cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Preoperative prediction of complete and suboptimal cytoreduction in advanced stage ovarian cancer

METHODS: EOC cases that underwent PDS between 1/1/03 and 12/31/11 were retrospectively reviewed. SSIs were defined according to the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program guidelines. Bowel leaks were considered organ/space SSIs. Logistic regression models were fit to identify factors associated with SSI. Cox proportional hazards models were utilized to evaluate the association of patient and perioperative characteristics with overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS).
The Chaperone And Co-Chaperone Activities of Cdc37 during Protein Kinase Maturation

Eukaryotic protein kinases fold in the cytosol in association with the Hsp90 molecular chaperone machine. This machine comprises a large number of chaperones and co-chaperones, among them Cdc37, which is essential for protein kinase maturation. Cdc37 interacts with protein kinases via their catalytic domains and with Hsp90. Cdc37 in- hibits Hsp90 s ATPase activity which is thought to promote assembly of the misfolded kinase into a multi-chaperone complex. This function shows that Cdc37 is a co-chaperone of Hsp90. However, Cdc37 also has chaperone activity of its own and can protect protein kinases against unfolding and degradation. Recent studies suggest a model in which the chaperone activities of Hsp90 and Cdc37 cooperate to promote efficient protein kinase folding.
Structures Inherent to Chromatin Active in Transcription and Replication

The structure of the nucleosome and higher order transitions of the unit fiber of chromatin have been described in considerable detail (1–3). Despite this body of general structural knowledge, the function and structure of regions actively engaged in replication and transcription are just beginning to be understood (4–6).
SIG-Droid: Automated system input generation for Android applications

Pervasiveness of smartphones and the vast number of corresponding apps have underlined the need for applicable automated software testing techniques. A wealth of research has been focused on either unit or GUI testing of smartphone apps, but little on automated support for end-to-end system testing. This paper presents SIG-Droid, a framework for system testing of Android apps, backed with automated program analysis to extract app models and symbolic execution of source code guided by such models for obtaining test inputs that ensure covering each reachable branch in the program. SIG-Droid leverages two automatically extracted models: Interface Model and Behavior Model. The Interface Model is used to find values that an app can receive through its interfaces. Those values are then exchanged with symbolic values to deal with constraints with the help of a symbolic execution engine. The Behavior Model is used to drive the apps for symbolic execution and generate sequences of events. We provide an efficient implementation of SIG-Droid based in part on Symbolic PathFinder, extended in this work to support automatic testing of Android apps. Our experiments show SIG-Droid is able to achieve significantly higher code coverage than existing automated testing tools targeted for Android.
Optimal control of wave energy converters

Wave Energy Converters (WECs) are devices designed to absorb energy from ocean waves. The particular type of Wave Energy Converter (WEC) considered in this thesis is an oscillating body; energy conversion is carried out by means of a structure immersed in water which oscillates under forces exerted by waves. This thesis addresses the control of oscillating body WECs and the objective of the control system is to optimise the motion of the devices that maximises the energy absorption. In particular, this thesis presents the formulation of the optimal control problem for WECs in the framework of direct transcription methods, known as spectral and pseudospectral optimal control. Direct transcription methods transform continuous time optimal control problems into Non Linear Programming (NLP) problems, for which the literature (and the market) offer a large number of standard algorithms (and software packages). It is shown, in this thesis, that direct transcription gives the possibility of formulating complex control problems where realistic scenarios can be taken into account, such as physical limitations and nonlinearities in the behaviour of the devices. Additionally, by means of spectral and pseudospectral methods, it is possible to find an approximation of the optimal solution directly from sampled frequency and impulse response models of the radiation forces, obviating the need for finite order approximate models. By implementing a spectral method, convexity of the NLP problem, associated with the optimal control problem for a single body WEC described by a linear model, is demonstrated analytically. The solution to a nonlinear optimal control problem is approximated by means of pseudospectral optimal control. In the nonlinear case, simulation results show a significant difference in the optimal behaviour of the device, both in the motion and in the energy absorption, when the quadratic term describing the viscous forces are dominant, compared to the linear case. This thesis also considers the comparison of two control strategies for arrays of WECs. A Global Control strategy computes the optimal motion by taking into account the complete model of the array and it provides the global optimum for the absorbed energy. In contrast, an Independent Control strategy implements a control system on each device which is independent from all the other devices. The final part of the thesis illustrates an approach for the study of the effects of constraints on the total absorbed energy. The procedure allows the feasibility of the constrained energy maximisation problem to be studied, and it provides an intuitive framework for the design of WECs relating to the power take-off operating envelope, thanks to the geometrical interpretation of the functions describing both the total absorbed energy and the constraints.
Effect of Hydrogen Passivation on the Thermal Conductivity of Nanoporous Crystalline Silicon: A Molecular Dynamics Study

Effect of hydrogen passivation on thermal conductivity of nanoporous crystalline silicon was investigated using equilibrium molecular dynamics (MD) simulations from 500 to 1000 K. The porosity varied from 8% to 38% while the pore diameter ranged from 1.74 to 2.93 nm. Hydrogen passivation of the pore surface was found to reduce thermal conductivity by about 20% at 500 K due to enhanced phonon scattering by the passivated atoms at the nanopore surface. The effect of passivation diminished with increasing temperature. In fact, the phonon density of states at high temperatures was similar for both passivated and unpassivated silicon atoms. Finally, the thermal conductivity k was found to be linearly proportional to (1–1.5fv)/(Ai/4) where fv is the porosity and Ai is the pore interfacial area concentration. This scaling law was previously established for un-passivated silicon using non-equilibrium MD simulations.Copyright © 2012 by ASME
Cluster Assisted 3D And 2D Unsupervised Seismic Facies Analysis, an Example From the Barnett Shale Formation In the Fort Worth Basin, Texas.

Summary The most popular seismic attributes fall into broad categories – those that are sensitive to lateral changes in waveform and structure, such as coherence and curvature, and those that are sensitive to lithology and fluid properties – such as AVO and impedance inversion. Unfortunately neither of these two attribute families works well in differentiating the depositional packages characterized by subtle changes in the stratigraphic column or lateral changes in texture. Automatic seismic facies analysis aims to classify similar seismic traces based on amplitude, phase, frequency and other seismic attributes. This paper reviews Kohonen Self Organizing Maps as one of the clustering algorithms that can generate 3D seismic facies volumes and maps using multiple attributes as input. The present area of study is the Mississippian Barnett Shale of the Fort Worth Basin in Texas. The aim of the study is to visualize the variation in shale and possible relationship between these rock types and their seismic expression and try to delineate by passed play after hydraulic fracturing.
Oncocytic cardiomyopathy, fitting and sudden death

Oncocytic cardiomyopathy is a rare form of cardiac disease which has also been described as “foamy transformation of the myocardium”, “histiocytoid cardiomyopathy” or “xanthomatous cardiomyopathy”. It typically affects girls under the age of two years and can present with ventricular tachycardia and/or cardiomegaly. A 15-month-old girl is reported who presented with a history of 'drop attacks’, vomiting and unexpected death in hospital following episodic grand mal fitting associated with cardiac arrhythmias. Autopsy revealed subendocardial nodular elevations in the left ventricle and within the tricuspid and mitral valves composed of aggregated large cells with foamy, pale pink cytoplasm characteristic of oncocytic cardiomyopathy. Electron microscopic examination revealed numerous irregular mitochondria within affected cells. Although the macroscopic, microscopic and ultrastructural findings in the reported case are quite characteristic, the clinical presentation of grand mal fitting secondary to arrhythmia-induced hypoxia is unusual. The combination of cardiac and cerebral symptoms had prompted an initial clinical assumption of an infective cause rather than primary cardiac pathology, although another differential diagnosis to consider in such cases would be tuberous sclerosis. This case illustrates that oncocytic cardiomyopathy, though rare, should be included in the differential diagnosis of sudden death in young children. The presentation may, however, be atypical with cerebral symptoms and signs occurring secondary to cardiac rhythm disturbances.
Increased Length of Awareness of Assisted Reproductive Technologies Fosters Positive Attitudes and Acceptance among Women.

BACKGROUND The field of infertility medicine has witnessed a surge of scientific developments in recent years, but research on public attitudes towards infertility treatments has remained minimal. This study examined the social and demographic factors that affect women's attitudes towards assisted reproductive technology (ART) in general, as well as their opinions of specific issues related to ART. MATERIALS AND METHODS This cross-sectional study was conducted from March 2011 to April 2011 by means of an online survey administered to a sample of 287 women. RESULTS Women with a longer length of awareness of ART had significantly greater attitudinal favorability towards ART. Political affiliation was also significantly related to general attitudes, as well as several specific aspects of ART issues. CONCLUSION The results of this study suggest that several factors influence attitudes that women hold in regards to ART. Identifying some of these factors serves as a crucial starting point for devising strategies to increase public acceptance of ART.
Quantitative DNA fiber mapping in genome research and construction of physical maps.

Author(s): Chu, Lisa W. | Abstract: Efforts to prepare a first draft of the human DNA genomic sequence forced multidisciplinary teams of researchers to face unique challenges. At the same time, these unprecedented obstacles stimulated the development of many highly innovative approaches to biomedical problem solving, robotics and bioinformatics. High resolution physical maps are required for ordering individual segments of information for the construction of a comprehensive map of the entire genome. This article describes a novel way to identify, delineate and characterize selected, often small DNA sequences along a larger piece of the human genome. The technology is based on immobilization of high molecular weight DNA molecules on a solid substrate (such as a glass slide) followed by uniform stretching of the DNA molecule by the force of a receeding meniscus. The hydrodynamic force stretches the DNA molecules homogeneously to approximately 2.3 kb/?m, so that distances measured after probe binding in ?m can be converted directly into kb distances. Out of a large number of applications, this article focusses on mapping of genomic sequences relative to one another, the assembly of physical maps with near kilobase (kb) resolution and finally, quality control during physical map assembly and sequencing.
A Bayesian Nonparametric Approach for Functional Data Classification with Application to Hepatic Tissue Characterization

Computed tomography perfusion (CTp) is an emerging functional imaging technology that provides a quantitative assessment of the passage of fluid through blood vessels. Tissue perfusion plays a critical role in oncology due to the proliferation of networks of new blood vessels typical of cancer angiogenesis, which triggers modifications to the vasculature of the surrounding host tissue. In this article, we consider a Bayesian semiparametric model for the analysis of functional data. This method is applied to a study of four interdependent hepatic perfusion CT characteristics that were acquired under the administration of contrast using a sequence of repeated scans over a period of 590 seconds. More specifically, our modeling framework facilitates borrowing of information across patients and tissues. Additionally, the approach enables flexible estimation of temporal correlation structures exhibited by mappings of the correlated perfusion biomarkers and thus accounts for the heteroskedasticity typically observed in those measurements, by incorporating change-points in the covariance estimation. This method is applied to measurements obtained from regions of liver surrounding malignant and benign tissues, for each perfusion biomarker. We demonstrate how to cluster the liver regions on the basis of their CTp profiles, which can be used in a prediction context to classify regions of interest provided by future patients, and thereby assist in discriminating malignant from healthy tissue regions in diagnostic settings.
Health Care Autonomy in Children with Chronic Conditions. Implications for Self-Care and Family Management

Health care autonomy typically occurs during late adolescence but health care providers and families often expect children with chronic health conditions to master self-care earlier. Few studies have examined the development of health care autonomy as it pertains to self-care and family management. This review links the 3 concepts and discusses the implications for families and health care providers. Case studies are provided as exemplars to highlight areas where intervention and research is needed.
Effects of Ionizing Radiation on the Structure and Physical Properties of the Skin

Skin is a viscoelastic material, whose properties modify with age, some diseases and certain therapeutic treatments.
Managing Multi- and Omni-Channel Distribution: Metrics and Research Directions

Abstract The increase in the variety of channel formats, and the progression from single, to multi-, then to omni-channel marketing has made shopping and buying more convenient for consumers, but trickier to manage for marketers—both upstream suppliers and downstream retailers. The first step in managing multi- and omni-channel distribution is to find the specific metrics that will facilitate reliable analysis of the relationship between distribution and marketing objectives. That is our primary goal in this article—to present the metrics, both old and new, that marketers, both suppliers and retailers, need to monitor, and that academic researchers, both theoretical and empirical, should incorporate in their models. We present a basic framework for managing distribution, and summarize the metrics that are relevant to each element of the framework. Then, we lay out what we believe are important questions that multi- and omni-channel marketers are grappling with, refer the reader to what existing academic research has to say about them, and suggest how future research can build off our framework and metrics to supplement what is known and address what is not.
The Physicist and the Philosopher: Einstein, Bergson, and the Debate that Changed Our Understanding of Time

Jimena Canales’s book is richly informative, well written, and thought provoking. It takes as its point of departure an event all but forgotten today and then explores in detail its intellectual co...
Innovative Pathways Through Developmental Education and Postsecondary Success: An Examination of Developmental Math Interventions Across Texas

ABSTRACTThis study assessed alternative course delivery for developmental education (DE) math and student outcomes in community colleges in Texas. We examined 2 innovative interventions: (a) study skills courses offered alongside DE math and (b) DE math courses that are shorter than a full semester. Our model leveraged detailed demographic information and DE placement exam scores to compare students in these interventions to similar students in traditional DE math. We found that students in shorter courses were 12% more likely to pass DE math and 2% more likely to pass a first college-level (FCL) math course within a year. Likewise, students also enrolled in a study skills course were 4% more likely to pass DE math, 1% more likely to pass FCL math within a year, and 4% more likely to persist to the next college year. These findings suggest that emerging reforms to DE show promise and deserve further study.
A matter of life and death

We propose that deregulation of proliferation, together with a reduction in apoptosis, creates a platform that is both necessary and can be sufficient for cancer. The secondary traits of diverse neoplasms are a consequence of cell proliferation, tissue expansion, and other outcomes of this platform.
Trust is hard to come by: Disentangling the influence of structural characteristics and race on perceptions of trust in the police in a major Southern County

The current study will add to the literature on public attitudes toward law enforcement by assessing the individual and contextual-level predictors of one of the key concepts in police legitimacy l...
Challenges Faced by African American Golfers Pursuing Professional Careers

The purpose of this study was to give voice to a small group of African American male and female aspiring professional golfers in efforts to illuminate the challenges they face in pursuing professional playing careers in the United States (U.S.). Utilizing a basic interpretive qualitative research design (Merriam 2002), semi-structured interviews with eight African American male and one African American female golfers who were pursuing professional playing careers on the Professional Golfers Association (PGA) and Ladies Professional Golfers Association (LPGA) Tours, respectively, were conducted. Findings from our analysis of their narratives suggest the following major challenges made their pursuit of a professional playing career difficult: (a) these golfers lacked the social networks/connections and financial resources, and (b) they were not taken seriously or viewed by powerful stakeholders in golf as legitimate golfers. Contributions to the literature and practical implications are discussed.
Etiology and pathogenesis of the Marfan syndrome: current understanding.

Much has changed regarding Marfan syndrome (MFS) over the past few decades. Once described solely as a heritable disorder of connective tissue, MFS is now one of a number of conditions recognized to be a disorder of abnormal signalling in the TGF-β pathway. The cardinal features of MFS, once encompassed by the ocular, skeletal and cardiovascular systems, are now known to encompass many more organ systems, especially as people with MFS grow older. They are growing older by several decades compared to the 1970’s because of profound improvements in diagnosis and management of the cardiovascular features, especially dilatation of the aortic root. This dilatation can be detected first in infancy and followed up by echocardiography. Progressive enlargement increases the risk of type A dissection and aortic regurgitation, the major causes of early mortality, in untreated patients today. Medical therapy with β-adrenergic blockade, first shown to be effective in the 1980’s, can retard this dilatation. In the past decade, angiotensin receptor blockade, which reduces aberrant signalling through one of the TGF-β pathways, also can be effective. However, when dilatation of the root becomes such that the risk of dissection increases to an unacceptable degree, surgical therapy becomes necessary. In the mid-1970’s, the composite graft, introduced by Hugh Bentall, markedly reduced mortality. In the past decade, a valve-spring aortic root replacement, advanced by Tirone David, has become widely adopted. Mid-term results are quite encouraging. Other cardiovascular involvement, such as mitral valve prolapse, type B dissection, and dilatation and dissection of aortic branches, also require close monitoring. Currently, life-expectancy in people with MFS who are diagnosed early and treated prophylactically is approaching that of the general population.
How accurate is automated gap filling of metabolic models

Reaction gap filling is a computational technique for proposing the addition of reactions to genome-scale metabolic models to permit those models to run correctly. Gap filling completes what are otherwise incomplete models that lack fully connected metabolic networks. The models are incomplete because they are derived from annotated genomes in which not all enzymes have been identified. Here we compare the results of applying an automated likelihood-based gap filler within the Pathway Tools software with the results of manually gap filling the same metabolic model. Both gap-filling exercises were applied to the same genome-derived qualitative metabolic reconstruction for Bifidobacterium longum subsp. longum JCM 1217, and to the same modeling conditions — anaerobic growth under four nutrients producing 53 biomass metabolites. The solution computed by the gap-filling program GenDev contained 12 reactions, but closer examination showed that solution was not minimal; two of the twelve reactions can be removed to yield a set of ten reactions that enable model growth. The manually curated solution contained 13 reactions, eight of which were shared with the 12-reaction computed solution. Thus, GenDev achieved recall of 61.5% and precision of 66.6%. These results suggest that although computational gap fillers are populating metabolic models with significant numbers of correct reactions, automatically gap-filled metabolic models also contain significant numbers of incorrect reactions. Our conclusion is that manual curation of gap-filler results is needed to obtain high-accuracy models. Many of the differences between the manual and automatic solutions resulted from using expert biological knowledge to direct the choice of reactions within the curated solution, such as reactions specific to the anaerobic lifestyle of B. longum.
Tropical and mid-latitude 45-day perturbations over the Western Pacific during the northern summer

The tropical Madden-Julian oscillation (MJO), which is of convective origin, systematically propagates northward in the Western North Pacific summer monsoon region (5°-20°N, 110°-160°E). The northward propagating MJO, which is statistically significant, displays strong horizontally and vertically asymmetric circulation. The low-level cyclonic response is pronounced due to the presence of convergent, cyclonically sheared mean monsoon flow, while the upper-level anticyclonic counterpart is weak due to the influence of the divergent, anticyclonically sheared upper-level mean monsoon flow. The upper tropospheric MJO response is largely associated with divergent winds, as manifested by strong equatorward outflows that export anticyclonic vorticity into the upper troposphere of the Southern Hemisphere. The summer mean monsoon flow is responsible for reinforcing the vertical asymmetry of the MJO circulation induced by convective heating, and for generating a barotropic component in the baroclinic MJO through the mean monsoon flow-MJO interaction. The mid-latitude intraseasonal oscillation (ISO) displays a barotropic wave train structure along a great circle traversing the North Pacific, and exhibits the largest variability in the westerly jet exit region of the North Pacific (40°-50°N, 180°-150°W). This phenomenon is attributed to the combination of two different dynamic processes. While the MJO is propagating northward, the barotropic MJO component generated by the mean monsoon flow-MJO interaction produces a significant tropical-extratropical interaction on the intraseasonal time scale. Namely, when the 45-day convective activity becomes strongest near the Philippines, the barotropic MJO component acts as an origin of the barotropic Rossby wave dispersion emanating out of the convective forcing, eventually contributing to the development of an extratropical ISO. The enstrophy budget analysis shows, on the other hand, that the largest contribution to ISO is the in situ barotropic mean flow-ISO interaction in and around the jet exit.
RFID Implementation and Security Issues

Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is a technology that uses electronic tags to store data which in turn can be accessed in real time wirelessly. There is great potential for RFID technology in our society. RFID tags can be used for supply chain management, inventory systems, animal tracking, instant payments or even human implantation. Standards in the RFID industry are examined with an emphasis place on global standardizing bodies. With the growing use of RFID devices in supply chain management and global shipping, several shipping standards including EPC and ASN are examined. Security has become a major concern with several threats to RFID technology recently exposed. Several solutions are presented for firms wishing to implement RFID technology and minimize the risk to sensitive information and company systems.
COMPUTER MANIPULABLE REPRESENTATIONS IN PROBLEM SOLVING

This chapter discusses computer manipulable representations in problem solving. In artificial intelligence, the term problem solving is used in a rather restricted way. A problem exists if there is a discrepancy between the perceived and the desired state of the world. The problem is solved by altering the world so that this discrepancy disappears. This implies that the problem solver has the capability of taking actions which can affect the needed changes. Making these actions blindly does not qualify as problem solving, as there should be some sort of selection process by which appropriate actions are chosen. Thinkers do not deal with problems directly; they deal with representations of problems. This fact is so commonplace that one does not realize its importance until one attempt to construct a problem-solving program. The program does not deal with the physical world. It deals with a symbolic representation of the world, on the assumption that there is a translation between symbols and operations on symbols in the computer and states and actions in the external world. The whole of applied mathematics can be looked upon in the same way. Numbers and operations on numbers are used to represent the physical world and actions in it.
Using metadata standards to improve national and IMF DATA

This poster illustrates how metadata standardization in the International Monetary Fund (IMF) leads to an improvement in the quality of statistical information and a better understanding of data and metadata by users. It enables a more efficient and faster exchange of information at lower costs, which is made possible as a result of collaboration with member countries and other international organizations. Metadata standardization leads to greater efficiencies and lower costs in global exchange and internal production of data. Use of metadata standards enhances the accountability of countries for providing quality information about their economy and improves the understanding of data by users. The IMF experience, as outlined in this abstract, demonstrates how metadata standards have resulted in faster, cheaper and more consistent production and dissemination of data.
Thresholds of lake and reservoir connectivity in river networks control nitrogen removal.

Lakes, reservoirs, and other ponded waters are ubiquitous features of the aquatic landscape, yet their cumulative role in nitrogen removal in large river basins is often unclear. Here we use predictive modeling, together with comprehensive river water quality, land use, and hydrography datasets, to examine and explain the influences of more than 18,000 ponded waters on nitrogen removal through river networks of the Northeastern United States. Thresholds in pond density where ponded waters become important features to regional nitrogen removal are identified and shown to vary according to a ponded waters’ relative size, network position, and degree of connectivity to the river network, which suggests worldwide importance of these new metrics. Consideration of the interacting physical and biological factors, along with thresholds in connectivity, reveal where, why, and how much ponded waters function differently than streams in removing nitrogen, what regional water quality outcomes may result, and in what capacity management strategies could most effectively achieve desired nitrogen loading reduction.
Developing B-cell theories

The clonal-selection theory of B- and T-cell development holds that B and T cells have a diverse array of antigen receptors before they ever encounter antigen. Increasingly, though, the idea is taking hold that antigen-specific interactions may, in fact, produce new receptors. Two studies now describe a powerful tool to allow further study of these issues, and the results may help to reconcile previous findings with the clonal-selection theory.
Access to treatment for alcohol use disorders following Oregon's health care reforms and Medicaid expansion

The study examines impacts of delivery system reforms and Medicaid expansion on treatment for alcohol use disorders within the Oregon Health Plan (Medicaid). Diagnoses, services and pharmacy claims related to alcohol use disorders were extracted from Medicaid encounter data. Logistic regression and interrupted time series analyses assessed the percent with alcohol use disorder entering care and the percent receiving pharmacotherapy before (January 2010-June 2012) and after (January 2013-June 2015) the initiation of Oregon's Coordinated Care Organization (CCO) model (July 2012-December 2012). Analyses also examined changes in access following Medicaid expansion (January 2014). Treatment entry rates increased from 35% in 2010 to 41% in 2015 following the introduction of CCOs and Medicaid expansion. The number of Medicaid enrollees with a diagnosed alcohol use disorder increased about 150% from 10,360 (2013) to 25,454 (2014) following Medicaid expansion. Individuals with an alcohol use disorder who were prescribed a medication to support recovery increased from 2.3% (2010) to 3.8% (2015). In Oregon, Medicaid expansion and health care reforms enhanced access and improved treatment initiation for alcohol use disorders.
The Top 10 Pulmonary Pearls for Primary Care Physicians

Pulmonary diseases are commonly encountered by primary care physicians in the outpatient setting. Despite their prevalence, many physicians may be unfamiliar with the diagnosis and appropriate management of these disorders. The evidence-based pearls in this article will help primary care physicians navigate important topics in pulmonary medicine and guide their decision to refer their patients to a pulmonary specialist.
An Exploratory Study of Web Foraging to Understand and Support Programming Decisions

Programmers consistently engage in cognitively demanding tasks such as sense making and decision-making. During the information-foraging process, programmers are growing more reliant on resources available online since they contain masses of crowdsourced information and are easier to navigate. Content available in questions and answers on Stack Overflow presents a unique platform for studying the types of problems encountered in programming and possible solutions. In addition to classifying these questions, we introduce possible visual representations for organizing the gathered information and propose that such models may help reduce the cost of navigating, understanding and choosing solution alternatives.
Accuracy of Point-of-Care Testing for Anemia in the Emergency Department.

BACKGROUND: Pulse oximetry has become the standard of care in emergency medicine, operating rooms, and medical wards for the monitoring of oxygenation, but the use of pulse oximetry for assessment of hemoglobin (Hb) is controversial. The purpose of this study was to compare the accuracy and precision of 2 point-of-care Hb measurement devices, the Pronto-7 and the HemoCue 201+, to laboratory testing. METHODS: We studied a convenience sample of patients in the emergency department who required a complete blood count. We excluded patients in critical condition or those with elevated methemoglobin, impaired perfusion, or finger deformities. Each subject provided 2 capillary samples for measurement with the HemoCue 201+ and 2 consecutive readings with the Pronto-7. We used Bland-Altman analysis to compare the performance of the point-of-care devices to laboratory measurements. We also determined the diagnostic performance for the detection of anemia by sex (Hb RESULTS: 201 of the 350 subjects enrolled (57%) were female. Mean (SD) age was 50.9 (19.0) y. Complete data were available for 297 (84.9%) of the Pronto-7 readings and 323 (92.3%) of the HemoCue 201+ readings. Mean (SD) laboratory Hb was 13.1 g/dL (2.3). Mean bias (Bland-Altman limits of agreement) for the Pronto-7 was −0.52 g/dL (−3.29 to 2.25), and for the HemoCue 201+ the mean bias was −0.98 g/dL (−3.57 to 1.61). Sensitivity and specificity for diagnosis of anemia were 81.6% (95% CI 72.5–88.7) and 75.4% (95% CI 68.8–81.1) for the Pronto-7 and 99.1% (95% CI 94.8–100.0) and 71.0% (95% CI 64.4–76.9) for HemoCue 201+. CONCLUSION: Both devices provided clinically useful methods to screen for anemia.
Studies on the stability and stabilization of trans-cyclooctenes through radical inhibition and silver (I) metal complexation

Conformationally strained trans-cyclooctenes (TCOs) engage in bioorthogonal reactions with tetrazines with second order rate constants that can exceed 106 M-1s-1. The goal of this study was to provide insight into the stability of TCO reagents and to develop methods for stabilizing TCO reagents for long-term storage. The radical inhibitor Trolox suppresses TCO isomerization under high thiol concentrations and TCO shelf-life can be greatly extended by protecting them as stable Ag(I) metal complexes. 1H NMR studies show that Ag-complexation is thermodynamically favorable but the kinetics of dissociation are very rapid, and TCO•AgNO3 complexes are immediately dissociated upon addition of NaCl which is present in high concentration in cell media. The AgNO3 complex of a highly reactive s-TCO-TAMRA conjugate was shown to label a protein-tetrazine conjugate in live cells with faster kinetics and similar labeling yield relative to a 'traditional' TCO-TAMRA conjugate.
Towards Automated System Synthesis Using SCIDUCTION

Automated synthesis of systems that are correct by construction has been a long-standing goal of computer science. Synthesis is a creative task and requires human intuition and skill. Its complete automation is currently beyond the capacity of programs that do automated reasoning. However, there is a pressing need for tools and techniques that can automate non-intuitive and error-prone synthesis tasks. This thesis proposes a novel synthesis approach to solve such tasks in the synthesis of programs as well as the synthesis of switching logic for cyberphysical systems. The common underlying theme of the proposed synthesis techniques is a novel combination of deductive reasoning, inductive reasoning and structure hypotheses on the system under synthesis. We call this combined reasoning technique SCIDUCTION that stands for Structurally Constrained Induction and D eduction. SCIDUCTION constrains inductive and deductive reasoning using structure hypotheses, and actively combines inductive and deductive reasoning: for instance, deductive techniques generate examples for learning, and inductive techniques generate generalizations as candidate designs to be proved or disproved by deduction. We use the proposed synthesis approach for automated synthesis of loop-free programs from black-box oracle specifications using functions from a library of component functions, synthesizing optimal cost fixed-point code with specified accuracy from floating-point code, and synthesizing switching logic of hybrid systems for safety and performance properties. We illustrate that our approach can be used to automate system synthesis, and thus, can prove to be an effective aid to designers and developers.
Surrogate Decision-Making

Loss of decision-making capacity can pose challenges for individuals, their families, and clinicians. Absence of advance directives and knowledge of patient’s treatment preferences can make health care delivery challenging, especially in complex medical situations that demand critical decision-making. Surrogate decision-making, wherein a substitute decision-maker is appointed to make decisions on the individual’s behalf when they are not able to do so, is helpful in such situations. Over the years, the concept of surrogate decision-making has evolved and is now a legal process with each state entitled to formulate its own surrogacy laws. This chapter covers the standards of surrogate decision-making, state-specific laws in the United States and their variability, applicability and limitations, status of non-traditional surrogates, and issues concerning the unbefriended.
Reduction of Postoperative Opioid Use After Elective Spine and Peripheral Nerve Surgery Using an Enhanced Recovery After Surgery Program

OBJECTIVE Enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) pathways have previously been shown to be feasible and safe in elective spinal procedures. As publications on ERAS pathways have recently emerged in elective neurosurgery, long-term outcomes are limited. We report on our 18-month experience with an ERAS pathway in elective spinal surgery. METHODS A historical cohort of 149 consecutive patients was identified as the control group, and 1,141 patients were prospectively enrolled in an ERAS protocol. The primary outcome was the need for opioid use one month postoperation. Secondary outcomes were opioid and nonopioid consumption on postoperative day (POD) 1, opioid use at three and six months postoperation, inpatient pain scores, patient satisfaction scores, postoperative Foley catheter use, mobilization/ambulation on POD0-1, length of stay, complications, and intensive care unit admissions. RESULTS There was significant reduction in use of opioids at one, three, and six months postoperation (38.6% vs 70.5%, P < 0.001, 36.5% vs 70.9%, P < 0.001, and 23.6% vs 51.9%, P = 0.008) respectively. Both groups had similar surgical procedures and demographics. PCA use was nearly eliminated in the ERAS group (1.4% vs 61.6%, P < 0.001). ERAS patients mobilized faster on POD0 compared with control (63.5% vs 20.7%, P < 0.001). Fewer patients in the ERAS group required postoperative catheterization (40.7% vs 32.7%, P < 0.001). The ERAS group also had decreased length of stay (3.4 vs 3.9 days, P = 0.020). CONCLUSIONS ERAS protocols for all elective spine and peripheral nerve procedures are both possible and effective. This standardized approach to patient care decreases opioid usage, eliminates the use of PCAs, mobilizes patients faster, and reduces length of stay.
Wavelength selection in a buckling garden hose

We consider sinusoidal undulations which appear on certain garden hoses under normal use. We propose an explanation and provide a model for this phenomenon, and make a connection with biological structures as well as self-buckling. We compare observations with model predictions, and suggest potential applications in the area of shape-changing materials.
Longitudinal Associations Between Household Labor Division Inequity and Conflict Among Newlywed Couples

The division of household labor among couples is a frequently occurring topic of conflict. The present investigation examined longitudinal associations between inequities in household labor divisio...
PERFIL HEMATOLÓGICO DE PSITACÍDEOS EXÓTICOS

Com o crescimento do mercado para criacao de aves ornamentais, e interesse dasfamilias em ter uma ave como pet , surge a necessidade de aperfeicoar examesdiferenciais. Desta forma, o objetivo foi determinar valores de referencia parahemograma de 9 especies de psitacideos, devido a escassez desses dados. Foiutilizado 70 passaros, machos e femeas, sem historico de doencas, de um criatorioparticular, para realizacao de esfregaco sanguineo, corado em panotico paradeterminar a media, desvio padrao e coeficiente de variacao das hemacias,leucocitos, trombocitos, e do diferencial de leucocitos. Os dados podem auxiliar oMedico Veterinario na rotina clinica.
Geometric consideration of support structures in part overhang fabrications by electron beam additive manufacturing

Powder bed electron beam additive manufacturing (EBAM) has emerged as a potentially cost-effective process for high-value, small-batch productions for biomedical and aerospace applications. In EBAM, the process would not require support structures for overhang geometry because a build part is immersed in the powder bed. However, support structures are indeed needed in practice for an overhang; without it, the overhang area will have defects such as warping, which are due to the complex thermomechanical process in EBAM. In this study, a numerical approach is introduced to simulate the thermomechanical responses in the EBAM process of overhang structures. The objective of this study was to develop a 2D thermomechanical model, using a finite element method (FEM), to evaluate temperature induced deformation on different overhang support patterns in the EBAM process. The major results are summarized as follows. (1) The thermomechanical model is able to simulate the deformation of overhang parts in EBAM. The overhang length noticeably affects the overhang deformation. (2) As a traditional support structure, solid columns can reduce the overhang warping; further, the size of the column may be minimized to satisfy a deformation constraint, and meanwhile, reduce the amount of support materials. (3) Including a solid piece beneath the overhang, acting as a heat sink, may also reduce the overhang deformation; however, an appropriate gap must be incorporated so as not to fuse to the overhang area, while still effectively reducing the deformation. The developed thermomechanical model is able to simulate the deformation of overhang parts in EBAM.The overhang length noticeably affects the overhang deformation.Solid columns can avoid a serious overhang warping defect.A solid piece beneath the overhang in the powder bed can reduce the overhang deformation.
Head injuries in children under 36 months of age. Demography and outcome.

Head injuries in children under the age of 3 years have not been extensively studied, due in part to the lack of an objective tool for neurological assessment. We have developed a Children's Coma Scale (CCS) by modifying the verbal response subscore of the Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) to overcome this limitation. When applied prospectively to children under 3 years of age, we found the CCS to be useful in predicting outcome. During the 5-year study period from 1981 to 1985, there were 738 patients with head injuries (0–16 years) admitted to the Children's Memorial Hospital in Chicago, including 318 (43.1%) less than 3 years of age. Initial data demonstrated the following observations. The most common mechanism of injury was a fall (75.5%). Although a brief loss of consciousness (LOC) was reported in three-fourths of the patients, prolonged LOC of more than 6 h was uncommon (16/318, 5.0%). The classically described “lucid interval” was seen in only 7 children (2.2%) and was not a reliable indicator of epidural hematoma. Post-traumatic seizures developed more commonly in children under 2 years of age (15.7%) than in older children (11.6% under 3 years of age, 9.6%, entire group), (P<0.001). Oculovestibular reflex and bilateral fixed dilated pupils had the most reliable correlation with outcome. Other brain-stem reflexes were less useful. Intracranial pressure greater than 40 torr in children with CCS scores of 3, 4 or 5 was inevitably fatal; however, 10 of 16 children with ICP less than 40 torr showed a good outcome.
Responses of Sorghum and Pennisetum Species to the N2-Fixing Bacterium Azospirillum brasilense

Three field inoculation experiments, two in Florida and one in New Mexico, were conducted with Azospirillum brasilense Cd. Each of the Florida experiments evaluated two crop species. One species in each of the Florida experiments responded to inoculation with a significant dry matter yield increases of 11 to 24% and nitrogen yield increases of 9 to 39%. No inoculation response was noted in the New Mexico experiment. The responding species were Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench (sorghum) and the interspecific hybrid between Pennisetum americanum (L.) K. Schum. (pearl millet) and P. purpureum Schumach. (napiergrass). Nonresponding species were pearl millet (Florida) and Sorghum sudanense (Piper) Staph. (New Mexico). Acetylene reduction activity of inoculated plots in Florida was low, showing no increase over the natural uninoculated background rates and, in one case, was negatively correlated with yield. Acetylene reduction activity was not measured in New Mexico. In Florida, A. brasilense populations were found to decline from 5 × 103 to 5 × 102 bacteria g of soil−1 in about 3 weeks (quadratic regressions). Continued decline to less than 102 by week 5 indicated that the inoculated bacteria did not become established in the soil in high numbers. The A. brasilense population declined at about the same rate in the New Mexico experiment. The erractic inoculation responses in these experiments are similar to those observed in earlier work at the University of Florida. The lack of acetylene reduction activity response to inoculation and the rapid population decline of the inoculated bacteria suggest that N2 fixation is not the major mechanism causing yield responses after inoculation.
The Evolution of Therapy for Dehydration: Should Deficit Therapy Still Be Taught?

Objective . To describe the evolution of rehydration therapy for cholera and diarrhea! dehydration from its beginning in 1832 to the present. To reaffirm the central role for extracellular fluid (ECF) expansion and question the continued teaching of deficit therapy in many current pediatric texts. Methodology . I reviewed the rationale underlying three treatment strategies: rapid parenteral infusions of saline solutions to restore ECF; deficit therapy to replace specific electrolyte and water losses; and oral rehydration therapy (ORT) to effect both. I used crude mortality rates as the measure of outcomes. Results. (1) Beginning in 1832 for cholera and 1918 for infant diarrheal dehydration, parenteral saline infusions were infused to replace losses of salt and water; they were very effective in salvaging moribund dehydrated patients by quickly restoring ECF volume and renal perfusion. Mortality rates dropped from more than 60% to less than 30%. (2) Deficit therapy as it evolved in the 1950s defined potassium and other fluid and electrolyte defidts and replaced them using specific but complicated fluid and electrolyte replacement regimens. Mortality rates dropped to single digits. (3) ORT, with intravenous expansion of ECF volume when indicated, rapidly corrected specific fluid and electrolyte disorders with a very simple therapeutic regimen. Mortality rates dropped to less than 1%. Conclusions. The simpler, more effective ORT regimen should be taught as standard therapy for diarrheal dehydration. Principles of body fluid physiology should be taught in their own right.