cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The dialectic between Occitania and France in the thirteenth century

The thirteenth century was a time of turmoil in Occitania, starting with the buildup to the Albigensian Crusade during the first decade and its eruption in the second and third, which resulted in the establishment of the university in Toulouse in 1229, the founding of the Order of Friars Preachers a short time later and the unleashing of several decades of inquisition led by these Dominicans, and ultimately the dissolution of the powerful county of Toulouse. France profited both economically and politically from this plundering of the rich culture to its south: the consolidation of power by the late Capetian monarchy owed much to the absorption of Occitania into its holdings. The inhabitants of the Midi continued to demonstrate their fierce independence from their conquerors in myriad ways, some overt, some subversive. But the tempestuous events in their homeland caused some trauma among the troubadours, and although this did not necessarily result in a general deterioration in the quality of the songs that they produced, it probably is at least partly to blame for a decline in the number of both songs and composers.
Validation of internal control genes for gene expression analysis in diabetic glomerulosclerosis.

Validation of internal control genes for gene expression analysis in diabetic glomerulosclerosis . Background Gene expression analysis is an invaluable tool in the study of diabetic glomerulosclerosis. The necessary denominator for the quantitative expression of a specific gene is the expression level of a second gene that is presumed to remain unchanged. Thus, it is critical that the stability of this housekeeping gene in diabetic glomeruli or in cultured glomerular cells is not altered by the disease or a high glucose environment, respectively. Although gene expression quantification, achieved by Northern blot analysis or real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) has been extensively applied in diabetic renal tissue in vivo and in vitro, there are no studies validating the use of any specific endogenous control gene in these measurements. Methods We performed real-time RT-PCR using RNA from microdissected diabetic glomeruli and from mesangial cells cultured in high glucose concentration to investigate gene expression stability of β-actin , glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase ( GADPH ), phospholipase A 2 , β 2 -microglobulin , acidic ribosomal protein 36B4 , and cyclophilin A. Results Using an analysis method which is independent of gene abundance and compares the pair-wise variation of a given housekeeping gene with all other control genes, β-actin and phospholipase A 2 , were found to be the most stable genes in diabetic glomeruli and in primary mesangial cells exposed to 20 mmol/L glucose. Conclusion It is proposed that the expression level of these genes is the best reference to evaluate relative changes in gene activity in diabetic/high glucose exposed glomerular tissues.
Predicting Power for a Scaled‐up Non‐Newtonian Biomass Slurry

High-solids biomass slurries exhibit non-Newtonian behavior with a yield stress and require high power input for mixing. The goals were to determine the effect of scale and geometry on power number P0, and estimate the power for mixing a pretreated biomass slurry in a 3.8 million L hydrolysis reactor of conventional design. A lab-scale computational fluid dynamics model was validated against experimental data and then scaled up. A pitched-blade turbine and A310 hydrofoil were tested for various geometric arrangements. Flow was transitional; laminar and turbulence models resulted in equivalent P0 which increased with scale. The ratio of impeller diameter to tank diameter affected P0 for both impellers, but impeller clearance to tank diameter affected P0 only for the A310. At least 2 MW is required to operate at this scale.
Inhibition of SIRT1 deacetylase suppresses estrogen receptor signaling

Estrogen receptor alpha (ERalpha) mediates estrogen-dependent gene transcription, which plays a critical role in mammary gland development, reproduction and homeostasis. Histone acetyltransferases and class I and class II histone deacetylases (HDACs) cause posttranscriptional modification of histone proteins that participate in ERalpha signaling. Here, we report that human SIRT1, a class III HDAC, regulates ERalpha expression. Inhibition of SIRT1 activity by sirtinol suppresses ERalpha expression through disruption of basal transcriptional complexes at the ERalpha promoter. This effect leads to inhibition of estrogen-responsive gene expression. Our in vitro observations were further extended that SIRT1 knockout reduces ERalpha protein in mouse mammary gland. Finally, ERalpha-mediated estrogen response genes are also decreased in mouse embryonic fibroblasts derived from SIRT1-knockout mice. These results suggest that inhibition of SIRT1 deacetylase activity by either pharmacological inhibitors or genetic depletion impairs ERalpha-mediated signaling pathways.
Lessons from Sandy - preparing health systems for future disasters

The smooth operation and then evacuation of NYU's hospitals during and after Hurricane Sandy were remarkable. But for the future, it's important to understand what medical and public health challenges are to be expected after such megadisasters.
The effect of the substrate on the extracellular neural activity recorded micromachined silicon microprobes

The influence of a highly-doped silicon substrate on the neural activity recorded by thin-film microelectrode arrays has been explored using top, back, and double-sided recording sites. Probes having shank widths from 25-50 /spl mu/m and site spacings (in depth) from 20-40 /spl mu/m were used. The realization of back-looking and double-sided sites requires one mask in addition to the normal 8-mask passive probe process. Back-looking sites record as well as top sites even though separated by only a few microns from the surrounding silicon substrate, indicating that the substrate acts as an insulator and does not shunt local current from the extracellular space. On wide substrates, back-looking sites can thus be used to ensure a spherical recording field. As the substrate width is scaled to dimensions of a few microns, it should leave the extracellular field relatively undisturbed while providing mechanical support and suppressing crosstalk.
Visual Perception and Mixed-Initiative Interaction for Assisted Visualization Design

This paper describes the integration of perceptual guidelines from human vision with an Al-based mixed-initiative search strategy. The result is a visualization assistant called ViA, a system that collaborates with its users to identify perceptually salient visualizations for large multidimensional data sets. ViA applies the knowledge of low-level human vision to 1) evaluate the effectiveness of a particular visualization for a given data set and analysis tasks and 2) rapidly direct its search toward new visualizations that are most likely to offer improvements over those seen to date. Context, domain expertise, and a high-level understanding of a data set are critical to identifying effective visualizations. We apply a mixed-initiative strategy that allows ViA and its users to share their different strengths and continually improve ViA's understanding of a user's preferences. We visualize historical weather conditions to compare ViA's search strategy to exhaustive analysis, simulated annealing, and reactive tabu search and to measure the improvement provided by mixed-initiative interaction. We also visualize intelligent agents competing in a simulated online auction to evaluate ViA's perceptual guidelines. Results from each study are positive, suggesting that ViA can construct high-quality visualizations for a range of real-world data sets.
Efficient iterative solution to M-view projective reconstruction problem

We propose an efficient solution to the general M-view projective reconstruction problem, using matrix factorization and iterative least squares. The method can accept input with missing data, meaning that not all points are necessarily visible in all views. It runs much faster than the often-used non-linear minimization method, while preserving the accuracy of the latter. The key idea is to convert the minimization problem into a series of weighted least squares sub-problems with drastically reduced matrix sizes. Additionally, we show that good initial values can always be obtained. Experimental results on both synthetic and real data are presented. Potential applications are also demonstrated.
Varieties of Capitalism: The Institutional Foundations of Comparative Advantage. Edited by Peter A. Hall and David Soskice. Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2001. 560p. $72.00 cloth, $24.95 paper.

The volume and quality of the scholarship generated of late on the question of the “varieties of capitalism” has been truly outstanding. We now know far more than we ever did about the internal workings of particular national economies, and about the determinants of what Angus Maddison once termed the “proximate” causes of their competitive strengths and weaknesses. That knowledge has come in part from the work of a talented set of comparative political scientists and industrial sociologists, many of whom participate in this collection. It has also come from the work of a set of economists and economic historians with sufficient professional courage and intellectual integrity to operate at (or even beyond) the edge of their notoriously narrow and institutionally blind discipline. But because that knowledge has come from so many sources, and because so much of it has entered the public domain in the form of discrete case studies or collections of relatively disconnected essays, what the subfield now needs, more than anything else, is the consolidation of a set of organizing frameworks and governing concepts designed to go beyond proximate causes to a fuller understanding of the dynamics of competitive advantage. This is why Peter Hall and David Soskice's much-heralded collection of essays, Varieties of Capitalism, is so important a milestone in the development of the subdiscipline of comparative political economy. At long last it gives us what Pepper D. Culpepper calls here an “analytical tool kit” (p. 303): a collection of essays built around the powerful conceptual devices of “comparative institutional advantage” and “institutional complementarities”—concepts deployed to explain “how the institutions structuring the political economy confer comparative advantages on a nation, especially in the sphere of innovation” (p. v).
Ineffective Organizational Practices at NASA: A Dynamic Network Analysis

Organizational problems such as ineffective leadership, structural integration, communication barriers and practical drift have plagued NASA for many years. The concurrent existence and micro/macro nature of these problems makes analysis difficult. This whitepaper describes dynamic network analysis and how it can be applied to study ineffective organizational practices at NASA. Dynamic network analysis is a comprehensive methodology that can be used to model complex organizational problems. The methodology can handle multi-mode, multi-link networks therefore organizational risk can be modeled at various levels: team, department, divisional, and organizational. Analysis is done at several levels thus allowing for complex reasoning about the micro and macro co-evolution of the socio-technical system. Next, an example model of NASA's Team X is developed and analyzed. The model explores the implications of individual leadership style on structural integration. Results show that leadership style can effect structural integration within the team; an effect that has both team adaptive and performance implications. Modeling and analysis can be expanded to study other current organizational problems at NASA such as communication barriers and practical drift.
Management of Modifiable Risk Factors Prior to Primary Hip and Knee Arthroplasty: A Readmission Risk Assessment Tool

Background: Preoperative risk stratification and optimization of preoperative care may be helpful in reducing readmission rates after primary total joint arthroplasty. Assessment of the predictive value of individual modifiable risk factors without a tool to assess cumulative risk may not provide proper risk stratification of patients with regard to potential readmissions. As part of a Perioperative Orthopaedic Surgical Home model, we developed a scoring system, the Readmission Risk Assessment Tool (RRAT), which allows for risk stratification in patients undergoing elective primary total joint arthroplasty at our institution. The purpose of this study was to analyze the relationship between the RRAT score and readmission after primary hip or knee arthroplasty. Methods: The RRAT, which is scored incrementally on the basis of the number and severity of modifiable comorbidities, was used to generate readmission scores for a cohort of 207 readmitted patients and two cohorts (one random and one age-matched) of 234 non-readmitted patients each. Regression analysis was performed to assess the strength of association of individual risk factors and the RRAT score with readmissions. We also calculated the odds and odds ratio (OR) at each RRAT score level to identify patients with relatively higher risk of readmission. Results: There were 207 (2.08%) readmissions among 9930 patients over a six-year period (2008 through 2013). Surgical site infection was the most common cause of readmission (ninety-three cases, 45%). The median RRAT scores were 3 (IQR [interquartile range], 1 to 4) and 1 (IQR, 0 to 2) for readmitted and non-readmitted groups, respectively. An RRAT score of ≥3 was significantly associated with higher odds of readmission. Conclusions: Population health management, cost-effective care, and optimization of outcomes to maximize value are the new maxims for health-care delivery in the United States. We found that the RRAT score had a significant association with readmission after joint arthroplasty and could potentially be a clinically useful tool for risk mitigation.
Physical Properties of Two Metastable States of Amorphous Silicon

Characterization of the two metastable states of amorphous Si produced by ion implantation is extended to include electron paramagnetic resonance, fundamental absorption edge, and density measurements in addition to infrared reflection. It is found that the properties of the two a-Si states are not dependent upon the mass of the incident ion ( 12 C, 29 Si, 31 p, 120 Sn) or upon the anneal temperature for 400°≤T A ≤600°C. The dangling-bond density drops about a factor of 2, the absorption coefficient drops by more than a factor of 5, but the density does not change when the a-Si makes a transition between the two states.
SELECTION COMPONENTS OF FOUR ALLOZYMES IN NATURAL POPULATIONS OF PEROMYSCUS MANICULATUS.

Because of the complex manner in which selection may occur, its measurement is a formidable problem. Adequate measurements require characterization of all selection components, age-dependence of fertility and mortality, immigration and emigration, and the temporal constancy and geographic variation of these patterns (Lewontin, 1974). One of the most comprehensive methods to detect selection in natural populations is based on analyses of selection components of natural polymorphisms in population samples which include mother-offspring combinations. The Christiansen-Frydenberg selection component analysis (SCA) (Christiansen and Frydenberg, 1973, 1976) consists of a hierarchy of hypotheses and tests which together characterize the modes of selection acting on particular chromosomal segments. Because it is based on one randomly selected progeny per mother-offspring combination, the hypotheses are interdependent. As a consequence, testing along the sequence is terminated at the first significant deviation from a null hypothesis. In addition, tests for gametic and sexual selection are confounded (Christiansen and Frydenberg, 1973; Nadeau et al., in press). Nadeau et al. (in press) showed that by analyzing all progeny of each mother-offspring combination, all tests except gametic selection in females are independent, gametic selection in males can be unambiguously detected, and even with analyses of entire litters,
The General Staff: An Analysis of its Effectiveness

Analyzes the effectiveness of the general staff concept in the military. Role of the general staff as it relates to the chief executive officer; Review and critique of past experience on the use of...
Recurring pain and the potential of employer support to improve participant health.

OBJECTIVE This study describes the relationships between a set of workplace psychosocial factors, including health-related employer support and recurring pain. METHODS This study used a pooled sample of participants from 14 US employers (N = 34,359) from 2010 (for one employer, 2008). Multiple logistic regression was used to estimate the relationships, after controlling for many additional factors. RESULTS Emotional, but not physical, health-related employer support was associated with reduced probability of pain. Job satisfaction, getting to use strengths at work, and having a supervisor who created a trusting and open environment were also associated with a reduced probability of pain. CONCLUSIONS Although more research is needed to firmly establish the causal nature of the relationships, psychosocial workplace factors were associated with reduced probability of pain in this study.
Response of rats with gastric fistulas to injection of gastrin.

SummaryGastrin prepared from the stomach of hogs stimulated secretion of acid when injected subcutaneously into rats with gastric fistulas. The highest rate of secretion attained with gastrin was more than double the maximal rate in response to histamine.
October Missiles and November Elections: The Cuban Missile Crisis and American Politics, 1962

"I told you that the President would move on Cuba before [the] election," Sen. Norris Cotton of New Hampshire reminded his constituents a week after President John F. Kennedy had dramatically announced that the United States was imposing a quarantine against Cuba to force Soviet missiles from the Caribbean island. Another Republican standing for reelection in 1962, Rep. Thomas B. Curtis of Missouri, told voters in his district that the Cuban missile crisis was "phony and contrived for election purposes." Republican Sen. Barry Goldwater of Arizona, like many others, suspected that the Kennedy administration had played politics with foreign policy to help Democrats in the congressional elections of November 6.1 The claim and fear that presidents play politics with foreign policy, especially in electoral seasons, is familiar and often well founded. Throughout American history, suspicions have flourished that presidents take unusual and sometimes extreme diplomatic or military steps, utter hyperboles, practice deceit, or manufacture foreign crises to improve their own and their party's chances at the polls. Like political leaders before him, Kennedy had invited imputations that he exploited foreignpolicy issues for political gain or that he made diplomatic decisions in response to domestic political pressure. Indeed, about a month before the missile crisis, Kennedy had made a conspicuous political decision in foreign affairs: to sell Hawk missiles to Israel. American Jews had lobbied intensely for the sale; some of them had even withheld contributions from congressional candidates until they saw Kennedy act on the deal. The sale of those short-range missiles, the administration
CO2 photoreduction with water vapor by Ti-embedded MgAl layered double hydroxides

Abstract Photocatalytic reduction of CO 2 into value-added fuels (e.g., CO and CH 4 ) is a promising approach of storing solar energy and mitigating greenhouse gas emissions simultaneously. In this work, a novel material of crystallized titanium-embedded magnesium-aluminum layered double hydroxides (MgAlTi-LDHs) is developed and tested for CO 2 photoreduction with water. Three different materials synthesis methods were explored: (1) coprecipitation, (2) coprecipitation + hydrothermal, and (3) coprecipitation + calcination + reconstruction. The coprecipitation method alone only produced amorphous TiO x species in the LDHs, while the latter two methods resulted in the formation of crystalline anatase TiO 2 when appropriate treatment temperatures were applied but the specific surface area was decreased due to the thermal treatment. Compared with commercial TiO 2 -P25 nanoparticles, all MgAlTi-LDHs prepared in this work demonstrated two to four times higher catalytic activities in CO 2 photoreduction to CO. Among the MgAlTi-LDHs, the CO 2 photoreduction activity was affected by both the crystallinity of TiO 2 and the specific surface area. Consequently, the material hydrothermally treated at 150–200 °C demonstrated the highest CO production due to a well-balanced TiO 2 crystallinity and specific surface area. Findings in this work contribute to the development of efficient photocatalysts for CO 2 reduction and advance the understanding of the catalyst property-activity relationships.
New Strategies to Improve Power Quality of Electromotor Power Supply

High quality power supply is the important guarantee for electromotor to run steadily and reliably.In allusion to the main power quality problems in electromotor power supply system,basic structures and operation principles of several kinds of power quality compensation devices were introduced and their key technologies and research focuses were analyzed. Finally, their application status and development trend were disscussed.It is of great importance for users to choose economical and rational device to custom power and meet higher demands of electromotor operation to power quality.
The case for presumed consent to transplant human organs after death

Autonomous expressions of will regarding the posthumous disposition of one's organs are most often not made while alive, and therefore a decedent's autonomous judgments are rarely known with certainty. A great change in the national system of organ procurement, a change grounded in the moral foundation of human autonomy, is now called for. Current American practice tacitly assumes that, absent specific notification to the contrary, decedents are best protected if people act as though they had autonomously willed that their organs not be donated for transplantation. The enlargement of organ supply required to meet these compelling needs does not appear feasible within the current framework of express consent, whether that consent be sought voluntarily or the request for consent be required by law. For utilitarian moralists, therefore, the justifiability of the proposed reform is plain. The majority of people now heartily support the concept of organ donation.
Intramedullary Nail and Plate Combination Fixation for Complex Distal Tibia Fractures: When and How?

Abstract Intramedullary nail and plate combination techniques have been described mostly for use in the proximal tibia. However, the nail and plate combination technique can also be used in the distal tibia, to counteract the deforming forces that cause construct failure and nonunion. In this article, we review pertinent anatomy and biomechanics and offer case examples that highlight the indications and applications of the nail and plate combination technique for distal tibia fractures.
8 Categories and Groupoids

In this chapter, we consider a generalization of monoid algebras that will be used in the next chapter to study inverse monoid algebras, namely the algebra of a small category. Further examples include incidence algebras of posets (cf. Appendix C) and path algebras of quivers. We show that the Clifford-Munn-Ponizovskiĭ theory applies equally well to categories. The parametrization of the simple modules for the algebra of a finite category given here could also be obtained from a result of Webb [Web07], reducing to the monoid case, and the Clifford-Munn-Ponizovskiĭ theory, but we give a direct proof. Since category algebras are contracted semigroup algebras, these results also follow from the original results of Munn and Ponizovskiĭ (cf. [CP61, Chapter 5]). A basic reference on category theory is Mac Lane [Mac98]. Category algebras were considered at least as far back as Mitchell [Mit72].
Dynamic PET imaging of renal clearable gold nanoparticles

1094 Objectives To study the dynamic distribution patterns of ultra-small gold (Au) nanoparticles by labeling them with coper-64 (64Cu, t1/2=12.7 h) and using dynamic positron emission tomography imaging (PET) imaging. Methods Glutathione (GSH)-capped ultra-small Au nanoparticles (Au-GSH) were synthesized by reacting gold(III) chloride trihydrate (HAuCl4∙3H2O) with reduced glutathione in a 90 °C water bath for 35 min. The conjugation of NOTA (a chelator for labeling 64Cu) to Au-GSH was then achieved by reacting p-SCN-Bn-NOTA with amine groups from the Au-GSH. To synthesize 64Cu-NOTA-Au-GSH, 64CuCl2 was diluted in 300 μL of 0.1 M sodium acetate buffer (pH 6.5) and added to 200 μL NOTA-Au-GSH. The reaction was allowed to proceed at 37 oC for 30 min with constant shaking. For normal PET imaging, healthy BALB/c mice were each injected with 5-10 MBq of 64Cu-NOTA-Au-GSH intravenously before serial PET scans. For PET/CT imaging, a mixture of 64Cu-NOTA-Au-GSH (hot) and concentrated NOTA-Au-GSH (cold) was used. For the dynamic scanning, a group of mice (n=4) were injected with 5-10 MBq of 64Cu-NOTA-Au-GSH. A 60-min dynamic scan was performed and framed into 46 frames. Image reconstruction, and region of interest (ROI) analysis of the PET data were then performed. Results Au-GSH with a hydrodynamic (HD) size of 2.5 ± 0.1 nm was synthesized using a modified purification process. The dynamic light scattering measurement showed only a slightly increased HD size to 2.6 ± 0.1 nm after NOTA conjugation. The labeling yield of 64Cu to NOTA-Au-GSH was estimated to be over 90% within 30 min. Serum stability study showed a high radio-stability with less than 5% of 64Cu being detached after 24 h incubation. Systematic characterizations were performed to demonstrate the efficient renal clearance of as-prepared nanoparticles, where showed a rapid renal clearance of 64Cu-NOTA-Au-GSH with >75 %ID being cleared at 24 h post-injection. The majority of 64Cu-NOTA-Au-GSH was found in mouse kidney and liver with their uptake measured to be 1.69 ± 0.54 and 0.33 ± 0.22 %ID/g at 24 h post-injection, respectively. The dynamic PET imaging further provided more accurate information regarding the rapid clearance kinetics of nanoparticles in organs, such as heart, kidneys and liver. The elimination half-life of 64Cu-NOTA-Au-GSH was calculated to be less than 6 min, over 130 times shorter than previously reported similar nanoparticles. Conclusions In conclusion, the dynamic PET imaging of 64Cu-NOTA-Au-GSH not only addresses the current challenges in accurately and non-invasively acquiring the organ kinetics, but also potentially provides a highly useful tool for studying renal clearance mechanism of other ultra-small nanoparticles, as well as the diagnosis of kidney diseases in the future. $$graphic_E3799024-D38E-4A75-A04F-3D26AF93CD7E$$
Examining the Dynamic Linkages of Performance and Volatility of REIT Returns

This article extends the literature on the financial performance of real estate investment trusts (REITs) by examining whether U.S. REIT returns are impacted by global REITs and other real estate subsectors, such as the U.S. Real Estate Index (USRE) and the U.S. Mortgage Finance Index (USMF). The authors also explore the issue of volatility transmission and the asymmetric effect of volatility spillover on U.S. REIT returns from innovations originating in other real estate subsectors and Global REITs. Results suggest that U.S. REITs are impacted by USRE and USMF returns. There is also evidence of volatility spillover from key real estate constituents—that is, USRE and USFM returns and global REIT markets. These results can be attributed to the changing dynamics of the real estate sector and the gradual integration of the global real estate sector as an asset class. These findings have strong implications for constructing global portfolios including REITs.
A Thematic Analysis of Online Discussion Boards for Vasectomy.

Objective To examine posts on Internet discussion groups related to vasectomies, and identify common ideas through a structured theme analysis. Materials and Methods Internet discussion boards were identified using the search term “vasectomy.” Three discussion boards were identified as having the most posts and were chosen for analysis. Using an iterative and structured analysis process, each post was analyzed using thematic analysis in 3 steps (open coding, axial coding, and selective coding) to determine common themes. Results A total of 129 posts were analyzed. The most common posts related to changes in sexual function after vasectomy. The second most common theme was pain after vasectomy. There were also posts about considerations before vasectomy, planning for postvasectomy care, what to expect after vasectomy, potential issues after vasectomy and how to manage these, and feelings about vasectomy. Some of the information present did not have a factual basis. Conclusion Posts dedicated to postvasectomy pain and sexual dysfunction were of the highest quantity. There was no medical provider input to these discussion boards. Educational efforts should be targeted to these areas and should include a health-care professional.
Useful Probability Distributions

We will use probability as a tool to resolve practical questions about data. Here are important example questions. We could ask what process produced the data? For example, I observe a set of independent coin flips. I would now like to know the probability of observing a head when the coin is flipped. We could ask what sort of data can we expect in the future? For example, what will be the outcome of the next election? Answering this requires collecting information about voters, preferences, and the like, then using it to build a model that predicts the outcome. We could ask what labels should we attach to unlabelled data? For example, we might see a large number of credit card transactions, some known to be legitimate and others known to be fraudulent. We now see a new transaction: is it legitimate? We could ask is an effect easily explained by chance variations, or is it real? For example, a medicine appears to help patients with a disease. Is there a real effect, or is it possible that by chance the patients we tested the medicine on felt better?
Infant with a skin lesion and respiratory distress.

A 2-month-old full-term male infant presented with worsening tachypnoea and a rapidly enlarging, smooth-topped, infiltrative, bronze-yellow nodule with overlying telangiectasias on the mid-sternum (figure 1A). CT imaging demonstrated multiple pulmonary nodules, and enhancing extradural masses compressing the L4–L5 vertebral neural foramina. Immunohistochemical staining of biopsies from skin and pulmonary lesions demonstrated a highly proliferative histiocytosis (figure 1B), which was positively immunoreactive for ALK (anaplastic lymphoma kinase) (figure 1C), CD33 and factor XIIIa, weakly positive for CD68, and negative for CD1a, Langerin, CD34, CD20, CD3, CD43, SOX10, S100, C-KIT, lysozyme and myeloperoxidase. These findings were consistent with a diagnosis of ALK+ histiocytosis with pathological features of juvenile xanthogranulomatosis (JXG). Whole body MRI and positron emission tomography (PET)/CT imaging (figure 2) confirmed that the extensive pulmonary and compressing spinal cord lesions were fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG)-avid, and further revealed an additional, metabolically active right meningeal/parietal parenchymal brain tumour and extensive mediastinal/abdominal lymphadenopathy. Flourescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and DNA mutation sequencing of the histiocytomas revealed a translocated KIF5B-ALK fusion rearrangement. Together, these findings revealed that this was a rare case of systemic …
The Biquadratic Filter [A Circuit for All Seasons]

The biquadratic filter, also known as the "biquad," dates back to the 1960s [1]-[3] but still serves as an essential building block in analog filter design. In this article, we study this circuit's properties and design issues.
The Social Internet: Cybercommunities

Our society has developed the belief that political, moral, and social problems are the result of a lack of communication, and that if we improve communication we will also solve the various problems that plague modern society (Wise, 1997). The Internet would enhance communication. It would result in a society free of the constraints of space and time and free us to engage with fellow humans (Jones, 1997). New communities would be constructed from communication rather than from physical proximity, which does not guarantee communication (Jones, 1997). These new electronic communities, according to Schuler (1996), would have a high degree of awareness, principles, and purpose, focused around action. Communities would no longer be places to be, but groups of people seeking to achieve particular goals. Jones pointed out that this perspective puts a new spin on the modern nostalgia for community. Instead of criticizing the deterioration of community in modern society, he argued that the Internet would provide broader and more useful opportunities.
Nanoaperture fabrication via colloidal lithography for single molecule fluorescence imaging

Abstract In single molecule fluorescence studies, background emission from labeled substrates often restricts their concentrations to non-physiological nanomolar values. One approach to address this challenge is the use of zero-mode waveguides (ZMWs), nanoscale holes in a thin metal film that physically and optically confine the observation volume allowing much higher concentrations of fluorescent substrates. Standard fabrication of ZMWs utilizes slow and costly E-beam nano-lithography. Herein, ZMWs are made using a self-assembled mask of polystyrene microspheres, enabling fabrication of thousands of ZMWs in parallel without sophisticated equipment. Polystyrene 1 μm dia. microbeads self-assemble on a glass slide into a hexagonal array, forming a mask for the deposition of metallic posts in the inter-bead interstices. The width of those interstices (and subsequent posts) is adjusted within 100-300 nm by partially fusing the beads at the polystyrene glass transition temperature. The beads are dissolved in toluene, aluminum or gold cladding is deposited around the posts, and those are dissolved, leaving behind an array ZMWs. Parameter optimization and the performance of the ZMWs are presented. By using colloidal self-assembly, typical laboratories can make use of sub-wavelength ZMW technology avoiding the availability and expense of sophisticated clean-room environments and equipment.
Transfusion-Related Hazards

Transfusion medicine represents a complex field within health care that is prone to error and ripe for safety barriers. This chapter describes in detail the multiple failures that led to two events involving blood and stem cell transfusions, along with possible solutions. In the first event, the incorrect labeling of a unit of stem cells during the preparation and freezing process, and the lack of verification upon thawing and preparation for infusion led to the release of a pooled unit which was appropriately labeled, but which may have contained a unit from another patient. Discussion includes human fallibility and the tendencies in health care to blame, shame, and/or train in response to an error, as well as issues of safety culture, the value of verification, and second-person checks, high reliability and normal accident theories, form design, and other human factors. The second event involves the repercussions of a misperceived verbal handoff leading to selection of an incorrect patient in a hospital’s computerized physician order entry (CPOE) system and nearly resulting in the mis-transfusion of red blood cells. Discussion in this case comprises communication and handoff issues, resident duty hours, interruptions, and computer interfaces and alerts. The building of causal trees provides a realistic view of how a system is functioning and can facilitate the creation of effective solutions. The causal tree building method of root cause analysis is described and illustrated in both of the case studies, including the classification of causes that leads to solution discovery.
Psychiatric Disorders in Relation to Klinefelter’s Syndrome

A number of psychiatric disorders have been described in association with Klinefelter’s syndrome. The etiology of most psychiatric disorders is multifactorial. In the recent 3rd edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM-III) of the American Psychiatric Association (1980), psychiatric disorders are described and coded along five axes. Axis 1 is the actual psychiatric clinical syndrome, axis 2 is for any associated personality disorder, axis 3 for associated physical disorder, axis 4 for any psychosocial stressors, and axis 5 for the previous level of adaptive funtioning. As it happens, this is a very appropriate way to describe psychiatric disorders found in individuals with Klinefelter’s syndrome. On axis 1 would be coded the particular psychiatric disorder, on axis 2 any underlying personality disorder, on axis 3 the physical disorder Klinefelter’s syndrome itself, on axis 4 any current stresses, and on axis 5 the level of any social and/or sexual maladjustment which is not infrequently found in Klinefelter’s patients who have psychiatric disorders. Thus we begin to see that psychiatric disorders in Klinefelter’s syndrome are also usually multifactorial in origin.
Application of GIS in Mapping of Adult Literacy Outreach Programs and Potential Areas of Impact and Need

When considering how to obtain funding for outreach services, GIS can be used to translate information about current outreach services and areas of need where services can have the most impact. Usi...
Radar cross section of trihedral corner reflectors using PO and MEC

Physical optics (po) and the method of equivalent currents (mec) are used for the formulation and calculation of the backscatter cross section of both the triangular and square trihedral corner reflectors. Scattering from a trihedral corner reflector is dominated by single, double, and triple reflections by the interior walls. A physical optics integration is performed on the entire surface of each plate for the evaluation of the singly reflected fields. Doubly and triply reflected fields are evaluated by first using geometrical optics (go) at initial reflections to calculate the incident plane wave on the plate where the last reflection occurs. Physical optics is then applied on the illuminated area of that plate. First-order diffractions, which are based on the fringe current expressions for the exterior edges of the trihedral, are also included in the analysis. Predictions compare very well with both experimental and fdtd data.
Pathology-Proven Corticobasal Degeneration Presenting as Richardson's Syndrome

Author(s): Bayram, Ece; Dickson, Dennis W; Reich, Stephen G; Litvan, Irene | Abstract: BackgroundCorticobasal degeneration (CBD) can present with various clinical phenotypes including Richardson's syndrome (RS). Although neuropathological examination can differentiate CBD and progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) pathologies, no clinical or imaging findings can differentiate CBD from other pathologies when a patient presents with a variant type of CBD. As these various phenotypes are associated with non-CBD pathologies, clinical diagnostic accuracy can be low for such patients.ObjectivesTo present clinical features of two cases with symptom progression in line with PSP-RS, who were diagnosed with CBD based on neuropathological examination.MethodsBaseline, follow up examinations, and detailed neuropathological examinations of two CBD cases presenting and progressing in line with probable PSP-RS are demonstrated.ResultsThe two cases clinically diagnosed as probable PSP-RS were shown to have CBD upon neuropathological examination, which is the gold standard for diagnosis of both PSP and CBD.ConclusionsThese cases emphasize the importance of neuropathology for the definite diagnosis, and stress the need for distinctive markers to increase the reliability of clinical diagnosis before death.
The impact of an enhanced recovery after minimally invasive surgery program on opioid use in gynecologic oncology patients undergoing hysterectomy.

Abstract Objectives To evaluate the effects of an enhanced recovery after minimally invasive surgery (MIS-ERAS) protocol on opioid requirements and post-operative pain in patients undergoing minimally invasive hysterectomy on a gynecologic oncology service. Methods For this retrospective study, opioid use (oral morphine equivalents (OME)) and post-operative pain scores were compared between patients undergoing minimally invasive hysterectomy pre and post MIS-ERAS protocol implementation. Patients with chronic opioid use or chronic pain were excluded. Opioid use and pain scores were compared between groups using Wilcoxon Rank Sum, Student's t-test, and multiple linear regression. Compliance and factors associated with opioid use and pain scores were assessed. Results The MIS-ERAS cohort (n = 127) was compared to the historical cohort (n = 99) with no differences in patient demographic, clinical or surgical characteristics observed between groups. Median intra-operative and inpatient post-operative opioid use were lower among the MIS-ERAS cohort (12.0 vs 32.0 OME, p Conclusions Enhanced recovery after minimally invasive surgery protocol implementation is an effective means to reduce opioid use, both in the intra-operative and post-operative phases of care, among gynecologic oncology patients undergoing minimally invasive hysterectomy.
Model-free network control

Abstract There is an abundance of instances when the state of a complex network needs to be altered to a pre-specified target state, one potential example being the need to alter a disease-induced tissue to a healthy state. Unfortunately, in many such cases, accurate models of the underlying network are unavailable. Consequently, the algorithms for control need to be model-independent. We have previously introduced an approach that relies only on the knowledge (of a partial list) of relevant nodes and the system feedback to perturbation on a selected subset of nodes. This feedback can be used to construct ‘response manifolds,’ which, as we argue, are all that is needed to design the necessary control. Here, we demonstrate the feasibility of the approach by successfully moving nonlinearly-coupled electrical circuits to pre-specified target states.
Exploring 1:1 iPad Integration Practices through a TPACK-in-Practice Lens

The TPACK-in-Practice framework of Jaipal and Figg (2013) provides concrete practices that exemplify successful technology integration of teachers. This framework and mixed methods were used to examine the instructional practices of four teachers in a high school where 1:1 iPad integration had been implemented. Findings revealed that three teachers were successful at exhibiting instructional practices considered essential for effective technology integration. One of the teachers, however, only used technology to improve her productivity and therefore, did not see the value in integrating technology in any substantive way in the classroom. The successful teachers transitioned to more student-centered approaches with iPads being used as cognitive tools rather than for productivity purposes only. They were more accepting of risks and became more confident and apt to experiment with a variety of iPad applications. Successful experiences with iPad integration tended to increase motivation and confidence, which led to more integration experimentation.
Financing Micro-entrepreneurship in Online Crowdfunding Markets: Local Preference versus Information Frictions

Online crowdfunding platforms enable entrepreneurs and investors to interact with fewer geographic constraints and have become an important financing alternative for (micro-)entrepreneurship. However, local preference and information frictions could lead investors to overly focus on local projects, even when the non-local options are equally (if not more) attractive. This paper investigates the existence of local biases and the channels through which they are induced in crowdfunding marketplaces. We present empirical evidence consistent with strong local biases among investors. We also quantify the importance of information asymmetry and preference toward local projects on inducing local biases, and find that information asymmetry accounts for two-thirds of the total effect. Our results suggest that providing information about the projects through marketing might be a more efficient way to raise funds for micro-entrepreneurship as it mitigates non-local investors' informational disadvantages.
Concussion knowledge assessment and educational intervention in parents of youth football players

Sports related concussions have become a major topic within the pediatric community. This project's aim was to address gaps in care by providing parents of youth football players with a concussion educational tool. Pre and post season assessments were performed to analyze both baseline parental concussion knowledge and any possible application of gained knowledge. The project's purpose was twofold: first, to test the hypothesis that there would be a significant improvement in knowledge score post intervention, and second, to introduce concussion education to parents where previous education did not exist.
A tight lower bound on the controllability of networks with multiple leaders

In this paper we study the controllability of networked systems with static network topologies using tools from algebraic graph theory. Each agent in the network acts in a decentralized fashion by updating its state in accordance with a nearest-neighbor averaging rule. In order to control the system, external control inputs are injected into the so called leader nodes, and the influence is propagated throughout the network. Our main result is a tight lower bound on the rank of the controllability matrix associated with such systems. This bound is derived using the distances of nodes to the leaders, and valid for systems with arbitrary network topologies and possibly multiple leaders.
Design and Analysis of Multibeam Conformal X-Band Patch Array Antenna

This paper introduces a procedure for designing and testing a conformal array of microstrip radiators. The design procedure for a rectangular patch antenna at 9 GHz is briefly discussed. Next, a total of three patch antennas are designed on the same substrate, separated by a distance of roughly twice the radiation center frequency wavelength. The planar array is then bent to a specified radius to create a conformal array, and its beam pattern is predicted using an analytical model originally developed for open waveguide radiators. Lastly, the array is placed onto a 3D printed structure and excited by the corporate feed microstrip beamforming network.
Stochastic force dynamics of the model microswimmer C h l a m y d o m o n a s r e i n h a r d t i i : Active forces and energetics

We study the stochastic force dynamics of a model microswimmer (Chlamydomonas reinhardtii), using a combined experimental, theoretical, and numerical approach. While swimming dynamics have been extensively studied using hydrodynamic approaches, which infer forces from the viscous flow field, we directly measure the stochastic forces generated by the microswimmer using an optical trap via the photon momentum method. We analyze the force dynamics by modeling the microswimmer as a self-propelled particle, \`a la active matter, and analyze its energetics using methods from stochastic thermodynamics. We find complex oscillatory force dynamics and power dissipation on the order of ${10}^{6}\phantom{\rule{4pt}{0ex}}{k}_{B}T/s\phantom{\rule{4pt}{0ex}}(\ensuremath{\sim}\text{fW}$).