments show that toxicity may be prolonged and remains following removal of the drug from the renal brush border.
Demographic and environmental factors Consumer opinions of hospital food and foodservice

Ward and ambulatory patients and staff members of military hospitals speak their minds about hospital food and foodservice.
New IR-transmitting electrooptic materials

A search for new electrooptical (EO) materials having large EO coefficients and wide-band IR transmission was undertaken to expand the capabilities of the Hughes family of electrooptical tunable filters (EOTFs).1 Although many approaches are possible, they typically involve ionic substitution within known crystal structures or families which have demonstrated the EO effect. We investigated structural analogs of compounds, e.g., LiNbO3, which are known to have large EO coefficients; LiNbO3 has an r41 = 32 pm/V. The overall search is limited primarily to point groups which include noncentrosymmetric crystals. Our study emphasized far-IR transmitting materials with optical properties applicable to our longitudinal-mode electrooptic tunable filter (LEQTF).
Analysis and Prediction of Enterprise Service-Level Performance

Research on productivity improvement is gaining accelerated attention in enterprise industry in recent years. One notable example is the LDP solution by Xerox [1]. LDP is Xerox’s simulation-based service solution offered through Xerox Managed Services (XMS) that helps to enhance print shop productivity. There are distinctions between our and their simulation-based approaches. In our approach, we modeled the print production as a content-driven cyber-physical system [2]. Anticipating that the pervasive sensing and computing-based knowledge discovery will enable additional design space and flexibility, we have tested our optimization and knowledge discovery components on the simulation platform.
The Semantic Contribution of Complementizers and Complementation Type: The Case of Bolanci "na.".

This paper argues that the Bolanci complementizer na has an inherent semantics capable of changing the meaning of sentences in which it is embedded. Specifically, I show that the presence of na in a complex sentence communicates evidential meanings distinct from those communicated by analogous sentences lacking na. The present analysis challenges linguistic approaches that regard complementizers as grammatical morphemes devoid of semantic content, whose main function is to signal the subordinate status of the following embedded clause. I argue that the foremost function of na is to code indirect evidence. The indirect evidence coded by na is of three types. The unifying generalization about the function of na with all three types of indirect evidence is that na introduces propositional content that is not directly witnessed and that cannot be directly validated by the speaker.
Comparison of morphological and wavelet based methods in intracranial pressure signal analysis

Analysis of Intracranial Pressure signal (ICP) to predict the abrupt increases is extremely important, because this sudden elevation can be life threatening and sign of secondary brain injury. Segments with three minute duration were then constructed from the ICP signal: One from the onset of amplitude elevation as part#0, with sets 5, 15, 25 minutes prior to the elevation as respectively, part#5, part#15 and part#25. Using Fourier transform, wavelet transform and dual tree complex wavelet transform, several features were extracted. Next, the most informative features are selected with regards to three different criteria: T-Test, Statistical Correlation, and Genetic Algorithm with the cost function of SVM classification error. Then these most informative features are classified using SVM. The accuracy rate of 73.38% was achieved. In the second method, using morphological analysis, ICP signal was segmented into several sub signals including two maximum points and two minimum points. Morphological features and Power spectrum sum of each sub signal were computed and classified using SVM. The accuracy rate achieved was 87.12%. The results prove that morphological analysis of ICP signal is more efficient.
African Studies: Environment

Environmental issues and discourses figure prominently in current social science research in Africa. During the 1980s and 1990s interdisciplinary research programs on land use and environmental change in Sub-Saharan Africa increased considerably, and social scientists assumed key roles in these efforts. This entry explores different social science paradigms for examining environmental issues in Africa, the environmental effects of varied development efforts, and the social processes that drive environmental change in Africa. It focuses on critical themes, such as resource conflict, the history of conservation in East Africa, and indigenous knowledge, as well as the ways in which Africanist social scientists have addressed these. In reviewing recent research findings, the article also queries orthodox assumptions about the relationship between pastoral population growth and environmental change; the role of the state in land use and conservation; and the capacity of local institutions to regulate resource use. It concludes with a discussion of future directions in social science research on environment and land use in Africa.
Comparison of Freehand 3D and 4D Ultrasound to Measure Thrombus Volume in Patients with Acute Deep Vein Thrombosis

ObjectivesCurrent imaging techniques have limited ability to quantify thrombus burden in patients with acute deep vein thrombosis (DVT). There is limited ability to objectively measure clot progres...
Characterizing the Runtime Effects of Object-Oriented Workloads on GPUs

Modern GPGPU programming extensions like OpenCL and CUDA have supported object-oriented workloads on GPUs for several generations. However, no analysis of object-oriented workloads running on massively parallel accelerators has been investigated. This extended abstract presents a performance analysis of object-oriented workloads on a PASCAL Titan X GPU. Our characterization demonstrates that GPUs have different performance trade-offs when running object-oriented code than traditional CPUs. Where CPUs are sensitive to the misprediction of indirect branches that result from virtual function calls, GPUs are more sensitive to the additional memory system pressure that comes from loading pointers and virtual function table entries.
Service use and satisfaction among elderly former prisoners of war in South Carolina.

Objective: This project was developed to evaluate the use of and satisfaction with Veteran's Affairs (VA) medical services and disability benefits among surviving elderly prisoners of war (POWs) in South Carolina. Method: A single-assessment quantitative survey strategy was implemented to learn more about the service use patterns and satisfaction with care of two groups of male former POWs (N = 87): those who were members of a national POW service organization and those who were not. Results: Data show that the majority of these POWs had used the VA for medical care in the previous year, received disability compensation through the VA, and were satisfied with VA primary care medical services. Furthermore, differences between these two POW groups were minimal. Conclusions: Results provide preliminary evidence that many former POWs rely heavily upon the VA for provision of primary medical and specialty care and disability compensation and that POWs are generally satisfied with the VA services and benefits they receive.
Functional redundancy in the tissue-specific enhancer of the Drosophila Sgs-4 gene

Abstract During the last day of larval development, the Sgs-4 glue gene of Drosophila melanogaster is expressed at high levels in a single tissue, the larval salivary glands. As shown by transformation experiments and by DNA sequence analysis of Sgs-4 underproducing strains, an essential regulatory region for Sgs-4 expression lies between 149 and 568 bp upstream from the transcribed part of the gene. This region shows the positional independence of a transcriptional enhancer and directs at least three regulatory activities: tissue specificity, developmental timing and high-level expression. Here we use a transient transformation assay to identify three elements within this enhancer that are involved in tissue specificity. For at least this regulatory activity the enhancer is internally redundant. Any pairwise combination of the three elements is sufficient to direct salivary gland expression, although none of the three can act alone.
Comparative Analysis of Various Design Implementations of CLA Carry Chains

This paper presents a comparative research of Carry Lookahead Adder (CLA) carry chains of various design implementations, in terms of propagation delay and transistor count. Two different design implementations of CLA carry generation circuit are discussed and compared based on their speed and transistor count. The representative designs compared are Complementary Metal Oxide Semiconductor (CMOS) Conventional CLA (CCLA) carry generation structure and proposed structure of CLA carry generation, named VpAn. To yield optimized delay for the proposed VpAn Design, transistor resizing has been done. A comprehensive comparison and analysis of performance of four, eight and sixteen bit carry chains are carried out. All the schematics of the CLA carry chains are designed using 0.25um process. The simulations of the schematics of CMOS conventional CLA generation circuits and the proposed CLA carry generation designs are performed using LTspice based on 250nm CMOS technology and 2.5V supply voltage to yield realistic rise and fall times. The speed of each circuit is evaluated and our proposed model reduces the propagation delay by 75% compared to the results of CCLA before sizing. This paper establishes, how the physical implementation of circuits relate to their performance.
Identifying, Analyzing, and Combating Family Intensive Care Unit Syndrome in Long-Term Acute Care Hospitals

The family intensive care unit syndrome (FICUS) is a multifactorial condition that effects the mental health status of ICU patients’ families and has gained increased awareness by physicians and health-care workers caring for the critically ill. Survivors of critical illness with ongoing complex medical needs – the chronically critically ill – and their families also are often cared for in long-term acute care hospitals (LTACHs), which are extended-care facilities for chronically critically ill patients who are discharged from the ICU/acute care setting. Because some patients in the LTACH lack either the capacity to make decisions or an advanced directive, families or loved ones must take on the role as decision-maker or surrogate and determine the best treatment option for the patient. Due to the mental, financial, and physical stresses associated with caring for a loved in the LTACH setting, family members or surrogates with underlying medical conditions or predisposition to psychiatric disorders such as anxiety, depression, PTSD, and hypertension may notice their ailments worsening. These stressors are notably exacerbated when LGBTQ adults require the use of long-term facilities because of issues with medical coverage, since they do not receive the same insurance benefits as heterosexual couples and the discrimination the patient may face by medical staff while recovering in a LTACH. Therefore, it is crucial to identify and assess which family member or surrogate has the propensity to develop or worsen the mental and physical manifestations associated with FICUS. Several risk factors such as age, gender, the patient’s acuity, and social economic status can further contribute to FICUS in the LTACH. Although different therapies such as music, art, or writing have not been discussed in the LTACH setting, giving family members or surrogates the option to participate in these activities, along with ensuring effective communication and support, could potentially decrease or prevent the onset of FICUS in the LTACH.
Cardiovascular Complications Associated with Mediastinal Radiation.

Radiation-induced heart disease (RIHD) encompasses a broad range of pathologies and is a significant source of morbidity and mortality among cancer survivors. Increased awareness of the early and late consequences of mediastinal radiation has led to the development of strategies for cardiac risk reduction to improve outcomes through active surveillance and early detection of RIHD. This review aims to discuss the current knowledge on the presentation, diagnosis, and management of RIHD. Decades’ worth of cohort data demonstrates an increased risk of RIHD as cancer survivors age. Additionally, interventional/surgical management of irradiated patients poses unique considerations and can be technically challenging. Used in conjunction with echocardiography, multimodality imaging for morphologic and functional assessment adds complementary value in screening, surveillance, and targeted symptom investigation in patients at risk for RIHD. Furthermore, sensitive imaging parameters and biomarkers have shown potential in detecting subclinical RIHD. Despite the development of techniques which minimize cardiac exposure to ionizing radiation, their effects on the long-term development of RIHD remain to be seen. Due to the morbidity and mortality associated with RIHD, both patients and clinicians should be aware of the lifelong cardiovascular risks of mediastinal radiation exposure. RIHD surveillance should be a consideration throughout the survivorship period. Studies to evaluate the clinical consequences of contemporary radiation therapy strategies aimed at minimizing cardiac doses and the value of novel, more sensitive metrics for the early detection or prognostication of RIHD are ongoing.
Illuminating the use of the specificity principle to go inside the black box of programs: The sample case of an El Salvador positive youth development program.

Abstract. The UN 2030 Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) call for disaggregating results of program effectiveness within subgroups. Using the Bornstein (2017) specificity principle, in...
Systematic Review Investigating Relationship Between Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder (NMOSD) and Vaccination (P1.2-003)

Objective: To systematically review existing data regarding the relationship between neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder (NMOSD) and vaccination. Background: Most patients with NMOSD harbor an antibody against aquaporin-4 (AQP4-IgG) that can be detected in serum years in advance of clinical disease expression. Factors responsible for triggering NMOSD onset or individual attacks are not well understood. Vaccinations have been implicated as triggers of idiopathic transverse myelitis and other monophasic CNS inflammatory syndromes but their relationship to NMOSD onset and relapse is unclear. Design/Methods: PubMed and MEDLINE databases were searched using the following terms: “neuromyelitis optica”, “Devic’s disease”, “Devic’s syndrome”, “vaccine”, “vaccination”, and “immunization” and limited to English language publications. We included articles that described patients meeting 2006 or 2015 NMO/NMOSD diagnostic criteria and either disease onset or relapse occurring 2–42 days post-vaccination. Results: Data was abstracted from 6 articles (1 retrospective review, 5 individual case reports) describing a total of 15 patients with vaccine-NMOSD activity relationships. Ten of 15 (67%) were AQP4-IgG seropositive. Four (80%) of AQP4-IgG seronegative and 4 (40%) AQP4-IgG seropositive patients experienced their first-ever attack after a vaccine. Attack types included optic neuritis (n=8), myelitis (n=12) and area postrema syndrome (n=2). Attacks were multiregional (e.g. optic neuritis and myelitis) in 4/5 (80%) of AQP4-IgG seronegative but only 1/10 (10%) seropositive patients. Implicated vaccines included influenza, tetanus and diphtheria (Td), tetanus, diphtheria, and pertussis (Tdap), human papilloma virus, pneumococcal, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, typhoid, yellow fever, and Japanese encephalitis vaccines. Conclusions: NMOSD can arise de novo or relapse post-vaccination but current data are limited in number and quality. A greater proportion of first-event attacks and multiregional attacks in AQP4-IgG seronegative patients requires further study. This systematic review highlights the need for use of standard exposure-event methodology for conducting epidemiologic studies of NMOSD when addressing questions of vaccine-associated risks. Disclosure: Dr. Vanood has nothing to disclose. Dr. Wingerchuk has received personal compensation from MedImmune, Celgene, and Novartis. Dr. Wingerchuk has received personal compensation in an editorial capacity as co-Editor-in-Chief for The Neurologist. Dr. Wingerchuk has received research support from Alexion and TerumoBCT.
Topical sirolimus for the treatment of cutaneous manifestations of vascular anomalies: A case series

Background Vascular anomalies (VA), characterized by the abnormal development or growth of blood and/or lymphatic vessels, encompasses a spectrum of conditions with a range of symptoms and complications. VA are frequently associated with cutaneous complications that can cause significant morbidity. Systemic sirolimus has previously been shown to be effective in the treatment of complicated VA. There are limited studies to date on the use of topical sirolimus for the treatment of cutaneous manifestations of VA. Methods Retrospective review of medical records of pediatric patients with VA treated with topical sirolimus at a single quaternary pediatric institution. Response was determined by clinical subjective and objective measures of improvement. Results Twenty-three patients with cutaneous VA manifestations were treated with topical sirolimus. Median age was 14 (range 4-27 years). The main indication for treatment was complication of lymphatic blebbing (82%, n = 19) including lymphatic fluid leakage, bleeding, pain, pruritus, swelling, or recurrent infection. Treatment course ranged from 109 to 1424 days with median of 622 days. No major side effects were reported. Eighty-six percent of patients (n = 20) had subjective or objective improvement of cutaneous lesions. Lymphatic blebbing complications improved in 90% (n = 17) of individuals. Eighty-two percent (n = 14) of patients not receiving concurrent systemic sirolimus demonstrated improvement with topical therapy. One patient electively stopped treatment due to pruritus and burning sensation. Conclusion Topical sirolimus appears to be a beneficial therapy for lymphatic blebbing associated with lymphatic malformations or mixed malformations with a lymphatic component, although benefit in other VA remains unclear. Topical sirolimus was well-tolerated with minimal side effects.
Machine Learning To Predict Serious Bacterial Infections in Young Febrile Infants

BACKGROUND: Recent decision rules for the management of febrile infants support the identification of infants at higher risk of serious bacterial infections (SBIs) without the performance of routine lumbar puncture. We derive and validate a model to identify febrile infants ≤60 days of age at low risk for SBIs using supervised machine learning approaches. METHODS: We conducted a secondary analysis of a multicenter prospective study performed between December 2008 and May 2013 of febrile infants. Our outcome was SBI, (culture-positive urinary tract infection, bacteremia, and/or bacterial meningitis). We developed and validated 4 supervised learning models: logistic regression, random forest, support vector machine, and a single-hidden layer neural network. RESULTS: A total of 1470 patients were included (1014 >28 days old). One hundred thirty-eight (9.3%) had SBIs (122 urinary tract infections, 20 bacteremia, and 8 meningitis; 11 with concurrent SBIs). Using 4 features (urinalysis, white blood cell count, absolute neutrophil count, and procalcitonin), we demonstrated with the random forest model the highest specificity (74.9, 95% confidence interval: 71.5%–78.2%) with a sensitivity of 98.6% (95% confidence interval: 92.2%–100.0%) in the validation cohort. One patient with bacteremia was misclassified. Among 1240 patients who received a lumbar puncture, this model could have prevented 849 (68.5%) such procedures. CONCLUSIONS: We derived and internally validated a supervised learning model for the risk-stratification of febrile infants. Although computationally complex, lacking parameter cutoffs, and in need of external validation, this strategy may allow for reductions in unnecessary procedures, hospitalizations, and antibiotics while maintaining excellent sensitivity.
An Indecent Society, Sick Souls, and the Weak Messianic Force of God: A Reflection on Religious Health in the Anthropocene Era

This article posits that the dire realities associated with the Anthropocene Era will increase the presence of indecent societies that humiliate Others while securing the well-being of privileged groups. Within the society, humiliation, which is carried out by various political, social, and economic apparatuses, leads to civic carelessness and perfidy that accompanies both the foreclosure of the space of appearances, wherein people speak and act together, and the diminution of Others’ self-esteem, self-confidence, and self-respect. It is argued that indecent societies depend on sick souls who seek to retain social, political, and economic privileges that depend on the illusions of their superiority and the inferiority of humiliated Others. At the same time, humiliated Others, who believe in and accept their inferiority, are understood as sick souls. Healthy souls vis-a-vis the looming realities of the Anthropocene and indecent societies are depicted in terms of inoperativity or the weak messianic force of God, wherein healthy individuals and groups are not captive to and do not operate out of the illusions of superiority and inferiority, but instead recognize the unfathomableness of Others (human and otherwise). This means that Others are recognized in their suchness, which attends mutual self-respect, self-esteem, and self-confidence that are necessary for speaking and acting together vis-a-vis the space of appearances. This slight adjustment renders the beliefs of indecent societies inoperative, making possible both human agency that cares for human beings in their suchness and ecological agency that cares for the habitat and all its creatures.