cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Antibiotic prophylaxis and postoperative complications after tooth extraction and implant placement: a review of the literature.

Abstract Objectives To assess published evidence regarding the use of preoperative antibiotic prophylaxis among children and adults undergoing dental extraction or implant placement. Data Research published between 12/31/97 and 6/30/07 in English. Sources MEDLINE, PUBMED, EMBASE, EBM Reviews, and Cochrane Central Register for Controlled Trials using the following search terms linked with Boolean AND logic: prophylactic antibiotics, dentistry, tooth, third molar, extraction, implant, endosseous, prophylaxis, prophylactic, infective endocarditis, bacterial, infection, and bacteremia. Study selection Eight randomized clinical trials and one retrospective study was found involving preoperative use of antibiotics before tooth extraction. Four additional non-randomized intervention studies among patients undergoing implant placement were found. These 13 studies comprised all of the published research found that met our inclusion criteria. Overall, this body of literature was limited and of poor quality. In general, sample sizes were small and provided insufficient statistical power to avoid type II, or false-negative errors. In some studies no comparison group was included and/or it was difficult to determine the extent to which the intervention had actually been implemented. Conclusion With the recent improvements in the current standards of antibiotic prophylaxis in dentistry, further monitoring of antibiotic use among dental practitioners as well as continuing education for practitioners concerning the public health risks related to the over-prescription of antibiotics are needed.
Pilot-Centered Handling Qualities Assessment for Flight Control Design

A pilot model is discussed wherein pursuit as opposed to compensatory control behavior is modeled. In approximate fashion, the model can account for the effects of task interference, degraded visual cues, and pilot control aggressiveness. Handing qualities predictions are based upon the task performance obtained from computer simulation and the frequency domain characteristics of the output-rate feedback signals in each primary loop closure assumed to be adopted by the pilot. The model is exercised in the handling qualities analysis of a near-hover maneuver using a model of the NASA-Army UH60 RASCAL rotorcraft. The sensitivity of the pilot model to the effects of added dynamics is briefly examined. It is suggested that the pilot modeling procedure may have a legitimate place in the preliminary evaluation of the handling qualities of flight control system design.
A Surgical Skills Elective Can Improve Student Confidence Prior to Internship

Background A focused surgical resident readiness curriculum for senior medical students can improve confidence in surgical skills compared to current surgical interns. Materials and methods A 3-week surgical skills lab elective enrolled senior medical students applying to surgical residency programs, with the purpose of improving surgical skills and easing anxiety prior to surgical internship. Students were surveyed before and after the elective regarding their confidence in performing 21 skills covered by the curriculum. A similar confidence survey was administered to the incoming surgical intern class. Interns were also surveyed regarding prior skills lab instruction during medical school. Statistical analyses included Student’s paired t-test and two-way analysis of variance. Results Six medical students and 23 interns were surveyed. All medical students significantly improved their confidence by the end of the resident readiness curriculum (P = 0.0004). Although students initially had lower confidence than surgical interns in performing surgical skills and in their knowledge of anatomy prior to the course, their confidence after the course was significantly higher than that of the incoming surgical interns (P = 0.035). Surgical interns with prior skills lab experience in their medical school reported higher confidence than those who did not have a skills lab experience (P = 0.019). Among all subgroups, medical students with skills lab experience had the highest confidence score, followed by interns with previous skills lab experience, then by interns with no previous skills lab experience, and last, by medical student with no skills lab experience. Conclusion Surgical interns often feel unprepared to perform skills necessary for residency. A focused skills lab elective during medical school can bridge the gap and improve confidence prior to internship.
High-efficiency 5-watt power amplifier with harmonic tuning

An X-band power amplifier using harmonic tuning and a GaAs FET is described. The amplifier has demonstrated 36% power-added efficiency with 5 W of output power and a 6.0-dB gain at 10 GHz. The key to this design is determining and matching the optimum load impedance for power-added efficiency at the first two harmonics. Nonlinear models were used to study the effects of harmonic tuning and to determine the optimum harmonic terminations. Two amplifiers were designed that demonstrated high-efficiency power amplification at the 0.5-W and 5-W power levels, respectively. The effects of harmonic loading were demonstrated in the 0.5-W amplifier, where the maximum efficiency measured for a device tuned only at the fundamental was 44%, while the measured efficiency of the amplifier with optimum harmonic tuning was 49.3%. >
Determination of the Durability of Elements of Power-Generating Equipment with Regard for the Influence of Working Media

We propose an engineering approach to the analysis of the strength and durability of structural elements of power-generating equipment with regard for the influence of hydrogen-containing media, high pressures, and elevated temperatures. We study the stress-strain state of a boiler drum made of 22K steel, under the operating conditions with regard for the hydrogenation of its wall and the actual geometry of the drum. We compute the parameter of accumulated damage to the drum metal for different operating conditions. It is shown that hydrogen accelerates the accumulation of defects and reduces the operating time of the metal by 20–30% in the case of a scheduled shutdown of the boiler and by 30–40% in the case of its emergency shutdown.
Evaluating Return On Investment For Software Process Improvement Projects

This article presents a simple approach that will allow decision-makers to evaluate the return on investment of software process improvement prior to launching such an effort. Obviously, it will be easy to tell ten years up the road whether the right decision was made. But a CEO, or CIO contemplating laying out six, or seven figures for the additional personnel and resources to conduct SPI is not in a position to make that call and the wise ones will not be led into it by blind faith. The problem is assessing the risks and returns of such a project in terms and perspective that a non-technical decision-maker can understand. We believe our instrument serves that purpose.
Simulating a Homogenous Product Merger: A Case Study on Model Fit and Performance

This paper studies Tesoro’s 2013 acquisition of British Petroleum’s Los Angeles refinery. We present a merger simulation model tailored to the gasoline market, which includes Cournot firms and a price-taking fringe. This hybrid model generates margins that are more plausible than those generated by a standard Cournot model. We also test the predictive accuracy of the models relative to empirical estimates of the acquisition’s price effect. We estimate the effect of the acquisition using both difference-in-differences estimation and the synthetic control method. Both methods suggest the acquisition had little if any effect on Los Angeles gasoline prices. We can reject the price effect predicted by the standard Cournot model, but not that of the hybrid model.
A Comparison Between Direct-Methanol and Direct-Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicles

Author(s): Moore, Robert; Gottesfeld, Shimshon; Zelenay, P | Abstract: For an automotive application of a fuel cell power system, it is important to maximize the fuel conversion efficiency, while also providing the required peak power levels for vehicle performance. This paper first compares the fuel conversion efficiency and power density of a state-of-the-art direct-methanol fuel cell (DMFC) with the equivalent parameters of a state-of-the-art direct-hydrogen fuel cell (DHFC). The cell level comparison is then extended to the system level for a potential ZEV automotive application. It is concluded that a DMFC-powered vehicle can become directly competitive with a DHFC-powered ZEV (Zero Emission Vehicle) in any localities or market niches where ZEVs are "a condition of doing business" as a vehicle manufacturer.Following a brief outline of the experimental conditions used to generate the DMFC data reported and analyzed in this paper, a technique for optimizing the conversion efficiency of a DMFC is briefly reviewed. The technique is then applied to the DMFC state-of-the-art data, and compared with the efficiency and power density of the DHFC state-of-the-art. Next a "system" level comparison is introduced that captures the major differences between the DHFC and DMFC systems for automotive applications. This system level comparison is then used to evaluate the attributes of a DMFC-powered vehicle against the "benchmark" of a DHFC-powered vehicle.Overall, the conclusion is that a DMFC powered FCV could meet the requirements for a general-purpose ZEV, and could be an effective competitor to a DHFC-based FCV. It would have an range of 350 miles, and provide the same class of performance (acceleration) as a lightweight purpose-built hydrogen-fueled FCV, if two key criteria were met:- DMFC cell/stack power density of 0.35 kW/L,- DMFC stack conversion efficiency over the required dynamic power range of 50% of the equivalent DHFC stack efficiency.In fact, these criteria are marginally met for the present state-of-the-art in laboratory DMFC performance. However, for implementation of a DMFC power system in an FCV, the development of a commercial DMFC stack technology and fuel control system is also required, and a number of RaD advances are needed before the DMFC cell, stack and system can fully realize its great promise. Even so, because of this promise there are significant worldwide RaD efforts underway to address the technical and commercialization barriers for direct-methanol fuel cell vehicles.
Methodological issues in current practice may lead to bias in the development of biomarker combinations for predicting acute kidney injury

Individual biomarkers of renal injury are only modestly predictive of acute kidney injury (AKI). Using multiple biomarkers has the potential to improve predictive capacity. In this systematic review, statistical methods of articles developing biomarker combinations to predict AKI were assessed. We identified and described three potential sources of bias (resubstitution bias, model selection bias, and bias due to center differences) that may compromise the development of biomarker combinations. Fifteen studies reported developing kidney injury biomarker combinations for the prediction of AKI after cardiac surgery (8 articles), in the intensive care unit (4 articles), or other settings (3 articles). All studies were susceptible to at least one source of bias and did not account for or acknowledge the bias. Inadequate reporting often hindered our assessment of the articles. We then evaluated, when possible (7 articles), the performance of published biomarker combinations in the TRIBE-AKI cardiac surgery cohort. Predictive performance was markedly attenuated in six out of seven cases. Thus, deficiencies in analysis and reporting are avoidable, and care should be taken to provide accurate estimates of risk prediction model performance. Hence, rigorous design, analysis, and reporting of biomarker combination studies are essential to realizing the promise of biomarkers in clinical practice.
Design of Trials to Assess Safety and Effectiveness in Rx of CHF

It is a propitious time to consider drugs for the treatment of congestive heart failure (CHF). There is at present a great deal of academic and commercial interest in such agents, perhaps reflecting an early success, Captopril, and a partial success, amrinone IV, after a good deal of ambiguity and failure with prazosin and the beta agonists. Yet there is still a great deal to be learned. We do not yet know how much it is possible to achieve or what hemodynamic or exercise responses to drugs correspond best to clinically meaningful improvement.
Ducks in a Row

This short essay revisits Justice Antonin Scalia's nonrecusal opinion in the famous Duck Hunt case, Cheney v. District Court. It is customary for Supreme Court justices to make recusal, or nonrecusal, decisions without comment. To his credit, Scalia departed from that practice, denying the Sierra Club's disqualification motion in a lengthy opinion. In his characteristically mordant style, Scalia skewered the request as ill-founded, unsupported, and totally without merit. If your only information about the issue came from Scalia's opinion, you might well wonder why he spent so much effort refuting such glaringly baseless arguments. But of course, that is the trouble. Scalia's tour de force (as some of called it) displays not a moment's recognition that he was judging himself, much less that he might not be the most objective judge of his own impartiality, and least of all that his unconcealed umbrage actually makes him appear more partisan rather than less. Despite its forceful certainty, Scalia's opinion is deficient in almost every conceivable way. It is wrong on the facts, wrong on the law, and wrong on procedure.
The influence of water column stratification on dissolved oxygen levels in coastal and shelf waters around Ireland.

In temperate coastal and shallow shelf waters oxygen depletion near the seabed can occur naturally as a result of seasonal water column stratifi cation. The presence of stratifi cation limits the downward mixing of well-oxygenated surface water with the result that oxygen near the bottom can become depleted as a result of biological consumption. In this paper we show that in coastal and shelf waters around Ireland a strong positive correlation (r = 0.81) exists between bottom layer oxygen under-saturation and the presence or absence of stratifi cation. A predictive empirical model based on this correlation together with an analysis of the deviation in bottom oxygen levels from a reference value of 100% saturation was used to map the bottom distribution of oxygen in these waters. The model was also used to estimate the daily rate of oxygen consumption in the bottom layer during the summer stratifi cation period (approximately 120 days) on the north-western Irish shelf. This was found to be 0.25 percentage saturation points (or 0.022mg l 1 O 2 ) per day. These fi ndings provided the basis for a discussion on the development of oxygen- and nitrogen-based environmental quality standards and the identifi cation of potentially oxygen vulnerable areas in waters around Ireland. Finally, this work demonstrates that the likelihood of large-scale hypoxia occurring in Irish waters as a result of anthropogenic nutrient inputs is very low.
Experiment study of hepatocyte growth factor/c-met localization and expression in hypertrophic scar tissues

Objective Hepatocyte growth factor(HGF) was investigated to study the localization and expression in hypertrophic scar tissues.Methods After the hypertrophic scar tissues were obtained,immunohistochemistry was used to investgate the expression and location of HGF and c-met in pathologic sections.Computer-aid image analysis technology was used to detect quantitativly the change of the various protein expression.Results In epidermis,HGF/c-met expression were intense staining.Compaired with normal skin tissues,HGF/c-met expression was up-regulated in hypertrophic scar tissues in dermic fibroblasts.Conlusion The expression variance of HGF/c-met in derm could play an important role in the turnover of hypertrophic scar formation.
Monitoring Results of Iodized Salt in Chongming County during 2003—2008

[Objective] To understand iodized salt intaking status among community residents in Chongming County, so as to ensure the qualified iodized salt consumption. [Methods] 9 streets (town and country ) and 36 neighborhood committee (village ) were selected to conducted Iodine content monitoring, according to "Shanghai iodized salt monitoring program", the samples were determined by GB/13025.7-1999 direct titration.[Results] A total of 1152 iodine salt were tested, the qualified rate was 96.53%,no-iodine salt rate was 1.04%. The qualified rate and no-iodine salt rate in 2005, 2006, 2007 and 2008 were 95.14%, 1.04%; 97.92%, 0.34%; 96.88%, 2.08% and 97.23%, 0.69% respectively. [Conclusion]Monitoring data showed that the qualified rate of iodized salt is higher in this county.
Patient-Centered Medical Home and Family Burden in Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder.

OBJECTIVE Attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) can impair child health and functioning, but its effects on the family's economic burden are not well understood. The authors assessed this burden in US families of children with ADHD, and the degree to which access to a patient-centered medical home (PCMH) might reduce this burden. METHODS We conducted cross-sectional analyses of 2005-2006 and 2009-2010 National Surveys of Children with Special Health Care Needs, focusing on families of children with ADHD. They defined family economic burden as (1) family financial problems (annual expenses for the child's health care or illness-related financial problems for the family) and/or (2) family employment problems (job loss, work time loss, or failure to change jobs to avoid insurance loss). Relative risk models assessed associations between PCMH and family economic burden, adjusted for child age, sex, ethnicity, ADHD severity, poverty status, caregiver education, and insurance. RESULTS In 2009, 26% of families reported financial problems because of the child's ADHD, 2.1% reported out-of-pocket expenses >5% of income, and 36% reported employment problems. Only 38% reported care that met all 5 criteria for a PCMH (similar to rates in 2005-2006). In multivariable analysis, care in a PCMH was associated with 48% lower relative risk (RR) of financial problems (RR = 0.52, p < .001) and 36% lower relative risk of employment problems (RR = 0.64, p < .001). Among PCMH components, family-centered care and care coordination were more strongly associated with lower burden. CONCLUSIONS The economic burdens of families with ADHD are significant but may be alleviated by family-centered care and care coordination in a medical home.
Neuroimaging of scuba diving injuries to the CNS

Diving accidents related to barotrauma constitute a unique subset of ischemic insults to the CNS. Victims may demonstrate components of arterial gas embolism, which has a propensity for cerebral involvement, and/or decompression sickness, with primarily spinal cord involvement. Fourteen patients with diving-related barotrauma were studied with MR imaging of the brain and spinal cord and with CT of the brain. In four patients with presumed cerebral gas embolism, cranial MR was abnormal in three patients while CT was abnormal in only one. Twelve patients had decompression sickness and spinal cord symptoms. MR documented spinal cord abnormalities in three patients. However, scans obtained early in our study were frequently limited by technical constraints. MR of the brain is more sensitive than conventional CT scanning techniques in detecting and characterizing foci of cerebral ischemia caused by embolic barotrauma to the CNS. Although spinal MR may be less successful in the localization of spinal cord lesions related to decompression sickness, these lesions were previously undetectable by other neuroimaging methods.
Neuroendocrine Tumors of the Lung

Lung NETs are known to arise from bronchial Kulchitsky cells, but differ in terms of histopathology. In this chapter, we discuss the pathogenesis of lung neuroendocrine tumors describing the progression from precursor lesions and the histopathologic features of these tumors. The histopathologic features of the different grades of pulmonary NETs are described and correlated with the clinical behavior. The second part of the chapter deals with the molecular mechanisms of pulmonary NETs. The chromosomal alterations of lung tumors, including multiple nonrandom breaks of chromosomes 1, 3, 7, 15, and 17, and the stepwise loss of heterozygosity (LOH) of chromosome homing tumor suppressor genes are described in detail.
A 50% efficiency 8 W C-band PHEMT power MMIC amplifier

A fully monolithic PHEMT power amplifier is presented which provides 8 W at 50% power added efficiency and 24 dB associated gain over a 4.3 to 5.1 GHz bandwidth in a 25 ohm system. Half-size chips deliver 4 W into 50 ohms at similar gain and efficiency. The approach to achieving high efficiency in this first-pass design, by providing proper harmonic terminations for near class-F operation, is described.
Mobility and the Enunciation of Freedom in Urban Saint-Domingue

The mobility of nonwhites in Cap-Francais was perceived by the city’s white inhabitants as subversive, an enunciation of freedom. Walking and other forms of mobility such as trade and economic exchange constituted acts of contesting power and place in the colony. This essay examines the mobility of three groups of people in Le Cap—black prisoners, free black property owners, and traders in racialized market spaces—and shows how their mobility was read as a destabilization of the social and political order of the slave society on the eve of the Haitian Revolution.
Group versus traditional prenatal care in low-risk women delivering at term: a retrospective cohort study.

OBJECTIVE Group prenatal care (GC) models are receiving increasing attention as a means of preventing preterm birth; yet, there are limited data on whether group care improves perinatal outcomes in women who deliver at term. The purpose of this study was to evaluate our institutional experience with GC over the past decade and test the hypothesis that GC, compared with traditional individual care (TC), improves perinatal outcomes in women who deliver at term. STUDY DESIGN We performed a retrospective cohort study of women delivering at term who participated in GC compared with TC. A group of 207 GC patients who delivered at term from 2004 to 2014 were matched in a 1:2 ratio to 414 patients with term singleton pregnancies who delivered at our institution during the same period by delivery year, maternal age, race and insurance status. The primary outcome was low birth weight (<2500 g). Secondary outcomes included early term birth (37.0 to 38 6/7 weeks), 5 min APGAR score <7, special care nursery admission, neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission, neonatal demise, cesarean section and number of prenatal visits. Outcomes were compared between the two groups using univariable statistics. RESULTS Baseline characteristics were similar between the two matched groups. GC was associated with a significant reduction in low birth weight infants compared with TC (11.1% vs 19.6%; relative risk (RR) 0.57; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.37 to 0.87). Patients in GC were significantly less likely than controls to require cesarean delivery, have low 5 min APGAR scores and need higher-level neonatal care (NICU: 1.5% vs 6.5%; RR 0.22; 95% CI 0.07 to 0.72). There were no significant differences in rates of early term birth and neonatal demise. CONCLUSIONS Low-risk women participating in GC and delivering at term had a lower risk of low birth weight and other adverse perinatal outcomes compared with women in TC. This suggests GC is a promising alternative to individual prenatal care to improve perinatal outcomes in addition to preterm birth.
Improvement in primary care: Integrating people and processes

Despite evidence that contextual factors can hinder process improvement in healthcare, ambiguity persists about which factors are both important and modifiable by implementation teams. Our study id...
Home and Dwelling: Re-Examining Race and Identity Through Octavia Butler’s Kindred and Paul Beatty’s The Sellout

The question of how to exist, to dwell, within one’s physical and psychological home has become an urgent one in an increasingly globalized world. Yet the answer to this question has never been more fleeting. Lacking universal political or sociological narratives in what can be oversimplified as a post-colonial or post-modern milieu, reformulating the question of how one dwells within one’s home has become both relevant and essential. This essay explores a return to the question of how one dwells, not in pursuit of a theoretical harmonizing answer, but to reevaluate how the question is generally framed—a return to the foundation of how one exists, or more precisely, how a one exists. Through Martin Heidegger’s essay on dwelling and Michel Foucault’s understanding of history as power, my reading of two works of modern fiction captures the struggles of subjects attempting to define their place in the world. Examining how the protagonists of Octavia Butler’s Kindred and Paul Beatty’s The Sellout dwell within their homes provides much insight into how race, identity, and history impact dwelling in a global age.
Target generation for internet-wide IPv6 scanning

Fast IPv4 scanning has enabled researchers to answer a wealth of new security and measurement questions. However, while increased network speeds and computational power have enabled comprehensive scans of the IPv4 address space, a brute-force approach does not scale to IPv6. Systems are limited to scanning a small fraction of the IPv6 address space and require an algorithmic approach to determine a small set of candidate addresses to probe. In this paper, we first explore the considerations that guide designing such algorithms. We introduce a new approach that identifies dense address space regions from a set of known "seed" addresses and generates a set of candidates to scan. We compare our algorithm 6Gen against Entropy/IP---the current state of the art---finding that we can recover between 1--8 times as many addresses for the five candidate datasets considered in the prior work. However, during our analysis, we uncover widespread IP aliasing in IPv6 networks. We discuss its effect on target generation and explore preliminary approaches for detecting aliased regions.
The North American Paleoindian: a Wealth of new Data but Still Much to Learna

Res. d'A. Two decades ago, Paleoindian studies reached a plateau with relatively new sites being discovered. Since then, the situation has changed with the discovery of a number of new paleoindian sites and the reinvestigation of a number of older sites. New methodologies are being applied to old data and the development of the AMS system of radiocarbon dating along with an intense interdisciplinary approach to Paleoindian sites with hight integrity have greatly increase the potential for better interpretations. Students may now direct their interests toward many aspects of Paleoindian studies with the potential to continualy add signifiant new data and interpretation
The Main Contribution of the Ricardian Trade Theory

In the Ricardian trade model, even a country with no absolute advantage in the production of any commodity can gain from international trade, specializing in the production of the good in which it is has a comparative advantage. A three-country, three-commodity setting with given numbers for each country’s labor requirement is used to illustrate possible patterns of trade. More recent trade models, such as the Swedish contribution by Heckscher and Ohlin, enriched the basic form of the Ricardian model by allowing more factors of production and differences in the endowments between countries and capital/labor ratios between commodities. However, the basic importance of the power of comparative advantage as the key to possible international trade patterns is maintained. The Ricardian model, with its basic simplicities, remains a popular set of explanations for fundamental features of international trade.
AN EXAMINATION OF 13F FILINGS

We examine Form 13F institutional holdings and find evidence of reporting discrepancies that can be significant for the users of such filings. Using a hand‐collected sample of 13F filings by large bank holding companies, we find that (1) reported security holdings do not always match the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission's Official List, (2) market valuations of Official List securities can be inaccurate, and (3) amended 13F reports can be even less accurate than the original reports. Our findings show that in many cases, the frequencies and magnitudes of price discrepancies can be substantial. Overall, our evidence suggests that 13F users should exercise caution when relying on these reports.
Bridging Classical and Molecular Genetics of Sorghum Disease Resistance

With rare exceptions, sorghum breeders have been highly successful in producing disease-resistant sorghums. Classical breeding techniques, including identification of resistant cultivars from large and readily available germplasm collections, crosses to elite but susceptible varieties, followed by backcrosses, selfing, and selection, have been used to develop disease-resistant breeding and commercial lines. However, for almost every disease, the breeding efforts must be continuous as new forms of the pathogens rapidly evolve to overcome resistance. Molecular tools that allow rapid and accurate tagging and identification of resistance genes permit, at the very least, the ability to use marker-assisted selection to combine different genes and to test the theory that stacking different genes for resistance will provide stable resistance. Knowledge of the nature and molecular functions of resistance genes promises much more: the ability to manipulate, alter, and enhance the signal transduction pathways that actually trigger host plant resistance.
Building on Strengths of Minority Adolescents in Foster Care: A Narrative-Holistic Approach

Minority adolescents who show poor adjustment to foster care often become linked to the criminal justice system. When referrals are made to counseling, the right modality can serve as a clinical buffer for personal growth and communicative dialogue. The use of a narrative approach that incorporates an optimal worldview can help the minority adolescent client struggling with repressed feelings and negative self-identity. An optimal worldview can offer the clinical practitioner an alternative framework that can help with assisting clients in working towards a more fulfilling life. Through the introduction and illustration of five clinical steps utilizing an optimal frame of reference, strategies are implemented through a case vignette. The five clinical steps, titled Holistic Integration Techniques (HIT), offer an approach for helping the minority adolescent to identify personal strengths and find self-worth based on internal characteristics.
Fuel effects on combustion and emissions in a direct injection diesel engine

The emissions and performance of five diesel fuels, covering a range of cetane numbers and volatilities, were evaluated at three speeds and equivalence ratios in a single-cylinder, DI diesel engine. Graphical comparisons and regression analysis of the data revealed that cetane number and to a lesser extent volatility are the fuel parameters that most strongly influence emissions and performance, with higher cetane number and higher volatility fuels providing the best performance and lowest emissions.
Dynamic Assessment of Narratives Among Navajo Preschoolers

Purpose This study examined whether the Predictive Early Assessment of Reading and Language (PEARL), a dynamic assessment of narratives that measures language comprehension and production, accurate...
Spatial and Temporal Variability of Upper Extremity Edema Measures After Breast Cancer Surgery.

Abstract Background: Tissue dielectric constant (TDC), as an index of local tissue water, and girth measurements are quantitative methods to measure and characterize lymphedema. Objective: To descr...
Erratum to: Measurement of clay surface areas by polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) sorption: and its use for quantifying illite and smectite abundance

In the paper ‘Measurement of clay surface areas by polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) sorption and its use for quantifying illite and smectite abundance’ from Clays and Clay Minerals, vol. 52, 2004, 589–602, equation 3 should read:
Drawing, Bodies, and Difference: Heterocorporeal Dialogs and Other Intra-Actions in Children’s Classroom Drawing

In the current climate of state-mandated education standards and assessment that prioritize math and language arts in U.S. schools, drawing, an accessible and/or pleasurable endeavor for a wide var...
Cognitive Findings Associated with Multiple Sclerosis

Most commonly thought of as an autoimmune condition, multiple sclerosis (MS) represents the most common demyelinating condition and is, in fact, the most common neurological condition among young- and middle-aged adults. Multiple sclerosis has a significant negative impact on physical, perceptual, and cognitive functioning. Although reduced processing speed and difficulties with episodic memory are the most common neuropsychological consequences of MS, the aim of this chapter is to broadly discuss the neuropathology and epidemiology of MS and the broad cognitive functioning among individuals with MS. While patients with MS are typically maintained on medications, there is less research efficacy on cognitive rehabilitation techniques, although alternative treatments, such as exercise and mood treatment, show some promise in treating cognitive deficits in MS.
The neural processes of acquiring placebo effects through observation

Abstract Learning through social observation is critical for humans. The present study investigates the neural processes underlying the acquisition of placebo effects through observational learning. We created a new functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) paradigm where participants (n ​= ​38, healthy, both sexes) observed a demonstrator experiencing pain relief by a placebo treatment cream and experiencing pain without a treatment (control cream), and subsequently performed the same procedure themselves. Participants demonstrated placebo hypoalgesia while they performed the procedure themselves, confirming that observational learning can lead to placebo effects. During the observational learning phase, fMRI analysis showed a modulation of the amygdalae, periaqueductal grey, temporoparietal junctions (TPJ), and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC). Connectivity between the DLPFC and TPJ during the observational learning task was modulated by the placebo treatment and predicted subsequent placebo effects. Mediation analysis further confirmed that the DLPFC-TPJ connectivity formally mediated the effect of the observed treatment condition on subsequent placebo effects. Additionally, pre-recorded resting state connectivity between the DLPFC and TPJ also predicted observationally-learned placebo effects. Our findings provide an understanding of the neural processes during the acquisition of placebo effects through observation and indicate a critical role for DLPFC-TPJ integration processes during observational learning of therapeutic outcomes.
Trust Repair in Human-Swarm Teams+

Swarm robots are coordinated via simple control laws to generate emergent behaviors such as flocking, rendezvous, and deployment. Human-swarm teaming has been widely proposed for scenarios, such as human-supervised teams of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) for disaster rescue, UAV and ground vehicle cooperation for building security, and soldier-UAV teaming in combat. Effective cooperation requires an appropriate level of trust, between a human and a swarm. When an UAV swarm is deployed in a real-world environment, its performance is subject to real-world factors, such as system reliability and wind disturbances. Degraded performance of a robot can cause undesired swarm behaviors, decreasing human trust. This loss of trust, in turn, can trigger human intervention in UAVs’ task executions, decreasing cooperation effectiveness if inappropriate. Therefore, to promote effective cooperation we propose and test a trust-repairing method (Trust-repair) restoring performance and human trust in the swarm to an appropriate level by correcting undesired swarm behaviors. Faulty swarms caused by both external and internal factors were simulated to evaluate the performance of the Trust-repair algorithm in repairing swarm performance and restoring human trust. Results show that Trust-repair is effective in restoring trust to a level intermediate between normal and faulty conditions.
Correction of Niemann-Pick type C1 trafficking and activity with the histone deacetylase inhibitor valproic acid

Niemann-Pick type C (NPC) disease is primarily caused by mutations in the NPC1 gene and is characterized by the accumulation of unesterified cholesterol and lipids in the late endosomal (LE) and lysosomal (Ly) compartments. The most prevalent disease-linked mutation is the I1061T variant of NPC1, which exhibits defective folding and trafficking from the endoplasmic reticulum to the LE/Ly compartments. We now show that the FDA-approved histone deacetylase inhibitor (HDACi) valproic acid (VPA) corrects the folding and trafficking defect associated with I1061T-NPC1 leading to restoration of cholesterol homeostasis, an effect that is largely driven by a reduction in HDAC7 expression. The VPA-mediated trafficking correction is in part associated with an increase in the acetylation of lysine residues in the cysteine-rich domain of NPC1. The HDACi-mediated correction is synergistically improved by combining it with the FDA-approved anti-malarial, chloroquine, a known lysosomotropic compound, which improved the stability of the LE/Ly-localized fraction of the I1061T variant. We posit that combining the activity of VPA, to modulate epigenetically the cellular acetylome, with chloroquine, to alter the lysosomal environment to favor stability of the trafficked I1061T variant protein can have a significant therapeutic benefit in patients carrying at least one copy of the I1061T variant of NPC1, the most common disease-associated mutation leading to NPC disease. Given its ability to cross the blood-brain barrier, we posit VPA provides a potential mechanism to improve the response to 2-hydroxypropyl-β-cyclodextrin, by restoring a functional NPC1 to the cholesterol managing compartment as an adjunct therapy.
Report from the Editor (2020)

Report presented at the meeting of the Executive Council of the Latin American Studies Association (online session), May 22–23, 2020.
The relationship between executive processing and computational growth among monolingual and english learners with and without math difficulties: Does it help to be bilingual?

Abstract Does the commonly reported math achievement gap among elementary school monolingual and English learners (ELs) with and without math difficulties reflect variations in executive processing? This cohort-sequential study (N = 841) explored the cognitive processes that underlie in elementary school children’s math computational growth who are monolingual (English-only) or English learners with Spanish as a first language. Three language subgroups (proficient ELs [relatively proficient in both English and Spanish vocabulary], less proficient ELs [more proficient in English when compared to Spanish vocabulary] and monolingual [English-only]) children with and without math difficulties (MD) were compared on measures of math computation and cognitive growth. As expected, children with MD identified at wave 1 underperformed children without MD in their rate of growth and their level of computational and working memory (WM) performance in the final testing wave. However, two additional findings occurred. First, executive processing measures (working memory and inhibition) were significantly related to computational growth even when measures of reading, fluid intelligence, STM, naming speed and SES were partialed in the analysis. Second, no statistical advantages in executive processing or computation emerged in favor of EL children relative to monolingual children. Taken together, the results support the notion that (a) growth in math computation is tied to growth in the executive system and (b) EL children relatively proficient in English and Spanish experience no growth advantages in WM or computation compared to monolingual children.
Multimodal classification of Parkinson’s disease using delay differential analysis

Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the second most prevalent neurodegenerative disorder in the world. PD is known to lead to marked alterations in cortico-thalamo-basal ganglia activity and subsequent movements, which may provide a biomarker for PD diagnosis. Delay differential analysis (DDA) is a time domain analysis framework based on embedding theory in nonlinear dynamics. An embedding reveals the nonlinear invariant properties of an unknown dynamical system (here the brain) from a single time series electroencephalography (EEG) or behavioral signals. The DDA models serve as a low-dimensional nonlinear functional basis onto which the data are mapped. The combination of behavioral and neurological observations gives rise to a multimodal analysis framework that could improve our understanding and classification of PD using time series data from physical systems. We demonstrate how 750 ms of multimodal data can be used to improve DDA classification performance of PD, over clean EEG or behavioral time series data on their own, in two distinct virtual reach to grasp tasks in an uncertain and dynamic virtual reality environment. Thus, multimodal DDA may provide a tool for aiding the clinician in the diagnosis of PD and bolster classification performance through the combination of a wide array of neural or behavioral signals.
Impact of well shut-in after hydraulic-fracture treatments on productivity and recovery of tight oil reservoirs

Abstract Water invasion, associated with hydraulic fracturing, often causes hydrocarbon-mobility hindrance, known as water blocking. The effect on productivity is largely dependent on saturation profiles inside fractures and formation matrix. Enhancement to hydrocarbon recovery has been reported in some field cases after shutting in wells for long time periods. Here we conduct numerical-simulation studies to investigate the effect of well shut-in on initial productivity and long-term recovery. We replicate post-fracturing conditions with an extensive fracture network that intermeshes with formation matrix. The models are designed using either logarithmically spaced, locally refined grid or embedded discrete fracture model (EDFM). Starting with varying initial fluid distributions, we compare productivity and recovery of two cases: one that does not start production until after 32 days of shut-in, and another that starts immediately without soaking. For the initial conditions that favor shut-in, we carry out case studies in attempt to find the ideal shut-in conditions for maximum recovery improvement. Results confirm improvement in early productivity after shut-in for all the considered initial fluid-distribution cases. The majority of cases exhibit net gain in total oil recovery. We report improvement in recovery of as much as 5%, owing to spontaneous imbibition. Imbibition of the injected water into formation matrix causes fluid redistribution and favored mobility for the non-wetting phase, and hence enhanced hydrocarbon productivity. The simulations take into account spontaneous imbibition and gravity segregation, but do not consider geo-mechanical forces, water adsorption or chemical reactions. When capillary forces are neglected, well productivity and recovery decrease, even when the well is not shut in. Such observations underline imbibition counter-current flow as an important production mechanism that should not be neglected in shale-oil-reservoir simulations.
Calendar aging of silicon-containing batteries

High-energy batteries for automotive applications require cells to endure well over a decade of constant use, making their long-term stability paramount. This is particularly challenging for emerging cell chemistries containing silicon, for which extended testing information is scarce. While much of the research on silicon anodes has focused on mitigating the consequences of volume changes during cycling, comparatively little is known about the time-dependent degradation of silicon-containing batteries. Here we discuss a series of studies on the reactivity of silicon that, collectively, paint a picture of how the chemistry of silicon exacerbates the calendar aging of lithium-ion cells. Assessing and mitigating this shortcoming should be the focus of future research to fully realize the benefits of this battery technology. Silicon-containing batteries are increasingly becoming a reality in the mass market, but their calendar aging behaviours have received comparatively little attention. Researchers from the Silicon Consortium Project discuss the issues surrounding the calendar lifetime of silicon anodes for lithium-ion batteries.
The relief of the pains of labor by the continuous intravenous drip of meperidine and scopolamine.

Abstract 1. 1. One hundred twenty-one patients in labor were given dilute solutions of meperidine and scopolamine by a continuous intravenous drip. 2. 2. There were 44 nulliparas and 77 multiparas in this series. 3. 3. The patients were unselected and included cases of twins, breech presentations, toxemias of pregnancy, rheumatic heart disease, and Rh-negative mothers. 4. 4. Synergism of meperidine and scopolamine was demonstrated. 5. 5. A high percentage of analgesia and total amnesia was obtained. 6. 6. The active stage of labor was appreciably shortened. 7. 7. Fetal complications were not increased. 8. 8. Except for a postpartum hemorrhage in a patient who had a succenturiate placental lobe, there were no postpartum maternal complications. 9. 9. There were no maternal deaths and no morbidity.
Scattering Amplitude and Its Properties

The problem of calculating the wave scattering from the rough and plane in average boundary is formulated in the present chapter. Such a boundary either divides two homogeneous half-spaces or bounds only one of them. The waves propagating in these media can be scalar or multicomponent (possessing polarization). The most natural language describing scattering processes is an amplitude of scattering (SA) the plane waves into each other. Using SA instead of Green’s function is more preferable in many relations. Applications of SA in the problems of wave scattering from rough surfaces is well known; Waterman [2.1] was one of the first to apply it systematically.