cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Quantum Integrable Model of an Arrangement of Hyperplanes

The goal of this paper is to give a geometric construction of the Bethe algebra (of Hamiltonians) of a Gaudin model associated to a simple Lie algebra. More precisely, in this paper a quantum integrable model is assigned to a weighted arrangement of affine hyperplanes. We show (under certain assumptions) that the algebra of Hamiltonians of the model is isomorphic to the algebra of functions on the critical set of the corresponding master function. For a discriminantal arrangement we show (under certain assumptions) that the symmetric part of the algebra of Hamiltonians is isomorphic to the Bethe algebra of the corresponding Gaudin model. It is expected that this correspondence holds in general (without the assumptions). As a byproduct of constructions we show that in a Gaudin model (associated to an arbitrary simple Lie algebra), the Bethe vector, corresponding to an isolated critical point of the master function, is nonzero.
The interactive effect of change in perceived stress and trait anxiety on vagal recovery from cognitive challenge.

Abstract The present study tested the hypothesis that the change in state negative affect (measured as perceived stress) after cognitive challenge moderates the relationship of trait anxiety and anger to vagal recovery from that challenge. Cardiac vagal control (assessed using heart rate variability) and respiratory rate were measured in a sample of 905 participants from the Midlife in the United States Study. Cognitive challenges consisted of computerized mental arithmetic and Stroop color–word matching tasks. Multiple regression analyses controlling for the effects of the demographic, lifestyle, and medical factors influencing cardiac vagal control showed a significant moderating effect of change in perceived stress on the relationship of trait anxiety to vagal recovery from cognitive challenges (Beta = .253, p = .013). After adjustment for respiratory rate, this effect became marginally significant (Beta = .177, p = .037). In contrast, for the relationship of trait anger to vagal recovery, this effect was not significant either before (Beta = .141, p = .257) or after (Beta = .186, p = .072) adjusting for respiratory rate. Secondary analyses revealed that among the individuals with higher levels of trait anxiety, greater reductions in perceived stress were associated with greater increases in cardiac vagal control after the challenge. In contrast, among the individuals with lower levels of trait anxiety, changes in perceived stress had no impact on vagal recovery. Therefore, change in perceived stress moderates the relationship of trait anxiety, but not trait anger, to vagal recovery from cognitive challenge.
Sociobiology and general systems theory: a critique of the new synthesis.

Can sociobiology be the basis of sociology? Granting certain genetic contributions to human conduct, are these contributions expressed in the same way in humans as in other animals? Based upon the type of sign processed, a comparison is made of types of control subsystems. Symbols are arbitrary signs and icons are directly related to the thing for which they stand. The hominid control subsystem (brain) is capable of extensively processing symbols, whereas other species rely upon icons. The ability to process symbols allows hominids to engage in extensive learning and the development of elaborate cultures. Thus, in humans, genetic impulses can never be expressed purely. They would always be mediated by symbolic thought which invests meaning in any behavior. Control subsystems capable of processing symbols allow for a new form of evolution, sociocultural evolution. This is exosomatic evolution as opposed to biological, somatic, evolution. It allows for culture as an emergent phenomenon, while at the same time biology (inheritance) is setting certain limits on what kind of culture is likely to develop. Yet at the macro level those limits are likely to be extremely minimal. Thus, sociobiology is of some use in explaining micro level (social psychological) phenomena (although social variables must always be considered at the same time), but is of negligible importance in explaining macro level phenomena. Thus, sociology must be studied at its appropriate system level and sociobiology cannot serve as its foundation.
From Static to Dynamic Surrogates: Resource Discovery in the Digital Age

This paper explores how resource discovery in the networked (or digital) environment presents new opportunities for the use of surrogates. Our argument has several elements. We show that resource discovery is a complex process that includes multiple phases, is iterative, and highly dynamic. In agreement with others, we argue that resource discovery involves the manipulation of object surrogates, which are vital because of their "order-making" role. Resource discovery in the physical realm -- for example searches in the traditional library -- has been constrained by the use of static surrogates. In the traditional library these are the card catalog and its digital analog, the OPAC. These static surrogates have been quite successful as resource discovery aids, albeit frequently with the mediation of trained reference librarians. We argue that significant improvements to resource discovery in the networked realm can be made using techniques that match surrogate semantics to the instance-specific requirements of the resource discovery process. This can be accomplished most easily through architectures, such as the Warwick Framework, that allow the association of multiple surrogates with objects, or more ambitiously through methods that construct derived, or dynamic surrogates that respond to current resource discovery needs. The Complexity of the Resource Discovery Process With or without the computer and the Internet, the resource discovery process is complex and often oversimplified. To begin with, what is the goal of resource discovery? It is easy to assume that what is sought is the answer to some information need, or query. Yet, depending on the situation, person, costs, and other factors this "answer" may have quite different characteristics. In some cases, what one is seeking is the best possible response to a query (we ignore the vagaries of what characterizes "best"). In other cases, because of constraints such as time, cost, patience, and the like, the information seeker may be satisfied with less response specificity in the response. In some cases, the goal of the discovery process may change as the seeker is sidetracked by intervening needs or newly discovered information. Finally, the process may begin without even a clearly defined information goal, and the satisfactory answer might be some information that is of value simply as a result of the serendipity of the process itself. Our focus here is the character of the process as it proceeds from initiation to realization of goal. By understanding this process we will be better equipped to formulate architectures to facilitate networked resource discovery. For a broader perspective on networked resource discovery and retrieval (NIDR), we refer readers to the draft of a White Paper on Networked Information and Discovery and Retrieval [CNI], being prepared for the Coalition for Networked Information (CNI). This white paper, while unfinished, is the clearest exploration to date on many of the issues relevant to discovery and retrieval in a networked environment.
Identification of Items that Show Nonuniform DIF

This study compared three procedures—the Mantel- Haenszel (MH), the simultaneous item bias (SIB), and the logistic regression (LR) procedures—with respect to their Type I error rates and power to detect nonuniform dif ferential item functioning (DIF). Data were simulated to reflect a variety of conditions: The factors manipulated included sample size, ability distribution differences between the focal and the reference groups, proportion of DIF items in the test, DIF effect sizes, and type of item. 384 conditions were studied. Both the SIB and LR proce dures were equally powerful in detecting nonuniform DIF under most conditions. The MH procedure was not very effective in identifying nonuniform DIF items that had disordinal interactions. The Type I error rates were within the expected limits for the MH procedure and were higher than expected for the SIB and LR proce dures ; the SIB results showed an overall increase of approximately 1% over the LR results. Index terms: differential item functioning, logis...
DIAGNOSTIC EXERCISE: Oral Tumor in an Aged Mare:

A 17-year-old, Thoroughbred mare was presented for necropsy with a large, invasive oral mass determined via immunohistochemistry to be a soft tissue sarcoma of neural origin. Oral sarcomas are rare in veterinary medicine, and to the authors' knowledge, this is the first oral sarcoma of neural tissue origin reported in a horse.
Lrig1 is an estrogen-regulated growth suppressor and correlates with longer relapse-free survival in ERα-positive breast cancer.

Lrig1 is the founding member of the “Lrig” family and has been implicated in the negative regulation of several oncogenic receptor tyrosine kinases including ErbB2. Lrig1 is expressed at low levels in several cancer types but is over-expressed in some prostate and colorectal tumors. Given this heterogeneity, whether Lrig1 functions to suppress or promote tumor growth remains a critical question. Previously, we found that Lrig1 was poorly expressed in ErbB2-positive breast cancer, suggesting that Lrig1 has a growth inhibitory role in this tumor type. However, breast cancer is a complex disease, with ErbB2-positive tumors accounting for just 25% of all breast cancers. To gain a better understanding of the role of Lrig1 in breast cancer, we examined its expression in estrogen receptor alpha (ERα)-positive disease which accounts for the majority of breast cancers. We find that Lrig1 is expressed at significantly higher levels in ERα-positive disease as compared to ERα-negative disease. Our study provides a molecular rationale for Lrig1 enrichment in ERα-positive disease by demonstrating that Lrig1 is a target of ERα. Estrogen stimulates Lrig1 accumulation and disruption of this induction enhances estrogen-dependent tumor cell growth, suggesting that Lrig1 functions as an estrogen regulated growth suppressor. Additionally, we find that Lrig1 expression correlates with prolonged relapse-free survival in ERα-positive breast cancer, identifying Lrig1 as a new prognostic marker in this setting. Finally, we demonstrate that ErbB2 activation antagonizes ERα-driven Lrig1 expression, providing a mechanistic explanation for Lrig1 loss in ErbB2-positive breast cancer. This work provides strong evidence for a growth inhibitory role for Lrig1 in breast cancer.
The Internal Magma Reservoir of Large Intrusions Revealed by Multiphase Rayleigh Fractionation

The fractionation progress of a crystallizing basaltic magma is recorded in the changing mineral compositions of binary solutions that form a part of plagioclase, olivine, and augite.When such compositional data are plotted against an independent measure of progress such as volume, they can often be described by a Rayleigh equation that reveals details of the crystallization history. A binary solution crystallizing by itself follows a path determined by the Rayleigh exponent (D ^ 1) where D is the partition coefficient X1 /X1 L (X is mole fraction, 1 is low-melting component, L is liquid, S is solid). In company with another phase, however, such a binary solution may follow a wide range of paths in an envelope about (D ^ 1), ranging from (a) f (D ^ 1) to (b) (D ^ 1)/f , where f is the fraction of the active phasecthe binary solution under consideration.The upper limiting curve, an extended fractionation path, is given by (a) above, whereas a full X2 depletion path (b) defines the lower limit.This range of alternatives is here codified and supplemented by considerations of residual porosity.The result is a Rayleigh equation in five variables that can illuminate magmatic history, including the probability of the existence of an internal reservoir that damps the depletion effect.The range of paths can help to identify evidence for, and causes of, leading-edge fractionation of ascending magma, small packet crystallization, pressure variations, off-cotectic excursions, and oscillating modal variation.
Hierarchical Dirichlet Processes with Random Effects

Data sets involving multiple groups with shared characteristics frequently arise in practice. In this paper we extend hierarchical Dirichlet processes to model such data. Each group is assumed to be generated from a template mixture model with group level variability in both the mixing proportions and the component parameters. Variabilities in mixing proportions across groups are handled using hierarchical Dirichlet processes, also allowing for automatic determination of the number of components. In addition, each group is allowed to have its own component parameters coming from a prior described by a template mixture model. This group-level variability in the component parameters is handled using a random effects model. We present a Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) sampling algorithm to estimate model parameters and demonstrate the method by applying it to the problem of modeling spatial brain activation patterns across multiple images collected via functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI).
Prognostic Significance of Measured Depth of Invasion of Urothelial Carcinoma of the Bladder Compared to the 2010 American Joint Committee on Cancer pT2 and pT3 Classifications

Purpose: We compared the prognostic ability of the current American Joint Committee on Cancer (AJCC) staging system to direct measurement of the depth of tumor invasion into the muscularis propria and perivesical fat.Materials and Methods: We identified 148 patients with pT2N0 and 206 with pT3N0 who underwent radical cystectomy between 1990 and 2003. Clinicopathological features were reviewed. A measurement in mm was recorded of the depth of tumor invasion into the muscularis propria for pT2 cases and into perivesical fat for pT3 cases. Cancer specific survival between the pT2a and pT2b, and the pT3a and pT3b patient groups was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method and compared with the log rank test. Optimal cutoff points for invasion depth in mm were estimated using an iterative estimation process to find the minimum p value with the maximum HR.Results: Of 148 patients with pT2 bladder cancer, including 76 with pT2a and 72 with pT2b, and 206 with pT3 bladder cancer, including 144 with pT3a and 62 with...
A reassessment of the potential for reduction of dissolved CO 2 to hydrocarbons during serpentinization of olivine

The concept that aqueous CO2 can be reduced to hydrocarbons abiotically during serpentinization of olivine has become widespread in the earth and planetary sciences. This process has been invoked to explain the occurrence of hydrocarbons in crystalline igneous rocks and proposed as a source of prebiotic organic compounds for the origin of life. We reevaluate this scenario through an experimental study of the reaction of dissolved CO2 in the presence of olivine under hydrothermal conditions (300°C, 350 bar). Reduction of CO2 to formate (HCOO−) was found to proceed rapidly, with H2 generated from hydrothermal alteration of olivine serving as the reductant. The reverse reaction, decomposition of formic acid to CO2 and H2, was also found to proceed rapidly. Although dissolved hydrocarbon concentrations increased throughout the experiments, isotopic labeling of dissolved CO2 with 13C indicated that these compounds were primarily generated from reduced carbon compounds already present in olivine at the beginning of the experiment rather than by reduction of CO2. The only hydrocarbon product from reduction of CO2 observed in the experiments was a small amount of methane (<0.04% conversion of dissolved CO2 in more than 2500 h of heating). Comparison of the reaction products with thermodynamic data indicates that reactions between dissolved CO2 and formate rapidly achieved metastable equilibrium at the experimental conditions, suggesting that similar reactions could control the concentration of formate in geologic fluids. The results indicate that the potential for abiotic formation of hydrocarbons during serpentinization may be much more limited than previously believed, and other mineral catalysts or vapor phase reactions may be required to explain many occurrences of abiotic hydrocarbons in serpentinites and igneous rocks.
A Mechanically Resonant Transformer

A transformer for use in the audio-frequency band is described whose output potential is remarkably selective to frequency. In its simplest form the diaphragm of a telephone receiver is replaced by a tuned reed of magnetic material. When a frequency is applied to the receiver corresponding to the natural frequency of the reed it is set in vibration and its motion is employed to generate potentials in another receiver unit adjacent to the tuned reed. A typical transformer had a selectivity of 115 at a frequency of 1500 cycles.
Activity-based costing for e-business

Summary form only given. This paper proposes the use of activity-based costing (ABC), already proven to be beneficial to manufacturing companies, for tracking overhead costs in e-business. It examines which types of e-companies the ABC system is most valuable for. For example, e-companies which have high overhead expenses, such as administrative salaries, should seriously consider ABC implementation, as high overhead costs, which, when not properly traced, may lead to erroneous cost information and poor decision-making. Calculation of the ratio of overhead to total cost is proposed to help individual companies decide if the ABC system has the potential to improve the reliability of their cost information.
Integrated Nanogenerators in Biofluid

We have demonstrated a prototype ZnO nanowire based nanogenerator (NG) that can effectively generate electricity inside biofluid when stimulated by ultrasonic waves. The potential of increasing output current and voltage was illustrated by connecting multiple NGs in parallel and serial, respectively, clearly demonstrating the possibility of raising output power by three-dimensional integration and architecture. The output current was increased by 20 -30 times and reached as high as 35 nA whe na2m m 2 size NG was placed at a region where the ultrasonic waves were focused. This work unambiguously shows the feasibility of NGs for power conversion inside biofluid. It sets a solid foundation for self-powering implantable and wireless nanodevices and nanosystems in biofluid and any other type of liquid.
Electronic Person Perception What Do We Infer About People From the Style of Their E-mail Messages?

Previous studies of blogging and e-mail correspondence have focused on how writers express personality traits and emotion in their writing. This study complements these earlier studies by focusing ...
Probabilistic Multi-Sensor Fusion Based Indoor Positioning System on a Mobile Device

Nowadays, smart mobile devices include more and more sensors on board, such as motion sensors (accelerometer, gyroscope, magnetometer), wireless signal strength indicators (WiFi, Bluetooth, Zigbee), and visual sensors (LiDAR, camera). People have developed various indoor positioning techniques based on these sensors. In this paper, the probabilistic fusion of multiple sensors is investigated in a hidden Markov model (HMM) framework for mobile-device user-positioning. We propose a graph structure to store the model constructed by multiple sensors during the offline training phase, and a multimodal particle filter to seamlessly fuse the information during the online tracking phase. Based on our algorithm, we develop an indoor positioning system on the iOS platform. The experiments carried out in a typical indoor environment have shown promising results for our proposed algorithm and system design.
The microestimation of antibodies with one milliliter samples of antisera of low antibody content.

Abstract Refinement of an earlier microcolorimetric method for the quantitative estimation of antibody in human sera and low-grade antisera in animals now makes it possible to use as little as 3 ml. of serum for a blank and duplicate determinations.
Secondary Emission Calorimeter Sensor Development

In a Secondary Emission electron(SEe) detector module, Secondary Emission electrons (SEe) are generated from an SE surface/cathode, when charged hadronic or electromagnetic particles, particularly shower particles, penetrate an SE sampling module placed between absorber materials (Fe, Cu, Pb, W etc) in calorimeters. The SE cathode is a thin (10?50 nm thick) film (simple metal-oxides, or other higher yield materials) on the surface of a metal plate, which serves as the entrance "window" to a compact vacuum vessel (metal or metal-ceramic); this SE film cathode is analogous to a photocathode, and the SEe are similar to p.e., which are then amplified by dynodes, also is in a PMT. SE sensor modules can make use of electrochemically etched/machined or laser-cut metal mesh dynode sheets, as large as ~30 cm square, to amplify the Secondary Emission Electrons (SEe), much like those that compact metal mesh or mesh dynode PMT's use to amplify p.e.'s. The construction requirements easier than a PMT, since the entire final assembly can be done in air; there are no critical controlled thin film depositions, cesiation or other oxygen-excluded processes or other required vacuum activation, and consequently bake-out can be a refractory temperatures; the module is sealed by normal vacuum techniques (welding or brazing or other high temperature joinings), with a simple final heated vacuum pump-out and tip-off. The modules envisioned are compact, high gain, high speed, exceptionally radiation damage resistant, rugged, and cost effective, and can be fabricated in arbitrary tileable shapes. The SE sensor module anodes can be segmented transversely to sizes appropriate to reconstruct electromagnetic cores with high precision. The GEANT4 and existing calorimeter data estimated calorimeter response performance is between 35?50 Secondary Emission electrons per GeV, in a 1 cm thick Cu absorber calorimeter, with a gain per SEe > 105 per SEe, and an e/pi<1.2. The calorimeter pulse width is estimated to be <15 ns. With fine mesh sampling only (no thick absorbers) the resolution is ~25 MeV at 1 GeV.
MUTATIONAL CONTRIBUTIONS TO GENETIC VARIANCE-COVARIANCE MATRICES: AN EXPERIMENTAL APPROACH USING INDUCED MUTATIONS IN ARABIDOPSIS THALIANA.

Genetic potential for evolutionary change and covariational constraints are typically summarized as the genetic variance-covariance matrix G, and there is currently debate over the extent to which G remains effectively constant during the course of adaptive evolution. However, G provides only a temporally restricted view of constraints that ignores possible biases in how new mutations affect multivariate phenotypes. We used chemical mutagenesis to study the effect of mutations as summarized by the mutational covariance matrix, M, in Arabidopsis thaliana. By introducing mutations into three isogenic strains of A. thaliana, we were able to quantify M directly as the genetic variance-covariance matrix of mutagenized lines. Induced mutations generally did not alter the means of the six morphology and life-history traits we measured, but they did affect the levels of available genetic variation and the covariances among traits. However, these effects were not consistent among the three isogenic lines; that is, there were significant differences among the lines in both the number of mutations produced by ethyl-methane-sulfonate treatment and the M matrices they induced. The evolutionary implications of the dependence of M on the number of mutations, the particular genetic background, and the mutagenic sampling of loci in the genome are discussed in light of commonly applied models of multivariate evolution and the potential for the genetic architecture itself to change in ways that facilitate the coordinated evolution of complex phenotypes.
Confirmatory Factor Analysis via Noniterative Estimation: A Fast, Inexpensive Method:

A new method of estimating the parameters of confirmatory and exploratory factor analytic models is developed. It is based on generalized least squares estimation that is conditioned on a zero resi...
Preoperative Testing: Ethical Challenges, Evidence-Based Medicine and Informed Consent

Preoperative medical testing for anesthesia and surgery presents certain ethical challenges. Medical evidence suggests that most preoperative testing is unnecessary and may actually harm patients, violating the ethical principle of nonmaleficence. When preoperative testing is done, the anticipated true benefits and possible harms should be disclosed to the patient, as with any medical decision. Certain tests, such as pregnancy and HIV (human immunodeficiency virus) testing require particular care in the informed consent process, because they may be affected by the explicit legal rights of the patient. When patients refuse preoperative testing, the physician should generally respect the patient’s decisions unless it would lead to care that is bizarre, futile, or below published professional standards.
Shape preserving C2 cubic spline interpolation

A globally C 2 interpolatory cubic spline containing free parameters is derived and its properties established. Sufficient conditions are given for choosing the parameters to control monotonicity; convexity is discussed. An algorithm is developed and tested on several examples
Predictive Approaches to Establishing, Understanding, and Communicating Risk with Emphasis on Early Development

This chapter provides an overview of the concepts of quality and risk in early development. It utilizes the FDA quality by design wheel and emphasizes the concept of learning before doing. This chapter also emphasizes stability and factors that lead to instability. Finally, this chapter addresses moisture and moisture uptake.
Generalized DoF of the symmetric K-user interference channel under finite precision CSIT

The generalized degrees of freedom (GDoF) characterization of the symmetric K-user interference channel is obtained under finite precision channel state information at the transmitters (CSIT). The symmetric setting is where each cross channel is capable of carrying α degrees of freedom (DoF) while each direct channel is capable of carrying 1 DoF. Remarkably, under finite precision CSIT the symmetric K-user interference channel loses all the GDoF benefits of interference alignment. The GDoF per user diminish with the number of users everywhere except in the very strong (optimal for every receiver to decode all messages) and very weak (optimal to treat all interference as noise) interference regimes. The result stands in sharp contrast to prior work on the symmetric setting under perfect CSIT, where the GDoF per user remain undiminished due to interference alignment. The result also stands in contrast to prior work on a subclass of asymmetric settings under finite precision CSIT, i.e., the topological interference management problem, where interference alignment plays a crucial role and provides substantial GDoF benefits.
International Power on 'Power'

Can international power be effectively used to control ‘power’? Power sector carbon emissions to the environment must be solved for a solution to the international problem of climate change. Many of the large developing countries are underwriting the largest in world history push into more high-carbon coal-fired power, which will wholly frustrate world climate control goals. The United Nations scientific panel concluded, with high certainty, that the world is passing the point of being able to control increase in world temperature to less than 2 degrees C. (3.8 degrees Fahrenheit), the so-called ‘tipping point’ of the Planet’s climate. Tightening the screws of international climate law is necessary. This article applies legal tools to assess key variable in the international regulation of climate. This article critically examines the various comparative international, national, and subnational legal tools now addressing what many consider the most pressing world problem – with a comparison of the U.S. deployment of tools to those tools deployed internationally. This article assesses what international law is and is not doing successfully, and uses these lessons to chart the successful path forward to sustainability and manageable climate impact.
Smart connected canines: IoT design considerations for the lab, home, and mission-critical environments

The canine-human relationship continues to grow as dogs become an increasingly critical part of our society. As reliance on dogs has increased from simple companionship, to service dogs, urban security, and national defense, the opportunities for enhanced communications between the working canine and their handler increase. Wireless sensor networks and the Internet of Things (IoT) can extend traditional canine-human communication to integrate canines into the cyber-enabled world. This is what we call the Smart Connected Canine (SCC). Canine-computer interaction is sufficiently different from human-computer interaction so as to present some challenging research and design problems. There are physical and performance limits to what a dog will naturally tolerate. There are communications requirements for monitoring dogs, monitoring the environment, and for canine-human communications. Depending on the working environment there are different performance, security, and ergonomic considerations. This paper summarizes three example canine-human systems we presented earlier along with their Ion data characteristics and design criteria in order to explore how smart connected canines can improve our lives, the future of smart connected canines, and the requirements on IoT technologies to facilitate this future.
Gabapentin Does Not Appear to Improve Postoperative Pain and Sleep Patterns in Patients Who Concomitantly Receive Regional Anesthesia for Lower Extremity Orthopedic Surgery: A Randomized Control Trial.

In recent years, gabapentin has gained popularity as an adjuvant therapy for the treatment of postoperative pain. Numerous studies have shown a decrease in pain score, even with immediate postoperative activity, which is significant for early post-op ambulation and regaining functionality sooner. However, studies have been in conclusive in patients undergoing lower extremity orthopedic surgery. For this reason, we hoped to study the effect of gabapentin on postoperative pain in patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty, total hip arthroplasty, or a hip fracture repair. This was done in the setting of ensuring adequate postoperative analgesia with regional blocks and opioid PCA, as is protocol at our institution. Given the sedative effects of gabapentin and the potential for improving postoperative sleep patterns, we also studied the drug’s effect on this aspect of our patient’s postoperative course. We utilized the Pittsburg Sleep Quality Index and Visual Analog Scale for pain to obtain a more objective standardized score amongst our study population. Our results indicate that gabapentin does not offer any additional relief in pain or improve sleep habits in patients who have received either a femoral or lumbar plexus block for lower extremity orthopedic surgery. This trial is registered with NCT01546857.
Research - Teaching Gap: Ought We Preach to Teach?

Research on the question of ‘are we preparing doctoral students to teach’ reveals that new faculty are not prepared for their entry into academia. Furthermore, university stakeholders are increasin...
Growth restriction: identifying fetuses at risk

AbstractPurpose: Examine risks of intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) and composite perinatal outcomes with estimated fetal weights (EFW) 10–20th%, and compare outcomes using umbilical artery Doppler (UAD).Materials and methods: Retrospective, cohort evaluating ultrasound (US) EFW 10–20th%, between 2002 and 2012. Cases were identified with EFW % 10–20. Controls, EFW >20th% were obtained for each case, matched by gestational age, and US date. Unadjusted and adjusted logistic regression was used for outcomes.Results: Seven hundred and sixty-seven cases met criteria with matched controls. Fetuses having EFW 10–20th% (GA 33.6 ± 3.7 weeks) had increased IUGR on follow up ultrasound (OR 26.5[10.2–68.7], p < .01), small for gestational age (SGA) (OR 9.2 [6.9–12.3], p < .01), neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admissions (OR 2.4 [1.6–3.6], p < .01), and composite perinatal morbidity (OR 7.8 [6.0–10.1], p < .01) on adjusted analyses. Abnormal UAD in cases had greater rates of 5 min Apgar <7, NICU admission and...
Individualised avatars with complete anatomy constructed from the ANSUR II 3-D anthropometric database

Individualised 3-D finite element (FE) mesh static avatars with complete labelled internal anatomy were constructed in a fully computerised fashion using 3-D body surface scan mesh data from the ANSUR II 3-D anthropometric database. A combination of skeleton matching, landmark matching and surface matching were employed in a fully automatic method to generate affine geometric transformations deforming a segmented 3-D FE mesh (i.e., having labelled tetrahedral elements) representing standard genderspecific human anatomy. The standard anatomy was deformed to fit into the FE mesh of an individual's body surface scan acquired in the ANSUR II anthropometric study. Two hundred fifty male avatars were computed.
System architecture for tracking passengers inside an airport terminal using RFID

Experts predict the number of devices connected to Internet of Things will reach 50 billion in 2020. In this paper, we apply the concept of IoT to the airport management industry and investigate the utilization of RFID technology to enhance airport mobility and security. We propose a system to track passengers inside an airport terminal and focus on the optimization of its architecture. To that end, we develop a simulation model incorporating the most important parts of the system, including: An airport model based on Chicago O'Hare International Airport, a passenger trajectory model, a link budget model, a coverage model, a reader placement algorithm, a communication protocol and the limitations of available RFID technology and regulations. Next, we identify a set of architectural decisions, such as the physical limits of the system or the specific technology to be deployed, and develop performance and cost metrics to compare the plausible architectures. Then, based on the developed model and the metrics space, we present the architectural tradespace of the system and analyze the impact each decision has in order to optimize the architecture. Finally, we assess the viability of the chosen architecture in terms of coverage and tracking performance.
Induction of Auxotrophic Mutations in Plants

Auxotrophic mutants in microorganisms have contributed most importantly to the rapid development of genetics and biochemistry in the last three decades. Their usefulness is not limited to elucidation of the genetic control of biochemical pathways but they are indispensable for the study of protein synthesis, regulation, various mechanisms of information transfer, the nature of mutation etc.
Role of the Elementary School Cafeteria Environment in Fruit, Vegetable, and Whole-Grain Consumption by 6- to 8-Year-Old Students

Abstract Objective Examine how the physical cafeteria environment contributes to 6- to 8-year-olds’ school food consumption. Design Cross-sectional observational study. Before-and-after lunch tray photos taken with iPads to capture food selection and consumption. Setting 10 New York City public elementary school cafeterias. Participants A total of 382 students aged 6–8 years who ate lunch in the cafeteria on observation days. Main Outcome Measures Fruit, vegetable, or whole-grain consumption. Analysis Pearson's chi-square and multivariate logistic regression assessed associations between cafeteria environmental factors (time to eat lunch, noise, and crowding) and vegetable, fruit, and/or whole-grain consumption with 95% confidence, adjusted for school-level demographics and clustered by school. Results Approximately 70% of students selected fruits, vegetables, and/or whole grains. When selected, consumption was 25%, 43%, and 57%, respectively. Longer time to eat lunch was associated with higher consumption of fruits (odds ratio [OR] = 2.0; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.1–3.8; P = .02) and whole grains (OR = 2.1; 95% CI, 1.003–4.2; P Conclusions and Implications Healthy food consumption by 6- to 8-year-old students is associated with cafeteria crowding, noise, and time to eat lunch. Implementing and enforcing changes to the cafeteria environment mandated by wellness policies may reduce plate waste.
Biologically-Derived Nanomaterials for Targeted Therapeutic Delivery to the Brain:

Delivery of imaging agents and pharmaceutical payloads to the central nervous system (CNS) is essential for efficient diagnosis and treatment of brain diseases. However, therapeutic delivery is often restricted by the blood-brain barrier (BBB), which prevents transport of clinical compounds to their region of interest. This review discusses the methods that have been used to avoid or overcome this barrier, presenting the use of biologically-derived nanomaterial systems as an efficient strategy for the diagnosis and treatment of CNS diseases. Biological nanomaterials have many advantages over synthetic systems, including being biodegradable, biocompatible, easily surface functionalised for conjugation of targeting moieties, and are often able to self-assemble. These abilities are discussed in relation to various systems, including liposomes, dendrimers, and viral nanoparticles.
Learning to Give Reverse Causality Explanations for Correlations: Still Hard After All These Tries:

After explicit instruction on how to give possible bidirectional (two-way) causality explanations for a correlation, 240 students from eight sections of social psychology and research methods cours...
Salt marsh migration into salinized agricultural fields: A novel assembly of plant communities

QUESTIONS: Sea level rise and saltwater intrusion are changing low‐lying coastal landscapes, converting agricultural land and other upland habitats to tidal marsh. Abandoned, saline agricultural fields are affected by a unique combination of environmental filters, those traditionally found in tidal marsh — salinity and flooding — alongside those of cultivated lands — high nutrient availability and a history of disturbance. We asked how species composition and functional trait composition in saline fields compares to those in traditional old fields and natural ecotones, and whether trends in succession can be detected in saline fields during the first years post‐abandonment. LOCATION: Chesapeake Bay (Mid‐Atlantic, USA). METHODS: We surveyed plant communities assembling in saline fields and compared taxonomic and functional trait diversity to those in old‐field and marsh–forest ecotone communities. We also assessed changes in the saline fields after two and three years of abandonment to detect the direction of succession. RESULTS: Saline fields occupied an intermediate taxonomic and trait space between old fields and marsh ecotones. From old fields to saline fields to marsh, communities were less weedy, and more wetland, native, and perennial. Specific leaf area decreased across this transition, in concordance with expected changes in response to salinity. Over time, saline fields became less graminoid and less weedy, and more native, wetland, and woody. CONCLUSIONS: We conclude that marsh migration into abandoned farmland is producing a novel assembly of plant communities. Intermediate functional traits in the saline fields reflect the novel environmental filters imposed by saltwater intrusion and the cultivation legacy. These patterns suggest that abandoned, saline agricultural fields may develop somewhat differently than natural marsh boundaries, with more shrub dominance and greater resilience to Phragmites australis invasion. Importantly, these results suggest that saline fields will provide a facilitating route for marsh migration.
Abstract 1966: Obesity and prostate cancer progression: Role of the chemokine CXCL12

Obesity is a significant risk factor for several cancers in both men and women. A number of studies have shown that obesity is associated with increased prostate cancer (PCa) progression and higher mortality. However, the mechanism(s) for obesity-driven PCa remain unclear. In earlier studies, we showed that obesity enhances PCa progression in the HiMyc mouse model by changing the surrounding tumor microenvironment, especially the white adipose tissue (WAT). WAT consists of many cells including inflammatory cells, mature adipocytes and adipose stromal cells (ASCs). Here, we further investigated the role of ASCs and ASC derived CXCL12 in obesity-driven PCa progression. In HMVP2 cells, a PCa cell line derived from HiMyc mice expressing high levels of CXCR4, we observed activation of MAPKs (JNK and ERK), AKT, STAT3 and NFkB following treatment with CXCL12. These CXCL12-induced signaling pathways were inhibited by treating with AMD3100, a CXCR4 antagonist, and also by CXCR4 knock-down. To confirm this in vivo, we compared PCa tumor growth in lean and obese mice using the HMVP2 allograft model. Our data demonstrates that obesity promotes EMT in tumor cells and increases invasion of surrounding WAT into the tumor stoma. Treatment of mice with AMD3100 significantly inhibited the growth of HMVP2 tumors and suppressed EMT in both the obese and control diet groups. Furthermore, D-CAN, a hunter-killer peptide developed for targeting ASCs, also suppressed obesity-induced EMT and tumor growth in HMVP2 tumor allografts. Lastly, AMD3100 in combination with D-CAN, showed a significant reduction in PCa growth in obese mice compared to either agent used alone. These results provide evidence that ASCs activate the CXCL12/CXCR4 signaling as well as other pathways playing an important role in obesity-driven PCa progression. Our data suggests this pathway as a novel therapeutic target for inhibiting obesity-driven PCa growth and progression. Research supported by NCI Grant CA196259. Citation Format: Songyeon Ahn, Achinto Saha, Mikhail G. Kolonin, John DiGiovanni. Obesity and prostate cancer progression: Role of the chemokine CXCL12 [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 1966.
Independent association of tobacco use with opioid use disorder in patients of European ancestry with chronic non-cancer pain

Abstract Background The harms associated with prescription opioid abuse have become a public health crisis. There is a need for evidence-based objective markers of the risk of opioid use disorder (OUD) in patients with pain receiving opioid treatment. The objective of this study was to evaluate the independent association of tobacco use and OUD in patients with chronic non-cancer pain. Methods This cross-sectional naturalistic study evaluated 798 adults ≥ 18 years with chronic non-cancer pain treated with long-term opioid therapy (≥ 6 months) who either developed an OUD (cases, n = 216) or displayed no evidence of an OUD (controls, n = 582). The primary outcome was presence of OUD. In addition to current self-reported tobacco use (primary predictor), covariates included demographics, pain severity, and psychiatric history. Data were collected between November 2012 and September 2018. Results Current tobacco use independently was strongly associated with OUD [odds ratio (OR) 14.0, 95 % confidence interval (CI) 9.5–20.6, p Conclusions and relevance Current tobacco use is significantly associated with OUD in patients with chronic pain receiving long-term opioid therapy.
Abstract P290: The Association of Maternal Pre-pregnancy Weight With Childhood and Adolescent Blood Pressure and the Modifying Role of Vitamin D

Introduction: High blood pressure (BP) is the leading modifiable risk factor of cardiovascular diseases. High maternal pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) may be one of earliest risk factors for hi...
Innovative Interprofessional Approaches to Improving Well Being for Older Adults with Interacting Mental and Physical Health Concerns.

Fellow Clinical Gerontologists, we are excited to begin this issue with a review paper concerning companion animals and health in older adults that I expect will be of great interest to many, judgi...
Disentangling Increased Testing From Covid-19 Epidemic Spread

To design effective disease control strategies, it is critical to understand the incidence of diseases. In the Covid-19 epidemic in the United States (caused by outbreak of the SARS-CoV-2 virus), testing capacity was initially very limited and has been increasing at the same time as the virus has been spreading. When estimating the incidence, it can be difficult to distinguish whether increased numbers of positive tests stem from increases in the spread of the virus or increases in testing. This has made it very difficult to identify locations in which the epidemic poses the largest public health risks. Here, we use a probabilistic model to quantify beliefs about testing strategies and understand implications regarding incidence. We apply this model to estimate the incidence in each state of the United States, and find that: (1) the Covid-19 epidemic is likely to be more widespread than reported by limited testing, (2) the Covid-19 epidemic growth in the summer months is likely smaller than it was during the spring months, and (3) the regions which are at highest risk of Covid-19 epidemic outbreaks are not always those with the largest number of positive test results.
Creating Institutional Awareness and Standardizing Care of Adult Patients With Neck Airways

Background: In a 500 bed academic medical center comprised of multiple medical specialties that provide tracheostomy and laryngectomy services to the adult patient population. It was observed that there was a limited standard and quality of care. A team was created to develop standards and improve the quality of care for this patient population, their families and staff to ensure the highest standards in patient safety and experience. Methods: In November 2017 a Multidisciplinary Neck Airway Team consisting of a Team Coordinator (respiratory therapist), attending physician, speech pathologist and a wound care nurse was created to round weekly on all adult neck airway patients. The Multidisciplinary Neck Airway Team rounds include assessment of the airway device, skin integrity, emergency supplies, weaning needs such as (initial or routine trach changes, downsizing, speaking valves, swallow studies, capping trials and decannulation). The Multidisciplinary Neck Airway team coordinator is available throughout the week to provide help and resources for questions, concerns, order placement needs and supplies and evaluates patients that have been intubated with an endotracheal tube greater than 96 hours for possible early tracheostomy in collaboration with the patient’s provider. Working closely with social services, care coordination, clinical staff and the adult rehabilitation team, the Multidisciplinary team aids in the implementation of education for patients and family members to encourage independence and knowledge for discharge. Results: Based on our data provided to Vizient, baseline average length of stay (LOS) for this patient population for one year was 26 days; average direct cost of care was $76,000 per patient encounter. Post official launch of the team in April 2018, we analyzed the first 30 patients seen as part of the program. The LOS dropped to 25 days and the direct cost of care decreased to $64,000 per encounter. While these improvements are not statistically significant, the data set is small and are considered preliminary findings in this body of work, the team feels confident in the worthiness of this program. Conclusions: The implementation of this Multidisciplinary Neck Airway Team created institutional awareness and standardization, improving patient safety and quality. This in turn may decrease LOS, cost, related pressure injuries, length of mechanical ventilation, and possibly readmissions.