cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
New method for word recognition without segmentation

A method for recognition of word feature graphs without previous segmentation into characters is described. In the system, each subgraph of features that matches a previously defined character prototype is recognized anywhere in the word even if it corresponds to a broken character or to a character touching another one. The characters are detected in the order defined by the matching quality. Each subgraph that is recognized is introduced as a node in a direct net that compiles different alternatives of interpretation of the features in the feature graph. A path in the net represents a consistent succession of characters in the word. The method allows the recognition of characters that overlap, or that are underlined. A final search for the optimal path under certain criteria gives the best interpretation of the word features. The character recognizer uses a flexible matching between the features and a flexible grouping of the individual features to be matched. Broken characters are recognized by looking for gaps between features that may be interpreted as part of a character. Touching characters are recognized because the matching allows non-matched adjacent features. The recognition results of this system on over 4,000 printed numeral characters belonging to a USPS database and on some hand printed words confirmed the method's high robustness level.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Strophanthidin-Sensitive Sodium Fluxes in Metabolically Poisoned Frog Skeletal Muscle

Strophanthidin-sensitive and insensitive unidirectional fluxes of Na were measured in fog sartorius muscles whose internal Na levels were elevated by overnight storage in the cold. ATP levels were lowered, and ADP levels raised, by metabolic poisoning with either 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene or iodoacetamide. Strophanthidin-sensitive Na efflux and influx both increased after poisoning, while strophanthidin-insensitives fluxes did not. The increase in efflux did not require the presence of external K but was greatly attenuated when Li replaced Na as the major external cation. Membrane potential was not markedly altered by 2,4-dinitrofluorobenzene. These observations indicate that the sodium pump of frog skeletal muscle resembles that of squid giant axon and human erythrocyte in its ability to catalyze Na-Na exchange to an extent determined by intracellular ATP/ADP levels.
Tumor necrosis factor-α contributes to below-level neuropathic pain after spinal cord injury

Objective: Our objective was to elucidate the mechanisms responsible for below-level pain after partial spinal cord injury (SCI). Methods: We used lateral hemisection to model central neuropathic pain and herpes simplex viral (HSV) vector–mediated transfer of the cleaved soluble receptor for tumor necrosis factor– (TNF-) to evaluate the role of TNF- in the pathogenesis of below-level pain. Results: We found activation of microglia and increased expression of TNF- below the level of the lesion in the lumbar spinal cord after T13 lateral hemisection that correlated with emergence of mechanical allodynia in the hind limbs of rats. Lumbar TNF- had an apparent molecular weight of 27kDa, consistent with the full-length transmembrane form of the protein (mTNF-). Expression of the p55 TNF soluble receptor (sTNFRs) by HSV-mediated gene transfer resulted in reduced pain behavior and a decreased number of ED1-positive cells, as well as decreased phosphorylation of the p38 MAP kinase (p-p38) and diminished expression of mTNF- in the dorsal horn. Interpretation: These results suggest that expression of mTNF- after injury is related to development of pain, and that reverse signaling through mTNF- by sTNFR at that level reduces cellular markers of inflammatory response and pain-related behavior. Ann Neurol 2006;59:843– 851
a-Si thin film transistors using dilute-gas plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition

Summary form only given. Dilute-gas plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) has been used to fabricate high-quality amorphous silicon (a-Si) thin film transistors (TFTs) which are suitable for active-matrix liquid-crystal displays. All PECVD layers were deposited using silane diluted to 2% in He or H/sub 2/, which greatly reduces the explosion hazards associated with silane. The quality of a-Si produced by low-power, He-diluted silane at rates of approximately 1 AA/s is comparable to that made with pure silane. He dilution has also been utilized to control the properties of SiO/sub 2/ and SiN/sub x/ insulators deposited by PECVD. Using this approach, the effects of several material aspects on TFT characteristics were examined. The TFT structures were bottom-gate, inverted-staggered devices with deposited n/sup +/ microcrystalline silicon contacts. >
Electrodiagnostic tests in the detection of malignant hyperthermia

Malignant hyperthermia (MH) can be a catastrophic and sometimes fatal reaction in certain susceptible individuals who are exposed to skeletal muscle relaxants such as succinylcholine and/or certain inhalation anesthetics such as halothane. In an attempt to develop a safe, simple in vivo test to identify the at-risk patients, repetitive nerve stimulation (RNS) and electromyographic (EMG) studies were performed on 9 patients with MH, 15 patients suspected of having MH, and 9 control subjects. Serial recordings were made following injections of caffeine sodium benzoate, succinylcholine, and halothane at the test site. Measurements were done on the amplitude of the evoked compound motor action potentials (CMAP), on RNS, and on the number of negative peaks of motor unit potentials (MUP) on maximum EMG recruitment. The results showed the effects of the drugs on amplitudes of the CMAPs to be significant (P less than 0.001) in all three groups, but no significant differences were found among the groups (P = 0.93). The negative peaks of MUP on EMG recording showed a significant difference upon introducing succinylcholine (P less than 0.001), and significant interaction effects of the treatment by the patient group. Preliminary comparisons of in vivo tests with in vitro contracture tests in nine patients showed good correlation.
Induction of Hot Flashes in Premenopausal Women Treated with a Long-Acting GnRH Agonist

To examine the relationship between the occurrence of menopausal hot flashes and the pulsatile release of LH, we have investigated the serum hormone levels and the occurrence of hot flashes by objective recordings in five women with endometriosis given daily injections of a long-acting GnRH agonist (GnRH-a) for 28 days. Results were compared to the findings made in 25 young women 6-8 weeks after bilateral oophorectomy. Serum levels of estrone and estradiol were similar in the subjects given GnRH-a and the women who underwent a surgical castration. In comparison with values before GnRH-a administration, the mean FSH level was lower whereas the mean LH concentration was significantly higher (P less than 0.01) on the last day of therapy. The coefficients of variations of both gonadotropins measured during 4-h sampling periods at 20-min intervals before and at the end of GnRH-a administration were significantly reduced (P less than 0.01) with therapy. During the total of 20 h of frequent sampling in the 5 subjects, 15 pulses (20% rise from nadir) of LH and 12 pulses of FSH were detected before GnRH-a, whereas only 2 and 8 pulses, respectively, were observed on day 28 of treatment. Hot flashes were observed in both groups of patients. The proportion of women experiencing hot flashes, the rate of occurrence/h and the characteristics of the physiological changes were similar in the 2 groups of women. These data indicate that hot flashes can occur in the absence of prominent LH pulses, suggesting the pulsatile release of this hormone is merely associated with the hot flash rather than being etiological.
PLM, process, practice and provenance: knowledge provenance in support of business practices in Product Lifecycle Management

Structured information supports processes, but practices require unstructured, contextual and tacit knowledge. However, acquiring information system based tacit knowledge used in decision-making has been a major challenge in the last three decades. This task became even harder as technology enabled firms, especially manufacturing began to distribute their operations globally and in turn also globally distributed their decision makers. Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) involves many practices as well as processes. Singularity, cohesion and cued availability are some of the unique characteristics of these practices. Start and smart parts and Virtual Collaboration Rooms are some prevalent approaches used to address these practices. In this article, a knowledge provenance framework is used to develop a broader approach to elicit and structure some of the knowledge associated with these practices and is illustrated with an example.
Nonlinear model predictive control of lean NO x trap regenerations

This paper describes a diesel engine lean NO x trap (LNT) regeneration control system using a nonlinear model predictive control (NMPC) technique. A two-level NMPC architecture is proposed for the LNT regenerations. The control objective is to minimize the fuel penalty caused by LNT regenerations while keeping the tailpipe NOx emissions amount under the regulation level. A physically-based and experimentally-validated nonlinear LNT dynamic model was employed to construct the NMPC control algorithms. The NMPC control system was evaluated on a vehicle simulator, cX-Emissions, with a 1.9L diesel engine model through the FTP75 driving cycle. Compared with a conventional LNT control strategy, 26.6% of fuel penalty reduction was observed during a single regeneration event, and 36.4% fuel penalty reduction was achieved for an entire FTP75 test cycle.
Polynomial homotopy continuation with PHCpack

PHCpack is a software package to solve polynomial systems via homotopy continuation methods. In the last twenty years (since the start of the development of PHCpack), the notion of solving a polynomial system by PHCpack evolved from approximating all isolated complex solutions for systems with as many equations as variables into providing tools for a numerical irreducible decomposition. This document provides the outline for a software demonstration highlighting recent additions to the software, such as accepting polynomials with negative exponents and sweeping for real points that lie isolated on complex solution curves.
Computing entries of the inverse of a sparse matrix using the FIND algorithm

An accurate and efficient algorithm, called fast inverse using nested dissection (FIND), for computing non-equilibrium Green's functions (NEGF) for nanoscale transistors has been developed and applied in the simulation of a novel dual-gate metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistor (MOSFET) device structure. The method is based on the algorithm of nested dissection. A graph of the matrix is constructed and decomposed using a tree structure. An upward and downward traversal of the tree yields significant performance improvements for both the speed and memory requirements, compared to the current state-of-the-art recursive methods for NEGF. This algorithm is quite general and can be applied to any problem where certain entries of the inverse of a sparse matrix (e.g., its diagonal entries, the first row or column, etc.) need to be computed. As such it is applicable to the calculation of the Green's function of partial differential equations. FIND is applicable even when complex boundary conditions are used, for example non reflecting boundary conditions.
AN OVERVIEW OF DISTRIBUTION PATTERNS OF TRACE ELEMENTS IN SOILS AND PLANTS

The objective of this paper is to examine and review some of the associations between the trace element composition of plants and human health, and to point out some opportunities for additional research in this area. There are a number of pathways by which trace elements move from rocks or other geochemical reserves and enter the human body. The pathway from rocks-to-soils-to-plants and then to the diet of animals and man is often a very important pathway and will be the focal point of this paper.
Necessary and sufficient conditions for convergence of stochastic approximation algorithms under arbitrary disturbances

A parameterised extension of the Kushner-Clark condition (1978) is introduced for the study of convergence of stochastic approximation algorithms. Our results provide necessary and sufficient conditions for convergence that hold in a Hilbert space setting and apply to general gain sequences. These results exhibit the interplay among the noise sequence, the gain sequence, and key properties of the underlying function. The proof is direct, completely deterministic, and is elementary, involving only basic notions of convergence. Some corollaries to our main result are also presented.
Efficient authentication and signing of multicast streams over lossy channels

Multicast stream authentication and signing is an important and challenging problem. Applications include the continuous authentication of radio and TV Internet broadcasts, and authenticated data distribution by satellite. The main challenges are fourfold. First, authenticity must be guaranteed even when only the sender of the data is trusted. Second, the scheme needs to scale to potentially millions of receivers. Third, streamed media distribution can have high packet loss. Finally the system needs to be efficient to support fast packet rates. We propose two efficient schemes, TESLA and EMSS, for secure lossy multicast streams. TESLA (Timed Efficient Stream Loss-tolerant Authentication), offers sender authentication, strong loss robustness, high scalability and minimal overhead at the cost of loose initial time synchronization and slightly delayed authentication. EMSS (Efficient Multi-chained Stream Signature), provides nonrepudiation of origin, high loss resistance, and low overhead, at the cost of slightly delayed verification.
The Role of Citizen Advisory Groups in Water Resources Planning

: This paper presents the significant conclusions of research conducted over a four-year period, the purpose of which was to analyze the operation of three citizen advisory groups established in conjunction with Level B Studies of the New England River Basins Commission. The three Studies were the Long Island Sound Study, the Southeastern New England Study, and the Supplemental Flood Management Study of the Connecticut River Basin Program. The research examined the criteria and procedures used for selection of members, the relevant personal characteristics of the members, the procedures employed for carrying out their responsibilities, and the relative importance of group functions as perceived by both citizen advisors and professional study participants. The impact of these factors upon the effectiveness of citizen advisory groups as a strategy of public participation is evaluated. The paper includes recommendations, derived from the research, for the use of planning agencies seeking to maximize the effectiveness of citizen advisory groups.
Pyloric stenosis--postoperative care on a nonsurgical ward.

Abstract Background Recent progress has been made in the care of infants with hypertrophic pyloric stenosis (HPS), including earlier operative intervention and shorter hospital length of stay (LOS), which is attributable to expedited postoperative feeding protocols developed and implemented by surgeons. We hypothesized that patients with HPS admitted to a unit that is co-managed by nonsurgeon providers postoperatively have a longer LOS than those on the surgical ward. Materials and methods We reviewed the medical records of infants who underwent pyloromyotomy for HPS at a single institution from April, 2009–July, 2013. Results A total of 259 patients underwent pyloromyotomy (35 female; 13.5%), 205 (79%) were admitted to the surgical ward; 46 had a planned neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission (18%) and were co-managed with the neonatology team. Eight (3%) had an unplanned NICU admission and were excluded from the analysis. The groups did not differ in terms of sex, age, serum electrolytes at presentation, or time between surgeon evaluation and operative intervention. Surgical ward patients had longer preoperative symptom duration. Operative time was longer in the NICU patients. Comparing the two groups, there was no difference in postoperative apnea, hypoxic, or bradycardic episodes. NICU patients achieved ad libitum feeds later than floor patients (2.0 versus 1.4 d; P = 0001) and had a longer postoperative LOS (2.2 versus 1.6 d; P = 0.0012). Conclusions Patients with HPS admitted to the NICU postoperatively had a longer time to full feeds and hospital LOS. The reduction in LOS between hospital wards may be improved with implementation of a hospital-wide postoperative protocol for patients with HPS.
Meeting the demand: An estimation of potential future greenhouse gas emissions from meat production

Abstract Current production processes for meat products have been shown to have a significant impact on the environment, accounting for between 15% and 24% of current greenhouse gas emissions. Meat consumption has been increasing at a fantastic rate and is likely to continue to do so into the future. If this demand is to be met, technology used in production in the form of Confined Animal Feeding Operations (CAFOs) will need to be expanded. This paper estimates future meat consumption and discusses the potential aggregate environmental impact of this production if the use of CAFOs is expanded. I first separate meat into beef, chicken and pig products and estimate the elasticities associated with each product in order to forecast the world demand for meat. Using research on the environmental impact of food production in the US, which uses one of the most efficient CAFO processes in the world, I then calculate the total potential greenhouse emissions of this meat production and discuss the impact of these consumption patterns. I find that, under an expanded CAFO system, meat production in the future will still be a large producer of greenhouse gases, accounting for up to 6.3% of current greenhouse gas emissions in 2030.
What is a planning model? An introduction to PRECEDE‐PROCEED

Planning models exist at a macroscopic level; they serve as an organizing framework for an entire health promotion effort aimed at fostering reduction in a given disease. A particularly useful, widely applied, and easy-to-follow example of a planning model is the PRECEDE-PROCEED planning model (PPM). The PPM is very much an ecological approach to health promotion. The PPM is actually quite simple to understand once one realizes that it embodies two key aspects of intervention: a) planning, and (b) evaluation. The PPM guides the program planner to think logically about the desired end point and work "backwards" to achieve that goal. Through community participation, the planning process is broken down into objectives, step 3 sub-objectives, and step 4 sub-objectives. Conceptually, this approach to health promotion provides context to the use of theory, with theory being applied at the fourth step. This observation teaches a vital lesson, namely that program planning is larger and is a more comprehensive task compared to the subservient function of theory selection and application.
A school salad bar increases frequency of fruit and vegetable consumption among children living in low-income households

ObjectiveTo measure change in fruit and vegetable (F&V) consumption among elementary-school children after the introduction of a salad bar programme as a lunch menu option in the US Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) reimbursable lunch programme in Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD).DesignA cross-sectional sample of children was interviewed before and after a salad bar intervention (1998 and 2000, respectively) utilising a 24-hour food recall questionnaire. Frequencies of F&V consumption were calculated.SettingThe evaluation took place in three LAUSD elementary schools participating in the salad bar programme and the USDA reimbursable lunch programme.SubjectsThree hundred and thirty-seven children in 2nd–5th grade (7–11 years old).ResultsAfter the salad bar was introduced, there was a significant increase in frequency (2.97 to 4.09, P < 0.001) of F&V consumed among the children studied. The increase in frequency of F&V consumed was almost all due to an increase during lunch (84%). Mean energy, cholesterol, saturated fat and total fat intakes were significantly lower in the children after the salad bar was introduced in the schools compared with the intakes in the children before the salad bar was introduced.ConclusionA salad bar as a lunch menu option in the USDA reimbursable lunch programme can significantly increase the frequency of F&V consumption by elementary-school children living in low-income households.
Wishing to work: New perspectives on how adolescents’ part-time work intensity is linked to educational disengagement, substance use, and other problem behaviours

This study examines interrelations among students' educational engagement, desired and actual school-year employment, substance use, and other problem behaviours. Cross-sectional findings from representative samples of 8th-, 10th-, and 12th-grade students in the United States, totalling over 300,000 respondents surveyed during the years 1992-1998, include the following: Large majorities of adolescents wish to work part-time during the school year, although most in earlier grades are not actually employed. Those who desire to work long hours tend to have low grades and low college aspirations; they are also more likely than average to use cigarettes, alcohol, and marijuana. Students' preferences for part-time work emerge at younger ages (i.e., earlier grades) than actual work, and the preferences show equal or stronger correlations with educational disengagement and problem behaviours.
Transient thermal imaging of pulsed-operation superlattice micro-refrigerators

Thermoreflectance thermal imaging is a proven method for obtaining quantitative temperature maps of active semiconductor devices in the nanometer to millimeter size. The resolution of such images obtained using a Charge Coupled Device (CCD) based thermoreflectance system in a reasonable time, has been shown to be 200 nanometer spatial (visible light diffraction limit), 0.1K temperature sensitivity, and 10 microsecond temporal. We show an improved method for obtaining thermal transient temperature maps with 100 nanosecond resolution, and obtain results on SiGe based superlattice micro-cooler devices of different sizes. The results, previously predicted but not measured, indicate that under moderate current value, in pulsed-operation, the microrefrigerator device can momentarily cool, even though steady state measurements show heating.
Commentary on "Business-to-Business Marketing Textbooks: A Comparative Review"

ABSTRACT In “Business-to-Business Marketing Textbooks: A Comparative Review,” the authors provide a detailed analysis of 16 English language and 23 other than English Business-to-business textbooks by looking at the approach, readability level, number of illustrations, etc. Our response raises questions and issues distinct from the authors in an effort to further the understanding of what constitutes a quality textbook. Issues related to methodology, cross-cultural comparisons, and additional areas of importance are explored. Recommendations for conducting a more meaningful analysis are provided.
Frequency of Saint Louis Encephalitis Virus in Humans from Florida, USA: 1990–1999

Four general frequencies of human St. Louis encephalitis (SLE) virus (epidemic, focal, sporadic, and no transmission) occurred in Florida between 1990 and 1999. An epidemic with 226 clinical cases and 11 deaths was reported from 28 Florida counties between July 1990 and January 1991. During the autumn of 1993, a focal outbreak was reported from Lee (5 cases) and Collier (3) Counties in southwest Florida. During the autumn of 1997, sporadic transmission to nine humans was reported from five Florida counties (Brevard [1 case], Polk [3], Charlotte [1], Lee [2], and Palm Beach [2]). Human infection with SLE virus depends on a number of variables that drive virus transmission. These include vector, virus, and avian host abundance, and meteorological events, especially rainfall. We monitored the abundance and serological status of wild avian amplification hosts, virus isolations from Culex nigripalpus Theobald females, and SLE virus transmission to sentinel chickens during 1990, 1993, and 1997. The epidemic of 1990 was characterized by conditions that produced an unusual abundance of vector mosquitoes and avian amplification hosts early in the year. We propose that epidemics may result when a specific combination of biotic and abiotic conditions favor SLE virus minimum field infection rates that approach 1:1,000 in Cx. nigripalpus vectors.
Retroperitoneal Hematoma After Femoral Arterial Catheterization.

The Journal of Emergency Medicine, Vol. -, No. -, pp. 1–2, 2015 Copyright O 2015 Elsevier Inc. Printed in the USA. All rights reserved 0736-4679/$ - see front matter http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jemermed.2015.05.002 Visual Diagnosis in Emergency Medicine RETROPERITONEAL HEMATOMA AFTER FEMORAL ARTERIAL CATHETERIZATION Gary M. Vilke, MD and Peter Kass, MS Department of Emergency Medicine, University of California at San Diego Medical Center, San Diego, California Reprint Address: Gary M. Vilke, MD , Department of Emergency Medicine, UC San Diego Medical Center, 200 West Arbor Drive Mailcode #8676, San Diego, CA 92103 CASE REPORT DISCUSSION A 74-year-old woman presented to the Emergency Department (ED) complaining of several hours of pro- gressively worsening lower abdominal discomfort. The patient had been suffering ongoing pain since her right femoral cardiac catheterization 2 weeks earlier. She also reported the onset of dizziness, lightheadedness, and weakness at the time of presentation. The patient de- nied chest pain, shortness of breath, or syncope. Her initial vitals signs were: temperature 34.1 C (93.4 F), blood pressure 86/69 mm Hg, heart rate 60 beats/min, res- piratory rate 17 breaths/min, and SpO 2 100%. Her exam- ination was significant for diffuse abdominal tenderness, distension, and ecchymosis in the bilateral lower quad- rants. An initial complete blood count was remarkable for a white blood cell count of 18.4 and a hemoglobin of 6.1. Computed tomography (CT) of the abdomen and pelvis with/without intravenous contrast demonstrated a large pelvic mass with contrast flow suggestive of active bleeding, which at the time, was of an unclear etiology (Figure 1). The patient was transfused in the ED, and vascular and interventional radiology were consulted. Ul- timately, the hematoma was evacuated by interventional radiology and the patient was subsequently admitted to the vascular surgery team with the final diagnosis being an actively bleeding, right femoral pseudoaneurysm with a large, extraperitoneal, pelvic hematoma. This patient presented with common findings of a retroper- itoneal hematoma, a rare but often morbid complication of femoral arterial catheterizations. This complication has an incidence of approximately .5% and a mortality of 4–12% (1). The risk of developing a hematoma may depend on the type of catheterization performed. Placement of a coronary Figure 1. Arrow pointing to pelvic hematoma seen on axial slice from a computed tomography scan of abdomen and pelvis with intravenous contrast. R ECEIVED : 26 February 2015; A CCEPTED : 14 May 2015
“Wait, am I blogging?”: An examination of school-sponsored online writing spaces

In this study, I explore a school district’s blogging engine, one that I helped to develop. Using both qualitative and quantitative methodology, I attempt to better understand how a school-sponsored online space might influence the type of writing occurring therein, while also trying to better understand how new tools like hyperlinks and commenting features on online text are changing student writing. I conclude that online writing looks a great deal like other classroom discourse, with teachers and students maintaining similar power and voice relationships in both spaces. More research is certainly needed, specifically around the role of these spaces in assessment and how feedback from teachers is incorporated by students into future work, but it seems that online writing spaces, at least in the school district studied, are quite similar to offline classroom composition spaces.
Circumferential perilimbal anesthesia for combined cataract glaucoma surgery.

■ BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: A topical-subconjunctival anesthesia technique named circumferential perilimbal anesthesia was tested in a consecutive series of 34 combined cataract and glaucoma cases to determine effectiveness in long duration anterior segment surgery. ■ PATIENTS AND METHODS: The circumferential perilimbal technique for combined surgery involved administration of 4% topical Xylocaine drops and injection of 0.25 cc of 4% Xylocaine subconjunctivally 3-4 mm inferior to the limbus. The inferior subconjunctival anesthesia was then spread 360° around the limbus circumferentially with a smooth forceps. The topical and local anesthetic was supplemented by intravenous preoperative and intraoperative sedative and analgesic medications. ■ RESULTS: All patients had successful phacoemulsification cataract extraction with intraocular lens combined with trabeculectomy. Medical records and postoperative interviews of the combined cataract-glaucoma cases revealed an average surgery time of 46 minutes (range 35minutes-60 minutes) and only one incident of patient intraoperative pain. ■ CONCLUSION: The circumferential perilimbal technique was an effective anesthesia technique for long duration combined cataract and glaucoma surgery.
Response of herbivore functional groups to sequential perturbations in Moorea, French Polynesia

The reefs surrounding the island of Moorea, French Polynesia, experienced two large pulse perturbations between 2008 and 2010, an outbreak of the crown-of-thorns seastar (Acanthaster planci) followed by a cyclone, that resulted in the reduction in live coral cover on the fore reef from ~40 to <5 %. Live coral cover in back reef and fringing reef habitats initially remained relatively stable, but began a gradual decline around 2010. We assessed the changes in the functional composition of the herbivorous fish community following the pulse perturbations and during the time of gradual coral decline on the back reef and fringing reef. Forty-nine species of herbivorous fishes quantified in yearly surveys between 2006 and 2014 were assigned to six functional groups: browser, detritivore, excavator, farmer, grazer/detritivore, and scraper. Non-metric multidimensional scaling analyses revealed that despite unique functional assemblages initially existing among the fringing reef, back reef, and fore reef habitats, the herbivorous fish communities in all three habitats responded in a qualitatively similar fashion to coral decline by moving toward functional communities characterized by an increased representation of excavators and scrapers. Island-wide scraper biomass increased by ~sevenfold in the post-disturbance time period, while excavator biomass increased by nearly threefold. The biomass of detritivores and grazers/detritivores also increased over the same time period, but to a much lesser degree, while the biomass of browsers and farmers remained essentially unchanged. Macroalgae remained a relatively minor space holder (<10 % cover) in lagoon habitats and on the fore reef through 2014, enabling recruitment of juvenile coral and initiating coral recovery on the fore reef. Results suggest that a functional community with a substantial biomass of herbivores and the capacity for the biomass of scrapers and excavators to increase rapidly in response to landscape-scale declines in coral cover may enhance resilience by preventing the widespread establishment of macroalgae.
National Treasures or Just Old Stuff? The Palace Museum's Evacuation to Sichuan

AbstractEarly twentieth-century nationalist intellectuals and politicians in China promoted museums as sites for ‘awakening’ the masses from their pre-national slumber. Museum hagiographers since that time often imply that the new museums were successful in those terms, and that the Chinese people fully supported the modern, usually state-supervised museums and their nationalist goals. However, as this essay shows, by examining the evacuation of the Palace Museum artifacts from Beiping [Beijing] to Sichuan during the War of Resistance with Japan (1937-45), we see that on the contrary, the Chinese people were hardly convinced that antiquities belonged to the nation-state.
Three Problems for Contagion Empathy

In this commentary on Michael Slote’s paper “The Many Faces of Empathy,” I assess the ways in which his theory of empathy aligns with simulation theory, as well as the problems that he needs to address because of this. Overall, I present three problems that need to be addressed: (1) How do we know that we have caught the other’s emotion and not merely reacted on our own; (2) What exactly is it about the other’s emotion or attitude that I am mimicking and catching; and (3) Does empathy provide us with objective or subjective ethical knowledge?
Histotripsy Thrombolysis on Retracted Clots.

Retracted blood clots have been previously recognized to be more resistant to drug-based thrombolysis methods, even with ultrasound and microbubble enhancements. Microtripsy, a new histotripsy approach, has been investigated as a non-invasive, drug-free and image-guided method that uses ultrasound to break up clots with improved treatment accuracy and a lower risk of vessel damage compared with the traditional histotripsy thrombolysis approach. Unlike drug-mediated thrombolysis, which is dependent on the permeation of the thrombolytic agents into the clot, microtripsy controls acoustic cavitation to fractionate clots. We hypothesize that microtripsy thrombolysis is effective on retracted clots and that the treatment efficacy can be enhanced using strategies incorporating electronic focal steering. To test our hypothesis, retracted clots were prepared in vitro and the mechanical properties were quantitatively characterized. Microtripsy thrombolysis was applied on the retracted clots in an in vitro flow model using three different strategies: single-focus, electronically-steered multi-focus and dual-pass multi-focus. Results show that microtripsy was used to successfully generate a flow channel through the retracted clot and the flow was restored. The multi-focus and the dual-pass treatments incorporating the electronic focal steering significantly increased the recanalized flow channel size compared to the single-focus treatments. The dual-pass treatments achieved a restored flow rate up to 324 mL/min without cavitation contacting the vessel wall. The clot debris particles generated from microtripsy thrombolysis remained within the safe range. The results of this study show the potential of microtripsy thrombolysis for retracted clot recanalization with the enhancement of electronic focal steering.
In situ colorimetric detection and mixing of glucose–enzyme droplets in an open-surface platform via Marangoni effect

Precise detection of glucose concentration in blood is critical in health monitoring and medical research. This paper describes a novel approach for enzymatic glucose sensing (glucose oxidase based) using thermal gradient in an open-surface platform. In order to obtain glucose concentration, droplets of enzyme and glucose with various concentrations are dispensed on a thin layer of fluorinert oil. By engineering the location of the droplet on the fluid surface and controlling the surface temperature drop of the fluid, surface deformation is created with fluid recirculating due to Marangoni convection. The surface deformation allows the microliter droplets to collide and mix at the hot spot. Image processing of the colorimetric reaction of the glucose and enzyme allows accurate determination of glucose concentration. The designed biosensor offers high repeatability, and concentration is measured within ±9.5 % of standard absorptiometry method. Contact-free manipulation of droplets, in situ measurement of glucose concentration, fast response time and high sensitivity are the key advantages of this device.
Utility of Transbronchial vs Surgical Lung Biopsy in the Diagnosis of Suspected Fibrotic Interstitial Lung Disease.

Background Surgical lung biopsy (SLB) is invasive and not possible in all patients with undiagnosed interstitial lung disease (ILD). We hypothesized that transbronchial biopsy (TBB) findings combined with clinical and high-resolution CT (HRCT) data leads to a confident diagnosis congruent to SLB and therefore avoids the need for SLB in some patients. Methods We evaluated 33 patients being investigated for suspected ILD who underwent HRCT, TBB, and SLB. First, clinicians, radiologists, and a pathologist reviewed the clinical information and HRCT and TBB findings. Clinicians were asked to provide a diagnosis and were also asked if SLB was needed for a more confident diagnosis. Subsequently, the clinical, HRCT, and SLB data were reviewed, and the same participants were asked to provide a final diagnosis. Clinician consensus and overall agreement between TBB- and SLB-based diagnoses were calculated. Results Four patients had definite usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP) on HRCT and would not be considered for biopsy using current guidelines. Of the 29 patients without a definitive HRCT diagnosis, the clinicians felt confident of the diagnosis (ie, would not recommend SLB) in six cases. In these cases, there was 100% agreement between TBB and SLB diagnoses. UIP was the most common diagnosis (n = 3) and was associated with an HRCT diagnosis of possible UIP/nonspecific interstitial pneumonia-like. Agreement was poor (33%) between TBB and SLB diagnoses when confidence in the TBB diagnosis was low. Conclusions Information from TBB, when combined with clinical and HRCT data, may provide enough information to make a confident and accurate diagnosis in approximately 20% to 30% of patients with ILD.
The design and performance of a portable megagauss magnetic field generator for laser/cluster interactions

Our objective is to create a unique environment consisting of a magnetized high energy density plasma (n ~ 1019 cm-3, T ~ 10 keV) produced by laser irradiation of atomic or molecular clusters in a megagauss magnetic field. With deuterium or CD4 clusters the DD fusion neutron yield can be up to 107 neutrons/shot. Requirements on the magnetic field source are: on-axis field strength of 1-2 megagauss in a cylindrical volume of 1 cm3 (reaching β~ 1 for 10 keV plasma), portability so it can be installed at laser facilities e.g. Texas Petawatt Laser (TPW), operation in vacuum conditions, and constant field for ~100 ns. In a collaboration between the University of Texas at Austin (UT) and Sandia National Laboratories (SNL), we have designed, built, and tested a pulsed power source suitable for cluster fusion experiments at the TPW. Some of the salient design features include use of low inductance circuit elements, a single-turn coil, ten 3.1 μF 100 kV high energy density capacitors (15.5 kJ each), and one high voltage spark gap switch per capacitor. Each capacitor discharges via six high voltage cables into a conical transmission line, which feeds into a vacuum chamber through an insulator stack similar to that of the Z machine at SNL. Current rise time is 1.7 μs with peak current up to 2 MA; system inductance is about 48 nH, including the single-turn coil. A major challenge was to drive the current through the coil in vacuum conditions without a significant inductance penalty or damage to the vacuum system. The single-turn coil, made from 1/8" thick copper, is destroyed every shot. Clearing shot debris, replacing the coil, and achieving the required vacuum pressure of ≤10-5 Torr reduces the repetition rate to 2 - 3 shots per day.
Anesthetic complications during general anesthesia without intravenous access in pediatric ophthalmologic clinic: assessment of 5216 cases.

BACKGROUND General anesthesia utilizing inhalational agents without intravenous (IV) access for minor procedures is controversial. Eliminating IV access increases efficiency and patient satisfaction; however, the ability to introduce rapid acting medications into the circulation during an unanticipated emergency becomes challenging. The objective of this study was to examine complication risk following pediatric ophthalmologic examinations under anesthesia (EUA) without IV placement. METHODS A retrospective review of consecutive pediatric patients who underwent EUA for retinoblastoma management was performed from 2004 to 2014. The total number of anesthetics and elective IV placement were identified. Patient characteristics, length of the procedure, laryngeal mask airway (LMA) placement, and complications were also recorded. A survey of specialized ophthalmology institutions was performed in order to ascertain the state of standard practices. RESULTS Over 10 years, 5216 anesthetics were identified. The mean age and weight of the patients were 2.7±2.0 years and 14.4±6.6 kg, respectively. In all, 298 elective IVs were placed (6%) and 4918 cases (94%) were performed without IV access. A total of 1687 (32%) anesthetics were administered with a laryngeal mask airway (LMA), of which 1389 (82%) did not have IV access. There were no deaths and no unplanned admissions. There were 8/5216 complications (0.153%) which all resolved safely. CONCLUSIONS The current study shows that it is safe to perform EUA and procedures for the diagnosis and treatment of retinoblastoma in pediatric patients without securing IV access. All emergency post-complication IV placements were successful and no long-term sequelae were seen.
The PCORI Engagement Rubric: Promising Practices for Partnering in Research

PURPOSE Engaging patients, caregivers, and other health care stakeholders as partners in planning, conducting, and disseminating research is a promising way to improve clinical decision making and outcomes. Many researchers, patients, and other stakeholders, however, lack clarity about when and how to engage as partners within the clinical research process. To address the need for guidance on creating meaningful stakeholder partnerships in patient-centered clinical comparative effectiveness research, the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute (PCORI) developed the PCORI Engagement Rubric (Rubric). METHODS PCORI developed the Rubric drawing from a synthesis of the literature, a qualitative study with patients, a targeted review of engagement plans from PCORI-funded project applications, and a moderated discussion and review with PCORI’s Advisory Panel on Patient Engagement. RESULTS The Rubric provides a framework for operationalizing engagement to incorporate patients and other stakeholders in all phases of research. It includes: principles of engagement; definitions of stakeholder types; key considerations for planning, conducting, and disseminating engaged research; potential engagement activities; and examples of promising practices from PCORI-funded projects. CONCLUSIONS PCORI designed the Rubric to illustrate opportunities for engagement to researchers interested in applying for PCORI funding and to patients and other stakeholders interested in greater involvement in research. By encouraging PCORI applicants, awardees, and others to apply the rubric, PCORI hopes to shift the research paradigm from one of conducting research on patients as subjects to a pursuit carried out in collaboration with patients and other stakeholders to better reflect the values, preferences, and outcomes that matter to the patient community.
Real-time ultrasound elastography of the Achilles tendon in patients with cerebral palsy: is there a correlation between strain ratio and biomechanical indicators?

Our aim was to comparatively investigate the strain ratio and thickness of the Achilles tendon in children with cerebral palsy (CP), and to elucidate whether there is a correlation between biomechanical features of the Achilles tendon and strain ratio. A total of 155 participants (72 CP patients and 83 healthy controls) who underwent real-time elastography of both Achilles tendons were studied. A linear transducer (4.8–11.0 MHz) was used to obtain the images. Correlation analysis between age, length, and thickness of the Achilles tendon, and strain ratio (SR) was performed by means of Pearson correlation and Spearman’s rho tests. Comparison of results obtained from CP patients and controls showed that the length of the Achilles tendon was shorter (p < 0.001) and SR was higher (p < 0.001) in CP patients. In CP patients, there was a positive correlation between SR and age and between SR and the thickness and length of the Achilles tendon (p < 0.001 for all). Furthermore, the length of the tendon and age were positively associated (p < 0.001). ROC analysis revealed that the cut-off value for SR was 1.89. The results of the present study demonstrated that real-time elastography can constitute a simple, practical, and noninvasive method for evaluation of the elasticity of the Achilles tendon in children with CP.
Using Expert Sources to Correct Health Misinformation in Social Media

This study tests whether the number (1 vs. 2) and the source (another user vs. the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC]) of corrective responses affect successful reduction of mispercep...
6.06 – Physiological Characteristics of Second-Order Somatosensory Circuits in Spinal Cord and Brainstem

Primary afferent connections, response properties of central neurons, activation of ascending projection neurons, and effects of descending control systems are discussed in relation to spinal cord and brainstem circuits that process mechanoreceptive, thermoreceptive, and nociceptive sensory information.
Principles of Quality Control

(1990). Principles of Quality Control. Journal of Quality Technology: Vol. 22, No. 1, pp. 78-78.
An Anatomic Characterization of the Midbrain Near Response Neurons in the Macaque Monkey.

Purpose These experiments were designed to reveal the location of the premotor neurons that have previously been designated physiologically as the midbrain near response cells controlling vergence, lens accommodation, and pupillary constriction in response to target distance. Methods To identify this population, the fixed N2c strain of rabies virus was injected into the ciliary body of seven Macaca fascicularis monkeys. The virus was trans-synaptically transported to the brain. Following a 58- to 76-hour survival, animals were perfused with formalin fixative. After frozen sectioning, tissue was reacted to reveal the location of the infected populations by use of a monoclonal anti-rabies antibody. Another series of sections was processed to determine which of the rabies-positive cells were cholinergic motoneurons by use of an antibody to choline acetyl transferase. Results At earlier time points, only cholinergic cells in the preganglionic Edinger-Westphal nucleus ipsilateral to the injection were labeled. At later time points, an additional population of noncholinergic, premotor cells was present. These were most numerous at the caudal end of the supraoculomotor area, where they formed a bilateral band, oriented mediolaterally immediately above the oculomotor nucleus. Rostral to this, a smaller bilateral population was located near the midline within the supraoculomotor area. Conclusions Most lens preganglionic motoneurons are multipolar cells making up a continuous column within the Edinger-Westphal nucleus. A population of premotor cells that likely represents the midbrain near response cells is located in the supraoculomotor area. These cells are bilaterally distributed relative to the eye they control, and are most numerous caudally.