cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Some Synoptic-Scale Aspects of the Surface Fronts over Southern China during TAMEX

Abstract Although the term “Mei-Yu” is widely used to describe the early-summer rainy season of Taiwan, it is shown that during TAMEX (Taiwan Area Mesoscale Experiment), most of the surface fronts over southern China differ from the classical model of a “Mei-Yu front” found in the earlier literature. These fronts occur before the seasonal transition in mid-June, during which the upper-level south Asian anticyclone advances northward with considerable tropospheric warming over the China plain. In contrast to Mei-Yu fronts over central China, which occur after. the seasonal transition, most of these fronts possess baroclinic characteristics.
Mitral Paravalvular Leak Closure

For patients with paravalvular mitral prosthetic regurgitation, percutaneous repair is an established therapy for the treatment of symptoms of heart failure or hemolytic anemia. Percutaneous repair of paravalvular mitral regurgitation is a complex procedure with unique technical challenges, even when performed in experienced centers. Herein, the author discusses patient selection, catheter-based techniques for repair, and clinical outcomes of percutaneous repair for paravalvular mitral regurgitation.
Trichomonas vaginalis vaginitis

Abstract 1. The incidence of Trichomonas vaginalis infection among 5,712 obstetric and gynecologic patients of the Obstetrical and Gynecological Clinic at the U. S. Naval Hospital, San Diego, California, was found to be 24.6 per cent for all patients examined or 3.69 per cent when only those with typical symptoms were considered. 2. In post-partum cases the incidence was 33 per cent, as compared to 20.3 per cent in the ante-partum cases. 3. Trichomonas vaginalis vaginitis as a recognized clinical entity occurred in only 15 per cent of the cases. 4. Some patients had left lower quadrant pain and painful coitus with no other findings to account for it. 5. Routine examination accounted for 64 per cent of the cases being found; 15 per cent were recognized clinical entities; 0.21 per cent occurred with a pathogenic abundance of Doderlein bacilli; 12.455 per cent were associated with gonorrheal endocervicitis; 8.26 per cent had a nonspecific endocervicitis; and 0.075 per cent occurred with monilia infection. 6. A case of Trichomonas vaginalis proctitis is reported. 7. Comparative results of treatment with carbarsone, vioform, and silver picrate are given. 8. Some pertinent facts from the literature are cited.
Cost Utility of Competing Strategies to Prevent Endoscopic Transmission of Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae

Cost Utility of Competing Strategies to Prevent Endoscopic Transmission of Carbapenem-Resistant Enterobacteriaceae
Discourse Connectors for Latent Subjectivity in Sentiment Analysis

Document-level sentiment analysis can benefit from fine-grained subjectivity, so that sentiment polarity judgments are based on the relevant parts of the document. While finegrained subjectivity annotations are rarely available, encouraging results have been obtained by modeling subjectivity as a latent variable. However, latent variable models fail to capitalize on our linguistic knowledge about discourse structure. We present a new method for injecting linguistic knowledge into latent variable subjectivity modeling, using discourse connectors. Connector-augmented transition features allow the latent variable model to learn the relevance of discourse connectors for subjectivity transitions, without subjectivity annotations. This yields significantly improved performance on documentlevel sentiment analysis in English and Spanish. We also describe a simple heuristic for automatically identifying connectors when no predefined list is available.
A Simple Fixation-Decalcification and Iron Staining Technic for Bone Marrow Specimens

A method for processing bone marrow specimens is described. It telescopes the three steps of fixation, decalcification, and iron staining into a simple one-step method using only one working solution. Cellular detail is excellent The iron stain appears to be superior in sensitivity to conventional staining technics. Iron is easily demonstrated in the mounted, unstained, deparaflinized slide and also in the slide stained with hematoxylin and eosin.
Drugs in development for viral hepatitis: care and caution.

The approval of the first direct-acting antiviral (DAA) drugs for treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) is anticipated in 2011. Due to the promise that these compounds, telaprevir and boceprevir, may improve sustained viral response (SVR) rates up to 75% in treatment-naive or relapse genotype 1 (G1) patients, there will likely be widespread use of these drugs in the US and EU. Unfortunately, this also creates the potential for misuse of these new drugs for multiple reasons such as poor understanding of treatment populations, inadequate viral assay testing, poor adverse effect management and lack of monitoring for antiviral resistance. In an effort to avoid the casual or incorrect use of these newmedications, the American Association for The Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) introduced a new programme to their 2010 meeting, the Viral Hepatitis Debrief. The purpose of the debrief is to move the field forward by immediately synthesizing new data from the annual meeting into a reasonable set of guidelines for clinicians who will be using these drugs. Topics in the debrief include changes in pre-treatment diagnostic testing, lessons from the phase III trials presented at themeeting,monitoring for resistance during treatment, combinations of small molecules, treatment of special populations, expanded access programmes (EAPs), what will be different in 2011 and, lastly, what issues remain unclear.
Metalloproteins containing cytochrome, iron-sulfur, or copper redox centers.

Redox reactions play important roles in almost all biological processes, including photosynthesis and respiration, which are two essential energy processes that sustain all life on earth. It is thus not surprising that biology employs redox-active metal ions in these processes. It is largely the redox activity that makes metal ions uniquely qualified as biological cofactors and makes bioinorganic enzymology both fun to explore and challenging to study. Even though most metal ions are redox active, biology employs a surprisingly limited number of them for electron transfer (ET) processes. Prominent members of redox centers involved in ET processes include cytochromes, iron–sulfur clusters, and cupredoxins. Together these centers cover the whole range of reduction potentials in biology (Figure ​(Figure1).1). Because of their importance, general reviews about redox centers1−77 and specific reviews about cytochromes,8,24,78−90 iron–sulfur proteins,91−93 and cupredoxins94−104 have appeared in the literature. In this review, we provide both classification and description of each member of the above redox centers, including both native and designed proteins, as well as those proteins that contain a combination of these redox centers. Through this review, we examine structural features responsible for their redox properties, including knowledge gained from recent progress in fine-tuning the redox centers. Computational studies such as DFT calculations become more and more important in understanding the structure–function relationship and facilitating the fine-tuning of the ET properties and reduction potentials of metallocofactors in proteins. Since this aspect has been reviewed extensively before,105−110 and by other reviews in this thematic issue,2000,2001,2002 it will not be covered here. Open in a separate window Figure 1 Reduction potential range of redox centers in electron transfer processes.
Agency and Mental Health A Transition to Adulthood Paradox

Building on calls within the health literature for a deeper engagement with the concept of agency, we utilize nationally representative survey data from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (N = 13,592) to develop an empirical conception of the traditional treatment of health agency focused on two social psychological constructs that build upon current foci on personal control within the stress process model: (1) “subjective vitality” and (2) a forward-looking orientation (“optimism”). We find an interesting paradox: adolescents with higher health-based agency early in the transition to adulthood have significantly higher status attainment (occupational and educational) outcomes, but early mental health advantages disappear over the transition to adulthood. This suggests that while subjective beliefs about health agency put adolescents on trajectories toward higher socioeconomic status, they also set them up for declines in mental health due to unachieved expectations. There seem ...
Characterizing phenol–formaldehyde adhesive cure chemistry within the wood cell wall

Abstract Adhesive bonding of wood using phenol–formaldehyde remains the industrial standard in wood product bond durability. Not only does this adhesive infiltrate the cell wall, it also is believed to form primary bonds with wood cell wall polymers, particularly guaiacyl lignin. However, the mechanism by which phenol–formaldehyde adhesive integrally interacts and bonds to lignin within the cell wall remains unclear. We used recently developed solubilization methodologies in conjunction with two-dimensional 1H–13C solution-state NMR spectroscopy of ball-milled pine earlywood and latewood bonded assemblies to characterize the chemical modification of wood cell wall polymers after phenol–formaldehyde curing at various cooking times. The results showed that the highly alkaline resin at 140 °C decreased the frequency of the principal arylglycerol-β-aryl ether interunit linkage by eighty percent in earlywood and by twenty percent in latewood. The presence of newly formed diarylmethanes between guaiacyl lignin units and phenolic methylols was confirmed via NMR spectra of the aliphatic methylene and aromatic regions. The phenol–formaldehyde cure chemistry showed that o–p methylene bridges dominated in both earlywood and latewood cell walls, but the propensity of p–p substitution is higher in the latewood cell wall. Our results provide evidence for a simultaneous wood polymer degradation and guaiacyl unit C5 bond formation that occurs during phenol–formaldehyde curing. This competition may be necessary for developing good bond durability between the adhesive and wood.
Unscented guidance for waypoint navigation of a fixed-wing UAV

Aerodynamic uncertainty can lead to large variations in the dynamics of fixed-wing unmanned aerial vehicles. Thus, waypoint navigation is normally done using a feedback controller. In some environments navigation can be done in the open-loop provided that the control is desensitized to the uncertainty. In this paper, unscented optimal control is used to design such open-loop controls for guiding a UAV between waypoints. The unscented optimal control problem considers the effects of parametric uncertainty and is formulated as a deterministic optimal control problem so that it can be solved computationally. The results show an improvement of 30% in the mean terminal error and a 35% reduction in the standard deviation for a canonical turn maneuver. A second unscented problem that includes an additional control over the thrust provides an improvement of 50% in the mean error and a 60% reduction in the standard deviation. The unscented guidance provides a new framework for waypoint navigation and could prove to be a promising approach for non ideal environments.
Physical cryptographic verification of nuclear warheads

How does one prove a claim about a highly sensitive object such as a nuclear weapon without revealing information about the object? This paradox has challenged nuclear arms control for more than five decades. We present a mechanism in the form of an interactive proof system that can validate the structure and composition of an object, such as a nuclear warhead, to arbitrary precision without revealing either its structure or composition. We introduce a tomographic method that simultaneously resolves both the geometric and isotopic makeup of an object. We also introduce a method of protecting information using a provably secure cryptographic hash that does not rely on electronics or software. These techniques, when combined with a suitable protocol, constitute an interactive proof system that could reject hoax items and clear authentic warheads with excellent sensitivity in reasonably short measurement times.
The similarity and difference between ant and human ultrasocieties: From the viewpoint of scaling laws

Complementary to Gowdy & Krall's comparison between ants and humans, I use economy scaling laws to discuss the similarity and difference between them quantitatively. I hypothesize that individual variations in society result in higher energetic efficiency in larger groups, and that the difference in the sustainability between these species originates from the driving forces of growth with different scaling powers.
High-Risk Sexual Behavior in Postmenopausal Women

ABSTRACTIndividuals who participate in sexual behavior indeed expose themselves to multiple risks, including social, emotional, and physical risks. Outcomes associated with risk behavior can have detrimental consequences on one’s interpersonal relationships, self-esteem, and overall health and well-being. This study examined how four factors (relational, decision-making, sexual variables, and safety) operate in a postmenopausal women’s decision to engage in risky sexual behavior. Data were collected online from 44 women, ranging in age from 34 to 68. Results indicate this model explains 62.6% of the variance in risky decision-making for postmenopausal women. Implications and directions for future research are addressed.
A spatially heterogeneous Gillespie algorithm modeling framework that enables individual molecule history and tracking

Stochastic models allow investigators to simulate reactions in a discrete way that can account for fluctuations that are otherwise ignored within a deterministic approach. Integrated particle system (IPS) models are a form of stochastic model that take spatial distributions, environmental factors, and agent migration into consideration. Unlike agent based models (ABM), IPS models only rely on a set of general reactions to describe the interactions of molecules/entities, allowing for an easy cause-effect connection between macroscopic phenomena and microscopic behavior. However, IPS models currently do not track individual agents or apply manipulations to individual agent behavior based on their specific location or their individual history. Therefore, IPS models cannot incorporate agent-based manipulations and tracking while still relying on a set of basic assumptions that are needed to easily connect emergent phenomena to simplistic microscopic behaviors. Here we propose an IPS modeling framework where we convert the exact Gillespie algorithm into a 2 dimensional lattice space that allows for environmental factors where molecules can move stochastically, generating an overall heterogeneous molecule distribution. Individual molecules can be tracked without describing the rules of interaction for each specific individual molecule, forming a tracked IPS (TIPS) modeling framework. However, since each individual molecule is tagged, agent-based manipulations and the ability to alter agent behavior due to history can be incorporated into TIPS, allowing one to model biological systems that would otherwise have to rely on a pure ABM. We apply the TIPS modeling framework to STIM1(stromal interaction molecule 1)-Orai1(calcium release-activated calcium channel protein 1) binding and motion, in T cells as a result of T cell receptor activation a key component of the calcium response within lymphocytes that leads to the adaptive response of T cells in an immune response. Within this biological setting we show that observed patterns of reduced motion following activation can be explained by a diffusion trap coming from changes in the environment of interaction without any real change in the molecules movement rates.
The influence of the pre-stimulation neural state on the post-stimulation neural dynamics via distributed microstimulation of the hippocampus

In this study we investigated how the neural state influences how the brain responds to electrical stimulation using a 16-channel microelectrode array with 8 stimulation and recording channels implanted in the rat hippocampus. In two experiments we identified the stimulation threshold at which the brain changes to an afterdischarge state. In one experiment a range of suprathreshold stimulations were applied, and in another the stimulation was not changed. The neural state was measured by the power spectral density prior to stimulation. In the first experiment, these measures and the stimulation parameters were used as features, either together or separately, for training a Support Vector Machine (SVM) classifier to predict whether the stimulation would produce an afterdischarge. In the second experiment, recursive feature elimination was used to iteratively remove the neural state features from the recording channels that had the least impact on the overall accuracy. In the first experiment 43 stimulations elicited 26 afterdischarges. In predicting the post-stimulation state-change (afterdischarge vs. no afterdischarge) the feature space of only neural state had a higher accuracy (67.4%) than when combined with the stimulation parameters (65.1%) or the stimulation parameters alone (58.1%). The overall classification results from both feature spaces containing the neural state were non-independent (chi-squared p < 0.01). In the second experiment, the channels that were the least predictive were those on the more distal ends of the recording electrode, and the most predictive were clustered in the center of the electrode. Additionally, the accuracy increased when 4 channels were removed. The findings from these experiments suggest that both the pre-stimulation state and the spatial properties from where it is measured can play a role in how neural stimulation can induce functional changes in the hippocampal networks.
Imaging and manipulating living neurons with atomic force microscopy

Atomic force microscopy (AFM) applications in medicine and biology promises to be significant. Resolutions of living biological materials provided by this technology in the native environment far surpass any modality currently available. The AFM can also be used to physically interact with the sample of interest, allowing for novel experimentation. This report discusses three-dimensional architectures of living chick dorsal root ganglion and sympathetic ganglion somas and growth cones. Secondly, the AFM has been used to inflict damage to these neurons and subsequently image the cell's response to injury. In the Center for Paralysis Research, we intend to expand on these preliminary investigations toward a better understanding of neurotrauma and nerve repair.
Developing Educators for Inclusive Classrooms through a Rural School-University Partnership:

This narrative illustrates a school-university partnership's attempt to prepare inclusive educators for working in inclusive classrooms. This partnership, located in a rural school located in the s...
The effect of ascorbic acid on bone cancer cells in vitro

Ascorbic acid (Vitamin C) has long been known for its anti-cancer properties and in the present study the effects of ascorbic acid (AsA) on osteogenic differentiation, apoptosis, and signaling path...
On the theory and practice of high-dimensional data indexing with iDistance

An important and challenging task for modern large-scale and high-dimensional data is k-nearest neighbor (kNN) retrieval. Using iDistance as the current state-of-the-art high-dimensional indexing algorithm, this work discusses the theoretical bounds associated with a distance-based indexing technique and proposes several simple optimizations to improve the efficiency and stability of query retrieval. We then present practical analysis of these bounds and optimizations through experiments on synthetic and real world datasets over a wide variety of data characteristics. Results indicate overall greatly improved retrieval performance and especially promising results in high dimensions.
Direct visual-inertial navigation with analytical preintegration

Recent advancements in the performance and affordability of cameras and inertial measurement units (IMUs) have caused demand for efficient, accurate visual-inertial navigation solutions. In this paper, we present a system for the fusion of preintegrated inertial measurements with highly informative direct alignment of images. In particular, our preintegration theory is based on closed-form solutions of the continuous-time IMU kinematic model, instead of discrete time. This allows for more accurate computation of preintegrated measurements and their uncertainty as well as bias Jacobians. These measurements are fused via graph-based methods with relative pose constraints obtained from direct image alignment from a stereo platform. The proposed system is validated on publicly-available real-world datasets.
Capture and injury rates of Band-tailed Pigeons using whoosh nets

ABSTRACT Catching ground feeding birds has typically been accomplished through small, walk-in funnel-style traps. This approach is limited because it requires a bird to find its way into the trap, is biased toward less wary birds, and does not allow targeted trapping of individual birds. As part of a large study on Band-tailed Pigeons (Patagioenas fasciata) in New Mexico, we needed a trapping method that would allow more control over the number of birds we could trap at one time, when a trap was deployed, and target trapping of specific individuals. We adopted a relatively novel trapping technique used primarily for shorebirds, whoosh nets, to trap Band-tailed Pigeons at 3 different sites where birds were being fed by local landowners. During 2013–2015, whoosh nets were used to trap 702 Band-tailed Pigeons at 3 different locations in New Mexico. We captured 12.54 ± 8.19 pigeons per shot over 56 capture events across 3 locations (range: 2–39). Some superficial injuries occurred using this technique and typ...
Assessing and Mitigating the Hazard Potential of Two-Dimensional Materials.

The family of two-dimensional (2D) materials is comprised of a continually expanding palette of unique compositions and properties with potential applications in electronics, optoelectronics, energy capture and storage, catalysis, and nanomedicine. To accelerate the implementation of 2D materials in widely disseminated technologies, human health and environmental implications need to be addressed. While extensive research has focused on assessing the toxicity and environmental fate of graphene and related carbon nanomaterials, the potential hazards of other 2D materials have only recently begun to be explored. Herein, the toxicity and environmental fate of postcarbon 2D materials, such as transition metal dichalcogenides, hexagonal boron nitride, and black phosphorus, are reviewed as a function of their preparation methods and surface functionalization. Specifically, we delineate how the hazard potential of 2D materials is directly related to structural parameters and physicochemical properties and how ex...
Classifying linear operators over the octonions

We classify linear operators over the octonions and relate them to linear equations with octonionic coefficients and octonionic variables. Along the way, we also classify linear operators over the quaternions, and show how to relate quaternionic and octonionic operators to real matrices. In each case, we construct an explicit basis of linear operators that maps to the canonical (real) matrix basis; in contrast to the complex case, these maps are surjective. Since higher-order polynomials can be reduced to compositions of linear operators, our construction implies that the ring of polynomials in one variable over the octonions is isomorphic to the product of eight copies of the ring of real polynomials in eight variables.
Kinetics of Selective Deposition of ApoSAA2 During Development of Amyloidosis in Mice

The major murine serum amyloid proteins (apoSAA1, apoSAA2) have been identified, of which only one (apoSAA2) shares amino acid sequence identity with tissue protein AA. To examine the mechanism of this apparent isotype-specific amyloid protein deposition, we have studied apoSAA metabolism at the levels of gene expression and plasma content during amyloidogenesis. In CBA mice, daily intraperitoneal casein administration resulted in a linear increase in splenic amyloid content, beginning within 10 days and reaching approximately 30% of the organ volume at 20 days. Hepatic apoSAA mRNA content, estimated by in vitro translation, was highest at day 1 (3% of total mRNA) and declined thereafter (to 1%, day 20). The relative content of apoSAA2 mRNA compared with that of apoSAA1 was unchanged throughout amyloid induction. Simultaneously, a 2–3 fold drop in total serum apoSAA levels was observed with, by contrast, a 10-fold reduction in the serum ratio of apoSAA2/apoSAA1. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that murine tissue protein AA accumulates by selective deposition of apoSAA2 from the serum.
Behavioral Interventions in Pediatric Neurology

Pediatric neurology encompasses a broad continuum of disorders with great diversity of prevalences, etiologies, symptom categories, and severities. For example, the prevalence of neurological learning disabilities is estimated to be as high as 5% of the population (Tarnopol, 1971). Rare disorders such as dystonia musculorum deformans, a genetic degenerative disease, afflict a very small subset of the population but produce extreme physical incapacity (Eldridge & Fahn, 1976). Etiologies of neurological disorders include trauma, genetic, metabolic, or developmental disorders, diseases specific to the nervous system (NS) or central nervous system (CNS), or diseases which produce byproducts which in turn damage the NS or CNS. Symptom categories include all brain and NS functions, selectively or in combination. Severities range from mild aberrations in selective functions (i.e., written letter perception) to complete physical incapacity, coma, and death (Ford, 1973).
Jack Schwartz Meets Karl Marx

Participating in a group study of Karl Marx’s classic Capital led Jack Schwartz in unexpected directions. He was surprised to find, not only that Marx’s celebrated labor theory of value is in blatant contradiction to empirical reality, but also that Marx was quite aware of this. To get around this roadblock, Marx had returned to the Hegelian dialectic that he and Friedrich Engels had previously abandoned and even ridiculed.
Postmodernism is not dead

I don’t agree that postmodernism and poststructuralism are dead, any more than are Platonism, Cartesianism, phenomenology, pragmatism, Frankfurt School critical theory, feminist theory, critical ra...
Corneal Tissue Engineering

Mankind has been always fascinated with the idea of restoring any damaged tissue or organ. Regarding corneal functional restoration, the French ophthalmologist Pellier de Quengsy was the first one proposing in 1789 a replacement of an opaque cornea using a piece of glass surrounded by a silver ring. However, the paradigm of corneal blindness treatment does not change until 1905, when Eduard Zirm performed the first corneal transplant to a patient using a donor cornea. Corneal transplant is still the most used and reliable treatment for some corneal diseases despite their three major drawbacks: the scarcity of donors, the risk of rejection and the transmission of infectious diseases. In this milieu, corneal tissue engineering emerges with the ambition of generating artificial corneas or other type of tissue-engineered products that lead to an optimal corneal regeneration, overcoming those major disadvantages of allogeneic corneal transplants. Once we understand the structure-function relationships in the cornea, we can generate a tissue-engineered corneal substitute to restore, maintain, or improve corneal functions, using different building blocks: cells, scaffolds and bioactive molecules. In this regard, here we briefly highlight some treatment options for corneal diseases based on different tissue-engineering strategies. Moreover, we explain the concepts and regulations necessary to understand the future clinical impact of tissue engineering in corneal therapy and surgery.
The Role of Professors in Improving Financial Literacy: Roundtable Session Highlights from the 2012 FMA Annual Meeting

This roundtable session was organized to answer the question:“What can I do as a finance professor to increase the personal financial capability of my students and others in my community?” The panelist for this roundtable were chosen as “best in class” examples of professors who have developed programs and curricula on their campuses that promote financial literacy by lifting the level of an individual’s financial acumen and decision making ability. Each panelist presents a unique and compelling model for enhancing the financial wellbeing of students on their campus. The success of these programs highlights the level of demand at universities for personal finance education, financial counseling, and financial wellbeing support on our campuses.
Long-Term Outcome of Bilateral Laparoscopic Adrenalectomy Measured by Disease-Specific Questionnaire in a Unique Group of Patients with Cushing's Syndrome.

Background. Laparoscopic bilateral adrenalectomy (LBA) is recommended for patients with bilateral adrenal disease and occult or unresectable ectopic Cushing’s syndrome (CS). There are limited data on long-term outcomes after LBA, partly due to the lack of disease-specific tools for the measurement of impact on patients’ health and quality of life. Methods. We used a disease-specific questionnaire covering all major clinicopathologic characteristics of CS. We compared the outcome from LBA to a control group of 60 patients who had thyroidectomy (matched for age, gender, and time of surgery, 2:1 control-to-CS). Results. Twenty-eight patients (20 women and 8 men) underwent LBA for CS. Of them, 24 patients (86 %) provided responses to our questionnaire. Ninety-two percent of patients’ responses indicated a significant improvement of general Cushing’s physical features with complete resolution reported in 59 % of responses. Significant improvement of associated biochemical abnormalities and comorbidities was reported in 83 % of patients’ responses including complete reversal in 58 %. Significant improvement in emotional-behavioral symptoms was reported in 84 % of patients’ responses with complete recovery in 53 %. All patients expressed satisfaction with LBA and significant improvement in their general health and selfreported quality of life. All of the improvements after LBA were statistically significant compared with the control group. Conclusions. Our disease-specific questionnaire enables a clearer understanding of the association between the clinical, metabolic, and emotional-behavioral features of CS, its treatment with LBA, and long-term impact on patientreported quality of life. This disease-specific questionnaire may be useful for future studies in patients with CS.
Cardiovascular Effects of Total Spinal Anesthesia Following Intrathecal Administration of Bupivacaine with and Without Epinephrine in the Dog

Total spinal anesthesia was induced in dogs by the intrathecal injection of 10 ml of 0.5% bupivacaine with and without epinephrine. A decrease of approximately 40% to 50% in mean arterial blood pressure occurred in both groups of animals with spontaneous return toward control blood pressure values within 3 hours. Epinephrine delayed but did not significantly alter the profound hypotension following induction of total spinal blockade. A decrease of approximately 30% in mean heart rate occurred in both groups of dogs. Epinephrine did not exert any influence on the rate or degree of vascular absorption of bupivacaine from the subarachnoid space. No sensory or motor deficits were observed in any of the animals following recovery from total spinal anesthesia induced with bupivacaine with and without epinephrine.
Worst-Case Probabilistic Network Outage Identification Under Physical Disturbances

This letter presents a mathematical optimization model to identify the worst-case probabilistic network outage scenario induced by physical disturbances. That is, we seek to find the outage scenario with the maximum combined likelihood and impact on the network. This is a challenging combinatorial problem, as the search domain exponentially grows with the size of the network and the impact of outages on the network is not usually explicitly quantifiable. In this letter, we develop an iterative algorithm to tackle these challenging issues by formulating it as a mixed-integer programming problem and tightening the search domain by bounding upper and lower bounds of the solution using the upper bound estimates of outage scenario probabilities. We also apply the proposed model to identify the worst-case outage scenarios in power networks, where the impacts of outage scenarios are calculated using the security-constrained optimal power flow problem. The numerical studies, conducted on two test power networks, demonstrate the efficiency and proven convergence of the proposed model in identifying the worst-case probabilistic outage scenario.
Is Ultrasound‐Guided Core Biopsy as Safe as Fine‐Needle Aspiration, and Does It Add Significantly to the Diagnosis of Suspected Peritoneal Malignancy?

Objectives We undertook this retrospective review to compare the safety and diagnostic yield of core biopsy (CB) compared to fine-needle aspiration (FNA) in patients with suspected peritoneal malignancy. Methods This retrospective study included 35 patients who underwent ultrasound (US)-guided percutaneous biopsy of a peritoneal mass. Success rates of US-guided biopsy of these masses using the CB technique, FNA, or the combination of the two were compared. Outcomes of tissue adequacy, the final pathologic diagnosis, and complications were recorded. The binary outcome variable was adequate tissue obtained. Results Adequate specimens were obtained in 94% (33 of 35) of the cases. There were 19 CBs, with 100% of samples sufficient for diagnosis (19 of 19). Thirty-one FNAs were performed, of which 7 were insufficient, with a diagnostic yield of 77% (24 of 31). There was a statistically significant difference between FNA and CB in providing more adequate tissue for diagnosis in our population (P = .035). There were no significant complications in either group. Conclusions The use of the CB technique when performing US-guided percutaneous biopsy of peritoneal masses provides better tissue for diagnosis compared to FNA. Additional benefits of CB, including genomic testing and tumor subtyping, make this technique a good addition to FNA, without significant complications.
Een overzicht van directe en indirecte zelfbeschadiging

In dit hoofdstuk stap ik over van de bespreking van zelfverwonding en suicide naar de behandeling van alle vormen van zelfbeschadiging. Een behandelaar die zich afvraagt of er sprake is van zelfverwonding moet (1) dit proberen te onderscheiden van suicide (zoals besproken in H. 1); (2) een inschatting maken van het risico op suicide (zoals besproken in H. 2); en (3) eventueel ander zelfdestructief gedrag in kaart brengen, zoals gebruik van verslavende middelen, een eetstoornis, risicogedrag en het staken van medicijngebruik. Voor een competente klinische beoordeling moeten we naar alle vormen van zelfbeschadiging kijken. Dat levert een volledig beeld op van de klinische uitdagingen die we kunnen verwachten.
Severity of preoperative hydrocephalus is an important prognostic factor of choroid plexus papilloma in children

Objective To explore the correlation between severity of preoperative hydrocephalus and the prognosis of choroid plexus papilloma (CPP) in children.Methods Between Sep 2006 and Dec 2011,11 patients with CPP underwent surgery at this center.The diagnosis of CPP was confirmed by pathological examination.After surgery,10 cases were followed up for 4 months to 6 years.The severity of hydrocephalus was determined on CT and MRI by calculating the ventricle to cranial ratio according to the Vassilouthis method.Meanwhile,width of ventricle forehead and length of lateral ventricles temporal angle were also calculated.Fisher exact test was performed to explore the cor relation between preoperative hydrocephalus and the surgery outcome.Results The patients included 3 males and 7 females,with an average age of 7.4 months.Six patients had mild preoperative hydrocephalus,and the other 4 had severe preoperative hydrocephalus.The symptoms of the 6 patients with mild preoperative hydrocephalus were significantly improved without severe complications after surgery.However,3 of the 4 cases with severe preoperative hydrocephalus didn't get any significant improvement after surgery.Fisher analysis suggested that the clinical outcome of the 2 groups was significantly different (P =0.033).Conclusions Severity of preoperative hydrocephalus is an important prognostic factor of choroid plexus papilloma in children. Key words: Papilloma; choroids plexus; Hydrocephalus; Infant
Teaching Social Protest Literature with Richard Wright and James Baldwin in Paris

In this chapter, I propose teaching Richard Wright’s and James Baldwin’s competing ideas concerning social protest as a thematic approach to a study abroad course in Paris. This chapter models how to scaffold writing assignments to encourage inquiry regarding the usage of social protest in Post-Renaissance literature. Finally, this chapter suggests cocurricular activities and events to pair with Wright’s and Baldwin’s literature in Paris.
Exploration of Machine Learning to Identify Community Dwelling Older Adults with Balance Dysfunction Using Short Duration Accelerometer Data

The incidence of fall-related injuries in older adults is high. Given the significant and adverse outcomes that arise from injurious falls in older adults, it is of the utmost importance to identify older adults at greater risk for falls as early as possible. Given that balance dysfunction provides a significant risk factor for falls, an automated and objective identification of balance dysfunction in community dwelling older adults using wearable sensor data when walking may be beneficial. In this study, we examine the feasibility of using wearable sensors, when walking, to identify older adults who have trouble with balance at an early stage using state-of-the-art machine learning techniques. We recruited 21 community dwelling older women. The experimental paradigm consisted of two tasks: Normal walking with a self-selected comfortable speed on an instrumented treadmill and a test of reflexive postural response, using the motor control test (MCT). Based on the MCT, identification of older women with low or high balance function was performed. Using short duration accelerometer data from sensors placed on the knee and hip while walking, supervised machine learning was carried out to classify subjects with low and high balance function. Using a Gradient Boosting Machine (GBM) algorithm, we classified balance function in older adults using 60 seconds of accelerometer data with an average cross validation accuracy of 91.5% and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) of 0.97. Early diagnosis of balance dysfunction in community dwelling older adults through the use of user friendly and inexpensive wearable sensors may help in reducing future fall risk in older adults through earlier interventions and treatments, and thereby significantly reduce associated healthcare costs.
Designing a University Tartan: A Case Study

The study provides a look at the process involved and outlines the eight steps taken in developing a university tartan design. American universities are creating their own tartan designs and marketing university branded apparel and other merchandise that incorporates that tartan pattern into the product design. University branded, tartan products are significant because they provide opportunities for university stakeholders such as faculty, staff, students, and alumni to express their school pride and affiliation. This study is unique because it adds to the body of scholarly knowledge related to university designed tartans.
Bilinguals on the garden-path: Individual differences in syntactic ambiguity resolution

Syntactic parsing plays a central role in the interpretation of sentences, but it is unclear to what extent non-native speakers can deploy native-like grammatical knowledge during online comprehension. The current eye-tracking study investigated how Chinese–English bilinguals and native English speakers respond to syntactic category and subcategorization information while reading sentences with object-subject ambiguities. We also obtained measures of English language experience, working memory capacity, and executive function to determine how these cognitive variables influence online parsing. During reading, monolinguals and bilinguals showed similar garden-path effects related to syntactic reanalysis, but native English speakers responded more robustly to verb subcategorization cues. Readers with greater language experience and executive function showed increased sensitivity to verb subcategorization cues, but parsing was not influenced by working memory capacity. These results are consistent with exposure-based accounts of bilingual sentence processing, and they support a link between syntactic processing and domain-general cognitive control.
Testing and Validating Semi-automated Approaches to the Occupational Exposure Assessment of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons

INTRODUCTION When it is not possible to capture direct measures of occupational exposure or conduct biomonitoring, retrospective exposure assessment methods are often used. Among the common retrospective assessment methods, assigning exposure estimates by multiple expert rater review of detailed job descriptions is typically the most valid, but also the most time-consuming and expensive. Development of screening protocols to prioritize a subset of jobs for expert rater review can reduce the exposure assessment cost and time requirement, but there is often little data with which to evaluate different screening approaches. We used existing job-by-job exposure assessment data (assigned by consensus between multiple expert raters) from a large, population-based study of women to create and test screening algorithms for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) that would be suitable for use in other population-based studies. METHODS We evaluated three approaches to creating a screening algorithm: a machine-learning algorithm, a set of a priori decision rules created by experts based on features (such as keywords) found in the job description, and a hybrid algorithm incorporating both sets of criteria. All coded jobs held by mothers of infants participating in National Birth Defects Prevention Study (NBDPS) (n = 35,424) were used in developing or testing the screening algorithms. The job narrative fields considered for all approaches included job title, type of product made by the company, main activities or duties, and chemicals or substances handled. Each screening approach was evaluated against the consensus rating of two or more expert raters. RESULTS The machine-learning algorithm considered over 30,000 keywords and industry/occupation codes (separate and in combination). Overall, the hybrid method had a similar sensitivity (87.1%) as the expert decision rules (85.5%) but was higher than the machine-learning algorithm (67.7%). Specificity was best in the machine-learning algorithm (98.1%), compared to the expert decision rules (89.2%) and hybrid approach (89.1%). Using different probability cutoffs in the hybrid approach resulted in improvements in sensitivity (24-30%), without the loss of much specificity (7-18%). CONCLUSION Both expert decision rules and the machine-learning algorithm performed reasonably well in identifying the majority of jobs with potential exposure to PAHs. The hybrid screening approach demonstrated that by reviewing approximately 20% of the total jobs, it could identify 87% of all jobs exposed to PAHs; sensitivity could be further increased, albeit with a decrease in specificity, by adjusting the algorithm. The resulting screening algorithm could be applied to other population-based studies of women. The process of developing the algorithm also provides a useful illustration of the strengths and potential pitfalls of these approaches to developing exposure assessment algorithms.
'The Program With Many Components Rarely Succeeds': Lessons From the First Year of Brazil’s Zero Hunger Program

In 2003 Brazil’s President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva (2003-2010) announced a nationwide Zero Hunger Program (Programa Fome Zero). Though often heralded as a model for anti-hunger policy, Zero Hunger was far from successful in its first year. President Lula’s initially created the Special Ministry for Food Security (MESA), headed by Jose Graziano, to integrate a wide range of initiatives to eliminate the “vicious cycle” of hunger. MESA’s primary policy was The Food Card, modeled after the U.S. Food Stamp, with recipients selected by newly formed Management Committees made up of volunteers at the municipal level. The Food Card saw a slow rollout, controversy over program qualifications, and opposition from mayors objecting to the role of the Management Committees in selecting beneficiaries. Within a year President Lula merged MESA’s Food Card program with three other cash transfers to form a conditional cash transfer (CCT) called Family Allowance (Bolsa Familia). He also merged MESA into the new Ministry of Social Development (MDS). This paper argues one reason program implementation initially failed in 2003 is because the design was too complex. In contrast, the combination of MESA, the Ministry of Social Assistance and Family Allowance into one ministry greatly simplified the institutional structure of anti-hunger policy. Compared to the Food Card, Family Allowance was a much simpler program, and this simplified approach deserves part of the credit for the program’s success. The paper supports this assessment with evidence from media reports, government documents, and interviews from fieldwork in Brazil (October 2010-July 2011).
Lung physiological variations in COVID-19 patients and inhalation therapy development for remodeled lungs

In response to the unmet need for effective treatments for symptomatic patients, research efforts of inhaled therapy for COVID-19 patients have been pursued since the pandemic began. However, inhalation drug delivery to the lungs is sensitive to the lung anatomy and physiology, which can be significantly altered due to the viral infection. The ensued ventilation heterogeneity will change distribution and thus dosimetry of inhaled medications, rendering previous correlations concepts? of pulmonary drug delivery in healthy lungs less reliable. In this study, we first reviewed the recent developments of inhaled therapeutics and vaccines, as well as the latest knowledge of the lung structural variations documented by CT of COVID-19 patients' lungs. We then quantified the volume ratios of the poorly aerated lungs and non-aerated lungs in eight COVID-19 patients, which ranged 2-8% and 0.5-3%, respectively. The need to consider the diseased lung physiologies in estimating pulmonary delivery was emphasized. Diseased lung geometries with varying lesion sites and complexities were reconstructed using Statistical Shape Modeling (SSM). A new segmentation method was applied that could generate patient-specific lung geometries with an increased number of branching generations. The synergy of the CT-based lung segmentation and SSM-based airway variation showed promise for developing representative COVID-infected lung morphological models and investigating inhalation therapeutics in COVID-19 patients. Doi: 10.28991/SciMedJ-2021-0303-1 Full Text: PDF