cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Contemporary management of aberrant right subclavian arteries

Background Aberrant origin of right subclavian arteries represents the most common of the aortic arch anomalies. This variant has few published series to guide management. Our goal was to review treatment options and results for these potentially complex reconstructions. Methods A retrospective review was performed on all patients with a diagnosis of aberrant right subclavian artery at our institution between January 2003 and July 2009. Results A total of 24 patients, which comprises one of the largest series reported, including 10 males and 14 females (mean age: 46.6 years, range: 7-77), were diagnosed with an aberrant right subclavian artery. Sixteen (66%) were diagnosed incidentally, but eight (33%) had symptoms of either dysphagia, upper extremity ischemia, or both. Computed tomography was most commonly used to establish the diagnosis (19 patients, 79%). Magnetic resonance imaging established the diagnosis in three patients (12%), upper gastrointestinal barium study in one (4%), and standard angiography in one (4%). A Kommerell’s diverticulum (KD) was the most common associated anomaly (seven patients, 29%). All seven patients (100%) with a KD required intervention for either symptoms or aneurysmal degeneration. Intervention was performed in 10 patients (42%), including carotid subclavian bypass in five (50%), carotid subclavian transposition in three (30%), and ascending aorta to subclavian bypass in two (20%). Four patients (40%) had additional intervention for management of aneurysmal disease of the aorta or KD, with open aortic replacement in two (20%) and aortic endografting in two (20%). There was one perioperative death (10%) in a patient undergoing aortic arch debranching with placement of an aortic endograft. In all, 18 patients survived without symptoms after a mean follow-up of 38 months. Conclusions Aberrant right subclavian arteries are most commonly found incidentally with computed tomography. The presence of a KD seemed to correlate with the need for intervention. Patients with no symptoms with the absence of a KD can safely be followed.
Specialization in Government: The Uneven Use of Special Districts in Metropolitan Areas

Relatively little is known about the remarkable increase in the use of special districts for urban service delivery. The author assesses the utility of four alternative theoretical perspectives on the uneven use of districts in metropolitan areas. Empirical analysis of district patterns in more than 300 metropolitan areas in 1987 reveals multiple influences on district use. Local government structure and legal factors emphasized by institutional-reform and metropolitan-ecology perspectives are especially important relative to the service-demand factors asserted by public-choice and critical political-economy perspectives. Of particular note are different motivations associated with use of different geographic and financial subtypes of districts.
Glass-Mica Composite: A New Structural Thermal-Insulating Material for Building Applications

Homogeneous, rigid glass-mica composites have been synthesized from mixtures of Canadian natural mica flakes of the phlogopite type and ground glass powders prepared from recycled soda-lime waste glasses by a simple sintering process. By means of selection of compositions and processing techniques, composites can be fabricated into products that exhibit a celular structure, a highly densified structure, and multilayer and sandwich structures. The cellular structure composite has a thermal conductivity in the range of 0.165 to 0.230 W/m /sup 0/C when measured over the temperature range 25 to 180/sup 0/C, and a compressive strength of about 0.874 MPa; the highly densified composite, on the other hand, has a thermal conductivity in the range of 0.155 to 0.330 W/m /sup 0/C, a compressive strength in excess of 40 MPa, and an instantaneous coefficient of thermal expansion of 5.8 X 10/sup -6///sup 0/C at 100/sup 0/C. These glass-mica composites exhibit qualities such as insulating efficiency, safety, mechanical strength, and durability that are suitable for engineering applications in building structures or other systems.
A Vehicle Steering Algorithm Based On Bearing Measurements

This paper presents an algorithm for camera-based navigation of a conventionally steered vehicle to a visible marker. The algorithm whose primary measurement is the marker bearing, is robust to range errors, to awkward initial conditions, and to small temporal effects.
The Herpes Simplex Virus 1 UL17 Protein Is the Second Constituent of the Capsid Vertex-Specific Component Required for DNA Packaging and Retention

The herpes simplex virus (HSV) UL17 and UL25 minor capsid proteins are essential for DNA packaging. They are thought to comprise a molecule arrayed in five copies around each of the capsid vertices. This molecule was initially termed the "C-capsid-specific component" (CCSC) (B. L. Trus et al., Mol. Cell 26:479-489, 2007), but as we have subsequently observed this feature on reconstructions of A, B, and C capsids, we now refer to it more generally as the "capsid vertex-specific component" (CVSC) (S. K. Cockrell et al., J. Virol. 85:4875-4887, 2011). We previously confirmed that UL25 occupies the vertex-distal region of the CVSC density by visualizing a large UL25-specific tag in reconstructions calculated from cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) images. We have pursued the same strategy to determine the capsid location of the UL17 protein. Recombinant viruses were generated that contained either a small tandem affinity purification (TAP) tag or the green fluorescent protein (GFP) attached to the C terminus of UL17. Purification of the TAP-tagged UL17 or a similarly TAP-tagged UL25 protein clearly demonstrated that the two proteins interact. A cryo-EM reconstruction of capsids containing the UL17-GFP protein reveals that UL17 is the second component of the CVSC and suggests that UL17 interfaces with the other CVSC component, UL25, through its C terminus. The portion of UL17 nearest the vertex appears to be poorly constrained, which may provide flexibility in interacting with tegument proteins or the DNA-packaging machinery at the portal vertex. The exposed locations of the UL17 and UL25 proteins on the HSV-1 capsid exterior suggest that they may be attractive targets for highly specific antivirals.
Automated Hierarchical Cmos Analog Circuit Stack Generation with Intramodule Connectivity and Matching Considerations

An efficient automated layout for CMOS transistors in analog circuits is described. The matching requirements are used as the primary constraint on the analog layout; however, parasitic capacitances and area considerations are also included. A designer-chosen arbitrary circuit partition from the schematic can be used to generate the corresponding layout as an optimum stack of transistors with complete intramodule connectivity. The transistor stack generation is performed by representing the circuit with a diffusion graph and recursively fragmenting the graph until the base constructs are reached. For each of the modules, the port structures are also created. These port structures are considered as part of the module area and parasitic optimization procedure. With aspect-ratio-related constraints, the procedure allows optimal floorplanning. The results are demonstrated through several examples.
An efficient 3D grid based scheduling for heterogeneous systems

The cost/performance ratio of networks of workstations has been constantly improving. This trend is expected to continue in the near future. The aggregate peak rate of such systems often matches or exceeds the peak rate offered by the fastest parallel computers. This has motivated research toward using a network of computers, interconnected via a fast network (cluster system) or a simple Local Area Network (LAN) (distributed system), for high performance concurrent computations. Some of the important research issues arise such as (i) Problem partitioning and virtual interconnection topology mapping; (ii) Execution scheduling and load balancing.Past results exist for grid partitioning (into subdomains) and mapping to parallel and distributed systems. In our work we consider the problem of grid partitioning of a 3D domain arising in aircraft CFD simulations in order to schedule tasks for load balanced execution on a heterogeneous distributed system. This problem has additional restrictions on how to partition the grid. Past work for this problem were on parallel systems with only few processor configurations. We derive heuristic algorithms for: (1) homogeneous systems with any number of processors; (2) heterogeneous systems taking into account the processor speed and memory capacity. We implement our algorithms on a dedicated network of workstations (using MPI) and test them with a CFD simulation code (TURNS--Transonic Unsteady Rotor Navier Stokes).
THRESHOLD ESTIMATION AND SUPERTHRESHOLD BEHAVIOR OF ULTRASOUND-INDUCED LUNG HEMORRHAGE IN RATS : ROLE OF AGE DEPENDENCY

Age-dependent threshold and superthreshold behaviors of ultrasound-induced lung hemorrhage were investigated with one hundred ten 12.6 0.8-d-old rats, one hundred ten 22.9 0.8-d-old rats, and one hundred 57.7 3.9-d-old rats. Exposure conditions were: 2.8 MHz, 10-s exposure duration, 1-kHz pulse repetition frequency and 1.3-s pulse duration. The in situ (at the pleural surface) peak rarefactional pressure (pr(in situ)) ranged between 1.4 and 10.8 MPa for which there were either 9 or 10 acoustic pressure groups for each of the three rat ages (10 rats/exposure group). For each of the three rat ages there were also shams; there were no lesions in the shams. The pr(in situ) levels were randomized within each age group; rat age was not randomized. Individuals involved in animal handling, exposure and lesion scoring were blinded to the exposure condition. In addition, one hundred fifty-six 72-d-old rats were included from three completed studies (same experimental conditions) to provide a fourth age group for the analysis. Probit regression analysis was used to examine the dependence of the occurrence of lesions on pr(in situ) in the four age groups. Likewise, lesion depth and lesion root surface area were analyzed using Gaussian tobit regression analysis. Although pr(in situ) was a significant variable, no significant age dependence of the pr(in situ) effect was found. Furthermore, age had no significant effect on either the rate of occurrence or the depth of lesions. Given the occurrence of a lesion, a weak age dependence was found for the median surface area of the induced lesion (p-value 0.037). (E-mail: wdo@uiuc.edu) © 2008 World Federation for Ultrasound in Medicine & Biology.
Metabolism of glyoxylate in nonketotic hyperglycinemia.

Extract Hyperglycinemia is an error of amino acid metabolism in which there are increased amounts of glycine and normal amounts of other amino acids in blood, urine, and cerebrospinal fluid. There are at least two different types of hyperglycinernia. We recently reported on the metabolism of glycine in nonketotic hyperglycinernia [I]. A defect was found in the formation of14C02 from glycine-1-14C and in the conversion of the carbon 2 of glycine to the carbon 3 of serine. These findings were consistent with a defect in an enzyme system catalyzing the formation of CO, and hydroxymethyltetrahydrofolate from glycine, but did not exclude a defect in glycine oxidase. It was decided, therefore, to assess the metabolism of glyoxylate in nonketotic hyperglycinernia. The conversion of glyoxylate-1-14C to 14C02 (fig. 1) was similar to that of glycine-1-14C. Oxidation to CO, was rapid in control subjects, but in the patient, a flat curve was obtained. The transfer of isotope to serine was slower in the patient than in the control subjects. No isotope was found in carbon 3 of serine in the patient, while a significant amount of the isotope of carbon 3 of glyoxylate was incorporated into carbon 3 of serine in the control subjects. The data obtained indicate that the pathway of preference for the metabolism of glyoxylate is transamination to glycine and rule out a defect in glycine oxidase in nonketotic hyperglycinernia.
Intestinal transplantation in children with chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction

BACKGROUND Children with chronic intestinal pseudo-obstruction (CIPO) often require total parenteral nutrition (TPN) which puts them at risk of liver failure and recurrent line infections. Intestinal transplantation has become a therapeutic option for TPN dependent children with intestinal failure who are failing management with TPN. AIMS To investigate the outcome of children with CIPO referred for intestinal transplantation. METHODS A retrospective review was carried out of records and diagnostic studies from 27 patients with CIPO referred for intestinal transplantation. RESULTS Five children were not listed for transplantation: two because of parental decision, two because of suspicion of Munchausen syndrome by proxy, and one because he tolerated enteral nutrition. Six are still TPN dependent and awaiting transplantation. Eight children died awaiting transplantation. Eight children underwent transplantation. Three died (two months, seven months, and four years after transplant). Five children are alive with a median follow up of 2.6 years (range two months to six years). All transplanted children were able to tolerate full enteral feedings. The postoperative course was complicated by dumping syndrome, Munchausen syndrome by proxy, narcotic withdrawal, and uncovering of achalasia. Conclusion —Intestinal transplantation may be a life saving procedure in children with CIPO. Early referral and thorough pretransplant evaluation are keys to successful transplantation.
Left Sectionectomy for Living Donor: Laparoscopic Approach

Before the introduction of split-liver and living donor liver transplantation, the mortality rate among children with end-stage liver disease exceeded 25%
Public debate format for the development of soft skill competency in computer science curricula

We present a method for incorporating soft skill development into a traditional computer science curriculum through the use of a public debate format. The debate format forces participants to practice public speaking, active listening, teamwork, research and preparation, and critical thinking, as well as having the less obvious benefit of contextualizing the material taught in the classroom by introducing contemporary, real-world debate topics. This work presents an example of the incorporation of public debates in an upper-level human-computer interaction class, including a discussion of student feedback, and suggestions for adopting the debate format to other upper-level courses and its perceived benefits.
Health-related Risk Factors in a Sample of Hispanics and Whites Matched on Sociodemographic Characteristics The Stanford Five-City Project

Although past studies have compared health-related risk factors in Hispanics and whites, few studies have controlled for potential confounding from sociodemographic variables. Using data on men and women aged 25-74 years who responded to biennial cross-sectional surveys conducted in four diverse California cities from 1979 to 1990, the authors employed a matched-pairs design in which 756 Hispanic respondents were matched to 756 white respondents according to age, sex, educational level, city of residence, and time of survey. No significant differences between Hispanics and whites were found for any of the blood pressure indicators (systolic and diastolic blood pressure, prevalence of hypertension, and use of antihypertensive medication), caloric intake, total cholesterol, alcohol intake, or physical activity. The only variables for which Hispanics had higher levels of risk factors than whites were body mass index (weight (kg)/weight (m)2; 27.5 vs. 25.6, p < 0.001) and high density lipoprotein cholesterol (48.6 mg/dl vs. 50.1 mg/dl, p < 0.03). Whites, on the other hand, were significantly more likely to be current smokers than Hispanics (34.2% vs. 24.0%, p < 0.001) and, among smokers, to smoke a greater number of cigarettes per day (19.7 vs. 11.4 cigarettes/day, p < 0.001). Whites were also significantly more likely to have higher-fat diets, as measured by percentages of calories derived from total fat (37.6% vs. 35.1%, p < 0.04) and saturated fat (13.6% vs. 12.3%, p < 0.03). Examination of interactions indicated further risk factor differences by ethnicity across several sex, age, and educational subgroups.
Postdiscrimination gradients as a function of variation in reward schedules

Six pigeons were discrimination trained on wavelength stimuli and tested for postdiscrimination generalization gradients. Three were trained on Mult FI 30-sec (.50 reinforcements) extinction and three on VI 60-sec as a control. No peak shifts were found in the Fl-trained birds. The Vl-trained birds failed to show consistent peak shifts, a fact which suggests that the number of S+ days provided prior to discrimination training may be an effective variable in the production of peak shift.
Accuracy in Pancreatic Sonography — A Review of 150 Patients

Abdominal ultrasound B-scans in 150 consecutive patients studied for possible pancreatic disease were reviewed. Many of the patients were scanned on more than one occasion. The scans were reviewed without clinical information by three sonographers and the majority opinion was reported. Sonograms were placed in one of six categories: 1) normal, 2) cystic mass, or 6) technically inadequate (usually denoting too much gas).
Communication in virtual environments

Verbal behavior differs in high and low-spatial cue virtual environments.Male and female participants interacted with a confederate in each environment.Text analysis of conversation logs revealed differences by gender and environment.Both factors influenced linguistic metrics, particularly measures of collaboration.Results suggest that spatial cues benefit social connection in virtual environments. As communication technologies continue to evolve, more people will engage in virtual social interactions. With this trend comes an increasing need for research on behavior within virtual worlds. This study contributes to that agenda by focusing on the influence of physical attributes of a virtual setting and gender on verbal behavior expressed by mixed-gender dyads in a virtual world. Computerized text analyses revealed linguistic differences as a function of both the physical and social complexity of virtual settings and gender. The latter differences included both quantitative and qualitative features of written communication. These results add important new discoveries to the literature on virtual psychology and highlight the value of using text analysis tools to investigate virtual interactions.
Hypothyroidism related to excess iodine

WOLFF-CHAIKOFF'S EFFECT: The thyroid gland has a capacity to reduce thyroid hormone production in the presence of excess iodine by reducing the organification of the iodine. This Wolff-Chaikoff effect is observed after 48 hours and protects the organism from excessive synthesis of the thyroid hormones. This effect is usually temporary and within a few days thyroid hormone synthesis returns to normal through the so-called 'escape' phenomenon. However in a few normal individuals and in some susceptible patients, the escape does not occur. THE CONTEXT OF OCCURRENCE: Iodine-induced hypothyroidism is observed in fetuses, newborn, adults and in the elderly. It is observed in individuals without underlying overt thyroid disorder, and specially in patients with autoimmune thyroiditis or those previously treated for thyroid diseases (Graves' disease, subacute or pospartum thyroiditis, iatrogenic thyroid dysfunction...). FROM A CLINICAL AND PROGRESSIVE POINT OF VIEW: The hormone deficiency is of obvious clinical expression, or sometimes discreet and revealed by hormone exploration. It is usually temporary, regressing with a few days or weeks after iodine withdrawal. Nevertheless, some patients require transient hormone replacement therapy.
Review: n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids reduce fatal MI, sudden death, and overall mortality in coronary heart disease.

Source Citation Bucher HC, Hengstler P, Schindler C, Meier G. N-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids in coronary heart disease: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Am J Med. 2002 Mar;112:298-...
The Influence of Moraic Structure on L2 English Syllable-Final Consonants

It is widely acknowledged that native speakers (L1) of Japanese face a number of challenges when learning English, such as in producing syllable-final consonant segments, and differentiating between L1 and L2 syllable structures. The inability to produce such segments potentially lies in the characteristic of the Japanese language that is often called ‘mora-timed.’ This study examines how L1 Japanese errors with syllables are related to the mapping of mora-sized units onto English rather than syllable structure per se. The evidence for this is that L1 Japanese speakers can produce some but not all L2 English syllable-final consonant segments, and this production is not predictable by segment type. Data from 20 Japanese participants in a free production task were analyzed in comparison to 20 Chinese and 20 Korean participants, who also have syllable coda challenges. Acoustic analysis of these recordings revealed that the English production of Japanese speakers shows an effect of moraic structure in that codas are preserved, whereas Chinese and Korean speakers delete segments under the influence of their respective syllable structure constraints. Statistical analysis, using an univariate ANOVA confirmed that the L1 effect is significant for deletion (F(2,57)=10.942, p≤.0001) and preservation (F(2,57)=12.810, p≤.0001). Moreover, in undeleted codas a repeated measures ANOVA confirms a reliable L1 by repair interaction between laryngeal modification (Japanese) and epenthesis (Chinese and Korean) (F(2,57)=10.942, p<.05). These results suggest crosslinguistic influence at a phonological level higher than the syllable, signifying that moraic structure constrains L1 Japanese production of L2 syllable-final consonants. This research permits a more comprehensive view of L2 production, probing why and how differences in syllable structures affect overall L2 English production. These second language data also provide support for the existence of the mora in L1 Japanese, which has been a controversial topic in Japanese phonology.
Unsettling the Middle East: The Implications of the US Rhetoric and Action

This chapter discusses how the US response to the 9/11 attacks has shaken the regional context in the Middle East. By overthrowing the regime in Iraq, the USA destroyed a Sunni Arab bulwark regime that balanced Iran in the region. As the Shia groups came to political prominence in Iraq, Iraq has become, or is perceived to be, an ally of Iran. The US efforts to isolate Iran further aggravated the problem as Iran began to speed up its nuclear program. It was in this context that the traditional leaders of the Middle East, Saudi Arabia and Egypt, were in retreat, opening more space for new actors to expand their activism and dynamism.
Complex Systems: Photosynthesis

This chapter provides an overview of oxygenic photosynthesis, with primary focus on the oxygen-evolving complex (OEC) of photosystem II (PSII). The introduction includes a general discussion of photosynthesis and a brief overview of the metals involved. This is followed by an in-depth description of the metal centers within PSII, in which the structural and electronic characterizations of the OEC are reviewed in detail. The role of chloride in PSII and the proton exit pathway are discussed. Several mechanisms proposed for the O O bond formation in the OEC are presented, along with a few detailed mechanisms for the complete catalytic cycle obtained from quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics and density functional theory calculations. Model complexes that are functional mimics of the OEC are also briefly discussed. General discussion on plastocyanin, iron–sulfur centers, [FeFe] and [NiFe] hydrogenases, and ribulose-1,5-bisphosphate carboxylase-oxygenase is included. The chapter concludes with the implications of natural photosynthesis on the development of an artificial photosynthetic framework.
Clinical Manifestation and Management of FXPOI

Fragile X-associated primary ovarian insufficiency (FXPOI) is among a family of disorders caused by the expansion of a CGG repeat sequence located in the 5′ untranslated region of the X-linked gene FMR1. About 20 % of women who carry a premutation have cessation of menses for at least 1 year prior to age 40, a 20-fold increased risk compared with the general population. Further, the frequency of women with the premutation attending reproductive endocrinology clinics for infertility is significantly increased compared with the carrier frequency expected in the general population, ~3 % compared with 1/150–1/250. This makes FXPOI the leading known inherited cause of idiopathic POI. Cross-sectional studies clearly show the health burden related to the clinical outcomes associated with FXPOI. Despite the significant reduction in reproductive life span and increased frequency of estrogen deficiency-related medical conditions among women with the premutation who are diagnosed with FXPOI, little is known about the underlying molecular etiology. In this chapter, we focus on describing the clinical manifestation of FXPOI, the risk factors that potentially lead to earlier onset and severity, and the clinical management that can help ameliorate symptoms.
The Ambivalence of Maps: A Historical Perspective on Sensing and Representing Space in Mesoamerica

Imaging and spatial analysis technologies are revolutionizing archaeological methods and archaeologists’ perceptions of space. Rather than view these innovations as inevitable refinements and expansions of the archaeological toolkit, it is useful to critically assess their impacts on theory and practice. In this chapter, we consider what spatial data—data that appear to represent an objective reality—tell us about past and present human experiences of the physical world in terms of abstraction, temporality, and power. We draw on archaeological cases from Mesoamerica to illustrate how these subjective perspectives on space are revealed through technological innovations and how historical and current efforts to map this region play out in the political sphere.
Family Engagement Practices as Sites of Possibility: Supporting Immigrant Families through a District-University Partnership

In this article, we consider the ways in which family engagement practices foster sites of possibility for immigrant families in the public schools. As demographic change leads to a growing number ...
The Clinical Use of Tissue Adhesives: A Review of the Literature

Sutures have traditionally been used in the emergency room and in the primary care setting for wound and laceration closure, but over the past several decades we have seen alternative methods of wound closure emerge. Tissue adhesives are starting to become the front-runner as the alternative to sutures. They possess many advantages and have shown great results when compared to sutures to include cost effectiveness, reduced infection rate, a reduced time requirement and improved cosmetic results. Over the past several years many other indications have started to emerge such as treatment for esophageal varices, application of skin grafts, and vascular embolization. The different chemical compositions and functions will also be reviewed. Disadvantages of tissue adhesives include lower tensile strength and a potential for systemic absorption or embolization. Overall, tissue adhesives provide an excellent means for wound closure in multiple settings and are the first choice method amongst clinicians across disciplines.
Control, Social Referencing, and the Infant’s Appraisal of Threat

Current theories of infant fear emphasize the importance of the infant’s cognitive appraisal of threat (e.g., Campos & Stenberg, 1981; Sroufe, Waters, & Matas, 1974). Rather than arguing that the infant responds primarily to the arousing properties of a stimulus, these theories propose that the infant, by the end of the first year, actively evaluates and assigns meaning to events. Some form of active appraisal seems necessary to explain why the same event can sometimes elicit fear and sometimes laughter (Sroufe et al., 1974). However, without an understanding of the factors that enter into the infant’s appraisal of threat, appraisal theory does not provide a satisfying explanation for why the infant finds some events scary and others pleasurable.
Diagnosis of Primary and Metastatic Germ Cell Tumors Using Embryonic Stem Cell Transcription Factors

Germ cell tumors (GCTs) are the most common solid tumors that affect men in the third and fourth decades of life. The vast majority of GCTs arise in the testis, with a small percentage arising at extragonadal sites including the mediastinum, brain, and sacrococcygeum. These tumors frequently present at an advanced stage with distant metastases, but even advanced disease is highly amenable to therapy and can be cured. The original diagnosis may be based on limited biopsy material and without a clinical history of a testicular mass. As a result, it can be difficult to render a confident diagnosis of GCT. Historically, the available immunohistochemical markers for GCT were limited both in sensitivity and specificity. In the last decade, insights into the biology of embryonic stem (ES) cells have led to the identification of transcription factors that are critical to the maintenance of germ cell pluripotency. These ES cell transcription factors, in particular OCT4, NANOG, SOX2 and SALL4, are also highly expressed in GCTs. These markers can be used both to support a diagnosis of GCT, as well as to determine tumor subtype. This chapter will describe the clinical and pathologic features of germ cell tumors, discuss the role of ES cell transcription factors in maintaining pluripotency in the developmental and pathologic setting, and discuss how ES cell transcription factor expression patterns can be exploited in GCT diagnosis at both primary and metastatic sites.
Building Augmentative Communication Skills in Homes Where English and Spanish Are Spoken: Perspectives of an Evaluator/Interventionist

Purpose The purpose of this article was to share perspectives and experiences as a provider of augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) evaluations and trainings with families in Phoenix, A...
GENETIC ABNORMALITIES IDENTIFIED BY CHROMOSOMAL MICROARRAY IN NEONATES WITH CONGENITAL HEART DISEASE

Over the past two decades, there has been a notable expansion in the field of genetic testing. A previous study from our institution reports the incidence of genetic abnormalities detected in neonates with congenital heart disease (CHD) by karyotyping and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH).
The Productivity Improvement Process: (PIP) International Paper’s Initiatives to Transform a Manufacturing Organization

In the fall of 1987 the senior management of International Paper Company initiated a project referred to as the Productivity Improvement Process (PIP). The purpose was to transform an existing operating facility (the Cincinnati folding carton plant), into a leader in its industry. The original objective of the project was “to make the Cincinnati plant (CP) the “best” Folding Carton organization in the industry and to have it serve as a model for other International Paper plants.” It was understood at the time that CP was a mediocre performer by most accepted measures (productivity, profitability, quality, safety, receptivity to innovation). At the same time the management and work force had shown consistent improvement and a “can do” attitude towards change. Senior Management turned to the Corporate Technology Organization and chartered the Operations Analysis/Industrial Engineering (OA/IE) group to play a key role in organizing and energizing PEP. The OA/IE group would also serve as the conduit to the entire corporate Technology organization and its staff of more than 500 scientists and engineers. The OA/IE group would have a partnership role with the plant and business group management team in providing leadership and management for the Project. From the outset the project was seen as a prototype effort that would serve as a model to be refined and applied selectively to many of the other 64 converting facilities owned by the company.
Timing of chemotherapy in small cell lung cancer: A National Cancer Database analysis.

e20076Background: Small cell lung cancer (SCLC) is an aggressive disease currently treated as soon as possible given its rapid doubling time. Evidence for appropriate timing of chemotherapy from di...
Imaging of chronic male pelvic pain: what the abdominal imager should know

Chronic pelvic pain is an important but underrecognized cause of morbidity in men. While there is abundant literature discussing female pelvic pain and the diagnostic role of imaging, much less attention has been given to imaging of non-gynecologic causes of chronic pelvic pain. Chronic pelvic pain in men can be a challenge to diagnose as pain may arise from visceral, musculoskeletal, or neurovascular pathology. Imaging of the pelvic viscera has been covered in detail elsewhere in this edition and therefore will not be reviewed here. We will focus upon topics less familiar to the abdominal radiologist, including imaging of pelvic floor, musculoskeletal, and neurovascular pathology.
Practical Application of Recent Advances in Diagnostic, Prognostic, and Therapeutic Modalities for Spinal Cord Injury.

Objective Spinal cord injury remains a highly morbid entity, with limited treatment modalities in both acute and chronic settings. Clinical research efforts to improve therapeutic guidelines are confounded by initial evaluation inaccuracies, as presentations are frequently complicated by trauma and objective diagnostic and prognostic methods are poorly defined. The purpose of our study was to review recent practical advances for further delineation of these injuries and how such classification may benefit the development of novel treatments. Methods A review was carried out of recent studies reported within the last 5 years for prognostic and diagnostic modalities of acute spinal cord injury. Results Substantial efforts have been made to improve the timeliness and accuracy of the initial assessment, not only for the purpose of enhancing prognostication but also in determining the efficacy of new treatments. Whether it be applying traumatic brain injury principles to limit injury extent, external stimulators used for chronic pain conditions to enhance the effects of physical therapy, or creative algorithms incorporating various nerve or muscle transfer techniques, innovative and practical solutions continue to be developed in lieu of definitive treatment. Further development will benefit from enhanced stratification of injury from accurate and practical assessment modalities. Conclusions Recent advances in accurate, timely, and practical classification methods of acute spinal cord injury will assist in the development of novel treatment approaches for both acute and chronic injury alike.
Perspectives on an earn-a-bike intervention on transportation, health and self- esteem among men experiencing homelessness

Abstract Introduction Homelessness continues to be a pervasive public health and social justice issue across the nation. Unfortunately, some of the greatest needs of those experiencing homelessness are not met through traditional resources and agencies, which tend to focus on immediate needs such as food and shelter. One pressing—and often unmet—need of people experiencing homelessness is transportation. Access to reliable transportation is crucial to individuals experiencing homelessness who must locate shelter, employment, and medical services for their survival, all while maintaining relationships with loved ones. The specific aim of this study is to determine the bicycle's impact on mobility, physical health, access to health care, social capital, self-esteem, and employment. We are interested in how the participants used the bicycle and how the bicycle may impact perceived physical, financial, and emotional independence as they may contribute to increased perceptions of self-esteem. Methods In order to explore these outcomes, in-depth, open-ended interviews were conducted with 16 men experiencing homelessness who graduated from the earn-a-bike program offered through a local homeless outreach agency. The interviews were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using Dedoose software. Results Study findings suggest that men experiencing homelessness experience several positive impacts from owning a bicycle and value the independence they gained. Maintaining employment, strengthened social capital, improved health and access to health care services, and increased self-esteem emerged as important outcomes for men experiencing homelessness who are bike owners. For example, men reported being able to stop taking prescription medications and reduce illegal drug use because of their bike use. New unresolved challenges include bike theft, lack of secure parking, and storage. Conclusions This study provides insight into a cost-effective and sustainable intervention to improve transportation, employment opportunity, health, social capital, and self-esteem in men experiencing homelessness. Findings also highlight challenges to bicycle ownership, some that can be mitigated by providing bike locks.
Natural resource professionals’ engagement with landowners on silvopasture in the Southeastern United States

Landowners manage for multiple objectives (e.g. timber production, wildlife habitat, or as a legacy for heirs) and natural resource professionals (NRPs) are tasked with providing guidance and technical assistance. However, if a landowner is interested in silvopasture, NRPs may be of limited assistance if they are unfamiliar with what the practice entails. To understand their perceptions about and knowledge of silvopasture systems, we surveyed NRPs in four professional categories (Natural Resource Conservation Service, state forestry service, cooperative extension, and registered foresters) within four Southeastern U.S. states (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, and Mississippi). Natural Resource Conservationists were more likely to have been asked about silvopasture practices (59%) than cooperative extension agents (34%) or registered foresters (39%) in these states (p = .001). Georgia and Florida state foresters were asked about silvopasture more often (63% and 67%) than their counterparts in Alabama (29%) or Mississippi (25%). Landowner visits were common (80%) by NRPs, and many provided some form of technical assistance (74%) or print information (58%) to the individuals they served. State forestry service professionals’ differed from other groups most often. Ten of 11 factors presented as potential obstacles to silvopasture establishment and management were ranked by all participants as “somewhat important”. NRPs familiar with silvopasture rated the landowner barriers of “lack [of] technical assistance” (p = .004) and “lack demonstration” (p = .019) as less important than unfamiliar NRPs. Continuing education on silvopasture management could benefit state forestry service professionals and registered foresters in these states.
Geographic Distribution of the Compact Carpenter Ant Camponotus planatus (Hymenoptera: Formicidae), a Neotropical Species Spreading in Florida

Camponotus planatus Roger (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) is a broadly distributed New World carpenter ant. Here, I document the geographic distribution of C. planatus and consider evidence concerning where this species may be native, particularly whether it is native to Florida. To evaluate the distribution of C. planatus, I compiled and mapped specimen records from >1500 sites. Although, C. planatus was originally described from Cuba, it remains uncertain whether it is native or exotic there. In addition to scattered records across tropical South America, C. planatus shows a largely continuous continental distribution from Panama through Central America and Mexico to southeastern Texas. Across this continental range, C. planatus shows notable color variation, suggesting that it is native to this region. In Texas, C. planatus records dating to before 1980 are spread across most of its known range. However, eight of the nine northernmost records date to 2014 or later, including all six records from the Houston area in East Texas. This pattern suggests that C. planatus is native to Texas, but populations there appear to have recently expanded, perhaps due to climate change. Camponotus planatus populations in Florida, the Bahamas, and Mississippi are probably non-native. In Florida, C. planatus was first found in Key West in 1887, but populations appear to have greatly expanded, particularly since 1980, and now extend as far north as Jacksonville. Due to continued climate change, C. planatus may soon be able to extend its range all along the Gulf coast from Texas to Florida.
Emergency medicine physicians' knowledge and perceptions of training, education, and resources in eating disorders.

Feeding and eating disorders present with a variety of medical complications, some of which may be life-threatening. Emergency Medicine (EM) physicians may interact with patients with eating disorders, however, EM physicians’ knowledge and perceptions of resources for treating patients with eating disorders have not been examined. The purpose of this study was to explore previous training/education, perceptions of available resources, and educational needs in treating eating disorders in practicing EM physicians. An investigator-developed survey was used in this cross-sectional pilot study, distributed to EM Residency Program Coordinators in the United States to distribute to EM physicians and residents. The survey assessed EM physicians’ previous training and education in treating and diagnosing eating disorders. The primary outcomes assessed were participants’ previous training/education in eating disorders, knowledge of local resources for patients, and educational needs on a variety of topics related to adult and adolescent eating disorders. Data were described descriptively and SAS 9.4 was used to analyze data. Of the 162 participants, just 1.9% completed a rotation on eating disorders during residency. Ninety-three percent were unfamiliar with the American Psychiatric Association’s Practice Guideline for the Treatment of Patients with Eating Disorders; 95% were unfamiliar with the publication, “Emergency Department management of patients with eating disorders” by Trent et al. The majority were not aware of resources for patients with eating disorders including community and online support groups, the National Eating Disorders Association, and local treatment programs. At least 50% agreed additional education on 15 of the 19 topics examined would be useful; 85% agreed to wanting education on the assessment of patients with eating disorders in the Emergency Department. Most EM physicians lack training in eating disorders and knowledge of resources available for patients post-Emergency Department discharge. EM physicians agree additional education on a number of topics would be beneficial, particularly assessment of eating disorders in the Emergency Department, medical complications of eating disorders, and hospital admission criteria for those with eating disorders.
Nothing is easy: educational striving and migration deferral in Guatemala

This paper ethnographically explores how indigenous Guatemalan youth come to desire non-migration despite local social-geographical contexts of extensive mobility. The 2014 the emergence of a ‘cris...
Chemical stabilization of chromate in blast furnace slag mixed cementitious materials

Cement waste form (CWF) technology is among the leading approaches to disposing of metals and liquid low-level nuclear waste in the United States. One such material, saltstone, includes slag, fly ash and Portland cement to enhance the immobilization of contaminants (e.g., Cr, (99)Tc) in alkaline liquid wastes. To evaluate the stability of such redox sensitive contaminants in saltstone, the effects of slag as a source of reductant on Cr immobilization was evaluated in aged (<300 d) saltstone monoliths. Specifically, we investigated the effects of artificial cement pore waters on the Cr release and the spatially resolved Cr chemical state analysis using synchrotron based microfocused X-ray microprobe analysis. The microprobe analysis indicated the heterogeneous distribution of insoluble Cr(III)-species in saltstone. Although at most of 20% Crtotal was leached at the top few (2-3) millimeter depth, the release of Cr(VI) was small (<5%) at 5-30 mm with slight changes, indirectly suggesting that Cr is likely present as insoluble Cr(III) species throughout the depths. The study suggests that this saltstone formulation can effectively retain/immobilize Cr under the oxic field condition after ⩽300 d of aging time.
Printer and Scanner Forensics: Models and Methods

Contrary to popular opinion, the use of paper in our society will not disappear any time during the foreseeable future. In fact, the use of paper continues to grow rather than decline. It is certainly true that as individuals, we may be printing less than we used to. And the role of paper has been transformed from the archival record of a document to a convenient and aesthetically appealing graphical user interface. The use of paper is now intimately linked to the electronic systems that capture, process, transmit, generate, and reproduce textual and graphical content. Paper can be thought of as an interface between humans and the digital world. If this interface is not secure, the entire system becomes vulnerable to attack and abuse. Although paper is read by humans in the same way that it has been for millennia, and has had the same fundamental form and composition for almost that long as well, the technologies for printing and scanning documents and capturing their content have evolved tremendously, especially during the last twenty years. This has moved the capability to generate printed documents from the hands of a select few to anyone with access to lowcost scanners, printers, and personal computers. It has greatly broadened the opportunities for abuse of trust through the generation of fallacious documents and tampering with existing documents, including the embedding of messages in these documents.
Gastric and duodenal fistulas in Crohn's disease

We report gastric or duodenal fistulas in 6 patients with Crohn's colitis or ileocolitis. Two patients had duodenocolic fistulas, 1 had a duodenoileal fistula, 2 had gastrocolic fistulas, and 1 had gastric and duodenal fistulas from an ileocolic anastomosis. In each case the fistula originated from the lower bowel segment, and no patient in this series had primary gastroduodenal Crohn's disease. These cases illustrate the range of manifestations of fistulas to the stomach and duodenum in Crohn's disease, and emphasize that the predominant symptoms determining surgical intervention usually arise from the diseased ileum and colon, rather than from the fistula. Our experience demonstrates the simplicity and safety of excision of the fistula with primary closure of the stomach or duodenum when the stomach and duodenum are otherwise normal by endoscopic examination.