cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Promotion of osteoblast proliferation on complex coacervation-based hyaluronic acid - recombinant mussel adhesive protein coatings on titanium.

Many biological polyelectrolytes are capable of undergoing a fluid–fluid phase separation known as complex coacervation. Coacervates were prepared using hyaluronic acid (HA) and a recombinant fusion protein consisting of mussel adhesive motifs and the RGD peptide (fp-151-RGD). The low interfacial energy of the coacervate was exploited to coat titanium (Ti), a metal widely used in implant materials. The coacervate effectively distributed both HA and fp-151-RGD over the Ti surfaces and enhanced osteoblast proliferation. Approximately half of total fp-151-RGD and HA in the solution transferred to the titanium surface within 2 h. Titanium coated with coacervates having high residual negative surface charge showed the highest cell proliferation of preosteoblast cells (MC-3T3) compared to the treatments tested. Indeed, MC-3T3 cells on complex coacervate coated titanium foils exhibited over 5 times greater cell proliferation than bare, HA coated or fp-151-RGD coated titanium.
Flexible and scalable cost-based query planning in mediators: a transformational approach

The Internet provides access to a wealth of information. For any given topic or application domain there are a variety of available information sources. However, current systems, such as search engines or topic directories in the World Wide Web, offer only very limited capabilities for locating, combining, and organizing information. Mediators, systems that provide integrated access and database-like query capabilities to information distributed over heterogeneous sources, are critical to realize the full potential of meaningful access to networked information. Query planning, the task of generating a cost-efficient plan that computes a user query from the relevant information sources, is central to mediator systems. However, query planning is a computationally hard problem due to the large number of possible sources and possible orderings on the operations to process the data. Moreover, the choice of sources, data processing operations, and their ordering, strongly affects the plan cost. In this paper, we present an approach to query planning in mediators based on a general planning paradigm called Planning by Rewriting (PbR) (Ambite and Knoblock, 1997). Our work yields several contributions. First, our PbR-based query planner combines both the selection of the sources and the ordering of the operations into a single search space in which to optimize the plan quality. Second, by using local search techniques our planner explores the combined search space efficiently and produces high-quality plans. Third, because our query planner is an instantiation of a domainindependent framework it is very flexible and can be extended in a principled way. Fourth, our planner has an anytime behavior. Finally, we provide empirical results showing that our PbR-based query planner compares favorably on scalability and plan quality over previous approaches, which include both classical AI planning and dynamic-programming query optimization techniques. © 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
Atlantic Sea Surface Temperatures and Tropical Cyclone Formation.

Abstract It has long been accepted that interannual fluctuations in sea surface temperature (SST) in the Atlantic are associated with fluctuations in seasonal Atlantic basin tropical cyclone frequency. To isolate the physical mechanism responsible for this relationship, a singular value decomposition (SVD) is used to establish the dominant covarying modes of tropospheric wind shear and SST as well as horizontal SST gradients. The dominant SVD mode of covarying vertical shear and SST gradients, which comprises equatorially confined near-zonal vertical wind shear fluctuations across the Atlantic basin, is highly correlated with both equatorial eastern Pacific SST anomalies (associated with El Nino) and West African Sahel rainfall. While this mode is strongly related to tropical storm, hurricanes, and major hurricane frequency in the Atlantic, it is not associated with any appreciable Atlantic SST signal. By contrast, the second SVD mode of covarying vertical shear and horizontal SST gradient variability, wh...
Coordination Failure in Repeated Games with Almost-Public Monitoring, Second Version

Some private-monitoring games, that is, games with no public histories, can have histories that are almost public. These games are the natural result of perturbing public monitoring games towards private monitoring. We explore the extent to which it is possible to coordinate continuation play in such games. It is always possible to coordinate continuation play by requiring behavior to have bounded recall (i.e., there is a bound L such that in any period, the last L signals are sufficient to determine behavior). We show that, in games with general almost-public private monitoring, this is essentially the only behavior that can coordinate continuation play.
CLINICAL PRESENTATION, AETIOLOGY AND COMPLICATIONS OF PANCREATITIS IN CHILDREN

Background: Childhood Pancreatitis is an uncommon but serious condition with incidence on the rise. It manifests as acute or chronic form with epigastric pain, vomiting and elevated serum amylase and lipase. This study was conducted with the aim to determine the clinical presentation, aetiology, and complications of pancreatitis in children. Methods: This descriptive case series was conducted in the Department of Paediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology and Nutrition, The Children’s Hospital & the Institute of Child Health, Lahore from 1 st January to 31 st December 2014. Seventy-two patients up to the age of 15 years having abdominal pain, Amylase >200 IU/L and/or lipase >165 IU/L, with features of acute or chronic pancreatitis on abdominal imaging; were included in study. Data analysis was done using SPSS-20. Results: Of the total 72 patients, 43 (60%) had acute pancreatitis, males were 25 (58%) and females 18 (42%) and chronic pancreatitis was diagnosed in 29 (40%), males 10 (34%) and females 19 (66%). Common clinical features were abdominal pain (100%), nausea and vomiting (79%). common aetiologies were idiopathic (40%) while choledochal cyst 8%, hyperlipidaemia 7%, biliary tract stones/sludge 7% and abdominal trauma 6%. Complications were more frequently associated with acute pancreatitis (60%) than with chronic pancreatitis (34%). Common complications were pseudopancreatic cyst (36%), ascites (17%) and pleural effusion (4%). Conclusion: Abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting were common presenting features of childhood pancreatitis. Common aetiologies were idiopathic. hyperlipidemia, biliary tract stones/sludge, choledochal cyst and abdominal trauma. Common complications were Pseudopancreatic cyst, ascites and pleural effusion.
Determinants of Changes in the Gender Earnings Gap Among College-Educated Workers

The gender earnings gap among full-time workers narrowed substantially in the 1980s. Previous research has established that increases in the amount of and returns to work experience and schooling among women were primarily responsible for that trend. This paper, which uses data from the National Longitudinal Study of the High School Class of 1972 and the High School and Beyond Senior Cohort (Class of 1980), examines to what extent college schooling characteristics other than number of years, such as grades and major field, contributed to the narrowing of the gap. Changes in the estimated effects of college grades and college major, the author finds, can account for almost all of the large decline in the gender earnings gap between 1979 and 1986 among young college-educated workers. Most of this effect apparently resulted from growth in the market price of women's skills relative to men's for a given major.
Bacterial Speciation: Genetic Sweeps in Bacterial Species

One theory of bacterial speciation states that bacterial and animal species share the property of cohesion, meaning that diversity within a species is constrained. A new study provides direct evidence that genome-wide sweeps can limit diversity within bacterial species.
The Evolution of Diagnostic and Interventional Ultrasound in Sports Medicine

Diagnostic and interventional ultrasound is a rapidly evolving field in sports medicine. The use of ultrasound has increased exponentially during the past decades. This imaging modality is appealing to sports medicine physicians because of its broad diagnostic and interventional capabilities. In sports medicine, the indications for diagnostic ultrasound extend well beyond the musculoskeletal realm to include other conditions such as ocular trauma, thoracoabdominal trauma, and cardiac morphology. Thus, the term “sports ultrasound” has been adopted as a more accurate representation of the broad and unique applications of ultrasound in this specialty. Ultrasound-guided procedures also have evolved from the commonly performed joint and tendon sheath injections to include ultrasound-guided surgical procedures. This article will discuss the evolution of diagnostic and interventional ultrasound in sports medicine using a case-based approach to highlight its many new applications.
Interobserver Reliability of the Total Body Score System for Quantifying Human Decomposition

Several authors have tested the accuracy of the Total Body Score (TBS) method for quantifying decomposition, but none have examined the reliability of the method as a scoring system by testing interobserver error rates. Sixteen participants used the TBS system to score 59 observation packets including photographs and written descriptions of 13 human cadavers in different stages of decomposition (postmortem interval: 2-186 days). Data analysis used a two-way random model intraclass correlation in SPSS (v. 17.0). The TBS method showed "almost perfect" agreement between observers, with average absolute correlation coefficients of 0.990 and average consistency correlation coefficients of 0.991. While the TBS method may have sources of error, scoring reliability is not one of them. Individual component scores were examined, and the influences of education and experience levels were investigated. Overall, the trunk component scores were the least concordant. Suggestions are made to improve the reliability of the TBS method.
Three-Dimensional Vorticity Dynamics in the Near Wake Behind Two-Dimensional Bodies

The three-dimensional development of the near wake behind two-dimensional bodies subjected to periodic spanwise perturbations in its initial conditions was studied both experimentally and numerically at moderate Reynolds numbers. The existence of two distinct, three-dimensional vorticity modes is presented, and a comparative analysis of their symmetry characteristics is given. It is shown that depending on the initial conditions the counter-rotating pairs of streamwise vortex tubes forming in the braids induce an undulation in the spanwise Karman-like vortices resulting in either an in phase or a varicose configuration.
Impact of Political Economy and Logistical Constraints on Assessments of Biomass Energy Potential: New Jersey as a Case Study

Much of the analysis on the viability of biomass to energy focuses on the implications of utilizing biomass feedstocks on energy and food pathways, land use and the environment. However, to more accurately assess biomass energy potential, analysis also needs to include political economy and logistical constraints, such as institutional barriers, existing policies, and collection and delivery infrastructure. To demonstrate the importance of introducing such constraints into an assessment model, a biomass analysis conducted for New Jersey in 2007 is used as a case study. In this assessment, biomass potential for the state was calculated with and without political economy and logistical constraints. The case study shows that introducing political economy and logistical constraints have a significant impact on the estimated quantities of Class 1 biomass feedstocks available for energy production. In the New Jersey case, 35 % of total estimated biomass resources were unavailable for bioenergy generation when considering political economy and logistical constraints in the assessment model.
Renal Phosphate Clearance in the Fetus

Abstract Basal renal Pi excretion in the fetus is very low compared to that in older children and in adults. Studies have demonstrated that the fetal kidney responds to stimuli known to effect renal tubule Pi reabsorption in the adult, and thus, developmental immaturity is not a factor in renal Pi handling in early life. Preliminary studies in fetal lambs showed increased tubule Pi reabsorption following increased filtered Pi load, and Trn phos was not demonstrated. In these studies, the low GFR in the fetus limited filtered Pi load to less than that in children and adults, and is, therefore, a major factor effecting renal Pi handling during early development. In adults, Serum [Pi] is regulated by Tm phos /GFR, and similar studies in infants have not been published. Corvilain and Abramow showed higher Tmphos and Tm phos /GFR, in children age 5–15 yr compared to values for adults. We have formulated the hypothesis that low urinary Pi excretion in early life results primarily from low GFR, and secondarily from elevated Tmphos, which may be mediated in part by growth hormone. Since studies of Tm phos /GFR, in the fetus and in infants have not been published, the role of the kidney in regulation of serum [Pi] in early life remains unclear.
Economic vs non-material incentives for participation in an in-kind payments for ecosystem services program in Bolivia

Abstract This study examines the motivations that drive participation in a compensation program for environmental conservation in Bolivia. Previous research on payments programs suggests that institutions that appeal to both economic and non-material incentives should be encouraged. This program attempts such a strategy, offering in-kind compensation for conservation while simultaneously attempting to engage with environmental values and traditional social norms. I take advantage of a comprehensive household survey conducted prior to the offer of the program and employ means-comparison tests and multi-level regression analysis to compare those who chose to participate with those who did not. My research examines whether motivations for participating in this program reflected purely financial calculations regarding the costs and benefits of the program, or whether non-financial motivations such as environmental or social beliefs and norms played a role as well. I find evidence that the program's effort to engage with social motivations was successful and that social factors, not financial incentives alone, affect participation in the program. Findings also suggest that environmental values did not play a very large role, and that the financial determinants of participation are related mainly to prohibitive costs or barriers to entry, rather than the size of anticipated benefits.
Weak Galerkin method for the Biot’s consolidation model

Abstract We develop a weak Galerkin (WG) finite element method for the Biot’s consolidation model in the classical displacement–pressure two-field formulation. Weak Galerkin linear finite elements are used for both displacement and pressure approximations in spatial discretizations. Backward Euler scheme is used for temporal discretization in order to obtain an implicit fully discretized scheme. We study the well-posedness of the linear system at each time step and also derive the overall optimal-order convergence of the WG formulation. Such WG scheme is designed on general shape regular polytopal meshes and provides stable and oscillation-free approximation for the pressure without special treatment. Numerical experiments are presented to demonstrate the efficiency and accuracy of the proposed weak Galerkin finite element method.
Design and Evaluation of an Undergraduate Course on Software Development Practices

This paper describes the design, evolution, and evaluation of a second-year undergraduate course on professional software development practices. The course design arose from two properties of a curriculum revision: the removal of redundancy across Discrete Mathematics, Data Structures, and Algorithms coursework and the identification of desired skills for students entering the upper-division courses. A research-informed design for the course incorporates code quality, version control, teamwork, user-centered design, risk management, design thinking, and reflective practice, presented in keeping with the values of agile software development. We describe the evolution of the course over its six years of implementation, including a transition from a Java-specific textbook to a more generic book about code quality and the transition from a six-week to a nine-week project. The course has become a linchpin for mid-major assessment of students' software development skills, and we discuss the strengths, weaknesses, and results of our assessment strategy. We provide a reflection of the role this course has had within our program and advice for those who might wish to adopt or adapt this design.
Queen mandibular pheromone modulates hemolymph ecdysteroid titers in adult Apis mellifera workers

To test the hypothesis that exposure to queen mandibular pheromone (QMP) modulates ecdysteroid production in adult worker honey bees, ecdysteroids were measured in hemolymph and other tissues of individual adult worker honey bees reared with or without QMP in cages and field colonies. Ecdysteroid titers were higher in caged workers exposed to QMP continuously from the first day of adult life than in workers reared without QMP. Statistical cluster analysis suggested the possibility that a subgroup of workers (“responders”) is more sensitive to QMP in this regard than other workers. In 12-day-old workers, ecdysteroid titers in workers reared in queenright (QR) colonies were similar to those observed in cages with QMP, but lower than those in queenless (QL) colonies. Differences in number of ovarioles or degree of ovarian activation did not correlate with hemolymph ecdysteroids. Previous studies have demonstrated ecdysteroids in hemolymph in very young adult workers and in workers in QL colonies; the present study indicates that production of ecdysteroids occurs in older adult worker honey bees in the absence of morphological signs of ovarian activation, with cage studies revealing a modulatory role for QMP masked in the complex environment of the hive.
An examination of student veteran education pathways at an American university

Military veterans are enrolling in higher education at the highest rates since the Second World War. This research seeks to examine how military experiences related to student experiences within th...
Hypoxia-induced exosome secretion promotes survival of African-American and Caucasian prostate cancer cells.

African American men in the United States have higher mortality due to prostate cancer (PCa) compared to other races. One reason for this disparity is the lack of in-depth understanding of the PCa biology in African Americans. For example, hypoxia in prostate tumor microenvironment is associated with adverse prognosis; still, no hypoxia-related studies have been reported in African Americans. Here, we compared African-American and Caucasian PCa cells for exosome secretion under normoxic (21% O2) and hypoxic (1% O2) conditions. All cell lines showed higher exosome secretion under hypoxia but it was clearly more prominent in African-American PCa cells. Further, under hypoxia, Rab5 (a biomarker for early endosome) was clustered in perinuclear region; and CD63 (a biomarker for exosomes and multivesicular endosomes) showed greater co-localization with actin cytoskeleton especially in African American PCa cells. Importantly, exosome biogenesis inhibitors GW4869 (10–20 µM) or DMA (10–20 µg/ml) significantly decreased cell viability and clonogenicity in PCa cells. Interestingly, we also observed higher level of lactic acid loaded in exosomes secreted under hypoxia. Overall, under chronic hypoxia, PCa cells secrete more exosomes as a survival mechanism to remove metabolic waste.
Comparative physiology of oxygen transfer in lungs.

There is a strong tradition of comparative physiology in the field of respiration. Over the years, physiologists have been fascinated by the differences in respiratory organs which evolved for the common problem of oxygen transfer. This led to a rich experimental literature about possible advantages that one type of structure may have over another, but it also led to many speculations.
Policy Knowledge: Universities

This article reviews the relationship between universities and public policy and the place of the social sciences in defining and locating that relationship. It looks briefly at what it has been, what it is now and what it might be. It considers the relationship as essentially a product of the twentieth century and examines the factors which enabled a much older institution to serve a newer purpose of public policy. It finally identifies some powerful contextual forces of the twenty-first century which threaten to weaken, attenuate, and certainly to transform that relationship.
Scared into Church? Conceptions of God, Exclusivity, and Religious Practice in the United States

This chapter looks at the relationship between concepts of God and how active persons are in churches today. They posit that more exclusivist concepts of God will engender greater participation in church/religious life with respect to both private and public life. That is, people who see God as potentially excluding persons from eternal rewards who do not meet specific standards in this life will also cause these people to observe religious teachings in practices in both public and private circumstances.
Photorefractive effect in LiNbO 3 directional couplers

Experimental results on the photorefractive effect in Ti-indiffused LiNbO3 directional couplers at GaAs and He–Ne wavelengths are presented. The photorefractive effect has been observed as drift in the switching state of this device at GaAs wavelengths (0.81 and 0.85 μm) for intensities (powers) as low as 32 W/cm2 (3.2 μW). Analysis of this effect indicates refractive-index changes as large as 8 × 10−4 may be occurring. Measurements also suggest the possibility of two time constants in the relaxation of the photorefractive effect in these devices.
A Cooperative Hydrogen Bond Donor–Brønsted Acid System for the Enantioselective Synthesis of Tetrahydropyrans

Carbocations stabilized by adjacent oxygen atoms are useful reactive intermediates involved in fundamental chemical transformations. These oxocarbenium ions typically lack sufficient electron density to engage established chiral Bronsted or Lewis acid catalysts, presenting a major challenge to their widespread application in asymmetric catalysis. Leading methods for selectivity operate primarily through electrostatic pairing between the oxocarbenium ion and a chiral counterion. A general approach to new enantioselective transformations of oxocarbenium ions requires novel strategies that address the weak binding capabilities of these intermediates. We demonstrate herein a novel cooperative catalysis system for selective reactions with oxocarbenium ions. This new strategy has been applied to a highly selective and rapid oxa-Pictet-Spengler reaction and highlights a powerful combination of an achiral hydrogen bond donor with a chiral Bronsted acid.
The structure of human apolipoprotein C-1 in four different crystal forms.

Human apolipoprotein C1 (APOC1) is a 57 amino acid long polypeptide that, through its potent inhibition of cholesteryl ester transferase protein, helps regulate the transfer of lipids between lipid particles. We have now determined the structure of APOC1 in four crystal forms by X-ray diffraction. A molecule of APOC1 is a single, slightly bent, α-helix having 13-14 turns and a length of about 80 A. APOC1 exists as a dimer, but the dimers are not the same in the four crystals. In two monoclinic crystals, two helices closely engage one another in an antiparallel fashion. The interactions between monomers are almost entirely hydrophobic with sparse electrostatic complements. In the third monoclinic crystal, the two monomers spread at one end of the dimer, like a scissor opening, and, by translation along the crystallographic a axis, form a continuous, contiguous sheet through the crystal. In the orthorhombic crystals, two molecules of APOC1 are related by a noncrystallographic 2-fold axis to create an arc of about 120 A length. This symmetrical dimer utilizes interactions not present in dimers of the monoclinic crystals. Versatility of APOC1 monomer association shown by these crystals is suggestive of physiological function.
Stability constant determination of sulfur and selenium amino acids with Cu(II) and Fe(II).

Abstract Sulfur- and selenium-containing amino acids are of great biological importance, but their metal-binding properties with biologically-relevant metal ions are not well investigated. Stability constants of the methionine, selenomethionine, methylcysteine, and methylselenocysteine with Cu(II) and Fe(II) were determined by potentiometric titration. Stability constants of Cu(II) with these thio- and selenoether amino acids are in the range of 8.0–8.2 ([CuL]+) and 14.5–14.7 (CuL2) (L = amino acid). Fe(II) interactions with the same thio- and selenoether amino acids are much weaker, with stability constants between 3.5 and 3.8 ([FeL]+) and −4.9 and −5.7 (FeL(OH)). Stability of Fe(II) with penicillamine, a thiol-containing amino acid, is much higher (FeL = 7.48(7) and [FeL]2− = 13.74(2)). For both copper and iron complexes, thio- and selenoether amino acid coordination occurs through the carboxylate and the amine groups as confirmed by infrared spectroscopy, with no stability afforded by thio- or selenoether coordination. The first single-crystal structure of Cu(II) with a selenium-containing amino acid, Cu(SeMet)2, also confirms binding through only the amine and carboxylate groups. The measured Cu(II)-amino-acid stability constants confirm that nearly 100% of the available Cu(II) can be coordinated by these amino acids at pH 7, but very little Fe(II) is bound under these conditions. The relative instability of Fe(II) complexes with thio- and selenoether amino acids is consistent with their inability to prevent metal-mediated oxidative DNA damage. In contrast, the stability constants of these amino acids with Cu(II) weakly correlate to their ability to inhibit DNA damage inhibition.
Stability of an elastic arch in a rigid cavity: Stability of equilibrium in large “snap-through” is investigated both analytically and experimentally. Good agreement is found to exist between the two modes of investigation

A thin, elastic circular arch, clamped at its ends and constrained in a rigid cavity, is subjected to a uniformly distributed parallel loading. Stability of equilibrium in the large “snap-through” is investigated both analytically and experimentally and good agreement is found to exist between the two modes of investigation. It is concluded that the set of simplifying assumptions introduced in the analysis is justified. Simple analytical results obtained in the paper allow the design of underground shelters under this type of loading.
The United Nations after 30 Years.

It mirrors a discordant world. But, with all its flaws, the organization still embodies mankind's best hope for survival What would the world do without it?
Modified Orbitozygomatic Craniotomy for a Previously Coiled Anterior Communicating Artery Aneurysm: 2-Dimensional Operative Video

Clip occlusion of previously coiled aneurysms poses unique technical challenges. The coil mass can complicate aneurysm neck access and clip tine approximation. This patient had a previously ruptured anterior communicating artery (ACOM) aneurysm that had been treated with coil embolization. On follow-up evaluation, the patient was found to have a recurrence of the aneurysm, which prompted an orbitozygomatic craniotomy for clip occlusion. The approach provided a favorable view of the aneurysm neck with the coil mass protruding outside the aneurysm dome. Indocyanine green fluoroscopy was used to assist with ideal permanent clip placement along the aneurysm neck. The segment of coils present outside the aneurysm neck was removed to reduce mass effect on the optic chiasm. Postoperative imaging demonstrated aneurysm obliteration. The patient gave informed consent for surgery and video recording. Institutional review board approval was deemed unnecessary. Used with permission from Barrow Neurological Institute, Phoenix, Arizona.
Understanding potential drivers of aquatic metabolism in a subtropical treatment wetland

Changes of dissolved oxygen (DO) in aquatic ecosystems integrates dynamic biological, physical and chemical processes that control the rate of ecosystem metabolism. Aquatic ecosystem metabolism can be characterized by the diel change in DO changes over time and is expressed as the net aquatic productivity (NAP). This study investigated aquatic metabolism of dominant emergent and submerged aquatic vegetation (EAV and SAV, respectively) within two treatment flow-ways (FW) of Stormwater Treatment Area 2 (STA-2) in the Everglades ecosystem. The hypothesis of this study is that aquatic metabolism will differ between aquatic vegetation communities with SAV communities will have a greater GPP and ER rate than EAV communities driven by biophysical, hydrodynamic and biogeochemical differences between systems. Aquatic metabolism observed in this study vary spatially (along FWs) and temporally (diel to days) controlled by different effects related biological, physical and chemical processes. This study suggests that ecosystem metabolism is controlled differently across FWs with varying levels of response to loading/transport and water column attributes resulting in differences in organic matter accumulation, C turnover and phosphorus cycling.
Clinical application of fractional exhaled nitric oxide in the diagnosis and treatment of bronchial asthma in children

Bronchial asthma is a common respiratory disease characterized by chronic airway inflammation.In recent years, fractional exhaled nitric oxide as a non-invasive assessment of airway inflammation detection methods is widely used to determine the nature of airway inflammation, judge the responsiveness of steroids therapy, help to clinical diagnosis and differential diagnosis, adjust hormone therapy, evaluate prognosis.This paper discusses about fractional exhaled nitric oxide′s research progress, production and role, the normal standard, clinical application in children with wheezing and related diseases. Key words: Bronchial asthma; Children; Fractional exhaled nitric oxide; Airway inflammation
Institutional Challenges and Solutions to Evidence-Based, Patient-Centered Practice: Implementing ICU Diaries

Background Although diaries are an evidence-based practice that improves the quality of life of patients in an intensive care unit and their loved ones, centers in the United States are struggling to successfully implement diary programs in intensive care units. Currently, few published recommendations address how to facilitate implementation of a diary program, and how to effectively sustain it, in an intensive care unit. Objectives To discuss challenges with implementing diary programs in intensive care units at 2 institutions in the United States, and to identify solutions that were operationalized to overcome these perceived difficulties. Methods The teams from the 2 institutions identified local barriers to implementing diaries in their intensive care units. Both groups developed standard operating procedures that outlined the execution and evaluation phases of their implementation projects. Results Barriers to implementation include liability and patient privacy, diary program development, and implementation and sustainability concerns. Various strategies can help maintain clinical and family member engagement. Conclusion Through a team's sustained dedication and a diligent assessment of perceived obstacles, a diary program can indeed be implemented within an intensive care unit.
Picnicking at Hill House: Shirley Jackson’s Gothic Vision of Heaven

This essay examines scenes of eating, specifically picknicking, in The Haunting of Hill House and We Have Always Lived in the Castle, demonstrating that meals in Jackson’s gothic novels capture an ...
A Statistical Evaluation of WRF-LES Trace Gas Dispersion Using Project Prairie Grass Measurements

In recent years, new measurement systems have been deployed to monitor and quantify methane emissions from the natural gas sector. Large-eddy simulation (LES) has complemented measurement campaigns by serving as a controlled environment in which to study plume dynamics and sampling strategies. However, with few comparisons to controlled-release experiments, the accuracy of LES for modeling natural gas emissions is poorly characterized. In this paper, we evaluate LES from the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model against measurements from the Project Prairie Grass campaign, surface layer similarity theory, and the Gaussian Plume Model. Using WRF-LES, we simulate continuous emissions from an ensemble of 30 near-surface trace gas sources in two stability regimes: strong and weak convection. We examine the impact of grid resolutions ranging from 6.25 m to 52 m in the horizontal dimension on model performance. We evaluate performance in a statistical framework, calculating fractional bias and conducting Welchs t-tests. WRF-LES accurately simulates observed surface concentrations at 100 m and beyond under strong convection; the magnitude of factional bias is less than 30% for the moderate- and fine-resolution simulations. However, in weakly convective conditions with strong winds, WRF-LES substantially overpredicts concentrations – the magnitude of fractional bias often exceeds 30%, and all but one t-test fails. Despite the good performance of dispersion in the strongly convective atmosphere, we find that both the strongly and weakly convective boundary layers disagree with empirical wind and temperature Monin-Obukhov similarity theory profiles that are often used to evaluate LES within the atmospheric surface layer.
Discrete Time Multistate Model With Regime Switching for Modeling COVID-19 Disease Progression and Clinical Outcomes

Randomized and controlled clinical trials are an important tool to provide definitive evidence about effects of treatments for COVID-19. Because of the novelty of this disease, designing these prov...
Knowledge-Information circulation through the enterprise: forward to the roots of knowledge management

The field of Knowledge Management (KM) has already completed its initiatory phase, characterized by operational confusion between knowledge and information, stemming from the tenuous notion of “explicit knowledge”. Consequently, the progress of KM has been much slower than would the significance of knowledge management in a modern enterprise indicate. Here we propose and discuss four cornerstones for returning to the roots of knowledge management and so moving forward towards a new phase of KM. We discuss the roots of reliable knowledge thinking and theory in economics, management and philosophy. Then we formulate clear, unambiguous and pragmatic definitions and distinctions of knowledge and information, establish simple and natural measures of the value of knowledge and propose the Knowledge-Information (KnowIn) continuum and its circulatory nature in managing knowledge of the enterprise. Autopoietic cycle A-C-I-S is elaborated to that purpose. We conclude the paper by discussing some implications of the new KM for strategy and strategic management.
Fourteen Genetic Misconceptions

Excerpt Some misconceptions*about genetic aspects of medicine are so common that they merit specific comment and correction. Misconception 1. Congenital is synonymous with genetic. Criticism: Conge...
Laboratory Design for Microbiological Safety

Of the large amount of funds spent each year in this country on construction and remodeling of biomedical research facilities, a significant portion is directed to laboratories handling infectious microorganisms. This paper is intended for the scientific administrators, architects, and engineers concerned with the design of new microbiological facilities. It develops and explains the concept of primary and secondary barriers for the containment of microorganisms. The basic objectives of a microbiological research laboratory, (i) protection of the experimenter and staff, (ii) protection of the surrounding community, and (iii) maintenance of experimental validity, are defined. In the design of a new infectious-disease research laboratory, early identification should be made of the five functional zones of the facility and their relation to each other. The following five zones and design criteria applicable to each are discussed: clean and transition, research area, animal holding and research area, laboratory support, engineering support. The magnitude of equipment and design criteria which are necessary to integrate these five zones into an efficient and safe facility are delineated.
Abnormal adolescent primiparous pregnancy: Association of race, human chorionic somatomammotropin production, and smoking☆

Abstract Abnormal pregnancies (33 per cent) were studied in 417 consecutive, unmarried, primiparous women, age 12 to 18 years (black, 54 per cent; white, 46 per cent). Black patients had no increase in abnormal pregnancies but had more infants weighing
Confinement symmetry, mobility anisotropy, and metallic behavior in ( 311 ) A GaAs two-dimensional holes

We study two-dimensional hole systems confined to $(311)A$ GaAs quantum wells. Such samples exhibit an in-plane mobility anisotropy. At constant hole density, we vary the symmetry of the quantum well potential, and thus the spin-orbit interaction-induced spin splitting, and measure the temperature dependence of the resistivity along two different in-plane current directions, in a regime where the samples exhibit metallic behavior. Both the symmetry and the current direction have a significant effect on the metallic behavior. The results point to the importance of both intersubband and interface-roughness scattering in any quantitative explanation of the low-temperature transport characteristics of this system.
Pedal Evolution of Mammals in the Mesozoic: Tests for Taxic Relationships

Similar characters are often the result of different causes or similar causes in different lineages. The danger of incorrectly considering them synapomorphies is minimized when transformations are considered in the complex context of development, function, and ecological morphology. Thus the analysis of homologies (which are either plesiomorphous, apomorphous, transformational, synapomorphous, or parallel similarities) requires causal research encompassing all of evolutionary morphology, and not only distribution analysis. The apomorphous constraints in the common ancestry, which are the bases of grouping organisms, can be deciphered even when synapomorphies cannot be clearly recognized. Ontogenetic, functional, and ecological factors, i.e., numerous specific evolutionary causes, and some relevant processes affect the individual organism and are therefore responsible for the patterns of phena. The selection and analysis of characters (and therefore the cause and process-based interpretations of distributional data) and hypotheses of evolution, ranging from those of characters to those of species, should be tested against all relevant observations within the noted context. This is a methodological tenet that falls out of evolutionary theory, not from a taxonomic one. Null-group comparisons suggest a number of probable apomorphies, transformation sequences, synapomorphies, and parallel acquisitions.
iSchools and Non-iSchools in the USA: An Examination of Their Master's Programs.

Discussions have been carried out in recent years regarding the emergence of iSchools in the field of library and information science (LIS). One theme in the discussions centres on whether those iSchools, deriving from LIS programs, are indeed different from other non-iSchools of the field. To address this question, five iSchools and five non-iSchools that host the ALA-accredited master’s program are compared in terms of program requirements, core courses, concentrations/specializations, and other related parameters. Few distinctive differences are observed between the two groups except for more course offerings by the iSchools and higher number of concentrations/specializations among the noniSchools. This study also examines issues concerning the iSchool movement (e.g., exclusiveness) based on the findings obtained. Although branding is a common practice, it is the collaboration and interaction among all the schools, with or without the “i” prefix, that would truly advance the information field in general and facilitate information education in particular.
The Growing Evidence for "Demonic Possession": What Should Psychiatry's Response be?

Evidence of evil spirits is voluminous and comes from many cultures, both ancient and modern. Cases from China, India, and the United States are examined and evaluated. The actual experience of spirit victims, the universality of spirit oppression, the superhuman phenomena associated with “possession,” and the comparative success of deliverance and exorcism vs. psychiatry are considered. Potential arguments against the spirit hypothesis center on the antecedent improbability of spirits, multiple personality disorder, and the effectiveness of medication; but these can be countered. Psychiatrists should question their materialist assumption that mental illness is strictly a matter of an aberrant brain, carefully examine the literature of possession, experiment to determine why exorcists and deliverance ministers often succeed where psychiatry fails, and develop a more complete inventory of techniques for healing the complete person.
The Profession of Cardiac Sonography and the Status of Professionalization of Cardiac Sonographers

Abstract The role of the cardiac sonographer has evolved in the profession of cardiac ultrasonography to a level requiring rigorous education, training, and high standards. Although we want to consider ourselves professionals, further efforts are necessary to meet the various criteria conferring such a status. It is essential cardiac sonographers realize these necessary steps to achieve recognition as professionals. (J Am Soc Echocardiogr 1999;12:335-42.)
Adaptive activity recognition with dynamic heterogeneous sensor fusion

In spite of extensive research in the last decade, activity recognition still faces many challenges for real-world applications. On one hand, when attempting to recognize various activities, different sensors play different on different activity classes. This heterogeneity raises the necessity of learning the optimal combination of sensor modalities for each activity. On the other hand, users may consistently or occasionally annotate activities. To boost recognition accuracy, we need to incorporate the user input and incrementally adjust the model. To tackle these challenges, we propose an adaptive activity recognition with dynamic heterogeneous sensor fusion framework.We dynamically fuse various modalities to characterize different activities. The model is consistently updated upon arrival of newly labeled data. To evaluate the effectiveness of the proposed framework, we incorporate it into popular feature transformation algorithms, e.g., Linear Discriminant Analysis, Marginal Fisher's Analysis, and Maximum Mutual Information in the proposed framework. Finally, we carry out experiments on a real-world dataset collected over two weeks. The result demonstrates the practical implication of our framework and its advantage over existing approaches.
Refining metabolic models and accounting for regulatory effects

Advances in genome-scale metabolic modeling allow us to investigate and engineer metabolism at a systems level. Metabolic network reconstructions have been made for many organisms and computational approaches have been developed to convert these reconstructions into predictive models. However, due to incomplete knowledge these reconstructions often have missing or extraneous components and interactions, which can be identified by reconciling model predictions with experimental data. Recent studies have provided methods to further improve metabolic model predictions by incorporating transcriptional regulatory interactions and high-throughput omics data to yield context-specific metabolic models. Here we discuss recent approaches for resolving model-data discrepancies and building context-specific metabolic models. Once developed highly accurate metabolic models can be used in a variety of biotechnology applications.
Extracellular histones are major mediators of death in sepsis

Hyperinflammatory responses can lead to a variety of diseases, including sepsis. We now report that extracellular histones released in response to inflammatory challenge contribute to endothelial dysfunction, organ failure and death during sepsis. They can be targeted pharmacologically by antibody to histone or by activated protein C (APC). Antibody to histone reduced the mortality of mice in lipopolysaccharide (LPS), tumor necrosis factor (TNF) or cecal ligation and puncture models of sepsis. Extracellular histones are cytotoxic toward endothelium in vitro and are lethal in mice. In vivo, histone administration resulted in neutrophil margination, vacuolated endothelium, intra-alveolar hemorrhage and macro- and microvascular thrombosis. We detected histone in the circulation of baboons challenged with Escherichia coli, and the increase in histone levels was accompanied by the onset of renal dysfunction. APC cleaves histones and reduces their cytotoxicity. Co-infusion of APC with E. coli in baboons or histones in mice prevented lethality. Blockade of protein C activation exacerbated sublethal LPS challenge into lethality, which was reversed by treatment with antibody to histone. We conclude that extracellular histones are potential molecular targets for therapeutics for sepsis and other inflammatory diseases.
Helping people improve their lives with behavior therapy

If the aim of behavior therapy is to help individuals with clinical problems improve their lives, then the field has been, and will continue to be, an outstanding success. However, the same problems that were present for therapy researchers in the beginning days of the field remain, namely, how to improve the results of treatment, and what mechanisms underlie the effectiveness of treatment. Some current approaches to these problems are outlined largely in reference to the eating disorders. The advent of managed care will, in my opinion, be advantageous for the further development of behavior therapy, which is likely to remain a strong field, ultimately linking therapeutic behavior change with neurochemical changes in the central nervous system.
Between Racism and Obscurity: The Black Theologian in the Twenty-first Century

This article sheds light on the dual dilemma the Black theologian faces in the academy and church in the twenty-first century. That dual dilemma is best characterized as the Black theologian toiling between the racism of the academy and constantly having to prove that intellectual substance can reside in a Black body coupled with marginalization by the Black religious community. This dialectical struggle is juxtaposed with incessantly having to prove her spiritual and racial legitimacy in light of her "White" academic/theological preparation. The purpose of this article is to offer greater analysis about the historical factors that have given rise to these perceptions of the Black theologian, and provide some insight as to how they can be improved.