cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Static Stability of Beam-Columns under Combined Conservative and Nonconservative End Forces: Effects of Semirigid Connections

Stability criteria that evaluate the effects of combined conservative and nonconservative end axial forces on the elastic divergence buckling load of prismatic beam-columns with semirigid connections is presented using the classic static equilibrium method. The proposed method and stability equations follow the same format and classification of ideal beam-columns under gravity loads presented previously by Aristizabal-Ochoa in 1996 and 1997. Criterion is also given to determine the minimum lateral bracing required by beam-columns with semirigid connections to achieve "braced" buckling ~i.e., with sidesway inhibited!. Analytical results obtained from three cases of cantilever columns presented in this paper indicate that: ~1! the proposed method captures the limit on the range of applicability of the Euler's method in the stability analysis of beam-columns subjected to simultaneous combinations of conservative and nonconservative loads. The static method as proposed herein can give the correct solution to the stability of beam-columns within a wide range of combinations of conservative and nonconservative axial loads without the need to investigate their small oscillation behavior about the equilibrium position; and ~2! dynamic instability or flutter starts to take place when the static critical loads corresponding to the first and second mode of buckling of the column become identical to each other. "Flutter" in these examples is caused by the presence of nonconservative axial forces ~tension or compression! and the softening of both the flexural restraints and the lateral bracing. In addition, the "transition" from static instability ~with sidesway and critical zero frequency! to dynamic instability ~with no sidesway or purely imaginary sidesway frequencies! was determined using static equilibrium. It was found also that the static critical load under braced conditions ~i.e., with sidesway inhibited! is the upper bound of the dynamic buckling load of a cantilever column under nonconservative compressive forces. Analytical studies indicate the buckling load of a beam-column is not only a function of the degrees of fixity ~ra and rb!, but also of the types and relative intensities of the applied end forces ~Pci and P fj !, their application parameters ~ci, hj, and jj!, and the lateral bracing provided by other members sSDd. DOI: 10.1061/~ASCE!0733-9399~2005!131:5~473! CE Database subject headings: Buckling; Building codes; Beam columns; Flutter; Structural stability; Frames; Connections, semi-rigid.
Analog multiplexing in time domain for biochemical measurement processing

Digital Multiplexers and Analog multiplexers, through the use of filters and their applications implemented in frequency domain, which requires extensive hardware and is costly have seen substantial amount of research compared to an analog multiplexer in time domain. This Paper Presents Design, Simulation, Implementation and Evaluation of a four-to-one analog multiplexer. The analog multiplexer is implemented with the help of four buffers and four transmission gates using 0.35 /spl mu/m CMOS Technology with optimum linear ranges that covers 60% of total input supply voltage. The analog multiplexer is developed for a biochemical preprocessing unit to multiplex time-varying analog input signals coming from real-time sensor arrays and to connect the selected input to one A/D converter for digital implementation of a bio-inspired intelligent signal detection system or to an analog implemented biochemical detection system.
The effect of cytotoxic chemotherapy on the risk of high-grade acneiform rash to cetuximab in cancer patients: a meta-analysis

Abstract Background The effect of chemotherapy on the risk of cetuximab-induced acneiform rash is unknown. We carried out a systematic review and meta-analysis of published studies to quantify the incidence and risk of high-grade acneiform rash with combination therapy. Methods Relevant studies were identified from PubMed database, abstracts presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology conferences, and Web of Science. Incidence of acneiform rash to cetuximab monotherapy was estimated based on updated data from our previously published meta-analysis. Incidence, relative risk (RR), and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated based on the heterogeneity of included studies. Results A total of 5333 patients from nine trials were included in the analysis. The incidence of high-grade acneiform rash was significantly increased in patients receiving combination treatment (12.8%, 95% CI 9.1% to 17.7%) as compared with cetuximab monotherapy (6.3%, 95% CI 3.7% to 10.5%), with a risk ratio of 2.03 (95% CI 1.52–2.71, P Conclusions Addition of cytotoxic chemotherapy to cetuximab significantly increases the risk of high-grade acneiform rash compared with cetuximab monotherapy. This emphasizes the need for effective management strategies.
Expression Plasmids for Use in Candida glabrata

We describe a series of CEN/ARS episomal plasmids containing different Candida glabrata promoters, allowing for a range of constitutive or regulated expression of proteins in C. glabrata. The set of promoters includes three constitutive promoters (EGD2pr, HHT2pr, PDC1pr), two macrophage/phagocytosis-induced promoters (ACO2pr, LYS21pr), and one nutritionally regulated promoter (MET3pr). Each promoter was cloned into two plasmid backbones that differ in their selectable marker, URA3, or the dominant-selectable NAT1 gene, which confers resistance to the drug nourseothricin. Expression from the 12 resulting plasmids was assessed using GFP as a reporter and flow cytometry or quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction to assess expression levels. Together this set of plasmids expands the toolkit of expression vectors available for use with C. glabrata.
A theoretical analysis of laminar natural convection heat transfer to non‐Newtonian fluids

An equation is given for the local Nusselt number in laminar convection heat transfer to power-law non-Newtonian fluids. This expression, which even for Newtonian fluids (n = 1) does not appear to have been derived before, is obtained from the exact asymptotic solution of the appropriate laminar boundary layer equations and is applicable to any two-dimensional surface or a surface of revolution about an axis of symmetry when, as is usually the case, Npr > 10.
Hydrocarbon and alcohol effects on sulfonate adsorption on alumina

Abstract Absorbed surfactant aggregates are finding applications in areas such as soil washing and ultrafiltration. In order to optimize these processes it is imperative to fully elucidate the effects of the solubilizates and additives on surfactant adsorption and aggregation. The effect of alcohol and hydrocarbon additives on the equilibrium adsorption of isomerically pure n-decylbenzene sulfonate on alumina is studied here. Dodecane increased sulfonate adsorption by more than one order of magnitude at concentrations of
A Review of Race Talk and the Conspiracy of Silence: Understanding and Facilitating Difficult Dialogues on Race

Race Talk and the Conspiracy of Silence: Understanding and Facilitating Difficult Dialogues on Race. D. W. Sue, Hoboken, NJ: Wiley, 2015, 283 pages, $29.95 (paperback), ISBN: 13: 978-1-119-24198-0....
Non–Conducted P Waves

Scenario: The following ECG waveform was obtained in an 85-year-old male patient admitted to the telemetry unit for evaluation of syncope. His pertinent medical history includes hypertension, coronary artery disease, and prior inferior/lateral myocardial infarction (MI). ECG PUZZLER A regular feature of the American Journal of Critical Care, the ECG Puzzler addresses ECG interpretation for clinical practice. We welcome letters to the Editors regarding this feature.
Device and energy properties of two-dimensional (2D) atomically thin materials

This talk will give an overview of our recent work on two-dimensional (2D) materials and devices. Particular focus will be placed on high-field transport, device self-heating, and fundamental aspects of thermal (phonon) transport in 2D materials including graphene and MoS2.
SEXUAL SELECTION IN THE LOVEBUG, PLECIA NEARCTICA: THE ROLE OF MALE CHOICE.

Most recent treatments of sexual selection theory have focused on the mechanisms of intrasexual (male) competition and female choice (e.g., Williams, 1966, 1975; Maynard Smith, 1978; Searcy, 1982). This is largely attributable to the view that females make a greater gametic investment in the zygote than do males, even when no maternal care is involved, and should therefore be selected to choose their mates with caution (i.e., female choice should evolve) (Williams, 1966; Parker et al., 1972; Trivers, 1972; Dawkins, 1976). However, males of some species also make large pre-zygotic investments in their offspring, in terms of the costs of ejaculates (Dewsbury, 1982), spermatophores, or other materials (e.g., Sivinski, 1980). In such cases, there may be selection upon males to choose their mates with care. In the extreme case in which a male mates only once, thus investing his entire lifetime reproductive effort on a single female, the evolution of prudent allocation (i.e., male choice) may be particularly likely. Here we describe the reproductive system of lovebugs, Plecia nearctica (Diptera: Bibionidae), a species in which this appears to be the case. Lovebugs emerge in large numbers twice each year (May and September) throughout vast areas of the southeastern United States (Hetrick, 1970; Leppla et al., 1974; Thornhill, 1976, 1980). Larvae develop in leaf litter and males hover in aggregations over their emergence sites, competing for access to subsequently emerging females (Hetrick, 1970; Thornhill, 1976, 1980). Males live for only two to five days, while
Three-Dimensional Simulations of Bleed-Hole Rows/ Shock-Wave/Turbulent Boundary-Layer Interactions

A computational study was conducted to characterize the effects of bleed in supersonic flow with incident oblique shock of sufficient strength to induce turbulent boundary-layer separation. The effects of single and double rows of normal bleed holes were investigated at different locations relative to an incident shock in supersonic flow. Numerical solutions to the compressible Navier-Stokes equation were obtained using the WIND-US solver and the two-equation SST turbulence model. The three-dimensional computational grid resolved the flow field above the bleed surface and within the bleed holes and plenum. The presented results provide comparisons of reductions in flow separation lengths, delays in the onset of pressure rise and variations in flow velocity profiles downstream of the bleed region for the various cases along with bleed mass flow rate.
Gyromagnetic Ratios of Hydrogen, Tritium, Free Electrons, and Rb 85

The spin-exchange optical pumping technique has been used to measure the gyromagnetic ratios of hydrogen, tritium, and free electrons in terms of the electronic gyromagnetic ratio of ${\mathrm{Rb}}^{85}$. A direct measurement was also made of the ratio of the electronic $g$ factors of tritium and hydrogen. The 60-G magnetic field in which these measurements were made was produced by a precision-wound solenoid which was surrounded by three concentric magnetic shields. The magnetic field varied by 5 parts in ${10}^{6}$ over the region occupied by a typical absorption flask. The free electrons were produced by ionization resulting from the beta decay of the radioactive tritium atoms. Measurements were made in various sizes of absorption flasks and in flasks containing different pressures of helium, argon, and neon buffer gases. The measured $g$-factor ratio did not depend upon the nature or pressure of the buffer gas. The results of these measurements were as follows: $\frac{{g}_{J}(\mathrm{Rb})}{g(e)}=1+(6.3\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}1.0)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}6}; \frac{{g}_{J}(\mathrm{Rb})}{{g}_{J}(\mathrm{H})}=1+(23.74\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.1)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}6};$ $\frac{{g}_{J}(\mathrm{T})}{{g}_{J}(\mathrm{H})}=1\ensuremath{-}(0.11\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.3)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}6}; \frac{{g}_{J}(\mathrm{H})}{g(e)}=1\ensuremath{-}(17.4\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}1.0)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}6}.$
A plaque neutralization test for determining mumps antibodies.

SummaryThe mumps plaque neutralization assay procedure was found to be a sensitive indicator of low levels of mumps antibodies. Undiluted serum can be studied for the presence of mumps antibodies and there is no problem of nonspecific inhibition. The levels of antibody 1 year after natural mumps are more stable by the PN method than by HAI or CF tests. This assay procedure is valuable in studying sera where low levels of antibody may be present, as after remote natural disease, or vaccination with attenuated mumps strains.
GENETIC INTERACTIONS AND NATURAL SELECTION IN LOUISIANA IRIS HYBRIDS

Hybridization between divergent lineages has long been assumed to give rise to unfavorable interactions between the parental genomes. These deleterious genetic interactions are further assumed to result in the production of hybrid offspring with decreased levels of viability and/or fertility. To test this assumption, we investigated the role of both nuclear and cytonuclear epistatic interactions in determining the frequencies of F2 genotypes produced in crosses between two species of Louisiana iris, Iris fulva and I. brevicaulis. Overall, these crosses revealed a significant deficit of intermediate hybrid genotypes accompanied by an excess of parental-like genotypes, suggesting that genetic interactions may promote postmating reproductive isolation between these species. However, analyses of single and multilocus segregation patterns revealed a variety of negative and positive interactions between the genomes of the parental taxa at the nuclear and cytonuclear levels. Taken together, these results indicate that the traditional view that interactions between divergent genomes are always deleterious is an oversimplification. Rather, it seems likely that crosses between divergent lineages can lead to the production of both fit and unfit hybrid genotypes.
Femoral vein pseudoaneurysm: uncommon complication of femoral vein puncture.

Complications occurring after vascular catheterization include infection, hematoma, arterial pseudoaneurysm, thrombosis, arteriovenous fistula, and nerve injury.1 Venous pseudoaneurysms are uncommon. We present a case in which color flow duplex sonography provided a noninvasive method for diagnosing this vascular abnormality. Recognition of this abnormality and differentiation from arterial injury may affect the decision to treat, the choice of treatment, or the time at which treatment is instituted. CASE REPORT
Machine Vision Identification of Airport Runways with Visible and Infrared Videos

A widely used machine vision pipeline based on the Speeded-Up Robust Features feature detector was applied to the problem of identifying a runway from a universe of known runways, which was constructed using video records of 19 straight-in glidepath approaches to nine runways. The recordings studied included visible, short-wave infrared, and long-wave infrared videos in clear conditions, rain, and fog. Both daytime and nighttime runway approaches were used. High detection specificity (identification of the runway approached and rejection of the other runways in the universe) was observed in all conditions (greater than 90% Bayesian posterior probability). In the visible band, repeatability (identification of a given runway across multiple videos of it) was observed only if illumination (day versus night) was the same and approach visibility was good. Some repeatability was found across visible and shortwave sensor bands. Camera-based geolocation during aircraft landing was compared to the standard Charted...
The hazards of professional authorship: polemic and fiction in Anthony Munday's English Roman Life

As a text, the English Roman Life bears testament to Anthony Munday's challenges as a professional writer whose course of career was by no means assured. Such challenges might help account for its republication in 1590, when it had the opportunity both to redirect its polemical engagements and to distance itself from the very polemics that had given rise to it in the first place. These conflicting purposes are perhaps most apparent in the book's final two chapters, which respectively take up the Shrovetide carnival at Rome and the astonishing account of religious radical Richard Atkins.
Exact methods for testing homogeneity of proportions for multiple groups of paired binary data

We consider four exact procedures to test the homogeneity of proportions for correlated multiple clustered data. Exact procedures are compared with the asymptotic approach based on the score statis...
Incidence of Salmonella in Pennsylvania egg processing plants and destruction by high pH

Eggs and washwater samples from egg processing plants in southeastern Pennsylvania were examined for total bacterial counts and the incidence of Salmonella . Survey data indicated a greater number of microorganisms survived the washing process when low washing temperatures (32.2 to 35°C) and low pHs (pH 9 to 10) were used. Salmonellae belonging to group D1 were found in washwater and on washed eggs from a plant which had washwater in this lower temperature and pH range. Plants that had washwater with high pH (pH 11.0 to 12.5) and high temperatures (37.7 to 43.3°C) had relatively low microbial counts in the washwater (7.5 × 103 CFU/ml), and no salmonellae were detected in either washwater samples or on washed eggs. Both washwater pH and temperature had a dramatic effect on the survival of Salmonella enteritidis . At pH 11 and temperatures of 32.2°C (90°F), 37.7°C (l00°F) and 43.3°C (l10°F), S. enteritidis died rapidly, but at lower temperatures of 4.4°C (40°F) and 18.3°C (65°F) the death rate was much slower. At pH 9, S. enteritidis was able to grow slowly at 32.2 and 37.7°C; however, at 43.3°C, regardless of pH, S. enteritidis died rapidly. High detergent concentration and low egg solids concentration also increased the rate of destruction of S. enteritidis .
Describing visible acute injuries: development of a comprehensive taxonomy for research and practice.

Background Little literature exists classifying and comprehensively describing intentional and unintentional acute injuries, which would be valuable for research and practice. In preparation for a study of injury patterns in elder abuse, our goal was to develop a comprehensive taxonomy of relevant types and characteristics of visible acute injuries and evaluate it in geriatric patients. Methods We conducted an exhaustive review of the medical and forensic literature focusing on injury types, descriptions, patterns and analyses. We then prepared iteratively, through consensus with a multidisciplinary, national panel of elder abuse experts, a comprehensive classification system to describe these injuries. Results We designed a three-step process to fully describe and classify visible acute injuries: (1) determining the type of injury, (2) assigning values to each of the characteristics common to all geriatric injuries and (3) assigning values to additional characteristics relevant for specific injuries. We identified nine unique types of visible injury and seven characteristics critical to describe all these injuries, including body region(s) and precise anatomic location(s). For each injury type, we identified two to seven additional critical characteristics, such as size, shape and cleanliness. We pilot tested it on 323 injuries on 83 physical elder abuse victims and 45 unintentional fall victims from our ongoing research to ensure that it would allow for the complete and accurate description of the full spectrum of visible injuries encountered and made modifications and refinements based on this experience. We then used the classification system to evaluate 947 injuries on 80 physical elder abuse victims and 195 unintentional fall victims to assess its practical utility. Conclusions Our comprehensive injury taxonomy systematically integrates and expands on existing forensic and clinical research. This new classification system may help standardise description of acute injuries and patterns among clinicians and researchers.
Cryptosporidiosis outbreak at an academic animal research laboratory-Colorado, 2014.

BACKGROUND After cryptosporidiosis was reported in three workers caring for preweaned calves at an academic research laboratory, we sought to identify cases, determine risk factors, and implement control measures. METHODS A cryptosporidiosis case was defined as diarrhea duration ≥72 hr, abdominal cramps, or vomiting in an animal research laboratory worker during July 14-July 31. A confirmed case had laboratory evidence of Cryptosporidium infection. Staff were interviewed regarding illness, potential exposures, training, and personal protective equipment (PPE) standard operating procedures (SOPs). RESULTS The cryptosporidiosis attack rate (AR) was 74% (20/27); five were laboratory-confirmed. Median job training was 2 hr including respiratory-fit testing. No SOPs existed for doffing PPE. AR for workers who removed their gloves first was 84% (16/19) compared with 20% (1/5) for workers who removed gloves last (risk ratio = 4.2; P < 0.02). CONCLUSIONS This outbreak highlights the importance of adequate training, enforced proper PPE procedures, and promoting a culture of safety. Am. J. Ind. Med. 60:208-214, 2017. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Selective recurrent laryngeal nerve stimulation using a penetrating electrode array in the feline model.

Objectives/Hypothesis Laryngeal muscles (LMs) are controlled by the recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN), injury of which can result in vocal fold (VF) paralysis (VFP). We aimed to introduce a bioelectric approach to selective stimulation of LMs and graded muscle contraction responses. Study Design Acute experiments in cats. Methods The study included six anesthetized cats. In four cats, a multichannel penetrating microelectrode array (MEA) was placed into an uninjured RLN. For RLN injury experiments, one cat received a standardized hemostat-crush injury, and one cat received a transection-reapproximation injury 4 months prior to testing. In each experiment, three LMs (thyroarytenoid, posterior cricoarytenoid, and cricothyroid muscles) were monitored with an electromyographic (EMG) nerve integrity monitoring system. Electrical current pulses were delivered to each stimulating channel individually. Elicited EMG voltage outputs were recorded for each muscle. Direct videolaryngoscopy was performed for visualization of VF movement. Results Stimulation through individual channels led to selective activation of restricted nerve populations, resulting in selective contraction of individual LMs. Increasing current levels resulted in rising EMG voltage responses. Typically, activation of individual muscles was successfully achieved via single placement of the MEA by selection of appropriate stimulation channels. VF abduction was predominantly observed on videolaryngoscopy. Nerve histology confirmed injury in cases of RLN crush and transection experiments. Conclusions We demonstrated the ability of a penetrating MEA to selectively stimulate restricted fiber populations within the feline RLN and selectively elicit contractions of discrete LMs in both acute and injury-model experiments, suggesting a potential role for intraneural MEA implantation in VFP management. Level of Evidence NA Laryngoscope, 2017
Facile synthesis of Pd concave nanocubes: From kinetics to mechanistic understanding and rationally designed protocol

We report a rationally designed one-pot method for the facile synthesis of Pd concave nanocubes in an aqueous solution at room temperature by manipulating the reduction kinetics through the selection of a proper combination of a salt precursor (PdBr42–) and reductant (sodium ascorbate). Our kinetic analysis demonstrates that, through this selection, the nucleation and growth of Pd nanocrystals could be effectively separated into two kinetic regimes involving distinctive reduction pathways: i) solution reduction for the initial formation of single-crystal seeds and ii) surface reduction for the formation of concave nanocrystals via autocatalytic growth from the single-crystal seeds. The suppressed surface diffusion at room temperature, when coupled with the capping effect of bromide ions, ultimately leads to the formation of concave nanocubes with an asymmetric shape and high-index facets, whose synthesis would otherwise require multiple steps and the use of elevated temperatures.
Presence and Significance of Micrometastases

Micrometastases may be defined as the presence of cancer cells detected by molecular techniques in patients with no demonstratable evidence of disease by conventional radiographic and pathologic staging. To date, the detection of micrometastases in bladder cancer has primarily involved evaluating the expression of several urothelial-marker genes from the lymph nodes, serum, and bone marrow of patients with urothelial carcinoma. Uroplakin II (UP II) has been the most widely investigated of these genes, as UP II mRNA expression has been consistently detected in lymph nodes considered to be negative for carcinoma by conventional histology. UP II expression has thus shown promise as a molecular marker of micrometastatic disease, although correlation with patient outcome has been limited, and thus the ability to determine the clinical significance of detecting such molecular, or micro-metastases remains to be established.
The Roles of Functional MRI in MR-Guided Neurosurgery in a Combined 1.5 Tesla MR-Operating Room

Background and Purpose. During MR-guided neurosurgical procedures performed in a combined 1.5 Tesla MR-operating room (MR-OR), we have successfully implemented and validated a functional MRI (fMRI) scheme for efficiently localizing eloquent functional areas and assessing their proximity to a lesion volume immediately prior to the craniotomy.
Heartbeat, Heart Failure, and Homeopathy

Homeopaths occupy a place in the growth of cardiovascular medicine and physiology. Constantine Hering introduced the drug nitroglycerin into medicine. At the time, the drug was considered too dangerous to use, but Hering’s provings demonstrated its safety and therapeutic potential at very low doses. Although Hering showed that symptoms of angina pectoris would respond to nitroglycerin, he did not emphasize this particular use of the drug, which came about from the work of allopathic physicians in the United Kingdom several decades later. Without Hering’s initial work, one can only wonder whether nitroglycerin would have been introduced into medicine. Hering was probably the first to systematically investigate the effects of snake venoms, some of which have subsequently found application in heart disease, and his work in this respect was followed by other homeopaths in Great Britain, such as Adrian Stokes, John Rutherford Russell, and John W. Hayward. Breakthroughs were made at the Hahnemann Cardiovascular Institute by George Geckeler and William Likoff. The twentieth-century cardiologist, Milton Raisbeck, is described for his clinical and philanthropic work. Nineteenth-century innovators in cardiovascular physiology include Robert Ellis Dudgeon and Arthur Weysse.
The effect of the liberalization of the Chinese stock market on returns

We examine the short-term effects of the liberalization of the Chinese stock market on returns. We find a positive and significant abnormal return associated with the announcement of the liberalization of the Shanghai Stock Exchange. Exploiting features of the reform, we are able to compare stocks directly and indirectly affected by the liberalization. We find that all stock prices reflect this announcement premium equally, suggesting that the premium does not reflect an increase in expected liquidity. We further find that observed liquidity, as measured by volume and price impact, did not increase following the liberalization. We conclude that the observed premium reflects a diversification benefit for Chinese investors.
The Society of Thoracic Surgeons General Thoracic Surgery Database Update on Outcomes and Quality.

The Society of Thoracic Surgeons General Thoracic Surgery Database (STS GTSD) is a voluntary effort that provides participants with semiannual, risk-adjusted performance reports that facilitate quality improvement and comparison of institutional outcomes with national benchmarks. With improved participation in the STS GTSD, increasingly meaningful analyses are available. This year, risk models for lobectomy and esophagectomy for cancer were updated. In addition, we developed the first composite quality measure for general thoracic surgery, a composite measure for lobectomy for lung cancer. Furthermore, international collaboration with the European Society of Thoracic Surgery has facilitated our understanding of variation between American and European treatment patterns, providing a foundation for future quality improvement initiatives. This article summarizes current aggregate national outcomes in general thoracic surgery and reviews related activities in the areas of quality measurement, performance improvement, and transparency from the STS GTSD over the past 12 months.
A BOOTSTRAP APPROACH FOR IMPROVING LOGISTIC REGRESSION PERFORMANCE IN IMBALANCED DATA SETS

In an imbalanced dataset with binary response, the percentages of successes and failures are not approximately equal. In many real world situations, majority of the observations are “normal” (i.e., success) with a much smaller fraction of failures. The overall probability of correct classification for extremely imbalanced data sets can be very high but the probability of correctly predicting the minority class can be very low. Consider a fictitious example of a dataset with 1,000,000 observations out of which 999,000 are successes and 1,000 failures. A rule that classifies all observations as successes will have very high accuracy of prediction (99.9%) but the probability of correctly predicting a failure will be 0. In many situations, the cost associated with incorrect prediction of a failure is high, and it is therefore important to improve the prediction accuracy of failures as well. Literature suggests that over-sampling of the minority class with replacement does not necessarily predict the minority class with higher accuracy. In this article, we propose a simple over-sampling method which bootstraps a subset of the minority class, and illustrate the bootstrap over-sampling method with several examples. In each of these examples, an improvement in prediction accuracy is seen. Article DOI: https://dx.doi.org/10.20319/mijst.2018.43.1124 This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Non-commercial 4.0 International License. To view a copy of this license, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ or send a letter to Creative Commons, PO Box 1866, Mountain View, CA 94042, USA.
Therapeutic progress and symptom elevation in treating dismissive attachment: A case study

A dismissive or avoidant attachment style can present clinical challenges in psychotherapy as the attachment style may interfere with the development of a constructive therapeutic alliance and impa...
Evolution of the butterfly graft technique: 15‐year review of 500 cases with expanding indications

Objectives/hypothesis To describe the evolution of the butterfly graft technique for the treatment of nasal valve compromise, with specific attention to technical developments allowing for expanded indications. To review the impact on patient-reported outcomes of nasal airway function and nasal aesthetics. Study design Retrospective chart review. Methods A review of a single surgeon's patients at a private practice and tertiary care center undergoing surgical correction for nasal valve compromise using the butterfly graft technique between July 2002 and April 2017. Data collected included etiology of nasal valve compromise, additional procedures performed, complications, and functional and aesthetic patient-reported outcomes. Results Over the study period, 512 patients underwent surgery to correct nasal valve compromise utilizing the butterfly graft technique. The overall patient-reported relief of nasal obstructive symptoms was complete in 87%, improved but not completely relieved in 10%, and not improved in 4%. No patients reported a worsening in their nasal obstructive symptoms. The overall patient-reported change in nasal appearance was improved 53%, the same 32%, worse in 15%. The patients in the latter half of the study tended to report better aesthetic results. Conclusions The results of this study suggest that the surgical technique for the butterfly graft evolved over time and allowed for improved aesthetic outcomes, without reduction in the efficacy in correction of nasal valve compromise. The evolution in technique allowed for expansion of the indications for the butterfly graft while maintaining the favorable patient-reported aesthetic and functional results. Level of evidence 4 Laryngoscope, 129:S1-S10, 2019.
Determination of proton stopping power ratio with dual-energy CT in 3D-printed tissue/air cavity surrogates

PURPOSE To study the accuracy with which proton stopping power ratio (SPR) can be determined with dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) for small structures and bone-tissue-air interfaces like those found in the head or in the neck. METHODS Hollow cylindrical polylactic acid (PLA) plugs (3 cm diameter, 5 cm height) were 3D printed containing either one or three septa with thicknesses tsepta = 0.8, 1.6, 3.2, and 6.4 mm running along the length of the plug. The cylinders were inserted individually into a tissue-equivalent head phantom (16 cm diameter, 5 cm height). First, DECT scans were obtained using a Siemens SOMATOM Definition Edge CT scanner. Effective atomic number (Zeff ) and electron density (ρe ) images were reconstructed from the DECT to produce SPR-CT images of each plug. Second, independent elemental composition analysis of the PLA plastic was used to determine the Zeff and ρe for calculating the theoretical SPR (SPR-TH) using the Bethe-Bloch equation. Finally, for each plug, a direct measurement of SPR (SPR-DM) was obtained in a clinical proton beam. The values of SPR-CT, SPR-TH, and SPR-DM were compared. RESULTS The SPR-CT for PLA agreed with SPR-DM for tsepta ≥ 3 mm (for CT slice thicknesses of 0.5, 1.0, and 3.0 mm). The density of PLA was found to decrease with thickness when tsepta < 3 mm. As tsepta (and density) decreased, the SPR-CT values also decreased, in good agreement with SPR-DM and SPR-TH. CONCLUSION Overall, the DECT-based SPR-CT was within 3% of SPR-TH and SPR-DM in the high-density gradient regions of the 3D-printed plugs for septa greater than ~ 3mm in thickness.
Transjugular Transseptal Approach for Left Ventricular Pacing Lead in an Adult With Criss-Cross Heart.

This report presents the case of a patient with complex, post-operative congenital heart disease who required an atypical approach for placement of a left ventricular pacing lead to establish biventricular pacing after developing pacemaker-mediated cardiomyopathy. A 42-year-old man with upstairs-
Gene-Environment Interaction between the IL1RN Variants and Childhood Environmental Tobacco Smoke Exposure in Asthma Risk

(1) Background: Variants of the interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL1RN) gene, encoding an anti-inflammatory cytokine, are associated with asthma. Asthma is a chronic inflammatory disease of the airway influenced by interactions between genetic variants and environmental factors. We discovered a gene-environment interaction (GEI) of IL1RN polymorphisms with childhood environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) exposure on asthma susceptibility in an urban adult population. (2) Methods: DNA samples from the NYU/Bellevue Asthma Registry were genotyped for tag SNPs in IL1RN in asthma cases and unrelated healthy controls. Logistic regressions were used to study the GEI between IL1RN variants and childhood ETS exposures on asthma and early onset asthma, respectively, adjusting for population admixture and other covariates. (3) Results: Whereas the rare genotypes of IL1RN SNPs (e.g., GG in SNP rs2234678) were associated with decreased risk for asthma among those without ETS exposure (odds ratio OR = 0.215, p = 0.021), they are associated with increased risk for early onset asthma among those with childhood ETS (OR = 4.467, p = 0.021). (4) Conclusions: We identified a GEI between polymorphisms of IL1RN and childhood ETS exposure in asthma. Analysis of GEI indicated that childhood ETS exposure disrupted the protective effect of some haplotypes/genotypes of IL1RN for asthma and turned them into high-risk polymorphisms for early onset asthma.
How Women Mobilize Women Into Politics: A Natural Experiment in India

It is widely assumed that female politicians increase women's political participation through demonstration effects, which are psychological mechanisms with origins in political theory. Yet, gendered constraints on women's mobility and information access diminish the scope of demonstration effects, especially in developing countries. This paper introduces a new explanation of how female politicians mobilize women despite these constraints. Female representation has mobilization effects. Female politicians have the capacity and the incentive to lower household and party barriers to recruit women as party activists. Female-led party-building puts female activists at the helm of ground campaigns, shrinking the gender gap in door-to-door contact. Receiving partisan contact increases women's political participation. Evidence from the natural experiment of randomized gender quotas in India, and original data from citizen and elite surveys support this argument. The findings highlight how the political economy of gender is pivotal to our understanding of how descriptive representation lowers political gender inequality.
Pelvic rotation after total hip arthroplasty is dynamic and variable.

Aims The aims of this study were to determine the change in the sagittal alignment of the pelvis and the associated impact on acetabular component position at one-year follow-up after total hip art...
Don't Go Chasing Waterfalls: Fiduciary Duties in Venture Capital Backed Startups

We develop a model of venture capital contracting and use it to evaluate an emergent set of judicial precedents in corporate law, which we label the Trados doctrine. In our model, founders hold common stock while venture capital investors hold convertible preferred stock. We show that preferred shareholders have inefficient incentives to liquidate low-valued firms and to continue high-valued firms, while common shareholders inefficiently favor the opposite. The extent of incentive misalignment depends on the firm’s intrinsic and outside valuations, and it is most severe around preferred’s liquidation preference and conversion point. Although legal liability rules can rectify these misalignments, they can only do so categorically when management is obligated to prioritize preferred shareholders’ interests. The Trados doctrine, however, requires the opposite: under Trados, boards must accord primacy to common shareholders’ interests, treating preferred shareholders as contractual claimants. More generally, we offer a precise mechanism for how capital structure, corporate governance, and legal doctrine jointly determine firm value.
Liposomal bupivacaine during subcutaneous implantable cardioverter defibrillator implantation for pain management.

Background The subcutaneous implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (S-ICD) has a larger generator and its implantation involves more dissection and tunneling compared to traditional transvenous defibrillator system. Liposomal bupivacaine, an extended-release bupivacaine with 72 hours of duration has been used for postoperative pain management in patients undergoing S-ICD implantation. Our aim was to compare post-operative pain and opioid prescription patterns among patients undergoing S-ICD implantation who received intraprocedural liposomal bupivacaine and those who did not. Methods We performed a retrospective analysis of all patients who underwent subcutaneous ICD implantation from January 1, 2013 to March 30, 2018 at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota. Patients were categorized into those who received liposomal bupivacaine and those who did not. Data on inpatient pain score, outpatient opioid prescription rates at discharge, and doses based on oral morphine equivalents (OME) were collected. Results A total of 104 patients underwent S-ICD implantation. Intraprocedural liposomal bupivacaine was used in 69% of patients. Patients who received intraprocedural liposomal bupivacaine had similar mean inpatient pain scores (2.9 vs. 2.9, P = 0.786). There was also no difference in the rate of inpatient opioid administration (79.2% vs. 87.5%, P = 0.4139), outpatient opioid prescription (23.6% vs. 12.5%, P = 0.29), or mean OME (41.7-mg vs. 16.6-mg, P = 0.188) when comparing patients those who received intraprocedural liposomal bupivacaine and those who did not. Conclusion Intraprocedural liposomal bupivacaine administration was not associated with any significant impact on post-operative pain scores, inpatient opioid administration, and outpatient opioid prescription rates or OME amounts at discharge. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
An instructional exercise in gender bias

Abstract Both men and women pursue careers in accounting equally, but the percentage of women that remain in the public accounting profession dwindles among the higher-tier and lead positions of larger firms (Association of International Certified Public Accountants (AICPA) 2019). While there are many variables that could affect this trend, one factor might be fewer advancement opportunities for women due to implicit bias within the profession. Since decisions about what positions to pursue, who to hire, and who to promote will be important choices in a student’s future accounting career, we thought it would be essential to teach awareness of gender bias in the profession and to prepare students with techniques to recognize and decode implicit gender biases. For this instructional exercise, our students participated in a simple experiment, attended a lecture with discussion on gender bias and occupational stereotypes, and reviewed and discussed the compiled data from their responses. We found that sharing the data comparisons by gender helped to spark lively discussions and create memorable learning experiences. We explore the topics of gender bias and gender coded words in an activity that was developed to test for bias and to be used to build awareness of potential gender bias in hiring or promotion activities. As the profession seeks to understand more about creating an inclusive environment to retain employees, this timely experiment to explore how implicit bias could occur in hiring and promotion is an intervention itself.
CoBRA: Containerized Bioinformatics Workflow for Reproducible ChIP/ATAC-seq Analysis

Chromatin immunoprecipitation sequencing (ChIP-seq) and the Assay for Transposase-Accessible Chromatin with high-throughput sequencing (ATAC-seq) have become essential technologies to effectively measure protein-DNA interactions and chromatin accessibility. However, there is a need for a scalable and reproducible pipeline that incorporates proper normalization between samples, correction of copy number variations, and integration of new downstream analysis tools. Here we present Containerized Bioinformatics workflow for Reproducible ChIP/ATAC-seq Analysis (CoBRA), a modularized computational workflow which quantifies ChIP-seq and ATAC-seq peak regions and performs unsupervised and supervised analyses. CoBRA provides a comprehensive state-of-the-art ChIP-seq and ATAC-seq analysis pipeline that can be used by scientists with limited computational experience. This enables researchers to gain rapid insight into protein-DNA interactions and chromatin accessibility through sample clustering, differential peak calling, motif enrichment, comparison of sites to a reference database, and pathway analysis. CoBRA is publicly available online at https://bitbucket.org/cfce/cobra.
The Impact of Instagram Mommy Blogger Content on the Perceived Self-Efficacy of Mothers:

The prominence of social media in contemporary life has led more mothers to search for parenting information through various Internet and social media channels. The following study examines the imp...
Barriers and Possibilities for Interdisciplinary Disaster Science Research: Critical Appraisal of the Literature

AbstractThe strength and speed of modeling software has increased drastically in recent years. As it does so, researchers across a variety of fields work to determine how most effectively to utiliz...
What are the degrees of freedom in the partonic fluid at RHIC

Physics, Department, Wayne State University,Detroit, MI 48202, U.S.A.E-mail: bellwied@physics.wayne.eduRecent RHIC data show evidence of multiple hadron production mechanisms in heavy ion colli-sions compared to simple fragmentation in vacuum. I will review the measurements of collectiveﬂow, high momentum quenching, and two particle angular correlations to show that neither ther-mal production nor string fragmentation can describe the abundances, the angular distributionsor the kinematic properties of all hadrons produced at RHIC. The proposed new hadronizationmechanisms not only serve as evidence for a deconﬁned partonic phase of matter, but also forstrong coupling of the degrees of freedom in the deconﬁned phase. I will point out a surprisinglack of ﬂavor dependence in these properties at RHIC, though, which might have to lead to furtherrevisions of our understanding of the relevant degrees of freedom in the partonic phase and duringthe hadronization process.Critical Point and Onset of Deconﬁnement 4th International WorkshopJuly 9-13 2007GSI Darmstadt,Germany
The Marginal Cost of Public Funds: Theory and Applications

The marginal cost of public funds (MCF) measures the loss incurred by society in raising additional revenues to finance government spending. The MCF has emerged as one of the most important concepts in public economics; it is a key component in evaluations of tax reforms, public expenditure programs, and other public policies. The Marginal Cost of Public Funds provides a unified treatment of the MCF, carefully developing its theoretical foundations in a variety of contexts and describing its application to a wide range of policies--from excise taxes in Thailand to public sector borrowing in Canada and the United States. The Marginal Cost of Public Funds develops the basic theory of the MCF within the framework of public economics and shows how it is related to the traditional measures of the efficiency loss from distortionary taxation. The MCF concept is then applied to the major sources of revenues for governments--sales and excise taxes, taxes on labor income, taxes on the return to capital, public sector borrowing, and intergovernmental grants. This book will be an essential reference for economists and public policy analysts both in and out of government. Exercises and recommendations for further reading at the end of each main chapter highlight its usefulness as a supplementary text in advanced undergraduate or graduate courses in public economics.Bev Dahlby is Professor of Economics at the University of Alberta and a coauthor of Public Finance in Canada, second edition. He has served as a consultant for such organizations as the International Monetary Fund, the World Bank, and the Canadian government's Department of Finance.