cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Title IX in its Third Decade: The Commission on Opportunity in Athletics

Since its passage in 1972, Title IX of the Education Amendments (44 Fed. Reg. at 71413) has, at times, provoked intense public interest and scrutiny when applied to federally funded, school-sponsored athletic programmes in the United States. In the year 2002, which marked the thirtieth anniversary of Title IX, the level and pace of the national debate on equity issues in athletics was again quite high. Within a contentious climate created by men’s sports advocates alleging that Title IX had been used to curtail or deny boys and young men equitable access to athletics, President George W. Bush charged the US Department of Education to appoint a commission to revisit longstanding and well-established enforcement guidelines, subjecting them to mass public comment and speculation. The purpose of this article is to examine the impact the appointment of the Commission on Opportunity on Athletics had on the national dialogue surrounding Title IX and its application to athletic programmes. The article concludes with an analysis of the political agenda behind the Commission’s work which was revealed in the tone and tenor of the Commission’s process and the final action taken by the Department of Education after the report of the Commission was issued.
General Equilibrium Models with Morishima Elasticities of Substitution in Production

Analytical general equilibrium (AGE) models are important tools that economists use to answer questions about theory and policy. When a production function has three or more inputs, the traditional modeling technique employs Allen elasticities of substitution to represent general functional forms. This paper builds an analytical general equilibrium model using the Morishima elasticity of substitution (MES). Specifically, an existing model using Allen elasticities is reformulated to employ the MES and the new, closed-form solutions are interpreted with additional insights from the reformulation. Importantly, the special case of constant elasticity of substitution (CES) production follows directly when using Morishima elasticities, but not Allen elasticities. This paper also provides a general technique for switching from Allen to Morishima elasticities in any existing AGE model and demonstrates a one-to-one numerical equivalence regardless of the elasticity measure employed. Replicating prior results, plausible parameter values are applied to the reformulated model to analyze the source-side, distributional effects of a pollution tax and highlight how the Allen and Morishima elasticities differ.
Debunking Humphrey's Executor

The Supreme Court’s 1935 Humphrey’s Executor decision paved the way for the modern administrative state by holding that Congress could constitutionally limit the President’s powers to remove heads of regulatory agencies. The Court articulated a quartet of features of the Federal Trade Commission’s statutory design that ostensibly justified the Commission’s constitutional independence. It was to be non-partisan and a-political, uniquely expert, and performing quasi-legislative and quasi-judicial, rather than executive, functions. In recent years, the staying power of Humphrey’s Executor has been called into question as a matter of constitutional design. This article reconsiders Humphrey’s Executor from a different angle. At the end of a one hundred years natural experiment, the Commission bears almost no resemblance to the Progressive-technocratic vision articulated by the Court. The Commission is not politically independent, uniquely expert, or principally legislative or adjudicative. Rather, it is essentially a law enforcement agency beholden to the will of Congress. This finding has potentially important implications for agency design, constitutional doctrine and theory, and understanding of agency functioning.
Toward a Sociology of Risk: Using Disaster Research to Understand Group and Organizational Behavior toward Technological Risk

Understanding how people perceive and respond to risk has been of interest to social scientists and engineers. The recent low probability, high consequence disasters such as the Bhopal chemical release and the Chernobyl nuclear power plant meltdown demonstrate the technological hazards that surround us and has further increased interest in the topic. Much of today’s risk analysis is a psychometric approach that looks at individuals attitudes toward risky technologies (e.g. see the plethora of work by Fishhoff, Slovic, Lichtenstein). Although such an approach begins to answer some questions regarding human response to risk, there also exists some problems with this approach. Two problems with the psychometric approach identified here pertain to the emphasis of studying 1) individuals, and 2) attitudes. I propose that a more sociological approach, focussing on groups and behavior be undertaken to complement the psychometric approach. Furthermore, a sociological approach does not need new methodologies for understanding risk. To illustrate, brief examples from disaster research are used. Finally, psychometric risk analysis should also identify its ideological component or attempt a less value-laden approach with its research questions.
Cocaine-Induced Abnormal Cerebral Hemodynamic Responses to Forepaw Stimulation Assessed by Integrated Multi-Wavelength Spectroimaging and Laser Speckle Contrast Imaging

Simultaneous imaging of cerebral hemodynamic changes in response to functional activation during drug intoxication provides a valuable strategy to assess cocaine-induced neurovascular dysfunction. However, this requires tools with sufficient spatiotemporal resolution and an adequate signal to noise ratio (SNR). Though several technologies have been developed to address this demand during functional brain activation, their spatiotemporal resolution has been compromised to preserve SNR. In this study, we combine spatiotemporal-domain laser speckle contrast analysis and image correlation techniques to integrate the multi-wavelength spectroimaging and laser speckle contrast imaging (MW-LSCI). Experimental results show that optimized spatiotemporal resolution with enhanced SNR were achieved that enabled simultaneous measurement of multiple hemodynamic responses (i.e., ΔHbO2, ΔHbR, ΔHbT, and ΔCBF) during cocaine administration. Specifically, cocaine-induced functional cerebral hemodynamic changes were accessed by measuring the activation responses to forepaw electrical stimulation at different times after cocaine administration. With an improved spatiotemporal resolution and SNR, the system was able to differentiate the heterogeneity of cocaine's effects on the cerebral vasculature and on tissue metabolism, demonstrating the unique capability of MW-LSCI for various brain functional and pharmacological studies.
Sensation within the Skin

This Viewpoint emphasizes interoceptive discriminative stimulus modulation of voluntary operant behavior (a la B. F. Skinner), rather than elicitation of Pavlovian conditioned reflexes. In doing so, I will restate how the operant drug discrimination paradigm may not only elucidate smoking and other addictive behaviors but also anxiety (Troisi, J. R., II. (2003) Spontaneous recovery during, but not following, extinction of the discriminative stimulus effects of nicotine in rats: Reinstatement of stimulus control. Psychol. Rec. 53, 579–592).
SMART Heuristic for Pickup and Delivery Problem (PDP) with Cooperative UAVs

Pickup and Delivery Problems (PDPs) are a subset of Vehicle Routing Problems (VRPs) which require a vehicle to service targets by picking them up at an origin and delivering them to their unique destination. With respect to surveillance functions, this becomes a realistic problem as UAVs are restricted by operating range, data rate, Anti-Jam margins, and cost. Therefore, UAVs must be allocated to “pickup” targets and then “deliver” them, from within a prescribed communication space, back to a command and control HQ. To maximize the speed/amount of information transmitted from this communication region, the objective of allocating the UAVs is such that the total service time (pickup and delivery) of all the targets is minimized. Previous work on PDPs has shown that as the problem gets more complicated (i.e. more targets and more vehicles) the solution space increases exponentially, and the execution time to find an optimal solution is impossible to implement. Additionally, previously related work using a heuristic solution has been applied to this problem showing that good result can be maintained (within ~1520% of the optimal solution for small cases). The focus of this research is to develop an alternate heuristic algorithm, deemed SMART from here on, that can perform near optimally (within ~5%) and scales as the problem gets more complicated. Also, the algorithm is developed such that it is easily extendable to a dynamic scenario as this research progresses. This algorithm is described in detail and has shown that it reaches this performance metric while requiring a significantly reduced computational time when compared to the time needed to obtain the optimal solution.
264 Impact Analysis of an Evidence Based Guideline on Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) in Children: Determinants of Implementation

Background To improve reliable diagnosing UTI in young, non-toilet trained children, a diagnostic strategy of the Nice guideline was nationally introduced in the Netherlands. This study aims to determine the impact of this new diagnostic strategy in clinical practice. We evaluated determinants of successful implementation. Methods We conducted a cross-sectional observational study, with observations before and after implementation. We prospectively collected data from healthy children aged 1 month- 2 years, presenting with fever at the emergency room at Sophia Children’s Hospital in 2008 and 2010–2011. Primary outcome measure: assessment of children suspected with UTI according to the guideline and determinants of implementation. Secondary outcomes: number of contaminated cultures, hospitalisation and antibiotic treatment. Outcome measures are assessed by mean (95%CI). Differences before and after implementation were tested using Chi-squared test. Effects of determinants were evaluated using regression analysis. Results The preintervention group consisted of 207 children (male 64.3%, median age 0.98 years (interquartile range IQR0.77), the postintervention group 194 children (male 55.2%, median age 1.06 year (IQR0.78). Correctly diagnosed UTI increased from 41 (19.8%; 95% CI:14.3–25.3) in the the preintervention group to 101 (52.1%; 95%CI:45.0–59.2) in the postintervention group(p-value Conclusion Implementation of the guideline has lead to a significant higher frequency of correct assessment of UTI in young children. We could not identify determinants at patient, process or professional level with significant influence on successful implementation.
Current Status of Spray Combustion Modelling

A brief review is presented of the state of the art of spray combustion modelling. Major remaining challenges are discussed. Droplet vaporization and heating models available for sub-grid modelling are discussed. In particular, we address the real aspects of spray combustion that make the standard textbook treatments irrelevant in practice: destruction of spherical symmetry by droplet motion, multicomponent fuel mixtures, transient droplet heating and vaporization, supercritical conditions at high operating pressures, and droplet-droplet interactions. Needs for improvement of sub-grid droplet vaporization and heating models are discussed. A new and useful theoretical perspective involving a contrived scalar quantity, known as the Super Scalar, is presented. The spray equations and their uses for Reynolds-averaged (RANS) flow analyses, large-eddy simulations (LES), and direct numerical simulations are reviewed. The alternative to spray combustion of fuel-film vaporization and combustion is discussed, especially with its advantages for miniature combustors. The progress on a first-principles alternative to the current empirical approach for setting the inflowing droplet-size distribution is reviewed.
Handling and Processing of Liver Biopsies

Handling and processing of the liver biopsy includes gross examination and identification, fixation, embedding in paraffin and sectioning, and routine and special staining of sections.
Applicatoin of electronic bronchoscopy in the diagnosis and treatment of atelectasis and emphysema in children

Objective To explore the value of electronic bronchoscopy for children with atelectasis and emphysema. Methods 31 cases with atelectasis and 35 with emphysema were examined and treated by electronic bronchoscopy and bronchoalveolar lavage. Results In 31 cases with atelectasis,24 cases were caused by inflammation (77.4%),which was the most common cause,followed by tracheobronchomalacia and bronch deformity n=5; (16.2%). 1 case had granuloma and 1 had tumour. In 35 cases with emphysema,22 cases were caused by inflammation (62.9%),which was the most common cause,followed by foreign body n=7;(20%),tracheobronchomalacia n=5; (14.3%). Foreign body was most commonly seen in children during 1~3 years. 1 case had tumour. 19 of 24 cases had infection-associated atelectasis,showing re-expansion and were treated by bronchoalveolar lavage. Conclusion Inflammation is the most common cause of atelectasis and emphysema in children,followed by foreign body,tracheobronchomalacia and bronch deformity. Electronic bronchoscopy is effective in the diagnosis and treatment of atelectasis and emphysema in children.
Studies on the structure of the vitreous body. VIII. Comparative biochemistry.

Abstract A comparative biochemical study was made on the vitreous body of the following animals: squid, frogs, tortoises, chickens, turkeys, pigeons, owls, rabbits, guinea pigs, sheep, cattle, and owl monkeys. It was found that: 1. 1. The vitreous body of the squid is a liquid and has a low viscosity. The vitreous body of the owl monkey is a viscous fluid. In the chicken, turkey, and pigeon, the posterior part of the vitreous body is a liquid; the rest is a gel. In the other animals the vitreous body is in gel state. 2. 2. The total ascorbic acid content is high (in the order of 10 mg./100 ml.) in adult mammals and tortoises, and it is ten times lower in the other animals investigated. The amount of oxidized ascorbic acid in mammals is about 10% of the total ascorbic acid content. 3. 3. Only when the vitreous body is in gel state does it contain collagen which can be sedimented by high-speed centrifugation. 4. 4. Hexuronic acid is present in the vitreous body of all species, but with a large variation in concentration. The highest values were found in squid and in some mammals (cattle, owl monkeys, sheep). Its concentration is much less in birds, rabbits, and guinea pigs. In frogs no hexuronic acid could be determined. 5. 5. In most animals the hexosamine concentration was higher than the hexuronic acid, indicating that hexosamine-containing compounds other than hyaluronic acid, such as glycoproteins, are present. The sialic acid content supports these findings. 6. 6. The aqueous humor of birds contains hexosamine and hexuronic acid in about the same concentrations as the vitreous body. The aqueous humor of the owl showed an uneven distribution of hexosamine and hexuronic acid. A viscous layer, presumably hyaluronic acid, was found behind the cornea. The hyaluronic acid concentration of the aqueous humor of the mammals investigated was 100 times less than that of the vitreous body. 7. 7. In all animals the soluble protein concentration of the vitreous body is very low (about 1% of the serum concentration), indicating that there is a distinct barrier between the vitreous body and the blood vessel system. 8. 8. Hyaluronic acid, soluble proteins, and collagen were unevenly distributed in the vitreous body of all animals investigated.
Analysis of Microtubules in Isolated Axoplasm from the Squid Giant Axon

Biochemical specialization of cellular microtubules has emerged as a primary mechanism in specifying microtubule dynamics and function. However, study of specific subcellular populations of cytoplasmic microtubules has been limited, particularly in the nervous system. The complexity of nervous tissue makes it difficult to distinguish neuronal microtubules from glial microtubules, and axonal microtubules from dendritic and cell body microtubules. The problem is further compounded by the finding that a large fraction of neuronal tubulin is lost during standard preparations of brain tubulin, and this population of stable microtubules is enriched in axons. Here, we consider a unique biological model that provides a unique opportunity to study axonal microtubules both in situ and in vitro: isolated axoplasm from the squid giant axon. The axoplasm model represents a powerful system for addressing fundamental questions of microtubule structure and function in the axon.
Endogenous Interferon-γ Acts Directly on Tumor Cellsin Vivoto Suppress Growth

Abstract Background: Recent evidence implicates endogenous interferon-γ (IFN-γ) in the host response to an immunogenic tumor (MCA105); antibody blockade of host IFN-γ increased tumor growth rate (Doherty et al., Ann. Surg. Oncol. 3: 198–203, 1996). Those experiments did not attempt to determine the site of IFN-γ activity (the host, the tumor, or both). Materials and Methods: MCA101 murine tumor cells were transfected with a plasmid expression vector containing an antisense construct to the IFN-γ receptor (IFN-γ R) or a control construct. Clones were isolated and tested for IFN-γ stimulation of MHC I expression, sensitivity to IFN-γ growth effects in vitro, and specific [ 125 I]IFN-γ binding. Results: The antisense strategy was successful in decreasing the number of cell-surface IFN-γ binding sites and in vitro response to IFN-γ. Finally, in vivo experiments demonstrated significantly increased untransfected tumor growth rate in animals after blockade of endogenous IFN-γ by a single dose of anti-IFN-γ antibody and more rapid growth of the IFN-γ R-deficient cells compared to controls. Con- clusion: endogenous IFN-γ has a direct effect on this less immunogenic tumor in vivo, which serves to slow growth and which is, at least partially, mediated through interferon-γ receptors on the tumor cell.
Real-Time Feedback Control System for Tuning Evanescent-Mode Cavity Filters

This paper presents a real-time feedback control system for evanescent-mode cavity filters. The control loop monitors the frequency of each cavity in the filter and adjusts the bias voltage on the tuning piezoelectric actuator based on the monitoring data, such that each resonator of the filter is at the desired frequency. The control system can tune the filter regardless of any effects from hysteresis or creep. While applicable to a variety of filter structures, the presented control system has been validated on a second-order bandstop filter built using a standard PCB process. The control system can successfully tune the filter from 0.9 to 1.45 GHz (550-MHz tuning range or 61%) without affecting the RF performance. The control system is fully electronic with a digital interface for easier integration. It also exhibits a measured frequency resolution of 33–6 MHz (or 3.5%–0.4%).
Controlling yellow jackets with fipronil-based protein baits in urban recreational areas

ABSTRACTThe western yellow jacket, Vespula penyslvanica (Saussare), is a serious seasonal pest of outdoor venues in the western United States. In the spring, queens and low numbers of workers were captured in heptyl-butyrate-baited traps until early July, when the number of foragers dramatically increased. Microsatellite data suggest that 18 colonies were actively foraging within the park in 2012. Foragers from 11 different colonies were collected at one trap site. In 2012 and 2013, sufficient numbers of foragers were not captured until early August when baiting trials were initiated. Baits were prepared with canned chicken mixed with fipronil for a final concentration of 0.025%. In 2012, a single baiting provided >96% reduction of foragers for at least two months. A second baiting late in the season provided >80% reductions. In 2013, one baiting trial resulted in a 74% and a 93% reduction. A bait acceptance study was conducted in 2014 to test a bait consisting of the juices from canned chicken and 0.025%...
Influence of the extractive method on the recovery of phenolic compounds in different parts of Hymenaea martiana hayne

Background: Popularly known as “jatoba,” Hymenaea martiana Hayne is a medicinal plant widely used in the Brazilian Northeast for the treatment of various diseases. Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of different extractive methods in the production of phenolic compounds from different parts of H. martiana. Materials and Methods: The leaves, bark, fruits, and seeds were dried, pulverized, and submitted to maceration, ultrasound, and percolation extractive methods, which were evaluated for yield, visual aspects, qualitative phytochemical screening, phenolic compound content, and total flavonoids. Results: The highest results of yield were obtained from the maceration of the leaves, which may be related to the contact time between the plant drug and solvent. The visual aspects of the extracts presented some differences between the extractive methods. The phytochemical screening showed consistent data with other studies of the genus. Both the vegetal part as the different extractive methods influenced significantly the levels of phenolic compounds, and the highest content was found in the maceration of the barks, even more than the content found previously. No differences between the levels of total flavonoids were significant. The highest concentration of total flavonoids was found in the ultrasound of the barks, followed by maceration on this drug. According to the results, the barks of H. martiana presented the highest total flavonoid contents. Conclusion: The results demonstrate that both the vegetable and the different extractive methods influenced significantly various parameters obtained in the various extracts, demonstrating the importance of systematic comparative studies for the development of pharmaceuticals and cosmetics.
A study of the dissolution of Al2O3, MgO and MgAl2O4 particles in a CaO-Al2O3-SiO2 slag

The dissolution behaviour of alumina, MgO and MgAl 2 O 4 particles in a 36%CaO-21%Al 2 O 3 -42%SiO 2 (mass contents in %) slag has been studied using a confocal scanning laser microscope in the temperature range of 1470- 1550 °C. The double hot thermocouple technique and metallographic examination was also used to characterize the reaction product between the particles and the slag. The total dissolution times for MgO and MgAl 2 O 4 particles decreased with increased temperature and were almost identical (approximately 200 s for a 150 μm diameter particle at 1500 °C.). This phenomenon can be explained by the formation of MgAl 2 O 4 layer on the surface of the MgO particle during dissolution. Alumina dissolution times were slightly longer (approximately 250 s for a 150 μm diameter particle at 1500 °C) than that of MgO and MgAl 2 O 4 particles and no reaction layer was observed on the surface of the particles.
Institutional Review Boards Evaluate Good Science: Template for Success

The focus of this article is scientific merit and how to embed this information in a compelling but brief way into research proposals. We begin by discussing why scientific validity is an important...
Religious and Sexual Identities: An Intersectional, Longitudinal Examination of Change in Therapy

The current study employs an intersectional framework to understand how well counselors are meeting the needs of lesbian, gay, bisexual, queer, questioning (LGBQQ) and religious clients by examinin...
Maternal childhood cardiometabolic risk factors and pregnancy complications

Abstract Purpose The influence of childhood health on later-life health outcomes is increasingly hypothesized but rarely tested. We examined the relationship between cardiometabolic indicators in childhood and risk of pregnancy-induced hypertension, preeclampsia, and gestational diabetes. Methods Childhood measurements from 755 women in the Bogalusa Heart Study included body mass index, systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP and DBP), low- and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, total cholesterol, triglycerides, insulin, and glucose. Average childhood values were estimated by area under the curve computed from longitudinal quadratic random-effects growth models to account for the unequally spaced repeated measures. Women reported pregnancy complications, and medical records were linked to interview data where possible. Log-Poisson models predicted adjusted risk associated with an interquartile range increase in cardiometabolic indicators. Results Elevated childhood insulin was associated with 10%–15% increased risk across the three outcomes. Elevated childhood SBP was associated with preeclampsia (SBP RR = 1.50, 95% CI: 1.13, 2.01) and SBP, DBP, and body mass index predicted pregnancy-induced hypertension (SBP RR = 2.15, 95% CI: 1.65, 2.82; DBP RR = 1.83, 95% CI: 1.38, 2.43; BMI RR = 1.67, 95% CI: 1.41, 1.98). Blood pressure mediated the association between childhood body mass index and pregnancy-induced hypertension. Conclusions Results suggest the potential long-term impact of early-life cardiometabolic profiles on complications of pregnancy.
Modeling and analysis of MEMS disk resonators

In this work a very accurate process for modeling a microdisk resonator is presented and the dynamic behavior of the resonator is investigated. Using the minimization of the Hamiltonian, the governing equation of the motion is derived. The periodic solutions in the vicinity of primary resonance are determined by means of shooting method and their stability is investigated by determining the so-called Floquet exponents of the perturbed motions. To obtain a very accurate model, the influences of intermolecular forces such as van der Waals and Casimir is included in the modeling process. The effect of the design parameters on the dynamic responses is discussed. The results indicate that, high quality factor in the ultra-high frequency (UHF), weak nonlinearity, low actuation voltage and very high pull-in voltage, make these polydiamond disk resonators the most likely leaders in the next-generation micromechanical RF filters and channelizers.
Information-seeking behavior of economics graduate students: If you buy it, will they come?

ABSTRACTThe information-seeking behavior of social science graduate students has been the subject of many studies, but none have concentrated only on the economics graduate student population and their unique needs. The purpose of this focus group study was to use group discussions to understand the actual online behavior of graduate economics students when conducting research. The results provide insight and information about the skills and characteristics of economics graduate students, their first steps in conducting research online, their use of publicly available and library resources, challenges to finding information, and resources used to overcome these challenges.
Structure and Thermal Stability of (H2O)4 Tetrahedron and (H2O)6 Hexagon Adsorbed on NaY Zeolite Studied by Synchrotron-Based Time-Resolved X-ray Diffraction

Water adsorption and desorption features play an important role in determining the adsorptive and catalytic properties of zeolites. In this study, the extraframework structure (water and cations) in NaY faujasite zeolite was studied by synchrotron-based in situ time-resolved X-ray diffraction (TR-XRD) in combination with the Rietveld refinement method. It was observed that Na cations locating at different sites migrated between each other during the dehydration process. Water molecules at three separate sites showed interesting geometries: (H2O)4 tetrahedron W1, (H2O)6 ice-like hexagonal W2, and disordered triangle W3. Interactions between each form of water and Na cations were deeply investigated. The stability of the waters followed the sequence of W1 > W3 > W2. This work provides insights into both framework structure and cation positions of model zeolite under actual working conditions, which helps fully understand the properties of zeolites.
Damage Control in Surgery

Damage control surgery is considered by many surgeons as one of the most significant advances in the last 2 decades in the care of trauma or other surgical patients with severe hemorrhage, which cannot easily be controlled by other techniques. In the recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan this approach has been used extensively and has been credited with saving many lives [1]. The present chapter reviews the history, indications, techniques, controversies, complications, and outcomes for damage control procedures.
Comparison of cross-bridge cycling kinetics in neonatal vs. adult rat ventricular muscle.

The developmental shift in contractile protein isoform expression in the rodent heart likely affects actin-myosin cross-bridge interactions. We compared the Ca2+ sensitivity for force generation and cross-bridge cycling kinetics in neonatal (postnatal days 0–3) and adult (day 84) rats. The force-pCa relationship was determined in Triton-X skinned muscle bundles activated at pCa 9.0 to 4.0. In strips maximally activated at pCa 4.0, the following parameters of cross-bridge cycling were measured: (1) rate of force redevelopment following rapid shortening and restretching (ktr); and (2) isometric stiffness at maximal activation and in rigor. The fraction of attached cross-bridges (αfs) and apparent rate constants for cross-bridge attachment (fapp) and detachment (gapp) were derived assuming a two-state model for cross-bridge cycling. Compared to the adult, the force-pCa curve for neonatal cardiac muscle was significantly shifted to the left. Neonatal cardiac muscle also displayed significantly smaller αfs, slower ktr and fapp; however, gapp was not significantly different between age groups. These data indicate that weaker force production in neonatal cardiac muscle involves, at least in part, less efficient cross-bridge cycling kinetics.
Gram-Positive Bacteria

Bacillus cereus, best known for causing mild food poisoning, has been recognized as a cause of life-threatening infection in the immunocompromised host.1 It most commonly presents in a neutropenic patient as a single vesicle, pustule, or bulla on a digit or extremities with rapidly spreading cellulitis during the spring and summer.2,3 The bulla may become necrotic and develop a black eschar. Lesions may mimic clostridial myonecrosis.4 The lesion is usually painful and associated with high fever and negative blood cultures.3 Gram stain of the aspirate smear or lesional biopsy shows large Gram-positive rods, which may be mistaken for Clostridium infection and treated with penicillin. B. cereus organisms are generally resistant to β-lactam antibiotics and most cephalosporins. The most useful drugs are vancomycin, carbapenems, and aminoglycosides.
Reactive nanoenergetic graphene aerogel synthesized by one-step chemical reduction

Abstract Adoption of nanoenergetic materials into large-scale applications is hindered by problems associated with scalability, particle aggregation, stability, and electrostatic discharge (ESD) sensitivity. We report a macroscale energetic graphene aerogel that simultaneously overcomes each of these problems while increasing the energy production and flame speed with respect to neat nanothermite sample. The aerogel is comprised of reduced graphene oxide (RGO), aluminum (Al) nanoparticles, and bismuth oxide (Bi2O3) nanoparticles. Synthesis of the aerogel requires chemical reduction and gelling that preserves the reactivity of embedded fuel and oxide nanoparticles. A new gelation process is adopted in which ethylenediamine was added to a propylene carbonate dispersion to gel and reduce RGO while retaining material reactivity. The energetic aerogel enhances the heat of reaction to 967 J/g, which is 36% higher than that from loose Al/Bi2O3 powder. A combustion speed of 960 ± 190 m/s under open ambient is measured for RGO/Al/Bi2O3 gel, which is the highest value reported for an Al/Bi2O3 system. Further, the underlying reduced graphene oxide scaffold reduces ESD sensitivity of the aerogel by three orders of magnitude.
Efficacy of Subthalamic Neural Closed-loop Deep Brain Stimulation for Bradykinesia in Parkinson’s Disease (P4.053)

Objective: Exaggerated neural synchrony in the beta band (13–30 Hz) in the subthalamic nucleus (STN) is a pathophysiological marker in Parkinson’s disease (PD), the attenuation of which is related to the improvement in bradykinesia. We compared the efficacy of neural closed-loop deep brain stimulation (NclDBS) for bradykinesia using whole- and sub-beta bands. Background: NclDBS for PD has shown promise over open-loop (ol)DBS paradigms in several studies. Various groups have succeeded in using beta frequency signals to drive NclDBS and in some cases, it has proved more effective than olDBS with respect to motor disability scores (UPDRS-III). Design/Methods: Six akinetic-rigid consenting PD subjects (8 STNs) off medication performed a repetitive wrist flexion-extension task (rWFE) during blinded presentations of 140 Hz contralateral STN NclDBS and olDBS. Synchronized wrist angular velocity and STN local field potentials (LFP) were recorded during the tasks. The Activa®PC+S-NexusD3 system (FDA-, IDE-, IRB- approved, Medtronic Inc.) was used to perform NclDBS through an external computer. Results: Contralateral rWFE data corresponding to 6/8 and 3/8 STNs has been collected during 20 minutes (driven by whole beta band) and 60 minutes (driven by patient specific band) of NclDBS respectively. The rWFE root mean square angular velocity (V rms ), movement frequency and coefficient of variation (CV) of frequency significantly improved during 20 minutes of NclDBS relative to OFF DBS (p=0.031, p=0.032 and p=0.044, respectively). For the 3 STNs with 1 hour NclDBS, V rms , CV of V rms , frequency and CV of frequency improved by 836 ± 687%, 53 ± 27%, 139 ± 52% and 67 ± 24% relative to OFF DBS, respectively. The total electrical energy delivered (TEED 1s ) decreased by 21 ± 32% during 1 hour NclDBS as compared to clinical olDBS. Conclusions: NclDBS using LFP power improved the velocity, frequency and regularity of progressive bradykinesia in akinetic-rigid PD subjects and was more efficacious than olDBS. Study Supported by: Not applicable Disclosure: Dr. Bronte-Stewart has nothing to disclose. Dr. Afzal has nothing to disclose. Dr. Velisar has nothing to disclose. Dr. Anidi has nothing to disclose.
Persistent and Progressive Outer Retina Thinning in Frontotemporal Degeneration.

Objective: While Alzheimer’s disease is associated with inner retina thinning measured by spectral-domain optical coherence tomography (SD-OCT), our previous cross-sectional study suggested outer retina thinning in frontotemporal degeneration (FTD) patients compared to controls without neurodegenerative disease; we sought to evaluate longitudinal changes of this potential biomarker. Methods: SD-OCT retinal layer thicknesses were measured at baseline and after 1-2 years. Clinical criteria, genetic analysis, and a cerebrospinal fluid biomarker (total tau: beta-amyloid) to exclude likely underlying Alzheimer’s disease pathology were used to define a subgroup of predicted molecular pathology (i.e., tauopathy). Retinal layer thicknesses and rates of change in all FTD patients (n=16 patients, 30 eyes) and the tauopathy subgroup (n=9 patients,16 eyes) were compared to controls (n=30 controls, 47 eyes) using a generalized linear model accounting for inter-eye correlation and adjusting for age, sex, and race. Correlations between retinal layer thicknesses and Mini-Mental State Examinations (MMSE) were assessed. Results: Compared to controls, returning FTD patients (143 vs. 130 microns, p=0.005) and the tauopathy subgroup (143 vs. 128 microns, p=0.03) had thinner outer retinas but similar inner layer thicknesses. Compared to controls, the outer retina thinning rate was not significant for all FTD patients (p=0.34), but was significant for the tauopathy subgroup (-3.9 vs. 0.4 microns/year, p=0.03). Outer retina thickness change correlated with MMSE change in FTD patients (Spearman rho=0.60, p=0.02) and the tauopathy subgroup (rho=0.73, p=0.04). Conclusion: Our finding of FTD outer retina thinning persists and longitudinally correlates with disease progression. These findings were especially seen in probable tauopathy patients, which showed progressive outer retina thinning.
Abstract ES1-3: Advanced HER2-positive breast cancer: Overcoming treatment resistance

For two decades, HER2 has been an attractive therapeutic target. Anti-HER2 agents have transformed the care of HER2+ breast cancer and greatly improved its outcomes. However, treatment resistance remains a considerable clinical problem, and some patients still recur and progress despite optimal treatment. A particular challenge in advanced HER2+ breast cancer remains to be CNS metastasis. Special attention needs to be given to this devastating event given its serious sequelae, and its prevalence among patients battling this disease. As more agents are being approved in the early setting, improving outcomes in this setting, patients who suffer a recurrence may have more limited options and more resistant disease. The good news is that there is a number of anti-HER2 agents being explore in the advanced setting of HER2+ breast cancer. They fit into three major categories: new or optimized monoclonal antibodies, antibody-drug conjugates, and tyrosine kinase inhibitors. There is also great interest in studying other classes of agents in combination with anti-HER2 treatment, like immune-oncology agents, in this space. The plethora of agents being developed in this setting highlights the importance to understand more about potential mechanisms of resistance. This will help guide development strategies, deliver tailored treatment approaches, and design more effective agents and regimen. Resistance may be the end result of many possible molecular changes that mediate its emergence, and a variety of strategies are needed to elucidate them. That includes comprehensive in depth molecular profiling, as well as functional validation of detected alterations. Moreover, each tumor may have many underlying molecular changes in different cell sub-populations. It is therefore mandatory that development strategies for new agents and combinations should rely on clinical and biologic factors to help improve outcomes for patients with advanced HER2+ breast cancer. Citation Format: Rimawi M. Advanced HER2-positive breast cancer: Overcoming treatment resistance [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2018 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2018 Dec 4-8; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(4 Suppl):Abstract nr ES1-3.
Singular Trajectories in the Two Pursuer One Evader Differential Game

The Two Cutters and Fugitive Ship game posed by Isaacs is revisited again. We discuss and analyze the singular configuration of this two-pursuer one-evader differential game. This paper addresses the question of whether or not either player has the ability to exploit the dispersal surface. Specifically, we investigate the case where the Evader effectively stands still (e.g., by dithering in a small neighborhood). We show that the canonical optimal pursuit policy yields chattering in the discrete-time version of the game. As the timestep approaches zero, the capture time approaches the Value of the game, and thus the Evader is not penalized for standing still. Implications on related scenarios are discussed.
Differentiable Ranks and Sorting using Optimal Transport

Sorting an array is a fundamental routine in machine learning, one that is used to compute rank-based statistics, cumulative distribution functions (CDFs), quantiles, or to select closest neighbors and labels. The sorting function is however piece-wise constant (the sorting permutation of a vector does not change if the entries of that vector are infinitesimally perturbed) and therefore has no gradient information to back-propagate. We propose a framework to sort elements that is algorithmically differentiable. We leverage the fact that sorting can be seen as a particular instance of the optimal transport (OT) problem on $\mathbb{R}$, from input values to a predefined array of sorted values (e.g. $1,2,\dots,n$ if the input array has $n$ elements). Building upon this link , we propose generalized CDFs and quantile operators by varying the size and weights of the target presorted array. Because this amounts to using the so-called Kantorovich formulation of OT, we call these quantities K-sorts, K-CDFs and K-quantiles. We recover differentiable algorithms by adding to the OT problem an entropic regularization, and approximate it using a few Sinkhorn iterations. We call these operators S-sorts, S-CDFs and S-quantiles, and use them in various learning settings: we benchmark them against the recently proposed neuralsort [Grover et al. 2019], propose applications to quantile regression and introduce differentiable formulations of the top-k accuracy that deliver state-of-the art performance.
Management of Retropharyngeal Lymph Node Metastases in Differentiated Thyroid Carcinoma.

Background: Retropharyngeal lymph node metastases (RPMs) from differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) are rare. Treatment includes surgical resection, radioactive iodine (RAI) therapy, or external b...
Elastic moduli of high-density, sintered monoliths of yttrium dihydride

Abstract Yttrium dihydride has been considered as potential nuclear reactor moderator for micro-reactors operating in the thermal energy spectrum due to their ability to retain hydrogen to high temperatures while having a relatively low impact on neutron economy. Despite these advantages, it is difficult to prepare yttrium dihydride in high-density, near net-shape monoliths for moderator applications due to volume expansion upon hydriding and the pyrophoric nature of the material. In this work, high-density monoliths of yttrium dihydride were prepared by direct hydriding and using powder metallurgical methods. Resonant ultrasound spectroscopy was used to measure the elastic moduli of the sintered monoliths, while nanoindentation was used to determine the Young’s modulus and hardness of the directly-hydrided yttrium and the sintered monoliths. Single crystal elastic constants and related properties of yttrium dihydride were also determined using density functional theory (DFT) for comparison. Mechanical properties of materials produced by both methods were observed to be consistent with the values from literature for yttrium dihydride. Due to the novelty of producing yttrium dihydride by powder metallurgy, this result indicated that the monoliths produced by powder metallurgy were of high quality. To that end, powder metallurgy is believed to be a viable method for large-scale production of yttrium dihydride monoliths for nuclear reactor moderator applications.
"When You're Getting High… You Just Don't Want to Be Around Anybody." A Qualitative Exploration of Reasons for Injecting Alone: Perspectives from Young People Who Inject Drugs.

Rates of death from opioid overdose continue to rise in the United States. One harm reduction strategy designed to reduce fatal overdose risk among people who inject drugs (PWID) is an advisory to ...
Modifications of turbulence and turbulent transport associated with a bias-induced confinement transition in the Large Plasma Device

Azimuthal flow is driven in the edge of the Large Plasma Device (LAPD) [W. Gekelman et al., Rev. Sci. Instrum. 62, 2875 (1991)] through biasing a section of the vacuum vessel relative to the plasma source cathode. As the applied bias exceeds a threshold, a transition in radial particle confinement is observed, evidenced by a dramatic steepening in the density profile, similar to the L- to H-mode transition in toroidal confinement devices. The threshold behavior and dynamic behavior of radial transport is related to flow penetration and the degree of spatial overlap between the flow shear and density gradient profiles. An investigation of the changes in turbulence and turbulent particle transport associated with the confinement transition is presented. Two-dimensional cross-correlation measurements show that the spatial coherence of edge turbulence in LAPD changes significantly with biasing. The azimuthal correlation in the turbulence increases dramatically, while the radial correlation length is little altered. Turbulent amplitude is reduced at the transition, particularly in electric field fluctuations, but the dominant change observed is in the cross-phase between density and electric field fluctuations. The changes in cross-phase lead to a suppression and then apparent reversal of turbulent particle flux as the threshold is exceeded.
International and Global Telemedicine: Making It Work

The global community is facing the “digital transformation of healthcare” with the integration of telehealth and telemedicine, incorporation of electronic health records, and interoperable health information exchange. This remarkable transformation is having an impact on countries around the world. The emergence of more affordable advanced communication technologies and development of enhanced communication networks is providing realistic opportunities for low- and middle-income developing countries to integrate telemedicine into their health systems. The increasing use of cell phones, the Web, cloud-based videoconferencing, high-resolution imaging, and digital information platforms provides a means to access healthcare services in areas of the world where that access was previously a challenge or nearly impossible. The basic concept is to enhance access to healthcare services, education, training, and sharing knowledge in a manner that is culturally appropriate for the countries being served and in a manner that meets their defined needs, improves health outcomes, and can be realistically implemented and ultimately sustained. This chapter is designed to address those steps in planning and implementing international telehealth programs, within a country and between countries. These international programs require a comprehensive, thoughtful, collaborative approach that addresses the health requirements of individual countries and their unique cultural, social, and political perspectives.
LC-MS/MS measurement of endogenous oxytocin in the posterior pituitary and CSF of macaques: A pilot study.

Abstract Oxytocin (OT) is a nanopeptide released into systemic circulation via the posterior pituitary (peripheral) and into the central nervous system via widespread OTergic pathways (central). Central OT plays a significant role in variety of functions from social and executive cognition to immune regulation. Many ongoing studies explore its therapeutic potential for variety of neuropsychiatric disorders. Measures of peripheral OT levels are most frequently used as an indicator of its concentration in the central nervous system in humans and animal models. In this study, LC–MS/MS was used to measure OT in pituitary samples collected from adult male macaque monkeys in order to explore the correlation between individual levels of OT in the CSF (central) and pituitary (peripheral). We quantified individual differences in the levels of OT in the pituitaries (44−151 ng/mg) and CSF (41−66 pg/mL) of these monkeys. A positive correlation between these two measures was identified. These preliminary results allow for future analyses to determine whether LC–MS/MS measures of peripheral OT can be used as markers of OT levels in the brain of nonhuman primates that serve as valuable models for many human neuropsychiatric disorders.