cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Thermal response of metals to ultrashort-pulse laser excitation.

Both electron thermal conductivity and thermal exchange with the lattice can cool an electron distribution initially heated on a metallic surface with an ultrashort laser pulse. The interplay between the two processes allows the electron-lattice coupling parameter to be determined. We report measurements of optical damage to molybdenum and copper. Damage caused by pulses have a duration ${\ensuremath{\tau}}_{L}\ensuremath{\lesssim}1$ nsec can be understood only with a two-temperature model of metals.
Measuring Complex Pulses in a Single Shot Using Crossed-Beam Spectral Interferometry and a Reference Pulse with Massive Pulse Front Tilt

We use a reference pulse with massive pulse front tilt in crossed-beam spectral interferometry to measure extremely complex pulses, much longer than possible in traditional spectral interferometry.
Optimal distribution of medical backpacks and health surveillance assistants in Malawi

Despite recent progress, Malawi continues to perform poorly on key health indicators such as child mortality and life expectancy. These problems are exacerbated by a severe lack of access to health care. Health Surveillance Assistants (HSAs) help bridge this gap by providing community-level access to basic health care services. However, the success of these HSAs is limited by a lack of supplies and long distances between HSAs and patients. To address this issue, we used large-scale weighted p-median and capacitated facility location problems to create a scalable, three-tiered plan for optimal allocation of HSAs, HSA designated medical backpacks, and backpack resupply centers. Our analysis uses real data on the location and characteristics of hospitals, health centers, and the general population. In addition to offering specific recommendations for HSA, backpack, and resupply center locations, it provides general insights into the scope of the proposed HSA backpack program scale-up. In particular, it demonstrates the importance of local health centers to the resupply network. The proposed assignments are robust to changes in the underlying population structure, and could significantly improve access to medical supplies for both HSAs and patients.
An object-oriented approach to software design for distributed real-time computing systems

In distributed real-time computing systems for complicated applications like command, control, communications and intelligence, time constraints are severe and adaptability is required to provide high availability and survivability of computing resources. An object-oriented approach to software design for distributed real-time systems is presented. In order to support adaptability of the software system to a dynamically changing environment, the approach supports multiple-versions of a method definition. The design approach is illustrated with a hypothetical airbase defense simulation system. >
Pharmacologic Prophylaxis Against Venous Thromboembolic Complications Is Not Mandatory for All Laparoscopic Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass Procedures

Background Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is a leading cause of postoperative mortality in bariatric surgical patients. The aim of this study is to report the rate of VTE and bleeding complications using no prophylactic pharmacologic anticoagulation among patients undergoing laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass. Study Design Nine hundred fifty-seven consecutive patients who were older than 18 years, had no history of VTE, and had laparoscopic Roux-en-Y gastric bypass by a single surgeon (RHC) between January 2000 and October 2008 were included. Outcomes, including deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolism, were prospectively collected and retrospectively analyzed using SAS (version 9.1, SAS Institute Inc). VTE prophylactic regimen consisted of calf-length pneumatic compression devices placed before anesthesia induction and mandatory ambulation beginning on the day of operation. No prophylactic pharmacologic anticoagulation was used. All data presented as mean ± SEM. Results Of the 957 patients, 792 were women and 165 were men. Mean age was 41.0 ± 0.3 years, body mass index (calculated as kg/m 2 ) was 49.1 ± 0.2, and American Society of Anesthesiology scores 2 (29.8%), 3 (69.8%), and 4 (0.4%). Mean operative time was 106.0 ± 0.8 minutes. Clinically evident deep vein thrombosis developed in three patients (0.31%) and one patient had a pulmonary embolism (0.10%). The one mortality in the cohort was unrelated to VTE. There were seven (0.73%) bleeding complications, of which one resolved without treatment, two required reoperation, and four required blood transfusions. Conclusions Adequate VTE prophylaxis is achieved using calf-length pneumatic compression devices, early ambulation, and relatively short operative times. Pharmacologic anticoagulation is not mandatory when these conditions are met in patients who have no earlier history of VTE. There are few bleeding complications requiring reoperation or blood transfusions without the use of anticoagulants.
On W1,p-solvability for special vectorial Hamilton-Jacobi systems

Abstract We study the solvability of special vectorial Hamilton–Jacobi systems of the form F(Du(x))=0 in a Sobolev space. In this paper we establish the general existence theorems for certain Dirichlet problems using suitable approximation schemes called W1,p-reduction principles that generalize the similar reduction principle for Lipschitz solutions. Our approach, to a large extent, unifies the existing methods for the existence results of the special Hamilton–Jacobi systems under study. The method relies on a new Baire's category argument concerning the residual continuity of a Baire-one function. Some sufficient conditions for W1,p-reduction are also given along with certain generalization of some known results and a specific application to the boundary value problem for special weakly quasiregular mappings.
Dynamic light-matter coupling across multiple spatial dimensions in a quantum dots-in-a-well heterostructure

Ultrafast density-dependent optical spectroscopic measurements on a quantum dots-in-a-well heterostructure reveal several distinctive phenomena, most notably a strong coupling between the quantum well population and light absorption at the quantum dot excited state.
Relationship Between Left Ventricular Diastolic Relaxation and Systolic Function in Hypertension: The Hypertension Genetic Epidemiology Network (HyperGEN) Study

The relation of impaired left ventricular relaxation, as measured by prolonged isovolumic relaxation time, to ventricular systolic function in hypertension remains uncertain in population-based samples. In the Hypertension Genetic Epidemiology Network (HyperGEN) Study, echocardiograms were analyzed in 1457 hypertensive participants without diabetes, >/=2+ valvular regurgitation, or coronary disease. Impaired relaxation (isovolumic relaxation time >100 ms) was present in 219 (15%) of the participants; they were older and had higher arterial pressure than did those with normal relaxation. Ventricular chamber size, wall thicknesses, mass, and relative wall thickness were greater, and stress-corrected midwall shortening and end-systolic stress/end-systolic volume index were lower with impaired relaxation than with normal relaxation time. Fractional shortening and ejection fraction did not differ between the groups. In logistic regression, the likelihood of prolonged isovolumic relaxation time decreased with higher stress-corrected midwall shortening (odds ratio, 0.97%; 95% confidence interval, 0.96 to 0.99), independently of age, heart rate, and ventricular mass. Neither ejection fraction nor the end-systolic stress/end-systolic volume index was independently related to isovolumic relaxation time. In hypertension, impaired left ventricular relaxation parallels ventricular midwall dysfunction but not systolic chamber function. Whether combined diastolic and systolic dysfunction identifies hypertensive patients at especially high risk of cardiovascular events requires further study.
LIMITS ON NEW FERMIONS FROM $p\bar p$ COLLIDER DATA

Recent data from the UA2 Collaboration is used to place new limits on the top quark mass as well as hypothetical new fermions such as additional light neutrinos, a fourth generation charged lepton L, a fourth generation down-type quark b′, as well as the isosinglet E6 exotic quark D.
Warfarin and its interactions with foods, herbs and other dietary supplements

Despite its complex pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic profile, warfarin is still one of the most widely used oral anticoagulant agents. Attaining optimal anticoagulation with this agent is clinically challenging in view of its many food and drug interactions. Inappropriate anticoagulation control can expose patients to an increased risk of bleeding or thromboembolic complications, due to over and underanticoagulation, respectively. Fluctuations in dietary vitamin K intake can have a significant effect on the degree of anticoagulation in patients treated with warfarin. In addition, the explosion in use of various dietary supplements and herbal products can lead to undesired outcomes on anticoagulant levels. The aim of this review is to discuss the scope and the potential clinical impact of the most commonly reported food, dietary supplement and herbal interactions with warfarin therapy. Practical steps for patients and providers to minimise these interactions are highlighted.
Eosinophilic pneumonia associated with bleomycin in a patient with mediastinal seminoma: a case report

Lung toxicities resulting from the chemotherapeutic agent bleomycin encompass a variety of pathological changes, including bronchiolitis obliterans organizing pneumonia, interstitial pneumonitis and progressive interstitial fibrosis. We report a rare case of eosinophilic pneumonia associated with bleomycin. A 44-year-old Hispanic man with a primary mediastinal seminoma complicated by superior vena cava syndrome underwent treatment with four cycles of bleomycin, etoposide and cisplatin. He had a complete positive response to the chemotherapy. However, three months after treatment he presented with shortness of breath and severe hypoxemia associated with peripheral eosinophilia. Computed tomography showed bilateral diffuse interstitial infiltrates that were refractory to antibiotic treatment. A lung biopsy showed eosinophilic pneumonia. He was subsequently treated with high-dose prednisone, resulting in a complete resolution of his symptoms and lung infiltrates. This case illustrates that eosinophilic pneumonia may be a late sequela of bleomycin toxicity, and may respond dramatically to steroid treatment.
BORIS/CTCFL mRNA isoform expression and epigenetic regulation in epithelial ovarian cancer

Cancer germline (CG) genes are normally expressed in germ cells and aberrantly expressed in a variety of cancers; their immunogenicity has led to the widespread development of cancer vaccines targeting these antigens. BORIS/CTCFL is an autosomal CG antigen and promising cancer vaccine target. BORIS is the only known paralog of CTCF, a gene intimately involved in genomic imprinting, chromatin insulation, and nuclear regulation. We have previously shown that BORIS is expressed in epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) and that its expression coincides with promoter and global DNA hypomethylation. Recently, 23 different BORIS mRNA variants have been described, and have been functionally grouped into six BORIS isoform families (sf1-sf6). In the present study, we have characterized the expression of BORIS isoform families in normal ovary (NO) and EOC, the latter of which were selected to include two groups with widely varying global DNA methylation status. We find selective expression of BORIS isoform families in NO, which becomes altered in EOC, primarily by the activation of BORIS sf1 in EOC. When comparing EOC samples based on methylation status, we find that BORIS sf1 and sf2 isoform families are selectively activated in globally hypomethylated tumors. In contrast, CTCF is downregulated in EOC, and the ratio of BORIS sf1, sf2, and sf6 isoform families as a function of CTCF is elevated in hypomethylated tumors. Finally, the expression of all BORIS isoform families was induced to varying extents by epigenetic modulatory drugs in EOC cell lines, particularly when DNMT and HDAC inhibitors were used in combination.
Using three-dimensional flight patterns at airfields to identify hotspots for avian–aircraft collisions

In the United States, black vulture (Coragyps atratus) and turkey vulture (Cathartes aura) pose significant birdstrike risks to aircraft. Understanding flight behaviors of vultures in and around military and civilian airfields is necessary to alleviate these risks. Using satellite telemetry data collected from 11 black vultures and 7 turkey vultures equipped with Global Positioning System backpack harness technology, we collected data on location and altitude near the Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) in Beaufort, South Carolina from September 2006 to September 2008. We used military aircraft flight landing patterns to visualize a new concept, a flight altitude cone of depression (FACOD), which models a three-dimensional flight pattern over the airfield. We then identified areas in and around MCAS where vulture flight paths penetrated the FACOD and locations of vultures were proximate to flight approach routes that posed potential risk to aircraft for a birdstrike. Combining altitude of in-flight locations of vultures or other species with three-dimensional flight patterns of aircraft provides a novel method for managers of military and domestic airfields to assess birdstrike risk and to focus corrective actions.
TRIGA: telecommunications protocol processing subsystem using reconfigurable interoperable gate arrays

We present the telecommunications protocol processing subsystem using reconfigurable interoperable gate arrays (TRIGA), a novel approach that unifies fault tolerance and inter-planetary communication protocol offloading to implement CCSDS file delivery protocol and datalink layers. The new reconfigurable architecture offers more than one order of magnitude throughput increase while reducing footprint requirements in memory, command and data handling processor utilization, communication system interconnects and power consumption.
Industrial applications of optical fuzzy syntactic pattern recognition

Industrial flaw detection is not always amenable to template matching approaches. Some flaws have fuzzy descriptions which serve better than prototypes for representation. Optical Fuzzy Syntactic Pattern Recognition is well adapted to this situation.
Working and training from home

Due to a serious illness of a family member, I recently needed to perform a large percentage of my normal work duties from home. These included the easy things like reports, e-mail, and documentation. The more difficult tasks were attending meetings, held sometimes in rooms with very little technology, and training. During training I needed to see what the student was doing on their computer, as well as being able to demonstrate on a large screen projection system in the same room. In addition to the technical challenges, the needs of the family members at home had to be balanced with work, sometimes both needs were concurrent. As some of us who are staring retirement age in the face, but still working, the need to balance care for a family member and work pulls at us from both sides. In this paper I will concentrate on the technical challenges, but I will also share some of the family issues that I encountered as well.
Cryptic plasmids of Mycobacterium avium: Tn552 to the rescue

Summary Plasmids have been described in almost all bacterial species analysed and have proven to be essential genetic tools. In many bacteria these extrachro- mosomal DNAs are cryptic with no known markers or function, which makes their characterization and genetic exploitation extremely difficult. Here we describe a system that will allow the rescue of any cir- cular DNA (plasmid or phage) using an in vitro trans- position system to deliver both a selectable marker (kanamycin) and an Escherichia coli plasmid origin of replication. In this study, we demonstrate the rescue of four cryptic plasmids from the opportunistic pathogen Mycobacterium avium. To evaluate the host range of the rescued plasmids, we have examined their ability to be propagated in Mycobacterium smegmatis and Mycobacterium bovis BCG, and their compatibility with other mycobacterial plasmids. In addition, we use a library of transposon insertions to sequence one plasmid, pVT2, and to begin a genetic analysis of plasmid genes. Using this approach, we identified a putative conjugative relaxase, suggesting this myco- bacterial plasmid is transferable, and three genes required for plasmid establishment and replication.
Alemtuzumab use in relapsed and refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia: a history and discussion of future rational use

In this review, we outline the clinical experience with single-agent alemtuzumab as a treatment for relapsed and refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) in both prospective and retrospective trials and describe the multiagent use of the drug with the goal of updating clinicians on recent developments and possible future rational combinations. Alemtuzumab, an antibody targeting the lymphocyte-specific surface marker CD52, is an approved agent for the treatment of CLL. Despite its demonstrated efficacy, likely secondary to concerns regarding infectious complications, it is most commonly used in the relapsed and refractory setting. Given alemtuzumab’s unique mechanism of action it has been demonstrated to have activity in disease that is refractory to both alkylating agents and purine analogs. Furthermore, it has activity in TP53-mutated disease, which has the worst prognosis of any subset of CLL. Alemtuzumab has greater efficacy on circulating disease relative to nodal disease. Rational combinations are attempting to use these attributes to increase response rates in patients with relapsed and refractory disease.
On Detection of Malicious Users Using Group Testing Techniques

Despite decades of research, there have not been developed concrete defense solutions for most of current attacks to Internet services, let alone new attack types. An essential problem to overcome is that malicious traffic can be similar to legitimate ones. Thus a more fundamental model which should be based on the overall performance of servers/subnets without inspecting each traffic must be remedied. Based on this observation, we propose a novel system framework, called detection of malicious users (DMU) which attempts to solve various attack types. Motivated by DMU, we introduce a new theoretical model, called size constraint group testing (SCGT). Several algorithms based on SCGT for various networking scenarios are proposed. We also provide several fundamental results on SCGT, revealing some necessary conditions to obtain an O(1) detection time algorithm.
Myalgia cruris epidemica (benign acute childhood myositis) associated with a mycoplasma pneumonia infection

We report the case of a 6-year-old boy who presented with difficulty ambulating and an elevated creatinine phosphokinase level following an upper respiratory tract infection. Crural myositis was diagnosed; convalescent serum was negative for viruses, but demonstrated significant titers to Mycoplasma pneumoniae. Benign acute crural myositis has not heretofore been associated with Mycoplasmal infection.
A comparison between theory and experiment for the yaw moment induced by a loose internal part

Abstract : Spin stabilized projectiles often employ internal parts that are loose. Typical examples are safety mechanisms within fuzes, payload components, or submunitions. A series of tests were conducted where a loose internal part was driven by the rotor of a freely gimballed gyroscope. The motion of the loose part is not identical to that of the gyroscope and will cause the gyroscope yaw to grow. The gyroscope yaw history and the orbital motion of the loose part were measured to determine the phase angle between the motion of the loose part and the yawing motion of the gyroscope. The experimental data were used as input parameters to a theory that predicts moments (and, therefore, the yaw growth rate) induced by a loose internal part. Where the assumptions of the theory were appropriately modeled by the experiment, comparisons of theoretical and experimental yaw growth rates were consistent. Keywords: Flight stability.
When a Decision Must Be Made: Role of Computer Modeling in Clinical Cancer Research

Every day, multidisciplinary oncology teams make dozens of treatment decisions that may have a tremendous impact on a patient’s survival and quality of life. Made with the best of intentions, these decisions are informed by basic science and clinical research findings, clinical experience, and health policy. All too often, results from the gold standard of clinical trial research, a randomized controlled trial (RCT), that fit the specific details of the patient’s situation are not
Widespread skin rash following travel to South-East Asia

Summary A 21-year-old man presented with a widespread, intensely pruritic skin rash, which developed acutely 5 days after returning from a backpacking holiday in Thailand. On initial presentation to his general practitioner, an erythematous, papular rash was noted in the upper right back, with smaller clusters of lesions on the buttocks and right arm. Based on the anatomical distribution of the lesions, a preliminary diagnosis of shingles was made. Over the following 2 weeks, the lesions failed to improve, and new snake-like lesions appeared. A dermatologist made the diagnosis of cutaneous larva migrans. The skin lesions rapidly resolved following oral albendazole therapy.
Quantitating human palatal morphology.

Points in three-dimensional space were measured on the palate and these points were fitted by a least-squares multiple regression equation of the form Z = a + ∑i=14 biXi + ∑i=14 ciYi + dXY + eX2Y +fXY2 + gX2Y2 . Using this equation new data points were estimated which permit the breakdown of the total variability in Z into independent parts attributable to each of the terms in the equation. A practical illustration of this new technique is presented.
Observational Tests of Antimatter Cosmologies

In approaching the problem of the amount and astrophysical role of antimatter in the Universe, it is valuable to distinguish between two separate questions. First, must the universe be symmetric. Does an application of the microscopic laws of physics to the macroscopic scale of the Universe require that there be exactly equal numbers of particles and antiparticles. In contrast, is the Universe symmetric. The extent to which these questions can be or have been answered is the subject of this review. 2 tables, 118 refs. (GHT)
Grant-Writing Pearls and Pitfalls: Maximizing Funding Opportunities

This invited article reviews the grant process to include the following objectives: (1) to provide an understanding of otolaryngology funding mechanisms in the context of career progression; (2) to outline key components of a well-written grant; (3) to highlight vital members of a successful research team, with emphasis on the mentor-mentee relationship; and (4) to clarify grant scoring with emphasis on common pitfalls to avoid. Current otolaryngology funding mechanisms and up-to-date resources are provided. The review is aimed to assist otolaryngology residents, faculty new to the grant process, as well as experienced researchers striving to improve their grant review scores.
Henry Ingersoll Bowditch (1808-82): American physician, public health advocate and social reformer.

Henry Ingersoll Bowditch, a Bostonian physician from the mid-19th century, lived a passionate life full of commitment and devotion to various noble causes – he was a champion of public health, an advocate for inclusion of women in medicine and a staunch abolitionist, all unpopular social perspectives at that time in medical and political history. Seemingly difficult personality traits including his stubbornness and moralistic outlook were likely ‘adaptive’ as he confronted the political reality of major institutional change. His interest in statistical trends and environmental influences and his inductive reasoning led to a deeper understanding of consumption (tuberculosis), the widespread diagnostic use of the stethoscope and thoracocentesis.
Another Methodological Confounder: Comment on Witt, Lowe, Peek, and Curry

In their recent article, Witt et al. examined whether changes in the reported positive association between age and happiness was an emerging trend or an artifact of changes in the methods used to examine this association. The authors conclude that, from 1948 to 1977, the relationship between age and happiness has shifted from essentially no association to a weakly positive one, and that it is no methodological artifact. Reasons offered for greater happiness of the elderly include: improved economic security from governmental programs (e.g., Medicare), less negative health perceptions as a result of geriatric developments, and increases in their political power. However, Witt et al. also point out several recent studies that report no such positive relationship (Alston et al.; Edwards and Klemmack; Gaitz and Scott; Spreitzer and Snyder). My purpose is to identify another methodological variable, not considered in the authors' analysis, that may challenge their conclusions. The findings of the researchers just cited, indicating no relationship between age and happiness, may still be supported.
Consumer and Producer Information-Sharing Preferences at Arizona Farmers Markets

Venues allowing consumers to purchase foods directly from producers, such as farmers markets, have grown rapidly in recent years. Direct-to-consumer marketing not only allows consumers to buy locally produced foods; it also facilitates interaction with producers through which consumers can learn more information about the foods they buy. Although information exchange is important in consumer purchasing decisions, little research has been conducted on information consumers and producers would like to share at farmers markets. This mixed-methods survey study (i.e., including quantitative and qualitative methods) explored interests of both consumers and producers regarding the types of information they would like to learn or share at farmers markets, as well as preferred methods by which they would like this information communicated. Quantitative results showed that consumers and producers were most interested in sharing information regarding pesticide use, flavor, freshness, food safety, animal welfare, nutrition, and environmental impacts; qualitative results indicated consumers were strongly interested in local sourcing, organic production, and animal care. Both groups were interested in sharing information via consumer-initiated conversations. Consumers noted purchasing needs and vendor relationships as drivers for choosing which producers to buy from. These findings could facilitate consumer-producer interactions at farmers markets as well as informed purchasing decisions by consumers.
Trajectory Tracking by Approximate Inverse Dynamics: IDRBF Computational Considerations

The Inverse Dynamics by Radial Basis Function (IDRBF) algorithm can be used to approximate the inverse dynamics of a non-linear system of interest. This approximation can then be used to control the system of interest such that it tracks a desired trajectory. Although the algorithm is simple in principal, special care must be taken when implementing the algorithm such that it has practical applications for non-trivial dynamic systems. In this paper, the IDRBF algorithm is broken down into 4 steps. These 4 steps are then analyzed with regards to computational limitations. These limitations include computer memory limitations, computation time, and numerical stability/accuracy. Suggestions are then provided on various techniques that should be considered when implementing this algorithm in order to reduce these limitations.
Study on Sexual Gland Toxicity of Transgenic Rice with mtlD/gutD Gene in Rats

Sexual gland toxicity of transgenic rice with mtlD/gutD gene(rice line T18-7-8-1)in rats was studied.The results showed that no pathological changes were found in organs such as testis and ovary in rats in both experimental and control groups in a 90-day-feeding test by histological section examination.No significant differences(P0.05)were observed on maturation of sexual gland in females,aberrant sperm rate of males and sexual hormone of rats between the experimental groups and the control.
Overview of Research on Acupuncture Treatment of Anxiety

To review literature related with acupuncture treatment for anxiety disorders,in recent five years,from traditional acupuncture,combination acupuncture with medicinal herbs,electroacupuncture and other therapies.We conclude the advantages of acupuncture treatment for anxiety disorders and discuss problems of acupuncture,believe that further complete clinical protocol,strictly standard design clinical study,comply with the evidence-based medicine,adopt multicenter and large sample RCT researches of the acupuncture treatment for anxiety disorders to improve the scientificity,which aimed to provide consult and reference for clinical treatment and research.
Giant frequency-selective near-field energy transfer in active–passive structures

We apply a fluctuation electrodynamics framework in combination with semianalytical (dipolar) approximations to study amplified spontaneous energy transfer (ASET) between active and passive bodies. We consider near-field energy transfer between semi-infinite planar media and spherical structures (dimers and lattices) subject to gain, and show that the combination of loss compensation and near-field enhancement (achieved by the proximity, enhanced interactions, and tuning of subwavelength resonances) in these structures can result in orders of magnitude ASET enhancements below the lasing threshold. We examine various possible geometric configurations, including realistic materials, and describe optimal conditions for enhancing ASET, showing that the latter depends sensitively on both geometry and gain, enabling efficient and tunable gain-assisted energy extraction from structured surfaces.
Charge Carrier Dynamics and Mobility Determined by Time-Resolved Terahertz Spectroscopy on Films of Nano-to-Micrometer-Sized Colloidal Tin(II) Monosulfide.

Tin(II) monosulfide (SnS) is a semiconductor material with an intermediate band gap, high absorption coefficient in the visible range, and earth abundant, nontoxic constituent elements. For these reasons, SnS has generated much interest for incorporation into optoelectronic devices, but little is known concerning the charge carrier dynamics, especially as measured by optical techniques. Here, as opposed to prior studies of vapor deposited films, phase-pure colloidal SnS was synthesized by solution chemistry in three size regimes, ranging from nanometer- to micrometer-scale (SnS small nanoparticles, SnS medium 2D nanosheets, and SnS large 2D μm-sheets), and evaluated by time-resolved terahertz spectroscopy (TRTS); an optical, noncontact probe of the photoconductivity. Dropcast films of the SnS colloids were studied by TRTS and compared to both thermally annealed films and dispersed suspensions of the same colloids. TRTS results revealed that the micrometer-scale SnS crystals and all of the annealed films u...
Pre-pregnancy obesity and non-adherence to multivitamin use: findings from the National Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (2009-2011)

Although adequate folic acid or multivitamins can prevent up to 70 % of neural tube defects, the majority of U.S. non-pregnant women of childbearing age do not use multivitamins every day. Factors influencing consistent multivitamin use are not fully explored. This study aims to investigate the association between pre-pregnancy body mass index (BMI) and multivitamin use before pregnancy using a large, nationally representative sample of women with recent live births. The national 2009–2011 Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System data were analyzed. The sample included women with recent singleton live births (N = 104,211). The outcome of interest was multivitamin use which was categorized as no multivitamin use, 1–3 times/week, 4–6 times/week, and daily use. Maternal BMI was examined as underweight (<18.50 kg/m2), normal weight (18.50–24.99 kg/m2), overweight (25.00–29.99 kg/m2), and obese (≥30.00 kg/m2). Multinomial logistic regression was conducted, and adjusted odds ratios and 95 % confidence intervals were calculated. Compared to women with normal weight, overweight and obese women had significantly increased odds of not taking multivitamins after adjusting for confounding factors. Further, the lack of multivitamin use increased in magnitude with the level of BMI (ORoverweight = 1.2, 95 % CI = 1.1–1.3; ORobese = 1.4, 95 % CI = 1.2–1.5). Obese and overweight women were less likely to follow the recommendation for preconception multivitamin use compared to normal weight women. All health care professionals must enhance preconception care with particular attention to overweight and obese women. Preconception counseling may be an opportunity to discuss healthy eating and benefits of daily multivitamin intake before pregnancy.
Large-Area Dry Transfer of Single-Crystalline Epitaxial Bismuth Thin Films

We report the first direct dry transfer of a single-crystalline thin film grown by molecular beam epitaxy. A double cantilever beam fracture technique was used to transfer epitaxial bismuth thin films grown on silicon (111) to silicon strips coated with epoxy. The transferred bismuth films retained electrical, optical, and structural properties comparable to the as-grown epitaxial films. Additionally, we isolated the bismuth thin films on freestanding flexible cured-epoxy post-transfer. The adhesion energy at the bismuth/silicon interface was measured to be ∼1 J/m2, comparable to that of exfoliated and wet transferred graphene. This low adhesion energy and ease of transfer is unexpected for an epitaxially grown film and may enable the study of bismuth’s unique electronic and spintronic properties on arbitrary substrates. Moreover, this method suggests a route to integrate other group-V epitaxial films (i.e., phosphorus) with arbitrary substrates, as well as potentially to isolate bismuthene, the atomic th...
TCT-810 Percutaneous Mitral Valve Repair for Management of Systolic Anterior Motion and Mitral Regurgitation Associated with Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy

Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) can be associated with abnormalities of the mitral valve (MV) apparatus, left ventricular outflow tract obstruction (LVOTO) and mitral regurgitation (MR). Therapies for symptomatic patients include septal myomectomy (SM) or alcohol septal ablation (ASA) but subsets
Bio-Instructive Scaffolds for Tendon/Ligament Regeneration

Abstract Tendons and ligaments are dense bands of connective tissues that span from muscle-to-bone and bone-to-bone, respectively, and are primarily involved in transmission of tensile forces and stabilization of joints. Injury to these tissues can greatly disrupt normal biomechanical function, risk abnormal wear and degeneration of the associated joints, and may necessitate surgical intervention to restore function. While autologous and allogeneic tissues are currently used for surgical repair, fiber-based synthetic scaffolds are in development for tendon/ligament tissue engineering applications. These scaffolds are typically formed from linear degradable polymers by techniques such as wet-spinning, melt-spinning, and electrospinning, and then subsequently assembled into braided, knitted, and non-woven structures to achieve the anatomical size, shape, and mechanical characteristics of human ligament and tendon. Incorporation of micro-fibers and/or a hydrogel phase has been shown to improve cell adhesion and infiltration, while the inclusion of morphogens, ceramics, bioglasses, and electrically conductive components holds promise for guiding formation of functional tissues that readily integrate with host bone and muscle.
Optimal control of ICV's and well operating conditions for the water-alternating-gas injection process

Abstract Water-alternating-gas (WAG) injection is a well known enhanced-oil-recovery (EOR) method in the oil industry. In a previously published paper, we concluded that the estimated net-present-value (NPV) of WAG flooding can be improved significantly by applying life-cycle production optimization. However, when reservoir layers have significantly different petro-physical properties, WAG can result in early breakthrough of the injected water and/or injected gas in layers with unfavorable physical characteristics. Thus, the production optimization technology we used previously may result in a lower NPV or cumulative oil produced than can be obtained if we are able to control injection and/or production rates on a layer-by-layer base. Recently, intelligent or smart completions, such as Inflow Control Valves (ICVs), have been used to optimize well performance. When ICVs are installed in wells, it allows us to optimize the production/injection well controls of perforated segments along the wellbore to maximize NPV or sweep efficiency and water and/or gas breakthrough. In this work, we consider smart completions for both injection and production wells. We optimize the well controls (rates or pressures) and ICV settings simultaneously and compare the NPV obtained by this process with the NPV obtained by optimizing only well controls and with the NPV generated by optimizing only ICV settings.
Molecular approaches for the analysis of airborne pollen: A case study of Juniperus pollen

Abstract Background Pollen monitoring is a common and vital tool in the field of allergy, creating awareness in pollen sensitive individuals. Traditionally, pollen monitoring has been based on conventional microscopic counting techniques that are labor intensive and limited in the identification to the genus or family level. Molecular techniques provide an alternative approach that is less labor intensive and enable identification of any species by its genetic fingerprint. Objective To use quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) to evaluate pollen concentrations in air samples. Methods Juniperus pollen was selected as our model because of the importance of this pollen in the southcentral United States. We analyzed 105 air samples collected with a Burkard spore trap from 2013 to 2015 using species-specific primers and probes. To evaluate the feasibility of a molecular approach, we used duplicate air samples that allowed us to compare results from classical identification based on light microscopy with our qPCR results. Results Pollen concentrations from the qPCR data were significantly correlated with concentrations determined through light microscopy ( R = 0.902, P Juniperus ashei and Juniperus pinchotii and between J ashei and Juniperus virginiana . Conclusion We found that this method correctly identified different Juniperus species present in mixed air samples in the southcentral United States, an accomplishment that cannot be achieved using microscopic identification. We conclude that the qPCR method is more accurate and sensitive than current pollen monitoring techniques and, therefore, has the potential to be used in various pollen monitoring stations.
Family environment, parent protection, and quality of life in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) survivors.

e21027 Background: Parent distress has a negative effect on quality of life (QOL) in childhood cancer survivors, though the effects of family environment and parenting behavior are less understood....
mHealth visual discovery dashboard

We present Discovery Dashboard, a visual analytics system for exploring large volumes of time series data from mobile medical field studies. Discovery Dashboard offers interactive exploration tools and a data mining motif discovery algorithm to help researchers formulate hypotheses, discover trends and patterns, and ultimately gain a deeper understanding of their data. Discovery Dashboard emphasizes user freedom and flexibility during the data exploration process and enables researchers to do things previously challenging or impossible to do --- in the web-browser and in real time. We demonstrate our system visualizing data from a mobile sensor study conducted at the University of Minnesota that included 52 participants who were trying to quit smoking.
Eyelid Classical Conditioning

Eyeblink classical conditioning (EBCC) has proved to be a remarkably productive paradigm for the elucidation of, first, behavioral and, later, neurobiological processes underlying simple associative learning. It has allowed not only the exploration of simple behavioral associations and their more complex counterparts, but also the documentation of a distributed neural system that serves as essential circuitry for the various forms of EBCCs. This literature stands as, arguably, the most comprehensive neurobehavioral systems map of mammalian associative learning. The striking agreement between animal and human studies supports the generality of behavioral processes discovered using this paradigm, and suggests its usefulness, for select pathologies, in diagnosing, understanding, and treating human cognitive impairments.
Race/Ethnicity and Traumatic Brain Injury: Are There Disparities in Positive Screenings and Diagnoses Among Service Members Returning From Afghanistan and Iraq?:

The authors examine racial/ethnic differences in screening positive for traumatic brain injury (TBI) and in diagnosis among service members upon returning from war in Afghanistan and Iraq. Using da...
Hypereosinophilic syndrome in the differential diagnosis of pulmonary infiltrates with eosinophilia

Abstract Objective To describe key diagnostic considerations in patients with pulmonary infiltrates with eosinophilia, with a special emphasis on raising awareness of hypereosinophilic syndrome (HES), a disease that often involves the lungs and prompts investigation for clonal neoplastic processes that determine prognosis and treatment. Data Sources Studies and review articles were selected from PubMed and Scopus for relevance to pertinent topics. Study Selections The literature was screened for studies that described lung eosinophilia and HES. Studies relevant to the topic were included in this review. Results Pulmonary eosinophil infiltrates in lung biopsy specimens present a broad differential diagnosis, including eosinophilic pneumonia; hypersensitivity reactions, such as allergic bronchopulmonary fungal disease; and pulmonary manifestations of systemic diseases, such as eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis. An additional important consideration in the differential diagnosis is pulmonary involvement by HES. HES is a rare syndrome that comprises a heterogeneous group of conditions characterized by persistent blood and/or tissue eosinophilia associated with organ dysfunction. Approximately one-third of HES cases are caused by neoplastic diseases, with the remaining cases classified as reactive or idiopathic. Lung involvement is seen in up to 67% of cases and may be the presenting manifestation of the disorder. Conclusion The differential diagnosis of pulmonary eosinophilia is broad and requires a multidisciplinary approach with clinicopathologic-radiologic correlation.
Transfusion Therapy in Reoperative Cardiac Surgery

Cardiac surgery can be complicated by significant bleeding, particularly in patients with prior cardiothoracic surgery. Redo cardiac procedures can be complicated by adhesions and prolonged cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), both of which can contribute to excessive bleeding. Approximately 30% of patients undergoing first-time elective coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery require a blood transfusion (Transfusion 41: 1193–203, 2001), and the likelihood of transfusion is even higher in cardiac reoperations (odds ratio 2.32; confidence interval 1.53–2.33) (Transfusion 46: 1120–9, 2006). Thus, the cardiothoracic surgeon and anesthesiologist need to be aware of the symptoms, signs, relevant laboratory tests, pathophysiology, and management strategies for excessive bleeding in the perioperative period of redo cardiac surgery.
A New Perspective on Coastally Trapped Disturbances Using Data from the Satellite Era

AbstractThe ability of global climate models to simulate accurately marine stratiform clouds continues to challenge the atmospheric science community. These cloud types, which account for a large u...
Prescribing trends and revisit rates following a pharmacist‐driven protocol change for community‐acquired pneumonia in an emergency department

OBJECTIVE To compare pharmacist-led prescribing changes and associated 30-day revisit rates across different regimens for patients discharged from an emergency department (ED) with a diagnosis of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). METHODS An observational, retrospective cohort analysis was conducted of patients who were discharged from an ED over a 4-year period with a diagnosis of CAP. Patient demographics, clinical characteristics, antibiotic selection and comorbidity and condition severity scores were collected for two cohorts: 2012-13 (before protocol change) and 2014-15 (post-protocol change). During January 2014, a pharmacist-led protocol change with prescriber education was implemented to better align ED treatment practices with clinical practice guidelines. The primary endpoint was the change in prescribing practices across the two cohorts. KEY FINDINGS A total of 741 patients with CAP were identified, including 411 (55.5%) patients in 2012-13 and 330 (44.5%) in 2014-15. Prescribing of macrolide monotherapy regimens decreased significantly following protocol change (70.1% versus 42.7%; difference: 27.4%, 95% CI: 23.8-31.0%) with a reciprocal increase in macrolide/β-lactam combination prescribing (6.3-21.8%; difference: 15.5%, 95% CI: 12.9-18.1%). A total of 12.2% of patients who received macrolide/β-lactam combination treatment revisited a network ED within 30 days due to worsening pneumonia, compared to 8.6% of patients who received macrolide monotherapy treatment (P = NS). CONCLUSIONS The current study showed a significant increase in antibiotic prescribing compliance following a pharmacist-driven protocol change and education, but no statistical difference in rates of return for macrolide monotherapy versus other regimens.
A First Look at 802.11ad Performance on a Smartphone

We present the first, to our best knowledge, measurement study of 802.11ad on a commercial smartphone. We explore a number of different aspects including range and coverage, performance under various mobility patterns, and impact on power consumption. We find that, although the performance is generally inferior to that of a laptop, the phone can sustain Gbps rates and the power consumption is not prohibitively high. Overall, our results show that, in spite of earlier concerns, 802.11ad can be a viable candidate technology to address the needs of emerging bandwidth-intensive applications in smartphones.
The emergence of national food: the dynamics of food and nationalism

The eighteen contributors to The Emergence of National Food: The Dynamics of Food and Nationalism have produced a multidisciplinary exploration of foods and cuisines and their relationships to nati...