cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mother and Adolescent Representations of Illness Ownership and Stressful Events Surrounding Diabetes

Objective To assess the extent to which adolescents with diabetes and their mothers appraise diabetes as a shared entity across adolescence through (a) assessing appraisals of illness ownership and their relationship to joint responsibility for daily diabetes tasks, (b) exploring whether appraisals of shared illness ownership are associated with congruent views of what is stressful about diabetes, and (c) examining whether age-related declines occur in these shared appraisals across adolescence. Methods One hundred twenty-seven adolescents (ages 10–15 years, M = 12.8) and their mothers completed an interview that probed appraisals of illness ownership, the most stressful events surrounding diabetes in the past week, and a questionnaire regarding who was responsible for performing diabetes-related tasks. Results Dyads, most frequently, agreed that diabetes was a “shared” entity. Shared appraisals of illness ownership reflected the greater joint responsibility of mothers and children in daily diabetes tasks. Shared appraisals of illness ownership were not related to congruent reports of diabetes stressful events, and incongruence in appraisals of stressful events was common. With age adolescents reported less shared illness ownership and congruence regarding stressful events, age differences were not seen in mothers’ reports. Conclusions Although diabetes is often appraised as a social entity, adolescents and their mothers experience different aspects of the disease as stressful, especially as adolescents age, and become more independent in performing diabetes-related tasks.
Microwave watt-level rectifiers for power recycling applications

This work reports on a 2 W microwave diode rectifier for power recycling applications. We characterize the rectifier over a large input power range and for two different loads, a resistive and a dc load. We show that for the dc load used in power recycling applications, the large power variation that is common in such applications causes a significant degradation in efficiency owing to the strong dependence of the rectifier input impedance on input power. This is in contrast to the relatively weak impedance change for low power and resistive loads encountered in energy harvesting applications. We designed and tested 2 W 4.1-4.6 GHz harmonically tuned rectifier that achieves a peak efficiency of 61% at 1 W of input power.
LONG-TERM FOLLOWUP AFTER LAPAROSCOPIC RADICAL NEPHRECTOMY

Purpose: Laparoscopic radical nephrectomy has been shown to be less morbid than traditional open radical nephrectomy. The long-term oncological effectiveness of laparoscopic radical nephrectomy remains to be established.Materials and Methods: At 3 centers patients undergoing laparoscopic radical nephrectomy before November 1, 1996 with pathologically confirmed renal cell carcinoma were identified. A representative group of patients undergoing open radical nephrectomy for clinical T1, T2 lesions was also identified. Staging, operative details and postoperative course were reviewed. Followup consisted of review of clinical, laboratory and radiological records. Kaplan-Meier analysis was performed.Results: The study included 64 patients treated with laparoscopic and 69 treated with open radical nephrectomy with respective average ages of 60.6 and 61.3 years at surgery. On preoperative imaging open lesions were larger (6.2 cm., range 2.5 to 15) than laparoscopic radical nephrectomy lesions (4.3 cm., range 2 to...
2D-Elasticity Analysis of FGM Piezo-Laminates Under Cylindrical Bending

Elastic behavior of piezo-laminates under cylindrical bending is studied using 2D-elasticity model and classical lamination theory (CLT). The stresses and out-of-plane displacements are obtained for standard piezoelectric bimorph and newly proposed piezoelectric laminate with functionally graded microstructure (FGM) plates under cylindrical bending generated by electric field throughout the thickness of the laminate. The FGM piezoelectric laminates are composite materials whose electroelastic properties are varied through their thickness. The properties can vary in a continuous or a stepwise manner. The FGM laminate investigated in this paper is of a stepwise FGM where different piezoelectric composite layers are stacked to form FGM laminate. The feasibility of FGM laminate is studied. The limitations of CLT are investigated against the 2D-elasticity model. CLT solutions are found to coincide well with the elasticity solutions for high aspect ratios while the CLT solutions gave poor results compared to the 2D-elasticity solutions for low aspect ratios. The analytical models, CLT and 2D-elasticity, are investigated against the Finite Element Methods (FEM). Standard bimorph of piezoelectric actuator was fabricated and the displacement measurements resulted in a good agreement to the analytical and FEM results.
Maximizing classifier utility when there are data acquisition and modeling costs

Classification is a well-studied problem in data mining. Classification performance was originally gauged almost exclusively using predictive accuracy, but as work in the field progressed, more sophisticated measures of classifier utility that better represented the value of the induced knowledge were introduced. Nonetheless, most work still ignored the cost of acquiring training examples, even though this cost impacts the total utility of the data mining process. In this article we analyze the relationship between the number of acquired training examples and the utility of the data mining process and, given the necessary cost information, we determine the number of training examples that yields the optimum overall performance. We then extend this analysis to include the cost of model induction--measured in terms of the CPU time required to generate the model. While our cost model does not take into account all possible costs, our analysis provides some useful insights and a template for future analyses using more sophisticated cost models. Because our analysis is based on experiments that acquire the full set of training examples, it cannot directly be used to find a classifier with optimal or near-optimal total utility. To address this issue we introduce two progressive sampling strategies that are empirically shown to produce classifiers with near-optimal total utility.
Issues in computing contact forces for non-penetrating rigid bodies

In rigid-body simulation it is necessary to compute the forces that arise between contacting bodies to prevent interpenetration. This paper studies the problem of rigid-body simulation when the bodies being simulated are restricted to contact at only finitely many points. Some theoretical and practical issues in computing contact forces for systems with large numbers of contact points are considered. Both systems of rigid bodies with and without Coulomb friction are studied. Complexity results are derived for certain classes of configurations and numerical methods for computing contact forces are discussed.
A Case Study of a Bora-Like Windstorm in Western Washington

Abstract This paper examines the meteorological conditions and physical processes associated with the development of strong downslope winds that caused extensive property damage in two areas of western Washington on 28 November 1979. These areas wore located downwind of the two largest and lowest passageways through the Cascade Range: the Columbia River Gorge and the Stampede Pass region. Findings are as follows: 1) The destructive winds, marked by gusts of 25–30 m s−1, appeared in conjunction with the formation of a deep cyclone offshore and the simultaneous development of an unusually powerful anticyclone inland. 2) The pressure gradient was greatly enhanced in the vicinity of the mountain range attaining values as large as 12 mb (100 km)−1. 3) Hydrostatically, the large pressure differences can be attributed to the effect of the barrier in separating cold air on the cast side from warmer air on the West. 4) Trajectory tracing revealed that the temperature difference formed rapidly as a result of the pr...
Chapter 7 Liquid Chromatography in Columns of Capillary Dimensions

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses liquid chromatography in columns of capillary dimensions. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) has been perhaps the fastest growing analytical method of the past fifteen years. Its applications extend into numerous areas of science and technology. Numerous technological improvements in both the column design and related instrumentation accomplished throughout the past decade have improved the component resolution and detection quite dramatically. The development and use of miniaturized HPLC systems is one way toward achieving the goals of greater component resolution. This was among the major incentives to developing initially the micro-HPLC techniques, as emphasized by Scott, Twda, and Novotny. However, there are important sidelights of these considerations. Because additional laboratories joined the effort, the instrumental design in micro-HPLC has been affected profoundly. In different applications, either resolution, speed of analysis, or detection aspects may be emphasized. All these considerations can thus make micro-HPLC, for a given case, either a simpler or a more complex technique than conventional HPLC.
Linkages Between Boundary-Layer Structure and the Development of Nocturnal Low-Level Jets in Central Oklahoma

In the Southern Great Plains, nocturnal low-level jets (LLJs) develop frequently after sunset and play an important role in the transport and dispersion of moisture and atmospheric pollutants. However, our knowledge regarding the LLJ evolution and its feedback on the structure of the nocturnal boundary layer (NBL) is still limited. In the present study, NBL characteristics and their interdependencies with LLJ evolution are investigated using datasets collected across the Oklahoma City metropolitan area during the Joint Urban field experiment in July 2003 and from three-dimensional simulations with the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model. The strength of the LLJs and turbulent mixing in the NBL both increase with the geostrophic forcing. During nights with the strongest LLJs, turbulent mixing persisted after sunset in the NBL and a strong surface temperature inversion did not develop. However, the strongest increase in LLJ speed relative to the mixed-layer wind speed in the daytime convective boundary layer (CBL) occurred when the geostrophic forcing was relatively weak and thermally-induced turbulence in the CBL was strong. Under these conditions, turbulent mixing at night was typically much weaker and a strong surface-based inversion developed. Sensitivity tests with the WRF model confirm that weakening of turbulent mixing during the decay of the CBL in the early evening transition is critical for LLJ formation. The cessation of thermally-induced CBL turbulence during the early evening transition triggers an inertial oscillation, which contributes to the LLJ formation.
Carbaryl: a literature review.

Carbaryl (1-naphthyl-N-methylcarbamate; Sevin),1 a reversible inhibitor of cholinesterase, is an agricultural pesticide used in the control of over 150 major pests (BACK 1965). It belongs to the major class of insecticidal compounds, the carbamates.
Microgels with tunable affinity-controlled protein release via desolvation of self-assembled peptide nanofibers

With a growing number of bioactive protein drugs approved for clinical use each year, there is increasing need for vehicles for localized protein delivery to reduce administered doses, prevent off-target activity, and maintain protein bioactivity. Ideal protein delivery vehicles provide high encapsulation efficiency of bioactive drug, enable fine-tuning of protein release profiles, are biocompatible, and can be administered via minimally-invasive routes. Here we developed an approach to create micron-sized hydrated gels (i.e. “microgels”) for protein delivery that fulfill these requirements via desolvation of self-assembled β-sheet peptide nanofibers. Specifically, aqueous solutions of peptide nanofibers were diluted under stirring conditions in a “desolvating agent”, such as ethanol, which is miscible with water but poorly solvates peptides. The desolvating agent induced nanofiber physical crosslinking into microgels that retained β-sheet secondary structure and were stable in aqueous solutions. Microgels did not activate dendritic cells in vitro, suggesting they are biocompatible. Peptide nanofibers and proteins having similar non-solvent immiscibility properties were co-desolvated to produce protein-loaded microgels with loading efficiencies of ∼85%. Encapsulated bioactive proteins rapidly diffused into bulk aqueous media, as expected for hydrated gels. Modifying peptide nanofibers with a protein-binding ligand provided tunable affinity-controlled protein release. Biocompatible microgels formed via desolvation of self-assembled peptide nanofibers are therefore likely to be broadly useful as vehicles for localized delivery of bioactive proteins, as well as other therapeutic molecules.
Effect of acute postexercise ethanol intoxication on the neuroendocrine response to resistance exercise

This investigation was conducted to determine the effect of postexercise ethanol intoxication (21.97 ± 1.09 mmol/l blood) on the response of selected aspects of the neuroendocrine system to a resis...
Comparison of spin-orbit torques and spin pumping across NiFe/Pt and NiFe/Cu/Pt interfaces

We experimentally investigate spin-orbit torques and spin pumping in NiFe/Pt bilayers with direct and interrupted interfaces. The dampinglike and fieldlike torques are simultaneously measured with spin-torque ferromagnetic resonance tuned by a dc-bias current, whereas spin pumping is measured electrically through the inverse spin-Hall effect using a microwave cavity. Insertion of an atomically thin Cu dusting layer at the interface reduces the dampinglike torque, fieldlike torque, and spin pumping by nearly the same factor of $\ensuremath{\approx}1.4$. This finding confirms that the observed spin-orbit torques predominantly arise from diffusive transport of spin current generated by the spin-Hall effect. We also find that spin-current scattering at the NiFe/Pt interface contributes to additional enhancement in magnetization damping that is distinct from spin pumping.
Tungsten Oxide Clathrates for Water Oxidation: A First Principles Study

Tungsten oxide (WO3) is a good photoanode material for oxidizing water, but it is not an efficient absorber of sunlight because of its large band gap (2.6 eV). Recently, stable clathrates of WO3 with interstitial N2 molecules (xN2·WO3, x = 0.034–0.039) were synthesized, with a band gap of 1.8 eV. We studied the structural and electronic properties of these clathrates using ab initio calculations, and we analyzed the physical origin of the gap reduction reported experimentally. We found that both structural changes caused by the insertion of N2, and a small charge overlap between N2 and WO3, are responsible for the gap decrease. We compared the effect of N2 intercalation to that of other closed shell species, in particular CO and rare gas atoms. Our calculations predicted that CO insertion lowers the band gap by about the same amount as N2 but it leads to a change of both the oxide valence and conduction band positions, while the presence of N2 only affects the conduction band minimum. We also predicted th...
Engaged Learning and Filmmaking by Way of Vietnam

Virginia Wesleyan professor Steven Emmanuel and five students spent four weeks in Vietnam in the summer of 2007. Their work, supported by an ASIANetwork Student-Faculty Fellows Grant, resulted in a documentary film that won several awards in national and international film festivals. In the following piece, he describes the project and talks about how the grant experience gave him a new perspective on study abroad.
Energy-Efficient Controller Design for a Redundantly Actuated Hybrid Feed Drive With Application to Machining

This paper presents a method for designing a controller that achieves the best positioning performance while maximizing the energy efficiency of a redundantly actuated hybrid feed drive. A two-degree-of-freedom controller, consisting of a feedforward (FF) controller for tracking and a feedback (FB) controller for regulation, is assumed. It is shown that the ideal FF controller, which achieves perfect tracking with maximum efficiency, is not always stable. Therefore, a method for designing a stable FF controller that achieves perfect tracking with near optimal efficiency is proposed. Furthermore, the optimal relationship between FB control inputs, which guarantees maximum efficiency for any specified regulation performance, is derived. Two approaches for using the derived optimal relationship to synthesize a FB controller that achieves the best positioning performance while maximizing efficiency are proposed. Simulations and machining experiments are conducted to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed energy-efficient FF and FB controller design methods. Significant improvements in energy efficiency (without sacrificing positioning performance) are reported.
Relative Analysis Method of the Multiple Attribute Desion Making with Interval Numbers Based on "Rewarding Good and Punishing Bad"

For the decision character of multiple attribute decision making with interval numbers,in initializing the attribute data,a new linear changing operator in ,which is easy to compute and be applied,is proposed.Then the positive and negative ideal point are defined.a new grey relative decision making model was proposed for multiple attribute decision making with interval numbers,which is based on the method of grey relation analysis.All of the above provide a scientific and applied decision method for multiple attribute decision making with interval numbers.Lastly,this method is demonstrated to be scientific and effective with a practical example.
83 HEAT STRESS TESTING OF HAZMAT WORKERS: PILOT TEST OF A NEW PROTCOL

Federal agencies recommend graded exercise testing (GXT) to evaluate candidates for HAZMAT duty which involves heat stress. However, the usual Bruce Protocol (BGXT) does not create heat stress (J Invest Med 2003;51 Suppl 1:S142A) due to its brevity, and also yields many false-positive indications of coronary artery disease (CAD). We therefore devised and tested a form of thermal GXT (TGXT) in which 14 non-smoking men (age = 40 ± 11 SD, BMI = 27 ± 3, serum cholesterol = 197 ± 41, 10-yr Framingham Risk Score for CAD = 4.3% ± 2.6) walked on a treadmill for 40 ± 9 min at 3.7 mi/hr and 5-10% grade while wearing a vinyl “Sauna Suit” to limit evaporative heat loss, as do the protective suits worn in HAZMAT responses. They also wore 5 lb wrist and ankle weights to simulate field conditions (tool kits, boots). Ingested thermistors showed a rise in core temperature of 2.5 ±0.9°F (p Conclusions This TGXT produced substantial cardiovascular and thermal stress in pilot tests whose duration matched that of the air supply provided by HAZMAT respirators. More experience is needed to assess the specificity of ST-segment changes during TGXT.
Protein O-carboxylmethyltransferase in spermatozoa from normal and infertile men *

In confirmation of several reports, suspensions of normal washed human spermatozoa exposed to a nonionic detergent exhibited considerable activity of the enzyme protein O-carboxylmethyltransferase (PCM), which catalyzes the methyl esterification of carboxyl groups of dicarboxylic amino acid residues in proteins. Various methods for assay of human spermatozoal PCM levels were evaluated, and some properties of the enzyme were studied. Normal human spermatozoa appear to be devoid of other types of protein methyltransferases that catalyze N-methylations of arginyl or lysyl residues in proteins. Spermatozoal PCM levels in infertile patients with motile sperm cells tended to be somewhat higher than those of normal control subjects, especially in those instances where the spermatozoal populations contained abnormally high proportions of immature forms of spermatozoa. Although totally immotile spermatozoa obtained from certain patients exhibited very low PCM activities (as recently reported by other investigators), in this study no invariant relationship between zero motility indexes and spermatozoal PCM was observed. These results are discussed in light of various current hypotheses regarding the functions of PCM in animal cells.
A Comparison of Ultrasonography and Radiography in the Localization of Renal Calculi: Experimental and Operative Experience

AbstractThe capabilities of radiography (mammography film) and ultrasonography (7 MHz. probe) were investigated in cadaver kidneys. Stones of varying size and composition were studied. Clinically, 11 patients then were studied with intraoperative radiography and ultrasonography. Both techniques appeared to localize calculi more than 3mm. with high consistency in cadaver kidneys and in patients. Real-time B scan ultrasonography is a rapid and accurate technique that has the ability to identify lucent calculi. When used in association with intraoperative radiography, intraoperative ultrasonography can be a great aid in the surgical removal of renal calculi.
Threaded Applications with the roscpp API

We begin this tutorial by discussing the features of the Catkin build system. We then proceed by giving a thorough explanation of ROS callback functions in terms of sensor data. We utilize the Qt5 libraries to make a very simple Graphical User Interface to control the robot with on screen buttons, as well as view position information in \((x, y, \theta )\) coordinates. This GUI will use the Qt thread library as well as ROS messages to control and provide information about the state of the robot.
Tweeting the Meeting: Twitter Use at The American Society of Breast Surgeons Annual Meeting 2013–2016

Twitter social media is being used to disseminate medical meeting information. Meeting attendees and other interested parties have the ability to follow and participate in conversations related to meeting content. We analyzed Twitter activity generated from the 2013–2016 American Society of Breast Surgeons Annual Meetings. The Symplur Signals database was used to determine number of tweets, tweets per user, and impressions for each meeting. The number of unique physicians, patients/caregivers/advocates, and industry participants was determined. Physician tweeters were cross-referenced with membership and attendance rosters. Tweet transcripts were analyzed for content and tweets were categorized as either scientific, social, administrative, industry promotion, or irrelevant. From 2013 to 2016, the number of tweets increased by 600 %, the number of Twitter users increased by 450 %, and the number of physician tweeters increased by 457 %. The number of impressions (tweets × followers) increased from more than 3.5 million to almost 20.5 million, an increase of 469 %. The majority of tweets were informative (70–80 %); social tweets ranged from 13 to 23 %. A small percentage (3–6 %) of tweets were related to administrative matters. There were very few industry or irrelevant tweets. Twitter social media use at the American Society of Breast Surgeons annual meeting showed a substantial increase during the time period evaluated. The use of Twitter during professional meetings is a tremendous opportunity to share information. The authors feel that medical conference organizers should encourage Twitter participation and should be educating attendees on the proper use of Twitter.
Europe 1992: The Impact of Regulatory Forces on U.S. Global Financial Marketing

Several industries will be greatly affected by the changes in Europe especially the financial services. These new changes have made smaller financial institutions reconsider their options of globalizing their services while larger corporations are concerned about their marketing strategy in order to maintain a competitive advantage in Europe. These forthcoming changes and their implications are of great concern to U.S. banks which have invested or plan to invest in Europe. This paper attempts to explore these changes and their implications for U.S. banks and also suggests strategies for the global marketers.
Control system of permanent magnet synchronous motor based on extended sliding mode state observer

In this paper, the mathematical model of Permanent Magnet Synchronous Motor in static two-phase coordinate frame is introduced. Based on this, the extended sliding mode observer and phase-locked loop are designed in the control system. the three-phase asynchronous motor is controlled using SVPWM control strategy. The control system is simulated by MATLAB. The simulation results show that the proposed scheme is feasible and the space vector control system has a good dynamic respond.
A Student’s Introduction to Wave Propagation in A Homogeneous Fluid Sphere

In order to illustrate wave propagation concepts of ray theory, breakdown of ray theory at caustics, the formation of caustics, free oscillations, and the mode-ray duality, elastic wave propagation in a homogeneous, isotropic fluid sphere is considered. The analytical solution is simply expressed in terms of spherical Bessel functions, but their correct evaluation is an interesting numerical exercise. The solution shows some very interesting features, including near-field terms at short distances, and apparent polarity reversals due to the effect of double caustics.
False Positive Positron Emission Tomography / Computed Tomography Scans in Treated Head and Neck Cancers.

Objective Positron emission tomography/computed tomography (PET/CT) imaging for head and neck cancers (HNC) is commonly utilized for post-treatment assessment. Though PET/CT in this setting has been reported to have high negative predictive values (> 90%), positive predictive values have been reported at approximately 50%, leading to high rates of false positivity (FP) and troubling management decisions for both patient and practitioner. The objective of this study was to identify patient, disease, treatment and imaging factors that might be associated with a higher likelihood of FP on initial post-treatment PET/CT imaging for patients treated for HNC. Materials and methods A retrospective chart review was performed on 84 patients treated for HNC who received radiation therapy (RT) as part of their overall management from October 2005 to August 2013. Of the patients screened, 19 were found to have mucosally based squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) with positive initial post-treatment PET/CT studies (23%). Fisher's exact test was used to analyze the association between categorical variables and FP, including patient's gender, disease laterality, primary tumor site and stage, nodal and overall stage, high dose RT fraction size, number of RT fractions completed, total RT dose, biologically effective dose and timing of PET/CT acquisition. Wilcoxon rank-sum test was used to analyze the association between continuous variables and FP, including patient age, total elapsed days of RT, an amount of infused fluorodeoxyglucose 18F-FDG, pre-PET/CT serum glucose levels, and maximum standardized uptake value SUVmax. Statistically significant findings were those that were deemed p Results Among patients with positive initial post-treatment PET/CT scans for treated HNC, there was a lower proportion of higher primary disease stage associated with FP versus true positivity (T-stage 3-4: 20 vs 78%, respectively, p=0.023). We also discovered that 50% of patients that underwent confirmation for FP findings suffered serious complications as a direct consequence of invasive exploratory procedures. Conclusions Although PET/CT is known for its exceptional negative predictive value (> 90%) in the post-treatment setting for HNC, high rates of FP remains a clinical challenge. Our study suggests that tumor stage (T-stage) may impact FP rates in positive initial post-treatment PET/CT scans. We recommend careful multidisciplinary discussion regarding positive PET/CT studies in the post-treatment setting for HNC, particularly if invasive intervention is considered.
Major postoperative complications following surgical procedures for pelvic organ prolapse: a secondary database analysis of the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program.

Background Surgical approaches to the correction of pelvic organ prolapse include abdominal, vaginal, and obliterative approaches. These approaches require vastly different anatomical dissections, surgical techniques, and operative times and are often selected by the patient and surgeon to match preoperative multimorbidity and ability of the patient to tolerate the stress of surgery. Objective We sought to describe the occurrence of postoperative complications occurring after 3 different surgical approaches to treat pelvic organ prolapse: vaginal, abdominal, and obliterative. Study Design We conducted a secondary database analysis of the 2006 through 2014 American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program participant use data files to analyze patients undergoing procedures for pelvic organ prolapse based on Current Procedural Terminology codes. Women were categorized into 3 surgical approaches to prolapse: vaginal, abdominal, and obliterative. Concomitant hysterectomy and sling were also examined. The primary outcome was a composite of 30-day major postoperative complications. Results A total of 33,416 women were included in our final analysis: 24,928 vaginal procedures, 6834 abdominal (4461 minimally invasive) procedures, and 1654 obliterative procedures. Concomitant hysterectomies and slings were performed in 17,380 (52.0%) and 10,896 (32.6%) of prolapse procedures. The overall prevalence of composite 30-day major postoperative complications was 3.1% (n/N = 1028/33,416). There were 13 perioperative deaths (0.04%) with no difference in the surgical approaches ( P = .55). There were no differences in major postoperative complications between vaginal and abdominal procedures (3.0% vs 3.0%; P = .71). Women undergoing obliterative procedures had an occurrence of major postoperative complications of 5.0% (n/N = 83/1654), P Conclusion The occurrence of major postoperative complications after prolapse surgery is rare. We did not find a significant difference in major postoperative complications between vaginal and abdominal surgeries for pelvic organ prolapse. In this well-characterized cohort of patients who self-selected surgical approach, women undergoing obliterative surgery had more postoperative complications, likely attributed to increased age and multimorbidity.
Postoperative Venous Thromboembolism in Children Is Increased in Setting of Cancer or Infection

Background : Venous thromboembolism (VTE) is an uncommon but clinically significant postoperative complication in children. Incidence of VTE in pediatric patients ranges from 34-58 per 10,000 hospitalized children 1 . Due to rarity of these events, there is limited information about the factors predisposing children to VTE after surgery. We queried a national surgical database to identify risks and outcomes associated with VTE in pediatric surgical patients. Methods : The National Surgical Quality Improvement Program-Pediatric (NSQIP) is a prospectively collected database that records pediatric surgical information, surgical approaches, and 30 day patient outcomes. The database was queried for the years 2012-2013 to identify pediatric patients (age Results : In total, 130 patients were identified who developed VTE postoperatively (VTE n=122, PE n=7, BOTH PE + VTE n= 1) from this database of 114,395 patients. There were 104 patients with VTE that also had complete entries and were subsequently analyzed in this study. Surgical specialties treating patients in this analysis included cardiothoracic surgery, general surgery, neurosurgery, orthopedic surgery, otolaryngology, plastic surgery, and urology. Eighty-one unique operative CPT codes were identified for patients with VTE. Patients who developed VTE had increased operative time, anesthesia time, and total length of stay (all p Conclusions : Postoperative VTE risk is significantly increased in children with malignancy or severe infections. Further research is needed to understand the mechanism between malignancy, systemic inflammation, and VTE risk in children. These findings may help to identify patients in need of prophylactic treatment in order to reduce postoperative thrombotic risk in pediatric patients. References: 1. Raffini L, Huang YS, Witmer C, Feudtner C. Dramatic increase in venous thromboembolism in children9s hospitals in the United States from 2001 to 2007. Pediatrics. 2009;124(4):1001-1008. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
Chain Exchange Kinetics of Asymmetric B1AB2 Linear Triblock and AB1B2 Branched Triblock Copolymers

Equilibrium chain exchange of asymmetric B1AB2 and AB1B2 branched triblock copolymers in a B selective solvent has been studied via dissipative particle dynamics simulations. Hybridization simulations are performed using B1AB2 and AB1B2 branched triblock copolymers at varying levels of asymmetry and compared with equivalent AB diblock copolymers. It is found that B1AB2 triblocks exchange ∼1 order of magnitude faster than diblocks (persisting over various values of χNcore and total corona length), while AB1B2 triblocks exchange ∼4 times faster than diblocks. The dependence on asymmetry is weak, with very asymmetric triblocks (NB1 ≪ NB2) exchanging only 2 or 3 times faster than symmetric triblocks. Two causes are found for this: (1) increases in the density of corona beads near the micelle core for triblocks, resulting in greater stretching penalties and lower aggregation numbers, and (2) looped core blocks (B1AB2) spending more time near the surface of a micelle core than unlooped core blocks (AB1B2 and AB...
Improved Method for Determining Absolute Phosphorylation Stoichiometry Using Bayesian Statistics and Isobaric Labeling

Phosphorylation stoichiometry, or occupancy, is one element of phosphoproteomics that can add useful biological context (Gerber et al. Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U. S. A. 2003, 100, 6940–5). We previously developed a method to assess phosphorylation stoichiometry on a proteome-wide scale (Wu et al. Nat. Methods 2011, 8, 677–83). The stoichiometry calculation relies on identifying and measuring the levels of each nonphosphorylated counterpart peptide with and without phosphatase treatment. The method, however, is problematic in that low stoichiometry phosphopeptides can return negative stoichiometry values if measurement error is larger than the percent stoichiometry. Here, we have improved the stoichiometry method through the use of isobaric labeling with 10-plex TMT reagents. In this way, five phosphatase treated and five untreated samples are compared simultaneously so that each stoichiometry is represented by five ratio measurements with no missing values. We applied the method to determine basal stoichiom...
Can patients manage toileting after reverse total shoulder arthroplasty? A systematic review.

A major concern for patients undergoing reverse total shoulder arthroplasty (RTSA) is managing toileting after surgery. The goals of this systematic review of RTSA studies were to determine the following: (1) the percentage of patients who can manage toileting, (2) their degree of difficulty with toileting, and (3) the percentage of patients who can manage toileting after bilateral versus unilateral RTSA. Medline, EMBASE, Google Scholar, and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials were searched for studies reporting the ability to manage toileting after RTSA. Six studies with at least 12 months of follow-up were included, yielding 183 patients (105 unilateral RTSA, 78 bilateral RTSA). We pooled patient data and calculated the weighted mean proportion of patients able to manage toileting, those who reported difficulty, and those able to manage toileting after unilateral versus bilateral RTSA. Statistical significance was set at P < 0.05. Most patients (92%; 95% confidence interval, 87–95%) were able to manage toileting after RTSA. Some degree of difficulty with toileting was reported for 20% of all shoulders. Almost all patients with bilateral RTSA were able to manage toileting with at least one arm (weighted mean proportion 97%; 95% confidence interval, 88–99%). There was no significant difference in the proportion of patients able to manage toileting after unilateral versus bilateral RTSA (P = 0.08). Only 3% of all papers published on the clinical results of RTSA by June 2017 reported upon toileting after the procedure. With the available evidence, most patients were able to manage toileting after RTSA, although one-fifth reported some degree of difficulty. Ability to manage toileting was similar after unilateral versus bilateral RTSA. In the future, this variable should be a standard question after shoulder arthroplasty. IV
The Winter Monsoon Experiment—Report of December 1978 Field Phase

These notes provide a short summary of the field phase of the GARP Winter Monsoon Experiment. The field phase commenced on 1 December 1978, with the field operations coordinated from Kuala Lumpur. The participants included scientists and technical personnel from Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, the Philippines, Hong Kong, Japan, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, Australia, People's Republic of China (PRC), the U.S.S.R., and the U.S.A. The observing systems, type of experiments, mission objectives, components of overall data sets, and a preliminary evaluation are presented in this short survey.
Hydrogen production by microalgae

The production of H2 gas from water and sunlightusing microalgae, `biophotolysis', has been a subjectof applied research since the early 1970s. A numberof approaches have been investigated, but most provedto have fundamental limitations or requireunpredictable research breakthroughs. Examples areprocesses based on nitrogen-fixing microalgae andthose producing H2 and O2 simultaneously fromwater (`direct biophotolysis'). The most plausibleprocesses for future applied R & D are those whichcouple separate stages of microalgal photosynthesisand fermentations (`indirect biophotolysis'). Theseinvolve fixation of CO2 into storagecarbohydrates followed by their conversion to H2by the reversible hydrogenase, both in dark andpossibly light-driven anaerobic metabolic processes. Based on a preliminary engineering and economicanalysis, biophotolysis processes must achieve closeto an overall 10% solar energy conversion efficiencyto be competitive with alternatives sources ofrenewable H2, such as photovoltaic-electrolysisprocesses. Such high solar conversion efficiencies inphotosynthetic CO2 fixation could be reached bygenetically reducing the number of light harvesting(antenna) chlorophylls and other pigments inmicroalgae. Similarly, greatly increased yields ofH2 from dark fermentation by microalgae could beobtained through application of the techniques ofmetabolic engineering. Another challenge is toscale-up biohydrogen processes with economicallyviable bioreactors.Solar energy driven microalgae processes forbiohydrogen production are potentially large-scale,but also involve long-term and economically high-riskR&D. In the nearer-term, it may be possible tocombine microalgal H2 production with wastewatertreatment.
An algorithm for CAD-based generation of collision-free robot paths

Generating efficient collision-free paths interactively through computer simulation is one of the main goals of offline programming. These paths can be difficult to create, especially for redundant robots. In addition, the efficiency of the path is dependent upon the expertise of the programmer. Automatic path planning is an attractive option for eliminating these problems.
Maximization of Integral Functionals in Hω[a1, a2], - ∞ ≤ a1 < a2 ≤ +∞

We describe extremal functions and rearrangements of the problem $$ \int\limits_{{{{a}_{1}}}}^{{{{a}_{2}}}} {h(t)\psi } (t)dt \to \sup ,\quad h \in H_{0}^{\omega }[{{a}_{1}},{{a}_{2}}], $$ (**) where a 1 < 0 < a 2, and the kernel ψ has a finite number or a countable mono-tonely ordered set of points of sign changes on [a 1, a 2], - ∞ ≤ a 1 < a 2 ≤ +∞. In particular, we give the solution of the problem (**) in the case of the entire line [a 1, a 2] = ℝ.
Pretransplantation dermatologic screening and prophylaxis.

In the United States, more than 29,000 patients receive solid organ transplants annually, and the number worldwide is many times higher. Organ transplantation offers increased quality of life and prolongs survival for hundreds of thousands of patients with debilitating end-stage organ disease. This “gift of life” is possible with potent systemic immunosuppression, which prevents post-transplant immunological rejection of the donor allograft. However, the immunosuppression is not specific for prevention of allograft rejection, and many adverse effects accrue with prolonged survival. Primary among these is skin cancer, the most common malignancy of solid organ transplant recipients. Skin cancer is considered a preventable malignancy. Effective sun protection with ultraviolet radiation-blocking sunscreen and protective clothing is the primary preventive strategy for lowering the risk of melanoma and nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC). Although the evidence showing the efficacy of sun protection practice for preventing skin cancer is suboptimal, several studies have documented a decrease in actinic keratosis and squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) for photoprotected patients [1‐3]. Because solid organ transplant recipients experience accelerated formation of skin cancer, they provide a unique opportunity to study primary skin cancer prevention. In this chapter, I describe the phenomenon of accelerated skin cancer formation in organ transplant recipients and present strategies for ameliorating this phenomenon. The indications for, rationale supporting, and efficacy of early pretransplantation skin cancer screening and prophylactic treatment regimens are outlined. The practicalities of implementing these preventive health care strategies are explored. Last, skin cancer as a potential contraindication to organ transplantation is discussed.
On the Design and Control of Highly Backdrivable Lower-Limb Exoskeletons: A Discussion of Past and Ongoing Work

Lower-limb exoskeletons are external mechanical structures that support and assist human users during locomotion. The earliest studies on exoskeletons date back to the 1960s, whereas, over the previous decade, research on powered lower-limb exoskeletons has substantially expanded [1]. Exoskeletons with different architectures have been developed to achieve various goals. Typically, lower-limb exoskeletons can be classified into two broad categories based on their intended use: assisting people who have pathological gaits and augmenting able-bodied users. The first type of exoskeleton is designed to aid individuals with neurological conditions, for example, stroke or spinal cord injury (SCI). With the help of an exoskeleton, these people can complete different tasks that they cannot complete without assistance. For example, the bilateral hip-knee exoskeletons ReWalk [2] and Ekso Bionics [3] enforce predefined reference trajectories determined by a finite-state-machine structure to assist individuals with SCI. The bilateral Wandercraft exoskeleton adopts a hybrid dynamicsbased controller to stabilize dynamically feasible periodic gaits for users with SCI, while allowing them to actively control the exoskeleton speed through upper-body posture.
Mechanical property modeling of photosensitive liquid resin in stereolithography additive manufacturing: Bridging degree of cure with tensile strength and hardness

Abstract Owing to the unique layer-wise production method, additive manufacturing technologies have been widely adopted in rapid prototyping and tooling areas, which often require superior mechanical properties such as tensile strength and hardness. In current literature, most mechanical property studies focusing on additive manufactured materials mainly adopt experimental or simulation-based approaches, and therefore cannot be directly used to accurately estimate and predict the achieved mechanical properties. In addition, information regarding the mechanical properties of photosensitive liquid resin used in the Stereolithography additive manufacturing process is limited. Hence, in this paper, mathematical models are established to quantify the tensile strength and hardness of Stereolithography fabricated materials by estimating the solidification levels of both green parts and Ultraviolet post-cured parts. The established degree of cure model is shown to have an average prediction accuracy of around 94%. In addition, the mechanical property models have an average accuracy of 88% and 90% for tensile strength prediction, and 98% and 95% for hardness prediction of green parts and post-cured parts, respectively. It is also observed that the Ultraviolet post-curing process has the capability of significantly enhancing the studied mechanical properties.
Establishing Evidence-Based Behavioral Screening Practices in U.S. Schools.

Abstract The purpose of this commentary is to discuss articles in the special issue focused on improving procedures for universal screening for social–emotional and behavioral problems. Based on wo...
Physical environment and violence perpetration among male youth in Pittsburgh: a spatial analysis

Purpose Examine associations between features of the built environment and violence perpetration among male youth. Methods We enrolled 866 male adolescents, ages 13–19 years, as part of a violence prevention study in 20 lower-resource neighbourhoods in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA. Exposure to built environmental features was defined using participants’ neighbourhood study site. Violence perpetration was measured by three survey items: physical fighting, threatening someone with a weapon, and injuring someone with a weapon. Logistic regression models examined associations between each environmental feature and violence perpetration. Results Better neighbourhood walkability was associated with significantly lower odds of fighting (adjusted odds ratio (AOR)=0.86, 95% CI 0.76 to 0.99). Alcohol and tobacco outlets were associated with slightly lower odds of violence perpetration (AORs=0.89–0.96). Conclusions This work extends previous studies from large urban centres to a mid-sized city context and suggests that walkable neighbourhoods create opportunities for social interactions and may serve as a protective factor in youth violence.