cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Non-uniform Ultrasound Speckle Phase Distribution Applied to Scatterer Spacing Estimation

When regularly spaced scatterers exist in an insonated region the speckle phase may not be uniformly distributed. A novel frequency sweeping technique for scatterer spacing estimation is proposed and applied to simulated and to experimental data. Parametric expressions of the phase statistics are proposed and tesled for the estimation. Changes in these parameters identify the mean scatterer spacing for even and for odd multiples of the 1/4 wavelength cases, when sweeping the receiver quadrature demodulation frequency. This technique has good tolerance for variations in scatterer spacing, and has real-time implementation capability.
The Incident: Not Just Another Organizational Disruption

Issue and crisis: These concepts are well-understood, even though various definitions exist. A third concept, incident, is less defined. This article reports a content analysis of articles from two public relations journals (n = 67) and three prominent public relations industry publications (n = 56) to understand how incident is contextualized and applied. Findings reveal a statistically significant difference in how academic and industry publications contextualize the concept and expose a need for a formal conceptualization. Building on the results of the analysis, this article, then, argues that incident is (a) defined as a theoretical concept and pragmatic communication-management matter, (b) implemented within a continuum of organizational disruption, (c) presented as a necessary concept for greater precision for the reporting and analyzing of disruptive events, and (d) needs to be included in future scholarly research about and models of disruptive events.
Einstein’s Bergson Problem: Communication, Consensus and Good Science

Does a privileged frame of reference exist? Part of Einstein’s success consisted in eliminating Bergson’s objections to relativity theory, which were consonant with those of the most important scientists who had worked on the topic: Henri Poincare, Hendrik Lorentz and Albert A. Michelson. In the early decades of the century, Bergson’s fame, prestige and influence surpassed that of the physicist. Once considered as one of the most renowned intellectuals of his era and an authority on the nature of time, The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (2010) does not even include him under the entry of “time.” How was it possible to write off from history a figure that was once so prominent? Through an analysis of behind-the-scenes of science correspondence, this article traces the ascendance of Einstein's views of time at the expense of Bergson’s.
A Dynamic Resonant Wall Shear Stress Sensor

*The work discussed here is a preliminary exploration of an entirely new class of wall shear stress sensor. This sensor employs a novel dynamic-resonant sensing approach categorically different from that of a static balance sensor. The dynamic-resonant displacement sensor was run under open and closed loop while the drive or control frequency was scanned through the peak resonance frequency. We show that the peak position (open loop) or minimum motor drive (closed loop) rms values exhibit an initial linear increase with increasing shear stress level. We further show that the maximal peak rms values obtained under the highest drive level are insensitive to the factor of four difference in pressure gradient between the .793 and 3.18 mm high channels. However, maximal peak rms values obtained under the lowest drive level in the .793 mm high channel clearly showed greater sensitivity than that obtained under the lowest drive level in the 3.18 mm high channel. The cause of this undesirable behavior is presently unclear and will be the focus of future work.
Modeling and Analysis of Triangle Flexible Hinge

The triangle flexible hinge as a rotational element can be used to construct flexible module or compliant mechanism with better performance, such as wheel shape hinge and butterfly hinge.Building an accurate force-bearing model and analyzing its load-displacement characteristic is the key to designing a complicated hinge or mechanism.Based on an approximate cantilever model, an accurate rotation angle model of triangle flexible hinge under simultaneous actions of bending moment, tangential force and axial force is built.The calculation formula for axis drift without approximation is obtained, and a practical axis drift model is derived.The rotation angle and axis drift models all concisely represent the load-displacement relationship.The accuracy of built models is verified through finite element analysis.
Clinical application and analysis of laparoscopy in acute abdomen in children

[Objective] To explore the role and advantages of laparoscopy in the diagnosis and treatment of children with acute abdominal process.[Methods] 81 cases of pediatric acute abdomen underwent laparoscopic surgery in our hospital from January 2006 to March 2011 were reviewed and the role and advantages of laparoscopy in the diagnosis and treatment of pediatric acute abdomen were analyzed.[Results] 80 cases of acute abdomen in children had been diagnosed by laparoscopy,and one case had been diagnosed after transferred into the routine abdominal surgery.Laparoscopic surgery was done directly in 54 cases,laparoscopic assisted surgery done in 19 cases,into the abdominal surgery in 8 cases.All patients were treated timely.One case of gangrenous perforated appendicitis surgery,right upper quadrant 10mm Trocar hole wound dehiscence,and residual intra-abdominal infections,for dressing to enhance the anti-infection.The remaining patients recovered well.Followed up for 4 months to 5 years was without abdominal pain and adhesive intestinal obstruction and other related complications.[Conclusions] Laparoscopic used in pediatric acute abdomen,can directly surgery or assist in routine into the abdominal surgery,and has the advantages of high rate of diagnosis,a comprehensive exploration,small damage,quick recovery,etc.
Positive correlation between body weight, length of human menopausal gonadotropin stimulation, and oocyte fertilization rate.

One hundred four normally cycling women were treated with fixed low-dose human menopausal gonadotropin (hMG) (2 ampules/day) in preparation for oocyte aspiration for in vitro fertilization. The response rate was related to age, weight, and the ratios weight/height 2 and weight/height. The required dose of hMG was related to total body weight, but not to age or either of the weight/height ratios. In patients who required fewer than 5 days of hMG (rapid responders), a significantly higher number ( P P
Development of a pilot family medicine hand-carried ultrasound course.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES A hand-carried ultrasound training session was organized as an initial step in developing a long-term ultrasound education program for family medicine residents and faculty. Comparative effectiveness studies examining the potential benefits, risks, and any possible cost savings associated with this technology will be predicated on having a sufficient number of primary care physicians trained and able to use hand-carried ultrasounds as part of routine care. The proposed training described here is a first step toward this broader conversation and empirical study of hand-carried ultrasound use in family medicine. METHODS An 8-hour training consisting of didactic lectures, case review, and hands-on experience imaging standardized patients with ultrasound machines and an ultrasound simulator. The objective of the course was to introduce focused ultrasound acquisition and interpretation of the gall bladder, kidney, heart, and abdominal aorta to family medicine physicians. Participating physicians were evaluated for changes in self-perceived comfort and proficiency with the hand-carried ultrasound before and after the training. RESULTS Statistically significant changes for most comfort and proficiency items were demonstrated. Importantly, the only item that did not show significant change dealt with basing clinical decisions on information obtained from the device. CONCLUSION The subjective improvement suggests this approach is one potentially useful hand-carried ultrasound training framework. Future work should attempt to further develop curricula and address issues such as longitudinal training assessments and certification and the development of competency in the necessary skill sets.
Automatic Extraction of Metrics from SLAs for Cloud Service Management

To effectively manage cloud based services, organizations need to continuously monitor the performance metrics listed in the Cloud service contracts. However, these legal documents, like Service Level Agreements (SLA) or privacy policy documents, are currently managed as plain text files meant principally for human consumption. Additionally, providers often define their own performance metrics for their services. These factors hinder the automation of SLA management and require manual effort to monitor the cloud service performance. We have significantly automated the process of extracting, managing and monitoring cloud SLA using natural language processing techniques and Semantic Web technologies. In this paper, we describe our technical approach and the ontology that we have developed to describe, manage, and reason about cloud SLAs. We also describe the prototype system that we have developed to automatically extract information from legal Terms of Service that are available on cloud provider websites.
CAMPI: computerized analysis of mammography phantom images-effects of film nonlinearity and digitizer noise

The purpose of this work was to extend the recently introduced CAMPI method to allow for the nonlinear sensitometric response of film. Sensitometric strips were digitized and used to calibrate the phantom images by converting the pixel value to a linearized intensity-like variable. The corresponding linearized CAMPI measures were found to have simpler (and expected) dependencies on X-ray variables as long as the optical density of the film was not too large. At higher densities (>2.0) the digitizer noise becomes significant, and a correction was necessary. A simple model for the digitizer noise was proposed and tentatively verified. With this work CAMPI can now perform objective and accurate evaluations on analog and direct digital images, compensating for phantom variations, mAs differences, screen-film characteristics (if applicable), and even allowing for digitizer noise limitations.
Low resistivity nickel germanosilicide contacts to ultra-shallow Si/sub 1-x/Ge/sub x/ source/drain junctions for nanoscale CMOS

Selective Si/sub 1-x/Ge/sub x/ source/drain technology was previously proposed to address the parasitic series resistance requirements of future CMOS IC generations. The technology provides abrupt lateral doping profiles and high dopant activation to reduce spreading and extension resistance components of the series resistance. In addition, the smaller bandgap of Si/sub 1-x/Ge/sub x/ can provide a smaller metal-semiconductor barrier height, essential for low contact resistance. In this paper, we present results from an experimental study conducted on nickel germanosilicide (NiSi/sub 1-x/Ge/sub x/) contacts formed on both boron and phosphorus doped Si/sub 1-x/Ge/sub x/ alloys. It is shown that NiSi/sub 1-x/Ge/sub x/ contacts have the potential to address the contact resistance challenge of future IC generations. NiSi/sub 1-x/Ge/sub x/ contacts can be formed self-aligned to both boron and phosphorus doped Si/sub 1-x/Ge/sub x/ alloys. An extremely smooth metal-semiconductor interface can be achieved resulting in an excellent reverse leakage behavior. It is also shown that the thermal stability of NiSi/sub 1-x/Ge/sub x/ can be substantially improved by inserting a thin Pt layer under the Ni layer. On phosphorus doped Si/sub 1-x/Ge/sub x/ alloys, the lowest contact resistivity values are obtained with the Pt interlayer.
Development of fusogenic glass surfaces that impart spatiotemporal control over macrophage fusion: Direct visualization of multinucleated giant cell formation

Implantation of synthetic material, including vascular grafts, pacemakers, etc. results in the foreign body reaction and the formation of multinucleated giant cells (MGCs) at the exterior surface of the implant. Despite the long-standing premise that fusion of mononucleated macrophages results in the formation of MGCs, to date, no published study has shown fusion in context with living specimens. This is due to the fact that optical-quality glass, which is required for the majority of live imaging techniques, does not promote macrophage fusion. Consequently, the morphological changes that macrophages undergo during fusion as well as the mechanisms that govern this process remain ill-defined. In this study, we serendipitously identified a highly fusogenic glass surface and discovered that the capacity to promote fusion was due to oleamide contamination. When adsorbed on glass, oleamide and other molecules that contain long-chain hydrocarbons promoted high levels of macrophage fusion. Adhesion, an essential step for macrophage fusion, was apparently mediated by Mac-1 integrin (CD11b/CD18, αMβ2) as determined by single cell force spectroscopy and adhesion assays. Micropatterned glass further increased fusion and enabled a remarkable degree of spatiotemporal control over MGC formation. Using these surfaces, we reveal the kinetics that govern MGC formation in vitro. We anticipate that the spatiotemporal control afforded by these surfaces will expedite studies designed to identify the mechanism(s) of macrophage fusion and MGC formation with implication for the design of novel biomaterials.
Programmable Skins based on Core-Shell Microsphere/Nanotube/Polymer Composites

In this paper, we describe unique thermally responsive polymer system based on nanotube-elastomers dispersed with core-shell expanding microspheres (phase-change material). Upon thermal or infrared stimuli, liquid hydrocarbon cores encapsulated within the microspheres vaporize, expanding the surrounding shells and stretching the matrix. Microsphere transformation resulted in visible dimensional changes associated with macroscopic volume increase (>500%), reduction in density (>80%), and increase in elastic modulus (>675%). Additionally, electrically conductive nanotubes allowed for expansion dependent electrical responses. We present our new findings on expansion dependent superhydrophobicity in these materials and present some outlook and comparison of our stimuli responsive polymers with other material systems for future origami based applications.
Non-linear model reduction of multi-scale reaction-convection processes

Abstract This paper deals with reaction-convection processes modeled by firstorder hyperbolic PDE systems. Specifically, we consider processes with fast and slow reactions in the possible presence of fast transport mechanism. In order to derive non-stiff PDE or ODE approximations of the slow dynamics, we propose a model reduction method based on singular perturbation arguments. The efficacy of the approach is illustrated through a representative example.
Particle sizes in Saturn's rings from UVIS stellar occultations 1. Variations with ring region

Abstract The Cassini spacecraft's Ultraviolet Imaging Spectrograph (UVIS) includes a high speed photometer (HSP) that has observed stellar occultations by Saturn's rings with a radial resolution of ∼10 m. In the absence of intervening ring material, the time series of measurements by the HSP is described by Poisson statistics in which the variance equals the mean. The finite sizes of the ring particles occulting the star lead to a variance that is larger than the mean due to correlations in the blocking of photons due to finite particle size and due to random variations in the number of individual particles in each measurement area. This effect was first exploited by Showalter and Nicholson (1990) with the stellar occultation observed by Voyager 2. At a given optical depth, a larger excess variance corresponds to larger particles or clumps that results in greater variation of the signal from measurement to measurement. Here we present analysis of the excess variance in occultations observed by Cassini UVIS. We observe differences in the best-fitting particle size in different ring regions. The C ring plateaus show a distinctly smaller effective particle size, R , than the background C ring, while the background C ring itself shows a positive correlation between R and optical depth. The innermost 700 km of the B ring has a distribution of excess variance with optical depth that is consistent with the C ring ramp and C ring but not with the remainder of the B1 region. The Cassini Division, while similar to the C ring in spectral and structural properties, has different trends in effective particle size with optical depth. There are discrete jumps in R on either side of the Cassini Division ramp, while the C ring ramp shows a smooth transition in R from the C ring to the B ring. The A ring is dominated by self-gravity wakes whose shadow size depends on the occultation geometry. The spectral “halo” regions around the strongest density waves in the A ring correspond to decreases in R . There is also a pronounced dip in R at the Mimas 5:3 bending wave corresponding to an increase in optical depth there, suggesting that at these waves small particles are liberated from clumps or self-gravity wakes leading to a reduction in effective particle size and an increase in optical depth.
Complete Genome Sequences of Arthrobacter Phages Beans, Franzy, Jordan, Piccoletto, Shade, and Timinator.

ABSTRACT We report here the genome sequences of six newly isolated bacteriophages infecting Arthrobacter sp. ATCC 21022. All six have myoviral morphologies and have double-stranded DNA genomes with circularly permuted ends. The six phages are closely related with average nucleotide identities of 73.4 to 93.0% across genomes lengths of 49,797 to 51,347 bp.
Influence of different yeast cell wall preparations and their components on performance and immune and metabolic pathways in Clostridium perfringens-challenged broiler chicks

ABSTRACT A study was conducted to evaluate the influence of the purification of yeast cell wall (YCW) preparations on broiler performance and immunogenic and metabolic pathways under microbial challenge. A total of 240 (day old) chicks were distributed among two battery brooder units (48 pens; 5 birds/pen; 8 replicates/treatment). A basal starter diet was divided into 5 batches to create 6 dietary treatments; non-challenge (NCh-C) and challenge (Ch-C) controls, semi-purified YCW containing cytosol contents (SPYCW; 250 mg/kg), purified YCW (PYCW; 250 mg/kg), 50% purified beta-glucan (BG; 130 mg/kg), and 99.9% purified mannan-oligosaccharide (MOS; 53 mg/kg). All birds were immunocompromised with infectious bursal disease vaccine (10× the recommended dose) on day 10 and then all birds except NCh-C birds were challenged with Clostridium perfringens (Cp) (107 cfu/mL) via oral gavage on days 16 and 17. On day 21, tissue samples were collected from the jejunum and duodenum for analysis with chicken-specific, peptide arrays to study the influence of YCW supplementation on immune and metabolic kinase pathways. On day 16, SPYCW had significantly lower body weight (BW) and weight gain (WG) than other treatments except BG (P
Antiepileptic drugs in critically ill patients

The incidence of seizures in intensive care units ranges from 3.3% to 34%. It is therefore often necessary to initiate or continue anticonvulsant drugs in this setting. When a new anticonvulsant is initiated, drug factors, such as onset of action and side effects, and patient factors, such as age, renal, and hepatic function, should be taken into account. It is important to note that the altered physiology of critically ill patients as well as pharmacological and nonpharmacological interventions such as renal replacement therapy, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation, and target temperature management may lead to therapeutic failure or toxicity. This may be even more challenging with the availability of newer antiepileptics where the evidence for their use in critically ill patients is limited. This article reviews the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of antiepileptics as well as application of these principles when dosing antiepileptics and monitoring serum levels in critically ill patients. The selection of the most appropriate anticonvulsant to treat seizure and status epileptics as well as the prophylactic use of these agents in this setting are also discussed. Drug-drug interactions and the effect of nonpharmacological interventions such as renal replacement therapy, plasma exchange, and extracorporeal membrane oxygenation on anticonvulsant removal are also included. Optimal management of antiepileptic drugs in the intensive care unit is challenging given altered physiology, polypharmacy, and nonpharmacological interventions, and requires a multidisciplinary approach where appropriate and timely assessment, diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring plans are in place.
Imaging Through Volumetric Scattering with a Single Photon Sensitive Camera

Imaging through highly scattering media holds many opportunities in underwater and biomedical imaging. Here we leverage a single photon avalanche diode (SPAD) camera, and experimentally demonstrate an imaging pipeline to see through turbid water in optical reflection mode.
13C NMR Chemical Shifts in Selected Hydroaromatic and Aromatic Hydrocarbons

During the course of an extensive and continuing investigation of the structure of liquid and soluble products and derivatives of coal, the need for a collection of 13C NMR spectra of pure compounds which contain structures thought to be present in coal arose. For this purpose, 13C NMR spectra of a large number of hydrocarbons and heterocyclic compounds were obtained and analyzed or partially analyzed. Several phases of these spectral investigations have been previously published(1–4); the work reported here is primarily concerned with hydroaromatic compounds and with aromatic compounds, such as indan, which contain one partially saturated five-membered ring. To aid in the spectral analyses, chemical shifts of several methyl and ethyl benzenes were measured.
Kosher dietary laws and children's food preferences: Guide to a camp menu plan

Assessment of the food preferences of Jewish children and experience with the kosher dietary laws facilitated the planning of a summer camp menu. A lengthy list of foods was developed that satisfied the tastes of the campers. Recipes were modified to achieve greater value in the kosher menu. Both the children and the camp administration appreciated seeing the survey results implemented as an eight-week cycle menu. Dietitians have a responsibility to understand the cultural needs and food preferences of those whom they serve. An appreciation of ethnic and religious dietary patterns is essential in menu planning. Knowledge of the laws of kashruth and familiarity with kosher products, traditional Jewish foods, and taste preferences of Jewish children and adults are necessary to the dietitian wishing to please Jewish clientele.
Prenylation of HDAg and Antiviral Drug Development

Hepatitis delta virus (HDV) is an important cause of acute and chronic liver disease. Current medical therapies are unable to effectively eradicate HDV infections. Research into the molecular virology of the HDV life cycle has revealed a fascinating collection of biology. These insights are now beginning to be translated into new potential treatment strategies. For example, an essential step in the virus assembly process involves the post-translational lipid modification of a specific HDV protein, namely prenylation of large delta antigen. Preventing prenylation abolishes virus particle formation. Drugs capable of specifically inhibiting prenylation have been developed for use in humans. These agents represent a new class of antiviral agents, with HDV as a first target. Here, a brief review of the HDV life cycle emphasizing the role of prenylation is presented along with implications for drug development and therapy.
Data Mining Attributes from Spatial Grids

The typical spatial analysis problem involves extracting data values from spatial grids and combining the extracted values to form the answer to some question. In this chapter, we look at a variety of data mining models to perform the final combination step. We start off looking at fuzzy logic as a way to encode heuristic rules and then move on to supervised machine learning techniques – decision trees and neural networks primarily – as a way of approximating the relationships in a training data set and applying those relationships to unseen data. Finally, we discuss a method of addressing unsupervised classification problems. All the code samples for training and clustering are presented in the statistical language R while the application of the learned model to new data is carried out, as in the rest of this book, in Java.
The Population Growth Barrier

This chapter discusses the contribution that global population growth is making to the difficulty of achieving water sustainability. Population growth, together with urbanization and the effects of climate change are resulting in water scarcity and other water-related problems in many parts of the globe. Particularly hard hit are the Middle East and North Africa, sub-Saharan Africa, China, India, small islands of Oceania, and the Southwestern USA.
Bullae, Cysts, and Cavities

Bullae, cysts, and lung cavities are defined and described, including size criteria and imaging diagnosis across modality. The causes, complications, and implications of such pathology are discussed in detail. Differential diagnoses are discussed for each type of pathology. Imaging findings of complications are emphasized.
Effect on response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy in high-grade serous ovarian cancer by inhibiting the GAS6/AXL pathway and inducing homologous recombination deficiency.

6080Background: Less than 10% of patients with high grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSC) have a complete pathologic response to neoadjuvant chemotherapy. We aimed to identify a biomarker predictive o...
SHROOM3 is downstream of the planar cell polarity pathway and loss-of-function results in congenital heart defects

Congenital heart disease (CHD) is the most common birth defect, and the leading cause of death due to birth defects, yet causative molecular mechanisms remain mostly unknown. We previously implicated a novel CHD candidate gene, SHROOM3, in a patient with CHD. Using a Shroom3 gene trap knockout mouse (Shroom3gt/gt) we demonstrate that SHROOM3 is downstream of the noncanonical Wnt planar cell polarity signaling pathway (PCP) and loss-of-function causes cardiac defects. We demonstrate Shroom3 expression within cardiomyocytes of the ventricles and interventricular septum from E10.5 onward, as well as within cardiac neural crest cells and second heart field cells that populate the cardiac outflow tract. We demonstrate that Shroom3gt/gt mice exhibit variable penetrance of a spectrum of CHDs that include ventricular septal defects, double outlet right ventricle, and thin left ventricular myocardium. This CHD spectrum phenocopies what is observed with disrupted PCP. We show that during cardiac development SHROOM3 interacts physically and genetically with, and is downstream of, key PCP signaling component Dishevelled 2. Within Shroom3gt/gt hearts we demonstrate disrupted terminal PCP components, actomyosin cytoskeleton, cardiomyocyte polarity, organization, proliferation and morphology. Together, these data demonstrate SHROOM3 functions during cardiac development as an actomyosin cytoskeleton effector downstream of PCP signaling, revealing SHROOM3's novel role in cardiac development and CHD.
Field Effect Light-Emitting Diode Integration for Enhanced Hole Utilization

The performance of Gallium Nitride (GaN) light emitting diodes (LEDs) continues to be limited due to poor hole activation in p-type GaN. In this work, the field effect is applied to an LED though integration of the p-type layer with a capacitor. Additional band bending created is used to modulate all the holes in the p-type layer, leading to enhanced external quantum efficiency (EQE). Due to the additional hole utilization, the EQE is improved by a dramatic 115% over the conventional LED. The capacitor integration additionally creates a method of voltage control for LED, instead of current control. With additional holes being utilized, the work further explores the device as a means to mitigate the efficiency droop problem of LEDs.
Strategies for constructing household and family units with linked administrative records

Abstract Children’s circumstances are inextricably tied to those of their parents. Two-generation intervention strategies recognize that improving the capacity and circumstances of parents will yield benefits in this generation and the next. Administrative data from health and human services agencies present a unique source of information concerning these interventions designed to buffer child and parent risk. Those records, however, often exist in silos, collected by discrete programs for administration and primarily focused on the client served. Breaking down those silos by linking parents and children, as well as other family or household members, makes it possible to effectively develop, coordinate, and evaluate two-generation intervention strategies. The objective of this review is to outline conceptual strategies for constructing household and family units with linked administrative records for research purposes. Specifically, this paper: (1) provides an understanding of how households and family units have historically been conceptualized in the United States and illustrate the limitations of this approach for studying complex families; (2) examines the limitations of this approach for studying contemporary families; and (3) explores strategies for organizing administrative data into household and family units for this purpose.
Perioperative Spinal Cord Ischemia After Cardiac Surgery Not Involving the Aorta: A Review of the Literature

Spinal cord ischemia (SCI) associated with aortic surgery is well-described; however, SCI after cardiac surgery not involving the aorta is an unusual and underappreciated phenomenon. The authors reviewed the literature and found 54 case reports of perioperative spinal cord ischemia in nonaortic surgery. The severity of its implications is evidenced by the fact that 14 patients died, 22 had no recovery, and seven had only partial recovery. Various types of cardiac surgery have reported this complication including coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), off-pump CABG, valve surgeries, combination valve and CABG surgeries, and transcatheter aortic valve procedures. Patient comorbidities, such as high blood pressure, hypercholesterolemia, diabetes, and peripheral vascular disease, also may play a role in the development of this adverse outcome. The authors review the literature to define further possible mechanisms, surgical techniques, and patient factors that could contribute to the risk of perioperative SCI after cardiac surgery.
Aseptic Stethoscope Barriers Prevent C difficile Transmission In Vitro.

Abstract Objective To evaluate whether Clostridioides (formerly Clostridium) difficile–contaminated stethoscope diaphragms remained aseptic by the placement of an aseptic diaphragm barrier. Methods On November 1, 2019, fresh cultures of C difficile were diluted to 107 colony-forming units (CFU)/mL and used to inoculate 16 stethoscope diaphragms; 8 had an aseptic diaphragm barrier applied and 8 served as nonbarrier controls. Contaminated stethoscopes were anaerobically incubated, then swabbed at 15 and 30 minutes, 2 and 4 hours, and 1, 2, 3, and 7 days after inoculation and subsequently plated onto blood, chocolate, and cycloserine-cefoxitin fructose agar. Plates were incubated for 48 hours and on November 9, 2019, the resulting colonies were manually counted. Statistical analyses (RStudio, version 1.0.153) used analysis of variance with post hoc Tukey honestly significant difference. Results Overall, mean colony count was 33 CFU on stethoscopes without barriers vs zero on those with barriers (P≤.05). Growth was greatest at 48 hours, with colony counts as high as 160 CFU. The presence of the barrier resulted in no growth in 100% of stethoscope diaphragms for up to 1 week. Conclusion We found that stethoscope diaphragm barriers provide an aseptic patient contact point, thus reducing the potential for transmission of C difficile during the physical examination. In critical care environments, in which many hospitals use acoustically inferior disposable stethoscopes, the option of a disposable aseptic stethoscope barrier may allow high-quality auscultation while reducing the potential for pathogen transmission.
Adaptable Gaussian Bases for Quantum Dynamics of the Nuclei

Compactness of the wavefunction representation is one of the central practical questions in quantum dynamics of high-dimensional molecular systems, because, for general inter-particle interactions, the complexity of a wavefunction grows exponentially with the system size. While expanding the wavefunctions in terms of standard predefined basis sets is well established in the electronic structure theory and computations, it is not so in the quantum dynamics of the nuclei. One ‘family’ of approaches is based on Gaussian functions whose parameters are tailored in some way to the shape of a wavefunction evolving in time, or to the energy and spatial range relevant to the system of interest; the choice of the basis parameters often comes from classical dynamics, semiclassical arguments, or from coupled variational equations, all with their pros and cons. In this chapter, we review in detail several approaches to constructing compact Gaussian bases, scalable to multidimensional systems and, in principle, yielding exact quantum dynamics: thawed Gaussian wavepacket dynamics, time-independent quasi-random distributed Gaussian bases, and time-dependent Gaussian bases guided by quantum trajectories. The non-variational character of these methods and their adaptability to target wavefunctions, combined with recent advances in the on-the-fly electronic structure calculation, make them practical for applications to large molecular systems.
A Resident-driven Initiative to Increase Bedside Teaching on Interdisciplinary Rounds.

Inpatient rounding serves numerous roles. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends a family-centered bedside model. Residents identified physical examination teaching during and satisfaction with rounds as areas for improvement. A resident group developed a project utilizing quality improvement (QI) methodology to address these concerns. We aimed to increase the frequency of bedside physical examination teaching most or every day on a single inpatient unit by 20% over 1 year, with secondary goals to increase the percentage of interns spending one hour or more at bedside per day by 10% and intern satisfaction by 15%, without impacting rounding duration. Methods We developed an organizational structure to complete a long-term resident-led project. Interventions included daily bedside examination teaching on rounds, afternoon examinations, goal communication, topic recording, and a teaching "tip sheet." Using an institutional QI framework, we utilized iterative plan-do-study-act cycles to implement interventions and surveys to assess outcomes, with rounding efficiency as a balancing measure. Results The survey response rate was 57%. Bedside teaching frequency increased from a mean of 10% to 61%, perceived time at the bedside increased from 37% to 59%, and rounding satisfaction improved from a rating of 6.7/10 to 7.4/10. Efficiency was not impacted. Conclusions We improved inpatient rounds bedside physical examination teaching and satisfaction without sacrificing efficiency. This project demonstrates the feasibility and success of a resident-driven education initiative to successfully motivate fellow residents and colleagues across disciplines to enact change. The organizational structure may serve as a model for resident-led QI projects across institutions.
Gendered Perceptions and Political Candidacies: A Central Barrier to Women's Equality in Electoral Politics

Based on the second wave of the Citizen Political Ambition Panel Study, we provide the first thorough analysis of how gender affects women and men's efficacy to run for office. Our findings reveal that, despite comparable credentials, backgrounds, and experiences, accomplished women are substantially less likely than similarly situated men to perceive themselves as qualified to seek office. Importantly, women and men rely on the same factors when evaluating themselves as candidates, but women are less likely than men to believe they meet these criteria. Not only are women more likely than men to doubt that they have skills and traits necessary for electoral politics, but they are also more likely to doubt their abilities to engage in campaign mechanics. These findings are critical because the perceptual differences we uncover account for much of the gender gap in potential candidates’ self-efficacy and ultimately hinder women's prospects for political equality.
Social Influence on Child and Parent via Stimulation and Operant-Learning Mechanisms

Patterns of stimuli for behavior can represent social influence on child or parent on the occasion of presentation. Through the mechanisms of operant learning, that influence may carry over to subsequent occasions. Social-stimulus effects on behavior and, in particular, those that can be organized under the operant-learning paradigm and derivative paradigms, including pervasive imitation (identification) and attachment, are examined in this chapter as salient mechanisms of social influence. In early socialization settings, these operant mechanisms can influence readily not only the behavior of the child, but the behavior of parents and other environmental agencies as well. Operant processes denoting mutual influence can operate in the concurrent (often simultaneous) conditioning of the behavior of the child and of its caregiving environment. This chapter presents a survey of the diverse ways social influence on offspring behavior can be implemented via operant-learning and derivative processes that are effected through patterns of environmental conditions provided by the behavior of parents/caregivers. In addition, the survey considers the ways in which influence on parent/caregiver behavior can be effected by stimulation patterns provided by child behavior. Prior to presentation of the survey, however, the concepts of operant learning and of environment will be examined in the next two sections.
Population health: modest glycaemic improvements in a pregnant cohort with mild glucose intolerance decreased adverse outcomes.

Glucose intolerance of pregnancy is a continuum in which short- and long-term adverse outcomes increase in prevalence with worsening hyperglycaemia.1 Gestational diabetes (GDM) carries the greatest risk. Women without GDM but with lesser degrees of hyperglycaemia, however, still have a higher risk of poor pregnancy outcomes than normoglycaemic women.1 Evidence suggests that treating individuals with mild glucose intolerance lowers perinatal risk.2–4 Despite adoption of more inclusive criteria for GDM diagnosis, women with mild glucose intolerance who do not meet diagnostic criteria for GDM typically go without potentially beneficial treatment.1,5 In one accepted two-step GDM screening and testing method, women who screen positive but are not diagnosed with GDM may comprise almost 10% of the population.6 Testing continues to vary in research populations and clinical practice. Generally accepted alternate cut-offs for screening and for diagnosis in two-step testing, and the diagnostic criteria recently proposed for one-step testing, may be more inclusive and diagnose additional women with GDM. Routine clinical management of GDM includes multiple daily self-glucose monitoring, diet and nutrition counselling, and medical management when goal glucose thresholds are not met.7 While treatment may decrease adverse outcomes among women with mild glucose intolerance, standard GDM management is cumbersome and costly to patients, providers, and the health care system. Whether less cost- and resource-intensive treatments or even earlier pregnancy or pre-pregnancy prevention of glucose intolerance could improve glycaemic profile and perinatal outcomes is unknown. Before limited health care resources are directed toward this population, evidence is needed to define what measureable changes in health status are associated with a clinically meaningful difference. Our emphasis in the current analysis is on the population, instead of the individual, the more traditional approach of clinical trials. We followed the lead of Geoffrey Rose, an epidemiologist known best for transforming the approach to health improvement strategies. In his 1985 seminal paper, Rose contrasted the consequences of a focus on sick individuals vs. sick populations, and the importance of distinguishing the two.8,9 The latter, a ‘sick population’ of women with mild glucose intolerance during pregnancy, is of interest here.8,9 Specifically, we evaluated the risks of adverse pregnancy outcomes in a prospective observational cohort with mild glucose intolerance receiving routine prenatal care. We compared observed outcomes in the cohort with the predicted number of outcomes in the same cohort after shifting the entire population distribution of glucose measures during pregnancy. We sought to quantify the magnitude of improvement in pregnancy outcomes that might be accomplished by potential interventions to improve glucose tolerance before pregnancy or during early pregnancy.
Performance of line protection and supervisory elements for doubly fed wind turbines

This paper analyzes the response of conventional protection schemes (Line current Differential and Mho Distance elements) and the supervisory elements associated with those protective elements in commercial relays for Type 3 (Doubly Fed Induction Generator based) grid integrated wind farms. The response of line protection elements and their supervisory elements are analyzed using real time by hardware-in-the-loop simulation and differences from the behavior in case of conventional power systems are pointed. Faults are analyzed from the relay's perspective and the observed behavior is elaborated upon. Challenges associated in using sequence components and relay sensitivity are discussed.
Automatic face recognition system architecture for collaborative virtual environments

In a collaborative virtual environment (CVE) participants are represented by icons called avatars. In order to correctly assign these avatars, participants must be identified as they enter, leave and navigate within the CVE. We present an approach and systems architecture for the use of automatic face recognition (AFR) to accomplish the task of participant identification. The requirements for AFR within a CVE are discussed and distinguished from those for general applications of AFR. A face recognition server has been developed to implement these requirements, and is described. The system is implemented in a Java Server Pages environment, using Java Native Interface to interact with individual face recognition algorithms, and interacts with other CVE components using messages in the SOAP protocol format.
Two Cheers for Burma’s Rigged Election

Abstract Burma’s recent election was clearly not free and fair. However, it can also be seen as improving a uniquely unrepresentative government, creating greater pluralism, and institutionalizing differences within the ruling junta. Even the rigged election may have created opportunities for further opening in the future.
CD8 T cell expansion and memory differentiation are facilitated by simultaneous and sustained exposure to antigenic and inflammatory milieu.

Understanding the factors contributing to the generation of immune memory is important for rational vaccine design. In this study, we addressed the individual and combined roles of Ag and inflammation in sustaining the ability of primed CD8 T cells to clonally expand and differentiate into memory cells. We transferred CD8 T cells that were primed for a brief period into naive mice, mice infected with a pathogen not carrying the specific Ag (inflammation only), mice infected with a pathogen carrying the donor cell-specific Ag (inflammation plus Ag), or into mice exposed to soluble Ag (Ag only). We found that the donor CD8 T cells continued to proliferate in all the four conditions, but their ability to clonally expand and differentiate into memory cells was ∼1000-fold higher when transferred into mice acutely infected with pathogen carrying the relevant Ag. Memory cells generated under conditions of sustained exposure to inflammation and Ag during the priming phase were superior in their ability to elicit recall responses on a per cell basis. Thus, simultaneous and sustained exposure of donor CD8 T cells to inflammatory and antigenic stimuli, following the initial priming phase, leads to the greatest expansion of CD8 T cells at the peak of the immune response and induces an optimal memory differentiation program. These results suggest that vaccination strategies should attempt to provide sustained exposure to Ag plus inflammation but not either alone following the initial priming.
Stockholder returns and international acquisitions of financial firms: An emphasis on banking

The wealth effects for shareholders of American financial firms involved in foreign acquisitions and also the wealth effects for shareholders of U.S. target firms acquired by foreign concerns are the topics of this study. The findings indicate that stockholders of U.S. bidding financial firms (and its subset of banks) earn neither abnormal gains nor suffer abnormal losses upon the announcement of an acquisition or regulatory approval. On the other hand, stockholders of U.S. target financial firms (and its subset of banks) earn significant abnormal profits at both the announcement of the proposed acquisition and the announcement of regulatory approval of the acquisition. The wealth effects for these two samples are also compared to samples in which both parties to the acquisition are U.S. firms. The research suggests that there is no significant difference in the size of the announcement gains or losses for either stockholders of the target or bidding firms based on whether the acquisition is foreign or domestic. These findings conflict with prior research which indicates that, for firms in general, stockholders of U.S. targets earn significantly greater wealth benefits when they are acquired by foreign firms than by domestic firms. Overall, these results are consistent with a competitive market for acquisitions of financial firms in which buyers do not earn or lose at the announcement of an acquisition, and in which abnormal gains are received only by the sellers.