cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Percutaneous CT-Guided Biopsies of the Cervical Spine: Technique, Histopathologic and Microbiologic Yield, and Safety at a Single Academic Institution

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Cervical spine biopsies can be challenging due to the anatomy and the adjacent critical structures. Percutaneous image-guided biopsies can obviate the need for an open biopsy, however there have been few studies looking at the approaches, safety, and efficacy of percutaneous cervical spine biopsies. This retrospective study evaluated technical considerations, histopathologic and microbiologic yield, and safety in CT-guided cervical bone biopsies. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A retrospective review of cervical bone and/or bone/disc biopsies performed from January 2010 to January 2017 was included in this study. Clinical diagnosis and indication, patient demographics, biopsy location, biopsy needle type, technical approach, lesion size, dose-length product, conscious sedation details, complications, and diagnostic histopathologic and/or microbiologic yield were recorded for each case and summarized. RESULTS: A total of 73 patients underwent CT-guided cervical bone biopsies. Fifty-three percent (39/73) were for clinical/imaging concern for infection and 47% (34/73) were for primary tumors or metastatic disease. Thirty-four percent (25/73) were of the inferior cervical spine (ie, C6 and C7). A sufficient sample was obtained for histopathologic and microbiologic analyses in 96% (70/73) of the biopsies. Forty-six percent (18/39) of those samples taken for infection had positive cultures. Two intraprocedural complications occurred in which the patients became hypotensive during the procedure without long-term complications. CONCLUSIONS: Percutaneous CT-guided biopsy of the cervical spine is an effective and safe procedure with high diagnostic yield and can obviate open procedures for histopathologic and microbiologic analyses of patients with clinical and imaging findings concerning for infection or primary and metastatic osseous lesions.
State Regulation of Electronic Commerce

There is a widespread belief that regulation of electronic commerce by individual states is unworkable because firms doing global business on the Internet easily can evade state regulation or, conversely, because firms are subject to excessive regulation due to states' overlapping jurisdiction. Instead, it is believed that electronic commerce is best regulated at the federal or even global level, and that any state regulation should be pursuant to uniform laws. This article challenges this conventional wisdom. It shows that regulation of electronic commerce by individual states has several advantages over federal or uniform state laws and that the problems of state regulation have been exaggerated. First, state regulation provides variety, evolution and competition that is especially well suited to the dynamic nature of electronic commerce. Second, courts can minimize jurisdictional overlaps by enforcing choice-of-law and choice-of-forum contracts. Third, markets alleviate concerns that enforcing contractual choice would lead to a "race-to-the-bottom" in state Internet regulation. Any remaining problems with state regulation should be analyzed in comparison with those that would result under federal or uniform state law.
Pain and Analgesic Use After Robot-Assisted Radical Prostatectomy

Abstract Purpose: While robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) is associated with shortened convalescence and decreased blood loss over open prostatectomy, little objective data is available regarding postoperative pain/discomfort and use of analgesic medications after RARP. We sought to examine these parameters in a contemporary cohort. Patients and Methods: From 2011 to 2013, patients undergoing RARP were prospectively enrolled in a study to examine various pain parameters and carefully monitor opiate and other analgesic medication use while the patient recovered in the hospital. After discharge, the patients were asked to fill out a daily questionnaire regarding their pain parameters and self-report opiate usage. All questionnaires were based on the Wong-Baker FACES pain rating scale (0–10). Opiate dosages were converted to the approximate oral morphine sulfate equivalent dose (MSE). Results: A total of 60 patients, mean age 61 years, were enrolled in the study, underwent RARP, and completed follo...
System Invariants under Feedback and Cascade Control

In this paper we study the effects of feedback and cascade control on the structural properties of linear systems and their transfer matrices. Basic to the study is the fact that the set of all transfer functions with denominators in a prescribed set S, is a principal ideal domain ℝS (§1). This observation enables us to immediately conclude that the orbit of a ℝS -transfer matrix H under a suitably defined group of transformations corresponding to dynamic cascade control, is uniquely characterized by the free ℝS-module generated by the columns of H(§2). A minor modification of Hermite’s normal form for nonsingular matrices over a principal ideal domain [1], then yields a canonical transfer matrix representing the orbit of H. These results and the approach leading to them, clarify and extend previous work [2].
Cloning phospholamban cDNA from rat aortic smooth muscle.

Phospholamban (PLN, Kirchberger and Tada, 1976), a pentameric integral protein (Mr ≈ 6 kDa) of sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR), is an endogenous inhibitor of the SR Ca2+-ATPase. PLN plays a crucial role in excitation-contraction coupling in the heart. Phosphorylation of PLN catalyzed by cyclic AMP-dependent protein kinase activates the SR Ca2+-ATPase in myocardial cells (Tada and Katz, 1982) resulting in the rapid removal of Ca2+ ions from the myoplasm to lower the intracellular Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]i) during each excitation-contraction cycle. The cDNA of PLN has been cloned from the canine heart (Fujii et al., 1987), and subsequently from both cardiac and slow-twitch skeletal muscle of the rabbit (Fujii et al., 1988).
An Analysis of the Bistability of the Parametron

Publisher Summary This chapter presents an analysis of the parametron. The parametron is a nonlinear and time varying electrical circuit that oscillates in two distinct steady states. The purpose of the analysis is to establish bistability on a global basis. The equations are studied in a rotating phase plane and are approximated by the use of the time averaging method. A method is developed for a global description of the solutions. This is accomplished by the construction of a Liapunov function that has critical points corresponding to the three periodic solutions. La Salle's theorem on the extent of asymptotic stability provides the mathematical justification. La Salle's theorem is asymptotically stable in the entire (u,υ) plane.
A Yeast Secretion Trap Assay for Identification of Secreted Proteins from Eukaryotic Phytopathogens and Their Plant Hosts

Secreted proteins from plants and phytopathogens play important roles in their interactions and contribute to elaborate mechanisms of attack, defense, and counter-defense, as well as surveillance and signaling. There is therefore considerable interest in developing techniques to characterize "secretomes." Here, we describe the use of the yeast secretion trap (YST) functional screen to isolate and identify secreted proteins that are accumulated and detected in the extracellular matrix of eukaryotes. This method involves fusing cDNAs generated or derived from plants, pathogens, or infected tissue to a yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) invertase (suc2) reporter gene lacking its signal peptide, transforming the resulting fusion library into an invertase-deficient yeast strain, and plating the transformants on a sucrose selection medium. A yeast transformant containing a cDNA that encodes a secreted protein can rescue the mutant and the plasmid DNA can then be sequenced to identify the secreted protein. The YST screen can be a very powerful tool in the study of dynamics of plant host-pathogen interactions.
Wicked Leadership Competencies for Sustainability Professionals: Definition, Pedagogy, and Assessment

Abstract Sustainability professionals need specialized leadership competencies to effectively influence the complex, uncertain, conflicted, and dynamic (i.e., wicked) sustainability challenges of o...
Early clinical experience using donor-derived cell-free DNA to detect rejection in kidney transplant recipients

Donor-derived cell-free DNA (dd-cfDNA) became Medicare reimbursable in the United States in October 2017 for the detection of rejection in kidney transplant recipients based on results from its pivotal validation trial, but it has not yet been externally validated. We assessed 63 adult kidney transplant recipients with suspicion of rejection with dd-cfDNA and allograft biopsy. Of these, 27 (43%) patients had donor-specific antibodies and 34 (54%) were found to have rejection by biopsy. The percentage of dd-cfDNA was higher among patients with antibody-mediated rejection (ABMR; median 1.35%; interquartile range [IQR]: 1.10%-1.90%) compared to those with no rejection (median 0.38%, IQR: 0.26%-1.10%; P < .001) and cell-mediated rejection (CMR; median: 0.27%, IQR: 0.19%-1.30%; P = .01). The dd-cfDNA test did not discriminate patients with CMR from those without rejection. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) for CMR was 0.42 (95% CI: 0.17-0.66). For ABMR, the AUC was 0.82 (95% CI: 0.71-0.93) and a dd-cfDNA ≥0.74% yielded a sensitivity of 100%, specificity 71.8%, PPV 68.6%, and NPV 100%. The dd-cfDNA test did not discriminate CMR from no rejection among kidney transplant recipients, although performance characteristics were stronger for the discrimination of ABMR.
(188) Clinically Significant New or Worsening Pain is Common Six Weeks after Sexual Assault: Results of a Large-Scale Cohort Study

Many adult women sexual assault (SA) survivors report persistent pain triggered by the assault, yet to date no large-scale longitudinal studies of adult women SA survivors have been performed. In this analysis, we evaluated the severity and distribution pain symptoms during the first six weeks after SA among women participating in an ongoing, large-scale, multisite study that enrolls women SA survivors in the immediate aftermath of assault and evaluates health outcomes over time. Women ≥ 18 years of age (n= 549) who presented to one of 14 sexual assault treatment centers in the immediate aftermath of assault were enrolled. In the immediate aftermath of assault, moderate or severe pain (severity score ≥ 4 on a 0-10 NRS) was reported by 394/549 (72%) of women. Clinically significant new or worsening pain (pain increase of ≥ 2 on a 0-10 NRS in comparison to reported pain during month prior to assault (assessed at one-week follow-up) was present in 76% of women SA survivors one week after the assault and 54% of women SA survivors six weeks after the assault. Most women SA survivors reported pain in many body regions, with a mean of 8 (SD = 6) body regions with pain at the time of initial exam, 8 (SD = 7) body regions with pain at one-week follow-up, and 5 (SD = 6) at 6 week follow-up. The most common body regions affected by persistent pain were the back (49%), neck (43%), and head (41%). These data indicate that clinically significant new or worsening pain, with pain in a number of body regions, is present in most women sexual assault survivors in the weeks after assault. Research is needed to determine the mechanisms responsible for this pain, and to identify preventive/treatment interventions.
Trends in health service use and potentially avoidable hospitalizations before Alzheimer's disease diagnosis: A matched, retrospective study of US Medicare beneficiaries.

Abstract Introduction This study evaluates rates of all-cause emergency department visits, all-cause hospitalizations, potentially avoidable hospitalizations, and falls in 3 years preceding Alzheimer's disease (AD) diagnosis. Methods Patients with AD and controls with no cognitive impairment were identified from the Medicare claims data. Patients were required to be aged ≥ 65 years and have continuous Medicare enrollment for ≥4 years before the index date (AD cohort: first AD diagnosis in 2012–2014; controls: randomly selected medical claim). Outcomes for each preindex year were compared among propensity score-matched cohorts. Results Each year, before index, patients with AD were more likely to have all-cause emergency department visits, all-cause hospitalizations, potentially avoidable hospitalizations, and falls (P Discussion The study findings highlight the growing burden of illness before AD diagnosis and emphasize the need for timely recognition and management of patients with AD.
Rediscovery of the ‘Rule of Law’ in Hayek

We focus on Hayek’s retrieval of the ‘rule of law.’ The first part examines Hayek’s critique of Kelsen’s positivism (Cairo lecture of 1955 and the Constitution of Liberty). Hayek provided an account of the failure of Continental law to adopt the ‘rule of law’ that he attributed largely to positivism and the relation of positivism to legislation (politics) and collectivism. The second part focuses on the transformation of legal positivism into analytic jurisprudence in Rawls and Dworkin. The third part focuses on Hayek’s largely ignored critique of transformed positivism and his deeper defense of the ‘rule of law’ (via Oakeshott) in Law, Legislation, and Liberty.
A Holistic Approach for Visualization of Transportation Infrastructure Assets Using UAV-CRP Technology

Modern data analysis and visualization make it possible for engineers and practitioners to holistically perceive the details of sites and the performance of transportation infrastructures. Advancements in the field of unmanned vehicles, complemented by the development of portable sensors, have paved the way for unmanned aerial platforms mounted with sensors, such as visible range, thermal, and hyper-spectral cameras for collecting infrastructure performance data. A research study was performed to monitor various transportation infrastructure sites, using unmanned aerial vehicles close-range photogrammetry (UAV-CRP). Images were geotagged, using data from a highly accurate real-time kinematic global navigation satellite system (GNSS) to develop orthomosaics, dense point clouds, and three-dimensional mapping products. An aerial data collection provides safe access to areas that are usually inaccessible, such as under bridges, steep and unstable slopes, and others, and can be leveraged by three-dimensional printing technology to obtain the accurate size and shape of the structural elements that are needed for repair and rehabilitation of the infrastructure. The holistic approach provided in this paper will facilitate the development of infrastructure visualization models that will provide vital understanding of the condition of the transportation infrastructure.
Bounds on Permutation Channel Capacity

The "permutation channel" model is a convenient representation of certain communication networks, where packets are not indexed and delivered out-of-order, and closely resembles models of DNA based storage systems. It consists of a standard discrete memoryless channel (DMC) followed by an independent random permutation block that permutes the output codewords of the DMC. In this paper, we present some new general bounds on the so called permutation channel capacity of such channels. Specifically, on the achievability front, we derive a lower bound on the permutation channel capacity of any DMC in terms of the rank of the stochastic matrix of the DMC. On the converse front, we illustrate two complementary upper bounds on the permutation channel capacity of any DMC whose stochastic matrix is entry-wise strictly positive. Together, these bounds characterize the permutation channel capacities of entry-wise strictly positive and "full rank" DMCs. Finally, we also demonstrate two related results concerning the well-known degradation preorder. The first constructs a symmetric channel for any DMC such that the DMC is a degraded version of the symmetric channel, and the second demonstrates the monotonicity of permutation channel capacity.
The Impact of Race on Short-term Treatment Response to Bevacizumab in Diabetic Macular Edema

Purpose To determine the impact of race and ethnicity on efficacy of intravitreal bevacizumab for diabetic macular edema in anti–vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) treatment–naive patients. Design Retrospective cohort study. Methods S etting : Urban-based academic institution with affiliated private offices. S tudy population : Intravitreal anti-VEGF naive patients seen between 2010 and 2019 of White (W) race, Black (B) race, or Hispanic (H) ethnicity aged 18 years and older with diabetic macular edema who received intravitreal injections of bevacizumab. Exclusion criteria were prior intravitreal anti-VEGF treatment, invasive ophthalmologic interventions, and laser treatments within 3 months prior to first injection through the duration of the study. E xposures : Intravitreal bevacizumab. M ain Outcomes Measures : Percentage of patients with visual acuity (VA) improvement and mean percentage reduction in central macular thickness (CMT). Results Percentage with VA improvement was 27% vs 39% vs 50% after 1 injection (n = 314), and 34% vs 55% vs 59% after 3 injections (n = 150) for B, H, and W cohorts, respectively. Black patients experienced lower odds of VA improvement compared with White and Hispanic patients after 1 injection (odds of 0.480, CI 0.284-0.814, P = .006) and 3 injections (odds of 0.342, CI 0.149-0.782, P = .008) while controlling for age, sex, baseline glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), baseline CMT, baseline VA, laser history, injection time course, and follow-up delay. Conclusions Black patients had a significantly lower likelihood of visual acuity improvement following intravitreal bevacizumab treatment compared with White and Hispanic patients. Further research is warranted to understand the effect of race and ethnicity on anti-VEGF efficacy to ensure optimal treatment for each individual.
Diffuse alveolar hemorrhage, a rare presentation of polymyositis

Abstract Background Diffuse alveolar hemorrhage is a medical emergency caused by persistent and recurrent pulmonary hemorrhage [ 1 ]. It is an uncommon presentation of polymyositis. Symptoms of polymyositis include fatigue, muscle pains, proximal muscle weakness, and joint pains [ 2 ]. Case presentation A 44-year-old male presented with new onset shortness of breath and productive cough with white sputum and occasional hemoptysis. The patient was diagnosed with diffuse alveolar hemorrhage (DAH) via bronchoscopy and discharged initially on prednisone. The patient's laboratory work indicated positive titers of ANA & anti-Jo-1 antibody with low complement levels. These results pointed towards the diagnosis of polymyositis [ 3 ]. DAH can also be caused by systemic lupus erythematosus, Goodpasture's syndrome, Sjogren syndrome, anticoagulant therapy, and antiphospholipid antibody syndrome [4]. However, the possibility of these potential causes was excluded. Conclusion This case of diffuse alveolar hemorrhage was most likely due to polymyositis.
Right Ventricular Dysfunction and Mortality After Cannulation for Venovenous Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation.

Objectives To assess the prevalence and prognostic value of right ventricular dysfunction as measured by echocardiography in patients treated with venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Design Retrospective cohort study. The primary endpoint was survival to discharge. Survival to extracorporeal membrane oxygenation decannulation was the secondary endpoint. Setting ICU at an academic quaternary medical center. Subjects Sixty-four consecutive patients treated with venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation between January 2013 and December 2018 with an echocardiogram performed after cannulation. Interventions Transthoracic or transesophageal echocardiography was used to assess several standard right and left ventricular characteristics after cannulation with venovenous extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Measurements and Main Results No single echo variable was predictive of outcomes. Composite markers such as right ventricular dysfunction (right ventricular dilation and abnormal septal motion) or a small dynamic left ventricle (left ventricle internal diastolic diameter 60%) were associated with significantly decreased survival to decannulation (45% vs 83%; p < 0.01) and survival to hospital discharge (32% vs 64%; p = 0.02). Regression models confirmed the absence of both right ventricular dysfunction, and small left ventricle was highly predictive of increased survival to decannulation (odds ratio, 6; 95% CI, 1.87-19.28; p < 0.01) and discharge (odds ratio, 3.86; 95% CI, 1.29-11.55; p = 0.02). Conclusions Echocardiographic variables consistent with right ventricular dysfunction or a small dynamic left ventricle were associated with decreased survival to decannulation and hospital discharge. These results enhance prognostic capabilities while implicating right ventricular dysfunction in the high mortality observed in this patient population.
"You get three different hats on and try to figure it out:" home based care provision during a disaster.

BACKGROUND Home based care is a vital, and growing, part of the health care system that allows individuals to remain in their homes while still receiving health care. During a disaster, when normal health care systems are disrupted, home based care remains a vital source of support for older adults. The purpose of this paper is to qualitatively understand the barriers and facilitators of both patients and providers that influence the provision of home based care activities in two hurricane affected communities. METHODS Using qualitative inquiry informed by the social ecological model, five focus groups were conducted with home based care providers (n = 25) in two settings affected by Hurricane Irma and Hurricane Harvey. An open-source database of home health agencies participating in Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services programs was used to identify participants. Data were manually coded and larger themes were generated from recurring ideas and concepts using an abductive analysis approach. RESULTS Twenty five participants were included in one of five focus groups. Of the 22 who responded to the demographic survey, 65 % were registered nurses, 20 % were Licensed Vocational Nurses (LVN), and 15 % were other types of health care providers. 12 % of the sample was male and 88 % was female. Five themes were identified in the analysis: barriers to implementing preparedness plans, adaptability of home based care providers, disasters exacerbate inequalities, perceived unreliability of government and corporations, and the balance between caring for self and family and caring for patients. CONCLUSIONS This study provides qualitative evidence on the factors that influence home based care provision in disaster-affected communities, including the barriers and facilitators faced by both patients and providers in preparing for, responding to and recovering from a disaster. While home based care providers faced multiple challenges to providing care during and after a disaster, the importance of community supports and holistic models of care in the immediate period after the disaster were emphasized. We recommend greater inclusion of home health agencies in the community planning process. This study informs the growing body of evidence on the value of home based care in promoting safety and well-being for older adults during a disaster.
Risk Premium Bounds: Slackness Tests and Return Predictions

Martin (2017) and subsequent authors derive lower bounds for risk premia on the market portfolio and for individual stocks using option prices. If the bounds are tight and the options market is informationally efficient, then the bounds must be the best possible predictors of returns. We test the bounds conditionally and find that they are valid in all market conditions but are not tight in all market conditions. Slackness is significant and predictable. Adding predicted slackness to a bound produces a return predictor that is superior to using the bound alone.
Stepwise Lengthening of the Quadriceps Extensor Mechanism for Severe Obligatory and Fixed Patella Dislocators

We introduce an algorithm of independently performing vastus lateralis lengthening followed by Z lengthening of the rectus and intermedius portion of the quadriceps tendon to treat fixed and obligatory patellar instability in the pediatric population. Performing this procedure in conjunction with medial patellofemoral ligament reconstruction minimizes subsequent episodes of instability without creating extensor mechanism weakness or contracture.
Synthetic Hydrogels Reveal the Role of the Matrix Microenvironment on Aortic Valve Calcification

Objective: Calcific aortic valve disease (CAVD) affects 2.5% of the US population over 75 and there remain no therapeutics, other than surgical replacement, to prevent or reverse disease progressio...
Long-term variability of blood pressure and incidence of heart failure among individuals with Type 2 diabetes.

Aims Data on the association of long-term variability of blood pressure (BP) with incident heart failure (HF) in individuals with Type 2 diabetes are scarce. We evaluated this association in a large community-based sample of adults with Type 2 diabetes. Methods and results A total of 4200 participants with Type 2 diabetes who had available BP measurements at four visits (baseline and 12, 24, and 36 months) in the Look AHEAD (Action for Health in Diabetes) study were included. Variability of systolic BP (SBP) and diastolic BP (DBP) across the four visits was assessed using four metrics. Participants free of HF during the first 36 months were followed for HF events. Cox regression was used to generate hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for HF. Of the 4200 participants, the average age was 59 years [standard deviation (SD): 6.8]; 58.5% were women. Over a median follow-up of 6.7 years, 129 developed HF events. After adjusting for relevant confounders, the HR of incident HF for the highest vs. lowest quartile of SD of SBP was 1.77 (95% CI 1.01-3.09); the HR for the highest (vs. lowest) quartile of variability independent of the mean of SBP was 1.29 (95% CI 0.78-2.14). The adjusted HR for participants in the highest (compared with the lowest) quartile of SD of DBP was 1.61 (95% CI 1.01-2.59), and the adjusted HR for variability independent of the mean of DBP was 1.65 (95% CI 1.03-2.65). Conclusions A greater variability in SBP and DBP is independently associated with greater risk of incident HF in individuals with Type 2 diabetes.
La caracara (cherimoya)

A writer is the sum and extension of what she has had the privilege to read. A chance encounter, years ago, with Derek Sheffield’s “She Gathers Rocks” (The Georgia Review, 2016), inspired this poem now. Here, Divya tries to capture the stories of another kind of parent, of another kind of family—relevant and important in our present times.
A general mapping procedure for variable area duct acoustics

A general mapping procedure is described and applied to the study of noise propagation in variable area ducts. The mapping provides a boundary fitted co-ordinate system which is ideal for the finite difference solution of acoustic fields with irregular boundaries, without the burden of large matrices required by finite element methods. The procedure is first described in general and then applied to a particular two-dimensional geometry under current experimental investigation. This method should be ideally suited to the study of high frequency noise propagation in variable area ducts and in cases where the far field is included in the calculation procedure. Moreover, the current approach can be directly extended to three-dimensions, resulting in numerical calculation over a rectangular parallelepiped in the transformed plane.
Transcatheter Compared With Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement in Patients With Previous Chest-Directed Radiation Therapy.

Abstract Background Cardiac surgery for radiation-induced valvular disease is associated with adverse outcomes. Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is increasingly used in patients with a...
Data-Domain Traveltime Inversion of Reflected Waves Using Segment Dynamic Image Warping

Reflection traveltime information is generally used for producing a kinematically accurate velocity model for seismic imaging. Accurately estimating the traveltime difference between the demigrated and observed data is crucial for data-domain reflection traveltime tomography. To enhance the robustness of signal's alignment, we propose a new method of segment dynamic image warping (SDIW). It first exploits windowed polynomial fitting for signal processing and then aligns the signals based on point-wise segment-to-segment matching. Compared with the conventional point-to-point matching strategy, our method is more robust and insensitive toward strong random noise. By minimizing the traveltime difference computed by SDIW, data-domain reflection traveltime inversion (DRTI) is then used to find an accurate background velocity model. Synthetic tests show that SDIW provides reliable time shifts between the demigrated and observed data even if the signal-to-noise ratio of input data is rather low. This enables DRTI to automatically reconstruct the deep background velocity model. The subsequent full waveform inversion (FWI) gradually added short-wavelength velocity structures and finally recovers a high-resolution and high-fidelity model. The results demonstrate that the DRTI provides a kinematically accurate background velocity model sufficient for following FWI to fully retrieve the detail of the subsurface structures even when the low frequencies are missing.
From Black to African American: A New Social Representation

Foreword by Serge Moscovici Preface Defining the Problem An Anticipatory Social Representation African American and Its Properties The Emergence of African American as a Social Representation Contextualizing the Study What's in a Name? Looking for the Topoi of the American Culture The Polemic of Names in Group Evaluation Conclusion Appendices Bibliography Index
How Will the Results of the HEMO Study Impact Dialysis Practice

Uremia is the clinical consequence of poor renal function and is also the target of hemodialysis (HD) therapy. In the absence of a comprehensive understanding of uremia, the optimum therapy for an average patient with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) can be discovered by observing outcomes during a large clinical trial with randomly assigned dialysis options. The HEMO study was an ambitious effort to bypass traditional studies of disease pathogenesis (uremia) in favor of this type of population study (1). The motivation for embarking upon a population study like HEMO has been the persistently high HD mortality rate in the United States over the past 15 years (2). Most clinical trials are tests of drug therapies where the primary goal is to determine whether or not the drug in question works, that is, whether treatment with the drug is better than treatment with a placebo. In contrast, the HEMO investigators were not hoping for a response, but had true equipoise, meaning that they were equally willing to accept a negative or positive response. In statistical terms, they were equally willing to accept or to reject the null hypothesis, which in this case was that the high dose of dialysis and/or high membrane flux would not have an effect. Potential benefits could be realized with either outcome, so ‘‘failure’’ of such a study only occurs when the outcome is equivocal, perhaps suggesting an effect but with no definite conclusion. The HEMO study results were not equivocal, so the study can be viewed by all participants, patients, investigators, the dialysis industry, and the public in general as a resounding success. The study clearly demonstrated the futility of recent popular attempts to push the dose of dialysis beyond the Dialysis Outcomes Quality Initiative (DOQI) recommended minimum limit. Prior to the HEMO study, the minimum targeted dose, expressed as a single-pool Kt/V of 1.30 per dialysis treatment administered three times a week, was derived from a consensus of practicing nephrologists (3). Now, in addition to this learned opinion of nephrologists, the HEMO clinical trial provides objective evidence that the previously established minimum dose is also the optimum dose (4). In addition, the HEMO study shows us that improving the clearance of large molecules (independent of small molecules) by using high-flux membranes does not improve the survival of the average patient. Both of these observations have far-reaching implications with regard to the pathogenesis of uremia and its treatment. Applicability of the Study
The Effect of Housing Choice Voucher Households on Neighborhood Crime: Longitudinal Evidence From Dallas

Tenant-based housing assistance is designed to provide access for low-income households to a wider range of housing options, de-concentrating poverty and reducing the exposure of these households to negative conditions. Yet an observed coincidence of crime and subsidized households indicates that something is going wrong. Either households are constrained in their choices and are settling in high-crime neighborhoods, or these households bring crime with them, using vouchers to penetrate otherwise low-crime neighborhoods. We use longitudinal data from Dallas to assess whether changes in the number of Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) households are related to changes in crime, not just whether HCV households are present in high-crime neighborhoods. The evidence supports the hypothesis that observed relationships between crime and HCV households result from a lack of units that accept vouchers in areas that have lower levels of crime. The hypothesis that voucher holders are the cause of increases in neighborhood crime is not supported.
Epitaxial liftoff of GaAs detectors onto silicon integrated circuits

The seperation of thin film epitaxial devices from the growth substrated is called epitaxial lift off, and the subsequent transfer and bonding of these thin film devices to smooth substrates such as Si integrated circuits is studied. >
Concomitant lamotrigine use is associated with decreased efficacy of the ketogenic diet in childhood refractory epilepsy.

A B S T R A C T Purpose: Anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) and the ketogenic diet (KD) are often used concomitantly in children with refractory epilepsy. It has been hypothesised that certain AEDs may interfere with KD. The purpose of this study was to elucidate relationships between efficacy of KD and use of specific AEDs. Methods: A retrospective study was performed in 71 children with refractory epilepsy starting the KD between 2008 and 2014 in Erasmus University Hospital Sophia Children’s Hospital. Efficacy of the KD (defined as 50% seizure reduction) was evaluated after three months of treatment and related to the AEDs used. Results: The KD was successful after three months in 61% of the children (N = 71). Efficacy was significantly reduced if children (n = 16) used lamotrigine (31%) at diet initiation or in the course of the diet, compared to other antiepileptic drugs (69%) (p = 0.006). In comparison to children using other antiepileptic drugs, the percentage of children that had adequate ketosis was significantly reduced in case of lamotrigine use (p = 0.049). Conclusion: Lamotrigine treatment during KD is associated with a decreased efficacy of the KD.
Lagrangian-based Online Stochastic Bin Packing

Motivated by the problem of packing Virtual Machines on physical servers in the cloud, we study the problem of online stochastic bin packing under two settings -- packing with permanent items, and packing under item departures. In the setting with permanent items, we present the first truly distribution-oblivious bin packing heuristic that achieves O(√n) regret compared to OPT for all distributions. Our algorithm is essentially gradient descent on suitably defined Lagrangian relaxation of the bin packing Linear Program. We also prove guarantees of our heuristic against non i.i.d. input using a randomly delayed Lyapunov function to smoothen the input. For the setting where items eventually depart, we are interested in minimizing the steady-state number of bins. Our algorithm extends as is to the case of item departures. Further, leveraging the Lagrangian approach, we generalize our algorithm to a setting where the processing time of an item is inflated by a certain known factor depending on the configuration it is packed in.
Enhanced plane wave expansion analysis for the band structure of bulk modes in two-dimensional high-contrast solid–solid phononic crystals

Abstract Plane wave expansion analyses that use the inverse rule to obtain the Fourier coefficients of the elastic tensor instead of the more conventional Laurent's rule, exhibit faster convergence rates for solid–solid phononic crystals. In this work, the band structure convergence of calculations using the inverse rule is investigated and applied to the case of high acoustic impedance contrast solid–solid phononic crystals, previously known for convergence difficulties. Results are contrasted to those obtained with the conventional plane wave expansion method. The inverse rule is found to converge at a much rate for all ranges of impedance contrast, and the ratio between the computational times needed to obtain a convergent band structure for a high-contrast solid–solid phononic crystal with the conventional plane wave expansion method using 1369 reciprocal lattice vectors is as large as 6800:1. This ratio decreases for material sets with lower impedance contrast; however, the inverse rule is still faster for a given error threshold for even the lowest impedance contrast phononic crystals reported in the literature. This convergence enhancement is a major factor in reconsidering the plane wave expansion method as an important tool in obtaining propagating elastic modes in phononic crystals.
Urethane-protected N-carboxyanhydrides (UNCAs) as unique reactants for the study of intrinsic racemization tendencies in peptide synthesis

We have established that urethane-protected N-carboxyanhydrides (UNCAs) are uniquely suited for the study of intrinsic racemization tendencies in peptide synthesis. The UNCA allows epimerization only by the direct enolization pathway (Proton abstraction from the alpha-carbon) and does not decompose upon epimerization. A protocol employing the quantitative separation and analysis of enantiomeric N-protected amino acid derivatives by chiral HPLC has been developed to measure the intrinsic rate of racemization of UNCAs under widely varying reaction conditions. The influence of the tertiary amine structure, UNCA side chain structure, and solvent were studied. The same protocol was employed to study the intrinsic rate of racemization of N-protected activated amino acid intermediates generated via 'onium-type' activating reagents. We have shown that the trends influencing the intrinsic rate of racemization of UNCAs are maintained under the conditions of in situ activations, and are consistent with the trends found in classical studies in the literature. The results are relevant to peptide synthesis both in solution and on solid phase. The intrinsic rate of racemization for any type of activation with any tertiary amine can be measured by this protocol.
Population distribution and structure of the free-living nematodes of Long Island Sound

The distribution and structure of nematode populations in 4 sedimentary environments (muds, muddy sands, fine sands and medium-coarse sands) in Long Island Sound were studied. Mean population densities were highest in muds and muddy sands. Cluster analysis suggested the presence of two basic faunistic units; a mud unit characterized by high species dominance, low species diversity and low species endemism, and a sand unit characterized by low species dominance, high species diversity and high species endemism. Species diversity in all habitats was a direct function of both species richness and equitability. Limited niche separation among deposit feeders, usually the dominant nematode trophic type in muddy sediments, is proposed as the cause for the high species dominance so often characteristic of shallow marine muds. The study afforded the opportunity to examine the quantitative and qualitative aspects of population structure in relation to environmental impact (as indicated by large differences in the heavy metal and organic carbon concentrations within each of the 4 sedimentary regimes). Within each sediment type no differences in population densities, species composition or species diversity of nematodes existed between heavily impacted and apparently non-impacted sediments, or between Long Island Sound and similar coastal regions. These findings cast doubt on (1) the use of heavy metal and organic carbon concentrations as indicators of environmental stress for marine nematodes; (2) the use of diversity indices alone as indicators of environmental deterioration; and (3) the usefulness of field monitoring studies alone for the assessment of pollution impact on marine nematodes.
Resonant interaction between an atmospheric gravity wave and shallow water wave along Florida's west coast

On 25 March 1995, a large solitary wave, seemingly from nowhere, washed ashore along the normally tranquil Gulf Coast of Florida from Tampa Bay to south of Naples. On this Saturday morning, many be...
Hypoglycemic action of 2-aminonorbornane-2-carboxylic acid in the rat.

Summary Correct orientation of the amino and carboxyl groups and of the bicyclic ring of the compound 2-aminonorbornane-2-carboxylic acid is essential for its induction of a tolbutamide-potentiated hypolycemia in the rat, an effect which we have already shown to arise from stimulation of insulin release. Only that isomer with its carboxyl group exo and the absolute configuration 1 R , 2 S , 4 S has this action. This finding provides a partial description of a recognition site whereby neutral amino acids stimulate insulin release.
Critical-Thinking Exercises for the History of Psychology Course.

Exercises designed to encourage active learning and critical thinking in the history of psychology course are described. Students read original book and journal material and respond to questions that elicit analysis and comparisons. Basic steps in completing the exercises are listed, and the nature of student responses is illustrated.
Organizing for British national strategy

Foreign policy strategy requires an understanding of long-term national interests (Strachan 2011, pp. 1281–1296). However, ‘the national interest’ is a catch-all term that can be both meaningful and meaningless. Political leaders do try to define the national interest. Some will veer towards a minimalist reading, favouring limited national goals. Others may push for a maximalist reading, moved by principle or universalism. The balance between values and interests — and the definition of interests — is determined at the level of strategic foreign policymaking in the British system, as in other democratic societies. The prime minister, foreign secretary and cabinet, supported by civil servants and no doubt influenced by the small band of writers and thinkers who are actually read, now regularly set out a formal foreign policy strategy. Thinking about Britain’s interests, values and role in the world was once largely articulated through speeches and articles or in debate on the floor of the House of Commons. Today it has moved into the terrain of official strategy documents, although speeches remain important markers.
Focal cerebral infarction in cats in the presence of hyperglycemia and increased insulin.

Although it has been well established that hyperglycemia increases cerebral damage following transient cerebral ischemia, its effect on permanent focal ischemia is controversial. We hypothesized that other factors associated with hyperglycemia, such as plasma insulin, may alter the brain's response to hyperglycemia. The objective of this study was to determine if hyperglycemia changes infarction size following 8 hr of middle cerebral artery occlusion in the anesthetized cat and to examine if changes in plasma insulin levels alter hyperglycemia's effects. Infarct size in hyperglycemic cats with increased plasma insulin (38.3±8.4%, mean±SE) or in hyperglycemic cats without increased plasma insulin (30.5±7.6%) was not significantly different from that of ischemic controls (33.8±2.8%). However, the variability in infarct size tended to be greater (P=0.0647) among all hyperglycemic cats compared to control animals. The source of the variability is unknown, but this observation combined with the findings of others suggests the possibility that the effect of hyperglycemia is dependent on the exact nature of the focal ischemic insult (i.e., degree of collateral blood supply) and that this effect may vary greatly from individual to individual within a population.
Comparison of the Raman spectra of superionic conductors AgI and RbAg4I5

Abstract The Raman spectra of superionic conductors AgI and RbAg4I5 have been measured in both cation disordered and normal phases. Similarities in the observed spectra of these two materials are discussed. The frequency dependent conductivity is obtained from the spectra and compared to infrared results. Several possible interpretations of the observed spectra are considered.
Superior radiation resistance of In1-xGaxN alloys: Full-solar-spectrum photovoltaic material system

High-efficiency multijunction or tandem solar cells based on group III–V semiconductor alloys are applied in a rapidly expanding range of space and terrestrial programs. Resistance to high-energy radiation damage is an essential feature of such cells as they power most satellites, including those used for communications, defense, and scientific research. Recently we have shown that the energy gap of In1−xGaxN alloys potentially can be continuously varied from 0.7 to 3.4 eV, providing a full-solar-spectrum material system for multijunction solar cells. We find that the optical and electronic properties of these alloys exhibit a much higher resistance to high-energy (2 MeV) proton irradiation than the standard currently used photovoltaic materials such as GaAs and GaInP, and therefore offer great potential for radiation-hard high-efficiency solar cells for space applications. The observed insensitivity of the semiconductor characteristics to the radiation damage is explained by the location of the band edge...
Isomerization initiated by photoinduced ligand dissociation in Ru(II) complexes with the ligand 2-p-tolylpyridinecarboxaldimine

The excited state reactivity of Ru(II) complexes continues to be a topic of intense investigation because of their widespread use in applications related to solar energy conversion, such as in photoswitches and for medicinal chemistry. In an effort to gain further understanding of photoinduced ligand exchange and isomerization in Ru(II) complexes, various isomers of the formula [Ru(PTPI)2(CH3CN)2]2+ (PTPI = 2-p-tolylpyridinecarboxaldimine) were synthesized and characterized, as well as the tris-heteroleptic complexes cis-[Ru(bpy)(PTPI)(CH3CN)2]2+ (1, bpy = 2,2′-bipyridine) and cis-[Ru(bpy)(PAP)(CH3CN)2]2+ (2, PAP = 2-(phenylazo)pyridine). All of the complexes containing the PTPI ligand undergo photoinduced ligand exchange of the CH3CN ligands with the coordinating solvent. Each isolated di-substituted PTPI complex, however, also undergoes isomerization of the bidentate PTPI ligands upon irradiation in CH3CN to produce the same ratio of a mixture of 63% e-[Ru(bpy)(PTPI)(CH3CN)2]2+ and 37% β-[Ru(bpy)(PTPI)(CH3CN)2]2+. Experiments reveal that the isomerization of PTPI only occurs after the process of ligand dissociation is initiated by light. Evidence of isomerization following photoinduced ligand dissociation was also observed in 1, but not for the analogous complex 2. Electronic structure calculations, which included the relative overall energies of the isomers, and emission data were used to explain the results. The work presented herein may be useful in the design of new complexes for solar energy conversion or photoswitching applications.