cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Serial blood-based analysis of AR-V7 in men with advanced prostate cancer.

Background We previously showed that pretreatment detection of androgen receptor splice variant-7 (AR-V7) in circulating tumor cells (CTCs) from men with castration-resistant prostate cancer is associated with resistance to abiraterone and enzalutamide, but not to taxane chemotherapies. Here, we conducted serial measurements of AR-V7 and evaluated patterns of longitudinal AR-V7 dynamics over the course of multiple sequential therapies. Patients and methods Metastatic prostate cancer patients treated at Johns Hopkins with AR-directed therapies or taxane chemotherapies underwent serial liquid biopsies for CTC-based AR-V7 analysis at baseline, during therapy, and at progression. We used a CTC enrichment platform followed by multiplexed reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction analysis to detect full-length androgen receptor and AR-V7 transcripts. Patients selected for inclusion in this report were those who provided ≥4 CTC samples, at least one of which was AR-V7 positive, over the course of ≥2 consecutive therapies. Results We identified 14 patients who received a total of 37 therapies and contributed 70 CTC samples for AR-V7 analysis during a median follow-up period of 11 months. Three patients remained AR-V7 positive during the entire course of therapy. The remainder underwent transitions in AR-V7 status: there were eight instances of 'conversions' from AR-V7-negative to -positive status (during treatment with first-line androgen deprivation therapy, abiraterone, enzalutamide, and docetaxel), and six instances of 'reversions' from AR-V7-positive to -negative status (during treatment with docetaxel and cabazitaxel). Conclusions AR-V7 is a dynamic marker, and transitions in AR-V7 status may reflect selective pressures on the tumor exerted by therapeutic interventions. While 'conversions' to AR-V7-positive status were observed with both AR-directed therapies and taxane chemotherapies, 'reversions' to AR-V7-negative status only occurred during taxane therapies. Serial blood-based AR-V7 testing is feasible in routine clinical practice, and may provide insights into temporal changes in tumor evolution.
“Attacking Queshan”: Popular Culture and the Creation of a Revolutionary Folklore in Southern Henan

This article examines rural mobilization and propaganda by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) in Henan via the case of an uprising during the Northern Expedition, as well as official and popular representation of that event before and after 1949. It confirms recent scholarship regarding the role of local interpersonal networks in early rural mobilization, which in this context required infiltration of local, religio-magical popular militias called Red Spear societies. It then examines popular and party-constructed representations of the revolt, illustrating both the function of early CCP propaganda within rural popular culture and its implications for official historiography, which practiced specific forms of erasure in representing popular collective memory. It uses party documents, memoirs, and local histories to show that the historical significance of the Queshan uprising resides less in the failed revolt itself than in the ways its legacy was appropriated by cadres and historians during the twentieth ...
The MAX SUM wavelength assignment algorithm for WDM ring networks

We present a new method called MAXSUM (M/spl Sigma/), which is applicable for arbitrary mesh networks with any number of wavelengths and fibers/link. MZ consistently performs better than any other proposed WAA for unidirectional multifiber ring networks under Poisson traffic.
Responses of Spotted Hyenas to Lions Reflect Individual Differences in Behavior

Competition among mammalian carnivores can be particularly intense and can influence population dynamics at lower trophic levels. One strategy employed by carnivores to minimize potentially costly interspecific competition is avoidance of dominant species. Recent research has highlighted the importance of consistent individual differences in behavior (i.e. temperament traits) in understanding behavioral variation during predator‐prey interactions and intraspecific interactions. However, the importance of such individual differences to interspecific competition has received little attention. Here, we examined the responses of spotted hyenas (Crocuta crocuta) to their primary competitors, African lions (Panthera leo), to (1) determine whether hyenas avoid lions and (2) evaluate the potential importance of individual differences in behavior during interspecific competition. Spotted hyenas and lions co-occur throughout much of Africa and are vigorous competitors. Whereas lions sometimes kill hyenas and steal their food, lions also represent a source of food for hyenas via scavenging. Using audio playback experiments, we found that hyenas do not uniformly avoid potential encounters with lions. Indeed, we noted considerable variation among individuals in their responses to lion roars, and this variation reflected consistent individual differences in risk-taking and vigilance tendencies. Individual differences in vigilance behavior were specific to interactions with lions. We conclude that individual differences in behavior have the potential to play an important role in determining the nature and outcome of interspecific competition.
Every Day We're Shufflin': Empowering Students During In-School Independent Reading

Research in the field of literacy has identified choice as a key component affecting students' reading habits and their resulting literacy growth. This article discusses an in-school independent reading project in which students are provided the freedom to choose books, use ambient music, and engage in book talks. The children showed increased involvement in reading. For many students, school is the only place with access to high-quality, appropriate, and interesting books to read without interruption. The project exemplifies how maximizing opportunities for students to make decisions about the kind of books they read in an environment they prefer gives students ownership about what they learn and how—thereby empowering them as learners.
Growth of cartilage explants in long-term: free-swelling culture: biochemical and tensile biomechanical properties

Articular cartilage mechanical properties and biochemical composition evolve during in utero development and in vivo growth, with marked differences between the fetus, newborn, and young adult. The objective of this study was to establish an in vitro system to assess the factors that regulate such growth, in particular by characterizing the growth of fetal and newborn bovine articular cartilage explants during 6 weeks of free-swelling culture in serum-supplemented medium. During this culture period, both fetal and calf cartilage grew markedly in size, increasing in cell and matrix components. While the tensile modulus, strength and stiffness of calf cartilage were initially higher than those of fetal cartilage, the tensile properties of both types of cartilage explants fell, to similarly low levels, during the culture period. The increase in cells and matrix, but diminution rather than increase in tensile properties, suggests that regulatory factors other than serum, may trigger the biomechanical maturation of articular cartilage in vivo.
In situ TEM Ion Irradiation and Atmospheric Heating of Cladding Materials

Over the course of use, both in-service and during storage, fuel claddings for nuclear reactors undergo complex changes that can drastically change their material properties. Exposures to irradiation, temperature changes, and stresses, as well as contact with coolant, storage pool, and dry storage environments, may induce microstructural changes, such as formation of radiation defects, precipitate dissolution, and chemical segregation, that can ultimately result in failure of the cladding if pushed beyond its limit. In order to predict the performance of cladding in-service and during storage, understanding of the dominant processes related to these changes and their consequences is essential. In situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) allows dynamic observation, at the nanoscale, of microstructural changes under a range of stimuli, making it an excellent tool for deepening our understanding of microstructural evolution in claddings. This proceeding presents details of the new in situ ion irradiation TEM and in situ gas cell TEM capabilities developed at Sandia National Laboratories. In addition, it will present the initial results from both systems investigating radiation tolerance of potential Generation IV cladding materials and understanding degradation mechanisms in Zr-based claddings of importance for dry storage.
Work in progress - general engineering program assessment - where do we stand?

Identifying and adopting suitable assessment methods are the beginning steps in planning for an accreditation process of a program. For a non-degree-granting department such as the General Engineering Department at the University of Wisconsin-Platteville, where do we begin? It is not a degree-granting department; rather it feeds students into the pipeline of the majors after they have completed the basic and core engineering science courses. Assessment requires and reflects a long-term commitment to the program and its constituencies, viz., the students, alumni and industry partners. Like most engineering programs, we have a long history of self-assessment and improvement. However, we had a little documentation of processes already in place. This paper is a discussion of possible assessment measures for departments such as ours and also raises questions about what more could be done.
Online support systems

Online support systems can be divided into three classes, online tutorials, online help, and online documentation. Online tutorials have the broadest focus, helping users learn about features and tasks through explanation, example, and hands-on experimentation. Online documentation typically has a narrower focus, providing users with overviews or assistance on specific taskoriented procedures [Horton 1990]. Online help has the narrowest focus, supporting users who must solve particularly pressing problems as quickly as possible and with a minimum of interruption.
Patient-recognition data-mining model for BCG-plus interferon immunotherapy bladder cancer treatment

Bladder cancer is the fifth most common malignant disease in the United States with an annual incidence of around 63,210 new cases and 13,180 deaths. The cost for providing care for patients with bladder cancer disease is high. Bladder cancer treatment options such as immunotherapy, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, transurethral resection, and cystectomy, are used with varying success rates. In this research, data from a nationwide bacillus Calmette-Gue'rin (BCG) plus interferon-alpha ([email protected]) immunotherapy clinical trial was considered. Data mining algorithms were used to analyze the effectiveness of immunotherapy treatment and to understand the prominent parameters and their interactions. The extracted knowledge was used to build a patient recognition model for prediction of treatment outcomes. The data was analyzed to understand the impact of various parameters on the treatment outcome. A list of significant parameters such as cumulative tumor size, presence of residual disease, stages of prior bladder cancer, current state of bladder cancer, and the presence of current bladder cancer (T1) is provided. The decision-making approach outlined in the paper supplemented with additional knowledge bases will lead to a comprehensive analytical road map of the BCG/[email protected] immunotherapy treatment. It will provide individualized guidelines for each stage of the treatment as well as measure the success of the treatment.
Surgical margin determination in head and neck oncology: Current clinical practice. The results of an International American Head and Neck Society Member Survey†

Background. Our aim was to investigate the ways in which surgeons who perform head and neck ablative pro- cedures on a regular basis define margins, how they use frozen sections to evaluate margins, and the effect of chemoradiation on determining tumor margins. Methods. A custom-designed questionnaire was mailed to members of the American Head and Neck Society asking mem- bers how they evaluate and define tumor margins. Results. Of 1500 surveys mailed, 476 completed surveys were received. The most common response for distance of a clear pathologic margin was >5 mm on microscopic evaluation. A margin containing carcinoma in situ was considered a posi- tive margin by most, but most did not consider a margin containing dysplasia a positive margin. When initial frozen section margins are positive for tumor and further resection re- sults in negative frozen section margins, 90% consider the patient's margin negative. Most surgeons sample the frozen section from the surgical bed rather than from the main specimen. Nearly half use wider margins when resecting tumors treated with neoadjuvant therapy. When resecting recurrent or residual tumors treated with previous chemoradiation therapy,
A Mechanism for Supercooling in Organic Liquids

In this investigation, a mechanism for supercooling in organic liquids is formulated. By comparing the melting temperature and spontaneous freezing temperature of the chemicals evaluated with their molecular characteristics, the factors promoting supercooling are developed. The results obtained indicate that the following molecular characteristics promote supercooling in organic liquids: sharing of electrons between the atoms of a molecule; A three-dimensional chemical structure; A permanent, three-dimensional, and partially charged pocket within the chemical structure; A partially charged projection having a charge opposite that of the pocket and located on the side of the molecule opposite that of the pocket.
A comparison of Space-Based and Object-Based Models of Visual Attention:

In the present study we examined the degree to which contour and color could be used to minimize focused attention costs. Twelve subjects performed a task in which they were instructed to respond to a centrally located stimulus and ignore flanking items. The flankers could be either compatible or incompatible with the response of the target. Additionally, the flankers could be embedded in the same object as the target or embedded in different objects. When the target and flankers were embedded in the same object, performance was poorer when the target was surrounded by response incompatible items than when it was surrounded by compatible items. However, the response compatibility effect was eliminated when the target and flankers were embedded in different objects. The results are interpreted within a Hybrid Space/Object-based model of visual attention.
Flipped polyelectrolyte multilayer films: accessing the buried interface.

Little is known concerning the interface between a polyelectrolyte multilayer, PEMU, and its substrate. Recent models suggest that excess polymer charge, compensated by counterions, remains buried within the PEMU, especially for thicker films having a nonlinear component to their growth. We report a novel approach for making free-standing multilayers of poly(diallyldimethylammonium) (PDADMA) and poly(styrenesulfonate) (PSS): after assembly on aluminum substrates, films were released by brief immersion in aqueous alkali. The multilayers were then flipped, allowing access to the initially buried substrate/PEMU interface. Experiments were performed to show that this method of release, one of many established for PEMUs, perturbed the surface and bulk of the film minimally. Film/solution and film/substrate interfaces were compared using atomic force microscopy (AFM) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). AFM was used to record topography and perform nanoindentation, while XPS provided surface elemental co...
Hepatic encephalopathy in dogs and cats

Objective To comparatively review the pathogenesis, clinical presentation, diagnosis, and management of hepatic encephalopathy (HE) in dogs and cats. Data Sources The Medline database was searched for articles related to HE in people, dogs, and cats. Articles published within the last 5 years were given special importance. Human Data Synthesis The pathogenesis of HE is complex and incompletely understood, but ammonia appears to play a central role. Hyperammonemia leads to accumulation of glutamine in astrocytes, with subsequent astrocyte swelling and neurological dysfunction. The development of HE in patients with hepatic cirrhosis is a poor prognostic indicator. The fermentable disaccharide lactulose and the antimicrobial rifaximin are US Food and Drug Administration approved treatments for human HE. Severe protein restriction is no longer recommended for patients with this condition. Veterinary Data Synthesis HE is often associated with portosystemic shunting in dogs and cats. Ammonia plays a central role in the pathogenesis of HE in dogs and cats, but other factors such as manganese and endogenous benzodiazepines may also contribute. Recently, a soy protein-based diet was found to be beneficial in treating canine HE. Severe dietary protein restriction is likely to be detrimental in affected animals. There have been no clinical trials of drugs routinely used in the management HE in veterinary medicine, but lactulose and antimicrobials such as metronidazole are well-established treatments. Conclusions HE is a potentially life-threatening condition that is probably underdiagnosed in companion animals. Although various treatment recommendations have been proposed, there is a lack of evidence in the veterinary literature regarding optimal strategies for the management of this condition. As our understanding of the pathogenesis of HE in dogs and cats evolves, novel diagnostic tests and therapeutic agents may become available.
Analysis on the effects of implementation of CIDA/WHO project in China

Objective To analyze and evaluate the implementation effect of CIDA/WHO TB Control project in China.Methods National TB program quarterly report of Shandong,Jiangsu and Zhejiang province from September 2002 to December 2005 were collected and analyzed,as well as specific project budgeted work plan and quarterly monitoring report to evaluate the overall implementation effect of CIDA project.Results(1) During the period of project implementation,the project detected a total of 66 859 new smear positive pulmonary tuberculosis cases,which corresponded to 105.3%of planned target.The registration rate of smear positive pulmonary TB cases increased from baseline 13.65/100 000 to 33.95/100 000 in 2005.(2) The cure rate for smear positive pulmonary cases reached 92.1%.(3) DOTS coverage rate of three whole provinces increased from before-project 65.2%to 100%in the first implementation year.Conclusions CIDA project promoted the DOTS expansion.For the first time in China,the target-oriented budgeted work plan management model is adopted and it greatly promoted the achievement of project target.Now, budgeted work plan model has been successfully applied in other TB control project and National TB program.
Neurology of Micturition

The understanding, diagnosis and management of neurologic dysfunction of the bladder have undergone considerable changes during the last 2 decades. These changes were the result of animal experimentation into physiology and pharmacology and the accelerated use of biomedical engineering technology. The implementation of these advances will require physician re-education in the neurology of micturition.
The association between carotid intraplaque hemorrhage and outcomes of carotid stenting: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background and purpose The purpose of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to determine whether carotid stenting patients with intraplaque hemorrhage (IPH) identified on preoperative MRI were more likely to suffer perioperative ischemic complications compared with patients without IPH. Methods We conducted a comprehensive literature search of studies published between January 1, 2005 and December 31, 2015 reporting perioperative outcomes of carotid stenting among patients with and without IPH on hemorrhage sensitive carotid MRI sequences. Clinical outcomes included perioperative (≤30 days post-stenting) minor stroke, major stroke, death, and a composite outcome combining stroke, death, and myocardial infarction (MI). We also compared the rate of silent ischemia on diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) between groups. Statistical analysis was performed using a random effects meta-analysis. Results 9 studies with 491 unique patients (198 in the IPH group and 293 in the non-IPH group) were included. The rate of the composite outcome of any stroke, death, or MI within 30 days was 8.1% (13/160) in the IPH group and 2.1% (5/239) in the non-IPH group (OR=4.45, 95% CI 1.61 to 12.30, p Conclusions Our systematic review and meta-analysis demonstrated that patients with IPH on pre-carotid stenting MRI had higher rates of silent ischemia as well as of a composite outcome of perioperative stroke, death, and MI compared with those without IPH.
Factors Related to College Students’ Decisions to Report Sexual Assault:

Sexual assault is a serious problem on college campuses. Using a sample of 266 survivors of sexual assault during their college years, results from a multinomial regression identified factors linked with the odds of making either a formal report to university officials, an informal disclosure, or telling no one of the assault. Survivors were more likely to formally report the sexual assault to university officials if they had received sexual assault training, if the assault included vaginal or anal penetration, and if the survivor had a positive perception of the overall campus climate. Survivors were less likely to formally report the assault to university officials if the perpetrator was an acquaintance, friend, or dating partner compared with a stranger. Racial or ethnic minorities were less likely to formally report or informally disclose the assault. Our findings suggest that universities can aid survivors in reporting their sexual assault through education, training, and improving the overall campus climate.
Human Trafficking and Intercountry Adoption

ABSTRACTIntercountry adoption (ICA) is the subject of polarized and contentious debates that can be expressed as “child rescue” versus “child trafficking.” This article describes the parallels between ICA and human trafficking, the international agreements that govern ICA and human trafficking, the evidence for fraud and corruption in some ICAs, and the conditions under which ICA can be considered trafficking. It concludes with recommendations for reform of ICA: addressing poverty and corruption as root causes, eliminating loopholes in international agreements, and ensuring protection for birth mothers and families.
5091-5150 MHZ Bandsharing by Airport Wireless Local Area Networks and Satellite Feeder Links

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) is considering the use of the 5091-5150 megahertz (MHz) band for a future Airport Network and Location Equipment (ANLE) system. ANLE is visualized as a high-integrity, high-data-rate wireless local area network (WLAN) for the airport area, with terminals on the ground and on taxiing aircraft. The same frequency band, 5091-5150 MHz, has also been allocated, on a co-primary basis, to non-geostationary (non-GSO) mobile-satellite-service (MSS) Earth-to-space feeder uplinks. This paper shows the results of a compatibility analysis that was performed for an ANLE architecture based on the IEEE 802.16 family of standards, and two different types of non-GSO MSS satellite systems, namely the low-earth-orbit (LEO) LEO-D and LEO-F systems. The IEEE 802.16 family of standards supports non-line-of-sight (NLOS) wideband communications in the 2-11 GHz band of licensed and unlicensed spectrum. In the bands below 6 GHz the standards allows for networking between users that could be either fixed or mobile (moving at surface vehicular speeds). The future ANLE networks based on the IEEE 802.16 family of standards have been assumed to operate at 497 towered airports in the contiguous United States. A computer model was developed, in which a grid of 2deg times 2deg latitude/longitude satellite locations was assumed, and the aggregate power levels from these ANLE systems have been evaluated at each grid position. Our results show that sufficient interference protection to the MSS feeder links is feasible by applying the mitigation methods that is discussed in the paper
POSITION AND VELOCITY ESTIMATION IN THE VISUAL CORTEX

Abstract Using tools from dynamical systems theory and systems identification theory we develop the study of primitives for human motion which we refer to as movemes. We introduce basic definitions of dynamical independence of linear time-invariant dynamical systems (LTI) and segmentability of signals and we develop classification and segmentation algorithms for two dimensional motions. We test our ideas on data sampled from four human subjects who were engaged in a simple real-life activity including two movemes. Our experiments show that we are able to distinguish between the two movemes and recognize them even when they take place in an activity containing more than one moveme.
Digital Library Appropriation in the Context of SubSaharan Countries: the Case of eGranary Digital Library Implementation

Users of information and communication technologies (ICT) in the developing world encounter these technologies within their own situated, dynamic contexts. Their interactions with the technology are explicitly and implicitly affected by their political, cultural, infrastructural and socio-economic environments. In this poster, I present findings from ongoing sets of interviews with eGranary intermediary donors and agents, operating in ten sub-Saharan countries. eGranary is an offline library collection of open-source Web material, designed for use in environments with irregular or no Internet connectivity. However little is known of the ICT's impact on communities, users' knowledge practices, or its wider effects, e.g. on pedagogy. Prior to establishing communications with end users, this study takes a preparatory step of consulting with Mediators in the field. These interviewees are familiar with eGranary's technology and their users' contexts, expectations and needs. Findings from this research will better inform the structure, content and tone of planned future communications and questionnaires.
Beyond Trompe l’Oeil Realism: Redefining the ‘Readymade’ in the Post-Digital Age

In an exhibition-catalog essay for the 2012 exhibition “Lifelike” at The Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, curator Siri Engberg suggested that “the utterly mundane reimagined through an artist’s careful hand or sly recontextualization can appear striking, even radical.” Thus, the Walker claimed that the meticulous, studied trompe l’oeil realism of the work in this exhibition aspired to make the familiar unfamiliar. While this is one approach to defining the goal of contemporary “hyper-realism,” another might include the reclaiming of the everyday “non-art” objects of Marcel Duchamp’s “readymade,” only to render them an extremely well-crafted form. For instance, Tom Friedman’s Untitled (2001) presents a convincing, realistically scaled bee made of clay, wire, hair, plastic, and paint. Only instead of fleeing the bee, viewers are encouraged to approach the insect as it sits quarantined and still in its vitrine, and to inspect the object at great detail. Friedman’s bee is refined and mesmerizingly skillful. In one of the final galleries, a miniature, ankle-level set of elevators made by Maurizio Cattelan (Untitled, 2001) occasionally ding to announce their arrivals, as viewers are invited to “call” the elevator by pressing the “up” buttons. The small metal sliding doors open to receive their imaginary passengers. Friedman and Cattelan both provide playful objects that entice viewers to look more closely at objects whose real-life counterparts rarely receive such scrutiny and enjoyment. Friedman and Cattelan thus reclaim the Duchampian “non-art” object for the realm of “craft.” Both make “art” from the everyday, rather than the “everyday” into art.
The effect of link flexibility on planar manipulators using an adaptive tracking controller

The objective of this paper is to propose a general method for finding the effects of flexible links on the tracking performances using adaptive tracking controllers (ATC). The Lagrange–Euler equation is used to formulate the dynamic equations of motion. The equations of motion of the flexible manipulator in a vector–matrix form are coupled, nonlinear, and second–order differential equations. To obtain the effects of the flexible links on the controller, a rigid–based ATC is used to control a rigid, and its equivalent flexible, dynamic model, respectively. The proposed method has no limitation on the number of links used. Two existing model reference adaptive control techniques, the gradient approach by using the modified MIT (MMIT) rule and the exact matching (EM), are applied. The exact matching adaptation mechanism is used in this study as a comparative reference for the tracking performance. Numerical simulation results indicate that the gradient approach has superior performance over other designs. The proposed method can be used as a design tool to reduce the weight of a manipulator to improve the efficiency. The method is not just for the adaptive controls, but it also can be used in any state space control schemes. A comparison of the tracking performance is also made for the MIT rule and the modified MIT rule.
Defining minerals in the age of humans

> LUCIUS: What will he find out there, doctor? > > Close-up of Zaius. His face is a mask, his tone enigmatic. > > ZAIUS: His destiny . Mineralogists of a certain age may recognize the above exchange from the 1968 script of Planet of the Apes , a film that expertly parlayed the dread of humankind’s imminent demise into a blockbuster movie. In the famous closing shot, George Taylor—the astronaut played by Charlton Heston—curses humanity as he enters the Forbidden Zone and sees the Statue of Liberty buried chest-high in sand. “Oh, my God! I am back! I am home…You maniacs! You blew it up!” he exclaims when he realizes that his voyage has propelled him forward in time but not in space. The question of what we might find were we to (re)visit the Earth millions of years hence has advanced from science fiction to serious geoscience, and the apprehension in our expectation is embodied by the concept of the Anthropocene. For those geologists who have themselves been on an interstellar excursion for the past two decades and are unaware of the debate, the Anthropocene is a proposed addition to the Geological Time Scale that would terminate the Holocene Epoch at some point in the recent past and mark a new epoch that signals the emergence of humans as a planet-shaping force. First pitched by Nobel Laureate Paul Crutzen (Crutzen and Stoermer 2000), the …
Lateral Transpsoas Lumbar Interbody Fusion: Outcomes and Deformity Correction

The lateral transpsoas approach for interbody fusion is a minimally invasive technique that has been gaining increasing popularity in the management of a variety of spinal degenerative disorders. Recently, there has been increasing utilization of this technique in the management of adult deformity. The authors present a review of the current evidence of using the lateral lumbar transpsoas approach in the correction of adult degenerative scoliosis.
Evaluating asthma websites using the Brief DISCERN instrument.

Purpose The primary purpose of this study was to examine the quality of sponsored and unsponsored asthma websites using the Brief DISCERN instrument and to evaluate whether the Health On the Net Code of Conduct (HONcode) logo was present, thereby indicating that the site met the criteria. The Internet is an important source of health information for patients and their families. The primary purpose of this study was to examine the quality of sponsored and unsupported asthma websites. A secondary aim was to determine the readability and reading ease of the materials for each website along with the grade level. Methods We queried seven Internet search engines using the keyword "asthma." The websites were evaluated using the six-item Brief DISCERN instrument and by ascertaining whether the HONcode quality label was present. The websites were also evaluated for readability employing Flesch-Kincaid grade level and Flesch reading ease tools using Microsoft Office Word 2013 software. Results A total of 22 unique websites were included in the study. Approximately 68% of the websites reviewed had a Brief DISCERN cutoff score of ≥16. The overall Brief DISCERN scores ranged from 6 to 30, and the mean score was 17.32 (SD =6.71). The Flesch-Kincaid grade level scores ranged from 2.9 to 15.4, and the average reading grade score was 9.49 (SD =2.7). The Flesch reading ease scores ranged from 17 to 82.7, with a mean reading ease score of 53.57 (SD =15.03). Sites with a HONcode quality label had significantly higher Brief DISCERN scores than those without one (t=2.3795; df=20; p=0.02). Conclusion Brief DISCERN scores revealed that there is quality asthma information for children and their families available on the Internet. The grade level ranged between 2.9 and 15.4 among the websites. However, the mean grade level scores were 9.3-9.89, which is high for the average consumer. Access to accurate information via the Internet, with appropriate readability, may enable pediatric asthma patients and their caregivers to better control and manage asthma.
Effect of Laparoscopic-assisted Gastropexy on Gastrointestinal Transit Time in Dogs.

Author(s): Balsa, IM; Culp, WTN; Drobatz, KJ; Johnson, EG; Mayhew, PD; Marks, SL | Abstract: BackgroundProphylactic gastropexy has been promoted as a means of preventing gastric volvulus during gastric dilatation and volvulus (GDV) syndrome. Little is known about the impact of gastropexy on gastrointestinal transit time.HypothesisLaparoscopic-assisted gastropexy (LAG) will not alter gastrointestinal transit times when comparing gastric (GET), small and large bowel (SLBTT), and whole gut transit times (TTT) before and after surgery.Animals10 healthy client-owned large-breed dogs.MethodsProspective clinical trial. Before surgery, all dogs underwent physical examination and diagnostic evaluation to ensure normal health status. Dogs were fed a prescription diet for 6 weeks before determination of gastrointestinal transit with a wireless motility capsule. LAG was then performed, and dogs were fed the diet for 6 additional weeks. Measurement of transit times was repeated 6 weeks after surgery.ResultsTen dogs of various breeds at-risk for GDV were enrolled. No complications were encountered associated with surgery or capsule administration. There were no significant differences in GET 429 [306-1,370] versus 541 [326-1,298] (P = 0.80), SLBTT 1,243 [841-3,070] versus 1,540 [756-2,623] (P = 0.72), or TTT 1,971 [1,205-3,469] versus 1,792 [1,234-3,343] minutes (median, range) (P = 0.65) before and after LAG.Conclusions and clinical importanceAn effect of LAG on gastrointestinal transit time was not identified, and wireless motility capsule can be safely administered in dogs after LAG.
Who Starts the Wave? Let's Not Forget the Role of the Individual

Implicitly measured intergroup bias is a popular and important topic of study. As a result, the field has witnessed the accumulation of an impressive number of investigations, some of which have yi...
Laser-induced-breakdown-spectroscopy-based detection of metal particles released into the air during combustion of solid propellants

Numerous metals and metal compounds are often added to propellants and explosives to tailor their properties such as heat release rate and specific impulse. When these materials combust, these metals can be released into the air, causing adverse health effects such as pulmonary and cardiovascular disease, particulate-matter-induced allergies, and cancer. Hence, robust, field-deployable methods are needed to detect and quantify these suspended metallic particles in air, identify their sources, and develop mitigation strategies. Laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is a technique for elemental detection, commonly used on solids and liquids. In this study, we explored nanosecond-duration LIBS for detecting airborne metals during reactions of solid propellant strands, resulting from additives of aluminum (Al), copper, lead, lead stearate, and mercury chloride. Using the second harmonic of a 10-ns-duration 10-Hz, Nd:YAG laser, plasma was generated in the gas-phase exhaust plume of burning propellant strands containing the target metals. Under the current experimental conditions, the ns-LIBS scheme was capable of detecting Al at concentrations of 5%, 10%, and 16% by weight in the propellant strand. As the weight percentage increased, the LIBS signal was detected by more laser shots, up to a point where the system transition from being nonhomogeneous to a more-uniform distribution of particles. Further measurements and increased understanding of the reacting flow field are necessary to quantify the effects of other metal additives besides Al.
Protein adsorption on novel acrylamido-based polymeric ion exchangers. II. Adsorption rates and column behavior.

Abstract Uptake kinetics and breakthrough behavior were determined for bovine serum albumin (BSA) and α-chymotrypsinogen (αCHY) in new polymeric ion-exchange media based on acrylamido monomers. Two anion exchangers and a cation exchanger were investigated. As shown in Part I of this work, the two anion exchangers have different morphologies. The first one, BRX-Q, comprises a low-density gel with a matrix of denser polymeric aggregates. While this material has a very low size-exclusion limit for neutral probes, it exhibits an extremely high binding capacity for BSA. The second anion exchanger, BRX-QP, comprises large open pores but has a very low binding capacity. The cation exchanger, BRX-S, also comprises large open pores but exhibits an intermediate capacity; likely as a result of the presence of smaller pores. Dynamic protein uptake experiments showed that the highest mass transfer rates are obtained with BRX-Q. The apparent diffusivity is also highest for this material and increases substantially as the protein concentration is reduced. For these particles, the external film resistance is dominant at very low protein concentrations. Much lower rates and apparent diffusivities are obtained for BRX-QP. Finally intermediate rates and apparent diffusivities are found with BRX-S. The concentration dependence of the apparent pore diffusivity is much less pronounced in this case. The apparently paradoxical result that mass transfer rates are highest for the material with the smallest neutral-probe size-exclusion limit can be explained in terms of a general conceptual model where parallel pore and adsorbed-phase diffusion paths exist in these particles. In the first case, adsorbed phase diffusion in gel pores is dominant, while in the second transport is dominated by diffusion in a macroporous network. In the third case, both contributions are important. The conceptual model provides an accurate prediction of the breakthrough behavior of columns packed with these media using independently determined rate parameters. Dynamic binding capacities of 80–140 mg/ml were observed for BSA on BRX-Q in ca. 1.5 cm columns operated at 300–900 cm/h in agreement with theoretical predictions.
A radial version of the Central Limit Theorem

In this note, we give a probabilistic interpretation of the Central Limit Theorem used for approximating isotropic Gaussians in [1].
Gastrointestinal Facts and Formulas

Problems of the gastrointestinal system commonly result in ED visits and ICU admissions. In addition, critically ill patients may suffer from stress-induced mucosal injury, ileus, and hepatic dysfunction. The following formulas and facts should be useful in a broad range of ICU patients and patients presenting to the ED. Many additional important facts and formulas related to the GI tract can be found in Chap. 8.
Ureteronephroscopic Marsupialization of Obstructing Peripelvic Renal Cyst

Flexible ureteronephroscopy has been used for numerous therapeutic applications in the upper urinary tract. We report a case of a large peripelvic renal cyst causing obstruction to the ureteropelvic junction, which was treated by incising the wall of the cyst into the renal pelvis with the ureteronephroscope.
Management of Pakistan Higher Education in Emerging Scenarios

Purpose of this article is to analyzes and assess the current status of higher education in Pakistan to examine emerging trends. The discussion concentrates on structure, access, quality, funding patterns, private enterprise, and future prospects of higher education. It is argued that if quality does not match quantity, and the higher education sector fails to bring out enlightened, highly skilled, trained, motivated and ethically committed individuals, the countries cannot meet any of its development objectives. Findings of the study are to attract the brightest students towards social sciences in different paradigms and research; funds have to be allocated for the higher education sector in the country. These emerging scenarios have given birth to some new issues.
Hear this, here and now

The second in a series of articles that will explore the classic five senses, introduces ways to investigate and explore each sense alongside cross-curricular activities – this month, hearing.
Experimental equations of seawater salinity and desalination capacity to assess seawater irrigation.

Abstract A central question in science and technology of desalting is, can we predict optimal coastal sites to implement seawater irrigation? Freshwater only makes up 2.5% of all water on Earth but crop irrigation is responsible for 70% of freshwater demand. First, we compared the growth rates and the dehydration rates of 5 alternative seawater irrigation experiments of wheatgrass over 3 weeks' periods. The average salt tolerance threshold of wheatgrass is 6 dS m−1. When seawater salinity is increased >10.50 dS m−1, the growth, drainage volumes, leaching, and drainage salinities of wheatgrass did not show significant variations. When seawater salinity is increased to 12.25 dS m−1, grass leaves gradually turned light green, bent, and fell. Notably, pH in soil remained nearly constant in all experiments with mean pH of 6.05 ± 0.25 (mean ± SD). Next, we derived experimental equations to define a mechanistic link between salinity and desalination capacity in a Modified Saline Adjustable Desalination System (MSADS). A cost-benefit analysis for a MSADS in a coastal location of southern California indicated that this system is $0.84 m−3 more expensive than using water from a natural reservoir, but $0.08 m−3 less expensive than importing water. This study provides a general framework to assess the implementation of a desalination system in coastal locations.
Tales from Tang Dynasty China: Selections from the Taiping guangji

Taiping guangji 太平廣記 has long been recognized as a critical source for scholars and students of Tang and pre-Tang literature and culture. Compiled in the late tenth century, the massive compendium ...
Applying many-facet Rasch modeling in the assessment of creativity.

Creativity assessment with open-ended production tasks relies heavily on scoring the quality of a subject’s ideas. This creates a faceted measurement structure involving persons, tasks (and ideas within tasks), and raters. Most studies, however, do not model possible systematic differences among raters. The present study examines individual rater differences in the context of a planned-missing design and its association with reliability and validity of creativity assessments. It applies the many-facet Rasch model (MFRM) to model and correct for these differences. We reanalyzed data from 2 studies (Ns = 132 and 298) where subjects produced metaphors, alternate uses for common objects, and creative instances. Each idea was scored by several raters. We simulated several conditions of reduced load on raters where they scored subsets of responses. We then compared the reliability and validity of IRT estimated scores (original vs. IRT adjusted scores) on various conditions of missing data. Results show that (a) raters vary substantially on the lenient-severity dimension, so rater differences should be modeled; (b) when different combinations of raters assess different subsets of ideas, systematic rater differences confound subjects’ scores, increasing measurement error and lowering criterion validity with external variables; and (c) MFRM adjustments effectively correct for rater effects, thus increasing correlations of scores obtained from partial with scores obtained with full data. We conclude that MFRM is a powerful means to model rater differences and reduce rater load in creativity research.
Jewish Communal History in Geniza Scholarship: Part 2, Goitein’s Successors

S. D. Goitein’s nuanced description of the structure, functioning, and administrative reach of the Jewish community, most fully articulated in the second volume of A Mediterranean Society, was enlarged on, revised, and challenged in the work of two subsequent generations of scholars. Addressing the mixture of hierocratic and democratic elements that Goitein identified within the medieval Jewish community, this growing body of scholarship has examined anew and in greater detail such issues as the balance of power between the centralized leadership and the local community, the extent of the Jewish community’s political autonomy, and the influential role in communal affairs played by wealthy and well-connected elites with access to the Muslim court.
Attachment and Psychoanalysis: Theory, Research, and Clinical Implications

While psychoanalysis rests on a foundation of theory and clinical knowledge, the time is now right to embrace research and to explore and deepen links to other felds. Books in this series bridge science and practice and elucidate the relationship between them, highlighting empirical fndings and their impact on treatment and presenting substantive clinical work that might inspire and direct research. The aim of the series is to show that psychoanalysis is too compelling to be of interest only to psychoanalysts.
Eosinophils are surprisingly common in biopsy specimens of cutaneous herpes simplex virus and varicella zoster virus infections: Results of a comprehensive histopathologic and clinical appraisal

Background While usually straightforward, diagnostic features of cutaneous herpes simplex virus and varicella zoster virus infection (HSV/VZV) are not always present in biopsy specimens. Although intuitively the presence of eosinophils may lead the pathologist away from the diagnosis of cutaneous HSV/VZV infection, in our practice we have noted that eosinophils are often encountered in diagnostic specimens. Methods To deduce the frequency with which the inflammatory response accompanying cutaneous HSV/VZV infection includes significant numbers of eosinophils, we performed a retrospective review. We included 159 specimens from our database, diagnosed between 2009 and 2017. We determined the number of eosinophils in 10 high-power fields and noted additional histologic factors including presence of follicular involvement, ulceration, and pseudolymphomatous change. Results Of all included cases, 63% had 0-1 eosinophils, 24% had 2-10 eosinophils, and 13% had more than 10 eosinophils. Statistical analysis did not reveal a significant association between any demographic or histologic features examined and the presence of increased eosinophils. Conclusions In this study, more than one-third of biopsy specimens diagnostic of cutaneous HSV/VZV infection had a prominent number of eosinophils. The detection of eosinophils should not be unexpected and should not lessen diagnostic suspicion for cutaneous HSV/VZV infection.