cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Impact of Patient Characteristics on Hospital-Level Outcomes Assessment in Congenital Heart Surgery

Background Accurate hospital outcome measures in congenital heart surgery are important to multiple initiatives. While methods have been developed to account for differences in procedural case-mix, characteristics patients bring into the operation that may also vary across hospitals and influence outcome have received less attention. We evaluated the impact of these characteristics in a large cohort. Methods Patients undergoing congenital heart surgery at centers participating in The Society of Thoracic Surgeons Congenital Heart Surgery Database (2010 to 2013) with adequate data quality were included. Variation across hospitals in important patient characteristics was examined, and hospital operative mortality rates were compared with and without adjustment for patient characteristics. Results Overall, 86 centers (52,224 patients) were included. There was greater than twofold variation across hospitals for nearly all patient characteristics examined. For example, the proportion of a center's surgical population comprised of neonates ranged from 12.8% to 26.6% across hospitals; the proportion with a non-cardiac anomaly ranged from 0.7% to 5.0%. When hospital mortality rankings were evaluated based on "standard" (adjustment for differences in procedural case-mix alone) versus "full" models (adjustment for both differences in procedural case-mix and patient characteristics), 14.0% changed their ranking for mortality by 20 or greater positions, 34.9% of centers changed which mortality quartile they were classified in, and 14.0% changed their statistical classification (statistically higher, lower, or same-as-expected mortality). Conclusions Characteristics of patients undergoing congenital heart surgery vary across centers and impact hospital outcomes assessment. Methods to assess outcomes and relative performance should account for these characteristics.
Time-dependence of graph theory metrics in functional connectivity analysis

Brain graphs provide a useful way to computationally model the network structure of the connectome, and this has led to increasing interest in the use of graph theory to quantitate and investigate the topological characteristics of the healthy brain and brain disorders on the network level. The majority of graph theory investigations of functional connectivity have relied on the assumption of temporal stationarity. However, recent evidence increasingly suggests that functional connectivity fluctuates over the length of the scan. In this study, we investigate the stationarity of brain network topology using a Bayesian hidden Markov model (HMM) approach that estimates the dynamic structure of graph theoretical measures of whole-brain functional connectivity. In addition to extracting the stationary distribution and transition probabilities of commonly employed graph theory measures, we propose two estimators of temporal stationarity: the S-index and N-index. These indexes can be used to quantify different aspects of the temporal stationarity of graph theory measures. We apply the method and proposed estimators to resting-state functional MRI data from healthy controls and patients with temporal lobe epilepsy. Our analysis shows that several graph theory measures, including small-world index, global integration measures, and betweenness centrality, may exhibit greater stationarity over time and therefore be more robust. Additionally, we demonstrate that accounting for subject-level differences in the level of temporal stationarity of network topology may increase discriminatory power in discriminating between disease states. Our results confirm and extend findings from other studies regarding the dynamic nature of functional connectivity, and suggest that using statistical models which explicitly account for the dynamic nature of functional connectivity in graph theory analyses may improve the sensitivity of investigations and consistency across investigations.
Colorimetric Determination of Piroxicam in Capsules

AbstractA simple colorimetric procedure to quantify piroxicam in capsules has been developed. The method is based on the reaction between piroxicam and 4-aminoantipyrine producing an orange color which can be measured at 490 nm. The method is accurate and precise with a percent relative standard deviation of 0.8 based on 5 readings. The results compared very well with the results obtained using the HPLC procedure. The extraction of piroxicam from the capsule powder is very simple which requires only 4 minutes, versus a 30 minute mechanical shaking recommended by the USP-NF. The results of the decomposed samples were similar to the results obtained using the HPLC method.
Yoga for Heart Failure Patients: A Feasibility Pilot Study with a Multiethnic Population

Background: Congestive heart failure (CHF) is highly prevalent and the most costly cardiovascular ill- ness in the United States. Yoga is known to be effective in lowering stress, lessening depression, and increasing physical fitness and may be used as an adjuvant management program for CHF patients. Primary Study Objective: To determine the feasibility of a yoga intervention program among a multiethnic CHF population living in un- derserved neighborhoods. Methods: Uncontrolled intervention trial. Setting: Kaiser Permanente Medical Centers, Richmond and Oakland, California. Participants: 14 CHF patients (7 female), mean age 64 (SD = 6.4) years, and 62% African-American. Intervention: Eight-week, 2x/week, 1-hr yoga classes that included meditation, breathing exercises, gentle yoga poses, and relaxation. Primary outcome measures: The intervention feasibility was measured by recruitment rates, participant retention and adherence. Body weight and self-reported depression and quality of life were measured before and after the intervention. Results: Among the 14 patients enrolled, 13 completed the intervention. Of those who completed the trial, 92% attended at least 50% of the classes. There was a significant reduction in weight (-3.5 lb, p = 0.01) and improvement in the severity of depression (p < 0.05), as well as a trend toward increased quality of life (p = 08). No adverse events were observed. Conclusions: This pilot trial demon- strates that it is feasible for patients with CHF to incorporate yoga into their lifestyle. Yoga may help with routine disease management, prevention of fluid retention, and improvement of depression and quality of life. A larger trial is needed to confirm efficacy and to determine the long-term effects on other important outcomes, such as hospital re-admission rates or prognostic biomarkers.
Using Video-Based Instruction to Integrate Ethics into the Curriculum.

This paper describes a video case discussion project based on the IMA’s Statement of Ethical Professional Practice that was administered in a cost accounting class to assess the extent to which students were able to identify and discuss ethical issues raised by the facts of a case scenario. The case was developed by the IMA to advance the continuing education in ethics of financial executives and management accountants. The scenario realistically portrays the kind of pressures faced by management accountants to go along with top management decisions that are driven by self-interest rather than proper accounting. We use a highly structured approach for direct assessment of student learning with pre-established rubrics. Indirect assessment of learning is approximated by a survey of students’ subjective reactions. In general, we conclude IMA’s video Success without Compromise provides an opportunity for students to apply ethics standards in a realistic setting and encourages students to become active participants in the learning experience.
Prevalence and Prediction of Primary Sleep Disorders in a Clinical Trial of Depressed Patients with Insomnia

Insomnia-pharmacology clinical trials routinely exclude primary sleep disorders, such as obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) and periodic limb movement disorder (PLMD), with a single night of polysomnography (PSG). Given the expense of PSG, we examined whether a thorough clinical screening, combined with actigraphy, would successfully identify OSA and PLMD as part of baseline screening for a clinical trial of insomnia treatment in depressed patients. Of the 73 patients with a complete baseline dataset, 12 screened positive for OSA/PLMD (AHI > 15, or PLMAI > 15), while 61 "passed" the PSG screen. The OSA/PLMD+ patients were older (51.4 +/- 10.2 y) and took more naps (2.6 per week) than the OSA/PLMD- patients (41.3 +/- 12.8 y; and 1.1 naps per week). The combination of age and nap frequency produced a "good" receiver operating characteristic (ROC) model for predicting OSA/PLMD+, with the area under the curve of 0.82. There were no other demographic, sleep diary, or actigraphic variables, which differed between OSA/PLM + or -, and no other variable improved the ROC model. Still, the best model misclassified 16 of 73 persons. We conclude that while age and the presence of napping were helpful in identifying OSA and PLM in a well-screened sample of depressed insomniacs, PSG is required to definitively identify and exclude primary sleep disorders in insomnia clinical trials.
Aqueous ARGET ATRP

Activators regenerated by electron transfer atom transfer radical polymerization (ARGET ATRP) was successfully implemented in aqueous media for the first time. A well-controlled polymerization of oligo(ethylene oxide) methyl ether methacrylate (OEOMA) was conducted with 300 ppm or lower of a copper catalyst and tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine (TPMA) ligand in the presence of an excess of halide salts. Ascorbic acid was continuously fed into the reaction mixture to regenerate the activator complex. The effects of the halide salt concentration, ligand concentration, feeding rate of the reducing agent, and copper concentration were systematically studied to identify conditions that provide both an acceptable rate of polymerization and good control over the polymer properties. The optimized polymerization conditions provided linear first-order kinetics, linear evolution of the molecular weight with conversion, and polymers with narrow molecular weight distributions (Mw/Mn < 1.3) at high monomer conversions (∼70%) ...
Nanoporous Gold Membranes as Robust Constructs for Selectively Tunable Chemical Transport

Nanopores are promising structures for small-volume separations, but they often require complex top-down fabrication and are not easily (re)configurable to allow for dynamically tuned separations. Herein we report the first use of nanoporous gold (NPG) membranes as tunable, charge-based separation elements. NPG is fabricated into a robust network of interconnecting pores via simple solution de-alloying. We demonstrate that control over the selective permeation of small-molecule analytes can be controlled via three different methods: (1) anion adsorption at the Au surface; (2) pH-tuning of self-assembled monolayer (SAM) charge; and (3) electrochemical oxidation of a redox-active SAM. This simple and versatile membrane system is promising as a dynamically tunable element for small-volume separations.
Analysis of Epidemiological Characteristics of Measles in Hefei

Objective Incidence and trend of measles in Hefei were analyzed so as to provide basis for controlling and eliminating measles.Methods: 841 confirmed measles cases reported in 2005 from the surveillance system were analyzed.Results: Incidence of measles was 18.46/100000(84.1/4556978) and increased 720.44%,compared with that in 2004.Totally,five outbreaks occurred in schools in 2005.Other cases occurred sporadically.Incidence peak occurred in March and May Double-phase shifting phenomenon was observed in different age groups.Among the cases,29.1% had the immunity history.25.6% had not immunity history and 45.3% had unclear immunity history.40% or so were migrants.Conclusion: Migrant children had lower vaccination rate.Accumulation of non-immunity population and increasing proportion of migrant population were the main causes leading to higher incidence.Improving the MV vaccination quality and intensifying MV vaccination to key population were the effective way to control outbreak and prevalence of measles.
Update: the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center experience with paclitaxel in the management of breast carcinoma.

The first of three trials at M.D. Anderson Cancer Center investigating paclitaxel (Taxol; Bristol-Myers Squibb Company, Princeton, NJ) in metastatic breast cancer was a phase II study involving 25 patients (297 courses) previously treated with only one chemotherapy regimen; the patients received paclitaxel 250 mg/m2 infused over 24 hours without granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF). Complete (12%) and partial responses (44%) led to median durations of response and survival of 9 and 21 months, respectively. The median paclitaxel dose was 200 mg/m2. Despite profound neutropenia (median granulocyte count of 0.3 cells x 10(9)/L for the first three courses), infection occurred in 42% of patients but only 6% of courses. In a phase I trial of paclitaxel 125 mg/m2 over 24 hours followed by doxorubicin 60 mg/m2 using G-CSF at 5 micrograms/kg days 5 through 19, dose-limiting mucositis with neutropenic fever occurred at the starting dose, so the maximum tolerated dose was one dose lower: paclitaxel 125 mg/m2 (over 24 hours) followed by doxorubicin 48 mg/m2 over 48 hours. Among 10 patients, there was one complete response and seven partial responses (overall response, 80%). Suspecting a schedule-dependent interaction between drugs, a phase I trial of the reverse sequence yielded a maximum tolerated dose, defined by neutropenic fever without mucositis, of doxorubicin 60 mg/m2 (over 48 hours) followed by paclitaxel 150 mg/m2 (over 24 hours) in 21 patients. A pharmacokinetic study in which the sequence of administration of paclitaxel over 24 hours and doxorubicin over 48 hours was alternated in courses 1 and 2 indicated that when paclitaxel by 24-hour infusion is given first, doxorubicin plasma levels at the end of infusion were an average 70% higher and doxorubicin clearance was reduced approximately 30% compared with the reverse sequence. Similarly, the incidence of grade 2 or 3 mucositis was 70% with the paclitaxel/doxorubicin sequence versus only 10% with the reverse sequence. We concluded that paclitaxel slows doxorubicin metabolism and that when used together in this schedule, doxorubicin should precede paclitaxel. In the third trial paclitaxel without G-CSF was administered to two groups of heavily pretreated patients: (1) those with only two prior chemotherapy regimens (inclusive of adjuvant therapy) received paclitaxel 175 mg/m2 over 24 hours and (2) those with three or more prior regimens received paclitaxel 150 mg/m2 over 24 hours. Response rates in both regimens were approximately 20%. We conclude that paclitaxel has significant antitumor activity in metastatic breast cancer, especially in patients with limited prior therapy, without need for G-CSF.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
The risk of nerve injury during anatomical and reverse total shoulder arthroplasty: an intraoperative neuromonitoring study.

Background This study compared the incidence and pattern of potential nerve injuries between reverse shoulder (RSA) and total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) using intraoperative neuromonitoring. Our hypothesis was that RSA has a greater risk of nerve injury than TSA due to arm lengthening. Methods We reviewed 36 consecutive patients who underwent RSA (n = 12) or TSA (n = 24) with intraoperative neuromonitoring. The number of nerve alerts was recorded for each stage of surgery. Neurologic function was assessed preoperatively and postoperatively at routine follow-up visits. Predictive factors for increased intraoperative nerve alerts and clinically detectable neurologic deficits were determined. Results There were nearly 5 times as many postreduction nerve alerts per patient in the RSA cohort compared with the TSA cohort (2.17 vs. 0.46). There were 17 unresolved nerve alerts postoperatively, with only 2 clinically detectable nerve injuries, which fully resolved by 6 months postoperatively. A preoperative decrease in active forward flexion and the diagnosis of rotator cuff arthropathy were independent predictors of intraoperative nerve alerts. Conclusion RSA has a higher incidence of intraoperative nerve alerts than TSA during the postreduction stage due to arm lengthening. Decreased preoperative active forward flexion and the diagnosis of rotator cuff arthropathy are predictors of more nerve alerts. The clinical utility of routine intraoperative nerve monitoring remains in question given the high level of nerve alerts and lack of persistent postoperative neurologic deficits.
Robust Adaptive Control of a Class of Nonlinear Systems

In this chapter, we present some theoretical design tools for robust adaptive control of nonlinear systems [84, 120, 164] for application to various motor control problems. The development follows the lines of [87, 88] . First, the control design for the case that the strict matching condition is satisfied is outlined. Next, the design is extended using a combination of backstepping, nonlinear damping, and tuning functions [120] to a class of nonlinear systems that do not satisfy the strict matching condition, namely systems of the special strict feedback form [87, 88]. These systems are characterized using the notion of the degree of mismatch that illustrates the tradeoff between the state equations where the uncertainty can appear, and the state variables on which the uncertain terms depend. For the case where only the outputs are measured, the adaptive design procedure applies to systems transformable to the output feedback form [89, 136] where the unknown terms are output-dependent. Results in both cases are presented for state/output tracking and regulation problems. For the case where the objective is tracking, global uniform boundedness of the tracking error is attained with respect to a compact set whose size can be made arbitrarily small (practical tracking) based on an appropriate choice of control gains. In the regulation case, global asymptotic regulation of all the states is achieved. Before reading this chapter, Appendices F and G provide a good basis for some of the required nonlinear design tools such as backstepping, tuning functions, and nonlinear small gain.
Thématisation des causes des crises socio-politiques en Afrique post-coloniale dans la fiction d’écrivaines ivoiriennes.

(2010). Thematisation des causes des crises socio-politiques en Afrique post-coloniale dans la fiction d’ecrivaines ivoiriennes. Journal of the African Literature Association: Vol. 5, No. 1, pp. 102-110.
Sexual Orientation, Gender, and Environmental Injustice: Unequal Carcinogenic Air Pollution Risks in Greater Houston

Disparate residential hazard exposures based on disadvantaged gender status (e.g., among female-headed households) have been documented in the distributive environmental justice literature, yet no published studies have examined whether disproportionate environmental risks exist based on minority sexual orientation. To address this gap, we use data from the U.S. Census, American Community Survey, and the Environmental Protection Agency at the 2010 census tract level to examine the spatial relationships between same-sex partner households and cumulative cancer risk from exposure to hazardous air pollutants (HAPs) emitted by all ambient emission sources in Greater Houston (Texas). Findings from generalized estimating equation analyses demonstrate that increased cancer risks from HAPs are significantly associated with neighborhoods having relatively high concentrations of resident same-sex partner households, adjusting for geographic clustering and variables known to influence risk (i.e., race, ethnicity, so...
Noninvasive Ventilation in the Polytraumatized Patient

Trauma is the leading cause of death in persons younger than 44 years of age and is the fourth leading cause of death overall [1]. Approximately 140,000 trauma-related deaths occur in the United States annually. Chest trauma is the cause of death in up to one-fourth of patients with multiple-systems trauma.
Getting "Inside" Type I IFNs: Type I IFNs in Intracellular Bacterial Infections.

Type I interferons represent a unique and complex group of cytokines, serving many purposes during innate and adaptive immunity. Discovered in the context of viral infections, type I IFNs are now known to have myriad effects in infectious and autoimmune disease settings. Type I IFN signaling during bacterial infections is dependent on many factors including whether the infecting bacterium is intracellular or extracellular, as different signaling pathways are activated. As such, the repercussions of type I IFN induction can positively or negatively impact the disease outcome. This review focuses on type I IFN induction and downstream consequences during infection with the following intracellular bacteria: Chlamydia trachomatis, Listeria monocytogenes, Mycobacterium tuberculosis, Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium, Francisella tularensis, Brucella abortus, Legionella pneumophila, and Coxiella burnetii. Intracellular bacterial infections are unique because the bacteria must avoid, circumvent, and even co-opt microbial “sensing” mechanisms in order to reside and replicate within a host cell. Furthermore, life inside a host cell makes intracellular bacteria more difficult to target with antibiotics. Because type I IFNs are important immune effectors, modulating this pathway may improve disease outcomes. But first, it is critical to understand the context-dependent effects of the type I IFN pathway in intracellular bacterial infections.
The role of grain boundaries in perovskite solar cells

Abstract With a certified power conversion efficiency (PCE) exceeding 22%, the hunt is now on clues to further improve the PCE and stability of perovskite (PVSK) solar cells toward commercialization. Polycrystalline PVSK films are grown by low temperature solution processes that results in the formation of sub-micron scale grains and consequent grain boundaries. The large discrepancy observed between optoelectronic properties of the polycrystalline films and single crystals of PVSK implies that grain boundaries may largely influence the optoelectronic properties of the PVSK thin film. In this article, important studies on the roles of the grain boundaries on optoelectronic properties and stability of the PVSK are reviewed.
Impact of age and race on outcomes of a program to prevent excess weight gain and disordered eating in adolescent girls

Interpersonal psychotherapy (IPT) prevents weight gain and reduces loss-of-control (LOC)-eating in adults. However, IPT was not superior to health-education (HE) for preventing excess weight gain and reducing LOC-eating over 1-year in adolescent girls at risk for excess weight gain and eating disorders. Limited data suggest that older and non-White youth may be especially responsive to IPT. In secondary analyses, we examined if age or race moderated weight and LOC-eating outcomes. The 113 participants (12–17 years; 56.6% White) from the original trial were re-contacted 3 years later for assessment. At baseline and follow-up visits through 3 years, we assessed BMI, adiposity by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry, and LOC-eating presence. In linear mixed models, baseline age moderated 3-year BMI outcome; older girls in IPT had the lowest 3-year BMI gain compared to younger girls in IPT and all girls in HE, p = 0.04. A similar pattern was observed for adiposity. Race moderated 3-year LOC-eating; non-White girls in IPT were most likely to abstain from LOC-eating at 3 years compared to all other girls, p = 0.04. This hypothesis-generating analysis suggests future studies should determine if IPT is especially efficacious at reducing LOC-eating in older, non-White adolescents.
Strategies for improving the laser-induced damage thresholds of dichroic coatings developed for high-transmission at 527 nm and high reflection at 1054 nm

We report on progress for increasing the laser-induced damage threshold of dichroic beam combiner coatings for high transmission at 527 nm and high reflection at 1054 nm (22.5° angle of incidence, S-polarization). The initial coating consisted of HfO2 and SiO2 layers deposited with electron beam evaporation, and the laser-induced damage threshold was 7 J/cm2 at 532 nm with 3.5 ns pulses. This study introduces different coating strategies that were utilized to increase the laser damage threshold of this coating to 12.5 J/cm2.
Happenstance Capitalized through Cultural Immersion in Ghana.

Happenstance learning theory posits that unexpected events can have lasting positive impacts on individual learning and development. In this reflection, a U.S. doctoral student shares how an unexpected opportunity occurred to participate in a cultural immersion experience in Ghana, West Africa. Along with learning outcomes that resulted, suggestions are offered to assist adult learners with making the most of serendipitous learning opportunities.
Simplified Substrate Modeling and Rapid Simulation

As discussed earlier a semiconductor device simulator is an accurate computer-aided design tool to investigate substrate coupling related behaviour in a mixed-signal environment, although to simulate circuits with more than a few transistors can require overly large amounts of computational time and resources. The use of such a simulator is useful in terms of studying the characteristics of coupling through the substrate in a given process and to obtain direction in terms of strategies to overcome it [4.3]. However, the amount of coupling is extremely layout dependent and can vary dramatically depending on the nature of the substrate biasing and guard ringing employed and also the distribution of the power supplies used to bias the substrate. Consequently, even though layout guidelines can be established and employed to reduce the coupling, it becomes necessary to verify real designs, ranging anywhere in size from a few transistors to hundreds of thousands of them in order to break the expensive cycle of design, layout and fabrication. Thus, mixed-signal designers require a tool that they can use in conjunction with a circuit simulator which will indicate to them signs, if any, of performance deterioration due to substrate noise. Not only does the tool need to be accurate, it must also be fast enough to allow them to use it as many times as is required to optimize a design to meet its performance specifications without sacrificing large amounts of design time.
The Physician-Patient Relationship in a Secular, Pluralist Society

Medicine is practiced in secular, pluralist societies. In the United States and large areas of Latin America, Europe, and Japan, physicians and nurses find that their patients and colleagues are often moral strangers to them. They frequently do not share with their patients a common view of the good life or of the purposes and goals of health care. It is this circumstance that marks the moral predicament of the modern physician-patient relationship. This is not to deny that in many instances physicians do share with their patients common moral viewpoints or understandings. A Hassidic Jewish physician practicing in a Hassidic Jewish community, a Seventh Day Adventist in a Seventh Day Adventist hospital, a Roman Catholic practicing in a strict Roman Catholic hospital may be able to presume that his or her views concerning the fundamental nature of morals are shared with patients. That presumption, however, can usually not be made. Physicians and patients are likely to hold diverging views with regard not only to the moral probity of such widely employed interventions as contraception and abortion, but also with regard to the moral significance of pain, suffering, death, and life itself. Since concrete moral judgments require an appeal to a moral hierarchy of benefits and banes, differences in such hierarchies frame differences in world viewpoints and the significance of particular decisions.
How Can Evolution and Neuroscience Help Us Understand Moral Capacities

Trying to understand morality has been a central human preoccupation for as far back as human history extends, and for very good reasons. The core phenomenon is readily observable: we humans judge each other’s behaviour as right or wrong, and each other’s selves as moral or immoral. If others view you as moral, you will thrive in the bosom of a human group. If, however, others view you as immoral, you are in deep trouble; you may even die young, either at the hands of others, or alone in the bush. These are very good reasons indeed for close attention to morality.
Photoisomerization Dynamics in a Densely Packed Optically Transformable Azobenzene Monolayer.

Molecular monolayers that can be reconfigured through the use of external stimuli promise to enable the creation of interfaces with precisely selected dynamically adjustable physical and electronic properties with potential impact ranging from electronics to energy storage. Azobenzene-containing molecular monolayers have multiple stable molecular conformations but face a challenging nanoscale problem associated with understanding the basic mechanisms of reconfiguration. Time-resolved X-ray reflectivity studies show that the reconfiguration of a densely packed rhenium–azobenzene monolayer occurs in a period of many seconds. The degree of reconfiguration from trans to cis forms depends on the integrated UV fluence and has kinetics that are consistent with a mechanism in which the transformation occurs through the nucleation and growth of nanoscale two-dimensional regions of the cis isomer.
Introduction: Care of the Self, the City, and Creation

This chapter argues for the relevance of a wisdom approach to philosophical theology for the ecological crisis. This approach—drawing upon the work of Foucault, Hadot, and Latour—frames exercises of reading and writing within the context of a way of life. These intellectual exercises play a role in webs of life and are potential sites for change. On this account, philosophical theology is not simply concerned with knowledge, information, or the formulation of doctrine, but is centered on practices of care embedded in political and ecological structures. The introduction illustrates the contemporary relevance of these practices by placing them in dialogue with political ecology and political theology.
On the detectability of transiting planets orbiting white dwarfs using LSST

ABSTRACT White dwarfs are one of the few types of stellar object for which we have yet to confirm the existence of companion planets. Recent evidence for metal contaminated atmospheres, circumstellar debris discs, and transiting planetary debris all indicates that planets may be likely. However, white dwarf transit surveys are challenging due to the intrinsic faintness of such objects, the short time-scale of the transits, and the low transit probabilities due to their compact radii. The Large Synoptic Survey Telescope (LSST) offers a remedy to these problems as a deep, half-sky survey with fast exposures encompassing approximately 10 million white dwarfs with r < 24.5 apparent magnitude (mr). We simulate LSST photometric observations of 3.5 million white dwarfs over a 10 yr period and calculate the detectability of companion planets with P < 10 d via transits. We find typical detection rates in the range of 5 × 10−6 to 4 × 10−4 for Ceres-sized bodies to Earth-sized worlds, yielding ∼50–$4000$ detections for a 100 per cent occurrence rate of each. For terrestrial planets in the continuously habitable zone, we find detection rates of ∼10−3 indicating that LSST would reveal hundreds of such worlds for occurrence rates in the range of 1–10 per cent.
Novel Application of Steroid Eluting Stent in Petrous Apex Cholesterol Granuloma.

Objective This study describes the safety and efficacy of mometasone furoate eluting stents in the management of petrous apex cholesterol granuloma approached through an endonasal endoscopic route and assesses the restenosis rate. Methods Consecutive patients undergoing endoscopic endonasal marsupialization of a petrous apex cholesterol granuloma at a tertiary referral center who had a mometasone furoate eluting stent placed intraoperatively were reviewed in a retrospective fashion. Postoperative endoscopy was used to determine success of surgery and stenting. Results Five patients were included in the study, three were primary cases and two patients had revision surgeries performed. The steroid eluting stent was placed successfully and safely in all patients with no dural or vascular injuries. The average follow-up duration was 10.6 months. There was no restenosis in three patients and one patient had an immediate restenosis that was debrided in clinic (revision case). This was patent at the 16 months follow-up. One patient also developed stenosis, 4 months after surgery due to sphenoid sinusitis. Conclusion Mometasone furoate eluting stents are safe and effective in the primary management of petrous apex cholesterol granuloma. Further studies are needed to assess their efficacy in revision cases and for long term results.
The Chilean Winter: A Student Revolution

The 2011 Chilean Winter was a student movement that fought to end the rampant inequality found in the nation’s neoliberal education policies, which found their origins in the reforms enacted during the 1980s by Chilean dictator General Augusto Pinochet. In response to the nation’s economic crisis, he attempted to cut government spending by decentralizing and privatizing the education system. The results were largely unfavorable; Chilean education came to be known for its socioeconomic stratification, unequal schools, and its exorbitantly expensive universities. Despite the undoubtedly negative outcome of Pinochet’s policies, they remained relatively untouched until student movements in 2006 and 2011 began to challenge them. Although almost all of the issues that the 2011 Chilean Winter addressed were the result of Pinochet’s policies, it would be incorrect to claim that the students were protesting his reforms. Instead, the movement was a reaction to the failure of the nation’s post-dictatorship governments, the Concertacion coalition and right-centrist presidency of Sebastian Pinera, to restructure Chile’s neoliberal education system despite its numerous problems. This work aims to disprove the erroneous view of many newspapers and academic journals that the student movement was caused directly by Pinochet’s policies. In other words, I wish to separate protest against the legacy of the Pinochet reforms—that is the current system—from protest against the reforms themselves. The work will be divided into two main sections. The first section will focus on demonstrating the lasting impact of Pinochet’s education programs, with a particular emphasis on statistical studies performed by other researchers. The second section will be devoted to analyzing the roots of the 2011 student movement. This part of the investigation will focus on rhetoric from the students themselves, especially movement leader Camila Vallejo.
"TEACHING TABLES:" Real-World Audiences: Finding Ways for Student Scholarship to Resonate Outside the Classroom

My session will focus on how university professors can coach their undergraduate students to understand and appreciate the ways that their own research, writing, and scholarship can resonate with â€œreal-worldâ€ audiences outside the classroom and even effect change. Professors from any department or discipline can emphasize authentic audiences for their students by encouraging them to submit work for publication or by implementing a â€œWriting to Save the Worldâ€-type social change project. This Teaching Table session will provide ideas and examples of how to do just these things, from assignment design to lesson planning. This session will explore the rewards of helping students look beyond the walls of the classroom while developing their own research, and consider audiences besides merely their professor and classmates. This session will provide ideas of how to balance teaching necessary academic writing skills while also teaching with an emphasis on real-world context. It will outline assignment opportunities that allow students to feel directly engaged with their learning while also developing active critical thinking skills and embodying the â€œstudent as scholarâ€ mentality valued by the universityâ€™s QEP program.
Highly sensitive plasmonic metal nanoparticle-based sensors for the detection of organophosphorus pesticides.

Abstract Plasmonic nanoparticles offer attractive benefits for the detection of environmental contaminants due to their high extinction coefficients and unique optical properties. Excess use of OP pesticides has been found to have adverse effects on human health and the environment. Here, we demonstrate the use of plasmonic silver (Ag), gold (Au) and bimetallic silver-gold (Ag-Au) nanoparticles (NPs) to detect and distinguish between organophosphorus (OP) pesticides. The NPs were found to detect the thion pesticides: ethion, parathion, malathion, and fenthion) in real time. In each case, the interaction of the pesticides with the plasmonic NPs were found to result in wavelength shifts of the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) accompanied by color changes. The wavelength shifts were characteristic of the pesticide structure and concentration. The interaction between the sensors and the pesticide was a result of the soft metal surface binding to the soft sulfur atom of the pesticide. Similarly, oxon pesticides showed no effect on the LSPR of the NPs. The three plasmonic NPs showed limits of detections (LOD) in ppm range for all pesticides under real-time analysis. The LOD of Ag NPs with ethion, fenthion, malathion, and parathion were 9 ppm, 11 ppm, 18 ppm, and 44 ppm, respectively. The LOD of Au NPs with ethion, fenthion, malathion, parathion were 58 ppm, 53 ppm, 139 ppm, and 3203 ppm, respectively. Ag-Au NPs with ethion, fenthion, malathion, and parathion showed LOD values of 228 ppm, 231 ppm, 1189 ppm, and 1835 ppm, respectively. The ability of the plasmonic NPs to detect the selected pesticides in natural environments was tested under simulated natural conditions in the presence of dissolved organic matter (DOM). Steep gradients in the sedimentation plots revealed that the time dependent interaction of each OP pesticide with the NP surface was accompanied by a considerable change in the LSPR indicative of colloidal destabilization over time. All pesticides showed nearly the same trend in their sedimentation with the plasmonic NPs. The stability of the nanoparticles in the colloidal medium was described by classical DLVO theory, which showed that the net interaction was attractive.
Reference Services to Police Officer Students at the School of Police Staff and Command, Traffic Institute, Northwestern University

Summary This paper focuses on the reference services provided by librarians at the Transportation Library for the police officer students enrolled in the School of Police Staff and Command, Traffic Institute, Northwestern University (Evanston, Illinois). Although this program is unique, the wealth of experience gained over several years can be useful for others who are planning and implementing services for adult learners within an academic environment. The Transportation Library's unusual organizational culture—a corporate library within an academic setting- and a variety of clients necessitates “changing gears” and services to meet the needs of each group.
Firm-Specific Currency Exposure, Repatriation, and the Market Value of Repatriation Taxes

As the U.S. dollar (USD) strengthens relative to foreign currencies, the USD value of foreign subsidiary-to-parent dividends decreases, and the foreign tax credit remains anchored at a blended rate...
Heuristic Processes in Perception

This chapter presents the theory of the heuristic nature of perceptual processes, which has specific implications for future research in depth perception. The human problem solver may use processes that do not guarantee a correct solution to the problem at hand. This occurs in a wide variety of problem-solving situations, including (1) symbolic logic, (2) chess, (3) pattern recognition, (4) binary choice, (5) decision making under risk, and (6) probability estimation. The use of heuristic processes is easy to understand in the first three cases. Even computer programs designed entirely for artificial intelligence purposes have had to use heuristic methods in attempting to solve these problems, because the number of steps required for a complete search of the set of possible solutions would be prohibitive. The occurrence of systematic illusions does not imply that the perceptual processes are malfunctioning. An illusion does not represent a malfunction of perceptual processes but rather the normal functioning of processes that are not designed to produce veridical judgments in all situations.
Analysis of Failure Modes: Case study of Ruggedizing a low-cost Screening Technology in Sub-Saharan Africa

Opportunities for medical innovation and development have grown drastically in lower-and-middle-income-countries (LMICs) such as Sierra Leone. Technologists who design medical products must surmount various design and implementation challenges to overcome non-western failure modes and maintain quality control standards. Most biomedical devices that are imported to LMICs cannot withstand the operating environment because they are designed for westernized countries. In order to adapt to the operating environment, manufacturers must account for the environmental conditions and the systemic issues that will arise throughout the distribution supply chain and after transport. Highlighted in this article is a case study of Ukweli Test Strips, a venture based in Sierra Leone, implementing a low-cost point-of-care (POC) screening device that detects both urinary tract infections (UTIs) and preeclampsia.
Are Bankruptcy Professional Fees Excessively High

The U.S. Chapter 7 bankruptcy system relies on private trustees to administer liquidations. By law, creditors pay trustees a substantial commission on asset sales. I exploit kinks in the commission function to estimate a structural model of moral hazard by trustees. While reducing commissions would harm trustee incentives, lowering sale values, I nonetheless find that lower commissions would significantly benefit creditors. My estimates imply that corporate Chapter 7 creditors pay excessive commissions that subsidize individual debtors, who pay trustees a small fee and rarely surrender assets. Small-business lenders disproportionately bear the costs of this subsidy.
Exascale Data Processing in Heterogeneous Distributed Computing Infrastructure for Applications in High Energy Physics

Research in High Energy and Nuclear Physics is impossible without the use of significant computing power and software for processing, simulation, and analysis of data. The construction and commissioning of facilities such as the Large Hadron Collider and NICA required new approaches and algorithms for developing the data processing and management systems. At the same time, heterogeneous computing resources are being integrated into a single cyber infrastructure and the concept of a “scientific data lake” is being developed. This paper discusses the evolution of data processing systems and computer solutions for experiments in the field of particle physics.
Telemedicine and Telehealth in Nursing Homes: An Integrative Review.

Abstract Objectives Telemedicine and telehealth are increasingly used in nursing homes (NHs). Their use was accelerated further by the COVID-19 pandemic, but their impact on patients and outcomes has not been adequately investigated. These technologies offer promising avenues to detect clinical deterioration early, increasing clinician's ability to treat patients in place. A review of literature was executed to further explore the modalities' ability to maximize access to specialty care, modernize care models, and improve patient outcomes. Design Whittemore and Knafl's integrative review methodology was used to analyze quantitative and qualitative studies. Setting and Participants Primary research conducted in NH settings or focused on NH residents was included. Participants included clinicians, NH residents, subacute patients, and families. Methods PubMed, Web of Science, CINAHL, Embase, PsycNET, and JSTOR were searched, yielding 16 studies exploring telemedicine and telehealth in NH settings between 2014 and 2020. Results Measurable impacts such as reduced emergency and hospital admissions, financial savings, reduced physical restraints, and improved vital signs were found along with process improvements, such as expedient access to specialists. Clinician, resident, and family perspectives were also discovered to be roundly positive. Studies showed wide methodologic heterogeneity and low generalizability owing to small sample sizes and incomplete study designs. Conclusions and Implications Preliminary evidence was found to support geriatrician, psychiatric, and palliative care consults through telemedicine. Financial and clinical incentives such as Medicare savings and reduced admissions to hospitals were also supported. NHs are met with increased challenges as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, which telemedicine and telehealth may help to mitigate. Additional research is needed to explore resident and family opinions of telemedicine and telehealth use in nursing homes, as well as remote monitoring costs and workflow changes incurred with its use.
Maintaining sense of purpose in midlife predicts better physical health.

Abstract Objective Having a sense of purpose in life is fundamental to psychological and physical well-being. Despite the benefits of purpose, it may be difficult to hold onto purpose as people age. The present research addressed four aims: (1) to estimate average change in sense of purpose during midlife; (2) to test associations between purpose levels and later physical health; (3) to test associations between purpose change and later physical health; (4) to examine the cross-cultural generalizability of findings. Methods We used reliable change indices to estimate change in sense of purpose during midlife in three prospective cohorts: one comprised predominately of White participants in the U.S. (N = 2692), a second predominately of African American participants in the U.S. (N = 248), and a third of Japanese participants in Tokyo (N = 644). Next, we used linear regression to examine associations between purpose levels and purpose change and later self-reported general health and chronic health conditions. Results At the group level, purpose declined slightly across time (Cohen's ds = −0.08 to −0.17). At the individual level, 10–14% of participants reliably decreased in purpose, whereas only 6–8% of participants reliably increased in purpose. Consistent with our preregistered hypotheses, higher purpose levels predicted better health in the two larger samples (βs = 0.10–0.18, small effects) and more positive purpose change predicted better health in all three samples (βs = 0.08‐–0.22., small to medium effects). Conclusion Together, these findings suggest that both having a sense of purpose and holding onto it may be important for physical health in middle to older adulthood.