cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Lemierre Syndrome Secondary to Community-acquired Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus Infection Associated with Cavernous Sinus Thromboses

Abstract Background Lemierre Syndrome (LS) is a highly aggressive rare disease process with a predilection for young, healthy adolescents. Often beginning with a primary cervicofacial infection, LS rapidly progresses to thrombophlebitis of the cerebral vasculature, metastatic infection, and septicemia. Untreated LS can be rapidly fatal. Thrombus within the cerebral vasculature can have devastating neurological effects. Advances in antibacterial therapy have resulted in a global decline in the incidence of LS, and clinicians may not consider LS early in the disease process. Although the mortality of LS has declined, the morbidity associated with the disease has increased, particularly the neurological sequelae. Objectives This report will provide readers with a better understanding of the etiology, clinical presentation, evaluation methods, and appropriate treatment of LS. Case Report We present an atypical case of LS secondary to community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection progressing to bilateral cavernous sinus and ophthalmic vein thromboses with resultant binocular vision loss secondary to optic nerve and retinal ischemia. Conclusion This case highlights the importance of early recognition of LS in the setting of a community-acquired MRSA infection as the unifying condition in a young patient with multiple acute neurologic impairments.
A robotic device for manipulating human stepping

This paper provides a detailed design description and technical testing results of a device for studying motor learning and rehabilitation of human locomotion. The device makes use of linear motors and a parallel mechanism to achieve a wide dynamic force bandwidth as it interacts with the leg during treadmill stepping.
“Haven’t We Always Been Doing Mixed Methods Research?” Lessons Learned From the Development of the Horseless Carriage

Recent authors have examined the origins of mixed methods research arguing that it is actually nothing new, and that current interest in mixed methods research is little more than a fad. For example, Pelto (2015) illustrated that anthropologists have used qualitative and quantitative methods together for more than 80 years, claimed that mixed methods research was nothing new, and questioned the excitement about mixed methods as an emerging methodology. The fields of social psychology (Festinger, Riecken, & Schachter, 1956; Milgram, 1974) and sociology (Jahoda, Lazarsfeld, & Zeisel, 1971) as well have had a history of combining qualitative and quantitative methods in single programs of research. In this issue, Maxwell traces evidence for combining qualitative and quantitative data back for centuries, and provides examples from the natural, social and health sciences traditions. (Maxwell, 2016) Also in this issue, Ramlo traces Q methodology to 1935 (Ramlo, 2016). Undoubtedly, combining qualitative and quantitative methods has occurred in other fields as well prior to emergence of the term mixed methods in the late 20th century. While there is clear evidence that using qualitative and quantitative data collection procedures together is not new (Teddlie & Johnson, 2009) during the early- to mid-20th century, mixed methods research never had a full chance to develop fully because of the power and ascendency of other paradigms, especially in the social and health sciences, that controlled how research was conducted and written. Regarding mixed methods research as a fad, one observer found difficulty in identifying anything novel about mixed methods research, and concluded that it was, “arguably yet another in a long line of methodological trends in vogue in the guise of methodological innovation” (Sandelowski, 2014, p. 3). It strikes me that arguments claiming mixed methods research has been around for a long time, and it is … Language: en
Health Outcomes and Attitudes Toward Female Genital Cutting in a Community-Based Sample of West African Immigrant Women from High-Prevalence Countries in New York City

ABSTRACTFemale genital cutting (FGC), a deeply rooted cultural practice with high prevalence rates in many West African countries, is considered by many to represent systematic gender-based violence and human rights violation. Although short- and long-term health consequences of FGC have been examined in studies in Africa, the experiences of women who have immigrated to the Western countries such as the United States have remained largely unexplored. We sought to examine prevalence rates of FGC, as well as differences in demographic characteristics, health outcomes, and knowledge, attitudes, and beliefs among West African immigrants. This study employed audio computer-assisted self-interviewing with a community-based sample of 68 women from Gambia, Guinea, Mali, and Sierra Leone living in New York City. The rate of FGC was 68% overall and varied significantly by country, tribe or ethnicity, and marital status. Women with FGC had a significantly higher number of live births and were more likely to report a...
The Gazli, USSR, 19 March 1984 earthquake: The mechanism and tectonic implications

The fault parameters of the Gazli, USSR, earthquake of 19 March 1984 Ms = 7.0 were determined from the inversion of the GDSN long-period P and SH and short-period P seismograms. The frequency of the short-period seismograms was broadened by partially deconvolving the effect of the recording instruments. The earthquake represents a thrust fault with a small amount of a left-handed strike-slip component on a NE-SW trending fault dipping northwest. The average depth is 9 km. The rupture propagated essentially continuously while breaking several high stress asperities. Directivity of the observed waveforms indicates principal rupture direction from SE to NW. The total duration of rupture is about 13 sec. The average scalar seismic moment found from the long-period wave-forms is 2.5 × 1019 N-m. In addition to the 1984 event, the Gazli region experienced two large ( Ms = 7.0) earthquakes in 1976 and one medium size earthquake ( Ms = 5.7) in 1978. The mechanisms of the 1976 events were studied by Hartzell (1980) and Kristy et al . (1980), and are thrust events striking in the general E-W direction. We determined the mechanism of the 1978 earthquake and find it similar to those of the 1976 earthquakes. An interesting feature of the Gazli earthquake sequence is the migration of activity from east to west along an arc shaped fault zone. Prior to 1976, the region was relatively aseismic, based on instrumental and historical seismicity data.
Richer of Saint‐Rémi: The Methods and Mentality of a Tenth‐Century Historian. By Justin Lake. (Washington, DC: Catholic University of America Press, 2013. Pp. xii, 321. $69.95.)

The author of this book has already published an excellent English translation of Richer of Saint‐Remi's History with facing‐page Latin text (Dumbarton Oaks Medieval Library, 2011). The book here u...
Is palmar surface area a reliable tool to estimate burn surface areas in obese patients

Estimating TBSA burned is critical to the initial management and fluid resuscitation of patients who have sustained burn injuries. TBSA of scattered burn injuries are frequently estimated using the patient's percentage palmar surface area (%PSA), which is taught as being 1% of the TBSA. This study investigates the relationship of %PSA to TBSA as the body mass index (BMI) increases. Age, sex, race, weight, height, and PSA was collected from obese and nonobese volunteers. TBSA was calculated using the Mosteller, DuBois-DuBois, Livingston and Scott, and Yu formulas. The %PSA relative to TBSA was calculated in obese and nonobese volunteers. Data from 100 subjects were collected. Fifty subjects had a BMI >30 and 50 had a BMI <30. The average age was 41 years (22-77 years old). There were 68 women and 32 men. The %PSA ranged from 0.49% of TBSA with a BMI of 58.7 to 1.15% of TBSA with a BMI of 22.6. This correlation of %PSA to BMI was statistically significant with all of the formulas. We should not assume that the %PSA is always 1% of TBSA, especially in obese patients.
Nash's Theory of Cooperative Games as a Predictor of the Outcomes of Buyer-Seller Negotiations: An Experiment in Media Purchasing:

The authors report an experimental investigation of the ability of Nash's theory of cooperative games to predict the outcomes of buyer-seller negotiations, using the purchase of media time as an ex...
Local shear stress-strain response of Sn-3.5Ag/Cu solder joint with high fraction of intermetallic compounds: Experimental analysis

Abstract Current trend in miniaturization of microelectronic devices is the motivating factor for size reduction of joints and interconnects. The electronic industry is expecting to reduce the scale of interconnects in the next generations microelectronic devices. Mechanical behavior of these joints will significantly be different from traditional solder joints due to the effects such as geometrical and microstructural constraints, anisotropy caused by the reduction in a number of grains, and the presence of brittle intermetallics (IMCs). Mechanical experiments at this scale are very challenging. This study was focused on investigating the effect of different volume fraction of IMCs on the shear behavior of micro-scale solder joints with a 50 μm stand-off height. A single lap-shear specimen was designed to conduct the study. Two Copper (Cu) substrates were soldered together with Sn-3.5Ag solder foil and a thickness of 50 μm was achieved. The soldering temperature of 260 °C and soldering time of 10, 30 and 60 min were utilized to achieve approximately 40%, 60% and 80% IMCs of total joint thickness. The experiments were conducted using a micro-tensile tester which is integrated with an optical microscope for monitoring and observing deformation in the testing materials. To investigate the local shear strain behavior, an optical technique along with a developed image processing computer program was used. The single lap-shear tests were conducted with the shear strain rate of 0.015s−1 and 0.15s−1 to observe its effect on shear stress-strain behavior. The study shows that the ultimate shear strength and strain to failure are largely dependent on the volume fraction of IMCs. On the other hand, the far-field or nominal shear strain is totally different than the local shear strain behavior at solder joint region. Fractography analysis was conducted to investigate the possible failure mechanism. A ductile to brittle fracture mode transition along with dominant interfacial delamination is witnessed when the solder joints had a higher volume fraction of IMCs than bulk solder. Effect of different shear strain rates on the shear strength, failure strain and fracture mode were also investigated. Different shear strain rates tend to have an insignificant effect on the shear strength of the joint whereas the failure strain decreases considerably at higher shear strain rate.
Analysis on monitoring results of urban drinking water in Lanzhou city during 2009-2010

Objective:Understanding the quality of urban drinking water in Lanzhou during 2009-2010.Methods: According to "Sanitary Standard for Drinking Water Quality" GB5749-2006,the following indices are included to do the monitoring: sensory and physical characteristics,inorganic non-metals,metals,organic composite,organics,pesticides,disinfectants,disinfection by-products,microbes and radiations.Every water sample is monitored by 68 items.Results: The pass rates of drinking water in Lan Zhou in 2009 and 2010 were 64.7% and 73.5% respectively.Conclusion: The pass rate of tap water in Lanzhou during 2009-2010 is relatively high and the pass rate of drinking water produced by self-provided waterworks is relatively low.Thus the supervision of self-provided waterworks should be strengthened.
Conscious atrial appendectomized rats have a blunted atrial natriuretic factor release to volume expansion but normal responses to other acute stimuli.

The release of atrial natriuretic factor (ANF) after various acute stimuli was studied in conscious chronic bilaterally atrial appendectomized (APP) rats. The response to acute volume expansion was markedly blunted (+67% v +357% in controls, P less than .01). However, the response to norepinephrine infusion was only moderately reduced (+107% v +212%, P less than .05) and the response to acute salt load was identical to that in normal controls (+148% v +180%, P = NS). These results demonstrate that APP rats can increase the secretion of ANF, at least to some acute stimuli. This indicates that the stores of ANF available for release are not significantly depleted after atrial appendectomy.
Freedom, money and justice as fairness

The first principle of Rawls’s conception of justice secures a set of ‘basic liberties’ equally for all citizens within the constitutional structure of society. The ‘worth’ of citizens’ liberties, however, may vary depending upon their wealth. Against Rawls, Cohen contends that an absence of money often can directly constrain citizens’ freedom and not simply its worth. This is because money often can remove legally enforced constraints on what citizens can do. Cohen’s argument – if modified to apply to citizens’ ‘moral powers’ rather than ‘negative liberty’ – threatens a core feature of Rawls’s conception of justice, as it is unclear why the parties within the ‘original position’ would endorse the lexical priority of the first principle over the ‘difference principle’ (which concerns the distribution of wealth) if both principles similarly shape citizens’ freedom. I concede Cohen’s point regarding the relation between freedom and money but argue that it is not fatal to Rawls’s conception of justice if the...
Experimental warming in a dryland community reduced plant photosynthesis and soil CO2 efflux although the relationship between the fluxes remained unchanged

Summary Drylands represent our planet's largest terrestrial biome and, due to their extensive area, maintain large stocks of carbon (C). Accordingly, understanding how dryland C cycling will respond to climate change is imperative for accurately forecasting global C cycling and future climate. However, it remains difficult to predict how increased temperature will affect dryland C cycling, as substantial uncertainties surround the potential responses of the two main C fluxes: plant photosynthesis and soil CO2 efflux. In addition to a need for an improved understanding of climate effects on individual dryland C fluxes, there is also notable uncertainty regarding how climate change may influence the relationship between these fluxes. To address this important knowledge gap, we measured a growing season's in situ photosynthesis, plant biomass accumulation and soil CO2 efflux of mature Achnatherum hymenoides (a common and ecologically important C3 bunchgrass growing throughout western North America) exposed to ambient or elevated temperature (+2 °C above ambient, warmed via infrared lamps) for 3 years. The 2 °C increase in temperature caused a significant reduction in photosynthesis, plant growth and soil CO2 efflux. Of important note, photosynthesis and soil respiration appeared tightly coupled and the relationship between these fluxes was not altered by the elevated temperature treatment, suggesting C fixation's strong control of both above-ground and below-ground dryland C cycling. Leaf water use efficiency was substantially increased in the elevated temperature treatment compared to the control treatment. Taken together, our results suggest notable declines in photosynthesis with relatively subtle warming, reveal strong coupling between above- and below-ground C fluxes in this dryland and highlight temperature's strong effect on fundamental components of dryland C and water cycles.
Basic Ultrasound Physics, Doppler Ultrasound, and Hemodynamic Assessment

A basic understanding of physics is necessary for effective clinical use of ultrasound, and it allows appreciation of the wonderful technology we now use. Rapid waveform analysis and massive data storage capability make high-resolution imaging and complex hemodynamic assessment accessible at the bedside. Understanding the principles of ultrasound physics and applying them to echocardiography help us to understand the anatomy and function of the heart, while use of Doppler principles allows us to make assessments of blood flow, valve areas, and pressure gradients.
Deodorization of garlic odor by spearmint, peppermint, and chocolate mint leaves and rosmarinic acid

Abstract The deodorization capacity of mint leaves against garlic odor has been linked to their phenolic and enzymatic components. This study determined the deodorizing effect of 3 types of fresh mint leaves (peppermint, spearmint, and chocolate mint) and pure rosmarinic acid on garlic volatiles. Garlic volatiles were measured in the headspace of a sealed bottle containing pre-weighed garlic cloves blended with mint leaves, rosmarinic acid, or a mint leaves-rosmarinic acid mixture, using selected ion flow tube-mass spectrometry (SIFT-MS). All 3 mint leaf cultivars significantly reduced the headspace concentrations of sulfur volatiles in crushed garlic. Although chocolate mint leaves had the highest rosmarinic acid content, peppermint and spearmint leaves were more effective in decreasing the headspace garlic volatiles. Increasing the amount of peppermint leaves (from 1 to 10 g) blended with garlic cloves increased the deodorizing effect. Pure rosmarinic acid significantly reduced the levels of most garlic volatiles, however, the deodorization was not strongly dependent on the amount (2 vs. 40 mg) of rosmarinic acid. Moreover, the mixture of peppermint and rosmarinic acid significantly reduced garlic volatiles as compared to rosmarinic acid alone. This suggests a synergistic effect between other components in peppermint and rosmarinic acid in the deodorization of garlic odor.
Two-Step Runge-Kutta: Theory and Practice

Local and global error for Two-Step Runge-Kutta (TSRK) methods are analyzed using the theory of B-series. Global error bounds are derived in both constant and variable stepsize environments. An embedded TSRK pair is constructed and compared with the RK5(4)6M pair of Dormand and Prince on the DETEST set of problems. Numerical results show that the TSRK performs competitively with the RK method.
Subcellular Reactive Oxygen Species (ROS) in Cardiovascular Pathophysiology

There exist two opposing perspectives regarding reactive oxygen species (ROS) and their roles in angiogenesis and cardiovascular system, one that favors harmful and causal effects of ROS, while the other supports beneficial effects. Recent studies have shown that interaction between ROS in different sub-cellular compartments plays a crucial role in determining the outcomes (beneficial vs. deleterious) of ROS exposures on the vascular system. Oxidant radicals in one cellular organelle can affect the ROS content and function in other sub-cellular compartments in endothelial cells (ECs). In this review, we will focus on a critical fact that the effects or the final phenotypic outcome of ROS exposure to EC are tissue- or organ-specific, and depend on the spatial (subcellular localization) and temporal (duration of ROS exposure) modulation of ROS levels.
Looking Back to Look Forward: Federal Officials’ Perceptions of Public Engagement:

The authors of the Refounding volumes raised concerns about citizen inclusion in agency decision making. We respond by studying public participation in federal decision making through 61 interviews...
4 – Industry and Enterprise Data and Measures

Publisher Summary The study presented in this chapter consists of two major components. The first component uses industry-level data and a national sample to analyze the impact of industrial structure on workers in the United States. Industry data were collected from a number of primary sources. The industry data set developed and utilized for this study is the most extensive and up-to-date data set of its kind. This industry data is linked to persons in the March–May match 1973 Current Population Survey (CPS). This sample was chosen because it contains detailed data on employment, hours worked, earnings, and unionization. Of the CPS data available, it is the nearest in time to the second survey utilized in this study—the 1975 Wisconsin survey. The second component of the proposed study relies on the use of enterprise-level data. These data were collected from various published and unpublished sources for the employers of the respondents to the 1975 Wisconsin study, which also included extensive labor force participation information.
ShinyR-DAM: a program analyzing Drosophila activity, sleep and circadian rhythms

We developed a web application ShinyR-DAM for analyzing Drosophila locomotor activity, sleep, and circadian rhythms recorded by the Drosophila Activity Monitor (DAM) system (TriKinetics, Waltham, MA). Comparing with the existing programs for DAM data analysis, ShinyR-DAM greatly decreases the complexity and time required to analyze the data, producing informative and customizable plots, summary tables, and data files for statistical analysis. Our program has an intuitive graphical user interface that enables novice users to quickly perform complex analyses.
Unpacking the Mexican Federal Judiciary: An Inner Look at the Ethos of the Judicial Branch

Based on 45 interviews conducted in 6 different jurisdictions in Mexico, this article presents a close examination of the distinctive attributes and practices that characterize the Mexican Federal Judiciary (Poder Judicial Federal). Interviewees included typists, clerks and court clerks, judges, and justices, as well as scholars and experts with an in-depth knowledge of this institution. From an insider perspective, the article sheds light on idiosyncrasies, customs, and organizational patterns that are not well known outside the MFJ, such as its strong hierarchical structure, the nature of the work done, employee salaries, the practices of legalism, the risks of drug-related trials, and structural gender inequalities. It also discusses phenomena like influence peddling, cronyism, and nepotism, all of which are widely practiced within the MFJ but kept undisclosed. These practices do not necessarily have a negative connotation within the federal judiciary because they have become normalized due to their widespread use. In fact, the notion of corruption is somehow ambiguous for many judicial employees. Despite all this, the MFJ has become a more professionalized branch where the vast majority of employees performed their job competently and efficiently.
Abstract 1514: Role of polycomb proteins in neuroendocrine prostate cancer

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most common non-skin cancer and the 3 rd leading cause of cancer-related death in American men. Androgen ablation therapy has been the gold standard for treating advanced stage PCa since the 1960s. Initially, the PCa patients respond to hormone ablation very positively. However, over time these tumors almost always become resistant to androgen ablation therapy, and tumors begin to grow again. Recent studies found after failure of the new drugs that block androgen action, PCa has increased neuroendocrine phenotype. Understanding the mechanisms through which PCa cells gain neuroendocrine phenotype is critical for the development of novel therapeutics. Polycomb repressive complex are involved in early embryo development and carcinogenesis in several types of cancer including PCa. In this study, we evaluated the involvement of Polycomb proteins in neuroendocrine PCa. Using immunohistochemistry staining, we examined the expression of Polycomb protein EZH2 in advanced stage PCa. We found that EZH2 is highly expressed in both human and mouse neuroendocrine PCa. Also, we found when PCa cells are induced to undergo neuroendocrine differentiation, multiple Polycomb genes are induced. These data suggest that Polycomb genes play a role in the development of neuroendocrine PCa. Citation Format: Zachary Connelly, Shu Yang, Anthony Blankenship, Xiuping Yu. Role of polycomb proteins in neuroendocrine prostate cancer [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 1514.
Cultural Politics and the Curriculum in Postsecondary Education.

At Women's College (a pseudonym) a faculty member reflects about faculty life and the institution's attempts at curricular overhaul. He says, "People despair so much. No matter how much we try, there is always an air of despair that we are never successful." At a second institution, Entrepreneurial University, a longtime faculty member in the natural sciences talks about his colleagues in other departments as obstacles to curricular reform:
Reflexive Asymmetry: Hegel’s Most Fundamental Methodological Ruse

The paper here printed was given to the Philosophical Seminar of Freiburg University in Western Germany in June 1971. It was not intended to be an essay in heavy scholarship, but a philosophical interpretation and defence of some of Hege’s basic logical principles in modern terms and a modern context. Hence the absence of detailed documentation : those familiar with the Logic will know that what are being dealt with are whole stretches of the Dialectic, long studied at close quarters and now seen from a considerable distance.
Lesson and Legacy

If the 1930s was the de Forest decade of confusion and resolution, the 1940s will be the decade of the rant. By the 1930s his sound-on-film inventions were universally used by Hollywood for their profit, and while de Forest fought his film patents in court, there was no significant monetary or psychic benefit. He did win a final battle with Major Armstrong but it too only led to a giant letdown, a collective “so what?” He found the good wife, marrying the kind, beautiful, and doting Marie for lifetime marital happiness. But the decade of the 1940s will find Lee de Forest with less to do, less money for lawyers, and even a few unimportant inventions to file. The 1940s de Forest will be a seemingly always peeved person, upset with the Major, upset with radio programming, but living in Hollywood and carefully outlining his legacy. In the last de Forest decade, the 1950s, he will finally find his reward.
Episodic and Semantic Systems of Autobiographical Memory

Memories of individual life experiences and more abstract representations are distinct and independent, yet interacting, systems in memory. The basic properties of autobiographical memory distinguish it from other forms of memory. Whether autobiographical memory feeds into abstract self-knowledge depends in part upon an inference that the memory is relevant for the self. Specific memories are distorted toward consistency with one's usually positive view of the self. Compared to abstract self-knowledge, however, autobiographical memories are impressively accurate.
Integrated imaging of [11C]-PBR28 PET, MR diffusion and magnetic resonance spectroscopy 1H-MRS in amyotrophic lateral sclerosis

Abstract Objective To determine the relationship between brain tissue metabolites measured by in vivo magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS), and glial activation assessed with [11C]-PBR28 uptake in people with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). Methods Forty ALS participants were evaluated clinically using the revised ALS functional rating scale (ALSFRS-R) and upper motor neuron burden (UMNB). All participants underwent simultaneous brain [11C]-PBR28 PET and MR imaging including diffusion tensor imaging to acquire fractional anisotropy (FA). [11C]-PBR28 uptake was measured as standardized uptake values normalized by whole brain mean (SUVR). 1H-MRS metabolite ratios (myo-inositol/creatine, mI/Cr; N-acetylaspartate/creatine, NAA/Cr) were measured within the precentral gyri and brain stem (regions known to be involved in ALS pathophysiology), and precuneus (which served as a control region). Whole brain voxel-wise correlation analyses were employed to identify brain regions exhibiting an association between metabolites within the VOIs and [11C]-PBR28 uptake. Results In the precentral gyri, [11C]-PBR28 uptake correlated positively with mI/Cr and negatively with NAA/Cr. The same correlations were not statistically significant in the brain stem, or in the control precuneus region. Whole brain voxel-wise correlation analyses between the estimated brain metabolites within the VOIs and SUVR were highly correlated in the precentral gyri. Decreased FA values in the precentral gyri were correlated with reduced NAA/Cr and elevated mI/Cr. Higher UMNB was correlated with increased [11C]-PBR28 uptake and mI/Cr, and decreased NAA/Cr. ALSFRS-R total score correlated positively with NAA/Cr and negatively with mI/Cr. Conclusion Integrated PET-MR and 1H-MRS imaging demonstrates associations between markers for neuronal integrity and neuroinflammation and may provide valuable insights into disease mechanisms in ALS.
Status epilepticus in the elderly.

Children and the elderly (≥60 years of age) have the highest incidence of status epilepticus (SE). Because of their general health, elderly individuals are much more likely than younger (<60 years of age) persons to have more severe consequences from seizures. The incidence of SE is 15.5/100 000 in the 60-69 age group, 21.5/100 000 in the 70-79 age group and 25.9/100 000 in persons 80 and older. The most common cause in the elderly is acute symptomatic, with stroke and hypoxia the most frequent. The overall mortality of SE is quite high and occurs early, often within the first few days, and is related to the cause, with mortality of more than 80% in persons with anoxia. Although the cause of SE is an important factor in mortality, the aging body and brain may contribute to an unfavorable outcome. Treatment in the elderly is essentially the same as in younger adults with benzodiazepines (lorazepam, diazepam, clonazepam) and longer acting antiseizure drugs (phenytoin, fosphenytoin, valproate, levetiracetam, and lacosamide. At this time there are no evidence-based studies regarding Axis 2 (etiology) and Axis 4 (age). All current interventions for SE involve antiseizure drugs that were developed for treatment of chronic epilepsy. Treatments should be developed that are more specific for the various etiologies and involve drugs that work on the underlying cause of the SE.
Human-Driven Feature Selection for a Robotic Agent Learning Classification Tasks from Demonstration

The state features available to a robot define the variables on which the learning computation depends. However, little prior work considers feature selection in the context of deploying a general-purpose robot able to learn new tasks. In this work, we explore human-driven feature selection in which a robotic agent can identify useful features with the aid of a human user, by extracting information from users about which features are most informative for discriminating between classes of objects needed for a given task (e.g. sorting groceries). The research questions examine (a) whether a domain expert is able to identify a subset of informative task features, (b) whether human selected features will enable the agent to classify unseen examples as accurately as using computational feature selection, and (c) if the interaction strategy used to elicit the information from the user impacts the quality of resulting feature selection. Toward that end, we conducted a user study with 30 participants on campus, given a multi-class classification task and one of five different approaches for conveying information about informative features to a robot learner. Our findings show that when features are semantically interpretable, human feature selection is effective in LfD scenarios because it is able to outperform computational methods when there is limited training data, yet still remains on-par with computational methods as the training sample size increases.
Treatment of Streptococcus pneumoniae otitis media in a chinchilla model by transtympanic delivery of antibiotics

Otits media (OM) is the most frequent indication for antimicrobial prescription to US children. Streptococcus pneumoniae (S. pneumoniae) remains one of the most common pathogens causing OM. Successful eradication of S. pneumoniae in the middle ear can be achieved by adhering to a 7-10 day regimen of oral antibiotics. However, oral drug administration is challenging for parents. Lack of adherence has been associated with treatment failure or early relapse. To overcome this challenge, we used a noninvasive formulation to achieve high transtympanic antibiotic flux and cured S. pneumoniae OM in chinchillas. The formulation consists of a thermosensitive in situ gelling hydrogel, chemical permeation enhancers, and an antibiotic. The direct transport of drugs into the middle ear produced high concentrations of ciprofloxacin (in the range of hundreds of micrograms per milliliter) within the first 24 hours of administration. Drug concentrations above the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) for S. pneumoniae were sustained throughout the 7-day treatment. S. pneumoniae OM in a chinchilla model was successfully eradicated, without causing tissue toxicity. Transtympanic delivery minimized systemic drug exposure, as evidenced by undetectable levels in blood, measured by high-performance liquid chromatography.
Robust Power System Stabilizer Modeling and Controller Synthesis Framework

This study investigates uncertain power system modeling and controller synthesis frameworks for both unstructured and structured uncertainty cases by considering the single machine infinite bus power systems that substantiates the rotor oscillations of the synchronous generator at the generation end. Although the power system is highly uncertain based on the operational characteristics, the corresponding dynamics is modeled as a set of linear time-invariant systems by considering different operating points in two different uncertainty treatments, i.e., unstructured and structured uncertainty cases for global or parametric uncertainties. The corresponding uncertain power plant model is utilized to synthesize two robust controllers not only to stabilize the nominal linear time-invariant system but also to improve steady state and transient responses of the uncertain power system dynamics in the same convex hull. The multiplicative uncertainty description with a bounded uncertainty component has been chosen to reflect the power system dynamical variations in the robust modeling framework. The robust controller synthesis utilized the corresponding linear fractional transformation representation to achieve the robust performance of the uncertain power system in terms of perfect tracking to a zero reference, i.e., perfect disturbance rejections under the norm bounded uncertainty. The uncertain power system numerical modeling and two controller synthesis results for structured and unstructured uncertainty cases verify the validity of the proposed framework to reduce the magnitude and duration of the single machine infinite bus power system oscillations under dynamical variations.
Does Late Gadolinium Enhancement still have Value? Right Ventricular Internal Mechanical Work, Ea/Emax and Late Gadolinium Enhancement as Prognostic Markers in Patients with Advanced Pulmonary Hypertension via Cardiac MRI.

Objectives Investigate the impact of Right Ventricular (RV) Internal Work (IW), ratio of arterial to ventricular end-systolic elastance (Ea/Emax), and RV Insertion Point (IP) Late Gadolinium Enhancement (LGE) on outcome in Pulmonary Hypertension (PH) patients. Background LGE is well known to be present within the RVIPs and Inter Ventricular Septum (IVS) in PH patients, but its prognostic role remains complex and potentially overestimated via 2D qualitative relative to the 3D quantitative measures now available. However, Ea/Emax, a measure of ventricular-arterial coupling and IW, when added to external cardiac work i.e. the P-V loop area as correlates to the heart's energy demands, might fundamentally improve measures of prognosis as they interrogate physiology beyond just the RV. Methods Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging (CMR) of 124 PH patients (age = 60±13, 85F) referred to a large tertiary PH center, was retrospectively examined for RV volumetric and functional indices and RVIP LGE%. Right Heart Catheterizations (RHC) performed within 1±2 months of the CMR were reviewed. Ea/Emax was derived as RV End-Systolic Volume (ESV/RVSV). IW was estimated as RVESV ×(RV end-systolic pressure-RV diastolic pressure). Patients were followed from date of CMR for up to 5 years for MACE (death, hospitalized RV failure, initiation of parenteral prostacyclin, sustained ventricular arrhythmia or referral for lung transplantation). Results MACE was high; 48/124 (39%) patients had MACE by 1.6±1.3 years. Neither RVIP nor IVS LGE using visual assessment or even 3D quantization predicted MACE. The strongest predictor of MACE was RVIW (OR=1.00013, p<0.002), vs. mPAP, RV mass, RV EF and IP LGE. Conclusions Surprisingly, neither a single time-point RVIP nor whole IVS LGE% can predict outcome in the largest cohort of PH patients studied to date when compared with conventional or contemporary metrics of disease progression. CMR-LGE appears to lose its' prognostic value in PH patients in stark contradistinction to all other left and right-sided human myocardial pathologies.
Survey-Iris Recognition Using Machine Learning Technique

In this digital era, Iris identification and detection are most useful and secure to use in banking, a financial section for security as well as it avoids fraud card detection. Iris recognition system gets images of an eyes by CSI scanner, after this, it traces out and senses the iris in the image which is then meant for the feature extraction, training, and matching. In this project, we will make use of two techniques by Iris image extraction for two separate classification method of the machine learning approach. Before feature extraction Normalization and Segmentation is used for the finding out the correct position of iris region in the particular portion of an eye with accuracy. This paper more focuses on machine learning approach to use supervised learning method.
Efficient Computation of Log-likelihood Function in Clustering Overdispersed Count Data Using Multinomial Beta-Liouville Distribution

In this paper, we present an overdispersed count data clustering algorithm, which uses the mesh method for computing the log-likelihood function, of the multinomial Beta-Liouville distribution (MBLD). In one of the recent research papers, the use of the mesh algorithm, which involves the approximation of the multinomial Dirichlet distribution’s (MDD) log-likelihood function, based on the Bernoulli polynomials, has been proposed instead of using the traditional numerical computation of the log-likelihood function which either results in instability, or leads to long run times that make its use infeasible when modeling large-scale data. Therefore, we extend the mesh algorithm approach for computing the log likelihood function of the MBLD, which is a more flexible distribution. A finite mixture model based on MBLD, is optimized by expectation-maximization, and attempts to achieve a high accuracy for count data clustering. We evaluate the performance of the proposed approach, through a set of empirical experiments, that concern natural scenes categorization.
Rewriting the Narrative: An Anti-Deficit Perspective on Study Abroad Participation Among Students of Color

Higher education literature has often documented the barriers to participation in study abroad for students of color. However, the majority of study abroad research to date employs a deficit frame; focusing on why students of color do not participate, rather than what enables students of color to rise above barriers. Using an anti-deficit orientation, this study analyzed survey responses of a sample of students of color who studied abroad, in order to highlight the self-reported motivational and influential factors present in their decision-making process. Building on previous applications of the integrated college choice model (Salisbury et al., 2011), and informed by Yosso’s (2005) community cultural wealth model, this article presents a new conceptual framework for understanding how students of color use forms of capital to enable them to study abroad. Implications and practical suggestions for future research and study abroad administration are described in light of the study’s findings.
Social Networks and Migration

The frictions that restrict migration are among the largest sources of inefficiency in the global economy. The first step in designing policies to address these frictions is to understand the funda...
Effects of two-step heat treatment on the structure of cotton-derived activated carbon fibres

Activated carbon fibre (ACF), a novel material, has attracted considerable research attention. The pore structures found on the surfaces of ACFs are strongly related to their functionality. Herein, ACF was prepared via a two-step thermal treatment of cotton. The diameters and width distributions of thus-prepared ACFs were characterised using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). SEM analysis also revealed that the pore structures on the surfaces of the cotton-derived ACFs were activated by carbon dioxide. Successful adsorption functionality of these ACFs was characterised using a methylene blue (MB) solution. The effects of the two-step thermal treatment and potential applications of this methodology are also discussed. The proposed method can be used on other fibre products or industrial waste materials generated during the manufacture of cloth and fibres, and the generated ACFs can be used for energy-storage applications.
Swift and Certain Probation as a HOPE-Like Model: Progress toward Goals and Lingering Challenges

The Swift and Certain Probation Program in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana is a HOPE-like program that provides intensive supervision to high-risk probationers. The current study describes the first 2 ...
Design to Data for mutants of β-glucosidase B from Paenibacillus polymyxa: L171M, H178M, M221L, E406W, N160E, F415M

Computational protein design is growing in popularity as a means to engineer enzymes. Currently, protein design algorithms can predict the stability and function of the enzymes to only a limited degree. Thus, further experimental data is required for training software to more accurately characterize the structure-function relationship of enzymes. To date, the Design2Data (D2D) database holds 129 single point mutations of {beta}-glucosidase B (BglB) characterized by kinetic and thermal stability biophysical parameters. In this study, we introduced six mutants into the BglB database and examined their catalytic activity and thermal stability: L171M, H178M, M221L, E406W, N160E, and F415M.
Efficient purification and assembly of ribonucleoprotein complex for interaction analysis by MST assay coupled with GaMD simulations

Here, we describe a generic protocol for monitoring protein-RNA interaction using a cleavable GFP fusion of a recombinant RNA-binding protein. We detail each expression and purification step, including high salt and heparin column for contaminant RNA removal. After the assembly of RNA into the ribonucleoprotein complex, the MicroScale Thermophoresis assay enables the binding affinity to be obtained quickly with a small amount of sample. Further Gaussian accelerated molecular dynamics simulations allow us to analyze protein:RNA interactions in detail. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Gao et al. (2020).
Global Learning is Shared Learning: Interdisciplinary Intercultural Competence at a Comprehensive Regional University

Abstract This article summarizes a year-long, campus-wide initiative entitled Interdisciplinary Teaching and Assessment of Intercultural Competence (ITAIC). The project emphasized professional development of faculty who prepared, piloted, and assessed 18 online ITAIC modules. Four workshops, focused on reviewing extant scholarship, applying best practices, sharing ITAIC modules, and conducting post-project analysis and reflection, guided the process. The ITAIC project included the process of identifying collectively shared ITAIC principles and replicable best practices, culminating in a set of descriptive categories, i.e. a list of twelve “ITAIC dimensions”. The eighteen ITAIC modules were developed across disciplines, and each module was piloted in at least two courses. The modules were peer-reviewed, revised, archived ( http://dga.kennesaw.edu/sig/itaic.php ), and introduced in 23 academic departments. Altogether, approx. 100 faculty members from seven colleges and 1100 undergraduate students in 44 classes were reached during the 2014–2015 funding period. Project impact was assessed using a variety of data sources, including module reports submitted by participating faculty developers and adopters, external reviews conducted by two interculturalists at mid-year and year-end points of the project, and focus group interviews with 47 undergraduate students.
Acute Myeloid Leukemia Presenting Less Than 3 Weeks After Living Donor Kidney Transplant: A Case Report

Acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is a rare malignancy with increased incidence in the kidney transplantation (KT) population for which immunosuppression has been implicated as a putative cause. The average time interval from KT to AML development is 5 years. We present the case of a 61-year-old man who was found to have peripheral blood blasts on a postoperative day 20 routine blood draw after an uneventful unrelated living donor kidney transplant. He subsequently had a bone marrow biopsy and next-generation sequencing (NGS)-based molecular testing, which demonstrated AML characterized by SMC1A and TET2 mutations. He received induction chemotherapy followed by hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) from the kidney donor, who happened to be matched at one haplotype. At 12 months after his HCT and 15 months after his KT, his AML remained in remission, normal renal function was preserved, no active graft-versus-host disease was present, and immunosuppression was tapering. With full donor-derived hematopoietic chimerism, we expect to be able to discontinue immunosuppression shortly, thereby achieving tolerance. The short time interval between KT and development of AML suggests the malignancy was likely present before KT. Modern NGS-based analysis offers a promising method of identifying transplant candidates with unexplained hematologic abnormalities on pre-KT testing who may benefit from formal hematologic evaluation.
Salivary Gland–Type Tumors

Primary salivary gland–type tumors of the lung are rare neoplasms that arise from the submucosal glands of central airways. Four histologic types are identified (two of which are extremely rare).