cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Asbestos and erionite prime and activate the NLRP3 inflammasome that stimulates autocrine cytokine release in human mesothelial cells

Pleural fibrosis and malignant mesotheliomas (MM) occur after exposures to pathogenic fibers, yet the mechanisms initiating these diseases are unclear. We document priming and activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome in human mesothelial cells by asbestos and erionite that is causally related to release of IL-1β, IL-6, IL-8, and Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF). Transcription and release of these proteins are inhibited in vitro using Anakinra, an IL-1 receptor antagonist that reduces these cytokines in a human peritoneal MM mouse xenograft model. These novel data show that asbestos-induced priming and activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome triggers an autocrine feedback loop modulated via the IL-1 receptor in mesothelial cell type targeted in pleural infection, fibrosis, and carcinogenesis.
The performance of GaAs logic gates in LSI

This paper examines the theoretical performance of GaAs MESFET logic gates and attempts to obtain a realistic comparison of GaAs vs Si devices under typical loading conditions imposed by large random logic arrays. GaAs was found to have a speed advantage of 3-6 over Si, depending on the operating voltage. Normally off type MESFET devices were attractive at gate lengths of 0.5µm, giving loaded delays of 105ps. Logic swings were 600mV requiring a threshold voltage control of ±50mV.
A theoretical model of job retention for home health care nurses

Background. Predicted severe nursing shortages and an increasing demand for home health care services have made the retention of experienced, qualified nursing staff a priority for health care organizations. Aims. The purpose of this paper is to describe a theoretical model of job retention for home health care nurses. Methods. The theoretical model is an integration of the findings of empirical research related to intent to stay and retention, components of Neal's theory of home health care nursing practice and findings from earlier work to develop an instrument to measure home health care nurses’ job satisfaction. Discussion. The theoretical model identifies antecedents to job satisfaction of home health care nurses. The antecedents are intrinsic and extrinsic job characteristics. The model also proposes that job satisfaction is directly related to retention and indirectly related to retention though intent to stay. Individual nurse characteristics are indirectly related to retention through intent to stay. The individual characteristic of tenure is indirectly related to retention through autonomy, as an intrinsic characteristic of job satisfaction, and intent to stay. Conclusions. The proposed model can be used to guide research that explores gaps in knowledge about intent to stay and retention among home health care nurses.
Ultrathin Liquid Lubrication of Magnetic Head-Rigid Disk Interface for Near-Contact Recording: Part I—A Closed-Form Solution to the Reynolds Equation

A closed-form approximate solution to ultrathin and near-zero-pitch liquid lubrication of magnetic head-rigid disk interfaces for near-contact recording is derived. This study focuses on the steady state at the fully flooded rail-disk contact condition. It is assumed that the lubricant in the interface is isoviscous and the slider is in the noroll and no-yaw situation. Simple dimensionless groups of operating factors are identified to facilitate the parametric study of performance. Results of interface geometry effects on load, location of pressure center, friction force, and friction coefficient are presented. Typical distributions of pressure and shear stress at rail surface are also presented. The important effects such as shear thinning and thermal thinning are incorporated by introducing shear thinning and thermal thinning factors. Implementation of these correction factors will be presented in Part II.
Vocal cord dysfunction: beyond severe asthma.

Summary Background Vocal cord dysfunction (VCD) is the abnormal adduction of the vocal cords during inspiration causing extrathoracic airway obstruction. VCD has been described as a confounder of severe asthma. The influence of VCD among less severe asthmatics has not been previously defined. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 59 patients with pulmonologist-diagnosed asthma who were referred for videolaryngostroboscopy (VLS) testing from 2006 to 2007. Results A total of 44 patients had both asthma and VCD. 15 patients had asthma without concomitant VCD. Females were predominant in both groups. Overall, the majority of patients referred for VLS testing had mild-to-moderate asthma (78%) and 72% of these patients had VCD. Few patients from either group had "classic" VCD symptoms of stridor or hoarseness. Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) and rhinitis were common in both groups. Conclusions Vocal cord dysfunction occurs across the spectrum of asthma severity. There was a lack of previously described "classic" VCD symptoms among asthmatics. Symptoms were diverse and not easily distinguished from common symptoms of asthma, highlighting the need for a high index of suspicion for VCD in patients with asthma. Failure to consider and diagnose VCD may result in misleading assumptions about asthma control, and result in unnecessary adjustments of asthma medications. The high prevalence of GERD raises the question of the role of acid reflux in the pathogenesis of VCD in asthmatics.
Welfare Participation and Self-Esteem in Later Life

The purpose of this panel study is to see whether enrolling in a public assistance program is related to changes in self-esteem in later life. A theoretical framework is developed that specifies that older men will be more likely to experience a decline in self-esteem following enrollment in a welfare program. Data from a nationwide longitudinal survey reveal that while receiving welfare benefits is unrelated to self-esteem for all elders taken together, older men experience a substantial decline in their sense of self-worth. In contrast, significant effects fail to emerge among elderly women.
EDUCATION FOR INDIVIDUAL DEVELOPMENT

Education ought to be concerned with the development of personality characteristics such as flexibility, creativity, openness to experience. In this sense, the goals of education parallel those of psychiatry. This paper offers a theory of personality that enables speculation about how such development takes place, and analyzes the experience of a student whose intellectual work in college contributes to his development.
Evaluation of Coated Al Alloy Using the Breakpoint Frequency Method

Abstract Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) was used to study coated Al alloys during long-term exposure in 5 wt% NaCl solution. The breakpoint frequency extracted from Bode plots allows the determination of the electrochemically active area of the sample. It shifts from low to high frequency with increasing exposure time due to the enlargement of the active area. The appearance of a high breakpoint frequency f h , usually in the range of 10 2 to 10 3 Hz, occurred after a certain exposure time associated with a sharp drop of open circuit potential and low frequency impedance, and was accompanied by the visual initiation of corrosion under the coating. The incubation time before f h appears can be used as a criterion to evaluate the performance of chromate primer combined with different surface pretreatments. Optical profilometry analysis was conducted to determine the corroded area of coated sample after long-term exposure. The corroded area of one coating system was very close to, but that of another coating system was much higher than, the electrochemically active area estimated by the breakpoint frequency method, due to the different extent of attack. This indicates that the breakpoint frequency may be only valid for the determination of defect area during the initiation of attack, but probably not for the propagation to large regions of attack.
Phenomenology and HBSE: Making the Connection

A number of postmodern practitioners have turned to theorists such as Foucault, Derrida, and Wittgenstein to inform their intervention efforts. Yet it may be difficult for the average practitioner, or educator teaching HBSE, to make the connection between these theorists and human behavior. Phenomenology, as a theory of ontology, serves as afundamental theory of the postmodern paradigm. As such, phenomenological concepts such as existence and essence, presence and absence, and distinctness and vagueness offer much in illustrating the link between postmodern theories of meaningmaking and intervention efforts seeking change in human behavior.
Early Labor Troubles In The Schuylkill Anthracite District

AS early as 1790 Tench Coxe, the noted economist, wrote of the coal regions of Pennsylvania in his A erican View, as follows: "To the time of the Revolution we depended almost entirely upon wood fuel, of which, in the most populous places, we still have a great abundance, and in all interior situations im mense quantities: but the increase of manufactures has occasioned us to turn our attention to coal. Of this useful fossil, Providence has given us very great quantities in our middle and western country. The vicinity of Wyoming, on the Susquehanna, is one bed of coal. . . On the headwaters of [the] Schuylkill and Lehi [Rivers] are some considerable bodies. At the head of the west ern branch of [the] Susquehanna is a most extensive body which stretches over the country south-westerly, so as to be found in the greatest plenty at Pittsburgh. . . It has been lately discovered in the waters of [the] Nescopeck." It is thus evident that before the end of the eighteenth century the existence of large quantities of coal in Pennsylvania was well known, with the chief areas of deposit already marked. Why then, were another forty years to elapse before this domestic fuel came into common use in the chief centers of population along the Atlantic sea-board ? Two answers suggest themselves: first, that the difficulties in volved in marketing coal made that product a comparatively ex pensive one; second, that people simply preferred to use wood. Though the cheap transportation of coal was indeed a very im portant factor in determining its general use, the great problem of the early miners, even after the completion of the so-called anthracite canals was that of opposition to its use. The primary problem faced by the industry was thus not one of transportation, but rather one of convincing potential customers that the "stone coal" could be used more cheaply and efficiently than wood, and
The unity of caring and the rationality of emotion

Caring is a complex attitude. At first look, it appears very complex: it seems to involve a wide range of emotional and other dispositions, all focused on the object cared about. What ties these dispositions together, so that they jointly comprise a single attitude? I offer a theory of caring, the Attentional Theory, that answers this question. According to the Attentional Theory, caring consists of just two, logically distinct dispositions: a disposition to attend to an object and hence to considerations pertaining to it, and a disposition to respond to the real or apparent reasons those considerations provide. The emotional and other attitudes involved in caring are instantiations of these two, more general dispositions; and these apparently diverse emotional and other dispositions are connected because the real or apparent reasons to which they are dispositions to respond are connected, in structured “packages.” The fact that the reasons to which a caring agent responds are connected in this way provides the basis for an error theory, explaining why it appears as if the emotions involved in caring are governed by rational coherence requirements.
Endometrial thickness appears to be a significant factor in embryo implantation in in-vitro fertilization

To evaluate the role of endometrial thickness and pattern in in-vitro fertilization (IVF), these parameters were prospectively measured in 516 cycles of IVF with embryo transfer at our clinic. Pregnancy and embryo implantation rates were assessed for each mm of endometrial thickness and for each of three endometrial patterns. Embryo implantation, clinical and ongoing pregnancy rates were significantly higher in the patients with an endometrial thickness > 9 mm (24.4, 48.6 and 42.2% respectively) compared with those of 9 mm as well as ring and intermediate endometrial patterns denoted a more favourable prognosis for pregnancy in IVF but thinner endometrium and those exhibiting a solid configuration had an acceptable pregnancy outcome.
Flight Formation of Quad-Copters in Presence of Dynamic Obstacles Using Mixed Integer Linear Programming

This paper proposes the implementation of Mixed Integer Linear Programming (MILP) for efficient path planning of UAVs in various flight formations. The Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) taking part in a cooperative flight are assumed to be equipped with Automatic Dependent Surveillance Broadcast (ADS-B) which enables sharing the flight information with neighboring aircrafts. The design and implementation of the flight formation algorithm have been carried out for a general case, such that multiple UAVs with arbitrarily geographically located base stations can take part in the formation flight and collision avoided path planning. The paper formulates the problem of path of planning in the framework of MILP and proposes a cost function that minimizes time and energy consumption. The performance of the proposed algorithm has been verified via a number of simulations carried out using different scenarios.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Eosinophilic enteritis A case for diagnostic laparoscopy

Eosinophilic enteritis is rare. This report of a single case involving the distal ileum demonstrates the importance of laparoscopy in the diagnosis of this disease. An adequate biopsied segment of intestine can be obtained using complete intracorporeal techniques and three portals. Histiopathologic confirmation will insure proper treatment. The effectiveness of laparoscopy as a diagnostic tool cannot be understated. Surgeons should continue to encourage its use in similar patients with ill-defined abdominal pain, nonspecific laboratory results, and radiographic findings that are inconclusive and do not allow one to initiate appropriate therapy.
Relativistic BWO With Gaussian Radiation Radially Extracted Using an Electromagnetic Bandgap Medium

The importance of the Gaussian microwave beam is the concentration of maximum energy density along its axis. At the open-ended corrugated waveguide, the hybrid mode, HE $_{\mathrm { {11}}}$ , couples to the fundamental free-space Gaussian mode with almost no loss over wide bandwidths. Even though the backward wave oscillator is typically known to radiate circular waveguide TM $_{\mathrm { {0n}}}$ modes, an asymmetric mode can also be generated in these devices. Unfortunately, a cutoff-neck reflector is the only means to effectively reflect an asymmetric wave for radiation. The disadvantage of the cutoff-neck reflector is its proximity to the electron beam, which leads to beam scrape-off and alignment difficulty. In this paper, the novel idea of combining a periodic slow wave structure with an electromagnetic bandgap medium for coupling and extracting a Gaussian radiation pattern is presented.
Collagen and hexosamine content of femurs of rats.

SummaryThe collagen and hexosamine contents of the femurs of growing rats were determined. Regression equations were derived upon the basis that there is a linear relationship between the logarithm of body weight and of femur length and the logarithm of the quantity of collagen and hexosamine. Rate of collagen deposition decreases somewhat as the animal grows. Rate of deposition of hexosamine-containing material, decreases markedly so that the ratio of hexosamine to collagen decreases with growth.
Oviposition Preferences of Pickleworm (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) in Relation to a Potential Push-Pull Cropping Management Approach.

Pickleworm, Diaphania nitidalis Cramer (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), is a major pest of cucurbits. The current management approach for this pest is weekly insecticide applications. A push–pull cropping approach may be an alternative management practice and could reduce reliance on pesticides. One potential push–pull scenario is the use of squash ( Cucurbita pepo L.) as a trap crop and watermelon ( Citrullus lanatus [Thunb.] Matsum. & Nakai) as a deterrent intercrop to manage pickleworm on cantaloupe ( Cucumis melo L.). This study investigated if the underlying mechanism required for the success of this management approach (a female oviposition preference or nonpreference among squash, cantaloupe, and watermelon) is present. A series of oviposition preference experiments was conducted to see how individual females responded when presented with different host plants for oviposition. Under laboratory conditions, when females had the choice of a leaf from squash, cantaloupe, and watermelon, they laid a higher proportion of their eggs on the cantaloupe leaf. However, under greenhouse conditions, when females were presented with whole plants of the three different species, they laid a higher percent of their eggs on the squash plant. Females laid a similar number of eggs on watermelon as compared with cantaloupe under greenhouse conditions, and appeared to not be averse to laying their eggs on watermelon. However, when presented with a noncucurbit, such as bean, females laid a low number of total eggs. Overall, it appears that squash may be more preferred as an oviposition substrate than cantaloupe or watermelon and may be a useful trap crop or pull. Further study to determine a suitable deterrent intercrop or push and evaluation of the proposed system under field conditions are needed.
Exploring the Mechanism of Continuing Education between Petroleum Colleges and Petroleum Enterprises

Based on the urgency of cultivating talented people in the petroleum enterprises,the continuing education has played an important role in the training.The petroleum colleges and enterprises can make good use of their advantages to have the education collectively so that the educational resources and potentials could be exploited successfully,which corresponds to the developing trend and has been proved to be a practicable mode.Therefore,it is necessary to explore the mechanism for carrying out continuing education together between petroleum colleges and enterprises.Moreover,the thesis will elaborate on the following aspects: carrying out such education jointly and improving the quality of training;the "coordination advantages" of the collective mode;forming a sound mechanism of continuing education;promoting the overall effectiveness of the talented people;carrying out continuing education pay attention to the question,and so on.
Medical management of specific clinical presentations

Successful medical treatment of inflammatory bowel disease depends on the judicious use of the therapeutic agents available. This, in turn, depends on the severity of patients' symptoms and the extent and location of the disease. This article describes the drug therapy and approach to specific clinical presentations encountered in patients with ulcerative colitis and Crohn's disease.
Luminal flow rate regulates proximal tubule H-HCO3 transporters.

In vivo microperfusion was used to examine the mechanism of luminal flow rate dependence of proximal tubule acidification. Luminal flow rate was acutely changed between 5 and 40 nl/min, while luminal and peritubular capillary composition were held constant. With inhibition of basolateral membrane base transport by peritubular 4,4'-diisothiocyanostilbene-2,2'-disulfonic acid (DIDS), cell pH (pHi) provides a sensitive index of apical membrane H secretory activity. At a luminal perfusate [HCO3] of 25 mM, progressive increases in luminal flow rate (5----15----25----40 nl/min) caused progressive increases in pHi. This effect was of a smaller magnitude with a luminal perfusate [HCO3] of 60 mM and was further decreased at a luminal perfusate [HCO3] of 100 mM. This pattern of diminished flow rate dependence at higher luminal [HCO3] is consistent with the presence of a luminal unstirred layer, whose composition can be modified by luminal flow rate. The activity of the apical membrane Na-H antiporter, assayed as th...
The priming of word order in second language German

The present study investigates the priming and subsequent production of word order variation (adverb–verb–subject vs. subject–verb–adverb order) with temporal phrases (Experiment 1) and locative phrases (Experiment 2) among intermediate English–German second language learners. Participants exhibited comparable short-term priming for adverb-first word order in both experiments. In the initial baseline phase, participants produced adverb-first sentences with temporal phrases but not locative phrases, and only temporal phrases led to significant long-term priming, as measured in a postpriming phase. This suggests that at lower proficiency levels, long-term, but not short-term, priming may depend on the stability of specific semantically constrained constructions rather than more generalized syntactic representations and that such cumulative effects may be shaped by preferences for a particular construction in the native language.
Novel Annular and Subvalvular Enlargement in Congenital Mitral Valve Replacement

Reparative procedures are not always feasible in congenitally abnormal mitral valves. Mechanical prosthesis has been accepted as the choice for valve replacement in the pediatric population. This report describes a case of congenital mitral valve disease requiring mitral valve replacement. The infant's mitral valve annulus was not amenable to placement of the smallest available mechanical prosthesis. The approach used here for annular and subvalvular enlargement facilitated implantation of a larger prosthesis for congenital mitral valve replacement. Five-year outcomes in a single patient may indicate broader applicability and avoidance of patient-prosthesis mismatch.
Toward understanding spatial dependence on epidemic thresholds in networks

Social influence in online social networks bears resemblance to epidemic spread in networks and has been studied through epidemiological models. The epidemic threshold is a fundamental metric used to evaluate epidemic spread in networks. Previous work has shown that the epidemic threshold of a network is exactly the inverse of the largest eigenvalue of its adjacency matrix. In this work, however, we indicate that such a threshold ignores spatial dependence among nodes and hence underestimates the actual epidemic threshold. Focusing on regular graphs, we analytically derive a more accurate epidemic threshold based on spatial Markov dependence. Our model shows that the epidemic threshold indeed depends on the spatial correlation coefficient between neighboring nodes and decreases with the death rate. Through both analysis and simulations, we show that our proposed epidemic threshold incorporates a certain spatial dependence and thus achieves a greater accuracy in characterizing the actual epidemic threshold in regular graphs. Moreover, we extend our study to irregular graphs by conjecturing a new epidemic threshold and show that such a threshold performs significantly better than previous work.
Comparing Intravenous Insertion Instructional Methods with Haptic Simulators.

Objective. The objective of this review was to compare traditional intravenous (IV) insertion instructional methods with the use of haptic IV simulators. Design. An integrative research design was used to analyze the current literature. Data Sources. A search was conducted using key words intravenous (IV) insertion or cannulation or venipuncture and simulation from 2000 to 2015 in the English language. The databases included Academic Search Complete, CINAHL Complete, Education Resource Information Center, and Medline. Review Methods. Whittemore and Knafl’s (2005) strategies were used to critique the articles for themes and similarities. Results. Comparisons of outcomes between traditional IV instructional methods and the use of haptic IV simulators continue to show various results. Positive results indicate that the use of the haptic IV simulator decreases both band constriction and total procedure time. While students are satisfied with practicing on the haptic simulators, they still desire faculty involvement. Conclusion. Combining the haptic IV simulator with practical experience on the IV arm may be the best practice for learning IV insertion. Research employing active learning strategies while using a haptic IV simulator during the learning process may reduce cost and faculty time.
Assessment of Surgical Learning Curves in Transoral Robotic Surgery for Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Oropharynx.

Importance Transoral robotic surgery (TORS) is increasingly employed as a treatment option for squamous cell carcinoma of the oropharynx (OPSCC). Measures of surgical learning curves are needed particularly as clinical trials using this technology continue to evolve. Objective To assess learning curves for the oncologic TORS surgeon and to identify the number of cases needed to identify the learning phase. Design, Setting, and Participants A retrospective review of all patients who underwent TORS for OPSCC at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center between March 2010 and March 2016. Cases were excluded for involvement of a subsite outside of the oropharynx, for nonmalignant abnormality or nonsquamous histology, unknown primary, no tumor in the main specimen, free flap reconstruction, and for an inability to define margin status. Exposures Transoral robotic surgery for OPSCC. Main Outcomes and Measures Primary learning measures defined by the authors include the initial and final margin status and time to resection of main surgical specimen. A cumulative sum learning curve was developed for each surgeon for each of the study variables. The inflection point of each surgeon’s curve was considered to be the point signaling the completion of the learning phase. Results There were 382 transoral robotic procedures identified. Of 382 cases, 160 met our inclusion criteria: 68 for surgeon A, 37 for surgeon B, and 55 for surgeon C. Of the 160 included patients, 125 were men and 35 were women. The mean (SD) age of participants was 59.4 (9.5) years. Mean (SD) time to resection including robot set-up was 79 (36) minutes. The inflection points for the final margin status learning curves were 27 cases (surgeon A) and 25 cases (surgeon C). There was no inflection point for surgeon B for final margin status. Inflection points for mean time to resection were: 39 cases (surgeon A), 30 cases (surgeon B), and 27 cases (surgeon C). Conclusions and Relevance Using metrics of positive margin rate and time to resection of the main surgical specimen, the learning curve for TORS for OPSCC is surgeon-specific. Inflection points for most learning curves peak between 20 and 30 cases.
The cognitive Stanislavski in the rehearsal hall

Almost a century after he last wrote about the practices and ideas he developed in the rehearsal hall, Stanislavski’s impact is keenly felt in classrooms and productions. Is it even possible to ide...
Improving Ethics Standardization Through Examination

In preparing ethicists with specialized expertise in neurological sciences, institutions should recognize the importance of implementing an examination element when drafting pedagogy. Establishing ...
The Effect of Electrostatic Screening on Energy Positions of Spectra Near SiO2/Si Interfaces

XPS and Auger spectra of thin SiO2 films grown on Si substrates are shifted when compared with those from thick oxide films. The spectral features associated with the SiO2 films are shifted towards lower binding energies as the thickness of the film-decreases. Using an electrostatic image charge calculation it can be shown that a large part of these spectral shifts may simply be due to the proximity of the semiconducting substrate. This brings into question any model of the SiO2/Si interface based on these shifts.
The impact of strategic dissent on organizational outcomes: A meta-analytic integration

Research summary: Strategic dissent represents divergence in ideas, preferences, and beliefs related to ideal and/or future strategic emphasis. Conventional wisdom in strategic management holds that such differences in managerial cognitions lead to higher-quality strategic decisions, and thus to enhanced firm performance. However, 4 decades of empirical research have not provided consistent findings or clear insights into the effects of strategic dissent. Hence, we analyze the relative validity of predictions about these effects from both social psychological theories of group behavior and information processing perspectives on decision-making. Then, we conduct a meta-analytic path analysis (MASEM) based on current empirical evidence. Synthesizing data from 78 articles, we put to rest the notion that strategic dissent leads to positive outcomes for organizations and estimate how negative its effects actually are. Managerial summary: Top management teams (TMTs) set the tone and direction for their firms in important ways. Top managers, however, often disagree over fundamental issues related to strategy. Such strategic dissent affects how important decisions are made, and thus how the firm performs. In more specific terms and contrary to popular belief, strategic dissent creates not only dysfunctional relationships among top managers, but also disrupts the process by which these managers exchange, discuss, and integrate information and ideas in making strategic decisions. In short, firms have not yet generated value through numerous perspectives, ideas, and opinions among their top managers. We discuss interventions that could prove helpful in efforts to benefit from having diverse cognitions in a TMT.
Endosonographic drainage of pancreatic fluid collections and walled-off necrosis

Endosonographic drainage of pseudocysts and walled off necrosis has not been standardized. Drainage of pseudocysts via endosonographic guidance has high rates of technical success via the transmural approach. Alternative modalities including transpapillary endoscopic retrograde pancreatography with pancreatic duct sphincterotomy and pancreatic duct stent placement are options for patients with small pseudocysts and in the presence of pancreatic duct disruption. Drainage of walled off necrosis has a variety of approaches and may require a combination of endoscopic and/or percutaneous techniques to achieve the optimal outcome. Endosonographic drainage of walled off necrosis has lower rates of mortality and morbidity compared to surgical intervention. Several options regarding stent placement exist including the use of fully covered self-expandable metal stents and lumen-apposing metal stents. Depending upon their properties, each type of stent carries its own risk including the risk of migration. The endoscopist performing drainage of these fluid collections must take into account the number and size of these collections as well as the presence and amount of necrotic debris in order to choose the most appropriate technique and equipment in order to achieve optimal outcomes.
Supportive classrooms for Latino English language learners: Grit, ELL status, and the classroom context

Students' academic achievement is the result of the interplay between person-level and contextual factors (R. R: Greene, 2014; D. E. Hunt, 1975). Students perform better when classroom characterist...
Anesthesia for Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement (TAVR) and Other Catheter-Based Intracardiac Procedures

Aortic valve disease, particularly aortic stenosis (AS), is a very common form of valvular heart disease in developed countries (Horne et al., Am Heart J 168:414–423, 2014).
John E. Harris — II. The Clinician

John E. Harris was born in Toledo, Ohio on December 27, 1913 and received his early education there. In 1936 he enrolled in the Graduate School of the State University of Iowa. It was here that John Harris and William Hart, as graduate students, and Kenneth C. Swan, as a resident in Ophthalmology, worked in adjacent laboratories in an isolated corner of the University Hospital in Iowa City. A lasting friendship was established, along with an interest in ophthalmic research. Later, all three were to become Professors and Chairmen of Ophthalmology Departments in American medical schools. John Harris received his Ph.D. in Biochemistry, then carried out research at the State University of Iowa and University of Pennsylvania. This was followed by four years in the Army. In 1946 he joined the Department of Ophthalmology at the University of Oregon Medical School, where Dr. Kenneth Swan had become Chairman. Dr. Harris continued his investigative work as a Research Associate while completing requirements for the degree in medicine, which he received in 1950. Although he devoted considerable time to research, John Harris had the outstanding scholastic record of his medical school class and was elected to the honorary medical society, Alpha Omega Alpha, in his third year.
Effects of noise and age on the infant brainstem response to speech.

Abstract Objective Background noise makes hearing speech difficult for people of all ages. This difficulty can be exacerbated by co-occurring developmental deficits that often emerge in childhood. Sentence-type speech-in-noise (SIN) tests are available clinically but cannot be administered to very young individuals. Our objective was to examine the use of an electrophysiological test of SIN, suitable for infants, to track developmental trajectories. Methods Speech-evoked brainstem potentials were recorded from 30 typically-developing infants in quiet and +10 dB SNR background noise. Infants were divided into two age groups (7–12 and 18–24 months) and examined across development. Spectral power of the frequency following response (FFR) was computed using a fast Fourier Transform. Cross-correlations between quiet and noise responses were computed to measure encoding resistance to noise. Results Older infants had more robust FFR encoding in noise and had higher quiet-noise correlations than their younger counterparts. No group differences were observed in the quiet condition. Conclusions By two years of age, infants show less vulnerability to the disruptive effects of background noise, compared to infants under 12 months. Significance Speech-in-noise electrophysiology can be easily recorded across infancy and provides unique insights into developmental differences that tests conducted in quiet may miss.
Bartonella presenting as branch retinal artery occlusion in a child

Branch retinal artery occlusion (BRAO) is rare in children. Bartonella is a known cause of branch retinal artery occlusion in adults, but it is typically not considered in the differential diagnosis for pediatric BRAO. We present the case of a 12-year old boy with a BRAO caused by a Bartonella henselae infection. This is the youngest such case reported in the literature. Although rare, Bartonella infection may be an important and underrecognized cause of pediatric BRAO.
Quantum-mechanical modeling of divalent cation incorporation into uranium dioxide

Abstract Quantum-mechanical calculations using density functional theory were employed to calculate the incorporation energies of divalent cations (e.g., Mg2+, Ca2+, Sr2+, and Ba2+) in uranium dioxide (UO2). Divalent cations are known to incorporate into the uranium dioxide system, albeit the incorporation mechanism remains unclear. In this work, three charge-balancing mechanisms were evaluated to achieve a net neutral system, including the substitution of (1) a divalent cation for a tetravalent uranium atom and oxygen atom; (2) two divalent cations for a tetravalent uranium atom; and (3) a divalent cation for a tetravalent uranium atom and associated oxidation of two additional tetravalent uranium atoms. Multiple incorporation scenarios were considered for each charge-balancing mechanism to determine the lowest energy case. For the energetically favorable incorporation mechanisms, Sr2+ incorporation is favored over Mg2+, Ca2+, and Ba2+ incorporation by 0.11 eV–0.97 eV. The coupled substitution of two divalent cations for one uranium cation is unfavorable. The mechanism where the substitution of a divalent cation for a U4+ atom is accompanied with the oxidation of two U4+ to U5+ (e.g., ΔEincorp (Sr2+) = −3.63 eV), is the most favorable incorporation mechanism compared to the other mechanisms investigated in this paper. In general, the most favorable case is where the oxidized uranium atoms are located at a first nearest neighbor distance (3.914 A) from the substituted divalent cation and are minimally separated (U5+-U5+ distance = 3.936 A).
Automated optical system alignment and low order wavefront sensing

An automated alignment optical system will greatly simplify alignment tasks, increase the flexibility and utility of reconfigurable optical systems, and allow for the quick and efficient set up distributed optical systems. In this work, we demonstrate automated alignment of a tilted and decentered focal lens using only focal plane imaging by exploiting the aberration effects caused by the misalignment. A Gaussian beam is passed through the lens with 4 degrees of freedom and onto a science camera. The deformation of the spot image is analyzed to determine the tilt and shift misalignments on the lens. Corrections based on these measurements are applied in closed loop to align the system. We discuss various techniques for mitigating measurement errors, characterizing the system and operating the control loop and present results from the experiment.
A Cognitive Reserve and Social Support-Focused Latent Class Analysis to Predict Self-Reported Confusion or Memory Loss among Middle-Aged World Trade Center Health Registry Enrollees.

The World Trade Center Health Registry includes 9/11 survivors who have been surveyed about their health conditions over time. The prevalence of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) remains high among the cohort and is a risk factor for cognitive impairment or dementia. We thus sought to examine the degree to which confusion or memory loss (CML)—potential symptoms of cognitive decline—are occurring among enrollees aged 35–64 years. Cognitive reserve theory suggests that higher levels of education and engaging in cognitively challenging activities can create stronger neural connections, offering protection against cognitive decline. We hypothesized that enrollees with less cognitive reserve would be more likely to report CML. In this study, we: (1) estimated the incidence of CML in our study sample; (2) identified indicators of cognitive reserve (e.g., indicators of educational attainment, social support); and (3) determined whether CML is associated with cognitive reserve level, stratified by PSTD status. First, we described demographics of the study sample (n = 14,574) and probable PTSD status, also stratifying by CML. Next, we conducted a latent class analysis on two groups: those with probable PTSD and those without probable PTSD, creating classes with varying cognitive reserve levels. Finally, using adjusted log binomial models, we predicted risk of CML based on cognitive reserve level. The probable PTSD group (n = 1213) and not probable PTSD group (n = 13,252) each had four latent classes: low, medium-low, medium-high, and high cognitive reserve. In the probable PTSD model, compared to the high cognitive reserve class, those with medium-low cognitive reserve were 35% more likely to report CML (relative risk (RR) = 1.4, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.1, 1.7). Among the not probable PTSD group, those with low and medium levels of cognitive reserve were significantly more likely to report CML (RR = 1.8 and 1.4, respectively). Overall, those with less cognitive reserve were more likely to report CML regardless of PTSD status.
Longithorones, Unique Prenylated Para- and Metacyclophane Type Quinones from the Tunicate Aplidium longithorax

A group of nine farnesylated quinones (1−9) featuring new macrocyclic skeletons formed by farnesyl units bridging the quinones in the meta or para positions have been isolated from a tunicate, Aplidium longithorax. Three of these are monomeric C21 compounds, while the remainder are dimeric C42 products. These meta- and paracyclophane type compounds all show atropisomerism and their biogenesis appears to involve 4 + 2 cycloadditions. Structures were determined by X-ray and spectroscopic analysis.
Novel Therapies for Small Cell Lung Cancer

Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is an aggressive illness with an overall poor prognosis. A large number of therapeutics have been utilized in the past without much success. Cisplatin (or carboplatin) and etoposide are the hallmarks of the therapy. A large number of current novel therapeutics are targeting the immune system, and based on the recent results, nivolumab and atezolizumab have been approved in certain settings. Targeting with antibody conjugates and bispecifics are coming to fruition. Also, downstream targeting with transcription inhibitors such as EZH2 inhibitors, aurora kinase inhibitors, mitochondrial inhibitors of BCL-2, DLL3/DLL4, and stem cell signaling are currently being tested in the clinics. With novel therapies and immune therapies, there is hope that the bleak overall survival for SCLC will be improved considerably.
Recurrent Sinusitis and Persistent Giardia Infection

Autoimmune hemolytic anemia is common in patients with common variable immune deficiency (CVID)
Smartphone for glucose monitoring

Abstract As the treatment or cure for diabetes is yet to be developed, monitoring glucose level in blood is one of the most successful means that has proven to prolong the life expectancy of patients by enabling diabetics to manage and control their condition. Smartphones have become an inseparable part of daily life in many countries. The glucose monitoring using smartphone-based devices provides prevailing advantages including miniaturization, portability, relatively low cost, and without need of extra equipment. In this chapter, two most common techniques, that is, colorimetric and electrochemical methods, for glucose measurement were primarily discussed. The major challenges of combination with smartphone of these two methods were proposed and possible solutions for both methods were explored. Moreover, current progress of noninvasive glucose monitoring as well as the regulation and requirement was highlighted.
Do economic downturns fuel racial animus

Abstract We estimate the effect of economic conditions during the Great Recession on racial animus, as measured by Google searches for a commonly used anti-black racial slur and hate crimes against blacks. Our empirical strategy exploits pre-recession cross-state variation in the size of two economic sectors particularly affected by the Great Recession: manufacturing and real estate. We find that states that were dependent on these sectors were hit hardest by the Great Recession, experienced the largest increases in racist internet searches, and experienced the largest increases in hate crimes against blacks.
Adverse events associated with the Inspire implantable hypoglossal nerve stimulator: A MAUDE database review.

Abstract Background Implantable hypoglossal nerve stimulation (HNS) has been found to be a safe and effective therapy for patients with obstructive sleep apnea, and patient adherence to treatment has been found to be as high as 86% after 12 months of therapy. Objective The purpose of this study is to review the medical device reports (MDRs) submitted to the Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) Manufacturer and User Device Facility Experience (MAUDE) database to identify adverse events related to HNS therapy that could hinder compliance. Methods A search of the FDA MAUDE database was conducted using the product code “MNQ” for “Inspire stimulator for sleep apnea.” Reports of adverse events associated with Inspire for sleep apnea from January 2000 to May 2020 were included for analysis. From these included reports, event variables were collected, including event setting, adverse event to patient, iatrogenic injury, device malfunction, interventions, and root causes. Results were compiled and reviewed. Results The search query yielded 180 reports that met inclusion criteria, containing a total of 196 adverse events. The most commonly reported adverse events to patients were infection (n = 50, 34.2%), neuropraxia (n = 22, 15.1%) and hematoma/seroma (n = 17, 11.6%). A total of 83 adverse events (42.3%) required reoperation. The most common reoperations performed for adverse events to patients were explantation (n = 30, 46.2%) and device repositioning/lead revision (n = 24, 36.9%), while the most common reoperation performed for device malfunctions was device replacement (n = 10, 55.6%). Conclusion In attempting to further improve patient compliance, understanding these device malfunctions and adverse events related to HNS implantation or usage is crucial for the identification of potential causes of patient non-adherence.
Interactions between Lemna minor (common duckweed) and PFAS intermediates: Perfluorooctanesulfonamide (PFOSA) and 6:2 fluorotelomer sulfonate (6:2 FTSA)

Abstract Perfluorooctanesulfonamide (PFOSA) and 6:2 fluorotelomer sulfonate (FTSA) are widely present intermediates of per- and polyfluorinated substances (PFAS). Although detected at high concentrations in landfill leachate and groundwater, the interactions of these two compounds with plants have not been investigated much. In this work, uptake of these two PFAS intermediates at 10 and 200 μg/L by Lemna minor (common duckweed) were studied in detail. It was found that the biomass production of L. minor was not impacted negatively by PFOSA and FTSA at concentrations equal to or lower than 200 μg/L. Between these two target compounds, FTSA had much higher concentrations in L. minor when the concentrations and exposure times were the same as those for PFOSA. In addition, this compound at 200 μg/L inhibited the activities of catalase in L. minor significantly compared to the controls. This study indicates that PFOSA with low water solubility has low toxicity to L. minor, while FTSA at high concentration may accumulate in the floating plants and cause adverse effects on plant’s antioxidative defense system. Longer-term studies of L. minor with these two and other PFAS are warranted given the important role of this floating plant in the ecosystem.
Weak covalent interactions and anionic charge-sharing polymerisation in cluster environments

We discuss the formation of weak covalent bonds leading to anionic charge-sharing dimerisation or polymerisation in microscopic cluster environments. The covalent bonding between cluster building blocks is described in terms of coherent charge sharing, conceptualised using a coupled-monomers molecular-orbital model. The model assumes first-order separability of the inter- and intra-monomer bonding structures. Combined with a Huckel-style formalism adapted to weak covalent and solvation interactions, it offers insight into the competition between the two types of forces and illuminates the properties of the inter-monomer orbitals responsible for charge-sharing dimerisation and polymerisation. Under typical conditions, the cumulative effect of solvation obstructs the polymerisation, limiting the size of covalently bound core anions.
IOI: In-network Optical Inference

We present In-network Optical Inference (IOI), a system providing low-latency machine learning inference by leveraging programmable switches and optical matrix multiplication. IOI consists of a novel transceiver module designed specifically to perform linear operations such as matrix multiplication in the optical domain. IOI's transceivers are plugged into programmable switches to perform non-linear activation and respond to inference queries. We demonstrate how to process inference queries inside the network, without the need to send the queries to cloud or edge inference servers, thus significantly reducing end-to-end inference latency experienced by users. We believe IOI is the next frontier for exploring real-time machine learning systems and opens up exciting new opportunities for low-latency in-network inference.