cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Placing the Chinese Walls on the boundary of conflicts - analysis of symmetric binary relations

In 1989, Brewer and Nash presented a Chinese Wall Security Policy model (CWSP); the model exited the whole conference. The intuition is to place Chinese Wall on the boundary of the conflict of interests classes so that information flow among competing companies cannot occur. Unfortunately, later in the same year we pointed out their erroneous assumption that the conflict of interests relation (CIR) is an equivalence relation; and presented an aggressive Chinese Wall Security Policy model (ACWSP) that was based on an analysis of CIR as a binary relation. Based on our relative recent observation that each binary relation induces an equivalence relation, we show that ACWSP can be strengthened by the induced equivalence relation; intuitively the walls are placed on the boundary of induced equivalence classes.
Anomalies in the Judgment of Statistical Association: Fallacies Based on Unidirectional Independence, Shifting Dependence, and Conjunction

An experiment was performed in which subjects, trained in basic probability, were asked to judge the likelihood of one trait (A), e.g., intelligence, given another (B), e.g., submissiveness, relative to p(A) or p(A|B) They also ranked p(A), p(B), and p(A∩B) for relative size. A substantial proportion of judgments violated the laws of probability by endorsing relationships that implied independence was a function of the direction of association, i.e., p(A|B) = p(A) [or p(A|B)], but p(B|A)≠p(B) [or p(B|A)]. Further, many subjects endorsed relationships that implied independence in one direction changed to dependence with change in statistical comparison, i.e., p(A|B) = p(A) [or p(A|B)], but p(A|B)≠p(A|B) [or p(A)]. These violations of the laws of probability were correlated with each other. A tendency to perceive a positive relationship between two traits correlated with a tendency to commit the fallacy of conjunction. It was concluded that individuals made probabilistic judgments which did not incorpora...
Nesting in Ada programs is for the birds

Given a data abstraction construct like the Ada package and in light of current thoughts on programming methodology, we feel that nesting is an anachronism. In this paper we propose a nest-free program style for Ada that eschews nested program units and declarations within blocks and instead heavily utilizes packages and context specifications as mechanisms for controlling visibility. We view this proposal as a first step toward the development of programming methods that exploit the novel language features available in Ada. Consideration of this proposal's ramifications for data flow, control flow, and overall program structure substantiates our contention that a tree structure is seldom a natural representation of a program and that nesting therefore generally interferes with program development and readability.
Measurement of Buoyancy-Induced Flow Using a Self-Heated Thermistor Flowmeter

The development and calibration of a self-heated thermistor anemometer is described. The variation in thermistor power dissipation as a function of fluid temperature and velocity is presented. The thermistor flowmeter, which evolves from this investigation, is used to measure the buoyancy-induced flow in a thermosyphon solar hot water system. Measured flow rates for a representative day are presented. A dimensionless heat transfer analysis, applied to the thermistor probe, yielded results in good agreement with classical heat transfer correlations for spheres.
Iatrogenic Cushing Syndrome and Secondary Adrenal Insufficiency Related to Concomitant Triamcinolone and Ritonavir Administration A Case Report and Review

Triamcinolone is a long-acting glucocorticoid medication that can be responsible for transient suppression of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis. This physiologic alteration may persist for weeks after repeated or even single localized injection of this agent. However, when this glucocorticoid agent is given to patients receiving the HIV protease inhibitor (PI) ritonavir (RTV),inhibition of their shared cytochrome P450 3A4 degradation pathway leads to an increased bioavailability of triamcinolone, with subsequent heightening and prolongation of the glucocorticoid serum levels. In those instances, iatrogenic Cushing syndrome may ensue. The authors encountered such an event in an HIV-infected patient on chronic treatment with an antiretroviral regimen containing RTV. The patient's clinical presentation and laboratory investigations confirmed a diagnosis of Cushing syndrome and secondary adrenal insufficiency. This was believed to have occurred in close association following cervical vertebral column facet joint injections with triamcinolone acetonide for cephalagia deemed related to cervical spine disease. The discontinuation of the RTV-boosted PI therapy alone, promoting the clearance of the elevated triamcinolone serum levels and restoration of HPAhomeostasis, proved successful in this patient. For this case, the authors review the published English medical literature relating to this uncommon phenomenon.
Sampling and Interpretation of Atmospheric Science Experimental Data

A basic problem in the design of atmospheric experiments is presented by the choice of a sampling rate for the measurement of experimental variables. An approach to the solution of this problem is presented under the assumption that the sampling rate decision can be made prior to the execution of the experiment, as opposed to being made while the experiment is in progress. The technique used is to employ a newly developed and versatile family of fuzzy clustering algorithms, the Fuzzy c-Elliptotypes algorithms, and then to assess the fuzziness of the algorithmically determined clusters as a measure of the quality of the data.
Life Span Is Prolonged in Food-Restricted Autoimmune-Prone (NZB × NZW)F(1) Mice Fed a Diet Enriched with (n-3) Fatty Acids

Moderate food and/or energy (calorie) restriction delays age-related immune dysfunction and pro- longs life span in multiple animal models. The amount and type of dietary fatty acids can also profoundly affect life span. Marine-derived fish oils contain (n-3) fatty acids, which have potent anti-inflammatory properties. We therefore examined the influence of food restriction (40% overall reduction in intake of all dietary components) combined with substitution of fish oil for corn oil in a factorial design. Autoimmune-prone (NZB 3 NZW)F(1) (B/W) mice, which develop fatal autoimmune renal disease, were used. The food-restricted/fish oil diet maximally extended median life span to 645 d (vs. 494 d for the food-restricted corn oil diet). Similarly, fish oil prolonged life span in the ad libitum-fed mice to 345 d (vs. 242 for the ad libitum/corn oil diet). Increased life span was partially associated with decreased body weight, blunting renal proinflammatory cytokine (interferon-g, interleukins-10 and -12 and tumor necrosis factor-a) levels and lower nuclear factor-kB (NF-kB). Reductions in NF-kB were preceded by enhanced superoxide dismutase, catalase and glutathione peroxidase activities. These findings demonstrate the profound additive effects of food restriction and (n-3) fatty acids in prolonging life span in B/W mice. These observations may have additional implications in the management of obesity, diabetes, cancer and/or the aging process. J. Nutr. 131: 2753-2760, 2001.
Radially vibrating, rotating gravitational gradient sensor.

Abstract : The concept and operating characteristics of a radially vibrating gravitational gradient sensor are presented. The sensor is a tuned mechanical oscillator that responds to gravity-gradient forces when it is rotated in a stationary gravitational field. Because of the inherent dynamic magnification resulting from resonant or near resonant operation of the sensor it obtains high sensitivity and can potentially be used as an accurate attitude control sensor, an orbital altimeter, or a navigation aid in a variety of satellite applications. (Author)
Process control in a high-noise environment using a limited number of measurements

In this paper, we develop a hybrid control algorithm that produces control values for processes where only a limited number of function evaluations are available for the control law generation. This situation arises, for example, in stencil printing processes in printed circuit board manufacturing, where the cost associated with multiple function evaluations is prohibitive: The proposed control algorithm is given by a modified version of a constrained conjugated-gradient method, transitioned into a windowed-smoothed block-form of the least-squares affine estimator.
Constrictive pericarditis presenting as unexplained dyspnea with recurrent pleural effusion.

There are myriad causes of unexplained dyspnea and pleural effusion. When a patient presents with these symptoms, an underlying pulmonary pathology is the commonly suggested etiology. We present a patient with unexplained dyspnea and recurrent right-side pleural effusion who was evaluated with thorough physical examination and definitive imaging modalities, including right and left heart catheterization. The diagnosis was constrictive pericarditis. It is important to consider cardiac diseases, including constrictive pericarditis, in addition to underlying lung pathology, in patients with unexplained dyspnea and recurrent pleural effusion.
Discovering panoramas in web videos

While methods for stitching panoramas have been successful given proper source images, providing these source images still remains a burden. In this paper, we present a method to discover panoramic source images within widely available web videos. The challenge comes from the fact that many of these videos are not recorded intentionally for stitching panoramas. Our method aims to find segments within a video that work as panorama sources. Specifically, we determine a video segment to be a valid panorama source according to the following three criteria. First, its camera motion should cover a wide field-of-view of the scene. Second, its frames should be "mosaicable", which states that the inter-frame motion should observe the underlying conditions for stitching a panorama. Third, its frames should have good image quality. Based on these criteria, we formulate discovering panoramas in a video as an optimization problem that aims to find an optimal set of video segments as panorama sources. After discovering these panorama sources, we synthesize regular scene panoramas using them. When significant dynamics is detected in the sources, we fuse the dynamics into the scene panoramas to make activity synopses to convey the dynamics. Our experiment of querying panoramas from YouTube confirms the feasibility of using web videos as panorama sources and demonstrates the effectiveness of our method.
GISP: global information sharing protocol-a distributed index for peer-to-peer systems

This paper proposes GISP (global information sharing protocol), which aims at a world-wide distributed index. A distributed index consists of a set of pair data (key, value) shared by many peers. Each peer is responsible for a part of the index based on a hash function. Every peer is basically flat and there is no single point of failure. A distributed index is an essential building block for peer-to-peer systems. The design of GISP is simple, open, and easy to develop. GISP deals with peer heterogeneity and undesirable peers. Each peer promotes its strength so that stronger peers contribute more than weaker peers. Redundancy is important for defending against undesirable peers. Peers replicate pair data so that each pair data of the index is covered by several peers. There is a project at jxta.org for developing GISP. JXTA is a set of protocols for a peer-to-peer platform and provides a Java reference implementation. At the project, GISP is implemented in the Java language on JXTA. By building GISP on top of JXTA, a peer could reach a peer behind a firewall and even a peer in a different network transport. Jnushare is another project at jxta.org, which is to provide an application of GISP. Using Jnushare, people would share information such as files, messages and bookmarks.
Advanced physics calculations using a multi-fluid plasma model

Abstract The multi-fluid plasma model is derived from moments of the Boltzmann equation and typically has two fluids representing electron and ion species. Large mass differences between electrons and ions introduce disparate temporal and spatial scales and require a numerical algorithm with sufficient accuracy to capture the multiple scales. Source terms of the multi-fluid plasma model couple the fluids to themselves (interspecies interactions) and to the electromagnetic fields. The numerical algorithm must treat the inherent stiffness introduced by the multiple physical effects of the model and tightly couple the source terms of the governing equations. A discontinuous Galerkin method is implemented for the spatial representation. Time integration is investigated using explicit, implicit, semi-implicit methods. Semi-implicit treatment is accomplished using a physics-based splitting. The algorithm is applied to study drift turbulence in field reversed configuration plasmas to illustrate the physical accuracy of the model. The algorithm is also applied to plasma sheath formation which demonstrates Langmuir wave propagation.
Multiple Imputation Methods for Treatment Noncompliance and Nonresponse in Randomized Clinical Trials

Randomized clinical trials are a powerful tool for investigating causal treatment effects, but in human trials there are oftentimes problems of noncompliance which standard analyses, such as the intention-to-treat or as-treated analysis, either ignore or incorporate in such a way that the resulting estimand is no longer a causal effect. One alternative to these analyses is the complier average causal effect (CACE) which estimates the average causal treatment effect among a subpopulation that would comply under any treatment assigned. We focus on the setting of a randomized clinical trial with crossover treatment noncompliance (e.g., control subjects could receive the intervention and intervention subjects could receive the control) and outcome nonresponse. In this article, we develop estimators for the CACE using multiple imputation methods, which have been successfully applied to a wide variety of missing data problems, but have not yet been applied to the potential outcomes setting of causal inference. Using simulated data we investigate the finite sample properties of these estimators as well as of competing procedures in a simple setting. Finally we illustrate our methods using a real randomized encouragement design study on the effectiveness of the influenza vaccine.
Factors That Influence Patient Advocacy by Pain Management Nurses: Results of the American Society for Pain Management Nursing Survey

What is the meaning of advocacy, and how does it relate to the nurse who wants patients to experience optimum pain management? This question and the lack of empirical data provided the stimulus for the American Society for Pain Management Nursing (ASPMN) Research Committee to explore ASPMN members' beliefs, knowledge, and skills regarding pain management advocacy activities. The specific aim of the study was to determine the educational needs for and barriers of advocacy for nurses working with patients experiencing pain. An ASPMN Advocacy Survey Instrument was developed to gather data about advocacy activities and interventions. The sample consisted of 188 ASPMN nurses (20% of the membership) who responded via the internet. Study findings revealed that the majority of nurse respondents were active in personal advocacy, serving as guardians of the patient. They confronted physicians as necessary and assisted patients to evaluate their pain management. Regarding making the public aware of pain management-related issues (i.e., public awareness advocacy), the respondents were not as active. Respondents were knowledgeable about pain management and best practices/best evidence, with the exceptions of legislative issues and media training. These two areas need support and educational intervention. Additional areas in need of education and training, as identified by respondents, are social and political advocacy interventions. "Lack of time" was identified as the barrier to advocacy experienced by the greatest number of nurses.
A Study of the Extinguishment of Vertical Wood Slabs in Self-sustained Burning by Water Spray Application

Abstract Experiments were carried out on the extinguishment of burning slabs of three different thicknesses. The results are presented in terms of experimental correlations of the mass lost during control and time required for control of the fire as functions of the rate of water application. A simple power law with exponent in the range (− 1·5) –(− 1·75) was found for the dependence of the first two variables on the latter. The predictions of a theoretical scheme, based on a pyrolysis model for the solid, a simple estimate of the flame energy feedback and an extinguishment criterion for the flame, were found in good agreement with the experiment, The calculations confirmed the existence, already indicated by the experiment, of a minimum rate of water application ([mdot]w # =0·19 –0·24 mg/ cm2/s) below which no mass is saved. Furthermore, the theory indicated an upper limit, at [mdot]w # = 0·8 – 1·0 mg/cm2/s, above which the efficiency of the water spray decreases.
A Characterization of Generalized Frame MRAs DerivingOrthonormal Wavelets

In 2000, Papadakis announced that any orthonormal wavelet must be derived by a generalized frame MRA (GFMRA). In this paper, we give a characterization of GFMRAs which can derive orthonormal wavelets, and show a general approach to the constructions of non–MRA wavelets. Finally we present two examples to illustrate the theory.
Higher plant cortical microtubule array analyzed in vitro in the presence of the cell wall.

Plant morphogenesis depends on an array of microtubules in the cell cortex, the cortical array. Although the cortical array is known to be essential for morphogenesis, it is not known how the array becomes organized or how it functions mechanistically. Here, we report the development of an in vitro model that provides good access to the cortical array while preserving the array's organization and, importantly, its association with the cell wall. Primary roots of maize (Zea mays) are sectioned, without fixation, in a drop of buffer and then incubated as desired before eventual fixation. Sectioning removes cytoplasm except for a residuum comprising cortical microtubules, vesicles, and fragments of plasma membrane underlying the microtubules. The majority of the cortical microtubules remain in the cut-open cells for more than 1 h, fully accessible to the incubation solution. The growth zone or more mature tissue can be sectioned, providing access to cortical arrays that are oriented either transversely or obliquely to the long axis of the root. Using this assay, we report, first, that cortical microtubule stability is regulated by protein phosphorylation; second, that cortical microtubule stability is a function of orientation, with divergent microtubules within the array depolymerizing within minutes of sectioning; and third, that the polarity of microtubules in the cortical array is not uniform. These results suggest that the organization of the cortical array involves random nucleation followed by selective stabilization of microtubules formed at the appropriate orientation, and that the signal specifying alignment must treat orientations of ± 180° as equivalent. Cell Motil. Cytoskeleton 57:26–36, 2004. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Novel disposable microelectrode array for cultured neuronal network recording exhibiting equivalent performance to commercially available arrays

Abstract Microelectrode arrays (MEAs) enable non-invasive recording of supra-threshold signals, i.e. action potentials or spikes, from a variety of cultured electrically active cells. While this label-free technology has been shown to be useful for pharmacological and toxicological studies, a major limitation has been the reliance on expensive recording substrates that have been manufactured with the intent of re-use. Prior work by our group has demonstrated an approach for fabricating MEAs using conventional liquid crystal display manufacturing techniques. Here, we describe and characterize the UT Dallas planar MEA which is fabricated with low cost materials and processes. We compare the performance of the UT Dallas MEAs, which consist of exposed gold microelectrodes with patterned parylene insulation over traces, with well-established commercially available MEAs using cultured murine cortical networks. Detailed electrophysiological comparisons show virtually identical performance between MEA types with respect to network metrics including recording yield across the array, network spike rate and burst rate, and virtually identical pharmacological responses to a diverse set of neuropharmacological agents.
Nonoperative Management of Splenic Injury in Combat: 2002-2012

ABSTRACTBackground: Selective nonoperative management of combat-related blunt splenic injury (BSI) is controversial. We evaluated the impact of the November 2008 blunt abdominal trauma clinical practice guideline that permitted selective nonoperative management of some patients with radiological suggestion of hemoperitoneum on implementation of nonoperative management (NOM) of splenic injury in austere environments. Methods: Retrospective evaluation of patients with splenic injuries from November 2002 through January 2012 in Iraq and Afghanistan was performed. International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification procedure codes identified patients as laparotomy with splenectomy, or NOM. Delayed operative management had no operative intervention at earlier North American Treaty Organization (NATO) medical treatment facilities (MTFs), and had a definitive intervention at a latter NATO MTFs. Intra-abdominal complications and overall mortality were juxtaposed. Results: A total of 433 ...
Abstract 1409: Overexpression of inhibitor of DNA (Id-1) correlates with the invasiveness of colon cancer cells

Proceedings: AACR 102nd Annual Meeting 2011‐‐ Apr 2‐6, 2011; Orlando, FL Background: Id-1 gene expression has been shown to be involved in carcinogenesis in several types of human cancers. It belongs to a family of helix loop helix proteins that has been shown to induce cell proliferation, increase DNA synthesis and changes in gene expression to promote tumor growth and metastasis. In this Study we look into the expression of Id-1 in human colon cancer cell lines and its effect on the invasive potential of the cancer cells. Methods: Id-1 gene expression in human colon cancer cell line HT-29 was analyzed by real time Polymerase chain reaction. The expression of Id-1 protein in colon cancer tissue array samples was examined by immunohistochemical assay and its relationship with the clincopathological staging of the tumor was analyzed. Id-1 gene knockdown was carried out in HT-29 cells using siRNA transfection and the knock down cells were subjected to matrigel invasion assay. Results: A significant overexpression of id-1 gene was observed in the colon cancer cell line HT-29 as compared to normal epithelial cells. Immunohistochemical analysis showed that id-1 protein expression in malignant tissue was significantly more than the normal variant and there was a significant correlation between the degree of Id-1 expression and the stage of the colon cancer. Knockdown of Id-1 in the cancer cells significantly decreased the invasiveness potential in the matrigel after 72 hours as compared to the controls. Conclusion: The level of id-1 expression is correlated to the malignant potential of colon cancer cells and its expression seems to be critical for the invasiveness and more aggressive behavior of the tumor cells. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1409. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-1409
Social support as a protective factor for children impacted by HIV/AIDS across varying living environments in southern Africa

The literature on the psychological well-being of children impacted by HIV/AIDS in Africa highlights increased vulnerability due to loss of parents and environmental stressors (e.g., hunger). Research shows that the lack of attachment and social support due to loss limits the grieving process in children. Access to trusting adults and social support through caregivers can be an important protective factor to allow for coping and better emotional adjustment in the future. This study examined social support systems across varying living environments to determine if social support promoted higher levels of well-being in children orphaned and made vulnerable by HIV/AIDS. The participants included 100 children from a small targeted population in southern Africa who receive varying levels of support from a private not-for-profit organization. Children's well-being was assessed through the Psycho-Social Adjustment Scale-Adolescents developed specifically for vulnerable child populations in Africa. Children were individually interviewed either on their homestead, school or hostel. Data demonstrated that children who do not share their feelings had significantly lower measures of positive well-being (M = 2.61 (0.87) vs. M = 3.10 (0.57), d = 0.60). Children with trusted adults were significantly more likely to share their feelings and had lower incidence of hunger (49.1% vs. 62.5%), suicide ideation (15.1% vs. 62.5%) and witnessing violence (69.8% vs. 87.5%). Sharing feelings with caregivers was more pronounced among children who had greater access to trusted adults and correlated with stronger attachment scores (r = .30, p < .01). An important component to decrease levels of anxiety and depression in this vulnerable population is providing access to trusted individuals. Social support interventions are discussed.
An Emphasis on Small, Entrepreneurial Firms

The SBIR program is focused on small, entrepreneurial firms. Arguments supporting a policy emphasis on small, entrepreneurial firms are summarized in this chapter from a historical perspective.
Influence of moving masses on rectangular plate dynamics

The dynamic responses of rectangular plates carrying heavy masses moving parallel to a side of the plate are studied. The method consists of expansion of the solution as a series of eigenfunctions orthonormalized in the Stieltjes sense. These eigenfunctions are determined in the sense of Green's function, satisfying in addition to initial conditions, the boundary and transient conditions due to the moving masses. The method presented in this paper is general so that the response of the plate to moving force systems can be approached as a special case. Numerical results include the variation of frequency of the plate with moving masses, transient responses under the masses, convergence of the solution series, and illustration of some comparisons of response of plate under moving masses and corresponding moving loads for which the effect of mass inertia is neglected.
Climate variability: The Atlantic's internal drum beat

The North Atlantic region experiences climate variability on a range of timescales. A climate reconstruction suggests that large-magnitude, multidecadal internal variability was a robust feature over the past 1,200 years.
Implementing an impedance compression network to correct misalignment in a wireless power transfer system

This paper presents the design and implementation of an impedance compression network (ICN) to correct distance variation or misalignment between coils in wireless power transfer (WPT) systems. Magnetic resonant coupling (MRC) coils provide high efficiency for charging mid-range WPT applications. However, a distance variation or misalignment between coils causes a coil-impedance change and significantly affects performances of WPT systems. In order to mitigate a coil-impedance variation, we propose an ICN simultaneously compressing changes in magnitude and phase of impedance. The ICN consists of a resistance compression network (RCN) and phase compression network (PCN). While the RCN effectively compresses the variation in the magnitude of impedance by using one pair consisting of an inductor and a capacitor, the PCN is designed using a Smith chart to reduce a phase variation.
Publicly Desired Color-Blindness: Whiteness as a Realized Public Value

Color-blind administration is a realized public value because it desired by substantial numbers of Americans and legally mandated as an equality strategy. However, critical race scholars argue that color-blindness is a means of communicating White racial dominance by devaluing the experiences of people of color. This article argues that a public administration theory of Whiteness and color-blindness illuminates the tension between the goals of equality in public organizations and the historical and contemporary reality that outcomes tend to benefit Whites.
Superiority of postmortem liver fentanyl concentrations over peripheral blood influenced by postmortem interval for determination of fentanyl toxicity.

The current study was undertaken to determine the relationship between postmortem (PM) peripheral blood (PB) and liver fentanyl concentrations and the role of measuring liver fentanyl concentrations in cause of death investigations in medical examiner cases in which fentanyl was identified. FB and liver tissue were routinely collected at autopsy from 4 Minnesota medical examiners' offices in 2010-2011. Samples were analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). PB fentanyl ranged from 56 µg/kg, without substantial overlap as found in blood fentanyl concentrations. Discriminatory liver fentanyl concentrations suggestive of therapeutic or toxic drug levels may better assist cause of death determination in cases of suspected fentanyl toxicity than postmortem PB concentrations. Peripheral blood fentanyl concentrations appear to undergo postmortem redistribution, associated with an increasing PM interval.
Securing Asian trade: Treaty negotiations between the French and English East India companies, 1753-1755

In the mid-1750s the French Compagnie des Indes and the English East India Company negotiated to end the military conflicts between them associated with the bellicose French Governor General, Joseph-Francois Dupleix. The companies deliberated over proposals to neutralize their trade in case of future wars in Europe, and to establish a security cartel to free them from the pressures of Indian politics. Though no permanent accord was reached before the outbreak of the Seven Years War, the negotiations illuminate rich traditions of political and geopolitical thought inside both companies, as directors, shareholders, and like-minded public officials worked to create a pacified space in which global trade could flourish, while safeguarding the peace of Europe from conflicts over Asian commerce.
Variation in Laparoscopic Nephrectomy Surgical Costs: Opportunities for High Value Care Delivery.

Abstract Introduction Rising health care costs are leading to efforts to minimize costs while maintaining high quality care. Practice variation in the operating room that is not dictated by patient necessity or clinical guidelines presents an opportunity for cost containment. We identified variation in surgical supply costs among urological surgeons performing laparoscopic nephrectomy and evaluated whether this variation was associated with patient outcomes. Methods A total of 211 consecutive laparoscopic nephrectomies performed at an academic center between September 1, 2012 and December 31, 2015 were identified and surgical supply costs for each case were determined from the institutional negotiated rate. Patient and surgical factors relevant to case complexity, comorbidity and perioperative outcomes were obtained. Univariate and multivariable analysis of predictors of surgical supply costs and patient outcome as determined by length of stay was conducted. Results Median supply cost was $2,537, with individual medians ranging from $1,642 to $4,524, representing a significant variation among surgeons (p Conclusions Significant variation in surgeons’ surgical supply costs for laparoscopic nephrectomy exists and is driven by surgeons, and this does not correlate with length of stay. Targeting variation in surgical supply costs in this setting represents an opportunity for cost savings without adversely impacting patient outcomes.
Anisotropic Porochemoelectroelastic Solution for Inclined Wellbores with Applications to Operations in Unconventional Shale Plays

In this work, the porochemoelectroelastic theory is applied to analyze instability problems of an inclined wellbore drilled in the laminated and charged saturated chemically active shale formations. Numerical example is given for wellbore drilling in the Woodford gas shale formation. The analysis shows that ignoring either the porochemoelectroelastic effects or the formation anisotropy can lead to inaccurate predictions of potential wellbore integrity problems.
Testing for Normality

The Central Limit Theorem and other limit theorems of statistics provide the basis for the centrality of the normal distribution in statistical inference. These theorems tell us that, regardless of the underlying distribution of the data, as the sample size on which they are based gets very large the sampling distribution of statistics calculated from the sample becomes closer to that of some normally distributed variable. But there are many inferential situations which require more than merely the normality of the sampling distribution of a statistic; they require normality of the data distribution itself. For example, standard inference about regression parameters requires that the residuals are normally distributed. In this chapter we describe methods for testing for the normality of the distribution of data. In a subsequent chapter we will describe methods for transforming data which fail the normality test so that the transformed data has a normal distribution.
Chapter 6 – Dynamics of DOP

This chapter describes the dynamics of dissolved organic phosphorus (DOP). Phosphorus (P) is an essential macronutrient for all living organisms; life is truly built around P. In the sea, P exists in both dissolved and particulate pools with inorganic and organic forms. The uptake, re-mineralization, and physical and biological exchanges among these various pools are the essential components of the marine P cycle. Compared to the much more comprehensive investigations of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) dynamics in the sea, P pool inventories and fluxes are less well documented though no less important. During cell growth, P is incorporated into a broad spectrum of organic compounds with vital functions including structure, metabolism, and regulation. When cells turn over (by death/autolysins, grazing, parasitism, or viral infection), there is an enhanced release of intracellular P-containing compounds as both dissolved and particulate organic matter.
Evidence for release of the elicitor arachidonic acid and its metabolites from sporangia of Phytophthora infestans during infection of potato

Abstract Arachidonic acid (AA), an abundant fatty acid in lipids of Phytophthora spp., elicits a series of host defence responses in potato that typically occurs following infection with incompatible races of Phytophthora infestans. To better understand initial processing of this unusual fungal elicitor during infection, we examined AA metabolism in potato leaves following their inoculation with sporangia that had been radiolabelled with 14C-AA. Sporangia incorporated 14C-AA primarily into phospholipids, and di- and tri-glycerides. Microautoradiography of these sporangia revealed that radioactivity was distributed throughout fungal cytoplasm and cell walls, and was often associated with lipid bodies. In potato leaf tissues treated with pure 14C-AA, radioactivity was found in polar and neutral lipid fractions but not in galactolipids. Analyses of lipids extracted from potato leaves sampled at various times after inoculation with 14C-AA-labelled sporangia revealed a similar distribution of radioactivity among the various lipid classes. Inoculated leaves also were examined by micro-autoradiography. Radioactivity was observed in host cells in both compatible and incompatible interactions, but was present earlier (9 h after inoculation) in the incompatible than in the compatible interaction (12 h after inoculation). Radioactivity was distributed among host cells throughout sections including areas several cell layers distant from the site of inoculation and fungal infection structures. These results provide direct evidence that AA and/or its metabolites are released rapidly from spores of P. infestans and have limited systemic movement within inoculation sites during early phases of infection of potato leaves.
Reasons American lesbians fail to seek traditional health care.

What reasons do lesbians have for not seeking health care? From three women's cultural events in 1990, a convenience sample was formed of 503 women (78% of whom were lesbians) who volunteered to complete a pretested qualitative and quantitative instrument. The reasons given for not seeking health care from traditional sources were that (a) low‐cost, natural, or alternative care is not provided; (b) holistic care is not provided; (c) little preventive care and education are provided; (d) communication and respect are lacking; and (e) there are few women‐managed clinics.
12 – Brain Trauma, Sex Hormones, Neuronal Survival, and Recovery of Function

There has been a small but growing interest to examine how sex differences in brain function can contribute to development, cognition, aging, disease processes, and repair in response to injury. This chapter reviews some of the physiologic, morphologic, and functional evidence for sex differences in response to a brain injury. The chapter also examines the data showing that fluctuations in hormonal status during the menstrual and estrous cycle can play a determining role in functional outcome studies in both normal and brain-injured females, and that these hormonal influences can be measured at the cellular and the behavioral analysis levels. A survey shows that progesterone may also play a direct role in facilitating recovery of function after brain injury in male and female subjects and discusses the possible mechanisms underlying this effect.
Current Understanding and Approach to Delusional Infestation

Delusional infestation is a psychiatric condition defined by a fixed belief of infestation despite contrary evidence. Diagnosis includes exclusion of organic etiologies. Treatment with antipsychotics is effective and safe in the majority of patients. Patients are characteristically reluctant to pursue psychiatric evaluation and may resist discussing their disease in psychiatric terms. Strategies to strengthen the provider-patient therapeutic alliance facilitate communication around appropriate treatment. Without antipsychotic medications, patients can become heavy utilizers of care and practice self-destructive behaviors in attempts to clear their perceived infestation.
Quantum algorithms for estimating physical quantities using block encodings

We present quantum algorithms for the estimation of $n$-time correlation functions, the local and nonlocal density of states, and dynamical linear response functions. These algorithms are all based on block encodings---a versatile technique for the manipulation of arbitrary nonunitary matrices on a quantum computer. We describe how to ``sketch'' these quantities via the kernel polynomial method which is a standard strategy in numerical condensed-matter physics. These algorithms use amplitude estimation to obtain a quadratic speedup in the accuracy over previous results, can capture any observables and Hamiltonians presented as linear combinations of Pauli matrices, and are modular enough to leverage future advances in Hamiltonian simulation and state preparation.
6.19 – Olfactory System☆

The nose has several critical functions including conditioning inhaled air and olfaction. The nasal passage is lined by olfactory, respiratory, squamous, transitional, and lymphoepithelial epithelium. Each nasal epithelium may be subject to toxicant-induced injury. Toxicant-induced epithelial lesions in the nasal passages are often site-specific and dependent on the intranasal regional dose of the inhaled chemical and the sensitivity of the nasal epithelial tissue to the specific chemical. This chapter focuses on the olfactory system and in particular the olfactory neurons found within the pseudostratified olfactory epithelium. A major difference in nasal epithelium among animal species is the percentage of the nasal airway that is covered by olfactory epithelium. The unique relationship between the olfactory neurons found in the nasal cavity and the brain makes direct delivery of certain xenobiotics to the brain possible. Topics addressed in this review include normal structure and function, olfactory system toxicology, assessment of olfactory function, olfactory toxicants, and olfactory transport. This chapter provides an update of our current understanding of chemically induced olfactory toxicity with a special emphasis on research that is of interest to neurotoxicologists.
Matrix Reduction Verification of Extended Petri Nets

In modeling and simulation, verification is a crucial activity to ensure that models meet specifications. The Petri net is a well-studied modeling technique that has been shown effective in modeling concurrency, distributed processes, and temporal system state. Petri nets that can be decomposed into smaller Petri nets with intermediate goals have been studied. In this paper, Petri net extensions that are automatically generated to model processes consisting of multiple, distinct phases are considered. The automatically generated nets are modeled using an extended Petri net formalism known as Petri Nets with Players, Strategies, and Costs (PNPSC). The output of each segment verification includes all paths that can be executed by a sequence of enabled transitions, as well as the markings that would result from the execution of those paths. The automatic verification is based on the matrix reduction method.
Record high electron mobility and low sheet resistance on scaled-channel N-polar GaN/AlN heterostructures grown on on-axis N-polar GaN substrates by plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy

GaN-based high electron mobility transistors (HEMTs) have demonstrated high frequency power amplification with considerably larger output power densities than that available from amplifiers based on other material systems such as GaAs or InP. To further increase the operating frequency while maintaining the high output power in HEMTs, the gate-to-channel distance needs to be reduced significantly. This leads to a reduced two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) density (ns) and mobility (μ) in Ga polar HEMT structures resulting in a larger sheet resistance. This work demonstrates that by proper design of the back-barrier in N-polar GaN-based scaled-channel HEMT structures, a high 2DEG density can be maintained while scaling the channel thickness. Scaled-channel GaN-based HEMT structures with an AlN/GaN (0.5 nm/1.5 nm) digital alloy as the back-barrier were grown on an on-axis N-polar GaN substrate via plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy. A record high electron mobility of 2050 cm2/vs was achieved on an N-polar HEMT structure with a 10 nm-thick channel, while maintaining 8 × 1012 cm−2 2DEG density. By modifying the barrier structure, we demonstrated a combination of 2DEG density and a mobility of 1.7 × 1013 cm−2 and 1420 cm2/V s, respectively, leading to a record low sheet resistance of ∼258 Ω/□ on 7 nm-thick channel N-polar HEMT structures.
Leveraging Library Technology Resources for Internal Projects, Outreach, and Engagement: A Case Study of Overleaf, LaTeX, and the KiltHub Institutional Repository Service at Carnegie Mellon University Libraries

Academic libraries offer educational outreach surrounding their technology services available to users. When using those same technology services for internal projects, librarians can better unders...
62. Accuracy of Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome Diagnosis in the Adolescent Population

Background Historically, PCOS diagnosis for adolescents has been based on adult criteria. Since PCOS symptoms commonly overlap with normal pubertal changes, the Pediatric Endocrine Society developed a diagnostic criteria for PCOS in adolescents in December 2015. The purpose of this study is to assess the rate of correct diagnosis of PCOS in the adolescent population (age 10-19) at Lehigh Valley Health Network, based on Pediatric Endocrine Society (PES) expert consensus criteria. Methods We conducted a descriptive study which was a retrospective case series, using our institution's electronic medical record system. All female patients between the ages of 10-19 who were given the diagnosis of PCOS between Jan 1, 2012 to March 31, 2020 were included in the study. Patients with existence of non-PCOS causes for hyperandrogenic anovulation were excluded. If diagnosis of PCOS was made at an outside facility or if no initial note for diagnosis was found, these patients were excluded from the study as well. Study charts were reviewed to see if patients met the PES criteria for PCOS at the time the PCOS diagnosis was given. Results Out of the 40 patients in the study, 18 (45.0%) patients met the PES criteria for PCOS at the time the diagnosis was given. In the Ob/Gyn department, 7 out of 18 patients (38.9%) met the PES criteria for PCOS. In the adolescent medicine department, 7 out of 13 patients (53.9%) met the PES criteria. In the family medicine department, 1 out of 3 patients (33.3%) met PES criteria. In the pediatric endocrinology department, 3 out of 6 patients (50%) met the PES criteria. Out of the 40 patients in the study, 36 patients (90%) did meet the Rotterdam criteria for PCOS, which is not the standard for diagnosis of PCOS in the adolescent population. Conclusions The findings of the study indicate that more than half of the study population was over-diagnosed with PCOS based on adult criteria. The diagnosis of PCOS is often inaccurately given in the adolescent population. Most providers still use the Rotterdam criteria for diagnosis of PCOS in the adolescent population.
Toward a Political Sociology of Dispossession: Explaining Opposition to Capital Projects in India:

Land dispossession is a major source of protest in many countries. This article asks, How common are cases of mobilization against land dispossession relative to cases of nonmobilization? Why do we...
Influence of Parenting Style on Body Mass Index, Physical Activity, and Sedentary Time.

The purpose of the current study was to determine the influence of parenting style on body mass index (BMI) percentile, physical activity (PA), and sedentary time (ST) in children. Accelerometers were used to assess PA and ST in 152 fifth-grade children. Parenting style was assessed by the child participants' responses to modified questions from the Parenting Style Inventory II and dichotomized as authoritative or non-authoritative. Multiple linear regression analyses were utilized to identify significant predictors of outcomes of interest. Parenting style did not predict ST or any intensity of PA; however, BMI percentile and gender were significant predictors of moderate-intensity PA, vigorous-intensity PA, and moderate-to-vigorous intensity PA (P < .01). BMI percentile was predicted to be lower in females with authoritative mothers (P < .01). While authoritative and non-authoritative parenting style did not predict objectively measured PA or ST in early adolescents, authoritative parenting style did predict BMI percentile in female participants.