cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Data Organization and Curation in Big Data

This chapter covers advanced techniques in Big Data analytics and query processing. As the data is getting bigger and, at the same time, workloads and analytics are getting more complex, the advances in big data applications are no longer hindered by their ability to collect or generate data. But instead, by their ability to efficiently and effectively manage the available data. Therefore, numerous scalable and distributed infrastructures have been proposed to manage big data. However, it is well known in literature that scalability and distributed processing alone are not enough to achieve high performance. Instead, the underlying infrastructure has to be highly optimized for various types of workloads and query classes. These optimizations typically start from the lowest layer of the data management stack, which is the storage layer. In this chapter, we will cover two well-known techniques for optimized storage and organization of data that have big influence on query performance, namely the indexing, and data layout techniques. However, in the cases of non-traditional workloads where queries have special execution and data-access characteristics, the standard indexing and layout techniques may fall short in providing the desired performance goals. Therefore, further optimizations specific to the workload characteristics can be applied. In this chapter, we will cover techniques addressing several of these non-traditional workloads in the context of big data. Some of these techniques rely on curating either the data or the workflows (or both) with useful metadata information. This curation information can be very valuable for both query optimization and the business logic. In this chapter, we will cover the curation and metadata management of big data in query optimization and different systems. In this chapter, we focus on the MapReduce-like infrastructures, more specifically its open-source implementation Hadoop. The chapter covers the state-of-art in big data indexing techniques, and the data layout and organization strategies to speedup queries. It will also cover advanced techniques for enabling non-traditional workloads in Hadoop. Hadoop is primarily designed for workloads that are characterized by being batch, offline, ad-hoc, and disk-based. Yet, this chapter will cover recent projects and techniques targeting non-traditional workloads such as continuous query evaluation, main-memory processing, and recurring workloads. In addition, the chapter covers recent techniques proposed for data curation and efficient metadata management in Hadoop. These techniques vary from being semantic specific, e.g., provenance tracking techniques, to generic frameworks for data curation and annotation.
Dynamic Triple-Mode Sorption and Outgassing in Materials

Moisture uptake and outgassing can be detrimental to a system by altering the chemical and mechanical properties of materials within the system over time. In this work, we conducted isotherm experiments to investigate dynamic moisture sorption and desorption in markedly different materials, i.e., a polymeric material, Sylgard-184 and a ceramic aluminosilicate material, Zircar RS-1200, at different temperatures (30 °C–70 °C) by varying the water activity (0.0–0.90). Sylgard-184 showed a linear sorption and outgassing behavior with no-hysteresis over the entire temperature and water activity range considered here. Whereas, the sorption and outgassing of Zircar RS-1200 was highly non-linear with significant hysteresis, especially at higher water activities, at all temperatures considered here. The type of hysteresis suggested the presence of mesopores in Zircar RS-1200, whereas the lack of hysteresis in Sylgard-184 indicates that it has a nonporous structure. A diffusion model coupled with a dynamic, triple-mode sorption (Langmuir, Henry, and pooling modes) model employed in this study matched our experimental data very well and provides mechanistic insight into the processes. Our triple-mode sorption model was adaptive enough to (1) model these distinctly different materials and (2) predict sorption and outgassing under conditions that are distinctly different from the parameterization experiments.
Electromagnetic simulation of specific absorption rate at 5G frequencies with a simplified human head model and a multi-solver method

An electromagnetic modeling approach is presented for the simulation of the specific absorption rate (SAR) in a human head at 60 GHz. Based on the strong skin effect, the human head model is simplified to reduce the computation cost. The multi-solver method based on the Robin transmission condition is employed to compute electromagnetic fields in the simplified human head. The SAR is calculated after the electromagnetic fields are computed. Numerical examples show that the multi-solver method is very efficient in solving electromagnetic fields in the human head and the simplified human head model can be used in the SAR simulation with an acceptable accuracy.
A structural coarse-grained model for clays using simple iterative Boltzmann inversion

Cesium-137 is a major byproduct of nuclear energy generation and is environmentally threatening due to its long half-life and affinity for naturally occurring micaceous clays. Recent experimental observations of illite and phlogopite mica indicate that Cs+ is capable of exchanging with K+ bound in the anhydrous interlayers of layered silicates, forming sharp exchange fronts, leading to interstratification of Cs- and K-illite. We present here a coarse-grained (CG) model of the anhydrous illite interlayer developed using iterative Boltzmann inversion that qualitatively and quantitatively reproduces features of a previously proposed feedback mechanism of ion exchange. The CG model represents a 70-fold speedup over all-atom models of clay systems and predicts interlayer expansion for K-illite near ion exchange fronts. Contrary to the longstanding theory that ion exchange in a neighboring layer increases the binding of K in lattice counterion sites leading to interstratification, we find that the presence of neighboring exchanged layers leads to short-range structural relaxations that increase basal spacing and decrease cohesion of the neighboring K-illite layers. We also provide evidence that the formation of alternating Cs- and K-illite interlayers (i.e., ordered interstratification) is both thermodynamically and mechanically favorable compared to exchange in adjacent interlayers.
Inventing the Opera House: Theater Architecture in Renaissance and Baroque Italy

In this book, Eugene J. Johnson traces the invention of the opera house, a building type of world wide importance. Italy laid the foundation theater buildings in the West, in architectural spaces invented for the commedia dell'arte in the sixteenth century, and theaters built to present the new art form of opera in the seventeenth. Rulers lavished enormous funds on these structures. Often they were among the most expensive artistic undertakings of a given prince. They were part of an upsurge of theatrical invention in the performing arts. At the same time, the productions that took place within the opera house could threaten the social order, to the point where rulers would raze them. Johnson reconstructs the history of the opera house by bringing together evidence from a variety of disciplines, including music, art, theatre, and politics. Writing in an engaging manner, he sets the history of the opera house within its broader early modern social context.
Exercise capacity in asymptomatic patients with significant primary mitral regurgitation: independent effect of global longitudinal left ventricular strain

Background: Despite preserved left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF), patients with significant primary mitral regurgitation (MR) often have reduced exercise capacity. In asymptomatic patients with ≥3+ primary MR undergoing rest-stress echocardiography (RSE), we sought to evaluate the incremental impact of left ventricular global longitudinal strain (LV-GLS) on exercise capacity. Methods: A total of 660 asymptomatic patients with ≥3+ primary MR, non-dilated LV and LVEF ≥60% (mean age, 57±14 years, 66% men, body mass index or BMI 25±4 kg/m 2 ) who underwent RSE at our center between 2001 and 2013 were included. Standard RSE data were obtained. Average resting LV-GLS was measured using Velocity Vector Imaging. Results: Mean mitral effective regurgitant orifice, resting right ventricular systolic pressure (RVSP) and LV-GLS were 0.45±0.2 cm 2 , 31±12 mmHg and −21.7%±2%, respectively; 28% had flail mitral leaflet. Mean metabolic equivalents (METs) and post-stress RVSP were 9.9±3, and 46±17 mmHg; 28% achieved <100% age-gender predicted METs. No patient had ischemia or significant arrhythmias. On logistic regression, resting LV-GLS [odds ratio (OR), 1.40, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.21–1.55, BMI (OR, 1.11, 95% CI: 1.06–1.17)] and resting RVSP 1.22 (1.02–1.49) were independent predictors of exercise capacity. Area under the curve for association between 100% age-gender predicted METs and various factors were as follows: (I) BMI (0.60, 95% CI: 0.55–0.65, P<0.001); (II) resting RVSP (0.57, 95% CI: 0.52–0.62, P=0.006) and LV-GLS (0.66, 95% CI: 0.61–0.70, P<0.001). Conclusions: In asymptomatic patients with ≥3+ primary MR, non-dilated LV and preserved LVEF, LV-GLS is independently associated with exercise capacity, beyond known predictors.
Acute Oral Ingestion of a Multi-ingredient Preworkout Supplement Increases Exercise Performance and Alters Postexercise Hormone Responses: A Randomized Crossover, Double-Blinded, Placebo-Controlled Trial.

Multi-ingredient preworkout supplements (MIPS) are marketed as a means to increase exercise performance. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of a single serving of Bang Pre-Workou...
Parental Distress and Stress in Association with Health-Related Quality of Life in Youth with Spina Bifida: A Longitudinal Study.

OBJECTIVE This study examined associations between 3 distinct parent factors (parent personal distress, parenting stress, and spina bifida (SB)-specific parenting stress) and youth and parent proxy reports of youth health-related quality of life (HRQOL) over time. METHOD Participants were recruited as part of a longitudinal study, and data were collected at 3 time points, spaced 2 years apart. Parents and youth completed questionnaires, and youth completed neuropsychological assessment tasks to determine youth intelligence quotient during home visits. RESULTS Analyses revealed that higher levels of maternal SB-specific parenting stress were related to lower levels of youth-reported HRQOL at time 1. Other parent factors were not associated with youth report of HRQOL at the earlier time points, although higher levels of maternal SB-specific parenting stress and paternal parenting stress were associated with lower levels of youth HRQOL at time 3. For mothers and fathers, increased parent personal distress, parenting stress, and SB-specific parenting stress were associated with decreased proxy report of youth HRQOL. Of these three parent factors, SB-specific parenting stress was consistently the most strongly associated with parent proxy-report of youth HRQOL. CONCLUSION Parenting stress and distress are important targets for interventions, and these interventions may improve youth outcomes, especially as youth age. Future research is needed to identify other factors influencing youth HRQOL over time.
Power to Become Children of God: Remembering in-the-Life with a Johannine (Dis)Position1

Honoring the contributions of Shaykh Dr. Ibrahim Abdurramah Farajaje and Joseph Beam, this article advances an in-the-life approach to selected scriptures from the Gospel of John as a means to affi...
High-value, collaborative networks

Networks that generate collaboration and innovative ideas on a regular basis are characterized in this paper as high-value, collaborative networks. The initiation and development of these networks ...
A date with destiny: Racial capitalism and the beginnings of the Anthropocene

The Anthropocene names the epoch wherein humans have become the main geological agent on the planet’s surface. But which humans, and since when? Dating the onset of the Anthropocene is a political ...
Finite sums of the alcuin numbers

Alcuin of York, who died in 804 CE, was an English scholar and a leading figure in Charlemagne’s court. He enjoyed posing problems involving counting, and compiled fifty-three such problems in a book, Propositiones ad acuendos iuvenes. One of those problems resulted in a sequence of numbers named after him. A recent paper in the American Mathematical Monthly by Bindner and Erickson [6] describes this history and introduces the Alcuin numbers. We write t (n) for the nth Alcuin number, for n ≥ 0. Bindner and Erickson show that t (n) is equal to the number of incongruent integer triangles of perimeter n, where an integer triangle is one for which all sides have integer length. Here are the first few Alcuin numbers.
Arthroscopic Management of Posterolateral Rotatory Instability of the Elbow

Posterolateral rotatory instability (PLRI) is the most common cause of residual instability following a simple elbow dislocation. PLRI may result from trauma or iatrogenic injury to the radial ulnohumeral ligament (RUHL) during treatment for other conditions, such as lateral epicondylitis. PLRI can be identified through a combination of history and physical examination and confirmed with MRI arthrography.
Relationships Matter: The Role Transition Specialists Play in Youth’s Reentry From the Juvenile Justice System:

Increasing engagement to school, employment, and community are strong predictors of reducing recidivism for youth involved in the juvenile justice system. This study examined what occurs at reentry...
Symptomatic Construct Failure after Metastatic Spine Tumor Surgery

Study design Retrospective cohort study. Purpose To evaluate the incidence and presentation of symptomatic failures (SFs) after metastatic spine tumor surgery (MSTS). To identify the associated risk factors. To categorize SFs based on the management in these patients. Overview of literature Few studies have reported on the incidence (1.9%-16%) and risk factors of SF after MSTS. It is unclear whether all SFs, occurring in MSTS-patients, result in revision surgery. Methods We conducted a retrospective analysis on 288 patients (246 for final analysis) who underwent MSTS between 2005-2015. Data collected were demographics and peri/postoperative clinical and radiological features. Early and late radiological SF were defined as presentation before and after 3 months from index surgery, respectively. Univariate and multivariate models of competing risk regression analysis were designed to determine the risk factors for SF with death as a competing event. Results We observed 14 SFs (5.7%) in 246 patients; 10 (4.1%) underwent revision surgery. Median survival was 13.4 months. The mean age was 58.8 years (range, 21-87 years); 48.4% were women. The median time to failure was 5 months (range, 1-60 months). Patients with SF were categorized into three groups: (1) SF when the primary implant was revised (n=5, 35.7%); (2) peri-construct progression of disease requiring extension (n=5, 35.7%); and (3) SFs that did not warrant revision (n=4, 28.5%). Four patients (28.5%) presented with early failure. SF commonly occurred at the implant-bone interface (9/14) and all patients had a spinal instability neoplastic score (SINS) >7. Thirteen patients (92.8%) who developed failure had fixation spanning junctional regions. Multivariate competing risk regression showed that preoperative Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group score was a significant risk factor for implant failure (adjusted sub-hazard ratio, 7.0; 95% confidence interval, 1.63-30.07; p Conclusions The incidence of SF (5.7%) was low in patients undergoing MSTS although these patients did not undergo spinal fusion. Preoperative ambulators involved a 7 times higher risk of failure than non-ambulators. Preoperative SINS >7 and fixations spanning junctional regions were associated with SF. Majority of construct failures occurred at the implant-bone interface.
Dual-cone variational calculation of the two-electron reduced density matrix

The computation of strongly correlated quantum systems is challenging because of its potentially exponential scaling in the number of electron configurations. Variational calculation of the two-electron reduced density matrix (2-RDM) without the many-electron wave function exploits the pairwise nature of the electronic Coulomb interaction to compute a lower bound on the ground-state energy with polynomial computational scaling. Recently, a dual-cone formulation of the variational 2-RDM calculation was shown to generate the ground-state energy, albeit not the 2-RDM, at a substantially reduced computational cost, especially for higher $N$-representability conditions such as the T2 constraint. Here we generalize the dual-cone variational 2-RDM method to compute not only the ground-state energy but also the 2-RDM. The central result is that we can compute the 2-RDM from a generalization of the Hellmann-Feynman theorem. Specifically, we prove that in the Lagrangian formulation of the dual-cone optimization the 2-RDM is the Lagrange multiplier. We apply the method to computing the energies and properties of strongly correlated electrons---including atomic charges, electron densities, dipole moments, and orbital occupations---in an illustrative hydrogen chain and the nitrogen-fixation catalyst FeMoco. The dual variational computation of the 2-RDM with T2 or higher $N$-representability conditions provides a polynomially scaling approach to strongly correlated molecules and materials with significant applications in atomic and molecular and condensed-matter chemistry and physics.
Disparities in Unmet Student Financial Need at Public Community Colleges

Differences in funding mixtures across the United States create widely variant levels of unmet need for students. This research examines gaps of unmet need between 2003–4 and 2013–14, particularly ...
Minimal Clinically Important Difference of the PROMIS Upper-Extremity Computer Adaptive Test and QuickDASH for Ligament Reconstruction Tendon Interposition Patients

Purpose To calculate the minimal clinically important difference (MCID) of the Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Upper Extremity Computer Adaptive Test (UE CAT) and Quick–Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (Quick DASH) for ligament reconstruction tendon interposition (LRTI) patients. Methods Adult patients treated with LRTI for trapeziometacarpal OA by fellowship-trained hand surgeons between December 2014 and February 2018 at an academic tertiary institution were included. Outcomes were prospectively collected at each visit by tablet computer, including the Quick DASH, PROMIS UE, Pain Interference, Depression, and Anxiety CATs. Inclusion required a response to the anchor question “How much relief and/or improvement do you feel you have experienced as a result of your treatment?” on a 6-option Likert scale , as well as preoperative (≤120 days before surgery) and follow-up (2–26 weeks) outcomes. We calculated MCID both by an anchor-based approach using the mean score of the minimal change group, and with the 0.5 SD method. Results Of 145 included participants, mean age was 63 ± 8 years and 74% were female. Anchor-based MCID estimates for the total cohort were 4.2 for the PROMIS UE CAT and 8.8 for the QuickDASH. The MCID estimates using the 0.5 SD method were 4.8 and 11.7, respectively. Conclusions We propose MCID values of 4.2 to 4.8 for the PROMIS UE CAT and 8.8 to 11.7 for the QuickDASH when powering clinical studies or when assessing improvement among a cohort of patients who have undergone LRTI surgery. Clinical relevance Minimal clinically important difference estimates are helpful when interpreting clinical outcomes after LRTI and for powering prospective trials.
Multidivisional firms, internal competition, and the merger paradox

. Traditional modelling of mergers has the merged firms (insiders) cooperate and maximize joint profits. This approach has several unappealing results in quantity-setting games, for example, mergers typically are not profitable for insiders, but are profitable for non-merging firms (outsiders). We take a different approach and allow for a parent company that can play each insider off one another. In quantity-setting games, with our approach mergers are profitable for insiders, unprofitable for outsiders, socially beneficial, and involve (in a non-monopolizing merger) a small number of firms. Finally, we find that the optimal strategy depends on whether firms compete in quantity or prices. JEL classification: L000 Entreprises multi-divisionnelles, concurrence interne, et le paradoxe des fusions. Les modelisations conventionnelles des fusions suggerent que les entreprises fusionnees (parties prenantes) cooperent et maximisent leurs profits conjoints. Cette approche engendre plusieurs resultats contre-intuitifs dans des jeux de concurrence par les quantites, i.e. les fusions en general ne sont pas profitables pour les parties prenantes mais sont profitables pour des entreprises qui ne sont pas fusionnees (les autres). Les auteurs adoptent une approche differente qui permet a l’entreprise mere de jouer les parties prenantes l’une contre l’autre. Dans ce genre de jeu, avec l’approche adoptee, les fusions sont profitables pour les parties prenantes, non profitables pour les autres, socialement benefiques, et impliquent un petit nombre d’entreprises dans une fusion qui ne cree pas un monopole. Finalement, on trouve que la strategie optimale depend fondamentalement du fait que les entreprises se concurrencent par les prix ou par les quantites.
Effect of Partial Uncinectomy After Balloon Sinuplasty on Maxillary Sinus Irrigant Penetration: A Cadaveric Study.

ObjectiveThe uncinate process may play a role in the amount of irrigation penetrance. In this cadaver study, we aimed to investigate if the addition of partial uncinectomy provides better maxillary...
To VAD or Not to VAD: A Case of Durable Left Ventricular Assist Device Implantation in a COVID-19 Patient

Introduction The management of patients with heart failure who contract COVID-19 and those who develop heart failure as a consequence of the disease is challenging. The use of advanced therapies in the form of durable left ventricular assist device or heart transplant in this patient population remains a data free zone. We present, to our knowledge, the first case of durable LVAD implantation in a recovered COVID-19 patient. Case Report A 63-year old, previously healthy, male was admitted to OSH with COVID-19 pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome requiring prolonged mechanical ventilation. This hospitalization was complicated by anterior STEMI, cardiomyopathy with severe LV dysfunction and cardiogenic shock. Due to widespread COVID-19 pandemic, invasive evaluation was deferred and the patient was medically managed. He was then transferred to our institution after re-admission for recurrent cardiogenic shock. Echocardiogram revealed dilated LV cavity (6.3 cm), LVEF 10% and large apical aneurysm. Chest CT showed sequelae of prior COVID-19 with changes suggestive of fibrosis. CMR which showed LV dilatation, severe LV systolic dysfunction, LVEF 7% and large apical aneurysm with evidence of thrombus. A large transmural infarct in the LAD territory without viability was confirmed. Cardiogenic shock was managed with Dobutamine and attempts to wean inotrope resulted in worsening hemodynamic and clinical profile. Axillary IABP was placed to facilitate physical and respiratory rehabilitation. The patient underwent placement of HeartMate™ 3 device as DT and LV aneurysm repair. Post-operative course was uneventful and he was ultimately discharged to acute rehabilitation in stable condition. Summary As the global case rate continues to climb and the threat of an exponential surge of long-term cardiac complications looms in the not so distant future, the use of durable MCS in recovered COVID-19 patients may evolve. This case highlights LVAD as a feasible option in end-stage HF and emphasizes the importance of a multidisciplinary approach in assessing candidacy for advanced HF therapies in post-COVID-19 patients. Continued international collaboration and further study regarding use of MCS will be paramount in optimizing care and outcomes in this growing patient population.
Enhanced antioxidant capacity prevents epitranscriptomic and cardiac alterations in adult offspring gestationally-exposed to ENM.

Maternal engineered nanomaterial (ENM) exposure during gestation has been associated with negative long-term effects on cardiovascular health in progeny. Here, we evaluate an epitranscriptomic mechanism that contributes to these chronic ramifications and whether overexpression of mitochondrial phospholipid hydroperoxide glutathione peroxidase (mPHGPx) can preserve cardiovascular function and bioenergetics in offspring following gestational nano-titanium dioxide (TiO2) inhalation exposure. Wild-type (WT) and mPHGPx (Tg) dams were exposed to nano-TiO2 aerosols with a mass concentration of 12.01 ± 0.50 mg/m3 starting from gestational day (GD) 5 for 360 mins/day for 6 nonconsecutive days over 8 days. Echocardiography was performed in pregnant dams, adult (11-week old) and fetal (GD 14) progeny. Mitochondrial function and global N6-methyladenosine (m6A) content were assessed in adult progeny. MPHGPx enzymatic function was further evaluated in adult progeny and m6A-RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP) was combined with RT-qPCR to evaluate m6A content in the 3'-UTR. Following gestational ENM exposure, global longitudinal strain (GLS) was 32% lower in WT adult offspring of WT dams, with preservation in WT offspring of Tg dams. MPHGPx activity was significantly reduced in WT offspring (29%) of WT ENM-exposed dams, but preserved in the progeny of Tg dams. M6A-RIP-qPCR for the SEC insertion sequence region of mPHGPx revealed hypermethylation in WT offspring from ENM-exposed WT dams, which was thwarted in the presence of the maternal transgene. Our findings implicate that m6A hypermethylation of mPHGPx may be culpable for diminished antioxidant capacity and resultant mitochondrial and cardiac deficits that persist into adulthood following gestational ENM inhalation exposure.
Revanchist ‘nature’ and 21st century genocide

The natural world is responding to anthropogenic change through novel pathogens, antibiotic-resistant microbes, and pest infestations. This resurgence is part of a non-human reappropriation and transformation of human-altered environments. In this commentary, we argue that this ‘revanchism’ has prompted two new forms of genocide: the pre-emptive mass slaughter of non-human animals, and the annihilation of humans as expressed through COVID-19 and other pandemics;forms that will become exemplars for mass murder in the twenty-first century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Space & Polity is the property of Routledge and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
International Law and the Use of Armed Force : The UN Charter and the Major Powers

1. The functioning of the UN Charter as a restraint on military action 2. The UN Charter and legal argumentation 3. Persuasion, legitimation, and restraint 4. The impact of the UN Charter on US military intervention in the Caribbean region, 1953-61 5. The impact of the UN Charter on Anglo-French military intervention in Egypt, 1956 6. The impact of the UN Charter on Soviet military intervention in Hungary, 1956 7. The impact of the UN Charter on US-British military intervention in Iraq, 1990-98 8. The impact of the UN Charter on US-British military intervention in Iraq, 1999-2003 9. The continued salience of the UN Charter system. Appendix A: Case selection and methodology. Appendix B: Case coding. Appendix C: Case overview. Notes. References. Index.
Performance characteristics of four rotary atomizers

A one-dimensional imaging probe was used to measure samples of the spray distribution produced by four different rotary atomizers operating at several different flow rates and rotary speeds using tap water and vegetable oil as carriers. The operating characteristics of the laser imaging probe affected the data collection results. The warm-up interval, effective sampling width, droplet velocity, and spray density were the most critical factors. Each rotary atomizer produced a range of droplet sizes for which uniformity depended on the operating conditions and liquid carrier. At water flow rates below 0.5 L/min, the Micron Micromax produced the most uniform droplet distributions. At rates above 0.5 L/min of water, the Spraying Systems RotoJet produced the most uniform droplet distributions. A larger selection of volume median diameters was produced using vegetable oil rather than water as the carrier. The uniformity of the droplet distributions is controlled better with oil. The RotoJet produced the most uniform droplet distribution with oil in comparison with the other atomizers. There was little difference between water and oil as carries in the drift potential at low rotational speeds. However, at higher operating speeds the drift potential was reduced by using oil as the liquid carrier.
Examples of Poor Design from an Engineering Expert Witness and Consultant

As an engineering expert witness and consultant, the author has participated successfully in about twenty six cases that involved personal injuries or death. Seven of the above cases are briefly outlined to illustrate how inadequate design and/or analysis of components, parts, subsystems and products resulted in death of users or severe injuries to users. One example is a liquid sprayer that was designed incorrectly, without regard to applicable standards. In addition, neither design failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) nor process FMEA was conducted. This product resulted in the death of one user. This paper will discuss this case and summarize what designers can and must learn from it. The rest of the six cases will be presented briefly to illustrate what designers can learn from each case. The focus will be on design principles, instructions to users, applications of human factors in design, and designing for safety of users.
Possibilities and Limitations of Observational Studies and Evaluation of Medical Data Bases

Medical data bases are prospective registries of computerized information concerning patients with one or more diseases. Typically they contain information on diagnosis, treatment, baseline characteristics, and follow-up. Their purposes must be carefully considered in advance if they are to be suitably designed. Medical data bases may be used to describe patients and the course of their disease, to assist in diagnosis, to study prognostic factors, and with sufficient caution, to compare treatments. Problems with the data themselves are likely to include insufficient attention to definition of data items, missing values, and actual errors. Problems with analysis and interpretation include difficulties in defining time zero, complexities of subset definition, the limitations of adjustment procedures, biases in the data, and interpreting multiple comparisons. Attention to these problems should improve medical data bases and indicate the uses for which they are best suited.
Deactivation of Pt/alumina catalysts for the hydrodechlorination of 1,1,1-trichloroethane

Vapor phase catalytic hydrodechlorination of 1,1,1-trichloroethane (TCA) has been studied using various supported platinum catalysts in a plug microflow reactor. The reactor was operated at temperatures ranging from 250 to 350°C, a H 2 :TCA:He ratio of 10:1:89, a space velocity of 24 L/g cat-h, and atmospheric pressure. To study the deactivation process, tests were carried out by dividing the catalyst bed into three segments (inlet, middle, outlet) separated by glass wool plugs. Although the catalysts showed high initial activity, rapid deactivation was also observed. For example, when using a Pt/η-alumina catalyst at 250°C, essentially complete TCA conversion was observed initially; however, after 15 h TCA conversion had declined to
Human striatal response to salient nonrewarding stimuli.

Although one proposed function of both the striatum and its major dopamine inputs is related to coding rewards and reward-related stimuli, an alternative view suggests a more general role of the striatum in processing salient events, regardless of their reward value. Here we define saliency as an event that both is unexpected and elicits an attentional-behavioral switch (i.e., arousing). In the present study, human striatal responses to nonrewarding salient stimuli were investigated. Using functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), the blood oxygenation level-dependent signal was measured in response to flickering visual distractors presented in the background of an ongoing task. Distractor salience was manipulated by altering the frequency of distractor occurrence. Infrequently presented distractors were considered more salient than frequently presented distractors. We also investigated whether behavioral relevance of the distractors was a necessary component of saliency for eliciting striatal responses. In the first experiment (19 subjects), the distractors were made behaviorally relevant by defining a subset of them as targets requiring a button press. In the second experiment (17 subjects), the distractors were not behaviorally relevant (i.e., they did not require any response). The fMRI results revealed increased activation in the nucleus accumbens after infrequent (high salience) relative to frequent (low salience) presentation of distractors in both experiments. Caudate activity increased only when the distractors were behaviorally relevant. These results demonstrate a role of the striatum in coding nonrewarding salient events. In addition, a functional subdivision of the striatum according to the behavioral relevance of the stimuli is suggested.
Finding Antecedents of Psychological Safety: A Step Toward Quality Improvement

Purpose The study's aim is to review the literature on psychological safety in the healthcare setting, more specifically, to identify environmental climates which promote and support psychological safety in healthcare organizations. Conclusion The findings show the complex dyadic interplay between leaders and team members. Current literature supports the significant role of leaders as one of the major contextual influences in promoting a psychologically safe environment. Specific leadership behaviors found in this review, including leadership inclusiveness, trustworthiness, change-oriented leaders, and ethical leadership, can foster a psychologically safe environment. The development and training of such leaders must incorporate cultivation of different domains of leadership. Practice implication Knowledge of the factors influencing psychological safety will assist healthcare organizations to cultivate and promote the psychological safety among healthcare personnel, thereby promoting patient safety and increasing healthcare quality.
Influence of Certain Components of a Chemically Defined Diet on Urinary Excretion of Ultraviolet-Absorbing Compounds

Young [Clin. Chem. 16 , 681 (1970)] has recently reported tentative identifications for 12 compounds resolved by anion-exchange chromatography of urine from a subject on a vanilla-flavored synthetic diet. Relative excretion rates for the diet and control periods were also given for several of the chromatographic peaks. We are reporting positive identification of 26 of the resolved compounds and absolute excretion rates for 11 of these. The most significant differences between the diet and control chromatograms are the absence of 5-acetylamino-6-amino-3-methyluracil from the diet sample and the presence of a group of large peaks— including five peaks related to the vanilla flavoring and three peaks derived from 4-aminobenzoic acid—in the diet chromatogram. The 4-aminobenzoic acid derivatives were all acetylated; the chromatogram showed no evidence of un-acetylated products.
Subarachnoid hemorrhage: a rare complication of pyogenic bacterial meningitis (P6.312)

Objective: Present a case of subarachnoid hemorrhage as a complication of pyogenic bacterial meningitis Background: Arterial infarction and cerebral venous thrombosis are the more common cerebrovascular complications of meningitis. Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) can be seen with some viral encephalitis, particularly HSV but is a rare complication of bacterial meningitis. Case report: A 45 year-old-male presented with 2 days of low grade fever and confusion. He had been recently treated for sinusitis with 5-day amoxicillin-clavulanate. Head CT without contrast on admission showed diffuse hyperdensity in the subarachnoid space of the fronto-parieto-temporal convexities and Sylvian fissures along with opacification of the maxillary and sphenoid sinuses. CT angiography showed no aneurysm. A lumbar puncture showed yellowish CSF with 4352 WBCs (neutrophil 87[percnt], lymphocyte 2[percnt], monocyte 11[percnt]) and 1707 RBCs and positive xantochromia. Opening pressure was 58 cmH2O, protein 442 mg/dL and glucose 3 mg/dL. CSF gram stain & culture, S.pneumoniae/H.influenza/N.meningitidis antigen, cryptococcal antigen, fungal/mycobacterium culture and herpes simplex virus-1,2 DNA were all negative. High dose ceftriaxone and vancomycin were empirically started and ceftriaxone was subsequently switched to meropenem for broader coverage of possible anaerobe from sinus infection. Pus culture from left maxillary and ethmoid sinuses showed skin flora. MRI with gadolinium performed 3 days after the initial head CT showed scattering leptomeningeal enhancement with SAH. His conscious markedly improved after 7 days of antibiotics when follow up head MRI showed no further evidence of leptomeningeal enhancement or SAH. However, MRA found diffuse intracranial arteritis. Conclusion: SAH in meningitis could be explained by vasculitis or undetected ruptured mycotic aneurysm induced by acute inflammation from meningitis. In conclusion, with supportive clinical features, we should consider meningitis as a differential diagnosis in patient with non-traumatic and non-aneurysmal SAH as these two conditions have totally different treatment. Disclosure: Dr. Julayanont has nothing to disclose. Dr. Wang has nothing to disclose. Dr. Laengvejkal has nothing to disclose. Dr. Tantikittichaikul has nothing to disclose. Dr. DeToledo has nothing to disclose.
Profit-maximizing utility-scale hybrid wind-PV farm modeling and optimization

Even though more and more utility-scale renewable energy farms are popping up across the globe, the potential of maximizing energy harvesting through hybrid Wind-Photovoltaic systems has not been thoroughly explored. Granted most PV farm locations don't necessarily have great wind resources, most land-based wind parks are under-utilizing the land they occupy by not collecting the solar radiation being cast in between the turbines. Because the price of photovoltaic systems has dropped dramatically over the past few years, the addition of PV panels to already existing, as well as planned, wind energy projects has become economically advantageous. In this paper a framework will be presented to optimize such an upgrade or plan a future project in order to maximize the returns for the operating utility. The approach will be using a genetic algorithm and minimization function to find the exact number and placement of wind turbines and solar panels given hourly solar irradiance, temperature, wind speed and wind direction data at the location. The fitness function will use models to accurately estimate the yearly energy produced considering the wake effects of upwind turbines and the shadows these will cast on the panels. Each configuration will then be evaluated using industry financial models in order to maximize the return on investment.
Hypoplastic left heart syndrome

Hypoplastic left heart syndrome describes a range of congenital cardiac lesions, which have in common a small left ventricle which is unable to support the systemic circulation. Typically the volume of the small left ventricle is <20 ml/m2 body surface area (BSA). A number of fetal cardiac anomalies have been shown to cause this problem—namely, aortic or mitral atresia, with or without mitral or aortic valve stenosis, or an unbalanced atrioventricular septal defect.1 Despite the heart being basically fully developed at some 8 weeks of gestation, the growth of cardiac structures is entirely dependent on a normal fetal circulation. Thus, it comes as no surprise that pronounced aortic stenosis, detected in a fetus at some 18–20 weeks gestation, may progress to present at birth as classical hypoplastic left heart syndrome (HLHS).2 The common presentation of newborns with hypoplastic left heart syndrome at birth is cardiovascular collapse and shock. The peripheral pulses are weak, without major difference between the brachial and femoral pulses. There is usually a mild to moderate degree of cyanosis, but no differential cyanosis. Chest x-ray normally shows cardiomegaly and plethoric lung fields. The ECG documents right ventricular hypertrophy and reduced left ventricular forces. If the diagnosis is suspected, the administration of a prostaglandin infusion at the rate of 5–20 ng/kg/min normally maintains patency of the ductus arteriosus, and will prevent further cardiovascular compromise, progressive acidosis and death. Assessment by cardiac ultrasound will make the definitive diagnosis, allow for optimisation of initial treatment and detailed discussion of the treatment options and outcomes with the parents. The initial description of a surgical procedure to palliate hypoplastic left heart syndrome in neonates was provided by William Norwood in 1982.3 This allowed neonates to survive into infancy when more palliative surgery was required. The evolution of these techniques has progressed …
Transformation of Paramecium tetraurelia by electroporation or particle bombardment.

Methods for mass transformation of Paramecium tetraurelia were established using plasmids bearin neomycin-resistance or calmodulin gene fragments. Phenotypie and molecular analyses showed that, although variable, up to 5% transformation can be achieved by electroporation. Concentrations of divalent cations Ca 2+ and Mg 2+ in the electroporation medium were crucial for efficient transformation. Strong neomycin-resistance transformation using bioballistic particle bombardment with gold particles was observed. For both methods, hybridization to transformant DNA revealed plasmid signals consistent with macronuclear transformation and correlated with transformed phenotypes. Complementation of a known calmodulin gene mutation was also achieved by mass transformation. Possible sources of variation and the general utility of these methods are discussed.
Use of oseltamivir in the treatment of canine parvoviral enteritis

OBJECTIVE: To determine if oseltamivir with standard therapy for canine parvoviral enteritis ameliorates disease morbidity, mortality, or both; to document significant adverse effects associated with its use. DESIGN: Prospective, randomized, blinded, placebo-controlled clinical trial. SETTING: University veterinary teaching hospital. ANIMALS: Thirty-five dogs. INTERVENTIONS: Standard therapy was administered to all dogs. Treatment dogs also received oseltamivir, while control dogs received an equivalent volume of placebo. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Dogs were monitored daily according to a clinical scoring system, physical parameters, and diagnostic evaluations. Dogs in the treatment group gained a significant percentage of weight during hospitalization (mean, +2.6%; SD, 7.1%) versus the control dogs (mean, -4.5%; SD, 6.9%) (P=0.006). Treatment dogs did not have any significant changes in their white blood cell (WBC) count, while control dogs experienced a significant drop in their WBC counts during their initial stay. In addition, it did not appear that oseltamivir use was associated with any major adverse clinical effects. CONCLUSIONS: While a clear advantage to the use of oseltamivir was not established, a significant weight loss during hospitalization, as well as a significant decrease in WBC count were documented in the control group. No major adverse effects were identified that could be associated with oseltamivir administration. Based on these results, the true role of oseltamivir in the treatment of parvoviral enteritis remains speculative, although it is believed that further investigation is warranted.
Formation of alkaline scale in heating brine obtained by the ion-exchange membrane method

Abstract Electrodialysis with ion-exchange membranes is one of the most important methods of desalination and salt manufacture. Prevention of scale formation in dialysis cells and evaporators is one of its main problems. This paper discusses the formation of alkaline scale during the process of heating and concentrating brine obtained by electrodialysis with ion-exchange membranes.
Coherence oscillations in non-linear media and the lifetime of a coherent state☆

Abstract It is shown that in a medium with a non-linear index of refraction, a mode of the electromagnetic field has only zeroth order coherence. The energy in the mode is not proportional to the semiclassical intensity, | E | 2 . The ratio | E | 2 / I oscillates with a frequency proportional to n 2 , which is, however, very small.
Mineral Deposit Densities for Estimating Mineral Resources

Estimates of numbers of mineral deposits are fundamental to assessing undiscovered mineral resources. Just as frequencies of grades and tonnages of well-explored deposits can be used to represent the grades and tonnages of undiscovered deposits, the density of deposits (deposits/area) in well-explored control areas can serve to represent the number of deposits. Empirical evidence presented here indicates that the processes affecting the number and quantity of resources in geological settings are very general across many types of mineral deposits. For podiform chromite, porphyry copper, and volcanogenic massive sulfide deposit types, the size of tract that geologically could contain the deposits is an excellent predictor of the total number of deposits. The number of mineral deposits is also proportional to the type’s size. The total amount of mineralized rock is also proportional to size of the permissive area and the median deposit type’s size. Regressions using these variables provide a means to estimate the density of deposits and the total amount of mineralization. These powerful estimators are based on analysis of ten different types of mineral deposits (Climax Mo, Cuban Mn, Cyprus massive sulfide, Franciscan Mn, kuroko massive sulfide, low-sulfide quartz-Au vein, placer Au, podiform Cr, porphyry Cu, and W vein) from 108 permissive control tracts around the world therefore generalizing across deposit types. Despite the diverse and complex geological settings of deposit types studied here, the relationships observed indicate universal controls on the accumulation and preservation of mineral resources that operate across all scales. The strength of the relationships (R 2=0.91 for density and 0.95 for mineralized rock) argues for their broad use. Deposit densities can now be used to provide a guideline for expert judgment or used directly for estimating the number of most kinds of mineral deposits.