cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dynamic Contrast-Enhanced MR Imaging in Musculoskeletal Tumors

Radiologists are required to provide information on four clinical questions in imaging primary musculoskeletal neoplasms: diagnosis, staging, response to pre-surgical (or initial) chemotherapy1, and detection of recurrence. MRI is useful, together with radiography and clinical data, in narrowing the differential diagnosis and establishing the extent of disease. However, it rarely provides a defi nitive diagnosis for these tumors. MRI is the pre-eminent imaging modality for the remaining three clinical questions (Bloem et al. 1997). MRI has dramatically improved the pre-operative staging of these tumors. As a result, there has been a major reduction in the incidence of mutilating surgery. Limb-sparing procedures are now commonly used for primary osseous or soft-tissue neoplasms, with resulting improvement in the quality of life for these survivors. Patients with primary osseous and soft-tissue neoplasms have also benefi ted enormously from developments in initial chemotherapies. Initial chemotherapy is administered prior to tumor resection and has led to improved surgical outcomes and improved survival. For some tumors and/or stages, response to this initial therapy correlates positively with overall survival, in which case measuring this response as precisely and accurately as possible is vital. MRI is also important in screening for the presence of residual or recurrent tumor. The detection of small recurrent or residual tumor, following initial treatment, poses a challenge. The problem is further complicated by susceptibility artifacts on CT or MR images arising from reconstructive hardware or metallic particles from surgical instruments. In spite CONTENTS
Sex differences and endocrine regulation of auditory-evoked, neural responses in African clawed frogs ( Xenopus )

Mating depends on the accurate detection of signals that convey species identity and reproductive state. In African clawed frogs, Xenopus, this information is conveyed by vocal signals that differ in temporal patterns and spectral features between sexes and across species. We characterized spectral sensitivity using auditory-evoked potentials (AEPs), commonly known as the auditory brainstem response, in males and females of four Xenopus species. In female X. amieti, X. petersii, and X. laevis, peripheral auditory sensitivity to their species own dyad-two, species-specific dominant frequencies in the male advertisement call-is enhanced relative to males. Males were most sensitive to lower frequencies including those in the male-directed release calls. Frequency sensitivity was influenced by endocrine state; ovariectomized females had male-like auditory tuning while dihydrotestosterone-treated, ovariectomized females maintained female-like tuning. Thus, adult, female Xenopus demonstrate an endocrine-dependent sensitivity to the spectral features of conspecific male advertisement calls that could facilitate mating. Xenopus AEPs resemble those of other species in stimulus and level dependence, and in sensitivity to anesthetic (MS222). AEPs were correlated with body size and sex within some species. A frequency following response, probably encoded by the amphibian papilla, might facilitate dyad source localization via interaural time differences.
Skin substitutes and alternatives: a review.

PURPOSETo provide the specialist in skin and wound care with a review of skin replacement alternatives and their most common uses.TARGET AUDIENCEThis continuing education activity is intended for physicians and nurses with an interest in wound care and related disorders.OBJECTIVESAfter reading this
Histological Appearance of Placental Solomonization in the Treatment of Twin-Twin Transfusion Syndrome.

Background Placental laser equatorialization or “solomonization” during treatment for twin–twin transfusion syndrome (TTTS) is associated with improved pregnancy outcomes. Concern exists, however, about the extent of placental injury caused by the technique, and of its ability to create “dichorionization,” or complete separation of the fetal vascular circuits. Case Study A “solomonized” placenta was histologically examined for depth of cell damage. Solomonization produces complete devascularization of the chorionic plate, but has minimal effect on the underlying villi. The median depth of the effect was 2,823 µm, or Conclusion Solomonization produces complete devascularization of the chorionic plate, but has little effect on the underlying villi. “Dichorionization” is therefore not achieved. Ongoing surveillance of treated pregnancies is warranted.
Inducible co-stimulator expression in peripheral T cells from children with Kawasaki disease

Objective To investigate the role of signal transduction of inducible co-stimulator(ICOS)in immunological pathogenesis of Kawasaki disease.Methods Total 48 patients with Kawasaki disease were enrolled in Kawasaki disease group,including 16 cases with coronary artery lesion(CAL)and 32 cases without coronary artery lesion(non-CAL).Thirty patients treated with intravenous immunoglobulin(IVIG)were enrolled in IVIG-treatment group,including 23 cases sensitive to IVIG and 7 cases non-sensitive to IVIG.Forty-five age-matched children(healthy or acute bronchitis patients)were included in control group.Real-time PCR were used to evaluate the levels of ICOSmRNA expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells.Results Compared with control group,the mRNA levels of ICOS in Kawasaki disease group were significantly up-regulated(17.97 ± 7.22 vs 8.01 ± 5.15,P 0.01).Compared with non-CAL in Kawasaki disease group,the mRNA levels of ICOS in CAL group were up-regulated significantly(29.09 ± 10.55 vs 11.68 ± 5.11,P 0.01).Compared with Kawasaki disease group,the mRNA levels of ICOS in IVIG-treatment group were down-regulated(13.03 ± 5.15 vs 17.97 ± 7.22,P 0.05).Compared with IVIG sensitivity group in IVIG-treatment group,the mRNA levels of ICOS in non-sensitivity group were up-regulated significantly(21.57 ± 6.22 vs 9.85 ± 5.89,P 0.05).Conclusions Expressions of ICOS was up-regulated during acute phase of Kawasaki disease,which suggested that ICOS might be one of the significant factors of immune aberrance in Kawasaki disease with coronary artery lesion.As a key treatment method,IVIG might be related to down-regulated expression of ICOS in Kawasaki disease.
Measurement of Affective Responses to Exercise: From “Affectless Arousal” to “The Most Well-Characterized” Relationship Between the Body and Affect

Abstract Affective responses to exercise received considerable coverage in 19th-century texts that formed the foundation of psychology. Luminaries such as Alexander Bain, Herbert Spencer, Charles Darwin, and James Mark Baldwin believed that linking a subjective experience to a physical act like the movement of the body would protect the nascent field of psychology against criticisms that it dealt with abstract metaphysical phenomena. After decades of neglect during the reign of behaviorism, interest in the relationship between exercise and affect reemerged in the 1970s. However, problematic measurement led to inaccurate conclusions. Within psychology, the popularity of the notion of “excitation transfer” led many researchers to believe that exercise produces “affectless arousal,” devoid of any pleasant or unpleasant affective content. In exercise science, the desire to respond to the Pitts–McClure hypothesis about the alleged causal role of lactate in anxiety attacks led to the assertion that the only effect of exercise is to “make people feel good.” This assertion was based on studies using popular measures such as the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, the Profile of Mood States, and the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule. This chapter reviews ways in which these measures were misapplied and their results misinterpreted. We then propose and illustrate a three-step approach to selecting a measure of core affect, emotion, or mood. The steps include (1) deciding whether one wishes to study core affect, emotion, or mood, (2) selecting the theoretical framework for the chosen construct that is most appropriate for a given study, and (3) choosing the psychometrically strongest measure among those based on the selected theoretical framework. We suggest that adoption of this three-step process can accelerate progress not only within the line of research examining responses to exercise but also in other areas of applied psychological research focusing on affective phenomena.
Negotiation and Performance Appraisal (Book Summary)

Negotiation Publisher: Harvard Business Press (2003) Format: Paperback, 208 pp. ISBN-13: 9781591391111 Performance AppraisalPublisher: Harvard Business Press (2009) Format: Paperback, 73 pp. ISBN-13: 9781422128831
Rates of provision of clinical information in the skin biopsy requisition form and corresponding encounter visit note

Background: The skin biopsy requisition form (RF) serves as a key communication tool for transfer of relevant information related to skin biopsy between clinicians and pathologists. Clinical information in the skin biopsy RF is frequently missing or incomplete. Objective: To determine the rates of provision of critical clinical information necessary for histopathologic interpretation in the skin biopsy RF and encounter visit note (EVN). Methods: A retrospective review of 300 RFs and corresponding EVNs from May 1 to 7, 2012, in a tertiary care dermatology practice. Results: Age (100%), lesion location (100%), and clinical impression (93%) were the most commonly supplied elements in the RF and EVN. Clinical elements that were commonly not provided in the RF but present in the EVN included sampling method - partial versus complete (46%), duration of lesion (54%), morphology of lesion (97%), clinical symptoms (63%), clinical photos (63%), previous clinical (97%), and dermatopathologic diagnoses (82%). Limitations: Retrospective study design. Conclusions: These data suggest that while missing critical clinical information in the RF is often present in the EVN, some information is still not present in either source.
A Simple Tool to Predict Development of Delirium After Elective Surgery

Objectives To identify a quick clinical tool to assess the risk of delirium after elective surgery. Design Prospective observational study. Setting Preoperative assessment clinic at the Veterans Affairs Portland Health Care System. Participants Community-living veterans aged 65 and older scheduled for elective surgery requiring general or major anesthesia. Measurements Confusion Assessment Method (CAM) or Family Confusion Assessment Method (FAM-CAM). Data on education, medications, substance use, Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), Study of Osteoporotic Fractures Frailty, Mini-Cog, and Charlson-Deyo score were collected preoperatively. Results Of 114 veterans who agreed to participate, 76 completed the final delirium assessment. Ten of the 76 (13%) developed delirium in the 72 hours after surgery as assessed using the CAM or FAM-CAM. In bivariate analysis, factors that increased the odds of delirium at least three times were low education; poor PHQ-9, clock draw, word recall, Mini-Cog, and poor preoperative orientation scores; alcohol use; and higher comorbidities as measured using Charlson-Deyo index. Scoring the Mini-Cog from 0 to 5 had a higher predictive power (area under the receiving operating characteristic curve = 0.77) than other approaches to scoring the Mini-Cog. Other models did not significantly improve prediction of postoperative delirium risk and would be complicated to use in a clinical setting. Conclusion In this sample of veterans who had elective surgery with major anesthesia, Mini-Cog score predicted likelihood of postoperative delirium.
Individualized Tamoxifen Dose Escalation-Response.

We thank Koolen and colleagues for their thoughtful response to our commentary about the lack of evidence supporting tamoxifen dose escalation based on predicted or measured endoxifen concentrations ([1][1]). They state that “if the concentration has been measured and it is far below the currently
Selective neuronal expression of the SoxE factor, Sox8, in direct pathway striatal projection neurons of the developing mouse brain

The striatum is the major component of the basal ganglia and is well known to play a key role in the control of motor function via balanced output from the indirect (iSPNs) and direct pathway striatal projection neurons (dSPNs). Little is known, however, about the molecular genetic mechanisms that control the formation of the iSPNs versus dSPNs. We show here that the SoxE family member, Sox8, is co-expressed with the dSPN markers, Isl1 and Ebf1, in the developing striatum. Moreover, dSPNs, as marked by Isl1-cre fate map, express Sox8 in the embryonic striatum and Sox8-EGFP BAC transgenic mice specifically reveal the direct pathway axons during development. These EGFP+ axons are first observed to reach their midbrain target, the substantia nigra pars reticulata (SNr), at E14 in the mouse with a robust connection observed already at birth. The selective expression of EGFP in dSPNs of Sox8-EGFP BAC mice is maintained at postnatal timepoints. Sox8 is known to be expressed in oligodendrocyte precursor cells (OPCs) together with other SoxE factors and we show here that the EGFP signal co-localizes with the OPC markers throughout the brain. Finally, we show that Sox8-EGFP BAC mice can be used to interrogate the altered dSPN development in Isl1 conditional mutants including aberrant axonal projections detected already at embryonic timepoints. Thus, Sox8 represents an early and specific marker of embryonic dSPNs and the Sox8-EGFP BAC transgenic mice are an excellent tool to study the development of basal ganglia circuitry.
The Genus Turbinella (Mollusca, Gastropoda) in the New World

Two lines of T urbinella have developed from the ancestral Eocene species, one in the Old World and one in the New World. The evolutionary development of these has been remarkably parallel, although apparently separate. In both regions the earliest species are shouldered forms, and successive species become increasingly smooth. In the New World a secondary group developed in the lower Miocene. This branch, here called the 11angulata11 lineage, is marked by an exceedingly large nucleus, and by a noded shoulder in contrast to the smooth outline of the primary form, here termed the 11laevigatan lineage. In this paper the 24 known species of New World Turbinellinae are treated systematically, and one new species, Turbinella dalli1 is described. In addition the homonym T. praeovoidea Maury, non Vredenburg, is replaced by T. praelaevigata1 nom. nov.
Moving toward a disability-centric model of body politics in borderlands theory and fiction

Gloria Anzaldua’s Borderlands has been celebrated across several fields, and yet little attention has been given to her engagement with disability. This article expands considerations of geographical and social mobility, so that they also take into account physical (im)mobility. Anzaldua’s meditations on movement highlight a gap in borderlands literature to which a disability studies perspective has much to add: questions of mobility at the border raise awareness of the bodily violations that occur there among subjects with disabilities. I point toward alternative modes of mobility that surface in borderlands literature, ranging from spiritual movement in Anzaldua’s Borderlands to rhythmic stasis in Gomez-Pena’s “Border Brujo” to creative and linguistic motion in Islas’s The Rain God. These forms pinpoint ways in which disabled Chicanas/os and Latinas/os can rerepresent their bodies as mobile.
Systematic characterization of physical defects for fault analysis of MOS IC cells

A methodology relating physical features of point defects inherent in the fabrication process to the circuit-level faulty behaviors caused by these defects is proposed. A simulation approach to support this methodology is introduced and illustrated using an example n-MOS circuit. Using this methodology, technology and layout dependent faults can be generated and ranked according to their likelihood. Using a ranked fault list, a new and more effective testing approach for MOS VLSI circuits can be developed.
THE NUCLEAR SHIELDING SURFACE: THE SHIELDING AS A FUNCTION OF MOLECULAR GEOMETRY AND INTERMOLECULAR SEPARATION

In making the connection between theoretical shielding values and experiments, it becomes necessary to consider medium effects and rovibrational averaging. The rovibrational averaging which takes the shielding for a molecule at its rigid equilibrium geometry into a thermal average shielding also provides the temperature dependence in the zero-pressure limit and the changes upon isotopic substitution which are experimentally accessible. The averaging of 15N and 31P shielding in the NH3 and PH3 molecules uses ab initio shielding surfaces and intramolecular potential surfaces or their derivatives. General trends are observed in comparing the shielding surfaces in these two molecules with H2O and CH4. A proper account of medium effects requires the knowledge of the intermolecular shielding surfaces, which are explored here for model systems 39Ar in Ar...Ar, Ar...Ne, Ar...Na+, Ar...NaH, and for 21Ne in Ne...Ne and Ne...He, employing ab initio calculations (LORG and SOLO). The shapes of the shielding function σ(R) for two atoms are shown to be similar for intra-and intermolecular shielding.
GAS MAN SIMULATES CORRECT ALVEOLAR PLATEAUS AND QUANTIFIES OVERPRESSURE FOR DESIRED ALVEOLAR TENSION

Gas Man® is a computer simulation1 which uses pictorial and graphical displays to depict anesthetic tension in various compartments representing locations in the anesthesia gas machine, breathing circuit, and patient See Figure 1. The simulation solves the simultaneous differential equations that govern the behavior of the five-compartment model. The model structure knows nothing of exponentials but calculates these and other curves in response to step changes in input variables (vaporizer setting and fresh gas flow) or model parameters (cardiac output and alveolar ventilation)
The course of inflammatory bowel disease

Ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn's disease (CD) are chronic disorders affecting mostly young people, punctuated by relapses and remissions. There is a pattern for UC based on the original extent of colon involved. Ulcerative proctosigmoiditis is a limited form of the disease with a generally benign course. Although UC tends to relapse, treatment reduces the relapse rate. CD has protean manifestations. The anatomic location and extent of disease tends to determine the clinical course. Most patients require surgery, and recurrences are common.
R Functions for Analysis of Continuous Glucose Monitor Data

Abstract Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) is an essential part of diabetes care. Real-time CGM data are beneficial to patients for daily glucose management, and aggregate summary statistics of CGM measures are valuable to direct insulin dosing and as a tool for researchers in clinical trials. Yet, the various commercial systems still report CGM data in disparate, non-standard ways. Accordingly, there is a need for a standardized, free, open-source approach to CGM data management and analysis. Functions were developed in the free programming language R to provide a rapid, easy, and consistent methodology for CGM data management and analysis. Summary variables calculated by our package compare well to those generated by various CGM software, and our functions provide a more comprehensive list of summary measures available to clinicians and researchers. Consistent handling of CGM data using our R package may facilitate collaboration between research groups and contribute to a better understanding of free-living glucose patterns.
A bi-fidelity surrogate modeling approach for uncertainty propagation in three-dimensional hemodynamic simulations

Abstract Image-based computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling enables derivation of hemodynamic information (e.g., flow field, wall shear stress, and pressure distribution), which has become a paradigm in cardiovascular research and healthcare. Nonetheless, the predictive accuracy largely depends on precisely specified boundary conditions and model parameters, which, however, are usually uncertain (or unknown) in most patient-specific cases. Quantifying the uncertainties in model predictions due to input randomness can provide predictive confidence and is critical to promote the transition of CFD modeling in clinical applications. In the meantime, forward propagation of input uncertainties often involves numerous expensive CFD simulations, which is computationally prohibitive in most practical scenarios. This paper presents an efficient bi-fidelity surrogate modeling framework for uncertainty quantification (UQ) in cardiovascular simulations, by leveraging the accuracy of high-fidelity models and efficiency of low-fidelity models. Contrary to most data-fit surrogate models with several scalar quantities of interest, this work aims to provide high-resolution, full-field predictions (e.g., velocity and pressure fields). Moreover, a novel empirical error bound estimation approach is introduced to evaluate the performance of the surrogate a priori. The proposed framework is tested on a number of vascular flows with both standardized and patient-specific vessel geometries, and different combinations of high- and low-fidelity models are investigated. The results show that the bi-fidelity approach can achieve high predictive accuracy with a significant reduction of computational cost, exhibiting its merit and effectiveness. Particularly, the uncertainties from a high-dimensional input space can be accurately propagated to clinically relevant quantities of interest (e.g., wall shear stress) in the patient-specific case using only a limited number of high-fidelity simulations, suggesting a good potential in practical clinical applications.
Numerical Simulation of Free Seepage Flow on Non-matching Grids

A new domain decomposition technique on non-matching grids for free boundary problems is considered. An iterative DD scheme is used to reduce the original free boundary problem to a sequence of problems on two sub-domains, one of which includes the free boundary and is described by a variational inequality and the other includes the remainder of the problem and is described by a second order partial differential equation. In the sub-domain which contains the free boundary, a fine grid is utilized in order to capture the free boundary more precisely; while in the other sub-domain, a coarse grid is used in order to speed up the computation. At each step of the iteration, two sub-problems are solved by using a Robin boundary condition on the interface.
Classifying students using an expectation-perception survey about a hospitality laboratory class: Empirical research with the finite mixture model

This study examined the relationship between teaching styles, the gap between students’ expectations and perceptions, and overall class evaluations. Using confirmatory factor analysis and Finite Mi...
Indoor Exposure to Commonly Used Disinfectants During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Staying safe during a/aathe COVID-19 pandemic/a requires frequent disinfecting of the indoor environment Quaternary ammonium compounds (QACs or â€œquatsâ€) are the major class of chemicals widely used as disinfectants in consumer products While disinfection is necessary for a safe environment during the pandemic, the increased use of QACs is concerning as exposure to these compounds has been associated with adverse effects on reproductive and respiratory systems We have determined the occurrence and distribution of 19 QACs in 46 residential dust collected before and during the outbreak of COVID-19 All QACs were detected in more than 90% of the samples at concentrations ranging from 1 95 to 531 I¼g/g (median 58 9 I¼g/g) Higher QAC concentrations were found in dust collected before the COVID-19 pandemic and in homes with higher disinfecting frequencies (i0 05) In addition, 7 products most frequently used in these homes were analyzed, and QACs were detected at concentrations reaching uto 16,600 mg/L The QAC profiles in dust and in products were similar, suggesting that these products can be a significant source of QACs Our findings indicate that the indoor exposure to QACs is widespread, raising concerns about increased exposure to these chemicals during the ongoing pandemic
Gas-liquid chromatographic determination of sodium fluoroacetate (Compound 1080).

Abstract An analytical method is described for the determination of Compound 1080 (sodium fluoroacetate) residues in 1--10 g tissue. Sample extracts of tissues are cleaned up with silica gel, and Compound 1080 (as fluoroacetic acid) is separated by a micro-distillation procedure. The fluoroacetic acid in the distillate is derivatized with pentafluorobenzyl bromide to form pentafluorobenzyl fluoroacetate which is measured by electron capture gas-liquid chromatography. Recoveries of sodium fluoroacetate from fortified tissue samples averaged about 25%. Despite the limited recoveries, results were quite reproducible, and levels as low at 2 ppm were determined in fortified 1 g samples, and 0.2 ppm in 10 g samples. The method is relatively simple and has been used routinely in our laboratory for the analysis of various types of samples such as grain, and tissues from birds, rodents, and larger animals.
RL-Bélády: A Unified Learning Framework for Content Caching

Content streaming is the dominant application in today's Internet, which is typically distributed via content delivery networks (CDNs). CDNs usually use caching as a means to reduce user access latency so as to enable faster content downloads. Typical analysis of caching systems either focuses on content admission, which decides whether to cache a content, or content eviction to decide which content to evict when the cache is full. This paper instead proposes a novel framework that can simultaneously learn both content admission and content eviction for caching in CDNs. To attain this goal, we first put forward a lightweight architecture for content next request time prediction. We then leverage reinforcement learning (RL) along with the prediction to learn the time-varying content popularities for content admission, and develop a simple threshold-based model for content eviction. We call this new algorithm RL-Belady (RLB). In addition, we address several key challenges to design learning-based caching algorithms, including how to guarantee lightweight training and prediction with both content eviction and admission in consideration, limit memory overhead, reduce randomness and improve robustness in RL stochastic optimization. Our evaluation results using $3$ production CDN datasets show that RLB can consistently outperform state-of-the-art methods with dramatically reduced running time and modest overhead.
Suitability of A(4) as a Family Symmetry in Grand Unification

In the recent successful applications of the non-Abelian discrete symmetry A4 to the tribimaximal mixing of neutrinos, lepton doublets and singlets do not transform in the same way. It thus appears to be unsuitable as a family symmetry in grand unification. A simple resolution of this dilemma is proposed.
A Blueprint Via the Latest Self-Governing Openness of Data

This chapter gives a possible solution, starting with a brief introduction to the latest technique on self-governing openness of data. As a blueprint, this solution addresses three possible issues, and they are establishing a people-oriented mechanism, identifying the transaction in the best matches, globally collecting taxes with less manpower, and making system transparency via a feedback mechanism.
In Situ Thermal Inspection of Automated Fiber Placement for manufacturing induced defects

Abstract Automated Fiber Placement (AFP) manufacturing is prone to several varieties of manufacturing defects that can be detrimental to the structural integrity of the part. Detecting these defects after layup is time and labor intensive, and detection of some defect types post-cure can be difficult to infeasible due to the size of the flaws. The In Situ Thermal Inspection System (ISTIS) answers the need for fast and reliable real time inspection to enable high rate AFP manufacturing with minimal modifications or interference to the manufacturing process. This paper presents the details of the design of ISTIS and the thermal data analysis. This work presents a novel calibration and performance assessment regime which demonstrates ISTIS detecting all tested artificial manufacturing induced defects and sizing most to within 0.762 mm.
Towards Single Stage Weakly Supervised Semantic Segmentation.

The costly process of obtaining semantic segmentation labels has driven research towards weakly supervised semantic segmentation (WSSS) methods, using only image-level, point, or box labels. The lack of dense scene representation requires methods to increase complexity to obtain additional semantic information about the scene, often done through multiple stages of training and refinement. Current state-of-the-art (SOTA) models leverage image-level labels to produce class activation maps (CAMs) which go through multiple stages of refinement before they are thresholded to make pseudo-masks for supervision. The multi-stage approach is computationally expensive, and dependency on image-level labels for CAMs generation lacks generalizability to more complex scenes. In contrary, our method offers a single-stage approach generalizable to arbitrary dataset, that is trainable from scratch, without any dependency on pre-trained backbones, classification, or separate refinement tasks. We utilize point annotations to generate reliable, on-the-fly pseudo-masks through refined and filtered features. While our method requires point annotations that are only slightly more expensive than image-level annotations, we are to demonstrate SOTA performance on benchmark datasets (PascalVOC 2012), as well as significantly outperform other SOTA WSSS methods on recent real-world datasets (CRAID, CityPersons, IAD).
Oxidation behaviors of CrNb, CrNbTi, and CrNbTaTi concentrated refractory alloys

Abstract The 1200 °C oxidation behaviors of CrNb, CrNbTi and CrNbTaTi are reported. All alloys formed some combination of BCC and Laves phases. However, additions of Ti produced a unique inflection point where the microstructure inverts to a Ti-rich BCC matrix with Laves phase precipitates. Further additions of Ta to CrNbTi were found to increase the overall phase fraction of BCC phase. The oxidation kinetics for CrNb and CrNbTi were similar and nearly parabolic throughout the duration of exposure. CrNbTaTi exhibited inferior oxidation kinetics and mixed mode behavior throughout oxidation testing. All alloys formed intricate multi-phase oxide structures, consisting of a combination of both simple and complex oxides. The resulting microstructures are characterized using a variety of analytical techniques and the results are discussed relative to modeling predictions using ab initio density functional theory (DFT).
Race and Ethnicity in Secret and Exclusive Social Orders : Blood and Shadow

1. Chasing shadows: from the power elite to a new paradigm Matthew W. Hughey 2. The duality of spectacle and secrecy: a case study of fraternalism in the 1920s US Ku Klux Klan Kathleen Blee and Amy McDowell 3. Ekpe 'leopard' society in Africa and in the Americas: influence and values of an ancient tradition Ivor Miller and Mathew Ojong 4. 'Weak power': community and identity Brian Belton 5. Black, Greek, and read all over: newspaper coverage of African American fraternities and sororities, 1980-2009 Matthew W. Hughey and Marcia Hernandez 6. Fraternity life at predominantly white universities in the US: the saliency of race Rashawn Ray 7. Why some black lodges prospered and others failed: the Good Templars and the True Reformers David M. Fahey 8. Ardent citizens: African American Elks and the fight for equal employment opportunities Venus Green
Superconducting Properties and Coupling Mechanisms in In Situ Filamentary Composites

In situ formed superconducting filamentary composites are of considerable interest from both theoretical and practical points of view. A number of authors1 have demonstrated that these composites can carry critical currents comparable to those of the best conventional conductors with continuous Nb3Sn or V3Ga filaments and they are also remarkably insensitive to mechanical stress or strain. Along with the powder-metallurgically processed composites,2 these new materials show realistic promise for potential practical applications and can now be produced also in large quantities.3
What is your EEG number? Resident Training and Competency (P4.208)

OBJECTIVE: Assess current resident electrogencephalogram EEG training experience and correlate this experience to self-assessment of competency. BACKGROUND: Many procedural specialties have a specified number of procedures required to demonstrate competence. The data to generate such numbers are not available for EEG interpretation. The exposure during a Neurology residency can vary between 0-3 months. Quantity and diversity of cases can be a matter of chance. A neurology graduate should be competent in reading EEGs. DESIGN/METHODS: Twelve University of Rochester neurology residents over 2 years completed their 4- 10 weeks EEG rotation. Each investigator scored EEG reports by degree of abnormality for each subject’s EEG experience then assigned them a rank based on their EEG case-mix. Using a 4-point Likert scale each subject assessed their skills in interpreting reports and basic EEG milestones: normal EEG, common artifacts, normal variants, and common and uncommon abnormalities. To correlate the degree of complexity of the EEG experience and subject self-assessment, rank correlation was attempted using Spearman’s Rank-order Correlation. RESULTS: The range of total EEGs read was 88-355 with abnormal studies represented 34-68[percnt]. Residents felt comfortable interpreting EEG reports (3.75) and normal EEGs (3.7) but were less comfortable with normal variants (2.58) and uncommon abnormalities (1.92). Spearman’s Rank-order Correlation could not be used due to the lack of degree of separation in self-assessments scores. CONCLUSIONS: Despite the lack of correlation between self-assessment score and EEG experience, this study raises important considerations as to the appropriate assessment tool to determine competency. This study did not examine knowledge gain or retention of information. Program directors sign off based on supervisor opinions flawed by recall bias. Self-assessments may be limited by in insight. Current summative testing lacks specificity. Formative and summative assessment during the rotation should be validated and correlated with EEG experience. Study Supported by: N/A Disclosure: Dr. Liu has received personal compensation for activities with Merck. Dr. Juersivich has nothing to disclose. Dr. Wychowski has nothing to disclose.
Slow Crack Growth Analysis of Brittle Materials with Finite Thickness Subjected to Constant Stress-Rate Flexural Loading

A two-dimensional, numerical analysis of slow crack growth (SCG) was performed for brittle materials with finite thickness subjected to constant stress-rate (“dynamic fatigue”) loading in flexure. The numerical solution showed that the conventional, simple, one-dimensional analytical solution can be used with a maximum error of about 5% in determining the SCG parameters of a brittle material with the conditions of a normalized thickness (a ratio of specimen thickness to initial crack size) T > 3.3 and of a SCG parameter n ≥ 10. The change in crack shape from semicircular to elliptical configurations was significant particularly at both low stress rate and low T, attributed to predominant difference in stress intensity factor along the crack front. The numerical solution of SCG parameters was supported within the experimental range by the data obtained from constant stress-rate flexural testing for soda-lime glass microslides at ambient temperature.
Invisible Mothers: A Content Analysis of Motherhood Ideologies and Myths in Magazines

The purpose of this study is to identify prevalent motherhood ideologies and myths in contemporary women's magazines. The results indicate that contemporary magazines promote a traditional motherhood ideology, yet perpetuate motherhood myths that undermine mothers who stay home. Traditional motherhood, which excludes Women of Color and employed mothers, is promoted. Mothers are almost exclusively presented in the domestic, rather than the public or integrated domestic–public, contexts. Myths that employed mothers are busy, tired, and guilty, and that employed mothers neglect and are unattached to their children, are not upheld. However, negative myths that at-home mothers are confused, overwhelmed, and interested only in superficial topics are upheld in the magazines analyzed. The implications of these results on the perpetuation of patriarchy are discussed.
The development of rat palatal shelves in vitro: An ultrastructural analysis of the inhibition of epithelial cell death and palate fusion by the epidermal growth factor

Abstract Unfused palatal shelves from day-15 rat embryos were cultured with their medial edges in contact. During the next 20 hr epithelial surfaces of apposing shelves adhered, and the epithelial cells in this area degenerated and were replaced by mesenchymal cells in a manner similar to that reported for palate fusion in vivo in the rat and in vitro in the mouse. Four hours after contact the superficial cells of apposing palates adhered with a 10–25-nm distance separating cell membranes while after 20 hr these cells were either eliminated or had lost their flattened appearance and become indistinguishable from the cuboidal-shaped cells adjacent to the basement membrane. The ratio of cytoplasm to nucleoplasm was reduced, and degenerated cells were eliminated by macrophages. Addition of epidermal growth factor (EGF) to the culture medium inhibited epithelial adhesion and degeneration. Basal and superficial cells retained their original appearance, while the ratio of cytoplasm to nucleoplasm was increased. Numerous desmosomes and tonofilaments were evident as well as elaborate membrane foldings. The appearance of these cellular elements is similar to that observed in keratinizing palatal epithelial cells from the oral region. These results suggest that EGF induces the epithelial cells to keratinize, and as a consequence the normal sequence of steps of palate fusion are inhibited.
Clindamycin levels in reproductive tissues.

Abstract Clindamycin is widely used in a variety of obstetric and gynecologic infections. Despite in vitro and clinical evidence of activity against anaerobes, genital organ tissue levels resulting from intravenous administration of the drug have not previously been reported. Following a single intravenous infusion of 600 mg of clindamycin phosphate, tissue levels were determined in operative specimens obtained from ten women. Specimens of cervix, uterus, fallopian tube, and ovary were obtained, and mean Clindamycin levels for each site were: cervix, 2.63 micrograms/ml; endometrium, 5.58 micrograms/ml; myometrium, 2.39 micrograms/ml; fallopian tube, 2.96 micrograms/ml; and ovary, 3.74 micrograms/ml. The mean serum level was 6.26 micrograms/ml at the time of uterine artery interruption. The clindamycin concentrations at all sites exceeded the usual therapeutic minimal inhibitory concentration, substantiating the usefulness of clindamycin in obstetric and gynecologic anaerobic infections.
Adolescents' Food Attitudes and Behaviors During the School Day

Abstract What are adolescents' attitudes towards food? What do adolescents consume during the school day in terms of “top shelf” versus “non-top shelf” foods? What knowledge do their parents or guardians' have regarding their food consumption during the school day? What “top shelf” and “non-top shelf” foods are available on school premises? Adolescents are human “eating and drinking machines.” As such, they represent a significant opportunity for food marketers. However, the childhood obesity crisis threatens adolescents as well as food marketers. Food marketers need to better understand what drives these young consumers in order to keep them as customers and avoid a potential backlash from consumers and public policy makers. This paper reports the findings of a study on adolescents and food, specifically their attitudes, constraints and behaviors during the school day. The study is based on data collected in two middle schools and two high schools in the Philadelphia Standard Metropolitan Statistical Are...
Cochlear gene transfer mediated by adeno‐associated virus: Comparison of two surgical approaches

Objectives/Hypothesis Gene therapy offers the possibility of delivering corrective genetic materials to the cochlea, potentially improving hearing. In animals, the most commonly used surgical methods for viral gene therapy delivery to the cochlea are the round window and the cochleostomy approaches. However, the patterns of viral infection and the effects on hearing have not been directly compared between these two approaches. In this study, we compare the patterns of cochlear infection and effects on hearing between these two surgical approaches using adeno-associated virus serotype 2/8 (AAV8) as the gene delivery vehicle. Study Design Animal study and basic science research. Methods One- to two-month-old CBA/J mice were used in this study. AAV8-green fluorescent protein (GFP) was delivered to the cochlea by either the round window or the cochleostomy approach (described below). Auditory brainstem response was used to examine hearing thresholds before and after surgery. Animals were examined at 1, 2, 3, and 4 weeks after surgery for the patterns of cochlear infection and hearing loss. Results Cochlear gene transfer was successful through both surgical approaches. In both approaches, AAV8-GFP mostly infected the inner hair cells. There was occasional low-level infection of the outer hair cells and supporting cells. The two surgical approaches resulted in comparable viral infection efficiencies. The round window approach resulted in less surgical trauma, as indicated by hearing loss, than the cochleostomy approach. Conclusions Adeno-associated virus-mediated gene transfer to the cochlea can be accomplished using either the round window or the cochleostomy surgical approach. The round window approach resulted in less hearing loss compared to the cochleostomy approach. Level of Evidence NA Laryngoscope, 125:2557–2564, 2015
Graphene–polyethylenedioxythiophene conducting polymer nanocomposite based supercapacitor

Abstract We present here the synthesis, characterization and application of graphene (G)–polyethylenedioxythiophene (PEDOT) nanocomposites as electrode material for supercapacitor applications. The G-PEDOT nanocomposite was synthesized using a chemical oxidative polymerization technique, and characterized using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), Raman spectroscopy, FTIR spectroscopy, X-ray-diffraction, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS), and cyclic voltammetry (CV) techniques. The electrochemical charge/discharge characteristics of G-PEDOT nanocomposites were investigated in different electrolytic media, and the specific discharge capacitance was estimated to be 374 Farad/gram (F/gm). This manuscript presents the capacitance studies on supercapacitor G-PEDOT electrode with respect to stability of material, specific capacitance, electrical conductivity and specific charge/discharge properties of the supercapacitor electrodes. Our study has revealed that the G-PEDOT nanocomposite could be a transformable and viable electrode material for supercapacitor applications.
Importance of ortho Proton Donors in Catalysis of Hydrazone Formation

Anthranilic acids were recently reported as superior catalysts for hydrazone and oxime formation compared to aniline, the classic catalyst for these reactions. Here, alternative proton donors were examined with varied pKa in an effort to enhance activity at biological pH. The experiments show that 2-aminobenzenephosphonic acids are superior to anthranilic acids in catalyzing hydrazone formation with common aldehyde substrates.
Dual-Permeability Modeling of Capillary Diversion and Drift Shadow Effects in Unsaturated Fractured Rock

The drift-shadow effect describes capillary diversion of water flow around a drift or cavity in porous or fractured rock, resulting in lower water flux directly beneath the cavity. This paper presents computational simulations of drift-shadow experiments using dual-permeability models, similar to the models used for performance assessment analyses of flow and seepage in unsaturated fractured tuff at Yucca Mountain. Comparisons were made between the simulations and experimental data from small-scale drift-shadow tests. Results showed that the dual-permeability models captured the salient trends and behavior observed in the experiments, but constitutive relations (e.g., fracture capillary-pressure curves) can significantly affect the simulated results. Lower water flux beneath the drift was observed in both the simulations and tests, andfingerlike flow patterns were seen to exist with lower simulated capillary pressures. The dual-permeability models used in this analysis were capable of simulating these processes. However, features such as irregularities along the top of the drift (e.g., from roof collapse) and heterogeneities in the fracture network may reduce the impact of capillary diversion and drift shadow. An evaluation of different meshes showed that at the grid refinement used, a comparison between orthogonal and unstructured meshes did not result in large differences.
Speaker adaptation in speech recognition using linear regression techniques

A new technique of speaker adaptation for use in speaker-independent speech recognition systems is presented. The training data is used to build models (based on linear regression) of sounds. At recognition time, the models are used together with an incomplete set of sounds from a new speaker to estimate values for unheard sounds, which are used to adapt the speaker-independent models.
Learning Effect of Repeated Hypercapneic Ventilatory Response Testing

To determine whether hypercapneic ventilatory response (HCVR) is affected by repeated testing, the HCVR of 22 healthy subjects was determined daily for 4 consecutive days. The slope (S) of the HCVR increased to a maximum on Day 3, which was 14% greater than S on Day 1 (p less than 0.05). The increase in airway occlusion pressure during progressive hypercapnea (delta P0.1/delta PCO2) showed no significant change, indicating that although S and delta P0.1/delta PCO2 are both good measurements of ventilatory response, they are not totally interchangeable in normal subjects. A subgroup of 12 subjects (termed "increasers") was responsible for the overall increase in S. For this subgroup, S was significantly smaller on Day 1 than on each subsequent day. Increasers also had a significantly greater value of S on each day of the study than subjects who did not increase ("decreasers"). On Day 1, increasers' S was 3.77 +/- 1.31 L min-1 mm Hg-1, while decreasers' S was 2.46 +/- 1.00 (p less than 0.001). Some normal subjects demonstrate a learning effect during repeated daily testing of HCVR by the rebreathing technique, and those subjects whose S increases are those with large initial values of S.