cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Emergency medical services system research: challenges and opportunity.

In this issue, Ong et al evaluate the effect of intravenous epinephrine on out-of-hospital cardiac arrest outcomes. Despite the ubiquitous nature of epinephrine and its current cemented role in US out-of-hospital cardiac arrest care, the effectiveness of epinephrine remains unproven by formal human clinical trials. This novel design used the evolving emergency medical services (EMS) system of Singapore as a way to address this basic question. The study highlights the challenges of conducting EMS research in the United States and of looking elsewhere for important answers. We have a very poor understanding of the effectiveness of EMS interventions used in the United States. Prospective trials do not support the value of common EMS practices such as military antishock trousers, intravenous fluid boluses in trauma, and pediatric endotracheal intubation. The Ontario Prehospital Life Support study has even questioned the value of paramedic-level care. These past lessons send a clear message: if we do not invest in reappraising our current EMS practices, we risk continued investment in potentially ineffective techniques and approaches. One might assign system-level blame for the current dearth of quality EMS research in the United States. The current EMS research infrastructure is rudimentary, providing limited funding or opportunities for developing promising young scientists. Federal and National Institutes of Health (NIH) support for EMS and resuscitation research pale in comparison with the support provided for other diseases. One might even blame bioethicists who have labeled the emergency consent exception process as unethical. This latter point hints that portions of Western society may be unwilling to accept the need for this type of research. Another contributor is the often dogmatic and complacent culture of US EMS, which frequently display reluctance to change from usual practice or “defining interventions.” For example, many EMS agencies adamantly continue to perform pediatric endotracheal intubation despite lack of compelling benefit data. Our EMS peers outside the United States may be
The Consequences of Landscape Change on Ecological Resources: An Assessment of the United States Mid-Atlantic Region, 1973-1993

Spatially explicit identification of changes in ecological conditions over large areas is key to targeting and priori- tizing areas for environmental protection and restoration by managers at watershed, basin, and regional scales. A critical limitation to this point has been the development of methods to conduct such broad-scale assessments. Field-based methods have proven to be too costly and too inconsistent in their application to make estimates of ecological conditions over large areas. New spatial data derived from satellite imagery and other sources, the de- velopment of statistical models relating landscape com- position and pattern to ecological endpoints, and geo- graphic information systems (GIS) make it possible to evaluate ecological conditions at multiple scales over broad geographic regions. In this study, we demonstrate the application of spatially distributed models for bird habitat quality and nitrogen yield to streams to assess the consequences of landcover change across the mid- Atlantic region between the 1970s and 1990s. More- over, we present a way to evaluate spatial concordance between models related to different environmental end- points. Results of this study should help environmental managers in the mid-Atlantic region target those areas in need of conservation and protection.
Symbian Forensics: An Overview

This paper aims at unveiling the real and complete structure of the Symbian S60 v3 (third edition) platform filesystem, which is considered one of the most secure and armored systems issued by Symbian Ltd. in the last two years. By analyzing the unique features of security, which have been applied at the filesystem level, it will become clear how to develop applications for digital forensic purposes. Moreover, the limitations and main issues related to accessing the observable portion of the filesystem will be pointed out, and possible solutions will be presented.
Participation and publics: supporting community engagement

CHI researchers are beginning a shift from studying technology use in uncommon or exotic communities to designing and deploying technology interventions into those same settings. This paper picks up on these recent developments and further examines the impact and implication of using a bespoke technology platform within the context of providing shelter and basic social services to homeless mothers and their children. I build on findings from a previous system deployment by describing targeted changes made to the technology, the design impetus for making those changes, and the resulting impact those changes had on the relationship between shelter staff, residents, and the information they shared via the system. By way of the findings reported here, I continue to develop the framing of Deweyan publics as a way to scaffold an environmental approach to technology design in contexts with multiple and diverse stakeholders.
A Friction Model for Describing and Forecasting Price Changes

This paper presents a new friction model for describing the price changes of a product or brand over time and for forecasting both the timing and magnitude of such changes from one period to the next. After a review of the related pricing literature, we present our model and a modified controlled random search procedure for estimating its parameters. The model is applied to describe and forecast the weekly mortgage interest rates for a local bank in the Philadelphia area. Finally, limitations and several potential applications of this methodology are discussed.
Multiple statistical approaches of community fingerprint data reveal bacterial populations associated with general disease suppression arising from the application of different organic field management strategies

Multiple statistical analyses of terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) data were used to screen and identify bacterial populations involved in general disease suppression in an organically managed soil. Prior to sampling three different management strategies (i.e. mixed hay (H), tilled fallowing and open-field vegetables production) were used during the transition from conventional to organic farming, with and without compost amendment. The H transition strategy consistently led to the lowest damping-off disease incidence on two different crops in separate greenhouse and field experiments. Bacterial population structure in bulk soil and the rhizosphere of both crops was characterized using T-RFLP analyses of amplified 16S rDNA sequences. First, principal component analysis (PCA) revealed changes in the relative abundance of bacterial terminal restriction fragments (TRF) in response to transition strategy and/or compost amendment in eight different experimental contexts. In each context, a different subset of TRF substantially contributed to the variation along the first two principal components. However, terminal restriction fragment M148 contributed significantly to the observed variation in 6 out of the 8 experiments, and moderately in the remaining 2 experiments. As a second approach, nonparametric analyses of variance revealed that the relative abundance of TRF differed among treatments. While the responsive subsets identified varied somewhat by experimental context, M137, M139 and M141 were more abundant in samples from the H transition strategy in multiple experimental contexts. Subsequent correlation analyses revealed that TRF associated with disease suppressive treatments (i.e. H with and without compost) were frequently negatively correlated with damping-off disease incidence. As a group, these TRF were disproportionately associated with lower disease levels further indicating their role in disease suppression. Interestingly, in silico analysis of the bacterial 16S rDNA sequence database revealed that the TRF identified in this study (e.g. M137, M139, M141, and M148) might correspond to well-characterized genera of bacterial biological control agents. r 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
Dog Tear Secretion and Tear Proteins

— Methods of collecting, analyzing and interpreting tear secretion of dogs is described. The rate of tear secretion in normal and abnormal dogs was measured by means of Schirmer filter papers. The tear samples collected on filter papers were subjected to electrophoretic analysis. It was found that dogs with epiphora have consistently low protein concentration in the tear fluid. This does not appear to result from dilution alone. Dogs with chronic kerato-conjunctivitis have low tear fluid rates. In such “dry” eyes the proportion of protein is greatly increased. Lysozyme concentrations in all dog tear samples were very low or absent. Tear fluid rates below 2·5 μl/min should be considered inadequate in the dog. Zusammenfassung— Es werden Methoden und analyse der Traenenfluessigkeit des Hundes beschrieben. Der Grad der Traenenausscheidung normaler und abnormaler Hunde wurde mittels der Schirmer schen Filtrierpapiermethode gemessen. Proben von Traenenfluessigkeit wurden auf dem Filtrierpapier gesammelt und einer elektrophoretischen Analyse unterworfen. Es zeigte sich dass Hunde mit Epiphora durchwegs einen geringen Proteingehalt in der Traenenfluessigkeit aufwiesen. Das scheint nicht allein eine Folge der Verduennung zu sein. Bei Hunden mit chronischer Keratokonjunktivitis war der Grad der Traenenausscheidung gering. In solchen “trockenen” Augen ist die Konzentration des Proteins wesentlich erhoeht. In saemtlichen Proben der Traenenfluessigkeit von Hunden war Konzentration von Lysozym entweder sehr gering oder es war ueberhaupt nicht nachweisbar. Traenenfluessigkeitsmengen unter 2·5 μl/Min beim Hund sind als abnormal zu betrachten.
Designing Universally: Integration of CAD, Motion Capture and DHM to Simulate Wheelchair Users in a Retail Checkout Station

When identifying potential areas for workspace improvements, people with disabilities should be incorporated into the design process. The purpose of this investigation was to assess current digital human modeling (DHM) techniques for the future analysis of an accessible retail environment. Two approaches were examined: manipulating mannequins in current DHM software, and combining 3D visualization software with motion capture technology. Simulations of a standing salesperson and a customer using a wheelchair in a retail checkout station were created. The latter simulation was incorporated into a game engine environment where user-directed movement and interference detection are possible. Our hope is that this exploration will promote the future development of manikins with disabilities and virtual reality training for people with disabilities.
Sex differences in metabolic aging of the brain: insights into female susceptibility to Alzheimer's disease

Despite recent advances in the understanding of clinical aspects of sex differences in Alzheimer's disease (AD), the underlying mechanisms, for instance, how sex modifies AD risk and why the female brain is more susceptible to AD, are not clear. The purpose of this study is to elucidate sex disparities in brain aging profiles focusing on 2 major areas-energy and amyloid metabolism-that are most significantly affected in preclinical development of AD. Total RNA isolated from hippocampal tissues of both female and male 129/C57BL/6 mice at ages of 6, 9, 12, or 15 months were comparatively analyzed by custom-designed Taqman low-density arrays for quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction detection of a total of 182 genes involved in a broad spectrum of biological processes modulating energy production and amyloid homeostasis. Gene expression profiles revealed substantial differences in the trajectory of aging changes between female and male brains. In female brains, 44.2% of genes were significantly changed from 6 months to 9 months and two-thirds showed downregulation. In contrast, in male brains, only 5.4% of genes were significantly altered at this age transition. Subsequent changes in female brains were at a much smaller magnitude, including 10.9% from 9 months to 12 months and 6.1% from 12 months to 15 months. In male brains, most changes occurred from 12 months to 15 months and the majority were upregulated. Furthermore, gene network analysis revealed that clusterin appeared to serve as a link between the overall decreased bioenergetic metabolism and increased amyloid dyshomeostasis associated with the earliest transition in female brains. Together, results from this study indicate that: (1) female and male brains follow profoundly dissimilar trajectories as they age; (2) female brains undergo age-related changes much earlier than male brains; (3) early changes in female brains signal the onset of a hypometabolic phenotype at risk for AD. These findings provide a mechanistic rationale for female susceptibility to AD and suggest a potential window of opportunity for AD prevention and risk reduction in women.
Preventive influence of certain amino acids on experimental fatty liver of portal type.

SummaryCertain amino acids have been tested for their ability to prevent the portal type of fatty liver which develops in rats subsisting on diets in which the protein was derived from cornmeal, rice, or cassava. DL-tryptophan (0.5%), and L-lysine HCl (1%), individually or together, partially or completely prevented the fatty liver. Threonine had little or no effect. The amino acid requirements for prevention of fatty liver were not correlated with requirements for growth.
Retrograde and forward perfusion of isolated canine lung lobes.

SummaryRetrograde perfusion of the lung vessels of the dog is accomplished with no more resistance to flow than in forward flow. The calculated resistances in the smaller vessels is on the average less with retrograde than with forward flow. The resistance to flow in either direction diminishes with increased perfusion pressure. Gross observation indicates a more rapid production of lung edema at high perfusion rates with retrograde than with forward perfusion.
Characteristics of Public Sphere and Its Comparison among Three Media Platforms

In line with Jurgen Habermas's original conceptualization of"public sphere",the paper summarizes nine characteristics that best illustrate the"genuine"and"stylized"political communication model.It further applies these criteria to assess three different types of media platforms,namely,the print media public sphere, the electronic media public sphere,and the online media public sphere.
Case analysis of the polar vortex during Arctic research expedition in 2003

A typical polar vortex circulation is established and developed during the period of 2003 September 3 to 14,on which the Xuelong exploration ship entered the Chukchi Sea of the Arctic Ocean for the Second Chinese Arctic Research Expedition.Most of the previous studies focused on the mean circulation structure and seasonal variation,this case,however,provides a necessary condition for studying its transient circulation situation and structure.In this paper,NCEP reanalysis data and the expedition observations are used for the synoptic analysis,including the development of the polar vortex,the circulation structures in the stratosphere,troposphere,and their relationship,together with the satellite remote sensing and meteorological data analysis from Xuelong exploration ship.It is found that the establishment and development of the polar vortex during the 2003 expedition period is characterized by a typical seasonal circulation transition from summertime to wintertime.It first appears in the stratosphere,and then transmits downward to the troposphere.In the stratosphere the vortex shifts westward and strengthens,while in the troposphere it moves eastward and southward.
Observation of Clinical Effect of Mesalazine for Patients With Ulcerative Colitis

Objective To observe the efficacy of mesalamine in treatment of patients with ulcerative colitis. Methods One hundred and forty-four patients in our hospital were randomly divided into observation group and control group with 72 cases in each. The control group was treated with basic treatment and the observation group was given mesalamine on this basis,adverse reactions and the efficacy of the two groups were observed. Results The efficacy of the observation were obviously better than those of the control group and the difference were statistically significant(P0.05). The adverse reactions of the two groups were not statistically significant(P0.05). Conclusion Mesalamine has good curative effect on ulcerative colitis,it was safe and reliable.
Breeding situtation of mosquitoes and flies in Shanghai downtown in summer

Objective To understand the circumstance of breeding places of mosquitoes and flies in Shanghai downtown in summer.Methods Field investigation.Results The positive rate of breeding sites were 9.77% and 12.5% respectively for mosquitoes and flies.Conclusion There are still breeding sites for mosquitoes and flies in certain environmental types in Shanghai downtown.
Does continuous intravenous infusion of low-concentration epinephrine impair uterine blood flow in pregnant ewes?

Background and Objectives. Bolus intravenous injection of epinephrine can decrease uterine blood flow. This study examined the effects of intravenous infusion of epinephrine on uterine blood flow in the gravid ewe. Methods. Maternal and fetal vascular catheters and a maternal electromagnetic uterine artery flow probe were implanted in 10 near-term gravid ewes. After recovery, saline, 0.125% bupivacaine, 0.125% bupivacaine with 1:200,000 epinephrine, 0.125% bupivacaine with 1:400,000 epinephrine, and 0.125% bupivacaine with 1:800,000 epinephrine were infused into the maternal superior vena cava. Drugs were infused at 10 mL/h for 30 minutes and then at 20 mL/h for an additional 30 minutes. Animals also received an intravenous bolus of epinephrine 15 μg. Throughout all infusions, maternal heart rate, systemic and pulmonary blood pressures, uterine blood flow, cardiac output, and acid-base balance were measured, as well as fetal heart rate, blood pressure, and acid-base balance. Results. Epinephrine 15 μg decreased uterine blood flow to 68 ± 14% of baseline (mean ± SD). Infusion of all solutions had no effect on any measured hemodynamic variable. Conclusions. In gravid ewes, intravenous infusion of ≤1.67 μg/min epinephrine altered neither maternal hemodynamics nor uterine blood flow. To the extent that sheep data can be extrapolated to humans, these results suggest that continuous intravenous infusion of epinephrine in local anesthetic solutions is safe if the epidural catheter should enter a blood vessel during the infusion.
Mini-review: fluorescence imaging in cancer cells using dye-doped nanoparticles

Fluorescence imaging has gained increased attention over the past two decades as a viable means to detect a variety of cancers. Fluorescence imaging has the potential to provide physicians with high resolution images with enhanced contrast, which will allow them to be able to better diagnose and treat patients with cancer. Early detection and treatment are key to eradicating cancer in a patient, and fluorescence imaging has the ability to identify non-advanced, even pre-cancerous, tumors where imaging based on white light or radiation overlooked them. Several fluorescent dyes have been identified as possible fluorophores for enhanced fluorescence imaging, such as cyanine, squaraine, porphyrin, phthalocyanine, and borondipyrromethane dyes. These dyes have high fluorescence quantum yields, which provides a high target to background ratio; however, these dyes are often plagued by low water solubility. This low solubility can be ameliorated by conjugating or covalently attaching these dyes to polymeric crosslinked micelles, polymersomes, or polymer-core nanoparticles. These particle & dye systems then can become platforms on which secondary components can be attached to enhance the systems functionality. For example, dyes attached to these nanocarriers can target tumors through passive targeting; however, active targeting can be achieved by further modifying these nanocarriers with ligands that have a binding affinity for receptors overexpressed in tumor cells, cell surface receptors located on the tumor cell membrane, or endothelium. Fluorescence activation of the probes is another promising technology for the early detection of cancer. Activation requires that there be a change in fluorescence, whether it be an emission wavelength change or a fluorescence “on/off” signal when in the presence of some external stimuli. Activation increases the target to background ratio and enhances the contrast of the obtained image. This review serves to highlight the recent developments of (1) improved fluorescent dyes for the detection of cancer, with a specific focus on dyes that are being coupled to nanocarriers; (2) dye & nanocarrier systems that target, both actively and passively, tumors, and (3) fluorescence activation of these fluorophore systems for better image quality.
Managerial and Frontline Perspectives on the Process of Evidence-Informed Practice Within Human Service Organizations

Emphasis on evidence-informed practice (EIP) in human service organizations aimed at improving service quality and client outcomes has increased in recent decades. Research has suggested that the organizational context shapes EIP, yet few studies have explored the agency-based activities that constitute this form of practice. This survey of 473 managers and frontline practitioners in 11 county human service organizations examines EIP activities in agency settings. Analysis of responses to open-ended questions identifies the specific cognitive, interactive, action, and compliance dimensions of EIP, including challenges. EIP emerges as complex and nonlinear, shaped by organizational environment, practitioner perspectives, and client needs.
Self-Assembly of Iodine in Superfluid Helium Droplets: Halogen Bonds and Nanocrystals

We present evidence of halogen bond in iodine clusters formed in superfluid helium droplets based on results from electron diffraction. Iodine crystals are known to form layered structures with intralayer halogen bonds, with interatomic distances shorter than the sum of the van der Waals radii of the two neighboring atoms. The diffraction profile of dimer dominated clusters embedded in helium droplets reveals an interatomic distance of 3.65 A, much closer to the value of 3.5 A in iodine crystals than to the van der Waals distance of 4.3 A. The profile from larger iodine clusters deviates from a single layer structure; instead, a bi-layer structure qualitatively fits the experimental data. This work highlights the possibility of small halogen bonded iodine clusters, albeit in a perhaps limited environment of superfluid helium droplets. The role of superfluid helium in guiding the trapped molecules into local potential minima awaits further investigation.
GE and the Shadow Banking Landscape

The case examines the rationale for why shadow banking exists, what role it plays in the financial system, and the risks that it may pose. In the case, an analyst in an investment fund is tasked to examine in greater detail the decision by GE to divest GE Capital. Understanding the rationale for this transaction, the role of GE Capital in the financial system, and the potential risks for the financial system would be important for the analyst's decision. This case would fit well in a second-year MBA elective course on Financial Institutions or Capital Markets. Excerpt UVA-F-1761 Oct. 3, 2016 GE and the Shadow Banking Landscape Well, my plan is more comprehensive. And frankly, it's tougher because of course we have to deal with the problem that the banks are still too big to fail…But we also have to worry about some of the other players—AIG, a big insurance company; Lehman Brothers, an investment bank. There's this whole area called “shadow banking.” That's where the experts tell me the next potential problem could come from. I want to make sure we're going to cover everybody, not what caused the problem last time, but what could cause it next time. —Hillary Clinton, Democratic presidential candidate Shadow banking, as usually defined, comprises a diverse set of institutions and markets that, collectively, carry out traditional banking functions—but do so outside, or in ways only loosely linked to, the traditional system of regulated depository institutions. Examples of important components of the shadow banking system include securitization vehicles, asset-backed commercial paper (ABCP) conduits, money market mutual funds, markets for repurchase agreements (repos), investment banks, and mortgage companies. Before the crisis, the shadow banking system had come to play a major role in global finance. . . .
A Mixed-Initiative Haptic Teleoperation Strategy for Mobile Robotic Systems Based on Bidirectional Computational Trust Analysis

The goal of this paper is to improve the performance of joint human–robot systems while balancing human experience through computational trust analysis in telerobotics applications. A mixed-initiative approach is enabled by scaling the manual and autonomous controls using a function of computational human-to-robot trust. A dynamic haptic force feedback scaling strategy is performed via a function of computational robot-to-human trust to adjust the assistive force and, hence, physical workload of the operator. Passivity-based methods are used to guarantee the stability of the overall framework. Moreover, guidelines are provided to adjust the transparency of force feedback and velocity signals while guaranteeing passivity. An experimental study with 30 human subjects demonstrates a 12.8% increase in task performance and a 10.7% decrease in operator workload when the proposed strategy is used as compared to a manual autonomy allocation approach. The results also indicate that the proposed method yields higher operator satisfaction compared to manual and optimal autonomy allocation methods and is 10.1% more trusted by the operators than the optimal allocation method.
Demographic history, selection and functional diversity of the canine genome

The domestic dog represents one of the most dramatic long-term evolutionary experiments undertaken by humans. From a large wolf-like progenitor, unparalleled diversity in phenotype and behaviour has developed in dogs, providing a model for understanding the developmental and genomic mechanisms of diversification. We discuss pattern and process in domestication, beginning with general findings about early domestication and problems in documenting selection at the genomic level. Furthermore, we summarize genotype-phenotype studies based first on single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping and then with whole-genome data and show how an understanding of evolution informs topics as different as human history, adaptive and deleterious variation, morphological development, ageing, cancer and behaviour.
The Question of the Subject: Jan Patočka’s Phenomenological Contribution

Can phenomenology offer a meaningful alternative to the structuralist and the poststructuralist pronouncement of the death of the subject? I suggest that a meaningful alternative could be established on the basis of Jan Patocka’s phenomenological revival of Antiquity. According to my central thesis, Patocka’s notion of the “Care for the Soul” provides the phenomenological resources for a novel sense of subjectivity. To substantiate this claim, my chapter is divided into six parts. After sketching the central problematic in the first part, I turn in the second part to a description of the central reasons that underlie the death of the subject thesis. The third part shows how from Patocka’s works one can unearth the phenomenological basis that underlies this proclamation. The fourth part inquires into the close ties between the “death of the subject” thesis and Patocka’s asubjective phenomenology. The fifth part spells out how Patocka’s revival of Antiquity, under the heading of the “Care for the Soul,” generates a novel sense of subjectivity. On this basis, my concluding section suggests that Jan Patocka’s revival of Antiquity provides the resources needed to raise the question of subjectivity in the aftermath of the “death of the subject” thesis.
Absolute two-photon absorption cross-sectional measurements in atomic oxygen using a single-mode laser at 226 nm

Absolute cross-sectional measurements are essential if nonlinear processes such as multiphoton ionization are to be understood in a quantitative way. They can also have important applications for the detection of reactive atoms and molecules. Atomic oxygen, an important species in the chemistry of flames, plasmas, and the atmosphere, is an appropriate subject for such a measurement.
Algorithm-aided performance enhancement of a trace explosives sensor

Abstract This article describes the exploitation of data obtained from a mature trace explosives detection device with the goal of enhancing the device’s performance via signal processing and no hardware modification. This is achieved by implementing a machine-learning algorithm based on nearest-neighbor binary classification. This study aims to determine the parameters of the algorithm defining key feature vectors for both explosive and non-explosive materials via systematic experimentation and measurements. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves are estimated showing the trade-off between detection/false alarm rates, and the results demonstrate the merit of this approach for advancing the performance of this technology. Furthermore, the algorithm is shown to enable not just improved detection, but also a capability for target or materials identification.
Sustained Dorzolamide Release Prevents Axonal and Retinal Ganglion Cell Loss in a Rat Model of IOP-Glaucoma.

Purpose To determine if one injection of a sustained release formulation of dorzolamide in biodegradable microparticles (DPP) reduces retinal ganglion cell (RGC) loss in a rat model of glaucoma. Methods We injected either DPP or control microparticles intravitreally in rats. Two days later, unilateral ocular hypertension was induced by translimbal, diode laser treatment by a surgeon masked to treatment group. IOP and clinical exams were performed until sacrifice 6 weeks after laser treatment. RGC loss was measured by masked observers in both optic nerve cross-sections and RGC layer counts from retinal whole mounts. Results Cumulative IOP exposure was significantly reduced by DPP injection (49 ± 48 mm Hg × days in treated versus 227 ± 191 mm Hg × days in control microparticle eyes; P = 0.012, t-test). While control-injected eyes increased in axial length by 2.4 ± 1.7%, DPP eyes did not significantly enlarge (0.3 ± 2.2%, difference from control, P = 0.03, t-test). RGC loss was significantly less in DPP eyes compared with control microparticle injection alone (RGC axon count reduction: 21% vs. 52%; RGC body reduction: 25% vs. 50% [beta tubulin labeling]; P = 0.02, t-test). Conclusions A single injection of sustained release DPP protected against RGC loss and axial elongation in a rat model of IOP glaucoma. Translational relevance Sustained release IOP-lowering medications have the potential to stop glaucoma progression.
Usage Patterns of a Mobile Palliative Care Application.

Abstract Background: Fast Facts Mobile (FFM) was created to be a convenient way for clinicians to access the Fast Facts and Concepts database of palliative care articles on a smartphone or tablet d...
Overview on Decision Tree Induction

The chapter provides an overview of decision tree (DT) induction. Its main purpose is to introduce the reader to the major concepts underlying this data mining technique, particularly those that are relevant to the chapters that involve the use of this technique.
Intraoperative Corticosteroids for Voice Outcomes among Patients Undergoing Thyroidectomy: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

ObjectiveTo determine if a preoperative dose of intravenous corticosteroids reduces the risk of postoperative recurrent laryngeal nerve palsy and improves subjective voice outcomes among patients u...
The Full Spectrum of Infective Endocarditis: Case Report and Review

Over the past five decades, the incidence of intravenous drug use- (IVDU-) associated infective endocarditis (IE) has been on the rise in North America. Classically, IVDU has been thought to affect right-sided valves. However, in recent times a more variable presentation of IVDU-associated IE has been reported. Here, we report a case of a patient with a known history of IVDU who presented with clinical symptoms concerning for right- as well as left-sided endocarditis. In addition, we also discuss what should be considered adequate evaluation for patients with suspected endocarditis, and more specifically, what should be the role of transesophageal echocardiography in patients with IE noted on transthoracic echocardiography.
Consistency modeling

SRI's consistency modeling project began in August 1992. The goal of the project is to develop consistency modeling technology. That is. we aim to reduce the number of improper independence assumptions used in traditional speech recognition algorithms so that the resulting speech recognition hypotheses are more self-consistent and, therefore, more accurate. Consistency is achieved by conditioning HMM output distributions on state and observations histories, P(x/s,H). The goal of the project is finding the proper form of the probability distribution P, the proper history vector. H, and the proper feature vector, x. and developing the infrastructure (e.g. efficient estimation and search techniques) so that consistency modeling can be effectively used.
Intro to the Human Body: Wearability and Human Factors of Wearable Systems

The traditional "human" model in human-computer interaction prioritizes the human brain, with physical and sensory interaction as secondary emphases. As wearable technologies proliferate and mature, the user experience and human factors of the rest of the body become increasingly important. This course will provide an overview of the basic foundations of wearability and human factors of wearable systems, from anatomy and physiology to body schema, physiological experience of on-body artifacts, and the ways in which dress affects and communicates identity and social relationships.
Letting Kids Be Kids: A Quality Improvement Project to Deliver Supportive Care at Home After High-Dose Methotrexate in Pediatric Patients With Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia:

The Children's Oncology Group recommends children with high-risk acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) receive high-dose methotrexate (HD MTX) throughout treatment. Historically, patients have been hospitalized for at least 54 hours for HD MTX. Literature supports the safety and efficacy of the transition of supportive care interventions of intravenous (IV) fluids and leucovorin to ambulatory care. The goal of this quality improvement (QI) project was to implement a system to support the safe delivery of supportive care in the home after inpatient HD MTX in children with high-risk ALL. An interdisciplinary team implemented system changes including an ambulatory supportive care protocol, standard computerized order sets, family education, and education of staff in the inpatient, outpatient, and home care setting. Measurements included laboratory results of renal function and medication clearance, length of hospitalization, and family-reported quality of life. During project implementation, 10 patients completed a total of 38 cycles. The system safely and effectively supported transition to the outpatient setting for all patients. Average length of stay was decreased by 37.8 hours per HD MTX cycle. Families reported that quality of life improved in most domains with family time and sleep having largest improvement, while level of stress remained the same. Ambulatory monitoring post-HD MTX requires a multidisciplinary approach to meet individualized patient needs. Future QI efforts should consider outpatient administration of HD MTX in addition to supportive care as a means to improved quality of life.
Ezetimibe plus simvastatin lowered lipid levels more than simvastatin monotherapy in primary hypercholesterolemia.

Source Citation Goldberg AC, Sapre A, Liu J, Capece R, Mitchel YB. Efficacy and safety of ezetimibe coadministered with simvastatin in patients with primary hypercholesterolemia: a randomized, doub...
Boom-Bust Phases in Asset Prices and Fiscal Policy Behavior

Boom and bust phases in asset prices have become a pervasive feature of macroeconomic developments in many advanced economies. This paper studies fiscal policy during boom-bust phases in asset prices and draws several conclusions. First, expansions and contractions in economic activity during such boom-bust phases tend to be highly persistent, cyclical turning points are harder to forecast, and the margins of error for output gap estimates can be large. Second, conventional estimates of revenue elasticities seem not to allow an accurate assessment of the fiscal stance and of the strength of underlying fiscal positions during boom-bust phases. And third, boom-bust phases tend to exacerbate already existing procyclical policy biases, as well as political-economy biases, toward higher spending and public debt ratios.
Failure of molecular dynamics to provide appropriate structures for quantum mechanical description of the aqueous chloride ion charge-transfer-to-solvent ultraviolet spectrum.

The lowest band in the charge-transfer-to-solvent ultraviolet absorption spectrum of aqueous chloride ion is studied by experiment and computation. Interestingly, the experiments indicate that at concentrations up to at least 0.25 M, where calculations indicate ion pairing to be significant, there is no notable effect of ionic strength on the spectrum. The experimental spectra are fitted to aid comparison with computations. Classical molecular dynamic simulations are carried out on dilute aqueous Cl−, Na+, and NaCl, producing radial distribution functions in reasonable agreement with experiment and, for NaCl, clear evidence of ion pairing. Clusters are extracted from the simulations for quantum mechanical excited state calculations. Accurate ab initio coupled-cluster benchmark calculations on a small number of representative clusters are carried out and used to identify and validate an efficient protocol based on time-dependent density functional theory. The latter is used to carry out quantum mechanical calculations on thousands of clusters. The resulting computed spectrum is in excellent agreement with experiment for the peak position, with little influence from ion pairing, but is in qualitative disagreement on the width, being only about half as wide. It is concluded that simulation by classical molecular dynamics fails to provide an adequate variety of structures to explain the experimental CTTS spectrum of aqueous Cl−.
Philosophy as a literary art: making things up

Despite philosophers’ growing interest in the relation between philosophy and literature in general, over the last few decades comparatively few studies have been published dealing more narrowly with the literary aspects of philosophical texts. The relationship between philosophy and literature is too often taken to be "literature as philosophy" and very rarely "philosophy as literature." It is the dissatisfaction with this one-sidedness that lies at the heart of the present volume. Philosophy has nothing to lose by engaging in a serious process of literary self-analysis. On the contrary, such an exercise would most likely make it stronger, more sophisticated, more playful and especially more self-reflexive. By not moving in this direction, philosophy places itself in the position of not following what has been deemed, since Socrates at least, the worthiest of all philosophical ideals: self-knowledge.This book was originally published as a special issue of The European Legacy.
The Enlightenment Project

‘Enlightenment’ is a term used broadly by historians of ideas to refer to the intellectual and social ferment in Western Europe during the eighteenth century. This ferment was different in England from what it was in France, Germany, or Italy. One would therefore have to distinguish further among the British Enlightenment, the Scottish Enlightenment, the French Enlightenment, the German Enlightenment, etc. In addition, depending upon what features one emphasizes, some concepts which are included in one definition of the Enlightenment might be excluded in another. Figures who would be major representatives of the Enlightenment under one construal would also emerge as critics of the Enlightenment under another definition.1
Situational Analysis: Grounded Theory After the Postmodern Turn

List of Illustrations Acknowledgments Prologue: Regrounding Grounded Theory 1. Pushing and Being Pulled Around the Postmodern Turn Grounded Theory/Symbolic Interactionism as a Theory/Methods Package Grounded Theory/Symbolic Interactionism as Always Already Around the Postmodern Turn Grounded Theory as Recalcitrant Against the Postmodern Turn Pushing Grounded Theory Around the Postmodern Turn Reflections and Anticipations 2. From Chicago Ecologies to Situational Analysis Root Metaphors: From Chicago School Social Ecologies to Social Worlds/Arenas/Discourses New Roots I: Foucault and the Interactionist Project New Roots II: Taking the Nonhuman Explicitly Into Account New Roots III: From Social Worlds/Arenas to Situational Maps and Analysis Project Design, Data Gathering, and Accountability Temporary Closures 3. Doing Situational Maps and Analysis Doing Situational Maps Doing Social Worlds/Arenas Maps Doing Positional Maps Final Products: Project Maps Provisional Conclusions 4. Turning to Discourse(s) Introducing Discourse Analysis Multisite/Multiscape Research Issues in Situational Analysis of Discourse(s) Turnings 5. Mapping Narrative Discourses Designing a Narrative Project Doing Situational Maps of Narrative Discourse Doing Social Worlds/Arenas Maps of Narrative Discourse Doing Positional Maps of Narrative Discourse Final Comments: Situational Analysis of Narrative Discourse 6. Mapping Visual Discourses Entering Visual Discourse Doing Situational Analysis of Visual Discourse Visual Discourse Exemplars: Moore and Clarke's Anatomies Final Comments: Situational Analysis of Visual Discourse 7. Mapping Historical Discourses Designing Historical and Historicizing Projects Doing Situational Maps of Historical Discourse Doing Social Worlds/Arenas Maps of Historical Discourse Doing Positional Maps of Historical Discourse Project Map of Historical Discourse Final Comments: Situational Analysis of Historical Discourse Epilogue: FAQs and Conversations References Index About the Author
A Self-Assessment Software Application for Industrial Manufacturers

This article discusses a software program that was developed at the University of Maine to assist manufacturers in minimizing waste and improving energy efficiency. The software combined the most common recommendations made in the US Department of Energy`s Industrial Assessment Center program in a user-friendly package that can be used by computer novices. It also includes ``wizards`` that serve as an expert system to lead the user through an assessment of their total facility. The program is interactive and based around the Windows 95 operating system. Once users enter the necessary data into the program, it will generate a report similar to those created by Industrial Assessment Centers. General code information will be covered with a discussion of some of the recommendations that are included.
Five-months-postoperative neuropsychological outcome from a pilot prospective randomized clinical trial of thalamic deep brain stimulation for Tourette syndrome.

Objective Tourette syndrome (TS) is a neuropsychiatric disorder presenting with motor and/or sonic tics associated with frontostriatal dysfunction. This study provided pilot data of the neuropsychological safety of bilateral thalamic deep brain stimulation (DBS) to treat medication-refractory TS in adults. Method This study used a repeated-measures design with pretest and 3-month follow-up from start of continuous bilateral DBS. Five male patients underwent DBS surgery for medically refractory TS. Repeated-measures ANOVA was used to evaluate for any change in neuropsychological test scores, employing a false discovery rate. Outcome measures included 14 neuropsychological tests assessing psychomotor speed, attention, memory, language, visuoconstructional, and executive functions, as well as subjective mood ratings of depression and anxiety. Results Average age was 28.2 years (SD = 7.5) with 12–17 years of education. Participants were disabled by tics, with a tic frequency of 50–80 per minute before surgery. At baseline, subjects' cognitive function was generally average, although mild deficits in sequencing and verbal fluency were present, as were clinically mild obsessive–compulsive symptoms. At 3 months of continuous DBS (5 months after implantation), 3 of 5 participants had clinical reductions in motor and sonic tics. Cognitive scores generally remained stable, but declines of moderate to large effect size (Cohen's d > 0.6) in verbal fluency, visual immediate memory, and reaction time were observed. Fewer symptoms of depression and anxiety, as well as fewer obsessions and compulsions, were reported after 3 months of continuous high-frequency DBS. Conclusions Bilateral centromedian–parafascicular thalamic DBS for medically refractory TS shows promise for treatment of medically refractory TS without marked neuropsychological morbidity. Symptoms of depression and anxiety improved.
Predicting Life Expectancy: A Cross-Country Empirical Analysis

Most economic research on life expectancy focuses on building forecasting models using mortality trends or constructing parameter life expectancy models with samples of individuals. We here provide a cross-sectional model of life expectancy, using a comprehensive worldwide sample, which analyses the impact of country level variables on average life expectancy. The model variants suggest robustly that proxies for technology, education, disposable income and healthcare all have a significant and positive effect on country variation in average life expectancy, at all income levels. A proxy for the health risks/epidemics factor is significantly negative. This analysis provides information of use to governments, particularly in the developing world, since average life expectancy is predicted with high explanatory power by variables that can be influenced through public policy. Indeed, it is seen that quite low-cost policy interventions can have dramatic impacts on life expectancy, in addition to other benefits of those interventions.
No More Waiting Lists.

It all began with an unexpected finding in Oregon. We had randomly assigned people with alcohol use disorders to either 10 weeks of immediate outpatient behavioral counseling or what we regarded to...