cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Analysis of Interventional Chemotherapy for 49 Cases with Cervical Cancer

To evaluate the efficacy and complication of uterine arterial chemotherapy for cervical carcinoma. Forty-cases with cervical carcinoma underwent intervention therapy by seldinger's technique. The combined antineoplastic agents were infused into uterine artery through right femoral artery. The relative clinical symptoms were relieved in all patients. The sizes of tumors were reduced in 46 patients. The response rate was 93.8%. [Conclusion] The interventional chemotherapy can be a routine adjuvent therapy before operation.
Common Neurologic Issues

Neurological diseases are prevalent in homebound older adults and directly impact the quality of life. This chapter reviews some of the common neurologic issues that a home-based medical practitioner may encounter and provides a comprehensive diagnostic and treatment approach to managing such conditions in the home.
Circulation of donor lymphocytes after blood transfusion in man

Atypical lymphocytes (ATL) appear in the circulation of a large proportion of patients during the first week following a blood transfusion. In order to determine the source of these ATL, cytogenetic studies were performed on the peripheral blood leukocytes of ten adult patients who received fresh blood from donors of the opposite sex. Nine of the ten patients had spontaneously dividing mononuclear cells of the recipient or host karyotype circulating during the latter part of the first week after transfusion. In two patients, the spontaneously dividing cells were of donor as well as of host origin. Six patients had circulating phyothemagglutinin-responsive lymphocytes of the donor karyotype noted from 1-7 days after transfusion. These findings lend support to our hypothesis that the increase in circulating atypical lymphocytes seen 1 wk after transfusion represents the counterpart in vivo of the in vitro mixed leukocyte reaction. The dividing donor cells may represent a subclinical graft-versus-host reaction.
Tunisian isolates of Trichoderma spp. and Bacillus subtilis can control Botrytis fabae on faba bean

ABSTRACTFaba bean crops worldwide are often attacked by different diseases, particularly chocolate spot caused by Botrytis fabae Sard. Fungal and bacterial isolates collected from faba bean and barley leaves in Tunisia were evaluated for their antagonistic potential against B. fabae. In a test on detached leaves, the highest rate of decrease in disease severity was scored by Trichoderma viride, followed by T. harzianum, the fungicide Carbendazim then Bacillus subtilis. Under glasshouse conditions, all tested fungi resulted in significant disease severity reduction. T. viride reduced the rate of chocolate spot infestation on leaves and stems by 35% and 31.5%, respectively, when the rate on the control was 100%. For T. harzianum, Carbendazim and B. Subtilis, the rates of infestation on the leaves were 41.7%, 43.1% and 59.7%, respectively. On the stems, T. harzianum scored the lowest rate of 54.2% followed by B. subtilis with 79.2% then Carbendazim with 87.5%. Two consecutive seasons of field trials using th...
Spontaneous Dilated Cardiomyopathy and Right-Sided Heart Failure as a Differential Diagnosis for Hepatosis Dietetica in a Production Pig.

An experimentally naive 37.7-kg Yorkshire-crossbred gilt died unexpectedly 2 d after arrival. Necropsy revealed severe dilated cardiomyopathy characterized grossly by markedly dilated ventricles and thinned ventricular walls and interventricular septum. Histologically there was multifocal myofiber attenuation and patchy loss of myofiber cross striations. The liver contained submassive to massive, diffuse hepatic centrilobular hemorrhage and degeneration. These lesions supported a diagnosis of dilated cardiomyopathy with right heart failure and secondary hepatic degeneration due to marked acute passive congestion. To our knowledge, this case is the first report of spontaneous dilated cardiomyopathy in swine and represents a potential diagnostic challenge regarding the differentiation of the cardiac-associated liver lesion from hepatosis dietetica. The diagnosis of dilated cardiomyopathy and right-sided heart failure was supported by the character of the hepatic lesion, absence of typical gross or histologic lesions of mulberry heart disease, and normal selenium levels.
Psychological Testing and Assessment

This chapter reviews the topic of psychological assessment during internship. The goals and strategies of assessment are considered, as well as the targets or areas of assessment. Interns may use this information to form meaningful referral questions, identify appropriate psychological tests, and determine viable test strategies. The chapter concludes with a discussion of the assessment process, from the initial referral to the writing of the report.
Toward Ecosystem Management: Shifts in the Core and the Context of Urban Forest Ecology

The core of urban forest ecology is the body of scientific knowledge found in the literature. The formation of this core began in the 1950s and 1960s and took shape in the 1970s and 1980s with formal studies of structure and function. During the following ten years, the idea of the urban forest ecosystem was introduced, and is now the basis for further development of the scientific core. The context for this core is provided by statements of public policy and perceptions of land management needs. An important shift is occurring in context as land management organizations, ranging from urban-based alliances to state and federal agencies, embrace the ecosystem concept as an approach to understanding and governing complex mixtures of biophysical and human phenomena using a hierarchy of time and space scales. This rapid shift in context places a burden on the scientific core to articulate and test models of urban forest ecosystems. To accomplish this, an approach to research is needed that will help us understand how urban, periurban, and exurban lands interact functionally with other components of the larger landscape. Part of this approach requires scientists and managers to develop a common vocabulary and set of realistic expectations to confront problems of systems complexity and uncertainty.
Quantification of Fluorescence Enhancement Due to Dielectrophoresis and the Plasmonic Effect Using Time-Resolved Fluorescence

We used time-resolved fluorescence to show that dielectrophoresis can increases the fluorescence emission due to the plasmonic effect near nanostructured metallic electrodes by a factor of 3, which can significantly reduce the detection sensitivity.
Linking TIMSS and NAEP assessments to evaluate international trends in achievement

The Trends in International Mathematics and Science Study (TIMSS) makes it possible to compare the performance of students in the US in Mathematics and Science to the performance of students in other countries. TIMSS uses four international benchmarks for describing student achievement: Low, Intermediate, High, and Advanced. In this study, we linked the eighth-grade Math TIMSS and NAEP scales using equipercentile equating to (a) help better interpret U.S. eighth-grade students’ performance on TIMSS, and (b) investigate the progress of eighth-grade U.S. students over time relative to the progress of students in other countries. Results indicated that relative to other countries, U.S. eighth-grade students increased with respect to the “At or Above Basic” NAEP Achievement level, but that other countries saw larger improvements in the higher achievement level categories, relative to the US. This finding may reflect the emphasis of No Child Left Behind on raising lower achievement to “proficient.” However, with respect to “Advanced” mathematics achievement, eighth-grade U.S. students showed less improvement than students in other countries.
A Comparative Study 4500-V Edge Termination Techniques for SiC Devices

This paper compares five edge termination techniques for SiC high-voltage devices: single zone junction termination extension (JTE), ring assisted-JTE (RA-JTE), multiple floating zone-JTE, hybrid-JTE, and floating field rings. PiN diodes with these edge terminations were fabricated on a 4.5kV-rated 4H-silicon carbide (4H-SiC) epi-layer. It was experimentally demonstrated that the Hybrid-JTE provides a nearly ideal breakdown voltage (~ 99% of the ideal parallel plane breakdown voltage) with a stable avalanche blocking behavior. RA-JTE, with tight control of the JTE implant dose, is demonstrated to be the most area-efficient edge termination structure for SiC power devices.
Potential Metabolic Activation of a Representative C4-Alkylated Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Retene (1-Methyl-7-isopropyl-phenanthrene) Associated with the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill in Human Hepatoma (HepG2) Cells.

Exposure to petrogenic polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PPAHs) in the food chain is the major human health hazard associated with the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. C4-Phenanthrenes are representative PPAHs present in the crude oil and could contaminate the seafood. We describe the metabolism of a C4-phenanthrene regioisomer retene (1-methyl-7-isopropyl-phenanthrene) in human HepG2 cells as a model for metabolism in human hepatocytes. Retene because of its sites of alkylation cannot be metabolized to a diol-epoxide. The structures of the metabolites were identified by HPLC-UV-fluorescence detection and LC–MS/MS. O-Monosulfonated-retene-catechols were discovered as signature metabolites of the ortho-quinone pathway of PAH activation catalyzed by aldo-keto reductases. We also found evidence for the formation of bis-ortho-quinones where the two dicarbonyl groups were present on different rings of retene. The identification of O-monosulfonated-retene-catechol and O-bismethyl-O-monoglucuronosyl-retene-bis-catec...
Patterns and Correlates of Adherence to Self-Monitoring in Lung Transplant Recipients during the First 12-months after Discharge from Transplant

Self-monitoring of lung function, vital signs, and symptoms is crucial for lung transplant recipients (LTRs) to ensure early detection of complications and prompt intervention. This study sought to identify patterns and correlates of adherence to self-monitoring among LTRs over the first 12-months post-discharge from transplant. This study analyzed existing data from the usual care arm participants of a randomized clinical trial who tracked self-monitoring activities using paper-and-pencil logs. Adherence was calculated as the percent of days LTRs recorded any self-monitoring data per interval: hospital discharge-2 months, 3-6 months, and 7-12 months. The sample (N=91) was mostly white (87.9%), male (61.5%), with a mean age of 57.2±13.8 years. Group-based trajectory analyses revealed 2 groups: 1) moderately adherent with slow decline (n=29, 31.9%) and 2) persistently nonadherent (n=62, 68.1%). Multivariate binary logistic regression revealed the following baseline factors increased the risk in the persistently nonadherent group: female (p=.035), higher anxiety (p=.008), and weaker sense of personal control over health (p=.005). Poorer physical health over 12-months were associated with increased risk in the persistently nonadherent group (p=.004). This study highlighted several modifiable factors for future interventions to target, including reducing post-transplant anxiety, and strengthening sense of personal control over health in LTRs. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Can agricultural practices that mitigate or improve crop resilience to climate change also manage crop pests

Sustainable agricultural practices that are promoted for mitigating climate change have the potential to also improve pest management. The author highlights recent studies that demonstrate effects of climate-mitigating agricultural practices on arthropod pests and predators in agronomic cropping systems. Promising practices for suppressing pests and/or improving biological control include: plant species diversification, especially via the addition of perennial species; cover cropping; tillage practices that retain crop residue; application of organic fertilizers such as compost and manure; and water management practices such as irrigation and sustainable rice intensification. More research is needed that explicitly tests pest and predator responses to agricultural practices under climate change conditions, if these practices are to be effectively promoted and implemented as agricultural pest management strategies.
Sampling designs for soil organic carbon stock assessment of soil profiles

Abstract We investigated four sampling designs for soil organic carbon (SOC) stock assessment of soil profiles: (i) sampling by horizons, (ii) vertical transect sampling, (iii) depth-based stratified random sampling, (iv) fuzzy c-means sampling in which we explored the use of vis-NIR spectroscopy, image analysis and color models. An Alfisol and Mollisol profile wall (1 × 1 m) was divided into a 10 × 10 cm raster and 100 samples (about 200 g each) were collected at the centers of grid cells for SOC analysis. Bulk density samples were collected from each 10-cm depth interval along a single vertical transect and the SOC stock was calculated using 100 points in the profile wall. Horizon-based sampling for the Mollisol (5 horizons) ranged from 231 to 262 Mg C ha − 1 , whereas it ranged from 69 to 99 Mg C ha − 1 in the Alfisol (3 horizons). The SOC stocks obtained by 1 to 7 vertical transects ranged from 68 to 81 Mg C ha − 1 in the Alfisol, and 239 to 246 Mg C ha − 1 in the Mollisol. Depth-based stratified random sampling resulted in the SOC stocks ranging from 77 to 82 Mg C ha − 1 in the Alfisol and 234 to 257 Mg C ha − 1 in the Mollisol, and the standard errors decreased with increasing sample size from 10 to 70. Fuzzy c-means clustering created clusters similar to the field delineated horizons. A sample size of 7 in both profiles was sufficient to estimate the mean profile SOC stock by fuzzy c-means sampling. The CIE L*a*b* color model resulted in more accurate estimation in the Alfisol, but the vis-NIR spectra resulted in more accurate estimation in the Mollisol. Soil depth improved the performance of vis-NIR spectra. It is concluded that in these soils, at least two or three vertical transects are required to capture the horizontal variation for estimating profile SOC stock. Depth-wise stratified random sampling reduces the number of samples and is suitable when horizontal variation is high. Fuzzy c-means sampling is useful to determine the minimum sample size for profile SOC stock assessment but requires ancillary data and processing before sampling the soil profile.
A Nonparametric Statistical Technique for Modeling Overland TMI (2A12) Rainfall Retrieval Error

In this letter, we evaluate a nonparametric error model for Tropical Rainfall Measurement Mission (TRMM) passive microwave (PMW) rainfall (2A12) product over coverage in the southern continental United States, and assess the impact of surface soil moisture information on the model’s performance. Reference precipitation was based on high-resolution (5 min/1 km) rainfall fields derived from the NOAA/National Severe Storms Laboratory multiradar multisensor system. The error model was evaluated using a K-fold validation experiment using systematic and random error statistics of the model-adjusted TRMM Microwave Imager rainfall point estimates, and ensemble verification statistics of the corresponding prediction intervals. Results show better performance, particularly in the accuracy of the prediction intervals, when near-surface soil moisture was used as input parameter. The error model can be extended using the TRMM and Global Precipitation Measurement satellite missions’ precipitation radar rainfall and satellite soil moisture data sets to characterize globally the uncertainty of PMW products.
Speech Understanding in Complex Listening Environments by Listeners Fit With Cochlear Implants

Purpose The aim of this article is to summarize recent published and unpublished research from our 2 laboratories on improving speech understanding in complex listening environments by listeners fi...
Unmixing multiple intimate mixtures using manifold clustering

In this paper, we will show that the Hapke model, a well known radiative transfer scattering model for intimate mixtures, when considered as a nonlinear function of endmember grain sizes, abundances, illumination and viewing angles, can be represented geometrically as a low dimensional manifold with a gentle curvature. In this scenario, we can represent the data cloud of a scene composed by several intimate mixtures with shared endmembers as a set of intersecting manifolds. We propose a manifold-clustering based method to identify the different intimate mixtures by learning the optimal geometrical separation of a linear approximation of the corresponding manifolds. Unmixing is then performed separately in each discovered cluster by a modification of the ISOMAP embedding that takes into account that the Hapke model produces data clouds exhibiting an increasing density gradient from bright to dark endmembers. Given the lack of availability of ground truth and datasets of known intimate mixture measurements, we test the algorithm on several simulated datasets generated using a version of the Hapke model.
Greening the debate: timing, locality and participation in predicting success of environmental justice campaigns

Organisations in the mainstream environmental movement are larger, stronger, better funded and more knowledgeable than at any previous time. Polls consistently show very high levels of public support for environmental protection for government, corporate and individual action to address climate change. But individual campaigns around climate justice still enjoy limited success. In fact, a survey of climate justice campaigns undertaken by the EJOLT project Environmental Justice Atlas (2017) suggests that of 40 recent EJ campaigns in the Western Hemisphere relating specifically to fossil fuels and climate justice, only 14 were a clear success. How have successful climate justice campaigns have differed from those that have enjoyed more limited success? This paper examines the characteristics of over 40 climate justice campaigns carried out in North America to determine what qualities successful climate justice campaigns share.
Prevalence, Diagnosis, and Treatment Rates of Mood Disorders among Opioid Users under Criminal Justice Supervision.

Background: Individuals involved in the criminal justice system have disproportionately high rates of psychiatric disorders when compared to the general U.S. population. If left untreated, the likelihood of subsequent arrest increases and risk for adverse health consequences is great, particularly among opioid users. Objectives: To explore the prevalence, characteristics, and treatment of mood disorders among justice involved opioid-dependent populations. Methods: The current study enrolled 258 treatment-seeking opioid-dependent individuals under community-based criminal justice supervision (e.g., probation, parole) screened from the larger parent study, Project STRIDE, a seek/test/treat randomized control trial (RCT) examining HIV and opioid use treatment. During baseline, individuals were screened for depression using the Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and screened for bipolar disorder using the Mood Disorder Questionnaire (MDQ) tool. Results: Overall, 78 (30%) participants screened posi...
Thermal and Electrical Conductance of Carbon Nanostructures

Virtual absence of atomic-scale defects in carbon nanotubes has exciting consequences in terms of their thermal and electrical conductance. The unusually high thermal conductance value of λ≈6, 600 W/m-K, predicted for nanotubes at room temperature, exceeds that of any known material, and results from a combination of large phonon mean free path, speed of sound and specific heat. Our electrical transport calculations, performed using a scattering technique based on the Landauer-Buttiker formalism, suggest that the conductance of inhomogeneous multi-wall nanotubes may show an unusual fractional quantization behavior, in agreement with recent experimental data.
Challenges with Developing Driving Simulation Systems for Robotic Vehicles

There are a number of reasons to use computer-based simulation in human-robot interaction research. Most predominant is the assessment of humanin-the-loop interactions for robotic technologies that do not yet exist, are in prototype development, or are in early test and evaluation stages of development. In these cases, simulation can provide insight into how the human may interact with the real world robotic vehicle. However, there are a number of challenges to designing and developing these simulations so that findings translate to interaction with real-world systems. This work specifically looks at the incorporation of human factors into driving simulations for robotic military vehicles. Three use cases address a number of these challenges.
Conservation of Physical Attributes of Animate and Inanimate Objects

Children's (N = 83 boys and girls in kindergarten and first grade) responses to a series of conservation tasks (number, length, mass, weight) which had animate and inanimate referent objects, in tw...
Application of Behavioral Economic Principles to Treatment of Childhood Obesity

Obesity is a prevalent problem in childhood (Gortmaker, Dietz, Sobol, & Wehler, 1987), which increases the risk of adult obesity (Stark, Atkins, Wolff, & Douglas, 1981, Abraham, Collins, & Nordsieck, 1971), as well as adult morbidity and mortality (Must, Jacques, Dallal, Bajema, & Dietz, 1992,Nieto, Szklo, & Comstock, 1992). Behavioral treatment procedures have been used with considerable success in treating childhood obesity. Behavioral procedures have been shown to be superior to both no treatment (Epstein, Wing, Koeske, & Valoski, 1984; Israel, Stolmaker, Sharp, Silverman, & Simon, 1984, Kirschenbaum, Harris, & Tomarken, 1984) and attention placebo (Epstein, Wing, Steranchak, Dickson, & Michelson, 1980; Epstein, Wing, Woodall, Penner, Kress, & Koeske, 1985) controls for short term weight control, and behavioral treatments have been successful in maintaining treatment effects over five and then year intervals (Epstein, Valoski, Wing, & McCurley, 1990, Epstein, Valoski, Wing, & McCurley, 1993).
The Dynamics of Parenting and Stepparenting

In this chapter we examine the dynamics of parent-child and stepparent-child relationships. Our primary interests center on relational processes—the development of step-relationships during stepfamily formation, the maintenance of ongoing genetic or adoptive parent-child relationships throughout the stepfamily’s existence, and the maintenance of stepparent-stepchild relationships in established stepfamilies (Coleman & Ganong, 1995). In addition, we are interested in changes in relationships that occur over time and how those changes are brought about.
Niche Parties and Social Movements: Mechanisms of Programmatic Alignment and Party Success

Niche parties often originate in social movements, yet the latter’s role in shaping these parties has received scant attention. I argue that movement roots can help niche parties achieve both vote- and policy-seeking goals by keeping core issues salient, bolstering issue ownership and securing allies in civil society. Employing interviews with movement, as well as Green and Pirate party leaders in Sweden and Germany, I identify three mechanisms (electoral pressure, grassroots linkage, elite orientation) that lead to programmatic alignment. This article extends an emerging research agenda that highlights how social movements shape party politics and offers evidence that niche party–movement interactions open new avenues for political representation counterbalancing mainstream parties’ increasing detachment from civil society.
Creating Last-Mile Incentives from Inside-Out. A Template Drawn from Rural Telecom

On December 1, 2017, the Postal Regulatory Commission (PRC) issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking in which it concluded that the rate-making system had not maintained the financial health of the Postal Service and that service quality had deteriorated. The aim of this article is to offer a novel supplement to the PRC’s incentive program that grew out of the author’s experiences in the telecommunications industry. In the absence of external pressure, internal incentives are an important starting point for developing a framework to attract private capital and management at reasonable prices. The basic strategy offered here is to organize competing service territories within the Postal Service into subsidiaries and award bonuses tied to superior performance that go beyond service delivery standards now in place. A further recommendation is to develop a “best practices” simulation model that can be used to fine-tune internal benchmarks and to set minimum bid prices for operating service territories in case the Postal Service decides to subcontract with the private sector or spin off service territories to the private sector.
How do incentives influence local public support for the siting of shale gas projects in China

In 2016, China became the third largest producer of shale gas in the world. The Chinese central government has been supporting shale gas development since 2011. There are hopes that shale gas devel...
Risk Terrain Modeling: Seasonality and Predictive Validity

This study focuses on crimes involving firearms in Baltimore, Maryland to answer three research questions concerning the effect of seasonality: (1) Do changes in the seasons affect which spatial fa...
The Signpost Platform for City-Scale Sensing

City-scale sensing holds the promise of enabling deeper insight into how our urban environments function. Applications such as observing air quality and measuring sources of noise pollution can have powerful impacts, allowing city planners and citizen scientists alike to understand and improve their world. However, the path from conceiving applications to implementing them is fraught with many challenges. A successful city-scale deployment requires physical installation, power management, and communications---all challenging tasks standing between a good idea and a realized one, suggesting the need for a platform that enables easy deployment and experimentation of city-scale sensing applications. To address these basic challenges, we present Signpost, a modular platform for city-scale sensing. Signpost simplifies deployment and installation in cities by removing the need for connection to wired infrastructure and instead harvesting energy from an integrated solar panel. The platform provides the key resources necessary for its pluggable sensor modules to support city-scale applications. Signpost stores excess energy for later use, distributes energy between modules, and provides communication through multiple wireless protocols. It also offers local storage for sensor data and allows for additional processing in a duty-cycled Linux environment.
Sweet rescue or surrender of the failing heart

Natriuretic peptides (NPs) are hormones involved in maintaining heart health that undergo proteolytic cleavage to become activated. Previous work has shown that O-GalNAc glycans affect their processing and activation. Here, Goetze, Schjoldager, and colleagues now provide comprehensive characterization of O-glycosylation of NPs, revealing that all members of the NP family can be modified by O-GalNAc glycans. Intriguingly, the study discovers glycans in the receptor-binding region of the A-type natriuretic peptide (ANP), demonstrating that they affect both stability and activity of ANP. These results may inform future therapeutic approaches for heart failure using peptide glycoforms.
Relationship between tracheobronchoscopic score and bronchoalveolar lavage red blood cell numbers in the diagnosis of exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage in horses.

BACKGROUND Exercise-induced pulmonary hemorrhage (EIPH) is diagnosed and its severity assessed by post-exercise tracheobronchoscopy, and enumeration of bronchoalveolar lavage fluid red blood cells (BALFRBC). Minimal information is available regarding the relationship of tracheobronchoscopy score to BALFRBC number. OBJECTIVE Evaluate the relationship between BALFRBC number and tracheobronchoscopy scores and determine their diagnostic sensitivities. ANIMALS Nine sedentary horses, 21 fit Thoroughbreds, 129 Barrel Racers. METHODS Normal BALFRBC number and the effect of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) on it were evaluated by performing 2 BALs 24 hours apart in sedentary horses. Tracheobronchoscopy followed by BAL was performed 247 times on 150 horses after treadmill, racetrack, or barrel racing exercise. Lastly, a BALFRBC diagnostic threshold number that optimized the geometric mean of the sensitivity and precision (F1-score) was determined using Bayesian analysis. RESULTS No increase in BALFRBC occurred after the second BAL (mean ± SD, 304 ± 173/μL). Tracheobronchoscopy scores ranged from 0 (n = 112) to 4 (n = 4) and BALFRBC ranged from 102 to 4605268/μL. Spearman correlation between tracheobronchoscopy score and BALFRBC was weak (P < .001; rs = 0.42) with large ranges of BALFRBC associated with each tracheobronchoscopy score. The highest F1-score occurred for a BALFRBC threshold number = 992/μL. Seventy-five tracheobronchoscopy scores equaled 0 although BALFRBC number was ≥992/μL. Sensitivity of tracheobronchoscopy for diagnosing EIPH was poor (0.59; 95% confidence intervals [CI], 0.49-0.68), compared to BALFRBC number ≥992/μL (0.93; 95% CI, 0.88-0.96). CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL IMPORTANCE False negatives are common with tracheobronchoscopy. Follow-up determination of BALFRBC may be indicated for tracheobronchoscopy scores = 0 before EIPH can be ruled out.
Embracing Uncertainty: Using Probabilistic Weather Forecasts to Make Ensemble Hydraulic Predictions at Remote Low-Water Crossings

AbstractLow-water crossings are structures designed to be overtopped during high river flows. These structures are usually constructed in remote locations, making timely emergency response difficul...
Mapping Misconduct: Demarcating Legitimate Science from “Fraud” in the B-06 Lumpectomy Controversy

This essay analyzes how the borders between the technical and the public sphere were argumentatively demarcated in the B-06 lumpectomy controversy. Drawing from Thomas Gieryn's metaphor of “cultural cartographies of science,” it tracks the implications of four discursive maps of scientific practice that circulated in argument spheres as the controversy unfolded. Considered together, these maps preserved institutional jurisdiction over decision making and missed a critical opportunity to address stakeholder concerns about scientific practice more meaningfully. This case study suggests the need to extend our understanding of argument spheres in science-based controversy.
HARNESSING THE POTENTIAL OF A RESEARCH DRIVEN ECONOMY

I would like to raise some issues pertaining to the potential of research as an economic engine. These are: The purpose of research; The Place and Status of Researchers and Institutions in Society; The Issue of the Quality of Research as a Security concern at the national and local levels; Individual Obligations and Responsibilities to the State and Society; and the Challenge in Kenyan Research Institutions.
Technical note: Understanding the effect of COVID-19 on particle pollution using a low-cost sensor network

Abstract The 2020 coronavirus pandemic and the following quarantine measures have led to significant changes in daily life worldwide. Preliminary research indicates that air quality has improved in many urban areas as a result of these measures. This study takes a neighborhood-scale approach to quantifying this change in pollution. Using data from a network of citizen-hosted, low-cost particulate matter (PM) sensors, called Air Quality & yoU (AQ&U), we obtained high-spatial resolution measurements compared to the relatively sparse state monitoring stations. We compared monthly average estimated PM2.5 concentrations from February 11 to May 11, 2019 at 71 unique locations in Salt Lake County, UT, USA with the same (71) sensors’ measurements during the same timeframe in 2020. A paired t-test showed significant reductions (71.1% and 21.3%) in estimated monthly PM2.5 concentrations from 2019 to 2020 for the periods from March 11-April 10 and April 11-May 10, respectively. The March time period corresponded to the most stringent COVID-19 related restrictions in this region. Significant decreases in PM2.5 were also reported by state monitoring sites during March (p
Non-operative management of blunt splenic trauma: The role of splenic artery embolization depending on the severity of parenchymal injury

Abstract Purpose To address the disagreement about the need for splenic artery embolization (SAE) in medium grade blunt splenic trauma this retrospective study evaluates the clinical outcome of non-operative management (NOM) and the possible impact of a more liberal indication for primary SAE. Method From 01/2010 to 12/2019 186 patients presented with splenic injury on computed tomography (CT) after blunt abdominal trauma. The extent of splenic injuries according to Marmery, vascular pathologies, active bleeding as well as clinical and laboratory parameters were recorded and analyzed with regard to the success rates of NOM and SAE. Procedural complications and clinical outcome were noted. The number needed to treat (NNT) was determined for a possible extension of the indication for SAE to grade 3 injuries. Results Of 186 patients 126 were managed non-operatively, 47 underwent primary SAE and twelve splenectomy. NOM was successful in 119/126 (94 %) patients. Conversion rate was significantly higher in patients with active bleeding or vascular pathology. Patients with failed NOM had a significantly greater decrease in haemoglobin and haematocrit levels. Primary SAE was successful in 45/47 (96 %) cases. Major complications occurred in four cases (9%), all managed without sequela. The NNT in grade 3 splenic injuries equals 13. Conclusions NOM of low to medium-grade blunt splenic trauma has a low failure rate. Presence of active haemorrhage is the most important predictor for failure of NOM. SAE should be reserved for high-grade injuries and visible vascular pathology or active bleeding to avoid a disproportionate increase in the NNT.
Warping Time and Space: What It Really Takes to Do Action Research in Crime Control

Nearly 10 years ago, I moved to New York. At that time, I’d been studying policing for some 20 years and been actively and operationally engaged in actual crime control work—in action research—for a decade. My entry into that world had been heavily contingent and essentially backward: low-level field research for the high-level Harvard Executive Session on Policing had gotten me into some of the worst areas of some of the most dangerous cities in the United States at the height of the crack epidemic. The violence, fear, and disorder I saw there had spurred an obsessive focus on the worst public safety issues in the country’s most troubled neighborhoods: homicide, gangs, guns, drug markets, domestic violence, and the like. That, in turn, had led to a long focus on policing: what it was, how it worked, and especially how it didn’t work and might be made to work better.
Structure and Dynamics of Human Plasma Lipoproteins

Fatty acids have three distinct and important metabolic roles in animals. The fatty acyl moieties of phospholipids are the components of cellular membranes that provide the hydrophobic barriers between individual intra- and extracellular aqueous compartments. This structural role of fatty acids is the basis of cellular integrity. In addition, the degradation of fatty acyl chains is a highly efficient mechanism for the generation of metabolic energy. Moreover, fatty acids are precursors for prostacyclin, thromboxane, and leucotrienes, all of which are highly potent cellular effectors. Some of the cellular demand for phospholipid fatty acids for membrane synthesis can be met by intracellular synthesis. Most of the fatty acids needed for energy metabolism and all of the essential fatty acids for autocoid synthesis must be supplied exogeneously. Plasma lipoproteins are the vehicles for transport of these water insoluble lipids in the circulation. Lipoproteins also function as circulating reservoirs for the lipid soluble vitamins and environmentally derived contaminants, such as pesticides and polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons (Smith et al., 1982b).
Handling Environment for Publicly Posted Composite Documents

Recent business needs and requirements for complex cross-organizational workflows led to development of Publicly Posted Composite Documents (PPCD) – a multi-part document format retaining parts in their original formatting for usability, user convenience and information availability, while providing document security and built-in access control for inter- and intra-organizational document workflows distributed over low security channels. Developing PPCD Handling Environments – Authoring and Workflow Participant Access – for creating and accessing PPCD documents posed many new challenges: composition retention, secure access and management of multi-formatted, encrypted data on laptops and potentially low capability devices. The paper describes the use of OLE Automation, Add-Ons and System Call Interception technique to preserve the overall document composition, while the handling of individual parts is delegated to external tools, native for individual document formats.
Breeding for profit: synergism between genetic improvement and livestock production (a review)

Fifty years of research in animal breeding and genetics are examined from four perspectives: 1) genetic prediction, 2) animal testing and selection schemes, 3) dissemination of genetic improvement, and 4) definition of breeding objectives in economic form. Breeding in all classes of livestock has moved from a purebred appearance orientation to a performance (either purebred or crossbred) orientation. Unfortunately, the evolution from a performance orientation to an economic orientation is incomplete, especially for some livestock classes. Placing breeding objectives into a mathematical form on a sound economic basis is key to integrating modern developments in animal breeding into more purposeful industry programs. Procedures used to develop such objectives are reviewed with attention to common approaches. Where consensus is reached about a breeding objective (in economic form) for a class of livestock, this objective can be used in conjunction with genetic predictions to rank animals within a breeding population. Ranking without undue attention to herd of origin facilitates a pyramid-shaped hierarchy of animals that can be fundamental to the functioning of breeding enterprises contributing improvements to operations concerned with production. Genetic improvements should flow from proven genetically superior animals to improved production systems. The tiers of the pyramid need to be organized relative to animals with differing levels of economic evaluation.
A nonlinear study of AI Velorum

Using results from earlier studies of double-mode dwarf Cepheids by Cox, King and Hodson (1979), hydrodynamic calculations have been undertaken for AI Vel. The evolution theory mass of 1.8 M⊙ previously derived, together with a luminosity of 23 L⊙ and a Te of 7500 K, give the observed period of 0.11 day and the observed period ratio π1/π0 = 0.773. Although the observed Te was 7620 K, a cooler Te is used due to the former's location at the fundamental pulsation mode blue edge. The composition used i s X = 0.70, Z = 0.01--a Z value 1 lower than normal i n order to make the period ratio as large as that observed. The goal is to see if double-mode behavior, due to either mode switching or a permanent state, can be predicted for the model. Progress in converging the model to a periodic pulsation solution by the von Sengbusch-Stellingwerf relaxation method is discussed.
The Evening Tutoring Center at the United States Air Force Academy

The United States Air Force Academy (USAFA) has opened an Evening Tutoring Center to provide after-hours tutoring every evening before class days. The center focuses on first and second year courses in challenging quantitative disciplines: mathematics, physics, chemistry, and engineering mechanics. Staffed exclusively by faculty-level instructors, the center offers extra instruction to all first and second year cadets. Early demand has been remarkable, and early indications are that cadets who visit the center for extra instruction in mathematics perform better than peers with comparable backgrounds.
Terrorism and Crimes Against Humanity

INTRODUCTION International law currently embodies universal and strongly articulated support for the positivist premise that “any acts of terrorism are criminal and unjustifiable, regardless of their motivation, whenever and by whomsoever committed and are to be unequivocally condemned.” The UN General Assembly reaffirms that “no terrorist act can be justified in any circumstances,” and regional instruments adhere to the same legal premise. The security, stability, economic vitality, sovereignty, political independence, and citizen safety of all States are accordingly protected against terrorist acts, irrespective of how democratic or human rights abiding the government in question is. The notion that States must use their domestic processes to cooperate together in the investigation and punishment of terrorist acts therefore reflects the truism that acts of terrorism violate the essential precepts of civilization. As a matter of qualitative jurisprudence, terrorist offenses are on substantive par with the grave breaches provisions of the 1949 Geneva Conventions, the 1948 Genocide Convention, and the provisions of the Torture Convention; the same aut dedere aut punire obligation that applies to grave breaches, genocide, and torture also applies to terrorism. If a terrorist is found on the territory of a State Party, that State has an affirmative duty arising from the modern multilateral framework either to extradite the terrorist suspect to another State that itself has the motivation and personal jurisdiction to adjudicate the offender, or in the alternative it must “without exception whatsoever and whether or not that offense was committed in its territory … submit the case without undue delay to its competent authorities for the purpose of prosecution through proceedings in accordance with the laws of that state.”
Effect of predation and habitat quality on growth and reproduction of a stream fish

Anthropogenic disturbances are rarely independent, requiring native fishes to respond to multiple factors to persist in changing environments. We examined the interaction of predation environment (presence of introduced brown trout, Salmo trutta) and habitat quality on growth and reproduction of southern leatherside chub, Lepidomeda aliciae, a small-bodied stream fish native to central Utah, USA. Southern leatherside chub were sampled from four streams representing a complete two-factor cross of predation environment and habitat quality. Growth was estimated using increment analysis of annuli on otoliths, and reproductive traits were measured for both sexes. Southern leatherside chub growth was greater in high-quality than in low-quality habitats, and greater in predator than in nonpredator environments. However, fish exhibited a greater growth response to presence of brown trout in low-quality habitats. Southern leatherside chub growth followed predictions of plastic responses to resource availability based on habitat quality and predation environment (lethal vs. nonlethal effects). Reproductive allocation (gonad wet mass) was significantly greater in low-quality versus high-quality habitats, but was unaffected by predation environment. Other female life-history traits were affected either by both effects or their interaction. Reproductive responses to habitat quality and predation environment were consistent with predictions based on differential mortality. Southern leatherside chub growth and reproduction responded differently to the combination of habitat quality and predation environment, thus demonstrating the importance of assessing interacting effects of anthropogenic disturbances to more fully comprehend impacts on native species and to appropriately manage, recover and restore these species and their habitats.
IL-6 and TGF-α Costimulate Mesenchymal Stem Cell Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor Production by ERK-, JNK-, and PI3K-Mediated Mechanisms

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) protect ischemic tissues in part through paracrine growth factor production. IL-6, which is upregulated in the heart during ischemia, has been shown to enhance stem cell proliferation and migration. The effect of IL-6 on MSC paracrine function, however, remains unknown. In addition, TGF-α increases MSC vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) production and may share downstream signaling pathways with IL-6 involving ERK, JNK, and PI3K. We hypothesize that cotreatment with IL-6 and TGF-α will result in greater MSC VEGF production than by either treatment alone via these signaling pathways. Murine MSCs were treated with IL-6 (0.05 ng/mL) with or without TGF-α (250 ng/mL) and in combination with inhibitors of ERKI/II, JNK, and PI3K for 24 h. Vascular endothelial growth factor concentrations in the supernatants were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Phosphorylation of ERK, JNK, and PI3K was measured using Western blot analysis. IL-6 increased MSC VEGF production at a dose of 0.05 ng/mL, and the combination of IL-6 and TGF-α (250 ng/mL) increased VEGF production to a greater extent than IL-6 or TGF-α alone. IL-6 induced phosphorylation of ERK, JNK, and PI3K, and inhibition of each suppressed IL-6-induced VEGF production. TGF-α cotreatment overcame VEGF suppression after ERK2 inhibition but not ERK1, JNK, or PI3K. These data suggest that IL-6 stimulates MSC VEGF production alone and additively with TGF-α via ERK-, JNK-, and PI3K-mediated mechanisms. IL-6 and TGF-α cotreatment may be a useful strategy for enhancing MSC VEGF production and cardioprotection during myocardial ischemia.
Tunable diode laser measurements of absolute line strengths in the 2nu2 band of N2O near 8 microns

The absolute intensities of five rotational transitions in the 2nu2 band of N2O near 8 microns have been measured with a tunable-diode laser-spectrometer. Measurements were reproducible within an average deviation of about 3 percent, and the experimental and calculated line strengths differed by only 1.5 percent. An analysis of the line strengths has yielded a band strength of S(v) = 6.98 + or - 0.26/sq cm per atm at 296 K. The band and line strengths are in excellent agreement with two recently reported values obtained by using Fourier transform-IR spectroscopy.
Glycemic control during labor and delivery: a survey of academic centers in the United States.

Significant controversy surrounds the management of blood glucose levels during labor and delivery. The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology has recommended “tight” blood glucose control (<110 mg/dL). However, there is concern that tight control can increase the incidence of maternal hypoglycemia. Thus, there remains a lack of consensus regarding glycemic control during labor and delivery. To assess the current intrapartum glycemic management, we surveyed obstetrical residency programs in the United States. Questionnaires were distributed via email and if there was no response within 3 weeks, they were mailed to obstetrics/gynecology residency program directors. Of the 117 questionnaires distributed, 49 responses (41.9%) were received, but one was excluded, as it was incomplete. Although 85% of responders reported having a written protocol in place regarding intrapartum BG management, there was significant variation in target blood glucose levels, maintenance of those levels, monitoring of glucose levels, and fluid management during labor and delivery. The key finding of our survey is that there is significant variation in blood glucose management during labor and delivery. This survey identifies areas for improvement as well as areas for future research. Given the sparse obstetrical literature, properly conducted trials are necessary to assess all aspects of optimal intrapartum glucose management.