cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The impact of lymph node disease in extremity soft-tissue sarcomas: a population-based analysis

Abstract Background Because of the low incidence of regional lymph node metastasis, node-positive soft-tissue sarcoma patients remain poorly characterized. Our objective was to assess regional lymph node metastasis in extremity sarcoma patients using a large population database. Methods The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database was queried for extremity sarcoma patients. Clinicopathologic data and outcomes were examined to evaluate the significance of regional lymph node metastasis. Results Of 7,159 patients without distant metastasis, 64 patients had identified regional lymph node metastasis (.9%). Regional lymph node metastasis was associated with younger age, tumor grade, size, invasion, and tumor subtype. Excluding distant metastasis, lymph node status was the strongest prognostic factor (hazards ratio = 5.1, P Conclusions Isolated regional lymph node metastasis is rare in extremity sarcoma patients. However, in the absence of distant metastasis, lymph node status is the most important prognostic factor. The management of positive lymph nodes remains uncertain although diagnosing lymph node metastasis may identify early biologically aggressive disease.
Evaluation of ungrounded faults in transposed high phase order systems

High-phase-order transmission is considered as a viable alternative for increasing the power transmission capability of a transmission line. Fault analysis is an important aspect of the determination of breaker and protection specifications. General expressions for the fault currents and voltages for various types of ungrounded (isolated) faults are derived for any N-phase system. Actual calculations for six- and twelve-phase systems are made, and the results are presented as normalized graphs. >
Secure and efficient authentication in Wireless Mesh Networks using merkle trees

In the recent years, wireless mesh network (WMN) has evolved as a new paradigm for broadband wireless Internet access. The self-configurability, open wireless infrastructure, and different management styles of WMN make them vulnerable to malicious attackers. As a first step to secure WMNs, it is critical to incorporate an authentication mechanism for mesh clients. The existing proposals are primarily based on public key certificates, which incur considerable overhead in signature verification. We propose a network layer authentication mechanism called Merkle Tree based Mesh Authentication Protocol (MT-MAP) for WMNs. It incorporates inexpensive hash operations using Merkle tree to authenticate single/multihop mesh clients. We also show how the use of hash tree facilitates fast and periodic refresh of authentication certificates. Finally, we present a security analysis of MT-MAP against impersonation and replay attacks.
Educación Bilingüe o Inmersión en Inglés: Análisis de la Prensa Escrita de Arizona

Los medios de comunicacion se caracterizan por su potencial para influir la opinion publica. El presente estudio realiza un analisis de contenidos para desgranar las posturas mantenidas por tres periodicos del estado de Arizona entre los anos 2003 y 2011 en lo relativo a los programas y modelos educativos para los estudiantes de ingles como segundo idioma. Los periodicos seleccionados para el estudio fueron The Arizona Republic, el East Valley Tribune y La Prensa Hispana. El analisis de los textos analizados (N=84) muestra que, en efecto, las tres publicaciones mantienen posturas definidas sobre los programas para estudiantes de ingles como segundo idioma. Los periodicos de lengua inglesa informan desde posiciones que afirman la hegemonia del ingles y la necesidad de asimilacion de los estudiantes hispanos. La Prensa Hispana, por su parte, afirma el derecho de los estudiantes a utilizar su lengua materna y la necesidad de una politica plurilingue en los centros de educacion.
Not all droughts are created equal: the impacts of interannual drought pattern and magnitude on grassland carbon cycling

Climate extremes, such as drought, may have immediate and potentially prolonged effects on carbon cycling. Grasslands store approximately one-third of all terrestrial carbon and may become carbon sources during droughts. However, the magnitude and duration of drought-induced disruptions to the carbon cycle, as well as the mechanisms responsible, remain poorly understood. Over the next century, global climate models predict an increase in two types of drought: chronic but subtle 'press-droughts', and shorter term but extreme 'pulse-droughts'. Much of our current understanding of the ecological impacts of drought comes from experimental rainfall manipulations. These studies have been highly valuable, but are often short term and rarely quantify carbon feedbacks. To address this knowledge gap, we used the Community Land Model 4.0 to examine the individual and interactive effects of pulse- and press-droughts on carbon cycling in a mesic grassland of the US Great Plains. A series of modeling experiments were imposed by varying drought magnitude (precipitation amount) and interannual pattern (press- vs. pulse-droughts) to examine the effects on carbon storage and cycling at annual to century timescales. We present three main findings. First, a single-year pulse-drought had immediate and prolonged effects on carbon storage due to differential sensitivities of ecosystem respiration and gross primary production. Second, short-term pulse-droughts caused greater carbon loss than chronic press-droughts when total precipitation reductions over a 20-year period were equivalent. Third, combining pulse- and press-droughts had intermediate effects on carbon loss compared to the independent drought types, except at high drought levels. Overall, these results suggest that interannual drought pattern may be as important for carbon dynamics as drought magnitude and that extreme droughts may have long-lasting carbon feedbacks in grassland ecosystems.
Serious injury and fatality investigations involving pneumatic nail guns, 1985–2012

BACKGROUND: This article examines serious and fatal pneumatic nail gun (PNG) injury investigations for workplace, tool design, and human factors relevant to causation and resulting OS&H authorities' responses in terms of citations and penalties. METHODS: The U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) database of Fatality and Catastrophe Investigation Summaries (F&CIS) were reviewed (1985-2012) to identify n = 258 PNG accidents. RESULTS: 79.8% of investigations, and 100% of fatalities, occurred in the construction industry. Between 53-71% of injuries appear to have been preventable had a safer sequential trigger tool been used. Citations and monetary penalties were related to injury severity, body part injured, disabling of safety devices, and insufficient personal protective equipment (PPE). CONCLUSIONS: Differences may exist between construction and other industries in investigators interpretations of PNG injury causation and resulting citations/penalties. Violations of PPE standards were penalized most severely, yet the preventive effect of PPE would likely have been less than that of a safer sequential trigger. Am. J. Ind. Med. Published 2015. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA. Language: en
Fracture of the femoral shaft complicated by hip dislocation; a method of treatment.

Dislocation of the hip, complicated by a fracture of the shaft of the femur, is an exceedingly rare condition and presents a most difficult problem in reduction. It is a well-known fact that this type of injury occurs in young and middle-aged adults most frequently, and is caused by only the most violent forms of trauma. For this reason, it is usually seen in a very muscular type of patient, which makes closed reduction even more difficult. The problem in reduction arises from the fact that the lever arm, the femur, is not intact and one has no control over the proximal fragment. The authors were able to restore the lever arm by means of the gas-pipe extension on the pin-fixation apparatus, and thus were successful in the reduction. The authors feel that non-union developed because of the excessive stripping of the periosteum from the proximal fragment, caused by the marked displacement resulting from the dislocation of the hip. The increase in density of the proximal portion of the shaft of the femur, probably due to the damage to the blood supply secondary to the periosteal stripping, is shown in Figure 5-A.
First 1,000 Cases of Gamma Knife Surgery for Various Intracranial Disorders in LSU Health-Shreveport: Radiological and Clinical Outcome.

OBJECTIVE Gamma knife radiosurgery (GKRS) has emerged as an important therapeutic alternative for different intracranial lesions. We have reviewed our institution's first 1,000 cases of radiosurgeries. MATERIALS AND METHODS We performed a retrospective review (2000-2013) of 1,017 radiosurgeries in 911 patients with various intracranial lesions including vestibular schwannoma (82), meningioma (136), metastatic brain tumors (298), astrocytoma (49), pituitary adenoma (92), arteriovenous malformation (85) and trigeminal neuralgia (169). RESULTS GKRS in different intracranial lesions showed significant variations in outcome and complications. Overall, the local tumor growth control for benign and malignant tumors was 89 percent and 70 percent respectively. The rate of obliteration of arteriovenous malformation nidus was 79 percent. The complete and partial relief of pain in the patients with trigeminal neuralgia was 55.6 percent and 22.4 percent respectively. CONCLUSION At recent follow-up, GKRS showed good control of different tumor growth, obliteration of AVM nidus and remission of trigeminal neuralgia pain, good overall and progression free survival rate, possible preservation of neurological functions, lesser number of complications, and improvement of quality of life. Therefore, GKRS is an important treatment option for patients with different benign intracranial tumors, AVM and trigeminal neuralgia. However, GKRS is not effective for recurrent malignant tumors in the brain.
Caffeine Improves Athletic Performance among Division II Collegiate Swimmers

Caffeine has been identified as a possible ergogenic aid for athletic performance. The objective of this study was to evaluate caffeine’s effects on short distance swimtrials. Caffeinedosages of 3mg/kg/b.w. andplaceboswere administeredvia vegancapsules to30Division II collegiateswimmers, (ageM 19.50 1.20;males n 18), in a single-blind, crossover study design. Capsules were administered 30 minutes prior to completing a 50-yard time trial, using electronic touch-pads. Urine sampleswere collected and analyzed viaHPLC to determine the amount of caffeine excreted in the urine. Additional comparisons betweenhabitual caffeine users and non-users were also investigated. Significant improvements were observed between caffeine and placebo time trials (M 27.28 3.65 seconds vs. 27.51 3.74 seconds, respectively, p 0.009). Overall, caffeine improved performance among 61.1% of males (n 11) and 83.3% of females (n 10). Urinary excretion of caffeine among the caffeine supplemented group, compared to the placebo group, was significant (2.56 2.10 g/ml vs. 0.827 g/ml 1.34, respectively, p 0.001). Mean female urinary excretion of caffeine was significantly greater than that observed by males (3.28 2.52 g/ml. vs. 2.01 1.68 g/ml, respectively, p .019). Overall, caffeine supplementationwas found to significantly improve time trials of both genders; however a greater percentage of females improved their swimtimescompared tomales, aswell as excretinggreater levels of urinary caffeine. Additional studies are needed to further investigate the differential effects of caffeine onmen andwomen as observed in this study.
Monte-Carlo Investigation of Avalanche in Adhesion

Recently it has been proposed that as two metal surfaces are gradually brought toward contact, atomic layers can collapse or avalanche together when the interfacial spacing falls below a critical distance. This avalanche can occur regardless of the stiffness of external supports and is accompanied by a discontinuous drop in the adhesive binding energy. Here we re-examine this phenomenon using a simple zero-temperature Monte-Carlo simulation using the Equivalent Crystal Method. In particular, we investigate the effect of loss of registry between the two contacting surfaces in order to delimit the circumstances under which avalanche can occur. We find that the avalanche is suppressed when the two surfaces are sufficiently far out of registry, at least when only a few layers near the surface are allowed to relax.
Optimizing Application of Dynamic Reactive Power Compensation Devices in Jiuquan Wind Farms

Based on the testing of the dynamic reactive power compensation system used in Jiuquan wind farms and the analysis of the parameters acquired,and considering the characteristics of the electrical transient when the wind farm is largely off grid,this paper proposes some guidelines of optimizing the application of the dynamic reactive power compensation device in wind farms.
The Calculation of Functional Depreciation in Residential Building Appraisal

Functional depreciation is an important aspect to real estate appraisal,but there is no mature method so far.In this paper,a method of functional depreciation is suggested on the basis of utility theory.It can be a reference to solve actual property valuation problems.
Effect of Organic Contaminations on Seedling Growth of Rice

To explore the effect of different kinds and concentration of organic contaminations on rice seedling growth,rice line Ha04-34 was tested by potted trail in climate cabinate.The research results indicated that nitrobenzene of anyconcentration restrained growth of rice seedling,and the effects were restraining plant height,reducing leaves and roots numbers.The seedling died while concentration of nitrobenzene above 0.153 mg·L-1.The effect of chlorobenzene on seedling growth were restraining plant height,but effect of which to leaves and roots numbers was little.The effect of naphthaline of different concentration on seedling growth were restraining plant height,reducing leaves numbers,but could increasing roots numbers,and The tendency was evident along with concentration increasing.
Management of Complications After Arterial Reconstruction

Early complications such as hemorrhage, infection, thrombosis, and neurologic loss are rare. A meticulous follow-up of each patient can help to identify late complications such as graft occlusion, false aneurysm, infection, and recurrence of atherosclerosis at an early stage when secondary surgical intervention is most satisfactory.
Antimicrobial therapy in patients with renal insufficiency.

Infection in a patient with renal insufficiency can be very difficult to treat. Antimicrobial agents that are not excreted by the kidneys to a significant degree may be given in full dosage but may be ineffective against the causative organisms. Other drugs whose toxicity is increased in the presence of renal insufficiency sometimes must be used in reduced dosage. Recommended dosage schedules are presented.
Cardiopulmonary laboratory biomarkers in the evaluation of acute dyspnea

Dyspnea is a common chief complaint in the emergency department, with over 4 million visits annually in the US. Establishing the correct diagnosis can be challenging, because the subjective sensation of dyspnea can result from a wide array of underlying pathology, including pulmonary, cardiac, neurologic, psychiatric, toxic, and metabolic disorders. Further, the presence of dyspnea is linked with increased mortality in a variety of conditions, and misdiagnosis of the cause of dyspnea leads to poor patient-level outcomes. In combination with the history and physical, efficient, and focused use of laboratory studies, the various cardiopulmonary biomarkers can be useful in establishing the correct diagnosis and guiding treatment decisions in a timely manner. Use and interpretation of such tests must be guided by the clinical context, as well as an understanding of the current evidence supporting their use. This review discusses current standards and research regarding the use of established and emerging cardiopulmonary laboratory markers in the evaluation of acute dyspnea, focusing on recent evidence assessing the diagnostic and prognostic utility of various tests. These markers include brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) and N-terminal prohormone (NT-proBNP), mid-regional peptides proatrial NP and proadrenomedullin, cardiac troponins, D-dimer, soluble ST2, and galectin 3, and included is a discussion on the use of arterial and venous blood gases.
Racial Disparities in Cognitive Performance in Mid- and Late Adulthood: Analyses of Two Cohort Studies.

Objectives To examine whether the attenuation of racial disparities observed in physical health outcomes at older ages can be extended to cognitive outcomes in mid- and late-life samples. Design Cross-sectional associations between race and cognitive functioning were examined as a function of age. Setting The National Survey of Midlife Development in the United States (MIDUS) and the Washington Heights-Inwood Columbia Aging Project (WHICAP). Participants Non-Hispanic African American or white individuals aged 40 and older (MIDUS; n = 3875, 10.5% African American) and non-Hispanic African American or white individuals aged 65 and older without a diagnosis of dementia (WHICAP; n = 2,729, 53.8% African American). Measurements Composite scores of executive functioning and episodic memory. Results Independent of main effects of age, birth cohort, sex, education, and chronic health conditions, significant interactions between age and race indicated that racial disparities in episodic memory and executive functioning were larger at younger than older age in both samples. Conclusion Attenuation of racial inequalities in older age can be extended to cognitive outcomes, which probably reflects selective survival. Research on cognitive disparities or on race-specific causes of cognitive outcomes in old age must incorporate corrections for selective survival if the goal is to identify causal predictors of cognitive outcomes rather than merely statistical predictors.
Warm ischemic injury of the lung.

Canine left lower lobes which were subjected to 3 hours of warm ischemia in an atelectatic condition were compared to lobes which had not been stored. During short-term reimplantation studies, the injured lobes were characterized by marked weight gain, diminution in blood flow, increased vascular resistance, and peak airway pressure. The ventilation/perfusion ratios were high and considerable dead-space ventilation was present. Hypoxic vasoconstriction occurred in both control and stored lobes, and shunt determinations did not vary because of the low blood flows observed. Some or all of these physiological changes max serve to develop a simple screening method to evaluate techniques of pulmonary preservation.
Marginally elevated prolactin levels require magnetic resonance imaging and evaluation for acromegaly

Marginal elevations in serum PRL concentration represent a particularly difficult diagnostic dilemma. In most cases, mild hyperprolactinemia is not associated with organic disease. Patients with menstrual disturbances, galactorrhea, and confirmed elevations in serum PRL should have a screening TSH to rule out primary hypothyroidism (5). In cases where there is no clear etiology of hyperprolactinemia, an MRI should be performed. Magnetic resonance imaging with gadolinium is more sensitive and specific than CT scanning in detecting all types of pituitary tumors and is the study of choice (4). Further, a serum IGF-1 level (or OGTT) should be obtained when clinical symptoms and/or a pituitary mass suggest the possibility of acromegaly. An individual with abnormal GH screening tests but an unremarkable MRI would be subjected to an especially careful follow-up, including IGF-1 and PRL levels every 6 to 12 months. In this way, early tumor growth may be detected making a surgical cure more likely (Fig. 1). Although we have stressed the importance of GH-producing tumors as a cause of hyperprolactinemia, other tumor types of the pituitary may do so as well. Most of these will be detected by MRI.
The Acute Abdomen

The acute abdomen in a patient with cancer requires the surgeon to think along a broad differential with special attention to triage and the larger context of the patient’s wishes, prognosis, and goals of care. Abdominal pain in the cancer patient may also be from diseases common to the general population including appendicitis, diverticulitis, or cholecystitis. Pain may be due to cancer or therapy-specific complications such as obstruction secondary to a malignant mass or radiation-induced stricture, perforation secondary to tumor necrosis or chronic distal obstruction, ischemia, or infection. Ultimately, the surgeon is tasked with properly diagnosing the disease entity in a timely fashion and directing therapy in conjunction with the medical and radiation oncologists considering the patient life expectancy, wishes, and quality of life. It is always indicated to discuss the patient and family wishes when establishing care or initiating aggressive medical or surgical treatments, rather than waiting to deal with major decisions only in presence of a life-threatening emergency.
Significance of Organ Crosstalk in Insulin Resistance and Type 2 Diabetes

Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a metabolic disorder that affects humans worldwide and is an increasing economic burden on society. The disease has profound implications at the systemic level as a consequence of unregulated high blood glucose levels that lead to serious organ-specific complications. The cause of DM could be either secondary to lack of insulin due to autoimmune destruction of pancreatic β-cells (type 1 diabetes mellitus or T1D), or due to an inability of the pancreatic β-cells to compensate for the ambient insulin resistance in peripheral metabolic tissues (type 2 diabetes mellitus or T2D) [1] ; [2] ; [3] ; [4] ; [5] ; [6] . Insulin resistance is an early determinant of T2D, and a better understanding of the molecular basis underlying insulin resistance is essential for planning the treatment of the human disease [7] . Insulin resistance results from a combination of genetic and environmental factors and is defined as an inability of a given amount of bioactive insulin to adequately lower blood glucose levels [8] ; [9] ; [10] ; [11] ; [12] ; [13] ; [14] ; [15] . From clinical studies in humans, it is evident that defects within the insulin signal transduction machinery occur early and lead to an insulin resistant state. However, the precise molecular alterations that lead to insulin resistance in target tissues that are important for metabolism of the organism are not fully defined. While insulin-mediated reduction in blood glucose levels is achieved mostly by stimulating glucose uptake by muscle and adipose tissues and by suppression of hepatic glucose production, other effects of insulin on non-classical tissues have recently been reported to contribute significantly to the pathogenesis of the disease. In this chapter we will review the inter-relationships between various tissues and how their mutual crosstalk has the potential to alter glucose metabolism and insulin sensitivity in the pathophysiological state. Together, these emerging studies indicate that a better understanding of multi-level organ crosstalk is critical for the long-term goal of developing effective strategies to prevent and/or delay the onset of T2D.
Wide Variability in Caloric Density of Expressed Human Milk Can Lead to Major Underestimation or Overestimation of Nutrient Content.

Background:Very-low-birth-weight infants continue to face significant difficulties with postnatal growth. Human milk is the optimal form of nutrition for infants but may exhibit variation in nutrient content.Objective:This study aimed to perform macronutrient analysis on expressed human milk from mothers whose babies are hospitalized in the neonatal intensive care unit.Methods:Up to five human milk samples per participant were analyzed for protein, carbohydrate, and fat content using reference chemical analyses (Kjeldahl for protein, high pressure liquid chromatography for carbohydrates, and Mojonnier for fat). Calorie content was calculated.Results:A total of 64 samples from 24 participants was analyzed. Wide variability was found in calorie, protein, carbohydrate, and fat composition. The authors found an average of 17.9 kcal/ounce, with only 34% of samples falling within 10% of the expected caloric density.Conclusion:The assumption that human milk contains 20 kcal/ounce is no longer supported based on ...
Polymeric Controlled Drug Delivery Systems: Rational Design and Development

Polymeric controlled drug delivery systems have emerged as important pharmaceutical dosage forms because it was recognized that drug delivery affords many medical and commercial advantages. Also, advances in polymer science and technology have enabled the economic manufacture and reproducible performance characteristics of drug devices. This paper provides an overview of oral controlled-release dosage forms: their rationale, principles governing their design and development, technologies available for drug delivery and their selection, and physiochemical principles governing the kinetics of drug release. Polymers studied for drug delivery applications and their selection, approaches to achieve constant release rates, and commercially important controlled drug delivery devices are discussed.
Believability When N = 1

Despite an increasing interest in single-subject studies, stigmatic implications cloud the believability of ideographic (N=1) research. By comparing the assumptions of both nomothetic (large N) and ideographic research designs, a rationale for the acceptance of the results of single-subject research is proposed. The logic of experimentation, generation of the data, controls for internal and external validity, and the aspects of statistical manipulation are factors that affect all research. Believable answers to meaningful experimental questions may be generated when N=1, and it is the logic which underlies the experimental question which most clearly differentiates single-subject from group research.
Visions, Wars, and Utopias of the Russian Avant-Garde

While the aspiration to harmony, utopian in its essence, became a distinctive feature in the particular vein of modernist aesthetics, interested in constructive principles, which came to the fore after the October Revolution in the early 1920s, another line, which will interest me the most in this essay, had been predominant during 1912-17, and developed in quite a different direction, striving for dystopia, dissonance, and the absurd. The metaphor of war in the pre-revolutionary avant-garde was paradigmatic to the concept of innovation and directly linked to the rather symbolic “destruction” of previous achievements. A deeper understanding of avant-garde ideology—on social, political, and aesthetic levels—appears when contextualized in relation to World War I. Natalia Goncharova’s series of lithographs Misticheskie obrazy voiny [Mystical Images of War] (1914), Pavel Filonov’s artist book Propeven o prorosli mirovoi [Canticle of World Flowering] (1915), Olga Rozanova’s linocut portfolio Voina [War] (1916), and Aleksei Kruchenykh’s album of collages Vselenskaia voina [Universal War] (1916) were among the most profound artistic responses to the war. These unique works represent three different artistic explorations of the theme, as reflected in neoprimitivist, futurist, and suprematist aesthetics.
On adaptive compressive sensing and radar target recognition

Adaptive or sequential compressive sensing has received considerable attention recently. While some researchers argue that there are fundamental limits to adaptive sensing that prevents it from outperforming non-adaptive compressive sensing, others have shown that adaptive sensing of sparse signals may help speed up applications such as target detection and/or classification, and might even expedite the signal reconstruction process with less compressive measurements. This paper examines the benefits of adaptive compressive sensing of radar target backscatter with emphasis on target classification (which is accomplished using sequential hypotheses testing) and compares the results to non-adaptive compressive sensing of noisy radar signatures.
CARCASS CHILLING AND BONING

A few of the more popular systems of converting animal carcasses into meat are discussed. Some of the factors that influence consumer satisfaction are electrical stimulation, carcasses chilling, addition of salt, carcass boning, and rate of chilling. Factors such as hot boning, modified hot boning, Australian chilling, cold shortening, fat lean ratios, pH, carcass type, animal nutrition, shrinkage, pale, soft, and exudative meat, European Union regulations, hazard analysis and critical control point, spraying, muscle type, scalding/dehairing, freezing, ‘tenderay,’ and ‘tender cut’ are discussed. The characteristics of major meat species are also summarized.
Many Player Differential Games with Coalitions

Results are discussed for differential games with k players where a subset of the players form a coalition. Two solution concepts are presented: coalitive Pareto optimal and Nash coalitive optimal. Through an example it is shown that the concept of coalitive Pareto optimality can be useful to a coalition of all the players in determining which Pareto optimal solutions are rational.
Effects of Growing Medium, Shade Level and Fertilizer Rate on Cladode Color, Yield and Vase Life of Ruscus hypophyllum

Abstract Ruscus hypophyllum L. (Israeli or Holland ruscus) liners were grown from tissue culture in either Florida sedge peat: builders' sand (3:1 by vol) or a commercial soilless medium (Vergro container mix A) until they were large enough to produce harvestable stems for use as cut foliage (florists' greens). Once established, plants were grown in a shadehouse at 50% or 70% shade and were fertilized with either 5, 10 or 15 g (0.18, 0.35 or 0.53 oz) of 17N-2. 6P-10K (17-6-12) controlled-release fertilizer applied every 2 months. Cladode color was not affected by fertilizer level but was affected by both shade level and growing medium, with shade level the more important of the two. Stem numbers and average fresh weight were affected by an interaction of fertilizer rate and growing medium. Maximum stem number occurred at the high fertilizer rate in Vergro and the medium rate in peat:sand while average stem weight was greatest at the high rate in peat:sand and at the medium rate in Vergro. Total stem fresh...
Incorporating media data into a model of infectious disease transmission.

Understanding the effect of media on disease spread can help improve epidemic forecasting and uncover preventive measures to slow the spread of disease. Most previously introduced models have approximated media effect through disease incidence, making media influence dependent on the size of epidemic. We propose an alternative approach, which relies on real data about disease coverage in the news, allowing us to model low incidence/high interest diseases, such as SARS, Ebola or H1N1. We introduce a network-based model, in which disease is transmitted through local interactions between individuals and the probability of transmission is affected by media coverage. We assume that media attention increases self-protection (e.g. hand washing and compliance with social distancing), which, in turn, decreases disease model. We apply the model to the case of H1N1 transmission in Mexico City in 2009 and show how media influence—measured by the time series of the weekly count of news articles published on the outbreak—helps to explain the observed transmission dynamics. We show that incorporating the media attention based on the observed media coverage of the outbreak better estimates the disease dynamics from what would be predicted by using media function that approximate the media impact using the number of cases and rate of spread. Finally, we apply the model to a typical influenza season in Washington, DC and estimate how the transmission pattern would have changed given different levels of media coverage.
Research on Data Exchange Mechanism of Power Trading

The data exchanged between power trading systems is complex and changeable. The traditional way of exchanging data is through web pages. Market members log on to the trade system website and download real-time transaction data in the form of text or tables. This method often cannot adapt to data explosion as the power trading reform. In this paper, the functional and nonfunctional requirements of power trading data exchange were first analyzed. Then an API-oriented interaction mechanism was proposed, based on which an interaction interface was designed. Finally, the mode and format were discussed. Considering the data security and scalability in the transmission process, the encryption and extension method of the data exchange interface were also studied. The data exchange interface of power trading designed in this paper has been applied in China's power trading system.
Nonlinear Combustion Instability in a Multi-Injector Rocket Engine

A computational study is presented of the nonlinear combustion instability of a multi-injector rocket engine. The study addresses a choked nozzle and a combustion chamber with 10 and 19 coaxial inj...
Mice with a Sertoli cell-specific knockout of the Ctr1 gene exhibit a reduced sensitivity to cisplatin-induced testicular germ cell apoptosis

Exposure to the chemotherapeutic agent cis-diamminedichloroplatinum(II) (cDDP) is well known to instigate acute and prolonged testicular injury in male patients. Many investigators have hypothesized that cDDP-induced dysfunction of Sertoli cells (SCs) may, in part, account for the cDDP-induced lasting testicular injury. Nevertheless, the relative contribution of cDDP-induced SC injury versus direct effects on germ cells (GCs) to the pathogenesis of GC loss remains to be elucidated. The expression of the copper transporter 1 (CTR1) protein in cells directly corresponds with cDDP uptake and its cellular toxicity. Therefore, to discern the role of SCs in the pathogenic mechanism, mice were developed with a SC-specific disruption of the Ctr1 gene (SCΔCtr1) as a strategy to prevent their exposure to cDDP. Adult mice at postnatal day (PND) 60 were treated with 5 mg kg−1 cDDP and then testis collected at 48 hours. A two-fold increase in GC-apoptosis occurred in the testis of cDDP-treated wildtype (WT) mice as compared to saline-treated WT mice. In contrast, cDDP-treated SCΔCtr1 mice exhibited only a half-fold increase in GC-apoptosis as compared to the saline-treated SCΔCtr1 mice. This reduced incidence of GC apoptosis in the SCΔCtr1 mice corresponded to a significantly lower level of platinum within the testis. Taken together, these findings reveal that the uptake of cDDP by CTR1 in SCs accounts for the accumulation of cDDP in the testis and plays a pivotal role in the pathogenic sequence of events leading to the loss of germ cells via apoptosis.
Waveguide Excitation Using On-Chip Antenna for Wireline Data Links

Wireline communication systems using millimeterwave CMOS transceivers can benefit from high data rates when multiple channels are aggregated. The individual channels can be combined to provide rates approaching that of optoelectronic systems without the transition loss. This paper presents the excitation of a wideband waveguide using a dual-band dipole antenna fabricated in 65 nm CMOS technology for use in a wireline system. The on-chip dipole is designed for 180 and 315 GHz and implemented in a cross-configuration to provide horizontal and vertical polarization. The paper presents the simulation results for the dipole antenna and the waveguide excitation using the antenna.
Osteochondritis Dissecans of the Knee: Pathophysiology and Treatment

Osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) involves injury to the subchondral bone, which can progress to involve the overlying articular cartilage. Despite being a known clinical entity for more than 120 years, there is no consensus as to the etiology. Furthermore, there is a paucity of high level literature on this topic and not one paper on the natural history of OCD. Patients with OCD of the knee often present with nonspecific knee pain worse with activity.Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) is the imaging modality of choice to help guide treatment decisions. Treatment for OCD lesions is dictated by many factors; however physeal status, lesion stability, and lesion size are the most important to consider when contemplating surgery. This chapter discusses common surgical treatment options for OCD including retro- and transarticular drilling, stabilization of the lesions with metallic and/or bioabsorbable screws, microfracture, osteochondral autograft transfer system (OATS), autologous chondrocyte implantation (ACI), and newer cartilage treatment techniques. Return-to-play guidelines after different surgical options for OCD are also discussed. While considerable progress has been made in the treatment of this condition, current treatment options lack uniform success, and future research is required.
O2-oxidation of individual graphite and graphene nanoparticles in the 1200–2200 K range: Particle-to-particle variations and the evolution of the reaction rates and optical properties

Abstract The kinetics for O2 oxidation of individual graphite and graphene platelet nanoparticles (NPs) were studied as a function of temperature (1200–2200 K) at varying oxygen partial pressures, using a single nanoparticle mass spectrometry method. NP temperature (TNP) was measured by measuring the NP thermal emission spectra during the kinetics studies. The initial oxidation efficiency is found to peak in the 1200–1500 K range, dropping by an order of magnitude as TNP was increased above 2000 K. There were large NP-to-NP variations in the oxidation rates, attributed to variations in the NP surface structure. In addition, the oxidation efficiencies evolved, non-monotonically, as the NPs reacted, decreasing by factors of between 10 and 300. This evolution of reactivity is attributed to changes in the NP surface structure due to the combination of oxidation and annealing. The optical properties, including wavelength dependence of the emissivity and the absorption cross section for the 532 nm heating laser, also tended to evolve as the NPs oxidized, but differently for each individual NP, presumably reflecting differences in the initial structures and their evolution.
Utilization of Safe Fall Landing Strategies in Physical Therapist Management of Geriatric Populations: A Case Report.

Objective Safe fall landing strategies (SFLS) have shown promise to decrease injury during falls but have been examined primarily in young, healthy populations. There is emerging evidence to suggest SFLS can be safe and effective for a geriatric population; however, this intervention has not been examined in a clinical physical therapist practice setting. This case study seeks to determine how SFLS can be incorporated into a physical therapy program with a geriatric population. Methods (case description) A 77-year-old woman reported imbalance and inability to return to her previous active lifestyle. Multiple SFLS were implemented during the course of physical therapist management. Controlled fall heights were gradually progressed over the course of therapy. Results Gains in Patient Specific Functional Scale score (initial score = 2.5, discharge score = 8), static balance, and ability to perform floor-to-waist lifting were seen following physical therapist intervention that included SFLS. The patient was able to perform a back fall and a front fall from a standing position and reported no adverse side effects throughout the course of physical therapist care. Conclusion This case report demonstrates how SFLS were safely and pragmatically progressed for 1 patient in a clinical physical therapy setting. SFLS may have the potential to improve patient outcomes and even decrease the risks associated with falls, though further evaluation is needed. Impact This case report introduces SFLS as an emerging intervention in the clinical physical therapist practice setting. This case report should encourage future research needed to assess the effectiveness and safety of this treatment strategy in physical therapy.
Beyond Tickets and Comma Splices: Using Writing Center Coaching Techniques to Support Online Learners

Many college students struggle with technical difficulties when enrolled in an online or hybrid class. Sometimes students do not even have a choice about online options, such as in the COVID-19 era, when the shift to remote instruction has happened and could happen at any time. Students need support for success in the online environment, yet many support models focus on the immediate problem rather than deeper root causes for the problem or misunderstanding. Traditional support models may use a ticketbased system that strives to quickly resolve the issue at hand. While the ticket-based system has some merit, there is a need for additional support via a technology coaching approach, which was influenced by writing center philosophies. This type of approach can focus on teaching students proper netiquette, appropriate techniques, and basic computer skills, which will enable them to succeed not just in a single online course but also in an online program or an eventual work environment. The article concludes with a discussion of collaboration and the importance of slow thinking, a concept inspired by the Slow Food movement which actively encourages problem solving and reflection.
Iron filings application to reduce lake sediment phosphorus release

Natarajan P, Gulliver JS, Arnold WA. 2021. Iron filings application to reduce lake sediment phosphorus release. Lake Reserv Manage. 27:143–159. Surface water impairments due to excess phosphorus lo...
Vulvar apocrine hidradenocarcinoma arising in a hidradenoma papilliferum—A case report

Hidradenoma papilliferum (HP) is a benign adnexal neoplasm of the vulva that typically presents as a unilateral, flesh-colored papule in the labium majus in middle-aged Caucasian women. It is considered to be a close counterpart of the intraductal papilloma of the breast. Malignant transformation is rare with few reports in the literature. We present a case of vulvar mammary-type apocrine hidradenocarcinoma arising in an HP.
The canal and the pool: infrastructures of abundance and the invention of the modern desert

Modernist ontologies of water physically materialise in Phoenix’s landscape: over 100 miles of canals convey water to the suburban grid, where thousands of gallons are piped into backyard swimming ...
Group Selection and the Limits to Altruism

Several evolutionary mechanisms have been identified in the literature that would generate altruism in humans. The most powerful (except for kin selection) and most controversial is group selection, as recently analyzed by Sober & D.S. Wilson. I do not take a stand on the issue of the existence of group selection. Instead, I examine the level of human altruism that could exist if group selection were an engine of human evolution. For the Sober & Wilson mechanism to work, groups practicing altruism must grow faster than other groups. I call altruistic behavior that would lead to faster growth ‘efficient altruism’. This often consists of cooperation in a prisoner's dilemma. ltruistic acts such as helping a temporarily hungry or injured person would qualify as efficient altruism. Efficient altruism would also require monitoring recipients to avoid shirking. Utilitarianism would be an ethical system consistent with efficient altruism, but Marxism or the Rawlsian system would not. Discussions of efficient altruism also help understand intuitions about fairness. We perceive those behaviors as ‘fair’ that are consistent with efficient altruism. It is important to understand that, even if humans are selected to be altruistic, the forms of altruism that might exist must be carefully considered and ircumscribed.
Plume Behavior in Stable Air

Because stable plumes tend to have less impact at ground level, the behavior of plumes from elevated sources in stable air has not attracted the same interest that plume behavior in unstable air has. However, some aspects of stable-plume behavior hold great interest. For example, concentrations in the plume remain high for long periods of time, which increases the importance of chemical reactions taking place among plume constituents or between constituents and the ambient air. The nature of the stable plume also has its effect during periods of fumigation, when the high concentrations within the plume are mixed to ground level by the onset of unstable conditions.
The Effect of Privatization on Public and Private Prison Lobbies

Private prison firms are often accused of lobbying for incarceration because, like a hotel, they have "a strong economic incentive to book every available room and encourage every guest to stay as long as possible." This accusation has little support, either theoretical or empirical. At worst, the political influence argument is backward: privatization will in fact decrease prison providers' pro-incarceration influence. At best, the argument is dubious: its accuracy depends on facts that proponents of the argument haven't developed.
Filament Fracture and Postimpact Strength of Boron-Aluminum Composites

A preceding study of the fracture behavior of shock-loaded boron-aluminum composites indicated that these materials can have a spall resistance substantially greater than that of unreinforced alu minum. In the present investigation, filament fracture and postimpact tensile strength of a similar composite system were studied. Filament damage was produced by the thin-flyer, plate-impact technique using momentum traps to suppress spall. The specimens contained approxi mately 50 volume percent boron filaments in a plasma-sprayed 6061- aluminum matrix. Filaments were in two mutually perpendicular di rections and the specimens were impacted normal to the plane of reinforcement. Filament fracture was shown to be an important impact damage mechanism in brittle-filament reinforced composites. Filaments were fractured during the initial passage of the loading wave by interactions between adjacent or contacting filaments and by focusing of stresses in isolated fibers. The tensile strength of specimens was reduced by...
Parallel Routing Table Computation for Scalable IP Routers

The exponential growth of Internet traffic requires that routers be scalable. A generic scalable IP router is typically composed of a number of routing nodes (RNs) interconnected by a scalable switching fabric. A critical issue in the design of scalable IP routers is to provide a global and consistent routing table in such distributed-memory architectures. A parallel routing table computation approach is proposed in this paper. By dividing an OSPF area into a number of disjoint Within-Area-Routing-Regions (WARRs), the computation required to calculate the routing table can be divided into multiple independent portions and done by different RNs in parallel. Compared to conventional approaches, this approach can have a speedup between n and n2 for within-area link state updates and n for outside-area link state updates, where n is the number of RNs in the router. This parallel routing table computation approach requires no modification of OSPF.