cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
061 Predictors of Poor Outcome in S. Aureus Wound Infection

Objectives: Staphylococcus aureus is the most common bacterium cultured from infected wounds. We hypothesized that diabetes mellitus (DM) and/or peripheral arterial disease would be patient predictors of severe outcomes, defined as amputation, sepsis, or death, and infections caused by resistant strains would be bacterial predictors of severe outcomes. Methods: With IRB approval, 50 S. aureus strains (45 wound, 5 central line) were isolated during routine clinical care. Investigations included antibiotic resistance (>5 mcg/ml), and PCR for STAR elements. Chart review included wound type, location, relevant comorbidities, antibiotic resistance, and outcome. Results: Outcome n(%of outcome total) Severe All others Total No non-DM patient with arterial disease (n = 6) had a poor outcome. Diabetic 7 (70) 6 (17) 13 (29) Non-diabetic 3 (30) 29 (83) 32 (71) MRSA STAR groups 2 (20) 8 (23) 10 (22) All other STAR 8 (80) 27 (77) 35 (78) MRSA 4 (40) 8 (23) 12 (27) MSSA 6 (60) 27 (77) 33 (73) Total patients 10 (22) 35 (78) 45 Conclusions: The strongest predictor of outcome was the presence of DM. Patients with severe outcomes were slightly more likely to have MRSA infection, although only 33% of patients with MRSA had severe outcomes. Although STAR/arsRBC groups have been shown previously to predict antibiotic resistance, in this collection there was no correlation between these molecular markers and outcome. This study shows that the strongest predictor of clinical outcome in wound infection is patient-dependent, while bacterial factors appear to play a lesser role.
Scalable and robust WLAN connectivity using access point array

With the enormous economies of scale of wireless LAN (WLAN) hardware, the price of commodity WLAN access points has dropped to the level that is even cheaper than some WLAN adapters. In this paper we propose to put together an array of off-the-shelf access points, each operating at a different radio frequency, to build a super access point that can both scale up the overall sustained throughput and improve the robustness of WLAN connectivity in the presence of failures and denial-of-service attacks. The key enabling technology for the proposed access point array architecture is a dynamic load balancing mechanism that can adaptively adjust the association between stations and access points so as to distribute the traffic load among the array's channels. We have successfully developed such a load balancing mechanism and used it to build a working access point array prototype. Measurements on this prototype show that the proposed load balancing scheme can indeed improve the overall throughput and mitigate performance impacts due to misbehaving stations. In addition, the prototype requires no modification to either the access points or the stations, making it a technology readily applicable to existing wireless LAN environments.
Coupled mechanical and chemical processes in engineered geothermal reservoirs with dynamic permeability

Abstract A model is developed to represent mechanical strain, stress-enhanced dissolution, and shear dilation as innately hysteretic and interlinked processes in rough contacting fractures. The model is incorporated into a numerical simulator designed to examine permeability change and thermal exchange in chemically active and deformable fractured reservoirs. A candidate engineered geothermal reservoir system (EGS) is targeted. The mechanistic model is able to distinguish differences between the evolution of fluid transmission characteristics of (1) small scale, closely spaced fractures, and (2) large-scale, more widely spaced fractures. Alternate realizations of fracture frequency and scale, exhibiting identical initial bulk permeability, lead to significantly different conclusions regarding permeability evolution and thermal drawdown within the reservoir. Reactivation, primarily through mechanical shear, of pervasive, large-scale fractures is shown capable of causing both hydraulic and thermal short circuiting. Small variations in fracture scale impact the balance between the efficiency of thermal transfer and the rate of fluid circulation. Stress-enhanced chemical dissolution, initially at equilibrium within the reservoir, may be reactivated as fractures are forced out of equilibrium during hydraulic fracturing. At the conditions examined (250 °C reservoir with 70 °C injection), however, shear dilation exerts dominant control over changes to permeability. Heterogeneity in permeability, generated from a normal distribution of fracture spacing, impacts thermal breakthrough times at the withdrawal well, as well as withdrawal rates. For the given conditions, spatial variability over ∼1 order of magnitude leads to a reduction of ∼10% in withdrawal rates compared to a spatially uniform system. Permeability is a strongly dynamic property and at geothermal conditions is influenced by the full suite of THMC interactions.
Venous endothelial injury in central nervous system diseases

The role of the venous system in the pathogenesis of inflammatory neurological/neurodegenerative diseases remains largely unknown and underinvestigated. Aside from cerebral venous infarcts, thromboembolic events, and cerebrovascular bleeding, several inflammatory central nervous system (CNS) diseases, such as multiple sclerosis (MS), acute disseminated encephalomyelitis (ADEM), and optic neuritis, appear to be associated with venous vascular dysfunction, and the neuropathologic hallmark of these diseases is a perivenous, rather than arterial, lesion. Such findings raise fundamental questions about the nature of these diseases, such as the reasons why their pathognomonic lesions do not develop around the arteries and what exactly are the roles of cerebral venous inflammation in their pathogenesis. Apart from this inflammatory-based view, a new hypothesis with more focus on the hemodynamic features of the cerebral and extracerebral venous system suggests that MS pathophysiology might be associated with the venous system that drains the CNS. Such a hypothesis, if proven correct, opens new therapeutic windows in MS and other neuroinflammatory diseases. Here, we present a comprehensive review of the pathophysiology of MS, ADEM, pseudotumor cerebri, and optic neuritis, with an emphasis on the roles of venous vascular system programming and dysfunction in their pathogenesis. We consider the fundamental differences between arterial and venous endothelium, their dissimilar responses to inflammation, and the potential theoretical contributions of venous insufficiency in the pathogenesis of neurovascular diseases.
Polarization of tryptophan fluorescence from single striated muscle fibers. A molecular probe of contractile state

Instrumentation has been developed to detect rapidly the polariza- tion of tryptophan fluorescence from single muscle fibers in rigor, relaxation, and contraction. The polarization parameter (Pa) obtained by exiciting the muscle tryptophans with light polarized perpendicular to the long axis of the muscle fiber had a magnitude Pa (relaxation) > P (contraction) > P (rigor) for the three types of muscle fibers examined (glycerinated rabbit psoas, glyceri- nated dorsal longitudinal flight muscle of Lethocerus americanus, and live semitendinosus of Rana pipiens). Pa from single psoas fibers in rigor was found to increase as the sarcomere length increased but in relaxed fibers P, was inde- pendent of sarcomere length. After rigor, pyrophosphate produced little or no change in P, but following an adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-containing solution, pyrophosphate produced a value of P, that fell between the contrac- tion and relaxation values. Sinusoidal or square wave oscillations of the muscle of amplitude 0.5-2.0% of the sarcomere length and frequency 1, 2, or 5 Hz were applied in rigor when the myosin cross-bridges are considered to be firmly attached to the thin filaments. No significant changes in P were ob- served in either rigor or relaxation. The preceding results together with our present knowledge of tryptophan distribution in the contractile proteins has led us to the conclusion that the parameter Pa is a probe of the contractile state of myosin which is probably sensitive to the orientation of the myosin S1 subfragment.
Inertial range scalings of dissipation and enstrophy in isotropic turbulence

The inertial range scalings of local averages of energy dissipation rate and enstrophy (vorticity squared ) are studied using high resolution direct numerical simulation data for homogeneous and isotropic turbulence. The Taylor microscale Reynolds number is 216. It is found that the enstrophy is more intermittent than dissipation, consistent with previous one-dimensional surrogate measurements at high Reynolds numbers. Contrary to some recent expectations, enstrophy and dissipation have different exponents. [S0031-9007(97)03795-2] PACS numbers: 47.27.Gs
RELEASE OF FREE FATTY ACIDS BY ADIPOSE TISSUE FROM RATS TREATED WITH TRIIODOTHYRONINE OR PROPYLTHIOURACIL.

SUMMARY Adipose tissue from rats treated with propylthiouracil released less free fatty acids (FFA) into the medium and contained less FFA at the end of a 1-hr incubation period than did tissue from euthyroid animals. The elevation of the concentration of tissue FFA and enhancement of FFA release induced in normal tissues by addition of epinephrine to the medium was not observed in tissues from animals treated with propylthiouracil. Tissues from rats treated with triiodothyronine released more FFA into the medium and contained more FFA after 1 hr of incubation than did control tissues. The tissues from rats treated with triiodothyronine, however, also contained more FFA before incubation than did control tissues and, as with control fat pads, there was no net accumulation of FFA during the incubation period. From measurement of total accumulation of glycerol during the same time, it was concluded that the rate of lipolysis in tissues from rats treated with triiodothyronine was increased above the control level. The rate af esterification of fatty acid (glyceride synthesis) was apparently also elevated. The effect of epinephrine on the release of FFA and glycerol was greater in tissues from triiodothyronine-treated rats than in the control tissues.
Feedback control of a legged microrobot with on-board sensing

Full autonomy remains a challenge for miniature robotic platforms due to mass and size requirements of on-board power and control electronics. This paper presents a solution to these challenges with a 2.3g autonomous legged robot. An off-the-shelf optical mouse sensor is adapted for use on the Harvard Ambulatory Microrobot (HAMR) by reducing the sensor weight by 36% and achieving a position error below 11% when suspended 3mm above a cardstock surface. The position data is combined with data from a gyroscope for feedback control of both position and orientation. A microcontroller processes the sensor data and commands a controlled gait to HAMR that is powered by a battery, a boost converter and high voltage drive electronics. Solar cells are used as an alternative source providing enough power for autonomous operation of the robot. The resulting deviation for a controlled straight-line walk using both sensors to minimize lateral deviation and angular error is only 4.6%, compared to an error of 31% in an uncontrolled, straight-line walk.
A Superposition Theory for Efficient Computation of Approximate Lift Distributions on HAWT Rotor Blades

The theory of superposition of basic and additional lift distributions, which is wellknown for wings, is applied to horizontal-axis wind turbine (HAWT) rotor blades. The approach allows for efficient and rapid calculation of approximate loadings on the blade for any arbitrary twist distribution. Because the loading on the blade is described using a simple, linear superposition of pre-computed lift distributions, the effect of changes in pitch, blade twist, etc. can all be determined very quickly without the use of the analysis method. Thus, the approach can be used in closed-form solutions of problems in design optimization, aeroelasticity, and optimization of smart blades (with flaps or other effectors). Because superposition is expressed as a matrix equation, the approach allows easy coupling between aerodynamics and structures for static aeroelasticity problems. The approach needs to be extended to handle multiple tip speed ratios, section drag, and rotor power in future work. I. Introduction In this paper, the theory of superposition of basic and additional lift distributions, which is well-known for wings, is applied to horizontal-axis wind turbine (HAWT) rotor blades. With this approach, the loading on the blade is described using a simple, linear superposition of pre-computed lift distributions. As a result, the effects of changes in pitch, blade twist, etc. can all be determined very quickly using the stored information, without the need to use the analysis method. Thus, the approach can be used in closed-form solutions of problems in design optimization, aeroelasticity, and optimization of smart blades (with flaps or other effectors). Because superposition is expressed as a matrix equation, the approach allows easy coupling between aerodynamics and structures for static aeroelasticity problems. Recent work at NC State has shown how the superposition theory, applied to aircraft wings, can be used to advantage in optimization of adaptive wings 1–3 and static aeroelasticity. 4 In this paper, background material is first presented for the well-known application of superposition to aircraft wings. The subsequent section discusses how the theory can be extended to rotor blades. Finally, results are presented to demonstrate that the theory is successful in predicting the loading on a HAWT blade with an arbitrary twist distribution and to illustrate its use in inverse design.
Epidemiology and surveillance programs on epidemic hemorrhagic fever in Foshan,2005-2011

Objective To analyze the epidemiology and trend of epidemic hemorrhagic fever(EHF) in Foshan,from 2005 to 2011,in order to provide a scientific basis for development of control strategies.Methods Descriptive epidemiology was used to analyze both the surveillance data and the rat density monitoring data from 2005 to 2011,collected from the Chinese infectious disease surveillance information management system and mouse monitoring.Results A total of 219 EHF cases reported in Foshan from 2005 to 2011,with an annual morbidity between 0.14 / 100 000~0.74 / 100 000,showing an annual increasing trend since 2005.Most of the cases were concentrated in Nahai county,which had a total of 94 cases reported,accounting for 42.92% of the total number of cases.More cases were reported in spring and autumn-winter season,and the peak in spring appeared earlier year by year and the shape became tower.Most cases occurred in young and middle-aged workers.The rat density were relatively stable,Rattus norvegicus was still the most predominant animal host species,accounting for 60.99% of the total number of mouse.Conclusion EHF epidemic situation in Foshan was steady.The increasing trend of EHF epidemics could be related to epidemic factors and drug resistance.Therefore,we should strengthen the monitoring and improve the comprehensive prevention and control ability.
Application of the IF and FREQUENCY Functions of EXCEL Program on Processing Schistosomiasis Data

Objective To analyze the prevalence of schistosomiasis in the villages.Methods Using IF and FREQUENCY functions of Excel program,classified types and frequency of schistosomiasis pf 453 villages were analyzed.Results 1)Using IF and FREQUENCY functions,affected areas of each village was categorized by the level of infection.2)Frequency of schistosomiasis of each village was calculated using the FREQUENCY function.3)Using the FREQUENCY function,the villages were grouped according high or low rate of infection,and the frequency of schistosomiasis of each group was directly calculated.Conclusion Using IF and FREQUENCY functions of Excel program,the schistosomiasis data can be statistically analyzed effectively.
Analysis of influencing factors and risk factors of liver function damage in heroin addicts from MMT clinic in Qingzhen city

Objective:To analyze risk factors of the liver function damage in heroin addicts.Methods:We retrospectively analysed 306 cases from methadone maintenance treatment(MMT) clinic and divided them into groups according to liver function condition,then analysed relevance and risk probability of influencing factors.Results: Abnormal rate of liver function index-ALT was 19.9%.Case-control study showed that risk factors for abnormal ALT were anti-HCV,sex and route of drug abuse,and OR were 6.390,3.549 and 2.122 respectivly(adjusted value with exclusion of confounding factors).Conclusion:The relative risk rate of anti-HCV positive causing abnormal ALT is higest;the risk rate of abnormal ALT in male patients and intravenous route administration are higer than that in female and other routes of administration.
Slat Noise Predictions Using Higher-Order Finite-Difference Methods on Overset Grids

Computational aeroacoustic simulations using the structured overset grid approach and higher-order finite difference methods within the Launch Ascent and Vehicle Aerodynamics (LAVA) solver framework are presented for slat noise predictions. The simulations are part of a collaborative study comparing noise generation mechanisms between a conventional slat and a Krueger leading edge flap. Simulation results are compared with experimental data acquired during an aeroacoustic test in the NASA Langley Quiet Flow Facility. Details of the structured overset grid, numerical discretization, and turbulence model are provided.
Does pioglitazone benefit patients with type 2 diabetes

Pioglitazone produces a reduction in A1C levels similar to that produced by other drugs. One trial found that although pioglitazone, used as an adjunct to other antihyperglycemic medications, may lead to a statistically significant reduction in morbidity and mortality in patients with established macrovascular disease, it also increases the likelihood of hospitalization for heart failure. There is no evidence on the effectiveness of pioglitazone monotherapy for reducing morbidity and mortality. Patients taking pioglitazone, alone or in combination, are more likely to experience edema, weight gain, or congestive heart failure compared with patients taking other antihyperglycemic medications.
Human values and ethics: Professional responsibility

Following professional codes does not automatically lead to ethical decision-making. Because the health professional makes a commitment to care for human beings and these persons are in a state of need which only expert advice can rectify, a professional decision requires ethical analysis of values. Such analysis engages the whole person in a process of self-reflection and critique of action, something a code of ethics does not provide. For health professionals, including nutritionists and dietitians, the insight is not just philosophical; it stems from the very nature of the profession.
Boundary Operator and Coboundary Operator

We now start to develop our circuit theory by combining our linear algebra and network theory. In this Chapter such a combination yields the boundary operator and coboundary operator, leading to a precise formulation in Chapter Six of Kirchhoff’s Laws, upon which all circuit theory is based.
China Confronts Public Health’s ‘New World Order’

The successful handling of the SARS outbreak by WHO’s global campaign was a significant victory for public health. The success of the SARS effort stands in marked contrast to a parade of worsening infectious disease problems identified in the 1990s and early 2000s under the moniker of ‘emerging and re-emerging infectious diseases.’ Thinking about why the SARS campaign achieved stunning results does not lead analysis into biomedical technologies, such as vaccines, which have contributed greatly to improvements in prevention, control, and eradication of other pathogenic threats, such as smallpox. The WHO-led global campaign contained SARS without having access to adequate diagnostic technologies, effective anti-viral therapies, or a vaccine. The public health instruments at the forefront of the SARS battle were surveillance, isolation, and quarantine, which were the main tools of infectious disease control in the historical era before the development of the arsenal of vaccines and antibiotics.
Science as drama

In his famous 1962 book The Two Cultures, the British physicist and novelist CPSnow recounts meeting people who think they are cultured yet are totally unembarrassed by their lack of scientific knowledge. But to Snow, asking if someone can describe the second law of thermodynamics is like asking if they have ever read a work of Shakespeare. It should be equally shameful for any cultured person to say "no" to either question.
Addressing the gender differentiated investment risks to climate-smart agriculture

This paper argues that closing the gender gap in land and other productive resources can provide a “triple dividend” of gender equality, food security and climate management, thereby offering a cost-effective approach to the pursuit of the Sustainable Development Goals. However, climate change compounds the structural barriers to gender equality that women farmers face, rapidly shrinking the window of opportunity to realize this triple dividend. Yet climate policies largely overlook the gender gap in agriculture. The growing literature on the gender gap aims to better quantify its implications for agricultural productivity but does not provide a framework to prioritize policy responses. To complement these econometric efforts, this paper proposes a three-step methodology to assist policy-makers in developing countries in disentangling the opportunities and trade-offs of different policies and interventions to close the gender gap that impedes climate-smart agriculture (CSA) for women.Barrier and risk analyses are increasingly used to identify public instruments that can catalyze climate smart investments. Building on this proven methodology, the paper first develops a table that clusters barriers to CSA into nine independent risk categories. Second, it overlays a gender analysis upon this gender-neutral barrier and risk table to identify gender-differentiated risks and barriers to CSA. Third, it maps identified gender-neutral and differentiated investment risks against possible remedial public policy instruments. The analysis suggests that about half of identified CSA investment risks have a higher probability of occurrence for women farmers than for men farmers. Furthermore, women farmers might face additional gender-specific barriers, mostly linked to their disproportionate responsibility for unpaid domestic and care work, the risk of violence and unequal power relations with men in the household and community. Targeted interventions will be required to address these gender differentiated investment risks and ensure that CSA market transformation efforts benefit men and women farmers equally.
Further Results of Mean-Value Type in $${\mathbb {C}}$$ and $${\mathbb {R}}$$

We prove an extension of Pompeiu’s Mean Value Theorem to holomorphic functions in the spirit of the Evard-Jafari Theorem, a (new?) mean value theorem in \(\mathbb R,\) and an extension of the latter in \({\mathbb {C}}.\)
Inhibitions and Compensations: A Study of the Effects of Negative Sanctions in Three Pacific Cultures

Mageo, Jeannette Marie. Inhibitions and Compensations: A Study of the Effects of Negative Sanctions in Three Pacific Cultures. (1991). Pacific Studies 14:1-40.
Design and function of GaN MESFET terahertz signal generator by finite difference method

The GaN based metal semiconductor field effect transistor (MESFET) devices have been designed by employing finite difference method in order to fit quite well for generation of terahertz signals. The equipotential and equi-electric field contours are broadly developed with variation of drain and gate voltages. The motion of Gunn domain with variation of voltage is constantly observed from source to drain in the channel area of MESFET. In fact, the domain is more clearly visible in the equi-electric field contours than that in the equipotential contours. The distribution of electron concentration (n) in the MESFET is also determined in the steady state mode by fitting right successive relaxation factor and electron relaxation time. The I-V curves of drain are tested by employing Gummel process in finite difference method. The MESFET device is designed in such way to obtain 26.5GHz output signal in the millimeter region by tailoring its physical parameters such as geometry of device, carrier concentration, mobilities etc.
The Role of Computed Tomography for the Evaluation of Lung Disease in Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency

Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) is characterized by low serum levels of or dysfunctional alpha-1 proteinase inhibitor. In the lung parenchyma, this results in a loss of protection against the activity of serine proteases, particularly neutrophil elastase. The resultant imbalance in protease and antiprotease activity leads to an increased risk for the development of early-onset emphysema and COPD. As in traditional smoke-related COPD, the assessment of the severity and disease progression of lung disease in AATD is conventionally based on lung function; however, pulmonary function tests are unable to discriminate between emphysema and airways disease, the two hallmark pathologic features of COPD. CT imaging has been used as a tool to further characterize lung structure and evaluate therapeutic interventions in AATD-related COPD. Moreover, recent advances in quantitative CT have significantly improved our assessment of the lung architecture, which has provided investigators and clinicians with a more detailed evaluation of the extent and severity of emphysema and airways disease in AATD. In addition, serial CT imaging measures are becoming increasingly important, as they provide a tool to monitor emphysema progression. This review describes the principles of CT technology and the role of CT imaging in assessing pulmonary disease progression in AATD, including the effect of therapeutic interventions.
Deletion of BCG Hip1 protease enhances dendritic cell and CD4 T cell responses.

Dendritic cells (DCs) play a key role in the generation of CD4 T cell responses to pathogens. Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb) harbors immune evasion mechanisms that impair DC responses and prevent optimal CD4 T cell immunity. The vaccine strain Mycobacterium bovis Bacille Calmette-Guerin (BCG) shares many of the immune evasion proteins utilized by Mtb, but the role of these proteins in DC and T cell responses elicited by BCG is poorly understood. We previously reported that the Mtb serine protease, Hip1, promotes sub-optimal DC responses during infection. Here, we tested the hypothesis that BCG Hip1 modulates DC functions and prevents optimal antigen-specific CD4 T cell responses that limit the immunogenicity of BCG. We generated a strain of BCG lacking hip1 (BCGΔhip1) and show that it has superior capacity to induce DC maturation and cytokine production compared with the parental BCG. Furthermore, BCGΔhip1-infected DCs were more effective at driving the production of IFN-γ and IL-17 from antigen-specific CD4 T cells in vitro. Mucosal transfer of BCGΔhip1-infected DCs into mouse lungs induced robust CD4 T cell activation in vivo and generated antigen-specific polyfunctional CD4 T cell responses in the lungs. Importantly, BCGΔhip1-infected DCs enhanced control of pulmonary bacterial burden following Mtb aerosol challenge compared with the transfer of BCG-infected DCs. These results reveal that BCG employs Hip1 to impair DC activation, leading to attenuated lung CD4 T cell responses with limited capacity to control Mtb burden after challenge.
A progressive S-shaped yield criterion and its application to rock pillar behavior

Abstract Yielding of hard rock pillars under moderate to high stresses involves the formation of excavation-parallel extensile fractures. In recent decades, researchers have found that this behavior can be best replicated by a Cohesion-Weakening-Frictional-Strengthening (CWFS) model which captures the non-simultaneous mobilization of cohesion and friction; this is a mechanism that has been experimentally proved to occur in rocks undergoing brittle failure. In the context of rock pillars, the extensile fracturing process is limited only to the surficial portions. The inner core of rock pillars, on the other hand, fails through a shear mechanism. A realistic rock strength criterion must therefore account for the two different failure behaviors. To this end, this study introduces an improved yield criterion that represents small-scale damage processes (extensile cracking under low confinement and semi-brittle shear under higher confinement) while exhibiting an emergent pillar behavior consistent with what has been observed in the field. The failure criterion was implemented in the finite difference software FLAC 3D which was then used to investigate the effect of width to height and length to width ratios on the strength of pillars.
Clinical trial cytology: Use of on-site evaluation of small biopsy and FNA samples for clinical trials and biomarker research studies

Background After increased requests for biopsies for clinical trials and biomarker research, the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center created a clinical trial research service that partnered pathology, radiology, and medicine to facilitate rapid on-site evaluation (ROSE) of fine-needle aspiration (FNA) and/or core needle biopsy (CNB) samples to confirm the presence of tumor in these studies. Methods Clinical trial coordinators organized biopsies for patients needing tumor samples for trials, and informed the cytopathology and radiology team. ROSE was performed to confirm the presence of sufficient tumor in FNA specimens and/or touch preparations of CNB. Results A total of 79 cases from a total of 14 clinical trials were evaluated with ROSE, 77 of which (97%) were for research only. There were 53 cases (67%) from breast/ovarian cancer studies that were initiated between 2008 and 2009, whereas 26 cases (33%) included a variety of other tumors for studies that were started between 2011 and 2014. The majority required CNB samples (60 cases; 76%), 20% of which used an FNA for needle placement before obtaining CNB material and 56% of which had touch preparations of the CNB evaluated without a preceding FNA. The concordance rate for ROSE with final adequacy of the sample was 96% to 100%. Conclusions The study institution has experienced an increase in the number of clinical trial studies requesting ROSE to confirm the presence of tumor in a variety of malignancies. Cytology laboratories can help with patient care by offering ROSE to determine the adequacy of clinical trial material to minimize the submission of unsatisfactory or nonrepresentative material. Developing a clinical research service enhances communication and the processing of novel research specimens for cancer patients. Cancer Cytopathol 2018. © 2018 American Cancer Society.
Skeletal Muscle Metabolism

A notable aspect of skeletal muscle biology is its ability to accommodate to an enormous range of energetic need with remarkably little change in ATP levels. Muscle accomplishes this by being flexible in its substrate utilization, storing energy as creatine phosphate, and being composed of fiber types with differing metabolic capacities. Immediately after a meal, the muscle relies mostly on carbohydrate sources for energy, whereas during fasting it switches to fat metabolism. The exercising muscle relies on both carbohydrate and lipid.
Learning engineering models with the minimum description length principle

This paper discusses discovery of mathematical models from engineering data sets. KEDS, a Knowledge-based Equation Discovery System, identifies several potentially overlapping regions in the problem space, each associated with an equation of different complexity and accuracy. The minimum description length principle, together with the KEDS algorithm, is used to guide the partitioning of the problem space. The KEDSMDL algorithm has been tested on discovering models for predicting the performance efficiencies of an internal combustion engine.
Improving Teacher Job Satisfaction: The Roles of Social Capital, Teacher Efficacy, and Support

In this study, we examine how social capital, teacher efficacy, and organizational support increase teacher job satisfaction. Research suggests that teachers worldwide are exceedingly dissatisfied with their jobs and have significantly higher levels of turnover than their counterparts in other professions. We investigate this phenomenon using a sample of 122 elementary school teachers. We found that teachers' centrality position, or each teacher's relationship with every other teacher, in their school's trust network and the density of a teacher's academic advice ego-network predicted the development of teacher job satisfaction. Additionally, we found that teacher efficacy mediated the relationship between teacher's trust and academic advice relationships and job satisfaction, and perceived organizational support strengthened the relationship between teacher efficacy and job satisfaction. The article concludes by offering implications of the findings for both administrators and teachers as well as for the social capital, teaching efficacy, and teacher job satisfaction literatures.
Reduction in energy for electrochemical disinfection of E. coli in urine simulant

We report the development of novel modes of operation for electrochemical disinfection of E. coli in human urine simulant with an aim to minimize the energy required for disinfection. The system employs boron-doped diamond electrodes and will be part of an energy neutral, water and additive free outdoor toilet being developed for use in developing countries. Disinfection had been previously demonstrated with voltage being continuously applied to the electrode until disinfection was achieved. In the present study, a new pulsed mode of operation is investigated. This includes a continuous on mode, where oxidants are generated until disinfection is achieved, a single cycle mode, where oxidants are generated for a fixed time and the water is circulated so allow already generated oxidants to disinfect, and a pulsed mode with different duty cycles, which is like the single cycle mode but with multiple cycles. Disinfection was achieved with pulsed mode operation with a 68% energy reduction compared to the continuous on mode. Energy saving was most likely achieved by lengthening the contact time of the disinfectant with the bacteria and increased generation of non-chlorine disinfecting oxidants.
Expressive Language in Preschoolers Born Preterm: Results of Language Sample Analysis and Standardized Assessment.

Purpose Preschoolers born preterm are at an increased risk for the development of language impairments. The primary objective of this study was to document the expressive language skills of prescho...
Characteristics-based heuristics to select a logical distribution between the Poisson-gamma and the Poisson-lognormal for crash data modelling

Several studies have shown that the Poisson-lognormal (PLN) offers a better alternative compared to the Poisson-gamma (PG) when data are skewed while the PG is a more reliable option otherwise. How...
Patient Centric Data Integration for Improved Diagnosis and Risk Prediction

A typical biological study includes analysis of heterogeneous biological databases, e.g., genomics, proteomics, metabolomics, and microarray gene expression. These datasets correlate at the patient-level, e.g., decrease in the workload of a group of genes in body cells increases the work of other group and raises the number of their products. Joint analysis of correlated patient-level data sources improves the final diagnosis. State-of-art biological methods, such as differential expression analysis, do not support heterogeneous data source integration and analysis. Recently, scientists in different computational fields have made significant improvements in classical algorithms for data integration to enable investigation of different data types at the same level. Applying these methods on biological data gives more insight into associating diseases with heterogeneous groups of patients. In this paper, we improve upon our previous study and propose the use of a combination of a data reduction technique and similarity network analysis (SNF) as a scalable mechanism for integrating new biological data types. We demonstrated our approach by analyzing the risk factors of Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) patients when multiple data sources are presented and uncover new correlations between patients and patient survival time.
Rethinking How External Pressure Can Suppress Dendrites in Lithium Metal Batteries

Author(s): Zhang, X; Wang, QJ; Harrison, KL; Jungjohann, K; Boyce, BL; Roberts, SA; Attia, PM; Harris, SJ | Abstract: We offer an explanation for how dendrite growth can be inhibited when Li metal pouch cells are subjected to external loads, even for cells using soft, thin separators. We develop a contact mechanics model for tracking Li surface and sub-surface stresses where electrodes have realistically (micron-scale) rough surfaces. Existing models examine a single, micron-scale Li metal protrusion under a fixed local current density that presses more or less conformally against a separator or stiff electrolyte. At the larger, sub-mm scales studied here, contact between the Li metal and the separator is heterogeneous and far from conformal for surfaces with realistic roughness: the load is carried at just the tallest asperities, where stresses reach tens of MPa, while most of the Li surface feels no force at all. Yet, dendrite growth is suppressed over the entire Li surface. To explain this dendrite suppression, our electrochemical/mechanics model suggests that Li avoids plating at the tips of growing Li dendrites if there is sufficient local stress; that local contact stresses there may be high enough to close separator pores so that incremental Li+ ions plate elsewhere; and that creep ensures that Li protrusions are gradually flattened. These mechanisms cannot be captured by single-dendrite-scale analyses.
The Stuff of Writers: Material Culture and Literary Manuscripts

AbstractThe process of collecting and curating literary manuscripts is more than gathering an author’s papers and arranging them in chronological or thematic order. The goal of the curator is also ...
Free flap reconstruction of the lip

Free tissue transfer is a critical tool for lip reconstruction. This section will discuss different aspects of free flap reconstruction. This type of reconstruction is primarily used for large skin and soft tissue defects typically involving greater than 80% of the lip. Both fasciocutaneous as well as muscular free flaps can be utilized for lip reconstruction. Free flaps can be utilized in nondynamic as well as dynamic types of reconstruction. When free flaps are utilized they often require significant revision and tailoring in the months following the initial reconstruction. Free flaps are excellent at providing the necessary skin and soft tissue reconstruction for large lip defects. These flaps can often restore much of the function of the lip. However, they all lack in their ability to naturally restore lip aesthetics.
VAM on trial: judging science in teacher evaluation lawsuits

Value Added Modeling (VAM) is a statistical technology used to evaluate teacher effectiveness. While it was heralded for years as the next big innovation in education reform, VAM has become an obje...
Measuring Racial Disparities in Police Use of Force: Methods Matter

To understand the impact of measurement and analytic choices on assessments of police use of force (UOF) and racial disparities therein. We collected and standardized UOF data (N = 9982 incidents) from a diverse set of 11 police departments, and measured departments’ aggregate force severity in five ways. We assessed the sensitivity of racial disparities in UOF severity to a series of analytic choices, using a 5 × 2 × 2 × 2 design comparing force severity to population and arrest benchmarks, using two definitions of minority group (Black/Nonwhite), and two modes of comparison (ratios/differences). Significant racial disparities were observed under most analytic choices in most departments. However, lethal force was rare, and estimates of lethal force disparities were statistically uncertain, as were departments’ relative ranks as equitable or disparate. Ratios of minority to White force severity were less sensitive to measurement differences within measures including nonlethal force. The choice of a population or arrest benchmark had implications for which departments emerged as highly disparate, while focal minority group and mode of comparison had less systematic effects. Given increased scrutiny of police activity by advocates and policymakers, it is important to understand how measurement and other analytic choices affect our understanding of equity in police practices. Our findings demonstrate that analytical decisions interact in complex ways and that standardization is essential when comparing multiple departments. We recommend comprehensive data collection that includes nonlethal as well as lethal force, and make recommendations for measuring and contextualizing racial disparities in UOF and other police activity.
Long-term Risks of Recurrent Febrile Seizures.

Investigators from Denmark at Aarhus University studied the long-term risk of epilepsy, psychiatric disorders, and mortality among children with recurrent febrile seizures.
Transdisciplinary Translational Science for Youth Health and Wellness: Introduction to a Special Issue

Transdisciplinary translational science applies interdisciplinary approaches to the generation of novel concepts, theories and methods involving collaborations among academic and non-academic partners, in order to advance the translation of science into broader community practice. This paper introduces a special issue on transdisciplinary translational science for youth health and wellness. We provide an overview of relevant research paradigms, share the related goals of the Iowa State University Translational Research Network (U-TuRN), and introduce the specific papers in the issue. Authors were asked to submit empirical reports, programmatic reviews or policy-related papers that examined youth health issues from a transdisciplinary translational perspective. The papers included in this special issue each involve direct and fully-integrated community-university partnerships and collaborations between academic and non-academic partners in scholarship and research. Reports emphasize the value of the applied nature of the work with a research agenda driven primarily by real-world health and social needs. There is growing acceptance of the need for transdisciplinary, community-university collaborative research approaches as a means to meet both the requirements posed by real-world problems as well as goals of advancing scientific knowledge and innovation. In this issue, readers will find papers that show the promise of rethinking existing conceptual frameworks to incorporate transdisciplinary approaches as a catalyst to addressing translational science questions related to the field of children and youth care.
Resource Balance Models

The analysis and modeling of the overall energy system including supply and demand sectors as well as all fuels and energy forms has been stimulated largely by the need to develop forecasts of total energy demand. This approach often constitutes less of rigorous modeling than one of attempting to provide sectoral and accounting balances. Supply-demand balancing consists basically of assigning specific energy sources to corresponding uses. Examination of past and present energy balances allows the energy analyst to determine the evolution of supply and demand within a comprehensive framework, the bottlenecks that exist, and how supply and demand has adjusted to constraints. Forecasting requires that supply-demand balances must be developed for future years. Projected energy shortages and surpluses by fuel type and usage category must be reconciled, for example, by increasing or decreasing energy imports or exports, inter-fuel substitution (where technically and socially feasible), augmenting domestic conventional and non-conventional energy sources, reducing demand through pricing, rationing and physical controls. Thus, some of these equilibrating measures will require going back to earlier steps to re-adjust the supply and demand analyses and forecasts.
VR3Dense: Voxel Representation Learning for 3D Object Detection and Monocular Dense Depth Reconstruction.

3D object detection and dense depth estimation are one of the most vital tasks in autonomous driving. Multiple sensor modalities can jointly attribute towards better robot perception, and to that end, we introduce a method for jointly training 3D object detection and monocular dense depth reconstruction neural networks. It takes as inputs, a LiDAR point-cloud, and a single RGB image during inference and produces object pose predictions as well as a densely reconstructed depth map. LiDAR point-cloud is converted into a set of voxels, and its features are extracted using 3D convolution layers, from which we regress object pose parameters. Corresponding RGB image features are extracted using another 2D convolutional neural network. We further use these combined features to predict a dense depth map. While our object detection is trained in a supervised manner, the depth prediction network is trained with both self-supervised and supervised loss functions. We also introduce a loss function, edge-preserving smooth loss, and show that this results in better depth estimation compared to the edge-aware smooth loss function, frequently used in depth prediction works.
Urine hepcidin and iron regulation in preterm infants

Background: Iron deficiency during critical windows of brain development leads to irreversible neurodevelopmental delays. To limit this risk, iron supplementation in preterm infants is recommended, however concern persists regarding the risk of pro-oxidant injury with supplementation. It is unclear whether extremely low gestational age newborns (ELGANs) are able to regulate their iron status through hepcidin, the primary regulator of iron status in adults. Objective: Assess the role of urine hepcidin (Uhep) as a regulator of iron status …