cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pulse-Echo Ultrasound Imaging Using an AlN Piezoelectric Micromachined Ultrasonic Transducer Array With Transmit Beam-Forming

This work demonstrates short-range and high-resolution ultrasonic imaging using 8 MHz aluminum nitride (AlN) piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducer (PMUT) arrays, which are compatible with complementary metal-oxide semiconductor circuitry and wafer-level mass manufacture. Because AlN has a low dielectric constant, the PMUTs have low capacitance and a custom 1.8 V interface application-specified integrated circuit with on-chip charge-pump (1.8 to 32 V) is capable of providing sufficient output current to drive the PMUT array. Transmit beam-forming is used to produce a $90~\mu \text{m}$ focused acoustic beam-width. A pressure map measured with a needle hydrophone agrees with finite element method-simulations. Finally, 1-D and 2-D pulse-echo imaging was conducted using metal targets. [2015-0236]
The current status of the Stanford randomized clinical trials of the management of Hodgkin’s disease

Randomized trials designed to improve the management of patients with Hodgkin’s disease were initiated at Stanford University in 1962. These studies tested different irradiation programs for patients with Clinical Stages (CS) I, II and III disease. In 1967 the study for patients with Stages IA and IIA was modified utilizing more extensive radiation fields and as of July 1968 routine diagnostic exploratory laparotomy and splenectomy.
Abstract 1949: Proliferation of cell lines from pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas and ductal epithelia are stimulated by acute and chronic exposure to nicotine and ethanol via modulation in neurotransmitter production

Pancreatic cancer is the leading cause of cancer mortality in both men and women in western countries due to its unresponsiveness to available therapeutics. It is well documented that smoking, diabetes and pancreatitis from chronic alcohol consumption are risk factors for this type of cancer. More than 95% of pancreatic cancers are pancreatic ductal adenocarcinomas (PDACs) that arise from pancreatic ductal epithelia. Our lab has previously shown that nicotine stimulates the proliferation and migration of human small airway epithelial cells and the adenocarcinomas derived from them in vitro due to nicotine induced changes in the sensitivity of the nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. Such changes caused an increase in the production and secretion of excitatory neurotransmitters, but decreased the production and secretion of inhibitory neurotransmitter γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA). In analogy to these findings in lung cells, both nicotine and ethanol stimulated cell proliferation in PDAC cell lines Panc-1 and BXPC-3 and in immortalized pancreatic duct epithelial cells HPDE6-C7. Acute and chronic treatment of all cell lines with nicotine or ethanol alone and in combination significantly increased the production of noradrenaline and adrenaline by the cells while significantly reducing GABA production. Western blots are currently underway to assess the potential modulation of nicotinic receptor protein expression as well signaling pathways. Our findings suggest a potential role for these pathways contributing to the development of smoking and alcohol related pancreatic carcinogenesis and may result in the identification of novel targets for the prevention and therapy of this malignancy. Supported by R01CAo42829 with the National Cancer Institute. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1949. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-1949
Fabrication of Copper Indium Diselenide Nanowires

We report on the fabrication of copper indium diselinide nanowires (CIS NWs), using a non vacuum and low cost template-assisted technique. Highly ordered nanoporous alumina templates (AAO), a few microns thick were prepared by two-step anodization in either 0.3 M oxalic acid or 3 % sulfuric acid at room temperature. Standardized 2D AAO templates with average length of 2.5 µm and pore size ranging from 8 nm to 40 nm were fabricated. A combination of voltage ramping and pore opening in phosphoric acid was applied to remove the oxide barrier layer at the bottom of the pore in order to expose aluminum, which was used as conducting substrate for electrodeposition. CIS was deposited into the nanoporous AAO by pulse cathodic electodeposition from an aqueous acidic mixture. The electrodeposited nanowires had diameter ranging up to 40 nm depending on the dimension of the template. The nanostructured CIS/AAO were annealed in various atmospheres: (i) in vacuum at 230°C for several hours and (ii) in flowing argon gas at temperatures ranging from 300°C to 600°C for a few minutes. The nanowire composition was analyzed by energy dispersive X-ray (EDX) spectroscopy. High resolution transmission electron microscopy and X-ray diffraction revealed a preferred [112] orientation.
Investigating Hydrogen-Bonded Phosphonic Acids with Proton Ultrafast MAS NMR and DFT Calculations

Hydrogen-bonding plays a key role in the structure and dynamics of a wide range of materials from small molecules to complex biomolecules. 1H NMR has emerged as a powerful tool for studying hydrogen-bonding because the proton isotropic chemical shift exhibits a dependence on the interatomic distances associated with the hydrogen bond. In the present work, we illustrate the use of ultrafast magic angle spinning at high magnetic field (800 MHz) for resolving multiple hydrogen-bonding sites in a set of crystalline phosphonic acids that contain various functional groups (−COOH, −PO3H2, and −NH3+). Trends are observed between the proton chemical shift of the hydrogen-bonded proton and the associated hydrogen-bonding distances (O–H···X) from X-ray crystallography. Density functional theory calculations conducted on the phosphonic acid structures illustrate that the experimental proton chemical shift dependence on hydrogen-bond distance agrees with the expected theoretical trends. Further, it is shown that the c...
On the Original Feeding Habits of the Hemiptera (Insecta)

The argument is presented that prohemipterans were originally phytophagous and terrestrial rather than carnivorous and hygrophilous as proposed by Cobben. The association of plesiomorphic Heteroptera with aquatic habitats is paralleled by other primitive insect taxa, such as the Ephemeroptera, Odonata, Plecoptera, Megaloptera, Trichoptera, and primitive Diptera and Coleoptera. The frequent restriction of old lineages to such special habitats and habits is a natural consequence of the competitive displacement of old lineages by advanced lineages. The protohemipteran mouthparts are seen as evolving through phytophagy. In this scenario, the protohomopteran lineages exploited sap-feeding and retained an opisthorrhynchous head. The protoheteropteran lineage evolved a prognathous head and gula as an adaptation to searching out and feeding on plant tissues high in nitrogen, buds, seeds, fruits, meristems, etc. The heteropterous feeding strategy then readily evolved carnivorous lineages which variously preserved plesiomorphic character conditions, such as seen in Dipsosocoridae, Saldidae, Enicocephalidae, and the Gerromorpha. The ancestral phytophagous stemgroup was eliminated through competition with advanced phytophagous Heteroptera. This would explain the common presence of the salivary sheath fluid in both Homoptera and pentatomomorphan Heteroptera as a single evolutionary event occurring before the divergence of the suborders.
On Establishing and Strengthening the System to Punish and Prevent Corruptions

It is an issue of great strategic significance to establish and strengthen the system to punish and prevent corruptions,which emphasizes on education,regulation and supervision.We should hold firmly the regulations of Chinese Communist Party and the regulations to punish and prevent corruptions.Moreover,we should insist on the correct guidelines and focus on the regulations to implement power.Furthermore,we should know how to recognize and deal with all sorts of relationships and regard reform and creation as our motivation.Thus we can do the basic work well.
Pre-assessment on Occupational Hazard for The Sixth Generation Thin Film Transistor Liquid Crystal Displays Project in A Company

Objective To identify and analyze the potential occupational hazard factors that may exist in the sixth generation thin film transistor liquid crystal displays(LCD) project for a company,evaluate the risk degree,determine the hazard classification of this construction project,evaluate the feasibility of this project from the point of prevention and treatment of occupational diseases.Method Based on the occupational hygienic investigation,the assessment data and the occupational health surveillance record of the fifth generation product,the sixth generation product was evaluated by analogical analysis.Results It was classified as severe occupational hazard project.The result showed that this project corresponded to design and hygienic requirements basically in site location,overall plane layout,illuminance design used to provide artificial illumination in the workshop,production technology and equipment allocation,the facilities of sound-proof,anti-poison and emergency rescue for the prevention.Conclusion This project was feasible from the angle of prevention and treatment of occupational diseases.
Do wealthier neighborhoods have better conditions for walking? A comparison study in Springfield, Massachusetts, USA

Abstract A growing literature supports a link between characteristics of the neighborhood environment and the extent to which neighborhood residents engage in physical activity such as walking and biking. This study modified an existing integrated index for operationalizing walkability using parcel-level information. This study examined six neighborhoods in Springfield, Massachusetts, in Western New England, and took into account the prevalence of vacant housing and the relatively high crime rates in the city to create two modified walkability indices. These indices were tested against field investigations of the neighborhoods to verify other characteristics, such as the presence of graffiti and litter.
Non-steady wind turbine response to daytime atmospheric turbulence.

Relevant to drivetrain bearing fatigue failures, we analyse non-steady wind turbine responses from interactions between energy-dominant daytime atmospheric turbulence eddies and the rotating blades of a GE 1.5 MW wind turbine using a unique dataset from a GE field experiment and computer simulation. Time-resolved local velocity data were collected at the leading and trailing edges of an instrumented blade together with generator power, revolutions per minute, pitch and yaw. Wind velocity and temperature were measured upwind on a meteorological tower. The stability state and other atmospheric conditions during the field experiment were replicated with a large-eddy simulation in which was embedded a GE 1.5 MW wind turbine rotor modelled with an advanced actuator line method. Both datasets identify three important response time scales: advective passage of energy-dominant eddies (≈25–50 s), blade rotation (once per revolution (1P), ≈3 s) and sub-1P scale ( This article is part of the themed issue ‘Wind energy in complex terrains’.
Animal cell mutants defective in heparan sulfate polymerization.

Proteoglycans mediate diverse cellular processes by interacting with a variety of protein ligands. Some of these interactions depend on the proteoglycan core protein, but most involve electrostatic interactions with the glycosaminoglycan chains attached to the core protein (Jackson et al., 1991; Kjellen and Lindahl, 1991; Esko, 1991). These latter interactions depend on the composition and arrangement of monosaccharide residues in the chains, which in turn depend on the glycosyltransferases, sulfotransferases, and epimerases that catalyze chain polymerization and modification. Thus, the biological activity of proteoglycans is intimately related to the regulation of glycosaminoglycan biosynthesis.
A current and vibration based detection system for lightning strikes on transmission towers

The current work proposes a method and circuitry for a lightning strike detection system with current and vibration detecting features. A Rogowski coil is used for current detection, which can be placed around a conductor where the lightning current is expected to flow. The method also provides means of ascertaining which tower is closest during the moment of the strike through use of a dual-axis accelerometer by making use of the vibration at the moment of the strike and correlating that with the detected current. A small scale prototype was built that performed adequately and was in line with the theoretical and simulation results.
Academic-Community Partnership Development to Enhance Program Outcomes in Underserved Communities: A Case Study.

Purpose: A community-academic partner­ship was developed to assess community needs and restructure a variety of commu­nity-based programs that provide services to underserved communities in New Orleans, Louisiana. Methods: The community and academic partners utilized five phases to assess com­munity needs and restructure programs: 1) meetings; 2) narrowing the scope of community programs; 3) data collection and analysis; 4) emphasizing target programs; and 5) improving sustainability through grant submissions and grant development training. Results: Survey data were collected and analyzed pre- and post-community-academic partnership between November 2014-November 2016 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The data supported the need for community-based programs run by a community organization known as the Dillard University Office of Community and Church Relations (OCCR). The survey results showed that community members expressed interest in: screenings for chronic diseases, such as diabetes; attending exer­cise classes at local churches; attending fi­nancial management workshops; and health fairs run by the community organization. In the future, screenings, workshops, health fairs, as well as exercise and diet programs, will take place at all churches participating in the community-based, umbrella program, Churches in Unity program. Conclusion: A formal community-academic partnership, involving the assignment of an academic liaison, restructured programs for a community partner to better serve the needs of a community that is at-risk for a multitude of obesity-related health problems faced by underserved communities. Ethn Dis. 2017;27(Suppl 1):321-328; doi:10.18865/ed.27.S1.321.
EDA3.0: Implications to Logic Synthesis

Warehouse-scale computing has taken hold in many disciplines that have large computing needs. The concepts discussed in “The Datacenter as a Computer” are the underpinning of these huge compute centers. Big Data Analytics and Cognitive applications such as machine learning have benefitted tremendously from the availability of warehouse-scale computing [1]. A rich stack of software has been built to enable more powerful applications without a need to know all underlying details.
Patients, offspring provide pediatricians with the best CME

Dear Colleagues, I hope it9s obvious by now that one of the themes of my presidency is family . While the resolutions of the Chapter Forum have certainly urged me on, the foundations were set during my medical education, particularly by some of the families with whom I worked. Etched in my mind is one harried mother who informed me that I really couldn9t teach her how to raise her children unless I was raising children of my own, So, for that and other reasons, I have two children, and from them I have learned a great deal.
Biomimetic Approach to the Design of Selective Oxoanion Receptors for Use in Membrane-Based Potentiometric Sensors

The need to selectively recognize and complex ions and molecules is common in many areas of science and industry. Nature’s ability to selectively detect or sense specific compounds in a variety of ways and under many different conditions has long been the source of inspiration in the application and development of recognition-based chemistry. Biofunctional membranes present one such example where polymeric membranes can be designed with a desired function by using or mimicking natural chemical recognition systems. The components found in living organisms that have selective recognition features (i.e., proteins, enzymes, membrane systems, sensory neurons, etc.) have been the subject of much intense study. The rapid, selective, and sensitive response of natural sensory systems that employ recognition chemistry can serve as a model in the development of biosensors. This includes mimicking natural receptors,1 antibiotics,2,3 and even olfactory membranes4 to accomplish desired tasks. One group has successfully immobilized double-helical DNA directly onto an electrode surface and obtained a biosensor that responded selectively to DNA-binding substances (via intercalation) as well as to magnesium ion.5 The applications which await the development of novel biosensors cover a wide range of disciplines, including environmental, medical, industrial, and other venues of research.
Glucagon as a hypocalcemic and hypophosphatemic agent in the rat.

Subcutaneously injected glucagon at the optimal dose of 800 μg per kg produces hypocalcemia of 1.1 ± 0.21 mg per 100 ml, ½ hr after administration in intact rats. As little as 40 μg per kg also elicit hypocalcemia, but to a lesser degree. Thyrocalcitonin, also at optimal dosage, causes twice as great a decrease in serum calcium with maximum effect 1 hr after injection. Although glucagon produces hyperglycemia at ½ hr, throcalcitonin has no effect on serum glucose. When administered to the same animals, the two agents are additive in their effect on serum calcium and phosphate. The suggested mechanism of glucagon-induced hypocalcemia in the rat involves a site in the gastrointestinal tract other than the stomach, while the hypophosphatemic effects of glucagon are expressed primarily through the kidneys, and perhaps also through the stomach. Other mechanisms for the hypocalcemia and hypophosphatemia observed after glucagon are not ruled out.
Freehand allograft aortic valve replacement and aortic root replacement. Utility of intraoperative echocardiography and Doppler color flow mapping.

Seventeen consecutive patients undergoing 20 planned aortic valve replacements with allograft valves at Stanford University Medical Center were studied with intraoperative epicardial echocardiography and Doppler color flow mapping before and after cardiopulmonary bypass. Native aortic valves were replaced in 12 of the 20 patients, and eight patients underwent second aortic valve procedures. In 17 of 20 patients allograft selection was guided by prebypass echocardiographic estimates of annular diameter and/or length of allograft aortic root required. Other prebypass findings included unanticipated severe mitral regurgitation in one patient (which precluded allograft aortic valve replacement), left-to-right shunts in five patients, ascending aortic dissection in one, and aortic root disease necessitating coronary reimplantation or bypass in two. Postbypass echocardiography demonstrated acceptable competency of 18 of 19 allograft valves (mild or no aortic insufficiency). Postbypass echocardiography also documented successful repair of four of five shunts and mild mitral regurgitation in 15 of 19 patients (versus 11 of 19 before bypass). Conclusions: Intraoperative echocardiography-Doppler mapping is a useful adjunct for allograft aortic valve or aortic root replacement; it allows confident selection of appropriate tissue size before aortic crossclamping, which minimizes delay from allograft thawing procedures. It also provides helpful information about the extent of aortic root disease and coronary ostial anatomy before bypass, confirms allograft competency after bypass, and detects accompanying valvular and other hemodynamic lesions before and after allograft valve replacement.
SHEAR STRESS AND SEDIMENT TRANSPORT IN UNSTEADY TURBULENT FLOWS

ABSTRACT Predictions of sediment transport rates in coastal waters often display large errors. The source of the error is in part the result of insufficient attention to the character of the shear stress field in unsteady-nonuniform flows. A review of available laboratory and field data is used to show that shear stress magnitude and distribution will vary in response to the sense and amplitude of the horizontal pressure gradient. The response appears sufficient to alter both bed and suspended load transport. The consistency of the data indicates that present predictive techniques, based on uniform flow data, should be modified so as to permit inclusion of probable pressure gradient effects.
La mantilla entre tradición y modernidad: moda, género y cultura material en la España de los siglos XVIII y XIX

El presente articulo explora desde una perspectiva interdisciplinaria la interseccion entre moda, cultura material y genero a traves de la ubicua presencia de la mantilla en la prensa y en la literatura espanola del siglo XIX, si bien con una introduccion pictorica a la mantilla en la pintura del siglo XVIII. Tomando como punto de partida varios estudios teorico-criticos referentes a la cultura material y a la relevancia sociopolitica de la moda –particularmente la moda femenina– la autora explora hasta que punto la mantilla, este articulo de ropa tan asociado con la imagen de una Espana tradicionalista, se convierte en el siglo XIX en un emblema discursivo y un simbolo controversial en una Espana dividida entre las convenciones del pasado y la modernidad. A traves del estudio de la importancia sociocultural, estetica y politica de esta prenda, el articulo demuestra claramente hasta que punto una prenda de vestir femenina puede convertirse en un objeto de lectura antropologica al revelar los valores y contradicciones de una sociedad, una nacion y una epoca.
Design Considerations and Performance Test for SiC MOSFET Based 1000V / 1.5MHz Pulse Power Inverter

SiC device has supreme switching performance over Si device which helps to shrink the power converter filter size and improve the converter power density. In pulse power supply area, without the tight thermal dissipation limitations, higher voltage and higher frequency can be achieved. In this paper, a 1000V/1.5MHz 80kVA pulse power inverter is developed. Its design considerations and performance in such voltage and frequency level are discussed.
Fighting Back: Institutional Strategies to Combat the Opioid Epidemic: A Systematic Review:

BackgroundCurrent research on opioid use within orthopedic surgery has focused on efforts to identify patients at risk for chronic opioid use. Studies addressing prevention of opioid misuse related...
Using 'Code Words': A simple gamification technique to guide students to instructor personalized resources

The purpose of this article is to offer ideas using a simple gamification technique of the ?code word? to connect students to vital classroom content and or personalized instructor materials. However, there is no value in this material if instructors are unable to guide their students to it. Gamification can provide ways to engage students in seeking out these beneficial resources that can help them be successful in the course.
The role of grain boundary sliding and reinforcement morphology on the creep deformation behaviour of discontinuously reinforced composites

In this study, the role of grain boundary sliding behaviour on the creep deformation characteristics of discontinuously reinforced composites is investigated numerically together with the other influencing parameters: reinforcement aspect ratio, grain size and interfacial behaviour between the reinforcement and the matrix. The results obtained for the composites are compared with results obtained for a polycrystalline matrix material having identical grain size and morphology. The results indicate that, with sliding grain boundaries, the stress enhancement factor for the composites is much higher than the one observed for the matrix material and its value increases with increasing reinforcement aspect ratio, reduction in the matrix grain size and sliding interfacial behaviour between the reinforcement and the matrix. In the composites, the contribution of the grain boundary sliding to overall steady state creep rates occurs in a larger stress range in comparison to the matrix material. Experimentally observed higher creep exponent values or stress dependent creep exponent values for the composites could not be explained solely by the mechanism of grain boundary sliding. However, experimentally observed large scale triple point grain boundary cavitation in the composites could occur due to large grain rotations resulting from grain boundary sliding.
Effect of artificial vagina lubricants on stallion sperm quality.

Abstract Commercially available vaginal lubricants, typically labeled as non-spermicidal, are used to lubricate equine artificial vaginas prior to semen collection. Improper type or amount of lubricant might affect stallion sperm quality, either after short-time exposure or following cooled storage of extended semen previously exposed to lubricant. The aim of this study was to evaluate stallion sperm quality following exposure to lubricant-containing extender for 1 h (T1h) or 24 h (T24h). Three ejaculates were collected from each of four stallions using a small volume of petrolatum to lubricate artificial vaginas, and gel-free semen was diluted to 30 × 106 sperm/mL in extender containing: no lubricant (control), or 1 or 5% (v/v) HR® Lubricating Jelly (HR1 or HR5); K-Y® Jelly (KY1 or KY5); Therio-gel® (TG1 or TG5); Priority Care® Sterile Lubricating Jelly (PC1 or PC5); or Clarity® A.I. Lubricating Jelly (CL1 or CL5). Sperm were evaluated at T1h and T24h for percentages of: total and progressive sperm motility (TMOT and PMOT); curvilinear velocity (VCL; μm/s); and straightness (STR; %); viable acrosome intact sperm (VAI); sperm with abnormal DNA (COMP-αt); viable lipid peroxidation negative sperm (VLPN); and sperm with no detectable DNA oxidative injury [8OHdG(−)]. Following short-term exposure of sperm to lubricants, KY5 reduced TMOT, PMOT, VCL, VAI, VLPN, and COMP-αt in comparison with controls (i.e., P 0.05), except for VCL. Following long-term exposure, KY5 decreased TMOT, PMOT, VCL, VAI, VLPN, and COMP-αt as compared to controls (i.e., P 0.05). Overall, lubricant KY was the most detrimental to sperm quality, with most profound changes detected at a 5% concentration. Lubricants CL and HR were generally similar to controls and were less affected by lubricant concentration.
A Rare Case of Unilateral Foix-Chavany-Marie Syndrome

Background: Bilateral anterior opercular syndrome, or Foix-Chavany-Marie Syndrome (FCMS), is a neurological condition characterized by bilateral anterior opercular lesions. Common presenting symptoms of this rare suprabublar palsy include dysarthria, or slurred speech, as well as paralysis of facial, pharyngeal, lingual, and masticatory voluntary muscles while autonomic function is preserved.1 Most cases of FCMS are bilateral, yet some rare cases have been reported with unilateral opercular lesions with preexisting contralateral white matter lesions.2 In this case report we present a rare case of unilateral FCMS in a patient who had an acute anterior left opercular infarct, as well as a residual right parietal subcortical stroke. Project Methods: The patient we present is a 49 year old African American female with a history of hypertension and previous stroke with residual spastic right hemiplegia who presented to the ED for evaluation of right sided facial droop, right sided weakness, and slurred speech. Patient was evaluated by acute stroke team and was treated with intravenous thrombolysis (Alteplase). On hospital day 2, the patient developed complete disarticulation, unable to produce any speech but able to communicate by appropriate gestures and writing. The patient’s symptoms included anarthria, weakness of bilateral masseters, and lateral/medial pterygoids without dysphagia. Results: The MRI brain showed left insular region/frontal opercular ischemic stroke and a small right parietal subcortical ischemic stroke, likely embolic in nature. Over the hospital stay, the patient’s motor function improved but her anarthria persisted. These radiologic findings along with the symptomology proved consistent with FCMS. She was discharged to home with an NIH stroke scale of 5 and recommended outpatient speech therapy. Conclusion: In this case report, we describe a patient that presents with an extremely rare case of unilateral FCMS, with a preexisting contralateral parietal infarct that could have collectively caused anarthria and masseter weakness. Works Cited 1. Milanlioglu A, Aydin MN, Gokgul A, Hamamci M, Erkuzu MA, Tombul T. Ischemic Bilateral Opercular Syndrome. Case Reports in Medicine. 2013;2013:1-3. doi:10.1155/2013/513572. 2. Sa F, Cordeiro IM, Mestre S, Nzwalo H. Unilateral opercular infarction presenting with FoixChavany-Marie syndrome. Case Reports. 2014;2014. doi:10.1136/bcr-2014-206439.
Contemporary trends and outcomes in aortic valve replacement in patients with end-stage liver disease.

OBJECTIVE Even in high-risk trials pertaining to transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR), patients with end-stage liver disease (ESLD) have been under-represented. We sought to study this population group from a large national United States population database. METHODS We used National Inpatient Sample (NIS) database from January 2005 to August 2015. Patients with ESLD were extracted using Goldberg's algorithm. Propensity match analysis was done for comparative analysis between surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) and TAVR groups. Logistic regression analysis was used for predictors of in-hospital mortality. RESULTS Out of 309,959 ESLD patients, 1,375 underwent aortic valve replacement and 1,199 patients were included in our study. Mean age was 66.1 (SD, 9.1) years. In matched data, the in-hospital mortality was 5.5% in TAVR group when compared to 19.4% in SAVR group. Ventilator use (16.1 vs. 27.2%, p < .01), tracheostomy (<4 vs. 7.2%, p < .01), and vasopressin use (0 vs. 7.4%, p < .01) were utilized less in TAVR group as compared to SAVR group. The proportion of TAVR has increased from almost zero in 2011 to 51.3% in 2015. Mean cost for hospital stay has increased in SAVR group (from 254,427$ in 2005 to 321,791$ in 2015, p < .01). Similarly, a large decrease in length of stay has been observed for TAVR group (14.5 days in 2011 to 5.4 days in 2015, p < .01). TAVR (odds ratios [OR]: 0.42, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.20-0.87, p = .02) was associated with lower in-hospital mortality. CONCLUSION TAVR was associated with lower in-hospital mortality, morbidity, and resource utilization in high-risk ESLD patients.
Engineered composite tissue as a bioartificial limb graft

The loss of an extremity is a disastrous injury with tremendous impact on a patient's life. Current mechanical prostheses are technically highly sophisticated, but only partially replace physiologic function and aesthetic appearance. As a biologic alternative, approximately 70 patients have undergone allogeneic hand transplantation to date worldwide. While outcomes are favorable, risks and side effects of transplantation and long-term immunosuppression pose a significant ethical dilemma. An autologous, bio-artificial graft based on native extracellular matrix and patient derived cells could be produced on demand and would not require immunosuppression after transplantation. To create such a graft, we decellularized rat and primate forearms by detergent perfusion and yielded acellular scaffolds with preserved composite architecture. We then repopulated muscle and vasculature with cells of appropriate phenotypes, and matured the composite tissue in a perfusion bioreactor under electrical stimulation in vitro. After confirmation of composite tissue formation, we transplanted the resulting bio-composite grafts to confirm perfusion in vivo.
Unexpected electrochemical behavior of an anolyte redoxmer in flow battery electrolytes: solvating cations help to fight against the thermodynamic–kinetic dilemma

Redoxmers are redox-active molecules that can store energy in electrolytes for redox flow batteries (RFBs), and their electrochemical properties are significantly affected by the choice of supporting electrolytes. Herein, we use 2,1,3-benzothiadiazole (BzNSN) as a model system to scrutinize the supporting electrolyte impact. By systemically varying the components of supporting salts, BzNSN not only shows substantial redox potential shifts but also exhibits varying electrochemical stabilities. Specifically, changing the size of cations can effectively alter the coordination between the supporting salt and BzNSN species. From Li+, Na+, K+, to NEt4+, the redox potential of BzNSN shifts negatively, from −1.63 V to −1.82 V vs. Ag/Ag+. Molecular dynamics and density functional theory simulations revealed that smaller cations, like Li+, are closer to the charged BzNSN when coordinated, implying stronger coordination, while larger cations, like K+ and NEt4+, are farther away. Interestingly, the large cation electrolytes also lead to much improved electrochemical stability, evidenced by the extraordinarily enhanced kinetic lifetime from electron paramagnetic resonance measurement. This study demonstrates the first example of tuning an anolyte redoxmer toward a concurrent improvement of lowered redox potentials AND enhanced calendar lives via solvation means, which is usually constrained by the thermodynamic–kinetic relation.
There is no 'Swiss Army Knife' of thermal indices: the importance of considering 'why?' and 'for whom?' when modelling heat stress in sport.

Combining extreme heat with exercise increases the risks of exertional heat illness, impairs performance and imposes thermoregulatory strain on athletes.1 What is the best way to monitor heat stress and strain in athletes? Wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT)—a direct environmental measure—coupled with activity modification, has long been used in sports, occupational safety and the military.2 Because of its longevity, it has well-known benefits (eg, simple to calculate/measure; integrates multiple weather variables) and limitations (eg, underestimation of stress of restricted evaporation; poor incorporation of clothing/adjustment factors).3 4 Practical decisions, such as cancelling an event or implementing countermeasures for heat, depend not only on the environmental conditions, but on the nature and length of the activity itself (eg, marathon vs beach volleyball), clothing and athlete anatomical characteristics. In recent decades, additional heat metrics that are derived from human energy balance models (eg, the physiological equivalent temperature (PET) and the Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI)) have been introduced and increasingly applied, even for sporting events.5 These more comprehensive heat indices are designed to provide more meteorologically dynamic outputs to predict heat stress. However, they have their own limitations for sporting applications due to simplified and non-modifiable physiological/behavioural factors that are not sport-specific in their available formats. Does our field of sport-related environmental physiology need to expand the arsenal of heat monitoring tools–both measurements and models–beyond indices that have been simplified for general applications? This editorial calls attention to the considerations and the potential misuse of thermal indices applied in outdoor sport settings. A simple thermal index with few inputs might seem useful for clinical purposes. However, it is critical to understand the underlying assumptions and …
Corporate Responsibility for Wealth Creation and Human Rights: a Book Project

As it is seen, this work is actually an unpublished materials regarding a book project. In this book I attempt to argue for a radically new understanding of the ethics of business enterprises or “corporate responsibility” in the global context. It is new in three respects. First, the purpose of the economy is defined as creating wealth in a comprehensive sense. As a consequence, business enterprises as primarily economic entities are called to pursue this purpose that lies beyond maximizing profit or adding value. Second, business enterprises operate in an increasingly interconnected world. They consist of human beings and affect human beings from the local to the global level. To evaluate their impact, we have worldwide standards stipulated in international agreements: the human rights including civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights and the right to development. With the United Nations Framework (2008) and the United Nations Guiding Principles on Business and Human Rights (UN 2011) business enterprises have become accountable in a new way – in addition to States – for their impact on human rights. Third, not only individual business people but also business enterprises as organizations – independent of the duties of nation-states – carry moral obligations regarding human rights. This means that moral (and not only legal) obligations are attributed to organizations understood as moral actors (but not as moral persons). Without such theoretical underpinning, it would not make sense to talk of environmental, social or economic responsibilities of corporations.
Investigating Potential Light-duty Efficiency Improvements through Simulation of Turbo-compounding and Waste-heat Recovery Systems

Modern diesel engines used in light-duty transportation applications have peak brake thermal efficiencies in the range of 40-42% for high-load operation with substantially lower efficiencies at realistic road-load conditions. Thermodynamic energy and exergy analysis reveals that the largest losses from these engines are due to combustion irreversibility and heat loss to the coolant, through the exhaust, and by direct convection and radiation to the environment. Substantial improvement in overall engine efficiency requires reducing or recovering these losses. Unfortunately, much of the heat transfer either occurs at relatively low temperatures resulting in large entropy generation (such as in the air-charge cooler), is transferred to low-exergy flow streams (such as the oil and engine coolant), or is radiated or convected directly to the environment. While there are significant opportunities for recovery from the exhaust and EGR cooler for heavy-duty applications, achieving similar benefits for light-duty applications is complicated by transient, low-load operation at typical driving conditions and competition with the turbocharger and aftertreatment system for the limited thermal resources. We have developed an organic Rankine cycle model using GT-Suite to investigate the potential for efficiency improvement through waste-heat recovery from the exhaust and EGR cooler of a light-duty diesel engine. The modelmore » is used to examine the effects of efficiency-improvement strategies such as cylinder deactivation, use of advanced materials and improved insulation to limit ambient heat loss, and turbo-compounding on the steady-state performance of the ORC system and the availability of thermal energy for downstream aftertreatment systems. Results from transient drive-cycle simulations are also presented, and we discuss strategies to address operational difficulties associated with transient drive cycles and balancing the thermal requirements of waste-heat recovery, turbocharging or turbo-compounding, and exhaust aftertreatment.« less
Constraining the unexplored period between the dark ages and reionization with observations of the global 21 cm signal

Observations of the frequency dependence of the global brightness temperature of the redshifted 21 cm line of neutral hydrogen may be possible with single dipole experiments. In this paper, we develop a Fisher matrix formalism for calculating the sensitivity of such instruments to the 21 cm signal from reionization and the dark ages. We show that rapid reionization histories with duration $\ensuremath{\Delta}z\ensuremath{\lesssim}2$ can be constrained, provided that local foregrounds can be well modeled by low order polynomials. It is then shown that observations in the range $\ensuremath{\nu}=50--100\text{ }\text{ }\mathrm{MHz}$ can feasibly constrain the $\mathrm{Ly}\ensuremath{\alpha}$ and x-ray emissivity of the first stars forming at $z\ensuremath{\sim}15--25$, provided that systematic temperature residuals can be controlled to less than 1 mK. Finally, we demonstrate the difficulty of detecting the 21 cm signal from the dark ages before star formation.
Peace Agreements and Conflict Resolution: The Sierra Leone Experience

Conflict resolutions are set to bring peace and stability, especially when it comes to ending a war, as exemplified in the case of Sierra Leone. History has shown that this method has led to many peace agreements that were either effective or ineffective. Historically, Sierra Leone has witnessed several peace agreements in the last decades, and has been proven to be vain, and failed to seek reconciliations. This study examines the Lome Peace Agreements and the Abidjan Peace Accord signed between the Sierra Leone People's Party (SLPP) government of Ahmad Tejan Kabbah, and the Revolutionary United Front (RUF) rebel group led by Foday Sankoh to find a resolution to the Sierra Leone Civil War from 1991 to 2002. This study analyzes the causes and culpabilities of why peace agreements in Sierra Leone failed to address the reasons behind the phenomenon of the war. Thus, this paper hypothesizes that the Sierra Leone peace agreements from 1996 to 1999, was unsuccessful because 1) the SLPP government failed to understand the divergence amongst the rebels in Sierra Leone, 2) RUF rebel leader Foday Sankoh had a heterogeneous agenda, and 3) Sierra Leone government soldiers were double-crossing the SLPP government of Ahmad Tejan Kabbah.
Synthesis of the labeled gibberellin, GA9‐17‐14C

GA9-17-14C was synthesized by introducing 14C into GA9-17-norketone by the Wittig reaction. The NMR and mass spectra of free GA9 and GA9-17-norketone are presented. The diphenylmethyl-14C-phosphine oxide is formed as a byproduct.
An object-oriented architecture for intelligent tutoring systems

We describe an object-oriented architecture for intelligent tutoring systems. The architecture is oriented around objects that represent the various knowledge elements that are to be taught by the tutor. Each of these knowledge elements, called bites, inherits both a knowledge organization describing the kind of knowledge represented and tutoring components that provide the functionality to accomplish standard tutoring tasks like diagnosis, student modeling, and task selection. We illustrate the approach with several tutors implemented in our lab.
Hyperphagia and Polydipsia in Socially Isolated Rhesus Monkeys

Three rhesus monkeys which had been isolated from social contact during their first year of life persistently overate and overdrank during adulthood. These monkeys ingested approximately twice as much fluid and food as the control animals reared normally.
Conditional payments and self-protection

Self-protection can be financed either by upfront payments or by conditional payments (or contingent fees) in which individuals pay a provider only when a favorable outcome is realized. We find that, from the vantage point of a risk-averse individual, conditional payments welfare dominate upfront payments in the state-independent framework, but upfront payments welfare dominate conditional payments in the state-dependent framework. Moreover, more risk aversion always implies more self-protection under conditional payments, for both state-independent and state-dependent frameworks. In contrast, it has been previously argued that more risk aversion does not necessarily imply more self-protection under upfront payments.
Ion sources and implantation systems

Abstract Ion implantation makes possible unique metal surface characteristics that have found widespread applications. The still developing implanter technology offers a variety of systems suited to different purposes. The types of ion source are described in terms of attributes which influence the choise of a source for a particular application. Extractors are discussed to a lesser extent, and other system parts are mentioned briefly. Although present semiconductor ion implanters deliver 10–20 mA, the technology can be extended easily to over 100 mA, especially when mass analysis is not required. For large-area applications, the ion source can be one of several designs based on magnetic cusp confinement of a plasma containing the ion of interest.
Cultural Problems in Minority Education: Their Interpretations and Consequences--Part Two: Case Studies.

Culture has featured prominently in minority educational research, policies, and intervention since the early 1960s. It is receiving even more attention today in minority education discourse due to the emergence of cultural diversity and multicultural education as popular national issues. A careful analysis of the new discourse suggests, however, that the issue has shifted from how cultural differences enhance or deter the school adjustment and academic performance of minority children to the problem of cultural hegemony and representation in school curriculum and other domains of education. In my two-part essay I argue for a reconsideration of the earlier question about how culture affects minority school adjustment and academic performance. In the first part of this essay l (1) argued that there are real cultural differences which confront minority children in school and (2) proposed thecultural frame of reference as a conceptual tool to understand minorities' interpretations of and responses to the cultural problems they encounter. More specifically, I suggested that voluntary minorities who interpret the cultural differences as barriers to be overcome are more successful in crossing cultural boundaries. Involuntary minorities with an oppositional cultural frame of reference are ambivalent in their interpretation of cultural differences as barriers and markers of group identity. They are less successful-in crossing cultural boundaries. In this second part, I will demonstrate my explanations with two case studies: blacks, an involuntary minority group and Chinese Americans, a voluntary minority group.
The sweep constant concept in phase coarsening

An expression for sweep constant originally introduced for grain growth is derived in terms of the parameters of the size distribution. The sweep constant is extended to the phenomenon of phase coarsening. It is shown that a relationship exists between the sweep constant, coarsening rate, and volume fraction of the particles undergoing coarsening.
Protecting privacy in recorded conversations

Professionals in the field of speech technology are often constrained by a lack of speech corpora that are important to their research and development activities. These corpora exist within the archives of various businesses and institutions; however, these entities are often prevented from sharing their data due to privacy rules and regulations. Efforts to "scrub" this data to make it shareable can result in data that has been either inadequately protected or data that has been rendered virtually unusable due to the loss resulting from suppression. This work attempts to address these issues by developing a scientific workflow that combines proven techniques in data privacy with controlled audio distortion resulting in corpora that have been adequately protected with minimal information loss.