cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Effects of Verbal Approval and Disapproval Upon the Performance of Third and Fourth Grade Children on Four Subtests of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children.

The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of three modes of test administration upon the performance of third and fourth grade boys and girls on four subtests of the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children. Ninety Ss were randomly assigned to three groups, two experimental and one control. Each of the three groups was subdivided to enable two examiners to administer the same treatment. The Approval group was given verbal approval after the first response in each subtest and between subtests. Verbal disapproval was given in the same sequence for the Disapproval group. The Neutral group received the standard test administration without any intended approval or disapproval. For both examiners the Approval group performed significantly higher (p < .05) than the Disapproval group; the Neutral group performed higher than the Disapproval group and lower than the Approval group, although the differences were slightly less than significant at the .05 level.
Understanding the Influence of Parkinson Disease on Adolf Hitler's Decision-Making during World War II

Parkinson disease (PD) is a common neurodegenerative disorder characterized by the presence of Lewy bodies and a reduction in the number of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra of the basal ganglia. Common symptoms of PD include a reduction in control of voluntary movements, rigidity, and tremors. Such symptoms are marked by a severe deterioration in motor function. The causes of PD in many cases are unknown. PD has been found to be prominent in several notable people, including Adolf Hitler, the Chancellor of Germany and Fuhrer of Nazi Germany during World War II. It is believed that Adolf Hitler suffered from idiopathic PD throughout his life. However, the effect of PD on Adolf Hitler's decision making during World War II is largely unknown. Here we examine the potential role of PD in shaping Hitler's personality and influencing his decision-making. We purport that Germany's defeat in World War II was influenced by Hitler's questionable and risky decision-making and his inhumane and callous personality, both of which were likely affected by his condition. Likewise his paranoid disorder marked by intense anti-Semitic beliefs influenced his treatment of Jews and other non-Germanic peoples. We also suggest that the condition played an important role in his eventual political decline.
Efficacy and safety of a short course of very-high-dose cholecalciferol in hemodialysis

Background: Vitamin D deficiency is highly prevalent among hemodialysis patients, but little data exist in support of an optimal repletion regimen. Objective: The objective was to ascertain the efficacy of weekly very-high-dose cholecalciferol (vitamin D3) in correcting vitamin D insufficiency and deficiency in patients with stage 5D chronic kidney disease. Design: We conducted a prospective, double-blind, randomized controlled pilot study that compared placebo with very high doses of oral cholecalciferol for 3 wk (200,000 IU/wk) in hemodialysis patients. We examined the rate of correction of vitamin D insufficiency or deficiency and the effect of treatment on markers of mineral metabolism and routine laboratory variables. Results: Twenty-seven subjects received placebo, and 25 received cholecalciferol. The majority (94%) of subjects had serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] concentrations <30 ng/mL. Study groups were similar with respect to baseline clinical characteristics, with the exception of hemoglobin concentrations, which were lower in the cholecalciferol-treated group (P < 0.04). At follow-up, 90.5% of subjects treated with cholecalciferol achieved serum 25(OH)D concentrations ≥30 ng/mL in contrast to 13.6% of the placebo group. There were no significant changes in serum calcium, phosphate, or intact parathyroid hormone during the study. Conclusion: Short-term, high-dose oral cholecalciferol treatment of vitamin D deficiency in hemodialysis patients appears to be effective and with no evidence of toxic effects. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as {"type":"clinical-trial","attrs":{"text":"NCT00912782","term_id":"NCT00912782"}}NCT00912782.
Simple algorithms and architectures for B-spline interpolation

It is proved that the Toeplitz binary value matrix inversion associated with mth-order B-spline interpolation can be implemented using only 2(m+1) additions. Pipelined architectures are developed for real-time B-spline interpolation based on simple running average filters. It is shown that an ideal interpolating function, which is approximated by a truncated sinc function with M half cycles, can be implemented using B-splines with M+2 multiplies. With insignificant loss of performance, the coefficients at the knots of the truncated sinc function can be approximated using coefficients which are powers of two. The resulting implementation requires only M+4m+6 additions. It is believed that the truncated sinc function approximated by zero-order B-spline functions actually achieves the best visual performance. >
Don't censor life-saving science

Controlling who is allowed access to information about mutations in the H5N1 bird flu virus is unacceptable, says Peter Palese.
Origin of the Surface Features of the Moon

The current theories of the Moon are variants of Galileo’s hypothesis, according to which the smooth dark areas were oceans; since 1610 only the fluid of the oceans has been changed, from water to (subsequently solidified) lava. Recent high-resolution photographs, however, are incompatible with the Galilean hypothesis and its modem versions: the smooth dark surfaces, including the floors of the large dark craters, seem to be denuded areas on the once-molten lunar body, from which the ‘lunar soil’ has been blown away by explosions of comets. The lunar soil seems to be the impact-crushed ancient crust of the Moon, mixed with the debris of meteorites and comets; it is the material of the rugged highlands. The exposed areas of the lunar body are partly glazed with thin coats of lava, and covered with dust darkened at the surface. The multitudes of small craters, according to G. K. Gilbert (1893), are meteorite in­dentations; the large craters, however, have been created by the explosion of comets, as suggested by Kopal (1959). If the impact is weak, the explosion sweeps the soil, or, in bare marial areas, the comet-debris, to a circular or crescent-shaped wall; a more violent impact also indents the brittle lunar body in a manner than can be reproduced in many details by a steel-ball indentation of a block of glass. A simple calculation combining the Hertz theory of elastic contact with the Griffith biaxial theory of fracture explains the flatness of the crater floor, and the terraced wall; the polygonal shape of the indentation craters and the tangential rays around them are inertia effects due to the near-sonic velocity of crack propagation. Indentation leaves behind residual stresses which are partially relieved in moonquakes. The delay of the stress release may be analogous to the delayed fracture of glass caused by the reduction of the surface energy by adsorption or chemisorption. The surface-active agents are probably water and other volatiles injected by the comets into the indentation cracks; streams of such volatiles seem to have excavated the sinuous rilles. The usual calculations of high-velocity impact cannot be applied to the Moon because they are based on an approximation for calculations of armour-plate penetration: under hypervelocity impact, steel can be regarded as a heavy non-viscous liquid because its yield stress is roughly pressure-independent and relatively negligible. The debris of a brittle body, however, obeys Coulomb’s law of soil mechanics: its shear strength is approximately proportional to the pressure, instead of being independent of it.
A Method for Remote Sensing the Emissivity, Fractional Cloud Cover and Cloud Top Temperature of High-Level, Thin Clouds

Abstract A methodology for retrieving the emissivity, cloud cover and cloud top temperature of high-level, thin clouds is developed and described. In the thermal infrared windows, the outgoing radiances from the earth's atmosphere contain information about cloud emissivity and cloud top temperature. This information is clearly demonstrated in the brightness temperature difference curves of two window channels. For the purpose of illustration, two window channels centered at 810 and 930 cm−1 are chosen to construct the brightness temperature difference curves for a range of cloud top temperatures. These curves vary for different cloud top temperatures, and along each of these curves the emissivity changes. The brightness temperature difference method is used in a simulation study to demonstrate the feasibility of retrieving the cloud top temperature and emissivity by the utilization of measurements in two window channels. As expected, a perfect retrieval is found imperfect measurements and ideal atmospheri...
Oilseed Composition and Modification for Health and Nutrition

Abstract The sources and production figures for the major oilseeds and commodity oils are discussed, along with technologies available to modify them for reductions in saturated and trans fatty acids. Palm, palm kernel, and soybean oils account for over 60% of the world's production and usage. Much of the soybean oil was processed by partial hydrogenation, which produces considerable amounts of trans acids, considered unhealthy because of their cholesterol-elevating properties and because they are a possible cause of coronary heart disease. Removal from the food supply is a worldwide phenomenon, and many countries have enacted legislation to limit or ban trans fats. Palm/palm kernel oils are high in saturated acids and are considered undesirable as well because of their cholesterol-elevating properties. Nonetheless, interesterification (chemical/enzymatic), fractionation, hydrogenation, and trait-modified oils (soybean, canola, sunflower) have been employed to lower both saturated and trans acids in frying, shortening, and spread oils.
Antiepileptics for seizure prophylaxis after traumatic brain injury

We read with great interest the recent review by Torbic et al.[1][1] on antiepileptic drugs (AEDs) for seizure prophylaxis after traumatic brain injury (TBI). The majority of the article focused on the published literature evaluating various AEDs for the prevention of early posttraumatic seizure (
In silico Cloning and Sequence Analysis of Stem Cell Organizer WUS Gene in Raphanus sativus

Objective:Obtain the sequence coding WUS gene,stem cell organizer gene,in Raphanus sativus.Method:With WUS gene in Arabidopsis thaliana,the cDNA of WUS gene in Raphanus sativus was in silico cloned.Some characters of the WUS,such as the composition of amino acid sequences,physical and chemical properties,secondary and the evolutionary relationship were studied.Result:The length of cloned WUS cDNA was 1 298 bp and it contained a complete ORF(936 bp),encoded 312 amino acids.The calculated molecular weight of it was 35 465.7 Da,theoretical pI of 6.99.It has homology of 74.0% with the Arabidopsis wus.On the evolutionary relationship,Raphanus sativus wus was close to Brassica napus and Arabidopsis.And phylogenetic relationship was far to Leguminosae plants.Conclusion:The WUS gene coding sequence of Raphanus sativus was cloned preliminary,and laid the foundation for further study its function.
Computational and Experimental Studies of Lipid-Protein Interactions in Biomemrane Function

Integral membrane proteins constitute more than 30% of the human genome. Substantial lipid-protein interactions contribute to the structure and function of membrane proteins such as GPCRs and viral membrane ion channels. We address how physical properties of the membrane as well as positive charge on the lipid head group modulate protein activation. The flexible surface model (FSM) describes physical properties of the lipid environment that effect membrane protein activation [3]. According to the FSM, elastic coupling of the membrane lipids to integral membrane proteins define lipid-protein interactions through a balance of curvature and hydrophobic forces. Using UV-visible spectroscopy, FTIR spectroscopy [2], and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, we discovered that lipid bilayer properties like head group and chain length modulate membrane protein functioning by influencing the conformational states. Using rhodopsin, a canonical G-protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) as a prototype, we show the effect of positively charged membrane lipid head group on rhodopsin activation using UV-visible spectroscopy and MD simulations. We discovered rhodopsin reconstituted in membrane lipids with a positively charged head group like DOTAP shifts the equilibrium to active Meta-II state. We propose a mechanism where membrane lipids with positively charged head group interact with Glu134 present on lipid-protein interface breaking the salt bridge with Arg135 in the conserved ERY motif. The interaction between Glu134 and the positively charged head group stabilizes the active Meta-II state. Our study gives insight on the role of membrane lipid-protein interactions in rhodopsin activation mechanism which can ultimately be extended to influenza virus membrane ion channels and other integral proteins. [1] A.V. Struts et al. (2015) Meth. Mol. Biol. 1271, 133-158. [2] E. Zaitseva et al. (2010) JACS 132, 4815-4821. [3] M.F. Brown (2012) Biochemistry 51, 9782-9795.
Application of Droplet Digital PCR to Validate Rift Valley Fever Vaccines

Droplet Digital™ polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR™) is a promising technique that quantitates the absolute concentration of nucleic acids in a given sample. This technique utilizes water-in-oil emulsion technology, a system developed by Bio-Rad Laboratories that partitions a single sample into thousands of nanoliter-sized droplets and counts nucleic acid molecules encapsulated in each individual particle as one PCR reaction. This chapter discusses the applications and methodologies of ddPCR for development of Rift Valley fever (RVF) vaccine, using an example that measures RNA copy numbers of a live-attenuated MP-12 vaccine from virus stocks, infected cells, or animal blood. We also discuss how ddPCR detects a reversion mutant of MP-12 from virus stocks accurately. The use of ddPCR improves the quality control of live-attenuated vaccines in the seed lot systems.
E-103 angiographic classification of non-traumatic spinal epidural arteriovenous fistulas (seavf)

Purpose To propose a SEAVF classification scheme based on their angiographic angioarchitecture and hemodynamic characteristics. Materials and methods The proposed classification is based on the review of 53 consecutive SEAVFs angiographically diagnosed between 1998 and 2014. Each SEAVF type is documented by several angiographic observations. Results Non-traumatic SEAVFs can be divided into two main categories: Type 1 SEAVFs are congenital high-flow arteriovenous shunts typically seen in pediatric patients without concomitant venous thrombosis; they often present with cord compression from dilated epidural venous pouches in children of all ages or high-output cardiac failure in infants. Type 2 SEAVFs are acquired slow-flow arteriovenous shunts associated with extensive venous thrombotic changes. Type 2 SEAVFs are further subdivided according to their connection with the perimedullary venous system (PVS) and their drainage pattern. Type 2a SEAVFs (Figure 1A) are generally benign lesions not connected to the PVS. While Type 2b SEAVFs (Figure 1B) are connected to the PVS, a competent anti-reflux mechanism prevents retrograde drainage; increased perimedullary venous pressure starts developing in order to maintain a drainage gradient towards the epidural venous plexus. Failure of the anti-reflux mechanism in Type 2c (Figure 1C) results in the development of retrograde perimedullary drainage. Type 2d (Figure 1D) is characterized by an isolated venous pouch with a radiculomedullary vein as the sole or highly dominant drainage pathway, leading to severe perimedullary venous hypertension. This type of SEAVFs is morphologically close to and often mistaken for a spinal dural arteriovenous fistula. Conclusion We propose an angiographically-based classification system for non-traumatic SEAVFs that takes into account the morphology of the arteriovenous shunts and their drainage pathways. This classification scheme has in our experience demonstrated its clinical value, showing excellent correlations with the clinical presentation and pathogeny of the SEAVFs. Disclosures D. Sorte: None. L. Gregg: None. E. Wyse: None. P. Gailloud: None.
Performance in an ASL Boundary Perception Task Using Naturalistic Stimuli

This study compares the performance of two groups on an American Sign Language (ASL) perception task. Twenty-two L1 signers of ASL and twelve sign-naive English speakers watched a filmed lecture in ASL and pressed a response pad to identify "natural breaks" in the signing. Responses from each subject group were analyzed into agreement clusters--time slices of up to 2 seconds in which a substantial percentage of participants identified a boundary. Comparison of the response patterns of signers and non-signers revealed a one-way implication between signer agreement clusters and non-signer agreement clusters. That is, where signers agreed about the location of a boundary, non-signers did as well, but it was not the case that non-signer agreement about a boundary was a predictor that signers would identify the same boundary.
Identification of the high risk mother and fetus--does it work?

Most studies demonstrate a correlation between antepartum assessment of risk and fetal outcome. However, despite the capabilities of identifying the high risk obstetric patient, only a small number are being transported to tertiary centers.
Gehirnrhythmen und Schlaf

Thema von Kapitel 19 sind Systeme, die die Rhythmen des Gehirns erzeugen: sowohl die schnellen elektrischen Rhythmen wahrend der Schlaf- und Wachphasen als auch die langsamen circadianen Rhythmen, denen die Kontrolle von Hormonen, Korpertemperatur, der Wachheit und des Stoffwechsels unterliegt. Das Vorderhirn, insbesondere die Groshirnrinde, produziert eine Reihe rascher elektrischer Rhythmen, die leicht messbar sind und eng mit interessanten Verhaltensweisen, einschlieslich Schlaf, korrelieren. Zuerst wird das Elektroenzephalogramm (EEG) diskutiert, weil es die klassische Methode ist, um Hirnrhythmen aufzuzeichnen, und weil es fur die Diskussion von Schlaf grundlegend ist. Schlaf wird ausfuhrlich behandelt, weil er so komplex und allgegenwartig ist – und weil er uns so sehr am Herzen liegt. Schlieslich wird das Wissen uber die inneren Zeitgeber zusammengefasst, die Vigilanz, Hormonausschuttung, Korpertemperatur und Stoffwechsel steuern.
Phenotypic Alterations in Mammalian Cell Lines After Mycoplasma Infection

Contamination of cell cultures by mycoplasma can result in subtle or profound changes in cellular metabolism and function, and thereby produce serious experimental artifacts in studies of cellular biochemistry and physiology if the contamination remains undetected. Since many species of mycoplasmas do not cause overt cytopathic effects on the animal cells, and sometimes escape detection by the usual agar plate cultivation technique described by Hayflick (1), it is often difficult to state positively that a given cell culture is absolutely free of contaminating mycoplasmas. Particularly noteworthy in this regard are the “noncultivable” strains of Mycoplasma hyorhinis which cannot be cultured in the absence of animal cells they parasitize. These host-dependent, cryptic strains of mycoplasma have recently emerged as frequent contaminants in cell cultures.{See, for example, the contributions by Barile, DelGuidice and McGarrity in this volume.}
Building the future of WaferSat spacecraft for relativistic spacecraft

Recently, there has been a dramatic change in the way space missions are viewed. Large spacecraft with massive propellant-filled launch stages have dominated the space industry since the 1960’s, but low-mass CubeSats and low-cost rockets have enabled a new approach to space exploration. In recent work, we have built upon the idea of extremely low mass (sub 1 kg), propellant-less spacecraft that are accelerated by photon propulsion from dedicated directed-energy facilities. Advanced photonics on a chip with hybridized electronics can be used to implement a laser-based communication system on board a sub 1U spacecraft that we call a WaferSat. WaferSat spacecraft are equipped with reflective sails suitable for propulsion by directed-energy beams. This low-mass spacecraft design does not require onboard propellant, creating significant new opportunities for deep space exploration at a very low cost. In this paper, we describe the design of a prototype WaferSat spacecraft, constructed on a printed circuit board. The prototype is envisioned as a step toward a design that could be launched on an early mission into Low Earth Orbit (LEO), as a key milestone in the roadmap to interstellar flight. In addition to laser communication, the WaferSat prototype includes subsystems for power source, attitude control, digital image acquisition, and inter-system communications.
Rare Habit of Dolomite Crystals in Pennsylvania

(1965). Rare Habit of Dolomite Crystals in Pennsylvania. Rocks & Minerals: Vol. 40, No. 11, pp. 808-808.
Platform power control as a method to optimize power delivery requirements

A scheme of firmware-based platform power management is presented as means of guaranteeing operation within AC adaptor constraints. This paper provides the design, prototype, and validation of a new approach to maximize the power/performance of a platform within a given maximum platform power delivery limit. This scheme allows the platform designer to trade-off power delivery requirements with other vectors such as cost, weight and performance. In this example, the cost and size of the platform power delivery sub-system is optimized rather than designing to the worst case platform power. For portable platforms this could greatly reduce the size and weight of the AC/DC adaptor without compromising system performance. Additionally, suggestions on how to extend this power management method to additional board components are outlined.
Computing occlusion-free viewpoints

This paper presents methods to compute the locus of all viewpoints from which features on known polyhedral objects can be viewed in their entirety without being occluded by anything in the environment. Convex and concave polyhedra with or without holes and the viewing model of perspective projection are employed in this work. Initially, properties of the occlusion-free and occluded loci of viewpoints are determined. Based on these properties, two methods to construct these loci together with their complexity analysis are presented. In the first method, a boundary representation of the occlusion-free locus is obtained. In the second method, the locus of occluded viewpoints is expressed in terms of a constructive solid geometry representation that consists of a union of component solids. Implementation results and comparison of the two methods are given.
The microfluidic nebulator: production of sub-micrometer sized airborne drops

Many powders employed in the food and pharmaceutical industries are produced through spray drying because it is a cost efficient process that offers control over the particle size. However, most commercially available spray-driers cannot produce drops with diameters below 1 μm, limiting the size of spray-dried particles to values above 300 nm. We recently developed a microfluidic spray-drier that can form much smaller drops than commercially available spray-driers. This is achieved through a two-step process: first, the microfluidic spray-drier operates in the dripping regime to form 100 μm diameter primary drops in air and, second, subjects them to high shear stresses due to supersonic flow of air to break them into many much smaller secondary drops. In this paper, we describe the two essential steps required to form sub-μm diameter airborne drops inside microfluidic channels. We investigate the influence of the device geometry on the ability to operate the microfluidic spray-drier in the dripping regime. Moreover, we describe how these primary drops are nebulized into many secondary drops that are much smaller than the smallest dimension of the spray-drier channels.
NASA RPS Program Overview: A Focus on RPS Users

The goal of NASA's Radioisotope Power Systems (RPS) Program is to make RPS ready and available to support the exploration of the solar system in environments where the use of conventional solar or chemical power generation is impractical or impossible to meet the needs of the missions. To meet this goal, the RPS Program, working closely with the Department of Energy, performs mission and system studies (such as the recently released Nuclear Power Assessment Study), assesses the readiness of promising technologies to infuse in future generators, assesses the sustainment of key RPS capabilities and knowledge, forecasts and tracks the Programs budgetary needs, and disseminates current information about RPS to the community of potential users. This process has been refined and used to determine the current content of the RPS Programs portfolio. This portfolio currently includes an effort to mature advanced thermoelectric technology for possible integration into an enhanced Multi-Mission Radioisotope Generator (eMMRTG), sustainment and production of the currently deployed MMRTG, and technology investments that could lead to a future Stirling Radioisotope Generator (SRG). This paper describes the program planning processes that have been used, the currently available MMRTG, and one of the potential future systems, the eMMRTG.
Nitrosamines and Human Cancer: Some Implications of Basic Research

The nitrosamines belong to the class of N-nitroso compounds which also includes nitrosoalkylureas and nitroso-N-alkylcarbamates, conveniently described as nitrosamides, and nitrosamidines. The chemical structures of some examples of these compounds are shown in Figure 1. N-nitroso compounds undergo photochemical decomposition when exposed to ultraviolet light but the nitrosamines are chemically stable under physiological conditions in the absence of light. The nitrosamides and nitrosamidines, on the other hand, decompose rapidly at alkaline pH and, in some cases, in the presence of sulfhydryl compounds, to yield alkylating products. Decomposition may also occur more slowly at neutrality. These differences in chemical stability have profound effects on the biological activities of the compounds. More than 300 N-nitroso compounds are known to be carcinogenic and their chemical properties and biological activities, which include cytotoxicity, carcinogenicity, mutagenicity, teratogenicity and use in the chemotherapy of human cancer, have been extensively reviewed (1–7). Most studies of the acute toxicity of the nitrosamines have been carried out with the shorter chain dialkyl and simpler cyclic compounds such as dimethyl-and diethylnitrosamine and N-nitrosomorpholine which are selectively hepatotoxic while the nitrosamides and nitrosamidines cause tissue and cellular injury at the site of application and, in varying degree, to organs with rapid cell turnover such as the bone marrow, lymphoid tissue and intestine. As will be discussed later, these differences in tissue and organ specificity may reflect the requirement of the nitrosamines for metabolic activation and the absence of this requirement by the nitrosamides. More than 300 N-nitroso compounds have been found to be carcinogenic (4) and, so far all species adequately tested have proven to be susceptible to the carcinogenic action of one or more nitrosamines (8,9), N-nitrosodiethylamine having been the compound used most often. The susceptible species have included monkeys, dogs, cats, pigs, and the usual laboratory rodents, fish, amphibia, and most recently, snakes (9). The compounds are equally effective as mutagens in all of the usual test systems, with the nitrosamines requiring an enzyme system, usually the so-called liver S-9 mix of the Ames test, whereas the nitrosamides and nitrosamidines are direct acting mutagens (5–7). Several of the smaller molecular weight compounds are alkylating agents, the nitrosamines requiring metabolic activation and the nitrosamides acting directly to alkylate DNA and other cellular constituents.
Melting Proteins: Evidence for Multiple Stable Structures upon Thermal Denaturation of Native Ubiquitin from Ion Mobility Spectrometry-Mass Spectrometry Measurements.

Ion mobility and mass spectrometry techniques are coupled with a temperature-controlled electrospray ionization source to follow the structural transitions of ubiquitin in aqueous solution (pH = 3) at elevated solution temperatures (T = 26–96 °C). Changes in the charge state distribution are consistent with a two-state, cooperative unfolding transition having a melting temperature of Tm = 71 ± 2 °C, in agreement with prior measurements [Wintrode, P. L.; Makhatadze, G. I.; Privalov, P. L. Proteins, 1994, 18, 246−253]. However, analysis of ion mobility distributions reveals the two-state transition is a composite of transitions involving at least nine unique species: three native or native-like structures; two that appear to be equilibrium intermediates (i.e., populations of new conformers that form at elevated temperatures but subsequently disappear at higher temperatures); and four products observed at high temperatures, including the well-characterized ubiquitin A state, and two solution species that are...
Teamwork Skill Assessment: Development of a Measure for Academia and Work Settings

Abundant efforts have been devoted to developing teamwork skills in training and academia. In spite of these efforts, popular measures used to tracking the learning outcomes of education (e.g., rub...
Gastroesophageal Reflux Disease in the Elderly

Gastroesophageal reflux disease is a common condition in the elderly, and will become more prevalent as the population ages. Elderly patients often do not present with the classic symptoms of heartburn and acid regurgitation, which can delay diagnosis and contribute to the development of complications. Atypical symptoms such as chest pain, pulmonary, and laryngeal symptoms are more common in this group, and reflux should be considered early in the work-up if these symptoms are present. Due to an increase in complications of reflux disease in this population, most elderly patients being evaluated for reflux symptoms should have an upper endoscopy early in the diagnostic process. There are some important age related changes in the esophagus, including decreased secondary peristalsis, decreased salivary secretion, and an increased visceral pain threshold. However, many age-related changes to motility are not thought to be clinically relevant. More aggressive treatment of reflux disease may be required in the elderly population, as they are more likely to present with complicated disease, despite less severe symptoms. Age alone does not significantly impact the usage of PPI’s, and these medications have excellent results in the elderly for symptom relief, healing of esophagitis, and for maintenance therapy. With the advent of laparoscopic surgery, and an increasing life expectancy, this treatment may become more common in the elderly population, as it is associated with excellent results as well as low morbidity and mortality.
Oral Hygiene Therapy Assists in Behavioural Intervention for Smoking Cessation: A Pilot Approach for Oral Health Care Providers

Introduction: Behavioural dependency, such as oral and hand fixation, can hinder cessation efforts when nicotine replacement therapy is used as a stand-alone intervention. We here present a case report of one of several patients who has successfully achieved smoking cessation utilizing oral hygiene therapy (OHT).Case description: The patient is a 52-year-old male with a 25-year smoking habit of two packs daily. Previous attempts at smoking cessation were unsuccessful with various nicotine replacement therapies (NRTs). After introducing interdental cleaning device and modifying tooth-brushing techniques during oral hygiene therapy, the patient reported frequent use of toothpaste and using the device to satisfy his oral-hand fixation to successfully quit smoking.Conclusion: Oral hygiene therapy may enhance smoking cessation in select patients who are more behavioural dependent than nicotine dependent. Future studies are needed to develop evidence-based individualized intervention to include OHT as part of the interdisciplinary approach for smoking cessation.
Mechanisms Involved in Sonocrystallization

The focus of this Brief is to discuss the use of power ultrasound to induce the crystallization of lipids (sonocrystallization of fats). When high power acoustic waves travel through a media, changes in localized pressures generated by acoustic waves induce the formation of cavities. Cavities, and the phenomena associated with their formation, are responsible for the destructive effect of high power acoustic waves. The phenomenon of creating cavities with acoustic waves is called acoustic cavitation.
Knowledge and Beliefs About Oncofertility and Associations with Quality of Life Among Adolescent and Young Adult Survivors of Pediatric Cancer.

Purpose: Adolescent and young adult (AYA) cancer survivors experience fertility and childrearing challenges in adulthood, but there is limited evidence on awareness, beliefs, and concerns about oncofertility in this population, needs for supportive resources, and associations with quality of life (QoL). Methods: Participants were 69 AYAs aged 12–25 who were diagnosed with cancer at age 18 years or younger and ≥1 year cancer free, recruited from childhood cancer clinical records and support organizations. Participants completed self-report assessment of oncofertility knowledge and beliefs, information needs, and measures of QoL. Analyses examined associations between oncofertility-related variables and QoL. Results: Knowledge and beliefs about oncofertility options were considerably low in the sample, and participants reported unmet oncofertility resource needs. In multivariable analyses, QoL was associated with beliefs valuing the importance of fertility in childhood cancer (β = 0.87, p = 0.01) and lower ...
From “Incentive Furie” to “Incentives to Efficiency,” or the Movement of “Incentive” in Neoclassical Thought

Incentives, economists remind us, are foundational to any economy: They include strategies to induce consumers to purchase products, motivate employees to work harder, or invite businesses to new l...
Patient Safety Indicators: using administrative data to identify potential patient safety concerns.

OBJECTIVE: To develop Patient Safety Indicators (PSI) to identify potential in-hospital patient safety problems for the purpose of quality improvement. DATA SOURCE/STUDY DESIGN: The data source was 2,400,000 discharge records in the 1997 New York State Inpatient Database. PSI algorithms were developed using systematic literature reviews of indicators and hand searches of the ICD-9-CM code book. The prevalence of PSI events and associations between PSI events and patient-level and hospital-level characteristics, length of stay, in-hospital mortality, and hospital charges were examined. PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: PSIs were developed for 12 distinct clinical situations and an overall summary measure. The 1997 event rates per 10,000 discharges varied from 1.1 for foreign bodies left during procedure to 84.7 for birth traumas. Discharge records with PSI events had twofold to threefold longer hospital stays, twofold to 20-fold higher rates of in-hospital mortality, and twofold to eightfold higher total charges than records without PSI events. Multivariate logistic regression revealed that PSI events were primarily associated with increasing age (p < .001), hospitals performing more inpatient surgery (p < .001), and hospitals with higher percentage of beds in intensive care units (p < .001). CONCLUSIONS: The PSIs provide an efficient and user-friendly tool to identify potential inhospital patient safety problems for targeted institution-level quality improvement efforts. Until better error-reporting systems are developed the PSIs can serve to shed light on the problem of medical errors not limited solely to mortality because of errors.
Determination of Volatile Bases in Seafood Using the Ammonia Ion Selective Electrode: Collaborative Study

Nine collaborating laboratories tested a combination of 23 seafood samples for volatile bases using an ammonia ion selective electrode. Results were reported as mg NH 3 /100 g fish, but the method reflected levels of both ammonia and trimethylamine, which permeated the ammonia membrane. The 23 samples were broken down into 8 blind duplicate pairs, 2 Youden matched pairs, and 3 single samples covering fresh to spoiled product ranging from 8 to 82 mg NH 3 /100 g. Seven species were evaluated: Atlantic cod, squid, Atlantic halibut, gray sole, monkfish, dogfish, and Atlantic mackerel. The ammonia electrode assay was performed on an aqueous homogenate consisting of 95 mL distilled water and 5.0 g sample tissue. Alkaline ion strength adjusting solution (2 mL) was added to the homogenate to liberate ammonia that was sensed by the ion specific electrode and measured on a precalibrated portable meter. Repeatability standard deviations (RSD r ) ranged from 4.2 to 17%; reproducibility standard deviations (RSD R ) ranged from 8.8 to 21 %. A standard ammonium chloride solution was provided to all laboratories to spike 3 different samples at 10 mg NH 3 /100 g. Recoveries of added ammonia as ammonium chloride for fresh, borderline, and spoiled samples were 88.6, 107, and 128%, respectively.
Sensor-Based Reactive Execution of Symbolic Rearrangement Plans by a Legged Mobile Manipulator

We demonstrate the physical rearrangement of wheeled stools in a moderately cluttered indoor environment by a quadrupedal robot that autonomously achieves a user's desired configuration. The robot's behaviors are planned and executed by a three layer hierarchical architecture consisting of: an offline symbolic task and motion planner; a reactive layer that tracks the reference output of the deliberative layer and avoids unanticipated obstacles sensed online; and a gait layer that realizes the abstract unicycle commands from the reactive module through appropriately coordinated joint level torque feedback loops. This work also extends prior formal results about the reactive layer to a broad class of nonconvex obstacles. Our design is verified both by formal proofs as well as empirical demonstration of various assembly tasks.
Code validation of a scaled-down DRACS model in RELAP5/SCDAPSIM/MOD 4.0

Abstract Direct Reactor Auxiliary Cooling System (DRACS) is a passive safety system proposed for Fluoride-salt-cooled High-temperature Reactors (FHRs). Benchmark study of decay heat removal capability of DRACS by natural circulation is critical for FHR safety analysis. Two scaled-down test facilities, a low-temperature DRACS test facility (LTDF) and a high-temperature DRACS test facility (HTDF), were designed following a scaling analysis and constructed to investigate thermal performance and heat removal capability of the DRACS. The LTDF uses water as a surrogate coolant for both the primary and DRACS loops. Two transient scenarios were carried out in the LTDF, namely, DRACS startup and primary coolant pump trip. In both of the scenarios, the experimental results demonstrate sufficient heat removal capabilities of the DRACS with natural circulations established in the system. These two scenarios were simulated using RELAP5/SCDASIM/MOD4.0 code and the code simulation results show good agreement with the LTDF experimental data. For the HTDF, molten salts FLiNaK and KF-ZrF4 are used respectively as the primary coolant and DRACS coolant. Thermodynamic and transport properties of FLiNaK and KF-ZrF4 were implemented into RELAP5/SCDAPSIM/MOD 4.0. Simulations of transient scenarios in the HTDF were also performed and the code results will be compared with the HTDF experimental data once available.
Translating ecological migration policy: a conjunctural analysis of Tibetan pastoralist resettlement in China

This paper analyzes the transmission of China’s Ecological Migration Policy from the central government down to Tibetan villages and townships for implementation. It examines the specific ways thro...
A symbiotic approach to the design of offshore wind turbines with other energy harvesting systems

Abstract The capital cost of a 5 MW floating wind turbine (FWT) runs as high as $20.7 million, leading to an energy cost of $0.20/kWh, four times that of natural gas ( Myhr et al., 2014 ). Although a single type of energy harvesting device may be too expensive to deploy, if it can operate symbiotically with others, the combined cost of energy might be acceptable. In this study, we show that attaching a wave energy converter (WEC) to the FWT may simultaneously produce an average of 240 kW wave power, reduce the WEC levelized cost of energy by 14% by eliminating redundant components, and reduce the FWT tower lifetime equivalent fatigue stress by 23% by reducing platform motion. Furthermore, the offshore wind turbine may also serve as a structure for the harvesting of valuable elements from seawater, such as uranium, lithium, and cobalt. The major cost drivers for the harvesting of uranium from seawater have been identified to be those associated with the mooring and deployment of the metal adsorbing polymers ( Schneider and Sachde, 2013 ; Byers and Schneider, 2016 ). In the case of uranium, a symbiotic system coupled with an offshore wind turbine was found to reduce the seawater uranium production cost by at least 11% and up to 30% ( Byers et al., 2016 , 2018 ; Haji, 2017 ).
Novel Use for Maloney Dilators in the Management of Gastrostomy Stenosis

Gastrostomy tube dislodgement is a common complication after gastrostomy tube placement. If the tube is not immediately replaced, the gastrostomy stomal tract may close in as little as 8 hours. Small case series have reported the salvage of partially closed or stenosed gastrostomy stomal tracts using different types of dilators, but the use of Maloney dilators for this indication has not been reported. Dilation of a stenosed tract can allow for immediate re-establishment of enteral access without the need for a repeat invasive procedure. We present 3 instances of gastrostomy stenosis successfully dilated with Maloney dilators using minimal topical anesthesia.
Bringing COBOL back into the college IT curriculum

As shocking as this may sound to some, there are many reasons beyond great need to bring COBOL back into the CIS curriculum. IBM estimates that there are more than 200 billion lines of COBOL code still in use across industries such as retail, insurance and banking [5]. How can this be? COBOL died years ago with the advent of C++, C#, .NET and others.....right? Wrong! Airey [1] found that COBOL still runs over 70% of the world's businesses and surprisingly there are over 200 times more transactions processed daily by COBOL business applications than there are Google and You Tube searches every day! Further, Airey [1] stated that the average individual interacts with a COBOL based business application at least seven times every day.
A Complicated Entity: Acute Celiac Artery Dissection with Resultant Pancreatitis, Duodenitis, and Cholecystitis

Arterial dissection is a well-recognized pathology often seen in Vascular Surgery offices and Emergency Departments alike; however, visceral arterial dissection is an extremely rare, small subset of this entity. With that, an isolated celiac artery dissection as presented within this report is an exceptionally unique pathology that has scarcely been reported, and due to this, management guidelines are undefined. Given the viscera supplied by the celiac artery, many intra-abdominal structures are at risk for ischemia when damage to the celiac artery occurs, potentially witnessed by this report. Due to the exclusivity of this pathology, we are compelled to report the case of a 71-year-old male who presented with complaints of abdominal pain and was found to have an acute celiac artery dissection, which likely resulted in severe ischemic duodenitis, as well as possibly acute pancreatitis, and questionable influence on cholecystitis.
Postoperative echocardiographic evaluation of modified Blalock-Taussig shunts

0bjective To summarize the experience of postoperative and mid-term echocardiographic evaluation of modified Blalock-Tasussig(BT)shunts. Methods During 2003-2006,thirty five consecutive patients received modified BT shunts and survived postoperative 6 months were enrolled in this study.Transthoracic echocardiography was utilized to evaluate the patency of shunts and the change of pulmonaryarteries(PA)and left ventricle(LV). Results Three patients received the emergence surgery for the intervention for the BT shunts. The follow-up was (21.2±11.3) months. During the follow up,the obstruction of shunts occurred in 7 cases. After the placement of shunts,the mean size of PA increased by 31.2%,meanwhile,the size of LV increased by 25.6%. Nineteen patients received the followed definitive repair or palliative operations. Compared with the patients still waiting for the growth of PA,the patients who receiving the second staged procedure achieved the more appropriate PA growth. Furthermore,for the above patients,there was no significant difference between the angiographic and echocardiographic evaluation for the PA size. Conclusions Echocardiography could accurately diagnose the patency of shunts and record the growth of PA and LV following BT shunts. Echocardiography is a highly reliable noninvasive approach for the perioperative evaluation and mid-term follow-up for the modified BT shunts. Key words: Echocardiography; Heart defects,congenital; Blalock-Taussig shunts
Funny “haha” or Funny because I’m Black? Assessing Viewers’ Reactions to Chappelle’s Show

For years, Dave Chappelle has maintained that the reason he walked away from his eponymous show, and a $50 million dollar contract, was his realization that people were laughing at him, not with hi...
Signature Verification and Mail Ballots: Guaranteeing Access While Preserving Integrity—A Case Study of California's Every Vote Counts Act

California processes more votes by mail than any other state. Though many states have increased the number of ways that voters can cast a ballot in recent years, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic ...
Precarious Manhood Predicts Support for Aggressive Policies and Politicians.

Precarious manhood (PM) theory posits that males are expected to actively maintain their reputations as “real men.” We propose that men’s concern about failing to meet masculine standards leads the...
Robots in Groups and Teams: A Literature Review

Autonomous robots are increasingly placed in contexts that require them to interact with groups of people rather than just a single individual. Interactions with groups of people introduce nuanced challenges for robots, since robots? actions influence both individual group members and complex group dynamics. We review the unique roles robots can play in groups, finding that small changes in their nonverbal behavior and personality impacts group behavior and, by extension, influences ongoing interpersonal interactions.