cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Advance Letter in Mail Surveys

To lessen the problem of bias caused by nonresponse in mail surveys, and, at the same time to retain the economies of the mail approach, researchers have attempted to minimize nonresponse through a variety of techniques. Some of the techniques involve such devices as short versus long questionnaires, printed versus mimeographed questionnaires, questionnaires on colored paper versus white paper, special delivery and air mail postage versus regular postage, stamps versus metered postage, and cash premiums versus no premium. Some of these methods have been successful; others have not. One device to increase returns is the advance letter, usually mailed about one week before the questionnaire. Contents of the letter vary but generally they inform the recipient of a mail survey and the questionnaire. The importance of the study is stressed along with a request for the recipient's cooperation. The object is to increase response, but the letter may have other effects on the survey operation. Although the advance letter has been used numerous times, little evidence exists on the effectiveness of it and other advance notices such as postcards and telephone calls. In one study Kephart and Bressler [3] randomly subdivided a sample of 1,000 nurses into ten groups with each group receiving certain inducements to reply. The advance letter did not have a significant influence on the response rate. In fact, a follow-up letter produced a significantly higher response than the advance letter. Contrary to these results, Erdos claims that an advance card or letter sent out a few days before mailing will improve returns [2]. He cites a consumer survey to support his contention but gives no empirical evidence. Waisanen [5] tested the effectiveness of an advance telephone call to randomly selected persons in a sample of 300 families; one half owned TV sets and one half did not. Telephone calls were more effective sta
Determining the Effect of Aging on the Air Void of Asphalt Concrete for Sustainable Pavement

Abstract For sustainable pavement design, accurate determination of the deterioration/change of properties of Asphalt Concrete (AC) with service life is essential. This is because, properties of AC change with the service life due to the continuous aging. Effects of aging on stiffness, fatigue life, etc. are well known; whereas, effect of aging on the air void of AC is still an unknown issue. This study investigates the effects of aging on air void of AC sample. Asphalt beam samples were prepared in the laboratory and subjected to field aging, and artificial laboratory oven aging. The air voids of the AC samples at different conditioning periods were determined following the AASHTO test protocol. Results show that aging does not cause a change in the air void of AC.
Racial Differences Among Factors Associated with Participation in Clinical Research Trials.

To identify whether racial differences exist among various factors associated with patients’ decision to participate in clinical research trials. A self-administered, IRB-approved survey was utilized with inclusion criteria requiring subjects to be 18 years of age or older, having active patient status and ability to complete the survey without assistance. Subjects were asked to rate potential influential motivators, barriers, and facilitators on a “no influence” (0) to “most influence” (4) scale for participation in research that tests a new drug or device. Kruskal-Wallis testing was used to identify factors significantly associated with race. Analysis included 1643 surveys: 949 (57.8 %) Caucasian; 217 (13.2 %) African-American; 317 (19.3 %) Hispanic; 62 (3.8 %) Multiracial; and 98 (6.0 %) “Other” minorities. Statistically significant differences (p ≤ .02) by race were found for five out of ten motivating factors. “How well the research study is explained to me” had the highest mean value for all races except other minorities, for whom “Knowledge learned from my participation will benefit someone in the future” scored highest. “Risk of unknown side-effects” was the greatest barrier for all races. Racial differences exist not only between Caucasians and Minorities for the factors associated with their clinical trial participation, but also among different minority races themselves. To promote diversity in research, recruitment strategies for each individual race should be customized based on what matters to the target population.
Imag(in)ing War Trauma in Sakaguchi Ango's “The Idiot” and Ōe Kenzaburō's “Prize Stock”

ABSTRACTAccording to trauma studies specialists such as Pierre Janet, Judith Herman, and Walter A. Davis, traumatic events and experiences cannot be known, understood, communicated, or learned from until they have been adequately constituted in language, symbol, and image. In this essay, I use Davis's concepts of “aesthetic cognition” and “vital images” to examine two scenes of extreme interpersonal violence. The first appears in “Hakuchi” (“The Idiot”), Sakaguchi Ango's 1946 story based on his personal experience of the fire-bombing attacks on Tokyo, and the second appears in “Shiiku” (“Prize Stock”), Nobel Prize-winning author Ōe Kenzaburō's debut work in which he represents integral aspects of his own overwhelming childhood experience of war and defeat. After introducing Davis's theoretical conceptions and providing background and context for the stories, I analyze and interpret the vital images showcased therein on interpersonal, nation-state, and international levels. In closing, I reflect on the val...
Introduction to Electrochemistry and the Use of Electrochemistry to Synthesize and Evaluate Catalysts for Water Oxidation and Reduction

Electrochemical analysis is an important skill to teach in chemistry curricula because it is a critical tool in current high-impact chemical research. Electrochemistry enables researchers to analyze a variety of systems extending from molecules to materials that encompass research themes ranging from clean energy to substrate activation in biological systems. Specifically, it can reveal information about catalytic efficiency, the role of catalysts, and the nature of chemical reduction and oxidation (redox) processes. Researchers working in the area of catalysis rely heavily on electrochemistry, using it to identify effective catalysts and optimize reaction conditions. This laboratory experiment begins with an introductory tutorial to electrochemistry by guiding students through the use of several electrochemical techniques using the ferricyanide/ferrocyanide redox couple as a model system. The techniques covered in the tutorial include cyclic voltammetry, differential pulse voltammetry, Tafel analysis, an...
Cognitive Deficits and MRI in Sickle Cell Disease

The risk of subtle brain abnormalities in children with sickle cell disease (SCD) and their relationship to blood hematocrit was determined by prospective comparison of 50 patients and 52 controls studied at St Jude Children’s Research Hospital, Memphis, TN.
On-line fault detection and diagnosis for chiller system

Fault detection and diagnosis for heating, ventilation and air conditioning system (HVAC) significantly impact energy efficiency and human thermal comfort. A model-based fault diagnosis method is presented in this paper to provide reliable estimation of multiple and simultaneous fault conditions at the component level, in the presence of measurement noisy and time-varying operation conditions. The method is based on particle filtering (PF), a Bayesian nonlinear joint-state-and-parameter estimation technique, with physical health parameters that describe the operation status of HVAC components as input. A reference model is established first under nominal situation to express the health parameters as functions of operation conditions, through a kernel-based partial least square method, which demonstrates strong capability on revealing the underlying connections between system outputs and inputs. Subsequently, the residual for each health parameter is generated by comparing the measured value to its benchmark provided by reference models. Variations of these residuals reveal the fault location and type. In addition, trending of residuals enabled by PF evaluates fault severity and predict fault deterioration rate in the future. The developed method is applied to a chiller plant, which is a critical sub-system of the HVAC, and is shown to be effective in identifying and tracking faults, such as condenser fouling, refrigerant leakage, and reduced evaporator water flow.
Cerebral Oxygen Saturation in Sickle Cell Patients Treated with Hydroxyurea

Recently we reported the use of a non-invasive near-infrared optical spectroscopy technique to measure cerebral oxygenation (cerebral oximetry, rSO2%) in agroup of 27 adult patients with sickle cell disease (Eur J Clin Invest, 34:143,2004). The sickle cell patients’ rSO2 values were significantly lower (mean 47.7%) than those in normal subjects (mean 61.3%) even though none of the patients had clinical evidence of stroke or cerebral ischemia. We included patients with all Hb phenotypes, and regardless of hydroxyurea (HU) treatment. Transfusions improved cerebral oxygen saturation but the post-transfusion values still did not reach normal levels. Our findings were corroborated independently by Raj et al. who studied 25 children with sickle cell disease (J Pediat Hematol Oncol 26:279,2004). In order to determine if long-term HU treatment affects rSO2, we analyzed cerebral oximetry results in a subset of 31 patients with sickle cell anemia (Hb SS). Eleven of them were on long-term (more than 6 months) HU treatment at stable doses (1000–1500 mg/day). The table shows that the mean rSO2, Hb, Hct, and MCV in HU-treated patients were significantly higher than those in sickle cell anemia (SCA) patients not on HU. The rSO2 in HU-treated patients was 12.5% higher than in SS patients not on this drug. By comparison, we previously reported a 24% increment in rSO2 following transfusions. A group of 8 patients who were on long-term HU treatment were given also single 1000 mg oral doses of HU and their rSO2 was measured for 12 hours without noticeable change in cerebral oxygenation. Nor did rSO2 change after oxygen inhalation (3L/min). The cause of the low rSO2 in sickle cell patients is unknown and still under investigation. It is probably not related exclusively to the anemia, since, as previously reported, anemic subjects without sickle cell disease appear to have normal rSO2. These preliminary results indicate that chronic HU treatment is associated with higher rSO2 values in SCA. If validated in a larger number of patients, our findings suggest that cerebral oximetry could be a useful, non-invasive method for assessing a new in vivo effect of HU and red cell transfusion in sickle cell disease: increased blood oxygen saturation in the cerebral vasculature. HYDROXYUREA AND CEREBRAL OXYGEN SATURATION IN PATIENTS WITH SICKLE CELL DISEASE | | NO HYDROXYUREA (N=20) | HYDROXYUREA (N=11) | P value* | |:-----------------------------------------------------------------------------:| --------------------- | ------------------ | -------- | | rSO2 = cerebral oxygen saturation. *= t-test. Plus/minus figures represent SD | | Mean rSO2 (%) | 41 ± 6.6 | 46 ± 7.6 | 0.025 | | Mean Hb (g/dl) | 8.4 ± 1.4 | 9.68 ± 1.2 | 0.029 | | Mean Hct (%) | 24± 3.4 | 28± 4.4 | 0.027 | | Mean MCV (fl) | 89± 8 | 102± 7 | 0.028 |
Traces of the Trinity: Signs, Sacraments and Sharing God's Life, Andrew Robinson

It is rare to find a book as audacious as Andrew Robinson's work in Traces of the Trinity. The audacity is not in the tone of the work or the implications of its claims; in fact, the radicalness of...
Effectiveness of a Single 3 Mg Rasburicase Dose for the Management of Hyperuricemia in Patients with Hematologic Malignancies.

Abstract Abstract 2479 Poster Board II-456 Hyperuricemia(HU) is a frequent complication following therapy for hematologolical malignancies(HM). Conventional therpy with alkalinization, hydration and allopurinol may not be sufficient to lower pre-existingly high uric acid levels(UA). Rasburicase, recombinant urate oxidase, when given at pediatric doses(0.15-.2mg/kg/d x 3-5d)is very effective in lowering UA levels 7 mg/dL) in 247 adult patients with hematologic malignancies. 28% had renal failure (serum creatinine >2.5 mg/dL) and 29% had tumor lysis syndrome. The median dose of 36 μg/kg (range 18-65) was a fraction of the recommended pediatric dose of 0.75-1.0 mg/kg over 5 days. The median change in the uric acid levels at 24 hours was -4.1 mg/dL (range -12 to +1) and -45% (range -95 to +9). The uric acid levels normalized at 24 hours in 78% of patients. There was no relationship between the weight-adjusted dose and uric acid decline. The only predictor of resolution of hyperuricemia was baseline uric acid; the failure rate was 84% with baseline uric acid of >12 mg/dL compared to 18% if the baseline level was '12. The level continued to decline beyond 24 hours in the majority of patients in the absence of additional doses. Serum creatinine remained stable over 24 hours and declined over 48 hours and 7 days. There was no relationship between the extent of reduction in uric acid levels and serum creatinine. The approach We conclude that a single 3 mg dose of rasburicase, used with close clinical and laboratory monitoring, is sufficient in most adults with elevated serum uric acid levels up to 12 mg/dL. The best approach to patients with higher levels remains unclear. Table 2: . Serum uric acid and creatinine levels and changes (median, range) Serum uric acid (Median, range) Baseline level (mg/dL) 9.3 (7.1–27.3) 24-hour level (mg/dL) 5.3 (0.5–23.0) 24-hour direction of change Any increase 9 (3%) No change 1 ( Any decrease 277 (97%) Increase or 21 (7%) ≥10% decrease 266 (93%) 24-hour absolute change (mg/dL) −4.1 (−12 to +1) 24-hour per cent change (%) −45 (−95 to +9) 24-hour level >7 mg/dL 81 (28%) 24-hour level >5 mg/dL 150 (52%) Serum creatinine (Median, range) Baseline level (mg/dL) 1.7 (0.6–9.7) 24-hour level (mg/dL) 1.6 (0.6–8.7) 24-hour direction of change Any increase 88 (31%) No change 54 (19%) Any decrease 145 (50%) ≥10% increase 52 (18%) 143 (50%) ≥10% decrease 92 (32%) 24-hour absolute change (mg/dL) −0.1 (−3.3 to +1.4) 24-hour per cent change (%) −3 (−80 to +70) Serum uric acid (mg/dL) 24/7 failure P 24/5 failure P ≤10 13% 38% >10 64% 85% ≤12 18% 45% >12 84% 93% ≤15 25% 50% >15 79% 89% Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Hemostatic Factors Support Colitis and Colitis-Associated Colon Cancer

Abstract Inflammatory bowel disease has been recognized as an important risk factor in the development of colon cancer for decades. However, the factors that support the inflammatory response in this setting are not fully defined. Given that activation of the hemostatic system is a consistent feature of colitis, and previous studies have shown that hemostatic factors are key regulators of inflammation in other settings, we hypothesized that the platelet/fibrinogen axis plays an important role in inflammatory colitis. In order to explore whether fibrinogen interactions with leukocytes or platelets contribute to colitis, we challenged gene-targeted mice expressing mutant forms of fibrinogen lacking the binding motifs recognized by the leukocyte integrin αMβ2 (Fibγ390–396A mice) or the platelet integrin αIIbβ3 (FibγΔ5 mice) with dextran sodium sulfate (DSS). The severity of colonic injury and inflammation in Fibγ390–396A mice were dramatically diminished relative to control animals based on multiple histopathological criteria, including edema, erosion/ulceration, crypt loss, and inflammatory cell infiltration. DSS-challenged Fibγ390–396A mice also exhibited significantly diminished circulating levels of the inflammatory cytokine IL-6. These studies support the general conclusion that fibrinogen-αMβ2 interactions are an important determinant of inflammatory processes within the colon. Complementary studies of FibγΔ5 mice suggest that fibrinogen interaction with the platelet integrin αIIbβ3 is also a determinant of colitis-associated pathologies. Here, initial studies of FibγΔ5 mice revealed that the loss of platelet-fibrinogen interactions results in a significant, but counterintuitive, diminution in colitis-associated GI bleeding and weight loss. Fibrinogen-supported platelet deposition and activation are likely to contribute to inflammatory disease processes though multiple mechanisms, but a contribution of the many proinflammatory cytokines and chemokines present within the platelet secretome may be a significant factor. In addition to supporting colitis, hemostatic factors contribute to the more complex process of colitis-associated cancer (CAC) progression. In this regard, it is notable that Fibγ390–396A mice developed significantly fewer colonic adenomas relative to control mice when challenged with a combination of azoxymethane, a DNA alkylator, and DSS. Indeed, ~30% of Fibγ390–396A mice had no discernable adenomas, while penetrance was 100% in control mice. Furthermore, the tumors harvested from Fibγ390–396A mice were significantly smaller than those observed in wild-type mice, resulting in a profound diminution in total tumor burden. These results support the conclusion that the platelet/fibrinogen axis is a major determinant of inflammatory colitis and colitis-associated cancer progression, and therapies designed to disrupt inflammatory pathways at the level of hemostatic factors could be useful in the treatment or prevention of colitis or colitis-associated colon cancer.
Molecular Markers and Mutational Analysis

Improvements in systemic therapies, surgical techniques, and efforts aimed at screening and early detection have led to a gradual decrease in colorectal cancer (CRC) incidence and mortality in the United States [1]. Nevertheless, CRC remains a leading cause of cancer death resulting in approximately 49,700 deaths annually [2]. Rectal cancer accounts for 30% of all newly diagnosed large bowel cancers with an estimated 39,610 new cases each year [2]. The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) Project reported that the difference between cancers of the colon and rectum is largely based on anatomic location as comprehensive molecular characterization of these tumors has demonstrated that the two diseases share similar genomic alterations and are molecularly indistinguishable [3]. As with colon cancer, early-stage rectal cancer is cured in the majority of cases with multimodal therapy including surgery, radiation, and chemotherapy. However, approximately 25% of patients will present with metastatic disease at the time of diagnosis. Another 30–50% of patients with locoregional disease who undergo surgical resection with curative intent will develop recurrence. In these unresectable patients, systemic therapy plays a key role in their overall survival, and while the introduction of new cytotoxic drugs has improved outcomes, survival in this high-risk group is only approximately 20% at 5 years.
Principles for public health ethics

Summary This paper is organized to accomplish three objectives. First, it explains what the principles approach to ethics looks like and why it can be very helpful to establishing a field. Second, it proposes a set of principles for public health ethics. Since public health ethics is a relatively new field, and not the same as biomedical ethics, these will not be the same principles as the principles of biomedical ethics, but perhaps can be just as helpful to their own field as biomedical ethics has been to its now well-established field. Third, it briefly discusses how environmental ethics is yet another subject, distinct from public health ethics and deserving of its own principles. I briefly mention what those principles might be, in case some people with an interest in public health ethics also have an interest in environmental ethics but have failed to carefully distinguish the two subjects. If one does not make the differences clear, one might mistakenly be led to criticize the principles of public health ethics for not including environmental ethics. Both fields are equally important but they have distinct concerns (population health versus the health of species and ecosystems) and different professions engaged in their protection.
A Nobel Prize in Legal Science: Theory, Empirical Work, and the Scientific Method in the Study of Law

Will there ever be a Nobel Prize in law? I use this question as a framework for discussing the current state of legal scholarship and the trend toward making legal scholarship more "scientific." I discuss the meaning of "science" and the scientific method and summarize the various theories that have developed over time to verify, modify, or reject scientific paradigms. Next, I consider whether the study of law is a science. All sciences share core theoretical beliefs about the same class of phenomena and agreed-upon methods of establishing the validity of claims made about those phenomena. This allows for the transnational study and dissemination of information about that scientific field, regardless of the country of origin of that information. Most legal academics believe that this description of a science does not and, more importantly, could not apply to their field. Rather, they argue that their field of study is inherently local by both geography and subject matter. Therefore, a legal academic who studies the tort liability regime in Moldova is generally thought to be studying something very different from someone who studies contract law in Moldova or the tort liability regime in Laos. I make three claims. First, I argue that there is no inherent reason why law cannot be scientific. There is no inherent reason within law why there cannot be a transnational theoretical core about, say, tort liability of which each particular jurisdiction's instantiation is but an example. I draw the analogy to economics in which there is a single microeconomic theory of individual and group decisionmaking that instantiates into different national and regional economies, as dictated by different histories, social and governmental organization, resource endowments, and personal and group preferences. Second, I argue that law seems to be in the process of developing a transnational theory of organizations, consensual agreements, liability regimes, and more and that law and economics is currently (but not necessarily) the source of that theoretical core. I give examples of four empirical studies of legal issues that illustrate these trends. The astonishing aspect of the first three of these studies is that although they make empirical claims that question widely held beliefs about what the law in action really is, there has been no apparent alteration in what we teach law students in response to these empirical claims. By contrast, the response to Professor Ellickson's remarkable empirical study of the Coase Theorem in Shasta County, California, has been a dramatic alteration in the profession's belief about the Coase Theorem and the centrality of law in affecting behavior - precisely the reaction one would expect in a science in which theory and empirical work are cognizant of and responsive to one another. Third, I believe that this trend toward a more scientific study of law has been greatly spurred by law and economics, whose impact on legal scholarship has been profound in the United States, if not elsewhere.
Quantumness, generalized 2-desing and symmetric informationally complete POVM

C. A. Fuchs and M. Sasaki defined the quantumness of a set of quantum states in [1], which is related to the fidelity loss in transmission of the quantum states through a classical channel. In [4], Fuchs showed that in d-dimensional Hilbert space, minimum quantumness is 2d+1, and this can be achieved by all rays in the space. He lett an open problem, asking whether fewer than d2 states can achieve this bound. Recently, in a different context, A. J. Scott introduced a concept of generalized t-design in [2], which is a natural generalization of spherical t-design. In this paper, we show that the lower bound on the quantumness can be achieved if and only if the states form a generalized 2-design. As a corollary, we show that this bound can be only achieved if the number of states are larger or equal to d2, answering the open problem. Furthermore, we also show that the minimal set of such ensemble is Symmetric Informationally Complete POVM(SICPOVM). This leads to an equivalence relation between SIC-POVM and minimal set of ensemble achieving minimal quantumness.
Angiomyo(epithelio)lipoma of the kidney - a report of 2 cases

Two cases of angiomyolipoma of the kidney in middleaged Black women are described. This may be a more common cause of a renal mass than a carcinoma; it is important to distinguish between the two because of differences in management.
Individual variation in boldness in turtles is consistent across assay conditions and behavioural measures

Temperament traits are often measured under artificial conditions, which may not necessarily predict behaviour in naturalistic contexts. A reliable behavioural assay should yield similar results as tests performed under alternative conditions, but this is not frequently evaluated in free-living animals. Eastern box turtles (Terrapene carolina) exhibit individually consistent boldness behaviour in an artificial confinement assay, so we tested turtles repeatedly using the confinement assay along with a simulated predator attack assay. Turtles that were bolder during the confinement assay tended to also be bolder after the simulated predator attack, suggesting temperament is not context-specific. Bolder turtles also employed active defences (e.g., fleeing or biting) more often, demonstrating that different behavioural measures yield similar findings. Boldness in these turtles appears to be a generalized temperament trait, and similar procedures could be used in other species as well to establish the sensitivity of behavioural assessments in the field to assay conditions.
Research on the Visualization Technology of the Secondary Circuit of Intelligent Substation Based on CIM/G

With the wide application of IEC 61850, the actual electrical connection of the cable in the intelligent substation has been replaced by the other media such as the optical fiber, which directly causes the invisibility of the secondary circuit and brings inconvenience to the operation and maintenance. To solve these problems, the visualization technology of the secondary circuit of intelligent substation based on CIM/G is proposed in this paper. The automatic parsing technology of the secondary circuit connection relationship in the SCD file is introduced, together with the automatic generation technology of the visual interface. The visualization technology adopted here not only realizes the static layout of the physical circuit and the logic circuit in the monitoring interface, but also achieves the dynamic refresh of the graphical objects which reflects the real-time status of the circuit. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed methods is successfully demonstrated by the practical application, and the comprehensive performance of this automatic visualization technology is evaluated to be superior to the traditional manual mode.
Lithic economy and prehistoric human behavioral ecology viewed from southern Jordan

Abstract A lithic sourcing study coupled with analyses of lithic reduction strategies and settlement- procurement patterns of Middle Paleolithic (Late Levantine Mousterian) and Early Neolithic (Late Middle PPNB) occupations revealed intertwined factors that shaped the different lithic provisioning strategies of the prehistoric groups. The accessibility and morphometrics of lithic sources, the techniques guiding the reduction process, economizing measures conditioned by elements of Optimal Foraging Theory and the settlement-procurement patterns of the consuming groups were important factors modeling the different lithic provisioning strategies. The interrelationship of these factors traces the complex process of lithic procurement and places it more fully within the context of human behavioral ecology.
Self-optimizing parallel millifluidic reactor for scaling nanoparticle synthesis.

We developed a 16-channel millifluidic reactor that uses a multiphase gas–liquid flow to continuously produce colloidal CsPbBr3 quantum dots with a throughtput of ∼1 L h−1. The optical properties of the product were monitored, and the reaction conditions were optimized in real time based on the in situ photoluminescence characteristics of the quantum dots.
Urinary Tract Infection With Gram-Positive Bacteria Does Not Cause False-Positive Results with the Urine-Based Human Chorionic Gonadotropic Point-of-Care Assay.

Background False-positive results for human chorionic gonadotropic (hCG) on point-of-care (POC) devices can occur for a variety of technical and biological reasons. It has been postulated that urinary tract infection can result in false-positive POC hCG assays, but the cause of this phenomenon remains elusive. Gram-positive bacteria have previously been reported to express an hCG-like molecule. We investigated whether urinary tract infection with Gram-positive bacteria can result in false-positive POC hCG. Methods We utilized remnant clinical urine specimens that had been submitted for culture as part of evaluation for urinary tract infection. Urine specimens with >100,000 colony-forming units per milliliter of Gram-positive bacteria (n = 95) were tested on ICON 20 POC hCG tests (Beckman Coulter). Specimens from adult patients that had been collected for clinical testing in the prior 48 hours were included in the study, and only 1 specimen per patient was included. Results Of 95 patients with Gram-positive urine specimens, 42 (44%) were female, and the median age was 62 years. The most common bacteria identified during clinical urine culture of these patients' specimens were coagulase-negative Staphylococcus species (36/95, 38%), Enterococcus species (34/95, 36%), and Streptococcus agalactiae (9/95, 9%). Five of 95 (5.3%) urine specimens were positive for POC hCG. Chart review revealed that 3 specimens were from pregnant women and 2 were from patients with cancer diagnoses. Conclusions Urine specimens from patients suspected to have urinary tract infection with Gram-positive organisms did not cause positive results on POC hCG test devices.
The use of an activity tracker to objectively measure inpatient activity after bariatric surgery.

Abstract Background Early postoperative ambulation reduces length of stay and prevents postoperative complications after bariatric surgery. Rarely is postoperative inpatient activity objectively measured despite readily available commercial activity trackers. Objectives Evaluate the impact of using activity trackers to record number of inpatient steps taken after bariatric surgery and assess how patient characteristics may affect the number of steps recorded. Setting University Hospital, United States. Methods Using an activity tracker, the number of steps taken during the postoperative hospital stay was recorded for 235 patients undergoing either laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass or laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy. Patients were randomly assigned to either being informed about the devices’ ability to record the number of steps taken or blinded to the purpose of the devices. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize study sample, a t test was used to compare number of steps recorded between groups, and a multivariate regression model was used to examine the effect of age, sex, preoperative body mass index (BMI), types of surgery, and length of stay on number of steps recorded. Results One hundred twenty-five patients (52.8%) were randomized to the blinded group while 111 (47.2%) were informed that the device would record the number of steps taken. There were no differences in the number of steps recorded between the 2 groups. Patients with prolonged length of stay recorded lower numbers of steps taken on postoperative day 0. Increasing age was seen to reduce the number of steps recorded on postoperative day number 1. There were no significant differences in number of steps recorded based on sex, preoperative BMI, or surgery type. Conclusion The present study found that knowledge of an activity tracker being used did not affect the patient’s activity level as measured by steps recorded. Increasing age correlated to reduced number of steps recorded on postoperative day 1 after bariatric surgery.
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and gastroesophageal reflux disease: A population-based case-control study

The possible causative role of gastroesophageal reflux disease(GERD)in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF)has been quite controversial. Another question is if GERD is a consequence of exaggerated negative intrathoracic pressure in IPF rather than an etiology.The objective of this population-based study was to investigate if patients with IPF were at increased risk of GERD exposure(within 5 years prior to the diagnosis) compared to age and sex matched two groups of controls.The two groups of controls were: interstitial lung disease(ILD)other than IPF and subjects with no diagnosed lung disease (population controls).Rochester Epidemiology Project (REP)was used to identify cases of IPF as well as controls (matching between cases and controls 1:2).American Thoracic Society/European Respiratory Society criteria for the diagnosis of IPF were used.A total of 113 IPF cases were identified between Jan 1, 1997 and Jun 30, 2017.When comparing IPF cases with population controls the odds of being exposed to GERD was 1.80(95% CI 1.11-2.93,p-value 0.02)times higher in IPF patients after multivariable adjustments. When comparing with non-IPF controls the odds of GERD were 0.60 times lower(95% CI =0.35-1.03,p=0.06) after multivariable adjustment.This comparison did not reach statistical significance.We conclude from this study when compared to the population control, patients with IPF were at significantly increased risk to have exposure to GERD. This difference was not observed when IPF was compared to non-IPF ILD.GERD can be one of the important contributors to the development of lung fibrosis,it should be addressed adequately when detected in patients with pulmonary fibrosis especially IPF.
The Batalin-Vilkovisky cohomology of the spinning particle

We show that the axiom of Felder and Kazhdan (4) on the vanishing of the co- homology groups in negative degree associated to solutions of the classical master equation in the Batalin-Vilkovisky formalism is violated by the spinning particle in a at background coupled to D = 1 supergravity. In this model, there are nontrivial cohomology groups in all negative degrees, regardless of the dimension of the spacetime in which the spinning particle is propagating.
ThE rOlE Of ThE SElf iN PErSPECTivE-TakiNg aNd EMPaThY: EaSE Of SElf-SiMulaTiON aS a hEuriSTiC fOr iNfErriNg EMPaThiC fEEliNgS

When judging their empathic reactions for another person, people may rely on a relatively effortless, self-based heuristic: the ease with which they can imagine themselves in the other person’s position. We present four studies showing that observers are more empathic to the extent that they can easily imagine themselves in the target’s position, across a wide variety of need domains. Furthermore, we find that use of this “ease of selfsimulation heuristic” (eSS), like other judgment heuristics, is conditioned by certain predictable factors: when deliberate attempts are made to take the perspective of the target person (Study 1), when the target’s needs are ambiguous (Study 2), and when the observer’s ability to engage in more effortful perspective-taking processes are constrained by performing a cognitively demanding second task (Study 3). In the discussion, we evaluate our findings in light of contemporary theorizing on the role of the self in perspective-taking and empathy.
Ultrasound-Guided Caudal Epidural Steroid Injection for Back Pain: A Case Report of Successful Emergency Department Management of Radicular Low Back Pain Symptoms.

Abstract Background Radicular low back pain is difficult to treat and commonly encountered in the Emergency Department (ED). Pain associated with acute radiculopathy results in limited ability to work, function, and enjoy life, and is associated with increased risk of chronic opioid therapy. In this case report, we describe the first ED-delivered ultrasound-guided caudal epidural steroid injection (ESI) used to treat medication-refractory lumbar radiculopathy, which resulted in immediate and sustained resolution of pain. Case Report A 56-year old man with a past medical history of chronic lumbar radiculopathy presented to the ED with acute low back and right lower-extremity pain. Based on history and physical examination, a right L5 radiculopathy was suspected. His pain was poorly controlled despite multimodal analgesia, at which point he was offered admission or an ultrasound-guided caudal ESI. The procedure was performed using dexamethasone, preservative-free normal saline, and preservative-free 1% lidocaine solution, after which the patient reported 100% resolution of his pain and requested discharge from the ED. Why Should an Emergency Physician Be Aware of This? The safety and efficacy of ultrasound-guided caudal ESIs have been established, but there is a paucity of literature exploring their application in the ED. We present a case of a refractory lumbar radiculopathy successfully treated with an ultrasound-guided caudal ESI. ED-performed epidurals can be one additional tool in the emergency physician arsenal to treat acute or chronic lumbar radiculopathy.
Early pregnancy exposure to metal mixture and birth outcomes - A prospective study in Project Viva.

Abstract Background Prenatal exposure to metals has been individually associated with birth outcomes. However, little is known about the effect of metal mixture, particularly at low exposure levels. Objectives To estimate individual and joint effects of metal mixture components on birth outcomes. Methods We used data from 1,391 mother-infant pairs in Project Viva (1999–2002). We measured 11 metals in maternal 1st trimester erythrocyte; abstracted birth weight from medical records; calculated gestational age from last menstrual period or ultrasound; and obtained birth length (n = 729) and head circumference (n = 791) from research measurements. We estimated individual and joint effects of metals using multivariable linear and Bayesian kernel machine regressions. Results In both single metal and metal mixture analyses, exposure to higher concentrations of arsenic was associated with lower birth weight in males, zinc with higher head circumference in females, and manganese with higher birth length in sex-combined analysis. We also observed sex-specific metal interactions with birth outcomes. Arsenic and manganese showed a synergistic association with birth weight in males, in whom an interquartile range (IQR) increase in arsenic was associated with 25.3 g (95% CI: −79.9, 29.3), 47.9 g (95% CI: −98.0, 2.1), and 72.2 g (95% CI: −129.8, −14.7) lower birth weight when manganese concentrations were at 25th, 50th, and 75th percentiles, respectively. Lead and zinc showed an antagonistic association with head circumference in males, where an IQR increase in lead was associated with 0.18 cm (95% CI: −0.35, −0.02), 0.10 cm (95% CI: −0.25, 0.04), 0.03 cm (95% CI: −0.2, 0.14) smaller head circumference when zinc concentrations were at 25th, 50th, and 75th percentiles, respectively. Exposure to higher concentrations of arsenic was also associated with lower gestational age in males when concentrations of manganese and lead were higher. Discussion Maternal erythrocyte concentrations of arsenic, manganese, lead, and zinc were individually and interactively associated with birth outcomes. The associations varied by infant sex and exposure level of other mixture components.
Social Relationships in Adulthood and Old Age

This chapter reviews what is known about social relationships between adults. It focuses exclusively on social relationships in which all parties are adults and concentrates on those social relationships in which at least one person is elderly. A life course perspective on social relationships, focusing on how individuals change over time and how their transitions are linked to the people with whom they maintain close relationships, is used. The chapter focuses primarily on adult social relationships between: (1) spouses, (2) parents and their children, (3) siblings, and (4) friends. These bonds are examined both within the context of health and disability, reviewing conceptual frameworks as well as empirical literature. The chapter concentrates on reviewing critical themes, highlighting recently published literature, and identifying key research questions and findings. On the basis of this review of the state of the art, the chapter concludes by making recommendations for future directions that the next generation of knowledge about social relationships between adults should take. Keywords: adulthood; friends; health; old age; parent-child relations; siblings; social relationships; spouses
Cell viability studies of boundary lubricant enhanced poly-vinyl alcohol hydrogels

In the development of high performance hydrogels for orthopedic application, research can yield the appropriate application of the scaffolds based on their cell viability properties. The purpose of these experiments is to determine whether novel boundary lubricant tribologically enhanced the poly-vinyl alcohol hydrogels are best suited for use as a tissue-engineering scaffold or implant. Preliminary experiments will be conducted using L929 fibroblast cells to test and streamline cell-seeding protocol. After the seeded hydrogels undergo cell viability studies, the data will determine their use as a tissue-engineering scaffold or implant. If the hydrogels produce significant cell viability then the experiments will be conducted using cartilage chondrocytes.
Roles of Parathyroid Hormone and Parathyroid Hormone–Related Peptide in Calcium Metabolism and Bone Biology: Biological Actions and Receptors

The sections in this article are: 1 Parathyroid Hormone 1.1 Chemistry 1.2 Peripheral Metabolism 1.3 Actions in Kidney and Bone 2 Parathyroid Hormone-Related Peptide 2.1 Chemistry: Role of the Amino-terminal Portion in Calcium Metabolism 2.2 Biological Role in Bone Development 3 Receptors That Mediate Analogous and Distinct Molecular Actions of Parathyroid Hormone and Parathyroid Hormone–Related Peptide 3.1 The Parathyroid Hormone/Parathyroid Hormone–Related Peptide Receptor 3.2 The Type 2 Parathyroid Hormone Receptor 3.3 Additional Receptors 3.4 Structure-Based Design of Analogues 4 Summary
A genetic algorithm approach for automated storage and retrieval systems

This paper addresses the application of genetic algorithms to optimize the order picking time in automated storage and retrieval systems (AS/RS). An order picking problem is considered in a unit load AS/RS with multiple aisles and a single storage/retrieval (S/R) machine. The S/R machine, which serves all aisles, can simultaneously move in vertical and horizontal directions to perform the operations. The objective is to minimize the order picking time of the S/R machine to complete the retrieval process of customer orders. A suitable genetic algorithm is developed and its performance is evaluated by experimental results.
US telecommunications: Searching for the optimum policy

Abstract Divestiture, deregulation and market entry have not removed the burden of choice in US telecommunications policy. This report analyses the context in which the USA is struggling to strike a balance between regulation and global competition, and discusses the future prospects for regulation in the light of the emerging globalization.
Renal and systemic hemodynamic responses to sustained submaximal exertion in horses.

We investigated the effects of 1 h of sustained submaximal exertion on the renal and systemic hemodynamics of six horses. The horses ran on a treadmill at a speed that produced heart rates of 55-60% of each horse's maximum heart rate. Exertion produced heart rates of 121 +/- 6.6 and 126 +/- 6.1 (SE) beats/min after 15 and 60 min, respectively. Cardiac output increased significantly (P less than 0.05) from 70.1 +/- 3.1 to 246.2 +/- 4.7 ml.min-1.kg body wt-1 after 15 min of exertion and thereafter did not change. There was no significant change from rest in p-aminohippuric acid and creatinine clearances, filtration fraction, or renal blood flow during exertion. Plasma total solid concentration and hematocrit increased by 3.8 and 8.6%, respectively, between 20 and 60 min of exertion. Pulmonary artery temperature increased significantly from 37.6 degrees C at rest to 38.6 degrees C at 60 min of exertion. This study demonstrates the ability of the horse to maintain renal hemodynamics similar to resting values and systemic hemodynamics at steady-state values despite hemoconcentration and increased body temperature during sustained submaximal exertion.
Integrating Science and Engineering to Reduce Vulnerability to Climate Extremes

How does our built environment make society vulnerable to climate extremes such as flooding? What knowledge is required by engineering designers and risk managers to address the associated risks? How can engineering/scientific approaches be adapted to reduce vulnerability to weather and climate extremes? These were some of the key questions posed during a recent workshop at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), which was attended by climate scientists, civil engineering practitioners, and governmental departments. Engineering design encompasses a broad range of applications; to focus discussions, this workshop targeted the specific theme of water resources.
Probing the limits of Si:P δ-doped devices patterned by a scanning tunneling microscope in a field-emission mode

Recently, a single atom transistor was deterministically fabricated using phosphorus in Si by H-desorption lithography with a scanning tunneling microscope (STM). This milestone in precision, achieved by operating the STM in the conventional tunneling mode, typically utilizes slow ( ∼102 nm2/s) patterning speeds. By contrast, using the STM in a high-voltage (>10 V) field-emission mode, patterning speeds can be increased by orders of magnitude to ≳104 nm2/s. We show that the rapid patterning negligibly affects the functionality of relatively large micron-sized features, which act as contacting pads for these devices. For nanoscale structures, we show that the resulting electrical transport is consistent with the donor incorporation chemistry constraining the electrical dimensions to a scale of 10 nm even though the pattering spot size is 40 nm.
A search for interference effects between nuclear resonance and Coulomb excitation in the Na23(p, p′) reaction

Abstract The narrow, isolated resonance in the Na23(p, p′) reaction at 873 keV, situated upon a continuum due to Coulomb excitation, would appear to be a favourable case for observing interference effects between compound nucleus inelastic scattering and Coulomb excitation. The yield of 439 keV gamma radiation emitted from the first-excited state of Na23 was measured from 828 to 1100 keV incident proton bombarding energy. To within the accuracy of the experimental data, about ±8%, the non-interfering compound nucleus and Coulomb excitation contributions adequately account for the resonance shape, although the presence of an interference effect cannot be definitely excluded.
Promotion of the γ‐phase of polyamide 6 in its nanocomposite with phosphate glass

The effect of tin fluorophosphate-glass (Pglass) nanoparticles on the polyamide-6 (PA6) matrix in Pglass/PA6 hybrids has been investigated by {sup 13}C solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). The crystallinity determined by direct-polarization {sup 13}C NMR combined with longitudinal relaxation-time (T1C) filtering varied between 31 and 44%. T1C-filtered {sup 13}C spectra with cross polarization clearly showed resonances of both the {alpha}- and {gamma}-crystalline phases of PA6, typically at ratios near 45:55, while the similarly processed neat polymer contained only the {alpha}-phase. This suggests that the Pglass promotes the growth of the {gamma}-crystalline phase.