cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Investigation of the electrical properties of agarose gel: characterization of concentration using nyquist plot phase angle and the implications of a more comprehensive in vitro model of the brain

Background: The electrical properties of agarose gel, namely impedance and capacitance, are relatively unexplored. Agarose gels are used as in vitro models in studies across numerous disciplines, including imaging, radiotherapy, infusion, and neurosurgery. Purpose: In this study, we seek to characterize the impedance response of low concentration agarose gels by relating the gel concentrations to Nyquist Plot phase in order to establish a baseline with which to modify the response of the gel to simulate that of in vivo brain tissue. This information is relevant to areas such as deep brain stimulation, and could have a significant impact on in vitro model design for such studies in the future. Methods: Ten agarose gels spanning four different concentrations were subjected to impedance spectroscopy using a Model 3387 DBS electrode. Phase angles were calculated and Cartesian Nyquist plots generated from the data. Results: Results suggest that an inverse relationship exists between agarose gel concentration and phase angle. In addition, the results indicate that agarose gel reasonably emulates a constant phase element, which portrays the electrode-electrolyte interface impedance of some equivalent circuit models of brain tissue. Conclusion: The data shows that agarose gel is a suitable substrate for a deep brain stimulation in vitro model, but requires modification. In the future, we plan to utilize this data to determine the modifications necessary in the current agarose gel model to make it scientifically applicable to studies of both deep brain stimulation and infusion due to their overlapping variables.
What Lies Beyond the Bubble? Trying Out One of the Stanford History Education Group's New History Assessments

Trying out a “Beyond the Bubble” assessment in a social studies methods classroom revealed that the assessment worked much better than any multiple choice item while retaining great ease in marking. However, as discussion of the item showed, the rubrics for the item apply the “sourcing” heuristic so literally that it loses some power. Specifically, any answer from the 19th century is automatically wrong since students are asked to think about a 20th century poster and play. Yet the authors of the play about John Brown, writing in 1930, were indeed thinking about John Brown. Answers that methods students gave that combined an item from the 19th and 20th century demonstrated considerable historical thinking.
The Value Of Renal Biopsy In Diagnosing Infantile Nephropathic Cystinosis Associated With Secondary Nephrogenic Diabetes Insipidus.

Cystinosis is the most common cause of inherited renal Fanconi syndrome in young children, and typically presents with laboratory findings of a proximal tubulopathy and corneal crystals by one year of age. We describe here renal biopsy findings in a 20-month-old patient with an atypical presentation of distal renal tubular acidosis, diabetes insipidus, and the absence of corneal crystals. Although renal biopsy is usually not necessary to establish the diagnosis of cystinosis, when the patient presents with atypical signs and symptoms, a renal biopsy may be extremely valuable. A 20-month-old boy presented with failure to thrive, polyuria, polydipsia, and rickets. He initially showed evidence of a renal tubular acidosis, mild renal insufficiency, and nephrogenic diabetes insipidus. His initial ophthalmologic examination did not demonstrate corneal crystals. His subsequent workup revealed phosphaturia, suggesting a partial proximal tubulopathy. Concomitantly, a renal biopsy revealed prominent podocytes with an immature glomerular appearance, and electron microscopy analysis showed numerous intracellular crystals within tubular epithelial cells. Subsequent laboratory and genetic testing confirmed a diagnosis of infantile nephropathic cystinosis. This case highlights the variability in the clinical presentation of cystinosis, resulting in an uncommon clinical picture of a rare disease. Given that treatment is available to prolong renal function and minimize the extra-renal manifestations of this disorder, early diagnosis is essential. It is important to raise the index of suspicion of cystinosis by recognizing its subtle morphological changes in young patients, and that nephrogenic diabetes insipidus can be secondary to this disorder.
Performance of a Fourier-based program for three-dimensional reconstruction of the mitral annulus on application to sparse, noisy data.

Objectives: We investigated the accuracy of mitral annular reconstruction from noisy, sparse data typical of three-dimensional (3D) transthoracic echocardiograms. Background: Our Fourier-based method for reconstructing the annulus from dense, accurate 3D transesophageal echo (TEE) data has been validated in vitro with four harmonics in the x, y, and z coordinates (4,4,4). Methods: Thirteen mitral annuli were reconstructed from ‘complete’ 3D TEE data using four harmonics (4,4,4) and used to measure area, eccentricity, height, perimeter, and interpeak and intervalley distances; these were the ‘true values’. To simulate transthoracic echo data, the TEE data sets were reduced evenly and unevenly (randomly). The complete and reduced data sets were used to reconstruct the annuli using three sets of fitting parameters: (4,4,4), (1,1,3), and (1,1,4). The resulting size and shape measurements were compared with true values. Results: Regardless of the fitting parameters used, area, 2D perimeter, and 3D perimeter measurements were more accurate using reconstructions from evenly-reduced than randomly-reduced data sets (p < 0.006), and depended significantly on both data density (p < 0.015 for all) and data distribution (p < 0.02 for all). Perimeter, height, and eccentricity of the reconstructed annuli were more accurately measured using four harmonics (4,4,4). Conclusions: Mitral annuli can be reconstructed from sparse, noisy data using the (4,4,4) fit if at least 25 points are obtained from evenly distributed imaging planes. These results suggest that detailed analysis of mitral annular size and shape can be made accurately from 3D transthoracic echocardiograms.
Designing Interprofessional Education Curriculum Using Multiple Conceptual Frameworks

Full implementation of the Affordable Care Act and the projected physician and nurse shortages, will require that health care providers work effectively in teams. To achieve this goal, education about team work must start at the student level. We describe how we used educational conceptual frameworks such as Kotter’s 8-step Change Model, Kern’s 6-step approach to designing curriculum, and Miller’s Pyramid of Assessment to develop our curriculum. This approach to interprofessional curriculum development is adaptable and transferable to other health professions schools.
Maxwell’s equations and the analysis of electromagnetic devices

Maxwell’s equations provide the mathematical foundation for analyzing a broad range of devices including electronic components, solid-state devices, wave guides, integrated circuits, energy conversion devices, and electrooptic devices. On May 27, 1994 Edward P. Furlani from Eastman Kodak Company gave a brief overview of the Maxwell equations with emphasis on common applications and a survey of various solution methods. He then described a specific application to the prediction of the transient behavior of electromechanical devices. These devices are used for controlled movement and positioning, and their behavior is typically governed by a coupled system of nonlinear differential equations with coefficients and forcing terms which depend on the electromagnetic field. Furlani’s approach, carried out in [1], [2], [3], is first to perform field analysis in order to express the field-dependent terms in a “closed” form, and then to proceed by numerically integrating the dynamical system.
"And a Good Job"?: Elektrifying English at St. Elizabeths

Rather than a sudden turn late in his career, Pound’s highly experimental version of Sophocles’s Elektra — undertaken in 1949 but published posthumously — is the culmination of a lifelong, though ambivalent, engagement with Greek tragedy and the possibility of its translation. Flaunting the interdependence of its two languages, Greek and English, Pound’s Elektra exhibits the linguistic interaction and exchange that might precede the monolingual smoothness of any given translation, thus laying bare the process of translating itself. The text’s bilingualism encodes its antithetical ambitions, one poetic and the other political, because Pound uses the play to devise a new prosody for his writing after the war and at the same time continue the ghost theater of the Pisan Cantos. Extending his treatment of fragments from Aeschylus’s Agamemnon in the Pisan Cantos, Pound in the Elektra dissects his Greek original for two purposes. He first sees what it is made of sonically and metrically — which allows him to measure his own language against the Greek and against itself. Second, he seeks to reveal and transmit what the original does not explicitly say and on which its value depends for Pound: that “the dead don’t die,” be they languages, texts, or murdered generals.
Extensions of Synthetic Aperture Radar Information Processing

Various extensions of the holographic synthetic aperture concept are discussed, including the use of recently developed electronic devices to permit real-time operation of synthetic aperture systems and the use of circular polarization whereby shorter wavelength waves can be employed without serious masking of the desired target echoes by rain reflections.
Treatment of Latent Tuberculosis Infection

Latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) refers to a circumstance in which viable Mycobacterium tuberculosis (MTB) bacilli are present in an individual but symptoms and signs of active disease are lacking, and the bacilli are relatively inactive metabolically. In favorable circumstances, some of these inactive bacilli resume greater metabolic activity and replication, leading to the development of active tuberculosis disease. Treatment of this condition (TLTBI) is designed to prevent (soon, or in the distant future) this progression from asymptomatic infection to symptomatic, potentially lethal, active disease. This narrative review draws upon recent reviews of LTBI and seeks particularly to include recently published or presented data that are not included in those prior reviews. Adverse effects of treatment are considered, as are the special circumstances of human immunodeficiency virus–related LTBI, drug resistance, and use of TLTBI in the context of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) inhibition. The review describes the main studies underpinning Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations on use of the new 3-month isoniazid-rifapentine regimen and points to evolving data that may support future modification of those recommendations.
Design and Growth of Band-GAP Graded a-SiGe:H Solar Cells

The i-layers of the middle and bottom cells in stable triple-junction amorphous silicon solar cells are composed of a-SiGe:H alloys which are graded in composition to enhance performance. We compare modeling and experimental results for three i-layer band gap grading schemes to determine the optimal profile. We find a good correlation between model trends and measured device parameters for all grading schemes. This is encouraging for the use of the model in predictive device design. We find that the highest white and red light performance do not necessarily have the same cell parameter set. Modeling and experiment indicate that thin cells without band gap profile and with suitably designed p/i and n/i buffer layers, have the best red light performance.
On-site Commissioning and Analysis on the Islanding Operation of Yunnan-Guangdong UHVDC System Supplied Only by Xiaowan Power Plant

Islanding operation at Chuxiong side is a normal operation mode for Yunnan ??Guangdong UHVDC transmission system.The paper describes the on-site commissioning tests of the system islanding operation as it is supplied only by Xiaowan Power Plant at Chuxiong side,including the tests of mode changing between AC/DC parallel operation and islanding operation,of steady state performance,and of dynamic performance with disturbances or faults occurred in islanding operation.Based on the testing results,the actual islanding system operation performance is analyzed,and it is proves that the system runs smoothly in the islanding operation mode.The tests and analysis provide a technical foundation for further on-site commissioning of the system islanding operation and a guidance for its actual operation as it being in such islanding operation mode.
Cytokines stimulate lipid membrane peroxidation of human sperm

Reactive oxygen species production has been demonstrated to impair sperm function. We have noted the potential for the cytokines IL-1 alpha, IL-1 beta, and TNF alpha to stimulate reactive oxygen species production by fertile donor sperm at levels that are consistent with the levels of IL-1 occurring in human seminal plasma. Reactive oxygen species-related sperm membrane peroxidation may be one mechanism by which cytokines can exert a detrimental effect on male fertility. This study suggests a new mechanism by which cell-mediated immunological male infertility may occur.
005.1 Real-time pcr and melt curve analysis targeting gyra gene for prediction of ciprofloxacin resistance in clinical neisseria gonorrhoeae isolates

Introduction Increasing antimicrobial resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae has been a major problem worldwide, limiting effective empirical therapeutic options in patients infected with multi-drug resistant strains. Guidelines from U.S. CDC no longer recommend treatment with fluoroquinolones (FQs) due to emergence of resistance nationally. However, current prevalence of resistance in the US is still low at 12% and treatment with FQs may be a viable option for susceptible isolates. A rapid molecular test predicting FQ susceptibility in N. gonorrhoeae isolates would help physicians in determining an effective treatment plan for each patient. Methods Twenty-three ciprofloxacin (CIP)-susceptible and 77 CIP-resistant clinical N. gonorrhoeae isolates were obtained from Neisseria Reference Laboratory at University of Washington and grown on chocolate agar plates. To determine the association between mutations in gyrA gene and CIP resistance in those isolates, we extracted DNA from culture and performed real-time PCR on a Lightcycler 480 based on the HybProbe system targeting gyrA gene followed by melt curve genotyping. Results Melt curve genotyping analysis demonstrated wild-type melt patterns in all (100%) 23 CIP-susceptible isolates, while all 77 (100%) CIP-resistant isolates demonstrated mutant melt patterns. Conclusion There was a 100% concordance between PCR melt genotypes and CIP susceptibility among all clinical isolates tested. The assay is currently being validated for testing on DNA extracted directly from clinical specimens ultimately to be offered for use in clinical practice. Disclosure of interest statement This study was funded in part by NIH R21AI109005.
Could Killing Bacterial Subpopulations Hit Tuberculosis out of the Park

One hurdle to treating tuberculosis could be that it is so difficult to kill nonreplicating subpopulations of the causative pathogens. This work describes two new cephalosporin derivatives that specifically target this population of Mycobacterium tuberculosis.
Defining Environmental Justice Communities for Regulatory Enforcement: Implications from a Block-Group-Level Analysis of New York State

The absence of a clear definition of environmental justice areas has been cited as one of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's major deficiencies in managing federal environmental justice programs. Several states have explicitly defined potential environmental justice areas and integrated targeted efforts into the policy-making process. At the block-group level, this study evaluates the effects of New York State's environmental justice policy, which defines communities of concern in terms of demographic and socioeconomic characteristics as well as mandates supplemental regulatory enforcement activities for these neighborhoods, on the agency's policy implementation practices under the Clean Air Act and Clean Water Act. The empirical findings suggest that there is inconclusive evidence regarding race/ethnicity- and class-based environmental inequity. Also, the state's policy intervention is not universally effective. Moreover, task environments of a given community are a consistent determinant of the agency's regulatory compliance monitoring and assurance activities. This study then derives broader implications regarding the adoption of a policy instrument that defines and screens potential environmental justice communities.
Willingness to Engage in Consensual Nonmonogamy Among Emerging Adults: A Structural Equation Analysis of Sexual Identity, Casual Sex Attitudes, and Gender

Research on consensual nonmonogamy (CNM) has increased over the past decade. However, willingness to engage in CNM is an understudied phenomenon within this body of literature. Little research has examined the correlates of this aspect of CNM or focused on individuals in the developmental period of emerging adulthood. This study used multigroup structural equation modeling (SEM) to test a conceptual model of emerging adults’ (ages 18 to 29; N = 890) willingness to engage in CNM. Results indicated that emerging adult experimentation/possibilities, sexual identity exploration, and permissive attitudes toward casual sex were all related to willingness to engage in CNM. Results also showed that the pathway from emerging adult experimentation/possibilities to willingness to engage in CNM was differentially mediated across gender. Specifically, for women there was an indirect (and positive) pathway from experimentation/possibilities to willingness to engage in CNM through sexual identity exploration. For men th...
The Impacts of Climate Change on Natural Areas Recreation: A Multi-Region Snapshot and Agency Comparison

ABSTRACT: Recreation is a fundamental component of human culture and the economy. In this paper, we elucidate ways in which recreation should be reconsidered in discussions of climate change. Ecosystems that support outdoor recreation can be significantly altered, extreme climatic conditions can affect plant and animal health, and extreme weather events can limit human outdoor activity. Projections indicate global temperatures will rise and precipitation will shift from historical conditions to less predictable regimes. These projected changes affect recreation and the economies recreation supports. To encourage the inclusion of recreation as a topic in future assessment synthesis reports, a snapshot of climate change impacts on regional recreation in the US is developed, using the National Park Service and Forest Service as case studies. After examining peer-reviewed and agency literature, we suggest that the impact of projected climate change on US recreation needs further scrutiny. Federal land managem...
Does Bone Grafting Improve Outcomes in Coronectomy Surgery? Long-Term (5- to 9-Year) Clinical and Radiographic Follow-Up of 78 Adult Patients

Purpose To report the long-term outcomes of 78 adult patients who underwent coronectomy with bone grafting (CWG) of the bony crypt. Materials and Methods Seventy-eight patients with follow-up of at least 5 to 9 years underwent CWG. Preoperative imaging and probing depths were recorded, as were yearly follow-up radiographs or cone-beam computed tomograms and yearly postoperative probing depths. Results Periodontal probing depths and bone levels on the distal surfaces of adjacent mandibular molars showed marked improvement compared with preoperative probing depths and bone levels. All retained roots maintained their immediate postoperative positions with no migrations and no reoperations required. Conclusion CWG is a predictable procedure that should be considered for patients at risk for developing sensory disturbances or for those with deeper (>4 mm) preoperative probing depths on the distal surfaces of the adjacent molars. Adding bone graft appears to aid in preventing root migration and decreasing probing depths on the distal surfaces of adjacent molars.
Tracing the Rise of Evidence-Based Juvenile Justice in Florida

ABSTRACTThe movement toward evidence-based practice in juvenile justice has encouraged a research-informed approach that prioritizes the principles of effective intervention. And yet the shifts in this direction have been uneven across different states. This pattern underscores the value of state-level case studies for understanding the pace and nature of juvenile justice reform in recent decades. The authors provide such a study for the state of Florida. They begin in 1994 with the creation of the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice. The authors describe the unique history in these early years and identify the political and cultural factors that variously encouraged and constrained evidence-based reform. They then describe the resulting system that pervades today. The authors emphasize four key elements that define the current operation of Florida juvenile justice. They conclude by situating Florida’s shifts within the broader dialogue on evidence-based practice in U.S. juvenile justice.
Performance Evaluation of the Gazepoint GP3 Eye Tracking Device Based on Pupil Dilation

Eye tracking is considered one of the most salient methods to study the cognitive demands of humans in human computer interactive systems, due to the unobtrusiveness, flexibility and the development of inexpensive eye trackers. In this work, we evaluate the applicability of these low cost eyetrackers to study pupillary response to varying memory loads and luminance conditions. Specifically, we examine a low-cost eye tracker, the Gazepoint GP3, and objectively evaluate its ability to differentiate pupil dilation metrics under different cognitive loads and luminance conditions. The classification performance is computed in the form of a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and the results indicate that Gazepoint provides a reliable eye tracker to human computer interaction applications requiring pupil dilation studies.
Before They Were Ties: Predicting the Value of Brand-New Connections

The vast majority of research on the value of social or professional relationships has focused on ties that already exist. We ask if it is possible to predict in advance-before people ever meet-whi...
Intraocular Pressure in Rabbits by Telemetry II: Effects of Animal Handling and Drugs

PURPOSE. To measure under carefully controlled conditions the effects in the rabbit eye of commonly used therapeutic agents for glaucoma. METHODS. Rabbits were outfitted in one eye with an implantable telemetric pressure transducer and monitored for several months under controlled conditions of light/ dark and handling. Effects of tonometry, handling, water drinking, and instillation of topical ophthalmic medications on intraocular pressure were recorded during each 24-hour day/night cycle. RESULTS. Pneumatonometry, animal handling, and water drinking all had an effect on intraocular pressure that in many instances was of the same magnitude as the effects of pharmacologic agents. Dorzolamide and timolol caused a sustained reduction of intraocular pressure during the nocturnal period. Epinephrine had a biphasic effect, causing an immediate pressure elevation followed by a prolonged depression. Apraclonidine, latanoprost, and pilocarpine had no measurable effect. CONCLUSIONS. Continuous telemetric measurement of intraocular pressure in rabbits permits the measurement of uncontrollable artifacts that occur with tonometric measurements and animal handling. If environmental conditions are rigidly controlled, this method is very sensitive for detecting therapeutic effects of candidates for ocular hypotensive drugs. When healthy animals are used, the method appears to be more sensitive for drugs that affect aqueous humor formation than for drugs that affect aqueous humor outflow resistance
Preoperative immobility significantly impacts the risk of postoperative complications in bariatric surgery patients

Abstract Background Preoperative immobility in general surgery patients has been associated with an increased risk of postoperative complications. It is unknown if immobility affects bariatric surgery outcomes. Objectives The aim of this study was to determine the impact of immobility on 30-day postoperative bariatric surgery outcomes. Setting This study took place at a university hospital in the United States. Methods The Metabolic and Bariatric Surgery Accreditation and Quality Improvement Program 2015 data set was queried for primary minimally invasive bariatric procedures. Preoperative immobility was defined as limited ambulation most or all the time. Logistic regression analysis was performed to determine if immobile patients are at increased risk (odds ratio [OR]) for 30-day complications. Results There were 148,710 primary minimally invasive bariatric procedures in 2015. Immobile patients had an increased risk of mortality (OR 4.59, P Conclusions This study is the first to specifically assess the impact of immobility on 30-day bariatric surgery outcomes. Immobile patients have a significantly increased risk of morbidity and mortality. This study provides an opportunity for the development of multiple quality initiatives to improve the safety and perioperative complication profile for immobile patients undergoing bariatric surgery.
Site conditions determine a key native plant's contribution to invasion resistance in grasslands.

Many plant invasion studies in grasslands suggest that resident plants that share functional traits with invaders can reduce invasion by competing for limiting resources. However, since invasion studies often occur in highly controlled plots or microcosms, it is unclear how heterogeneous site conditions alter competitive interactions under realistic scenarios. To explore how landscape heterogeneity affects biotic resistance provided by competitive resident plants, we conducted a field-based experiment across four sites in California grasslands. Plots contained naturally occurring populations of native Hemizonia congesta, but differed in other characteristics, including litter cover, annual grass cover, soil moisture, and species richness. We invaded plots with the functionally similar nonnative Centaurea solstitalis (yellow starthistle) and, at one site, supplemented one-half of the established plots with water to test the effects of increasing a limiting resource. As in simplified plots and microcosms, increasing H. congesta abundance reduced starthistle biomass by competing for limited soil moisture, but only in plots with high starthistle germination. We conclude that higher abundances of native H. congesta can reduce starthistle invasion in heterogeneous grasslands, but competition is also affected by both abiotic (soil moisture) and biotic (starthistle germination number) conditions that vary across sites.
Divergent Humoral Responses to 23-Valent Pneumococcal Polysaccharide Vaccine in Critically-Ill Burn and Neurosurgical Patients

Introduction Critically ill hospitalized patients are at increased risk of infection so we assessed the immunogenicity of 23-valent pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV23) administered within six days of injury. Methods This prospective observational study compared the immunogenicity of PPSV23 among critically ill burn and neurosurgical patients at a tertiary, academic medical center. Patients received PPSV23 vaccination within six days of ICU admission per standard of care. Consent was obtained to measure concentrations of vaccine-specific IgG to 14 of 23 serotype capsule-specific IgG in serum prior to and 14–35 days following PPSV23. A successful immunologic response was defined as both a ≥2-fold rise in capsule-specific IgG from baseline and concentrations of >1 mcg/mL to 10 of 14 measured vaccine serotypes. Immunologic response was compared between burn and neurosurgical patients. Multiple variable regression methods were used to explore associations of clinical and laboratory parameters to immunologic responses. Results Among the 16 burn and 27 neurosurgical patients enrolled, 87.5% and 40.7% generated a successful response to the vaccine, respectively (p = 0.004). Both median post-PPSV23 IgG concentrations (7.79 [4.56–18.1] versus 2.93 [1.49–8.01] mcg/mL; p = 0.006) and fold rises (10.66 [7.44–14.56] versus 3.48 [1.13–6.59]; p<0.001) were significantly greater in burn compared with neurosurgical patients. Presence of burn injury was directly and days from injury to immunization were inversely correlated with successful immunologic response (both p<0.03). Burn injury was associated with both increased median antibody levels post-PPSV23 and fold rise to 14 vaccine serotypes (p<0.03), whereas absolute lymphocyte count was inversely correlated with median antibody concentrations (p = 0.034). Conclusion Critically ill burn patients can generate successful responses to PPSV23 during acute injury whereas responses among neurosurgical patients is comparatively blunted. Further study is needed to elucidate the mechanisms of differential antigen responsiveness in these populations, including the role of acute stress responses, as well as the durability of these antibody responses.
Parameterized algorithms for inclusion of linear matchings

A linear matching consists of 2n vertices ordered linearly, together with n vertex-disjoint edges. In this article, we study the Linear Matching Inclusion problem, which takes two linear matchings, called the pattern and the target, and asks if there is an order-preserving mapping of the pattern into the target. We consider several parameterizations of this problem, for which we obtain parameterized algorithms and hardness results. In addition, we settle the parameterized complexity of the related Nesting-Free 2-Interval Pattern problem.
Examining Which Tax Rates Investors use for Equity Valuation

We propose that investors rely on tax rate heuristics to reduce information processing costs associated with understanding complex income tax information and examine which rate investors use to impound income taxes into firm value. We find that the top U.S. statutory rate is more associated with firm value than the firm’s prior year effective tax rate (ETR), prior three-year average ETR or prior-year industry-average ETR. However, we find that investors rely less on the statutory tax rate when the benefits (costs) of doing so are higher (lower). Specifically, when firms have more opportunities for long-term tax savings or when information processing costs are lower investors rely less on the statutory tax rate. Our findings have implications for management in communicating tax information to investors and for standard setters in understanding which tax information investors use.
Animal Models of Absence Seizures

Absence seizures are characterized by many brief (up to 30 s) interruptions in ­consciousness, with characteristic bilaterally synchronous spike wave discharges of about 3 Hz. The phenotype consists of staring spells, and may be accompanied by atonia and automatisms such as lip or mouth movements. The incidence is somewhere between two and eight cases per 100,000, with girls affected more than boys (Panayiotopoulos 1997). Early studies in animals demonstrated that electrical stimulation to the external midline of the brain at a frequency of 3 Hz yielded spike wave discharges (Jasper and Droogleever-Fortuyn 1947). A bit later, it was shown that identical 3-Hz spike wave discharges could be recorded in children with deep recording electrodes in the thalamus (Williams 1953).
The Challenge of Television Weather Programs

The objectives of television weather presentations are reviewed and are seen as a particular challenge to both professional meteorologists and television people. An effort is made to analyze the factors involved in the situation and to suggest possible means of realizing the objectives.
Endothelin-1 levels and cardiovascular events

Circulating plasma levels of endothelin-1 and related peptides generated during the synthesis of endothelin-1 from its precursor molecule pre-proendothelin-1 have been widely studied as potential risk markers for cardiovascular events. The associations of endothelin-1 with aging, blood pressure, lung function, and chronic kidney disease have been described, as have relations between endothelin-1 levels and evidence of cardiac remodeling, including increased left atrial diameter and increased left ventricular mass. Endothelin-1 has been studied as a predictor of and prognostic marker in coronary artery disease, myocardial infarction, and heart failure. The relationship of endothelin-1 levels to mortality in the general population has also been explored. This review examines the current state of knowledge of circulating endothelin-1 levels as they relate to cardiovascular events and prognosis, and explores future directions for research, including using endothelin-1 or related peptide levels to guide personalized treatment regimens and to select patients for primary prevention strategies.
Initial Opioid Prescriptions Among U.S. Commercially Insured Patients, 2012–2017:

Abstract Background The United States is undergoing a crippling opioid epidemic, spurred in part by overuse of prescription opioids by adults 25 to 64 years of age. Of concern are long-duration and...
Evaluation of environmental predictors for sand boil formation: Rhine–Meuse Delta, Netherlands

During high-water events, backward erosion piping poses a serious threat to the stability of artificial levee structures. Sand boils forming on the land-side of levees are presently the best indicator of active backward erosion piping, but surveying these features across extensive levee works during flood events is time and resource intensive. Using geographic information system (GIS) technology and a probabilistic statistical analysis, this study assimilates geologic, environmental, and spatial relationship data to generate models to predict the likelihood of sand boil development. Data such as unfavorable geologic orientation, normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), and blanket thickness are assigned to over 100 km of levees along the Waal and IJssel rivers of the Netherlands. A binary logistic regression is then applied to identify factors with statistically significant relationships to historical sand boil locations, and generate a predictive model using the significant factors. The logit models generally support previous findings indicating unfavorable orientation of geologic deposits and NDVI have a significant relationship with the spatial occurrence of sand boils. Despite this statistical significance, the best predictive model yields an accuracy only 10.83% higher than a random prediction model. Given variance in factors between models, sand boil formation appears to be dependent on a combination of conditions experienced on a local scale. Furthermore, attempting to predict sand boils using a single logit model across multiple geologic environments reduces the influence of region-specific conditions, yielding a less effective model than evaluating the systems individually.
Predicting homelessness among individuals diagnosed with substance use disorders using local treatment records.

Abstract One in five homeless people in the United States has a substance use and/or a mental health disorder. Substance use disorders substantially impact the ability to obtain and retain appropriate housing. Professionals who provide substance use treatment are typically required to provide housing assistance by prioritizing clients according to their risk for becoming or remaining homeless; however, existing methods for prioritizing clients can be time-consuming and staff- and training-intensive. This study analyzed the potential use of variables from locally collected and readily available treatment admission records to prioritize clients needing housing assistance. This study analyzed county-level substance use treatment admission and discharge records of 1862 treatment episodes for 1642 clients in publicly funded treatment programs in Utah County, Utah. For at least one admission or discharge, 185 clients lived on the streets or in a homeless shelter. Approximately 55% of treatment episodes that ended in homelessness at discharge did not originally begin with clients being homeless, suggesting a gap in prioritizing individuals for housing assistance. Logistic regression showed statistically significant associations between eventually becoming homeless at the time of discharge and being originally homeless on admission; older age (45 years or older); methamphetamine as primary drug used; and a diagnosis of axis I/II psychiatric disorder besides substance use disorder. These findings suggest that local and routinely collected substance use treatment records may be predictive of homelessness and potentially useful in prioritizing clients for housing assistance.
Surgical Reconstruction of Penile Fractures: Impact on Voiding and Sexual Function

Penile fracture is a relatively rare event. Surgical repair of penile fractures remains the gold standard of management. Both operative and non-operative treatments can have long term sequelae, mainly voiding and erectile dysfunction. Herein we review the clinical management of penile fractures and the long-term outcomes of surgical reconstruction.
Novel numerical method for heat conduction using superposition of exact solutions

A novel formulation for numerical solution of heat conduction problems using superposition of exact solutions (SES) to represent temperature on sub-elements of a region is described and demonstrate...
Discoidin Domain Receptor 1 is a therapeutic target for neurodegenerative diseases

The role of Discoidin Domain Receptors (DDRs) is poorly understood in neurodegeneration. DDRs are upregulated in Alzheimer's and Parkinson's disease (PD), and DDRs knockdown reduces neurotoxic protein levels. Here we show that potent and preferential DDR1 inhibitors reduce neurotoxic protein levels in vitro and in vivo. Partial or complete deletion or inhibition of DDR1 in a mouse model challenged with α-synuclein increases autophagy and reduces inflammation and neurotoxic proteins. Significant changes of cerebrospinal fluid microRNAs that control inflammation, neuronal injury, autophagy and vesicular transport genes are observed in PD with and without dementia and Lewy body dementia, but these changes are attenuated or reversed after treatment with the DDR1 inhibitor, nilotinib. Collectively, these data demonstrate that DDR1 regulates autophagy and reduces neurotoxic proteins and inflammation and is a therapeutic target in neurodegeneration.
A Case of SGLT2 Inhibitor-Associated Euglycemic Diabetic Ketoacidosis Following Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery.

Abstract Objective Sodium-glucose cotransporter 2 (SGLT2) inhibitors are a novel group of oral hypoglycemic agents with multiple proven beneficial effects. However, their use has been associated with euglycemic diabetic ketoacidosis (DKA), typically triggered by risk factors such as acute illness, surgery, and decreased calorie intake. Therefore, it is recommended that patients discontinue SGLT2 inhibitors at least 24 hours before surgery to minimize this risk. We report a case of a postoperative euglycemic DKA in a patient who had discontinued SGLT2 inhibitor therapy 48 hours prior to surgery. Methods We describe the clinical course of a patient with type 2 diabetes mellitus on empagliflozin therapy who was referred for coronary artery bypass graft surgery. Results A 60-year-old man with type 2 diabetes mellitus developed euglycemic DKA a few hours after coronary artery bypass graft surgery. Laboratory results showed acute postoperative elevated anion gap metabolic acidosis with normal glucose and elevated blood ketone levels. It was later revealed that the patient was treated as an outpatient with empagliflozin; the last dose was taken 48 hours prior to his procedure. Conclusion Euglycemic DKA can occur postoperatively in patients with a history of SGLT2 inhibitor use, even 48 hours after the discontinuation of therapy. This case highlights the need to revisit the recommended time to discontinue these agents, specifically prior to major surgery, because their pharmacokinetic effects may persist after 24 hours of discontinuation, putting patients at risk for postoperative euglycemic DKA.
Are cerebellar signs seen in pre-manifest essential tremor cases? A study of unaffected first-degree relatives of cases (1089)

Objective: To quantify the presence of cerebellar signs and/or cerebellar dysfunction in two groups of first-degree relatives at risk for essential tremor (ET). Background: ET cases can exhibit a range of subtle cerebellar signs. The time course of these signs relative to tremor onset is not known. Whether they are seen in some form in pre-manifest cases is not known either. Here, we stratified unaffected first-degree relatives of ET cases into two groups, hypothesizing that those with more tremor (“pre-ET”) would also exhibit more signs of cerebellar dysfunction than those with less tremor. Design/Methods: 273 first-degree relatives of ET cases, none of whom reported tremor or an ET diagnosis, and none who were diagnosed with ET based on our detailed neurological examination, completed tasks to screen for cerebellar abnormalities. Tremor was quantified using a total tremor score (TTS, 0 – 30). TTS ranged from 0 – 14 (median = 6.0). The cohort was divided into two groups based on the median TTS: higher TTS (HTTS, “pre-ET”) vs. lower TTS (LTTS). Results: The two groups were equal in size (137 HTTS vs. 136 LTTS) and had similar mean ages (55.5 HTTS vs. 57.7 LTTS). Pre-ET had more missteps while performing tandem gait (p = 0.033), more intention tremor in the arms (p Conclusions: The links between ET and the cerebellum are multiple. These data provide intriguing evidence that cerebellar signs are more prevalent even among individuals who are likely in the process of converting to ET. The data suggest that the signs are an early disease feature that can occur even in pre-manifest cases. Disclosure: Dr. Louis has received personal compensation for consulting, serving on a scientific advisory board, speaking, or other activities with Sage Pharmaceuticals.Dr. Hale has nothing to disclose. Dr. Dowd has nothing to disclose. Dr. Liu has nothing to disclose. Dr. Varathan has nothing to disclose.
How Stakeholders Adopt and Share Flood Forecast Information: A Survey of Mississippi River Outlook Users

Guided by the literature in diffusion of innovations, the technology acceptance model, and risk information sharing, this paper reports the results of a survey distributed to National Weather Servi...
A Student's Perspective on Dismantling Racial Bias in Pharmacy School Education

It is well-established that race is a social construct that has little to no biological relevance in the absence of context such as the significant impact of the social, political, and environmental systems that contribute to health and health inequities. However, pharmacy school curricula often misrepresent race as the basis of disease diagnosis and reinforce race-based clinical guidelines without contextualization. Pharmacy schools, through the partnership of students and faculty, should 1) contextualize the mention of race and the differences in disease burden, and 2) provide evidence for race-based guidelines and clinical decision-making in education materials. In this way, we can work to halt the perpetuation of teaching bias to future healthcare professionals.
Scaling and Disseminating Brief Bullying Prevention Programming: Strengths, Challenges, and Considerations

Peer bullying occurs frequently among middle school youth, negatively impacting students and the broader school climate. However, during these years there is a gap in translating empirically suppor...
The future of solar energy: A personal assessment

Abstract To reduce global carbon dioxide emissions substantially by mid-century, electricity generation from solar energy will likely have to be increased dramatically. While the intermittency of the solar resource and the use of rare elements in some current solar technologies are concerns, the most important barrier to a massive scale-up is the current high cost of solar electricity, which will make a dramatic increase in solar deployment politically difficult in many countries. Ambitious publicly-funded research and development efforts aimed at fundamental advances constitute the most plausible approach to substantial cost reductions. Current deployment support programs are generally inefficient, particularly those that favor residential-scale systems, and are less likely to reduce costs substantially.
New strawberry harvesting robot for elevated-trough culture

Feng Qingchun*, Wang Xiu, Zheng Wengang, Qiu Quan, Jiang Kai (National Engineering Research Center for Information Technology in Agriculture, Beijing 100097, China) Abstract: In order to improve robotic harvesting and reduce production cost, a harvesting robot system for strawberry on the elevated-trough culture was designed. It was supposed to serve for sightseeing agriculture and technological education. Based on the sonar-camera sensor, an autonomous navigation system of the harvesting robot was built to move along the trough lines independently. The mature fruits were recognized according to the H (Hue) and S (Saturation) color feature and the picking-point were located by the binocular-vision unit. A nondestructive end-effector, used to suck the fruit, hold and cut the fruit-stem, was designed to prevent pericarp damage and disease infection. A joint-type industrial manipulator with six degrees-of-freedom (DOF) was utilized to carry the end-effector. The key points and time steps for the collision-free and rapid motion of manipulator were planned. Experimental results showed that all the 100 mature strawberry targets were recognized automatically in the harvesting test. The success harvesting rate was 86%, and the success harvesting operation cost 31.3 seconds on average, including a single harvest operation of 10 seconds. The average error for fruit location was less than 4.6 mm. Keywords: strawberry harvesting robot, elevated-trough culture, machine vision, nondestructive end-effector, autonomous navigation system, manipulator, sensor DOI: 10.3965/j.ijabe.20120502.001 Citation: Feng Q C, Wang X, Zheng W G, Qiu Q, Jiang K. New strawberry harvesting robot for elevated-trough culture. Int J Agric & Biol Eng, 2012; 5(2): 1
A potential pollen proxy for ENSO derived from the Sajama ice core

[1] An annually resolved pollen record spanning a 39-year period (1958–1996) from the Sajama Ice Cap, located on the western Bolivian Altiplano, reveals significant interannual variations in both pollen concentration and composition. The pollen assemblages within the annual layers are dominated by typical Altiplano taxa, especially Poaceae and Asteraceae. On an annual basis the pollen concentrations are strongly negatively correlated (Pearson's r = −0.716) with the Southern Oscillation Index (SOI). Studies from Sajama and other tropical ice caps have shown that during El Nino years, the weather on the Altiplano is decidedly warmer and drier, which enhances ablation on tropical ice caps through increased sublimation. This process results in the concentration of pollen within an annual layer, and thus provides a mechanism to reconstruct past El Nino events, so long as annual resolution is obtainable within the ice core.