cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Can We Predict First-time Failure on the Podiatric Boards Using an Admission Screen?

Background: This study examined the success of an admission screen in identifying applicants who will fail Part I or Part II of the Podiatric Boards on the first attempt. Methods: A logistic regression model was used to predict failure on the Podiatric Boards. Results: The biology Medical College Admission Test (MCAT) score predicted failure on Part I and Part II. Adding undergraduate grade point average and the other MCAT subscores did not significantly improve the prediction. Although a screen based on the biology MCAT score can identify nearly 90% of those who fail, there are six false-positives for every true-positive. Conclusions: First-time Board failure can be predicted, but Board failure must be primarily addressed by interventions after matriculation rather than by an admission screen. (J Am Podiatr Med Assoc 102(6): 485–490, 2012)
Alteration of Large-Scale Chromatin Structure by Estrogen Receptor

The estrogen receptor (ER), a member of the nuclear hormone receptor superfamily important in human physiology and disease, recruits coactivators which modify local chromatin structure. Here we describe effects of ER on large-scale chromatin structure as visualized in live cells. We targeted ER to gene-amplified chromosome arms containing large numbers of lac operator sites either directly, through a lac repressor-ER fusion protein (lac rep-ER), or indirectly, by fusing lac repressor with the ER interaction domain of the coactivator steroid receptor coactivator 1. Significant decondensation of large-scale chromatin structure, comparable to that produced by the approximately 150-fold-stronger viral protein 16 (VP16) transcriptional activator, was produced by ER in the absence of estradiol using both approaches. Addition of estradiol induced a partial reversal of this unfolding by green fluorescent protein-lac rep-ER but not by wild-type ER recruited by a lac repressor-SRC570-780 fusion protein. The chromatin decondensation activity did not require transcriptional activation by ER nor did it require ligand-induced coactivator interactions, and unfolding did not correlate with histone hyperacetylation. Ligand-induced coactivator interactions with helix 12 of ER were necessary for the partial refolding of chromatin in response to estradiol using the lac rep-ER tethering system. This work demonstrates that when tethered or recruited to DNA, ER possesses a novel large-scale chromatin unfolding activity.
Adaptive per hop differentiation for end-to-end delay assurance in multihop wireless networks

As the rapid growth of smart hand-held devices, multihop wireless access networks have a lot of potential applications in a variety of fields in civilian and military environments. Many of these applications, such as realtime audio/video streaming, will require some form of end-to-end QoS assurance. In this paper, we present an adaptive per hop differentiation (APHD) scheme towards achieving end-to-end delay assurance in multihop wireless networks. Our scheme is based on EDCA technique which is proposed in 802.11e draft. In EDCA, data packets of different priorities will use different MAC contention parameter set, which translate into different delays. Our APHD scheme extends the capability of EDCA into multihop environment by taking end-to-end delay requirement into consideration at each intermediate hop. Following a cross-layer design approach, APHD is aimed to be a distributed and localized technique. Individual nodes keep track of the channel state independently without any intercommunication overhead. Data packets carry end-to-end delay requirement along with other important information in the packet header. At an intermediate node, based on data packet's end-to-end requirement, its accumulative delay so far, and the current node's channel status, APHD smartly adjusts data packet's priority level in order to satisfy its end-to-end delay requirement. Simulation results show that APHD scheme can provide excellent end-to-end delay assurance while achieving much higher network utilization, compared to a pure EDCA scheme.
Hemolytically Active (Acylated) Alpha-Hemolysin Elicits Interleukin-1β (IL-1β) but Augments the Lethality of Escherichia coli by an IL-1- and Tumor Necrosis Factor-Independent Mechanism

Many pathogenic Escherichia coli produce the toxin alpha-hemolysin (Hly), and lipopolysaccharide (LPS), interleukin-1 (IL-1), and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) have all been recognized as important effector molecules during infections by gram-negative organisms. Despite the characterization of many in vitro effects of hemolysin, no direct relationship has been established between hemolysin, LPS, proinflammatory cytokine production, and E. coli-induced mortality. Previously, we have shown in vivo that hemolysin elicits a distinct IL-1α spike by 4 h into a lethal hemolytic E. coli infection. Using three transformed E. coli strains, WAF108, WAF270, and WAH540 (which produce no Hly [Hlynull], acylated Hly [Hlyactive], or nonacylated Hly [Hlyinactive], respectively), we sought to determine the specific roles of hemolysin acylation, LPS, IL-1, and TNF in mediating the lethality of E. coli infection in mice. WAF270 was 100% lethal in BALB/c, C3H/HeJ, and C57BL/6 mice; in mice pretreated with antibody to the type 1 IL-1 receptor; in type 1 IL-1 receptor-deficient mice; and in dual (type 1 IL-1 receptor-type 1 TNF receptor)-deficient mice at doses which were nonlethal (0%) with both WAF108 and WAH540. At lethal doses, WAF270 killed by 6 ± 2.3 h while WAF108 and WAH540 killed at 36 ± 9.4 and 36 ± 13.8 h, respectively. These differences in mortality were not due to IL-1 or TNF release, and the enhanced expression of LPS, which corresponded to Hly expression, was not likely the primary factor causing mortality. We demonstrate that bacterial fatty acid acylation of hemolysin is required in order for it to elicit IL-1 release by monocytes and to confer its virulence on E. coli.
Sure independence screening for ultrahigh dimensional feature space

Summary. Variable selection plays an important role in high dimensional statistical modelling which nowadays appears in many areas and is key to various scientific discoveries. For problems of large scale or dimensionality p, accuracy of estimation and computational cost are two top concerns. Recently, Candes and Tao have proposed the Dantzig selector using L1-regularization and showed that it achieves the ideal risk up to a logarithmic factor log (p). Their innovative procedure and remarkable result are challenged when the dimensionality is ultrahigh as the factor log (p) can be large and their uniform uncertainty principle can fail. Motivated by these concerns, we introduce the concept of sure screening and propose a sure screening method that is based on correlation learning, called sure independence screening, to reduce dimensionality from high to a moderate scale that is below the sample size. In a fairly general asymptotic framework, correlation learning is shown to have the sure screening property for even exponentially growing dimensionality. As a methodological extension, iterative sure independence screening is also proposed to enhance its finite sample performance. With dimension reduced accurately from high to below sample size, variable selection can be improved on both speed and accuracy, and can then be accomplished by a well-developed method such as smoothly clipped absolute deviation, the Dantzig selector, lasso or adaptive lasso. The connections between these penalized least squares methods are also elucidated.
Targeted Biopsy in the Detection of Prostate Cancer Using an Office Based Magnetic Resonance Ultrasound Fusion Device

Purpose: Targeted biopsy of lesions identified on magnetic resonance imaging may enhance the detection of clinically relevant prostate cancers. We evaluated prostate cancer detection rates in 171 consecutive men using magnetic resonance ultrasound fusion prostate biopsy.Materials and Methods: Subjects underwent targeted biopsy for active surveillance (106) or persistently increased prostate specific antigen but negative prior conventional biopsy (65). Before biopsy, each man underwent multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging at 3.0 Tesla. Lesions on magnetic resonance imaging were outlined in 3 dimensions and assigned increasing cancer suspicion levels (image grade 1 to 5) by a uroradiologist. A biopsy tracking system was used to fuse the stored magnetic resonance imaging with real-time ultrasound, generating a 3-dimensional prostate model on the fly. Working from the 3-dimensional model, transrectal biopsy of target lesions and 12 systematic biopsies were performed with the patient under local anesthes...
Characteristics of Injuries in Motorcycle-to-Barrier Collisions in Maryland

Motorcycle-to-barrier collisions are more serious than many other motorcycle crash modes, such as collisions with only the ground or passenger cars. To identify the potential need for design improvements to traffic barriers to reduce the severity of these crashes, the injuries incurred during these collisions must first be understood better. The objective of the study was to determine the type, relative frequency, and severity of injuries incurred in motorcycle-to-barrier crashes in Maryland. The Crash Outcome Data Evaluation System (CODES) was used to analyze motorcycle crashes in Maryland from 2006 to 2008. CODES links police-reported crashes to hospital data, providing detailed information about injuries incurred during collision. This study focused on four crash modes for motorcyclists: single-vehicle barrier collisions, single-vehicle fixed-object collisions, multivehicle collisions, and single-vehicle overturn-only collisions. The most commonly injured body regions for all motorcycle crashes were th...
Magnetization reversal of Co ∕ Pt multilayers: Microscopic origin of high-field magnetic irreversibility

We investigate the magnetization reversal in fCos 4A d /P ts 7A dg50 multilayers with perpendicular magnetic anisotropy both macroscopically by the first-order reversal curve (FORC) technique and microscopically by transmission x-ray microscopy (TXRM) and resonant x-ray small angle scattering (SAS). In particular, we focus on the nucleation and saturation processes. The onset of magnetization reversal is dominated by irreversible processes corresponding to the avalanchelike propagation of one-dimensional stripe domains that originate from earlier nucleated zero-dimensional bubble domains. In a second stage we observe mainly reversible behavior where the overall domain topology is preserved. Finally another irreversible process brings the sample to negative saturation, corresponding to the contraction and annihilation of domains. Interestingly, even well beyond the apparent major-loop saturation field, the FORC diagram exhibits pronounced irreversible switching and thus provides a direct measure of the true (and significantly higher) saturation field. TXRM and SAS measurements reveal on a microscopic level that some residual bubble domains with negligible moments still persist for fields well above the apparent saturation field. These residual domains, if unannihilated, significantly alter the subsequent magnetization reversal.
Solar Energy without Neutrinos: Fusion Catalysis by Quarks

Negatively charged quarks and antiquarks may catalyse fusion in light elements. The solar energy output could be provided by quark catalysis of the alpha fusion reaction without production of neutrinos. The required abundance of quarks is ~10−33 per proton if there are no heavy elements inside the Sun and is ~10−14 per proton if heavy element occurrence is like that in the solar system 10−5. In the latter case the reaction rate is strongly temperature dependent.
The Theory of Law and the History of Law in the United States: A Reconciliation? (La Théorie du Droit et L'Histoire du Droit aux États-Unis: Une Conciliation?)

This paper deals with the relationship between the theory of law and the his­tory of law in the context of the American legal system. Nowadays, the dominant theory of law in the United States is legal realism, which has its roots in the philo­sophies of pragmatism and empiricism. Given this philosophical orientation, the history of law ought to play an essential role in the American theory of law. However, in fact, it is now the social sciences (such as economics, psycho­logy, sociology, political science, etc) and the emphasis they place on the analysis of the contemporary state of the law that are the disciplines with the greatest impact on American legal theory. Despite this fact, one sees a strange paradox: in the decisions of American courts, in particular where consti­tutional matters are concerned, the history of law plays a major role in the deliberations and opinions of judges, as well as in the arguments of lawyers and the analyses and evaluations of academics. But American legal theory, as expressed in contemporary jurisprudential writings, pays little heed to these developments. The author considers the possibility of reconciling the theory of law and the history of law. He concludes that such reconciliation is needed, due to the very nature of American law and its deep roots in the philosophy and methods of the common law system, a system which is fundamentally historical, and only secondarily analytical. It is all the more necessary because of the unavoidable complementarity of these two fields (theory of law and history of law): the history of law needs more analytical rigor which the theory of law could provide, whereas the theory of law needs sounder historical bases in order to construct its abstract theories if it wants to have more impact on the legal process.
Steady-state analysis of a multi-server queue in the Halfin-Whitt regime

We consider a multi-server queue in the Halfin-Whitt regime: as the number of serversn grows without a bound, the utilization approaches 1 from below at the rate �(1/ √ n). Assuming that the service time distribution is lattice-valued with a finite support, we characterize the limiting stationary queue length distribution in terms of the stationary distribution of an explicitly constructed Markov chain. Furthermore, we obtain an explicit expression for the critical exponent for the moment generating function of a limiting (scaled) steady-state queue length. This exponent has a compact representation in terms of three parameters: the amount of spare capacity and the coefficients of variation of interarrival and service times. Interestingly, it matches an analogous exponent corresponding to a single-server queue in the conventional heavy-traffic regime.
Propagation of Gulf Stream Meanders between 74° and 70°W

Abstract Positions of the Gulf Stream path from 74° to 45°W were obtained from satellite infrared images for the period of April 1982–December 1989. The propagation of meanders between 74° and 70°W was studied through spectral analysis in wavenumber-frequency space, empirical orthogonal function analysis in time and frequency domains, and direct measurements of individual meander properties. Progressive meanders are found to have a broad range of periods from days to years, and wavelengths from about 200 to 1100 km. Good agreement is found between the satellite and Inverted Echo Sounder data for short-period (<80 days) progressive propagation. Retrogressive meanders with wavelengths longer than 1100 km are found to coexist with progressive ones at periods longer than 4 months. The empirical dispersion relation is in qualitative agreement with the linear prediction of a recent equivalent-barotropic,β-plane thin-jet model, the comparison also suggests that topographic β may need to be considered in order to...
Preventing attacks in peer-to-peer document preservation systems

Librarians have centuries of experience preserving works published on many types of media from bone to paper. Academic publishing is moving to a digital process, thus shifting the problem of information preservation to that of preserving bits on digital storage media. Preserved digital documents may be damaged over long periods of time by storage system failures, operator errors, and malicious behavior. This thesis presents the LOCKSS (Lots of Copies Keeps Stuff Safe) digital preservation system that enables libraries to preserve their digital collections for very long time horizons. The LOCKSS system automatically collects journals from publishers' websites and preserves them through a peer-to-peer auditing protocol that repairs damage to digital documents. Because the LOCKSS system relies on the public Internet for communication between peer libraries, it is as susceptible as other distributed systems to network and protocol attacks. This thesis develops techniques to resist attacks against the LOCKSS system, presents an analysis of how the LOCKSS protocol behaves under a variety of attacks, and provides a methodology by which realistic adversary models can be designed and simulated.
The Effectiveness of Service Learning Practice for Teacher Education in Japan

This study presented practices based on Service Learning that gave pre-service teachers ideas about the significance of Service Learning and the challenges that exist. They made lesson plans for “ Houshi ” (=Service) and conducted them in a high school in Tokyo’s public school system. Service Learning is one of the effective methods in which students improve their academic learning and develop social and civic skills through structured service activities that meet the needs of the community. Service Learning was introduced to Japan in the 1990s. Educators in Japan are interested in the application of Service Learning in grades K-12, and also in some colleges and universities in Japan. However, the introduction of Service Learning into teacher education programs is relatively new in Japan. The study particularly focuses on these three questions: (1) What impact does the project have on teacher development?; (2) What challenges exist in overcoming the difficulties in the ongoing Service Learning project?; (3) What are the positive results of the experience? According to the study, in order for this program to succeed, it is important for the students to be given responsibilities, to understand social and educational values, and to develop a spirit of teamwork. The introduction of Service Learning in teacher education fosters teacher's abilities and teaching skills, and gives them a sense of personal growth. They can incorporate these ideas and methods from their experience of Service Learning after having after become teachers. The teachers will be encouraged to be leaders in introducing these concepts of Service Learning in their schools.
The process of sex attribution

Sex attribution is defined as any explanation of behavior that specifies sex of the performer as a causal agent. A method is described for assessing appropriate and inappropriate occasions for making sex attributions, and several hypotheses related to their occurrence are advanced. As predicted, sex attributions occurred most frequently when a person stated a preference that was “sex appropriate” on an empirical basis for someone of his/her sex. Consistent with claims of the Women's Movement, the findings indicate that men are more likely than women to make inappropriate sex attributions. Unexpectedly, however, this bias occurred only when men were judging the attitudes of other males.
Visualization of Project Control Data: A Research Agenda

Over the course of a typical project, construction managers must interpret a great volume and variety of ever-changing project control data. Due to the volume of data, issues related to schedule, cost, resources or design intent are often overlooked, thereby resulting in the failure of judicious handling of important situations at any given point in time. We propose to use visual representations to clarify the complicated structure of data, eliminate confusing factors, and identify key elements. Several research efforts have been conducted to cope with the lack of visual representations in the construction management domain. However, most of these efforts have focused on visualizing either spatial building structures, sequence of construction activities, or construction operations. There has been little research efforts focused on information visualization in construction management. As a result, the construction management community is still faced with the problem of how to digest vast amounts of data and understand its complex intricacies in the dynamic and fragmented environment of construction; where data have a number of formats and are communicated through a variety of medium, which increases the potential of a communication breakdown among project team members. Some of the fundamental research challenges to be addressed in visualization of project control data include finding answers to several critical questions. This paper proposes a research agenda to the construction management community to encourage research in a variety of areas related to visualization of project control data.
Dynamic Mesh Deformation for Adaptive Grid Resolution Enhancement with Staggered Spectral Difference and Finite Volume Mesh

Better computational efficiency and reduced computational cost for high order CFD method are areas of active research. In this study, we investigate the potential of using dynamic deforming mesh to locally refine a region of interest in the flow domain. With given number of nodes or degree of freedoms, this has the advantage of achieving an optimal distribution of mesh points, concentrating the computational resource on areas of high gradients, and leaving areas of low gradient with less points. This can be very useful for high order finite element methods that usually have difficulties capturing clean shocks due to the large size of the mesh element, despite the large number of solution and flux poitns within the element. With deforming mesh, the mesh elements can be deformed and gathered near solution with steep gradient, hence leading to high resolution solution of discontinuity. In low gradient regions, despite the diminishing cells, the high order methods are very efficient at resolving the flow with small number of mesh cells.
Operating Characteristics of Photovoltaic Power Generation System and Its Equivalent Description

On the basis of expounding working principle of photovoltaic battery and the model,a simulation model for photovoltaic(PV) generation system with DC-DC,battery,DC-AC,electrical inverter and control module is established.By analysis on its stability and transient characteristics,the paper further proposes dynamic equivalent model which is suitable for expressing the differential equation.4-node system is taken as simulation object to verify effectiveness,generalization ability and parameter stability of the equivalent description model.The verification result shows that the approximation effect of above-mentioned equivalent description model on data sample is favorable,interpolation and extrapolation characteristics are good and parameter stability is also achieved.
Living Shorelines: A Review of Literature Relevant to New England Coasts

ABSTRACT O'Donnell, J.E.D., 2017. Living shorelines: A review of literature relevant to New England coasts. Over the last few decades, increasing awareness of the potential adverse impacts of traditional hardened coastal protection structures on coastal processes and nearshore habitats has prompted interest in the development of shoreline stabilization approaches that preserve intertidal habitats or at least minimize the destructive effects of traditional shoreline protection approaches. Although many terms are used to describe shoreline stabilization approaches that protect or enhance the natural shoreline habitat, these approaches are frequently referred to as living shorelines. A review of the literature on living shorelines is provided to determine which insights from locations where living shorelines have proved successful are applicable to the New England shorelines for mitigating shoreline erosion while maintaining coastal ecosystem services. The benefits of living shorelines in comparison with tra...
Case 26-1988: A 40-Year-Old Man with a Persistent Dural Abnormality after Treatment for an Astrocytoma

Presentation of Case A 40-year-old right-handed man was admitted to the hospital because of questionable recurrence of a brain tumor. He was well until 13 years earlier, when a grand-mal seizure occurred. Evaluation elsewhere included an electroencephalogram that was reported to be normal. One year later another grand-mal seizure occurred, and phenytoin and primidone were begun. The patient had no subsequent grand-mal seizures, although focal seizures involved the left arm and hand several times weekly. Ten years before entry a cranial computed tomographic (CT) scan was reported to show a low-density abnormality in the white matter of the right cerebral . . .
Echo Technique to Distinguish Flavors of Astrophysical Neutrinos.

Mathematical and Physical Sciences: 1st Place (The Ohio State University Edward F. Hayes Graduate Research Forum)
Estimation of Risk in Cancer Patients Undergoing Palliative Procedures by the American College of Surgeons Risk Calculator.

Abstract Background: Surgical palliation is defined as the use of a procedure to relieve symptoms. The American College of Surgeons Risk Calculator (ACSRC) was created based on data from the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program to predict the risk of surgical complications on a patient-specific level. Whether the ACSRC can accurately predict the risk of postoperative complications following palliative procedures in cancer patients is unknown. The purpose of this study was to determine if the ACSRC accurately predicted postoperative complication rates in this setting. Study Design: A prospectively maintained, surgical oncology database of patient outcomes from 2011 to 2013 was queried. Data extracted included the following: demographics, comorbidities, site and stage of cancer, type of procedure, and post-operative complication rate and type. Risk assessment was performed for each patient using the ACSRC. Predicted outcomes were compared to actual outcomes for length of stay (LOS), complications, ...
A review of subtropical community resistance and resilience to extreme cold spells

Forecasted changes in global climate predict not only shifts in average conditions but also changes in the frequency and intensity of climate extremes. In the subtropics, the passage of extreme cold spells functions as a major structuring force for ecological communities, and can incur substantial losses to biodiversity, agriculture, and infrastructure. If these events persist in the future, it is likely that their effects on subtropical communities and ecosystems will become more pronounced, as tropical species migrate poleward. Recent extreme cold spells in subtropical China (2008) and United States (2010) occurred in ecosystems that are the subject of long-term ecological study, enabling key questions about cold spell affects to be addressed. In this study, we (1) discuss the meteorological drivers that resulted in these two extreme cold spells, and (2) use findings from case studies published in the Ecosphere Special Feature on effects of extreme cold spells on the dynamics of subtropical communities, and on poleward expansion of tropical species and other previously published works to identify consistencies of subtropical community resilience and resistance to extreme cold spells. In this review, we highlight three consistent findings related to this particularly type of extreme climate event: (1) cold spells drive predictable community change in the subtropics by altering ratios of coexisting tropical and temperate species; (2) certain landscape features consistently affect subtropical resistance and resilience to extreme cold spells; and (3) native tropical species are more resistant and resilient to extreme cold spells than tropical nonnative taxa. Our review should improve forecasts of the response of subtropical community dynamics in scenarios where extreme cold spells either increase or decrease in frequency and intensity.
Pontine Infarction as a Complication of Basilar-Type Migraine Status Migrainosus (P01.093)

OBJECTIVE: To present a patient with basilar-type migraine (BTM) sustaining a pontine infarction during status migrainosus and to discuss the case in the context of the International Classification of Headache Disorders, 2nd Edition (ICHD-2) criteria for migrainous infarction. BACKGROUND: The ICHD-2 defines migrainous infarction as one or more otherwise typical aura symptoms that persist beyond one hour with neuroimaging confirmation of an ischemic infarction in the affected territory. The ICHD-2 criteria exclude patients with new onset aura as well as patients who develop “extra-aural” symptoms at the time of infarction. DESIGN/METHODS: Case report from a tertiary medical center. RESULTS: A 42-year-old woman with BTM whose aura symptoms included vertigo, tinnitus, hypacusis, gait unsteadiness, and disorientation developed her typical constellation of aura symptoms followed by a two-week period of status migrainosus, which she was treating with eletriptan 40 to 80mg mg daily. Several days into the headache phase she experienced acute, maximal-at-onset dysarthria and left face, arm, and leg numbness and weakness. These symptoms minimally improved over several weeks, leaving her with mild residual left-sided sensorimotor deficits and dysarthria. She had also been taking estrogen-containing oral contraception. MRI and MRA of the brain revealed a pontine ischemic lesion and basilar artery fenestration. CONCLUSIONS: This patient presents a diagnostic dilemma, since her stroke symptoms were not part of her typical aura syndrome and therefore does not fulfill ICHD-2 criteria for migrainous infarction. These restrictions on what constitutes a bona fide migrainous infarction may improve specificity at the expense of sensitivity, potentially underestimating the role of migraine in stroke etiology. Disclosure: Dr. Vollbracht9s family owns stock and/or stock options in Allergan, Inc. Dr. Robbins has nothing to disclose. Dr. Kister has nothing to disclose.
Arthroscopic Viewing Position Affects Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction Femoral Tunnel Length Measurements.

Purpose: To purpose of this study was to compare arthroscopic anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction femoral tunnel length measurements from the anterolateral portal between the standard notch view using a 30° arthroscope versus a “top-down” view utilizing a 70° arthroscope to visual the far side of the femoral tunnel aperture. Methods: Arthroscopic femoral tunnel length measurements using calibrated reamers from the standard notch versus the “top-down” view were obtained and reviewed in 54 skeletally mature patients undergoing ACL reconstruction with no prior bony knee surgery. Patient age, height, weight, sex, and surgery laterality were also recorded. Measurements of femoral tunnel length were repeated using both views for inter-observer and intra-observer correlation. Results: Inter-observer and intra-observer intra-class correlation coefficients for the standard notch view and “top-down” views were excellent, with higher reliability values appreciated using the “top down” view. Mean overall femoral tunnel length measurements obtained using the standard notch view were significantly longer than measurements from the “top-down” view (p < 0.001). Conclusions: The standard notch view provides significantly longer femoral tunnel length measurements in comparison to the “top-down” view.
Optimal Oblique Radiographs to Identify Fifth Carpometacarpal Dorsal Subluxations: A Cadaveric Study

Purpose Carpometacarpal (CMC) joint subluxations of the fifth finger are rare injuries and are notoriously difficult to diagnose due to severe swelling and overlapping of bones on radiographs. Various radiographic studies have been suggested to identify these injuries. We hypothesize that there will be no difference between various oblique radiographs for detection of a fifth finger CMC subluxation. Methods Using 4 cadaveric specimens, we took radiographs at various angles (0°, 30°, 45°, and 60°) with the fifth metacarpal in anatomic position, subluxated 25% and 50% dorsally. Radiology and orthopedic residents, fellows, and attending physicians viewed each image to determine whether a subluxation was present. Data were analyzed using area under the receiver operating curve, sensitivity, and specificity. Results A total of 36 responses were obtained from 9 radiologists (4 residents, 3 fellows, 2 attendings) and 27 orthopedic surgeons (16 residents, 8 fellows, 3 attendings). Radiographs taken at 60° were more sensitive and specific (Sn 85, Sp 60) than at 0° (Sn 64, Sp 33), 30° (Sn 84, Sp 47), or 45° (Sn 80, Sp 49). Area under the receiver operating curve was also higher for 60° (0.87) than 0° (0.59), 30° (0.75), and 45° (0.75). Conclusions Sensitivity, specificity, and area under the receiver operating curve were highest for 60° radiographs. We recommend obtaining radiographs of the hand in 60° of pronation from the lateral if there is suspicion for a fifth CMC subluxation or dislocation. Clinical relevance This study suggests a simple radiographic view to enhance the diagnosis of fifth CMC subluxations.
Intractability issues in mixed-criticality scheduling

In seeking to develop mixed-criticality scheduling algorithms, one encounters challenges arising from two sources. First, mixed-criticality scheduling is an inherently an on-line problem in that scheduling decisions must be made without access to all the information that is needed to make such decisions optimally - such information is only revealed over time. Second, many fundamental mixed-criticality schedulability analysis problems are computationally intractable - NP-hard in the strong sense - but we desire to solve these problems using algorithms with polynomial or pseudo-polynomial running time. While these two aspects of intractability are traditionally studied separately in the theoretical computer science literature, they have been considered in an integrated fashion in mixed-criticality scheduling theory. In this work we seek to separate out the effects of being inherently on-line, and being computationally intractable, on the overall intractability of mixed-criticality scheduling problems. Speedup factor is widely used as quantitative metric of the effectiveness of mixed-criticality scheduling algorithms; there has recently been a bit of a debate regarding the appropriateness of doing so. We provide here some additional perspective on this matter: we seek to better understand its appropriateness as well as its limitations in this regard by examining separately how the on-line nature of some mixed-criticality problems, and their computational complexity, contribute to the speedup factors of two widely-studied mixed-criticality scheduling algorithms.
Alloy Selection for High Temperature Heat Exchangers

The long-term oxidation resistance of various commercial alloys is being evaluated for industrial heat exchangers intended to operate at 900-1100 C. At higher temperatures, many chromia-forming alloys have limited lifetime due to high rates of metal consumption and alumina-forming alloys are being considered.
Ultrasound-Guided Placement of Subclavian Central Venous Catheter

Upper extremity vein sclerosis (this is the only indication for which Medicare will reimburse). Central pressure monitoring. Delivery of sclerotic medications or agents.
Teatralidad y terrorismo en "Los amantes del demonio" de Alberto Miralles

In Los amantes del demonio (2003), Alberto Miralles examines the personal and social motives behind terrorism and the codes of behavior of those who are involved in terrorist acts. Terrorism, a concept that is much more illusory and ethereal than concrete and tangible, and theater, where what is and what appears to be are inextricably interrelated, are characterized by the immediacy of action and dramatic effect. Capitalizing on this parallelism, Miralles combines form and content and text and context to explore an unsettling feature of the human condition. In Los amantes del demonio, the analogy between the terrorist act and theatrical act serve to create a penetrating image of a disturbing reality of our time and to present a critical perspective of reflection with the purpose of denouncing that same reality.
Caregiver Communication About Cancer: Development of a mhealth resource to support family caregiver communication burden

Objective The aim of this study is to illustrate an evidence-based and theoretically informed mhealth resource (smartphone app) designed to provide communication support for informal cancer caregivers (friends or family members). Methods An eight-step process was conducted: (a) review of existing print resources, (b) selection of theoretical framework for content development, (c) integration of stakeholder feedback and literacy assessment into an alpha print model, (d) review of existing mhealth resources, (e) development of prototype, (f) assessment of caregiver acceptability (n = 5), (g) assessment of quality and perceived impact by cancer providers (n = 26), and (h) acceptability testing with caregivers (n = 6). Results Key stakeholders were integrated throughout development and user testing of this iOS smartphone app. The smartphone app consists of talking tips and resources for caregiver communication with the patient, family, far away family, and health care providers, as well as general information sharing features. Conclusions This study demonstrates feasibility and development of an evidence-based and theory-driven mhealth resource to support caregiver communication about cancer. This is the first theory-driven mhealth application created to support the communication burden experienced by cancer caregivers. A larger study is needed to establish the efficacy of the app as an intervention for caregivers.
Improving Torque Control Accuracy and Dynamics for High Power or High Speed Induction Machine Drives that Inherently Operate at Low Switching-to-Fundamental Frequency Ratios

High power applications with low switching frequencies as well as high speed applications with high fundamental frequencies operate at low switching-to-fundamental (S2F) frequency ratios. With low S2F frequency ratios, it is challenging to achieve high torque control accuracy and dynamic performance. This paper identifies control issues that yield performance degradation at low S2F frequency ratios, for traditional field oriented control (FOC) and for deadbeat-direct torque and flux control (DB-DTFC) induction machine drives. By eliminating the synchronous reference frame current regulation, DB-DTFC demonstrates advantages to achieve a more desirable torque control performance in low-S2F-ratio applications. Three progressively more accurate DB-DTFC torque models are compared in terms of torque control accuracy and computation time to FOC and standard high switching frequency DB-DTFC. A general guideline is proposed to select the most suitable model for DB-DTFC drives at an arbitrary S2F ratio for high power or high speed applications.
Smoking tobacco prevalence among college students in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction During the last two decades, several studies have been published regarding the prevalence of tobacco smoking among college students in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). This systematic review and meta-analysis is intended to determine and examine the smoking prevalence in Saudi college students from 2010-2018. Methods PubMed, Science Direct, APA PsycNET, Web of Science, and CINAHL were used to search for published articles reporting the smoking prevalence among Saudi college students. After eliminating irrelevant articles, investigators independently assessed the quality of each article, based on Russell & Gregory guidelines. MetaXL software was used to calculate the pooled prevalence among included studies, using the IVhert model. Heterogeneity among the included studies was evaluated, using I2 statistic. Sensitivity analyses were conducted between male and female genders. Results Of the 295 published articles, 29 articles used a cross-sectional design to determine smoking prevalence among Saudi college students. Most of the studies were conducted in Riyadh at health-science-related colleges; the rest were performed in different cities and colleges. The meta-analysis showed that the pooled estimate of smoking prevalence among college students in the KSA was 17% (95% CI: 11-23%). Saudi male students had a prevalence rate of 26% (95% CI: 24-29%), whereas for Saudi female students the prevalence was 5% (95% CI: 3-7%). Conclusions Smoking among Saudi college students was higher than in the majority of regional countries (e.g. Iran). Saudi male students had a higher smoking prevalence than Saudi female college students. Additionally, studies that reported a high prevalence targeted students in specific disciplines. Public health authorities in the KSA should develop a surveillance system that monitors the prevalence of tobacco smoking on campuses. A surveillance system of monitoring tobacco use among Saudi college students could be beneficial in determining the degree of the tobacco problem and in improving current tobacco control programs.
A Multidisciplinary Intubation Algorithm for Suspected COVID-19 Patients in the Emergency Department.

Author(s): Trembley, Lauren L.; Tobias, Adam Z.; Schillo, Gwendolyn; von Foerster, Nicholas; Singer, Jordan; Pavelka, Samantha L.; Phrampus, Paul | Abstract: Introduction: Intubation of patients suspected of having coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is considered to be a high-risk procedure due to the aerosolization of viral particles. In an effort to minimize the risk of exposure and optimize patient care, we sought to develop, test, provide training, and implement a standardized algorithm for intubating these high-risk patients at our institution.Methods: We developed an initial intubation algorithm, incorporating strategic use of equipment and incorporating emerging best practices. By combining simulation-based training sessions and rapid-cycle improvement methodology with physicians, nurses, and respiratory therapists, and incorporating their feedback into the development, we were able to optimize the process prior to implementation. Training sessions also enabled the participants to practice the algorithm as a team. Upon completion of each training session, participants were invited to complete a brief online survey about their overall experience.Results: An algorithm and training system vetted by simulation and actual practice were developed. A training video and dissemination package were made available for other emergency departments to adopt. Survey results were overall positive, with 97.92% of participants feeling confident in their role in the intubation process, and many participants citing the usefulness of the multidisciplinary approach to the training.Conclusion: A multidisciplinary, team-based approach to the development and training of a standardized intubation algorithm combining simulation and rapid-cycle improvement methodology is a useful, effective process to respond to rapidly evolving clinical information and experiences during a global pandemic.
Dust-corrected Colors Reveal Bimodality in the Host-galaxy Colors of Active Galactic Nuclei at z ~ 1

Using new, highly accurate photometric redshifts from the MUSYC medium-band survey in the Extended Chandra Deep Field-South (ECDF-S), we fit synthetic stellar population models to compare active galactic nucleus (AGN) host galaxies to inactive galaxies at 0.8 {<=} z {<=} 1.2. We find that AGN host galaxies are predominantly massive galaxies on the red sequence and in the green valley of the color-mass diagram. Because both passive and dusty galaxies can appear red in optical colors, we use rest-frame near-infrared colors to separate passively evolving stellar populations from galaxies that are reddened by dust. As with the overall galaxy population, {approx}25% of the 'red' AGN host galaxies and {approx}75% of the 'green' AGN host galaxies have colors consistent with young stellar populations reddened by dust. The dust-corrected rest-frame optical colors are the blue colors of star-forming galaxies, which imply that these AGN hosts are not passively aging to the red sequence. At z {approx} 1, AGN activity is roughly evenly split between two modes of black hole growth: the first in passively evolving host galaxies, which may be heating up the galaxy's gas and preventing future episodes of star formation, and the second in dust-reddened young galaxies, which may bemore » ionizing the galaxy's interstellar medium and shutting down star formation.« less
Cricopharyngeal Myotomy in Inclusion Body Myositis: Comparison of Endoscopic and Transcervical Approaches.

OBJECTIVE Inclusion body myositis (IBM) is a progressive inflammatory myopathy with dysphagia as a debilitating sequalae. Otolaryngologists are consulted for surgical candidacy when there are findings of cricopharyngeal dysfunction. We aim to compare transcervical cricopharyngeal myotomy (TCPM) versus endoscopic cricopharyngeal myotomy (ECPM) in the IBM population with particular focus on objective swallow study outcomes, complications, and recurrence rates. METHODS A retrospective cohort study was performed on IBM patients who underwent TCPM or ECPM (1981-2020) in the Department of Otolaryngology at a tertiary academic center with a high volume IBM referral base. Videofluoroscopic swallow studies, Eating Assessment Tool (EAT-10), Reflux Symptom Index (RSI), and Functional Outcome Swallowing Scale (FOSS) were collected at preoperative and follow-up visits. Baseline patient characteristics, intraoperative data, and postoperative course were recorded. RESULTS Forty-one patients were identified (18 TCPM; 23 ECPM). There was no significant difference in the recurrence rates, complications, hospitalization length, operative time, or return to preoperative diet between approaches. For the 12 patients (11 ECPM; 1 TCPM) that had subjective swallow data, there was a statistically significant difference in the pre and postoperative scores for EAT-10, RSI, and FOSS (P < .05). There was a statistically significant improvement in the degree of narrowing between pre and postoperative imaging for both approaches (P < .05). CONCLUSION Both TCPM and ECPM are safe approaches for the management of dysphagia in patients with IBM with objective evidence of cricopharyngeal dysfunction. Cricopharyngeal myotomy is a durable technique that has demonstrated improved subjective and objective outcomes in this patient population. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 3 Laryngoscope, 131:E2426-E2431, 2021.
Cognitive Readiness for Solving Equations

In this chapter we examine cognitive readiness for solving equations in the domain of pre-algebra. We describe the knowledge required to solve a multistep equation, and present a novel technique for developing assessment items and a novel assessment item format, designed to measure both the prerequisites of cognitive readiness for solving equations and the skills themselves. Assessment items were drawn from the solution path of a complex multistep equation. The items used a “next step” format, which asked students to write only the first step of their solution. Using a sample of 42 middle school students, data were gathered on item performance and how performance on the next step item compared to performance on the more traditional “solve for x” format. Unsurprisingly, students performed higher the simpler the equation was but large drops in performance occurred at steps that were essential to isolating a variable (i.e., applying the equality properties of addition and multiplication). Students performed higher on the traditional items compared to next step items and there was some evidence that performance on the next step item predicted performance on the traditional items. Assessment and instructional implications of this work include diagnosing precisely where in the solution path students have difficulty, which is tantamount to identifying students’ cognitive readiness for solving equations.