cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Exploring the zone of anisotropy and broken symmetries in DNA-mediated nanoparticle crystallization

In this work, we present a joint experimental and molecular dynamics simulations effort to understand and map the crystallization behavior of polyhedral nanoparticles assembled via the interaction of DNA surface ligands. In these systems, we systematically investigated the interplay between the effects of particle core (via the particle symmetry and particle size) and ligands (via the ligand length) on crystallization behavior. This investigation revealed rich phase diagrams, previously unobserved phase transitions in polyhedral crystallization behavior, and an unexpected symmetry breaking in the ligand distribution on a particle surface. To understand these results, we introduce the concept of a zone of anisotropy, or the portion of the phase space where the anisotropy of the particle is preserved in the crystallization behavior. Through comparison of the zone of anisotropy for each particle we develop a foundational roadmap to guide future investigations.
A low-cost smart sensor with Java interface

This paper deals with Web sensors that offer data structures and access features as described in the IEEE1451 standard, while give a Internet interface through an HTTP-based protocol, that has been inspired by IEEE1451.2 Transducer Independent Interface (TII). A two level software architecture that reduces Web-sensor structural complexity and leaves format and presentation concerns to the client side program, is introduced A self-configuring Java application for client side is then proposed with particular attention to minimize sensor overhead. Finally, a working experiment has been realized and some tests have been carried out to evaluate performances of the proposed Java interface architecture.
CHEMICAL STUDIES ON HOST-VIRUS INTERACTIONS : III. TRYPTOPHANE REQUIREMENTS IN THE STAGES OF VIRUS MULTIPLICATION IN THE ESCHERICHIA COLI-T2 BACTERIOPHAGE SYSTEM.

The inhibition of virus multiplication by 5-methyl tryptophane can be specifically reversed by tryptophane. The conditions of reversal indicate that 5MT specifically interferes with tryptophane utilization. The tryptophane requirements of virus multiplication appear to exist throughout the latent period and determine the time of lysis and amount of virus liberated. A latent period may be interrupted for 15 minutes or more and be resumed on addition of tryptophane. Extended inhibition with 5MT results in a somewhat variable "killing" effect, the extent of which determines aspects of the reversal of the inhibition by tryptophane. The implications of these phenomena have been discussed.
Strategies for Testing Large Aerospace Structures with 3D SLDV

The 3D Scanning Laser Doppler Vibrometer (3D SLDV) has the ability to scan a large number of points with high accuracy compared to traditional roving hammer or accelerometer tests. The 3D SLDV has disadvantages, however, in that it requires line-of-sight from three scanning laser heads to the point being measured. This means that multiple scans can become necessary to measure large or complex parts, and internal components cannot typically be measured. In the past, large aerospace structures tested at Sandia National Laboratories typically have used a handful of accelerometer stations and instrumented internal components to characterize these test articles. This work describes two case studies that explore the advantages and difficulties in using a 3D SLDV to measure the same test articles with a much higher resolution scan of the exterior. This work proposes strategies for combining a large number of accelerometer channels with a high resolution laser scan. It explores the use of mirrors and laser head mounts to enable efficient re-alignment of the lasers with the test article when many scans are necessary, and it discusses the difficulties and pitfalls inherent with performing such a test.
MEG language lateralization in partial epilepsy using dSPM of auditory event-related fields

Abstract Objective Methods employed to determine hemispheric language dominance using magnetoencephalography (MEG) have differed significantly across studies in the choice of language-task, the nature of the physiological response studied, recording hardware, and source modeling methods. Our goal was to determine whether an analysis based on distributed source modeling can replicate the results of prior studies that have used dipole-modeling of event-related fields (ERFs) generated by an auditory word-recognition task to determine language dominance in patients with epilepsy. Methods We analyzed data from 45 adult patients with drug-resistant partial epilepsy who performed an auditory word-recognition task during MEG recording and also completed a language fMRI study as part of their evaluation for epilepsy surgery. Source imaging of auditory ERFs was performed using dynamic statistical parametric mapping (dSPM). Language laterality indices (LIs) were calculated for four regions of interest (ROIs) by counting above-threshold activations within a 300–600 ms time window after stimulus onset. Language laterality (LL) classifications based on these LIs were compared to the results from fMRI. Results The most lateralized MEG responses to language stimuli were observed in a parietal region that included the angular and supramarginal gyri (AngSmg). In this region, using a half-maximal threshold, source activations were left dominant in 32 (71%) patients, right dominant in 8 (18%), and symmetric in 5 patients (11%). The best agreement between MEG and fMRI on the ternary classification of regional language dominance into left, right, or symmetric groups was also found at the AngSmg ROI (69%). This was followed by the whole-hemisphere and temporal ROIs (both 62%). The frontal ROI showed the least agreement with fMRI (51%). Gross discordances between MEG and FMRI findings were disproportionately of the type where MEG favored atypical right-hemispheric language in a patient with right-hemispheric seizure origin (p Significance In a parietal region that includes the angular and supramarginal gyri, language laterality estimates based on dSPM of ERFs during auditory word-recognition shows a degree of MEG-fMRI concordance that is comparable to previously published estimates for MEG-Wada concordance using dipole counting methods and the same task. Our data also suggest that MEG language laterality estimates based on this task may be influenced by the laterality of epileptic networks in some patients. This has not been reported previously and deserves further study.
Chapter 55: Pharmacotherapy of Alzheimer disease: new drugs and novel strategies

Publisher Summary Four major and distinct therapeutic interventions for the treatment of Alzheimer disease (AD) have been envisioned in order to: (1) achieve a symptomatic improvement without attenuation of the pathology by acting on one or several neurotransmitter systems; (2) slow down the progression of amyloid formation in individuals with a diagnosed Alzheimer condition; this might also slow down the disease course; (3) prevent, slow down or reverse the accumulation of the P-amyloid protein in cerebral blood vessels and/or neuritic plaques in individuals genetically at risk for the disease; this group of patients is relatively small (0.7%–5 %) ; (4) develop a curative therapy by means of a causal approach. Approach (1) is discussed in detail in this chapter. Approaches (2) and (3) are important, although P-amyloid deposition is probably not the primary cause of the disease. Approach (4) is theoretical since the etiology of the disease is unknown. With regard to approach (1), one should keep in mind that AD is not a “mono-neurotransmitter disease.” In younger patients, a deficiency of norepinephrine (NE) in the central nervous system (CNS) seems to be frequent. There is also evidence that the concentration of other neurotransmitters, besides acetylcholine (ACh) and NE, is lower than normal. Glutamate and serotonin are also reduced in cerebral cortex.
Establishing objective volume-outcome measures for anterior and posterior cervical spine fusion.

Abstract Objectives There is a growing literature on the relationship between provider volume and patient outcomes, specifically within joint arthroplasty and lumbar spine surgery. Such benchmarks have yet to be established for many other spinal procedures, including cervical fusion. We sought to determine whether outcomes-based volume measures for both surgeons and hospitals can be established for cervical spine fusion procedures. Patients and methods This was a retrospective review of patient data in the Florida Statewide Inpatient Dataset (SID; 2011–14). Patients identified in the Florida SID who underwent either anterior or posterior cervical fusion were identified along with the operative surgeons and the hospitals where the procedures were performed. Socio-demographic data, as well as medical and surgical characteristics were obtained, as were the development of complications and readmissions up to 90 days following hospital discharge. Surgeon and hospital volume were plotted separately against the number of complications and readmissions in an adjusted spline analysis. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was subsequently performed to assess the effect of surgeon and hospital volume on post-operative complications and readmissions. Results There were 8960 patients with posterior cervical fusion and 57,108 anterior cervical fusions (total = 66,068) identified for inclusion in the analysis. The patients of low-volume surgeons were found to have an increased (OR 1.83; 95% CI 1.65, 2.02) likelihood of complications following anterior and posterior (OR 1.45; 95% CI 1.24, 1.69) cervical fusion. Low-volume surgeons demonstrated increased likelihood of readmission, irrespective of anterior (OR 1.37; 95% CI 1.29, 1.47) or posterior (OR 1.31; 95% CI 1.16, 1.48) approach. No clinically meaningful differences in the likelihood of complications or readmissions were detected between high- and low-volume hospitals. Conclusions This study demonstrates objective volume-outcome measures for surgeons who perform anterior and posterior cervical fusions. Our results have immediate applicability to clinical practice and may be used to benchmark procedural volume. Findings with respect to hospitals speak against the need for healthcare regionalization in this specific clinical context.
Tuning Surface and Topographical Features to Investigate Competitive Guidance of Spiral Ganglion Neurons.

Cochlear Implants (CIs) suffer from limited tonal resolution due, in large part, to spatial separation between stimulating electrode arrays and primary neural receptors. In this work, a combination of physical and chemical micropatterns, formed on acrylate polymers, are used to direct the growth of primary spiral ganglion neurons (SGNs), the inner ear neurons. Utilizing the inherent temporal and spatial control of photopolymerization, physical microgrooves are fabricated using a photomask in a single step process. Biochemical patterns are generated by adsorbing laminin, a cell adhesion protein, to acrylate polymer surfaces followed by irradiation through a photomask with UV light to deactivate protein in exposed areas and generate parallel biochemical patterns. Laminin deactivation was shown increase as a function of UV light exposure while remaining adsorbed to the polymer surface. SGN neurites show alignment to both biochemical and physical patterns when evaluated individually. Competing biochemical and...
Developing a tool for observing group critical thinking skills in first-year medical students: a pilot study using physiology-based, high-fidelity patient simulations

Most assessments of physiology in medical school use multiple choice tests that may not provide information about a student’s critical thinking (CT) process. There are limited performance assessmen...
Deep Vein Thrombosis of the Left Leg: A Case of May-Thurner Syndrome.

A 56-year-old woman presented with gradually worsening shortness of breath associated with dull left leg pain over 5 days. She denied any recent travel, recent surgeries or immobilization. CT pulmonary angiography and CT venography revealed multiple bilateral pulmonary emboli and extensive left pelvic and left lower extremity deep vein thromboses. Contrast-enhanced CT showed that the right common iliac artery crossed the left common iliac vein and compressed it externally, indicative of May–Thurner syndrome. Catheter-directed thrombolysis of the left lower extremity was performed and heparin infusion was started. The patient also underwent left iliac vein balloon angioplasty with stenting and infra-renal inferior vena cava filter placement via the jugular approach to prevent further embolization.
The Clinical Research Environment

The conduct of clinical research is a data- and information-intensive endeavor, involving a variety of stakeholders spanning a spectrum from patients to providers to private sector entities to governmental policymakers. Increasingly, the modern clinical research environment relies on the use of informatics tools and methods, in order to address such diverse and challenging needs. In this chapter, we introduce the major stakeholders, activities, and use cases for informatics tools and methods that characterize the clinical research environment. This includes an overview of the ways in which informatics-based approaches influence the design of clinical studies, ensuing clinical research workflow, and the dissemination of evidence and knowledge generated during such activities. Throughout this review, we will provide a number of exemplary linkages to core biomedical informatics challenges and opportunities and the foundational theories and frameworks underlying such issues. Finally, this chapter places the preceding review in the context of a number of national-scale initiatives that seek to address such needs and requirements while advancing the frontiers of discovery science and precision medicine.
Ultrasensitivity dynamics of diverse aryl hydrocarbon receptor modulators in a hepatoma cell line

The aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR) is a nuclear receptor that facilitates a wide transcriptional response and causes a variety of adaptive and maladaptive physiological functions. Such functions are entirely dependent on the type of ligand activating it, and therefore, the nuances in the activation of this receptor at the single-cell level have become a research interest for different pharmacological and toxicological applications. Here, we investigate the activation of the AhR by diverse classes of compounds in a Hepa1c1c7-based murine hepatoma cell line. The exogenous compounds analyzed produced different levels of ultrasensitivity in AhR activation as measured by XRE-coupled EGFP production and analyzed by both flow cytometric and computational simulation techniques. Interestingly, simulation experiments reported herein were able to reproduce and quantitate the natural single-cell stochasticity inherent to mammalian cell lines as well as the ligand-specific differences in ultrasensitivity. Classical AhR modulators 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzodioxin (10− 1–105 pM), PCB-126 (10− 1–107 pM), and benzo[a]pyrene (10− 1–107 pM) produced the greatest levels of single-cell ultrasensitivity and most maximal responses, while consumption-based ligands indole-3-carbinol (103–109 pM), 3,3′-diindolylmethane (103–108 pM), and cannabidiol (103–108 pM) caused low-level AhR activation in more purely graded single-cell fashions. All compounds were tested and analyzed over a 24 h period for consistency. The comparative quantitative results for each compound are presented within. This study aids in defining the disparity between different types of AhR modulators that produce distinctly different physiological outcomes. In addition, the simulation tool developed for this study can be used in future studies to predict the quantitative effects of diverse types of AhR ligands in the context of pharmacological therapies or toxicological concerns.
Serum 25-Hydroxyvitamin D Concentrations and Incidence of Age-Related Macular Degeneration: The Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study

Purpose To investigate the association between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25[OH]D) concentrations at visit 2 (1990-1992) and the 18-year incidence of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) between visit 3 (1993-1995) and visit 5 (2011-2013). Methods This prospective analysis was conducted in a subset of participants (n = 1225) from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study. We evaluated the incidence of any, early, and late AMD from visit 3 to 5. The 25(OH)D concentrations were assessed in 2012-2013 by using stored serum from visit 2. Retinal fundus photographs taken at both visits were graded side by side to determine the incidence of AMD. Logistic regression was used to estimate the odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for incident AMD outcomes during 18 years of follow-up (1993-1995 to 2011-2013) by tertile of 25(OH)D adjusted for age, race, and smoking status. P for linear trend was estimated by using continuous 25(OH)D concentrations. Sensitivity analyses applied inverse probability weights to account for selection to have eye photographs, death, and loss to follow-up. Results There was a decreased odds of any incident AMD (n = 139) and large, soft drusen (n = 80) in 25(OH)D tertile 3 versus 1, with OR (95% CI) = 0.57 (0.36-0.90), P trend = 0.11 and with 0.52 (0.28-0.93), P trend = 0.18, respectively. Applying sampling weights attenuated these results to 0.66 (0.38-1.16), P trend = 0.32 (any incident AMD) and 0.54 (0.27-1.09), P trend = 0.36 (large, soft drusen), respectively, suggesting these associations may be biased by loss to follow-up and sampling for retinal photographs at visit 5. No statistically significant results were observed with pigmentary abnormalities (n = 46) or incident late AMD (n = 26). Conclusions High 25(OH)D concentrations, approximately >70 nM, may be associated with decreased odds of incident early AMD.
Simulating Random Numbers from Specific Distributions

For the important distributions, specialized algorithms based on the general methods discussed in the previous chapter are available. The important difference in the algorithms is their speed. A secondary difference is the size and complexity of the program to implement the algorithm. Because all of the algorithms for generating from nonuniform distributions rely on programs to generate from uniform distributions, an algorithm that uses only a small number of uniforms to yield a variate of the target distribution may be faster on a computer system on which the generation of the uniform is very fast. As we have mentioned, on a given computer system there may be more than one program available to generate uniform deviates. Often a portable generator is slower than a nonportable one, so for portable generators of nonuniform distributions those that require a small number of uniform deviates may be better. If evaluation of elementary functions is a part of the algorithm for generating random deviates, then the speed of the overall algorithm depends on the speed of the evaluation of the functions. The relative speed of elementary function evaluation is different on different computer systems.
Individual field-collected glassy-winged sharpshooter vectors harbor sequences from two Xylella fastidiosa subspecies

During 2016 and 2017, glassy-winged sharpshooters (GWSS; Homalodisca vitripennis) collected from vineyards with a known history of Pierce’s disease or nearby citrus orchards in Kern County, California were assessed for presence of Xylella fastidiosa by quantitative PCR using total DNA samples extracted from GWSS heads. Conventional PCR products for three X. fastidiosa housekeeping genes (petC, leuA, and holC) were cloned from a subset of X. fastidiosa-positive GWSS DNA samples. Cloned sequences were assigned to X. fastidiosa subspecies based on Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) signature barcodes (7–12 polymorphic sites per amplicon that differentiate reference genomes of subspecies fastidiosa and multiplex). A total of 2005 clones were sequenced: 1499 (74.8%) were genotyped as subspecies fastidiosa and 491 (24.5%) as subspecies multiplex. Among cloned subspecies fastidiosa sequences, 95.4% had SNP barcodes identical to the corresponding gene present in subspecies fastidiosa strains cultured from Pierce’s disease-affected vines in the same region sampled in 2016 and 2017. Presence of SNP barcodes representing both subspecies in one or more cloned genes was commonly observed within individual GWSS. This observation indicates that populations of X. fastidiosa in some insects consists of two subspecies or of two genotypes of one subspecies in which a proportion of the population was derived from a lineage with a history of horizontal gene transfer and homologous recombination. These conclusions suggest that: 1) individual GWSS may visit multiple host species (inoculum sources); 2) sequential pathogen acquisition events can lead to co-colonization of GWSS; 3) competitive exclusion of X. fastidiosa in the foregut is weak or not operating; and 4) the vector foregut is a potential arena for exchange of genetic material among sympatric X. fastidiosa subspecies.
An examination of recreational golfers’ psychological connection, participation behavior, and perceived constraints

The purpose of this study was to examine continued sport participation by linking psychological connection with participation behavior and constraints. Recreational golfers (N = 714) completed a su...
Gestational Diabetes and Risk of Breast Cancer in African American Women.

Background: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) has been hypothesized to increase breast cancer risk, but results from the few prior epidemiologic studies are conflicting, and no studies have examined the association in African American women. Methods: We analyzed data from the prospective Black Women9s Health Study to evaluate associations of history of GDM with breast cancer risk among 41,767 parous African American women, adjusting for potential confounders. HRs and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated from multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression models. Results: There was no evidence of an association between history of GDM and risk of invasive breast cancer, overall or by estrogen receptor status. Conclusions: Results of this study do not support the hypothesis that GDM is an important risk factor for breast cancer in African American women overall. Impact: On the basis of these data, breast cancer risk is not increased among African American women with a history of GDM compared with parous women without a history of GDM.
Response to: Flexible Intramedullary Nailing of Femoral Shaft Fractures in Children Weighing ≥40 kg: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

BACKGROUND Pediatric femur fractures are commonly treated with flexible intramedullary nails (FIN). However, there is controversy regarding the effect of patient weight on outcomes and complications. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to review the literature and describe implant choice, analyze complication, and reoperation rates; as well as the report clinical and radiographic outcomes of FIN in pediatric patients weighing ≥40 kg with femoral shaft fractures. METHODS A systematic review was performed of all retrospective and prospective studies focusing on the use of FIN in heavy children in Medline, Cochrane, and Web of Science databases. Data extraction was performed and summarized using descriptive statistics. Quality assessment was performed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Meta-analysis was performed for complications using pooled data from included studies. RESULTS The initial search strategy yielded 177 references, and after exclusions, 5 studies were included. The majority of studies were retrospective, and the most commonly used implants in heavier patients were titanium FIN and stainless steel Enders FIN. There were higher rates of radiographic nonunion and malunion, complications, and reoperations for refracture; and nonunion in heavier children treated with FIN. Meta-analysis performed on 4 applicable studies showed the overall complication rate was higher in the heavier patients compared with lighter patients (30.6% vs. 11.1%) with a relative risk of 1.20 [95% confidence interval (CI), 1.02-1.41]. Heavier patients also had higher rates of major complications (relative risk, 1.32; 95% CI, 1.03-1.69) but similar minor complications (relative risk, 1.13; 95% CI, 0.90-1.41). CONCLUSIONS Heavier children have worse radiographic outcomes and higher complication rates with the use of FIN for femoral shaft fractures. Additional research is needed to determine the effect of FIN material on clinical outcomes in heavier children, and the relationship between weight and other known risk factors for poor outcome in FIN, such as length stability. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Level III-systematic review of level-III studies.
Science gateways made easy: the In-VIGO approach: Research Articles

Science gateways require the easy enabling of legacy scientific applications on computing Grids and the generation of user-friendly interfaces that hide the complexity of the Grid from the user. This paper presents the In-VIGO approach to the creation and management of science gateways. First, we discuss the virtualization of machines, networks and data to facilitate the dynamic creation of secure execution environments that meet application requirements. Then we discuss the virtualization of applications, i.e. the execution on shared resources of multiple isolated application instances with customized behavior, in the context of In-VIGO. A Virtual Application Service (VAS) architecture for automatically generating, customizing, deploying, and using virtual applications as Grid services is then described. Starting with a grammar-based description of the command-line syntax, the automated process generates the VAS description and the VAS implementation (code for application encapsulation and data binding) that is deployed and made available through a Web interface. A VAS can be customized on a per-user basis by restricting the capabilities of the original application or by adding to it features such as parameter sweeping. This is a scalable approach to the integration of scientific applications as services into Grids and can be applied to any tool with an arbitrarily complex command-line syntax. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Enhancing the surface properties and functionalization of polymethyl methacrylate with atomic layer-deposited titanium(IV) oxide

Polymethyl methacrylate (PMMA) is a widely used polymer in applications such as engineering structural plastics, energy storage materials, and biomaterials. However, its poor surface properties lead to fracture and deformation. Functionalization of the PMMA surface can make it more resistant to aggressive environments and prevent it from biodegradation, discoloration, and increased surface roughness. Here, atomic layer deposition (ALD) was used to deposit TiO2 thin films from tetrakis(dimethylamido)titanium (TDMAT) and ozone on PMMA substrates to improve its surface properties without the need for plasma assistance or another interlayer. Spectroscopic ellipsometry was used for the first time to measure the metal oxide film thickness on thick PMMA substrates. Two different growth regimes were observed, one for initial and the other for later ALD cycles. Initially, the growth rate on PMMA was 1.39 A/cycle, which is ~ 3.5 times higher than that on stand-alone silicon (0.4 A/cycle); this is attributed to cyclic chemical vapor deposition of TDMAT and moisture within PMMA concomitant with TiO2 ALD from TDMAT and ozone. However, after the formation of ~ 30-nm-thick film on PMMA, the TiO2 growth rate became similar to that on silicon. Moreover, our results revealed that the presence of PMMA in the deposition reactor affects the TiO2 growth rate on silicon substrates as well. These findings are discussed and corroborated with residual gas analyzer and X-ray absorption near-edge structure data. The thermal stability of the PMMA samples was examined by thermogravimetric analysis. Chemical composition and surface roughness of coated PMMA were studied by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and optical profilometry, respectively. The TiO2 coating increased wettability by ~ 70% and surface hardness by 60%.
A Framework for Assessing Technology-Mediated IPV

Intimate partner violence (IPV) is a common public health problem that damages many romantic relationships. It is defined as abuse or aggression that occurs between intimate partners with an estima...
Erbium energy levels in GaN grown by hydride vapor phase epitaxy

Erbium doped GaN (Er:GaN) is a promising candidate as a novel gain medium for solid-state high energy lasers (HELs) due to its superior physical properties over a synthetic garnet such as Nd:YAG. Er:GaN emits in the 1.5 µm region, which is retina-safe and has a high transmission in the air. We report photoluminescence (PL) studies performed on Er:GaN epilayers synthesized by the hydride vapor phase epitaxy (HVPE) technique. The room temperature PL spectra of HVPE grown Er:GaN epilayers resolved as many as 11 and seven emission lines in the 1.5 µm and 1.0 µm wavelength regions, respectively, corresponding to the intra-4f shell transitions between Stark levels from the first (4I13/2) and the second (4I11/2) excited states to the ground state (4I15/2) of Er3+ in GaN. The observed peak positions of these transitions enabled the construction of the detailed energy levels in Er:GaN. The results agree well with those of the calculation based on a crystal field analysis. Precise determination of the detailed energy levels of the Stark levels in the 4I11/2, 4I13/2, and 4I15/5 states is critically important for the realization of HELs based on Er:GaN.
Queer Formalisms: Jennifer Doyle and David Getsy in Conversation

Conversation on queer methods in the interpretation of art, literature, and culture. Focus is on the examination of queer themes that are not iconographically rendered.
Achieving optimal vaccine administration in a pediatric cochlear implant program after implementation of a Quality Improvement Project.

Abstract Objectives To maximize vaccination compliance in children undergoing cochlear implantation and thus minimize meningitis-related complications. To present a Quality Improvement (QI) Project for 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV-23) administration within a pediatric cochlear implant program. Methods We identified children from birth through 21 years of age with cochlear implants or cochlear implant candidates who were seen at Children's Health Medical Center/UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas between 12/2018 and 01/2020. Protocols were developed for physicians and nurses using electronic medical record (EMR) smart phrases with prompts to review and document vaccine status and plan. Charts were reviewed for six consecutive cycles of 6–12 weeks for vaccine documentation and plan compliance. Regular feedback was provided to physicians and nurses. A cochlear implant EMR registry was developed for increased surveillance of vaccine administration. Results Physicians and nurses showed an improvement in vaccine documentation from the start of the project to the first data cycle review (61%–90% and 20%–91% for physicians and nurses respectively). This was followed by a regression in the third to fourth review cycles (decrease to 67% and 80% compliance). Vaccine documentation compliance improved after subsequent review and feedback, and peaked during the final cycle of the review (83% and 100% compliance). During the year-long QI project, one child with a cochlear implant missed the PPSV-23 vaccine but was identified during cycle review and vaccinated. This occurred during the third cycle, and for the remaining three cycles there were no missed vaccinations. On completion of the QI project, a formal vaccination oversight program was introduced with a physician/nurse team that reviews the cochlear implant EMR registry monthly for children who have not been vaccinated. In the 13 months since the completion of the QI project there has been 100% compliance with no children who missed vaccination. Conclusion We present a vaccination program with oversight to address missed vaccinations. Implementation of a QI project followed by transition to a formal vaccination oversight program eliminated missed PPSV-23 vaccinations in children with cochlear implants. We recommend that cochlear implant programs use similar approaches to ultimately minimize potential meningitis-related complications in patients with cochlear implants.
Environmental and Social Sustainability of Urban Upgrading Programs: Lessons from Rio

Abstract Given that on-site upgrading is the “state-of-the-art” policy for squatter settlements and given that Favela Bairro in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, is one of the most celebrated of these upgrading programs, this article addresses these three questions: how well did the infrastructure improvements hold up a decade after they were completed?; What happened during those ten years that reversed some of the positive impacts found in an evaluation study right after the upgrading was completed?; and, What can we learn from that?. Specifically, this paper assesses the state of the infrastructure of the 88 informal neighborhoods (favelas) improved by the Favela-Bairro-II (FB2) program between 2000 and 2008. The assessment found that, after a decade, the condition of the infrastructure in the upgraded favelas was no better than the infrastructure in the non-upgraded favelas. Climate change and lack of social cohesion undermined the sustainability of the upgrading. The improvements which deteriorated the most were street pavement, street lighting, drainage, and sewerage systems. Greatest deterioration occurred in larger favelas, those located on steep slopes and those with higher levels of violence and crime. No correlation was found between population density and deterioration of infrastructure.
Misunderstanding the Public Properties of Information Privacy

The public right approach to information privacy is a misunderstood concept, and thus far a missed opportunity by both the courts and the legislator. In recent years the public as a whole experiences radical decline in information privacy protections due to unprecedented wholesale technological tracking. Furthermore, the public as a whole is being categorized and analyzed by big data tools directed at groups not individuals, such that a person’s information privacy could easily be compromised by data collected from others. Yet, in sharp contrast to these trends, information privacy is still largely considered a right of individuals, to be exercised by individuals alone. But there is another, complementary, approach to information privacy—the public right approach—that recognizes information privacy’s social and collective values. The public right approach to information privacy acknowledges that the right serves society in a way that transcends any discrete individual. This work unfolds the importance of information privacy to the public, beyond the usual atomistic view, and sheds new light on the Supreme Court decision in Spokeo v. Robins and how it recognized the public properties of information privacy. This work further explores the complicated relationship between public rights and Article III standing inquiry in general, and specifically in the information privacy space. While the debate over granting standing in public right cases is at least as old as the administrative state itself, broader understanding of the right to information privacy can and should reshape the doctrine of standing.
Accessing greater thickness and new morphology features in polyamide active layers of thin-film composite membranes by reducing restrictions in amine monomer supply

Abstract Polyamide formation, via interfacial polymerization (IP) during thin-film composite (TFC) membrane fabrication, is regarded as self-limiting—in the sense that the polyamide film limits its own growth as it forms. During IP, trimesoyl chloride (TMC) and m-phenylenediamine (MPD) react rapidly to form an incipient polyamide film that densifies and slows the diffusion of the more permeable monomer (MPD), thereby limiting polyamide growth and yielding films that typically exhibit thicknesses 1 μm) than those typically reported in the literature. In addition to the basal layer of void nodular features and secondary layer of overlapping flat features that characterize typical polyamide active layers, the thicker films also exhibited three additional morphological features: blanket-like layers atop the basal layer or other void features, multi-layer void structures, and/or void mega-nodules (up to over a micron in diameter). Overall, the results indicate that reducing restrictions in the MPD supply conditions during IP: (1) overcomes the limited polyamide growth observed in conventional TFC membrane fabrication and (2) leads to film morphologies with a more prominent void structure. This latter observation is consistent with recent literature describing the role of CO2 degassing and nanobubble confinement in the development of polyamide active layer morphology. Future studies could vary MPD supply conditions as a new tool to expand the range of achievable thicknesses in active layer casting, regulate active layer morphology and optimize nanobubble confinement conditions independently of MPD supply. Such capabilities could aid in the development of novel supports and TFC structures.
The Stability of Leisure Preferences.

The present study investigated the stability of leisure preferences across a two-year time span. Leisure preference data were collected from 126 married couples shortly after their marriages (1981)...
Brutality and Blindness: Bullying in Schools and Negligent Supervision By School Officials

Bullying affects from fifteen percent to thirty percent of all students in the United States. It results in serious emotional problems for its victims and is a consistent predictor of later criminal behavior among its perpetrators. It is a major force behind dropout rates and absences, and for those who are not completely driven away from schooling, it serves as a constant interference with learning. It is among today's most detrimental and pervasive threats to educational equity in our schools. Bullying, nevertheless, does not typically command the moral and legal attention that other forms of harassment receive, even though it is often the forerunner of those types of harassment and can be just as damaging or even more so. Because the moral case for holding schools responsible for protecting victims of bullying at school rests on different grounds than for preventing discrimination, bullying tends to defy the legal theories most often employed to combat traditional discrimination. Victims are left without remedies, and schools are left with little legal incentive to act. The chapter first describes the problem of bullying and the educational solutions for addressing the problem. It then proposes that courts refine the tort of negligent supervision and recognize the connection between school passivity toward bullying cultures and the substantial injuries that occur for victims of bullying. That refinement requires no novel theories of liability, no excursions into uncharted legal territory, no radical reorganization of schools, and no radical revision of the law. There is nothing radical about calling inattentiveness and professional blindness what it is: it is negligence. And when children are subjected to brutality because of that negligence, there is nothing radical about holding schools accountable to those children.
Optimizing Queries with Aggregate Views

Complex queries, with aggregates, views and nested subqueries are important in decision-support applications. Such queries are represented as multi-block queries where a query block may be a view definition containing aggregates or a correlated nested subquery. Beyond transformations that propagate predicates across blocks, the problem of optimizing such queries has not been addressed adequately. In this paper, we show how such queries can be optimized in a cost-based fashion. The crux of our solution is a careful treatment of group-by and aggregation operators that occur among views.
Amino Acid Sequence of the COOH-terminal Portion of the Arginine-Lysine-rich Histone of Calf Thymus

Abstract 1. Highly purified arginine- and lysine-rich histone was maleylated and then hydrolyzed with trypsin. A large amount of precipitate approximating 35% of the histone appeared during the demaleylation procedure. The precipitate was separated into four fractions on a Sephadex G-50 column and one fraction, tryptic peptide II from the maleylated histone, was found to be the COOH-terminal portion of the histone by analysis of residues released by carboxypeptidases A and B. 2. The sequence of the 48 residues in this fragment determined by sequence analysis and overlapping fragments of tryptic, peptic, and thermolysin digestion products is His-Leu-Gln-Leu-Ala-Ile-Arg-Asn-Asp-Glu-Glu-Leu-Asn-Lys-Leu-Leu-Gly-Lys-Val-Thr-Ile-Ala-Gln-Gly-Gly-Val-Leu-Pro-Asn-Ile-Gln-Ala-Val-Leu-Leu-Pro-Lys-Lys-Thr-Glu-Ser-His-His-Lys-Ala-Lys-Gly-Lys.
Amino Acids Do Not Alter the Insulin-Induced Activation of the Insulin Signaling Pathway in Neonatal Pigs

Feeding stimulates protein synthesis in skeletal muscle and liver of neonates and this response can be reproduced in muscle by the infusion of insulin or amino acids and in liver by the infusion of amino acids, but not insulin. Activation of insulin signaling components leading to translation initiation is associated with the feeding-induced stimulation of muscle protein synthesis in neonates. In this study, we examined the individual roles of insulin and amino acids in the activation of insulin signaling components leading to translation initiation, specifically, the insulin receptor (IR), insulin receptor substrate 1 (IRS-1), phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI 3-kinase), protein kinase B (PKB) and ribosomal protein S6. Insulin secretion was blocked by somatostatin in food-deprived, 7-d-old pigs (n=8-12/group); insulin was infused to achieve plasma levels of approximately 0, 17, 52, and 255 pmol/L (approximately 0, 2, 6, 30 microU/mL), and amino acids were clamped at food-deprived or fed levels. In skeletal muscle, insulin increased the activation of IR, IRS-1, PI 3-kinase, PKB and S6 and stimulated protein synthesis. In liver, insulin increased the activation of IR, IRS-1, PI 3-kinase, PKB and S6, but had no effect on protein synthesis. Raising amino acids from the food-deprived to the fed level did not alter the insulin-induced activation of IR, IRS-1, PI 3-kinase and PKB but increased S6 phosphorylation and protein synthesis in skeletal muscle and liver. The results suggest that the stimulation of protein synthesis in muscle by insulin involves activation of insulin signaling components, and the stimulation of protein synthesis in muscle and liver by amino acids occurs by mechanisms independent of the early steps of this pathway. Furthermore, amino acids do not alter the insulin-stimulated activation of early steps in the insulin signaling pathway.
The human leukemia oncogene bcr-abl abrogates the anchorage requirement but not the growth factor requirement for proliferation.

Proliferation of normal cells in a multicellular organism requires not only growth factors but also the proper attachment to the extracellular matrix. A hallmark of neoplastic transformation is the loss of anchorage dependence which usually accompanies the loss of growth factor requirement. The Bcr-Abl tyrosine kinase of human leukemias is shown here to abrogate only the anchorage, not the growth factor, requirement. Bcr-Abl-transformed cells grow in soft agar but do not proliferate in serum-free media. Bcr-Abl does not activate the mitogenic pathway, as indicated by its inability to induce enhancers such as the serum response element or the tetradecanoyl phorbol acetate response element (TRE). However, Bcr-Abl can alleviate the anchorage requirement for the induction of the TRE enhancer; i.e., it allows serum to activate the TRE in detached cells. This activity is dependent on the association of an active Bcr-Abl tyrosine kinase with the actin filaments. Despite its association with the adapter protein Grb2, Bcr-Abl's effect on the TRE enhancer is not blocked by dominant negative Ras or Raf. The finding that Bcr-Abl tyrosine kinase abrogates only anchorage dependence may have important implications on the pathogenesis of chronic myelogenous leukemia.
Identifying and Bounding Ethnic Neighborhoods

This study presents three novel approaches to the question of how best to identify ethnic neighborhoods (or more generally, neighborhoods defined by any aspect of their population composition) and to define their boundaries. The authors use data on the residential locations of all residents of Newark, NJ, in 1880 to avoid having to accept arbitrary administrative units like census tracts as the building blocks of neighborhoods. For theoretical reasons the street segment is chosen as the basic unit of analysis. All three methods use information on the ethnic composition of buildings or street segments and the ethnicity of their neighbors. One approach is a variation of k-functions calculated for each adult resident, which are then subjected to a cluster analysis to detect discrete patterns. The second is an application of an energy minimization algorithm commonly used to enhance digital images. The third is a Bayesian approach previously used to study county-level disability data. Results of all three meth...
Online REPET-SIM for real-time speech enhancement

REPET-SIM is a generalization of the REpeating Pattern Extraction Technique (REPET) that uses a similarity matrix to separate the repeating background from the non-repeating foreground in a mixture. The method assumes that the background (typically the music accompaniment) is dense and low-ranked, while the foreground (typically the singing voice) is sparse and varied. While this assumption is often true for background music and foreground voice in musical mixtures, it also often holds for background noise and foreground speech in noisy mixtures. We therefore propose here to extend REPET-SIM for noise/speech segregation. In particular, given the low computational complexity of the algorithm, we show that the method can be easily implemented online for real-time processing. Evaluation on a data set of 10 stereo two-channel mixtures of speech and real-world background noise showed that this online REPET-SIM can be successfully applied for real-time speech enhancement, performing as well as different competitive methods.