cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A two-dimensional ordinary, state-based peridynamic model for linearly elastic solids

SUMMARYPeridynamics is a non-local mechanics theory that uses integral equations to include discontinuities directlyin the constitutive equations. A three-dimensional, state-based peridynamics model has been developedpreviously for linearly elastic solids with a customizable Poisson’s ratio. For plane stress and planestrain conditions, however, a two-dimensional model is more efﬁcient computationally. Here, such a two-dimensional state-based peridynamics model is presented. For veriﬁcation, a 2D rectangular plate with around hole in the middle is simulated under constant tensile stress. Dynamic relaxation and energy minimiza-tion methods are used to ﬁnd the steady-state solution. The model shows m-convergence and i-convergencebehaviors when m increases and i decreases. Simulation results show a close quantitative matching of thedisplacement and stress obtained from the 2D peridynamics and a ﬁnite element model used for comparison.Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. Received 15 April 2013; Revised 5 October 2013; Accepted 11 January 2014KEY WORDS:
Implications of limb bone scaling, curvature and eccentricity in mammals and non‐avian dinosaurs

Current theories of locomotor biomechanics are based largely on observations of extant terrestrial mammals. However, extant mammals are limited with respect to certain aspects of terrestrial locomotion, and this constraint has confounded interpretations of limb design in this group. Dinosaurs include a wide array of large and small bipeds, record several transitions between bipedalism and quadrupedalism, and show a unique covariation of cursoriality and body size. Thus, the wider applications of biomechanical theories may be tested by applying them to the limb bones of dinosaurs. A broad examination of hindlimb and forelimb bone scaling patterns in dinosaurs and mammals reveals several general similarities that provide insight into the general constraints acting on terrestrial locomotion, particularly in animals with parasagittally oriented limbs. Most limb bones scale with negative allometry in these two groups, and larger taxa tend to scale more negatively than smaller forms. However, the strongly negative scaling of large mammals is mostly restricted to ungulates, whose unusually short femora may be the result of constraints of cursoriality at large body sizes. Bipedal and quadrupedal dinosaurs scale very similarly, with most differences apparently resulting from size rather than posture. Bone curvature tends to decrease with increasing body size, while femoral midshaft eccentricity tends to increase. Femoral midshaft eccentricity is explained as a general adaptation to mediolateral bending on parasagittal limb bones. These trends are more pronounced in dinosaurs than mammals; additional morphological constraints present in the dinosaurian hindlimb may contribute to this distinction.
Endovenous ablation plus microphlebectomy/sclerotherapy for the treatment of varicose veins: single or two-stage procedure?

Objective: The purpose of this study was to establish how often after the performance of endovenous ablation (EA), a second stage is required. Methods: Eighty-six consecutive lower extremities in 7...
Classification of biopsy-confirmed brain tumors using single-voxel MR spectroscopy

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Our purpose was to develop a classification scheme and method of presentation of in vivo single-voxel proton spectroscopic data from astrocytomas that most closely match the classification scheme determined from biopsy specimens. Since in vivo proton spectroscopy is noninvasive, it may be an attractive alternative to intracranial biopsy. METHODS: Single-voxel spectra were acquired using the point-resolved spectroscopic pulse sequence as part of the Probe spectroscopy package on a G.E. 1.5-T Signa scanner. Subjects consisted of 27 patients with biopsy-confirmed brain tumors (13 with glioblastoma multiforme, six with anaplastic astrocytoma, and eight with low-grade astrocytoma). The patients were divided into groups based on the histologic subtype of their tumor for different treatment protocols. RESULTS: Metabolic peak areas were normalized for each metabolite (choline, creatine, N-acetylaspartate, lactate) to the area of the unsuppressed water peak and to the area of the creatine peak. Kruskal-Wallis nonparametric analysis of variance (ANOVA) tests showed statistically significant differences among the tumor groups for all the area ratios. The lactate/water ratio could be used to distinguished all three tumor groups, whereas the choline/water ratio distinguished low-grade astrocytomas from the two high-grade groups. Both the choline and lactate ratios could be used to separate the high-grade from the low-grade tumors. CONCLUSION: Specific relative metabolic peak area ratios acquired from regions of contrast-enhancing brain tumor can be used to classify astrocytomas as to histopathologic grade.
Development of the metrology and imaging of cellulose nanocrystals

The development of metrology for nanoparticles is a significant challenge. Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) are one group of nanoparticles that have high potential economic value but present substantial challenges to the development of the measurement science. Even the largest trees owe their strength to this newly appreciated class of nanomaterials. Cellulose is the world's most abundant natural, renewable, biodegradable polymer. Cellulose occurs as whisker-like microfibrils that are biosynthesized and deposited in plant material in a continuous fashion. The nanocrystals are isolated by hydrolyzing away the amorphous segments leaving the acid resistant crystalline fragments. Therefore, the basic raw material for new nanomaterial products already abounds in nature and is available to be utilized in an array of future materials. However, commercialization requires the development of efficient manufacturing processes and nanometrology to monitor quality. This paper discusses some of the instrumentation, metrology and standards issues associated with the ramping up for production and use of CNCs.
My life with polymer science

This article describes the scientific investigations and accomplishments in the life of the author. After a dissertation on steroids, several years were spent on alkaloids and research on heterocyclic compounds. Much of the author's career was devoted to research on aldehyde polymerization, the discovery of the polymerization of higher aldehydes and their isotactic polymers, and haloaldehyde polymerization. The latter led to our work on the ceiling temperature of polymerization, on new polymerization techniques [involving the ceiling temperature and the concept of macromolecular asymmetry (polymer helicity)], and the genesis of chloral polymerization. Another important period was devoted to functional polymers, polymeric stabilizers, and polymeric drugs. Other research activities included studies of unusual polymers, head-to-head polymers, spacer groups in polymers, and oriental lacquers. Attention was also paid to the use of novel and unusual polymer intermediates, polymerization under extreme conditions and the preparation and behavior of uncommon polymer structures. Finally, it was recognized that macromolecules can be categorized with increasing frequency as polymers with broad and narrow molecular weight distributions and uniform polymers. The ultimate unity is isotopically pure uniform polymers, single macromolecular species. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part A: Polym Chem 42: 795–818, 2004
Semantic keyword extraction via adaptive text binarization of unstructured unsourced video

We propose a fully automatic method for summarizing and indexing unstructured presentation videos based on text extracted from the projected slides. We use changes of text in the slides as a means to segment the video into semantic shots. Unlike precedent approaches, our method does not depend on availability of the electronic source of the slides, but rather extracts and recognizes the text directly from the video. Once text regions are detected within keyframes, a novel binarization algorithm, Local Adaptive Otsu (LOA), is employed to deal with the low quality of video scene text, before feeding the regions to the open source Tesseract1 OCR engine for recognition. We tested our system on a corpus of 8 presentation videos for a total of 1 hour and 45 minutes, achieving 0.5343 Precision and 0.7446 Recall Character recognition rates, and 0.4947 Precision and 0.6651 Recall Word recognition rates. Besides being used for multimedia documents, topic indexing, and cross referencing, our system can be integrated into summarization and presentation tools such as the VAST MultiMedia Browser [1].
Laser-induced inactivation of Plasmodium falciparum

Haemozoin crystals, produced by Plasmodium during its intra-erythrocytic asexual reproduction cycle, can generate UV light via the laser-induced, non-linear optical process of third harmonic generation (THG). In the current study the feasibility of using haemozoin, constitutively stored in the parasite’s food vacuole, to kill the parasite by irradiation with a near IR laser was evaluated. Cultured Plasmodium parasites at different stages of development were irradiated with a pulsed NIR laser and the viability of parasites at each stage was evaluated from their corresponding growth curves using the continuous culture method. Additional testing for germicidal effects of haemozoin and NIR laser was performed by adding synthetic haemozoin crystals to Escherichia coli in suspension. Cell suspensions were then irradiated with the laser and small aliquots taken and spread on agar plates containing selective agents to determine cell viability (CFU). Parasites in the late-trophozoites form as well as trophozoites in early-stage of DNA synthesis were found to be the most sensitive to the treatment with ~4-log reduction in viability after six passes through the laser beam; followed by parasites in ring phase (~2-log reduction). A ~1-log reduction in E. coli viability was obtained following a 60 min irradiation regimen of the bacteria in the presence of 1 μM synthetic haemozoin and a ~2-log reduction in the presence of 10 μM haemozoin. Minimal (≤15%) cell kill was observed in the presence of 10 μM haemin. Laser-induced third-harmonic generation by haemozoin can be used to inactivate Plasmodium. This result may have clinical implications for treating severe malaria symptoms by irradiating the patient’s blood through the skin or through dialysis tubing with a NIR laser.
Remarks on Hybrid Systems

In the middle 1980’s, the space shuttle program gave rise to an array of interesting control problems. Among the prototype models considered by NASA was the “Spacecraft Control Laboratory Experiment” (SCOLE) [2]. In this model, a large rigid body, the space shuttle, is joined to a small rigid body, the antenna, via a long flexible mast. The motions of the two rigid bodies are governed by ordinary differential equations, while the motion of the mast is governed by the equations of a vibrating beam with appropriate boundary conditions at the two ends originating from forces and torques exerted by the attached rigid bodies.
Brain temperature and its fundamental properties: a review for clinical neuroscientists.

Brain temperature, as an independent therapeutic target variable, has received increasingly intense clinical attention. To date, brain hypothermia represents the most potent neuroprotectant in laboratory studies. Although the impact of brain temperature is prevalent in a number of common human diseases including: head trauma, stroke, multiple sclerosis, epilepsy, mood disorders, headaches, and neurodegenerative disorders, it is evident and well recognized that the therapeutic application of induced hypothermia is limited to a few highly selected clinical conditions such as cardiac arrest and hypoxic ischemic neonatal encephalopathy. Efforts to understand the fundamental aspects of brain temperature regulation are therefore critical for the development of safe, effective, and pragmatic clinical treatments for patients with brain injuries. Although centrally-mediated mechanisms to maintain a stable body temperature are relatively well established, very little is clinically known about brain temperature’s spatial and temporal distribution, its physiological and pathological fluctuations, and the mechanism underlying brain thermal homeostasis. The human brain, a metabolically "expensive" organ with intense heat production, is sensitive to fluctuations in temperature with regards to its functional activity and energy efficiency. In this review, we discuss several critical aspects concerning the fundamental properties of brain temperature from a clinical perspective.
High-grade extraskeletal myxoid chondrosarcoma: a high-grade epithelioid malignancy.

Aims Extraskeletal myxoid chondrosarcoma is typically a low-to-intermediate grade sarcoma that is associated with a prolonged clinical course. High-grade forms are rare and not well characterized. In this series we report the clinicopathological, immunohistochemical and ultrastructural findings in four cases of high-grade extraskeletal myxoid chondrosarcoma. Methods and results The patients were three men and one woman (ages 34–73 years) with tumours located in the thigh (two cases), paraspinal soft tissue and perineum. Three patients had metastases, one at 12 weeks, one at 10 months, and one at presentation of recurrent tumour. In the latter case the original tumour was low grade and became high grade when it recurred 3.5 years later. All three patients died of disease. One patient was lost to follow-up. The most striking histological feature in all four tumours was the presence of numerous large epithelioid cells. These cells were arranged in cords within myxoid matrix and in sheets devoid of matrix. Two tumours had areas of conventional extraskeletal myxoid chondrosarcoma intermixed with the high-grade areas. One tumour showed transition to high-grade spindle cell sarcoma. One tumour had cells with rhabdoid features. Immunohistochemically, two tumours focally expressed S100 protein, and one focally expressed EMA. All were negative with cytokeratin, desmin, smooth muscle actin, HMB45, CD31 and CD34. Ultrastructural features in three cases were compatible with chondrosarcoma; one tumour had aggregates of microtubules within rough endoplasmic reticulum, a characteristic feature of this tumour. Conclusions High-grade extraskeletal myxoid chondrosaroma is a rare and aggressive soft tissue sarcoma, and should be included in the differential diagnosis of other epithelioid malignancies.
An Overview of Hospital-Based Models of Care

The science of geriatric health care has evolved tremendously during the last 30 years including the development of several geriatric models of care across all healthcare settings. This chapter provides an overview of the various geriatric hospital models of care, including their objectives, unique strategies, and outcomes, including costs. Each geriatric care model may differ in its approach to prevent complications and address hospital factors that can contribute to complications, yet all embrace a common set of general objectives that reflect the care domains of CGA: physical health, functional status, psychological health, and socio-environmental parameters. These include patient–family-centric care, evidence-based geriatric screening, prevention and treatment, function-focused care, and discharge planning (or transitional care).
11Beta-Hydroxylase Deficiency and Other Syndromes of Mineralocorticoid Excess as a Rare Cause of Endocrine Hypertension

Hypertension represents a major public and global health problem, most of which likely can be improved by lifestyle changes including changing dietary habits with less consumption of processed and preserved foods, which generally contain higher amounts of salt than freshly prepared food items. Among causes for endocrine hypertension are syndromes of mineralocorticoid excess. This group of mostly monogenic and acquired disorders typically causes hypertension through activation of the mineralocorticoid receptor either directly or indirectly via hormonal mediators and from overactive amiloride-sensitive epithelial sodium channels located in the distal tubule and collecting ducts of the kidneys. Apart from primary aldosteronism, mineralocorticoid excess can be caused by congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) due to mutations of the 11beta-hydroxylase and 17alpha-hydroxylase genes, by inactivating mutations of the glucocorticoid receptor gene (Chrousos syndrome), endogenous hypercortisolism (Cushing's syndrome), by mutations of the 11beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 2 gene (apparent mineralocorticoid excess/AME) or licorice/carbenoxolone intake, mutations of the epithelial sodium channel genes (Liddle syndrome), mutations of the mineralocorticoid receptor gene (Geller syndrome), and by mutations in the WNK1, WNK4, KLHL3, CUL3 genes (pseudohypoaldosteronism type 2 or Gordon syndrome). Most of these conditions are treated by restricting dietary salt intake. However, some require special therapies including dexamethasone/hydrocortisone (CAH), spironolactone/eplerenone (AME), epithelial sodium channel inhibitors amiloride/triamterene (Liddle and Gordon syndrome), while in others spironolactone and MR antagonists may be contraindicated due to an abnormally structured MR (Geller syndrome). We here review the pathophysiology, diagnosis, and therapy of these rare conditions including the presentation of a patient with 11beta-hydroxylase deficiency.
High efficiency dye-sensitized solar cells based on three-dimensional multilayered ZnO nanowire arrays with "caterpillar-like" structure.

A 3D ZnO nanowire-based dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) with unique “caterpillar-like” structure was designed. Because of the significant improvement of the total ZnO nanowire surface area, the amount of light absorption was substantially increased. This increase in the light harvesting efficiency enables us to achieve an overall power conversion efficiency as high as 5.20%, which is the highest reported value to date for ZnO nanowire-based DSSCs. A branched-multilayered design of ZnO nanowire arrays grown from ZnO nanofiber seed layers proves to be very successful in fabricating 3D ZnO nanowire arrays. Practically, electrospun ZnO nanowires were used as the seeds in multilayer growth of ZnO nanowire arrays with a unique “caterpillar-like” structure. This unique structure significantly enhances the surface area of the ZnO nanowire arrays, leading to higher short-circuit currents. Additionally, this design resulted in closer spacing between the nanowires and more direct conduction pathways for electron tr...
Localization of C-Fos-Induced Growth Factor (Figf) mRNA Expression in the Mouse Uterus during Implantation.

The purpose of this study was to characterize the localization of Figf mRNA in the mouse uterus during embryo implantation. Strong Figf mRNA hybridization signals wereseen in the primary decidual zone just after the onset of implantation from Days 4.5-6.5. On Day 7.5, this expression continued around the conceptus, but in addition we observed high expression of Figf mRNA in the endothelial cells that line the forming vascular sinusoids in the lateral mesometrial decidua. Interestingly, on Days 8.5 this high expression continued in the endothelial cells of sinusoids in the lateral mesometrialdecidual tissue but not in the decidual cells surrounding the conceptus. As implantation and placental development finished, Figf mRNA expression remained in the endothelial cells of the sinusoids and spiral arterioles of the decidua basalis. Interestingly, Flt4 mRNA was localized to the endothelial cells lining the sinusoids that form during implantation. Since the endothelial cells of the mesometrial sinusoids exhibit a high level of proliferation, we speculate that FIGF-FLT4 signaling may play a role in their formation and function during implantation. This work will provide a basis for further research on the potential role of FIGF-FLT4 signaling in endometrial angiogenesis during implantation in mice.
Application of constitution of carbon,oxygen and strontium isotopes and trace elements in study of paleoenvironment of reefs

Analyzing constitution of carbon,oxygen isotopes and trace elements is helpful for the research on environment of reefs.The study shows that the value of δ13C is closely related to the biologic imbed,imbed speed and change of sea level.As in highstands,δ13C became bigger in value,also indicating reef-building organism reproduced in quantity;the value varying of δ18O reflected the change of temperature in the paleoenvironment.As δ18O increased,the temperature decreased.It is negative correlation for the ratio of 87Sr/86Sr with the change of sea level.The ratio of 87Sr/86Sr decreased in highstands.Trace elements e.g.Sr and Mn,can indirectly indicate the change of paleoenvironment of reefs,and validate the veracity of the data of the samples.The development of the reefs depends upon change of paleoenvironment.
Primary Amyloidosis and Acute Leukemia Associated With Melphalan Therapy

Amyloid fibrils consist in part of immunoglobulin light chains. Because light chains are synthesized by plasma cells, it seems reasonable to treat patients with amyloidosis with alkylating agents. Two patients who had primary amyloidosis and were treated with melphalan subsequently developed a rapidly fatal acute leukemia. Since melphalan may play a significant role in the development of acute leukemia, we suggest that alkylating agents not be used in the treatment of patients with amyloidosis without full consideration of risks involved, particularly until it has been proved that these drugs are beneficial.
The Role of Interactive Graphics in Reducing Misperceptions in the Electorate

This study examines the effects of interactive graphics on reducing political misperceptions. An experiment was used to compare the effectiveness of an interactive versus a static graphic in conveying information about the United States unemployment rate. The graphic, in both conditions, was embedded in a news article. Using a student sample (N = 109), it was found that participants who saw the interactive graphic were more accurate and produced more thoughts than individuals in the static graphic condition. The implications of these findings for both political misperception research and journalism practice are discussed.
Abstract 393: Anti-inflammatory Properties of Aqueous Extracts of Sesame Oil

Background Dietary intervention to prevent atherosclerosis and inflammation has been a major focus in recent years. Sesame oil (SO), widely used in many Asian countries, has been reported to help reduce high blood pressure. It has also been shown to reduce plasma cholesterol, low density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol and triglyceride levels. We previously reported that SO was effective in inhibiting atherosclerosis in LDL-receptor negative mice. In this study we tested whether the aqueous, non-lipid components of SO might have anti-inflammatory effects. Methods Sesame oil was extracted using ethanol:water mixture, lyophilized and reconstituted in water. To study anti-inflammatory effect, RAW 264.7 cells (macrophage cell line) were treated with the aqueous extract in the presence or absence of lipopolysaccharide (LPS) for 24 hours. RNA was extracted using Trizol. mRNA expression of inflammatory cytokines such as IL-1α, IL-6 and TNF-α were analyzed by real time PCR. Protein expression was determined by western blot analysis. To identify the mechanism of action, we performed luciferase assay using HepG2-LXR reporter cell lines. Results LPS induced the expression of IL-1α, IL-6 and TNF-α mRNA levels in RAW cells. The extract alone did not significantly affect the expressions of inflammatory cytokine genes. However, when treated together with LPS, sesame oil aqueous extract inhibited the mRNA levels of these cytokines significantly. Treatment with LPS together with SO extract also decreased the protein expression of these cytokines. The SO extract induced LXR expression as identified by the luciferase assay system in HepG2-LXR reporter cells. Conclusion These findings suggest that the aqueous portion of SO might be effective in preventing inflammation. Furthermore, the activation of LXR might suggest additional effects on lipid metabolism. Identifying the specific components present in the aqueous extract will be instrumental in developing treatment modalities for atherosclerosis and other inflammatory conditions.
Treating the fluent aphasias

The origin of the term fluent aphasia is reviewed as well as the characteristics and syndromes of patients presenting with this type of aphasia. Three strategies are presented for describing the impairments and disabilities associated with fluent aphasia: (a) syndrome-based, (b) model-driven, and (c) functionally oriented. Treatment approaches that conform to each of these strategies are discussed. Current methods for assessing the effectiveness of treatment efforts with fluent aphasic patients are described. Some recent findings regarding the causes and characteristics of fluent aphasia are presented with regard to their potential impact on future interventions for these patients.
Improvement of Rotorcraft Safety Metrics Using Performance Models and Data Integration

Historically, rotorcraft have featured higher accident and incident rates compared to fixed-wing air carrier and general aviation aircraft. Safety improvements are currently sought through the adoption of flight data monitoring, a voluntary and proactive safety program where retrospective analysis of flight data records identifies precursors of safety-critical events and tracks improvements pursuant of corrective measures. This paper provides a review of flight data monitoring and elaborates on the unique and significant challenges of its implementation for rotorcraft operations. Two enhancements to current practice are presented in the form of physics-based model integration for improved safety event definition and detection and integration with external data sources to evaluate meaningful safety metrics supplemental to a priori operational event detection. For the former, it is demonstrated that a model-based approach to helicopter autorotation significantly improves characterization of operational safe...
Photographing Weather in the Dark

What is the most essential tool for a die-hard weather enthusiast? A thermometer? Or maybe a barometer? I would maintain it is a camera. The theater of the sky is an ever-changing pageant of perfor...
Eighteen-Year Visit

Pamela Gilles is an 18-year-old female who comes to the adolescent clinic for birth control advice and to have the medical form filled out for her college application. She is stressed out about all the application details and the decisions she has to make for her future as she leaves high school. She has a core group of close girl friends and has been dating someone for the past couple of months. Pamela weighs 67 kg (140 pounds), stands 168 cm, (66 in.), and is on the 75th percentile. Her BMI is 23.7, on the 75th percentile. Her blood pressure is 113/67. Her tanner stage is: 5.
Laboratory and In-flight Evaluation of a Cloud Droplet Probe (CDP)

Laboratory and in-flight evaluations of measurements from a Cloud Droplet Probe (CDP) are presented. A description of a water droplet-generating device, similar to those used in previous studies, is provided along with validation of droplet sizing and positioning. Laboratory evaluations of a CDP using the droplet generating system indicate errors in sizing that depend on both droplet diameter and position within the sample area through which a droplet transited. For the smallest diameters tested, the CDP undersized droplets by 1–4 μm for the majority of those sampled. The remaining droplets were sized to within 1 μm of the actual diameter. Droplets with diameters of 17 and 24 μm were sized correctly, within 2 μm, which is the nominal CDP bin width for droplets of that size. For all larger diameters, the majority of droplets were oversized by 2–4 μm, while a small percentage were severely undersized, by as much as 30 μm. This combination leads to an artificial broadening of the spectra, although errors in higher order moments were generally less than 10 %. Comparisons of liquid water content (LWC) calculated from the CDP and that measured from a Nevzorov hotwire probe were conducted for 17,917 1 Hz in-cloud points. Although some differences were noted based on volume-weighted mean diameter and total droplet concentration, the CDP-estimated LWC exceeded that measured by the Nevzorov by approximately 20 %, more than twice the expected difference based on results of the laboratory tests and considerations of Nevzorov collection efficiency.
Mathematical Geology by Example: Teaching and Learning Perspectives

Numerical examples and visualizations are presented herein as teaching aids for multivariate data analysis, spatial estimation using kriging and inverse distance methods, and the variogram as a standalone data analytical tool. Attention is focused on the practical application of these methods.
Combating IS Fraud: A Teaching Case Study

People are becoming more creative in use of classic fraud schemes via information systems. This paper presents a case study resource for teaching information security controls to help combat information systems fraud. The Health First Case Study is designed to give undergraduate computer science, information systems, and information technology students an opportunity to plan security for a doctor’s office, with the guidance of another useful resource, the Small Business Security Workbook. The case study addresses social engineering, ethics, requirements documentation, security design, incident response, and personnel security. Course implementation examples are included for both face-to-face and online courses.
Operative Reduction for Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip: Epidemiology Over 16 Years.

BACKGROUND The burden of surgical treatment for infantile developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) is unknown. We aimed to investigate the epidemiology of operative DDH reductions in the United States and identify potential at-risk populations. METHODS The Healthcare Utilization Project Kids' Inpatient Database (1997 to 2012) were analyzed. International Classification of Diseases (ICD-9) codes identified inpatient hospitalizations for DDH reductions excluding neuromuscular cases. Hospital variables and patient demographics were captured. Weighted population-level counts were calculated to allow for national estimates. RESULTS An estimated 5525 (95% confidence interval, 4907.8-6142.2) operative reductions were performed. In total, 73.3% were open with a mean age at the reduction of 2.3 years (95% confidence interval, 2.1-2.5). In total, 70.0% were female and 42.3% were white. Regional distribution varied: 36.4% of reductions occurred in the West, 22.8% in the South, 21.9% in the Midwest, and 18.9% in the Northeast. Operative reductions decreased over time; open reductions decreased by 5.6% and closed by 53.4%. Mean age at treatment increased from 1.6 to 3.7 years (P<0.001). On multivariate analysis, age (P<0.001) and geographic location (P<0.05) were associated with open reduction. Patients in the West had increased odds of being Hispanic or Asian/Pacific Islander [odds ratio (OR), 4.9, P<0.001 and OR, 2.8; P=0.008]. In the South and Midwest, the highest income quartile was protective (OR, 0.4; P=0.001 and OR, 0.5; P=0.018). CONCLUSIONS The frequency of closed reductions decreased more over time compared with open reductions. However, the mean age of children undergoing reductions increased suggesting a possible delay in diagnosis. The data suggests that there is room for improvement in screening. Targeted research in identified populations may reduce the burden of surgical disease in infantile DDH. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Level III.
DETERMINANTS OF SUICIDAL IDEATION IN OLDER ADULTS WITH MAJOR DEPRESSION – ASSOCIATIONS WITH PERCEIVED STRESS

Introduction Depression has been strongly linked to suicide ideation in older adults. However, the role of other factors is less clear. Perceived stress is a factor that is emerging as a potential contributing factor in suicide ideation in older adults. We hypothesized higher levels of perceived stress would be associated with increased self-reported suicidal ideation independent of depressive symptom severity in older adults with LLD. Methods This study used data from community-dwelling older adults aged 65 with current diagnosis of major depression. Eligible participants completed measures of depression symptom severity (Hamilton Depression Rating Scale-17 item), current suicidal ideation (Geriatric Suicide Ideation Scale; GSIS), and perceived stress (Perceived Stress Scale; PSS). Statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS version 20. Descriptive statistics, including demographic and clinical characteristics of the participants were obtained. A linear regression analysis was then conducted, assessing the relationship of perceived stress to suicidal ideation, controlling for the effects of age, education, gender, and depression symptom severity. R2 were then calculated based on standardized beta values in the final model. Results Participants were 225 older adults with a mean age of 71.4 (SD = 5.6), who were 64.9% female. Sixteen percent of the variance in suicidality (GSIS total score) was accounted for by the variables assessed. In particular, lower education (B = −.13, p = .04), male gender (B = −.13, p = .04), greater depression severity (B = .15, p = .02) and higher current perceived stress (B = .32, p Conclusions Our findings suggest that increased perceived stress might be a particularly important factor of those more likely to think about suicide. Perceive stress may thus be a useful factor that could improve early identification and intervention of suicide ideation among late life depression patients at a high risk for suicidal behaviors. Mechanisms and coping strategies to reduce perceived stress could be directly implemented in depressed patients with suicidal ideation. Further research is warranted on perceived stress in relation to suicidal ideation. This research was funded by This work was supported by R01 MH0977669: (PI:Mackin), R01 MH101472 (PI:Mackin); UCSF Epstein Endowment Fund
Stochastic Dynamic Information Flow Tracking Game with Reinforcement Learning

Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs) are stealthy, sophisticated, and long-term attacks that impose significant economic costs and violate the security of sensitive information. Data and control flow commands arising from APTs introduce new information flows into the targeted computer system. Dynamic Information Flow Tracking (DIFT) is a promising detection mechanism against APTs that taints suspicious input sources in the system and authenticates the tainted flows at certain processes according to a well defined security policy. Employing DIFT to defend against APTs in large scale cyber systems is restricted due to the heavy resource and performance overhead introduced on the system. The objective of this paper is to model resource efficient DIFT that successfully detect APTs. We develop a game-theoretic framework and provide an analytical model of DIFT that enables the study of trade-off between resource efficiency and the quality of detection in DIFT. Our proposed infinite-horizon, nonzero-sum, stochastic game captures the performance parameters of DIFT such as false alarms and false-negatives and considers an attacker model where the APT can relaunch the attack if it fails in a previous attempt and thereby continuously engage in threatening the system. We assume some of the performance parameters of DIFT are unknown. We propose a model-free reinforcement learning algorithm that converges to a Nash equilibrium of the discounted stochastic game between APT and DIFT. We execute and evaluate the proposed algorithm on a real-world nation state attack dataset.
Laser-Assisted Facelifting and Energy-Based Rejuvenation Techniques During Rhytidectomy

The use of energy-based devices as surgical tools during rhytidectomy was introduced in early 2007 to 2008 and occurred when the first fiber laser was approved for laser lipolysis. It became evident that the fiber laser-assisted rhytidectomy could offer several advantages compared with conventional rhytidectomy. The use of energy devices now includes temperature-controlled radiofrequency and helium plasma devices. Energy devices continue to offer advantages compared with knife and scissor approaches: improved hemostasis; an ability to dissect into areas without full flap elevation; and the shrink-wrap late effects of collagen remodeling after energy-based treatment, which improves the results of rhytidectomy.
Monolayer 2D quantum materials subjected to gamma irradiation in high-vacuum for nuclear and space applications

The stability and reliability of emerging two-dimensional (2D) quantum materials subjected to harsh environments, such as high-energy radiation, are of high importance, particularly in the fields of space, defense, and energy applications. In this work, we explored the effects of gamma radiation on the structural and optical properties of monolayer WSe2 and WS2 crystals. Raman and photoluminescence spectroscopies were employed to study and probe radiation-induced changes to the samples after exposure to intense gamma radiation (from a 60Co source) in a high-vacuum environment (∼1 × 10−6 Torr) and with various exposure times to vary the total accumulated dosage (up to ∼56 Mrad). In general, very small changes in optical or vibrational properties were observed compared to pristine samples, suggesting noteworthy stability even for high dosages of gamma radiation. Moreover, we found that WSe2 monolayer samples exhibited higher tolerance to gamma radiation compared to WS2 samples. These findings highlight the inherent stability of these 2D quantum materials in harsh radioactive environments, which motivates further investigation of their optical, electrical, and structural properties and exploration for use in future space, energy, and defense applications.
Multi-objective Design and Optimization of Power Electronics Converters With Uncertainty Quantification—Part II: Model-Form Uncertainty

The second part of the multi-objective design and optimization with parametric and model-form uncertainty quantification (MDO with P&MF-UQ) is dedicated to incorporating MF-UQ into the MDO framework. MF-UQ is used to estimate the error due to modeling inaccuracies and to validate the mathematical models used in the MDO framework. In this approach, the sensitivity index introduced in the first part of the article is modified too so that it is a quantitative measure of system design robustness with regards to modeling inaccuracies as well as the manufacturing variability in the design of systems with multiple performance functions. The optimum design solution is finally realized by exploring the Pareto Front of the enhanced performance space, where the model-form error associated with each design is used to modify the estimated performance measures and the parametric sensitivity of each design point is considered to discern between cases and help identify the most parametrically robust of the Pareto-optimal design solutions. To demonstrate the benefits of incorporating uncertainty quantification analysis into the design optimization from a more practical standpoint, design of a robust high-efficiency high-power-density 1.25 kW Vienna-type rectifier is used as a case study to compare the theoretical analysis with a comprehensive experimental validation. It is shown that the final design selected using the MDO with P&MF-UQ reduces the design sensitivity and system loss by 33% and 5%, respectively, compared to the optimal design selected using the conventional MDO.
Development of a novel intraoperative difficulty score for minimally invasive cholecystectomy.

Abstract Background The rate of biliary injuries from minimally invasive cholecystectomy has remained high for over two decades. To improve outcomes there are multiple bail-out methods described, including aborting the procedure, converting to open, or performing a sub-total cholecystectomy. However, the intraoperative difficulty threshold for when a bail-out method should be implemented is poorly understood. Methods From 1/2014 to 2/2019 cholecystectomy videos were collected, de-identified, edited to include the 2–3 minutes when the gallbladder was first visualized, and accelerated. They were then rated on a 5-point difficulty scale. Inter-coder reliability was evaluated using Krippendorff's alpha and regression models were used to evaluate the scores ability to predict the need for a bail-out technique. Results 62 videos were analyzed with a median length after editing of 37.5 (29.0–43.3) seconds. A median time of 46.2 (38.3–53.4) seconds was required for grading. The bail-out rate was 42.9%. The inter-coder reliability between 2 surgeons and 8 non-clinical reviewers was 0.675 with an average difficulty score of 3.0 (SD = 1.01). Regression models showed that the scale was able to significantly predict conversion (β=0.56,p Conclusion This novel difficulty score was able to predict conversion to a bail-out technique early in the course of minimally invasive cholecystectomy.
Abstract TP257: Is Non-English Language Correlated to Inaccurate Initial "Last Known Normal" Reports by Emergency Responders?

Background: Prior studies have looked into language and race disparities in receiving IV thrombolysis, however none into its correlation in obtaining accurate Last Known Normal (LKN) times that cri...
Care coordination challenges between a high-volume center and rural physicians treating patients with pancreatic cancer.

58Background: Pancreatic cancer (PC) patients treated at high-volume centers (HVCs) benefit from specialty services that may not be accessible to rural patients: complex treatment planning, advance...
Massive Nordström scalar (density) gravities from universal coupling

Both particle physics and the 1890s Seeliger–Neumann modification of Newtonian gravity suggest considering a “mass term” for gravity, yielding a finite range due to an exponentially decaying Yukawa potential. Unlike Nordstrom’s “massless” theory, massive scalar gravities are strictly Special Relativistic, being invariant under the Poincare group but not the conformal group. Geometry is a poor guide to understanding massive scalar gravities: matter sees a conformally flat metric, but gravity also sees the rest of the flat metric, barely, in the mass term. Infinitely many theories exhibit this bimetric ‘geometry,’ all with the total stress–energy’s trace as source. All are new except the Freund–Nambu theory. The smooth massless limit indicates underdetermination of theories by data between massless and massive scalar gravities. The ease of accommodating electrons, protons and other fermions using density-weighted Ogievetsky–Polubarinov spinors in scalar gravity is noted.
The Relationship Between High School Sophomores’ Purpose Orientations and Their Postsecondary Completion a Decade Later:

This study explored the relationship between high school sophomores’ purpose orientations and their postsecondary completion a decade later by examining the data from the Educational Longitudinal S...
Nature of the Short Rh-Li Contact between Lithium and the Rhodium ω-Alkenyl Complex [Rh(CH 2 CMe 2 CH 2 CH═CH 2) 2]

We describe the preparation of the cis-bis(η1,η2-2,2-dimethylpent-4-en-1-yl)rhodate(I) anion, cis-[Rh(CH2CMe2CH2CH═CH2)2]-, and the interaction of this species with Li+ both in solution and in the solid state. For the lithium(diethyl ether) salt [Li(Et2O)][Rh(CH2CMe2CH2CH═CH2)2], VT-NMR and 1H{7Li} NOE NMR studies in toluene-d8 show that the Li+ cation is in close proximity to the dz2 orbital of rhodium. In the solid-state structure of the lithium(12-crown-4) salt [Li(12-crown-4)2][Li{Rh(CH2CMe2CH2CH═CH2)2}2], one lithium atom is surrounded by two [Rh(CH2CMe2CH2CH═CH2)2]- anions, and in this assembly there are two unusually short Rh-Li distances of 2.48 A. DFT calculations, natural energy decomposition, and ETS-NOCV analysis suggest that there is a weak dative interaction between the 4dz2 orbitals on the Rh centers and the 2pz orbital of the Li+ cation. The charge-transfer term between Rh and Li+ contributes only about the 1/5 of the total interaction energy, however, and the principal driving force for the proximity of Rh and Li in compounds 1 and 2 is that Li+ is electrostatically attracted to negative charges on the dialkylrhodiate anions.
The Relationship between Political Connections and the Financial Performance of Industries & Firms

The US federal government's response to the financial crisis was an unprecedented increase in government subsidies, grants, and contracts given directly to specific private businesses. The terms "crony capitalism" and "cronyism" are now widely used to describe the modern relationship between government and private business. Cronyism is a system in which success in business is determined by political connections rather than market forces. In this paper we estimate the extent to which industry-level and firm-level performance is determined by political connections rather than normal market forces. Our results suggest that corporate political activity is positively correlated with executive compensation measures, but not robustly with firm performance and profitability measures. This suggests that political connections have no significant effect on the performance of firms or particular industries in most cases, but that company executives do indeed benefit from having closer ties with the political process.
Taking a closer look into Crohn's disease and cerebral palsy.

Inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), which includes Crohn’s disease (CD), is a chronic, immune-mediated disease involving the gastrointestinal tract. Cerebral palsy (CP) has not been associated with IBD aside from a single previously published case series. In this study, we describe two cases of CD in patients with CP. Both patients had global developmental delay. They were also underweight and exclusively gastrostomy tube dependent for nutrition. By detailing their clinical courses, we illustrate the importance of becoming familiar with the extraintestinal manifestations of IBD. In the setting of developmental delay and its associated communication barriers, the evaluation of IBD might shift from assessing subjective symptoms to recognizing the subtle presentations of the disease, including anemia, weight loss, malnutrition, and failure to thrive. We also hypothesize that malnutrition and a change in the gastrointestinal microbiota associated exclusively with enteral nutrition may be linked to the development of CD in patients with CP. Overall, this study provides information for clinicians caring for patients with CP or developmental delay, and how to recognize extraintestinal manifestations of IBD.