cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Evolution and Current Utility of Esophageal Stent Placement for the Treatment of Acute Esophageal Perforation

Esophageal stent placement was used primarily for the treatment of malignant strictures until the development of a new generation of biomaterials allowed the production of easily removable, occlusive stents in 2001. Since then, thoracic surgeons have gained experience using esophageal stents for the treatment of acute esophageal perforation. As part of a hybrid treatment strategy, including surgical drainage of infected spaces, enteral nutrition, and aggressive supportive care, esophageal stent placement has produced results that can exceed those of traditional surgical repair. This review summarizes the evolution of esophageal stent use for acute perforation and provides evidence-based recommendations for the technique.
Rebuttal from Dr. Mino-Kenudson.

First of all, I would like to congratulate Drs. Ilie and Hofman for their excellent discussion in support of the possibility of liquid biopsy to replace tissue biopsy. As they accurately pointed out, if validated for routine clinical use, liquid biopsy would overcome the following issues inherent to tissue biopsy: (I) inability of capturing the complete genomic landscape of the non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patient that is attributed to inter- and intratumoral heterogeneity and/or often limited tumor accessibility due in part to poor performance status of the advanced NSCLC patient limiting the role of interventional procedures (1); (II) insufficient quantity and quality of tissue hampering molecular testing, in particular next generation sequencing (NGS) (2); (III) potential false positive results due to high levels of artificial C>T/G>A transitions induced by preservation methods such as formalin fixation (3); (IV) high cost of biopsy/FNA procedure and turn-around-time longer than expected.
Making sense of three-way conversations: A qualitative study of cross-cultural counseling with refugee men

Abstract Effective communication is essential in mental healthcare, where language often represents the primary means of treatment. In intercultural counseling sessions, communicating with Limited English Proficient (LEP) clients calls for skillful collaboration with language interpreters. However, best practices in medical interpretation may not be equally effective in mental health settings. This study examined the factors promoting and hindering successful communication during interpreter-mediated counseling sessions with LEP Bhutanese and Iraqi refugee men. Researchers observed eight substance use counseling sessions in real-time to make note of communication patterns and key communication breakdowns. Then, researchers conducted video-elicitation interviews with the client, clinician and interpreter immediately after each session to dissect communication events from each party’s perspective. Session videos and interview transcripts underwent qualitative analysis to identify factors that predict or prevent communication breakdowns. Findings indicate important differences between mental health interpretation and interpretation in other healthcare settings. Common practices such as simultaneous interpreting and first person interpreting were found to function differently in a mental health setting. Some therapeutic maneuvers, such as irreverence and humor, were difficult to employ cross-culturally. The adaptation and negotiation of interpersonal relationships between clinician, client and interpreter were central to the success of communication. Trust and flexibility were key to the functioning of the triadic relationship. Clinicians, clients and interpreters were found to adopt different roles and responsibilities throughout the session in an ongoing manner. Implications for the training of interpreters and clinicians are discussed.
Okara as a protein supplement affects feed intake and milk composition of ewes and growth performance of lambs.

Evaluating the feeding value of wet okara as a protein supplement for lactating ewes with twin lambs was the objective. A 4 × 4 Latin square replicated 2× (4 sheep, 4 treatments, 4 periods per square; 2 squares) was conducted to examine the influence of concentrate mix (okara or not) and type of forage (silage or hay) on ewe milk composition and growth of their lactating lambs. Treatment periods were 14 days (7 days adaptation and 7 days collection). Ewes (55 to 74.8 kg BW) were fed 1 of 4 diets: wheat middling and corn concentrate with mixed grass hay (TSH), okara and corn with mixed grass hay (OSH), soybean and wheat middlings with hay crop silage (TSS), and okara and corn with hay crop silage (OSS). Ewes fed hay diets had lower forage dry matter intakes than ewes fed silage. Intake of okara supplement was higher (P < 0.05) with OSH (3.64 kg/d) than with OSS (1.70 kg/d). There was no difference in supplement intake between TSH and TSS. There were no differences among diets for lamb daily gains or in ewe milk compositions among the diets. Okara is an effective source of protein for lactating ewes and their twin lambs.
Comparing and Contrasting Electricity Supply and Use in the United States and Japan

Abstract SINCE World War II, the US and Japan have had great economic success. Combined, they now produce about thirty percent of the Gross National Product of the western world. The electric power industry in each country plays an important role in both economies. Electricity is used as the major energy input and investments in and payments for electric power are important components of the GNP. The electric utility industries of the US and Japan have many similarities. For example, the shares of the electricity capacity owned by the privately-owned utilities in each county is very high; 76.9 percent in the US (1987) and 76.2 percent in Japan (1986). Nuclear power plants have been developed by the privately-owned utilities in each country. In other developed countries, publicly-owned electric utilities are responsible for the largest share of capacity. There exist several differences between the US and Japanese electric industries. Electricity use per capita in the US is twice that in Japan. The Japanese average electricity rate is 21.93 Yen per KWH (13.01 Cents per KWH on the 1986 exchange rate basis), about twice that of the US (6.49 cents per KWH). Moreover, while electricity rates of the US have been rising, the rates in Japan began to decline in 1982 in both real and Yen terms. In addition, electricity in the US is produced mainly from coal, but in Japan it is produced from a mix of oil, gas, and nuclear generating stations. These differences are attributable to the different regulatory and economic environments. A significant feature of the current US regulatory environment is the Public Utility Regulatory Policy Act of 1978 (PURPA). This act establishes a cogeneration market by requiring electric utilities to purchase all the power generated by qualified cogeneration facilities. Nonetheless, in Japan, self-generation and cogeneration account for 10 percent of total electricity supply, while in the US these sources accounted for 2.7 percent of total electricity supply in 1981. More importantly, in the industrial market for electricity the relevant percentages are 29.4 and 7.6 for Japan and the US respectively, for the same year. Since 1981, the percentages have probably increased. The purpose of this paper is to analyze the similarities and differences between the US and Japanese electric power industries, focusing patterns of use, patterns of electricty supply, and on cogeneration and selfgeneration trends.
First-principles analysis of the hydrogenation of carbon monoxide over palladium

The reaction paths for the hydrogenation of CO to methanol over Pdx (x = 1–4 and 19) cluster models were examined using first-principle density functional quantum chemical calculations. The predicted adsorption energies for the most favorable binding modes for CO, H2, HCO, H3CO, CH3OH, C, O and H on a Pd19 model Pd(111) clusters were -147, -62, -340, -51, -195, -33, -610, -349 and -251 kJ/mol, respectively. The most favorable modes for CO, CH3O, H, C and O on Pd(111) were all found to be the 3-fold fcc site. The most favorable modes for the formyl and formaldehyde surface intermediates at low coverage were the 3-fold (ζ2µ3), and the di-σ sites, respectively. At higher surface coverages, however, the atop ζ1 (C) and the π modes for the formyl and formaldehyde intermediates were more likely. The computed adsorption energies were subsequently used to compute overall reaction energies for the hydrogenation of CO to methanol. The initial hydrogenation of CO to the ζ1 (C) HCO intermediate was found to be +52 kJ/mol endothermic and has been speculated as a possible rate-limiting step. The remaining surface hydrogenation steps become increasingly more exothermic as more hydrogen was added. The elementary steps of formyl to formaldehyde, formaldehyde to methoxide and methoxide to methanol were computed to be -9, -26 and -33 kJ/mol, respectively. The overall energy for CO dissociation was found to be highly unlikely at +260 kJ/mol and a clear indication that methanation and chain growth chemistry is not very likely over Pd. The most favorable reaction coordinate for the hydrogenation of CO to the ζ1 (C) formyl intermediate was that which proceeds over a single Pd site where there is a migratory insertion of the CO into a Pd–H bond. The barrier for this path was computed to be +78 kJ/mol on the Pd19 cluster. There was a very weak dependence on cluster size. This is a likely indication that this reaction is structure insensitive. A second path which involved the coupling of H and CO over a bridge site was found to be +130 kJ/mol which is less likely, but may also occur under different conditions.
Electric Power Distribution System Model Simplification Using Segment Substitution

Quasi-static time-series (QSTS) simulation is used to simulate the behavior of distribution systems over long periods of time (typically hours to years). The technique involves repeatedly solving the load-flow problem for a distribution system model and is useful for distributed energy resource planning. When a QSTS simulation has a small time step and a long duration, the computational burden of the simulation can be a barrier to integration into utility workflows. One way to relieve the computational burden is to simplify the system model. The segment substitution method of simplifying distribution system models introduced in this paper offers model bus reduction of up to 98% with a simplification error as low as 0.2% (0.002 p.u. voltage). In contrast to existing methods of distribution system model simplification, which rely on topological inspection and linearization, the segment substitution method uses black-box segment data and an assumed simplified topology.
Learning Curve Analysis using Intensive Longitudinal and Cluster-Correlated Data

Abstract Intensive longitudinal and cluster-correlated data (ILCCD) can be generated in any situation where numerical or categorical characteristics of multiple individuals or study units are observed and measured at tens, hundreds, or thousands of occasions. The spacing of measurements in time for each individual can be regular or irregular, fixed or random, and the number of characteristics measured at each occasion may be few or many. Such data can also arise in situations involving continuous-time measurements of recurrent events. Generalized linear models (GLMs) are usually considered for the analysis of correlated non-normal data, while multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) is another option. In the paper, both GLMs and MANOVA are applied to ASSISTments online teaching system via the Wald test in order to estimate and predict the learning effects of the students after taking an Algebra course for three months in the system. Three case studies based on these two methodologies are presented in a mathematical and statistical manner.
Assessment of the Conservation Measures Partnership's effort to improve conservation outcomes through adaptive management

Conservation practice has demonstrated an increasing desire for accountability of actions, particularly with respect to effectiveness, efficiency, and impact to clearly identified objectives. This has been accompanied by increased attention to achieving adaptive management. In 2002, practitioners representing several prominent conservation nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) launched a community of practice called the Conservation Measures Partnership (CMP). The partnership CMP has worked to establish standards of conservation practice to improve accountability of conservation actions through adaptive management. The focal organizing framework for CMP has been the Open Standards for the Practice of Conservation (OS). We evaluated, through an online survey and personal interviews, the first decade of CMP and the OS. The CMP has garnered a positive reputation among agencies, NGOs, and funders and has succeeded in developing a large user base of the OS. However, CMP has not fully achieved its goal of making the OS standard operating procedure for the largest NGOs (e.g., The Nature Conservancy, World Wildlife Fund), despite it being widely used within these organizations. This lack of institutionalization is attributable to multiple causes, including an increase in the number of partially overlapping decision-support frameworks and challenges achieving full-cycle adaptive management. Users strongly believed the OS fosters better conservation practice and highly valued the OS for improving their practice. A primary objective of the OS is to assist practitioners to achieve full-cycle adaptive management to better integrate learning into improving the effectiveness and efficiency of actions. However, most practitioners had not yet achieved cycle completion for their projects. To improve the effectiveness of CMP, OS, and conservation practice in general, we recommend collaborative efforts among the proponents of multiple decision-support frameworks to foster strong institutional adoption of a common set of adaptive-management standards for conservation accountability.
Analysis of a stable high order digital phase locked loop

Many smart energy transmission/control systems make use of communication systems to transmit the state information of the power/energy levels. Synchronizers are key components used in the communication receivers. Digital phase locked loops (DPLL) are commonly used in synchronizers of the communication receivers. In this paper analysis is given to a DPLL using accumulators. Simple time domain analysis shows that the loop could completely track the input digital signals within a few iterations. The DPLLs are also guaranteed to be stable for any orders. Analysis of DPLL is given and simulation of DPLL for certain nonlinear input phase signals are also provided for performance illustration.
Supporting of cylindrical polarimetrie phased array radar development using configurable phased array demonstrators (CPAD)

Configurable Phased Array Demonstrator (CPAD) was developed since 2010 for the scalable verification and risk mitigation of the Multi-Function Phased Array Radar (MPAR) at sub-array level. This work reviews the basic concepts and solutions of CPAD and focuses on the development of a single linear column array and multiple planned experiments of CPAD, to support the development of future Cylindrical Polarimetric Phased Array Radar (CPPAR). The paper describes several new developments related to CPAD: (1) Dual-polarized linear array as a "column" of a new CPPAR, (2) Scalable validation through laboratory measurements at different frequencies, (3) Virtual array through rotating platform, (4) Passive sensing with coordination of remote transmitters.
Morality policy processes in advanced industrial democracies

In recent years, several countries have experienced widespread, intense debates about morality issues such as the death penalty, abortion, ART/stem cell research, same-sex marriage, and euthanasia....
Factors Influencing Adolescent and Young Adults' First Pelvic Examination Experiences: A Qualitative Study.

Abstract Study Objective To understand the factors that influence individuals’ experiences during their first pelvic examination. Design, Setting, Participants, Interventions, and Main Outcome Measures We conducted semistructured interviews with adolescents and young adults, aged 18-24, who had received at least 1 pelvic examination. Interviews explored contextual factors of the first pelvic examination, including visit acuity and clinical setting and individuals’ experiences with the pelvic examination itself and elicited recommendations on how to improve the examination experience. Interviews were transcribed and computer-assisted content analysis was performed; salient themes are presented. Results Thirty participants completed interviews. Nineteen participants described their first pelvic examination experience as positive; 11 described this examination as a negative or neutral experience. Factors influencing the experience include the examination indication and acuity, examination location and physical space, provider features, relational and interpersonal features, and procedural aspects. Recommendations included: (1) establish rapport and educate before the examination; (2) establish practices to orient patients; (3) make no assumptions about identity; and (4) elicit continuous feedback. Conclusion Individuals’ first pelvic examination experiences are influenced by a variety of factors. Although some factors are directly modifiable by providers, other factors that might not be modifiable are important to elicit to optimize the examination experience. These findings call for best practice guidelines and educational interventions to prepare providers to perform the first pelvic examination.
From Access to Equity: Community Colleges and the Social Justice Imperative

In the United States, community colleges continue to serve as a critical pathway for populations underserved by selective postsecondary systems. However, the role of community colleges as democratic institutions advancing equitable outcomes is being confronted by contemporary policies which stress private returns and market-based outcomes. In this chapter, authors challenge this trend, (re)casting the role of community colleges as equity-centered institutions for advancing enrollment, persistence, and completion for a diverse set of learners. We explore the foundational evolution of community colleges, including the historical tensions between business interests and democratic principles; summarize key policies that shape community engagement and individual participation; and explore the threat of neoliberal forces for advancing social and economic equity at community colleges. Implications for contemporary theory and recommendations for future research are also presented.
Students’ perceptions of instructor appropriateness and humor homophily

Instructors use humor in the classroom in numerous ways, including behaving stupidly, offering impersonations, manipulating their nonverbals, telling a story, joke, or pun, and using a costume or p...
Resonance Hyper-Raman Scattering from CdSe and CdS Nanocrystals

Resonance hyper-Raman spectra are reported for zincblende and wurtzite CdSe quantum dots (QDs), CdS quantum dots, and CdSe/CdS tetrapods in toluene solution using 808–824 nm excitation. All structu...
Chemistry of Alanine on Pd(1 1 1): Temperature-programmed desorption and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic study

Abstract The adsorption of alanine is studied on a Pd(1 1 1) surface using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and temperature-programmed desorption (TPD). It is found that alanine adsorbs into the second and subsequent layers prior to completion of the first monolayer for adsorption at ∼250 K, while at ∼300 K, alanine adsorbs almost exclusively into the first monolayer with almost no second-layer adsorption. Alanine adsorbs onto the Pd(1 1 1) surface in its zwitterionic form, while the multilayer contains about 30–35% neutral alanine, depending on coverage. Alanine is thermally stable on the Pd(1 1 1) surface to slightly above room temperature, and decomposes almost exclusively by scission of the C COO bond to desorb CO2 and CO from the COO moiety, and the remaining fragment yields ethylamine and HCN.
ELECTRONIC PROCESSES IN PYROLYTIC GRAPHITES

Dense, highly-orientated pyrolytic carbons exhibit structural characteristics of great interest for studies of transport processes in graphitic materials. Our investigations are concerned with the electrical, galvanomagnetic, and thermoelectric properties of pyrolytic graphites as related to morphological features conditioned by the deposition temperature, the heat treatment, the doping level, and the substrate geometry. In this paper we report on two phases of work conducted along these lines. (1) An attempt is made to correlate basal plane magnetoresistance and c-direction specific resistance of samples deposited at temperatures ranging from 1900° to 2500°C with their degree of preferred orientation. (2) Using an overlapping cylindrical two-band model based on single-crystal studies we demonstrate that reasonable estimates of the average carrier mobility and total carrier density in the layer planes of recrystallized deposits can be deduced from straightforward considerations. Although these results do not yield much information about the energy-band structure of our materials (in this respect studies of boron-doped pyrolytic graphites are more fruitful), they provide a clear picture of relevant aspects of the charge carrier scattering in polycrystalline graphites.
The role of discourses in enacting neoliberal urbanism: Understanding the relationship between ideology and discourse in planning:

Claims that neoliberalism has been shaping planning practice and the production of space abound in planning literature. In this article, neoliberalism is treated not only as a set of policies but a...
Linking field survey with crop modeling to forecast maize yield in smallholder farmers’ fields in Tanzania

Short term food security issues require reliable crop forecasting data to identify the population at risk of food insecurity and quantify the anticipated food deficit. The assessment of the current early warning and crop forecasting system which was designed in mid 80’s identified a number of deficiencies that have serious impact on the timeliness and reliability of the data. We developed a new method to forecast maize yield across smallholder farmers’ fields in Tanzania (Morogoro, Kagera and Tanga districts) by integrating field-based survey with a process-based mechanistic crop simulation model. The method has shown to provide acceptable forecasts (r2 values of 0.94, 0.88 and 0.5 in Tanga, Morogoro and Kagera districts, respectively) 14–77 days prior to crop harvest across the three districts, in spite of wide range of maize growing conditions (final yields ranged from 0.2–5.9 t/ha). This study highlights the possibility of achieving accurate yield forecasts, and scaling up to regional levels for smallholder farming systems, where uncertainties in management conditions and field size are large.
UV-cured eutectic gel polymer electrolytes for safe and robust Li-ion batteries

Gel polymer electrolytes (GPEs) hold great promise for next-generation Li-ion batteries as they combine the high ionic conductivity and facile transport properties of liquid electrolytes with the improved safety and mechanical properties of solid polymer electrolytes. The selection of appropriate non-flammable solvents as well as polymer matrices with good electrochemical stability and robustness is a critical step in the design of efficient and safe GPEs. Here, we show that integration of an easy-to-make deep eutectic solvent (DES) based on N-methylacetamide and lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide, in a versatile acrylate polymer host comprising 2-hydroxyethyl acrylate (HEA) and polyethylene glycol methyl ether acrylate (MPEGA), results in various GPE formulations with improved electrochemical stability compared to the liquid DES alone. At optimized HEA to MPEGA ratios, eutectic GPEs achieve ionic conductivities exceeding 0.4 mS cm−1 and 1.2 mS cm−1 at 20 °C and 40 °C respectively. When tested in Li4Ti5O12/LiMn2O4 full cells, these GPEs outperform the liquid DES at 0.45C rate in terms of cycling stability. More impressively, the eutectic GPEs exhibit substantially improved non-flammability as well as remarkable robustness and stability to water compared to the liquid DES. The self-extinguishing time of the eutectic GPEs when exposed to a flame is suppressed by over a factor of seven. Regarding water stability, while the cycle life of full cells with a liquid DES is dramatically impacted by the presence of water, eutectic GPEs are significantly more tolerant, enabling more stable cycling and even the assembly of cells in fully ambient laboratory conditions. These findings provide useful insights into the design of novel, safe, robust GPEs based on environmentally friendly solvents.
Utilization of primary care physicians by medical residents: A survey-based study

Objective: Existing research has demonstrated overall low rates of residents establishing care with a primary care physician (PCP). We conducted a survey-based study to better understand chronic illness, PCP utilization, and prescription medication use patterns in resident physician populations. Methods: In 2017, we invited internal and family medicine trainees from a convenience sample of U.S. residency programs to participate in a survey. We compared the characteristics of residents who had established care with a PCP to those who had not. Results: The response rate was 45% (348/766 residents). The majority (n = 205, 59%) of respondents stated they had established care with a PCP primarily for routine preventative care (n = 159, 79%) and access in the event of an emergency (n = 132, 66%). However, 31% (n = 103) denied having had a wellness visit in over 3 years. Nearly a quarter of residents (n = 77, 23%) reported a chronic medical illness and 14% (n = 45) reported a preexisting mental health condition prior to residency. One-third (n = 111, 33%) reported taking a long-term prescription medication. Compared to residents who had not established care, those with a PCP (n = 205) more often reported a chronic condition (P < 0.001), seeing a subspecialist (P = 0.01), or taking long-term prescription medications (P < 0.001). One in 5 (n = 62,19%) respondents reported receiving prescriptions for an acute illness from an individual with whom they did not have a doctor-patient relationship. Conclusion: Medical residents have a substantial burden of chronic illness that may not be met through interactions with PCPs. Further understanding their medical needs and barriers to accessing care is necessary to ensure trainee well-being.
Ownership, Privacy, and Control in the Wake of Cambridge Analytica: The Relationship between Attitudes and Awareness

Has widespread news of abuse changed the public's perceptions of how user-contributed content from social networking sites like Facebook and LinkedIn can be used? We collected two datasets that reflect participants' attitudes about content ownership, privacy, and control, one in April 2018, while Cambridge Analytica was still in the news, and another in February 2019, after the event had faded from the headlines, and aggregated the data according to participants' awareness of the story, contrasting the attitudes of those who reported the greatest awareness with those who reported the least. Participants with the greatest awareness of the news story's details have more polarized attitudes about reuse, especially the reuse of content as data. They express a heightened desire for data mobility, greater concern about networked privacy rights, increased skepticism of algorithmically targeted advertising and news, and more willingness for social media platforms to demand corrections of inaccurate or deceptive content.
Effects of type 1 diabetes on reflexive cardiovascular responses to intermittent muscle contraction.

This is the first study to provide evidence that early-stage type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) leads to an exaggerated exercise pressor reflex evoked by intermittent muscle contraction, resulting in ...
Formation of enzymes required for the hydrolysis of plant cell wall polysaccharides by Trichoderma reesei

Enzyme preparations fromTrichoderma reesei RUT-C30, in addition to cellulase, contained various glucanase and glucosidase, acetylxylan esterase, glucuronidase and xylanase activities. These preparations were able to hydrolyse endosperm cell walls of corn and wheat and commercially-available xylans and plant gums having stright chains, but lacked the ability to hydrolyse branched or substituted hemicelluloses.
Evaluating Performance of Drug Repurposing Technologies

Drug repurposing technologies are growing in number and maturing. However, comparison to each other and to reality is hindered due to lack of consensus with respect to performance evaluation. Such comparability is necessary to determine scientific merit and to ensure that only meaningful predictions from repurposing technologies carry through to further validation and eventual patient use. Here, we review and compare performance evaluation measures for these technologies using version 2 of our shotgun repurposing Computational Analysis of Novel Drug Opportunities (CANDO) platform to illustrate their benefits, drawbacks, and limitations. Understanding and using different performance evaluation metrics ensures robust cross platform comparability, enabling us to continuously strive towards optimal repurposing by decreasing time and cost of drug discovery and development.
Police brutality against Blacks in the United States and ensuing protests: Implications for social distancing and Black health during COVID-19

The pandemic of respiratory disease spreading from person-to-person, named “coronavirus disease 2019” (abbreviated “COVID-19”), presents a public health emergency of international concern. This pan...
Investigation of the relationship between bedding materials, bedding characteristics, and intramammary infection in late lactation dairy cows:

Many cows acquire subclinical intramammary infections (IMI) during lactation, necessitating antimicrobial treatment at dry-off (dry cow therapy). If the dairy industry moves toward the adoption of selective dry cow therapy, one essential strategy to reduce mastitis-associated antimicrobial use at dry off will be to reduce the incidence of new IMI during lactation. One important source of mastitis-causing pathogens is bedding. However studies are needed to investigate the association between bedding management, bedding bacteria count (BBC), and IMI risk in late lactation cows. The objectives of this prospective cross-sectional study are to: 1) describe associations between BBC and IMI prevalence for individual pathogens and specific pathogen groups in late lactation cows, 2) identify bedding-related risk factors for high BBC, and 3) identify critical levels of bacteria in bedding that might be used as cut-points to guide practitioners when interpreting BBC reports. This study is ongoing, with winter 2018 results currently being assembled.
Robotic Versus Laparoscopic Ventral Hernia Repair: One-year Results From a Prospective, Multicenter, Blinded Randomized Controlled Trial.

Objective The aim of this study was to compare clinical and patient-reported outcomes of robotic versus laparoscopic ventral hernia repair (LVHR) at 1-year postoperative. Summary of background data Despite a relative lack of research at low risk for bias assessing robotic ventral hernia repair (RVHR), the growth of RVHR has been rapid. We previously reported short-term results of the first randomized control trial comparing RVHR versus LVHR; there was no clear difference in clinical outcomes but increased operative time and cost with robotic repair. Methods Patients from a multicenter, blinded randomized control trial comparing RVHR versus LVHR were followed at 1 year. Outcomes included wound complication (surgical site infection, surgical site occurrence, wound dehiscence), hernia occurrence including recurrence and port site hernia, readmission, reoperation, and patient-reported outcomes (functional status, pain, and satisfaction with repair and cosmesis). Results A total of 124 patients were randomized and 113 patients (91%; 60 robot, 53 laparoscopic) completed 1-year follow-up. Baseline demographics were similar in both groups. No differences were seen in wound complication (15% vs 15%; P = 0.899), hernia recurrence (7% vs 9%; P = 0.576), or readmission (2% vs 6%; P = 0.251). No patients underwent reoperation in the robotic arm, whereas 5 (9%) did in the laparoscopic arm (P = 0.020). No differences were seen in patient-reported outcomes. Both arms reported clinically significant improvements in functional status, low pain scores, and high satisfaction scores at 1-year post repair. Conclusion This study confirms that robotic ventral hernia repair is safe when compared to laparoscopy. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings.
The effect of delays in second-dose antibiotics on patients with severe sepsis and septic shock.

Abstract Background Early antibiotics are fundamental to sepsis management. Second-dose antibiotic delays were associated with increased mortality in a recent study. Study objectives include: 1) determine factors associated with delays in second-dose antibiotic administration; 2) evaluate if delays influence clinical outcomes. Methods ED-treated adults (≥18 years; n = 1075) with severe sepsis or septic shock receiving ≥2 doses of intravenous antibiotics were assessed, retrospectively, for second-dose antibiotic delays (dose time > 25% of recommended interval). Predictors of delay and impact on outcomes were determined, controlling for MEDS score, 30 mL/kg fluids and antibiotics within three hours of sepsis onset, lactate, and renal failure, among others. Results In total, 335 (31.2%) patients had delayed second-dose antibiotics. A total of 1864 second-dose antibiotics were included, with 354 (19.0%) delays identified by interval (delayed/total doses): 6-h (36/67) = 53.7%; 8-h (165/544) = 30.3%; 12-h (114/436) = 26.1%; 24-h (21/190) = 8.2%; 48-h (0/16) = 0%. In-hospital mortality in the timely group was 15.5% (shock-17.6%) and 13.7% in the delayed group (shock-16.9%). Increased odds of delay were observed for ED boarding (OR 2.54, 95% 1.81–3.55), shorter dosing intervals (6/8-h- OR 2.99, 95% CI 1.95–4.57; 12-h- OR 2.46, 95% CI 1.72–3.51), receiving 30 mL/kg fluids by three hours (OR 1.42, 95% CI 1.06–1.90), and renal failure (OR 2.57, 95% CI 1.50–4.39). Delays were not associated with increased mortality (OR 0.87, 95% CI 0.58–1.29) or other outcomes. Conclusions Factors associated with delayed second-dose antibiotics include ED boarding, antibiotics requiring more frequent dosing, receiving 30 mL/kg fluid, and renal failure. Delays in second-dose administration were not associated with mortality or other outcomes.
Archaeology and Epigraphy in the Digital Era

Archaeologists and epigraphers have long worked in concert across methodological and theoretical differences to study past writing. Ongoing integration of digital technologies into both fields is extending this collaboration’s scope by facilitating rapid information exchange, integration of multiple datasets in digital formats, and accumulation and analysis of large datasets. Recent research by the Maya Hieroglyphic Database Project, for example, has deployed social network analysis to correlate ritual practice, discourse, and material culture with political interactions. Similarly, epigraphers and archaeologists of pre-Angkorian and Angkorian Southeast Asia have conducted spatial analysis to illuminate the relationship between economy, human mobility, and land use. Collectively, these examples illustrate how scholars are already using digital technologies for research at larger scales and with more diverse datasets than was previously possible. Moreover, they point to further directions for articulating text, material, and context in future studies of the human past.
“They Need More Training!” A National Level Analysis of Police Academy Basic Training Priorities:

Recurring incidents of Black citizens killed or injured during interactions with police has led to calls for “more training” of officers, including new recruits. Prior research on academy-based pol...
Systems theory, systems thinking

This paper discusses several important concepts in cybernetics, including holism, transformation, variety, feedback, control, autopoiesis, and nearly decomposable systems. The paper then examines and critiques three systems methodologies that are based on these concepts, and identifies their strengths and weaknesses. The approaches include Forrester's System Dynamics, Checkland's Soft Systems Methodology, and Beer's Viable Systems Model. The last section of the paper discusses using multiple methodologies to understand a complex system, each of which has different capabilities and strengths to support analysis.
Antidumping, Countervailing, and Safeguard Measures

AbstractThis paper discusses the key ingredients of WTO antidumping, countervailing, and safeguardmeasures, and corresponding U.S. trade laws. It explores a number of shortcomings of currentU.S. antidumping laws, including the cost- and price-based dumping criteria and the inevitableexcessive pass-through outcome of an antidumping case. The paper also examines several specialU.S. trade remedies that have been controversial, including the repealed Byrd Amendment, theuse of "fair price" and "constructed value" on electric golf carts from Poland, and the disputesover "zeroing" between the U.S. and the EU, Japan and Mexico.To gain further insight into real world activities, the paper pro–les the U.S. and also otherWTO member countries™antidumping and countervailing cases, and discusses the current "WTORules" negotiations, as mandated by the Doha Development Agenda, including the Agreementon Implementation of Article VI of GATT (the Anti-dumping Agreement), the Agreement onSubsidies and Countervailing Measures, and the newly proposed disciplines on –shery subsidies.* JEL Classi–cation: F50, F51, F53* Keywords: Antidumping, Countervailing, Safeguard Measures, WTO
An IEEE 802.11ah programmable modem

We introduce an architecture for a programmable IEEE 802.11ah Wi-Fi modem based on a new Cadence Xtensa-based low-energy DSP. The design is based on a methodology for partitioning the system into hardware and software components that takes into account power consumption, silicon area and the need for programmability. Physical layer software functions avail the DSP's extensible architecture options for baseband processing, such as complex signal filtering and FFT acceleration instructions. We provide sensitivity data from software simulations and laboratory tests that demonstrate the modem is capable of reliable detection and decoding of 2MHz packets with −107dBm of received signal power. Additionally, we analyze latency requirements for a System-on-Chip (SoC) design.
Sound and meaning: how native language affects reading strategies

In the Italian language, spelling is consistently related to pronunciation, whereas English words that are spelled similarly are often pronounced differently. An imaging study now shows that native language affects the brain regions activated by reading aloud.
Open problems in efficient semi-supervised PAC learning

The standard PAC model focuses on learning a class of functions from labeled examples, where the two critical resources are the number of examples needed and running time. In many natural learning problems, however, unlabeled data can be obtained much more cheaply than labeled data. This has motivated the notion of semi-supervised learning, in which algorithms attempt to use this cheap unlabeled data in a way that (hopefully) reduces the number of labeled examples needed for learning [4]. For instance, semi-supervised and transductive SVM [2,5] and co-training [3] are two examples of semi-supervised learning algorithms. In [1], a semi-supervised PAC model is introduced that provides a common framework for the kinds of assumptions these algorithms make; however, most of the results in [1] deal with sample complexity rather than computational efficiency, or are only computationally efficient under strong assumptions on the underlying distribution. This note poses several questions related to developing computationally efficient algorithms in this semi-supervised PAC model.
Benthic and pelagic contributions to Mysis nutrition across Lake Superior

Quantifying nutritional sources for Mysis diluviana will help to clarify the basis for production in lakes with Mysis and improve models of migration-driven nutrient and contaminant transport. We s...
The butyllithium initiated bulk anionic polymerization of α‐methylstyrene

Butyllithium (BuLi) initiates α-methylstyrene polymerization in bulk at room temperature. Both initiation and propagation reactions are very slow and propagation/depropagation occurs along with other side reactions, e.g., transfer. At slightly elevated temperatures (40–50°C) irreversible termination takes place. Molecular weights change inversely but not linearly with changes in [BuLi] and distributions are broad (Mw/Mn = 1.55 to 2.2) as would be expected from equilibria considerations. These results are generally different than those reported with sodium initiated reactions. Es wurde die durch Butyllithium angeregte Polymerisation von α-Methylstyrol in Substanz untersucht. Die sehr langsam verlaufenden Start- und Wachstumsschritte werden von Depolymerisations- und Nebenreaktionen wie z. B. Ubertragung begleitet. Bei Temperaturen von 40–50°C findet auserdem ein Abbruch statt. Das Molekulargewicht des Polymeren nimmt bei steigender Konzentration an Initiator in nicht linearer Form ab. Die Molekulargewichtsverteilungen sind breit (Mw/Mn = 1,55 bis 2,2), was einer Polymerisation im Gleichgewicht entspricht. Diese Befunde zeigen Unterschiede zu fruher veroffentlichten Ergebnissen, bei denen die Polymerisation durch Anregung mit Natrium erfolgte.
A polynomial time approximation scheme for rectilinear Steiner minimum tree construction in the presence of obstacles

One problem in VLSI physical designs is to route multiterminal nets in the presence of obstacles. This paper presents a polynomial time approximation scheme for construction of a rectilinear Steiner minimum tree in the presence of obstacles. Given any m rectangular obstacles, n nodes and /spl epsiv/>0, the scheme finds a (1+/spl epsiv/)-approximation to the optimum solution in the time n/sup o(1//spl epsiv/)/, providing an alternative of previous heuristics. Note that m is assumed to be a constant; otherwise when we solve the sub-problem in a brute force manner, we cannot declare that it can be solved in constant time.
Do it by the numbers—digital shorthand

Present communications systems transmit single characters in groups of coded pulses between simple terminal equipments. Since English words form only a sparse set of all possible alphabetic combinations, present methods are inefficient when computer systems are substituted for these terminals. Using numeric representations of entire words or common phrases (rather than character-by-character representations) requires approximately one-third of present transmission time. This saving is reflected in overall costs. Other benefits accrue in code and language translation schemes. Provision is made for transmission of purely numeric and/or binary streams, and for single character-transmission of non-dictionary words such as the names of people of places.
FTIR Spectroscopic Investigation of the Mechanism and Kinetics of the Heterogeneous Reactions of NO2 and HNO3 with Soot

Soot samples from a spark generator, a flame, and a diesel passenger car were either collected on a Teflon filter and transferred to an IR-transparent window or deposited directly from a flame onto the window and investigated by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The soot-covered windows were mounted in a 10 cm vacuum cell connected to a standard flow system with He as carrier gas. Reactive gases, such as NO2 and HNO3, were added to the carrier gas flow at a concentration of (0.016 to 2.5) × 1014 molecule cm-3. FTIR spectra of soot samples before and after exposure to HNO3, NO2, and O3 are presented. Formation of IR absorption bands was analyzed as a function of exposure time. IR bands attributable to soot surface oxidation products and nitrogen containing species, e.g. −CO, R−NO2, R−ONO2, and R−ONO were observed. The observed time dependence of the absorption bands of the spark generator soot can be fitted by two parallel reactions, a slow and a fast process. Both processes have a reaction o...
Relation between Nucleic Acid Indices and Growth Rate in Fed and Fasting Juvenile Scup

AbstractThe relationship between nucleic acid indices and daily instantaneous growth rate was determined for juvenile Scup Stenotomus chrysops in the laboratory. Weight-based growth of Scup was measured for three 1-week intervals during a 6-week feeding experiment and showed a significant positive correlation with both RNA concentration (RNA; μg/mg tissue wet weight) and DNA concentration (DNA; μg/mg tissue wet weight), while the RNA: DNA ratio was not significantly correlated with the weight- or length-based growth rate. The concentration of DNA showed a significant negative correlation with length-based growth rate. Mean fish weight increased from 1.022 to 10.404 g, and mean TL increased from 43.219 to 85.377 mm. Changes in nucleic acid indices were measured in fish that were deprived of food over a 9-d period. The RNA and RNA: DNA ratio values declined significantly within 5 d after fasting began, while DNA remained relatively stable. This study provides baseline nucleic acid values for fed and starved...
A new graphy triconnectivity algorithm and its parallelization

We present a new algorithm for finding the tri-connected components of an undirected graph. The algorithm is based on ear decomposition and has linear sequential running time. It also has a parallel implementation on a CRCW PRAM with O(log2n) parallel time using a linear number of processors, where n is the number of vertices in the graph. This is the first efficient parallel algorithm for graph tri-connectivity.
Working with persons with serious mental illness: implication for social work recruitment and retention

Educating and recruiting practitioners to work in community-based settings with persons with serious mental illness has become a national health personpower issue, particularly in underserved rural areas. This study was conceived in order to obtain a better basis for curriculum development and recruitment strategies. Graduate and undergraduate social work students, representing the greatest pool of mental health practitioners, were surveyed about their perceptions about working with persons with serious mental illness and about factors which are most important to their future job satisfaction. The findings indicate positive perceptions about work with the seriously mentally ill population by a significant number of students, and further reveal that students project job satisfaction factors related to intrinsic reward and ability to learn and grow in their work. The findings also reveal group differences related to educational level, previous work experience in mental health and expressed interest in working with persons with serious mental illness. Important implications for practitioner education, recruitment, administration and job development and ongoing in-service training are discussed.