cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Challenges in the Use of Administrative Data for Heart Failure Services Research.

Administrative data routinely collected when patients interact with the health care system are widely used for accountability, quality improvement efforts, and health services research.Although these data were not designed for such purposes, they provide a feasible alternative to fit-forpurpose prospective data collection activities. In the United States, all health care transactions are required by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act to use a standard code set to indicate diagnoses and procedures. Before October 1, 2015, the International Classification of Diseases, 9th Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) code set has been widely used for inpatient hospital procedures as well as for inpatient and outpatient diagnoses. Two studies in this issue of the Journal examined the validity of ICD-9-CM diagnostic information available in administrative data relative to gold standard sources in heart failure research: Bender and Smith evaluated diagnostic codes recorded in community hospital administrative data to assess the impact of “mental health issues” on heart failure outcomes of hospitalized adults; Kucharska-Newton and colleagues assessed codes in Medicare claims data to identify “acute decompensated and chronic stable” heart failure among hospitalized participants in the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study. Both papers report good agreement between ICD-9-CM codes and gold standard sources (Table 1). Although agreement statistics and specificities were high, the sensitivities (probabilities that codes were present when the condition was present) were modest— kappa = 0.42 for some specific mental health subcategories
Self-discovery in the dark: the demand side of industrial policy in Latin America

ABSTRACTUnder what conditions do businesses choose to reconsider their immediate, short-term competitive niches and engage in long-term, systematic thinking by searching for new business models? This crucial question is left aside by the contemporary literature on industrial policy insofar as it assumes that the primary barrier to industrial upgrading and learning is on the ‘supply side’ of states facilitating private firms' pursuit of their already-established drives. We inquire into the necessary conditions for businesses' engagement with long-term thinking and innovation in contexts that reinforce preferences to stay in low-innovation, high-rent niches . Drawing from five cases in ‘inertial’ Latin American competitive environments where industries nevertheless voluntarily broke free of inertial trajectories to seek new approaches to business, we find that conditions of ‘systemic vulnerability’ – a combination of shocks in demand, sectoral comp-etitiveness and civil/social conflict – force business elit...
Utilisation of gas-phase ion-molecule reactions for differentiation between phospho- and sulfocarbohydrates.

Gas-phase ion-molecule reactions of four boron-containing neutrals were explored as a means for differentiation between isobaric phospho- and sulfocarbohydrates. Phosphorylation and sulfation impose an addition of 80 Da to the molecular mass, so for low-resolution mass spectrometers compounds that have such modifications will appear at the same nominal mass-to-charge (m/z) ratio. However, the ions of these isobaric species behave differently in ion–molecule reactions. All four evaluated neutral molecules [trimethyl borate (TMB), triethyl borate (TEB), diethylmethoxyborane (DEMB) and diisopropoxymethylborane (DIPMB)] proved to be reactive towards phosphorylated sugars and unreactive towards sulfated carbohydrates. In addition, TMB and TEB were found suitable for distinguishing positional isomers of phosphorylated carbohydrates, while reactions with DEMB and DIPMB were successful in differentiating phosphorylated, sulfated and unmodified deprotonated sugars. Similar reactions in the positive ion mode (alkal...
The Warnier-Orr Diagram for Designing Essays

The Warnier-Orr diagram, a method of designing computer programs, may be adapted for use in designing expository essays. Unlike the traditional outline, it gives equal weight to inclusive and serial relationships between ideas. Used in place of the outline, it clarifies, logically and rhetorically, the development and the organization of ideas in expository essays.
A Black Entrepreneur in Antebellum Louisiana

Professor Whitten estimates capitalization, production and returns, and profits for a Louisiana sugar plantation owned and operated by Andrew Durnford, a black planter.
V-Learn-Fact: A New Approach for Teaching Manufacturing and Design to Mechanical Engineering Students

Students in the mechanical engineering curriculum are rarely given opportunities for direct experience in the topics in many areas. This is especially true for the education component of the manufacturing and design curriculums. Some reading and stylized laboratory and group projects often substitute for real experience. In this paper an innovative experiential learning curriculum called Virtual Learning Factory (V-Learn-Fact) is described for teaching manufacturing and design courses. In the V-Learn-Fact curriculum, the entire class takes part in a single large project, which covers product realization from concept to final production stage. V-Learn-Fact was implemented in MAE464/564 – Manufacturing Automation course (senior elective and graduate level course) between 2006–2012. A student survey was carried out to gauge effectiveness of this curriculum. 89% of the students fully or partially agreed that the V-Learn-Fact helped them learn topics in manufacturing automation better than traditional mechanical engineering courses. Written comments also provided interesting insights.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Another Wisconsin Record of the Prairie Spotted Skunk

The first prairie spotted skunk, Spilogale putorius , reported for Wisconsin (Scott, Jour. Mamm., 32:363,1951) was captured November 19, 1946, in St. Croix County. In November, 1955, …
The impact of sex and knee injury history on jump-landing patterns in collegiate athletes: a clinical evaluation.

Objective To determine whether jump-landing patterns, as assessed by the Landing Error Scoring System (LESS), differ based on sex and knee injury history. Design Cross-sectional. Setting College. Participants Two hundred fifteen intercollegiate athletes were grouped by sex (male = 116 and female = 99) and self-reported knee injury history (no = 148, mild = 31, and severe = 36). Interventions Participants performed 3 trials of a standardized jump-landing task that were videotaped and later scored using the LESS. Main outcome measures Overall, individual item, sagittal total error, and frontal total error scores of the LESS. Results An interaction effect was reported for trunk flexion at initial ground contact. Main effects for sex indicated that males demonstrated more at-risk landing movement patterns on the sagittal plane (ie, limited trunk, knee and hip flexion at initial contact, and limited hip flexion throughout the landing), whereas females demonstrated more at-risk landing movement patterns on the frontal plane (ie, knee valgus at initial ground contact and maximum knee flexion, and more frontal plane movement throughout the landing). No main effects were reported for injury history. Conclusions Jump-landing patterns seem to be impacted by sex but not knee injury history. Findings related to sex differences corroborate with previous laboratory-based investigations. Furthermore, findings support the clinical use of the LESS to screen for individuals who may be at risk for a lower extremity injury. Future studies should further investigate the clinical utility of the LESS, particularly its ability to predict lower extremity injuries.
The Raven and the Writing Desk

In this essay, I use a dialogue between characters from Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland to discuss the relationship of mathematics to physical reality. In it, I propose that there are two realities: representational and tangible. Mathematics belongs to the former. We can reconcile the two by taking Eddington’s stance that the universe is nothing more than our description of it.
Tang Shun-zhi and Journey to the West

Through the analysis of the Preface of Chen Yuanzhi of Shi De Tang Version of the Journey to the West,Kang Guanglu can be proved to be Tang Zhenghe,Zhenghe's father Tang Shunzhi was a great scholar of the classicals of Tang and Song Dynasties.He was not only good at writing classics,but also good at making New Text,Journey to the West is a sermon book as well as a historical one.Its "history" nature lies in that Mahāyānadeva indirectly referred to Emperor Jia Jing,the story of Mahāyānadeva's pilgrimage to India for Buddhist scriptures alluded to Emperor Jiajing's southern tour,Monkey King is a self-portrait of the Tang Shunzhi,the original author of Journey to the West is Tang Shunzhi.
Force-to-failure of a simulated implant-supported complete fixed dental prosthesis reinforced with glass fiber

Abstract Statement of problem The joint adjacent to the cantilevered section of an implant-supported complete fixed dental prosthesis (ICFDP) undergoes the most stress because of force magnification in this area, making it more prone to mechanical failure. Purpose The purpose of this in vitro study was to evaluate the ultimate force-to-failure distal to the terminal implant of a simulated ICFDP reinforced with glass fiber compared with that of a conventionally fabricated prosthesis. Material and methods Thirty ICFDPs with bilateral distal cantilevers were fabricated and divided into 3 groups: the not-reinforced (NR) group was processed without reinforcement, the glass-fiber-reinforced (GR) group was reinforced with glass fiber, and the titanium-reinforced (TR) group was fabricated with a titanium bar. The specimens were screw-retained onto a standardized mandibular model with 4-implant analogs embedded in acrylic resin. All groups were processed using heat-polymerized acrylic resin. After 24 hours, the cantilevers were loaded to fracture (in N) 10 mm away from the center of the most distal analog under compression at a crosshead speed of 1 mm/min. Statistical analysis of data was performed using a 1-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) model by using Tukey B post hoc comparison procedures (α=.05). Results Data revealed the mean fracture load of the NR group was 1073 ±108 N, 1400.75 ±123.53 N for the GR group, and 1652.78 ±274.14 N for the TR group. Statistically significant differences ( P P =.595). Conclusions A fiber-reinforced ICFDP provides better biomechanical properties than an unreinforced one, which may allow its longer-term use as an interim ICFDP. However, the titanium bar ICFDP still provided the best resistance to fracture.
Characterization of Large Strain Extrusion Machining (LSEM) of AA7050

This work features a characterization of AA7050 strip produced for the first time in a single deformation step via large strain extrusion machining (LSEM), which has emerged as an alternative method to produce AA7050 strip. The resultant LSEM plate or sheet microstructure is promising for applications where SCC and exfoliation cracking resistance are important. LSEM has been shown to produce grains with a lower aspect ratio than conventional hot rolling, which has been linked to SCC resistance. In addition, LSEM grains have a different orientation relative to the strip direction, which may result in an improvement in exfoliation cracking resistance as compared to hot-rolled strip.
Life Course Pathways From Adverse Childhood Experiences to Adult Physical Health: A Structural Equation Model.

Objective: This study examines pathways from adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) to physical health, directly and indirectly through lower income, health risk behaviors, social support, and adult ...
Connectome-based Models Predict Separable Components of Attention in Novel Individuals

Although we typically talk about attention as a single process, it comprises multiple independent components. But what are these components, and how are they represented in the functional organization of the brain? To investigate whether long-studied components of attention are reflected in the brain's intrinsic functional organization, here we apply connectome-based predictive modeling (CPM) to predict the components of Posner and Petersen's influential model of attention: alerting (preparing and maintaining alertness and vigilance), orienting (directing attention to a stimulus), and executive control (detecting and resolving cognitive conflict) [Posner, M. I., & Petersen, S. E. The attention system of the human brain. Annual Review of Neuroscience, 13, 25-42, 1990]. Participants performed the Attention Network Task (ANT), which measures these three factors, and rested during fMRI scanning. CPMs tested with leave-one-subject-out cross-validation successfully predicted novel individual's overall ANT accuracy, RT variability, and executive control scores from functional connectivity observed during ANT performance. CPMs also generalized to predict participants' alerting scores from their resting-state functional connectivity alone, demonstrating that connectivity patterns observed in the absence of an explicit task contain a signature of the ability to prepare for an upcoming stimulus. Suggesting that significant variance in ANT performance is also explained by an overall sustained attention factor, the sustained attention CPM, a model defined in prior work to predict sustained attentional abilities, predicted accuracy, RT variability, and executive control from task-based data and predicted RT variability from resting-state data. Our results suggest that, whereas executive control may be closely related to sustained attention, the infrastructure that supports alerting is distinct and can be measured at rest. In the future, CPM may be applied to elucidate additional independent components of attention and relationships between the functional brain networks that predict them.
VizByWiki: Mining Data Visualizations from the Web to Enrich News Articles

Data visualizations in news articles (e.g., maps, line graphs, bar charts) greatly enrich the content of news articles and result in well-established improvements to reader comprehension. However, existing systems that generate news data visualiza-tions either require substantial manual effort or are limited to very specific types of data visualizations, thereby greatly re-stricting the number of news articles that can be enhanced. To address this issue, we define a new problem: given a news ar-ticle, retrieve relevant visualizations that already exist on the web. We show that this problem is tractable through a new system, VizByWiki, that mines contextually relevant data visualizations from Wikimedia Commons, the central file reposi-tory for Wikipedia. Using a novel ground truth dataset, we show that VizByWiki can successfully augment as many as 48% of popular online news articles with news visualizations. We also demonstrate that VizByWiki can automatically rank visualizations according to their usefulness with reasonable accuracy (nDCG@5 of 0.82). To facilitate further advances on our "news visualization retrieval problem", we release our ground truth dataset and make our system and its source code publicly available.
Qualitative characterization of three combustion-related standard reference materials for polycyclic aromatic sulfur heterocycles and their alkyl-substituted derivatives via normal-phase liquid chromatography and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry.

The research described here provides the most comprehensive qualitative characterization of three combustion-related standard reference materials (SRMs) for polycyclic aromatic sulfur heterocycles (PASHs) and some alkyl-substituted (alkyl-) derivatives to date: SRM 1597a (coal tar), SRM 1991 (coal tar/petroleum extract), and SRM 1975 (diesel particulate extract). An analytical approach based on gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) is presented for the determination of three-, four-, and five-ring PASH isomers and three- and four-ring alkyl-PASHs in the three SRM samples. The benefit of using a normal-phase liquid chromatography (NPLC) fractionation procedure prior to GC/MS analysis was demonstrated for multiple isomeric PASH groups. Using a semi-preparative aminopropyl (NH2) LC column, the three combustion-related samples were fractionated based on the number of aromatic carbon atoms. The NPLC-GC/MS method presented here allowed for the following identification breakdown: SRM 1597a – 35 PASHs and 59 alkyl-PASHs; SRM 1991–31 PASHs and 58 alkyl-PASHs; and SRM 1975–13 PASHs and 25 alkyl-PASHs. These identifications were based on NPLC retention data, the GC retention times of reference standards, and the predominant molecular ion peak in the mass spectrum. Prior to this study, only 11, 1, and 0 PASHs/alkyl-PASHs had been identified in SRM 1597a, SRM 1991, and SRM 1975, respectively.
Analysis of the basic processes involved in the deposition, degradation, persistence, and effectiveness of pesticides

During the past two decades there has been an unprecedented increase in knowledge of the chemistry of pesticides. New developments have had, and are continuing to have, far-reaching practical importance. Advances in pesticide chemistry will continue to be an inevitable consequence of advances in the general field of chemistry which, like other fields of science, is feeling the full impact of the “scientific explosion”. However, advances in our knowledge of the physical and physicochemical factors involved in the formulation, application, deposition, penetration, translocation, degradation, persistence, and effectiveness of the increasingly potent new pesticides does not necessarily keep pace with the tempo of their production and release for use. In fact, the rapid turnover of pesticide chemicals, resulting in part from the equally rapid demise of many insecticides and acaricides as the result of the resistance phenomenon, is in itself a deterrent to a careful or prolonged investigation of the many variables that might affect their practical usefulness. Other factors have militated against such investigations, such as “low-volume” or “concentrate” spraying which eliminates some of the problems incident to efficiency of deposition, and also the extremely high initial potency of modern insecticides which tends to make formulation efficiency a matter of secondary importance.
Distribution of membrane phospholipids in the crystalline lens.

Purpose. To determine the phospholipid content of specific anatomic regions within the crystalline lens. Methods. Phospholipid extracts of tissues dissected from 5 sets of 10 rabbit lenses were analyzed by 31 P nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. Twenty-nine pathway-specific metabolic indexes were calculated from groups of phospholipids and ratios of phospholipids. Results. Phospholipid levels (mole percent) were determined from the capsule with attached epithelium, the cortex, and the nucleus. Eleven phospholipids were detected with significant regional differences in the lens phospholipid profiles. The levels of phosphatidylcholine (PC), PC plasmalogen-alkylacyl PC, phosphatidylinositol (PI), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), and diphosphatidylglycerol (DPG), and of the lyso derivatives (lyso PC and lyso PE) were greater in the capsule plus epithelium than in the cortex or the nucleus. Levels of sphingomyelin, phosphatidylserine, and PE plasmalogen (EPLAS) were less in the capsule plus epithelium than in the cortex or the nucleus. PC, PC plasmalogen-alkylacyl PC, EPLAS, and lyso PE had nearly equal amounts in the cortex and the nucleus. PI, lyso PC, and DPG could not be detected in the nucleus. DPG was only detected in the capsule plus epithelium. An unidentified phospholipid at 0.13 ppm was approximately equal in the cortex and the nucleus, but it could not be detected in the capsule plus epithelium. Conclusions. These differences demonstrate a significant heterogeneity among these anatomic regions of the lens, and differences in the nucleus relative to other regions studied are consistent with those in membranes that less readily undergo transitions from the relatively impermeable lamellar phase to the more permeable hexagonal Hn phase. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 1994; 35:3739-3746.
Three states of Al65Cu20Fe15: Amorphous, crystalline, and quasicrystalline.

${\mathrm{Al}}_{65}$${\mathrm{Cu}}_{20}$${\mathrm{Fe}}_{15}$, prepared by magnetron sputtering and subsequently annealed, has been observed in three distinct states: amorphous, metastable crystalline, and quasicrystalline. The structural and physical properties of ${\mathrm{Al}}_{65}$${\mathrm{Cu}}_{20}$${\mathrm{Fe}}_{15}$ have been studied in these three different atomic arrangements. Distinct values of magnetic moment, resistivity, and hyperfine interactions at the Fe sites have been measured for the three states.
Journalism’s Relationship to Democracy: Roles, Attitudes, and Practices

Journalism is often discussed in terms of its relationship to democracy. But one’s conception of democracy can influence how one understands journalistic concepts. This study surveyed 204 US politi...
Wave propagation in initially-stressed elastic rods

Abstract This paper presents a study of incremental wave motion in elastic media with initial stress. Alternative formulations of the governing equations are examined as independent developments as well as special cases of a general theory in which the strain energy function is written in terms of deformation and initial stress. An application to a straight rod of circular cross is considered by means of a semidiscrete finite-element approximation that enables us to explore the effects of initial axial tension on the torsional, axial and flexural spectra and, furthermore, suggest paths toward estimation of the coefficients arising in the general theory.
An Overview of Epigenetic Correlates of Human Chronic Pain Conditions

Abstract DNA variation cannot explain all trait variance in chronic pain conditions. Altered epigenetic marks as a result of gene-environment interactions are additional factors to be considered in pain genetics. Environmental factors such as stress, nerve and tissue injuries, and disease conditions impact on the vulnerability of individuals to develop chronic pain, likely via DNA sequence-independent mechanisms. Pursuing epigenetic alterations in chronic pain will help to find potential biomarkers and direct specific treatment strategies. This chapter will overview evidence mainly from clinical studies on altered genetic marks, including DNA methylation, histone code, and noncoding RNAs, in a variety of chronic pain conditions. We will also discuss the outcome of human studies on a number of painful disease conditions where pain was not directly assessed, since the epigenetic marks identified in those studies may help further epigenetic studies in the context of chronic pain.
Demonstration of vehicle-to-vehicle optical pointing, acquisition, and tracking for undersea laser communications

To date, undersea optical communication has been driven by wide-beam LED systems. Directional laser systems have several advantages | increased range, increased data rate, and better performance in solar background | but require a precise tracking system to maintain laser pointing through vehicle motion. We have demonstrated an underwater laser communication system with a bi-direction, all-optical pointing, acquisition, and tracking system. Laser communication terminals were mounted on two remotely operated vehicles that were piloted to the ends of a pool (a separation of 20 m), coarsely aligned to within about 10 degrees, and then set to autonomously acquire and track each other. Acquisitions occurred within a few seconds, and the link never broke during maneuvers. To our knowledge this is the first demonstration of a functional undersea laser tracking system between mobile vehicles. The demonstrated precision and robustness can enable 1+ Gbps data links between independent, moving vehicles, over several 100 meters in clear ocean water. Additionally, this approach provides precise (cm- class) relative positioning between the communicating parties, enabling relative position, navigation, and timing (PNT) distribution between independent vehicles. This technology is a crucial enabler of undersea wireless optical networking for manned and unmanned vehicles.
Variability of extreme precipitation over Texas and its relation with climatic cycles

Many hydrometeorological studies have evaluated the impact of climate variability on hydrologic extremes. Recent studies have shown that the varying state of climatic cycles has intensified the regional hydrologic cycle within a wide range of geographical regions in the state of Texas. These climatic cycles define numerous sea surface temperature and pressure anomalies which lead to heavy precipitation in a region. The objective of this paper is to quantify the impact of five major Atlantic and Pacific Ocean related climatic cycles, including (i) Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO), (ii) North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), (iii) Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO), (iv) Pacific North American Pattern (PNA), and (v) Southern Oscillation Index (SOI), on maximum daily precipitation within a year in various climate regions of Texas, using a weighted correlation approach incorporating Leave-One-Out Test (LOOT). The uncertainty in the estimated correlation coefficient is factored in by determining the sample correlation coefficient at the 95% confidence interval. The influence of these global scale climatic cycles on the regional hydrologic cycle is found to be governed by the integrated hydrometeorological properties of weather stations, including (i) station elevation, (ii) average temperature, and (iii) average total precipitation, in the months of extremes. Results of this study will help regional water boards prepare for extreme hydrometeorological events in a changing climate.
Wood traits and tidal exposure mediate shipworm infestation and biofouling in southeastern U.S. estuaries

Abstract Annually, shipworms and other biofouling species cause millions of dollars in damage to wooden marine infrastructure across the world. Given their abundant larval supply and high dispersal potential, bioeroders and biofoulers are ubiquitous threats that shorten the lifespan of wooden docks, piers, boats and shoreline stabilization structures in coastal environments. Despite these impacts, there are no treatments that completely protect wood against shipworms and biofouling. To explore potential approaches for extending the lifespan of wooden shoreline stabilization structures, we conducted two field experiments to evaluate the resistance to shipworms and biofouling of small and large diameter branches of four trees – laurel oak (Quercus hemisphaerica), sweetgum (Liquidambar styraciflua), crepe myrtle (Lagerstroemia spp.), and black mangrove (Avicennia germinans) – positioned at varying distances from the sediment surface in southeastern US estuaries. We discovered that the wood volume lost to shipworm burrows was concentrated near the sediment surface, more prevalent in tree species with lower wood densities, and varied markedly between years. Barnacle fouling was far higher on branches > 30 cm from the surface and on laurel oak and sweetgum branches. In a third field experiment, we tested two chemical and two non-chemical wood treatments and found chemical treatments to be more effective at deterring barnacle fouling and shipworm burrowing of wooden posts, especially beneath the sediment surface. By identifying desirable characteristics of the wood employed and elevations at which the impacts of shipworms and biofouling are especially prevalent, this experimental study informs the design of more durable wooden stabilization structures in coastal environments.
Microstructure and texture evolution in Mg/Nb layered materials made by accumulative roll bonding

Abstract In this work, lamellar composite sheets combining one of two fully hexagonal magnesium-lithium alloys (Mg–4Li and Mg–5Li wt%) and pure niobium (Nb) are manufactured via accumulative roll bonding (ARB). With extreme straining of over two true strain, the individual layers were refined to 200 μm. The strength differential between co-deforming phases with strain is characterized to be low enough to facilitate bonding without instabilities. Additionally, homogeneity in deformation was enhanced by intermediate annealing, especially for the Mg-xLi phase. Diffraction methods and polycrystal modeling are employed to study the microstructure and texture evolution of the individual phases after each subsequent ARB pass. Characterization by electron backscatter diffraction and neutron diffraction reveals substantial changes in microstructure and texture in both phases and very little deformation twinning in the Mg-xLi phase. Evolution of grain morphology and the number of grains that span a layer with ARB and annealing are determined and discussed. To link texture evolution to slip-based deformation mechanisms during the processing, a multiscale polycrystalline model of the two-phase Mg–4Li/Nb composite was developed, which included a relative directional compliance (RDC) method to account for anisotropic interactions in the phases, allowing appropriate slip sensitivity to dislocation density based hardening on the multiple slip modes in Mg–4Li and in Nb. The model indicates that the deformation of the Mg–4Li phase during ARB cycles was accommodated by more basal and progressively smaller amounts of prismatic , pyramidal , and twinning than previously reported for rolling of Mg–4Li. The experimental textures cannot be entirely explained by grain shape and an increase in pyramidal and prismatic slip resistance are required as expected with a small grain size. Consistent with measurements, the model predicts that c-axis of the Mg–4Li phase tilts from the sheet's normal direction towards the rolling direction, and that the strong γ-fiber and the unusually weak α-fiber should develop in Nb with large ARB straining of the Mg-xLi/Nb composites.
Outcomes of an Intensive, Preoperative Smoking Cessation Program

The outcomes of an intensive, preoperative smoking cessation program in patients undergoing lung resection were evaluated. Of 340 patients undergoing resection, 82 were currently smoking. Sixty-one were involved in our smoking cessation program, and 45 patients (73.7%) in the program were able to quit by surgery. At the 6-month and 1-year follow-up, 29 (64.4%) and 22 patients (48.9%) abstained from smoking. An intensive smoking cessation program in the perioperative period demonstrated a high success rate, with good results up to 1 year postoperatively for those able to quit before surgery.
Effect of protein corona on nanoparticle–plasma membrane and nanoparticle–biomimetic membrane interactions

Nanomaterial contamination in the environment poses severe threats to public health and wellness. Understanding interactions between nanoparticles and biomembranes is pivotal to understanding the physiological effects of nanomaterials. The prevailing understanding is that a protein corona forms around nanoparticles upon their entering biological systems. The effect of the protein corona on the membrane–nanoparticle interaction has not been comprehensively investigated. Here, we report a systematic study to better understand the effects of the protein corona on nanoparticle–biomembrane interactions with both plasma membranes (293T cell line) and biomimetic membranes. Giant plasma membrane vesicles (GPMVs) and giant unilamellar vesicles (GUVs) fabricated from organ lipid extracts (brain, heart, and liver) served as biomimetic models in our study. Reduced charged-nanoparticle adhesion to both plasma and biomimetic membranes with the presence of the protein corona suggests that the protein corona interferes with the electrostatic interaction between nanoparticles and biomembranes. These similar trends of nanoparticle adhesion among the membranes indicated that model membranes can capture this electrostatic interaction with similar responses as plasma membranes. However, the membrane integrity subsequent to the interaction was different between the two systems, indicating the limitations of model membranes in recreating the complexity and dynamics of plasma membranes. As the first systematic study correlating nanoparticle interactions with cell membranes, isolated cell membranes, and synthetic vesicles from natural lipid extracts, we demonstrated that biomimetic membranes can serve as excellent analogues to cell membranes in providing fundamental insights regarding the electrostatic interaction between nanoparticles and biomembranes.
Perioperative Stroke and Readmissions Rates in Noncardiac Non-Neurologic Surgery

Abstract Background and Aim: Perioperative stroke is a feared and potentially disastrous complication of surgery. Postdischarge care, specifically hospital readmissions, can significantly impact postsurgical recovery and provides a useful metric for quality care. Our primary aim was examining 30-day readmissions for patients who had a perioperative stroke undergoing noncardiac non-neurosurgery. Methods: We analyzed data from the State Inpatient Database, a database of community hospital discharges, in California between 2008 and2011. Surgical patients undergoing one of the 10 highest-volume procedures were included; patients less than 18 years old, undergoing pregnancy-related procedures, or who died in-hospital were excluded. Our dataset covariates included demographic and clinical variables, comorbidities, and discharge location. After running an initial bivariate analysis using Chi-square and t-tests and testing for multicollinearity, logistical models were run to calculate adjusted odds ratios and confidence intervals for readmission predictors. Results: 30-day readmissions for patients with perioperative stroke (n = 1613) occurred at a rate of 21.08% (340 patients), compared to 6.29% (63,856 patients) for patients without perioperative stroke (adjusted OR = 1.40, 95% CI 1.23-1.59, P
Federal vs. State Powers in Rush to Reopen Amid the Coronavirus Pandemic

Despite millions of active infections and tens of thousands of COVID-19 deaths, multiple state governors, led by Georgia Governor Brian Kemp, are actively reopening businesses and withdrawing stay-home orders. President Trump should be elated. The White House has aggressively pushed state efforts to reboot the economy. Yet, the president publicly criticized Kemp for proceeding “too soon” in a rush to reopen. Underlying the political theatrics, the novel coronavirus is exposing a deep rift in American federalism as federal and state governments vie for primacy in remedying the nation’s ills. What powers could the president use to influence state actions whether to impose or lift mitigation measures? What zone of decisions are designated for the states alone?
Quantile-Dependent Expressivity and Gene-Lifestyle Interactions Involving High-Density Lipoprotein Cholesterol

Background: The phenotypic expression of a high-density lipoprotein (HDL) genetic risk score has been shown to depend upon whether the phenotype (HDL-cholesterol) is high or low relative to its distribution in the population (quantile-dependent expressivity). This may be due to the effects of genetic mutations on HDL-metabolism being concentration dependent. Method: The purpose of this article is to assess whether some previously reported HDL gene-lifestyle interactions could potentially be attributable to quantile-dependent expressivity. Summary: Seventy-three published examples of HDL gene-lifestyle interactions were interpreted from the perspective of quantile-dependent expressivity. These included interactive effects of diet, alcohol, physical activity, adiposity, and smoking with genetic variants associated with the ABCA1 , ADH3 , ANGPTL4 , APOA1 , APOA4 , APOA5 , APOC3 , APOE , CETP , CLASP1 , CYP7A1 , GALNT2 , LDLR , LHX1 , LIPC , LIPG , LPL , MVK-MMAB , PLTP , PON1 , PPARα , SIRT1 , SNTA1 , and UCP1 genes. The selected examples showed larger genetic effect sizes for lifestyle conditions associated with higher vis-a-vis lower average HDL-cholesterol concentrations. This suggests these reported interactions could be the result of selecting subjects for conditions that differentiate high from low HDL-cholesterol (e.g., lean vs. overweight, active vs. sedentary, high-fat vs. high-carbohydrate diets, alcohol drinkers vs. abstainers, nonsmokers vs. smokers) producing larger versus smaller genetic effect sizes. Key Message: Quantile-dependent expressivity provides a potential explanation for some reported gene-lifestyle interactions for HDL-cholesterol. Although overall genetic heritability appears to be quantile specific, this may vary by genetic variant and environmental exposure.
Strangers at the Altar.

“Outsiders” addressing ethical issues in medicine—Strangers at the Bedside (Rothman 1991)—became “bioethicists.” Bioethicists providing research ethics consultation have been described as “stranger...
Future Prospects in Childhood Cancer

Even a cursory review of most chapters in this book illustrates the rapid and wide-ranging changes that have occurred in pediatric oncology practice during the past 2 decades. Should a pediatric radiation oncologist attempt to treat children today with 1970s’ “state-of-the-art” therapy, that person would clearly be woefully out-of-date and require substantial reeducation. Thus, it might be said that the only constant in pediatric oncology practice has been change combined with ongoing attempts to optimize results.
Influence of Precatastrophic Extension and Other Effects on Local Stresses in Cracked Plates under Bending Fields

Using the technique of stress freezing and slicing, a set of photoelastic experiments was conducted on plates, each containing a single through internal crack in a remote cylindrical bending field, where each crack suffered precatastrophic extension on the tensile side of the plate as well as closure on the compression side. Resulting stresses were compared with the Sih-Hartranft theory. Results indicate substantial stress relaxation near the tensile side of the plate due to precatastrophic extension. It is concluded that: (1) the Sih-Hartranft theory may be used to estimate local elastic stresses on the tensile side of the plate even when closure and precatastrophic extension occur; (2) complex coupling of closure and precatastrophic extension effects preclude the use of simple correction factors for existing mathematical models except for relatively small precatastrophic extension.
Genes Controlling the Development of the Zebrafish Inner Ear and Hair Cells

Abstract Recent genetic studies in zebrafish have led to significant advances in several areas of inner ear development. Progress has been particularly rapid in elucidating mechanisms of preotic development—processes acting prior to and during induction of the otic placode. Functions required for early patterning of the otic placode and vesicle are in many cases similar in zebrafish and mouse, but there are also some important differences that probably underlie the structural differences between the inner ear in fish vs mammals. Finally, ongoing mutagenesis screens are identifying genes required for auditory and vestibular sensory functions and hair cell differentiation and survival. Analysis of such genes could provide an experimentally amenable model for some kinds of human deafness.
Immune control of HIV-1 after early treatment of acute infection

Virus-specific T-helper cells are considered critical for the control of chronic viral infections. Successful treatment of acute HIV-1 infection leads to augmentation of these responses, but whether this enhances immune control has not been determined. We administered one or two supervised treatment interruptions to eight subjects with treated acute infection, with the plan to restart therapy if viral load exceeded 5,000 copies of HIV-1 RNA per millilitre of plasma (the level at which therapy has been typically recommended) for three consecutive weeks, or 50,000 RNA copies per ml at one time. Here we show that, despite rebound in viraemia, all subjects were able to achieve at least a transient steady state off therapy with viral load below 5,000 RNA copies per ml. At present, five out of eight subjects remain off therapy with viral loads of less than 500 RNA copies per ml plasma after a median 6.5 months (range 5-8.7 months). We observed increased virus-specific cytotoxic T lymphocytes and maintained T-helper-cell responses in all. Our data indicate that functional immune responses can be augmented in a chronic viral infection, and provide rationale for immunotherapy in HIV-1 infection.
Throughput Maximization for Multi-Hop Wireless Networks with Network-Wide Energy Constraint

The cost of energy consumption is an important concern for network operators. In this paper, we study an energy-related problem that focuses on network-wide energy consumption. In the first part of this work, we study how to maximize throughput under a network-wide energy constraint. We formulate this problem as a mixed-integer nonlinear program (MINLP). This formulation differs from prior efforts as it considers a non-zero device power, which complicates the problem. We propose a novel piece-wise linear approximation to transform the nonlinear constraints into linear constraints. We prove that the solution developed under this approach is near-optimal with a guaranteed performance bound. In the second part, we generalize the problem in the first part via a multicriteria optimization framework, which simultaneously optimizes throughput and total network energy. We show how weakly Pareto-optimal solutions can characterize an optimal throughput-energy curve. We offer some interesting properties of the optimal throughput-energy curves, which are useful to both network operators and end-users. Our results fill in some important gaps in the current understanding on optimizing total network energy.
Pentolinium for control of reflex hypertension in spinal cord injured patients

Ganglioplegia was produced by intravenous infusion of pentolinium tartrate 5 mg to control reflex hypertension in 29 patients with chronic spinal cord injuries undergoing 32 elective surgical procedures. The patient group with lesions above the first thoracic segment (T1) demonstrated significant but moderate intraoperative elevation of both systolic and diastolic pressure whether pentolinium was given prior to or during surgical stimulation. Patients with lesions below T1 had no significant pressure elevations with either mode of therapy. Pentolinium ganglioplegia can safely maintain blood pressure within reasonable limits in these patients; some increase in dosage may be required in patients with lesions above T1.
Formation of ceroid pigment in subcutaneous implants in mice

Mice of the RF and C57 black strains, fed an adequate diet, were donors and recipients of subcutaneous tissue implants. Abundant ceroid formed in implants of liver, heart, and adrenal. The pigment developed concurrently with degenerative changes in hepatocytes and myocardial fibers. Ceroid was intracellular in implants of adrenal gland and limited to cortical cells. Skeletal muscle and multilocular fat cells were next most productive sources of ceroid. Unilocular fat cells produced only traces. Isogeneic and allogeneic implants of corresponding tissues revealed comparable amounts of ceroid after two weeks of transplantation. Formation of pigment was correlated with the type of tissue transplanted rather than to specific host-graft responses. Implants of liver tissue were an ideal model for studying genesis of ceroid pigment. Granules of ceroid appeared first at the periphery of the implant in tissue adjacent to obviously degenerating cells of the graft. These small granules of pigment were then engulfed by macrophages. In most instances liposis preceded formation of ceroid. The presence of large amounts of lipid in the tissue at time of implantation did not augment ceroid formation. Hyper- and hypovitaminosis E, choline deficiency (to produce fatty livers), hyperestrogenism, and the administration of immunosuppressive drugs to recipients failed to influence appreciably the production of ceroid. In livers and other tissues containing little fat a relatively rapid post-implantation liposis preceded ceroid formation.
Effect of thermal energy intensity on time and rate of nitrogen accumulation by maize (Zea mays L.).

The effect of thermal energy intensity (TEI) on the rate of nitrogen (N) accumulation by maize from a Hamerly clay loam soil (Aerie Calciaquoll) was examined with and without supplemental irrigation. Soil- and air-TEI expressed as cumulative growing degree days (GDD) was determined from hourly temperature measurements taken within each plot at soil depths of 0.05-, 0.15-, and 0.3-m and at a height of 1.2-m above ground surface. A daily mean TEI (GDD per day) was calculated for each growth period. Estimates of time coefficient(s), k, in uni- and diphasic tanhfk(time)] functions, plotted against mean TEI for the periods; 1) planting to emergence, 2) emergence to eighth leaf, 3) eighth leaf to time(s) of maximum N accumulation rate, (t0), 4) planting to t0, 5) emergence to t0, 6) first diphasic maximum accumulation rate (t01) to 50 % silking, and 7) silking to second diphasic maximum accumulation rate t02 showed several linear relationships. Uniphasic time coefficients were modelled as functions of air-TEI. The first diphasic time coefficient, k, was modelled as a function of pre- and post-emergent soil-TEI. Attempts to model k2, the second time coefficient of the diphasic model were unsuccessful; however, this time coefficient was linearly related to TEI for the growth period ‘t01 to 50 % silking’ and curvilinearly related to k1. Zusammenfassung Der Einflus thermaler Energieintensitat auf Zeit und Rate der Stickstoffakkumulation bei Mais (Zea mays L.) Der Einflus der thermalen Energieintensitat (TEI) auf die Rate der Stickstoffakkumulation (N) bei Mais auf einem Hamerly ton-lehmigen Boden (aerie calciaquoll) wurde mit und ohne zusatzliche Bewasserung untersucht. Boden-und Luft-TEI, ausgedruckt als kumulative Wachstumstage (GDD), wurden aus stundli-chen Temperaturmessungen, die innerhalb der Parzellen in Bodentiefen von 0,05, 0,15 und 0,3 m und in Hohen von 1,2 m uber dem Grund ermittelt wurden, bestimmt. Eine tagli-che mittlere TEI (GDD/Tag) wurde fur jede Wachstumsperiode kalkuliert. Die Ermittlungen der Zeitkoeffizienten, k, in ein- und zwei-phasigen tanh[k(Zeit)]-Funktionen wurden ge-gen die mittlere TEI fur die Perioden aufgetra-gen; 1) Pflanzzeit bis Auflaufen, 2) Auflaufen bis 8-Blattstadium, 3) 8-Blattstadium bis zum Zeitpunkt der Maximal-N-Akkumulationsrate (t0), 4) Pflanzzeit bis t0, 5) Auflaufen bis t0, 6) erste zweiphasige Maximalakkumulationsrate (t01) bis 50 % Seidenauswurf und 7) Seidenaus-wurf bis zur zweiten diphasischen Maximum-akkumulationsrate t02 zeigten zahlreiche linea-re Beziehungen. Die einphasigen Zeitkoeffizienten wurden als Modelle der Funktionen der Luft-TEI dargestellt. Der erste zweiphasige Zeitkoeffizient, k1; wurde als Funktion der Vor- und Nachauflaufphase der Boden-TEI behandelt. Versuche Modelle k2, der zweite Zeitkoeffizient fur das diphasische Modell, waren nicht erfolgreich; allerdings war der Zeitkoeffizient linear bezogen auf TEI fur die Wachstumsperiode t01 bis 50 % Seidenauswurf und kurvenlinear bezogen zu k1.
Losses In Squirrel-Cage Motors Due To Rotor Skew

A discussion of the losses caused by skewing of a rotor with uninsulated bars is presented, giving full consideration to the distributed nature of the rotor parameters. At first, tooth pulsation and surface losses are reviewed briefly. Then an approximate method of calculation of losses due to iron cross currents in the rotor is presented and shown to yield experimentally acceptable results. The equations for the latter losses are relatively simple and the effect of parameter variations can be studied. The losses in the bars are shown to be inversely proportional to the square of the differential leakage coefficient of the rotor; the surface losses in the iron are a function of the resistance between adjacent bars of the squirrel cage and are inversely proportional to the first power of the differential leakage coefficient.