cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Lactate Clearance and Normalization and Prolonged Organ Dysfunction in Pediatric Sepsis

Objectives To evaluate whether lactate clearance and normalization during emergency care of pediatric sepsis is associated with lower rates of persistent organ dysfunction. Study design This was a prospective cohort study of 77 children Results Lactate normalized in 62 (81%) patients and cleared in 70 (91%). The primary outcome, persistent 48-hour organ dysfunction, was present in 32 (42%). Lactate normalization was associated with decreased risk of persistent organ dysfunction (RR 0.46, 0.29-0.73; adjusted RR 0.47, 0.29-0.78); lactate clearance was not (RR 0.70, 0.35-1.41; adjusted RR 0.75, 0.38-1.50). The association between lactate normalization and decreased risk of persistent organ dysfunction was retained in the subgroups with initial lactate ≥2 mmol/L and hypotension. Conclusions In children with sepsis and organ dysfunction, lactate normalization within 4 hours was associated with decreased persistent organ dysfunction. Serial lactate level measurement may provide a useful prognostic tool during the first hours of resuscitation in pediatric sepsis.
Geography of Export Prices and Importer-Exporter Income Differences

We develop a model of endogenous quality choice and trade that combines non-iceberg trade costs and non-homothetic preferences to capture the effect of importer-exporter income differences on geographic variation in quality and export prices. The differences in income substantially alter the effect of trade costs on quality. The incentive to trade high quality goods given high trade costs (the Alchian-Allen effect) is tempered by the increased remoteness from rich importers demanding high quality goods. The estimated effects of distance and contiguity in a sample of product-level imports to nine Latin American countries and the United States support our theory.
Neuroreceptor mechanisms of aggression and its treatment.

Aggression results from the interaction of multiple systems. It can be classified as predatory, impulsive, or based on a medical condition. The likelihood of aggression is increased by environmental overstimulation or stress, transmitter balances favoring dopamine and excitatory amino acid transmission over serotonin and γ-aminobutyric acid transmission, and the presence of problems related to impulsivity. Treatments for aggression are based on the underlying causes and generally should combine pharmacologic and environmental or psychotherapeutic measures. Useful pharmacologic agents include mood stabilizers and atypical antipsychotics that combine dopaminergic and serotonergic actions. Drugs acting on nicotine receptors may deserve further attention. Nonpharmacologic measures include behavioral techniques aimed at reducing impulsivity, relapse prevention techniques for substance abuse, and anger management techniques.
Quantitatively control of carbon nanotubes using real time electrical detection dielectrophoresis assembly

The suspended carbon nanotubes (CNT) are widely integrated into silicon based devices in the realm of sensors and micro/nano electromechanical systems (MEMS and NEMS). CNT integration methods have to guarantee yield, low cost, and high performances. In this paper, it reports a novel real-time dielectrophoresis (DEP) assembly method which will monitor quantity of carbon nanotubes between a localized gap. It measures impedance change through the rate of current change when nanotubes are bridged so that there is no impedance limitation. The impedance detection will be feed back to shut down the electrical field applied. The proposed method will not only work for quantitatively nanotubes assembly, but also be applicable for thin layers graphene deposition.
Differentiated Failure Remediation with Action Selection for Resilient Computing

As the fault frequency is increasing with the component count in modern and future computer systems, resilience becomes increasingly critical. Existing work on anomaly detection and fault prediction enables failure avoidance techniques to circumvent fault effects proactively. In addition, traditional fault tolerance techniques can be applied to handle faults reactively. Different types of faults may affect different components of a system and have various manifestations. They need to be treated differently. However, the existing fault handling techniques uniformly treat all faults without considering their types and distinct properties. In this paper, we present a differentiated fault remediation framework with action selection (DFRAS) which integrates both preventive and reactive remediation actions differentiated for different types of faults with their urgency requirements. We investigate four major types of faults and identify candidate remediation actions. We apply the urgency requirements as constraints for action selection. We propose formal performance models to quantify the wasted time of the candidate actions, and develop a decision making method to select the best actions that minimize the overall remediation cost. We have implemented a prototype of DFRAS and evaluated its performance by simulations and experiments. Simulation and experimental results show that the integrated fault remediation strategies can significantly reduce the remediation overhead. The developed DFRAS system is lightweight, making it feasible for online fault management in large-scale systems.
Review of the Association between Splenectomy and Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension

Recent evidence suggests that there may be a link between splenectomy and the later development of pulmonary hypertension, in particular World Health Organization group IV pulmonary hypertension (chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension). Epidemiological studies have demonstrated an odds ratio as high as 18 for the development of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension after splenectomy in comparison with matched control subjects who have not undergone splenectomy. The mechanisms governing the association between removal of the spleen and the subsequent development of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension remain incompletely understood; however, recent advances in understanding of coagulation homeostasis have shed some light on this association. Splenectomy increases the risk of venous thromboembolic disease, a necessary precursor of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension, by generating a prothrombotic state. This prothrombotic state likely results from a reduction in the removal of circulating procoagulant factors from the bloodstream after splenectomy. Although much is to be learned, circulating microparticles have emerged as the most likely mediator for the development of thrombosis after splenectomy. Apparently because of a reduction in reticuloendothelial cell clearance, microparticle levels are elevated in patients after splenectomy. Elevated circulating microparticle levels have been linked to thromboembolism and pulmonary hypertension in a dose-dependent fashion. It is important for health care providers to be aware of the link between splenectomy and chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension. We are optimistic that clarification of the exact mechanisms that govern this association will yield clinical guidelines and potential treatments.
Bertrand Curves Associated with a Pair of Curves

(1960). Bertrand Curves Associated with a Pair of Curves. Mathematics Magazine: Vol. 34, No. 1, pp. 60-62.
Free-space optical propagation of pulse coded data stream

Free-space optical communication provides much larger information bandwidth to transmit information over radio frequency and microwave[1][2]. Most wireless optical systems are essentially used in clear sky conditions and based on the direct detection of attenuated ballistic signal. Unfortunately, multiple scattering from cloud or fog impairs the wireless connection. In this experiment, space and polarization gating techniques are used to reduce diffusive background[3] and improve the extraction of coded signals using ultrafast laser source. Fig.1 shows the experimental setup. 10 GHz signal train carried by 100fs laser pulse goes through the cloud chamber. We detected the transmitted signal using a streak camera in combination with a spatial and polarization gate. The significant improvement is shown in Fig.2 where signal-to-noise ratio has been increased. The potential application of these techniques will benefit the wireless optical communication under different weather conditions. The prospect for their application in wireless optical local network system is encouraging.
The Political Implications of the Public Choice - Property Rights School*

The public choice-property rights perspective is an important intellectual movement aimed at refurbishing and broadening the scope of classical microeconomic reasoning. This paper assesses the political implications of the “school”–its ability both to generate significant political insights and hypotheses and to use political arguments and findings to buttress the assumptions of microeconomic theory.I conclude that, in the main, neither effort realizes its goal. What we do find revealed by a study of the political implications of the perspective is a well-developed, if generally unacknowledged, normative position, a position that deflects attention from the major sources of power in society and thus complicates the articulation of prescriptions or recommendation statements.
Some Notes on John Burton's Papers on “Resolution of Conflict”

In response to a question about 'how they made peace in the villages,' a village muxhtar in north Lebanon once told me the story of a famous dispute between a line of Sunni and Shia Moslem villages extending from the Syrian border to the Mediterranean Sea. The dispute was said to have begun as a disagreement between two herdsmen, one Shia and one Sunni, and had escalated rapidly to a long line of villages. The Lebanese government was said to have stepped in because the 'warfare' was so heated. According to the muxhtar's story, government officials took the following steps: First, they sent plaines into the feuding mountainous region and dropped some bombs-"inowlhere, of course, where anybody could be hurt." Tlhen they sent in a well-known and well-respected peacemaker ('wasta-maker') to see what he could do. This 'wasta-maker' spoke to men in all the concerned villages who had respect and a reputation for knowing how to settle disputes within their own villages. Then he invited all these men, Shia and Sunni, to a banquet held at the expense of the Lebanese government "in the middle of the mountains." Once these men had shared bread anid salt, they could no longer feud. The Lebanese government had written law that could have dealt with such outlaw belhavior, but it chose not to use such legal procedures.
Relations among affect, abstinence motivation and confidence, and daily smoking lapse risk

This study tested the hypothesis that changes in momentary affect, abstinence motivation, and confidence would predict lapse risk over the next 12-24 hr using Ecological Momentary Assessment (EMA) data from smokers attempting to quit smoking. One hundred and three adult, daily, treatment-seeking smokers recorded their momentary affect, motivation to quit, abstinence confidence, and smoking behaviors in near real time with multiple EMA reports per day using electronic diaries postquit. Multilevel models indicated that initial levels of negative affect were associated with smoking, even after controlling for earlier smoking status, and that short-term increases in negative affect predicted lapses up to 12, but not 24, hr later. Positive affect had significant effects on subsequent abstinence confidence, but not motivation to quit. High levels of motivation appeared to reduce increases in lapse risk that occur over hours although momentary changes in confidence did not predict lapse risk over 12 hr. Negative affect had short-lived effects on lapse risk, whereas higher levels of motivation protected against the risk of lapsing that accumulates over hours. An increase in positive affect was associated with greater confidence to quit, but such changes in confidence did not reduce short-term lapse risk, contrary to expectations. Relations observed among affect, cognitions, and lapse seem to depend critically on the timing of assessments.
The PHACS SMARTT Study: Assessment of the Safety of In Utero Exposure to Antiretroviral Drugs.

The Surveillance Monitoring for ART Toxicities (SMARTT) cohort of the Pediatric HIV/AIDS Cohort Study (PHACS) includes over 3500 HIV-exposed but uninfected (HEU) infants and children at 22 sites in the U.S. including Puerto Rico. The goal of the study is to determine the safety of in utero exposure to antiretrovirals (ARV) and to estimate the incidence of adverse events. Domains being assessed include metabolic, growth and development, cardiac, neurological, neurodevelopmental, behavior, language, and hearing. SMARTT employs an innovative trigger-based design as an efficient means to identify and evaluate adverse events. Participants who met a predefined clinical or laboratory threshold (trigger) undergo additional evaluations to define their case status. After adjusting for birth cohort and other factors, there was no significant increase in the likelihood of meeting overall case status (case in any domain) with exposure to combination ARVs (cARV), any ARV class, or any specific ARV. However, several individual ARVs were significantly associated with case status in individual domains, including zidovudine for a metabolic case, first trimester stavudine for a language case, and didanosine plus stavudine for a neurodevelopmental case. We found an increased rate of preterm birth with first trimester exposure to protease inhibitor-based cARV. Although there was no overall increase in congenital anomalies with first trimester cARV, a significant increase was seen with exposure to atazanavir, ritonavir, and didanosine plus stavudine. Tenofovir exposure was associated with significantly lower mean whole-body bone mineral content in the newborn period and a lower length and head circumference at 1 year of age. With neurodevelopmental testing at 1 year of age, specific ARVs (atazanavir, ritonavir-boosted lopinavir, nelfinavir, and tenofovir) were associated with lower performance, although all groups were within the normal range. No ARVs or classes were associated with lower performance between 5 and 13 years of age. Atazanavir and saquinavir exposure were associated with late language emergence at 1 year but not 2 years of age. The results of the SMARTT study are generally reassuring, with little evidence for serious adverse events resulting from in utero ARV exposure. However, several findings of concern warrant further evaluation and new ARVs used in
Prevention of Urinary Catheter Incrustations by Acetohydroxamic Acid

AbstractAcetohydroxamic acid was administered in 5 patients to determine its effect in reducing urinary catheter incrustations. All patients had chronic indwelling catheters that required frequent changes because of severe incrustations and catheter occlusion. Incrustations were analyzed chemically for calcium, magnesium, ammonia nitrogen and phosphorus. The degree of incrustation before and during acetohydroxamic acid therapy was compared in each patient and was decreased significantly (average 81 per cent) during therapy (p less than 0.05). Catheter changes were required less frequently during therapy in all patients.Acetohydroxamic acid is effective in preventing catheter incrustations and should be considered in patients with this problem.
Density functional theory investigation of the electronic structure and defect chemistry of Sr 1-x K x FeO 3

Solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) efficiently generate electricity, but high operating temperatures (Top < 800 °C) limit their utility. Reducing Top requires mixed ion-electron conducting (MIEC) cathode materials. Density functional theory is used here to investigate the role of potassium substitutions in the MIEC material Sr1-xKxFeO3 (SKFO). We predict that such substitutions are endothermic. SrFeO3 and SKFO have nearly identical metallic electronic structures. Oxygen vacancy formation energies decrease by -0.2 eV when xK increases from 0 to 0.0625. SKFO is a promising SOFC MIEC cathode material; however, further experimental investigations must assess its long-term stability at the desired operating temperatures.
Yolked Oocyte Dynamics Support Agreement between Determinate- and Indeterminate-Method Estimates of Annual Fecundity for a Northeastern United States Population of American Shad.

Reports of American shad fecundity identify two important themes regarding egg production in fishes. First, geographic variation occurs and is biologically meaningful. Shad annual fecundity decreases with increasing latitude, but predicted lifetime fecundity does not, because of a counter-gradient of survival probability, all of which can explain the adaptive significance of natal homing. Second, the appropriate method of measuring fecundity depends on the pattern of oocyte development. Historically, the relatively simple determinate-fecundity method was used; however, a recent study in a Virginia river indicates that this method may be biased, requiring the more complicated indeterminate method. We address both themes with collections from the 2015 shad spawning run in the Connecticut River, USA. Criteria for using a determinate method were satisfied for this northern population: 1) a size gap evident in the oocyte size frequency distribution, indicating group-synchronous development of yolked oocytes; 2) a decline, early in spawning, in the standing stock of yolked oocytes; and 3) low levels of atresia at the end of spawning. The determinate-method estimate of American shad annual (2015) fecundity (303,000 ± 73,400; mean ± sd) overlapped historic estimates for this and a neighboring river. The indeterminate-method estimate of annual (2015) fecundity (311,500 ± 4,500 sd) was not significantly different from the determinate-method estimate (Student’s t-test, P > 0.05). In contrast, indeterminate-method estimates of annual fecundity for a Virginia population were twice as high as that measured by the determinate method in the past. This can all be explained by fundamentally different patterns of oogenesis (i.e., group synchrony versus asynchrony with respect to yolk development) at different latitudes. American shad, which is distributed within its native range from the Canadian maritimes to Florida, USA (50–30°N), may be particularly well suited to evaluate intra-specific variation in oocyte development, a relatively unexplored life history trait.
Ex-situ programming in a neuromorphic memristor based crossbar circuit

This paper discusses a feedback programming method for a high density crossbar. This programming technique is capable of operating without the use of any transistor or diode isolation at the memristor crosspoints. A series of reads is applied to the crossbar before each write that is able to determine the resistance of each memristor in the crossbar despite the many parallel resistance paths. This is essential because the variation observed in memristor crossbars makes programming very difficult when using just a single write pulse without error checking. The programming method is then used to program a neuromorphic crossbar. Results show successful ex-situ training of a high density crossbar with significant area savings when compared to a one transistor one memristor (1T1M) design. A comparison between different crossbar designs is performed relative to the A-to-D complexity required to program each circuit for a varying device resistance ratio and programming precision.
Observed and CMIP5 modeled influence of large-scale circulation on summer precipitation and drought in the South-Central United States

Annual precipitation in the largely agricultural South-Central United States is characterized by a primary wet season in May and June, a mid-summer dry period in July and August, and a second precipitation peak in September and October. Of the 22 CMIP5 global climate models with sufficient output available, 16 are able to reproduce this bimodal distribution (we refer to these as “BM” models), while 6 have trouble simulating the mid-summer dry period, instead producing an extended wet season (“EW” models). In BM models, the timing and amplitude of the mid-summer westward extension of the North Atlantic Subtropical High (NASH) are realistic, while the magnitude of the Great Plains Lower Level Jet (GPLLJ) tends to be overestimated, particularly in July. In EW models, temporal variations and geophysical locations of the NASH and GPLLJ appear reasonable compared to reanalysis but their magnitudes are too weak to suppress mid-summer precipitation. During warm-season droughts, however, both groups of models reproduce the observed tendency towards a stronger NASH that remains over the region through September, and an intensification and northward extension of the GPLLJ. Similarly, future simulations from both model groups under a +1 to +3 °C transient increase in global mean temperature show decreases in summer precipitation concurrent with an enhanced NASH and an intensified GPLLJ, though models differ regarding the months in which these decreases are projected to occur: early summer in the BM models, and late summer in the EW models. Overall, these results suggest that projected future decreases in summer precipitation over the South-Central region appear to be closely related to anomalous patterns of large-scale circulation already observed and modeled during historical dry years, patterns that are consistently reproduced by CMIP5 models.
Complex Associations: Together, Separate, and In Ambivalent Relation

This chapter focuses on relationality in subjectivity and where barriers to such connections remain. By finding how youth are drawn to one another or how they are not, we find ways to help young people develop political strategies that move beyond them having to take a brave and too often lonely stance against uncaring institutions. Because, too, the differences that draw them together or keep them apart are more complex than sexuality or gender identity, such a project requires thinking about differences across the expanding LGBTQ+ acronym and crosscutting intersections of race, ethnicity, gender, class, language, region, disability, and more.
Distinctions in gene-specific changes in DNA methylation in response to folic acid supplementation between women with normal weight and obesity.

Summary Background/Objectives Obesity and maternal folate deficiency are associated with increased risk for neural tube defects (NTDs). Limited knowledge exists on the impact of folate status or obesity on DNA methylation of genes related to NTD risk and folate metabolism. Subjects/Methods Women (18–35y) with normal weight (NW; BMI 18.5–24.9kg/m 2 ; n=12) and obesity (OB; BMI >30kg/m 2 ; n=6) were provided FA (800μg/d) for 8-weeks. Serum folate concentration and changes in DNA methylation across 2098 CpG sites in 91 genes related to NTD risk and folate metabolism were examined. Results Serum folate concentration increased in both groups following FA supplementation, but OB maintained a relative lower concentration (NW; 38.36±2.50–71.41±3.02nmol/L and OB; 27.12±3.09–56.85±3.90nmol/L). Methylation of 56 and 99 CpG sites changed in response to supplementation in NW and OB, respectively, and majority of these sites decreased in methylation in both groups. Only 4 CpG sites responded to supplementation in both groups. Gene ontology analysis revealed a response to supplementation in 61 biological processes (BPs) from the selected genes. Five of the 61 BPs were identified only in NW, including neural tube closure, while 13 of the 61 BPs were enriched only in OB, including folate metabolism, vitamin B12 metabolism and methylation related processes. Conclusions Changes in DNA methylation in genes related to NTD risk and folate metabolism in response to FA supplementation were different in NW and OB. Increased NTD risk and abnormal folate metabolism in obesity may be due to a distinctive epigenetic response to folate status in these genes.
Development of novel biosensors to study receptor-mediated activation of the G-protein α subunits Gs and Golf.

Gαs (Gs) and Gαolf (Golf) are highly homologous G-protein α subunits that activate adenylate cyclase, thereby serving as crucial mediators of intracellular signaling. Because of their dramatically different brain expression patterns, we studied similarities and differences between their activation processes with the aim of comparing their receptor coupling mechanisms. We engineered novel luciferase- and Venus-fused Gα constructs that can be used in bioluminescence resonance energy transfer assays. In conjunction with molecular simulations, these novel biosensors were used to determine receptor activation–induced changes in conformation. Relative movements in Gs were consistent with the crystal structure of β2 adrenergic receptor in complex with Gs. Conformational changes in Golf activation are shown to be similar to those in Gs. Overall the current study reveals general similarities between Gs and Golf activation at the molecular level and provides a novel set of tools to search for Gs- and Golf-specific receptor pharmacology. In view of the wide functional and pharmacological roles of Gs- and Golf-coupled dopamine D1 receptor and adenosine A2A receptor in the brain and other organs, elucidating their differential structure–function relationships with Gs and Golf might provide new approaches for the treatment of a variety of neuropsychiatric disorders. In particular, these novel biosensors can be used to reveal potentially therapeutic dopamine D1 receptor and adenosine A2A receptor ligands with functionally selective properties between Gs and Golf signaling.
An Integrated Control Tower: Coordinating and Unlocking Investment Capital for Clean Energy

As recent history highlights, there are numerous challenges in bringing novel energy technologies from the lab all the way to the global energy marketplace. But one challenge in particular has proven particularly intractable recently; the lack of financing for clean energy entrepreneurs. In this white paper, we propose a new coordinating platform that can facilitate an intelligent information flow over the entire clean energy development cycle. Through this platform, we expect that new capital inflows can and will increase as we better allocate the risks (and thus returns) of clean energy investments to the parties that can shoulder them. We develop a blueprint of this integrated control tower, which is a multi-strategy vehicle that better aligns risks with investors and thereby facilitates high investment returns. It will offer a tailored path to all agents participating in this sector, just as an air traffic control tower guides planes on different glide paths depending on their specific characteristics and objectives (destinations). The new control tower will simultaneously coordinate three core intermediary functions: (1) an anchoring institution that offers small amounts of priming capital that can even take a first-loss position; (2) a financial intermediary that raises capital, at-scale, from various funding sources and provides equity and debt capital to companies maturing commercially; and (3) a trusted infomediary that provides reliable and objective information about clean energy companies or projects in a highly transparent and trustworthy manner, and help long-term institutional investors (LTIs) to mobilize their capital into clean energy ventures while meeting their unique investment criteria. The control tower will, we hope, lower barriers to clean energy funding and optimize access to available financial resources by directing “investor traffic” towards the most efficient and aligned investments products and opportunities.
The Neurocognitive and MRI Outcomes of West Nile Virus Infection: Preliminary Analysis Using an External Control Group.

To understand the long-term neurological outcomes resultant of West Nile virus (WNV) infection. Participants from a previously established, prospective WNV cohort were invited to take part in a comprehensive neurologic and neurocognitive examination. Those with an abnormal exam finding were invited for MRI to evaluate cortical thinning and regional brain atrophy following infection. Correlations of presenting clinical syndrome with neurologic and neurocognitive dysfunctions were evaluated, as well as correlations of neurocognitive outcomes with MRI results. From 2002-2012, a total of 262 participants with a history of WNV infection were enrolled as research participants in a longitudinal cohort study, and 117 completed comprehensive neurologic and neurocognitive evaluations. Abnormal neurological exam findings were identified in 49% (57/117) of participants, with most abnormalities being unilateral. The most common abnormalities included decreased strength (26%; 30/117), abnormal reflexes (14%; 16/117), and tremors (10%; 12/117). Weakness and decreased reflexes were consistent with lower motor neuron damage in a significant proportion of patients. We observed a 22% overall rate of impairment on the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS), with impairments observed in immediate (31%) and delayed memory (25%). On MRI, participants showed significant cortical thinning as compared to age- and gender-matched controls in both hemispheres, with affected regions primarily occurring in the frontal and limbic cortices. Regional atrophy occurred in the cerebellum, brain stem, thalamus, putamen, and globus pallidus. This study provides valuable new information regarding the neurological outcomes following WNV infection, with MRI evidence of significant cortical thinning and regional atrophy; however, it is important to note that the results may include systemic bias due to the external control group. Considering no effective treatment measures are available, strategies to prevent infection are key.
Study on Primary Frequency Modulation Parameter Setting of Compressed Air Energy Storage

With the advantages of large storage capacity, long storage cycle and little pollution to the environment, compressed air energy storage is considered to be one of the most promising technologies for large-scale power storage. The great intermittency and volatility of photovoltaic and wind power will cause a large disturbance to the frequency of power grid. It is necessary to study how to use energy storage technology to maintain the frequency stability. According to the national standard, and referencing the same type of generation unit, the primary frequency modulation function of compressed air energy storage is constructed. Combined with its own characteristics, the parameters such as dead band, speed governor droop and limit bound are analyzed and set up, which lays the foundation for compressed air energy storage to participate in primary frequency regulation of power grid.
Design and Testing of a Smartphone Application for Real-Time Self-Tracking Diabetes Self-Management Behaviors

Background Type 1 diabetes (T1D) care requires multiple daily self-management behaviors (SMBs). Preliminary studies on SMBs rely mainly on self-reported survey and interview data. There is little information on adult T1D SMBs, along with corresponding compensation techniques (CTs), gathered in real-time. Objective The article aims to use a patient-centered approach to design iDECIDE, a smartphone application that gathers daily diabetes SMBs and CTs related to meal and alcohol intake and exercise in real-time, and contrast patients' actual behaviors against those self-reported with the app. Methods Two usability studies were used to improve iDECIDE's functionality. These were followed by a 30-day pilot test of the redesigned app. A survey designed to capture diabetes SMBs and CTs was administered prior to the 30-day pilot test. Survey results were compared against iDECIDE logs. Results Usability studies revealed that participants desired advanced features for self-tracking meals and alcohol intake. Thirteen participants recorded over 1,200 CTs for carbohydrates during the 30-day study. Participants also recorded 76 alcohol and 166 exercise CTs. Comparisons of survey responses and iDECIDE logs showed mean% (standard deviation) concordance of 77% (25) for SMBs related to meals, where concordance of 100% indicates a perfect match. There was low concordance of 35% (35) and 46% (41) for alcohol and exercise events, respectively. Conclusion The high variability found in SMBs and CTs highlights the need for real-time diabetes self-tracking mechanisms to better understand SMBs and CTs. Future work will use the developed app to collect SMBs and CTs and identify patient-specific diabetes adherence barriers that could be addressed with individualized education interventions.
Parametric Plotting of Surfaces

The Costa surface is a relatively new type of minimal surface, and it is topologically equivalent to a torus with three punctures. The images shown are from an animation that uses a very simple morphing idea to go from a torus to the Costa surface.
Discrete Event Supervisory Control of a Mobile Robotic System

As an application of the theory of Discrete Event Supervisory (DES) control presented in Chapters 1 and 2, this chapter addresses the design of a robotic system interacting with a dynamically changing environment. The work, reported in this chapter, encompasses the disciplines of control theory, signal analysis, computer vision, and artificial intelligence. Several traditional important methods are first reviewed to substantiate the DES control approach in the design of a mobile robotic system. Design and modelling of the behavior-based mobile robotic system are presented in details. The plant automaton model G of the robotic system is identified by making use of the available sensors and actuators. Then, a DES controller is synthesized based on the data collected from experimental scenarios. Through these experiments, performance of the robotic DES control system is quantitatively evaluated in terms of the language measure μ for both the unsupervised and supervised robotic systems. It is shown that the language measure μ can indeed be used as a performance index in the design of optimal DES control policies for higher level mission planning for behavior-based mobile robotic systems.
Medical Education and Racism: Where Have We Been and Where Might We Go?

The majority of approaches used in medical education to teach about health disparities and racism have been applied at the level of undergraduate medical education and taught through the lens of cultural competence. The dearth of curricula that directly address the experience of racism and its impact on access to health care, diagnosis, and treatment is notable. In this chapter, the limitations of using cultural competence training as a proxy for teaching about racism and the surprisingly few efforts to teach about health inequities and racism at the residency level are reviewed and discussed. With this background, the authors describe a recently developed psychiatry residency–level, racism-focused curriculum and propose broader training efforts that are needed. Finally, a more robust approach to teaching race equity than has been systematically implemented at either the undergraduate or residency level of medical education is proposed.
"Relaxed" natural kinds and psychiatric classification.

Abstract This paper starts out highlighting a particular criticism that psychiatry faces and continues by investigating approaches to classification in psychiatry that operate with a “relaxed” (non-essentialist) notion of natural kind. Two accounts are examined, one by Rachel Cooper (2005; 2013) and one based on the work of Richard Boyd (1991; 1999; 2003; 2010). While these accounts do not directly pursue such a goal, the main aim is to probe whether deploying a “relaxed” notion of natural kind would be able to neutralize the criticism. While the conclusion is in the negative, the analysis raises doubts that it is possible to completely neutralize this criticism without assuming an overly simplistic view of the causal structure of the world.
The effects of instructional cues on performance and mechanics during a gross motor movement

Abstract Externally focused instructions specific to performance have shown to improve body mechanics (Gokeler et al., 2015; Welling, Benjaminse, Gokeler, & Otten, 2016). However, the effect of using an external focus instruction may have been more profound if the content of the instruction had been relevant to mechanics. Therefore, the present study examined the effects of externally focused instructions specific to performance and externally focused instructions specific to body mechanics on mechanics and performance. Twenty-four adults (n = 12 males; n = 12 females) performed a series of drop jumps following external focus cues that were specific to performance and landing mechanics. Participants completed a drop jump followed by a maximal effort vertical jump. The initial contact, maximal angle, and range of motion at the knee in the sagittal and frontal plane motion were measured for mechanics and the height of the second vertical jump was measured for performance. The results suggest external focus instructions specific to performance are beneficial for performance, but not for improving landing mechanics. This suggests that external focus instructions must be specific to the contents of the instruction.
Acute Spinal Cord Infarction Presenting With Chest Pain and Neurogenic Shock: A Case Report.

Abstract Background Spinal cord infarction (SCI) is rare, accounting for approximately 1% of strokes. Case Report We present the case of a 63-year-old male who presented to the emergency department (ED) with chest pain and acute-onset generalized weakness and was ultimately diagnosed with SCI secondary to suspected occlusion of the artery of Adamkiewicz. Why Should an Emergency Physician Be Aware of This? SCI may present diagnostic challenges, with its predilection for mimicking other major emergency conditions, such as acute aortic dissection, aortic aneurysm rupture, spinal cord compressive myelopathy, or transverse myelitis. Its consequences are often significantly disabling initially, though patients may experience subsequent clinical improvement. It is important to include SCI in the differential for patients with chest or back pain coupled with neurologic symptoms.
Examining attitudes towards sexual violence and IPV prevention activities among fraternity members with official and unofficial houses.

OBJECTIVE This study explored differences in attitudes about sexual violence, knowledge of intimate partner violence (IPV) prevention resources, and participation in IPV prevention activities among young men based on their fraternity membership and house status (ie, official house versus unofficial house versus no house). Participants: 1,457 undergraduate men completed surveys in the 2017-2018 academic year. Fraternity members indicated whether their fraternity had an official, unofficial, or no house. Methods: The survey included measures of attitudes towards sexual violence, knowledge of IPV resources, and participation in IPV prevention activities. Results: Fraternity members with unofficial houses were more accepting of sexual violence than nonmembers, whereas fraternity members with official houses were exposed to more IPV prevention messages than nonmembers. Conclusions: Results highlight the importance of considering fraternity house status as a risk factor for sexual violence. Unofficial houses that are not regulated by the university may be particularly problematic for IPV.
Intermediate Sanctions in Corrections

The field of corrections comprises three distinct areas of study: institutional corrections (jails and prisons), community corrections (probation and parole), and intermediate sanctions (community service, boot camps, intensive supervision programs, home confinement and electronic monitoring, halfway houses, day reporting, fines, and restitution). Intermediate Sanctions in Corrections is the first non-edited book devoted completely to intermediate sanctions systems and their individual programs. It begins with an overview of the background and foundation of intermediate sanctions programs and then describes in clear detail each program and its effectiveness. Caputo supports every point with thorough and up-to-date research. Jon’a Meyer, an expert on this field, contributes a chapter on home confinement. Aimed at students, scholars, and policymakers, Intermediate Sanctions in Corrections will be used in the many undergraduate criminal justice courses devoted to corrections and intermediate sanctions.
CRT-100.60 The Efficacy and Safety of P2Y12 Inhibitors After a Short Course of Three Months or Less of Dual Antiplatelet Therapy in Patients Undergoing Percutaneous Coronary Intervention and Drug-Eluting Stent Placement: A Meta-Analysis

Following percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) and drug-eluting stent placement (DES), current guidelines recommend dual antiplatelet therapy (DAPT) for at least 12 months in acute coronary syndromes and 6 months in stable coronary artery disease. However, with the advent of newer-generation
“I Just Put My Head Down, But They Still Get on to Me”: Navigating Silence in an Alternative School in Alabama

In this paper, we position our work with alternative school students in Alabama as a Project in Humanization (Kinloch & San Pedro, 2014; 2017) to explore the transactional nature of silence at the school. Drawing on data generated over the course of one semester with students in an agriscience elective class, we construct alterna-narratives to examine the varying ways in which educators at the school expected and responded to student silence and voice, using silence as both a currency and a punishment that ranged from the false promise ofre-entry at the main high school to further exclusion from the setting. We juxtapose these transactions to students’ desires for their lives to illustrate how dehumanizing silence and its uses in schools can be.
The Impacts of Ocean Acidification on Marine Ecosystems and Reliant Human Communities

Rising atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) levels, from fossil fuel combustion and deforestation, along with agriculture and land-use practices are causing wholesale increases in seawater CO2 and inor...
Draft Genome Sequences of Idiomarina abyssalis Strain KJE, Marinobacter salarius Strain NP2017, and Marinobacter salarius Strain AT3901, Isolated from Deep-Sea Sediment near the Western Flank of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.

ABSTRACT We report the draft genomes of environmental cultures collected from shallow sediment from the western flank of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge. The isolates were most closely related to Idiomarina abyssalis strain KJE (100% complete), Marinobacter salarius strain NP2017 (97.6% complete), and Marinobacter salarius strain AT3901 (98.4% complete). Isolates identified as an Idiomarina species possess complete nitrite oxidation and reduction pathways, and isolates identified as a Marinobacter species possess complete dissimilatory nitrate reduction pathways.
Trajectories of Exclusionary Discipline: Risk Factors and Associated Outcomes

Research examining the school-to-prison pipeline alludes to the existence of trajectories of exclusionary discipline; however, disciplinary trajectories and their associated risk factors and outcom...
Current controversies and advances in the management of pancreatic adenocarcinoma

Pancreatic adenocarcinoma is a lethal disease with a mortality rate that has not significantly improved over decades. This is likely due to several challenges unique to pancreatic cancer. Most patients with pancreatic cancer are diagnosed at a late stage of disease due to the lack of specific symptoms prompting an early investigation. A small subset of patients who are diagnosed at an early stage have a better chance at survival with curative surgical resection, but most patients still succumb to the disease in a few years. The dismal overall prognosis is due to suspected micro-metastasis at an early stage. Due to this reason, there is a recent interest in treating all patients with pancreatic cancers with systemic therapy upfront (including the ones that are surgically resectable). This approach is still not the standard of care due to the lack of robust prospective data available. Recent advancements in treatment regimens of chemotherapy, radiation and immunotherapy have improved the overall short-term survival but the long-term survival still remains poor. Novel approaches in diagnosis and treatment have shown promise in clinical studies but long-term clinical data is lacking. The following manuscript presents an overview of the epidemiology, diagnosis, staging, recent advances, novel approaches and controversies in the management of pancreatic adenocarcinoma.
Effect of 1.5 mm biter-width meniscectomy on cadaveric knee pressure, peak pressure, force, and contact area

Abstract This study investigated the immediate biomechanical effects of a biter-width partial medial meniscectomy. Small tears on the free edge of the meniscus are occasionally discovered during arthroscopic knee procedures. Removal of these tears often requires no more width than that of a biter from the edge. While past cadaveric partial meniscectomy studies have reported on the effects of meniscectomies from resection of one-third to three-quarters of meniscal width, the biomechanical sequelae of substantially smaller meniscectomies remain unknown. This study was performed to determine how single-biter-width meniscectomies affect the pressure distribution and peak pressure on the tibial plateau, as these parameters are correlated with increased likelihood of development of osteoarthritis. Eight cadaveric knees were instrumented with a thin-film pressure sensor underneath the menisci while retaining the major ligaments and most of the capsule. Knees were loaded to 1000 N at angles of flexion of 0, 15, 30, and 45 in normal tibio-femoral angles and in 7° of varus. Pressure, peak pressure, force and contact area were recorded. Afterwards, biter-width meniscectomies were performed, and measures repeated. There were significant changes in contact area at most flexion and tibio-femoral angles. There were no changes in the amount of force that was transmitted through the medial compartment. The overall pressure on the tibial plateau did not change in most knee conditions and peak pressure did not change significantly in any condition. The changes in contact area were consistent with our expectations. Similarly, the lack of change in force was also expected. However, the lack of significant changes in pressure and peak pressure represent findings indicating that a biter sized meniscectomy may have clinically insignificant effects on biomechanics.