cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Job shop scheduling with multiple resources and an application to a semiconductor testing facility

There are many cases of manufacturing problems in which a job requires more than one resource to be simultaneously available for processing. In this paper, we present a methodology for solving job shop scheduling problems with simultaneous resources. An application of the methodology to an IC test facility, where wafer sort and final test are performed, is presented. >
Development of proteasome inhibitors as research tools and cancer drugs

The proteasome is the primary site for protein degradation in mammalian cells, and proteasome inhibitors have been invaluable tools in clarifying its cellular functions. The anticancer agent bortezomib inhibits the major peptidase sites in the proteasome's 20S core particle. It is a "blockbuster drug" that has led to dramatic improvements in the treatment of multiple myeloma, a cancer of plasma cells. The development of proteasome inhibitors illustrates the unpredictability, frustrations, and potential rewards of drug development but also emphasizes the dependence of medical advances on basic biological research.
Bedaquiline metabolism: enzymes and novel metabolites

Bedaquiline is a recently approved drug for the treatment of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis. Adverse cardiac and hepatic drug reactions to bedaquiline have been noted in clinical practice. The current study investigated bedaquiline metabolism in human hepatocytes using a metabolomic approach. Bedaquiline N-demethylation via CYP3A4 was confirmed as the major pathway in bedaquiline metabolism. In addition to CYP3A4, we found that both CYP2C8 and CYP2C19 contributed to bedaquiline N-demethylation. The Km values of CYP2C8, CYP2C19, and CYP3A4 in bedaquiline N-demethylation were 13.1, 21.3, and 8.5 µM, respectively. We also identified a novel metabolic pathway of bedaquiline that produced an aldehyde intermediate. In summary, this study extended our knowledge of bedaquiline metabolism, which can be applied to predict and prevent drug–drug interactions and adverse drug reactions associated with bedaquiline.
Efficient and Deterministic Parallel Placement for FPGAs

We describe a parallel simulated annealing algorithm for FPGA placement. The algorithm proposes and evaluates multiple moves in parallel, and has been incorporated into Altera’s Quartus II CAD system. Across a set of 18 industrial benchmark circuits, we achieve geometric average speedups during the quench of 2.7x and 4.0x on four and eight processors, respectively, with individual circuits achieving speedups of up to 3.6x and 5.9x. Over the course of the entire anneal, we achieve speedups of up to 2.8x and 3.7x, with geometric average speedups of 2.1x and 2.4x.Our algorithm is the first parallel placer to optimize for criteria other than wirelength, such as critical path length, and is one of the few deterministic parallel placement algorithms. We discuss the challenges involved in combining these two features and the new techniques we used to overcome them. We also quantify the impact of maintaining determinism on eight cores, and find that while it reduces performance by approximately 15p relative to an ideal speedup of 8.0x, hardware limitations are a larger factor and reduce performance by 30--40p. We then suggest possible enhancements to allow our approach to scale to 16 cores and beyond.
Vitronectin–αvβ3 Integrin Engagement Directs Hypoxia-Resistant mTOR Activity and Sustained Protein Synthesis Linked to Invasion by Breast Cancer Cells

The tumor microenvironment is a crucial player in the ability of cancer cells to acquire the ability to survive under the hypoxic environment and promote migration and invasion. Translational regulation is an essential part of cancer development and progression. Protein synthesis consumes considerable cellular metabolic energy and is therefore highly regulated, in turn controlling tumor cell proliferation and survival in extreme tumor-host conditions. Protein synthesis is typically downregulated by hypoxia, impairing cell proliferation and migration. Here, we show that breast cancer cells expressing integrin αvβ3, when engaging the extracellular matrix (ECM) protein vitronectin, strongly upregulate both mTOR activity and cap-dependent mRNA translation, which overrides their inhibition by hypoxia and facilitates tumor cell invasion. Interaction of vitronectin with integrin αvβ3 results in the continued activation of the kinase mTOR despite hypoxia through a mechanism that is dependent on integrin-linked kinase but is independent of focal adhesion kinase. Continuous activation of mTOR despite hypoxia involves release of translation initiation factor eIF4E from its repressor protein 4E-BP1, which is required for vitronectin-mediated tumor cell invasion. As integrin αvβ3 is associated with breast cancer cell invasion and metastasis to bone, we propose that the interaction with specific ECM proteins can influence cancer cell invasion, in part, by hyperactivation of mTOR, thereby promoting and sustaining protein synthesis under hypoxic conditions.
Grief in the Context of HIV: Recommendations for Practice

Grief is a universal human response to loss. While the symptoms of grief are distressing and uncomfortable, they usually diminish over time without therapy. For persons grieving an HIV-related death, however, a variety of unique factors may interfere with the healthy resolution of symptoms. When the grief process becomes complicated, a person may experience serious alterations in physical health and/or disruptions in daily functioning. To assess grief, nurses need to apply interpersonal skills and therapeutic communication techniques in a compassionate manner; currently, no one screening instrument is optimal for evaluating grief in the clinical setting. The person experiencing grief or complicated grief may be referred for support services or counseling, pharmacologic interventions, or cognitive behavioral therapy. This report summarizes evidence from the literature and clinical practice to support recommendations for the practice of nurses caring for persons with HIV-associated grief; recommended strategies are illustrated through an exemplar case study.
On-chip picosecond time measurement

A flash Time to Digital Converter (TDC) can be calibrated to a precision on the order of the arbiter aperature without precise input signals. A theoretical result useful for calibration of a noise-limited arbiter array is derived, and verified empirically. A test chip with 64 arbiters in a 0.35 /spl mu/m CMOS process shows temporal resolution better than 2 picoseconds.
ON THE STRUCTURE OF HURRICANES IN THE UPPER TROPOSPHERE AND LOWER STRATOSPHERE1

Abstract A synoptic study of a number of hurricanes at the time of landfall is described with particular reference to the thermal and wind structure in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere. It is shown that the low pressure core of the mature hurricane, before recurvature, extends not only throughout the troposphere but sometimes protrudes into the lower stratosphere up to about 27 km., the upper limit of this investigation. The upper core is found to be cold above 15 km. with temperatures occasionally 8°–10° C. below normal at the tropopause Level. A peripheral ridge and a peripheral jet in the upper troposphere are described, and the possible role of these features, as well as of the cold core, in the hurricane mechanism is discussed. It is suggested that the cold core may be caused by forced ascent above the well-known warm core of the hurricane. It is also shown that a hurricane which has recurved and become embedded in the extratropical westerlies may not have an upper cold core and its struc...
Missed Lung Cancer on Chest Radiography and Computed Tomography

Missed lung cancer raises an important medicolegal issue and contributes to one of the most common causes for malpractice actions against radiologists. Lung cancer may be missed on either chest radiography or computed tomography. Although most malpractice cases involve lesions overlooked on the former, a small and increasing portion of cases are related to chest computed tomography scan. Factors contributing to overlooked lung cancer can be attributed to observer performance, lesion characteristics, and technical considerations.
Micro bellow actuators

We report here a novel micromachined bellow-style actuator (microbellow) which uses a smaller real estate but is capable of larger deflections compared to a flat membrane of the same size. In this first demonstration, three-layer silicon nitride microbellows have been successfully fabricated by using polysilicon/TMAH sacrificial layer etching technology. Inside the bellows, runs of sacrificial layer are designed at the joints of every two layers to improve the boundary conditions (i.e., to reduce the stress concentration). By doing this, a 5 times improvement in burst pressure has been achieved. The large deflection of the bellow has also been demonstrated. As an example, a 800 /spl mu/m diameter circular microbellow made of 1.2 /spl mu/m thick silicon nitride can deflect more than 50 /spl mu/m in the center compared to only 13 /spl mu/m for a flat membrane of the same dimensions. Thermopneumatic actuation of the microbellow is also demonstrated.
Development, Validation and Testing of an Epidemiological Case Definition of Interstitial Cystitis/Painful Bladder Syndrome

Purpose: No standard case definition exists for interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome for patient screening or epidemiological studies. As part of the RAND Interstitial Cystitis Epidemiology study, we developed a case definition for interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome with known sensitivity and specificity. We compared this definition with others used in interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome epidemiological studies.Materials and Methods: We reviewed the literature and performed a structured, expert panel process to arrive at an interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome case definition. We developed a questionnaire to assess interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome symptoms using this case definition and others used in the literature. We administered the questionnaire to 599 women with interstitial cystitis/painful bladder syndrome, overactive bladder, endometriosis or vulvodynia. The sensitivity and specificity of each definition was calculated using physician assig...
The genetic transformation of bone biology

The skeleton, like every organ, has specific developmental and functional characteristics that define its identity in biologic and pathologic terms. Skeleton is composed of multiple elements of various shapes and origins spread throughout the body. Most of these skeletal elements are formed by two different tissues, cartilage and bone, and each of these two tissues has its own specific cell types: the chondrocyte in cartilage, and the osteoblast and osteoclast in bone. Finally, each of these cell types has its own differentiation pathway, physiological functions, and therefore pathological conditions. The complexity of this organ in terms of developmental biology, physiology, and pathology, along with the multitude of important conceptual advances in our understanding of skeletal biology, are such that it has become impossible to present in a short review an up-to-date summary of both cartilage and bone biology. Thus, this review will concentrate only on bone biology beyond embryonic patterning. The entire bone field is dominated by the impact of degenerative diseases, such as osteoporosis. This mere fact does influence the research in bone biology and will influence the topics presented in this review. It is no surprise that, like for most other organogenesis pro
Influence of potential sea level rise on societal vulnerability to hurricane storm-surge hazards, Sarasota County, Florida

Although the potential for hurricanes under current climatic conditions continue to threaten coastal communities, there is concern that climate change, specifically potential increases in sea level, could influence the impacts of future hurricanes. To examine the potential effect of sea level rise on community vulnerability to future hurricanes, we assess variations in socioeconomic exposure in Sarasota County, FL, to contemporary hurricane storm-surge hazards and to storm-surge hazards enhanced by sea level rise scenarios. Analysis indicates that significant portions of the population, economic activity, and critical facilities are in contemporary and future hurricane storm-surge hazard zones. The addition of sea level rise to contemporary storm-surge hazard zones effectively causes population and asset (infrastructure, natural resources, etc) exposure to be equal to or greater than what is in the hazard zone of the next higher contemporary Saffir–Simpson hurricane category. There is variability among communities for this increased exposure, with greater increases in socioeconomic exposure due to the addition of sea level rise to storm-surge hazard zones as one progresses south along the shoreline. Analysis of the 2050 comprehensive land use plan suggests efforts to manage future growth in residential, economic and infrastructure development in Sarasota County may increase societal exposure to hurricane storm-surge hazards.
NADH measurements in adult rat myocytes during simulated ischemia.

In isolated adult rat myocytes, we tested the hypothesis that metabolic inhibition and simulated ischemia regulate the NADH/NAD+ redox couple with concomitant impairment of energy-dependent process...
Predictors of web-based follow-up response in the Prevention of Low Back Pain in the Military Trial (POLM)

Achieving adequate follow-up in clinical trials is essential to establish the validity of the findings. Achieving adequate response rates reduces bias and increases probability that the findings can be generalized to the population of interest. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the influence of attention, demographic, psychological, and health status factors on web-based response rates in the ongoing Prevention of Low Back Pain in the Military (POLM) trial. Twenty companies of Soldiers (n = 4,325) were cluster randomized to complete a traditional exercise program including sit-ups (TEP) with or without a psychosocial educational program (PSEP) or a core stabilization exercise program (CSEP) with or without PSEP. A subgroup of Soldiers (n = 371) was randomized to receive an additional physical and ultrasound imaging (USI) examination of key trunk musculature. As part of the surveillance program, all Soldiers were encouraged to complete monthly surveys via email during the first year. Descriptive statistics of the predictor variables were obtained and compared between responders and non-responders using two sample t-tests or chi-square test, as appropriate. Generalized linear mixed models were subsequently fitted for the dichotomous outcomes to estimate the effects of the predictor variables. The significance level was set at .05 a priori. The overall response rate was 18.9% (811 subjects) for the first year. Responders were more likely to be older, Caucasian, have higher levels of education and income, reservist military status, non smoker, lower BMI, and have received individualized attention via the physical/USI examination (p < .05). Age, race/ethnicity, education, military status, smoking history, BMI, and whether a Soldier received the physical/USI examination remained statistically significant (p < .05) when considered in a full multivariate model. The overall web based response rate during the first year of the POLM trial was consistent with studies that used similar methodology, but lower when compared to rates expected for standard clinical trials. One year response rate was significantly associated with demographic characteristics, health status, and individualized attention via additional testing. These data may assist for planning of future trials that use web based response systems. This study has been registered at reports at http://clinicaltrials.gov ( NCT00373009 ).
A New Machine Scheduling Problem with Temperature Loss

This paper considers a new problem of scheduling hot jobs with nonlinear temperature drop curve which is more approximate to the real situation than linear temperature drop curve to minimize the total temperature drop loss. In the problem, all jobs have the same temperature drop curve and different processing times. In this paper, two cases of problems are studied. (1) For the case of jobs without release dates, we prove that the shortest processing time first rule is optimal to the single-machine problem. And we extend the result to the parallel-machine problem. (2) For the case of jobs with release dates, the single-machine problem is strongly NP-hard. And a heuristic, modified shortest processing time first, is proposed to deal with the problem. In order to verify the performance of the heuristic, a lower bound based on release times delaying is presented. Computational results show the effectiveness of the heuristic on a set of random test problems.
Live respiratory syncytial virus vaccine administered parenterally.

SummaryA unique live attenuated respiratory syncytial virus vaccine that is administered parenterally is described. Nineteen of 22 initially seronegative children, 7-32 months of age, developed homologous circulating neutralizing antibody against the virus and a portion were shown to have present demonstrable antibody in their nasal secretions. None of the children developed illness that could be ascribed to the vaccine, and there was no evident contagious spread of the vaccine virus to susceptible contacts. The vaccine is of considerable promise and trials to determine protective efficacy are being pursued. Seroepidemiologic investigations revealed that only 33 of 66 children 6-48 months of age and residing in an open population had detectable circulating neutralizing antibody against the virus.
Surface Passivation of AlGaN terminated and GaN Terminated HEMT Structures Studied by XPS

Samples of both AlGaN and GaN terminated HEMT structures were studied using x-ray photo spectroscopy (XPS). It was found that the XPS spectra of both AlGaN and native oxide surfaces were shifted by a surface charge of 0.5 to 1.0 eV. The samples were then oxidized using an UV-ozone treatment for 25 minutes at room temperature. The ozone oxide XPS spectra of the AlGaN terminated surface was found to have the same 0.5 to 1.0 eV shift while the ozone oxide XPS spectra of the GaN terminated surface was found to have a 5.0 eV shift, indicating that the native GaN oxide is more insulating. Processed HEMT devices using both surface terminations were given the same UV-ozone treatment followed by a 10nm MBE grown Sc2O3 film for passivation. The GaN terminated HEMT structures showed on average a 10% increase in channel current (from gate-lag measurements, pulse mode) over the AlGaN terminated HEMT structures.
Popillia japonica: Effect of Soil Moisture and Texture on Survival and Development of Eggs and First Instar Grubs

Egg and 1st-instar survival as a function of soil texture and moisture was estimated under laboratory conditions. These stages were found to be resistant to extreme moisture conditions in various types of soils. Delays in egg development were observed particularly in saturated soils. These results are used in developing a mathematical model of survival of the early instars under variable moisture conditions, and simulations are compared with field data. Field survival was highly variable and correlated only partially to model outputs. Probable causes of the discrepancies are discussed.
Raindrop Pigmentation in Chronic Arsenic Toxicity.

CASE PRESENTATION A 52-year-old male farmer from a rural area of eastern India presented with frank hematuria, and subjective weight loss for 3 months. He also reported fatigue, and tingling of his hands and feet. On physical examination, he was found to have anemia, peripheral neuropathy in stocking-glove distribution, thick nails, thick skin over palms and soles and raindrop pigmentation most noticeable over his soles (Figure). He was found to have a microcytic anemia. His serum iron profile, ferritin levels and renal and liver functions were normal. His serum arsenic level was found to be 11 mg/L (normal o1 mg/L), and arsenic concentration in hair sample was found to be 0.4 mg/kg (normal r0.2 mg/kg). Arsenic contamination of ground water has been found in more than 30 countries around the world. Chronic arsenic toxicity has an insidious onset and varied presentation. Keratosis and pigmentation are characteristic of arsenicosis. Systemic involvement can manifest as anemia, liver dysfunction and with involvement of cardiovascular, nervous, renal and endocrine systems. Arsenic is a known carcinogen and increases risk of developing bladder, lung and skin cancers.
Identity and initial structure in inter-firm alliances: a social identity perspective

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to examine how firms use the identities of their alliance partners in choosing initial governance structures in strategic alliances. It proposes that social identity from the perspective of an established firm participating in an inter-firm alliance can be constructed on the basis of ownership categories and market categories of the firm’s alliance partners. Design/methodology/approach – The study focusses on a sample of 478 alliances involving 36 focal firms in the US semiconductor industry over a nine-year period (1995-2003). The sample is analyzed using logistic regression methods. Findings – The author finds evidence suggesting that joint venture (JV) structures are more likely when an alliance has more partners that identify as privately held firms or subsidiaries of other firms. The results also suggest that JV structures are more likely when an alliance involves strong product market identity with partners and less likely when an alliance involves strong geogr...
Renal cellular response to ureteral obstruction: role of maturation and angiotensin II.

Renal angiotensin II (ANG II) is increased as a result of unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO), and angiotensin AT2 receptors predominate over AT1 receptors in the early postnatal period. To exami...
Retinal ganglion cell neuroprotection induced by activation of alpha7 nicotinic acetylcholine receptors.

Glaucoma is a group of degenerative retinal diseases that damage the eye's optic nerve and can result in vision loss and blindness. It is characterized by optic neuropathy, cupping of the optic disk, and progressive loss of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) and axons in the optic nerve. Glaucoma patients initially develop loss of visual function in the periphery and slowly develop tunnel vision that becomes worse over time. As the second leading cause of blindness in the world, it is suspected that there are over 60 million cases of glaucoma worldwide. Blindness caused by glaucoma is irreversible. Once adult neurons in the mammalian retina are lost, there is no known treatment that can regenerate new neurons. Although there are known familial genetic causes of glaucoma, there are many more complex cases where the cause is not known. However, the primary risk factor associated with glaucoma is an increase of intraocular pressure (IOP) in the eye and all currently approved treatments are designed to lower IOP. Initial treatments use pharmacological agents to reduce IOP. Topically applied pharmacological treatments include the use of β-blockers, prostaglandins, α-agonists, carbonic anhydrase inhibitors, muscarinic cholinergic agonists or a combination of these. If the use of pharmacological agents to decrease aqueous humor input or decrease aqueous humor outflow is insufficient to reduce IOP, laser therapy or incisional surgery is typically performed. However, these treatments alone can be insufficient to halt the progression of blindness associated with glaucoma. For example, in a subset of patients, RGCs continue to die, even after IOP reduction. In addition, a significant number of glaucoma patients exhibit normal intraocular pressures even though they present typical signs of glaucomatous damage, like optic nerve head excavation and thinning of the retinal nerve fiber layer. Clearly, future glaucoma treatment must involve more than IOP reduction. One avenue of research that addresses this issue involves neuroprotective treatments that work at the level of the retina.
Rhabdomyosarcoma. From the laboratory to the clinic

The prospect of identifying and developing new agents for treatment of rhabdomyosarcomas is discussed in the light of current prognosis for children with advanced stage disease. Preliminary attempts to identify tumor-specific agents using in vitro cell culture show potential promise, but as yet remain unproven. The more complex system of identifying therapeutically active agents using human tumor xenografts has demonstrated usefulness. The potential problems associated with this system are discussed.
Ely Parker and the Contentious Peace Policy

This article examines two conflicting policy directions in post–Civil War Indian affairs and the contentious relationship that emerged between prominent reformers of the early Peace Policy era. It argues that the 1871 House of Representatives investigation of fraud in the office of Indian Affairs served as a critical moment in the development of reservation policies.
Character Development Pilot Evaluation of Two Programs for Youth with Chronic Illness

This article describes the pilot evaluation of two Positive Youth Development (PYD) programs for youth with child onset chronic illness (COCI), reporting how the programs influenced participants’ character development. College students with COCI led high school students with COCI through activities pertaining to different aspects of growing up with a chronic illness. Participants completed the Positive Youth Development Inventory-Short Form (PYDI-S), which measures seven domains of youth perceptions of the contribution to their development from the program. Participants reported that both programs helped them the most with personal standards, which corresponds well to character development on the full version of the Positive Youth Development Inventory (PYDI). They also had high scores on prosocial behavior and future orientation, both important domains for character development. We discuss the idea that interventions promoting character development for youth with COCI are critical for promoting a positive narrative for chronically-ill youth, their parents, and society.
Nonparametric and Semiparametric Regression for Independent Data

Consider the linear model $$\displaystyle{y_{i} = \mathbf{x}_{i}^{T}\beta +\sigma _{ i}\varepsilon _{i},i = 1,\cdots \,,n,}$$ where β is an unknown parameter vector and the \(\{\varepsilon _{i}\}\) are i.i.d. errors. It is well known that ordinary least squares (LS) estimators are unbiased and consistent, but are not efficient when errors are heteroscedastic, and the usual standard error estimators of LS estimators are biased. Hence the usual confidence intervals and test statistics are biased and may lead to incorrect conclusions.
Energy Aware Persistence: Reducing the Energy Overheads of Persistent Memory

Next generation byte addressable nonvolatile memory (NVM) technologies like PCM are attractive for end-user devices as they offer memory scalability as well as fast persistent storage. In such environments, NVM’s limitations of slow writes and high write energy are magnified for applications that need atomic, consistent, isolated and durable (ACID) updates. This is because, for satisfying correctness (ACI), application state must be frequently flushed from all intermediate buffers, including processor cache, and to support durability (D) guarantees, that state must be logged. This increases NVM access and more importantly results in additional CPU instructions. This paper proposes Energy Aware Persistence (EAP). To develop EAP, we first show that the energy related overheads for maintaining durability are significant. We then propose energy-efficient durability principles that mitigate those costs, an example being flexible logging that switch between performance and energy-efficient modes and a memory management technique that trades capacity for energy. Finally, we propose relaxed durability (ACI-RD) mechanism used under critical low energy conditions that do not affect correctness. The initial results for several realistic applications and benchmark show up to 2x reduction in CPU and NVM energy usage relative to a traditional ACID-based persistence.
Novices Assigned Nutraceuticals: Matching Subject Strengths Uncovered by Same-Day, Simple-Strategy Searches across EBSCO Versions of Four Major Databases to Different Undergraduate Science Majors

ABSTRACTAn undergraduate assignment on the topic of nutraceuticals is proposed with goals that include familiarization of students with more-focused, subject-specific databases. Four searches, cond...
Evaluation of a video game adaptation for mechanical engineering educational laboratories

Nowadays, an increasing number of video games enable third-party designers to redesign the original games. By adapting video games and taking advantage of their technical features such as 3D effects, audio, Internet communications, etc., educators can deliver certain course materials through these games. Meanwhile, whether, or to what extent, these educational adaptations enhance the students' learning effectiveness is still the subject of research.
Complement and PNH

The intravascular hemolysis that is the defining clinical feature of PNH is complement-mediated. PNH erythrocytes undergo spontaneous lysis in vivo because they lack decay-accelerating factor (DAF, CD55) and membrane inhibitor of reactive lysis (MIRL, CD59), glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored proteins, that regulate complement at two different steps in the cascade. DAF controls the formation and stability of the alternative pathway C3 and C5 convertases, whereas CD59 inhibits the terminal pathway by blocking the formation of the cytolytic membrane attack complex. Investigation into the mechanisms underlying the hemolysis of PNH has produced a remarkable number of important discoveries about the workings of the human complement system, including confirmation of the existence of the alternative pathway, characterization of the function of DAF, and discovery of CD59. Insightful analysis of complement sensitivity assays identified the phenotypic mosaicism characteristic of the PNH, revealed the clonal nature of the disease, and demonstrated its origin in the hematopoietic stem cell. Ultimately, research into the basis of the complement-mediated hemolysis of PNH led to development of symptomatically effective therapy for the disease.
Quality Improvement and Safety in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit

* Abbreviations: AHRQ, : Agency for Health Care Research and Quality CLABSI, : Central line–associated bloodstream infections CQI, : Continuous quality improvement NRP, : Neonatal Resuscitation Program SAQ, : Safety Attitudes Questionnaire Improving the safety and quality of care provided to patients has risen to the forefront of today’s medical landscape. Applying principles of improvement and reliability in an effective manner in the NICU is paramount for improving outcomes for our patients and their families. Using quality collaboratives for benchmarking and sharing best practices, developing a robust safety culture, and involving parents in safety and quality endeavors are ways in which NICUs can achieve this goal.
A Story Does Exist: A Qualitative Exploration of the Use of Reflective Stories in Pre-Practicum

ABSTRACTThe authors explored the lived experiences of two cohorts of counselors-in-training who experienced a metaphoric story creation activity in pre-practicum II, a clinical training course. Using Merriam’s interpretive qualitative approach, the data suggested that students perceived the activity to have facilitated their ability to make meaning of their experiences in the class, as well as to better understand their development as counselors-in-training.
Analysis of Shear Bands in Sand Under Reduced Gravity Conditions

The strength of granular material, specifically sand is of pivotal importance for understanding physical phenomena on other celestial bodies. However, relatively few experiments have been conducted to determine the dependence of strength properties on gravity. In this work, we experimentally investigated three measures of strength (peak, confined flow, and unconfined flow friction angle) in Earth, Martian, Lunar, and near-zero gravity. The angles were captured in a passive Earth pressure experiment conducted on a reduced gravity flight. The results showed no dependence of the peak friction angle on gravity, a weak dependence of the confined flow friction angle on gravity, and no dependence of the unconfined flow friction angle on gravity. These results highlight the importance of understanding strength and deformation mechanisms of granular material at different levels of gravity.
Couples with Intimate Partner Violence Seeking Relationship Help: Associations and Implications for Self‐Help and Online Interventions

In-person conjoint treatments for relationship distress are effective at increasing relationship satisfaction, and newly developed online programs are showing promising results. However, couples reporting even low levels intimate partner violence (IPV) are traditionally excluded from these interventions. To improve the availability of couple-based treatment for couples with IPV, the present study sought to determine whether associations with IPV found in community samples generalized to couples seeking help for their relationship and whether web-based interventions for relationship distressed worked equally well for couples with IPV. In the first aim, in a sample of 2,797 individuals who were seeking online help for their relationship, the levels and correlates of both low-intensity and clinically significant IPV largely matched what is found in community samples. In the second aim, in a sample of 300 couples who were randomly assigned to a web-based intervention or a waitlist control group, low-impact IPV did not moderate the effects of the intervention for relationship distress. Therefore, web-based interventions may be an effective (and easily accessible) intervention for relationship distress for couples with low-intensity IPV.
Calidad de abonos orgánicos empleados en la depresión de Quíbor-Venezuela bajo ambientes protegidos

La depresion de Quibor es una de las zonas agricolas mas importante de Venezuela, donde en los ultimos anos se han introducido sistemas de produccion bajo ambientes protegidos, los cuales estan acompanados por el uso de abonos organicos, no certificados. El objetivo de esta investigacion fue evaluar la calidad de los abonos organicos empleados en sistemas de produccion bajo ambientes protegidos en la depresion de Quibor, Venezuela. Se realizo un diseno experimental completamente al azar y se evaluaron once (11) abonos organicos (cuatro solidos y siete liquidos) por triplicados. Los abonos solidos fueron colectados en la parte superior, inferior y media de las pilas, mientras que los liquidos fueron tomados directamente de los tanques de almacenamiento. Para la caracterizacion de los abonos se empleo el protocolo TMECC, la materia organica se determino por calcinacion a 450°C, el nitrogeno por Kjeldahl y los macronutrientes (potasio y calcio) y micronutrientes (cobre, manganeso, hierro y zinc) en extracto acuoso 1/20 (v/v) del material y cuantificacion por absorcion atomica. Los resultados obtenidos muestran que el vermicompost y compost de gallinaza presentaron los valores mas altos de macronutrientes, mientras, para los abonos liquidos Macro®, fue quien presento la mayor concentracion de nitrogeno, humus1 los valores mas altos de Ca y Mg y Micro® y humus2 los mayores contenidos de manganeso, hierro, cobre y zinc fueron encontrados, todos los abonos solidos presentaron valores bajos de micronutrientes.
Accretion of Nutrients and Sediment by a Constructed Stormwater Treatment Wetland in the Lake Tahoe Basin

This unique study evaluates the cumulative 16-year lifetime performance of a wetland retention basin designed to treat stormwater runoff. Sediment cores were extracted prior to basin excavation and restoration to evaluate accretion rates and the origin of materials, retention characteristics of fine particulate matter, and overall pollutant removal efficiency. The sediment and organic layers together accreted 3.2 cm of depth per year, and 7.0 kg/m2/yr of inorganic material. Average annual accretion rates in g/m2/yr were as follows: C, 280; N, 17.7; P, 3.74; S, 3.80; Fe, 194; Mn, 2.68; Ca, 30.8; Mg, 30.7; K, 12.2; Na, 2.54; Zn, 0.858; Cu, 0.203; and B, 0.03. The accretion of C, N, P and sediment was comparable to nonwastewater treatment wetlands, overall, and relatively efficient for stormwater treatment wetlands. Comparison of particle size distribution between sediment cores and suspended solids in stormwater runoff indicated the wetland was effective at removing fine particles, with sediment cores containing 25% clay and 56% silt. A majority of the accretion of most metals and P could be attributed to efficient trapping of allochthonous material, while over half the accretion of C and N could be attributed to accumulation of autochthonous organic matter. Stormwater treatment was shown to be effective when physical properties of a retention basin are combined with the biological processes of a wetland, although sediment accretion can be relatively rapid.
Simulation and Deliberate Practice in a Porcine Model for Congenital Heart Surgery Training.

Background Surgeons in training for congenital cardiac surgery face considerable challenges owing to procedure complexity, closely scrutinized outcomes, and a steep learning curve. Simulation methods have been initiated in other surgical specialties, but have yet to be established for congenital cardiac surgery trainees. The purpose of this study was to assess high-fidelity simulation as a method to train and improve skills of resident trainees learning critical components of index congenital cardiac surgical procedures. Methods Using 5 neonatal piglets over a period of 2.5 days, the following procedures were simulated: Norwood procedure, arterial switch operation, neonatal Ross procedure, tetralogy of Fallot repair, systemic to pulmonary artery shunt procedures, transmediastinal coarctation repair, atrial septal defect repair, ventricular septal defect repair, and right ventricular to pulmonary artery conduit. Anastomoses were tested with saline, all procedures were timed and video recorded, and resident trainee techniques and skills were critiqued by the instructor. Results All aspects of the procedures were simulated with minimal modifications. Anastomoses were tested, and the procedure successfully replicated without the pressures of operative time. Operative techniques involving suture placement in neonatal tissue, depth perception, and patch size estimation were corrected in real time, resulting in observed improvement of surgical skills. Video review allowed for further pedagogic value through examination and documentation of competency. Conclusions This neonatal porcine simulation model allows surgical trainees in congenital heart surgery to make and correct mistakes in a safe and controlled learning environment without compromising patient safety, thereby fostering surgeon competence and confidence.
Some New Aspects of the Regulation of Cholesterol Biosynthesis and Metabolism of Mevalonate

The intermediary steps of cholesterol biosynthesis are now well understood with the possible exception of the details of the transformations of the animal protosterol, lanosterol, into cholesterol. A knowledge of these latter transformations is still of very great interest because we do not know how, or whether, these transformations are regulated.
Sex Work, Injection Drug Use, and Abscesses: Associations in Women, But Not Men

Abstract Background Abscesses commonly occur among people who inject drugs (PWID). However, whether the risks are comparable between males and females, and the impact of sex work on abscess risk is unclear. The goal of this study was to examine the contemporary associations of gender and sex work with the risk of abscesses in PWID. Methods Combining data from two cross-sectional studies conducted in the Greater Boston Area with people at risk for HIV and hepatitis C virus (HCV), we used the following inclusion criteria: age 18–45 years and report of illicit or non-prescription drug injection within the 30 days prior to the survey. Information on demographics, injection-mediated risks, and sexual behaviors was collected using Audio Computer-Assisted Self-Interview Software. Multivariable logistic regressions were used to model associations. Results The study sample included 298 people including 30% were female. Females were more likely than men to report sex work (28% vs. 16%, p = .012) and abscess during their lifetime (55% vs. 37% p = .004). Among the females, engaging in sex work increased by >5-fold the odds of reporting abscesses [Adjusted odds ratio 5.42; 95% CI: 1.27, 23.10]. There was no association between sex work and abscesses among men. Discussion We found a female-specific association between sex work, injection drug use, and abscesses among PWID. Although the cross-sectional designs precluded causal inferences, longitudinal studies could enhance understanding of gender-associated risks for abscesses and inform the development of harm reduction interventions.
Shorter Intensive Care Unit Stays?: The Majority of Post-Intravenous tPA (Tissue-Type Plasminogen Activator) Symptomatic Hemorrhages Occur Within 12 Hours of Treatment

Background and Purpose— Symptomatic intracranial hemorrhage (sICH) is a life-threatening complication after treatment with intravenous tPA (tissue-type plasminogen activator) for acute stroke. Currently, patients are monitored for sICH in a neurocritical care unit or intensive care unit-like setting for 24 hours post-treatment—a costly and resource intensive practice. Because the half-life of tPA is much shorter than 24 hours, it is possible that the majority of patients do not require such intensive monitoring. In this study, we evaluate the time period of the highest risk for sICH post-tPA. Methods— All patients receiving intravenous tPA for acute stroke between 2004 and 2017 at our institution were prospectively followed for sICH for 36 hours after treatment. The mean time from tPA administration to hemorrhage was calculated. Additional data were collected regarding: patient demographics, medical variables, and stroke characteristics. Variables significant in univariate analysis were entered into multivariable logistic regression models to determine factors associated with symptomatic hemorrhage. Results— Three hundred eighty-five patients were administered intravenous tPA. Twenty-one (5.5%) developed sICH. The mean time from administration to hemorrhage was 8.5 hours. Greater than 80% of sICHs occurred before 12 hours post-treatment. The only variable significantly associated with sICH was combination therapy (intravenous tPA and intra-arterial thrombectomy). Conclusions— sICH associated with the administration of intravenous tPA typically occurs within the first 12 hours of treatment. Longer monitoring in an intensive care unit-like setting may be unnecessary for most individuals.
Epilogue – The Future of the Automobile: CO2 May Not Be the Great Decider

This volume has illustrated the strong link between automobiles and CO2 emissions associated with climate change. In thinking about the future of the automobile it is tempting to blame the car for its contribution to climate change. Yet it is us the drivers who have chosen to create a world of large cars and in most Western nations established a very automobile-dependent lifestyle. The automobile has given many of its owners and users greater choices on where and how to live. But it is clear that those choices increasingly impinge on all drivers, and, more important, on all others trying to move in increasingly crowded cities or between urban areas on crowded motorways. The situation in developing countries is dire at a tenth or less of the motorization rate industrialized countries. People are frozen in most large cities. It is thus hard to foresee expansion in car ownership to high levels forecast by some international organizations and analysts. Does this mean the future of the automobile is grim? Yes, if individuals, their elected officials and stakeholders in fuel and vehicle companies continue as if there are not profound problems confronting the choices automobiles give their users. In any case, CO2 is not the deciding factor over the future of the automobile, rather more fundamental issues such as the difficulty of fitting in so many individual vehicles to so little space. Technology can help somewhat, but the larger issues are what people decide to do with technology.
Competing in the New Global Economy: Breaking down Federal Higher Education and Workforce Policy Silos.

American businesses will increasingly need to compete on innovation in the new global economy. They will need to compete on how well they recruit, develop, and utilize the best talent in the world ...
The Effect of Gig Workers on Stock Prices

U.S. News estimates that gig workers comprise one-third of the workforce. Moreover, by 2028, gig workers are projected to form the majority of the workforce. Thus, understanding their effect on shareholder value is important. Overall, I find that the typical gig worker erodes shareholder value by 0.35 percent, or almost $1.5 million. This result can be explained by the incentive of gig workers to hoard their human capital so as to increase their likelihood of receiving follow-on contracts. This result also suggests that hiring gig workers is an agency problem.
The Meyer-Schuster rearrangement and hydrohalide addition of 3-alkynyl-3-hydroxy-1H-isoindol-1-ones

Treatment of N-methyl and N-phenylphthalimide with appropiate lithium acetylides in tetrahydrofuran obtained the acetylenic alcohols 2a through 2h. These compounds, when subjected to mildly acidic hydrolysis conditions in aqueous organic solvents, underwent Meyer-Schuster rearrangement to yield the α,β-unsaturated carbonyl compounds 4a through 4h which were determined to have the E configuration. The phenyl ethynyl analogs of series 4 underwent hydrohalide addition when treated with hydrogen halides in water solution.
On common fundamental domains

Abstract We find conditions under which two measure preserving actions of two groups on the same space have a common fundamental domain. Our results apply to commuting actions with separate fundamental domains, lattices in groups of polynomial growth, and some semidirect products. We prove that two lattices of equal co-volume in a group of polynomial growth, one acting on the left, the other on the right, have a common fundamental domain.
Streamlined Fabrication of Asymmetric Carbon Molecular Sieve Hollow Fiber Membranes

A microporous polymer, polymer of intrinsic microporosity-1, was utilized as the polymeric precursor to simplify the formation of asymmetric carbon molecular sieve hollow fiber membranes. Unlike ot...
Treatment Effect Deviation as an Alternative to Blinder–Oaxaca Decomposition for Studying Social Inequality:

The Blinder–Oaxaca decomposition (BOD) is a popular method for studying the contributions of explanatory factors to social inequality. The results have often been given causal interpretations. Whil...
Tracing the Seminal Notion of Accountability Across the Garfinkelian Œuvre

The notion of accountability was introduced by Harold Garfinkel in the opening pages of Studies in Ethnomethodology (1967) as part of his ‘central recommendation’ for sociological inquiry. Though the term itself first appears in the Studies, it will be argued that elements of the idea were already discernible in earlier writings. The current article traces the development of the notion from its early emergence in the proto-ethnomethodological period, through its elaboration in the Studies, and, finally, to its refinement in certain later works produced toward the end of the author’s career. In so doing, it reveals the centrality of the notion to ethnomethodologically-informed study and shows its enduring contribution to social theory.