cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Implications of CLS Theory

Context-Limited Simulation (CLS) theory is based on a neural connection model of language use and interpretation. In the perceptual neural system, perceptions (including perceptions of language and other communicative acts) are filtered and aggregated in a complex perceptual neural system at a series of levels, of which only the most highly aggregated are ordinarily accessible to conscious attention. The conceptual neural system consists of perceptual simulators that parallel the functions of the perceptual neural system at every level. The perceptual system includes perceptions of states and experiences internal to the body as well as of cognitive states such as conceptual thought and emotions; the conceptual neural system includes simulators that generate simulations of the same full range of experience, including thought and emotions. Experiences are identified by comparing perceptions in the perceptual neural system to schema-generated simulations in the conceptual neural system.
A mobile phone-based approach to detection of hemolysis

Abstract Preeclampsia and HELLP (hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelet count) syndrome are pregnancy-related complications with high rates of morbidity and mortality. HELLP syndrome, in particular, can be difficult to diagnose. Recent work suggests that elevated levels of free cell hemoglobin in blood plasma can, as early as the first trimester, potentially serve as a diagnostic biomarker for impending complications. We therefore developed a point-of-care mobile phone–based platform that can quickly characterize a patient's level of hemolysis by measuring the color of blood plasma. The custom hardware and software are designed to be easy to use. A sample of the whole blood (~10 µL or less) is first collected into a clear capillary tube or microtube, which is then inserted into a low-cost 3D-printed sample holder attached to the phone. A 5–10 min period of quiescence allows for gravitational sedimentation of the red blood cells, leaving a layer of yellowish plasma at the top of the tube. The phone camera then photographs the capillary tube and analyzes the color components of the cell-free plasma layer. The software converts these color values to a concentration of free hemoglobin, based on a built-in calibration curve, and reports the patient's hemolysis level: non-hemolyzed, slightly hemolyzed, mildly hemolyzed, frankly hemolyzed, or grossly hemolyzed.. The accuracy of the method is ~1 mg dL−1. This phone-based point-of-care system provides the potentially life-saving advantage of a turnaround time of about 10 min (versus 4+hours for conventional laboratory analytical methods) and a cost of approximately one dollar USD (assuming you have the phone and the software are already available).
Cost Analysis of Metallic Stents for Chronic Ureteral Obstruction: A Multicenter Study

Abstract Introduction Metallic and polymer ureteral stents are used to manage chronic ureteral obstruction. In general, metallic stents are more costly than polymer stents but they are changed less frequently. We examined the overall costs of using these stent types at 2 institutions. Methods We identified all patients in whom a metallic stent was placed at 2 academic institutions between July 2007 and July 2013. We calculated the average time to stent exchange or failure and the overall cost of metallic and polymer stent use. Costs included those associated with materials, operating room services, anesthesia and other expenses. Results We identified 86 patients in whom a total of 230 metallic stents were placed. Time to stent failure or exchange of a metallic stent was 7.4 months. The per unit cost of a polymer stent and a metallic stent was $121 and $887, respectively. The average annual cost of unilateral and bilateral metallic stents was $7,859.43 and $9,296.37, respectively. For a unilateral polymer stent that was changed every 3 months the yearly cost was $16,342. For bilateral polymer stents that were changed every 3 months the cost was $16,826 per year. If unilateral and bilateral polymer stents were changed every 6 months, the costs were $8,171 and $8,413, respectively. Conclusions Our findings suggest that because metallic stents are changed less frequently than polymer stents, the annual expense associated with treating patients with chronic ureteral obstruction can be decreased by using metallic stents.
Semi-supervised hierarchical multimodal feature and sample selection for Alzheimer’s disease diagnosis

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that impairs a patient's memory and other important mental functions. In this paper, we leverage the mutually informative and complementary features from both structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) for improving the diagnosis. Due to the feature redundancy and sample outliers, direct use of all training data may lead to suboptimal performance in classification. In addition, as redundant features are involved, the most discriminative feature subset may not be identified in a single step, as commonly done in most existing feature selection approaches. Therefore, we formulate a hierarchical multimodal feature and sample selection framework to gradually select informative features and discard ambiguous samples in multiple steps. To positively guide the data manifold preservation, we utilize both labeled and unlabeled data in the learning process, making our method semi-supervised. The finally selected features and samples are then used to train support vector machine (SVM) based classification models. Our method is evaluated on 702 subjects from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) dataset, and the superior classification results in AD related diagnosis demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach as compared to other methods.
Rage against the machine: Evaluation metrics in the 21st century

I review the classic literature in generative grammar and Marr’s three-level program for cognitive science to defend the Evaluation Metric as a psychological theory of language learning. Focusing o...
Irony upon Irony: The Persistence of Gordon Haight’s Perceptions of Edith Simcox (1844–1901)

We all know that we intentionally or unintentionally insert ourselves into everything we write. There is no better example of this than the biographers’ treatments of Edith Simcox and her passionate admiration of George Eliot. Each of George Eliot’s biographers has created a portrait of Simcox which reflects his or her own self-projection in the attempt to create an “ideal” image of Eliot. Fulmer’s comments in this chapter focus on the part of each Eliot biography that deals with Edith Simcox. Basically, Eliot’s biographers have not altered the image of Eliot that was portrayed by Gordon S. Haight, the leading Eliot scholar. All of Eliot’s biographers quote extensively from the biographical facts that Simcox provides about Eliot in her works while protecting her from the “taint” of Simcox’s love.
Comparison of the mechanical properties of translucent zirconia and lithium disilicate

Abstract Statement of problem Three mol% yttria-stabilized tetragonal zirconia polycrystal (3Y-TZP) possesses excellent mechanical properties but is relatively opaque. Five mol% yttria-stabilized zirconia polycrystal (5Y-ZP) offers improved translucency, but many of its clinical properties have not been compared with those of 3Y-TZP and lithium disilicate. Purpose The purpose of this in vitro study was to compare the flexural strength, translucency parameter, bond strength, and enamel and material wear of 5Y-ZP (Katana UTML) with 3Y-TZP (Katana HT) and lithium disilicate (e.max CAD). Material and methods Flexural strength bars were sectioned (n=10, 25×4×2 mm), sintered or crystallized, polished, and fractured at 1 mm/min. Translucency specimens (1 mm thick) were fabricated (n=10). Their L*a*b* values were measured against a black-and-white background with a spectrophotometer, and ΔE 00 was calculated. Zirconia bond strength specimens were airborne-particle abraded with 50 μm alumina followed by the application of a 10-methacryloxydecyl dihydrogen phosphate–containing primer (Clearfil Ceramic Primer). Lithium disilicate bond strength specimens were etched with 5% hydrofluoric acid followed by application of a silane-containing primer (Clearfil Ceramic Primer). A Tygon tube filled with resin cement (Panavia SA) was fixed to the surface of the ceramics and light-polymerized. After 1 day or 150 days of water storage, the resin cement was debonded in a macroshear test (n=10). The cusps of extracted human molars were isolated and mounted into the University of Alabama at Birmingham wear-testing device. Wear testing was performed with a 20-N load for 300000 cycles in 33% glycerin. The volumetric wear of polished zirconia, lithium disilicate, and enamel were measured along with the wear of the opposing enamel cusps using a noncontact profilometer (n=8). The data were compared by ANOVA and Tukey-Kramer analysis (α=.05). Results No statistical difference was seen between the bond strengths ( P =.155) or the opposing enamel wear ( P =.533) of different ceramics. A statistically significant difference was seen between the flexural strength ( P P P 3 ) were 0 and 0.24 ±0.19 (Katana HT), 0 and 0.23 ±0.09 (Katana UTML), 0.28 ±0.13 and 0.31 ±0.10 (e.max CAD), and 0.09 ±0.03 and 0.31 ±0.14 (enamel). Conclusions 5Y-TZP has a flexural strength and translucency parameter between those of 3Y-TZP and lithium disilicate. Both the short-term and long-term bond strength of 5Y-ZP and 3Y-TZP was shown to be similar to lithium disilicate. 5Y-ZP demonstrated no measurable material wear and opposing enamel wear similar to that of all the other materials tested.
Investigating phase transition temperatures of size separated gadolinium silicide magnetic nanoparticles

Gadolinium silicide (Gd5Si4) nanoparticles (NPs) exhibit different properties compared to their parent bulk materials due to finite size, shape, and surface effects. NPs were prepared by high energy ball-milling of the as-cast Gd5Si4 ingot and size separated into eight fractions using time sensitive sedimentation in an applied dc magnetic field with average particle sizes ranging from 700 nm to 82 nm. The largest Gd5Si4 NPs order ferromagnetically at 316 K. A second anomaly observed at 110 K can be ascribed to a Gd5Si3 impurity. As the particle sizes decrease, the volume fraction of Gd5Si3 phase increases at the expense of the Gd5Si4 phase, and the ferromagnetic transition temperature of Gd5Si4 is reduced from 316 K to 310 K, while the ordering of the minor phase is independent of the particle size, remaining at 110 K.
Problems and Progress in Computing Three-Dimensional Coronal Active Region Magnetic Fields from Boundary Data

An overview of the whole process of reconstructing the coronal magnetic field from boundary data measured at the photosphere is presented. We discuss the errors and uncertainties in the data and in the data reduction process. The problems include noise in the magnetograph measurements, uncertainties in the interpretation of polarization signals, the 180° ambiguity in the transverse field, and the fact that the photosphere is not force-free. Methods for computing the three-dimensional structure of coronal active region magnetic fields, under the force-free assumption, from these boundary data, are then discussed. The methods fall into three classes: the ‘extrapolation’ technique, which seeks to integrate upwards from the photosphere using only local values at the boundary; the ‘current-field iteration’ technique, which propagates currents measured at the boundary along field lines, then iteratively recomputes the magnetic field due to this current distribution; and the ‘evolutionary’ technique, which simulates the evolution of the coronal field, under quasi-physical resistive magnetohydrodynamic equations, as currents injected at the boundary are driven towards the observed values. The extrapolation method is mathematically ill-posed, and must be heavily smoothed to avoid exponential divergence. It may be useful for tracing low-lying field lines, but appears incapable of reconstructing the magnetic field higher in the corona. The original formulation of the current-field iteration method had problems achieving convergence, but a recent reformulation appears promising. Evolutionary methods have been applied to several real datasets, with apparent success.
Integrative Therapies to Manage Acute and Chronic Sleep Disorders

Integrative therapies have been used in treatment of sleep disorders though some of the evidence is lacking. This chapter will first briefly discuss what sleep is. Impact of sleep on daily life and discussion of reports of the number of sleep complaints will then be presented. The most common sleep disorder treated with integrative therapies, insomnia, will then be discussed in detail. Following the discussion on insomnia, different types of integrative therapies such as mind–body practices, herbal supplements, and manipulative practices will be presented along with supporting evidence of use. Finally, the chapter will move to sections on implications of the evidence and science for practice and directions for future research.
Disruptive Behavior and Parenting in Emerging Adulthood: Mediational Effect of Parental Psychopathology

The field of research associated with this study is clinical psychology; specifically, the focus is on parenting, emerging adulthood, and disruptive behavior. Research indicates that ineffective parenting practices are associated with disruptive behavior in offspring and disruptive behavior in offspring affects parenting practices. However, this relationship is not studied in emerging adulthood. Thus, we examined the relationship between parenting and disruptive behavior in a sample of emerging adults. It was hypothesized that rule-breaking behavior would have a stronger impact on parenting than aggressive behavior and ADHD problems, and parental psychopathology would mediate the relationship between disruptive behavior and parenting. Participants were 484 college students age 18–24 years. Current perceptions of mothers and fathers were measured separately via an online survey using the Parental Authority Questionnaire, Parental Environment Questionnaire, Conflict Tactics Scale: Parent–Child Version, and the Adult Self-Report/Adult Behavior Checklist. As hypothesized, ADHD had no association with parenting or discipline practices. Rule-breaking behavior in sons and daughters was associated more highly with maternal effective parenting and harsh discipline than aggressive behavior and ADHD problems. For fathers, rule-breaking behavior in sons was associated more highly with paternal effective parenting than aggressive behavior or ADHD problems. Mediation by parental psychopathology was largely supported for mothers and fathers and moderation by participant gender was found in some cases. Regarding clinical significance, parents of emerging adults with disruptive behavior may experience distress influencing their ability to parent effectively. It may be suggested that parents of emerging adults seek methods to learn to parent more effectively.
Fetal-fluid proteome analyses in late-term healthy pregnant mares and in mares with experimentally induced ascending placentitis

Characterisation of fetal fluids in healthy and disease states of pregnant mares can help to unravel the pathophysiology and to identify putative markers of disease. Thus, this study aimed to compare the protein composition of: (1) amniotic and allantoic fluids of healthy mares obtained immediately after euthanasia and (2) allantoic fluid harvested via centesis before and after experimental induction of placentitis via transcervical inoculation of Streptococcus equi ssp zooepidemicus in healthy mares. Fetal fluids were analysed with a high-throughput proteomic technique after in-gel digestion. Statistical comparisons were performed following normalisation of peptide spectral match. Global normalisation was performed to calculate relative expression. There were 112 unique proteins present in both allantoic and amniotic fluids. There were 13 and 29 proteins defined as amniotic- or allantoic-specific respectively that were present in at least two fluid samples. Another 26 proteins were present in both amniotic and allantoic fluids. Panther DB functional classification grouped fetal-fluid proteins as transfer carriers, signalling molecules, receptors, immunity, hydrolase, enzymes, membrane traffic, cytoskeleton, cell adhesion, calcium binding and extracellular matrix. Experimentally induced placentitis resulted in 10 proteins being upregulated and 10 downregulated in allantoic fluid. Newly identified proteins and changes in the fetal-fluid proteome provide clues about the physiology of pregnancy and pathogenesis of placentitis.
A Convergence of Ophthalmic and Life-threatening Emergencies: Acute Angle Closure Glaucoma and Subarachnoid Hemorrhage.

Purpose To report a unique case of acute angle closure glaucoma in the setting of a subarachnoid hemorrhage due to a ruptured cerebral aneurysm. Materials and methods Observational case report and review of the literature. Results A 75-year-old woman presented with blurry vision, nausea, vomiting, and left eye pain. She was found to have a complete third nerve palsy, with ptosis, exotropia, hypotropia, and a fixed mydriasis with resultant acute angle closure glaucoma. Pilocarpine was initiated, and neuroimaging revealed a subarachnoid hemorrhage from a ruptured posterior communicating artery aneurysm. The aneurysm was successfully coiled, and outpatient laser iridotomies were subsequently performed. Only 4 prior cases of acute angle closure glaucoma in the setting of a third nerve palsy have been reported in the literature. To our knowledge, this case is the first report of angle closure glaucoma in the setting of a subarachnoid hemorrhage. Conclusions This case of a complete third nerve palsy in the setting of a subarachnoid hemorrhage leading to acute angle closure highlights the importance of ruling out this life-threatening diagnosis when neurological signs of increased intracranial pressure and cranial nerve palsies are present.
Electrical stimulation mapping in children

Electrical stimulation mapping is a longstanding practice that aids in identification and delineation of eloquent cortex. Initially used to expand our understanding of the typical human cortex, it now plays a significant role in mapping cortical function in individuals with atypical structural and functional tissue organization undergoing epilepsy surgery. This review discusses the unique challenges that arise in the functional testing of the immature cortex of a child and the parameters of stimulation that optimize accurate results in conventional open implantation and in stereo-electroencephalography. The prerequisite baseline evaluation and preparation recommended to increase the yield from pediatric stimulation mapping sessions is described, as are ideal approaches to the mapping of the sensory, motor, language, and visual cortices.
What are best practices to teach “hands-on” skills in a blended environment?

Despite the proliferation of online teaching and learning in physical therapy education, there is a gap that describes best practices used to teach “hands-on” skills. The purpose of this study was to discover the resources used, current and emerging instructional methods, and a list of best practices for physical therapy educators. A national survey and personal interviews gathered information from faculty who taught orthopedic subject matter. The findings suggest faculty used an assortment of resources and instructional methods in a variety of ways. The data generated a list of best practices, which consisted of a tangible list of pre-class activities and face-to-face instructional methods. Additional research can help faculty make informed decisions based on evidence, feasibility, and availability of technologies. According to the literature and current teaching practices, a blended learning approach is the recommended best practice to teach orthopedic “hands-on” skills. This study serves as a baseline in today’s instructional climate and will evolve as educators continue to seek novel approaches in the technological space within physical therapy education.
A Metal-Ceramic Coaxial Cable with Multipoint Fabry-Pérot Interferometers for Monitoring Distributed High Temperature

Abstract A metal ceramic coaxial cable (MCCC) sensor containing multiple Fabry-Perot interferometers (FPIs) has been designed, fabricated, and evaluated for measuring distributed high temperatures. The MCCC sensor demonstrated here consists of stainless steel tube and wire conductors, alumina tube insulator, and three pairs of air gap reflectors distributed along the cable. The multipoint sensor operation is realized by the joint time-frequency domain technique, which combines the functions of time-domain reflectometry and frequency division multiplexing to enable the measurement of spatially distributed temperature. The 3-point MCCC-FPI sensor has been demonstrated for distributed temperature measurements between 250 and 550 °C and operability up to 1000 °C. The sensor offers high sensitivity of >0.18 MHz/°C with a measurement resolution of 1 Hz and reasonably small high temperature measurement error range of ±3 °C.
Interobserver Agreement for the International Academy of Cytology Yokohama System for Reporting Breast Fine-Needle Aspiration Biopsy Cytopathology.

Background A number of guidelines have been developed to improve standardization of the terminology and criteria for cytologic specimens obtained from the thyroid, pancreas, lung, and salivary glands. A major goal of these guidelines is to improve reproducibility and understanding of the reporting of diagnostic results among cytopathologists and between cytopathologists and clinicians. The International Academy of Cytology Yokohama System for Reporting Breast Fine-Needle Aspiration Biopsy Cytopathology (IAC YSRB) is the most recent of these guidelines. The value of this system is, in part, dependent upon interobserver reproducibility. Design Ninety consecutive fine-needle aspiration biopsies (FNAB) of the breast, performed over a 6-year period, were independently evaluated by 4 board-certified pathologists blinded to the original diagnoses. The 5 diagnostic categories used were those of the IAC YSRB according to published criteria for these categories. Observed agreement and chance corrected agreement (Fliess κ) were calculated. Differences in κ values were evaluated using the T statistic of Gwent. Statistical calculations were performed using STATA v16.0 (STATA Corp., College Station, TX, USA). Results Overall agreement between observers was good. Observed unweighted agreement was 69% and weighted agreement was 91%. The majority of diagnoses were concordant (68.6%). Conclusions Interobserver agreement of 4 cytopathologists was good using the 5 categories of the IAC YRSB (69%). Agreement was greater among pathologists with more years of experience. The IAC YSRB system appears to provide greater agreement among viewers than guidelines for cytologic specimens obtained from some other body sites (salivary gland and lung). Most discrepancies were only by a single category, with only 22/113 (19%) differing by more than one category.
Factors influencing the prognosis of children′s lupus nephritis

Objective To analyze the factors influencing the prognosis of lupus nephritis (LN) in China. Methods Seventy-four cases of LN were followed up and observed in this study for 3.6 years averagely. SAS for Window program of edition 6.12 was used. By using the method of plural regression, 7 indexes including sex, age, blood pressure, proteinuria, hematuria, hemoglobin and blood creatinine (BCr) were analyzed. Renal biopsies of 47 cases were divided according to pathological types and their prognosis were analyzed. Results The better prognosis group included 46 cases (62%), and the worse prognosis group 28 cases (38%), the analytic parameters of sex and age were -0.265 7 and -0.961 3, respectively, there was no prognosis interrelation (P>0.05). At the onset of disease, the analytic regression parameters of blood pressure, proteinuria, hematuria, hemoglobin and BCr were estimated as -2.738 7, -1.743 0, -3.173 1, 1.497 3 and -4.343 0, respec-tively, there was an obvious interrelation with the worse prognosis (P<0.05). Among 47 biopsis , 18 cases had renal failure, and 17 of 18 showed type IV LN as pathological features. In 18 cases of death, 8 of them died from infections (44%), 7 cases died from giving up the treatment (39%). Conclusion Hypertension, raised BCr and anemial were significantly the infuence factors to the worse prognosis. The severe proteinuria and hematuria were, the more unfavorable the prognosis showed. Patients with type IV LN showed worse prognosis. Infections, the realization and support of parents are also very important factors to the prognosis of LN , so that the factors which influence the prognosis of LN are very complexity. The social economic situation and biologic factors are equaly important. Key words: Child; Lupus nephritis; Prognosis
Zooming in on the role of surfactants in droplet coalescence at the macroscale and microscale

Abstract Coalescence of dispersed micrometer-scale droplets is an essential step toward the separation of emulsions. The thin film between droplets must form, drain, and rupture for coalescence to occur. In surfactant-stabilized emulsions, the film drainage and droplet coalescence processes are known to be hindered because of reduced interfacial mobility. However, a clear correlation between this mobility and the underlying surfactant transport and interfacial response to shear and dilatational deformations is undercharacterized. For microscale droplets, the effect of surfactant transport to the interface and along the interface is often difficult to isolate from other bulk effects on emulsion stability. In this work, we review surfactant-mitigated coalescence in both macroscale and microscale experiments, highlighting the importance of interfacial curvature and length scales when establishing a correlation between coalescence theory and film mobility.
The Role of SPECT and PET in Epilepsy.

OBJECTIVE. The purpose of this article is to summarize the role of molecular imaging of the brain by use of SPECT, FDG PET, and non-FDG PET radiotracers in epilepsy. CONCLUSION. Quantitative image ...
A quantile integral linear model to quantify genetic effects on phenotypic variability

Abstract Detecting genetic variants associated with the variance of complex traits, i.e. variance quantitative trait loci (vQTL), can provide crucial insights into the interplay between genes and environments and how they jointly shape human phenotypes in the population. We propose a quantile integral linear model (QUAIL) to estimate genetic effects on trait variability. Through extensive simulations and analyses of real data, we demonstrate that QUAIL provides computationally efficient and statistically powerful vQTL mapping that is robust to non-Gaussian phenotypes and confounding effects on phenotypic variability. Applied to UK Biobank (N=375,791), QUAIL identified 11 novel vQTL for body mass index (BMI). Top vQTL findings showed substantial enrichment for interactions with physical activities and sedentary behavior. Further, variance polygenic scores (vPGS) based on QUAIL effect estimates showed superior predictive performance on both population-level and within-individual BMI variability compared to existing approaches. Overall, QUAIL is a unified framework to quantify genetic effects on the phenotypic variability at both single-variant and vPGS levels. It addresses critical limitations in existing approaches and may have broad applications in future gene-environment interaction studies.
Multispectral fluorescence lifetime imaging device with a silicon avalanche photodetector.

We report the design, development, and characterization of a novel multi-spectral fluorescence lifetime measurement device incorporating solid-state detectors and automated gain control. For every excitation pulse (∼1 µJ, 600 ps), this device records complete fluorescence decay from multiple spectral channels simultaneously within microseconds, using a dedicated UV enhanced avalanche photodetector and analog to digital convert (2.5 GS/s) in each channel. Fast (<2 ms) channel-wise dynamic range adjustment maximizes the signal-to-noise ratio. Fluorophores with known lifetime ranging from 0.5–6.0 ns were used to demonstrate the device accuracy. Current results show the clear benefits of this device compared to existing devices employing microchannel-plate photomultiplier tubes. This is demonstrated by 5-fold reduction of lifetime measurement variability in identical conditions, independent gain adjustment in each spectral band, and 4-times faster imaging speed. The use of solid-state detectors will also facilitate future improved performance and miniaturization of the instrument.
Will the Economic Substance Doctrine Get Lost in the Woods? (Amicus Brief)

This fall, the Supreme Court will hear oral arguments in U.S. v. Woods, a tax case involving complex jurisdictional and penalty issues that no emotionally healthy person should take an interest in. But behind those issues lie important questions about the economic substance doctrine, which involves the allocation of lawmaking authority between the legislature and the judiciary.This amicus brief, submitted in support of neither party, informs the Court about the issues hiding in this case. It urges the Court to take a cautious approach in deciding Woods -- the phrase "economic substance doctrine" has never appeared in a Court opinion, so the tax bar and government attorneys will pay close attention to anything the Court says here. And although Congress partially codified the economic substance doctrine in Section 7701(o), that statute expressly leaves it to the courts to determine when the doctrine is "relevant." Woods could very well provide guidance on that fundamental question, and the brief makes the Court aware of the critical issues.Although this brief is directed to the Justices, anyone interested in how Woods might affect the economic substance doctrine may find it useful. Also, the brief suggests a potential due process challenge to the new statutory economic substance penalty, which may interest practitioners.
An Outcomes Review of 330 Sternal Wound Reconstructions: Timing of Closure Does Make a Difference.

BACKGROUND Sternal wound infection and dehiscence following cardiac surgery remain difficult clinical problems with high morbidity. Older classification systems regarding timing to reconstruction do not take into account recent improvements in critical care, wound vacuum-assisted closure use, or next-generation antibiotic therapies, which may prolong time to reconstruction. METHODS Records of patients undergoing sternal wound reconstruction performed by the senior author (J.A.A.) from 1996 to 2018 at a high-volume cardiac surgery center were reviewed. Indications included sternal wound infection or dehiscence. All patients underwent single-stage removal of hardware, debridement, and flap closure. Patients were divided into two groups based on timing of wound closure after cardiac surgery: less than 30 days or greater than or equal to 30 days. RESULTS Of the 505 patients identified during the study period, 330 had sufficient data for analysis. Mean time to sternal wound surgery was 15.7 days in the early group compared to 64.4 days (p < 0.01) beyond 30 days. Postdebridement cultures were positive in 72 percent versus 62.5 percent of patients (p = 0.11), whereas rates of postoperative infection were significantly higher in the delayed group: 1.9 percent versus 9.5 percent (p < 0.01). Partial wound dehiscence rates were also higher after 30 days (1.9 percent versus 11.3 percent; p < 0.01), whereas total length of stay was decreased. Use of wound vacuum-assisted closure was significantly associated with reconstruction beyond 30 days (p < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS Although performing sternal wound reconstruction more than 30 days after initial cardiac surgery was associated with a shorter overall hospital length of stay and higher extubation rates in the operating room, these patients also had elevated postoperative infection and wound complication rates. The authors thus recommend not delaying definitive surgical reconstruction when possible. CLINICAL QUESTION/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Therapeutic, III.
Identifying patient-level risk factors associated with non-β-lactam resistance outcomes in invasive methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections in the United States using chain graphs

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is one of the most common causes of hospital- and community-acquired infections. MRSA is resistant to many antibiotics, including {beta}-lactam antibiotics, fluoroquinolones, lincosamides, macrolides, aminoglycosides, tetracyclines, and chloramphenicol. Graphical models such as chain graphs can be used to quantify and visualize the interactions among multiple resistant outcomes and their explanatory variables. In this study, we analyzed MRSA surveillance data collected by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) as part of the Emerging Infections Program (EIP) using chain graphs with the objective of identifying risk factors for individual phenotypic resistance outcomes (reported as minimum inhibitory concentration, MIC) while considering the correlations among themselves. Some phenotypic resistances have low connectivity to other outcomes or predictors (e.g. tetracycline, vancomycin, doxycycline, and rifampin). Levofloxacin was the only resistant associated with healthcare use. Blood culture was the most common predictor of MIC. Patients with positive blood culture had significantly increased MIC to chloramphenicol, erythromycin, gentamicin, lincomycin, and mupirocin, and decreased daptomycin and rifampin MICs. Chain graphs show the unique and common risk factors associated with resistance outcomes.
Policy Lessons from Risk Communications Practice

This paper briefly addresses the difficulties of risk communication, and describes three lessons concerning the activities. First, only in the rarest instances can effects be observed that follow directly from specific communication efforts; the decision arena and the context within which the communication takes place are of great importance. Second, a variety of different kinds of risk messages usually need to be received before an effect may be observed; reinforcement is essential. Third, the risk communicator faces a fundamental dilemma between clarity and completeness. Sacrificing completeness for clarity will offend scientists and may undermine the legitimacy of the analysis; sacrificing clarity for completeness will confuse the lay public and may render the message ineffectual.
Effect of atmospheric pollutant gases on the formation of corrosive condensate on aluminum

As part of a program to develop predictive methods to estimate the long-term durability of aluminum parts, a methodology was developed to calculate the chemical composition of condensates formed on aluminum exposed to polluted air. In this study, it is proposed that the maximum concentrations of ionic species in a condensate must be limited by the equilibrium condition established between the dissolved ions and the gases from which they formed.
Brown, Michael Stuart

1941– American scientist who, with Joseph Goldstein, elucidated the molecular mechanisms of cholesterol synthesis and the clinical consequences of their abnormalities.
Consumers’ emotional responses to service encounters

Reports on a study looking at dimensions of service provider performance that influence immediate emotional responses to service encounters, based on 914 service encounters. Identifies five service‐provider dimensions that are significant predictors of emotional response to services. Finds that different service‐provider dimensions influence positive as compared with negative emotional responses and that temporal duration and spatial intimacy of the encounter affect both the reported levels and relative importance of these service‐provider dimensions to emotional responses.
To Letter to the Editor: ‘Safety of Thrust Joint Manipulation in the Thoracic Spine: a Systematic Review’

We would like to thank Drs. Engel, Vemulpad and Doughtery for their thoughtful letter to the editor regarding our article in a recent issue of JMMT. They appear to raise two specific concerns: (a) case reports not being an appropriate measure of safety; and (b) the interpretation of adverse events (AEs) from thoracic thrust joint manipulation (TJM) portrayed in our article.
X-ray beam characteristics of the Varian Clinac 6-100 linear accelerator

Beam characteristics and dosimetry measurements of the 6 MV x-ray beam from a Varian Associates Clinac 6-100 linear accelerator are presented. Percentage depth dose tables are given as a function of field size for square fields. Tissue-maximum ratios and scatter-maximum ratios are tabulated as a function of depth and field size. Investigation of surface dose and depth of maximum dose reveal a dependence on field size. Other beam parameters measured are presented include field flatness, symmetry, SSD dependence, and penumbra. Treatment planning parameters including field size output factors and wedge factors are discussed.
The orphan nuclear receptor NGFI-B regulates expression of the gene encoding steroid 21-hydroxylase

As part of its trophic action to maintain the steroidogenic capacity of adrenocortical cells, corticotropin (ACTH) increases the transcription of the cytochrome P-450 steroid hydroxylase genes, including the gene encoding steroid 21-hydroxylase (21-OHase). We previously identified several promoter elements that regulate 21-OHase gene expression in mouse Y1 adrenocortical tumor cells. One of these elements, located at nucleotide -65, closely resembles the recognition sequence of the orphan nuclear receptor NGFI-B, suggesting that NGFI-B regulates this essential steroidogenic enzyme. To explore this possibility, we first used in situ hybridization to demonstrate high levels of NGFI-B transcripts in the adrenal cortex of the adult rat. In cultured mouse Y1 adrenocortical cells, treatment with ACTH, the major regulator of 21-OHase transcription, rapidly increased NGFI-B expression. Gel mobility shift and DNase I footprinting experiments showed that recombinantly expressed NGFI-B interacts specifically with the 21-OHase -65 element and identified one complex formed by Y1 extracts and the 21-OHase -65 element that contains NGFI-B. Expression of NGFI-B significantly augmented the activity of the intact 21-OHase promoter, while mutations of the -65 element that abolish NGFI-B binding markedly diminished NGFI-B-mediated transcriptional activation. Specific mutations of NGFI-B shown previously to impair either DNA binding or transcriptional activation diminished the effect of NGFI-B coexpression on 21-OHase expression. Finally, an oligonucleotide containing the NGFI-B response element conferred ACTH response to a core promoter from the prolactin gene, showing that this element is sufficient for ACTH induction. Collectively, these results identify a cellular promoter element that is regulated by NGFI-B and implicate NGFI-B in the transcriptional induction of 21-OHase by ACTH.
Determination of Chromium Oxidation State in Cultures of Dissimilatory Metal Reducing Bacteria by Electron Energy Loss Spectroscopy

Chromium is a redox active 3d transition metal with a wide range (-2 to +6) of possible oxidation states; however only Cr(III) and Cr(VI) are stable. The valence state of Cr is important because it controls the geochemistry and toxicity of the element. Hexavalent Cr species are strong oxidants which act as carcinogens, mutagens, and teratogens in biological systems [1]. The high solubility, bioavailability, and toxicity of Cr(VI) make it a particular environmental concern. In contrast, Cr(III) species have low toxicity, in part, because their bioavailability is limited by their low solubility and their tendency to form strong complexes with organics and hydroxo complexes. Hexavalent Cr(VI) can be readily reduced to the trivalent state by Fe2+, S2-, organic compounds, wetland plants, and several species of microorganisms [2]. The associated mechanisms of Cr(VI) reduction are technologically and biologically important because they convert a toxic, mobile element into a less toxic, immobile form. Furthermore, the geochemical and microbiological processes of Cr oxidation/reduction drive both precipitation/dissolution and ion adsorption/desorption reactions in the environment. The study of these reactions has been hindered by the lack of an analytical technique that can determine the oxidation state of Cr at high spatial resolution. For instance, little is known about unstable redox intermediates with intermediate valence states between the valances of the stable end members of the oxidation/reduction process.
A lightweight Integrated Electronics Module (IEM) packaging design for the MESSENGER spacecraft

MESSENGER (MErcury Surface, Space ENvironment, GEochemistry, and Ranging) is a mission to orbit the planet Mercury. The comprehensive scientific data collected through the one-Earth-year orbital mission phase will allow scientists to study and understand the environment and evolution of the innermost terrestrial planet. The five-year cruise phase and the harsh environment of Mercury orbit pose challenges to the spacecraft subsystem design in terms of balancing an extremely tight mass budget with robust thermal and mechanical designs. The packaging design for a low-cost, lightweight Integrated Electronics Module (IEM) is presented in this paper. The commercial 6U Compact Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) Printed Wiring Board (PWB) design has been selected to reduce development cost. Several unique features of the IEM packaging design include using the RAD6000 processor developed by BAE Systems in the Main Processor board, 64-Mb Hyundai TSOPs stacked two-high for 1 GB of SDRAM on the Solid-State Recorder Assembly, and a 32-mm Ceramic Column Grid Array as the PCI Bridge chip. The IEM chassis that accommodates five PWBs is designed with thin-wall aluminum for weight savings, and is fabricated by investment casting for cost savings. Extensive thermal and structural analyses have been performed to ensure that the IEM is capable of surviving and functioning during launch, cruise, and orbit. Environment tests have been conducted on the pre-engineering IEM to validate analytical results.
Optimal Estimation over Channels with Limits on Usage

Abstract We consider several cases of a sequential estimation problem in which two decision making agents work together but with limited communication (between them) to minimize a performance criterion. One agent makes sequential observations about the state of an underlying, possibly vector valued, stochastic process for a fixed period of time. This observer agent upon observing the process decides whether or not to disclose some information about the process to the other agent, the estimator, and if yes , when and how. The constraint is that the observer may act only a limited, pre-specified number of times. For such problems, we develop the optimal observer-estimator policies first for the case when the source process is n th order Gauss-Markov, and then for the case when the source is a vector process.
Comprehensive modeling of airflow rate through automatic doors for low-rise buildings

Abstract Airflow through doors, depending on function, can have a large impact on building energy consumption and occupant comfort, thus reliable and trustworthy estimation of airflow rate is considered to be an important aspect of building energy modeling and simulation. This paper proposes a comprehensive model that can estimate reliable airflow rate through the different types of automatic doors for low-rise buildings in various outdoor environmental conditions. The model proposed in this study incorporates factors such as: airflow pattern around buildings and local terrain, frequency of door openings, pressure difference between indoor and outdoor environment, and variations in local wind velocities. The results from comparison and verification studies show the proposed model can estimate reliable airflow through automatic doors. A case study with a restaurant building is presented in this paper to show how the proposed model can be effectively used to estimate the airflow rate through door openings.
Three-dimensional tomography of the 1992 southern California earthquake sequence: Constraints on dynamic earthquake rupture?

Tomographic inversion of P -wave arrival times from aftershocks of 1992 southern California earthquakes is used to produce three dimensional images of subsurface velocity. The preliminary 1992 data set, augmented by the 1986 M 5.9 North Palm Springs sequence, consists of 6458 high-quality events recorded by the permanent regional network—providing 76306 raypaths for inversion. The target area consisted of a 104 x 104 x 32 km 3 volume divided into 52 x 52 x 10 rectilinear blocks. Significant velocity perturbations appear to correlate with rupture properties of recent major earthquakes. Preliminary results indicate that a low-velocity anomaly separates the dynamic rupture of the M 6.5 Big Bear event from the M 7.4 Landers main shock; a similar low-velocity region separates the M 6.1 Joshua Tree sequence from the Landers rupture.High-velocity anomalies occur at or near nucleation sites of all four recent main shocks (North Palm Springs-Joshua Tree-LandersBig Bear). A high-velocity anomaly is present along the San Andreas fault between 5 and 12 km depth through San Gorgonio Pass; this high-velocity area may define an asperity where stress is concentrated and where future large earthquakes may begin.
Prior event uncertainty reduction under two different levels of time uncertainty of foreperiod duration in schizophrenia.

Schizophrenic and alcoholic Ss judged stimulus durations of 0.50 and 0.55 seconds. Stimulus was 1, 3 or 5 dark dots and was preceded by variable fore-period duration of 1, 3 or 5 seconds. Judgment of stimulus duration was found to be a monotonically increasing function of both foreperiod duration and numerosity of dots. When pitch of sound, which functioned as a warning signal, was correlated with numerosity of dots, the monotonic relation between numerosity of dots and estimation of stimulus duration was eliminated for alcoholics, but not for schizophrenics, only when foreperiod duration was constant from trial to trial. The effect of prior information as to numerosity of dots was negligible for both schizophrenics and alcoholics when foreperiod duration was variable from trial to trial.
Evaluating the accuracy of implicit feedback from clicks and query reformulations in Web search

This article examines the reliability of implicit feedback generated from clickthrough data and query reformulations in World Wide Web (WWW) search. Analyzing the users' decision process using eyetracking and comparing implicit feedback against manual relevance judgments, we conclude that clicks are informative but biased. While this makes the interpretation of clicks as absolute relevance judgments difficult, we show that relative preferences derived from clicks are reasonably accurate on average. We find that such relative preferences are accurate not only between results from an individual query, but across multiple sets of results within chains of query reformulations.
What is the value of knowing uninformed trades

Abstract Extending the multiperiod Kyle (Econometrica 53 (1985) 1315–1335) model, I study strategic trading when an informed trader receives a noisy signal of uninformed trades. I show that the value of this signal is positive when it has perfect precision, but can turn negative when it becomes less precise.