cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A comparative case study of non-music major participation in two contrasting collegiate choral ensembles

ABSTRACTThe purpose of this comparative case study was to examine the motivation for participation in traditional and non-traditional vocal ensembles by students who are not pursuing a career in music and the perceived benefits of this participation. Participants were selected from a traditional mixed choral ensemble and a student-run a cappella ensemble. Data consisted of interviews, written reflections, and field observations. Both groups of participants indicated musical outcomes, emotional release, and achieving school/life balance as benefits of vocal ensemble participation. The personal motivations for the members of the different groups varied, with the traditional mixed choral ensemble students focused more on individual musical development and gaining technique, whereas the a cappella students reported group interaction and singing with others as the main factors for participation.
Screening Nitrate in Forages with a Test Strip: Collaborative Study

A collaborative study was conducted for screening nitrate in forages with a commercially available test strip. The method involves extracting a finely ground sample with deionized water. The test strip is dipped in the sample extract. The color of the reaction zone on the test strip changes from white to pink or purple depending on the nitrate concentration in sample extract. The nitrate present in the extract is determined by comparing the color of the test strip to the color scale on the test strip container. Six blind quintuplicates of forage samples were analyzed by 20 collaborators. Nitrate concentrations in forage samples tested ranged from 10,000 ppm nitrate on dry matter basis. Each collaborator was asked to assign each sample to one of the 4 following nitrate concentration ranges: (1) 5000 ppm to 10,000 ppm, and (4) > 10,000 ppm. Nineteen of 20 collaborators reported results. Results from 2 laboratories were rejected as outliers by inspection and chi 2 test. Sensitivity rates (p+) ranged from 0.965 to 0.998, with standard errors of 0.006 to 0.16. Specificity rates (p-) ranged from 0.991 to 0.997 for the 4 ranges, with standard errors of 0.003 to 0.006. False-positive rates (pf+) ranged from 0.006 to 0.046, with standard errors of 0.006 to 0.025. False-negative rates (pf-) ranged from 0.003 to 0.007, with standard errors of 0.003 to 0.006. Screening nitrate in forages with a test strip has been adopted first action by AOAC INTERNATIONAL.
Individual differences in forecast effectiveness of 5 negative affect repair strategies

Abstract The current study examined individual differences in forecast effectiveness of 5 affect repair strategies. At T1 participants (N = 227) completed measures of personality, emotional intelligence and dispositional strategy usage. At T2 (2 months later) participants made strategy effectiveness forecasts and completed a measure of psychological well-being. Results revealed that emotional intelligence and extraversion were positively, and neuroticism negatively, associated with the forecast efficacy of generally effective strategies (e.g., reappraisal), with the reverse pattern for ineffective strategies (e.g., suppression). Dispositional strategy usage was also positively associated with efficacy forecasts and wide links emerged between efficacy forecasts and well-being. Implications and future directions are discussed.
Abstract WP293: Patient and Hospital Characteristics Associated With Assessing Stroke Patients for Rehabilitation During Acute Stroke Hospitalization: Findings From the National REGARDS Study

Background: “Assessment for rehabilitation” (AFR) is an acute stroke care quality measure that is included in clinical guideline recommendations. Previous reports from “Get With The Guidelines (GWTG)” and the Coverdell Registry have shown compliance rates as high as 90 to 94% in stroke patients. These studies showed that blacks, males, and older patients were more likely to receive AFR. Methods: We abstracted data from ischemic stroke hospitalizations that occurred between 2003-2012 within REGARDS, a national US cohort study of blacks and whites aged > 45 at time of enrollment. The definition of AFR included any of the following: consult by rehab services, assessed by rehab team member, receipt of rehab during hospitalization. Independent patient and hospitalization characteristics associated with AFR were identified by logistic regression. Results: Information on AFR was determined in 536 of 546 ischemic stroke hospitalizations. The median age was 73.8+ 8.6 years, 50% were women, 46.8% were black. Three-quarter of the patients (406/536) had AFR. In univariate analyses, participants who were older, black, those with higher modified Rankin Score (mRS) and those evaluated by a stroke team were more likely to be assessed for rehabilitation, while participants in the west region of the US were least likely to be assessed. After multivariable adjustment, those who were older, those with a higher mRS, and those evaluated by an acute stroke team remained more likely to be assessed, while there was no statistically significant association of race, sex, or region (Table). Conclusions: The proportion of stroke patients assessed for rehabilitation was lower in this national sample compared to previous registry based reports. However these results corroborate prior findings that assessments are more common among older patients, blacks and those with more severe strokes. Further examination of patient and hospital characteristics is warranted.
Tamm–Horsfall glycoprotein engages human Siglec-9 to modulate neutrophil activation in the urinary tract

Urinary tract infections are a major problem in human medicine for which better understanding of native immune defenses may reveal new pathways for therapeutic intervention. Tamm-Horsfall glycoprotein (THP), the most abundant urinary protein, interacts with bacteria including uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC) as well host immune cells. In addition to its well-studied functions to antagonize bacterial colonization, we hypothesize that THP serves a critical host defense function through innate immune modulation. Using isolated human neutrophils, we found that THP binds neutrophils and that this interaction reduces reactive oxygen species generation, chemotaxis and killing of UPEC. We discovered that THP engages the inhibitory neutrophil receptor sialic acid-binding Ig-like lectin-9 (Siglec-9), and mouse functional ortholog Siglec-E, in a manner dependent on sialic acid on its N-glycan moieties. THP-null mice have significantly more neutrophils present in the urine compared with wild-type mice, both with and without the presence of inflammatory stimuli. These data support THP as an important negative regulator of neutrophil activation in the urinary tract, with dual functions to counteract bacterial colonization and suppress excessive inflammation within the urinary tract.
Computationally efficient stochastic approach for the fragility analysis of vertical structures subjected to thunderstorm downburst winds

Abstract Thunderstorm downburst winds introduce considerable uncertainty in dynamical structural analysis because of wind load non-stationarity, which cannot be adequately modelled by conventional stationary wind simulations. Performance-based structural analysis in wind engineering practice, which considers uncertainty related to both error propagation and modeling simplifications, requires sampling the structural information from a large number of dynamic simulations. This task may be computationally intensive using traditional numerical integration techniques. This study examines the feasibility and advantages of utilizing a wavelet-Galerkin (WG) approach to numerically integrate the coupled stochastic dynamic equations of motion for tall building structures affected by thunderstorm wind loads. The study examines the stochastic maximum structural response at key locations. Fragility analysis is subsequently conducted using curves modelled with log-normal complementary cumulative distribution functions and surfaces modelled using logistic regression. Both a “point-like” (plate) structure and a benchmark tall building are used for verification of the proposed simulation approach.
Towards microsolvation of fluorocarbons by CO2: Two isomers of fluoroethylene-(CO2)2 observed using chirped-pulse Fourier-transform microwave spectroscopy

Abstract Understanding structural changes during microsolvation of a solute by increasing numbers of CO 2 molecules provides a path towards improved models of supercritical CO 2 solvent properties. Microwave spectroscopic observations of fluoroethylene (FE) microsolvation by CO 2 give two FE-(CO 2 ) 2 isomers, each with fragments similar to previously studied planar FE-CO 2 dimers. In each trimer, a second CO 2 is located above the FE plane, in a position not observed for FE-CO 2 . Current work on FE/CO 2 mixtures focuses on deconvoluting interleaved spectra in the microwave scan, aiming to identify FE-(CO 2 ) 3 and other clusters, with patterns from at least five additional cluster spectra already identified.
Adaptive variable gear ratio control

In this paper, the performance of active-front steering (AFS) system is enhanced by adapting the variable gear ratio (VGR) to changes in vehicle parameters, such as understeer coefficient. The parameter changes can be caused by low tire pressure, worn-out tire, different loading, suspension aging, etc. Vehicle dynamics parameters are estimated by using a real-time vehicle parameter estimation technique. The adaptation strategy is to maintain the steering sensitivity of nominal vehicle regardless of the understeer coefficient change. This strategy effectively maintains steering sensitivity in yaw rate response. Even with the limited authority of AFS, the strategy does not have adverse effect on lateral velocity response. An adaptive VGR control algorithm---is then proposed and analyzed, and non-linear simulation is performed to show its effectiveness.
Development of the Computer Version of the Self-Directed Search.

The conceptual background and potential use of the Self-Directed Search (SDS): Computer Version (CV) is presented, and the relationship with the paper version of the SDS is explained.
History of the Visual Regime

The concepts of colonialism and patriarchy have influenced the imaging of women in the pre-, colonial, and post-eras. In Chapter 5, the author describes the historical representations of the idealized, white, western femininity and the non-white, non-western woman created by westerners for a western audience. Representations were mobilized to reinforce and regulate the political and economic control of colonialism. Images of women during slavery, reconstruction, and at the height of European colonialism reinforced the hierarchy of men as superior to women and of the white European as superior to the “native.” These images have been reproduced in textbooks and posters for educational purposes. These biased depictions have historically helped to create ethnocentric attitudes toward difference that continue to reverberate today.
Caring for veterans in US civilian primary care: qualitative interviews with primary care providers.

BACKGROUND Non-VA health care providers in the USA have been called upon to screen patients for veteran status as a means to better identify military-related health sequelae. Despite this recognized need, many service members are still not being asked about veteran status. OBJECTIVE The purpose of this research was to qualitatively assess, from non-VA primary care providers' point-of-view, barriers to providing care to veterans, the training providers perceive as most useful and the tools and translational processes they think would be most valuable in increasing military cultural competency. METHODS Semi-structured qualitative interviews, with non-VA primary care providers (N = 10) as part of a larger quantitative study of primary care providers' attitudes around veteran care. Interviews asked about providers' approach to addressing veteran status in their practice and their thoughts on how to address the needs of this population. Qualitative data were analyzed using a thematic content analysis approach. RESULTS Three major themes were identified: (i) barriers to caring for patients who are identified as veterans, (ii) thoughts on tools that might help better identify and screen veteran patients and (iii) thoughts on translating and implementing new care processes for veteran patients into everyday practice. CONCLUSIONS Our study identified barriers related to non-VA providers' ability to care for veterans among their patients and possible mechanisms for improving recognition of veterans in civilian health care settings. There is a need for further research to understand how assessment, screening and follow up care for veteran patients is best implemented into civilian primary care settings.
Proteolytic program-dependent functions are impaired in INF2-mediated focal segmental glomerulosclerosis

Abstract Regulation of the actin cytoskeleton is critical for normal glomerular podocyte structure and function. Altered regulation of the podocyte cytoskeleton can lead to proteinuria, reduced kidney filtration function and focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). Mutations in inverted formin 2 (INF2), a member of the formin family of actin regulatory proteins, are the most common cause of autosomal dominant FSGS. INF2 is a multi-domain protein regulated by interaction between its N-terminal Diaphanous Inhibitory Domain (DID) and its C-terminal Diaphanous Auto-regulatory Domain (DAD). Although many aspects of the INF2 DID-DAD interaction are understood, it remains unclear why disease-causing mutations are restricted to the DID and how these mutations cause human disease. Here we report a proteolytic cleavage in INF2 that liberates the INF2 N-terminal DID to function independently of the INF2 C-terminal fragment containing the DAD domain. N-terminal DID region epitopes are differentially localized to podocyte foot process structures in normal glomeruli. This N-terminal fragment localization is lost in INF2-mediated FSGS, whereas INF2 C-terminal fragment epitopes localize to the podocyte cell body in both normal and disease conditions. INF2 cleavage is mediated by cathepsin proteases. In cultured podocytes, the wild-type INF2 N-terminal fragment localizes to membrane regions and promotes cell spreading, while these functions are impaired in a disease-associated INF2 mutant R218Q in the DID. These features are dependent on INF2-cleavage, with accompanying interaction of INF2 N-fragment with mDIA1. Our data suggest a unique cellular function of the DID dependent on INF2 cleavage and help explain the altered localization of FSGS-associated INF2 mutant polypeptides.
Model predictive control of phthalic anhydride synthesis in a fixed-bed catalytic reactor via machine learning modeling

Abstract This work proposes a general framework for linking a state-of-the-art computational fluid dynamics (CFD) solver, ANSYS Fluent, and other computing platforms using the lock synchronization mechanism in an effort to extend the utilities of CFD solvers from strictly modeling and design to also control and optimization applications. To demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed approach, a challenging control problem in chemical engineering, i.e., maximizing the product yield and suppressing the hot-spot temperature in a fixed-bed reactor (FBR) with a highly exothermic reaction, is considered. Specifically, phthalic anhydride (PA) synthesis is chosen for this investigation because of its industrial significance and its extreme high exothermicity. Initially, a high-fidelity two-dimensional axisymmetric heterogeneous CFD model for an industrial-scale FBR is developed in ANSYS Fluent. Next, the CFD model is used to explore a wide operating regime of the FBR to create a database, from which recurrent neural network and ensemble learning techniques are used to derive a homogeneous ensemble regression model using a state-of-the-art application program interface (API), i.e., Keras. Then, a model predictive control (MPC) formulation that is designed to drive the process output to the desired set-point and suppress the magnitude of the hot-spot temperature to avoid catalyst deactivation is developed using the ensemble regression model. Subsequently, the CFD model, the ensemble regression model and the MPC are combined to create a closed-loop system by linking ANSYS Fluent to SciPy (a Python library used for scientific computing) via a message-passing interface (MPI) with lock synchronization mechanism. Finally, the simulation data generated by the closed-loop system are used to demonstrate the robustness and effectiveness of the proposed approach.
Applying educational gaming success to a nonsterile compounding escape room.

Abstract Background and purpose Serious educational gaming success has not been replicated in a nonsterile compounding practical skill-based course. The objective of this study was to create a nonsterile compounding escape room to evaluate third-year professional pharmacy students' (1) knowledge of nonsterile compounding and (2) perceptions of educational escape room gaming utilized in nonsterile compounding. Educational activity and setting The escape room gaming environment used puzzles focused on advanced topics of nonsterile compounding. To evaluate students' knowledge, all participating students completed a pre-assessment and post-assessment mapped to the course objectives. To assess student perceptions of educational escape room gaming, a previously-validated, 12-item survey on student perceptions of educational escape room gaming was modified and administered at the end of the activity. Additional influencing factors such as success in the activity and previous escape room gaming experience were collected. Findings All thirty students completed the assessments and perception survey (100% response rate). Three out of four student teams successfully escaped the room. Students' knowledge improved or stayed the same for all questions of the assessment questions. Students perceived the escape room as helpful to their learning. Students' increased knowledge and positive perception were independent of their teams' escape success. Summary Students were actively engaged in learning during a nonsterile compounding escape room. Escape room educational games may be successfully applied to nonsterile compounding to yield increased student knowledge and positive perceptions.
The Place of Imagination

Rosalyn Driscoll The P l a c e of I m a g i n a t i o n There is a hillsidefromwhich we could see our whole town, but private houses now claim the view. A rushing, bounding brook runs through my town, but I can't sit on its banks because there is no public access. U A wonderful old building I have photographed for years is being razed for a con­ venience store. We all have such places in our lives, but we have come to accept their loss as a matter of course. We leave planning, whether constructive or destructive, to planners and developers, thinking the issues too complex for our lay minds. Against a background of environmental degradation, historical amne­ sia, the decline of community and the absence of spiritual values, the loss of these small places seems minor and inevitable. Or so we have come to believe. There are people who believe otherwise. They believe the responsibility for our landscapes lies best in the hands of those who live in them and care about them. They believe the quality of our ordinary, daily environment is crucial to our sense of well-being. They believe that the economic health of a community is strengthened by a sense of history and a sense of place. At the Brattleboro Museum and Art Center in Brattleboro, Vermont, a group of citizens, volunteers and staff gathered some of these people together in a project called Our Town. The project was a creative response to the The O u r Town p r o g r a m offered Brattleboro residents o p p o r t u n i t i e s to e x p l o r e t h e i r feelings about the t o w n and t h e i r e x p e r i e n c e s in it. P h o t o by C l e m e n s Kalischer. P L A C E S
Reformulation of Oxide Growth Equations for Oxidation of Silicon Bond Coat in Environmental Barrier Coating Systems

Abstract The formulation of Deal and Grove for the oxidation of silicon and the growth of a silica layer is revisited to include the effects of a protective coating layer. The linear-parabolic equation of the form x o 2 + A x o = B t is still applicable, but the expression for the constant A must be modified to account for the coating. The modified expression for A is a linear function of the coating thickness. The modified formulation is applied to assess recently published experimental results for the oxidation of a silicon bond coat in an environmental barrier coating. Application of the modified expression for A to the experimental results leads to an estimate of the ratio of the oxidant permeability in the oxide to its permeability in the coating.
Oral Fluid and Drug Impairment: Pairing Toxicology with Drug Recognition Expert Observations.

According to the Governors Highway Safety Association, drugs are detected more frequently in fatally injured drivers than alcohol. Due to the variety of drugs (prescribed and/or illicit) and their various physiological effects on the body, it is difficult for law enforcement to detect/prosecute drug impairment. While blood and urine are typical biological specimens used to test for drugs, oral fluid is an attractive alternative matrix. Drugs are incorporated into oral fluid by oral contamination (chewing or smoking) or from the bloodstream. Oral fluid is non-invasive and easy to collect without the need for a trained professional to obtain the sample, unlike urine or blood. This study analyzes paired oral fluid and urine with drug recognition expert (DRE) observations. Authentic oral fluid samples (n = 20) were collected via Quantisal™ devices from arrestees under an institutional review board-approved protocol. Urine samples (n = 18) were collected with EZ-SCREEN® cups that presumptively screened for Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (cannabinoids), opiates, methamphetamine, cocaine, methadone, phencyclidine, amphetamine, benzodiazepines and oxycodone. Impairment observations (n = 18) were recorded from officers undergoing DRE certification. Oral fluid samples were screened using an Agilent Technologies 1290 Infinity liquid chromatograph (LC) coupled to an Agilent Technologies 6530 Accurate Mass Time-of-Flight mass spectrometer (MS). Personal compound and database libraries were produced in-house containing 64 drugs of abuse. An Agilent 1290 Infinity LC system equipped with an Agilent 6470 Triple Quadrupole MS was used for quantification of buprenorphine, heroin markers (6-acetylmorphine, morphine) and synthetic opioids. Subjects were 23-54 years old; 11 (55%) were male and 9 (45%) were female. Evaluator opinion of drug class was confirmed in oral fluid 90% of time and in urine 85% of the time in reference to scope of testing by the LC-MS methods employed (excludes cannabis and central nervous system depressants). Data indicate that oral fluid may be a viable source for confirming driving under the influence of drugs.
Inflammatory Conditions of the Hypothalamus

The hypothalamus is affected by multiple inflammatory conditions. In hypophysitis, the hypothalamus is involved due to mass effect from the pituitary or due to direct autoimmune attack. The hypothalamus is a frequent target for aquaporin-4 antibody damage probably because of the lack of blood-brain barrier in the median eminence and the high levels of aquaporin-4 in the osmolarity-sensing neurons. NMOSD involvement of the hypothalamus is very severe and can be life-threatening. Anti-MOG antibodies occur in some patients with NMOSD who do not have anti-aquaporin-4 antibodies.
Amputation versus Free Flap: Long-Term Outcomes of Microsurgical Limb Salvage and Risk Factors for Amputation in the Diabetic Population.

Background Reconstructive microsurgery is an effective limb-saving option for nonhealing lower extremity wounds in diabetic patients. However, the ability to predict the future need for amputation is unclear. This article seeks to identify risk factors for amputation following microsurgical free tissue transfer in the diabetic lower extremity. Methods Diabetic patients undergoing lower extremity free flap surgery between August of 2011 and January of 2018 performed by a single surgeon were identified retrospectively. Patient comorbidities, reconstructive conditions and flap traits, microsurgical outcomes, and long-term outcomes were examined. Variables conferring risk for future amputation were examined by means of regression analysis. Results Sixty-four patients met the criteria. The overall immediate flap success rate was 94 percent (60 of 64). Long term, 50 patients (78.1 percent) underwent successful salvage, and 14 patients (21.9 percent) required major amputation. Acute flap loss resulted in four amputations, and delayed complications (hematoma, infection, recurrent nonhealing) resulted in 10 amputations. The average time to amputation was 5.6 months. Risk factors for amputation were end-stage renal disease (OR, 30.7; p = 0.0087), hindfoot wounds (OR, 4.6; p = 0.020), elevated hemoglobin A1C level greater than 8.4 percent (OR, 1.4; p = 0.05), and positive wound cultures (OR, 6.1; p = 0.003). Conclusions Multiple comorbidities and poor glucose control were identified as risk factors for amputation after free flap limb salvage. However, successful limb preservation is possible. Clinical question/level of evidence Risk, III.
Post-vaccination SARS-CoV-2 infections and incidence of the B.1.427/B.1.429 variant among healthcare personnel at a northern California academic medical center

Abstract Background Distribution of mRNA-based SARS-CoV-2 vaccines to healthcare personnel (HCP) in the United States began in December 2020, with efficacy > 90%. However, breakthrough infections in fully vaccinated individuals have been reported. Meanwhile, multiple SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern have emerged worldwide, including the B.1.427/B.1.429 variant first described in California. Little is known about the real-world effectiveness of the mRNA-based SARS-CoV-2 vaccines against novel variants including B.1.427/B.1.429. Methods In this quality improvement project, post-vaccine SARS-CoV-2 cases (PVSCs) were defined as individuals with positive SARS-CoV-2 nucleic acid amplification test (NAAT) after receiving at least one dose of a SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. Chart extraction of demographic and clinical information was performed, and available specimens meeting cycle threshold value criteria were tested for L452R, N501Y and E484K mutations by RT-PCR. Results From December 2020 to March 2021, 189 PVSCs were identified out of 22,729 healthcare personnel who received at least one dose of an mRNA-based SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. Of these, 114 (60.3%) occurred within 14 days of first vaccine dose (early post-vaccination), 49 (25.9%) within 14 days of the second vaccine dose (partially vaccinated), and 26 (13.8%) >14 days after the second dose (fully vaccinated). Of 115 samples available for mutation testing, 42 were positive for L452R alone, presumptive of B.1.427/B.1.429; three had N501Y mutation alone and none were found with E484K mutation. Though on univariate analysis partially- and fully-vaccinated PVSCs were more likely than early post-vaccination PVSCs to be infected with presumptive B.1.427/B.1.429, when adjusted for community prevalence of B.1.427/B.1.429 at the time of infection, partially- and fully-vaccinated PVSC did not have statistically significantly elevated risk ratios for infection with this variant (RR 1.40, 95% CI 0.81-2.43 and RR 1.13, 95% CI 0.59-2.16, respectively). Conclusions The great majority of PVSCs occurred prior to the expected onset of full, vaccine-derived immunity. Although the B.1.427/B.1.429 variant did not represent a significantly higher proportion of PVSCs than expected, numbers were small and there was a trend towards higher representation in the partially- and fully-vaccinated subset. Continued infection control measures in the workplace and in the community including social distancing and masking, particularly in the early days post-vaccination, as well as continued variant surveillance in PVSCs, is imperative in order to anticipate and control future surges of infection.
The effect of turbulence on pollutant formation in a tubular burner

The role of turbulence in pollutant formation was investigated both experimentally and analytically with the objective of understanding the important mechanisms of a fairly basic level. Preliminary measurements of the cold-flow turbulence characteristics downstream of three perforated plate flame holders, of varying solidity ratio, were made. In the combustion experiment, measurements of the concentration distributions of CO, NO(x), HC, and CO2, downstream of the same flame holders, were made. The combustor configuration was tubular and constant-area, and the fuel was premixed, prevaporized propane. The experimental results were modeled by a one-dimensional analysis in which transport phenomena were neglected, and more successfully, by a quasi-one-dimensional analysis containing recirculation zones and turbulent transport effects.
Dynamic Programming for Response-Adaptive Dose-Finding Clinical Trials

Identifying the right dose is one of the most important decisions in drug development. Adaptive designs are promoted to conduct dose-finding clinical trials as they are more efficient and ethical c...
Microalgal cell disruption in a high-power ultrasonic flow system.

Abstract A 2-kW continuous ultrasonic flow system (UFS) was found effective in the disruption of two microalgal strains: Scenedesmus dimorphus and Nannochloropsis oculata. Compared to the control, cell debris concentration of UFS treatments increased up to 202% for S. dimorphus and 112% for N. oculata. Similarly, Nile red stained lipid fluorescence density (NRSLD) increased up to 59.5% and 56.3% for S. dimorphus and N. oculata, respectively. It was also found that increasing ultrasound intensity improved cell disruption efficiency indicated by up to 54% increase in NRSLFD of the two strains. Increasing sonication-processing time to 3-min resulted in 33.0% increase for S. dimorphus and 45.7% increase for N. oculata in NRSLFD compared to the control. Cell recirculation was found beneficial to cell disruption, however, higher initial cell concentration significantly reduced cell disruption efficiency, indicated by 98.2% decrease in NRSLFD per cell when initial cell concentration increased from 4.25 × 106 to 1.7 × 107 cells ml−1.
Shifting concepts, changing contexts: the new schools’ drive for change

Seventeen new medical schools were founded in the US and Canada in the decade prior to 2014. These new medical schools continue the tradition of utilizing mission statements (MSs) to convey goals and ideals. The authors aimed to compare these 17 new medical schools’ MSs with MSs of previously established medical schools in the US and Canada. The MSs of the 17 newest medical schools were processed and analyzed utilizing network text analysis software that assessed centrality of concepts within new medical schools’ MSs. This semantic network data was then compared to existing similar analysis by Grbic et al. (Acad Med 88(6):852–860, 2013. doi: 10.1097/ACM.0b013e31828f603d ). Four concepts were found to be more central in new medical schools’ MSs as compared to established medical schools’ MSs: “physicians,” “improve,” “diversity,” and “innovation.” Grbic et al. found four concepts to be central to all 132 medical schools “health” or “health_care,” “research,” “education,” and “premier” which are shared top themes of the new medical schools’ MSs. The author’s analysis has demonstrated that new medical schools, as compared to previously established subsets of medical schools, developed both shared and unique language within their MSs. This unique vocabulary reflected a response to a dynamic healthcare environment during the decade of new medical school development. New medical schools may have responded to environmental challenges including a physician shortage while also recognizing the need for a diverse physician workforce prepared to apply innovative strategies to healthcare.
Solarelastic Stability of the Heliogyro

This article presents a methodology for analyzing the solarelastic stability of a solar sail spacecraft blade. This paper couples linear and non-linear rotating structural models with an optical solar radiation pressure model for a completely reflective surface. The resulting time varying ordinary differential equations are solved in a quasi-static sense, where an instantaneous stability boundary is determined. The quasi-static analysis with the linear model predicts a divergence type instability and slow and non-uniform modal convergence using parameters for a representative heliogyro spacecraft blade. The non-linear model predicts a flutter instability at a lower radiation pressure and has improved modal convergence characteristics. The paper uses the non-linear model to evaluate the stability of a NASA heliogyro concept design and explore the dependence of the stability boundary on the spacecraft rotation rate for the case of the sun directly overhead. Increasing the spin rate of the spacecraft improves the solarelastic stability, but must be traded off with decreased spacecraft maneuverability.
NASA Ares I Crew Launch Vehicle Upper Stage Overview

By incorporating rigorous engineering practices, innovative manufacturing processes and test techniques, a unique multi-center government/contractor partnership, and a clean-sheet design developed around the primary requirements for the International Space Station (ISS) and Lunar missions, the Upper Stage Element of NASA's Crew Launch Vehicle (CLV), the "Ares I," is a vital part of the Constellation Program's transportation system. Constellation's exploration missions will include Ares I and Ares V launch vehicles required to place crew and cargo in low-Earth orbit (LEO), crew and cargo transportation systems required for human space travel, and transportation systems and scientific equipment required for human exploration of the Moon and Mars. Early Ares I configurations will support ISS re-supply missions. A self-supporting cylindrical structure, the Ares I Upper Stage will be approximately 84' long and 18' in diameter. The Upper Stage Element is being designed for increased supportability and increased reliability to meet human-rating requirements imposed by NASA standards. The design also incorporates state-of-the-art materials, hardware, design, and integrated logistics planning, thus facilitating a supportable, reliable, and operable system. With NASA retiring the Space Shuttle fleet in 2010, the success of the Ares I Project is essential to America's continued leadership in space. The first Ares I test flight, called Ares 1-X, is scheduled for 2009. Subsequent test flights will continue thereafter, with the first crewed flight of the Crew Exploration Vehicle (CEV), "Orion," planned for no later than 2015. Crew transportation to the ISS will follow within the same decade, and the first Lunar excursion is scheduled for the 2020 timeframe.
Women in Educational Technology: Content Analysis of AACE Journals 2004-2007.

Professional qualifications for men and women are equivalent across disciplines, however, women tend to be underrepresented in technology-related fields. the purpose of this study is to analyze the content of seven journals published by the association for the advancement of Computing in education (aaCe) to explore women’s publications in educational technology. using both classification codes from waxman, Connell, and gray (2002) and aaCe, a content analysis of 702 articles was completed. data show that, while women are closing the gender gap, there is still considerable progress to be made.
Roadmapping the future of sustainable IT

Over the past decade, IT organizations have increasingly embraced the notion of incorporating sustainable business practices into the design and operation of information technology products and systems. Initial efforts focused on enabling the more efficient use of computing resources in terms of reducing energy consumption and its corresponding carbon footprint. The reduction of computing-centric energy use in data centers and throughout the firm summarizes the first wave of sustainable IT, often called “green IT.” However, the emerging second wave will be much more difficult for IT managers to define and successfully navigate. IT products and services have become ubiquitous in developed countries and are being rapidly adopted in emerging economies. Information technology has become highly visible in terms of it benefits and its costs to society. The future of sustainable IT will be driven by government regulation and changes in market requirements. Proactive IT managers need to get ahead of this curve by developing effective market, product/service, technology and organizational roadmaps to achieve sustainable IT leadership. This will likely require IT organizations to move beyond narrow operational requirements and embrace a more strategic role as a key enabler of corporate sustainability and social responsibility efforts. This paper will explore the strategic dimensions and drivers of sustainable IT and roadmap its likely development as a disruptive revolutionary force over the next decade as it moves beyond the datacenter and throughout the IT organization, the firm, markets, and society at large.
The morphine-prostigmin provocative test--is it useful for making clinical decisions?

Abstract The morphine-Prostigmin test has been used to diagnose disease of the sphincter of Oddi in patients with chronic abdominal pain. A twofold rise in amylase or lipase levels, reproduction of abdominal pain or both have been considered positive responses. A positive morphine-Prostigmin test has been used as a justification for a sphincteroplasty, a surgical procedure with significant morbidity. Little data are available on the response of control populations to morphine-Prostigmin, or the reproducibility of this test on different days. Ten healthy volunteers, 5 patients with symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome and 4 patients with chronic abdominal pain were given the morphine-Prostigmin test. Sixty percent of our healthy control subjects and patients with the irritable bowel syndrome had a marked elevation in amylase and lipase. Forty percent of those with the irritable bowel syndrome had reproduction of their typical abdominal pain after morphine-Prostigmin. Two of four patients with chronic abdominal pain had a different response to morphine-Prostigmin on second as compared to initial testing. We conclude that: (a) neither enzyme rise nor reproduction of abdominal pain produced by morphine-Prostigmin are specific for disease of the sphincter of Oddi, and (b) the morphine-Prostigmin test may give different results on different days in the same patient. Major clinical decisions should not be made on the basis of this test.
Back to the Bog

My role in connection with the efficient rent-seeking model (Tullock 1980) is, I think, a rather ill-omened one. I began the discussion by inventing a model with an apparent paradox. The market does not clear even with free entry and competition. There have been a number of efforts to deal with this problem (Corcoran, 1984; I commented on it in the same issue, pp. 95–98). Corcoran and Karels (1985) and Higgins, Shughart, and Tollison (1985) are further efforts to solve the problem.
Plasmodium falciparum Gametocyte-Specific Antibody Profiling Reveals Boosting through Natural Infection and Identifies Potential Markers of Gametocyte Exposure

Malaria elimination efforts would benefit from vaccines that block transmission of Plasmodium falciparum gametocytes from humans to mosquitoes. A clear understanding of gametocyte-specific antibody responses in exposed populations could help determine whether transmission-blocking vaccines (TBV) would be boosted by natural gametocyte exposure, and also inform the development of serologic tools to monitor gametocyte exposure in populations targeted for malaria elimination. To this end, plasma was collected from Malian children and adults before and after the 6-month malaria season and probed against a microarray containing 1,204 P. falciparum proteins. Using publicly available proteomic data, we classified 91 proteins as gametocyte specific and 69 as proteins not expressed by gametocytes. The overall breadth and magnitude of gametocyte-specific IgG responses increased during the malaria season, although they were consistently lower than IgG responses to nongametocyte antigens. Notably, IgG specific for the TBV candidates Pfs48/45 and Pfs230 increased during the malaria season. In addition, IgGs specific for the gametocyte proteins Pfmdv1, Pfs16, PF3D7_1346400, and PF3D7_1024800 were detected in nearly all subjects, suggesting that seroconversion to these proteins may be a sensitive indicator of gametocyte exposure, although further studies are needed to determine the specificity and kinetics of these potential serologic markers. These findings suggest that TBV-induced immunity would be boosted through natural gametocyte exposure, and that antibody responses to particular antigens may reliably indicate gametocyte exposure.
Internalism without luminosity

Internalists face the following challenge: what is it about an agent's internal states that explains why only these states can play whatever role the internalist thinks these states are playing? Internalists have frequently appealed to a special kind of epistemic access that we have to these states. But such claims have been challenged on both empirical and philosophical grounds. I will argue that internalists needn't appeal to any kind of privileged access claims. Rather, internalist conditions are important because of the way in which we expect them to act as causal mediators between states of the world, on the one hand, and our beliefs and actions on the other
Selling the War? System‐Justifying Effects of Commercial Advertising on Civilian Casualty Tolerance

In times of war, news media coverage of the plight of civilian casualties plays a critical role in shaping attitudes regarding war's human costs. We proposed that these attitudes may also be surreptitiously influenced by the commercial advertisements that often accompany this coverage. Specifically, we hypothesized that when newspaper articles pertaining to civilian victims of war are flanked by luxury ads, conservatives, relative to liberals, will subsequently exhibit less concern for these victims. This proposition was based on the notion that commercial ads, particularly those promoting luxury items, make salient the gap between the “haves” and the “have-nots” and thereby, at least implicitly, threaten the legitimacy of the current socioeconomic system. Drawing upon system justification theory, we posited that this threat would lead individuals with stronger system-justification tendencies (conservatives), relative to those more open to challenging the current system (liberals), to show greater tolerance for civilian war casualties in order to defend the system's integrity. Evidence consistent with this hypothesis was found in a quasi-experimental study (n = 329).
The prophylaxis of medical patients for thromboembolism pilot study.

Abstract Purpose We assessed the feasibility of a large randomized trial intended to determine whether low-dose heparin prophylaxis given throughout hospitalization reduces mortality and morbidity in general medical patients. Subjects and methods Hospitalized general medical patients aged more than 60 years at 5 Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) medical centers were randomized to receive enoxaparin 40 mg or identical placebo, given daily by subcutaneous injection until hospital discharge. Outcomes included total mortality at 90 days (the primary outcome) and 1 year, and occurrence in the VA hospital within 90 days of symptomatic deep venous thrombosis, pulmonary embolism, and major bleeding. Results Only 7.6% of hospitalized patients aged more than 60 years were eligible for the study, although a chart review had predicted 25%. The principal exclusions were prior indication for anticoagulation, anticipated need for anticoagulation, contraindication to heparin, expected hospitalization less than 3 days, and "supportive/palliative care only" status. We randomized 140 patients into each group, 28% of target recruitment. The groups were well matched by age and comorbidities. Death occurred in 13 patients receiving enoxaparin and 14 patients receiving placebo at 90 days (relative risk 0.93, 95% confidence interval 0.26-1.59), and in 36 and 32 patients, respectively, at 1 year (relative risk 1.13, 95% confidence interval 0.66-1.60). Clinical thromboembolic events occurred in 5 patients receiving enoxaparin and 8 patients receiving placebo, and major bleeding occurred in 2 and 5 patients, respectively. Conclusions The pilot study indicated that the full study was not feasible. The decision to use prophylaxis pertains to only a small proportion of general medical patients hospitalized at VA medical centers, and this proportion is overestimated by chart review. The effect of low-dose heparin prophylaxis on clinical outcomes in hospitalized general medical patients remains uncertain.
Objective measures of physical activity, fractures and falls: the osteoporotic fractures in men study.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the association between objectively measured physical activity (PA), fractures, and falls. DESIGN: Longitudinal cohort study. SETTING: Six U.S. clinical sites. PARTICIPANTS: Two thousand seven hundred thirty-one men with a mean age of 79. MEASUREMENTS: Total and active energy expenditure (EE) and minutes per day spent in sedentary and moderate intensity activities were measured for at least 5 days. Energy expended at a metabolic equivalent of greater than three was termed active EE. Incident nonspine fractures and falls were identified every 4 months. RESULTS: Seven hundred fifty-nine (28.2%) men fell at least once over 12 months of follow-up; 186 (6.8%) experienced one or more fractures over an average follow-up of 3.5 ± 0.9 years. The association between PA and falling varied according to age (P interaction = .02). Men younger than 80 with the lowest active EE had a lower risk of falling than men with the highest active EE (relative risk (RR) = 0.75; P trend = .08), whereas men aged 80 and older with the lowest active EE had a higher risk of falling than men with the highest active EE (RR = 1.43, P trend = .09). In multivariate models including health status, men in the lowest quintile of active EE had a significantly higher risk of fracture (hazard ratio (HR) = 1.82, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.10-3.00, P trend = .04) than men in highest quintile. Men with Language: en