cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Tolerance Study of Printed-Circuit Process Steps for a Microwave Application

This study provides tolerance-distribution data for a microwave printed-circuit development utilizing "strip-line" type filters, 50-ohm transmission lines, and tuning stubs. Irradiated polyethylene is the dielectric. Data is given on tolerance distribution in the following process areas: Artwork cutting; Photographic (reduction, exposure and development, contact printing with glass and film, step-repeat camera work); Etching (including resist exposure and development). Dimensional instabilities in the irradiated polyethylene was found to be a key problem. Some of the total tolerance must be left for dimensional changes in the substrate, so the three process areas must give better than plus or minus one mil over-all tolerances. Generally speaking, on dimensionally stable material the required one-mil tolerance. (can be held throughout the three processes; where this tolerance was not held, the problem is, as noted, material instability.
Adrenal Insufficiency: Causes and Prevention of Adrenal Crisis

Adrenal insufficiency (AI) is defined as clinically deficient production or action of glucocorticoids (Bornstein, 2009). Cortisol is the major glucocorticoid hormone and is produced by the adrenal cortex. Inability to produce sufficient amounts of cortisol is associated with increased morbidity and mortality (Zaloga &Marik, 2001). AI is a lifethreatening disorder resulting from disruption of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis. Depending on which part of this pathway is affected, the disorder is classified as primary or secondary. AI can be congenital or acquired and a lifelong or temporary diagnosis. Appropriate care must be taken to assess for signs and symptoms of acute AI and prevent acute adrenal crisis that can be fatal. Health care providers must educate patients with known AI to prevent untimely deaths from adrenal crisis. Both cortisol and aldosterone are produced in the adrenal cortex and regulate normal physiologic functions, such as blood pressure, glucose levels, and sodium and fluid balance. Symptoms of adrenocortical insufficiency include weakness, fatigue, anorexia, abdominal pain, orthostatic hypotension, salt cravings, and darkening of the skin (Bornstein, 2009). Secondary AI results when the hypothalamus or pituitary gland is affected, disrupting the HPA axis. Primary adrenal insufficiency (PAI) is rare in the western population and estimated to be around 90–140 per million (Arlt & Allolio, 2003). The most common cause of PAI is the endocrine disorder congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH). This disease is an autosomal recessive disorder of cortisol biosynthesis with or without aldosterone deficiency and has an estimated incidence of 1 in 15,000 (Merke & Bornstein,
A Memory of Loss: Ecological Politics, Local History, and the Evolution of Karimojong Violence

Since early March 1999, deadly confrontations among pastoralists and government forces in northeastern Uganda's Karamoja region have escalated. Raiding and banditry are long-established features of intertribal relations in this region, and government reprisals against such operations date from the colonial period. However, present-day violence has assumed a singular form among the Karimojong, often involving them in the murder and raiding of other Karimojong as well as people from neighboring ethnic groups. It has been argued that ongoing violence in Karamoja is the result of the acquisition of automatic weapons by the Karimojong and their neighbors. While this might explain the increased virulence of intertribal conflict since the end of the colonial era, the direction of aggression by the Karimojong against members of their own ethnic group suggests that there are other factors to be considered. In this paper, I examine the sequence of ecological, political, and historical events leading to widespread i...
Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Vpr Impairs Dendritic Cell Maturation and T-Cell Activation: Implications for Viral Immune Escape

Antigen presentation and T-cell activation are dynamic processes involving signaling molecules present in both APCs and T cells. Effective APC function and T-cell activation can be compromised by viral immune evasion strategies, including those of human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1). In this study, we determined the effects of HIV-1 Vpr on one of the initial target of the virus, dendritic cells (DC), by investigating DC maturation, cytokine profiling, and CD8-specific T-cell stimulation function followed by a second signal. Vpr impaired the expression of CD80, CD83, and CD86 at the transcriptional level without altering normal cellular transcription. Cytokine profiling indicated that the presence of Vpr inhibited production of interleukin 12 (IL-12) and upregulated IL-10, whereas IL-6 and IL-1beta were unaltered. Furthermore, DC infected with HIV-1 vpr+ significantly reduced the activation of antigen-specific memory and recall cytotoxic-T-lymphocyte responses. Taken together, these results indicate that HIV-1 Vpr may in part be responsible for HIV-1 immune evasion by inhibiting the maturation of costimulatory molecules and cytokines essential for immune activation.
Coding and obesity: room to grow.

Introduction: Obesity is the leading health problem in the United States. Providers often fail to document obesity in patients whose body mass index (BMI) is more than 30. Methods:Using a structured data query of the military health system electronic medical record, we determined the BMI and presence of an associated International Classification of Disease code in a cohort of more than 3 million patients. Results:Fifteen percent of patients (482,628) had a BMI exceeding 30. Of those patients with a BMI more than 30,78,776 (16%) had an associated International Classification of Disease 9 code documenting obesity in their record. Conclusion:Coding and documentation of obesity is inadequate. This has implications for delivery of preventive counseling and efforts to mitigate rising trends in obesity.
Development of Chlorenchyma and Window Tissues in Leaves of Peperomia columella

Abstract Window leaves consist primarily of tissues specialized for water storage (window tissue) and photosynthesis (chlorenchyma). The objective of our research was to determine when these specializations occur during leaf development in Peperomia columella, a succulent window plant, native to deserts of South America. We measured absolute and relative volumes of leaf tissues. Young leaves consist of approximately 75% chlorenchyma and 12% window tissue, suggesting that they are structurally specialized primarily for photosynthesis rather than water storage. In mature leaves the percentages of chlorenchyma and window tissue are approximately 20% and 58%, respectively, indicating that specialization for water storage occurs during later stages of leaf development. The percent window tissue decreases in mature leaves, but increases in young leaves with water stress.
History of the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine's efforts to keep ultrasound safe.

mong the factors that have contributed to the rapid growth in the medical use of diagnostic ultrasound (DUS), an important one is the reputation for safety that it enjoys. This reputation did not come about immediately, and it has not been maintained without effort. Instead, the reassurance that users and patients can feel about the safety of DUS comes from years of research into the conditions under which hazards can be avoided and application of the findings to guidelines for equipment manufacture and medical practice. Efforts of this kind that have been made by individuals in many countries as well as by national and international organizations have been reviewed recently.1,2 This article emphasizes, in particular, the contributions of the American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine (AIUM) to these efforts; it is part of a series of articles on various topics prepared in celebration of the AIUM’s 50th anniversary. In the earliest days of the AIUM, its members were involved mostly with applications of ultrasound in physical therapy; at the 1957 AIUM meeting, only 1 of 35 papers dealt with the possibility of using ultrasound for diagnosis. Thus, it was well known in the formative years of the AIUM that exposure of a patient to ultrasound is capable of producing physiologic change. In a therapeutic application, the aim, of course, is to produce a change for the better. It was known, though, from research with laboratory animals, that harm can be produced by ultrasound under some conditions, for example, as described by Lehmann3 (Fig. 1). As diagnostic techniques improved, the use of DUS increased rapidly, and by the late 1960s, the AIUM was concerned primarily with DUS applications.4 As this occurred, it was recognized that technical advice should be provided for avoiding harm from the use of this new modality and for increasing its effectiveness. For these purposes, the AIUM established committees, including those leading to the present Bioeffects Committee and Technical Standards Committee. The Bioeffects Committee was asked to provide information to the membership on matters relating to the biological effects of ultrasound, especially when these matters relate to the safety of clinical ultrasound. From time to time, the Bioeffects Committee produced consensus statements on important matters. The first of these (later to be modified) was included in communications from the committee in 19765 and, after some revision, in 1978.6 An excerpt from the 1978 form of the statement is shown in Figure 2; accompanying this was text specifying the intensity referred to as the spatial-peak temporal-average (SPTA) value. Also, it was warned that the statement was based on all seemingly reliable data (from animal experiments) available at the time, although such data for operating conditions Abbreviations AIUM, American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine; DUS, diagnostic ultrasound; MI, mechanical index; NCRP, National Council for Radiation Protection and Measurements; SPTA, spatial-peak temporalaverage; TI, thermal index
PARQUET EQUATIONS FOR NUMERICAL SELF-CONSISTENT-FIELD THEORY

In recent years increases in computational power have provided new motivation for the study of self-consistent-field theories for interacting electrons. In this set of notes, the so-called parquet equations for electron systems are derived pedagogically. The principal advantages of the parquet approach are outlined, and its relationship to simpler self-consistent-field methods, including the Baym-Kadanoff technique, is discussed in detail.
TEM wave propagation in a parallel, four wire anechoic chamber enclosure

Propagation of a TEM wave in a four-wire anechoic chamber facility is considered. The electromagnetic fields of the four-wire system are given when anechoic chamber material is and is not present. The analysis of this problem is divided into two main parts: the first part analyzes how a TEM wire propagates in a four-wire system that is surrounded by four parallel metallic walls; and the second part analyzes how the TEM wave attenuates when lossy absorber material is attached to the interior of the anechoic chamber. A numerical example is given. >
Management of Postvitrectomy Diabetic Vitreous Hemorrhage

Following diabetic vitrectomy the vitreous cavity can become hazy and opaque with blood. The postvitrectomy vitreous cavity blood can originate from dispersion of residual previtrectomy blood released by the peripheral formed vitreous skirt, or from additional bleeding following vitrectomy from various sources such as residual fundus neovascularization, pars plana entry sites, and iris neovascularization. In most cases an obvious source of this blood cannot be identified.
College students, shared decision making, and the appropriate use of antibiotics for respiratory tract infections: A systematic literature review

ABSTRACTObjective: This systematic review examines shared decision making to promote the appropriate use of antibiotics for college students with respiratory tract infections. Participants/Methods: CINAL, Cochrane, PubMed, EBSCO, and PsycNET were searched in October 2014 using the following criteria: English language, human subjects, peer-reviewed, shared decision making for respiratory tract infections, adult patients or college students, and antibiotic use for respiratory tract infections. Twelve articles were selected for final review. Results: College students and younger, more educated, adults prefer shared decision making. Shared decision making shows promise for decreasing antibiotic use for respiratory tract infections. Education, understanding, and provider-patient communication are important to the shared decision-making process. Conclusions: Shared decision making shows promise to promote the appropriate use of antibiotics for respiratory tract infections in college students and could be consid...
Biology of Hepatocellular Neoplasia In the Mouse. I. Histogenesis of Safrole-Induced Hepatocellular Carcinoma

A sequential, histologic analysis of the livers of male BALB/c mice chronically fed the hepatocarcinogen safrole (4,000 ppm) was performed at 2, 4, 8, 16, 24, 36, 52, and 75 weeks. The transplantability of selected lesions to syngeneic hosts was also assessed. Histopathologic liver alterations at 2, 4, 8, and 16 weeks induced hypertrophy of centrolobular hepatocytes, oval cell proliferation, fatty change in periportal hepatocytes, including basophilic, acidophilic, and clear cell, were noted. At 36 and 52 weeks, hepatocellular adenomas occurred in 4 of 10 and 7 of 10 mice, respectively. At 75 weeks they occurred in 5 of 5 mice. Adenomas were larger than a lobule in diameter compressed the adjacent parenchyma, and distorted the hepatic architecture. Individual adenomas were composed of a mixture of basophilic, acidophilic, clear, and lipid-laden cells, arranged in disorganized cords, one to three cells in thickness. None of the 10 adenomas tested grew upon subcutaneous transplantation into syngeneic hosts. Hepatocellular carcinomas (HPC) developed in 2 of 10 safrole-exposed mice at 52 weeks and 3 of 5 mice at 75 weeks. These lesions were large, multilobed and, unlike adenomas, seemed to invade adjacent parenchyma. The HPC were heterogeneous in cell composition. Their architecture was disorganized with trabeculae of 1-10 or more cells in thickness. No central veins or portal tracts were seen. All HPC proliferated when transplanted into syngeneic hosts. The results of this study demonstrated a sequential development of altered hepatocyte populations leading to HPC in safrole-treated mice. The transplantability of HPC indicated their malignant nature.
Investigation of status and occupational hazard of sanitation workers in Changshu City in 2013

[Objective]To understand the basic information and occupational hazard status of sanitation workers in Changshu City, provide the basis for protecting the health and rights of sanitation workers.[Methods]The basic information of 322 sanitation workers was investigated and the harmful factors concentration in sanitation workplace was detected [Results]The aging degree of workers was higher in the posts of sweeping and cleaning. Their average age was( 48. 2 ± 11. 1) years old and the workers older than 60 accounted for 16. 5%. Their income and education level were lower. The workers whose monthly income was lower than 2 000 yuan accounted for 64. 0%,and who were under the elementary level accounted for 46. 3%. The highest total amount of bacteria and mycete was 880 CFU/ vesse and 850 CFU/ vesse in press-fitting station,landfill and feed platform of incinerator.[Conclusion]The risk of occupational hazard exists among the sanitation workers to some degree,so it is necessary to strengthen their rights and interests protection.
Analysis on Reliability of Anchoring Depth of Anti-sliding Pile in High-intensity Earthquake Region

The effect of seismic action on anti-sliding pile in high-intensity earthquake region has not attracted enough attentions,which will reduce the reliability in project operation greatly.In connection with the design of anti-sliding pile in earthquake region,seismic angle correction is carried out against the allowable lateral stress affecting the anchoring depth to establish the model calculating lateral stress on anti-sliding pile under seismic action and determine the function of the lateral stress in the state of ultimate bearing capacity.Taking parameters of geo-materials surrounding pile,structural strength of pile body and seismic action as random variables,and by use of FOSM method,the index of reliability is calculated.Through case study,under certain anchoring depth,either the effect of soil parameter's variety or the conditions with or without the consideration of seismic action on anti-sliding pile's reliability can be known,the valuing standard of anchoring depth in the design of anti-sliding pile in high-intensity earthquake region can be obtained,and the new idea taking reliability as the guidance of valuation in design of anti-sliding pile is proposed.
The Use of CystoSure to Enable Posthysterectomy Cystoscopic Evaluation: A Case Series.

Abstract Cystoscopy can be used to diagnose urologic injuries at the time of gynecologic surgery. Current cystoscopy setup involves removing the indwelling catheter placed for the procedure and assembling a multicomponent cystoscope. The objective of this study was to evaluate and report on our initial experience with CystoSure (Emmy Medical, Holliston, MA), a new Food and Drug Administration–approved device designed to facilitate perioperative diagnostic cystoscopy. The CystoSure catheter is an 18F quad-port silicone transurethral catheter with a central sealed port for the cystoscope and a side port that allows for bladder filling. A retrospective chart review was performed of women who underwent benign laparoscopic or robotic gynecologic surgery with cystoscopy at Brigham and Women's Faulkner Hospital, Boston, MA, from May 1, 2015, to August 31, 2015. Thirty women underwent cystoscopy during the study period. The CystoSure catheter is placed at the beginning of the procedure. Total laparoscopic hysterectomy was the most common procedure, representing 90% of cases (27/30). Using the CystoSure system, full bladder survey and bilateral ureteral jets were easily evaluated in 87% (26/30) of the patients. Of the 26 cystoscopies performed successfully, 1 intravesical suture was diagnosed and addressed. In the remaining 4 patients, the 18F CystoSure catheter was too large for the urethral orifice, and a 16F catheter was used for the case. The CystoSure device allows for minimal setup and efficient performance of diagnostic cystoscopy postgynecologic surgery.
Band gap transmission in periodic bistable mechanical systems

We theoretically and numerically investigate the supratransmission phenomenon in discrete, nonlinear systems containing bistable elements. While linear waves cannot propagate within the band gaps of periodic structures, supratransmission allows large-amplitude waves to transmit energy through the band gap. For systems lacking bistability, the threshold amplitude for such energy transmission at a given frequency in the linear band gap is fixed. We show that the topological transitions due to bistability provide an avenue for switching the threshold amplitude between two well-separated values. Moreover, this versatility is achieved while leaving the linear dispersion properties of the system essentially unchanged. Interestingly, the behavior changes when an elastic chain is coupled to bistable resonators (in an extension of the well-studied linear locally resonant metamaterials). Here, we show that a fraction of the injected energy is confined near the boundary due to the resonators, providing a means of regulating the otherwise unrestrained energy flow due to supratransmission. Together, the results illustrate new means of controlling nonlinear wave propagation and energy transport in systems having multi-stable elements.
Nutcracker Syndrome and Sickle Cell Trait: A Perfect Storm for Hematuria

We describe the case of a 27-year-old woman with a history of sickle cell trait (SCT) who presented with several months of hematuria and was found to have nutcracker syndrome (NCS). While SCT is a common cause of hematuria resulting from renal papillary necrosis, our patient had concomitant abdominal pain and anemia, prompting further evaluation and the subsequent diagnosis of NCS. Interestingly, the anoxia in the left renal vein from NCS predisposes patients with SCT to sickling. Our case highlights key clinical features of both NCS and SCT and the relationship between the two disease processes.
Nonclassical 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase deficiency: a review of our experience with 25 female patients*†

Objective To report 15 new menarchial women affected with nonclassical 3 β -hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase deficiency (nonclassical 3 β -HSD) and evaluation of glucocorticoid therapy in treated patients. Design Diagnosis of these new patients using a standard adrenocorticotropin test. Effects of glucocorticoid therapy on clinical hormonal and sonographic features of each patient are appreciated for periods varying between 4 months and 7 1 2 years. Setting All at The New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center. The Pediatric Endocrinology Ambulatory Service; the Children's Clinical Research Center Core Laboratories; and the Department of Radiology. Patients, Participants Fifteen menarchial women (14 to 30 years of age) newly diagnosed and 10 women previously diagnosed were evaluated for symptoms of hyperandrogenism and/or irregular menses. Main Outcome Measure(s) Positive effect of glucocorticoid therapy on signs and symptoms, hormonal levels, and ovarian imaging. Results Polycystic ovarian syndrome is noted in approximately half the cases. Glucocorticoid treatment>3 months duration results in a reversal of symptoms in most cases.
A dimensional examination of eating disorder symptoms in relation to cognitive processing: An event‐related potentials study

Identifying neurocognitive mechanisms involved in individuals experiencing eating disorder (ED) symptoms may be important for preventing EDs and improving rates of recovery. The present pilot study assessed how cognitive functioning may be associated with ED symptoms in college students (N = 41). Cognitive functioning was examined using electroencephalography during an auditory response inhibition task to measure the P3 component of event-related potentials. Multiple regression analysis revealed that longer P3 latencies in the frontal region of the cortex were significantly and linearly associated with greater ED symptoms F(3, 37) = 13.62, p < .001, R2 = 0.525, Adj. R2 = 0.486. These pilot findings build upon prior work in clinical samples in that they indicate that functional brain differences are observable across a wide span of ED symptoms, not just in those with diagnosed ED. The present findings provide support for further exploration of changes in P3 latencies among individuals with ED symptoms to enhance our understanding of neural mechanisms that may pertain to the dimensional aspects of disordered eating attitudes and behaviors.
Evolving Impacts of Multiyear La Niña Events on Atmospheric Circulation and U.S. Drought

Wintertime precipitation over the southern US is known to decrease with interannual cooling of the equatorial Pacific associated with La Nina, which often persists two years or longer. Composite analysis based on a suite of observational and reanalysis datasets covering the period 1901-2012 reveals distinct evolution of atmospheric teleconnections and US precipitation anomalies during multi-year La Nina events. In particular, atmospheric circulation anomalies strengthen and become more zonally-elongated over the North Pacific in the second winter compared to the first winter. US precipitation deficits also remain large while the region of reduced precipitation shifts northeastward in the second winter. This occurs despite a significant weakening of the equatorial Pacific cooling in the second winter, and suggests that the large-scale atmospheric circulation is more sensitive to tropical SST anomalies of broader meridional extent. Given the extended climatic impacts, accurate prediction of La Nina duration is crucial.
Response of a human visual system to continuous color variation: An EEG-based approach

Abstract Color is a powerful descriptor that considerably expands our ability to characterize and distinguish objects and facilitates interactions with dynamic environment. Although our understanding of neuronal mechanisms involved in color processing has significantly advanced over the past decades, a number of questions related to visual pathways engaged in color perception still remain unanswered. We propose a novel method of an EEG-based study of human color perception utilizing multivariate Temporal Response Functions (mTRFs) that quantify spatiotemporal brain responses to sensory stimuli. Such functions can be derived from the Electroencephalogram (EEG) recorded from a subject exposed to the screen of a color varying over time. The results of a pilot study that included nineteen subjects with normal color vision indicate that mTRFs may be instrumental in characterizing the dorsal stream of the visual pathway. We conclude that pronounced local extrema observed in mTRFs should be attributed to the colors perceived by the participant rather than to the post-stimulus latencies. No interhemispheric asymmetry in mTRFs may be an evidence of a similar processing of color information by both cerebral hemispheres. On the other hand, observed dorsal dependence of mTRFs may suggest that different areas of the same hemisphere show stronger response to specific colors (hues) of the stimuli. The latter may indicate, for instance, differences in the functional “color specialization” between the occipital and frontal regions.
Steroid Interactions with Serum Proteins Other than Specific Glycoproteins

Binding of bile acids to serum proteins was demonstrated early (Rosenthal, 1925) when it was observed that sodium taurocholate at neutral pH displaces acidic dyes (rose bengal, bromsulphalein and others) from their association with blood proteins. Similar competition for anionic binding sites occurs on HSA, as shown by displacement of the anionic dye azorubin by cholic and desoxycholic acid at pH 7.7 (Westphal et al., 1953). No displacement of bromsulphalein from HSA by bile acids was noted at pH 9.1 (Kucerova et al., 1966). Various other observations indicated binding of bile acids to serum proteins (Lecomte du Nouy, 1922, 1928; Rudman and Kendall, 1957 a; Bennhold and Ott, 1961) and to purified HSA (Cohn, 1948). Serum protein binding suppressed the hemolytic activity of desoxycholic acid on red cell membranes (Catanese et al., 1969).
Molecular Prenatal Diagnostic Testing

Prenatal molecular diagnostic testing can be performed for most of the hereditary single gene disorders for which postnatal testing is clinically available. Special measures need to be implemented by the laboratory to assure the integrity of the results of fetal DNA analyses including fetal DNA extraction and detection of maternal cell contamination.
3D Perspective View

This appendix describes a simple method to calculate a three dimensional perspective view on a two-dimensional screen of a collection of atom coordinates.
Roles of cardiac sympathetic neuroimaging in autonomic medicine

Sympathetic neuroimaging is based on the injection of compounds that either radiolabel sites of the cell membrane norepinephrine transporter (NET) or that are taken up into sympathetic nerves via the NET and radiolabel intra-neuronal catecholamine storage sites. Detection of the radioactivity is by planar or tomographic radionuclide imaging. The heart stands out among body organs in terms of the intensity of radiolabeling of sympathetic nerves, and virtually all of sympathetic neuroimaging focuses on the left ventricular myocardium. The most common cardiac sympathetic neuroimaging method worldwide is 123I-metaiodobenzylguanidine (123I-MIBG) scanning. 123I-MIBG scanning is used routinely in Europe and East Asia in the diagnostic evaluation of neurogenic orthostatic hypotension (nOH), to distinguish Lewy body diseases (e.g., Parkinson disease with orthostatic hypotension (OH), pure autonomic failure) from non-Lewy body diseases (e.g., multiple system atrophy) and to distinguish dementia with Lewy bodies from Alzheimer's disease. In the USA, 123I-MIBG scanning has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration for the evaluation of pheochromocytoma and some forms of heart failure-but not for the above-mentioned differential diagnoses. Positron emission tomographic methods based on imaging agents such as 18F-dopamine are categorized as research tools, despite more than a quarter century of clinical experience with these modalities. Considering that 123I-MIBG scanning is available at most academic medical centers in the USA, cardiac sympathetic neuroimaging by this methodology merits consideration as an autonomic test, especially in patients with nOH.
Does active smoking really matter before ventral hernia repair? An AHSQC analysis.

Background Many studies implicate active smoking as a risk factor for postoperative wound complications and all 30-day morbidity, but the definitions of inclusion and exclusion criteria as well as outcome parameters are inconsistent. Critically, the ability of large databases and meta-analyses to generate statistically significant associations of active smoking with morbidity do not address whether those relationships are actually clinically meaningful. We investigated this relationship after open ventral hernia repair. Study Design Patients undergoing elective open ventral hernia repair in clean wounds with 30-day follow-up were extracted from the Americas Hernia Society Quality Collaborative. Current smokers (within 30 days of surgery) were 1:1 propensity matched to patients who had never smoked based on demographics, comorbidities, and operative characteristics. Wound complications and all 30-day morbidity were assessed. Results After matching 418 current smokers to 418 patients who had never smoked, the groups were similar with the exception of minor differences in body mass index (31.4 vs 33.3, P Conclusion Active smoking prior to elective clean OVHR is associated with clinically insignificant differences in wound morbidity. Surgeons allowing perioperative smoking should monitor their outcomes to assure these findings are replicable in their own practice.
BACTERIOLOGY OF MILK HELD AT FARM BULK COOLING TANK TEMPERATURES

Raw milk samples containing less than 50,000 bacteria per ml. were compared with samples over 50,000 per ml. by means of bacterial counts mode during four days of storage at 36° F., 38° F., 38° F., with periodic raises to 45° F. or 50° F., and 45° F. More samples of the high count milks showed appreciable growth within one, two, three or four days than of the low count milks, but psychrophiles often grew faster, especially after two days, in the low count milk. Raw milks are more likely to remain Grade A for a desired storage period if they contain low numbers of bacteria and if their storage temperature is 38° F. or lower.
Effects of litter floor access and inclusion of experienced hens in aviary housing on floor eggs, litter condition, air quality, and hen welfare

ABSTRACT With different cage-free (CF) housing styles and management schemes, retailers have developed their own CF criteria. One highly debated aspect is if hens may be kept inside the system for part of the day—during the first few hours after lights-on. Research is lacking regarding the impacts of such a practice on hen welfare, incidence of eggs laid on the litter floor, litter condition, and air quality. This 14-mo field study was conducted to help assess such impacts. Hens (Dekalb White) in an aviary house (50,000-hen nominal capacity) were allowed to have full litter access (FLA) vs. part-time litter access (PLA) from 10:50 am to 9:00 pm, coupled with the absence or presence of experienced hens (1.5% of the population), hence a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement. The measured variables included a) incidence of floor eggs, b) percentage of birds remaining on litter floor at night, c) mortality, d) body weight (BW) and BW uniformity, e) litter condition (depth, moisture content, texture, amount removed, and bacteria concentration), f) environmental conditions, and g) welfare conditions (10 variables). Compared to FLA, PLA had a significantly lower incidence of floor eggs (1.4 ± 0.1 vs. 12.6 ± 1.1 eggs per hen housed as of 76 weeks of age (WOA), i.e., approximately 89% reduction), less manure deposition on the floor (0.53 ± 0.02 vs. 1.05 ± 0.04 kg/100 hens/d, dry basis, i.e., approximately 50% reduction), and lower ammonia concentrations due to drier litter (averaging 22% lower). Inclusion of 1.5% experienced hens in the young flock did not show benefit of reducing the incidence of floor eggs (P = 0.48). The percentage of hens remaining on the floor at night was low (
Taking Stanford to Japan

In 1991, a student carrying a riding saddle came to my office at Stanford University to seek some advice. She told me her parents were Japanese, but she was born and raised in Costa Rica. Having just returned from two years in Japan with my family, my older daughter was struggling to catch up with science class in middle school; she was also taking horseback-riding lessons at the university stables. I asked this student if she could tutor my daughter, and she replied yes.
Obesity Prevalence and Musculoskeletal Injury History in Probation Officers.

AbstractPURPOSEThe purpose of the present investigation was to identify 1) the prevalence of overweight and obesity and 2) factors associated with previous work-related musculoskeletal injury, and physical activity levels in North Carolina probation officers.METHODSNorth Carolina probation officers
Two-way multi-scaling for predicting fatigue crack nucleation in titanium alloys using parametrically homogenized constitutive models

Abstract This paper develops a two-way (bottom-up or hierarchical and top-down) multi-scale modeling framework for predicting fatigue crack nucleation in structural components of Titanium alloys, e.g. Ti-7Al. Pure micromechanical analyses are deficient in this regard. A parametrically homogenized constitutive model (PHCM) and a parametrically homogenized crack nucleation model (PHCNM) are developed from computational homogenization of crystal plasticity finite element (CPFE) simulation results performed on microstructural statistically equivalent RVEs or M-SERVEs. Image-based CPFE of the M-SERVEs predict time-dependent plastic deformation, as well as location and time-dependent fatigue crack nucleation in the microstructure. Micromechanical analysis data is utilized by a machine learning code to derive functional forms of PHCM and PHCNM coefficients. Macroscopic FE models for Ti-7Al test specimens are created next, by matching correlation functions of the micro-texture and other microstructural variabilities in EBSD scans. Macroscopic simulations of dwell and cyclic loading are performed and nucleation hotspots are identified by PHCNM. Top-down simulations of the local M-SERVEs are then used to probe microstructural fatigue crack nucleation sites and cycles. The multi-scale simulations predict sub-surface nucleation for a majority of dwell cracks, which is corroborated by fractography images. The computed nucleation cycles and spatial distributions across a range of loading conditions follow experimentally observed characteristics of dwell effect in Ti alloys.
Força de preensão manual e índice do special judo fitness test em atletas de judô entre pré-competição e pré-temporada

Objetivo: verificar se ha diferencas na forca de preensao manual e no indice do Special Judo Fitness Test (SJFT) de atletas de Judo entre a pre-competicao e pre-temporada, realizado em uma academia de Judo no municipio de Canoas, RS. Metodo: a amostra foi composta por 10 atletas de Judo, do sexo masculino com idades entre 15 e 20 anos, com experiencia em competicoes nacionais, graduados na faixa marrom ou preta, os quais realizaram testes de dinamometria manual e o SJFT. Resultados: observou-se aumento na forca de preensao manual com diferenca estatisticamente significativa em ambos os lados na pre-competicao e na pre-temporada. Em relacao ao indice do SJFT, nao houve diferenca estatisticamente significativa em relacao as duas coletas. Conclusao: atribui-se a melhora da forca de preensao manual ao periodo de descanso de aproximadamente quatro semanas, que parece ter tido influencia positiva em uma possivel situacao de overreaching . Por outro lado, a ausencia de significância estatistica no indice do SJFT pode dar a entender que o periodo entre a pre-competicao e a pre-temporada nao foi suficiente para levar o grupo de atletas avaliado ao destreinamento.
Assessing the Understandability and Actionability of Online Neurosurgical Patient Education Materials.

Background Most Americans consult the Internet to address their health concerns. Limited health literacy among the public highlights the need for patient education Web sites to deliver understandable health information. We assessed the understandability and actionability of online neurosurgical patient education materials (PEMs) provided by the American Association of Neurological Surgeons (AANS) and MedlinePlus. Methods Articles on neurosurgical conditions and treatments listed on both the AANS site and MedlinePlus were analyzed. Two reviewers scored articles using 2 validated health literacy tools, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Clear Communication Index (CCI) and the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ) Patient Education Materials Assessment Tool (PEMAT). These tools evaluate the quality of written health information and assess for content, organization, and actionability of PEMs. Results One hundred and thirty-eight articles were evaluated from the AANS (n = 61) and MedlinePlus (n = 77). The median CCI score for MedlinePlus and AANS articles was 68.9 (interquartile range [IQR], 62.5–81.3) and 56.3 [IQR, 46.7–73.7], respectively (P Conclusions Neurosurgical online PEMs may be difficult to understand and potentially act as barriers for patients' engagement with health systems. There is a need to deliver patient-centered health information that effectively informs patients, aiding in meaningful health decision making.
Primary Care Physicians’ Perceptions of Bariatric Surgery and Major Barriers to Referral

Each year from 2011 to 2017, fewer than 1% of eligible Americans underwent bariatric surgery to treat obesity and obesity-related comorbidities. Recent studies have suggested that a lack of knowledge within the primary care specialty about the safety and efficacy of bariatric surgery greatly affects referral. This study aimed to analyze a large cohort of primary care physicians’ (PCPs) clinical perceptions regarding bariatric surgery and to identify major barriers to referral that could inform the implementation of a future educational strategy to address underutilization of bariatric surgery. A prospective anonymous electronic survey was sent to all primary care physicians at a multicenter community-based academic hospital system between March and June of 2018, with 150 respondents, a response rate of 28%. The survey was composed of eleven questions in total, the first eight utilizing a five-point Likert scale, with answers including strongly disagree, disagree, neutral, agree, and strongly agree. The final three questions utilized freeform answers of numbers or text where appropriate. Between 83 and 88% of PCPs responded favorably, either agree or strongly agree, to questions regarding the utility of bariatric surgery as an efficacious and valuable tool for the treatment of obesity and related comorbidities. PCPs reported an average body mass index (BMI) of 40.4 ± 5.0 kg/m2 at which bariatric surgery is a patient’s best option for weight loss and an average BMI of 38.0 ± 5.6 kg/m2 at which surgery is the best option for management of comorbidities. Eighty-six percent of PCPs agree that having a BMI over 40 kg/m2 is a greater risk to a patient’s long-term health than undergoing bariatric surgery. However, only 46.6% of PCPs claimed any familiarity with the NIH eligibility criteria for bariatric surgery and only 59.5% responded affirmatively that they were comfortable participating in the long-term care of a postoperative bariatric patient. The two highest reported barriers to referral for bariatric surgery together account for 40% of PCPs responses: 21.5% of PCPs report concern regarding surgical complications and/or long-term side effects as the primary barrier for referral, and 18.5% report concern for ineffective weight loss after bariatric surgery as a primary barrier to referral. Results of this study indicate that despite largely positive attitudes toward the use of bariatric surgery in a patient population with obesity, primary care physicians report significant barriers to confidently referring their own patients. Further, bariatric surgery is overlooked in a large group of patients with BMIs between 35 and 40 kg/m2. Educational strategies to address these barriers should target rates of specific surgical complications and weight loss outcomes.
Visual Perception in the Periphery: The Role of Covert Attention Vectors in the Extraction of Semantic Information

Abstract Under covert attention, our visual perception deteriorates dramatically as eccentricity increases. This reduction of peripheral visual acuity (PVA) is partially due to the coarse sampling of the retinal ganglion cells towards the periphery, but this property cannot be solely responsible. Other factors, such as character crowding, have been studied, yet the origin of the poor PVA is not entirely understood. This gap motivated us to investigate the PVA by varying the crowding conditions systematically. Under completely crowded conditions (i.e. resembling a full page of text), PVA was observed to be eight times worse than the PVA under uncrowded conditions. By partially crowding the periphery, we obtained PVA values between the fully crowded and uncrowded conditions. On the other hand, crowding the fovea center while leaving the periphery uncrowded improved PVA relative to the uncrowded case. These results support a model for a top-down “covert attention vector” that assists the resulting PVA in a manner analogous to saccadic eye movement for overt attention. We speculate that the attention vector instructs the dorsal pathway to transform the peripheral character to the foveal center. Then, the scale-invariant log-polar retinotopy of the ventral pathway can scale the centered visual input to match the prior memory of the specific character shape.
Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes equations with explicit data-driven Reynolds stress closure can be ill-conditioned

Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (RANS) simulations with turbulence closure models continue to play important roles in industrial flow simulations. However, the commonly used linear eddy-viscosity models are intrinsically unable to handle flows with non-equilibrium turbulence (e.g. flows with massive separation). Reynolds stress models, on the other hand, are plagued by their lack of robustness. Recent studies in plane channel flows found that even substituting Reynolds stresses with errors below 0.5 % from direct numerical simulation databases into RANS equations leads to velocities with large errors (up to 35 %). While such an observation may have only marginal relevance to traditional Reynolds stress models, it is disturbing for the recently emerging data-driven models that treat the Reynolds stress as an explicit source term in the RANS equations, as it suggests that the RANS equations with such models can be ill-conditioned. So far, a rigorous analysis of the condition of such models is still lacking. As such, in this work we propose a metric based on local condition number function for a priori evaluation of the conditioning of the RANS equations. We further show that the ill-conditioning cannot be explained by the global matrix condition number of the discretized RANS equations. Comprehensive numerical tests are performed on turbulent channel flows at various Reynolds numbers and additionally on two complex flows, i.e. flow over periodic hills, and flow in a square duct. Results suggest that the proposed metric can adequately explain observations in previous studies, i.e. deteriorated model conditioning with increasing Reynolds number and better conditioning of the implicit treatment of the Reynolds stress compared to the explicit treatment. This metric can play critical roles in the future development of data-driven turbulence models by enforcing the conditioning as a requirement on these models.
A Spectral Estimation Framework for Phase Retrieval via Bregman Divergence Minimization

In this paper, we develop a novel framework to optimally design spectral estimators for phase retrieval given measurements realized from an arbitrary model. We begin by deconstructing spectral methods, and identify the fundamental mechanisms that inherently promote the accuracy of estimates. We then propose a general formalism for spectral estimation as approximate Bregman loss minimization in the range of the lifted forward model that is tractable by a search over rank-1, PSD matrices. Essentially, by the Bregman loss approach we transcend the Euclidean sense alignment based similarity measure between phaseless measurements in favor of appropriate divergence metrics over $\mathbb{R}^M_+$. To this end, we derive spectral methods that perform approximate minimization of KL-divergence, and the Itakura-Saito distance over phaseless measurements by using element-wise sample processing functions. As a result, our formulation relates and extends existing results on model dependent design of optimal sample processing functions in the literature to a model independent sense of optimality. Numerical simulations confirm the effectiveness of our approach in problem settings under synthetic and real data sets.
Geriatric Trauma Service: to Consult or Not to Consult?

This review focuses on the application of geriatric expertise to care for traumatically injured patients through the use of geriatrician consultation versus a surgeon-led geriatric trauma service (GTS). We offer guidance on elements needed to establish an effective geriatric trauma service. Geriatrics expertise, through consultation, can have a positive effect on several important outcomes in the elderly injured. Several groups have published on recent successes with surgeon-led geriatric trauma services. Surgeon-led geriatric trauma services have shown improvements in discharge disposition and hospital length of stay and trends toward improved mortality. Regardless of approach, geriatrics experience and expertise as well as focused and intentional deployment of important resources appears to improve outcomes in geriatric trauma. Care for the elderly injured can be significantly improved by incorporating expertise in geriatrics. This can be accomplished by consultation of a geriatrician; however, consolidation of these patients onto a dedicated surgeon-led geriatric trauma service with dedicated hospital resources may be more effective.
From residence to movement: The nature of racial segregation in everyday urban mobility

While research on racial segregation in cities has grown rapidly over the last several decades, its foundation remains the analysis of the neighbourhoods where people reside. However, contact betwe...