cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Transition from laparoscopic to robotic partial nephrectomy: the learning curve for an experienced laparoscopic surgeon.

Background The complexity of laparoscopic partial nephrectomy (LPN) has prompted many laparoscopic surgeons to adopt robotic partial nephrectomy (RPN) for the treatment of small renal masses. We assessed the learning curve for an experienced laparoscopic surgeon during the transition from LPN to RPN. Methods We compared perioperative outcomes of the first 20 patients who underwent RPN to the last 18 patients who underwent LPN by the same surgeon (MAP). Surgical technique was consistent across platforms. The learning curve was defined as the number of cases required to consistently perform RPN with shorter average operative times (OT) and warm ischemia times (WIT), as compared to the last 18 LPN. A line of best fit aided graphical interpretation of the learning curve on a scatter diagram of OT versus procedure date. Results The 2 groups had comparable preoperative demographics and tumor histopathology. No patients in either group had a positive surgical margin. There was a downward trend in both OT and WIT during the RPN learning curve. After the first 5 RPN cases, the average OT reached the average OT of the last 18 LPN cases. The average OT of the first 5 RPN patients was 242.8 minutes, compared with the average OT of the last 15 RPN patients of 171.3 minutes (P=0.011). Conclusion The transition from LPN to RPN is rapid in an experienced laparoscopic surgeon. There were no significant differences in WIT, estimated blood loss, or length of hospital stay between LPN and RPN. RPN achieved a similar OT as LPN after 5 procedures.
Overview of direct oral anticoagulant therapy reversal.

Purpose Strategies for the management of bleeding complications and facilitation of an invasive procedure in patients receiving direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) are reviewed. Summary The DOACs provide clinical advantages versus vitamin K antagonists, including fixed dosing with no routine coagulation monitoring and evidence of a lower risk of bleeding. However, as with all anticoagulants, there is a risk of bleeding complications in patients receiving DOACs, so urgent reversal of their anticoagulant activity may be required for spontaneous or traumatic bleeding events and in patients undergoing emergency invasive procedures. Reversal strategies are dependent on the anticoagulant involved, the location and severity of the bleeding, and/or the urgency of the invasive procedure. The recently approved specific reversal agent for dabigatran, idarucizumab, together with other reversal agents in development will hopefully allow for the emergent reversal of DOACs, without increasing the underlying risk of thrombosis. However, research is required to determine the optimal use of these reversal agents, in terms of choice of agent, dosing, and concomitant management. A systematic approach to their implementation in hospitals is also required to ensure that physicians, nurses, and pharmacists receive appropriate education and have the necessary protocols and guidelines to manage these clinical situations. Conclusion Reversal strategies in patients receiving a DOAC need to be tailored to the anticoagulant involved as well as the urgency and severity of the clinical situation. Reversal agents should help facilitate the urgent reversal of anticoagulation in patients with emergency bleeding or who require urgent surgery, though research and education are required to ensure the optimal use of these agents.
Jacket’s Garage: Software for a Physical Science Learning Environment

The Learning by Design lab has been developing software and curriculum to support learning in the context of design challenges. We have used software to guide learners through design and investigation practices as well as help them describe their scientific observations. In this paper, we present easy-touse software tools that support learners in their construction of robust science conceptions. We investigate how multiple representations such as diagrams, graphs, and animations can provide support for knowledge construction. In addition, we investigate how explanation templates scaffold learners’ interpretations of science. We have combined these tools into one software environment, Jacket’s Garage.
Plant Diseases and Insects

Publisher Summary Insects and mites can cause plant diseases or transport and inoculate viruses and microorganisms such as bacteria and fungi that cause plant disease. This chapter focuses on the plant dieases caused by insects. Insects are the most important vectors of plant viruses and the main or sole means of spread of many plant pathogens. Plant diseases spread by insect vectors can be crucially important to the profitable production of some crops. Insecticidal or biological control of vectors often do not control the diseases spread by some vectors, and so physiological and ecological relationships between vectors and the pathogens they transmit are important to understand. The direct damage to plants caused by insect feeding (herbivory) generally is considered in a separate category from plant disease. However, some insect feeding cause plant responses that are very similar in appearance to plant diseases caused by microorganisms and may be difficult to distinguish from diseases caused by microbial pathogens such as viruses or fungi. The fungi are the most varied, common, and important plant pathogens, but the great majority of fungal pathogens does not require mobile vectors such as insects or mites. Instead fungal pathogens disperse to plants mainly in wind, rain, or soil. A large variety of fungi colonize plant wounds, including those made by arthropod feeding. However, some fungi are specialized for transmission by insect vectors.
Cognitive Behavioral Therapies Used in Correctional Treatment

Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) is broadly defined as a type of therapy that focuses on both the cognitive (thinking) and behavioral (action) aspects of a person. CBT is widely used in the counseling and treatment of criminal and juvenile offenders for a variety of reasons. First, even though they are all grounded in the same theoretical framework, there are a numbers of variations in the methods that can be employed and a specific approach can be based on the characteristics of the client, the situation, and the training of the therapist. Second, the effects of CBT can generally be measured, since the methods employed are guided by empirical research and are supportive of the requirement that correctional treatment practices should be evidence-based. Third, CBT can be used in the counseling of individuals as well as groups. Several of the derivatives of the CBT treatment approach such as rational emotive behavior therapy, dialectic behavior therapy, and structured cognitive behavioral training are discussed and illustrated in this chapter.
Opportunities to Reduce Diabetes Risk in Women of Reproductive Age: Assessment and Treatment of Prediabetes within a Large Integrated Delivery System.

Abstract Background Preventing diabetes before pregnancy may be important to improve maternal and infant outcomes. Although the preconception period is a crucial time to focus on chronic disease prevention, little is known about preventive services for reproductive-aged women at risk of developing diabetes. Methods Using electronic health record data from patients at Kaiser Permanente Northern California, we identified 21,965 nonpregnant women aged 18 to 44 with incident prediabetes (PDM; fasting plasma glucose [FPG] = 100–125 or glycated hemoglobin A1c = 5.7%–6.4%) between 2007 and 2010. We looked for evidence of a “clinical response” to PDM in the 6 months after laboratory testing, defined as retesting of blood glucose levels, referral or attendance to health education, diagnosis of PDM, metformin initiation, or a clinical note of discussion of PDM. Multilevel models were used to examine the relationship between patient characteristics and clinical response, and to assess provider-level variation. Results Fewer than one-half of women had a documented clinical response to the PDM-range laboratory result. Women with higher FPG values and body mass indexes were more likely to have a PDM diagnosis (FPG 120–125 vs. 100–119: OR, 1.96; 95% CI, 1.78–2.17; body mass index, 30–34 kg/m 2 vs. 2 : OR, 1.30; 95% CI, 1.13–1.48) and have ‘PDM’ recorded in the notes (FPG 120–125 vs. 100–119: OR, 1.15; 95% CI, 1.06–1.26; body mass index: 30–34 kg/m 2 vs. 2 : OR, 1.58; 95% CI, 1.44–1.74). Provider-level variation was modest, except for metformin initiation (intraclass correlation coefficient, 0.8; p Conclusions Low clinical response to PDM among women of reproductive age suggests there are missed opportunities for diabetes prevention among this vulnerable population.
Naturalism and Scientific Realism

Little consensus exists in the literature about what either naturalism or scientific realism amounts to. The naturalist perspective considered in this paper takes philosophy and empirical science as continuous intellectual endeavors, united by mutual integration rather than reduction. To the extent that contemporary natural science takes all claims about the world to be synthetic, naturalism denies properly a priori knowledge.
Molecular and Cellular Dissection of Giant Cell Function

Plant parasitic nematodes significantly affect the productive capability of the world’s farmlands. Sasser and Freckman (1987) have calculated that they reduce the yield of the world’s forty major food staples and cash crops by an average of 12.3%, with the losses being substantially higher for some commodities (e.g., 20.6% for tomato). The US proportion, in monetary terms, is in excess of $5.8 billion annually. As a group, the root-knot nematodes (Meloidogyne spp.) are the major contributors to these losses.
Biomonitoring of chlorophenols in human urine from several Asian countries, Greece and the United States.

Abstract Chlorophenols (CPs) are used in the production of pesticides and preservatives. Although human exposure to CPs has been known for years, current exposure levels to these chemicals in Asian countries are not known. In this study, we analyzed concentrations of eight CPs in 300 human urine samples collected from nine countries. Of these CPs, 2,5-dichlorophenol and 2,4-dichlorophenol were found at the highest median concentrations (median for all nine countries: 1.78 and 0.34 ng/mL, respectively). Pentachlorophenol was found in 59% of the samples analyzed at a median concentration of 0.07 ng/mL. Urine samples from Japan had the highest concentration of total CPs (median: 16.7 ng/mL) with 2,5-dichlorophenol accounting for 93.1% of the total concentration. The estimated daily intake (DI) for precursors of dichlorophenols varied widely, but several samples showed values higher than the acceptable DI recommended by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). These results suggest that CP exposure, especially to dichlorophenols, is prevalent in several countries, particularly in Asia, suggesting a pressing need for further assessment of the global sources and potential health effects of these chemicals.
Connections Between Counseling Theories and Current Theories of Grief and Mourning.

The primary purpose of the present article is to provide an overview of three theories of mourning--The Dual Process Model of Coping with Bereavement, Meaning Reconstruction and Loss, and Attachment Theory and Loss: Revisited. These are linked both by their emphasis on the phenomenological and by ideas such as balance and flexibility. Connections are drawn between the mourning theories and counseling theories that are commonly employed by mental health counselors.
Identification of DnaJ-like chaperone in Clostridium botulinum type A.

Clostridium botulinum type A cells, when challenged to elevated temperature (45°C), increased the expression of at least nine heat shock proteins (HSPs). Simultaneously with the induction of HSPs, changes in the synthesis rates of other cellular proteins were observed. A 40-kDa stress protein was induced and its synthesis rate was enhanced when the cells were shifted to 45°C. Using heterologous antibodies raised against E. coli DnaJ heat shock proteins, the 40-kDa stress protein of C. botulinum type A has been identified as a DnaJ-like chaperone. The DnaJ chaperone might be involved in translocation of the neurotoxin and other cellular proteins across the cell membrane, repair of damaged proteins, and organism survival inside the host. This is the first report of the existence of a DnaJ-like chaperone in this organism.
Sea Floor Mapping Using Gloria Digital Techniques

GLORIA imaging sidescan sonar data were collected in 1982 and 1985 over the northern part of the Gulf of Mexico seaward of Texas, Louisiana, and Florida. They were digitally processed using the USGS-developed Mini Image Processing System (MIPS). The radiometrically and geometrically corrected 1982 image strips were film-mosaicked to enhance the interpretation of the sea floor morphology. Digital mosaicking is presently being utilized on all data to produce a marine geology atlas of the Gulf.
Critical Crack Lengths in FRP Reinforced Glulam Beams

Tension reinforcement of glued-laminated (glulam) timber beams has been shown to be an effective way to utilize lower grade wood in structural applications. Fibre reinforced polymer (FRP) composites are a particularly good reinforcement because they can be fabricated to be compatible with the compliance properties of the wood substrate. While the reinforcement has been shown to be effective at improving strength and to some degree stiffness, there is a concern that long-term exposure to moisture and freeze-thaw cycles could lead to some delamination between the wood and the reinforcement. This is a particularly important issue when reinforced beams are used as bridge girders, as environmental exposure can be severe. In order to make quantitative assessments of the effects of these potential delaminations, a laboratory study of mixed mode fracture toughness was combined with numerical simulations of in-service load conditions. The goal was to make reasonable estimates of allowable delamination sizes for inservice conditions.
The Role of Non-Reactive Binding Sites in the AlVO 4 + +CO/AlVO 3 + +N 2 O Catalytic Cycle.

The mechanisms involved in catalytic oxidation of CO by N2 O promoted by the AlVO3+ and AlVO4+ ions are evaluated using temperature-dependent rate constants and statistical modeling. Reactions were studied from 300-600 K using a selected ion flow tube (SIFT) apparatus, and the data compared to statistical modeling of proposed mechanisms previously identified by density functional theory (DFT) calculations. Reduction of N2 O by AlVO3+ was found to take place only by complexation to the Al site; however, attack on the V site also occurred and led to stable association complexes, reducing the overall efficiency of the reaction. As the AlVO3+ (N2 O) complex resulted from approach on the V site, it did not block the reactive Al site and was observed to further react with N2 O to form AlVO4+ (N2 O). The oxidation of CO by AlVO4+ was found to proceed solely by activation on the Al-O site; however, isomerization of complexes formed with CO initially complexed to the V site were found to add to the reactivity, especially at lower temperatures.
Structure-based validation can drastically under-estimate error rate in proteome-wide cross-linking mass spectrometry studies

Recent, rapid advances in cross-linking mass spectrometry (XL-MS) has enabled detection of novel protein-protein interactions and their structural dynamics at the proteome scale. Given the importance and scale of the novel interactions identified in these proteome-wide XL-MS studies, thorough quality assessment is critical. Almost all current XL-MS studies validate cross-links against known 3D structures of representative protein complexes. However, current structure validation approach only includes cross-links where both peptides mapped to the 3D structures. Here we provide theoretical and experimental evidence demonstrating this approach can drastically underestimate error rates for proteome-wide XL-MS datasets. Addressing current shortcomings, we propose and demonstrate a comprehensive set of four metrics, including orthogonal experimental validation to thoroughly assess quality of proteome-wide XL-MS datasets.
Early Environmental Unpredictability: Implications for Youth’s Perceptions and Social Functioning

According to an evolutionary perspective, early environmental unpredictability induces expectations in youth that their future is uncertain and increases their likelihood of engaging in opportunistic, impulsive, and aggressive behaviors. Although considerable evidence supports the links between environmental unpredictability and such behaviors, less is known about how youth growing up in volatile environments actually perceive their lives and how these perceptions relate to their behavior. In this study, two samples of 10–17 year-olds, one with a history of maltreatment and removal from home (n = 90; 52% female; 67% Hispanic-American) and one without (n = 80; 54% female; 69% Hispanic-American), reported on their perceptions of unpredictability and social functioning. Maltreated youth endorsed greater perceptions of unpredictability than non-maltreated youth. For both groups, greater perceptions of unpredictability were associated with increased aggression and conduct problems and decreased prosociality. Findings advance understanding of a developmental pathway contributing to opportunistic and risky social behavior in youth.
Surface-dependent Coagulation Enzymes: Flow Kinetics of Factor Xa Generation on Live Membranes

The initial surface reactions of the extrinsic coagulation pathway on live cell membranes were examined under flow conditions. Generation of fXa (activated coagulation factor X) was measured on spherical monolayers of epithelial cells with a total surface area of 41-47 cm$^{2}$ expressing TF(tissue factor) at $>25$ fmol/cm$^{2}$. Concentrations of reactants and product were monitored as a function of time with radiolabeled proteins and a chromogenic substrate at resolutions of 2-8 s. At physiological concentrations of fVIIa and fX, the reaction rate was $3.05 \pm 0.75$ fmol fXa/s/cm$^{2}$, independent of flux, and 10 times slower than that expected for collision-limited reactions. Rates were also independent of surface fVIIa concentrations within the range 0.6-25 fmol/cm$^{2}$. The transit time of fX activated on the reaction chamber was prolonged relative to transit times of nonreacting tracers or preformed fXa. Membrane reactions were modeled using a set of nonlinear kinetic equations and a lagged normal density curve to track the expected surface concentration of reactants for various hypothetical reaction mechanisms. The experimental results were theoretically predicted only when the models used a slow intermediate reaction step, consistent with surface diffusion. These results provide evidence that the transfer of substrate within the membrane is rate-limiting in the kinetic mechanisms leading to initiation of blood coagulation by the tissue factor pathway.
Sampling Statistics Research Based on Quality Evaluation of Electricity Meters from Different Manufacturers

It is of great significance to study and analyze the measurement performance and sampling inspection methods of smart meters, and to conduct sampling inspection according to the quality status of smart meters, so as to improve the reliability of smart meters. On the basis of qualified rate test and error test of electric energy meters, radar chart and Wilcoxon rank sum test method are adopted to carry out quality inspection comparison of electric energy meters of the same specification from different manufacturers, and sampling statistical test method is studied accordingly. The method described in this paper is suitable for quality analysis and sampling inspection of electric energy meters.
Palliative Care in the ICU

Intensive care medicine has previously focused on the treatment of acute illness, but as clinicians become more skilled at treating chronic disease, many patients are left in a state of chronic critical illness. Nearly 20% of all Medicare beneficiaries will see the ICU in the last month of life. Therefore, it has been increasingly important for ICU clinicians to address palliative care in the ICU. Areas of research have included communication interventions, proactive palliative care involvement, palliative care triggers, and spiritual support. While no definitive strategies exist for palliative care involvement in the ICU, improving communication skills of clinicians is a vital part of delivering patient centered palliative care in the intensive care unit.
The Failed Regulation of U.S. Treasury Markets

Trading the preeminent risk-free security, the $21 trillion U.S. Treasury market supports the country’s borrowing needs, financial stability, and investor appetite for a safe asset. Straddling the nexus between a securities market and a systemically essential institution, the Treasury market must function at all costs, even if other markets fail. This Article shows that Treasury market structure is fragile, weakened by a regulatory model poorly suited to match its design. First, public oversight of Treasuries is fragmented, divided between five or more agencies. The rulebook for Treasuries is sparse, lacking basic guardrails common to other markets. Without effective rules and institutional cooperation, regulators are ill-equipped to develop a taxonomy of risks and strategies to mitigate them. Secondly, private self-regulation cannot fill the gap. Comprising a rival mix of heavily regulated banks and lightly regulated algorithmic firms, major Treasuries traders lack incentives to cooperate. Instead, traders are motivated to take risks where the costs of detection and discipline are low. These deficiencies leave the market vulnerable to failure and risk-taking as traders lack a sufficient economic interest to maintain market integrity. This Article concludes with two proposals to introduce stronger public and private oversight: (i) formalized coordination between regulators, led by the Financial Stability Oversight Council; and (ii) mandatory clearing for Treasuries trades that forces traders to monitor each other. As the country’s economic lifeline, regulatory neglect of the Treasury market constitutes an exceptionally reckless administrative gamble with the potential to damage the country’s preeminence in global finance.
COVID-19 drive-through testing survey: Measuring the burden on healthcare workers.

Objective To survey individuals who tested positive for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) at 1 of 4 Trinity Health of New England drive-through testing centers to assess their demographic information, hospitalization rate, preexisting conditions, possible routes of exposures, duration of symptoms, and subsequent household infections of healthcare workers (HCWs) when compared to non-HCWs. Methods Data were collected via a telephone survey using a standardized script. Between March 1, 2020 and June 17, 2020, 28,903 people were tested at 4 Connecticut drive-through testing centers. Individuals who tested positive between March 16 and April 21, 2020 were randomly contacted. Of those individuals, 100 people agreed to complete the survey. Bivariate analysis and logistic regression were performed. Results HCWs comprised 46% of the 100 survey respondents during the study period. Similarly, HCWs comprised 42.1% of all individuals who tested positive and listed an employer between March 1 and June 17, 2020. HCWs reported a longer duration of symptoms (17.39 vs 13.44 days) and were more likely to report work as their route of exposure (80.4% vs 27.8%) than non-HCWs. Conclusions HCWs may face a disproportionate risk of contracting COVID-19 and self-report a longer duration of symptoms than the general public. The data suggest a need for an increased recovery time away from work than is currently recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, as well as an increase in infection precautions for HCWs.
Risk factors associated with cognitive impairment in patients after pediatric liver transplantation.

Data on cognitive function after pLT are rare, particularly regarding children with cognitive impairment. From 2016 to 2018, we evaluated cognitive function in 36 patients after pLT aged 6‐17 years with the WISC IV (at least 1 year after transplantation) and analyzed potential risk factors for cognitive impairment (IQ < 70) by means of retrospective medical data (peri‐, intra‐, and post‐operative factors, and donor and specific organ data of the primary liver transplant) on an exploratory base. At a median age of 9.6 years (range = 6‐16.9), 22% of patients were cognitive impaired (IQ < 70; including five untestable patients with severe cognitive impairment). Children tested with the WISC IV scored within the lower normal range but differed significantly from normal population. Strongest associations showed infections at pLT, development of severe sepsis requiring intensive care within the first 6 months after pLT, neurological complications within the first 10 days and the occurrence of CPR during or after pLT, and as early laboratory variables pH value on day 0 after pLT. In our analysis, neither intraoperative factors nor donor‐specific factors seemed to influence cognitive outcome. In our small cohort, medical complications before and after pLT but not transplantation itself had an influence on cognitive outcome. As such, children experiencing medical problems before and in the early post‐operative phase after pLT should be closely evaluated in larger samples regarding their neurological and psychomotor development during vulnerable phases and should receive early educational support to improve long‐term cognitive function.
Daily Stress Processes in a Pandemic: The Effects of Worry, Age, and Affect.

Background and objectives In March 2020, the World Health Organization declared the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) a pandemic. Given that such a global event might affect day-to-day stress processes, the current study examined individuals' daily stress reactivity and its moderators early in the COVID-19 pandemic. Research design and methods Two-level, multilevel models examined the daily relationship between perceived stress and negative affect, or stress reactivity, as well as the moderating effects of daily pandemic worry, age, and daily positive affect on this process. Participants included 349 individuals (Age Range = 26-89) from the Notre Dame Study of Health & Well-being (NDHWB) who completed a 28-day, daily diary study at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. Results Older individuals were less stress reactive than younger individuals. Within individuals, however, stress reactivity was buffered by daily positive affect, and exacerbated by daily pandemic worry. Finally, although daily positive affect buffered daily stress reactivity, this effect was weaker on days individuals were more worried about the COVID-19 pandemic. Discussion and implications The mobilization of positive emotion may be a promising avenue for buffering stress reactivity during the COVID-19 pandemic, although this may be limited on days individuals are particularly concerned about the pandemic.
A Polynomial Chaos-based Approach to Quantify Uncertainty of Solar Energy in Electric Power Distribution Systems

This paper proposes a Generalized Polynomial Chaos (gPC)-based approach to quantify the impacts of uncertainties resulting from renewable energy resources (RES) on voltage magnitudes of distribution systems. Quantifying uncertainties resulting from RES and load variations has become a key factor for modern distribution system operation and control. Several probabilistic methods have been used for uncertainty quantification such as Monte Carlo simulation and Perturbation techniques. However, these techniques are not appropriate for short-term operation and planning because they are computationally involved especially for large systems. The gPC-based method is deemed efficient for uncertainty quantification. It transforms the behavior of a random variable into a series of orthogonal polynomials that are easy to evaluate. The proposed method is implemented on the IEEE-123 distribution system integrated with solar energy. The results are compared with Monte Carlo simulation and show that the proposed algorithm provides higher efficiency and significant reduction in computation time in comparison with Monte Carlo simulation.
Prescriptive Unitarity with Elliptic Leading Singularities

We investigate the consequences of elliptic leading singularities for the unitarity-based representations of two-loop amplitudes in planar, maximally supersymmetric Yang-Mills theory. We show that diagonalizing with respect to these leading singularities ensures that the integrand basis is term-wise pure (suitably generalized, to the elliptic multiple polylogarithms, as necessary). We also investigate an alternative strategy based on diagonalizing a basis of integrands on differential forms; this strategy, while neither term-wise Yangian-invariant nor pure, offers several advantages in terms of complexity.
Interrater and Intrarater Reliability and Discriminant Validity of a Pediatric Lower Extremity Physical Therapy Clearance Test.

Background:Few studies have validated when an athlete can safely return to sports, and even fewer have identified when he or she no longer requires physical therapy after surgery. Discontinuing phy...
Would Improved Information Environment of a Less Regulated OTC Market Benefit Blue-chip Foreign Firms? Evidence from the OTCQX International Market

This study examines whether improved information environment in the OTCQX International market (hereafter QX market) benefits blue-chip foreign private issuers (FPIs). We find that around 600 FPIs traded their stocks in the QX market during 2007-2016, and they are financially better than their home-country counterparts. We also find approximately 6% abnormal return around the cross-listing days. Moreover, FPIs with higher financial reporting transparency (i.e., lower earnings smoothness and preparing financial statements in accordance with International Financial Reporting Standards) experience more pronounced abnormal returns and liquidity improvement around the cross-listing days. Further analysis shows that market premium of cross listing on the QX market is not attributed to the bonding effect. Our results highlight the importance of information environment of a less regulated OTC market in benefiting large and established FPIs, which should be of interest to market regulators, investors, and foreign firms that intend to access less regulated U.S. markets.
Adaptive neighborhood simulated annealing for sustainability-oriented single machine scheduling with deterioration effect

Abstract This research considers the realistic phenomenon of cutting tool deterioration in the scheduling of jobs and tool replacement activities to ensure sustainable machining operations. Typically, each job has a basic processing time (independent of tool deterioration) and a tool age-dependent prolongation function. Nevertheless, such a strategy may replace the cutting tools before its useful lifespan to avoid longer processing time as it leads to higher energy consumption and likelihood of tardy jobs. Given the reduced tool operating duration, the prospect of exploiting its capability to limit the processing time prolongation is not considered by prior works. In this research, a single-machine scheduling approach that determines the job processing time based on tool age and operating duration (utilization) is studied. The problem is formulated as a mixed-integer linear program (MILP) with the objective of minimizing the weighted costs of energy consumption, tooling, and job tardiness. Due to its computational complexity, a new variant of simulated annealing (SA) algorithm is proposed to solve large instances, where an adaptive strategy is utilized to determine the neighborhood size for enhanced exploration and exploitation. Computational results for an exhaustive set of instances indicate the proposed scheduling strategy to always outperform the existing method, yielding up to a 43% reduction in total cost. Besides, the proposed variant of SA effectively solves the scheduling problem and consistently dominates the traditional SA method.
The Impact of the Soong Index on Hardware Removal and Overall Reoperation Rates After Volar Locking Plate Fixation of Distal Radius Fractures.

Purpose This study sought to determine the impact of volar plate prominence on reoperation rates after open reduction and internal fixation of distal radius fractures with volar locking plates and to identify other factors associated with removal of hardware (ROH) or a reoperation. Methods A retrospective study of patients who underwent distal radius open reduction and internal fixation between 2012 and 2016 at 2 level I trauma centers was conducted. Plate prominence was evaluated using the Soong index at the first postoperative visit. The details of patient demographics, fracture and plate characteristics, complications, and reoperations were recorded. Bivariate and multivariable regression analyses were used to identify factors associated with increased rates of ROH and overall reoperation. Results A total of 732 (70.2%) of 1,042 patients completed follow-up at an average of 38.2 months, including 34 patients with bilateral operations, yielding 766 distal radius fractures. One hundred sixteen (15.1%) patients underwent reoperation at an average of 12.1 ± 13.6 months after the index surgery. Removal of hardware was the most commonly performed reoperation (77 patients, 10%). The multivariable regression analysis revealed significantly higher rates of ROH in Soong grade 1 or 2 patients (odds ratio 16, 95% CI 5.8–47; odds ratio 44, 95% CI 14–140, respectively) than in Soong grade 0 patients. Plate type, younger age, bilateral injuries, and concomitant procedures at the time of the index operation were all associated with increased risk of ROH. There were significant differences between individual surgeons the in rates of ROH (range 2.1%–22%) and overall reoperation (range 5.2%–36%). Compared with other hand surgeons, fellowship-trained hand surgeons had lower rates of ROH (8% vs 14%, respectively) and overall reoperation (12% vs 22%, respectively). Conclusions The rates of ROH and overall reoperation increase with increasing Soong grade. Plate type is independently predictive of future ROH. Older patients and those undergoing open reduction and internal fixation experience lower rates of subsequent reoperation. Type of study/level of evidence Prognostic IV.
Kickin' Some Knowledge: Rap and the Construction of Identity in the African-American Ghetto

Rap music and videos provide a potentially powerful lens through which to view inner-city neighborhoods and their residents. Rap also provides ghetto residents with a potentially powerful means with which to write their histories and forge their own identities. The dominant discourse on African Americans relegates them to the margins of historical action. Rap is explored as a kind of alternative public sphere, one in which blacks are reflecting on and challenging that discourse. This paper challenges the wholesale categorization of certain populations or groups as "other," and reaffirms the power of individuals and collectivities to make their own histories.
Voices of Wounded Knee

On December 29, 1890, two weeks after the killing of Sitting Bull, the United States Seventh Cavalry opened fire on Miniconjou Ghost dancers near Wounded Knee Creek. Some army officials claimed that the dancers were armed and that the Ghost Dance was a call for the extermination of all whites. Many Lakota believed that the massacre stemmed from the Seventh Cavalry's enduring bitterness over Custer's loss at the Little Big Horn fourteen years earlier. In "Voices of Wounded Knee", William S. E. Coleman brings together for the first time all of the available sources - Lakota, military, and civilian. He recreates the Ghost Dance in detail and shows how it related to the events leading up to the massacre. Using accounts of participants and observers, Coleman reconstructs the massacre moment by moment. He places contradictory accounts in direct juxtaposition, allowing the reader to decide who was telling the truth. His balanced treatment suggests that the massacre grew out of decades of broken treaties, cultural misunderstandings, power struggles between the Department of the Interior and the U.S. Army, and erroneous and inflammatory reports by irresponsible members of the press. William S. E. Coleman is a professor of theatre at Drake University in Des Moines, Iowa. He and his wife spent nearly thirty years gathering documents from collections in the United States and abroad to create this book.
Donor transmission of malignant melanoma in a lung transplant recipient 32 years after curative resection

In the current era of organ shortages and long wait times for life-saving transplants, marginal or extended donors are increasingly being considered; one such category of marginal organs is from donors with a previous history of malignancy. Melanoma in particular has been associated with increased risk of developing late recurrence. In this report, we describe a case of fatal donor melanoma transmission to a 64-year-old lung transplant recipient 32 years after surgical excision of the melanoma. Based on this report and review of the available literature, we conclude that a history of donor melanoma, regardless of the stage and time interval from 'curative' surgical resection, should remain a strong relative contraindication to transplantation.
Intrathymic innate lymphoid cells: long-lived mediators of immune regeneration (TRAN3P.905)

Innate lymphoid cells (ILC) are a newly described population of immune cells implicated in the maintenance and function of tissues as diverse as liver, gut, lung and lymph nodes. We have recently described a key role for ILC, and their production of IL-22, in endogenous thymic regeneration: a crucial process that allows for renewal of immune competence following immune depletion. Unlike other lymphoid cells, ILC were extremely radio-resistant with little depletion of cells after even lethal doses of total body irradiation. Consistent with these findings, a considerable proportion of ILC were non-cycling in steady-state conditions and expressed high levels of the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2. Perhaps unsurprising given their resistance to proliferation-targeted damage, a residual population of host ILC could be identified for up to 12 months after hematopoietic stem cell transplantation and these host ILC were almost exclusively non-proliferating. Intriguingly, although IL-22 appears to play a considerable role in their regenerative capacity, depletion of ILC from IL-22 deficient mice led to significantly worse recovery compared to Il22-/- mice replete with ILC. These pre-clinical studies not only help to identify the mechanisms that allow this nascent cell population to mediate its regenerative effects, but also offer a novel clinical approach to enhance T cell immunity in individuals with deficiencies due to aging, infectious disease, chemotherapy or radiation injury
New sentencing laws follow old patterns

Abstract This article traces the origins and potential impacts of two sentencing laws passed in 1997 by the Florida Legislature. The Criminal Punishment Code abandoned statewide structured sentencing and increased opportunities for racial and geographic disparity. The Prisoner Release Reoffender Punishment Act mandated long statutory maximum sentences for repeat offenders in reaction to appellate court rulings that more punitive gain time provisions could not be retroactively applied. Both laws continued a long-standing pattern of unsystematic, yet continual, tinkering with sentencing and correctional policy. The article places the Florida case in the context of the national movement for determinate sentencing and discusses areas for further research.
Hierarchical IL-5 Expression Defines a Subpopulation of Highly Differentiated Human Th2 Cells

Each of the three Th2 cytokine genes, IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13, has different functions. We hypothesized that Th2 heterogeneity could yield Th2 subpopulations with different cytokine expression and effector functions. Using multiple approaches, we demonstrate that human Th2 cells are composed of two major subpopulations: a minority IL-5(+) (IL-5(+), IL-4(+), IL-13(+)) and majority IL-5(-) Th2 (IL-5(-), IL-4(+), IL-13(+)) population. IL-5(+) Th2 cells comprised only 20% of all Th2 cells. Serial rounds of in vitro differentiation initially yielded IL-5(-) Th2, but required multiple rounds of differentiation to generate IL-5(+) Th2 cells. IL-5(+) Th2 cells expressed less CD27 and greater programmed cell death-1 than IL-5(-) Th2 cells, consistent with their being more highly differentiated, Ag-exposed memory cells. IL-5(+) Th2 cells expressed greater IL-4, IL-13, and GATA-3 relative to IL-5(-) Th2 cells. GATA-3 and H3K4me(3) binding to the IL5 promoter (IL5p) was greater in IL-5(+) relative to IL-5(-) Th2 cells, whereas there was no difference in their binding to the IL4p and IL13p. Conversely, H3K27me(3) binding to the IL5p was greater in IL-5(-) Th2 cells. These findings demonstrate Th2 lineage heterogeneity, in which the IL5 gene is regulated in a hierarchical manner relative to other Th2 genes. IL-5(+) Th2 cells are phenotypically distinct and have epigenetic changes consistent with greater IL5p accessibility. Recurrent antigenic exposure preferentially drives the differentiation of IL-5(+) Th2 cells. These results demonstrate that IL-5(+) and IL-5(-) Th2 cells, respectively, represent more and less highly differentiated Th2 cell subpopulations. Such Th2 subpopulations may differentially contribute to Th2-driven pathology.
Appropriate use of epinephrine in anaphylaxis

We are submitting a case-based presentation illustrating medical errors in the use of epinephrine for the treatment of anaphylaxis. Readers will learn from mistakes made by other emergency caregivers in treating anaphylaxis. The article will specifically review the recommended use of epinephrine in the management of anaphylaxis. Four patients are presented who were seen in consultation by our outpatient allergy service. In all 4 cases, the history was suggestive of an episode of anaphylaxis in which emergency care providers mismanaged treatment. In 2 cases, the patients required ICU care after improperly receiving intravenous epinephrine. In the remaining 2 cases, epinephrine use was either omitted or significantly delayed in its administration. Our presentation includes a review of consensus statements regarding the treatment of anaphylaxis with particular regard to the use of epinephrine. We hope that this information will help prevent similar errors from harming other patients.
Cardiac conduction abnormalities complicating native valve active infective endocarditis

Two hundred eleven episodes of native valve active infective endocarditis treated at the Massachusetts General Hospital between 1975 and 1983 were reviewed. The aortic (36%) and mitral (33%) valves were most frequently involved, but in 21% of the cases the site of infection could not be localized. Streptococcal (50%) and staphylococcal (35%) species were the most frequently isolated pathogens. New or changing ("unstable") conduction abnormalities developed in 9% of the patients, while an additional 7% had conduction abnormalities of "indeterminate" age. Unstable conduction block was more likely to develop in patients with aortic valve infective endocarditis than in those with mitral infection. Surgery was performed in 23% of the patients. Unstable conduction abnormalities were significantly associated with valve replacement, but in a multivariate analysis, this effect could be explained by the site of valvular infection. The mortality rate was 20%. Patients with unstable conduction abnormalities had a significantly higher mortality rate, even after other significant predictors of death (age, type of causative organism) were taken into account. Patients whose conduction changes persisted had a worse prognosis than those with transient conduction abnormalities. Although more hemodynamically compromised, patients with unstable conduction block who underwent valve replacement did at least as well as those given medical therapy alone. Patients with native valve active infective endocarditis in whom persistent, unstable conduction abnormalities develop without other identifiable cause, especially in the presence of aortic valve infection, should be considered for valve replacement.
Computed effects of sweat gland ducts on the propagation of 94 GHz waves in skin

The effects of sweat gland ducts (SGD) on specific absorption rate and temperatures during millimeter wave irradiation of skin were investigated with a high resolution finite differences time domain model consisting of a 30 μm stratum corneum (SC), a 350 μm epidermis, 1000 μm dermis and five SGD (60 μm radius, 300 μm height, 370 μm separation). The source was a WR-10 waveguide irradiating at 94 GHz. Without SGD, specific absorption rate (SAR) and temperature maximum were in the dermis near epidermis. With SGD, a higher SAR maximum was inside SGD in the epidermis while temperature maximum moved to the epidermis/stratumcorneum junction. SGD significantly affected how GHz waves were absorbed in the skin. Implications of these finding in nociceptive research will be discussed as well as other potential medical applications.
Emerging technologies of polymeric nanoparticles in cancer drug delivery

Polymeric nanomaterials have the potential to improve upon present chemotherapy delivery methods. They successfully reduce side effects while increasing dosage, increase residence time in the body, offer a sustained and tunable release, and have the ability to deliver multiple drugs in one carrier. However, traditional nanomaterial formulations have not produced highly therapeutic formulations to date due to their passive delivery methods and lack of rapid drug release at their intended site. In this paper, we have focused on a few "smart" technologies that further enhance the benefits of typical nanomaterials. Temperature and pH-responsive drug delivery devices were reviewed as methods for triggering release of encapsulating drugs, while aptamer and ligand conjugation were discussed as methods for targeted and intracellular delivery, with emphases on in vitro and in vivo works for each method.
Increased helix and protein stability through the introduction of a new tertiary hydrogen bond

In an effort to quantify the importance of hydrogen bonding and alpha-helix formation to protein stability, a capping box motif was introduced into the small phosphocarrier protein HPr. Previous studies had confirmed that Ser46, at the N-cap position of the short helix-B in HPr, serves as an N-cap in solution. Thus, only a single-site mutation was required to produce a canonical S-X-X-E capping box: Lys49 at the N3 position was substituted with a glutamic acid residue. Thermal and chemical denaturation studies on the resulting K49E HPr show that the designed variant is approximately 2 kcal mol-1 more stable than the wild-type protein. However, NMR studies indicate that the side-chain of Glu49 does not participate in the expected capping H-bond interaction, but instead forms a new tertiary H-bond that links helix-B to the four-stranded beta-sheet of HPr. Here, we demonstrate that a strategy in which new non-native H-bonds are introduced can generate proteins with increased stability. We discuss why the original capping box design failed, and compare the energetic consequences of the new tertiary side-chain to main-chain H-bond with a local (helix-capping) side-chain to main-chain H-bond on the protein's global stability.