cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
NewB for newbies: a randomized control trial training housestaff to perform neonatal intubation with direct and videolaryngoscopy.

Summary Background Competency rates in neonatal intubation among pediatric residents are low and currently not meeting ACGME/AAP standards. Aims The aim of this study was to compare standard bedside teaching of neonatal endotracheal intubation to a computer module, as well as introduce residents to the emerging technology of videolaryngoscopy. Methods The study population consisted of The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio Pediatric interns/residents and PGY-1 Anesthesia interns rotating through the NICU. Prior to participating in the study, the residents completed a survey addressing past experiences with intubation, comfort level, and prior use of direct and videolaryngoscopy. Participants then performed timed trials of both direct and videolaryngoscopy on the SimNewB®. They had up to three attempts to successfully intubate, with up to 30 s on each attempt. After randomization, participants received one of the following teaching interventions: standard, computer module, or both. This was followed by a second intubation trial and survey completion. Results Thirty residents were enrolled in the study. There was significant improvement in time to successful intubation in both methods after any teaching intervention (direct 22.0 ± 13.4 s vs 14.7 ± 5.9 s, P = 0.002 and videolaryngoscopy 42.2 ± 29.3 s vs 26.8 ± 18.6 s, P = 0.003). No differences were found between the types of teaching. Residents were faster at intubating with direct laryngoscopy compared to videolaryngoscopy before and after teaching. By the end of the study, only 33% of residents preferred using videolaryngoscopy over direct laryngoscopy, but 76% felt videolaryngoscopy was better to teach intubation. Conclusions Both standard teaching and computer module teaching of neonatal intubation on a mannequin model results in improved time to successful intubation and overall improved resident confidence with intubation equipment and technique. Although intubation times were lower with direct laryngoscopy compared to videolaryngoscopy, the participating residents felt that videolaryngoscopy is an important educational tool.
Computer-Aided Quality Assurance of an Icelandic Pronunciation Dictionary

We propose a model-driven method for ensuring the quality of pronunciation dictionaries. The key ingredient is computing an alignment between letter strings and phoneme strings, a standard technique in pronunciation modeling. The novel aspect of our method is the use of informative, parametric alignment models which are refined iteratively as they are tested against the data. We discuss the use of alignment failures as a signal for detecting and correcting problematic dictionary entries. We illustrate this method using an existing pronunciation dictionary for Icelandic. Our method is completely general and has been applied in the construction of pronunciation dictionaries for commercially deployed speech recognition systems in several languages.
Modeling of Stardust Reentry Reacting Thermal and Chemical Ablation Flow

The ablation process of the Stardust thermal protection layer is designed to reduce aerodynamic heating during reentry, and its impact on the o w eld and surface parameters is investigated in this work using the direct simulation Monte Carlo method. Surface thermal and chemical ablation processes as well as ionization processes are studied. It is found that chemical ablation due to the reaction between solid carbon and gaseous oxygen and nitrogen atoms is dominant over thermal ablation. As the altitude decreases, the forebody surface temperature increases, the ablation process becomes more intensive, and the inuence of ionization reactions becomes more important due to a denser free stream condition.
Pea Aphid-Resistant Alfalfa Selected in the Field

Selecting uninjured ‘Cody’ alfalfa plants in the field following a heavy infestation of Acyrthosiphon pisum (Harris) expediently obtained resistant plants. Resistance appeared comparable to that obtained by selection in the greenhouse. Progeny testing facilitated selection of highly resistant plants.
Space cooperation among order-building powers☆

Abstract The global community is threatened by several kinds of disorder, including regional instabilities on land and the high seas (e.g., Ukraine, South China Sea). In addition, developing Russian and Chinese counterspace capabilities are creating new tensions in space. This article discusses similarities and differences between the maritime and space domains, governance, and how international cooperation in these domains could contribute to international stability. Current difficult questions related to the exercise of the right of self-defense in space are addressed with suggestions for future research. In light of the increasing importance and globalization of space activities, new norms of behavior in space need to be developed by like-minded national to create a more stable and secure international order.
Introduction to Neurocybernetics

Publisher Summary Cybernetics is the study of communication and control in machines and living organisms. Biocybernetics is that part of cybernetics in which living organisms are emphasized. In biocybernetics there are two fields which one must distinguish between, even though this distinction cannot be made perfectly sharp. These fields are: neurocybernetics and medical cybernetics. The former is concerned with the pathways of action via sense-organs, neurons and effectors because of the fact that cybernetics is primarily concerned with the construction of theories and models. The symbols and hardware in neurocybernetics resemble more closely the elements of the nervous system and the sense-organs. Cybernetics is not only the study of control and communication in man and machine, but also between man and machine. This volume contains the proceedings of the Symposium on Cybernetics of the Nervous System held at the Royal Dutch Academy of Sciences in April 1962.
The Role of Arteriography in the Management of Renal Cell Carcinoma Associated with Von Hippel-Lindau Disease

AbstractRenal cell carcinoma was detected in 5 patients with von Hippel-Lindau disease most accurately by magnification arteriography. At an operation aided by arteriography 80 to 100 per cent of the lesions, some measuring only a few millimeters, could be removed. The patients were followed by serial arteriography every 6 to 12 months to assess the size of remaining lesions and the development of new lesions. Re-exploration was considered if there was rapid growth or an increase in size of more than 1cm.
Patient/Consumer Assessment of a Community Hospital: A Replication Study

The health care industry is currently undergoing its most dramatic changes since World War II. Hospitals are having to alter their health care delivery systems to meet the needs of the dynamic health care market. A survey instrument was developed to provide hospitals information on how patients review their practices. The application of this survey to an eastern Arkansas county hospital provided valuable input so that practices and policies could be adjusted to better serve the needs of that community allow it to and effectively compete against other health care delivery systems.
How the Nurses’ Health Study Helped Americans Take the Trans Fat Out

In 2007, New York City (NYC) became the first US municipality to restrict trans fat use through a regulatory process in all foodservice establishments. After years of local policy change and accumulating evidence, in 2015, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) finalized its determination to remove the “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS) status for partially hydrogenated oils, the main dietary source of trans fat.1 This action would remove virtually all nonnaturally occurring sources of trans fat from the US food supply. The Nurses’ Health Study (NHS) provided groundbreaking evidence that foods containing trans fat are particularly harmful, informing this dramatic nutrition policy change over the last decade.
Engineered phage films as scaffolds for CaCO3 biomineralization

M13 bacteriophages (phage) were exploited as CaCO3 mineralization scaffolds for hard tissue engineering applications. M13 phage was first self-assembled into biomimetic fibrous scaffolds, followed by CaCO3 biomineralization via the polymer-induced liquid precursor process. The phage scaffolds successfully incorporated calcium carbonate, facilitating nucleation and growth of spherulitically textured calcite. The Young's modulus of the scaffolds increased by an order of magnitude after mineralization while also supporting the growth of mouse fibroblasts. These findings demonstrate that phage-based biomaterials are a feasible platform for creating biomineralized hard tissue constructs, in support of future studies in hard tissue engineering and biomedical applications.
Possible Dilemmas Raised by Impossible Moral Requirements

The priority that Tessman’s argument gives to phenomenological and neuropsychological explanations of moral requirements entails a fundamental shift in our understanding of these. Two central problems of normative theory come together in Tessman’s account. The first arises when an agent’s sense of requirement clashes with what a systematic theory prescribes. The second arises when neuropsychological accounts fail to fit the prescription. Tessman argues that no account successfully resolves moral dilemmas such that ought always implies can, and she argues that neuropsychology explains our sense of impossible requirements. This explanation eliminates the role of a prescriptive theory in explaining an agent’s sense of requirement.
Training parents to enhance narrative language skills in their children with intellectual disability

Abstract The present study investigated the use of parent training and parent-delivered narrative language intervention to increase narrative language comprehension and production in children with intellectual disability (ID). Fourteen children with ID and their parents took part in the study. Parents participated in a live workshop to learn the methods for narrative language intervention and were provided with a packet of materials and two preselected books. After the session, they completed the training at home with their children over a period of 8 weeks. Children were pre tested and post tested for narrative language skills. Parents reported to the primary investigator weekly during the study and completed a survey following the conclusion of the intervention. Parents reported positive outcomes in that they gained knowledge of narrative language skills and were able to incorporate the materials provided and techniques learned to increase their child's language comprehension and production.
Endothelin receptor-mediated Ca2+ signaling and isoform expression in bovine corneal epithelial cells.

Purpose. Bovine corneal epithelial cells (BCEC) were cultured to determine whether endothelin (ET) receptor subtype stimulation affects ET isoform expression (ET-1, ET-2, and ET-3) through capacitative Ca 2+ influx. To probe in the isolated bovine corneal epithelium (BCE) for ET isoform and ET (i.e., ET A and ET B ) receptor gene expression. Methods. [Ca 2+ ] i transients were characterized with microfluorometry. Endothelin isoform and ET receptor gene expression were probed with RNase protection analysis. Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was used to measure levels of ET-1-like immunoreactivity (ET-1-LI) in conditioned medium. Results. ET-1 (10 6 M) increased [Ca 2+ ]; more than twofold. After treatment with 10 -7 M alltrans retinoic acid (an inducer of differentiation), 10 -6 M sarafotoxin-6-c (S-6-c) (a selective ET B agonist), had a similar effect. Preincubation with either 5 μM U73122 (an inhibitor of IP 3 formation) or 10 μM cyclopiazonic acid, which depletes intracellular Ca 2+ store content, eliminated ET agonist-mediated [Ca 2+ ], increases. With a nominally Ca 2+ -free solution containing 10 μM cyclopiazonic acid, simultaneous 10 -6 M ET-I and extracellular Ca 2+ additions transiently increased [Ca 2+ ] i twofold, whereas 10 -6 M S-6-c increased it by only 20%. This augmentation was eliminated by preexposure to either BQ123 (10 μM), selective ETA receptor antagonist, U73l22 (5 μM), or SKF 96365 (3 X 10 -5 M), an inhibitor of stores-operated channels. ET-I, ET-2 isoforms, and ET receptor mRNAs were identified. S-6-c (10 -6 M) increased the level of ET-I-LI after 12 hours by approximately ninefold. Conclusions. In BCEC, capacitative calcium influx is involved in mediating a positive feedback relationship between ET B receptor stimulation and ET protein expression. Identification of ET-1 and ET-2 gene expression in BCE strengthens the notion that this regulation could be autocrine mediated.
Review of intraoperative optical coherence tomography: technology and applications [Invited]

During microsurgery, en face imaging of the surgical field through the operating microscope limits the surgeon’s depth perception and visualization of instruments and sub-surface anatomy. Surgical procedures outside microsurgery, such as breast tumor resections, may also benefit from visualization of the sub-surface tissue structures. The widespread clinical adoption of optical coherence tomography (OCT) in ophthalmology and its growing prominence in other fields, such as cancer imaging, has motivated the development of intraoperative OCT for real-time tomographic visualization of surgical interventions. This article reviews key technological developments in intraoperative OCT and their applications in human surgery. We focus on handheld OCT probes, microscope-integrated OCT systems, and OCT-guided laser treatment platforms designed for intraoperative use. Moreover, we discuss intraoperative OCT adjuncts and processing techniques currently under development to optimize the surgical feedback derivable from OCT data. Lastly, we survey salient clinical studies of intraoperative OCT for human surgery.
NHB 5300.4 (1A) Reliability Program Provisions for Aeronautical and Space System Contractors

NASA NHB reliability engineering provisions for aeronautical and space system contractors, considering criteria for program management, system engineering, manufacturing and facilities.
Reliable Thermoelectric Module Design under Opposing Requirements from Structural and Thermoelectric Considerations

Structural reliability of thermoelectric generation (TEG) systems still remains an issue, especially for applications such as large-scale industrial or automobile exhaust heat recovery, in which TEG systems are subject to dynamic loads and thermal cycling. Traditional thermoelectric (TE) system design and optimization techniques, focused on performance alone, could result in designs that may fail during operation as the geometric requirements for optimal performance (especially the power) are often in conflict with the requirements for mechanical reliability. This study focused on reducing the thermomechanical stresses in a TEG system without compromising the optimized system performance. Finite element simulations were carried out to study the effect of TE element (leg) geometry such as leg length and cross-sectional shape under constrained material volume requirements. Results indicated that the element length has a major influence on the element stresses whereas regular cross-sectional shapes have minor influence. The impact of TE element stresses on the mechanical reliability is evaluated using brittle material failure theory based on Weibull analysis. An alternate couple configuration that relies on the industry practice of redundant element design is investigated. Results showed that the alternate configuration considerably reduced the TE element and metallization stresses, thereby enhancing the structural reliability, with little trade-off in the optimized performance. The proposed alternate configuration could serve as a potential design modification for improving the reliability of systems optimized for thermoelectric performance.
Ocular injury during fetal endoscopy surgery

A premature infant born at 31 weeks’ gestational age was evaluated for periocular laceration and retrobulbar hematoma secondary to injury during a percutaneous fetal procedure. He later developed optic nerve atrophy.
Increasing Student Self-Efficacy in Computational Thinking via STEM Outreach Programs

This paper describes our experiences developing and teaching two different interventions focused on computational thinking and computer science at a yearly STEM outreach program hosted by a local school district. We describe the creation of our lesson plans, how we worked with experienced and pre-service teachers alike to deliver the lessons, and how we assessed the effectiveness of each intervention. We will discuss our successes and failures, and provide information on our future plans to incorporate more formalized education theory, pedagogy, and research methodology in future years to further this project. Based on our assessment results, we observed statistically significant gains in student self-efficacy with creating computer programs that perform a variety of operations. In addition, students reported a significantly higher understanding of how computer programming can be used in daily life. Our survey also highlighted differences in student self-efficacy between the two interventions, and we discuss possible sources for that result. We discuss observed results based on student groups with various backgrounds, previous STEM experiences, and socioeconomic status.
Shingrix: The New Adjuvanted Recombinant Herpes Zoster Vaccine.

Objectives: To review the immunogenicity, efficacy, and safety of the herpes zoster subunit vaccine (HZ/su) for use in adult patients for the prevention of shingles. Data Sources: A literature search through PubMed was conducted (June 2008 to October 2017) using the terms shingles vaccine and varicella zoster virus. References from retrieved articles and the prescribing information were also reviewed for any additional material. Study Selection/Data Extraction: The literature search was limited to human studies published in English. Randomized controlled, multicenter trials were reviewed and included to evaluate the safety and efficacy of HZ/su. Literature on the epidemiology and pathology of herpes zoster virus infections and recommendations from the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) were also reviewed. Data Synthesis: HZ/su is a new adjuvanted recombinant vaccine approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the prevention of herpes zoster in adults 50 years of age and older. HZ/su ...
Neuropsychological Aspects of Attention Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

According to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (4th edition) (DSM-IV) (American Psychiatric Association, 1994), major diagnostic criteria of attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) include persistent patterns of inattentiveness, impulsivity, and hyperactivity. In comparison with other children of the same mental age, children with ADHD exhibit these symptoms in varying degrees of excess. The prevalence of ADHD is estimated at between 3 and 5% of all school-age children. Although data on prevalence in adolescence and adulthood are limited, it is thought that the percentages remain relatively stable through early adolescence. In a majority of cases, symptoms abate during late adolescence and adulthood. However, a lesser number of individuals continue to experience the entire array of symptoms associated with ADHD into midadulthood.
Introduction to Delay Differential Equations

Up to now we have considered only certain ordinary-differential equations in which the unknown function and its derivatives are all evaluated at the same instant, t.
The Drosophila Cortactin Binding Protein 2 homolog, Nausicaa, regulates lamellipodial actin dynamics in a Cortactin-dependent manner

Drosophila CG10915 is an uncharacterized protein coding gene with sequence similarity to human Cortactin Binding Protein 2 (CTTNBP2) and Cortactin Binding Protein 2 N-terminal like (CTTNBP2NL). We have named this gene Nausicaa (naus) and characterize it through a combination of quantitative live-cell total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) microscopy, electron microscopy, RNAi depletion, and genetics. We found that Naus co-localizes with F-actin and Cortactin in the lamellipodia of Drosophila S2R+ and D25c2 cells and this localization is lost following Cortactin or Arp2/3 depletion or by mutations that disrupt a conserved proline patch found in its mammalian homologs. Using Permeabilization Activated Reduction in Fluorescence (PARF) and Fluorescence Recovery after Photo-bleaching (FRAP), we find that depletion of Cortactin alters Naus dynamics leading to a decrease in its half-life. Furthermore, we discovered that Naus depletion in S2R+ cells led to a decrease in actin retrograde flow and a lamellipodia characterized by long, unbranched filaments. We demonstrate that these alterations to the dynamics and underlying actin architecture also affect D25c2 cell migration and decrease arborization in Drosophila neurons. We present the novel hypothesis that Naus functions to slow Cortactin's disassociation from Arp2/3 nucleated branch junctions, thereby increasing both branch nucleation and junction stability.
The Electro-Acoustic Music Mine: A New Initiative for the Preservation of EAM

Since the 1970s, the International Computer Music Conference and the Society for Electroacoustic Music in the United States have both held ambitious annual festivals, and both organizations routinely employ sophisticated automated systems to curate and manage their programs. What those systems lack is permanence. Historically, once a festival has ended, the artists all go their separate ways, and in the absence of any organized preservation effort, the greater part of the music be-comes inaccessible, and much of it may be totally lost. The Electroacoustic Music Mine (EAMM), a partnership between ICMC, SEAMUS, and the New York University Library, aims to address this problem by integrating archival preservation protocols into the organizational structure of the festivals themselves. Once set into motion, this mechanism will run on an annual cycle into the indefinite future, thus ensuring the preservation of the music and its accessibility as a cultural resource for posterity.
Resolvent analysis for jet noise source identification

We use resolvent analysis and spectral proper orthogonal decomposition (SPOD) to deduce the acoustic sources for an isothermal Mach 1.5 round jet. Both physics-based resolvent analysis and data-driven SPOD (using a high-fidelity, experimentally-verified, large-eddy simulation (LES) database) provide a basis for predicting the perturbation field. Singular value decomposition of the resolvent operator based upon the LES baseflow provides optimal volumetric forcing modes, or sources, and their associated linear responses. To identify physically relevant resolvent modes, comparisons are made between the highest gain responses and the highest energy SPOD modes computed directly from LES realizations. The prevalence of the associated resolvent forcing modes in the data are then assessed by projecting them onto the full LES nonlinear terms. The resulting distributions are presented and a jet noise model leveraging these forcing statistics is discussed.
A Fast Triple-Interferer Sensor (Detector and Digital Encoder) with In-Situ Reference Frequency Acquisition at 2.7-to-3.7GHz in 0.13μM CMOS

This paper presents an injection-pulling DCO based interferer sensor, a detector and digital encoder, where the frequency offset between an interferer and a reference DCO is quantized and encoded by the DCO frequency resolution. This results in a fast interferer detection of 0.8μs scanning time for diagnosing maximum triple interferers at 2.74-to-3.75GHz at the expense of 15.6mW P diss in the 0.13μ$m$ CMOS detector. The energy consumption is 12nJ per scan time, 41.7x smaller than prior state-of-the-arts. The chip area is 0.56mm2.
Does Military Service Continue to Facilitate Desistance? Revisiting Theory and Practice

Military service can provide a source of behavioral desistance but may also increase different types of offending behavior. In addition, changes in law and social practice regarding recruitment may...
Toward the Agile and Comprehensive International Governance of AI and Robotics

Rapidly emerging technologies, such as AI and robotics, present a serious challenge to traditional models of government regulation. These technologies are advancing so quickly that in many sectors, traditional regulation cannot keep up, given the cumbersome procedural and bureaucratic procedures and safeguards that modern legislative and rulemaking processes require. Consequently, regulatory systems will predictively fail to put in place appropriately tailored regulatory measures by the time new applications of fast-moving technologies begin to affect society. Perhaps even worse, if a regulatory system does somehow manage to rush into place new regulations for an emerging technology, they will likely be obsolete by the time the ink dries on the enactment. Given this so-called “pacing problem,” traditional regulatory approaches will either produce no regulation or bad regulation [1] .
A Wifi Location Method Which Supports the Combination of Position and Location Fingerprint

Based on the analysis of position fingerprint recognition algorithm, this paper studies the application of the flight location estimation method to the indoor positioning using mobile phone sensor. In order to improve the positioning accuracy and to solve the problem of the problem of the WiFi signal instability, the mobile sensor is combined with the position fingerprint algorithm of support vector machine, and a new method is proposed to support the position estimation method and the location fingerprint combination. The experimental results show that the method has higher positioning accuracy and reliability, and has a certain application value.
A Gamification Pathway for Computer Science Student Success

Surging enrollments in computer science programs have necessitated the scaling-up of many programs, resulting in more curriculum offerings and larger courses enrollments to meet increasing student demand. To ensure that all students are receiving equitable information and mentoring, a pathway for computer science student success has been designed as a game, offering concrete steps for students to take in each of their four undergraduate years. Incentives are offered to students as they complete each step, culminating in badges. The use of program-wide gamification has been well-received by students, with student engagement and retention positively impacted. Lessons learned from this pilot include the importance of early introduction to the students, faculty reinforcement in the classroom, and the use of experience rewards over material rewards.
Second Looks & Criminal Legislation

This Essay explores the relationship between second-look sentencing and retributive theory by focusing on the primary vehicle for authorizing and distributing punishment in most American jurisdictions: criminal legislation. Looking beyond debates over the import of evolving norms to desert judgments, the Essay argues that the central retributive issue presented by second-look policies is whether the long-term punishments imposed by criminal courts comport with the proportionality standards of any period. Using the District of Columbia’s criminal statutes as a case study, the Essay explains how three pervasive legislative flaws—statutory overbreadth, mandatory minima, and offense overlap—combine to support (and in some instances require) extreme sentences for actors of comparatively minimal blameworthiness. The Essay argues that this finding, when viewed in light of the structural forces driving prosecutorial and judicial decision-making, provides reason to doubt the systemic proportionality of the severe punishments meted out in the District, as well as in other jurisdictions that suffer from similar legislative and structural problems. It also explains why this epistemic uncertainty supports authorizing courts to reevaluate (and in appropriate cases reduce) severe punishments through second-look sentencing reform—both in the District of Columbia and beyond.
Investigation of effects of assisted ion bombardment on mechanical loss of sputtered tantala thin films for gravitational wave interferometers

Reduction of Brownian thermal noise due to mechanical loss in high-reflectivity mirror coatings is critical for improving the sensitivity of future gravitational wave detectors. In these mirrors, the mechanical loss at room temperature is dominated by the high refractive index component, amorphous tantala (${\mathrm{Ta}}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}_{5}$) or tantala doped with titania ($\mathrm{Ti}\ensuremath{\mathbin:}{\mathrm{Ta}}_{2}{\mathrm{O}}_{5}$). Toward the goal of identifying mechanisms that could alter mechanical loss, this work investigates the use of assist ion bombardment in the reactive ion beam sputtering deposition of tantala single layers. Low-energy assist ion bombardment can enhance adatom diffusion. Low-energy assist ${\mathrm{Ar}}^{+}$ and ${\mathrm{Xe}}^{+}$ ion bombardment at different conditions was implemented during deposition to identify trends in the mechanical loss with ion mass, ion energy, and ion dose. It is shown that the atomic structure and bonding states of the tantala thin films are not significantly modified by low-energy assist ion bombardment. The coatings mechanical loss remains unaltered by ion bombardment within errors. Based on an analysis of surface diffusivity, it is shown that the dominant deposition of tantala clusters and limited surface diffusion length of oxygen atoms constrain structural changes in the tantala films. A slower deposition rate coupled with a significant increase in the dose of the low-energy assist ions may provide more favorable conditions to improve adatom diffusivity.
Reactor physics evaluation of the TRIGA LEU fuel in the 20 MW NIST research reactor

Abstract This paper performs a neutronics evaluation of the General Atomics UZrHx low enriched uranium fuel – TRIGA fuel – in the National Bureau of Standards Reactor (NBSR) at the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST). The objective of this study is to examine the accountability and sustainability of the TRIGA fuel on neutronics aspects when applying it to the NBSR conversion. A feasibility scoping study was previously undertaken with considerations on various fuel dimensions, fuel rod layout configurations, and structure material selections, identifying the best option of deploying the TRIGA fuel to NBSR. Continuing with these efforts, an equilibrium NBSR core using the identified fuel was generated, and a well-round physics assessment was carried out by examining key neutronics performance characteristics of the core. All calculations were completed with MCNP-6, a 3-D Monte Carlo neutron transport code. The same fuel management scheme and fuel cycle length as the existing NBSR was adopted in the equilibrium core generation adopts to retain performance consistencies. The effectiveness of the fuel was examined at four representative burnup states of the fuel cycle. Neutronics performances of the equilibrium core was characterized by the fast and thermal neutron flux level as well as power distribution in the core. Reactor safety related parameters such as kinetics parameters and power peaking factors were also evaluated in the study. All results were compared against the current NBSR fueled with HEU for justifications. The findings in this research prove the viability of the TRIGA fuel for the NBSR conversion, and provide supporting data for future investigations on this subject.
Translating coding lists in administrative claims-based research for cardiovascular procedures

Abstract Background To effectively use administrative claims for healthcare research, clinical events must be inferred from coding data according to validated algorithms. In October 2015, the United States transitioned from the International Classification of Diseases Ninth Revision (ICD-9) to the Tenth Revision (ICD-10). We describe our method to derive new ICD-10 codes for outcomes after vascular procedures from our prior, validated ICD-9 codes. Methods We began with validated ICD-9 coding lists known to represent outcomes after lower extremity revascularization, thoracic aortic endograft placement, abdominal aortic aneurysm reintervention, and carotid revascularization. We used the publicly available general equivalence mapping tools to derive corresponding ICD-10 codes for each of the ICD-9 codes in our current lists. The resulting lists were then manually reviewed by multiple authors to ensure clinical relevance for appropriate event detection. Clinically nonrelevant and duplicated codes were removed. Results A total of 475 ICD-9 codes were translated to ICD-10 with a 98-fold increase (n = 46,630) in the total number of codes. Overall, we found that 77% of codes (n = 35,833) were either duplicated or not clinically relevant upon manual review. For example, for thoracic aortic endograft placement, 97 ICD-9 codes mapped to 14,661 ICD-10 codes in total. A total of 890 codes were removed as duplicates and 9035 codes were removed during manual clinical review. The resultant, reviewed list contained 4736 ICD-10 codes representing a 49-fold increase from the initial ICD-9 list. Findings were similar across the other procedures studied. Conclusions ICD-10 has expanded the number of codes necessary to describe outcomes after vascular procedures. More than 75% of the codes obtained using the general equivalence mapping database were either duplicated or not clinically relevant. Manual review of codes by researchers with clinical knowledge of the procedures is imperative.
7 – Roots and Radicals

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the concept of roots and radicals. Most of the radical expressions involve square roots. Occasionally, one encounters higher roots. Finding the square root of a number is the reverse of raising a number to the second power. The main ideas necessary for success are the properties of exponents and operations on polynomials. There are many roots of numbers besides square roots, although square roots seem to be the most commonly used. The cube root of a number is the number one cubes (raise to the third power) to get the original number. A radical expression is any expression containing a radical, whether it is a square root, cube root, or higher root. Simplified form for a radical expression is the form that is easiest to work with. The first step in putting a radical expression in simplified form is to take as much out from under the radical sign as possible. A radical expression is in simplified form if (1) there are no perfect squares that are factors of the quantity under the square root sign, no perfect cubes of the quantity under the cube root sign, and so on; (2) there are no fractions under the radical sign; and (3) there are no radicals in the denominator. A radical expression that has these three characteristics is said to be in simplified form.
Circulating exosomes with lung self-antigens as a biomarker for chronic lung allograft dysfunction: A retrospective analysis.

BACKGROUND Exosomes isolated from plasma of lung transplant recipients (LTxRs) with bronchiolitis obliterans syndrome (BOS) contain human leukocyte antigens and lung self-antigens (SAgs), K-alpha 1 tubulin (Kα1T) and collagen type V (Col-V). The aim was to determine the use of circulating exosomes with lung SAgs as a biomarker for BOS. METHODS Circulating exosomes were isolated retrospectively from plasma from LTxRs at diagnosis of BOS and at 6 and 12 months before the diagnosis (n = 41) and from stable time-matched controls (n = 30) at 2 transplant centers by ultracentrifugation. Exosomes were validated using Nanosight, and lung SAgs (Kα1T and Col-V) were detected by immunoblot and semiquantitated using ImageJ software. RESULTS Circulating exosomes from BOS and stable LTxRs demonstrated 61- to 181-nm vesicles with markers Alix and CD9. Exosomes from LTxRs with BOS (n = 21) showed increased levels of lung SAgs compared with stable (n = 10). A validation study using 2 separate cohorts of LTxRs with BOS and stable time-matched controls from 2 centers also demonstrated significantly increased lung SAgs–containing exosomes at 6 and 12 months before BOS. CONCLUSIONS Circulating exosomes isolated from LTxRs with BOS demonstrated increased levels of lung SAgs (Kα1T and Col-V) 12 months before the diagnosis (100% specificity and 90% sensitivity), indicating that circulating exosomes with lung SAgs can be used as a non-invasive biomarker for identifying LTxRs at risk for BOS.
Coronary-Cameral Fistula Secondary to Pacemaker Implantation.

A 68-year-old man had a dual-chamber pacemaker implanted after developing complete heart block following surgical aortic valve replacement at an outside institution. He presented to our hospital 6 months later with new-onset heart failure (ejection fraction of 25%, reduced from 60% post-operatively
Earthquake Preparedness and Knowledge of Recommended Self-Protective Actions: A Survey of Nursing Students.

Objective Nurses are a vital workforce to the disaster response of an earthquake. The aim of this study was to assess preexisting knowledge in baccalaureate nursing students about disaster preparedness and self-protective behavioral responses during an earthquake. Methods A descriptive cross-sectional survey of nursing students from a seismologically active region was conducted. Data were collected prior to earthquake preparedness education and ShakeOut drills designed to enhance personal safety. Results A total of 274 nursing students participated in the survey (response rate - 93%). More than half (57%) of respondents did not feel prepared for an earthquake; 88% were without a household emergency plan and 82% lacked emergency supplies. Self-protective actions of drop, cover, and hold on and stay in bed were accurately identified by 77% and 96% of respondents, respectively. Hazardous actions selected included stand in a doorway (77% of respondents) and go outside into the street (23% of respondents). Conclusions These results demonstrate a lack of personal disaster preparedness in nursing students and several behavioral responses that do not promote self-preservation during seismic activity. Although existing baccalaureate nursing education addresses competencies for disaster care, actions are needed to develop curriculum that emphasizes preparedness and safety to regional environmental hazards.
Grounding Trans-Medical Rights

ATTENTION: This is a working draft. Please do not cite or quote to it without my explicit permission. As applied to transgender people, medical rights do not justify themselves as moral rights. When taken as a premise rather than a conclusion, they fail. I propose to discuss why this is so, and why the trans liberation movement’s historical distrust of medicalization is justified. In the trans-medical context, I argue, the implicit syllogism of medical rights fails for three reasons. First, it is utilitarian and therefore instrumental. For that reason, it is very contingent and vulnerable. Second, it is fails to fully justify the full scope of trans-medical rights. Even for those rights it does justify, it cannot demonstrate why they merit special treatment. Third, the conception of transness that it often encodes has the potential to profoundly demean. This, however, does not mean that we must abandon trans-medical rights claims. We simply need to understand what grounds them. The solution I propose borrows from the language of disability. Just as disability rights can demand both accommodation and pride, transness can coherently stake a claim to liberation and to medical care.
Understanding community-dwelling Chinese older adults' engagement in physical activity: A grounded theory study

Background and objective Limited information is available on the process of Chinese older adults' initiation, engagement, and maintenance of physical activity (PA), thus limiting the development of effective PA promotion programs. The purpose of the study was to investigate Chinese old adults' perspectives and experiences with PA engagement and to develop a conceptual model illustrating the process of how community-dwelling Chinese older adults engage in PA. Research design and methods This study used grounded theory methodology. Nineteen community-dwelling Chinese older adults age over 60 years participated. We conducted semi-structured in-depth interviews with participants. Open, axial, and selective coding, along with constant comparative analysis was performed to analyze the data. Results Participants described PA engagement as a complex and dynamic process, consisting of three stages: Getting started, Participating in PA, and Making PA Part of Life. The transition from one stage to the next was driven by an increasing internalized motivation towards PA through Seeing benefits. Many participants described that Staying in Groups was a key strategy for them to keep physically active. Moreover, Restructuring occurred when Chinese older adults encountered trigger situations. Discussion and implications This study identified the stages of how community-dwelling Chinese older adults engage in to perform and maintain PA. The developed conceptual model can inform future interventions for promoting PA among Chinese older adults.
An Evaluation of three methods to clean feedlot water tanks

Three methods of physically or chemically cleaning cattle feedlot water tanks were tested for their ability to reduce amounts of coliform bacteria in the water and the surface of the tank (biofilm) during the summer months: in the first method, the water tank was drained and refilled; in the second method, the water tank was scrubbed with a bootbrush to loosen and remove any visible sediment, drained and refilled; and in the third method, water tank was scrubbed with a brush (as above), drained and refilled. Household chlorine bleach (5.25% Na hypochlorite) was added to the water tank to a final 1:32 dilution. The disinfectant solution was kept in the tank for 15 minutes before the tank was drained again and refilled. In Trial 1, we found that the first and second methods did not reduce coliform bacteria in water or biofilm. On the other hand, coliform bacteria in water and biofilm were reduced 99% (p=0.0003) and 99.9% (p<0.0001), respectively, after draining, scrubbing and 15 minutes of chemical disinfection with chlorine bleach and refilling (method 3). However, coliforms returned to pretreatment levels 24 hours after treatment (p=0.12). In Trial 2, we demonstrated that the rapid re-population in coliform bacteria was due to the cattle drinking from the tanks (p=0.0003). These data indicate that coliform bacteria rapidly re-populate water tanks in the summer because cattle re-contaminate them with coliform bacteria and/or substrate. If the overall number of coliforms in a water tank reflects the likelihood of transmitting coliform bacteria from water tanks to cattle, then the benefits of cleaning and disinfecting water tanks to minimize the transmission of coliform bacteria to cattle are short-lived.
Slave Narratives: Can We Reveal the Psychological Trauma?

Historically, Black Americans suffered through slavery since the 1700s. They became enslaved and seen as property and not an individual. During those dreadful years, America continuously enforced laws to make sure Black families did not have an ownership or any resource that can transform their socio-economic class.
Does adopting a nitrogen best management practice reduce nitrogen fertilizer rates

Technical best management practices are the dominant approach promoted to mitigate agriculture’s significant contributions to environmental degradation. Yet very few social science studies have examined how farmers actually use these practices. This study focuses on the outcomes of farmers’ technical best management practice adoption related to synthetic nitrogen fertilizer management in the context of Midwestern corn agriculture in the United States. Moving beyond predicting the adoption of nitrogen best management practices, I use structural equation modeling and data from a sample of over 2500 farmers to analyze how the number of growing season applications a farmer uses influences the rate at which synthetic nitrogen is applied at the field-level. I find that each additional application of N during the growing season is associated with an average increase of 2.4 kg/ha in farmers’ average N application rate. This result counters expectation for the outcome of this practice and may suggest that structural pressures are leading farmers to use additional growing season applications to ensure sufficiently high N rates, rather than allowing them to reduce rates. I conclude by discussing the implication of this study for future research and policy.
Influence of damping on hyperbolic equations with parabolic degeneracy

This paper examines the effect of damping on a nonstrictly hyperbolic 2×2 system. It is shown that the growth of singularities is not restricted as in the strictly hyperbolic case where dissipation can be strong enough to preserve the smoothness of solutions globally in time. Here, irrespective of the stabilizing properties of damping, solutions are found to break down in finite time on a line where two eigenvalues coincide in state space. AMS classification: 35L45, 35L67
Fluid Transport by Leaky Epithelia and Cell Volume Regulation

The mechanism and pathways of fluid absorption by leaky epithelia are subjects of considerable investigation and controversy. Theories and models of fluid transporting epithelia are briefly reviewed and related to fluid absorption across renal proximal tubules. The relevance of cell volume regulation to transepithelial fluid absorption is also discussed.
The 2 nd Generatilon Environmental Sample Processor:- Evolution of a Robot'ic Underwater Biochemilcal Laboratory

Many of the diagnostic protocols for detecting molecular signatures share an overlapping set of requirements, such as collecting, concentrating, preserving and disrupting cells, applying a series of reagents in a timed sequence, removing particulates, and applying solid phase extraction chemistries, among others. Operationally, these methods can be divided into those that depend on intermolecular reactions, such as antibody/antigen binding, nucleic acid hybridization and enzyme mediated processes, and those that rely on separation and identification of target molecules based on their inherent physical properties. Optical and electrochemical transducers are used commonly to detect and quantify numerous molecular signatures. By developing a relatively low-power, compact instrument that meets this core set of functional requirements, it would be possible to conduct many commonly applied molecular biological analyses remotely, in situ. Toward that goal, a group of scientists and engineers at the Monterey Bay Aquarium research Institute (MBARI) undertook development of the Environmental Sample Processor. The ESP is an electromechanical/fluidic instrument system designed to collect discrete water samples from the ocean subsurface, concentrate microorganisms (particulates), and automate application of molecular probes to identify microorganisms based on ribosomal RNA (rRNA) signature sequences. In addition, the ESP archives discrete samples for a variety of nucleic acid analyses, microscopy and other types of analytical procedures after the instrument is recovered. To date, the ESP team has focused on detecting a suite of marine planktonic organisms ranging from heterotrophic and photosynthetic bacteria, archaea and eucarya to small invertebrates found in the upper ocean. "First generation" (or "1G") prototypes of the ESP have been deployed in Monterey Bay and the Gulf of Maine
Brain Death: Compliance, Consequences and Care of the Adult Donor

Critical care physicians often certify brain death and may continue the care of those patients who become organ donors. This chapter will review recent publications and current practices in these topic areas with the intent of encouraging compliance with established policies for brain death determination and promoting investigations needed to establish evidence-based treatment guidelines for donor care.