cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Physical Function and Its Response to Exercise: Associations With Cytokine Gene Variation in Older Adults With Knee Osteoarthritis

Background. We determined whether physical function and its response to exercise training are associated with polymorphisms in cytokine genes (interleukin-6 [IL-6] � 174 G/C; tumor necrosis factor alpha [TNFa] � 308 G/A and � 238 G/A; and TNFa receptors [TNFR]1 þ36 A/G, TNFR2 þ676 T/G, and TNFR2 þ1663 A/G), in 214 older (� 60 years), overweight (body mass index � 28 kg/m 2 ) individuals with knee osteoarthritis. Methods. Physical function (walking distance, stair-climb time, self-reported disability) was measured before and after an 18-month randomized, controlled exercise trial involving walking and weight lifting 3 days/week. Results. In cross-sectional analyses, baseline walking distance was greater in individuals homozygous for the major G allele at IL-6 � 174 compared to individuals with at least one C allele (p ¼.05). Both walking distance (p ¼.02) and stairclimb time (p ¼ .003) were better in individuals homozygous for the major G allele of the TNFa � 308 polymorphism compared to those with at least one A allele. Walking distance was better (p ¼ .02), and stair-climb time tended to be better (p ¼ .06), in individuals homozygous for the major T allele of the TNFR2 þ676 polymorphism. No associations were seen with self-reported physical disability nor with the other polymorphisms. In response to exercise, there was a significant interaction between TNFa � 308 genotype and exercise treatment on 6-month changes in stair-climb time (p ¼ .007), and on 18-month changes in self-reported physical disability (p ¼ .01), such that individuals with an A allele showed greater improvement in response to exercise. Conclusions. Walking distance and stair climbing speed are partly influenced by genetic variation in the IL-6 and TNFa genes in older individuals with knee osteoarthritis.
A hybridizable discontinuous Galerkin method for linear elasticity

This paper describes the application of the so-called hybridizable discontinuous Galerkin (HDG) method to linear elasticity problems. The method has three significant features. The first is that the only globally coupled degrees of freedom are those of an approximation of the displacement defined solely on the faces of the elements. The corresponding stiffness matrix is symmetric, positive definite, and possesses a block-wise sparse structure that allows for a very efficient implementation of the method. The second feature is that, when polynomials of degree k are used to approximate the displacement and the stress, both variables converge with the optimal order of k+1 for any k⩾0. The third feature is that, by using an element-by-element post-processing, a new approximate displacement can be obtained that converges at the order of k+2, whenever k⩾2. Numerical experiments are provided to compare the performance of the HDG method with that of the continuous Galerkin (CG) method for problems with smooth solutions, and to assess its performance in situations where the CG method is not adequate, that is, when the material is nearly incompressible and when there is a crack. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Credentialing issues in emergency ultrasonography.

Emergency medicine has incorporated many techniques borrowed from other specialties into its armamentarium. These include the use of paralytic agents for emergency airway management, anesthetic medications for conscious sedation, proctoscopy and sigmoidoscopy, slit-lamp examination, and fiberoptic laryngoscopy. Conflicts over who should perform and bill for procedures have resulted from crossing specialty boundaries. The current debate over the use of ultrasonography by emergency physicians is another example of such a battle. Few would disagree that patients believed to have an acute pericardial effusion, an abdominal aortic aneurysm, free peritoneal fluid, or an ectopic pregnancy should have access to ultrasonography. This diagnostic modality has the potential to confirm or exclude these diagnoses accurately, rapidly, and inexpensively, regardless of the time of day the patient presents to the emergency department. As the number of ultrasound technologists and radiologists are insufficient to provide widespread availability of ultrasonography 7 days a week, 24 hours a day, there is a strong impetus for emergency physicians to provide this service. 8 In 1990, the American College of Emergency Physicians (ACEP) published a position statement supporting the availability of diagnostic ultrasonography 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and that emergency ultrasonography should be performed by appropriately trained physicians, including emergency physicians. 1 A similar statement was passed by the Society of Academic Emergency Physicians (SAEM). 19
Toward High-Resolution, Rapid, Probabilistic Forecasting of the Inundation Threat from Landfalling Hurricanes

AbstractState-of-the-art coupled hydrodynamic and wave models can predict the inundation threat from an approaching hurricane with high resolution and accuracy. However, these models are not highly efficient and often cannot be run sufficiently fast to provide results 2 h prior to advisory issuance within a 6-h forecast cycle. Therefore, to produce a timely inundation forecast, coarser grid models, without wave setup contributions, are typically used, which sacrifices resolution and physics. This paper introduces an efficient forecast method by applying a multidimensional interpolation technique to a predefined optimal storm database to generate the surge response for any storm based on its landfall characteristics. This technique, which provides a “digital lookup table” to predict the inundation throughout the region, is applied to the southwest Florida coast for Hurricanes Charley (2004) and Wilma (2005) and compares well with deterministic results but is obtained in a fraction of the time. Because of t...
MEASURING AND TESTING FOR SPATIAL SYNCHRONY

Spatial synchrony in abundance among populations at different locations has been studied for many species. Different statistics have been used as measures of synchrony, and various techniques have been employed to test the hypothesis that there is no synchrony. In this paper we first describe and contrast various measures of synchrony and then discuss testing for no synchrony. Tests that ignore the serial correlation are commonly employed but are incorrect if there is serial correlation present, as is often the case with populations followed over time. Alternative approaches and their limitations are presented including tests based on residuals, adjusted degrees of freedom tests, and bootstrap procedures. We recommend tests based on residuals in a model-based setting. We also discuss some of the difficulties of finding model-free approaches and suggest some methods based on confidence intervals for future study.
An adequate nursing workforce is essential to health centers and their expected growth under health reform

Community health centers serve as an important source of care to a patient population of 20.2 million patients that is largely low-income and insured by Medicaid or uninsured. The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) allocated $11 billion in funds through 2015 to community health centers (CHCs) to grow their capacity. Nurses are essential to the ability of CHCs to provide care to a patient population at higher risk for chronic health problems. This article draws on federal CHC staffing data and CHC growth estimates to examine the nursing workforce challenges that will need to be overcome in delivering care to 20 million new patients.
The Effects of Topography on Sea and Land Breezes in a Two-Dimensional Numerical Model

Abstract A mathematical two-dimensional hydrostatic model has been employed for the study of mesoscale circulations which develop over a mountain barrier, a flat coastline and a mountainous coastline when the prevailing flow is zero. One of the main features of the model is the inclusion of the parameterization of the surface heat budget, and shortwave and longwave radiative fluxes. Results show that the combined sea breeze and mountain circulations produce a more intense circulation during both day and night than when they act separately. The mountainous coastline case generates an inland penetrating sea breeze which develops a leeside cell of upward vertical velocity. The predictions are in qualitative agreement with the observed phenomenon.
EMPTY NESTS DO NOT AFFECT FEMALE MATE CHOICE OR MATERNAL INVESTMENT IN HOUSE WRENS

Abstract House Wrens (Troglodytes aedon) remove eggs from the nests of other birds, including conspecifics and heterospecifics and both cup and cavity nests. Egg removal by males before females arrive increases the number of empty nests in and around a male House Wren's territory, and females might use this trait in mate choice. We manipulated the presence of empty nests in House Wren territories prior to female settlement by adding artificial nests with or without plastic eggs. We used the timing of female settlement as an index of mate preference. Our manipulation had no effect on the timing of female settlement or on variables related to maternal investment such as clutch size, egg volume, or provisioning effort. Differential investment in offspring was based on the timing of a reproductive attempt, which was unrelated to the experimental manipulation. La Eleccion de Pareja por las Hembras o la Inversion Maternal no Son Afectadas por Nidos Vacios en Troglodytes aedon Resumen. Troglodytes aedon remueve ...
A Study Of Differential Attitudes Held BY Auditors From Large And Small U.S. Firms Toward Audits Performed By Small Public Accounting Firms.

In an experiment (N=46), auditors from large U.S. firms attached greater relevancy to GAAS and assigned higher levels of quality to audit procedures applied to a small business audit than did auditors from small U.S. firms. These findings suggest the existence of a perception gap. Auditors from large firms may not be fully aware of the audit dilemmas facing small firms with small business audit clients.
Chronic chikungunya virus musculoskeletal disease: what are the underlying mechanisms?

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a positive-sense enveloped RNA virus that causes large epidemics of musculoskeletal disease, including acute and chronic forms of arthritis. Starting in 2005, CHIKV re-emerged to cause outbreaks of unprecedented scale in islands of the Indian Ocean, India, South East Asia, and Europe [1–5]. In 2013, CHIKV reached the Western Hemisphere, where it is responsible for outbreaks in the Americas that have affected millions [6]. Acute CHIKV infection generally presents with fever, severe joint pain, muscle aches and rash, which subside in 7–10 days. However, up to two-thirds of infected individuals experience an incapacitating arthralgia, which often includes signs of joint inflammation and tenosynovitis that persists for months or years after the acute phase [7,8]. These persistent disease signs and symptoms cause a substantial economic burden and loss of quality of life [7]. Vaccines and antiviral agents are not currently available for CHIKV infection, and treatment is limited to managing symptoms with a nalgesics and anti-inflammatory drugs. Given the high percentage of patients with persistent symptoms following previous CHIKV outbreaks on other continents, it is likely that there will be a substantial population in the Americas with long-lasting pain and disability as a result of chronic CHIKV disease. Initial reports from ongoing outbreaks indicate that chronic disease is already prevalent in parts of the Americas [9–11]. Despite this growing public health concern, the underlying mechanisms of chronic musculoskeletal pain and inflammation following acute CHIKV infection are not well understood. The factors that contribute to the development of chronic CHIKV disease in individual patients are complex and may include: genetic predispositions; pre-existing arthropathy or other co-morbidities; direct virus-induced tissue damage; longterm persistence of CHIKV infection in tissues with concomitant inflammation; and activation of autoimmune responses. Thus, more research in humans and animal models is needed, as identifying effective therapies for the wide spectrum of chronic CHIKV disease manifestations will be challenging without an improved understanding of the molecular mechanisms that contribute to chronic CHIKV disease pathogenesis.
Residential Segregation and Hypertension Prevalence in Black and White Older Adults.

Purpose: The purpose of this article was to assess segregation’s role on race differences in hypertension among non-Hispanic Blacks and Whites aged 50 and over. Method: Hypertension was defined as systolic blood pressure (BP) ≥ 140 mmHg, diastolic BP ≥ 90 mmHg, or self-reported antihypertensive medication use. Segregation measures combined race, neighborhood racial composition, and individual and neighborhood poverty level. Logistic models produced odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for each segregation category, adjusting for health-related factors. Results: Blacks in Black (OR = 2.54, CI = [1.61, 4.00]), White (OR = 2.56, CI = [1.24, 5.31]), and integrated neighborhoods (OR = 3.23, CI = [1.72, 6.03]) had greater odds of hypertension compared with Whites in White neighborhoods. Poor Whites in poor neighborhoods (OR = 1.74, CI = [1.09, 2.76]), nonpoor Blacks in nonpoor (OR = 3.03, CI = [1.79, 5.12]) and poor neighborhoods (OR = 4.08, CI = [2.16, 7.70]), and poor Blacks in nonpoor (OR = 4.35, C...
Crystallite Rotation Experiments Revisited: the Contribution of Free-Surface Interactions

While crystallite-rotation experiments of the type pioneered by Gleiter and his co-workers have provided a great deal of information about the variation of grain boundary energy with crystal misorientation, certain aspects of the experiments still remain puzzling. Notably, crystal rotation rates do not follow the form predicted by consideration of the Read-Shockley equation; and Chan and Balluffi have shown that in some cases certain crystallites are able to escape from the energy cusps that trap others [5]. In this paper we re-examine the crystallite rotation mechanism and rotation rates from the perspective of the interactions of grain boundary dislocations with the free surfaces that terminate the grain boundary.
Kinetics of Crystallization in Multicomponent Systems: I. Binary Mixtures of n-Paraffins.

The kinetics of crystallization of a binary mixture of n-paraffins is treated using a theory for the rate of growth of chains in multicomponent systems. The kinetic chain is considered to be a strip of crystalline material composed of molecules of both components that is growing on a substrate of uniform thickness. This substrate is considered to be a close-packed surface step. Using the binary mixture of C24H50 and C26H54 as an example, the calculations are carried out by an iterative procedure so that the mean thickness of the strip equals that of the substrate. This procedure necessitates modification of the rate constants that would be used without this requirement. The rate of growth of the strips (total flux) is calculated as well as their composition over an appropriate range of temperature and a complete range of liquid compositions. The pair distribution in the strips is also determined. The substrate is assumed to be unkinked in the calculations, whereas the substrate is probably highly kinked in the actual system. For this reason the calculated total flux is probably not representative of the actual crystal growth rate in a binary mixture of C24H50 and C26H54. It is believed that the calculated compositions are reasonably accurate. For a binary mixture of longer n-paraffins (e.g., C50H102 C52H106) the substrate should have many fewer kinks, and the total flux calculated by this theory will be more closely related to actual crystal growth rate studies. However, no data exist for such systems.
Les formes héréditaires du cancer de l’ovaire : particularités clinico-biologiques et thérapeutiques

Hereditary ovarian cancers account for 10% of all cases. Two major syndromes with dominant autosomal transmission are identified. The most common one is breast-ovarian cancer syndrome due to BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes mutations, and the Lynch syndrome with mutated MMR genes is the other. Alterations in homologous recombination specifically observed in ovarian cancer with BRCA defects associated to Parp inhibition create a synthetic lethality of special interest. Numerous studies are in progress to explore this promising new approach. Furthermore, it seems that carcinogenesis of these two syndromes are different, suggesting alternative therapeutic options in the near future in order to improve prognosis of ovarian carcinomas.
Modeling Airlines’ Decisions on City-Pair Route Selection Using Discrete Choice Models

An approach based on the discrete choice random-utility theory is presented to model airlines’ decisions of strategically adding or deleting city-pair routes. The approach consists of methods for identification of air transportation networks, determination of choice sets, and comparison and validation of developed discrete choice models. The developed approach enables the quantification and estimation of airlines’ decision-making preferences to the identified explanatory variables, including market demand, direct operating costs, distance, and whether terminal airports are hubs or not. It is observed that market demand more significantly affects the decisions on route deletion than their addition. Furthermore, the effect of direct operating costs is significant in the decision of route deletion, whereas it is not in route addition. Finally, airlines’ decisions vary, depending on the airport hub status. These trends are observed consistently over time in the current analysis of historical data from 2004 to...
The neurobiology of the Prader-Willi phenotype of fragile X syndrome

Fragile X syndrome (FXS) is the most common inherited cause of intellectual disability and autism, caused by a CGG expansion to greater than 200 repeats in the promoter region of FMR1 on the bottom of the X chromosome. A subgroup of individuals with FXS experience hyperphagia, lack of satiation after meals and severe obesity, this subgroup is referred to have the Prader-Willi phenotype of FXS. Prader-Willi syndrome is one of the most common genetic severe obesity disorders known and it is caused by the lack of the paternal 15q11-13 region. Affected individuals suffer from hyperphagia, lack of satiation, intellectual disability, and behavioral problems. Children with fragile X syndrome Prader-Willi phenotye and those with Prader Willi syndrome have clinical and molecular similarities reviewed here which will impact new treatment options for both disorders.
SANITATION IN THE FOOD INDUSTRY1

Plant sanitation and housekeeping go hand in hand. Sanitary standards are continually changing in direct relation to our standards of living. There is an unconscious resistance to change; the desire to retain old methods, some of which may have been extremely insanitary. Some food industries have established sanitary codes for the design, construction, and installation of machinery and equipment. Properly drained floors and adequate cleaning facilities are important features of plant design and construction. Certain aspects of equipment design are mentioned including holding vessels, product pipelines, valves, and conveyor belts. An effective cleaning program is necessary to maintain a plant in a sanitary condition. The necessary tools must be provided. Check lists can be used as an index of sanitation in a plant. Bacteriological line checks, the diacetyl test in the citrus industry, and swabs and contact plates for equipment contamination are also important tools. Good housekeeping is an important adjunc...
Rapid Molecular Detection and Differentiation of Influenza Viruses A and B

Influenza is a contagious respiratory illness caused by influenza viruses A and B in humans and causes a significant amount of morbidity and mortality every year. The Influenza A and B assay was the first CLIA-waived molecular rapid flu test available. The Influenza A and B test works by employing isothermal amplification with influenza-specific primers followed by target detection with molecular beacon probes. Here, the performance of the Influenza A and B assay on frozen, archived nasopharyngeal swab (NPS) specimens stored in viral transport medium (VTM) were compared to a respiratory panel assay. The performance of the Influenza A and B assay was evaluated by comparing the results to the respiratory panel reference method. The sensitivity for total influenza virus A was 67.5% (95% CI (CI), 56.6-78.5) and the specificity was 86.9% (CI, 71.0-100). For influenza virus B testing, the sensitivity and specificity were 90.2% (CI, 68.5-100) and 98.8% (CI, 68.5-100), respectively. This system has the advantage of a significantly shorter test time than any other currently available molecular assay and the simple, pipette-free procedure runs on a fully integrated, closed, small-footprint system. Overall, the Influenza A and B assay evaluated in this study has the potential to serve as a point-of-care rapid influenza diagnostic test.
Role of Pt during hydrodeoxygenation of biomass pyrolysis vapors over Pt/HBEA

Abstract 1.3 wt% Pt/HBEA and HBEA were studied as catalysts for the hydrodeoxygenation of pine pyrolysis vapors at 500 °C. Both catalysts showed high initial conversion of oxygenated pyrolysis products into aromatic hydrocarbons, while Pt/HBEA showed higher stability in terms of hydrocarbon productivity and deferred breakthrough of oxygenated compounds. Among 1-, 2- and 3-ring aromatic hydrocarbons, Pt/HBEA had a significantly higher selectivity than HBEA towards unalkylated aromatics (e.g., benzene) as compared to the corresponding alkylated aromatics (e.g., toluene and xylene). Additionally, Pt addition to HBEA decreased coke deposition and improved resistance to pore and acid site blockage as determined by TPO, N2 physisorption, and NH3 TPD. The ability of Pt to promote cleavage and hydrogenation of methoxy and methyl groups was observed by increased methane production over Pt/HBEA relative to HBEA. A progressive decrease in the methane production over Pt/HBEA correlated with deactivation in terms of reduced benzene formation, breakthrough of oxygenated products, and increased formation of polynuclear aromatics and their degree of substitution, which indicate coke formation. The increased methane yield and suppressed coke formation with the addition of Pt is attributed to hydrogen spillover, through which hydrogen activated on Pt can subsequently migrate to the HBEA support to reverse the coke-forming hydrogen abstraction reaction.
Attention and Self-Control in Education

The ability to attend and to exercise self-control or self-regulation is a vital aspect of human adaptability. Research indicates that those who have attention and self-control problems are more likely to have attention deficit, learning difficulties, poor cognitive performance, school failure, mood disorders, and antisocial behavior. This chapter will discuss how key brain networks involved in both attention and self-control affect our learning and teaching, and propose a novel strategy for improvements of education outcomes through strengthening attention and self-control networks in the brain and therefore optimizing cognitive performance.
Mixed-Status Families and Immigration Interior Enforcement Policies: Effects on Clinical Practice and the Intraethnic Therapeutic Dyad

ABSTRACTThis article explores the sociopolitical and intersubjective enactments that unfolded when working with a mixed-status immigrant family facing parental deportation. Through the integration of a sociopolitical and intersubjective conceptualization, dynamics pertaining to inclusion, exclusion, domination, and subjugation are examined. The psychological exploration of the clinical treatment is guided by Altman’s (2010) three-person psychology and Stolorow’s (1991, 1993) theory of intersubjectivity. The analysis also incorporates dynamics pertaining to the ethnocultural transference and countertranference (Comas-Diaz & Jacobsen, 1991, 1995) and to associative identification processes (Shonfeld-Ringer, 2000). The case illustrates how dynamics of racialization, embedded within an increasingly White Nativist, ideological deportation immigration context, infiltrated the intraethnic, therapeutic relational encounter. The therapist took part in an intragroup, racialized reenactment that could have led to th...
Creation and Evaluation of New Porcine Model for Investigation of Treatments of Surgical Site Infection

Surgical site infection (SSI) is the most common cause of surgical failure, increasing the risks of postoperative mortality and morbidity. Recently, it has been reported that the use of antimicrobial dressings at the incision site help with prevention of SSI. Despite the increased body of research on the development of different types of antimicrobial dressings for this application, to our knowledge, nobody has reported a reliable large animal model to evaluate the efficacy of developed materials in a preclinical SSI model. In this study, we developed a porcine full-thickness incision model to investigate SSI caused by methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), the leading cause of SSI in the United States. Using this model, we then evaluated the efficacy of our newly developed silver releasing nanofibrous dressings for preventing and inhibiting MRSA infection. Our results confirmed the ease and practicality of a new porcine model as an in vivo platform for evaluation of biomaterials for SSI. Using this model, we found that our silver releasing scaffolds significantly reduced bacterial growth in wounds inoculated with MRSA relative to nontreated controls and to wounds treated with the gold standard, silver sulfadiazine, without causing inflammation at the wound site. Findings from this study confirm the potential of our silver-releasing nanofibrous scaffolds for treatment/prevention of SSI, and introduce a new porcine model for in vivo evaluation of additional SSI treatment approaches.
Clipping prevents perforation in large, flat polyps.

AIM To determine if prophylactic clipping of post-polypectomy endoscopic mucosal resection (EMR) mucosal defects of large, flat, right sided polyps prevents perforations. METHODS IRB approved review of all colonoscopies, and prospective data collection of grasp and snare EMR performed by 2 endoscopists between January 1, 2010 and March 31, 2014 in a community ambulatory endoscopy center. The study consisted of two phases. In the first phase, all right-sided, flat polyps greater than or equal to 1.2 cm in size were removed using the grasp and snare technique. Clipping was done at the discretion of the endoscopist. In the second phase, all mucosal defects were closed using resolution clips. Phase 2 of the study was powered to detect a statistically significant difference in perforation rate with 148 EMRs, if less than or equal to 2 perforations occurred. RESULTS In phase 1 of the study, 2121 colonoscopies were performed. Seventy-five patients had 95 large polyps removed. There were 4 perforations in 95 polypectomies (4.2%). The perforations occurred in polyps ranging in size from 1.5 cm to 2.5 cm. In phase 2, there were 2464 colonoscopies performed. One hundred and sixteen patients had 151 large polyps removed, and all mucosal defects were clipped. There were no perforations (P = 0.0016). There were no post-polypectomy hemorrhages in either phase. An average of 2.15 clips were required to close the mucosal defects. The median time to perform the polypectomy and clipping was 13 min, and the median procedure duration was 40 min. Five percent of all patients undergoing colonoscopy in our community based, ambulatory endoscopy center had flat, right sided polyps greater than or equal to 1.2 cm in size. CONCLUSION Prophylactic clipping of the mucosal resection defect of large, right-sided, flat polyps reduces the incidence of perforation.
Precise dispensing of liquids using visual feedback

Robotic pouring is an important step in improving the safety, productivity and repeatability in the biotechnology industry and generally increasing the effectiveness of robotics in human based environments. In this work we present a method to autonomously dispense a precise amount of fluid using only visual feedback without using precision pouring instruments such as pipettes, syringes or pourers. We model circular and rectangular pouring container geometries. We prove that for square containers we can control the flow by only observing the fluid height in the receiving beaker. We show a systematic approach using a hybrid control scheme that is robust to the initial amount of fluid in the pouring container and inconsistent flow. Specifically we present (a) a model for pouring (b) a model based algorithm to drive a robot arm (c) visual feedback for regulating the pouring rate. We demonstrate this using the Rethink Robotics Sawyer manipulator and mvBluefox MLC202bc camera.
Miniature elastomeric valve design for safe direct current stimulator

For safety reasons, commercial neural implants use charge-balanced biphasic pulses to interact with target neurons using metal electrodes. Short biphasic pulses are used to avoid irreversible electrochemical reactions at the electrode-tissue interfaces. Biphasic pulses are effective at exciting neurons, but quite limited in inhibiting their activity. In contrast, direct current can both excite and inhibit neurons, however delivered to metal electrodes, it causes toxic electrochemical reactions. We recently introduced Safe Direct Current Stimulator (SDCS) technology, which can excite or inhibit neurons without violating the safety criteria. Instead of direct current, SDCS generates an ionic direct current (iDC) from a biphasic input signal using a network of fluidic channels and mechanical valves. A key enabler towards transforming SDCS concept from a benchtop design to an implantable neural prosthesis is the design of a miniature valve. In this work, we present poly-dimethylsiloxane (PDMS) based elastomeric valves, squeeze valve (SV) and plunger valve (PV) capable of being actuated using a shape memory alloy wire.
Chief Nursing Officers’ Views on Meeting the Needs of the Professional Nurse: How This Can Affect Patient Outcomes

Chief Nursing Officers (CNOs) have a demanding, complex role that commands accountability in leading the nursing profession and achieving quality patient outcomes. The purpose of this study was to understand the CNO’s view of meeting the needs of the Registered Nurse (RN) at point of care and how this could affect quality patient outcomes. In two qualitative studies twenty-five CNOs were individually interviewed in eight states including: Florida, Tennessee, Kentucky, Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, and New Jersey. The majority of these CNOs interviewed believed they were doing the best for their nurses and their healthcare facility. After analyzing their responses, it was apparent that some CNOs actually encouraged peer pressure among nurses to achieve compliance and felt patient acuity is being addressed adequately, since most patients were discharged within three to four days and those that were more critical were admitted to the critical care units. The average length of stay, which is the number of paid days a patient remained in the hospital, was an important metric. A large amount of nurses felt they were unable to deliver the care needed for their patients due to patient load, lack of collaboration among the health care team, higher patient acuity and absence of decision-making and autonomy. Many of the CNOs trusted that patient care outcomes, meaning relatively short hospital stays, demonstrated that the nursing practice was successful; rather than first having the nurse being set up for success to provide the best care possible to their patients.
CyberGIS Considerations for Structured Participation Methods in Collaborative Problem Solving

In the age of Web 2.0, many online environments support user-generated content and social media integration; however, to enable collaborative problem-solving in CyberGIS we must go beyond information dissemination and provide an integrated analytic-deliberative collaboratory—an environment for high-performance collaboration. The Structured Participation Toolkit (SPT) allows structured participation methods to be seamlessly integrated into the CyberGIS Gateway to support large-scale, asynchronous participation; structured analytic deliberation; consensus-building and decision-making; as well as to provide an open, transparent decision repository and participation metrics for reporting and analysis. The SPT is deployed as pluggable graphical user interface widgets to enable cross-platform and cross-domain communication based on a service-oriented architecture approach.
Fatigue Crack Growth Resistance of Structural Alloys at Cryogenic Temperatures

Fatigue failure is a process of crack initiation, crack propagation, and fracture. Fracture occurs when the crack propagates to a critical size, and the structural component is no longer able to support the applied stress. The critical crack size is a function of the fracture toughness of the material and the component geometry and can be calculated from a fracture mechanics analysis. The fatigue life is determined by the time required to initiate and/or propagate a crack to critical size.
EFFECTS OF PHYSIOLOGICAL AND PHARMACOLOGICAL STRESS ON THE SUBCELLULAR DISTRIBUTION OF ADRENERGIC STORAGE VESICLES IN RAT HEART

Publisher Summary It was observed that norepinephrine (NE) was associated with sedimentable material in peripheral noradrenergic neurons. Since that time, the properties of the particles that contain NE have been investigated using morphological and biochemical techniques. It appears that NE is stored in several types of subcellular organelles. Examination of adrenergic neurons by electron microscopy has revealed large, dense-cored vesicles. The electron lucent vesicles appear to be able to take up exogenous analogues of NE such as 5-hydroxydopamine. Morphological evidence suggests that NE is stored in a tubular reticulum-like structure, which has a reserpine sensitive core. The existence of several types of NE storage vesicles in adrenergic neurons is accepted. There is less agreement with regard to the type and distribution of storage particles that are found in nerve terminals. NE was associated with dense and light vesicles while dopamine-β-hydroxylase (DBH) activity was associated only with the denser vesicle fraction. This result suggests that there are two populations of vesicles in the dog spleen capable of storing NE but that only the denser of the two can function to synthesize this amine.
Subsistence Transitions and the Simplification of Ecological Networks in the Western Desert of Australia

The Australian desert ecosystem coevolved with humans over the course of fifty millennia, yet our understanding of the place of humans within the ecosystem is only now beginning to deepen; recent research suggests that the removal of Aboriginal people from homelands precipitated rapid ecosystem remodeling. We suggest that network-based approaches are instrumental in broadening our understanding of humans in ecosystems, so apply these approaches to examine nomadic-era ecosystems (when Aboriginal people lived exclusive foraging-based lifeways) and contemporary-era ecosystems (when Aboriginal people live a mixed-based economy lifestyle). Using the approach of food web modeling we explicitly place Martu Aboriginal foragers within the overall ecosystem of the Western Desert. By linking humans to the other biota in the desert, examining each species as nodes in a network and each consumption link as edges in the network, we can better understand the ways the network connectedness shifts between nomadic-era and contemporary-era food webs. Using network randomization simulations we show that the contemporary food webs deviate significantly from the nomadic era food webs, suggesting a key role of humans as “knitters” of the ecosystem. This work has implications for research on resilient ecosystems, both within Australia and beyond, and suggests that humans have significant roles to play in sustainability and resilience.
The tell-tale brain: A neuroscientist's quest for what makes us human.

In this landmark work, V. S. Ramachandran investigates strange, unforgettable cases-from patients who believe they are dead to sufferers of phantom limb syndrome. With a storyteller's eye for compelling case studies and a researcher's flair for new approaches to age-old questions, Ramachandran tackles the most exciting and controversial topics in brain science, including language, creativity, and consciousness.
Nitrate-Utilizing Microorganisms Resistant to Multiple Metals from the Heavily Contaminated Oak Ridge Reservation

Contamination of environments with nitrate generated by industrial processes and the use of nitrogen-containing fertilizers is a growing problem worldwide. While nitrate can be removed from contaminated areas by microbial denitrification, nitrate frequently occurs with other contaminants, such as heavy metals, that have the potential to impede the process. Here, nitrate-reducing microorganisms were enriched and isolated from both groundwater and sediments at the Oak Ridge Reservation (ORR) using concentrations of nitrate and metals (Al, Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Cd, and U) similar to those observed in a contaminated environment at ORR. Seven new metal-resistant, nitrate-reducing strains were characterized, and their distribution across both noncontaminated and contaminated areas at ORR was examined. While the seven strains have various pH ranges for growth, carbon source preferences, and degrees of resistance to individual and combinations of metals, all were able to reduce nitrate at similar rates both in the presence and absence of the mixture of metals found in the contaminated ORR environment. Four strains were identified in groundwater samples at different ORR locations by exact 16S RNA sequence variant analysis, and all four were found in both noncontaminated and contaminated areas. By using environmentally relevant metal concentrations, we successfully isolated multiple organisms from both ORR noncontaminated and contaminated environments that are capable of reducing nitrate in the presence of extreme mixed-metal contamination.IMPORTANCE Nitrate contamination is a global issue that affects groundwater quality. In some cases, cocontamination of groundwater with nitrate and mixtures of heavy metals could decrease microbially mediated nitrate removal, thereby increasing the duration of nitrate contamination. Here, we used metal and nitrate concentrations that are present in a contaminated site at the Oak Ridge Reservation to isolate seven metal-resistant strains. All were able to reduce nitrate in the presence of high concentrations of a mixture of heavy metals. Four of seven strains were located in pristine as well as contaminated sites at the Oak Ridge Reservation. Further study of these nitrate-reducing strains will uncover mechanisms of resistance to multiple metals that will increase our understanding of the effect of nitrate and metal contamination on groundwater microbial communities.
Real-Time Generation Scheduling Model and Its Application Considering Deep Peaking of Thermal Power Units

With the large-scale access to new energy source and the difference between electricity peak and valley of mass consumption province increasing day by day, domestic demand for peak shaving has gradually increased. As the energy structure of china is not reasonable because of the installed capacity of thermal power accounting for a large part of the whole installed capacity and the shortage of peak power the power grid is suffering the difficulties of peak shaving. Faced with the peak shaving pressure of the domestic power grid, this paper deeply excavate the deep peaking capacity of thermal power units, analyze their operating characteristics. Based on the conventional optimization model, it introduces constrains such as the running time of the smooth peak output and the minimum peak peaking time, and improving the unit output range and climbing constraints on the basis of conventional optimization models to establish a real-time power generation plan optimization model considering the deep regulation of thermal power units. This paper carries out a case study base on the actual operation data of Guangdong power grid. The results of the case are in line with expectations and meet the actual operation requirements of the grid.
An analysis of pediatric social vulnerability in the Pennsylvania trauma system.

Abstract Background The social vulnerability index (SVI) is used to assess resilience to external influences that may affect human health. Social vulnerability has been noted to be a barrier to healthcare access for pediatric patients. We hypothesized that Pennsylvania (PA) pediatric trauma patients high on the social vulnerability index would have significantly lower rates of rehab admission following admission to a hospital for traumatic injury. Methods The SVI was determined for each PA zip code area utilizing the census tract based 2014 SVI provided by the CDC along with a weighted crosswalk between census tracts and zip code areas using the Housing and Urban Development zip code crosswalk files. The rate of the uninsured population was extracted from the CDC SVI files in addition to other US Census variables based upon estimates from the 2014 American Community Survey (ACS). We also included the individual primary payer status of each subject. Pediatric (age = 3. Results SVI and undertriage rates of the zip code areas of residence were not significantly associated with admission to rehab. The individual primary payer status of the subject was significantly associated with admission to rehab (OR 95%CI vs. self/uninsured; Medicaid 3.65 1.84–7.24; Commercial = 3.09 1.56–6.11; other/unknown = 2.85 1.02–7.93). Admission to rehab was also significantly associated with age, injury severity (ISS), head or chest injury with AIS scores > = 3, year of admission and hospital type. Conclusion Individual patient level factors (primary payer of patient) may be associated with the odds of rehab admission rather than neighborhood factors. Level of Evidence Epidemiologic: Level III.
UNDERSTANDING THE LEGAL ASPECT OF LAW ENFORCEMENT HIRING AND RETENTION

Law enforcement agencies struggle to hire officers. Law enforcement agencies are compelled to hold applicants to higher standards. Often, due to the danger that may occur, some applicants feel the pay is not worth the risk. Other applicants cannot complete the series of test such as physical agility, psychological, background checks and their criminal history. Even after an officer is hired, they are held to certain standards they must maintain to remain employed. In the State of Georgia, the Peace Officer Standard Training keeps a record of each officer in Georgia that provides the citizens with qualified, professional, trained, ethical and competent peace officers in law enforcement. Any violations could result in the officer certification being suspended or revoked and will show if a person has been fired or quit voluntarily. Hiring and Retention of law enforcement officers will need to be addressed. Police officers or Deputy Sheriffs are needed to maintain order, investigate crimes whether misdemeanors or felonies and crimes against children or the elderly. If agencies cannot retain officer’s criminals would not have consequences for their actions and society would revert to the days of outlaws and common law citizens. Not being able to hire and retain officers can have an impact externally and internally. If officers are not hired or retain the following could cause long term problems such as; officer burnout due to the overtime, case overloads for investigators or detectives, new recruits using the agency as a steppingstone until another job is found.
Evaluation of the Patient with Syncope

Publisher Summary Syncope is a common clinical problem. In the 26-year surveillance of the Framingham study, syncope occurred in 3% men and 3.5% women. Syncope accounts for up to 6% hospital admissions. The most frequent cause of syncope in apparently healthy subjects is neurally mediated syncope. Neurally mediated syncope (also referred to as vasovagal, vasodepressor, or reflex syncope) is an acute hemodynamic reaction produced by a sudden change in the autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity. In neurally mediated syncope, the normal pattern of autonomic outflow that maintains blood pressure in the standing position (increased sympathetic and decreased parasympathetic activity) is acutely reversed. In patients with syncope in whom cardiac arrhythmia cannot be documented by electrocardiography, hemodynamic monitoring during passive tilt (that, tilt-table test) is the best available diagnostic procedure. Passive head-up tilt by preventing the pumping effect of skeletal muscle contraction exaggerates the reduction in venous return of the upright posture and triggers neurally mediated syncope in susceptible individuals.
Recursion in text and its use in language generation

In this paper, I show how textual structure is recursive in nature; that is, the same rhetorical strategies that are available for constructing the text's macro-structure are available for constructing its sub-sequences as well, resulting in a hierarchically structured text. The recursive formalism presented can be used by a generation system to vary the amount of detail it presents for the same discourse goal in different situations.
Progress and challenges in real time hardware-in-the loop simulations of integrated ship power systems

Future all-electric Navy ships will feature closely coupled, complex integrated power systems for propulsion, ship services, navigation, and, especially, pulse loads, all with an extensive usage of power electronic converter systems. In order to simulate the dynamics of these systems as accurately as possible, the Center of Advanced Power System (CAPS) at Florida State University has established an extensive real-time hardware-in-the-loop (RT-HIL) simulation capability. In this paper, the CAPS platform is utilized for the first time to perform RT-HIL experiments with an industrial-grade power electronics controller that operates a simulated pulse power compensator on a notional all-electric ship system. The system configuration, both in software and hardware, are presented. The results illustrate the reduction of bus frequency deviations caused by pulse power loads due to the active power compensation. Challenges unique to the RT-HIL environment are discussed and remedies are suggested for future studies.
Characterization of a mutant human erythrocyte carbonic anhydrase: Carbonic anhydrase IcGuam: The amino acid substitution and carboxylesterase and hydratase activities☆

Abstract Evidence is presented which indicates that an arginine residue has substituted for a glycine residue in the abnormal human erythrocyte carbonic anhydrase, CA IcGuam. The ratio of the amount of mutant to normal enzyme isolated from hemolyzates of individuals heterozygous for the variant averaged 0.56:1. No significant differences were observed between the specific carboxylesterase activities or specific CO2 hydratase activities of the normal and variant carbonic anhydrases.