cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Implementation of an Inverted Classroom in Structural Design Courses

AbstractThe authors have used an inverted (flipped) classroom approach for the previous five years in upper level undergraduate courses in structural design (“Structural Steel and Reinforced Concre...
Clinical Outcomes by Race and Ethnicity in the Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (SPRINT): A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Background The Systolic Blood Pressure Intervention Trial (SPRINT) showed that targeting a systolic blood pressure (SBP) of ≤ 120 mm Hg (intensive treatment) reduced cardiovascular disease (CVD) events compared to SBP of ≤ 140 mm Hg (standard treatment); however, it is unclear if this effect is similar in all racial/ethnic groups. Methods We analyzed SPRINT data within non-Hispanic White (NHW), non-Hispanic Black (NHB), and Hispanic subgroups to address this question. High-risk nondiabetic hypertensive patients (N = 9,361; 30% NHB; 11% Hispanic) 50 years and older were randomly assigned to intensive or standard treatment. Primary outcome was a composite of the first occurrence of a myocardial infarction, acute coronary syndrome, stroke, decompensated heart failure, or CVD death. Results Average postbaseline SBP was similar among NHW, NHB, and Hispanics in both treatment arms. Hazard ratios (HRs) (95% confidence interval) (intensive vs. standard treatment groups) for primary outcome were 0.70 (0.57-0.86), 0.71 (0.51-0.98), 0.62 (0.33-1.15) (interaction P value = 0.85) in NHW, NHB, and Hispanics. CVD mortality HRs were 0.49 (0.29-0.81), 0.77 (0.37-1.57), and 0.17 (0.01-1.08). All-cause mortality HRs were 0.61 (0.47-0.80), 0.92 (0.63-1.35), and 1.58 (0.73-3.62), respectively. A test for differences among racial/ethnic groups in the effect of treatment assignment on all-cause mortality was not significant (Hommel-adjusted P value = 0.062) after adjustment for multiple comparisons. Conclusion Targeting a SBP goal of ≤ 120 mm Hg compared to ≤ 140 mm Hg led to similar SBP control and was associated with similar benefits and risks among all racial ethnic groups, though NHBs required an average of ~0.3 more medications. Clinical trials registration Trial Number NCT01206062, ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier at https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT01206062.
Budget impact analysis of niraparib and olaparib for maintenance treatment of platinum-sensitive, recurrent ovarian cancer in the US

Aims: This study aimed to evaluate the budget impact of niraparib and olaparib in patients with platinum-sensitive, recurrent ovarian cancer from a US third party payer perspective.Materials and me...
Noninvasive Markers of Liver Injury and Fibrosis

With the increasing use of highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) for human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) management and the subsequent decline in morbidity and mortality secondary to opportunistic infections, greater attention is being paid to the natural history of hepatitis C virus (HCV) among HIV–HCV coinfected patients. Graham et al.
Neuronal nitric oxide synthase and the autonomic innervation of the mouse lacrimal gland.

PURPOSE. To determine the expression patterns of the vesicular acetylcholine transporter (VAChT), tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) and neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) in the pterygopalatine ganglion (PPG) and the exorbital lacrimal gland of normal mice. METHODS. Mouse PPG and lacrimal glands were processed for single- and double-labeled indirect immunofluorescence studies. Slides were examined with conventional fluorescence microscopy and confocal laser scanning microscopy. RESULTS. All the somata in the PPG expressed both VAChT and nNOS immunoreactivity (IR). The postganglionic axons within the ganglion showed less VAChT-immunoreactive intensity than that seen in the somata, whereas nNOS IR was almost undetectable. In the lacrimal gland, nNOS-positive nerve bundles and fibers were observed to be associated with tear-collecting ducts, blood vessels, and acini. Some nNOS-positive punctate elements appeared to be distributed among acini. Many nerve fibers were VAChT immunoreactive and a small number of fibers were TH immunoreactive in the gland. Most of the VAChT-positive fibers and some of the TH-positive nerves displayed nNOS IR. CONCLUSIONS. The expression of nNOS in cells of the PPG and in lacrimal gland nerves suggests that NO may play a role in modulating tear production. The site of action may include the PPG, ducts, blood vessels, acini, nerve fibers, and myoepithelial cells within the gland. NO may modulate parasympathetic and/or sympathetic synaptic transmission or by acting directly on lacrimal gland components. The interaction between NO-ergic and the conventional autonomic input illustrates the complexity of the innervation pattern of the mouse lacrimal gland.
Early mummies from coastal Peru and Chile

The countries of Peru, Bolivia, Ecuador and Chile in South America, were the modern countries that occupied the major geographic areas in the Inca Empire. They incorporate all of the extremes of the world’s climatic conditions from the steaming jungles of the Amazon basin to the frigid arctic climates of the high Andean ranges, many of which have permanent snow and an average daily temperature of 0 °C. The western limits border the Pacific Ocean with a meeting of the sixty mile wide Humboldt current hugging the coast from Antarctica to Punto Parinas where it mixes with the warm Equatorial current to form one of the richest ocean fauna in the world. Unfortunately the coastal shore is cut by a series of short rivers running east to west that in many cases only have water a few months out of the year. This results in a narrow strip of coastal desert extending for about 3,000 km along the coast from Tumbes in Peru to Copiapo in Chile, that varies in width from a few kilometers to perhaps 200 at the widest part. The best known geographic area is the Atacama Desert, one of the driest spots on earth. This coastal strip is backed by two to three chains of very high mountains in which peaks reach a height well over 6,000 m, the highest Aconcagua is 6,690 m.
Physiology of Body Fluids in the Horse

This article presents a brief overview of the physiology of homeostasis in the horse and discusses the units of measurement by which dissolved electrolytes are assessed. Differences in electrolyte composition between compartments of the body and the manner in which water is exchanged between them are reviewed. The mechanisms by which alterations in osmolality and effective circulating volume are detected and the physiological responses to those alterations are presented.
Mixed-Mode Programmable and Scalable Architecture for On-Chip Learning

Typical analog VLSI architectures for on-chip learning are limited in functionality, and scale poorly under variable problem size. We present a scalable hybrid analog-digital architecture for backpropagation learning in multilayer feedforward neural networks, which integrates the flexible functionality and programmability of digital control functions with the efficiency of analog parallel neural computation. The architecture is fully scalable, both in the parallel analog functions of forward and backward signal propagation through synaptic and neural functional units (SynMod and NeuMod), and in the global and local digital functions controlling recall, learning, initialization, monitoring and built-in test. The architecture includes local provisions for long-term weight storage using refresh, which is transparent to the functional operation both during recall and learning. “Refresh While Learning” (RWL) provides a means to compensate for the finite precision of the quantized analog weights during learning. We include simulation results for a network of 32×32 neurons, mapped in parallel onto a MassPar computational engine, which validate the functionality of the architecture on simple character recognition tasks, and demonstrate robust operation of the trained network under 4-bit quantization of the weights owing to the RWL technique.
A Comparison of Laser-Protected Endotracheal Tubes

ObjectivesTo compare the physical characteristics of 3 laser-protected endotracheal tubes (LPETs) commonly used in endoscopic laser surgery. To report potential intraoperative problems related to L...
The maximum number of colorings of graphs of given order and size: A survey

Abstract Let m , n , λ be positive integers. What is the maximum number of proper vertex colorings in (at most) λ colors a graph with n vertices and m edges can have? On which graphs is this maximum attained? The question can be rephrased as the one of maximizing χ ( G , λ ) , the value of the chromatic polynomial of G at λ , over all graphs G with n vertices and m edges. This problem was stated independently by Wilf and Linial, and is still unsolved. In this article we survey the current state of the research directed at solving the problem.
Non-invasive ultrasound quantification of Scar Tissue Volume predicts functional changes during tendon healing

Abstract Tendon injuries are very common and disrupt the transmission of forces from muscle to bone, leading to impaired function and quality of life. Successful restoration of tendon function after injury is a challenging clinical problem due to the pathological, scar-mediated manner in which tendons heal. Currently, there are no standard treatments to modulate scar tissue formation and improve tendon healing. A major limitation to the identification of therapeutic candidates has been the reliance on terminal end-point metrics of healing in pre-clinical studies, which require a large number of animals and result in destruction of the tissue. To address this limitation, we have identified quantification of Scar Tissue Volume (STV) from ultrasound imaging as a longitudinal, non-invasive metric of tendon healing. STV was strongly correlated with established endpoint metrics of gliding function including Gliding Resistance (GR) and Metatarsophalangeal (MTP) Flexion Angle. However, no associations were observed between STV and tensile mechanical properties. To define the sensitivity of STV to identify differences between functionally discrete tendon healing phenotypes, we utilized S100a4 haploinsufficient mice (S100a4GFP/+), which heal with improved gliding function relative to wildtype (WT) littermates. A significant decrease in STV was observed in S100a4GFP/+repairs, relative to WT at day 14. Taken together, these data suggest US quantification of STV as a means to facilitate the rapid screening of biological and pharmacological interventions to improve tendon healing, and identify promising therapeutic targets, in an efficient, cost-effective manner.
PET/CT DERIVED ISCHEMIC BURDEN OF 10% PREDICTS OPTIMAL TREATMENT STRATEGY FOR SYMPTOMATIC CAD

A large percentage of ischemic myocardium on myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) stress test predicts adverse outcomes in symptomatic coronary artery disease (CAD). We evaluated using an ischemic burden (IB) of 10% derived from cardiac PET as a threshold for conservative versus invasive management
Assessing the effectiveness of revised performance standards for Salmonella contamination of comminuted poultry

Abstract Revised Salmonella performance standards for ground chicken and turkey were chosen based on a risk assessment model that predicted a 25% reduction in occurrence of human exposures to Salmonella-contaminated comminuted products following implementation of the standards. To assess the validity of the risk assessment model and its predictions, this study uses a Bayesian framework to compare prior and posterior distributions for model parameters. Prior distributions are informed by 24 months of data collected before the performance standards were implemented. The posterior distributions are generated using a sampling-importance resampling algorithm based on 36 months of data collected after implementing the standards. For the comminuted turkey model parameters, prior and posterior distribution comparisons suggest that the 25% reduction target was accomplished. In contrast, the results for comminuted chicken suggest that the actual reduction in Salmonella was somewhat less than the 25% target. For both commodities, the analysis does not invalidate the risk assessment model, although it does suggest areas for modification in the future.
SAT0230 GIANT CELL ARTERITIS WITH INTRACRANIAL VASCULITIS: A CASE SERIES

Background Giant cell arteritis (GCA) is a large vessel vasculitis that primarily affects the aorta and its branches. Extracranial branches of the carotid artery are frequently affected; however, intracranial involvement in GCA is rare [1]. Objectives To determine the clinical features and outcome of patients with intracranial giant cell arteritis (IC-GCA). Methods A retrospective medical record review was performed to identify all patients with IC-GCA from 1/1996 through 5/2018. Demographic, clinical, laboratory, radiographic, and treatment data at baseline and subsequent follow-up visits were collected. Data was summarized using descriptive statistics. Results The study cohort included 9 patients with IC-GCA (78% male, mean [±SD] age 72.1 [±7.9] years). 8 of 9 patients had positive temporal artery biopsies. One patient with negative biopsy had evidence of large-vessel GCA on thoracic CT angiography. The mean time from onset of GCA to intracranial involvement was 17 months (±38). All patients had neurologic symptoms, 33% (n:3) had a stroke and 22% (n:2) had a transient ischemic attack. IC-GCA was diagnosed by cranial imaging in 8 patients and by autopsy in one. Cranial imaging modalities used included magnetic resonance angiography (n=8), CT angiography (n=2) and cerebral angiography (n=2). Intracranial vasculitis most commonly affected the internal carotid artery 78% (N=7) followed by the, vertebral artery 56% (n=5), posterior cerebral artery 56% (n=5), middle cerebral artery 44% (n=4), anterior cerebral artery 33% (n=3) and posterior inferior cerebral artery 11% (n=1). Stenosis was present in 89%, occlusion in 33%, dilatation in 11%, and wall thickening in 11%. All patients received glucocorticoids. For treatment of intracranial disease, additional agents included: cyclophosphamide (67%), Tocilizumab (22%). Despite treatment, outcomes for patients with IC-GCA were poor. Five of nine patients died during a mean length of follow-up of 2.4 months. Conclusion Although rare, IC-GCA is associated with significant morbidity and mortality. It occurs predominantly in men, presenting with ischemic cerebrovascular events. Current treatment strategies appear to be of limited efficacy for IC-GCA. Reference [1] Salvarani C, Giannini C, Miller DV, Hunder G. Giant cell arteritis: Involvement of intracranial arteries. Arthritis Rheum. 2006;55(6):985-9. Disclosure of Interests None declared
Thermoresponsive Injectable Microparticle-Gel Composites with Recombinant BMP-9 and VEGF Enhance Bone Formation in Rats

Bone morphogenetic protein-9 (BMP-9) has been shown to be the most osteogenic BMP. Most of these experiments, however, involve an adenovirus-transfection strategy. Here, we used the scaffold-based strategy to study the bone forming ability of recombinant BMP-9 combined with vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). A robust, injectable, multicomponent-releasing scaffold in the form of a composite gel was developed by combining chitosan microparticles (MPs) with thermosensitive gel (MPs-gel). The MPs acted as the carriers for BMP-9 and the gel was loaded with VEGF. The developed gel consisted of hydrophobic chains of methyl cellulose (MC) and the cross-linked structures of alginate (Alg) and calcium. Gelation was achieved at physiological temperature and thus facilitated the injection and localization of MPs enabling an increased efficacy of incorporated growth factors at the target site. A release profile of incorporated growth factors over a two-week period showed higher release of VEGF at each time point compared to that of BMP-9. Human mesenchymal stem cells (hMSCs) encapsulated within the MPs-gel maintained their viability. BMP-9 enhanced the proliferation of hMSCs along the surface of MPs. Furthermore, BMP-9 potently induced the osteogenic differentiation of encapsulated hMSCs elucidated by the increased alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and the higher expression of ALP, collagen 1, and osteocalcin genes. In addition, in vivo experiments demonstrated that MPs-gel with the combination of BMP-9-VEGF could significantly enhance both subcutaneous and cranial bone formation (p < 0.05). Taken together, the results here strongly suggest that BMP-9-VEGF incorporated MPs-gel holds promise as an injectable bone tissue engineering platform.
Peer tutoring in nursing: Quantitative evaluation of a formalized undergraduate tutoring program

Background and objective: Based on the limited literature, a formalized peer tutoring program was developed at the study institution’s School of Nursing to promote the success of academically at-risk students. The evaluation process was designed to guide program improvement as well as to contribute to the available literature related to peer tutoring in programs of nursing. The purpose of this study was to formally evaluate a newly developed formalized peer tutoring program for undergraduate nursing students, to inform other undergraduate nursing programs considering implementing a peer tutoring program. Methods: The peer tutoring program was evaluated using parallel post-experience surveys for tutors and tutees. Participants also completed a Learning and Studying Strategies Questionnaire, to determine if strategy use differed between the two groups. Results: There were no statistically significant differences in learning/studying strategies used by tutors and tutees, with both being predominantly superficial strategies. Tutors and tutees evaluated the tutoring program overwhelmingly positively. A few students did make suggestions for improvements in the payment system and suggested making tutoring more widely available. Conclusions: The formalized peer tutoring program is a valuable asset in promoting the academic success of undergraduate nursing students. Minor changes to the program have been made according to student suggestions.
Time Reversal Signal Processing for Ultrasonic Communication through Metal Channels

Achieving a high bitrate (BR) and low bit error rate (BER) in ultrasonic communication through solids are challenging due to bit-wavelet spreading caused by the channel dispersion, attenuation, and multipath effect. This undesirable effect is more pronounced particularly in irregular shape channels like an elbow pipe and bent or warped plates. Time-reversal (TR) signal processing is a promising technique which can compress the spreading of the bit-wavelet and concentrate the signal energy for improving the communication BR. In this study, we examined the performance of the TR technique applied to the elbow shape pipe channel using piezoelectric transducers (PZT) and steel plate channel using electromagnetic acoustic transducers (EMATs). This paper presents an overview of the system design of the TR processing for ultrasonic communication. By comparing the signal- to-noise ratio (SNR) of different pulse duration for generating the TR signal, we determined the optimal pulse duration to be used as one-bit information. An experimental model is used to demonstrate the performance of TR method for ultrasonic communication through complex metal channels. Furthermore, results show the pulse-position modulation (PPM) is highly effective for improving BER in complex channels with severe dispersion, attenuation, and multipath effects.
Returning to life activities after hematopoietic cell transplantation in older adults.

Abstract Objectives The prevalence of hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) among older adults with hematological malignancies has more than doubled over the last decade and continues to grow. HCT is an intense process that can impact functional status and health-related quality of life. The objective of this paper is to describe the experience of returning to life activities after HCT in patients 60 years of age and older and the resources required to adapt and cope to limitations in physical, psychological, and cognitive function. Materials and Methods Twenty English speaking adults 60 years and older with hematological malignancy 3 to 12 months post-HCT completed semi-structured interviews. Open-ended questions and probes were guided by the Transactional Model of Stress and Coping to explore adaptive functioning, coping resources, and coping strategies. An integrated grounded theory approach was used to code the textual data to identify themes. The study took place at a tertiary comprehensive cancer center in the Midwest United States. Results Eight allogeneic and twelve autologous HCT recipients participated in the interviews. Nineteen participants were within 6–12 months and 1 participant was at 3 months post-HCT. Our findings identify the significant role of engaging in life activities and social support in the recovery of physical, psychological and cognitive function. Conclusion Older HCT recipients are an understudied population. They are at high risk for functional decline. Our findings may provide community oncologists and primary care physicians with a context for providing care to older HCT survivors during their recovery.
The Spatiality of Emotion in Early Modern China: From Dreamscapes to Theatricality: By Ling Hon Lam. New York: Columbia University Press, 2018. xiii + 339 pp. 18 illus. Cloth $60.00. Electronic $59.99.

The Spatiality of Emotion in Early Modern China: From Dreamscapes to Theatricality is a bold reconceptualization of fundamental questions in ontology, epistemology, and ethics. Ling Hon Lam proffer...
Lo visto y no visto en la autoficción testimonial "La Escuelita", de Alicia Partnoy

In La Escuelita. Relatos testimoniales (2006 [1986]), are woven together, as a form of exemplary testimonial autoficion, the first-hand testimony given by Alicia Partnoy, the victim, and the drawings made by her mother, Raquel Partnoy. The images contribute to the narrative construction of a visual and textual testimonio that revolves around vision, or lack thereof. The introspective gaze, therein represented visually and verbally, opens the victims to a space of fictionalization that transcends what is seen through the eyes. It is from within this autofictonal space of resistance, I claim, that the blindfolded captives of La Escuelita, including la reaparecida, Alicia Partnoy, navigate their world, and establish a sense of solidarity amongst themselves. Furthermore, Partnoy’s autofictional testimonio breaks with the understanding of literature as an autonomous manifestation detached from the real. La Escuelita is recognized as legal proof in the truth trials where Alicia Partnoy testified, thereby resolving, I argue, the tension between the fictional and the nonfictional that is inherent to literary testimony according to Kaminsky (1993), Taylor (1997), and Detwiler (2000), among others.
Maximizing Resilience under Defender Attacker Model in Heterogeneous Multi-Networks

Our economy, military, and our society as a whole is entirely dependent on our utility infrastructure. This fact makes network security of critical importance to both the public and private sectors. Information about the vulnerability of multi-networks is critical from a defensive point of view, and it may not be immediately obvious which component is the most critical module of an infrastructure system without a sophisticated analysis. Many real-world systems have an inherently hierarchical structure in which the leader and the follower have opposite goals. This makes it of critical importance to develop bi-level models which are representative of reality and also computationally tractable. In this paper we design a nested hierarchical evolutionary model in which the attacker evolves as the defender attempts to maximize flow in their multi-commodity network. This scheme takes advantage of the ability to solve Mixed Integer Linear Programing problems (MILPs) extremely quickly using existing maximum flow techniques, while solving the NP-hard bi-level optimization problem heuristically, as our algorithm evolves towards optimality from the attacker’s perspective.
The Most Difficult News Training “Should Be Mandatory For All Medical Students:” A Qualitative Analysis Of Medical Student Perspectives On Simulated Death Notification

Background: Notifying a patient’s loved one about their death is a particularly challenging skill that requires specific training. Objective: We aimed to evaluate fourth year medical student (MS4) perspectives on a formative standardized patient (SP) encounter focused on death notification over the telephone. Design/Methods: As part of an MS4 capstone advanced communication skills workshop, an SP case was created for students to practice notification of death over the …
Fluorescence imaging through dynamic scattering media with and without using wavefront shaping

Fluorescence imaging is indispensable to biomedical research, and yet it remains challenging to image through dynamic scattering samples. Wavefront shaping has enabled fluorescence imaging through scattering media. However, the translation of these techniques into in vivo applications has been hindered by the lack of high speed solutions to counter the fast speckle decorrelation of dynamic tissue. Here, we report an ultrasound enabled optical imaging method that instead leverages the dynamic nature to perform imaging. The method utilizes the correlation between dynamic speckle encoded fluorescence and ultrasound modulated light signal that originate from the same location within a sample. We successfully imaged fluorescent targets within a dynamic scattering medium.
Mapping Network Activity in Sleep

It was in the influenza pandemic of 1918 that von Economo identified specific brain regions regulating sleep and wake. Since then researchers have used a variety of tools to determine how the brain shifts between states of consciousness. In every enterprise new tools have validated existing data, corrected errors and made new discoveries to advance science. The brain is a challenge but new tools can disentangle the brain network. We summarize the newest tool, a miniature microscope, that provides unprecedented view of activity of glia and neurons in freely behaving mice. With this tool we have observed that the activity of a majority of GABA and MCH neurons in the lateral hypothalamus is heavily biased toward sleep. We suggest that miniscope data identifies activity at the cellular level in normal versus diseased brains, and also in response to specific hypnotics. Shifts in activity in small networks across the brain will help identify point of criticality that switches the brain from wake to sleep.
Exosomes provide unappreciated carrier effects that assist transfers of their miRNAs to targeted cells; I. They are ‘The Elephant in the Room’

Extracellular vesicles (EV), such as exosomes, are emerging biologic entities that mediate important newly recognized functional effects. Exosomes are intracellular endosome-originating, cell-secreted, small nano-size EV. They can transfer cargo molecules like miRNAs to act intracellularly in targeted acceptor cells, to then mediate epigenetic functional alterations. Exosomes among EV, are universal nanoparticles of life that are present across all species. Some critics mistakenly hold exosomes to concepts and standards of cells, whereas they are subcellular nanospheres that are a million times smaller, have neither nuclei nor mitochondria, are far less complex and currently cannot be studied deeply and elegantly by many and diverse technologies developed for cells over many years. There are important concerns about the seeming impossibility of biologically significant exosome transfers of very small amounts of miRNAs resulting in altered targeted cell functions. These hesitations are based on current canonical concepts developed for non-physiological application of miRNAs alone, or artificial non-quantitative genetic expression. Not considered is that the natural physiologic intercellular transit via exosomes can contribute numerous augmenting carrier effects to functional miRNA transfers. Some of these are particularly stimulated complex extracellular and intracellular physiologic processes activated in the exosome acceptor cells that can crucially influence the intracellular effects of the transferred miRNAs. These can lead to molecular chemical changes altering DNA expression for mediating functional changes of the targeted cells. Such exosome mediated molecular transfers of epigenetic functional alterations, are the most exciting and life-altering property that these nano EV bring to virtually all of biology and medicine. .Abbreviations: Ab, Antibody Ag Antigen; APC, Antigen presenting cells; CS, contact sensitivity; DC, Dendritic cells; DTH, Delayed-type hypersensitivity; EV, extracellular vesicles; EV, Extracellular vesicle; FLC, Free light chains of antibodies; GI, gastrointestinal; IP, Intraperitoneal administration; IV, intravenous administration; OMV, Outer membrane vesicles released by bacteria; PE, Phos-phatidylethanolamine; PO, oral administration.
Electro-thermo-mechanical behavior of carbon nanopaper shape memory polymer composites:

An electro-active composite based on carbon nanopaper (CNP) shape memory polymer (SMP) composite is proposed for actuating deployment of composite deployable structures. Carbon nanopaper shape memo...
Drinking patterns of post-deployment Veterans: The role of personality, negative urgency, and posttraumatic stress

Rates of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and alcohol misuse are known to be high among post-deployment Veterans. Previous research has found that personality factors may be relevant predictors of post-deployment drinking, yet results have been inconsistent and may be influenced by the selection of drinking outcome. This study aimed to examine relations between PTSD, negative urgency, and the five factor models of personality with multiple alcohol consumption patterns, including maximum drinks in a day, number of binge drinking episodes, at-risk drinking, and average weekly drinks in a sample of 397 Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom/Operation New Dawn (OEF/OIF/OND) Veterans. The pattern of results suggested that the association between personality, PTSD, and drinking may depend on which drinking outcome is selected. For example, maximum drinks in a day was significantly associated with younger age, male gender, low agreeableness, and an interaction between negative urgency and PTSD, whereas number of binge drinking days was significantly associated with younger age, extraversion, low agreeableness, and negative urgency. This study highlights the heterogeneity of drinking patterns among Veterans and the need for careful consideration and transparency of outcomes selection in alcohol research.
EARLY STRENGTH TESTING AFTER ACL RECONSTRUCTION IMPACTS ISOKINETIC STRENGTH PERFORMANCE AT TIME OF RETURN TO SPORT

Background:The standard of care in ACL reconstruction (ACLR) typically involves standardized strength testing at 6 months or later to assess a patient’s readiness to return to play (RTP) using isok...
Incidence of Aphids (Homoptera: Aphididae) and Associated Potyviruses in Summer Squash in Arkansas

A field study conducted in two Arkansas locations determined that five aphid species, Aphis craccivora Koch, Aphis gossypii Glover, Acyrthosiphon pisum (Harris), Rhopalosiphum maidis (Fitch) and My...
Simile and Identity in Ovid's Metamorphoses

Nulli sua forma manebat. The world of Ovid's Metamorphoses is marked by constant flux in which nothing keeps its original form. This book argues that Ovid uses the epic simile to capture states of unresolved identity - in the transition between human, animal and divine identity, as well as in the poem's textual ambivalence between genres and the negotiation of fiction and reality. In conjuring up a likeness, the mental image of the simile enters a dialectic of appearances in a visually complex and treacherous universe. Original and subtle close readings of episodes in the poem, from Narcissus to Adonis, from Diana's blush to the freeform dreams in the House of Sleep, trace the simile's potential for exploiting indeterminacy and immateriality. In its protean permutations the simile touches on the most profound issues of the poem - the nature of humanity and divinity and the essence of poetic creation.
Procurement process maturity: key to performance measurement

Performance measurement has been receiving increased attention in public organizations. As performance measurement systems begin to take on a central focus by public sector organizations, the challenges of measuring and improving critical organizational processes continue to increase in importance. Furthermore, as the procurement process continues to gain critical importance in public sector organizations, the need to apply specific performance measurement methods to measure and improve the procurement processes is essential for mission success. This article introduces the Contract Management Maturity Model (CMMM) as a method for assessing, measuring, and improving an organization’s procurement processes. The results of the case study describe the organizational benefits of using a contract management maturity model as a performance measurement, as well as a process improvement method.
THE GENUS VEILLONELLA II. : Nutritional Studies

Rogosa, M. (National Institute of Dental Research, U.S. Public Health Service, Bethesda, Md.), and Ferial S. Bishop. The genus Veillonella . II. Nutritional studies. J. Bacteriol. 87: 574–580. 1964.—A medium is described for the study of the vitamin, hypoxanthine, putrescine, or cadaverine requirements of 86 Veillonella isolates from man, rabbit, rat, and hamster. No organism required riboflavine or folic acid for growth. Niacin and calcium pantothenate were often stimulatory, but in nearly all cases were dispensable. Biotin and p -aminobenzoic acid were frequently stimulatory and sometimes indispensable for continued growth. V. parvula (antigenic group VI) required pyridoxal and thiamine and did not require putrescine or cadaverine. V. alcalescens (antigenic group IV) required pyridoxal, generally required thiamine, and also required putrescine or cadaverine. Of the isolates, 25 from the rat and 3 from the hamster (antigenic group II) generally behaved like V. parvula , except that a putrescine or cadaverine requirement was often observed. Spermine, spermidine, and agmatine could not replace putrescine or cadaverine. Although succinate is metabolized by resting cells, the organisms could not grow with succinate as an energy source.
Identification of γ-ray lines observed from SS433

Lamb et al. recently have reported preliminary evidence for ..gamma..-ray line emission from the region of SS433. These authors have suggested that observed gamma-ray line features at 1.2 and 1.5 MeV may be the red- and blue-shifted components of the 1.369-MeV line from the first excited state to ground-state transition in /sup 24/Mg. The purpose of this note is to point out some serious difficulties with this interpretation of the observed ..gamma..-ray lines.
Rehabilitation considerations for a patient with external hemipelvectomy and hemisacrectomy for recurrent soft tissue pelvic sarcoma: a case report

AbstractBackground and purpose: External hemipelvectomy (EHP) is an uncommon procedure involving surgical amputation of the lower extremity and hemipelvis. Soft tissue sarcomas of the pelvis are rare and accompanied by a high risk of disease progression after surgical intervention. The purpose of this case report is to describe the rehabilitation considerations and importance of interdisciplinary collaboration to achieve functional goals to allow discharge with improved independence and decreased caregiver burden. Case description: A 58-year-old Caucasian male patient underwent a hemipelvectomy and hemisacrectomy for treatment of a recurrent pelvic soft tissue sarcoma following 4 months of bed confinement secondary to pain and weakness of the involved lower extremity. This report outlines the physical therapy interventions during 3 weeks of inpatient rehabilitation. Conclusion: This case demonstrates that continuous interdisciplinary care of a complex patient with EHP and hemisacrectomy contributes to sig...
C'Mon: a predictable monitoring infrastructure for system-level latent fault detection and recovery

Embedded and real-time systems must balance between many often conflicting goals including predictability, high utilization, efficiency, reliability, and SWaP (size, weight, and power). Reliability is particularly difficult to achieve without significantly impacting the other factors. Though reliability solutions exist for application-level, they are invalidated by system-level faults that are particularly difficult to detect and recover from. This paper presents the C'Mon system for predictably and efficiently monitoring system-level execution, and validating that it conforms with the high-level analytical models that underlie the timing guarantees of the system. Latent faults such as timing errors, incorrect scheduler decisions, unbounded priority inversions, or deadlocks are detected, the faulty component is identified, and using previous work in system recovery, the system is brought back to a stable state – all without missing deadlines.
Comparison of automated red cell exchange transfusion and simple transfusion for the treatment of children with sickle cell disease acute chest syndrome.

Background Both simple transfusion (ST) of packed red blood cells and automated red cell exchange (RCE) are used in the treatment of acute chest syndrome (ACS). We report our experience using each of these modalities for the treatment of ACS. Methods Retrospective chart review of patients with ACS treated with ST only (51 episodes, ST group) or RCE performed either at diagnosis (U-RCE group, 15 episodes) or after ST (ST + RCE group, 15 episodes). Results The mean clinical respiratory score (CRS) at diagnosis was significantly higher in the U-RCE group than in the ST group, but there were no significant differences among the other groups. The CRS and WBC each decreased significantly after simple transfusion in the ST group and after RCE in the U-RCE group, but both the CRS and WBC increased significantly, and the mean platelet count fell significantly, after simple transfusion in the ST + RCE group. Only patients in the ST + RCE group required mechanical ventilation. There were no significant differences in length of stay (LOS) or total hospital charges among any of the groups, probably due to the small sample size. Conclusions We conclude that the CRS identifies the patients who are most severely affected with ACS, and that upfront RCE is a safe and effective treatment for these patients. Additional work is needed to develop a method to predict which of the apparently less severely affected patients will fail to improve after simple transfusion and should receive upfront RCE. Pediatr Blood Cancer 2013;60:1952–1956. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Errata and Retractions in Electronic Journals

Abstract Alerting readers to errata and retractions is a vital service which librarians have traditionally performed by adding notices to print journals. In the electronic environment, technology offers the capability of alerting readers more effectively than was ever possible in print journals. The authors sought to determine if publishers of biomedical electronic journals are indeed taking full advantage of technology to notify readers of errata and retractions. While data could not be gathered for quantifiable results, the authors observed a definite lack of standardization. The authors recommend that publishers make hypertext links between the original article and its correction or retraction in addition to posting a notice in the table of contents.
The effect of age and gender on motor vehicle driver injury severity at highway-rail grade crossings in the United States.

Abstract Introduction Based on the Federal Railway Administration (FRA) database, there were 25,945 highway-rail crossing accidents in the United States between 2002 and 2011. With an extensive database of highway-rail grade crossing accidents in the United States from 2002 to 2011, estimation results showed that there were substantial differences across age/gender groups for driver's injury severity. Method The study applied an ordered probit model to explore the determinants of driver injury severity for motor vehicle drivers at highway-rail grade crossings. Results The analysis found that there are important behavioral and physical differences between male and female drivers given a highway-rail grade crossing accident happened. Practical applications Older drivers have higher fatality probabilities when driving in open space under passive control especially during bad weather condition. Younger male drivers are found to be more likely to have severe injuries at rush hour with high vehicle speed passing unpaved highway-rail grade crossings under passive control. Synthesizing these results led to the conclusion that the primary problem with young is risk-taking and lack of vehicle handling skills. The strength of older drivers lies in their aversion to risk, but physical degradation issues which result in longer reaction/perception times and degradation in vision and hearing often counterbalance this attribute.
Prevention of Water Damage in Asphalt Mixtures

This paper summarizes the findings of a six-year study of moisture damage of asphalt mixtures, which was conducted at The University of Texas at Austin. The objectives of the study were to define the nature and severity of moisture damage in asphalt pavement mixtures, develop techniques to identify mixtures that are moisture susceptible, and develop recommendations to eliminate or minimize the problem. While this study has primarily focused on problems and mixtures in Texas, additional mixtures and experience from other areas in North America were considered. The study involved laboratory investigations, including the evaluation of mixtures subsequently used in construction, a field evaluation of methods of treating asphalt mixtures with hydrated lime, and an evaluation of actual pavement mixtures that exhibited moisture damage. The majority of the work utilized the wet-dry indirect tensile test (Lottman), the Texas freeze-thaw pedestal test, and the Texas boiling test, which are discussed with respect to their ability to estimate moisture susceptibility of asphalt-aggregate mixtures. The results obtained for a variety of antistripping agents, including hydrated lime and silanes, are summarized, along with the results of a field experiment to evaluate methods for using hydrated lime. Finally, recommendations are made with regard to methods of alleviating moisture damage, including methods of treating moisture susceptible aggregate with hydrated lime.
Inducing cell rotation in a microfluidic device by hydrodynamic forces

The realization of a novel microfluidic device for inducing cell rotation is reported. It exploits the hydrodynamic forces acting on cells moving in a flow characterized by a parabolic velocity profile. The device operation was tested on yeast cells, since they have an asymmetrical shape due to a bud formation during the duplication phase. Image processing analysis of the experimental data allowed to precisely evaluate the cell angular orientation and rotation rate.
Jaw Tremor Resulting in Broken Teeth: On the Essential Tremor Spectrum.

Background: Jaw tremors in essential tremor (ET) rarely represent anything other than a cosmetic concern. Phenomenology Shown: A case of an ET patient whose jaw tremor was severe enough to result in cracked teeth. Educational Value: It behooves treating clinicians to be aware of the full spectrum of this movement disorder.
Performance, Workload, and Stress in Vigilance: The Power of Choice:

Observers were provided the illusion of choice by permitting them to ‘choose’ an easy or a hard version of a vigilance task. Participants were then assigned at random to either the condition they expressed preference for or their non-preferred condition. Participants in the comparison control condition were not offered the opportunity to choose. Task demand was manipulated using event rate variation, divided into high and low event rates. Results indicated that permitting participants a choice regarding ‘difficulty level’ and subsequently assigning them to that level enhanced signal detections but did not reduce their perceived workload and stress. In contrast, offering a choice and then assigning observers to their non-preferred condition impaired performance relative to a condition in which no choice was provided. This pattern of effects was more pronounced at the low compared to the high event rate. These results confirm the importance of motivational effects in vigilance and the impact choice has on p...
The primary electron acceptor in photosynthesis.

Summary ESR studies on light induced reactions in Chromatium D at liquid helium temperatures reveals that the primary electron acceptor of reaction center bacteriochlorophyll has a signal at approximately g 1.82. Hence, the primary electron acceptor is probably an iron-sulphur protein. Using the same approach with spinach chloroplasts, a signal which is typical of a reduced iron-sulphur protein of plants is formed after a brief period of illumination.
Transbronchial Lung Biopsy via the Fiberoptic Bronchoscope: Experience with 107 Consecutive Cases and Comparison with Bronchial Brushing

Transbronchial lung biopsy (TBB) was performed during fiberoptic bronchoscopy under fluoroscopic guidance in 107 patients. TBB was diagnostic in 17 of 21 (81 percent) cases with localized malignant lesions greater than 4 cm in diameter and bronchial brushing was positive in 12 (57 percent). TBB was diagnostic in 14 of 24 (58 percent) cases with localized malignant lesions equal to or less than 4 cm in diameter, whereas brush biopsy was positive in 7 (29 percent). In 13 cases with suspected Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia, the combination of TBB and brush biopsy was diagnostic of P carinii pneumonia in all 11 patients; TBB was diagnostic in 10 and brush biopsy diagnostic in 5. Cytomegalovirus pneumonitis was diagnosed in the other two cases. In 20 patients with localized infiltrates or nodules, a TBB diagnosis of acute or chronic inflammation excluded malignancy in 15 of 18 cases (follow-up 3 to 24 months) and tuberculosis was diagnosed in 2. Malignancy was found in one patient with acute inflammation on TBB. TBB accurately diagnosed 23 of 29 (79 percent) cases of diffuse lung disease. Following TBB, one patient had pneumothorax and nine patients had hemoptysis not requiring treatment TBB and bronchial brushing via the flexible fiberoptic bronchoscope offer good diagnostic accuracy and a low complication rate in both diffuse and localized lung diseases.
Race, income, and home PC ownership: a regional analysis of the digital divide

Abstract While digital divide research has focused on differences in computer access at the national level, few studies have examined interrelationships among race, income, and personal computer (PC) ownership at the regional level. This article examines the racial and economic divide in home PC ownership across four census regions of the U.S. Our analyses are based on supplementary data from the Census Bureau’s August 2000 Current Population Survey. The results indicate that White households are significantly more likely to own a PC than African American households in all regions. The extent of this racial divide is greatest in the Midwest and smallest in the West, and particularly high in the $50,000–$75,000 income category. The racial divide in PC ownership is negated only in households earning more than $75,000 annually. A significantly large income divide also exists among African American PC owners in all regions.