cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A review of instruments measuring two aspects of meaning: search for meaning and meaning in illness.

Title. A review of instruments measuring two aspects of meaning: search for meaning and meaning in illness. Aim. This paper is a report of narrative review of psychosocial instruments measuring two aspects of meaning: the search for meaning and meaning in illness. Background. Studies have shown that meaning has significance for well-being, particularly for those experiencing illness/negative events. Understanding a person’s ascription of meaning to a stressful event can facilitate planning of supportive nursing interventions. Method. A literature search was conducted using Medline, PsycInfo, PsycArticles, CINAHL, ProQuest, Ebsco and MasterFile Premier for the period 1956–2006. The search terms were: meaning instruments, search for meaning, meaning in illness, significance of meaning and positive meaning. Only studies that employed measurement of one of these two aspects of meaning were included. Findings. Twelve instruments were retrieved from the search. Five were measures of search for meaning and seven were measures of meaning in illness. With a few exceptions these instruments were conceptually and operationally congruent and had acceptable psychometric properties. Limiting factors were the infrequent use of some of the instruments clinically or in research, and lack of evidence that cultural or age-specific factors had been considered in the development of the instruments. Conclusion. Progress with research into meaning and clinical use of meaning instruments may be augmented by refinement of instruments in the areas of conceptual clarity, operational congruence, psychometric properties and cultural and age-specific considerations. Good quantitative assessment will facilitate analysis of the relationship between ascriptions of meaning and psychosocial functioning, and lead to improved nursing interventions.
A minimum length of N gene sequence in transgenic plants is required for RNA-mediated tospovirus resistance

We showed previously that transgenic plants with the green fluorescent protein (GFP) gene fused to segments of the nucleocapsid (N) gene of tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV) displayed post-transcriptional gene silencing of the GFP and N gene segments and resistance to TSWV. These results suggested that a chimeric transgene composed of viral gene segments might confer multiple virus resistance in transgenic plants. To test this hypothesis and to determine the minimum length of the N gene that could trans-inactivate the challenging TSWV, transgenic plants were developed that contained GFP fused with N gene segments of 24–453 bp. Progeny from these plants were challenged with: (i) a chimeric tobacco mosaic virus containing the GFP gene, (ii) a chimeric tobacco mosaic virus with GFP plus the N gene of TSWV and (iii) TSWV. A number of transgenic plants expressing the transgene with GFP fused to N gene segments from 110 to 453 bp in size were resistant to these viruses. Resistant plants exhibited post-transcriptional gene silencing. In contrast, all transgenic lines with transgenes consisting of GFP fused to N gene segments of 24 or 59 bp were susceptible to TSWV, even though the transgene was post-transcriptionally silenced. Thus, virus resistance and post-transcriptional gene silencing were uncoupled when the N gene segment was 59 bp or less. These results provide evidence that multiple virus resistance is possible through the simple strategy of linking viral gene segments to a silencer DNA such as GFP.
As we may print: new directions in output devices and computational crafts for children

In recent years, educational technologists and designers have begun to explore a variety of ways in which physical and computational media can be integrated---for instance, through the design of "intelligent toys" for children. This paper describes our ongoing efforts at exploring a different sort of physical-computational integration, focusing on children's design activities, output devices, and the notion of "printing out" more generally. We describe several representative systems under development in our group; each of these systems highlights particular possibilities for exploring and experimenting with output devices for children's crafts. We also present a set of design heuristis---useful techniques for those educational designers interested in expanding the range and expressiveness of craft activities for children.
Retrieval of trophoblast cells from the cervical canal for prediction of abnormal pregnancy: a pilot study

background: Fetal cells are shed from the regressing chorionic villi and it is possible to retrieve extravillous cytotrophoblast cells by transcervical sampling. The abundance of trophoblast cells in transcervical samples suggests that this non-invasive approach could distinguish between normal and abnormal pregnancies, such as an ectopic pregnancy (EP) and blighted ovum (BO). We aim to identify and quantify fetal trophoblast cells in the cervical canal during the first trimester to assess their usefulness to predict an abnormal pregnancy. methods: Patients, age 18–45, presenting with a normal intrauterine pregnancy (IUP; n ¼ 37), diagnosis of EP (n ¼ 10) or BO (n ¼ 5) were enrolled for collection of transcervical specimens using a cytobrush and fixative rinse. Non-pregnant, nulliparous women (n ¼ 7) were included as negative controls. Cells were cleared of mucus by acidification, prepared on microscope slides and labeled with a monoclonal antibody recognizing the trophoblast marker, human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-G. HLA-G positive and negative cells were counted to calculate the ratio of trophoblast cells to total cervical cells. results: Trophoblast cells were observed in 35/37 normal IUP, 6/10 EP and 4/5 BO specimens. The average frequency of HLA-G positive cells in the normal IUP cervical samples was 1 in 2000, which was 4-fold higher than samples from patients with EP or BO (P , 0.001). Receiver operating characteristic analysis showed that EP and BO pregnancies were distinguishable from normal pregnancies with 93% sensitivity, 95% specificity, 97% positive predictive value and 87% negative predictive value. conclusions: This pilot study presents evidence that trophoblast cells can be reliably obtained and identified among cervical cells in the first trimester by immunohistochemical staining for HLA-G, and suggests for the first time that abnormal pregnancies may be predictable based on the abundance of trophoblast cells in the cervical canal.
Nrf2 Signaling, a Mechanism for Cellular Stress Resistance in Long-Lived Mice

Transcriptional regulation of the antioxidant response element (ARE) by Nrf2 is important for the cellular adaptive response to toxic insults. New data show that primary skin-derived fibroblasts from the long-lived Snell dwarf mutant mouse, previously shown to be resistant to many toxic stresses, have elevated levels of Nrf2 and of multiple Nrf2-sensitive ARE genes. Dwarf-derived fibroblasts exhibit many of the traits associated with enhanced activity of Nrf2/ARE, including higher levels of glutathione and resistance to plasma membrane lipid peroxidation. Treatment of control cells with arsenite, an inducer of Nrf2 activity, increases their resistance to paraquat, hydrogen peroxide, cadmium, and UV light, rendering these cells as stress resistant as untreated cells from dwarf mice. Furthermore, mRNA levels for some Nrf2-sensitive genes are elevated in at least some tissues of Snell dwarf mice, suggesting that the phenotypes observed in culture may be mirrored in vivo. Augmented activity of Nrf2 and ARE-responsive genes may coordinate many of the stress resistance traits seen in cells from these long-lived mutant mice.
Extending Sensor Networks Lifetime Through Energy Efficient Organization

In most applications involving wireless sensor networks, each sensor collects data in the surrounding area, and sends to a central node for processing. To extend network lifetime in such cases, the sensors could be partitioned into groups which are successively scheduled to be active for sensing and delivering data. Each group covers (almost) the entire area, and only one group is active at a given time. These groups of sensors are known as disjoint dominating sets in network and graph theory where it has been shown that the problem of computing the maximum number of disjoint dominating sets in graphs is NP-complete [6]. In this paper, we strengthen this result [3] by showing that this problem remains NP-complete for planar unit disk graphs. We introduce several heuristics for the disjoint dominating sets problem and discuss their performance through some simulation results.
Measurement of parasite-specific immune responses in vitro: evidence for suppression of the antibody response to Trypanosoma cruzi

Using the Mishell and Dutton culture system, we have developed an assay for eliciting and quantifying parasite-specific immune responses in vitro. The ability of spleen cells from noninfected and Trypanosoma cruzi-infected mice to respond to parasite-associated antigens was assessed by examining the primary plaque-forming cell response to trinitrophenylated T. cruzi (TNP-TC). The response to TNP-TC of both normal, noninfected, unprimed mice and mice infected with T. cruzi is T cell dependent and appeared to involve recognition of parasite antigens by T. cruzi-specific T cells. In most experiments, spleen cells from infected mice respond to TNP-TC at levels equal to, or below, that of spleen cells from normal mice. This near "normal" response is in apparent contrast to the suppressed response of spleen cells from infected mice to another antigen (sheep red blood cells) or TNP on a different carrier (TNP-chicken erythrocytes). Demonstration that the response of spleen cells from infected mice to TNP-TC can be potentiated by addition of interleukin 2-containing supernatants or by depletion of plastic and Sephadex G-10-adherent cells suggests that the mechanisms which control the response of infected mice to nonparasite antigens may also limit parasite-specific immune responses.
Lightly supervised learning of text normalization: Russian number names

Most areas of natural language processing today make heavy use of automatic inference from large corpora. One exception is text-normalization for such applications as text-to-speech synthesis, where it is still the norm to build grammars by hand for such tasks as handling abbreviations or the expansion of digit sequences into number names. One reason for this, apart from the general lack of interest in text normalization, has been the lack of annotated data. For many languages, however, there is abundant unannotated data that can be brought to bear on these problems. This paper reports on the inference of number-name expansion in Russian, a particularly difficult language due to its complex inflectional system. A database of several million spelled-out number names was collected from the web and mapped to digit strings using an overgenerating number-name grammar. The same overgenerating number-name grammar can be used to produce candidate expansions into number names, which are then scored using a language model trained on the web data. Our results suggest that it is possible to infer expansion modules for very complex number name systems, from unannotated data, and using a minimum of hand-compiled seed data.
Image processing as an exemplar of parallelism applied to graphics

In surveying the possible applications of parallel computing, computer graphics is singularly attractive. This is because many computer graphics algorithms are so computationally intensive and yet also inherently very parallel in nature. The primary objective of an NSF grant to the University of North Carolina at Wilmington was to establish parallel computing in the undergraduate curriculum. A secondary objective was to address the issue of parallelism for computer graphics; however, curricular constraints made this difficult to do. Our response to this difficulty was twofold. For one, we focused on image processing as a more accessible, but very significant, alternative to ordinary computer graphics. Also, as a means of enabling deeper student involvement, we were able to supplement the original equipment grant (ILI) with one for supporting student research (REU).
Age diminishes the testicular steroidogenic response to repeated intravenous pulses of recombinant human LH during acute GnRH-receptor blockade in healthy men.

Testosterone (Te) concentrations fall gradually in healthy aging men. Postulated mechanisms include relative failure of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH), luteinizing hormone (LH), and/or gonad...
Channel State Estimation and Scheduling Algorithms for Multi-Rate Wireless Systems

Emerging multi-rate wireless systems both cellular (cdma2000, high data rate (HDR)) and Wi-Fi like systems demand that the currently used channel estimation and scheduling techniques be revisited. Not only the channel estimation, prediction algorithms, and protocols need to be modified, the premise for evaluating their performance needs to be changed. Current techniques comprise of scheduling algorithms based on existing channel state. We recommend that for enhanced performance in terms of user satisfaction and system throughput not only channel state but also the demand rate needed for satisfying the user needs to be considered. In this paper, we devise new mechanisms to estimate the varying channel conditions using information theoretic techniques for multi-rate wireless systems. We utilized a non-parametric estimator of Renyi's entropy using the Parzen widowing technique to estimate the probability density function of the channel rate variation as experienced by every user in the system. Scheduling algorithms are proposed based on the channel conditions estimated by the proposed technique as well as the data rate needed for satisfying each user . The proposed mechanism ensures the highest number of satisfied users by maintaining the stipulated QoS requirements and fairness amonst users. We also demonstrate that maximizing the throughput does not necessarily result in maximizing the number of satisfied users. Results demonstrate that the proposed estimation techniques perform better than existing schemes both in terms of number of satisfied user and throughput.
Skin cancer screening in the medically underserved population: A unique opportunity for APNs to make a difference

Purpose To implement and evaluate the feasibility of an annual skin cancer screening program for the medically underserved at a free clinic in Marion, Indiana. Data sources Clinical initiative with descriptive analysis of results. IRB approval was obtained and the project was found to be exempted. Conclusions The participation rate of 65% supported the feasibility of the skin screening program in a free clinic. The skin screening program allowed for detection of 17 worrisome lesions and all of these patients were referred to either the small procedure clinic, general surgeon, or dermatologist for definitive treatment. Implications for practice The project affirmed that clients in this setting are interested in total body skin exams and will participate in the screening program. Furthermore, there were a significant number of worrisome lesions discovered, which underscores the importance of this screening exam and the need for healthcare providers to either perform or refer patients for skin cancer screening on a regular basis. This area of screening is a unique opportunity for advanced practice nurses to make a difference in the medically underserved population who often lack skin cancer screening.
Evaluating predation pressure on green treefrog larvae across a habitat gradient

The effect of a predator on the abundance of a prey species depends upon the predator's abundance and its ability to capture that prey. The objectives of this research were to evaluate the community structure of predators of green treefrog (Hyla cinerea) tadpoles across habitat types and evaluate the effectiveness of individual predators on H. cinerea tadpoles. Correspondence and cluster analyses of predator frequencies across 23 aquatic habitats indicated that the majority of variance in predator communities was due to a division between permanent and temporary habitats. Experimental work demonstrated that survival of the smallest H. cinerea tadpoles was significantly lower than survival of medium and large tadpoles with the most effective predators, indicating that H. cinerea tadpoles attain a refuge from predation at larger body sizes. We combined the effectiveness of predators in experiments with the abundance of each predator species from the predator community survey to demonstrate that predation pressure on H. cinerea tadpoles is higher in temporary ponds. This pattern may explain in part why this species generally breeds successfully only in permanent habitats. It also confirms that discussions about an increasing gradient of predation pressure from temporary to permanent aquatic habitats should be restricted to individual prey species for which such a gradient has been demonstrated.
A novel functional electrical stimulation treatment for recovery of hand function in hemiplegia: 12-week pilot study.

Background. Loss of finger extension is common after stroke and can severely limit hand function. Contralaterally controlled functional electrical stimulation (CCFES) is a new treatment aimed at restoring volitional finger and thumb extension. A previous pilot study showed reductions in hand impairment after 6 weeks of CCFES, but the effect did not persist after end of treatment. Objective. This study aimed to evaluate the feasibility of achieving greater and more persistent gains with CCFES by increasing the treatment period to 12 weeks. Methods. CCFES uses neuromuscular electrical stimulation to open the paretic hand in direct proportion to the degree of volitional opening of the unimpaired contralateral hand, which is detected by an instrumented glove. Three subjects with chronic hemiplegia participated in a 12-week CCFES treatment, which consisted of daily CCFES-assisted active repetitive hand-opening exercises and twice weekly functional task practice with CCFES. Results. Maximum voluntary finger ext...
Douglas Haig and the First World War – By J. P. Harris

The generalship of Sir Douglas Haig was controversial even before World War I ended. Not surprisingly, considering the bloodshed on the Western Front, it became more so. Initially the picture of Ha...
SnapShot: Stress and Disease

Perturbation of an organism's homeostasis by stress can trigger biological or behavioral adaptation and accelerate onset and course of several diseases. Signaling triggered by norepinephrine or epinephrine (via adrenergic receptors) and cortisol (through glucocorticoid receptors) has profound effects on dampening immune responses, accelerating cancer progression and increasing the risk of cardiovascular, metabolic, and colonic diseases. To view this SnapShot, open or download the PDF.
R Classes and Methods for SNP Array Data

The Bioconductor project is an "open source and open development software project for the analysis and comprehension of genomic data" (1), primarily based on the R programming language. Infrastructure packages, such as Biobase, are maintained by Bioconductor core developers and serve several key roles to the broader community of Bioconductor software developers and users. In particular, Biobase introduces an S4 class, the eSet, for high-dimensional assay data. Encapsulating the assay data as well as meta-data on the samples, features, and experiment in the eSet class definition ensures propagation of the relevant sample and feature meta-data throughout an analysis. Extending the eSet class promotes code reuse through inheritance as well as interoperability with other R packages and is less error-prone. Recently proposed class definitions for high-throughput SNP arrays extend the eSet class. This chapter highlights the advantages of adopting and extending Biobase class definitions through a working example of one implementation of classes for the analysis of high-throughput SNP arrays.
Multiparametric prostate MRI: focus on T2-weighted imaging and role in staging of prostate cancer

Multiparametric MRI (mpMRI) represents a growing modality for the non-invasive evaluation of prostate cancer (PCa) and is increasingly being used for patients with persistently elevated PSA and prior negative biopsies, for monitoring patients in active surveillance protocols, for preoperative characterization of cancer for surgical planning, and in planning for MRI-targeted biopsy. The focus of this work is twofold. First, we review the key role of T2-weighted imaging (T2WI) in mpMRI, specifically outlining how it is used for anatomic evaluation of the prostate, detection of clinically significant PCa, assessment of extraprostatic extension (EPE), and mimics of PCa on this sequence. We will also discuss optimal technical acquisition parameters for this sequence and recent technical advancements in T2WI. Second, we will delineate the role that mpMRI plays in the staging of PCa and describe the implications of the information that mpMRI can provide in determining the most appropriate management plan for the patient with PCa.
High-Resolution Structural Insight into the Myosin VI-F-Actin Interface

The large superfamily of myosin motor proteins is responsible for movement and force generation at multiple scales of biology, ranging from muscle contraction to intracellular transport. While the mechanism of actomyosin has been subject to extensive biophysical, biochemical, and structural characterization, to our knowledge no high-resolution structure has been obtained of a myosin-F-actin interface, a major gap in the complete mechanistic characterization of myosins. Making use of recent methodological developments in cryo-EM, here we present a 4.5 A resolution reconstruction of an engineered myosin VI, an unconventional minus-end directed motor, in a nucleotide-free state bound to F-actin. We observe rearrangements in both the myosin motor domain and actin relative to structures of these components in isolation, suggesting a reciprocal relationship between actin and myosin conformation during force generation. In addition to providing mechanistic insights specific to myosin VI, this study paves the way for high-resolution structural analysis of diverse actomyosin complexes.
The Field Crew Symposium: A Model for Initial Implementation of a Collaborative Archaeology Project

In recent years, scholars have convincingly argued, on both ethical and epistemic grounds, for the need for archaeological research “with, for, and by” descendant communities. Realizing such collaborative projects, however, is often challenging, and the prospect of beginning such an endeavor intimidating. This article shares a successful methodology implemented in the Xaltocan Archaeological Project (PAX) carried out in 2009–2011 in Mexico. This format—field crew-centered education in the context of excavations, culminating in a public symposium by all team members disseminating preliminary findings—is a simple, manageable way to begin engaging descendants. In addition to describing the symposium format, I discuss how I mitigated two major challenges to its implementation: (1) incentive or compensation (and, thereby, funding) and (2) community members’ critical assessments of their own relevant knowledge. I reflect on the impact of the symposium on subsequent collaborative efforts, and I contemplate institutional obstacles that remain for scholars attempting to decolonize archaeological research in Mexico. Finally, I consider how the symposium format could be implemented in other research contexts.
A Study on the Characteristics of Reaction Kinetics of Chloromethylthiirane Crosslinked Chitosan

FTIR is used to characterize the chloromethylthiirane crosslinked chitosan,reaction characters as influence of the concentration of the chitosan solution,process parameters of the synthetic reaction and synthetic kinetics are studied.Results show that the crosslinking reaction is mainly on amino and hydroxyl groups;the product of better crosslinking degree can be got when the mass ratio of chitosan and chloromethylthiirane is 0.5:3.0,the temperature is 80℃ and the stirring rate is 900r/min;the crosslinking reaction is a reaction of non-linear(reticular) step polymerization.
Studies on Intelligence and P_300 Event-related Potentials in the Lead Poisoned Children

Objective To probe into the basis of brain electrophysiology of the neuropsychological and behavioral toxicity, the lead poisoned childrens changes of the intelligence and P300 Event-related Potentials ' were studied in this article. Methods According to the blood lead level and questionnaire about personal, social and family, some factors related to intelligence were excluded. The 45 children aged 6 to 12 were divided into two groups: the high lead group (Pb ≥100 g/L) and the low lead group (Pb 100 g/L). The two groups were measured the Weschsier Intelligence Scales (WISC) and the P300 Event-related Potentials (ERP) separately. Results This article reported that General IQ and Verbal IQ were significantly lower in high lead group than in low lead group. The studies of ERP in lead poisoned children indicated the amplitude of N200, P300 decreased and the latency of N200, P300 increased. Conclusion The WISC was widely used as a standard of IQ. P300 Event-related Potentials could directly reflect cerebral function: P300 was widely used as an assessment of human advanced mental function. Through these studies, the fundament of neuro-electrophysiology and the evidence for prevention, diagnosis and therapy of neurotoxicity and neuropsychological deficit in lead poisoned children was provided.
Reply to Ed Whelan on the Garland Affair

In The Garland Affair, we present historical evidence to suggest that Senate Republicans’ current plan to prevent President Obama from appointing a replacement for Justice Scalia, regardless of the particular merits of his nominees, is historically unprecedented. The plan thus raises a set of pragmatic and constitutional risks that have not yet been fully appreciated and warrant reconsideration of this plan. In a six-part series of responses in the National Review, Ed Whelan promises to show that our essay “provide[s] no reason for Senate Republicans to reconsider their course on the Garland nomination” (emphasis added). But for reasons we explain here, Whelan does not deliver on this promise. Whelan brings his characteristic intelligence to bear on these issues, and he engages very carefully with our evidence and conclusions. As the leader of one of the nation’s preeminent conservative think tanks, Whelan has plenty of incentive to show we are wrong. Despite all of this, our analysis emerges undented — thus suggesting that the problem we describe in our original essay is perhaps even more acute than we initially posited.
Deactivation of hydrodechlorination catalysts: II — Experiments with 1,1-dichloroethylene and 1,1-dichloroethane

Abstract In an earlier paper [K.A. Frankel, B.W.-L. Jang, J.J. Spivey, G.W. Roberts, Appl. Catal. A, in press], it was shown that certain alumina and Pt/alumina catalysts deactivated rapidly during the hydrodechlorination (HDC) of 1,1,1-trichloroethane (111-TCA) at temperatures between 423 and 623 K. Large quantities of coke were formed on these catalysts at some conditions. In the present research, the deactivation associated with four intermediates in the HDC of 111-TCA; 1,1-dichloroethylene (11-DCE), 1,1-dichloroethane (11-DCA), chloroethane, and ethylene, was investigated. Experiments were carried out with ηδ-alumina and 3% Pt/η-alumina at 423 and 523 K, atmospheric pressure, and at a H 2 /chlorinated hydrocarbon/He ratio of 10/1/89. The ηδ-alumina, without Pt, catalyzed the removal of one molecule of HCl from each of the saturated chlorocarbons. Deactivation of the ηδ-alumina was rapid with 111-TCA and 11-DCA, and relatively slow with chloroethane. There was no reaction over ηδ-alumina when 11-DCE was fed. The fresh Pt/η-alumina catalyst was able to remove all of the Cl from the chlorocarbons. This catalyst deactivated with 111-TCA and 11-DCA, but no deactivation was observed with 11-DCE and chloroethane. At comparable conditions, much more coke was deposited on the Pt/η-alumina catalyst with 111-TCA than with any of the other compounds. Hydrochloric acid did not appear to cause deactivation. A reaction scheme is proposed to summarize the major reaction pathways and to identify potential causes of catalyst deactivation.
A Conversation with the World

“A Conversation with the World” was compiled by Audrey Maretzki, IK: Other Ways of Knowing editor, and is based on telephone conversations with Mr. Graham who provided personal biographical documents as well as information about the youth whose photos were selected for inclusion in this article.
Identification and Chemical Standardization of Licorice Raw Materials and Dietary Supplements Using UHPLC-MS/MS

Defined as the roots and underground stems of principally three Glycyrrhiza species, Glycyrrhiza glabra L., Glycyrrhiza uralensis Fish. ex DC., and Glycyrrhiza inflata Batalin, licorice has been used as a medicinal herb for millennia and is marketed as root sticks, powders, and extracts. Identity tests described in most pharmacopeial monographs enabled the distinction of Glycyrrhiza species. Accordingly, an ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) assay using the method of standard addition was developed to quantify 14 licorice components (liquiritin, isoliquiritin, liquiritin apioside, isoliquiritin apioside, licuraside, liquiritigenin, isoliquiritigenin, glycyrrhizin, glycyrrhetinic acid, glabridin, glycycoumarin, licoricidin, licochalcone A, and p-hydroxybenzylmalonic acid), representing several natural product classes including chalcones, flavanones, saponins, and isoflavonoids. Using this approach, G. glabra, G. uralensis, and G. inflata in a variety of forms...
Development and validation of a high-fidelity phonomicrosurgical trainer.

Objectives To validate the use of a high-fidelity phonomicrosurgical trainer. Study Design A high-fidelity phonomicrosurgical trainer, based on a previously validated model by Contag et al.,1 was designed with multilayered vocal folds that more closely mimic the consistency of true vocal folds, containing intracordal lesions to practice phonomicrosurgical removal. A training module was developed to simulate the true phonomicrosurgical experience. A validation study with novice and expert surgeons was conducted. Methods Novices and experts were instructed to remove the lesion from the synthetic vocal folds, and novices were given four training trials. Performances were measured by the amount of time spent and tissue injury (microflap, superficial, deep) to the vocal fold. An independent Student t test and Fisher exact tests were used to compare subjects. A matched-paired t test and Wilcoxon signed rank tests were used to compare novice performance on the first and fourth trials and assess for improvement. Results Experts completed the excision with less total errors than novices (P = .004) and made less injury to the microflap (P = .05) and superficial tissue (P = .003). Novices improved their performance with training, making less total errors (P = .002) and superficial tissue injuries (P = .02) and spending less time for removal (P = .002) after several practice trials. Conclusion This high-fidelity phonomicrosurgical trainer has been validated for novice surgeons. It can distinguish between experts and novices; and after training, it helped to improve novice performance. Level of Evidence N/A. Laryngoscope, 127:888–893, 2017
Multi-mode heterodyned 5th-order infrared spectroscopy

Fifth-order multidimensional infrared spectroscopy with heterodyned detection was carried out in the three-beam dual-frequency configuration. Numerous 5th-order cross peaks were detected for the 4-azidobutyrate-N-hydroxysuccinimide ester compound in solution involving several vibrational modes ranging in frequency from 1045 to 2100 cm−1. Cross peaks involving overtones (2X/Z) and combination bands (XY/Z) among the tags, modes X and Y excited by the first two mid-IR laser pulses, and the reporter, modes Z excited by the third laser pulse, were acquired and the factors affecting the amplitude of 5th-order cross peaks are discussed. The 5th-order cross peaks were detected among modes that are spatially close (a few bonds apart) as well as for modes spatially separated by ca. 12 A (eight bonds apart). In both cases, the waiting time dependences for the 3rd and 5th order cross peaks were found to be different. In particular, the waiting time at which the cross-peak maximum is reached, the decay time, and the v...
Probing Manganese Ion Distributions Around Nucleic Acids using Small Angle X-Ray Scattering

Manganese ions are divalent cations that have profound biological roles in cellular processes, e.g. they are involved in folding of some RNAs and in some DNA conformational changes. We use two experimental Small-Angle X-ray Scattering (SAXS) based approaches to probe the distribution of Manganese ions around nucleic acids. SAXS is a solution-based technique that is sensitive to the ion cloud and hydration layer around nucleic acids. By absolutely calibrating SAXS data, we can accurately characterize the ion cloud distribution and the water layer around DNA.
Characterizing Data Dependence Constraints for Dynamic Reliability Using n-Queens Attack Domains

As data centers attempt to cope with the exponential growth of data, new techniques for intelligent, software-defined data centers (SDDC) are being developed to confront the scale and pace of changing resources and requirements. For cost-constrained environments, like those increasingly present in scientific research labs, SDDCs also may provide better reliability and performability with no additional hardware through the use of dynamic syndrome allocation. To do so, the middleware layers of SDDCs must be able to calculate and account for complex dependence relationships to determine an optimal data layout. This challenge is exacerbated by the growth of constraints on the dependence problem when available resources are both large (due to a higher number of syndromes that can be stored) and small (due to the lack of available space for syndrome allocation). We present a quantitative method for characterizing these challenges using an analysis of attack domains for high-dimension variants of the $n$-queens problem that enables performable solutions via the SMT solver Z3. We demonstrate correctness of our technique, and provide experimental evidence of its efficacy; our implementation is publicly available.
Benchmarking Telestroke Proficiency: Page-to-Needle Time Among Neurovascular Fellows and Attendings.

Background and Purpose— Formal telestroke training for neurovascular fellows (NVFs) is necessary because of growing use of telestroke technologies in the management of acute ischemic stroke; yet, educational approaches and training benchmarks are not formalized. Time between telestroke consultant page and tissue-type plasminogen activator administration (page-to-needle time, PTNT) can provide an objective measure of proficiency. We compared PTNT between NVFs and neurovascular attendings (NVAs) and evaluated changes in PTNT with experience. Methods— We identified suspected acute ischemic stroke patients in our telestroke registry from July 2013 to December 2015 who received tissue-type plasminogen activator. Using multivariable quantile regression, we estimated the difference and 95% confidence interval in median PTNT between NVFs and NVAs. We also report the coefficient of change in PTNT over increasing number of telestroke consults. Results— NVFs evaluated 53.7% of 618 tissue-type plasminogen activator cases over telestroke. NVAs had significantly shorter PTNT compared with NVFs, with a difference in median PTNT of −9 minutes (95% confidence interval, −12.3 to −5.7). This difference persisted when adjusted for relative tissue-type plasminogen activator contraindications. For each additional telestroke consult, PTNT decreased by 0.07 minutes for NVFs or NVAs ( P =0.02 and Conclusions— PTNT improves by ≈1 minute for every 14 consults for both NVFs and NVAs. Our findings support the importance of integrating telestroke training into supervised neurovascular fellowships to increase proficiency prior to independent practice and suggest that PTNT can be a benchmark for tracking proficiency.
Cost-effectiveness of per oral endoscopic myotomy relative to laparoscopic Heller myotomy for the treatment of achalasia

Per oral endoscopic myotomy (POEM) has recently emerged as a viable option relative to the classic approach of laparoscopic Heller myotomy (LHM) for the treatment of esophageal achalasia. In this cost-utility analysis of POEM and LHM, we hypothesized that POEM would be cost-effective relative to LHM. A stochastic cost-utility analysis of treatment for achalasia was performed to determine the cost-effectiveness of POEM relative to LHM. Costs were estimated from the provider perspective and obtained from our institution’s cost-accounting database. The measure of effectiveness was quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) which were estimated from direct elicitation of utility using a visual analog scale. The primary outcome was the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER). Uncertainty was assessed by bootstrapping the sample and computing the cost-effectiveness acceptability curve (CEAC). Patients treated within an 11-year period (2004–2016) were recruited for participation (20 POEM, 21 LHM). During the index admission, the mean costs for POEM ($8630 ± $2653) and the mean costs for LHM ($7604 ± $2091) were not significantly different (P = 0.179). Additionally, mean QALYs for POEM (0.413 ± 0.248) were higher than that associated with LHM (0.357 ± 0.338), but this difference was also not statistically significant (P = 0.55). The ICER suggested that it would cost an additional $18,536 for each QALY gained using POEM. There was substantial uncertainty in the ICER; there was a 48.25% probability that POEM was cost-effective at the mean ICER. At a willingness-to-pay threshold of $100,000, there was a 68.31% probability that POEM was cost-effective relative to LHM. In the treatment of achalasia, POEM appears to be cost-effective relative to LHM depending on one’s willingness-to-pay for an additional QALY.
Telemedicine in the perioperative experience

Telemedicine, the remote diagnosis and treatment of patients by means of technology, provides an alternative means for patients to gain access to health care services. Telemedicine is a general term that includes the use of various communication technologies, including telephone, email, or videoconferencing. Telemedicine has the potential to reduce inefficiencies in the delivery of healthcare, diminish patient travel and wait times, and increase access to specialists for patients in rural settings. We review the use of telemedicine in the perioperative phase of care for pediatric surgical patients, their caregivers, and surgical providers, including pre-operative assessments, and post-operative follow-up. We also discuss physician billing compliance with remote telemedicine consultation and explore the barriers to adoption among the caregivers of pediatric surgery patients.
Gallium arsenide (GaAs) leaching behavior and surface chemistry changes in response to pH and O2.

Abstract Gallium arsenide (GaAs) is a material widely used in electronic devices. Disposal of electronic waste containing GaAs in municipal solid waste landfills raises concerns about the public health and ecological risks associated with the potential release of toxic arsenic (As) species. In this study, different tests were performed to investigate the leaching behavior of particulate GaAs in aqueous solutions. In the U.S. Toxicity Characteristic Leaching Procedure (TCLP) and California Waste Extraction Test (WET), the concentrations of As released from the GaAs particles were about 2.6–2.8-fold higher than the regulatory limit (5 mg/L). A much higher As concentration (72 mg/L), accounting for as much as 15.4% of the initial As in GaAs, was solubilized in a pH-7.6 synthetic landfill leachate under ambient atmosphere after 120 days. Additional tests performed to evaluate the dissolution of GaAs under a range of redox conditions, pH levels, ionic strength, and presence of organic constituents commonly found in landfills revealed that oxic environments and mildly alkaline conditions (pH 8.1–8.5) promote release of As (chiefly arsenite) and gallium species to the surrounding aqueous environment. The rate of As release in long-term exposure experiments was initially constant but later progressively diminished, likely due to the formation of a passivating layer on the surface of GaAs consisting of corrosion products rich in poorly soluble gallium oxides (Ga2O3 and Ga(OH)3). This hypothesis was confirmed by surface analysis of GaAs particles subjected to leaching using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). These findings suggest that further research is needed to assess the potential release of toxic As from electronic waste in municipal landfills.
Macrocolloidal Transport in Membrane Filters in Slow Laminar Flows: Polarization Chromatography

Particle transport in crossflow membrane filters is the result of complex interactions originating from module hydrodynamics, suspension chemistry and external forces. Experimental and theoretical investigations of particle transport in dilute suspensions were conducted in a laboratory model membrane filter to understand fundamental aspects of macrocolloidal transport. Particle residence time distributions (RTDs) were obtained experimentally under varying hydrodynamic conditions in the filter by making pulse inputs. Under conditions of laminar flow, particle transport can be divided into two regimes: convection dominated and diffusion dominated. Convective transport is described quantitatively by theories of particle mechanics as evidenced by correlations presented regarding the first passage time as well as the peak response. Diffusive transport is demonstrated by multiple peaks in the RTDs under existing experimental conditions. Understanding these transport processes can lead to a more rational design, selection and operation of membrane systems and pre-treatment options.
Virtual lab of connected vehicle technology

This paper presents a virtual lab of connected vehicle technology. The virtual lab features an interactive website where remote users, who are unable to learn connected vehicle technology at expensive real labs, can interact with the virtual environment. A team of traffic engineers, computer scientists/engineers, and electrical engineers propose this integrated and high-fidelity simulation platform to evaluate the timeliness and reliability of network design for vehicle-to-vehicle, vehicle-to-infrastructure, and vehicle-to-handheld device wireless communications. The work pioneers the interdisciplinary research of transportation cyber-physical systems by combining microscopic traffic simulation and computer network simulation. The model incorporates driving maneuvers, traffic dynamics, and control strategies to provide a realistic environment. The influence of transportation features on data rate and channel access of communication network is closely examined to evaluate the timing and reliability requirements. The paper also examines the effectiveness of virtual labs comparable to real labs in engineering education and training.
Subcultures and Countercultures

The definition of ‘subculture’ has changed quite markedly since the term came into common use in the 1940s. Its original associations with deviant male youth behavior have broadened to include loose grouping of people who share common lifestyle and consumption patterns. This has led some researchers to question the utility of the term. Generally speaking subcultures are defined as groups of people who share norms of behavior, values, beliefs, consumption patterns, and lifestyle choices that differ to varying degrees from those of the dominant, mainstream culture. Language plays a key role in the creation and maintenance of subcultures as a way to signal distinctiveness.
Mode of slip and crust–mantle interaction at oceanic transform faults

Oceanic transform faults, connecting offset mid-ocean spreading centres, rupture quasi-periodically in earthquakes up to about magnitude M 7.0 that are often preceded by foreshocks. In addition to seismic slip, a large portion of slip takes place as aseismic creep, which likely influences initiation of large earthquakes. Although oceanic transform faults are one of the major types of plate boundaries, the exact mode of slip and interaction between the seismic and aseismic motion remains unclear. Here we present a detailed model of the mode of slip at oceanic transform faults based on data acquired from a recent temporary deployment of ocean-bottom seismometers at the Blanco Transform Fault and existing regional and teleseismic observations. In the model, the crustal part of the fault is brittle and fully seismically coupled, while the fault in the mantle, shallower than the depth of the 600 °C isotherm, creeps partially and episodically. The creep activates small asperities in the mantle that produce seismic swarms. Both mantle and the crustal zones release most of the plate-motion strain during large-magnitude earthquakes. Large earthquakes appear to be preceded by a brief episode of shallow mantle creep, accompanied by seismic swarms, which explains the observation of foreshocks and shows that mantle creep likely influences initiation of large seismic events. Earthquakes in the crust and mantle at transform faults are distinct yet coupled, with seismic swarms in the mantle apparently preceding large earthquakes, according to ocean-bottom seismic monitoring of the Blanco Transform Fault.
The Contingent Value of Entrepreneurial Orientation in Venturing through Corporate Acquisitions

Does a firm’s entrepreneurial orientation (EO) play a role in creating or destroying value through corporate acquisitions? As the source of sustainable competitive advantage continues to shift from...
Understanding the future of lithium: Part 1, resource model

Lithium is a critical energy material in part due to an array of emerging technologies from electric vehicles to renewable energy systems that rely on large‐format lithium ion batteries. Recent growth in demand for lithium is primarily from increased use in batteries, which comprised 46% of total lithium by end use in 2017. These technologies are often deployed to improve environmental sustainability, yet the environmental effects and sustainability of the resources they rely on are often not well understood, especially as demand increases over time. This is the first in a two part article series that together quantify the lithium resource use and its environmental effects over time by coupling a resource production model and life cycle assessment model. In this first part, a novel resource production model is developed to create scenarios of future lithium demand and production characteristics (e.g., timing, location, and ore type). These scenarios are then used to create a life cycle assessment in part two that captures temporal and spatial changes in production systems over time. Results of the resource production model show global lithium resources range from 293 to 527 million metric tons (Mt) of lithium carbonate equivalent (LCE). Global production will likely increase from 237,000 metric tons LCE in 2018 to 4.4–7.5 Mt LCE/year by 2100. Even with rapidly increasing demand, production from high‐grade brines may satisfy most lithium demand through 2035. Though resources can meet demand through 2100, development of lower grade and unfavorable deposits is likely required after 2050.
Regional differences in airway susceptibility to cigarette smoke: An investigational case study of epithelial function and gene alterations in in vitro airway epithelial three-dimensional cultures:

Cigarette smoke (CS) is a risk factor contributing to lung remodeling in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). COPD is a heterogeneous disease because many factors contribute in varying deg...