cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Stabilization of the Abdominal Aorta During the Cardiac Cycle with the Sac-Anchoring Nellix Device.

The Nellix device uses polymer-filled endobags to stabilize the abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) sac which is described as endovascular aneurysm sealing (EVAS). We analyzed cardiac-gated computed tomography angiography scans of repaired AAA with EVAS in 4 patients to evaluate the geometry and cardiac pulsatility-induced deformation. Graft translation and aortic curvature changes were found to be minimal during the cardiac cycle. The mean ± standard deviation changes in renal-aorta angles (1.0 ± 0.9°) were less than the changes in the superior mesenteric artery–aorta angle (4.0 ± 2.1°) ( P
The Current Status of Advanced Cockpit Technology (ACT) Education within Collegiate Aviation: A Preliminary Outlook

Several studies in the past have examined the preparedness of collegiate aviation to meet the demands for the upcoming NextGen (i.e., automated) cockpit. Such research revealed a conflict as to the current prominence of advanced cockpit technology education. The purpose of the study was to explore current tendencies in the education of advanced cockpit technology (ACT) within collegiate aviation by analyzing present-day course catalogs and/or program descriptions located in their university websites. The results for both aviation accredited universities and regular aviation programs indicate a noticeable increase in the teaching of ACT. Using unobtrusive research methods, the study found that 90% of aviation programs show clear evidence of either acquiring a Technically Advanced Aircraft (TAA) or having a specific course with theoretical and/or practical applications of advanced cockpit technology. These conclusions support the idea that collegiate general aviation (GA) training is undergoing the required technological transition that larger air carriers and corporate pilots underwent years ago.
Incidence, Risk Factors, and Clinical Implications of Postoperative Hematoma Requiring Reoperation Following Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion.

STUDY DESIGN Retrospective study of prospectively collected data. OBJECTIVE To determine the incidence, timing, risk factors, and clinical implications of postoperative hematoma requiring reoperation after anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF). SUMMARY OF BACKGROUND DATA Postoperative hematomas requiring reoperation are rare but potentially catastrophic complications after ACDF. However, there has been a lack of large cohort studies investigating these complications in the ACDF population despite increasing outpatient procedure volume. METHODS Patients who underwent ACDF in the 2012 to 2016 National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database were identified. The primary outcome was an occurrence of hematoma requiring reoperation within 30 days postoperatively. Risk factors for this outcome were identified using multivariate regression. Postoperative length of stay, subsequent complications, and mortality were compared between patients who did and did not develop a hematoma requiring reoperation. RESULTS A total of 37,261 ACDF patients were identified, of which 148 (0.40%) developed a hematoma requiring reoperation (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.33%-0.46%). Of the cases that developed this complication, 37% occurred after discharge. Risk factors for the development of hematoma requiring reoperation were multilevel procedures (most notably ≥3 levels, relative risk [RR] = 3.14, 95% CI = 1.86-5.32, P 1.2 (RR = 2.85, 95% CI = 1.42-5.71, P = 0.006), lower BMI (notably body mass index ≤24, RR = 2.11, 95% CI = 1.21-3.67, P = 0.008), American Society of Anesthesiologists classification ≥3 (RR = 2.07, 95% CI = 1.47-2.91, P < 0.001), preoperative anemia (RR = 1.71, 95% CI = 1.12-2.63, P = 0.027), and male sex (RR = 1.67, 95% CI = 1.18-2.37, P = 0.004). In addition, patients who developed a hematoma requiring reoperation before discharge had a longer length of stay. Further, those who developed a hematoma requiring reoperation were at higher risk for subsequent ventilator requirement, deep wound infection, pneumonia, and reintubation. CONCLUSION Postoperative hematoma requiring reoperation occurred in approximately 1 in 250 patients after ACDF. High-risk patients should be closely monitored through the perioperative period. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 3.
Proceedings of the 2nd Workshop on Data Mining using Matrices and Tensors

The 2009 Workshop on Data Mining using Matrices and Tensors (DMMT'09) is the second workshop on this theme held annually with the SIGKDD Conference. Through the workshop, we expect to bring together leading researchers on many topic areas (e.g., computer scientists, computational and applied mathematicians) to assess the state-of-the-art, share ideas and form collaborations. We also wish to attract practitioners who seek novel ideals for applications. In summary, this workshop will strive to emphasize the following aspects: •Presenting recent advances in algorithms and methods using matrix and scientific computing/applied mathematics •Addressing the fundamental challenges in data mining using matrices and tensors •Identifying killer applications and key industry drivers (where theories and applications meet) •Fostering interactions among researchers (from different backgrounds) sharing the same interest to promote cross-fertilization of ideas •Exploring benchmark data for better evaluation of the techniques The field of pattern recognition, data mining and machine learning increasingly adapt methods and algorithms from advanced matrix computations, graph theory and optimization. Prominent examples are spectral clustering, non-negative matrix factorization, Principal component analysis (PCA) and Singular Value Decomposition (SVD) related clustering and dimension reduction, tensor analysis such as 2DSVD and high order SVD, L-1 regularization, etc. Compared to probabilistic and information theoretic approaches, matrix-based methods are fast, easy to understand and implement; they are especially suitable for parallel and distributed-memory computers to solve large scale challenging problems such as searching and extracting patterns from the entire Web. Hence the area of data mining using matrices and tensors is a popular and growing are of research activities. This workshop will present recent advances in algorithms and methods using matrix and scientific computing/applied mathematics for modeling and analyzing massive, high-dimensional, and nonlinear-structured data.
Gas-Phase Deconstruction of UO22+: Mass Spectrometry Evidence for Generation of [OUVICH]+ by Collision-Induced Dissociation of [UVIO2(C≡CH)].

Because of the high stability and inertness of the U=O bonds, activation and/or functionalization of UO22+ and UO2+ remain challenging tasks. We show here that collision-induced dissociation (CID) of the uranyl-propiolate cation, [UVIO2(O2C-C≡CH)]+, can be used to prepare [UVIO2(C≡CH)]+ in the gas phase by decarboxylation. Remarkably, CID of [UVIO2(C≡CH)]+ caused elimination of CO to create [OUVICH]+, thus providing a new example of a well-defined substitution of an “yl” oxo ligand of UVIO22+ in a unimolecular reaction. Relative energies for candidate structures based on density functional theory calculations suggest that the [OUVICH]+ ion is a uranium-methylidyne product, with a U≡C triple bond composed of one σ-bond with contributions from the U df and C sp hybrid orbitals, and two π-bonds with contributions from the U df and C p orbitals. Upon isolation, without imposed collisional activation, [OUVICH]+ appears to react spontaneously with O2 to produce [UVO2]+.
A history of ethanol drinking increases locomotor stimulation and blunts enhancement of dendritic dopamine transmission by methamphetamine

Ethanol and psychostimulant use disorders exhibit comorbidity in humans and cross-sensitization in animal models, but the neurobiological underpinnings of this are not well understood. Ethanol acutely increases dopamine neuron excitability, and psychostimulants such as cocaine or methamphetamine increase extracellular dopamine through inhibition of uptake through the dopamine transporter (DAT) and/or vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2). Psychostimulants also depress dopamine neuron activity by enhancing dendritic dopamine neurotransmission. Here, we show that mice with a previous history of ethanol drinking are more sensitive to the locomotor-stimulating effects of a high dose (5 mg/kg), but not lower doses (1 and 3 mg/kg) of methamphetamine or any tested dose of cocaine (3, 10, and 18 mg/kg), compared with water-drinking controls. We next investigated the impact of a history of ethanol drinking, in a separate group of mice, on methamphetamine- or cocaine-induced enhancement of dendritic dopamine transmission using whole-cell voltage clamp electrophysiology in mouse brain slices. Methamphetamine, applied at a concentration (10 μM) that affects both DAT and VMAT2, enhanced D2 receptor-mediated inhibitory postsynaptic currents (D2-IPSCs) in both groups, but this effect was blunted in mice with a history of ethanol drinking. As methamphetamine action at VMAT2 disrupts dopamine neurotransmission, these results may suggest enhanced action of methamphetamine at VMAT2. Furthermore, there were no differences in low-dose methamphetamine or cocaine-induced enhancement of D2-IPSCs, suggesting intact DAT function. Disruption of methamphetamine-induced enhancement of dendritic dopamine transmission would result in decreased inhibition of dopamine neurons, ultimately increasing downstream release and the behavioral effects of methamphetamine.
Modeling the return to consciousness after severe traumatic brain injury at a large academic level 1 trauma center

OBJECTIVE Severe traumatic brain injury (sTBI) carries significant morbidity and mortality. It remains difficult to counsel families on functional prognosis and plan research initiatives aimed at treating traumatic coma. In order to better address these problems, the authors set out to develop statistical models using retrospective data to identify admission characteristics that correlate with time until the return of consciousness, defined as the time to follow commands (TFC). These results were then used to create a TFC score, allowing for rapid identification of patients with predicted prolonged TFC. METHODS Data were reviewed and collected from medical records of sTBI patients with Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) motor subscores ≤ 5 who were admitted to Stony Brook University Hospital from January 2011 to July 2018. Data were used to calculate descriptive statistics and build binary logistic regression models to identify admission characteristics that correlated with in-hospital mortality and in-hospital command-following. A Cox proportional hazards model was used to identify admission characteristics that correlated with the length of TFC. A TFC score was developed using the significant variables identified in the Cox regression model. RESULTS There were 402 adult patients who met the inclusion criteria for this study. The average age was 50.5 years, and 122 (30.3%) patients were women. In-hospital mortality was associated with older age, higher Injury Severity Score (ISS), higher Rotterdam score (head CT grading system), and the presence of bilateral fixed and dilated pupils (p < 0.01). In-hospital command-following was anticorrelated with age, ISS, Rotterdam score, and the presence of a single fixed and dilated pupil (p < 0.05). TFC was anticorrelated with age, ISS, Rotterdam score, and the presence of a single fixed and dilated pupil. Additionally, patients who sustained injuries from falls from standing height had a shorter average TFC. The 3 significant variables from the Cox regression model that explained the most variance were used to create a 4-point TFC score. The most significant of these characteristics were Rotterdam head CT scores, high impact traumas, and the presence of a single fixed and dilated pupil. Importantly, the presence of a single fixed and dilated pupil was correlated with longer TFC but no increase in likelihood of in-hospital mortality. CONCLUSIONS The creation of the 4-point TFC score will allow clinicians to quickly identify patients with predicted prolonged TFC and estimate the likelihood of command-following at different times after injury. Discussions with family members should take into account the likelihood that patients will return to consciousness and survive after TBI.
Methods for Transposon Mutagenesis in Proteus mirabilis

Several methods for transposon mutagenesis have been employed for use in P. mirabilis. The first method involves the use of mini-Tn5 derivatives, which are delivered by conjugation of a suicide plasmid containing this transposon, followed by transposition into the chromosome. A second method is the use of preformed transposon/transposase complexes (transposomes), which are introduced into P. mirabilis cells by electroporation. Each of these methods will be discussed along with the advantages and disadvantages of each.
Towards a More Inclusive and Dynamic Understanding of Medical Mistrust Informed by Science.

Mistrust of medical advances and the medical professions continues to persist, and is perhaps increasing. The popular press has documented the growing number of parents globally whose concerns arou...
DNA-Protein Cross-Link Formation in Nucleosome Core Particles Treated with Methyl Methanesulfonate

N7-Methyl-2'-deoxyguanosine (MdG) is the major damage product in DNA produced by methylating agents, but it often thought to be nontoxic and nonmutagenic. MdG is chemically unstable. An abasic site (AP) is the major product produced from MdG under physiologically relevant conditions. AP formation is frequently considered to be responsible for the cytotoxic effects of MdG, but the reaction is suppressed in nucleosome core particles (NCPs). Recently, it was discovered that histone proteins form reversible DNA-protein cross-links (DPCs) with MdG in reconstituted NCPs, as well as in methylmethanesulfonate (MMS) treated cells. In this study, the formation and reactivity of MdG in MMS treated NCPs was examined at single nucleotide resolution. Sequences consisting of three or more consecutive dGs are more reactive with MMS. The efficiency and selectivity of MdG formation by MMS is largely unaffected within a NCP, although reactivity at several dGs is ∼1.5-2.5-fold higher in NCPs. DPC formation from MdG (DPCMdG) predominates over AP at all positions within the NCP. With few exceptions, DPCMdG yield is strongly dependent upon the accessibility of the major groove containing MdG to lysine-rich histone N-terminal tails. These data indicate that histone-MdG DPC formation will depend upon DNA sequence and translational position within an NCP.
Benchmarking Parallel K-Means Cloud Type Clustering from Satellite Data

The study of clouds, i.e., where they occur and what are their characteristics, plays a key role in the understanding of climate change. Clustering is a common machine learning technique used in atmospheric science to classify cloud types. Many parallelism techniques e.g., MPI, OpenMP and Spark, could achieve efficient and scalable clustering of large-scale satellite observation data. In order to understand their differences, this paper studies and compares three different approaches on parallel clustering of satellite observation data. Benchmarking experiments with k-means clustering are conducted with three parallelism techniques, namely OpenMP, OpenMP+MPI, and Spark, on a HPC cluster using up to 16 nodes.
Extensive brainstem infiltration, not mass effect, is a common feature of end-stage cerebral glioblastomas.

BACKGROUND Progress in extending the survival of glioblastoma (GBM) patients has been slow. A better understanding of why patient survival remains poor is critical to developing new strategies. Postmortem studies on GBM can shed light on why patients are dying. METHODS The brains of 33 GBM patients were autopsied and examined for gross and microscopic abnormalities. Clinical-pathologic correlations were accomplished through detailed chart reviews. Data were compared with older published autopsy GBM studies that predated newer treatment strategies, such as more extensive surgical resection and adjuvant temozolomide. RESULTS In older GBM autopsy series, mass effect was observed in 72% of brains, with herniation in 50% of all cases. Infiltration of tumor into the brainstem was noted in only 21% of those older cases. In the current series, only 10 of 33 (30%) GBMs showed mass effect (P = 0.0003), and only 1 (3%) showed herniation (P < 0.0001). However, extensive GBM infiltration of the brainstem was present in 22 cases (67%, P < 0.0001), with accompanying destruction of the pons and white matter tracts. There was a direct correlation between longer median patient survival and the presence of brainstem infiltration (16.1 mo in brainstem-invaded cases vs 9.0 mo in cases lacking extensive brainstem involvement; P = 0.0003). CONCLUSIONS With improving care, severe mass effect appears to be less common in GBM patients today, whereas dissemination, including life-threatening brainstem invasion, is now more pronounced. This has major implications regarding preclinical GBM models, as well as the design of clinical trials aimed at further improving patient survival.
A pharmacokinetics primer for preclinical nanomedicine research

Abstract As for any drug, nanomedicines must achieve a pharmacokinetic (PK) profile that is acceptable in the clinic. To do so, PK parameters should be evaluated through rigorous structure–function studies during preclinical development. The purpose of this chapter is to provide experts in nanoparticle design with general guidelines for performing and interpreting PK studies of potential nanoparticles. With a focus on issues applicable to nanoparticles, this chapter includes functional definitions of concepts, brief summaries of experimental strategies, equations for use in calculating parameters, and guidance on interpretation using compartmental and noncompartmental analyses. Real examples of structure–function studies are presented, which can guide the design of future nanoparticle PK studies.
Using the Common Core

The two authors of this manuscript are professors at a university in Georgia, and work closely with preservice and in-service teachers. In addition to teaching courses on literacy, the authors also offer professional development opportunities to schools around the state on how to properly differentiate instruction. What we have noticed is that many teachers at the middle grade level (4th – 8th grades) struggle with differentiated instruction, even more so, than their elementary counterparts. Part of this struggle is because the teachers simply never learned how to do this properly. Part of this is because they have many more students than their elementary colleagues, and are overwhelmed by the thought of individualizing lessons for 150 students. This paper seeks to propose a model that is seeing success with middle grades teachers in Georgia. There is a chance that this model, which is actually a lesson plan format, will be helpful to other teachers who are looking to differentiate instruction in their classrooms.
xGFM: Recovering convergence of fluxes in the ghost fluid method

Abstract We introduce a simple but effective correction to the Ghost Fluid Method (GFM) introduced by Liu et al. (2000) [30] for capturing sharp interface conditions when solving Poisson equations with discontinuities. Our method is shown to alleviate the GFM lack of convergence for the flux across the interfaces: pointwise convergence of the gradient is recovered by ensuring consistent jump conditions with an iterative process. Compared to the GFM, the discretization stencil and the symmetric positive-definiteness of the resulting linear system are not modified; only the right-hand side of the linear system is affected. We first show that the original GFM is consistent with the second-order-accurate symmetric scheme of Gibou et al. (2002) [17] for Dirichlet conditions in separate regions of the computational domain where the parameters and the solution are smooth, but with matching conditions at the interface that are not fully consistent in general. Our proposed method recovers consistency and is shown to produce convergent gradients through several numerical examples in two and three spatial dimensions.
A comparison of recreational skiing- and snowboarding-related injuries at a Colorado ski resort, 2012/13-2016/17.

The purpose of this study was to compare injury patterns between recreational skiers and snowboarders. Injured skiers (n = 3,961) and snowboarders (n = 2,428) presented to a mountainside medical cl...
Bipolar Radiofrequency Ablation on Explanted Human Hearts: How to Ensure Transmural Lesions

Background Bipolar radiofrequency (RF) clamps have been shown to be capable of reproducibly creating transmural lesions with a single ablation in animal models. Unfortunately in clinical experience the bipolar clamps have not been as effective and often require multiple ablations to create conduction block. This study created a new experimental model using fresh, cardioplegically arrested human hearts turned down for transplant to evaluate the performance of a nonirrigated bipolar RF clamp. Methods Nine human hearts turned down for transplant were harvested, and the Cox-Maze IV lesion set was performed with a nonirrigated bipolar RF clamp. In the first 7 hearts a single ablation was performed for each lesion. In the last 2 hearts a set of 2 successive ablations without unclamping were performed. The heart tissue was stained with 2,3,5-triphenyl-tetrazolium chloride. Each ablation lesion was cross-sectioned to assess lesion depth and transmurality. Results A single ablation with the bipolar RF clamp resulted in 89% (469/529) of the histologic sections and 65% (42/65) of the lesions being transmural. Of the nontransmural sections, 92% occurred in areas with epicardial fat. Performing 2 successive ablations without unclamping resulted in 100% of the cross-sections (201/201) and lesions (25/25) being transmural. Conclusions A single ablation failed to create a transmural lesion 35% of the time, and this was associated with the presence of epicardial fat. Two successive ablations without unclamping resulted in 100% lesion transmurality using the bipolar RF clamp.
Walter Isard (1919–2010): Founding Father of Regional Science

Regional science owes its existence to the efforts of one individual: American economist Walter Isard. Highly critical of economists for failing to handle space, Isard’s solution was a new, interdisciplinary field, drawing from other social sciences and emphasizing rigorous analysis of cities and regions. He was remarkably successful in promoting regional science and was its most prolific author. Isard established the Regional Science Association (RSA), initiated several journals, and founded the first regional science department, at the University of Pennsylvania. Extremely ambitious in his scholarship, he combined academic prowess with rare talent for organization. In this chapter, David Boyce reviews the contributions of the Founding Father in launching the academic field, establishing its institutions, and diffusing its scholarship through forming sections of the RSA, worldwide.
Suing China Over COVID-19

On April 21, 2020, the state of Missouri filed a lawsuit in federal court against the People’s Republic of China and various other parties. The lawsuit seeks damages from the defendants for their role in unleashing the COVID-19 pandemic, an action that, as the state has alleged, roiled the world for the last two months, put millions of people out of work, and killed thousands in the process. According to the complaint, Chinese authorities pursued “[a]n appalling campaign of deceit, concealment, misfeasance, and inaction” causing our current “unnecessary and preventable” global pandemic. The threshold issue is whether Missouri can sue under the Foreign Sovereign Immunities Act of 1976 (FSIA). Missouri’s lawsuit does not look promising under current law. Missouri claims that China has engaged in “commercial activities” that allow this suit to go forward, but Missouri’s alleged injuries are not “based upon” those activities, as the FSIA requires. Missouri also alleged that it can sue China in tort for their response to the virus, but the FSIA does not allow foreign governments to be sued for their “discretionary functions,” even when they abuse that discretion. Missouri alleges that the Chinese Communist Party is the ultimate authority in China, but does not allege that it lacks discretion over choosing its response to COVID-19. Missouri therefore has an uphill climb to avoid dismissal.
Lyophilized yeast powder for adjuvant free thermostable vaccine delivery

Thermolabile nature of commercially available vaccines necessitates their storage, transportation and dissemination under refrigerated condition. Maintenance of continuous cold chain at every step increases the final cost of vaccines. Any breach in the cold chain, even for a short duration results in the need to discard the vaccine. As a result, there is a pressing need for the development of thermostable vaccines. In this proof of concept study, we showed that E. coli curli-GFP fusion protein remains stable in freeze-dried yeast powder for more than a 13 and 6 months when stored at 30 °C and 37 °C respectively. Stability of the heterologous protein remains unaffected during the process of heat-inactivation and lyophilization. The mass of lyophilized yeast powder remains almost unchanged during the entire period of storage. Expressed protein remains intact even after two cycles of freeze and thaws. The protease deficient strain appears ideal for the development of whole recombinant yeast-based vaccines. The cellular abundance of expressed antigen in dry powder after a year was comparable to freshly lyophilized cells. SEM microscopy showed the intact nature of cells in powdered form even after a year of storage at 30 °C. Observation made in this study showed that freeze-dry yeast powder can play a vital role in the development of thermostable vaccines.
Profile monitoring based on transfer learning of multiple profiles with incomplete samples

Profile monitoring is an important tool for quality control. Most existing profile monitoring approaches focus on monitoring a single profile. In practice, multiple profiles also widely exist and t...
Hospitalized Older Patients with Clostridioides difficile Infection Refractory to Conventional Antibiotic Therapy Benefit from Fecal Microbiota Transplant.

Background: Options for Clostridioides difficile infection (CDI) refractory to conventional therapy are limited. Fecal microbiota transplant (FMT) is considered safe and effective treatment for recurrent CDI and could be a treatment option for refractory CDI. We investigated the efficacy and safety of FMT in hospitalized patients who were not responding to standard treatments for CDI. Methods: Electronic medical records of patients who received FMT inpatient for refractory CDI were reviewed as part of quality improvement efforts to evaluate safety and efficacy of FMT in inpatient setting. Results: Between July 2014 and December 2019, 9 patients (age 60–96) received FMT for CDI as inpatient for refractory or fulminant CDI. Most (7 of 9) of these patients had pseudomembranous colitis and underwent multiple FMTs (mean 2.15, range 1 to 3). Five patients had complete resolution and one patient had diarrhea that was C. difficile-negative. There was one recurrent CDI and two deaths, one of which may have been related to FMT or CDI. Compared to recurrent CDI at diagnosis, patients with refractory CDI had higher WBC and neutrophil counts, which decreased after FMT. The overall cure rate of FMT in refractory cases was 66.7%. Conclusions: This study shows moderate efficacy of FMT for treatment of refractory CDI although multiple FMT treatment may need to be administered in the presence of pseudomembranous colitis. Inpatient FMT may be an alternative strategy for managing refractory CDI in this population of patients who may not have any effective medical treatment available.
Survival of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and Herpes Simplex Virus 1 (HSV-1) on Foods Stored at Refrigerated Temperature

Outbreaks of coronavirus infectious disease 2019 (COVID-19) in meat processing plants and media reports of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) detection on foods have raised concerns of a public health risk from contaminated foods. We used herpes simplex virus 1, a non-Biosafety Level 3 (non-BSL3) enveloped virus, as a surrogate to develop and validate methods before assessing the survival of infectious SARS-CoV-2 on foods. Several food types, including chicken, seafood, and produce, were held at 4 °C and assessed for infectious virus survival (herpes simplex virus 1 (HSV-1) and SARS-CoV-2) at 0 h, 1 h, and 24 h post-inoculation (hpi) by plaque assay. At all three time points, recovery of SARS-CoV-2 was similar from chicken, salmon, shrimp, and spinach, ranging from 3.4 to 4.3 log PFU/mL. However, initial (0 h) virus recovery from apples and mushrooms was significantly lower than that from poultry and seafood, and infectious virus decreased over time, with recovery from mushrooms becoming undetectable by 24 hpi. Comparing infectious virus titers with viral genome copies confirmed that PCR-based tests only indicate presence of viral nucleic acid, which does not necessarily correlate with the quantity of infectious virus. The survival and high recovery of SARS-CoV-2 on certain foods highlight the importance of safe food handling practices in mitigating any public health concerns related to potentially contaminated foods.
Failure to Rescue – A Candidate Quality Metric for Durable Left Ventricular Assist Device Implantation

Abstract Objective Failure to rescue (FTR), defined as death after a complication, is recognized as a principal driver of variation in mortality among hospitals. We evaluated FTR as a quality metric in patients receiving durable LVADs using The Society of Thoracic Surgeons Interagency Registry for Mechanically Assisted Circulatory Support (STS-Intermacs). Methods Data were analyzed from STS-Intermacs on 13,617 patients receiving primary durable LVADs from 04/2012 to 10/2017 at 131 hospitals performing at least 20 implants. Rates of major complications and FTR were compared across risk-adjusted in-hospital mortality terciles (low, medium, high) and hospital volume. Logistic regression was used to estimate expected FTR rates based on patient factors for each major complication. Results The overall unadjusted in-hospital mortality was 6.96%. Risk-adjusted in-hospital mortality rates varied 3.1-fold across terciles (low 3.3%, high 10.3%; p-trend 30/year: 40.1%; p-trend 30/year 17.9%; p=0.03) Conclusions Failure to rescue may serve as an important quality metric for durable LVAD implant procedures, and identifying strategies for successful rescue after complications may reduce hospital variations in mortality.
Fundamentals and Applications of Auger Electron Spectroscopy

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the fundamentals of Auger Electron Spectroscopy (AES). The emission of Auger electrons results from the radiation less rearrangement of the electrons in an excited atom. The empirical methods of determining Auger energies use the single-ionization energies determined from X-rays or photoemission. The characteristics of AES are discussed. The energy distribution of the primary electrons after ionization is determined by the transition probability of the core electron to the unoccupied states above the Fermi level. While qualitative analysis by AES is sufficient for a vast majority of applications, semiquantitative and quantitative analysis is often desirable. It is relatively easy to quantify Auger data to an accuracy of a factor of four that shall be called semiquantitative analysis. In quantitative analysis, accuracy errors
chapter 4 Stereomicroscopy of Whole Cells

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the different aspects of the stereomicroscopy of whole cells. The applications of stereomicroscopy of whole cells are expanding rapidly and will take on greater significance when more high-voltage microscopes become available. The correlative information made available by this approach will help to define precisely the influence that changes in cytoskeletal components can exert on the external cell surface morphology. This approach has already been successfully applied to follow virus propagation, maturation, and release from host cell systems. The same methods will also be useful in analyzing the ultrastructural basis for endocytosis, especially where it involves selective uptake by clathrin-coated pits and vesicles. The capping process in cells and the involvement of the subsurface lattice also lend themselves to this approach. Cell responses to a number of drugs such as cytochalasin B and Taxol offer attractive opportunities for observing fine structural changes associated with the gross form changes that the treated cells displays. The stereo micrographs depict for the cytoplasmic ground substance the same microtrabecular lattice as is found in images of the whole cell. The dimensions and the volume ratios of trabeculae to intertrabecular space are different, but that is to be expected, as differentiated cells normally contain less H2O.
Design, construction, and insulation test of a 15 millihenry inductor for a solid-state buck converter of a gyrotron cathode power supply

Solid-state buck converters are popular for regulating output voltages of switch-mode dc power supplies for various applications. An output filter inductor in a buck converter is one of the crucial components to provide a continuous load current when the switching devices in the buck converter, such as BJTs, FETs, MOSFETs, or IGBTs, turn off. This inductor can be purchased as a commercial-off-the-shelf (COTS) component for a converter with a low voltage and power application. In a low voltage and high power application, it is still available through a number of vendors in the magnetic component industry. However, for a gyrotron cathode power supply in electron cyclotron heating (ECH) for fusion energy research [1] with an input voltage of 120 kV and output voltage of 80 kV at a load current of 100 Amperes, it is very difficult to obtain such an inductor from a qualified vendor. Two 15 mH inductors at a load current of 100 Amperes were designed and built inhouse to meet the required input and output voltages. The design strategy, method of construction, and insulation test results of these inductors will be discussed in this paper.
A novel approach to the dynamic analysis of highly deformable bodies

A method using element-fixed moving reference frames is introduced to compute the behavior of highly deformable bodies undergoing large and fast rotations. The use of reference frames attached to each finite element allows the correct computation of overall large deformations and the characterization of rigid-flexible coordinate coupling through the systematic incorporation of higher-order kinematic terms and time derivatives of coordinate transformation matrices. The approach is applied to planar rotating Bernoulli beams of various flexural rigidities and the results are compared to those obtained by other methods and ABAQUS, a nonlinear finite element package. The results indicate excellent agreement with published data and superior efficiency of computation.
Being held back by the old: Incumbent Inertia and Renewable Energy Technologies

Firms face challenges renewing and updating their capability portfolio. Despite regulatory efforts to increase renewable electricity generation, less than eight percent of the electricity consumed in the U.S. was generated from renewable resources in 2009. Persistence of existing resource stocks and irreversible investments can create strategic commitment that ‘holds a firm back in the old’, while, at the same time, environmental shifts push firms toward new resource investments and renewal of their capability portfolio. We study the interplay between regulatory policy and competing firms’ new technology investments on a focal firm’s new technology investments to assess the relative importance of these two external drivers in affecting the renewal of a focal firm’s capability portfolio. We propose that the effect of external drivers - competitive context and regulatory policies – depends on a firm’s existing resource stock: while competing firms’ new technology investments have a stronger effect on incumb...
Generalized Circle Diagrams and Their Application to Protective Gear

The common underlying theory of generally used systems of protection involving comparison of two vector quantities is derived by coaxial (bipolar) circles in the complex plane, where amplitude or phase comparison can be used interchangeably to produce any desired circle or straight line characteristic. Practical departure from ideal comparison, resulting from relay power consumption, is considered, and the relationship between this analysis and two currently used methods of distance relaying is pointed out. The basic circuit of a commonly used pilot wire scheme is analyzed and its characteristic considered, and the effect of long pilots with distributed constants is indicated.
State-Level Variations in Racial Disparities in Life Expectancy

Blacks continue to have a shorter life expectancy than whites in the United States (Wong et al. 2002; National Center for Health Statistics 2010). The elimination of this disparity and other racial health inequities is a public health priority (Institute of Medicine of the National Academies 2003; Keppel 2007; Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 2010). Studies have identified contributors to these disparities, such as poverty, psychosocial factors, and health care quality, but the determinants of disparities remain poorly understood. Previous studies show geographic variation in racial differences in life expectancy (Murray et al. 2006; Ezzati et al. 2008). Investigators typically measure the magnitude of disparity, with the implicit assumption that interventions should target regions with large disparities rather than those with small disparities. We hypothesize that this assumption may not be correct for all states. Specifically, the public health and policy implications for geographic variations in life expectancy should not only account for the relative difference in life expectancy between blacks and whites but also the absolute life expectancy of each group and the population size. To explore the prevalence and patterns of racial disparities at the state level, we calculated life expectancy by race and sex for 50 states and the District of Columbia (DC). We rank ordered each state by the size of the life expectancy gap between blacks and whites, and we also examined the contribution of each state to the overall disparity in life expectancy.
MRI-based volumetric measurement of the substantia innominata in amnestic MCI and mild AD.

The substantia innominata (SI) contains the nucleus basalis of Meynert, which provides the major cholinergic innervation to the entire cortical mantel and the amygdala; degeneration of nucleus basalis neurons correlates with cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s disease (AD). However, whether SI atrophy occurs in individuals with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (aMCI) has not been examined thoroughly in vivo. In the present study, we developed a new protocol to measure volumetric changes in the SI from magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans. Participants consisted of 27 elderly controls with no cognitive impairment (NCI); 33 individuals with aMCI; and 19 patients with mild AD. SI volumes were traced on three consecutive gapless 1 mm thick coronal slices. Results showed that SI volume was significantly reduced in the mild AD group compared to both NCI and aMCI participants; however, the NCI and aMCI groups did not differ from each other. Furthermore, a decrease in SI volume was related to impaired performance on declarative memory tasks even when attention was controlled.
Resonant diffusion of energetic electrons by narrowband Z mode waves in Saturn's inner magnetosphere

[1] Banded emissions near 5 and 20 kHz are observed by the Cassini Radio and Plasma Wave Science (RPWS) instrument and are identified as Z mode waves in the regions where the plasma frequency is below the electron gyrofrequency. Using wave parameters derived from Gaussian fits to the measured power spectral density for narrow-band Z mode waves and the ambient density and magnetic field information at L = ~4, we compute the bounce-averaged diffusion coefficients for the Saturnian radiation belt electrons. Our results indicate that 5 kHz Z mode emissions can cause resonant scattering of electrons from ~2 MeV to tens of megaelectron volts, while 20 kHz waves can interact with electrons from hundreds of kiloelectron volts to ~2 MeV. In principle, the rate of momentum diffusion can be an order of magnitude larger than that of pitch angle diffusion and cross diffusion for electrons at equatorial pitch angles > ~10°, suggesting that Z mode waves on Saturn are responsible for local acceleration of radiation belt energetic electrons at intermediate pitch angles.
A cena: lançando sombra sobre o real

Este artigo explora a relacao entre o que se considera como realidade 'objetiva' ou 'suprema' - e digamos - a sua subjetivacao: um mundo de sombras, na fronteira da imaginacao, que chamo de 'cena'. Sugiro que essas duas 'realidades' sao mutuamente implicadas. Argumento que, na medida em que reagimos a (ou criamos) essas cenas que colorem a nossa experiencia da realidade objetiva, elas merecem atencao antropologica. Enfatizo a natureza intersubjetiva da propria subjetividade e apresento uma tentativa preliminar de entendimento dos dramas interlocutorios complexos (que ocorrem no ritual, por exemplo, ou na psicanalise) que constituem a cena.
Characterization of Impregnated Iron Catalysts on Coal

The phase, surface adsorption, and dispersion of iron catalysts impregnated on coal were characterized using Mossbauer spectroscopy. The magnetic relaxation behavior of the catalyst is similar to that obtained from binary ferrihydrite catalysts ; the catalyst particles are aggregated rather than dispersed or impregnated on coal and the surface of the catalyst is chemisorbed with impurity anions. These impurity anions inhibit particle agglomeration, thus allowing the catalyst to maintain its surface area under reaction conditions.
Case-control analysis of clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea on a gynecologic oncology service.

Objective: The incidence, morbidity, and risk factors associated with Clostridium difficile-associated diarrhea (CDAD) were studied in a group of gynecologic oncology patients. Methods: A case-control analysis of gynecologic oncology patients with CDAD was carried out from August 1986 through January 1989 in a university medical center. Results: One hundred twenty-three stool samples were tested for C. difficile using the CDT latex agglutination test (Marion Diagnostics, Kansas City, MO). Thirty episodes of CDAD developed in 23 patients. From August 1986 through July 1988, the incidence was stable at 1.5 episodes/100 admissions. From August 1988 through January 1989, the incidence increased to 9.9 episodes/100 admissions (P = 0.005). Compared with patients with nonspecific antibiotic-associated diarrhea, the study patients were hospitalized longer prior to the development of symptoms (mean 15.2 vs. 9.2 days, P = 0.006) and were admitted more frequently with diarrhea (37% vs. 11%, P = 0.015). The rates of surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy were similar. Fever (57% vs. 14%, P < 0.001), abdominal pain (40% vs. 6%, P < 0.001), bloody stools (27% vs. 3%, P = 0.006), and leukocytosis (64% vs. 26%, P = 0.011) were more common among the study cases. The duration, indication, and number of antibiotics administered were similar, though once started, the mean time to symptoms was longer in the study cases (13.7 vs. 6.1 days, P = 0.004). Seven relapses, 1 death, and 1 unplanned colostomy occurred among women with CDAD. Conclusions: C. difficile is a serious cause of nosocomial morbidity in gynecologic oncology patients. Diarrhea developing after antibiotic exposure is more likely to be associated with C. difficile in patients whose symptoms develop several days after completing antibiotics and in patients with a history of CDAD.
Management of cuff erosion of the double cuff artificial urinary sphincter.

Purpose: We report on a series of patients with erosion of 1 cuff of an AMS800 † †American Medical Systems, Minnetonka, Minnesota. double cuff artificial urinary sphincter and determine the success rate of removing the eroded cuff, leaving the other components behind and converting the device to a single cuff system. Materials and Methods: In 9 patients with a double cuff artificial sphincter 1 eroded cuff was removed and the system was converted to a single cuff sphincter. Results: Followup was based on an incontinence scoring system. In 1 patient the remaining cuff was removed because it also eroded. In another patient a wound infection developed 5 months after placement and the entire device was removed. The remaining 7 patients had better continence scores than before artificial sphincter placement but each remarked that continence was better with 2 cuffs. Conclusions: An eroded cuff of a double cuff artificial urinary sphincter system can be successfully removed and the device can be converted to a single cuff system.
Distance Education in Virginia: An Exploratory Analysis

As distance education programs continue to grow in the United States, several interesting questions pertaining to the "geography" of distance education are emerging. For example, what is the spatial distribution of distance education students for a typical college? Are schools successful in attracting students from beyond their traditional service areas? From a broader perspective, how does this impact our understanding of information and communication technologies as they relate to time-space convergence and the impact of "real" space on accessibility to educational opportunities? Utilizing a database of enrollment information from the Virginia Community College System, a commercial geographic information system, and basic statistical analysis, we explore the spatial dimensions of distance education. Results indicate major differences in the spatial distribution of distance education students between urban and rural colleges and that both temporal and spatial constraints influence participation in distance education programs.
Enhancement of Pulmozyme activity in purulent sputum by combination with poly-aspartic acid or gelsolin

Abstract Background DNase (Pulmozyme) effectiveness in cystic fibrosis treatment is in some cases limited by its inability to access DNA trapped within bundles in highly viscous fluids that also contain actin. Dissociating DNA-containing bundles using actin depolymerizing agents and polyanions has potential to increase DNase efficacy. Methods Fluorescence measurements of YOYO-1 and a rheological creep-recovery test quantified DNA content and viscoelasticity in 150 sputum samples from adult CF patients and their susceptibility to fluidization by DNase1, alone and in combination with gelsolin and poly-aspartate (p-Asp). Fluidization of sputum by these agents is compared to their capacity to increase antibacterial activity in sputum, measured using a luminescent Pseudomonas aeruginosa strain and a bacterial killing assay. Results The polyanion p-Asp (1–50μg/g of sputum), the actin severing protein gelsolin (10-90μg/g) and their combination enhance the ability of DNase 1 to increase the abnormally low mechanical compliance of CF sputum and to promote bacterial killing in sputum by colistin and tobramycin, two antibiotics commonly used to treat CF. Conclusions Addition of low concentrations of p-ASP or gelsolin can increase the therapeutic value of Pulmozyme (DNase 1).