cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Metaphor, Models, and Meaning in Contract Law

Why does there seem to be such a wide gap between the subject matter of the usual first-year contracts course and what practitioners (particularly transactional lawyers) actually experience? This article is an attempt to bridge the gap, combining insights from academic theory and real-world law practice. My claim is that the law as discipline has developed its own powerful but self-contained conceptual framework — in the coinage of one noted scholar, “an epistemic trap.” The subject matter of contract law, something that is largely the creation of private parties and not the state, requires dealing with legal truth not just as a coherent body of normative doctrine, but also correspondent in some way to the parties’ actual self-legislation. In other words, the exercise of understanding the law relating to transactions is not wholly descriptive —“to what did the parties agree? Nor is it wholly normative — “what should be done when the parties dispute the nature or terms of their agreement after the fact?” Much of the difficulty of the first-year contract law enterprise lies in this conflation of the law’s usual after-the-fact normative focus (as, say, in tort or criminal law) with an inquiry into what private law the parties actually meant to create before the fact. I propose escaping the epistemic trap with a turn to metaphor theory. The underlying metaphor common to prevailing conceptions of contract law, and which demands some form of correspondent truth from the contract (and contract law), is “contract as model of the transaction.” I suggest alternative metaphors of categories as containers, ideas as objects, and the transaction lifecycle as a journey. The goal is to focus on the “subjective to objective” process of the transactional lifecycle, and to consider the perspectives of the participants in or observers of that process. In particular, I consider the models and metaphors that shape the conceptual frames from within which those participants and observers perceive, make use of, and derive meaning from what end up as contracts, the objective manifestations of agreements.
The implementation of the South African Triage Score (SATS) in an urban teaching hospital, Ghana.

Introduction Triage is the process of sorting patients based on the level of acuity to ensure the most severely injured and ill patients receive timely care before their condition worsens. The South African Triage Scale (SATS) was developed out of a need for an accurate and objective measure of urgency based on physiological parameters and clinical discriminators that is easily implemented in low resource settings. SATS was introduced in the emergency center (EC) of Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital (KATH) in January 2010. This study seeks to evaluate the accurate use of the SATS by nurses at KATH. Methods This cross-sectional study was conducted in the EC at KATH in Kumasi, Ghana. Patients 12years and over with complete triage information were included in this study. Each component of SATS was calculated (i.e. for heart rate of 41–50, a score of 1 was given) and summed. This score was compared to the original triage score. When scores did not equate, the entire triage record was reviewed by an emergency physician and an advanced practice emergency nurse separately to determine if the triage was appropriate. These reviews were compared and consensus reached. Results 52 of 903 adult patients (5.8%) were judged to have been mis-triaged by expert review; 49 under-triaged (sent to a zone that corresponded to a lower acuity level than they should have been, based on their vital signs) and 3 over-triaged. Of the 49 patients who were under-triaged, 34 were under-triaged by one category and 7 by two categories. Conclusion Under-triage is a concern to patient care and safety, and while the under-triage rate of 5.7% in this sample falls within the 5–10% range considered unavoidable by the American College of Surgeons Committee on Trauma, concentrated efforts to regularly train triage nurses to ensure no patients are under-triaged have been undertaken. Overall though, SATS has been implemented successfully in the EC at KATH by triage nurses.
Zooplankton distribution and abundance in the Sacramento-San Joaquin delta in relation to certain environmental factors

The dominant members of the freshwater zooplankton in the Sacramento-San Joaquin delta were those typical of temperate zone rivers—Bosmina andCyclops among the crustaceans andKeratella, Polyarthra, Trichocerca andSynchaeta among the rotifers. The estuarine or brackish component of the plankton was represented by the copepodEurytemora affinis and the rotiferSynchaeta bicornis. Abundace of freshwater zooplankton was highest in the San Joaquin River near Stockton, the region with the highest chlorophylla concentrations and highest temperatures. This was also the region least affected by water project operations, which alter the normal river flow patterns and bring large volumes of zooplankton-deficient Sacramento River water into the San Joaquin River and south delta chanels. Over a seven-year period, abundance of most zooplankton genera was positively correlated with chlorophylla concentrations and temperature but not with net flow velocity. OnlyBosmina had a significant and negative correlation with abundance of a predacious shrimp,Neomysis mercedis. Extreme salinity intrusion in 1977 reduced freshwater zooplankton abundance throughout most of the delta to seven-year lows. All zooplankton groups showed a long-term abundance decline from 1972 to 1978. In the cases of rotifers and copepods, this deciline was significantly correlated with a decline in chlorophylla.
A POLITICAL ECONOMY THEORY OF FISCAL POLICY AND UNEMPLOYMENT

This paper presents a political economy theory of fiscal policy and unemployment. The underlying economic model is one in which unemployment can arise but can be mitigated by tax cuts and public spending increases. Such policies are fiscally costly, but can be financed by issuing government debt. Policy decisions are made by a legislature consisting of representatives from different political districts. The theory provides a positive account of the simultaneous determination of fiscal policy and unemployment. The most important implication of the theory is that debt and unemployment levels should be positively correlated. Some evidence in support of this prediction is provided using data from a panel of developed countries.
Theoretical conformational analysis of the Gramicidin a transmembrane channel. I. Helix sense and energetics of head‐to‐head dimerization

Conformational energy calculations are presented for the head-to-head dimerized β helices for Gramicidin A transmembrane channel structures. The calculations take into account both left- and right-handed β helices, and various side-chain conformations. The energetics of the dimerization is studied by considering various docking geometries. It is concluded from these vacuum-energy calculations that the lowest energy conformation for the channel dimer is that comprised of left-handed β helices.
An adaptive virtual queue (AVQ) algorithm for active queue management

Virtual queue-based marking schemes have been recently proposed for Active Queue Management (AQM) in Internet routers. We consider a particular scheme, which we call the Adaptive Virtual Queue (AVQ), and study its following properties: its stability in the presence of feedback delays, its ability to maintain small queue lengths, and its robustness in the presence of extremely short flows (the so-called web mice). Using a linearized model of the system dynamics, we present a simple rule to design the parameters of the AVQ algorithm. We then compare its performance through simulation with several well-known AQM schemes such as RED, REM, Proportional Integral (PI) controller, and a nonadaptive virtual queue algorithm. With a view toward implementation, we show that AVQ can be implemented as a simple token bucket using only a few lines of code.
Revisiting chirped probe pulse electro-optic terahertz detection

The correct equation for terahertz pulse detection schemes employing a chirped optical probe pulse is derived and experimentally verified. The derived equation differs from the conventional expression through a phase factor.
ClpXP Protease Controls Expression of the Type III Protein Secretion System through Regulation of RpoS and GrlR Levels in Enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli

Expression of the type III protein secretion system (TTSS), encoded in the locus of enterocyte effacement (LEE) of enterohemorrhagic Escherichia coli (EHEC), has been shown to be controlled by various regulators. In a search for additional regulatory genes, we identified a DNA fragment containing clpX and clpP that has a positive regulatory effect on LEE expression in EHEC O157. The expression of LEE-encoded Esp proteins was significantly reduced in a clpXP deletion mutant. Deletion of grlR, a negative regulatory gene within LEE, markedly increased LEE expression even in the clpXP mutant. To verify the regulatory mechanism of GrlR expression, a chromosomal epitope-tagged allele of grlR (grlR-FLAG) was constructed. GrlR-FLAG expression was increased significantly in the clpXP deletion mutant, suggesting that the GrlR level is under the control of ClpXP, and this regulation is critical for the ClpXP-dependent expression of LEE in EHEC. Deletion of rpoS, the gene encoding a stationary-phase-inducing sigma factor that is a substrate for ClpXP protease, partially restored LEE expression in the clpXP mutant. A multicopy plasmid carrying rpoS strongly repressed expression of Esp proteins, suggesting that positive regulation by ClpXP is partially mediated through a negative effect of RpoS on LEE expression. We also found that rpoS deletion induces transcription of pchA, which encodes one of the positive regulators for LEE expression in EHEC. These results suggest that ClpXP controls expression of LEE through the regulation of RpoS and GrlR levels in EHEC.
Reflection and Distraction Defensive Pessimism, Strategic Optimism, and Performance

This research concerns the interaction between performance strategies and imagery conditions. Defensive pessimists (DPs, who set low expectations, feel anxious, and rehearse possible outcomes) and strategic optimists (OPTs, who set high expectations, feel calm, and avoid reflecting) were randomly assigned to three conditions: a coping imagery condition (imagining correcting mistakes), a mastery imagery condition (imagining a flawless performance), or a relaxation condition (relaxation imagery). DPs performed better in the coping imagery condition, which was similar to their typical strategy, than in the relaxation condition, which was hypothesized to interfere with their performance. The opposite was true for OPTs. Both groups performed worst in the mastery imagery condition. Discussion highlights the importance of both reflective process and thought content and the costs and benefits of each strategy.
Readability of patient education materials on the american association for surgery of trauma website.

Background: Because the quality of information on the Internet is of dubious worth, many patients seek out reliable expert sources. As per the American Medical Association (AMA) and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) recommendations, readability of patient education materials should not exceed a sixth-grade reading level. The average reading skill of U.S. adults is at the eighth-grade level.
A Brief Cognitive Assessment Tool for Schizophrenia: Construction of a Tool for Clinicians

Cognitive impairment in schizophrenia is often severe, enduring, and contributes significantly to chronic disability. But clinicians have difficulty in assessing cognition due to a lack of brief instruments. We evaluated whether a brief battery of cognitive tests derived from larger batteries could generate a summary score representing global cognitive function. Using data from 3 previously published trials, we calculated the corrected item-total correlations (CITCs) or the correlation of each test with the battery total score. We computed the proportion of variance that each test shares with the global score excluding that test (R(t)(2)=CITC(2)) and the variance explained per minute of administration time for each test (R(t)(2)/min). The 3 tests with the highest R(t)(2)/min were selected for the brief battery. The composite score from the trail making test B, category fluency, and digit symbol correlated .86 with the global score of the larger battery in 2 of the studies and correlated between .73 and .82 with the total battery scores excluding these 3 tests. A Brief Cognitive Assessment Tool for Schizophrenia (B-CATS) using the above 3 tests can be administered in 10-11 min. The full batteries of the larger studies have administration times ranging from 90 to 210 min. Given prior research suggesting that a single factor of global cognition best explains the pattern of cognitive deficit in schizophrenia, an instrument like B-CATS can provide clinicians with meaningful data regarding their patients' cognitive function. It can also serve researchers who want an estimate of global cognitive function without requiring a full neuropsychological battery.
Comparing Oxalic Acid and Sucrocide Treatments for Varroa destructor (Acari: Varroidae) Control Under Desert Conditions

The effectiveness of oxalic acid (OA) and Sucrocide (S) (AVA Chemical Ventures, L.L.C., Portsmouth, NH) in reducing populations of the varroa mite Varroa destructor Anderson & Trueman (Acari: Varroidae) in honey bee, Apis mellifera L. (Hymenoptera: Apidae) colonies was measured under the desert conditions of Arizona, USA. OA and S were applied three times 7 d apart. A 3.2% solution of OA was applied in sugar syrup via a large volume syringe, trickling 5 ml per space between frames in the colony. S was applied at a concentration of 0.625% (mixed with water), according to the label directions, using a compressed air Chapin sprayer at 20 psi to apply 59 ml per frame space. Varroa mites, collected on a sticky board before, during, and after the treatments, were counted to assess the effectiveness of the treatments. This study showed that a desert climate zone did not confer any positive or negative results on the acaricidal properties of OA. Even with brood present in colonies, significant varroa mite mortality occurred in the OA colonies. In contrast, we found that Sucrocide was not effective as a mite control technique. Despite its ability to increase mite mortality in the short-term, varroa mite populations measured posttreatment were not affected any more by Sucrocide than by no treatment at all.
Coexistence in heterogeneous spectrum through distributed correlated equilibrium in cognitive radio networks

Coexistence protocols enable collocated cognitive radio networks (CRNs) to share the spectrum in an opportunistic manner. These protocols work under the assumption that all spectrum bands provide the same level of throughput. This assumption is however limited in scope because channel conditions as well as the licensee's usage of allocated channels can vary significantly with time and space. Under these circumstances, CRNs are expected to have a preference over the choice of available channels which can lead to an imbalance in contention for disparate channels, degraded quality of service, and an overall inefficient utilization of spectrum resource. In this paper, we analyze this situation from a game theoretic perspective and model the coexistence of CRNs with heterogeneous spectrum as a non-cooperative, repeated spectrum sharing game. We derive three solutions for the game; (1) pure and (2) mixed strategy Nash Equilibria as well as (3) centralized and distributed correlated equilibria which are derived using linear programming and a channel selection learning algorithms, respectively. We also analyze each of these solutions from the perspective of fairness and efficiency. To that end, we utilize the concept of price of anarchy to measure the efficiency of these solutions under selfish behavior from CRNs.
HEALING TIME IN FRACTURES OF THE SHAFTS OF THE TIBIA AND FEMUR

1. The long bones of the lower extremity are the biggest and strongest bones in the body. The force required to break them must necessarily be great, and the damage taking place at the time of injury is not only in the bone, but in the surrounding tissues. The speed of healing of fractures is usually proportionate to the amount of available circulation to and between the fragments. 2. In spite of the foregoing deduction, all the causes of delayed union and of non-union have not yet been determined. 3. The percentage of delayed union and non-union in fractures of the femur is not so great as in fractures of the tibia. 4. There are more cases of delayed union and non-union in the middle third of the tibia than in the upper and lower thirds. 5. The majority of our patients received some form of calcium therapy during their fracture treatment, with little recognizable effect on the end result. 6. In the instructions to patients and students, due consideration should be given to the slowness and uncertainty of the healing of fractures of the tibia and femur, so that patients may be prepared for the long period of time possibly necessary for the healing of these fractures. 7. The use of skeletal traction and the use of internal or external skeletal fixation in no way speeds the healing time of bone, and in some instances retards it, because of distraction, infection, or the osteolytic effect of the metals used. 8. In the series of cases here presented, circumstances in some instances necessitated the use of skeletal traction, plating, and external fixation (Haynes). In none did we feel that the results obtained by such methods were in any way superior to those of conservative treatment, when alignment could be maintained even at the expense of a loss of length of as much as three-quarters of an inch.
Direct Cell-To-Cell Interactions Between Osteocytes and Multiple Myeloma (MM) Cells Upregulate Sost and Downregulate OPG Expression In Osteocytes: Evidence For Osteocytic Contributions To MM-Induced Bone Disease

Osteocytes are the most abundant bone cells, comprising more than 95% of the cells in bone. They are embedded into the bone matrix, but extensively communicate among themselves and with cells on the bone surface and the bone marrow through the osteocytic lacunar-canalicular network. Osteocytes secrete sclerostin, the product of the Sost gene, an antagonist of Wnt signaling that potently inhibits bone formation. Osteocytes are also a major source of pro- and anti-osteoclastogenic cytokines that regulate osteoclastogenesis and bone resorption, including RANKL and osteoprotegerin (OPG). Recent evidence suggests that the bone remodeling compartment is disrupted in multiple myeloma (MM) allowing close contact of MM cells with bone cells including osteocytes. However, the consequences of these interactions and the contribution of osteocytes to MM bone disease are unclear. Therefore, we determined if interactions between MM cells and osteocytes regulate osteocytic gene expression. We found that co-culture of murine MLO-A5 osteocytic cells with human JJN3 MM cells up-regulated murine Sost mRNA expression 2-3 fold as early as 4h, which remained elevated up to 24h. Consistent with Sost upregulation induced by MM cells, the expression of OPG, a Wnt target gene, was decreased by 30-50% in MLO-A5 cells, resulting in an increased RANKL/OPG at 4h. Culture of JJN3 cells in the top and MLO-A5 cells in the bottom of Boyden chambers abolished both upregulation of Sost and downregulation of OPG mRNA expression in osteocytic cells, demonstrating the requirement of direct contact between MM cells and osteocytic cells. Human Sost and OPG mRNA transcripts were not detected in any of these experiments, demonstrating lack of contribution of MM JJN3 cells. These findings demonstrate that direct interactions between osteocytes and MM cells upregulate the expression of the bone formation inhibitor Sost in osteocytes, which in turn decreases Wnt signaling, reduces osteocytic OPG expression increasing the RANKL/OPG ratio. We propose that increased Sost/Sclerostin expression contributes to the exacerbated bone resorption and the decreased bone formation that characterizes MM induced bone disease. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Wet chemical functionalization of GaP(111)B through a Williamson Ether-type reaction

Functionalization of crystalline gallium phosphide (GaP) (111)B interfaces has been performed through the formation of P–O–R surface bonds. The approach described herein parallels classical Williamson ether synthesis, where hydroxyl groups on etched GaP(111)B surfaces were reacted with halogenated reactants. Grazing angle total internal reflectance infrared spectra showed increased intensities for −CH2– and −CH3 asymmetric and symmetric stretches after reaction with long alkyl halides. Changes in the X-ray photoelectron spectra collected before and after reaction separately corroborated surface attachment to GaP(111)B. Static sessile drop water contact angle measurements for GaP(111)B separately showed increased hydrophobicity following surface modification with long alkyl chains. The surface functionalization reaction rate was increased by the addition of non-nucleophilic bases, consistent with surface deprotonation as the rate-limiting step. Separately, photoelectrochemical measurements conducted before...
Some applications of micromechanics

The past decade has witnessed a widespread resurgence of interest in micromechanics of continuous media which lay dormant for over half a century. Some of the ideas underlying these nonclassical theories are reviewed, with emphasis placed on their applicability to actual engineering problems, particularly to problems of stress and vibration analysis.
A Clinicopathologic Series of 685 Thyroglossal Duct Remnant Cysts

The clinical features of thyroglossal duct remnant cysts (TGDC) have been well described, however the histopathologic aspects of these lesions have not been addressed in a detailed manner. In particular, there has been no large community practice based series evaluating TGDC histologically compared with management outcomes. A retrospective review of all TGDC diagnosed between 2005 and 2015 was performed. Six hundred eighty-five patients were identified (344 males; 341 females). Age at presentation was bimodal (first and fifth decades) and ranged from 0.8 to 87 years (mean 31.3 years). Males predominate in children (150:111); females in adults (230:194). Patients presented most frequently with a mobile midline neck mass in an infrahyoid location. An associated skin fistula (n = 67) was twice as common in pediatric as adult patients. The average cyst size was 2.4 cm (range 0.4-9.9 cm) by imaging studies and 2.6 cm (range 0.2-8.5 cm) by pathologic examination; pediatric patients had smaller cysts (mean 2.1 cm) than adults (mean 2.8 cm). Histologically, 257 (38 %) TGDC were lined by respiratory epithelium alone, 68 (10 %) squamous epithelium alone, 347 (51 %) exhibited both respiratory and squamous epithelium, and 13 (1 %) had no identifiable epithelial lining. Four hundred eighty-four (71 %) TGDC had associated thyroid gland tissue present within the cyst wall (n = 282), skeletal muscle (n = 71), adipose tissue (n = 34), or a combination of these sites (n = 97). The hyoid bone was identified in 647 (grossly and/or histologically), and absent in 38. Surgical management consisted of Sistrunk procedure (n = 647), cystectomy (n = 31), or thyroidectomy/thyroid lobectomy (n = 7). Treatment related complications were observed in 6 patients, which included vocal cord damage, seroma, and hematoma. Recurrences developed in 20 (3 %) patients, 14 of whom were managed initially by cystectomy. Papillary thyroid carcinoma was identified in 22 (3.2 %) TGDC. In summary, TGDC show a bimodal peak in the 1st and 5th decades, commonly presenting as a midline cervical lesion below the hyoid bone, associated with a skin fistula in 10 %. Histologically TGDC are most commonly lined by a combination of respiratory and squamous epithelium. Thyroid gland tissue is identified in 71 % of cases (0.45 cm mean size), although not limited to the cyst wall, but present in the surrounding soft tissues. Rare TGDC may harbor malignancy (3.2 %). TGDC are most effectively managed by Sistrunk procedure rather than excision, which carries low rates of complications (1 %) and recurrence (3 %).
Analysis of the characteristic of Military Network Teaching Mode

Networking teaching is carried out by relying on a computer network for the teaching and training activities.Not only has it injects new vitality for military school education reform,but also brings new opportunities for cultivating innovative talents and exploring the patterns of military in service education.This paper dwells on three main patterns of network teaching based on military campus network and discusses about the correct understanding of the novel teaching mode by analyzing the advantages and disadvantages of innovative talents cultivated by network teaching.
A Hydraulic Impulse Measurement and Control System Based on PXI Bus Technique

Virtual Instrument is a hot technique in measurement and control field.A hydraulic impulse measurement and control system based on VI technique was presented.The system uses PXI bus instrument as its hardware base and uses graphic language LabVIEW as its software development environment.The proposed system was factually applied.It is showed the system realizes data acquisition and wave control, meets the technical requirement.
Improving Compliance with Vaccination Core Measures

The Housestaff Patient Safety and Quality Council (HPSQC) was created in the summer of 2012 with a vision to create house staff-driven improvement of patient care and involve house staff in the existing quality improvement structure. This council noted a significant deficit in compliance rates for pneumococcal and influenza vaccinations, a core measure since 2012, and created an interdisciplinary project in order to meet the goals of the council and to improve vaccination compliance throughout the hospital. Multiple interventions were initiated based on the council’s recommendations and review of vaccination failures, resulting in improved compliance rates to the goal of >96 %.
Vaginal Mesh Exposure Presentation, Evaluation, and Management

According to FDA, in 2010, approximately 300,000 women underwent surgical procedures in the USA to repair pelvic organ prolapse and approximately 260,000 underwent surgical procedures to repair stress urinary incontinence. From 560,000 surgeries, synthetic mesh was used in one out of three, and three out of four were performed transvaginally. The incorporation of mesh into pelvic organ prolapse repair has improved the long-term surgical anatomical outcomes and lower recurrence rates. However, vaginal mesh placement is associated with risks such as vaginal mesh erosion, exposure, and infection. The main objectives of this study were to review the literature regarding vaginal mesh exposure and, based on the literature evidences, develop an algorithm to help urologists and gynecologists to promptly recognize the problem and treat it effectively with minimal additional morbidity. Diabetes mellitus, advanced age, smoking, concomitant hysterectomy, surgeon’s experience, surgical technique, and proper training in pelvic organ reconstructive procedures have all been shown to be risk factors for vaginal mesh exposure. The clinical presentation of mesh exposure varies and the management depends upon the extent and location of exposure, associated patient bother, voiding complaints, and involvement of adjacent viscera if any. Once vaginal mesh exposure is diagnosed, it would be pragmatic to rule out simultaneous perforation/erosion into the bladder/urethra or bowel and associated collection if any. The exponential increase in the number of mesh-related complications is related mainly to a lack of surgeon’s experience and proper training in reconstructive pelvic surgeries as well as availability of easy-to-handle kits. Despite improvements in short- and long-term outcomes since the introduction of mesh in pelvic surgeries, the incidence of post-operative complications remains elevated. We developed an algorithm to facilitate prompt recognition and treatment of vaginal mesh exposure aiming to help urologists and gynecologists to achieve better outcomes and success rates.
7kW GaN W-band transmitter

Recent advances in high power millimeter wave (mmW) Gallium Nitride (GaN) technology has enabled the development of a high power solid state W-band transmitter with an unprecedented 7kW Continuous Wave (CW) output power. The transmitter coherently sums a total of 8,192 1W+ GaN Power Amplifier (PA) Monolithic Microwave Integrated Circuits (MMICs) using spatial combining. This accomplishment represents a two-orders-of-magnitude improvement in W-band solid state power generation over previously published results.
High sensitivity contrast enhanced optical coherence tomography for functional in vivo imaging

In this study, we developed and applied highly-scattering large gold nanorods (LGNRs) and custom spectral detection algorithms for high sensitivity contrast-enhanced optical coherence tomography (OCT). We were able to detect LGNRs at a concentration as low as 50 pM in blood. We used this approach for noninvasive 3D imaging of blood vessels deep in solid tumors in living mice. Additionally, we demonstrated multiplexed imaging of spectrally-distinct LGNRs that enabled observations of functional drainage in lymphatic networks. This method, which we call MOZART, provides a platform for molecular imaging and characterization of tissue noninvasively at cellular resolution.
Implementation of a systematic method for the identification, tracking, and treatment of malnutrition in pediatric patients with acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

184Background: It is estimated that the prevalence of malnutrition in children with cancer may be as high as 50%. Optimization of nutritional status is known to be associated with improved tolerance of cancer therapy, decreased infection risk, increased quality of life and increased survival. There are established methods for improving nutrition, but we have observed barriers to the identification of at risk patients, adherence to recommended interventions and continued surveillance. Methods: We identified patients in the intensive phases of therapy for acute lymphoblastic leukemia/lymphoblastic lymphoma. Using improvement science methods, we developed a standardized approach to the identification, treatment and tracking of patients at risk for malnutrition. We utilized quality improvement techniques to identify the problems with the current system and implement change. These changes included standardization of an algorithm for nutritional treatment and follow up, creation of a daily electronic report for...
Cranial asymmetry arises later in the life history of the blind Mexican cavefish, Astyanax mexicanus.

As a consequence of adaptation to the cave environment, the blind Mexican cavefish, Astyanax mexicanus, has evolved several cranial aberrations including changes to bone sizes, shapes and presence of numerous lateral asymmetries. Prior studies of cranial asymmetry in cavefish focused strictly on adult specimens. Thus, the extent to which these asymmetries emerge in adulthood, or earlier in the life history of cavefish, was unknown. We performed a geometric morphometric analysis of shape variation in the chondrocranium and osteocranium across life history in two distinct cavefish populations and surface-dwelling fish. The cartilaginous skull in juveniles was bilaterally symmetric and chondrocranial shape was conserved in all three populations. In contrast, bony skull shapes segregated into significantly distinct groups in adults. Cavefish demonstrated significant asymmetry for the bones surrounding the collapsed eye orbit, and the opercle bone posterior to the eye orbit. Interestingly, we discovered that cavefish also exhibit directional “bends” in skull shape, almost always biased to the left. In sum, this work reveals that asymmetric craniofacial aberrations emerge later in the cavefish life history. These abnormalities may mirror asymmetries in the lateral line sensory system, reflect a ‘handedness’ in cavefish swimming behavior, or evolve through neutral processes.
Development and Function of the Cardiac Conduction System in Health and Disease

The generation and propagation of the cardiac impulse is the central function of the cardiac conduction system (CCS). Impulse initiation occurs in nodal tissues that have high levels of automaticity, but slow conduction properties. Rapid impulse propagation is a feature of the ventricular conduction system, which is essential for synchronized contraction of the ventricular chambers. When functioning properly, the CCS produces ~2.4 billion heartbeats during a human lifetime and orchestrates the flow of cardiac impulses, designed to maximize cardiac output. Abnormal impulse initiation or propagation can result in brady- and tachy-arrhythmias, producing an array of symptoms, including syncope, heart failure or sudden cardiac death. Underlying the functional diversity of the CCS are gene regulatory networks that direct cell fate towards a nodal or a fast conduction gene program. In this review, we will discuss our current understanding of the transcriptional networks that dictate the components of the CCS, the growth factor-dependent signaling pathways that orchestrate some of these transcriptional hierarchies and the effect of aberrant transcription factor expression on mammalian conduction disease.
Atomic Layer Deposition of Hafnium Oxide on Silicon and Polymer Fibers at Temperatures below 100o C

Atomic layer deposition of hafnium oxide from tetrakis (diethylamino) hafnium (TDEAH) and water vapor was employed to create thin films on silicon with reactor temperatures as low as 30 o C. Spectral ellipsometry and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were used to probe the thickness and composition of these films. Deposition at the same temperature of 30 o C was carried out on poly-caprolactone (PCL) nanofibers as a template to examine the possibility of fabricating hafnium oxide nanotubes. Energy dispersive X-ray scans and scanning electron microscope images revealed significant hafnia coverage on the fibers, suggesting that hafnium oxide nanotubes can be formed by means of polymer vaporization after deposition.
Misery loves Company: Diversity of Work-Life Balance Perceptions and Employee Engagement

Work-life balance is increasingly important and has been demonstrated to influence attitudinal outcomes in organizations. Yet, much less is known about the implications of work-life balance on beha...
Orchestration of DNA Damage Checkpoint Dynamics across the Human Cell Cycle.

Summary Although molecular mechanisms that prompt cell-cycle arrest in response to DNA damage have been elucidated, the systems-level properties of DNA damage checkpoints are not understood. Here, using time-lapse microscopy and simulations that model the cell cycle as a series of Poisson processes, we characterize DNA damage checkpoints in individual, asynchronously proliferating cells. We demonstrate that, within early G1 and G2, checkpoints are stringent: DNA damage triggers an abrupt, all-or-none cell-cycle arrest. The duration of this arrest correlates with the severity of DNA damage. After the cell passes commitment points within G1 and G2, checkpoint stringency is relaxed. By contrast, all of S phase is comparatively insensitive to DNA damage. This checkpoint is graded: instead of halting the cell cycle, increasing DNA damage leads to slower S phase progression. In sum, we show that a cell's response to DNA damage depends on its exact cell-cycle position and that checkpoints are phase-dependent, stringent or relaxed, and graded or all-or-none.
Variation in fire scar phenology from mixed conifer trees in the Sierra Nevada

Fire scar based studies have provided robust reconstructions of past fire regimes. The season in which a fire occurs can have considerable impacts to ecosystems but inference on seasonality from fire scars is relatively uncertain. This study examined patterns in the phenology of cambium formation and wounding responses in the five common mixed conifer tree species of the Sierra Nevada. The outer bark was shaved on 35 trees and individual locations within the shaved portions were wounded systematically by applying direct heat using a handheld torch. Most of the trees had not commenced annual ring development by the first burning treatment in late May. By the second treatment, scars were identified mostly within the early or middle earlywood, although variation was high compared with other treatment periods. By late October, all scars were recorded at the ring boundary. Although intra-ring scar positions generally followed a logical temporal pattern, there was high tree to tree variation such as Douglas-fir...
Thermodynamic Study of Ga Extraction for Trace Element Analysis by ICP-MS

Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (ICP-MS) has a detection limit of sub-parts-per-trillion (ppt) level. However, it was found the detection limit increased to ~10 ppb for the analysis of impurities in ultra-pure Ga of 7 N (99.99999%) and 8 N (99.999999%) by ICP-MS due to matrix-induced interference. By extracting Ga during sample preparation, matrix-induced interference can be reduced and a lower detection limit can be achieved in the ICP-MS measurement. The dextran-based resin Sephadex G-25 can chemically separate the impurity Ge from Ga. The hydroxide complexes of Ga and Ge are adsorbed on Sephadex G-25 and desorbed into acid depending on pH. Viability of Ge separation from Ga by pH change was evaluated by thermodynamic calculation of the hydrolysis reaction of Ga and Ge. The distributions of Ga-hydroxide species and Ge-hydroxide species in 0.64 M HNO3 were derived by numerical calculation for thermodynamic equilibrium. The effect of presence of medium and ionic strength in aqueous solutions on hydrolysis reaction was evaluated. From the derived speciation diagram for Ga and Ge hydrolysis reactions, the optimal pH range to separate impurity Ge from Ga for ICP-MS sample preparation was investigated.
Polygraph: A Plug-n-Play Framework to Quantify Anomalies

Polygraph is a tool to quantify system behavior that violates serial execution of transactions. It is a plug-n-play framework that operates externally to the system at the conceptual granularity of entities and their relationships.We demonstrate Polygraph's ability to plug-in to existing benchmarks including TPC-C, SEATS, TATP, YCSB, and BG. In addition, we show Polygraph processes transaction log records in realtime and characterize its scalability characteristics.
Going on offense against the gram-negative defense.

Bacterial infections resistant to antibiotics are becoming more common, posing a significant health risk (1). The CDC and WHO have identified gram-negative drug-resistant pathogens as being particularly dangerous, and such infections are resistant to nearly all available antibiotics in some cases (2, 3). The most concerning of these infections are three classes of nonfastidious gram-negative pathogens, Enterobacteriaceae (including Escherichia coli and Klebsiella pneumonia ), Pseudomonas aeruginosa , and Acinetobacter baumannii . As only nine classes of antibiotics (that engage five targets) are available for the treatment of these infections (4), the need for new classes of antibiotics effective against gram-negative bacteria is self-evident. In PNAS, Zhang et al. (5) present an innovative approach for discovering antibiotics that exploit previously untargeted components of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) biogenesis and use this screening platform to identify a lead compound that inhibits LPS biosynthetic machinery. Historically, there has been a heavy reliance on whole-cell toxicity assays for identification of new antibiotic classes, and, in fact, all classes of US Food and Drug Administration-approved antibiotics were initially discovered in these types of cell culture phenotypic screens (1). Unfortunately, this approach has rarely provided compelling lead compounds with activity against gram-negative bacteria; the quinolones are the most recently introduced class of broad-spectrum antibiotics, over 50 y ago (in 1968) (4). AstraZeneca, GlaxoSmithKline, and others have all published detailed accounts of their independent screening of a combined >8 million compounds in bacterial cell culture death assays; it is sobering to note that these experiments failed to produce any compounds with sufficient gram-negative activity to merit advancement (6⇓⇓–9). While biochemical … [↵][1]1To whom correspondence should be addressed. Email: hergenro{at}illinois.edu. [1]: #xref-corresp-1-1
Acute psychosocial stress in mid-aged male rats causes hyperthermia, cognitive decline, and increased deep sleep power, but does not alter deep sleep duration

Aging is associated with altered sleep architecture and worsened hippocampus-dependent cognition, highly prevalent clinical conditions that detract from quality of life for the elderly. Interestingly, exposure to psychosocial stress causes similar responses in young subjects, suggesting that age itself may act as a stressor. In prior work, we demonstrated that young animals show loss of deep sleep, deficits in cognition, and elevated body temperature after acute stress exposure, whereas aged animals are hyporesponsive on these measures. However, it is unclear if these age-altered stress responses occur in parallel over the course of aging. To address this, here we repeated the experiment in mid-aged animals. We hypothesized that mid-aged stress responses would be intermediate between those of young and aged subjects. Sixteen mid-aged (12 months) male F344 rats were implanted with EEG/EMG emitters to monitor sleep architecture and body temperature, and were trained on the Morris water maze for 3 days. On the fourth day, half of the subjects were restrained for 3 hours immediately before the water maze probe trial. Sleep architecture and body temperature were measured during the ensuing inactive period, and on the following day, endpoint measures were taken. Restrained mid-aged animals showed resistance to deep sleep loss, but demonstrated stress-induced water maze probe trial performance deficits as well as postrestraint hyperthermia. Taken in the context of prior work, these data suggest that age-related loss of sleep architecture stress sensitivity may precede both cognitive and body temperature-related stress insensitivity.
Abstract 2077: A Novel GWAS Atherosclerosis Locus Regulates Plasma Levels of CXCL12

Background Genome wide association studies (GWAS) of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) revealed many novel loci associated with myocardial infarction (MI). A highly replicated SNP (rs1746048, combined p-value 5.4×10 −10 ) maps downstream of CXCL12, a chemokine with putative anti-inflammatory & anti-atherogenic functions. It is unknown whether variation at this locus relates to the CXCL12 gene or to plasma protein levels of CXCL12. Methods To seek evidence in humans for possible regulation of CXCL12 by the downstream GWAS signal, we examined the association of SNPs in the GWAS region with plasma CXCL12 levels in a subset (n=546) of PennCATH, a Caucasian, angiographic case-control study (n=1504; 509 acute cases, 497 chronic cases, & 498 angiographically normal controls). CXCL12 was measured by commercial assay. Genotyping was performed using Affymetrix 6.0 array (GWAS region) & ITMAT-CARE-BROAD candidate gene array (in the CXCL12 gene). Statistical analysis of plasma levels by genotype was tested using unpaired T-test, and age & sex adjusted linear regression. Results PennCATH replicated association of the CXCL12 GWAS region with MI (rs1147878, p CXCL12 may be an atheroprotective gene. Conclusions We show for the first time that there is a relationship between variation in a novel GWAS atherosclerosis locus downstream of CXCL12 , and plasma protein levels of CXCL12. This implicates the CXCL12 gene as being causal in this GWAS CAD signal and that plasma CXCL12 levels may be atheroprotective.
Treatment-Related Complications in Patients with Carcinoma of the Prostate: a Review

Radical prostatectomy and definitive radiation therapy for prostate carcinoma have been shown to provide equal and good long-term results regarding local control and overall survival. However, with the variability of the natural history of this disease process, it is often difficult to assess the impact of the various treatment modalities on the disease course. Therefore, the optimal treatment modality remains controversial. While anticipated control and survival rates remain the main consideration in the choice of treatment for prostate carcinoma as well as other cancers, the treatment-related morbidity and subsequent quality of life are also extremely important. Therefore, with 244 000 new cases of prostate carcinoma anticipated in the United States in 1995, assessment of the treatment results must take into account the morbidity of a particular therapeutic regimen.
Additive Manufacturing of High Performance Ferromagnetic Materials

Improving the efficiency, as well as reducing size of electrical machines, can reduce the amount and types of pollutants we emit into our environment; however, manufacturing realities often bottleneck the production of new low-cost and highly efficient motor designs. Additive manufacturing technologies provide flexibility to overcome limitations of the subtractive and powder metallurgical processes. In this paper, the magnetic characteristics of 3D printed iron silicon samples are compared with prototype soft magnetic composite material. Binder jet printing technology is used to prepare the iron silicon samples and its magnetic properties are experimentally extracted. It is shown that magnetic permeability of the 3D printed sample is higher than prototype soft magnetic composite.
Sturmian Theory for Real Linear Homogeneous Second Order Ordinary Differential Equations on a Compact Interval

The differential equations to be considered in this chapter are of the form $$ \ell [u](t) \equiv {[r(t)u'(t) + q(t)u(t)]^\prime } - [q(t)u'(t) + p(t)u(t)] = 0,t \in I, $$ (1.1) where on a given non-degenerate interval I on the real line the coefficient functions r, p, q satisfy one of the following conditions.
Behavioral Treatment of Trichotillomania in a College Woman: A Case Study:

Trichotillomania (TTM) is a disorder that involves repetitive pulling of one’s hair to the point of hair loss and clinically significant distress or functional impairment. Using Diagnostic and Stat...
Repetitive Ballistic Movements as a High-Risk Comorbidity in a Ventricular Assist Device Patient.

Parasomnias can be a life-threatening but modifiable comorbidity in patients with implantable ventricular assist device.
On the impacts of tail model uncertainty in rare-event estimation

Rare-event probabilities and risk measures that quantify the likelihood of catastrophic or failure events can be sensitive to the accuracy of the underlying input models, especially regarding their tail behaviors. We investigate how the lack of tail information of the input can affect the output extremal measures, in relation to the level of data that are needed to inform the input tail. Using the basic setting of estimating the probability of the overshoot of an aggregation of i.i.d. input variables, we argue that heavy-tailed problems are much more vulnerable to input uncertainty than light-tailed problems. We explain this phenomenon via their large deviations behaviors, and substantiate with some numerical experiments.