cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Incorporating multiple mini-interviews in the postgraduate year 1 pharmacy residency program selection process

Purpose The incorporation of the multiple mini-interview (MMI) into the postgraduate year 1 (PGY1) pharmacy residency program selection process was evaluated. Methods Four MMI stations evaluating the highest-rated nonacademic attributes of prospective residents (critical thinking, teamwork, ethical reasoning and integrity, and communication and interpersonal skills) were incorporated into the traditional PGY1 residency interview process at an academic medical center. After completion of the interview, candidates and interviewers were surveyed regarding their perceptions of the refined interview process. Data regarding scores on various components of the applicant profile were also compared for significant correlations. Descriptive statistics were calculated for questionnaire responses and individual components of candidate profiles. Pearson’s correlation coefficients were calculated between MMI score, traditional interview score, age, grade point average, application score, college of pharmacy rank, and final candidate rank (subjective score). Results A total of 38 candidates were interviewed, 37 of whom completed the postinterview survey. Candidates agreed that the MMI allowed them to convey their abilities effectively; however, they disagreed that it was more effective than traditional interviews. Candidates did not agree that the MMI caused less anxiety than traditional interviews. All 15 interviewers completed the postinterview survey and believed that the MMI effectively evaluated soft skills and that the MMI was more effective than traditional interviews in assessing candidates’ abilities, skills, and thought processes. Conclusion The use of the MMI in a PGY1 pharmacy residency applicant selection process appeared to be well accepted by both candidates and interviewers and likely assesses different attributes than do traditional interview techniques.
Inter-Class Boundaries: Linear and Polynomial Classifiers

When representing the training examples with points in an n-dimensional instance space, we may realize that positive examples tend to be clustered in regions different from those occupied by negative examples. This observation motivates yet another approach to classification. Instead of the probabilities and similarities employed by the earlier paradigms, we can try to identify the decision surface that separates the two classes. A very simple possibility is to use to this end a linear function. More flexible are high-order polynomials which are capable of defining very complicated inter-class boundaries. These, however, have to be handled with care.
Management of endocrine orbitopathy.

Thyroid eye disease is the most common cause of proptosis in adults. This article details the pathophysiology of this disorder and summarizes current medical and surgical treatment of its manifestations.
Determination of digoxin and digitoxin in the blood and their clinical significance

Sechs Verfahren zur Bestimmung von Digoxin- und Digitoxinblutspiegel werden beschrieben und ihre Eignung als Routinemethoden diskutiert. Der zeitliche Ablauf von Blutspiegelkurven, der Verteilungsraum und das Konzentrationsverhaltnis zwischen Plasma und Myokard werden als notwendige pharmakokinetische Grundlagen zur Interpretation der Blutspiegel von Herzglykosiden angefuhrt und die wesentlichen klinischen Anwendungsbereiche besprochen.
Approximate in-memory Hamming distance calculation with a memristive associative memory

Pattern matching algorithms, which may be realized via associative memories, require further improvements in both accuracy and power consumption to achieve more widespread use in real-world applications. In this work we utilized a memristive crossbar to combine computation and memory in an approximate Hamming distance computing architecture for an associative memory. For classifying handwritten digits from the MNIST data-set, we showed that using the Hamming distance rather than the traditional dot product increased accuracy, and decreased power consumption by 100×. Moreover, we showed that we can trade-off accuracy to save additional power or vice-versa by adjusting the input voltage. This trade-off may be adjusted for the architecture depending on its application. Our architecture consumed 200× less power than other previously proposed Hamming distance associative memory architectures, due to the use of memristive devices, and is 256× faster than prior work due to our leveraging of in-memory computation. Improved associative memories should prove useful for GPUs, handwriting recognition, DNA sequence matching, object detection, and other applications.
Functional, social, and psychological disability as causes of loss of weight and independence in older community-living people

This article reviews functional, social, and psychological disabilities that relate to weight loss and independence in older community residents and suggests possible ways in which these factors may be alleviated. Although these disabilities clearly interact with one another as causes of failure to thrive, this article is organized into three major sections: functional disability, psychological and social factors, and malnutrition. In-depth geriatric assessment provides directions to reverse or halt failure to thrive. Using case materials, possible interventions are presented; these include dietary changes, a carefully planned program of physical exercise, treatment for depression, and a combination of social and environmental "prescriptions" designed to reduce social and emotional isolation. Appropriate social supports are also necessary, as is careful attention to how caregiver stress may be reduced through suitable interventions.
South Sudan: a volatile dynamic of accountability and peace

Since the warring parties to South Sudan's civil war (2013-15) signed a peace agreement in August 2015, South Sudan has endured a series of setbacks and clashes that have threatened the fragile peace process. This article examines many key factors affecting the peace process, including rampant corruption, military factionalism, gross human rights abuses and ineffective foreign intervention/pressure. It shows that the past and present failure to structure accountability at the institutional level drives the instability and distrust that has limited the political dialogue and consensus needed to implement the peace deal. To frame this issue of accountability, the article distinguishes between core (essential) and peripheral (self-serving) objectives of promoting accountability. In doing so, it seeks to devise and apply the logic of this dynamic of accountability and to explain the unexpected outcomes of South Sudan's conflict. It argues that, rather than transforming the conditions and hostile relations of South Sudan's situation, international demands for accountability continue to fuel the volatile tensions between international authorities and the various factions inside the Sudan People's Liberation Movement/Army (SPLM/A). The central conclusion the article draws is that instead of signifying the official beginning of the end of the conflict, the peace agreement has wedged itself between the core and peripheral objectives of accountability, thereby setting the stage for further stalemate and increasing distrust among domestic and international authorities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Abstract CN04-01: Reducing lung cancer mortality by 50% in the next decade: Is it feasible?

Lung cancer deaths are finally declining in the United States after a nearly century long rise. After a steep increase in cigarette use rates over the first half of the 20th century, smoking prevalence rates started declining from their peak in 1964 and the number of lung cancer deaths followed about 30 years later. Today, less than 20% of adults are current smokers, although there is significant variation from state to state and smoking behavior today, in contrast to 50 years ago, is largely concentrated among the poor and less educated members of society and also among individuals with mental health and substance abuse diagnoses. While some predictions have cigarette consumption dropping to near trivial levels in the US over the next 50 years, others have suggested the rate of decline might be much slower than predicted as the ratio of former to ever smokers has stalled. In other words, while fewer young people are taking up smoking, smoking cessation rates among adult smokers have not changed much in the past decade. While having fewer young people take up smoking means less lung cancer in the long run, in the next decade it means that lung cancer mortality rates will be higher than they might otherwise have to be. This presentation asks the question: Is it feasible to lower lung cancer mortality by 50% in the next decade? The answer to this question is yes, if we want it to make it happen. This presentation describes two complimentary strategies to more rapidly reduce lung cancer mortality in the United States over the next decade. The first strategy includes policies that could realistically be implemented in the next few years to dramatically accelerate a reduction in cigarette consumption. The second strategy focuses on ways to promote lung cancer screening among high risk current and former smokers to change the typical prognosis of lung cancer from one of death sentence to one where lung cancer is detected early enough for cure and improved management. Quite simply, maximizing these two intervention strategies will almost assuredly do more to reduce deaths from lung cancer over the next decade than could possibly be hoped for by investing in high risk biomedical research to try to improve current treatment outcomes, and most likely at a small fraction of the cost. Citation Format: K. Michael Cummings. Reducing lung cancer mortality by 50% in the next decade: Is it feasible? [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Twelfth Annual AACR International Conference on Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research; 2013 Oct 27-30; National Harbor, MD. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Can Prev Res 2013;6(11 Suppl): Abstract nr CN04-01.
Incorporating uncertainty and nonlinearity into the calculus of an efficient response to the threat of global warming

The possible serious social and economic consequences of global warming raise a series of questions. Some researchers have focused on the potential damage associated with global change; others have considered how such damage could be mitigated. Still others now investigate the range of uncertainty with which the future can be viewed. The fundamental policy and research issue straddles all of these more focused questions and calls for an integrated and dynamic analysis. This paper extends the Nordhaus framework, introduced in 1991, to address two omissions: the effect of cascading uncertainty across a variety of sources and the potential for severe nonlinearities in damages. The results suggest not only that more aggressive emission reduction strategies are in order, but also that it is appropriate for researchers to focus on emissions and potential damage trajectories which lie either above the mean or above the most likely scenario.
The group k-support norm for learning with structured sparsity

Several high-dimensional learning applications require the parameters to satisfy a “group sparsity” constraint, where clusters of coefficients are required to be simultaneously selected or rejected. The group lasso and its variants are common methods to solve problems of this form. Recently, in the standard sparse setting, it has been noted that tighter convex relaxations than the l 1 norm can be obtained by using other regularizers, leading to better predictive performance. Motivated by these discoveries, we develop the group k-support norm to achieve group sparsity with a better predictive accuracy. We develop an efficient algorithm to solve the resulting optimization problems, and show that our approach outperforms traditional methods for prediction and recovery under group sparsity.
Surgical Repair of Iatrogenic Transverse-Sigmoid Sinus Laceration with a Dural Flap During Skull Base Tumor Surgery: A Technical Case Report

Background Injury to cerebral venous sinuses during craniotomy procedures can cause significant blood loss or venous air embolism, potentially leading to serious morbidity or mortality. When iatrogenic sinus injuries occur, it is essential to promptly obtain hemostasis and repair the sinus defect. Case Description We report on a 43-year-old woman that sustained a transverse-sigmoid sinus injury during a retrosigmoid craniotomy for resection of a cerebellopontine angle meningioma. Sinus repair was performed using a reflected dural flap with excellent outcome. Conclusions The use of a reflected dural flap for closure of a widely torn sinus proved to be an effective and straightforward sinus repair strategy, with postoperative imaging demonstrating persistent patency of the sinus. The described technique may be a useful addition to any neurosurgeon's armamentarium and should be considered during cases of complex sinus injuries.
An Indigenous Anthropologist’s Perspective on Archaeological Ethics

The general perspective within the archaeological community is that ethics codes in and of themselves are good things meant to protect “archaeological heritage”. The discipline argues that it is the responsibility of the archaeologist to work towards stewardship of the resource, but that stewardship places the wishes and views of the archaeologist foremost and generally fails to consider the views of the marginalized populations whose ancestors may have created that heritage. In this regard, this paper questions what direction archaeological ethics in the United States will turn in the near future and whether legal challenges such as Kennewick Man and concerns over the disposition of culturally unidentifiable human remains seem to indicate a growing movement towards more limited sharing of the past with contemporary cultures.
Immobilization platform to induce quiescence in dormancy-capable cancer cells

Cancer dormancy emerges when tumor cells cease to proliferate but remain alive in a quiescent state. Recent evidence suggests that cancer cells can stay dormant in a patient’s body for years before returning to a proliferative state, leading to cancer relapse. The lack of a system to efficiently identify and study dormant cancer cells is currently limiting further diagnostic and treatment developments to prevent cancer relapse. Herein, we present a novel encapsulation platform to identify and study dormancy-capable cancer cells in a quiescent state by inhibiting proliferation through physical confinement. The platform involves the encapsulation of cells within a stiff silica-PEG hydrogel produced by a sol–gel technique. Cells are immobilized in a nondegradable microenvironment where proliferation and movement are inhibited due to physical confinement of the gel. The platform was tested using non-cancerous cell lines HFF, HUVEC, Jurkat, MEF, and MCF-10A, and cancer cell lines LnCAP, MCF-7, MCF10DCIS.com, MDA-MB-468, and OVCAR-5. Viability and metabolic activity measurements showed that MCF-7, LnCAP, and MCF10DCIS.COM cells remained metabolically active for up to 3 weeks while non-cancerous lines and the rest of the cancer cell lines did not survive after a few days. Ki-67 immunofluorescent staining confirmed that surviving MCF-7 cells underwent cell cycle arrest as early as 48 hours after encapsulation. Furthermore, following extraction and recovery, these cells resumed proliferation, indicating that the induced cell cycle arrest was reversible. These results conclude that physically inhibiting proliferation via the silica-PEG hydrogel system can be used to identify cells that can enter a quiescent state, setting the groundwork for this platform to be explored as a cancer cell dormancy model.
Persistent organic pollutants and mortality in the United States, NHANES 1999-2011.

Persistent organic pollutants (POPs) are environmentally and biologically persistent chemicals that include polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), and organochlorine (OC) pesticides. Currently, data on the associations between exposure to POPs and the risk of mortality in the U.S. population is limited. Our objective was to determine if higher exposure to POPs is associated with greater risk of all-cause, cancer, heart/cerebrovascular disease, or other-cause mortality. Analyses included participants aged 60 years and older from the 1999–2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (NHANES). We included 483 participants for analyses of PBDEs, 1043 for PFASs, and 461 for PCBs, and 1428 for OC pesticides. Exposures to POPs were estimated using biomarkers measured in serum. Mortality status through December 31, 2011 was obtained from public-use, linked mortality files. We used Cox proportional hazard models to quantify the associations of interest. Where we observed an association, we explored effect modification by sex, body mass index, smoking status, and albuminuria. We also explored the combined effect of PBDEs and OC pesticides in the subsample of participants with measures of both analytes. Serum measurements of PBDEs, PFASs, and PCBs were not clearly associated with increased all-cause or cause-specific mortality in older Americans. Beta-hexachlorocyclohexane was associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality [HR per 1 SD increase =1.18, 95% CI = 1.01, 1.38]. Oxychlordane [HR = 1.15 95% CI 1.06, 1.25], p,p’-DDE [HR = 1.12, 95% CI = 1.02, 1.23], trans-nonachlor [HR = 1.11, 95% CI = 1.04, 1.18], and beta-hexachlorocyclohexane [HR = 1.25, 95% CI = 1.03, 1.52] were associated with increased risk of other-cause mortality. Exploratory analyses suggested associations between OC pesticides and other-cause mortality were modified by sex. Exploratory analyses also suggested that the combination of high PBDE and high OC pesticide exposure had a stronger than expected adverse effect on all-cause mortality. Higher exposure to beta-hexachlorocyclohexane, an OC pesticide, is associated with increased all-cause mortality and higher exposure to four OC pesticides is associated with increased non-cancer, non-heart/cerebrovascular disease mortality in U.S. adults 60 years or older. These associations may be modified by sex or exposure to other POPs.
Phosphaturia of aging: studies on mechanisms.

Corvilain and Abramaw (1) reported a lower serum inorganic phosphorus level associated with a reduction in maximum tubular reabsorption of phosphate TmP) in adults when compared to children in active growth. Insogna and associates (2) also noted a reduction in serum phosphorus level and renal TmP in the elderly when compared to younger adult subjects. In addition, these investigators observed increases in immunoassayable parathyroid hormone (PTH) level in the blood and cyclic AMP (cAMP) excretion in the urine of the elderly subjects. Based on the observations that intestinal calcium absorption is reduced in elderly subjects (3,4) these authors suggested that the increased PTH was secondary to the suboptimal enteral calcium absorption and that this hyperparathyroidism in turn led to “renal phosphate wasting” and hypophosphatemia in the elderly. Berlyne and coworkers (5) confirmed the observation of an increase in PTH secretion and a decrease in TmP, as well as a reduction in glanerular filtration rate, in the elderly. They postulated that the hyperparathyroidism may, in addition, caused an increase in calcium mobilization from the skeleton and thus contributed towards the development of senile osteoporosis.
Veterinary applications of pulsed electromagnetic field therapy.

Abstract Pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) therapy can non-invasively treat a variety of pathologies by delivering electric and magnetic fields to tissues via inductive coils. The electromagnetic fields generated by these devices have been found to affect a variety of biological processes and basic science understanding of the underlying mechanisms of action of PEMF treatment has accelerated in the last 10 years. Accumulating clinical evidence supports the use of PEMF therapy in both animals and humans for specific clinical indications including bone healing, wound healing, osteoarthritis and inflammation, and treatment of post-operative pain and edema. While there is some confusion about PEMF as a clinical treatment modality, it is increasingly being prescribed by veterinarians. In an effort to unravel the confusion surrounding PEMF devices, this article reviews important PEMF history, device taxonomy, mechanisms of action, basic science and clinical evidence, and relevant trends in veterinary medicine. The data reviewed underscore the usefulness of PEMF treatment as a safe, non-invasive treatment modality that has the potential to become an important stand-alone or adjunctive treatment modality in veterinary care.
Efficacy of Long-term Effect and Repeat Intraarticular Botulinum toxin in Patients with Painful Total Joint Arthroplasty: A Retrospective Study.

OBJECTIVE Based on recent success of intra-articular (IA) Botulinum neurotoxin type A (BoNT/A; OnabotulinumtoxinA) in patients with osteoarthritis, we examined if repeat IA-BoNT/A is an effective antinociceptive in patients with refractory arthroplasty pain. METHODS 11 patients with refractory chronic arthroplasty joint pain without any evidence of infection or prosthesis loosening were referred by orthopedic surgeons. After discussion of off-label use, each patient underwent IA injection of BoNT/A, repeated based on return of pain on numeric rating scale (NRS) and functional limitation on composite validated scales, Western Ontario McMaster Osteoarthritis index (WOMAC) or Shoulder Pain and Disability (SPADI). RESULTS 11 patients (10 men, 1 woman) with 14 painful arthroplasty joints (3 bilateral; 12 knee and 2 shoulder) underwent ≥1 IA-BoNT/A injections (8 joints injected once, one joint injected twice only, five joints injected thrice) with doses ranging 100-300 units. Mean age was 68 years (standard deviation, 12) and follow-up ranged 1-28 months. Clinically meaningful reduction of 2-units in pain severity and really meaningful reduction in pain severity (50% reduction) were reported by 6/11 patients (6/13 joints) and 3/11 patients (3/13 joints), respectively, 1 month after the first IA-BoNT/A (100-units each). Significant improvements were noted in composite functional scales (WOMAC/SPADI). Pain relief was sustained at 3-4 month follow-up and was reproducible in those who received repeat injections. No significant adverse events were seen in any patients. CONCLUSIONS A single intra-articular injection of BoNT/A improved pain and function in patients with chronic, refractory painful knee or shoulder arthroplasty, which sustained with repeat injections. Patients who were refractory to the first injection, did not respond to subsequent injections of higher dose of IA-BoNT/A.
Isolation of Dendritic Leukocytes from Mouse Liver

Dendritic cells (DC) are a minor population of large, bone marrow-derived leukocytes that are distributed ubiquitously throughout the body (1,2). DC resident in the interstitial connective tissue of non-lymphoid organs are believed to be important “passenger” leukocytes that migrate to T-dependent areas of host lymphoid tissue following organ transplantation (3). Recently, it has been suggested that the chimeric cells observed in various organs of recipients of liver or other allografts include, predominantly, cells of DC lineage. These cells may play an important role in modulation of the immunological interaction between host and donor (4,5). Since the liver is the most tolerogenic of all transplanted organs (6–8) and is accepted spontaneously across major histocompatibility complex (MHC) barriers in mice without the need for immunosuppressive therapy (8), studies on mouse liver DC may provide important clues to mechanisms underlying tolerance induction. We have isolated DC-enriched cell populations from normal mouse liver and describe herein their immunophenotype and in vitro allostimulatory activity compared with freshly-isolated liver non-parenchymal cells (NPC).
Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the most common liver disease worldwide. With the current obesity epidemic, its prevalence is increasing among both adults and children at an alarming rate. NAFLD occurs in individuals who do not drink excessive alcohol, yet have hepatic histology that mimics alcoholic liver disease. NAFLD is often associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus, central obesity, dyslipemia, and/or hypertension—conditions which comprise the metabolic syndrome. The spectrum of NAFLD ranges from simple steatosis, which is typically nonprogressive, to nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), which may progress to cirrhosis and its complications. Patients are usually asymptomatic, and histologic evaluation via liver biopsy is the gold standard for both diagnosing NAFLD and differentiating between simple steatosis and NASH. Patients with simple steatosis typically have a benign, nonprogressive disease course, while people with NASH have a progressive disease course, with an estimated 20 % advancing to cirrhosis. While clinical trials of numerous medications have been performed, there are currently no pharmacological agents approved for treatment. Management includes lifestyle modification comprising weight reduction, nutritional alterations, and exercise, in addition to aggressive treatment of other components of the metabolic syndrome.
A Test for Normality Based on Sample Entropy

SUMMARY A test of the composite hypothesis of normality is introduced. The test is based on the property of the normal distribution that its entropy exceeds that of any other distribution with a density that has the same variance. The test statistic is based on a class of estimators of entropy constructed here. The test is shown to be a consistent test of the null hypothesis for all alternatives without a singular continuous part. The power of the test is estimated against several alternatives. It is observed that the test compares favourably with other tests for normality.
A Dynamic View

Thus far we have employed what might be considered a static view of random graphs. We fix an edge probability p = p(n) and look at the behavior all first order sentences A in G G(n, p). Erdos and Renyi, as discussed in Section 1.1.1, always thought of the random graph as evolving from empty to full. Now we shall fix an arbitrary first order sentence A and consider what happens to Pr [A] as the random graphs evolves.
Spatial Structure: Patchiness

In general, organisms are not distributed uniformly over space, consider for example, the distribution of primary production over the world’s oceans (Fig. 2.30). Moreover, such heterogeneity occurs at all spatial scales. We can use the size of a patch of higher abundance or the distances among such patches as a way to assess the scale of heterogeneity. There are significantly higher or lower rates of production in distances of 105–108 m within any linear transect in Fig. 2.30. Spatial variability is also pervasive at smaller distances: the variation in concentration of dissolved CO2 in surface waters of the Gulf of Maine is evidence of spatially heterogeneous biological activity on a scale of 104−105 m, while the variability in concentration of chlorophyll in St. Margaret’s Bay, Nova Scotia , varies on a scale of about 104 m (Figs. 13.1a, b). Measurements of numbers of zooplankton m−2 off the California coast show patches of tens of meters (Fig. 13.2); a careful examination of spatial variability of phytoplankton production shows significant patches in a scale of 10−1 m, most clearly in samples from the Gulf Stream (Fig. 13.1d). Plankton recorders (for example, Davis et al. 1992) provide data over spatial scales of microns to hundreds of meters, confirming the presence of aggregated distributions of organisms at scales of 20 cm–200 m.
Early Diuresis After Colon and Rectal Surgery Does Not Reduce Length of Hospital Stay: Results of a Randomized Trial.

BACKGROUND:Excessive perioperative fluid administration likely increases postoperative cardiovascular, infectious, and GI complications. Early administration of diuretics after elective surgery facilitates rapid mobilization of excess fluid, potentially leading to decreased bowel edema, more rapid r
Frictional Keratosis, Contact Keratosis and Smokeless Tobacco Keratosis: Features of Reactive White Lesions of the Oral Mucosa

White lesions of the oral cavity are quite common and can have a variety of etiologies, both benign and malignant. Although the vast majority of publications focus on leukoplakia and other potentially malignant lesions, most oral lesions that appear white are benign. This review will focus exclusively on reactive white oral lesions. Included in the discussion are frictional keratoses, irritant contact stomatitis, and smokeless tobacco keratoses. Leukoedema and hereditary genodermatoses that may enter in the clinical differential diagnoses of frictional keratoses including white sponge nevus and hereditary benign intraepithelial dyskeratosis will be reviewed. Many products can result in contact stomatitis. Dentrifice-related stomatitis, contact reactions to amalgam and cinnamon can cause keratotic lesions. Each of these lesions have microscopic findings that can assist in patient management.
Black is not beautiful: Persistent messages and the globalization of “white” beauty in African women’s magazines

This study examines the representation of African women in an era of globalization. Using Dyer’s concept of whiteness and a visual content analysis approach, this study focuses on how four influent...
Palestine is a State: A Horse with Black and White Stripes is a Zebra

Introduction 749 I. Argument Number One: The U.N. General Assembly’s Acceptance of Palestine as a State 751 A. The Constitutive Theory of Statehood 751 B. A U.N. General Assembly Retrenchment on Palestinian Statehood 753 C. Two “Competing” Palestinian Claims to Statehood ......... 754 II. Argument Number Two: Whether the Palestine State Asserted in 1988 Was a New State 755 III. Argument Number Three: Statehood as Affected by Belligerent Occupation of a State’s Territory 757 IV. Argument Number Four: Acknowledgment by Israel of Palestine’s Statehood 758 V. Argument Number Five: Acceptance by Israel of the Proposition That Palestine Is a State 760 Conclusion 762
Radar measurement of the angular velocity of moving objects

This chapter reviews a recently developed technique for directly measuring the angular velocity of moving objects using a distributed radar aperture with interferometric processing. The use of a distributed interferometric radar provides a direct measurement method for the angular velocity, a quantity which can traditionally only be inferred over multiple measurements.
The Launch of Manufacturing & Service Operations Management: A Long and Difficult Gestation, but a Significant Birth

I was honored when Chris Tang requested my recollections about the launch of Manufacturing & Service Operations Management (M&SOM) 20+ years ago. Yet I have scant memories of those seven years, alt...
IN-HOSPITAL OUTCOMES OF LVAD PATIENTS UNDERGOING NON-CARDIAC SURGERY: ANALYSIS OF THE NATIONAL INPATIENT SAMPLE

An increasing number of stage D heart failure patients are supported with left ventricular assist devices (LVADs), and the management of LVAD patients who require noncardiac surgery (NCS) presents unique challenges. Using the 2010-2014 National Inpatient Sample, we identified all adult cases of
Surgical Technique: Repair of Patella Tendon Rupture in a Previously Harvested Tendon for an Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction.

Background A rare cause of patellar tendon (PT) ruptures is complications after bone-PT-bone (BPTB) graft harvest for anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction. The atypical tear pattern in these patients can be technically challenging to address. Description of technique A Krackow suture fixation of the medial, tibial based PT was fixed with a knotless suture anchor to the patella. A Krackow suture fixation of the lateral, patella based PT was fixed with a knotless suture anchor to the tibia. Fiber Tape was used for an Internal Brace. Patient and methods We retrospectively reviewed a single patient with a proximal-medial and distal-lateral PT rupture following BPTB graft harvest for an ACL reconstruction. The described repair technique was used to repair the PT rupture. Follow-up was 6-months. Range of motion (ROM), functional outcome scores, and patient-reported outcomes were assessed and recorded. Results Six-months postoperatively, the patient has regained full knee extension and flexion to 130 degrees. The patient has good quadriceps strength, and manual muscle testing shows no deficits in the operative leg. The patient is able to perform all of her activities of daily living and is discharged from physical therapy. Conclusion We describe a novel technique that effectively repairs the atypical PT rupture pattern seen after ACL reconstruction using BPTB autograft. This technique allows for aggressive post-operative rehabilitation in ROM and strengthening. Level of evidence Level V.
An analytic asymmetric-piston model for the impact of mode-1 shell asymmetry on ICF implosions

For many years, low mode asymmetry in inertially confined fusion (ICF) implosions has been recognized as a potential performance limiting factor, but analysis has been limited to using simulations and searching for data correlations. Herein, an analytically solvable model based upon the simple picture of an asymmetric piston is presented. Asymmetry of the shell driving the implosion, as opposed to asymmetry in the hot-spot, is key to the model. The model provides a unifying framework for the action of mode-1 shell asymmetry and the resulting connections between various diagnostic signatures. A key variable in the model is the shell asymmetry fraction, f, which is related to the areal density variation of the shell surrounding the hot-spot. It is shown that f is simply related to the observed hot-spot mode-1 velocity and to the concept of residual energy in an implosion. The model presented in this paper yields explicit expressions for the hot-spot diameter, stagnation pressure, hot-spot energy, inertial confinement-time, Lawson parameter, hot-spot temperature, and fusion yield under the action of mode-1 asymmetry. Agreement is found between the theory scalings when compared to ICF implosion data from the National Ignition Facility and to large ensembles of detailed simulations, making the theory a useful tool for interpreting data. The theory provides a basis for setting tolerable limits on asymmetry.
Reliability of RF MEMS switches at cryogenic (liquid He) temperatures

Abstract This paper reports on the reliability of RF MEMS switches operating in a cryogenic (
Strain-Induced Trapping of Indirect Excitons in MoSe2/WSe2 Heterostructures

Understanding and control of excitons in transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) materials are essential for the exploration of the rich many-body physics in TMDs and their applications in photonic a...
Piezoelectric and Magnetoelectric Scaffolds for Tissue Regeneration and Biomedicine: A Review

Electric fields are ubiquitous throughout the body, playing important role in a multitude of biological processes including osteo-regeneration, cell signaling, nerve regeneration, cardiac function, and DNA replication. An increased understanding of the role of electric fields in the body has led to the development of devices for biomedical applications that incorporate electromagnetic fields as an intrinsically novel functionality (e.g., bioactuators, biosensors, cardiac/neural electrodes, and tissues scaffolds). However, in the majority of the aforementioned devices, an implanted power supply is necessary for operation, and therefore requires highly invasive procedures. Thus, the ability to apply electric fields in a minimally invasive manner to remote areas of the body remains a critical and unmet need. Here, we report on the potential of magnetoelectric (ME)-based composites to overcome this challenge. ME materials are capable of producing localized electric fields in response to an applied magnetic field, which the body is permeable to. Yet, the use of ME materials for biomedical applications is just beginning to be explored. Here, we present on the potential of ME materials to be utilized in biomedical applications. This will be presented alongside current state-of-the-art for in vitro and in vivo electrical stimulation of cells and tissues. We will discuss key findings in the field, while also identifying challenges, such as the synthesis and characterization of biocompatible ME materials, challenges in experimental design, and opportunities for future research that would lead to the increased development of ME biomaterials and their applications.
Teachers' Emotion and Identity Work During a Pandemic

Teachers' Emotion and Identity Work During a Pandemic This piece is a conceptual analysis of the care involved on the part of teachers during the COVID-19 era and the relationship it has to teachers’ identities. Using the author’s stories, we address how fatiguing care is on a normal day, not to mention what is involved during the COVID era. This care, and the emotions involved, is closely tied to teachers’ identities, calling into question how teachers conceptualize their teacherhood during a pandemic. Our hope is that others will consider where they may have misunderstood teachers’ work. We aim to raise awareness of the complexity of teaching and suggest how teacher education can address and support teachers’ needs.
A New Fuzzy Logic Based Method For Residential Loads Forecasting

The load forecasting is crucial for energy management to maintain stability, power quality and reliability of the building's power system. This work proposes a new two input based fuzzy logic controller method for residential load forecasting. The proposed fuzzy system considers the temperature and a new variable calculated based on occupancy and week/special days for predicting the building's energy consumption. For the comparison purpose, the predicted energies by new fuzzy system and by artificial neural network are analyzed against actual energy consumption data in an apartment building located in Memphis city of USA. The efficacy of the proposed new fuzzy logic based prediction system over the conventional neural network approach is validated by MATLAB simulations and the performance indices.
Footprint size matters: wider coronal greater tuberosity width is associated with increased rates of healing after rotator cuff repair.

Background The purpose of this study was to determine whether greater tuberosity morphology (1) could be measured reliably on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), (2) differed between patients with rotator cuff tears (RCTs) compared with those without tears or glenohumeral osteoarthritis, or (3) differed between patients with rotator cuff repairs (RCR) who healed and those that did not. Methods This is a retrospective comparative study. (1) We measured greater tuberosity width (coronal and sagittal), lateral offset, and angle on MRI corrected into the plane of the humerus. To determine reliability, these measurements were made by two observers and intraclass correlation coefficients were calculated. (2) We compared these measurements between patients with a full-thickness RCT and patients aged >50 years without evidence of a RCT or glenohumeral osteoarthritis. (3) We then compared these measurements between those patients with healed RCRs and those with evidence of retear on MRI. In this portion, we only included patients with both a preoperative and postoperative MRI at least 1 year from RCR. Postoperative MRIs were obtained to assess healing rates, not because of concern for failure. Those without tendon defects were considered healed. Results (1) In a validation cohort of 50 patients with MRI, all inter-rater intraclass correlation coefficients were greater than 0.75. (2) There were no differences between our RCT group of 110 patients and our comparison group of 100 patients in tuberosity coronal width, sagittal width, or lateral offset. The RCT group had a significantly smaller greater tuberosity angle (63 ± 4° vs 65 ± 5°, P = .003). (3) In our group of 110 RCRs, postoperative MRI scans were obtained at a mean follow-up of 23.6 ± 15.7 months showing 84 (76%) patients had healed RCRs. Larger coronal tuberosity width was associated with healing (1.3 ± 0.2 vs 1.2 ± 0.2 cm, P = .032), as was smaller tear width (P < .001), and retraction (P < .001). When coronal width was dichotomized, there was a significantly higher healing rate with a width over 1.2 cm (85 vs 66%, P = .02). No other greater tuberosity morphological characteristics were associated with RCR or postoperative healing. Conclusion RCTs do not appear to be associated with greater tuberosity morphology. Postoperative rotator cuff healing based on MRI is 76%. Higher rates of healing occur with a wider coronal tuberosity width (ie, rotator cuff tendon footprint). Consideration could be given to widening the footprint intraoperatively in an effort to improve healing rates although this remains to be validated.
Laser-induced thermal decomposition of uranium triiodide and ammonium uranium fluoride

Laser-induced heating is increasingly being used for rapid material processing. Here, the decomposition pathways of uranium triiodide and ammonium uranium fluoride during laser irradiation are reported. The experimental results are supported by a simplified predictive computational thermodynamics technique that provides estimation of the formation energetics of ammonium uranium fluoride. Results reveal rapid decomposition of material via laser heating with evolution of gaseous reaction products and formation of uranium metal from uranium iodide feedstock and uranium fluoride from ammonium uranium fluoride feedstock, respectively. This information can be exploited for processing of uranium precursors into desirable compounds for nuclear fuel cycle research.
Principles of Forensic Report Writing

Principles of Forensic Report Writing explores the psychology of report writing, including the motivations of readers and writers, communicative and performative concerns, and the cognitive science that applies to the process. The book addresses foundational principles rather than mechanics and how these feed back to the assessment process. Emphasis is placed throughout on the problem of applying general research, nomothetic tests, and generally useful actuarials to specific cases.
The Specialty of Infertility

Medical articles for the laity, as well as journals of medical education, deplore the modern tendency toward specialization. Much can be said for the criticism that the superspecialists, focusing their attention on one aspect or one organ system of their patients, often lose sight of the whole person. But the onus of overspecialization cannot be leveled at the physicians who devote themselves to the care of the infertile couple, for these physicians are concerned not only with the female organs of reproduction, but with the interplay of other endocrine systems as well as systemic disease on these organs, with the influences of the wife’s emotional state, with the fertility of her husband, and with the all important relationship between the two partners.
Injectable silk-based biomaterials for cervical tissue augmentation: an in vitro study.

Background Cerclage therapy is an important treatment option for preterm birth prevention. Several patient populations benefit from cerclage therapy including patients with a classic history of cervical insufficiency; patients who present with advanced cervical dilation prior to viability; and patients with a history of preterm birth and cervical shortening. Although cerclage is an effective treatment option in some patients, it can be associated with limited efficacy and procedure complications. Development of an alternative to cerclage therapy would be an important clinical development. Here we report on an injectable, silk protein-based biomaterial for cervical tissue augmentation. The rationale for the development of an injectable biomaterial is to restore the native properties of cervical tissue. While cerclage provides support to the tissue, it does not address excessive tissue softening, which is a central feature of the pathogenesis of cervical insufficiency. Silk protein-based hydrogels, which are biocompatible and naturally degrade in vivo, are suggested as a platform for restoring the native properties of cervical tissue and improving cervical function. Objective We sought to study the properties of an injectable, silk-based biomaterial for potential use as an alternative treatment for cervical insufficiency. These biomaterials were evaluated for mechanical tunability, biocompatibility, facile injection, and in vitro degradation. Study Design Silk protein solutions were cross-linked by an enzyme catalyzed reaction to form elastic biomaterials. Biomaterials were formulated to match the native physical properties of cervical tissue during pregnancy. The cell compatibility of the materials was assessed in vitro using cervical fibroblasts, and biodegradation was evaluated using concentrated protease solution. Tissue augmentation or bulking was demonstrated using human cervical tissue from nonpregnant hysterectomy specimens. Mechanical compression tests measured the tissue stiffness as a function of the volume of injected biomaterial. Results Silk protein concentration, molecular weight, and concentration of cross-linking agent were varied to generate biomaterials that functioned from hard gels to viscous fluids. Biomaterials that matched the mechanical features of cervical tissues were chosen for further study. Cervical fibroblasts cultured on these biomaterials were proliferative and metabolically active over 6 days. Biomaterials were degraded in protease solution, with rate of mass loss dependent on silk protein molecular weight. Injection of cervical tissue samples with 100 μL of the biomaterial resulted in a significant volume increase (22.6% ± 8.8%, P Conclusion Cytocompatible, enzyme cross-linked silk protein biomaterials show promise as a tissue bulking agent. The biomaterials were formulated to match the native mechanical properties of human cervical tissue. These biomaterials should be explored further as a possible alternative to cerclage for providing support to the cervix during pregnancy.
LIBERATING QUARKS AND GLUONS

An extraordinary new state of matter, the quark-gluon plasma, may have been produced. In collisions between high-energy heavy nuclei, temperatures of 1012 K or more are achieved, roughly ten thousand times that in the solar core. Theorists predict that under these conditions there is a drastic change in the structure of nuclear matter. The usual description in terms of baryons (such as protons and neutrons) and mesons (such as pions) must be abandoned in favour of the truly fundamental particles, quarks and gluons. Experiments have now provided the first substantial evidence that such a change occurs.
Cooperative vs. Competitive Multi-Agent Negotiations in Retail Electronic Commerce

A key lesson learned from economic and game theory research is that negotiation protocols have substantial, rippling effects on the overall nature of the system, online auctions are increasingly popular negotiation protocols for software agents (and humans) to compete on the prices of goods and services. This paper takes a critical look at these competitive protocols in retail markets from economic, game theoretic, and business perspectives. Our analysis suggests that online auction protocols are, in fact, less efficient and more hostile than would be expected (or desired) in retail markets. Furthermore, we identify the importance of customer satisfaction and propose more cooperative multi- agent decision analysis tools (e.g., Multi-Attribute Utility Theory) and negotiation protocols (e.g., Distributed Constraint Satisfaction) as promising techniques to support it.