cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nosocomial infections in pediatric intensive care units in the United States. National Nosocomial Infections Surveillance System.

Objectives. To describe the epidemiology of nosocomial infections in pediatric intensive care units (ICUs) in the United States. Background. Patient and ICU characteristics in pediatric ICUs suggest the pattern of nosocomial infections experienced may differ from that seen in adult ICUs. Methods. Data were collected between January 1992 and December 1997 from 61 pediatric ICUs in the United States using the standard surveillance protocols and nosocomial infection site definitions of the National Nosocomial Infections Surveillance System9s ICU surveillance component. Results. Data on 110 709 patients with 6290 nosocomial infections were analyzed. Primary bloodstream infections (28%), pneumonia (21%), and urinary tract infections (15%) were most frequent and were almost always associated with use of an invasive device. Primary bloodstream infections and surgical site infections were reported more frequently in infants aged 2 months or less as compared with older children. Urinary tract infections were reported more frequently in children >5 years old compared with younger children. Coagulase-negative staphylococci (38%) were the most common bloodstream isolates, and aerobic Gram-negative bacilli were reported in 25% of primary bloodstream infections. Pseudomonas aeruginosa (22%) was the most common species reported from pneumonia and Escherichia coli (19%), from urinary tract infections. Enterobacter spp. were isolated with increasing frequency from pneumonia and were the most common Gram-negative isolates from bloodstream infections. Device-associated infection rates for bloodstream infections, pneumonia, and urinary tract infections did not correlate with length of stay, the number of hospital beds, or season. Conclusions. In pediatric ICUs, bloodstream infections were the most common nosocomial infection. The distribution of infection sites and pathogens differed with age and from that reported from adult ICUs. Device-associated infection rates were the best rates currently available for comparisons between units, because they were not associated with length of stay, the number of beds in the hospital, or season.
Speed measurements of diffusion-cooled tantalum bolometers

Thin tantalum films were deposited on silicon wafers using a niobium seed layer to promote alpha-phase growth. These films were patterned into submicrometer size diffusion-cooled bolometers with superconducting transition temperatures of up to 2.35 K and a transition width of about 200 mK. The thermal relaxation times of the devices were determined by measuring the device impedance as a function of frequency and by fitting a theoretical model to the data. Measured relaxation times at low bias voltages range from 0.75 GHz for a 400-nm long device to 6 GHz for a 100-nm device, excluding electrothermal feedback. This should allow sufficiently high instantaneous bandwidths for most low-noise mixer applications in astrophysics.
Timestep Control for the Numerical Solutions of Initial-Boundary-Value Problems

The process of dynamic time-step selection for fixed spatial resolution based on the idea of balancing different local truncation errors will be presented. Some theoretical justification and numerical results will also be given. The application of iterative improvement to ADI methods will also be discussed.
Designing Transparent Structural Color

We design dielectric stacked-ring structures that are transparent under omnidirectional broadband illumination but scatter strongly with a directional narrowband light source. Such structures can be used as transparent projection screens.
Evidence against a Reduced Melting Temperature in Amorphous Silicon

Experimental results are presented which indicate that amorphous silicon does not melt at a temperature significantly lower than the melting point of crystalline silicon (1693°K), contrary to recent reports which suggest a 300 to 500°K melting point depression. Time-resolved optical reflectivity measurements are used to determine the temperature and to investigate phase changes which occur in silicon during cw laser heating. It is shown that amorphous silicon films produced by arsenic implantation into Si(100) do not melt when heated to temperatures in excess of 1600°K. An alternate interpretation of previous work that is consistent with the present findings is proposed.
Bringing Clean Water to Rural Communities in Developing Countries: A Well for the Community in Agrippa Todzi, Togo

This paper presents a summary of a student funded project for the construction of a community water well in Agrippa Todzi, a small farming village in Togo. A survey was conducted to quantify daily water usage and investigate access to improved latrines in the village. Sixty eight percent of the survey participants reported having access to a clean water source. Based on estimates, the daily average water consumption per capita was near 17 L. Only 13% of respondents reported having access to an improved latrine. The completion of the project is a valuable contribution to the local water supply. The project provided a unique opportunity for international experience and service learning to the students involved. Keywords: Drinking water, well, sanitation, Togo, rural community
Reimagining Thoreau: Walden and the Rhetoric of Ascent

There was a man here, Samian born, but he Had fled from Samos, for he hated tyrants And chose, instead, an exile's lot. His thought Reached far aloft, to the great Gods in Heaven, And his imagination looked on visions Beyond his mortal sight. All things he studied With watchful eager mind, and he brought home What he had learned and sat among the people Teaching them what was worthy, and they listened In silence, wondering at the revelations. … Ovid, Metamorphoses Literature . The author's work, no matter how intelligent, elaborate (Proust) or rich and vigorous in imagination, always turns out to constitute a justification for some particular set of values, … a melodrama in which, even if the hero is actually defeated, he is morally triumphant. … The effort of the author has thus been concentrated on making his life look as if it justified his own ideals – that is, his own desires – and it is the indestructible impulse to make experience, disappointing in actuality, wear a different and more satisfying aspect, which has provided the motive power to carry him through his book. When his work is done, he may feel reassured, half believing that what he has written, because he has asserted it and it has been printed and read by people who assume that the author had some divine revelation of the truth and adopt an attitude toward him based on that assumption – that what he has written must be true. Edmund Wilson, The Twenties
Feasibility of evaluating hemodynamic effects based on the parameters measured by the Doppler ultrasonic blood stream detector during cardiopulmonary resuscitation

Objective To explore the feasibility of evaluating hemodynamic effects based on the parameters measured by the Doppler ultrasonic blood flow detector during cardiopulmonary resuscitation.Methods Twelve healthy hybrid dogs were selected.The animal models of ventricular fibrillation were induced by electric shock on the chest.Before and after cardiac arrest and resuscitation,the intra-aortic pressure(AOP),central venous pressure(CVP) and blood flow parameters detected by the Doppler ultrasonic blood flow detector were monitored continuously and synchronously.The parameters related to aortic diastolic pressure(ADP) and coronary perfusion pressure(CPP) were screened out from all the parameters measured by the Doppler ultrasonic detector;the correlation between them was analyzed.Results The normal values of the dogs' right common carotid artery blood flow velocity before ventricular fibrillation were as follows: peak systolic flow velocity(Vs) was 85±25cm/s,diastolic flow velocity(Vd) was 27±15cm/s,and the ratio of them(S/D) was 4.2±2.2.During closed-chest resuscitation,Vs was 86±31cm/s(P0.05),Vd was 7.9±5.7cm/s(P0.001),and S/D was 14.2±6.5(P0.001).After intravenous injection of adrenalin,Ad increased whereas S/D decreased with ADP and CPP.Linear regression analysis showed that the regression coefficient between Ad and ADP,between Vd and CPP as well as between S/D and ADP was 0.172(P0.05),0.204(P0.05),and-0.109(P0.05),respectively.Yet thecorrelation of Vd and S/D with ADP and CPP could not be considered significant.Conclusion Among the Doppler blood flow parameters,Vd and S/D are closely related to ADP and CPP.However,our study shows that this correlation is not significant.
Using pharmacokinetics in drug therapy. VI: Comparing methods for dealing with nonlinear drugs like phenytoin.

Four methods for estimating dosage regimens for drugs exhibiting non-linear pharmacokinetic behavior (e.g., phenytoin) are described and compared. Estimations of phenytoin Vmax (maximum rate of drug metabolism) and Km (dissociation constant of drug-enzyme complex), and resulting dosage estimates arrived at by four methods were compared with values in six cases. All four methods provided pharmacokinetic estimates that shorten the period of dose titration and improve estimates of phentoin levels. Given a minimum amount of dose-versus-plasma-level data, all four methods provided reliable and comparable estimates of dosage regimens, although one method based on a nomogram sometimes estimated a narrower range of dosage regimens and plasma levels. When there is a potential for inaccuracy in the plasma-level-data, however, the estimated dosage regimens may be too unreliable for practical application.
[Pathogenic analysis of Yersinia enterocolitica in Xuzhou, Jiangsu].

小肠结肠炎耶尔森菌(Yersinia enterocolitica,Ye)病是引起国际社会广泛关注的一种新发肠道传染病,近来国际上多次报道"非致病性Ye"引起的人群感染,甚至是暴发,受到相关学者的关注[1].徐州地区先后进行了两次相隔22年的调查和相关研究,现将Ye病原学特征分析如下。
Imaging tumor pH-ysiology with smart contrast agents

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is an established diagnostic modality for cancer, with excellent spatial resolution but inherently low sensitivity. MRI contrast agents (CAs) help address such limitations, but they still under-detect micrometastases and inadequately measure key tumor parameters such
Virtual Affective Agents and Therapeutic Games

This chapter discusses two technologies particularly relevant for applications in behavioral health: virtual affective agents and serious therapeutic games. Following a discussion of the state-of-the-art, representative examples of serious games in behavioral health are described. This chapter briefly discusses emerging ethical concerns and concludes with a discussion future trends and challenges.
Continuous Catalytic Esterification and Hydrogenation of a Levoglucosan/Acetic Acid Mixture for Production of Ethyl Levulinate/Acetate and Valeric Biofuels

A mixture of levoglucosan (LG) and acetic acid (AA), representing water extracted fast pyrolysis oil, was continuously converted to ethyl levulinate (EL) and ethyl acetate (EA) using H-ZSM5 [120–230 °C, 600 psig, 80% ethanol (v/v)]. Fractional conversion of both reactants was 65% or greater at temperatures above 120 °C, and space time yields (STY) approached 140 and 15 g/L-cat/h for EA and EL, respectively, at 180 °C (LHSV = 4.9 h–1). Two potential pathways for EL formation from levoglucosan were apparent, one with glucose and ethyl α-d-glucopyranoside as intermediates and the other with furfural. Adding metal functionality (Ru/H-ZSM5) resulted in the production of valerate biofuels (esters of carboxylic acids C3 or greater; e.g., pentanoic and hexanoic acid ethyl esters) and EA from the mixture in the presence of hydrogen. Conversions for LG and AA using Ru/H-ZSM5 were similar to H-ZSM5, but ethyl levulinate space time yield declined (∼5 g/L-cat/h) as valerate biofuel STY increased (∼10 g/L-cat/h) at an ...
Travel grants which facilitate engineering leadership identity in female engineering students

In this pilot mixed methods study, we examine the impact of travel grants for female undergraduate and graduate engineering students at a large Midwestern university to attend non-technical conferences whose focus is on the development and empowerment of female leaders in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). Using a leader identity development framework, we analyzed applications, post- conference attendance surveys, required dissemination projects (i.e., sharing what was learned at the conference with the wider engineering audience at the university) and interview transcripts to examine the impact of this conference experience approach on participants' attitudes towards their anticipated degree and career paths. With an initial sample of 27 participants, preliminary results show a positive impact on professional and personal development, an increased commitment to completing current degree programs, an increase in/reinforcement of confidence in abilities, and inspiration to emulate the women leaders with whom the participants networked at the conference.
Bruton’s tyrosine kinase inhibition increases BCL-2 dependence and enhances sensitivity to venetoclax in chronic lymphocytic leukemia

Although the BTK inhibitor ibrutinib has transformed the management of patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), it does not induce substantial apoptosis in vitro, and as such the mechanisms underlying its ability to kill CLL cells are not well understood. Acalabrutinib, a more specific BTK inhibitor now in development, also appears to be highly effective in CLL, but the connection of its mechanism with CLL cell death is also unclear. Using dynamic BH3 profiling, we analyzed alterations in the function of the mitochondrial apoptotic pathway induced by ibrutinib and acalabrutinib. We studied CLL patient samples treated ex vivo with both drugs, as well as primary samples from CLL patients on clinical trials of both drugs. We found that BTK inhibition enhances mitochondrial BCL-2 dependence without significantly altering overall mitochondrial priming. Enhancement of BCL-2 dependence was accompanied by an increase in the pro-apoptotic protein BIM. In contrast, treatment with the selective BCL-2 inhibitor venetoclax enhanced overall mitochondrial priming without increasing BCL-2 dependence. Pre-treatment of CLL cells with either BTK inhibitor, whether ex vivo or in vivo in patients, enhanced killing by venetoclax. Our data suggest that BTK inhibition enhances mitochondrial BCL-2 dependence, supporting the ongoing development of clinical trials combining BTK and BCL-2 inhibition.
Cognitive support during high-consequence episodes of care in cardiovascular surgery

Despite significant efforts to reduce preventable adverse events in medical processes, such events continue to occur at unacceptable rates. This paper describes a computer science approach that uses formal process modeling to provide situationally aware monitoring and management support to medical professionals performing complex processes. These process models represent both normative and non-normative situations, and are validated by rigorous automated techniques such as model checking and fault tree analysis, in addition to careful review by experts. Context-aware Smart Checklists are then generated from the models, providing cognitive support during high-consequence surgical episodes. The approach is illustrated with a case study in cardiovascular surgery.
The Traditional Syllogism

This chapter provides some background for understanding the two most significant innovations in De Morgan’s logic of relations. The first and most obvious point is De Morgan’s recognition of irreducibly relational inferences: without relational inferences that cannot be handled adequately by traditional logic, there would be little point in devising a new logic for that purpose. His other major claim concerns the very subject matter of logic. Traditional logic is often said to be formal logic; and, De Morgan’s major logic book even carries just this title. Yet, De Morgan’s conception of formal logic is very novel, if not idiosyncratic, and this novelty provides the conceptual underpinning for his logic of relations. In his view, the logic of relations provides the structure for even the inferences of traditional logic.
Cognitive Function in Children with Lupus Nephritis: A Cross-Sectional Comparison with Children with Other Glomerular Chronic Kidney Diseases.

Objective To identify factors contributing to cognitive impairment in children with lupus nephritis. Study design A cross-sectional analysis of a large multicenter national cohort of children with chronic kidney disease (CKD) using standardized measures to determine baseline neuropsychiatric function and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in children with lupus nephritis (n = 34), and to compare baseline function with that in children with other forms of glomerular CKD (gCKD; n = 171). We used inverse probability weighting via a logistic model for propensity score analysis to achieve balance between children with lupus nephritis and those with other glomerular causes of CKD, adjusting for known confounders. We used linear regression models to compare neurocognitive outcomes between exposure groups, adjusting for current prednisone use and testing for an interaction between current prednisone use and lupus nephritis, and to test for an association between cognitive function and HRQoL. Results Current prednisone use was independently associated with worse attention (P Conclusion Children with lupus nephritis have comparable or better cognitive function than their peers with other gCKDs, which is reassuring given the multiorgan and lifelong complications associated with lupus.
Trade-offs in disease and bleaching susceptibility among two color morphs of the Hawaiian reef coral, Montipora capitata

Two threats impacting coral reefs are bleaching and disease, and differential susceptibility to both exists among and within coral taxa. Bleaching resistance is commonly linked to the clade of endosymbiotic Symbiodinium, but may come at a cost to other biological traits. Montipora capitata is an Indo-Pacific reef-building coral with two color morphs, red and orange, which harbor different clades of Symbiodinium. We explored whether these color morphs displayed differences in bleaching/disease susceptibility and other biological traits (growth rate, reproductive output, and lipid content). We found a trade-off between disease and bleaching susceptibility. The orange morph had significantly higher disease prevalence, whereas the red morph had significantly higher bleaching prevalence. Thermal stress experiments found that bleaching and loss of photochemical efficiency occurred significantly faster in the red morph, but at normal temperatures, the red morph had a significantly higher growth rate. Higher abundance of the red morph in the field suggests that disease resistance is a more successful strategy in the absence of thermal stress events. The orange morph may better tolerate increases in sea temperatures, but may not persist due to decreased growth rate and increased disease susceptibility. Trade-offs in response to stressors highlight the need to consider local and global threats to coral reefs.
Nicotinic Acetylcholine Receptors Along the Habenulo-Interpeduncular Pathway: Roles in Nicotine Withdrawal and Other Aversive Aspects

Addiction to tobacco smoking is a deadly disease that consumes millions of lives each year. However, the neurobiology underlying the disease remains an enigma. One reason for this is the relative complexity of nicotine’s effects on the brain, with a multitude of targets throughout many different brain regions, each subserving individual components of the disease. Still, a handful of brain circuits mediate particularly significant roles in the disease. The epithalamic habenulo-interpeduncular (Hb-IPN) pathway participates in the aversive aspects of nicotine dependence, including the aversive experience of nicotine withdrawal. Many hypotheses regarding the exact mechanisms for these behavioral roles exist, but the convergent feature of those hypotheses is that nicotine acts at populations of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) across the brain, including the Hb-IPN pathway. Of note, the Hb-IPN pathway is one of the brain regions with the highest density of nAChRs, including both heteromeric (e.g., α3β4 and α4β2) and homomeric (i.e., α7) receptors. As nAChR subtypes that subserve multiple aspects of affective and reinforcement behaviors are expressed along this pathway, it is of no surprise that the Hb-IPN pathway participates in similar affective behaviors. This chapter will discuss the roles of nAChRs along the Hb-IPN in aversive nicotine-associated behaviors, as well as touch upon the innate roles of those populations of nAChRs over biology and behavior in healthy animals.
Resident support for urban greenways across diverse neighborhoods: Comparing two Atlanta BeltLine segments

Abstract Urban greenways are increasingly seen as sustainable infrastructure initiatives designed to catalyze economic development, urban renewal and healthy cities. However, there has been little consideration for how the racial and socioeconomic composition of neighborhoods influence resident support for greenways. This is important due to documented divergent racial preferences for recreation and the potential paradoxical impact greenways can have on gentrification. Hence, this study assessed resident perceptions of the Atlanta BeltLine in two neighborhoods differing in their racial and socioeconomic composition. Using a theoretical framework grounded in social exchange theory and Weber’s theory of formal and substantive rationality, results from 418 surveys (600 distributed) revealed that in an affluent, majority white neighborhood, the BeltLine was supported more by residents, with residents indicating greater use of the trail and higher levels of psychological empowerment than residents of a less affluent, majority African American neighborhood. Despite these differences, support for the BeltLine was found to be a function of the same factors of frequency of use, perceived economic benefits and perceived psychological empowerment across both neighborhoods. Results suggest that residents generally form their opinions of urban greenways in a similar fashion even though the model explained more variance in the majority white neighborhood (68% vs 57%), highlighting the need for future research to investigate other factors that may influence why African Americans support or oppose urban greenways in their neighborhoods. Implications are discussed for urban planners, who have the difficult task of developing urban greenways within heterogeneous cities.
Cold ischemia technique during robotic partial nephrectomy: a propensity score-matched comparison with open approach.

BACKGROUND Open ice slush for renal cooling during partial nephrectomy (PN) has been reproduced during robotic PN (RPN). The aim of this study was to compare the perioperative and functional outcomes between RPN and open PN (OPN) using a cold ischemia technique. METHODS Consecutive patients undergoing PN using cold ischemia technique were extracted from our prospectively-maintained database (2007-2016). RPN and OPN patients were 1:2 propensity-score (PS) matched via a greedy algorithm. The balance of the baseline variables was checked for the matched cohorts. Perioperative and functional outcomes were compared. RESULTS Fifty-one RPN and 334 OPN using cold ischemia were extracted. After PS adjustments, 51 RPN vs. 102 OPN with no significant differences in baseline features were compared. Regarding perioperative outcomes, blood loss (100 mL [IQR 50; 200] vs. 260 mL [IQR 200; 350], <0.001), postoperative complications rate (10 patients (19.6%) vs. 38 patients (37.3%), P=0.027) and hospital stay (3 days [IQR 2; 4] vs. 5 days [IQR 4; 6], P<0.001) favored RPN. Renal functional outcomes were comparable at repeated measures analysis. CONCLUSIONS In our experience, cold ischemia technique can be effectively reproduced during RPN, with a potential advantage in terms of blood loss, complications rate and hospital stay over the traditional OPN procedure.
Advanced Glycation End Products (AGEs), Receptor for AGEs, Diabetes, and Bone: Review of the Literature

Diabetes compromises bone cell metabolism and function, resulting in increased risk of fragility fracture. Advanced glycation end products (AGEs) interact with the receptor for AGEs (RAGE) and can make a meaningful contribution to bone cell metabolism and/or alter function. Searches in PubMed using the key words "advanced glycation end-product," "RAGE," "sRAGE," "bone," and "diabetes" were made to explain some of the clinical outcomes of diabetes in bone metabolism through the AGE-RAGE signaling pathway. All published clinical studies were included in tables. The AGE-RAGE signaling pathway participates in diabetic complications, including diabetic osteopathy. Some clinical results in diabetic patients, such as reduced bone density, suppressed bone turnover markers, and bone quality impairment, could be potentially due to AGE-RAGE signaling consequences. However, the AGE-RAGE signaling pathway has some helpful roles in the bone, including an increase in osteogenic function. Soluble RAGE (sRAGE), as a ligand decoy, may increase in either conditions of RAGE production or destruction, and then it cannot always reflect the AGE-RAGE signaling. Recombinant sRAGE can block the AGE-RAGE signaling pathway but is associated with some limitations, such as accessibility to AGEs, an increase in other RAGE ligands, and a long half-life (24 hours), which is associated with losing the beneficial effect of AGE/RAGE. As a result, sRAGE is not a helpful marker to assess activity of the RAGE signaling pathway. The recombinant sRAGE cannot be translated into clinical practice due to its limitations.
Tuning Electrical, Optical, and Thermal Properties through Cation Disorder in Cu2ZnSnS4

Chemical disorder in semiconductors is important to characterize reliably because it affects materials performance, for instance by introducing potential fluctuations and recombination sites. It al...
Reproducing Kernel Hilbert Spaces

This chapter introduces an elegant mathematical theory that has been developed for nonparametric regression with penalized estimation.
Endocrine Implications of Relative Energy Deficiency in Sport

In 2014, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) released a consensus statement introducing the term relative energy deficiency in sport (RED-S). RED-S refers to the various potential health and performance consequences of inadequate energy availability in the athlete. The RED-S concept expands upon the well-established female athlete triad and emphasizes that low EA can affect women and men. In this chapter, we briefly describe the RED-S health and performance models and then specifically focus on the endocrine implications of RED-S, including what are described as “menstrual function,” “bone health,” “metabolic,” and “endocrine” effects of RED-S.
Assessing lean and positional error of individual mature Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii) trees using active and passive sensors

There is a growing demand for point cloud data that can produce reliable single-tree measurements. The most common platforms for obtaining such data are unmanned aircraft systems with passive senso...
A nonlinear association of total cholesterol with all-cause and cause-specific mortality.

The link between total cholesterol (TC) and all-cause and specific mortality has not been elucidated. Herein, we aimed to evaluate the effect of TC levels on all-cause, cardiovascular disease (CVD), and cancer mortality. All data analyzed were obtained from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999–2014. The relationship between levels of TC and mortality was determined through Cox proportional hazard regression analysis coupled with multivariable adjustments. Two-piecewise linear regression models and Cox models with penalized splines were applied to explore nonlinear and irregular shape relationships. Kaplan–Meier survival curve and subgroup analyses were conducted. The sample studied comprised 14,662 men and 16,025 women, categorized as 25,429 adults aged 18–65 and 5,258 adults over 65 years old. A total of 2,570 deaths were recorded. All-cause, cardiovascular, and cancer mortality showed U-curve associations after adjusting for confounding variables in the restricted cubic spline analysis. Hazard ratios (HRs) of all-cause and cancer mortality were particularly negatively related to TC levels in the lower range < 200 mg/dL, especially in the range < 120 mg/dL (HR 1.97; 95% CI 1.38, 2.83, HR 2.39; 95% CI 1.21, 4.71, respectively). However, the HRs of cardiovascular disease mortality in the range < 120 mg/dL were the lowest (HR 0.60; 95% CI 0.15, 2.42). In the upper range, a TC range of ≥ 280 mg/dL was correlated with mortality as a result of CVD and cancer (HR 1.31; 95% CI 0.87, 1.97 and HR 1.22; 95% CI 0.82, 1.79). The lowest cumulative survival rate of all-cause mortality was recorded in the lowest TC-level group, while the lowest cumulative survival rate of CVD mortality was recorded in the highest TC-level group. A nonlinear association of TC level with all-cause, cancer, and CVD mortality in the American population was observed, suggesting that too low or too high serum total cholesterol levels might correlate with adverse outcomes.
Horizontal Gene Transfer

Horizontal gene transfer, which means gene transfer without reproduction, is widespread among Bacteria, Archaea, and unicellular eukaryotes, and also occurs in higher eukaryotes. Genetic material can be transferred horizontally between evolutionary distant organisms. Different species possess different mechanisms for horizontal transfer. The ubiquity of horizontal gene transfer makes it a major evolutionary phenomenon. Understanding the widespread of horizontal gene transfer has shaken the classic treelike view on the evolution.
The Use of Skin Staples as Fiducial Markers to Confirm Intraoperative Spinal Navigation Registration and Accuracy

Background With the advent of intraoperative computed tomography (CT) for image guidance, numerous examples of accurate navigation being applied to cranial and spinal pathology have come to light. For spinal disorders, the utilization of image guidance for the placement of percutaneous spinal instrumentation, complex osteotomies, and minimally invasive approaches are frequently utilized in trauma, degenerative, and oncological pathologies. The use of intraoperative CT for navigation, however, requires a low target registration error that must be verified throughout the procedure to confirm the accuracy of image guidance. Objective To present the use of skin staples as a sterile, economical fiducial marker for minimally invasive spinal procedures requiring intraoperative CT navigation. Methods Staples are applied to the skin prior to obtaining the registration CT scan and maintained throughout the remainder of the surgery to facilitate confirmation of image guidance accuracy. Results This low-cost, simple, sterile approach provides surface landmarks that allow reliable verification of navigation accuracy during percutaneous spinal procedures using intraoperative CT scan image guidance. Conclusion The utilization of staples as a fiducial marker represents an economical and easily adaptable technique for ensuring accuracy of image guidance with intraoperative CT navigation.
A Call for Person-Centered Language and Consistent Terminology Regarding Cannabis Use.

The increased availability of medical and recreational cannabis has facilitated a need for a change in health care practices. The language surrounding substance use disorders (SUDs) needs to be des...
Using Google apps to manage embargo records: Automating institutional repository reminders

Using multiple Google apps, the Lucy Scribner Library at Skidmore College creates an automated reminder to manage embargo records of the scholarly works deposited in the college’s institutional repository (IR), Creative Matter. This cloud-based embargo reminder can be applicable to other academic libraries that employ Digital Commons or similar IR platforms without built-in embargo reminder functions.
Isotopes Methods And Uses In Soil Physics Research

Publisher Summary This chapter illustrates isotopes work in soil physics. The physical characteristics of soils, important in plant growth, are those concerned with the four items—soil water, soil air, soil impedance to root growth, and soil temperature. This chapter discusses soil water measurement by the neutron method of water retained in soil, soil water measurement of moving water and ions in soil by the use of various isotopes, soil density and soil structure, soil aeration, and soil temperature on isotopes methods for investigating these four items and issues related to them, such as soil density, soil structure, and soil tillage. This chapter also describes transformation of soil material from one form to another, soil particle movement, soil profile formation and dating, and disposal of radioactive waste.
Priors for Large Photo Collections and What They Reveal about Cameras

A large photo collection downloaded from the internet spans a wide range of scenes, cameras, and photographers. In this paper we introduce several novel priors for statistics of such large photo collections that are independent of these factors. We then propose that properties of these factors can be recovered by examining the deviation between these statistical priors and the statistics of a slice of the overall photo collection that holds one factor constant. Specifically, we recover the radiometric properties of a particular camera model by collecting numerous images captured by it, and examining the deviation of this collection's statistics from that of a broader photo collection whose camera-specific effects have been removed. We show that using this approach we can recover both a camera model's non-linear response function and the spatially-varying vignetting of the camera's different lens settings. All this is achieved using publicly available photographs, without requiring images captured under controlled conditions or physical access to the cameras. We also apply this concept to identify bad pixels on the detectors of specific camera instances. We conclude with a discussion of future applications of this general approach to other common computer vision problems.
Internal rotation in some dicarbonyls: Basis set dependence

Abstract Internal rotation potentials with respect to the OCCO dihedral angle have been examined theoretically for glyoxal, biacetyl and oxalyl chloride. In the case of biacetyl, contributions from the internal rotation about the two methyl groups have been considered. A variety of basis sets have been utilized. Full geometry optimization for all conformers has been carried out. The results are compared and contrasted for different basis sets and with experimental data where available.
Lawmaking in Small Jurisdictions

It is often argued that business laws in developing countries should generally be formulated as simple, bright-line rules. This argument is typically premised on the idea that the most significant difference between developing and developed countries lies in the competence of their lawmakers. This paper focuses on another difference: For the purposes of business law many (though not all) developing countries are relatively small, meaning that they witness a relatively small number of business disputes. Using an analytical framework originally developed in the legal literature concerning rules and standards it is shown that small jurisdictions should generally favour standards over rules and that those standards should not necessarily be particularly simple. Small jurisdictions should also find it relatively useful to transplant laws from other jurisdictions, especially large ones. These factors ought to be considered in the design and evaluation of legal institutions in many developing (and some developed) countries.
Identification of phosphorylated sites in the mouse glucocorticoid receptor.

Glucocorticoid receptors in vivo are phosphorylated in the absence of hormone and become hyperphosphorylated in the presence of glucocorticoid agonist but not antagonists (Orti, E., Mendel, D.B., Smith, L.I., and Munck, A. (1989) J. Biol. Chem. 264, 9728-9731). As a preliminary step to elucidating the functional significance of receptor phosphorylation, we have identified seven phosphorylated sites on the mouse receptor. Tryptic phosphopeptides from 32P-labeled receptors were purified from glucocorticoid-treated mouse thymoma cells (WEHI-7) and from stably transfected Chinese hamster ovary cells (WCL2) that express large numbers of mouse receptors. Phosphopeptide maps of receptors from these two cell types were almost indistinguishable. Solid phase sequencing revealed phosphorylation at serines 122, 150, 212, 220, 234, and 315 and threonine 159. Serines 122, 150, 212, 220, and 234 and the sequences surrounding them are conserved in the homologous regions of the rat and human receptors, but threonine 159 and serine 315 have no homologues in the human receptor. The seven phosphorylated sites are in the amino-terminal domain of the receptor. All but serine 315 are within transactivation domains identified in the human and/or rat receptors. Serines 212, 220, and 234 are in a highly acidic region that in the mouse receptor is necessary for full transcription initiation activity and reduces nonspecific DNA binding. Serines 212, 220, and 234 and threonine 159 are in consensus sequences for proline-directed kinase and/or p34cdc2 kinase. Serine 122 is in a consensus sequence for casein kinase II whereas serines 150 and 315 do not appear to be in any known kinase consensus sequence. The location of many of these sites suggests a role of phosphorylation in transactivation.
Active Earth Pressures for Unsaturated Retaining Structures

AbstractAlthough commonly ignored in classical earth pressure methods, precipitation-induced failures in retaining structures highlight a need for explicit consideration of negative pore pressures or matric suction. Changes in the degree of saturation in the backfill can significantly affect active earth pressures. This paper presents an analytical framework for calculating the thrust of active earth pressures under unsaturated steady flow conditions. The proposed method addresses limitations associated with the collapse mechanism and effective stress representation in alternative analytical methods. The formulation was derived by implementing an analytical solution for one-dimensional (1D) steady flow into a limit equilibrium–based effective stress analysis. A closed-form solution for the thrust was obtained by employing a log spiral surface, considering the effect of tension cracks, backslope inclination, and batter for c′-ϕ′ soils with variable backfill saturation. A unified effective stress representa...
Vaccines and the Risk of Multiple Sclerosis and Other CNS Demyelinating Diseases (S34.005)

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether vaccines increase the risk of multiple sclerosis (MS) or other CNS demyelinating diseases over the short and longer-term. BACKGROUND: Clinicians have reported temporal associations between vaccine administration and onset of MS or other CNS demyelinating diseases. Yet, whether vaccines, particularly for hepatitis B (HepB) and human papilloma virus (HPV), can trigger MS or other CNS demyelinating diseases remains controversial. DESIGN/METHODS: We conducted a case-control study from the membership of Kaiser Permanente Southern California (KPSC). Cases were identified through the KPSC Acquired Demyelinating Diseases (ADS) Cohort between 2008 and 2011. Five controls per case were matched on age, sex and zip code. Data were obtained from the complete electronic health record and analyzed using conditional logistic regression, adjusted for race/ethnicity, health care utilization, and infectious illnesses prior to symptom onset. RESULTS: We identified 780 incident cases of CNS ADS and 3885 controls, of which 92 cases and 459 controls were women ages 9-26 years, the indicated age rage for HPV vaccination. There were no associations between hepatitis B vaccination (OR 1.12, 95% CI 0.72-1.73); HPV vaccination (OR 1.05 95% CI 0.62-1.78); or any vaccination (OR 1.03, 95% CI 0.86-1.22) and the risk of CNS ADS up to 3 years later. Vaccination of any type was associated with an increased risk of CNS ADS onset within the first 30 days after vaccination in younger (<50 years) individuals only (OR 2.32, 95%CI 1.18-4.57). CONCLUSIONS: We found no longer-term association of vaccines with MS or other CNS demyelinating diseases, which argues against a causal association. The short-term increase in risk suggests vaccines may accelerate the transition from subclinical to overt autoimmunity in patients with existing disease. Our findings do not suggest a need for change in vaccine policy. Study Supported by: Kaiser Permanente Direct Community Benefit Funds and NIH-NINDS, 1R01NS075308 PI: Langer-Gould) Disclosure: Dr. Langer-Gould has received research support from Biogen Idec and Roche. Dr. Chen has nothing to disclose. Dr. Tartof has nothing to disclose. Dr. Chao has nothing to disclose. Dr. Tseng has nothing to disclose.
The effect of electrode composition on partial discharge behavior in dielectric elastomers

Dielectric elastomers are a class of field-driven electroactive polymers which utilize a soft dielectric and compliant electrodes to couple electric fields to mechanical strains. As actuators, the charge stored on opposing electrodes generates a compressive force on the soft elastomeric dielectric, and when used as a generator, the changing capacitance resulting from cyclic stretching of the dielectric can be used harvest electric energy. In both cases, a major limiting factor to either the output force of an actuator or the energy per cycle of a generator is the maximum field strength across the dielectric. Other factors include the elastomer's dielectric constant and the stiffness both of the dielectric and of the electrodes. Material degradation due to partial discharges will lower the maximum voltage that can be applied to a dielectric elastomer system. The level of partial discharge activity should be understood for the various design decisions that are made for dielectric elastomer systems. This work will look at the role electrode composition may play in the partial discharge signature. This is recorded using a realtime characterization system to collect data during voltage cycling. In addition, the partial discharge activity detected in the elastomer system using rigid electrodes will be compared to the powdered complaint electrodes typically used for dielectric elastomers.
Robust realizations and transformations

In the analysis and design of control systems, various algorithms employ well-conditioned similarity transformations, such as unitary and Householder transformations. The solution is then the exact solution of a nearby model. In this paper, an alternative well-conditioned and robust similarity transformation-to transform a matrix (in companion form) to a parity-normal matrix, is developed. The transformed matrix is robust with parity-normal eigenvectors. The developed similarity transformation is not available in the literature. It is anticipated that the transformation will prove very helpful in the design of well-conditioned algorithms for control system.
Molecular phylogeny of the arenaviruses.

Molecular approaches to the identification of viruses and the delineation of relationships among them has emerged as an important tool in virology only within the past 10–15 years. The rapidity and precision with which virus genetic sequences can now be acquired and the development of sophisticated methods for the phylogenetic analysis of this new universe of data are leading to informative new insights into the biology, origin and spread of many infectious diseases (see Holmes 1998 and Hungnes et al. 2000 for general overviews). To take a single example, current theories about the origins and timescale of the AIDS pandemic as the result of transmission events from other primate species to humans are based to a large extent on the evidence of sequence-based phylogenetic analyses (Zhu et al. 1998; Gao et al. 1999; Korber et al. 2000). The absence of material in the fossil record which might illuminate the past history of viruses and viral infections is now to some extent being overcome by this new-found ability to extract quasi-archaeological data from the sequences of present-day viruses.
Forbidden fruit and the prediction of cigarette smoking.

The concept of “forbidden fruit” has been popularly associated with adolescent cigarette smoking in the US. However, only a few empirical studies have been conducted to investigate how this construct operates among adolescents. We examined the concurrent and prospective relationships between two related concepts of forbidden fruit and adolescent cigarette smoking behavior and intention. We found some support for forbidden fruit attitudes as concurrent and longitudinal predictors of smoking and intention to smoke. Implications of these findings are discussed.
Band structures of GaN and AIN

Abstract Pseudopotential band structures for GaN and AlN are calculated non-empirically by means of form factors synthesized from those of C, Ge and Ga in the case of GaN and from Sic and Al in the case of AlN. Good agreement with recent optical experiments is obtained for various gap energies.
Dominance versus cooperativeness: Status construal as a determinant of status acquisition strategy

Researchers have long studied the behaviors and characteristics that lead to social status in groups, but very little is known about the factors that influence group members’ strategies for gaining status in the eyes of others. In the present research, we examine the idea that status construal (i.e., how people view and define social status) influences how people go about attempting to gain status. Three experimental studies tested the hypotheses that (a) when individuals view status as a scarce, zero-sum resource, they pursue status by expressing dominance, and (b) when individuals view status as an abundant resource, something that multiple group members can share at the same time, they pursue status by being helpful and cooperative. The results supported our predictions: Across the three studies, measures of status construal (Study 1) and manipulations of status construal (Studies 2 and 3) influenced people’s strategies for pursuing status. Implications for research on status in groups and organization...
The Effects of Melatonin on Tinnitus and Sleep

GOAL: To determine if melatonin improves tinnitus and if this improvement is related to improvement in sleep.STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: Prospective open-label study of 24 patients with tinnitus. The...
Oral transmucosal fentanyl citrate: a novel agent for breakthrough pain related to cancer.

Pain is problematic for many cancer patients. As more experience has been gained in treating cancer pain, breakthrough pain has been recognized as a phenomenon that occurs frequently in this population. Breakthrough pain is generally treated with a variety of short-acting opioids via a number of routes. Actiq (oral transmucosal fentanyl citrate) is a formulation of fentanyl citrate delivered via the transmucosal route in a sucrose base. Patients using this agent are instructed to paint the unit on the buccal mucosa in order to achieve relief. The onset of Actiq is reported to be equal to intravenous morphine. There are a wide variety of dosage forms available, allowing 74% of patients involved in clinical studies of the agent to titrate to an appropriate dose. The proper use, side effect profile and advantages/disadvantages will be reviewed for this agent