cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Increment Threshold Functions in Retinopathy of Prematurity.

Purpose To assess scotopic background adaptation in subjects with a history of preterm birth and retinopathy of prematurity (ROP). Retinopathy of prematurity is known to have long-term effects on rod photoreceptor and rod mediated postreceptor retinal function. Methods Rod-mediated thresholds for detection of 3° diameter, 50 ms stimuli presented 20° from fixation were measured using a spatial forced choice method in 36 subjects (aged 9-17 years) with a history of preterm birth and 11 age similar term-born subjects. Thresholds were measured first in the dark-adapted condition and then in the presence of 6 steady background lights (-2.8 to +2.0 log scot td). A model of the increment threshold function was fit to each subject's thresholds to estimate the dark-adapted threshold (TDA) and the Eigengrau (A0, the background that elevates threshold 0.3 log unit above TDA). Results In subjects with a history of severe ROP, both TDA and A0 were significantly elevated relative to those in former preterms who never had ROP and term-born control subjects. Subjects who had mild ROP had normal TDA but elevated A0. Neither TDA nor A0 differed significantly between former preterms who never had ROP and term-born controls. Conclusions The results suggest that in severe ROP, threshold is affected at a preadaptation site, possibly the rod outer segment. In mild ROP, changes in the Eigengrau may reflect increased intrinsic noise in the photoreceptor or postreceptor circuitry or both.
Long-term results of an individual surgeon.

SUMMARY In conclusion, my 17-year experience with total hip arthroplasty leads me to believe that hip replacements can be done in a standard operating room if adequate preoperative precautions are taken, traffic in the operating room is strictly controlled, and prophylactic antibiotics are given (infection rate 0.28 per cent). Cemented resurface arthroplasty was not a successful enough operation to warrant its continued use (revision rate 44 per cent). The revision rate for all hips operated on 10 or more years ago was 7.0 per cent. In patients younger than fifty years of age, a revision rate of 19.6 per cent was observed after 10 years. Excessive body weight and heavy physical activity levels were frequently noted among the failures. Total hip arthroplasty should be done cautiously in patients under 50 and very rarely in patients under 30. Thirteen of the 25 revisions required in the early series were due to stem fracture, a complication rarely seen now with improved stem design and superalloy metallurgy. Despite radiologic identification of prosthesis loosening, revision THR may not be necessary for many years, if at all. Uncemented arthroplasty, particularly the acetabular component, seems to hold promise for the future; however, the experience to date is too limited to make any definite conclusions.
Effects of Environmental Temperature Change on the Efficiency of Coal- and Natural Gas-Fired Power Plants

Modeling studies predict that droughts and hotter water and air temperatures caused by climate warming will reduce the efficiency (η) of thermoelectric plants by 0.12–0.45% for each 1 °C of warming. We evaluate these predictions using historical performance data for 39 open- and closed-loop coal and natural gas plants from across the U.S., which operated under daily and seasonal temperature fluctuations multiples greater than future average warming projections. Seven to 14 years of hourly water (Tw), dry-bulb air (Ta), and wet-bulb air (Twb) temperature recordings collected near each plant are regressed against efficiency to attain estimates of Δη per 1 °C increase. We find reductions in η with increased Tw (for open-loop plants) up to 1 order of magnitude less than previous estimates. We also find that changes in η associated with changes in Ta (open-loop plants) or Twb (closed-loop plants) are not only smaller than previous estimates but also variable; i.e., η rises with Ta or Twb for some plants and fa...
Grain Growth of β-Si3N4 in Silicon Nitride Ceramics

The effects of particle size of silicon nitride starting powders and the effects of chemistry of the sintering additives on growth behavior of β-Si3N4 grains were studied. The larger the particle size of the starting materials, the larger the β-Si3N4 grains when sintered under the same conditions. The chemical effect may be attributed to the melting point of the sintering additives. The lower the melting point of the eutectic, the higher the solubility of Si3N4 in the liquid, resulting in larger β-Si3N4 grains.
Skilled Labor Risk and Financial Reporting Quality

In this paper we study how risk related to a firm’s potential failure in attracting and retaining skilled labor affects financial reporting quality. We measure skilled labor risk by the intensity of related discussions in 10-Ks and find that information transparency decreases when skilled labor risk increases. In particular, firms with a higher level of skilled labor risk have less smoothed earnings and lower earnings persistence, are less comparable to industry peers, and have less readable financial statements. We also find that firms are more conservative and are more likely to manage earnings downward when facing higher skilled labor risk. Our results shed light on the import role of human capital in shaping corporate financial reporting quality.
Abstract P206: Differences in the Characteristics of Medicare Beneficiaries with Heart Failure According to Enrollment in the Medicare Part D Prescription Drug Benefit

Background The need for comparative effectiveness studies is a national priority because efficacy studies for drug approval enroll highly selected patients. In particular, comparative effectiveness of drug therapies in heart failure (HF) is needed because HF represents a substantial portion of annual Medicare spending. Drug exposures are now captured for Medicare beneficiaries enrolled in prescription drug plans (Part D), but the population of Part D enrollees with HF has not been described. Methods Using a 5% national sample of Medicare claims data, we created 2 annual cohorts of Medicare beneficiaries having prevalent HF as of January 1, 2006 and January 1, 2007. We included beneficiaries aged 65 years or older who had at least 12 months of prior fee-for-service enrollment and had HF reported on one inpatient claim or at least 3 outpatient claims during the prior year. We classified patients according to enrollment in a Part D plan as of January 1st of the cohort year. We compared demographics and comorbidities of patients enrolled to those not enrolled in a Part D plan. Results We identified 91,135 eligible beneficiaries with prevalent HF as of January 1, 2006 and 87,344 as of January 1, 2007. Among the 2006 cohort, 35,883 (39%) had enrolled in a Part D plan as of January 1, 2006. Enrollment increased to 50,834 (58%) in the 2007 cohort. Part D enrollees tended to have fewer comorbidities and were more likely to be female and black (Table). Additionally, Part D enrollees were more likely to have a portion of their Medicare Part A and B premiums paid for by the state (state buy-in), an indication of low-income status. Conclusions Medicare beneficiaries with HF differ significantly according to enrollment in Part D prescription drug plans and represent a population underrepresented in clinical efficacy trials. Studies with Part D claims data linked to a clinical registry may inform clinical practice as to the effectiveness of drug therapy in real-world settings. View this table: Baseline characteristics of Medicare beneficiaries with HF according to enrollment in Part D*
An innovative textbook: design and implementation.

SummaryBackground The ‘flipped classroom’ instructional strategy has gained much momentum in educational discourse, yet no single educational offering exists in postgraduate medical education (PME) to systematically replace the lecture element of didactic sessions. This article describes the design and implementation of Clinical Anesthesia Fundamentals, the first known textbook in PME addressing this gap in resources through the integration of full-length interactive multimedia-enhanced video lectures. The ‘flipped classroom’ instructional strategy has gained much momentum in educational discourse Innovation The textbook was developed in alignment with the content outline for the specialty provided by the American Board of Anesthesiology. Its accompanying video lectures, produced at the Media Lab in the Department of Anesthesiology at Boston University Medical Center (BUMC), cover the topics in each chapter of the textbook and include review questions featuring explanatory feedback. Evaluation Following a 5-month trial period at the BUMC Anesthesiology Residency Program, the complete resident class (25 of 25; 100%) participated in an anonymous, Institutional Review Board (IRB) -approved, five-point Likert-type scale survey assessing an underlying variable of preference for the use of multimedia learning tools. Discussion Survey results suggest that residents favour technology-enhanced learning environments in which textbooks are coupled with interactive multimedia, and the ‘flipped classroom’ approach is employed. Although the development of digital videos requires time and financial investment, the improved accessibility and uniform delivery of didactic content are two positive outcomes. Conclusion This textbook provides an example for educators wishing to learn how to capitalise on advances in technology to further enhance learning and accessibility. Further studies could address the impact of this approach on the academic performance of residents.
Quantum parameter estimation with the Landau-Zener transition

We investigate the fundamental limits in precision allowed by quantum mechanics from Landau-Zener transitions, concerning Hamiltonian parameters. While the Landau-Zener transition probabilities depend sensitively on the system parameters, much more precision may be obtained using the acquired phase, quantified by the quantum Fisher information. This information scales with a power of the elapsed time for the quantum case, whereas it is time independent if the transition probabilities alone are used. We add coherent control to the system and increase the permitted maximum precision in this time-dependent quantum system. The case of multiple passes before measurement, Landau-Zener-Stueckelberg interferometry, is considered, and we demonstrate that proper quantum control can cause the quantum Fisher information about the oscillation frequency to scale as ${T}^{4}$, where $T$ is the elapsed time. These results are foundational for frequency standards and quantum clocks.
Analytical methodology for wellbore integrity assessment considering casing-cement-formation interaction

Abstract A wellbore analysis presents several challenges regarding the drilling, construction and production phases. Owing to that, the cement and casing stress states during the wellbore lifespan are also difficult to predict. Nevertheless, analytical solutions can reach good results. Additionally, once analytical approaches are exhibited as mathematical expressions, they facilitate the assessment of the interaction between variables and the impact on results. On the other hand, wellbore analytical solutions do not usually consider all the phases involved. In this work, an analytical solution is developed to assess the stresses during the drilling, construction and production phases. Three models are adopted to be compared with a numerical approach. Thus, single and double casing configurations are analyzed. In both approaches, the initial stress states in the formation and in the cement, as well as the drilling operation, the casing run, the pressure changes, and the pore pressure variations are considered. The solutions consider plane strain conditions, continuous homogeneous isotropic media and linear elastic materials. In addition to the casing integrity, radial and tangential stresses for casing, cement and formation are presented. In conclusion, this analytical solution reaches excellent results when compared to the numerical model, therefore, becoming an alternative for the stress evaluation for everyday scenarios. Capable of simulating different scenarios regarding the wellbore stresses and integrity, this analytical solution is a good tool for a preliminary design.
Eosinophil-derived IL-4 drives progression of myocarditis to inflammatory dilated cardiomyopathy

Inflammatory dilated cardiomyopathy (DCMi) is a major cause of heart failure in children and young adults. DCMi develops in up to 30% of myocarditis patients, but the mechanisms involved in disease progression are poorly understood. Patients with eosinophilia frequently develop cardiomyopathies. In this study, we used the experimental autoimmune myocarditis (EAM) model to determine the role of eosinophils in myocarditis and DCMi. Eosinophils were dispensable for myocarditis induction but were required for progression to DCMi. Eosinophil-deficient ΔdblGATA1 mice, in contrast to WT mice, showed no signs of heart failure by echocardiography. Induction of EAM in hypereosinophilic IL-5Tg mice resulted in eosinophilic myocarditis with severe ventricular and atrial inflammation, which progressed to severe DCMi. This was not a direct effect of IL-5, as IL-5TgΔdblGATA1 mice were protected from DCMi, whereas IL-5−/− mice exhibited DCMi comparable with WT mice. Eosinophils drove progression to DCMi through their production of IL-4. Our experiments showed eosinophils were the major IL-4–expressing cell type in the heart during EAM, IL-4−/− mice were protected from DCMi like ΔdblGATA1 mice, and eosinophil-specific IL-4 deletion resulted in improved heart function. In conclusion, eosinophils drive progression of myocarditis to DCMi, cause severe DCMi when present in large numbers, and mediate this process through IL-4.
Increased gait variability may not imply impaired stride-to-stride control of walking in healthy older adults: Winner: 2013 Gait and Clinical Movement Analysis Society Best Paper Award.

Abstract Older adults exhibit increased gait variability that is associated with fall history and predicts future falls. It is not known to what extent this increased variability results from increased physiological noise versus a decreased ability to regulate walking movements. To “walk”, a person must move a finite distance in finite time, making stride length ( L n ) and time ( T n ) the fundamental stride variables to define forward walking. Multiple age-related physiological changes increase neuromotor noise, increasing gait variability. If older adults also alter how they regulate their stride variables, this could further exacerbate that variability. We previously developed a Goal Equivalent Manifold (GEM) computational framework specifically to separate these causes of variability. Here, we apply this framework to identify how both young and high-functioning healthy older adults regulate stepping from each stride to the next. Healthy older adults exhibited increased gait variability, independent of walking speed. However, despite this, these healthy older adults also concurrently exhibited no differences (all p > 0.50) from young adults either in how their stride variability was distributed relative to the GEM or in how they regulated, from stride to stride, either their basic stepping variables or deviations relative to the GEM. Using a validated computational model, we found these experimental findings were consistent with increased gait variability arising solely from increased neuromotor noise, and not from changes in stride-to-stride control. Thus, age-related increased gait variability likely precedes impaired stepping control. This suggests these changes may in turn precede increased fall risk.
Librarian Mentoring of an Undergraduate Research Project

Bridgewater State University has a dynamic, highly visible, and increasingly successful Office of Undergraduate Research (OUR) that supports students and their faculty mentors with developing research opportunities. Students working on undergraduate research projects have sought the help of librarians, but the librarians had never been directly involved as mentors. A librarian mentor and student library worker collaborated on a project to develop an online library guide, which is used by faculty and student researchers for discovering social justice resources, and found new paths to teaching and learning information literacy skills.
Options of Management of the Patient with Mild Degenerative Cervical Myelopathy

Surgical management of patients with mild degenerative cervical myelopathy (DCM) is controversial. This article reviews 84 subjects with cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) and ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL) who underwent surgical treatment. Nine had mild myelopathy: 6 CSM and 3 OPLL. Seven presented with pain or numbness of upper extremities. MRI revealed intramedullary hyperintensity in 55.6%. Five underwent anterior decompression and fusion, whereas 4 were operated posteriorly. Pain and intramedullary signal change on MRI are important. Management of patients with mild DCM should be determined individually, considering benefits and risks in long-term conservative treatment and surgery.
Landscape-scale processes influence riparian plant composition along a regulated river

Abstract Hierarchical frameworks are useful constructs when exploring landscape- and local-scale factors affecting patterns of vegetation in riparian areas. In drylands, which have steep environmental gradients and high habitat heterogeneity, landscape-scale variables, such as climate, can change rapidly along a river's course, affecting the relative influence of environmental variables at different scales. To assess how landscape-scale factors change the structure of riparian vegetation, we measured riparian vegetation composition along the Colorado River through Grand Canyon, determined which factors best explain observed changes, identified how richness and functional diversity vary, and described the implications of our results for river management. Cluster analysis identified three divergent floristic groups that are distributed longitudinally along the river. These groups were distributed along gradients of elevation, temperature and seasonal precipitation, but were not associated with annual precipitation or local-scale factors. Species richness and functional diversity decreased as a function of distance downstream showing that changing landscape-scale factors result in changes to ecosystem characteristics. Species composition and distribution remain closely linked to seasonal precipitation and temperature. These patterns in floristic composition in a semiarid system inform management and provide insights into potential future changes as a result of shifts in climate and changes in flow management.
Optimizing Clinical Interpretation of Distortion Product Otoacoustic Emissions in Infants.

Objectives The purpose of this study was to analyze distortion product otoacoustic emission (DPOAE) level and signal to noise ratio in a group of infants from birth to 4 months of age to optimize prediction of hearing status. DPOAEs from infants with normal hearing (NH) and hearing loss (HL) were used to predict the presence of conductive HL (CHL), sensorineural HL (SNHL), and mixed HL (MHL). Wideband ambient absorbance was also measured and compared among the HL types. Design This is a prospective, longitudinal study of 279 infants with verified NH and HL, including conductive, sensorineural, and mixed types that were enrolled from a well-baby nursery and two neonatal intensive care units in Cincinnati, Ohio. At approximately 1 month of age, DPOAEs (1-8 kHz), wideband absorbance (0.25-8 kHz), and air and bone conduction diagnostic tone burst auditory brainstem response (0.5-4 kHz) thresholds were measured. Hearing status was verified at approximately 9 months of age with visual reinforcement audiometry (0.5-4 kHz). Auditory brainstem response air conduction thresholds were used to assign infants to an NH or HL group, and the efficacy of DPOAE data to classify ears as NH or HL was analyzed using receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Two summary statistics of the ROC curve were calculated: the area under the ROC curve and the point of symmetry on the curve at which the sensitivity and specificity were equal. DPOAE level and signal to noise ratio cutoff values were defined at each frequency as the symmetry point on their respective ROC curve, and DPOAE results were combined across frequency in a multifrequency analysis to predict the presence of HL. Results Single-frequency test performance of DPOAEs was best at mid to high frequencies (3-8 kHz) with intermediate performance at 1.5 and 2 kHz and chance performance at 1 kHz. Infants with a conductive component to their HL (CHL and MHL combined) displayed significantly lower ambient absorbance values than the NH group. No differences in ambient absorbance were found between the NH and SNHL groups. Multifrequency analysis resulted in the best prediction of HL for the SNHL/MHL group with poorer sensitivity values when infants with CHL were included. Conclusions Clinical interpretation of DPOAEs in infants can be improved by using age-appropriate normative ranges and optimized cutoff values. DPOAE interpretation is most predictive at higher F2 test frequencies in young infants (2-8 kHz) due to poor test performance at 1 to 1.5 kHz. Multifrequency rules can be used to improve sensitivity while balancing specificity. Last, a sensitive middle ear measure such as wideband absorbance should be included in the test battery to assess possibility of a conductive component to the HL.
Oxygen Pressure Influences Spatial NaO2 Deposition and the Sudden Death Mechanism in Na–O2 Batteries

Over the past decade, metal–O2 batteries have been intensely studied as potential high energy density alternatives to current state-of-the-art Li-ion batteries. Of these, nonaqueous Na–O2 batteries offer high stability, improved full-cycle efficiency, and lower overpotentials, particularly on charge, when compared to the higher-energy-density Li–O2 system. However, Na–O2 batteries exhibit sudden and large overpotential increases or “sudden deaths” on discharge, substantially limiting the achievable capacity. In this work, we examine the influence of O2 pressure effects in Na–O2 batteries and the mechanism of sudden death at different O2 pressures and current density regimes. We observe that at a given current density, there exists a transition between failure mechanisms with O2 pressure as a result of different phenomena related to the deposition of the solid discharge product, sodium superoxide (NaO2). Cells operated at a lower O2 pressure are more susceptible to failure due to surface passivation result...
Lung Tissue Mechanics: Historical Overview

In this brief an article it is impossible to critically review the many papers on the solid mechanics of the lung parenchyma. I shall therefore present a framework into which investigations may be placed and provide a somewhat restricted bibliography.
Is the US or the Taliban responsible

Working for a year in the Kabul children’s hospital in the 1970s gave me a perspective on Afghanistan that conflicts with the Foreign Office’s view that “the Taliban is promoting opium production to finance terrorism.”1 The simple …
Parents’ Perspectives on Integrating Social Media into Pediatric Weight Management

Purpose: Childhood obesity is associated with immediate and long-term adverse health consequences such as sleep apnea, poor self-esteem, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, and disproportionately affects underserved populations [Ogden et al. 2014]. There is an increasing interest in leveraging social media to combat childhood obesity [Doub et al. 2016], but few studies have examined how this platform is perceived and currently being used by parents of overweight children, especially those from low-income and diverse …
When do organisations learn from successful experiences? The case of venture capital firms:

This article examines the extent to which venture capital firms (VCFs) learn from successful experience and when such experience influences the likelihood of future successful exits. To test our th...
Problem Posing and Problem Solving: An Illustration of Their Interdependence.

FOR a long time there has been general interest among researchers, teachers, and curriculum writers in the area of problem solving in the mathematics curriculum. The other side of that coin?problem posing? has been a neglected subject, however. This is particularly surprising because, to a large extent, success in solving problems often requires that one pose other pertinent prob lems along the way. Elsewhere we have considered strategies for posing problems (see References). There we only hinted at how this activity might relate to problem solving. Here we present?in the context of solving a specific mathematical problem? an argument to indicate how the two can lead to a deeper understanding of what is involved in the act of problem solving. We hope that our illustration will both provide a vehicle for further analysis of the relation ship between problem posing and solving and encourage colleagues to search for ad ditional illustrations.
The biology of aging.

In humans, aging is inexorable. The progressive decrease in physiological capacity and the reduced ability to respond to environmental stresses lead to increased susceptibility and vulnerability to disease. Consequently, mortality due to all causes increases exponentially with aging. Attempts at understanding the causes of aging are limited by the complexity of the problem. Aging changes are manifest from the molecular to the organismic level; environmental factors affect experimental observations; secondary effects complicate elucidation of primary mechanisms; and precisely defined, easily measurable biomarkers are lacking. No one unifying theory may exist, since the mechanisms of aging could be quite distinct in different organisms, tissues, and cells. Evolutionary pressures have selected for successful reproduction, making it likely that the post-reproductive physiology of an organism (i.e., aging) is an epigenetic and pleiotropic manifestation of the optimization for early fitness. Indeed, antagonistic pleiotropy, wherein genes that enhance early survival and function but are disadvantageous later in life, may play an overriding role in aging. Theories of aging can be divided into two general categories: stochastic and developmental-genetic. These are not mutually exclusive, particularly when considering the free radical/mitochondrial DNA theory of aging. Increasing evidence suggests that cellular senescence and organismic aging are antagonistically pleiotropic manifestations of evolutionary pressures to prevent malignant transformation. In other words, aging may be the price we pay to avoid cancer. The beneficial paradox may be that the maximum lifespan potential of humans may have been achieved, in part, due to our ability to grow old.
The Ecology and Acoustic Behavior of Wintering Minke Whales in the Hawaiian and Pacific Islands

Abstract : This effort supports a long-term goal for better knowledge of marine mammal species densities at the U.S. Navy's (USN) Pacific Missile Range Facility (PMRF) instrumented range located off Kauai, Hawaii. Establishing long and short term marine mammal species density baselines at USN instrumented range facilities will allow better understanding of changes observed from activities such as mid frequency active sonar training exercises. Species density trends over multiple years can be invaluable in understanding the health of local populations. This effort is focused on Central North Pacific minke whales (Balaenoptera acutorostrata), of which little is know when they are in Hawaiian waters due to very limited visual sightings. The objective is to use USN range hydrophones' passive acoustic data to detect, localize, and estimate densities of minke whales in the area from their boing vocalization. Obtaining a long term average minke boing cue rate is a major objective of the effort being done in collaboration with Biowaves and the Univ of St Andrews. The boing cue rate will enable estimating vocalizing minke whale density from the range sensors minke boing density estimates. A secondary objective is to perform near real-time localization of minke whales using the USN hydrophones in order to radio to a field team to improve encounter rates and potential understanding of animal behavioral states (directed search).
Incorporating field behaviors into monarch surveys to promote informed conservation actions

Abstract Monarch butterflies (Danaus plexippus) are an iconic species across North America, but ongoing winter population declines have made them a species of conservation concern. Incorporating behaviors into monitoring could connect landscape and behavioral ecology to benefit monarch conservation. Yet, behavioral field observations for breeding adult monarchs are seldom the focus of research, despite their potential benefits to targeted conservation. Our objectives were to quantify monarch activity budgets and compare behaviors of individuals at different sites with varying local vegetation and landscape characteristics in the Northern Great Plains. We opportunistically made 15-minute field observation surveys and recorded behaviors including basking, flying, mating, nectaring, ovipositing, and resting of wild monarchs. We collected plant community data including flowering ramet density and plant species composition. Over two years, we made behavioral observations on 51 monarchs. Collectively, monarchs spent most of their time flying and nectaring during observations. Contrary to our hypothesis, ovipositing and nectaring did not peak at sites with the highest milkweed (Asclepias spp.) cover. Instead, we observed more nectaring as milkweed decreased and plant species diversity increased. Individually, the proportion of time spent ovipositing and the abundance of adults increased at sites with both milkweed cover and higher plant species diversity. Our findings suggest we can improve conservation efforts for monarchs by promoting nectar sources and milkweed across landscapes, providing resources for all life stages. Moreover, continuing behavioral observations to understand how monarchs utilize sites with different vegetation and landscape characteristics can provide complementary information to abundance surveys to better inform conservation actions.
NAFLD Histology: a Critical Review and Comparison of Scoring Systems

Despite the emergence of non-invasive tests, liver biopsy remains the gold standard for the diagnosis of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). This review will provide an overview of the histology of adult NAFLD with a focus on current scoring systems, histologic features that predict clinical outcomes, and areas in need of improvement. Studies during the last two decades have established the histologic features used to categorize NAFLD into non-alcoholic fatty liver (NAFL) and non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), described histologic scoring systems that measure disease activity and fibrosis, and correlated histologic features with fibrosis progression and liver-related outcomes. Hepatocellular ballooning degeneration with associated lobular inflammation is the key feature that distinguishes NAFL from NASH. Fibrosis remains the most important feature in predicting relevant clinical outcomes; however, fibrosis and ballooning degeneration are tightly linked. Despite these advances, deficiencies remain in the histologic evaluation of NAFLD. While histologic scoring systems have been developed and used in both clinical trials and clinical practice, areas of uncertainty exist, and refinement of current histologic indices is needed. Standardized assessment of these features is essential in clinical trials.
A new way of belonging: active-site investigation of L-DOPA dioxygenase, a VOC family enzyme from lincomycin biosynthesis.

Extradiol dioxygenase chemistry is essential for catechol breakdown. The largest natural reservoir of catechols, or 1,2-dihydroxybenzenes, is the plant woody-tissue polymer lignin. Vicinal-oxygen-chelate (VOC) dioxygenases make up the largest group of characterized extradiol dioxygenases, and while most are found as part of catabolic pathways degrading a variety of natural and human-made aromatic rings, L-DOPA (l-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine) dioxygenase is a VOC enzyme that participates in the biosynthesis of a natural product. All VOC superfamily members shared conserved elements of catalysis, yet despite decades of investigation of VOC enzymes, the relationships between VOC domain architecture and enzymatic function remain complex and poorly understood. Herein, we present evidence that L-DOPA dioxygenase is the representative member of a new topological class of VOC extradiol dioxygenases. Guided by its evolutionary similarity to glyoxylase enzymes, we performed a careful investigation of the Streptomyces lincolnensis L-DOPA dioxygenase (LmbB1) active site through mutagenesis, kinetic, and pH studies. Our results demonstrate that the L-DOPA dioxygenase reaction depends upon an active-site tyrosine and histidine and is remarkably resilient to mutation, even at the iron-ligating residues. Evaluation of the cleavage reaction as a function of pH supports the role of a histidine in acid-base catalysis. The active-site architecture is functionally consistent with the existing knowledge of VOC extradiol dioxygenase catalysis.
From Bear to Vault: Designing a New Protocol to Extend the APT Communications Toolset

With the growing complexity and prevalence of state-sponsored Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs), exfiltration of bulk sensitive data is becoming increasingly commonplace. Furthermore, recent APTs and APT toolkits uncovered have been utilizing creative methods to communicate with Command and Control (C2) infrastructure as well as exfiltrate data, often using multiple hard-to-detect methodologies such as trusted third-party services, SMTP, or DNS. This paper proposes a scalable protocol for managing multiple secure and reliable covert channels over physical or digital means. Throughout we will show the desire for, practical applications of, and future goals for this protocol
Stacking Revenue from Energy Storage Providing Resilience, T&D Deferral and Arbitrage

In this work, we maximize the revenue of utility's energy storage system (ESS) providing resilience improvement, Transmission and Distribution (T&D) upgrade deferral and energy arbitrage. A Mixed Integer Linear Programming (MILP) problem is formulated to find the ESS charging/discharging schedule that minimizes the utility's peak load with least energy cost during normal operation and minimize the utility's load curtailment during outages. The linear constraints of this problem are based on an ESS linear energy-flow model and an investment tax credit requirement. Case studies are conducted for an electric cooperative in California. Based on the analysis results, we propose general recommendations for the utility to size the ESS for these applications.
Child passenger safety education in the emergency department: teen driving, car seats, booster seats, and more

The leading cause of death in children less than 19 years old is motor vehicle crashes (MVC). Non-use or improper use of motor vehicle car seats significantly adds to the morbidity and mortality. Emergency department (ED) encounters provide an opportunity for caregiver education. Our objective was to determine the effect of an educational intervention on knowledge and counseling behaviors of pediatric ED nurses regarding child passenger safety (CPS). A pre/post educational intervention study was conducted with nursing staff in an urban ED. Responses to CPS related knowledge and counseling behaviors were collected using surveys administered before and after the intervention. The ED nurse education intervention was a one-hour lecture based on the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) CPS guidelines and Alabama state law regarding ages for each car seat type and teen driving risky behaviors. Individual data from pre and post surveys were matched, and nominal variables in pre-post matched pairs were analyzed using McNemar’s test. To compare categorical variables within pre or post test data, we used the Chi-square test. Pretests were administered to 83/110 ED nurses; 64 nurses received the educational intervention and posttest. On the pretests, nurses reported “never” or “occasionally” counseling about CPS for the following: 56% car seats, 62% booster seat, 56% teen driving, 32% seat belts. When comparing the pretest CPS knowledge between nurses working 0-1 year vs. ≥ 2 years there was no statistically significant difference. Two CPS knowledge questions did not show significance due to a high correct baseline knowledge rate (> 98%), including baseline knowledge of MVC being the leading cause of death. Of the remaining 7 knowledge questions, 5 questions showed statistically significant improvement in knowledge: age when children can sit in front seat, state GDL law details, seat belt state law for back seat riders, age for booster seat, and rear facing car seat age. All four counseling behavior questions showed increases in intent to counsel families; however, only intent to counsel regarding teen driving reached statistical significance. Educational efforts improved pediatric ED nursing knowledge regarding CPS. Intent to counsel was also improved following the education.
Dash: A Hyper Framework

Popular application suites, as well as specialized apps, are designed for workflows in which users focus on a single task for extended periods of time. These application silos slow down the many other workflows that require users to move with agility between tasks in a single working session. This is particularly true for creative people who have personalized patterns of gathering, organizing, and presenting information from a variety of sources. Moreover, each application comes with its own learning curve and data model, restricting users seeking to extend their workflows and in some cases, losing data through poor data transferring mechanisms such as clipboard copy and paste. Dash is an open component-based hypermedia system that provides what we believe to be a best of breed set of components. While each component can be used in isolation as less full featured versions of an analogous application, Dash allows users to interoperate components and compose their own workflows without losing data or expending effort while switching between tasks. As hypertext allowed users to flexibly move between texts, Dash allows users to flexibly move between tasks.
Tracheostomy and Gastrostomy in Geriatric Trauma Associated With High Postdischarge Mortality.

Objectives Identify 5-year mortality rates in trauma patients greater than 18 years old who undergo tracheostomy and/or gastrostomy tube placement. Design Retrospective convenience sample with two cohorts. Setting Academic level 1 trauma center. Patients Hospitalized patients admitted to the trauma service from July 2008 to December 2012 who underwent tracheostomy and/or gastrostomy tube placement. Interventions Patients were placed into two cohorts: adult 18-64 and geriatric greater than or equal to 65; mortality data were obtained from the National Death Index. Measurements and Main Results The primary outcome was 5-year mortality of both cohorts as well as those admitted who did not receive tracheostomy or gastrostomy. Univariate analysis was performed using Fisher exact and Wilcoxon signed-rank tests. Kaplan-Meier curves were plotted to examine mortality up to 5 years after discharge. Conclusions Five-year postdischarge mortality is significantly higher in geriatric patients undergoing tracheostomy and/or gastrostomy after traumatic injury. Fifty percent die within the first 28 weeks following discharge and 93% die within 2 years.
International Theory Book Symposium on Peter J. Katzenstein and Lucia A. Seybert, eds, Protean Power: Exploring the Uncertain and Unexpected in World Politics

Katzenstein and Seybert's Protean Power offers a fresh perspective on the concept of power in international relations (IR) theory. Standard IR theory defines power as control power, which exists in the world of calculable risk. But IR must also grapple with protean power, which exists in the world of incalculable uncertainty. In this symposium, scholars representing a variety of theoretical perspectives evaluate the concept of protean power as it stands now and as it should develop in the future.
Enzymatic soybean flour processing: Modeling for insights into optimal carbohydrases composition and carbohydrate monomerization from complex biomass

Abstract Carbohydrate is a major underutilized and undervalued resource in soybean. Its indigestibility concern causes devaluation of soy protein for some uses. Conversion of carbohydrate to monomeric sugars as fermentation feedstock can significantly increase soybean value but it involves multiple carbohydrates and multi-enzyme dependency and interactions. Sugar yields were measured for soybean flour processing using 10 different enzymes and the results modeled to gain insights into soybean carbohydrates and monomerization, including individual sugar distributions among different carbohydrates, sugar composition of each carbohydrate, and the optimal carbohydrases composition. The study is important for guiding future optimization of enzyme activities and process design.
Stem Cells of the Reproductive System: At a Glance

Stem cells have been isolated, expanded, and characterized from most of the female organs of reproduction and from the testis and prostate of males. The cells have the characteristics of other mesenchymal stem cells. They are multipotent and inducible in culture to form cells of all three lineages, ectoderm, mesoderm, and endoderm. They do not form teratomas when xenografted in the nude mouse model. Epithelial and stromal cells of the endometrium obtained by surgery, biopsy, or, more recently, directly from menstrual blood have been differentiated into pancreatic islet-like cells producing insulin, neural-like cells producing dopamine and DOPAC, neurotrophic growth factors, and cardiomyocytes. Transplants of these cells have been effective in murine models of human chronic illness, diabetes, chronic limb ischemia, multiple sclerosis, stroke, and congestive heart failure. Human trials of endometrial cells for severe congestive heart failure are in progress. Recently, fallopian tube stem cells have been isolated and are beginning to be used therapeutically as well. The ovary is a source of germline cells that give promise for new treatment of premature ovarian senescence and somatic stem cells as another potential source for regenerative medicine. Spermatogonial cells of the testis are being studied for fertility preservation and restoration and are being differentiated into somatic stem cells for treatment, still in animal models. The prostate is another source of somatic stem cells but is mainly of interest at present because of the roles of prostatic stem cells in benign prostatic hypertrophy and prostatic cancer, both very common problems. Cancer stem cells of the ovary are also of critical importance for possible leads to more effective therapies for ovarian cancer, a highly lethal illness because it is asymptomatic until after metastasis in most cases.
Soft Copy Mammography Reading: Influence of Monitor Luminance & Tone Scale

The goal of this study was to evaluate reader performance viewing softcopy mammograms as display luminance and display tone scale are changed. The luminance study compared 80 ftL with 140 ftL, and the tone scale study compared a perceptually linearized tone scale with a non-perceptually linearized tone scale. Eye-position was recorded in both studies. Performance was better with the higher luminance display and with the perceptually linearized display, but in terms of diagnostic performance and visual search efficiency. The results suggest that it is very important to consider luminance and tone scale settings on a display monitor when viewing softcopy mammographic images.
A Macromolecular Synthesis-Dependent Late Phase of Long-Term Potentiation Requiring cAMP in the Medial Perforant Pathway of Rat Hippocampal Slices

Memory storage consists of a short-term phase that is independent of new protein synthesis and a long-term phase that requires the synthesis of new proteins and RNA. A cellular representation of these two phases has been demonstrated recently for long-term potentiation (LTP) in both the Schaffer collateral and the mossy fibers of the hippocampus, a structure widely thought to contribute to memory consolidation. By contrast, much less information is available about the medial perforant pathway (MPP), one of the major inputs to the hippocampus. We found that both a short-lasting and a long-lasting potentiation (L-LTP) can be induced in the MPP of rat hippocampal slices by applying repeated tetanization in reduced levels of magnesium. This potentiation was dependent on the activation of NMDA receptors. The early, transient phase of LTP in the MPP did not require either protein or RNA synthesis, and it was independent of protein kinase A activation. By contrast, L-LTP required the synthesis of proteins and RNA, and was selectively blocked by inhibitors of cAMP-dependent protein kinase (PKA). Forskolin, an adenylate cyclase activator, also induced a L-LTP that was attenuated by inhibition of transcription. Our results demonstrate that, like LTP in the Schaffer collateral and mossy fiber pathways, MPP LTP also consists of a late phase that is dependent on protein and RNA synthesis and PKA activity. Thus, cAMP-mediated transcription appears to be a common mechanism for the late form of LTP in all three pathways within the hippocampus.
Estimating the mean and variance from the median, range, and the size of a sample.

Usually the researchers performing meta-analysis of continuous outcomes from clinical trials need their mean value and the variance (or standard deviation) in order to pool data. However, sometimes the published reports of clinical trials only report the median, range and the size of the trial. In this article we use simple and elementary inequalities and approximations in order to estimate the mean and the variance for such trials. Our estimation is distribution-free, i.e., it makes no assumption on the distribution of the underlying data. We found two simple formulas that estimate the mean using the values of the median (m), low and high end of the range (a and b, respectively), and n (the sample size). Using simulations, we show that median can be used to estimate mean when the sample size is larger than 25. For smaller samples our new formula, devised in this paper, should be used. We also estimated the variance of an unknown sample using the median, low and high end of the range, and the sample size. Our estimate is performing as the best estimate in our simulations for very small samples (n ≤ 15). For moderately sized samples (15 70), the formula range/6 gives the best estimator for the standard deviation (variance). We also include an illustrative example of the potential value of our method using reports from the Cochrane review on the role of erythropoietin in anemia due to malignancy. Using these formulas, we hope to help meta-analysts use clinical trials in their analysis even when not all of the information is available and/or reported.
Power factor correction of LED drivers with third port energy storage

A three port fly-back converter is presented in this paper for light emitting diode (LED) drivers. The presented topology eliminates the need of any electrolytic capacitor in the LED driver. The elimination of a bulky capacitor using the proposed power decoupling technique makes it possible to correct the input power factor and reduce the line harmonics by means of discontinuous capacitor voltage mode. This feature allows for a unity power factor and sinusoidal input current. The simulation and experimental results are presented in the paper to confirm the validity and the effectiveness of the proposed system.