cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Contextual constraints on synonymous codon choice.

Abstract We have studied the statistical constraints on synonymous codon choice to evaluate various proposals regarding the origin of the bias in synonymous codon usage observed by Fiers et al. (1975), Air et al. (1976), Grantham et al. (1980) and others. We have determined the statistical dependence of the degenerate third base on either of its nearest neighbors in mitochondrial, prokaryotic, and eukaryotic coding sequences. We noted an increasing dependence of the third base on its nearest neighbors in moving from mitochrondria to prokaryotes to eukaryotes. A statistical model assuming random equiprobable selection of synonymous codons was found grossly adequate for the mitochondria, but totally indequate for prokaryotes and eukaryotes. A model assuming selection of synonymous codons reflecting a genomic strategy, i.e. the genome hypothesis of Grantham et al. (1980), gave a good approximation of the mitochondrial sequences. A statistical model which exactly maintains codon frequency, but allows the position of corresponding synonymous codons to vary was only grossly adequate for prokaryotes and totally inadequate for eukaryotes. The results of these simulations are consistent with the measures on experimental sequences and suggest that a “frequency constraint” model such as that of Grantham et al. (1980) may be an adequate explanation of the codon usage in mitochondria. However, in addition to this frequency constraint, there may be constraints on synonymous codon choice in prokaryotes due to codon context. Furthermore, any proposal to explain codon usage in eukaryotes must involve a constraint on the context of a codon in the sequence.
The Terminal Classic in the Maya Lowlands: Collapse Transition and Transformation

The Terminal Classic in the Maya Lowlands: Collapse Transition and Transformation. Edited by Arthur A. Demarest, Prudence M. Rice, and Don S. Rice. University Press of Colorado 2004, 676 pp.
Differential effects of bismuth and salicylate salts on the antibiotic susceptibility of Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

The influence of salicylate or bismuth salts on antibiotic action againstPseudomonas aeruginosa was assessed in broth cultures. Sodium salicylate (2.5 mM) had no significant effect on the activity of any antibiotic tested. In contrast, bismuth compounds (0.5 mM) produced a significant change in the inhibitory activity of several antibiotics against all strains. Bismuth salts reduced imipenem activity by up to 20-fold, enhanced gentamicin or amikacin activity three to five-fold, and enhanced cefpirome or cefepime activity by as much as 10-fold against antibiotic-sensitive and resistant strains. Bismuth salts had little effect on cefoperazone, ceftazidime, or mezlocillin activity. Combining bismuth salts with aminoglycosides or fourth-generation cephalosporin antibiotics may help to combat the growing problem of resistantPseudomonas aeruginosa.
Synthesis and Optical Properties of Aqueous Soluble Indolylfulgimides

Three novel aqueous soluble fulgimides, trifluoromethyl carboxylic acid indolylfulgimide 4, dicarboxylic acid indolylfulgimide 5, and carboxylic acid indolylfulgimide 6, were synthesized. Both 4 and 5 can switch back and forth between open and closed forms upon illumination with specific wavelengths of light, whereas 6 can only switch from the closed form to the open form. In sodium phosphate buffer (pH 7.4) at 37 °C, an unusual hydrolysis of the trifluoromethyl group of the closed form of 4 resulted in 5, which has an additional carboxylic acid group. The closed form of 5 was further decarboxylated to generate 6, which was not photochromic. In buffer, the open form of 4 degraded 20% after 10 days, while the closed form of 4 was converted to 5 rapidly. In buffer, both forms of 5 degraded less than 20% after 21 days at 37 °C, and 5 underwent 670 photochemical cycles before degrading by 20%. It is the most robust fulgimide yet reported in aqueous solution.
Use of a Teacher Rating Scale

A study of the Pupil Behavior Rating Scale (PBRS) was made to determine its factor structure and to determine its utility for screening children at the elementary school level to identify potential learning disabilities. An analysis of teacher ratings of 183 boys identified as having learning problems and 176 normal learners indicated that teachers consistently rate the problem learners lower on each area of the scale. The factor structure of the scale, however, resulted in four rather than the designated five independent categories of behavior. The scale's validity was evaluated by comparing two groups of children identified on the basis of the PBRS, together with reading and WISC vocabulary scores. The learning disabled group scored significantly lower than the children on each measure. It was concluded that the PBRS provides an efficient and economical measure for screening purposes. However, further study of the validity and of the basis upon which teachers make such discriminations is necessary.
Umbilical artery Doppler flow studies during pregnancy.

abstract The fetus depends upon adequate uteroplacental blood flow for normal growth and development. Inaccessibility of the fetus has made assessment of uteroplacental blood flow difficult. Doppler ultrasound of umbilical artery blood flow provides a noninvasive method for assessing pregnancies at risk for poor outcomes. This article describes blood flow studies using the Doppler ultrasound technique and provides related nursing implications. Management of the high-risk pregnant patient and the conditions that may affect her unborn child has improved dramatically during the past two decades. Early diagnosis of impaired uteroplacental circulation reduces perinatal morbidity and mortality. Doppler ultrasound is becoming an accepted method of assessing pregnancies at risk and may be used in conjunction with a variety of other diagnostic tests used to evaluate fetal well-being. Nurses are instmmental in teaching and supporting patients undergoing the testing procedures. Effective use of the nursing process is essential to set priorities and provide continuity of care for patients receiving Doppler ultrasound.
Exchange Core-Polarization Effects on Indirect Nuclear Spin Interactions-Application to Rubidium and Cesium Metals

The role of exchange core-polarization (ECP) effects in the study of indirect nuclear spin interactions (INSI) in the alkali metals rubidium and cesium is discussed. The ECP contributions to the INSI parameters ${A}_{12}$ (Ruderman-Kittel) and ${B}_{12}$ (pseudodipolar) are evaluated and compared with other contributions. The theoretical values of ${A}_{12}$ are in reasonable agreement with experiment. However, the incorporation of the ECP contributions to ${B}_{12}$, ${({B}_{12})}_{\mathrm{ECP}}^{\mathrm{dip}}$ (in this ECP process, the conduction electrons are polarized by the electron-nuclear dipolar interaction, and the exchanged polarized core electrons interact with the nucleus via the Fermi contact interaction) does not improve the order-of-magnitude disagreement between theory and experiment. The importance of additional ECP processes whose inclusion can improve the theoretical situation is briefly discussed.
AUDIT OF PALLIATIVE CARE PATIENT IDENTIFICATION IN GENERAL PRACTICE

Background The Gold Standards Framework highlights the need for early identification of palliative care patients within the community. Thus allowing optimization of patient care and avoidance of unnecessary treatments near the end of life. The Dying Matters website states GP palliative registers should only have approximately 25% of cancer diagnoses on them. Aim To assess if the practice wad correctly registering palliative care patients and what proportion of the palliative register had cancer diagnoses. Method Using the GP computer system (Emis) a search was made of the most recent deaths over 7 months. This was cross referenced with the palliative care register at that time to find which patients had not been correctly registered onto the palliative care register prior to their deaths. The notes of these non-palliative care registered deaths were assessed retrospectively to see if the could have been previously added onto the palliative register. Markers within the medical records were previous patient/relative discussion around palliative care, DNAR forms and the use of Prognostic Indicators Guidance. Results A total of 33 patient deaths were identified over 7 months. 12 were correctly palliative care registered. 11 deaths could not have been predicted from the records and 10 deaths were expected and therefore eligible for the palliative care register. Notably 66% of the palliative list had a cancer diagnosis, whereas 9 out of 10 of the unregistered but expected deaths had non-cancer diagnoses. This highlighted clearly that the other common palliative groups were being missed. Conclusion Performing such an audit can allow any practice to evaluate their concordance with the current Gold Standards Framework. It re-iterated how the Prognostic Indicator Guidance could be used to identify non-cancer palliative care patients for inclusion onto the palliative register.
Preliminary report on a technique for studying age-related performance deficits

The performance of subjects ranging in age from 20 to 85 years was evaluated with a series of three simple, automated problem solving tasks. Age-dependent deficits were found in a task involving alternation of symbols, but not when spatial alternation was required. The technique described appears to be relatively free of bias and to provide a reliable, rapid, and sensitive procedure for further analysis of the determinants of age-related performance deficits.
Simple and effective array prefetching in Java

Java is becoming a viable choice for numerical algorithms due to the software engineering benefits of object-oriented programming. Because these programs still use large arrays that do not fit in the cache, they continue to suffer from poor memory performance. To hide memory latency, we describe a new unified compile-time analysis for software prefetching arrays and linked structures in Java. Our previous work uses data-flow analysis to discover linked data structure accesses, and here we present a more general version that also identifies loop induction variables used in array accesses. Our algorithm schedules prefetches for all array references that contain induction variables. We evaluate our technique using a simulator of an out-of-order superscalar processor running a set of array-based Java programs. Across all our programs, prefetching reduces execution time by a geometric mean of 23%, and the largest improvement is 58%. We also evaluate prefetching on a PowerPC processor, and we show that prefetching reduces execution time by a geometric mean of 17%. Traditional software prefetching algorithms for C and Fortran use locality analysis and sophisticated loop transformations. Because our analysis is much simpler and quicker, it is suitable for including in a just-in-time compiler. We further show that the additional loop transformations and careful scheduling of prefetches used in previous work are not always necessary for modern architectures and Java programs.
Health and Wellness Benefits of Travel Experiences A Literature Review

Tourism has been widely regarded as a mentally and physically healthy pursuit. Thus, recent studies in tourism have paid more attention to the benefits of travel experiences. However, most studies pertaining to the topic have been conducted in the fields of organizational behavior and health science. Therefore, this research attempts to provide a comprehensive review of the literature on the health and wellness benefits of travel. The results revealed that positive effects of travel experiences on perceived health and wellness have been demonstrated by multiple studies. These benefits have been found to gradually diminish after a vacation. It was also found that there is a lack of research demonstrating the positive effect of travel experiences on physical health. Based on these findings, directions for future research are addressed.
Programming with models: modularity and abstraction provide powerful capabilities for systems biology

Mathematical models are increasingly used to understand how phenotypes emerge from systems of molecular interactions. However, their current construction as monolithic sets of equations presents a fundamental barrier to progress. Overcoming this requires modularity, enabling sub-systems to be specified independently and combined incrementally, and abstraction, enabling generic properties of biological processes to be specified independently of specific instances. These, in turn, require models to be represented as programs rather than as datatypes. Programmable modularity and abstraction enables libraries of modules to be created, which can be instantiated and reused repeatedly in different contexts with different components. We have developed a computational infrastructure that accomplishes this. We show here why such capabilities are needed, what is required to implement them and what can be accomplished with them that could not be done previously.
Thermoanalytical Ranking of Catalysts for Use with Polycarboxylic Acids as Durable Press Reactants

Thermoanalytical (TA) techniques were used to analyze several polycarboxylic acids (PCA) in the presence of each of three inorganic salts of phosphorus-containing acids used as catalysts—disodium phosphate, monosodium phosphate, and sodium hypo-phosphite. The influence of catalyst was measurable in differential scanning calorimetric and thermogravimetric analyses. Previously, TA data gathered on PCAs alone indicated that the acids that performed best in fabric trials produced large residues, low rates of weight loss/minute, and high total heats of reaction in J/g. Adding a catalyst to an acid increased residues and decreased rates even further. Total heat values decreased slightly in the presence of the catalyst. A mathematical transformation incorporating the three TA parameters into a single predictor factor was used to rank catalysts and predict which catalyst was best for each of four acids of interest to textile chemists. When this TA factor was compared with another factor derived from fabric durabl...
Evidence to action needs research.

Tikki Pang wrote a very welcome editorial that discusses what evidence is needed to strengthen the linkages between evidence generation and action in the developing world.1 Dr Pang highlights several critical areas of exploration that we would like to further clarify and share our views on. First, we applaud the editorial’s broad definition of evidence, going beyond a focus on randomized controlled trials and other strictly quantitative forms of evidence. Dr Pang mentions some excellent examples of the use of types of evidence for public health action outside the confines of such traditional forms of evidence. The categorization of these different types of evidence may be useful in further exploring evidence transfer to policy in low-income settings. One such categorization is provided by Bowen and Zwi, who divide evidence that informs policy processes into five categories – research; knowledge and information; ideas and interests; politics; and economics.2 Considering each of these types of evidence when exploring the evidence-policy interface on a particular research topic, may enhance the clarity of analyses at the interface. Second, the editorial asks three vital questions regarding evidence: can it work, will it work and is it worth it? Attempting to answer each of these questions requires cognizance of the development context within which the evidence is being considered. We would like to highlight the importance of a clear focus on multiple dimensions of development, including poverty, institutional maturation and capabilities (both at the individual and community levels) in making judgments on the three questions. Third, the editorial suggests use of resources beyond the health sector in strengthening policy-action links, and cites an example from the vaccine field. Another example of an area of exploration ripe for transfer to the health evidence-policy arena is the conduct and utilization of stakeholder analyses to determine the strength of the evidence-policy interface. The development of these methods has been spearheaded by the environmental sector and a rich literature exists on the subject.3 Lastly, returning to the central question posed by the editorial – what type of evidence is needed – there is a clear need to generate evidence from the interface between evidence and decision-making itself. Calls for such exploration have gained increasing recognition in the global literature.4 Analyses of the interface are beginning to gain momentum in the public health research world – an example is the multicountry research consortium (to which we belong) exploring this interface in six countries in Asia and Africa.5 Further work focusing on prospective methodological analyses of evidence-policy interfaces in the developing world is urgently required to find key leverage points to strengthen this interface. We hope to contribute to this global dialogue. ■
Differentiation of flavonoid glycoside isomers by using metal complexation and electrospray ionization mass spectrometry.

The elucidation of flavonoid isomers is accomplished by electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (ESI-MS/MS) via formation and collisional activated dissociation (CAD) of metal/flavonoid complexes containing an auxiliary ligand. Addition of a metal salt and a suitable neutral auxiliary ligand to flavonoids in solution results in the formation of [M(II) (flavonoid-H) ligand]+ complexes by ESI which, upon collisional activated dissociation, often result in more distinctive fragmentation patterns than observed for conventional protonated or deprotonated flavonoids. Previously, 2,2′-bipyridine was used as an auxiliary ligand, and now we compare and explore the use of alternative pyridyl ligands, including 4,7-diphenyl-1,10-phenanthroline. Using this technique, three groups of flavonoid glycoside isomers are differentiated, including glycosides of apigenin, quercetin, and luteolin.
Deciding to Intervene: An Analysis of International and Domestic Influences on United States Interventions in Intrastate Disputes

Although the United States has been the most prolific intervener in the international system since the end of World War II, there has been little consensus among scholars regarding the motivations of U.S. interventions in domestic political disputes abroad. In addition, scholars do not agree on the relative effects of international factors and domestic factors on intervention decisions by the U.S. Previous research on the motivations of U.S. interventions has occurred within at least two distinctive “streams” of literature: (1) studies of state interventions; and (2) studies of the use of military force by the U.S. Hypotheses regarding U.S. interventions in intrastate disputes are derived from the previous literature, and the hypotheses are tested using recently-compiled data on intrastate disputes and U.S. interventions in intrastate disputes occurring between 1945 and 2002. The results suggest a combination of international factors, including geographic proximity and ideological linkage, significantly i...
Terrestrial salamander abundance on reclaimed mountaintop removal mines

Mountaintop removal mining, a large-scale disturbance affecting vegetation, soil structure, and topography, converts landscapes from mature forests to extensive grassland and shrubland habitats. We sampled salamanders using drift-fence arrays and coverboard transects on and near mountaintop removal mines in southern West Virginia, USA, during 2000–2002. We compared terrestrial salamander relative abundance and species richness of un-mined, intact forest with habitats on reclaimed mountaintop removal mines (reclaimed grassland, reclaimed shrubland, and fragmented forest). Salamanders within forests increased in relative abundance with increasing distance from reclaimed mine edge. Reclaimed grassland and shrubland habitats had lower relative abundance and species richness than forests. Characteristics of reclaimed habitats that likely contributed to lower salamander abundance included poor soils (dry, compacted, little organic matter, high rock content), reduced vertical structure of vegetation and little tree cover, and low litter and woody debris cover. Past research has shown that salamander populations reduced by clearcutting may rebound in 15–24 years. Time since disturbance was 7–28 years in reclaimed habitats on our study areas and salamander populations had not reached levels found in adjacent mature forests. Published 2013. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
Changes in membrane characteristics of heart muscle during inhibition.

Membrane characteristics were studied in isolated muscle strands from auricles of frogs using the "square pulse" technique. Changes in the time course and spatial spread of subthreshold electrotonic potentials were measured. If acetylcholine is applied in concentrations which cause slowing or stoppage of the heart beat, the following changes are produced: (a) the length constant (λ) of the membrane is reduced, (b) the time constant is shortened. The effects are reversible and increase with acetylcholine concentration. The membrane changes caused by acetylcholine dimmish with time. It is concluded that during acetylcholine inhibition, as well as during vagal inhibition, the conductance of the muscle membrane is increased. Appreciable changes in the resting membrane potential need not accompany inhibition.
Reverse-engineering a transcriptional enhancer: a case study in Drosophila.

Enhancers,orcis-regulatoryelements,aretheprincipaldeterminantsofspatiotemporalpatterningofgene expression. For reasons of clinical and research utility, it is desirable to build customized enhancers that drive novel gene expression patterns, but currently, we largely rely on ‘‘found’’ genomic elements. Synthetic enhancers, assembled from transcription factor binding sites taken from natural signal-regulated enhancers, generally fail to behave like their wild-type counterparts when placed in transgenic animals, suggesting that important aspects of enhancer function are still unexplored. As a step toward the creation of a truly synthetic regulatory element, we have undertaken an extensive structure‐function study of an enhancer of the Drosophila decapentaplegic (dpp) gene that drives expression in the developing visceral mesoderm (VM). Although considerable past efforts have been made to dissect the dppVM enhancer, transgenic experiments presented here indicate that its activity cannot be explained by the known regulators alone. dppVM contains multiple, previously uncharacterized, regulatory sites, some of which exhibit functional redundancy. The results presented here suggest that even the best-studied enhancers must be further dissected before they can be fully understood, and before faithful synthetic elements based on them can be created. Implications for developmental genetics, mathematical modeling, and therapeutic applications are discussed.
Origin and Development of the Three Forks Basin, Montana

The Three Forks Basin sprawls where the intricately deformed sedimentary and volcanic rocks of the Disturbed Belt along the Rocky Mountain front are faulted against the Precambrian metamorphic rocks that make the core of the Tobacco Root, Madison, Gallatin, and Beartooth ranges. Its eastern edge is linear, controlled by steep faults at the west front of the Bridger Range. All other boundaries are sinuous and show little sign of structural control. Tertiary deposits in the basin, rich in contemporaneous rhyolitic and latitic ash, are about equally of lake, bolson, and stream origin. The western part of the basin is dominated by moderately folded Eocene and lower Oligocene rocks, more than 2000 feet thick. They dip eastward beneath apparently unfolded upper Miocene and Pliocene rocks, more than 1300 feet thick, that also dip gently eastward to the basin edge. Thin but extensive Quaternary deposits lying unconformably on the Tertiary and pre-Tertiary rocks are mainly of rounded terrace and flood-plain gravel, angular fan gravel, and wind-blown silt. The basin began as part of an east-flowing stream system that developed in Late Cretaceous and Paleocene time, concurrently with Laramide folding and thrusting; the faulted contact between metamorphic and sedimentary rocks was especially erodible and became a main drainage way. Recurrent uplift to the west throughout the Tertiary provided gradient and load to the streams; additional load was provided by showers of ash from unknown vents. Relative uplifts of the Bridger Range in Eocene and early Oligocene time, and again in late Miocene and Pliocene time, impeded flow from the basin and led to deposits in channels, flood plains, and lakes. During most of Oligocene and Miocene time, however, the basin was being eroded. By the end of the Tertiary the basin was deeply filled and became part of a regional surface of low relief. Regional northwestward tilting stimulated headward erosion of the Missouri River which then captured the formerly east-draining or closed basin. The Tertiary deposits have been deeply eroded, and the rugged pre-basin surface partly exhumed.
HISTOPATHOLOGY OF DYSTROPHIC AND NORMAL MICE AFTER TIMED PERIODS OF PARABIOSIS.

Two-hundred and eight mice were paired as parabionts, or as single controls, with normal mice on the day of weaning. Pairs were sacrificed at 4, 8, 12 and 16 weeks after pairing. Autopsies were performed, organs were weighed and microscopic examination of tissues was performed. The results show a decreased liver weight in parabiosed dystrophics with a concomitant increased liver weight in parabiosed normals. The severity of muscle lesions of parabiosed dystrophics was less than that of counterpart single dystrophics. There was no observed clinical improvement.
Iontronic microdroplet array for flexible ultrasensitive tactile sensing

An iontronic microdroplet array (IMA) device, using an ultra-large interfacial capacitance at the highly elastic droplet–electrode contact, has been proposed for flexible tactile sensing applications. The transparent IMA sensors consist of an array of nanoliter droplets sandwiched between two polymeric membranes with patterned transparent electrodes, forming the electrical double layers with remarkable unit-area capacitance. Under external loading, the membrane deformation results in the circumferential expansion at the highly elastic droplet–electrode contact, which offers a completely new capacitive sensing scheme with a dramatic increase in sensitivity. Under the simple device architecture, the IMA has achieved device sensitivity of 0.43 nF kPa−1 and a minimal detectable pressure of 33 Pa, the highest reported values for its dimension. In addition, the hysteresis of the droplet deformation has been reduced by introducing a layer of hydrophobic coating to the conductive electrode surface, ensuring a fast mechanical response (on the order of several milliseconds). To demonstrate the utility of the transparent flexible IMA sensor, it has been successfully mounted onto a fingertip setting to map different surface topologies and embedded into a wristband to resolve dynamic pressure waves throughout cardiovascular cycles.
Ozonolysis of long-chain cyclic acetals: formation of monoesters

A procedure is described for the quantitative conversion of saturated long-chain cyclic acetals of diols to the corresponding O-acyl diols. Acetal ozonolysis proceeds in ethyl acetate-methylene chloride solution at -16 to -18 degrees C without overoxidation.
Principles of Neurometries

Neurometries is a method of quantitative EEG that provides a precise, reproducible estimate of the deviation of an individual record from normal. This computer analysis makes it possible to detect ...
The Development and Structure of Emotions

In order to talk about what develops in emotional development, it is necessary first to decompose the term emotion into its components, including (1) elicitors, (2) receptors, (3) states, (4) expressions, and (5) experiences. In this chapter, I address each of these components and pay most attention to states, experiences, and expressions. Having done so, I turn to the interconnections between components, and most specifically to how the development of consciousness gives rise to emotional states and expressions.
Ionic basis of depressed automaticity and conduction by acetylcholine in rabbit AV node

To investigate the ionic mechanisms underlying the negative chrono- and dromotropic effects of acetylcholine (ACh) on the atrioventricular (AV) node, experiments were carried out in rabbit AV node ...
Change in quality of life after lung volume reduction surgery.

BACKGROUND Lung volume reduction surgery has been reintroduced for treatment of severe emphysema. Goals of this surgery are to decrease dyspnea, increase exercise tolerance, and improve quality of life. OBJECTIVES To describe the effect of lung volume reduction surgery on overall quality of life, disease severity, dyspnea, and functional status during the first 12 months after surgery. METHODS Data were collected for 20 patients (mean age, 63 years; 15 men) before and 3, 6, and 12 months after lung volume reduction surgery. Disease severity was determined by percentage of forced expiratory volume in 1 second (compared with established norms); functional status, by a 6-minute walk test; dyspnea, by scores on a visual analog scale; and overall quality of life, by scores on the Quality of Life Scale. RESULTS Scores on the Quality of Life Scale and distance walked increased significantly after surgery, and these increases were maintained at 6 and 12 months, respectively. Percentage of forced expiratory volume in 1 second increased significantly 3 months after surgery, but changes at 6 and 12 months were not significant. Changes in dyspnea ratings were not significant. No pattern of correlations among study variables was significant. CONCLUSIONS Quality of life and functional status are improved after lung volume reduction surgery. Because none of the physiological variables were related to changes in quality of life, alternative explanations for these improvements must be explored in future studies.
Seismic modeling and analysis of the prototype heated nuclear waste storage tunnel, Yucca Mountain, Nevada

The 1997-2002 Yucca Mt. heated drift scale test (DST) used a specialized system of heaters to simulate thermal effects from stored nuclear waste on a tunnel, surrounding volcanic tuff, and groundwater flow. Seismic calibration shots were recorded on a receiver array installed around the tunnel while temperatures inside were elevated to approximately 200◦C. Receiver gathers show classic wave propagation behavior as given in the literature for pulses incident upon cylinders/tunnels. However, a combination thermal/groundwater process causes direct and reflected P-S arrival changes in the surrounding tuff as temperatures increase. Data also show these waveforms effectively do not change once the target temperature is obtained at the tunnel wall. Laboratory data for granite was used as a physical analog to develop velocity versus temperature models for Yucca Mt. tuff. Barring 3-D effects/out-of-plane reflections, 2D spectral element waveform simulation coupled with well-constrained thermal models has consistently replicated receiver data in the plane of the calibration source. Field/model waveform agreement is a function of velocity gradient for Vp,s(x, z, t, T ) models derived by fitting and adjusting said granite data. Waveforms using velocity model sets with a V −1dV/dT gradient of −0.5% per 100◦C show improved agreement with field data over those with a −2.5% per 100◦C gradient. This optimal velocity change is lower than values stated in literature. Because the velocity gradient is small, velocity changes may be controlled by fracturing due to thermal expansion and fragment compression, not large bulk modulus changes associated with groundwater phase transitions. In addition, our numerical modeling shows a diffracted/“Franz” wave propagating perpendicular to the tunnel wall in the thermal transition region. This wave is present in field and model data propagating at speeds that vary with conditions near the tunnel. P-S separation and Franz wave velocity are therefore potential tools for seismic measurement and monitoring of conditions near the tunnel.
Recent French Sociology

has been chiefly concerned. It is too early yet to pass judgment or even to convert possibilities into probabilities, for a really adequate investigation might still unearth facts which would point to the conclusion that newspaper content cannot be profitably analyzed in detail. What has been done so far, however, has been in general favorable rather than otherwise to future prospects. Tenney's twentyyear old prediction23 that we would one day forecast the "social weather" by analyzing newspapers has today a better rather than a worse chance of coming true.
Transforming Medical Education is the Key to Meeting North Carolina's Physician Workforce Needs

To meet the needs of the population of North Carolina, an epic transformation is under way in health care. This transformation requires that we find new ways to educate and train physicians and other health care professionals. In this commentary, we propose that the success of the Brody School of Medicine in preparing a primary care physician workforce can serve as a model for meeting the state's future physician workforce needs. Other considerations include increasing graduate medical education positions through state funding and providing incentives for medical students who stay in North Carolina.
Sparse stepped-frequency waveform design for through-the-wall radar imaging

Wideband beamformers for applications such as through-the-wall imaging can exploit the efficiency and flexibility offered by aperture synthesis schemes and by stepped-frequency implementations. Aperture synthesis allows large imaging apertures to be realized using simple subarray components, whereas stepped-frequency use allows easy synthesis of different types of imaging waveforms. This paper shows how stepped frequency implementation in this setting can be tailored to reduce data acquisition time and hardware complexity. The idea of randomly selecting sparse subsets of the full-bandwidth frequency set leads to specific schemes including pseudo-uniform and tapered-density selection of retained frequencies. Both simulation and experimental results illustrate the potential of these approaches.
A regional perspective on assessing the significance of historic period sites

Historic period archaeological sites are evaluated most frequently on the basis of the information potential of individual sites. This paper considers how the relative frequencies of different site types also can contribute to the understanding of regional patterns. Data from outer Cape Cod, Massachusetts, collected as part of the Cape Cod National Seashore Archaeological Survey are utilized.
Jam Injuries of the Finger: Diagnosis and Management of Injuries to the Interphalangeal Joints Across Multiple Sports and Levels of Experience.

Context:Jam injuries of the finger are frequently encountered in general orthopaedic and sports medicine practice. The finger joints in particular are very susceptible to traumatic injury, but in the absence of severe deformity, digital trauma is often downplayed in the hopes of a more rapid return to game play.Evidence Acquisition:Articles published from 1966 to 2015 were reviewed to capture historical and current views on the presentation, diagnosis, and treatment of jam injuries in athletes.Study Design:Clinical review.Level of Evidence:Level 5.Results:Although jam injuries are frequently grouped together, they represent a host of injuries that can be challenging to differentiate. A thorough knowledge of finger joint anatomy and injury mechanism is critical to perform an appropriate examination, establish an accurate diagnosis, and identify a treatment plan for each patient.Conclusion:Every member of the athletic care team must be aware of the spectrum of digital injuries, including the basic signs pre...
The Partnerships between International Organizations and the Government of Indonesia in Strengthening the Field of Higher Education

The partnerships between the international organizations (i.e., World Bank, USAID, and AUSAID) and the government of Indonesia in strengthening the field of higher education are aimed at addressing the three main challenges in Indonesian higher education. Firstly, to improve academic quality, the international organizations and the government of Indonesia worked together in providing scholarships for eligible faculty members. Secondly, to improve the quality of higher education management, the international organizations and the government of Indonesia collaborated together in providing training and workshops for administrators of higher education institutions. Lastly, to improve the research capacity in higher education, the international organizations and the government of Indonesia supported the knowledge sector initiative that can improve research quality in Indonesian higher education. Focusing on these areas, both the government of Indonesia and international organizations help Indonesian higher education thrive in academic quality, administration, and research.
Nanoengineered materials for liquid–vapour phase-change heat transfer

Liquid–vapour phase change is a useful and efficient process to transfer energy in nature, as well as in numerous domestic and industrial applications. Relatively recent advances in altering surface chemistry, and in the formation of micro- and nanoscale features on surfaces, have led to exciting improvements in liquid–vapour phase-change performance and better understanding of the underlying science. In this Review, we present an overview of the surface, thermal and material science to illustrate how new materials and designs can improve boiling and condensation. There are many parallels between boiling and condensation, such as nucleation of a phase and its departure from a surface; however, the particular set of challenges associated with each phenomenon results in different material designs used in different manners. We also discuss alternative techniques, such as introducing heterogeneous surface chemistry or direct real-time manipulation of the phase-change process, which can offer further control of heat-transfer processes. Finally, long-term robustness is essential to ensure reliability and feasibility but remains a key challenge. Recent works in boiling and condensation have achieved unprecedented performance and revealed new mechanistic insights that will aid in material design. In this Review, we focus on nanoengineered materials, with emphasis on further improving the heat-transfer performance and long-term robustness.
A multi-agent simulation tool for micro-scale contagion spread studies

Within the disaster preparedness and emergency response community, there is interest in how contagions spread person-to-person at large gatherings and if mitigation strategies can be employed to reduce new infections. A contagion spread simulation module was developed for the Incident Management Preparedness and Coordination Toolkit that allows a user to see how a geographically accurate layout of the gathering space helps or hinders the spread of a contagion. The results can inform mitigation strategies based on changing the physical layout of an event space. A case study was conducted for a particular event to calibrate the underlying simulation model. This paper presents implementation details of the simulation code that incorporates agent movement and disease propagation. Elements of the case study are presented to show how the tool can be used.
Review: Modest alcohol consumption lowers risk for coronary heart disease irrespective of the type of drink

Source Citation Rimm EB, Klatsky A, Grobbee D, Stampfer MJ. Review of moderate alcohol consumption and reduced risk of coronary heart disease: is the effect due to beer, wine, or spirits? BMJ. 1996...
Initial Experience with Telemedicine at a Single Institution

Abstract Introduction Several studies have documented the efficacy of and patient satisfaction with video visits in place of face-to-face encounters. We evaluated patient satisfaction by diagnosis and determined whether specific urological diagnoses are more amenable to being managed via remote encounters. A secondary objective was to evaluate patient satisfaction according to patient age and distance from the clinic. Methods We conducted a retrospective review of 611 consecutive telemedicine encounters at an urban academic urology practice between October 2015 and December 2016. Patients rated their provider and the videoconference platform on a Likert scale of 1 to 5. Spearman’s correlation coefficient was used to correlate age and distance with satisfaction. ANOVA testing was used to determine significant difference in patient satisfaction based on diagnosis. Results A total of 289 patients (47.2%) completed the survey. Mean patient age was 54.4 years (range 18 to 89) and mean patient distance to the practice was 44.6 miles (range 0.4 to 327.0). Mean patient-provider satisfaction rating was 4.94 (SD 0.32) and mean system satisfaction was 4.63 (SD 0.97). Significant negative correlation was found between age and patient-system satisfaction (CC -0.15, p=0.025) with no significant correlation between satisfaction and distance. ANOVA testing revealed no significant difference in system satisfaction or provider satisfaction across primary diagnoses. Conclusions Video visits can be used across a wide variety of diagnoses with high patient satisfaction regardless of distance from a facility. Patient satisfaction with their provider is high regardless of diagnosis but satisfaction with system use may be more variable.
Combined Placement of Artificial Urinary Sphincter and Inflatable Penile Prosthesis Does Not Increase Risk of Perioperative Complications or Impact Long-term Device Survival.

Abstract Objective To determine the impact of concurrent inflatable penile prosthesis (IPP) and artificial urinary sphincter (AUS) implantation on perioperative complications and long-term device survival, among men with postprostatectomy erectile dysfunction and urinary incontinence. Methods We identified men older than 65 treated with radical prostatectomy in the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results Medicare database between 2002 and 2016. IPP or AUS placement was determined by current procedural terminology (CPT) code, with dual implantation (DI) defined as IPP and AUS placement on the same date. Device survival was assessed using CPT codes for device removal, replacement, and/or repair. Complications were assessed within 90 days using ICD-9 codes. Statistical analysis was performed using SAS v9.3 (Cary, NC). Results A total of 37,599 men underwent radical prostatectomy, with AUS placed in 793 (2.1%), IPP placed in 644 (1.7%), and DI in 62 (0.2%). Relative to AUS placement alone, men undergoing DI were younger (68.8 vs 70.2 years, P = 0.03), but had equivalent Charlson comorbidity index, tumor grades, and rates of prior radiotherapy. Relative to IPP placement alone, men were more likely to undergo DI if treated with adjuvant or salvage radiotherapy. The incidence of complications within 30 and 90 days of prosthetic implantation did not differ between groups. Long-term device survival on Kaplan-Meier analysis was not impacted by DI relative to single device implantation with median follow-up of 61 months. Conclusion Combined AUS and IPP placement does not adversely affect perioperative complications or device survival relative to placement of either device alone.
Learning gain – A U.S. perspective

ABSTRACTIn the U.S., regional accrediting commission standards allow for a range of approaches for determining learning gain in higher education institutions. Standards may vary across accrediting bodies, but follow a common set of good practice principles. Although improvement should be the goal of learning gains assessment, accreditation compliance is the main driver followed by a desire to improve student learning. Several national initiatives are having a positive impact on learning gain efforts. These include the identification of essential learning outcomes, the implementation of high impact practices, and the use of VALUE rubrics across institutions. The latter were created by faculty members as part of a multi-institutional national project. In sum, the learning gain landscape in the U.S. is characterized by a fairly decentralized approach together with collaborative, voluntary national initiatives; however, buy-in has been gradual and improvement is needed in terms of making meaningful learning i...
Prospective implementation of a nonopioid protocol for patients undergoing robot-assisted radical cystectomy with extracorporeal urinary diversion.

Abstract Objectives To evaluate the feasibility and outcomes of a nonopioid (NOP) perioperative pain management protocol for patients undergoing robot-assisted radical cystectomy (RARC). Materials and Methods We prospectively included 52 consecutive patients undergoing RARC at our institution for bladder cancer. Patients received a multimodal pain management protocol, including a combination of nonopioid pain medications and regional anesthesia. For comparison, we retrospectively included 41 consecutive patients who received the same procedure before implementation of the NOP protocol. Results There was no significant difference in demographic and perioperative characteristics between the two groups. Patients included in the NOP protocol received a much lower dose of postoperative morphine milligram equivalents (2.5 [IQR: 0–23] vs. 44 [14.5–128], P Conclusions The prospective implementation of a NOP protocol for patients undergoing RARC is feasible, allowing for minimal narcotic usage and provides benefits to patients, institutions, and population.
Investigation of healthcare professionals’ knowledge of actions during an active shooter event

Abstract Objective While active shooter events are rare in the hospital setting, and, even less likely in the perioperative environment, it remains a top risk as identified by the annual Hazard Vulnerability Analysis. The aim of this study was to assess the knowledge that perioperative clinicians and staff gain from a comprehensive multidisciplinary education program. Design The quasi-experimental mixed methods study was a pre-test/post-test design to assess knowledge acquisition after an education aimed at illustrating the best actions to take in an active shooter situation. Setting Perioperative personnel, including surgeons, anesthesia providers, and nursing staff at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH), Boston, MA attended an emergency preparedness presentation specifically focused on an active shooter situation. Our Operating Room (OR) employs many clinicians from all disciplines and cares for 37,000 surgical cases each year. Participants The sample was a non-random, convenience sample of all perioperative clinicians and staff who work within perioperative services. This included Attending Anesthesia Providers and Surgeons, Fellows and Resident staff, Perioperative Nursing staff, and Central Sterile Processing Service staff. Methods The quasi-experimental mixed methods study was a pre-test/post-test design to assess knowledge acquisition after an education aimed at illustrating the best actions to take in an active shooter situation. Multidisciplinary perioperative team members were invited to participate in a 90-min session. Real-time web-based questions were asked before, during and after the session. Results Our results indicate that this program increased staff member's knowledge regarding communication strategies (p Conclusions A multidisciplinary active shooter exercise was effective in increasing the knowledge that perioperative personnel had around emergency preparedness strategies. We recommend a continuation of these activities to educate the perioperative clinician regarding an active shooter event.