cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mobilization in Public Drunkenness Control: A Comparison of Legal and Medical Approaches

This paper compares the case-gathering practices of a legal agency (a municipal police department) and a medical agency (an alcohol detoxification facility) in the context of public drunkenness control. The characteristics of case encounters and the factors affecting field processing in each setting are described. Observed differences in processing patterns are attributed to basic differences in the organizational elements of legal and medical control. The findings are discussed in terms of a sociological theory of law and medicine.
The Influence of Salivary Proteins on the Growth, Aggregation and Surface Properties of Hydroxyapatite Particles.

The adsorption and crystal growth effects of salivary cystatin SA-II and non-glycosylated amylase on hydroxyapatite have been compared to the effects of the salivary cystatins SA-I and SA-III. Amylase was the least active HAP crystal growth inhibitor and adsorbed weakly to HAP. Although the three cystatins were active inhibitors of hydroxyapatite crystal growth in supersaturated solution, their affinities showed marked differences.
Increase in plasma membrane phosphodiesterase activity in contact-inhibited 3T3 cells and in phenotypically reverted SV-3T3 cells.

Contact-inhibited 3T3 mouse fibroblast cells, in contrast to logarithmically growing 3T3 cells and SV-3T3 transformed cells, have increased levels of plasma membranebound phosphodiesterase (oligonucleotidase, E.C. 3.1.4.19; nucleotide pryrophosphatase, E.C. 3.6.1.9) activity. The increase in enzyme, recorded as increased specific activity, is reversible, as evidenced by the return to normal values following dilution of confluent 3T2 cells and re-initiation of growth. Increased enzyme activity is induced again when the cells regain the confluent state. Transformed SV-3T3 cells can be induced to mimic the contact inhibited state, including increased plasma membrane phosphodiesterase activity, by exposure to a combination of: (i) agents that are known to induce increased intracellular cAMP levels and (ii) additions of purified 3T3 or SV-3T3 plasma membranes. Additions of either alone fails to induce the increase in membrane phosphodiesterase activity, although each alone can significantly suppress cell growth, as measured by incorporation of3H amino acids. We suggest that the elevation of plasma membrane phosphodiesterase activity may serve as a measure of conversion to the contact-inhibited state in both normal cells and phenotypically reverted transformed cells.
Older Patients, Cognitive Impairment, and Cancer: An Increasingly Frequent Triad

The incidence of both cancer and cognitive impairments from various origins increases with age. Oncologists are increasingly being confronted with cancers occurring in patients with cognitive impairment, yet very few studies have addressed the problem. Cognitive impairment affects a patients' survival to an extent similar to an average cancer, and this can be an important thing to consider, especially in the adjuvant setting. Cognitive impairment also predisposes patients to delirium in the surgery setting or during hospitalization. Because effective preventive measures exist, careful attention should be paid to identifying patients at risk. Cognitive impairment does not automatically mean inability to consent, but particular precautions should be taken. For outpatient treatments such as chemotherapy, a comprehensive multidisciplinary approach is key for a good outcome. Proper caregiver support should be ensured up-front, and aggressive supportive care should be used. In the setting of an experienced geriatric oncology team, patients with cognitive impairment appear more likely to receive standard oncologic therapies. Cancer patients with cognitive impairment are at high risk of concomitant depression.
A Trial of Prophylactic Thiotepa or Mitomycin C Intravesical Therapy in Patients with Recurrent or Multiple Superficial Bladder Cancers

AbstractThere were 40 consecutive patients with recurrent or multiple superficial stage Ta or T1 transitional cell cancer assigned randomly to receive prophylactic thiotepa or mitomycin C intravesical chemotherapy. Patients received 8 weekly instillations followed by 22 monthly treatments of either 60mg. thiotepa or 40mg. mitomycin C. Of 25 patients randomized to receive mitomycin C 4 had recurrence in a total of 337 patient-months (1.19 per 100 patient-months), while disease recurred in 1 of 15 patients randomized to receive thiotepa who were followed for a total of 220 patient-months (0.45 per 100 patient-months). No significant difference in recurrrence rate was noted for either drug group (p equals 0.18). Toxicity requiring cessation of therapy was observed in 7 patients (28 per cent) on mitomycin C and none on thiotepa.
Failed intrauterine device contraception and limb reduction deformities: a case-control study.

Three recent case reports have suggested an association between failed intrauterine device (IUD) contraception and limb reduction deformities in the resulting offspring. To clarify further the purported teratogenic role of the IUD in the etiology of these defects, we conducted a case-control study of 96 mothers who had given birth to infants with limb defects. Interview data about IUD exposure at conception among these mothers were compared with interview data from 2 sets of controls: (1) 915 mothers of infants with other major defects and (2) a subset of the first group consisting of 169 mothers with chromosomally defective infants. No significant increase in the incidence of IUD use was found for cases when compared with either control group. Estimates of the relative risk were 1.28 (95% confidence limits [CL] of 0.29 to 5.67) and 1.78 (95% CL of 0.25 to 12.82) when the first and second groups of controls were used, respectively. These risk figures were not significantly different from 1.0. The evidence accumulated thus far militates against a teratogenic role for the IUD.
Integrative sparse Bayesian analysis of high-dimensional multi-platform genomic data in glioblastoma

While individual studies have demonstrated that mRNA expressions are affected by both copy number aberrations and microRNAs, their integrative analysis has largely been ignored. In this article, we use high-dimensional regression techniques to perform the integrative analysis of such data in the context of Glioblastoma Multiforme (GBM). It is revealed that copy numbers are more potent regulators of mRNA levels than microRNAs. We also infer the mRNA expression network after adjusting the effect of microRNAs and copy numbers. Our association analysis demonstrates the expression levels of the genes IRS1 and GRB2 are strongly associated with the underlying variations in copy numbers on chromosomal locations 17q25.1 and 3p25.2, but we fail to detect significant associations with microRNA levels.
The quest for biomarkers of earliest stages of invasive breast cancer

W the use of screening mammography, the diagnosis of ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is increasing worldwide. Patients diagnosed with DCIS either have not yet developed or may never develop invasive breast cancer (IBC). Presently, an indolent tumor can not be distinguished from a progressive tumor, making the appropriate treatment of DCIS patients, a major clinical dilemma. We are interested in developing tissue biomarkers (BM) to determine the likelihood that initial breast tumor identified on diagnostic biopsy remains contained in situ, as opposed to becoming invasive. Molecular studies predicted that the transition from in situ to invasive disease was associated with quantitative rather than qualitative differences in gene and protein expression. We developed imaging-based method to measure protein expression as a continuous variable in fixed tissue. We assumed that DCIS accompanying microinvasive carcinoma (T1mic) represented an early progressive DCIS, because invasion increases the likelihood of metastasis. We theorized that molecular BMs of progressive DCIS are the measurable parameters that distinguish cells in in situ component of T1mic from cells in normal/benign epithelium. We performed quantitative protein profiling on 210 archived tissues: 42 histologically normal, 19 benign, 54 cancer in situ, and 95 IBC. Our measurements in DCIS revealed previously unidentified quantitative differences in the insulin-like growth factor I receptor, Ras oncogene like protein 1, and Rho GTPase guanine nucleotide exchange factor VAV2, the proteins implicated in the regulation of invasion in preclinical models. These new findings may open doors to molecular-based predictions of individualized risk for developing invasion in DCIS.
Plasma Reforming for H2-Rich Synthesis Gas

Publisher Summary Plasma has been used in fuel conversion and combustion systems for over a century; however, only in the recent decades has non-thermal plasma and the idea of a plasma catalysis effect been investigated as a possible means to enhance or replace traditional thermal or catalytic reforming systems. Plasma is described as the fourth state of matter, and this refers to the chemical, thermal, or electrical breakdown of a gas, often forming a luminous ionized state comprised of a mix of particles: positive and negative ions, electrons, radicals, and neutral gas atoms and molecules. Plasmas are categorized as thermal or nonthermal, with the primary difference being how energy is deposited into the plasma gas stream. Both thermal and non-thermal plasmas have many commercial and industrial applications. The most effective plasma discharges used in fuel conversion applications have the ability to simultaneously provide high electron temperature and density with a high degree of non-equilibrium to support selective chemical processes. Such plasma discharges include gliding arc plasmas (transitional arcs) and microwave plasmas. This chapter presents a brief introduction of each type of discharge to highlight its characteristics and demonstrate the benefits for fuel conversion applications. There are several interesting research areas still being explored within the realm of plasma-assisted fuel conversion that may hold great promise in the near future.
New Approach to Identifying Solitary Wave Solutions of Modified Kawahara Equation

Stationary localized waves are considered in the frame moving to the right. The original ill–posed problem has a non–unique solution. To cope with this issue, the bifurcation problem is reformulated into a problem for identification of an unknown coefficient from over-posed boundary data in which the trivial solution is excluded. This approach to solving the modified fifth order Kawahara equation is original allowing identification of the non–trivial solutions. The numerical solutions are compared with known analytical solution. The convergence of the difference scheme is illustrated with numerical examples.
Kidney Function in Obesity—Challenges in Indexing and Estimation

As the prevalence of obesity continues to increase worldwide, an increasing number of people are at risk for kidney disease. Thus, there is a critical need to understand how best to assess kidney function in this population, and several challenges exist. The convention of indexing glomerular filtration rate (GFR) to body surface area (BSA) attempts to normalize exposure to metabolic wastes across populations of differing body size. In obese individuals, this convention results in a significantly lower indexed GFR than unindexed GFR, which has practical implications for drug dosing. Recent data suggest that "unindexing" estimated GFR (multiplying by BSA/1.73 m2) for drug dosing may be acceptable, but pharmocokinetic data to support this practice are lacking. Beyond indexing, biomarkers commonly used for estimating GFR may induce bias. Creatinine is influenced by muscle mass, whereas cystatin C correlates with fat mass, both independent of kidney function. Further research is needed to evaluate the performance of estimating equations and other filtration markers in obesity, and determine whether unindexed GFR might better predict optimal drug dosing and clinical outcomes in patients whose BSA is very different than the conventional normalized value of 1.73 m2.
Two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenide hybrid materials for energy applications

Abstract Two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides (2D TMDs) possess a rich set of extraordinary structural, chemical, electrical, and optical properties unattainable with any traditional materials. A large number of these properties are particularly suitable for energy generation/conversion applications, which renders unprecedented yet tremendous opportunities for addressing the multi-faceted demands of up-coming energy technologies. Heterogeneously integrating 2D TMDs with other energy materials is projected to improve the performance of existing energy devices and/or achieve unconventional functionalities in a highly synergic manner, which cannot be catered by stand-alone 2D TMDs. In this article, we present a comprehensive review on the up-to-date progress in the development of 2D TMD hybrid materials for a variety of energy applications. This review focuses on addressing how the incorporation of 2D TMDs can help manipulate the functionalities of conventional energy materials to achieve targeted and improved energy device performances. An overview of the recent progress in the development of various 2D TMD hybrid materials and their fabrication strategies is presented, followed by a survey on various energy devices based on these materials and their performance comparison. Current challenges associated with material developments are discussed, and forward-looking outlooks assessing unexplored research areas are also suggested.
Effluence, “waste” and African Humanism: extra-anthropocentric being and human rightness*

I propose a extra-anthropocentric contextualisation of normative human rights as human rightness. To undo the normative construction of the human, I turn to a theory of the effluent. I argue efflue...
A huygens surface source model for field prediction valid from sub-ELF to high frequencies

A broad-band Huygens surface method to predict fields having knowledge of only the near magnetic field (no derivatives) on an arbitrary shaped closed boundary is presented. The proposed approach applies an augmented-integral equation formulation to calculate the electric field on the Huygens surface. The method is accurate and stable down to DC for arbitrary shaped Huygens surfaces. The proposed formulation is discretized using a locally corrected Nystrom (LCN) method.
A novel compliance-pressure loop approach to quantify arterial compliance in systole and in diastole.

Arterial compliance has been recognized as a critical parameter in governing pulsatile flow dynamics. It has traditionally been assumed constant throughout the cardiac cycle and its computation has been based either on the classic Windkessel model (C) in diastole or the stroke volume over pulse pressure (Cv) method in systole. Other methods using area (Cam) or two-area (Ctam) and exponential (C(P)exp1) methods were used for the cardiac cycle. We proposed a novel compliance-pressure loop (CPP loop) approach for the quantification of arterial compliance and compared it to existing linear and nonlinear methods. Experimental data were gathered in 5 dogs and blood pressure levels were varied (systolic pressure of 100 mmHg-185 mmHg) with induced hypertension and vasodilation. Results showed the limited regime of validity of C (Control:0.4681 ± 0.1270 ml/mmHg, MTX:0.3015 ± 0.1264 ml/mmHg and NTP:1.8323 ± 0.7207 ml/mmHg) and Cv (Control:0.3583 ± 0.0158 ml/mmHg, MTX:0.2602 ± 0.1275 ml/mmHg and NTP:0.4131 ± 0.0589 ml/mmHg), Cam (Control:0.4175 ± 0.0505, MTX:0.3086 ± 0.1568 and NTP:1.4181 ± 0.4812) and Ctam (Control: 0.2064 ± 0.0228 ml/mmHg, MTX:0.1967 ± 0.0884 ml/mmHg, NTP:0.0881 ± 0.0375 ml/mmHg) and that C(P)exp1 underestimates the arterial compliance compared to our method (Control:0.2233 ± 0.0168 ml/mmHg vs 0.4481 ± 0.0515 ml/mmHg, MTX:0.1976 ± 0.0964 ml/mmHg vs 0.3273 ± 0.1443 ml/mmHg and NTP: 0.2177 ± 0.0273 ml/mmHg vs 1.9990 ± 1.8221 ml/mmHg at mean arterial pressure). The CPP method based on the exponential method is superior, as it provides continuous compliance variations and CPP loop area can be readily visualized from hypotension to hypertension conditions. We conclude that the concept of using compliance-pressure loop is advantageous as it can afford continuous and accurate tracking of the dynamic arterial behavior despite greatly varying blood pressure levels.
Microbial models of mammalian metabolism: stereoselective metabolism of warfarin in the fungus Cunninghamella elegans.

Biotransformation stereoselectivity of warfarin was studied in the fungus Cunninghamella elegans (ATCC 36112) as a model of mammalian metabolism. This organism was previously shown to produce all known phenolic mammalian metabolites of warfarin, including 6-, 7-, 8-, and 4′-hydroxywarfarin, and the previously unreported 3′-hydroxywarfarin, as well as the diastereomeric warfarin alcohols, warfarin diketone, and aliphatic hydroxywarfarins. Using S-warfarin and R-warfarin as substrates, and an HPLC assay with fluorescence detection to analyze metabolite profiles, the biotransformation of warfarin was found to be highly substrate and product stereoselective. Both aromatic hydroxylation and ketone reduction were found to be stereoselective for R-warfarin. Ketone reduction with the warfarin enantiomers exhibited a high level of product stereoselectivity in that R-warfarin was predominantly reduced to its S-alcohol, while S-warfarin was reduced primarily to the corresponding R-alcohol.
Evaluation of co-registration for PET/CT quality control

2243 Objectives: Fusion of PET and CT data on a hybrid camera must be highly accurate in order to provide precise collaboration of data. The objective of this study is to determine the necessity of a quality control method that would verify the PET/CT scanner’s functionality by looking at co-registration of the fused data. Methods: The NEMA IEC Body Phantom Set (Biodec, Inc.) was used. The Torso cavity weight allowed for the volume to be calculated using the density of water. The volume helped in the determination of using 2 mCi of FDG in the Torso cavity according to the typical clinical activity concentration of 0.14 mCi/mL. The spheres in the Torso cavity were filled with about 90 mCi of FDG and 60 mL of water/Iodinated CT contrast. A Philips Gemini PET/CT scanner (Milipites, CA) was used with the Biopsy CT Abdomen protocol. The Osiris 4(Hospital Universitaires de Geneva) program helped determine the diameter of the spheres using the histogram function and the full-width at half max concept. Results: Upon visual inspection of the data, the CT diameters, on average, were found to be closer to the actual diameters than that of the PET diameters. The CT diameters had between a 30 and 40 percent error, where the PET diameters had an error between 50 and 80 percent. When the 50/50 fused image was evaluated, the error was between 50 and 60 percent. Conclusions: The co-registration of the PET/CT Phantom is poor, which means the fusion of the two sets of data is not very accurate, possibly leading to misread studies. When the 50/50 fused image was analyzed, the image was better than just the PET data, but was worse than the CT data. The poor co-registration observed brings up the issue of using this phantom on a regular basis to ensure that co-registration does not deteriorate.
Oxygen-enriched fires during surgery of the head and neck

Presented is an overview of ECRI's investigations of intraoperative fires concentrating on oxygen- and nitrous oxide-enriched fires, the common medical devices that act as ignition sources, and the combustible substances that are present during surgery. A comparative evaluation of surgical draping materials, specifically including testing for flame spread rates and ignitability in standard atmospheres and ignitability in oxygen-enriched atmospheres, was performed and published by ECRI in 1986. A summary of their flammability findings is presented, along with a discussion of the oxygen-enriched atmosphere phenomenon of surface fiber flame propagation on reusable surgical textiles. Recommendations are made for minimizing the risk of surgical fires, including special precautions for prevention of fires from surgical lasers.
Predicting impacts of sea level rise on wintering redhead ducks along the lower Texas Coast

Abstract The potential impacts of sea level rise to wildlife populations and their habitats are of concern. Localized relative sea levels have been rising at elevated rates compared to global sea levels, and this trend will impact coastal plant communities, particularly wetlands. The Laguna Madre, a hypersaline lagoon, is home to nearly 80% of North America's redheads (Aythya americana) during winter. The large, shallow lagoon provides optimal growing conditions for seagrasses, including shoalgrass (Halodule wrightii), the redhead's primary winter food. Adjacent to the Laguna Madre are coastal ponds, on which redheads rely for fresh water. The close proximity of these freshwater sources to the coast makes them vulnerable to saltwater intrusion due to sea level rise. Using Sea Level Affecting Marshes Model (SLAMM), we modeled the impacts of sea level rise on coastal ponds and foraging areas along the lower Texas coast through the year 2100. We also determined which coastal habitat types would be most affected by rising sea levels. The SLAMM model indicated that 9 land cover types had a ≥50% change in occurrence from the initial 1999 time period to 2100. The model also predicted that 93 of the known 156 coastal ponds would become inundated with salt water. The predicted loss of foraging habitat and its typical proximity to coastal ponds creates a need to identify where conservation and enhancement of wintering redhead habitat should be placed to mitigate the effects of sea level rise.
Quantifying the Impact of Climate Change on Flexible Pavement Performance and Lifetime in the United States

Flexible pavement design requires considering a variety of factors including the materials used, variations in water tables, traffic levels, and the climatic conditions the road will experience ove...
From Thunderstorm to Golden Flower: Politico-Economic Conditions of Adaptive Appropriation

Zhang Yimou’s Curse of the Golden Flower is a product of his adaptive appropriation of Cao Yu’s Thunderstorm. While Zhang persistently asserts the relationship of his work with Cao’s play, in the f...
Encouraging Safe Wildlife Viewing in National Parks: Effects of a Communication Campaign on Visitors’ Behavior

ABSTRACTSeeing wildlife in natural habitat is an exciting and powerful experience for national park visitors but is risky for visitors and wildlife alike. National parks have long used educational ...
Evolution of gas hydrate–bearing deep-water channel-levee system in abyssal Gulf of Mexico: Levee growth and deformation

Gas hydrate in the Green Canyon area (Block 955) in the northern Gulf of Mexico is hosted by relatively clay-free silty levee deposits bounding a Pleistocene submarine channel. During the initial phase of channel development, the channel axis experienced sediment bypass while silty to sandy flanking levees formed. Development of high levees prompted gravitational collapse along normal faults dipping toward the channel axis. Extension at the levees was accompanied by compression at the channel axis. The gravitational failure caused rotation and displacement of the levee deposits. Later, deposition occurred within channel axis, whereas only fine-grained sediments accumulated on the levees. The change in depositional style is interpreted as the result of reduced height and strength of the turbidity currents moving along the channel at the later stage, which restricted most nonclay fraction sediments to the levee-confined channel. There is no gravitational failure in this stage, probably because relief between the levee crest and channel floor was reduced because of deposition within the channel. The hydrates are almost entirely restricted to the clay-poor levee deposits formed during the early stage of channel development, with minor hydrate accumulation in late-stage channel axial deposits. The silty levee reservoir is compartmentalized because of the presence of gravitational failure surfaces and an extensive network of salt-related normal faults. The results of this predominantly seismic stratigraphic study completed as a part of The University of Texas at Austin/US Department of Energy Deep-Water Methane Hydrate Characterization and Scientific Assessment project should be compared with sedimentological information from analysis of pressurized cores obtained during The University of Texas-Gulf of Mexico 2-1 (UT-GOM2-1) Hydrate Pressure Coring Expedition presented elsewhere in this volume.
Understanding the Origin of Maleic Anhydride Selectivity during the Oxidative Scission of Levulinic Acid

Biomass-derived levulinic acid (LA) is a green platform chemical, and we have previously reported an oxidative scission pathway that selectively transforms it into maleic anhydride (MA). This react...
Using artificial intelligence (AI) to predict postoperative surgical site infection: A retrospective cohort of 4046 posterior spinal fusions.

Abstract Objectives Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence (AI) are rapidly growing in capability and increasingly applied to model outcomes and complications within medicine. In spinal surgery, post-operative surgical site infections (SSIs) are a rare, yet morbid complication. This paper applied AI to predict SSIs after posterior spinal fusions. Patients and Methods 4046 posterior spinal fusions were identified at a single academic center. A Deep Neural Network DNN classification model was trained using 35 unique input variables The model was trained and tested using cross-validation, in which the data were randomly partitioned into training n = 3034 and testing n = 1012 datasets. Stepwise multivariate regression was further used to identify actual model weights based on predictions from our trained model. Results The overall rate of infection was 1.5 %. The mean area under the curve (AUC), representing the accuracy of the model, across all 300 iterations was 0.775 (95 % CI [0.767,0.782]) with a median AUC of 0.787. The positive predictive value (PPV), representing how well the model predicted SSI when a patient had SSI, over all predictions was 92.56 % with a negative predictive value (NPV), representing how well the model predicted absence of SSI when a patient did not have SSI, of 98.45 %. In analyzing relative model weights, the five highest weighted variables were Congestive Heart Failure, Chronic Pulmonary Failure, Hemiplegia/Paraplegia, Multilevel Fusion and Cerebrovascular Disease respectively. Notable factors that were protective against infection were ICU Admission, Increasing Charlson Comorbidity Score, Race (White), and being male. Minimally invasive surgery (MIS) was also determined to be mildly protective. Conclusion Machine learning and artificial intelligence are relevant and impressive tools that should be employed in the clinical decision making for patients. The variables with the largest model weights were primarily comorbidity related with the exception of multilevel fusion. Further study is needed, however, in order to draw any definitive conclusions.
Bringing the Great Outdoors Into the Workplace: The Energizing Effect of Biophilic Work Design

Organizations are increasingly designing workplaces that offer employees opportunities to incorporate nature into their professional lives. Despite the extensive study of work design, the scope and...
State partisanship and higher education

Abstract This paper uses a regression discontinuity approach to estimate the causal effect of a governor’s party affiliation on higher education in the U.S. The findings indicate that when a Democrat wins a close race for governor, there is an increase in state revenues appropriated to associate’s-degree-granting colleges. There is also some evidence that minority-serving institutions receive additional state funds when a Democratic governor is elected. There is little evidence, however, that state partisanship affects other types of outcomes (e.g. enrollment).
Biliary and Fecal Drug Excretion

The hepatocyte is the major cell involved in the metabolism & excretion of foreign materials (xenobiotics). These materials are taken up across the basolateral membrane by (often sodium-dependent) active transport proteins. On the sinusoidal plasma membrane, there are also several efflux transporters, principally the multidrug receptor (MDR) proteins. Inside the hepatocyte they may undergo phase I or phase II biotransformation reactions before being targeted for excretion, again by active transport, across the canalicular membrane into bile & expulsion via the intestine. Unlike bile acids, there is little intestinal re-absorption of these xenobiotics.
A Resonant Gate Driver with Variable Gain and a Capacitively Decoupled High-Side GaN-FET

Here we describe a gate-driver with resonant action that minimizes gating loss at high switching frequencies (10-20 MHz) while facilitating variable voltage gain that can exceed the supply rails. The gate voltage swing can be controlled with minimal duty cycle constraints, making this driver capable of meeting the diverse drive requirements of different switch technologies and converter topologies. A prototype uses two small N-channel gallium nitride (GaN) transistors within the drive structure, significantly decreasing parasitics. To do so, a capacitive decoupling technique is used to allow the high-side N- channel device’s ‘flying’ driver to receive power; a distinct challenge for flying drivers commuting between two variable voltages. The prototype was applied to several high frequency switching devices. Up to a 72% reduction in gating-loss is observed as compared to a conventional hard-charged gate-driver while maintaining rise and fall times <18 ns for the devices tested.
Relative Prevalence and Characteristics of Malpractice Litigation Involving Radiology Trainees.

Abstract Purpose To assess the prevalence and characteristics of medical malpractice litigation involving radiology trainees. Methods Using a LexisNexis legal database keyword search, we identified all state and federal lawsuits between 2009 and 2018 yielding formal appellate and lower court opinions (precedent setting “complex litigation”) potentially involving physician trainees. Available judicial records were systematically reviewed to identify malpractice matters with material trainee involvement. Cases were categorized by criteria including specialty and location. Incidence rates were calculated for all specialties. Radiology lawsuits were characterized further. Results Initial LexisNexis Boolean database search yielded 8,935 potentially relevant cases with 580 confirmed as malpractice materially involving physician trainees. Annual cases trended downward (high 70, low 37). Most originated in New York (195 of 580; 33.6%), Ohio (41; 7.1%), and Pennsylvania (34; 5.9%) and involved surgery (204; 35.2%), obstetrics and gynecology (114; 19.7%), and medicine (105; 18.1%). The case incidence rate for all trainees was 0.63 per 1,000 trainee years. Of 309 cases with known outcomes, defendant physicians prevailed in 238 (77.0%). Radiology trainees represented only 23 cases (4.0%), corresponding to an incidence rate ratio of 0.79 (confidence interval 0.52-1.20). Radiology litigation most frequently involved alleged missed diagnoses (14 of 23; 60.8%) and procedural complications (7; 30.4%). Defendant radiologists prevailed in 9 of the 13 cases with known outcomes (69.2%). Conclusion Complex medical malpractice litigation involving physician trainees is infrequent and decreasing over time. Lawsuits involving radiology trainees are uncommon, less likely than for many nonradiology trainees, and typically involve alleged missed diagnoses or procedural complications. Defendant radiologists usually prevail.
Insights into Mars mud volcanism using visible and near-infrared spectroscopy

Abstract Mud volcanism (MV) has been a proposed formation mechanism for positive-relief landforms in the lowland, equatorial, and highland regions of Mars. While visible and near-infrared (VNIR) spectroscopy has been used in a few cases to argue for the presence of MV on the surface of Mars, data from the Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars (CRISM) remain underutilized. We conducted a global examination of proposed Mars MV features using CRISM VNIR data. We observe variable hydration states and place constraints on the composition of these features from orbit. We do not confidently identify phyllosilicates, carbonates, or sulfates associated with suggested Martian mud volcanoes. However, specific structures in Valles Marineris exhibit VNIR signatures consistent with unaltered hydrated glass of a volcanic origin and high-Ca pyroxene. CRISM visible data from MV features reveal consistent nanophase ferric oxide signatures on a global scale, although these signatures are not unique to Mars MV materials. Limitations in specific mineral detection are likely due to the fine grain size and/or textural characteristics of putative MV features. While we do not argue in favor of a specific proposed MV site in the context of future robotic or human missions, the insights of this study could be used as a guide for Mars surface exploration.
Off-Label Use of Intravenous Immunoglobulin with Methylprednisolone to Treat Parsonage-Turner Syndrome in a United States Marine.

Neuralgic amyotrophy (NA) also known as Parsonage–Turner syndrome is an inflammatory disorder of the brachial plexus characterized by sudden, acute onset of severe pain of the arm and/or shoulder followed by muscle weakness and sensory abnormalities. Although management may involve physical therapy, immunomodulatory drugs, and analgesics, there is nothing specific for the treatment of NA. Full functional recovery can take months to years, but recurrence and/or persistence of symptoms and disability are frequent. This case reports a 22-year-old male who recovered from NA within 3 months following treatment with 1000 mg of methylprednisolone and off-label use of 0.5 g/kg of intravenous immunoglobulins (IVIG) for four consecutive days. Three years later, the patient experienced soreness and paresthesia of the shoulder following a military shooting exercise, and 0.75 g/kg of IVIG and 1000 mg of MP were prescribed for 2 consecutive days resulting in complete recovery and no recurrences to date. EMG findings, 3.5-year postinitial treatment, revealed improvement in the brachial plexopathy. This provides support for the combined use of IVIG and glucocorticoids in the treatment of NA and highlights the need for further studies investigating whether this combined treatment regimen may accelerate recovery and improve long-term outcomes for patients diagnosed with NA.
Strategic retreat for resilient and equitable climate adaptation: the roles for conservation organizations

As climate change accelerates the frequency and intensity of natural disasters, damage to public and private property is also increasing, putting exorbitant strain on governments and communities. Societies across the world are working to adapt to climate change, but climate adaptation is currently inadequate to meet the needs of the people left increasingly vulnerable and the places that risk being irreversibly changed or destroyed. One tactic of climate adaptation is strategic retreat, sometimes referred to as managed retreat. Strategic retreat is the process by which the government or another entity purchases (buys out) developed properties that are at risk of destruction or have been destroyed by natural disasters. The structure is most often demolished, and the land is placed under a permanent easement to prevent future development. What happens next is dependent on the entities involved in the buyouts, and can range from derelict, vacant lots to full restoration of ecosystems and their abilities to mitigate flood damage. Sometimes recreational amenities, such as trails or park infrastructure, are prioritized and funded as well. Conservation organizations can leverage their expertise in conservation planning, land acquisition and restoration, policy advocacy, and partnership development to improve the implementation of strategic retreat so that nature and people can thrive in the long term. In this policy paper, we review ways that conservation organizations have and can continue to engage in buyout processes to ensure positive outcomes for communities and nature. Conservation organizations must also evolve their approaches to climate adaptation to integrate equity and redress historical injustices in land use, and contribute towards improving strategic retreat for a more just and resilient future across disaster-prone communities. This work focuses on the context of disasters and climate adaptation in the USA, though many of the principles presented are applicable around the world.
DeGlyPHER: an ultrasensitive method for analysis of viral spike N-glycoforms

Viruses can evade the host immune system by displaying numerous glycans on their surface "spike-proteins" that cover immune epitopes. We have developed an ultrasensitive "single pot" method to assess glycan occupancy and the extent of glycan processing from high-mannose to complex forms at each N-glycosylation site. Though aimed at characterizing glycosylation of viral spike proteins as potential vaccines, this method is applicable for analysis of site-specific glycosylation of any glycoprotein.
Acculturative stress and eating disinhibition among Asian young adults: The role of depressive symptoms and gender.

Abstract Acculturative stress is associated with health behaviors that have downstream consequences for health outcomes. Eating disinhibition, a behavior characterized by eating emotionally and uncontrollably in the presence of disinhibiting stimuli, has been consistently associated with acculturative stress, but the underlying mechanism is not well-understood. The current study sought to test the role of depressive symptoms and gender on these associations. Asian undergraduate students (N = 477; 78% female) participated in an online cross-sectional study. Higher acculturative stress was associated with higher eating disinhibition (b = 3.45, 95% CI = [0.75, 6.15]), and depressive symptoms showed a partial indirect effect on this association (indirect effect = 0.57, 95% CIboot = [0.13, 1.34]). Among male young adults (b = 0.98, 95% CIboot = [0.24, 2.39]), the indirect correlation was stronger than among female young adults (b = 0.44, 95% CIboot = [0.05, 1.20]; non-significant trend), implying individual differences underlying the indirect effect of depressive symptoms in the acculturative stress and eating disinhibition correlation. The Intercultural Relations dimension of acculturative stress appeared to drive the observed associations. This study is among the first highlighting the role of acculturative stress, depressive symptoms, and gender in eating disinhibition and provides evidence that can inform health professionals to target at-risk Asian individuals with eating problems.
Genetic diversity analysis of a set of public maize hybrids

Although the reliability of molecular techniques employed in maize breeding have iinproved, field evaluation of maize hybrids -will be an integral part of maize breeding for the foreseeable future. Since 1970, concern of the genetic diversity of maize hybrids has increased. This study examined the response of a field method for estimating genetic diversity values (GDV) among maize hybrids. This method relies on the positive association between genetic diversity and heterosis, and the genetic principle that an hybrid either sibbed or selfed produces the same Fg gene frequency. Values should range from 0 (no diversity) to 1 (complete diversity) Thirty-six comparison sets of hybrids of varying levels of Reid Yellow Dent and Lancaster Sure Crop genrtplasm were examined using GDV. Comparison sets were grown in a randomized complete block design at six Iowa environments and at one Illinois environment. Genetic diversity values were calculated by two methods; based on comparison set means (GDVI) and based on entry means (GDVli) . For grain yield, both methods gave similar values and were highly correlated (r = 0.94**) . Genetic diversity values calculated by GDVI are prone to substantial errors. The standard error of a GDVI mean for grain yield was 0.15. No comparison x environment interaction for grain yield GDVI, however, was observed. Of eight traits examined, grain yield GDV values were most accurate with respect to pedigree. Despite the potential for error, GDVI and GDVI I generally were able to distinguish among comparisons of hybrids with zero, one or both parents in common. The comparison of identical hybrids (B73 x Mol7 vs. B73 x Mol7) had values of -0.046 and -0.01 for GDVI and GDVI I. Genetic diversity values for comparisons not involving a common parent ranged from 0.77 to 1.12 and 0.71 to 1.097 for GDVI and GDVII, respectively. Both GDVI and GDVII are less reliable for comparisons of hybrids sharing a common parent. For each method, values for four comparisons among hybrids overlapped with the range of values for comparisons not involving a common parent. Each of the four comparisons were composed of greater than 50% Reid Yellow Dent genrtplasm. It is unclear whether these deviations were
Partial Independence Beats Full Independence

AbstractIt is widely believed that fully independent sovereign states are peerless and preeminent. They are viewed as the ultimate political system for producing economic and security advantages. It is also widely believed that they are the only constitutive unit in the international system that possesses territorial sovereignty. As distinct from these views, this paper will provide theoretical and empirical support to argue in favour of the existence and relative advantages of partially independent territories (PITs). PITs tend to deliver degrees of public goods, nationalistic reconciliation, and credible commitment advantages that sovereign states often cannot provide. The result is that PITs tend to have higher degrees of wealth and security as compared to their sovereign state counterparts. The advantages and widespread existence of PITs amend assumptions about the structure of the Westphalian international system in which sovereign statehood is viewed as exclusive and unchallenged.
Effects of Choice on Leisure Participation for Persons with Severe Handicaps

The purpose of this investigation was to analyze the effect of choice on the behaviors of four children with severe handicaps. The investigation compared each individual's behaviors during particip...
Efficient calculation of field distribution with high-resolution using ray-tracing method

A new method is proposed to calculate the field or power distribution in a rectangular region in wireless communication environments using the efficient ray-tracing algorithm developed by the authors. The region is divided into small cells according to the resolution requirement. Instead of checking all the cells for possible reception of the rays, we first check the interception of the ray with the rectangle. Then the cells hit by the ray can be determined and serve as the starting cells for a cell-scanning procedure that finds out all the cells illuminated by the ray tube. It is shown that the new method is very efficient
Globalization of Faculty, Students, and Programs: An Approach

ABSTRACT The objective of this paper is to develop a comprehensive approach to globalization of the educational effort in business colleges that is meaningful within the context of available resources and public funding. More specifically, the objective is to inventory approaches that have been used in the past to produce successful results and introduce new approaches more suitable to present needs. This strategy proposes that a successful globalization effort relies on three fundamental concepts: (1) strong commitment from the administration on all levels of the university; (2) strong leadership from faculty to develop, operationalize, and manage the globalization effort; and (3) clear encouragement of interested students and commitment from administration and faculty that they will benefit from their participation in the globalization effort of the university.
The International Nature of Alcohol as Determined by a Cross-Country Analysis of Demographs and Pricing, 1995-2002

Few publications have attempted to tackle the nature of alcohol on a global level. Given its universal availability and the emerging amount of alcohol-related data, we explore the cross-country and crosscontinent nature of alcohol. Similarly, the extremely visible global burden of disease attributed to consumption warrants its classification. Subject to available data, we find both relative price (incorporating income levels) and demographics of a nation to be the primary determinants of consumption and the effects of higher education and unemployment to be negligible. Further, we find the observed converging phenomenon of consumption rates to be attributable to the decreasing propensity to consume with age. Our results suggest alcohol is unclassifiable in the typical demand model as we observe more unresponsive price elasticity estimates as income rises, although more analysis needs to be performed once additional alcoholrelated data is made available.
Moral Women, Immoral Technologies How Devout Women Negotiate Gender, Religion, and Assisted Reproductive Technologies

Catholicism is the most restrictive world religion in its position on assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs). The opposition of the Church, combined with the widespread acceptability of ARTs in the United States, creates a profound moral dilemma for those who adhere to Church doctrine. Drawing on interviews from 33 Catholic women, this study shows that devout women have different understandings of these technologies than women from treatment-based studies. These differences are rooted in devout women’s position of navigating two contradictory cultural schemas—“religious” and “secular”—regarding the meaning of reproductive technologies. Religious schemas provide devout women with different cultural resources that help them to avoid using ARTs while still reckoning with the ideal of biological parenthood. I show how devout women draw on religion to find value and meaning in their suffering, move beyond biological motherhood, and achieve a moral femininity. While religion increases the burden of reproduct...
Mythbusters: What's Real and What's Not When It Comes to Fish Drugs

AbstractSuccessful fish culture programs take a comprehensive approach to disease management, broodstock conditioning and spawning, marking progeny, and reducing handling stress. Occasionally, drugs are needed to facilitate these tasks, and the only drugs legally available are those that have been approved for such use by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. A lack of understanding of the approval process and how these products are actually used in fish culture has led to unfounded concerns regarding potential human health issues, unsafe drug residue levels in fish stocked into public waters, and the discharge of elevated concentrations of drugs in hatchery effluents. The rigorous drug approval process requires extensive data to demonstrate that a drug is safe and effective for fish as well as safe to humans and the environment, that it is manufactured and packaged properly, and that it is labeled to avoid misuse. Further, the approval process assumes a naive user and is structured to ensure that, if a ...