cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Conclusion: Are Chinese Cities Becoming More Habitable?

Over a half century ago, as our editors note in their Introduction, the pre-eminent Chinese architect Liang Sicheng observed that people living in cities had four basic necessities: places to live, work, engagement in leisure activities, and benefit from decent transportation. In recent decades, the basic necessities of habitability have become even more basic—and dire. The basic challenges are well beyond what Liang could have possibly imagined: breathable air, food and water free of poisons, affordable housing, and transportation without chaos and danger. To be sure, Liang spoke of the need for healthy food, accessible food, decent housing, and orderly transport. But the scale of the problems related to air, food, housing, and transport appears to outpace the abilities of planners to ameliorate them and make cities more habitable. The question of the habitability of Chinese cities will remain central for decades to come.
Examining Decision Making Styles in Patients with Lymphoma and Multiple Myeloma Considering Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation.

The assessment of the risks and benefits involved in autologous stem cell transplantation (ASCT) remains a challenging task commonly faced by patients (pts) with lymphoma, multiple myeloma (MM), and other cancers. Individuals’ decision-making styles can influence how pts evaluate complex treatment decisions. Methods: To examine how pts with lymphoma and myeloma make treatment decisions we performed a pilot study in which we administered an 80-item questionnaire to assess pts’: Desired Role in decision making, Need for Cognition, Need for Structure, and General Decision Making style. During the visit, the physician and pt discussed possible treatment options, and a 38-item post-visit questionnaire was administered to assess patients’ strength of preference for ASCT, perceptions of physician and caregiver’s preferences, and decision satisfaction. Questions were derived from previously validated questionnaires and used 5-point Likert scales. Results: Questionnaires were administered to 25 pts (9 aggressive NHL, 9 indolent NHL, 4 Hodgkin lymphoma, 1 MM, and 2 undergoing evaluation for lymphoma). 72% of pts were male and 68% were married with a median age for the group of 50 years (Range 22–83). Pts had received a median of 1 prior regimen (range 0–4). 36% of pts rated their current health as excellent/very good, 32% good, and 32% fair/poor. All pts completed all pre-visit questions. 76% of pts completed all post-visit questions. Most pts expressed a desire that doctors make treatment decisions alone (68% agree/strongly agree) or with pt input (72%). Fewer pts believed they should make treatment decisions alone (32%) or with a doctor’s input (48%). 64% of pts had high scores for rational decision making style, whereas 28% scored high for an intuitive style, and only 4% high for a spontaneous style of decision making (Distribution shown in table). However, few pts expressed a strong need for structure (16%) or need for cognition (4%) in their decision making process. 89% of pts felt satisfied with the information they received for decision making and satisfied and comfortable with their decision. However, 32% of pts wanted clearer advice. Conclusions: Examining pts decision making styles during the process of care is feasible and can uncover pt characteristics that are relevant for improving treatment discussions. Pts in this sample tended to use rational decision making styles but wanted the physician to assume control for decision making. Additional studies are needed examine these factors in larger populations of lymphoma and MM pts, understand their associations with demographic variables, and design and test decision support systems that account for pt preferences .and help pts and hematologists with treatment selection.
Building clinical education training capacity in nurse practitioner programs

Building clinical education training capacity in nurse practitioner programs is critical to build the primary care workforce and to address the access to care problem in the country. Challenges related to obtaining clinical sites and qualified preceptors are well reported, but few practical solutions are presented. Clinical sites and qualified preceptors willing to serve can be found, but nurse practitioner faculty must remove obstacles and strengthen resources by discovering untapped capacity. Nurse practitioner faculty can design, implement, and test innovative clinical models to maximize clinical training capacity. Clinical capacity development in geriatrics and long-term care, convenience care, distance immersions, correctional nursing, occupational health, and through interprofessional collaborations and faculty practice partnerships can be expanded.
A Pilot Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial to Assess Tolerance and Efficacy of Navy Bean and Rice Bran Supplementation for Lowering Cholesterol in Children

Background: Navy beans and rice bran demonstrate efficacy to regulate serum cholesterol in hypercholesterolemic adults; however, the cardiovascular disease (CVD) protective properties of these food...
Ruptured berry aneurysm with minimal subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Cerebral artery aneurysm rupture is usually associated with significant subarachnoid hemorrhage; however, there are rare cases where there is a lack of hemorrhage into the subarachnoid space. While subdural hemorrhage can occur with ruptured aneurysms, isolated subdural hemorrhage is more often associated with trauma. In this case, a 51-year-old obese woman, who recently visited an Urgent Care Center for elevated blood pressure, was found dead roughly a month later. She had been complaining of headaches, and received medication for her blood pressure at the visit. A medicolegal autopsy revealed that the cause of death was determined to be a ruptured cerebral artery berry aneurysm of the right anterior cerebral artery, with a contributing underlying cause of hypertensive and atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease. There was significant subdural hemorrhage overlying the right cerebrum. Subarachnoid hemorrhage was present only minimally and in a patchy distribution, with virtual absence of basilar hemorrhage. An additional unruptured aneurysm was found in the left common carotid artery before the bifurcation. There was cardiomegaly (510 gm), and mild to moderate atherosclerosis in multiple vessels. The classic clinical presentation of a ruptured cerebral artery berry aneurysm involves the sudden onset of an excruciating headache.1 While angiography provides the most conclusive image-based antemortem evidence of an aneurysm, CT scans are used frequently in an emergency setting to identify basilar subarachnoid hemorrhage, a very common associated finding, thus allowing for a diagnosis of probable ruptured aneurysm.1 Depending on the circumstances of a given case, the presence of subdural hemorrhage with absence of subarachnoid hemorrhage on CT scan may suggest a different underlying process, such as trauma. The presented case serves to remind clinicians that ruptured berry aneurysms do not always produce significant subarachnoid hemorrhage.
Sensor placement for calibration of spatially varying model parameters

Abstract This paper presents a sensor placement optimization framework for the calibration of spatially varying model parameters. To account for the randomness of the calibration parameters over space and across specimens, the spatially varying parameter is represented as a random field. Based on this representation, Bayesian calibration of spatially varying parameter is investigated. To reduce the required computational effort during Bayesian calibration, the original computer simulation model is substituted with Kriging surrogate models based on the singular value decomposition (SVD) of the model response and the Karhunen–Loeve expansion (KLE) of the spatially varying parameters. A sensor placement optimization problem is then formulated based on the Bayesian calibration to maximize the expected information gain measured by the expected Kullback–Leibler (K–L) divergence. The optimization problem needs to evaluate the expected K–L divergence repeatedly which requires repeated calibration of the spatially varying parameter, and this significantly increases the computational effort of solving the optimization problem. To overcome this challenge, an approximation for the posterior distribution is employed within the optimization problem to facilitate the identification of the optimal sensor locations using the simulated annealing algorithm. A heat transfer problem with spatially varying thermal conductivity is used to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
The relationship between short-term memory, conflict resolution, and sentence comprehension impairments in aphasia

Background: Sentence comprehension involves the integration of multiple linguistic representations. This integration can be especially challenging when different cues lead to conflicting interpretations. Short-term memory (STM) and conflict resolution are two processes that have been previously linked to sentence comprehension and could assist in integration. However, the relation of each process to comprehension independently of the other has not been fully clarified.Aims: We tested two patients with contrasting STM and conflict resolution profiles in different sentence comprehension tasks to evaluate the relationship between the three abilities.Methods & Procedures: Patients completed (a) six STM tasks that tested either span or updating; (b) two executive function tasks that tested conflict resolution; and (c) three tasks that evaluated sentence comprehension.Outcomes & Results: The patient with poorer STM and better conflict resolution had variable success in sentence comprehension that was co...
The effect of frailty on short-term outcomes after head and neck cancer surgery

Objective To determine the relationship between frailty and comorbidity, in-hospital mortality, postoperative complications, length of hospital stay (LOS), and costs in head and neck cancer (HNCA) surgery. Study design Cross-sectional analysis. Methods Discharge data from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample for 159,301 patients who underwent ablative surgery for a malignant oral cavity, laryngeal, hypopharyngeal, or oropharyngeal neoplasm in 2001 to 2010 was analyzed using cross-tabulations and multivariate regression modeling. Frailty was defined based on frailty-defining diagnosis clusters from the Johns Hopkins Adjusted Clinical Groups frailty-defining diagnosis indicator. Results Frailty was identified in 7.4% of patients and was significantly associated with advanced comorbidity (odds ratio [OR] = 1.5[1.3-1.8]), Medicaid (OR = 1.5[1.3-1.8]), major procedures (OR = 1.6[1.4-1.8]), flap reconstruction (OR = 1.7[1.3-2.1]), high-volume hospitals (OR = 0.7[0.5-1.0]), discharge to a short-term facility (OR = 4.4[2.9-6.7]), or other facility (OR = 5.4[4.5-6.6]). Frailty was a significant predictor of in-hospital death (OR = 1.6[1.1-2.4]), postoperative surgical complications (OR = 2.0[1.7-2.3]), acute medical complications (OR = 3.9[3.2-4.9]), increased LOS (mean, 4.9 days), and increased mean incremental costs ($11,839), and was associated with higher odds of surgical complications and increased costs than advanced comorbidity. There was a significant interaction between frailty and comorbidity for acute medical complications and length of hospitalization, with a synergistic effect on the odds of medical complications and LOS in patients with comorbidity who were also frail. Conclusion Frailty is an independent predictor of postoperative morbidity, mortality, LOS, and costs in HNCA surgery patients, and has a synergistic interaction with comorbidity that is associated with an increased likelihood of medical complications and greater LOS in patients with comorbidity who are also frail. Level of evidence 2c. Laryngoscope, 128:102-110, 2018.
Strong ductile bulk tungsten

Abstract Tungsten has long faced the problem of limited to no ductility in bulk polycrystalline form, due in part to the low energy needed for intergranular fracture. This limited ductility can be overcome through processing by dramatically reducing the cross sectional area following a conventional temperature step-down method that improves ductility through elongation of grain boundaries and development of a {110} fiber texture along the length of the material. While this technology is over 100 years old, little progress has been made to improve the ductility of bulk material. In the current investigation plastically deformed bulk tungsten was observed to have a room temperature tensile ductility between 17% and 23% total elongation at failure in bend specimens, and a flexural yield strength near ~ 3 GPa. This improvement in ductility following multipass equal channel angular extrusion processing appears to be caused by a similarity in microstructure and texture to that of ductile tungsten wire. The onset temperature for transition to noticeable ductility is seen to decrease dramatically with the level of plastic strain. The results indicate that severe plastic deformation processing at low homologous temperatures may be an effective way to improve the ductility and toughness of bulk tungsten and other brittle crystalline metals.
The Needle-Less Treatment of Pain and Anxiety in the Pediatric Patient

We recognize the possibility of a needle stick can be an overwhelming fear for a child. We seek to review the needle-less options available to medical personnel for the treatment of pain and anxiety in children. We found that many new needle-less options exist for the treatment of pain and anxiety. Pharmacological measures, beyond the oral and enteral routes of medication administration, include intra-nasal and topical routes. Non-pharmacological treatments, including distraction techniques and oral sucrose for infants, are increasingly being recognized as viable treatments as the scientific community begins to study the effects these interventions can have on pediatric pain. There are many options to treat pediatric pain and anxiety that do not involve the use of a needle. Using needle-less methods of treatment helps pediatric care providers send a message of partnership with children and families.
FuseIC3: An algorithm for checking large design spaces

The design of safety-critical systems often requires design space exploration: comparing several system models that differ in terms of design choices, capabilities, and implementations. Model checking can compare different models in such a set, however, it is continuously challenged by the state space explosion problem. Therefore, learning and reusing information from solving related models becomes very important for future checking efforts. For example, reusing variable ordering in BDD-based model checking leads to substantial performance improvement. In this paper, we present a SAT-based algorithm for checking a set of models. Our algorithm, FuseIC3, extends IC3 to minimize time spent in exploring the common state space between related models. Specifically, FuseIC3 accumulates artifacts from the sequence of over-approximated reachable states, called frames, from earlier runs when checking new models, albeit, after careful repair. It uses bidirectional reachability; forward reachability to repair frames, and IC3-type backward reachability to block predecessors to bad states. We extensively evaluate FuseIC3 over a large collection of challenging benchmarks. FuseIC3 is on-average up to 5.48× (median 1.75× ) faster than checking each model individually, and up to 3.67× (median 1.72×) faster than the state-of-the-art incremental IC3 algorithm.
Effects of Azospirillum brasilense and Pseudomonas fluorescens on nitrogen transformation and enzyme activity in the rice rhizosphere

Azospirillum brasilense (A. brasilense) and Pseudomonas fluorescens (P. fluorescens) have long been known to benefit inoculated rice plants, but their effects on nitrogen (N) transformations and enzyme activities in the rice rhizosphere are unclear. This study explored whether A. brasilense and P. fluorescens are involved in modifying N transformations, N-supplying capacity, and enzyme activities in the rice rhizosphere, and the performance of rice biomass after inoculation with A. brasilense and P. fluorescens was also evaluated. Rice inoculation was conducted under pot culture conditions in 2014 and 2015, and the experiment included four treatments: a control (CT), rice seedling roots inoculated with A. brasilense (Mb), rice seedling roots inoculated with P. fluorescens (Mp), and rice seedling roots inoculated with a mixture of A. brasilense and P. fluorescens (Mbp). The rice variety used in this trial was Zhongzheyou 1 (Indica). To explore the effects of A. brasilense and P. fluorescens strains on N transformations and enzyme activities in the rice rhizosphere, N fertilizer was not applied in this trial, while the full doses of P (150 mg P2O5 per pot) and K (320 mg K2O per pot) were applied. Inoculating the rice rhizosphere with A. brasilense and P. fluorescens greatly improved the ammonification activities in the soil, and the effects were more favorable in the Mbp treatment. However, the contribution of inoculation to the nitrification activity in the rhizosphere was poor. Compared to CT, the average mineralized N content in the Mbp, Mb, and Mp treatments was increased by 165.7, 110.2, and 88.5%, respectively. Co-inoculation with A. brasilense and P. fluorescens in the rice rhizosphere greatly increased the nitrogenase activities in the soil, and inoculating with A. brasilense alone in the rice rhizosphere also showed good results. The microbial biomass N and enzyme activities were positively related to the N transformations in the soil. Finally, rice biomass increased greatly after A. brasilense and P. fluorescens inoculation in the rhizosphere. Inoculating A. brasilense and P. fluorescens in the rice rhizosphere accelerated N transformations and improved the N-supplying capacity of the rhizosphere soil, and increased rice biomass. The most beneficial effects were observed with A. brasilense and P. fluorescens co-inoculation in the rice rhizosphere.
Outcomes and Direct Costs of Inferior Vena Cava Filter Placement and Retrieval within the IR and Surgical Settings.

Abstract Purpose To compare the outcomes and costs of inferior vena cava (IVC) filter placement and retrieval in the interventional radiology (IR) and surgical departments at a tertiary-care center. Materials and Methods Retrospective review was performed of 142 sequential outpatient IVC filter placements and 244 retrievals performed in the IR suite and operating room (OR) from 2013 to 2016. Patient demographic data, procedural characteristics, outcomes, and direct costs were compared between cohorts. Results Technical success rates of 100% were achieved for both IR and OR filter placements, and 98% of filters were successfully retrieved by IR means, compared with 83% in the OR ( P P = .02). There was no significant difference between cohorts in the incidences of complications for filter retrievals, but more postprocedural complications were observed for OR placements (8%) vs IR placements (1%; P = .05). The most severe complication occurred during an OR filter retrieval, resulting in entanglement of the snare device and conversion to an emergent open filter removal by vascular surgery. Direct costs were approximately 20% higher for OR vs IR IVC filter placements ($2,246 vs $2,671; P = .01). Conclusions Filter placements are equally successfully performed in IR and OR settings, but OR patients experienced significantly higher postprocedural complication rates and incurred higher costs. In contrast, higher technical success rates and shorter fluoroscopy times were observed for IR filter retrievals compared with those performed in the OR.
Incorporating Longitudinal Comorbidity and Acute Physiology Data in Template Matching for Assessing Hospital Quality: An Exploratory Study in an Integrated Health Care Delivery System.

OBJECTIVE We sought to build on the template-matching methodology by incorporating longitudinal comorbidities and acute physiology to audit hospital quality. STUDY SETTING Patients admitted for sepsis and pneumonia, congestive heart failure, hip fracture, and cancer between January 2010 and November 2011 at 18 Kaiser Permanente Northern California hospitals. STUDY DESIGN We generated a representative template of 250 patients in 4 diagnosis groups. We then matched between 1 and 5 patients at each hospital to this template using varying levels of patient information. DATA COLLECTION Data were collected retrospectively from inpatient and outpatient electronic records. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS Matching on both present-on-admission comorbidity history and physiological data significantly reduced the variation across hospitals in patient severity of illness levels compared with matching on administrative data only. After adjustment for longitudinal comorbidity and acute physiology, hospital rankings on 30-day mortality and estimates of length of stay were statistically different from rankings based on administrative data. CONCLUSIONS Template matching-based approaches to hospital quality assessment can be enhanced using more granular electronic medical record data.
Effective Hamiltonian models of the cross-resonance gate

Effective Hamiltonian methods are utilized to model the two-qubit cross-resonance gate for both the ideal two-qubit case and when higher levels are included. Analytic expressions are obtained in the qubit case and the higher-level model is solved both perturbatively and numerically, with the solutions agreeing well in the weak-drive limit. The methods are applied to parameters from recent experiments and, accounting for classical cross-talk effects, results in good agreement between theory and experimental results.
Exposure-Response Association Between Concurrent Opioid and Benzodiazepine Use and Risk of Opioid-Related Overdose in Medicare Part D Beneficiaries.

Importance Concurrent benzodiazepine use is associated with an increased risk of opioid-related overdose; however, it remains unknown how the overdose risk varies with the days of exposure to both medications. Objective To evaluate the exposure-response association between the days with concurrent prescription opioid and benzodiazepine use and the risk of overdose. Design, Setting, and Participants Retrospective cohort study of Medicare Part D claims data from January 1, 2013, to December 31, 2014. Analyses were conducted in fall 2017 and spring 2018. Participants were Medicare Part D beneficiaries who filled at least 1 prescription for an opioid in 2014. Exposures Patients were divided into 2 groups based on whether they had opioid and benzodiazepine supplies on the day before overdose or censoring. The first group only had a supply of opioids (n = 50 583) and the second group had supplies of opioids and benzodiazepines (n = 20 665). The second group was further categorized into 4 subgroups based on the cumulative number of days with overlapping supplies of opioids and benzodiazepines: 1 to 90 days (n = 3603), 91 to 180 days (n = 2930), 181 to 270 days (n = 4082), and 271 days or more (n = 10 050). Main Outcomes and Measures Cox proportional hazard models were constructed to compare opioid-related overdose (including fatal and nonfatal overdoses) across time-dependent treatment groups, controlling for demographic characteristics, insurance factors, clinical characteristics, and number of unique opioid and benzodiazepine prescribers. Results Of 71 248 total participants, 25 600 (35.9%) were male and 59 532 (83.6%) were white. Mean (SD) age was 66.5 (14.8) years. On the day before overdose or censoring event, 20 665 of 71 248 patients with an opioid prescription (29.0%) were concurrently using benzodiazepines and 14 132 of 20 665 concurrent users (68.4%) had more than 180 days of overlapping supplies of both medications. The risk of overdose was highest on the first days of concurrent opioid and benzodiazepine use and decreased over time; compared with opioid use alone, the hazard ratio for overdose was 5.05 (95% CI, 3.68-6.93) during the first 90 days of concurrent opioid and benzodiazepine use and 1.87 (95% CI, 1.25-2.80) for days 91 to 180 among those who did not have an event before 90 days. Conclusions and Relevance During the first 90 days, concurrent benzodiazepine use is associated with a 5-fold increase in the risk of opioid-related overdose. The implementation of policies deterring concurrent opioid and benzodiazepine use is warranted. Patients using both medications should be closely monitored, particularly during the first days of concurrent use.
Treatment of Aspergillus fumigatus infection with posaconazole delayed-release tablets.

Purpose A pediatric patient with cystic fibrosis (CF) was successfully treated for Aspergillus fumigatus infection with posaconazole delayed-release tablets. Summary A 13-year-old, 29-kg, Caucasian boy with CF was admitted to the hospital for a pulmonary exacerbation. The patient had a history of multiple hospital admissions and was colonized with methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus, Stenotrophomonas maltophilia , and A. fumigatus . The patient was started on piperacillin–tazobactam 2.8 g (piperacillin 2 g and tazobactam 0.8 g) i.v. every 6 hours (400 mg/kg/day) and tobramycin 400 mg i.v. every 24 hours (13.7 mg/kg/day). After 2 weeks of therapy and therapeutic tobramycin concentrations, doxycycline 75 mg given orally twice daily was continued due to lack of clinical improvement. After 2 additional weeks of therapy, the patient was started on posaconazole delayed-release tablets 300 mg given orally daily with the evening meal due to concern about A. fumigatus colonization and a further decline in forced expiratory volume in 1 second to 37%. The posaconazole trough concentration was 1,500 ng/mL after 5 days of therapy. As this level was within the goal range, posaconazole was continued, with a plan to periodically check the trough level, pulmonary function, and liver function. The patient’s liver function values remained stable throughout therapy. The patient’s appetite improved and weight increased. Once the patient’s weight exceeded 35 kg, his dosage of posaconazole delayed-release tablets was increased to 400 mg daily. His pulmonary function improved during posaconazole therapy, and A. fumigatus was eradicated. Posaconazole was discontinued after 9 months of therapy. Conclusion A 13-year old patient with CF was successfully treated for an A. fumigatus infection with posaconazole delayed-release tablets.
Structured gradient boosting

The goal of many machine learning problems can be formalized as the creation of a function that can properly classify an input vector, given a set of examples of that function. While this formalism has produced a number of success stories, there are notable situations in which it fails. One such situation arises when the class labels are composed of multiple variables, each of which may be correlated with all or part of the input or output vectors. Such problems, known as structured prediction problems, are common in the fields of information retrieval, computational linguistics, and computer vision, among others. In this dissertation, I will discuss structured prediction problems and some of the previous approaches to solving them. I will then present a new algorithm, structured gradient boosting, that combines strong points of previous approaches while retaining their generality. More specifically, the algorithm will combine some of the notions of margin maximization present in support vector methods with the speed and flexibility of the structured perceptron algorithm. Finally, I will show a number of novel ways in which this algorithm can be applied effectively, highlighting applications in learning by demonstration and music information retrieval.
Acute colonic pseudo-obstruction complicated by cecal perforation in a patient with Parkinson's disease

Acute colonic pseudo-obstruction (Ogilvie's syndrome) is characterized by physical examination and radiologic findings indicative of mechanical obstruction but in which no physical obstructive process can be found. Many factors have been associated with this syndrome which include electrolyte imbalance, systemic infection, drugs, and occasionally, neurologic disease. Reported here is a case of acute colonic pseudo-obstruction which developed in a patient with known Parkinson's disease and was complicated by cecal perforation, yet had a favorable outcome.
Every Picture Tells a Story: Digital Video and Photography Issues in Business Ethics Classrooms

Digital video and photography are becoming aspects of everyday business activities, allowing for the quick modification and distribution of images. From development of websites to the editing of a single photograph on a desktop PC, people are using digital images in many business contexts. However, important business ethics issues are emerging concerning the malleability and veracity of digital images as well as their rapid dissemination on the Internet. Activities with digital video and photography in business ethics classrooms can underscore a number of philosophical and moral concerns involving the nature of perception and documentation as well as surveillance. The era of video and photography as reliable “witnesses” to human interaction is gradually passing; they are becoming recognized as highly malleable media that give photographers wide leeway in modification, leading to issues involving the trustworthiness of photographic documentation in business contexts. Various exercises and scenarios that explore image modification issues are included in this article. Hands-on exercises can also be effective; students who create and subsequently edit digital portraits of themselves in the context of a business ethics class can gain valuable perspectives on role-taking and the ethical implications of deceptive communications.
McKenzie, Dennis J., and Betts, Richard M., Essentials of Real Estate Economics, Fourth Edition

McKenzie, Dennis J., and Betts, Richard M., Essentials of Real Estate Economics, Fourth Edition, Prentice-Hall, 1996. 470 pages. Current real estate literature has reached the stage where empirical estimates need to be interpreted within a coherent theoretical structure. Unfortunately, many practitioners lack theoretical backgrounds, especially in economic theory. Their experience and empirical knowledge would have greater impact in our literature if they would link it to traditional theory. The latest (completely rewritten) edition of Essentials of Real Estate Economics by Dennis J. McKenzie and Richard M. Betts will help them achieve this. It contains lucid descriptions of the comprehensive set of economic and financial theories most useful in real estate analysis, even to readers who are new to both subjects. It will therefore serve both as a basic text and reference book. The work is composed of four parts. The first two parts focus on the traditional urban theories. In the second half of the text, the authors present an economic view of real estate development and investment, subjects that generally appear only in finance and real estate texts. A primer on economic principles in presented on part one. The basic ideas in both micro and macroeconomics that students need to understand real estate applications are set forth. A sequence of chapters describes the Federal Reserve System and how the regulation of interest rates affects real estate markets. The unit concludes with a comparison between general theoretical and actual real estate markets. The general theory is extended to include this unique "imperfect" type of market. This first part is a great introduction to real estate for economists and provides a concise review of economics for those who were primarily trained in other disciplines. Part II develops the traditional urban subjects: community development, growth, and land use patterns. This unit is organized by the various types of land use: residential housing, commercial, industrial, rural, and recreational. The economic factors that determine values in each sector are carefully described. In addition, a range of topics from employment growth to transportation theory and spatial location is developed to explain urban growth. The effects of neighborhood preservation and governmental housing programs on metropolitan and suburban growth patterns are also considered. This second part is a concise, well-organized presentation of urban economics. It includes an appropriate balance of national, regional, and local neighborhood issues. …
Mobile app technology is associated with improved otolaryngology resident in-service performance.

Objective Otolaryngology residents face time-management challenges between clinical duties and self-directed learning. Mobile devices provide a new medium for education that could aid with educational efficiency. The objective of this study was to investigate whether spaced repetition mobile app use of an otolaryngology question bank was associated with improving factual knowledge as measured by in-service exam performance. Methods For approximately 6 months prior to the 2016 in-service examination, 12 otolaryngology residents at a single institution were provided access to a spaced-repetition app with a preloaded licensed otolaryngology review question bank. The number of questions answered, as well as the time spent on the app, were electronically tracked. The associations of app usage on in-service results were analyzed using an autoregressive model adjusted for prior historical Otolaryngology Trainee Examination performance and postgraduate year. Results Eleven residents used the mobile app and were included in the analysis for an average of 304 minutes (range: 3 to 1,020) and reviewed on average 679 questions (range: 6 to 1,934). Controlling for residency year and prior performance, app usage was associated with an improvement by 2.92 percentage points (pp) (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.14, 5.70) on overall in-service score. Allergy and pediatric subsection scores improved by 11.3 pp (95% CI: 3.8, 18.8) and 15.2 pp. (95% CI: 8.9, 21.5), respectively. Increased app use was associated with a score improvement by 0.008 pp per minute of use (95% CI: 0.004, 0.012). Conclusion Use of mobile spaced-repetition technology can aid resident factual knowledge retention measured by improved in-service exam performance. Level of evidence 4 Laryngoscope, 129:E15-E20, 2019.
A Qualitative Investigation of PE Teachers Perceptions of Introductory/Warm-up Activities in K-12 PE

A physical education lesson usually consists of four parts (introductory activity, fitness component, lesson focus, and closing game). The first part of the lesson, the introductory/warm-up activities, has the potential to set the tone for the rest of the lesson. It also provides an opportunity for students to get into instant activity upon entering the gym or playing field. This study investigated physical education (PE) teachers’ perceptions of introductory/warm-up activities in their physical education lessons. For this study, 26 K–12 PE teachers were interviewed through an electronic survey, which was e-mailed to the participants. Analysis of the interview data revealed four themes concerning introductory/warm-up activities: (1) importance of introductory/warm-up activities in a PE lesson, (2) the practical nature of the introductory/warm-up activities, (3) how introductory/ warm-up activities benefit students, and (4) using music to enhance the introductory/warm-up activities. Data show that introductory/ warm-up activities are an important aspect of any PE lesson that PE teachers use to prepare their students for the rest of the activities for the lesson. Subscribe to TPE
Multi-resolution single-cell state characterization via joint archetypal/network analysis

Dissecting the cellular heterogeneity embedded in single-cell transcriptomic data is challenging. Although a large number of methods and approaches exist, robustly identifying underlying cell states and their associations is still a major challenge; given the nonexclusive and dynamic influence of multiple unknown sources of variability, the existence of state continuum at the time-scale of observation, and the inevitable snapshot nature of experiments. As a way to address some of these challenges, here we introduce ACTIONet, a comprehensive framework that combines archetypal analysis and network theory to provide a ready-to-use analytical approach for multiresolution single-cell state characterization. ACTIONet uses multilevel matrix decomposition and network reconstruction to simultaneously learn cell state patterns, quantify single-cell states, and reconstruct a reproducible structural representation of the transcriptional state space that is geometrically mapped to a color space. A color-enhanced quantitative view of cell states enables novel visualization, prediction, and annotation approaches. Using data from multiple tissues, organisms, and developmental conditions, we illustrate how ACTIONet facilitates the reconstruction and exploration of single-cell state landscapes.
Photoacoustic imaging with nanoparticle contrast media

Photoacoustic imaging combines the high temporal and spatial resolution of ultrasound with the good contrast and spectral nature of optics. This techniques is “light in/sound out” as opposed to traditional “sound in/sound out” ultrasound. In this lecture, I will present three case studies that highlight the power of photoacoustic imaging to address the needs of the medical community. First, I will describe our work using photoacoustics to guide therapy in treating multidrug-resistant bacteria. Second, I will discuss our efforts in oral health including improved transducers for minimally invasive exams. Finally, I will detail photoacoustic imaging with a wearable transducer for therapeutic drug monitoring of heparin.Photoacoustic imaging combines the high temporal and spatial resolution of ultrasound with the good contrast and spectral nature of optics. This techniques is “light in/sound out” as opposed to traditional “sound in/sound out” ultrasound. In this lecture, I will present three case studies that highlight the power of photoacoustic imaging to address the needs of the medical community. First, I will describe our work using photoacoustics to guide therapy in treating multidrug-resistant bacteria. Second, I will discuss our efforts in oral health including improved transducers for minimally invasive exams. Finally, I will detail photoacoustic imaging with a wearable transducer for therapeutic drug monitoring of heparin.
On the nature and number of isomorphism classes of the minimal ring extensions of a finite commutative ring

Let (A, M) be any finite local (nonzero commutative unital) ring. Then the set of A-algebra isomorphism classes represented by (equivalently, consisting of) rings B such that A⊂B is a decomposed (m...
Quadrupling the N95 Supply during the COVID-19 Crisis with an Innovative 3D-Printed Mask Adaptor

The need for personal protective equipment during the COVID-19 pandemic is far outstripping our ability to manufacture and distribute these supplies to hospitals. In particular, the medical N95 mask shortage is resulting in healthcare providers reusing masks or utilizing masks with filtration properties that do not meet medical N95 standards. We developed a solution for immediate use: a mask adaptor, outfitted with a quarter section of an N95 respirator that maintains the N95 seal standard, thereby quadrupling the N95 supply. A variety of designs were 3D-printed and optimized based on the following criteria: seal efficacy, filter surface area and N95 respirator multiplicity. The final design is reusable and features a 3D-printed soft silicone base as well as a rigid 3D-printed cartridge to seal one-quarter of a 3M 1860 N95 mask. Our mask passed the computerized N95 fit test for six individuals. All files are publicly available with this publication. Our design can provide immediate support for healthcare professionals in dire need of medical N95 masks by extending the current supply by a factor of four.
Focused Live Programming with Loop Seeds

Live programming is a paradigm in which the programmer can visualize the runtime values of the program each time the program changes. The promise of live programming depends on using test cases to run the program and thereby provide these runtime values. In this paper we show that in some situations test cases are insufficient in a fundamental way, in that there are no test inputs that can drive certain incomplete loops to produce useful data, a problem we call the loop-datavoid problem. The problem stems from the fact that useful data inside the loop might only be produced after the loop has been fully written. To solve this problem, we propose a paradigm called Focused Live Programming with Loop Seeds, in which the programmer provides hypothetical values to start a loop iteration, and then the programming environment focuses the live visualization on this hypothetical loop iteration. We introduce the loop-datavoid problem, present our proposed solution, explain it in detail, and then present the results of a user study.
Reoperative Cervical Endocrine Surgery: Appropriate Valuation for the Time and Effort?

Abstract Background Controversies currently exist regarding the best way to appropriately quantify complexity and to benchmark reimbursement for surgeons. This study aims to analyze surgeon reimbursement in primary and redo-thyroidectomy and parathyroidectomy using operative time as a surrogate for complexity. Methods A retrospective analysis using the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database was performed to identify patients who underwent primary and redo-thyroidectomy and parathyroidectomy. Calculations of median operative time work relative value units per minute and dollars per minute were compared between primary and redo procedures. Results Thyroidectomy cases represented 53.5% (22,521 cases), and the other 46.5% (19,596 cases) were parathyroidectomy cases. The median dollars per minute in primary thyroidectomy was $4.97 and for redo-thyroidectomy was $8.12 (P Conclusions By Current Procedural Terminology codes, surgeons appear to be appropriately reimbursed for redo-thyroid and parathyroid procedures indexed to first time parathyroidectomy based on the compensated operative time of these procedures calculated using a nationally representative sample.
Work in Progress: Towards Usable Updates for Smart Home Devices

Background. Smart home device updates are important tools for remediating security vulnerabilities.
Children’s Acquisition of Morphosyntactic Variation

This article presents a developmental pathway for the acquisition of morphosyntactic variation. Although there is abundant evidence that morphosyntactic variation is pervasive among adults, much le...
Overwintering Developmental Stages of Emerald Ash Borer in North Carolina

The invasive woodboring beetle emerald ash borer Agrilus planipennis Fairmaire (Coleoptera: Buprestidae) first was detected in the US in 2002 near Detroit, Michigan, USA. Since then it has continued to expand its range into the southern and midwestern sections of the country. Emerald ash borer was discovered in North Carolina, USA, in 2013, and is currently reported from more than 60 counties in the state. The present study was undertaken to begin determining the phenology of emerald ash borer in its newly expanded range below 40 °N latitude in North America. Here we report 4 yr of data on the overwintering stages of emerald ash borer in north-central North Carolina, obtained by debarking infested trees harvested from a single site near the northern border with Virginia, USA, with 1-yr additional data from a site about 39 km away. Results indicated that most emerald ash borers overwinter as fourth instars, with a small proportion advancing to the J-larva stage. Parasitoids that emerged from cocoons collected from emerald ash borer galleries and from logs held in emergence cages also were identified. These Hymenoptera include specimens of Xorides (Exomus) humeralis (Say) (Ichneumonidae), Atanycolus cf. cappaerti Marsh and Strazanac (Braconidae), Balcha indica (Mani & Kau) (Eupelmidae), Spathius sp. Nees (Braconidae), and Wroughtonia sp. Cameron (Braconidae).
Pregnancy prevention and unintended pregnancy across gender identity: a cross-sectional study of college students

Using data from the Fall 2015 through Spring 2018 National College Health Assessment, we examined receipt of pregnancy prevention information and unintended pregnancy by gender identity among participants aged 18–25years who were assigned female at birth (n=185658). Non-binary students were more likely than cisgender students to report wanting (adjusted risk ratio [ARR]: 1.12; 95% CI: 1.08–1.16), receiving (ARR: 1.09; 95% CI: 1.04–1.13), and having an unmet need for (ARR: 1.10; 95% CI: 1.02–1.19) pregnancy prevention information from their school. Transmasculine students did not significantly differ from cisgender students for these outcomes. Non-binary and transmasculine students were as likely as cisgender students to have a past-year unintended pregnancy. Non-binary and transmasculine young people are at risk for unintended pregnancy and need access to comprehensive sexual education, reproductive health counseling, and care.
Lagrangian based methods for coherent structure detection

There has been a proliferation in the development of Lagrangian analytical methods for detecting coherent structures in fluid flow transport, yielding a variety of qualitatively different approaches. We present a review of four approaches and demonstrate the utility of these methods via their application to the same sample analytic model, the canonical double-gyre flow, highlighting the pros and cons of each approach. Two of the methods, the geometric and probabilistic approaches, are well established and require velocity field data over the time interval of interest to identify particularly important material lines and surfaces, and influential regions, respectively. The other two approaches, implementing tools from cluster and braid theory, seek coherent structures based on limited trajectory data, attempting to partition the flow transport into distinct regions. All four of these approaches share the common trait that they are objective methods, meaning that their results do not depend on the frame of reference used. For each method, we also present a number of example applications ranging from blood flow and chemical reactions to ocean and atmospheric flows.
Evaluation Methods in Face Recognition

The heart of designing and conducting evaluations and is the experimental protocol. The protocol states how an evaluation is to be conducted and how the results are to be computed. In this chapter we concentrate on describing the FERET and FRVT 2002 protocols. The FRVT 2002 evaluation protocol is based in the FERET evaluation protocols. The FRVT 2002 protocol is designed for biometric evaluations in general, not just for evaluating face recognition algorithms. These two evaluation protocol served as a basis for the FRVT 2006 and MBE 2010 evaluations.
Potential of fungi as biocontrol agents of polyphagotarsonemus latus (Acari: Tarsonemidae)

Infection of broad mites, Polyphagotarsonemus latus, by conidia of Beauveria bassiana, Hirsutella thompsonii, and Paecilomyces fumosoroseus conidia was investigated in the laboratory under controlled temperature and moisture conditions. Infection of P. latus by the fungus (LC50) was related positively to the 1.16 × 106 B. bassiana conidia per ml, 2.39 × 103 H. thompsonii conidia per ml, and 1.29 × 105 P. fumosoroseus conidia per ml. Mortality caused by B. bassiana occurred the fastest among densities fluctuating between 65 and 125 mites per leaf.
The Culture of Cell Culture

Culturing Life . How Cells Became Technologies. By Hannah Landecker . Harvard University Press, Cambridge, MA, 2007. 288 pp. $35, £22.95, €32.30. ISBN 9780674023284. Landecker explores how culturing cells has changed our understanding of individuality, immortality, life, and technology.