cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Characteristic and Analysis of Vibration for Several 600MW Steam Turbines Operated Newly

Vibration problem occurred during trial operation for several 600MW units in Henan electric power system is introduced.Through field measurement and test,the characteristic and reason of the vibration were diagnosed and analyzed.Based on unit's vibration in different power plants,relevant measures had been taken to solve this issue.The results show that the analysis and measures taken correctly have significance of new units.
Optimal Design of Normalized Fuzzy Neural Network Controller Based on Quantum Genetic Algorithm

A quantum genetic algorithm was proposed to design the parameters of a normalized fuzzy neural network controller. In this method, chromosomes are comprised of quantum bits, and are updated by quantum rotation gate, and are mutated by quantum non-gate. The probability amplitudes of each quantum bit are regarded as two paratactic genes, each chromosome contains two chains of genes, and each chain of genes represents an optimization result, which can accelerate convergence process and increase successful probability for the same number of chromosomes. The parameters of the normalized fuzzy neural network controller were encoded into some individuals, and the initial colony was formed by some random individuals. A global searching was performed by quantum genetic algorithm. The simulation results show the effectiveness of this method.
Where does serum amylase come from and where does it go

The serum amylase concentration reflects the balance between the rates of amylase entry into and removal from the blood. Hyperamylasemia can result either from an increased rate of entry of amylase into the circulation and/or a decreased metabolic clearance of this enzyme. The pancreas and salivary glands have amylase concentrations that are several orders of magnitude greater than that of any other normal tissue, and these two organs probably account for almost all of the serum amylase activity in normal persons. A variety of techniques are now available to distinguish pancreatic from salivary-type isoamylase. Pancreatic hyperamylasemia results from an insult to the pancreas, ranging from trivial (cannulation of the pancreatic duct) to severe (pancreatitis). In addition, loss of bowel integrity (infarction or perforation) causes pancreatic hyperamylasemia due to absorption of amylase from the intestinal lumen. Hyperamylasemia due to salivary-type isoamylase is observed in conditions involving the salivary glands. In addition, this type of hyperamylasemia occurs in conditions in which there is no clinical evidence of salivary gland disease, such as chronic alcoholism, postoperative states (particularly postcoronary bypass), lactic acidosis, anorexia nervosa or bulimia, and malignant neoplasms that secrete amylase. Hyperamylasemia can also result from decreased metabolic clearance of amylase due to renal failure or macroamylasemia (a condition in which an abnormally high-molecular-weight amylase is present in the serum). Patients with abdominal pain and a markedly elevated serum amylase (more than three times the upper limit of normal) usually have acute pancreatitis, and additional serum enzyme testing is not helpful. Patients with smaller elevations of serum amylase often have conditions other than pancreatitis, and measurement of a serum enzyme more specific for the pancreas (pancreatitic isoamylase, lipase or trypsin) is frequently of diagnostic value in such patients.
Seven-week continuous-infusion paclitaxel with concurrent radiotherapy for locally advanced head and neck squamous cell cancer: A phase I study

The goal of this National Cancer Institute-sponsored phase I trial is to determine the feasibility, toxicity, and pharmacokinetics of continuous-infusion (24 hr/d, 7 d/wk, 7-week total) intravenous paclitaxel (Taxol; Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Princeton, NJ) combined with standard curative radiotherapy (RT) for previously untreated, locally advanced head and neck squamous cell cancers. Eligible patients have squamous cell cancers of the head and neck with expected 5-year survival rates of < or =25%; a good performance status; adequate hematologic, hepatic, and renal functions; and no distant metastases. All patients receive 70 Gy megavoltage RT in 7 weeks (2 Gy/d x 5 d/wk). Paclitaxel is delivered by protracted venous infusion starting 48 hours before RT and continuing for its duration. Biopsies for cell-cycle distribution analyses and paclitaxel tissue levels are obtained, if possible, before beginning paclitaxel and after 48 hours just before RT begins. The dose of paclitaxel is escalated in cohorts of three patients. Eighteen patients are evaluable for toxicity. Treatment has been completed through the 6.5 mg/m2/d dose level and is ongoing at 10.5 mg/m2/d. There has been no dose-limiting toxicity thus far. With the exception of anemia, toxicity is commensurate with what would be expected from RT alone. A slowly progressive normocytic anemia with no renal dysfunction was found to be associated with an acquired hypoerythropoietin state. Tumor biopsies have suggested the possibility of paclitaxel-induced mitotic arrest. This therapy is feasible and has been well tolerated through current dose levels with no dose-limiting toxicity. There is a suggestion of biologic activity evidenced by the anemia and the possibility of alteration in cell-cycle distributions. Dose escalation is ongoing.
Optimized Technical Considerations for Acquiring High-Quality FDG Studies with a Dual-Headed Gamma Camera

Objective: This retrospective analysis was designed to optimize the parameters and techniques required to successfully perform high-quality coincidence imaging in a general nuclear medicine department using a dual-headed gamma camera. Method: Coincidence imaging was performed on 33 patients after an intravenous injection of 3.0–5.0 mCi fluoro-2-deoxyglucose (18F-FDG). Data for all subjects were evaluated to determine which technical considerations contributed to an overall improvement in image quality. Results: After reviewing the data for the 33 subjects, several modified techniques were implemented and parameters were adjusted that enhanced the overall quality of the images. The extremely short half-life of 18F restricts the opportunity to repeat studies that were delayed, interrupted or technically substandard. Conclusion: The review of the data indicated that strict adherence to protocol is necessary to achieve optimal results while attempting to incorporate this new imaging modality into a typical nuclear medicine department.
A framework for low bit-rate speech coding in noisy environment

State of the art model based coders offer a perceptually acceptable reconstructed speech quality at bit-rates as low as 2000 bits per second. However, the performance of these coders rapidly deteriorates below this rate, primarily since very few bits are available to encode the model parameters with high fidelity. This thesis aims to meet the challenge of designing speech coders that operate at lower bit-rates while reconstructing the speech at the receiver at the same or even better quality than state of the art low bit-rate speech coders. In one of the contributions, we develop a plethora of techniques for efficient coding of the parameters obtained by the HELP algorithm, under the assumption that the classification of the frames of the MELP coder is available. Also, a simple and elegant procedure called dynamic codebook reordering is presented for use in the encoders and decoders of a vector quantization system that effectively exploits the correlation between vectors of parameters obtained from consecutive speech frames without introducing any delay, distortion or suboptimality. The potential of this technique in significantly reducing the bit-rates of speech coders is illustrated. Additionally, the thesis also attempts to address the issues of designing such very low bit-rate speech coders so that they are robust to environmental noise. To impart robustness, a speech enhancement framework employing Kalman filters is presented. Kalman filters designed for speech enhancement in the presence of noise assume an autoregressive model for the speech signal. We improve the performance of Kalman filters in speech enhancement by constraining the parameters of the autoregressive model to belong to a codebook trained on clean speech. We then extend this formulation to the design of a novel framework, called the multiple input Kalman filter, that optimally combines the outputs from several speech enhancement systems. Since the low bit-rate speech coders compress the parameters significantly, it is very important to protect the transmitted information from errors in the communication channel. In this thesis, a novel channel-optimized multi-stage vector quantization codec is presented, in which the stage codebooks are jointly designed.
Hemodynamic Findings of Effusive-Constrictive Pericarditis.

A 64-year-old man with rheumatoid arthritis presented with progressive abdominal and leg swelling, anorexia, and dyspnea for several years. Physical examination was notable for a pericardial knock, pulsatile hepatomegaly, and lower extremity edema. The jugular vein was distended past the angle of
Extending the Work of Women's Officials

(1942). Extending the Work of Women's Officials. The Journal of Health and Physical Education: Vol. 13, No. 3, pp. 149-190.
Hereditary Spastic Paraplegia

The hereditary spastic paraplegias (HSPs) are a heterogeneous group of neurologic disorders with the common feature of prominent lower-extremity spasticity, resulting from a length-dependent axonopathy of corticospinal upper motor neurons. The HSPs exist not only in "pure" forms but also in "complex" forms that are associated with additional neurologic and extraneurologic features. The HSPs are among the most genetically diverse neurologic disorders, with well over 70 distinct genetic loci, for which about 60 mutated genes have already been identified. Numerous studies elucidating the molecular pathogenesis underlying HSPs have highlighted the importance of basic cellular functions - especially membrane trafficking, mitochondrial function, organelle shaping and biogenesis, axon transport, and lipid/cholesterol metabolism - in axon development and maintenance. An encouragingly small number of converging cellular pathogenic themes have been identified for the most common HSPs, and some of these pathways present compelling targets for future therapies.
OBSIDIAN SUB-SOURCES AT THE ZARAGOZA-OYAMELES QUARRY IN PUEBLA, MEXICO: SIMILARITIES WITH ALTOTONGA AND THEIR DISTRIBUTION THROUGHOUT MESOAMERICA

We present data produced through archaeological and geological survey, as well as geochemical analysis of the Zaragoza-Oyameles obsidian source area located on the northern and western flanks of the Los Humeros Caldera in eastern Puebla, Mexico. One result of the intensive archaeological surface survey of this obsidian source area was the identification of 117 obsidian flow-band exposures. Geologic samples from 40 of these were submitted for instrumental neutron activation analysis. Eighty-five projectile points collected from the surface were characterized using portable X-ray fluorescence. These analyses identified three sub-sources: Z-O1, Potreros Caldera, and Gomez Sur. The Gomez Sur sub-source appears chemically similar to the previously identified Altotonga source, located 25 km to the northeast. Results of the geological survey help elucidate the relationship of Altotonga obsidian with the Zaragoza-Oyameles source area. The data from the three sub-sources are compared to all consumer site data attributed to the Zaragoza-Oyameles source in the Missouri University Research Reactor database. Results indicate that the majority of consumer samples throughout Mesoamerica match the Z-O1 sub-source, while 4 percent match the Potreros Caldera sub-source. This information, combined with the Gomez Sur data, is discussed in terms of economic relations with the regional center of Cantona. Obsidian procurement and distribution may have been more nuanced than previously modeled. We suggest that a number of potentially independent communities in addition to Cantona may have been involved in distributing this obsidian throughout Mesoamerica.
Establishing evidence-based thresholds and laboratory practices to reduce inappropriate treatment of pseudohyperkalemia.

Abstract Background Unrecognized pseudohyperkalemia (PHK), defined as an artificial increase in measured potassium concentration, due to thrombocytosis and leukocytosis can lead to inappropriate patient treatment. Understanding the laboratory and patient characteristics that increase risk of PHK is key to preventing diagnostic errors. Methods Serum/plasma potassium results collected at 2 laboratories over 4 years were selected based on blood cell counts collected within 24 h and whole blood potassium concentrations determined within 2 h of the serum/plasma sample. Differences between whole blood and serum or plasma potassium were compared as functions of platelet or leukocyte count, fit to linear models, and stratified based on leukemia diagnosis codes. Patients having a serum/plasma potassium concentration that was at least 1 mEq/mL higher than the whole blood concentration were defined as having PHK. Based on this analysis, high-risk patients were prospectively identified and PHK risk was communicated to providers. Medication administration records were queried to compare rates of kayexalate use pre- and post-intervention. Results Approximately 14% of serum samples with platelet counts > 500 × 109/L had a > 1 mEq/L increase relative to whole blood potassium. > 25% of serum and plasma samples showed a > 1 mEq/L increase relative to whole blood potassium when leukocyte counts were > 50 × 109/L. Patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia and high WBC count demonstrated the highest rates of PHK. The rate of kayexalate administration prior to confirmatory testing decreased from 37% to 16% after the laboratory started verbally communicating the possibility of PHK to treating providers. Conclusions According to our data, a leukocyte count threshold for plasma samples of 50 × 109/L is appropriate for indicating a high risk of PHK. Direct communication by the laboratory to the care team reduces inappropriate potassium lowering treatment in populations at high risk.
Novel Hybrid Composite Discharge Electrode for Electrostatic Precipitator

ABSTRACTOver the last few decades, electrostatic precipitators (ESPs) have emerged as effective air pollution control devices for treating coal-fired power plant exhausts. Among the components of the ESP, the discharge electrodes are extremely important in determining the collection efficiency of the ESP. Typically, in wet ESPs, the discharge electrodes used must be made of corrosion-resistant alloys, which makes them extremely expensive and heavy. Hybrid composite discharge electrodes have the potential to be lightweight and corrosion-resistant substitute for traditional metal alloy electrodes used in wet ESPs. In this experimental study, a novel hybrid composite electrode (recently patented at Ohio University) is presented as a substitute for traditional metal electrodes in wet ESPs. The samples of hybrid electrodes were fabricated by using carbon fiber composites, combined with metal mesh, in the shape of a long and thin tape. The electrode’s electrical response was evaluated in open atmospheric condit...
A Transnational Fiasco: Authenticity, Two Chiantis, and the Unimportance of Place

AbstractRecent research on authenticity in food products has highlighted the importance of place. I use the example of wine called Chianti – once made in both central Italy and northern California ...
Nonleavable Gambling Problems

As in the previous chapter, Γ is a gambling house defined on the countable state space S and u is a real-valued utility function. A player with initial fortune x chooses, as before, a strategy σ available at x. However, the player does not choose a time to stop, but instead continues to play forever. In this new situation it is natural to measure the value of a strategy by how well it does in some limiting sense. One might use the expected value of the lim sup (or the lim inf) of the utility function calculated along each history. However, Dubins and Savage take the lim sup over the stop rules of the utilities of the policies (σ, t). That is, they (and we) define the utility of a strategy σ as $$ u\left( \sigma \right) = \lim \sup u\left( {\sigma, t} \right) $$ (1.1)
Diagnostic histochemistry in hepatic pathology

Histochemistry has an important, continuing role in the current assessment of hepatic biopsies and resection specimens. The evaluation of connective tissue elements in the liver can be accomplished with such methods as the Masson trichrome, Snook reticulin, Vierhoff van Gieson, orcein, and Victoria blue stains. The results contribute to the diagnosis of acute and chronic hepatitis, submassive necrosis, venous outflow obstruction, steatohepatitis, and cirrhosis. Fat stains done on frozen sections of liver tissue are routinely performed in the evaluation of donor liver allograft biopsies. Iron stains such as Perls' method and the Prussian blue technique contribute to the recognition of hemochromatosis and hemosiderosis. The rhodanine, orcein, and Timm stains for copper are used in the characterization of chronic cholestatic liver disease and Wilson's disease. Labeling of carbohydrate-based moieties in various disorders is accomplished with the digested and undigested periodic acid-Schiff method, and Congo red or crystal violet stains can be employed to detect amyloid deposition. Lastly, evaluations of the thickness of the cell plates and continuity of the reticulin framework, as seen with the Snook reticulin stain, can contribute to the diagnostic separation of benign from malignant hepatocellular neoplasms.
Book Review: Woody Guthrie’s Modern World Blues by Will Kaufman

Will Kaufman. Woody Guthrie’s Modern World Blues . Norman: University of Oklahoma Press, 2017, 312 pp. Many know Woody Guthrie as writer, folk singer, and political activist. But of the varied roles taken on by this American icon, perhaps the most surprising was his stint as a fortune teller.
Demonstrating Efficacy of CHG Bathing Treatment for Inpatient Adult Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplant Recipients Improves Daily Compliance Among Staff

Topic Significance & Study Purpose/Background/Rationale Daily chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) bathing is recommended as a method to decrease blood stream infections (BSI) in intensive care units; this strategy may also be effective in hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) units. Methods, Intervention, & Analysis CHG bathing treatment was initiated in the Adult HSCT unit as standard clinical care in January 2017. Patients admitted for HSCT and recovery from January 2016 through August 2018 were reviewed. Patients transferred from outside hospitals or units were excluded. Patients were grouped by frequency of documented CHG bathing treatment: (1) no CHG (includes patients before CHG implementation and patients with no CHG even after implementation); (2) 75% of admission days. CHG treatment frequency was evaluated until discharge, transfer off unit, or BSI, whichever came first. BSI was defined as either ≥2 positive blood cultures or a single positive blood culture within 24 hours of meeting ≥1 SIRS criteria. A chi square test for trend was performed to evaluate the association between CHG frequency and BSI. Findings & Interpretation One hundred eighty-six inpatients met inclusion criteria (n=79 pre-CHG implementation, 107 post-CHG). BSI developed in 28% of patients with no CHG treatment, 20% with 75% CHG treatment (Table 1). Increased CHG treatment frequency was significantly associated with decreased BSI (p = 0.0028). Discussion & Implications In this retrospective study, CHG bathing treatment was associated with significantly reduced BSI in adult HSCT inpatients. After preliminary data were shared among staff, compliance with daily CHG treatment (>75% of admission days) has increased 7.2-fold in 2018 compared to 2017. Efforts are ongoing to increase compliance by collaborating with hospital informatics to facilitate CHG treatment reminders and improve accuracy of documentation through incorporating CHG bathing orders into the electronic medical record.
Acquisition and Retention

Although it is often referred to as if it were a single process, memory is not a unitary ability but instead consists of many diverse aspects with a variety of different age trends. One particularly dramatic illustration of how age selectively affects some facets of memory more than others is available in a contrast of the age functions for a paired-associate task and a digit-span task.
The Core of Kees Dorst’s Design Thinking: A Literature Review:

The literature review presents the work of Kees Dorst as a framework for design thinking. The review covers three areas: Dorst’s conception of design problems and how it differs from traditional de...
Resolutions of fat point ideals involving 8 general points of P2

The main result provides an algorithm for determining the minimal free resolution of ideals of fat point subschemes of ${\bf P}^2$ involving up to 8 general points with arbitrary multiplicities; the results hold over algebraically closed fields of any characteristic. The algorithm, which works by giving a formula in certain cases and a reduction to these cases otherwise, does not involve Gr\"obner bases, and so is very fast, even for very large multiplicities. Partial information is also obtained in certain cases with $n>8$.
ON THE LONG-TERM EVOLUTION OF LUNAR SATELLITE ORBITS

The long-term behavior of close, low-eccentricity lunar orbiters is studied according to the Poincare theory of the critical points. Lunar gravity effects are described by a spherical harmonic expansion through J 4, 4 and the earth is assumed to be a point mass moving in an eccentric orbit in the lunar equational plane. After averaging out the short-period terms and terms dependent on the lunar longitude, the remaining slowly varying Hamiltonian defines a single degree of freedom system. Conclusions concerning the long-term evolut ion of the orbits are drawn from analysis of the critical points of the averaged equations of motion. It is shown that the evolution of the equi-energy contours in the eccentricity, argument of pericenter plane with varying semi-major axis and angular momentum is most easily determined from study o f the critical points.
Rural patients are at risk for increased stage at presentation and diminished overall survival in osteosarcoma

Abstract Background There is an undefined relationship between access to regional referral centers and whether the eventual oncologic outcomes are influenced by distance, travel time, or residence in a rural community. Methods We used the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) Program Database to capture all cases of high-grade osteosarcoma from 1990 to 2014 in Iowa, Utah, and New Mexico. Using univariate, Kaplan Meier survival analysis, and multivariate Cox proportional hazards modeling we analyzed patient and tumor characteristics. Results A total of 476 patients met the study criteria. There was an increased incidence of metastases for patients residing in a county with a greater than 2 -h drive to the nearest comprehensive cancer center (p = 0.021). Individuals residing in “rural” counties and “very rural” counties showed decreased 5-year survival (p = 0.007 and 0.003, respectively) when compared to those living in areas of higher population density. A multivariate regression analysis showed that the presence of metastasis (HR = 2.78 [95% CI: 1.88–4.10], p Conclusion The travel time to the nearest comprehensive center was associated with an increased incidence of metastasis on presentation in patients with osteosarcoma. Metastasis and rural status were independent risk factors for mortality. This investigation suggests that individuals living in rural counties may experience barriers to presentation, treatment, or surveillance that are not present in areas with a higher population density.
Health literacy and abdominal aortic aneurysms

Abstract Objective Little is known about the public's knowledge of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA). Although preventive screening is available, millions of Americans remain unaware of their risk. Improved health literacy has been associated with increased screening and improvement in health outcomes. This study assessed the level of AAA literacy among respondents who participated in a free AAA screening event. Methods Thirteen key words used by vascular surgeons to describe the risk, diagnosis, and treatment options for AAA were extracted from the screening tool used by the nation's largest provider of free AAA diagnostic services, AAAneurysm Outreach. The National Institutes of Health recommends readability of patient education materials to be at the sixth-grade level, but a readability analysis of these words placed them at a grade level of 14.6. A self-administrated questionnaire was developed that allowed respondents to compare each of the extracted words with a definitionally correct or incorrect word that reflected a sixth-grade readability score. These scores were then compared with the available demographics. Results There were 570 completed questionnaires. Of the participants, 57.6% were female, 61.4% were 60 and above, and 32.6% were veterans. The average number of correct answers was 9.31 out of 13 (72% correct). Only 4.7% answered all questions correctly, with 29.1% missing five or more answers. The most frequently missed words were asymptomatic, screening, and cholesterol (56.5%, 44%, and 41.4% incorrect, respectively). The most frequently known terms were abdominal, diagnosis, and genetic (96%, 95.3%, and 91.9% correct, respectively). The remaining words fell between these extremes. Those aged 60 and above scored significantly lower than younger respondents (P Conclusions These data suggest an important communication gap between the words used by clinicians to describe the risks, diagnostic results, and treatment options of AAA and the targeted at-risk population, especially those 60 years and older.
How Does 2016 Inform 2020 in Iowa

In this chapter, I summarize the major findings of this book and place them in the context of the academic literature on past presidential elections, Iowa elections, and the 2016 presidential election. A discussion of this book’s major implications for the literature is also presented. This chapter concludes with a discussion regarding what we can expect to see as the 2020 election cycle continues.
Regional heterogeneity of cerebral hemodynamics in neonatal hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy

Current practice of neuromonitoring in hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) is to apply a frontal probe. In this study we determined the regional heterogeneity in cerebral hemodynamics at four regions with multichannel near-infrared spectroscopy.
Population Dynamics and Demography

(1981). Population Dynamics and Demography. Journal of Physical Education and Recreation: Vol. 52, Including Leisure Today, pp. 31-34.
RELATO DE CASO: SÍNDROME DO DESFILADEIRO TORÁCICO

RESUMO Introducao: A Sindrome do Desfiladeiro Toracico (SDT) e uma entidade clinica com sintomatologia diversa, decorrente de compressao anormal do plexo braquial, na regiao do desfiladeiro toracico. Esta compressao e exercida, na maioria das vezes, pelo musculo escaleno anterior, mas pode resultar tambem da existencia de bandas musculofibroticas, alteracao da morfologia da primeira costela, costelas cervicais e musculos anomalos. A SDT pode ser classificada nos tipos vascular e neurogenico. Descricao do caso: Paciente, sexo feminino, 27 anos, com quadro de dor e parestesia, ha dois anos, de inicio insidioso, em 4o e 5o quirodactilos e, posteriormente, com progressao para todo membro superior esquerdo (MSE). Procurou Unidade de Pronto Atendimento, sendo prescrito apenas medicacao analgesica. Apos tres dias, apresentou intensificacao da dor, associada a palidez e parestesia de MSE procurando atendimento no Hospital Geral de Palmas. Discussao: A SDT acomete mais mulheres entre 20-50 anos, com varios fatores contribuintes, chegando a limitar as atividades diarias e laborais. O tratamento clinico, frequentemente, e a conduta inicial, procurando aliviar os sintomas. Em geral, o tratamento cirurgico tem indicacao em 15 % dos casos, quando a sindrome e decorrente de anomalias osseas sintomaticas e complicacoes vasculares. Palavras-chave: Sindrome do Desfiladeiro Toracico; Costela Cervical; Plexo Braquial. ABSTRACT Introduction: Thoracic Outlet Syndrome (TOS) is a clinical entity with diverse symptomatology due to abnormal compression of brachial plexus in the thoracic outlet region. This compression is often carried out by the anterior scalene muscle, but it may be a result from the presence of musculofibrotic bands, alteration of the first rib morphology, cervical ribs and anomalous muscles. TOS can be classified into vascular and neurogenic types. Case description: Patient, female, 27 years old, with pain and paresthesia, since two years ago, insidious onset, in 4th and 5th fingers, and later with progression to all left upper limb (LUL). She looked for Emergency Care Unit, and only analgesic medication was prescribed. After three days, she presented pain intensification, associated with pallor and paresthesia of LUL, looking for care at the General Hospital of Palmas. Discussion: The TOS affects more women between 20-50 years old, with several contributing factors, limiting daily activities and work. The clinical treatment, often, is the initial conduct, seeking to relieve symptoms. In general, the surgical treatment is indicated in 15% of cases, when the syndrome is due to symptomatic bone anomalies and vascular complications. Keywords: Thoracic Outlet Syndrome; Cervical Rib; Brachial Plexus.
Optimization of ultrasonographic ureteral jet detection and normal ureteral jet morphology in dogs.

Ureteral jets are visualized with ultrasound as echogenic streams extending from the ureterovesicular junction into the urinary bladder. In clinical practice, diuretics are sometimes administered to increase visibility of ureteral jets, however this has not been well described in the veterinary literature. The purpose of this prospective, crossover study was to describe the normal morphology of canine ureteral jets, determine an optimal protocol for diuretic administration to increase visibility of ureteral jets, and confirm in vitro the effect that differences in specific gravity and velocity have on visibility. Ultrasound of 10 normal dogs was performed at baseline and following 1 mg/kg furosemide administered intravenously or subcutaneously. Increased numbers of ureteral jets were seen post-furosemide administration compared to baseline, with an overall increased number of ureteral jets identified following intravenous administration when compared to subcutaneous administration. Time to first ureteral jet was significantly shorter with intravenous compared to subcutaneous administration. Urine specific gravity significantly decreased following furosemide administration. For the in vitro study, saline solutions of varying specific gravities were infused into a bath of hypertonic saline with specific gravity of 1.037. There was good visibility in vitro with infusion of solutions of specific gravities of 1.010-1.025. Infusion of saline solution with a specific gravity of 1.030 had reduced visibility, while infusion of saline with equivalent specific gravity (1.037) was not visible with B-mode ultrasonography. Both intravenous and subcutaneous furosemide administration significantly increase ureteral jet detection with ultrasound secondary to differences in specific gravity, confirming results of prior studies.
A multi-pronged, antiracist approach to optimize equity in medical school admissions

BACKGROUND Increasing the number of physicians who identify as an underrepresented minority (URM) has been a focus for decades. Despite the US Department of Health and Human Services establishing The Council on Graduate Medical Education focussing on the underrepresentation of minorities in medicine in 1990, US medical students in 1998-1999 were15.2% URM and twenty years later, URM students comprise only 14.6% of matriculants. This reflected our experience at University of Maryland School of Medicine despite our diverse community where over 60% of the population identify as Black or African-American. We share our strategies to mitigate bias in the admissions process and our resulting outcomes. METHODS We implemented multiple interventions including interviewer training, recruitment strategies, holistic screening, changes in the interview process and increased racial, ethnic and gender diversity on our admissions committee. These changes were made over a two-year period initially focussing on the committee, followed by focussed interventions for interviewers. RESULTS With these interventions, we demonstrated an improvement in the number of URM applicants that matriculated. In 2019, we had the first class that was in which no one ethnicity or race comprised the majority of the class, with 54% of matriculants identifying as students of colour. In 2020, in addition to sustaining a majority of the class identifying as students of colour, the proportion of URM students increased from 10%-13% for the preceding 3 years, to 24% of the entering class. CONCLUSION The number of physicians who identify as URM must be increased for the benefit of our patients and health care system. Unconscious bias training for interviewers, focused recruitment strategies, holistic screening deemphasising the MCAT, blinding interviewers to MCAT scores and GPA, and increasing admissions committee diversity are five concrete steps that yielded the desired outcome of increasing URM representation among our medical school matriculants.
Strategies for highlighting items within visual scene displays to support augmentative and alternative communication access for those with physical impairments.

Purpose In contrast to the traditional grid-based display, visual scene displays (VSDs) offer a new paradigm for aided communication. For individuals who cannot select items from an AAC display by direct selection due to physical impairments, AAC access can be supported via methods such as item scanning. Item scanning sequentially highlights items on a display until the individual signals for selection. How items are highlighted or scanned for AAC access can impact performance outcomes. Further, the effectiveness of a VSD interface may be enhanced through consultation with experts in visual communication. Therefore, to support AAC access for those with physical impairments, the aim of this study was to evaluate the perspectives of experts in visual communication regarding effective methods for highlighting VSD elements. Methods Thirteen participants with expertise related to visual communication (e.g., photographers, artists) completed semi-structured interviews regarding techniques for item highlighting. Results Study findings identified four main themes to inform how AAC items may be highlighted or scanned, including (1) use of contrast related to light and dark, (2) use of contrast as it relates to colour, (3) outline highlighting, and (4) use of scale and motion. Conclusion By identifying how compositional techniques can be utilized to highlight VSD elements, study findings may inform current practice for scanning-based AAC access, along with other selection techniques where feedback or highlighting is used (e.g., eye-gaze, brain-computer interface). Further, avenues for just-in-time programming are discussed to support effective implementation for those with physical impairments.IMPLICATIONS FOR REHABILITATIONFindings identify multiple potential techniques to improve scanning through items in a photograph for individuals with severe motor impairments using alternative access strategies.Study findings inform current practice for scanning-based AAC access, along with other selection techniques where feedback or highlighting is used (e.g., eye-gaze, brain-computer interface).Avenues for just in time programming of AAC displays are discussed to decrease programming demands and support effective implementation of study findings.
Salicylate intoxication. Significance of measurements of salicylate in blood in cases of acute ingestion.

Studies on 38 children and adults who ingested large amounts of salicylate revealed a poor correlation of salicylate level in serum with clinical severity of salicylate intoxication. Serial measurements of serum salicylate levels in dogs and in 17 previously well patients revealed that the disappearance of salicylate from circulation is a first-order reaction in the post-absorptive period. It is possible, therefore, to calculate the half-life of circulating salicylate. In the present study the mean salicylate half-life in 17 patients was 20 hours. It is possible to eliminate the variable of time since ingestion by utilizing the rate of removal (half-life) of salicylate to extrapolate from the observed salicylate level at any time following ingestion to a theoretical zero-time salicylate concentration (So). There was found to be an excellent correlation of So with the clinical severity of salicylate intoxication. A nomogram that eliminates the necessity for calculating So is presented. Calculation of So or use of the nomogram provide better means than were previously available for predicting the severity of salicylate intoxication on the basis of measurements of blood salicylate. Particularly noteworthy was the fact that four patients who died despite intensive conventional treatments had So values which greatly exceeded those found in patients who recovered. This observation suggests that an So of greater than 160 is essentially incompatible with life and that measures for rapidly reducing salicylate levels, such as hemodialysis or exchange transfusion, should be instituted. The data are not sufficient to permit conclusions to be drawn concerning the influence of various factors on salicylate removal and toxicity. However, the use of So and salicylate half-life should facilitate such studies.
A rapid method for cloning mutagenic DNA repair genes: isolation of umu-complementing genes from multidrug resistance plasmids R391, R446b, and R471a.

Abstract Genetic and physiological experiments have demonstrated that the products of the umu-like operon are directly required for mutagenic DNA repair in enterobacteria. To date, five such operons have been cloned and studied at the molecular level. Given the apparent wide occurrence of these mutagenic DNA repair genes in enterobacteria, it seems likely that related genes will be identified in other bacterial species and perhaps even in higher organisms. We are interested in identifying such genes. However, standard methods based on either DNA or protein cross-hybridization are laborious and, given the overall homology between previously identified members of this family (41 to 83% at the protein level), would probably have limited success. To facilitate the rapid identification of more diverse umu-like genes, we have constructed two Escherichia coli strains that allow us to identify umu-like genes after phenotypic complementation assays. With these two strains, we have cloned novel umu-like genes from three R plasmids, the IncJ plasmid R391 and two IncL/M plasmids, R446b and R471a.
Erasure Tolerant Coding for Cognitive Radios

In recent years, the proliferation of spectrum-based services and devices for usessuch as cellular communication, public safety, wireless LAN, and TV broadcasthave forced the human society to become highly dependent on radio spectrum.This dependency and explosive growth in demand for radio resources is pro-pelled by a host of factors: the economy has moved towards the communication-intensive service sector, the workforce is increasingly mobile, and consumershave been quick to embrace the convenience and increased e–ciency of the mul-titude of wireless devices available today.In the United States, the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) reg-ulates access to spectrum. These regulations have lead to reservation of spec-trum chunks for speciﬂc purposes; for example, 824-849 MHz, 1.85-1.99 GHzfrequency bands are reserved for licensed cellular and personal communicationsservices (PCS) and require a valid FCC license, whereas 902-928 MHz, 2.40-2.50 GHz, 5.15-5.35 GHz, and 5.725-5.825 GHz frequency ranges are reservedas free-for-all unlicensed bands [1]. This strict long-term spectrum allocation asshown in Fig. 1 is space and time invariant and any changes to it happen understrict FCC control.Figure 1: FCC’s Static Spectrum AllocationConsidering the increase in demand for freely available, i.e., unlicensed radiospectrum, it is clear that the necessary radio spectrum will not be available in1
Provocative stimulation of growth hormone: a monozygotic twin study discordant for spinal cord injury.

Background/Objective: A blunted growth hormone (GH) response to provocative testing and/or low levels of plasma insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-I) have been reported in persons with spinal cord i...
I'll Huff and I'll Puff - But Then You'll Blow My Case Away: Dealing with Dismissed and Bad-Faith Defendants Under California's Anti-SLAPP Statute

Although the original enactment of California’s anti-SLAPP law was commendable, the law itself (section 425.16 of the California Civil Code) has its share of flaws. One particular wrinkle that the California appellate courts still have not ironed out in interpreting section 425.16 involves the situation where the filer of a SLAPP suit voluntarily dismisses his SLAPP suit against the victim. Because the goal of California’s anti-SLAPP statute is to deter the “chilling” effect of SLAPP suits upon the public’s ability to “petition for the redress of grievances” — which includes the cost put forth to defend such suits — the inquiry is whether the plaintiff-SLAPPer’s voluntary dismissal of his or her SLAPP suit is vindication enough to prompt a court to award the defendant-SLAPPee statutory attorney’s fees. If so, then the next question is what possible mechanisms would allow for this determination?Another wrinkle arises when defendants file frivolous anti-SLAPP motions in California. When this occurs, these frivolous motions have been found to be wolves in sheep’s clothing: the defendants have abused the statute to cover what turns out to be an illegitimate use of the political process. In this scenario, the interference with constitutional petitioning rights is not direct, but indirect through the abuse of that particular First Amendment right. Currently, the standards for detecting such undesirable SLAPP defendants lack consistency and leave much room for reform.In examining these two issues, this Article will demonstrate that, despite efforts to recognize SLAPPs and to safeguard our legal process from abuses, SLAPP suits and their underlying interference with the legitimate exercise of the right to petition can often engender new ways of creeping back onto the legal stage to wreak havoc on the private citizen. After introducing and evaluating the methods that courts have used to address these flaws, this Article will then uncover the complexities in the forest of SLAPP litigation in California, where legitimate petitioning rights can often be sabotaged by both sides of the bar, and offer normative solutions to help shore up the gaps for effective SLAPP suit reform.
Drug Use and Social Change: The Distortion of History, by Michael Shiner

Michael Shiner examines illicit drug use through critical and sociohistorical prisms in Drug Use and Social Change: The Distortion of History. This book explores drug use and underlying policy issu...
OS DOMÍNIOS DO PRAZER: A mulher escrava como mercadoria sexual

The following article discusses the sexual exploitation of the enslaved women in Barbadosbetween the last decades of the 18th and the first decades of the 19th centuries. Through the examination ofprimary documentation on the matter, the author identifies the market of prostitution and concubinage,including agents and clients among blacks, colored and whites, and its insertion within the economic andsocial structure of Barbados.
Formalization and Analysis of a Solution to the PCI 2.1 Bus Transaction Ordering Problem

The transaction ordering problem of the original PCI 2.1 standard bus specification violates the desired correctness property of maintaining the so called ‘Producer/Consumer’ relationship between writers and readers of data. This violation stems mainly from the so called completion stealing problem, first identified and solved by Corella et al. [4], and supported by a formal paper and pencil argument. In this paper, we develop a flexible graph theory library in PVS for modeling computer bus structures, formalize the PCI 2.1 protocol containing the solution of [4] in it, and mechanically prove the absence of completion stealing. Next, we define the Producer/Consumer property in PVS and sketch its mechanical proof. Noting the complexity of this proof effort (unfinished as yet), we explore a combination of theorem proving and model-checking in which the model used for model-checking is made tractable by exploiting the formal theorems established during theorem-proving as well as several intuitively justified assumptions. The theorem-proving infrastructure we have built for modeling CPU interconnect structures is highly reusable. Our work is one example of a natural division of labor between theorem-proving and model-checking in tackling system-level verification problems under realistic time budgets.
Psychotherapy for adult attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder: a comparison with cognitive behaviour therapy

Accessible summary Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a neurobiological disorder that persists into adulthood for more than half of those diagnosed. Pharmacotherapy is the first line treatment, but alone may not be sufficient. When comparing the effectiveness of researched psychotherapies, cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) is one of the most efficacious treatments. This literature synthesis offers some intervention guidance for nurses and other clinicians who care for patients with ADHD. Abstract Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), a disorder generally associated with children, has become a valid disorder for adults in the last decade. The first line treatment of adult ADHD is medications, but historically there have been limitations to medication as the only treatment. Psychotherapy has become a feasible modality in the treatment of ADHD for those who have residual symptoms. The aim of this review of literature is to compare cognitive behaviour therapy with other psychotherapeutic treatment for effectiveness in improving symptoms of ADHD in adults and adolescences. The evidence-based practice approach by Stillwell et al. is adopted to guide the systematic review. The use of this small evidence utilization project that led to a synthesis of available research will provide direction for future research and expand knowledge in treatment for adult ADHD.
Tukhachevsky in Leningrad: Military politics and exile, 1928–31

(1996). Tukhachevsky in Leningrad: Military politics and exile, 1928–31. Europe-Asia Studies: Vol. 48, No. 8, pp. 1365-1386.
The use of scaled moments of inertia for structural calculations

Abstract A procedure for obtaining molecular structural parameters from microwave spectral data is described. The method uses the same set of experimental ground state moments of inertia used for a substitution structure determination, but is based upon a least-squares fit of moments which are obtained by scaling the experimental I0 values. The scaling is performed in such a way that the resulting moments of inertia, Imγ are comparable to Watson's Im moments and are thus close to the equilibrium moments. Initial tests and evaluation suggest that the method may lead to structural parameters which are better approximations to the re structure than those obtained by the conventional r0 or rs methods.