cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Toward a New Definition of Health Disparity: A Concept Analysis

In response to federal requests for investigation into measures to eradicate health disparities, a concept analysis of the term health disparity was conducted. Health-related and multidisciplinary literature was reviewed. Multiple terms were explored alone and in combination with no limitations on search date parameters. Findings indicated several definitions of the concept,with the term health care disparity being used interchangeably with the term health disparity. New theoretical and operational definitions, antecedents, characteristics, and consequences of the concept are proffered. Model, borderline, and contrary cases are developed to illustrate the concept. Nursing implications and recommendations for future research are discussed.
The topology of the independence complex

We introduce a large self-dual class of simplicial complexes for which we show that each member complex is contractible or homotopy equivalent to a sphere. Examples of complexes in this class include independence and dominance complexes of forests, pointed simplicial complexes, and their combinatorial Alexander duals.
Pancreas divisum: implications for diagnostic and therapeutic pancreatography.

The purpose of our study was to determine the prevalence, distribution, and clinical significance of pancreatic ductal changes due to pancreatitis on ERCP in patients with pancreas divisum.From January 1993 through December 1997, 1714 patients underwent 2469 ERCP studies. Ninety-four patients (5.5%) had pancreas divisum. Retrospective review of the spot radiographs was performed to establish the presence and location of pancreatitis. Clinical indications for and therapy during ERCP were correlated with radiographic findings.Of the 94 patients with pancreas divisum, 54 (57%) had radiographic evidence of pancreatitis. Of these 54 patients, 44 had at least one episode of clinically documented pancreatitis, seven had recurrent abdominal pain, and three underwent ERCP for biliary indications. In 76% of the 54 patients with radiographic evidence of pancreatitis, only the dorsal system showed irreversible inflammatory change (p < .0001). Acute recurrent pancreatitis was the most common indication for ERCP in div...
Estimation of multimedia environmental contamination of 2,3,7,8-TCDD emissions from municipal waste incinerators

2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo–p–dioxin (2,3,7,8–TCDD) is known to be most toxic among congeners of polychlorinated dibenzo–p–dioxins (CDD), and is known to cause cancer to humans upon prolonged exposure—even at extremely low dosag. The municipal waste incinerator is one of the combustion devices where literature test result have shown the presence of 2,3,7,8-TCDD or CDDs in flue gas or ash. A recent report compiled by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency [13] also lists other combustion devices such as smelters, sewage sludge incinerators, wire reclamation incinerators, and drum and barrel furnaces. In addition, Sheffield [11] mentions forest fires and several types of chemical production facilities as sources. Des rosier and Lee [2] cite PCB transformer fires as a potential source of 2,3,7,8–TCDD formation. The primary focus of this paper is to present the potential of environmental contamination due to emissions of 2,3,7,8-TCDD and disposal of fly ash generated from the incineration of municipal waste. Example assessments for municipal incinerators presented in this paper are based on presently available estimation techniques and hence represent estimates for environmental concentrations. exposures and health risks. Although actual emission data are used, uncertainties associated with the estimates cannot be fully assessed until these estimates are compared with some monitoring data, especially concerning environmental concentrations related to indirect exposure pathways.
Partitioning and Handling Massive Models for Interactive Collision Detection

We describe an approach for interactive collision detection and proximity computations on massive models composed of millions of geometric primitives. We address issues related to interactive data access and processing in a large geometric database, which may not fit into main memory of typical desktop workstations or computers. We present a new algorithm using overlap graphs for localizing the “regions of interest" within a massive model, thereby reducing runtime memory requirements. The overlap graph is computed off-line, pre-processed using graph partitioning algorithms, and modified on the fly as needed. At run time, we traverse localized subgraphs to check the corresponding geometry for proximity and pre-fetch geometry and auxiliary data structures. To perform interactive proximity queries, we use bounding-volume hierarchies and take advantage of spatial and temporal coherence. Based on the proposed algorithms, we have developed a system called IMMPACT and used it for interaction with a CAD model of a power plant consisting of over 15 million triangles. We are able to perform a number of proximity queries in real-time on such a model. In terms of model complexity and application to large models, we have improved the performance of interactive collision detection and proximity computation algorithms by an order of magnitude.
All-Cause In-Hospital Complications and Urinary Tract Infections Increased in Obese Patients Undergoing Total Knee Arthroplasty

Abstract The aims of this study were to determine the rates of in-hospital complications, discharge disposition, and length of stay for patients with varying degrees of obesity. We identified 4718 patients who underwent TKA between 2007 and 2010. After adjusting for age, sex, race, education, Deyo–Charlson comorbidity index, insurance, and discharge disposition, obese patients were more likely to develop any in-hospital complication (6.4% vs. 4.8%, respectively; P =0.0097; OR=1.5). When analyzing specific in-hospital complications, obese patients were more likely to suffer urinary tract infections ( P =0.0029). They were also more likely to be discharged to a rehabilitation facility ( P =0.001). There was no significant difference in other postoperative complications. In summary, obese patients undergoing primary TKA are at increased risk for all-cause in-hospital complications and urinary tract infections and are more likely to be discharged to a rehabilitation facility.
Ethical and Methodological Issues in Evaluating a Perinatal Addiction Treatment Program with a Fluid Population

A naturalistic field study was used to evaluate a fluid sample population in an addiction treatment program. This article presents the methodological and ethical issues in program evaluation confronted by the author and the approaches developed to address them. Methodological issues include credibility and fittingness of instruments, lack of standardization of histories, replication, trust issues of subjects, attrition, client follow-up, and rapidly changing subject population. Ethical issues include informed consent, interpretation of data from a cultural bias-free perspective, and client follow-up. A semistructured interview schedule allowed for standardization of the questioning format and replication of data gathering. Triangulation of data enhanced validity and internal stability. A fluid sample frame can optimally reflect the population in the program under study if available resources are used effectively while protecting patient rights to privacy, confidentiality, and freedom from manipulation.
Optimal Multidimensional Quantization for Pattern Recognition

ABSTRACT In non-parametric pattern recognition, the probability density function is approximated by means of many parameters,each one for a density value in a small hyper-rectangular volume of the space. The hyper-rectangles are determined byappropriately quantizing the range of each variable. Optimal quantization determines a compact and efficient represen-tation of the probability density of data by optimizing a global quantizer performance measure. The measure used hereis a weighted combination of average log likelihood, entropy and correct classification probability. In multi-dimensions,we study a grid based quantization technique. Smoothing is an important aspect of optimal quantization because it affectsthe generalization ability of the quantized density estimates. We use a fast generalized k nearest neighbor smoothingalgorithm. We illustrate the effectiveness of optimal quantization on a set of not very well separated Gaussian mixturemodels, as compared to the expectation maximization (EM) algorithm. Optimal quantization produces better results thanthe EM algorithm. The reason is that the convergence of the EM algorithm to the true parameters for not well separatedmixture models can be extremely slow.Keywords: density estimation, grid quantization, smoothing
Weak Adsorption-Induced Surface Stress for Streptavidin Binding to Biotin Tethered to Silicon Microcantilever Arrays

We investigate the performance and limitations of silicon microcantilever arrays as biosensors in which receptor molecules are directly tethered to the native oxide without an intermediate metal adhesion layer such as gold. We use our recently developed in-plane photonic microcantilever (PMCL) readout method to simultaneously measure deflection of individual microcantilevers in a 16-PMCL array integrated with polydimethylsiloxane microfluidics. We demonstrate label-free biosensing of streptavidin using biotin that has been immobilized to only the top side of a subset of PMCLs within the array. The maximum surface stress that we measure is rather small (6 mN/m) for relatively high streptavidin concentration (4.7 μM). We attribute this result to lack of a metal adhesion layer, which eliminates strong surface stress generation from change in metal electronic charge density upon uptake of streptavidin by surface-bound biotin.
The Trophic Response of Ciliated Protozoans in Freshwater Lakes

The abundance, biomass, composition, and size distribution of planktonic ciliated protozoans were analyzed monthly during 1979 along a trophic gradient represented by 20 Florida lakes. Both the abundance and biomass of ciliates were positively related to trophic state. Eutrophic assemblages were codominated by members of the Scuticociliatida, Oligotrichida, and Haptorida; oligotrophic lakes were dominated principally by the Oligotrichida. In addition to a compositional shift, large-bodied ciliates (40-50 pm) were progressively replaced by small-bodied ciliates (2030 pm) as trophic state increased. The response is attributed to changes in food availability. Small-bodied (~30 pm) bactivorous taxa are reduced in oligotrophic lakes where bacterial concentrations arc limiting and are replaced by those largerbodied taxa (>30 pm) able to ingest nannoplanktonic algae in addition to bacteria.
A look in the mirror: attacks on package managers

This work studies the security of ten popular package managers. These package managers use different security mechanisms that provide varying levels of usability and resilience to attack. We find that, despite their existing security mechanisms, all of these package managers have vulnerabilities that can be exploited by a man-in-the-middle or a malicious mirror. While all current package managers suffer from vulnerabilities, their security is also positively or negatively impacted by the distribution's security practices. Weaknesses in package managers are more easily exploited when distributions use third-party mirrors as official mirrors. We were successful in using false credentials to obtain an official mirror on all five of the distributions we attempted. We also found that some security mechanisms that control where a client obtains metadata and packages from may actually decrease security. We analyze current package managers to show that by exploiting vulnerabilities, an attacker with a mirror can compromise or crash hundreds to thousands of clients weekly. The problems we disclose are now being corrected by many different package manager maintainers.
Optimizing nutritional health through behavioral intervention in young children with cystic fibrosis.

fered in the control group is typical of usual care provided in Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (CFF)–accredited CF care centers and additional attention and food diary completion in the control group did not have as strong a positive influence as the behavioral and nutritional treatment intervention. This study shows that intensive individualized treatment when a child has inadequate calorie intake can make a positive and sustained difference in energy intake and growth. The intervention did not show significant change in weight z score, although there was a positive trend and may have related to the inclusion of children with higher baseline scores. This improvement in height velocity is meaningful, if sustained, given that stature has been shown to be a significant prognostic factor indicator of survival in CF. 2,3
The influence of a percutaneous mitral repair program on surgical mitral valve volume

Abstract Objectives Percutaneous mitral repair with the MitraClip system (Abbott Vascular, Santa Clara, Calif) has been available in trials since 2006 and is currently approved for patients with degenerative mitral valve disease at prohibitive risk for surgery. There has been concern that novel transcatheter approaches may detract from mitral valve surgical volumes. We sought to evaluate the influence of our MitraClip program on our surgical mitral valve volumes and outcomes. Methods All patients referred for MitraClip underwent evaluation by a multidisciplinary team. Patients were screened for surgical candidacy and suitable valve anatomy for transcatheter repair. The fate of patients referred for MitraClip as well as the overall surgical mitral volumes and outcomes were evaluated. Results From July 2007 to December 2014, 468 patients were referred for the MitraClip procedure at our institution. Of these, 156 patients (33.3%) received a MitraClip (including 45 implanted by surgeons), whereas 82 patients (17.5%) underwent surgical interventions. During this timeframe, the volume of isolated mitral valve operations increased from 50 procedures in 2007 to 93 in 2014 (80% increase; R 2 = 0.89). Importantly, operative mortality for all patients undergoing isolated mitral surgery from 2008 to 2014 was 2.6%, with an observed to expected ratio of 0.64. Conclusions The availability of MitraClip resulted in an increase in our mitral valve referrals. Despite seeing an increase in higher risk referrals, operative mortality for mitral surgery remained excellent. Multidisciplinary evaluation, including input from experienced mitral surgeons, is necessary to have a successful percutaneous and surgical mitral valve program.
Kinematics and Dynamics of a Mediterranean Salt Lens

Abstract Two surveys of the absolute velocity field of an eddy of Mediterranean Water (meddy) in the Eastern North Atlantic were conducted one year apart in 1984 and 1985. Two velocity regimes were revealed. Within the radius of maximum velocity, the meddy rotated anticyclonically as a solid body with a depth-dependent rotation period near 6 days at its mid-depth (1000 m). One year later the radius of the core had decreased by one third. The rotation rate of the lens also decreased, except at its mid-depth where there was a small but perceptible increase. There was a sharp (5 km or less) transition between the core and the outer region where the velocity decayed exponentially with radius. A strong potential vorticity front, due to the abrupt change in sign of horizontal shear, kept the core isolated from the outer region. Potential vorticity was nearly constant within the upper confines of the core over the study period, whereas, there was a notable increase in potential vorticity in the lower portion of ...
Intracranial Emboli Associated With Catheter Ablation of Atrial Fibrillation: Has the Silence Finally Been Broken?⁎

Catheter ablation has become an accepted treatment approach for drug-refractory, symptomatic atrial fibrillation (AF). The technical aspects of the procedure have evolved, but to a remarkable degree, the objective of the procedure is nearly the same as when it was first introduced: the electrical
APPLICATIONS OF HELIUM TO VERY-LOW-TEMPERATURE REFRIGERATION.

For many years the temperature region below 1°K was accessible only by the method of adiabatic demagnetization of magnetic salts. This method, though powerful, has some intrinsic technical disadvantages. Substantial magnetic fields are required while the low temperature is not maintained continuously. Both of these disadvantages are overcome in the He3 evaporation refrigerator and the continuously operating He3-He4 dilution refrigerator [1]. In the latter, temperatures below 10 m°K are routinely obtained and maintained continuously for days at a time [2,3]. Dilution refrigerators operating in the “single-cycle” mode [4] achieve temperatures transiently of 4 to 5 m°K, where they are limited by intrinsic factors. It is also possible to obtain substantial refrigeration by compression of a two-phase mixture of liquid and solid He3. Devices based on compressional cooling reach temperatures of about 2 m°K [5].
Effect of Grazing Prairie Dog—Colonized Rangeland on Cattle Nutrition and Performance:A Progress Report

On the Ground One objective of the ongoing Renewal on Standing Rock Reservation project is to evaluate the response of grazing steers to the level of prairie dog colonization on Northern Mixed Grass Prairie. We fenced four pastures to create an increasing gradient of a proportion of the pasture area colonized by prairie dogs. Pastures are stocked with yearling steers during each growing season. Comparing steer performance, Global Positioning System (GPS) locations of grazing, diet samples, and ingestive behavior at each proportion of the prairie dog colony per pasture allows prediction of the optimal proportion of colonization, which enables selection of the most balanced diet for cattle to meet performance goals. Additionally, it will allow recommendation of management options for any given level of prairie dog colonization to optimize cattle nutrient intake.
A microfluidic array for real-time live-cell imaging of human and rodent pancreatic islets

In this study, we present a microfluidic array for high-resolution imaging of individual pancreatic islets. The device is based on hydrodynamic trapping principle and enables real-time analysis of islet cellular responses to insulin secretagogues. This device has significant advantages over our previously published perifusion chamber device including significantly increased analytical power and assay sensitivity, as well as improved spatiotemporal resolution. The islet array, with live-cell multiparametric imaging integration, provides a better tool to understand the physiological and pathophysiological changes of pancreatic islets through the analysis of single islet responses. This platform demonstrates the feasibility of array-based islet cellular analysis and opens up a new modality to conduct informative and quantitive evaluation of islets and cell-based screening for new diabetes treatments.
Dynamic Personalized Monitoring and Treatment Control of Glaucoma

To e↵ectively manage chronic disease patients, clinicians must know (1) how to monitor each patient (i.e., when to schedule the next visit and which tests to take), and (2) how to control the disease (i.e., what levels of controllable risk factors will su ciently slow progression). Our research addresses these questions simultaneously and optimally by employing linear quadratic Gaussian state space systems modeling and optimal control of measurement adaptive systems. For the new quadratic objective of minimizing disease progression over time, we show that the classical two-way separation of estimation and control holds, thereby making a previously intractable problem solvable by decomposition into two separate, tractable problems while maintaining optimality. The resulting optimization is applied to the management of glaucoma. Based on data from two large randomized clinical trials, we found that fast-progressing patients, who are most at risk for disease progression, show an average of 38% to 58% less loss of peripheral vision per year, leading to 21% to 32% better quality of vision after 10 years when compared to existing treatment controls attained in the clinical trials. This methodology can be applied to a broad range of chronic diseases to optimally devise patient-specific monitoring and treatment plans.
A comparison of switched doubly-fed machine drive topologies for high power applications

Doubly-fed machines (DFM) offer exciting possibilities for reducing power electronics requirements for variable speed drives (VSD). Design options are most versatile when the VSD DFM can be reconfigured "on-the-fly" in different winding and power connections. This paper presents a comparison of two different topologies of switched-DFM drives based on steady-state considerations. Effects of required drive torque, operating stator flux magnitude, and the machine parameters on the sizing of the rotor converter and on the drive performance for each of the topologies are analyzed and compared. The paper presents a holistic comparison of the two topologies to permit selection for particular application-specific requirements.
EVOLUTION OF BROAD AND SPECIFIC COMPETITIVE ABILITY IN NOVEL VERSUS FAMILIAR ENVIRONMENTS IN DROSOPHILA SPECIES.

We used nine pairs of competing Drosophila melanogaster and Drosophila simulans populations to test three hypotheses. (1) Weaker competitors undergo greater evolutionary increases in competitive ability, compared with stronger ones. (2) Increased competitive ability against a specific competitor population causes a correlated increase in competitive ability against other competitor populations. (3) In a novel environment, adaptation to the abiotic environment contributes more to competitive ability than adaptation to the competitor population. After 11 generations of competition, initially weaker competitor populations showed relatively greater increases in competitive ability. Broad and specific competitive abilities, the latter being specific to a particular competitor population, were positively correlated in both familiar and novel environments. Adaptation to the abiotic environment seemed to be a more important component of competitive ability in the novel environments. We conclude that in geographically structured species, biotic and abiotic factors affecting the evolution of competitive ability may interact to help create a mosaic of outcomes that can affect the evolutionary dynamics of the interaction over the range of the competing species.
The Culicoides of the Wichita Refuge, Oklahoma. Taxonomy and Seasonal Incidence (Diptera, Heleidae)

The purpose of this study is to report the species of Culicoides found in the Wichita Mountains National Wildlife Refuge and to describe their seasonal incidence in that area. It is based on collections taken from a mosquito light-trap (New Jersey type) operated at the headquarters of the Refuge in 1947.
Facet joint and disc kinematics during simulated rear crashes with active injury prevention systems.

Study Design.Experimental and computational biomechanical analyses of simulated rear crashes.Objective.The objectives were to determine cervical facet joint and disc kinematics and ligament strains during simulated rear crashes with the Whiplash Protection System (WHIPS) and active head restraint (A
Precursor–product relationship between intrahepatic albumin and plasma albumin

Rats were injected with [3H]leucine, and at various times thereafter labelled albumin was isolated by electrophoresis from their livers and blood plasma. The specific radioactivity of each protein was determined by spectrophotometry and liquid-scintillation spectrometry. Intrahepatic albumin was shown to be identical with plasma albumin by its electrophoretic mobility and antigenicity. It was found that intrahepatic albumin was the direct precursor of plasma albumin. Comparison of their specific radioactivities showed that intrahepatic albumin attained a higher specific radioactivity before plasma albumin. When plasma albumin reached its maximum specific radioactivity, that of intrahepatic albumin had decreased to a similar value. Thereafter, the specific radioactivity of intrahepatic albumin remained lower than that of plasma albumin.
Structure and Properties of β Nucleated Polypropylene Film Prepared by Tubular Water Quench Process

ABSTRACTβ-Nucleated isotactic polypropylene (iPP) films were prepared by tubular quench process. The stretching of the film during the process resulted in the formation of different polymorphs in nucleated iPP, whereas meso phase alone resulted in unnucleated iPP. The process conditions determine the formation of β crystals transforming into α crystals on stretching. The crystalline content and β phase decrease as the stretching speed increases. The β nucleated film samples are found to have voided surface. The degree of crystallinity and crystalline content define physical properties of the film.
Zirconium Phosphate Supported MOF Nanoplatelets

We report a rare example of the preparation of HKUST-1 metal–organic framework nanoplatelets through a step-by-step seeding procedure. Sodium ion exchanged zirconium phosphate, NaZrP, nanoplatelets were judiciously selected as support for layer-by-layer (LBL) assembly of Cu(II) and benzene-1,3,5-tricarboxylic acid (H3BTC) linkers. The first layer of Cu(II) is attached to the surface of zirconium phosphate through covalent interaction. The successive LBL growth of HKUST-1 film is then realized by soaking the NaZrP nanoplatelets in ethanolic solutions of cupric acetate and H3BTC, respectively. The amount of assembled HKUST-1 can be readily controlled by varying the number of growth cycles, which was characterized by powder X-ray diffraction and gas adsorption analyses. The successful construction of HKUST-1 on NaZrP was also supported by its catalytic performance for the oxidation of cyclohexene.
Validation and Comparison of Accelerometers Worn on the Hip, Thigh, and Wrists for Measuring Physical Activity and Sedentary Behavior

Background: Recent evidence suggests that physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior (SB) exert independent effects on health. Therefore, measurement methods that can accurately assess both constructs are needed. Objective: To compare the accuracy of accelerometers placed on the hip, thigh, and wrists, coupled with machine learning models, for measurement of PA intensity category (SB, light-intensity PA [LPA], and moderate- to vigorous-intensity PA [MVPA]) and breaks in SB. Methods: Forty young adults (21 female; age 22.0 ± 4.2 years) participated in a 90-minute semi-structured protocol, performing 13 activities (three sedentary, 10 non-sedentary) for 3–10 minutes each. Participants chose activity order, duration, and intensity. Direct observation (DO) was used as a criterion measure of PA intensity category, and transitions from SB to a non-sedentary activity were breaks in SB. Participants wore four accelerometers (right hip, right thigh, and both wrists), and a machine learning model was created for each accelerometer to predict PA intensity category. Sensitivity and specificity for PA intensity category classification were calculated and compared across accelerometers using repeated measures analysis of variance, and the number of breaks in SB was compared using repeated measures analysis of variance. Results: Sensitivity and specificity values for the thigh-worn accelerometer were higher than for wrist- or hip-worn accelerometers, > 99% for all PA intensity categories. Sensitivity and specificity for the hip-worn accelerometer were 87–95% and 93–97%. The left wrist-worn accelerometer had sensitivities and specificities of > 97% for SB and LPA and 91–95% for MVPA, whereas the right wrist-worn accelerometer had sensitivities and specificities of 93–99% for SB and LPA but 67–84% for MVPA. The thigh-worn accelerometer had high accuracy for breaks in SB; all other accelerometers overestimated breaks in SB. Conclusion: Coupled with machine learning modeling, the thigh-worn accelerometer should be considered when objectively assessing PA and SB.
Interspecific Interactions among Selected Intertidal Stomatopods

Stomatopods, or mantis shrimps as they are commonly known, are predatory Crustacea found in most temperate and tropical costal marine habitats. While the group is not large, with fewer than a thousand species in 12 families, it is common to find several relatively abundant species in a given habitat. For example, Dingle et al. (1977) reported eight common species of stomatopods from one intertidal reef flat at Phuket, Thailand. The average density for all species combined was almost four individuals per m2. Reaka and Manning (1980) reported up to six species of Gonodactylus occurring on a single reef flat on the Pacific coast of Costa Rica. Such a rich species diversity of stomatopods is not restricted to reef flat habitats. Dingle and Caldwell (1975, 1978) described four species of Squillidae co-occuring on mudflats in the Gulf of Siam and Caldwell (In prep.) studied five squillids and three lysiosquillids on a mudflat in the Bay of Panama. Given that stomatopods are voracious predators and often are quite territorial, why is it that we frequently find more than one species existing in a single habitat?
Impact of layer thickness and well orientation on caprock integrity for geologic carbon storage

Abstract Economic feasibility of geologic carbon storage demands sustaining large storage rates without damaging caprock seals. Reactivation of pre-existing or newly formed fractures may provide a leakage pathway across caprock layers. In this study, we apply an equivalent continuum approach within a finite element framework to model the fluid-pressure-induced reactivation of pre-existing fractures within the caprock, during high-rate injection of super-critical CO2 into a brine-saturated reservoir in a hypothetical system, using realistic geomechanical and fluid properties. We investigate the impact of reservoir to caprock layer thickness, wellbore orientation, and injection rate on overall performance of the system with respect to caprock failure and leakage. We find that vertical wells result in locally higher reservoir pressures relative to horizontal injection wells for the same injection rate, with high pressure inducing caprock leakage along reactivated opening-mode fractures in the caprock. After prolonged injection, leakage along reactivated fractures in the caprock is always higher for vertical than horizontal injection wells. Furthermore, we find that low ratios of reservoir to caprock thickness favor high excess pressure and thus fracture reactivation in the caprock. Injection into thick reservoir units thus lowers the risk associated with CO2 leakage.
Use of Differential Rumen Fluid-Based Carbohydrate Agar Media for Culturing Lactose-Selected Cecal Bacteria from Chickens

A rumen fluid-based differential carbohydrate agar medium for enumerating chicken cecal carbohydrate-utilizing bacteria was tested. Eleven bacteria isolated from a continuous-flow culture that had been seeded with chicken cecal contents were inoculated on fifteen different media in an anaerobic environment. These media included various levels of rumen fluid (0%, 5%, 10%, 16%) and carbohydrate (glucose [GLU], galactose [GAL], lactose[LAC]). Viable cell recovery (colony-forming units [CFU]/direct cell counts × 100%) was higher for 16% rumen fluid-supplemented carbohydrate media than the lower concentrations of rumen fluid-supplemented carbohydrate media. In addition, average viable cell recovery of all 11 bacteria on differential carbohydrate media were significantly (P < 0.05) higher in galactose and lactose media than on the glucose media. Data indicated that 16% rumen-fluid based media can be used to enumerate anaerobic, lactose-fermenting subgroups of chicken cecal bacteria.
Rotavirus vaccines: current global impact and future perspectives

As of May 2016, 81 countries have introduced Rotarix or RotaTeq rotavirus vaccines into their national immunization program. Despite initially slow uptake in some countries and differences in vaccine effectiveness (VE) between high-, low- and middle-income countries, impact of the vaccines has been swift and striking in all settings, with good VE against vaccine-type and nonvaccine-type strains. Newly published research indicates poor nutrition is associated with decreased VE and breastfeeding at the time of vaccination does not affect vaccine response. Vaccines in development and proposed alternate schedules also promise to address limitations of the current vaccines and optimize rotavirus disease prevention.
Demonstration of rebound phenomenon following abrupt withdrawal of the JAK1 inhibitor oclacitinib

Abstract The janus kinase-inhibitor oclacitinib is licensed for the control of pruritus associated with allergic skin diseases in dogs. Strikingly, it has been clinically reported that abrupt withdrawal of oclacitinib leads to a rebound pruritus in dogs. Therefore, the primary objective of this study was to mimic the rebound phenomenon of oclacitinib using a chronic pruritic mouse model of allergic contact dermatitis. Chronic allergic contact dermatitis was induced by repetitive toluene-2,4-diisocyanate (TDI) challenge in BALB/c mice. Oclacitinib was orally administered twice daily at 45 mg/kg for 7 days, with concurrent TDI challenge, and then treatment of oclacitinib was abruptly discontinued. Scratching bouts following TDI challenge were evaluated to day 15. Additionally, dorsal root ganglia (DRG) and affected skin were isolated from mice receiving oclacitinib and from mice 24 h after oclacitinib withdrawal and were used to determine pruritogen induced Ca2+ signals in sensory neurons, the number of activated dendritic cells (DCs) within DRG, and the cytokine profiles of affected skin. Mice treated with oclacitinib showed a significant decrease in scratching bouts during treatment, then following abrupt withdrawal scratching bouts were significantly increased. Furthermore, following abrupt withdrawal more DRG neurons were activated by pruritogenic cytokines, TNFα positive DCs were significantly increased, and affected skin revealed a significant increase of TNFα and TSLP. In conclusion, while oclacitinib significantly reduced itch during treatment the abrupt withdrawal led to a rapid rebound phenomenon which can be explained by an increase in pruritogenic cytokines and fast peripheral sensitization.
Pain management in home hospice patients: A retrospective descriptive study

The development and evaluation of evidence-based, safe, and effective home-based pain management models for caregivers implementation is receiving greater attention in the literature because of international initiatives intended to increase the number of people who receive end-of-life care in home-based settings. The purpose of this “retrospective descriptive design” study was to describe pharmacological pain management and outcomes for 40 cancer and non-cancer patients receiving hospice care at home. While the median pain score was higher at admission in the cancer group than in the hospice care at home group, the difference was not significant at or within 48 hour of admission. Overall, there was a significant decrease in pain from the first measurement to the second. Within the last seven days of life, the majority of participants were not able to provide a pain severity score when asked to evaluate the effectiveness of pain management, thus their caregiver provided a proxy evaluation. Pain management was effective in the home setting. More research is needed on the best methods to teach lay caregivers to assess pain and evaluate the effectiveness of pharmacological modalities to manage pain.
Managing Recycled Water

US water policy includes a wide variety of uses for recycled water that includes reuse in urban, domestic, and agricultural applications for food and non-food crops, or industrial and environmental purposes, and for impoundment and groundwater recharge. Water reuse involves taking domestic wastewater, giving it a high degree of treatment, and using the resulting high-quality reclaimed water for a new, beneficial purpose. This chapter reviews the rules and regulations for recycled wastewater use. Increasingly, accepted reuses for what was formerly used once and discarded wastewater now includes augmenting traditional supplies for human consumption. However, the treatments required for these different uses differ from use level to level. For example, recycled water has long been used for landscape irrigation which requires less treatment than recycled water for drinking water. Extensive treatment and disinfection ensure that public health and environmental quality are protected.
Network of nutrient-sensing pathways and a conserved kinase cascade integrate osmolarity and carbon sensing in Neurospora crassa .

Identifying nutrients available in the environment and utilizing them in the most efficient manner is a challenge common to all organisms. The model filamentous fungus Neurospora crassa is capable of utilizing a variety of carbohydrates, from simple sugars to the complex carbohydrates found in plant cell walls. The zinc binuclear cluster transcription factor CLR-1 is necessary for utilization of cellulose, a major, recalcitrant component of the plant cell wall; however, expression of clr-1 in the absence of an inducer is not sufficient to induce cellulase gene expression. We performed a screen for unidentified actors in the cellulose-response pathway and identified a gene encoding a hypothetical protein (clr-3) that is required for repression of CLR-1 activity in the absence of an inducer. Using clr-3 mutants, we implicated the hyperosmotic-response pathway in the tunable regulation of glycosyl hydrolase production in response to changes in osmolarity. The role of the hyperosmotic-response pathway in nutrient sensing may indicate that cells use osmolarity as a proxy for the presence of free sugar in their environment. These signaling pathways form a nutrient-sensing network that allows Ncrassa cells to tightly regulate gene expression in response to environmental conditions.
Approach to Peripheral Neuropathy for the Primary Care Clinician

Peripheral neuropathy is commonly encountered in the primary care setting and is associated with significant morbidity, including neuropathic pain, falls, and disability. The clinical presentation of neuropathy is diverse, with possible symptoms including weakness, sensory abnormalities, and autonomic dysfunction. Accordingly, the primary care clinician must be comfortable using the neurologic examination-including the assessment of motor function, multiple sensory modalities, and deep tendon reflexes-to recognize and characterize neuropathy. Although the causes of peripheral neuropathy are numerous and diverse, careful review of the medical and family history coupled with limited, select laboratory testing can often efficiently lead to an etiologic diagnosis. This review offers an approach for evaluating suspected neuropathy in the primary care setting. It will describe the most common causes, suggest an evidence-based workup to aid in diagnosis, and highlight recent evidence that allows for selection of symptomatic treatment of patients with neuropathy.
Anesthesia for stroke rescue

Purpose of reviewTo highlight the potential implications of recent advances in the management of large vessel occlusions for intraprocedural anesthetic management.Recent findingsStroke remains the leading cause of disability in the United States and the second leading cause of death in the world. Se
Can Wearable Technology Improve Children's Creativity?

Wearable technology is becoming increasingly common in primary and high school settings. Furthermore, research has shown that augmented reality, another type of wearable has the potential to benefit student learning. Combining these two technologies to support creativity and problem-solving for children has not been well explored. In this work, we describe our initial exploration into the contextual variables that impact the levels of low to high creativity moments. Ultimately, we aim to use wearable technology (and its sensors) to close the gap between the topic of children's creativity by measuring moments of creative fixation and then using feedback in these low creativity moments to spur creativity. The main contributions of this work, is a preliminary pilot study with ten primary-school students (K-6), our initial results and examination and discussion of how children's creativity can be supported or enhanced using wearable technology and augmented reality.
Thin-Film Processing Routes for Combinatorial Materials Investigations—A Review

High-throughput combinatorial investigations are transforming materials discovery, phase diagram development, and processing optimization. Thin-film deposition techniques are frequently used to fabricate sample libraries employed in these studies. Various adaptations of well-known thin-film chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and physical vapor deposition (PVD) techniques utilized for the synthesis of inorganic combinatorial thin-film materials libraries are reviewed, with novel processing approaches being highlighted. Methods for developing gradients in composition of other film properties are described. Issues and considerations specific to thin-film processing of combinatorial materials libraries are discussed, with some emphasis on catalytic applications.
Soil from Columbia University, New York

Abstract Samples from Columbia University were from a sand-filled model tank. This model tank was used for testing a Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) system. These samples consisted of just clean sand. They are not representative of natural conditions, but are useful for interpreting data from model experiments. Complete electrical properties are described for five different water contents over a frequency range of 1 kHz–1 GHz. Plots are displayed in this chapter, with detailed numerical data in Appendix D.
Sentinel : generating GUI tests for sensor leaks in Android and Android wear apps

Due to the widespread use of Android devices and apps, it is important to develop tools and techniques to improve app quality and performance. Our work focuses on a problem related to hardware sensors on Android devices: the failure to disable unneeded sensors, which leads to sensor leaks and thus battery drain. We propose the Sentinel testing tool to uncover such leaks. The tool performs static analysis of app code and produces a model which maps GUI events to callback methods that affect sensor behavior. Edges in the model are labeled with symbols representing the acquiring/releasing of sensors and the opening/closing of UI windows. The model is traversed to identify paths that are likely to exhibit sensor leaks during run-time execution based on two context-free languages over the symbol alphabet. The reported paths are then used to generate test cases. The execution of each test case tracks the run-time behavior of sensors and reports observed leaks. This approach has been applied to both open-sourced and closed-sourced regular Android applications as well as watch faces for Android Wear smartwatches. Our experimental results indicate that Sentinel effectively detects sensor leaks, while focusing the testing efforts on a very small subset of possible GUI event sequences.
Effect of Extended Hanging Time on the Microbial Quality of Pork Carcasses and Blade Steaks

To evaluate the effect of extended post-harvest hanging time on pork carcass sides (n = 20), aerobic plate count (APC), Enterobacteriaceae, yeast and mold populations, pH, and moisture content were determined. Pork carcasses were sampled on d 1, 7, 14, and 21 to determine their microbial quality from the lean tissue of 3 anatomical locations, the flank, shoulder, and jowl. After the 21-d extended hanging time, pork shoulder butts (n = 17) (Institutional Meat Purchase Specifications #406; USDA Agricultural Marketing Service, 2014) were fabricated from these carcasses into 2.54-cm pork blade steaks. Pork blade steaks were vacuum packaged, stored up to 35 d at 0°C ± 1°C, and evaluated for APC, Enterobacteriaceae, yeast and mold populations, and pH on d 0, 7, 14, 21, 28, and 35. Pork carcass surface moisture content declined (P 0.42) at 5.88 on d 1, 7, and 14; however, the pH declined (P < 0.05) to 5.72 at d 21. Pork carcass APC populations remained relatively low during the extended hanging time; however, the jowl had the highest (P < 0.05) APC populations among all anatomical locations. In addition, the proportion of yeast populations above the detection limit for the jowl was found to be greatest (P < 0.05) compared to the flank and the shoulder. Pork blade steak APC population was 5.06 log colony-forming units/g (CFU/g) on d 35; however, these counts were below 108 log CFU/g, which is when meat is considered spoiled. There was a day effect for Enterobacteriaceae and mold populations (P < 0.05). These results indicate that pork carcasses and vacuum-packaged steaks fabricated from pork carcasses have acceptable microbial quality when they undergo an extended hanging time.
QUANTIFYING THE GENERALIZABILITY OF TRANSCATHETER AORTIC VALVE REPLACEMENT CLINICAL TRIALS: FINDINGS FROM THE EXTEND-COREVALVE STUDY

Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) are often critiqued for poor external validity. Inverse probability weighting (IPW) can quantify generalizability of an RCT and re-estimate trial results based on characteristics of a target population. We evaluate generalizability of transcatheter aortic valve
Emergence of Four Dimensions in the Causal Set Approach to Discrete Quantum Gravity

One could begin a study like the present one by simply postulating that our universe is four-dimensional. There are ample reasons for doing this. Experience, observation and experiment all point to the fact that we inhabit a four-dimensional universe. Another approach would be to show that four-dimensions arise naturally from a reasonable model of the universe or multiverse. After reviewing the causal set approach to discrete quantum gravity in Section~1, we shall discuss the emergence of four-dimensions in Section~2. We shall see that certain patterns of four arise that suggest the introduction of a 4-dimensional discrete manifold. In the later sections we shall discuss some consequences of this introduced framework. In particular, we will show that quantum amplitudes can be employed to describe a multiverse dynamics. Moreover, a natural unitary operator together with energy, position and momentum operators will be introduced and their properties studied.
Part 9 – Hydraulics

This part provides the design elements to predict, collect, and direct the storm water runoff from highway facilities. It begins with a discussion of how the amount of storm water that might be present is determined. This runoff usually collects in channels of typically rectangular, trapezoidal, or triangular cross sections, or in gutters at the roadway edge, and flows to drop or curb inlets at predetermined intervals. The drop inlets are connected in a network of circular pipes and directed to a location where the runoff can either be absorbed into the ground or deposited in a nearby environmentally approved stream. The most important consideration of the entire design is safety. Unremoved water from highway surfaces causes hydroplaning of a vehicle, and once traction is lost, the consequence is usually occupant injury or worse. It is also important that the storm water runoff collection system does not create problems such as flooded streets at inlets, causing traffic to make last-minute decisions on how to negotiate the obstruction. Also, if not properly designed, storm water can overflow the banks of open channels and end up back on the roadway, or it can flood property, with adverse complications. And while not as important as safety, cost is also a significant design parameter as storm water systems must accompany every mile of roadway. Therefore, an overdesigned system can quickly add substantially to the overall cost of the facility. As with all the highway design areas, failure to follow a formal process that can be trusted could result in unsafe driving conditions, or even loss of life, the highest cost of any engineering project.