cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Load-balanced CICB packet switch with support for long round-trip times

Combined input-crosspoint buffered (CICB) packet switches relax arbitration timing and provide high-performance switching. However, the amount of memory in buffered crossbars required to achieve 100% throughput under flows with high data rates is proportional to the number of ports, N, and the crosspoint buffer size k, which is defined by the distance between the line cards and the buffered crossbar. Long distances between the line cards and the buffered crossbar can make a CICB switch costly to implement. In this paper, we propose a load-balanced CICB packet switch to support long distances between the buffered crossbar and the line cards using crosspoint buffers of small size. The proposed switch reduces the required crosspoint buffer size by a factor of N and keeps the cells in sequence.
Aggressive Defensive Behavior by Free-Ranging White-Tailed Deer

Maternal investment plays a critical role in neonate survival, and adults can improve survival of offspring by defending them against predators. However, limited information exists documenting ungulate aggression toward humans in defense of neonates. During captures of neonates in spring 2007 and 2008 in north-central South Dakota, we documented 24 aggressive encounters by adult female and yearling male and female whitetailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) defending neonates. Eleven (45.8%) aggressive encounters included yearlings accompanying adult females. Mean ages and weights of neonates that were aggressively defended were greater (P , 0.0001) than ages and weights of those that were not; adults began protecting neonates at approximately 4 days of age. Male fawns were more likely (P 5 0.013) to be defended than female fawns. Examination of our data suggests that sex- and age-biased maternal defensive behavior exists in white-tailed deer, and that deer biased maternal investment toward older, male neonates.
Drug-induced cholestasis

Drug-induced cholestasis is a common entity, seen with numerous classes of pharmacological agents. A high index of suspicion is required for the correct diagnosis. Different clinical syndromes may be recognized, with variable degrees of hepatitis in association with cholestasis. The most important aspect of treatment is prompt discontinuation of the offending drug. Several agents have been used for symptomatic relieve of the pruritus associated with cholestasis, including cholestyramine, ursodeoxycholic acid, and opiate antagonists, with limited results. Prognosis is usually good, with few cases of prolonged cholestasis leading to vanishing bile duct syndrome. Liver failure may rarely occur if diagnosis goes unrecognized and the inciting drug is not withdrawn.
Nonextensive statistical mechanics and high energy physics

The use of the celebrated Boltzmann-Gibbs entropy and statistical mechanics is justified for ergodic-like systems. In contrast, complex systems typically require more powerful theories. We will provide a brief introduction to nonadditive entropies (characterized by indices like q , which, in the q → 1 limit, recovers the standard Boltzmann-Gibbs entropy) and associated nonextensive statistical mechanics. We then present somerecent applications to systems such as high-energy collisions, black holes and others. In addition to that, we clarify and illustrate the neat distinction that exists between Levy distributions and q -exponential ones, a point which occasionally causes some confusion in the literature, very particularly in the LHC literature
Top 10 mobile apps in Emergency Medicine

Mobile apps are increasingly being used at the bedside as a part of clinical care. With almost 300 emergency medicine-related apps available in the Apple App Store, it can be overwhelming deciding which are most useful for emergency department providers. A Top 10 list of apps is highlighted which illustrate the many ways that quality apps can positively impact the care of emergency department patients.
Local Activation or Implantation of Cardiac Progenitor Cells Rescues Scarred Infarcted Myocardium Improving Cardiac Function

Ischemic heart disease is characterized chronically by a healed infarct, foci of myocardial scarring, cavitary dilation, and impaired ventricular performance. These alterations can only be reversed by replacement of scarred tissue with functionally competent myocardium. We tested whether cardiac progenitor cells (CPCs) implanted in proximity of healed infarcts or resident CPCs stimulated locally by hepatocyte growth factor and insulin-like growth factor-1 invade the scarred myocardium and generate myocytes and coronary vessels improving the hemodynamics of the infarcted heart. Hepatocyte growth factor is a powerful chemoattractant of CPCs, and insulin-like growth factor-1 promotes their proliferation and survival. Injection of CPCs or growth factors led to the replacement of approximately 42% of the scar with newly formed myocardium, attenuated ventricular dilation and prevented the chronic decline in function of the infarcted heart. Cardiac repair was mediated by the ability of CPCs to synthesize matrix metalloproteinases that degraded collagen proteins, forming tunnels within the fibrotic tissue during their migration across the scarred myocardium. New myocytes had a 2n karyotype and possessed 2 sex chromosomes, excluding cell fusion. Clinically, CPCs represent an ideal candidate cell for cardiac repair in patients with chronic heart failure. CPCs may be isolated from myocardial biopsies and, following their expansion in vitro, administered back to the same patients avoiding the adverse effects associated with the use of nonautologous cells. Alternatively, growth factors may be delivered locally to stimulate resident CPCs and promote myocardial regeneration. These forms of treatments could be repeated over time to reduce progressively tissue scarring and expand the working myocardium.
Valence Semiconductors, Germanium and Silicon

Publisher Summary Germanium and silicon crystals are the semiconductors that have been studied most intensively in the past decade. The importance of their practical applications—that began with the development of microwave rectifiers and expanded greatly with the discovery of transistor action—helped to stimulate the intensive research. As a result, rapid progress has been made in the knowledge of the elements and the general understanding of semiconductors. This chapter discusses what has been learned about the properties of these crystals t o the beginning of 1955. Many interesting properties are associated with nonuniform regions in the crystals, p-n junctions, and with the surfaces of the crystals. Such properties are important for practical applications of the semiconductors and a large amount of work has been devoted to their investigation. This chapter discusses bulk properties of uniform crystals. A brief summary of the theory of semiconductors is given in this chapter. It discusses various properties of the crystals that do not involve transport or nonequilibrium distribution of electrons. Conduction phenomena are discussed and problems connected with nonequilibrium electron distribution—that is, hole-electron recombination and carrier trapping, are also discussed in this chapter.
Twist and shout: acute right ventricular failure secondary to cardiac herniation and pulmonary artery compression.

A 61-year-old man was evaluated for hypotension and bradycardia after undergoing a left pleural pericardial pneumonectomy via a left thoracotomy for malignant mesothelioma. Past history was significant for coronary disease status after drug-eluting stent to the midleft anterior descending coronary artery 1 year before, hyperlipidemia, 25 pack-year smoking history, and malignant mesothelioma stage III. After the procedure, the patient was extubated without incident. He became hypotensive and tachycardic, requiring phenylephrine, vasopressin, and norepinephrine infusions in anesthesia recovery. Troponin T was trended at 0.17 ng/mL (normal, <0.01 ng/mL), to 0.93 ng/mL (at 3 hours), and peaked at 1.3 ng/mL (at 6 hours). On physical examination, the second heart sound was normal, and no right ventricular (RV) lifts, murmurs, rubs, or clicks were present. A chest tube was present in the left mediastinal space. ECG demonstrated sinus tachycardia at a ventricular rate of 104 beats per minute, right axis deviation, and SIQIIITIII pattern (Figure 1), which were new findings compared with the previous ECG. …
Density and success of bird nests relative to grazing on western Montana grasslands

Abstract Grassland birds are declining at a faster rate than any other group of North American bird species. Livestock grazing is the primary economic use of grasslands in the western United States, but the effects of this use on distribution and productivity of grassland birds are unclear. We examined nest density and success of ground-nesting birds on grazed and ungrazed grasslands in western Montana. In comparison to grazed plots, ungrazed plots had reduced forb cover, increased litter cover, increased litter depth, and increased visual obstruction readings (VOR) of vegetation. Nest density among 10 of 11 common bird species was most strongly correlated with VOR of plots, and greatest nest density for each species occured where mean VOR of the plot was similar to mean VOR at nests. Additionally, all bird species were relatively consistent in their choice of VOR at nests despite substantial differences in VOR among plots. We suggest that birds selected plots based in part on availability of suitable nest sites and that variation in nest density relative to grazing reflected the effect of grazing on availability of nest sites. Nest success was similar between grazed plots and ungrazed plots for two species but was lower for nests on grazed plots than on ungrazed plots for two other species because of increased rates of predation, trampling, or parasitism by brown-headed cowbirds ( Molothrus ater ). Other species nested almost exclusively on ungrazed plots (six species) or grazed plots (one species), precluding evaluation of the effects of grazing on nest success. We demonstrate that each species in a diverse suite of ground-nesting birds preferentially used certain habitats for nesting and that grazing altered availability of preferred nesting habitats through changes in vegetation structure and plant species composition. We also show that grazing directly or indirectly predisposed some bird species to increased nesting mortality. Management alternatives that avoid intensive grazing during the breeding season would be expected to benefit many grassland bird species.
Ras and Rho regulation of the cell cycle and oncogenesis

The important contribution of aberrant Ras activation in oncogenesis is well established. Our knowledge of the signaling pathways that are regulated by Ras is considerable. However, the number of downstream effectors of Ras continues to increase and our understanding of the role of these effector signaling pathways in mediating oncogenesis is far from complete and continues to evolve. Similarly, our understanding of the components that control mitogen-stimulated cell cycle progression is also very advanced. Where our understanding has lagged has been the delineation of the mechanism by which Ras causes a deregulation of cell cycle progression to promote the uncontrolled proliferation of the cancer cell. In this review, we summarize our current knowledge of how deregulated Ras activation alters the function of cyclin D1, p21(Cip1), and p27(Kip1). The two themes that we have emphasized are the involvement of Rho small GTPases in cell cycle regulation and the cell-type differences in how Ras signaling interfaces with the cell cycle machinery.
The Molecular through Ecological Genetics of Abnormal Abdomen in DROSOPHILA MERCATORUM. I. Basic Genetics

The abnormal abdomen syndrome (aa) in Drosophila mercatorum is characterized by the persistence of juvenilized cuticle on the adult abdomen. The aa phenotype is shown to depend on at least two X-linked genetic elements that are about one map unit apart near the centromeric end of the X chromosome. These two genetic elements are necessary for aa expression; one behaves as a dominant element and the other as a recessive. Overlaying these genetic studies upon molecular work reported elsewhere, it is argued that the dominant element is the presence of a 5 kb insertion in a majority of the X-linked repeats coding for the 28S ribosomal RNA. The recessive element appears to be a locus controlling differential replication of noninserted over inserted 28S genes during polytenization. The aa syndrome requires both the presence of the inserted repeats and the failure to preferentially amplify noninserted repeats. Given the necessary X-linked elements for aa, a variety of modifiers are revealed. First, aa expression in males is Y-linked, apparently corresponding to a deletion of the 18S/28S rDNA gene cluster normally found on the Y. Moreover, all major autosomes can modify the penetrance of aa .
Quinine substitutes in the confederate army.

ABSTRACT During the Civil War, the unreliable supply and high cost of quinine forced the Confederate Army to use alternative treatments for malaria. Many quinine substitutes were mentioned in the literature of the time, but relatively few were advocated by Confederate officials and even fewer are described in surviving records. Medical supply officers often issued substitute remedies when quinine was requisitioned. Most alternative treatments were made from indigenous plants such as dogwood, willow (a constituent of which gave rise to aspirin), and tulip tree. High hopes were held for Georgia bark, which was thought to be closely related to cinchona, from which quinine was derived. Documentation of the effectiveness of quinine substitutes is scanty but is most plentiful for the external application of turpentine. The quinine substitutes were generally considered useful but not as effective as quinine. The Confederate Surgeon General's Office was active in seeking out and supplying troops with quinine subs...
Target Mounting Systems for Rep-Rated Lasers

GA is developing the target fabrication and insertion capabilities required for a >100 TW rep-rated laser to be built at Ohio State University. We will be assembling an integrated system that includes mass target production, separation and assembly onto carriers, rapid insertion and precise alignment. We will describe target-mounting methods we have investigated for holding targets on target carriers at a repeatable position with respect to location fiducials fabricated into the carriers. The effect of shaking the target carrier on the repeatability of the target location will be examined. Alignment of the target using the carrier fiducials will also be described.
Bromsulfalein Reactions: Clinical and Experimental Study

Summary 1.Eight cases of local thrombophlebitis following bromsulfalein injections are reported. This represents an incidence of 0.6%. All cases recovered. 2.The case reports and the experimental study on rabbits, clearly indicate that bromsulfalein has significant toxic properties and should be used with due caution. 3.It is recommended that this agent be used only when absolutely clear, injected slowly, using a small caliber 22 gauge, short beveled needle, and a large caliber arm vein. 4.The practice of flexing the elbow following vein puncture should be discontinued. The arm should be extended, raised slightly, and gentle pressure applied directly over the puncture site. 5.We attribute these reactions to the larger volume of bromsulf alein solution used, in keeping with the recent trend toward the 5 mg. per kilogram dose and a 45 minute end point. We prefer this dosage and feel that with due precautions untoward reactions can be avoided. If additional reports of reactions are made, it may be necessary to prepare this useful agent in a less concentrated form.
On Using Kriging Models as Probabilistic Models in Design

Kriging models are frequently used as metamodels during system design optimization. In many applications, a kriging model is used as a deterministic model of a computationally expensive analysis or simulation. In this paper, a kriging model is employed as a probabilistic model on a one-dimensional and two two-dimensional test problems. A probabilistic model is a model in which the parameters are random variables resulting in a probability distribution of the output rather than a deterministic value. A probabilistic model can be used in design to quantify the knowledge designers have about a subsystem and the lack of knowledge or uncertainty in the model. Using a kriging model as a probabilistic model requires that the correlation of observations is only a function of the distance between the observations and that the observations have a Gaussian probability distribution. This paper will provide some methods to satisfy these requirements when using kriging models as probabilistic models.
Mechanism of Metformin: A Tale of Two Sites

Metformin (dimethylbiguanide) features as a current first-line pharmacological treatment for type 2 diabetes (T2D) in almost all guidelines and recommendations worldwide. It has been known that the antihyperglycemic effect of metformin is mainly due to the inhibition of hepatic glucose output, and therefore, the liver is presumably the primary site of metformin function. However, in this issue of Diabetes Care , Fineman and colleagues (1) demonstrate surprising results from their clinical trials that suggest the primary effect of metformin resides in the human gut. Metformin is an orally administered drug used for lowering blood glucose concentrations in patients with T2D, particularly in those overweight and obese as well as those with normal renal function. Pharmacologically, metformin belongs to the biguanide class of antidiabetes drugs. The history of biguanides can be traced from the use of Galega officinalis (commonly known as galega) for treating diabetes in medieval Europe (2). Guanidine, the active component of galega, is the parent compound used to synthesize the biguanides. Among three main biguanides introduced for diabetes therapy in late 1950s, metformin (Fig. 1 A ) has a superior safety profile and is well tolerated. The other two biguanides, phenformin and buformin, were withdrawn in the early 1970s due to the risk of lactic acidosis and increased cardiac mortality. The incidence of lactic acidosis with metformin at therapeutic doses is rare (less than three cases per 100,000 patient-years) and is not greater than with nonmetformin therapies (3). Major clinical advantages of metformin include specific reduction of hepatic glucose output, with subsequent improvement of peripheral insulin sensitivity, and remarkable cardiovascular safety, but without increasing islet insulin secretion, inducing weight gain, or posing a risk of hypoglycemia. Moreover, metformin has also shown benefits in reducing cancer risk and improving cancer prognosis (4,5), as well as counteracting the cardiovascular complications …
Environmental Sentencing in the United States Pacific Northwest 2007–2011 A Story of Disparity

A significant body of research suggests that environmental risks are more likely to be found in minority and low-income communities. Few studies have questioned whether communities of lower socioeconomic status may be less protected by regulatory agencies through the use of fines in instances of noncompliance. Using the Environmental Inequality Formation perspective (EIF) and data drawn from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) administrative enforcement cases within the U.S. Pacific Northwest from 2007 to 2011, this project finds that the factors primarily influencing fine severity include the type and severity of the offense. However, after controlling for other factors, fines are less severe against facilities surrounded by low-income households. This research confirms the need for scholars, policy makers, and activists to develop greater linkages between the EIF perspective and environmental sentencing by more clearly teasing out the roles that facilities, enforcement agencies, and especia...
Choreography of silk spinning by webspinners (Insecta: Embioptera) reflects lifestyle and hints at phylogeny

Silk spinning defines the morphologically constrained embiopterans. All individuals spin for protection, including immatures, adult males and the wingless females. Enlarged front tarsi are packed with silk glands and clothed with ejectors. They spin by stepping with their front feet and releasing silk against substrates and onto pre-existing silk, often cloth-like. Spinning is stereotypical and appears to differ between species in frequency and probability of transition between two spin-step positions. This spinning choreography was assessed using thousands of spin-steps scored in the laboratory for 22 species to test: (1) the body size hypothesis predicting that spinning would be more complex for larger species; and (2) the phylogeny hypothesis which predicted that spinning would display phylogenetic signal. Tests relied on published phylogenies for the order Embioptera. Independent contrast analysis revealed relationships between five spin characteristics and body size, whereby, for example, larger webspinners invested in relatively larger prothoracic tarsi used for spinning and in spin-steps that would yield expansive silk coverings. Spin-step dynamics displayed a phylogenetic signal for the frequency of six spin-steps and for 16 spin-step transitions. Discussion focuses on patterns revealed by analysis of phylogenetic signal and the relationship to life style and to recently discovered chemical characteristics of silk.
Long QT Syndrome and Seizures

In 1856, Meissner described the death of a “deaf-mute girl, who collapsed and died while being publicly admonished” by her school director for a misdemeanor. The girl also had 2 siblings who had hearing loss and died suddenly in the setting of emotional stress [(1)][1]. This case was likely the
Updating of a Wind Turbine Model for the Evaluation of Methods for Operational Monitoring Using Inertial Measurements

Rotor blades with embedded sensors are envisioned to provide estimators for the operational deflection of the blade for current control systems, monitors of fatigue accumulation for reduced operation and maintenance costs, and observers for next generatio n smart adaptive wind turbines. Smart adaptive wind turbines will have active aerodynamic load control devices distributed on the rotor blade to control s mall time constant loading associated with turbulence an d unattached flow to improve performance and reduce fatigue. The prospect of this technology is to inc rease energy capture at low wind speeds and decrease maintenance costs by shedding loads at high wind speeds. In addition to controls applications, the se nsored rotor blades will provide estimates of the accumula ted fatigue cycles that can be used to predict when rotor blade maintenance may be needed. This capability can be used to reduce downtime and repair costs because scheduled maintenance is typically less expensive t han unscheduled maintenance. A reliable sensor-based operational monitoring method is a critical component in the smart turbine envisioned by this research . The following work focuses on the development of a lumped parameter model of a wind turbine, using the NREL FAST to MSC.ADAMS© translator, that will be used to study and validate operational monitoring methods based on inertial measurements. The model produced by the FAST to ADAMS translator is shown to have a mismatch with experimentally acquired natural frequencies. Therefore, the ADAMS model is updated by a component analysis of the tower and rotor blades and by the development of a calibrated flexible beam element representation of the low speed shaft. A modal analysis of the resulting model is then compar ed with an experimental modal analysis of the wind turbine. Lastly, turbine models in FAST, rigid low speed s haft ADAMS, and flexible low speed shaft ADAMS are simulated in three wind conditions, one of which is 8 m/ s wind with 0.2 vertical wind shear and IEC Class B t urbulence intensity, for initial investigations of the relationship between wind conditions and simulation-based model frequency content.
Analysis of the prevalence of hydatidosis in Aba Prefecture from 2004 to2012

Objective To analyze characteristics of and trends in the prevalence of hydatidosis in Aba Prefecture from 2004 to 2012.Methods Surveillance data on hydatidosis collected from the Infectious Diseases Reporting System were statistically analyzed using SAS9.2 software.Results In total,812 cases of hydatidosis were reported.Cases were reported during all of the years in question.A total of 594 cases were reported from 2009 to 2012,accounting for 73.15% of the total cases.The sex ratio was 1:1.41.Affected individuals ranged in age from 4-95,with a mean age of 48 years.Of those affected,681 were between 24 and 65 years of age,accounting for 83.87%.Herdsman and famers were most often affected(735 cases,accounting for 90.52 % of all cases).Affected individuals were mainly in 5 counties including Ruoergai,Aba,Maerkang,Rangtang,and Hongyuan;affected individuals in these 5 accounted for 90.64% of all cases.Conclusion Aba Prefecture faces a serious epidemic of hydatidosis.In the future,efforts to control hydatidosis should continue to be enhanced.This will effectively curb outbreaks of hydatidosis.
It Takes Two to Tango: Evaluation and Treatment of Sexual Dysfunction in the Couple

Sexual dysfunctions do not occur in a vacuum; they impact the symptom bearer and his/her partner—sexually, emotionally, and interpersonally. The construct of the sexual equilibrium is the foundation for understanding the impact that one partner’s sexual dysfunction has upon the other and the resistances that may be encountered in treating such couples. Empirical research supports the negative effects of a sexual dysfunction upon the individual, partner, and couple. Likewise, treatment of the dysfunction generally leads to positive changes in the couple’s sexual, psychological, and relational life.
Conclusion: Why the First Republic Failed

There are always many levels at which a complex social phenomenon can be explained and understood. To begin at the surface, the First Republic was overthrown because the people lost faith in it — not because some disaffected colonels were worried about their careers, not even because a disaffected ethnic group was worried about its position in the Federation. The former worry may have existed, and certainly the latter did. But they explain neither the success of the coup attempt nor the outpouring of joy and relief that greeted it across the country. The First Republic’s loss of popular legitimacy was a remarkably deep and broadly based — and, by the end of 1965, thorough — phenomenon.
Altered antibiotic tolerance in anaerobic digesters acclimated to triclosan or triclocarban.

Bench-scale anaerobic digesters were amended to elevated steady-state concentrations of triclosan (850 mg/kg) and triclocarban (150 mg/kg) using a synthetic feed. After more than 9 solids retention time (SRT) values of acclimatization, biomass from each digester (and a control digester that received no antimicrobials) was used to assess the toxicity of three antibiotics. Methane production rate was measured as a surrogate for activity in microcosms that received doses of antibiotics ranging from no-antibiotic to inhibitory concentrations. Biomass amended with triclocarban was more sensitive to tetracycline compared to the control indicating synergistic inhibitory effects between this antibiotic and triclocarban. In contrast, biomass amended with triclosan was able to tolerate statistically higher levels of ciprofloxacin indicating that triclosan can induce functional resistance to ciprofloxacin in an anaerobic digester community.
High-Frequency Analysis of Embedded Microfluidic Cooling within 3-D ICs Using a TSV Testbed

In this paper, the impact of microfluidic cooling on the electrical characteristics of through-silicon vias (TSVs) is investigated for three-dimensional (3-D) integrated circuits (ICs). The design and fabrication of a testbed containing TSVs are presented for two types of heat sinks (micropin-fin and microchannel heat sinks) immersed in deionized (DI) water. The high-frequency characterization of TSVs in the DI water-filled testbed is performed and compared to conventional TSVs in silicon. TSVs in DI water demonstrate higher insertion loss, capacitance, and conductance than TSVs in silicon. In this paper, we also present coaxially shielded TSVs embedded in a pin-fin heat sink and demonstrate the electrical isolation of the signal TSV from the surrounding DI water.
Cross-sectional comparison of in vivo Viscoelastic Response (VisR) ultrasound in lower limb muscles of boys with and without duchenne muscular dystrophy

Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD) is a genetic disorder that causes progressive muscle degeneration involving necrosis and inflammation, with subsequent replacement of muscle fibers by fibrosis and fatty tissue. These compositional changes underlie mechanical property alterations in affected muscles, which may be assessed using Viscoelastic Response (VisR) ultrasound. We hypothesize that VisR will delineate differences in the viscoelastic properties of lower limb skeletal muscles in boys with versus without DMD. VisR imaging was performed in the vastus intermedius (VI), rectus femoris (RF), sartorius (SM) and gastrocnemius (GM) muscles of seven boys (4 DMD, 3 control) aged 7.9 – 10.4 years. Parametric images of relative elasticity (RE) and relative viscosity (RV) were rendered. From the parametric images, percent muscle area with relatively high RE or RV value was calculated and compared (Wilcoxon rank-sum) between DMD and control on a per-muscle basis. In the VI, RF and SM, percent muscle with relatively high RV was larger (VI: 17.7% v. 13.1% RF: 98.9% v. 93.7%, SM: 43.2% v. 40.6% p < 0.05) in DMD than control muscles. In the VI, percent muscle with relatively high RE was larger (32.8% v. 29.5%, p < 0.05) in DMD muscles. No significant differences were observed in the GM between DMD and control. VisR results were consistent with temporally-matched functional testing using a hand-held dynamometer, which showed 40.5% to 70.0% lower force output in DMD RF, VL and SM - and only 21.8% lower force output in DMD GM - relative to the corresponding control muscles. These results suggest that VisR imaging is relevant to delineating viscoelastic property alterations that are associated with dystrophic muscle degeneration in boys with DMD, in vivo.
Large variation in use of patient-reported outcome measures: A survey of 188 foot and ankle surgeons

Abstract Background There is an increasing interest in the use of patient reported outcome measures (PROMs). However, there is a large variety of PROMs and a lack of consensus regarding preference for their use. Aim of this study is to determine how often PROMS are used for foot and ankle disorders, for what purpose PROMs are used, and what the preferences of the foot and ankle surgeons are, when choosing a PROM to use. Methods Members of the Ankleplatform Study Group—Science of Variation Collaborative were invited to participate in this survey by email. The online survey consisted of six questions on the use and preferences regarding foot and ankle PROMs. Results 188 participants completed the questionnaire. Of the respondents 17% reported not to use PROMs, 72% stated to use PROMS for research, 39% routinely for patient care and 34% for registration or quality assessment. The respondents were familiar with 30 different outcome measures, of which 20 were PROMs. One of the excluded outcome measures, the AOFAS Hindfoot scale was most commonly reported as preferred outcome measure. FAOS and MOXFQ were the preferred PROMs, reported by 9.7% of the surgeons. Subsequently followed by the FFI (4.3%), the FAAM (3.7%) and the VAS-FA (3.7%). Conclusions A large majority of the foot and ankle surgeons uses PROMs. The AOFAS hindfoot scale is mentioned as the most preferred outcome measure, while in fact this is not a PROM. Of the twenty different PROMs mentioned in this study, most reported were the FAOS and MOXFQ both supported by only 9.7% of the surgeons. For proper comparison between patients in clinical practice and research, consensus is needed on which easy-to-use PROM with adequate clinimetric properties should be used. Therefore more evidence in the field of clinimetrics of foot and ankle outcome measures is needed.
Form Absolute Value

This chapter presents and investigates a new absolute value of the operator associated with a sesquilinear form. Properties of the inner product and norm associated with the new absolute value generalize useful properties associated with the “energy” inner product and norm (to which they reduce in the symmetric case), without degrading for highly nonsymmetric operators. The “energy” inner product plays a key role in the analysis of symmetric problems, and its absence for nonsymmetric problems has been a significant barrier in their analysis. The new absolute value presented here fills this gap, and is a key tool used in the convergence theory of the next chapter. Existence and uniqueness are proved for operators with positive real part, while necessary and sufficient conditions are given for arbitrary matrices. Practical computation methods are also discussed.
Rawls and the Challenges to Human Rights

Having elaborated the challenges in my second and third chapters, this fourth chapter looks at Rawls’s account of human rights and confronts it with them to see whether we can respond to them satisfactorily. To do so, I first reconstruct his political theory from his Theory of Justice to Political Liberalism, in order to situate the origin of his conception of human rights. Building on this first point, the second point then analyzes Rawls’s view of human rights. Conceived as necessary conditions for any reasonable system of cooperation and drawn from his political liberalism theory free from any comprehensive doctrines, Rawls integrates human rights into the list of the features of the Law of Peoples that is to guide liberal foreign policy. Subscribing to the evolution of international law, Rawls assigns two major roles to human rights: to restrict the reasons that justify a war and redesign the contours of state’s sovereignty. That is why, for Rawls , gross violations of human rights are a legitimate motive for humanitarian intervention. In the third point, that conception is confronted to the theoretical and practical challenges, examining whether they are fully responded to.
Chordal Conversion Based Convex Iteration Algorithm for Three-Phase Optimal Power Flow Problems

The three-phase optimal power flow (OPF) problem has recently attracted a lot of research interests due to the need to coordinate the operations of large-scale and heterogeneous distributed energy resources in unbalanced electric power distribution systems. The nonconvexity of the three-phase OPF problem is much stronger than that of the single-phase OPF problem. Instead of applying the semidefinite programming relaxation technique, this paper advocates a convex iteration algorithm to solve the nonconvex three-phase OPF problem. To make the convex iteration algorithm computationally efficient for large-scale distribution networks, the chordal conversion based technique is embedded in the convex iteration framework. By synergistically combining the convex iteration method and the chordal based conversion technique, the proposed three-phase OPF algorithm is not only computationally efficient but also guarantees global optimality when the trace of the regularization term becomes zero. At last, to further improve the computational performance, a greedy grid partitioning algorithm is proposed to decompose a single large matrix representing a distribution network to many smaller matrices. The simulation results using standard IEEE test feeders show that the proposed algorithm is computationally efficient, scalable, and yields global optimal solutions while resolving the rank conundrum.
Late Reconstruction of the Interosseous Membrane with Bone-Patellar Tendon-Bone Graft for Chronic Essex-Lopresti Injuries: Outcomes with a Mean Follow-up of Over 10 Years.

BACKGROUND The purpose of this study was to report our long-term outcomes following reconstruction of the forearm interosseous membrane (IOM) with bone-patellar tendon-bone (BPTB) graft for treatment of chronic Essex-Lopresti injuries. METHODS We identified 33 patients who underwent IOM reconstruction with BPTB graft for chronic Essex-Lopresti injuries over a 20-year treatment interval. Twenty male and 13 female patients, with a mean age of 42.1 years (range, 19 to 73 years) and a minimum follow-up interval of 5 years, were included. Preinjury clinical examination and radiographic measurements were obtained from records for comparison with prospectively collected data. Additional functional outcome data collected postoperatively included QuickDASH (an abbreviated version of the Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder and Hand [DASH]), modified Mayo wrist (MMW), and Broberg-Morrey elbow function scores. RESULTS IOM reconstruction was performed at a mean interval (and standard deviation) of 44.9 ± 60.0 months (range, 6.4 to 208 months) from the time of the initial injury. At a mean follow-up of 10.9 ± 4.4 years (range, 5.5 to 24.2 years), significant improvements were observed in mean elbow flexion-extension arc (+13° [95% confidence interval (CI), 4° to 22°]; p = 0.005), wrist flexion-extension arc (+19° [95% CI, 4° to 34°]; p = 0.016), forearm pronation-supination (+23° [95% CI, 8° to 39°]; p = 0.004), and grip strength (+25% of that of the contralateral side [95% CI, 18% to 32% of contralateral side]; p < 0.001). Improvements in ulnar variance were sustained over the long term from +3.9 mm (95% CI, 3.2 to 4.6 mm) preoperatively to -1.6 mm (95% CI, -2.3 to -0.9 mm) immediately postoperatively and -1.1 mm (95% CI, -1.8 to -0.4 mm) at the time of the final follow-up (p < 0.001). The mean QuickDASH, MMW, and Broberg-Morrey scores were 29.8 (range, 5 to 61), 82.7 (range, 60 to 100), and 91.6 (range, 64 to 100), respectively. CONCLUSIONS IOM reconstruction with a BPTB graft is an effective treatment option for chronic Essex-Lopresti injuries, with satisfactory clinical and functional outcomes over the long term. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Therapeutic Level IV. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Toward an Emerging Role for Motivational Interviewing in Primary Care

Implementing Motivational Interviewing (MI) in primary care settings has been problematic due in part to persistent gaps in knowledge. Examples include poor understanding of how to effectively train persons to conduct MI, or of which aspects of MI-related communication are associated with better outcomes for patients. This review describes how recent research findings addressing the knowledge gaps support a growing role for MI in primary care. Two trials of MI training combined classroom time with ongoing coaching and feedback, resulting in enhanced MI ability relative to a control arm where PCPs received minimal or no MI training. A third MI training trial excluded coaching and feedback, failing to increase use of MI. Adding to a growing list of behavioral health-related problems for which MI training has shown some effectiveness, a trial of training PCPs to use MI with depressed patients was associated with significantly improved depressive symptoms. Moreover, aspects of the PCPs’ MI-related language and patients’ arguments for positive behavior changes, “change talk,” appeared to explain the positive effects of MI training on depression outcome. MI-training approaches have improved such that PCPs and possibly other clinic staff may want to consider MI training as a way to more effectively support their patients as they address behavioral health-related problems (e.g., tobacco use). MI training should focus on eliciting “change talk” from patients. Researchers and funding agencies might collaborate to continue closing knowledge gaps in the MI literature.
The Role of Calcium and Arachidonic Acid Metabolism in Lymphocyte Activation

ABSTRACT Activation of lymphocytes by mitogenic lectins, or other stimuli is accompanied by a myriad of biochemical changes. Of these only a few have the necessary characteristics to serve as a mediator of the activation sequence. Calcium influx and phospholipid arachidonic acid metabolism are both markedly augmented in the activated lymphocyte and both of these changes bear the necessary biochemical diversity to serve as important mediators or modulators of the activation signal. In addition these two systems are interrelated since Ca2+ influx is associated with an increase in phospholipase activity and arachidonic acid release while phosphatidyl inositol turnover, which is markedly increased in the activated lymphocyte, is associated with an increase in Ca2+ influx. The mechanism by which Ca2+ influx or arachidonic acid metabolites might influence lymphocyte activation are discussed.
Long term model for evaluation of myocardial metabolic recovery following global ischemia.

Myocardial ATP levels remain depressed following significant periods of ischemia (Isc) despite reperfusion (Rpf). Neither the rate of in vivo ATP return following global Isc nor the factors which influence recovery have been defined. In order to determine the time course to complete the return of ATP levels and evaluate methods of enhancing recovery of ATP levels, we have devised a chronic canine model of global Isc. In this model serial ventricular biopsies can be taken in the awake animal over several days without reoperation which allows an investigation of the recovery of the myocardium following a uniform global insult to be performed.
Ray Splitting and Chaos in Electromagnetic Resonators

The above discussion shows that flat electromagnetic resonators partially filled with dielectric substances are excellent systems for studying ray-splitting phenomena. Due to a formal equivalence of the stationary Maxwell equations and the quantum Schrodinger equation, flat ray-splitting cavities are also suitable for the study of ray splitting and quantum chaos in mesoscopic devices, important components of the next generation of super computers. The experiments of Sirko et al (1997) and Bauch et al (1998) demonstrate that the Fourier transform of the frequency spectrum of a raysplitting cavity shows peaks that correspond to periodic orbits of a novel non-Newtonian mechanics that forms the semiclassical backbone of ray-splitting systems in the short-wavelength limit. In addition the work of Prange et al (1996) and Kohler and Blumel (1998) showed that ray splitting contributes novel universal terms to the Weyl formula describing the number of modes in electromagnetic and quantum resonators. Raysplitting induced chaos and the emergence of new ray-splitting phenomena, such as periodic lateral rays are the most promising directions for future theoretical and experimental research.
Hyperchloremic Metabolic Acidosis: Nonrenal Causes

In the previous chapter, we discussed both hypo- and hyperkalemic hyperchloremic metabolic acidoses due to renal causes. In this chapter, we will discuss hypokalemic hyperchloremic metabolic acidosis due to nonrenal causes, mostly gastrointestinal (GI) disorders. Nonrenal causes of hyperchloremic metabolic acidosis are also shown. Before we discuss the pathophysiology of diarrhea, it is essential to understand water and electrolyte handling by the GI tract.
Given the Complexity of Large Cities, Can Urban Resilience be Attained at All?

Large cities display an exceptional degree of complexity in a network of dynamic ecological, social, economic, cultural, and political interrelationships (Eckardt, 2009). They are characterized by high population density, high resource consumption as well as intensive land use, and they are often the origins of change processes. At the same time, large cities are particularly vulnerable to changes and disruptions because of the concentration of material assets and human lives. The concept of resilience describes the factors that can influence the ability of ecosystems and societies to withstand disturbances (Berkes & Folke, 1998; Folke et al., 2002; Walker & Empirical studies of resilience (e.g., Fleischhauer, 2008; Godschalk, 2003) often employ research approaches which focus on portions of the complex relationships between ecosystems and societies.
A dominant-negative transgene defines a role for p56lck in thymopoiesis.

Abstract The lymphocyte-specific protein tyrosine kinase p56lck participates in T cell signaling through functional interactions with components of the T cell antigen receptor complex and the interleukin-2 receptor. Additional insight into the function of p56lck has now been obtained through the generation of transgenic animals expressing high levels of a catalytically inactive form of this kinase (p56lckR273). Mice bearing the lckR273 transgene manifested a severe defect in the production of virtually all T lymphocytes. Those exceptional CD3+ cells that escaped the effects of the lckR273 transgene were confined primarily to the T cell subset that expresses gamma/delta T cell receptors. Remarkably, construction of a dose-response curve for the effects of the lckR273 transgene revealed that developmental arrest of thymocytes occurred at a discrete stage in the normal T cell maturation pathway, corresponding to a point at which thymoblasts ordinarily begin a series of mitotic divisions that result in expansion and maturation. These results suggest that p56lck normally regulates T cell production by metering the replicative potential of immature thymoblasts.
The Assessment of Reading Comprehension: A Review of Practices—Past, Present, and Future

The purpose of this chapter is to build an argument for a fresh line of inquiry into the assessment of reading comprehension. We intend to accomplish that goal by providing a rich and detailed historical account of reading comprehension, both as a theoretical phenomenon and an operational construct that lives and breathes in classrooms throughout America. We review both basic research, which deals with reading comprehension largely in its theoretical aspect, and applied research, which is much more concerned about how comprehension gets operationalized in classrooms, reading materials, and tests.
Complicating Compassion: Enriching Our Understanding of Compassion Providers and Practice

In this symposium, we focus on complicating our current understanding of compassion while developing work in progress and generating new ideas and collaborations on this critical research topic. Th...
The contributions of Jean A. Laponce to political science

Jean A. Laponce contributed significantly to the study of political science, particularly in the fields of French and comparative politics, pluralism, the meaning of right and left, and the politic...
Electronic Resource Review: Coursera, Part II, www.Coursera.Org

In my first review of Coursera, in this journal’s November 2018 issue (vol. 21 no. 4), I focused on the general potential of Coursera to benefit music librarians and their patrons as a professional...
Internet of Things Device Hardening Using Shodan.io and ShoVAT: A Survey

The Internet of Things is becoming a topic of conversation more and more in the realm of computer security. Broadband internet is widely more available now and the cost of connecting is steadily going down. Tools like Shodan.io have highlighted the enormity of both the Internet of Things landscape and the many Internet of Things problems now facing security professionals. In this paper, the well-known methods of Internet of Things security assessment and infrastructure hardening, are explored. This paper also explained the new impacts of Shodan.io and its fascinating ability to easily identify and probe internet connected Internet Connection Sharing devices and Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition devices today. Example attacks as well as an in depth analysis of device hardening techniques is included with instruction. The goal is to assess the tools available and empower security professionals and teams facing these new large scale challenges into the future.