cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Role of student pharmacist interns in hospital-based standing orders pneumococcal vaccination program.

Objective To describe the role of student pharmacist interns in supporting a standing orders program (SOP) for pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccination in hospitalized patients. Setting University of Pittsburgh Medical Center (UPMC) Presbyterian, an academic teaching hospital in Pittsburgh. Practice description The hospital-based Drug Use and Disease State Management (DUDSM) program designs, implements, and promotes evidence-based practice guidelines to ensure safe and cost-effective drug therapy. Practice innovation/interventions Paid student pharmacist interns provide manpower for screening and maintaining the vaccination SOP. Student preparation includes classroom learning about immunization concepts, on-site SOP workflow training, and direct patient care activities. Students participate in the vaccination SOP by (1) screening daily admissions through computerized information systems, (2) reviewing databases for documented prior vaccination, (3) completing preprinted orders for pharmacists, (4) inserting orders into patient charts, (5) checking vaccine administration, (6) educating nurses, and (7) managing the databases. Pharmacists verify and sign vaccine orders. Nurses obtain patient history and consent and administer vaccines. Main outcome measures Hospital vaccination rates as determined monthly for quality improvement reporting, and student time required to complete SOP functions. Results In 2005, an average monthly vaccination rate of 70% for hospitalized elderly was achieved by this inpatient SOP, with the highest rate (89%) occurring in March. On average, 800 patients were screened each month, with 480 vaccine orders placed into patient charts. Conclusion A vaccination SOP is resource-intensive and requires a diligent effort from qualified personnel. In our institution, trained student interns in the DUDSM program perform the necessary daily functions, such as patient screening, that are instrumental in maintaining the SOP.
Shift in Brain Metabolism in Late Onset Alzheimer’s Disease: Implications for Biomarkers and Therapeutic Interventions

Alzheimer's is a neurodegenerative disease with a complex and progressive pathological phenotype characterized first by hypometabolism and impaired mitochondrial bioenergetics followed by pathological burden. Increasing evidence indicates an antecedent and potentially causal role of mitochondrial bioenergetic deficits and brain hypometabolism coupled with increased mitochondrial oxidative stress in AD pathogenesis. Compromised mitochondrial bioenergetics lead to over-production of and mitochondrial accumulation of β-amyloid, which is coupled with oxidative stress. Collectively, this results in a shift in brain metabolic profile from glucose-driven bioenergetics towards a compensatory, but less efficient, ketogenic pathway. We propose that the compensatory shift from a primarily aerobic glycolysis pathway to a ketogenic/fatty acid β-oxidation pathway eventually leads to white matter degeneration. The essential role of mitochondrial bioenergetics and the unique trajectory of compensatory metabolic adaptations in brain enable a bioenergetic-centric strategy for development of biomarkers. From a therapeutic perspective, this trajectory of alterations in brain metabolic capacity enables disease-stage specific strategies to target brain metabolism for disease prevention and treatment. A combination of nutraceutical and pharmaceutical interventions that enhance glucose-driven metabolic activity and potentiate mitochondrial bioenergetic function could prevent the antecedent decline in brain glucose metabolism, promote healthy aging and prevent AD. Alternatively, during the prodromal incipient phase of AD, sustained activation of ketogenic metabolic pathways coupled with supplementation of the alternative fuel source, ketone bodies, could sustain mitochondrial bioenergetic function to prevent or delay further progression of the disease.
A Case of Forbidden Love: Camila O'Gorman, Ladislao Gutiérrez, and the Gender Anxieties of a Nineteenth-Century Argentine Caudillo

Since her execution in 1848, Camila O'Gorman has emerged as a mythical figure in Argentine history and has captivated the attention of popular audiences around the globe. Camila, a young woman from an elite family in Buenos Aires, flouted the societal and sexual moves of her time by secretly eloping with Ladislao Gutierrez, a local parish priest stationed in the city. Upon their discovery, Buenos Aires Governor Juan Manuel de Rosas ordered the executions of the lovers, despite the fact that Camila was eight months pregnant with her illegitimate child. Although Camila's story has found spotlight in historical fiction, it has largely disappeared from more serious academic scholarship, partly due to a scarcity of source material. This essay represents an exploratory attempt to reexamine Juan Manuel de Rosas' decision to execute Camila O'Gorman and Ladislao Gutierrez by analyzing the socially and historically constructed gender ideologies that dominated Argentine elite society throughout the century.
A study of 3 He detectors for active interrogation

He proportional counters have long been used as neutron detectors for both passive and active detection of Special Nuclear Material (SNM). The optimal configuration of these detectors as far as gas pressure, amount of moderating material, and size are concerned is highly dependent on what neutron signatures are being used to detect and identify SNM. We present here a parametric study of the neutron capture response of 3He detectors, based on Monte Carlo simulations using the MCNPX radiation transport code. The neutron capture response of the detectors has been modeled as a function of time after an incident neutron pulse.
Diabetic women are poor responders to exercise rehabilitation in the treatment of claudication.

Background It is not clear whether subgroups of patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD) and claudication respond more favorably to exercise rehabilitation than others. We determined whether sex and diabetes were factors associated with the response to exercise rehabilitation in patients with claudication. Methods Eighty patients were randomized to home-based and supervised exercise programs, and 60 finished with complete exercise intervention data. Exercise consisted of intermittent walking to near maximal claudication pain for 3 months. Primary outcome measures included claudication onset time (COT) and peak walking time. Patients were partitioned into diabetic and nondiabetic groups and then further partitioned by sex to form four groups. Results Overall, exercise adherence was high (84%), and there was no significant difference ( P > .05) in the amount of exercise completed among the four groups. All groups had significant improvements ( P P > .05). Only 37% of women with diabetes had an increase in COT compared with 100% of men with diabetes ( P P Conclusions Women with PAD and claudication, particularly those with diabetes, represent a vulnerable subgroup of patients who respond poorly to a program of exercise rehabilitation. Diabetic women with PAD and claudication may need a greater dose of exercise or another intervention separate from or in combination with exercise to elicit improvements in claudication measures that are similar to nondiabetic women and to diabetic and nondiabetic men.
NeWG: In Search of the Rats World Graph

The World Graph theory developed the hypothesis that cognitive and motivational states interact. This paper describes NeWG, a hybrid neural network implementation of this theory as well as a modeling environment for the investigation of motivated spatial behavior. NeWG comprises a modified Fuzzy ART network, the START network, which incorporates the world graph properties to produce goal-oriented behavior. Neurophysiological data are then used to support a model of the rats cognitive map encoded as an internal world graph
Constraints on magnetic energy and mantle conductivity from the forced nutations of the Earth

The possibility of a presence of a conducting layer at the base of the mantle, as suggested by Knittle and Jeanloz (1986, 1989), was examined using observations of the earth's nutations. Evidence favoring the presence of a conducting layer is found in the effect of ohmic dissipation, which can cause the amplitude of the earth's nutation to be out-of-phase with tidal forcings. It is shown that the earth's magnetic field can produce observable signatures in the forced nutations of the earth when a thin conducting layer is located at the base of the mantle. The present theoretical calculations are compared with VLBI determinations of forced nutations.
Application of short-kernel filter pairs for temporal filtering of image sequences

Subband coding of images has received considerable attention and has become an effective tool for image compression. In the work by Karlsson and Vetterli (1988), a 3-D subband coding of video using 2-tap symmetrical short-kernel filters for vertical filtering was suggested for transmission over packet-switched network environments. A modified short-kernel filter pair is proposed to eliminate the coding delay and to improve the reconstructed image quality. Simulations are conducted and satisfactory results are achieved. >
Experimental behavior of monolithic composite cuff connections for fiber reinforced plastic box sections

A series of laboratory experiments investigated the structural performance of monolithic composite cuff connections for attaching pultruded fiber reinforced plastic (FRP) box sections. Cuff connections of three thicknesses were produced using the VARTM process, with fiber orientation selected to favor the mechanical response for this application. Test frames were assembled with the cuffs connecting box beams and columns (of pultruded FRP or steel), using adhesive bonding. Twelve frames were tested, each subjected to either cyclic or monotonic loading until failure; frame behavior was evaluated from the standpoints of stiffness and strength. Monolithic cuff connections of moderate thickness were capable of developing the flexural capacity of a pultruded FRP box beam (with proper detailing), and the cuffs themselves exhibited somewhat ductile failure modes upon reaching their maximum load. Cuff connection flexibility was a relatively minor contributor to overall frame displacement. The pultruded FRP frames were stronger and stiffer than previous generation approximations of an ideal cuff connection for similar box beam and column members.
Influences Impacting Leadership Development

The construction industry is placing increased emphasis on developing leadership skills for project managers. This paper describes a research project that was executed to analyze the causal influences on the development of project managers, whom the authors believe also must be leaders. The research compared two groups of project managers within a large construction company. One group was top performing construction managers as selected by corporate executives, while the second group was a randomly selected control group. The research examined influences on career development including job experience, project management experience, formal project management training, formal leadership training, and job assignments. The research also solicited opinions from both groups as to what they perceived as factors impacting leadership career development. Statistical differences between the groups were found in the areas of project management experience and number of positions held prior to the first project management assignment. Both groups believed there was more of a need within their company for leadership training than for project management training.
Aneurysm Regression after Coil Embolization of a Concurrent Aneurysm

A 43-year-old woman with two incidental paraclinoid internal carotid artery aneurysms underwent coil embolization of the larger superior hypophyseal aneurysm and 10 weeks later underwent follow-up angiography that showed regression of the smaller, more distal paraclinoid aneurysm. We demonstrate that, although it is a rare occurrence, aneurysms can involute. We discuss potential mechanisms of this phenomenon and review the literature on aneurysm regression.
The Electric Power Industry (a)

This case provides an overview of the electric power industry in the United States, including history, regulation, markets, competition, nuclear power, the environment, the economy, and new technologies.
Societal Restrictiveness and the Presence of Outlets for the Release of Aggression

It was predicted that societies that were restrictive in not allowing the individual to express hostility would be more likely than nonrestrictive societies to supply formal sanctioned outlets for aggression. Restrictive societies were classified as those having unilineal kin groups and where sorcery is not practiced. These societies tend to practice superordinate justice and are controlling of members' behaviors. Societies where unilineal groups are absent and sorcery is present tend to have coordinate judicial systems and are relatively nonrestrictive. Measures of warfare and games of physical skill were utilized as sanctioned outlets for aggression. The results supported the hypothesis, as restrictive societies were more likely than nonrestrictive ones to have common warfare and games of physical skill.
Assessment of Visuocognitive Processes

The specialized role of the posterior right hemisphere in visual perception was first advanced by John Hughlings Jackson in 1864. Twelve years later, Jackson (1876/1958) described a patient whose course of illness confirmed his speculations about the lateralization of higher visual function. The clinical onset of illness in Jackson’s patient was marked by a sudden episode of spatial disorientation. Although the patient had resided in the same neighborhood for 30 years, she could not find her way to a nearby park that she had visited frequently. Jackson observed that his patient suffered from what he called “imperception”: the inability to recognize objects, persons, and places. Within months, the patient developed a left hemiplegia and rapidly deteriorated to coma and death. Autopsy revealed a large tumor in the posterior right hemipshere, with two smaller tumors in close proximity.
Immunofluorescent Studies in Crib Deaths: Absence of Evidence of Hypersensitivity to Cow’s Milk

The technic of immunofluorescent staining of frozen sections was employed to explore the theory that sudden death in infancy might be due to hypersensitivity to cow’s milk. Blocks of tissue from six organs were taken at autopsy from 89 infants who had died suddenly, unexpectedly, and inexplicably, and 76 control infants who had died of recognized causes. Three of the major proteins of cow’s milk, conjugated with fluorescein, were used to identify and count cells producing or containing antibodies to these antigens. There was no significant increase in the numbers of such cells in infants who had died suddenly and unexpectedly when compared with the control infants. This observation does not support the hypothesis that these deaths result from anaphylaxis secondary to sensitization to cow’s milk.
Phosphate Substituted Phosphazenes as Dispersants in Colloidal Ceramic Processing

A new phosphate substituted phosphazene trimer [N3P3Cl5(OP(O)Ph2)] has been synthesized and characterized by 31p NMR and Raman spectroscopy. The course of each solution-state substitution was followed with 31P NMR, and this technique was used to determine the best reaction conditions for the experiment. Information such as phosphorus to phosphorus connectivity and purity were analyzed. This paper will discuss the synthesis and characterization of phosphazene moieties which are substituted by phosphorus(V) centered substituents.
Some Recent Researches in the Theory of Numbers

(1932). Some Recent Researches in the Theory of Numbers. The American Mathematical Monthly: Vol. 39, No. 3, pp. 139-160.
Naming names: The prudence, propriety and potential ramifications of employing “terrorist” nomenclature for militant separatists in eastern Ukraine

The term "terrorism" carries with it significant connotations. It may unite governments and peoples against a common foe. It can trigger specific legal mechanisms, created to deal with a unique threat. It may appropriately label the conduct of a specific individual or group. However, it may also serve to alienate and strengthen those who are enemies of the state, regardless of the propriety of their actual conduct. In short, it is a very loaded term. This paper asks whether militant separatists in eastern Ukraine are appropriately labelled as terrorists. From a positivist, state-centric perspective, labelling the militants at terrorists is a wholly reasonable proposition. The elements of the Ukrainian definition are met, as are those of the Russian definition. Many of the acts arguably meet regional and international definitions and even most of the more theoretical approaches. Yet such definitions are almost invariably subject to criticism both in their lack of specificity (or alternatively their limited inclusivity) and in their uneven application. Far more concerning, however, is the extension of the terrorist rubric to all separatists. It is not clear that such application is definitionally accurate, or, more importantly, a step that will assist in addressing the violence in the Ukraine, particularly where the end goal is to ameliorate the threat. Delineating between discrete acts of terrorism and the broader separatist movement seems a wise course, unless and until there is no question that 'terrorist' attacks are part of a coordinated strategy by particular groups of separatists. At that point, distinguishing between those specific groups and the broader separatist movement would again be prudent.
Regional groundwater flow and accumulation of a massive evaporite deposit at the margin of the Chilean Altiplano

Focused groundwater discharge in closed basins provides opportunities to investigate mechanisms for closing hydrologic and solute budgets in arid regions. The Salar de Atacama (SdA), adjacent to the Central Andean Plateau in the hyperarid Atacama Desert, provides an extreme example of halite (>1800 km3) and lithium brine (~5,000 ppm) accumulation spanning late Miocene to present. Minimum long-term water discharge needed to sustain halite accumulation over this timescale at SdA is 9–20 times greater than modern recharge (and double wet-climate paleo recharge) within the topographic watershed. Closing this imbalance requires sourcing water from recharge on the orogenic plateau in an area over 4 times larger than the topographic watershed. Prolonged water discharge at SdA requires long residence times, deep water tables in recharge zones coupled with persistent near surface water tables in discharge areas, and large contributing areas characterized by strong gradients in landscape and climate resulting from plateau uplift.
The caliphate’s gold: The Islamic State’s monetary policy and its implications

ABSTRACTThe plans and rollout of a trimetallic currency by the Islamic State in Iraq and al-Sham (ISIS) represent a new precedent among extremist groups, and offer a natural experiment with which to analyze a terrorist group’s economic motives. Analyzing Islamic economic thought and the material implications of the group’s monetary activity to discern ISIS’s motivations and the effects of such a move offers an opportunity to illustrate how ISIS’s currency is better suited to its function as a terrorist group than a state.
Pricing differentiated brokered internet services

Price war, as an important factor in undercutting competitors and attracting customers, has spurred considerable work that analyzes such conflict situation. However, in most of these studies, quality of service (QoS), as an important decision-making criterion, has been neglected. Furthermore, with the rise of service-oriented architectures, where players may offer different levels of QoS for different prices, more studies are needed to examine the interaction among players within the service hierarchy. In this paper, we present a new approach to modeling price competition in service-oriented architectures, where there are multiple service levels. In our model, brokers, as the intermediaries between end-users and service providers, offer different QoS by adapting the service that they obtain from lower-level providers so as to match the demands of their clients to the services of providers. To maximize profit, players at each level, compete in a Bertrand game, while they offer different QoS. To maintain an oligopoly market, we then describe underlying dynamics which lead to a Bertrand game with price constraints at the providers' level. Numerical examples demonstrate the behavior of brokers and providers and the effect of price competition on their market shares.
Immunoparesis status in immunoglobulin light chain amyloidosis at diagnosis affects response and survival by regimen type

Clinical tools to guide in the appropriate treatment selection in immunoglobulin light chain (AL) amyloidosis are not well developed. We evaluated the response and outcome for various regimens at first-line treatment (n=681) and first progression (n=240) stratified by the immunoparesis status at diagnosis. Immunoparesis was assessed by the average relative difference of the uninvolved immunoglobulins, classifying patients into a negative average relative difference (i.e. significant immunoparesis) or a positive average relative difference (no/modest immunoparesis). Treatment was categorized as autologous stem cell transplant and four non-transplant regimens (melphalan-based; bortezomib-based, immunomodulatory drug-based and dexamethasone alone). Patients with significant immunoparesis who underwent stem cell transplant had a significantly lower rate of very good partial response or better response (58%), progression-free survival (median 30 months) and overall survival (108 months), compared to those without significant immunoparesis (80%, 127 months, median not reached, respectively; P<0.001 for all comparisons). Among the non-transplant regimens, melphalan resulted in an unfavorable progression-free survival (11 vs. 27 months; P<0.001) and overall survival (30 vs. 74 months; P=0.001) in patients with significant immunoparesis compared to those without significant immunoparesis. In contrast, no significant difference in outcomes between the immunoparesis groups was seen for those treated with bortezomib or immunomodulatory drugs. At first progression, immunoparesis status did not impact response or survival of any regimen. Melphalan at first-line provided poorer outcomes for patients with significant immunoparesis, while bortezomib or immunomodulatory drugs were more likely to overcome the adverse prognosis associated with significant immunoparesis.
Sprint Ability: How Well Does Your Software Exploit Bursts in Processing Capacity?

Computer systems constrain their processing rates to stay within power, cost and answer quality budgets. Sprinting mechanisms increase processing rates by exceeding budgets for short bursts before reverting back to safe processing rates. Sprinting mechanisms can speed up query processing and reduce queuing delay, but it is challenging to set policies on when and how hard to sprint. This paper discusses sprint ability, i.e., performance under a set sprinting policy divided by the best performance achieved by any competing policy. System managers can use sprint ability to diagnose slowdown caused by poor sprinting policies. As sprinting mechanisms proliferate, system managers will need tools to measure and manage sprint ability, creating new research problems. For example, new techniques to model response time under various sprinting mechanisms and policies will be needed. Approaches to adapt sprinting policies as workloads and underlying systems change will also be needed. For this paper, we provided a first step toward these problems by building a simulator that models response time for Internet services, as an efficient mean to explore the large parameter space of sprinting policies. We set up our simulator to capture key features of sprinting policies, i.e., sprinting frequency and magnitude, studied in recent papers: ApproxHadoop and Adrenaline. In our tests, the policies proposed in those papers achieved only 71% and 75% sprint ability. Further, the difference between best and worst policies varied across sprinting mechanisms. These results confirm the need for research on techniques to efficiently manage sprinting mechanisms.
Distributed support vector machines in sensor-actuator networks

A flat sensor network collects enormous amounts of data that can be used to train a centralized support vector machine for classification purpose. However, a flat network structure that mandates sensors exchanging data may either require large bandwidth or incur significant energy expenditure. A more efficient alternative is supported by sensor-actuator networks that rely on actuators as resource-rich intercessors to reduce energy consumption and maintain the overall task performance. We study a support vector machine (SVM) with distributive data over a sensor-actuator network. Each sensor that receives request from an actuator performs a sensing task and reports data to that actuator. Each actuator collects data, trains a local SVM through message exchanging with other actuators, and adjusts its controllable state according to its SVM result. Of our interest is the impact of actuator coordination and sensor-actuator formation on the result of distributed SVM, which is compared with a centralized SVM enabled by a flat actuator-less sensor network with one fusion site.
Opportunities for photovoltaic system operation below parity: Costs and benefits of active grid support

As photovoltaic (PV) energy production costs fall below cost-parity at about US$2 per peak watt, installed (for long-life systems), it is economical to use PV systems for active grid control. One example is dynamic curtailment, set up as operating reserve for the power grid. This paper discusses the use of limited, nominal, power curtailment to provide fast operating reserves, actively offsetting a substantial portion of PV variability. Operating reserves achieved this way can actually be cheaper than by conventional means. The paper includes cost-benefit analysis of this approach and projects how it can support large-scale implementation of renewable resources.
“Age” of the Cord Blood (CB) Unit: Impact of Long-Term Cryopreservation and Storage on Transplant Outcome.

Abstract Cryopreserved, banked CB is being increasingly used for allogeneic bone marrow reconstitution of unrelated transplant recipients. The effect of long-term storage on the viability and function of CB hematopoietic stem cells has been addressed only with in vitro assays and immunodeficient mouse models (Broxmeyer et al, PNAS 2003; 100:645–50), but not in clinical transplantation. To evaluate the quality of CB units after prolonged storage in liquid nitrogen freezers, we compared the transplantation outcomes of patients that received CB grafts from the New York Blood Center NCBP stored for 8 years or more (Group 1, N=43, median time from unit collection to transplant: 9.2 years) to those transplanted with units stored
A Diophantine Equation and its Solutions

Our next task is to solve equation 5-1 in order to find all permissible combinations of rotocenters. Equation 5-1 is of a special kind called diophantine, after Diophantes of Alexandria, who is presumed to have discovered them. In general, all variables in such an equation are to be rational; in our case they are integers. Although in general one cannot solve a single equation in three variables, the restriction that the variables be integers limits us to a finite number of solutions.
In vivo μOCT imaging of the airways(Conference Presentation)

Chronic dysregulated influx of neutrophil into the airway increases neutrophil burden and augments the inflammatory processes often observed in diseases such as cystic fibrosis. The quantification of neutrophil influx is often accomplished with the use of destructive tests such as imaging cytometry and myeloperoxidase assay. However, those methods are unable to capture information about the cascade of events that precede trans-epithelium migration. In this work, we employed a high resolution micro-optical coherence tomography (µOCT) technology to perform real time imaging of neutrophil activity across airway epithelial cells grown on the underside of Transwell permeable supports. This inverted configuration allows the creation of an air-liquid interface at the apical side of the cells. The µOCT imaging technology, based on the principles of spectral-domain OCT, has a lateral and axial resolution of 2 and 1.3µm, respectively. In addition, it has an axial range of approximately 300µm and is capable of recording cross-sectional images at 40 fps. By raster scanning the illumination beam, the behavior of the neutrophils across a 3D volume can be recorded over time. Thus, this imaging modality is capable of resolving individual neutrophils and, potentially, capturing the cascading events involving neutrophil tethering, subsequent adhesion to activated epithelial cells and the ultimate passage through the epithelial cells to the air space on the apical side. As a result, not only can the amount of neutrophil migration be quantified, how neutrophils behave, organize and interact with the epithelial cells and each other can also be more closely analyzed by µOCT imaging.
Animal Identification and Record Keeping for Nonhuman Primates: Current Practice and Use

The task of record keeping to track the whereabouts, use, health, and reproductive status of animals is an important one in all nonhuman primate colonies. Most managers have found that maintaining colony information has grown to be a major part of their operations and that investment in computer hardware, software, and personnel has expanded accordingly. This situation has come about gradually as the value of breeding animals has grown, the availability of relatively inexpensive imports has declined or even ceased, and administrative requirements and expenses have increased with the emergence of ever more intricate regulatory demands. The larger institutions have had a longer experience with these issues, but more complex record keeping is now a ubiquitous colony feature no matter what the scale of the colony. Inexpensive hardware and database software have made computerized data management a nearly universal practice but has led to a decreasing standardization of data content and format. Of importance in today’s world is the proper management of data, including quality of entry and sophistication and ease of retrieval, and the ability to interface with collaborators and regulatory agencies across the Internet. This chapter reviews methods for identifying individuals and their pedigree relationships, as well as database structure, minimum required registry data, management reports, standard demographic measures, and the monitoring of genetic management.
The effects of voter control on budget outcomes

This study analyzes the effects of budget referenda on spending levels. An agency theory framework is used to identify the incentives of voters and school boards, and to discuss the use of the referendum as a budget control mechanism. The regression analysis compares expenditures in New York State school districts with and without referenda requirements. Total spending is found to be 5.5% higher in districts without referenda, ceteris parabis. However, the specific rules related to referenda and budget defeats appear to be important determinants of their effectiveness.
Differing perceptions of preoperative communication among surgical team members

Abstract Background Although preoperative communication is an emerging means through which surgical teams prepare for cases, little is known regarding its current state. This study investigated this topic in a survey of surgical team members. Methods An 11-question survey regarding the current state of and barriers to preoperative communication among surgical team members (surgeons, anesthesiologists, and surgical nurses and technologists) was distributed at a United States academic medical center utilizing the SurveyMonkey online questionnaire tool. Statistical analyses depended on variable type. Results The response rate was 49.4% (170 of 344 potential responses). All groups strongly agreed that preoperative communication contributes to health care quality and patient outcomes. Surgeons rated their satisfaction with the current state of preoperative communication more favorably than anesthesiologists (p Conclusions There exist differing perceptions of preoperative communication among surgical team members, which conveys an opportunity for improvement across groups. Coordination of the timing of preoperative communication and standardization of the discussed content could help mitigate current barriers.
The Ethics of Action

Our search here, as in all ethics, is for the nature of the good and of its operation, and hence also for the approximation of its attainment. We are relying upon a general definition of the good, a definition in which all human considerations are not only encompassed but exceeded. The good is the quality which emerges from the relations between wholes. It is the ambition of every whole to become a proper part; that is to say, to fit in exactly where it ought, and it “ought” to fit where it is designed to fit. When the whole becomes a part, if that is followed by all the necessary wholes becoming parts, then we have a new whole, and moreover one which is related to other new wholes. The quality which emerge from the relation of whole to whole is the good (that which emerges from the relation of part to part, the beautiful).
Neuropsychological Assessment of Older Adults with a History of Cancer

Older adults are at increased risk for developing cancer. Given the aging population, the incidence of cancer is predicted to rise and, as a result, cancer is likely to become an even greater public health concern. Anticancer therapies can have potential untoward impacts on cognitive functioning, which is of particular concern for aging individuals that are already at increased risk for cognitive decline. This chapter reviews the potential cognitive side effects varies of cancer therapies and presents the most common considerations for differential diagnosis of memory complaints in this population. Instructive case examples are provided along with clinical pearls for the neuropsychologist working with older adults in an oncology setting.
Reciprocals are Definites

This paper proposes that elementary reciprocal sentences have four semantic readings: a strongly reciprocal interpretation, a weakly reciprocal interpretation, a situation-based weakly reciprocal reading, and a collective reading. Interpretational possibilities of reciprocal sentences that have been discussed in the literature are identified as one of these four. A compositional semantic analysis of all of these readings is provided in which the reciprocal expression is uniformly represented as 'the other ones among them' (recasting Heim, Lasnik and May 1991a, b). A reciprocal sentence is thus a special kind of relational plural. Interpretational variability comes about by the same mechanisms of plural predication at work in relational plurals: pluralization operators, LF operations like QR, and addition of contextual information.
Evaluating relationships between native fishes and habitat in streams affected by oil and natural gas development

Oil and natural gas (ONG) development can affect aquatic ecosystems through water contamination, water withdrawals and disturbance of soil and vegetation (surface disturbance) from infrastructure development. Research on how these potential sources of watershed and aquatic ecosystem impairment can affect fish assemblages is limited. Fish–habitat relationships were evaluated across stream sites experiencing differing levels of ONG development. Colorado River cutthroat trout, Oncorhynchus clarkii pleuriticus (Cope), and mottled sculpin, Cottus bairdii Girard, presence and abundance were associated with habitat conditions predominantly found in the less disturbed streams, such as higher proportion of shrub cover, greater stream depths and gravel substrate. Mountain sucker, Catostomus platyrhynchus (Cope), appeared to be a habitat generalist and was able to persist in a wide range of conditions, including degraded sites. Natural resource managers can use habitat preferences of these fish species to establish the development plans that mitigate negative effects of ONG development by protecting the aquatic habitats they rely upon.
Action pathways for transforming cities

Transformation is required for cities to fulfil their leadership potential on climate change. Five action pathways can guide them: integrate mitigation and adaptation; coordinate risk reduction and climate adaptation; cogenerate risk information; focus on disadvantaged populations; and improve governance and knowledge networks.
And three’s a party: lysosomes, lipid droplets, and the ER in lipid trafficking and cell homeostasis

Sterols and fatty acids (FAs) are essential lipids that play fundamental roles in membrane dynamics and cellular homeostasis. Synthesized at the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and cytoplasm, trafficked by proteins, and stored in lipid droplets (LDs), much work has been conducted examining how these lipids are shuttled from one location to another. Recent work has highlighted the importance of inter-organelle crosstalk in the regulation of sterol and FA homeostasis. In particular, three organelles—lysosomes, LDs, and the ER network—function together to regulate sterol subcellular distribution and utilization. This tri-organelle crosstalk also drives adaptions to stress and protects against FA-induced lipotoxicity. Here, we highlight recent work revealing how this unique organelle trio function together. We also discuss how LDs can modulate lysosome signaling to control growth, autophagy, and ER homeostasis.
Peripheral Arterial Endovascular Procedures Performed in a Non-Hospital-Based Facility by First-Year Vascular Surgery Fellows.

Objective:Traditionally, vascular surgery fellows (VSFs) have learned to perform peripheral arterial endovascular procedures in a hospital setting. Many vascular surgeons currently perform these pr...
Disney tech: Immersive storytelling through innovation

One approach that cuts across all departments at Walt Disney Imagineering (WDI) is that everything starts with a story, and technology is utilized to serve those tales. The constant advancement of technology in WDI's various disciplines has opened up entire new worlds and their stories to generations of guests, old and young alike. Decades ago, one could only dream of flying the Millennium Falcon or watching astromech droids rolling through a crowd while essentially living inside a fictional universe. Here is an inside look at how some of the technologies being explored at WDI are powering new adventures at Disney parks around the globe.
A deep learning algorithm for simulating autonomous driving considering prior knowledge and temporal information

Abstract Autonomous vehicle (AV) stakeholders continue to seek assurance of the safety performance of this new technology through AV testing on in‐service roads, AV‐dedicated road networks, and AV ...
LGBTQ+ emerging adults perceptions of discrimination and exclusion within the LGBTQ+ community

Research on LGBTQ+ emerging adult populations has primarily focused on discrimination that is experienced within the heterodominant culture. Due to systems of oppression and the forces of power and...
Optimal production scheduling for smart manufacturers with application to food production planning

Abstract This paper aims at implementing an optimization technique in smart manufacturing applications for co-optimizing the operation of multiple production lines to supply the desired demand for multiple products. The proposed model, which is formulated as a mixed-integer linear programming (MILP) problem, minimizes the total manufacturing cost by co-optimizing the operation schedule of production lines. The proposed model implements several operating constraints of the production lines that include their energy consumption and associated costs, productivity, scrap rates, changeover duration, and labor costs. The proposed model is implemented on a sample manufacturer, where seven production lines with different operational constraints are optimized to manufacture six product types. In addition, the model is utilized to optimize the operation of a real-world food production plant with five lines and twelve different product types. The simulation results show that the proposed optimal scheduling model allows the manufacturers to enhance production efficiency and save on operation costs by co-optimizing the operation schedule of production lines. Sensitivity analyses are conducted to demonstrate the performance of the model in different demand levels, where the manufacturers are enabled to optimally schedule the production lines at minimum cost given the production demand.
Folding Of Lipid Monolayers Containing Lung Surfactant Proteins SP-B1-25 and SP-C Studied via Coarse-grained Molecular Dynamics Simulations

To explore the role of lung surfactant proteins SP-B and SP-C in storing and redelivering lipid from lipid monolayers during the compression and re-expansion occurring in lungs during breathing, we simulate the folding of lipid monolayers with and without these proteins. We utilize the recently developed MARTINI coarse-grained force field to simulate monolayers containing pure dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine (DPPC) and DPPC mixed with palmitoyloleoylphosphatidylglycerol (POPG), palmitic acid (PA), and/or peptides. The peptides considered include the 25-residue N-terminal fragment of SP-B (SP-B1-25), SP-C, and several SP-B1-25 mutants in which charged and hydrophilic residues are replaced by hydrophobic ones, or vice versa. Most of these peptides facilitate folding of the monolayer during compression by a “zipper” mechanism, which is dependent on the formation of a peptide aggregate. However, we find that if the number of hydrophobic residues is decreased significantly monolayer folding does not occur via the “zipper” mechanism. During the re-expansion of folds formed via the “zipper” mechanism, the folds are observed to unfold with the lipids re-entering the monolayer before the peptide aggregates. Our results show several key trends. The addition of POPG to the DPPC monolayer has a fluidizing effect, which assists monolayer folding. In contrast, the addition of PA has a condensing affect. The addition of peptides fluidizes the monolayer and accelerates the folding processes. If the peptides are allowed to aggregate, the peptide aggregate nucleates a defect in the monolayer, further assisting the folding process. The results also show a clear system-size dependence that affects the folding mechanism observed. If the system size is large enough peptide containing monolayers can fold without the formation of a peptide aggregate.
Multidrug-Resistant Burkholderia cepacia, Candida dubliniensis, and Candida glabrata Infected Pancreatic Pseudocyst.

Burkholderia cepacia is a gram-negative bacillus that is most commonly associated with pneumonia in the immunocompromised patients. The most common organisms associated with pancreatic infections are Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterobacter spp., and Enterococcus spp. We report a case of a 45-year-old gentleman with recent acute pancreatitis who presented with hypoglycemia, altered mental status, worsening epigastric pain, and early satiety. He was diagnosed with a large peripancreatic infected cyst which grew multidrug-resistant (MDR) Burkholderia cepacia, Candida glabrata, and Candida dubliniensis. This case report focuses on the importance of distinguishing and recognizing risk factors for this MDR organism, in order to provide better patient care.
EpCAM-Targeted 3WJ RNA Nanoparticle Harboring Delta-5-Desaturase siRNA Inhibited Lung Tumor Formation via DGLA Peroxidation.

Knocking down delta-5-desaturase (D5D) expression by D5D small interfering RNA (siRNA) has been reported that could redirect the cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2)-catalyzed dihomo-γ-linolenic acid (DGLA) peroxidation from producing prostaglandin E2 to 8-hydroxyoctanoic acid (8-HOA), resulting in the inhibition of colon and pancreatic cancers. However, the effect of D5D siRNA on lung cancer is still unknown. In this study, by incorporating epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) aptamer and validated D5D siRNA into the innovative three-way junction (3WJ) RNA nanoparticle, target-specific accumulation and D5D knockdown were achieved in the lung cancer cell and mouse models. By promoting the 8-HOA formation from the COX-2-catalyzed DGLA peroxidation, the 3WJ-EpCAM-D5D siRNA nanoparticle inhibited lung cancer growth in vivo and in vitro. As a potential histone deacetylases inhibitor, 8-HOA subsequently inhibited cancer proliferation and induced apoptosis via suppressing YAP1/TAZ nuclear translocation and expression. Therefore, this 3WJ-RNA nanoparticle could improve the targeting and effectiveness of D5D siRNA in lung cancer therapy.
Micromechanical modeling of damage and plasticity in continuously reinforced MMCs

ABSTRACT A damage-plasticity model constitutive for metal matrix composites is examined using the overall approach to damage. In this approach, the damage mechanisms in the composite system are reflected through a single overall damage tensor assuming an elasto-plastic matrix with elastic fibers. It is shown how the model is applied to uniaxially loaded metal matrix specimens. Two examples are presented where both a single lamina and a laminated composite are analyzed. The laminated composites consist of symmetric laminates composed of four plies each, with different orientations. A numerical procedure is formulated and implemented to calculate the stresses, strains, and damage variables in these laminates. A series of uniaxial test experiments are conducted for the damage characterization of the metal matrix composite. The experiments are conducted on a titanium aluminide SiC-reinforced laminate. Laminate layups of (0/90)s and (±45) s are tested under uniaxial tension. In order to investigate and model damage evolution, each specimen is loaded to different load levels ranging from the fracture load to 70% of fracture load. Scanning electron microscopy is performed on representative cross-sections of all specimens. This information is then used to quantify damage in the composite system. Damage variables are defined based on the crack density and correlated with the theoretical model. The experimental and numerical results are finally compared.
See Like an Expert: Gaze-Augmented Training Enhances Skill Acquisition in a Virtual Reality Robotic Suturing Task.

Introduction: The da Vinci Skills Simulator (DVSS) is an effective platform for robotic skills training. Novel training methods using expert gaze patterns to guide trainees have demonstrated superi...