cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Configuration, in Serial Reconstruction, of Individual Axons Projecting from Area V2 to V4 in the Macaque Monkey

The detailed morphology of long extrinsically projecting axons in the neocortex has been difficult to investigate and is in fact poorly understood. Some data, based on extracellular injections of Phaseolus vulgaris leucoagglutinin (PHA-L), are available for individual axons projecting from area V1 to area V2 or MT. Like geniculocortical projections, axons projecting from area V1 to area MT are readily identifiable (they typically have a bistratified termination pattern and large terminal specializations and are of large caliber), but those projecting from area V1 to V2 are more variable. To provide a broader basis for interpreting constant and variable features of axon morphology, we used high-resolution serial section reconstruction to analyze small populations of PHA-L-labeled axons projecting from area V2 to V4. Reconstruction of 20 axons suggests that this system is variable in terms of overall configuration and laminar distribution. Most terminal arbors are located at the border between layers 3 and 4, but some remain entirely within layer 3 or 4, some target preferentially the superficial layers (1, 2, and 3A), and some have collaterals in layer 5 or, rarely, layer 6. Arbor size is fairly constant among the three visual cortical projections examined so far (typically about 200 microns in diameter). In area V4, however, axons frequently have three or four separate arbors, which branch divergently (in one instance, over 2.6 mm x 3.0 mm). These features may be correlated with aspects of the particular functional organization of area V4, such as coarse topography, large receptive field size, and modularity. Axonal variability may also denote differences, morphological or physiological, among neurons of origin in area V2.
Ascites in pregnancy

Abstract A case of acute ascites in pregnancy is presented. There is little doubt that this is a true eclamptogenic toxemia of pregnancy. The course prior to this pregnancy and for the first thirty weeks gave no indication of any hypertensive state, albuminuria, or any unusual weight gain. The cause for the ascites can possibly be explained by one or more of the following: (1) low serum protein with alteration in the albumin-globulin ratio; (2) portal block (liver damage demonstrated by comparison of liver function tests taken immediately prior to delivery and five days post partum); (3) hemoconcentration, which is demonstrated by red blood cell counts and hemoglobin measurement taken at the same time as liver function tests, possibly enhanced a portal block by retarding the portal circulation. The fact that this patient was an eclamptic with her first pregnancy must be kept in mind as the liver may have been sufficiently damaged at that time to reduce the liver reserve to a point where the added load of pregnancy could not be tolerated. This could have been the factor predisposing this patient to another severe toxemia associated with ascites. Liver biopsy was contemplated but not done.
Collaborative-Based Research in a Service Learning Course: Reconceiving Research as Service

Using a case study as its basis, this paper proposes a model for service-learning classes in which service is performed through collaborative research. After situating this model within service-learning and various modes of collaborative research between scholars and community partners, the paper will present lessons learned in bridging two traditional classroom pedagogies, undergraduate research and service learning. The paper will also provide specific strategies and pedagogical practices that help ensure an ethical, reciprocal, and collaborative relationship between faculty, students and community partners. Ultimately, the paper argues that research as service can lead to deep and meaningful civic engagement that extends beyond the specific boundaries of a single class or project. Keywords: community based research, service-learning, undergraduate research, collaboration, case study
Synthesis and characterization of anodized titanium-oxide nanotube arrays

Anodized titanium-oxide containing highly ordered, vertically oriented TiO2 nanotube arrays is a nanomaterial architecture that shows promise for diverse applications. In this paper, an anodization synthesis using HF-free aqueous solution is described. The anodized TiO2 film samples (amorphous, anatase, and rutile) on titanium foils were characterized with scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, and Raman spectroscopy. Additional characterization in terms of photocurrent generated by an anode consisting of a titanium foil coated by TiO2 nanotubes was performed using an electrochemical cell. A platinum cathode was used in the electrochemical cell. Results were analyzed in terms of the efficiency of the current generated, defined as the ratio of the difference between the electrical energy output and the electrical energy input divided by the input radiation energy, with the goal of determining which phase of TiO2 nanotubes leads to more efficient hydrogen production. It was determined that the anatase crystalline structure converts light into current more efficiently and is therefore a better photocatalytic material for hydrogen production via photoelectrochemical splitting of water.
Constructing a New Theory From Old Ideas and New Evidence

A central tenet of constructivist models of conceptual development is that children’s initial conceptual level constrains how they make sense of new evidence and thus whether exposure to evidence will prompt conceptual change. Yet little experimental evidence directly examines this claim for the case of sustained, fundamental conceptual achievements. The present study combined scaling and experimental microgenetic methods to examine the processes underlying conceptual change in the context of an important conceptual achievement of early childhood—the development of a representational theory of mind. Results from 47 children (M age = 3.7 years) indicate that only children who were conceptually close to understanding false belief at the beginning of the study, and who were experimentally exposed to evidence of people acting on false beliefs, reliably developed representational theories of minds. Combined scaling and microgenetic data revealed how prior conceptual level interacts with experience, thereby providing critical experimental evidence for how conceptual change results from the interplay between conceptions and evidence.
Low insulin and high glucose induce abnormal relaxation in cultured adult rat ventricular myocytes

One of the most prominent myocardial defects associated with diabetes is abnormal diastole. We have recently reported that this dysfunction involves prolonged relaxation (relengthening) in isolated...
Sources of Working Memory Deficits in Children and Possibilities for Remediation

Publisher Summary Much of our childhood is spent developing complex cognitive skills that as adults we may take for granted, including language, reading, mathematics, and reasoning. In the course of normal development, children show large increase in their WM capacity. This chapter provides a broad overview of the different approaches taken in rehabilitating cognitive functioning that either target WM function directly or have shown to improve WM function. These approaches include ones that focus on the ability to maintain specific kinds of information such as phonological or visuospatial information and those that focus on executive/attentional control skills. Children with intellectual disabilities, such as Down syndrome have benefited from training in rehearsal strategies. The chapter reviews the principles for successful training. The first general principle is the importance of variability in training. Two additional general principles for successful training are the length of training and the adaptability of difficulty. A final general observation is that there is a growing use of neuro-imaging techniques, such as functional magnetic resonance imaging to demonstrate and measure the effects of training interventions on neural activity. However, until there is a clearer understanding and set of expectancies for how compensatory processing is accomplished in the brain, these results should be interpreted with caution. Although review of the literature suggests the potential for remediation of WM, much more research is necessary to establish the extent to which WM can be improved and what types of remediation are most effective for different populations.
Mismatch repair (MMR) and base excision repair (BER) protein expression correlates with clinical response to dacarbazine (DTIC)/temozolomide (TMZ) therapy of patients with metastatic melanoma

8015 Background: The non-classical alkylators DTIC and TMZ exert their cytotoxic effect through methylation of DNA bases. DNA damage is repaired by direct reversal of the O6-MeG lesion by the prote...
Complementing Chalk and Talk: The Case of the Walrasian Auctioneer

Although lecture instruction certainly has merits, we argue that instructors can complement this teaching method with discovery-oriented spreadsheet tools. To encourage their use, we have developed a simple spreadsheet application that examines the concept of Walrasian price adjustment. The method is attractive because it uses readily available spreadsheet software and simple programming routines. We also illustrate how the economists have used similar approaches to analyze "real world" environmental policies in the United States, thereby stimulating student interest in the lecture topic.
One-year outcomes of a bilateral randomized prospective clinical trial comparing laser subepithelial keratomileusis and photorefractive keratectomy.

PURPOSE To compare laser subepithelial keratomileusis (LASEK) and photorefractive keratectomy (PRK) in different eyes of the same patients in terms of visual acuity, refractive error, and complications over 1 year. METHODS This prospective, randomized, double-masked study comprised 30 active-duty military personnel with myopia who underwent LASEK in one eye and PRK in the other eye. RESULTS Twenty-eight patients' results were available for 1-year follow-up. The primary outcome measures were visual acuity and refractive error. The mean visual acuity for the LASEK group was 1.56 and 1.67 for the PRK group (z = -0.18, P = .15). The mean spherical equivalent refraction for the LASEK group was -0.007 D and +0.124 D for the PRK group (t = 0.982, P = .40). No significant differences were noted in visual acuity or refractive error in the eyes that had LASEK versus the eyes that had PRK. CONCLUSIONS After 1-year follow-up, LASEK and PRK show similar levels of visual acuity and refractive error.
Coherent Control of Photocurrent in Disordered Media

We demonstrate experimentally coherent control of photocurrent generation in a dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) by shaping the wavefront of incident laser beam. Destructive interference of light enhances optical absorption and conversion to electrons.
Epidemiological Analysis of Public Health Emergencies in Schools in Xianning City of Hubei Province from 2004 to 2010

[Objective]To learn the epidemiological characteristics of public health emergencies in schools in Xianning city of Hubei province from 2004 to 2010,provide the scientific basis for prevention,control and effectively handling the public health emergencies in schools in the future.[Methods]According to the information of public health emergencies in schools which were reported by national public health emergency reporting information system and were investigated,the data were statistically analyzed with descriptive epidemiological methods.[Results]From 2004 to 2010,14 public health emergencies in schools were reported in Xianning city,which accounted for 45.16% of total public health emergencies in the same period.The epidemiological characteristics included: most of diseases were respiratory infectious diseases(Class C) which can be prevented by vaccination,a majority of cases occurred in spring and summer,and events were frequently reported in rural schools.[Conclusion]The frequent report of public health emergencies in schools indicated that school health should be paid more attention to,especially prevention and control of infectious diseases in rural schools.The future focus is timely and normative report of public health emergencies.
Scoring sequences of hippocampal activity using hidden Markov models

We propose a novel sequence score to determine to what extent neural activity is consistent with trajectories through latent ensemble states — virtual place fields — in an associated environment. In particular, we show how hidden Markov models (HMMs) can be used to model and analyze sequences of neural activity, and how the resulting joint probability of an observation sequence and an underlying sequence of states naturally lead to the development of a two component sequence score in which the sequential and contextual information are decoupled. We also show how this score can discriminate between true and shuffled sequences of hippocampal neural activity.
A multi-objective optimization approach to combined radar-radiometer soil moisture estimation

With emphasis on physics-based techniques, a multi-objective optimization approach to combined radar-radiometer soil moisture estimation is presented in this work. Soil moisture estimation is demonstrated via application of this method to SMAP high resolution radar and coarse resolution radiometer data. Comparisons are then made with the SMAP baseline active-passive soil moisture output data product. A strong agreement between the two techniques, especially in capturing spatial distributions of soil moisture is observed.
The surge characteristics of XLPE insulation containing water trees

Polymers such as polyethylene (PE) and cross-linked polyethylene (XLPE), used as insulation in high voltage cables, are susceptible to a form of degradation known as water treeing. These tree-like structures grow into the insulation from stress concentrations or cavities in the presence of water and electric stress1. Although some cables which have failed in service contain water trees, the exact mechanism by which the water trees contribute to the failure is not known. It is possible that transient overvoltages due to lightning or switching surges produce failure from a water tree2. This paper reports the effect of water trees on the ac, dc and impulse strengths of miniature cross-linked polyethylene cables. The influence of test method and the drying of cables containing water trees are also included. Tests using miniature cables rather than water-filled needle shaped cavities were preferred as the stress enhancement in the cable insulation is usually much less than that for the needle system and also gives a closer representation of a high voltage cable.
Simulation of Microstructural Evolution During Thermomechanical Cycling in Pb-Sn Solders

Pb-Sn solders are known to coarsen and deform heterogeneously under shear thermomechanical cycling. Solder joint failure often occurs within these coarsened shear bands. The connection between microstructure and materialsproperties is well documented, which leads to the conclusion that an improved understanding of the interaction between stress and microstructural evolution will better enable theprediction of materialsproperties over time. In thispaper, we simulate microstructural evolution of pb-Sn solders using a novel two-phase version thepotts model, a kinetic Monte Carlo model that is coupled to a finite element mechanics model. Using this model,possible mechanisms for heterogeneous coarsening are explored.
Review: Water recovery from brines and salt-saturated solutions: operability and thermodynamic efficiency considerations for desalination technologies.

This review provides an overview of desalination technologies and discusses the thermodynamic efficiencies and operational issues associated with the various technologies particularly with regard to high salinity streams. When water is recovered from a saline source, a brine concentrate stream is produced. Management of the brine stream can be problematic, particularly in inland regions. An alternative to brine disposal is recovery of water and possibly salts from the concentrate. Due to the high osmotic pressures of the brine concentrates, reverse osmosis, the most common desalination technology, is impractical. Mechanical vapor compression which, like reverse osmosis, utilizes mechanical work to operate, is reported to have the highest thermodynamic efficiency of the desalination technologies for treatment of salt-saturated brines. Thermally-driven processes, such as flash evaporation and distillation, are technically able to process saturated salt solutions, but suffer from low thermodynamic efficiencies. This inefficiency could be offset if an inexpensive source of waste or renewable heat could be used. Overarching issues posed by high salinity solutions include corrosion and the formation of scales/precipitates. These issues limit the materials, conditions, and unit operation designs that can be used. Published 2017. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
Chemical Analysis of the Influenza Viruses A (PR8 Strain) and B (Lee Strain) and the Swine Influenza Virus.

The isolation and purification of particulate components biologically characteristic of influenza virus A (PR8 strain) (l), influenza virus B (Lee strain) (2), and the swine influenza virus (3) have been reported. These components were obtained, by adsorption on and elution from chicken red blood cells combined with ultracentrifugation or by ultracentrifugation alone, from chorioallantoic fluid of chicken embryos infected with the respective types of the influenza virus. By these procedures concentrates of the particles were obtained in preparations of a high degree of homogeneity with respect to particle kind, with characteristic sedimentation constants and average particle sizes, as determined from sedimentation data and from electron micrographs. Preliminary chemical analyses, already reported briefly, showed the three types of influenza virus to be constituted of lipoprotein-carbohydrate complexes containing nucleic acid of the desoxypentose type. The present paper is concerned with a detailed description and comparison of the analyses made on influenza viruses A (PR8 strain) and B (Lee strain) and the swine influenza virus.
Management of Acute Coronary Syndrome

Coronary artery disease (CAD) is the leading cause of death in the world. Acute coronary syndrome (ACS) is a frequent life threatening manifestation of CAD, that is typically caused by a rupture or erosion of an atherosclerotic plaque precipitating the acute total, or near total, coronary obstruction by thrombus. Chest discomfort at rest or at low exertion is the most frequent presenting symptom. A resting 12-lead ECG is the first diagnostic tool in the assessment of patients with suspected ACS. Acute coronary syndromes include ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), non-ST-elevation MI (NSTEMI) and unstable angina. In the absence of contraindications, all patients with ACS should receive aspirin, a second antiplatelet agent, an anticoagulant, beta-adrenergic blockers and high dose statins. Primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is the preferred reperfusion strategy in STEMI. Early risk stratification is critical in the management of patients with non-ST-elevation ACS. Patients at high risk of adverse events should be treated with early versus delayed invasive strategy.
Applications of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles in Weed Science

For most producers, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) are a novelty that has been little employed in their agricultural operations. An UAV will not fix every problem on the farm, but there are some practical applications for which UAVs have demonstrated value. Three examples of how UAVs have been used in weed science applications are presented here; the methods are transferable to other agricultural commodities with similar characteristics. The first of these is quantification of the extent and severity of non-target herbicide injury. The second application is calculation of spray thresholds based on weed populations. The third application is development of site-specific herbicide treatment.
Interaction between neuronal nitric oxide synthase signaling and temperature influences sarcoplasmic reticulum calcium leak: role of nitroso-redox balance.

Rationale:Although nitric oxide (NO) signaling modulates cardiac function and excitation–contraction coupling, opposing results because of inconsistent experimental conditions, particularly with respect to temperature, confound the ability to elucidate NO signaling pathways. Here, we show that temperature significantly modulates NO effects. Objective:To test the hypothesis that temperature profoundly affects nitroso–redox equilibrium, thereby affecting sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) calcium (Ca2+) leak. Methods and Results:We measured SR Ca2+ leak in cardiomyocytes from wild-type (WT), NO/redox imbalance (neuronal nitric oxide synthase–deficient mice-1 [NOS1−/−]), and hyper S-nitrosoglutathione reductase–deficient (GSNOR−/−) mice. In WT cardiomyocytes, SR Ca2+ leak increased because temperature decreased from 37°C to 23°C, whereas in NOS1−/− cells, the leak suddenly increased when the temperature surpassed 30°C. GSNOR−/− cardiomyocytes exhibited low leak throughout the temperature range. Exogenously added NO...
Seasonal Activity, Within-Tree Distribution, and Ovipositional and Feeding Preference of the Elm Leafminer, Fenusa ulmi (Hymenoptera: Tenthredinidae)

Seventy-six different elm taxa were visually rated for elm leafminer (Fenusa ulmi Sundevall) defoliation. European elm taxa were more found to be more susceptible to feeding damage by the elm leafminer compared to Asian and North American elm taxa. European elms U. glabra, U. elliptica, U. sukaczezii, and elms with U. glabra-wallichiana parentage were highly susceptible to elm leafminer leaf feeding damage. Of the 37 Asian elm taxa evaluated, only U. laciniata was highly susceptible to feeding damage. The North American species U. rubra was the only North American elm susceptible to elm leafminer feeding. Adult emergence, initial leafmining, and cessation of leafmining were highly correlated with indicator plant full bloom phenology providing an accurate degree-day (DD) model for practitioners in predicting and monitoring for elm leafminer life stage development and related plant damage. Elm leafing out phenology of susceptible European elms was highly correlated with elm leafminer adult emergence and ovi...
Rejecting Help that Helps: Social Proximity and Self-Reliance in Asymmetric Relationships

Scholars disagree as to whether employees should be socially close to or distant from their beneficiaries, especially when they have considerably more specialized information and expertise (e.g., p...
Prospective test of the developmental propensity model of antisocial behavior: from childhood and adolescence into early adulthood

Background The developmental propensity model of antisocial behavior posits that several dispositional characteristics of children transact with the environment to influence the likelihood of learning antisocial behavior across development. Specifically, greater dispositional negative emotionality, greater daring, and lower prosociality-operationally, the inverse of callousness- and lower cognitive abilities are each predicted to increase risk for developing antisocial behavior. Methods Prospective tests of key predictions derived from the model were conducted in a high-risk sample of 499 twins who were assessed on dispositions at 10-17 years of age and assessed for antisocial personality disorder (APD) symptoms at 22-31 years of age. Predictions were tested separately for parent and youth informants on the dispositions using multiple regressions that adjusted for oversampling, nonresponse, and clustering within twin pairs, controlling demographic factors and time since the first assessment. Results Consistent with predictions, greater numbers of APD symptoms in adulthood were independently predicted over a 10-15 year span by higher youth ratings on negative emotionality and daring and lower youth ratings on prosociality, and by parent ratings of greater negative emotionality and lower prosociality. A measure of working memory did not predict APD symptoms. Conclusions These findings support future research on the role of these dispositions in the development of antisocial behavior.
Epidemiology of Brain Tumors

Incidence, prevalence, and survival for brain tumors varies by histologic type, age at diagnosis, sex, and race/ethnicity. Significant progress has been made in identifying potential risk factors for brain tumors, although more research is warranted. The strongest risk factors that have been identified thus far include allergies/atopic disease, ionizing radiation, and heritable genetic factors. Further analysis of large, multicenter, epidemiologic studies, as well as well annotated omic datasets (including genomic, epigenomic, transcriptomic, proteomic, or metabolomics data) can potentially lead to further understanding of the relationship between gene and environment in the process of brain tumor development.
Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery: An Effective Treatment Option for Obesity and Cardiovascular Disease

Obesity is a chronic and debilitating disease that has become a global epidemic. Especially severe in the Unites States, obesity currently affects almost 40% of the population. Obesity has a strong causal relationship with numerous serious comorbidities that impair quality of life, shorten life expectancy, and carry a major economic burden. Obesity has particular relevance to cardiologists because it contributes directly to several major cardiovascular diseases and, consequently, increases overall cardiovascular mortality. Multiple treatment options are available, but metabolic and bariatric surgery offers the most effective and durable treatment for obesity. Moreover, metabolic and bariatric operations alleviate and often completely eliminate numerous comorbidities, particularly type 2 diabetes and other cardiovascular risk factors, such as hypertension and dyslipidemia. With their low risk of complications and morbidity, metabolic and bariatric operations significantly improve quality of life and overall survival, particularly reducing death due to cardiovascular disease.
Depth Based Permutation Test For General Differences In Two Multivariate Populations

For two p-dimensional data sets, interest exists in testing if they come from the common population distribution. Proposed is a practical, effective and easy to implement procedure for the testing problem. The proposed procedure is a permutation test based on the concept of the depth of one observation relative to some population distribution. The proposed test is demonstrated to be consistent. A small Monte Carlo simulation was conducted to evaluate the power of the proposed test. The proposed test is applied to some numerical examples.
Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Syndromes: Diagnosis and Surgical Management

This article reviews current guidelines for screening, diagnosis, and surgical treatment of patients with a multiple endocrine neoplasia (MEN) syndrome. The approaches to parathyroid hyperplastic disease, pancreatic islet cell tumors (specifically gastrinoma and insulinoma), and pituitary adenomas in MEN I are discussed. The same information is reviewed with regard to parathyroid disease, medullary thyroid carcinoma, and pheochromocytoma in MEN II syndromes. Preferences for surgical approaches to each disorder and the results are presented. The importance of recognition of potential index cases for these autosomal dominant traits is emphasized for selection of the most appropriate surgical treatment and follow-up of the patient and family members.
Development and Validation of a Recipe Method for Doughs

Recipes have a great impact on consumers’ behavior in the kitchen; building a recipe requires the understanding of the potential user. The objective of this study was to develop and evaluate different recipe styles for the preparation of doughs by understanding people’s descriptions of these. Two qualitative studies were performed (43 wheat and 50 corn dough preparers). During interviews, participants described the preparation process of the doughs using the Think Aloud technique. Finished doughs were described as not sticky, soft, and pliable. Based on these descriptions, five recipes were created: not detailed, detailed, very detailed, paragraph-form, and ‘with images’. Recipes were validated in two online surveys (total n = 600), where respondents evaluated the easiness, likeability, likelihood of using, helpfulness, and amount of information. Respondents considered the recipe with images as easier and more helpful. The very detailed recipe was considered more difficult, less helpful, and was liked less than the other recipes. Understanding and identifying the terms and techniques people use is a good way to communicate how to prepare a food product and can be used to develop and improve recipes. However, the format in which the recipe is presented is an important factor considered by users when following recipes.
Design-Oriented Modelling of Microstrip Ferrite Circulators

A modeling approach for the design of microstrip ferrite circulators is presented and validated on several examples using the same commercially-available ferrite disk. A baseline narrowband 4.2S-GHz microstrip circulator is first demonstrated with a commercial 4.97-mm radius ferrite disk operated in saturation and below the ferromagnetic resonance. The non-uniform DC magnetic field distributions of a cylindrical permanent magnet is taken into accout by spatial discretization of the ferrite properties in full-wave simulations. Several design parameters are shown to affect the frequency response; the ferrite thickness relative the microstrip substrate thickness shifts the operating frequency, while external matching networks can increase the fractional bandwidth from 10% up 40%. Another degree of freedom is the applied DC magnetic field, which can be reduced to set the ferrite operation below the ferromagnetic resonance with significant miniaturization of the overall device, as demonstrated with a 1.6-GHz circulator designed with the same 4.97-mm radius ferrite disk, resulting in an almost factor of 3 reduction in linear electrical size.
Real-Time Incremental Estimation of Retinal Surface Using Laser Aiming Beam

Vitreoretinal surgery procedures demand high precision and have to be performed with limited visualization and access. Using virtual fixtures in conjunction with robotic surgery has the potential to improve the safety and accuracy of these procedures. A cornerstone of many of these virtual fixtures is reconstruction of the retinal surface with respect to the surgical tool, which is difficult to obtain due to the inadequacy of traditional stereo vision techniques in the intact eye. A structured-light technique applied using an actuated handheld instrument has been proposed to combat this problem, but it only provides a reconstruction at the start of the procedure; it cannot update it as the eye moves during surgery. We propose updating the initial estimate of the retinal plane a single point at a time, by continued detection of a laser aiming beam in each camera frame, as in the initial structured-light approach. This paper presents the technique and demonstrates it via experiment.
Site of protein digestion in steers fed sorghum grain diets. II. Effect of grain processing methods.

Seven crossbred, abomasally fistulated yearling steers (400 kg) were used in two digestion trials (crossover design) to study the effect of processing sorghum grain on the site and extent of feed and microbial protein digestion. Steers were fed an 81.5% sorghum grain diet in which the grain was either dry-rolled (DR; four steers) or steam-processed, flaked (SPF; three steers). At the end of the first trial steers were switched to the opposite treatment. Dysprosium (21 to 23 micrograms/g of feed) was used as a digesta marker. Feed, abomasal contents and fecal grab samples were collected at 12-h intervals during a 6-d total fecal collection period. Organic matter (OM) intake for SPF and DR grain diets averaged 6,426 and 6,787 g/d, respectively. Compared with DR, SPF increased (P less than .05) the apparent total digestibility and ruminal digestibility of OM. Trichloroacetic acid precipitable protein consumed by the steers was lower (P less than .05) for SPF than the DR treatment. Processing method had no effect on ruminal digestion of crude protein (CP), bacterial protein (BP) synthesis, quantity of CP entering the small intestine or on total digestion of feed protein. There was a trend for increased total and post-ruminal digestion of CP with the SPF diet. Post-ruminal digestion of BP was increased (P less than .05) by SPF grain as compared with DR. Percentage of non-BP digested ruminally, post-ruminally or in the total tract was not significantly affected by processing method.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Design and Implementation of Substantive Applications in Criminal Law: Beyond A Court Management Perspective

This paper describes the experience of one New York court in extending its uses of microcomputers beyond the records management functions initially contemplated, to encompass substantive applications serving the judiciary in an advisory role. The applications described include a rule-based expert system in case disposition, and a system for the detection of ethical conflicts in the selection of assigned counsel. These substantive applications are seen to significantly extend the utility of the standard database functions typically encountered.
Utility of ultrasonography in identification of midline and epidural placement in severely obese parturients

BACKGROUND Due to body habitus, lumbar epidural placement can be challenging in severely obese parturients. Several studies have been published assessing the usefulness of ultrasonography in the placement of neuraxial blocks. One patient population that is under-represented in these studies is the severely obese parturient. We sought to determine if performing an abbreviated ultrasound exam of the lumbar spine to determine midline by locating spinous process could facilitate lumbar epidural placement in severely obese parturients. METHODS One hundred fifty patients with a Body Mass Index (BMI) of ≥35 kg/m2 were randomized into two groups. The palpation (P) group had midline identified by the traditional palpation technique. The ultrasonography (U) group had midline identified by ultrasound visualization of the spinous process in the transverse plane. Midline identification and epidural placement were done by both junior and senior anesthesiology residents at our teaching institution. RESULTS Data were analyzed on all 150 patients. BMI was similar in the U and P groups (43.3 vs. 44.4 kg/m2, P=0.359). Time for epidural placement (6.2 vs. 9.0 minutes, P<0.01) and total procedure time (6.9 vs. 9.5 minutes, P<0.01) were significantly less in the U group. The number of needle passes (2.1 vs. 2.8, P=0.02) was also less in the U group. There was no significant difference in the failure rates of the U and P groups (4.0% vs. 9.3%, P=0.19). CONCLUSIONS The use of an abbreviated ultrasound exam to identify midline in severely obese parturients can reduce the time required for lumbar epidural placement.
Tra Omero e Melville: Vinicio Capossela sulle tracce di Dante

Questo saggio indaga i riferimenti letterari e specificamente danteschi nei testi delle canzoni del cantautore italiano Vinicio Capossela. Il saggio prende in considerazione alcuni romanzi scritti dal cantautore e i testi delle sue canzoni, in particolare l'album Marinai, profeti e balene del 2011. Attraverso una ricostruzione dell'interesse letterario di Capossela per Moby Dick di Herman Melville e Odissea di Omero, il saggio prende spunto dal suggerimento di Piero Boitani che Melville potrebbe essere stata una lente importante attraverso la quale Jorge Luis Borges ha rivalutato Dante. Capossela sembra aver seguito lo stesso percorso letterario, arrivando a Dante proprio attraverso Borges, Melville e Omero.
Temporal Pattern Detection to Predict Adverse Events in Critical Care: Case Study With Acute Kidney Injury.

Background: More than 20% of patients admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) develop an adverse event (AE). No previous study has leveraged patients’ data to extract the temporal features using their structural temporal patterns, that is, trends. Objective: This study aimed to improve AE prediction methods by using structural temporal pattern detection that captures global and local temporal trends and to demonstrate these improvements in the detection of acute kidney injury (AKI). Methods: Using the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care dataset, containing 22,542 patients, we extracted both global and local trends using structural pattern detection methods to predict AKI (ie, binary prediction). Classifiers were built on 17 input features consisting of vital signs and laboratory test results using state-of-the-art models; the optimal classifier was selected for comparisons with previous approaches. The classifier with structural pattern detection features was compared with two baseline classifiers that used different temporal feature extraction approaches commonly used in the literature: (1) symbolic temporal pattern detection, which is the most common approach for multivariate time series classification; and (2) the last recorded value before the prediction point, which is the most common approach to extract temporal data in the AKI prediction literature. Moreover, we assessed the individual contribution of global and local trends. Classifier performance was measured in terms of accuracy (primary outcome), area under the curve, and F-measure. For all experiments, we employed 20-fold cross-validation. Results: Random forest was the best classifier using structural temporal pattern detection. The accuracy of the classifier with local and global trend features was significantly higher than that while using symbolic temporal pattern detection and the last recorded value (81.3% vs 70.6% vs 58.1%; PP<.001). Conclusions: Classifiers using features obtained from structural temporal pattern detection significantly improved the prediction of AKI onset in ICU patients over two baselines based on common previous approaches. The proposed method is a generalizable approach to predict AEs in critical care that may be used to help clinicians intervene in a timely manner to prevent or mitigate AEs.
Exploration of the encased nanocomposites functionally graded porous arches: Nonlinear analysis and stability behavior

Abstract This paper explores the nonlinear stability mechanism of the functionally graded porous (FGP) arch reinforced by graphene nanocomposites. Both the pores and the nanocomposites are distributed symmetrically to the mid-surface of the arch but not uniformly in the cross-section so that the bending stiffness can be best improved. The arch is confined in an elastic medium with a radially-pointed concentrated load at the crown position. The confinement of the medium results in a symmetrical deformed shape of the arch, which can be described by an admissible displacement function. Associated with the thin-walled arch theory and the principle of minimum potential energy, analytical predictions are obtained to express the critical buckling load, as well as the hoop force and bending moment. Subsequently, a numerical model is developed to simulate the medium and the arch in ABAQUS software. By introducing the modified arc-length method, the equilibrium paths of the encased arch are traced. After comparison in terms of the critical buckling load and the equilibrium paths, it is found the numerical results are in good accordance with the analytical solutions. Finally, particular attention is paid to the parameters that may impact the buckling load, such as the porosity coefficient, the weight fraction, the central angle, the geometry of the Graphene platelets (GPLs) et al.
E-103 Short-term in-hospital outcomes of thrombolysis for acute ischemic stroke patients with non-primary brain tumors and congestive heart failure

Background Intravenous thrombolysis remains an underutilized treatment for acute ischemic stroke (AIS) due to several relative and absolute contraindications. Previous studies have found similar outcomes after thrombolysis between AIS patients with benign brain tumors and AIS patients without. This study aims to investigate short-term outcomes of thrombolytic treatment for the greater majority of AIS patients who have no history of primary brain tumors, particularly those with congestive heart failure (CHF). Methods This retrospective cohort study utilized data from the 2012–2015Q3 Nationwide Inpatient Sample (NIS). ICD-9 codes identified adult patients (ages 18+) who suffered acute ischemic stroke and received intravenous thrombolysis, and then further isolated patients diagnosed with CHF. Data for patients who were missing important clinical identifiers (age, gender, race, mortality), did not receive IV thrombolysis, and had primary brain tumors (benign or malignant) were excluded. Data analyses assessed hospital mortality rate, length of stay (LOS), inpatient charges, and average age of admission. Results Of the 24,692 encounters with AIS patients treated with thrombolysis and had no history of primary brain tumors, 4130 were diagnosed with CHF. Mean mortality rate was significantly increased (11.3% CHF vs. 11.8% no CHF, p Mean LOS was significantly longer (7.63 days CHF vs. 6.08 days no CHF, p Average total charges were significantly increased ($96,978.03 CHF vs. $83,905.14 no CHF, p Average age at admission was significantly older (70.68 years CHF vs. 66.32 years no CHF, p Conclusion This study aims to inform physicians to better manage AIS patients receiving IV thrombolysis with CHF and no history of primary brain tumors. These patients experience higher mortality rate, longer LOS, increased total hospital charges, and older age at admission than those without CHF. These findings suggest that placing clinical focus on the coexisting condition of CHF before administering IV thrombolysis for AIS may be critical for improving short-term in-hospital outcomes. Future research should aim to investigate different thrombolytic agents to determine the most optimal choice for patients with congestive heart failure. Disclosures K. Tong: None. T. Colburn: None. P. Brauer: None.
Time to vasopressor initiation and organ failure progression in early septic shock

Objective Research evaluating the relationship between vasopressor initiation timing and clinical outcomes is limited and conflicting. We investigated the association between time to vasopressors, worsening organ failure, and mortality in patients with septic shock. Methods This was a retrospective study of patients with septic shock (2013-2016) within 24 hours of emergency department (ED) presentation. The primary outcome was worsening organ failure, defined as an increase in Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score ≥2 at 48 hours compared to baseline, or death within 48 hours. The secondary outcome was 28-day mortality. Time to vasopressor initiation was categorized into 6, 4-hour intervals from time of ED triage. Multiple logistic regression was used to identify predictors of worsening organ failure. Results We analyzed data from 428 patients with septic shock. There were 152 patients with the composite primary outcome (SOFA increase ≥2 or death at 48 hours). Of these, 77 patients died in the first 48 hours and 75 patients had a SOFA increase ≥2. Compared to the patients who received vasopressors in the first 4 hours, those with the longest time to vasopressors (20-24 hours) had increased odds of developing worsening organ failure (odds ratios [OR] = 4.34, 95% confidence intervals [CI] = 1.47-12.79, P = 0.008). For all others, the association between vasopressor timing and worsening organ failure was non-significant. There was no association between time to vasopressor initiation and 28-day mortality. Conclusions Increased time to vasopressor initiation is an independent predictor of worsening organ failure for patients with vasopressor initiation delays >20 hours.
Seismic anisotropy in the lowermost mantle beneath North America from SKS-SKKS splitting intensity discrepancies

Abstract We examined SKS-SKKS splitting intensity discrepancies for phases that sample the lowermost mantle beneath North America, which has previously been shown to exhibit seismic anisotropy using other analysis techniques. We examined data from 25 long-running seismic stations, along with 244 stations of the temporary USArray Transportable Array, located in the eastern, southeastern and western U.S. We identified 279 high-quality SKS-SKKS wave pairs that yielded well-constrained splitting intensity measurements for both phases. Of the 279 pairs, a relatively small number (15) exhibited discrepancies in splitting intensity of 0.4 s or greater, suggesting a contribution to the splitting of one or both phases from anisotropy in the lowermost mantle. Because only a small minority of SK(K)S phases examined in this study show evidence of being affected by lowermost mantle anisotropy, the traditional interpretation that splitting of these phases primarily reflects anisotropy in the upper mantle directly beneath the stations is appropriate. The discrepant pairs exhibited a striking geographic trend, sampling the lowermost mantle beneath the southern U.S. and northern Mexico, while other regions were dominated by non-discrepant pairs. We carried out ray theoretical modeling of simple anisotropy scenarios that have previously been suggested for the lowermost mantle beneath North America, invoking the alignment of post-perovskite due to flow induced by the impingement of the remnant Farallon slab on the core-mantle boundary. We found that our measurements are generally consistent with this model and with the idea of slab-driven flow, but relatively small-scale lateral variations in the strength and/or geometry of lowermost mantle anisotropy beneath North America are also likely present.
Gender Stereotypes in Natural Language: Word Embeddings Show Robust Consistency Across Child and Adult Language Corpora of More Than 65 Million Words:

Stereotypes are associations between social groups and semantic attributes that are widely shared within societies. The spoken and written language of a society affords a unique way to measure the ...
Femtosecond damage dynamics of glasses and transparent ceramics

Femtosecond laser damage and ablation of various glasses and transparent oxides are studied using time-resolved surface microscopy. We try to understand the damage and ablation mechanisms and how they vary according to their material parameters like bandgap and internal structure.