cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Truth Hurts: How Customers May Lose From Honest Advertising

Abstract This paper examines the impact of competition, brand equity, and the cost of overstating quality on optimal quality and quality claims of new products. We consider two firms simultaneously introducing a new product and making one-time decisions about its quality, price, and advertised quality. Using a two period model which allows for larger weight on future period sales, we find competition often leads firms to overstate quality unless they are constrained by high legal costs imposed by regulations or third-party legal action. More interesting, when competitors are constrained to be truthful in their advertising due to legal or other costs, optimal product quality can be lower and profits can be higher.
Multivariate Nonparametric Estimation of Value at Risk and Expected Shortfall for Nonlinear Returns Using Extreme Value Theory

The catastrophic failures of risk management systems in 2008 bring to the forefront the need for accurate and flexible estimators of market risk. Despite advances in the theory and practice of evaluating risk, existing measures are notoriously poor predictors of loss in high-quantile events. To extend the research concerned with modeling extreme value events, we utilize extreme value theory (EVT) to propose a multivariate estimation procedure for value-at-risk (VaR) and expected shortfall (ES) for conditional distributions of a time series of returns on a financial asset. Our approach extends the local linear estimator of conditional mean and volatility used in the conditional heteroskedastic autoregressive nonlinear (CHARN) model proposed by Martins-Filho and Yao (2006) by incorporating an exogenous time series resembling returns on the S&P 500 from January 1950 through September 2011. In combination with EVT, this model estimates the quantiles of the conditional distribution and subsequently the one-day forecasted VaR and ES. We examine the fi nite sample properties of our method and contrast them with the popular Gaussian GARCH estimator in an extensive Monte Carlo simulation. The method we propose generally outperforms the Gaussian GARCH estimator, particularly in samples greater than 1,000. Our results provide evidence of the e ffect of the curse of dimensionality, which arises because we include a second regressor.
Finite element simulation of composite ship structures with fluid structure interaction

Abstract A finite element tool for structural analysis of a composite multi-hull structure is developed. Two-way fluid structure interaction (FSI) is implemented by coupling finite element analysis (FEA) and computational fluid dynamics (CFD). FEA models have been developed using sandwich construction having composite face sheets and foam core. Fluid domain is modeled using a CFD code, CFX and a wave motion is simulated based on Sea State 5. FSI module is then used to connect FEA with the CFD code. Dynamic response of the hull is generated in time domain. A critical area with high stress gradient is chosen and a sub model is developed with refined mesh. Force and displacement boundary conditions are transported from the global model. Interlaminar stresses and shear stress distributions at the core and girder are then determined. Materials failure criteria for composites and foam are applied on the sub model and structural integrity of each component is checked. An analysis without FSI is also performed on a reference model with identical load and boundary conditions and the result is compared with that of FSI.
Toward a Comprehensive Telecommuting Analysis Framework: Setting the Conceptual Outline

The interest in telecommuting has been continuous and growing because of its promising potential for reducing travel and improving air quality. Several research efforts have been accomplished in telecommuting estimation and impact analysis of reductions in vehicle miles traveled as a result of telecommuting. Although there is an extensive body of literature, most previous studies concentrated on the estimation of telecommuting in terms of choice (whether to telecommute) and frequency (how often on a weekly or monthly basis). These studies failed to recognize that there were various forms of daily telecommuting that would have had different impacts on daily activity patterns. This study aims to provide a comprehensive framework for telecommuting behavior and impact analysis. There are several important features of the framework that are intended to fill the knowledge gaps in the field. First, the study provides an algorithm to identify major forms of telecommuting activities (e.g., full time, part time). S...
Getting Physical: The Hypothesis Driven Physical Exam

* Abbreviation: HDPE — : Hypothesis Driven Physical Exam The value of teaching at the patient’s bedside has been recognized by generations of clinical teachers and students. In today’s complex and fast-paced medical environment, clinical instructors teach at the bedside less frequently than in the past.1,2 When learning the physical examination, medical students are often taught a series of 100+ anatomy-focused maneuvers.3 The “head-to-toe” approach can help students practice complex maneuvers and develop an awareness of normal findings, but it has limitations in emphasizing the diagnostic relevance of the physical examination.4 Teachers should guide students to transition from a head-to-toe physical examination to one used to support or refute potential diagnoses. Emphasizing the physical examination’s critical role in clinical reasoning can help to support improved diagnostic skills5,6 and may lead to a cost conscious approach to testing. Numerous recommendations in the Choosing Wisely compendium highlight the critical role of the physical examination in high value care.7 As part of the ongoing Council on Medical Student Education in Pediatrics series on skills used by great clinical teachers, this article introduces the Hypothesis Driven Physical Exam (HDPE).5,6 An overview of clinical reasoning has been previously outlined in the series of articles from the Council on Medical Student Education in Pediatrics.8 Perhaps the most important concept relevant to the physical examination is the search for, or anticipation of, specific findings identified from the history to … Address correspondence to Michael A. Barone, MD, MPH, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Charlotte Bloomberg Children’s Hospital, 1800 Orleans St, Suite 8442, Baltimore, MD 21287. E-mail: mbarone{at}jhmi.edu
Hyperglycemia Suppresses Calcium Phosphate–Induced Aneurysm Formation Through Inhibition of Macrophage Activation

Background The aim of this study was to elucidate aspects of diabetes mellitus–induced suppression of aneurysm. We hypothesized that high glucose suppresses aneurysm by inhibiting macrophage activation via activation of Nr1h2 (also known as liver X receptor β), recently characterized as a glucose‐sensing nuclear receptor. Methods and Results Calcium phosphate (CaPO4)–induced aneurysm formation was significantly suppressed in the arterial wall in type 1 and 2 diabetic mice. A murine macrophage cell line, RAW264.7, was treated with tumor necrosis factor α (TNF‐α) plus CaPO4 and showed a significant increase in matrix metalloproteinase 9 (Mmp9) mRNA and secreted protein expression compared with TNF‐α alone. Elevated Mmp9 expression was significantly suppressed by hyperglycemic conditions (15.5 mmol/L glucose) compared with normoglycemic conditions (5.5 mmol/L glucose) or normoglycemic conditions with high osmotic pressure (5.5 mmol/L glucose +10.0 mmol/L mannitol). Nr1h2 mRNA and protein expression were suppressed by treatment with TNF‐α plus CaPO4 but were restored by hyperglycemic conditions. Activation of Nr1h2 by the antagonist GW3965 during stimulation with TNF‐α plus CaPO4 mimicked hyperglycemic conditions and inhibited Mmp9 upregulation, whereas the deactivation of Nr1h2 by small interfering RNA (siRNA) under hyperglycemic conditions canceled the suppressive effect and restored Mmp9 expression induced by TNF‐α plus CaPO4. Moreover, Nr1h2 activation with GW3965 significantly suppressed CaPO4‐induced aneurysm in mice compared with vehicle‐injected control mice. Conclusions Our results show that hyperglycemia suppresses macrophage activation and aneurysmal degeneration through the activation of Nr1h2. Although further validation of the underlying pathway is necessary, targeting Nr1h2 is a potential therapeutic approach to treating aneurysm.
High Reynolds number flow simulations using the localized dynamic subgrid-scale model

The localized dynamic subgrid-scale model introduced by Kirn & Menon (1995), has been used hi large-eddy simulations of decaying and forced isotropic turbulence, and temporally evolving turbulent mixing layer for high Reynolds numbers. In the simulations of isotropic turbulence, it is demonstrated that the low-resolution large-eddy simulation results accurately reproduce the characteristics of a realistic, high-Reynolds number turbulence such as the powerlaw decay (decaying case), and the velocity statistics and the development of the non-Gaussian statistics (forced case). From the large-eddy simulations of temporally evolving turbulent mixing layer, the tuneaccurate results, which agree very well with the existing high-resolution direct numerical simulation and experimental data, are obtained using a new scaling which is capable of separating the distinct effects of initial development on the self-similar stage of the mixing layer evolution.
TEMPERATURE REGULATION AND RESPIRATION IN THE OSTRICH

The Ostrich (Struthio camelus), the largest living bird, is an inhabitant of semi-arid and desert areas of Africa and, until exterminated, the Near East and the Arabian Peninsula. When exposed to the heat stress of a hot desert, it must use water for evaporation in order to avoid overheating. While its size prevents it from taking advantage of microclimates to the extent that small desert birds and mammals can, its large size is an advantage in its water economy, as has been discussed previously (Schmidt-Nielsen 1964). Birds have no sweat glands, and under heat stress they rely upon increased evaporation from the respiratory system as a major avenue for heat dissipation. We were interested in the role of the respiratory system in evaporation, and particularly in the sites of evaporation. Furthermore, while in mammals an increased ventilation causes alkalosis, in birds the presence of large air sacs connected to the respiratory system may have radically different effects on the gas exchange in the lung. Finally, the fact that the ventilation of the respiratory system can be modified by heat stress without change in the rate of oxygen consumption may provide an avenue for investigation of the poorly understood air-sac system of birds. The Ostrich, although a non-flying bird, has a well developed air-sac system, and its large size and slow breathing rate provide an opportunity to undertake experimental procedures which in smaller birds result in great technical difficulties or seem impossible. MATERIALS AND METHODS
Energy Levels, Electronic Properties, and Rectification in Ultrathin p-NiO Films Synthesized by Atomic Layer Deposition

NiO is an attractive p-type transparent semiconductor that is being explored for a variety of applications. We report a systematic study of the electronic properties, relevant to hole-transporting materials in solar energy conversion applications, of NiO synthesized by atomic layer deposition (ALD). The acceptor concentration, flat band potential, and valence band position were determined by electrochemical Mott–Schottky analysis of impedance data in aqueous electrolytes for films less than 100 nm in thickness on F:SnO2 (FTO)-coated glass substrates. The effects of postdeposition annealing and film thickness were studied. Oxidation of the NiO was observed at temperatures as low as 300 °C in 1 atm of oxygen. Films annealed at 400 °C and above in Ar exhibited signs of thermal decomposition. Thinner films were found to have a higher carrier concentration. F:SnO2 and thermally evaporated Ag were both observed to form ohmic contact to ALD-synthesized TiO2 and NiO. A p/n heterojunction diode was fabricated from...
284 IMPACT OF THE DIETARY SUPPLEMENT HEALTH AND EDUCATION ACT OF 1994 ON MAGAZINE ADVERTISING AND SALES OF WEIGHT LOSS AND DIETARY SUPPLEMENTS

Purpose Magazine advertising has been associated with influencing body image and dietary behaviors. Since enactment of Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) ten years ago, dietary supplements of unproven value have been advertised with false and misleading claims, and some causing serious health risks. There are no studies linking magazine advertising to increased weight loss and dietary supplement (WL&DS) use. Our purpose was to compare the number of pages of WL&DS advertisements in popular magazines prior to, and ten years after passage of DSHEA, and compare this to retail sales of supplements during the same time period. Methods We selected a convenience sample of 10 major national magazines during 1993-1994 from local libraries counting the pages of WL&DS ads comparing this to the pages of WL&DS ads during 2003-2004. Overall, 431 issues among the 10 magazines were assessed for ads prior to (1993-94) and ten years after (2003-04) passage of DSHEA. Retail sales of weight loss and dietary supplements were assessed for the same time period prior to and ten years after DSHEA. Results Mean WL advertisements increased from 1.3 pages per issue prior to DSHEA to a mean of 2.8 (115%) pages per issue after DSHEA, despite no change in total number of pages of magazines per issue. Mean DS advertisements increased from 0.9 pages per issue prior to DSHEA to a mean of 5.6 (607%) pages per issue after DSHEA, with no change in the total number of pages per issue. At the same time, retail sales of WL&DS increased from 4.8 billion dollars in 1993 to 39 billion dollars in 2003. Conclusion Since DSHEA, a dramatic increase in magazine advertising and sales of unregulated weight loss and dietary supplements have occurred. There is cause for concern about the volume and variety of supplement advertising as well as the false and misleading claims regarding potentially harmful substances.
Building Infrastructures for Community Engagement at the University of Louisville: Graduate Models for Cultivating Stewardship

From our perspectives at the University of Louisville, we address the need to provide structures for graduate student participation in community-engaged scholarship. Architectures of participation such as the ones we describe in this piece—the Community Engagement Academy and the Digital Media Academy—offer graduate students the opportunity to practice designing and implementing community engagement projects within interdisciplinary and disciplinary sites. The models we provide were designed to make the invisible work of community engagement visible and to create low barriers of entry for graduate students to become stewards of their disciplines as well as stewards of their communities. Such opportunities, we argue, help promote a more capacious view of stewardship, and thus encourage emerging engaged scholars to learn how to act responsibly and wisely in conducting community-engaged research.
The Angular Distribution of Alphas from Li 7 (p,α)α

The tracks formed in photographic emulsions by alphas from the reaction ${\mathrm{Li}}^{7}(p,\ensuremath{\alpha})\ensuremath{\alpha}$ at various angles from the beam were observed at bombarding energies $E$ between 400 and 900 kev. The angular distribution proportional to $1+A(E) {cos}^{2}\ensuremath{\theta}$, as found by Young, Ellett, and Plain at lower voltages, was also observed here, and a maximum of $A(E)$ was found at 675 kev.
Biotinylated erythrocytes: in vivo survival and in vitro recovery.

Rabbit erythrocytes were biotinylated by reaction with N- hydroxysuccinimidobiotin; the average level of biotinylation was 25,000 molecules per erythrocyte. These biotinylated cells exhibited a normal survival rate when reinfused into rabbits. Two studies demonstrated that the biotin label was stable in vivo. The first was a double- labeling experiment where the biotinylated erythrocytes were also labeled with 14C-cyanate; on reinfusion, the loss of biotinylated erythrocytes and 14C-cyanate label occurred in unison. The second study demonstrated that biotinylated erythrocytes that had been reinfused into rabbits could later be selectively isolated by attachment to an avidin support. This technique will facilitate a variety of studies that require the ability to label a specific cohort of cells in vitro and then reisolate those same cells after in vivo recirculation.
Visual Politics in American Dance Film: Representation and Disparity

This article explores stylistic and demographic commonalities in American dance film through the curatorial lens of American Dance Festival’s Movies by Movers , an international dance film festival. While calling into question how the dance film community can be more aware of the culture created on screen by makers and presenters, I reveal instances of representational disparity found in American dance film while examining the relationship of dance film to ideologies perpetuated by mass media and the world of professional dance.
Comment on “The growth pattern of Neandertals, reconstructed from a juvenile skeleton from El Sidrón (Spain)”

Rosas et al . (Reports, 22 September 2017, p. 1282) calculate El Sidron J1 to have reached only 87.5% of its adult brain size. This finding is based on an overestimation of Neandertal brain size. Pairwise comparisons with a larger sample of Neandertal fossils reveal that it is unlikely that the brain of El Sidron would have grown appreciably larger.
Position Paper: A case for exposing extra-architectural state in the ISA

The recent Meltdown and Spectre attacks took the community by surprise. Rather than exploiting an incorrect implementation of the ISA, these attacks leverage the undocumented implementation-specific speculation behavior of high-performance microarchitectures to affect the extra-architectural state of the machine (e.g., caches).Inspired by these novel speculation-based attacks, we argue it is time to rethink the traditional ISA layers. Programmers and security professionals need a framework to reason about the effects of speculation and other microarchitectural performance optimizations. We propose judiciously extending the ISA to include the extra-architectural state so that an ISA implementation either completely squashes all system state changes caused by mis-speculated instructions or the potential changes are rigorously documented. We hope this new framework will give architects and security researchers tools to reduce the likelihood of future surprise vulnerabilities.
Controlled Diet Trials

The simplest form of controlled clinical trial is one which duplicates exactly the conditions of the original observations, and which ensures that only the variable of interest is manipulated. Typically, one group receives the AA-B form of treatment and follow-up, and another group receives a treatment that is similar in every respect except that the active ingredient is missing. In human clinical trials, this control group receives all the nonspecific ingredients that might account for the apparent improvement, such as expectancies of being helped, spontaneous improvement, temporary improvement due to alterations in routine, and extra attention. Another important factor controlled in such designs is the bias of the observer who typically is not blind to the treatment, who may be biased in its favor, and who honestly sees improvement.
How to Protect Your Intellectual Property: Invention Disclosures and Patents

As a surgeon scientist, creation is often a natural part of daily work activities. The process of research including deciding what to study, generating a hypothesis, and conducting experiments presents opportunities to create new ideas and new approaches. If the idea is novel or groundbreaking, the scientist must make a decision whether to protect the idea. As a university employee, faculty are required to disclose all inventions through the local office of technology and licensing. The extent to which faculty are educated about the process and supported varies tremendously depending on the institution. As such, it is in the faculty members’ best interest to educate themselves. The purpose of this chapter is to assist the surgeon scientist in understanding the basics regarding intellectual property and patents. The first section provides an overview of the types of intellectual property. This chapter will focus on patents. Subsequent sections focus on the process of submitting a patent including the invention disclosure, novelty searches, and options once the patent issues.
Complete Genome Sequence of Cluster O Mycobacterium smegmatis Bacteriophage Ryadel.

ABSTRACT Mycobacteriophage Ryadel is a newly isolated cluster O Siphoviridae bacteriophage, characterized by an unusual prolate capsid, containing a 72,658-base-pair double-stranded DNA genome with 132 predicted protein-coding genes. Conserved among cluster O bacteriophages, the Ryadel genome contains 31 copies of a unique 17-bp sequence with dyad symmetry.
Fetal endoscopic tracheal occlusion reduces pulmonary hypertension in severe congenital diaphragmatic hernia.

OBJECTIVE Fetal endoscopic tracheal occlusion (FETO) is associated with increased perinatal survival and reduced need for extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) in fetuses with severe congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH). This study evaluates the impact of FETO on the resolution of pulmonary hypertension (PH) in fetuses with isolated CDH. METHODS We reviewed retrospectively the medical records of all fetuses evaluated for CDH between January 2004 and July 2017 at a single institution. Fetuses with additional major structural or chromosomal abnormalities were excluded. CDH cases were classified retrospectively into mild, moderate and severe groups based on prenatal magnetic resonance imaging indices (observed-to-expected total fetal lung volume and percentage of intrathoracic liver herniation). Presence of PH was determined based on postnatal echocardiograms. Logistic regression analyses were performed to evaluate the relationship between FETO and resolution of PH by 1 year of age while controlling for side of the CDH, use of ECMO, gestational age at diagnosis, gestational age at delivery, fetal gender, sildenafil use at discharge and CDH severity. Resolution of PH by 1 year of age was compared between a cohort of fetuses with severe CDH that underwent FETO and a cohort that did not have the procedure (non-FETO). A subanalysis was performed restricting the analysis to isolated left CDH. Parametric and non-parametric tests were used for comparisons. RESULTS Of 257 CDH cases evaluated, 72% (n = 184) had no major structural or chromosomal anomalies of which 58% (n = 107) met the study inclusion criteria. The FETO cohort consisted of 19 CDH cases and the non-FETO cohort (n = 88) consisted of 31 (35%) mild, 32 (36%) moderate and 25 (28%) severe CDH cases. All infants with severe CDH, regardless of whether they underwent FETO, had evidence of neonatal PH. FETO (OR, 3.57; 95% CI, 1.05-12.10; P = 0.041) and ECMO (OR, 5.01; 95% CI, 2.10-11.96; P < 0.001) were independent predictors of resolution of PH by 1 year of age. A higher proportion of infants with severe CDH that underwent FETO had resolution of PH by 1 year after birth compared with infants with severe CDH in the non-FETO cohort (69% (11/16) vs 28% (7/25); P = 0.017). Similar results were observed when the analysis was restricted to cases with left-sided CDH (PH resolution in 69% (11/16) vs 28% (5/18); P = 0.032). CONCLUSION In infants with severe CDH, FETO and ECMO are independently associated with increased resolution of PH by 1 year of age. Copyright © 2019 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.
Multi-scale preferential flow processes in an urban streambed under variable hydraulic conditions

Abstract Spatially preferential flow processes occur at nested scales at the sediment-water interface (SWI), due in part to sediment heterogeneities, which may be enhanced in flashy urban streams with heavy road sand influence. However, several factors, including the flow-rate dependence of preferential hyporheic flow and discrete groundwater discharge zones are commonly overlooked in reach-scale models of groundwater/surface water exchange. Using a series of controlled-head tracer-injection experiments coupled with cm-scale geophysics within the highly reactive upper 30 cm of the hyporheic zone of an urban stream, we quantified the flow dependence of local less-mobile porosity volume, mass-transfer rate coefficient, and the resulting local residence time in the less-mobile pore space at three controlled downward fluid fluxes (0.8, 2, and 3 m/d). Experiments were performed in two adjacent streambed locations, representing different sediment bulk vertical permeability. Less-mobile porosity parameters were generally substantial and similar between the two streambed locations; though a more competent, thin, organic layer at ∼15 cm depth in one location strongly impacted tracer loading, flushing dynamics, and local residence times. Increased downward flux led to (1) a decrease in less-mobile porosity residence time in all experiments, and (2) an increase in less-mobile porosity fraction for most experiments. Additionally, at the larger stream reach-scale, surface electrodes for electrical resistivity measurement were installed along 22 m of the wetted stream channel. These surface electrode measurements were collected during a natural storm flow event, which revealed widespread, short-term, flushing (e.g. 60 h) flushing of the SWI with riparian zone groundwater. Flow dependence of preferential hyporheic zone flowpaths, like in the controlled tracer experiments, was also observed in these reach-scale electrical resistivity tomography measurements. Our findings reveal that the spatial and temporal dependence of preferential flow processes create highly dynamic SWI conditions that will affect the physical and coupled biogeochemical functions of the SWI in urbanized, sand-impacted streams.
Why Proteins are Big: Length Scale Effects on Equilibria and Kinetics.

Proteins are polymers, and yet the language used in describing their thermodynamics and kinetics is most often that of small molecules. Using the terminology and mathematical descriptions of small molecules impedes understanding why proteins have evolved to be big in comparison. Many properties of the proteins should be interpreted as polymer behavior, and these arise because of the longer length scale of polymer dimensions. For example, entropic rubber elasticity arises only because of polymer properties, and understanding the separation of entropic and enthalpic contributions shows that the entropic contributions mostly reside within the polymer and enthalpy originates mostly at the site of small-molecule binding. Recognizing the physical chemistry of polymers in descriptions of proteins’ structure and function can add clarity to what might otherwise appear to be confusing or even paradoxical behavior. Two of these paradoxes include, first, highly selective binding that is, nevertheless, weak, and, second, small perturbations of an enzyme that cause large changes in reaction rates. Further, for larger structures such as proteins every thermodynamic measurement depends on the length scale of the structure. One reason is that the larger molecule can control up to thousands of waters resulting in collective movements with kcal sums of single-calorie-per-molecule solvent energy changes. In addition, the nature of covalent polypeptides commonly leads to multiple binding—i.e., multivalency—and the benefits of multivalent binding can be assessed semiquantitatively drawing from understanding the chelate effect in coordination chemistry. Such approaches clarify the origins, inter alia, of many low energies of protein denaturation, which lie in the range of only a few kcal mol−1, and the difficulties in finding the structures of proteins in the multiple substates postulated within complex kinetic schemes. These models involving longer length scales can be used to elucidate why such observed behavior occurs, and can provide insight and clarity where the phenomena modeled employing experimentally inseparable translational, vibrational, and rotational entropy along with charge, dipole moment, hydration, hydrogen bonding, and van der Waals energies together obscure such origins. The short-distance, long distance separation does not include explaining any enzymatic lowering of activation energies due to stabilization of the intermediate(s) along the reaction path. However, well known small-molecule methods that treat electrostatics and bonding can be used to explain the local chemistry that contributes most of the changes in enthalpy and activation enthalpy for the process.
Unplanned readmission after outpatient laparoscopic cholecystectomy.

Abstract Background Readmission after surgery has been considered as a measure of quality of hospital and surgical care. This study aims to investigate unplanned readmission after laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Methods The NSQIP database was used to investigate 30 days unplanned readmission after laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Multivariate analysis was used to identify predictors of readmission. Results We found a total of 117,248 patients who underwent outpatient laparoscopic cholecystectomy during 2014–2016. Of these 3315 (2.8%) had unplanned readmission. Overall, 90% of readmitted patients were discharged after one day of hospitalization. Pain (14.07%) followed by unspecified symptoms including fever, nausea, vomiting, ileus was the most common reason for readmission. After adjustment, factors such as renal failure on dialysis (AOR: 2.26, P Conclusion Overall, 2.8% of the patients undergoing outpatient laparoscopic cholecystectomy are readmitted to the hospital. Most of such patients are discharged after one day of hospitalization. Unspecified symptoms such as pain and vomiting were the most common reasons for readmission. Readmission strongly influences patients' comorbid factors and it is not a reliable measurement of quality of hospital and surgical care.
Nonlinear acoustic landmine detection experiment: Cylindrical drumlike landmine simulant buried in wetted or unwetted pea gravel

A laboratory experiment for studying acoustic landmine detection involves an 8 in. diameter, 4 in. tall drumlike landmine simulant buried two inches beneath the surface of a pea gravel medium in a cylindrical tank (9 in. O.D., 2 in. thick, 24 in. tall). The cylindrical column of gravel is supported on the sides by the concrete wall, and underneath by the thin circular acrylic top plate of the simulant (which has a thick aluminum bottom plate). Above the surface, a fine spraying mister is controlled to wet the gravel at regular intervals. A porous system near the bottom of the tank drains off excess water. For airborne acoustic excitation two loud speakers are driven by an amplified swept tone (50–850 Hz). A laser Doppler vibrometer connected to a spectrum analyzer measures the particle velocity response across the surface. Nonlinear tuning curve responses were measured on the surface to compare the characteristic frequency shift of the resonant peak with amplitude for nonwetted or wetted gravel. Then, at fixed drive amplitude, the tuning curve response was measured at discrete scan locations across the gravel. Therefore, at any specific resonant frequency, the mode shape response of the coupled simulant-gravel system can be measured.A laboratory experiment for studying acoustic landmine detection involves an 8 in. diameter, 4 in. tall drumlike landmine simulant buried two inches beneath the surface of a pea gravel medium in a cylindrical tank (9 in. O.D., 2 in. thick, 24 in. tall). The cylindrical column of gravel is supported on the sides by the concrete wall, and underneath by the thin circular acrylic top plate of the simulant (which has a thick aluminum bottom plate). Above the surface, a fine spraying mister is controlled to wet the gravel at regular intervals. A porous system near the bottom of the tank drains off excess water. For airborne acoustic excitation two loud speakers are driven by an amplified swept tone (50–850 Hz). A laser Doppler vibrometer connected to a spectrum analyzer measures the particle velocity response across the surface. Nonlinear tuning curve responses were measured on the surface to compare the characteristic frequency shift of the resonant peak with amplitude for nonwetted or wetted gravel. Then, at ...
Cognitive trajectory in mild cognitive impairment due to primary age-related tauopathy

Primary age-related tauopathy is increasingly recognized as a separate neuropathological entity different from Alzheimer's disease. Both share the neuropathological features of tau aggregates and neuronal loss in the temporal lobe, but primary age-related tauopathy lacks the requisite amyloid plaques central to Alzheimer's disease. While both have similar clinical presentations, individuals with symptomatic primary age-related tauopathy are commonly of more advanced ages with milder cognitive dysfunction. Direct comparison of the neuropsychological trajectories of primary age-related tauopathy and Alzheimer's disease has not been thoroughly evaluated and thus, our objective was to determine how cognitive decline differs longitudinally between these two conditions after the onset of clinical symptoms. Data were obtained from the National Alzheimer's Coordinating Center on participants with mild cognitive impairment at baseline and either no neuritic plaques (i.e. primary age-related tauopathy) or moderate to frequent neuritic plaques (i.e. Alzheimer neuropathological change) at subsequent autopsy. For patients with Alzheimer's disease and primary age-related tauopathy, we compared rates of decline in the sum of boxes score from the CDR® Dementia Staging Instrument and in five cognitive domains (episodic memory, attention/working memory, executive function, language/semantic memory, and global composite) using z-scores for neuropsychological tests that were calculated based on scores for participants with normal cognition. The differences in rates of change were tested using linear mixed-effects models accounting for clinical centre clustering and repeated measures by individual. Models were adjusted for sex, age, education, baseline test score, Braak stage, apolipoprotein e4 (APOE e4) carrier status, family history of cognitive impairment, and history of stroke, hypertension, or diabetes. We identified 578 participants with a global CDR of 0.5 (i.e. mild cognitive impairment) at baseline, 126 with primary age-related tauopathy and 452 with Alzheimer's disease. Examining the difference in rates of change in CDR sum of boxes and in all domain scores, participants with Alzheimer's disease had a significantly steeper decline after becoming clinically symptomatic than those with primary age-related tauopathy. This remained true after adjusting for covariates. The results of this analysis corroborate previous studies showing that primary age-related tauopathy has slower cognitive decline than Alzheimer's disease across multiple neuropsychological domains, thus adding to the understanding of the neuropsychological burden in primary age-related tauopathy. The study provides further evidence to support the hypothesis that primary age-related tauopathy has distinct neuropathological and clinical features compared to Alzheimer's disease.
Spinal Vascular Malformations

This chapter discusses the various aspects of spinal vascular malformations. Vascular malformations of the spinal cord are a heterogeneous group of anomalies ranging from simple, dural arteriovenous fistulae to complex arteriovenous malformations that may involve the spinal cord parenchyma as well as adjacent spinal and extraspinal structures. Most spinal vascular malformations can be classified into one of four types that differ significantly in etiology, anatomy, pathophysiology, radiological appearance, and treatment. Type I spinal arteriovenous malformations (AVMs) have two or more arterial feeders that enter at separate segmental levels. In this situation, the additional segmental dural branches travel within the dura to the fistula nidus where they converge to communicate with the efferent vein. Type II spinal cord AVMs are also referred to as glomus malformations and consist of intramedullary vascular malformations that have a true compact nidus within the parenchyma of the spinal cord. Type I spinal AVMs are believed to be acquired lesions although the mechanism for their development is not understood. These malformations cause symptoms primarily though venous hypertension. The surgical treatment of these lesions is very straightforward and outcome is most dependent on the patient's condition at the time of diagnosis. The availability of magnetic resonance imaging has made the diagnosis much simpler but high quality spinal angiography is still necessary to establish the diagnosis, classify the lesion, and plan appropriate treatment, whether it is endovascular, surgical, or a combination.
The impact of dew-induced transpiration suppression on the water and isotope balances of Colocasia esculenta leaves

Foliar uptake of water from the surface of leaves is common when rainfall is scarce and non-meteoric water such as dew or fog is more abundant. However, many species in more mesic environments have hydrophobic leaves that do not allow the plant to uptake water. Unlike foliar uptake, all species can benefit from dew- or fog-induced transpiration suppression, but despite its ubiquity, transpiration suppression has so far never been quantified. Here, we investigate the effect of dew-induced transpiration suppression on the water balance and the isotopic composition of leaves via a series of experiments. Characteristically hydrophobic leaves of a tropical plant, Colocasia esculenta, are misted with isotopically enriched water to reproduce dew deposition. We measure leaf water isotopes and water potential and find that misted leaves exhibit a higher water potential (p < 0.05) and a more depleted water isotopic composition than misted leaves (p < 0.001), suggesting a ∼30% decrease in transpiration rate (p < 0.001) compared to control leaves. We propose three possible mechanisms governing the interaction of water droplets with leaf energy balance. Comparing previous studies on foliar uptake to our results, we conclude that transpiration suppression has an effect of similar amplitude, yet opposite sign to foliar uptake on leaf water isotopes.
Integrating a Statistical Topic Model and a Diagnostic Classification Model for Analyzing Items in a Mixed Format Assessment.

It is common for assessments in education to contain both selected response items and constructed response items in a mixed format. These two different formats may complement each other. A constructed response item requires a longer, more detailed response from the students. To date, however, little research has been conducted on students’ textual response to the constructed response items. The purpose of this study was to present an approach in which a diagnostic classification model was used with a statistical topic model. We demonstrate how to apply this approach for a formative test of English and Language Arts. The test was designed to measure students’ reading and writing skills. A diagnostic classification model was used to estimate students’ mastery status of reading skills and topic models were used to estimate students’ use of the latent topics in their writing. Further, we used this approach to investigate the relationships between students’ reading skills and students’ use of topics in writing. Topic modeling is relatively new to educational researchers. The current study showed it provided a useful set of methods for extracting this added information in the text of answers to constructed response items.
Microbiota associated with the large-scale outdoor cultivation of the cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002

Abstract The model euryhaline cyanobacterium Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002 has potential as a platform for biotechnological applications because of its genetic amenability and fast growth rates. The purpose of this work was to measure the outdoor productivity metrics of Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002, which we tested by cultivation in 110 L flat-panel photobioreactors and 1025 L open raceway ponds at the Algae Testbed Public Private Partnership (ATP3) algae culturing testbed site at the Arizona Center for Algae Technology and Innovation (AzCATI). This work was carried out during the summer growing season when ambient temperatures and light availability are highest to support maximum photoautotrophic biomass yields. Modifications to the traditional A+ laboratory growth media for Synechococcus sp. PCC 7002 included the use of urea as a nitrogen source, and CO2 sparging for automated pH control in open ponds. Synechococcus showed robust growth in flat-panel photobioreactors, which are suited for the containment of modified organisms; however, cultivation in the open-raceway pond system was challenging due to pond crashes. We investigated the microbiota associated with Synechococcus pond cultures using Illumina amplicon sequencing of the 16S rRNA genes of bacteria and archaea and the 18S rRNA genes of microbial eukaryotes, to identify potential competitor and predator genera. These results pointed to likely predation of Synechococcus by a ciliated protozoan of the genus Euplotes. Development of crop protection strategies will be crucial for enabling the mass cultivation of Synechococcus in open pond systems.
Developing Open-Source Databases from Online Sources to Study Online and Offline Phenomena

Open-source data is increasingly a source for studying criminal justice issues, especially those pertaining to hard-to-reach populations. Despite the growing popularity of open-source databases, relatively little research has assessed the process of database development, measured the reliability and validity of the end products, or attempted to introduce standardized guidelines for open-source data collection. This chapter aims to address these gaps. First, it reviews the necessary steps for creating an open-source database, including identifying cases, defining the source universe, establishing a search protocol, training searchers and coders, developing a codebook, coding cases, and more. The chapter then reviews issues of reliability and validity that arise before, during, and after database development, and outlines best practices for maximizing both reliability and validity. Additional guidelines related to using diverse types of open-source data and applying open-source data collection to online and offline criminal justice phenomena are also discussed.
Interleukin-6 and lactate dehydrogenase expression in a novel ex vivo rocking model of equine corneal epithelial wound healing.

PURPOSE To establish a physiologically relevant ex vivo model of equine corneal epithelial wound healing. METHODS Fourteen equine corneas were randomly assigned to one of two groups: wounded (n = 8) or unwounded (n = 6) controls. In the wounded group, the axial corneal epithelium was removed by applying a 6 mm filter paper disk soaked in 1N-NaOH for 60 s. Corneas were subsequently cultured using an air-liquid interface model. Evaluation of corneal healing was performed daily, and culture medium was collected. Corneas were randomly assigned to undergo processing via histopathology and RNAscope in situ hybridization for interleukin-6 (IL-6) and alpha-smooth muscle actin (αSMA) expression at T24, T48, and T72 h after wounding. Media of the cultured corneas were evaluated for the presence of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) by a colorimetric assay. RESULTS The ulcerated area of the wounded corneas decreased over time and all corneas healed within 72 h. Histologically, normal corneal architecture was observed including healthy epithelium (in areas other than the ulcerated ones), minimal stromal edema, intact endothelium, and Descemet's membrane. IL-6 expression was increased in wounded corneas compared with unwounded controls. LDH expression was elevated for both wounded and unwounded corneas at T24 but decreased substantially and was not detected at T48 in media from wounded and unwounded corneas, respectively. No αSMA expression was detected from either wounded or unwounded corneas. CONCLUSIONS The equine air-liquid interface, ex vivo, corneal epithelial wound healing model is effective and physiologically relevant. This model can be used in future studies evaluating various corneal therapies.
Constrained Attack-Resilient Estimation of Stochastic Cyber-Physical Systems.

In this paper, a constrained attack-resilient estimation algorithm (CARE) is developed for stochastic cyber-physical systems. The proposed CARE has improved estimation accuracy and detection performance when physical constraints and operational limitations are available. In particular, CARE is designed for simultaneous input and state estimation that provides minimum-variance unbiased estimates, and these estimates are projected onto the constrained space restricted by inequality constraints subsequently. We prove that the estimation errors and their covariances from CARE are less than those from unconstrained algorithms, and confirm that this property can further reduce the false negative rate in attack detection. We show that estimation errors of CARE are practically exponentially stable in mean square. Finally, an illustrative example of attacks on a vehicle is given to demonstrate the improved estimation accuracy and detection performance compared to an existing unconstrained algorithm.
Changes in affect from non-eating activity engagement as predictors of loss of control eating: an ecological momentary assessment study.

PURPOSE Loss of control eating (LOCE) is supported as a maladaptive regulation strategy for high negative affect (NA) and low positive affect (PA). Yet, little is known about the day-to-day activities outside of eating that may precipitate such changes in affect and impact risk for LOCE. The current ecological momentary assessment study sought to examine whether (1) low NA and high PA at a given survey would prospectively predict lower likelihood of a LOCE episode at the next survey, and (2) having recently engaged in various non-eating activities would be associated with changes in average NA and PA levels at the same survey. METHODS Data collected from 66 participants with LOCE over 7-14 days were analyzed using generalized estimating equations. RESULTS High NA but not low PA at a given survey prospectively predicted lower likelihood of a LOCE episode at the next survey. Having recently engaged in outdoor recreation and socializing was associated with lower than one's usual NA and higher than one's usual PA at the same survey, social media was associated with higher than one's usual NA and lower than one's usual PA, self-care was associated with higher than one's usual PA, and napping was associated with lower than one's usual PA. CONCLUSION Individuals may benefit from increasing the frequency of daily non-eating activities that reduce NA, since it appears to be a more salient predictor of LOCE than PA. Further research is needed to elucidate this LOCE maintenance model, particularly in regard to the role of PA. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Level IV, multiple time series without intervention.