cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Leadless pacemaker: Performance and complications

Traditional transvenous cardiac pacemakers have pitfalls due to lead- and device pocket-related complications. Leadless pacemakers were developed and introduced into clinical practice to overcome the shortcomings of traditional transvenous pacemakers. In this review, we provide a description of leadless pacemaker devices, and summarize existing data on device performance. We also describe associated complications during implantation procedure as well as during the follow-up period. Although current generation devices are limited to single-chamber pacing, future generation devices are expected to progress to multi-chamber multi-component pacing systems, and eventually to battery-less devices.
Early clinical experience using telemedicine for the management of patients with varicose vein disease.

IntroductionThe use of telemedicine services may be effective in the perioperative management of patients with varicose veins.MethodsOver a seven-month period, patients with varicose veins were eva...
Introduction: Memoirs of Victorian Working-Class Women

After noting the under-representation of working-class women in previous studies of Victorian autobiography and laying out broad definitions of “class” and “autobiography,” I review categories of nineteenth-century working-class memoirs suggested by previous scholars such as David Vincent, Jane Randall, Nan Hackett, and Regenia Gagnier. I then discuss some of the uncertain and limited circumstances under which working-class Victorian women were able to achieve publication, the shaping effects of transcription or other forms of editorial mediation, and the disturbing presence of reported instances of violence in these accounts. Other sections consider the range of styles, occupations, and life circumstances represented in these memoirs, and suggest ways in which they differ from the autobiographical writings of their working-class male and middle-class female contemporaries.
Pediatric melanoma and aggressive Spitz tumors: a retrospective diagnostic, exposure and outcome analysis

Background: The diagnosis and management of pediatric melanomas is challenging given the presence of both melanomas and histologically aggressive Spitz tumors of undetermined biological significance (S-UBS) in this age group. Study objectives were to examine: factors leading to diagnostic delays, therapy side effects and patient outcomes in these diagnostic groups. Methods: A retrospective case review was performed using The University of Michigan’s pediatric oncology database over a 13-year timespan. Patients referred to our clinic for consideration of interferon therapy due to a diagnosis of a stage III melanoma or aggressive appearing S-UBS with significant lymph node involvement were included. Results: We found two major causes of diagnosis delay: patients with amelanotic lesions misdiagnosed as having a wart and cases reviewed by non-expert pathologists upfront. The side effects from interferon therapy requiring dose adjustments included neutropenia, thrombocytopenia and mood disturbances. There was wide variability in surveillance scan utilization, therefore leading to variability in patient radiation exposure. Unlike melanoma patients, none of the S-UBS patients experienced disease progression or death. Conclusions: This study highlights the challenges with the initial clinical diagnosis and pathological sub-categorization of the pediatric S-UBS/melanoma spectrum of skin lesions and emphasizes the role of expert pathology review upfront. Further, education at the primary care level could improve accurate and timely diagnoses. Earlier diagnosis could spare patients from more extensive interventions, metastatic spread or adverse outcomes in this patient population. This study is limited due to its retrospective, single-institution perspective.
Resonance Raman and fluorescence spectroscopy to evaluate increased brain kynurenine pathway activity in samples from patients with neurodegenerative disease

Resonance Raman and fluorescence spectroscopy were used to assess increased kynurenine pathway activity in brain samples from Alzheimer’s patients and age-matched controls. Increased activity was seen in areas of the brain involved in Alzheimer’s disease.
Brownian dynamics simulations of colloidal dispersion

Colloidal dispersions consist of small particles, generally 0.1μm to 100μm, dispersed in a liquid such as water or organic solution. The particles interact with themselves as well as with the fluid. The interactions include hydrodynamic and nonhydrodynamic forces; the particles may also undergo a Brownian motion.
Scan Statistics in DNA and Protein Sequence Analysis

Scientists in fields ranging from evolution to medicine compare protein or DNA sequences from several biological sources. DNA is a long molecule, deoxyribonucleic acid, that contains genetic codes that control biological processes. The DNA molecule most often consists of two strands of nucleotides each consisting of a deoxyribose residue, a phosphate group, and a nucleotide base. The four nucleotide bases (or bases for short) are denoted A, C, G, T corresponding to adenine, cytosine, guanine, and thymine. The deoxyribose residues linked by phosphate bonds are like the backbone of a single strand of a long necklace with the bases being attached beads. The two strands are linked by hydrogen bonds between pairs of bases, where an A on one strand links with T on the other strand, and a C on one strand links with a G on the other strand. Knowing the sequence of bases in one strand automatically gives the sequence in the complementary strand.
Biphenotypic Sinonasal Sarcoma-Case Report and Review of Clinicopathological Features and Diagnostic Modalities.

Background Biphenotypic sinonasal sarcoma is a recently described malignancy showing dual differentiation with both myogenic and neural elements. Due to its histologic similarities to other sinonasal malignancies, it is a diagnostic challenge. Objective The main purpose of this article is to report a case of biphenotypic sinonasal sarcoma and to consolidate data and provide a comprehensive review regarding pathological differences between biphenotypic sarcoma and other sinonasal malignancies and diagnostic modalities used for biphenotypic sarcoma. Material and Methods A systematic review of all cases of biphenotypic sinonasal sarcoma was performed using electronic databases (PubMed and Medline). Data collected included age, gender, symptoms, sub-site of origin, immunophenotyping, metastasis, recurrence, treatment, duration of follow-up, and survival outcomes. Results Ninety-five cases of biphenotypic sarcoma were found with mean age at diagnosis of 52.36 years (range, 24–87 years). Female to male ratio was 2.27:1. Extra-sinonasal extension was present in 28%. Immunophenotyping revealed that S-100 and SMA (smooth muscle actin) were consistently positive, while SOX-10 was consistently negative. PAX3-MAML3 fusion [t (2; 4) (q35; q31.1)] was the most common genetic rearrangement. Surgical excision with or without adjuvant radiotherapy was the most frequent treatment modality used. Recurrence was observed in 32% of cases with follow-up. None of the cases reported metastasis. Three patients had died at the time of publication that included one case with intracranial extension. Conclusion Biphenotypic sarcoma is distinct sinonasal malignancy with unique clinicopathological features. Testing involving a battery of myogenic and neural immunomarkers is essential for diagnostic confirmation and is a clinically useful endeavor when clinical suspicion is high.
Echocardiographic parameters associated with biventricular circulation and right ventricular growth following right ventricular decompression in patients with pulmonary atresia and intact ventricular septum: Results from a multicenter study.

BACKGROUND In patients with pulmonary atresia, intact ventricular septum (PA/IVS) following right ventricular (RV) decompression, RV size and morphology drive clinical outcome. Our objectives were to (1) identify baseline and postdecompression echocardiographic parameters associated with 2V circulation, (2) identify echocardiographic parameters associated with RV growth and (3) describe changes in measures of RV size and changes in RV loading conditions. METHODS We performed a retrospective analysis of patients who underwent RV decompression for PA/IVS at four centers. We analyzed echocardiograms at baseline, postdecompression, and at follow up (closest to 1-year or prior to Glenn circulation). RESULTS Eighty-one patients were included. At last follow-up, 70 (86%) patients had 2V circulations, 7 (9%) had 1.5 ventricle circulations, and 4 (5%) had single ventricle circulations. Follow-up echocardiograms were available in 43 (53%) patients. The majority of patients had improved RV systolic function, less tricuspid regurgitation (TR), and more left-to-right atrial shunting at a median of 350 days after decompression. Multivariable analysis demonstrated that larger baseline tricuspid valve (TV) z-score (P = .017), ≥ moderate baseline TR (P = .045) and smaller baseline RV area (P < .001) were associated with larger increases in RV area. Baseline RV area ≥6 cm2 /m2 had 93% sensitivity and 80% specificity for identifying patients who ultimately achieved 2V circulation. All patients with RV area ≥8 cm2 /m2 at follow up achieved 2V circulation. This finding was confirmed in a validation cohort from a separate center (N = 25). Factors associated with achieving RV area ≥8 cm2 /m2 included larger TV z-score (P = .004), ≥ moderate baseline TR (P = .031), and ≥ moderate postdecompression pulmonary regurgitation (P = .002). CONCLUSIONS Patients with PA/IVS and smaller TV annuli are at risk for poor RV growth. Volume-loading conditions signal increased capacity for growth sufficient for 2V circulation.
Single Versus Bilateral Lung Transplantation for Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis in the Lung Allocation Score Era.

Abstract Background Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive and fatal disease. Lung transplantation is the only therapy associated with prolonged survival. The ideal transplant procedure for IPF is unclear. Outcomes after single transplantation (SLTx) versus bilateral lung transplantation (BLTx) in IPF patients after introduction of the Lung Allocation Score were examined. Methods Records of patients undergoing lung transplantation for IPF at our institution between May 2005 and March 2017 were reviewed to examine the effect of transplant laterality. Primary outcomes were overall, rejection-free, and bronchiolitis obliterans (BOS)-free survival at 1 and 5 years post-transplant. Results Lung transplantation was performed in 151 IPF patients post-Lung Allocation Score. Most recipients were male with average age 59 ± 8 years. SLTx was performed in 94 patients (62%). In the overall cohort, comparative survival between SLTx and BLTx was similar at 1 and 5 years before and after adjusting for age and pulmonary hypertension (PH). SLTx was associated with shorter ventilator time and intensive care unit stay and trended toward improved survival over BLTx in patients without PH. Conclusions The use of SLTx versus BLTx in IPF did not correspond to significantly different survival adjusting for age and PH. BLTx was associated with prolonged postoperative ventilation and length of stay compared with SLTx. Patients without PH, all older patients, and patients with PH and advanced disease should be considered for SLTx for IPF.
Yield Curve Rotations, Monetary Shocks, and Greenspan's Conundrum

Between June 2004 and December 2005 the Federal Reserve conducted a relatively aggressive contractionary policy that saw a steady increase in the effective federal funds rate of over 300 basis points. Yet the 10-year treasury rate fluctuated little over 60 basis points and ultimately declined slightly over the period. This was dubbed Greenspan's Conundrum after a famous speech by the former chairperson in February 2005. This highlights the importance of understanding the efficacy with which the central bank may impact term premia through changes in the short-term rate. I find hikes in interest rates lead to reductions in rate spreads at first, before turning positive roughly about a year post shock. These findings are statistically significant for a variety of interest rate spreads over two different samples. Following a contractionary monetary policy action, the yield curve experiences a clockwise tilt at first and an eventual counterclockwise rotation after some delay. A counterfactual analysis suggests that augmenting the federal funds rate hike of 2004 with a similar action to the Fed's 2011 Operation Twist—but conducive to contraction rather than expansion—could have mitigated Greenspan's Conundrum of 2004–2005.
On the Rectifiability of Arithmetic Circuits using Craig Interpolants in Finite Fields

When formal verification of arithmetic circuits identifies the presence of a bug in the design, the task of rectification needs to be performed to correct the function implemented by the circuit so that it matches the given specification. This paper addresses the problem of rectification of buggy finite field arithmetic circuits. The problems are formulated by means of a set of polynomials (ideals) and solutions are proposed using concepts from computational algebraic geometry. Single-fix rectification is addressed – i.e. the case where any (set of) bugs can be rectified at a single net (gate output). We determine if single-fix rectification is possible at a particular location, formulated as the Weak Nullstellensatz test. Subsequently, we introduce the concept of Craig interpolants in polynomial algebra over finite fields and show that the rectification function can be computed using algebraic interpolants. Experimental results demonstrate the superiority of our approach against SAT-based approaches.
Misspecified nonconvex statistical optimization for sparse phase retrieval

Existing nonconvex statistical optimization theory and methods crucially rely on the correct specification of the underlying “true” statistical models. To address this issue, we take a first step towards taming model misspecification by studying the high-dimensional sparse phase retrieval problem with misspecified link functions. In particular, we propose a simple variant of the thresholded Wirtinger flow algorithm that, given a proper initialization, linearly converges to an estimator with optimal statistical accuracy for a broad family of unknown link functions. We further provide extensive numerical experiments to support our theoretical findings.
Moral Normative Force and Clinical Ethics Expertise.

Brummett and Salter propose a useful and timely taxonomy of clinical ethics expertise (2019). As the field becomes further “professionalized” this taxonomy is important, and the core of it is right...
Understanding Movement into Poverty and Poverty Persistence over Time

Family’s financial well-being has significant impacts on child well-being. Movement into poverty and persistence of poverty over time may have significant consequences for child development. Using ...
A 30-Yr Climatology of Meteorological Conditions Associated with Lightning Days in the Interior Western United States

AbstractA 30-yr climatology of lightning days and associated synoptic meteorological patterns are characterized across the interior western United States (WUS). Locally centered composite analyses ...
End to End VANET/ IoT Communications A 5G Smart Cities Case Study Approach

This paper investigates the infrastructure to vehicle and infrastructure to cloud connectivity and reliability in the vehicular ad hoc networks (VANET) area of Intelligent Transportation Systems (ITS). A key focus of this work is to investigate protocols that will enhance real-time, robust and reliable communication methods, and complement autonomous vehicles' navigation experiences within smart cities. The main areas of study include highway infrastructure that include the Wireless Sensor Networks (WSN) to the Cloud (web service) and vice-versa. The pertinent cloud-based data will be communicated to subscribed vehicles (with password access) to complete the V2I and I2V communication cycle. The data collected from the WSN is communicated to the cloud via XML over XMPP, zero configuration, and mDNS protocols. The use of the XMPP protocol to communicate data to the cloud data repository represents a novel approach to IoT harmonization for this particular infrastructure to cloud/I2V application.
Simulating Cyberattacks with a Petri Net Discrete Event Simulator

Petri nets with Players, Strategies, and Costs (PNPSC) is a unique formalism that allows for modeling of cyberattacks and defenses. Simulating the PNPSC net required the development of a discrete event simulator to perform the execution of the model. This paper details the simulator and its development. Each component of the PNPSC formalism described in this paper is also represented in the discrete event simulator. The simulator was developed in python with the capability to enable machine learning to develop attacker and defender strategies. A sample PNPSC net is described and the resulting tuple is given.
Surgery in the Elderly with Mental Health Issues

Perioperative care of patient with mental health problems is complex and very difficult. It requires an astute team of clinicians from various disciplines, family support, and recognition of a number of conditions that may mask and further complicate the surgical problem. In this chapter, we will address some of demographics of mental health issues in the elderly, and a number of classical perioperative problems, such as depression, delirium, pain control, and preparation for discharge from the hospital.
Characterization of robust Lactobacillus plantarum and Lactobacillus pentosus starter cultures for environmentally friendly low-salt cucumber fermentations

Seven candidates for starter cultures for cucumber fermentations belonging to the Lactobacillus pentosus and Lactobacillus plantarum species were characterized based on physiological features desired for pickling. The isolates presented variable carbohydrate utilization profile on API® 50CHL test strips. The L. pentosus strains were unable to utilize d-xylose in MRS broth or the M medium. The lactobacilli were unable to produce histamine, tyramine, putrescine, and cadaverine in biogenic amine broth containing the necessary precursors. Production of d-lactic acid by the lactobacilli, detected enzymatically, was stimulated by growth in MRS broth as compared to cucumber juice medium (CJM). The lactobacilli utilized malic acid in the malate decarboxylase medium. Exopolyssacharide biosynthesis related genes were amplified from the lactobacilli. A sugar type-dependent-ropy phenotype was apparent for all the cultures tested in MRS and CJM. The genes associated with bacteriocin production were detected in the lactobacilli, but not the respective phenotypes. The antibiotic susceptibility profile of the lactobacilli mimics that of other L. plantarum starter cultures. It is concluded that the lactobacilli strains studied here are suitable starter cultures for cucumber fermentation. PRACTICAL APPLICATION: The availability of such starter cultures enables the implementation of low salt cucumber fermentations that can generate products with consistent biochemistry and microbiological profile.
A Two Stage Adaptive Metropolis Algorithm

We propose a new sampling algorithm combining two quite powerful ideas in the Markov chain Monte Carlo literature -- adaptive Metropolis sampler and two-stage Metropolis-Hastings sampler. The proposed sampling method will be particularly very useful for high-dimensional posterior sampling in Bayesian models with expensive likelihoods. In the first stage of the proposed algorithm, an adaptive proposal is used based on the previously sampled states and the corresponding acceptance probability is computed based on an approximated inexpensive target density. The true expensive target density is evaluated while computing the second stage acceptance probability only if the proposal is accepted in the first stage. The adaptive nature of the algorithm guarantees faster convergence of the chain and very good mixing properties. On the other hand, the two-stage approach helps in rejecting the bad proposals in the inexpensive first stage, making the algorithm computationally efficient. As the proposals are dependent on the previous states the chain loses its Markov property, but we prove that it retains the desired ergodicity property. The performance of the proposed algorithm is compared with the existing algorithms in two simulated and two real data examples.
Sleep and Circadian Regulation of the Autonomic Nervous System

Sleep and the autonomic nervous system (ANS) are intimately connected. The ANS is under the influence of circadian and sleep-dependent modulation. Forced desynchrony and constant routine protocols indicate strong circadian influences on heart rate (HR) and cardiac vagal activity, which fluctuate across 24 hours, with HR being lower, and vagal activity higher, during the nocturnal period. Sleep also influences ANS activity: during non-rapid-eye-movement (NREM) sleep, sympathetic activity is lower and vagal functioning is higher, compared to rapid-eye-movement (REM) sleep, where ANS activity is more similar to wakefulness. A change in ANS innervation of the heart and vasculature drives the wake-to-sleep reductions in blood pressure, HR, and systemic vascular resistance. The reduction in cardiovascular activity during sleep, prominent during NREM sleep, plays a key role in maintaining cardiovascular health, providing a “cardiovascular holiday.” Sleep-dependent as well as circadian regulation of vagal activity is evident very early in life and persists across adulthood. There is some evidence of sex differences in sleep-dependent vagal activity in adolescents as well as female hormone effects on nocturnal ANS measures, although further work is needed to determine the significance of these effects.
Solutions-Oriented Intervention Models for African American Mental Health

According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, racial/ethnic minorities are less likely to have access to mental health services than non-Hispanic Whites. The author provides interventions counselors can use to provide culturally responsive counseling grounded in culturally sensitive frameworks. The author explains Bronfenbrenner’s Ecological Systems Model, the Multicultural and Social Justice Counseling Competencies, and Cultural Broaching. After reading this chapter, counselors will be able to implement these models to help break down the barriers to mental health that African American clients experience. Advocacy is part of our ethical duty to our clients, and these frameworks provide foundation for advocacy at microsystemic and macrosystemic levels. African American clients face barriers to mental health at both levels, and advocacy is needed to break down those barriers. The author also provides suggestions for using an integrated approach to systemic advocacy interventions to impact the broader African American population. The chapter provides a case scenario to demonstrate solutions-oriented actions guided by the integrated approach.
Relative Interpretation Between Logics

Interpretation is commonly used in mathematical logic to compare different theories and identify cases where two theories are for almost all intents and purposes the same. Similar techniques are used in the comparison between alternative logics although the links between these approaches are not transparent. This paper generalizes theoretical comparison techniques to the case of logical comparison using an extremely general approach to semantics that provides a very generous playing field upon which to make our comparisons. In particular, we aim to develop the useful idea that interpretations should determine inner models.
Development or Despair? The Intentions and Realities of South-South Migration

La literatura sobre las motivaciones y los impactos de las remesas enviadas por migrantes internacionales a sus familias y comunidades se centra fuertemente sobre sus impactos economicos y los flujos de dinero desde el Norte al Sur. Los principales factores de envio de remesas, imbricados en las motivaciones de la migracion, a menudo pasan por alto las condiciones en que las remesas no son enviadas, donde los hogares no prosperan, y el desarrollo comunitario no sucede. Este estudio etnografico utiliza el caso de la migracion de nicaraguenses a Costa Rica para examinar las vidas de las familias de los migrantes en el contexto rural y de migracion entre los paises en el Sur. El articulo examina las intenciones y las realidades de la migracion Sur-Sur a traves del lente de los migrantes y sus familias, y se ilumina el otro lado de la migracion, a menudo invisible en la comunidad de origen del migrante y la literatura sobre migracion y desarrollo. Este trabajo muestra la disparidad en la distancia fisica, emocional y economica, ya que ilustra los desafios estructurales unicos los migrantes Sur-Sur y de contexto rural. Estas barreras estructurales que crean una distancia insalvable entre los migrantes y sus familias, encarnan la diferencia abismal entre las intenciones y las realidades de la migracion de personas a ambos lados de la frontera
The Mouse Bone Morphogenetic Protein-4 Gene ANALYSIS OF PROMOTER UTILIZATION IN FETAL RAT CALVARIAL OSTEOBLASTS AND REGULATION BY COUP-TFI ORPHAN RECEPTOR

Bone morphogenetic protein-4 (BMP-4) is one of a member of related polypeptides that are important in bone formation and other developmental processes. We isolated the BMP-4 gene from a mouse genomic library and characterized the exon-intron structure and one of the candidate promoters. Two alternative 5′-noncoding exons, 1A and 1B, were identified by reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction assays. Quantitative competitive polymerase chain reaction using Exon 1A, Exon 1B, and Exon 3 primers indicate the 1A-containing transcript is the primary BMP-4 mRNA expressed in bone cell cultures. Primer extension analysis supports that 1A is the major promoter utilized in bone cell cultures as well as in 9.5-day mouse embryos. 1A promoter activity indicate selective DNA regions functional in bone cells. We found potential regulatory response regions in the 1A 5′-flanking region of the BMP-4 gene for the chicken ovalbumin upstream-transcription factor I (COUP-TFI). Specific binding to the COUP-TFI response regions in the BMP-4 1A promoter was demonstrated. By co-transfection of a COUP-TFI expression plasmid with the BMP-4 1A promoter in fetal rat calvarial osteoblasts, we demonstrated that COUP-TFI inhibits the BMP-4 promoter activity. This suggests that COUP-TFI could act as a silencer for BMP-4 transcription in vivo.
Reply to Toker and Pavlidis: Blood biomarkers for Parkinson's disease

We are grateful for the opportunity to respond to the comments of Toker and Pavlidis (1) regarding our recent publication, in which hepatocyte nuclear factor 4 alpha (HNF4A) and polypyrimidine tract binding protein 1 (PTBP1) mRNAs are identified as potential blood biomarkers for Parkinson’s disease (PD) (2). Early diagnosis of PD remains challenging. Contrary to what the authors suggest, we are cognizant that several markers will be required to accurately identify early-stage PD patients. Our previous studies identified several markers, most of which were replicated in two independent clinical trials (3, 4). It is our view that a combination of RNA and biochemical markers in blood and cerebrospinal fluid, for example, will be required for accurate diagnosis. We propose that network analyses provide us with a highly beneficial tool for identifying biologically relevant markers (5). We expect that these markers will complement, not replace, a neurological examination.
Study of parallel AC and DC electrical distribution in the all-electric ship

Medium-voltage DC electrical distribution is envisioned as a possible system for the warship of the future, bringing numerous advantages including a very power-dense architecture. This system takes the AC power produced by generators, immediately rectifies all power to DC and distributes it throughout the ship, requiring inversion back to AC for all AC loads. The question then arises whether it makes sense instead to route two parallel buses: an AC bus for all 60 Hz. AC loads and a DC bus to service all other loads. We model these two theoretical distribution systems in a notional destroyer using a preliminary design tool under development in our laboratory and find that the two-bus system is more efficient and lighter.
Semidefinite representation of sequential rate-distortion function for stationary Gauss-Markov processes

We consider an information-theoretic performance limitation of zero-delay source coding schemes for multidimensional stationary Gauss-Markov sources. In particular, the sequential rate-distortion (SRD) problem is formulated in which the average rate per stage is minimized subject to a constraint on the average mean-square distortion per stage. We prove that there exists an optimal test channel that is linear and time invariant, which can be efficiently constructed by semidefinite programming (SDP). This result indicates that the exponentiated sequential rate-distortion function admits a semidefinite representation.
Design and analysis of large signal microwave power amplifiers

A procedure for the design of broadband large-signal amplifiers is presented. The method is based on extraction of bias-dependent small-signal S-parameters from the nonlinear device model. A broadband matching technique is used to obtain flat power gain at the band of interest while suppressing unwanted harmonics. The procedure has been used to design octave-band GaAs FET amplifiers. Simulation results using the harmonic balance technique verify the effectiveness of the procedure. >
Has Therapy Intruded into Education

For over fifty years, scholars have argued that a therapeutic ethos has begun to change how people think about themselves and others. There is also a growing concern that the therapeutic ethos has influenced educational theory and practice, perhaps to their detriment. This review article discusses three books, The Dangerous Rise of Therapeutic Education (by Kathryn Ecclestone and Dennis Hayes), Aristotle, Emotions, and Education (by Kristjan Kristjansson), and The Therapy of Education (by Paul Smeyers, Richard Smith and Paul Standish), that point to the problematic assumptions and outcomes of therapeutic educational practices. The authors of the three books, however, disagree about whether a focus on emotions or therapy in education is necessarily an unwelcome intrusion into education.
Determining Location and Movement Pattern Using Anonymized WiFi Access Point BSSID

Location tracking applications are usually based on exact GPS location information and non-anonymized WiFi Access Point (AP) information. It has been assumed that anonymizing WiFi AP information is an effective way to preserve location privacy of the connected users. In this work, our goal is to show that the privacy of connected users' movement pattern can still be compromised by a determined attacker even if the WiFi AP information is anonymized. We investigated the feasibility of tracking user's movement between locations from anonymized WiFi AP BSSIDs based on large Device Analyzer datasets. Our experiments show that the user's daily movement pattern can be identified with almost 83% accuracy.
Calcineurin inhibitors and Clostridium difficile infection in adult lung transplant recipients: the effect of cyclosporine versus tacrolimus.

Background Tacrolimus (FK506) has a superior immunosuppressive effect compared with cyclosporine (CSA) without a significant increase in generalized infectious complications. Differences in specific infections such as Clostridium difficile (CDI) have not been reported. We investigated the relationship between calcineurin inhibitors and CDI, hypothesizing that choice of calcineurin inhibitor (CSA or FK506) after lung transplantation would have no effect on the incidence of CDI. Methods We performed a retrospective chart review of lung transplant recipients between June 1, 2000, and December 31, 2005, at a single institution. Positive CDI assays through December 11, 2011, were also recorded. We used Student's t- and chi-squared tests (α = 0.05) to compare CSA and FK506 groups. We calculated adjusted hazard ratios for CDI using Cox proportional hazard models. Results We identified 217 lung transplant recipients: 106 patients in the CSA group and 111 patients in the FK506 group. A total of 31 patients (27.9%) in the FK506 group developed CDI postoperatively compared with 20 patients (18.9%) in the CSA group (P = 0.16). The adjusted hazard ratio for CDI in the FK506 group was not significantly higher (1.53; 95% confidence interval, 0.78-2.98). There was no significant difference in the intensive care unit or total length of stay, in-hospital incidence rate, time to first CDI episode, or recurrence rate between groups. Conclusions The CDI rates were not significantly higher in the FK506 group than the CSA group in our study. These data are consistent with previous studies on FK506 that show no increase in infectious complications over CSA, and demonstrate its continued safety in lung transplantation.
Immortality enough: The influence of strindberg on the expressionism of eugene o'neill

Eugene O'Neill often expressed his indebtedness to August Strindberg. In this article an attempt is made to demonstrate the influence Strindberg exerted upon O'Neill's expressionistic plays and to show that O'Neill's admiration for Strindberg was manifested in ways more substantial than verbal tribute. At the same time the notion that O'Neill was influenced by the so‐called German expressionists is challenged; it is held that O'Neill and the Germans resemble each other because both were independently influenced by the same source—Strindberg.
Are expert athletes 'expert' in the cognitive laboratory? A meta-analytic review of cognition and sport expertise

SUMMARY Recent literature has demonstrated the usefulness of fitness and computer-based cognitive training as a means to enhance cognition and brain function. However, it is unclear whether the combination of fitness and cognitive training that results from years of extensive sport training also results in superior performance on tests of cognitive processes. In this study we examine, in a quantitative meta-analysis (k ¼20), the relationship between expertise in sports and laboratory-based measures of cognition. We found that athletes performed better on measures of processing speed and a category of varied attentionalparadigms, andathletesfrominterceptive sporttypesandmalesshowedthelargesteffects. Based on our results, more research should be done with higher-level cognitive tasks, such as tasks of executive function and more varied sub-domains of visual attention. Furthermore, future studies should incorporate more female athletes and use a diverse range of sport types and levelsof expertise.
A role for remote sensing information in storm water planning and management

The Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA’s) Phase II Storm Water regulations offer challenges and opportunities to the nation’s smaller communities, those with populations of less than 100,000. The requirement to address storm water issues from the quality perspective provides the impetus to consider the issues of community growth on a watershed basis, and over the entire timeframe of watershed development. At the same time, remote sensing (RS)-based information can now be collected with a resolution that is useful for addressing urban issues. This paper discusses particular EPA requirements within the Phase II program and identifies RS applications that can inform decisions and activities that meet the requirements. Planning, on-going operations, and enforcement activities can all be supported through the use of RS image data. In addition, community leaders have the ability to formulate rational policies and to defend the basis for those policies based on RS imagery. The paper concludes with an assessment of the potential for RS imagery and tools to support site specific and watershed-based planning and ongoing management. Specific actions are required on the part of both government agency users/decision makers and the research community to take full benefit of the available information.
Mentoring in a school environment

We describe how the integration of multiple computer-mediated communication and collaboration technologies can support educational activity through mentoring in a local community context. We discuss the student and mentor expectations, their ongoing relationships, and the role that technology has played throughout their interactions.
The work ethic, then and now

Beliefs about the work ethic vary over time and place. There is a general inclination for older people to believe that things were better---or at least more moral and more decent--when they were young. The story is told of an archaeologist coming across a cuneiform tablet deploring the decline of values and behavior among youth. A historian of work, Adriano Tilgher (1931, p. 142), commented in 1931 that "every country resounds to the lament that the work-fever does not bum in the younger generation, the post-war generation." The affluent generally complain that their subordinates, the less privileged, do not work hard and have lost the work ethic. A survey of members of the American Management Association found that 79 percent of them agreed that "the nation's productivity is suffering because the traditional American work ethic has eroded." This is an old story. In 1495, the English Parliament passed a statute on working hours, justifying their action in the preamble: "Diverse artifices and labourers ... waste much part of the day ... in the late coming unto their work, early departing therefrom, long sitting at breakfast, at their dinner and noon meal, and long time of sleep in afternoon."
Generation, measurement, and amplification of 20-fs high-peak-power pulses from a regeneratively initiated, self-mode-locked Ti:sapphire laser

We report the generation and measurement of 804 nm pulses with durations as short as 20 fs and with peak powers as high as 500 kW from a regeneratively initiated, self-mode-locked Ti:sapphire laser. Pulse duration is shown to decrease, and spectral content to increase, as intracavity power is increased. Control of intracavity focusing and a high-modulation-depth, acousto-optic modulator allow the intracavity power to be maximized. Cavity cubic phase error is minimized by correct design and placement of a GDD compensating prism pair. Methods for accurate determination of the pulse duration without assumption of pulse shape are discussed. Interferometric autocorrelation is accomplished with an interferometer which intrinsically balances dispersion and loss in each arm. Techniques for eliminating pulse distortions during amplification are also presented.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Joint Estimation of Model Parameters and Outlier Effects in Time Series

Time series data are often subject to uncontrolled or unexpected interventions, from which various types of outlying observations are produced. Outliers in time series, depending on their nature, may have a moderate to significant impact on the effectiveness of the Standard methodology for time series analysis with respect to model identification, estimation, and forecasting. In this article we use an iterative outlier detection and adjustment procedure to obtain joint estimates of model parameters and outlier effects. Four types of outliers are considered, and the issues of spurious and masking effects are discussed. The major differences between this procedure and those proposed in earlier literature include (a) the types and effects of outliers are obtained based on less contaminated estimates of model parameters, (b) the outlier effects are estimated simultaneously using multiple regression, and (c) the model parameters and the outlier effects are estimated jointly. The sampling behavior of the test s...
Quality of life after spinal cord injury: a meta analysis of the effects of disablement components

While objective measures of impairment, disability and handicap can serve as outcome measures for the providers of medical and vocational rehabilitation services, for persons with spinal cord injury (SCI) themselves the only relevant measure of quality of life (QOL) is their own judgment as to their well-being. Subjective QOL in persons with SCI has been measured as happiness, psychological well-being morale and life satisfaction. Various studies have reported inconclusive or contradictory findings, likely due to small sample size, sample composition, measures used and other methodological issues. A meta analysis was performed to try to resolve these apparent discrepancies. A total of 22 studies with an average sample size of 102, was retrieved. Information on the relationship between QOL and impairment, disability, and handicap, if provided, was abstracted. Findings include the following: persons with SCI tend to report lower subjective well-being than non-disabled people; the relationship between impairment and QOL is weak (mean correlation: -0.05: 95% confidence interval: -0.12 to 0.02), and generally not found to be statistically significant; the association between disability and QOL is somewhat stronger (mean r: -0.21; confidence interval: -0.27 to -0.14), but not found consistently; the relationship between QOL and (aspects of) handicap is strongest (range for mean r: -0.17 to -0.48), and fairly consistently found. The number of studies available is too small to make analysis of factors that explain contradictory findings possible. Further use of subjective QOL measures in research on long-term outcomes of SCI is recommended, in order to properly reflect the perspective of the patients/clients themselves.
The Fair and the Falls: Spokane's Expo '74 : Transforming an American Environment

This definitive history of Spokane, its people, and the first-ever Environmental World's Fair is based on interviews with over 200 citizens and reviews of thousands of pages of records.
Temperature and competitive anion-binding studies of carbonic anhydrase.

Abstract The 35Cl-nmr line width for solutions of human carbonic anhydrase B in 0.5 m NaCl at pH 6.46 and 8.59 has been examined as a function of temperature. An Arrhenius plot of the line width decreases linearly with decreasing temperature over the temperature range 0–38.5 °C. This behavior indicates that the lifetime of the enzyme-zinc-chloride complex is the dominating relaxation time of the system. The value of koff at pH 6.46 and 8.59 at 25 °C is 1 × 106 sec−1 and 7.3 × 105 sec−1, respectively. Using a value of Ki of 0.2 m values for kon are 5 × 106 m −1 sec−1 and 3.7 × 106 m −1 sec−1. These values are somewhat lower than that for aqueous zinc ion and may be related to the hindered nature of the zinc site in the enzyme. The energy of activation obtained for the chloride exchange process is 3.6 kcal/mole. Anion competitive binding studies for bovine carbonic anhydrase have also been made for a number of monovalent anions. KI values obtained by analysis of chloride line broadening are in agreement with those determined kinetically. Although chloride and iodide competitive binding studies can be interpreted in terms of zinc-iodide binding, the results do not distinguish between the possible E-Zn-OH2-I and E-Zn-I forms of the complex.
The utility of clinical electrophysiology in a case of nonorganic vision loss.

Abstract Background Nonorganic vision loss (NOVL) usually refers to reports of acuity reduction, field constrictions, or both without any associated organic pathology. Regardless of the underlying cause, the primary concern of the eye care practitioner is to demonstrate visual potential better than suggested by the patient's subjective reports. Case report This article presents a case report of a 43-year-old woman with NOVL. The report shows the utility of visual electrodiagnostics in providing an objective assessment of the functional integrity of retinal and afferent visual pathway integrity and highlights how careful case history, subjective testing, observation of visual behavior, and objective testing can be used to establish a diagnosis of NOVL. Conclusions The clever use of subjective testing and the careful selection and interpretation of objective tests such as visual electrodiagnostics can be exceptionally useful in making a diagnosis of NOVL.
Effect of Season of the Year on Lead Levels in Young Children

Lead poisoning is a serious health concern for child care providers of young children. This study examined blood lead levels in 1,190 children residing in Mississippi. Children ranged in age from six to 81 months, mean age was 32.9 months. Mean lead level was 5.2 micrograms per decaliter (mcg/dl). Boys had a higher lead level than girls, and Black children had a higher lead level than White children. The percentage of children with lead toxicity, or lead levels of 10 mcg/dl or higher was 8.5%. The winter season (December 21 to March 19) had a significantly lower (p = .03) lead level than Autumn (September 23 to December 22), 4.9 mcg/dl and 5.5 mcg/dl, respectively. The Summer season (June 21 to September 22) and Spring (March 20 to June 20) had lead levels of 5.2 mcg/dl, which was not significantly different from the other seasons of the year.
An Economic Theory of Mortgage Redemption Laws

Redemption laws give mortgagors the right to redeem their property following default for a statutorily set period of time. This paper develops a theory that explains these laws as a means of protecting landowners against the loss of non-transferable values associated with their land. A longer redemption period reduces the risk that this value will be lost but also increases the likelihood of default. The optimal redemption period balances these effects. Empirical analysis of cross-state data from the early twentieth century suggests that these factors, in combination with political considerations, explain the existence and length of redemption laws.
Spirituality in medical school curricula: findings from a national survey.

Objective:No systematic information exists on what U.S. medical schools are teaching on spirituality and health or on the attitudes of faculty toward inclusion of this subject in the medical curriculum. We systematically surveyed U.S. medical school deans and assessed both attitudes about and the extent to which spirituality is addressed in medical school curricula.Methods:The responses to a questionnaire were solicited from deans representing 122 U.S. medical schools accredited by the Liaison Committee for Medical Education. Completed surveys were received from 85% (n = 104), with 94% (n = 115) responding to the primary question. Outcomes were proportion of medical schools with curricular content on spirituality and attitudes of deans toward such material.Results:Ninety percent (range 84%–90%) of medical schools have courses or content on spirituality and health (S&H), 73% with content in required courses addressing other topics and 7% with a required course dedicated to S&H. Although over 90% indicate t...
Phonon Dispersion Relation for Iron

The room-temperature phonon dispersion relation of $\ensuremath{\alpha}$-Fe has been measured by using the neutron-inelastic-scattering technique. Measurements were taken on phonon groups with their wave vectors in the principal symmetry directions. A Born-von-K\'arm\'an fifth-neighbor general-force-constant model was used to analyze the data, and the phonon distribution function was obtained from the force-constant model. We see no evidence for anomalous behavior in the phonon-dispersion curves; on the contrary, the phonon spectrum is remarkably well behaved when compared with the results of the experiments performed on other bcc transition metals (Nb, Ta, Mo, and W).