cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
23. Improving Reproducibility of SUV by FDG Dose Adjusted for Body Size and Serum Glucose Level.

Purpose: The study evaluates whether adjusting the dose of FDG injected by the patient's body surface area and the serum glucose level will produce a SUV with less standard error.Methods: The study is a prospective study. For the period of 4/1999-5/1999, the patient received various dose of FDG as available from radiopharmacy. The Standardized Uptake Value Maximum (SUVmax) and Standardized Uptake Value Average (SUVavg) of the liver were calculated for PET scans at 40-50 minutes after injection. This is the control group. For the period of 6/1999-10/1999, the patients receiving a standard dose of FDG normalized by adjusting 15 mCi. per 1.73 sq.m. body surface area (BSA) and a proportional adjustment factor for serum glucose (serum glucose level / 5 mMol.). BSA is calculated by the formula = 0.007184 x (cm. height)(0.725) x (kg. weight)(0.425). The SUVmax and SUVavg of the liver at 40-50 minutes after injection. This is the study group.Results and Conclusion: There are 29 subjects in the control group (CG) and 32 subjects in the study group (SG). Dose of FDG given ranges from 7.8-15 mCi in the CG, to 15.5-16.5 mCi in the SG. In the CG, liver SUVmax = (2.3 +/- s.d.0.37), SUVavg = (1.72 +/- s.d. 0.38). In the SG, liver SUVmax = (2.13 +/- s.d. 0.26), SUVavg = (1.88 +/- 0.22). The study shows that the liver SUVmax and SUVavg has a 42%, 72% respectively narrower standard deviation when the dose is adjusted for patient's body surface area and serum glucose level. This implies that such approach gives a more reproducible measurement of SUVmax and SUVavg in assessing tumor lesion.
Apologies, Reparations, and the Continuing Legacy of the European Slave Trade in the United States:

Since Virginia’s legislative resolution apologizing for slavery in 2007, Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Florida, Maryland, New Jersey, North Carolina as well as the U.S. House and Senate passed un...
Analysis and design of an active power filter to cancel harmonic currents in low voltage electric power distribution systems

An active power filter to cancel harmonic currents is proposed. The proposed filter is shown to cancel a specific current harmonic as well as several lower-order current harmonics generated by nonlinear loads. The proposed filter is highly efficient and low in cost. The system can therefore be employed to isolate and neutralize harmonics generated by a group of nonlinear loads in a low-voltage electric power system. Experimental results on a prototype system validate the proposed approach. >
Single institution experience comparing double-barreled wet colostomy to ileal conduit for urinary and fecal diversion.

Objective To compare outcomes and feasibility of double-barreled wet colostomy and ileal conduit (IC) in patients undergoing total pelvic exenteration (TPE). Methods Between 2004 and 2010, 54 patients underwent TPE for pelvic malignancies. Of those patients, 53 had complete records available for analysis. Two groups were identified based on the technique used for urinary diversion, either by way of an IC or a double-barreled wet colostomy (DBWC). Demographics, comorbidities, complications, length of stay, operative times, morbidity, and mortality were compared between the 2 groups. Results Forty-three patients (81%) underwent a DBWC and ten patients (19%) underwent an IC. The 2 groups were similar in terms of age, gender, and comorbidities. Eighteen patients underwent an R0 resection (39%) and twenty-eight (61%) patients had a non-R0 resection. Seven patients (13%) had a complete response to therapy with no evidence of malignancy. A majority of the patients (68%) undergoing TPE had colorectal histology. Thirty-day morbidity directly related to complications of urinary or fecal diversion was 78% in the DBWC group and 58% in the IC group. There was no perioperative mortality in either group. Conclusion DBWC is a safe and feasible alternative to the traditional IC for urinary diversion. This technique is easy to learn and is associated with similar operative times, length of stay, morbidity, and mortality compared with IC.
Importance of ablating all potential right atrial flutter circuits in postcardiac surgery patients

Abstract Objectives In patients with atrial flutter (AFL) and postoperative right atrial incisional scars, we sought to assess if the use of additional ablative lesions that targeted all potential re-entrant circuits, regardless of the presenting type of flutter, would prevent long-term recurrence. Background Patients with AFL and incisional scars have a complex atrial substrate that may promote multiple mechanisms of intra-atrial re-entry. Methods Twenty-nine patients with single right atrial incisional scars undergoing ablation for scar-dependent (n = 15) and cavotricuspid isthmus (CTI)-dependent (n = 14) flutter were studied. Results In the scar-dependent group, 9 of 15 (60%) patients had inducible or spontaneous CTI-dependent flutter immediately after ablation. In the group with CTI flutter, 7 of 14 (50%) patients had scar-related flutter immediately after ablation. If a second type of flutter was found during the initial ablation, a second ablation was performed either along the isthmus (scar-dependent group) or from the scar to another anatomic boundary (isthmus-dependent group). Patients were followed for 24 ± 5 months and 18 ± 6 months in the scar- and CTI-dependent groups, respectively. In the scar-dependent group, five of six (83%) who underwent only a single flutter line had recurrence at 3 ± 1 months. In the isthmus-dependent group, three of seven (42%) patients who had only one flutter line performed had recurrence at 5 ± 3 months. There was no flutter recurrence in patients who initially received two different flutter lines or in patients who subsequently underwent a second flutter line at follow-up. Conclusions In patients with postoperative right atrial incisional scar and flutter, multiple ablation lines that target both scar-related and classic isthmuses appear necessary to prevent long-term recurrence.
Optimum spectral sensitivities for a reversible color film process

A method was developed for theoretical evaluation of spectral sensitivity functions to be used with a specified set of subtractive primary dyes in a reversible color process. Using a numerical calculus of variations procedure, hypothetical blue, green, and red sensitivities were varied in a systematic way to obtain the curves which minimize the errors of color reproduction. These three optimum sensitivities were found to be non-overlapping and to have maxima at 450, 540, and 630 mμ, respectively. As an illustration of the application of the method to the evaluation of experimental sensitizers, color renditions are calculated for two sets of sensitivity functions which are alike in the blue and green, but different in the red. The two combinations of sensitivities are compared and conclusions are drawn regarding changes of the curves which would yield specific improvements in color reproduction.
Effects of fatty acid unsaturation numbers on membrane fluidity and α-secretase-dependent amyloid precursor protein processing.

Abstract Fatty acids may integrate into cell membranes to change physical properties of cell membranes, and subsequently alter cell functions in an unsaturation number-dependent manner. To address the roles of fatty acid unsaturation numbers in cellular pathways of Alzheimer's disease (AD), we systematically investigated the effects of fatty acids on cell membrane fluidity and α-secretase-cleaved soluble amyloid precursor protein (sAPPα) secretion in relation to unsaturation numbers using stearic acid (SA, 18:0), oleic acid (OA, 18:1), linoleic acid (LA, 18:2), α-linolenic acid (ALA, 18:3), arachidonic acid (AA, 20:4), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA, 20:5), and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA, 22:6). Treatments of differentiated human neuroblastoma (SH-SY5Y cells) with AA, EPA and DHA for 24 h increased sAPPα secretion and membrane fluidity, whereas those treatments with SA, OA, LA and ALA did not. Treatments with AA and DHA did not alter the total expressions of amyloid precursor protein (APP) and α-secretases in SH-SY5Y cells. These results suggested that not all unsaturated fatty acids but only those with 4 or more double bonds, such as AA, EPA and DHA, are able to increase membrane fluidity and lead to increase in sAPPα secretion. This study provides insights into dietary strategies for the prevention of AD.
Public Misconceptions about Faults and Earthquakes in the Eastern United States: Is It Our Own Fault?

It seems to me that if we have learned anything at all during the past few decades about earthquake processes in the eastern United States, it's that there is no simple relationship between faults and earthquakes in this region. Yet, once a month or so, I am contacted by people who want to know about particular “earthquake faults” either located near their homes or that they heard run through major eastern cities. When an eastern earthquake occurs, I am invariably asked, “Where is the nearest fault?” No matter how hard I try to convince people that the distance to the nearest geologically mapped fault is not necessarily the most important question to ask, they usually remain unconvinced. For very good reasons, there has been much more emphasis among seismologists lately on estimating the probability of a given level of ground motion at a given site in the East than on “finding the nearest fault.” So why is there such a mismatch between public perception and state-of-the-art research on earthquake hazard mapping in the eastern United States? It seems to me that if we have learned anything at all during the past few decades about earthquake processes in the eastern United States, it's that there is no simple relationship between faults and earthquakes in this region. Perhaps we shouldn't complain. A couple of decades ago, the typical response I received from people who found out that I study eastern U.S. earthquakes was, “Why aren't you living in California? There aren't any earthquakes in the eastern United States!” So I suppose we have done a good job of consciousness-raising about …
Performance Analysis of Sparse Recovery Based on Constrained Minimal Singular Values

The stability of sparse signal reconstruction with respect to measurement noise is investigated in this paper. We design efficient algorithms to verify the sufficient condition for unique l1 sparse recovery. One of our algorithms produces comparable results with the state-of-the-art technique and performs orders of magnitude faster. We show that the l1 -constrained minimal singular value (l1-CMSV) of the measurement matrix determines, in a very concise manner, the recovery performance of l1-based algorithms such as the Basis Pursuit, the Dantzig selector, and the LASSO estimator. Compared to performance analysis involving the Restricted Isometry Constant, the arguments in this paper are much less complicated and provide more intuition on the stability of sparse signal recovery. We show also that, with high probability, the subgaussian ensemble generates measurement matrices with l1-CMSVs bounded away from zero, as long as the number of measurements is relatively large. To compute the l1-CMSV and its lower bound, we design two algorithms based on the interior point algorithm and the semidefinite relaxation.
Computing the minimal number of equations defining an affine curve ideal-theoretically

Abstract There is an algorithm which computes the minimal number of generators of the ideal of a reduced curve C in affine n-space over an algebraically closed field K, provided C is not a local complete intersection. The existence of such an algorithm follows from the fact that given d∈ N , there exists d′∈ N , such that if a is a height n−1 radical ideal in K[X1,…,Xn], generated by polynomials of degree at most d, then a admits a set of generators of minimal cardinality, with each generator having degree at most d′, except possibly when K[X 1 ,…,X n ]/ a is an (unmixed) local complete intersection.
Breaking the Therapeutic Drug Monitoring Logistics Barrier

Therapeutic drug monitoring (TDM)2 is one of the most complex laboratory testing processes in modern laboratory medicine practice. Based on the simple engineering principle of feedback control, TDM strives to regulate an individual's exposure to a drug by measuring the drug's concentrations, usually at steady state and at distributional equilibrium, and then use these concentrations to determine the drug's new dose. Unlike a thermostat in a home that can measure temperature in real time and trigger the introduction of more heat from a furnace until a target temperature is reached, drug concentration monitoring currently requires multiple steps, including administration of a drug at the correct dose, collection of one or more blood samples at precise times following drug administration, transport of these samples to a laboratory where they can be analyzed, and then returning the concentration results to a physician, who can adjust the future dose. Moreover, the exposure to a drug is often estimated through fitting of sparsely sampled concentration data to pharmacokinetic models that are sometimes complex. In some cases, only a single trough concentration can be practically collected due to the busy nature of many outpatient clinics. Successful TDM, therefore, requires that a team comprising a physician, pharmacist, nurse, phlebotomist, and laboratory professional all work closely together to coordinate and perform this complex monitoring process correctly (1). Each step in this complex process affords the possibility of error, and error is always inevitable. Controlling error in the total testing process is tantamount to TDM success. Laboratory accreditation and proficiency testing programs, along with innovations in laboratory technology, have done a …
Leaf area compounds height-related hydraulic costs of water transport in Oregon White Oak trees

Summary 1. The ratio of leaf to sapwood area generally decreases with tree size, presumably to moderate hydraulic costs of tree height. This study assessed consequences of tree size and leaf area on water flux in Quercus garryana Dougl. ex. Hook (Oregon White Oak), a species in which leaf to sapwood area ratio increases with tree size. We tested hypotheses that Q. garryana individuals of greater size and leaf area show reduced leafspecific hydraulic conductance ( K L ), crown water flux per leaf area ( E L ), and carbon isotope discrimination ( ∆ ). 2. K L , E L and ∆ differed between trees of two size classes examined, with 25 m trees showing evidence of lower water flux and carbon isotopic discrimination compared to 10 m trees. Whole-tree water fluxes were smaller in 25 m than in 10 m trees both per unit sapwood and per leaf area, but more so per unit leaf area: 25 m trees had a leaf to sapwood area ratio 1·6 times greater than that of 10 m trees. 3. The findings from this study are unique in that increased leaf to sapwood area ratio of larger trees compounded hydraulic constraints on water transport due to tree height. These results provide further support and generality to the hypothesis of hydraulic limitations to tree-water flux, and show that limitations to water flux are not necessarily accompanied by the structural compensation of reduced crown leaf area in larger trees.
Coping as a Mediator of the Effects of Stressors and Supports on Depression Among Girls in Juvenile Justice

Research from many disciplines, including sociology, psychology, criminology, and social work, has examined the effects of stressors or risk factors and supports or protective factors on negative outcomes such as mental health problems and delinquent behavior. Drawing on these multiple literatures, this study examines relationships among stressors (experiences of abuse and other negative life events), support provided by family and friends, and depressive symptoms, as mediated by negative coping behaviors, for girls involved or at risk of involvement with juvenile justice. Data were obtained from surveys of 186 girls in juvenile justice and alternative programs. Analyses using structural equation modeling revealed that girls' experiences of physical and emotional abuse and other negative life events, partially mediated by their use of withdrawal and acting out coping strategies, predicted high levels of depressive symptoms, whereas family support was associated with lower levels of depressive symptoms.
Concomitant tricuspid valve surgery during implantation of continuous-flow left ventricular assist devices: a Society of Thoracic Surgeons database analysis.

Background Performing concomitant tricuspid valve procedures (TVPs) in left ventricular assist device (LVAD) patients with significant pre-operative tricuspid regurgitation (TR) is controversial, and no studies have been large enough to definitively guide therapy. Methods Between January 2006 and September 2012, 2,196 patients with moderate to severe pre-operative TR from 115 institutions underwent implantation of a continuous-flow left ventricular assist device (LVAD) as reported by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons National Database. Of these, 588 (27%) underwent a concomitant TVP. Inverse probability weighting based on propensity score was used to adjust for differences between the LVAD alone and LVAD+TVP groups, and outcomes were compared. Results Most patients in the LVAD+TVP group underwent an annuloplasty alone (81.1%). Concomitant TVP did not affect risk of post-operative right VAD insertion (risk ratio [RR], 0.81; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.49–1.36; p = 0.4310) or death (RR, 0.95; 95% CI, 0.68–1.33; p = 0.7658). However, TVP was associated with an increased risk for post-operative renal failure (RR, 1.53; 95% CI, 1.13–2.08; p = 0.0061), dialysis (RR, 1.49; 95% CI, 1.03–2.15; p = 0.0339), reoperation (RR, 1.24; 95% CI, 1.07–1.45; p = 0.0056), greater total transfusion requirement (RR, 1.03; 95% CI, 1.01–1.05; p = 0.0013), and hospital length of stay > 21 days (RR, 1.29; 95% CI, 1.16–1.43; p Conclusions Performing a concomitant TVP for continuous-flow LVAD patients with moderate to severe TR did not reduce early death or right VAD requirement and was associated with worse early post-operative outcomes. These data caution against routine concomitant TVP based solely on degree of pre-operative TR and suggest that additional selection criteria are needed to identify those patients in whom concomitant TVP may prevent post-operative right ventricular failure.
Evolution of Surface area During the Controlled Growth of Silica Spheres

Several mechanisms have been proposed for the growth of silica spheres by the controlled hydrolysis of silicon alkoxides, the limiting cases of which are the conventional and aggregative growth models. The evolution of surface area predicted from the two models is substantially different at early times into the reaction. In order to probe the change in surface area during growth, 1H NMR measurements of the solvent were made during the growth process. It has been demonstrated that the spin-spin relaxation time.(T2) for an absorbed phase is less than that of the bulk solvent. Using this principal, the change in surface area can be followed in situ during the reaction. The experimental results were compared to the predictions of the conventional model and found not to be in agreement.
A cyclic tetra-nuclear dinitrosyl iron complex [Fe(NO)2(imidazolate)]4: synthesis, structure and stability

A novel cyclic tetra-nuclear dinitrosyl iron complex [Fe(NO)2(Im-H)]4 was isolated and characterized by X-ray crystallography, and in donor solvents this fragments into 17 e− monomeric units that give EPR spectra analogous to the g = 2.03 species seen in mammalian biology.
Non-Suicidal Self-Injury among Adult Males in a Correctional Setting

Non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) was thought to be a predominantly female malady and adult males who engage in NSSI in a correctional setting have not yet been well-researched. This study is, therefore, one of a few that explores the phenomenon of NSSI among males who engage in this behavior in a correctional setting. The purpose of this article is to present the demographic and motivational factors of adult males who engage in NSSI in a correctional setting. The sample consisted of 42 adult males incarcerated in three New Mexico Prisons who had a history of NSSI. Of the participants, 40% were Hispanic and 60% were non-Hispanic. Three measures were used in this study: the Deliberate Self-Harm Inventory (DSHI), the Self-Injury Motivational Scale-II (SIMS-II), and a researcher-created demographic questionnaire. The DSHI was used to examine the types of self-harm, as well as the frequency, severity, and duration of each behavior. The SIMS-II explored 36 potential types of motivations or reasons for self-injurious behavior. Fifteen of the 16 forms of NSSI were endorsed by at least one of the participants. The most predominant type of NSSI reported was cutting (93%), followed by head banging (78%), and sticking oneself with sharp objects (71.4%). Ninety-three percent of the participants required medical attention or hospitalization due to NSSI behaviors. Motivational factors associated with cutting were predominantly mood dysregulation, communication, and addictive qualities.
Analytical Modeling of Geotextiles in Ocean Engineering Applications

Geotextiles are permeable, synthetic fabrics which may be incorporated into a composite ocean structure to stabilize deformable geologic materials. A two-dimensional analytical model is developed for a three layered system: two soils separated by a geotextile. The soil response is modeled by Biot consolidation theory and an unsteady form of Darcy's law in which each soil layer is considered homogeneous, isotropic and linearly elastic. The soils are coupled through the geotextile which acts as a deformable, permeable membrane. The solution for pore pressure response is frequency selective, the higher frequencies being more highly damped. The displacements and stresses are also frequency selective in that for a particular soil condition a "worst wave" exists which produces maximum soil displacements and stresses.
Health Inequalities Among Sexual Minority Adults: Evidence from Ten U.S. States, 2010

Background Improving the health of lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) individuals is a Healthy People 2020 goal; however, the IOM highlighted the paucity of information currently available about LGB populations. Purpose To compare health indicators by gender and sexual orientation statuses. Methods Data are from Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System surveys conducted January−December of 2010 with population-based samples of non-institutionalized U.S. adults aged over 18 years (N=93,414) in ten states that asked about respondents’ sexual orientation (response rates=41.1%−65.6%). Analyses were stratified by gender and sexual orientation to compare indicators of mental health, physical health, risk behaviors, preventive health behaviors, screening tests, health care utilization, and medical diagnoses. Analyses were conducted in March 2013. Results Overall, 2.4% (95% CI=2.2, 2.7) of the sample identified as LGB. All sexual minority groups were more likely to be current smokers than their heterosexual peers. Compared with heterosexual women, lesbian women had more than 30% decreased odds of having an annual routine physical exam, and bisexual women had more than 2.5 times the odds of not seeking medical care owing to cost. Compared with heterosexual men, gay men were less likely to be overweight or obese, and bisexual men were twice as likely to report a lifetime asthma diagnosis. Conclusions This study represents one of the largest samples of LGB adults and finds important health inequalities, including that bisexual women bear particularly high burdens of health disparities. Further work is needed to identify causes of and intervention for these disparities.
Core Promoter Plasticity Between Maize Tissues and Genotypes Contrasts with Predominance of Sharp Transcription Initiation Sites

Core promoters are crucial for gene regulation, providing blueprints for the assembly of transcriptional machinery at transcription start sites (TSSs). Empirically, TSSs define the coordinates of core promoters and other regulatory sequences. Thus, experimental TSS identification provides an essential step in the characterization of promoters and their features. Here, we describe the application of CAGE (cap analysis of gene expression) to identify genome-wide TSSs used in root and shoot tissues of two maize (Zea mays) inbred lines (B73 and Mo17). Our studies indicate that most TSS clusters are sharp in maize, similar to mice, but distinct from Arabidopsis thaliana, Drosophila melanogaster, or zebra fish, in which a majority of genes have broad-shaped TSS clusters. We established that ∼38% of maize promoters are characterized by a broader TATA-motif consensus, and this motif is significantly enriched in genes with sharp TSSs. A noteworthy plasticity in TSS usage between tissues and inbreds was uncovered, with ∼1500 genes showing significantly different dominant TSSs, sometimes affecting protein sequence by providing alternate translation initiation codons. We experimentally characterized instances in which this differential TSS utilization results in protein isoforms with additional domains or targeted to distinct subcellular compartments. These results provide important insights into TSS selection and gene expression in an agronomically important crop.
State of the Art Methodology to Assess Energy Facade Retrofits (EFR)

This paper summarizes findings from existing literature and proposes a methodology to assess facade retrofits. Literature review indicates that research on energy-based retrofits isolates limited factors and does not address the holistic benefits associated with facade retrofits. Many cases of energy upgrades in practice that included facade retrofit describe energy savings, but without any quantification of the facade contribution to those savings. In addition, current practice considers the facade as a last step in the process of energy upgrades, confined to being part of a ‘deep' or ‘comprehensive' intervention. This is primarily due to the higher initial costs of facade replacement or renovation. An extended understanding of facade retrofit from the perspective of related fields would help to establish a more comprehensive evaluation of its benefits. A proposed methodology to perform life cycleassessment of facade retrofits that are initiated with an energy-based systems retrofit is described in this paper. It recognizes the building skin as the key system in the total building performance. Total performance refers to energy, human and financial parameters. The different perspectives considered in the methodology include Building Science, Human Comfort, and Real Estate fields. Building Science is used to evaluate several energy retrofit alternatives and resulting energy reductions are obtained from energy simulations. A sensitivity analysis assists in evaluating and selecting the most beneficial input facade parameters. Human Comfort responses to environmental factors influenced by the facade are analyzed from existing literature and findings are used as reference. Real estate gains and losses are evaluated based on current market trends to appreciate the influence of facade improvements. A holistic methodology to evaluate overall building performance enhancements of facade retrofit could provide a paradigm shift in the importance of facade retrofit on our existing building stock.
CASE STUDY: An Evaluation of Extension Communication Methods

ABSTRACT A survey was conducted to determine how county educators preferred to receive information from state faculty, county educators’ perceptions of how clientele preferred to receive information, and what educational methods would be useful in the future. Fifty-five county educators were surveyed, with a response rate of 96%. Communications were categorized into 3 forms of media: printed, electronic, and personal. The county educators selected on a scale from 1 (lowest preference) to 5 (highest preference). The intervening ratings were 2 (slight preference), 3 (moderate preference), and 4 (high preference). Regarding receiving information from state faculty, county educators’ most preferred forms of print media (mean ± SD) were miscellaneous publications (4.3 ± 0.80) and fact sheets (4.1 ± 0.98). For personal media, one-on-one consultations (4.2 ± 0.97) and demonstrations (3.7 ± 0.97) were rated as the most preferred, and for electronic media, electronic newsletters (4.2 ± 1.12) and e-mail (4.1 ± 1.08) were the most preferred. The county educators showed little preference for interactive or compressed videos (2.8 ± 1.05) and blog sites (2.2 ± 1.26). County educators’ perceptions regarding how their animal and forage clientele preferred to receive information from the Cooperative Extension Service were printed newsletters (4.3 ± 0.68) and other printed material (4.2 ± 0.63). Their least preferred electronic media were electronic newsletters, e-mail, Web-based information, and interactive videos. For future communication methods, electronic media received the most support (66%), followed by personal (49%) and print media (43%). Many county educators noted that the current clientele were not using computers but they believed producers of the future will. Electronic newsletters and email will become important in the future.
'Yes' to Nonlawyers in Illinois Administrative Adjudications

In 2009 in Grafner v. Department of Employment Security, an Illinois appellate court considered whether a nonlawyer hired from an employer services company could represent a former employer in an administrative proceeding before the Department of Employment Security in a case involving disputed employment compensation benefits allegedly owed a former employee. Relying, in part, on a Pennsylvania precedent, the majority found the nonlawyer could serve “as an adjunct,” especially where nothing was “intended to be intensely litigated;” minimal dollar amounts were at stake; “informal, speedy and low cost” proceedings were desired; there was a “long history of participation” by nonlawyer representatives; the proceedings were “largely routine” as there were no “complex and intricate legal problems;” and a relevant statute stated an individual or entity may be represented by a union or a duly authorized agent. A concurrer noted “the appropriate remedy” lies with the General Assembly or Supreme Court. Important questions remain after Grafner involving what Professor Stephen Gillers calls “fear of the other.” First, who should write any new laws on nonlawyer representation: the legislature, the high court, or the agency? In many states, including Illinois, (exclusive or primary) regulatory authority over the practice of law is vested in the high court. As well, should any nonlawyer representation standards vary between administrative agencies? For example, only some agencies have a “long history” of nonlawyer representation, while other agencies (like human rights commissions) routinely hear “complex and intricate legal problems.” Finally, to what extent should opportunities for nonlawyer representation differ before adjudications commence? If insurance adjusters regularly settle prelawsuit claims, other nonlawyers in similar settings may be equally qualified, though they could still be held to lawyer conduct standards as were certain adjusters in Jones v. Allstate Insurance, 45 P.3d 1068 (Wash. 2002).
Solvent-Mediated Reduction of Carbon Dioxide in Anionic Complexes with Silver Atoms

The development of efficient routes toward sustainable fuel sources by electrochemical reduction of CO2 is an important goal for catalysis research. While these processes usually occur in the presence of solvent, solvation effects in catalysis are largely not understood or even characterized. In this work, mass-selected clusters of silver anions with CO2 serve as a model system for reductive activation of CO2 by a catalyst in the presence of a well-controlled number of solvent molecules. Vibrational spectroscopy and electronic structure calculations are used to obtain molecular-level information on the interaction of solvent with the catalyst–CO2 complex and the effects of solvation on one-electron reductive activation of CO2. Charge transfer from the silver catalyst to CO2 increases with increasing cluster size. We observe the coexistence of catalyst–ligand complexes with CO2 monomer and dimer anions, indicating that CO2-based charge carriers can exist in the presence of a silver atom.
A Drug Combination Screen Identifies Drugs Active against Amoxicillin-Induced Round Bodies of In Vitro Borrelia burgdorferi Persisters from an FDA Drug Library.

Although currently recommended antibiotics for Lyme disease such as doxycycline or amoxicillin cure the majority of the patients, about 10-20% of patients treated for Lyme disease may experience lingering symptoms including fatigue, pain, or joint and muscle aches. Under stress conditions such as starvation or antibiotic exposure, Borrelia burgdorferi can develop round body forms, which are a type of persister bacteria that are not killed by current Lyme antibiotics. To identify more effective drugs that are active against the round bodies of B. burgdorferi, we established a round body persister model induced by amoxicillin and screened the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) drug library consisting of 1581 drug compounds and also 22 drug combinations using the SYBR Green I/propidium iodide (PI) viability assay. We identified 23 drug candidates that have higher activity against the round bodies of B. burgdorferi than either amoxicillin or doxycycline. Eleven of these scored better than metronidazole and tinidazole which have been previously described to be active against round bodies. While some drug candidates such as daptomycin and clofazimine overlapped with a previous screen against stationary phase B. burgdorferi persisters, additional drug candidates active against round bodies we identified include artemisinin, ciprofloxacin, nifuroxime, fosfomycin, chlortetracycline, sulfacetamide, sulfamethoxypyridazine and sulfathiozole. Two triple drug combinations had the highest activity against round bodies and stationary phase B. burgdorferi persisters: artemisinin/cefoperazone/doxycycline and sulfachlorpyridazine/daptomycin/doxycycline. These findings confirm and extend previous findings that certain drug combinations have superior activity against B. burgdorferi persisters in vitro, even if pre-treated with amoxicillin. These findings may have implications for improved treatment of Lyme disease.
Clinical analysis of 127 cases of macrosomia

Objective:To investigate the delivery mode and complications of macrosomia.Methods:The clinical data in 127 cases of macrosomia were retrospectively analyzed with 127 normal neonates as control.Results:The dystocia rate of the macrosomia group was significantly higher than that of the control group(P0.01).There were significant differences in the rate of postpartum hemorrhage,birth canal laceration,neonatal asphyxia,cephalopelvic disproportion,fetal distress between the macrosomia group and the control group(P0.05).And the rate of neonatal asphyxia,hypoglycemia and birth trauma in the macrosomia group was also significantly higher than that in the control group(P0.05).But there were no perinatal deaths during delivery process in both two groups.Conclusion:The appropriate delivery mode should be selected based on the different clinical conditions in order to minimize maternal and child injury.And indications of cesarean section may be appropriately relaxed.
Introduction: The New Right — Storm-Troopers in the Name of Liberty

Over the course of the last two decades, political opinion in the USA and the UK has drifted unmistakably to the right; a new ‘smell in the air’ is palpable. Yet, the extent to which new, albeit indirect forms of exclusion are being established and justified by a new breed of right-wing politicians often has gone undetected. The most extreme manifestations of the rightward shift have been publicly recognized and condemned, such as the anti-government activities of the militia movement in the United States or the moment when Vladimir Zhironovsky, an ultra-nationalist leader in Russia, congratulated Patrick Buchanan on winning the 1996 New Hampshire Presidential primary, referring to him as a comrade in arms in the struggle for national liberation. The public furor that surrounded events such as the Oklahoma City bombing and Buchanan’s short-lived strength in the polls, following as they did in the wake of what was popularly regarded as the 1994 ‘Republican Revolution’, served to draw a symbolic boundary between the sort of illiberalism espoused by the militias or Buchanan and the seemingly more benign rhetoric and policies of the Republican Right, the Reagan Democrats, and the Clinton Conservatives.
Improved assessment of mass concrete dams using acoustic travel time tomography. Part II — application

Abstract The aging of key elements of our civil infrastructure, including dams, is presenting new challenges for the development of methodology that will adequately predict remaining safe life, and identify those structures where remedial action is required. To meet this need, a new approach for non-destructive testing of large concrete dams has been developed. It combines aspects of ultrasonic non-destructive testing and seismic surveying in a new methodology ‘Acoustic Travel Time Tomography’ (ATTT). This is the second part of an investigation on improved assessment of mass concrete dams using ATTT. A companion paper [Bond LJ, Kepler WF, Frangopol, DM. Improved assessment of mass concrete dams using acoustic travel time tomography. Part I — Theory. Constr Build Mater 2000 Vol. 14, No. 3, pp. 133–146] focused on the background of the physics of ATTT. ATTT was tested in the laboratory, modified for large-scale testing, then evaluated for reliability. This study reports the application of the methodology, instrumentation, and data analysis techniques developed during the study. The research demonstrates that ATTT can locate and characterize cracks, voids and other anomalies deep within a mass concrete dam. The results at each stage of the study have shown that ATTT is a potentially highly accurate testing procedure, and that it is uniquely suited to the evaluation of large concrete dams.
Infotronic Decision-Making for a Field Crop Sensing System in Precision Agriculture

Abstract Modem management and control of agricultural systems rely on the use of computing systems. Precision agriculture is an integrated system utilizing computing, sensing, and information technologies. The system needs to coordinate each action according to specific combinations of information from different sensor inputs. Information needs to be processed from raw data through filtering, transmitting, and data fusion. Diagnosis, presentation, and decision-making are performed on information management Since information and the knowledge generated often include uncertainties and complexity arising from the dynamic nature of the underlying phenomena, decisions should be dynamically determined based on the changing information of the time-variant environment. Fuzzy logic was used to formulate and analyze dynamic decision-making. A case study of field crop sensing system is presented to illustrate an infotronic decision-making process.
Managing morbidity and treatment-related toxicity in patients with ankylosing spondylitis

AS is the prototypical member of the family of spondyloarthropathies, and is characterized by seronegativity, axial predominance and new bone formation, which underlie symptoms of inflammatory back pain, enthesopathy and extra-articular manifestations, including anterior uveitis, psoriasis and colitis. Patients with AS typically experience a wide variety of morbidities. These include both morbidities related to the disease itself-most prominently progressive, irreversible, structural damage to the axial or peripheral skeleton-and morbidities stemming from treatments for the disease, including toxicities from NSAID use, and increased risk of infections and immunogenicity concerns with biologics. AS is also associated with a number of comorbidities. We review the risks associated with AS, its comorbidities and its treatments, as well as strategies that can be used to mitigate these risks in patients with AS.
Mesoscale design of heterogeneous material systems in multi-material additive manufacturing

Mesoscale heterogeneous material systems are efficient and adaptive to real world environments, owing to the non-uniform stress fields that result from the convolution of component geometries, loading conditions, and environmental changes. With the advent of multi-material additive manufacturing, the production of heterogeneous material systems with a pre-defined mesoscale material distribution becomes feasible. This unlocks the design freedom at a characteristic length scale between the macroscale geometry and microstructures, but also calls for a new design framework to optimize the mesoscale material distribution in multi-material additive manufacturing. Here, we propose and demonstrate such a design framework by incorporating digital image correlation-based deformation mapping with 3D finite element modeling-based computational optimization. The constitutive behavior of each constituent material or their mixtures is calibrated by matching the local deformation data. The optimal mesoscale material distribution can then be determined using global optimization algorithms and validated experimentally.
Ceci n’est pas un événement

How do we study the social not as something outside of us that is fixed eternal but rather as contingent, conjectural, and yet patterned and patterning? And if we take this seriously, how do we und...
Frequency and type of JAK3 variants in adult patients with leukemia.

e13117Background: Janus kinases (JAK) family members (JAK1, JAK2, JAK3, TYK2) are involved in tumorigenesis. JAK3 activating variants, including V722I, demonstrably induce cellular transformation in vitro. The prevalence of JAK3 variants/mutations in leukemia, particularly in AML, and their role in leukemogenesis, remains unclear Methods: We retrospectively reviewed leukemia patients (pts) treated at MD Anderson Cancer Center between 2012 and 2016, whose marrow samples were tested for JAK3 variants/mutations by next generation sequencing. We evaluated the type and prevalence of variants, the demographics, laboratory, treatment, and clinical information for JAK3 pts. Results: A total of 28 leukemia pts with JAK3 variants were identified, and included: MDS/MPN (n = 4), CLL (n = 2) and B-cell ALL (n = 1). All 7 non-AML pts had V722I variant (in the pseudokinase domain). Twenty-one AML pts were identified; this included 15 pts with V722I (1.5%) out of total 977 AML pts tested, demonstrating this variant was s...
On Common Factor and Principal Component Representations of Data: Implications for Theory and for Confirmatory Replications

Common factor analysis (FA) and principal component analysis (PCA) are commonly used to obtain lower-dimensional representations of matrices of correlations among manifest variables. Whereas some e...
Detecting Human Movement by Differential Air Pressure Sensing in HVAC System Ductwork: An Exploration in Infrastructure Mediated Sensing

We have developed an approach for whole-house gross movement and room transition detection through sensing at only one point in the home. We consider this system to be one member of an important new class of human activity monitoring approaches based on what we call infrastructure mediated sensing, or "home bus snooping." Our solution leverages the existing ductwork infrastructure of central heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems found in many homes. Disruptions in airflow, caused by human inter-room movement, result in static pressure changes in the HVAC air handler unit. This is particularly apparent for room-to-room transitions and door open/close events involving full or partial blockage of doorways and thresholds. We detect and record this pressure variation from sensors mounted on the air filter and classify where certain movement events are occurring in the house, such as an adult walking through a particular doorway or the opening and closing of a particular door. In contrast to more complex distributed sensing approaches for motion detection in the home, our method requires the installation of only a single sensing unit (i.e., an instrumented air filter) connected to an embedded or personal computer that performs the classification function. Preliminary results show we can classify unique transition events with up to 75-80% accuracy.
Significant Association of Aldosterone and Liver Fat Among HIV-Infected Individuals With Metabolic Dysregulation

Objective Fatty liver disease is increased among individuals with HIV. We sought to explore how aldosterone, a key hormone linked to insulin resistance and inflammation, relates to liver fat in the large population of individuals with HIV and metabolic abnormalities. Methods Forty-six individuals with HIV and increased waist circumference and dysglycemia were assessed for liver fat using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Serum aldosterone level was obtained following strictly controlled posture conditions and a standardized sodium diet and was related to liver fat. Results Among the entire group [median (interquartile range) liver fat: 5% (3%, 12%) and homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance: 1.74 (1.21, 2.83)], serum aldosterone significantly correlated with liver fat (r = 0.31; P = 0.049). Liver fat level was significantly higher in those with aldosterone above vs below the median [8% (3%, 20%) vs 4% (2%, 10%); P = 0.02]. In the presence of metabolic syndrome, individuals with aldosterone levels above vs below the median had markedly elevated liver fat values [14% (9%, 23%) vs 5% (3%, 12%); P = 0.005] and increased presence of fatty liver disease (FLD; 92% vs 50%; P = 0.02). Controlling for metabolic syndrome, hepatitis C virus, and alcohol use, aldosterone was a significant and independent predictor of liver fat (β estimate: 0.6038, P = 0.01; overall model r 2 = 0.41, P = 0.0005) and FLD (OR: 1.38, P = 0.02; overall model r 2 = 0.28, P = 0.002). Conclusion These data highlight a robust association between aldosterone and liver fat among individuals with HIV and metabolic dysregulation. Increased aldosterone may be a risk factor for liver fat accumulation among the population with HIV.
A Wrist-Worn Strap with an Array of Electrodes for Robust Physiological Sensing

Robust sensing is one of the main challenges for wearable physiological monitoring because of the high dependency on the placement of electrodes on the body, retaining suitable contact between electrodes and skin, and the effect of motion artifacts. In this paper, we present a wrist-worn strap that includes a 2-D array of 48 miniature electrodes covering the bottom side of the wrist with good contact with the skin. Good skin contact directly impacts the sensing robustness. The array provides local measurements between adjacent electrodes that span the whole bottom side of the wrist with an area of 6.25×4.60 cm for robust sensing. The array allows for the automatic selection of the correct electrodes at the right location regardless of changes in the device placement on the wrist. In addition, using a large number of electrodes over a large area on the wrist ensures continuous contact of some electrodes with the skin during motion since all of the electrodes will not lose contact with the skin at the same time. We measured the electrode-skin impedance of the fabricated electrodes versus frequency and compared to other types of electrodes. We demonstrated good contact between all electrodes of the array and the skin by measuring electrode-skin impedance less than 10 k$\Omega$ at 16 kHz for all locations on the wrist strap. We also conducted measurements of impedance while the wearer was bending the wrist to validate the continuous contact of at least a subset of electrodes with the skin during such movements.