cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
S01.3 Delivery of hiv/sti prevention interventions: prevention cascades

The HIV treatment cascade has been a powerful illustrative tool used to explore the performance of HIV treatment programs. The cascade steps through the recruitment of HIV-infected individuals into treatment programs and the effectiveness of those programs, and despite its conceptual flaws provides an intuitively appealing snapshot of performance. Because of its advocacy potential attempts have been made to generate a prevention cascade, covering those HIV positive and negative or to integrate prevention into the treatment cascade generating a ‘prevention, treatment and care cascade’. However, these tend to diminish the focus on prevention, confuse different interventions and do not provide a simple scheme through which to measure performance. Here we explore the required elements for prevention cascades for HIV and other sexually transmitted infections and identify the steps linking the delivery of interventions with their use in populations. Starting from the susceptible population at risk we can consider whether the intervention is available to them, whether they uptake the intervention, whether they adhere to the intervention and what the efficacy of the intervention is. Cascades for the delivery, use and effectiveness of prevention products should be able to identify who has been protected, what the key failures in protection are and the relative importance of system and product characteristics. In explaining theoretically how we might think about prevention programs we hope that empirical studies will consider adopting this framework, which has guided some thinking about voluntary medical male circumcision programs and HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis programs. In HIV treatment global targets and indicators have been set based on the treatment cascade and without similar targets for other prevention interventions they are likely to be neglected.
Expanding Frontiers in Research Designs, Methods, and Measurement in Support of Evidence-Based Practice in Early Childhood Special Education

In this chapter, we discuss advances in research designs and methods useful for generating plausible causal evidence in early childhood special education. In addition, we describe contemporary perspectives about measurement and present example applications in early childhood special education. We begin the chapter by reviewing briefly the strengths, limitations, and implementation challenges associated with the conduct of randomized controlled trials or randomized field trials in early childhood special education research. This includes discussion of various design validity threats and issues related to causal inference. We then consider quasi-experimental and correlational research designs and discuss circumstances under which these designs might be appropriately and usefully applied to generate plausible causal evidence in early childhood special education research. Finally, we review current conceptualizations about reliability and validity and illustrate how generalizability theory and item response theory represent measurement advances for application in early childhood special education. Throughout the chapter, we illustrate the use of these designs and methodologies in early childhood education or early childhood special education through hypothetical examples or by presenting examples of published studies that have implemented these designs.
Is the Physical World Really Mechanical

Besides the principle of sufficient reason there is another powerful argument in favor of determinism, an argument which may be more powerful psychologically, if not logically, than the argument from sufficient reason. And this second argument stems from the fact that the physical world, in its broad outlines, is regular and determined. On any scale relevant to human life and action, the physical world seems to be completely bound by its nature and constitution. Newtonian physics, in particular, painted a picture of the world as a giant machine, with its gears grinding along in a manner determined by the laws of its construction. In a word, matter behaves mechanically, and our bodies and brains are made of matter. This is in many ways the heart of the determinist’s position.
3D-Cultured Cell Image Acquisition

Acquiring high-content images of 3D-cultured cells for analyzing multiple cellular events is a daunting task, requiring an automated fluorescent microscope and high-throughput image analysis software. High throughput is an important feature for high-content imaging (HCI) devices to enable rapid image acquisition. Various factors come into play when dealing with the speed of image acquisition. For example, capturing large number of cells with lower magnification or reducing sample volume/size can increase data acquisition speed. In addition, reducing exposure time with the use of high intensity light sources, optimizing fluorescence staining protocols for brighter colors, and using an objective lens with relatively high numerical aperture also significantly increases the image acquisition speed [1].
Exercise prescription for overhead athletes with shoulder pathology: a systematic review with best evidence synthesis

Objective To produce a best evidence synthesis of exercise prescription used when treating shoulder pathology in the overhead athlete. Design A systematic review of exercises used in overhead athletes including case studies and clinical commentaries. Data sources MEDLINE, PubMed, SPORTDiscus and CINAHL from database inception through July 8, 2016. Methods We examined data from randomised controlled trials and prospective cohort (level I–IV evidence) studies that addressed exercise intervention in the rehabilitation of the overhead athlete with shoulder pathology. Case studies and clinical commentaries (level V evidence) were examined to account for expert opinion-based research. Data were combined using best evidence synthesis and graded (A–F) recommendations (Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine). Results There were 33 unique exercises in six level I–IV studies that met our inclusion criteria. Most exercises were single-plane, upper extremity exercises performed below 90 o of elevation. There were 102 unique exercises in 33 level V studies that met our inclusion criteria. These exercises emphasised plyometrics, kinetic chain and sport-specific training. Conclusions and relevance Overall, evidence for exercise interventions in overhead athletes with shoulder pathology is dominated by expert opinion (grade D). There is great variability between exercise approaches suggested by experts and those investigated in research studies and the overall level of evidence is low. The strongest available evidence (level B) supports the use of single-plane, open chain upper extremity exercises performed below 90° of elevation and closed chain upper extremity exercises. Clinical expert pieces support a more advanced, global treatment approach consistent with the complex, multidimensional nature of sport.
Experimental Determination of the Specific Strain Energy of 65G Steel Under Cyclic Loading

We develop an experimental procedure for the construction of cyclic stress-strain diagrams of the material in front of the tip of a fatigue crack by using the method of digital image correlation and an algorithm for the calculation of the specific strain energy of the material subjected to cyclic loading. We compute the strain energy for three values of the fatigue crack-growth rate corresponding to the Paris section of the kinetic diagram of fatigue fracture. It is shown that the total energy spent for the damage to the material under cyclic loading is comparable with the critical value of the specific strain energy under quasistatic loading.
Coral Reef Ecosystems: Valuable and Critically Threatened

Coral reef ecosystems are beautiful and vibrant underwater communities inhabited by a spectacularly diverse and abundant array of organisms essential to human needs. Reefs are severely threatened worldwide—estimates are that one-fifth of coral reefs have already been lost or severely damaged, and the rest are expected to disappear before the end of this century. The intrinsic value of coral reefs is incalculable and immense, and this technical note seeks to educate students about that value, as well as the threats—global and local—to coral reefs. Excerpt UVA-ENT-0201 Mar. 12, 2014 CORAL REEF ECOSYSTEMS: VALUABLE AND CRITICALLY THREATENED The Value of Coral Reefs Coral reef ecosystems are beautiful and vibrant underwater communities inhabited by a spectacularly diverse and abundant array of organisms essential to human needs. Reefs are severely threatened worldwide—estimates are that one-fifth of coral reefs have already been lost or severely damaged, and the rest are expected to disappear before the end of this century. The intrinsic value of coral reefs is incalculable and immense. Figure 1 shows the distribution of coral reefs worldwide. Each red dot represents an image taken by the Landsat 7 spacecraft for the Millennium Coral Reef Mapping Project. Red dots located over smaller reefs may over-represent the area covered by those reefs. Figure 1. Worldwide coral reef distribution. Source: “NASA Coral Reef Images Key to New Global Survey,” http://www.nasa.gov/vision/earth/lookingatearth/coral_assessment.html (accessed March 29, 2013). . . .
Use of the "dual construct" for the management of complex spinal reconstructions.

Abstract Background Context Surgical management of complex spinal reconstructions remains a clinical challenge, as pseudoarthrosis with subsequent rod breakage can occur. Increased rod density in the form of “satellite” or “outrigger” rods have been described; however, rod-fracture above or below satellite rods persist and can result in dissociation of the construct, loss of correction, and recurrence of deformity. The use of four distinct and mechanically independent rods (dual construct) reduces this concern. Since the original case description in 2006, there have been no other studies that use the dual construct for the surgical management of complex spinal reconstructions. Purpose The purpose of this study is to review the long-term experience and surgical technique using the dual construct, and to present our complications, rod fracture rates, and outcomes for the surgical management of complex spinal reconstructions. Study Design This study used a surgical technique with case series outcomes. Patient Sample Patients were from a single-institute who underwent dual construct between 2010 and 2014 and who were available for 2-year follow-up. Outcome Measures Radiographic and functional outcomes, complications, rod fracture rates, and revision surgery rates were the outcome measures. Methods A retrospective review was conducted from a single institution between 2010 and 2014, with a subsequent 2-year follow-up period. Extensive review of patients' medical record, radiographs, and advanced imaging where available was performed. Medical record was evaluated for patient demographics, surgical procedure, and complications. Radiographic measurements included presence or absence of implant failure and proximal junctional kyphosis or distal junctional kyphosis. Results A total of 36 patients underwent surgical reconstruction. The average estimated blood loss was 1,856 cc (range, 400–4,000 cc). The average length of stay was 7.3 days (range, 4–22 days). Clinical follow-up reported 21 patients (58.3%) with no or minimal pain. There were six deaths during the follow-up unrelated to the index procedure. Radiographic follow-up revealed three patients (8.3%) with rod fracture; one patient with one rod fracture, and two patients with two rod fractures. No patient had three or all four rod fractures. There were no screw fractures. None of the patients with rod fractures required revision surgery. Conclusions The biggest advantage of the dual construct is that rod breakage, although uncommon, is typically minimal, or asymptomatic, and more importantly does not result in loss of alignment, and therefore has not required revision surgery. The dual construct approach is a safe alternative to traditional two-rod constructs, with encouraging outcomes at follow-up.
Simultaneous isolation and preconcentration of exosomes by ion concentration polarization

Exosomes carry microRNA biomarkers, occur in higher abundance in cancerous patients than in healthy ones, and because they are present in most biofluids, including blood and urine, these can be obtained noninvasively. Standard laboratory techniques to isolate exosomes are expensive, time consuming, provide poor purity, and recover on the order of 25% of the available exosomes. We present a new microfluidic technique to simultaneously isolate exosomes and preconcentrate them by electrophoresis using a high transverse local electric field generated by ion-depleting ion-selective membrane. We use pressure-driven flow to deliver an exosome sample to a microfluidic chip such that the transverse electric field forces them out of the cross flow and into an agarose gel which filters out unwanted cellular debris while the ion-selective membrane concentrates the exosomes through an enrichment effect. We efficiently isolated exosomes from 1× PBS buffer, cell culture media, and blood serum. Using flow rates from 150 to 200 μL/h and field strengths of 100 V/cm, we consistently captured between 60 and 80% of exosomes from buffer, cell culture media, and blood serum as confirmed by both fluorescence spectroscopy and nanoparticle tracking analysis. Our microfluidic chip maintained this recovery rate for more than 20 min with a concentration factor of 15 for 10 min of isolation.
Global stability results on an epidemiological model with a core group (a note on the paper "local stability results on a model for typhoid fever with a core group")

A SIRS epidemiological model with two subpopulations and vital dynamics is analyzed. Both subpopulations sizes are considered constant by assuming that the birth and the death rates are equal. We consider the case where one subpopulation is a core, that is a very infectious small group, responsible for a big fraction of the incidence. For this case thresholds are determined and the main equilibrium points for the four dimensional system are shown to be globally stable by using a known Theorem of Markus on asymptotically autonomous systems. This system models the dynamics of typhoid fever , where the core is the group of food handlers . The results presented in this work are an extension of those presented in [3].
Evaluation of low-cost LiDAR sensor for application in indoor UAV navigation

As the UAV industry has grown to the extent of generalization in personal-use drones, the application aspect of the technology has also been expanding to various fields. Among those applications, LiDAR — one of the sensors being used in remote sensing technologies — has gone through quite a remarkable improvement. In the past, not only the personal-use drones were rare, but mounting LiDARs on drones was also hardly done due to its massive weight and high prices. Consequently, LiDARs could only be loaded on large aircraft which makes a survey very cost-intensive. However, a recent advancement in LiDAR technology has made the sensor much lighter in both weight and cost at the same time. Nevertheless, loading new LiDARs on top of drones was not yet thoroughly examined. Therefore, the need for the evaluation of such LiDARs for their suitability on mounting on drones is high. This study shows the result of an attempt on evaluating the performance of a cost-effective, compact LiDAR sensor in the market so that whether one is suitable for being attached to drones for possible future works or not, be confirmed.
School Counselors and English Learners: Conceptualizations of Beneficial Knowledge and Skills While Facilitating Individual Student Planning

This article reports results from a qualitative case study representing four high school counseling programs in a large urban district in the southeastern U.S. Through the study’s findings, the article aims to inform the field of school counseling, specifically by describing focused best practices while working with English learners (ELs) during the processes involved in initial high school planning sessions. Emphasis is given to school counselors’ synthesis of students’ academic language development needs, as well as practical applications for considering the contextual complexities of schooling in the U.S. The article highlights results points to essential considerations regarding how to best support English learners’ socio-cultural and academic language development within the school counseling programs. Details regarding the participants’ conceptualizations of additional beneficial knowledge and skills, while working with ELs who have very recently arrived to high school for the first time in the U.S., are also discussed. Finally, the article provides recommendations for new areas of consideration to support school counselors’ practices through focused professional development. Likewise, these recommendations support actual programmatic needs while also aligning with the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) National Model.
Geographic Access to International Board-Certified Lactation Consultants in Pennsylvania.

Background:Availability of professional lactation support has been associated with increased breastfeeding rates; however, data about access to international board-certified lactation consultants a...
Domain Decomposition Methods for Auxiliary Linear Problems of an Elliptic Variational Inequality

Elliptic variational inequalities with multiple bodies are considered. It is assumed that an active set method is used to handle the nonlinearity of the inequality constraint, which results in auxiliary linear problems. We describe two domain decomposition methods for solving such linear problems, namely, the FETI-FETI (finite element tearing and interconnecting) and hybrid methods, which are combinations of already existing domain decomposition methods. Estimates of the condition numbers of both methods are provided. The FETI-FETI method has a condition number which depends linearly on the number of subdomains across each body and polylogarithmically on the number of element across each subdomain. The hybrid method is a scalable alternative to the FETI-FETI method, and has a condition number with two polylogarithmic factors depending on the number of elements across each subdomain and across each body. We present numerical results confirming these theoretical findings.
Other Activities of Neutrophils

It is perfectly clear that the principal function of neutrophils is to kill bacteria. However, the enzymes they contain are capable of killing and breaking down all living tissue, and under some circumstances, neutrophils are responsible for considerable damage to the host. In bacterial infections, this damage is usually expressed by abscess formation. There is also a series of responses and conditions that are not primarily infective in origin, but in which for one reason or another neutrophil enzymes are let loose in tissue and damage or destroy it. The series includes serum sickness, the Arthus reaction, and the Shwartzmann reaction, and such clinical conditions as gout, probably rheumatoid arthritis, and several types of glomerulonephritis.
Development of methodology for efficient fuel design evaluation of the Advanced High Temperature Reactor (AHTR)

Abstract This paper presents a methodology for developing a neutronics model to be used for a fluoride-salt high temperature reactor (FHR) fuel design optimization study. The reactor design is based on the Advanced High-Temperature Reactor (AHTR) with hexagonal fuel element with fuel “planks” (plates) developed at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory. The overall objective of this research was to develop a methodology accurate enough, yet practical and fast enough for a fuel plank design optimum search that minimizes the fuel cycle cost (FCC) of FHR. Resonance self-shielding calculations for double heterogeneous fuel planks of AHTR design is currently unavailable in most codes. Therefore, automated modeling of the double heterogeneity was implemented to allow accurate use of multi-group simulations. The methodology generates MCDancoff Factors using SCALE6.2; its adequate accuracy was verified. A MCDancoff Factor surrogate model was created so on-the-fly MCDancoff Factors could be provided for depletion calculations over the design space for parametric studies. A simple non-linear reactivity model with assembly-to-whole-core reactivity correction was applied to analyze performance of multi-batch refueling. Results indicate that cycle length is maximized at 40% packing fraction with a carbon-to-heavy metal ratio (CHM) of approximately 250, which minimizes the cost of outages. In contrast, discharge burnup and fuel utilization is maximized at around 20% packing fraction and a CHM of approximately 600, which minimizes fuel cost, but not necessarily the FCC cost, which also accounts for outage penalty. Void and power reactivity coefficients were determined over the design phase space to establish the envelope for stable design. The minimum FCC is the optimum trade-off between the two, within the limits of the stability envelope. In combination with the cost model the objective function is non-linear and requires global optimization methods. This paper presents the methodology needed for global optimization, while the optimization itself will be presented in a follow up companion paper.
High p16 Expression Is Associated with Malignancy and Shorter Disease-Free Survival Time in Solitary Fibrous Tumor/Hemangiopericytoma

Objective Solitary fibrous tumors (SFT) and hemangiopericytomas (HPC) are now classified along a single spectrum of fibroblastic mesenchymal tumors with NAB2–STAT6 fusion. This fusion acts as a driver mutation that constitutively activates EGR1, which is known to be involved in the p16 pathway. Overexpression of p16 is associated with malignancy and worse prognosis in multiple mesenchymal tumors. The authors sought to investigate p16 immunoexpression in association with malignancy and prognosis of SFT/HPC tumors. Design Twenty-three SFT/HPC tumors (central nervous system [CNS]: 12, non CNS: 11) diagnosed at our institution from 2002 to 2016 were assigned into 3 grades. Data from microarray immunohistochemistry for STAT6, synaptophysin, CD56, chromogranin, SST2A, EGR1, Ki67, and p16, grade and survival were analyzed. Results CNS SFT/HPCs tend to be malignant (grade 3; 67 vs. 18%, p = 0.036) and more likely to express synaptophysin (33 vs. 0%, p = 0.035) than non CNS tumors. Overexpression of p16 (immunopositivity ≥ 50% tumor cells) was associated with malignant (grade 3) tumors, and has a sensitivity of 70% (7/10), and a specificity of 77% (10/13), as a predictive marker for malignancy. SFT/HPC patients with low p16 expression demonstrated significantly longer disease-free survival time (median survival > 113 months) than those with high p16 expression (median survival = 30 months, p = 0.045). Conclusions SFT/HPCs in the CNS are more likely to be malignant than the tumors in other sites. High p16 expression is also associated with malignancy and shorter disease-free survival time in SFT/HPC tumors in our study cohort. Clinically, p16 overexpression can be used as predictive marker for malignancy and prognosis and a possible therapeutic target.
Lightweight Visual Odometry for Autonomous Mobile Robots.

Vision-based motion estimation is an effective means for mobile robot localization and is often used in conjunction with other sensors for navigation and path planning. This paper presents a low-overhead real-time ego-motion estimation (visual odometry) system based on either a stereo or RGB-D sensor. The algorithm’s accuracy outperforms typical frame-to-frame approaches by maintaining a limited local map, while requiring significantly less memory and computational power in contrast to using global maps common in full visual SLAM methods. The algorithm is evaluated on common publicly available datasets that span different use-cases and performance is compared to other comparable open-source systems in terms of accuracy, frame rate and memory requirements. This paper accompanies the release of the source code as a modular software package for the robotics community compatible with the Robot Operating System (ROS).
Outcomes among minority patients with stage IV colorectal cancer in the Harris County Health System.

e18039Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) mortality has declined over the last three decades, but significant racial disparities in CRC survival continue to be reported, especially for stage IV dis...
Approaches to Repairing Outflow Graft Stenosis in Left Ventricular Assist Devices

Purpose Durable Left Ventricular Assist Devices (LVAD) are typically implanted with an inflow cannula in the LV apex and an outflow graft anastomosed to the aorta. We describe 4 pts who experienced clinically significant outflow graft stenosis requiring intervention, an underreported but likely increasingly common complication in pts on long term support with a VAD. Methods A retrospective review of our VAD database was performed on pts implanted with a durable VAD at our institution from 2011-2018. Results Four pts were found to have stenosis of the outflow graft confirmed by CT angiogram (Figure). Each of the pts presented with symptoms of acute on chronic LV failure with a decrease in VAD flows, prompting the diagnostic evaluation. The pre-VAD etiology of heart failure was nonischemic cardiomyopathy for 3 pts and transposition of the great arteries with VAD implanted into the systemic ventricle in the 4thpatient. Mean time from implant to diagnosing the stenosis was 722 days. In all pts the cause of the stenosis was external compression from accumulation of fluid or hematoma between the gore-tex applied at the time of implant and the outflow graft. The stenosis was focal in three and diffuse in one pt. Two of the pts were successfully treated with stenting of the outflow graft and one pt was taken for surgical release of the gore-tex. In the 4thpt, the stenosis was an incidental finding as we diagnosed acute thrombus ingestion into the inflow cannula which resolved with thrombolytics. All pts experienced an immediate increase in >2L of VAD flow following each, respective, intervention. Conclusion Outflow graft stenosis in VADs is a serious complication that can lead to decompensated heart failure, the cause of which may be external compression related to gore-tex around the graft. This complication should be included in the differential diagnosis of a drop in VAD flows, and while treatable, should prompt a reassessment of how gore-tex is applied (if at all) at the time of implant.
Nicotinic receptors, memory, and hippocampus.

Nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs) modulate the neurobiological processes underlying hippocampal learning and memory. In addition, nicotine’s ability to desensitize and upregulate certain nAChRs may alter hippocampus-dependent memory processes. Numerous studies have examined the effects of nicotine on hippocampus-dependent learning, as well as the roles of low- and high-affinity nAChRs in mediating nicotine’s effects on hippocampus-dependent learning and memory. These studies suggested that while acute nicotine generally acts as a cognitive enhancer for hippocampus-dependent learning, withdrawal from chronic nicotine results in deficits in hippocampus-dependent memory. Furthermore, these studies demonstrated that low- and high-affinity nAChRs functionally differ in their involvement in nicotine’s effects on hippocampus-dependent learning. In the present chapter, we reviewed studies using systemic or local injections of acute or chronic nicotine, nAChR subunit agonists or antagonists; genetically modified mice; and molecular biological techniques to characterize the effects of nicotine on hippocampus-dependent learning.
Energy systems engineering - a guided tour

As future energy systems aim to be more efficient, cost-effective, environmentally benign, and interconnected with each other, their design and operation become ever challenging tasks for decision-makers, engineers, and scientists. Sustainability of life on earth will be heavily affected by the improvements of these complex energy systems. Therefore, experts from various fields need to come together to find common solution strategies. However, since different technologies are usually developed separately by their own technical community, a generally accepted unified systematic approach to tackle integrated systems is lacking. With this article, we want to introduce and highlight the power of energy systems engineering as a generic framework to arrive at synergistic solutions to complex energy and environmental problems. Tools of energy systems engineering are numerous, and its application areas cover a wide range of energy systems. In this commentary, we present an overview of state-of-the-art methodologies of energy systems engineering, list its applications and describe few examples in detail, and finally introduce some possible new directions.
KLF4 is involved in the organization and regulation of pluripotency-associated three-dimensional enhancer networks

Cell fate transitions are accompanied by global transcriptional, epigenetic and topological changes driven by transcription factors, as is exemplified by reprogramming somatic cells to pluripotent stem cells through the expression of OCT4, KLF4, SOX2 and cMYC. How transcription factors orchestrate the complex molecular changes around their target gene loci remains incompletely understood. Here, using KLF4 as a paradigm, we provide a transcription-factor-centric view of chromatin reorganization and its association with three-dimensional enhancer rewiring and transcriptional changes during the reprogramming of mouse embryonic fibroblasts to pluripotent stem cells. Inducible depletion of KLF factors in PSCs caused a genome-wide decrease in enhancer connectivity, whereas disruption of individual KLF4 binding sites within pluripotent-stem-cell-specific enhancers was sufficient to impair enhancer-promoter contacts and reduce the expression of associated genes. Our study provides an integrative view of the complex activities of a lineage-specifying transcription factor and offers novel insights into the nature of the molecular events that follow transcription factor binding.
“It’s Not All Sunshine and Rainbows”: A Thru-Hike on the Pacific Crest Trail

“Thru-hiking,” where an individual hikes the entire length of an extended trail, has increased exponentially in recent years, creating a subgroup of trail users that outdoor recreation professionals currently have little knowledge about. Understanding the physiological and psychological demands of thru-hiking, where physical challenges are magnified by adverse conditions, may lend insight into who undertakes a thru-hike, what motivates them, and what physical and psychological benefits they experience. This study explored the experiences of a 26-year-old healthy male on a thru-hike of the Pacific Crest Trail. Data were collected using standard physiological assessments and an in-depth semistructured interview. Results indicated limited improvements in cardiopulmonary efficiency, high levels of autonomous motivation, resilience, and positive psychological outcomes. In physically fit individuals, it is possible that success in thru-hiking is primarily psychological in nature; future research should focus on these constructs in a larger sample of thru-hikers.Subscribe to JOREL
Misplaced tracheoesophageal voice prosthesis: A case of foreign body aspiration.

Abstract Foreign body aspiration (FBA) is a rare, but potentially fatal condition frequently seen in the emergency department. Bronchoscopy plays a major role in its diagnosis and treatment. In patients with laryngectomy, the strategies for airway maintenance and foreign body retrieval are limited. We describe management of a patient with laryngectomy presenting with aspiration of a tracheoesophageal voice prosthesis (TEP). The TEP was not initially seen in chest radiography; however, computed tomography showed it within the right lower bronchus. Successful extraction of the TEP was achieved through bronchoscopy with forceps and retrieval basket. Otolaryngology placed a larger TEP and secured it with sutures. TEP migration is rare, but represents a risk for FBA. Initial imaging in the emergency department can be misleading, requiring a high degree of suspicion, as the TEP device may not be seen in standard chest radiography. Flexible bronchoscopy under moderate sedation in conjunction with forceps and retrieval basket may be appropriate for treatment of FBA in patients with laryngectomy and can be performed in the emergency department, preventing hospital admission.
Family critical time intervention with housing unstable, child welfare-involved families: Service providers’ and families’ experiences with the phases

Abstract It is well documented that children from housing unstable families tend to stay longer in the foster care system and are less likely to reunify with their caregivers as compared to stably housed families. Various housing interventions have been implemented to promote reunification. Previous studies have primarily focused on examining the effectiveness of these housing interventions, however, no qualitative study has explored the mechanisms by which housing interventions are being delivered. This study aims to fill this critical literature gap by exploring how Family Critical Time Intervention (FCTI) is being carried out in the context of serving housing-unstable families with children in foster care. In-depth individual interviews were conducted with 16 families, five PFS workers who delivered the intervention, and 15 child welfare workers involved in the families’ cases. Coding and analyses focused on themes describing clients’ and workers’ experiences during the FCTI phases. Themes developed for each phase included (1) Pre-FCTI: workers built trust through compassion; (2) Phase 1: workers helped stabilize clients through collaborative partnerships; Phase 2: workers helped clients with skill development and advocacy, and Phase 3: clients and workers wished for service continuity rather than termination. The findings have implications for promoting innovative practices for families who are at the intersection of housing instability and child welfare involvement.
Web-Based Radiology Learning Module Design: The Author Perspective

Rationale and Objectives Over recent years, e-learning has become an integral component of radiology education. While demands for innovative, interactive e-learning resources have increased, the availability of viable solutions have not kept pace. As a result, many educators are authoring their own e-learning content. This study describes the six-year experience of faculty clinician educators and residents who participated in this authoring process. Materials and Methods From 2014 to 2020, 62 radiology faculty and residents created a total of 89 peer reviewed web-based learning modules. Authors were given instructions and materials to support their design process. Following completion of their module(s), authors were asked to complete an anonymous and voluntary survey on their perspective. Results Hundred percent of survey respondents reported that they enjoyed creating their module and 97.8% would recommend the experience to others. Reported educational value of authoring a learning module was 4.18 per 5, with 65% of resident authors reporting that they felt more likely to retain the information they learned through authoring a module rather than reading a chapter on the same topic. A total of 77.3% of respondents reported that the experience would make them more likely to teach medical students in the future. Conclusion With the appropriate resources and support, radiology faculty and residents succeed in authorship of innovative e-learning modules for medical student learners. In addition to enhancing subject matter knowledge and satisfying Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education requirements for teaching and scholarly activity, authorship provides mentoring opportunities and cultivates interest in medical student education.
Expected Option Returns

This paper examines expected option returns in the context of mainstream assetpricing theory. Under mild assumptions, expected call returns exceed those of the underlying security and increase with the strike price. Likewise, expected put returns are below the risk-free rate and increase with the strike price. S&P index option returns consistently exhibit these characteristics. Under stronger assumptions, expected option returns vary linearly with option betas. However, zero-beta, at-the-money straddle positions produce average losses of approximately three percent per week. This suggests that some additional factor, such as systematic stochastic volatility, is priced in option returns. ASSET-PRICING THEORY CLAIMS that options, like all other risky securities in an economy, compensate their holders with expected returns that are in accordance with the systematic risks they require their holders to bear. Options which deliver payoffs in bad states of the world will earn lower returns than those that deliver their payoffs in good states. The enormous popularity of option contracts has arisen, in part, because options allow investors to precisely tailor their risks to their preferences. With this in mind, a study of option returns would appear to offer a unique opportunity in which to investigate what kinds of risks are priced in an economy. However, although researchers have paid substantial attention to the pricing of options conditional on the prices of their underlying securities, relatively little work has focused on understanding the nature of option returns. Understanding option returns is important because options have remarkable risk-return characteristics. Option risk can be thought of as consisting of two separable components. The first component is a leverage effect. Because an option allows investors to assume much of the risk of the option’s underlying asset with a relatively small investment, options have characteristics similar to levered positions in the underlying asset. The Black‐ Scholes model implies that this implicit leverage, which is ref lected in option betas, should be priced. We show that this leverage should be priced under
Decoding Nonverbal Online Actions: How They Are Used and Interpreted

Nonverbal actions form an integral part of the interactive experience between users on online platforms. While convenient, these nonverbal online actions, which often take the form of clicking a button to like or share content with others, sacrifice contextual information compared with their in-person and verbal counterparts as they are simplified into an icon or content featured in one’s feed. We show that the simplicity of online nonverbal actions and their indicators may come at a cost to users. Through two surveys, we found that there was no single dominant reason for each nonverbal action; rather, users were varied in what they felt were the reasons for taking particular online actions. Users also felt more positive about some reasons than others, and how one felt about a nonverbal action was found to correlate with their affect for the reason thought to be behind that action. Finally, we found that not being aware of why an action was taken could lead to negative effect for an action. Unexplained nonverbal actions in online platforms evoke more negative affect than those same actions when their reason is known. Our findings suggest that surfacing rationales behind nonverbal actions could be one way to mitigate the unintended uncertainty and misunderstandings inherent in how indicators of nonverbal online actions are currently designed. We present this implication amongst others to consider in designing social platforms for user-user interactions online.
Computational investigation of ultrasound induced electricity generation via a triboelectric nanogenerator

Abstract The efficient conversion of ultrasound into electrical energy remains a highly desirable wireless powering solution, with potentially profound ramifications in energy transfer across virtually all industrial fields, especially for implantable medical devices. Triboelectric nanogenerators have been shown to effectively carry out ultrasound energy transduction, though efficiency remains poor. Here, we devise a computational model to investigate the optimal triboelectric nanogenerator irradiation conditions, including frequency, probe distance, size, and design, as represented by irradiated triboelectric surface area displacement. Our investigation may set the foundations for the establishment of a standardized protocol for efficient ultrasound mechanical energy harvesting. This holds considerable significance and could be paramount in designing an ever-growing number of applicative solutions in wireless energy transfer, providing a scalable, cost effective and time saving solution in the development of implantable medical devices.
Complaining, Teasing, and Other Annoying Behaviors

Everyone has teased, nagged, betrayed, or lied to another person. Likewise, everyone has been the unfortunate object of such unpleasant behaviour. In this volume, social psychologist Robin Kowalski examines the intricacies of six annoying interpersonal types of behaviour: complaining, teasing, breaches of propriety, worry and reassurance-seeking, lying, and betrayal. She considers the functions of this behaviour, the types of people who are inclined to do them, the consequences for victims and perpetrators, and the ways in which such behaviour might be curtailed. "Complaining, Teasing, and Other Annoying Behaviors" provides a multifaceted picture of common annoying types of behaviour. The book answers these questions and many others: Why do people tease?; What are the consequences of annoying behavior for the people involved?; Is there a positive side to irritating behaviour?; Are people more likely to lie to those close to them or to strangers?; Do excuses and apologies diminish the hurtful effect of unpleasant behaviour?; and what is the relation of gender and culture to specific annoying acts?
Smoking and the skin

Cigarette smoking has been associated with significant morbidity affecting all systems of the body, including the integumentary system. We review the many dermatologic hazards of tobacco use. It is important to distinguish between the effects of tobacco smoke from effects of pure nicotine on the skin. All skin cells express several subtypes of the nicotinic class of acetylcholine receptors, including the α7 receptor. Many chronic dermatoses are affected by smoking either negatively or positively. Elucidation of positive associations with a particular disease can lead to improvement from smoking cessation, whereas inverse correlation may lead to development of a disease-specific treatment with nicotinergic agonists.
The Size Complexity of Strictly Non-blocking Fixed Ratio Concentrators with Constant Depth

Concentrators are interconnection networks that provide vertex-disjoint directed paths to satisfy interconnection requests. An interconnection network is non-blocking in the strict sense if every compatible interconnection request can be satisfied regardless of any existing interconnections. We show a size optimal bound of Θ(n 1+1/k ) for synchronous strictly non-blocking γn-limited (αn, βn)-concentrators with non-full capacity and constant depth k, and present a size upper bound of O(n 1+1/⌈k/2⌉ ) for synchronous strictly non-blocking βn-limited (αn, βn)-concentrators with full capacity and constant depth k.
Spatially explicit capture–recapture analysis of bobcat (Lynx rufus) density: implications for mesocarnivore monitoring

Context. Accurate density estimation is crucial for conservation and management of elusive species. Camera-trapping may provide an efficient method for density estimation, particularly when analysed with recently developed spatially explicit capture–recapture (SECR) models. Although camera-traps are employed extensively to estimate large carnivore density, their use for smaller carnivores has been limited. Moreover, while camera-trapping studies are typically conducted at local scales, the utility of analysing larger-scale patterns by combining multiple camera studies remains poorly known.Aims. The goal of the present study was to develop a better understanding of the utility of SECR models and camera-trapping for the estimation of density of small carnivores at local and regional scales.Methods. Based on data collected from camera-traps, we used SECR to examine density of bobcats (Lynx rufus) at four study sites in north-central Texas. We then combined our density estimates with previous estimates (from multiple methodologies) across the bobcat’s geographic range, and used linear regression to examine drivers of range-wide density patterns.Key results. Bobcat densities averaged 13.2 per 100 km2 across all four study sites, and were lowest at the site in the most heavily modified landscape. Bobcat capture probability was positively related to forest cover around camera-trap sites. At the range-wide scale, 53% of the variation in density was explained by just two factors: temperature and longitude.Conclusions. Our results demonstrate the utility of camera-traps, combined with SECR, to generate precise density estimates for mesocarnivores, and reveal the negative effects of landscape disturbance on bobcat populations. The associations revealed in our range-wide analysis, despite variability in techniques used to estimate density, demonstrate how a combination of multiple density estimates for a species can be used for large-scale inference. However, improvement in our understanding of biogeographic density patterns for mesocarnivores could be obtained from a greater number of camera-based density estimates across the range of a species, combined with meta-analytic techniques.Implications. Camera-trapping and SECR should be more widely applied to generate local density estimates for many small and medium-sized carnivores, where at least a portion of the individuals are identifiable. If such estimates are more widely obtained, meta-analytic techniques could be used to test biogeographic predictions or for large-scale monitoring efforts.
Experimental Analysis of Learning To Learn

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the experimental analysis of learning to learn. In experimental studies of human learning it is conventional to divide sources of transfer into two major classes: specific and nonspecific. Specific transfer effects depend on manipulated similarity relations between the components of successive tasks, as in the acquisition of new responses to old stimuli. Nonspecific transfer effects are assumed to be independent of such similarity relations and hence are attributed to the development of higher-order habits or learning skills. The classification of transfer as nonspecific constitutes, however, a definition by default. While the changes in performance subsumed under this heading may not represent the carrying over of specific discriminations or responses from one task to the next, they must, nevertheless, reflect circumscribed habits and skills which are subject to experimental manipulation and analysis. The usual point of departure in the analysis of nonspecific transfer has been the distinction between warm-up and learning to learn, both of which are assumed to contribute to the improvement in performance as the learner moves from one task to the next.
Lectotypification of Peruvian Campanulaceae Names Associated with Collections Made by Augusto Weberbauer

Abstract. We designate lectotypes for thirteen Peruvian Centropogon and Siphocampylus (Campanulaceae: Lobelioideae) names associated with type collections made by Augusto Weberbauer.