cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Understanding the impact of test validity and bias on selection errors and adverse impact in human resource selection.

We propose an integrative framework for understanding the relationship among 4 closely related issues in human resource (HR) selection: test validity, test bias, selection errors, and adverse impact. One byproduct of our integrative approach is the concept of a previously undocumented source of selection errors we call bias-based selection errors (i.e., errors that arise from using a biased test as if it were unbiased). Our integrative framework provides researchers and practitioners with a unique tool that generates numerical answers to questions such as the following: What are the anticipated consequences for bias-based selection errors of various degrees of test validity and test bias? What are the anticipated consequences for adverse impact of various degrees of test validity and test bias? From a theory point of view, our framework provides a more complete picture of the selection process by integrating 4 key concepts that have not been examined simultaneously thus far. From a practical point of view, our framework provides test developers, employers, and policy makers a broader perspective and new insights regarding practical consequences associated with various selection systems that vary on their degree of validity and bias. We present a computer program available online to perform all needed calculations.
Effect of relative humidity and temperature on moisture sorption and stability of sodium bicarbonate powder

The effects of relative humidity and temperature on moisture sorption rate and stability profile of sodium bicarbonate powder exposed to various storage conditions were investigated using gravimetrical and acid-titration methods. In the study, samples were placed in desiccators, which contained various saturated salt solutions to generate desired levels of relative humidity, denoted as RH, ranging from 30‐93% RH. The weight of each sample was determined periodically. The results show that both the temperature and relative humidity are key factors in moisture sorption isotherm and decomposition kinetics. The threshold relative humidity RHth is defined as the relative humidity above which sodium bicarbonate powder starts to rapidly gain weight. The critical relative humidity RHc is defined as the relative humidity above which sodium bicarbonate powder either starts to rapidly gain weight or starts to rapidly hydrolyze (resulting in losing weight). The moisture sorption isotherm shows an unusual phenomenon at high RH, where the weight of the sodium bicarbonate powder either increases or decreases with time, depending on the storage temperature. When the powder is exposed to a lower temperature and high humidity level (e.g. at 25°C and 93% RH), the weight increases rapidly, due to the fact that the relative humidity exceeds the RHth at this temperature. On the other hand, when the powder is exposed to higher temperature and high humidity levels (e.g. at 40°C, 89% RH and at 55 o C, 82% RH), the weight of the powder decreases with time since the relative humidity is below the RHth at these temperature levels and the decomposition rate is higher than the moisture sorption rate. The decomposition of sodium bicarbonate results in the release of carbon dioxide. The values of RHc at 25 and 40°C were determined to be between 76 and 88% RH and between 48 and 75% RH, respectively. The accurate moisture content and the stability profiles of sodium bicarbonate were determined using a titration-drying-titration procedure. The results of determination show that sodium bicarbonate powder is stable below 76% RH at 25°C and below 48% RH at 40°C, respectively. © 1998 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
State mental health parity laws: cause or consequence of differences in use?

ABSTRACT: A new wave of state and federal legislation affecting mental health insurance was passed during the 1990s. Although patient advocacy groups have hailed the passage of numerous parity laws...
Martin Heidegger (1889- ) as a Phenomenologist

The name of Martin Heidegger overshadows the present scene not only of German but also of Continental and Spanish-American philosophy. This very fact implies an enigma, at least to the Anglo-American world. What can account for the still growing fascination with a thinker of Heidegger’s type? Certainly not the volume of his published production. Besides, his largest work, [1] Sein und Zeit, is a torso, and according to his own recent announcement it will for ever remain so. Yet it confronts its reader with a language and a style of thinking more demanding, if not actually forbidding, than most other philosophy, present or past. And while some of the circumstances surrounding Heidegger’s way of life are highly unconventional compared with those of the typical German university philosopher, neither his personality nor his appearance are sufficient to account for his impact on the academic and non-academic world.
Baseline Predictors of Renal Disease Progression in the African American Study of Hypertension and Kidney Disease

Patients with chronic kidney disease have an increased risk for progression to ESRD. The purpose of this study was to examine factors that predict increased risk for adverse renal outcomes. Cox regression was performed to assess the potential of 38 baseline risk factors to predict the clinical renal composite outcome of 50% or 25-ml/min per 1.73 m 2 GFR decline or ESRD among 1094 black patients with hypertensive nephrosclerosis (GFR 20 to 65 ml/min per 1.73 m 2 ). Patients were trial participants who had been randomly assigned to one of two BP goals and to one of three antihypertensive regimens and followed for a range of 3 to 6.4 yr. In unadjusted and adjusted analyses, baseline proteinuria was consistently associated with an increased risk for adverse renal outcomes, even at low levels of proteinuria. The relationship of proteinuria with adverse renal outcomes also was evident in analyses that were stratified by level of GFR, which itself was associated with adverse renal outcomes but only at levels
Improved survival of mice deficient in secretory immunoglobulin M following systemic infection with Cryptococcus neoformans.

Cryptococcus neoformans causes severe, and often fatal, disease (cryptococcosis) in immunocompromised patients, particularly in those with HIV/AIDS. Although resistance to cryptococcosis requires intact T-cell immunity, a possible role for antibody/B cells in protection against natural disease has not been definitively established. Previous studies of the antibody response to the C. neoformans capsular polysaccharide glucuronoxylomannan (GXM) have demonstrated that patients who are at increased risk for cryptococcosis have lower serum levels of GXM-reactive IgM than those who are not at risk, leading to the hypothesis that IgM might contribute to resistance to cryptococcosis. To determine the influence of IgM on susceptibility to systemic cryptococcosis in a murine model, we compared the survival of mice deficient in serum IgM (secretory IgM deficient [sIgM(-/-)]) and C57BL/6 x 129Sv (control) mice after intraperitoneal infection with C. neoformans strain 24067 and analyzed the splenic B- and T-cell subsets by flow cytometry and the serum and splenic cytokine/chemokine and serum antibody profiles of each mouse strain. The results showed that sIgM(-/-) mice survived significantly longer than control mice when challenged with 10(5) CFU of C. neoformans 24067. Naive sIgM(-/-) mice had higher levels of B-1 (CD5(+)) B cells, proinflammatory mediators (interleukin-6 [IL-6], IL-1beta, MIP-1beta, tumor necrosis factor alpha [TNF-alpha], and gamma interferon [IFN-gamma]), and anti-inflammatory mediators (IL-10 and IL-13) and significantly higher titers of GXM-specific IgG2a 3 weeks postinfection. In addition, CD5(+) splenocytes from both mouse strains had fungicidal activity against C. neoformans. Taken together, these results suggest that the inflammatory milieu in sIgM(-/-) mice might confer enhanced resistance to systemic cryptococcosis, stemming in part from the antifungal activity of B-1 B cells.
CardioSEAL®, CardioSEAL-STARFlex®, and PFO-Star® Closure of PFO

Post utero, persistence of the patent foramen ovale (PFO) carries mischievous potential, as it appears to have no physiologic or survival benefit for normal individuals. In states of abnormal right-sided cardiac capacitance, PFO has been implicated in worsening hypoxemia resulting from right to left intracardiac passage of deoxygenated blood. Association and causative roles of PFO in much more commonly occurring syndromes, including cerebral and cutaneous decompression disease, migraine with aura, and embolic ischemic stroke, have been suggested.
Critical Importance of the Perinatal Period in the Development of Obesity

The intrauterine environment is increasingly recognized as an important contributor to the rapidly rising incidence of juvenile obesity and associated metabolic disorders. Clinical and epidemiological studies have repeatedly shown a strong association between maternal BMI and childhood obesity and co-morbidities in the offspring. However not all obese women give birth to overweight infants and the intrauterine effects resulting from maternal obesity that trigger metabolic disease in the offspring are not well understood. Here we discuss the consequences of excess maternal fuels, inflammation, and oxidative stress associated with maternal obesity and insulin resistance, and how these may combine to affect fetal development on a cellular and molecular level to change appetite, mitochondria, and fuel storage. While reducing excess gestational weight gain or treatment of gestational diabetes may improve maternal cardiometabolic parameters in obese women during pregnancy, very little research has been done to examine long-term outcomes in the infant or children. Likewise, dietary interventions in the critical first year of life when infants triple their body fat may impact the microbiome, appetite regulatory control systems, and adipose stem cell biology and also need further study. Direct modification of epigenetic changes may also be a powerful treatment for obese mothers. It is clear that epigenetic regulation, specifically via methylation and acetylation are dynamic processes that change over time. All of these time points are pivotal for breaking the cycle of maternal to infant obesity, but more studies are needed to support recommending specific treatments that could halt the transgenerational cycle of obesity.
Recent references: May through August 1983

An indexed bibliography is published to all literature received by the National Nuclear Data Center or assigned key numbers between May and August 1983. The publisher has assigned DOIs to each key section of this volume. They are: 1) Recent references: May through August 1983 - DOI 10.1016/S0090-3752(83)80037-4; 2) Key numbers and keywords - DOI 10.1016/S0090-3752(83)80038-6; 3) Reaction Index - DOI 10.1016/S0090-3752(83)80039-8; 4) References - DOI 10.1016/S0090-3752(83)80040-4; 5) Secondary sources - DOI 10.1016/S0090-3752(83)80041-6.
Does Race Matter?: The Impact of Minority Concentration on Social Safety Net Spending

This study examines the effect of racial diversity, local governing arrangements, and economic inequality on social safety net program design and delivery at the county-level. Prior research has shown that the level of poverty and inequality in an area is more extensive when the size of the minority population is greater than the size of majority population. Additionally, studies show that whites exhibit greater opposition to government social safety net policies when they live in areas with higher minority concentrations. This research investigates how racial, political, and social factors impact social safety net spending at the county-level. The study uses a comprehensive and rich data set that combines U.S. county-level data, a rich set of observable explanatory variables, and Census data on local income inequality (Gini index). This study seeks to broaden our understanding of the American subnational structural mechanisms through which socioeconomic inequality is reproduced or mitigated at the county-level.
Associations Between NIH Funding and Advanced Bibliometric Indices Among Radiological Investigators.

Rationale and Objectives Whereas data support the h index (reflecting both publications and citations) as an indicator of academic productivity, other advanced bibliometric indices aiming to address shortcomings of the h index remain poorly studied. Our objective was to compare the associations between bibliometric indices and total National Institutes of Health (NIH) grant funding among investigators within U.S. academic radiology departments. Materials and Methods NIH grant funding amounts for 400 NIH-funded investigators within radiology departments were obtained from Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research. Investigators' publications and associated citations were identified using Scopus. Indices computed for each investigator included: publication count, citation count, h index, i-10 index, hc index (h index adjusted for recency of publications), m quotient (h index adjusted for career duration), and e index and g index (both account for highly cited articles). Spearman correlations were performed between indices and funding. Multivariable linear regression was performed to identify significant independent predictors of funding. Results For MD investigators: the indices exhibited no-to-weak correlations with funding (r = 0.173–0.387); m quotient exhibited the largest correlation and was the only significant (albeit weak) independent predictor of funding (P = 0.011). For PhD investigators: correlation with funding was weak for m quotient (r = 0.323), although moderate for other indices (r = 0.518–0.568); publication count exhibited highest correlation; publication count (P P = 0.024) were significant independent predictors of funding. Conclusions Bibliometric indices were more strongly associated with grant funding for PhD than for MD radiology investigators, with publication count exhibiting the strongest association in the latter group. Time-weighted adjustments, as reflected by the m quotient and hc index, may improve efforts to predict funding using bibliometrics.
Measuring gas temperature during spin-exchange optical pumping process

The gas temperature inside a Spin-Exchange Optical Pumping (SEOP) laser-pumping polarized 3He cell has long been a mystery. Different experimental methods were employed to measure this temperature but all were based on either modelling or indirect measurement. To date there has not been any direct experimental measurement of this quantity. Here we present the first direct measurement using neutron transmission to accurately determine the number density of 3He, the temperature is obtained using the ideal gas law. Our result showed a surprisingly high gas temperature of 380°C, compared to the 245°C of the 3He cell wall temperature and 178°C of the optical pumping oven temperature. This experiment result may be used to further investigate the unsolved puzzle of the "X-factor" in the SEOP process which places an upper bound to the 3He polarization that can be achieved. Additional spin relaxation mechanisms might exist due to the high gas temperature, which could explain the origin of the X-factor.
E-123 covered stents for prevention and treatment of carotid blow-out syndrome

Introduction Carotid blow-out syndrome (CBS) is a life threatening emergency resulting from compromise of the carotid artery due to malignancy in the head and neck. We report our experience with covered stents for the prevention or treatment of CBS secondary to head and neck cancer to ascertain the safety and efficacy of this technique. Methods The use of covered stents in the extracranial carotid artery in the setting of head and neck malignancy between the years 2006–2013 at the University of Miami was retrospectively reviewed. Patient demographics, presenting symptoms, devices used, perioperative complications, imaging, and follow-up data were reviewed. Results 17 carotids in 15 patients, with ages ranging from 20–84 years (mean 70.4) were treated with 20 covered nitinol (Viabahn Endoprosthesis, Gore, Flagstaff, AZ) stents. Three patients were treated acutely for bleeding from carotid blow out and 12 treated prophylactically for threatened carotid blow out. All patients were given peri-procedural dual antiplatelet therapy. No thromboembolic or ischemic complications were noted. Post-stenting hemorrhage attributable to CBS occurred in four patients and resulted in two deaths. Conclusion The use of covered stents is a simple, safe and effective method for treating or preventing carotid blow out syndrome in patients with head and neck malignancy. Carotid artery reconstruction with covered stents may minimize the risk of ischemic complications associated with endovascular or surgical carotid sacrifice. Disclosures M. Elhammady: None. B. Gaynor: None. D. Haussen: None. S. Ambekar: None. E. Peterson: None. D. Yavagal: None.
Regulation of Iron-Sulfur Cluster Formation in Plastids

Iron-sulfur (Fe-S) clusters have pivotal roles in chloroplast processes including photosynthetic electron transport, pigment synthesis, nitrogen and sulfur assimilation and carbon metabolism. There are five cluster types found in plant plastids, which harbor their own Fe-S cluster assembly system. The cysteine desulfurase of the chloroplast, CpNifS, is an essential protein that requires a SufE protein for activation of its activity. SufE proteins serve to accept sulfane sulfur from the cysteine desulfurase and presumably donate S to downstream scaffolds on which cluster assembly takes place. There are three SufE proteins in plastids and SufE1 is the major activator of CpNifS. SufE1 consists of a SufE domain linked to a BolA domain. It is likely that the BolA domain of SufE1 has a regulatory role perhaps in providing feedback to the Fe-S assembly system. Theoretical predictions suggest that the SufE1-BolA region interacts with a glutaredoxin (GRX) domain protein. There are several GRX domain proteins in plastids and some of these can bind iron-sulfur clusters. Whereas, there are several potential Fe-S cluster assembly scaffold proteins identified in the chloroplast the exact role of each one in the assembly pathway still needs to be revealed. We discuss possible models for this regulation and explore areas for future research.
Regenerative Rehabilitation: Synergizing Regenerative Medicine Therapies with Rehabilitation for Improved Muscle Regeneration in Muscle Pathologies

With recent advances in the understanding of the molecular basis for tissue regeneration, regenerative medicine therapies for a host of musculoskeletal disorders are becoming available at an ever increasing pace. One promising area for the application of such therapies is toward the regeneration of skeletal muscle tissue. A host of disorders and pathologies contribute to the loss of skeletal muscle, including muscular dystrophies, acute trauma, tumor resection, and age-related sarcopenia. While some of these disorders have a relatively mild impact on the loss of muscle strength and function, others are so severe that they lead to the need for limb amputation or, in the worst cases, death. Therefore, regenerative medicine strategies are critical for the treatment of many musculoskeletal disorders.
Arnold-Chiari Malformation

Intermittent symptoms of obstructive hydrocephalus in a young woman with Chiari-I malformation are reported from the Neuro-Ophthalmology Service, Wills Eye Hospital, Philadelphia, PA.
Multi-clock domain TDF ATPG testing: An innovative approach

With the rapid advancement of fab process technology into the nanometer node era, there is an increasing trend in the manifestation of deep submicron (DSM) marginal defects in integrated circuit (IC) fabrication. Despite transition delay fault (TDF) tests providing reasonable coverage against DSM marginal defects, this methodology is hampered in designs with multiple clock domains where the lowest operating clock frequency becomes the dominant TDF testing frequency. The methodology advocated in this paper aims to overcome this bottleneck by introducing an automated yet comprehensive approach to segregate and consolidate the various clock domains in any design for more effective TDF testing. It identifies all user registers in the design and recursively identifies the clock sources of those registers through intelligent net connectivity analysis. In an experimental 200 M-transistor and 4-clock-domains test-chip netlist, this methodology is able to identify clock sources for all registers in five minutes time, and that processing time is negligible when compared to the TDF automatic test pattern generation (ATPG) time. Hence, it has been proven effective and highly successful in increasing the TDF test frequency to the highest operating clock domain frequency of the design.
In vivo detection of microstructural correlates of brain pathology in preclinical and early Alzheimer Disease with magnetic resonance imaging

Abstract Background Alzheimer disease (AD) affects at least 5 million individuals in the USA alone stimulating an intense search for disease prevention and treatment therapies as well as for diagnostic techniques allowing early identification of AD during a long pre-symptomatic period that can be used for the initiation of prevention trials of disease-modifying therapies in asymptomatic individuals. Methods Our approach to developing such techniques is based on the Gradient Echo Plural Contrast Imaging (GEPCI) technique that provides quantitative in vivo measurements of several brain-tissue-specific characteristics of the gradient echo MRI signal (GEPCI metrics) that depend on the integrity of brain tissue cellular structure. Preliminary data were obtained from 34 participants selected from the studies of aging and dementia at the Knight Alzheimer's Disease Research Center at Washington University in St. Louis. Cognitive status was operationalized with the Clinical Dementia Rating (CDR) scale. The participants, assessed as cognitively normal (CDR=0; n=23) or with mild AD dementia (CDR=0.5 or 1; n=11) underwent GEPCI MRI, a collection of cognitive performance tests and CSF amyloid (Aβ) biomarker Aβ42. A subset of 19 participants also underwent PET PiB studies to assess their brain Aβ burden. According to the Aβ status, cognitively normal participants were divided into normal (Aβ negative; n=13) and preclinical (Aβ positive; n=10) groups. Results GEPCI quantitative measurements demonstrated significant differences between all the groups: normal and preclinical, normal and mild AD, and preclinical and mild AD. GEPCI quantitative metrics characterizing tissue cellular integrity in the hippocampus demonstrated much stronger correlations with psychometric tests than the hippocampal atrophy. Importantly, GEPCI-determined changes in the hippocampal tissue cellular integrity were detected even in the hippocampal areas not affected by the atrophy. Our studies also uncovered strong correlations between GEPCI brain tissue metrics and beta-amyloid (Aβ) burden defined by positron emission tomography (PET) – the current in vivo gold standard for detection of cortical Aβ, thus supporting GEPCI as a potential surrogate marker for Aβ imaging – a known biomarker of early AD. Remarkably, the data show significant correlations not only in the areas of high Aβ accumulation (e.g. precuneus) but also in some areas of medial temporal lobe (e.g. parahippocampal cortex), where Aβ accumulation is relatively low. Conclusion We have demonstrated that GEPCI provides a new approach for the in vivo evaluation of AD-related tissue pathology in the preclinical and early symptomatic stages of AD. Since MRI is a widely available technology, the GEPCI surrogate markers of AD pathology have a potential for improving the quality of AD diagnostic, and the evaluation of new disease-modifying therapies.
Interferon and Interleukin-2 Therapy of Kaposi’s Sarcoma

It is difficult to treat Kaposi’s sarcoma by conventional therapies in the setting of immune deficiency such as the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), because this treatment may cause further immune suppression. In AIDS, cytotoxic chemotherapy may, for example, increase the risk of opportunistic infections such as Pneumocystis pneumonia. Thus, this therapy, even if successful against the tumor, may potentially shorten survival. Because of these factors, experimental therapy with immune modulating agents has been particularly attractive in AIDS-related Kaposi’s sarcoma. The two agents receiving most attention have been recombinant alpha interferon and recombinant interleukin–2. These will be the subject of this review. The results will be preliminary because the disease itself is so new and because many of the clinical trials of these agents are still in progress.
Taking Stereotypes out of Stereotype Threat: The Effect of Role-Based Expectations

Stereotype threat is the concern one feels about confirming a negative stereotype about one's ability-stigmatized group (Steele & Aronson, 1995). At the heart of stereotype threat effects is the expectation of negative performance based on group membership or a currently held role. Thus, an integrated, consensually known stereotypic construct is not necessary for the effect of threat to occur; rather, all that is required is for there to be differential expectations for performance based on role position. In three experiments we find the typical effects of stereotype threat whenever differential expectations for performance exist based on the roles of negotiators. In addition, we demonstrate that negotiator roles can indeed be threatening by eliminating the effects via self-affirmation.
Psychopathology Following Interpersonal Violence: A Comparison of Risk Factors in Older and Younger Adults

A randomly selected sample of 549 women age 55 years and older and 2,669 women age 18–34 years was interviewed via telephone to determine prevalences of physical and sexual assault, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptomatology, and depression. Prevalences of sexual and physical assaults were lower in older compared to younger women. In addition, given a trauma, prevalences and proportionate risk of posttraumatic psychopathology and depression were also lower for older, relative to younger women. Specifically, multivariate analyses revealed that sexual assault predicted only PTSD avoidance in older adults, but all forms of PTSD symptomatology and depression in younger adult women. Similarly, physical assault predicted only PTSD re-experiencing symptoms in older women, but all forms of PTSD symptoms and depression in younger women. Self-reported health status was not associated with any increased risk of psychopathology, and low income predicted increased avoidance and depression only in younger women.
Sirt1: A Guardian of the Development of Diabetic Retinopathy

Diabetic retinopathy is a multifactorial disease, and the exact mechanism of its pathogenesis remains obscure. Sirtuin 1 (Sirt1), a multifunctional deacetylase, is implicated in the regulation of many cellular functions and in gene transcription, and retinal Sirt1 is inhibited in diabetes. Our aim was to determine the role of Sirt1 in the development of diabetic retinopathy and to elucidate the molecular mechanism of its downregulation. Using Sirt1-overexpressing mice that were diabetic for 8 months, structural, functional, and metabolic abnormalities were investigated in vascular and neuronal retina. The role of epigenetics in Sirt1 transcriptional suppression was investigated in retinal microvessels. Compared with diabetic wild-type mice, retinal vasculature from diabetic Sirt1 mice did not present any increase in the number of apoptotic cells or degenerative capillaries or decrease in vascular density. Diabetic Sirt1 mice were also protected from mitochondrial damage and had normal electroretinography responses and ganglion cell layer thickness. Diabetic wild-type mice had hypermethylated Sirt1 promoter DNA, which was alleviated in diabetic Sirt1 mice, suggesting a role for epigenetics in its transcriptional suppression. Thus strategies targeted to ameliorate Sirt1 inhibition have the potential to maintain retinal vascular and neuronal homeostasis, providing opportunities to retard the development of diabetic retinopathy in its early stages.
The evolution of nucleoside analogue antivirals: A review for chemists and non-chemists. Part 1: Early structural modifications to the nucleoside scaffold

This is the first of two invited articles reviewing the development of nucleoside-analogue antiviral drugs, written for a target audience of virologists and other non-chemists, as well as chemists who may not be familiar with the field. Rather than providing a simple chronological account, we have examined and attempted to explain the thought processes, advances in synthetic chemistry and lessons learned from antiviral testing that led to a few molecules being moved forward to eventual approval for human therapies, while others were discarded. The present paper focuses on early, relatively simplistic changes made to the nucleoside scaffold, beginning with modifications of the nucleoside sugars of Ara-C and other arabinose-derived nucleoside analogues in the 1960's. A future paper will review more recent developments, focusing especially on more complex modifications, particularly those involving multiple changes to the nucleoside scaffold. We hope that these articles will help virologists and others outside the field of medicinal chemistry to understand why certain drugs were successfully developed, while the majority of candidate compounds encountered barriers due to low-yielding synthetic routes, toxicity or other problems that led to their abandonment.
Health, Medical, and Scientific Aspects of the Controversy

It would be hard to question the need for scientific research and objective data collection as the necessary preconditions for developing sound policy alternatives. The real-world experience, however, makes this ideal all but impossible to achieve. Scientific research involving human subjects and using randomized samples, control groups, and isolation of various factors is extremely difficult, if not impossible: for example, how one might go about assigning infants randomly to breast-or bottle-feeding groups and keep them there when a change for health reasons may be called for; or, similarly, how might one “isolate” the effect of infant formula from such other factors as poverty, unsanitary conditions, impure water, or illiteracy of the parents. Thus, facts are at best approximations or likelihoods of occurrences given the existence of certain environmental factors.
Three-dimensional ALE-FEM method for fluid flow in domains with moving boundaries part II: accuracy and convergence

An arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian numerical method for the numerical simulations of fluid flow in three-dimensional time dependent domains that uses a fixed computational mesh locally fitted to the position of the moving interfaces is examined from the point of view of its accuracy and convergence properties. Elements adjacent to the moving interfaces continuously change shape to fit the moving interfaces to correctly describe the position and shape of the moving interfaces. These elements are used in conjunction with the rest of the mesh elements in the calculations. How changes in the mesh affect the accuracy of the results is examined through truncation error analysis and numerical simulations. The accuracy of the calculations is not adversely affected by the continuous mesh deformation it is shown; the convergence rate of this method is second order. The behaviour of the local error of moving interfaces exhibits the same accuracy as all the domains.
Prevalence of Falls and Fall-Related Outcomes in Older Adults with Self-Reported Vision Impairment.

Objectives To determine the prevalence of falls, fear of falling (FoF), and activity limitation due to FoF in a nationally representative study of older adults with self‐reported vision impairment (VI). Design Cross‐sectional analysis of panel survey data. Setting National Health and Aging Trends Study, a nationally representative survey administered annually from 2011 to 2016 to U.S. Medicare beneficiaries aged 65 and older. Participants Respondents (N=11,558) who contributed 36,229 participant observations. Measurements We performed logistic regression to calculate the unadjusted and adjusted prevalence of self‐reported history of more than 1 fall in the past year, any fall in the past month, FoF, and activity limitation due to FoF in participants with and without self‐reported VI. Results The weighted proportion of participants reporting VI was 8.6% (95% confidence interval (CI)=8.0–9.2%). The unadjusted prevalence of more than 1 fall in the past year was 27.6% (95% CI=25.5–29.7%) in participants with self‐reported VI and 13.2% (95% CI=12.7–13.7%) in those without self‐reported VI. In respondents with self‐reported VI, the prevalence of FoF was 48.3% (95% CI=46.1–50.6%) and of FoF limiting activity was 50.8% (95%CI 47.3–54.2%), and in those without self‐reported VI, the prevalence of FoF was 26.7% (95% CI=25.9–27.5%) and of FoF limiting activity was 33.9% (95% CI=32.4–35.4%). The prevalence of all fall and fall‐related outcomes remained significantly higher among those with self‐reported VI after adjusting for sociodemographics and potential confounders. Conclusion The prevalence of falls, FoF, and activity limitation due to FoF is high in older adults with self‐reported VI. This is the first study to provide nationally representative data on the prevalence of fall‐related outcomes in older Americans with self‐reported VI. These findings demonstrate the need to treat avoidable VI and to develop interventions to prevent falls and fall‐related outcomes in this population. J Am Geriatr Soc 67:239–245, 2019.
Coil and Circuit Design of Omnidirectional Wireless Power Transfer System for Portable Device Application

The omnidirectional wireless power transfer (WPT) system has been studied recently due to its better user experience compared with the directional WPT system in consumer electronics application. Wireless charging bowl concept to allow misalignment between transmitter and receiver coil is adopted in this paper. The efficiency of WPT power transmission is related to the magnetic coupling condition and the coil quality factor. Therefore the coil design methodology to achieve high coupling condition and high coil quality factor is proposed. Besides, LCCL-LC resonant converter is a promising topology for omnidirectional WPT application due to coupling and load independent resonant frequency. The parameter design of resonant tank of LCCL-LC resonant converter is focused to achieve three objectives: I. Operating at resonant frequency II. Satisfying output voltage requirement, III. Zero voltage switching (ZVS) turn on. Finally, 6.78MHz omnidirectional WPT system is built and 75∼85% (mostly 80%+) system efficiency at 5W output is achieved for smart phone size receiver in the setup.
BRCAPRO 6.0 model validation in male patients presenting for BRCA testing.

1559 Background: Male breast cancer accounts for < 1% of male cancers. Patients carrying a BRCA mutation are at higher risk of developing breast, pancreatic and prostate cancers among others. BRCAPRO is a risk model used during counseling to estimate risk of being BRCA+. The purpose of this analysis is to evaluate the accuracy of BRCAPro 6.0 in estimating the risk of a man carrying a BRCA mutation. Methods: This IRB-approved retrospective chart review was of 147 male patients who presented to MD Anderson Cancer Center between 02/1997 and 09/ 2011 for genetic counseling and had BRCA testing performed. All patients had their BRCAPRO risk assessment calculated by using the BRCAPro 6.0 clinical cancer gene assessment software (http://www4.utsouthwestern.edu/breasthealth/cagene/). The statistical software SPSS 20.0 was used to obtain results including descriptive statistics, independent sample t-test and receiver operating curve (ROC). Results: The median age of the cohort was 59 years (18-87). Of the 147 pati...
Creative Learning Kits for Physical Microworlds: Supporting the making of meaningful projects using low-cost materials

Creative learning kits are physical, low-cost and easy to fabricate materials that support creative learning experiences. The kits were designed to be used in the context of physical microworlds: environments that support learning through the making of personally meaningful projects. Since the microworlds were first proposed by Seymour Papert in the 1980s, implementations of microworlds tend to use primarily technology-based kits that require high-end materials like computers. In low-resourced settings, what might the possibilities be to implement this approach using primarily low-cost and familiar materials? To explore these questions, we present the design of four physical, low-cost kits: Creature Creature Creation Kit, Interior Design Kit, Wearable Kit, and Automata Kit.Based on observations from initial tests in workshops with kids ages 6-8 years old, we share some preliminary insights: children were not only able to create and express themselves with the kits, but also able to see familiar materials in new ways. We conclude by reflecting on challenges and opportunities for designing creative learning kits that use affordable, accessible, and reproducible materials to implement physical microworlds.
Data-driven parallelizable traffic incident detection using spatio-temporally denoised robust thresholds

Abstract Automatic incident detection (AID) is crucial for reducing non-recurrent congestion caused by traffic incidents. In this paper, we propose a data-driven AID framework that can leverage large-scale historical traffic data along with the inherent topology of the traffic networks to obtain robust traffic patterns. Such traffic patterns can be compared with the real-time traffic data to detect traffic incidents in the road network. Our AID framework consists of two basic steps for traffic pattern estimation. First, we estimate a robust univariate speed threshold using historical traffic information from individual sensors. This step can be parallelized using MapReduce framework thereby making it feasible to implement the framework over large networks. Our study shows that such robust thresholds can improve incident detection performance significantly compared to traditional threshold determination. Second, we leverage the knowledge of the topology of the road network to construct threshold heatmaps and perform image denoising to obtain spatio-temporally denoised thresholds. We used two image denoising techniques, bilateral filtering and total variation for this purpose. Our study shows that overall AID performance can be improved significantly using bilateral filter denoising compared to the noisy thresholds or thresholds obtained using total variation denoising.
Association of Diabetes Mellitus With Health Status Outcomes in Young Women and Men After Acute Myocardial Infarction: Results From the VIRGO Study.

Background Diabetes mellitus increases the risk of mortality after acute myocardial infarction (AMI). However, little is known about the association of diabetes mellitus with post‐AMI health status...
Effects of obesity class on flat ground walking and obstacle negotiation.

Objectives Although much is known about the impact of obesity on gait, not much is understood about how classes of obesity affect movement. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of weight classification on walking. Methods Sixty-seven women with normal BMI (n=13), overweight/Class I obesity (n=18), Class II obesity (n=16), and Class III obesity (n=20) participated. Gait parameters (velocity and percent of the gait cycle spent in swing and stance phases) were collected as participants walked on flat ground and crossed three obstacle heights. Results Adults with normal BMI had faster velocities (F(3,63)=12.60, p=.000017), shorter portions of the gait cycle spent in stance (F(3,62)=7.29, p=.00029), and a larger percent of the gait cycle spent in swing than those with higher BMI scores (F(3,62)=5.43, p=.002). Adults with overweight/Class I obesity had faster velocities than those with Class III obesity (p=.000082, d=1.20) as well as less variable velocities than those with Class II (p=.002, d=-.40) and Class III (p=.01, d=-1.0) obesity. No differences in velocity were found between those with Class II and Class III obesity (p=.12, d=.57). Conclusions These results suggest the need to encourage adults to decrease overweight/Class I obesity but that an equally important goal is to prevent an increase in BMI leading to Class II obesity.
Lower Likelihood of Post-transplant Graft Failure, Death, and Retransplantation in the Era of Direct-Acting Antivirals.

Background Direct-acting antivirals (DAAs) are expected to improve outcomes for patients with hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection after liver transplantation (LT). We aim to evaluate trends in post-LT outcomes with availability of DAAs. Methods We retrospectively evaluated US adults transplanted from January 1, 2002, to March 31, 2018, using the United Network for Organ Sharing Registry, stratified by pre-DAA (January 1, 2002– to December 31, 2013) vs. post-DAA (January 1, 2014–, to March 31, 2018) eras. Adjusted multivariate Cox regression analyses and competing risk models evaluated likelihood of graft failure, death, and retransplantation (re-LT). Results Among 97,147 patients, 30.2% had HCV infection and 19.4% had hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Of all patients, 31.9% experienced graft failure, 27.1% died after LT, and 4.7% underwent re-LT. The post-DAA era experienced lower likelihood of graft failure (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.69, p Conclusion Although patients with HCV infection and HCC had higher risk of post-LT graft failure and death in the pre-DAA era, the disparity disappeared in the post-DAA era independently of each other. This likely reflects impact of DAAs on improving post-LT outcomes among patients with HCV infection and improved selection of patients with HCC for LT after 2014.
Diet-induced Ketoacidosis in a Non-diabetic: A Case Report.

Author(s): Slade, Sam; Ashurst, John | Abstract: Introduction: Anion gap metabolic acidosis is a common disorder seen in the emergency department. The differential can include toxicological, renal, endocrine, infectious, and cardiogenic disorders. Ketosis, however, is one of the rarer causes of metabolic acidosis seen by the emergency physician in developed nations.Case Report: A 53-year-old female presented after starting a low-carbohydrate ketogenic diet for weight loss. She reported xerostomia, nausea with abdominal pain and a 17-pound weight loss over the previous 22 days. Labs revealed an anion-gap metabolic acidosis with ketosis. She was treated with 5% dextrose in normal saline and a sliding scale insulin coverage. Her anion gap corrected during her hospital course and was discharged on hospital day three.Discussion: The ketogenic diet typically consists of a high-fat, adequate protein and low carbohydrate diet that has previously been thought to be relatively safe for weight loss. However, when carbohydrates are completely removed from the diet an overproduction of ketones bodies results in ketoacidosis. Treatment should be aimed at halting the ketogenic process and patient education.Conclusion: Although rarely included in the differential for metabolic acidosis, diet-induced ketosis should be included by the emergency physician when faced with a patient who recently changed their eating patterns.
The Middle-Upper Paleolithic Transition: A Long-Term Biocultural Effect of Anatomically Modern Human Dispersal

Neanderthals and anatomically modern humans made the Middle-Upper Paleolithic technological transition together. Perhaps more accurately stated, the technological innovations reflected in Early Upper Paleolithic archaeological assemblages were developed, adopted, and spread by a western Eurasian metapopulation that encompassed variable admixture histories. This is the unavoidable implication of robust analyses of ancient human, omnivorous prey, and microbial genomes, which document long-term—if sporadic—interaction and successful family formation between geographically expanding anatomically modern humans and indigenous Neanderthals. This social and population interaction occurred within a broad time-frame, likely ca. 120–40 ka, involving complex, multi-scalar niche construction and biocultural evolutionary dynamics. This chapter reconsiders theoretical, methodological, and empirical issues surrounding the study of lithic assemblages that define the Middle-Upper Paleolithic transition, considering how we can better answer a key question. If the Middle-Upper Paleolithic transition was an indirect consequence of anatomically modern human dispersal and interaction with Neanderthals, then what, if anything, did technological change have to do with Neanderthal extinction, ca. 40 ka?
The Anesthesiologist's Role in Teaching Airway Management to Nonanesthesiologists: Who, Where, and How.

Anesthesiologists will continue to be recognized as airway experts and other specialties will need ongoing access to the clinical volume available in the OR setting when looking for opportunities to meet their residents’ and fellows’ airway management training needs. At the same time, critical care, EM, and other physicians have acquired an ever-expanding array of skills and experience managing the airways of critically ill and injured patients. When considering the needs of nonanesthesiologist trainees coming to our domain, it is essential to recognize the differences inherent in practicing outside of the OR and to incorporate those aspects of airway management considerations into training paradigms. This should be viewed as an opportunity to work toward a more universal approach to training and airway management in our individual institutions incorporating a multidisciplinary approach to education and clinical activities. Within this structure, the evolving aspects of mastery learning or milestone achievement require us to work toward establishing more objective measures of competency and proficiency wherever possible. This includes a more rigorous application of SBT-directed at mastery learning and deliberate practice with a focus not only on technical skills but also NTS. The location for and leadership of the training likely is less important than the individuals involved in program development. A focus on VL-based training for early learners appears to be supported by the data but must be balanced against the technical and environmental challenges. As noted by Straker [107] in an editorial looking at airway management in the twenty-first century, “Airway management is no longer synonymous with only endotracheal intubation—it is finally recognized as a complex array of skills taking years to master to provide the utmost in terms of patient safety.” True mastery requires years of experience and hundreds of patient encounters. In the meantime, anesthesiologists need to figure out how best to support the goal of improving airway management training to move all trainees to the point of proficiency and beyond.