cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A highly parallel next-generation DNA sequencing data analysis pipeline in Hadoop

The era of precision medicine is best exemplified by the growing reliance on next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies to provide improved disease diagnosis and targeted therapeutic selection. Well-established NGS data analysis software tools, in their unmodified form, can take days to identify and interpret single nucleotide and structural variations in DNA for a single patient. To improve sample analysis throughput, we developed a highly parallel end-to-end next-generation DNA sequencing data analysis pipeline in Hadoop. In our pipeline, each step is parallelized not only across samples but also within each individual sample, achieving a 30× speedup over a single server workflow execution. Furthermore, we extensively evaluate the viability of having our Hadoop-based pipeline as part of a larger commercial genomic services offering—we demonstrate how our pipeline scales sub-linearly both with the number of samples being analyzed and with the depth of coverage of those samples. In particular, on our commodity cluster, 10× as many samples resulted in only a 2.24× increase in the execution time, and a 4× increase in coverage depth resulted in only a 2.53× growth in execution time. We anticipate that such improvements will allow large cohort populations to be analyzed in parallel, and can fundamentally change the way DNA sequencing analyses are used by both researchers and clinicians.
Deferred Taxes, Earnings Management, and Corporate Governance: Malaysian Evidence

This study examines whether Malaysian public listed companies (PLCs) use deferred taxes to avoid an earnings decline. In addition, this study also examines whether corporate governance mechanisms attenuate the extent to which deferred taxes are used to manage earnings. Using a sample of 221 PLCs listed on the main and second boards of Bursa Malaysia in 2008 with a complete set of data available from 2005 to 2008, this study finds that Malaysian PLCs use both the accrual and valuation allowance components of net deferred tax liabilities to avoid a decline in earnings. The study also finds that ownership structure and board structure affect the extent to which earnings management is associated with a deferred tax component.
Reentry Courts: An Emerging Use of Judicial Resources in the Struggle to Reduce the Recidivism of Released Offenders

In the current system of criminal justice in the United States, most courts have little involvement with offenders once they are sentenced to prison. Certainly, prison inmates can and do appeal their convictions, but the appeals are heard by separate appellate courts. After release from prison on parole, or under some other form of supervised release, the court’s role in the affairs of the offender diminishes further. Parole officers are typically the agents of the criminal justice system who carry out the terms of the offender’s sentence once released, providing supervision and ideally assisting the offender’s transition back into the community. Parole officers accomplish this through working with offenders to help them avoid using drugs and alcohol, maintain curfews and daily schedules, abide by the law, and secure and maintain lawful employment. If an offender fails to follow the conditions of his or her supervision, it is the parole agent and parole board or other releasing authority who determines what sanctions shall be imposed in response to the violations. Wyoming LaW RevieW
The Bushy-Tailed Wood Rat: A Laboratory Colony

Gestation period, litter size, annual breeding cycle, growth rate, post-juvenal molt and rearing methods in captivity are given for the bushy-tailed wood rat, Neotoma cinerea acraia . Observations on territorialism and other related behavior patterns of breeding pairs are recorded.
Ectoparasites of the ringtail, Bassariscus astutus, from West Texas.

One louse, 6 flea, 8 mite and 4 tick species were recovered from 14 Ringtails, Bassariscus astutus , collected from several localities in Central and West Texas. Hosts were infested with from 1 to 7 species of ectoparasites. Malaraeus sinomus, Anomiopsyllus nudatus, Orchopeas sexdentatus subspecies #1 and #2, Polygenis gwyni, Euschoengastia eadsi, Pseudoschoengastia apista, Eucheyletia hardyi, Cheyletus eruditus, Dermacarus hypudaei, Hirstionyssus breviseta, H. staffordi, Androlaelaps fahrenholzi, Dermacentor variabilis, Ixodes conepati , and Haemaphysalis leporispalustris are new host records for the Ringtail. Only the louse Neotrichodectes thoracicus appears to be host-specific.
Strikes in Nineteenth-Century America

Strikes have always held great fascination for historians of the working class. Collective work stoppages tear the tissue of “normal life,” and in doing so they provide historians with revealing glimpses of class relations and attitudes, which arise from but are disguised by the daily production and distribution of commodities. Because strikers have disobeyed social norms, which reflect capitalist ways of making and acquiring things and which are enforced by socially legitimized economic and legal sanctions, they must reorder relationships among themselves in accordance with their own social code and apply their own group sanctions to its violators. In recent years many studies of strikes have analyzed particular episodes in detail, in an effort to shed light on the social relations of some epoch through local history (Gutman, 1963; Zeigler, 1977; Ham-mett, 1975; Cumbler, 1974). An older tradition, running from Dacus through Brecher, examined a series of strikes in order to derive political lessons from them (how to dampen or fan the flames of discontent) [Dacus, 1877; Brecher, 1972; Crook, 1931].
Structure, Sodium Ion Role, and Practical Issues for β-alumina as a High-k Solution-Processed Gate Layer for Transparent and Low-Voltage Electronics

Sodium β-alumina (SBA)-based gate dielectric films have been developed for all solution-processed, transparent and low voltage field-effect transistors (FETs). Its high dielectric constant has been ascribed to sodium (Na+) ions in the crystal structure; however, there are no published experimental results concerning the contribution of Na+ ions to the dielectric behavior, and the degree of crystallinity of the thin films. In addition, as an ionic conductor, β-alumina could give rise to some issues such as leakage current caused by Na diffusion, threshold voltage shift due to interface charge accumulation and longer response time due to slower polarization of the Na+ ions. This paper will address these issues using zinc tin oxide (ZTO) FETs, and propose possible measures to further improve SBA-based gate materials for electronic devices.
Latent Toxicity in the Mediterranean Fruit Fly and the Melon Fly

Experiments were conducted to determine whether insecticides other than the chlorinated hydrocarbons caused latent toxicity. The insecticides were applied as soil treatments to larvae of the Mediterranean fruit fly, Ceratitis capitata (Wied.), and the melon fly, Dacus cucurbitae Coq. The chlorinated polycyclic hydrocarbon insecticide shad a high order of latent toxicity. Aldrin, chlordane, dieldrin, endrin, isodrin, Strobane, and lindane exhibited strong properties of latent toxicity to the Mediterranean fruit fly. No latent toxicity to this insect was exhibited by Dilan, malathion, parathion, Pyrenone, or Pyrolan. Isobornyl thiocyanoacetate was practically non-toxic to the larvae. Latent toxicity was shown by aldrin, chlordane, dieldrin, endrin, and isodrin to the melon fly but to a lesser degree than to the Mediterranean fruit fly. Lindane, malathion, and parathion evinced no latent toxicity to the melon fly.
Developmental and Reproductive Effects of Heavy Water (D2O) in the Diet of the Boll Weevil

The substitution of various concentrations of heavy water (D2O) in place of H2O in the adult and larval diets of the boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis Boheman, showed that: (1) levels of heavy water above 60% of the total water incorporated into the adult diet reduce egg production in the treated females, but the action is quickly reversible when normal food is restored; fertility in treated individuals is not affected; (2) as the percentage of heavy water is increased in the larval diet (a) the percentage of eggs developing in the treated diet decreases, (b) the rate of development, measured by pupation time, decreases; that is, developmental time increases, (c) the weight of developing larvae, and even pupal weight, is decreased, and (d) addition of amounts of D2O greater than 50% of the total water completely inhibits larval development; (3) levels of heavy water above 35% in the larval diet result in the sterility of at least 89% of the insects reared on the diet, causing a decrease in egg production, regardless of the sex treated. plus an increase in the time required for maturity. If the use of D2O can be perfected, the laborious handling of individual weevils m a sterile-release program might be eliminated.
1,3‐Bis(2′‐hydroxyethyl)imidazolium ionic liquids: correlating structure and properties with anion hydrogen bonding ability

A series of 1,3-bis(2′-hydroxyethyl)imidazolium ionic liquids is reported where 1H NMR chemical shift values and thermal stabilities (Td), as determined by thermogravimetric analysis, are correlated with the hydrogen bonding capability of various anions ([Cl−], [Br−], [CF3CO2−], [NO2−], [MsO−], [NO3−], [TfO−], [BF4−], [NTf2−], and [PF6−]). Use of anions with the strongest hydrogen bonding capability, such as chloride [Cl−], bromide [Br−], and trifluoroacetate [CF3CO2−], led to the furthest observed downfield chemical shift values in DMSO-d6 and the poorest thermal stabilities ([CF3CO2−] < 200 °C). Thermal stabilities in excess of 350 °C and upfield chemical shift values were observed for ionic liquids, which employed the weakly coordinating triflate [OTf−], tetrafluoroborate [BF4−], or bis(trifluoromethylsulfonyl)imide [NTf2−] anion. Optimized structures of selected ionic liquids, as determined by density functional theory calculations at the B3LYP/6-31G + (d,p) level, indicated that the anion preferred to be located above the imidazolium ring and in close proximity to the hydroxyl groups. Calculated dissociation energies (ΔE) and a comparison of key bonding distances (C2―H, (C2)H···X, O―H, and (O)H···X) also confirmed this structural preference. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Supersymmetry protected topological phases of isostatic lattices and kagome antiferromagnets

I generalize the theory of phonon topological band structures of isostatic lattices to frustrated antiferromagnets. I achieve this with a discovery of a many-body supersymmetry (SUSY) in the phonon problem of balls and springs and its connection to local constraints satisfied by ground states. The Witten index of the SUSY model demands the Maxwell-Calladine index of mechanical structures. ``Spontaneous supersymmetry breaking'' is identified as the need to gap all modes in the bulk to create the topological isostatic lattice state. Since ground states of magnetic systems also satisfy local constraint conditions (such as the vanishing of the total spin on a triangle), I identify a similar SUSY structure for many common models of antiferromagnets including the square, triangluar, kagome, pyrochlore nearest-neighbor antiferromagnets, and the ${J}_{2}={J}_{1}/2$ square-lattice antiferromagnet. Remarkably, the kagome family of antiferromagnets is the analog of topological isostatic lattices among this collection of models. Thus, a solid-state realization of the theory of phonon topological band structure may be found in frustrated magnetic materials.
Modeling and simulation of collaborative flight based on multi-agent technique

The flight risk of aircraft agent flying in air corridor was studied by using multi-agent modeling and simulation technique.According to the flight aim,main function and interior structure of aircraft agent in air corridor,the inference rule and collaborative state were analyzed, the interactive structure of collaborative flight was put out,and simulation experiment was carried out by using hybrid simulation method.Simulation result shows that when the maximum and minimum cruising speeds of large-sized aircraft are 880,620km·h-1 respectively,the maximum and minimum cruising speeds of medium-sized aircraft are 790,525km·h-1 respectively,and the maximum and minimum accelerations of the two aircrafts are 0.608and-0.780m·s-2,the aircraft flight state in air corridor can be divided into four typical conditions.Under condition 1,aircraft speed is always 745.17km·h-1,and the total flight time is 708s.Under condition 2,aircraft adjusts its speed according to the leading aircraft,the initial and maximum speeds are 658,778km·h-1, and the total flight time is 648s.Under condition 3,aircraft changes its flight line in air corridor in order to avoid flight conflict,and the total flight time is 744s.Under condition 4,aircraft breaks away from air corridor for safety problem,and the total flight time is 66s.The proposed model can meet the actual requirement.1tab,19figs,24refs.
Dual Endoscopic Endonasal Transsphenoidal and Precaruncular Transorbital Approaches for Clipping of the Cavernous Carotid Artery: A Cadaveric Simulation.

Background Endoscopic skull base approaches are being used to address complicated neurovascular pathology. These approaches are safest when proximal vascular control of the cavernous carotid artery (CavCA) can be obtained. Methods We present a cadaver-based anatomic simulation study showing the feasibility of clip placement for the CavCA as it courses through the cavernous sinus. The arterial vessels were injected with red microfil (Flow Tech, Carver, Massachusetts) to enhance visibility. The endoscope was directed through a precaruncular transorbital approach and instrumentation was managed through an endonasal transsphenoidal approach. Results The dual approach minimized the “coning down” and instrument “sword fighting” that occurs as the rod lens endoscope and instruments are used laterally and posterior toward the clivus and brainstem. The precaruncular transorbital approach improved visualization of the clip application and improved the functional working area. The transorbital port allowed better appreciation of the distal clip tines, and the laterally positioned cranial nerves. Conclusions The advantages may be most realized in the setting of endoscopic endonasal resection of highly vascular lesions and/or bleeding from a ruptured aneurysm being clipped. Simulated training provides an excellent opportunity to enhance skill sets and increase familiarity with anatomical visualization before entering the operative arena.
A wife asks for futile therapy for her husband, a "fighter": how to respond?

One way of framing the ethical question in this case might be: “What are my ethical obligations to provide an anticancer therapy when I think it is unlikely to benefit the patient?” The broader clinical questions involved in this case are fundamentally the same in most patients.
Strong lattice correlation of non-equilibrium quasiparticles in a pseudospin-1/2 Mott insulator Sr2IrO4

In correlated oxides the coupling of quasiparticles to other degrees of freedom such as spin and lattice plays critical roles in the emergence of symmetry-breaking quantum ordered states such as high temperature superconductivity. We report a strong lattice coupling of photon-induced quasiparticles in spin-orbital coupling Mott insulator Sr2IrO4 probed via optical excitation. Combining time-resolved x-ray diffraction and optical spectroscopy techniques, we reconstruct a spatiotemporal map of the diffusion of these quasiparticles. Due to the unique electronic configuration of the quasiparticles, the strong lattice correlation is unexpected but extends the similarity between Sr2IrO4 and cuprates to a new dimension of electron-phonon coupling which persists under highly non-equilibrium conditions.
Two-Dimensional Raman-Echo Spectroscopy; Femtosecond View of Vibrational Coherence

Two semiclassical algorithms (high temperature and low temperature, weak nonlinearity) for computing 2D fifth-order Raman spectra are compared. In both cases the response can be described using phase-space wavepackets.
Mimics of megakaryocytes: giant bizarre myeloma cells.

![Figure][1] The bone marrow (BM) biopsy (panel A; original magnification ×400 for all panels) from a 59-year-old man showed many giant cells we initially thought of as megakaryocytes (yellow arrowheads). Morphological features different from normal megakaryocytes included relatively high
Neuroendocrine neoplasms of the genitourinary tract in adults: cross-sectional imaging spectrum

Neuroendocrine (NE) neoplasms of the genitourinary (GU) tract in adults are rare tumors with distinct histopathology and variable biological behavior and imaging findings. They may be primary or metastatic in origin. The spectrum of primary GU tract NE neoplasms includes carcinoid, small cell carcinoma, large cell NE carcinoma, and paraganglioma. The tumors commonly show positivity to specific immunohistochemical markers and characteristic dense-core granules at the ultra-structural level. Although imaging findings are nonspecific and accurate differentiation from the more common malignancies of the individual organs is not possible, cross-sectional imaging modalities play an important role in the diagnosis, staging, and surveillance of these tumors. Somatostatin receptor scintigraphy (octreotide scan) may be useful in the detection and treatment of metastatic disease in select patients. Knowledge of the various NE tumors of the adult GU tract and familiarity with their pathological and imaging findings permit optimal patient management.
Agent-Based Socio-Hydrological Hybrid Modeling for Water Resource Management

Hybrid socio-hydrological modeling has become indispensable for managing water resources in an increasingly unstable ecology caused by human activity. Most work on the subject has been focused on either qualitative socio-political recommendations with an unbounded list of vague factors or complex sociological and hydrological models with many assumptions and specialized usability. In this paper, we propose a simple agent-based socio-hydrological decision modeling framework for coupling dynamics associated with social behavior and groundwater contamination. The study shows that using social health risk, instead of contaminant concentration, as an optimization variable improves water management decisions aimed at maximizing social wellbeing. The social models and computational framework are designed with enough flexibility and simplicity to encourage extensions to more general socio-hydrological dynamics without compromising either computability or complexity for better data-/model-driven environmental management.
Structural Properties of the Female Accessory Gland in the Stable Fly, Stomoxys calcitrans

The accessory reproductive glands of the female stable fly are translucent structures that run parallel to the common oviduct when the ovipositor is extended. The only muscles found associated with...
Ladders and lifting: How gender affects safety behaviors in the fire service

ABSTRACTThis research explores the degree to which gender affects safety behaviors and outcomes in the fire service. Semistructured focus groups and interviews were conducted based on findings from the literature on women and gender in the fire service. Four focus groups (N = 22) and eight interviews were recorded, transcribed, and coded using NVivo 10 software. This methodology explored if female gender improves safety behaviors through (1) weighing the risks and benefits of dangerous situations, (2) focusing on biomechanics and technique, (3) asking for help, (4) being motivated to report injuries, (5) being heard by colleagues, and (6) illuminating a hostile work environment’s contribution to safety. Participants report that women have less of a “tough guy” attitude than their male colleagues and felt that deviating from the modernist American hyper-masculine norm may have a positive impact on their work practices and injury outcomes. If women in the fire service perceive risk differently than their ma...
Identification of Differentially Regulated Edwardsiella ictaluri Proteins During Catfish Serum Treatment.

Edwardsiella ictaluri is a facultative, intracellular, gram-negative bacterium that causes enteric septicemia of catfish (ESC). Edwardsiella ictaluri is known to be resistant to defense mechanisms present in catfish serum, which might aid in its use of a host's bloodstream to become septicemic. However, the precise mechanisms of the survival of E. ictaluri in host serum are not known. Analysis of the response of E. ictaluri to the host serum treatment at a proteomic level might aid in the elucidation of its adaptation mechanisms against defense mechanisms present in catfish serum. Thus, the objective of this study was to identify differentially regulated proteins of E. ictaluri upon exposure to naive catfish serum. Two-dimensional difference gel electrophoresis (2D-DIGE) followed by in-gel trypsin digestion and MALDI-TOF/TOF analysis were used for identification of differentially expressed E. ictaluri proteins. A total of 19 differentially regulated proteins (7 up- and 12 downregulated) were identified. Among those were four putative immunogenic proteins, two chaperones and eight proteins involved in the translational process, two nucleic acid degradation and integration proteins, two intermediary metabolism proteins, and one iron-ion-binding protein. Further research focusing on the functions of these differentially expressed proteins may reveal their roles in host adaptation by E. ictaluri.
T cell and macrophage responses during natural and experimental disease caused by Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis

The objective of this dissertation was to examine T cell and macrophage responses during natural and experimental disease caused by Mycobacterium avium subspecies paratuberculosis. In the initial experiment euthymic BALB/c and athvmic nude BALB/c mice were infected with M. a. paratuberculosis. Five months post-inoculation, euthymic mice differed from athvmic mice in that ( 1 ) their hepatic granulomas were smaller, contained fewer bacteria, and produced more inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS). and (2) their hepatic macrophages contained fewer bacteria, a higher percentage of degraded bacteria, and increased numbers of primary lysosomes. The study showed that macrophage activation was markedly decreased in the T-celi deficient athvmic mice. In the second study, calves from M a. paratuberculosis infected cows and calves from non-infected cows were inoculated with M. a. paratuberculosis or saline. The calves were monitored for evidence of exposure to M. a. paratuberculosis for 7 months by IFN-y assays, skin testing, serology, and fecal culture. Calves from dams subclinical^ infected with M. a. paratuberculosis had significantly higher IFN-y responses to mycobacterial antigens, prior to inoculation on day 1. and cumulatively throughout the experiment than calves from non-infected dams. All of the calves (2) from infected dams and inoculated with M. a. paratuberculosis had positive skin test responses and M. a. paratuberculosis isolated from tissues at the end of the experiment. This study showed that maternal infection resulted in an increase in IFN-y production to mycobacterial antigens by their calves. The final study examined the immunohistochemical and ultrastructural pathology of the ileum in bovine Johne's disease and quantified CD3 lymphocytes. CD4 lymphocytes. CDS lymphocytes. yS lymphocytes. CD79 lymphocytes. CD68 cells. iNOS and mycobacterial immunoreactivity. Cows with Johne's disease had increased immunoreactivity in epithelial areas for CD3 and yo antigen, while in the lamina propria there was increased immunoreactivity for CD68 and mycobacterial antigen as compared to control cows. Inducible nitric oxide synthase immunoreactivity occurred only in the
Voice over Internet Protocol

This chapter presents an overview of the architecture and protocols involved in implementing VoIP networks. After the overview, the chapter discusses the various factors that affect a high quality VoIP call. Furthermore, the chapter introduces various codecs and the engineering tradeoffs between delay and bandwidth. Finally, the chapter gives a detailed explanation of the currently widely used VoIP call signaling protocol, the Session Initiation Protocol or SIP.
High school coaches’ perceptions of their efficacy to work with lesbian, gay, and bisexual athletes:

Historically, sport, at all levels, has created an environment of silence, negativity, and even fear for lesbian, gay, and bisexual (LGB) athletes. The purpose of this study was to identify coach c...
The March of Kiosks

The word “kiosk” is one of the few in the English language to come from Turkish. When I was a nipper in Wales, it connoted a roofed, gazebo-like structure that housed a tiny shop or booth. Now in the U.S. and elsewhere, it connotes a freestanding automatic service machine.
Displaying the Dream: The Visual Presentation of Family and Self in the Modern American Household

A crucial part of the American dream is the American family. The photographs of family members which pervade the homes of middle-class and working-class Americans reveal much about their ideals and...
Patient Eligibility for Transoral Endocrine Surgery Procedures in the United States

Importance Transoral endocrine surgery (TES) allows thyroid and parathyroid operations to be performed without leaving any visible scar on the body. Controversy regarding the value of TES remains, in part owing to the common belief that TES is only applicable to a small, select group of patients. Knowledge of the overall applicability of these procedures is essential to understand the operation, as well as to decide the amount of effort and resources that should be allocated to further study the safety, efficacy, and value of these operations. Objective To determine what percentage of US patients undergoing thyroid and parathyroid surgery are eligible for TES using currently accepted exclusion criteria. Design, Setting, and Participants Cross-sectional study of 1000 consecutive thyroid and parathyroid operations (with or without neck dissection) performed between July 1, 2015, and July 1, 2018, at 3 high-volume academic US thyroid- and parathyroid-focused surgical practices (2 general surgery, 1 otolaryngology–head and neck endocrine surgery). Eligibility for TES was determined by retrospectively applying previously published exclusion criteria to the cases. Main Outcomes and Measures The primary outcome was the percentage of thyroid and parathyroid cases eligible for TES. Secondary outcomes were a subgroup analysis of the percentage of specific types of cases eligible and the reasons for ineligibility. Results The mean (SD) age of the 1000 surgical patients was 53 (15) years, mean (SD) body mass index (calculated as weight in kilograms divided by height in meters squared) was 29 (7), and 747 (75.0%) of the patients were women. Five hundred fifty-eight (55.8%) of the patients were eligible for TES. Most patients with thyroid nodules with cytologically indeterminate behavior (165 of 217 [76.0%]), benign thyroid conditions (166 of 240 [69.2%]), and primary hyperparathyroidism (158 of 273 [57.9%]) were eligible for TES, but only 67 of 231 (29.0%) of patients with thyroid cancer were eligible. Among all 1000 cases reviewed, previous neck operation (97 of 441 [22.0%]), nonlocalized primary hyperparathyroidism (78 of 441 [17.7%]), and need for neck dissection (66 of 441 [15.0%]) were the most common reasons for ineligibility. Conclusions and Relevance More than half of all patients undergoing thyroid and parathyroid surgery in this study were eligible for TES. This broad applicability suggests that a prospective multicenter trial is reasonable to definitively study the safety, outcomes, and cost of TES.
A toolkit of five essential clusters of heuristics for promoting innovativeness and wisdom in systems architecting the strategy and structure of organizations

Systems architecting is crucial for the successful creation and development of complex, unprecedented systems. Large global business organizations, whose success is most strongly determined by their strategy and structure, exemplify such systems. The most critical contributions of architecting to acquiring successful systems often occur during the conceptualization and certification phases. During system conceptualization, innovativeness is key to effectively mediate among competing interests and synthesize disparate elements, using ill-structured inputs, including hopes, dreams, unclear needs, and undetermined resources. During system certification, wisdom and abilities to anticipate potential troublesome outcomes are key to effectively demonstrate system suitability to all primary stakeholders. The required approaches to systems architecting are often less about science, analysis, and deduction and more about art, synthesis, and induction. Heuristics are indispensable tools that capture the insights gained from past experiences and allow those insights to be deployed to promote innovativeness and wisdom for architecting complex, unprecedented systems. The present article develops a toolkit of five clusters of heuristics that are essential for promoting innovativeness and wisdom in systems architecting the strategy and structure of global business organizations in dynamic environments.
Communication expectations of critically ill patients and their families

Little is known about specific expectations family members and other types of surrogates have regarding clinician interaction. The objective of this study is to describe communication expectations regarding clinician engagement when surrogates represent patients who are too critically ill to advocate on their own behalf. As part of a larger study, a panel of 44 former patients and surrogate decision makers of a 20-bed medical intensive care unit (ICU) housed within a large academic hospital in the Midwestern United States responded to an online survey. Findings suggest that participants held different expectations for different intensive care providers in that 98% expected to talk to an attending physician within 48 hours of their loved one being admitted to the ICU, while 88% expected to have spoken with a registered nurse, and 74% with a respiratory therapist. Only half expected to have talked with a resident or fellow, and a third to a social worker. Regarding communication frequency, 95% of participants expected to interact with the care team at least once a day, and 74% preferred for contact to be initiated by clinicians. Together this suggests that expectations for surrogate-clinician communication more closely aligned with current guidelines for family-centered care than they are with actual practice.
Morphometric criteria to differentiate Drosophila suzukii (Diptera: Drosophilidae) seasonal morphs

Temperate insect species often enter diapause in preparation for overwintering. One such species is the invasive vinegar fly, Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura), which has seasonal polymorphisms, considered winter and summer morphs. To date, the morphs have been differentiated by color and size with winter morphs typically being darker and larger compared to summer morphs. 'Dark' and 'large' are subjective, however, and standardizing an identification process can ensure that the morph of interest is being accurately characterized. The goal of our research was to investigate a quantitative method to distinguish between D. suzukii morphs based on body and wing size. We reared winter and summer morph D. suzukii in the laboratory using standard procedures, and measured wing length, wing width, and hind tibia length. Additionally, we collected field D. suzukii to document the seasonal phenology of the morphs in Minnesota based on our model's cutoff criteria. A classification and regression tree analysis were used to determine which metrics would be best for predicting field-caught D. suzukii morphs. Using laboratory-reared flies as our known morphs for the training data in the classification model we developed classification trees based on wing length and the ratio of wing length to hind tibia length. The frequency of winter and summer morphs present in the field varied based on which classification tree was used. Nevertheless, we suggest ratio of wing length to hind tibia length as the most robust criteria for differentiating D. suzukii morphs because the ratio accounts for the size variability between laboratory-reared and field-caught flies and the error rate of misclassification is reduced to 0.01 for males. The results from this work can aid in future D. suzukii research by allowing scientists to objectively differentiate the morphs, and thereby improve our understanding of the biology and phenology of seasonal morph dynamics.
Risk Factors for Medical and Surgical Complications after 1-2-Level Anterior Cervical Discectomy and Fusion Procedures.

ABSTRACT Background: Postoperative complications after anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) have a significant impact on clinical outcomes and health care resource use. Identifying predictive factors for complications after ACDF may allow for the modification of care protocols to mitigate complication risk. The purpose of this study is to determine risk factors for the incidence of medical and surgical complications up to 2 years postoperatively after ACDF procedures. Methods: A prospectively maintained surgical registry of patients who underwent primary, 1–2-level ACDF was retrospectively reviewed. The incidence of medical and surgical complications up to 2 years postoperatively was determined. Patients were classified according to demographic, comorbidity, and procedural characteristics. Bivariate Poisson regression with robust error variance was used to determine if an association existed between the incidence of medical or surgical complications and patient characteristics. A final multivariate model including all patient and procedural characteristics as controls was created using backwards, stepwise regression until only those variables with P Results: A total of 310 patients were included. Upon bivariate analysis, age >50 years was identified as a risk factor for medical complications after ACDF procedures. Additionally, bivariate analysis identified ageless Charlson comorbidity index ≥2, operative duration >60 minutes, and 2-level procedures as risk factors for surgical complications after ACDF. Upon multivariate analysis, age >50 years was identified as an independent risk factor for medical complications (relative risk [RR] = 3.6, P = .005), while operative time >60 minutes was identified as an independent risk factor for surgical complications after ACDF (RR = 4.5, P = .017). Conclusions: The results of this study demonstrate that older age and longer operative time were independent risk factors for medical and surgical complications, respectively, following ACDF. Patients with these risk factors should be counseled regarding their increased risk of postoperative complications and should undergo more vigilant monitoring to aid in complication avoidance. Level of Evidence: 3. Clinical Relevance: Surgeons should consider the elevated risk of postoperative complications in >50 years old patients and >60 min procedures.
Vitrectomy With Sequential Internal Limiting Membrane Peeling and Flap Formation in Closure of a Large, Traumatic Macular Hole:

Purpose:We report the use of sequential vitrectomy with internal limiting membrane (ILM) flaps in closure of a chronic, large, traumatic macular hole (MH) in a 32-year-old male patient.Methods:The ...
Time-dependent covalent network formation in extrudable hydrogels

The fabrication of hydrogel materials has gained increased attention for a broad range of biomedical and biotechnological applications. However, one longstanding challenge in the field is to develop hydrogels that can be easily processed into the desired form factor, while achieving the necessary final physical and biochemical properties. Herein, we report a shear-thinning hydrogel ink that can be photo-cured to create a stretchable, suturable hydrogel whose polymer network is formed via the combination of thiol-Michael addition and radical polymerization. A shear-thinning hydrogel based on bis-methacrylated Pluronic® F-127 was modified with varying equivalents of 2,2′-(ethylenedioxy)diethanethiol (EDT) as an additive. We observed that aging the hydrogel over time prior to extrusion allowed the relatively slow thiol-Michael addition to occur (between thiol and methacrylate) prior to UV initiated photopolymerization of the methacrylates. The viscoelastic properties of these hydrogels could be tuned based on the amount of EDT added, and the aging time of the hydrogel formulation. The changes to the physical properties of the hydrogels were attributed to the increased chain length between network junctions that resulted from the thiol-Michael addition reactions. The optimized hydrogel composition was then extruded from a coaxial nozzle to produce hydrogel tubes that, after curing, were resistant to tearing and were suturable. These extrudable synthetic hydrogels with tunable viscoelastic properties are promising for tissue engineering applications and as surgical training models for human vasculature.
Distribution-free polynomial chaos expansion surrogate models for efficient structural reliability analysis

Abstract In complex stochastic high-dimensional reliability studies, polynomial chaos expansion (PCE) has been widely used to build surrogate models in lieu of prohibitively expensive Monte Carlo simulation (MCS). PCE relies on parametric distributions for associated variables and appropriate basis functions. However, incomplete or imperfect information on the stochastic variables can limit its use; accepted parametric forms for variable distributions, for instance, may not be justified when variables display multimodal character or mixed discrete-continuous support. Also, the dependency structure among the random variables may be complex, which can make probabilistic mapping or transformation to independent variables needed for PCE cumbersome. Nonlinearities in such transformations can affect the accuracy of PCE surrogate models and lead to slower convergence relative to “truth” system computations of desired QoIs (quantities of interest). To address these challenges, a distribution-free PCE approach is proposed. We compute joint raw moments of underlying random input variables for Gram-Schmidt orthogonalization in developing surrogate models. Using illustrative examples, we demonstrate the proposed approach as an efficient and accurate surrogate model-building alternative to traditional PCE.
Prediction of Effective Steam Sterilization Times for Wine Barrels Using a Mathematical Modeling Approach

Oak barrels are often used to give wine, beer, and distilled beverages flavors and colors. However, microorganisms can penetrate into the wood, making cleaning and sterilization difficult. This can lead to undesired microbial growth in the contents of the barrel during subsequent use. Information on heat penetration into barrel staves during steam treatment and associated thermal inactivation rates is scarce. Therefore, we incorporated heat transfer and Arrhenius-type death kinetics to build a mathematical model to predict the killing rate of the microorganisms when steam sterilizing a wooden barrel. First, we use this model to predict temperature profiles in barrel staves as a function of distance from the steamed surface and time of steaming. Next we evaluated the thermal inactivation of microorganisms at 0.8 cm into the stave (the maximum wine penetration depth into a stave) to calculate the time needed to achieve 5-log reduction in live cells. Using this approach, we found that the required sterilization times for Brettanomyces bruxellensis, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and Leuconostoc mesenteroides are 9 minutes, 12 minutes, and 200 minutes, respectively. This result is useful for winemakers to determine how long they desire to steam a barrel to prevent growth and contamination of key microbes in their wine.
How will disaster victims react to first responder commands—A survey of simulated disaster victims

Objective: To determine whether victim behavior and interaction with triage personnel would conform to expected actions as dictated by the Simple Triage and Rapid Treatment (START) triage methodology, which emphasizes that victims will accept their assigned triage category. Methods: In total, 105 volunteers were recruited to complete a 32-question survey after portraying victims in a triage-focused mass casualty incident (MCI) simulation. Questions included sociodemographic characteristics, willingness to follow commands of first responders, and willingness to help first responders. The authors examined whether the outcomes differed by demographics, healthcare experience, or disaster exposure of participants. Results: The survey response rate was 90 percent (95/105). The mean age of participants was 31 years (58 percent women). Half of respondents indicated that they would ask responders to change their triage color if they disagreed with it and 75 percent would ask first responders to change their friend or family members’ triage colors. Twenty-one percent of victims reported that they would alter their own triage tag to receive treatment faster and 38 percent would alter a friend or family member’s triage color. The youngest ( 40 years) respondents were most likely to act maladaptively. Conclusion: Triage algorithms rely upon victims following the instructions of rescuers. This study suggests that maladaptive behavior by some victims should be anticipated.
An Experience Report on Modernizing I/O Configuration Software

When a system evolves, its architecture co-evolves and becomes more complex. Thus, the development team needs to continuously expend modernizing efforts to reduce the complexity and improve the maintainability. To this end, software development processes can be used. However, many processes in their original form are mainly used for greenfield projects or integrating new requirements. Thus, many processes are not ideally suited to continuously modernize software while considering the existing requirements. In this paper, we present our experience during the modernization of a long-lived software system. During the modernization we used a process which is based on the spiral model and combined it with different agile development principles to continuously modernize a long-lived system in a lightweight manner. Our process aims at improving quality attributes of a software system while considering existing and changing requirements. This process was applied to the Hardware Configuration Definition (HCD), which is used on IBM Z for several decades to define I/O configurations. Using this real-world software system, we present the lessons learned and our experiences during the modernization.
Carbon stocks of mangroves within the Zambezi River Delta, Mozambique

Abstract Mangroves are well-known for their numerous ecosystem services, including storing a globally significant C pool. There is increasing interest in the inclusion of mangroves in national climate change mitigation and adaptation plans in developing nations as they become involved with incentive programs for climate change mitigation. The quality and precision of data required by these programs necessitates the use of an inventory approach that allows for quantification, rather than general characterization, of C stocks. In this study, we quantified the ecosystem C stock of the Zambezi River Delta mangroves utilizing a rigorous, yet operationally feasible approach. We applied a stratified random sampling inventory design, based on five forest canopy height classes, derived from Ice, Cloud, and Land Elevation Satellite/Geoscience Laser Altimeter System (ICE Sat/GLAS) and the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM) data, and a Spatial Decision Support System to allocate inventory plots. Carbon content in above- and below-ground biomass pools in addition to soils to a depth of 200 cm was measured. The average biomass C density for the height classes ranged from 99.2 Mg C ha−1 to 341.3 Mg C ha−1. Soil C density was the largest measured C pool, containing 274.6 Mg C ha−1 to 314.1 Mg C ha−1 and accounting for 45–73% of the height class ecosystem C densities, which ranged from 373.8 Mg C ha−1 to 620.8 Mg C ha−1. The ecosystem C density estimates for the five strata were weighted based on their spatial distribution across the landscape to yield a total C stock for the Zambezi River Delta mangroves of 1.4 × 107 Mg C. The error bounds from the 95% confidence interval are ±6% of our ecosystem C stock estimate, well within acceptable levels of uncertainty.
Growth factor-mediated protection in aging CNS.

Publisher Summary It is true that aging, aging-associated neurological diseases, injury to the CNS, and certain aspects of PNS development are characterized by restriction of growth factor availability to neurons and the resulting neuronal cell death of deprived neurons. This chapter discusses the hypothesis that neuronal cell death is mediated in part by a shift in neuronal oxidant–antioxidant balance and that at least one neuronotrophic factor, nerve growth factor (NGF), regulates cell death by stimulating antioxidant systems. In particular, it is found that NGF does protect neurons in culture from peroxyl radical generators such as 6-hydroxydopamine and hydrogen peroxide, in part, by inducing catalase activity, low levels of which are expressed by neuronal as compared to non-neuronal cell lines. In the rodent brain, there is also preliminary evidence that NGF induces catalase activity. Thus, aging-associated deficits in cholinergic NGF-responsive neurons and the suggested beneficial effects of NGF treatment in CNS may be due to shifts in the oxidant–antioxidant balance as a consequence of changes in NGF activity.
Palmitate activates mTOR/p70S6K through AMPK inhibition and hypophosphorylation of raptor in skeletal muscle cells: Reversal by oleate is similar to metformin

Excessive saturated free fatty acids (SFFAs; e.g. palmitate) in blood are a pathogenic factor in diabetes, obesity, cardiovascular disease and liver failure. In contrast, monounsaturated free fatty acids (e.g. oleate) prevent the toxic effect of SFFAs in various types of cells. The mechanism is poorly understood and involvement of the mTOR complex is untested. In the present study, we demonstrate that oleate preconditioning, as well as coincubation, completely prevented palmitate-induced markers of inflammatory signaling, insulin resistance and cytotoxicity in C2C12 myotubes. We then examined the effect of palmitate and/or oleate on the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) signal path and whether their link is mediated by AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK). Palmitate decreased the phosphorylation of raptor and 4E-BP1 while increasing the phosphorylation of p70S6K. Palmitate also inhibited phosphorylation of AMPK, but did not change the phosphorylated levels of mTOR or rictor. Oleate completely prevented the palmitate-induced dysregulation of mTOR components and restored pAMPK whereas alone it produced no signaling changes. To understand this more, we show activation of AMPK by metformin also prevented palmitate-induced changes in the phosphorylations of raptor and p70S6K, confirming that the mTORC1/p70S6K signaling pathway is responsive to AMPK activity. By contrast, inhibition of AMPK phosphorylation by Compound C worsened palmitate-induced changes and correspondingly blocked the protective effect of oleate. Finally, metformin modestly attenuated palmitate-induced insulin resistance and cytotoxicity, as did oleate. Our findings indicate that palmitate activates mTORC1/p70S6K signaling by AMPK inhibition and phosphorylation of raptor. Oleate reverses these effects through a metformin-like facilitation of AMPK.