cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Estrogen-induced differentiation of the oviductal epithelium in prepubertal dogs.

24 prepubertal 6-8 week old Beagle dogs were injected intramuscularly every other day either with 150 mcg/kg estradiol-beta valerate (14) or progesterone respositol (5) or used as controls (5) to determine what effect estrogen and progesterone had on cytodifferentiation. Light and electron micrographs of the oviductal epithelium of the ampullae of the controls and hormone-treated dogs were studied. The epithelial cells in the controls were uniformly low cuboidal with a high nucleocytoplasmic ratio. After 36 hours of estradiol treatment there was nuclear and nucleolar hypertrophy; an increase in the numbers of cytoplasmic polyribosomes and numerous mitotic figues were apparent. Ciliogenesis began and 2 cell types were distinguishable after 3 days of estradiol treatment. Basal bodies in various stages of formation were randomly distributed throughout the apex of many cells. In others more mature basal bodies were aligned at the apical border or cilia were evident. 6 days of estradiol resulted in complete ciliation of approximately 60% of all epithelial cells. The remaining cells possessed abundant cisternae of rough endoplasmic reticulum (RER) and appeared to be differentiating into mucus-secreting cells. After 10 days these cells possessed a large Golgi apparatus large dilated cisternae of RER and abundant periodic-acid-Schiff positive granules at their apex. Progesterone treatment alone produced no hypertrophy of the oviductal epithelium. In fact cytomorphometric measurements indicate that progesterone had an opposite effect causing atrophy (p less than.05) and increasing the nucleocytoplasmic ratio. It is concluded that estrogen alone was capable of producing complete cytodifferentiation in the oviduct of the prepubertal dog.(AUTHORS MODIFIED)
Creative, Rare, Entitled, and Dishonest: How Commonality of Creativity in One’s Group Decreases an Individual’s Entitlement and Dishonesty

We examine when and why creative role identity causes entitlement and unethical behaviors, and how this relationship might be reduced. We found that the relationships among creative identity, entit...
Stretch‐Induced Drug Delivery from Superhydrophobic Polymer Composites: Use of Crack Propagation Failure Modes for Controlling Release Rates

The concept of using crack propagation in polymeric materials to control drug release and its first demonstration are reported. The composite drug delivery system consists of highly-textured superhydrophobic electrosprayed microparticle coatings, composed of biodegradable and biocompatible polymers poly(caprolactone) and poly(glycerol monostearate carbonate-co-caprolactone), and a cellulose/polyester core. The release of entrapped agents is controlled by the magnitude of applied strain, resulting in a graded response from water infiltration through the propagating patterned cracks in the coating. Strain-dependent delivery of the anticancer agents cisplatin and 7-ethyl-10-hydroxycamptothecin to esophageal cancer cells (OE33) in vitro is observed. Finally the device is integrated with an esophageal stent to demonstrate delivery of fluorescein diacetate, using applied tension, to an ex vivo esophagus.
Supervised Clustering

Despite the ubiquity of clustering as a tool in unsupervised learning, there is not yet a consensus on a formal theory, and the vast majority of work in this direction has focused on unsupervised clustering. We study a recently proposed framework for supervised clustering where there is access to a teacher. We give an improved generic algorithm to cluster any concept class in that model. Our algorithm is query-efficient in the sense that it involves only a small amount of interaction with the teacher. We also present and study two natural generalizations of the model. The model assumes that the teacher response to the algorithm is perfect. We eliminate this limitation by proposing a noisy model and give an algorithm for clustering the class of intervals in this noisy model. We also propose a dynamic model where the teacher sees a random subset of the points. Finally, for datasets satisfying a spectrum of weak to strong properties, we give query bounds, and show that a class of clustering functions containing Single-Linkage will find the target clustering under the strongest property.
Adherence to the Mediterranean diet in a Lebanese sample

Purpose – The relationship between adherence to a Mediterranean diet and reduced mortality or a lower incidence of major chronic diseases has been widely studied. The purpose of this study was to assess the adherence of a Lebanese adult sample to the Mediterranean diet. Design/methodology/approach – This cross-sectional dietary survey involved a Lebanese population sample aged 19 to 70 years. A total of 615 men and women were asked to fill a diet history questionnaire (144 items), assisted by trained nutrition research assistants. Data were analyzed and compared to the Mediterranean diet recommendations, and the Mediterranean diet score, a ten-point scale based on above and below median levels of consumption, was estimated. Findings – There was no significant difference in terms of adherence between men and women participants below the age of 30 years, while women over 30 years had a poorer score than men within this age group. The surveyed sample was found to have a 4.2 Mediterranean diet score and, thus...
2R regeneration of 12 WDM channels with 100-GHz spacing in a group-delay-managed nonlinear medium

We demonstrate simultaneous regeneration of 12×10 Gb/s WDM channels in a group-delay-managed Mamyshev 2R regenerator. For signals degraded by broadband noise, eye opening improvements of 3 dB or higher are observed for all 12 channels.
A Study on the Network Analysis of Cultivated Land Requisition-Compensation Balance Policy in China

Based on the perspective of policy network,this paper makes a case study of China's Farmland Protection Policy. In view of the association of network structure,actors and their interactions,this paper analyzes the limitations and roots of the farmland protection policy,which are the improper administrative power due to the policy implementation deviation,the ignorance of the public rights,and the policy implementation's failure to form a network together,etc. Through policy network perspective,that is,the various actors take public policy as a rule to exchange resources and adjust interests to form their various types of relationships,such as co-operation,competition,assistance or confrontation,to promote policy network operation,and ultimately to influence policy results and direction. Finally,this paper draws the corresponding theoretical conclusions as well as puts forward the policy suggestions.
Salmonella Virchow Testicular Abscess

During the summer of 1977 an epidemic of salmonellosis traced to precooked, prepackaged roast beef occurred in the Northeastern United States. A case is reported of a testicular abscess, a rare manifestation of salmonellosis, in an adolescent boy who had a recent history of ingesting such roast beef. The type of Salmonella recovered from the patient was the same as a type in the epidemic.
Emerging Issues and Trends in Formal Methods in Cryptographic Protocol Analysis: Twelve Years Later

In 2003 I published a paper “Formal Methods in Cryptographic Protocol Analysis: Emerging Issues and Trends”, in which I identified the various open problems related to applying formal methods to the analysis of cryptographic protocols as we saw them then, and discussed the state of the art and the problems that still needed to be solved. Twelve years later, it is time for a an update and a reassessment. In this paper I revisit the open problems that I addressed in the original paper, discussing the progress that has been made in the intervening years, and the problems that still remain to be solved. I also discuss some new open problems that have arisen since then.
Neonatal intensive care unit renovation. The New York Hospital--Cornell Medical Center 1975-1976.

The special challenge of modifying an existing facility is discussed and the unique design of this intensive care unit is described.
Unusual renovascular disorders.

Abstract Apart from the usually seen diseases of the renal artery, there exists a group of disorders that occur less frequently and rarely show up as a primary disease process. Arteriovenous malformations and renal artery aneurysms are examples of these conditions. Thrombosis of the renal artery and vein are two other relatively uncommon conditions that may show no pathognomonic clinical features. This article reviews the clinical features of these rare disorders and presents diagnosis and management.
Using Grooved Surfaces to Improve the Efficiency of Air Injection Drag Reduction Methods in Hydrodynamic Flows

A summary of experiments using grooved surfaces to trap and hold (via surface tension forces) an injected airsteam in a low-speed (1.25 to 5m/s) water flow is presented. The purpose of creating a low-volume near-wall air sheet is to possibly enhance the efficiency of current air injection drag reduction methods in terms of unit gas volume per % drag reduction. Flow visualization and preliminary quantitative data are included for a laminar channel flow, a disturbed laminar channel flow, and a flat plate turbulent boundary-layer flow.
The Reinvention of Mexico: Conclusion: The Fate of Mexican National Ideology

Examining the interaction between nationalist ideas and economic liberalism in Mexico allows us to consider the fate of national ideology in a period during which accelerated market reform eroded the social basis of the dominant source of legitimation in political culture, revolutionary nationalism. This book has approached such an objective empirically from within the principal theoretical debate in the study of nationalism: concerning its relationship with modernity. Mexico during the Salinas period offers a unique opportunity to examine the interaction between nationalist ideas and liberalism, the political philosophy that champions that paramount phenomenon of modernity – capitalism. An examination of the impact upon nationalist ideas of reforms justified in terms of economic liberalism can, in turn, shed light on the future of the national idea under the impact of modernizing forces. The relationship between nationalism and modernity has been explored by demonstrating how national ideology was reformed alongside the state in the Salinas period. To do this it has been necessary to identify, document and then explain changes in ideas that had a bearing upon nationalism in relation to the broader transformation of political economy. When examined, the evidence speaks volumes about how national ideology remained of functional value as a legitimizing discourse to political elites pursuing reform of the state in order to ensure capitalist reproduction. The first section of this book demonstrated that nationalism formed part of the Salinas government's attempt to rebuild state legitimacy.
Weighted mixture of models for on-line learning

This paper proposes a weighted mixture of locally generalizing models in an attempt to resolve the trade-off between model mismatch and measurement noise given a sparse set of training samples so that the conditional mean estimation performance of the desired response can be made adequate over the input region of interest. In this architecture, each expert model has its corresponding variance model for estimating the expert’s modeling performance. Parameters associated with individual expert models are adapted in the usual least-mean-square sense, weighted by its variance model output. Whereas the variance models are adapted in such a way that expert models of higher-resolution (or greater modeling capability) are discouraged to contribute, except when the local modeling performance becomes inadequate.
Examining The Managerial Context of Fairness Promotion

This paper explores the managerial context surrounding fairness promotion using a multi-method examination that employs interviews and a survey of practicing managers. The results of these examinat...
Improving Palivizumab Compliance rough a Pharmacist-Managed RSV Prevention Clinic.

OBJECTIVES Palivizumab is a monoclonal antibody approved for the prevention of serious lower respiratory tract infections caused by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in high-risk pediatric patients. While palivizumab is more effective if used correctly, compliance with the monthly dosing is suboptimal. We established a pharmacist-managed RSV prevention clinic in an effort to improve compliance. The primary objective of this study was to determine the impact of a pharmacist-managed RSV prevention clinic on palivizumab compliance. METHODS A chart review was performed. Patients who received palivizumab between September 2009 and April 2012 were identified. Compliance was determined as the number of patients who received eligible doses at 28- to 30-day intervals, consecutively. RESULTS One hundred seventy-two patients received at least 1 dose of palivizumab. An average of 92% of patients who received at least 1 dose subsequently received all doses of palivizumab during the RSV season. Of those, 88% received a...
Online Technical Education in Advanced Technical Education Funded Programs: (Abstract Only)

With an expanding need for a diverse STEM workforce, community colleges play an instrumental role in filling the need with qualified technicians. This research project will identify and synthesize the experiences of developing and implementing online course components in technical education programs, including information technology and cybersecurity, with an emphasis on projects supported by the National Science Foundation's Advanced Technological Education program (ATE). This study presents findings from a multiple case study of seventeen community colleges programs. The research questions guiding this study include 1) how online education is being used in technical courses and programs and 2) how challenges and benefits are perceived from implementing online education. Two participants from each project (PI and Faculty) were interviewed and program artifacts were collected. The interviews were thematically coded and data were analyzed to determine how hands-on work occurs in online technical courses including key challenges and benefits. The findings include descriptions of synchronous vs asynchronous models, use of didactic and lab based curriculum, fidelity of experience and teaching strategies. Benefits and challenges experienced by both faculty and students are discussed. Findings from this study contribute knowledge about how colleges are implementing online technical education including broader changes that occur concerning structure and philosophy. This project is important to the CSforALL initiative in that it evaluates online implementations of Cybersecurity and Information Technology programs and it provides an insight into best practices for implementing online, hybrid and flipped classroom models.
Risk of myocardial infarction with use of selected non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in patients with spondyloarthritis and osteoarthritis.

Objectives Spondyloarthritis (SpA) is associated with an increased risk of myocardial infarction (MI) due to underlying inflammation and possibly due to medications such as certain non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs). We sought to describe MI risk among patients with SpA who were prescribed NSAIDs, and to compare the pattern of risk in SpA with that in osteoarthritis (OA). Methods Nested case-control studies were performed using The Health Improvement Network (THIN). Underlying cohorts included adults with incident SpA or OA who had >1 NSAID prescription and no history of MI. Within each cohort, we matched each MI case to four controls without MI. NSAID use was categorised as: (a) current (prescription date 0–180 days prior to index date), (b) recent (181–365 days) or (c) remote (>365 days). We performed conditional logistic regression to compare the odds of current or recent NSAID use relative to remote use of any NSAID, considering diclofenac and naproxen specifically. Results Within the SpA cohort of 8140 and the OA cohort of 244 339, there were 115 and 6287 MI cases, respectively. After adjustment, current diclofenac use in SpA was associated with an OR of 3.32 (95% CI 1.57 to 7.03) for MI. Naproxen was not associated with any increase (adjusted OR 1.19, 95% CI 0.53 to 2.68). A ratio of ORs for SpA/diclofenac relative to OA/diclofenac was 2.64 (95% CI 1.24 to 5.58). Conclusions MI risk in SpA is increased among current users of diclofenac, but not naproxen. The MI risk with diclofenac in SpA appears to differ from that in OA.
Predictors of Treatment Referral after AUDIT-C Screening for Heavy Drinking.

Objectives The Veterans Health Administration has implemented annual screening for heavy drinking during primary care encounters using the 3-item Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test - Consumption (AUDIT-C) questionnaire and made specialized services available to patients with alcohol use disorders (AUDs). We sought to identify the factors that influence whether a patient who has an elevated AUDIT-C score receives appropriate care in the context of an integrated mental health services program. We focused on higher AUDIT-C scores, as these are seen in individuals who are most likely to have a moderate-to-severe AUD and more severe alcohol-related consequences. Methods Utilizing electronic health record data, we conducted a four-year retrospective study of veterans at high-risk for an AUD, based upon an AUDIT-C score >=8 recorded during a primary care encounter at a Veterans Affairs Medical Center and its community-based outpatient clinics. Results In multivariate analysis, the predictors of treatment referral were younger age, being non-white, higher AUDIT-C score, and main campus location. Among patients referred for treatment, younger age and being white were associated with an increased likelihood of completing a pre-treatment assessment. Conclusions Efforts to increase the consistency of treatment referrals, according to established clinical guidelines, could enhance the effectiveness of AUDIT-C screening during primary care visits. Subgroups of patients who may benefit from such efforts include individuals with high-risk but sub-maximal AUDIT-C scores, older patients, and patients who are seen at community-based outpatient clinics.
Curie Temperatures of the ICTA Certified Reference Materials

The thermogravimetry reference materials certified by the International Confederation for Thermal Analysis (and distributed by the U.S. National Bureau of Standards as GM-761)[1] provide an indication of the temperature at the sample position in a thermobalance through an apparent weight change as ferromagnetism disappears. The goal at the time of certification was to provide reference points for intercomparison of data. The certification, then, provided assurance that the reference materials were homogeneous within the entire lot, tabular information concerning the values obtained by the several participants in the test program, and a discussion of the reasons for the differences. There was no attempt to establish the Curie temperature from these data. Indeed, the diversity of reported temperatures would render such a value suspect.
Field Method in Four Cajun Communities in Louisiana

Cajun French (CF), the speech variety of a community struggling against severe linguistic alienation, is still spoken in Louisiana, though there are only a few elderly monolingual Cajun speakers remaining. Exactly where CF is spoken, how widespread its use, and in what situations and how frequently it is used, however, are the domain of anecdote and speculation. No systematic empirical study involving a meaningful number of speakers has been previously undertaken on the use and the structure of spoken CF. The claims that have been made about the disappearance and survival of CF and the Cajun communities can be little more than guesswork and generalization based on researchers’ intuitions and experiences with a few speakers from one or two communities rather than on solid empirical tendencies. Even estimating the number of CF speakers is an uncertain enterprise. The 1990 census furnished information on the language use of Franco-Americans, but this information is of little use because the formulation of the question permitted respondents who have only limited or theoretical knowledge of French, and who do not actually use it, to consider themselves French-speakers.
Looking Back, Moving Forward: Latin Roots of the Modern Global and Global Orientation of LatCrit

A survey of historical and contemporary intersections of global and local forces brings into sharp relief critical questions of subordination and transformation with which all social and political formations struggling for global justice must contend. Most, if not all, these questions issue from the genesis and subsequent instantiations of the modern global. The modern global was triggered by the “discovery” of the “New World,” and was first forged into an enduring cast on the anvil of colonization of the Americas. Recognizing the Latin roots of the modern global underscores the foundational braiding of colonialism with discursive and material structures of power and subordination spawned over the last 500 years. An urgent challenge for outsider jurisprudence is to bring into sharp relief how this foundation continues to animate the law both in its local and global iterations. Training on Latin roots of the global modern and centrality of the colonial question also helps explore histories and futures of resistance and transformation — the possibilities of global justice. It underscores the historical task of moving beyond the colonial and post-colonial and to conceptualize and actualize the un-colonial. The challenge for outsider jurisprudence is to remain cognizant of this canvas of the global and this historical task as it charts points and modes of emancipatory interventions.
Self and Space

Identity and territory are inseparably linked. Indeed, in a topologist’s puzzle, they can be said to underlie each other. We are where we came from, recently or originally, and we were there in the first place because of who we are. Who and where we are in turn determine our place in the world, and our ability to maintain or to challenge that place. Space and self are thus the basic ingredients of international (and many other) relations, with ideological relations providing the fourth dimension to the standard three geographic dimensions, both types of relations subsuming the time dimension through which they derive and project their meaning.
Passive Vibration Isolation and Absorber System for Earth Imaging from the International Space Station (ISS)

Vibration onboard the International Space Station (ISS) vary widely from low to high frequency excitation with variable amplitudes depending on the current configuration and activities onboard. Many payloads which operate onboard the space station require an effective vibration isolation and/or absorber system to attenuate the amount of vibration present. The International Space Station Agricultural Camera (ISSAC™), a multi-spectral imaging payload onboard the space station, has a vibration amplitude limiting system which uses both vibration isolation and absorber system components to attenuate the vibration over wide range of excitation frequencies. Viscoelastic structural elements that act as both a spring and a damper in a single structural element are implemented in the design. The transmissibility and the ground jitter associated with the system are determined with the effect of cable stiffness and routing included in the analysis while determining the overall transmissibility. Complete analytical and numerical analyses are presented illustrating the overall effectiveness of the system. Detailed stress analysis and vibration testing results were used to verify the system meets the robust requirements of the launch loads and on-orbit environment conditions are also presented.
Biphasic Effect of Taurine on Excitatory Amino Acid-Induced Neurotoxicity

In the past, the biological role of taurine as an end product of methionine metabolism and conjugation with bile acids in the liver was considered relatively trivial. However, the physiological role of taurine has received considerable attention since the report by Hayes et al. 7 and Pion et al. 21 that cats fed a taurine-deficient diet developed a central retinal degeneration and a cardiomyopathy. Now, taurine has been proposed to be involved in many important physiological fonctions such as serving as a trophic factor in the development of the CNS (at least in some species)19, 23, 24, maintaining the structural integrity of the membrane17, 20, regulating Ca2+ binding and transport12, 16, and serving as an osmoregulator22, 27, a neuromodulator11 and neurotransmitter14, 15, 18, 25. It is well accepted now that taurine plays an important role in maintaining the integrity of retina and the viability of photoreceptor cells, since absence of dietary taurine in the cat leads to a decrease in taurine concentration in the retina, followed by defects in the electroretinogram, degeneration of the photoreceptors and eventual blindness7, 23.
Risk and Outcome of Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma Among Hodgkin Lymphoma Survivors: Analysis From the Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) Registry.

Abstract 2639 Background: A variety of secondary malignancies have been observed among patients treated for Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) including non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHL). Data on risk of developing NHL after therapy for HL is limited. The management of patients with secondary (after HL) NHL ( s NHL) may be challenging due to the cumulated toxicity from HL treatment. The outcome of patients with s NHL relative to their de novo counterparts ( dn NHL) is unknown. Methods: We used data from the National Cancer Institute9s Surveillance Epidemiology and End Results (SEER-18) to determine the incidence and long term overall survival (OS) of patients with secondary NHL (sNHL) after HL therapy. Inclusion criterion was diagnosis of HL in the period of 1992–2009 as first malignant neoplasm. To avoid inclusion of patients with concomitant HL and NHL diagnosis, cases with the two distinct histologies reported up to 3 months apart as well as patients with HL and less than 3 months of follow up were excluded from the analysis. Follow up was updated up to the end of 2009 (November 2011 submission). Cumulative incidence of sNHL among HL survivors was calculated using a competing risk model, treating death from any cause in absence of sNHL as the competing risk. In order to compare outcomes of sNHL with dnNHL, we matched dnNHL to sNHL cases in a 2:1 ratio based on the following parameters in decreasing priority: histological subtype, stage, calendar year of diagnosis, age, race, gender, and SEER registry. A Cox proportional hazard model with normal frailty was used to compare OS of sNHL cases to the dnNHL cases. Results: A total of 26,826 HL cases were included in the analysis with median follow up of 62 months (range 3–215). Median age of patients was 34 years (range 2–99), 8324 (31.0%) had advanced stage, 14619 (54.5%) had limited stage and stage was unknown for 3883 (14.5%) patients. The cumulative incidence of sNHL was 0.41% (95% C.I. 0.32–0.50), 1.34% (95% C.I. 1.41–1.55) and 2.50% (95% C.I. 2.10–2.89) 5 years, 10 years and 15 years after the diagnosis of HL respectively. Incidence of sNHL was closely linked to age at diagnosis of HL. Cumulative incidence at 15 years post HL diagnosis was 0.67% (95% C.I. 0.04–1.29) for age Conclusion: The risk of developing sNHL after therapy for HL is substantial, particularly among older patients. The OS for patients with indolent B-cell sNHL is inferior to their matched dnNHL counterpart. Such difference in outcome could not be verified for aggressive B-cell and T-cell sNHL Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Validación de un método heurístico de optimización basado en un sistema de infección por virus

In optimization problems, different algorithms can be used to find the right solution. But when it comes to problems of medium and high complexity, such as difficult NPs, techniques known as Genetic Algorithms (GA) have a hard time converging or coming up with a solution. This article presents the implementation of a Virus System (VS, for its acronym in English Virus System), which is developed with a new approach to solve optimization problems simulating the way an organism is attacked by a virus. The VS analogy is applied to two types of problems, Onemax, of different bit lengths and deceptive functions (Deceptive Functions) with the aim of checking their operation and their convergence power. This method is compared to a GA inspired by the growth of marine corals. The VS has managed to achieve high precision results, with 100% convergence in both problems and with considerable improvements compared to those obtained with the GA.
Effect of Caffeine on the Hemostatic Response to Firefighting Drills

Background: Because cardiac events are a major cause of in-line deaths in firefighters and caffeine use is common in this population, we sought to examine the effects of caffeine on the hemostatic ...
Table Quizzes as an Assessment Tool in the Gross Anatomy Laboratory.

Using cadaveric instruction in a graduate-level anatomy course is an expensive and time-consuming undertaking. While this is a worthwhile endeavor, most first-year medical students and students in ...
Does day of surgery affect length of stay and hospital charges following lumbar decompression

Study Design:This is a retrospective cohort study.Introduction:Spine procedures are the most expensive surgical interventions on a per-case basis. Previously, orthopedic procedures occurring later ...
Target-specific yield rate and clinical utility of percutaneous tissue sampling in spinal infection.

Abstract Background Percutaneous tissue sampling in spondylodiscitis is frequently performed but with highly variable yield in literature and unclear clinical impact. Factors that influence the culture success rate are not well established. Objective To determine target specific yield and clinical impact of percutaneous biopsy in clinically and imaging diagnosed spinal infection and factors that may influence the yield rate. Methods Institutional review board approved single center retrospective chart review from 2015 to 2019 analyzing imaging findings, clinical notes, procedural reports, and laboratory results on cases of concurrent imaging and clinically diagnosed spondylodiscitis that underwent percutaneous tissue sampling. Results A total of 111 patients and 189 specimens were analyzed. The overall culture yield in spondylodiscitis was approximately 27%, 9% affecting management. Abscess/fluid and septic arthritis aspirations had higher yield rates compared to soft tissue/phlegmon aspirations. Core sampling of the bone and disc yielded positive culture 12% of the time, 2% resulted in change in management. Upper thoracic spine biopsies were more frequently positive and associated with change in management. Positive culture elsewhere in the body represented the major reason underlying lack of clinical impact. Lack of prior antibiotic treatment and diabetes mellitus demonstrated a trend toward higher culture positivity, although a larger sample size is needed to confirm these findings. No repeat biopsy yielded positive culture. Staphylococcus spp. accounted for approximately half of the microorganisms cultured. In positive biopsies where infection was also found elsewhere in the body, the organism was nearly always congruent (96%).
Learning by Doing: Design and Evaluation of a Quality Improvement Curriculum for Pediatric Hospitalists.

Quality improvement (QI) is a core competency for Pediatric Hospital Medicine (PHM) and required for maintenance of certification, but many hospitalists lack QI training. This project set out to increase a PHM faculty's QI knowledge and comfort participating in QI projects, while concurrently applying the skills learned to a QI project in the hospital. Methods We designed a 4-session curriculum utilizing principles of adult learning. Faculty immediately applied learned concepts to a QI project to increase the percentage of patients who were seen by an attending and billed for on the same day as admission to the PHM service. Attitudinal data and scores on the validated Quality Improvement Knowledge Application Tool- Revised knowledge assessment were compared precurriculum and postcurriculum. A manifest content analysis was carried out for qualitative questions. Results Twenty faculty (83%) completed the preassessment; 15 (63%) completed the postassessment. Respondents showed statistically significant improvements in their perceived ability to participate in QI projects and their Quality Improvement Knowledge Application Tool- Revised scores. The group completed a QI project that increased revenue for the division. Faculty appreciated that the curriculum was applied to a real QI project and felt they would use the new skills in their daily practice. Discussion This curricular model based on adult learning theory, with immediate application to a real QI project, conclusively showed attitudinal, knowledge-based, and hospital system-level improvements, and was well received by faculty.
Stress in client-owned dogs related to clinical exam location: a randomised crossover trial.

OBJECTIVES To quantify the effects of wellness examinations conducted in the common treatment area on fear, anxiety and stress indicators in client-owned dogs. MATERIALS AND METHODS The study was a prospective, non-blinded, randomised, two-period two-treatment crossover trial. Client-owned healthy adult dogs presenting for wellness or dental evaluations at a single veterinary teaching hospital received three consecutive rapid assessment exams; a baseline exam (owner present), followed by two identical physical exams differing in location and presented in random order (isolated exam room with owner present versus common treatment area, owner absent). Primary endpoints were a cumulative fear, anxiety and stress score for five standardised behaviours and heart rate (bpm) measured for each exam. RESULTS Forty-four dogs were enrolled. Modal fear, anxiety and stress score at baseline was 1 of 5, indicating none to mild stress. Both fear, anxiety and stress and heart rates measured in the common treatment area were clinically elevated relative to assessments conducted in the exam room. Relative to baseline, animals examined in the common treatment area showed increased fear, anxiety and stress (+2.6 units, se 0.5; P<0.0001) and heart rate (20 bpm, 95% confidence interval 13, 28; P<0.0001. Twenty-eight dogs (64%) exhibited fear, anxiety and stress scores ≥3 of 5 (moderate to severe stress) in the common treatment area, compared to 19 (43%) during exam room assessments. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE Stress assessments in this study may have been biased by inability to blind assessors to location. However, stress metrics showed clinically significant, consistent and directionally symmetrical increases when dogs were examined in the common treatment area. When physical exam locations are highly stimulating, dogs may experience increased stress and anxiety, with detrimental effects on clinical assessments and behavioural welfare. Whenever possible, physical exams and procedures should take place in low-stress environments with the owner present.
Bilateral internal hemipelvectomy for osteosarcoma in a pediatric patient previously treated for rhabdomyosarcoma

The surgical treatment of malignant bone tumors involving the pelvis represents a great challenge in terms of local control. Internal hemipelvectomy is a major surgical procedure that involves the resection of the entire hemipelvis or of a portion of the hemipelvis with preservation of the ipsilateral extremity. The need for a bilateral internal hemipelvectomy is an extraordinary situation. We describe the case of an 11-year-old girl with a primary diagnosis of rhabdomyosarcoma of the bladder at the age of two years who subsequently developed a right pelvis osteosarcoma at the age of six years and a left pelvis osteosarcoma at the age of nine years. She ultimately underwent sequential bilateral internal hemipelvectomies and she postoperatively ambulates without an assist device.
Alternative pathways utilize or circumvent putrescine for biosynthesis of putrescine-containing rhizoferrin

The siderophore rhizoferrin (N1,N4-dicitrylputrescine) is produced in fungi and bacteria to scavenge iron. Putrescine-producing bacterium Ralstonia pickettii synthesizes rhizoferrin and encodes a single nonribosomal peptide synthetase-independent siderophore (NIS) synthetase. From biosynthetic logic, we hypothesized that this single enzyme is sufficient for rhizoferrin biosynthesis. We confirmed this by expression of R. pickettii NIS synthetase in Escherichia coli, resulting in rhizoferrin production. This was further confirmed in vitro using the recombinant NIS synthetase, synthesizing rhizoferrin from putrescine and citrate. Heterologous expression of homologous lbtA from Legionella pneumophila, required for rhizoferrin biosynthesis in that species, produced siderophore activity in E. coli. Rhizoferrin is also synthesized by Francisella tularensis and Francisella novicida, but unlike R. pickettii or L. pneumophila, Francisella species lack putrescine biosynthetic pathways because of genomic decay. Francisella encodes a NIS synthetase FslA/FigA and an ornithine decarboxylase homolog FslC/FigC, required for rhizoferrin biosynthesis. Ornithine decarboxylase produces putrescine from ornithine, but we show here in vitro that FigA synthesizes N-citrylornithine, and FigC is an N-citrylornithine decarboxylase that together synthesize rhizoferrin without using putrescine. We co-expressed F. novicida figA and figC in E. coli and produced rhizoferrin. A 2.1 A X-ray crystal structure of the FigC N-citrylornithine decarboxylase reveals how the larger substrate is accommodated and how active site residues have changed to recognize N-citrylornithine. FigC belongs to a new subfamily of alanine racemase-fold PLP-dependent decarboxylases that are not involved in polyamine biosynthesis. These data reveal a natural product biosynthetic workaround that evolved to bypass a missing precursor and re-establish it in the final structure.
A Partially Coherent Approach for Modeling Polar Ice Sheet 0.5–2-GHz Thermal Emission

The Ultra-Wideband Software Defined Microwave Radiometer (UWBRAD) is a wideband radiometer operating from 0.5 to 2 GHz for remote sensing of polar ice sheet temperature profiles. Small-scale (cm to m) fluctuations in firn density in the upper portion of the ice sheet significantly impact observed brightness temperatures. Previously, a fully coherent model based on solving Maxwell’s equations for thousands of layers throughout the entire ice sheet was developed. Density profiles in the model are described as the sum of a smooth average density profile with a spatially correlated random process that represents density fluctuations. In this article, we develop a “partially coherent” implementation of the coherent model that captures the impact of variations in ice density on predicted brightness temperatures while improving computational efficiency. The partially coherent model divides the ice sheet into blocks. Within each block, the coherent model is applied to take into account coherence among the contributions of closely spaced layers. A Monte Carlo procedure is used to calculate the average block reflection and transmission parameters. Between adjacent blocks, interactions are assumed to be incoherent, and the radiative transfer theory is used to incoherently cascade block parameters. Results of the partially coherent model are in good agreement with the fully coherent model and also with Soil Moisture Ocean Salinity (SMOS) and UWBRAD brightness temperature observations.
Mechanism for differential recruitment of orbitostriatal transmission during actions and outcomes following chronic alcohol exposure

Psychiatric disease often produces symptoms that have divergent effects on neural activity. For example, in drug dependence, dysfunctional value-based decision-making and compulsive-like actions have been linked to hypo- and hyperactivity of orbital frontal cortex (OFC)-basal ganglia circuits, respectively; however, the underlying mechanisms are unknown. Here we show that alcohol-exposed mice have enhanced activity in OFC terminals in dorsal striatum (OFC-DS) associated with actions, but reduced activity of the same terminals during periods of outcome retrieval, corresponding with a loss of outcome control over decision-making. Disrupted OFC-DS terminal activity was due to a dysfunction of dopamine-type 1 receptors on spiny projection neurons (D1R SPNs) that resulted in increased retrograde endocannabinoid signaling at OFC-D1R SPN synapses reducing OFC-DS transmission. Blocking CB1 receptors restored OFC-DS activity in vivo and rescued outcome-based control over decision-making. These findings demonstrate a circuit-, synapse-, and computation-specific mechanism gating OFC activity in alcohol-exposed mice.
Developing an In-Application Shared View Metric to Capture Collaborative Learning in a Multi-Platform Astronomy Simulation

There has been recent interest in the design of collaborative learning activities that are distributed across multiple technology devices for students to engage in scientific inquiry. Emerging research has begun to investigate students’ collaborative behaviors across different device types and students’ shared attention by tracking eye gaze, body posture, and their interactions with the digital environment. Using a 3D astronomy simulation that leverages a VR headset and tablet computers, this paper builds on the ideas described in eye-gaze studies by developing and implementing a metric of shared viewing across multiple devices. Preliminary findings suggest that a higher level of shared view could be related to increased conceptual discussion, as well as point to an early-stage pattern of behavior of decreased SV to prompt facilitator intervention to refocus collaborative efforts. We hope this metric will be a promising first step in further understanding and assessing the quality of collaboration across multiple device platforms in a single shared space. This paper provides an in depth look at a highly exploratory stage of a broader research trajectory to establish a robust, effective way to track screen views, including providing resources to teachers when students engage in similar learning environments, and providing insight from log data to understand how students effectively collaborate.
False Data Injection Impact Analysis In AI-Based Smart Grid

As the traditional grids are transitioning to the smart grid, they are getting more prone to cyber-attacks. Among all the cyber-attack one of the most dangerous attack is false data injection attack. When this attack is performed with historical information of the data packet the attack goes undetected. As the false data is included for training and testing the model, the accuracy is decreased, and decision making is affected. In this paper we analyzed the impact of the false data injection attack(FDIA) on AI based smart grid. These analyses were performed using two different multi-layer perceptron architectures with one of the independent variables being compared and modified by the attacker. The root-mean squared values were compared with different models.
Prisoners and Paupers: The Impact of Group Threat on Incarceration in Nineteenth Century American Cities

This article uses data on prisoners incarcerated for misdemeanors in late-nineteenth-century U.S. cities to assess a three-part argument that asserts that threats to white dominance prompted efforts of social control directed against African Americans and foreign-born whites: (1) For African Americans, competition with whites for jobs instigated efforts by whites to enforce the racial barrier. (2) For the foreign-born, upward mobility became associated with white identity, which allowed those who “became white” to be seen as less threatening. We thus expect the threat from foreign-born whites to be highest where their concentration in poverty was greatest. (3) We suggest that violence against a given boundary raises the salience of group threat, so a positive relationship should exist between prior violence against a group and its level of incarceration for misdemeanors. Using panel analyses of cities from 1890 through 1910, we find supporting evidence for the first two arguments and partial support for the third.
Heterogeneities in Biological Tissues Limit the Precision of Macroscale Mechanical Tests

Biological tissues are structurally heterogenous mosaics at cellular and sub-cellular length scales. Some tissues, like the outermost layer of human skin, or stratum corneum (SC), also exhibit a rich topography at larger mesoscopic length scales. Although this is well understood, modern studies continue to characterize the mechanical properties of biological tissues, including the SC, using macroscale techniques that assume these materials are homogenous in structure, thickness, and composition. Macroscale failure testing of biological tissues is commonly associated with large sample to sample variability. We anticipate that microscale heterogeneities play an important role in defining the global mechanical response of tissues. To evaluate the validity of the prevailing paradigm that macroscopic testing techniques can provide meaningful information about failure in soft heterogenous tissues, the macroscale work of fracture in isolated human SC samples is measured using conventional macroscale testing techniques and compared with the energy cost of creating new crack interfaces at the microscale, measured using a modified traction force microscopy technique. Results show that measured micro- and macroscale energy costs per unit crack length are highly consistent. However, microscale crack propagation is found to be guided by topographical features in the tissue. This correlation reveals that macroscale mechanical sample to sample variability is primarily caused by notable differences in crack propagation pathways.
Technical Perspective: Fair Near Neighbor Search via Sampling

One of the most important functionalities of a database system is to answer queries. We are interested in the following question: If there exists more than one answer to the given query, which one should the database report? There are two apparent choices: to return all the valid answers or to return one of them. The problem with the former choice is that it is often time-prohibitive to search for all valid answers. In the latter choice, fairness may become an issue, since the index built for fast search may introduce bias to the query result. For example, the index may favor a certain portion of the input data (e.g., nodes near the root of a tree index) and with a higher chance, output an answer related to that portion than other portions. Such bias can sometimes lead to undesirable consequences.
Innovative Techniques in Pelvic Reconstructions

Significant advancements have been made in pelvic reconstruction in the last decades. Pelvic resections can be left flail or be reconstructed. The overarching goal for pelvic reconstruction is to provide pelvic girdle support for maximal function. Although pelvic resection without reconstruction should be considered, the functional outcomes of resection without reconstruction are often unacceptable to patient and surgeon in light of modern techniques and implant design. This chapter will focus on the indications, relevant anatomy, and innovations related to spinopelvic, sacral, bulk allograft, and proximal femoral reconstructions.