cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Development of a Sensor Platform for High-Accuracy Mapping of Roadway Lane Markings

This paper documents the development and evaluation of a low-cost, vehicle-mounted sensor suite and processing algorithms capable of automatically detecting and determining the position of lane markings accurate to the 10-cm (4-in.) level. Such map data can be used for many applications, including lane departure avoidance systems based on the global navigation satellite system (GNSS) or GPS, road curvature calculations, automated systems for reapplying lane markings, and high-accuracy road mapping including improving the local base map. The sensor suite used consists of a high-accuracy GNSS receiver, a side-facing video camera, a computer, and mounting hardware. The side-facing camera is used to record video of the ground adjacent to the passenger side of the vehicle. The video is processed with a computer vision algorithm that locates the fog line within the video frame. Vehicle position data (provided by GNSS) and previously collected calibration data are used to locate the fog line in real-world coordi...
Random Amplified Polymorphic DNA Markers to Monitor Laboratory-Selected, Pesticide-Resistant Trioxys pallidus (Hymenoptera: Aphidiidae) after Release into Three California Walnut Orchards

A nearest-neighbor discriminant analysis based on the frequencies of occurrence of six random amplified polymorphic DNA markers was used to identify individuals from an insecticide-resistant laboratory biotype (SEL) of the walnut aphid parasite Trioxys pallidus after release into three California walnut orchards. Releases of SEL individuals were made in a Hanford, CA, orchard in 1988 and in a Gridley, CA, orchard in 1989. Nearest-neighbor analysis of postrelease collections from both the Hanford and Gridley orchards showed a continuing influence of the SEL biotype up to 3 yr after the release. SEL individuals also were released in a Hed Bluff, CA, walnut orchard in 1991. At this orchard, SEL males were recovered from the release area throughout the season of release, but a June 1992 sample indicated that no SEL individuals remained in the orchard. Comparison of observed data at Hanford and Gridley to simulated hybrid data provided evidence that there was interbreeding between the SEL and the native field biotypes. Bioassays indicated that the level of azinphosmethyl resistance in these two orchards was intermediate between the level in the orchards before release and the level in the pure SEL biotype. Therefore, the release of pesticide-resistant T. pallidus in two California walnut orchards significantly increased the level of resistance, but did not completely displace the native populations, despite multiple treatments of postrelease populations with azinphosmethyl.
Effect of Sample Placement on the Geostatistical Analysis of the Spatial Distribution of Lygus hesperus (Heteroptera: Miridae) in Lentils

The effect of sample placement on the summary statistics and geostatistical analysis of the spatial distribution of Lygus hesperus Knight in lentils, Lens culinaris Medik., was evaluated for 10 stratified and three random sampling patterns for two adult and two nymphal distributions. Geostatistics uses spatial variation to determine the degree of association and dependence of spatially related data. All subsampling patterns accurately estimated the mean of these distributions. The hexagonal sampling pattern provided the best estimates of the spatial structure, whereas the random sampling patterns were least effective at estimating spatial structure. The smaller the number of samples, the lower the accuracy and reliability of the spatial structure. The minimum number of samples for these data would be between 35 and 100 samples, depending on the type of spatial structure and localized discontinuity. The higher the localized discontinuity and proportion of randomness, the greater the number of samples required to estimate the spatial structure.
Initiation and Transformation of Grapevine Embryogenic Cultures

Protocols for the production and transformation of grapevine embryogenic cultures are described. Embryogenic cultures are initiated from leaves or stamens and pistils and transformed with Agrobacterium containing an enhanced green fluorescent protein/neomycin phosphotransferase II (egfp/nptII) fusion gene. Cultures are transferred to induction medium in the dark for callus formation and proliferation. Resulting cultures are transferred to somatic embryo development medium to induce secondary embryogenesis and formation of transgenic somatic embryos. Transgenic embryos identified on the basis on GFP fluorescence and kanamycin resistance are transferred to germination medium to regenerate transgenic plants. The presence of transgenes in independent plant lines is confirmed by PCR.
E-070 the surpass intracranial aneurysm embolization system pivotal trial to treat large or giant wide neck aneurysms (scent trial)

Background Large and giant intracranial aneurysms remain challenging lesions for endovascular treatment. The Surpass™ device is a braided endoprosthesis designed to achieve a precise delivery with a more uniform and consistent mesh configuration for flow diversion and treatment of intracranial aneurysms. Methods The SCENT trial is an international multi-center, prospective, non-randomized trial comparing safety and efficacy outcomes of the Surpass Flow Diverter (Stryker Neurovascular, Fremont, CA) to a historical control used in the treatment of large or giant wide neck intracranial aneurysms. Eligible subjects are required to be 19 to 80 years of age, have a single targeted intracranial aneurysm that is located in the internal carotid artery (ICA) distribution up to the terminus with a neck ≥4 mm or no discernible neck and an aneurysm size ≥10 mm. (including saccular, fusiform and dissecting configuration). The primary safety end-point is the percent of subjects experiencing neurologic death or major ipsilateral stroke through 12 months. The primary effectiveness end-point is the percent of subjects with 100% occlusion (Raymond Class 1) without clinically significant stenosis (defined as Results 22 sites are currently enrolling and treating subjects (21 in the US, 1 in Europe). A total of 159 patients have been enrolled, with 149 treated (29 as roll-in subjects; 120 as protocol evaluable subjects). Conclusion The SCENT trial is currently enrolling and is expected to complete enrollment by mid-2015. Disclosures A. Puri: 1; C; Research grant from Stryker. 2; C; Codman and Covidien. R. Hanel: 2; C; Stryker, Codman and Covidien. 4; C; Blockade. 5; C; Scientific advisory board- Medina medical. P. Meyers: None.
Generating focused random tests using directed swarm testing

Random testing can be a powerful and scalable method for finding faults in software. However, sophisticated random testers usually test a whole program, not individual components. Writing random testers for individual components of complex programs may require unreasonable effort. In this paper we present a novel method, directed swarm testing, that uses statistics and a variation of random testing to produce random tests that focus on only part of a program, increasing the frequency with which tests cover the targeted code. We demonstrate the effectiveness of this technique using real-world programs and test systems (the YAFFS2 file system, GCC, and Mozilla's SpiderMonkey JavaScript engine), and discuss various strategies for directed swarm testing. The best strategies can improve coverage frequency for targeted code by a factor ranging from 1.1-4.5x on average, and from nearly 3x to nearly 9x in the best case. For YAFFS2, directed swarm testing never decreased coverage, and for GCC and SpiderMonkey coverage increased for over 99% and 73% of targets, respectively, using the best strategies. Directed swarm testing improves detection rates for real SpiderMonkey faults, when the code in the introducing commit is targeted. This lightweight technique is applicable to existing industrial-strength random testers.
Multilevel Governance of Irrigation Systems and Adaptation to Climate Change in Kenya

Multilevel governance of common-pool natural resources has been shown under certain conditions to sustain resources over time even when faced with various social and environmental disturbances or shocks. In the case of irrigation systems, evidence shows that multilevel institutional arrangements that include communities in a decentralized system of governance can function better than centralized systems. Kenya has implemented a legislative framework for water governance that decentralizes many aspects of water management to local levels, resulting in a multilevel institutional regime. Community water projects are empowered to manage some aspects of water resources for irrigation and domestic use—purportedly a level at which decision-makers are better suited to adapt to local dynamics. However, climate change and population increase constantly challenge the ability of these water projects to modify rules for water allocation so that all water demands are met. In this chapter, we describe the governance structure of community water projects near Mt. Kenya and illustrate the challenges for adaptive capacity with respect to different social and environmental disturbances.
Direct-reading monitoring of workplace aerosols

Publisher Summary There is a range of physical options for direct-reading aerosol detection and measurement, all based on sensing the particles either individually or in ensembles using some sort of transducer, which in turn can provide a representative electric signal that can be read out or recorded and referred to some appropriate calibration. The emphasis in this chapter is placed on instrumentation of the type that finds application in industrial hygiene; some as routine instruments for workplace air monitoring and some of the more specialized types that find use in industrial hygiene research. Optical techniques provide a means by which aerosol can be assessed in, or close to, real time. They have the great advantage over many types of instrumentation that they provide the opportunity that the measurement can be made remotely and without disturbing the aerosol. Most of the direct-reading instruments described in the chapter detect the presence and quantity of airborne particles within appropriate size ranges. However, none appears capable of also identifying particle species in the aerosol of interest. In addition, beyond such particle characterization by species, direct-reading instrumentation, which can provide quantitative information about particle shape, is now becoming available.
Stromal cells regulate survival of B-lineage leukemic cells during chemotherapy.

Approximately 20% of B-lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemias are not cured by traditional chemotherapy. The possibility was examined that residual leukemic cells that potentially contribute to relapse are harbored in association with fibroblastic stromal cells in the bone marrow. Modulation of cytarabine (Ara-C) and etoposide (VP-16) efficacy by bone marrow stromal cells in vitro was investigated. Stromal cell coculture was shown to sustain the proliferation of B-lineage leukemic cells and to reduce leukemic cell apoptosis when exposed to Ara-C or VP-16. Direct contact with stromal cells was essential for the protection of leukemic cells during chemotherapy, whereas soluble factors had negligible effect. Specifically, signaling mediated through interaction with the stromal cell adhesion molecule VCAM-1 was required to maintain the maximum viability of leukemic cells during Ara-C and VP-16 exposure. In contrast, the interaction of leukemic cells with fibronectin did not confer significant resistance to either chemotherapeutic agent. These observations suggest a role for the bone marrow microenvironment in modulating the response of B-lineage leukemic cells to Ara-C or VP-16, and they indicate specific molecular interactions that may be important in determining the sensitivity of leukemic cells to treatment.
Anxiety sensitivity in smokers with indicators of cardiovascular disease.

AbstractThere is growing recognition of the importance of understanding the nature of the associations between anxiety and cardiovascular disease (CVD), although limited research has examined mechanisms that may explain the anxiety-CVD link. Anxiety sensitivity (fear of anxiety-relevant somatic sensations) is a cognitive-affective risk factor implicated in the development of anxiety psychopathology and various behavioral risk factors for CVD, although has not been examined among individuals with CVD. Adult daily smokers (n = 619; 50.9% female; Mage = 44.0, SD = 13.67) completed an online survey that included the Anxiety Sensitivity Index-3 (ASI-3) and the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ). The presence of CVD was assessed via the presence of ≥1 of the following: heart attack, heart murmur, positive stress test, heart valve abnormality, angina, and heart failure. Smokers with CVD indicators (n = 66, 10.7%) had significantly higher scores on the ASI-3 (M = 33.5, SD = 22.15), relative to smokers without CVD...
Effects of Filter Ventilation on Behavioral Economic Demand for Cigarettes: A Preliminary Investigation.

Introduction The majority of cigarettes sold in the United States and abroad feature filter ventilation holes designed to dilute mainstream smoke. Although initially intended to produce a safer cigarette, data instead suggest that filter ventilation increases total harm from smoking. In the present study, we examined the effects of blocking ventilation holes on behavioral economic demand for cigarettes (i.e., consumption as a function of price). Methods In a within-subjects design, regular smokers (N = 15) of ventilated cigarettes sampled vent-blocked cigarettes for 3 days. Subsequently, they completed three sessions in which they used an experimental income to purchase vent-blocked and/or control cigarettes across a range of prices. Participants also completed the Drug Effects/Liking Scale. Results In sessions in which only one cigarette type was available, demand measures were undifferentiated between cigarette types. However, in sessions in which both cigarettes were available at equivalent prices, significantly greater preference for ventilated control cigarettes emerged in demand measures. Regardless of session type, participants also rated vent-blocked cigarettes more poorly in the Drug Effects/Liking Scale (more bad effects, fewer good effects, and less liking, desire, and less likely to use again). Conclusions Removing filter ventilation reduced cigarette abuse liability, as measured by behavioral economic demand and the Drug Effects/Liking Scale. However, reduced demand was only apparent when both cigarette types were concurrently available. This selective effect suggests that regulatory action banning filter ventilation would only reduce cigarette consumption when effective substitutes for vent-blocked cigarettes are available. Implications This preliminary study indicates that regulatory action designed to ban or restrict cigarette filter ventilation may decrease cigarette abuse liability as measured by both behavioral economic demand and self-report measures. However, effects of removing filter ventilation on demand measures appear to depend on concurrent availability of alternative, preferred cigarette types.
Abstract B087: A systematic approach to JAK/STAT pathway shut-down

Janus Kinase Protein (JAK) plays a crucial role in a variety of intracellular mechanisms, and has been extensively studied for its role in proliferation and survival of cancer cells. One of the unique characteristics of this kinase is the variety of cell membrane receptors with which it is associated, and can trigger JAK activation process. Family of Signal Transducer and Activators of Transcription (STATs) are the direct downstream proteins that further transfer JAK signaling to the nucleus, which results in modification of expression level of a wide range of proteins. Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) represents one of the most aggressive and challenging subtypes of human breast cancer, due to lack of estrogen, progesterone, and human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) receptors, which renders the cells nonresponsive to hormone therapy. Several studies have confirmed that IL-6/gp130/JAK2/STAT3 signaling pathway is one of the crucial pathways that is implicated in TNBC development. However, monotherapies targeting JAK2 or STAT3 with molecularly targeted drugs have faced several challenges, including inherent and acquired resistance. Therefore, we aimed to determine feasibility and efficacy of therapy of TNBC using combinatorial silencing of different components in gp130/JAK2/STAT3 pathway. The downregulatory effects of siRNA targeting gp130, JAK2, STAT3, Importin α-3 alone or in combination were evaluated in human TNBC cells MDA 231 and MDA 468, and their effect on downstream targets involved in cell apoptosis and cell cycle were determined by real-time PCR and Western blot. The effect of individual and combinatorial silencing of the pathway components on cell proliferation and cell migration were also examined using CCK assay and Scratch assay, respectively. The siRNA treatment effectively reduced gene expression of gp130/JAK2/STAT pathway components at the mRNA level. Simultaneous inhibition of selected components significantly decreased TNBC cell proliferation rate. Moreover, combinatorial siRNA silencing inhibited the migration of TNBC cells. In conclusion, simultaneous inhibition of well-selected components of JAK/STAT pathway could represent an effective therapy for human TNBC. This warrants further in vivo study in animal models. Citation Format: Hamidreza Montazeri Aliabadi, Emira Bousoik, Parvin Mahdipoor. A systematic approach to JAK/STAT pathway shut-down [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR-NCI-EORTC International Conference: Molecular Targets and Cancer Therapeutics; 2017 Oct 26-30; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Ther 2018;17(1 Suppl):Abstract nr B087.
Fibroblast Growth Factor 2 and Its Receptors in Bone Biology and Disease

The fibroblast growth factor (FGF) regulatory axis is phylogenetically ancient, evolving into a large mammalian/human gene family of 22 ligands that bind to four receptor tyrosine kinases for a complex physiologic system controlling cell growth, differentiation, and metabolism. The tissue targets for the primary FGF function are mainly in cartilage and in bone for morphogenesis, mineralization, and metabolism. A multitude of complexities in the FGF ligand-receptor signaling pathways have made translation into therapies for FGF-related bone disorders such as osteomalacia, osteoarthritis, and osteoporosis difficult but not impossible.
Teaching Asian Experiences in Latin America and the Caribbean

The road to the creation of "The Minority Experience in Latin America and the Caribbean, 1998 Focus-Asian Experiences" was long and far from straight. Indeed, both the course topic and the pedagogical approach resulted from new directions in my research and new theoretical models with which I am working.The first version of "The Minority Experience" was taught seven years ago at Connecticut College (where I taught at the time) and was funded by a Mellon Foundation Multi-Culturalism in the Curriculum Grant. At the time I was completing a book on images of Jewish refugees in Brazil and how ethnic organizations manipulated those images to save lives, and my own research took what might be termed a "traditional" ethnic studies approach. More specifically, I worked from the assumption that ethnicity superseded the nation, and thus specific ethnic groups across nations had more in common than different ethnic groups within nations.
Public Information in Forest Fire Prevention and Control

An informed public is an important and integral part of firefighting and fire prevention. The purpose of information is to tell the public about forest fire causes and control. Incidental to this is the opportunity to inform the public of current fire dangers and the effect of fire upon forest areas. Another purpose is to stimulate cooperation of other protection agencies, volunteer services and the public.
Vibrating Sharp-edge Spray Ionization (VSSI) for voltage-free direct analysis of samples using mass spectrometry.

Rationale The development of miniaturized and field portable mass spectrometers could not succeed without a simple, compact, and robust ionization source. Here we present a voltage-free ionization method, Vibrating Sharp-edge Spray Ionization (VSSI), which can generate a spray of liquid samples using only one standard microscope glass slide to which a piezoelectric transducer is attached. Compared with existing ambient ionization methods, VSSI eliminates the need for a high electric field (~5000 V·cm-1 ) for spray generation, while sharing a similar level of simplicity and flexibility with the simplest direct ionization techniques currently available such as paper spray ionization (PSI) and other solid substrate-based electrospray ionization methods. Methods The VSSI device was fabricated by attaching a piezoelectric transducer onto a standard glass microscope slide using epoxy glue. Liquid sample was aerosolized by either placing a droplet onto the vibrating edge of the glass slide or touching a wet surface with the glass edge. Mass spectrometric detection was achieved by placing the VSSI device 0.5-1 cm from the inlet of the mass spectrometer (Q-Exactive, ThermoScientific). Results VSSI is demonstrated to ionize a diverse array of chemical species, including small organic molecules, carbohydrates, peptides, proteins, and nucleic acids. Preliminary sensitivity experiments show that high-quality mass spectra of acetaminophen can be obtained by consuming 100 femtomoles of the target. The dual spray of VSSI was also demonstrated by performing in-droplet denaturation of ubiquitin. Finally, due to the voltage-free nature and the direct-contact working mode of VSSI, it has been successfully applied for the detection of chemicals directly from human fingertips. Conclusions Overall, we report a compact ionization method based on vibrating sharp-edges. The simplicity and voltage-free nature of VSSI make it an attractive option for field portable applications or analyzing biological samples that are sensitive to high voltage or difficult to access by conventional ionization methods.
Parenteral Tobramycin and Cephalothin in the Treatment of Suspected Sepsis in Neutropenic Children

A study of the safety and efficacy of parenteral tobramycin and cephalothin in the treatment of suspected sepsis in neutro-penic children (< 1000 polymorphonuclear leukocytes/mm3 of blood) with various underlying malignancies was undertaken. Twenty episodes of suspected sepsis in 19 febrile children with cancer were treated with parenteral tobramycin and cephalothin for a total of one to 80 days. Each was followed closely for renal, hepatic, bone marrow, and auditory toxicity. In 14 of the 20 episodes of suspected sepsis, a favourable clinical response was achieved within five days of initiation of antibiotics. These included a Proteus mirabilis urinary tract infection and E.coli sepsis. No clinical improvement was noted in the remaining six episodes. In four of the six episodes, clinical deterioration was felt to be secondary to the underlying malignancies. The remaining two episodes included one with E.coli sepsis which ended fatally within six hours of admission, while the other included a nosocomial infection with Eikenella corrodens. No evidence of renal, auditory, hepatic, bone ma-row, or vestibular toxicity was noted either during or following antibiotic therapy. Results of this study suggest the safety and efficacy of combination tobramycin and cephalothin in the treatment of suspected sepsis in neutropenic febrile children with malignancies.
Synaptic Events Underlying Spontaneous and Evoked Paroxysmal Discharges in Hippocampal Neurons

The cellular mechanisms responsible for the paroxysmal depolarizing shift (PDS) in cortical neurons have been studied extensively for over 20 years (Kandel and Spencer, 1961; Matsumoto and Ajmone Marsan, 1964a,b; Prince, 1966, 1968; Dichter and Spencer, 1969a,b; Matsumoto et al., 1969; Ayala et al., 1970; Lebovitz et al., 1971; Ayala et al., 1973; Wong et al., 1974; Prince, 1978; Schwartzkroin and Prince, 1978; Wong and Prince, 1978, 1979; Schwartzkroin and Wyler, 1980; Johnston and Brown, 1981; Wong and Prince, 1981; Traub and Wong, 1982; Wong and Schwartzkroin, 1982; Traub and Wong, 1983; Johnston and Brown, 1984b,c; Rutecki et al., 1985). The PDS, which represents the intracellular event that occurs during the interictal discharge — the signature of epileptogenic cortex — is a sudden depolarization of the neuron that triggers a series of action potentials (Matsumoto and Ajmone Marsan, 1964a,b). The membrane events that produce the sudden depolarization are still somewhat controversial (Prince, 1978; Johnston and Brown, 1981, 1984b, 1986; Alger, 1984). In previous work, both voltage-dependent and synaptic-conductance changes have been proposed to explain the origin of the PDS (Matsumoto and Ajmone Marsan, 1964b; Prince, 1966, 1968; Dichter and Spencer, 1969a,b; Ayala et al., 1973; Wong et al., 1974; Wong and Prince, 1978, 1979; Johnston and Brown, 1981; Wong and Prince, 1981; Traub and Wong, 1982; Wong and Schwartzkroin, 1982; Traub and Wong, 1983). With the recent application of voltage-clamp techniques to cortical neurons (Johnston et al., 1980), it has been shown that a large synaptic conductance change occurs in neurons during the interictal discharge (Johnston and Brown, 1981). This finding, as well as certain other results (Johnston and Brown, 1981, 1984b, 1986), provides the strongest evidence to date that large excitatory postsynaptic potentials (EPSPs) are involved in the generation of epileptiform activity in the cortex.
The Economics of School Accountability

Abstract Demands for more accountability and results-based incentive systems in K-12 education come from many directions and currently dominate much of the education policy discussion at both the state and federal levels in the United States (Ladd, 1996; Ladd & Hansen, 1999) and abroad (Burgess, Propper, Slater, & Wilson, 2005). Accountability in education is a broad concept that could be addressed in many ways: using political processes to assure democratic accountability, introducing market-based reforms to increase accountability to parents and children, developing peer-based accountability systems to increase the professional accountability of teachers, or using administrative accountability systems designed to drive the system toward higher student achievement. This article focuses on this last approach and pays particular attention to programs that focus on the individual school as the primary unit of accountability.
Timed Up and Go test is predictive of Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System physical function in patients awaiting total knee arthroplasty.

Abstract Background The Patient Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Computerized Adaptive Test (CAT) physical function rapidly assesses self-reported function capability. The Timed Up and Go (TUG) test is often used in clinical practice, but administration may be impeded by space and patient limitations. PROMIS CAT can potentially address these limitations, but we lack evidence if TUG and health indicators are predictors of PROMIS CAT. This study assessed whether TUG, body mass index (BMI), numeric pain rating scale (NPRS), and smoking status were predictors of PROMIS CAT in total knee arthroplasty (TKA) candidates. Methods Sixty-five TKA candidates completed the PROMIS CAT physical function test using an iPad application. TUG, NPRS, BMI, and smoking status were obtained at the clinic visit or from medical records. Univariate and multiple regression analyses identified the strongest predictors of PROMIS CAT. Results TUG was the best predictor of PROMIS CAT physical function based on simple regression (r = −0.43, 95% CI = −0.62 to −0.20) or multiple regression ( β ˆ = −0.45, 95% CI = −0.73 to −0.17) analyses. BMI and NPRS did not incrementally help predict the PROMIS score beyond TUG. Smoking status did not contribute to the prediction of the PROMIS CAT score. Conclusions The findings suggest that the PROMIS CAT physical function is not a surrogate for the TUG performance-based measure in candidates for TKA. However, TUG was the best predictor of PROMIS physical function compared with BMI, NPRS, and smoking status. Clinicians should consider both patient-reported and performance-based measures when evaluating function for TKA outcomes.
Use of prostaglandin E1 to treat pulmonary hypertension in congenital diaphragmatic hernia.

Abstract Background/Purpose Prostaglandin E1 (PGE) has been used to maintain ductus arteriosus patency and unload the suprasystemic right ventricle (RV) in neonates with congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) and severe pulmonary hypertension (PH). Here we evaluate the PH response in neonates with CDH and severe PH treated with PGE. Methods We performed a retrospective chart review of CDH infants treated at our center between 2011 and 2016. In a subset, PGE was initiated for echocardiographic evidence of severe PH, metabolic acidosis, or hypoxemia. To assess PH response, we evaluated laboratory data, including B-type natriuretic peptide (BNP) and echocardiograms before and after PGE treatment. Categorical and continuous data were analyzed with Fisher's exact tests and Mann–Whitney t-tests, respectively. Results Fifty-seven infants were treated with PGE a mean 17 ± 2 days. BNP levels declined after 1.4 ± 0.2 days of treatment and again after 5.2 ± 0.6 days. After 6 ± 0.8 days of treatment, echocardiographic estimates of severe PH by tricuspid regurgitation jet velocity, ductus arteriosus direction, and ventricular septum position also improved significantly. Treatment was not associated with postductal hypoxemia or systemic hypoperfusion. Conclusions In patients with CDH and severe PH, PGE is well tolerated and associated with improved BNP and echocardiographic indices of PH, suggesting successful unloading of the RV. Type of study Treatment study. Level of evidence Level III.
Computing thermodynamic properties of ammonia–water mixtures using artificial neural networks.

Abstract Artificial neural networks (ANN) provide a computationally efficient pathway for solving complex non-linear problems. Cascaded ANN are used to compute thermodynamic properties of the ammonia–water mixture working-pair commonly used in vapor absorption heat pumps. Thermodynamic property routines can affect the accuracy and pose a significant computational bottleneck for steady-state and transient cycle simulations of ammonia–water. The properties computed using the proposed method agree within 0.5% of equation of state data over a wide range of operating parameters. It is observed that the ANN based property routines, developed as explicit functions, offer ∼60% decrease in computational time over currently used property routines. As a case study, the property calculation modules developed using ANN are employed in simulating the dynamic response of a representative ammonia-water condenser for a vapor absorption cycle. The models predict the transient behavior accurately with an ∼80% computational speedup compared to conventional property routines.
Evidence-Based Review of Smartphone Versus Paper Asthma Action Plans on Asthma Control:

Objective: To summarize and evaluate existing literature regarding the impact of mobile asthma action plans (MAAPs) versus written asthma action plans (WAAPs) on degree of asthma control. Data Sour...
Automated detection of action potentials in interferometric imaging of spiking cells (Conference Presentation)

Wide-field interferometric imaging systems can detect mechanical deformations of a cell during an action potential (AP), such as in quantitative phase microscopy, which is highly sensitive to the changing optical path length. This enables non-invasive optophysiology of spiking cells without exogeneous markers, but high-fidelity imaging of such deformations requires averaging of a large number of spikes synchronized by electrical recordings. We have developed new iterative methods for detecting single APs from quantitative phase microscopy of spiking cells, enabling an all-optical detection system with high accuracy and good temporal resolution. We demonstrate performance of the method across multiple preparations of spiking HEK-293 cells and compare the outcomes of the all-optical measurements with the ground truth detected on a multi-electrode array. We initially use a spike-triggered average, synchronized to an electrical recording, to measure deformations during the AP in spiking cells, which reach up to 3 nm (0.9 mrad) with a rise time of 4 ms and fall time of about 120 ms. Based on this knowledge of the AP dynamics, optical data analysis can provide reliable spike detection, within a standard deviation of 11.6 ms (9.7% of the length of the action potential) with an 8.5% false negative detection rate. The method is robust to natural variations between cells and can be modified to function without any prior knowledge of the AP dynamics. Such a system could achieve high-throughput measurements of network activity in culture and help identify the mechanisms linking cell deformations to the changes of transmembrane potential.
Teacher Travelers in Jamaica

In his article titled “Why We Travel,” Pico Lyer clarified a clear distinction between travelers and tourists with “travelers” leaving their assumptions behind and “tourists” complaining that “nothing is the same way it is at home.” When a group of six undergraduate students and one faculty member from the University of Central Missouri (UCM) spent a week teaching 125 students a day in an at-risk youth camp in Petersfield, Jamaica in July, 2013, we were immersed in the local culture enabling us to experience Jamaica more as teacher “travelers” than “tourists” in many ways.
Time-dependent nucleation rate measurements in BaO⋅2SiO2 and 5BaO⋅8SiO2 glasses

Abstract The two-step heat treatment method is used to measure the steady state crystal nucleation rate and induction time as a function of temperature in BaO⋅2SiO2 and 5BaO⋅8SiO2 glasses. For both glasses, the temperature for maximum nucleation rate and the temperature range for significant nucleation agree well with previous estimates from differential thermal analysis studies. The data are analyzed with a new iterative method to obtain the interfacial free energy and critical work of cluster formation as a function of temperature. For temperatures below the temperature at which steady-state nucleation rate is a maximum, the critical work of cluster formation is shown to strongly deviate from expectations of the classical theory of nucleation.
Clinical characteristics of a large cohort of US participants enrolled in the National Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS) Registry, 2010–2015

Background: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive fatal disease with a varying range of clinical characteristics. Objective: To describe the clinical characteristics in a large cohort of ALS participants enrolled in the National ALS Registry. Methods: Data from ALS participants who completed the Registry's online clinical survey module during 2010-2015 were analyzed to determine characteristics, such as site of onset, associated symptoms, time of symptom onset to diagnosis, time of diagnosis to hospice referral, and pharmacological and non-pharmacological interventions. Results: Of the 1758 participants who completed the survey, 60.9% were male, 62.1% were 50-69 years old, and 95.5% white. Approximately, 72.0% reported initial limb weakness onset of disease, followed by bulbar (22.1%), and trunk/global onset (6.1%). Other symptoms ever experienced included cramps (56.7%), fasciculations (56.3%), and dysarthria (33.0%). The median time between an increase of muscle cramps until an ALS diagnosis was 12 months; limb onset participants had cramps longer preceding diagnosis versus those with bulbar onset. The most frequent interventions used included riluzole (48.3% currently using), wheelchairs/scooters (32.8%), and noninvasive breathing equipment (30.0%). Participants with trunk/global onset were referred to hospice almost four times earlier than others. Conclusions: These data show how ALS clinical characteristics differ widely in a large cohort of participants preceding diagnosis and reflect variations in disease onset, progression, and prognosis. Better characterization of symptom onset may assist clinicians in diagnosing ALS sooner, which could lead to earlier therapeutic interventions.
Management of pennycress as a winter annual cash cover crop. A review

AbstractAgriculture in the Upper Midwest of the USA is characterized by a short growing season and unsustainable farming practices including low-diversity cropping systems and high fertilizer inputs. One method to reduce the magnitude of these problems is by integrating a winter annual into the summer-annual-dominant cropping system. For this reason, pennycress (Thlaspi arvense) has garnered interest in the agricultural community due to its winter annual growth habit and potential for industrial oil production, making it an ecologically and economically desirable crop. Despite decades of research focusing on pennycress as an agricultural weed, little is known about its best management practices as an intentionally cultivated crop. The majority of agronomic research has occurred within the past 10 years, and there are major gaps in knowledge that need to be addressed prior to the widespread integration of pennycress on the landscape. Here we review relevant agronomic research on pennycress as a winter annual crop in the areas of sowing requirements, harvest, seed oil content, seed oil quality, cropping strategies, ecosystem services, and germplasm development. The major points are as follows: (1) there is little consensus regarding basic agronomic practices (i.e., seeding rate, row spacing, nutrient requirements, and harvest strategy); (2) pennycress can be integrated into a corn (Zea mays)–soybean (Glycine max) rotation, but further research on system management is required to maximize crop productivity and oilseed yields; (3) pennycress provides essential ecosystem services to the landscape in early spring when vegetation is scarce; (4) breeding efforts are required to remove detrimental weedy characteristics, such as silicle shatter and high sinigrin content, from the germplasm. We conclude that pennycress shows great promise as an emergent crop; however, current adoption is limited by a lack of conclusive knowledge regarding management practices and future research is required over a multitude of topics.
Should We Question the External Validity of Database Studies? A Comparative Analysis of Demographics.

Purpose To define the external validity of national and institutional databases for common sports medicine procedures. Methods Patient demographic data including age, sex, body mass index (BMI), and 4 racial categories were aggregated between 2007 and 2016 across 2 databases for 4 common sports medicine procedures: anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction, arthroscopic rotator cuff repair (RCR), partial meniscectomy (PMx), and both arthroscopic and open shoulder stabilization. The first database of interest was a prospectively collected institutional database. The second was the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP) database. Two-sample t tests were performed to examine mean differences (MDs) in age and BMI, and χ2 testing was used to test differences in sex and race. Results A total of 7,019 institutional and 108,881 NSQIP patients were examined. The NSQIP cohort was significantly older (MD, 1.40 years), included more female patients (42.60% female patients vs 35.67% female patients), and showed a different racial distribution compared with the institutional data (all P Conclusions Significant differences in age, BMI, sex, and race distributions were observed between an institutional database and the NSQIP database. This study underlines the importance of defining the generalizability of database research, particularly when significant demographic differences between databases may underlie differences in postoperative outcomes. Level of Evidence Level III, cross-sectional study.
ACR: Amnesic Checkpointing and Recovery

Systematic checkpointing of the machine state makes restart of execution from a safe state possible upon detection of an error. The time and energy overhead of checkpointing, however, grows with the frequency of checkpointing. Considering the growth of expected error rates, amortizing this overhead becomes especially challenging, as checkpointing frequency tends to increase with increasing error rates. Based on the observation that due to imbalanced technology scaling, recomputing a data value can be more energy efficient than retrieving (i.e., loading) a stored copy, this paper explores how recomputation of data values (which otherwise would be read from a checkpoint from memory or secondary storage) can reduce the machine state to be checkpointed, and thereby, the checkpointing overhead. Even in a relatively small scale system, recomputation-based checkpointing can reduce the storage overhead by up to 23.91%; time overhead, by 11.92%; and energy overhead, by 12.53%, respectively.
Combining Mass Spectrometry with Paternò-Büchi Reaction to Determine Double-Bond Positions in Lipids at the Single-Cell Level.

Single cell MS (SCMS) techniques are under rapid development for molecular analysis of individual cells among heterogeneous populations. Lipids are basic cellular constituents playing essential functions in energy storage and the cellular signaling processes of cells. Unsaturated lipids are characterized with one or multiple carbon-carbon double (C═C) bonds, and they are critical for cell functions and human diseases. Characterizing unsaturated lipids in single cells allows for better understanding of metabolomic biomarkers and therapeutic targets of rare cells (e.g., cancer stem cells); however, these studies remain challenging. We developed a new technique using a micropipette needle, in which Paterno-Buchi (PB) reactions at C═C bond can be induced, to determine locations of C═C bonds in unsaturated lipids at the single-cell level. The micropipette needle is produced by combining a pulled glass capillary needle with a fused silica capillary. Cell lysis solvent and PB reagent (acetone or benzophenone) are delivered into the micropipette needle (tip size ≈ 15 um) through a fused silica capillary. The capillary needle plays multiple functions (i.e., single cell sampling probe, cell lysis container, microreactor, and nano-ESI emitter) in the experiments. Both regular (no reaction) and reactive (with PB reaction) SCMS analyses of the same cell can be achieved. C═C bond locations were determined from MS scan and MS/MS of PB products assisted by Python programs. This technique can potentially be used for other reactive SCMS studies to enhance molecular analysis for broad ranges of single cells.
Workplace Bullying: The Critical Paradigm Approach

This chapter discusses four types of critical management studies (CMS) paradigms, such as critical realism, critical theory, labor process theory, and post-structuralism, their philosophical ideologies and ontological and epistemological understandings, and how they are effective in deconstructing workplace bullying as a managerial control mechanism which can be used to exert control over the employees. And how all four CMS paradigms will be used to develop critiques of workplace bullying, to expose the “reality” behind the continual existence of workplace bullying within organizations, and also how being critical projects, they will be able to suggest emancipatory guidelines to design more equitable and democratic workplaces.
Deregulation, Market Power, and Prices: Evidence from the Electricity Sector

When deciding whether to introduce market competition into a regulated industry, a regulator faces an important tradeoff. Market-based prices can provide incentives to allocate resources more efficiently and reduce costs, but the presence of market power may lead to increased markups. We use a detailed dataset on electricity transactions to investigate the impact of market-based deregulation in the context of the U.S. electricity sector. We find that the increase in markups dominates despite modest efficiency gains, leading to higher consumer prices. Deregulation does not necessarily reduce prices and improve consumer welfare. Thus, regulated prices may be preferred to market-based prices when firms are capable of exerting market power.
On the Style Used by Keynes in Presenting His IS-LM(LP) Model in Chapter 21 of the General Theory: Literary Prose, Formal Mathematics or Both?

Keynes’s style in presenting his technical analysis in the General Theory was not purely mathematical or purely literary. It was a blend of both. This is especially the case when Keynes decided to bring all of the elements in his IS-LM(LP) model together in section four of chapter 21 of the General Theory after he had gone over the underlying D-Z model in chapter 20 of the General Theory. Keynes incorporated uncertainty and expectations within the theory of purely competitive firms in his D-Z model. Keynes deployed the standard, technical exposition of the goal of (expected) profit maximization using the necessary and sufficient first and second order marginal conditions. This allowed Keynes to derive his Aggregate Supply Curve, a locus of all expected D and Expected Z outcomes that represents a set of multiple equilibria. Keynes’s IS-LM(LP) model of chapter 21 DOES NOT deal with uncertainty and expectations, although Keynes does show how to do so within the context of chapter 20 when he extends his D-Z model of chapter 20 on pp.304-306 of chapter 21 to incorporate the LM curve in his elasticity analysis dealing with the elasticity ed. There are NOT two different competing models in the General Theory, since the IS-LM(LP) model in chapter 21 is built on the foundation of the D-Z model chapter 20. Keynes’s style of presentation has created a great deal of difficulty for economists looking for either a purely mathematical exposition or looking for a purely Marshallian, literary exposition. In fact, Keynes blends both together. Mainstream economists, like Dimand, Young, Hoover, de Vroey, and Rubin, claim that there was no IS-LM model in the GT. They agree with the Post Keynesian school. Their differences with the Post Keynesian position is that they claim that it was Hicks, Harrod, Meade, or Lange, or some combination of the four, who tediously gathered all of the scattered parts of Keynes’s verbal, literary, prose, non formal, non mathematical, Marshallian analysis from the GT and created the IS-LM model in 1937. It is unclear to this author how these types of “interpretations” were ever taken seriously by the economics profession. Keynes’s mathematical constructions supporting the three elements listed on pp.298-299 are in the GT explicitly on p.115, p.137 and p.199. It is unclear to me how Keynes’s system of equations was supposedly strewn throughout the GT for Hicks, Harrod, Meade, and Lange to dig out and reconstitute. What exactly is being reconstituted by Hicks, Harrod, Meade and Lange?
Factors leading to loss to follow-up after strabismus surgery in children

Purpose To assess risk factors for loss to follow-up (LTFU) and identify obstacles to follow-up care in these patients. Methods The medical records of all children ( Results Patients LTFU were significantly more likely to be black than white or Asian and have state or government-based insurance rather than private or employer-based insurance. The most common reasons cited for not following-up included perceived positive outcome (47%), work conflicts (37%), transportation issues (30%), travel time (30%), and having forgotten (27%). Conclusions Patients were LTFU because parents or guardians perceived follow-up as unnecessary, were faced with scheduling or transportation impediments, or simply forgot to appear. Possible remedies include increasing education through teach-back, offering telemedicine appointments, and sending multiple appointment reminders.