cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Effect of photoaging on skin test response to histamine independent of chronologic age.

Abstract Background Skin prick-puncture test responses to histamine on the upper back and forearms in older individuals are frequently small or absent but are often present or larger when repeated on the lower back. Objective To determine whether photoaging or natural aging causes a smaller response to a prick-puncture skin test. Methods Prick-puncture skin tests to histamine were performed on sun-exposed and sun-protected areas in younger (n = 61, aged 20–50 years) and older (n = 63, aged 60–87 years) adult volunteers. The skin was scored for photoaging by physical examination, and coloration was measured by a colorimeter. Results Large variation of photoaging occurred within age groups. Histamine wheals and flare were not different between the 2 age groups, but those adults with the greatest photoaging had smaller histamine wheals and flare on the upper back, with a trend for smaller flares on the volar aspect of the forearms and lower back. There was marked variability in response to histamine within individual adults, depending on the locale of the tests. Conclusion Photoaging, but not age alone, is associated with a smaller response to histamine in sun-exposed areas. Before prick-puncture skin tests are performed, the skin should be examined for sun damage, and a sun-protected area should be selected; in vitro allergy testing may be substituted if there is no sun-protected skin area.
A low complexity scheduling algorithm for a crosspoint buffered switch with 100% throughput

Crosspoint buffered switches are emerging as the focus of research in high-speed routers. They have simpler scheduling algorithms, and achieve better performance than a bufferless crossbar switch. Crosspoint buffered switches have a buffer at each crosspoint. A cell is first delivered to a crosspoint buffer, and then transferred to the output port. With a speedup of two, a crosspoint buffered switch has previously been proved to provide 100% throughput. In this paper, we propose a 100% throughput scheduling algorithm without speedup, called SQUID. With this design, each input/output keeps track of the previously served virtual output queues (VOQs)/crosspoint buffers. We prove that SQUID, with a time complexity of O(log N), can achieve 100% throughput without any speedup. Our simulation results also show a delay performance comparable to outputqueued switches. We also present a novel queuing model that models crosspoint buffered switches under uniform traffic.
Centering the Pendulum: The Evolution of Emergency Medicine Opioid Prescribing Guidelines

On January 10, 2013, New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg announced, in a press conference that garnered national attention, a new initiative to curb the rapid increase of emergency department (ED) visits and overdoses related to opioid pain medications. The intent of the new guidelines was to center the pendulum, which many believe has swung to the extreme of overprescribing by health care providers and become a significant public health threat. Some of the media and the responding public interpreted the guidelines as governmental interference with physician autonomy and alleged that many public hospital patients would not be able to receive adequate pain relief for their acute or chronic pain. Coming on the heels of controversial efforts in New York City to restrict availability of trans fats and supersized sodas, the perceived encroachment on the therapeutic relationship between patient and physician was not welcome. Fortunately for emergency physicians and patients, the media depiction is not accurate. The guidelines were created by emergency physicians with the intent of improving patient safety. Emergency physicians are among the most frequent prescribers of opioid analgesics nationally, although it is not known how much this prescribing behavior contributes to the epidemic. However, opioid analgesic prescribing is challenging, given the limited continuity of care and lack of medical history about ED patients. As a means of balance, 3 of the main tenets of the guidelines are to prescribe no more than 3 days’ worth of opioid medications, to prevent the initiation of long-acting opioid pain relievers, and to suggest that “lost” prescriptions not be readily refilled (Figure). The New York City opioid prescribing guidelines are recommendations and not mandates. The guidelines provide significant room for clinicians to prescribe in any way they deem appropriate for an individual patient. The use of similar prescribing guidelines has precedence. Washington State implemented a comparable plan in 2011, as have other jurisdictions, to address increasing opioid abuse and deaths in their regions. In October 2012, the American College of Emergency Physicians provided evidence-based guidance about several related issues vexing emergency physicians. Among the recommendations were that opioid use should be carefully considered, individualized, and time o
Early Integration of Palliative Care for Children with High‐Risk Cancer and Their Families

Despite increasing data to support pediatric palliative care (PPC) as an integral component of high-quality care for children with life-threatening conditions and their families, timely integration of PPC is offered inconsistently to children with high-risk cancer. In this review, we summarize the growing body of literature in support of early integration of PPC for children with high-risk cancer and their families, advocating that PPC principles and resources are imperative to holistic cancer-directed care and rooted in evidence-based medicine. Finally, we offer possible strategies for optimizing integration of PPC into holistic cancer care for children and families.
Cellular prion protein is expressed on peripheral blood mononuclear cells but not platelets of normal and scrapie-infected sheep

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Transmissible spongiform encephalopathies (TSEs) including sheep scrapie are characterized by the conversion of a normal, cellular prion protein (PrPc) to an abnormal protease-resistant form (PrPSc). Like human peripheral blood, the peripheral blood of scrapie-infected sheep remains one possible source of disease transmission. As a first step in understanding the disease requirements in the natural scrapie host, the presence of PrPc was evaluated in peripheral blood cells from five normal and five scrapie-infected Suffolk sheep. DESIGN AND METHODS: Live peripheral blood cells from normal and scrapie-infected sheep were analyzed for the presence of PrP using flow cytometry and reverse transcriptase-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). RESULTS: PrP mRNA was detected in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) but not in platelets or granulocytes. Consistent with PrP mRNA expression, cell-surface expressed PrP was detected on PBMC, but was not detected on granulocytes, platelets, or erythrocytes. Two-color flow cytometric analysis of PBMC specific phenotypes revealed that regardless of scrapie-status, expression of PrP was significantly higher on B2 positive B-lymphocytes than on CD4, CD8, WC1 positive T-lymphocytes or CD14 positive monocytes. In addition, PrP expressed on PBMC from normal and scrapie-infected sheep was sensitive to proteinase K (PK)and phosphatidylinositol-specific phospholipase C (PIPLC). INTERPRETATION AND CONCLUSIONS: Regardless of the scrapie-status of the sheep, resting PBMC transcribe PrPc and express PrPc as a cell-surface protein sensitive to both PK and PIPLC. Because of the abundance of PrPc on PBMC, future diagnostic tests using PK and PIPLC to discriminate between protease sensitive and resistant PrP must be carefully evaluated.
Modeling conductive cooling for thermally stressed dairy cows.

Abstract Conductive cooling, which is based on direct contact between a cow lying down and a cooled surface (water mattress, or any other heat exchanger embedded under the bedding), allows heat transfer from the cow to the cooled surface, and thus alleviate heat stress of the cow. Conductive cooling is a novel technology that has the potential to reduce the consumption of energy and water in cooling dairy cows compared to some current practices. A three-dimensional conduction model that simulates cooling thermally-stressed dairy cows was developed. The model used a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method to characterize the air-flow field surrounding the animal model. The flow field was obtained by solving the continuity and the momentum equations. The heat exchange between the animal and the cooled water mattress as well as between the animal and ambient air was determined by solving the energy equation. The relative humidity was characterized using the species transport equation. The conduction 3-D model was validated against experimental temperature data and the agreement was very good (average error is 4.4% and the range is 1.9–8.3%) for a mesh size of 1117202. Sensitivity analyses were conducted between heat losses (sensible and latent) with respect to air temperature, relative humidity, air velocity, and level of wetness of skin surface to determine which of the parameters affect heat flux more than others. Heat flux was more sensitive to air temperature and level of wetness of the skin surface and less sensitive to relative humidity.
Bank Equity Capital and Risk-Taking Behavior: The Effect of Competition

Recent proposals to improve financial stability by increasing the minimum capital requirement rely on the assumption that a high equity ratio mitigates risk-taking. However, there is little evidence on how this relationship changes in the presence of other risk-mitigating devices, such as increased competition in the banking market. We show that competition can not only be an alternative mechanism to mitigate risk-taking, but also impacts the relationship between bank capital ratio and risk-taking. More specifically, when facing increased competition, low-capital banks engage in relatively larger reductions in risk-taking. They do so primarily by decreasing the risk in their lending portfolios. This empirical finding suggests that the competitive landscape in the banking sector should be taken into account when considering changes in capital requirement.
Arachidonic acid inhibits potassium conductances in cultured rat oligodendrocytes

Arachidonic acid (AA) and its metabolites play a dual role as intracellular second messengers and as transcellular mediators of neural activity. We have previously shown that AA increases cytosolic Ca2+ in oligodendrocytes. In this work, we studied the effects of AA and other fatty acids on whole cell K+ currents of cultured rat oligodendrocytes using the patch-clamp technique. We found that 1) AA decreased the current amplitudes of both the inwardly rectifying K+ current (IKir) and the outward K+ currents (IKo) resulting in membrane depolarization; 2) AA also induced IKo current inactivation/blocked state; 3) AA appeared to act directly on K+ channels and not indirectly via its metabolic products, activation of protein kinase C, or by generation of oxygen free radicals. We have thus demonstrated an additional mechanism for AA-induced signaling in oligodendrocytes, i.e., via modulation of K+ conductances leading to membrane depolarization. The latter has been shown to influence protein phosphorylation and perhaps other important functional output of oligodendrocytes.
Thomas Cook and the American Blanket Trade in the Nineteenth Century

Dominance of the American blanket trade was obtained and held for half a century through a combination of aggressive marketing, progressive manufacturing methods, and far-sighted administration of a business beset by constant difficulties, part of which were peculiar to the times; part familiar to business in every age and circumstance.
Victor Moritz Goldschmidt (1888–1947): A Tribute to the Founder of Modern Geochemistry on the Fiftieth Anniversary of His Death

Goldschmidt combined a number of widely separated sciences to synthesize a new structural crystal chemistry. Although his work on the relative abundances of the elements, atomic and ionic radii, interionic distances, the effect of radius ratio on coordination number in crystals, replacement of ions in minerals, and the lanthanide contraction is found in almost every textbook of general and inorganic chemistry and has provided the basis for modern crystal chemistry and the use of size relationships for interpreting properties of inorganic substances, Goldschmidt’s name, life, and career remain relatively unknown to most chemical educators and practicing chemists. Goldschmidt used the basic properties of matter to provide simple and elegant explanations for the composition of our environment. Throughout his relatively brief career, filled with sorrow and tragedy, he continued to maintain his intense interest in the elements and their genesis, affinities, and associations despite his changes from one method to another in his attempts to obtain new and more complete data. Thus, although he used petrology, crystallography, and chemistry and enriched all these fields greatly, to him they were only tools for exploring the earth and its history.
Wary genes and accretive inheritance in hymenoptera

In Muscidifurax raptorellus Kogan and Legner (Hymenoptera: Pteromalidae) a polygenic system governs gregarious oviposition frequency, fecundity, and other reproductive behavior. “Wary genes” is a phrase proposed to describe those genes which, by regulating phenotypic changes in the mated female, cause partial expression of the traits they govern shortly after insemination, and before being inherited by her progeny. The phrase “accretive inheritance” is suggested for the apparent stepwise process by which such genes are inherited.
Impact of Neighboring Chains on Torsional Defects in Oligothiophenes

Conjugated organic oligomers are central to the development of efficient organic electronic devices and organic photovoltaics. However, the torsional flexibility of many of these organic materials, in particular oligothiophenes, can adversely affect charge transfer properties. Although previous studies have examined the torsional flexibility of oligothiophenes, there have been only limited studies of the effects of interchain interactions on their torsional potentials. B97-D/TZV(2d,2p) was first benchmarked against a CCSD(T)/aug-cc-pVTZ torsional potential for bithiophene as well as SCS-MP2/TZVPP interaction energies for noncovalent sexithiophene (6T) dimers. The effect of neighboring chains on three distinct torsional modes of sexithiophene was studied using B97-D. Complexation with one or more neighboring chains has a dramatic effect on each of these torsional potentials. For example, for two stacked chains, alternated twisting motions are competitive with torsion about a single terminal dihedral angle,...
Analysis of epidemiology investigation and clinical characteristics in 187 cases with brucellosis

Objective To grasp timely the epidemic dynamics of brucellosis in order to provide the basis for the establishment of prevention and control measures.Methods The epidemiological investigation and clinical data analysis of 187 cases with brucellosis were carried out.The antibody titer was tested by brucella condensation tube method.Results Brucellosis presented outbreak epidemic situation in Queshan county.The cases were mainly concentrated in Zhugou town of the county(51.4%),and radiated to the surrounding villages and towns.The patients were mostly 30 to 60 years young that accounted for 81.3%.The average age was(45.4±4.7) years old.The sex ratio of male and female was 3.16 ︰ 1.The onset of peak time were appeared April to May each year.Many of the infected persons mainly engaged in cashmere comb.Only 23.2% of patients with a history of exposure took protective measures.The main clinical manifestation were fever,fatigue,sweating,muscle aches,bone and joint pain and loss of appetite.The joint involvement were mainly in the waist,knee-based weight-bearing joints.7.5% of the patients had abnormal liver function.Conclusion It shows that brucellosis appear localized outbreaks in Queshan county and its surrounding areas.It is necessary to strengthen the prevention and control of brucellosis.
Addressing potential interactions between antineoplastics and dietary supplements.

Interactions between chemotherapy and dietary or herbal supplements can compromise patient care. Given the unique toxicities of many chemotherapy agents, patients may find themselves looking to dietary or herbal supplements to self-manage toxicities. Patients may do this without disclosing their use
Theoretically predicted characteristics of the “EAL” or electromagnetic amplifying lens

The ‘EAL’, or Electromagnetic Amplifying Lens [1], is a new member of the magnetron family. It is mechanically long in the axial direction, giving higher power capability than the conventional magnetron. It is at the same time electrically long resulting in axial gain. The EAL may be classed as a crossed-fiel d waveguide amplifier. It may also be thought of as a locked oscillator having its output at one end of the waveguide, being controlled by a small signal applied at the other. Part of the significance of the EAL lies in the design of the r.f. pa.th through the device. As in Pig. 1, the input coupling is treated as a metallic lens; the interaction circuit and output coupling are considered extensions of this lens. Application to millimeter wavelengths thus becomes attractive.
Fluid resuscitation mediates the association between inhalational burn injury and acute kidney injury in the major burn population.

Abstract Background It is known that acute respiratory distress syndrome and acute lung injury are independent risk factors for developing acute kidney injury (AKI) through complex pathophysiologic mechanisms. Our specific aim is to evaluate the risk factors for AKI postburn injury and whether inhalation thermal injury is an independent risk factor for developing AKI in the major burn population. Methods This is an institutional review board–approved, retrospective cohort study of patients admitted to a tertiary burn intensive care unit between 2011 and 2013. We included adults (age 18 years or older) with major burn injury greater than or equal to 20% total burn surface area (TBSA) and patients with confirmed inhalation injury (±major burn). Acute kidney injury was defined using the acute kidney injury network serum creatinine criteria up to 5 days after admission. Patient demographics and clinical data were compared across cohorts using the Wilcoxon rank sum test or Pearson χ 2 test, as appropriate. Multiple logistic regression was used to assess the effect of inhalation injury and major burn on the incidence of AKI, adjusting for clinical and demographic confounders. Results Two hundred fifty-four patient records (90 with inhalation injury and 164 with major burn only) were evaluated. The mean age on admission was 47 ± 19 years and 72% of the cohort were men. There were more men in the major burn group (78% vs 62%; P = .007). No other significant differences were observed in the baseline demographics. The overall incidence of AKI was 28% (95% confidence interval, 22, 33). The unadjusted odds of AKI were nearly double (odds ratio, 1.99; 95% confidence interval, 1.13, 3.49) among those with inhalation injury relative to those with major burn only. However, there was no evidence of an independent inhalational injury effect after adjusting for potential confounders. In particular, TBSA ( P = .051), daily 24-hour fluid balance ( P P = .002) were all significantly associated with AKI in the adjusted analysis. Age and packed red blood cell transfusion status were not significant. Conclusion Inhalation thermal injury is not an independent risk factor for AKI after adjusting for TBSA and surrogates for fluid resuscitation. In patients with major burns, intensity of fluid resuscitation may mediate the development of AKI.
The Zeitgeist of Challenging the Evidence. A Perspective on the International Consensus Meeting on Periprosthetic Joint Infection.

Background: The economic burden of the treatment of periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) is high and the treatment of PJI has a high degree of international controversy. Several papers have declared the International Consensus Meeting on Periprosthetic Joint Infection (ICMPJI) to be the "flawless pledge of international academics" to overcome the challenges of musculoskeletal infections. The purpose of this paper is to highlight for the first time some essential insights into the key dilemmas that are associated with this international consensus process. Methods: The proceedings of the ICMPJI was reviewed, and the critical consensus agreements that were reached were communicated via e-mail to 48 leading orthopaedic surgeons, microbiologists and statisticians around the world. Of these, 30 responded, 8 did not, and 10 of respondents were not aware of the ICMPJI. Results: A thorough review of the ICMPJI proceedings identified a clear need to resolve some of the dilemmas that we highlight in this paper. The Delphi procedure has been described as a survey technique that enables a group dynamic-based practice. Although there have been several published reports on this procedure, its scientific merit is still being debated. Several challenges and questions have been raised regarding the application of the Delphi technique, but there is no doubt that it is a vital approach for achieving consensus on subjects where none currently exists. Conclusion: Performing prospective clinical studies in this area is currently the best and only option to overcome this challenge. In the long term, this approach will not only incorporate the standard of clinical evidence but also adopt regional mores for treating infection, which include patient values, cultural differences and local financial resources.
The Hungarian Multimedia in Education Section in the light of the last 21 years

Today, multimedia-based materials are the most significant source of information. The first conference of a series called ‘Multimedia in Education’ was organised in the town of Keszthely, Hungary, more than 21 years ago, in 1995. This series of conferences has been organised annually ever since - by different institutions and at different locations, but with the same professional enthusiasm and effort. Having processed and systematized related digital and analogue materials, the history of a successful conference series is to be introduced here as well as the application of multimedia in Hungarian education and some concerned professional issues of interest.
Epidemiology and Molecular Typing of Trypanosoma cruzi in Naturally-Infected Hound Dogs and Associated Triatomine Vectors in Texas, USA.

Background Trypanosoma cruzi is the etiologic agent of Chagas disease throughout the Americas. Few population-level studies have examined the epidemiology of canine infection and strain types of T. cruzi that infect canines in the USA. We conducted a cross-sectional study of T. cruzi infection in working hound dogs in south central Texas, including analysis of triatomine vectors collected within kennel environments. Methodology/Principle Findings Paired IFA and Chagas Stat-Pak serological testing showed an overall seroprevalence of 57.6% (n = 85), with significant variation across kennels. Dog age had a marginally significant effect on seropositivity, with one year of age increase associated with a 19.6% increase in odds of being seropositive (odds ratio 95% CI 0.996–1.435; p = 0.055). PCR analyses of blood revealed 17.4% of dogs harbored parasite DNA in their blood, including both seronegative and seropositive dogs. Molecular screening of organs from opportunistically sampled seropositive dogs revealed parasite DNA in heart, uterus, and mammary tissues. Strain-typing showed parasite discrete typing units (DTU) TcI and TcIV present in dog samples, including a co-occurrence of both DTUs in two individual dogs. Bloodmeal analysis of Triatoma gerstaeckeri and Triatoma sanguisuga insects collected from the kennels revealed exclusively dog DNA. Vector infection with T. cruzi was 80.6% (n = 36), in which T. gerstaeckeri disproportionately harbored TcI (p = 0.045) and T. sanguisuga disproportionately harbored TcIV (p = 0.029). Tracing infection status across dog litters showed some seropositive offspring of seronegative dams, suggesting infection of pups from local triatomine vectors rather than congenital transmission. Conclusions/Significance Canine kennels are high-risk environments for T. cruzi transmission, in which dogs likely serve as the predominant parasite reservoir. Disease and death of working dogs from Chagas disease is associated with unmeasured yet undoubtedly significant financial consequences because working dogs are highly trained and highly valued.
Sermons of Prokopovich: from asceticism to the allure of power

In his early sermons entitled orationes asceticae Prokopovich presented a vision of the Christian that should be the life concentrated on the and on death as the threshold of eternity. However, in his estimation only extremely small number of people had a chance to be saved. From the earliest sermons he ascribed to the tsar extremely elevated status and the most important virtue of a subject was loyalty to the tsar. While extolling the position of the tsar, God became importance as the divine supporter of the tsar. Prokopovich’s insistence that the person of the tsar should be as important in every person’s life as the awareness of the presence of God meant that not only the afterlife was important in life, but also things of this life such as material goods, praise and fame. Gradually, in the Petersburg period, Prokopovich’s sermons turn into political propaganda justifying every undertaking of Peter.
Environmental Health and Community Planning

The public is demanding not only clean air, pure water and an unpolluted land, but also freedom from excessive noise, adequate recreation facilities, and housing and residential communities that provide comfort and privacy. However the usual planning is limited to its scope—land use, a water system, transportation. Some examples of the effects this type of planning and the prevention of problems cause are given. It is emphasized that more engineering thinking must go into comprehensive community planning and more comprehensive planning thought must go into specific engineering studies. The health department responsibility for issuance of permits and approval of operational results to protect the public health requires that the public does not inherit conditions which are impossible or very costly to correct.
Introduction: Toward a Transcolonial History of Victoria Falls

This study places Victoria Falls as a central focus of analysis, which allows for a close examination of the transcolonial process of British expansion. Perhaps better than any other sub-Saharan landscape feature, Victoria Falls serves as a clear example of why colonial African history cannot be simplified into a colony-by-colony historical approach. Early colonial development around Victoria Falls exemplifies the push to exploit African resources at both a local and regional scale and the competing visions of those involved in the colonial project. Even after the British South Africa Company formally acquired territory north of the Zambezi, the Falls continued to be a contested terrain as it served as a natural border between North Western Rhodesia and Southern Rhodesia. I argue that to analyze the history of development around Victoria Falls is to analyze the history of British Southern Africa. This special place in the African landscape reflected and stimulated numerous interests of multiple colonial actors from within and outside the territory, thousands of kilometers away.
The Case for Repeated Measures in Ergonomic Experiments: Another Look

Repeated measures designs have been suggested as being inappropriate in most ergonomic research because of the presence of unwanted order effects which bias the results. Poulton has discussed a num...
Is feedback to medical learners associated with characteristics of improved patient care

To investigate the association of medical learner feedback with patient management and outcomes. The authors investigated 27 articles that utilized patient data or chart reviews as a subset of a prior feedback scoping review. Data extraction was completed by two authors and all authors reviewed the descriptive data analysis. The studies were predominantly short-term investigations conducted in the US at academic teaching hospitals (89%) with one medical discipline (78%), most commonly internal medicine (56%). Patient-related outcomes primarily involved improved documentation (26%) and adherence to practice guidelines (19%) and were mostly measured through chart reviews (56%) or direct observation (15%). The primary method of feedback delivery involved a written format (30%). The majority of the studies showed a positive effect of feedback on the patient-oriented study outcomes (82%), although most involved a non-rigorous study design. Published studies focusing on the relationship between medical learner feedback and patient care are sparse. Most involve a single discipline at a single institution and are of a non-rigorous design. Measurements of improved patient outcomes are restricted to changes in management, procedures and documentation. Well-designed studies that directly link learner feedback to patient outcomes may help to support the use of feedback in teaching clinical outcomes improvement in alignment with competency-based milestones.
Structural insights into antibody-mediated mucosal immunity.

The mucosal regions of the body are responsible for defense against environmental pathogens. Particularly in the lumen of the gut, antibody-mediated immune responses are critical for preventing invasion by pathogens. In this chapter, we review structural studies that have illuminated various aspects of mucosal immunity. Crystal structures of IgA1-Fc and IgA-binding fragments of the polymeric immunoglobulin receptor and FcαRI, combined with models of intact IgA and IgM from solution scattering studies, reveal potential mechanisms for immune exclusion and induction of inflammatory responses. Other recent structures yield insights into bacterial mechanisms for evasion of the host immune response.
Locked in and Growing Old: The Psychiatric, Forensic, and Cognitive Correlates of 30 Years of Psychiatric Hospitalization

Objective As the number of older adults in the United States continues to grow, the population of older adults with severe mental illness in institutional settings (OASIS) is expected to place a significant demand on healthcare resources. This study presents an update to research regarding the clinical characteristics of OASIS inpatients with histories of extensive hospitalization through the use of a newly developed psychiatric measure: the Clinician-Rated Dimension of Psychosis Symptom Severity. Methods We investigated an OASIS sample (N = 55) with an average of nearly 30 continuous years of hospitalization at a forensic state psychiatric hospital. Results The average OASIS patient exhibited the most prominent psychiatric symptoms via delusions and negative symptoms, received psychotropic medications at substantially higher doses than recommended therapeutic levels, rarely committed acts of institutional violence (IV), and performed more than two standard deviations below the normative mean on cognitive testing. More severe hallucination symptoms were associated with higher psychotropic medication dosage, and more severe depressive symptoms were associated with more IV incidents. OASIS inpatients performed moderately worse than general psychiatric inpatients in the areas of overall cognition, immediate memory, and delayed memory; older age was associated with poorer language and attention. No psychiatric or cognitive factors predicted IV incidents. Conclusion These results highlight the continued importance of understanding the psychiatric, forensic, and cognitive factors associated with aging in an institutional setting and how these factors among OASIS inpatients may vary from general psychiatric inpatients.
Current robotic curricula for surgery residents: A need for additional cognitive and psychomotor focus.

Abstract Background Current robot surgery curricula developed by industry were designed for expert surgeons. We sought to identify the robotic curricula that currently exist in general surgery residencies and describe their components. Methods We identified 12 residency programs with robotic curricula. Using a structured coding form to identify themes including sequence, duration, emphasis and assessment, we generated a descriptive summary. Results Curricula followed a similar sequence: learners started with online modules and simulation exercises, followed by bedside experience during R2-R3 training years, and then operative opportunities on the console in the final years of training. Consistent portions of the curricula reflect a device-dependent training paradigm; they defined the sequence of instruction. Most curricula lacked specifics on duration and content of training activities. None clearly described cognitive or psychomotor skills needed by residents and none required a proficiency assessment before graduation. Conclusions Resident-specific robotic curricula remain grounded in initial industrial efforts to train experienced surgeons, are non-specific regarding the type and nature of hands on experience, and do not include discussion of operative technique and surgical concepts.
Conformable Fractional Approximations Using Max-Product Operators

Here we study the approximation of functions by a big variety of Max-Product operators under conformable fractional differentiability. These are positive sublinear operators. Our study is based on our general results about positive sublinear operators. We produce Jackson type inequalities under conformable fractional initial conditions. So our approach is quantitative by producing inequalities with their right hand sides involving the modulus of continuity of a high order conformable fractional derivative of the function under approximation. It follows Anastassiou (Conformable fractional approximation by max-product operators, 2017, [3]).
Archival Futures: The Future of Archives

We are buried in documents, and more and more of these are digital. Concerns with the durability of digital documentation generate many fears about the future of archives. Despite the threats to this new doc- umentary universe, this essay argues there are many potential futures for archives. In this transitional era from analog to digital, there is much to give us hope about the future for our documentary heritage. Given that documenting ourselves and our activities are essential aspects of our human nature, we can be sure that we will devise new ways of preserving our sources in a digital world. Archives will not disappear, nor will archivists, but they will be (have to be) different. Many of the current challenges are merely extensions of much older challenges, and history tells us that essential and varied archival materials will be pre- served. However bleak they may sometimes see the future, archivists are needed now more than ever to engage with the issues related to an increasingly complicated documentary infrastructure. After all, we are not facing a documentary apocalypse, but just another challenging transitional era. And there are many reasons to be optimistic – gener- ated from educating the next generation of archivists, successes in preserving records supported by a wide variety of technologies, and gaining new public support and understanding even if we need to be cautious as we peer into the future.
A Method for Enforcement of Dirichlet Boundary Conditions in Isogeometric Analysis

Isogeometric finite element analysis is a technique that substitutes NURBS basis functions for the Lagrange polynomial basis functions used in standard finite element analysis. This allows finite element analysis to exactly replicate the CAD geometry on which it is based. However, the non-interpolatory nature of NURBS basis functions used in CAD means that imposition of Dirichlet boundary conditions can no longer be accomplished by collocation of exact values at the control points. A technique such as a global least-squares fit of the prescribed boundary data onto the span of the basis functions is required; however, this requires solution of potentially large sets of equations, leading to unacceptable computational costs, particularly in problems with time-varying Dirichlet boundary data. This paper presents a method to weakly impose Dirichlet boundary conditions in isogeometric finite element analysis that is shown (via numerical examples) to be significantly more efficient than a global least-squares fit while attaining nearly the same accuracy.
Peptide Mimics of the Ribosomal P Stalk Inhibit the Activity of Ricin A Chain by Preventing Ribosome Binding.

Ricin A chain (RTA) depurinates the sarcin/ricin loop (SRL) by interacting with the C-termini of the ribosomal P stalk. The ribosome interaction site and the active site are located on opposite faces of RTA. The interaction with P proteins allows RTA to depurinate the SRL on the ribosome at physiological pH with an extremely high activity by orienting the active site towards the SRL. Therefore, if an inhibitor disrupts RTA–ribosome interaction by binding to the ribosome binding site of RTA, it should inhibit the depurination activity. To test this model, we synthesized peptides mimicking the last 3 to 11 amino acids of P proteins and examined their interaction with wild-type RTA and ribosome binding mutants by Biacore. We measured the inhibitory activity of these peptides on RTA-mediated depurination of yeast and rat liver ribosomes. We found that the peptides interacted with the ribosome binding site of RTA and inhibited depurination activity by disrupting RTA–ribosome interactions. The shortest peptide that could interact with RTA and inhibit its activity was four amino acids in length. RTA activity was inhibited by disrupting its interaction with the P stalk without targeting the active site, establishing the ribosome binding site as a new target for inhibitor discovery.
West African convection regimes and their predictability from submonthly forecasts

Recurrent convection regimes are identified during the extended West African Monsoon (WAM) season (May–Nov) using a $$k-means$$ clustering of 1980–2013 NOAA daily Outgoing Longwave Radiation (OLR), and are well reproduced in 1996–2015 ECMWF week-1 reforecasts despite systematic biases. One regime of broad drying across the Sahel in the early (May–Jun) and late (Oct) WAM is of particular interest regarding the prediction of onset date. This regime is associated with an anticyclonic cell along the Atlantic coast of West Africa leading to a weakened monsoon flow and subsiding anomalies across the Sahel. Teleconnections of this regime with the Indian monsoon sector are identified through modulations of the Walker circulation alongside relationships to MJO phase 3 more than 10 days in advance, when convection is enhanced over the Indian Ocean. Other regimes are associated with westward propagating anomalous convective cells along two distinct wave trains at $$15^\circ \hbox {N}$$ and $$24^\circ \hbox {N}$$ during the core (Jul–Sep) and late (Oct–Nov) WAM, respectively, and translate into wet anomalies transiting across the Sahel. A regime of broad Sahel wetting in the core WAM, more frequent since the 1990s, is related to global SST warming, agreeing with the observed recovery of Sahel rainfall. ECMWF skill in forecasting regime sequences decreases from week-1 to -4 leads, except in the case of the above-mentioned regime associated with early season dry spells, translating into the potential for skillful WAM onset date predictions. Our analysis suggests that sources of predictability include relationships to the MJO and the Indian monsoon sector, which need to be further examined to benefit subseasonal forecasting efforts in West Africa, and ultimately agricultural planning and food security across the Sahel.
Longitudinal Trends in Hemodynamics Following Left Ventricular Assist Device Implantation

Purpose Continuous-flow left ventricular assist devices (LVAD) dramatically improve the hemodynamics of patients with advanced heart failure. However, longitudinal trends of hemodynamics in LVAD patients remain unknown. The aim of this study is to clarify the trends of hemodynamic parameters following LVAD implantation. Methods We retrospectively reviewed patients who received LVAD implantation between 4/2014-8/2018. We collected hemodynamic parameters obtained from right heart catheterization (RHC) prior to and following LVAD implantation. Results Among 199 consecutive patients, we enrolled 145 patients who had at least two RHCs. Each patient had a test before LVAD implantation, and an average of 2.2±1.4 RHCs after LVAD implantation during median 493 (15-1540) days of follow-up. Mean age was 57±13 years old and 101 patients (70%) were male. Following LVAD implantation, mean pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP) and pulmonary capillary wedge pressure (PCWP) decreased significantly and remained lower throughout LVAD course. Cardiac Index (CI) increased significantly and remained higher throughout LVAD course (Figure 1A). Right atrial pressure (RAP) improved initially and then returned to pre-implant values. Pulmonary artery pulsatility index (PAPi) did not improve early after implantation (3.0±2.7 to 2.7±2.1, P=1.00), and then progressively decreased over longer follow-up periods (2.3±3.6 at 1-2 years and 1.5±0.5 at 2-3 years) (Figure 1B). Conclusion Despite improvement in left-side filling pressure following LVAD implantation, PAPi worsened over time suggesting progressive right ventricular dysfunction.
Hierarchical Cloud-Fog Platform for Communication in Disaster Incident Coordination

Communication and coordination in a mass casualty disaster scenario is limited and difficult for medical personnel in the absence of necessary communication infrastructure and technologies that enable situation awareness. This leads to misdirected and delayed triage of scene-wide critically injured patients, especially when there are large numbers of patients needing diverse care levels. A hierarchical cloud-fog setup involving a core cloud and edge clouds (i.e., fogs) can help the patient triage related real-time data movement challenges. It can create visual situational awareness and overcome infrastructure limitations at the wireless network edge. In this paper, we describe our “Panacea's Cloud”, a hierarchical cloud-fog platform that provides augmented reality benefits with real-time human communication and geolocation services through the integration of a standardized Incident Command System (ICS) with smart devices such as heads-up displays, virtual beacons, and wireless mesh network elements. We show how the ICS can run using a core cloud as an intelligent dashboard that leverages fog resources and data collection close to the incident scenes. In addition, we describe experiment results from evaluations of Panacea's Cloud dashboard usability and platform performance that show benefits and issues in hierarchical cloud-fog service management in support of ICS communication during disaster incident coordination.
Expanding the Conceptual and Analytical Basis of Energy Justice: Beyond the Three-Tenet Framework

Energy justice is now an established research topic in the field of energy policy. Despite the growing popularity of energy justice research, however, conceptual and analytical frameworks used in the field have remained limited. This paper reviews the prevailing three-tenet framework of energy justice which has shaped the current discourse based on the three dimensions – distributional, procedural, and recognition justice. As an effort to contribute to expanding the research agenda of energy justice problems, we propose a new understanding of the production of energy injustice by characterizing three institutionalized tendencies of dominant modern energy systems: 1) preference for large-scale technical systems and distancing of system designs from local decision-making processes; 2) centralization of energy production and concomitant distancing of supply from users; and 3) widespread ‘risk-taking’ tendencies portrayed by designers and proponents of current energy supply systems as a necessary ‘price to pay’ for technological innovation and social progress. We then connect these three tendencies to political, economic, and technical ideologies of modernism that often provide justifications for energy inequity: 1) top-down political and economic decision-making systems, 2) technical interpretation of sustainability, 3) specialist understanding of fairness, and 4) path dependency. Finally, we present an illustration of how this new conception of energy justice can be applied in practice using the case of South Korea’s nuclear power system and Seoul’s One Less Nuclear Power Plant Initiative.
Fabrication of core-sheath nanoyarn via touchspinning and its application in wearable piezoelectric nanogenerator

A simple and versatile touchspinning method is demonstrated for the fabrication of core-sheath nanofibrous piezoelectric yarns with a single filament electroconductive core. The polyvinylidene fluo...
Investigation of multivariate seismic surrogate demand modeling for multi-response structural systems

Abstract Probabilistic seismic risk assessment of complex multi-response structural systems requires accurate estimations of multiple engineering demand parameters (EDPs) that are related to different failure modes. One conventional way is developing multiple separate univariate seismic demand models for each of the EDPs. However, such an approach lacks sufficient consideration of the correlations among different EDPs and also requires repetitive model tuning and training. Another alternative, which has not yet been extensively studied, is to develop a single multivariate surrogate demand model (MvSDM) that is able to jointly provide the estimates for all the EDPs. To facilitate more accurate and realistic seismic demand modeling of multi-response structural systems, the present study conducts a comprehensive investigation of different MvSDMs, which are constituted by a systematic trend model that characterizes the mean response hypersurface, and a covariance model that quantifies the correlated model errors. Three types of systematic trend models including multivariate linear regression (MvLR), partial least squares regression (PLSR) and artificial neural network (ANN); along with three model error covariance estimation methods including joint probabilistic demand model (JPSDM) method, sample regression residual covariance (SCOV) method and multi-output Gaussian process regression (MOGP), are considered. The influence of trend model and error covariance model selection on seismic demand and fragility modeling is then studied based on a typical three-span concrete-girder highway bridge structure in the Central and Southeastern US. The results suggest that kernel PLSR and ANN as the systematic trend models, and the SCOV method as the error covariance model are promising alternatives that can contribute to accurate and reliable multivariate surrogate demand modeling yet with good computational efficiency.