cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Applied Mathematics and the Present Crisis

(1943). Applied Mathematics and the Present Crisis. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 50, No. 7, pp. 415-423.
Hepatitis C infection in the transplant recipient.

SUMMARY This article highlights the increasing role of HCV in the transplant setting. Its importance in the liver transplant setting is clear. It produces end-stage liver disease and represents a common indication for transplant referral. Recurrent infection is nearly universal posttransplant in those with viremia pretransplant. Acquired disease is uncommon. The natural history of posttransplant disease suggests there is no significant impact of graft or patient survival, at least in the short-term. Long-term follow-up is needed, as well as more detailed study of the factors contributing to posttransplant disease. Kidney transplant patients commonly are infected with HCV prior to transplantation. Acquisition of infection through infected donors also serves as a source of HCV infection. HCV infection after transplantation is associated with an increased risk of liver disease but has no significant effect on short-term patient survival. The issues of organ allocation from anti-HCV-positive donors are particularly relevant to this patient population because maintenance dialysis always is a treatment alternative to transplantation. Much less information is available on other transplant groups, such as heart, lung, and bone marrow transplant recipients. There are many unanswered questions, especially with respect to the natural history of disease after 5 to 10 years of infection. The pathogenesis of infection in the transplant setting is emerging slowly but requires further investigation. Both direct viral cytopathicity and host-mediated immunity appear to play a role in liver injury. An increased understanding of pathogenicity will lead to improved management of patients with HCV infection both pre-and posttransplant.
Goals and Functions

Contemporary philosophical debates about biological function started in the early 1970s, and they originated from earlier, related, debates about the nature of goal directed systems. These discussions were rooted in scientific advances in the 1920s and 1930s pertaining to cybernetic machines and homeostatic systems, which appear to be purposeful or goal-directed despite not having any conscious intentions. By the 1950s, there were two major philosophical traditions for analyzing goal directedness, the behavioristic and the mechanistic. According to the behavioristic approach, favored by theorists like Gerd Sommerhoff and Richard Braithwaite, a goal directed system is one that exhibits plasticity and persistence in its outward behavior. According to the mechanistic tradition, favored by Ernest Nagel and Norbert Wiener, a goal directed system must be governed by the right sort of mechanism (such as negative feedback). Both of those traditions faced severe philosophical criticism in the 1960s and 1970s. I begin this chapter by sketching the historical background of the earlier debates about goal directedness. I then present the behavioristic analyses of Sommerhoff and Braithwaite, and enumerate several serious criticisms. I discuss mechanistic approaches, namely those of Nagel and the cyberneticists, and their critics.
Eye Movement Disorders in Ataxia Telangiectasia

Eye movements were examined clinically in 56 patients (age range, 2-25 years; mean, 10.7 years) with ataxia telangiectasia (A-T) at Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, MD.
Detection of rotor slot and other eccentricity related harmonics in a three phase induction motor with different rotor cages

Detection of rotor slot and other eccentricity related harmonics in the line current of a three phase induction motor is important both from the viewpoint of sensorless speed estimation as well as eccentricity related fault detection. However, it is now clear that not all three phase induction motors are capable of generating such harmonics in the line current. Recent research has shown that the presence of these harmonics is primarily dependent on the number of rotor slots and the number of fundamental pole pair of the machine. While the number of fundamental pole pairs of a three phase induction motor usually is between one to four (higher pole pairs are generally avoided due to increased magnetizing current), the number of rotor slots can vary widely. The present paper investigates this phenomenon further and obtains a hitherto unexplored theoretical basis for the experimentally verified results. Detailed coupled magnetic circuit simulation results are presented for a four pole, three phase induction motor with 44, 43, and 42 rotor slots under healthy, static, dynamic and mixed eccentricity conditions. The simulation is flexible enough to accommodate other pole numbers also. These simulations are helpful in quantifying the predicted harmonics under different combinations of load, pole pair numbers, rotor slots and eccentricity conditions, thus making the problem easier for drive designers or diagnostic tools' developers.
Quality Annotations, a Key Frontier in the Microbial Sciences: With genomic sequencing expanding so rapidly, gene annotation lags—posing challenges to catch up while correcting errors as needed

For microbiologists, the sequencing of the genome of the bacterium Haemophilus influenzae in 1995 was a pivotal event, one that transformed the microbiological research enterprise. More than 20 years later, with the genomes of some 85,000 organisms sequenced, including about 70,000 bacterial species, whole genome sequence (WGS) information is being used to design, conduct, and analyze vast numbers of experiments. There is no going back.
Cerebral hemodynamic assessment and neuroimaging across the lifespan in sickle cell disease

Children and adults with sickle cell anemia (SCA) have a higher risk of strokes compared to age- and race-matched peers. Velocity in the middle cerebral or distal internal carotid artery as measured by transcranial Doppler ultrasound is a recognized method to identify children but not adults with SCA at high-risk for first stroke. For both children and adults with SCA that have had a stroke, no methods clearly identify individuals at highest risk of recurrent strokes or an initial silent stroke, the most common neurological injury. Methods to assess cerebral hemodynamics in SCA have been utilized for decades but often required radiotracers making them not feasible for screening and longitudinal follow-up. MRI approaches that do not require exogenous contrast have been introduced and are appealing in both clinical and research scenarios. Improved neuroimaging strategies hold promise for identifying individuals with SCA at increased risk of initial and recurrent infarcts, justifying more aggressive risk-based therapy. We review the epidemiology of stroke in SCA, the impact of strokes, stroke mechanisms, and potential imaging strategies including regional and global oxygen extraction fraction, cerebral blood flow, and vessel wall imaging to identify individuals at high-risk of stroke.
Feasibility of a Biomechanically-Assistive Garment to Reduce Low Back Loading During Leaning and Lifting

Goal: The purpose of this study was: 1) to design and fabricate a biomechanically-assistive garment which was sufficiently lightweight and low-profile to be worn underneath, or as, clothing, and then 2) to perform human subject testing to assess the ability of the garment to offload the low back muscles during leaning and lifting. Methods: We designed a prototype garment which acts in parallel with the low back extensor muscles to reduce forces borne by the lumbar musculature. We then tested eight healthy subjects while they performed common leaning and lifting tasks with and without the garment. We recorded muscle activity, body kinematics, and assistive forces. Results: The biomechanically-assistive garment offloaded the low back muscles, reducing erector spinae muscle activity by an average of 23–43% during leaning tasks, and 14–16% during lifting tasks. Conclusion: Experimental findings in this study support the feasibility of using biomechanically-assistive garments to reduce low back muscle loading, which may help reduce injury risks or fatigue due to high or repetitive forces. Significance: Biomechanically-assistive garments may have broad societal appeal as a lightweight, unobtrusive, and cost-effective means to mitigate low back loading in daily life.
Estimation of leaf area index and light intercepted by shrubs from digital videography

Abstract The development of digital videography has generated interest in the use of these instruments to estimate vegetation variables such as leaf area index (LAI) and light intercepted (f IPAR ) by shrubs in shrublands and open forest canopies. The objective of this study was to examine the relationships between the percentage of scene classified as foliage in color digital videography acquired in the field, and LAI and f IPAR by canopies of two shrub species, bitterbrush ( Purshia tridentata ) and manzanita ( Arctostaphylos patula ). There was a positive linear relationship between the combined percentage of scene occupied by sunlit leaves, shaded leaves, and shaded background as the dependent variable, and f IPAR (R 2 = 0.66 manzanita, and 0.61 bitterbrush). A logarithmic relationship was observed between the combined percentage f scene occupied by sunlit leaves, shaded leaves, and shaded background, and the independent variable LAI (R 2 = 0.88 manzanita, and 0.65 bitterbrush). A green/red ratio was useful for classification of video scene components into illuminated and shaded leaves, and illuminated and shaded background. This study demonstrates that color digital videography may be suitable for field estimates of f IPAR and low LAIs in open shrublands.
Endolymphatic Ethiodized Oil Intranodal Lymphangiography and Cyanoacrylate Glue Embolization for the Treatment of Postoperative Lymphatic Leak After Robot-Assisted Laparoscopic Pelvic Resection.

Abstract Purpose: To report the approach, technical success, clinical outcomes, complications, and follow-up of ethiodized oil intranodal lymphangiography with cyanoacrylate glue embolization for t...
Autologous stem cell implantation with core decompression for avascular necrosis of the femoral head

Abstract Objective Avascular necrosis (AVN) of the femoral head is a painful, progressive disease that can lead to limited mobility and early hip replacement. Autologous stem cell implantation into the necrotic lesion of the femoral head has been described, on the basis that patients with AVN have a reduced number of stem cells in the marrow. In this study, we aim to describe our technique for decompression of the hip with autologous implantation of stem cells for AVN of the femoral head, as well as retrospectively analyze our results. Methods The records and imaging of patients with avascular necrosis of the femoral head treated by a single surgeon were retrospectively reviewed. All patients were treated with the combination of core decompression with autologous stem cell implantation from the iliac crest. Preoperatively, demographic information, stage of AVN per Association Research Circulation Osseous (ARCO) classification on magnetic resonance imaging and radiograph, and visual analogue pain scores (VAS) of the hip were recorded. Postoperatively, VAS were recorded and imaging was reviewed for progression of AVN or evidence of femoral head collapse. Statistical analysis was conducted comparing pre and postoperative VAS scores. Results Overall, we treated 43 hips in 28 patients with autologous stem cell implantation, with an average follow up of 16 months. Patients ranged from ARCO Ia to ARCO IIc classification of AVN. The average pre-operative visual analogue scale (VAS) of pain was 7.8. Post operatively, the average VAS score decreased to 2.5 (p Conclusion Our findings indicate that hip compression with autologous stem cell implantation for AVN of the femoral head provides significant symptomatic relief and may be beneficial in arresting progression of disease.
The Recognition of Facial Expressions in Infancy: Behavioral and Electrophysiological Evidence

A series of studies is reported in which event-related potentials (ERPs) were used to examine the neural manifestation of emotion and identity recognition. In the first set of studies 7-month-old infants’ preferences for, and discrimination of, happy and fearful faces was examined. In both cases the happy face was found to invoke prominent positive ERP activity, possibly due to its familiarity. To examine whether infants go through a period of perceptual narrowing in their recognition of faces, a second set of studies was conducted using monkey faces presented in different orientations. Although adults seemed able to recognize a familiar monkey when presented in a familiar orientation, they were unable to recognize this same monkey in an unfamiliar orientation. In contrast, 9-month-old infants appeared to recognize both the familiarity of the face as well as its orientation. These results are discussed in the context of previous behavioral studies examining emotion recognition, and ERP studies of memory.
A Retractable Winged Steel (Butterfly) Needle Performance Improvement Project

A performance improvement project used an interdisciplinary, systematic approach, including frontline staff input, in identifying, selecting, and evaluating a safer needle device. Following adoption of a retractable needle, needlesticks of health care workers decreased from 3.19 to zero incidents per 100,000 needles.
Individual variation in the motivational properties of a nicotine cue: sign-trackers vs. goal-trackers

Individuals vary in the extent to which they attribute incentive salience to reward cues. Discrete food and drug (cocaine and opioid) cues become more attractive, eliciting approach toward them, and more “wanted,” in that they serve as more effective conditioned reinforcers, in some rats (sign-trackers, STs), than in others (goal-trackers, GTs). We asked whether there is similar variation in the extent to which a cue associated with a drug from another class, nicotine, acquires incentive motivational properties. First, a Pavlovian conditioned approach procedure was used to identify rats that attribute incentive salience to a food cue (i.e., STs and GTs). We then measured the extent to which a cue (a light) paired with intravenous nicotine injections acquired two properties of an incentive stimulus: (1) the ability to elicit approach toward it, and (2) the ability to act as a conditioned reinforcer. In contrast to previous findings with food, cocaine, and opioid cues, we found that the nicotine cue was equally attractive in STs and GTs, eliciting dose-dependent approach behavior in both. However, the nicotine cue was a more effective conditioned reinforcer in STs than in GTs. We suggest the dissociation between these two measures of incentive salience attribution may be related to the fact that when present (as in the test of Pavlovian approach), nicotine can act as a potent “incentive amplifier,” and by this action, nicotine may render cues especially salient for all animals.
Investigating School Uniform Design of Adolescent Girls in Saudi Arabia

The purpose of this research was to apply a functional, aesthetic, expressive consumer needs (FEA) model to designing and evaluating school uniforms that balance these three FEA consideration within the needs of adolescent girls in Saudi Arabia. Vitamin D deficiency is very common among adolescents in Saudi Arabia. Sunlight helps skin to produce Vitamin D. A total of 210 Saudi Arabian mothers responded to an online FEA needs survey regarding their daughter's school uniform needs relative to the newly adopted Current Style Uniform and the proposed Design Styles A and B. Quantitative survey questions on a 7-point Likert scale were combined with several open-ended questions designed to obtain critique of the three types of uniforms. Results showed strong demand for modifying uniform designs to incorporate tan-through fabric could contribute to mediating this health concern.
Service-Based Industry 4.0 Middleware for Partly Automated Collaborative Work of Cranes

Industry 4.0 (I4.0) is characterized by a decentralized intelligence using service-based information technology. With the existing technologies in industrial solutions, the implementation of partly automated collaborative work of decentralized devices is difficult to achieve. Current industrial solutions fulfill manufacturer specific requirements that are not transferable to other industrial challenges. These customized solutions do not allow a plug-and-produce approach or a dynamically scalable system network. This work presents an approach for this through the use of a proposed service-based Industry 4.0 middleware. An example of its use is introduced in the form of the collaborative work of cranes, which handle the mentioned challenges. The proposed middleware is based on the service-oriented architecture with an evaluation of the I4.0 middleware using a demonstrator of collaborative work between cranes.
Molten Alkali Halide Flux Growth of an Extensive Family of Noncentrosymmetric Rare Earth Sulfides: Structure and Magnetic and Optical (SHG) Properties.

Twenty new alkali rare earth thiosilicates and thiogermanates with the general formula ALnTS4 (A = alkali metal, Ln = lanthanide, and T = Si, Ge) were grown as X-ray diffraction-quality single crys...
Regulation of Hepatic Metabolism, Recent Advances, and Future Perspectives

The purpose of this review is to provide a brief summary of recent advances in our understanding of liver metabolism. The critical role of the liver in controlling whole-body energy homeostasis makes such understanding crucial to efficiently design new treatments for metabolic syndrome diseases, including type 2 diabetes (T2D). Significant advances have been made regarding our understanding of the direct and indirect effects of insulin on hepatic metabolism and the communication between the liver and other tissues. Moreover, the catabolic functions of glucagon, as well as the importance of hepatic redox status for the regulation of glucose production, are emerging as potential targets to reduce hyperglycemia. A resolution to the long-standing question “insulin suppression of hepatic glucose production, direct or indirect effect?” is starting to emerge. New advances in our understanding of important fasting-induced hepatic metabolic fluxes may help design better therapies for T2D.
Perfectly Reflecting Metasurface Reflectarrays: Mutual Coupling Modeling Between Unique Elements Through Homogenization

This article presents a new technique for the accurate design of metasurface reflectarrays. The design technique accounts for mutual coupling between distinct reflectarray elements. Contrary to the conventional approach, no local periodicity assumptions are made in the design of the reflectarray elements. The reflectarray considered consists of a subwavelength-patterned metallic cladding (metasurface) over a ground plane. The cladding is homogenized and modeled as an inhomogeneous impedance sheet. The inhomogeneous impedance sheet is designed through the solution of an integral equation. The integral equation is solved using the method of moments. In the design, both the scattered field amplitude and phase are specified. The scattered field amplitude is chosen to conserve local power density at the reflectarray surface. This condition results in complex sheet impedances. An optimization technique is subsequently used to obtain a purely reactive sheet which gives the same performance as the complex sheet. The process used to extract the reactance of printed geometries is detailed. An example of a $20 \lambda $ wide array is presented. All the results are validated through COMSOL Multiphysics simulations. The presented design approach is compared to the conventional approach and is shown to more accurately predict the far-field patterns of a reflectarray.
Unplanned Admission to the ICU: A Qualitative Study Examining Family Member Experiences.

Background Transfers to the ICU from acute care are common, and it is essential to understand how family members of critically ill patients experience these transitions of care. Research Question Can we enhance our understanding of family members’ experiences during hospital stays complicated by a patient’s unplanned admission to the ICU? Study Design and Methods Qualitative interviews were conducted with family members of patients were transferred from acute care to the ICU at a level I trauma center in Seattle, WA (n = 17). To organize data, we used thematic analysis, coupled with a validated conceptual model of clinician-surrogate communication. Results Drawing from a validated conceptual model, we used two domains to frame our coding: “information processing” and “relationship building.” Within information processing, we coded information disclosure, sensemaking, and expectations; within relationship building, we coded emotional support, trust, and consensus and conflict. Family members wanted timely, accurate information about the patient’s condition both during and after transfer. An unplanned ICU admission was a stressful event for family members, who looked to clinicians for emotional support. Developing trust was challenging, because family members struggled to feel like integrated members of the medical team when patients transitioned from one setting to another. Interpretation Family of patients who experience an unplanned ICU admission want high-quality communication both during and after a patient’s transfer to the ICU. This communication should help family members make sense of the situation, address unmet expectations, and provide emotional support. In addition, interventions that foster family-clinician trust can help family members feel like integrated members of the care team as they face the challenge of navigating multiple different environments within the hospital.
Spin dynamics and relaxation in 7.6 nm thin film of La0.7Sr0.3MnO3/SrTiO3: ac magnetic susceptibility and magnetic viscosity investigations

Analysis of the results from our investigations of the temperature dependence of ac susceptibilities ( χ ′ and χ ′ ′) and magnetic viscosity in a 7.6 nm thin film of La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 grown on SrTiO3 (001) substrate is presented. The Curie temperature (TC) of this film is magnetic field (H) dependent, varying as [ T C ( H ) − T C ( 0 ) ] ∼ H n with TC(0) = 270 K and n = 0.15. Temperature dependence of χ ′ and χ ′ ′ measured at ac frequencies fm in the range of 0.1–10 kHz shows a broad peak near 230 K associated with the blocking temperature ( T B ) of spin clusters present in the 1.4 nm surface layer and a frequency dependent peak near 270 K associated with T C. The mean relaxation time τ determined from the Cole–Cole analysis of the temperature dependent χ ′ and χ ′ ′ is shown to fit the Vogel–Fulcher law: τ = τ 0 exp [ Δ E / k B ( T − T 0 ) ] with T0 = 245 K, ΔE/kB = 270 K = TC, and τ0 = 1.2 × 10−9 s. Magnetic viscosity S (measured in H = 0 for a sample cooled in H = 50 Oe) determined from the fit to the magnetization: M (t) = M (0) – S ln t, with time t up to 2 h, shows a peak at 230 K above which M (2 h) switches to negative values for temperatures up to TC(0). It is argued that this negative magnetization results from an interaction between the superparamagnetic spin clusters and the ferromagnetic phase, both being present in the temperature range of TB < T < TC.
Zaum Box: New Music for Speaking Percussionist

Zaum Box is a collection of compositions for solo speaking percussionist setting transrational Russian futurist sound poetry called zaum. Zaum arose among a small interdisciplinary group of artists, writers, musicians and thinkers who invented a beyond-rational language as part of the radical disruption of traditional artistic and expressive forms, necessary to bring about the accelerated experience of a technologically-driven future. The subgenre of contemporary concert music for solo speaking instrumentalist dates from the 1970’s and has grown into a significant branch of the solo percussion repertoire. The composition of Zaum Box was founded on an extended period of research into zaum, futurism and Russian language. The complete set of compositions was produced as a limited-edition box set of uniquely formatted scores, which were realised by percussionist Katelyn Rose King in a set of ten videos. This article by the composer reviews all the phases of this project, including research and production, and examines the relationships between text, sound, music and theatricality in selected scores.
The state of practice of COVID-19 tracking systems: An inventory study

In this poster, we report the preliminary results of an inventory of 149 publicly accessible active COVID-19 tracking systems. Key findings include the frequency distribution of the systems' web domain names, the countries where the systems were created, the languages they support, the visual display format, the map platforms, and the data sources. These findings help to advance the knowledge of the data characteristics and design of pandemic surveillance/tracking systems.
Multi-omics analysis of glucose-mediated signaling by a moonlighting Gβ protein Asc1/RACK1

G proteins were originally discovered through efforts to understand the effects of hormones, such as glucagon and epinephrine, on glucose metabolism. On the other hand, many cellular metabolites, including glucose, serve as ligands for G protein-coupled receptors. Here we investigate the consequences of glucose-mediated receptor signaling, and in particular the role of a G subunit Gpa2 and a non-canonical G{beta} subunit, known as Asc1 in yeast and RACK1 in animals. Asc1/RACK1 is of particular interest because it has multiple, seemingly unrelated, functions in the cell. The existence of such "moonlighting" operations has complicated the determination of phenotype from genotype. Through a comparative analysis of individual gene deletion mutants, and by integrating transcriptomics and metabolomics measurements, we have determined the relative contributions of the G and G{beta} protein subunits to glucose-initiated processes in yeast. We determined that Gpa2 is primarily involved in regulating sugar metabolism while Asc1 is primarily involved in amino acid metabolism. Both proteins are involved in regulating purine metabolism. Of the two subunits, Gpa2 regulates a greater number of gene transcripts and was particularly important in determining the amplitude of response to glucose addition. We conclude that the two G protein subunits regulate distinct but complementary processes downstream of the glucose-sensing receptor, as well as processes that lead ultimately to changes in cell growth and metabolism. AUTHOR SUMMARYDespite the societal importance of glucose fermentation in yeast, the mechanisms by which these cells detect and respond to glucose have remained obscure. Glucose detection requires a cell surface receptor coupled to a G protein that is comprised of two subunits, rather than the more typical heterotrimer: an subunit Gpa2 and the {beta} subunit Asc1 (or RACK1 in humans). Asc1/RACK1 also serves as a subunit of the ribosome, where it regulates the synthesis of proteins involved in glucose fermentation. This manuscript uses global metabolomics and transcriptomics to demonstrate the distinct roles of each G protein subunit in transmitting the glucose signal. Whereas Gpa2 is primarily involved in the metabolism of sugars, Asc1/RACK1 contributes to production of amino acids necessary for protein synthesis and cell division. These findings reveal the initial steps of glucose signaling and several unique and complementary functions of the G protein subunits. More broadly, the integrated approach used here is likely to guide efforts to determine the topology of complex G protein and metabolic signaling networks in humans.
Sensing, Switching and Modulating Applications of a Superconducting THz Metamaterial

The emergence of planar metamaterials (PrMMs) has opened a gateway to unprecedented electromagnetic (EM) properties and functionality unattainable from naturally occurring materials, thus enabling a family of PrMM based devices. In this paper, a novel class of superconducting (SC) PrMM is presented and a series of THz reflectance spectral responses simulations reveals that these SC PrMM structures portend applications in a variety of temperature sensors, thermo-optical modulators, and magnetic switch devices.
Exploration of Team Communication Behaviors from a Live Training Event

Investigating communication data during team training activities can provide insight into the rich processes underlying team collaboration and coordination. In this paper we explore team communication behaviors collected during a live training capstone involving six squads from the U.S. Army, three of which were experimentally assigned to receive instruction for improving team behaviors. Communication among squads was recorded, transcribed, and labeled for speech acts and team development dimensions. A series of analyses were used to investigate communication pattern differences over time between teams of higher and lower performance. Findings and implications are discussed.
Dr. Rumack Replies

Dr. Little raises an interesting point which will have to be the object of further investigation. While the clinical course is similar in some respects, it may be difficult to pin down the diagnosis of acetaminophen poisoning. By the time the hepatic failure of acetaminophen toxicity occurs, little if any of the drug is on board for laboratory detection. Further, during the prodrome of Reye9s syndrome, fever may be treated with therapeutic doses of acetaminophen.
Standards of Comparison Used by Consumers in Assessing Satisfaction/Dissatisfaction with Attribute-Specific Brand Performance: A Conceptual Evaluation

Both the strengths and weaknesses of three standards of comparison are discussed. The standards evaluated are ideal points, focal brand expectations, and product class experience. A number of new hypotheses are generated by this evaluation. Taken together, these hypotheses suggest a relationship between satisfaction/dissatisfaction and standards of comparison which is more complex than suggested previously.
SU-E-P-49: Evaluation of Image Quality and Radiation Dose of Various Unenhanced Head CT Protocols

Purpose: To evaluate the diagnostic value of various unenhanced head CT protocols and predicate acceptable radiation dose level for head CT exam. Methods: Our retrospective analysis included 3 groups, 20 patients per group, who underwent clinical routine unenhanced adult head CT examination. All exams were performed axially with 120 kVp. Three protocols, 380 mAs without iterative reconstruction and automAs, 340 mAs with iterative reconstruction without automAs, 340 mAs with iterative reconstruction and automAs, were applied on each group patients respectively. The images were reconstructed with H30, J30 for brain window and H60, J70 for bone window. Images acquired with three protocols were randomized and blindly reviewed by three radiologists. A 5 point scale was used to rate each exam The percentage of exam score above 3 and average scores of each protocol were calculated for each reviewer and tissue types. Results: For protocols without automAs, the average scores of bone window with iterative reconstruction were higher than those without iterative reconstruction for each reviewer although the radiation dose was 10 percentage lower. 100 percentage exams were scored 3 or higher and the average scores were above 4 for both brain and bone reconstructions. The CTDIvols are 64.4 and 57.8 mGymore » of 380 and 340 mAs, respectively. With automAs, the radiation dose varied with head size, resulting in 47.5 mGy average CTDIvol between 39.5 and 56.5 mGy. 93 and 98 percentage exams were scored great than 3 for brain and bone windows, respectively. The diagnostic confidence level and image quality of exams with AutomAs were less than those without AutomAs for each reviewer. Conclusion: According to these results, the mAs was reduced to 300 with automAs OFF for head CT exam. The radiation dose was 20 percentage lower than the original protocol and the CTDIvol was reduced to 51.2 mGy.« less
The Affordable Care Act and the Medicare Program: Linking Medicare Payment to Quality Performance

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (“ACA”), as amended by the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act of 2010, is signature legislation that will fundamentally change the health care sector of the United States. One of the ACA’s major reforms changes the way in which Medicare pays health care providers and rewards providers for providing high quality care.Value-based purchasing is a major strategy for reducing the escalation of Medicare expenditures. The theory of value-based purchasing is to change the basis of payment for services from a formula based on events and resources used in an episode of care to a formula based on performance measured by specific quality measures.This Article reviews the development of value-based purchasing in the Medicare program since its inception. The Article then explains how the ACA expands and enhances value-based purchasing from only inpatient hospitals to physicians and other providers. Then the Article analyzes what the future implications of value-based purchasing will be for the U.S. health care industry.
Sensory Processing in Students with Specific Learning Disabilities: Findings and Implications for Assessment and Intervention Planning

The purpose of this study was to determine whether students with specific learning disabilities (SLD) with and without attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) have different sensory processing when compared to students without disabilities. Parents of 240 students ages 5 to 11 years (120 SLD, 120 typical) completed the Sensory Profile. Multivariate analysis of variance MANOVA revealed that students with SLD have significant differences in sensory processing as compared to students without disabilities, but SLD only and SLD with ADHD were not different. Perhaps sensory processing can provide additional information for individualized intervention planning, including who might benefit from a sensory processing approach and who might need other approaches to support their participation.
Cervical Spine Injury Mechanisms

A test series using eight unembalmed cadavers was conducted to investigate factors affecting the creation of cervical spine damage from impact to the crown of the head. The crown impact was accomplished by a free-fall drop of the test subject onto a load plate. The load plate striking surface was covered with padding to vary the contact force time characteristics. The orientations of the head, cervical spine, and torso were adjusted relative to a laboratory coordinate system to investigate the effects of head and spinal configuration on the damage patterns. Load and acceleration data are presented as a function of time and as a function of frequency in the form of mechanical impedance. For the covering abstract of the conference see HS-036 716. (Author/TRRL)
Analytical Solutions to the Linearized Boussinesq Equation for Assessing the Effects of Recharge on Aquifer Discharge1

Boggs, Kevin G., Robert W. Van Kirk, Gary S. Johnson, Jerry P. Fairley, and P. Steve Porter, 2010. Analytical Solutions to the Linearized Boussinesq Equation for Assessing the Effects of Recharge on Aquifer Discharge. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 46(6):1116–1132. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752-1688.2010.00479.x Abstract: There is a need to develop a general understanding of how variations in aquifer recharge are reflected in discharge. Analytical solutions to the linearized Boussinesq equation governing flow in an unconfined aquifer provide a unified mathematical framework to quantify relationships among lag time, attenuation and distance between aquifer recharge and discharge and the effect of an up-gradient no-flow boundary. We applied this framework to three types of recharge: (1) instantaneous, (2) periodic, and (3) constant rate for a finite duration. When the temporal scale of recharge exceeds the diffusive aquifer time scale, recharge will be reflected in discharge quickly and with little attenuation. When aquifer time scale is large, most recharge events are shorter in scale than that of the aquifer, resulting in large attenuation. Attenuation is more sensitive to boundary effects than lag time, and boundary effects increase as recharge time scale increases. Boundary effects can often be ignored when the recharge source is farther than 1/3 of the domain length away from the no-flow boundary. We illustrate analytical results with application to the economically critical Eastern Snake River Plain Aquifer in Idaho. In this aquifer, detectable annual and decadal cycles in discharge can result from recharge no farther than 20 and 60 km away from the discharge point, respectively. The effects of more distant, long-term recharge can be detected only after a time lag of several decades.
Order-free spoken term detection

In this paper, we propose Time-Marked Word (TMW) lists as a replacement for the lattices and Confusion Networks (CNs) widely used as indexing vehicles for Spoken Term Detection (STD). In a TMWlist, candidates are simply tagged with posterior probabilities and time information and stored as a large list of words: the additional ordering present in a lattice or CN is discarded. TMW lists compactly summarize a large ASR search space. Representing a large search space is critical for STD metrics such as ATWV that heavily penalize misses of rare keywords. Comparisons on the OpenKWS 2014 Tamil limited language pack task [1] show that the new TMW-based indexing results in better performance while being faster and having a smaller footprint.
X-ray diffraction studies of 14-filament models of deoxygenated sickle cell hemoglobin fibers. Models based on electron micrograph reconstructions

Abstract The transforms of a large number of models of deoxygenated sickle hemoglobin fibers, related to that derived from image reconstruction of electron micrographs, have been calculated and compared with X-ray diffraction data of 15 A resolution. The model of the fiber, determined from the reconstructed image, is a helix consisting of 14 filaments that associate in a specific mode to form seven pairs, or protofilaments. Pairs were identified through the pattern of filament loss in partially disassembled fibers and by the separation between molecules, in adjacent filaments, of half a molecular diameter, along the fiber axis. An alternative mode of filament association can be derived also from the surface lattice of the reconstruction, which meets these criteria for the pairing of molecular filaments. Both pairing modes have been used in the search for structures whose transforms show the best agreement with the diffraction data. Models were generated by the systematic translation of six protofilaments, taken in symmetry related pairs, in steps of 3.5 A along the fiber axis relative to a fixed central protofilament. Each translation of a protofilament corresponds to a different fiber model, whose transform was compared with observed data. In all, over 11,000 transforms were calculated. Of all the models considered, three have been found whose residuals are minimal. At 30 A resolution, similar to that of electron micrographs, the model derived from image reconstruction and the three found through our search procedure are indistinguishable. At 15 A, however, the transforms of these models show better agreement with the observed data than the transform of the reconstructed image. Comparison of residuals shows that the model derived from the reconstructed image can be rejected with 99.5% probability relative to the model, with the same pairing scheme, found by our search procedures. The two other models, derived from the alternative pairing scheme, are also more credible than the reconstructed image, but at a lower confidence level. Each of our three models is equally acceptable. Their existence may reflect structural polymorphism of the fiber.
Community Services and Out‐Migration

This paper investigates the relationship between changing community context and out-migration in one of today’s poor countries, seeking to document the various mechanisms by which infrastructure affects the migratory behavior. We focus on the expansion of social and physical facilities and services near to rural people’s homes, including transportation, new markets, employment, schools, health clinics, and mass media outlets such as movie halls. We draw upon detailed data from Nepal to estimate the hypothesized effects. The direct effects of expanding economic and human capital infrastructure are clearly negative, reducing out-migration. However, increased economic infrastructure is associated with a greater accumulation of human and social capital among respondents and their parents. Through these intervening mechanisms, economic and social infrastructure increased the odds of migrating out. These results reveal the often countervailing nature of short- and long-term effects of economic and social change, and the complex pathways influencing migration outcomes.
Creative Engineering Design: The Meaning of Creativity and Innovation in Engineering

The importance of creativity as a vehicle for innovation in engineering design is discussed in this chapter. A creative act needs acceptance of an idea, product, or process by the field, such as engineering and the domain such as science or Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM). Today’s engineers must be creative and innovative. The problems engineers facing today demand original thinking . To remain competitive globally, engineering firms rely on creative individuals and creative teams to develop new products for innovation. The Creative Engineering Design Assessment (CEDA) offers a new method for assessing creative engineering design. Unlike previous measures, the revised CEDA also measures Originality and Usefulness , which, to date, is a unique component when compared to other general creativity and engineering creativity measures. Creative design and its measurement may act as a catalyst to increase enrollment in STEM. Through prioritizing creativity and innovation, as we did with prioritizing scientific creativity in the 1950s, we can enhance global prosperity, not only for the United States of America (USA) but also for other countries around the world.
Independent examination of patients hospitalized against their will.

The justification for legal commitment of the mentally ill has come under increasing public and professional scrutiny. While there have been few abuses or errors, certain types of problems are more likely to be reflected in unmerited hospitalization. This paper reviews nine hospitalizations in which an independent psychiatric review was requested by a private attorney. In three of the nine cases, mandatory hospitalization was not justified. Problem cases involved individuals with a history of mental illness, domestic or marital disputes, and organic mental illness—particularly those related to aging. Another factor to be kept in mind is that examination at a later date may reflect the marked improvement that has occurred clinically rather than the symptom picture at the time of hospitalization.
Photodegradation of UV absorbers: Kinetics and structural effects

When poly(methyl methacrylate) films containing UV absorbers are exposed to UV light, the absorbers undergo photodegradation resulting in loss of absorbance. If the data extend for less than one half-life, both zero and first order kinetic treatment give fairly linear fits, but the rate constants so derived are dependent on the initial absorbance of the films. When the zero order rate constants are corrected to account for the higher rate of degradation near the surface compared with the bulk that occurs in highly absorbing films, consistent “infinite absorption” zero order rate constants are derived. The inhomogeneous degradation is due to only the highly absorbed, higher energy light contributing significantly to the degradation. For the benzophenone and benzotriazole classes of absorber, at least 65% of the degradation is due to light with wavelengths < 350 nm. Structural variations generally caused only small differences in the rates of degradation of these classes of absorbers unless the substitutions disrupted the intramolecular hydrogen bonds that are critical for stability. If the hydrogen bond is weakened, the absorber is less stable.
Self-Esteem Across the Lifespan: Issues and Interventions, edited by Mary H. Guindon

Self-esteem is a core issue for both basic and applied psychologists, as well as for the general public. Over the past years, there has been a growing interest in self-esteem research, as evidenced...
A snappy new concept for APS

In this issue of Blood , Agar and colleagues present data for a novel explanation of how an antigenic target on β2GPI, a central protein in the APS disease process, can become available for binding by antibodies.[1][1] The antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), an autoimmune thrombophilic disorder, was
Diabetic Emergencies in Small Animals

Diabetic ketoacidosis and hyperglycemic hyperosmolar syndrome are two serious and potentially life-threatening complications of diabetes mellitus. Understanding pathophysiology is crucial to the proper management of veterinary patients with these disorders. This article reviews the biochemical alterations contributing to these conditions, and discusses traditional and controversial management strategies.
Surgical aspects of cervical carcinoma

The surgical therapy of cancer of the cervix has historically been a mainstay of treatment for this malignancy. This manuscript reviews the historical development of surgical therapy for cervix cancer and discusses the role of this modality in modern medicine. Stage I and Stage IIA disease is adequately treated with a radical hysterectomy. Morbidity and mortality in the last two decades has been reduced to a minimum. The extent of the radical surgical procedure called radical hysterectomy has been tailored to the extent of the disease by the use of modern knowledge of spread patterns.
Chronic Illness Care in Russia: A Pilot Project To Improve Asthma Care in a “Closed City”

Context In Russia, where health status has deteriorated since the late 1960s, asthma is a growing medical and public health problem Objective To create a model for improving care and outcomes of patients with asthma through altering the culture of health care, physician behavior, and public policy in a Russian community Design A 6-month, nonrandomized, before-and-after intervention evaluation Setting Outpatients of Medical-Sanitary Unit No. 50, the central health authority in Sarov, Russia, a “closed” nuclear city Participants A consecutive sample of 85 adult patients with severe-persistent or moderate-persistent asthma Interventions A comprehensive asthma-care program that emphasized patient education and self-management with treatment based on internationally accepted guidelines modified for local resources Main outcome measures Missed work or school, patients requiring emergency department visits, number of patients hospitalized, daytime symptoms, nighttime symptoms, rescue inhaler use, patient satisfaction, and FEV 1 Results After 6 months, significant reductions were observed in the proportion of patients missing work or school (1.2% vs 11.8%), emergency department visits (4.8% vs 15.7%), hospitalizations (0% vs 9.4%), daily symptoms (47.1% vs 65.9%), and nightly symptoms (14.1% vs 37.6%). Patient satisfaction with asthma control (81.2% vs 31.8%) and average level of FEV 1 (84.0% vs 72.4%) significantly increased from baseline Conclusions The model for changing asthma management in this Russian community was effective in improving asthma outcomes and offers a reproducible paradigm approach for improving chronic illness care