cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Hands-free versus hand-held cell phone conversation on a braking response by young drivers.

As some states allow motorists to use hands-free cell phones only while driving, this study was done to examine some braking responses to see if conversing on these two types of cell phones affects quick responding. College-age drivers (n=25) completed reaction time trials in go/no-go situations under three conditions: control (no cell phone or conversation), and conversing on hands-free and hand-held cell phones. Their task involved moving the right foot from one pedal to another as quickly as possible in response to a visual signal in a lab setting. Significantly slower reaction times, movement times, and total response times were found for both cell phone conditions than for the control but no differences between hands-free and hand-held phone conditions. These findings provide additional support that talking on cell phones, regardless if it is hands-free or hand-held, reduces speed of information processing. Keywords: Driver distraction; Language: en
Bursty fluid approximation of TCP for modeling internet congestion at the flow level

We propose an improved model for TCP flow level congestion performance. Conventional fluid approximation models yield incorrect results for TCP congestion at the flow level due to throughput overestimation. We introduce a more accurate model incorporating some of the packet level burstiness, by approximating TCP sources as on-off fluid sources. Our model is largely based on the work of D. Anick, D. Mitra and M. M. Sondhi exploring buffer statistics of the superposition of on-off sources. Incorporating some of the TCP burstiness at the packet level while retaining the over all fluid approximation framework allows us to substantially improve the accuracy of the flow level congestion model at the price of a relatively small increase in mathematical complexity. The model is extensively validated against ns2 simulations and shown to perform better than the M/M/1/B based model typically used in this context.
A Seismometer with a Water Well as a Sensing Element

An electronic seismometer designed to use a water well as the sensing element is described. Circuit principles and details are given and examples of the chart record are shown.
The series-elastic shock absorber: tendons attenuate muscle power during eccentric actions

Elastic tendons can act as muscle power amplifiers or energy-conserving springs during locomotion. We used an in situ muscle-tendon preparation to examine the mechanical function of tendons during lengthening contractions, when muscles absorb energy. Force, length, and power were measured in the lateral gastrocnemius muscle of wild turkeys. Sonomicrometry was used to measure muscle fascicle length independently from muscle-tendon unit (MTU) length, as measured by a muscle lever system (servomotor). A series of ramp stretches of varying velocities was applied to the MTU in fully activated muscles. Fascicle length changes were decoupled from length changes imposed on the MTU by the servomotor. Under most conditions, muscle fascicles shortened on average, while the MTU lengthened. Energy input to the MTU during the fastest lengthenings was −54.4 J/kg, while estimated work input to the muscle fascicles during this period was only −11.24 J/kg. This discrepancy indicates that energy was first absorbed by elastic elements, then released to do work on muscle fascicles after the lengthening phase of the contraction. The temporary storage of energy by elastic elements also resulted in a significant attenuation of power input to the muscle fascicles. At the fastest lengthening rates, peak instantaneous power input to the MTU reached −2,143.9 W/kg, while peak power input to the fascicles was only −557.6 W/kg. These results demonstrate that tendons may act as mechanical buffers by limiting peak muscle forces, lengthening rates, and power inputs during energy-absorbing contractions.
Unforeseen decreases in dissolved oxygen levels affect tube formation kinetics in collagen gels.

The availability of oxygen (O2) is a critical parameter affecting vascular tube formation. In this study, we hypothesize that dissolved oxygen (DO) levels in collagen gels change during the three-d...
Increasing Diversity in Engineering: Capacity Building Matters

In an effort to prepare more Native American engineers, counting the numbers who complete the educational task is important. More often overlooked, however, is that capacity building is another key measure of success, since reaching critical mass to obtain the numbers may take considerable time. In this paper, the co-authors are both the researchers and the research subjects. We are four engineers and/or scientists with advanced degrees with key roles in a multiyear collaborative pre-engineering education initiative between a tribally controlled college and two mainline universities. From our perspectives at one of those two mainline universities, we each wrote an essay reflecting on pre-determined questions. We briefly present our qualifications and then assess capacity building related to the summer camp experiential learning aspect of the initiative. We qualitatively analyze the essays and present persistent themes, along with consensus and divergent opinions. Four common themes dominated the essays including the importance of: (1) using experiential learning pedagogy, (2) building lasting relationships and networking, (3) including cross-disciplinary connectivity, and (4) taking advantage of positive but unintended consequences. We provide a recommended bibliography for faculty, staff, graduate students, and undergraduate student interns to provide a shared base of knowledge to improve collaborative cohesion.
Singlet oxygen and photo-oxidative stress management in plants and algae

Photosynthetic organisms constantly face the threat of photo-oxidative stress from fluctuating light conditions and environmental stress. Plants and algae have developed an array of defences to protect the chloroplast from reactive oxygen species. Genetic and physiological studies have shown that antioxidant responses are important to high-light acclimation, both by directly scavenging or quenching reactive oxygen intermediates and by contributing reducing power for alternative electron transport pathways and excess energy dissipation. At present, the signalling events leading to up-regulation of antioxidant defences in high light remain a mystery. Recent advances toward understanding acclimation to oxidative stress in both photosynthetic and non-photosynthetic model organisms may illuminate how plants and algae respond to high-light stress. Although the role of hydrogen peroxide in high-light acclimation has been investigated, less is known about responses to singlet oxygen, a form of reactive oxygen that poses a significant threat specifically to photosynthetic organisms. This review will discuss some intriguing new findings in that area, focusing on recent findings regarding the nature of singlet-oxygen responses in the chloroplast.
Feasibility of an Infraclavicular Block With a Reduced Volume of Lidocaine With Sonographic Guidance

OBJECTIVE A successful brachial plexus block requires a large volume of a local anesthetic. Sonography allows reliable deposition of the anesthetic around the cords of the brachial plexus, potentially lowering the anesthetic requirement. METHODS Fifteen sonographically guided infraclavicular blocks were performed in 14 patients with 2% carbonated lidocaine with epinephrine through a 17-gauge Tuohy needle. The amount of lidocaine injected at several points around each cord was based on satisfactory spread observed sonographically. A 19-gauge catheter was then placed with its tip between the posterior cord and axillary artery, and tip position was confirmed by observing the spread of 1 to 2 mL of injected air. Lidocaine was injected through the catheter if necessary to prolong the blocks. RESULTS Surgery was performed in all patients without general anesthesia, rescue blocks, or infiltration. A heroin user was given an additional 50 microg of fentanyl before the block. One patient required 5 mL of lidocaine through the catheter for an incomplete radial nerve block 5 minutes after initial injection. Seven patients received additional midazolam (mean, 2.5 mg) for alleviation of anxiety despite excellent blocks. The mean +/- SD volume of lidocaine for the initial block was 16.1 +/- 1.9 mL (4.2 +/- 0.9 mg/kg). In 4 patients, additional lidocaine 1 hour after an initial successful block increased the total volume to 19.5 +/- 7.1 mL (5 +/- 1.9 mg/kg). The mean times to perform the block, onset of the block, and achieving surgical anesthesia and the duration of surgery were 10.8 +/- 3.3, 2 +/- 1.3, 5.9 +/- 2.6, and 92.7 +/- 54.4 minutes, respectively. CONCLUSIONS A successful infraclavicular block in adults with 14 mL of lidocaine is feasible with the use of sonography. The reduced volume does not seem to affect the onset but shortens the duration of the block.
TransFuzzien-a transputer-based fuzzy logic inference engine

The paper introduces a software package called TransFuzzien, that has been developed to perform rule based fuzzy logic inferencing. TransFuzzien comprises two parts. The first part is written in C/sup ++/, and runs under Microsoft Windows on a PC, and the second part, which is written in Occam 2, runs on a transputer target system. The graphical user interface is described, together with various features of the system. The inference engine for the system uses fuzzy logic principles, and a parallel processing algorithm for inferencing is developed. The processing is performed on the Inmos Transputer, and the inferencing algorithm is realised in the Occam 2 programming language. A feature of the system is the ability to select various inferencing methods via the user interface.
Correlated Tunneling in Hydrogen Bonds

We study the quantum nature of the protons participating in hydrogen bonds in several ice structures by analyzing the one particle density matrix. We find that in all cases, including ice Ih, the most common form of ice, and the high pressure phases, ice VIII, VII, and X, the system is ground-state dominated. However, while the dynamics is uncorrelated in the structures with standard asymmetric hydrogen bonds, such as ice Ih and VIII, local correlations among the protons characterize ice VII and, to a lesser extent, ice X in the so-called low barrier hydrogen bond regime. The correlations appear along the path to hydrogen bond symmetrization, when quantum fluctuations delocalize the proton on the two bond sides. The correlations derive from a strong requirement for local charge neutrality that favors concerted motion along the bonds. The resulting behavior deviates substantially from mean field theory, which would predict in ice VII coherent tunneling of the proton between the two bond sides, thereby causing an ionization catastrophe. Due to the correlations, the quantum state of the proton is entangled.
Envisioning the Regulatory State: Technocracy, Democracy, and Institutional Experimentation in the 2010 Financial Reform and Oil Spill Statutes

In the summer of 2010, Congress considered legislation responding to two very different policy crises: the Dodd-Frank financial reform bill responding to the 2008-9 financial crisis, and the CLEAR Act responding to the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. While addressing different policy issues, both of these statutes were centrally concerned with reforming the structure of the regulatory state itself to promote more effective policymaking, particularly in response to fears of agency capture, and a lack of responsiveness or accountability. His paper analyses the two statutes side-by-side as exhibiting a common set of visions and concerns about the regulatory state. On the one hand, both statutes exemplify a technocratic impulse common in American political thought and policy. Under this approach, regulatory effectiveness is promoted by expanding the expertise, coordination, and political insulation of agencies. But at the same time, both statutes engage with a range of experiments with more democratic regulatory reforms - expanding participation in regulatory policymaking, establishing formal mechanisms for interest representation, creating additional democratic counterpublics where citizens can engage and policies can be innovated, and promoting vertical accountability within corporations. While these debates about democracy and the regulatory state are long-standing ones in administrative law, these statutes raise some innovative institutional approaches that together hint at a potentially fruitful alternative framework for regulatory reform, one that harnesses the potential of democratic politics to respond to concerns about agency capture, responsiveness, legitimacy, and accountability.
The nonlinear behavior of a passive zero-spring-rate suspension system

Various concepts for advanced syspension systems have been proposed for counteracting gravity loads in ground vibration testing of large space structures. Approximating the flight modes of a low-frequency flexible structure in a ground test requires a very soft suspension system. The dynamic behavior of a passive zero-spring-rate mechanism, sometimes used for such ground testing, is analyzed. This mechanism reduces the stiffness inherent in suspending a test specimen by cables. However, the mechanism is shown to be sensitive to imperfections. Imperfections can initiate nonlinear behavior which becomes more pronounced at lower operating frequencies. Furthermore, large pendular motion of the suspension system couples with the vertical motion, producing additional nonlinearity.
Staring into the abyss: an evaluation of concurrency control with one thousand cores

Computer architectures are moving towards an era dominated by many-core machines with dozens or even hundreds of cores on a single chip. This unprecedented level of on-chip parallelism introduces a new dimension to scalability that current database management systems (DBMSs) were not designed for. In particular, as the number of cores increases, the problem of concurrency control becomes extremely challenging. With hundreds of threads running in parallel, the complexity of coordinating competing accesses to data will likely diminish the gains from increased core counts.To better understand just how unprepared current DBMSs are for future CPU architectures, we performed an evaluation of concurrency control for on-line transaction processing (OLTP) workloads on many-core chips. We implemented seven concurrency control algorithms on a main-memory DBMS and using computer simulations scaled our system to 1024 cores. Our analysis shows that all algorithms fail to scale to this magnitude but for different reasons. In each case, we identify fundamental bottlenecks that are independent of the particular database implementation and argue that even state-of-the-art DBMSs suffer from these limitations. We conclude that rather than pursuing incremental solutions, many-core chips may require a completely redesigned DBMS architecture that is built from ground up and is tightly coupled with the hardware.
An analysis of routine blood testing of British army pilots.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE The purpose of the study was to ascertain what had been discovered in the 15 yr that the British Army has been conducting a program of routine blood testing on its pilot population. These results were to be analyzed with respect to the causes of medical retirement, change of flight status on medical grounds, accidents, incidents, and sudden incapacitation in flight. METHODS Data were collected from the records of 408 aircrew and comprised 1213 records of test batteries. Each battery consisted of: complete blood count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, urea and electrolytes, liver function tests, fasting glucose, thyroid function tests, and fasting lipids. Altogether 8,491 tests were considered. They were analyzed for degree of abnormality, subsequent action, resultant diagnoses, and therapeutic interventions. RESULTS The positive predictive values for the tests ranged between 2% and 33%. The overall percentages of tests that resulted in a diagnosis were between 0.08% and 3.5%, and therapeutic intervention between 0.08% and 3.4%. CONCLUSIONS No evidence to support the continuation of routine blood testing was found other than in the case of lipid estimation. Although this had the highest diagnostic yield, abnormal results were dealt with in an inconsistent manner. Further, the testing was shown to have no predictive value in any of the adverse pilot outcomes mentioned above. Recommendations to alter future practice have been made and accepted in full by the Aviation Medicine hierarchies of all three UK Services.
T2 Fluid-Attenuated Inversion Recovery Imaging of Uveal Melanomas and Other Ocular Pathology

Background/Aims: This study describes patterns of intraocular lesions on T2 fluid-attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR) imaging, exploring a prospective role of FLAIR imaging sequence in diagnosis and treatment. Methods: A retrospective study of orbital magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies from the years 2000 to 2015 was performed. MRI sequences included: pre-contrast T1-weighted, T2-weighted, T2 FLAIR, and postcontrast T1 and T2 imaging gadolinium, which were evaluated by a neuroradiologist. Two cases of melanoma were correlated to their pathology. Results: Twenty-four patients with intraocular pathology were evaluated. All lesions, regardless of pigmentation, revealed previously described melanotic patterns on T1- and T2-weighted images; 80% of 10 melanomas localized were hyperintense on T2 FLAIR, which better delineated lesion margins. All of the four inflammatory pathologies on T2 FLAIR were hyperintense, as were 80% of the amelanotic neoplasms. Pathology of two large uveal melanomas paralleled the findings seen on T2 FLAIR. Conclusions: T2 FLAIR appears beneficial in the demarcation of pigmented ocular lesions and may aid in determining protein content or previous treatment. Data also promote previous assertions that blood flow impacts intensity of lesions on T2 FLAIR. Further research is warranted.
An examination of children’s learning progression shifts while using touch screen virtual manipulative mathematics apps

The purpose of this study was to examine shifts in young children's learning progression levels while they interacted with virtual manipulative mathematics apps on touch-screen devices. A total of 100 children participated in six mathematics learning sequences while using 18 virtual manipulative mathematics touch-screen apps during clinical interviews. Researchers developed a micro-scoring tool to analyze video data from two camera sources (i.e., GoPro camera, wall-mounted camera). Our results showed that it is possible to document evidence of shifts in children's learning progressions while they are interacting with mathematics apps on touch-screen devices. Our results also indicated patterns in the children's interactions that were related to the shifts in their learning progression levels. These results suggest that an open-ended number of tasks with a variety of representations and tasks at varying levels of difficulty led to children refining their understanding and shaping their concept image of mathematical ideas resulting in incremental shifts in learning. The results of this study have important implications about how mathematical tasks in touch-screen apps may prompt children's incremental learning progression shifts to occur, and thereby promote opportunities for learning. We propose that design features in mathematics apps can be created to support and encourage these learning shifts.
Branch-Selective Hydroarylation: Iodoarene–Olefin Cross-Coupling

A combination of cobalt and nickel catalytic cycles enables a highly branch-selective (Markovnikov) olefin hydroarylation. Radical cyclization and ring scission experiments are consistent with hydrogen atom transfer (HAT) generation of a carbon-centered radical that leads to engagement of a nickel cycle.
Management of Duodenal Involvement During Retroperitoneal Lymph Node Dissection for Germ Cell Tumors

Objective To describe patient characteristics and outcomes after duodenal repair during postchemotherapy retroperitoneal lymph node dissection (PC-RPLND) and to identify treatment and management patterns. Methods The Indiana University Testis Cancer database was used to identify all patients who underwent simultaneous partial duodenectomy and PC-RPLND from 1983 to 2013. Patient records were reviewed to describe patient and tumor characteristics, type of duodenal restoration, postoperative management, and complications. Results Of the 2223 PC-RPLND performed during the study period, we identified 39 patients who underwent simultaneous duodenectomy, with 1 patient requiring 2 duodenal procedures for a total of 40 duodenal procedures. The postchemotherapy median tumor mass size was 8.95 (2.5-17) cm. Fifty percent of cases were standard PC-RPLND; the remainders were redo, desperation, or late relapse cases. Preoperative gastrointestinal symptoms were present in 21% of patients and included bowel obstruction (8%) or gastrointestinal bleeding (13%). Retroperitoneal pathology consisted of teratoma (48%), cancer (33%), and necrosis (20%). Duodenal involvement was managed with primary duodenorrhaphy (68%), duodenojejunostomy (18%), duodenoduodenostomy (13%), or pancreaticoduodenectomy (3%). Starting in the year 2000, duodenostomy and gastrostomy tubes were no longer used. The most common postoperative complication was ileus (45%) with a 3% duodenal fistula rate. Conclusion Duodenal tumor involvement during PC-RPLND is most commonly managed with primary duodenorrhaphy after partial duodenectomy with an acceptable duodenal fistula rate. The routine use of duodenostomy or gastrostomy tubes is not recommended.
Bonding in cementitious materials with asphalt-coated particles: Part II – Cement-asphalt chemical interactions

Abstract Reclaimed asphalt pavement (RAP), when used as an aggregate in concrete, will reduce bulk concrete strength and modulus. While Part I of this study investigated the properties of the interfacial transition zone (ITZ), Part II focuses on the nature of the cement-asphalt bond. Several chemical oxidative treatments of the asphalt were found to improve the interfacial cement-asphalt bond energy without affecting the ITZ porosity and size. Based on surface free energy measurements, the failure mode was estimated to occur preferentially as asphalt cohesion rather than cement-asphalt adhesion or ITZ cohesion. Based on the findings from Parts I and II, RAP aggregates reduce concrete strength and modulus because of: (1) the higher porosity in the ITZ, which produces a lower bulk modulus and allows for easier crack initiation, and (2) the preferential asphalt cohesion failure, which occurs rather than adhesive failure of the cement-asphalt interface or cohesive failure of the ITZ.
Microsoft Österreich: Raumschiff Social Enterprise oder „Wie die Zukunft der Arbeit Teil des Alltags wird“

Auf der Reise in die neue Arbeitswelt wird Unternehmen mit Enterprise Social ein zusatzlicher Motor bereitgestellt. Doch Vorsicht: Der Weg dorthin ist keine Autobahn. Er verlangt eine gute Karte, viel Gespur und erlaubt keine Abkurzungen. Weil es hier in erster Linie nicht um eine technische Frage der Implementierung von Werkzeugen geht, sondern um eine Fuhrungsherausforderung und ein Kulturprojekt.
Trichotillomania and Excoriation Disorder

Trichotillomania, or hair-pulling disorder, is characterized by the recurrent pulling out of one’s hair, leading to hair loss. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Fifth Edition (DSM-5; American Psychiatric Association, 2013), specifies additional diagnostic criteria for trichotillomania: (a) repeated attempts to reduce or stop hair pulling, (b) the hair pulling causes clinically significant distress or functional impairment, and (c) the hair pulling or hair loss is not due to a medical or other mental condition. Hair pulling can be observed in any region of the body, including the scalp, eyebrows, and axillary region.
Language and Discourse in the TRAINS Project

The TRAINS project is a long-term research effort on building an intelligent planning assistant that is conversationally-proficient in natural language. The TRAINS project serves as an umbrella for research that involves pushing the state of the art in planning, natural language understanding, natural language dialog, and discourse modelling. Significant emphasis is being put on the knowledge representation issues that arise in supporting the tasks in the domain. This paper describes the general goals of the natural language aspects of the TRAINS project, including parsing, semantic interpretation and discourse modelling.
Almost twenty million chronically ill children

Almost one-third of all children are affected by chronic conditions. National Health Interview Survey reports provide a general overview for pediatric dental practitioners. A summary of many of the findings is provided.
Electrochemical photocurrent enhancement in a ZnO-perovskite heterojunction using piezoelectric effect

Abstract ZnO is a candidate material to be used as the electron transport layer in flexible perovskite solar cells. However, the energy structure at the ZnO-perovskite heterojunction introduces an energy barrier affecting the photocurrent in a device. Here, we report on enhancing the photocurrent in a zinc oxide nanowire (NW)-perovskite heterojunction by employing the piezoelectric effect in NWs. The heterojunction was fabricated on an indium tin oxide coated flexible substrate. The effect of the piezoelectric charges on the photoelectric response of the heterojunction was studied in an electrochemical cell under different bending curvatures of the substrate. Employing piezoelectric effect, the photocurrent of the sample was increased by 46% from the flat state to the maximum outward curvature of 1.02 cm−1. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were performed to characterize the sample. The EIS study was performed for a sample at flat and bent states in both dark and light conditions. Based on the results an equivalent circuit model was suggested. Change in the values of the components in the model was analyzed for both the photovoltaic and piezoelectric effects in the heterojunction. This study suggests a simple approach for fabrication of efficient flexible perovskite solar cells.
Beta-Emitting Radiopharmaceuticals and Bone Metastasis

In patients with advanced HRPC, bone metastasis is commonly reported (Prostate cancer, Wiley-Liss, New York, NY), with an estimated 84–92 % of patients with metastasis experiencing this complication (J Clin Oncol 27:1–2, 2009). The targeting of advanced prostate disease to bone has been attributed to complex interactions between cancerous prostatic cells and bone stroma. This interaction is facilitated by a number of cytokines and growth factors secreted from the stromal environment allowing the infiltration of the bone marrow by metastatic cells. Amongst the naive progenitor cells of the bone marrow, new woven bone is formed and supported by the secretion of VEGF and other cytokines supporting vascularization and tumor survival. Once established, the cancerous prostatic cells disrupt stromal homeostasis by altering the regulatory control between osteoclasts and osteoblasts, primarily supporting osteoblastic activity (J Cell Biochem 101:873–886, 2007). The woven bone produced leads to increases in bone mass commonly seen in HRPC patients (Ibrahaim… Pathogenesis of osteoblastic bone mets). Although bone metastasis secondary to prostate cancer is primarily blastic in nature, a lytic cycle has also been identified, although the mechanism by which osteoclasts are activated is not well elucidated (J Cell Biochem 101:873–886, 2007). This lytic activity may be related to the increase in observed pathogenic fractures within this population (Cancer 116:1406–1418, 2010). The management of these lesions is normally aimed at palliative care, as the major associated morbidity is pain, although other significant complications arise from pathologic fracture, nerve and spinal cord compression, as well as immobility (J Cell Biochem 101:873–886, 2007).
Incidence and Risk Factors for Posterior Cruciate Ligament Avulsion during Cruciate Retaining Total Knee Arthroplasty.

During cruciate retaining (CR) total knee arthroplasty (TKA), the posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) may avulse at its insertion. The incidence of PCL avulsion fracture has not been previously studied. The aim of this study is to report on the incidence and clinical significance of intraoperative PCL avulsion during primary CR TKA and to identify potential risk factors. Our institutional joint registry was retrospectively reviewed for PCL avulsion occurring during CR TKA implanted between April 2008 and April 2016. Patient demographics, preoperative range of motion (ROM), complications, and revision rate were examined. A control group of 132 patients was used for comparison to identify potential risk factors. Forty-four of 2,457 patients (1.7%) suffered a PCL avulsion fracture during primary CR TKA. No intraoperative repair was performed and no postoperative weight bearing or ROM restrictions were implemented. There was no significant difference in BMI (p = 0.258), mean preoperative ROM (p = 0.763), or femoral and tibial component sizes (p = 0.3069, p = 0.1306) between groups. Logistic regression found female gender (p = 0.0254) to be the only statistically significant risk factor for PCL avulsion. The incidence of intraoperative PCL avulsion fracture during CR TKA is low (1.7%) and does not appear to affect postoperative ROM, subjective stability, or incidence of revision. Female gender was identified as the only patient factor that increased the risk of PCL avulsion fracture.
Curses in Aeschylus’ Seven Against Thebes and in Shakespeare’s Richard Plays

Despite differences in theatrical convention and cultural context, Aeschylus’ Seven Against Thebes and Shakespeare’s Richard II and Richard III share important similarities: each occurs in a sequence of plays and features a ruler who, initially sure of himself, suffers a crashing downfall and death. Variously represented, curses, that is, callings for supernatural punishment upon people, appear centrally in these plays and structure their unfolding actions. Aeschylus’ play presents the fulfillment of Oedipus’ curse on his sons, Eteocles and Polyneices. Eteocles’ confrontation with the curse both enables its fulfillment and defines his tragedy. Contrarily, characters curse each other in Richard II , but they do so ineffectually. In this play God’s curse in Genesis structures and defines the action. Margaret’s curses appear efficacious in Richard III but actually just serve to indicate the potent reality of divine retribution. In Shakespeare’s plays confrontation with curses enable their fulfillment and constitutes the rulers’ tragedies. Notice of the agency and operation of curses in these three plays reveals the different theologies, dramas, and tragedies they present.
Treatment of Posaconazole-Induced Peripheral Neuropathy With Methylprednisolone and Magnesium Infusions: A Case Report

The tolerability of long-term posaconazole use remains poorly defined. We present a patient who developed peripheral neuropathy following long-term exposure to the tablet formulation of posaconazole, which was treated with methylprednisolone and magnesium infusions. The potential role of methylprednisolone and magnesium infusions in managing this potentially irreversible triazole-associated complication requires further study.
The reciprocal impact of both visual and verbal metaphors in advertisements: the moderating role of need for cognition

Metaphors, one of the attractive strategies in communication, can have a significant impact visually and verbally on the persuasion of targeted consumers. The current study investigates the interac...
Outcomes of stereotactic radiosurgery and hypofractionated stereotactic radiotherapy for refractory Cushing's disease

Hypofractionated stereotactic radiotherapy (HSRT) for refractory Cushing’s disease may offer a condensed treatment schedule for patients with large tumors abutting the optic chiasm unsuitable for stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS). To-date only four patients have been treated by HSRT in the published literature. We investigated the feasibility, toxicity, and efficacy of HSRT compared to SRS. After approval, we retrospectively evaluated patients treated at our institution for refractory Cushing’s disease with SRS or HSRT. Study outcomes included biochemical control, time to biochemical control, local control, and late complications. Binary logistic regression and Cox proportional hazards regression evaluated predictors of outcomes. Patients treated with SRS (n = 9) and HSRT (n = 9) were enrolled with median follow-up of 3.4 years. Clinicopathologic details were balanced between the cohorts. Local control was 100% in both cohorts. Time to biochemical control was 6.6. and 9.5 months in the SRS and HSRT cohorts, respectively (p = 0.6258). Two patients in each cohort required salvage bilateral adrenalectomy. Late complications including secondary malignancy, radionecrosis, cranial nerve neuropathy, and optic pathway injury were minimal for either cohort. HSRT is an appropriate treatment approach for refractory Cushing’s disease, particularly for patients with large tumors abutting the optic apparatus. Prospective studies are needed to validate these findings and identify factors suggesting optimal fractionation approaches.
Power, participation, and protest in Flint, Michigan: Unpacking the policy paradox of municipal takeovers, by Ashley E. Nickels: Philadelphia, PA, Temple University Press, 2019

Ashley Nickels’s work is an analysis of state policy directed at addressing fiscal stress within a city. Through the lens of events in Flint, Michigan, and the usurpation of democratically elected ...
Assessing underlying bone quality in spine surgery patients: A narrative review of dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and alternatives

Abstract Poor bone quality and low bone mineral density (BMD) have been previously tied to higher rates of postoperative mechanical complications in patients undergoing spinal fusion. These include higher rates of proximal junctional kyphosis, screw pullout, pseudoarthrosis, and interbody subsidence. For these reasons, accurate preoperative assessment of a patient's underlying bone quality is paramount for all elective procedures. Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) is currently considered to be the gold standard for assessing BMD. However, a growing body of research has suggested that in vivo assessments of BMD using DXA are inaccurate and have, at best, moderate correlations to postoperative mechanical complications. Consequently, there have been investigations into using alternative methods for assessing in vivo bone quality, including using computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) volumes that are commonly obtained as part of surgical evaluation. Here we review the data regarding the accuracy of DXA for the evaluation of spine bone quality and describe the alternative imaging modalities currently under investigation.
Abstract 16186: Intravascular Ultrasound-guided Surgical Unroofing in Symptomatic Patients With Myocardial Bridging of the Left Anterior Descending Artery

Introduction: Myocardial bridging (MB) has been shown to cause significant clinical symptoms or adverse cardiac events in patients with no obstructive coronary artery disease. In contrast to medica...
Afterword and Final Thoughts: Improving Police Service Delivery

Policing responsibilities have shifted from mere law enforcement to routinely encompassing tasks that involve medical emergencies, social crisis, and other societal tribulations. The success and performance of contemporary policing cannot be evaluated based solely on crime or arrest rates, but must look at a broader plethora of variables. As such, this modern predicament does not allow for an accurate measure of police service delivery. More importantly, since policing involves public service, it would be most appropriate to gain public insight and feedback into key perspectives of police service delivery, particularly to maintain the goals outlined within the principles of policing by Sir Robert Peel at the onset of professional public policing in the 1820s. It is obvious that public involvement and effectual leadership are key factors in ensuring that police service is delivered at optimal levels and to the satisfaction of the communities being served. The critical insight detailed within this book will be analyzed in an effort to develop policy recommendations and examples of impressive practices that will enhance police service delivery and increase public trust and confidence in the police.
Connectivity, reproduction number, and mobility interact to determine communities' epidemiological superspreader potential in a metapopulation network

Disease epidemic outbreaks on human metapopulation networks are often driven by a small number of superspreader nodes, which are primarily responsible for spreading the disease throughout the network. Superspreader nodes typically are characterized either by their locations within the network, by their degree of connectivity and centrality, or by their habitat suitability for the disease, described by their reproduction number (R). Here we introduce a model that considers simultaneously the effects of network properties and R on superspreaders, as opposed to previous research which considered each factor separately. This type of model is applicable to diseases for which habitat suitability varies by climate or land cover, and for direct transmitted diseases for which population density and mitigation practices influences R. We present analytical models that quantify the superspreader capacity of a population node by two measures: probability-dependent superspreader capacity, the expected number of neighboring nodes to which the node in consideration will randomly spread the disease per epidemic generation, and time-dependent superspreader capacity, the rate at which the node spreads the disease to each of its neighbors. We validate our analytical models with a Monte Carlo analysis of repeated stochastic Susceptible-Infected-Recovered (SIR) simulations on randomly generated human population networks, and we use a random forest statistical model to relate superspreader risk to connectivity, R, centrality, clustering, and diffusion. We demonstrate that either degree of connectivity or R above a certain threshold are sufficient conditions for a node to have a moderate superspreader risk factor, but both are necessary for a node to have a high-risk factor. The statistical model presented in this article can be used to predict the location of superspreader events in future epidemics, and to predict the effectiveness of mitigation strategies that seek to reduce the value of R, alter host movements, or both.
Seroprevalence of bovine anaplasmosis in the southern US

Bovine anaplasmosis, caused by Anaplasma marginal, is the most prevalent tick-transmitted disease of cattle worldwide and a major obstacle to profitable production in the U.S. The introduction of anaplasmosis into a naive herd can result in a reduced calf crop and increased cull and mortality rates in infected adult cattle. The cost of anaplasmosis to the US beef industry is estimated to be over $300 million annually. Control of anaplasmosis in the U.S. is predicated on biosecurity and administration of antimicrobials both of which require knowledge of regional prevalence for implementation to be successful. The last reported prevalence of anaplasmosis in cattle in the southern U.S. ranged from 2% to 24%. However, the test used to determine the prevalence, complement fixation, is no longer considered reliable. Therefore, true prevalence of anaplasmosis in this region is likely much higher than previously reported.
Empirische Studien zu Satire und Alltagskommunikation: Forschungsfragen und Methode

Bevor die zwischenmenschliche Kommunikation zu Satire aus einer lebensweltlich-kontextualisierenden Perspektive heraus empirisch beforscht wird, werden in diesem Kapitel zunachst die theoretischen Vorannahmen zusammengefuhrt und zu einzelnen Forschungsfragen verdichtet. Anschliesend werden die zwei zur Kommunikation zu satirischen Medieninhalten durchgefuhrten empirischen Studien in ihrer Zielsetzung und ihrem methodischen Vorgehen beschrieben.
Missed critical value callbacks due to middleware flaw

Abstract Objectives In 2018, our clinical laboratory was alerted to back-to-back plasma sodium critical value callback failures on the same patient, occurring on different shifts and involving different technologists. Therefore, we set forth to investigate the root cause for the critical value callback failures. Design and methods We conducted a thorough investigation focused on the processes associated with critical value identification and notification for plasma sodium measurement performed on the Siemens Vista. Results Our investigation uncovered a flaw in the Siemens CentraLink middleware software. A default dark blue bar in the top row of the results review display was determined to obscure the red color which highlights critical values for lab staff identification. Sodium was disproportionately impacted by this flaw, as it is commonly ordered as part of metabolic panels, and is listed first among the panel analytes in the top row of the CentraLink display. Retrospective data review comparing critical callback failure rates for sodium to potassium and hemoglobin confirmed that sodium had significantly higher critical callback failure rates than these other analytes. After alerting the product manufacturer, Siemens programmed the CentraLink display so that the top row was blank and devoid of patient results, so that the blue color in the top row would no longer obscure the red visual cue of a patient’s critical result. Sodium critical value callback failures were reduced to 0% after this middleware display correction. Conclusions Middleware design flaws can have unexpected consequences on clinical laboratory operations. We encourage clinical laboratories to closely examine user interfaces utilized by laboratory staff, and be wary of potential impacts that the display format may have on results reporting.
Heterogeneity in Radiotherapeutic Parameter Assumptions in Cost-Effectiveness Analyses in Prostate Cancer: A Call for Uniformity

Abstract Objectives Cost-effectiveness analyses (CEAs) may provide useful data to inform management decisions depending on the robustness of a model’s input parameters. We sought to determine the level of heterogeneity in health state utility values, transition probabilities, and cost estimates across published CEAs assessing primarily radiotherapeutic management strategies in prostate cancer. Methods We conducted a systematic review of prostate cancer CEAs indexed in MEDLINE between 2000 and 2018 comparing accepted treatment modalities across all cancer stages. Search terms included “cost effectiveness prostate,” “prostate cancer cost model,” “cost utility prostate,” and “Markov AND prostate AND (cancer OR adenocarcinoma).” Included studies were agreed upon. A Markov model was designed using the parameter estimates from the systematic review to evaluate the effect of estimate heterogeneity on strategy cost acceptability. Results Of 199 abstracts identified, 47 publications were reviewed and 37 were included; 508 model estimates were compared. Estimates varied widely across variables, including gastrointestinal toxicity risk (0%-49.5%), utility of metastatic disease (0.25-0.855), intensity-modulated radiotherapy cost ($21 193-$61 996), and recurrence after external-beam radiotherapy (1.5%-59%). Multiple studies assumed that different radiotherapy modalities delivering the same dose yielded varying cancer control rates. When using base estimates for similar parameters from included studies, the designed model resulted in 3 separate acceptability determinations. Conclusions Significant heterogeneity exists across parameter estimates used to perform CEAs evaluating treatment for prostate cancer. Heterogeneity across model inputs yields variable conclusions with respect to the favorability and cost-effectiveness of treatment options. Decision makers are cautioned to review estimates in CEAs to ensure they are up to date and relevant to setting and population.
The 1.3mm Full-Stokes Polarization System at CARMA

The CARMA 1.3mm polarization system consists of dual-polarization receivers that are sensitive to right- (R) and left-circular (L) polarization, and a spectral-line correlator that measures all four cross polarizations (RR, LL, LR, RL) on each of the 105 baselines connecting the 15 telescopes. Each receiver comprises a single feed horn, a waveguide circular polarizer, an orthomode transducer (OMT), two heterodyne mixers, and two low-noise amplifiers (LNAs), all mounted in a cryogenically cooled dewar. Here we review the basics of polarization observations, describe the construction and performance of key receiver components (circular polarizer, OMT, and mixers — but not the correlator), and discuss in detail the calibration of the system, particularly the calibration of the R–L phase offsets and the polarization leakage corrections. The absolute accuracy of polarization position angle measurements was checked by mapping the radial polarization pattern across the disk of Mars. Transferring the Mars calibra...
Human glioma cells induce hyperexcitability in cortical networks

SUMMARY Purpose: Patients with gliomas frequently present with seizures, but the factors associated with seizure development are still poorly understood. In this study, we assessed peritumoral synaptic network activity in a glioma animal model and tested the contribution of aberrant glutamate release from gliomas on glioma-associated epileptic network activity. Methods: In vitro brain slices were made from gliomaimplanted mice. Using extracellular field recordings, we analyzed peritumoral epileptiform activity induced by Mg 2+ -free medium in slices from tumor-bearing animals and sham-operated controls. We assessed the effect of sulfasalazine (SAS), a blocker of system x c and glutamate release, on spontaneous and evoked activity in tumorassociated slices. Key Findings: Tumor-associated cortical networks were hyperexcitable. The onset latency of Mg 2+ -free‐induced epileptiform activity was significantly shorter in tumorbearing slices, and the incidence of Mg 2+ -free‐induced ictal-like events was higher. Block of glutamate release from system x c decreased the response area of evoked activity and completely blocked Mg 2+ -free‐induced ictallike, but not interictal-like events. Significance: Control of seizures in patients with gliomas is an essential component of clinical management; therefore, understanding the origin of seizures is vital. This work provides evidence that peritumoral synaptic network activity is disrupted by tumor masses resulting in network excitability. We show that blocking glutamate release via system x c with SAS, a drug already approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), can inhibit Mg 2+ -free‐induced ictal-like epileptiform events similar to other chemicals used to decrease seizure activity. We, therefore, suggest that further studies should consider SAS a promising agent to aid in the treatment of seizures associated with gliomas.