cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Affective composites: autonomy and proxy in pedagogical agent networks

This paper proposes an alternative paradigm for building affective competencies in embodied conversational agents (ECAs). The key feature of this approach – and the reason for referring to it as an alternative paradigm – entails use of hybrid ECAs that are expressive both autonomously and as pass-through proxies for human communications. The context in which this hybrid ECA paradigm is currently under investigation involves animated pedagogical agents. Other domains for which ECAs are under current and envisioned use, however, such as medical interviews, may also be appropriate for their application. One critical research question involves testing the conjecture that human affect shared through an agent reverberates to or scaffolds the empathic credibility, trustworthiness or effectiveness of the agent when it is functioning autonomously.
Abnormal digital neurovascular response to local heating in systemic sclerosis

OBJECTIVES To investigate neurovascular dysfunction using the axon reflex-dependent hyperaemia (initial peak of skin local heating response) in fingers of patients with SSc or primary RP. METHODS Ten healthy subjects were initially enrolled to compare axon reflex-dependent thermal hyperaemia between the finger and forearm cutaneous circulations. Then, 10 patients with primary RP and 16 patients with SSc participated in a similar protocol focusing on the finger circulation only. Lidocaine/prilocaine cream was applied for 1 h to produce local blockade of cutaneous sensory nerves. After lidocaine/prilocaine pre-treatment, laser Doppler probes were heated from skin temperature to 42 degrees C for 30 min, and 44 degrees C for 5 min to achieve maximal skin blood flow. Data were expressed as a percentage of maximal cutaneous vascular conductance. RESULTS In healthy volunteers, we observed a significantly higher initial peak on the finger compared with the forearm, with both responses blunted following topical anaesthesia. In primary RP patients, we observed a decreased initial peak following lidocaine/prilocaine pre-treatment in the finger circulation [96.7% (33.4) vs 75.9% (29.5) with anaesthesia, P = 0.02]. In contrast, pre-treatment did not alter the initial peak in patients with SSc. A minute-by-minute analysis showed no delay of the initial peak. CONCLUSIONS We show an abnormal digital neurovascular response to local heating in SSc. Thermal hyperaemia could be monitored as a clinical test for neurovascular function in SSc. Further studies are required to test whether the abnormal digital neurovascular response correlates to the degree of peripheral vascular involvement.
Vitamin E: A Role in Signal Transduction

Vitamin E modulates the activity of several signal transduction enzymes with consequent alterations of gene expression. At the molecular level, vitamin E may directly bind to these enzymes and compete with their substrates, or it may change their activity by redox regulation. The translocation of several of these enzymes to the plasma membrane is regulated by vitamin E, suggesting the modulation of protein-membrane interactions as a common mechanism for vitamin E action. Enzyme-membrane interactions can be affected by vitamin E by interference with binding to specific membrane lipids or by altering cellular structures such as membrane microdomains (lipid rafts). Moreover, competition by vitamin E for common binding sites within lipid transport proteins may alter the traffic of lipid mediators and thus affect their signaling and enzymatic conversion. In this review, the main effects of vitamin E on enzymes involved in signal transduction are summarized and possible molecular mechanisms leading to enzyme modulation are evaluated.
An 80-Msample/s video switched-capacitor filter using a parallel biquadratic structure

This paper describes a fifth-order, low-pass switched capacitor filter for video applications. It has a 4-MHz cutoff frequency and uses a parallel biquadratic structure with double sampling to achieve an 80-MHz input sampling rate in a 2-/spl mu/m CMOS process. The prototype filter is fully differential, occupies an active area of 11 mm/sup 2/, and dissipates 190 mW. >
Health benefits of particle filtration

The evidence of health benefits of particle filtration in homes and commercial buildings is reviewed. Prior reviews of papers published before 2000 are summarized. The results of 16 more recent intervention studies are compiled and analyzed. Also, reviewed are four studies that modeled health benefits of using filtration to reduce indoor exposures to particles from outdoors. Prior reviews generally concluded that particle filtration is, at best, a source of small improvements in allergy and asthma health effects; however, many early studies had weak designs. A majority of recent intervention studies employed strong designs and more of these studies report statistically significant improvements in health symptoms or objective health outcomes, particularly for subjects with allergies or asthma. The percentage improvement in health outcomes is typically modest, for example, 7% to 25%. Delivery of filtered air to the breathing zone of sleeping allergic or asthmatic persons may be more consistently effective in improving health than room air filtration. Notable are two studies that report statistically significant improvements, with filtration, in markers that predict future adverse coronary events. From modeling, the largest potential benefits of indoor particle filtration may be reductions in morbidity and mortality from reducing indoor exposures to particles from outdoor air.
Traumatic Complex Splenic Arteriovenous Fistula Causing Prehepatic Portal Hypertension and Variceal Bleeding The Importance of the Diagnosis for the Endovascular Treatment Approach

We report a case of a 68-year-old female patient presenting with portal hypertension and variceal bleeding in the absence of any liver disease. After performing a computed tomography angiogram, the cause of her condition was identified to be a splenic arteriovenous fistula (SAVF). After confirming the findings with angiography, we opted to treat the condition with coil embolization as an alternative to a more invasive surgical treatment. Coil embolization of the SAVF was performed successfully resulting in the improvement of the patient's variceal congestion. Our case highlights the importance of identifying SAVF as a potentially curable cause of variceal bleeding in the absence of liver disease. Seeking this diagnosis is of utmost importance since it completely changes the endovascular approach and management of these patients with variceal bleeding. We describe a minimally invasive endovascular technique for treatment of these critically ill patients.
Inducing sensitivity to deception in order to improve decision making performance: a field study

data contained in computer-based systems, they become vulnerable to strategic information manipulation. That is, they become susceptible to situations where their decision-making behaviors can be influenced by others able to access and manipulate this data. This paper describes the results of a field experiment that examines the effects of alternative interventions aimed at inducing sensitivity to the possibility of manipulated data on professionals' task-related decision behaviors: deception detection, false alarms, and task accuracy. While traditional training had no effect on detection success or the issuance of false alarms, warnings about data quality resulted in better detection success. Warnings combined with just-in-time training resulted in better detection success but at the cost of an increased number of false alarms. Higher levels of detection success increased task accuracy and the time spent solving each problem. A higher number of false alarms was associated with lower levels of task accuracy.
Revisiting the Listening Styles Profile (LSP-16): A Confirmatory Factor Analytic Approach to Scale Validation and Reliability Estimation

The Listening Styles Profile (LSP-16) was developed to measure an individual's preferred listening style. One frequent criticism of the LSP-16 is the consistently low estimates of internal consistency. The following study addresses this concern using confirmatory factor analysis to assess both the latent constructs of the scale (i.e., People, Content, Action, Time) and the scale's reliability. Results suggest that listening style is multidimensional; however, additional scale development is needed to increase subscale reliability estimates. Suggestions for future research and development are provided.
Myxedema Coma Associated with Combination Aripiprazole and Sertraline Therapy

Objective:To describe a case of myxedema coma (MC) associated with combination aripiprazole and sertraline therapy.Case Summary:A 41-year-old male presented to the emergency department with confusion, right-sided numbness and tingling, slurred speech, dizziness, and facial edema. His blood pressure was 160/113 mm Hg, with a pulse of 56 beats/min and temperature of 35.4 °C, Initial abnormal laboratory values included creatine kinase (CK) 439 U/L; serum creatinine 1.6 mg/dL; aspartate aminotransferase 85 U/L; and alanine aminotransferase 35 U/L. Repeat cardiac markers revealed an elevated CK level of 3573 U/L with a CK-MB of 24 ng/mL. Thyroid function tests showed thyroid-stimulating hormone 126.4 μIU/mL and free thyroxine 0.29 ng/dL. Home medications of unknown duration were sertraline 200 mg and aripiprazole 20 mg daily. He was admitted to the intensive care unit and initially treated with intravenous levothyroxine and dexamethasone. By hospital day 4, the patient was clinically stable and discharged to h...
Regional growth differences of human tumour xenografts in nude mice

Human tumour cells or the HEp-2 and SW480 cell lines were inoculated subcutaneously into 4 locations on the athymic (nude) mouse lateral trunk. There was no difference in size between tumours grown...
The Missing Organizational Dimension in Urban Sociology

Our article takes issue with the treatment of organizations in much urban sociology. We argue that both Marxian political economists and Chicagoan ethnographers and quantitative analysts treat organizations as derivative rather than productive of urban social relations. This problem is not epistemological or methodological. Instead, it is rooted in the objects of analysis that urban sociologists choose. Drawing on key elements of structuration theory, we attempt to lay the groundwork for improving the treatment of organizations in urban sociology by flagging some of the key insights in the sociology of organizations. We do not view this intellectual borrowing as a one-way street, and we emphasize that urbanists have a contribution to make to sociological thinking about organizations. Correcting these problems is essential if we are to understand the link between contemporary institutional transformations and urban neighborhoods.
Mediators' alert: Now, certification goes global

A new Netherlands-based initiative intends to certify mediators' training, qualifications, and general fitness for the work they do. The International Mediation Institute is soliciting comments this month on its proposed standards. Regular Alternatives contributor Judith Meyer, of Haverford, Pa., is an officer of the commission overseeing the efforts, and describes why the effort is underway and what it hopes to accomplish.
A New Approach to Modeling Political Change

The purpose of the paper is to investigate whether legislators vote in two distinct blocs as suggested by the U.S. political system and whether these voting patterns can be explained by economic variables. The paper exploits U.S. Roll-Call votes from a rich unbalanced panel data set of 540 legislators over 104 Congressional sessions and Presidents since the Korean War. The paper employs a variant of the Hamilton Regime-Switching Model (1989) to uncover three major patterns in the data. There appear to be two distinct voting blocs closely related though not identical to the two-party system. Shifts in these blocs are most frequent in Presidential elections and are less frequent in the Senate and House consistent with forefathers' vision in the Constitution. Finally, since World War II, economic variables do not seem to influence the shift, implying that these political shocks are exogenous. However, over longer horizons, recessions do tend to force political change in the legislature.
Joint transform correlation using an optically addressed ferroelectric LC spatial light modulator

An optically addressed ferroelectric liquid crystal spatial light modulator has been verified as a suitable input and frequency plane modulator in a joint transform correlator.
Phosphorylation sites of Epstein–Barr virus EBNA1 regulate its function

Epstein–Barr virus (EBV) is the causative agent of infectious mononucleosis and a risk factor for developing a variety of lymphomas and carcinomas. EBV nuclear antigen 1 (EBNA1) is the only viral protein found in all EBV-related malignancies. It plays a key role in establishing and maintaining the altered state of cells transformed with EBV. EBNA1 is required for a variety of functions, including gene regulation, replication and maintenance of the viral genome, but the regulation of EBNA1's functions is poorly understood. We demonstrate that phosphorylation affects the functions of EBNA1. By using electron-transfer dissociation tandem mass spectrometry, ten specific phosphorylated EBNA1 residues were identified. A mutant derivative preventing the phosphorylation of all ten phosphosites retained the unusually long half-life and the ability to translocate into the nucleus of wild-type EBNA1. This phosphorylation-deficient mutant, however, had a significantly reduced ability to activate transcription and to maintain EBV's plasmids in cells.
Control variate technique: a constructive approach

The technique of control variates requires that the user identify a set of variates that are correlated with the estimation variable and whose means are known to the user. We relax the known mean requirement and instead assume the means are to be estimated. We argue that this strategy can be beneficial in parametric studies, analyze the properties of controlled estimators, and propose a class of generic and effective controls in a parametric estimation setting. We discuss the effectiveness of the estimators via analysis and simulation experiments.
Mass-Transport-Limited Oxygen Reduction Reaction on AA2024-T3 and Selected Intermetallic Compounds in Chromate-Containing Solutions

Abstract Oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) kinetics were investigated on synthesized Al-Cu, Al-Cu-Mg, and Al-Cu-Fe-Mn intermetallic phases and compared to AA2024-T3 (UNS A92024), as well as high-puri...
Intergenerational Educational Effects of Mass Imprisonment in America

In some American schools, about a fifth of the fathers have spent time in prison during their child’s primary education. We examine how variation across schools in the aggregation and concentration of the mass imprisonment of fathers is associated with their own children’s intergenerational educational outcomes and “spills over” into the attainments of other students. We assess the association of this interinstitutional and intergenerational “prison through school pathway” with downward and blocked educational achievement. Educational and economic resources and other predisposing variables partially explain school-linked effects of paternal imprisonment on measures of children’s educational outcomes. However, we find that the net negative school-level association of paternal imprisonment with educational outcomes persists even after we introduce school- and individual-level measures of a wide range of mediating processes and extraneous control variables. We discuss paternal imprisonment as a form of “mark...
Extramedullary Manifestations of Myeloid Neoplasms

Objectives: This session of the 2013 Society of Hematopathology/European Association for Haematopathology workshop focused on extramedullary manifestations of myeloid neoplasms. Methods: We divided the submitted cases into four subgroups: (1) isolated myeloid sarcoma (MS); (2) MS with concurrent acute myeloid leukemia (AML), with a focus on karyotypic and molecular findings; (3) extramedullary relapse of AML, including relapse in the posttransplant setting; and (4) blast phase/transformation of a myeloproliferative neoplasm or chronic myelomonocytic leukemia. Results: Establishing a diagnosis of isolated MS requires a high index of suspicion and use of immunophenotypic methods. Recurrent cytogenetic abnormalities or gene mutations that occur in MS mirror those known to occur in AML. Conclusions: In the era of targeted therapy and sophisticated risk stratification, every attempt must be made to perform a complete workup on MS cases (or concurrent AML) since the diagnosis of MS, in itself, is no longer adequate for patient management. Cases of blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm were also included and discussed in this session.
Expense Management Strategies within Financially Successful Christian Universities.

This study identified the business strategies and tactics employed by three financially successful Christian institutions of higher education to drive a positive net income. In addition, this study explored the linkages between operational decisions and the institutions' Christian mission. The three institutions in this study declared an uncompromising mission to educate students from a Christian worldview. The planning processes were consistently integrated into the routine structures and cycles, with the institutions' Christian identity being the lens through which planning was filtered. The investigated institutions also employed a business framework in their operations, intentionally living within their means by managing the effectiveness and efficiencies of the institution and by avoiding excessive debt. It was evident that strategic planning processes that included strong tactical planning and follow-through, combined with conservative fiscal management, were critical to the success of these private...
Inhibition of smooth muscle cell growth by nitric oxide and activation of cAMP-dependent protein kinase by cGMP

Recent studies indicate that nitric oxide (NO) and guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (cGMP) may inhibit the proliferation of vascular smooth muscle cells (SMC) in vitro. The purpose of this stud...
Rightward DP-Movement Licenses Parasitic Gaps: A Reply to Postal 1994

This article argues against the conclusion in Postal 1994 that there are no instances of parasitic gap licensing by the rightward displacement of a DP. The evidence presented in Postal 1994 allows us to conclude only that right node raising is able to target adjunction structures when a parasitic gap derivation is otherwise blocked. Three cases are then provided to support the argument that, in principle, both parasitic gap licensing and right node raising can target adjunction structures.
- Ypk1: Ypa1 (S. cerevisiae)

The YPKl gene was cloned by low stringency hybridization of a yeast genomic library, using as probe a cDNA encoding the catalytic subunit of bovine PKA. The presence of the gene has been deduced solely by identification of a long open reading frame, and no information is available on the expression, substrates, physiological role, or possible regulators of this putative protein kinase. Ypkl is closely related to, but distinct from, Saccharomyces cerevisiae Ykr2. The YPK2 subunit structure consists of 680 amino acids. Database accession number for Ypkl in SWISSPROT is P12688.
Expression, Purification, and Preliminary Characterization of a Human Cardiac Sodium Channel Voltage Sensing Domain

Voltage-sensing domains (VSDs) of voltage-gated ion channels sense changes in the membrane potential and as a result alter the conduction state of the channel. The human voltage-gated sodium channel NaV1.5 is primarily expressed in cardiac muscle and is responsible for the rising phase of the cardiac action potential. Mutations within NaV1.5 can lead to fatal cardiac arrhythmias. Such mutations have been found throughout the gene, including missense mutations within the VSD of repeat IV that have been shown to lead to Brugada Syndrome and LQT3. The VSDs also play an important role as binding sites for gating modifier peptide toxins from tarantula spider venoms. Such toxins could serve as good lead compounds for drug development due to their high specificity and more subtle mode of action compared to pore blockers. Therefore, it would be important to know the structures of the human sodium channels VSDs. While no structures of whole eukaryotic sodium channel proteins exist, isolated VSDs of other ion channels have been shown to fold into their native conformation in the absence of the pore forming domain. Therefore, we are pursuing the expression and purification of the isolated VSDs of human sodium channels in order to investigate the structural changes within the VSD caused by pathogenic mutations and by the binding of gating-modifier toxins. Here, we present the expression and purification of the human NaV1.5 VSD of repeat IV in a bacterial expression system in isotopically labeled form and preliminary characterization of the truncated protein. NaV1.5 VSD IV is expressed in Escherichia coli in minimal media, and extracted from membranes by solubilization into n-dodecylphosphocholine micelles. Purified NaV1.5 VSD IV was characterized by mass spectrometry and gel filtration chromatography and used for preliminary NMR structural studies.
Formation of Positive and Negative Ions in CH3NO2

Absolute dissociative ionization cross-sections from threshold to 200 eV have been measured using Fourier transform mass spectrometry (FTMS). In the production of positive ions by electron impact ionization, 13 ions are detected, including the parent ion CH3NO2+ and the four most important fragment ions CH3NO+, NO2+, NO+, and CH3+. Kinetic energies of some selected positive ions are determined using the technique of trapping potential dependency study in FTMS experiments. In the production of negative ions by dissociative electron attachment to nitromethane, three anions were detected: CH2NO2-, NO2-, and CN-. The high sensitivity of the FTMS permits the subsequent time-resolved reactions of these anions to be studied at very low pressure.
Balancing Cost, Risk, and Performance under Uncertainty in Preliminary Mission Design

*A method for propagating and mitigating uncertainty in conceptual-level space mission design is described. The method presented forms a normative method for decision makers seeking to balance cost, risk, and performance in preliminary mission design, with an emphasis on launch vehicle selection. Models representing each of these parameters are created. The variables of the models are then classified. Probabilistic methods, Bayesian techniques, and numerical simulation are used to characterize the resulting parameters. Lastly, results of this analysis are combined with the risk tolerance of the decision maker to guide in balancing these parameters. As an example application, the investigated method is applied to two mission scenarios. The first mission scenario investigates the uncertainty in mission success for the Mars Exploration Rover (MER) mission where the launch vehicle has been selected a priori. The second mission scenario investigates balancing the set of parameters for a generic sun-synchronous low-earth orbit satellite when two possible launch vehicles are available. Use of this approach with the first example yields a surprisingly high level of risk to the mission. Use of the approach for the second example provides quantitative results in estimating the launch cost and risk of the two different options.
SOM and LVQ Classification of Endovascular Surgeons Using Motion-Based Metrics

An increase in the prevalence of endovascular surgery requires a growing number of proficient surgeons. Current endovascular surgeon evaluation techniques are subjective and time-consuming; as a result, there is a demand for an objective and automated evaluation procedure. Leveraging reliable movement metrics and tool-tip data acquisition, we here use neural network techniques such as LVQs and SOMs to identify the mapping between surgeons’ motion data and imposed rating scales. Using LVQs, only 50 % testing accuracy was achieved. SOM visualization of this inadequate generalization, however, highlights limitations of the present rating scale and sheds light upon the differences between traditional skill groupings and neural network clusters. In particular, our SOM clustering both exhibits more truthful segmentation and demonstrates which metrics are most indicative of surgeon ability, providing an outline for more rigorous evaluation strategies.
Real-time Video Image Enhancement Based on FPGA

In allusion to poor precision of target tracking within image guidance application,real-time enhancement pretreatment is essential for input low-contrast image. Contrast limited adaptive histogram equalization is a technique with simple calculation and better enhancement effect and it is convenient for parallel implementation. This paper mainly discusses the algorithm architecture and hardware realization in FPGA,function and timing analysis,enhancement effect verification are based on the hardware platform of FPGA and the MODELSIM simulation software. Via software simulation and platform verification,proposed design is feasible and effective in improving tracking precision on the basis of real-time image enhancement.
Clinicopathologic Features of Colorectal Carcinoma in HIV-Positive Patients

Background: Emerging evidence suggests differences in colorectal cancer in HIV-infected patients (HIV+) compared with HIV− patients. Microsatellite instability (MSI), occurring in a subset of colorectal cancer, is present at a higher rate in certain cancers in HIV+ patients. Colorectal cancer with MSI share some characteristics with those reported for HIV+ colorectal cancer. On this premise, we studied clinical and pathologic features of HIV+ colorectal cancer and evaluated for MSI using matched HIV− colorectal cancer controls. Methods: Two nested, matched cohorts were identified from a hospital-based cohort of colorectal cancer patients. HIV+ colorectal cancers were identified and random control patients were matched for selected characteristics. Mismatch repair protein (MMR) IHC was performed as the detection method for MSI. Variables were compared between cases and controls using fixed-effects logit modeling to account for matching. Results: We included 184 colorectal cancer samples (38 HIV+, 146 HIV− control). Median patient age at colorectal cancer onset was 55. When compared with HIV− colorectal cancer, HIV+ patients were more likely to have smoked ( P = 0.001), have right-sided colorectal cancer (37% vs. 14%; P = 0.003), and tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL) above 50/10 high-power fields (21% vs. 7%). There was no difference in MMR protein expression ( P = 0.6). HIV+ colorectal cancer patients had reduced overall survival ( P = 0.02) but no difference in progression-free survival. Conclusions: HIV+ patients developed colorectal cancer at a lower median age than population estimates, had a higher frequency of right-sided disease, and increased TILs, suggesting potential biologic differences compared with uninfected patients. Impact: Clinicopathologic differences in colorectal cancer of HIV+ persons may have implications for tumor pathogenesis. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev; 25(7); 1098–104. ©2016 AACR .
Influence of Rice-Duck Farming System on Soil Physical Properties, Fertility Factors and Yield in Paddy Fields

Taking three different planting patterns, rice-duck farming system(RDFS), no-duck rice farming system(CK1) and conventional rice farming system(CK2) as test objects, a field experiment was conducted in the experimental farm of China National Rice Research Institute to study the effects of different planting systems on the soil properties, soil nutrient contents and rice yield. The results showed that RDFS effectively decreased soil bulk density, especially at the surface soil which decreased 2.38% and 5.38% compared with CK1 and CK2, respectively. The soil redox potential in tillering peak stage for RDFS was higher 31.7% and 4.25% than CK1 and CK2, respectively. The duck wastes could significantly increase soil organic matter that in RDFS was higher 2.04 g kg-1and 1.36 g kg-1than CK1 and CK2, respectively. Thus, rice-duck farming system could effectively improve soil structure, enhance soil permeability, increase soil fertility level and decrease chemical fertilizer utilization rate. The yield of RDFS increased 5.50% than it of CK1, significantly, while decreased 4.16% than it of CK2, in which the difference did not reach significant level.
Characterization and comparison of human monocyte- and macrophage-induced tumor cell cytotoxicity.

Abstract Numerous studies have demonstrated that murine Mx are important effector cells in the control of neoplastic proliferation in vitro and in vivo. These important observations were extended to man by previous studies which demonstrated that human Mo are cytotoxic for tumor cells in vitro. In this study, Mo, Mx, and lymphocyte tumor cytotoxicities were further compared and characterized with the use of four allogeneic tumor cell lines and one contact-inhibited fibroblast cell strain. Two assays were simultaneously employed: (1) a cytotoxicity assay which was dependent on tumor cell 3 H-thymidine incorporation and therefore measured both components of cytotoxicity: inhibition of cell growth (cytostasis) and cell killing (Cytocidal activity) and (2) a cytocidal assay which employed tumor cells prelabeled with 3 H-thymidine. These studies demonstrated that (1) human Mo exhibit two components of tumor cell cytotoxicity, cytocidal and cytostatic activities; (2) human Mx exhibit more tumor cell cytotoxicity than do Mo; (3) the enhanced cytotoxic activity of Mx, compared to Mo, is probably due to the development of increased cytocidal activity; (4) in this system, Mo and Mx exhibit much more cytotoxic activity against tumor cells than do lymphocytes; and (5) although Mx were cytocidal for all four tumor cell lines tested, they did not exhibit cytocidal activity against a fibroblast cell strain. These studies suggest that human Mo and Mx may be important effector cells in the control of neoplastic proliferation.
Enabling Healthcare Delivery through Vehicle Maintenance

Difficulties in healthcare delivery in developing economies arise from poor road infrastructure of rural communities, where the bulk of the population reside. Although motorcycles are an effective means for delivering healthcare products, governments in developing economies lack expertise in providing proper maintenance and support services, resulting in frequent vehicle breakdowns. Riders for Health, a nonprofit social enterprise, has developed specialized capabilities that enable significant enhancements in vehicle maintenance. The organization has engaged with the governments and provided its services using different contract schemes, with different performance outcomes in vehicle availability and costs. In this paper we develop an analytical model based on reliability theory to compare the outcomes of these contracts, and relate the findings to data collected from a 2.5-year implementation by Riders for Health in Zambia. We also study how different elements of operational enhancements impact vehicle availability, and identify the conditions under which their interactions give rise to compromised performance. Interestingly, we find that prevention of minor failures, i.e., failures that can be addressed through vehicle repairs, always increases vehicle availability unlike other enhancements. This unambiguous benefit suggests that such basic tasks as following proper maintenance protocols and stocking the right amount of the right service parts are of utmost importance.
Numerical quadrature over smooth, closed surfaces

The numerical approximation of definite integrals, or quadrature, often involves the construction of an interpolant of the integrand and its subsequent integration. In the case of one dimension it is natural to rely on polynomial interpolants. However, their extension to two or more dimensions can be costly and unstable. An efficient method for computing surface integrals on the sphere is detailed in the literature (Reeger & Fornberg 2016 Stud. Appl. Math.137, 174-188. (doi:10.1111/sapm.12106)). The method uses local radial basis function interpolation to reduce computational complexity when generating quadrature weights for any given node set. This article generalizes this method to arbitrary smooth closed surfaces.
Transfer of Monocrotaline-Induced Pulmonary Hypertension to Healthy Mice Via Microparticles

Abstract 5190 Rationale: Circulating endothelial cell-derived microparticles (MP) are altered in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) but whether they are biomarkers of cellular injury or participants in disease pathogenesis is unknown. We have shown that lung-derived MP induce marrow cells to express lung-specific mRNA, protein. Objectives: Determine if lung, plasma-derived MP (LMP, PMP) alter pulmonary vascular endothelial or marrow progenitor cell phenotype to induce pulmonary vascular remodeling in PAH. Methods and Main Results: LMP, PMP isolated from monocrotaline (MCT)- or vehicle-treated mice were injected into healthy mice. Right ventricular (RV) hypertrophy and pulmonary vascular remodeling were assessed by RV-to-body weight (RV/BW), blood vessel wall thickness-to-diameter (WT/D) ratios. RV/BW, WT/D ratios were elevated in MCT vs. vehicle-injected mice (1. 99+0. 09vs. 1. 04+0. 09mg/g; 0. 159+0. 002vs. 0. 062+0. 009%). MP from MCT and vehicle-treated mice were quantitatively similar; however, MCT-LMP had higher endothelial cell mRNA expression and higher expression of mRNAs of proteins known to be abnormally expressed in PAH vs. vehicle-LMP. RV/BW, WT/D ratios were higher in mice injected with MCT-MP vs. mice injected with vehicle-MP (1. 63+0. 09vs. 1. 08+0. 09mg/g; 0. 113+0. 02vs. 0. 056+0. 01%). Lineage-depleted bone marrow cells co-cultured with MCT-MP and bone marrow cells isolated from MCT-MP infused mice had higher endothelial progenitor cell gene expression vs. cells co-cultured with vehicle-MP or cells isolated from vehicle MP infused mice. Conclusions: MP from MCT-injured mice have increased expression of growth factors implicated in PAH pathogenesis and induce RV hypertrophy, pulmonary vascular remodeling in healthy mice. Circulating MP may contribute to the development of MCT-induced pulmonary hypertension by inducing a pathologic phenotype in pulmonary vascular endothelial and endothelial progenitor cells. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
STRENGTH OF SEDIMENTS IN THE GULF OF MEXICO

The strength of the sediments in the Gulf of Mexico concerns the engineer in planning drilling operations. The length and number of piles to support drilling platforms depends upon the strength of the mud. Likewise, the size and type of anchors used in securing service barges is influenced by the strength of the sediments. In the early stages of developing the offshore oil resources in a new area, the engineer is handicapped by lack of information as to the nature of the sediments that must support his structures. As time goes on, he can base his decisions more and more on experience gained in previous construction operations in or near the area with which he is concerned. He gradually acquires a mass of data on pile loading tests, settlement and deformation of existing structures, and laboratory analyses of undisturbed samples. He then can design his structure with confidence. However, in the early stages of the drilling program in any large offshore region, such as the Gulf of Mexico, he is confronted with uncertainties, many of which are difficult to resolve because of lack of definite information upon the strength of the muds.
Basal Ganglia: Physiologic Calcifications

Basal ganglia (BG) calcifications are a common cause of either confusion or misinterpretation, particularly when the degree of calcification is only mild or unilateral. In general, although there is no landmark recent literature regarding the incidence of idiopathic, incidence BG calcifications on CT, the incidence is thought to be less than 2 % in the overall population and has been shown to increase with age. Such calcifications should not be present in pediatric patients in under 13–15 years of age (based on scant literature, anecdotal reports, and this author’s experience). Notably, for the purposes of this section, the term BG refers to the traditional definition of those nuclei involved in voluntary motor initiation consisting of the globi pallidi (GP), caudate nuclei (CN), as well as the substantia nigra (SN) and the subthalamic nuclei (STN). Also, it is important to point out that physiologic calcifications in the SN and the STN are much less common than in the other nuclei. Additionally, the dentate nuclei (DN) are one of the three sets of paired deep nuclei of the cerebellum, and physiologic calcifications are also not uncommon in this location in the elderly.
Differences in attitudes and beliefs toward end-of-life treatments between hematologic (Heme) and solid tumor (ST) oncology specialists.

9524 Background: Patients with Heme malignancies often receive intensive care at the end-of-life. To better understand the end of life decision making process among oncology specialists, we compare...
Ultrasound Screening for Posterior Shoulder Dislocation in Infants with Persistent Brachial Plexus Birth Palsy.

Author(s): Bauer, Andrea S; Lucas, Justin F; Heyrani, Nasser; Anderson, Ryan L; Kalish, Leslie A; James, Michelle A | Abstract: BackgroundEarly detection of posterior shoulder dislocation in infants with brachial plexus birth palsy (BPBP) is essential, but it may be difficult to accomplish with physical examination alone. The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of shoulder dislocation in patients with BPBP using ultrasound and to identify which physical examination measurements correlated most with dislocation in these patients.MethodsThis study was a retrospective review of data obtained in an ultrasound screening program of infants with BPBP born from January 2011 to April 2014. Physical examination included the use of the Active Movement Scale (AMS) and measurement of passive external rotation of the shoulder. Ultrasound measurements included PHHD (percentage of the humeral head displaced posterior to the axis of the scapula) and the alpha angle (intersection of the posterior scapular margin with a line tangential to the humeral head through the glenoid). Shoulder dislocation was defined as both a PHHD of g0.5 and an alpha angle of g30°.ResultsOf sixty-six infants who had undergone a total of 118 ultrasound examinations (mean, 1.8; range, 1 to 5), 19 (29%) demonstrated shoulder dislocation with the shoulder positioned in internal rotation; the dislocation was first detected between 2.1 and 10.5 months of age. Infants with a dislocated shoulder demonstrated significantly less mean passive external rotation in adduction (mean, 45.8° versus 71.4°, p l 0.001) and a greater difference between internal rotation and external rotation AMS scores (mean, 5.5-point versus 3.3-point difference, p l 0.001) than those without shoulder dislocation. Passive external rotation in adduction was a better measure for discriminating between dislocation and no dislocation (area under receiver operating characteristic curve [AUC] = 0.89) than was the difference between internal and external rotation AMS scores (AUC = 0.73). A cutoff of 60° of passive external rotation in adduction (≤60° versus° g60) yielded a sensitivity of 94% and a specificity of 69%.ConclusionsShoulder dislocation is common in infants with BPBP; 29% of the infants presenting to our tertiary care center had a dislocation during their first year of life. Ultrasound shoulder screening is appropriate for infants with BPBP. If passive external rotation in adduction is used to determine which infants should undergo ultrasound, ≤60° should be utilized as the criterion to achieve appropriate sensitivity.Level of evidenceTherapeutic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Modeling forest site productivity using mapped geospatial attributes within a South Carolina landscape, USA

Abstract Spatially explicit mapping of forest productivity is important to assess many forest management alternatives. We assessed the relationship between mapped variables and site index of forests ranging from southern pine plantations to natural hardwoods on a 74,000-ha landscape in South Carolina, USA. Mapped features used in the analysis were soil association, land use condition in 1951, depth to groundwater, slope and aspect. Basal area, species composition, age and height were the tree variables measured. Linear modelling identified that plot basal area, depth to groundwater, soils association and the interactions between depth to groundwater and forest group, and between land use in 1951 and forest group were related to site index (SI) (R2 = 0.37), but this model had regression attenuation. We then used structural equation modeling to incorporate error-in-measurement corrections for basal area and groundwater to remove bias in the model. We validated this model using 89 independent observations and found the 95% confidence intervals for the slope and intercept of an observed vs. predicted site index error-corrected regression included zero and one, respectively, indicating a good fit. With error in measurement incorporated, only basal area, soil association, and the interaction between forest groups and land use were important predictors (R2 = 0.57). Thus, we were able to develop an unbiased model of SI that could be applied to create a spatially explicit map based primarily on soils as modified by past (land use and forest type) and recent forest management (basal area).
Concordance between fine-needle aspiration and core biopsies for osseous lesions by lesion imaging appearance and CT attenuation.

To compare the concordance between fine-needle aspiration and core biopsies for osseous lesions by lesion imaging appearance and CT attenuation. Retrospective review of 215 FNAs of osseous lesions performed in conjunction with core biopsy at our institution over a 6-year period (2011–2016). FNAs were interpreted independently of core biopsies. We assessed if FNA in conjunction with core biopsy increased diagnostic accuracy compared to core biopsy alone. We also calculated the concordance between FNA and core biopsy by lesion appearance, lesion CT attenuation, lesion histology, lesion location and FNA needle gauge size. Core biopsy alone provided the diagnosis in 207/215 cases (96.3%), however, the FNA provided the diagnosis in the remaining 8/215 cases (3.7%) where the core biopsy was non-diagnostic. There were 154 (71.6%) lytic lesions, 21 (9.8%) blastic lesions, 25 (11.6%) mixed lytic and blastic lesions and 15 (7.0%) lesions that were neither lytic nor blastic. The concordance between FNA and core biopsy for lytic osseous lesions (136/154 cases, 88.3%) was statistically significantly higher than that for blastic osseous lesions (13/21 cases, 61.9%) [P = 4.2 × 10−3; 95% CI (0.02, 0.50)]. The concordance between FNA and core biopsy was higher for low-attenuation- (110/126) than high-attenuation (58/77) lesions (P = 0.028). The concordance between FNA and core biopsy was also higher for metastases (102/119 cases, 85.7%) than non-metastases (78/96, 81.3%) [P = 0.487; 95% CI (− 0.15, 0.065)]. There was no difference in the rate of concordance between FNA and core biopsy by lesion location or FNA needle gauge size (P > 0.05). FNA with core biopsy increases diagnostic rate compared to core biopsy alone or FNA alone. The concordance between FNA and core biopsy is higher for lytic lesions than for blastic lesions; and higher for low-attenuation lesions than for high-attenuation lesions.
Medication History versus Point-of-Care Platelet Activity Testing in Patients with Intracerebral Hemorrhage

Objective We evaluated whether reduced platelet activity detected by point-of-care (POC) testing is a better predictor of hematoma expansion and poor functional outcomes in patients with intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) than a history of antiplatelet medication exposure. Methods Patients presenting with spontaneous ICH were enrolled in a prospective observational cohort study that collected demographic, clinical, laboratory, and radiographic data. We measured platelet activity using the PFA-100 (Siemens AG, Germany) and VerifyNow-ASA (Accumetrics, CA) systems on admission. We performed univariate and adjusted multivariate analyses to assess the strength of association between those measures and (1) hematoma growth at 24 hours and (2) functional outcomes measured by the modified Rankin Scale (mRS) at 3 months. Results We identified 278 patients for analysis (mean age 65 ± 15, median ICH score 1 [interquartile range 0-2]), among whom 164 underwent initial neuroimaging within 6 hours of symptom onset. Univariate association with hematoma growth was stronger for antiplatelet medication history than POC measures, which was confirmed in multivariable models (β 3.64 [95% confidence interval [CI] 1.02-6.26], P = .007), with a larger effect size measured in the under 6-hour subgroup (β 7.20 [95% CI 3.35-11.1], P Conclusion A history of antiplatelet medication use better identifies patients at risk for hematoma growth and poor functional outcomes than POC measures of platelet activity after spontaneous ICH.
High-voltage microdischarge as a source of extreme density plasma

The generation of non-equilibrium (cold) plasmas with the densities ∼1019–1020 cm−3 in a fully ionized state has been reported in several recent experimental studies. In this work, we simulate a high-voltage high-pressure nanosecond xenon microdischarge that provides an easily accessible source of such a fully ionized cold plasma. In our studies, we use self-consistent one-dimensional Particle-in-Cell Monte Carlo collisions model. We observe that the generation of a fully ionized plasma can be driven by the secondary electron emission from the cathode. Initially, secondary electrons propagate through the collisional sheath and generate the plasma with a density ∼1018 cm−3. Such a dense plasma generated in the vicinity of the cathode sheath makes sheath collisionless, which allows the acceleration of secondary electrons to keV energies. These energetic electrons are responsible for the generation of fully ionized plasma. We also obtain that accounting for the electron field emission allows faster generatio...