cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pulmonary valve restitution following transannular patch repair of tetralogy of Fallot.

Chronic pulmonary insufficiency following transannular patch repair of tetralogy of Fallot may mandate restoration of a competent pulmonary valve. Pulmonary valve leaflets that are preserved at initial surgery may grow and develop normal morphology and subsequent valve repair may be possible. We reviewed our experience with native pulmonary valve restitution following transannular patch repair (2001-15). The cohort included 9 patients with a median age of 18.7 (range 10.6-31.3) years. Operative technique involved reapproximation of the anterior commissure of the pulmonary valve. Median length of stay was 3 days, and there were no deaths. At median follow-up of 2.0 (0.4-13.5) years, pulmonary insufficiency was graded as ≤mild (n = 4), mild-moderate or moderate (n = 4) and moderate-severe (n = 1); pulmonary stenosis was ≤mild (n = 8) and moderate (n = 1), with median peak gradient of 21 (16-64) mmHg. No patient required reintervention. At reoperation to treat pulmonary insufficiency in repaired TOF, if residual leaflets are found with favourable anatomy, restitution of the native valve should be considered. This valve-preserving technique avoids the certain failure of a bioprosthesis and is associated with favourable early outcomes. The viability of this option may influence surgeons to leave the pulmonary leaflets in situ at the time of initial repair.
Home Matters: Adolescents Drink More Sugar-Sweetened Beverages When Available at Home

Objectives To examine the association between sugar-sweetened beverage availability at home and sugar-sweetened beverage consumption, and to evaluate whether this association was consistent across school and school neighborhood sugar-sweetened beverage availability. Study design Secondary data analyses were performed from the 2014 cross-sectional, Internet-based Family Life, Activity, Sun, Health, and Eating (FLASHE) study of 1494 adolescents (age 12-17 years). Ordinal logistic regression analyses were conducted to examine the association between sugar-sweetened beverage availability in the home and adolescents' frequency of sugar-sweetened beverage consumption (nondaily, Results One-third (32.6%) of adolescents were nondaily consumers of sugar-sweetened beverages, 33.9% consumed 1- Conclusions Sugar-sweetened beverage availability in the home was associated with adolescent sugar-sweetened beverage consumption, regardless of sugar-sweetened beverage availability in other settings, and may be a key target for obesity prevention efforts.
Tumors and Related Conditions of the Bladder and Lower Urinary Tract

Several proposed classifications of tumors of these organs have recently been published. The tumors can be divided into the common epithelial (urothelial tumors) and uncommon tumors of other origins.
Multistage Testing: Issues, Designs, and Research

Just as traditional computerized adaptive testing (CAT) involves adaptive selection of individual items for sequential administration to examinees as a test is in progress, multistage testing (MST) is an analogous approach that uses sets of items as the building blocks for a test. In MST terminology, these sets of items have come to be termed modules (Luecht & Nungester, 1998) or testlets (Wainer & Kiely, 1987) and can be characterized as short versions of linear test forms where some specified number of individual items are administered together to meet particular test specifications and provide a certain proportion of the total test information. The individual items in a module may be all related to one or more common stems (such as passages or graphics) or be more generally discrete from one another, per the content specifications of the testing program for the test in question. These self-contained, carefully constructed, fixed sets of items are the same for every examinee to whom each set is administered, but any two examinees may or may not be presented with the same sequence of modules, nor even the same modules.
Controlled Diet and Climate Experiments on Nitrogen Isotope Ratios of Rats

Nitrogen isotope ratios (15N/14N) increase from plants to herbivores to carnivores and can be used to estimate the degree of carnivory in human diets. Some field studies observe a greater difference in δ15N between trophic levels in dry, hot habitats than in wet, cool ones. Two hypotheses have been proposed to explain this variation in difference in δ15N between trophic levels. (1) Elevated excretion of 15N-depleted urea in heat/water-stressed animals; (2) recycling of nitrogen on protein-deficient diets. Both predict increased diet-tissue δ15N difference under stress.
Metric Spaces, Normed Spaces, Inner Product Spaces

The goal of this chapter is to introduce the abstract theory of the spaces that are important in functional analysis and to provide examples of such spaces. These will serve as our examples throughout the rest of the text, and the spaces introduced in the second section of this chapter will be studied in great detail. The abstract spaces—metric spaces, normed spaces, and inner product spaces—are all examples of what are more generally called “topological spaces.” These spaces have been given in order of increasing structure. That is, every inner product space is a normed space, and in turn, every normed space is a metric space. It is “easiest,” then, to be a metric space, but because of the added structure, it is “easiest” to work with inner product spaces.
Scherer, Wilhelm (1841–1886)

In his relatively short life, Wilhelm Scherer contributed extensively to Germanic linguistics and philology. He is perhaps best known for his handbooks on the history of the German language and on the history of German literature.
When did cardiac surgery begin

Heart surgery is generally regarded as having begun on September 10, 1896 when Ludwig Rehn sutured a myocardial laceration successfully. There are valid reasons, however, to believe that cardiac surgery had its origin nearly a century earlier with the operative drainage of the pericardium by the little known Spanish surgeon, Francisco Romero, and highly regarded Baron Dominique Jean Larrey. This procedure entailed making a thoracic incision and opening and draining the pericardium. It must necessarily be considered a cardiac operation. The pericardium is part of the heart; its epicardium continues as the serosal layer of the fibrous pericardium; the pericardium is fused to the heart's base and great vessels; all books on heart surgery include pericardial operations. When Romero first operated is unknown, but it antedated 1814 when his work was presented in Paris; Larrey's operation was performed in 1810. These contributions are presented, and their priority with regard to the later initial efforts to suture myocardial laceration is reviewed briefly.
Power Performance Tradeoffs Using Adaptive Bit Width Adjustments on Resistive Associative Processors

Associative processors, while ideal for vector-based applications, have been limited in their use mainly due to area and energy considerations. This reality is changing due to the advent of ultra-dense resistive memories (RRAMs), allowing for area efficient implementations of in-memory associative processors. However, with the high levels of integration, issues related to power density become the major bottleneck. In this paper, we investigate approximate computing in RRAM-based associative processors as a means of enhancing energy efficiency for in-memory associative processors. A case study of a wireless communication system is considered, where fast Fourier transform (FFT) modules are widely used. The proposed manager adjusts the bit width based on the channel SNR, aiming at achieving the desired performance at a reduced energy consumption. An analytical model of system performance under the reduced bit width induced noise is presented. Based on this model, an adaptive bit width adjustment algorithm is presented that utilizes the received SNR estimates to find the optimal bit width that achieves the desired performance goals. Simulation results show that the proposed algorithm can achieve up to 45% energy savings as compared to wireless communication systems using conventional RRAM FFT associative processor.
Utilization and Impact of Right Heart Catheterization on In-hospital Mortality, Length of hospital Stay and 30 Day Readmission in Patients Admitted with Cardiogenic Shock - Review of Large, National, Multicenter Database

Background We hypothesize that early right heart catheterization (RHC)/pulmonary artery catheter (PAC) placement in cardiogenic shock (CS) patients may allow to better target treatment, reduce length of stay (LOC), in-hospital mortality and readmission rates. Methods Using the National Readmission Database (NRD) we identified CS index admissions, in-hospital mortality, LOC and 30-day readmissions between January and November of 2014. The utilization and timing of RHC/PAC and its influence on in-hospital mortality, LOC and 30-day readmission rates were analyzed. Results A total of 11591 index CS hospital admissions were identified (mean age 62.7 ±15 years; females 32.6%). The overall in-hospital mortality among the CS patients was 27% and median LOC was 13.0 [8.0, 21.0] days. 3487 (33%) patients had readmissions within 30 days (30%; females). During the index hospitalization, 3390 (30%) CS patients underwent RHC/PAC. More men and young patients underwent RHC/PAC (71% Vs. 66% and 57.5±14.4 years Vs. 65.2±15 years respectively; P Conclusions Among the patients admitted with CS, utilization of RHC/PAC may reduce the mortality rates. Furthermore, those who receive early (
Diverted from the “Correct Vote”? Foreign Policy Influence on Electoral Behavior*

Objective We consider the influence foreign policy issues and events can have on the voting calculations of individuals; specifically, how foreign policy influences the probability of “correct voting.” Method We use data from the 2004 American National Election Study along with a measure of “correct voting” from Richard Lau and David P. Redlawsk (1997, American Political Science Review, 91(3): 585–98) and Lau, Andersen, and Redlawsk (2008, American Journal of Political Science, 52(2): 395–411). Results Our results indicate that salient foreign policy issues viewed to be favorably handled by the incumbent have the potential to alter voting calculations to favor the incumbent. In the 2004 presidential election, individuals who should have voted for Kerry were more likely to vote incorrectly if terrorism was a salient issue. This pattern was not observed on another foreign policy issue: Iraq. Conclusion This research further clarifies the strong link foreign policy can have with the electoral behavior of individuals. It speaks to the correct voting literature in expanding upon what elements can modify voter calculations. It also speaks to researchers in foreign policy and public opinion by expanding our understanding of the conditions for when foreign policy issues and voter behavior can be fused.
Long- and short-term responses of Asclepias species differ in respect to fire, grazing, and nutrient addition.

Premise of the study The tallgrass prairie ecosystem has experienced a dramatic reduction over the past 150 yr. This reduction has impacted the abundance of native grassland species, including milkweeds (Asclepias). Methods We used two long-term (27 yr) data sets to examine how fire, grazing, and nutrient addition shape milkweed abundance in tallgrass prairie. We compared these results to those of a greenhouse experiment that varied nutrient levels in the absence of competition, herbivory, and mutualistic relationships. Key results Asclepias species exhibited broad patterns in response to burning regimes that did not include grazing, but experienced more species-specific patterns in other combinations. Asclepias syriaca was the only species to increase in abundance in plots that included burning and nutrient addition. In the greenhouse we found that nitrogen significantly increased biomass, while no effect of phosphorus was detected. Conclusions These results indicate that A. syriaca will do best in settings with high nutrient loads, low competition, and no grazers. These characteristics define a small portion of the tallgrass prairie but exemplify modern agricultural settings, which have replaced prairies. However, other milkweeds examined did not share this pattern, which indicates that milkweed species will respond differently when exposed to agricultural settings, with some less able to cope with land conversion to pasture or row-crop agriculture.
Web-based CBT for the prevention of anxiety symptoms among medical and health science graduate students.

ABSTRACTMedical and health science graduate students report greater anxiety problems than the general population, but they are less likely to seek treatment due to cultural and logistical barriers....
Regulation of endothelial barrier integrity by redox-dependent nitric oxide signaling: Implication in traumatic and inflammatory brain injuries

Nitric oxide (NO) synthesized by eNOS plays a key role in regulation of endothelial barrier integrity but underlying cell signaling pathway is not fully understood at present. Here, we report opposing roles of two different redox-dependent NO metabolites; peroxynitrite (ONOO-) vs. S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO), in cell signaling pathways for endothelial barrier disruption. In cultured human brain microvessel endothelial cells (hBMVECs), thrombin induced F-actin stress fiber formation causes barrier disruption via activating eNOS. Thrombin induced eNOS activity participated in cell signaling (e.g. RhoA and calcium influx mediated phosphorylation of myosin light chain) for F-actin stress fiber formation by increasing ONOO- levels. On the other hand, thrombin had no effect on intracellular levels of S-nitrosoglutathione (GSNO), another cellular NO metabolite. However, exogenous GSNO treatment attenuated the thrombin-induced cell signaling pathways for endothelial barrier disruption, thus suggesting the role of a shift of NO metabolism (GSNO vs. ONOO-) toward ONOO- synthesis in cell signaling for endothelial barrier disruption. Consistent with these in vitro studies, in animal models of traumatic brain injury and experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis (EAE), ONOO- scavenger treatment as well as GSNO treatment were effective for attenuation of BBB leakage, edema formation, and CNS infiltration of mononuclear cells. Taken together, these data document that eNOS-mediated NO production and following redox-dependent NO metabolites (ONOO- vs. GSNO) are potential therapeutic target for CNS microvascular disease (traumatic and inflammatory) pathologies.
Low-Cost Haptic Simulation Using Material Fracture

Medical simulation training is widely used to effectively train for invasive medical procedures such as peripheral nerve blocks. Traditionally, accurate haptic training relies on expensive cadavers, manikins, or advanced haptic robots. Proposed herein is a novel concept for haptic training called the low-cost haptic force needle insertion simulator (LCNIS), which uses material fracture inside disposable cartridges to accurately replicate the force of inserting a needle into tissue. Cadaver and material fracture experiments were performed to develop and determine the accuracy of the LCNIS. The material testing showed that polycarbonate had the highest maximum needle puncture force of the materials tested, 9.85 N, and that fluorinated ethylene propylene had the lowest maximum puncture force, 0.84 N. The cadaver results showed that the error between the three peak forces in a cadaver and a cadaver mimicking cartridge was 1.00 N, 0.01 N, and 1.54 N. The standard deviation of these peaks was 0.60 N, 0.55 N, and 0.41 N. This novel method of haptic simulation can easily be adapted to recreate any type of force and, therefore, could be utilized to train for a wide variety of medical procedures.
Which Side Are You On? Political Violence and Partition in Ireland 1920-1921

Analysis of a quasi-natural experiment produced by the circumstances of the 1921 partition of Ireland reveals that although partition did significantly decrease violence against civilians on Northern Ireland's side of the border as compared to the Irish Free State side, violence against civilians in the border areas as a whole increased. Using an original dataset of political violence incidents during the Irish War of Independence, this paper offers the first causally identified micro-level examination of the dynamics of political violence and partition in that conflict.
Games and technical communication at the crossroads: defining and designing game studies

As connections between professional and technical communication (PTC) scholarship and games studies increase, interrogating the disciplinary landscape of game studies becomes necessary. This project presents a strategy for mixed-method analysis to undertake that interrogation, in line with the social justice turn in PTC.
Directional Bias in Line Orientation Test Errors in Parkinson’s Disease

Objective Value in evaluating error subtypes on visuospatial line orientation tests has been reported. Directional bias metrics for line orientation test errors represent easily quantifiable data that have not previously been studied. We evaluated whether patients with a clinical condition known to affect visuospatial functioning (Parkinson's disease [PD]) exhibited unique directional error patterns on the RBANS Line Orientation test relative to other neuropsychology-referred patients. Method We compared overall directional bias in errors, directional bias by line location (left or right line and visual field), and absolute error rates (regardless of direction) by line location in a retrospective sample of patients with PD and a sample of neuropsychology-referred patients without PD. Groups were roughly matched on age, education, gender, and overall level of cognitive impairment. Results Patients with PD exhibited higher rates of leftward bias in errors, both overall and for the left stimulus line in each pair. Directional bias error scores better predicted PD versus non-PD group status than RBANS Line Orientation raw scores. Classification accuracy data for these variables were modest in the entire sample but stronger in a subsample of patients with mild levels of overall cognitive impairment. Conclusions Directional bias metrics for line orientation tests represent easily quantifiable data with potential theoretical and clinical value. In our sample, patients with PD made more left-biased line orientation errors than other neuropsychology-referred patients. By themselves, directional bias scores may have limited diagnostic potential, but they may be useful in diagnostic classification models and may have implications for clinical care.
Accelerated Differentiation of Human Pluripotent Stem Cells into Neural Lineages via an Early Intermediate Ectoderm Population.

Differentiation of human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) [1-3] into ectoderm provides neurons and glia useful for research, disease modeling, drug discovery, and potential cell therapies. In current protocols, hPSCs are traditionally differentiated into an obligate rostro-dorsal ectodermal fate expressing PAX6 after 6 to 12 days in vitro when protected from mesendoderm inducers [4], [5-8]. This rate-limiting step has performed a long-standing role in hindering the development of rapid differentiation protocols for ectoderm-derived cell types, as any protocol requires 6 to 10 days in vitro to simply initiate. Here we report efficient differentiation of hPSCs into a naive early ectodermal intermediate within 24 hours using combined inhibition of bone morphogenic protein (BMP) and fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signaling. The induced population responds immediately to morphogen gradients to upregulate rostro-caudal neurodevelopmental landmark gene expression in a generally accelerated fashion. This method can serve as a new platform for the development of novel, rapid, and efficient protocols for the manufacture of hPSC-derived neural lineages. © AlphaMed Press 2020 SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT: This submission reports a major advance in the ability to direct the differentiation human pluripotent stem cells (hPSCs) into neural precursors in culture. This study describes that inhibiting selected signaling pathways enables the immediate exit from pluripotency and converts the stem cells within 24 hours into precursor cells that can be rapidly directed to generate desired neural populations desirable for research and potential cell therapies. This work removes a historical bottleneck that has prevented improving the control and speed of making neural cells from hPSCs and will likely change the way human neurons are generated in the future.
Complications of Ileal Conduits after Radical Cystectomy: Interventional Radiologic Management

Since their introduction into clinical practice in the 1950s, ileal conduits have been the most common type of urinary diversion used after radical cystectomy worldwide. Although ileal conduits are technically simpler to construct than other forms of urinary diversion, a variety of complications can occur in the early and late postoperative periods. Early complications include urine leakage, urinary obstruction, postoperative fluid collection (eg, urinoma, hematoma, lymphocele, or abscess), and fistula formation. Late complications include ureteroileal anastomotic stricture, stomal stenosis, conduit stenosis, and urolithiasis. Although not directly related to ileal conduits, ureteroarterial fistula can occur in patients with an ileal conduit. Interventional radiologists can play a pivotal role in diagnosis and management of these complications by performing image-guided minimally invasive procedures. In this article, the authors review the surgical anatomy of an ileal conduit and the underlying pathophysiology of and diagnostic workup for complications related to ileal conduits. The authors also discuss and illustrate current approaches to interventional radiologic management of these complications, with emphasis on a collaborative approach with urologists or endourologists to best preserve patients' renal function and maintain their quality of life. ©RSNA, 2020.
Mathematics for Human Flourishing

Can mathematics be a tool for personal growth and fulfillment for inmates in a high security federal prison, students, and people in general? The experiences of Christopher Jackson, who is an inmat...
Prostate Cancer Detection Using 3-D Shear Wave Elasticity Imaging

Abstract Transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) B-mode imaging provides insufficient sensitivity and specificity for prostate cancer (PCa) targeting when used for biopsy guidance. Shear wave elasticity imaging (SWEI) is an elasticity imaging technique that has been commercially implemented and is sensitive and specific for PCa. We have developed a SWEI system capable of 3-D data acquisition using a dense acoustic radiation force (ARF) push approach that leads to enhanced shear wave signal-to-noise ratio compared with that of the commercially available SWEI systems and facilitates screening of the entire gland before biopsy. Additionally, we imaged and assessed 36 patients undergoing radical prostatectomy using 3-D SWEI and determined a shear wave speed threshold separating PCa from healthy prostate tissue with sensitivities and specificities akin to those for multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging fusion biopsy. The approach measured the mean shear wave speed in each prostate region to be 4.8 m/s (Young's modulus E = 69.1 kPa) in the peripheral zone, 5.3 m/s (E = 84.3 kPa) in the central gland and 6.0 m/s (E = 108.0 kPa) for PCa with statistically significant (p
Pathology and Prognosis of Colonic Adenocarcinomas With Intermediate Primary Tumor Stage Between pT2 and pT3.

CONTEXT.— Primary tumor stage (pT) is an important prognostic indicator in colonic adenocarcinomas; however, cases that have no muscle fibers beyond the advancing tumor edge but also show no extension beyond the apparent outer border of muscularis propria (termed pT2int), have not been previously studied. OBJECTIVE.— To address the clinicopathologic characteristics and prognosis of pT2int tumors. DESIGN.— We recharacterized 168 colon carcinomas and compared pT2int cases to bona fide pT2 and pT3 tumors. RESULTS.— In side-by-side analysis, 21 pT2int cases diverged from 29 pT2 tumors only in terms of larger size (P = .03), but they were less likely to show high-grade (P = .03), lymphovascular (P < .001), and extramural venous invasion (P = .04); discontinuous tumor deposits (P = .02); lymph node involvement (P = .001); and advanced stage (P = .001), compared with 118 pT3 tumors. Combining pT2int with pT2 cases (versus pT3) was a better independent predictor of negative lymph nodes in multivariate analysis (P = .04; odds ratio [OR], 3.96; CI, 1.09-14.42) and absent distant metastasis in univariate analysis (P = .04), compared with sorting pT2int with pT3 cases (versus pT2). Proportional hazards regression showed that pT2 and pT2int cases together were associated with better disease-free survival compared with pT3 tumors (P = .04; OR, 3.65; CI, 1.05-12.70). Kaplan-Meier analysis demonstrated that when pT2int were grouped with pT2 tumors, they were significantly less likely to show disease progression compared with pT3 (P = .002; log-rank test) and showed a trend toward better disease-specific survival (P = .06), during a mean patient follow-up of 44.9 months. CONCLUSIONS.— These data support the conclusion that pT2int carcinomas have clinicopathologic characteristics and are associated with patient outcomes more closely aligned with pT2 rather than pT3 tumors.
The Ultraviolet and Optical Continuum Emission in Active Galactic Nuclei: The Status of Accretion Disks

A fundamental component of models of active galactic nuclei (AGNs) is an accretion disk around a supermassive black hole. However, the nature of this accretion disk is not well understood, and current models do not provide a satisfactory explanation of the optical/UV continuum observed in AGNs. In this paper we review the substantial theoretical and observational progress made in the field. We also try to point out future research directions that would be fruitful in trying to obtain a complete, self-consistent model of the continuum-emitting regions.
Development and Assessment of the Multiple Mini-Interview in a School of Pharmacy Admissions Model.

Objective. To describe the development, implementation, and evaluation of the multiple mini-interview (MMI) within a doctor of pharmacy (PharmD) admissions model. Methods. Demographic data and academic indicators were collected for all candidates who participated in Candidates’ Day (n=253), along with the score for each MMI station criteria (7 stations). A survey was administered to all candidates who completed the MMI, and another survey was administered to all interviewers to examine perceptions of the MMI. Results. Analyses suggest that MMI stations assessed different attributes as designed, with Cronbach alpha for each station ranging from 0.90 to 0.95. All correlations between MMI station scores and academic indicators were negligible. No significant differences in average station scores were found based on age, gender, or race. Conclusion. This study provides additional support for the use of the MMI as an admissions tool in pharmacy education.
Detecting controller malfunctions in electromagnetic environments. II. Design and analysis of the detector

For part I see ibid. Verifying the integrity of control computers in adverse operating environments is a key issue in the development, validation, certification, and operation of critical control systems. Future commercial aircraft will necessitate flight-critical systems with high reliability requirements for stability augmentation, flutter suppression, and guidance and control. Operational integrity of such systems in adverse environments must be validated. The paper considers the problem of dynamic detection techniques to monitoring the integrity of fault tolerant control computers in critical applications. Specifically, the paper considers the detection of malfunctions in an aircraft flight control computer (FCC) that is subjected to electromagnetic environment (EME) disturbances during laboratory testing. A dynamic monitoring strategy is presented and demonstrated for the FCC from glideslope engaged until flare under clear air turbulence conditions using a detailed simulation of the B737 Autoland. The performance of the monitoring system is analyzed.
Depth-based subtle gaze guidance in virtual reality environments

Virtual reality headsets and immersive head-mounted displays have become commonplace and have found their applications in digital gaming, film and education. An immersive perception is created by surrounding the user of the VR system with photo-realisitic scenes, sound or other stimuli (e.g. haptic) that provide an engrossing experience to the viewer. The ability to interact with the objects in the virtual environment have added greater interest for its use in learning and education. In this proposed work we plan to explore the ability to subtly guide viewers' attention to important regions in a controlled 3D virtual scene. Subtle gaze guidance [Bailey et al. 2009] approach combines eye-tracking and subtle imagespace modulations to guide viewer's attention about a scene. These modulations are terminated before the viewer can fixate on them using their high acuity foveal vision. This approach is preferred over other overt techniques that make permanent changes to the scene being viewed. This approach has also been tested in controlled realworld environments [Booth et al. 2013]. The key challenge to such a system, is the need for an external projector to present modulations on the scene objects to guide viewer's attention. However a VR system enables the user to view and interact in a 3D scene that is close to reality, thereby allowing researchers to digitally manipulate the 3D scene for active gaze guidance.
Bulk and surface valence states in rare-earth—metal monosulfides

We have studied the $4f$-photoelectron spectra of SmS, EuS, DyS, TmS, and YbS using high-resolution ($\ensuremath{\Delta}E\ensuremath{\le}150$ meV) photoemission with synchrotron radiation. By means of a systematic treatment of the $4f$-ionization energies, the bulk and surface valence states of these and several other rare-earth\char22{}metal sulfides are determined by interpolation. In particular, we find in TmS that the trivalent state is stable by only 0.2 eV, and we show that, owing to this low stability, the surface in TmS is divalent.
Determining Food Expenditures and Measuring Poverty: The Work of Mollie Orshansky: Discussion

policy analysts are rarely sure that their work will make a short-term contribution to policy development, let alone an enduring contribution. A notable exception is Mollie Orshansky's development of the poverty line in the 1960s, to which we pay tribute today. This tribute is timely for three reasons: First, Mollie Orshansky passed away last year at the age of ninety-one. Second, her methodology for poverty measurement based on minimal food expenditure needs, is still in use today. That is, with minor changes, her methodology also known as Mollie's Measure (MM) still determines who is poor and the extent of official poverty in the United States today. As 2007 drew to a close, 36.5 million Americans lived in poverty (one in eight) and 15.4 million lived in extreme poverty with family cash income at less than half of the poverty line (Center on Budget and Program Priorities). Third, progress in alternative poverty line measurements combined with political will may enable a change in how poverty is measured in the future. We address the latter two directly today. Kenneth Hanson presents an historical perspective for MM, outlining forty years of history from the inception to its current rendition. Utilizing the 1962 Economy (now the Thrifty) Food Plan (EFP) to obtain the minimum cost of providing a palatable healthy diet and 1955 average food expenditures of approximately one-third of total expenditures, MM uses the derived multiplier of roughly three times the cost of the EFP for determining the poverty thresholds. Those thresholds represent the amount of income required for a household to be able to consume the requisite healthy diet. Ms. Orshansky established equivalence scales, which remain remarkably congruent with current scale estimates. Nonetheless, adjustments for inflation constitute the
Physicochemical and biological characterization of targeted, nucleic acid-containing nanoparticles

Nucleic acid-based therapeutics have the potential to provide potent and highly specific treatments for a variety of human ailments. However, systemic delivery continues to be a significant hurdle to success. Multifunctional nanoparticles are being investigated as systemic, nonviral delivery systems, and here, we describe the physicochemical and biological characterization of cyclodextrin-containing polycations (CDP) and their nanoparticles formed with nucleic acids including plasmid DNA (pDNA) and small interfering RNA (siRNA). These polycation/nucleic acid complexes can be tuned by formulation conditions to yield particles with sizes ranging from 60 to 150 nm, ζ potentials from 10 to 30 mV, and molecular weights from ∼7 × 107 to 1 × 109 g mol-1 as determined by light scattering techniques. Inclusion complexes formed between adamantane (AD)-containing molecules and the β-cyclodextrin molecules enable the modular attachment of poly(ethylene glycol) (AD−PEG) conjugates for steric stabilization and targetin...
Trends and Outcomes of Endovascular and Open Treatment for Traumatic Thoracic Aortic Injury

Objectives Traumatic thoracic aortic injury (TTAI) is associated with high mortality rates. Data supporting thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) to reduce mortality and morbidity for TTAI is limited to small series and meta-analyses. In this study, we evaluated the trends and outcomes of open surgery and TEVAR for TTAI in New York State. Methods All cases of TTAI in New York State between 2000 and 2007 were extracted from the New York Statewide Planning and Research Cooperative System (SPARCS) database. A diagnosis by International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision coding of TTAI was required for inclusion. Results We identified 328 patients with TTAI who underwent surgical repair in New York State between 2000 and 2007; mean age of the cohort was 39.3 years ± 18 years; 80% were male. Open repair of TTAI was performed in 79.6% and 20.4% underwent TEVAR. Open repair was performed for all cases of TTAI until the introduction of TEVAR in 2005; TEVAR exceeded the use of open repair for TTAI in 2006 and 2007. Additional major injuries were present in 71.7% in the open repair group vs 91.0% of the TEVAR group ( P = .001). The overall in-hospital mortality rate for the 8-year period was significantly increased after open repair of TTAI compared with TEVAR: 17% vs 6%, (odds ratio [OR] 3.19, 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.11-9.23; P = .024). After controlling for the significant covariates, TEVAR independently reduced the risk of death following surgical intervention for TTAI compared with the open procedure (OR 3.8, 95% CI, 1.28-10.99; P = .010). Respiratory complications were the most common postoperative morbidity, and were significantly increased after open repair: 38% vs 24% (OR 1.95; 95% CI, 1.05-3.60; P = .032). There were no significant differences in cardiac complications, acute renal failure (ARF), paraplegia, or stroke. Endoleak and distal embolization each occurred in 9% of patients after TEVAR. Conclusions There has been a shift toward endovascular management of patients with TTAI. This change in surgical strategy has been associated with less postoperative mortality and fewer pulmonary complications in patients suffering from TTAI. TEVAR is associated with significant device-related complications.
Malformation syndrome of duplication 12q24.1→qter

While duplication and deletion of the short arm of chromosome 12 cause well-recognized syndromes, duplication of the long arm chromosome 12 is rarely observe. We are reporting a duplication of chromosome 12 distal to band q24.1 in a five-month-old child. His chromosome constitution is 46,XY,-4+der(4),t(4:12)(p16;q24.1)mat. The balanced translocation is also carried by his maternal grandmother and two of the mother's brothers. The malformation syndrome consisted of unusual facial appearance and anomalies of the musculoskeletal, cardiovascular, genitourinary, and central nervous systems. Four previously reported patients had similar break points on chromosome 12 with similar malformations; therefore, phenotype-karyotype correlation suggests a definitive malformation syndrome associated with duplication of chromosome region 12q24.1 leads to qter.
Memory access cycle and the measurement of memory systems

Due to the infamous "memory wall" problem and a drastic increase in the number of data intensive applications, memory rather than processor has become the leading performance bottleneck of modern computing systems. Evaluating and understanding memory system performance is increasingly becoming the core of high-end computing. Conventional memory metrics, such as miss ratio, average miss latency, average memory access time, etc., are designed to measure a given memory performance parameter, and do not reflect the overall performance of a memory system. On the other hand, widely used system performance metrics, such as IPC and Flops are designed to measure CPU performance, and are not appropriate for memory performance. In this study, we propose a novel memory metric, Access Per Cycle (APC), to measure overall memory performance with consideration of the complexity of modern memory systems. A unique contribution of APC is its separation of memory evaluation from CPU evaluation. Simulation results show that APC is significantly more appropriate than existing memory metrics in evaluating modern memory systems.
Mechanism-Based Simulation of Oil Recovery Processes

Accurately modeling recovery processes mathematically and simulating their performance numerically requires: (1) a consistent theory of capillary pressures, relative permeabilities, and dispersivities that characterize the flow and distribution of fluid phases, and (2) a flexible discretization of the governing equations that resolves the moving steep fronts that often develop. Recent advances in both are combined and applied to two-phase and three-phase displacements as in cores and reservoir streamtubes. Cases exemplifying one-dimensional displacement in various water-drives and gas drives are examined. Such simulations can be used to design and interpret laboratory measurement of flow properties and tests of process performance.
Rapid Shift in Pollinator Communities Following Invasive Species Removal

Ecological restoration is increasingly used to reverse degradation of rare ecosystems and maintain biological diversity. Pollinator communities are critical to maintenance of plant diversity and, in light of recent pollinator loss, we tested whether removal of invasive glossy buckthorn (Frangula alnus L.) from portions of a prairie fen wetland altered plant and pollinator communities. We compared herbaceous plant, bee, and butterfly abundance, diversity, and species composition in buckthorn invaded, buckthorn removal, and uninvaded reference plots. Following restoration, we found striking differences in plant and pollinator abundance and species composition between restored, unrestored, and reference plots. Within 2 years of F. alnus removal, plant species diversity and composition in restored plots were significantly different than invaded plots, but also remained significantly lower than reference plots. In contrast, in the first growing season following restoration, bee and butterfly abundance, diversity, and composition were similar in restored and reference plots and distinct from invaded plots. Our findings indicate that a diverse community of mobile generalist pollinators rapidly re-colonizes restored areas of prairie fen, while the plant community may take longer to fully recover. This work implies that, in areas with intact pollinator metapopulations, restoration efforts will likely prevent further loss of mobile generalist pollinators and maintain pollination services. On the other hand, targeted restoration efforts will likely be required to restore populations of rare plants and specialist pollinators for which local and regional species pools may be lacking.
Hybrid Push-Pull Endoscopic and Laparoscopic Full Thickness Resection for the Minimally Invasive Management of Gastrointestinal Stromal Tumors: A Pilot Clinical Study

Background. Gastric gastrointestinal stromal tumors (GISTs) that are predominantly endophytic or in anatomically complex locations pose a challenge for laparoscopic wedge resection; however, endoscopic resection can be associated with a positive deep margin given the fourth-layer origin of the tumors. Methods. Patients at two tertiary care academic medical centers with gastric GISTs in difficult anatomic locations or with a predominant endophytic component were considered for enrollment. Preoperative esophagogastroduodenoscopy (EGD), endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) with or without fine needle aspiration (FNA), and cross-sectional imaging were performed. Eligible patients were offered and consented for hybrid and standard management. Results. Over ten months, four patients in two institutions with anatomically complex or endophytic GISTs underwent successful, uncomplicated push-pull hybrid procedures. GIST was confirmed in all resection specimens. Conclusion. In a highly selected population, the hybrid push-pull approach was safe and effective in the removal of complex gastric GISTs. Endoscopic resection alone was associated with a positive deep margin, which the push-pull technique manages with a laparoscopic, full thickness, R0 resection. This novel, minimally invasive, hybrid laparoscopic and endoscopic push-pull technique is a safe and feasible alternative in the management of select GISTs that are not amenable to standard laparoscopic resection.
Isotopomeric water separations with supported polyphosphazene membranes

Abstract Poly[bis(phenoxy)phosphazene] and several carboxylated derivatives were examined for use as membranes to separate tritiated water and deuterated water from light water. The polyphosphazenes were solvent cast from dioxane onto a support material of polyethylene terephthalate. These membranes were tested with water containing 10 pCi/ml tritiated water or 10 wt% deuterated water under dead-end filtration conditions. Poly[bis(phenoxy)phosphazene] provided separation of tritiated water up to 31% within the temperature range of 4 to 23°C. The 5 to 10% carboxylated-polyphosphazene membrane shows a tritiated water separation of 43% at 4°C, but the separation approaches zero above approximately 10°C. Membranes with higher carboxyl content (20 and 30%) were much less efficient for tritiated water separation. Under the same low temperature conditions, and with both types of polyphosphazene membranes, deuterated water separation was considerably less efficient.
Tidal dynamics of transiting exoplanets

Transits give us the mass, radius, and orbital properties of the planet, all of which inform dynamical theories. Two properties of the hot Jupiters suggest they had a dramatic origin via tidal damping from high eccentricity. First, the tidally circularized planets (in the 1-4 day pile-up) lie along a relation or boundary in the mass-period plane. This observation may implicate a tidal damping process regulated by planetary radius inflation and Roche lobe overflow, early in the planets' lives. Second, the host stars of many planets have spins misaligned from the planets' orbits. This observation was not expected a priori from the conventional disk migration theory, and it was a boon for the alternative theories of planet-planet scattering and Kozai cycles, accompanied by tidal friction, which predicted it. Now we are faced with a curious observation that the misalignment angle depends on the stellar temperature. It may mean that the tide raised on the stars realigns them, the final result being the tidal consumption of hot Jupiters.
Optimization of Confined Laminar Natural Convection for Dry Cask Storage Systems

Although high-density pool storage provides an acceptable method for housing used fuel elements, a number of concerns have triggered a call for the reduction of current inventories by mandating a maximum permissible time in which assemblies may be placed in wet storage before transfer to passive, dry storage conditions. In anticipation of an accelerated fuel transfer program, the principal goal of this investigation is to develop a fundamental understanding of the physics associated with the buoyancy-induced flow around dry casks in an effort to improve the heat rejection capability of the overall system. The aim of this research initiative is to minimize the amount of active pool cooling necessary by maximizing the thermal capacity of dry storage casks. A simplified geometry of a heated horizontal cylinder confined between two, vertical adiabatic walls is employed to evaluate the coupled heat and mass transfer. Two different treatments of the cylinder surface are investigated: constant temperature (isothermal) and constant surface heat flux (isoflux). To quantify the effect of wall distance on the effective heat transfer from the cylinder surface, 18 different confinement ratios are selected in varying increments from 1.125 to 18.0. Each of these geometrical configurations are evaluated at seven distinct Rayleigh numbers ranging from 102 to 105. Maximum values of the surface-averaged Nusselt number are observed at an optimum confinement ratio for each analyzed Rayleigh number. Relative to the pseudo-unconfined cylinder at the largest confinement ratio, a 54.2% improvement in the heat transfer from an isothermal cylinder surface is observed at the optimum wall spacing for the highest analyzed Rayleigh number. An analogous improvement of 46.6% is determined for the same conditions with a constant heat flux surface. Several correlations are proposed to evaluate the optimal confinement ratio and the effective rate of heat transfer at that optimal confinement level for both thermal boundary conditions.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
Delay Discounting: I'm a k, You're a k

Delay discounting is the decline in the present value of a reward with delay to its receipt. Across a variety of species, populations, and reward types, value declines hyperbolically with delay. Value declines steeply with shorter delays, but more shallowly with longer delays. Quantitative modeling provides precise measures to characterize the form of the discount function. These measures may be regarded as higher-order dependent variables, intervening variables, or hypothetical constructs. I suggest the degree of delay discounting may be a personality trait. In the end, the ontological status of measures of delay discounting is irrelevant. Whatever delay discounting may be, its study has provided the field of behavior analysis and other areas measures with robust generality and predictive validity for a variety of significant human problems. Research on moderating the degree of delay discounting has the potential to produce substantial societal benefits.
Administration of annual oral high-dose vitamin D to community dwelling older women in autumn and winter months increases risk of falls and fractures

Commentary on: KM Sanders, AL Stuart, EJ Williamson, et al.. Annual high-dose oral vitamin D and falls and fractures in older women: a randomized controlled trial. JAMA2010;303:1815–22.
Semiconductor yield improvement: results and best practices

The results of a world-wide study on yield improvement are presented. Die yields collected from 21 fabs are transformed via a logit formula and compared. The die yields and die yield improvement rates of the fabs are compared, and manufacturing yield improvement practices are evaluated. Preliminary results of this continuing study indicate that die yield improvement is a function of computer-aided manufacturing practices and statistical process control practices in addition to commonly cited practices such as particle control and advanced manufacturing technology. >