cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mexico and the United States: Ambivalent Vistas

In 1821 Mexico was geographically the largest country in the western hemisphere. By 1853 however, it was but a quarter of its original size. Meanwhile, its neighbour north of the border had expanded its territory enormously - and mostly at Mexico's expense. Similarly in 1800 Mexico's per capita income was half that of the United States; by 1877 it had dropped to one-tenth. Such asymetries have long characterised the relationship between Mexico and the United States. The author pays special attention to the economic factors that have subordinated Mexico, not only to the "Colossus of the North" but to many of the other players in the world economy. Throughout the book - whether treating the respective colonial histories of Mexico and the United States, the causes and effects of the Mexican War, the challenges of modernisation and political revolution, the plight of the Mexican peasant, or the activities of US intelligence organisations in Mexico - Raat frames his discussion within the context of global economic trends. Raat also discusses the complex political, cultural and social factors that have played such an important role in the interactions between the two countries. He examines the ethno-centrism that has coloured the perceptions Americans and Mexicans have of each other, from the time of the Texas Revolution to contemporary illegal immigration controversies. Raat also gives attention to areas of common borders and common history. Known traditionally as the "Gran Chichimeca", these borderlands are where Mexican-US cultural dynamics have been most visible. Bilingual and bicultural, neither fully American nor Mexican, the region continues to be of primary importance to policymakers on both sides of the Rio Grande. In his epilogue, Raat notes recent American interest in Mexican art and culture and suggests that in an age of declining US influence, Americans would do well to recognise their own country's role in Mexico's fall from colonial splendour, the limits of US and military power, and the proud sense of cultural identity that prevails among their southern neighbours.
Narrowband UVB phototherapy as a novel treatment for Netherton syndrome

Summary Netherton syndrome (NS) is a rare congenital ichthyosis that is characterized by impaired skin barrier function. Topical medications are cautiously used in NS since toxicity from systemic absorption is a major concern. Narrowband ultraviolet B phototherapy is an alternative therapeutic option that demonstrated its beneficial and practical use in a patient with NS.
Glenoid fixation options: A potpourri of choices

The various techniques for glenoid fixation are reviewed. A review of the literature is presented with mention of advantages and disadvantages of different techniques. The surgical approach and the soft tissue releases necessary for exposure and restoration of the range of motion of the shoulder are discussed. The unique bony anatomy of the glenoid and its influence on implant fixation is presented. The current status of glenoid fixation as well as future alternatives is included in the discussion.
The distribution and composition of REE-bearing minerals in placers of the Atlantic and Gulf coastal plains, USA

Abstract Rare earth element (REE) resources are currently of great interest because of their importance as raw materials for high-technology manufacturing. The REE-phosphates monazite (light REE enriched) and xenotime (heavy REE enriched) resist weathering and can accumulate in placer deposits as part of the heavy mineral assemblage. The Atlantic and Gulf coastal plains of the southeastern United States are known to host heavy mineral deposits with economic concentrations of zircon, ilmenite and rutile. This study provides a perspective on the distribution and composition of REE phosphate minerals in the region. The elemental chemistry and mineralogy of sands and associated heavy-mineral assemblages from new and archived sediment samples across the coastal plains are examined, along with phase-specific compositions of monazite, xenotime and zircon. Both monazite and xenotime are present across the coastal plains. The phase-specific compositions allow monazite content to be estimated using La as a geochemical proxy. Similarly, both Y and Yb are geochemical proxies for xenotime, but their additional presence in zircon and monazite require a correction to prevent overestimation of xenotime content. Applying this correction, maps of monazite and xenotime content across the coastal plains were generated using sample coverage from the National Geochemical Database (NGS) and National Uranium Resource Evaluation (NURE). The NGS and NURE approach of sampling stream sediments in small watersheds links samples to nearby lithologies. The results show an approximately 40 km-wide band of primarily Cretaceous, marine sediments bordering the Piedmont province from North Carolina to Alabama in which monazite and xenotime content are relatively high (up to 4.4 wt. % in
Contributing Factors to Hospital Readmissions

Aims and objectives. To investigate the elderly patient’s perspective about the reasons for discharge to home being unsuccessful, resulting in rehospitalization. Background. Elderly patients have a high rate of readmission to the hospital within 30 days of discharge. Starting in October of 2013, hospitals having a high rate of readmission of patients with heart failure (HF), myocardial infarction (MI), and pneumonia (PNA) will face financial penalties. Evidence indicated that by utilizing risk prediction tools and incorporating transition interventions the risk of a hospital readmission may be reduced. Design. A qualitative, descriptive design was used. Methods. In 2013, a student investigator interviewed elderly patients over the age of 65 who were readmitted to the hospital with the diagnosis of HF, MI, PNA or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) within 30 days of discharge. A total of six (N=6) patients and/or surrogates participated in the interviews. Data were collected using semistructured interviews and subjected to thematic content analysis. Results. Three major themes emerged: discharge readiness, communication, and education. Implications for the advanced practice registered nurse (APRN). Practicing in an APRN role provides the opportunity for the nurse to facilitate the appropriate transitional care of elderly patients placing them at less risk for hospital readmission within 30 days.
Reflections on the Philosophy of Nonviolence and Peace Studies

This chapter outlines three challenges for persons who undertake serious inquiry into the philosophy of nonviolence and peace studies. It invites gifted individuals to consider the issues and opportunities in philosophical method, narrative ethics, and the transformative nature of memory.
60th Anniversary Essay How Journals Could Improve Research Practices in Social Science

This essay proposes ways to improve editorial evaluations of manuscripts and to make published research more reliable and trustworthy. It points to troublesome properties of current editorial practices and suggests that editorial evaluations could become more reliable by making more allowance for reviewers’ human limitations. The essay also identifies some troublesome properties of prevalent methodology, such as statistical significance tests, HARKing, and p-Hacking, and proposes editorial policies to mitigate these detrimental behaviors.
The family physician's contribution to the care of patients in the final stages of HIV infection

This article concludes the monthly series developed from the AOA Task Force on AIDS Writers' Workshop, held August 16 to 18, 1991, in New York. The workshop was sponsored by an education grant from Burroughs Wellcome. This series has provided brief clinical updates and perspectives on the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). Readers may request tear sheets from the AOA editorial offices.
The relationship between assessment methods and self-directed learning readiness in medical education

Objectives: This research explored the assessment of selfdirected learning readiness within the comprehensive evaluation of medical students’ knowledge and skills and the extent to which several variables predicted participants’ self-directed learning readiness prior to their graduation. Methods: Five metrics for evaluating medical students were considered in a multiple regression analysis. Fourth-year medical students at a competitive US medical school received an informed consent and an online survey. Participants voluntarily completed a self-directed learning readiness scale that assessed four subsets of self-directed learning readiness and consented to the release of their academic records. Results: The assortment of metrics considered in this study only vaguely captured students’ self-directedness. The strongest predictors were faculty evaluations of students’ performance on clerkship rotations. Specific clerkship grades were mildly predictive of three subscales. The Pediatrics clerkship modestly predicted critical selfevaluation (r=-.30, p=.01) and the Psychiatry clerkship mildly predicted learning self-efficacy (r =-.30, p=.01), while the Junior Surgery clerkship nominally correlated with participants’ effective organization for learning (r=.21, p=.05). Other metrics examined did not contribute to predicting participants’ readiness for self-directed learning. Conclusions: Given individual differences among participants for the variables considered, no combination of students’ grades and/or test scores overwhelmingly predicted their aptitude for self-directed learning. Considering the importance of fostering medical students’ self-directed learning skills, schools need a reliable and pragmatic approach to measure them. This data analysis, however, offered no clear-cut way of documenting students’ self-directed learning readiness based on the evaluation metrics included.
Choice of U for DFT+U Calculations for Titanium Oxides

Many recent articles have suggested that density functional theory (DFT) with the generalized-gradient approximation does not provide the correct electronic structure for the oxides of titanium. The current opinion is that a Hubbard U correction improves the DFT results. There is no generally accepted method for deciding what the value of the U parameter should be, and we propose that, if one intends to study catalysis, U should be chosen to fit the reaction energy for the oxidation of Ti2O3 to TiO2. We show that the value of U derived in this manner provides additional improvements in the description of the electronic structure.
Coordinated Multipoint Transmissions in Millimeter-Wave Radio-Over-Fiber Systems

We propose a coordinated multipoint transmission method in millimeter-wave small cells enabled by a centralized radio-over-fiber architecture. By using coordinated transmissions, we improve infrastructure utilization and reception quality, increase the chance of line-of-sight links, and reduce inter-cell interference. With radio-over-fiber, we release coordination overhead and provide joint processing, resource sharing, precise synchronizations, and channel orthogonality based on which coordination multipoint transmissions are achieved. We theoretically derive gains in a $2 \times 1$ transmission model with space-frequency block coding. A real-time end-to-end experiment reveals extended transmission distance, robust stability, improved power performance, and enlarged field of view. The significance of centralization is experimentally analyzed in terms of impacts from asynchronizations.
Copper Transport and Trafficking at the Host–Bacterial Pathogen Interface

ConspectusThe human innate immune system has evolved the means to reduce the bioavailability of first-row late d-block transition metal ions to invading microbial pathogens in a process termed “nutritional immunity”. Transition metals from Mn(II) to Zn(II) function as metalloenzyme cofactors in all living cells, and the successful pathogen is capable of mounting an adaptive response to mitigate the effects of host control of transition metal bioavailability. Emerging evidence suggests that Mn, Fe, and Zn are withheld from the pathogen in classically defined nutritional immunity, while Cu is used to kill invading microorganisms. This Account summarizes new molecular-level insights into copper trafficking across cell membranes from studies of a number of important bacterial pathogens and model organisms, including Escherichia coli, Salmonella species, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, and Streptococcus pneumoniae, to illustrate general principles of cellular copper resistance.Recent highlights of copper chemistry...
Being Mortal: Medicine and what matters in the end, By Atul Gawande

In his new best seller, Being mortal: Medicine and what matters in the end, author and surgeon Atul Gawande has at once produced a guidebook for caregivers and health practitioners, a philosophical...
Flare-up of endometriosis induced by gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist leading to bowel obstruction.

Objective To report a case of intestinal obstruction that developed shortly after preoperative administration of a GnRH analogue (GnRH-a) that caused flare-up and rapid progression of enteric endometriosis. Design Case report. Setting University tertiary reproductive endocrinology practice. Patient A 34-year-old nulligravid female with progressive severe symptomatic endometriosis. Interventions Planned preoperative administration of GnRH-a for 3 months followed by extirpative surgery and hormone replacement therapy. Instead, total abdominal hysterectomy, bilateral salpingoophorectomy, resection of the obstructed ileocecal junction, and side-to-side ileo-ascending enterocolostomy was performed. Main Outcome Measure Resolution of symptoms. Results Preoperative GnRH-a administered in the midfollicular phase resulted in flare-up of preexisting ileocecal endometriosis that rapidly progressed, resulting in partial small bowel obstruction. Conclusion Gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist should be used with caution when there is known or suspected enteric endometriosis. Consideration should be given to blocking the agonistic effect of GnRH-a in this setting by the prior or concomitant use of progestins or danazol.
71 ENHANCED EXTERNAL COUNTERPULSATION IMPROVES MICROVASCULAR ANGINA IN CORONARY ARTERY DISEASE PATIENTS

Background Enhanced external counterpulsation has been demonstrated to improve angina in patients with epicardial coronary disease (CAD) and in patients with microvascular angina without CAD. However, epicardial CAD and microvascular disease may coexist in the same patient and cause refractory angina. Enhanced external counterpulsation (EECP) may be of general utility in treating angina from either cause. Methods Coronary artery disease patients with refractory angina and a positive imaging stress test for regional ischemia in an area with normal perfusion by angiography were considered for inclusion. CAD included prior angioplasty, bypass surgery or catheterization demonstrating ≥ 50% stenosis of a major epicardial artery. Canadian Cardiovascular Society (CCS) angina class was assessed at baseline and after completion of a course of EECP (1 hour/day for a total of 35 hours). A follow-up imaging stress test was performed within 6 months of completing EECP. Statistical testing pre and post was performed by paired Student9s t test with significance at p Results There were 15 patients (8 male, average age 67.6 ± 11.5 years), all of whom completed a 35-hour course of EECP. The CCS angina class improved from an average of 3.7 ± 0.5 to 1.8 ± 0.8 post therapy (p Conclusions EECP is an effective treatment for CAD patients with microvascular angina. Given its effectiveness in improving angina in patients with microvascular and epicardial CAD, EECP may be considered appropriate for any patient with refractory angina and demonstrable ischemia.
386 EFFECTS OF HYPERGLYCEMIA ON HEMATOPOIETIC STEM CELL TRANSPLANTATION

Introduction Studies of critically ill patients in various settings such as intensive care with mechanical ventilation, post MI, stroke and coronary bypass surgery have correlated tight glucose control with a substantial reduction in morbidity and mortality and length of hospital stay. To date the impact of hyperglycemia in the hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) population has not been studied. Objective To investigate the relationship between hyperglycemia and morbidity and mortality in HSCT patients. Methods Retrospective chart review of 98 consecutive adult patients (age > 17) admitted between January 1, 2002, and October 31, 2003, to University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center Bone Marrow Transplant Unit was performed. Patients who received a myeloablative regimen and then underwent an autologous (n = 48) or allogeneic (n = 47) HSCT were analyzed in separate groups. Mean plasma glucose values during hospitalization for transplant were used to stratify the patients into euglycemic (glucose 126 mg/dL). The primary outcome measure was length of inpatient stay defined as date of HSCT, designated day 0, until discharge. Secondary outcome measures were causes of inpatient morbidity. A tertiary outcome measure was in-hospital death. Results Length of hospital stay for patients undergoing allogeneic HSCT was significantly longer (p = .02) in the hyperglycemic group (n = 26, mean 34.0 days) compared to the euglycemic group (n = 22, mean = 24.7 days). The hyperglycemic group also had significantly higher in-patient mortality (p = .0036), number of documented infections (p = .0015), and number of days on non-prophylactic antibiotics (p = .0078) compared to the euglycemic group. Length of hospital stay for patients undergoing autologous HSCT was also significantly longer (p = .01) in the hyperglycemic group (n = 29, mean = 31.33 days) versus the euglycemic group (n = 18, mean = 18.30 days). Hyperglycemic patients undergoing autologous HSCT also showed significantly higher number of documented infections (p = .028). Conclusion This retrospective study indicates that hyperglycemia (blood glucose > 126 mg/dL) is strongly associated with increased mortality, morbidity and length of stay in patients undergoing HSCT. Randomized prospective studies are necessary to further elucidate the possible benefits strict glucose control may render in the setting of HSCT patients.
Clinical significance of the integrin α6β4 in human malignancies

Integrin α6β4 is a cellular adhesion molecule that binds to laminins in the extracellular matrix and nucleates the formation of hemidesmosomes. During carcinoma progression, integrin α6β4 is released from hemidesmosomes, where it can then signal to facilitate multiple aspects of tumor progression including sustaining proliferative signaling, tumor invasion and metastasis, evasion of apoptosis, and stimulation of angiogenesis. The integrin achieves these ends by cooperating with growth factor receptors including EGFR, ErbB-2, and c-Met to amplify downstream pathways such as PI3K, AKT, MAPK, and the Rho family small GTPases. Furthermore, it dramatically alters the transcriptome toward a more invasive phenotype by controlling promoter DNA demethylation of invasion and metastasis-associated proteins, such as S100A4 and autotaxin, and upregulates and activates key tumor-promoting transcription factors such as the NFATs and NF-κB. Expression of integrin α6β4 has been studied in many human malignancies where its overexpression is associated with aggressive behavior and a poor prognosis. This review provides an assessment of integrin α6β4 expression patterns and their prognostic significance in human malignancies, and describes key signaling functions of integrin α6β4 that contribute to tumor progression.
The Parent-Infant Relationship: Promoting a Positive Beginning Through Perinatal Coaching

A program that provides a practical and efficient way of helping parents learn to communicate with their newborn infant is described, and guidelines for setting up the program are offered.
Challenges and Outcomes of Posterior Wall Isolation for Ablation of Atrial Fibrillation.

Background The left atrial posterior wall (PW) often contains sites required for maintenance of atrial fibrillation (AF). Electrical isolation of the PW is an important feature of all open surgeries for AF. This study assessed the ability of current ablation techniques to achieve PW isolation (PWI) and its effect on recurrent AF. Methods and Results Fifty‐seven consecutive patients with persistent or high‐burden paroxysmal AF underwent catheter ablation, which was performed using an endocardial‐only (30) or a hybrid endocardial–epicardial procedure (27). The catheter ablation lesion set included pulmonary vein antral isolation and a box lesion on the PW (roof and posterior lines). Success in creating the box lesion was assessed as electrical silence of the PW (voltage <0.1 mV) and exit block in the PW with electrical capture. Cox proportional hazards models were used for analysis of AF recurrence. PWI was achieved in 21 patients (36.8%), more often in patients undergoing hybrid ablation than endocardial ablation alone (51.9% versus 23.3%, P =0.05). Twelve patients underwent redo ablation. Five of 12 had a successful procedural PWI, but all had PW reconnection at the redo procedure. Over a median follow‐up of 302 days, 56.1% of the patients were free of atrial arrhythmias. No parameter including procedural PWI was a statistically significant predictor of recurrent atrial arrhythmias. Conclusions PWI during catheter ablation for AF is difficult to achieve, especially with endocardial ablation alone. Procedural achievement of PWI in this group of patients was not associated with a reduction in recurrent atrial arrhythmias, but reconnection of the PW was common.
Surfing and Skimboarding Medicine

Surfing is an exciting sport enjoyed in many coastal communities around the globe. Participants are prone to various conditions ranging from acute injuries to conditions borne from chronic environmental exposure. Lacerations, contusions, sprains, and fractures are the common types of acute traumatic injury. Injury from the rider’s own surfboard is the prevailing mechanism of injury. Injuries occur often in competition, especially at the professional level. Surfer’s myelopathy is a newly described condition, typically in novice surfers that can lead to paraparesis or paraplegia. Interaction with marine animals may lead to injury through envenomation. Exposure to jellyfish and other nematocyst-containing larvae can cause a reaction known as seabather’s eruption. Stingrays and coral reefs present further hazards to the surfboard rider. Infection of wounds is often seen and should be treated with fluoroquinolones or third-generation cephalosporins to cover Vibrio species, along with Staphylococcus and Streptococcus. Otologic sequelae of surfing include auditory exostoses, ruptured tympanic membrane, and otitis externa. Skim boarding is relatively new and growing sport, with common injuries including contusions, abrasions, and fractures, usually occurring at the lower extremities.
Measuring cognitive engagement through interactive, constructive, active and passive learning activities

Among previous work on the benefits of active learning and engagement strategies when implemented in engineering learning environments, Chi's interactive, constructive, active and passive (ICAP) framework provided a way of categorizing learning activities. ICAP hypothesizes students' cognitive processing increases as they engage in active learning activities. The ICAP framework focuses on observable overt learning activities instructors can implement within their classrooms to increase student engagement and deep learning. With interactive activities being the most desirous of the four, Chi characterizes the various ways in which classroom activities span the passive to interactive continuum. The ICAP framework describes cognitive processing as being at its highest when students engage in meaningful dialogue about the topic with their peers and/or instructor. However, while Chi and colleagues operationalized each construct of the framework and subsequent theories of the level of student engagement, there is a lack in the development of instruments that can measure the level of cognitive engagement associated with these constructs. Consequently, this study is aimed at operationalizing the construct of cognitive engagement. This is the first phase in our attempt to develop an instrument that can be used to measure the cognitive processes associated with each construct of the ICAP framework.
A compact task representation for hierarchical robot control

Robot tasks for real-world applications typically involve multiple paths of execution, where the same task can be achieved in different ways. This poses challenges with respect to the representation and execution of such tasks, as enumerating all possible execution paths leads to combinatorial increases in the size of the representation. We present a novel robot control architecture that addresses these challenges. The architecture 1) provides an efficient, compact encoding of tasks with multiple paths of execution, 2) uses the same compact representation as the controller that the robot will use to achieve its goals, 3) allows the robot to dynamically decide which execution path to follow using an activation spreading mechanism that relies on environmental conditions, and 4) provides a mechanism for robustness to changes in the environment during the task execution. We validate our architecture using a humanoid PR2 robot, showing that the robot dynamically selects a path of execution based on the current state of the environment, and is robust to environmental changes.
Direct cortical stimulation of human posteromedial cortex.

Background: The posteromedial cortex (PMC) is a collective term for an anatomically heterogeneous area of the brain constituting a core node of the human default mode network (DMN), which is engaged during internally focused subjective cognition such as autobiographical memory. Methods: We explored the effects of causal perturbations of PMC with direct electric brain stimulation (EBS) during presurgical epilepsy monitoring with intracranial EEG electrodes. Results: Data were collected from 885 stimulations in 25 patients implanted with intracranial electrodes across the PMC. While EBS of regions immediately dorsal or ventral to the PMC reliably produced somatomotor or visual effects, respectively, we found no observable behavioral or subjectively reported effects when sites within the boundaries of PMC were electrically perturbed. In each patient, null effects of PMC stimulation were observed for sites in which intracranial recordings had clearly demonstrated electrophysiologic responses during autobiographical recall. Conclusions: Direct electric modulation of the human PMC produced null effects when standard functional mapping methods were used. More sophisticated stimulation paradigms (e.g., EBS during experimental cognitive tests) will be required for testing the causal contribution of PMC to human cognition and subjective experience. Nonetheless, our findings suggest that some extant theories of PMC and DMN contribution to human awareness and subjective conscious states require cautious re-examination.
High-Resolution Interactive and Collaborative Data Visualization Framework for Large-Scale Data Analysis

We present a high-resolution interactive and collaborative data visualization framework capable of supporting multiple user interaction on a large screen display. The data visualization framework takes advantage of SAGE2 collaborative visualization workspace. SAGE2 is designed to take multiple displays and use them as one high-resolution multiuser workspace. SAGE2 users are able to access and manipulate this workspace through a modern web browser. Our data visualization framework, ParaSAGE, supports scientific data visualization by extending ParaViewWeb into a SAGE2 desktop application where a subset of ParaView scientific visualization functionalities is accessible to SAGE2 users. We also developed a SAGE2 desktop application based on D3.js library to support information data visualization efforts.
Geometric Mean Technique

The geometric mean is another way to solve pairwise comparison matrices. Barzilai, et al. [1987] identified three desired properties of a solution technique: 1. For perfectly consistent matrices, the weights obtained by standardizing any column should be obtained (the average of the weights). The estimator w i = 1/[(II j=1,n a ij )1/n ] (where a i1 is the pairwise comparison matrix element for factor i in Column 1) does not have this property (and gives the opposite order of the other techniques). This estimator does satisfy the other two properties below. 2. The solution should be stable for all permutations of the ways to measure preference. For instance, the estimator w i = a i1/[(II j=1,n a ij )1/n ] does not have this property. It does satisfy properties 1 and 3. 2. When levels of the hierarchy are combined, the same solution should be obtained if matrices with multiple levels are combined into one judgment matrix. The eigen vector technique does not have this property, although it does have properties 1 and 2.
Time, Space and Physical Objects a Reply to Ned Markosian

Ned Markosian presents an interesting defense of the Spatial Location Account of physical objects. Something is a physical object if and only if it is located in space.
A Ku-band CMOS FMCW radar transceiver with ring oscillator based waveform generation for snowpack remote sensing

This paper presents a Ku-band (14–16 GHz) CMOS frequency modulated continuous-wave (FMCW) radar transceiver developed to measure snow depth for water management purposes and to aid in retrieval of snow water equivalent (SWE). An on-chip direct digital frequency synthesizer (DDFS) and digital-to-analog converter (DAC) digitally generates the chirping waveform which then drives a ring oscillator based Ku-Band phase-locked loop (PLL) to provide the final Ku-band FMCW signal. Employing a ring oscillator as oppose to a tuned inductor based oscillator (LC-VCO) allows the radar to achieve wider chirp bandwidth resulting in a higher axial resolution (7.5cm) which is needed to accurately quantify the snowpack profile. The demonstrated radar chip is fabricated in a 65nm CMOS process, and it consumes 250mW of power under 1.1V supply, making its payload requirements suitable for observations from a small UAV.
Patient-level Factors and the Quality of Care Delivered in Pediatric Emergency Departments.

OBJECTIVE Quality of care delivered to adult patients in the emergency department (ED) is often associated with demographic and clinical factors such as a patient's race/ethnicity and insurance status. We sought to determine whether the quality of care delivered to children in the ED was associated with a variety of patient-level factors. METHODS This was a retrospective, observational cohort study. Pediatric patients (<18 years) who received care between January 2011 and December 2011 at one of 12 EDs participating in the Pediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network (PECARN) were included. We analyzed demographic factors (including age, sex, and payment source) and clinical factors (including triage, chief complaint, and severity of illness). We measured quality of care using a previously validated implicit review instrument using chart review with a summary score that ranged from 5 to 35. We examined associations between demographic and clinical factors and quality of care using a hierarchical multivariable linear regression model with hospital site as a random effect. RESULTS In the multivariable model, among the 620 ED encounters reviewed, we did not find any association between patient age, sex, race/ethnicity, and payment source and the quality of care delivered. However, we did find that some chief complaint categories were significantly associated with lower than average quality of care, including fever (-0.65 points in quality, 95% confidence interval [CI] = -1.24 to -0.06) and upper respiratory symptoms (-0.68 points in quality, 95% CI = -1.30 to -0.07). CONCLUSION We found that quality of ED care delivered to children among a cohort of 12 EDs participating in the PECARN was high and did not differ by patient age, sex, race/ethnicity, and payment source, but did vary by the presenting chief complaint.
Understanding the mechanisms of amorphous creep through molecular simulation

Molecular processes of creep in metallic glass thin films are simulated at experimental timescales using a metadynamics-based atomistic method. Space-time evolutions of the atomic strains and nonaffine atom displacements are analyzed to reveal details of the atomic-level deformation and flow processes of amorphous creep in response to stress and thermal activations. From the simulation results, resolved spatially on the nanoscale and temporally over time increments of fractions of a second, we derive a mechanistic explanation of the well-known variation of creep rate with stress. We also construct a deformation map delineating the predominant regimes of diffusional creep at low stress and high temperature and deformational creep at high stress. Our findings validate the relevance of two original models of the mechanisms of amorphous plasticity: one focusing on atomic diffusion via free volume and the other focusing on stress-induced shear deformation. These processes are found to be nonlinearly coupled through dynamically heterogeneous fluctuations that characterize the slow dynamics of systems out of equilibrium.
Online facility location against a t-bounded adversary

In the streaming model, the order of the stream can significantly affect the difficulty of a problem. A t-semirandom stream was introduced as an interpolation between random-order (t = 1) and adversarial-order (t = n) streams where an adversary intercepts a random-order stream and can delay up to t elements at a time. IITK Sublinear Open Problem #15 asks to find algorithms whose performance degrades smoothly as t increases. We show that the celebrated online facility location algorithm achieves an expected competitive ratio of [EQUATION]. We present a matching lower bound that any randomized algorithm has an expected competitive ratio of [EQUATION]. We use this result to construct an O(1)-approximate streaming algorithm for k-median clustering that stores O(k log t) points and has O(k log t) worst-case update time. Our technique generalizes to any dissimilarity measure that satisfies a weak triangle inequality, including k-means, M-estimators, and ep norms. The special case t = 1 yields an optimal O(k) space algorithm for random-order streams as well as an optimal O(nk) time algorithm in the RAM model, closing a long line of research on this problem.
Effect of Graphite Nanoplatelets and Carbon Nanofibers on Rheology, Hydration, Shrinkage, Mechanical Properties, and Microstructure of UHPC

Abstract This study evaluates the effects of two types of graphite nanoplatelet (GNP-C and GNP-M) and one type of carbon nanofiber (CNF) on rheological properties, hydration kinetics, autogenous shrinkage, and pore structure of ultra-high-performance concrete (UHPC). The dispersion method was optimized to secure uniform dispersion of the nanomaterials in the UHPC. The plastic viscosity decreased with the nanomaterials content as the content was increased from 0 to 0.05%. As the nanomaterials content increased from 0 to 0.3%, the duration of induction period was extended by the addition of CNF, but shortened by use of GNP-C or GNP-M; cumulative hydration heat release was increased by introduction of nanomaterials; the autogenous shrinkage of UHPC with CNF, GNP-C, and GNP-M was increased by 30%, 20%, and 20%, respectively. The use of 0.3% CNFs reduced the total porosity of the UHPC by approximately 35%, indicating that the presence of CNFs refined the microstructure of UHPC.
Antelogue: Pronoun Resolution for Text and Dialogue

Antelogue is a pronoun resolution prototype designed to be released as off-the-shelf software to be used autonomously or integrated with larger anaphora resolution or other NLP systems. It has modules to handle pronouns in both text and dialogue. In Antelogue, the problem of pronoun resolution is addressed as a two-step process: a) acquiring information about properties of words and the entities they represent and b) determining an algorithm that utilizes these features to make resolution decisions. A hybrid approach is implemented that combines known statistical and machine learning techniques for feature acquisition and a symbolic algorithm for resolution.
Zeta potential of a subbituminous coal and its effect on particle agglomeration

The objectives of this investigation were to study the zeta potential characteristics of a Powder River Basin coal in water and to study the effects of zeta potential on the agglomeration of coal particles. The electrokinetic measurements show that the zeta potential of the coal is dependent on pH, temperature, coal concentration and contact time with water. The effects of various additives for changing the zeta potential of the coal were also evaluated. It was found that the strength of the coal agglomerates is increased when the zeta potential diminishes. Neutralizing the zeta potential enhances agglomeration. Therefore, it is important to control the zeta potential of coal to achieve optimum performance in coal-particle agglomeration.
An Algorithmic Approach to Prepectoral Direct-to-Implant Breast Reconstruction: Version 2.0.

Background Prepectoral direct-to-implant breast reconstruction has historically been fraught with complications, including flap necrosis, implant extrusion, and capsular contracture, along with high rates of operative revisions. This may result from a number of factors, including the lack of an algorithmic approach, failure to predict postoperative migration of the implant, use of improper implants, and unsuitable patient selection. Over the past 5 years, the authors have gained significant experience in prepectoral breast reconstruction as they have transitioned their direct-to-implant technique. Methods Using video, technical aspects for achieving superior results are demonstrated, including suture technique, application of acellular dermal matrix, creation of the implant pocket, implant selection and placement, and postoperative dressings. Video is used to highlight technical aspects to yield consistent, predictable results using the anterior tenting technique. Results A systematic review of prepectoral direct-to-implant breast reconstruction was conducted to amalgamate the experience of the authors and others with regard to technique, material, and outcomes. Conclusions Prepectoral direct-to-implant breast reconstruction represents a significant paradigm shift in postmastectomy breast reconstruction and warrants reconsideration. Prepectoral direct-to-implant breast reconstruction provides the potential benefits of a single-stage operation, elimination of dynamic deformity, enhanced aesthetic outcomes, and increased patient satisfaction. Although early evidence suggests an increased incidence of complications, our experience and that of others demonstrate favorable outcomes with version 2.0 of prepectoral direct-to-implant breast reconstruction. As the body of literature encompassing a modern approach to prepectoral direct-to-implant breast reconstruction grows, greater appreciation for operative technique, candidate selection, and implant choice may accelerate its adoption and mitigate past concerns.
Model Establishment and Analysis of Grounding Circulation of Gas Insulated Metal-Enclosed Switchgear Enclosure

The grounding circulation of the Gas insulated switchgear (GIS) is related to the safe operation of the equipment and the personal safety of the staffs in the station. In this paper, the coupling relationship between GIS conductor and shell is analyzed firstly, and the hollow transformer model suitable for three-phase split box GIS and three-phase common box GIS is derived. According to the relevant knowledge of electromagnetic field, the specific calculation formula of conductor impedance, shell impedance and mutual impedance between conductor shells is given. Finally, through two typical cases, the shell circulation of 550kV GIS and 126kV GIS is simulated and the approximate distribution of three-phase boxed GIS and three-phase common box GIS shell circulation is given.
Microstructure diagnosis of the fractured tight sandstone using image analysis

Abstract In the hydraulically failed rock, a process zone where the natural fractures and the intergranular rock grain boundaries are activated while induced transgranular fractures are formed. These fractures in all scales share the drainage with the main hydraulic fracture. The objective of this study is to develop a novel approach thereafter to diagnose the evolutions of the critical above said microstructure properties at the post-fracturing state. In the previous work, we have examined the remarkable capability of image analysis on hydraulic fracture roughness determination (Gong and El-Monier, 2018). As an extension, this work introduces a fast and precise approach to study the aforementioned features of the post-fracturing core sample, including crack density, rock grain, and pore size distributions, by coding the desired image processing and analysis program. The hydraulic fracturing test was carried out using a Tennessee sandstone core sample and a sub-core of this fractured rock is excavated and polished (Patel et al., 2017). Its cross-section was subdivided into sequences and captured by the high-resolution SEM images after the ion-milling process. The post-fracturing grain size and pore size are investigated in the orthogonal direction of the main fracture at various locations and are compared to those from the literatures. The results from this study indicate that our proposed image analysis approach is capable to detect the grain damages resulting from the rock crushing. In addition, a positive relationship between the two parameters is found regardless of the cementing, packing mechanism, damage condition, and sorting of the fractured rock.
High-Speed Compact Silicon Nanocavity Modulator with Transparent Conductive Oxide Gate

We experimentally demonstrate an ultra-compact transparent conductive oxide gated silicon photonic crystal nanocavity electro-optical modulator with 2.5GHz operation speed. Digital modulation is measured up to 5Gbps with 2V voltage swing and 11fJ/bit energy efficiency.
1551. Systemic Tobramycin Absorption Resulting from Antibiotic-Impregnated Cement Spacers for the Treatment of Prosthetic Joint Infection

Background Antibiotic-impregnated cement spacer (ACS) placement has been a cornerstone of two-stage surgical management of prosthetic hip and knee infection for decades. Utilized antibiotics have included aminoglycosides and vancomycin. Pharmacokinetic modeling studies have described peak systemic levels within the first 24–48 hours post-operatively, followed by rapid clearance. While this systemic exposure was previously felt insufficient to cause organ toxicity, a few studies have described antibiotic-induced nephrotoxicity.
Minimizing Age of Information for an Energy Harvesting Cognitive Radio

This paper studies average age of information (AoI) minimization in cognitive radio energy harvesting communications. The secondary user is an energy harvesting sensor that harvests ambient energy with which it performs spectrum sensing and status updates. Status-update data is sent by opportunistically accessing the primary spectrum. Specifically, the secondary user aims to minimize the average AoI by adaptively making sensing and update decisions based on its energy availability and the availability of the primary spectrum. The sequential decision problem is formulated as a partially observable Markov decision process and solved by dynamic programming. The properties of the optimal sensing and updating policies are investigated and shown to have threshold structure. Numerical results confirm the analytical findings.
The Importance of Context: Linking Veteran Outpatients Screening Positive for Housing Instability with Responsive Interventions.

This study aims to explore the relationship between the context of screening for housing instability and Veterans’ access to services, with the goal of ensuring effective processes to address housing instability among Veterans. This study used administrative data from 100,022 Veterans’ electronic medical records and qualitative data collected during in-depth interviews with 22 health care providers and six Homeless Program staff. A mixed effects logistic regression assessed the relationship between Veterans’ screening experiences and connection with services; qualitative data were analyzed using a grounded theory approach to present providers’ reflections on administering screening for housing instability and responding to Veterans’ positive screens with needed resources. We observed a significant relationship between providers’ roles and location of screening with patients’ timely linkage with services. Providing additional training related to how to conduct the screen and provide required resources, shifting screening responsibilities to providers with more flexibility to address these needs, and embedding supportive services in the care team may improve post-screening linkage with services.
Clinical and Radiographic Presentations of COVID-19 among Patients Receiving Radiation Therapy for Thoracic Malignancies.

The 2019 novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19), caused by the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), has led to a pandemic affecting healthcare centers across the globe. Patients with cancer have been reported to be particularly vulnerable to infection, morbidity, and severe events. Given the high proportion of asymptomatic carriers and concerns regarding speed and availability of laboratory testing, novel detection strategies are necessary to supplement traditional screening methods and facilitate mitigation of viral transmission. Recent data support the diagnostic consistency and potential value of computed tomography (CT) scans to aid early diagnosis of COVID-19. Volumetric CT image-guidance is commonly employed in patients undergoing radiotherapy and presents a unique opportunity to screen for COVID-specific lung changes. This case series describes the presentation of SARS-CoV-2 infections among three patients undergoing thoracic radiotherapy across multiple institutions. We highlight their clinical symptoms, imaging findings, potential confounders, and clinical workflow to triage these patients to the next level of care.
Property-Based Fault Injection: A Novel Approach to Model-Based Fault Injection for Safety Critical Systems

With the recent popularity of model-based design and verification (MBDE), fault injection testing at the functional model level is gaining significant interest. The reason for this interest is it aids in detecting design errors and incorrect requirements on fault detection and tolerance features, very early in the development lifecycle. This is evidenced by the fact that functional safety standards like IEC 61508 and ISO 26262 identify fault injection testing as a highly recommended technique for SIL-3 and SIL-4. The main challenges to date with model-based fault injection are lack of completeness in the fault injection space, semi-manual integration and insertion of fault injection modules into the models and manual identification of fault activation conditions. The work presented in this paper describes a novel model-based fault injection technique that is property-based and applies formal model checking verification methods at the functional model level of design thereby guaranteeing a near-exhaustive state, input and fault space coverage. This method also introduces the usage of properties and model checking capabilities to automate the identification of fault activation conditions for all the faults within the fault space. We describe the workflow and implementation of the property-based Fault injection using Simulink Design Verifier and its application on the functional model of a representative safety-critical system.