cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Symptomatic kidney stones are associated with a higher risk of hypertension

Background and Purpose: Loweringbloodpressure (BP)withbeta-blockers is less effective in reducing the risk of stroke than with other agents. However, studies on associations between use of beta-blockers and stroke severity are inconclusive. We assessed the association between pre-stroke use of betablockers and stroke severity, disability and death in a large prospective national registry of hospitalized hypertensive patients with acute stroke. Methods: All 4299 treated hypertensive patients with ischemic stroke (91%) or intra cerebral hemorrhage (9%) registered in the National Acute Stroke Israeli (NASIS) were included. Admission medical treatment for hypertension was self-reported by medication type (beta-blockers, diuretics, calcium antagonists, blockers of the renin angiotensin system) and number of medications. Odds-ratios (ORs) for stroke severity by the National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) score, functional status by the modified Rankin Score (mRS) and disability at discharge or death (mRS 2) adjusted for age, gender, stroke type and severity, systolic blood pressure (SBP) and other comorbidities were calculated for patients treated with beta-blockers vs. non-treated. Results: Among 4299 participants, 2239 (52%) reported use of beta-blockers. Mean (SD) SBP was lower in patients on beta-blockers (158.2 (29.3) mmHg) compared to others (161.0 (28.9) mmHg) (p1⁄40.002). Adjusted ORs (95% CIs), for all outcomes, were not significantly increased for patients on betablockers compared to other agents: 1.13 (0.96-1.32) for severe stroke, 0.90 (0.76-1.06) for in-hospital death and 1.01 (0.77-1.33) for disability or death at discharge. Findings were similar for patients on monotherapy. Conclusion: Treatment with beta-blocker was not associated with stroke severity, death during hospitalization and disability or death at discharge in a large national registry of hospitalized acute stroke patients.
204 LACK OF MULTIDRUG RESISTANCE GENE EXPRESSION INCREASES TOLL-LIKE RECEPTOR 9-MEDIATED EPITHELIAL IMMUNE RESPONSE.

Background Multidrug resistance gene expression results in a transmembrane cellular pump (MDR). The lack of MDR function results in severe inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in both humans and mice. Although MDR pumps chemotherapeutic agents out of the cell, its role in intestinal inflammation is unclear. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) recognize distinct molecular patterns with a resultant inflammatory response. TLR9, the receptor for bacterial DNA (CpG), is expressed both on the cell surface and in the cytoplasm, whereas TLR5 (the receptor for bacterial flagellin) is expressed solely on the cell surface. We hypothesized that TLR9-expressing epithelial cells treated with small interfering RNA (siRNA) that decrease MDR expression would have a greater CpG-mediated immune response, whereas similarly treated TLR5 cells would fail to mount a greater response with treated with flagellin. Methods HEK-293 cells that express a single murine TLRs (Invivogen®) were transfected with MDR siRNA (Ambion®) using the Nucleofector V Kit® (Amaxa). The cells were grown in 12-well plates for 72 hours. Medium containing murine CpG (ODN 1826) at a concentration of 2, 0.2, or 0 μM CpG was then added to TLR9 cells. TLR5 cells received S. dublin flagellin at 500, 5, or 0 ng/mL. After 24 hours, the supernatant was harvested for IL-8 ELISA determination and RNA isolated with the RNeasy Plus Kit® (Qiagen). MDR expression was determined using RT-PCR. The mean IL-8 concentration and MDR RNA expression were analyzed with Student9s t-test. Results The MDR RNA expression at 96 hours post-siRNA transfection was significantly less than in cells not receiving siRNA. Similar IL-8 production was seen in the TLR5 cells with and without siRNA (78.7 ± 2.9 vs 76.9 ± 12.2 ng/mL, respectively). In contrast, the IL-8 expression in TLR9 cells treated with siRNA and 2 μM CpG was 4.9 ± 1.3 ng/mL compared with 1.6 ± 0.44 ng/mL in non-siRNA-treated cells (p = .03). Conclusions TLR9-mediated epithelial inflammatory response may be regulated by MDR. We hypothesize that the MDR may pump CpG taken into the cell, attenuating the TLR9/MyD88/NFκB mechanism. Thus, a loss of MDR function could result in CpG, the initiating immune response in IBD.
The Analysis of Unbalanced Reactive Energy in Substation Caused by Setting of Energy Meter

The balance of substation bus reactive energy power is one of the important evaluation indexes.Through analyzing the model of four-quadrant reactive and different application between power grid and client,this article introduces the setting of energy meter for combination method of reactive energy.It offers the reference for solving the unbalanced problem of substation bus reactive energy power.
A new method to determinate four anions in drinking water simultaneously using Ion chromatography

Objective To develop a new method to determinate four kinds of anions including fluoride, chloride, nitrate,and sulfate in drinking water simultaneously using Ion chromatography. Methods The drinking water sample will be filtered and send directly into to sample platform of Ion Chromatograph(model IC6000)with anion separation column(model SI-52 E, SHODEX), and Na2CO3/Na HCO3 eluent is used, in order to retain the qualitative time and the quantitative climax or the peak area. Result The detection limit of each substance were Fluoride 0.08 mg/L, chloride 0.08 mg/L,nitrate 0.04 mg/L, sulphate 0.15 mg/L. The relative standard deviations were 1.17% or less, and recycling rate is between 98.9 %-101.1 %. Conclusion This is a simple method with high sensitivity and good reproducibility. The method meets measure requirements from GB 5749-2006 drinking water health standards.
The Effect of Ideology and Proportionality of the U.S. Courts of Appeals on the Likelihood of Supreme Court Reversal

Although much work has been done on the interaction between the United States Courts of Appeals and the United States Supreme Court, few studies have examined how the ideological compatibility of the lower court and the proportion of cases heard from a federal circuit court affects the likelihood of the Supreme Court reversing that circuit. Using data from the Roberts Court (2005-2011), I examine whether greater levels of ideological disagreement and the proportion of appeals from a circuit that are granted certiorari affect the likelihood of Supreme Court reversal. I conclude that the proportion of cases reviewed by the Court does not significantly increase the likelihood of reversal, but greater ideological distance between the lower court and the Supreme Court significantly increases the likelihood of reversal.
Plasma Ca influences vitamin D metabolite levels as rats develop vitamin D deficiency.

The hypocalcemia that accompanies vitamin D deficiency is a major obstacle to proper interpretation of the role(s) of vitamin D metabolites in Ca-sensitive tissues. This paper describes the development and complete characterization of a dietary regimen with which normocalcemia was maintained in rats throughout the development of vitamin D deficiency. Normal weanling rats were fed diets containing 0.8% Ca, 0.5% P, and vitamin D3 (group A), or vitamin D-deficient diets containing 0.8% Ca and 0.5% P (group B); 2.0% Ca and 1.25% P (group C); or 2.0% Ca, 1.25% P, and 20% lactose (group D) for 19 wk. Group D rats were normocalcemic and normophosphatemic with normal parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels throughout the study. In contrast, from 4-19 diet wk, groups B and C were hypocalcemic with elevated PTH. Initially, plasma 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 [25(OH)D3] levels decreased most rapidly, and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D3 [1,25(OH)2D3] levels decreased least rapidly in group B rats, such that plasma 25(OH)D3 levels were red...
Hearing Health Care: Review of a Report From the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine

Hearing loss affects about 30 million persons in the United States. The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine recently released a report on hearing health care for adults. This ...
Fabrication of 1 × 64 arrays of closely spaced, individually addressed top-surface-emitting laser diodes

We used a bilevel ion-blocking mask consisting of electroplated gold on photoresist to fabricate closely spaced (20 μm center-center) 1 × 64 arrays of wire bonded vertical-cavity top-surface-emitting1 laser diodes (VCTSELs). Crosstalk between adjacent lasers was found to be negligible despite closely spaced, long planar strip lines (see Fig. 1). Also, using frequency chirp across a wafer, we demonstrated closely spaced (<0.3 A, 10 GHz) wavelength differences between channels. Closely spaced frequency channels should be useful for wavelength-division multiplexing.
Clans, Communities and Commons

Ownership of land in common was not a phenomenon confined to temples and monasteries. Secular institutions such as clans and village communities also held forest land (in addition to agricultural land) and developed systems of protection and control in order to maintain the resource over long periods of time. The land owned by both these groups served a different function from the monastic lands. Temples and monasteries protected their forested lands to preserve a natural setting. In principle, they only harvested and used timber, fuelwood, or other forest products as and when required for heating, or for repairs to buildings. Secular owners of forested lands had more diverse management objectives, from the protection of important ritual sites
Front-end antenna system design for the ITER low-field-side reflectometer system using GENRAY ray tracing

A monostatic antenna array arrangement has been designed for the microwave front-end of the ITER low-field-side reflectometer (LFSR) system. This paper presents details of the antenna coupling coefficient analyses performed using GENRAY, a 3-D ray tracing code, to evaluate the plasma height accommodation capability of such an antenna array design. Utilizing modeled data for the plasma equilibrium and profiles for the ITER baseline and half-field scenarios, a design study was performed for measurement locations varying from the plasma edge to inside the top of the pedestal. A front-end antenna configuration is recommended for the ITER LFSR system based on the results of this coupling analysis.
Genetics of Facioscapulohumeral Muscular Dystrophy

More than 500 subjects from 41 families with dominantly inherited facioscapulohumeral muscular dystrophy (FSHD) were studied at the Royal Hospital for Sick Children, St. Michael’s Hill, Bristol and the University of Wales College of Medicine, Heath Park, Cardiff, Wales.
NIMG-13QUANTITATIVE MR TEXTURE ANALYSIS CAN IDENTIFY LOW GRADE GLIOMA AND PERITUMORAL WHITE MATTER FROM NORMAL APPEARING WHITE MATTER (NAWM) PHENOTYPES

BACKGROUND: To assess the efficacy of texture analysis (TA) in differentiating Low Grade Gliomas (LGGs) from Normal Appearing White Matter (NAWM) in a cohort of brain cancer patients using T2-FLAIR MR images. Also the impact of the number of gray-levels employed was investigated. METHODS: T2-FLAIR and post-gadolinium (GD) contrast T1-weighted MR images of 11 TCGA patients (mean age 40.8 years, range 27-59.5 years) were retrospectively analyzed. All patients were diagnosed with LGGs (grades II and III). Four different volumes of interest (VOI)s were segmented for each patient by an experienced radiologist: i) tumor, ii)peritumoral WM (pWM), iii) far ipsi-lateral WM (iWM) and iv) contra-lateral WM(cWM). Following VOI segmentation, TA was performed using FLAIR images on MatLab environment. A complete list of invariant texture features derived from the gray-level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM) was calculated. Because the ideal number of gray levels is unknown, we used various gray levels (8, 16, 32, and 64 levels). To assess the efficacy of the calculated features we constructed a decision tree. The model was validated using a 10-fold cross validation of the training data. The accuracy, sensitivity and specificity were calculated. Impact of the number of gray levels on the performance indicators was investigated. RESULTS: For discrimination of LGG from NAWM, TA achieved 100% accuracy. High accuracy (80-87.5% for different gray levels) was achieved for discrimination of all four VOIs. Off note, the peritumoral WM was identified with 86.7% to 93% accuracy from the two remaining NAWM regions combined. Also, from the performance indicators it is evident that the number of gray levels does not affect the calcification. CONCLUSIONS: TA provided excellent accuracy for discrimination between LGG and NAWM. A major strength of the presented work is that it showed high performance in discriminating among normal WM regions depending on their proximity to the tumor.
The impact of the Oncotype Dx breast cancer assay in clinical practice: Systematic review and meta-analysis.

560 Background: Many studies have evaluated the Oncotype Dx Breast Cancer Assay (ODX) and its impact on adjuvant chemotherapy (ACT) treatment decisions. However, it can be difficult for clinicians and other stakeholders to interpret the collective findings of these studies, as they were conducted in diverse settings and have limited sample sizes. To address this issue, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to synthesize ODX results and provide insights about the utility of ODX in actual clinical practice. Methods: We performed a systematic review of ODX studies using PubMed, Embase, ASCO, and SABCS. Studies were included if patients had ER +, node -, early stage breast cancer, reported use of ODX to inform actual ACT decisions, and reported outcomes of interest, including: 1) distribution of ODX recurrence scores (RS); 2) impact of ODX on ACT recommendations; 3) impact of ODX on ACT use; and 4) proportion of patients following the treatment suggested by the ODX RS. Results: A total of 28 stud...
Scalar Output Feedback in Linear Multivariable Systems

Abstract A complete new resolution is presented to the question of what changes occur to the individual transfer matrix elements of a linear multivariable system under local, scalar output feedback. In particular, it is first shown what poles become controllable and observable via any input/output pair when constant gain output feedback is applied between any (i- th ) output, Y i and any (j- th ) input, u j . The changes which simultaneously occur to the numerator elements of the transfer matrix are then determined through the employment of some new relationships derived from any appropriate relatively right prime factorization, R(s)P(s) -1 , of T(s), the system transfer matrix. Certain extensions of this work are discussed along with its relevance to decentralized control.
Inclinometric measurement of kyphotic curvature: Description and clinimetric properties

ABSTRACTBackground: Hyperkyphosis is associated with physical impairments, activity limitations, and reduced quality of life. Therefore, a simple, reliable, responsive, and valid clinical measure of dorsal kyphosis would be valuable to clinicians. Objective: To describe a novel procedure for measuring kyphotic curvature—the inclinometric kyphosis measure (IKM)—and provide an estimation of reliability, responsiveness, and validity. Methods: During 2 sessions spaced days apart, we used a bubble inclinometer to measure dorsal kyphosis in 68 patients receiving outpatient physical therapy. We also documented occiput-to-wall status and tragus-to-wall distance. Results: Intra-rater reliability of the IKM was supported by intra-class correlation coefficients (ICC3,1) of 0.94 and 0.91 for relaxed and cued conditions, respectively. Responsiveness, as indicated by minimal detectable change, was 8.0 and 10.0 degrees under relaxed and cued conditions, respectively. Validity was supported by significant correlations be...
Context-aware video recommendation based on session progress prediction

In the analysis of digital content consumption, session progress provides a good alternative to using manual ratings for measuring user engagement. A good prediction of session progress is useful for optimizing and personalizing the end-user experience. Most prevalent methods of predicting session progress are based on matrix completion and only consider the interaction among users and videos, while the associated contextual information is usually not used. In this paper, we present our approach for video recommendation, based on session progress prediction and incorporating the context. We test our approach on real-world session progress data, and observe considerable improvement in prediction accuracy achieved by incorporating selected context. Our experiments also show that proper context selection and the number of observed sessions for users are two key factors affecting the prediction accuracy.
Controls on magnesium, manganese, strontium, and barium concentrations recorded in freshwater mussel shells from Ohio

Abstract Freshwater bivalve shells may record inter-annual fluctuations in water chemistry, which in turn may archive variations in solute load due to pollution or discharge events. Here, using weekly surface water chemistry collected at two locations and shells of Lampsilis cardium grown in the surface water we investigate if the Mg/Ca, Mn/Ca, Sr/Ca, and Ba/Ca ratios measured at high resolution in the shells on an intra-annual time scale consistently reflect the chemistry of the surface water. Two relationships appear highly correlated, Sr/Cacarb and Sr/Cawater, and Mn/Cacarb and temperature. Ba/Cacarb correlated strongly with Ba/Cawater in one shell but temperature in another shell yielding inconclusive results. Mn/Cacarb and Mg/Cacarb were not strongly correlated with elemental ratios in the water, but Mn/Cacarb did show variable, weak to moderate correlation with pH. We found consistent partition coefficient (DMe) values between individual shell samples grown in the same water with mean DMg = 0.0006, DMn = 17, DBa = 0.13, and DSr = 0.176. Sr/Cacarb and Sr/Cawater exhibited the strongest, most consistent correlation with partitioning coefficients that were consistent with published values, suggesting Sr/Cacarb can be used as a proxy for Sr/Cawater in freshwater mussels.
A thermomechanical study of the effects of mold topography on the solidification of Aluminum alloys

A thermomechanical study of the effects of mold topography on the solidification of Aluminum alloys at early times is provided. The various coupling mechanisms between the solid-shell and mold deformation and heat transfer at the mold/solid-shell interface during the early stages of Aluminum solidification on molds with uneven topographies are investigated. The air-gap nucleation time, the stress evolution and the solid-shell growth pattern are examined for different mold topographies to illustrate the potential control of Aluminum cast surface morphologies during the early stages of solidification using proper design of mold topographies. The unstable shell growth pattern in the early solidification stages results mainly from the unevenness of the heat flux between the solid-shell and the mold surface. This heat flux is determined by the size of the air-gaps formed between the solidifying shell and mold surface or from the value of the contact pressure. Simulation results show that a sinusoidal mold surface with a smaller wavelength leads to nucleation of air-gaps at earlier times. In addition, the unevenness in the solid-shell growth pattern decreases faster for a smaller wavelength. Such studies can be used to tune mold surfaces for the control of cast surface morphologies.
Does transcranial direct current stimulation to the prefrontal cortex affect social behavior? A meta-analysis

This meta-analysis (k = 48, N = 2196) examined the effect of transcranial direct current brain stimulation (tDCS) applied to the prefrontal cortex on a variety of social behaviors, including aggression, overeating, impulsivity, bias, honesty, and risk-taking. tDCS showed an overall significant effect on reducing undesirable behaviors, with an average effect size of d = -0.20. tDCS was most effective at reducing risk-taking behavior, bias, and overeating. tDCS did not affect aggression, impulsivity, or dishonesty. We examined moderators such as brain region of interest, online vs offline stimulation, within- vs between-subjects designs, dose, and duration, but none showed significant interactions. We also tested for potential publication bias using two different tools, which indicated signs of publication bias in the literature. After correcting for potential publication bias, the effect of tDCS was still significant, but the size was reduced (d = -0.10). These findings suggest the presence of tDCS studies with null findings outside of the published literature. Taken together, these results suggest that although tDCS can reduce undesirable behaviors, researchers should consider the types of behaviors they measure and use strategies to ensure sufficient power to detect a possible effect of tDCS on social behavior.
A Meta-analysis to Determine the Validity of Taking Blood Pressure Using the Indirect Cuff Method.

The purpose of this meta-analysis was to compare the magnitude of systematic bias (mean difference) and random error (standard deviation of mean difference) between the cuff method of indirect blood pressure and directly measured intra-arterial pressure. Blood pressure is almost exclusively assessed using the indirect cuff method; however, numerous individual studies have questioned the validity relative to directly measured intra-arterial blood pressure. PubMed, SportsDiscus, and Scopus were searched through February 2018. Data were analyzed using a random effects model. A total of 62 studies met the inclusion criteria for quantitative analysis including 103 effect sizes for systolic and 114 effect sizes for diastolic blood pressure. Indirect measures of systolic blood pressure were underestimated (− 4.55 (95% CI = − 5.58 to − 3.53) mmHg), while diastolic blood pressure was overestimated (6.20 (95% CI = 5.09 to 7.31) mmHg). The random error (SD units) was 10.32 (95% CI = 9.29 to 11.36) for systolic and 7.92 (95% CI = 7.35 to 8.50) for diastolic blood pressure which corresponds to an estimation accuracy (95% confidence) of ± 20.2 mmHg for systolic blood pressure and ± 15.5 mmHg for diastolic blood pressure. These data indicate that it may be difficult to accurately estimate intra-arterial blood pressure using the cuff method. These results not only have implications for clinicians in diagnosing hypertension, but also may detail a potential underestimation of the association between blood pressure and numerous other health outcomes found in epidemiological studies.
A Novel Care Model for Neonatal Intestinal Failure Patients Is Associated With Cost Savings and Improved Outcomes.

Background Neonates with intestinal failure (IF) have prolonged admissions in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) and require lifelong follow-up with gastroenterology (GE) as outpatients. Inpatient management of these patients typically relies on many rotating practitioners and currently discharge criteria do not exist. We sought to create standardized discharge criteria with a continuity care model for neonatal IF patients. Methods Inpatient care was streamlined to two GE physicians with weekly consultations. We implemented standardized discharge goals for both enteral and total parental nutrition (TPN) by: 1) Enteral feedings of at least 5 mL/h were tolerated; 2) Stable central venous access was intact; 3) TPN was cycled to 20 h/day or less; and 4) No other medical issues required NICU admission. Patient records were reviewed after 18 months of implementing standardized discharge criteria and we compared their outcomes to a historical cohort of IF patients. Results Optimal discharge criteria were met in 12 patients and a cohort of 26 historical patients was used for comparison. Patients in optimal versus historical groups had similar baseline characteristics (medians, all P values = non-significant (NS)): gestational age (36 vs. 35 weeks), birth weight (1,990 vs. 2,076 g), birth length (45 vs. 44 cm), and small bowel length after definitive surgery (63 vs. 55 cm). Compared to the historical group, the optimal cohort was discharged earlier (median length of stay 69 vs. 126 days, P < 0.01), with a reduced total stay of 684 NICU days, fewer central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSIs) (4 vs. 10 per 1,000 patient days, P = 0.04), and had fewer readmissions (7 vs. 17 per 1,000 patient days, P < 0.01), respectively. Conclusions Concentrating the care of IF patients to a GE team invested in long-term care, while implementing safe discharge criteria, resulted in a dramatic length of stay reduction with fewer CLABSIs and readmissions compared to historical management. At approximately 4,000 dollars per day in NICU hospital charges, this program saved over 2.7 million dollars in care costs while allowing families and their infants more time at home. The safety and applicability of the optimal discharge criteria presented here should be studied further. Similar programs may be effective at other large NICUs.
A mathematical formulation of the Mahaux―Weidenmüller formula for the scattering matrix

This paper gives a mathematical exposition of a formula for the scattering matrix for a manifold with infinite cylindrical ends or a waveguide. This formula is well known in the physics literature and we show that a variant of this formula gives the scattering matrix of the mathematics literature. Moreover, we bound the difference between the scattering matrix and an approximation of it computed using a finite rank approximation of the interaction matrix.
Time and the Rhythms of Transformative Learning

The aim of this chapter is to propose a conceptual framework in order to elaborate more thoroughly the dialogical relationship that exists between the discontinuities (e.g., epiphany, ordeal, disorienting dilemma) and the continuities (e.g., frames of reference, critical self-reflection, dialogue, developmental phases) shaping transformative processes. It suggests we rethink transformative learning, not only as a phenomenon inscribed in time, but more radically as a process characterized by its own rhythms. The concept of rhythm is introduced to reinterpret the experience of time, and the complexity it displays. Transformative processes can be conceived through patterns, periodicities and movements that compose the social, discursive and embodied rhythms found in life. They can be analyzed through specific features that characterize the rhythms involved in transformations: the level of fluidity of the patterns considered, the duration, frequency and speed that define their reoccurrence, and the levels of continuity/discontinuity, reversibility/irreversibility they display. This reflection concludes by suggesting to develop further a rhythmic theory of adult learning and development, associated with a rhythmanalytical praxis.
Using abductive inference and dynamic indexing to retrieve multimedia SGML documents

The retrieval of complex multimedia items such as SGML-structured texts can be facilitated by means of a formal representation of knowledge about these data. These information sources must be aggregated dynamically at the time of query processing. In this paper, an interactive, probabilistic retrieval system is proposed, comprising an extended Bayesian network, a multimedia indexing component and an abductive retrieval engine. The inference process exploits and controls the index structure of the network. The prototype has been tested on a collection of SGML structured dictionary articles. An example is presented in the last section of the paper.
AD 2 : Improving Quality of IoT Data through Compressive Anomaly Detection

With recent technological advances in sensor nodes, IoT enabled applications have great potential in many domains. However, sensing data may be inaccurate due to not only faults or failures in the sensor and network but also the limited resources and transmission capability available in sensor nodes. In this paper, we first model streams of IoT data as a handful of sampled data in the transformed domain while assuming the information attained by those sampled data reveal different sparsity profiles between normal and abnormal. We then present a novel approach called AD2 (Anomaly Detection using Approximated Data) that applies a transformation on the original data, samples top k-dominant components, and detects data anomalies based on the disparity in k values. To demonstrate the effectiveness of AD2, we use IoT datasets (temperature, humidity, and CO) collected from real-world wireless sensor nodes. Our experimental evaluation demonstrates that AD2 can approximate and successfully detect 64%-94% of anomalies using only 1.9% of the original data and minimize false positive rates, which would otherwise require the entire dataset to achieve the same level of accuracy.
“I Have to Be Black Before I Am Disabled”: Understanding Agency, Positionality, and Recognition in Higher Education

In a 2015 qualitative research study on undergraduate college students who identified as disabled, interview data demonstrated the complex ways in which racism and ableism entwined to extend or deny benefits in a postsecondary setting. At tension in the informants’ experiences was both the suppression of personhood and the celebration of it. The following examples represent two students in particular: A disabled, female-identified, queer, international student from Botswana and a disabled, female-identified, heterosexual, US citizen from New Hampshire, respectively: Taken from the larger context of their 90-minute interview, these testimonies make apparent the racial, linguistic, ethnic, and dis/abled positions that support or deny student agency on a college campus. They also signal the “interconnected and collusive” properties of racism and ableism (Annamma et al. 2013, p. 6). This sampling is not intended to set up a racialized dichotomy about disability-related experiences but rather explicate the ways race and ability entwine to frame students’ agency, positionality, and recognition in higher education settings. In line with DisCrit theorists who assert that “ability is distributed and withheld based on race through policies and practices” (Annamma and Morrison 2018, p. 72), this chapter will lay out the bodies of knowledge and research in disability law and higher education (specifically the fields of enrollment management, student affairs, and academic affairs) that have siloed inquiry on race and dis/ability, respectively, rather than contribute to knowledge about interlocking systems of racism and ableism. I will examine the literature on disproportionality in K–12 special education and offer implications for postsecondary education in an attempt to expose the larger structures that situate (or omit) dis/ability in the context of diversity work in higher education.
La novela corta en función educativa: leyendo a Rose Marie Tapia y su presencia en el género

The novella is a subgenre that has not found in Spanish language the traditional development that has enjoyed the classification that surpasses it by extension; that is, the novel. In the case of the Panamanian writer Rose Marie Tapia, the novella is the one that stands out in the majority of her stories; her deliveries reflect the brevity required by the subgenre she presents. This essay approaches two of her works with special emphasis on a text that educates through a prose that renews itself; novellas that become discursive instruments that act as transmitting agents of an idea, a concept, a purpose, and in which the shortness of the writing accentuates the magnitude of the stories.
Changes in Care for Acute Pulmonary Embolism Through A Multidisciplinary Pulmonary Embolism Response Team

Abstract Background Optimal management of acute pulmonary embolism requires expertise offered by multiple subspecialties. As such, pulmonary embolism response teams (PERTs) have increased in prevalence, but the institutional consequences of a PERT are unclear. Methods We compared all patients that presented to our institution with an acute pulmonary embolism in the 3 years prior to and 3 years after the formation of our PERT. The primary outcome was in-hospital pulmonary embolism-related mortality before and after the formation of the PERT. Sub-analyses were performed among patients with elevated-risk pulmonary embolism. Results Between August 2012 and August 2018, 2042 patients were hospitalized at our institution with acute pulmonary embolism, 884 (41.3%) pre-PERT implementation and 1158 (56.7%) post-PERT implementation, of which 165 (14.2%) were evaluated by the PERT. There was no difference in pulmonary embolism-related mortality between the two time periods (2.6% pre-PERT implementation vs 2.9% post-PERT implementation, P = .89). There was increased risk stratification assessment by measurement of cardiac biomarkers and echocardiograms post-PERT implementation. Overall utilization of advanced therapy was similar between groups (5.4% pre-PERT implementation vs 5.4% post-PERT implementation, P = 1.0), with decreased use of systemic thrombolysis (3.8% pre-PERT implementation vs 2.1% post-PERT implementation, P = 0.02) and increased catheter-directed therapy (1.3% pre-PERT implementation vs 3.3% post-PERT implementation, P = 0.05) post-PERT implementation. Inferior vena cava filter use decreased after PERT implementation (10.7% pre-PERT implementation vs 6.9% post-PERT implementation, P = 0.002). Findings were similar when analyzing elevated-risk patients. Conclusion Pulmonary embolism response teams may increase risk stratification assessment and alter application of advanced therapies, but a mortality benefit was not identified.
Influence of locoregional lymph node aspiration cytology vs sentinel lymph node mapping and biopsy on disease stage assignment in dogs with integumentary mast cell tumors.

Objective To compare the effect of sentinel lymph node (SLN) histology vs locoregional lymph node (LRLN) fine needle aspiration (FNA) cytology on assigned disease stage and adjunctive treatment recommendations and describe the incidence of anatomic disparity between the LRLN and SLN. Study design A pre-post study refers to a study design type in which subjects are compared pre and post the intervention of interest. Animals Seventeen dogs undergoing primary excision of 20 cutaneous and subcutaneous mast cell tumors (MCT). Methods Client-owned dogs presenting to the Cornell University Hospital for Animals for surgical removal of a cytologically confirmed cutaneous or subcutaneous MCT >1 cm in diameter were enrolled. Cytological examination of FNA from the LRLN was compared with histology of the SLN. The SLN was identified by indirect computed tomographic lymphangiography (ICTL) after peritumoral injection of iopamidol and scanning at 1, 3, 5, 10, and 15 minutes. Histopathologic node score > 1 was considered metastatic. After case review by an oncologist, LRLN FNA cytology was compared with SLN histology for effect on changes in stage assignment and adjunctive treatment recommendations. Results Mast cell tumors were graded as 2 low (n = 11), 2 high (n = 2), and subcutaneous (n = 7). Optimal scan timing was 10 minutes after injection of iopamidol. Sentinel lymph node differed anatomically from LRLN in 5 of 18 scans. Metastases were detected by histology in 9 of 20 SLN compared with in 1 of 20 FNA of LRLN (P = .001), changing stage and adjunctive treatment recommendations 8 of 20 tumors. Only 6 of 19 LRLN FNA samples were diagnostic. Conclusion Sentinel lymph nodes were consistently identified with ICTL and differed from LRLN in one-quarter of tumors. Histopathological examination of SLN altered recommendations in half of the dogs compared with the previous standard of care. Clinical significance Indirect computed tomographic lymphangiography and SLN excision should be considered as a new standard for dogs with MCT.
Pediatric scaphoid fracture: diagnostic performance of various radiographic views.

The purpose of this study was to systematically investigate the performance of different radiographic views in the identification of scaphoid fractures in children. This case-control study compared 4-view radiographic examinations of the wrist between children with scaphoid fracture and age- and sex-matched children without fractures performed between January 2008 and July 2019. After randomization, each examination was reviewed 3 times, at least 1 week apart, first using each view separately and later using multiple views without (3-view) and with the posteroanterior (PA) scaphoid view (4-view), to determine the presence or absence of a scaphoid fracture. Sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) were calculated with inter-rater agreement. The study group of 58 children (48 boys and 10 girls; mean age 13.1 ± 2.1 years) included 29 with scaphoid fractures (8 corner, 9 distal pole, 10 waist, and 2 proximal pole) and 29 without fractures. Multiple views had higher sensitivity (3-view, 93.0%; 4-view, 96.5%) for fracture identification when compared to individual views (41.0–89.6%). The oblique view was 100% specific for the identification of a scaphoid fracture, but it lacked sensitivity. The PA scaphoid view had the highest sensitivity (89.6%) and NPV (90%) when compared to other individual views and its inclusion in the 4-view examinations produced the highest inter-rater agreement (93%, κ = 0.86). Multiple radiographic views of the wrist with the inclusion of a PA scaphoid view (4-view) produced the highest sensitivity, NPV, and inter-rater agreement for the identification of a scaphoid fracture in children.
Regulating the Family: The Impact of Pro-Family Policymaking Assessments on Women and Nontraditional Families

Beginning in the 1980s, pro-family advocates lobbied the Reagan administration to take a stronger, more direct role in enforcing traditional family norms through agency rulemaking. In 1986 the White House Working Group on the Family published a report entitled, The Family: Preserving America’s Future, detailing what its authors perceived to be the biggest threats to the “American household of persons related by blood, marriage or adoption – the traditional . . . family.” These threats included a lax sexual culture carried over from the 1960s, resulting in rising divorce rates, children born “out of wedlock,” and increased acceptance of “alternative lifestyles.” The report also identified increased dependency on governmental anti-poverty programs, including welfare and public housing, as a key source for decreasing individual family economic power and security. The report was followed by swift executive action that required federal agencies to examine all proposed rulemaking through a “pro-family” lens and determine the impact on “family wellbeing,” specifically “the marital commitment” and the message sent “to young people concerning the relationship between their behavior, their personal responsibility, and the norms of our society.” To satisfy this requirement, agencies were mandated to conduct policy assessments that were analogous to Environmental Impact Statements, but focused on safeguarding “pro-family” values rather than the environment. After being momentarily rescinded under the Clinton administration, the “pro-family” policymaking assessments were reinstated by Congress in 1998 at the height of the “Culture Wars.” Although these “pro-family” requirements remain in effect today, they have gone largely unnoticed by scholars and commentators. This paper explores the development and use of the “pro-family” mandate within federal rulemaking. It details how the definition of family that was enunciated in a 1986 White House Report continues to inform and constrain federal rulemaking concerning women and “nontraditional” families. The “pro-family” lens requires agencies to filter proposed rules through a narrow definition of family and precludes the development of polices that are balanced and forward-looking. By favoring policies that focus on the preservation of traditional different-sex, two-parent families, the “pro-family” policymaking assessments strongly discourage rulemaking and policies that would benefit non-traditional families, including multigenerational, single-parent, or LGBT families. These excluded families, however, are often the most vulnerable and the most in need of assistance. The views expressed in the1986 White House Report were based on discredited social science data and bias. They have no place in contemporary policymaking because they fail to reflect the diversity and evolution of the American family — a reflection acutely necessary if we are to create and implement meaningful social policy that will benefit all families.
Reduction in Hospital System Opioid Prescribing for Acute Pain Through Default Prescription Preference Settings: Pre-Post Study.

Background: The United States is in an opioid epidemic. Passive decision support in the electronic health record (EHR) through opioid prescription presets may aid in curbing opioid dependence. Objective: The objective of this study is to determine whether modification of opioid prescribing presets in the EHR could change prescribing patterns for an entire hospital system. Methods: We performed a quasi-experimental retrospective pre–post analysis of a 24-month period before and after modifications to our EHR’s opioid prescription presets to match Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines. We included all opioid prescriptions prescribed at our institution for nonchronic pain. Our modifications to the EHR include (1) making duration of treatment for an opioid prescription mandatory, (2) adding a quick button for 3 days’ duration while removing others, and (3) setting the default quantity of all oral opioid formulations to 10 tablets. We examined the quantity in tablets, duration in days, and proportion of prescriptions greater than 90 morphine milligram equivalents/day for our hospital system, and compared these values before and after our intervention for effect. Results: There were 78,246 prescriptions included in our study written on 30,975 unique patients. There was a significant reduction for all opioid prescriptions pre versus post in (1) the overall median quantity of tablets dispensed (54 [IQR 40-120] vs 42 [IQR 18-90]; P<.001), (2) median duration of treatment (10.5 days [IQR 5.0-30] vs 7.5 days [IQR 3.0-30]; P<.001), and (3) proportion of prescriptions greater than 90 morphine milligram equivalents/day (27.46% [10,704/38,976; 95% CI 27.02%-27.91%] vs 22.86% [8979/39,270; 95% CI 22.45%-23.28%]; P<.001). Conclusions: Modifications of opioid prescribing presets in the EHR can improve prescribing practice patterns. Reducing duration and quantity of opioid prescriptions could reduce the risk of dependence and overdose.
A distributed residue network permits conformational binding specificity in a conserved family of actin remodelers

Metazoan proteomes contain many paralogous proteins that have evolved distinct functions. The Ena/VASP family of actin regulators consists of three members that share an EVH1 interaction domain with a 100% conserved binding site. A proteome-wide screen revealed ciliary protein PCARE as a high-affinity ligand for ENAH EVH1. Here we report the surprising observation that PCARE is ~100-fold specific for ENAH over paralogs VASP and EVL and can selectively bind and inhibit ENAH-dependent adhesion in cells. Specificity arises from a mechanism whereby PCARE stabilizes a conformation of the ENAH EVH1 domain that is inaccessible to family members VASP and EVL. Structure-based modeling rapidly identified seven residues distributed throughout EVL that are sufficient to differentiate binding by ENAH vs. EVL. By exploiting the ENAH-specific conformation, we rationally designed the tightest and most selective ENAH binder to date. Our work uncovers a conformational mechanism of interaction specificity that distinguishes highly similar paralogs and establishes tools for dissecting specific Ena/VASP functions in processes including cancer cell invasion.
One Size Does Not Fit All: Evaluating the Relationship Between Microenterprise Measurement and Policy Evaluation

Researchers and economic development practitioners regard microenterprises (MEs) as pivotal actors for economic development, poverty alleviation, and job creation. Notwithstanding the importance of MEs in the economy, and even though the discussion of these terms can be traced back as early as the 1920s, there is no consistent definition of Mes; thus, there is no consensus on the appropriate measurement and criteria that should be used to evaluate microenterprise performance. Two of the most commonly accepted standards to determine firm size are the number of employees and total annual revenues. Although there is a growing body of research conducted on microenterprise performance using the employment criteria to determine the firm size, fewer studies have used the revenue criteria. These criteria will be compared using a regional activity model at different units of geographic scale (state, county, and census tract level) using US data. Initial results suggest that there are no statistically significant changes in the estimated model when the criteria are changed for the same geographic unit of scale. However, for the same criteria (employment-based or revenue-based), a change in the unit of geographic aggregation produces different and sometimes contradictory results. These results imply that evaluations of MEs and their factors are more sensitive to scale than to criteria, raising awareness that for proper program evaluation, the unit of data aggregation matters.
In Vitro Studies of α-Carboxyl-3-Thienylmethyl Penicillin, a New Semisynthetic Penicillin

The activity of a new semisynthetic penicillin, α-carboxyl-3-thienylmethyl penicillin (BRL-2288) was determined against 535 clinical isolates of gram-negative bacilli, by using the tube dilution technique. Nearly 80% of isolates of Proteus spp. were inhibited by 3.12 μg or less of this antibiotic per ml. BRL-2288 was as active as ampicillin against Escherichia coli. It was slightly more active than carbenicillin or 6-(d-α-sulfoaminophenylacetamido)-penicillanic acid against Pseudomonas sp., with over half of the isolates being inhibited by 50 μg or less of BRL-2288 per ml. Isolates of Klebsiella sp. were routinely resistant to this antibiotic. The drug was bactericidal against most sensitive organisms. BRL-2288 was less active against large inocula. A strain of Pseudomonas sp. which developed resistance to carbenicillin also developed resistance to BRL-2288 simultaneously.
Automated large-scale inspection system (ALIS)

Development of a robust noncontact inspection system for welding of large parts is described. The system will dimensionally tolerance parts and will modify an oxyacetylene cutting path to conform to the actual part position and orientation. ALIS allows better control of the welded components of a product line. Control of the overall dimensions and robotic weld bevel cutting, based on the actual dimensions of the parts, provides better quality welds with less rework. Other applications of the large-part gauging abilities of ALIS are being explored. >
Surfaces—II: Kinematics of diffusion in a heterogeneous surface

Abstract In deriving the differential mass (momentum, moment-of-momentum, …) balance for a moving surface, it is convenient to follow an arbitrary material volume through a deformation and to require that mass (momentum, moment-of-momentum, …) be balanced at every instant of time. But there is a conceptual difficulty in following a volume composed of material particles or in taking a material derivative (an intrinsic derivative with respect to time along the path of a material particle) if mass transfer is taking place simultaneously. In order that definite meaning be given to these operations, a particle of mixture in a moving surface and the material derivative following a particle of mixture in a moving surface are defined for the case of simultaneous diffusion and deformation.