cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Combinatorial substrate epitaxy: a new approach to growth of complex metastable compounds

A high-throughput processing-characterization method, called combinatorial substrate epitaxy (CSE), was developed that enables the investigation of epitaxial stabilization of metastable compositions in complex structures. To demonstrate the approach, we fabricated RE2Ti2O7 (RE = Dy, Gd, Sm, La) in a polymorphic structure for which RE = Dy, Gd, and Sm are metastable and Dy2Ti2O7 has not been previously observed. Dense sintered pellets of Sr2Nb2O7, which adopts the 110-layered perovskite (LP) structure, were prepared as substrates, polished flat, and characterized locally using electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). Thin films of RE2Ti2O7 were deposited using pulsed laser deposition and were then characterized with EBSD. The EBSD patterns from all film–substrate pairs matched in a grain-by-grain fashion, which demonstrates that the films are in local epitaxial registry with the Sr2Nb2O7 grains over a wide spread of crystallographic orientations for the substrate surface. Furthermore, the EBSD patterns demonstrate that all RE2Ti2O7 films, whether stable or metastable in the bulk, adopt the 110-LP structure. Transmission electron microscopy was used to investigate more closely the metastable Sm2Ti2O7 films. The film–substrate interfaces are atomically smooth with relaxed epitaxial registry, indicating that the microcrystalline substrates can be treated as local single-crystal substrates and the metastable films are stable against back-transformation on strain relaxation. Electron diffraction patterns for Sm2Ti2O7 films are consistent with the monoclinic 110-LP unit cells. This work demonstrates that CSE allows for the growth of new materials that are thermodynamically and kinetically difficult to realize otherwise.
VH2. Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair: Right Colon Approach

Background: Open abdominal aortic aneurysm repair has become increasingly less common in the endovascular era. This approach to open aortic aneurysm repair illustrates the usefulness of mobilizing the right colon cranially to aid in exposing the aorta. This approach is particularly helpful in cases of prior left hemicolectomy or in cases that require suprarenal clamping. Technical Description: After a midline laparotomy incision is performed, the cecum and right colon are mobilized along an avascular plane to allow for reflection of the right colon cranially. The duodenum is mobilized to further expose the aorta. The cecum, right colon, and small bowel is packed towards the right upper quadrant to allow for optimal exposure of the aorta. Aortic aneurysm repair is performed in standard fashion. The cecum is returned to the right lower quadrant and the small bowel is returned to its native location and covered with omentum prior to abdominal wall closure.
Nanoporous Polymer-Ceramic Composite Electrolytes for Lithium Metal Batteries

This material is based on work supported as part of the Energy Materials Center at Cornell, an Energy Frontier Research Center funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Office of Basic Energy Sciences under Award Number DESC0001086. This work made use of the electrochemical characterization facilities of the KAUST-CU Center for Energy and Sustainability, which is supported by the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) through Award # KUS-C1-018-02. Electron microscopy facilities at the Cornell Center for Materials Research (CCMR), an NSF supported MRSEC through Grant DMR-1120296, were also used for the study.
Terrestrial Performance of Juvenile Frogs in Two Habitat Types after Chronic Larval Exposure to a Contaminant

Abstract Chemical contamination and physical alteration of the environment can separately or in combination cause changes in the abundance and diversity of amphibian species. However, these factors are typically considered in isolation using experiments focused on single life stages. We examined the terrestrial performance (i.e., growth, survival) of Southern Leopard Frog (Rana sphenocephala) juveniles that had been chronically exposed to one of three initial concentrations of the heavy metal cadmium (0, 5, or 18 µg Cd/L) as aquatic larvae. Juveniles were reared in terrestrial enclosures within deciduous forest and open field habitats through their first growth season (summer to autumn). The effect of cadmium (Cd) on terrestrial survival depended on habitat type; survival increased with Cd concentration in the field enclosures and decreased with Cd concentration in the forest enclosures. Terrestrial survival was 73% in the forest enclosures and 54% in the field enclosures, but the difference was not signi...
On frequency responses of period-1 motions to chaos in a periodically forced, time-delayed quadratic nonlinear system

In this paper, frequency responses of periodic motions to chaos in a periodically forced, damped, quadratic nonlinear oscillator are investigated through the finite Fourier series analysis of discrete solutions of periodic motions. The discrete solutions of periodic motions are obtained from mapping structures of discrete nodes, and the corresponding stability and bifurcation analysis of periodic motions are completed by the eigenvalue analysis of fixed points in discrete nonlinear dynamical systems. The frequency–amplitude characteristics for bifurcation trees of periodic motions to chaos are discussed, and the quantity levels of harmonic amplitudes for different harmonic orders are illustrated clearly. Numerical results of periodic motions are illustrated to show harmonic frequency responses effects on periodic motions.
Research and the Band Director: Marriage not Divorce:

The pair of articles in the Instrumental Division of this issue of Update seem to be perfect companion pieces. James Byo speaks of intellectually aggressive band directors who get past the artificial barriers between researchers and teachers and apply research results to their own situations. His article illustrates the process of transferring knowledge so that research can be more meaningful to practitioners. He discusses the responsibility of the practitioner as well as of the researcher to establish a mutually inclusive relationship.James Arnold, the author of the second article, has shown himself to fit Byo's characterization of an intellectually aggressive teacher. He is an experienced band director who has taught in isolated rural settings and who now teaches at Columbus High School in Columbus, Georgia. The article relates some of his experiences in applying research findings to his teaching. He read research from many disparate sources and apparently unrelated settings and made the transfers to hi...
Best evidence in critical care medicine: Treatment: Adrenal replacement therapy improves survival in patients with septic shock.

Question In patients with septic shock and relative adrenal insufficiency, does adrenal replacement therapy improve survival compared to placebo?
General Approach to Diagnosis of Fungal Infections of the Gastrointestinal Tract

The incidence of invasive fungal infections, including fungal infections of the gastrointestinal tract, has increased significantly over the past 20 years as the number of patients with organ transplants, AIDS and other immunodeficiency states, and on long-term chemotherapy has risen. Gastrointestinal fungal infections occur most commonly in immunocompromised patients, but virtually all fungi have been reported to cause infection in immunocompetent persons as well. Fungal infections of the gastrointestinal tract can be roughly divided into two categories: those caused by transmucosal invasion and those that disseminate following primary infection of another site (usually pulmonary). In addition, invasive fungal infections are associated with repetitive abdominal surgeries, widespread use of antimicrobial agents, intrusive vascular lines, diabetes, total parenteral nutrition, neonatal prematurity, and advancing age.
Detecting Devastating Diseases in Search Logs

Web search queries can offer a unique population-scale window onto streams of evidence that are useful for detecting the emergence of health conditions. We explore the promise of harnessing behavioral signals in search logs to provide advance warning about the presence of devastating diseases such as pancreatic cancer. Pancreatic cancer is often diagnosed too late to be treated effectively as the cancer has usually metastasized by the time of diagnosis. Symptoms of the early stages of the illness are often subtle and nonspecific. We identify searchers who issue credible, first-person diagnostic queries for pancreatic cancer and we learn models from prior search histories that predict which searchers will later input such queries. We show that we can infer the likelihood of seeing the rise of diagnostic queries months before they appear and characterize the tradeoff between predictivity and false positive rate. The findings highlight the potential of harnessing search logs for the early detection of pancreatic cancer and more generally for harnessing search systems to reduce health risks for individuals.
The Authoritarian Dynamic and the Politics of Fear: Putting the Pieces of the Puzzle Together

I have repeatedly asserted in the preceding discussions that the theory of the authoritarian dynamic resolves (actually, dissolves) some persistent empirical puzzles in the literature. These include, first, the troubling fact that authoritarianism does not consistently predict behavior across different situations. Sometimes the behavior of authoritarians is clearly distinguishable from that of libertarians, but other times it is not. Second, we have the fact that authoritarian behaviors in the aggregate appear to surge and subside with changing environmental conditions (although still rather inconsistently so). It turns out that these two empirical puzzles are actually one and the same. They simply represent two alternative perspectives, or “angles,” on the authoritarian dynamic, each generated by the fact that the relationship between authoritarianism and intolerance changes with varying conditions of normative threat. Since this notion of a dynamic relationship between authoritarian predisposition and expressions of intolerance is the central idea of this work, it seems appropriate and illuminating to get the investigations under way with some empirical demonstrations of the behavior of that dynamic, viewed under varying conditions and from different angles. THE AUTHORITARIAN DYNAMIC: AN INITIAL DEMONSTRATION Recall from the earlier critique of Altemeyer's Right-Wing Authoritarianism scale my argument that the RWA index actually measures not fundamental predisposition to authoritarianism, but rather expressed authoritarian attitudes (i.e., manifest expressions of intolerance of difference).
The Lost Tracks: A Journey of Discovery

In 1991, I referred to the Dinosaur Footprint Renaissance (Lockley, 1991), rather shamelessly appropriating the term from one Bob Bakker (1975) who spoke of the “Dinosaur Renaissance.” The first bo...
ULTRAFILTERS: AN INTERIM REPORT

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the concept of ultrafilters. The adjective interim serves to describe a phenomenon or a hiatus that falls between two events. Among the many recent striking advances in the theory of ultrafilters and their applications are those relating to the algebraic structure of the set ω of non-negative integers and, more generally, of discrete semi-groups. The principal agents of progress in this connection have been Hindman and van Douwen. The chapter discusses the method of Cohen, in which a specially devised partially ordered set of forcing conditions is used to build a model of ZFC with a particular set of desirable properties.
Personality and density distributions of behavior, emotions, and situations

Abstract Whole Trait Theory defines personality as a density distribution of one’s momentary behavior, complete with all of its parameters (e.g., mean, SD, skew, kurtosis). Two questions regarding these parameters remain largely unexamined: (1) are individual differences in these parameters stable? And (2) do scores on standard personality tests correspond to these parameters? The current study (N = 209) employed an experience sampling design (Nobs ≈ 8300) to examine the stability of density distribution parameters and the relationship between standard personality test scores and density distribution parameters of 10 behaviors/emotions and 8 situation characteristics. Results showed that, (a) individual differences in density distribution parameters are moderately stable and (b) at the bivariate level, personality was associated with numerous distribution parameters for a number of behaviors/emotions, and situations. However, when the appropriate statistical controls were taken into account, these associations diminished. While individual differences in density distribution parameters we moderately stable, standard personality measures rarely correspond to any other parameters of density distributions once the mean of the density distribution is known. Emotionality and eXtraversion appear as exceptions to this general pattern. These results imply that both theory and measurement in personality should be cognizant of within-person variability in behavior.
Child Trafficking and Child Welfare

ABSTRACTThe purpose of this article is to gain an increased understanding of the role of child welfare in relation to the child-trafficking population. Fifteen service providers, from multidisciplinary backgrounds, working in the community with victims of child trafficking were interviewed through individual, semi-structured interviews. Exploratory in nature, this study employed a phenomenological methodology. The coding and analysis of data was conducted through Atlas.ti. The findings in this study suggest that there are barriers between service providers and the child welfare system that are experienced in a lack of identification of victims and in the areas of collaboration and funding of services. Recommendations for practice, policy, and research include transparency, education between system and community, shared input in case decision making, and future exploration of the experiences of caseworkers.
TAUBERIAN THEOREMS AND FUNCTIONAL EQUATIONS

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses tauberian theorems and functional equations. It describes the asymptotic behavior as t→∞ of the bounded solutions of each of the equations. Both It is emphasized that the existence and boundedness of any particular solution being studied by the methods is considered hypothetical. The splitting off of the questions of asymptotic behavior from those of existence and boundedness is not uncommon in the theory of ordinary differential equations. It is a most natural division where strong connections are established between classical tauberian problems and asymptotic questions for ordinary differential equations.
Finite temperature properties of NiTi from first principles simulations: Structure, mechanics, and thermodynamics

We present a procedure to determine temperature-dependent thermodynamic properties of crystalline materials from density functional theory molecular dynamics (DFT-MD). Finite temperature properties (structural, thermal, and mechanical properties) of the phases (ground state monoclinic B33, martensitic B19′, and austenitic B2) of the shape memory alloy NiTi are investigated. Fluctuation formulas and numerical derivatives are used to evaluate mechanical and thermal properties. A modified version of thermodynamic upsampling is used to predict properties in the high DFT convergence threshold limit from low threshold simulations. DFT convergence thresholds. In addition, a thermodynamic integration expression is developed to compute free energies from isobaric DFT-MD simulations that accounts for volume changes. Structural parameters, elastic constants, volume expansion, and specific heats as a function of temperature are evaluated. Phase transitions between B2 and B19′ and between B19′ and B33 are characterize...
Using quantum emulation for advanced computation

A novel concept for advanced computation is considered using an analog electronic emulation of a gate-based quantum computer. We discuss a general classes of problems for which such a device is well suited, examine the expected computational speedup versus bandwidth, and describe the measured performance of a small-scale hardware prototype.
Educational Text Messages Decreased Emergency Department Utilization Among Infant Caregivers: A Randomized Trial.

Abstract Objective To determine the feasibility and effectiveness of text messages as an educational tool to reduce the prevalence of nonurgent emergency department (ED) visits among a population with high levels of low health literacy. Methods This prospective, randomized experiment conducted in a large, urban, academic pediatric primary care practice enrolled 231 caregivers of infants into 2 groups: enhanced standard of care materials at well-child visits through 6 months (n = 99 completing), and enhanced standard of care and 4 text messages a week through 6 months (n = 108 completing). Use of the ED and visit urgency were compared between groups via chart review at 1 year of age. Results Of the 230 included in the analysis, 84.2% (n = 194 of 230) were racial or ethnic minorities, 69.7% (n = 142 of 204) reported yearly incomes of less than $20,000 per year, and 70.4% (n = 142 of 204) were identified as having likely or probable limited health literacy. Participants who received text messages had fewer visits to the ED in their first year (2.14 visits in the control group to 1.47 visits in the intervention group who received text messages; P Conclusions Sending educational text messages to caregivers is effective in reducing the number of visits to the ED. Given the accessibility and small expense of sending text messages, these findings have direct implications on the cost of health care, in addition to improving continuity and quality of care for pediatric patients.
Green microalgae biomolecule separations and recovery

Microalgae biomass has garnered significant attention as a renewable energy feedstock and alternative to petroleum-based fuels. The diverse metabolism of green microalgae species additionally provides opportunities for recovery of products for feed, food, nutraceutical, cosmetic, and biopharmaceutical industries. Recently, the concept of using microalgae as part of a biorefinery model has been adopted in place of refinery methods focused on recovering one target product. This has led to producers exploring co-production of high value and high volume products in an effort to improve process economics. With numerous potential products and applications, the biomass source or specific strain must be carefully selected to accumulate extractable levels of the target molecule(s). It is additionally imperative to understand the morphology and metabolism of the selected strain to cost-effectively manage all stages of commercial production. This review will focus specifically on microalgae in the division of Chlorophyta, or green algae and their extracellular matrices (ECM), potential for commercial products, and finally describe a holistic approach for biomolecule extraction and recovery. Additionally, cell disruption and fractionation methods for recovery of biomolecules for commercial products are highlighted along with an alternative method, aqueous enzymatic processing for multiple biomolecule extraction and recovery from green microalgae. An emphasis is placed on connecting the morphological characteristics of microalgae ECM or organelle membranes to implications on separation and purification technologies.
Concurrent Biliary Disease Increases the Risk for Conversion and Bile Duct Injury in Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy: A Retrospective Analysis at a County Teaching Hospital:

Biliary tract disease remains a common indication for operative intervention. The incidence of concurrent biliary tract disease (>2 biliary tract disease processes) is unknown and the impact of more than one biliary tract diagnosis on outcomes remains to be defined. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of concurrent biliary tract disease on conversion rate and outcomes after laparoscopic cholecystectomy. A 5-year retrospective analysis of all patients who underwent a laparoscopic cholecystectomy was performed comparing those with a single biliary diagnosis to patients with concurrent biliary tract disease. Variables analyzed were conversion to open cholecystectomy, incidence of bile duct injury, use of endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography and/or intraoperative cholangiogram, length of surgery, and duration of hospitalization. The incidence of concurrent biliary tract disease was 9 per cent and a conversion to open cholecystectomy was performed in 16 per cent of patients. After adjusting for confounding factors, concurrent biliary tract disease was predictive of conversion (odds ratio 1.6, 95% confidence interval 1.1-2.3, P = 0.03) and bile duct injury (odds ratio 2.5, 95% confidence interval 0.8-5, P = 0.01). Concurrent biliary tract disease patients were more likely to undergo intraoperative cholangiogram or endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography, as well as longer operation and length of stay.
Different Physical Intuitions Exist Between Tasks, Not Domains

Does human behavior exploit deep and accurate knowledge about how the world works, or does it rely on shallow and often inaccurate heuristics? This fundamental question is rooted in a classic dichotomy in psychology: human intuitions about even simple scenarios can be poor, yet their behaviors can exceed the capabilities of even the most advanced machines. One domain where such a dichotomy has classically been demonstrated is intuitive physics. Here we demonstrate that this dichotomy is rooted in how physical knowledge is measured: extrapolation of ballistic motion is idiosyncratic and erroneous when people draw the trajectories but consistent with accurate physical inferences under uncertainty when people use the same trajectories to catch a ball or release it to hit a target. Our results suggest that the contrast between rich and calibrated versus poor and inaccurate patterns of physical reasoning exists as a result of using different systems of knowledge across tasks, rather than being driven solely by a universal system of knowledge that is inconsistent across physical principles.
The Pathophysiologic Events of Total Joint Replacement Surgery

Patients undergoing orthopedic surgery are subject to many perioperative insults. Unique to this patient population however is the intravasation of bone, cement, and marrow during the surgical instrumentation process that occurs frequently and may contribute to the pathophysiology of complications seen in the perioperative period. The risk of perioperative complications may be dependent on the level of the operative insult on one hand and end-organ reserve on the other. Identifying interventions that can reduce perioperative insults and instituting programs to identify patients at risk may result in a decrease in the odds for perioperative complications. This chapter explores possible sources of injury and related processes and attempts to relate them to complications frequently seen in orthopedic patients.
Gender after artificial induction of ovulation and artificial insemination

Several studies on artificial insemination by donor (AID) semen have suggested that the gender of infants can be influenced by treatment of the women with clomiphene citrate (CC) and by the type of semen used (fresh versus cryopreserved). We conducted a 3-year prospective clinical trial to test these hypotheses. Two groups of pregnant women were evaluated. Group I (n = 130) comprised women whose ovulation was induced by CC; group II (n = 190) comprised those who conceived during spontaneous ovulatory cycles. In a total of 320 pregnancies, 55 spontaneous abortions occurred, 23.1% in group I and 13.2% in group II (P less than or equal to 0.05). Two tubal ectopic pregnancies occurred in group I. Of the 100 and 165 pregnancies carried to term in the treated and control groups, respectively, 11% and 1.8% involved twins (P less than or equal to 0.005). When only single births were considered, group I had 46.1% males in 89 term pregnancies, and group II had 60.5% males in 162 term pregnancies. Significantly more female offspring occurred in the group treated with CC (P less than or equal to 0.05). Because it is possible that a portion of the effects observed in this study were a function of cryopreservation of the AID semen, we compared data on frozen sperm with data on fresh sperm in terms of abortion, gender, and incidence of multiple births; there were no significant differences. Fertil Steril 40:481, 1983.
Electrically Tunable THz Polarization Conversion in Liquid Crystal Metamaterials

We report a dynamically tunable, LC incorporated MM device capable of achieving linear to elliptical polarization conversion of THz wave. By further optimizing the LC thickness and modifying the bias voltage, the device can be modified to completely convert the incident linear polarization to circularly polarized light.
Culturally Humble People Change, or Do They?:

Regardless of political/religious affiliation, people tend to hold prejudice towards those with whom they disagree. Cultural humility may be a factor that could mitigate the negative effects of dis...
Mental Blocks in Artistic Gymnastics and Cheerleading: Longitudinal Analysis of Flikikammo

Flikikammo is a troubling phenomenon in which athletes lose the ability to perform previously automatic backward moving gymnastics skills as a normal part of a routine. To better understand the eff...
Masson's tumor of the breast: Rare differential for new or recurrent breast cancer-Case report, pathology, and review of the literature

A 66-year-old woman had a new left breast mass with a prior history of a stage IIIC left breast cancer. She had excision of the mass. The pathology noted intravascular papillary endothelial hyperplasia (IPEH) also known as Masson's tumor. Although a benign lesion, this remains in the differential of breast lesions with vascular morphology. IPEH has been described at multiple sites throughout the body. It must be distinguished from angiosarcoma. Although Masson's tumor has been previously documented in the breast, prior treatment for breast cancer presents a diagnostic dilemma. Treatment for the breast cancer may be a contributing event for Masson's tumor.
Analysis of the global energy industry, climate change and financial matters: the need for effective corporate governance

Energy companies provide critical economic resources for advanced societies. Yet, critics complain about climate change and excess profits. Regarding climate change, a plethora of research offers ample evidence, from scientific and policy experts, that climate change is not a significant problem, whether human-caused or otherwise. Richard Lindzen, the Alfred P. Sloan Professor of Meteorology at MIT from 1983 to 2013, called 'global warming' proponents discredited alarmists. Financial analysis shows energy companies are less profitable than those in other industries. Findings of this study are meaningful to academic researchers and corporate leaders, particularly if concerned with corporate governance of energy companies. Energy company managers would do well to inform the public, government leaders, and policy makers about the unfair charges of environmental harm and excess profitability and assert the positive contributions of energy companies to the world economy.
Cefepime Dosing in Neonates: What is the Evidence?

Objective Recommended cefepime dosing strategies in neonates varies in commonly utilized dosing references with regard to dose and frequency. The objective of this review is to summarize and evaluate the available literature describing cefepime dosing in neonatal patients. Study Design We performed a literature review in MEDLINE using the keyword cefepime. The search was limited to the English language, humans, and patients Results The available studies assessing cefepime serum concentrations in neonatal patients demonstrated maintenance of adequate pharmacokinetic parameters when utilizing a dosing frequency of every 12 hours, specifically for organisms with a minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) ≤ 8 mg/L. In studies evaluating clinical outcomes of cefepime use in neonates, the most frequent adverse effects reported included seizures and hypophosphatemia. Microbiologic cure was demonstrated with a dosing regimen of 50 mg/kg per dose every 12 hours. Conclusion Cefepime dosed 30 to 50 mg/kg per dose every 12 hours may be appropriate to achieve a concentration two to four times above an MIC ≤ 8 mg/L for at least 60% of the dosing interval in neonatal patients.
Examining Provider Factors Supporting the Adoption and Use of Research-Supported Interventions

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the factors associated with the adoption of research-supported interventions (RSIs) in outpatient mental health clinics serving youth in order to i...
Group 4 complexes as catalysts for the transformation of CO2 into polycarbonates and cyclic carbonates

Abstract Group 4 complexes, especially titanium, are soil compostable and nontoxic to the soil environment. Hence, group 4 complexes as catalysts are the perfect alternative for the copolymerization and coupling of epoxides and CO2. This review reports the use of group 4 metals as Lewis acid catalysts for the synthesis of polycarbonates (PCs) and cyclic carbonates (CCs) by the copolymerization and cycloaddition of epoxides and CO2 respectively. A comparison between numerous group 4 catalysts has been drawn for their catalytic activities using diverse ligand systems. The catalysts reactivity in terms of molecular weight (Mn) of copolymers, carbonate linkages, the selectivity of PCs over CCs, turn over frequency (TOF) have been discussed in detail. The effect of using additives (nucleophilic cocatalysts) for the copolymerization and coupling reactions has also been investigated.
Darkness and Redemption of Humanity in The Shawshank Redemption

As a film revealing darkness and redemption of human nature, The Shawshank Redemption has profound practical significance. By contrast, the film presents the darkness and ugliness of humanity, and also reflects the self-salvation of human nature through completely different characters. Under the condition of loss of human nature in prison, the protagonist Andy still insisted on his self-belief, and was redeemed by virtue of his strong resilience. At the same time, the contrast between Andy’s self-salvation and others in the prison shows the contrast between good and evil of human nature, and profoundly reflects the true appearance of human nature.
Corrupted Contextual Bandits: Online Learning with Corrupted Context

We consider a novel variant of the contextual bandit problem (i.e., the multi-armed bandit with side-information, or context, available to a decision-maker) where the context used at each decision may be corrupted ("useless context"). This new problem is motivated by certain on-line settings including clinical trial and ad recommendation applications. In order to address the corrupted-context setting, we propose to combine the standard contextual bandit approach with a classical multi-armed bandit mechanism. Unlike standard contextual bandit methods, we are able to learn from all iteration, even those with corrupted context, by improving the computing of the expectation for each arm. Promising empirical results are obtained on several real-life datasets.
Niche evolution of the Neotropical tree genus Otoba in the context of global biogeography of the nutmeg family, Myristicaceae

Aim: Plant distributions are influenced by species9 ability to colonize new areas via long-distance dispersal and propensity to adapt to new environments via niche evolution. We use Otoba (Myristicaceae), an ecologically dominant tree genus found in low-to-mid elevation wet forests, as a system to understand the relative importance of these processes within the Neotropics, a region characterized by high species richness and a diversity of biomes. Location: Neotropics and global. Taxon: Otoba and entire Myristicaceae. Methods: We resolve the first phylogeny of Otoba using targeted sequence capture phylogenomics. We pair this with the most densely sampled phylogeny of Myristicaceae to date, inferred using publicly available data. We then use phylogenetic comparative methods to infer biogeography and examine patterns of niche evolution. Results: Myristicaceae has an Old World origin, with a single expansion event into the Americas. Divergence dates, fossil evidence, and a notable lack of long-distance dispersal are consistent with a Boreotropical origin of Neotropical Myristicaceae. Mirroring the rarity of dispersal at the family level, Otoba9s biogeography is marked by few biogeographic events: two expansions into Central America from a South American ancestor and a single dispersal event across the Andes. This limited movement contrasts with rapid climatic niche evolution, typically occurring across geographically proximate habitats. Main conclusions: Contrasting with previous studies, long-distance dispersal does not need to be invoked to explain the pantropical distribution of Myristicaceae, nor the biogeography of Otoba. This likely results from the family9s relatively large seeds that are dispersed by large-bodied vertebrates. Instead, rapid niche evolution in Otoba has facilitated its occurrence throughout mesic habitats of the northern Neotropics, including the Amazon rainforest and Andean montane forests. Otoba adds to a growing group of Neotropical plant clades in which climate adaptation following local migration is common, implying an important role of niche evolution in the assembly of the Neotropical flora.
Hepatogonadal fusion in a neonate with testicular torsion

Abstract While the fusion of gonadal tissue with splenic tissue has been fairly well documented, hepatogonadal fusion is much rarer. In this report, we describe the presentation and treatment of an infant with hepatogonadal fusion.
Rectourethral Bulbar Fistula

The fundamental steps of the procedure called posterior sagittal anorectoplasty are described in this particular chapter. Rectourethral bulbar fistula in males is the most common malformation seen in male patients. It has generally a good functional prognosis, and therefore, this chapter includes the most detailed and graphic description of the key steps of the posterior sagittal surgical technique. The chapter is illustrated with artistic renditions as well as intraoperative photographs and animations to facilitate the understanding of this procedure.
Yield and Safety of Brain Biopsy in Patients with Suspected CNS Vasculitis (S30.003)

Introduction: There is a paucity of data evidence the utility of brain biopsy in the diagnosis of central nervous system (CNS) vasculitis. Objective: To evaluate the diagnostic yield and safety of brain biopsy in the work up of suspected CNS vasculitis, and to determine whether any preoperative variables are associated with pathologically confirmed vasculitis. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the medical records of 79 consecutive patients suspected of having CNS vasculitis who underwent diagnostic brain biopsy between January 2005 and December 2013 at a single institution. Biopsy yield and post-surgical outcomes were reviewed. The relationship between demographics, surgical technique (open vs stereotactic), laboratory testing, neuroimaging findings, and pre-biopsy immunosuppressive therapy with biopsy yield were examined using Chi-square and Wilcoxon rank sum as appropriate. Results: Vasculitis was confirmed via biopsy in 9 of 79 patients (11[percnt]). The most common post-operative complication was operative site pain (8 patients). Post-operative intracranial hemorrhage occurred in 4 patients, altered mental status in 4 patients and seizure in 1 patient. Alternative diagnoses were discovered on biopsy in 26 patients with cerebral amyloid angiopathy (7 patients), encephalitis (5 patients), demyelination (4 patients) and lymphoma (3 patients), most commonly found. Non-specific perivascular inflammation which did not meet criteria for vasculitis was found in an additional 16 patients. Biopsy changed management in 10 patients, with 6 receiving cyclophosphamide and 4 mycophenolate. Vasculitis confirmation on biopsy was not associated with surgical technique, biopsy site, CSF results, systemic inflammatory markers, neuroimaging findings, or pre-operative immunosuppressive therapy. Conclusion: In patients with suspected CNS vasculitis, brain biopsy leads to pathologic confirmation of vasculitis in a minority of cases but alternative diagnoses are often identified. Importantly, rare but meaningful complications may occur. There was no association between surgical approach, clinical, laboratory, or radiographic markers and the pathologic confirmation of vasculitis. Disclosure: Dr. Torres has nothing to disclose. Dr. Loomis has nothing to disclose. Dr. Messe has received personal compensation for activities with GlaxoSmithKline as a consultant. Dr. Messe has received research support from WL Gore and GlaxoSmithKline.
Medieval Heresies: Christianity, Judaism, and Islam

Jews, Christians, and Muslims in the Middle Ages were divided in many ways. But one thing they shared in common was the fear that God was offended by wrong belief. Medieval Heresies: Christianity, Judaism, and Islam is the first comparative survey of heresy and its response throughout the medieval world. Spanning England to Persia, it examines heresy, error, and religious dissent - and efforts to end them through correction, persuasion, or punishment - among Latin Christians, Greek Christians, Jews, and Muslims. With a lively narrative that begins in the late fourth century and ends in the early sixteenth century, Medieval Heresies is an unprecedented history of how the three great monotheistic religions of the Middle Ages resembled, differed from, and even interrelated with each other in defining heresy and orthodoxy.
SU-C-213-05: Evaluation of a Composite Copper-Plastic Material for a 3D Printed Radiation Therapy Bolus

Purpose: To evaluate a novel 3D printed bolus fabricated from a copper-plastic composite as a thin flexible, custom fitting device that can replicate doses achieved with conventional bolus techniques. Methods: Two models of bolus were created on a 3D printer using a composite copper-PLA/PHA. Firstly, boluses were constructed at thicknesses of 0.4, 0.6 and 0.8 mm. Relative dose measurements were performed under the bolus with an Attix Chamber as well as with radiochromic film. Results were compared to superficial Attix Chamber measurements in a water equivalent material to determine the dosimetric water equivalence of the copper-PLA/PHA plastic. Secondly, CT images of a RANDO phantom were used to create a custom fitting bolus across the anterolateral scalp. Surface dose with the bolus placed on the RANDO phantom was measured with radiochromic film at tangential angles with 6, 10, 10 flattening filter free (FFF) and 18 MV photon beams. Results: Mean surface doses for 6, 10, 10FFF and 18 MV were measured as a percent of Dmax for the flat bolus devices of each thickness. The 0.4 mm thickness bolus was determined to be near equivalent to 2.5 mm depth in water for all four energies. Surface doses ranged from 59–63% withoutmore » bolus and 85–90% with the custom 0.4 mm copper-plastic bolus relative to the prescribed dose for an oblique tangential beam arrangement on the RANDO phantom. Conclusion: Sub-millimeter thickness, 3D printed composite copper-PLA/PHA bolus can provide a build-up effect equivalent to conventional bolus. At this thickness, the 3D printed bolus allows a level of flexure that may provide more patient comfort than current 3D printing materials used in bolus fabrication while still retaining the CT based custom patient shape. Funding provided by an intra-department grant of the University of Minnesota Department of Radiation Oncology.« less
HST MID-UV IMAGING OF NEARBY GALAXIES

We summarize Hubble Space Telescope projects that imaged a significant sample of nearby galaxies of all types and inclinations in the mid-UV with WFPC2 and some in the near-IR with NICMOS. The sample emphasizes high-surface brightness late-type, irregular, peculiar and merging galaxies, since these objects are the most prevalent at high redshifts. The sample is used to establish a local benchmark for quantitative classifications of galaxies seen by HST in their rest-frame UV, and in the next decade also by the James Webb Space Telescope.
Extended pedigree patterned covariance matrix mixed models for quantitative phenotype analysis.

Overt computational constraints in the formation of mixed models for the analysis of large extended-pedigree quantitative trait data which allow one to reliably characterize and partition sources of variation resulting from a variety sources have proven difficult to overcome. The present paper suggests that by combining a restricted patterned covariance matrix approach to modeling and partitioning the variation arising from polygenic and environmental forces with an Elston-Stewart like algorithmic approach to modeling variation resulting from a single genetic locus with large phenotypic effects one can produce a model that is at once intuitively appealing, efficient computationally, and reliable numerically. Extensions and variations of this approach are also discussed, as are some simulation and timing studies carried out in an effort to validate the accuracy and computational efficiency of the proposed methodology. 0 1992 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Regional Industrial Dominance and Business Success: A Productivity-Based Analysis [Dissertation]

The relationship between industrial structure and economic performance has long interested researchers in regional science, industrial economics, and economic development. Research on the subject, however, has largely overlooked the influence that regional industrial dominance-regional concentration within a specific industry-may have upon smaller local firms in that industry. This dissertation investigates the links between regional industrial dominance, agglomeration economies, and firm performance for selected U.S. industries, focusing on two main hypotheses: 1) plants in regional industries dominated by a few relatively large firms are less productive than establishments in the same industry located in other regions; 2) small establishments in dominated regional industries are less productive because they are limited in their ability to take advantage of regionally available external economies.Confidential micro-level data from the United States Census Bureau are used to estimate a cross-sectional production system at the plant level for three manufacturing sectors: rubber and plastics, metalworking machinery, and measuring and controlling devices. The models incorporate indicators of regional industrial dominance, spatially attenuating measures of agglomeration economies, and controls for other relevant establishment and regional characteristics. Estimating production functions at the establishment level serves to address many of the methodological drawbacks of earlier production function work and supports direct tests of the research hypotheses.The primary finding is that regional industrial dominance has substantial negative impacts on production, especially for small, dominated establishments. There is little evidence to support the second hypothesis that the diminished productivity of dominated businesses stems from reduced capacity to exploit localized agglomeration economies. The results demonstrate the importance of regional industrial dominance as a determinant of establishment productivity, and indicate that analysts and policymakers should examine regional industrial structure as a key component of the external environment that helps shape business performance and regional economic adaptability. Further research will be required to understand the precise mechanisms by which regional industrialdominance acts to influence economic performance and to guide the design of appropriate policies for economic development.
New Iraq Free Market Economy and Accounting

Little has been written about accounting in Iraq. This article attempts to fill this gap by investigating the development and trends of accounting in this country over several decades. Major factors that influence and shape the accounting practice in Iraq are discussed first. These include political and economic systems, organization structure, tax and company laws, accounting profession, early American and British influence and the later influence of the former Soviet Union through Egypt. Iraq's accounting practices are then discussed with some details about the introduction of several sectoral uniform accounting plans which led to the eventual launching of a national uniform accounting plan at the beginning of the 1980s. This latest step was to help the central government of Saddam Hussein to control the economy. Now Saddam's regime is removed, Iraq is trying to return to a market based economy it once had. Uniform accounting is becoming irrelevant and a new accounting approach is needed. The question that needs to be addressed is which accounting system is best suited for use in new Iraq. International accounting standards may be considered as a good option.
Allelic specificity of Ube3a expression in the mouse brain during postnatal Development

Genetic alterations of the maternal UBE3A allele result in Angelman syndrome (AS), a neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by severe developmental delay, lack of speech, and difficulty with movement and balance. The combined effects of maternal UBE3A mutation and cell type-specific epigenetic silencing of paternal UBE3A are hypothesized to result in a complete loss of functional UBE3A protein in neurons. However, the allelic specificity of UBE3A expression in neurons and other cell types in the brain has yet to be characterized throughout development, including the early postnatal period when AS phenotypes emerge. Here we define maternal and paternal allele-specific Ube3a protein expression throughout postnatal brain development in the mouse, a species which exhibits orthologous epigenetic silencing of paternal Ube3a in neurons and AS-like behavioral phenotypes subsequent to maternal Ube3a deletion. We find that neurons downregulate paternal Ube3a protein expression as they mature and, with the exception of neurons born from postnatal stem cell niches, do not express detectable paternal Ube3a beyond the first postnatal week. By contrast, neurons express maternal Ube3a throughout postnatal development, during which time localization of the protein becomes increasingly nuclear. Unlike neurons, astrocytes and oligodendrotyes biallelically express Ube3a. Notably, mature oligodendrocytes emerge as the predominant Ube3a-expressing glial cell type in the cortex and white matter tracts during postnatal development. These findings demonstrate the spatiotemporal characteristics of allele-specific Ube3a expression in key brain cell types, thereby improving our understanding of the developmental parameters of paternal Ube3a silencing and the cellular basis of AS.