cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Organic-Inorganic Junctions formed on Porous Silicon: Isolation of a Surface Configuration primary to the Luminescence Mechanism.

Organic-inorganic junctions were formed between porous silicon and various conjugated conducting polymers, poly(3-methylthiophene) and polypyrrole. Schottky type barriers were observed between the conducting polymers in their doped state and p and n-type porous silicon. In their undoped state the conducting polymers behave like p-type semiconductors. Consistent with this, ohmic contacts were observed between undoped conducting polymers and p-type porous silicon while rectifying behavior typical of a p-n junction was observed for conducting polymers deposited onto n-type porous silicon. During characterization of the porous silicon substrate, an investigation of the surface chemistry revealed a strong correspondence between solution pH and the luminescence intensity of porous silicon. Surface titration experiments were performed on p and n-type porous silicon and the results indicate that a monoprotic surface acid with a pKa between 3–4 is a primary component in the luminescence mechanism of porous silicon.
Comments on the long-term stability of the Earth's obliquity

Abstract Continued tidal evolution of the Earth-Moon system will lengthen the day and expand the lunar orbit. Both of these changes increase the present 26,000-year equinoctial precession period. In less than 2 billion years, this period will become comparable to the ∼49,000- and ∼69,000-year periods of important terms describing the precession of the Earth's orbit plane due to planetary perturbations. These events occur when the lunar orbital semimajor axis drifts past ∼66.5 and ∼68.0 Earth radii, respectively, and will be accompanied by large oscillations of the obliquity and severe climatic alterations. The current rate of lunar recession implies that these resonances should have been encountered already, had present conditions been the norm throughout geologic time.
Thoracoscopic Elongation of the Esophagus in Long-gap Esophageal Atresia

Esophageal atresia has always been the hallmark of pediatric surgery. Long-gap esophageal atresia (LGEA) has been a challenge for many pediatric surgeons for many decades. Several alternative techniques have past the revenue, some to stay, and some to go. As early as in the late 1950s of the past century, Rehbein [1] already described the approximation of both ends with two metal balls in the esophagus attached to a thread in between the two ends that were slowly pushed to one another.
Non-sequential structure-based alignments reveal topology-independent core packing arrangements in proteins

Motivation: Proteins of the same class often share a secondary structure packing arrangement but differ in how the secondary structure units are ordered in the sequence. We find that proteins that share a common core also share local sequence--structure similarities, and these can be exploited to align structures with different topologies. In this study, segments from a library of local sequence--structure alignments were assembled hierarchically, enforcing the compactness and conserved inter-residue contacts but not sequential ordering. Previous structure-based alignment methods often ignore sequence similarity, local structural equivalence and compactness. Results: The new program, SCALI (Structural Core ALIgnment), can efficiently find conserved packing arrangements, even if they are non-sequentially ordered in space. SCALI alignments conserve remote sequence similarity and contain fewer alignment errors. Clustering of our pairwise non-sequential alignments shows that recurrent packing arrangements exist in topologically different structures. For example, the three-layer sandwich domain architecture may be divided into four structural subclasses based on internal packing arrangements. These subclasses represent an intermediate level of structure classification, more general than topology, but more specific than architecture as defined in CATH. A strategy is presented for developing a set of predictive hidden Markov models based on multiple SCALI alignments. Availability: An online topology-independent SCALI structure comparison server is available at http://www.bioinfo.rpi.edu/~bystrc/scali.html Contact: bystrc@rpi.edu
Three-dimensional digital sonomicrometry: comparison with biplane radiography

Describes a three-dimensional (3D) digital sonomicrometry approach for locating and tracking 3D objects. A commercial digital sonomicrometry system was employed to measure scalar distances between omnidirectional sonomicrometers. 3D coordinates were then derived using the statistical technique of multidimensional scaling (MDS). 3D digital sonomicrometry was directly compared with biplane radiography of the ultrasound crystals for estimation of 3D distances in static phantoms and in vivo using an experimental canine preparation. An excellent correlation (r=0.992) was seen when comparing intercrystal distances derived from biplane radiography and sonomicrometry 3D coordinate data in the gelphantom. A Bland-Altman analysis shows that the average difference in coordinate determined distance between these two different methodologies was only 0.6310.46 mm, over a range of inter-crystal distances of 3.14 to 17.28 mm. In the in vivo canine preparation, the correlation between the sonomicrometry derived and biplane derived distances was also excellent (r=0.992) with a slope of 1.05 and an intercept of 0.06. The Bland-Altman analysis shows that the average difference in coordinate determined distance between these two different methodologies was only 0.78/spl plusmn/0.74 mm, over a range of inter-crystal distances of 2.90 to 27.66 mm. The authors have demonstrated the feasibility of accurately measuring scalar distances using 3D digital sonomicrometry. Digital sonomicrometry combines high spatial and temporal resolution with availability and portability to accurately measure distances in a closely packed array of implanted piezoelectric crystals.
Contingent labor as an enabler of entrepreneurial growth

While all firms can benefit from engaging contingent labor, due to the flexibility, real options, and new knowledge these workers may provide, these benefits are compounded in emerging organizations due to their lack of resources, legitimacy, and time to focus on HR issues. By carefully weighing the risks and benefits, and making purposeful and intentional decisions concerning when and what types of contingent labor to utilize, as well as how to manage and integrate them with traditional employees, emerging ventures may experience enhanced growth and productivity. This may be particularly true during their start-up, expansion, and diversification stages of development. © 2004 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Deconvolution of the impulse response of a conducting sphere by the conjugate gradient method

An experimental technique for determining the impulse response of a conducting sphere has been presented. A method of exciting and recording transient waveforms scattered from conducting spheres of various sizes has been described and extensively tested. A modified conjugate-gradient method has been applied to the transient waveforms to determine the impulse response of the objects. It is shown that by proper weighting in computing the residual in the conjugate-gradient method the oscillation due to noise could be reduced. A recently developed data-processing technique has been applied to these impulse responses to obtain their spectra, which yield adequately the resonant frequencies of the objects.
iAlign: a method for the structural comparison of protein–protein interfaces

Motivation: Protein–protein interactions play an essential role in many cellular processes. The rapid accumulation of protein–protein complex structures provides an unprecedented opportunity for comparative studies of protein–protein interactions. To facilitate such studies, it is necessary to develop an accurate and efficient computational algorithm for the comparison of protein–protein interaction modes. While there are many structural comparison approaches developed for individual proteins, very few methods are available for protein–protein complexes. Results: We present a novel interface alignment method, iAlign, for the structural alignment of protein–protein interfaces. New scoring schemes for measuring interface similarity are introduced, and an iterative dynamic programming algorithm is implemented. We find that the similarity scores follow extreme value distributions. Using statistical models, we empirically estimate their statistical significance, which is in good agreement with manual classifications by human experts. Large-scale tests of iAlign were conducted on both artificial docking models and experimental structures. In a benchmark test on 1517 dimers, iAlign successfully detects biologically related, structurally similar protein–protein interfaces at a coverage percentage of 90% and an error per query of 0.05. When compared against previously published methods, iAlign is substantially more accurate and efficient. Availability: The iAlign software package is freely available at http://cssb.biology.gatech.edu/iAlign Contact: skolnick@gatech.edu Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Conceptual Change and the Rhetoric of Evolutionary Theory: ‘Force Talk’ as a Case Study and Challenge for Science Pedagogy

Darwinian theories vary. Some of the variation consists in differences in conceptual frames. These identify the entities and processes over which natural selection ranges. Different conceptual schemes are most easily identifiable by the different images, similes, analogies, and metaphors—in general, tropes—by which evolutionary theories are brought to bear on particulars. I show how Darwin’s metaphors balanced function, chance, and determinism in living things by seeing artificial selection in terms of natural forces and natural forces in terms of artificial selection. I then argue that the Modern Evolutionary Synthesis highlighted Darwin’s view of natural selection as a creative process, which earlier Darwinians had abandoned, by shifting to a conceptual framework and family of tropes that made images of force and design recessive. With the use of mathematical game theory to model gene frequency changes in the 1970s, however, design and force metaphors became dominant again, with the unintended result that images of Darwinism as promoting a god-abandoned, dog-eat-dog that had lodged deeply in popular culture long ago, were reawakened. Analysis of evolutionary discourse that hopes to reach students and the public must attend closely to the uses and abuses of conceptual tropes, ‘force’ and ‘design’ among them. This poses a question for pedagogy. How well can one teach evolutionary science without teaching some of its conceptual, and hence its rhetorical, history? Will students perceive this history as enhancing their knowledge of evolution, as an irrelevant waste of time, or, in its contentious diversity, as undermining its scientific status? Answering this question calls for empirical research.
Generalized Scaling and the Master Variable for Brownian Magnetic Nanoparticle Dynamics

Understanding the dynamics of magnetic particles can help to advance several biomedical nanotechnologies. Previously, scaling relationships have been used in magnetic spectroscopy of nanoparticle Brownian motion (MSB) to measure biologically relevant properties (e.g., temperature, viscosity, bound state) surrounding nanoparticles in vivo. Those scaling relationships can be generalized with the introduction of a master variable found from non-dimensionalizing the dynamical Langevin equation. The variable encapsulates the dynamical variables of the surroundings and additionally includes the particles’ size distribution and moment and the applied field’s amplitude and frequency. From an applied perspective, the master variable allows tuning to an optimal MSB biosensing sensitivity range by manipulating both frequency and field amplitude. Calculation of magnetization harmonics in an oscillating applied field is also possible with an approximate closed-form solution in terms of the master variable and a single free parameter.
Molecular characteristics of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, not otherwise specified

AbstractDiffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) is a clinically and pathologically heterogeneous entity. Multiple molecular methods have been used to further understand and define this heterogeneity. Gene profiling has identified “cell-of-origin” molecular subtypes of DLBCL based on expression pattern
S&P 500 ETFs and Index Funds: Are Fees All There Is to It?

The expense ratio appears to be a key factor for investors in selecting between index-tracking exchange-traded funds (ETFs) and index funds. However, are fees all there is to it? Are ETFs “better” vehicles than their counterpart index funds in terms of fees as well as other performance/risk measures? The authors provide an in-depth analysis into other factors that may be pertinent to choosing between ETFs and index funds. Since their inception in the mid-1970s, index-tracking mutual funds have attracted many cost-conscious investors. The introduction of the first ETF—the SPDR S&P 500 ETF Trust by State Street Bank and Trust Company, in the early 1990s—opened up a wide range of other options to these investors. In its January 5, 2011, issue, the Wall Street Journal reported a price war among index-tracking ETFs and mutual funds. The article cited that “Vanguard Group, BlackRock Inc., Charles Schwab Corp. and State Street Corp. are locked in a race to see who can cut expenses the fastest, vying for penny-pinching investors …” The article also pointed out that it could be misleading if investors simply compared expense ratios since additional costs could come in various forms (e.g., wide bid–ask spreads, commissions charged for buying and/or selling, etc.). The Wall Street Journal article presents a common view among investors that the differentiating factor between index-tracking ETFs and index funds is expenses. However, should investors prefer one fund more than another because of fees only? Are there differences between ETFs (or between index funds) of different providers? This study aims to answer these questions by comparing and contrasting the cost, performance, and risk of two widely followed indextracking ETFs with those of two index funds.
Gloiosphaera Clerciana from New York State

(1971). Gloiosphaera Clerciana from New York State. Mycologia: Vol. 63, No. 4, pp. 890-893.
Status asthmaticus. Causes and management.

The life-threatening emergency represented by status asthmaticus points up the need for both specific and nonspecific forms of therapy in all cases of allergic asthma. Many of the common causes of death in this situation are iatrogenic. Among them are improper use of drugs, failure to remove sources of antigenic material (e.g., feather pillows), delay in institution of vigorous treatment, and premature discontinuance of therapy.
Option Pricing Model: Comparing Louis Bachelier with Black-Scholes Merton

The paper reviews the option pricing model constructs of Bachelier and Black-Scholes Merton, concluding the latter model approximates the former. The paper demonstrates that certain critiques of the Bachelier model outlined in the 1960s and 1970s are not sound; and Bachelier’s model can be readily adapted to the modern markets, contracts and price path assumptions. Further the modern price path assumptions are analysed showing the log-normal distribution is poorly justified, and the risk free hedge justification is weak in a dynamic time setting. This resolves in the discount rate being the underlying risky asset return with a normal dispersal.
Computer Assistance in Food Analysis

Laboratory computer links are a key part of acquisition, movement, and interpretation of certain types of data. Remote information retrieval from databases such as the Chemical Information System provides the analyst with structural and toxicological information via a laboratory terminal. Remote processing of laboratory data by large computers permits the application of pattern recognition techniques to the solution of complex multivariate problems such as the detection of food adulteration.
Optimal allocation of limited and random network resources to discrete stochastic demands for standardized cargo transportation networks

Abstract We consider the resource allocation problem with discrete random demands and discrete random resource capacities for standardized cargo transportation networks, in which a freight operator needs to determine the integral quantity of booking requests to be accepted for each product to maximize the expected profit. We formulate the problem as a stochastic integer programming model and provide theoretical results that completely characterize the optimal solution to the stochastic model under a special case. We present a progressive augmentation algorithm and a sampling based method for solving the stochastic model under a general case. We also offer numerical experiments to test the two methods and shed light on their performances.
Strategic role of information, knowledge and technology in manufacturing industry performance

– The purpose of this paper is to study how knowledge management strategy (KMS), technology management strategy (TMS), and information management strategy (IMS) influence an organization’s performance. , – The authors use manufacturing data and employ causal modeling, with structural equation modeling, which will enable managers to understand the interrelationships among the use of information, knowledge management, and technology strategy in manufacturing enterprises. , – There are two major findings of the research: first, an organization’s financial performance (FINP) is directly dependent on its information management and TMSs, and second, KMSs indirectly influence FINP via mediation. , – Managers should be aware of various roles that TMS, IMS, and KMS play on an organization’s performance. The model analysis provides a direction to decision makers in understanding various intricate relationships through which information, technology, and KMSs could impact corporate sustainability. , – First, the authors present a specific approach to capture and model information-related strategies in a powerful decisions support system framework. Second, the modeling environment provides examination of non-linear relationships among latent variables, as well as examining additive, moderating, and mediating relations so that other modelers could replicate the experiment in other sectors or enterprises. Last, this work addresses one of the major problems in manufacturing research: the lack of empirical research in sustainability development. The paper shows empirically that both TMS and IMS impact organization’s performance directly and KMS does so indirectly.
Romanticism And Resistance: Humboldt And “German” Natural Philosophy In Napoleonic France

Any attempt to deal with the relationship of French science to German science in the Romantic period has to come to grips with the increasingly ethno-national self-consciousness that comes to pervade intellectual and cultural work in the Revolutionary and Napoleonic decades. Artists, poets, and critics measured their work against national origins. They cast themselves in a history of Europe defined by the mixture, conflict, and succession of peoples, each animated by a particular character or spirit, reciprocally determining and determined by physical environment, political institutions, religion, and art.1 So too did natural philosophers.2 Neglecting this dimension of cultural activity in the period runs the risk of attributing the prominent role of national categories in philosophical discourse to actually existing national differences and missing their internal, discursive function in the definition of nationhood in this critical period. In particular, we risk losing the constitutive role that scientific activity and the increasingly explicit discussions of “scientific method” played in the construction of national identities in the period. As Frederick Gregory notes in his essay in this volume, Orsted was preoccupied from the 1800s on with concerns about defining an authoritative approach to knowing Nature, concerns which we tend to associate more with the 1830s and 1840s and the British context. Implicit in Gregory’s account of Orsted’s debate with the Danish theologian and popular educator Frederik Grundtvig, and explicit in Andrew Jackson’s detailed exposition of the lateEnlightenment Danish church controversies that motivated Orsted’s first ventures into natural philosophy, is that Orsted’s “early” concern with defining a “scientific method” reflects a much broader contemporary debate about the place of church
Convergence of The Nobel Fields of Telomere Biology and DNA Repair

The fields of telomere biology and DNA repair have enjoyed a great deal of cross-fertilization and convergence in recent years. Telomeres function at chromosome ends to prevent them from being falsely recognized as chromosome breaks by the DNA damage response and repair machineries. Conversely, both canonical and nonconical functions of numerous DNA repair proteins have been found to be critical for preserving telomere structure and function. In 2009, Elizabeth Blackburn, Carol Greider and Jack Szostak were awarded the Nobel prize in Physiology or Medicine for the discovery of telomeres and telomerase. Four years later, pioneers in the field of DNA repair, Aziz Sancar, Tomas Lindahl and Paul Modrich were recognized for their seminal contributions by being awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry. This review is part of a special issue meant to celebrate this amazing achievement, and will focus in particular on the convergence of nucleotide excision repair and telomere biology, and will discuss the profound implications for human health.
Stock Market and Network Influence on Alliance Formation: Evidence from the Biopharmaceutical Industry

In this article we posit that firms signal resource availability (stock returns and risk) and favorable reputation (network of ties) to attract alliance partners. We use stock market and network characteristics to predict a firms’ propensity to engage in product alliances. Using 1,877 observations of 302 biopharmaceutical firms over a twenty-year period, we find that increase in stock returns and a decrease in stock risk is associated with an increase in firms’ product alliances. The position of the firm in its network improves product alliance formation, whereas the structure of the overall network (density) has no such effect.
Comparing Quality Metrics for Cloned and Non Cloned Java Methods: A Large Scale Empirical Study

In this paper, we conduct a large scale statistical study to explore if there exists any difference between the quality of cloned methods and non cloned methods. The dataset consists of 4,421 open source Java projects containing 644,830 cloned and 842,052 non cloned methods. The study uses 27 software metrics as a proxy for quality, spanning across complexity, modularity, and documentation (code-comments) categories. We did not find any statistically significant difference (p0.1) between the quality of cloned and non cloned methods for most of the metrics, except for 3 metrics. We, however, found that the cloned methods are on an average 20% smaller than the non cloned methods.
Patient perspectives on emergency department self-referral after bariatric surgery.

Abstract Background Reducing avoidable emergency department (ED) visits is an increasingly important target of quality improvement and cost containment efforts in bariatric surgery. Administrative and clinical registry data provide an incomplete picture of the factors contributing to postoperative ED utilization. Patient-centered interviews can help identify intervention opportunities. Objectives We sought to understand the circumstances surrounding patient self-referral to the ED after elective, primary bariatric surgery. Setting A quality improvement collaborative in Michigan. Methods A prospective review of clinically abstracted data and patient interviews was completed across 40 hospitals participating in a statewide quality improvement collaborative. Trained nurses collected data on the circumstances surrounding patients' 30-day postoperative ED visits using a previously validated interview tool. Over a year, 201 of 633 total ED visits met the inclusion criteria, with 78% of those patients being interviewed. Results The most common reported chief complaints were abdominal pain and nausea/vomiting. Patients reported high compliance with provider-driven perioperative measures to reduce ED visits. One third of patients stated urgency as the reason for not contacting their surgeon prior to their visit. A majority of patients believed their ED visit was both necessary and unavoidable. Conclusions Most patients experienced non-life-threatening symptoms but believed their concerns required immediate medical attention in an ED. Patients did not seek lower acuity alternatives despite the increasing availability of these lower cost options. Urgent care centers are one practical alternative for patients who need expeditious professional evaluation. Focused, patient-centered education and promotion of appropriate lower acuity options may decrease nonurgent ED utilization among postoperative bariatric patients.
Platform vulnerabilities: harassment and misogynoir in the digital attack on Leslie Jones

In the summer of 2016, racist, misogynistic harassers attacked comedienne Leslie Jones on Twitter and on her personal website, which they hacked and flooded with sexist and racist imagery stolen la...
The PYHIN Family of Molecules and their Functions Sensing dsDNA

The innate immune response serves as the first line of defense against microbial infections by detecting pathogen-associated molecular patterns through germline-encoded pattern recognition receptors. Proteins of the PYHIN family have gained substantial research focus in recent years as central mediators of innate immune responses induced by cytosolic microbial DNA. Sensing of DNA by PYHINs typically leads to activation of inflammasomes and/or type I interferon responses that are crucial for host defense against invading pathogens. Certain members of the family are also involved in the development of autoimmune diseases as well as transcriptional regulation. Although the generation of knockout mice strains has unraveled the essential role of PYHIN proteins such as AIM2 in the development of antimicrobial innate immune responses, the exact biological role of several other PYHIN family members remains to be understood. This chapter reviews the important discoveries on PYHIN proteins and their role in microbial defense, autoimmunity and transcriptional regulation.
Wireless surveillance for transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunts (TIPS): a feasibility study.

Rationale and Objectives Shunt surveillance is a critical component of follow-up for patients with cirrhosis with transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunts (TIPS). Transabdominal Doppler ultrasound analysis of the shunt has been used as a noninvasive means of assessing shunt function. Doppler ultrasound analysis of the shunt is less sensitive than direct transjugular portosystemic pressure gradient measurement for detecting shunt failure. A wireless, noninvasive means of measuring the portosystemic pressure gradient in the clinic may facilitate follow-up in this group of patients. The aim of this study was to determine if two implanted wireless pressure sensors could accurately transmit a portosystemic pressure gradient across a TIPS. Materials and Methods Two wireless microelectromechanical system pressure sensors were placed in a swine model for measuring the portosystemic pressure gradient across a TIPS. Catheter-based pressure transducers were also placed and used as the gold standard. Pressures from both systems were measured concurrently. Results Wireless microelectromechanical system portal and systemic pressure measurements were accurate within ±2 mm Hg (mean, 0.86 mm Hg) of the gold standard. Conclusion The use of wireless sensors may facilitate the surveillance of shunt function in patients with portal hypertension who have undergone placement of TIPS.
Sound Separation and Auditory Perceptual Organization

This paper describes a computer model that attempts to separate two simultaneous talkers. Using such a model, a speech recognition system can improve its ability to recognize separate utterances made simultaneously by two different talkers. In order to achieve this goal, the computer model’s algorithms were designed to functionally simulate the major steps that are performed by the human auditory system when processing multiple sound sources monaurally. It is based on my belief that the human auditory system computes similar representations as the computer model, even if the physiological processes and representations that the auditory system uses differ slightly from those presented here.
Stephen J. Gould and Adaptation: San Marco 33 Years Later

Stephen J. Gould’s concern for the wide variety of explanations for evolutionary change was one of his chief intellectual contributions. In one of his most famous papers, “The Spandrels of San Marco”, named in honor of Venice’s own most gloried church, and which he co-authored with Richard C. Lewontin, he emphasized the importance of historical, correlational, byproduct, and phyletic evolutionary explanations, and contrasted these with adaptationist explanations. In this Article, I take a more formal approach to discussing Gould’s analysis of evolutionary explanations, now 33 years later. My analysis rests on the “logic of research questions”, and contrasts a “methodological adaptationist” approach, to what I call the “evolutionary factors” approach. In the former, the key research question is: “What is the function of this trait?” while in the latter, the research question is: “what evolutionary factors account for the form and distribution of this trait?” I use my case study on the evolution of the female orgasm, which Gould defended in his column, and was one of his favorite examples, to illustrate how the methodological adaptationist approach can lead scientists astray. (Reports of a serious challenge to the byproduct account, based on recent poorly-designed twin studies, are unsupportable.) Biases induced by methodological adaptationism have led biologists to a failure to compare the byproduct hypothesis against an adaptive one with regard to the evidence. Perhaps, then, it is past time to take Gould’s advice, and reevaluate whether methodological adaptationism is truly as benign as it is commonly assumed to be.
Influence of solute degradation on the accumulation of solutes migrating into solution from polymeric parenteral containers.

Solute stability in solution, in addition to solute–polymer interaction properties and the total solute available pool, impacts the interaction between a polymeric container and a parenteral product, specifically in terms of the migration of trace polymer components into the contained solution. A specific solute/polymer system has been studied with respect to properties impacting the magnitude and rate of solute migration from the polymer into solution. The solute, an alkyl ester, originates in a polyolefin composite packaging material. Solute degradation kinetics were studied as a function of solution temperature and pH. Solute–polymer interaction properties including the equilibrium binding constant and diffusion coefficient were obtained. An accumulation rate model is developed for the determination of the solution phase concentration of the liberated solute as a function of storage time and conditions. Coupling the model with the properties of the polymer–solute system studied provides a tool that accurately predicts solute accumulation behavior in a representative parenteral product configuration.
Gauging electrical properties of bone with a bioimpedance-sensing drill.

OBJECTIVE Multiple surgical procedures require drilling through bone to access underlying anatomy or for device placement. In dental applications, iatrogenic injury caused by accidental perforation of cortical bone into critical anatomy occurs in a significant number of dental implant procedures. Limited real-time sensing methods are available to guide clinicians while drilling through cancellous bone towards cortical interfaces. Early interface detection could prevent accidental damage to underlying anatomic structures. This study aims to demonstrate that electrical impedance spectroscopy can be integrated within a standard surgical drill to distinguish between bone types. APPROACH A custom bearing and insulated drill bit were designed to collect 10 cortical and cancellous impedance measurements from ex vivo femurs (2 pigs) and 80 bone measurements from in situ femurs (4 pigs). In the in situ study, two return electrodes (simulating a lip-clip and shoulder pad) were used to assess impedance differences associated with return electrode geometry. MAIN RESULTS Significant ex vivo differences (p < 0.05) between cortical and cancellous bone occurred in the real resistivity from 0.1 to 100 kHz and in the imaginary resistivity from 0.3 to 10 kHz, with a maximum cortical-to-cancellous impedance ratio of 1.48. Significant in situ differences (p < 0.01) were observed in both real and imaginary resistivities from 0.1 to 100 kHz, with a maximum impedance ratio of 2.94. AUCs for classifying bone type based on the real resistivity ranged from 0.84 to 0.96 for ex vivo bone and 0.98 to 1.0 for in situ bone. Mean differences between return electrode geometries were less than 5%. SIGNIFICANCE The significant cortical-to-cancellous contrast observed indicates this system's potential to provide real-time tissue differentiation during bone drilling procedures.
AB0756 Mda 5 dermatomyosistis and response to rituximab in a small cohort at our institution

Background Treatment for anti-melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 antibody (MDA 5) Dermatomyositis is posing challenging to clinician and there is currently no consensus on therapy. The MDA5 was recently classified as a myositis-specific antibody (MSA), and has been associated with rapidly progressive interstitial lung disease (ILD), amyopathic dermatomyositis (aDM), mechanic’s hands, ulcerations, inflammatory arthritis, and increased mortality. Objectives This study sought to characterised response to Rituximab in a small cohort of patients with MDA 5 DM at our institution. Methods A retrospective chart review was done to identify all MDA5 positive patients who were evaluated at our centre from 2015 to 2017 with suspected myositis and had myositis-associated autoantibodies tested using a commercial panel (MyoMarker Panel 3). For all patients who were positive for MDA5, we collected clinical information on the presence of myopathy, skin involvement and ILD, data on the autoantibody profile, PFTs and high resolution CT pattern along with therapy response. Results 11 were positive for MDA5. 7 were females and 4 were males, with mean age 56.6 years. Eight patients were treated with Rituximab from which seven had ILD at presentation: 4 NSIP, 2 with organising pneumonia, one had UIP and one had fatal acute interstitial pneumonitis 2 months after onset of mechanics’ hands and inflammatory arthritis. Three patients without ILD were treated with other DMARDs. All had responded well to Rituximab with improvement in skin ulceration, inflammatory arthritis and mechanics’ hands and most patients had stable ILD except for one patient with fulminant interstitial pneumonitis for with Cytoxan was added without any additional benefit. Conclusions Rituximab is a good management option for all manifestation of MDA 5 DM. Further studies are needed to elucidate the association of MSA and the clinical manifestations and response to treatment response of patients with inflammatory myopathies. References [1] Br J Dermatol. 2017Feb;176(2):395–402 [2] Am J Pathol. 2016Mar;186(3):691–700. [3] Arthritis Care Res. 2016May;68(5):689–94. [4] J Bras Pneumol. 2011Feb; 37(1): 100–109 [5] Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2013Aug; 65(8): 1307–1315 Disclosure of Interest None declared
Impaired Cerebral Vasoreactivity Despite Symptom Resolution in Sports-Related Concussion.

Abstract Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is associated with increased risk of later-life neurodegeneration and dementia. However, the underpinning mechanisms are poorly understood, and secondary injur...
Differences in Psychosexual Development Among Child, Peer, and Mixed Juvenile Sex Offenders

Researchers have examined a number of typologies of juvenile sex offenders, including victim age. Using data from psychological evaluations and the Multiphasic Sex Inventory-II (MSI-II; [Psychological assessment of sex offenders, 2010]), this study compared child offenders (i.e., victims were more than 4 years younger), peer offenders (i.e., victims were 4 years younger or less), and mixed offenders (i.e., both child and peer victims) on variables including victim, offender, and offense characteristics, and psychosexual development. Peer offenders had more severe sexual offenses, prior status/nonviolent charges, and issues with sexual functioning. Mixed offenders began offending at a younger age and were indiscriminate in gender and relationship of the victim. Mixed offenders were also more likely than child and peer offenders to have prior sex offender treatment, meaning they had previously failed treatment. As juvenile sex offenders are a heterogeneous group, these research findings suggest that child offenders, peer offenders, and mixed offenders' treatment needs differ from each other.
Propagation of Waves in Randomly Distributed Cylinders Using Three-Dimensional Vector Cylindrical Wave Expansions in Foldy–Lax Equations

In this article, we develop a hybrid method to calculate the propagation of microwaves in randomly distributed dielectric cylinders. The hybrid method combines off-the-shelf techniques for single object and our developed techniques of Foldy–Lax (FL) method that include extracting the T-matrix for single object, vector translation addition theorem, and solving FL multiple scattering equations. For cylindrical scatterers such as tree trunks, the T-matrix in vector three-dimensional cylindrical waves are extracted from infinite cylinder approximation (ICA). In solving FL to calculate statistical moments, we iterate one order of multiple scattering at a time, with averaging over realizations performed after each order. This physically based iterative method of calculating statistical moments converges faster than the traditional iterative method of calculating the exact solution for each realization. The main purpose is to simulate tall tree trunks at the L-band and ICA is of sufficient accuracies. Numerical results are illustrated for a large number of cylinders of up to 196 and cylinder lengths of up to 94 wavelengths, which are typical of forests at the L-band. Results of the simulations of the hybrid method show that the transmission coefficients of waves are several times larger than that of the commonly used models of the radiative transfer equation and distorted Born approximation.
Editorial Commentary: Rotator Cuff Repair: How Much Tension Can a Tendon Stand? If It Hurts My Finger, It's Probably Hurting the Tendon

Abstract Rotator cuff repairs may fail anatomically because of greater-than-needed tension to approximate the tendon to the greater tuberosity during repair. Surgeons should make every effort to minimize the tension when reapproximating a torn rotator cuff.
Strengthening Democracy by Design: Challenges and Opportunities

In 2014, the Journal of Public Deliberation published an essay, “Democracy by Design,” a framework for a more aspirational, stronger democracy and approach to civic learning. Here, the authors update and reissue Democracy by Design along with a report on the status of the four foundational attributes of a strong democracy, one that is participatory, free and equal, educated and informed, and accountable and justly governed. The authors argue that American democracy faces multiple challenges reflecting declines in democratic norms and practices, for example, growing inequality, weak and unequal civic education, widening polarization, and the rise of undemocratic forces in some segments of American society that are seemingly unchecked by political leaders. Stopping democracy’s decline calls for efforts - some deliberative and some more activist - by both public officials and everyday citizens. Citizen-driven efforts will prevail only if contextualized in broader knowledge and understanding of democracy’s design and health.
The brain in pediatric chronic kidney disease–the intersection of cognition, neuroimaging, and clinical biomarkers

Brain growth and development occur at peak rates in early childhood through adolescence, and for some children, this must happen in conjunction with chronic kidney disease (CKD), associated medical conditions, and their treatment(s). This review provides an overview of key findings to date on the topic of the brain in pediatric CKD. Here, we specifically address the topics of neuroimaging and cognition in pediatric CKD with consideration to biomarkers of disease progression that may impact cognition. Current cognitive data suggest that most children with mild to moderate CKD do not exhibit significant cognitive impairments, but, rather, the presence of somewhat lower intellectual abilities and subtle deficits in selected executive functions. Although promising, modern neuroimaging data remain inconclusive in linking cognitive findings to neuroimaging correlates in the pediatric CKD population. Certainly, it is important to note that even subtle cognitive concerns can present barriers to learning, social functioning, and overall quality of life if not appropriately recognized or addressed. Further longitudinal research utilizing concurrent and targeted cognitive and neuroimaging evaluations is warranted to better understand the impact of CKD progression on brain development and associated neurocognitive outcomes.
Treating the Adult Patient: First Line Therapy

First-line therapy for autoimmune hepatitis (AIH) centers around initiation of predniso(lo)ne followed by the introduction of azathioprine to maintain a biochemical remission. Combination therapy during induction with subsequent tapering of steroids with the intent of maintaining remission with azathioprine monotherapy is the goal. A majority of patients with AIH are capable of attaining a remission with first-line therapy and can be cautiously considered for withdrawal of therapy following 3 years of therapy and after at least 2 years of normal transaminase and IgG levels. Relapse following tapering or after discontinuation of therapy is highly likely, and therefore requires close monitoring and timely resumption of therapy. Individualizing treatment to achieve a balance between maximizing the benefits of therapy while limiting toxicities is the foundation of first-line therapy for AIH.
Large Ca isotope effect in the CaC 6 superconductor

We have measured the Ca isotope effect coefficient, $\ensuremath{\alpha}(\mathrm{Ca})$, in the newly discovered superconductor ${\mathrm{CaC}}_{6}$ and find a value of 0.53(2). This result shows that the superconductivity is dominated by coupling of the electrons by Ca phonon modes. The C phonons contribute very little, assuming that this material is a conventional electron-phonon coupled superconductor. Thus, in contrast to another layered material ${\mathrm{MgB}}_{2}$, where high-energy phonons in the B layers are responsible for the superconductivity, in layered ${\mathrm{CaC}}_{6}$ the phonons responsible for superconductivity are primarily low-energy modes of the intercalated Ca.
Hypersecretory Paraganglioma Presenting as Acute Aortic Dissection.

Abstract Abrupt, transient, and severe hypertension evoked by catecholamine-secreting tumors has the potential to manifest as acute aortic dissection. We report the successful, multidisciplinary ma...
Penile calciphylaxis: A severe case managed with partial penectomy.

Abstract Penile calciphylaxis, a rare manifestation of calcific uremic arteriolopathy, is infrequently reported in the literature. Surgical management has demonstrated similar outcomes as conservative management in terms of mean survival time. Therefore, the benefits of surgical intervention for this disease remain controversial. In this report, we present a case of penile calciphylaxis in a hemodialysis-dependent patient with end stage renal disease (ESRD). The interest of this case lies in the severity of illness on initial presentation, which precluded the possibility of conservative management and necessitated penectomy as a means of halting disease progression and improving patient quality of life.
Bladelets and Middle Woodland Situations in Southern Ohio

Chipped-stone bladelets are common at Middle Woodland sites throughout Ohio and many other areas of the midcontinent, reflecting both broad patterns and local diversity characteristic of situations...
Old abattoirs and new food politics: Sharing food and eating together at the meat market of Brussels

In 2012 in a formerly abandoned meat market in Brussels, Belgium, an NGO was founded to produce social inclusion programs and transform an under-used urban space into a community hub. In attempting...
Intertemporal Budget Policies and Macroeconomic Adjustment in a Small Open Economy

This paper analyzes the role of nominal assets in ranking intertemporal budget policies in a growing open economy. Budget policies are ranked in terms of the public's intertemporal tax liability. In our small open economy model, the constraint for the valuation of private and public financial assets is in terms of the exogenous foreign price level. We show that this limits, under purchasing power parity, the scope of the government to influence the real value of financial assets using fiscal and monetary policy instruments.
Computer Simulation of the Structure of High Angle Grain Boundaries

The structure of a 36.8 degree [001] tilt boundary with the boundary symmetrically located between equivalent (110) planes was determined using various pairwise potentials. The calculation was done in a two-stage process. First one crystal was allowed to translate with respect to the other, and then the atoms were allowed to move from their lattice sites. The resulting structures were consistent with experimental evidence.
The Mental Health Status of Single-Parent Community College Students in California

ABSTRACTSingle-parenting students face unique challenges that may adversely affect their mental health, which have not been explored in community college settings. Objective: The authors conducted secondary analysis of Spring 2013 data from the American College Health Association–National College Health Assessment to examine difficulties facing single-parent community college students and the association between single parenting and negative mental health (depression, self-injury, suicide attempt). Participants: Participants were 6,832 California community college students, of whom 309 were single parents. Methods: Demographic and mental health data were characterized using univariate descriptive analyses. Bivariate analyses determined whether single parents differed from other students regarding negative mental health or traumatic/difficult events. Results: Finances, family, and relationship difficulties disproportionally affected single parents, who reported nearly twice as many suicide attempts as thei...
Shamanic Map-Making in the Brazilian Amazon

This chapter explores shamanic map-making as cited in central Brazilian court cases involving land tenure since the end of the country’s military dictatorship in 1985. It explores the status of Indigenous Peoples’ critical knowledges and practices in judicial reports elaborated by anthropologists (Ferreira 1999f; Franchetto 1987; Lea 1997a, 1997b).