cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Time-domain three-dimensional diffraction by the isorefractive wedge

The extension of the Biot-Tolstoy (1957) exact time domain solution to the electromagnetic isovelocity or isorefractive wedge is described. The TM field generated by a Hertzian electric dipole can be represented by a vector potential parallel to the apex of the wedge and a scalar potential necessitated by the three dimensionality of the magnetic field. The derivation of the former is exactly that of the pressure in the corresponding acoustic situation, and a more efficient version of the lengthy details is presented herein. A Lorentz gauge determines the scalar potential from the vector potential, and the diffracted field contains impulsive and "switch-on" terms that cannot be evaluated in closed form. The ratio of arrival times, at a given point, of the geometrical optics and diffracted fields provides a convenient parameter, in addition to the usual metric-related variable, for graphically displaying this scalar potential.
Functionalized positive nanoparticles reduce mucin swelling and dispersion.

Multi-functionalized nanoparticles (NPs) have been extensively investigated for their potential in household and commercial products, and biomedical applications. Previous reports have confirmed the cellular nanotoxicity and adverse inflammatory effects on pulmonary systems induced by NPs. However, possible health hazards resulting from mucus rheological disturbances induced by NPs are underexplored. Accumulation of viscous, poorly dispersed, and less transportable mucus leading to improper mucus rheology and dysfunctional mucociliary clearance are typically found to associate with many respiratory diseases such as asthma, cystic fibrosis (CF), and COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease). Whether functionalized NPs can alter mucus rheology and its operational mechanisms have not been resolved. Herein, we report that positively charged functionalized NPs can hinder mucin gel hydration and effectively induce mucin aggregation. The positively charged NPs can significantly reduce the rate of mucin matrix swelling by a maximum of 7.5 folds. These NPs significantly increase the size of aggregated mucin by approximately 30 times within 24 hrs. EGTA chelation of indigenous mucin crosslinkers (Ca2+ ions) was unable to effectively disperse NP-induced aggregated mucins. Our results have demonstrated that positively charged functionalized NPs can impede mucin gel swelling by crosslinking the matrix. This report also highlights the unexpected health risk of NP-induced change in mucus rheological properties resulting in possible mucociliary transport impairment on epithelial mucosa and related health problems. In addition, our data can serve as a prospective guideline for designing nanocarriers for airway drug delivery applications.
Hall coefficient factor for polar mode scattering in n-type GaAs☆

Abstract The temperature and magnetic field dependence of the Hall coefficient factor for polar mode scattering in n -type GaAs is examined in the temperature range from 300 to 77°K. The experimental results are in qualitative agreement with the theory of Lewis and Sondheimer. In practice, although the variation of r H with temperature is small, it can lead to a higher calculated carrier concentration at 77 than at 300°K and mask real changes in the actual carrier concentration.
Field evaluation of partially acidulated phosphate rocks in a Ferralsol from Cuba

Phosphorus (P) is needed in large areas of developing countries toimprove soil fertility for crop production. The use of phosphate rock (PR) isan alternative to costly soluble P fertilizers, but it is ineffective usuallyin non-acid soils unless it is modified i.e. partially acidulated (PAPR). Alaboratory incubation study using the isotopic exchange kinetic method of32P and field experiments were undertaken on a neutral Ferralsol ofCuba to evaluate the effectiveness of PAPRs as fertilizers for common bean(Phaseolus vulgaris, L.). Sulfuric-acid based PAPR using40%, 50% and 60% of the acid required to produce singlesuperphosphate were studied. In the laboratory experiment Trinidad de GuedesPAPR was effective in providing P to the soil, through increases inisotopicallyexchangeable P and the percentage of P derived from fertilizer (%Pdff). In the three field experiments carried out to compare the P sources,yields of common bean were increased by PAPR, though the response was less thanwith triple superphosphate (TSP). The relative agronomic effectiveness (RAE) ofPAPR was greater than that of unacidulated PR. Taking into account the RAEvalues and the current cost of the P sources, the choice of Trinidad de GuedesPAPR instead of TSP could be economic, although the RAE value for PAPR waslowerthan that of TSP. This result indicates that PAPR could be used in thesoil understudy to obtain the best economic return. DM yield, P uptake and grain yield ofcommon bean were significantly increased by applying P as 50% PAPR. Lowcost improvement of the agronomic value of PR can be achieved by partialacidulation, so this modification of the phosphate rock show promise forutilization of PR reserves indigenous to developing countries.
THE PRINCIPLE OF WHOLISTIC REFERENCE

In its strongest, unqualified form the principle of wholistic reference is that each and every proposition refers to the whole universe of discourse as such, regardless how limited the referents of its non-logical or content terms. Even though Boole changed from a monistic fixed-universe framework in his earlier works of 1847 and 1848 to a pluralistic multiple-universe framework in his mature treatise of 1854, he never wavered in his frank avowal of the principle of wholistic reference, possibly in a slightly weaker form. Indeed, he took it as an essential accompaniment to his theory of concept formation and proposition formation. Similar views are found in later logicians, and some of the most recent formulations of standard, one-sorted first-order logic seem to be in accord with a form of it, if they do not actually imply the principle itself.
Roles for MYC in the Establishment and Maintenance of Pluripotency

MYC and MYCN have been directly implicated in the transcriptional regulation of several thousand genes in pluripotent stem cells and possibly contribute to the activity of all transcribed genes. Control of transcription by a pause-release mechanism, recruitment of positive and negative epigenetic regulators, and a general role in transcriptional amplification have all been implicated as part of the broad, overarching mechanism by which MYC controls stem cell biology. As would be anticipated from the regulation of so many genes, MYC is involved in a wide range of cellular processes including cell-cycle control, metabolism, signal transduction, self-renewal, maintenance of pluripotency, and control of cell fate decisions. MYC transcription factors also have clear roles in cell reprogramming and establishment of the pluripotent state. The mechanism by which MYC accomplishes this is now being explored and promises to uncover unexpected facets of general MYC regulation that are likely to be applicable to cancer biology. In this work we review our current understanding of how MYC contributes to the maintenance and establishment of pluripotent cells and how it contributes to early embryonic development.
Polymorphisms in key pulmonary inflammatory pathways and the development of acute respiratory distress syndrome.

ABSTRACTPurpose/Aim: Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome (ARDS) is an important clinical and public health problem. Why some at-risk individuals develop ARDS and others do not is unclear but may be related to differences in inflammatory and cell signaling systems. The Receptor for Advanced Glycation Endproducts (RAGE) and Granulocyte-Monocyte Stimulating Factor (GM-CSF) pathways have recently been implicated in pulmonary pathophysiology; whether genetic variation within these pathways contributes to ARDS risk or outcome is unknown. Materials and Methods: We studied 842 patients from three centers in Utah and 14 non-Utah ARDS Network centers. We studied patients at risk for ARDS and patients with ARDS to determine whether Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNPs) in the RAGE and GM-CSF pathways were associated with development of ARDS. We studied 29 SNPs in 5 genes within the two pathways and controlled for age, sepsis as ARDS risk factor, and severity of illness, while targeting a false discovery rate of ≤5%...
Ethics, Power, and Academic Corruption

Faculty and administrators had choices of well-known university and accreditation principles and rules to follow or refuse to follow as the events unfolded. The choices and evidence in this report support the conclusion that accreditation is not a reliable authority on academic quality.
Personalized ad recommendation systems for life-time value optimization with guarantees

In this paper, we propose a framework for using reinforcement learning (RL) algorithms to learn good policies for personalized ad recommendation (PAR) systems. The RL algorithms take into account the long-term effect of an action, and thus, could be more suitable than myopic techniques like supervised learning and contextual bandit, for modern PAR systems in which the number of returning visitors is rapidly growing. However, while myopic techniques have been well-studied in PAR systems, the RL approach is still in its infancy, mainly due to two fundamental challenges: how to compute a good RL strategy and how to evaluate a solution using historical data to ensure its "safety" before deployment. In this paper, we propose to use a family of off-policy evaluation techniques with statistical guarantees to tackle both these challenges. We apply these methods to a real PAR problem, both for evaluating the final performance and for optimizing the parameters of the RL algorithm. Our results show that a RL algorithm equipped with these off-policy evaluation techniques outperforms the myopic approaches. Our results also give fundamental insights on the difference between the click through rate (CTR) and life-time value (LTV) metrics for evaluating the performance of a PAR algorithm.
Mechanistically informed predictions of binding modes for carbocation intermediates of a sesquiterpene synthase reaction

Sesquiterpenoids comprise a class of terpenoid natural products with thousands of compounds that are highly diverse in structure, generally containing a polycyclic carbon backbone that is constructed by a sesquiterpene synthase. Decades of experimental and computational studies have demonstrated that these enzymes generate a carbocation in the active site, which undergoes a series of structural rearrangements until a product is formed via deprotonation or nucleophile attack. However, for the vast majority of these enzymes the productive binding orientation of the intermediate carbocations has remained unclear. In this work, a method that combines quantum mechanics and computational docking is used to generate an all-atom model of every putative intermediate formed in the context of the enzyme active site for tobacco epi-aristolochene synthase (TEAS). This method identifies a single pathway that links the first intermediate to the last, enabling us to propose the first high-resolution model for the reaction intermediates in the active site of TEAS, and providing testable predictions.
Dynamics of Granular Materials: Flows, Relaxation and Convection

Using the diffusing void model of granular flows, we study the dynamic response of granular materials, in particular, the relaxation of granular pile, pipe flow of granular materials, and the convection of granular media in a two dimensional box subjected to vibrations. We first study the relaxation of a one dimensional granular pile of height L in a confined geometry under repeated tapping within the context of the diffusing void model. The reduction of height as a function of the number of taps is proportional to the accumulated void density at the top layer. The relaxation process is characterized by the two dynamic exponents z and z' which describe the time dependence of the height reduction, Δh(t) ≈ tz and the total relaxation time, T(L) ≈ Lz'. While the governing equation is nonlinear, we find numerically that z=z'=l, which is robust against perturbations and independent of the initial void distributions. We then show that the existence of a steady state traveling wave solution is responsible for such a linear behavior. Next, we examine the case where each void is able to maintain its overall topology as a round object that can subject itself to compression. In this regime, the governing equations for voids reduce to traffic equations and numerical solutions reveal that a cluster of voids arrives at the top periodically, which is manifested by the appearance of periodic solutions in the density at the top. In this case, the relaxation proceeds via a stick-slip process and the reduction of the height is sudden and discontinuous. We then carry out the long wave analysis to demonstrate the existence of the KdV solitons in the traffic equations. Finally, we show our preliminary studies on granular convection in a box. We observe the appearance of two rolls when the control parameter exceeds the critical value, which then undergoes bifurcations to four rolls.
Asymptomatic Carotid Artery Stenosis

Asymptomatic carotid stenosis is fairly common in elderly patients, especially those with symptomatic atherosclerotic disease in other vascular beds. Although the term asymptomatic implies that these patients have no clinical manifestations, there can be associated silent brain infarcts and cognitive impairment. Carotid revascularization procedures are frequently performed in asymptomatic patients. The prognosis for medically treated patients appears to be improving in the last decade. Whether carotid revascularization is still useful for asymptomatic carotid stenosis will be tested in new clinical studies.
EpCAM Expressed by Murine Epidermal Langerhans Cells Modulates Immunization to an Epicutaneously Applied Protein Antigen.

Langerhans cells (LCs) induce type 2 antibodies reactive with protein antigens that are applied to murine skin in the absence of adjuvant after extending their dendrites through tight junctions to acquire antigens and migrating to regional lymph nodes. In response to contact sensitizers, epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) on LCs promotes LC dendrite mobility and LC migration. In epithelial cells, EpCAM regulates expression and distribution of selected tight junctions-associated claudins. To determine if EpCAM regulates claudins in LC and immune responses to externally applied proteins, we studied conditional knockout mice with EpCAM-deficient LCs. Although LC claudin-1 levels were dramatically reduced in the absence of EpCAM, conditional knockout mice with EpCAM-deficient LCs and control LC dendrites docked with epidermal tight junctions with equal efficiencies and ingested surface proteins. Topical immunization of conditional knockout mice with EpCAM-deficient LCs with ovalbumin led to increased induction of type 2 Ova-specific antibodies and enhanced proliferation of ovalbumin-reactive T cells associated with increased accumulation of LCs in lymph nodes. These results suggest that, in the absence of strong adjuvants, EpCAM-deficient LCs exhibit increased migration to regional lymph nodes. EpCAM appears to differentially regulate LC mobility/migration in the setting of limited inflammation as compared with the intense inflammation triggered by contact sensitizers.
Microdosimetry Studies at the BMRR and the MITR-II Using Miniature Tissue-Equivalent Proportional Counters

Conventional dosimetry methods for BNCT measure the macroscopic absorbed dose, but give no information about its microscopic nature or radiation quality. A low pressure tissue-equivalent proportional counter (TEPC) is capable of providing this information by supplying the complete single event charged particle spectrum depositing the dose in a simulated microscopic site. Miniature TEPCs have been designed to overcome the limitations in spatial resolution and dose rate of conventional Rossi counters. They are small enough to provide excellent spatial resolution and to be used in the high flux beams used for BNCT with a total deadtime of only a few percent and negligible pulse pile-up. A pair of TEPCs, made of A-150 tissue-equivalent plastic and A-150 loaded with 200µg/g 10B, with sensitive volumes of 0.01 cm3 have been constructed and characterized. Another TEPC has been constructed to investigate the effect of differences between A-150 plastic and brain tissue-equivalent plastic on the secondary charged particle spectrum. Collaborative arrangements have been made with Brookhaven National Laboratory and Massachusetts Institute of Technology to make microdosimetric measurements at the BMRR and the MITR-II. The results of these measurements are presented.
Dance in Schools: Valuing the Questions (2006)

The author notes that, after 35-plus years in dance education, she is convinced that there are no final answers to the most important questions, only temporary decisions made within specific contexts, and that she finds the questions more interesting than the answers. Her questioning in this text is organized into three interrelated issues. One focuses on the query, “Whose movement are we teaching?” The second has to do with the primacy of the lived experience of dancing and implications for teaching skills of interpretation and critical thinking, while the third centers on assessment. In each case, the author critiques the common assumptions of dance educators, such as the notion that creative dance uses children’s “natural” movement, and challenges many of her own core values. Rejecting the mantle of “expert,” she expresses the hope that exposing and probing her own questioning process will give others courage to engage in this process as well.
The Utility of Magnetic Resonance Imaging in the Evaluation of Accessory Scrotum in the Newborn

Accessory scrotum, a rare form of congenital scrotal anomaly that is often associated with other genitourinary and anorectal anomalies, is characterized by ectopic scrotal tissue in the presence of a normal, orthotopic scrotum. Here, we present a case of accessory scrotum in a newborn male. We describe our experience with the utilization of preoperative pelvic magnetic resonance imaging to characterize the complex relationship between the accessory scrotum and ano-sphincteric complex, as well as identify associated genitourinary abnormalities. We also provide a brief literature review.
Ruxolitinib dose management as a key to long-term treatment success

The Janus kinase 1 (JAK1) and JAK2 inhibitor ruxolitinib is currently the only therapy indicated for intermediate- or high-risk myelofibrosis. Results from clinical trials and experience in clinical practice have shown that ruxolitinib reduces myelofibrosis-related splenomegaly and symptom burden, and improves quality-of-life measures. In addition, ruxolitinib was associated with a survival advantage compared with placebo or conventional therapy in controlled trials. However, owing to the myelosuppressive effects of JAK2 inhibition, ruxolitinib is associated with decreases in hemoglobin and platelet counts, particularly during the first 8–12 weeks of therapy. Close monitoring of blood counts and careful dose management, particularly early in the course of therapy, are essential to avoid unnecessary cytopenias that may prompt premature treatment discontinuation by patients who otherwise would benefit from continued therapy. In general, starting doses and dose reductions should be used as recommended by the prescribing information based on platelet counts. A dose-escalation approach at the start of therapy is only recommended for patients with platelet counts of 50–100 × 109/L. If possible, maximum tolerated doses should be maintained and extended treatment interruptions should be avoided to prevent lack or loss of treatment responses. An individualized dosing approach is key to long-term treatment success.
Royal pharmaceuticals: Bioprospecting, rights, and traditional authority in South Africa

The translation of international biogenetic resource rights to a former apartheid homeland is fostering business partnerships between South African traditional leaders and multinational pharmaceutical companies. In the case of one contentious resource, these partnerships are entrenching, and in some instances expanding, apartheid-associated boundaries and configurations of power. The state and corporate task of producing communities amenable to biodiversity commercialization and conservation is entangled with segregationist laws and spatial planning. Rather than exclusion and the closure of ethnic boundaries, resource rights in this context foreground forced enrollment and the expansion of indigenous group-membership as modes of capitalist accumulation in an extractive economy. [pharmaceutical bioprospecting, Pelargonium sidoides, Convention on Biological Diversity, indigeneity, homelands, South Africa] Ukufezekiswa/ukuphunyezwa kwamalungelo egunya lwezimbiwa zendalo ezilapha, kwindawo ezisakuba yinxenye yamaphandle ocalu-calulo, ikhuthaza ubuhlakani nolwahlulelwano phakathi kweeNkosi kunye neeNkampani eznkulu zamazwe angaphandle kweli. (Amalungelo abhekisa kulawo abantu inezimbiwa ezinjenge zityalo/mithi, ngokuzisebenzisa kwabo kwanobunini bazo.) Omnye umzekelo wesityalo obangela ingxabano, ngowokuba obubuhlakani/lwahlulelwano (iinkosi neenkampani zamazwe) bubangela ifuthe elityhala ngamandla lokude kwandiswe memida yemihlaba eyayisekiwe ngeloxesha lamaphandle ocalu-calulo, kananjalo nesimo esitsha samagunya nolawulo lomthetho. Amalinge/imizamo kaRhulumente neeNkampani zamayeza/zamachiza okufumana abantu abangena ngci kwindlela yeengcinga zabo abasele benazo kakade, (abakwaziyo ukurhweba kwanokulondoloza indalo), utyhalwa lifuthe lomgaqo-nkqubo ocalu-calula abantu, kwanomgaqo-nkqubo obona utyalo-mali lusenzeka ikakhulu, ngaphandle kwezondawo zazisakuba phantsi kwamaphandle ocalu-calulo ngokwemida. U Rhulumente ukhangeleka ngathi ufuna kwenza utyalo-mali ikakhulu, ezixekweni/dolophini kweli le Mpuma Kapa, ngaphezu kwakwimimandla yeelali zelalisakuba liphandle localu-calulo. Kunokuba iinkokheli zemveli noRhulumente zenze imali zodwa, ngokubashiya ngaphandle abahlali bale mihlaba, iinkokheli zemveli kwakunye noRhulumnte zizama ukwandisa inani lazo, labobantu baphantsi kwazo, okanye banyanzelise abantu bezondawo babephantsi kolawulo lweenkosi ngokwabantu bemveli yalondawo, ngeenjongo zokwenza ingeniso-mali kwishishini lemveliso elikhupha/elomba izimbiwa zendalo eMzantsi Afrika. [Ushishino ngemithi/amachiza/izityalo zendalo kwaneengcambu zisetyenziselwa ukwenza amayeza (pharmaceutical bioprospecting),uvendle,eli ligama elisemthethweni le Nkomfa (Convention on Biological Diversity), imo yokuba ngowemveli yalo ndawo oknye inzalelwane yalapho kulo ndawo,amaphandle ocalu-calulo (Bantustans),uMzantsi Afrika]
Characteristics of retinal vein occlusion (RVO) patients with macular edema who lasted remission more than 6 months after single injection of intravitreal bevacizumab

Purpose To evaluate clinical characteristics of retinal veiin occlusion (RVO) patients with macular edema who lasted remission more than 6 months after single injection of intravitreal bevacizumab. Methods We retrospectively reviewed sixty eight eyes of 67 patients who have macular edema due to RVO. Group 1 included eyes lasted remission more than 6 months after single injection of intravitreal bevacizumab. Group 2 included eyes lasted macular edema even after two injections of intravitreal bevacizumab and needed intravitreal triamcinolone or ozurdex. Clinical characteristics including initial visual acuity, initial CMT (Central macular thickness) were compared between two groups. Results 44, 24, eyes were included in group 1, 2 respectively. Group 1 included 36 eyes of BRVO and 8 eyes of CRVO. Group 2 included 11 eyes of BRVO and 13 eyes of CRVO. Initial visual acuity was better in group 1 than group 2 (p = 0.023). Initial CMT was higher in group 2 (p = 0.006). Prevalence rate of diabetes were higher in group 2 (p = 0.002). Conclusions Our results suggest that weather the patient have a diabetes and initial visual acuity and CMT can be helpful in predicting the treatment response after intravitreal bevacizumab injection in these patients.
Compact silicon photonic resonance-assisted variable optical attenuator

A two-part silicon photonic variable optical attenuator is demonstrated in a compact footprint which can provide a high extinction ratio at wavelengths between 1520 nm and 1620 nm. The device was made by following the conventional p-i-n waveguide section by a high-extinction-ratio second-order microring filter section. The rings provide additional on-off contrast by utilizing a thermal resonance shift, which harvested the heat dissipated by current injection in the p-i-n junction. We derive and discuss a simple thermal-resistance model in explanation of these effects.
Psychocatalytic Benefits of the Unexpected.

Few doctors would say they deliberately try to catch their patients off guard, but doing so under the right circumstances can have what might be called “psychocatalytic” effects, triggering or crystallizing a change in perspective.
Capacity-approaching transmission based on GMI-optimized modulation formats

Different approaches to design modulation formats have been reviewed to improve granularity and receiver sensitivity. Set-partitioning (SP) quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) is found to be better than time-hybrid QAM at the same spectral efficiency. Multi-dimensional QAM optimized by pairwise optimization can outperform SP-QAM by ~ 0.5 dB. The results also suggest that modulation formats have to be designed at a reasonable system margin rather than comparing forward error correction (FEC) limit.
AgInS2–ZnS Quantum Dots: Excited State Interactions with TiO2 and Photovoltaic Performance

Multinary quantum dots such as AgInS2 and alloyed AgInS2–ZnS are an emerging class of semiconductor materials for applications in photovoltaic and display devices. The nanocrystals of (AgInS2)x–(ZnS)1–x (for x = 0.67) exhibit a broad emission with a maximum at 623 nm and interact strongly with TiO2 nanostructures by injecting electrons from the excited state. The electron transfer rate constant as determined from transient absorption spectroscopy was 1.8 × 1010 s–1. The photovoltaic performance was evaluated over a period of a few weeks to demonstrate the stability of AgInS2–ZnS when utilized as sensitizers in solar cells. We report a power conversion efficiency of 2.25% of our champion cell 1 month after its fabrication. The limitations of AgInS2–ZnS nanocrystals in achieving greater solar cell efficiency are discussed.
Coccidioidal meningitis complicated by central nervous system vasculitis in a patient with leukemia

Central Nervous System (CNS) vasculitis is the most common life-threatening complication of coccidioidal meningitis. It is manifested by cerebral ischemia, hemorrhage, and infarction. We report a case of CNS vasculitis in a patient receiving chemotherapy and review of the literature on coccidioidal meningitis. The patient was treated with combination antifungal therapy and a short course of high dose corticosteroids with a modest improvement in her neurological examination after initiation of steroids.
Ecotourism under pressure: The political economy of oil extraction and cruise ship tourism threats to sustainable development in Belize

AbstractThis paper explores the extent to which ecotourism development provides sufficient economic incentive to preclude ecologically problematic resource extraction. Global demand incentivizes ‘extreme’ oil drilling in ecologically sensitive locations. As deposits are discovered, states are tested in their commitments to sustainable development. Oil discoveries in Belize threaten the socio-environmental dynamics supporting sustainable development in a country dependent on ecotourism, with a state that demonstrated commitment to environmental protection. Incorporation of Belize into a cruise ship-based mass tourism economy simultaneous with oil discovery further erodes incentives for a strong environmental protection regime. At stake is a uniquely biodiverse location including the world’s largest intact barrier reef, and the larger implications for the willingness and capacity of states, private capital, and civil society to protect ecosystems in a fossil fuel and growth-dependent global economy. Based o...
An economic analysis of tolvaptan compared with fluid restriction among hospitalized patients with hyponatremia.

ABSTRACTObjective: The vasopressin-receptor antagonist tolvaptan is used for the treatment of hyponatremia (HN) in hospitalized patients with congestive heart failure (CHF) or syndrome of inappropriate antidiuretic hormone secretion (SIADH). The objective of this economic modeling study was to assess the potential cost and health outcomes associated with tolvaptan in comparison with fluid restriction (FR).Methods: A decision-analytic model was developed to estimate potential cost and health outcomes associated with tolvaptan compared with FR among hospitalized CHF and SIADH patients with severe HN (serum sodium [SS] levels < 125 mEq/L). The model, which was populated with data from the published literature, assumes that response to treatment influences hospital length of stay, probability of an intensive care unit (ICU) admission, and probability of a 30-day all-cause hospital readmission. One-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses (PSAs) assessed the influence of parameter uncertainty on model result...
Case study of a successful learner’s epistemological framings of quantum mechanics

Student framing of mathematics as expressing physical meaning may support successful shifts in epistemology from classical to quantum physics.
Longitudinal trajectories of subjective care stressors: the role of personal, dyadic, and family resources.

Objectives: Stressors are critical to the caregiver stress process, yet little work has examined resources that contribute to longitudinal changes in subjective stressors. The present study examine...
Convenient and Inexpensive Route to Sulfonylated Pyridines via SNAr Reaction of Electron-Rich Pyridines by Iron Catalysis

Sulfonylated pyridines were synthesized in moderate to excellent yields, with a wide scope of substituted pyridines and sulfinate salts as starting materials, by an iron-catalyzed SNAr reaction. This new methodology exhibits advantages for the synthesis of these useful substrates, such as the use of a readily available, inexpensive catalyst, prevention of the disproportionation of the sulfinate salts, and, more importantly, providing access to electron-rich pyridine substrates.
Making of Selfie Nationalism: Narendra Modi, the Paradigm Shift to Social Media Governance, and Crisis of Democracy:

The 2014 general elections in India marked a new media beginning. It catapulted Narendra Modi onto the national political scene through his clever use of digital media space as a form of public rel...
Reaffirming Indigenous Identity: Understanding Experiences of Stigmatization and Marginalization among Mexican Indigenous College Students.

The historical discrimination of Indigenous groups within Mexican society remains relevant to the experiences of Mexican Indigenous youth in the U.S. Similar to their immigrant peers, Mexican Indig...
Global site-specific analysis of glycoprotein N-glycan processing.

This protocol describes a semiquantitative glycoproteomics method using sequential treatment with endoglycosidases to create unique mass signatures to determine glycan occupancy and proportion of high-mannose and complex glycans at each glycosite. N-glycans contribute to the folding, stability and functions of the proteins they decorate. They are produced by transfer of the glycan precursor to the sequon Asn-X-Thr/Ser, followed by enzymatic trimming to a high-mannose-type core and sequential addition of monosaccharides to generate complex-type and hybrid glycans. This process, mediated by the concerted action of multiple enzymes, produces a mixture of related glycoforms at each glycosite, making analysis of glycosylation difficult. To address this analytical challenge, we developed a robust semiquantitative mass spectrometry (MS)-based method that determines the degree of glycan occupancy at each glycosite and the proportion of N-glycans processed from high-mannose type to complex type. It is applicable to virtually any glycoprotein, and a complete analysis can be conducted with 30 μg of protein. Here, we provide a detailed description of the method that includes procedures for (i) proteolytic digestion of glycoprotein(s) with specific and nonspecific proteases; (ii) denaturation of proteases by heating; (iii) sequential treatment of the glycopeptide mixture with two endoglycosidases, Endo H and PNGase F, to create unique mass signatures for the three glycosylation states; (iv) LC-MS/MS analysis; and (v) data analysis for identification and quantitation of peptides for the three glycosylation states. Full coverage of site-specific glycosylation of glycoproteins is achieved, with up to thousands of high-confidence spectra hits for each glycosite. The protocol can be performed by an experienced technician or student/postdoc with basic skills for proteomics experiments and takes ∼7 d to complete.
Readability, Applied Psychology of

Readability refers to the ease with which a passage can be understood, often expressed numerically. Current reading research emphasizes the interaction between the text and the reader. Readability formulas, by contrast, assume readability to be inherent in the text alone. Readability formulas provide an objective assessment of difficulty, usually expressed in ‘grade-level’ equivalents. These formulas generally use some combination of sentence length, word length, word frequency, and paragraph length. When used ‘honestly’, to examine previously written texts, readability formulas may be of some limited use. However, revisions specifically designed to improve readability scores do not necessarily improve comprehension. Readability formulas may provide some basis for comparing the difficulty of different texts, but they should be interpreted with caution.
Radiological Diagnosis of Small-Bowel Diseases

A combination of different radiological techniques allows the correct evaluation of patients with suspected small-bowel disease, particularly Crohn’s disease and small-bowel neoplasms. Barium studies provide only indirect information on the intestinal wall and adjacent extraintestinal structures whereas with US, CT, and MRI direct visualization of the wall (thickness and structure) and adjacent extraintestinal structures (mesentery, perivisceral fibrofatty cells, lymph nodes, peritoneal spaces) is possible. In particular, CT-enteroclysis and MRI-enteroclysis show mucosal alterations and the morpho-functional characteristics of the small-bowel loops. CT findings have been shown to correlate with the clinical activity index of Crohn’s disease.
Scaling a Startup: People and Organizational Issues

This note discusses the organizational challenges that startups often encounter as they begin to scale rapidly, along with approaches to addressing these challenges suggested by scholars, investors, and experienced entrepreneurs. The challenges fall into five broad areas: the need to formalize organizational structure; executive transitions; the need for management systems/processes; evolution of the board of directors role; and, preservation of an entrepreneurial culture.Learning Objective:To build understanding of the organizational challenges that startups encounter as they scale, along with potential solutions to their challenges.
Fatigue of unitized polymer/ceramic matrix composites with 2D and 3D fiber architecture at elevated temperature

Abstract Tension-tension fatigue behavior of two unitized composites comprising a polymer matrix composite (PMC) and a ceramic matrix composite (CMC) co-cured together was studied at elevated temperature. The PMC parts of both unitized composites have a 2D fiber architecture and consist of the P2SI® NRPE polyimide matrix reinforced with 12 plies of carbon fibers woven in an eight harness satin weave (8HSW). The P2SI® NRPE is a high-temperature, structural thermosetting polyimide developed for 288–316 °C service temperature applications. The CMC parts of the two unitized composites consist of a zirconia-based ceramic matrix reinforced with quartz glass fibers, but have different fiber architectures. The first unitized composite includes a laminated 2D CMC reinforced with 3 plies of an 8HSW fabric. The second unitized composite includes a 3D CMC that is a single-ply non-crimp 3D orthogonal weave composite. To assess the suitability of the two unitized composites for use in aerospace components designed to contain high-temperature environments, mechanical testing was conducted under temperature conditions mimicking the service environment. In all tests, the CMC side of the test specimen was at 329 °C while the PMC side was exposed to ambient laboratory air. The tensile stress-strain behavior of the two unitized composites was investigated and the tensile properties measured for both on-axis (0/90) and off-axis (±45) fiber orientations. Tension-tension fatigue behavior was evaluated in cyclic tests performed with an R (ratio of minimum to maximum stress) of 0.05 at a frequency of 1.0 Hz. Fatigue run-out was set to 2 × 105 cycles. Both hysteresis stress-strain behavior and modulus evolution with fatigue cycles were examined for each test. The 2D-PMC/2D-CMC composite exhibited better fatigue resistance than the 2D-PMC/3D-CMC under on-axis loading, while the 2D-PMC/3D-CMC had stronger fatigue performance under off-axis loading. Specimens that achieved fatigue run-out were tested in tension to failure in order to measure the retained tensile properties. Post-test examination with optical microscopy revealed severe delamination in the laminated 2D-PMC/2D-CMC and in the PMC part of the 2D-PMC/3D-CMC. The non-crimp 3D orthogonal weave CMC part exhibited improved delamination resistance.
Faecal immunochemical testing implementation to increase colorectal cancer screening in primary care

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the second leading cause of cancer death in USA, and CRC screening remains suboptimal. The aim of this quality improvement was to increase CRC screening in the internal medicine clinic (IMC) patients, between the ages of 50–75 years, from a baseline rate of 50%–70% over 12 months with the introduction of faecal immunochemical test (FIT) testing. We used the Plan–Do–Study–Act (PDSA) method and performed a root cause analysis to identify barriers to acceptance of CRC screening. The quality improvement team created a driver diagram to identify and prioritise change ideas. We developed a process flow map to optimise opportunities to improve CRC screening. We performed eight PDSA cycles. The major components of interventions included: (1) leveraging health information technology; (2) optimising team work, (3) education to patient, physicians and IMC staff, (4) use of patient navigator for tracking FIT completion and (5) interactive workshops for the staff and physicians to learn motivational interview techniques. The outcome measure included CRC screening rates with either FIT or colonoscopy. The process measures included FIT order and completion rates. Data were analysed using a statistical process control and run charts. Four hundred and seven patients visiting the IMC were offered FIT, and 252 (62%) completed the test. Twenty-two (8.7%) of patients were FIT positive, 14 of those (63.6%) underwent a subsequent diagnostic colonoscopy. We achieved 75% CRC screening with FIT or colonoscopy within 12 months and exceeded our goal. Successful strategies included engaging the leadership, the front-line staff and a highly effective multidisciplinary team. For average-risk patients, FIT was the preferred method of screening. We were able to sustain a CRC screening rate of 75% during the 6-month postproject period. Sustainable annual FIT is required for successful CRC screening.
The Association of Psychological Well-Being with Disablement Processes in a National Sample.

Objective Objectives were to explore subgroups of individuals with differential disability trajectories and evaluate the protective effects of psychological well-being (i.e. hedonic and eudaimonic) in the presence of multiple disease conditions (or multimorbidity) and sociodemographic disadvantages. Methods Data come from the prospective longitudinal cohort study the Midlife Development in the United States (n = 3,904). Three waves of data spanning a 20-year period were used to identify subgroups with different disability trajectories. Subgroup membership was then modelled as a function of psychological well-being assessed at wave 1 of the study using multinomial logistic regression. Results Three unique groups were identified: a normative group with initially low and slowly increasing levels of disability; a group with high levels of disability that was stable over time; and a group with moderate initial levels of disability that increased over time. Hedonic well-being at wave 1 was associated with membership in the risk groups relative to the normative group. Conclusion Individuals may follow one of three disability pathways mostly as a function of multimorbidity. However, hedonic well-being was associated with having an advantageous disability trajectory regardless of multimorbidity status. Cultivating psychological well-being may improve disability outcomes in aging individuals.
How steady is the STEADI? Inferential analysis of the CDC fall risk toolkit

Abstract Introduction The CDC developed the STEADI toolkit to assist providers with incorporating fall risk screening, assessment of modifiable risk factors, and implementing evidence-based treatment strategies. The purpose of this study was two-fold: analyze the STEADI algorithm for strengths/weaknesses based upon inferential data and provide recommendations for additional research and possible limitations of the STEADI toolkit from a physical therapy perspective. Methods This investigation employed a quantitative, cross-sectional cohort design collating data from community-dwelling and retirement-facility seniors (n = 77) from two regions of the U.S. Data is reported based upon descriptive statistics, correlation, and validity of the STEADI algorithm, its subcomponent tests, and self-reported fall data. All participants completed the Stay Independent Brochure (SIB) and the algorithm's mobility, balance, and lower extremity strength tests regardless of risk categorization. Results Sensitivity of the STEADI with discriminating fallers and predicting future falls was better among community-dwellers (73–80%) versus the retirement facility-dwellers (56–62%). The STEADI demonstrated high false negative rates among those categorized as low risk as 57% community-dwellers and 24% facility-dwellers fell in the prior 12 months and several fell within 6 months following participation. Results suggest that it is important to conduct more than one mobility or balance screening test, and indicate that elevated STEADI risk classification was not associated with advancing age. Conclusions Outcomes from this study suggest that cut-off scores and the selection of functional fall screening tests, as well as the relative weights and scoring of items on the SIB/3KQ be reevaluated to maximize discriminate and predictive validity of the algorithm.
Endoscopic polarization-sensitive OCT using spun fiber (Conference Presentation)

Polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography (PS-OCT) provides cross-sectional images of different polarization states, which can be utilized to obtain additional properties of biological tissue, such as birefringence. It has been demonstrated that collagen secreted by smooth muscle cells (SMC) is highly associated with the stability of atherosclerotic plaques; since both collagen and SMC are birefringent, endoscopic PS-OCT may provide a means to quantitatively analyze the risks and stability of atherosclerotic plaques. Here, we developed a compact spun-fiber-based PS-OCT to achieve robust imaging. In this work, the phase retardation map and OCT images of an ex vivo cadaver coronary artery are presented, and the birefringence of the collagen and SMC is identified.
Non-traumatic hemoperitoneum in the ED setting: causes, characteristics, prevalence and sex differences

Prevalence and sex differences of non-traumatic hemoperitoneum in the Emergency Department has not been studied in the literature. Following IRB approval, multiple keyword searches were used to identify all cases of hemoperitoneum over a 55-month period. Cases were reviewed to confirm and quantify the hemoperitoneum. Maximum attenuation was used to grade blood density. Medical records were reviewed to determine cause, interventions and outcomes in each patient. Of the 171 verified cases of non-traumatic hemoperitoneum, 76% of cases were in women. CT exams in women were positive for hemoperitoneum 0.25% of the time, while 0.13% were positive in men. Regarding size, 25.7% were large, 24.5% were moderate and 49.7% were small. Contrast-enhanced studies had HU values of 103 ± 19 (range 47–146) which were significantly higher than for non-enhanced studies with values of 82 ± 19 (range 43–121, p < 0.001). The most common cause of non-traumatic hemoperitoneum was ruptured ovarian cyst which was found in 58% of women (76 cases). Of these, 69 patients received observation, 6 patients underwent surgery and 1 patient received Vitamin K. For the 95 non-ovarian cyst cases, 65% patients were admitted and then discharged, 22% were discharged from the ED, 12% expired and 1% were transferred to a different hospital. Post-procedure hemorrhage was the second to most common cause in women (24/130 = 18%) and the most common etiology in men (14/41 = 34%). In women, ovarian cyst rupture was the most common etiology of hemoperitoneum. Post-procedure hemorrhage was second in women and the most common etiology in men. Although unusual causes of hemoperitoneum will be encountered, understanding the most common causes of hemoperitoneum can provide a reasonable starting point when attempting to determine the most likely etiology of hemoperitoneum in any individual patient.
Ratoon rice – A climate smart rice technology

The rice ratooning is a viable option to achieve higher system productivity together with increased cropping intensity, resource use efficiency and lower production cost, irrigation water requirement and GWP. The practice of ratooning is less common due to its low grain yield and higher insect/disease incidence. However, the recent development and availability of improved cultivars with multiple resistance to several diseases and insects increase its scope of adoption in India. Future research should be focused on development of best agronomic management practice and new rice cultivars with high ratooning ability. Change in government policy is also required to ensure rapid and large scale cultivation of ratoon rice in India.