cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Valuing Health Care: Improving Productivity and Quality

This report addresses a deceptively simple question: How can the productivity of American health care be substantially improved? Productivity, in lay terms, is the ratio of output to inputs. A more colloquial rendition of the question might be: how can we get a lot more bang for our health care buck?By design, we have brought together a varied assortment of ideas and suggestions, illustrating the messy, grab-bag nature that effective changes often need to take. Yet our proposals do fall (albeit with some overlap) into four broad categories, which structure the recommendations section of this report.Harnessing information: how systematically gathering and sharing data can unlock knowledge that produces systematically better choices. The key here is to incentivize a new corps of data entrepreneurs to collect and analyze existing medical data to discover and then disseminate the use of new therapies.Improving research: encouraging more collaboration across institutions and funding more translational research (aimed at “translating” basic scientific discoveries into medicines and therapies). Legal and regulatory reform: modernizing medical malpractice systems, removing counter-productive restrictions on health insurance premiums, and streamlining new drug approvals.Empowering patients: there are large benefits of giving more power to the people who matter most — patients — to make informed decisions about their own care.The ideas here are not new, though many of them are familiar only to the cognoscenti. To the contrary, we have sought ideas that have showed promise in the field, and then attempted to set them in a context that exploits the adjacent possible.If this report can focus more minds in the health policy community and general public on finding and implementing those changes, in everything from clinical practices to regulatory structures, it will have succeeded.From the Kauffman Task Force on Cost-Effective Health Care Innovation.
Imaging in pediatric liver transplantation

Liver transplantation has become an established curative treatment in adult patients with acute or chronic end-stage liver diseases. In pediatric cases the number of cadaveric donor livers is not sufficient and to overcome the shortage of appropriate-sized whole liver grafts, technical variants of liver transplantation have been practiced. Reduced-size cadaveric and split cadaveric allografts have become an important therapeutic option, expanding the availability of size-appropriate organs for pediatric recipients with terminal liver disease. The number of pediatric deaths awaiting liver transplantation has been reduced by the introduction of living-related liver transplantation, developed to overcome the shortage of suitable grafts for children. It is important for radiologists to know that children have distinct imaging of liver transplantation that distinguish them from adults. A multidisciplinary pediatric liver transplantation team should be skilled in pediatric conditions and in associated processes, risks and complications. Radiologists should know the common pediatric liver diseases that lead to liver transplantation, the anastomotic techniques and the expected postoperative imaging findings. The aim of this study is to illustrate the role of non-invasive imaging such us ultrasonography, color Doppler ultrasonography, multidetector computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging in the evaluation of pediatric liver transplantation and in potential liver donors.
Bile Duct and Liver Pathology in Biliary Atresia

Progression to cirrhosis despite restoration of bile flow by successful portoenterostomy suggests that factors other than obstruction alone are operative in biliary atresia. This paper describes pathologic changes at all levels of the hepatobiliary secretory apparatus from hepatocyte to common duct, exhibited in liver biopsies, resected portions of liver adjacent to the porta hepatis, and extrahepatic duct remnants from 17 patients operated upon for relief of biliary atresia. In both intra- and extrahepatic bile ducts, there were epithelial changes interpreted as occurring in a sequence of vacuolar degeneration, necrosis, inflammatory infiltration, and proliferative epithelial repair that precede obliterative fibrosis. From their distribution, it is inferred that these cytopathologic changes may not be simply due to distal obstruction. These ductal epithelial changes are similar to those that occur in livers of some patients with severe viral hepatitis. The association of these changes with giant cell transformation in all cases suggests that they reflect a common etiology for ductal and hepatocellular damage in the neonatal hepatitis-biliary atresia spectrum. The persistence of these changes in liver biopsies following portoenterostomy suggests that they may be of pathogenetic significance in the progressive liver disease seen in most patients with biliary atresia.
Transonic flow past a symmetrical airfoil at high angle of attack

The results of an experimental investigation of shock-induced stall and leading-edge stall on a 64A010 airfoil section are presented. Advanced nonintrusive techniques - laser velocimetry and holographic interferometry - were used in characterizing the inviscid and viscous flow regions. The measurements include Mach contours of the inviscid now regions, and mean velocity, flow direction, and Reynolds shear stress profiles in the separated regions. The experimental observations of this study are relevant to efforts to improve surface-pressure prediction methods for airfoils at or near stall.
Novel Design and Fabrication of JetCat P90 Diffuser using Parametric Design and Optimization Tools

The present age of unmanned aerial vehicles demands small and highly efficient propulsion techniques. This is the motivation for the present work. The Advanced Propulsion Outreach Program sponsored by the Air Force Research Laboratory challenged teams at universities across the country to redesign components of the JetCat P90 gas turbine engine for improvements in efficiency, thrust, weight, and specific fuel consumption. The team at the University of Cincinnati was assigned the inlet/compressor section and elected to redesign the diffuser for an improvement in total pressure loss. Parametric design of turbomachinery components has been an area explored heavily at UC in recent years and this provided an opportunity to validate design capability. An automated optimization routine is paired with a parametric design tool. A multivariable optimization of the diffuser geometry led to a final design showing the potential for drastic performance improvements over the original JetCat diffuser. The final design will be tested in a full engine configuration at the Small Engine Research Laboratory (SERL) at Wright Patterson Air Force Base.
An innovative industrial-related one semester capstone course in engineering

While many universities offer their engineering capstone course as a two-semester one, other universities often require delivering such a course in one semester. This has advantages regarding course offerings and meeting graduation deadlines. This, however, poses a challenge to engineering faculty members delivering the course. They need to deliver the demanding educational requirements of a capstone engineering course during the university’s tight one semester calendar (15 weeks). This paper presents an innovative curricular model that compiles the learned experiences and findings in previous research (educational requirements) and delivers the course that meets the requirements in one semester. This paper provides a general description of the educational requirements, a curricular model, specific material (design process, ergonomics, ethics, project management, communication, design for cost and manufacturing as well as other subjects), and possible challenges and opportunities. The proposed model requires the delivery of a senior project that at least mimics an industrial setting.
Strengthening Freshmen's Adapability through Group Intervention

It is thought common that freshmen fail to adapt to their new studying and living environment.In asnalysing the problems freshmen may be confronted with the concept and characteristics of group intervention are generalized.Using closed group intervention and significance test of each factor in CCSAS before and after counseling,combined with self-evaluation,re-tracking-interview and some other methods,it is concluded that developing freshmen's ability to adapt through a systematic group intervention with class as unit is possessed of quite positive significance in helping the freshmen correctly recognize themselves,accept other people,change their awareness,develop new goals,improve their psychological quality,make ease their interpersonal relationship and adapt themselves tp the new college life as soon as possible.
Adequacy of Biofiltration: A Comparative Study with Standard Acetate Hemodialysis

Biofiltration (BF) represents a new way of renal replacement therapy. The method is simplified hemodiafiltration using highly permeable polyacrylonitrile (PAN) membrane and postdilutional infusion of a bicarbonate containing solution. It possibly favours better control of acid-base status, vascular stability as well as well being of patients (1).
Association of a Biomarker of Glucose Peaks, 1,5-Anhydroglucitol, With Subclinical Cardiovascular Disease.

OBJECTIVE 1,5-Anhydroglucitol (1,5-AG) is a biomarker of glucose peaks and has been associated with clinical cardiovascular disease. However, the association between 1,5-AG and subclinical cardiovascular disease is unknown. We investigated the association of 1,5-AG with subclinical myocardial damage (assessed by high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T [hs-cTnT]) and atherosclerosis (assessed by carotid intima-media thickness [CIMT] and carotid plaque). RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS We measured 1,5-AG, hs-cTnT, CIMT, and carotid plaque among 10,072 people without diabetes and 681 with diabetes who attended the second examination of the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study (baseline, 1990–1992). We used Poisson regression to characterize the associations between 1,5-AG and prevalent elevated hs-cTnT, thick CIMT, or carotid plaque. Among 9,145 people with a second hs-cTnT measurement 6 years later, we used multinomial logistic regression to assess associations with incident elevation in hs-cTnT. RESULTS We found that in people with diabetes, lower 1,5-AG ( 1c . CONCLUSIONS In people with diabetes, 1,5-AG was associated with subclinical cardiovascular disease, particularly chronic subclinical myocardial damage. Nonetheless, whether observed associations are truly independent of average glycemia is unclear.
ASCII-character-encoding based PPG compression for tele-monitoring system

Abstract Photoplethysmogram (PPG) is becoming one of the most important techniques for assessing several vascular parameters, but the area of digitized PPG signal compression still remains largely unexplored. This paper presents an efficient PPG compression algorithm, and is developed on the basis of five major sequential steps: noise elimination through Butterworth low-pass filter, down-sampling, inter-sample difference computation, grouping and American Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII) character encoding of reduced dataset. The compressed file is then either uploaded to a Hypertext Preprocessor (PHP)-based web-application or transmitted to doctor’s mobile phone in the form of short message service (SMS) depending upon the availability and feasibility of services. Efficiency of the compression algorithm is measured in terms of compression ratio and the performance of the reconstruction protocol is tested through a variety of numerical assessments such as the cross correlation coefficient and percent root mean square difference. As per the gold standard subjective measure, the mean-opinion-score of the reconstructed signal is found to be ‘very good’. Finally, heart rate is also calculated with no more than 1.68% error from the compressed data without actually reconstructing the signal.
Assessment of retrieval errors of AirMOSS root-zone soil moisture products

We have concluded that before calculation of the AirMOSS project overall RMSE, not only the behavior and location of in-situ soil moisture probes need to be carefully evaluated but also the present error biases—associated with the in-situ probes, radar calibration, vegetation parameterization, forward model inaccuracy, and the inversion algorithm bias—need to be removed. Several measures have been taken over the course of AirMOSS mission to increase the accuracy of RZSM products. The overall RMSE was reported for each study site. We can show that the overall AirMOSS retrieval error for the top 25 cm in BERMS, Metolius, MOISST, Tonzi Ranch, and Walnut Gulch meets the mission RMSE requirement. This error would be calculated in terms of RMSE between the retrieved and actual moisture values over all qualified validation points, all sites, and all dates. The retrieval performance is expected to improve even more with reprocessing of some of the flights using recalibrated radar data.
CD117 Expression Is a Poor Prognostic Factor (PF) for Progression Free Survival (PFS) and Freedom from Progression (FFP) in Patients with Newly Diagnosed Acute Myelogenous Leukemia (AML).

Background: There are conflicting reports on the prognosis of patients with newly diagnosed c-KIT positive (CD117) AML. In addition there is controversy on the best way to define CD117 positivity by flow cytometry (FC). We retrospectively reviewed data on 95 patients with newly diagnosed AML during the years 1998–2002 to determine the prognostic value of CD117 expression. Methods: CD117 expression was determined by staining cells with antibodies to CD45 and CD117 (BD Biosciences San Jose, CA). CD45-stained cells without CD117 antibody were used as a negative control. FC was performed on FACSCalibur instruments and data acquired using CellQuest software (BD Biosciences). Using a CD45/orthogonal light scatter gate to isolate blasts, the mean fluorescence index (MFI) was calculated as the CD117 mean channel number (MCN) of the blasts/MCN auto fluorescence. Statistical analysis was performed using Cox proportional hazards (CPH) and log rank (LR) testing; Recursive Partitioning analysis was used to Identify CD117 MFI cut-point. Results: The median age of patients was 59 years. 30% had a history of an antecedent hematological disorder. Good, normal, unfavorable, and other cytogenetics were seen in 10%, 49%, 30%, and 11% of patients, respectively. Patients were treated with anthracycline based induction therapy, followed by consolidation therapy (45% chemotherapy, 23% stem cell transplant). The complete remission (CR) rate was 69.5% (58.7% for age ≥60, 79.6% for age 10.7 had a median PFS of 9.5m vs. 14.0m for MFI ≤ 10.7 (p=0.033, LR). Median FFP for MFI > 10.7 was 10.0m vs. 33.6m for MFI ≤ 10.7 (p=0.019, LR). On univariate CPH analysis, CD117 (MFI >10.7) was associated with worse PFS (HR: 1.86, 1.04–3.32, p=0.036) and FFP (HR: 2.38, 1.13–5.03, p=0.023). Multivariate CPH analysis showed increasing CD117 expression (per 5 unit MFI increase) was associated with worse FFP (HR: 1.19, 1.01–1.4, p=0.042). Conclusion: CD117 expression does not correlate with age, cytogenetics, or OS. However, CD117 (MFI>10.7) is a poor PF for PFS and FFP in AML patients. Higher CD117 ratio is also an independent poor PF for FFP. Whether or not agents that inhibit CD117, such as Imatinib Mesylate, can improve prognosis is the basis of ongoing trials.
Osteochondral Autograft Transplantation for Proximal Lunate Articular Defects

Background No consensus treatment option for focal osteochondral defects of the proximal lunate exist in the literature. Surgical management has thus far been limited to salvage procedures such as proximal row carpectomy and partial arthrodesis. Case Description We report our experience using the osteochondral autograft transplantation surgery (OATS) procedure in two young, active patients with focal osteochondral defects of the proximal lunate. At mean follow-up of 6 years, sustained improvements in pain, motion, and function were observed. Both patients reported high levels of satisfaction and neither experienced any complications. Literature Review To our knowledge, this is the first report describing the use of OATS to treat proximal lunate defects. Clinical Relevance OATS is a valuable surgical option for treating focal chondral defects of the proximal lunate, with positive outcomes at greater than 5 years postoperatively. This may be an especially useful technique for younger, active patients, and those wishing to maintain maximum functionality.
Clinical and molecular characteristics of NF1 mutant lung cancer.

8022 Background: NF1 is a tumor suppressor that negatively regulates Ras, thus NF1 mutant tumors may also be sensitive to inhibitors of MAP kinase signaling. NF1 variants occur in lung cancer, but ...
Phase II study of the A-ICOX regimen [bevacizumab (Bev), weekly intermittent capecitabine (Cap) and oxaliplatin (Ox)] for untreated advanced colorectal cancer (CRC)

4092 Background: FOLFOX in combination with Bev is a standard regimen for treating advanced CRC. Cap on a d 1–14 schedule every 3 weeks is now being substituted for 5-flurouracil (CapOx); however o...
Olfactory Systems Theory

Abstract The most difficult problems in sensory neuroscience emerge when wrestling with the problems posed by natural scenes. In the olfactory system, variability in concentration, odor-background segmentation, and source separation are among the substantial challenges that must be overcome by posttransduction neural circuitry. Sophisticated neural circuits embedded in the olfactory cascade mediate the transformation of the olfactory representation from a broad rate code, closely tied to physical stimulus features and easily degraded by environmental variance, into a series of sparse, timing-sensitive cortical representations that begin to respond to the meaning, rather than the physics, of odor stimuli.
Plasmo-thermomechanical suspended nanowire array detectors for mid-infrared spectrum

We propose a plasmo-thermomechanical mid-infrared detector operating at 4.3 μm wavelength. The design utilizes an array of the bimetallic fishbone nanowires that are suspended 50 nm above a 1.5 μm × 0.3 μm silicon nitride waveguide to create a leaky wave radiation. Moreover, the thermo-mechanically actuated nanowire will induce evanescent wave modulation that can be detected by the leaky wave or transmitted power of the waveguide. The antenna has a strip length of 1.77 μm and can yield an absorption coefficient of 42.4% with a period of 3.1 μm. Six unit cells are connected by a nanowire, and the fishbone-like nanowires are clamped at the two ends, leaving the center free to bend. The mid-infrared energy is absorbed by the resonant metallic antennas, resulting in a temperature increment. The mismatch of the thermal expansion coefficients of the bimetallic materials, gold and nickel, actuates the nanowire, and thus changes the gap between the nanowire and the waveguide. The deformation of the nanowire modulates the waveguide evanescent field, and hence alternates the transmitted power as well as the leak wave power. With a normal incident power of 4 μW/μm2 , the temperature in the center of the nanobridge can be increased over 135 K above the ambient temperature, leading to an elevation of 23.5 nm in the center and thus weakening the evanescent modulation strength. The difference of S21 caused by the gap change is 0.106. This methodology can be applied in other spectrums and the fabrication progress will be reported later.
The making and remaking of Marie Curie

Marie Curie9s track record is well known. So far, the only woman twice awarded the Nobel Prize—her 1903 and 1911 distinctions in physics and in chemistry, respectively—ensure her a permanent seat on the Mount Olympus of science. Reflecting on her legacy on the eve of the 150th anniversary of her birth, Eva Hemmungs Wirten explores the relationship between Curie as a person, and Curie as a persona, encouraging us to see the famous scientist as more than just a role model.
MACULAR BURN DURING AN ATTEMPTED YAG LASER CAPSULOTOMY BY INADVERTENT USE OF SELECTIVE LASER TRABECULOPLASTY MODE OF A DUAL-MODE LASER.

PURPOSE To present a case of a patient who suffered a macular burn after an attempted YAG laser capsulotomy because of the inadvertent use of the selective laser trabeculoplasty mode of a dual-mode laser. METHOD Case report. RESULTS A 62-year-old man with slight opacification of the posterior capsule noted sudden central vision loss immediately after an attempted YAG laser capsulotomy. The selective laser trabeculoplasty mode of a dual-mode laser had inadvertently been used. Color photographs, fluorescein angiography, and spectral domain optical coherence tomography revealed a laser burn in the macula. The patient's central vision was impaired. CONCLUSION Inadvertent selection of the selective laser trabeculoplasty mode when attempting to perform a YAG laser capsulotomy with a dual-mode laser may cause a macular burn with impairment of central vision. We encourage all users of dual-mode lasers to actively choose and verify the appropriate settings to minimize the risk of inadvertent retinal damage.
hESC-Derived Hepatocytes

Liver transplantation is the most effective treatment for end-stage liver diseases. However, shortage of donor livers has limited its clinical application. Transfusion of primary hepatocyte from cadaveric livers is a potential effective alternative. Since donor livers are scarce, and adult hepatocytes cannot be expanded in culture, hepatocyte transplantation has not become a viable substitute to whole organ transplantation. Since hESCs replicate virtually indefinitely in culture, an infinite source of hepatocytes will therefore be available for therapeutics and for toxicology and pharmacology studies. This review will provide scientists and physicians with the latest achievements in the rapidly growing field of embryonic stem cell biology as it pertains to liver cell differentiation.
Covering Mass Murder: An Experimental Examination of the Effect of News Focus—Killer, Victim, or Hero—on Reader Interest:

Journalists often assume that consumers are drawn to stories of mass murder because of their morbid curiosity. As a result, cable television reports and news stories tend to focus on details of the...
The Use of Email to Coach Early Childhood Teachers

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the use of performance-based feedback (PF) delivered via email on early childhood teachers’ sustained use of recommended practices within inclusive early c...
Physiologic proteinuria in labor and postpartum: The results of the postpartum proteinuria trial (PoPPy)

Abstract The urine protein to creatinine ratio (PC) is a sensitive and specific means of diagnosing preeclampsia in the antepartum period, but the 0.3 g protein per gram of creatinine threshold may be non-specific postpartum due to physiologic proteinuria after delivery. The objective of this study was to examine the reliability of PC in labor and postpartum and to determine if PC is affected by mode of delivery. This is the first study of its kind to examine physiologic proteinuria by catheterized PC in individual patients before and after delivery. This single-center prospective cohort study included two groups: term uncomplicated nulliparous patients in labor with epidural analgesia and patients for scheduled repeat cesarean deliveries. Patients with hypertension, antepartum proteinuria, renal disease, gross hematuria, or evidence of infection were excluded. Catheterized pre- and post-delivery urine PC were compared using paired t-tests. 27 and 40 patients were included in the vaginal and cesarean delivery groups, respectively. 52% of the vaginal delivery and 58% of the cesarean delivery groups were positive for proteinuria at the 0.3 g protein per g creatinine threshold. Pre- and post-delivery specimens were significantly different in the vaginal (mean difference 0.28, p = 0.05) and cesarean (mean difference 0.25, p
Microsegmental Analysis of a Single Hair Strand: Pushing the Envelope on Hair Drug Testing.

In this issue of JALM , Kuwayama et al. (1) present a method for estimation of drug-intake day through the microsegmental analysis of a single strand of hair. Over-the-counter drugs were used as indicator compounds and administered to the volunteers at specific intervals. Hair was analyzed for the indicator compounds in 0.4-mm segments, which corresponds with approximate daily hair growth. From the presence of drugs in different segments and known intervals of administration of the indicator compounds, the rate of hair growth and, thus, day of drug intake, was estimated. Although the segmental analysis of a single strand of hair has previously been done, this is a novel idea to calculate the drug-intake day within an error of ±2 days. This method provides a significant improvement over the current methods, which can estimate drug intake within an error of a few weeks to months (2–4). The method can be helpful in estimating the day of a crime such as robbery, battery, and sexual assault under the influence of a drug. Use of hair as an alternate or complementary sample in forensic toxicology is well established (2–4 …
Rate constants for the C O 2 02 0 0- 10 0 0 relaxation

An absorption-cell technique is utilized to determine the rate constants for the C${\mathrm{O}}_{2}$ ${02}^{0}$0-${10}^{0}$0 relaxation in C${\mathrm{O}}_{2}$ and binary-gas mixtures of C${\mathrm{O}}_{2}$-He and C${\mathrm{O}}_{2}$-${\mathrm{N}}_{2}$. The experiment consists of injecting a \ensuremath{\sim}2-nsec 10.4-\ensuremath{\mu}m pulse through the absorption cell---saturating the C${\mathrm{O}}_{2}$ ${10}^{0}$0 to ${00}^{0}$1 transition, and monitoring the subsequent molecular re-equilibrations by recording the temporal intensity of a spatially overlapping probe beam in the 9.4-\ensuremath{\mu}m band connecting the ${02}^{0}$0 and ${00}^{0}$1 states. The measured rate constants are ${k}_{\mathrm{C}{\mathrm{O}}_{2}\ensuremath{-}\mathrm{C}{\mathrm{O}}_{2}}=3\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}1$, ${k}_{\mathrm{C}{\mathrm{O}}_{2}\ensuremath{-}\mathrm{He}}=0.8\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.3$, and ${k}_{\mathrm{C}{\mathrm{O}}_{2}\ensuremath{-}{\mathrm{N}}_{2}}=3\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}1$, all in units of ${10}^{5}$ ${\mathrm{sec}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$ ${\mathrm{Torr}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$. The experimental approach also yields information on the thermalization of other processes having slower rates, and these are discussed qualitatively. Finally, a comparison is made with other related experimental investigations and two calculations which predict values for ${k}_{\mathrm{C}{\mathrm{O}}_{2}\ensuremath{-}\mathrm{C}{\mathrm{O}}_{2}}$ appreciably different from those measured.
Advances in Management of Staghorn Calculi

The results of various treatment options (percutaneous techniques alone, ESWL monotherapy, and combined percutaneous techniques, and ESWL) for 112 patients with staghorn calculi are reported. Residual fragments remained in 35% of patients treated with ESWL monotherapy, 14% of patients treated with combination therapy, and 11% of patients treated with percutaneous techniques alone. The need for blood transfusions correlated with the invasiveness of the procedure.
Supplementary Material for 'Economically Irrational Pricing of 19th Century British Government Bonds'

The first three sections illustrate how the British establishment viewed gilts mispricing around 1870, and how the markets reacted to a government debt conversion proposal of that year. This is followed by a section on general government policy towards investors in national debt instruments. Next comes a series of sections discussing gilts mispricings and press coverage of them during some interesting periods. There are then several sections on the financial press of the 19th century and on gilts investments of various investor groups, such as the universities of Cambridge and Oxford. These are followed by discussions of data sources, gilts liquidity and volatility, and gilts ownership. At the end there are several sections exploring in depth the "network effects" that likely contributed to the observed gilts mispricings. This manuscript concludes with discussions of possible extensions to the research reported here.This manuscript presents a variety of materials supplementing the paper "Economically irrational pricing of 19th century British government bonds." The motivation, background, and notation are all explained in that manuscript. This one does not form a coherent work by itself.The paper "Economically Irrational Pricing of 19th Century British Government Bonds" to which this Supplement applies is available at the following URL: http://ssrn.com/abstract=2435399
PARTIALLY ORDERED SEMIGROUPS AS SEMIGROUPS

Abstract The purely algebraic theory of semigroups and the theory of residuated semigroups as developed by the French school have had very little overlap until recently. This expository article is intended to draw attention to the positive gains that have been made by utilizing the algebraic structure of a residuated semigroup to obtain more information about its structure as a whole. This approach has been fruitful in terms both of the results obtained and the methods used. Outlines of proofs have been included where the interplay of algebraic and ordering ideas are particularly striking.
a hybrid analog-digital computer for the atmospheric sciences

A hybrid analog-digital computer has been established in the Department of Meteorology and Oceanography of the University of Michigan. It comprises three medium size analog computers, a small, general purpose digital computer, and an analog/digital linkage so that all of the computers can be operated together as a hybrid system. The primary functions of the computer are acquisition and reduction of field data and research in meteorological simulation. It is capable of accepting data acquired on-line from local instruments, or recorded in the field on analog magnetic tape, digital magnetic tape or punched paper tape. These data can then be processed in either analog or digital form or transmitted to a large digital computer via magnetic tape. The analog computers are versatile and of sufficient capacity to be useful for many analog data processing tasks as well as for simulation of atmospheric models such as those used in the study of diffusion and micrometeorology.
Making a Smart Decision

How do you make decisions in your organization? Do you use formal tools, work from gut feelings, or do you start with an RFP and work from there? Formal tools, such as those introduced in Smart Choices [1], will provide you with steps you can take to make an informed decision and help justify those gut feelings. Using the information provided here will give you a procedure that takes the guesswork out of decisions. Whether you are the final decision maker, or you provide input into the decision-making process, using these steps will improve your decision-making abilities and help you and your organization make smart choices.
Effect of dihalides on the polymer linkages in the Cs2CO3-promoted polycondensation of 1 atm carbon dioxide and diols

Abstract Synthesis of biodegradable polycarbonates directly from carbon dioxide and diols has seen renewed interest. In the present report, the effect of a series of organic dihalides (CH2X2 and (CHX)2, where X = Cl, Br, and I) in the Cs2CO3-promoted copolymerization of 1 atm CO2 with diols has been studied. Structural analysis of the resultant polymers/oligomers by spectroscopic techniques reveals that a variety of main chain linkages can be obtained, depending on the dihalides used. Specifically, the methylene units from dibromomethane (DBM) are incorporated into the products as carbonate and ether linkages, and the methylene units from diiodomethane (DIM) are incorporated mainly as the ether linkage and without much CO2 incorporation. In comparison, all dihaloethanes examined lead to clean formation of alternating polycarbonates incorporating both the ethylene units from dihaloethanes and the diol units, and the halide is identified as the end group. The mechanistic pathways and the relative activity of the key intermediates are discussed in light of these results.
Lung Cancer Genomics.

The landscape of lung cancer treatment is rapidly evolving with the use of genomic testing which helps identify specific mutations or resistance mutations for these heterogenous tumors. Advanced lung cancer has a very poor prognosis but identifying other treatment options based on genomic profiling of the tumor can lead to improved outcomes. Evidence of benefit for genomic testing in lung cancer has now resulted in this test becoming part of national guidelines. There are challenges with genomic testing which need to be understood as well as understanding how to apply test results. These results can help identify treatment options or may serve as predictors to respond to specific therapies. Conclusion. In the current era of precision medicine, it is imperative clinicians be familiar with genomic testing and be able to offer it to their cancer patients, specifically those with advanced lung cancer.
Transcranial magnetic stimulation demonstrates a role for the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex in emotion perception

The lateral prefrontal cortex, a region with both structural and functional connectivity to the amygdala, has been consistently implicated in the downregulation of subcortical-generated emotional responses. Although previous work has demonstrated that the ventral lateral prefrontal cortex (vlPFC) is important to emotion processing, no study has interrupted vlPFC function in order to test is role in emotion perception. In the current study, we acutely disrupted vlPFC function in twenty healthy adult participants by administering sham stimulation and transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), in randomized order, during performance of an emotional perception task. During sham stimulation, participants demonstrated increased perceptual sensitivity for happy faces compared to angry faces. Disruption of the vlPFC eliminated this difference: in this condition, perceptual sensitivity did not differ between happy and angry faces. Reaction times and response bias did not differ between emotions or TMS conditions. This pattern of perceptual bias is consistent with effects observed in a wide range of affective disorders, in which vlPFC dysfunction has also been reported. This study provides insight into a possible mechanism through which the vlPFC may contribute to emotion perception.
Functional characterization and osmoregulatory role of the Na+-K+-2Cl− cotransporter in the gill of sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus), a basal vertebrate

The present study provides molecular and functional characterization of Na+-K+-2Cl− cotransporter (NKCC1/Slc12a2) in the gills of sea lamprey (Petromyzon marinus), the most basal extant vertebrate ...
Ruthenium-Catalyzed C-H Arylation of 1-Naphthol with Aryl and Heteroaryl Halides.

While 8-aryl-1-napthols are promising dye molecules and useful intermediates in the synthesis of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, they can be difficult to access. A new, ruthenium-catalyzed method for peri-C–H arylation of 1-naphthol with a variety of aryl and heteroaryl halides (iodides, bromides) is reported that overcomes the limitations of previous palladium-catalyzed approaches. Yields for the 21 examples range from 16 to 99%, with an average of 71%, and the reaction tolerates a variety of functional groups: pyridine, pyrimidine, primary aniline, aldehyde, and ester.
Relationship Between Provider Experience and Cardiac Performance Measures in Outpatients (from the NCDR)

Compliance with cardiac performance measures for guideline-directed medical therapy remains suboptimal. There is a compelling need to identify modifiable factors that influence compliance rates, so that these factors can be addressed as targets of quality improvement. This study examines the relationship between cardiovascular provider experience and compliance with performance measures for outpatients with coronary artery disease (CAD), heart failure, and atrial fibrillation in the PINNACLE Registry. We hypothesize that providers who have been practicing longer, especially those further out from certification who may not be required to recertify, will have lower compliance rates with key cardiac performance measures. Using clinical data from January 1, 2013 to March 31, 2014 in the PINNACLE Registry, we employed a multilevel hierarchical logistic regression analysis to examine the relationship between cardiac performance measures and provider experience, defined by the number of years since initial cardiology board certification (<10 years vs 10 to 20 years vs ≥20 years). We found a significant difference in compliance in 4 out of 9 outpatient cardiac performance measures between providers with different experience levels. Providers with ≥20 years since certification were less compliant with 3 out of the 4 statistically different performance metrics; however, the absolute difference between performance measures by provider experience level was small. In conclusion, performance on several key cardiovascular quality measures demonstrate a statistically significant negative association with physician experience-level defined by years since initial cardiology certification, but the clinical significance of this finding is unclear.
Refinement and Pilot Testing of a Brief, Early Intervention for PTSD and Alcohol Use Following Sexual Assault.

Abstract Experiencing a sexual assault can have long-lasting negative consequences including development of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and alcohol misuse. Intervention provided in the initial weeks following assault can reduce the development of these chronic problems. This study describes the iterative treatment development process for refining a brief intervention targeting PTSD and alcohol misuse for women with recent sexual assault experiences. Experts, treatment providers, and patients provided feedback on the intervention materials and guided the refinement process. Based on principles of cognitive change, the final intervention consists of one in-person session and four coaching calls targeting beliefs about the assault and about drinking behavior. Initial feasibility and acceptability data are presented for patients enrolled in an open trial (N = 6). The intervention was rated as helpful, not distressing, and interesting by patients and all patients completed the entire treatment protocol. A large decrease in PTSD symptoms pre- to post-intervention was observed. A small effect on decreasing alcohol consequences also emerged, although drinks consumed per week showed a slight increase, not a decrease, over the course of the intervention. Applications of this intervention and next steps for testing efficacy are presented.
PTH hypersecretion triggered by a GABA B1 and Ca 2+ -sensing receptor heterocomplex in hyperparathyroidism.

Molecular mechanisms mediating tonic secretion of parathyroid hormone (PTH) in response to hypocalcaemia and hyperparathyroidism (HPT) are unclear. Here we demonstrate increased heterocomplex formation between the calcium-sensing receptor (CaSR) and metabotropic γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) B1 receptor (GABAB1R) in hyperplastic parathyroid glands (PTGs) of patients with primary and secondary HPT. Targeted ablation of GABAB1R or glutamic acid decarboxylase 1 and 2 in PTGs produces hypocalcaemia and hypoparathyroidism, and prevents PTH hypersecretion in PTGs cultured from mouse models of hereditary HPT and dietary calcium-deficiency. Cobinding of the CaSR/GABAB1R complex by baclofen and high extracellular calcium blocks the coupling of heterotrimeric G-proteins to homomeric CaSRs in cultured cells and promotes PTH secretion in cultured mouse PTGs. These results combined with the ability of PTG to synthesize GABA support a critical autocrine action of GABA/GABAB1R in mediating tonic PTH secretion of PTGs and ascribe aberrant activities of CaSR/GABAB1R heteromer to HPT.
The clinical study of prenatal ultrasound and magnetic yesonance imaging in diagnosing fetal genitourinary abnormalities

Objective To explore the indications of prenatal ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in diagnosing fetal genitourinary abnormalities. Methods Two hundred and twenty-seven fetuses with genitourinary abnormalities detected by prenatal ultrasound received MRI examination within 24 hours after ultrasound. The final diagnosis was confirmed by autopsy or clinical follow-up. The results of prenatal ultrasound and MRI were analyzed retrospectively and compared with follow-up results. And the misdiagnosis of prenatal ultrasound in fetal genitourinary abnormalities were also analyzed. Results In 227 fetuses with genitourinary abnormalities, there were 70 fetuses with renal cystic lesions, 41 with urinary obstruction, 40 with renal agenesis, 24 with ectopic kidney, 18 with horseshoe kidney, 17 with renal duplication, 8 with kidney neoplasm, 3 with small kidney, 5 with bladder anomaly, and 1 with small penis. The diagnostic accuracy rates of ultrasound and MRI were 85.5% (194/227) and 98.7% (224/227) respectively. There were 33 cases of fetal genitourinary abnormalities misdiagnosed by prenatal ultrasound as follows: failed to detect the location of ureteral stricture or obstruction in 15 cases of urinary obstruction (including 1 ureteral polyp); failed to diagnose definitely in 3 cases of urinary obstruction (including 1 megaureter and 2 cases of hydronephrosis); 3 cases of urinary obstruction misdiagnosed as renal duplication; and the rest 12 misdiagnosed cases including 3 ectopic kidney, 2 renal duplication associated with cystic renal dysplasia, 2 renal agenesis, 2 horseshoe kidney, 1 polycystic kidney associated with severe hydronephrosis, 1 renal duplication and 1 small penis. There were 3 cases of fetal genitourinary abnormalities misdiagnosed by prenatal MRI. Neither prenatal ultrasound nor MRI could show the genitalia anomaly detected by postnatal examine, in all 3 cases of urinary system abnormalities associated with genitalia anomaly. Conclusions In fetal urinary system abnormalities, prenatal ultrasound and MRI have high diagnostic accuracy rates. However, ultrasound and MRI are both difficult to show genitalia anomaly. The indications of MRI in detecting fetal genitourinary abnormalities need to be defined to guide a reasonable use of fetal MRI. Key words: Ultrasonography, prenatal; Magnetic resonance imaging; Fetus; Urogenital abnormalities
Reference Intervals for Bone Histomorphometric Measurements Based on Data from Healthy Premenopausal Women

This study has established the normal reference intervals for bone histomorphometric measurements derived from healthy premenopausal women, which is rarely available. We presented the static and dynamic bone histomorphometric data from trans-iliac bone biopsies in 62 healthy premenopausal women (19 blacks and 43 whites, ages 20–53 years). There were no significant differences in age and BMI between black and white women. Since there was no significant difference in bone remodeling between the two ethnic groups, we pooled data of all 62 premenopausal women to establish normal reference intervals for bone histomorphometry. The results provide normal reference intervals for both static and dynamic histomorphometric variables in cancellous and cortical bone of the ilium. None of the bone remodeling-related variables correlated with age or BMI. This study provides reference intervals for bone histomorphometric measurements in both cancellous and cortical bone of the ilium, which would be helpful in the evaluation of bone health in women.
Change in Montane Forests of East-central West Virginia over 250 years

Abstract We compared the relative frequencies of witness trees in historical deeds to the relative frequencies of tree species found in the present forests. Changes in relative frequencies of the five dominant tree species were noted in all ecological subsections, although all species found in the past forests are represented in the present. The greatest changes across the study area were a decrease in the representation of white oak and an increase in red maple. The changes in representation by functional groups show a trend toward loss of fire-adapted species of intermediate shade intolerance with associated gains in species of high shade tolerance. Current FIA data on the species composition of trees in the sapling and seedlings size-classes indicate that the trend of reduced of oak species frequency is likely to continue into the near future. This gradual conversion from oak-dominated overstories to maple-dominated understories is a regional trend. Our findings echo a paradox found in the northeastern United States where after 400 years of land use change, forest cover has largely recovered but relative species composition has been transformed. This paradox may add to the difficulty in designing strategies and treatments for ecosystem restoration. However, as we have shown, the changes can be quantified and placed in an ecological context as support for restoration actions.
The New Norm: Faculty Perceptions of Condensed Online Learning

Over the past 10 years or so the realm of distance and online education has been expanding rapidly. With the help of the Internet, it has almost eliminated the need for students to be in the same s...
Drug Shortages in Obstetrics

This review highlights the patient safety and practice management concerns surrounding drug shortages in obstetric anesthesiology. Given the lack of evidence-based strategies for managing shortages, this review was created to provide societal consensus suggestions and practical guidance to assist clinicians in creating safe systems for medication administration in the obstetric unit. Drug shortages occur for a variety of reasons but may pose significant risk to patients as they may be more likely to receive suboptimal therapy or even experience harm due to medication errors. Minimizing the potential patient harm that may occur on the obstetric floor secondary to drug shortages requires a rigorous and time-consuming multi-disciplinary approach to ensure unit organization and provider education. Standardization of medications, pharmacy preparation of medications, conservation strategies, contingency planning, bar-coding technology, and effective communication to end users are all necessary components to creating a safe system for patients.
Neurosyphilis With Psychosis as the Primary Presentation

Patients with neurosyphilis, which is now a rare disease because of the availability of antibiotics, can initially present with psychiatric symptoms instead of the more well-known physical findings...
Navigating a heteronormative world: Cisgender women, transgender partnerships, sexual identity, and language:

This article examines the relationship between language and sexual identity, using data collected from in-depth interviews with cisgender women who are in relationships with female-to-male transgen...