cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A photographic method for lobster morphometry aimed at site discrimination1

Current data suggest that lobster (Homarus americanus) populations are less homogenous than once believed. In an effort to better discriminate morphologically among lobsters from different sites, we developed a photographic method using ImageJ and compared it with commonly used “hand” measurements. We standardized the measuring process using a strap-down board for both dorsal and ventral photographs with a camera mounted at a fixed position above the lobster. Discriminant analysis showed that both hand and photographic methods were useful in discriminating lobsters — both males and females — from three different sites. Additionally, the photographic method improved reproducibility and resolution, it reduced measurement time at the dock, and it created a permanent record for later verification, additional statistical analyses, and observer training.
Frequency of discrepancies in retracted clinical trial reports versus unretracted reports: blinded case-control study

Objectives To compare the frequency of discrepancies in retracted reports of clinical trials with those in adjacent unretracted reports in the same journal. Design Blinded case-control study. Setting Journals in PubMed. Population 50 manuscripts, classified on PubMed as retracted clinical trials, paired with 50 adjacent unretracted manuscripts from the same journals. Reports were randomly selected from PubMed in December 2012, with no restriction on publication date. Controls were the preceding unretracted clinical trial published in the same journal. All traces of retraction were removed. Three scientists, blinded to the retraction status of individual reports, reviewed all 100 trial reports for discrepancies. Discrepancies were pooled and cross checked before being counted into prespecified categories. Only then was the retraction status unblinded for analysis. Main outcome measure Total number of discrepancies (defined as mathematically or logically contradictory statements) in each clinical trial report. Results Of 479 discrepancies found in the 100 trial reports, 348 were in the 50 retracted reports and 131 in the 50 unretracted reports. On average, individual retracted reports had a greater number of discrepancies than unretracted reports (median 4 (interquartile range 2-8.75) v 0 (0-5); P Conclusions Discrepancies in published trial reports should no longer be assumed to be unimportant. Scientists, blinded to retraction status and with no specialist skill in the field, identify significantly more discrepancies in retracted than unretracted reports of clinical trials. Discrepancies could be an early and accessible signal of unreliability in clinical trial reports.
Prostate Cancer Screening: The Pendulum has Swung, and the Burden of Proof Is with Proponents.

Before primary care physicians consider reintroducing the PSA test, they must have proof that it improves outcomes. The task will be to show in a future randomized study whether any PSA screening algorithm can improve survival or quality of life compared with what is now the standard of care—no routine screening.
Multilingual Prospective Jurors: Assessing California Standards Twenty Years after Hernandez v. New York

This Article explores the ramifications of linguistically motivated peremptory challenges against multilingual prospective jurors in California in the twenty years since such challenges were legitimatized under Hernandez v. New York. An examination of state and federal case law reveals that the pretext analysis for reviewing Hernandezbased peremptory challenges remains both an arbitrary and a flawed tool that California courts have, nevertheless, been reluctant to second-guess. This problem is particularly acute in California because it is home to the largest multilingual population in the United States, with 43% of Californians speaking a language other than English. California, therefore, provides an exemplary context for a case study of these issues and its impact on multilingual prospective jurors. However, it is important to recognize that the issues raised by language-based peremptory challenges arise in many other jurisdictions, and potentially affect a large number of Americans throughout the country. The Article discusses the manner in which Hernandez-based peremptory challenges, deference to lower court decisions allowing these challenges, and discriminatory and ineffective state laws are interdependent, mutually reinforcing, and combine to render multilingual individuals proportionately underrepresented in jury service. The Article suggests that this problem signals a need to develop and institute measures to protect multilinguals’ exercise of their right to jury participation. Among the recommendations offered are the embellishment and refinement of strategies available to parties objecting to linguistically based peremptory challenges. These changes would help make California’s framework for responding to Hernandez more concrete, more effective, and less discriminatory. The Article also proposes changes that the California legislature, judges, courts, and litigating parties can make to reduce Hernandez’s discriminatory impact and promote greater jury participation for multilinguals. * Juris Doctor, 2013, Northwestern University School of Law. I would like to thank Professor Shari Diamond for her insights and comments and Manuel Cachan for inspiring me to write on an important topic that affects our communities. I would also like to thank Joan Schipper and Pegeen Bassett for their invaluable assistance. Lastly, I would like to thank the JLSP editors for their contributions to the preparation of this article. 1 I use this more inclusive term (as compared to “bilinguals”) to account for individuals who speak one or more languages other than English.
Iterative Design for Optimal Geometry

Iterative design is considered for the case in which the node locations are not fixed and an optimality condition is developed that involves the geometric stiffness matrix. It extends somewhat existing work on optimal design for trusses when node locations are allowed to vary. It uses an extremely simple truss model that does not consider questions of buckling, multiple loading, deflection constraints, etc., sacrificing realism in favor of simplicity. The member forces and node locations are determined subject to joint equilibrium. The Kuhn-Tucker conditions are derived in the usual manner and are solved to obtain an optimal solution using Newton's method for nonlinear systems. It would appear that the assumption of constant allowable stresses would correspond to a linearization of a more realistic truss model, but that remains to be shown.
Psychodermatologic Effects of Atopic Dermatitis and Acne: A Review on Self-Esteem and Identity

Atopic dermatitis (AD) and acne vulgaris are among the most-prevalent skin diseases in children. Both have been well documented in the literature to have significant negative effects on quality of life. Herein, we discuss the results of a comprehensive literature review aimed at assessing the impact of acne and AD on self-esteem and identity. We highlight clinical tools for their assessment and offer coping strategies for patients and families. Multiple factors including relationships with parents and classmates, sports participation, and the sex of the patient contribute to the development of self-esteem and identity in individuals with AD and acne. Atopic dermatitis was found to have significant behavioral effects on children, ultimately resulting in a lack of opportunity to develop proper coping. AD had a more-prominent role in identity formation and gender roles in girls. Acne vulgaris was found to have a more direct effect on self-esteem, self-confidence and identity, especially in girls. The Cutaneous Body Image Scale is reviewed and offered as an easy and reliable tool to evaluate a patient's mental perception of the appearance of their skin. Coping strategies that may be offered to patients and families include empowerment and cognitive adaptation.
Packing and Shipping Pinned Insects

Some recent horrible examples of damage to mailed packages of insect material (see Fig. 1) suggest that words of warning and suggestions for improvement are again in order. Some of the observed disasters seem to be the fault of the postal service in careless or rough handling; some, however, are certainly the shippers’ own fault; some may be no one's fault, but simply an inevitable result of bigness–of the sheer volume and weight of modern mail. Whatever the causes, obviously we need to exercise as much preventive care as we possibly can and to take precautions based on what we know of the fragility of insect material and the realities of mail handling. If material is worthwhile and valuable, we should take pains to see that it has the best possible chance of passing safely through the bumps and grinds of modern mail.
Retinopathy of prematurity: Improving parental awareness and perceived importance of follow-up eye exams using an informative pamphlet (Interim Report)

Abstract Background Treatment of retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) to prevent blindness depends on timely eye exams of at-risk infants. Purpose To examine the effectiveness of a user-friendly pamphlet in improving parents' perceived importance of and ultimate adherence to ROP screening guidelines. Methods A pamphlet on ROP was provided to parents of at-risk infants. Before and after reading the pamphlet, the parents were evaluated on their knowledge of ROP and their perception of the importance of timely follow-up screening. Results Before and after pamphlet exposure, the knowledge of ROP essentially stayed the same for all parents. Before pamphlet exposure, a couple of parents chose lower than "Extremely Important" for perceived importance of follow-up eye exams. After pamphlet exposure, all parents chose "Extremely Important" for importance of follow-up. Conclusion Providing a user-friendly pamphlet on ROP to parents of preterm infants could increase the perceived importance of timely follow-up eye exams, thus reducing the rate of potentially preventable blindness.
Managing the Organizational Melting Pot: Dilemmas of Workforce Diversity

The article reviews the book “Managing the Organizational Melting Pot: Dilemmas of Workforce Diversity,” edited by Pushkala Prasad, Albert J. Mills, Michael Elmes, and Anshuman Prasad.
Two New Species of North American Strumigenys (Formicidae: Hymenoptera)

In a revision of the North American ants of the genus Strumigenys (Annals Ent. Soc. Amer., Vol. 24, pp. 686–710, 1931) I listed 16 species for this country. Two additional species have since been described, ohioensis by Kennedy and Schramm, and talpa by Weber. This paper adds two more, making 20 species for America north of Mexico.
Cost-effectiveness of seasonal inactivated influenza vaccination among pregnant women.

Abstract Objective To evaluate the cost-effectiveness of seasonal inactivated influenza vaccination among pregnant women using data from three recent influenza seasons in the United States. Design, setting, and participants We developed a decision-analytic model following a cohort of 5.2 million pregnant women and their infants aged Main outcome measures Total costs (direct and indirect), effects (QALY gains, averted case numbers), and incremental cost-effectiveness of seasonal inactivated influenza vaccination among pregnant women (cost per QALY gained). Results Using a recent benchmark of 52.2% vaccination coverage among pregnant women, we studied a hypothetical cohort of 2,753,015 vaccinated pregnant women. With an estimated vaccine effectiveness of 73% among pregnant women and 63% among infants Conclusions Influenza vaccination for pregnant women can reduce morbidity from influenza in both pregnant women and their infants aged
Hygroscopic properties of CH3SO3Na, CH3SO3NH4, (CH3SO3)2Mg, and (CH3SO3)2Ca particles studied by micro-FTIR spectroscopy.

The hygroscopic behavior of CH3SO3Na, CH3SO3NH4, (CH3SO3)2Mg, and (CH3SO3)2Ca particles as a function of relative humidity (RH) has been studied using microscopic Fourier transform infrared (micro-...
Supply Side Short-Selling Constraints: Who Is Buying When Shorts Are Selling?

The equity lending literature has assumed that equity loan supply is static due to institutional constraints. Instead, we show that reduced stock lending (both at the margin and in levels) causes increased stock loan fees and stock overpricing. We find the strongest effect among stocks with the highest disagreement, as suggested by theory. Investors buy and do not lend for two reasons. First, they prefer positive skewness: loan-supply-constrained stocks exhibit increased lottery-like return distributions. Second, loan supply restrictions cause short-term positive holding period returns, implicating them in stock overpricing.
Customized Cloud Service Trustworthiness Evaluation and Comparison Using Fuzzy Neural Networks

Cloud services have been adopted by more and more consumers and different types of businesses. An intrinsically difficult problem faced by service consumers and businesses is that no standard way to evaluate and compare cloud services' trustworthiness, while trust has already become a critical factor for service and service provider selection. In this paper, we propose a trustworthiness evaluation and comparison framework to help make customized selection decisions based on trustworthiness. This framework utilizes fuzzy processing and neural network to handle subjectivity and inaccuracy, and customized recommendation. A feedback learning mechanism is also incorporated to make the entire framework be adaptive to users' preferences. The framework is implemented as prototype system to evaluate and recommend different types of cloud services. Experiments on different types of services and different types of trustworthiness prove the effectiveness and efficiency of the proposed framework.
Working with “The Others”: Immigrant academics’ acculturation strategies as determinants of perceptions of conflict at work

Abstract Although workplace diversity is routinely associated with the expansion of talent pools and maximization of organizational productivity, research suggests that heterogeneous workplaces may also be more prone to organizational conflict. Studies have examined a variety of identity-based interpersonal differences as sources of organizational conflict, including gender, racial, ethnic, age, seniority, or personality type differences. In the light of the increasing effects of globalization on academic organizational landscapes, there is a dearth of research on the link between academic immigration and perceptions of organizational conflict. Using a sample of foreign-born professors at institutions of higher education in the United States, the present study examines how different types of acculturation strategies affect immigrant academics’ perceptions of conflict in the workplace.
CHAPTER 246 – Structural Features of RhoGEFs

This chapter surveys the structural features of RhoGEFs and highlights the key determinants responsible for dictating the activation of Rho GTPases. Dbl family proteins are the major recognized class of GEFs for the Rho family of small GTPases. Rho GTPases have risen to prominence since a large body of work over the last ten years has implicated these ∼25-kDa members of the Ras superfamily in controlling vital cellular functions, including organization of the actin cytoskeleton, progression through the cell cycle, and regulation of transcriptional activities. Given that Rho GTPases manage various critical cellular processes, it is not surprising that these small GTPases, as well as their activators (RhoGEFs), promote oncogenesis when constitutively activated. Membership within the Dbl family of RhoGEFs is solely dependent upon the possession of an -300 amino acid segment containing a Dbl homology (DH) domain directly adjacent to a pleckstrin homology (PH) domain. While PH domains exist in a multitude of signaling proteins, the DH domain is unique to these RhoGEFs, and accordingly constitutes the primary catalytic portion of a Dbl protein by supporting nucleotide exchange activity within a substrate Rho GTPase in vitro and in vivo . Recent biophysical investigations into the function of Dbl-family proteins have revealed substantial insight into the means by which these RhoGEFs catalyze the removal of bound nucleotide from Rho proteins. Specifically, an understanding at atomic resolution of the roles of the conserved DH and PH domains found within all Dbl-related proteins is now available.
Social Media Use and its Association with Sexual Risk and Parental Monitoring among a Primarily Hispanic Adolescent Population

Abstract Study Objective In this study we assessed the association between social media (SM) use with sexual risk, and with parental monitoring among Hispanic adolescents. Design Self-administered anonymous survey. Setting Urban primary care clinics. Participants Primarily Hispanic adolescents ages 13-21 years old. Interventions and Main Outcome Measures Chi-square and regression analyses controlling for age and gender were used to assess associations between SM use or sexting and sexual behaviors (kissing, touching genitals, vaginal oral, and anal sex), sexual risk (≥4 lifetime partners, >1 recent partner, inconsistent condom use, and history of sexually transmitted infection diagnosis) and contraceptive use. Similar analyses were used to assess relationships between adolescent-reported parental monitoring and SM use, and sexting. Results Participants with frequent SM use (social networking sites or apps) had greater odds of all sexual activity. Ever sexters had greater odds of penetrative sex only (oral, vaginal, and anal sex) as well as use of hormonal contraception (except long-acting reversible contraception). Approximately half of the participants reported parental access to profiles on SM. Female participants had higher odds of parental access to online profiles and having a parental discussion of privacy settings. Those having privacy discussions had greater odds of “private” profiles on SM and lower odds of ever sexting. Conclusion Frequent SM use and sexting was associated with an increase in all types of sexual behaviors; sexting alone was associated with more lifetime and recent sexual partners. Parental discussion of privacy settings was found to be protective. Providers and parents should be aware of the effect of SM use on sexual behaviors.
Reduction of Salmonella enterica contamination on grape tomatoes by washing with thyme oil, thymol, and carvacrol as compared with chlorine treatment.

In recent years, multistate outbreaks of Salmonella enterica serovars were traced to tomatoes and resulted in serious economic loss for the tomato industry and decreased consumer confidence in the safety of tomato produce. Purified compounds derived from essential oils such as thymol and carvacrol had wide inhibitory effects against foodborne pathogens including Salmonella. The objective of this study was to determine the antimicrobial activities of thymol, carvacrol, and thyme oil against Salmonella on grape tomatoes. Surface-inoculated grape tomatoes were washed with 4% ethanol, 200 ppm of chlorine, or one of six washing solutions (thymol [0.2 and 0.4 mg/ml], thyme oil [1 and 2 mg/ml], and carvacrol [0.2 and 0.4 mg/ml]) for 5 or 10 min. There was no significant difference in the reduction of S. enterica serovars when different washing times were used (P > 0.05). Thymol (especially at the concentration of 0.4 mg/ml) was the most effective (P 4.1-log reductions of S. enterica serovars Typhimurium, Kentucky, Senftenberg, and Enteritidis on grape tomatoes after a 5-min washing and >4.3-log reductions after a 10-min washing. A >4.6-log reduction in the S. enterica populations in comparison to control was observed with the use of thymol solutions. The uses of these antimicrobial agents achieved significant log reductions of Salmonella on inoculated grape tomatoes and decreased dramatically the risk of potential transmission of pathogens from tomatoes to washing solutions. None of these antimicrobial agents decreased the total phenolic and ascorbic acid content, nor did any of them change the color and pH values or affect the taste, aroma, or visual quality of grape tomatoes. Therefore, 0.4 mg/ml thymol has great potential to be an alternative to chlorine-based washing solution for fresh produce.
Readability Level of Spanish-Language Patient-Reported Outcome Measures in Audiology and Otolaryngology.

Purpose The purpose of this study was to examine the readability level of the Spanish versions of several audiology- and otolaryngology-related patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs) and include...
Elizabeth Graeme Fergusson’s Cosmopolis of Letters

This chapter considers the role cosmopolitanism has as a poetic trope and as an organizational principle in the context of poet Elizabeth Graeme Fergusson’s manuscript commonplace books. Cillerai shows that Fergusson’s writings present two coexisting kinds of cosmopolitanism. Fergusson’s cosmopolitanism reflects the social and cultural environment that formed her when she lived in colonial Philadelphia during the years preceding the American Revolution. As a thematic and structural component of her commonplace books composed in the years that follow the revolutionary war, cosmopolitanism helps her restore many of the socio-cultural ties the conflict severed. Cillerai argues that Fergusson’s books present cosmopolitanism as a force that resists nationalism as the latter deprived the poet of the freedoms colonialism and empire had afforded her. In a paradoxical turn, cosmopolitanism curbs the fear of dislocation brought about by national independence.
Adaptive Precision Cellular Nonlinear Network

The versatility of cellular nonlinear network (CNN) made it attractive in various scientific and engineering applications. The strength of solving problems using CNN comes from the fact that it deals with nonlinear dynamic systems. In this paper, feasible criteria for adaptive hardware approximation, automated method to switch between high and low precisions, is proposed to efficiently reduce energy consumption of a digital CNN. Two different criteria, state- and sign-dependent control, are presented and compared by simulating discrete-time CNN with various applications: image processing, associative memory, and scientific computing. Simulation results show that the state-dependent control is better suited for automatically introducing approximate computing in CNN accelerator. Even further, this control method allows more aggressive power reduction by stopping the computations for those cells in the saturation region of CNN dynamics for applications like associative memory. As a result, adaptive hardware approximation is effective in reducing energy consumption of a digital CNN compared with simply injecting predetermined approximation for entire CNN computations. The experimental results also show that the acceptable level of energy reduction differs from the application, equivalently the type of CNN.
Abstract 11686: The Myocardial Infarction and Cardiac Arrest Risk Calculator is an Accurate Discriminator of Major Adverse Events Following Elective Hip and Knee Surgery

Background: The 2014 ACC/AHA guidelines on perioperative evaluation recommend differentiating patients at low-risk ( Methods: We reviewed 1,098 consecutive, elective orthopedic surgeries performed at Hershey Medical Center from January 2013 through December 2014, including 412 total hip replacements and 686 total knee replacements. Sufficient data were present to estimate risk using the NSQIP MICA risk calculator in 1,091 patients. Major adverse events were defined as myocardial infarction, cardiac arrest, or death within 30 days of surgery. A receiver operating characteristic curve was plotted from the estimated risk and adverse outcomes data. Results: Eight out of 1,091 procedures (0.7%) were complicated by a major adverse event. The mean estimated risk for adverse events using the NSQIP MICA risk calculator was 0.54% with a standard error of 0.018%. There was no significant difference (p=0.59) when comparing the observed versus expected incidence of major adverse events by chi-square test. The area under the curve (AUC) was determined to be 0.85 with a 95% confidence interval of 0.79-0.91 (see plot below). Conclusion: The NSQIP MICA risk calculator is a good discriminator of major adverse events following elective hip and knee surgery. Our study supports its use as a predictive tool for preoperative evaluation in this setting.
Networking for women’s rights: academic centers, regional information networks, and feminist advocacy in southern Africa

Women’s rights advocates, in southern Africa as elsewhere, have challenged gender inequality to advance the status of women in society and as a means to also address related, cumulative issues of d...
Virtue in Cyberconflict

Both offensive and defensive cyber operations require decision making on short time scales and often in a partial vacuum of explicit norms for cyberconflict. It is argued that, under these circumstances, the virtue ethics approach to ethical decision making offers significant advantages over rule-based ethics in the training of cyber warriors. Cultivating the moral integrity of the cyber warrior should be the goal, moral integrity now understood as moral character in the form of settled habits or dispositions to act appropriately in different contexts. In shaping the character of cyber warriors, attention should be paid to both moral and intellectual virtues. Explicit training regimens are sketched and applications to model scenarios are explored. As cyberconflict becomes more automated, with the morality moving into the machine, the advantages of the virtue ethics approach will become even more pronounced.
Aqueous, Alkaline Liquefaction of Wood Fractions and Lignin Model Compounds

The liquefaction of wood provides a complex mixture of compounds which can serve as a fuel or a source of specific chemicals. To understand and demystify the origins of these compounds, individual fractions of wood or model compounds have been investigated under aqueous, alkaline conditions. These included cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin. Work concerning lignin was performed with models such as 2-phenoxy-1-phenyl-1-propanol with electron donating and withdrawing groups on the phenoxy ring. Alkaline cleavage of these models was examined and the mechanisms of cleavage were confirmed. Further investigations have demonstrated the occurrence of organic free radicals during the thermolysis of lignin models. Kinetics and mechanism of the cleavage involving radical intermediates will be discussed.
Questions Parents Should Resist

To take decisive part in a child’s medical care, parents must know what questions to ask physicians — and themselves. I wish to examine three questions often asked and answered in pediatric decisions, namely, (1) “What would I do if it were my child?” asked by physicians of themselves; (2) “What would you do if it were your child?” asked of physicians by parents of ill children; (3) “What is in the child’s best interests?” asked by both physicians and parents.
Synthesis and structure of a bis(ethynyl)-substituted oxahexacyclic cage ether

Intramolecular dehydration of a cage-diol results in the title compound. This crystallizes in the monoclinic space group P21/c; a = 8.6403(8), b = 9.5698(7), c = 14.062(1) A β = 107.47(7)° and Z = 4.
Power Package Electrical Isolation Design

Power Electronics packaging consists of power semiconductor devices, power integrated circuits, sensors, and protection circuits for a wide range of power electronics applications (Trends in analog and power packaging, 2009; Challenges of power electronic packaging and modeling, 2011; Mixed-signal and power-integration packaging solutions, 2010), such as inverters for motor drives and converters for power processing equipment. Integration in power electronics is a rather complex process due to incompatibility of materials and processing methods used in fabrication, and due to the high electrical density levels and electrical isolation requirements these components must handle. Packaging involves the solution of electrical, mechanical, and thermal problems. Electrical isolation is one of the important factors to be considered in the power packaging design, as it relates directly to the product reliability and safety. Based on the standard of International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) and the US Standard (UL), such as the standard IEC60950-1 (Information technology equipment-safety, part 1: general requirements, 2005) and UL60950-1 (Information technology equipment-safety, part 1: general requirements, 2007), designers shall take into account not only the normal operating conditions of the equipment but also likely fault conditions, consequential faults, foreseeable misuse, and external influences such as temperature, altitude, pollution, moisture, overvoltages in a system that use the power packaging products. This chapter discusses the power package electrical isolation design considerations.
openCrys: Open-Source Software for the Multiscale Modeling of Combined Antisolvent and Cooling Crystallization in Turbulent Flow

The open-source software, called openCrys, is provided for the multiscale simulation of antisolvent and combined antisolvent-cooling crystallization. It simulates the macro- and micromixing scales, and the complete energy and population balance equations during crystal nucleation and growth. The model is based on the Reynolds-Averaged-Navier–Stokes equation, coupled with a three-environment presumed probability density function model, and the spatially varying population balance equation semidiscretized using a high resolution finite-volume method. openCrys is implemented in C++ object oriented programming language using the open-source CFD package OpenFOAM. The software is used to compare the performance of dual impinging jet, coaxial, and radial crystallizers. It is shown that improving the micromixing does not necessarily result in a narrower crystal size distribution when temperature effects are taken into account. The complex interplay of crystallizer kinetics and momentum, mass, and heat transfer ma...
Training Residents in the Early Identification of Anxiety Disorders: Feasibility and Preliminary Efficacy of a Novel Training Program.

Pediatric anxiety disorders are highly prevalent, but tend to go undetected as pediatricians often lack relevant training. We developed a brief, video-based training program for pediatric residents...
Implementation of a 6-DOF Parallel Continuum Manipulator for Delivering Fingertip Tactile Cues

Existing fingertip haptic devices can deliver different subsets of tactile cues in a compact package, but we have not yet seen a wearable six-degree-of-freedom (6-DOF) display. This paper presents the Fuppeteer (short for Fingertip Puppeteer), a device that is capable of controlling the position and orientation of a flat platform, such that any combination of normal and shear force can be delivered at any location on any human fingertip. We build on our previous work of designing a parallel continuum manipulator for fingertip haptics by presenting a motorized version in which six flexible Nitinol wires are actuated via independent roller mechanisms and proportional-derivative controllers. We evaluate the settling time and end-effector vibrations observed during system responses to step inputs. After creating a six-dimensional lookup table and adjusting simulated inputs using measured Jacobians, we show that the device can make contact with all parts of the fingertip with a mean error of 1.42 mm. Finally, we present results from a human-subject study. A total of 24 users discerned 9 evenly distributed contact locations with an average accuracy of 80.5%. Translational and rotational shear cues were identified reasonably well near the center of the fingertip and more poorly around the edges.
Backstage Staff Communication: The Effects of Different Levels of Visual Exposure to Patients:

Objective:This article examines how visual exposure to patients predicts patient-related communication among staff members.Background:Communication among healthcare professionals private from patie...
Sectorwise Visual Field Simulation Using Optical Coherence Tomographic Angiography Nerve Fiber Layer Plexus Measurements in Glaucoma

Purpose To simulate 24-2 visual field (VF) using optical coherence tomographic angiography (OCTA) for glaucoma evaluation. Design Cross-sectional study. Methods One eye each of 39 glaucoma and 31 age-matched normal participants was scanned using 4.5-mm OCTA scans centered on the disc. The peripapillary retinal nerve fiber layer plexus capillary density (NFLP-CD, %area) was measured. The NFLP-CD and 24-2 VF maps were divided into 8 corresponding sectors using an extension of Garway-Heath scheme. Results Sector NFLP-CD was transformed to a logarithmic dB scale and converted to sector simulated VF deviation maps. Comparing simulated and actual 24-2 VF maps, the worst sector was in the same or adjacent location in the same hemisphere 97% of the time. VF mean deviation (VF-MD) was simulated by NFLP mean deviation (NFLP-MD). The differences between NFLP-MD and VF-MD in early, moderate, and severe glaucoma stages were −0.9 ± 2.0, 0.9 ± 2.9, and 5.8 ± 3.2 dB. NFLP-MD had better (P = .015) between-visit reproducibility (0.63 dB pooled standard deviation) than VF-MD (1.03 dB). NFLP-MD had a significantly higher sensitivity than VF-MD (P Conclusions OCTA-based simulated VF agreed well with actual 24-2 VF in terms of both the location and severity of glaucoma damage, with the exception of severe glaucoma in which the simulation tended to underestimate severity. The NFLP-MD had better reproducibility than actual VF-MD and holds promise for improving glaucoma monitoring. The NFLP-MD had better diagnostic accuracy than both VF-MD and overall NFL thickness and may be useful for early glaucoma diagnosis.
Hypromellose acetate succinate based amorphous solid dispersions via hot melt extrusion: Effect of drug physicochemical properties

In this study, the impact of drug and hydroxypropyl methylcellulose acetate succinate (HPMCAS) grades physicochemical properties on extrusion process, dissolution and stability of the hot melt extruded amorphous solid dispersions (ASDs) of nifedipine and efavirenz was investigated. Incorporation of drugs affected the extrusion temperature required for solid dispersion preparation. Differential scanning calorimetry and powder X-ray diffraction studies confirmed the amorphous conversion of the drugs in the prepared formulations. The amorphous nature of ASDs was unchanged after 3 months of stability testing at 40 °C and 75% relative humidity. The dissolution efficiency of the ASDs was dependent on the log P of the drug. The inhibitory effect of HPMCAS on drug precipitation was dependent on the hydrophobic interactions between drug and polymer, polymer grade, and dose of the drug. The dissolution efficiency and dissolution rate of the ASDs were dependent on the log P of the drug and solubility and hydrophilicity of the polymer grade respectively. The inhibitory effect of HPMCAS on drug precipitation was dependent on the hydrophobic interactions between drug and polymer, polymer grade, and the dissolution dose of the drug.
Criminogenic Policy Antithetical to Peace Policy: A Case Study of NAFTA as a Violation of International Law:

Successful peace policy that enshrines human rights allows individuals to thrive economically, politically, and socially with minimal conflict. Building from literature on crimes of globalization, ...
Longitudinal Analysis of Inter-Limb Coordination Before and After Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury: The JUMP-ACL Study

Inter-limb coordination may provide insight into why patients with anterior cruciate ligament reconstructive surgery (ACLR) have an increased risk for future injury and osteoarthritis. The purpose of this study was to compare inter-limb coordination prior-to anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury and following ACLR. Unilateral lower extremity biomechanics during a double-leg jump landing were collected prior-to ACL injury (baseline) and after ACLR, rehabilitation, and return to physical activity (follow-up). Sixty-nine participants were included in this analysis: 31 participants suffered an ACL injury since baseline: 12 injured the leg tested at baseline [ACLR-injured leg (ACLR-INJ), n = 12] and 19 injured the leg that was not tested at baseline [ACLR-uninjured leg (ACLR-UNINJ) n = 19]; 38 participants served as matched controls. Inter-limb coordination—calculated as the mean coupling angle—between the hip and knee were measured in the respective leg of each defined group and compared amongst groups at baseline and follow-up. We observed no significant change in sagittal or frontal plane inter-limb coordination amongst groups or across time (P > 0.05). A significant decrease in inter-limb coordination in the transverse plane from baseline and follow-up was observed but limited to the ACLR-INJ group (P = 0.016). The primary finding of this study is that inter-limb coordination between the hip and knee in the sagittal and frontal plane is unchanged by ACL injury and ACLR. This may help explain previous observations of changes in kinematics at both the hip and knee in this population. Our observation of alterations in the transverse plane should be interpreted with caution, but may provide additional evidence for potential mechanisms that lead to the development of osteoarthritis in ACLR patients.
Determination of the experimental extinction coefficient of therapeutic proteins using the Edelhoch method

Abstract The objective of this study was to determine how the theoretical values of the extinction coefficient (EC) compares to the experimentally determined extinction coefficient for a large set of biotherapeutic proteins measured by the Edelhoch method. We have performed extensive analysis based on over 176 observations covering 19 different types of molecules from different structural classes covering mAbs, bispecific antibodies, fusion proteins and BiTE molecules. Precision was measured by assessing the repeatability of the measurements for each molecule and determining the relative standard deviation (%RSD). The maximum RSD observed for any given molecule was 1.7% with an average RSD of 0.9%. Deviation from the theoretical extinction coefficient was determined by calculating the experimental bias first, which is the difference between the mean experimental extinction coefficient and the theoretical extinction coefficient. The percent bias (%bias) was then calculated as (bias ÷ theoretical EC) × 100. The maximum %bias observed for any given molecule was 5.3% with an average %bias of 2.6%. Our results indicate that the Edelhoch method is highly reliable with significant improvement in execution efficiency with reduction in cost, time and improvements in safety when compared to the commonly used methods such as amino acid analysis (AAA) technique.
The Electronic Resources Troubleshooting Guide: by Holly Talbott and Ashley Zmau, Chicago, IL, ALA Editions, 2020, 173 pp., $59.00 (Paperback), ISBN 978-0-8389-4764-7; $48.00 (ePub), ISBN 978-0-8389-4793-7

The Electronic Resources Troubleshooting Guide provides readers with an in-depth look at planning for and responding to access problems in library systems and resources. The authors make the case t...
Peculiarities and Paradoxes of Neoliberal Higher Education in Kazakhstan

This article discusses the expression of neoliberalism in Kazakhstan’s emerging higher education system. The central tenets of neoliberalism are briefly articulated. Noted is the phenomenon that the general political-economic paradigm of neoliberalism differs in its specific implementation depending on the particular countries and cultures in which it is manifesting. In Kazakhstan, neoliberalism’s expression in the former Soviet Republic’s emerging higher education system presents five paradoxes: (a) nationalistic globalism, (b) regulated non-regulation, (c) giving as a means to getting, (d) communal individualism, and (e) developmental demise. This article explores each of these five paradoxes.
Where Were the Mexicans? The Story is a Conversation

This essay explores the institutionalized master narrative of public institutions and how the mandated policies enacted by public institutions impact social studies teachers when they are delivering instruction to their students. A socio-transformative constructivist framework guides the essay in order to affirm that knowledge is socially constructed and mediated by cultural, historical, and institutional contexts (Rodriguez, 1998; Rodriguez & Berryman, 2002). This essay also examines how educators can go beyond the teaching of their course curriculum to enact change at their campus and district. Also, this essay examines how district leaders can support teachers who want to be social justice change agents.
Fabrication of phosphorescent oxide coatings using the aerosol deposition technique

Ceramic phosphors have been used for non-contact, 2-dimensional temperature sensing in high strain and high temperature environments. The Novel Aerosol Deposition Technique was used to fabricate coatings of Dysprosium doped Yttrium Aluminum Garnet and Mg4F2GeO4:Mn phosphors. Preliminary microstructural/optical characterization has been conducted. Dysprosium doped Yttrium Aluminum Garnet coatings were found to contain both garnet and perovskite phases and had an as-sprayed crystallite size of 25-30 nm. The fast response time and thermal/environmental stability of the doped ceramic phosphors make them excellent materials for temperature measurements on surfaces such as rapidly rotating turbine components. The high density, robust, room temperature deposition of phosphors through the Aerosol Deposition process greatly improves the current state-of-the-art of non-contact temperature sensing
Branching beta 1-6N-acetylglucosaminetransferases and polylactosamine expression in mouse F9 teratocarcinoma cells and differentiated counterparts.

Abstract beta-All-trans-retinoic acid (RA)-induced endodermal differentiation of mouse F9 teratocarcinoma cells is accompanied by changes in glycoprotein glycosylation, including expression of i antigen (i.e. polylactosamine) and leukophytohemagglutinin-reactive oligosaccharides (i.e. -GlcNAc beta 1-6Man alpha 1-6-branched N-linked). We have used the F9 teratocarcinoma cells as a model to study developmental regulation of glycosyltransferase activities which are responsible for the biosynthesis of beta 1-6GlcNAc-branched N- and O-linked oligosaccharides and polylactosamine. Growth of F9 cells in the presence of 10(-6) M RA for 4 days increased core 2 GlcNAc transferase and GlcNAc transferase V activities by 13- and 6-fold, respectively, whereas the activities of GlcNAc transferase I, beta 1-3GlcNAc transferase (i), beta 1-4Gal transferase, and beta 1-3Gal transferase increased 2-4-fold. Induction of glycosyltransferase activities by RA was dose-dependent and showed a biphasic response with approximately half of the increase observed 3 days after RA treatment and the remainder occurred by day 4. PYS-2, a parietal endoderm cell line, showed levels of glycosyltransferase activities similar to those of RA-treated F9 cells. Glycosyltransferase activities in the RA-resistant F9 cell line (RA-3-10) were low and showed only a small induction by RA. These observations suggest that differentiation of F9 cells is closely associated with induction of multiple glycosyltransferase activities, with most pronounced increases in GlcNAc transferase V and 2',5'-tetradenylate (core 2) GlcNAc transferase. The increase in GlcNAc transferase V was also reflected by the 4-6-fold increase in the binding of 125I-leukophytohemagglutinin to several cellular glycoproteins, which occurred after 3 days of RA treatment. The endo-beta-galactosidase-sensitive polylactosamine content of membrane glycoproteins and, in particular, the LAMP-1 glycoprotein was markedly increased after RA treatment of F9 cells. Consistent with these observations, fucosylated polylactosamine (i.e. dimeric Lex) was also increased in RA-treated cells. Analysis of the aryl oligosaccharides produced by F9 cells cultured in the presence of aryl alpha-D-GalNAc showed that RA treatment enhanced the synthesis of disialyl core 2 O-linked oligosaccharides and increased the polylactosamine content of the aryl oligosaccharides by > 20-fold. The results suggest that differentiation of F9 cells into endoderm is closely associated with increased GlcNAc transferase V and core 2 GlcNAc transferase activities, enzymes which control the level of beta 1-6GlcNAc-branched N- and O-linked oligosaccharides, the preferred substrates for polylactosamine addition.
Implementing Peer Evaluation of Handoffs: Associations With Experience and Workload

BACKGROUND Although peer evaluation can be used to evaluate in-hospital handoffs, few studies have described using this strategy. OBJECTIVE Our objective was to assess feasibility of an online peer handoff evaluation and characterize performance over time among medical interns. DESIGN The design was a prospective cohort study. PATIENTS Subjects were medical interns from residency program rotating at 2 teaching hospitals. MEASUREMENTS Measurements were performance on an end-of-rotation evaluation of giving and receiving handoffs. RESULTS From July 2009 to March 2010, 31 interns completed 60% (172/288) of peer evaluations. Ratings were high across domains (mean, 8.3–8.6). In multivariate regression controlling for evaluator and evaluatee, statistically significant improvements over time were observed for 4 items compared to the first 3 months of the year: 1) communication skills (season 2, +0.34 [95% confidence interval (CI), 0.08-0.60], P = 0.009); 2) listening behavior (season 2, +0.29 [95% CI, 0.04-0.55], P = 0.025); 3) accepting professional responsibility (season 3, +0.37 [95% CI, 0.08-0.65], P = 0.012); and 4) accessing the system (season 2, +0.21 [95% CI, 0.03-0.39], P = 0.023). Ratings were also significantly lower when interns were postcall in written sign-out quality (8.21 vs 8.39, P = 0.008) and accepting feedback (8.25 vs 8.42, P = 0.006). Ratings from a community hospital rotation, with a lower census than the teaching hospital, were significantly higher for overall performance and 7 of 12 domains (P < 0.05 for all). Significant evaluator effects were observed. CONCLUSIONS Although there is evidence of leniency, peer evaluation of handoffs demonstrate increases over time and associations with workload such as postcall status. This suggests the importance of examining how workload impacts handoffs in the future. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2013;8:132–136. © 2012 Society of Hospital Medicine
On Writing a Casebook

I suppose every law professor, at one time or another, has mused about writing a casebook. "This one I'm using is OK, but ... ." I have written several casebooks in two different areas of law and for two different publishers.' I have also written another law school book for a third publisher.' Along the way, I have learned a thing or two. If you are thinking seriously about writing a casebook, you might find these tips useful. In this Article, I will discuss my theory for writing a casebook, how to organize the book and select cases, and how to get your book published.